Well we indeed do welcome
you to our second and final
00:00:38.54\00:00:41.68
presentation for this evening.
We are just at the very edges
00:00:41.78\00:00:45.47
of the Sabbath hours
and a very special time
00:00:45.50\00:00:49.47
for God's people
all over the world.
00:00:49.67\00:00:51.89
Our speaker for this particular
session is Pastor Stephen Bohr.
00:00:52.29\00:00:56.42
Certainly no
stranger to the 3ABN audience,
00:00:56.62\00:00:59.54
he is loved world wide.
And he is the speaker/director
00:00:59.75\00:01:04.07
for Secrets Unsealed Ministry
there in Fresno, California,
00:01:04.27\00:01:07.99
Jim. That's right. And
we're going to be with them
00:01:08.22\00:01:10.00
this Thursday night.
It will be at our regular
00:01:10.10\00:01:13.12
8 o'clock Central Time -
be 6 o'clock Pacific Time -
00:01:13.22\00:01:17.41
for a very special live program
from their new headquarters
00:01:17.61\00:01:21.68
there in Fresno.
00:01:21.98\00:01:23.84
And we're going to be talking
with Pastor Bohr about an
00:01:24.04\00:01:26.14
extremely important topic.
00:01:26.24\00:01:29.70
We're going to be
talking about the Rome church
00:01:29.90\00:01:32.88
and some of the things
that we've been hearing lately
00:01:33.09\00:01:35.78
about reaching across the gulf.
00:01:35.88\00:01:38.20
And this will be a
very interesting time.
00:01:38.50\00:01:41.63
The title of that presentation
is: Is The Protest Really Over?
00:01:41.93\00:01:46.46
Yeah. And that is one
that you want to be a part of.
00:01:46.66\00:01:48.63
And then on next Sabbath we
actually have the dedication
00:01:48.83\00:01:52.10
of that brand-new facility -
a live broadcast - coming from
00:01:52.21\00:01:55.43
his new production headquarters
there in Fresno, California.
00:01:55.53\00:01:58.43
And even though it won't
be televised, if you're in the
00:01:58.63\00:02:00.75
Fresno area we will be there
for the Sabbath morning worship
00:02:00.85\00:02:05.54
at the Fresno church where
Stephen Bohr is the pastor.
00:02:05.74\00:02:10.21
And, man, we're looking
forward... We've got a busy
00:02:10.51\00:02:13.28
week ahead of us but
we're looking forward to it
00:02:13.38\00:02:15.55
being with Pastor Bohr.
00:02:15.95\00:02:17.41
He means a lot to this ministry.
00:02:17.72\00:02:20.23
And he expressed to us last
night that we mean a lot to him.
00:02:20.53\00:02:25.33
I understand what
he's talking about.
00:02:25.93\00:02:27.87
I know that coming to 3ABN
has enabled me to meet so many
00:02:28.17\00:02:34.11
more people and to
know so many more folks
00:02:34.21\00:02:37.26
that I never would
have had the opportunity.
00:02:37.46\00:02:39.41
And he expressed that same
great pleasure that he's had
00:02:39.61\00:02:44.23
in getting acquainted
with people around the world
00:02:44.43\00:02:46.98
that he's met
through 3ABN. Um-hmm.
00:02:47.08\00:02:49.10
We love him quite a bit. He
is the husband of one wife -
00:02:49.31\00:02:51.39
her name is Aurora -
and two grown children.
00:02:51.59\00:02:54.84
Steve Jr. works
there at Secrets Unsealed
00:02:55.04\00:02:57.19
as a technical director,
and he has a married daughter
00:02:57.39\00:03:00.53
living in Napa, California,
so he is a busy, busy man.
00:03:00.73\00:03:04.38
Bilingual. Spent some time,
Jim, in Venezuela and Colombia.
00:03:04.51\00:03:07.86
Picked up his Spanish
there and preaches equally well
00:03:08.06\00:03:11.06
in English and
in Spanish. He does.
00:03:11.16\00:03:13.03
And by the way, he and
Danny were in academy together
00:03:13.23\00:03:16.55
at the Wisconsin Academy.
00:03:16.75\00:03:18.41
And so they've known
each other a long time.
00:03:18.72\00:03:21.51
And then he pastored the
district here and when he...
00:03:21.61\00:03:24.93
Early in his ministry he
was pastor here in southern IL -
00:03:25.03\00:03:29.53
um-hmm - so we are going
to look forward to the message
00:03:29.63\00:03:33.17
tonight. Who do we
have for music before that?
00:03:33.27\00:03:35.97
Our music is coming
from Celestine Barry.
00:03:36.17\00:03:38.43
She is of the
Philippines if you did not know.
00:03:38.73\00:03:41.33
Has moved here with her
husband Mike some time ago.
00:03:41.43\00:03:43.94
A great addition
to this ministry.
00:03:44.14\00:03:45.78
Always has joy on her face
and is just a wonderful person.
00:03:45.98\00:03:49.19
Is the secretary for
this Thompsonville SDA church
00:03:49.39\00:03:52.56
and she is going to be
singing Why Have You Chosen Me?
00:03:52.86\00:03:55.97
Before she sings let's
bow our heads in prayer.
00:03:56.17\00:03:58.19
Gracious Father, we do praise
You and thank You for this
00:03:58.59\00:04:00.70
opportunity to lift up the
mighty and the matchless name
00:04:00.80\00:04:03.53
of Jesus yet again.
And we pray for Pastor Bohr
00:04:03.63\00:04:07.24
Your holy unction
and we ask for ourselves
00:04:07.44\00:04:10.61
open and receptive ears.
00:04:10.81\00:04:12.98
And we thank You, dear
Father, in Jesus' name,
00:04:13.18\00:04:15.50
Amen. Amen.
00:04:15.70\00:04:17.67
Why have You
00:04:36.48\00:04:40.05
chosen me
00:04:40.25\00:04:43.12
out of millions
00:04:43.22\00:04:46.79
Your child to be?
00:04:47.13\00:04:50.41
You know all the wrong
00:04:51.01\00:04:55.88
that I have done.
00:04:56.85\00:04:59.64
Oh, how could You
00:05:03.81\00:05:07.67
pardon me?
00:05:07.87\00:05:10.72
Forgive
00:05:11.02\00:05:12.83
my iniquity?
00:05:13.13\00:05:17.68
To save me give Jesus
00:05:17.98\00:05:23.81
Your Son?
00:05:24.31\00:05:27.21
But Lord help me be
00:05:31.01\00:05:36.83
what You want me to be.
00:05:37.23\00:05:43.23
Your Word I will strive
00:05:44.22\00:05:50.22
to obey.
00:05:50.32\00:05:56.24
My life I now give...
00:05:56.84\00:06:02.73
for You I will live
00:06:03.13\00:06:08.89
and walk by Your side
00:06:09.90\00:06:15.04
all the way.
00:06:15.44\00:06:20.08
I am amazed
00:06:49.37\00:06:53.87
to know that a God
00:06:54.17\00:06:56.99
so great could love me so.
00:06:57.39\00:07:01.63
Is willing and
00:07:01.83\00:07:06.08
wanting to bless.
00:07:06.48\00:07:10.55
His love is so wonderful,
00:07:15.18\00:07:21.15
His mercy so bountiful,
00:07:21.35\00:07:27.29
I can't
00:07:27.39\00:07:29.66
understand it
00:07:29.86\00:07:33.14
I confess.
00:07:33.91\00:07:36.47
But Lord help me be
00:07:40.48\00:07:46.27
what You want me to be.
00:07:46.57\00:07:52.30
Your Word I will strive
00:07:52.70\00:07:58.11
to obey.
00:07:58.31\00:08:04.24
My life I now give...
00:08:04.84\00:08:10.52
for You I will live
00:08:11.32\00:08:17.24
and walk
00:08:17.47\00:08:19.57
by Your side
00:08:19.77\00:08:22.99
all the way.
00:08:23.39\00:08:27.06
My life I now give...
00:08:30.83\00:08:35.69
for You
00:08:35.99\00:08:38.96
I will live
00:08:39.26\00:08:44.43
and walk
00:08:45.46\00:08:48.29
by Your side
00:08:49.20\00:08:52.32
all the way.
00:08:52.62\00:08:58.52
Amen!
00:09:01.78\00:09:03.35
Good evening brothers
and sisters. Good evening!
00:09:12.73\00:09:15.57
Happy Sabbath to
you all. Happy Sabbath!
00:09:15.97\00:09:18.97
It's good to be
at 3ABN again. Amen!
00:09:20.00\00:09:23.15
This is God's ministry. Amen!
00:09:23.39\00:09:26.04
If it hadn't been for 3ABN
00:09:26.44\00:09:28.74
Secrets Unsealed
probably would not exist today.
00:09:29.14\00:09:32.71
You know, 3ABN
has been instrumental
00:09:33.60\00:09:37.32
in the beginning of
many ministries. Amen!
00:09:37.53\00:09:40.23
And one thing that I've
really appreciated about 3ABN
00:09:40.46\00:09:43.13
is that they're not territorial.
00:09:43.23\00:09:45.91
They want every ministry
to grow and to thrive. Amen!
00:09:46.11\00:09:49.33
And that's one of the reasons
why God blesses 3ABN. Amen!
00:09:49.46\00:09:53.23
And I would say that we need
to support 3ABN with our prayers
00:09:53.44\00:09:58.06
and also with our
financial donations.
00:09:58.26\00:10:01.45
We need to keep 3ABN
thriving and alive at this time
00:10:01.65\00:10:05.23
in human history. Amen!
00:10:05.43\00:10:07.45
This evening we're
going to study about
00:10:07.85\00:10:09.52
revival and reformation. Amen!
00:10:09.62\00:10:12.36
But before we do, we do
want to ask the Lord's presence.
00:10:12.56\00:10:15.29
So I invite you to
bow your heads with me
00:10:15.70\00:10:17.52
as we ask the Lord
to be present with us.
00:10:17.62\00:10:20.15
Our Father and our God,
00:10:21.59\00:10:23.45
what a privilege it
is to call You Father.
00:10:24.38\00:10:26.91
To know that You are a
Father that is always the same
00:10:28.00\00:10:30.96
yesterday, today, and forever.
00:10:31.46\00:10:33.41
We can trust You
fully and completely.
00:10:33.91\00:10:37.67
We thank you, Father, for
the privilege of being here
00:10:38.68\00:10:40.93
in this place to
begin Your holy Sabbath.
00:10:41.03\00:10:44.09
And we ask that as we open Your
Holy Book that Your Holy Spirit
00:10:45.03\00:10:48.73
will be present here.
00:10:48.83\00:10:50.22
That You will take our hearts
00:10:50.72\00:10:52.48
and that You
will make them holy.
00:10:52.58\00:10:54.55
We thank you, Father, for
the promise of Your presence.
00:10:55.50\00:10:58.27
We thank you for hearing
our prayer for we ask it in
00:10:58.67\00:11:01.98
the precious name
of Jesus. Amen. Amen.
00:11:02.08\00:11:06.25
As we begin our
study this evening
00:11:08.10\00:11:10.54
I would like to
encourage you to read
00:11:10.74\00:11:13.43
one chapter in the
book The Great Controversy
00:11:14.73\00:11:18.08
which has many of the points
that we are going to study.
00:11:18.28\00:11:21.07
That chapter is number 27
in the book Great Controversy
00:11:22.47\00:11:27.59
pages 461 to 478. It's
one of the longer chapters
00:11:28.61\00:11:33.50
in Great Controversy.
00:11:33.70\00:11:35.12
And the title of that
chapter is Modern Revivals.
00:11:35.62\00:11:41.04
If you want to know
what a true revival is
00:11:41.54\00:11:44.45
and what a counterfeit
revival is you need to read
00:11:44.66\00:11:48.32
that chapter. It's powerful!
00:11:48.52\00:11:51.15
And some of the ideas
that I'm going to be sharing
00:11:51.65\00:11:54.01
with the group that is
gathered here this evening
00:11:54.21\00:11:58.07
come from this specific chapter.
00:11:59.57\00:12:03.11
But I'd like to begin with
a statement that Ellen White
00:12:03.41\00:12:06.48
made over 120 years ago.
00:12:06.68\00:12:10.50
She actually wrote
this in Review and Herald
00:12:11.68\00:12:13.78
March 22, 1887,
and it reads like this:
00:12:13.98\00:12:18.73
"A revival of
true godliness among us
00:12:19.61\00:12:24.26
is the greatest and most urgent
00:12:25.41\00:12:29.54
of all our needs. "
00:12:29.64\00:12:32.13
Interesting. What
is the most urgent
00:12:33.69\00:12:36.40
and the greatest
of all our needs?
00:12:36.60\00:12:38.44
A revival of true godliness.
00:12:39.77\00:12:42.51
She ends by saying:
00:12:43.01\00:12:44.63
"To seek this
should be our first work. "
00:12:45.13\00:12:50.37
To seek for a
revival of true godliness.
00:12:51.93\00:12:55.18
In another statement that
we find in Review and Herald
00:12:55.78\00:12:59.41
February 25, 1902,
00:12:59.81\00:13:03.01
Ellen White not
only spoke about revival
00:13:04.33\00:13:07.16
of true godliness but
she also added another
00:13:07.36\00:13:10.77
very important
word... the word reformation.
00:13:10.97\00:13:15.93
I'd like to read that statement.
It's a little lengthy,
00:13:16.54\00:13:19.50
but it's loaded with
important information.
00:13:19.70\00:13:22.20
Once again: Review and
Herald, February 25, 1902.
00:13:22.50\00:13:25.97
It reads like this:
00:13:27.21\00:13:28.98
"A revival and a reformation
00:13:29.38\00:13:31.99
must take place under the mini-
stration of the Holy Spirit. "
00:13:32.49\00:13:38.18
And then she says this:
00:13:38.78\00:13:40.84
"Revival and reformation
are two different things. "
00:13:41.52\00:13:46.51
Although I might say that they
are closely linked together.
00:13:47.12\00:13:52.31
She continues saying...
00:13:53.12\00:13:54.90
she's going to
define revival now:
00:13:55.10\00:13:57.23
"Revival signifies a
renewal of spiritual life,
00:13:57.63\00:14:01.62
a quickening of the
powers of mind and heart,
00:14:02.77\00:14:07.41
a resurrection
from spiritual death. "
00:14:07.71\00:14:11.19
Three parallel phrases.
00:14:11.69\00:14:14.67
Once again, she
says: "Revival signifies
00:14:15.17\00:14:17.67
a renewal of spiritual life... "
00:14:17.87\00:14:20.05
Then comes the next phrase:
00:14:20.35\00:14:21.96
"a quickening of the powers
of the mind and heart... "
00:14:22.26\00:14:24.67
Quickening means to
resurrect or to give life.
00:14:24.87\00:14:27.00
And then she says:
00:14:27.40\00:14:28.49
"a resurrection
from spiritual death. "
00:14:28.59\00:14:31.09
So revival means
resurrecting from being dead...
00:14:31.19\00:14:33.53
spiritually dead.
But we can't stop there
00:14:34.03\00:14:38.06
because she
continues saying this:
00:14:38.46\00:14:40.63
"Reformation
signifies a reorganization,
00:14:41.03\00:14:46.68
a change in
ideas and theories. "
00:14:46.89\00:14:52.10
Let me ask you: where
are your ideas and theories?
00:14:52.60\00:14:55.82
They are in your head.
00:14:56.87\00:14:58.88
It has to do with a
change or a reorganization
00:14:59.39\00:15:03.49
in our thinking.
00:15:03.59\00:15:05.68
So once again, she says:
00:15:05.98\00:15:07.46
"Reformation
signifies a reorganization,
00:15:07.66\00:15:11.34
a change in
ideas and theories... "
00:15:11.54\00:15:14.01
But it goes further
than that because she says:
00:15:14.22\00:15:16.48
"habits and practices. "
00:15:16.78\00:15:19.57
In other words, reformation
means a change in your thinking
00:15:20.07\00:15:24.11
and a change in your
behavior or your conduct.
00:15:24.32\00:15:27.67
Because your conduct
will not change unless
00:15:28.50\00:15:30.94
your brain changes through
the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:15:31.24\00:15:34.52
She continues saying:
00:15:35.43\00:15:37.07
"Reformation will not
bring forth the good fruit of
00:15:37.27\00:15:40.92
righteousness
unless it is connected with
00:15:41.02\00:15:44.80
the revival of the spirit.
00:15:44.90\00:15:46.61
Revival and reformation
are to do their appointed work
00:15:47.01\00:15:51.24
and in doing this work
00:15:51.64\00:15:54.45
they must blend. "
00:15:54.66\00:15:58.44
In other words, you have to
have revival and reformation
00:16:00.13\00:16:04.49
together. You cannot
have one or the other...
00:16:04.69\00:16:09.61
they must both be together.
00:16:10.01\00:16:13.68
In other words, revival
without reformation is not
00:16:14.18\00:16:17.57
true revival. And
reformation without revival
00:16:17.67\00:16:22.76
is not true reformation.
00:16:22.86\00:16:24.60
Revival without
reformation is emotionalism.
00:16:26.26\00:16:30.36
Whereas, reformation
without revival is legalism
00:16:31.05\00:16:35.76
or fanaticism. I'm
going to repeat that again
00:16:35.86\00:16:39.44
because maybe that
went over your heads.
00:16:39.64\00:16:42.11
Revival without reformation
00:16:43.19\00:16:45.84
is mere emotionalism.
00:16:46.14\00:16:48.67
And reformation
without revival -
00:16:49.07\00:16:52.08
a change in the
life - without revival
00:16:52.28\00:16:54.25
is mere legalism or fanaticism.
00:16:54.45\00:16:58.19
And I would go one step further
and say that reformation without
00:16:59.29\00:17:02.84
revival is like a dead person
acting as if he was alive.
00:17:02.94\00:17:08.23
And revival without reformation
is like a living person acting
00:17:10.64\00:17:16.10
as if he were dead.
00:17:16.20\00:17:17.86
In other words, in order
to experience reformation
00:17:18.26\00:17:23.66
there has to be a resurrection
from spiritual death.
00:17:23.86\00:17:27.86
One follows the other.
00:17:28.93\00:17:31.39
Now there are certain things
that we need to understand
00:17:32.59\00:17:34.88
when we talk about
revival and reformation.
00:17:34.99\00:17:36.93
First of all we need to under-
stand that man - and when I use
00:17:37.66\00:17:40.95
the word man I am speaking
generically. I'm including men
00:17:41.05\00:17:44.73
and women as it's used
in Genesis 5 for example.
00:17:44.93\00:17:48.56
Man was
originally created perfect.
00:17:48.96\00:17:51.71
In other words, he
was spiritually alive.
00:17:52.83\00:17:56.27
And because human beings
were created spiritually alive
00:17:56.78\00:18:00.89
their behavior reflected
the fact that they were alive.
00:18:01.85\00:18:05.02
Their conduct was godly conduct
00:18:05.32\00:18:09.53
in harmony with God's law.
00:18:09.73\00:18:11.40
Because they were alive -
in other words, Adam and Eve -
00:18:11.80\00:18:15.30
they lived like they were alive.
00:18:15.60\00:18:18.21
But then sin
came into the world,
00:18:19.08\00:18:21.65
and when sin came in
humankind died spiritually.
00:18:22.05\00:18:27.87
And because human
beings died spiritually
00:18:29.13\00:18:32.95
they were unable to live a
life in harmony with God's law.
00:18:33.35\00:18:38.33
And that's the reason why
the Bible speaks of a person
00:18:39.11\00:18:42.41
who is spiritually dead,
the works that they produce
00:18:42.51\00:18:45.23
are called in Hebrews
6:1 and Hebrews 9 verse 14
00:18:45.43\00:18:49.31
"dead works. "
00:18:49.71\00:18:51.67
Because a dead person
can only produce dead works.
00:18:52.37\00:18:55.27
And so as a result of
sin man has a double problem.
00:18:57.19\00:19:01.60
Number one: human
beings are spiritually dead
00:19:01.90\00:19:05.13
and number two: because
they are spiritually dead
00:19:05.33\00:19:07.60
all they can produce is dead
works... a dead lifestyle...
00:19:07.80\00:19:12.50
a life of sin.
00:19:12.74\00:19:14.83
Now let's notice a
couple of verses that underline
00:19:15.23\00:19:17.94
this particular point. Go
with me to Ephesians chapter 2
00:19:18.04\00:19:21.70
verses 1 and 2, and I hope
that you brought your Bibles
00:19:21.80\00:19:24.11
or your iPhones.
00:19:24.31\00:19:26.18
We are a people of the
Book or of the iPhones...
00:19:27.18\00:19:30.84
as long as the
iPhone has the Bible in it.
00:19:31.24\00:19:34.18
Now notice Ephesians
chapter 2 and verses 1 and 2
00:19:34.68\00:19:37.15
these two ideas of spiritual
death leading to sinful conduct
00:19:37.35\00:19:41.33
or behavior. It says
there in Ephesians 2:1,
00:19:41.53\00:19:45.39
the apostle Paul is
writing: "And you He made alive
00:19:45.49\00:19:49.55
who were... " What?
Dead. See? "who were dead... "
00:19:49.85\00:19:53.10
And what was the
result of being dead?
00:19:53.40\00:19:55.93
Notice what it continues saying:
00:19:56.13\00:19:57.40
"who were dead in... "
What? "in trespasses and sin. "
00:19:57.60\00:20:01.14
Does that have to do with
behavior? Yes. Yeah, because
00:20:01.34\00:20:03.97
you're dead, as a result of that
00:20:04.07\00:20:06.22
human beings practice
transgressions and sins.
00:20:07.03\00:20:10.33
And then the apostle
Paul says in verse 2:
00:20:10.93\00:20:13.35
"in which you once walked.
" When the Bible uses the word
00:20:13.55\00:20:16.38
walk it's talking
about conduct or behavior.
00:20:16.48\00:20:18.98
So he's saying: "in
which you once walked
00:20:19.28\00:20:21.33
according to the course of this
world. " Does that have to do
00:20:21.53\00:20:24.12
with conduct? Yes. Absolutely!
00:20:24.22\00:20:26.63
"according to the
prince of the power of the air
00:20:26.83\00:20:28.88
the spirit who now works
in the sons of disobedience. "
00:20:28.98\00:20:31.92
And so what Paul is
saying here is that before the
00:20:32.74\00:20:36.49
Ephesians were converted
they were spiritually dead
00:20:37.42\00:20:40.75
and as a result they were
involved in trespasses and sins.
00:20:40.85\00:20:45.19
Their behavior reflected the
fact that they were spiritually
00:20:45.39\00:20:47.61
dead. Notice also Colossians
chapter 2 and verse 13.
00:20:47.64\00:20:51.96
Colossians
chapter 2 and verse 13.
00:20:52.16\00:20:54.00
Once again you
have the state of death
00:20:54.10\00:20:57.36
leading to dead
works or to a life of sin.
00:20:57.56\00:21:00.47
It says there in Colossians
chapter2 and verse 13:
00:21:01.30\00:21:04.11
"And you being... "
What? Dead. There it is again.
00:21:04.61\00:21:08.79
"being dead... " In what?
00:21:08.89\00:21:11.75
Now you have a
behavioral aspect again.
00:21:11.95\00:21:14.03
"being dead in your trespasses
and the uncircumcision
00:21:14.43\00:21:20.23
of your flesh. " So do
you see the connection between
00:21:20.33\00:21:23.60
being dead and
living a sinful life?
00:21:23.70\00:21:26.22
You see one leads to the other.
00:21:26.93\00:21:29.12
And so Paul continues
saying: "And you being dead... "
00:21:29.62\00:21:32.17
that's your condition...
00:21:32.47\00:21:33.70
"in your trespasses and the
uncircumcision of your flesh"
00:21:34.40\00:21:38.17
that's the behavior...
00:21:38.37\00:21:39.48
"He has made alive together
with Him having forgiven you
00:21:39.68\00:21:42.92
all trespasses. "
00:21:43.12\00:21:45.20
And so human beings as a
result of sin have two problems.
00:21:45.60\00:21:48.66
Problem number one:
they are spiritually dead.
00:21:49.67\00:21:52.95
And problem number two: as a
result of being spiritually dead
00:21:53.85\00:21:56.96
all you can produce
is sin and transgression.
00:21:57.26\00:21:59.94
In other words, what the
Bible calls "dead works. "
00:22:00.25\00:22:03.45
But the problem is
even more complicated
00:22:04.56\00:22:07.25
because there is no possible
way according to the Bible
00:22:08.10\00:22:12.00
for us to know in ourselves
how desperate our condition is.
00:22:12.30\00:22:16.41
You see, most human beings
rationalize and they try to
00:22:18.71\00:22:22.85
excuse sin.
Because the human heart
00:22:22.95\00:22:26.82
is a wicked rationalizer
00:22:27.02\00:22:29.40
that tries to
justify evil behavior.
00:22:29.60\00:22:31.83
In Jeremiah chapter 17
and verse 9- this is a verse
00:22:33.05\00:22:37.70
that all of us
probably know real well -
00:22:37.90\00:22:39.90
the prophet Jeremiah
says: "The heart is... " What?
00:22:40.89\00:22:44.42
"deceitful... " Notice
this: "above all things
00:22:45.25\00:22:49.81
and desperately wicked. "
00:22:50.11\00:22:53.19
And then comes the
question: "Who can know it? "
00:22:53.39\00:22:55.81
Incidentally, texts like
this led Martin Luther to say
00:22:56.73\00:23:00.50
"I fear my own heart
00:23:01.24\00:23:03.13
more than the pope
and all his cardinals. "
00:23:03.33\00:23:06.15
Because he knew that the
great enemy was the wicked,
00:23:07.51\00:23:11.40
sinful heart of man.
00:23:11.60\00:23:14.13
So the question is: who
can know the human heart?
00:23:14.73\00:23:17.73
We can't know our human heart
00:23:17.93\00:23:20.31
because the human
heart is desperately wicked.
00:23:20.51\00:23:23.04
You see, an unconverted
person who is spiritually dead
00:23:23.83\00:23:27.93
has a heart that is a
powerful rationalizer.
00:23:28.76\00:23:31.61
It does its utmost to
justify and excuse sin
00:23:32.11\00:23:35.55
and to make sin appear
less sinful than it really is.
00:23:35.75\00:23:39.40
So the question is:
who can know our hearts
00:23:40.47\00:23:43.71
so that we can live again
and so that our life can change?
00:23:44.01\00:23:47.32
Our conduct can change?
00:23:47.42\00:23:49.10
The very next
verse tells us who can.
00:23:50.00\00:23:52.08
Jeremiah chapter 17 and verse 10
00:23:52.38\00:23:55.20
God answers the question:
"Who can know the human heart? "
00:23:55.41\00:23:57.67
"I, the Lord, search the heart,
00:23:59.07\00:24:03.56
I test the mind,
even to give every man
00:24:03.76\00:24:07.42
according to his ways, according
to the fruit of his doings. "
00:24:07.52\00:24:10.61
So who can know the human heart?
00:24:10.81\00:24:12.56
Who can reveal to human
beings the true condition
00:24:12.96\00:24:17.41
of the human heart?
That we are spiritually dead
00:24:17.61\00:24:19.93
and as a result of that we
live a life of conduct in sin?
00:24:20.13\00:24:24.06
Only God.
00:24:24.30\00:24:26.27
There's another verse that ex-
plains that only God can show us
00:24:27.51\00:24:30.74
the condition of our hearts,
the fact that we're spiritually
00:24:30.94\00:24:33.88
dead. And because of
being spiritually dead
00:24:33.98\00:24:37.58
our lifestyle shows it.
00:24:37.78\00:24:39.56
Psalm 139 and
verses 23 and 24...
00:24:39.86\00:24:43.00
Psalm 139:23-24.
00:24:43.20\00:24:46.48
This has been called the psalm
about the omnipresence of God
00:24:46.58\00:24:50.29
but if you read it carefully
you'll find that it's a psalm
00:24:50.49\00:24:52.85
about the omniscience of God.
00:24:53.05\00:24:54.97
Here the psalmist
says, speaking to the Lord:
00:24:57.59\00:25:02.34
"Search me, O God,
00:25:02.58\00:25:05.17
and... " What? "know my heart.
00:25:05.47\00:25:08.51
Try me... " That means test me,
00:25:08.92\00:25:12.96
examine me...
"and know my anxieties
00:25:13.26\00:25:16.97
and see if there is
any wicked way in me
00:25:17.37\00:25:22.53
and lead me in
the way everlasting. "
00:25:22.83\00:25:26.46
So who is the only one that can
show us that we're spiritually
00:25:27.77\00:25:30.74
dead and that's the reason why
00:25:30.84\00:25:33.10
our conduct is the
way that it is? Only God.
00:25:33.20\00:25:37.58
But the question comes
up: how does God search me
00:25:38.58\00:25:44.18
and show me? How does He show
me that I'm spiritually dead
00:25:44.38\00:25:49.53
and that I need to be
resurrected so that my life
00:25:49.93\00:25:53.34
can change? Does God
come and whisper in my ear?
00:25:53.45\00:25:57.85
Does God give me a
hunch or a feeling to tell me
00:25:59.26\00:26:03.44
that I'm spiritually dead
and my life needs to change?
00:26:03.54\00:26:06.69
Absolutely not.
00:26:07.50\00:26:08.97
There is a way in
which God shows us
00:26:09.86\00:26:13.08
that we are spiritually
dead and that only if we are
00:26:13.28\00:26:16.85
spiritually resurrected can
we have a reformed or a changed
00:26:16.95\00:26:20.70
life and that is His holy law.
00:26:20.80\00:26:26.75
In Great Controversy page 478
00:26:29.44\00:26:31.78
Ellen White has
this profound statement.
00:26:33.19\00:26:35.73
She says: "It is
only as the law of God
00:26:36.03\00:26:41.34
is restored to its
rightful position... "
00:26:41.54\00:26:44.26
What is restored to
its rightful position?
00:26:44.66\00:26:48.27
The law. The law. She
says: "It is only... "
00:26:48.47\00:26:51.19
There are not many ways.
"It is only as the law of God
00:26:51.29\00:26:54.60
is restored to
its rightful position
00:26:54.70\00:26:57.08
that there can be a revival. "
00:26:57.38\00:27:00.49
That means to resurrect
from spiritual death, right?
00:27:00.93\00:27:02.93
"That there can be a revival
of primitive faith and godliness
00:27:03.33\00:27:07.49
among His professed people. "
00:27:07.69\00:27:10.20
So what is the only way in which
God's people can be revived?
00:27:11.27\00:27:14.22
Only if the law of
God is restored to its...
00:27:15.40\00:27:20.15
rightful position.
00:27:20.35\00:27:22.40
Now Psalm 19 verse 7 is
a very interesting verse.
00:27:24.96\00:27:27.74
You know, I struggled
with this verse for a while
00:27:29.28\00:27:31.15
until I really sat
down and scrutinized it
00:27:31.25\00:27:34.23
and did some thinking.
00:27:34.43\00:27:35.71
Psalm 19 verse 7
says: "The law of the Lord
00:27:36.22\00:27:39.46
is perfect... "
Then what does it say?
00:27:39.66\00:27:42.35
"converting the soul. "
00:27:42.65\00:27:44.85
I thought it was the Holy
Spirit who converted the soul.
00:27:45.96\00:27:49.48
How is it that this text says
00:27:49.99\00:27:52.02
that the law of God is
perfect, converting the soul?
00:27:52.22\00:27:54.68
Another way of saying converting
is resurrecting us to new life.
00:27:54.98\00:27:59.30
Because conversion is a
resurrection to newness of life.
00:27:59.70\00:28:03.31
In other words, you could
say that the law of love is
00:28:03.61\00:28:06.03
perfect, reviving the soul
or giving life to the soul.
00:28:06.13\00:28:10.22
How is it that the law of
God can revive a dead sinner?
00:28:11.01\00:28:16.27
I can almost hear some people
who are watching on television
00:28:17.65\00:28:20.31
saying: "Man... what?
00:28:20.51\00:28:23.71
Does the law
really convert our soul
00:28:23.91\00:28:27.54
and resurrect us
to newness of life?
00:28:27.85\00:28:29.57
I thought the
Holy Spirit did that. "
00:28:29.87\00:28:31.55
Well the fact is,
folks, that the law does it
00:28:33.07\00:28:35.49
but we need to understand
something that is extremely
00:28:35.79\00:28:39.41
important. You see, for
most of the Christian world
00:28:39.52\00:28:43.42
the law and Jesus are
at odds with each other.
00:28:43.82\00:28:48.97
They are antithetical.
00:28:50.04\00:28:52.01
Sometimes even Adventists
tend to think that the law
00:28:53.06\00:28:56.52
and Jesus are
two separate things.
00:28:56.82\00:29:00.79
But the fact is that the law
is a transcript of who Jesus is.
00:29:03.24\00:29:07.95
Amen!
00:29:08.15\00:29:09.23
The law and Jesus
are interchangeable
00:29:09.61\00:29:13.19
in other words.
00:29:13.49\00:29:15.29
In fact, Jesus is the
incarnation of the law.
00:29:15.59\00:29:19.09
He is the law
LIVED in human flesh.
00:29:19.59\00:29:25.41
When I separate
the law from Jesus
00:29:28.00\00:29:30.17
I become legalistic.
00:29:32.15\00:29:34.04
So how does the law
bring life or convert the soul?
00:29:36.55\00:29:40.50
Simply by looking at the bare
law written on tables of stone?
00:29:40.90\00:29:44.68
No. It's by looking at Jesus
who is reflected in the law.
00:29:45.08\00:29:50.60
Ellen White had a
very interesting comment
00:29:51.23\00:29:54.08
in volume 5 of the
Bible Commentary page 1,131.
00:29:54.28\00:29:59.02
Speaking about Jesus she says:
00:29:59.89\00:30:01.78
"He was the
embodiment of the law of God. "
00:30:01.98\00:30:06.49
What would be a
synonym to embodiment?
00:30:06.79\00:30:08.92
Incarnation.
00:30:09.97\00:30:11.82
Has to do with body.
The embodiment of the law.
00:30:12.33\00:30:15.32
Jesus was the
embodiment of the law.
00:30:15.52\00:30:17.82
He was the law lived in flesh.
00:30:18.33\00:30:20.81
And then she says:
"which is the transcript of His
00:30:21.76\00:30:25.16
character. " So it's not
the bare law written on tables
00:30:25.46\00:30:29.98
of stone that brings
conversion of the soul.
00:30:30.08\00:30:33.11
It's looking at the
law as it's found in Jesus
00:30:33.21\00:30:36.54
the person because He
is the living manifestation
00:30:36.74\00:30:40.66
in human flesh of the law.
00:30:40.86\00:30:42.64
Are you understanding me? Yes!
00:30:42.94\00:30:44.39
Now when I look at
Jesus what do I see?
00:30:46.49\00:30:50.72
By the way, when I
say "look at Jesus"
00:30:50.95\00:30:53.16
I'm looking at the
law in human flesh.
00:30:53.46\00:30:55.93
I'm not looking at the bare
law written on tables of stone.
00:30:56.23\00:30:58.62
I'm looking at the law
lived in human flesh...
00:30:58.82\00:31:01.45
what do I see? I see
One who is altogether lovely
00:31:01.65\00:31:06.59
and pure.
00:31:06.89\00:31:08.58
And when I see this
lovely and pure person
00:31:09.89\00:31:14.83
immediately I discern the
contrast of the filthiness
00:31:15.33\00:31:20.85
and wickedness of my heart.
00:31:21.06\00:31:23.24
And when that happens we
cry out with the apostle Paul
00:31:26.37\00:31:30.60
"Who can deliver me
from this body of death? "
00:31:30.70\00:31:33.73
We cry out with the
prophet Isaiah: "I am undone! "
00:31:34.65\00:31:38.40
We cry out with the apostle
Peter when he said to Jesus:
00:31:39.50\00:31:42.41
"Depart from me for
I am a sinful man. "
00:31:42.71\00:31:45.87
You see, when the contemplate
Jesus who is the embodiment
00:31:47.18\00:31:50.57
or the incarnation of the law
00:31:50.77\00:31:52.20
we see His
beauty and our ugliness.
00:31:52.40\00:31:55.21
That's how the law
points out our great need.
00:31:56.79\00:32:01.02
You know, there's an interesting
statement that we find in the
00:32:02.50\00:32:04.69
book Great Controversy.
For a long time I used to think
00:32:04.79\00:32:08.69
that the sin that was
committed by the Jewish nation
00:32:08.79\00:32:10.86
in the days of Christ and
the sin that will be committed
00:32:11.06\00:32:14.69
by the Christian
world at the end of time
00:32:14.79\00:32:16.51
are two separate sins...
00:32:16.71\00:32:18.21
but really they're the same sin.
00:32:18.71\00:32:20.65
Let me read you this state-
ment from Great Controversy.
00:32:22.81\00:32:25.12
She says: "The
great sin of the Jews
00:32:25.32\00:32:27.43
was their rejection of Christ.
00:32:27.73\00:32:29.86
The great sin of
the Christian world
00:32:31.06\00:32:33.46
would be their
rejection of the law of God,
00:32:33.67\00:32:36.68
the foundation of His government
in heaven and on earth. "
00:32:36.88\00:32:39.76
So the sin of the Jewish
nation was to reject Jesus and
00:32:41.37\00:32:45.16
the sin of the Christian world
would be to reject the law.
00:32:45.29\00:32:47.77
And you say: "Well those
are two different sins. "
00:32:47.87\00:32:49.38
No they're not.
00:32:49.58\00:32:51.13
How can you say: "I love Jesus"
00:32:51.54\00:32:54.26
and "I hate the law" which is
a reflection of His character?
00:32:54.46\00:32:57.17
It's an impossibility.
00:32:58.51\00:32:59.99
If Jesus is the embodiment
or the incarnation of the law,
00:33:00.49\00:33:04.41
you can't say: "I love
Jesus but I hate the law. "
00:33:04.61\00:33:07.86
It's really the same sin.
00:33:08.54\00:33:11.01
So when I come and see Jesus
as the embodiment of the law
00:33:12.46\00:33:15.70
as He is found in
scripture, I see His beauty,
00:33:15.90\00:33:19.51
His wonderful character,
00:33:19.91\00:33:22.69
and in contrast I see
my deplorable wickedness:
00:33:22.99\00:33:27.17
the fact that I'm dead and
I'm producing works of death.
00:33:27.47\00:33:30.41
And then I cry out: "Who
will be able to deliver me
00:33:33.44\00:33:35.98
from this body of
death? " But there's more.
00:33:36.18\00:33:37.93
You see, I not only want to
contemplate Jesus in the beauty
00:33:38.63\00:33:41.97
of His character, but I need to
follow Jesus also to Gethsemane.
00:33:42.07\00:33:47.36
And I need to hear Him
crying out to His Father...
00:33:48.26\00:33:50.71
to His Father: "Father,
if this cup of Your wrath can
00:33:50.91\00:33:54.09
pass from Me, let it be so.
00:33:54.19\00:33:55.98
Nevertheless, not My
will be done but Yours"
00:33:56.28\00:33:58.50
as He sweated drops of blood.
00:33:58.70\00:34:00.68
And then I visit Him at
the cross, the One who is
00:34:01.90\00:34:04.66
absolutely beautiful,
and I hear Him crying out
00:34:04.79\00:34:07.61
"My God, My God, why
have You forsaken Me? "
00:34:07.81\00:34:10.54
And then I see on
the cross something ugly.
00:34:11.87\00:34:14.22
I've seen the beauty of His
character but now I'm seeing
00:34:15.24\00:34:17.61
ugliness, and I ask Jesus.
I say: "Jesus, why did this
00:34:17.71\00:34:20.94
happen to You? "
00:34:21.04\00:34:22.63
And Jesus said:
"Because of your sins. "
00:34:23.48\00:34:25.66
Now my heart begins
to think differently
00:34:28.24\00:34:32.23
because I've seen His
beauty and my wickedness
00:34:32.53\00:34:35.30
and I have visited
Gethsemane and the cross
00:34:36.13\00:34:38.50
and I've seen that Jesus
was willing to bear my sin
00:34:38.70\00:34:42.43
and to go to the cross.
00:34:42.63\00:34:44.25
And so when I come to the cross
I feel love and I feel hate.
00:34:45.40\00:34:49.54
I love Jesus but I hate sin
00:34:51.76\00:34:55.46
because of what
sin did to Jesus.
00:34:55.76\00:34:58.38
Are you following me?
00:34:58.78\00:35:00.34
You see, on the cross I see Him
suffering for the transgression
00:35:01.56\00:35:04.57
of the law and before that I see
Him as the keeper of the law.
00:35:04.67\00:35:09.04
And I see my own
sinfulness and I say to Jesus:
00:35:10.90\00:35:15.24
"Lord Jesus, why did
this happen to You? "
00:35:15.44\00:35:17.15
Jesus said:
"Because of your sins. "
00:35:17.45\00:35:19.75
And you know,
something happens at that point.
00:35:20.97\00:35:23.13
When you see the law as
it's found incarnated in Jesus
00:35:23.33\00:35:26.80
what happens is conversion
or spiritual resurrection.
00:35:27.10\00:35:31.62
That's revival.
00:35:33.84\00:35:35.72
Titus chapter 3 and verse
5... Titus chapter 3 and verse 5
00:35:36.22\00:35:40.03
says: "But when the
kindness and the love of God
00:35:40.53\00:35:43.14
our Savior
toward man appeared... "
00:35:43.34\00:35:45.27
Notice: "not by works of
righteousness which we have done
00:35:45.47\00:35:49.83
but according to His
mercy He saved us... "
00:35:50.03\00:35:53.48
Now notice what He did:
00:35:53.72\00:35:55.31
"through the washing
of... " What? "regeneration. "
00:35:55.51\00:35:59.74
What does it mean to
regenerate something?
00:35:59.94\00:36:01.87
It means to give life
to something that has died.
00:36:02.17\00:36:06.32
And so it says: "He
saved us through the washing of
00:36:07.32\00:36:09.71
regeneration and... "
Notice: "the renewing of
00:36:09.91\00:36:13.92
the Holy Spirit. "
00:36:14.33\00:36:15.92
And now that we've
been made alive by beholding
00:36:16.93\00:36:19.64
the beauty of Christ's character
and saying "I am undone, "
00:36:19.74\00:36:22.27
and then seeing that Jesus
went to the cross and He bore
00:36:22.68\00:36:25.72
my iniquities my
love for Jesus grows.
00:36:25.82\00:36:28.89
My heart is renewed, and
now what happens in the life?
00:36:29.09\00:36:33.79
Reformation.
00:36:34.88\00:36:36.47
Revival produces reformation.
00:36:36.78\00:36:39.76
If you try to live a
reformed life without revival,
00:36:40.61\00:36:43.24
you become a legalist.
00:36:43.34\00:36:44.96
But there are many Christians
who say that they are revived
00:36:45.46\00:36:47.66
but the live like the devil.
00:36:47.87\00:36:49.57
You see, true
revival and reformation means
00:36:51.36\00:36:54.10
a receiving or a resurrection
from spiritual death
00:36:54.40\00:36:59.19
and as a result you produce
living works not dead works.
00:36:59.49\00:37:03.93
The life changes.
00:37:04.16\00:37:06.50
In Great Controversy page 462
Ellen White said: "There is no
00:37:06.90\00:37:11.28
evidence of genuine repentance
unless it works reformation. "
00:37:11.48\00:37:15.16
Those who repent and
there's no reformation
00:37:17.21\00:37:20.43
you might say that they
have "crocodile tears. "
00:37:20.63\00:37:23.54
Because there's no true
repentance unless there's a
00:37:23.94\00:37:26.54
change in the life. Amen. Like
a husband who beats his wife.
00:37:26.64\00:37:30.49
He says: "Oh I'm
sorry, I'm sorry"
00:37:30.79\00:37:32.81
and then an hour later
he's beating her again.
00:37:33.01\00:37:34.83
Ellen White also says in
Great Controversy page 462-
00:37:38.23\00:37:41.36
she's talking about how
the life of sinners changes
00:37:42.57\00:37:46.18
when you experience
revival in your life -
00:37:46.38\00:37:48.93
she says: "The things that
they once hated they now loved
00:37:49.13\00:37:52.17
and the things they
once loved they hated.
00:37:53.40\00:37:56.04
The proud and self-assertive
became meek and lowly of heart.
00:37:57.39\00:38:00.96
The vain and supercilious
became serious and unobtrusive.
00:38:01.36\00:38:05.41
The profane became reverent.
00:38:05.81\00:38:08.34
The drunken sober,
and the profligate pure.
00:38:08.64\00:38:12.40
The vain fashions of
the world were laid aside. "
00:38:12.90\00:38:16.63
That is the result of revival.
00:38:17.03\00:38:19.63
Now once we've been revived
00:38:22.72\00:38:24.70
it's not a once-for-all thing
00:38:26.50\00:38:30.03
because we need to stay
connected to Jesus Christ.
00:38:31.05\00:38:34.87
We need to be
revived every day. Amen!
00:38:35.62\00:38:38.30
We need a new vision of
the purity of Jesus every day.
00:38:38.44\00:38:41.11
We need to follow Jesus
to the Garden of Gethsemane
00:38:41.71\00:38:45.95
and the cross every day.
00:38:46.05\00:38:47.67
We need to live
every day in Christ!
00:38:48.95\00:38:52.52
And then as we live and as
we behold the beauty of Christ's
00:38:53.47\00:38:56.94
character and the
ugliness of sin on the cross
00:38:57.04\00:39:00.78
we are changed.
00:39:01.11\00:39:02.82
Notice II Corinthians
chapter 3 and verse 18.
00:39:04.01\00:39:06.51
I know one of the speakers this
morning as I was coming here
00:39:06.71\00:39:10.21
I was listening on the radio
to 3ABN Radio and I know that
00:39:10.41\00:39:13.38
he used this text. It
says there: "But we all... "
00:39:13.48\00:39:18.19
How many of us?
"all with unveiled face
00:39:18.22\00:39:22.79
beholding as in a mirror
the glory of the Lord... "
00:39:23.09\00:39:27.84
Now notice the
tense of the verb:
00:39:28.34\00:39:30.32
"are... " This is the
New King James version...
00:39:30.62\00:39:33.38
It's a faithful translation
of the verbal tense...
00:39:33.58\00:39:37.01
"are being transformed
00:39:37.31\00:39:40.32
into the same
image from glory to glory
00:39:40.52\00:39:43.85
just as by the
Spirit of the Lord. "
00:39:44.15\00:39:46.92
Now there's one word that
I'd like to underline here.
00:39:48.27\00:39:51.09
When it says we
are "being transformed"
00:39:52.21\00:39:54.93
that's a
continuous tense, right?
00:39:55.04\00:39:56.79
Not a once-for-all
thing... it's a daily battle.
00:39:57.09\00:39:59.80
But the word that I
especially want us to look at
00:40:01.76\00:40:03.82
is the word transformed.
00:40:04.02\00:40:05.82
The word transformed
in Greek is metamorphóo.
00:40:06.91\00:40:11.43
What word in English do
we get from metamorphóo?
00:40:12.98\00:40:16.15
The word metamorphosis.
00:40:17.30\00:40:19.30
In other words, as we behold
Jesus, as we continually behold
00:40:21.10\00:40:24.53
Jesus, when we've
become spiritually alive,
00:40:24.64\00:40:27.49
our life is now
changing... As we behold Jesus
00:40:27.69\00:40:30.56
we are being "metamorphóoed"
if I can invent a word
00:40:30.76\00:40:34.73
into the same image of Jesus.
00:40:35.70\00:40:38.46
And you know when this happens?
00:40:39.57\00:40:41.07
When I keep my eyes on
Jesus the pastor doesn't have to
00:40:41.27\00:40:45.36
tell me how to dress.
00:40:45.46\00:40:46.82
My parents don't have to
tell me what to eat and what not
00:40:49.23\00:40:52.07
to eat. Nobody has to tell me
00:40:52.10\00:40:55.48
what television programs I
should watch and which ones
00:40:55.58\00:40:57.83
I shouldn't.
Nobody has to tell me
00:40:58.03\00:41:00.91
what kind of music to
listen to and what kind of music
00:41:01.11\00:41:03.30
not to listen to because
I'm now spiritually alive.
00:41:03.40\00:41:07.38
And as I'm
beholding Jesus I know exactly
00:41:07.62\00:41:10.39
what is objectionable to Jesus.
00:41:10.59\00:41:12.63
You see, I will come to serve
Jesus not because I'm afraid
00:41:15.49\00:41:19.22
of being lost or
because I want to go to heaven
00:41:19.32\00:41:21.69
but simply because I
want to be like Jesus. Amen!
00:41:21.99\00:41:25.44
Now let me share with you what
the word metamorphosis means.
00:41:26.50\00:41:29.93
I know from personal experience.
00:41:30.43\00:41:34.38
You see, when I was
growing up I lived in Venezuela.
00:41:35.65\00:41:39.09
I lived there from the time
I was 4 till the time I was 14.
00:41:40.36\00:41:44.09
That's the reason I
speak Spanish. Some of you
00:41:44.59\00:41:46.40
see me speaking on television
and you think I'm speaking
00:41:46.60\00:41:49.16
in tongues or maybe
somebody is translating.
00:41:49.19\00:41:53.12
That's actually not
the gift of tongues 'cause
00:41:53.32\00:41:55.24
the gift of tongues
was a miraculous thing.
00:41:55.34\00:41:57.25
You know, people didn't
know how to speak the language
00:41:57.75\00:41:59.85
and suddenly the angels put
a Rosetta Stone into the brain.
00:42:00.05\00:42:04.04
But Spanish in my case
was a learned phenomenon.
00:42:05.42\00:42:08.49
But anyway, in
Venezuela when I was growing up
00:42:09.69\00:42:11.96
when I was a kid I became
an avid butterfly collector.
00:42:12.16\00:42:15.93
In fact, I might say
that I was pretty close to
00:42:16.96\00:42:19.98
being an amateur entomologist.
00:42:20.18\00:42:22.27
That is an
individual who studies insects.
00:42:22.77\00:42:26.70
And so I read many
books, I went on many excursions
00:42:27.03\00:42:30.57
to hunt down butterflies and
to add them to my collection.
00:42:30.77\00:42:34.64
And as I observed butterflies
00:42:36.00\00:42:37.94
I discovered many
spiritual lessons. First of all,
00:42:38.05\00:42:40.19
as you know, the
butterfly has two births.
00:42:40.49\00:42:43.61
Not the butterfly itself,
00:42:45.24\00:42:47.55
but the whole
experience involves two births.
00:42:48.32\00:42:51.07
In the first birth, the butter-
fly - a little caterpillar -
00:42:51.47\00:42:57.43
is born from an egg that
is laid perhaps on a leaf.
00:42:57.73\00:43:02.54
And then the caterpillar
begins eating from one source
00:43:03.67\00:43:06.82
where the eggs were laid
and the little caterpillar
00:43:07.02\00:43:10.33
grows and
becomes a big caterpillar
00:43:10.53\00:43:12.90
and drags itself along slowly.
00:43:14.05\00:43:17.89
How many of you
like caterpillars?
00:43:18.85\00:43:21.54
You know, some
kids like caterpillars.
00:43:22.25\00:43:24.99
I see a couple of hands here.
00:43:25.09\00:43:26.93
But you know generally speaking
we don't like caterpillars
00:43:27.43\00:43:30.60
and worms and things like that.
00:43:30.70\00:43:32.11
Now, the caterpillar
does not remain a caterpillar
00:43:33.66\00:43:38.15
all the time. It doesn't
drag himself along all the time.
00:43:38.26\00:43:40.72
The caterpillar
has another birth.
00:43:42.56\00:43:44.40
You see, when the
caterpillar attaches itself
00:43:46.44\00:43:50.19
to a wall or to
whatever - a tree -
00:43:50.39\00:43:53.82
it begins weaving a cocoon
00:43:54.15\00:43:57.81
and it basically
buries itself in a cocoon.
00:43:58.01\00:44:01.37
And inside the cocoon a
magnificent miracle takes place.
00:44:02.68\00:44:08.68
And I don't think scientists
have fully been able to explain
00:44:09.71\00:44:12.23
exactly what happens.
It's one of the marvels
00:44:12.44\00:44:15.05
that God has
established in nature.
00:44:15.35\00:44:17.49
A transformation
takes place there while
00:44:17.99\00:44:21.67
the caterpillar is
buried in the cocoon.
00:44:21.87\00:44:24.09
A transformation... a
metamorphosis takes place,
00:44:25.04\00:44:28.91
and after a short period of time
00:44:30.02\00:44:32.39
the cocoon begins to shake.
00:44:32.59\00:44:35.81
It breaks open
and out of the cocoon
00:44:36.11\00:44:40.44
comes a caterpillar.
No! Out of the cocoon
00:44:40.64\00:44:45.88
comes what? A butterfly.
A beautiful butterfly!
00:44:46.08\00:44:49.15
You say: "What is this?
00:44:49.45\00:44:51.59
I saw a caterpillar go in
00:44:52.92\00:44:55.17
and now I see a
beautiful butterfly come out. "
00:44:55.47\00:44:58.48
Let me ask you
something: does the name change?
00:44:59.66\00:45:04.06
Yeah... changes from
caterpillar to butterfly.
00:45:04.39\00:45:06.93
Do the habits change?
Oh yeah, the caterpillar
00:45:08.44\00:45:11.75
drags himself
along. The butterfly flies.
00:45:11.85\00:45:15.44
Does its
appearance change? Absolutely!
00:45:17.52\00:45:21.86
Does what it eats change? Yes!
00:45:22.16\00:45:25.65
Does the place where it
lives change? Absolutely.
00:45:26.05\00:45:29.99
Everything
becomes new and different
00:45:33.01\00:45:35.27
when there is a metamorphosis.
00:45:35.47\00:45:38.44
Let me ask you: did
the change come because
00:45:39.39\00:45:41.72
the caterpillar made an effort
to become a butterfly? No.
00:45:41.82\00:45:46.13
The change came
by a miracle of God.
00:45:46.36\00:45:49.12
The caterpillar became a
new creation by a miracle
00:45:49.99\00:45:53.99
performed by God.
00:45:54.29\00:45:56.53
You see a butterfly is
not a caterpillar with wings.
00:45:57.03\00:46:00.38
It's not the old
linked with the new.
00:46:02.44\00:46:04.88
A butterfly is a
totally new creation!
00:46:05.28\00:46:08.94
In fact, you know that verse
in I Corinthians 5:17 where
00:46:10.24\00:46:13.59
it says: "Therefore
if anyone is in Christ
00:46:13.79\00:46:15.68
he is a new creation. " Not
a reform of the old creation...
00:46:16.18\00:46:20.27
come on. "he is a new creation.
00:46:20.47\00:46:22.76
Old things have passed away;
behold all things have become
00:46:22.96\00:46:28.42
new. " That's what happens
when a person experiences
00:46:28.62\00:46:33.55
spiritual resurrection
from spiritual death
00:46:33.58\00:46:36.75
by beholding the lovely
Jesus and by beholding how much
00:46:37.06\00:46:41.04
sin cost to Him.
00:46:41.24\00:46:43.22
By the way, can you see
the power that transformed
00:46:44.63\00:46:47.61
the caterpillar
into a butterfly?
00:46:47.81\00:46:49.73
No... but you
can see the results.
00:46:50.03\00:46:52.62
Remember the conversation
that Jesus had with Nicodemus?
00:46:54.29\00:46:57.08
He said, you know:
"You can't see the wind
00:46:57.58\00:47:00.53
but you can see the
effects of the wind. "
00:47:00.73\00:47:02.80
And so it is when a person
resurrects to newness of life.
00:47:03.93\00:47:06.68
You can't see
the power that did it
00:47:06.99\00:47:09.22
but you can see
the fruit in the life.
00:47:09.43\00:47:11.46
A reformed and changed
life: different habits,
00:47:11.76\00:47:15.05
different
interests, different thoughts,
00:47:15.25\00:47:17.37
different actions.
The conduct changes
00:47:17.47\00:47:20.82
when the life has changed.
00:47:21.02\00:47:22.91
Ellen White in
Desire of Ages page 172
00:47:24.14\00:47:26.89
says: "He who is trying to
reach heaven by his own works
00:47:28.60\00:47:32.21
in keeping the law is
attempting an impossibility.
00:47:32.31\00:47:36.31
There is no safety for
one who has merely a legal
00:47:37.67\00:47:41.89
religion... a
form of godliness. "
00:47:42.09\00:47:44.82
Listen now carefully:
"The Christian's life is not
00:47:45.77\00:47:49.31
a modification or
improvement of the old
00:47:49.51\00:47:52.60
but a transformation of nature.
00:47:53.00\00:47:56.34
There is a death to self and sin
00:47:57.22\00:48:00.09
and a new life altogether.
00:48:00.29\00:48:03.63
This change can
be brought about only
00:48:04.13\00:48:07.02
by the effectual
working of the Holy Spirit. "
00:48:07.22\00:48:09.67
But let me say
00:48:12.18\00:48:14.57
that a hunter is on the loose
00:48:14.78\00:48:17.71
after you have
been "metamorphóoed. "
00:48:18.01\00:48:21.05
Just because you have been born
again and you've resurrected
00:48:22.85\00:48:25.93
to new life doesn't
mean that you are safe
00:48:26.04\00:48:28.85
unless you abide in Christ.
00:48:29.35\00:48:32.01
Let me go back to the
butterfly illustration.
00:48:34.16\00:48:36.21
I remember the first time
that I went to catch butterflies
00:48:37.73\00:48:39.99
in a national park in Venezuela.
00:48:40.16\00:48:42.30
At that time it wasn't against
the law to catch butterflies.
00:48:42.53\00:48:45.58
I had my net with
me and I had my jar.
00:48:46.67\00:48:48.88
And the jar had cotton at
the bottom and a little piece of
00:48:49.08\00:48:51.60
cardboard so that I could
put the butterflies in there
00:48:51.70\00:48:54.95
when I caught them. And
there was a very powerful
00:48:55.05\00:48:57.65
poison called carbon
tetrachloride that I used
00:48:57.75\00:49:00.64
and I put them in the jar.
00:49:01.39\00:49:03.20
And so I suddenly saw
this beautiful blue butterfly -
00:49:03.40\00:49:06.80
you know - flying
through the air. And immediately
00:49:07.20\00:49:09.99
I dropped everything and
I went after it with my net.
00:49:10.09\00:49:12.17
And I would swing at the
butter fly and the butterfly
00:49:12.48\00:49:14.58
would go up... because
they don't fly straight.
00:49:14.68\00:49:16.38
They fly up and
down, up and down.
00:49:16.58\00:49:18.11
And then I would swing at
the bottom and he would go up
00:49:18.42\00:49:21.71
and down. And I was
crashing into trees, into bushes
00:49:22.01\00:49:26.58
and over rocks. And after I was
not able to catch the butterfly
00:49:26.78\00:49:32.46
I noticed that the
national park ranger was there
00:49:32.66\00:49:35.00
with a smile on his face.
00:49:35.20\00:49:36.93
And so he came over and he said:
00:49:41.67\00:49:43.40
"What are you
killing yourself for? "
00:49:43.70\00:49:45.68
I said: "Want to catch
that butterfly and add it to my
00:49:47.04\00:49:49.08
collection. " He said:
"You don't have to do that.
00:49:49.18\00:49:51.72
All you have to know is what
the butterfly's weakness is. "
00:49:52.13\00:49:56.71
I said: "What is this par-
ticular butterflies' weakness? "
00:49:58.17\00:50:00.68
He said: "These
butterflies love bananas
00:50:01.08\00:50:05.62
and so if you take a banana
and you throw it on the ground
00:50:06.76\00:50:09.54
and you leave for 1/2 hour
you'll find several of these
00:50:09.74\00:50:12.32
butterflies just
sitting on the banana. "
00:50:12.42\00:50:14.35
And I did that!
And lo and behold
00:50:14.75\00:50:17.23
5 butterflies on the banana.
00:50:17.43\00:50:19.17
I just put my net over
them. I had five of them
00:50:19.37\00:50:21.30
with hardly any effort
00:50:21.50\00:50:22.84
because I discovered
what their weakness was.
00:50:23.36\00:50:25.69
Now it just so happens
that a few years passed
00:50:28.71\00:50:31.18
and after a few years one day I
went back to that national park.
00:50:32.60\00:50:36.01
And I went through the
gate and I had my net with me
00:50:38.09\00:50:41.52
and I had my jars with
me and my mounting board.
00:50:41.72\00:50:43.94
And after I had
gone in a little ways
00:50:44.24\00:50:46.70
the park ranger came and
said: "Where are you going
00:50:46.90\00:50:48.24
with all of those things? "
00:50:48.34\00:50:49.37
I said: "I'm going
to catch butterflies. "
00:50:49.46\00:50:50.64
He says: "Oh no you're not. "
00:50:50.74\00:50:52.04
I said: "I've always
caught butterflies here. "
00:50:52.98\00:50:55.41
He says: "Oh yes, but
since the last time you came
00:50:56.34\00:50:59.74
this has been
declared a national refuge
00:51:00.04\00:51:03.71
and you can't catch
anything that's alive. "
00:51:04.11\00:51:06.82
So I said: "OK. " I
went outside the gate
00:51:08.89\00:51:12.95
and threw down my banana.
00:51:13.25\00:51:15.66
And any butterfly that
risked coming over the fence
00:51:22.51\00:51:26.90
and not abiding in the
park became my easy prey.
00:51:27.10\00:51:31.52
Just because we have
been born to newness of life
00:51:32.02\00:51:35.26
and our life has begun to
change and is being transformed
00:51:35.46\00:51:38.59
does not mean that we are safe,
00:51:38.79\00:51:40.58
and every instant we
must abide in Jesus. Amen!
00:51:40.79\00:51:46.62
In the book Sons and Daughters
of God Ellen White says
00:51:46.91\00:51:49.63
on page 337: "By beholding
Christ by talking of Him. "
00:51:49.73\00:51:55.11
"By beholding
Christ by talking of Him,
00:51:55.34\00:51:58.29
by beholding the
loveliness of His character,
00:51:58.69\00:52:02.32
we become changed...
00:52:02.52\00:52:04.20
changed from glory to glory.
00:52:04.50\00:52:06.95
And what is glory? " asks
Ellen White. "Character. "
00:52:07.15\00:52:11.54
"And he becomes changed
from character to character.
00:52:11.84\00:52:15.08
Thus we see that there
is a work of purification
00:52:15.38\00:52:19.69
that goes on by
beholding Jesus. "
00:52:19.99\00:52:24.27
Both the Bible and the
Spirit of Prophecy predict
00:52:26.31\00:52:28.67
that there's a great
revival and reformation
00:52:28.77\00:52:30.94
that's going to come
soon among God's people...
00:52:31.14\00:52:32.98
and the devil knows it.
00:52:37.37\00:52:38.81
So the devil wants to
implement a counterfeit revival
00:52:39.98\00:52:43.60
without reformation.
00:52:44.46\00:52:46.28
You know, some of our
Adventist churches even
00:52:48.16\00:52:50.65
feel that if they
have more upbeat music
00:52:51.05\00:52:55.70
and they contemporize
their worship practices
00:52:57.34\00:53:00.80
and they implement
new methods of evangelism
00:53:01.82\00:53:04.47
such as mimes, dramatic presen-
tations, continental breakfasts,
00:53:04.57\00:53:08.16
preaching a prosperity gospel
00:53:08.36\00:53:10.58
that the congregation
is going to experience
00:53:10.78\00:53:12.77
a revival and the church is
going to have numerical growth.
00:53:12.97\00:53:16.23
The only thing that
will lead to true growth
00:53:18.12\00:53:22.27
of the church is
not "gimmick evangelism"
00:53:22.47\00:53:26.45
but a change and transfor-
mation of a human heart - Amen!
00:53:26.85\00:53:30.54
that will change and
transform the human life. Amen!
00:53:30.74\00:53:35.33
Ellen White speaks about
those counterfeit revivals.
00:53:35.83\00:53:38.49
She says: "Popular revivals
are too often carried by appeals
00:53:38.70\00:53:42.08
to the imagination,
by exciting the emotions,
00:53:42.19\00:53:46.33
by gratifying the love for
what is new and startling. "
00:53:46.63\00:53:50.61
Now notice:
"Converts thus gained
00:53:51.63\00:53:54.52
have little desire to
listen to Bible truth,
00:53:54.72\00:53:57.61
little interest in the testimony
of prophets and apostles.
00:53:58.60\00:54:02.49
Unless a religious service
has something of a sensational
00:54:03.59\00:54:07.72
character it has no
attraction for them. "
00:54:07.82\00:54:11.51
And then she says: "A
message which appeals to
00:54:11.92\00:54:15.00
the unimpassioned reason...
" That means your reasoning
00:54:15.20\00:54:18.23
powers without
interposing your emotions.
00:54:18.33\00:54:21.01
"A message which appeals
to the unimpassioned reason
00:54:22.80\00:54:25.86
awakens no response. The
plain warnings of God's Word
00:54:26.26\00:54:30.81
relating directly to the eternal
interests are unheeded. "
00:54:31.02\00:54:34.88
And then she says - this is in
the chapter that I referred to
00:54:36.28\00:54:38.74
at the beginning of our study -
00:54:38.84\00:54:40.03
she says: "The power of
godliness has well nigh departed
00:54:40.23\00:54:43.38
from many of the churches. "
00:54:43.58\00:54:44.76
She's not speaking of
the Adventist churches,
00:54:45.06\00:54:46.27
but I think by
extension it applies to us
00:54:46.47\00:54:48.35
and we need to be
careful. She says:
00:54:48.65\00:54:50.28
"Picnics, church theatricals,
00:54:51.14\00:54:54.17
church fairs, fine houses,
00:54:54.47\00:54:57.49
personal display have
banished thoughts of God.
00:54:57.79\00:55:01.62
Lands and goods
and worldly occupations
00:55:02.02\00:55:05.05
engross the mind and
things of eternal interest
00:55:05.15\00:55:08.76
receive hardly a
passing notice. "
00:55:08.96\00:55:12.58
Then she speaks on page 464
about a great revival is coming.
00:55:14.54\00:55:19.60
That's what we're
longing for, isn't it? Amen.
00:55:19.80\00:55:22.04
Jesus is not going to
come until this takes place.
00:55:22.17\00:55:24.34
She says: "Notwithstanding
the widespread declension
00:55:24.54\00:55:27.16
of faith and piety there
are true followers of Christ
00:55:27.26\00:55:29.83
in these churches"
that she's talked about.
00:55:29.93\00:55:31.74
"Before the final visitation of
God's judgments upon the earth
00:55:32.14\00:55:35.34
there will be among the people
of the Lord such a revival
00:55:35.54\00:55:38.75
of primitive godliness
as has not been witnessed
00:55:38.95\00:55:42.12
since apostolic times.
00:55:42.32\00:55:43.66
The Spirit and power
of God will be poured out
00:55:44.06\00:55:46.96
upon His children. At that time
many will separate themselves
00:55:47.06\00:55:50.94
from those churches in
which the love of this world has
00:55:51.14\00:55:53.62
supplanted love
for God and His Word.
00:55:53.72\00:55:55.98
Many both of ministers
and people will gladly accept
00:55:56.19\00:56:00.38
those great truths which
God has caused to be proclaimed
00:56:00.48\00:56:04.11
at this time to prepare a people
for the Lord's second coming. "
00:56:04.22\00:56:08.42
Amen.
00:56:08.62\00:56:09.80
Do we want to see that? Amen!
00:56:10.87\00:56:13.24
I long for that more
than anything in the world,
00:56:13.64\00:56:15.93
you know, and if
we had that experience
00:56:16.03\00:56:17.78
we would not be debating
and arguing about things
00:56:17.98\00:56:20.72
that are distracting us
from the mission of the church
00:56:20.82\00:56:23.20
and from the
message of the church.
00:56:23.50\00:56:25.32
My prayer is that the Lord
will give us that true revival.
00:56:25.52\00:56:29.97
That we will
dedicate our time, folks,
00:56:30.10\00:56:31.97
to spending our time
with Jesus Christ. Amen.
00:56:32.17\00:56:36.14
That thoughtful hour
that Ellen White mentions
00:56:36.35\00:56:38.76
which will lead us to see
the beauty and the perfection
00:56:38.96\00:56:42.26
of Christ, our own sinfulness,
and then visit Gethsemane
00:56:42.37\00:56:45.92
and see the great
sacrifice that Jesus has made.
00:56:46.42\00:56:49.20
And that this will be a
constant daily experience
00:56:49.40\00:56:52.05
so that God will
give us victory over sin.
00:56:52.25\00:56:55.69
Let us pray. Father
in heaven, we thank you
00:56:56.09\00:56:59.53
for Your many blessings.
00:56:59.86\00:57:01.50
We thank you especially
for the promise of revival
00:57:01.80\00:57:04.24
and reformation. I ask, Lord,
that You will bless each one
00:57:04.34\00:57:07.50
of those who are gathered here.
00:57:07.60\00:57:08.98
That You will truly,
with all of Your power,
00:57:09.28\00:57:12.57
give us this
wonderful experience of revival
00:57:12.77\00:57:15.70
and reformation because
we know that Jesus is not
00:57:15.90\00:57:19.47
going to come
unless this happens.
00:57:19.57\00:57:21.40
So please, do a
great work among us.
00:57:21.70\00:57:24.15
And we thank you,
Father, for hearing our prayer
00:57:24.45\00:57:26.83
for we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus,
00:57:27.13\00:57:29.73
Amen.
00:57:30.13\00:57:31.92