Well we indeed do welcome
you to our second and final
00:00:38.43\00:00:41.64
presentation for this evening.
We are just at the very edges
00:00:41.67\00:00:45.37
of the Sabbath hours
and a very special time
00:00:45.41\00:00:49.44
for God's people
all over the world.
00:00:49.58\00:00:51.85
Our speaker for this particular
session is Pastor Stephen Bohr.
00:00:52.18\00:00:56.38
Certainly no
stranger to the 3ABN audience,
00:00:56.52\00:00:59.52
he is loved world wide.
And he is the speaker/director
00:00:59.65\00:01:04.06
for Secrets Unsealed Ministry
there in Fresno, California,
00:01:04.19\00:01:07.96
Jim. That's right. And
we're going to be with them
00:01:08.10\00:01:09.96
this Thursday night.
It will be at our regular
00:01:10.00\00:01:13.07
8 o'clock Central Time -
be 6 o'clock Pacific Time -
00:01:13.10\00:01:17.37
for a very special live program
from their new headquarters
00:01:17.51\00:01:21.64
there in Fresno.
00:01:21.88\00:01:23.81
And we're going to be talking
with Pastor Bohr about an
00:01:23.95\00:01:26.11
extremely important topic.
00:01:26.15\00:01:29.68
We're going to be
talking about the Rome church
00:01:29.82\00:01:32.85
and some of the things
that we've been hearing lately
00:01:32.99\00:01:35.76
about reaching across the gulf.
00:01:35.79\00:01:38.19
And this will be a
very interesting time.
00:01:38.43\00:01:41.56
The title of that presentation
is: Is The Protest Really Over?
00:01:41.80\00:01:46.40
Yeah. And that is one
that you want to be a part of.
00:01:46.53\00:01:48.57
And then on next Sabbath we
actually have the dedication
00:01:48.70\00:01:52.07
of that brand-new facility -
a live broadcast - coming from
00:01:52.11\00:01:55.38
his new production headquarters
there in Fresno, California.
00:01:55.41\00:01:58.38
And even though it won't
be televised, if you're in the
00:01:58.51\00:02:00.72
Fresno area we will be there
for the Sabbath morning worship
00:02:00.75\00:02:05.52
at the Fresno church where
Stephen Bohr is the pastor.
00:02:05.65\00:02:10.19
And, man, we're looking
forward... We've got a busy
00:02:10.43\00:02:13.26
week ahead of us but
we're looking forward to it
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being with Pastor Bohr.
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He means a lot to this ministry.
00:02:17.60\00:02:20.17
And he expressed to us last
night that we mean a lot to him.
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I understand what
he's talking about.
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I know that coming to 3ABN
has enabled me to meet so many
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more people and to
know so many more folks
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that I never would
have had the opportunity.
00:02:37.35\00:02:39.39
And he expressed that same
great pleasure that he's had
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in getting acquainted
with people around the world
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that he's met
through 3ABN. Um-hmm.
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We love him quite a bit. He
is the husband of one wife -
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her name is Aurora -
and two grown children.
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Steve Jr. works
there at Secrets Unsealed
00:02:54.94\00:02:57.14
as a technical director,
and he has a married daughter
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living in Napa, California,
so he is a busy, busy man.
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Bilingual. Spent some time,
Jim, in Venezuela and Colombia.
00:03:04.41\00:03:07.82
Picked up his Spanish
there and preaches equally well
00:03:07.95\00:03:11.02
in English and
in Spanish. He does.
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And by the way, he and
Danny were in academy together
00:03:13.12\00:03:16.52
at the Wisconsin Academy.
00:03:16.66\00:03:18.39
And so they've known
each other a long time.
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And then he pastored the
district here and when he...
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Early in his ministry he
was pastor here in southern IL -
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um-hmm - so we are going
to look forward to the message
00:03:29.50\00:03:33.14
tonight. Who do we
have for music before that?
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Our music is coming
from Celestine Barry.
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She is of the
Philippines if you did not know.
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Has moved here with her
husband Mike some time ago.
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A great addition
to this ministry.
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Always has joy on her face
and is just a wonderful person.
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Is the secretary for
this Thompsonville SDA church
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and she is going to be
singing Why Have You Chosen Me?
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Before she sings let's
bow our heads in prayer.
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Gracious Father, we do praise
You and thank You for this
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opportunity to lift up the
mighty and the matchless name
00:04:00.70\00:04:03.47
of Jesus yet again.
And we pray for Pastor Bohr
00:04:03.51\00:04:07.21
Your holy unction
and we ask for ourselves
00:04:07.34\00:04:10.58
open and receptive ears.
00:04:10.71\00:04:12.95
And we thank You, dear
Father, in Jesus' name,
00:04:13.08\00:04:15.48
Amen. Amen.
00:04:15.62\00:04:17.65
Why have You
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chosen me
00:04:40.14\00:04:43.08
out of millions
00:04:43.11\00:04:46.75
Your child to be?
00:04:47.02\00:04:50.39
You know all the wrong
00:04:50.92\00:04:55.86
that I have done.
00:04:56.76\00:04:59.63
Oh, how could You
00:05:03.70\00:05:07.64
pardon me?
00:05:07.77\00:05:10.67
Forgive
00:05:10.91\00:05:12.77
my iniquity?
00:05:13.01\00:05:17.65
To save me give Jesus
00:05:17.88\00:05:23.79
Your Son?
00:05:24.22\00:05:27.19
But Lord help me be
00:05:30.93\00:05:36.77
what You want me to be.
00:05:37.10\00:05:43.17
Your Word I will strive
00:05:44.11\00:05:50.18
to obey.
00:05:50.21\00:05:56.22
My life I now give...
00:05:56.75\00:06:02.69
for You I will live
00:06:03.02\00:06:08.83
and walk by Your side
00:06:09.80\00:06:15.00
all the way.
00:06:15.34\00:06:20.04
I am amazed
00:06:49.27\00:06:53.84
to know that a God
00:06:54.08\00:06:56.95
so great could love me so.
00:06:57.28\00:07:01.58
Is willing and
00:07:01.72\00:07:06.05
wanting to bless.
00:07:06.39\00:07:10.53
His love is so wonderful,
00:07:15.06\00:07:21.10
His mercy so bountiful,
00:07:21.24\00:07:27.24
I can't
00:07:27.28\00:07:29.61
understand it
00:07:29.74\00:07:33.11
I confess.
00:07:33.82\00:07:36.45
But Lord help me be
00:07:40.39\00:07:46.26
what You want me to be.
00:07:46.49\00:07:52.27
Your Word I will strive
00:07:52.60\00:07:58.07
to obey.
00:07:58.21\00:08:04.21
My life I now give...
00:08:04.75\00:08:10.49
for You I will live
00:08:11.22\00:08:17.23
and walk
00:08:17.39\00:08:19.56
by Your side
00:08:19.69\00:08:22.93
all the way.
00:08:23.26\00:08:27.00
My life I now give...
00:08:30.71\00:08:35.64
for You
00:08:35.88\00:08:38.91
I will live
00:08:39.15\00:08:44.39
and walk
00:08:45.35\00:08:48.26
by Your side
00:08:49.12\00:08:52.29
all the way.
00:08:52.53\00:08:58.47
Amen!
00:09:01.67\00:09:03.30
Good evening brothers
and sisters. Good evening!
00:09:12.61\00:09:15.55
Happy Sabbath to
you all. Happy Sabbath!
00:09:15.88\00:09:18.95
It's good to be
at 3ABN again. Amen!
00:09:19.92\00:09:23.12
This is God's ministry. Amen!
00:09:23.29\00:09:26.03
If it hadn't been for 3ABN
00:09:26.36\00:09:28.70
Secrets Unsealed
probably would not exist today.
00:09:29.03\00:09:32.67
You know, 3ABN
has been instrumental
00:09:33.50\00:09:37.27
in the beginning of
many ministries. Amen!
00:09:37.41\00:09:40.18
And one thing that I've
really appreciated about 3ABN
00:09:40.34\00:09:43.08
is that they're not territorial.
00:09:43.11\00:09:45.88
They want every ministry
to grow and to thrive. Amen!
00:09:46.01\00:09:49.32
And that's one of the reasons
why God blesses 3ABN. Amen!
00:09:49.35\00:09:53.19
And I would say that we need
to support 3ABN with our prayers
00:09:53.36\00:09:58.03
and also with our
financial donations.
00:09:58.16\00:10:01.40
We need to keep 3ABN
thriving and alive at this time
00:10:01.53\00:10:05.17
in human history. Amen!
00:10:05.30\00:10:07.40
This evening we're
going to study about
00:10:07.74\00:10:09.47
revival and reformation. Amen!
00:10:09.50\00:10:12.31
But before we do, we do
want to ask the Lord's presence.
00:10:12.44\00:10:15.24
So I invite you to
bow your heads with me
00:10:15.61\00:10:17.48
as we ask the Lord
to be present with us.
00:10:17.51\00:10:20.12
Our Father and our God,
00:10:21.48\00:10:23.42
what a privilege it
is to call You Father.
00:10:24.29\00:10:26.89
To know that You are a
Father that is always the same
00:10:27.92\00:10:30.93
yesterday, today, and forever.
00:10:31.36\00:10:33.40
We can trust You
fully and completely.
00:10:33.83\00:10:37.63
We thank you, Father, for
the privilege of being here
00:10:38.57\00:10:40.87
in this place to
begin Your holy Sabbath.
00:10:40.90\00:10:44.04
And we ask that as we open Your
Holy Book that Your Holy Spirit
00:10:44.91\00:10:48.68
will be present here.
00:10:48.71\00:10:50.18
That You will take our hearts
00:10:50.61\00:10:52.45
and that You
will make them holy.
00:10:52.48\00:10:54.52
We thank you, Father, for
the promise of Your presence.
00:10:55.42\00:10:58.25
We thank you for hearing
our prayer for we ask it in
00:10:58.59\00:11:01.96
the precious name
of Jesus. Amen. Amen.
00:11:01.99\00:11:06.23
As we begin our
study this evening
00:11:08.00\00:11:10.50
I would like to
encourage you to read
00:11:10.63\00:11:13.37
one chapter in the
book The Great Controversy
00:11:14.60\00:11:18.04
which has many of the points
that we are going to study.
00:11:18.17\00:11:21.04
That chapter is number 27
in the book Great Controversy
00:11:22.38\00:11:27.55
pages 461 to 478. It's
one of the longer chapters
00:11:28.52\00:11:33.49
in Great Controversy.
00:11:33.62\00:11:35.09
And the title of that
chapter is Modern Revivals.
00:11:35.52\00:11:41.00
If you want to know
what a true revival is
00:11:41.43\00:11:44.40
and what a counterfeit
revival is you need to read
00:11:44.53\00:11:48.27
that chapter. It's powerful!
00:11:48.40\00:11:51.11
And some of the ideas
that I'm going to be sharing
00:11:51.54\00:11:53.98
with the group that is
gathered here this evening
00:11:54.11\00:11:58.05
come from this specific chapter.
00:11:59.48\00:12:03.08
But I'd like to begin with
a statement that Ellen White
00:12:03.32\00:12:06.45
made over 120 years ago.
00:12:06.59\00:12:10.49
She actually wrote
this in Review and Herald
00:12:11.59\00:12:13.76
March 22, 1887,
and it reads like this:
00:12:13.90\00:12:18.67
"A revival of
true godliness among us
00:12:19.50\00:12:24.21
is the greatest and most urgent
00:12:25.31\00:12:29.51
of all our needs. "
00:12:29.54\00:12:32.08
Interesting. What
is the most urgent
00:12:33.58\00:12:36.38
and the greatest
of all our needs?
00:12:36.52\00:12:38.42
A revival of true godliness.
00:12:39.69\00:12:42.49
She ends by saying:
00:12:42.92\00:12:44.59
"To seek this
should be our first work. "
00:12:45.03\00:12:50.33
To seek for a
revival of true godliness.
00:12:51.80\00:12:55.14
In another statement that
we find in Review and Herald
00:12:55.67\00:12:59.37
February 25, 1902,
00:12:59.71\00:13:02.98
Ellen White not
only spoke about revival
00:13:04.21\00:13:07.12
of true godliness but
she also added another
00:13:07.25\00:13:10.75
very important
word... the word reformation.
00:13:10.89\00:13:15.89
I'd like to read that statement.
It's a little lengthy,
00:13:16.46\00:13:19.49
but it's loaded with
important information.
00:13:19.63\00:13:22.16
Once again: Review and
Herald, February 25, 1902.
00:13:22.40\00:13:25.93
It reads like this:
00:13:27.10\00:13:28.94
"A revival and a reformation
00:13:29.27\00:13:31.94
must take place under the mini-
stration of the Holy Spirit. "
00:13:32.37\00:13:38.15
And then she says this:
00:13:38.68\00:13:40.82
"Revival and reformation
are two different things. "
00:13:41.42\00:13:46.49
Although I might say that they
are closely linked together.
00:13:47.02\00:13:52.29
She continues saying...
00:13:53.03\00:13:54.86
she's going to
define revival now:
00:13:55.00\00:13:57.17
"Revival signifies a
renewal of spiritual life,
00:13:57.50\00:14:01.57
a quickening of the
powers of mind and heart,
00:14:02.67\00:14:07.38
a resurrection
from spiritual death. "
00:14:07.61\00:14:11.15
Three parallel phrases.
00:14:11.58\00:14:14.65
Once again, she
says: "Revival signifies
00:14:15.08\00:14:17.65
a renewal of spiritual life... "
00:14:17.79\00:14:20.02
Then comes the next phrase:
00:14:20.26\00:14:21.92
"a quickening of the powers
of the mind and heart... "
00:14:22.16\00:14:24.66
Quickening means to
resurrect or to give life.
00:14:24.79\00:14:27.00
And then she says:
00:14:27.30\00:14:28.43
"a resurrection
from spiritual death. "
00:14:28.46\00:14:31.03
So revival means
resurrecting from being dead...
00:14:31.07\00:14:33.47
spiritually dead.
But we can't stop there
00:14:33.90\00:14:38.01
because she
continues saying this:
00:14:38.34\00:14:40.58
"Reformation
signifies a reorganization,
00:14:40.91\00:14:46.65
a change in
ideas and theories. "
00:14:46.78\00:14:52.09
Let me ask you: where
are your ideas and theories?
00:14:52.52\00:14:55.79
They are in your head.
00:14:56.79\00:14:58.86
It has to do with a
change or a reorganization
00:14:59.29\00:15:03.43
in our thinking.
00:15:03.47\00:15:05.63
So once again, she says:
00:15:05.87\00:15:07.40
"Reformation
signifies a reorganization,
00:15:07.54\00:15:11.31
a change in
ideas and theories... "
00:15:11.44\00:15:13.98
But it goes further
than that because she says:
00:15:14.11\00:15:16.44
"habits and practices. "
00:15:16.68\00:15:19.55
In other words, reformation
means a change in your thinking
00:15:19.98\00:15:24.09
and a change in your
behavior or your conduct.
00:15:24.22\00:15:27.66
Because your conduct
will not change unless
00:15:28.42\00:15:30.93
your brain changes through
the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:15:31.16\00:15:34.46
She continues saying:
00:15:35.30\00:15:37.03
"Reformation will not
bring forth the good fruit of
00:15:37.17\00:15:40.87
righteousness
unless it is connected with
00:15:40.90\00:15:44.77
the revival of the spirit.
00:15:44.81\00:15:46.57
Revival and reformation
are to do their appointed work
00:15:46.91\00:15:51.21
and in doing this work
00:15:51.55\00:15:54.42
they must blend. "
00:15:54.55\00:15:58.42
In other words, you have to
have revival and reformation
00:15:59.95\00:16:04.46
together. You cannot
have one or the other...
00:16:04.59\00:16:09.56
they must both be together.
00:16:09.90\00:16:13.64
In other words, revival
without reformation is not
00:16:14.07\00:16:17.54
true revival. And
reformation without revival
00:16:17.57\00:16:22.71
is not true reformation.
00:16:22.74\00:16:24.58
Revival without
reformation is emotionalism.
00:16:26.15\00:16:30.32
Whereas, reformation
without revival is legalism
00:16:30.95\00:16:35.72
or fanaticism. I'm
going to repeat that again
00:16:35.76\00:16:39.43
because maybe that
went over your heads.
00:16:39.56\00:16:42.06
Revival without reformation
00:16:43.06\00:16:45.80
is mere emotionalism.
00:16:46.03\00:16:48.64
And reformation
without revival -
00:16:48.97\00:16:52.04
a change in the
life - without revival
00:16:52.17\00:16:54.21
is mere legalism or fanaticism.
00:16:54.34\00:16:58.15
And I would go one step further
and say that reformation without
00:16:59.18\00:17:02.82
revival is like a dead person
acting as if he was alive.
00:17:02.85\00:17:08.19
And revival without reformation
is like a living person acting
00:17:10.56\00:17:16.06
as if he were dead.
00:17:16.10\00:17:17.80
In other words, in order
to experience reformation
00:17:18.13\00:17:23.61
there has to be a resurrection
from spiritual death.
00:17:23.74\00:17:27.81
One follows the other.
00:17:28.81\00:17:31.35
Now there are certain things
that we need to understand
00:17:32.48\00:17:34.85
when we talk about
revival and reformation.
00:17:34.88\00:17:36.89
First of all we need to under-
stand that man - and when I use
00:17:37.55\00:17:40.92
the word man I am speaking
generically. I'm including men
00:17:40.96\00:17:44.69
and women as it's used
in Genesis 5 for example.
00:17:44.83\00:17:48.50
Man was
originally created perfect.
00:17:48.83\00:17:51.67
In other words, he
was spiritually alive.
00:17:52.70\00:17:56.24
And because human beings
were created spiritually alive
00:17:56.67\00:18:00.84
their behavior reflected
the fact that they were alive.
00:18:01.74\00:18:04.98
Their conduct was godly conduct
00:18:05.21\00:18:09.48
in harmony with God's law.
00:18:09.62\00:18:11.39
Because they were alive -
in other words, Adam and Eve -
00:18:11.72\00:18:15.29
they lived like they were alive.
00:18:15.52\00:18:18.19
But then sin
came into the world,
00:18:18.99\00:18:21.60
and when sin came in
humankind died spiritually.
00:18:21.93\00:18:27.84
And because human
beings died spiritually
00:18:29.00\00:18:32.91
they were unable to live a
life in harmony with God's law.
00:18:33.24\00:18:38.28
And that's the reason why
the Bible speaks of a person
00:18:39.01\00:18:42.38
who is spiritually dead,
the works that they produce
00:18:42.42\00:18:45.19
are called in Hebrews
6:1 and Hebrews 9 verse 14
00:18:45.32\00:18:49.29
"dead works. "
00:18:49.62\00:18:51.66
Because a dead person
can only produce dead works.
00:18:52.29\00:18:55.23
And so as a result of
sin man has a double problem.
00:18:57.07\00:19:01.57
Number one: human
beings are spiritually dead
00:19:01.80\00:19:05.07
and number two: because
they are spiritually dead
00:19:05.21\00:19:07.58
all they can produce is dead
works... a dead lifestyle...
00:19:07.71\00:19:12.48
a life of sin.
00:19:12.65\00:19:14.78
Now let's notice a
couple of verses that underline
00:19:15.12\00:19:17.92
this particular point. Go
with me to Ephesians chapter 2
00:19:17.95\00:19:21.69
verses 1 and 2, and I hope
that you brought your Bibles
00:19:21.72\00:19:24.09
or your iPhones.
00:19:24.23\00:19:26.16
We are a people of the
Book or of the iPhones...
00:19:27.10\00:19:30.80
as long as the
iPhone has the Bible in it.
00:19:31.13\00:19:34.14
Now notice Ephesians
chapter 2 and verses 1 and 2
00:19:34.57\00:19:37.11
these two ideas of spiritual
death leading to sinful conduct
00:19:37.24\00:19:41.28
or behavior. It says
there in Ephesians 2:1,
00:19:41.41\00:19:45.35
the apostle Paul is
writing: "And you He made alive
00:19:45.38\00:19:49.52
who were... " What?
Dead. See? "who were dead... "
00:19:49.75\00:19:53.09
And what was the
result of being dead?
00:19:53.32\00:19:55.89
Notice what it continues saying:
00:19:56.02\00:19:57.39
"who were dead in... "
What? "in trespasses and sin. "
00:19:57.53\00:20:01.10
Does that have to do with
behavior? Yes. Yeah, because
00:20:01.23\00:20:03.93
you're dead, as a result of that
00:20:03.97\00:20:06.17
human beings practice
transgressions and sins.
00:20:06.90\00:20:10.27
And then the apostle
Paul says in verse 2:
00:20:10.81\00:20:13.31
"in which you once walked.
" When the Bible uses the word
00:20:13.44\00:20:16.34
walk it's talking
about conduct or behavior.
00:20:16.38\00:20:18.95
So he's saying: "in
which you once walked
00:20:19.18\00:20:21.28
according to the course of this
world. " Does that have to do
00:20:21.42\00:20:24.09
with conduct? Yes. Absolutely!
00:20:24.12\00:20:26.59
"according to the
prince of the power of the air
00:20:26.72\00:20:28.86
the spirit who now works
in the sons of disobedience. "
00:20:28.89\00:20:31.89
And so what Paul is
saying here is that before the
00:20:32.66\00:20:36.43
Ephesians were converted
they were spiritually dead
00:20:37.30\00:20:40.70
and as a result they were
involved in trespasses and sins.
00:20:40.74\00:20:45.14
Their behavior reflected the
fact that they were spiritually
00:20:45.27\00:20:47.51
dead. Notice also Colossians
chapter 2 and verse 13.
00:20:47.54\00:20:51.91
Colossians
chapter 2 and verse 13.
00:20:52.05\00:20:53.98
Once again you
have the state of death
00:20:54.02\00:20:57.32
leading to dead
works or to a life of sin.
00:20:57.45\00:21:00.46
It says there in Colossians
chapter2 and verse 13:
00:21:01.22\00:21:04.09
"And you being... "
What? Dead. There it is again.
00:21:04.53\00:21:08.73
"being dead... " In what?
00:21:08.76\00:21:11.70
Now you have a
behavioral aspect again.
00:21:11.83\00:21:13.97
"being dead in your trespasses
and the uncircumcision
00:21:14.30\00:21:20.18
of your flesh. " So do
you see the connection between
00:21:20.21\00:21:23.58
being dead and
living a sinful life?
00:21:23.61\00:21:26.18
You see one leads to the other.
00:21:26.82\00:21:29.08
And so Paul continues
saying: "And you being dead... "
00:21:29.52\00:21:32.15
that's your condition...
00:21:32.39\00:21:33.69
"in your trespasses and the
uncircumcision of your flesh"
00:21:34.32\00:21:38.16
that's the behavior...
00:21:38.29\00:21:39.39
"He has made alive together
with Him having forgiven you
00:21:39.53\00:21:42.86
all trespasses. "
00:21:43.00\00:21:45.17
And so human beings as a
result of sin have two problems.
00:21:45.50\00:21:48.60
Problem number one:
they are spiritually dead.
00:21:49.57\00:21:52.91
And problem number two: as a
result of being spiritually dead
00:21:53.74\00:21:56.91
all you can produce
is sin and transgression.
00:21:57.15\00:21:59.91
In other words, what the
Bible calls "dead works. "
00:22:00.15\00:22:03.42
But the problem is
even more complicated
00:22:04.45\00:22:07.22
because there is no possible
way according to the Bible
00:22:08.02\00:22:11.99
for us to know in ourselves
how desperate our condition is.
00:22:12.23\00:22:16.36
You see, most human beings
rationalize and they try to
00:22:18.60\00:22:22.80
excuse sin.
Because the human heart
00:22:22.84\00:22:26.78
is a wicked rationalizer
00:22:26.91\00:22:29.38
that tries to
justify evil behavior.
00:22:29.51\00:22:31.78
In Jeremiah chapter 17
and verse 9- this is a verse
00:22:32.88\00:22:37.69
that all of us
probably know real well -
00:22:37.82\00:22:39.89
the prophet Jeremiah
says: "The heart is... " What?
00:22:40.79\00:22:44.39
"deceitful... " Notice
this: "above all things
00:22:45.16\00:22:49.76
and desperately wicked. "
00:22:50.00\00:22:53.13
And then comes the
question: "Who can know it? "
00:22:53.27\00:22:55.77
Incidentally, texts like
this led Martin Luther to say
00:22:56.60\00:23:00.48
"I fear my own heart
00:23:01.14\00:23:03.08
more than the pope
and all his cardinals. "
00:23:03.21\00:23:06.11
Because he knew that the
great enemy was the wicked,
00:23:07.42\00:23:11.39
sinful heart of man.
00:23:11.52\00:23:14.09
So the question is: who
can know the human heart?
00:23:14.62\00:23:17.69
We can't know our human heart
00:23:17.83\00:23:20.30
because the human
heart is desperately wicked.
00:23:20.43\00:23:23.00
You see, an unconverted
person who is spiritually dead
00:23:23.70\00:23:27.87
has a heart that is a
powerful rationalizer.
00:23:28.64\00:23:31.57
It does its utmost to
justify and excuse sin
00:23:32.01\00:23:35.51
and to make sin appear
less sinful than it really is.
00:23:35.64\00:23:39.38
So the question is:
who can know our hearts
00:23:40.38\00:23:43.69
so that we can live again
and so that our life can change?
00:23:43.92\00:23:47.29
Our conduct can change?
00:23:47.32\00:23:49.09
The very next
verse tells us who can.
00:23:49.92\00:23:52.06
Jeremiah chapter 17 and verse 10
00:23:52.29\00:23:55.16
God answers the question:
"Who can know the human heart? "
00:23:55.30\00:23:57.63
"I, the Lord, search the heart,
00:23:58.97\00:24:03.51
I test the mind,
even to give every man
00:24:03.64\00:24:07.38
according to his ways, according
to the fruit of his doings. "
00:24:07.41\00:24:10.58
So who can know the human heart?
00:24:10.71\00:24:12.51
Who can reveal to human
beings the true condition
00:24:12.85\00:24:17.39
of the human heart?
That we are spiritually dead
00:24:17.52\00:24:19.89
and as a result of that we
live a life of conduct in sin?
00:24:20.02\00:24:24.03
Only God.
00:24:24.23\00:24:26.26
There's another verse that ex-
plains that only God can show us
00:24:27.40\00:24:30.70
the condition of our hearts,
the fact that we're spiritually
00:24:30.83\00:24:33.84
dead. And because of
being spiritually dead
00:24:33.87\00:24:37.54
our lifestyle shows it.
00:24:37.67\00:24:39.51
Psalm 139 and
verses 23 and 24...
00:24:39.74\00:24:42.98
Psalm 139:23-24.
00:24:43.11\00:24:46.45
This has been called the psalm
about the omnipresence of God
00:24:46.48\00:24:50.25
but if you read it carefully
you'll find that it's a psalm
00:24:50.39\00:24:52.82
about the omniscience of God.
00:24:52.95\00:24:54.96
Here the psalmist
says, speaking to the Lord:
00:24:57.49\00:25:02.30
"Search me, O God,
00:25:02.46\00:25:05.13
and... " What? "know my heart.
00:25:05.37\00:25:08.47
Try me... " That means test me,
00:25:08.80\00:25:12.91
examine me...
"and know my anxieties
00:25:13.14\00:25:16.95
and see if there is
any wicked way in me
00:25:17.28\00:25:22.48
and lead me in
the way everlasting. "
00:25:22.72\00:25:26.42
So who is the only one that can
show us that we're spiritually
00:25:27.69\00:25:30.73
dead and that's the reason why
00:25:30.76\00:25:33.09
our conduct is the
way that it is? Only God.
00:25:33.13\00:25:37.53
But the question comes
up: how does God search me
00:25:38.47\00:25:44.14
and show me? How does He show
me that I'm spiritually dead
00:25:44.27\00:25:49.48
and that I need to be
resurrected so that my life
00:25:49.81\00:25:53.31
can change? Does God
come and whisper in my ear?
00:25:53.35\00:25:57.82
Does God give me a
hunch or a feeling to tell me
00:25:59.15\00:26:03.43
that I'm spiritually dead
and my life needs to change?
00:26:03.46\00:26:06.66
Absolutely not.
00:26:07.40\00:26:08.93
There is a way in
which God shows us
00:26:09.73\00:26:13.03
that we are spiritually
dead and that only if we are
00:26:13.17\00:26:16.81
spiritually resurrected can
we have a reformed or a changed
00:26:16.84\00:26:20.68
life and that is His holy law.
00:26:20.71\00:26:26.72
In Great Controversy page 478
00:26:29.35\00:26:31.75
Ellen White has
this profound statement.
00:26:33.09\00:26:35.69
She says: "It is
only as the law of God
00:26:35.92\00:26:41.30
is restored to its
rightful position... "
00:26:41.43\00:26:44.20
What is restored to
its rightful position?
00:26:44.53\00:26:48.24
The law. The law. She
says: "It is only... "
00:26:48.37\00:26:51.14
There are not many ways.
"It is only as the law of God
00:26:51.17\00:26:54.58
is restored to
its rightful position
00:26:54.61\00:26:57.05
that there can be a revival. "
00:26:57.28\00:27:00.45
That means to resurrect
from spiritual death, right?
00:27:00.82\00:27:02.88
"That there can be a revival
of primitive faith and godliness
00:27:03.22\00:27:07.46
among His professed people. "
00:27:07.59\00:27:10.19
So what is the only way in which
God's people can be revived?
00:27:11.19\00:27:14.20
Only if the law of
God is restored to its...
00:27:15.30\00:27:20.10
rightful position.
00:27:20.24\00:27:22.37
Now Psalm 19 verse 7 is
a very interesting verse.
00:27:24.84\00:27:27.71
You know, I struggled
with this verse for a while
00:27:29.18\00:27:31.11
until I really sat
down and scrutinized it
00:27:31.15\00:27:34.18
and did some thinking.
00:27:34.32\00:27:35.68
Psalm 19 verse 7
says: "The law of the Lord
00:27:36.12\00:27:39.42
is perfect... "
Then what does it say?
00:27:39.55\00:27:42.32
"converting the soul. "
00:27:42.56\00:27:44.83
I thought it was the Holy
Spirit who converted the soul.
00:27:45.86\00:27:49.43
How is it that this text says
00:27:49.86\00:27:51.97
that the law of God is
perfect, converting the soul?
00:27:52.10\00:27:54.64
Another way of saying converting
is resurrecting us to new life.
00:27:54.87\00:27:59.27
Because conversion is a
resurrection to newness of life.
00:27:59.61\00:28:03.28
In other words, you could
say that the law of love is
00:28:03.51\00:28:05.98
perfect, reviving the soul
or giving life to the soul.
00:28:06.01\00:28:10.19
How is it that the law of
God can revive a dead sinner?
00:28:10.92\00:28:16.26
I can almost hear some people
who are watching on television
00:28:17.53\00:28:20.30
saying: "Man... what?
00:28:20.43\00:28:23.67
Does the law
really convert our soul
00:28:23.80\00:28:27.50
and resurrect us
to newness of life?
00:28:27.74\00:28:29.54
I thought the
Holy Spirit did that. "
00:28:29.77\00:28:31.51
Well the fact is,
folks, that the law does it
00:28:32.97\00:28:35.44
but we need to understand
something that is extremely
00:28:35.68\00:28:39.38
important. You see, for
most of the Christian world
00:28:39.41\00:28:43.39
the law and Jesus are
at odds with each other.
00:28:43.72\00:28:48.96
They are antithetical.
00:28:49.96\00:28:51.99
Sometimes even Adventists
tend to think that the law
00:28:52.96\00:28:56.46
and Jesus are
two separate things.
00:28:56.70\00:29:00.74
But the fact is that the law
is a transcript of who Jesus is.
00:29:03.14\00:29:07.91
Amen!
00:29:08.04\00:29:09.18
The law and Jesus
are interchangeable
00:29:09.51\00:29:13.15
in other words.
00:29:13.38\00:29:15.25
In fact, Jesus is the
incarnation of the law.
00:29:15.48\00:29:19.05
He is the law
LIVED in human flesh.
00:29:19.49\00:29:25.39
When I separate
the law from Jesus
00:29:27.93\00:29:30.13
I become legalistic.
00:29:32.03\00:29:34.00
So how does the law
bring life or convert the soul?
00:29:36.44\00:29:40.48
Simply by looking at the bare
law written on tables of stone?
00:29:40.81\00:29:44.65
No. It's by looking at Jesus
who is reflected in the law.
00:29:44.98\00:29:50.59
Ellen White had a
very interesting comment
00:29:51.12\00:29:54.06
in volume 5 of the
Bible Commentary page 1,131.
00:29:54.19\00:29:58.99
Speaking about Jesus she says:
00:29:59.79\00:30:01.73
"He was the
embodiment of the law of God. "
00:30:01.86\00:30:06.43
What would be a
synonym to embodiment?
00:30:06.67\00:30:08.87
Incarnation.
00:30:09.87\00:30:11.77
Has to do with body.
The embodiment of the law.
00:30:12.21\00:30:15.28
Jesus was the
embodiment of the law.
00:30:15.41\00:30:17.78
He was the law lived in flesh.
00:30:18.21\00:30:20.78
And then she says:
"which is the transcript of His
00:30:21.65\00:30:25.12
character. " So it's not
the bare law written on tables
00:30:25.35\00:30:29.96
of stone that brings
conversion of the soul.
00:30:29.99\00:30:33.09
It's looking at the
law as it's found in Jesus
00:30:33.13\00:30:36.50
the person because He
is the living manifestation
00:30:36.63\00:30:40.60
in human flesh of the law.
00:30:40.74\00:30:42.60
Are you understanding me? Yes!
00:30:42.84\00:30:44.34
Now when I look at
Jesus what do I see?
00:30:46.37\00:30:50.68
By the way, when I
say "look at Jesus"
00:30:50.85\00:30:53.11
I'm looking at the
law in human flesh.
00:30:53.35\00:30:55.88
I'm not looking at the bare
law written on tables of stone.
00:30:56.12\00:30:58.59
I'm looking at the law
lived in human flesh...
00:30:58.72\00:31:01.42
what do I see? I see
One who is altogether lovely
00:31:01.56\00:31:06.56
and pure.
00:31:06.80\00:31:08.53
And when I see this
lovely and pure person
00:31:09.76\00:31:14.77
immediately I discern the
contrast of the filthiness
00:31:15.20\00:31:20.81
and wickedness of my heart.
00:31:20.94\00:31:23.21
And when that happens we
cry out with the apostle Paul
00:31:26.28\00:31:30.59
"Who can deliver me
from this body of death? "
00:31:30.62\00:31:33.69
We cry out with the
prophet Isaiah: "I am undone! "
00:31:34.56\00:31:38.39
We cry out with the apostle
Peter when he said to Jesus:
00:31:39.43\00:31:42.36
"Depart from me for
I am a sinful man. "
00:31:42.60\00:31:45.83
You see, when the contemplate
Jesus who is the embodiment
00:31:47.07\00:31:50.54
or the incarnation of the law
00:31:50.67\00:31:52.17
we see His
beauty and our ugliness.
00:31:52.31\00:31:55.18
That's how the law
points out our great need.
00:31:56.68\00:32:00.98
You know, there's an interesting
statement that we find in the
00:32:02.42\00:32:04.65
book Great Controversy.
For a long time I used to think
00:32:04.69\00:32:08.66
that the sin that was
committed by the Jewish nation
00:32:08.69\00:32:10.83
in the days of Christ and
the sin that will be committed
00:32:10.96\00:32:14.63
by the Christian
world at the end of time
00:32:14.66\00:32:16.46
are two separate sins...
00:32:16.60\00:32:18.17
but really they're the same sin.
00:32:18.60\00:32:20.60
Let me read you this state-
ment from Great Controversy.
00:32:22.70\00:32:25.07
She says: "The
great sin of the Jews
00:32:25.21\00:32:27.38
was their rejection of Christ.
00:32:27.61\00:32:29.81
The great sin of
the Christian world
00:32:30.95\00:32:33.42
would be their
rejection of the law of God,
00:32:33.58\00:32:36.65
the foundation of His government
in heaven and on earth. "
00:32:36.79\00:32:39.72
So the sin of the Jewish
nation was to reject Jesus and
00:32:41.29\00:32:45.16
the sin of the Christian world
would be to reject the law.
00:32:45.19\00:32:47.76
And you say: "Well those
are two different sins. "
00:32:47.76\00:32:49.33
No they're not.
00:32:49.46\00:32:51.07
How can you say: "I love Jesus"
00:32:51.43\00:32:54.20
and "I hate the law" which is
a reflection of His character?
00:32:54.34\00:32:57.14
It's an impossibility.
00:32:58.41\00:32:59.94
If Jesus is the embodiment
or the incarnation of the law,
00:33:00.38\00:33:04.38
you can't say: "I love
Jesus but I hate the law. "
00:33:04.51\00:33:07.82
It's really the same sin.
00:33:08.42\00:33:10.99
So when I come and see Jesus
as the embodiment of the law
00:33:12.35\00:33:15.69
as He is found in
scripture, I see His beauty,
00:33:15.82\00:33:19.49
His wonderful character,
00:33:19.83\00:33:22.63
and in contrast I see
my deplorable wickedness:
00:33:22.86\00:33:27.14
the fact that I'm dead and
I'm producing works of death.
00:33:27.37\00:33:30.37
And then I cry out: "Who
will be able to deliver me
00:33:33.34\00:33:35.94
from this body of
death? " But there's more.
00:33:36.08\00:33:37.88
You see, I not only want to
contemplate Jesus in the beauty
00:33:38.51\00:33:41.95
of His character, but I need to
follow Jesus also to Gethsemane.
00:33:41.98\00:33:47.32
And I need to hear Him
crying out to His Father...
00:33:48.16\00:33:50.69
to His Father: "Father,
if this cup of Your wrath can
00:33:50.83\00:33:54.03
pass from Me, let it be so.
00:33:54.10\00:33:55.93
Nevertheless, not My
will be done but Yours"
00:33:56.16\00:33:58.47
as He sweated drops of blood.
00:33:58.60\00:34:00.64
And then I visit Him at
the cross, the One who is
00:34:01.80\00:34:04.64
absolutely beautiful,
and I hear Him crying out
00:34:04.67\00:34:07.58
"My God, My God, why
have You forsaken Me? "
00:34:07.71\00:34:10.51
And then I see on
the cross something ugly.
00:34:11.78\00:34:14.18
I've seen the beauty of His
character but now I'm seeing
00:34:15.15\00:34:17.59
ugliness, and I ask Jesus.
I say: "Jesus, why did this
00:34:17.62\00:34:20.92
happen to You? "
00:34:20.96\00:34:22.59
And Jesus said:
"Because of your sins. "
00:34:23.39\00:34:25.63
Now my heart begins
to think differently
00:34:28.13\00:34:32.17
because I've seen His
beauty and my wickedness
00:34:32.40\00:34:35.27
and I have visited
Gethsemane and the cross
00:34:36.00\00:34:38.47
and I've seen that Jesus
was willing to bear my sin
00:34:38.61\00:34:42.38
and to go to the cross.
00:34:42.51\00:34:44.21
And so when I come to the cross
I feel love and I feel hate.
00:34:45.31\00:34:49.52
I love Jesus but I hate sin
00:34:51.65\00:34:55.42
because of what
sin did to Jesus.
00:34:55.66\00:34:58.36
Are you following me?
00:34:58.69\00:35:00.33
You see, on the cross I see Him
suffering for the transgression
00:35:01.43\00:35:04.53
of the law and before that I see
Him as the keeper of the law.
00:35:04.57\00:35:09.00
And I see my own
sinfulness and I say to Jesus:
00:35:10.81\00:35:15.21
"Lord Jesus, why did
this happen to You? "
00:35:15.34\00:35:17.11
Jesus said:
"Because of your sins. "
00:35:17.35\00:35:19.71
And you know,
something happens at that point.
00:35:20.88\00:35:23.08
When you see the law as
it's found incarnated in Jesus
00:35:23.22\00:35:26.79
what happens is conversion
or spiritual resurrection.
00:35:27.02\00:35:31.59
That's revival.
00:35:33.76\00:35:35.66
Titus chapter 3 and verse
5... Titus chapter 3 and verse 5
00:35:36.10\00:35:39.97
says: "But when the
kindness and the love of God
00:35:40.40\00:35:43.10
our Savior
toward man appeared... "
00:35:43.24\00:35:45.24
Notice: "not by works of
righteousness which we have done
00:35:45.37\00:35:49.78
but according to His
mercy He saved us... "
00:35:49.91\00:35:53.45
Now notice what He did:
00:35:53.62\00:35:55.28
"through the washing
of... " What? "regeneration. "
00:35:55.42\00:35:59.72
What does it mean to
regenerate something?
00:35:59.85\00:36:01.86
It means to give life
to something that has died.
00:36:02.09\00:36:06.29
And so it says: "He
saved us through the washing of
00:36:07.23\00:36:09.66
regeneration and... "
Notice: "the renewing of
00:36:09.80\00:36:13.87
the Holy Spirit. "
00:36:14.20\00:36:15.87
And now that we've
been made alive by beholding
00:36:16.81\00:36:19.61
the beauty of Christ's character
and saying "I am undone, "
00:36:19.64\00:36:22.24
and then seeing that Jesus
went to the cross and He bore
00:36:22.58\00:36:25.68
my iniquities my
love for Jesus grows.
00:36:25.71\00:36:28.85
My heart is renewed, and
now what happens in the life?
00:36:28.98\00:36:33.76
Reformation.
00:36:34.79\00:36:36.46
Revival produces reformation.
00:36:36.69\00:36:39.73
If you try to live a
reformed life without revival,
00:36:40.53\00:36:43.20
you become a legalist.
00:36:43.23\00:36:44.90
But there are many Christians
who say that they are revived
00:36:45.33\00:36:47.60
but the live like the devil.
00:36:47.77\00:36:49.54
You see, true
revival and reformation means
00:36:51.24\00:36:54.08
a receiving or a resurrection
from spiritual death
00:36:54.31\00:36:59.15
and as a result you produce
living works not dead works.
00:36:59.38\00:37:03.89
The life changes.
00:37:04.05\00:37:06.49
In Great Controversy page 462
Ellen White said: "There is no
00:37:06.82\00:37:11.26
evidence of genuine repentance
unless it works reformation. "
00:37:11.39\00:37:15.10
Those who repent and
there's no reformation
00:37:17.10\00:37:20.37
you might say that they
have "crocodile tears. "
00:37:20.50\00:37:23.51
Because there's no true
repentance unless there's a
00:37:23.84\00:37:26.51
change in the life. Amen. Like
a husband who beats his wife.
00:37:26.54\00:37:30.45
He says: "Oh I'm
sorry, I'm sorry"
00:37:30.68\00:37:32.78
and then an hour later
he's beating her again.
00:37:32.91\00:37:34.78
Ellen White also says in
Great Controversy page 462-
00:37:38.12\00:37:41.32
she's talking about how
the life of sinners changes
00:37:42.46\00:37:46.16
when you experience
revival in your life -
00:37:46.29\00:37:48.86
she says: "The things that
they once hated they now loved
00:37:49.00\00:37:52.13
and the things they
once loved they hated.
00:37:53.30\00:37:56.00
The proud and self-assertive
became meek and lowly of heart.
00:37:57.27\00:38:00.91
The vain and supercilious
became serious and unobtrusive.
00:38:01.24\00:38:05.38
The profane became reverent.
00:38:05.71\00:38:08.32
The drunken sober,
and the profligate pure.
00:38:08.55\00:38:12.39
The vain fashions of
the world were laid aside. "
00:38:12.82\00:38:16.59
That is the result of revival.
00:38:16.93\00:38:19.59
Now once we've been revived
00:38:22.60\00:38:24.67
it's not a once-for-all thing
00:38:26.40\00:38:29.97
because we need to stay
connected to Jesus Christ.
00:38:30.94\00:38:34.84
We need to be
revived every day. Amen!
00:38:35.51\00:38:38.31
We need a new vision of
the purity of Jesus every day.
00:38:38.35\00:38:41.08
We need to follow Jesus
to the Garden of Gethsemane
00:38:41.62\00:38:45.92
and the cross every day.
00:38:45.95\00:38:47.66
We need to live
every day in Christ!
00:38:48.86\00:38:52.49
And then as we live and as
we behold the beauty of Christ's
00:38:53.40\00:38:56.90
character and the
ugliness of sin on the cross
00:38:56.93\00:39:00.74
we are changed.
00:39:01.00\00:39:02.77
Notice II Corinthians
chapter 3 and verse 18.
00:39:03.91\00:39:06.47
I know one of the speakers this
morning as I was coming here
00:39:06.61\00:39:10.18
I was listening on the radio
to 3ABN Radio and I know that
00:39:10.31\00:39:13.35
he used this text. It
says there: "But we all... "
00:39:13.38\00:39:18.09
How many of us?
"all with unveiled face
00:39:18.12\00:39:22.76
beholding as in a mirror
the glory of the Lord... "
00:39:22.99\00:39:27.83
Now notice the
tense of the verb:
00:39:28.23\00:39:30.27
"are... " This is the
New King James version...
00:39:30.50\00:39:33.34
It's a faithful translation
of the verbal tense...
00:39:33.47\00:39:36.97
"are being transformed
00:39:37.21\00:39:40.28
into the same
image from glory to glory
00:39:40.41\00:39:43.81
just as by the
Spirit of the Lord. "
00:39:44.05\00:39:46.88
Now there's one word that
I'd like to underline here.
00:39:48.18\00:39:51.05
When it says we
are "being transformed"
00:39:52.12\00:39:54.92
that's a
continuous tense, right?
00:39:54.96\00:39:56.76
Not a once-for-all
thing... it's a daily battle.
00:39:56.99\00:39:59.79
But the word that I
especially want us to look at
00:40:01.63\00:40:03.77
is the word transformed.
00:40:03.90\00:40:05.77
The word transformed
in Greek is metamorphóo.
00:40:06.74\00:40:11.37
What word in English do
we get from metamorphóo?
00:40:12.87\00:40:16.11
The word metamorphosis.
00:40:17.21\00:40:19.28
In other words, as we behold
Jesus, as we continually behold
00:40:21.02\00:40:24.52
Jesus, when we've
become spiritually alive,
00:40:24.55\00:40:27.46
our life is now
changing... As we behold Jesus
00:40:27.59\00:40:30.53
we are being "metamorphóoed"
if I can invent a word
00:40:30.66\00:40:34.66
into the same image of Jesus.
00:40:35.60\00:40:38.40
And you know when this happens?
00:40:39.47\00:40:41.04
When I keep my eyes on
Jesus the pastor doesn't have to
00:40:41.17\00:40:45.31
tell me how to dress.
00:40:45.34\00:40:46.78
My parents don't have to
tell me what to eat and what not
00:40:49.11\00:40:51.98
to eat. Nobody has to tell me
00:40:52.01\00:40:55.45
what television programs I
should watch and which ones
00:40:55.48\00:40:57.79
I shouldn't.
Nobody has to tell me
00:40:57.92\00:41:00.89
what kind of music to
listen to and what kind of music
00:41:01.02\00:41:03.29
not to listen to because
I'm now spiritually alive.
00:41:03.32\00:41:07.36
And as I'm
beholding Jesus I know exactly
00:41:07.50\00:41:10.33
what is objectionable to Jesus.
00:41:10.47\00:41:12.57
You see, I will come to serve
Jesus not because I'm afraid
00:41:15.37\00:41:19.17
of being lost or
because I want to go to heaven
00:41:19.21\00:41:21.64
but simply because I
want to be like Jesus. Amen!
00:41:21.88\00:41:25.41
Now let me share with you what
the word metamorphosis means.
00:41:26.41\00:41:29.88
I know from personal experience.
00:41:30.32\00:41:34.36
You see, when I was
growing up I lived in Venezuela.
00:41:35.56\00:41:39.06
I lived there from the time
I was 4 till the time I was 14.
00:41:40.26\00:41:44.03
That's the reason I
speak Spanish. Some of you
00:41:44.47\00:41:46.37
see me speaking on television
and you think I'm speaking
00:41:46.50\00:41:49.04
in tongues or maybe
somebody is translating.
00:41:49.07\00:41:53.07
That's actually not
the gift of tongues 'cause
00:41:53.21\00:41:55.21
the gift of tongues
was a miraculous thing.
00:41:55.24\00:41:57.21
You know, people didn't
know how to speak the language
00:41:57.65\00:41:59.81
and suddenly the angels put
a Rosetta Stone into the brain.
00:41:59.91\00:42:04.02
But Spanish in my case
was a learned phenomenon.
00:42:05.32\00:42:08.46
But anyway, in
Venezuela when I was growing up
00:42:09.59\00:42:11.93
when I was a kid I became
an avid butterfly collector.
00:42:12.06\00:42:15.86
In fact, I might say
that I was pretty close to
00:42:16.83\00:42:19.93
being an amateur entomologist.
00:42:20.07\00:42:22.24
That is an
individual who studies insects.
00:42:22.67\00:42:26.68
And so I read many
books, I went on many excursions
00:42:26.91\00:42:30.55
to hunt down butterflies and
to add them to my collection.
00:42:30.68\00:42:34.62
And as I observed butterflies
00:42:35.92\00:42:37.92
I discovered many
spiritual lessons. First of all,
00:42:37.95\00:42:40.16
as you know, the
butterfly has two births.
00:42:40.39\00:42:43.59
Not the butterfly itself,
00:42:45.16\00:42:47.50
but the whole
experience involves two births.
00:42:48.20\00:42:51.03
In the first birth, the butter-
fly - a little caterpillar -
00:42:51.37\00:42:57.37
is born from an egg that
is laid perhaps on a leaf.
00:42:57.61\00:43:02.51
And then the caterpillar
begins eating from one source
00:43:03.58\00:43:06.78
where the eggs were laid
and the little caterpillar
00:43:06.92\00:43:10.29
grows and
becomes a big caterpillar
00:43:10.42\00:43:12.89
and drags itself along slowly.
00:43:13.96\00:43:17.86
How many of you
like caterpillars?
00:43:18.69\00:43:21.50
You know, some
kids like caterpillars.
00:43:22.13\00:43:24.93
I see a couple of hands here.
00:43:24.97\00:43:26.87
But you know generally speaking
we don't like caterpillars
00:43:27.30\00:43:30.57
and worms and things like that.
00:43:30.61\00:43:32.07
Now, the caterpillar
does not remain a caterpillar
00:43:33.54\00:43:38.11
all the time. It doesn't
drag himself along all the time.
00:43:38.15\00:43:40.68
The caterpillar
has another birth.
00:43:42.45\00:43:44.39
You see, when the
caterpillar attaches itself
00:43:46.35\00:43:50.16
to a wall or to
whatever - a tree -
00:43:50.29\00:43:53.80
it begins weaving a cocoon
00:43:54.03\00:43:57.77
and it basically
buries itself in a cocoon.
00:43:57.90\00:44:01.34
And inside the cocoon a
magnificent miracle takes place.
00:44:02.50\00:44:08.64
And I don't think scientists
have fully been able to explain
00:44:09.61\00:44:12.18
exactly what happens.
It's one of the marvels
00:44:12.35\00:44:15.02
that God has
established in nature.
00:44:15.25\00:44:17.45
A transformation
takes place there while
00:44:17.89\00:44:21.66
the caterpillar is
buried in the cocoon.
00:44:21.79\00:44:24.06
A transformation... a
metamorphosis takes place,
00:44:24.96\00:44:28.86
and after a short period of time
00:44:29.90\00:44:32.33
the cocoon begins to shake.
00:44:32.47\00:44:35.77
It breaks open
and out of the cocoon
00:44:36.00\00:44:40.41
comes a caterpillar.
No! Out of the cocoon
00:44:40.54\00:44:45.85
comes what? A butterfly.
A beautiful butterfly!
00:44:45.98\00:44:49.12
You say: "What is this?
00:44:49.35\00:44:51.55
I saw a caterpillar go in
00:44:52.82\00:44:55.16
and now I see a
beautiful butterfly come out. "
00:44:55.39\00:44:58.46
Let me ask you
something: does the name change?
00:44:59.56\00:45:04.00
Yeah... changes from
caterpillar to butterfly.
00:45:04.27\00:45:06.87
Do the habits change?
Oh yeah, the caterpillar
00:45:08.34\00:45:11.71
drags himself
along. The butterfly flies.
00:45:11.74\00:45:15.41
Does its
appearance change? Absolutely!
00:45:17.41\00:45:21.82
Does what it eats change? Yes!
00:45:22.05\00:45:25.62
Does the place where it
lives change? Absolutely.
00:45:25.95\00:45:29.96
Everything
becomes new and different
00:45:32.93\00:45:35.23
when there is a metamorphosis.
00:45:35.36\00:45:38.40
Let me ask you: did
the change come because
00:45:39.27\00:45:41.67
the caterpillar made an effort
to become a butterfly? No.
00:45:41.70\00:45:46.07
The change came
by a miracle of God.
00:45:46.24\00:45:49.08
The caterpillar became a
new creation by a miracle
00:45:49.88\00:45:53.95
performed by God.
00:45:54.18\00:45:56.48
You see a butterfly is
not a caterpillar with wings.
00:45:56.92\00:46:00.36
It's not the old
linked with the new.
00:46:02.36\00:46:04.86
A butterfly is a
totally new creation!
00:46:05.19\00:46:08.90
In fact, you know that verse
in I Corinthians 5:17 where
00:46:10.10\00:46:13.54
it says: "Therefore
if anyone is in Christ
00:46:13.67\00:46:15.64
he is a new creation. " Not
a reform of the old creation...
00:46:16.07\00:46:20.24
come on. "he is a new creation.
00:46:20.38\00:46:22.71
Old things have passed away;
behold all things have become
00:46:22.84\00:46:28.38
new. " That's what happens
when a person experiences
00:46:28.52\00:46:33.46
spiritual resurrection
from spiritual death
00:46:33.49\00:46:36.73
by beholding the lovely
Jesus and by beholding how much
00:46:36.96\00:46:41.00
sin cost to Him.
00:46:41.13\00:46:43.16
By the way, can you see
the power that transformed
00:46:44.50\00:46:47.57
the caterpillar
into a butterfly?
00:46:47.70\00:46:49.67
No... but you
can see the results.
00:46:49.90\00:46:52.57
Remember the conversation
that Jesus had with Nicodemus?
00:46:54.18\00:46:57.05
He said, you know:
"You can't see the wind
00:46:57.48\00:47:00.48
but you can see the
effects of the wind. "
00:47:00.62\00:47:02.78
And so it is when a person
resurrects to newness of life.
00:47:03.82\00:47:06.65
You can't see
the power that did it
00:47:06.89\00:47:09.19
but you can see
the fruit in the life.
00:47:09.32\00:47:11.43
A reformed and changed
life: different habits,
00:47:11.66\00:47:15.00
different
interests, different thoughts,
00:47:15.13\00:47:17.33
different actions.
The conduct changes
00:47:17.37\00:47:20.77
when the life has changed.
00:47:20.90\00:47:22.87
Ellen White in
Desire of Ages page 172
00:47:24.04\00:47:26.84
says: "He who is trying to
reach heaven by his own works
00:47:28.51\00:47:32.18
in keeping the law is
attempting an impossibility.
00:47:32.21\00:47:36.28
There is no safety for
one who has merely a legal
00:47:37.59\00:47:41.86
religion... a
form of godliness. "
00:47:41.99\00:47:44.79
Listen now carefully:
"The Christian's life is not
00:47:45.69\00:47:49.26
a modification or
improvement of the old
00:47:49.40\00:47:52.57
but a transformation of nature.
00:47:52.90\00:47:56.30
There is a death to self and sin
00:47:57.11\00:48:00.04
and a new life altogether.
00:48:00.18\00:48:03.58
This change can
be brought about only
00:48:04.01\00:48:06.98
by the effectual
working of the Holy Spirit. "
00:48:07.12\00:48:09.65
But let me say
00:48:12.09\00:48:14.56
that a hunter is on the loose
00:48:14.69\00:48:17.69
after you have
been "metamorphóoed. "
00:48:17.93\00:48:21.00
Just because you have been born
again and you've resurrected
00:48:22.73\00:48:25.90
to new life doesn't
mean that you are safe
00:48:25.93\00:48:28.80
unless you abide in Christ.
00:48:29.24\00:48:31.97
Let me go back to the
butterfly illustration.
00:48:34.04\00:48:36.18
I remember the first time
that I went to catch butterflies
00:48:37.61\00:48:40.02
in a national park in Venezuela.
00:48:40.05\00:48:42.28
At that time it wasn't against
the law to catch butterflies.
00:48:42.42\00:48:45.55
I had my net with
me and I had my jar.
00:48:46.59\00:48:48.86
And the jar had cotton at
the bottom and a little piece of
00:48:48.99\00:48:51.59
cardboard so that I could
put the butterflies in there
00:48:51.63\00:48:54.93
when I caught them. And
there was a very powerful
00:48:54.93\00:48:57.60
poison called carbon
tetrachloride that I used
00:48:57.63\00:49:00.60
and I put them in the jar.
00:49:01.24\00:49:03.17
And so I suddenly saw
this beautiful blue butterfly -
00:49:03.30\00:49:06.78
you know - flying
through the air. And immediately
00:49:07.11\00:49:09.94
I dropped everything and
I went after it with my net.
00:49:09.98\00:49:12.15
And I would swing at the
butter fly and the butterfly
00:49:12.38\00:49:14.55
would go up... because
they don't fly straight.
00:49:14.58\00:49:16.35
They fly up and
down, up and down.
00:49:16.48\00:49:18.09
And then I would swing at
the bottom and he would go up
00:49:18.32\00:49:21.69
and down. And I was
crashing into trees, into bushes
00:49:21.92\00:49:26.56
and over rocks. And after I was
not able to catch the butterfly
00:49:26.70\00:49:32.40
I noticed that the
national park ranger was there
00:49:32.53\00:49:34.97
with a smile on his face.
00:49:35.10\00:49:36.87
And so he came over and he said:
00:49:41.58\00:49:43.38
"What are you
killing yourself for? "
00:49:43.61\00:49:45.65
I said: "Want to catch
that butterfly and add it to my
00:49:46.95\00:49:49.05
collection. " He said:
"You don't have to do that.
00:49:49.08\00:49:51.69
All you have to know is what
the butterfly's weakness is. "
00:49:52.02\00:49:56.69
I said: "What is this par-
ticular butterflies' weakness? "
00:49:58.09\00:50:00.66
He said: "These
butterflies love bananas
00:50:00.96\00:50:05.57
and so if you take a banana
and you throw it on the ground
00:50:06.63\00:50:09.50
and you leave for 1/2 hour
you'll find several of these
00:50:09.64\00:50:12.27
butterflies just
sitting on the banana. "
00:50:12.31\00:50:14.31
And I did that!
And lo and behold
00:50:14.64\00:50:17.18
5 butterflies on the banana.
00:50:17.31\00:50:19.15
I just put my net over
them. I had five of them
00:50:19.28\00:50:21.28
with hardly any effort
00:50:21.42\00:50:22.82
because I discovered
what their weakness was.
00:50:23.25\00:50:25.65
Now it just so happens
that a few years passed
00:50:28.62\00:50:31.16
and after a few years one day I
went back to that national park.
00:50:32.46\00:50:35.96
And I went through the
gate and I had my net with me
00:50:37.97\00:50:41.47
and I had my jars with
me and my mounting board.
00:50:41.60\00:50:43.91
And after I had
gone in a little ways
00:50:44.14\00:50:46.68
the park ranger came and
said: "Where are you going
00:50:46.81\00:50:48.21
with all of those things? "
00:50:48.24\00:50:49.18
I said: "I'm going
to catch butterflies. "
00:50:49.21\00:50:50.61
He says: "Oh no you're not. "
00:50:50.65\00:50:52.01
I said: "I've always
caught butterflies here. "
00:50:52.88\00:50:55.38
He says: "Oh yes, but
since the last time you came
00:50:56.25\00:50:59.72
this has been
declared a national refuge
00:50:59.92\00:51:03.69
and you can't catch
anything that's alive. "
00:51:04.03\00:51:06.80
So I said: "OK. " I
went outside the gate
00:51:08.76\00:51:12.90
and threw down my banana.
00:51:13.13\00:51:15.60
And any butterfly that
risked coming over the fence
00:51:22.41\00:51:26.88
and not abiding in the
park became my easy prey.
00:51:27.02\00:51:31.49
Just because we have
been born to newness of life
00:51:31.92\00:51:35.22
and our life has begun to
change and is being transformed
00:51:35.36\00:51:38.56
does not mean that we are safe,
00:51:38.69\00:51:40.56
and every instant we
must abide in Jesus. Amen!
00:51:40.70\00:51:46.57
In the book Sons and Daughters
of God Ellen White says
00:51:46.80\00:51:49.57
on page 337: "By beholding
Christ by talking of Him. "
00:51:49.60\00:51:55.08
"By beholding
Christ by talking of Him,
00:51:55.24\00:51:58.25
by beholding the
loveliness of His character,
00:51:58.58\00:52:02.28
we become changed...
00:52:02.42\00:52:04.19
changed from glory to glory.
00:52:04.42\00:52:06.92
And what is glory? " asks
Ellen White. "Character. "
00:52:07.06\00:52:11.53
"And he becomes changed
from character to character.
00:52:11.76\00:52:15.03
Thus we see that there
is a work of purification
00:52:15.26\00:52:19.63
that goes on by
beholding Jesus. "
00:52:19.87\00:52:24.24
Both the Bible and the
Spirit of Prophecy predict
00:52:26.21\00:52:28.64
that there's a great
revival and reformation
00:52:28.68\00:52:30.91
that's going to come
soon among God's people...
00:52:31.05\00:52:32.95
and the devil knows it.
00:52:37.29\00:52:38.79
So the devil wants to
implement a counterfeit revival
00:52:39.89\00:52:43.59
without reformation.
00:52:44.36\00:52:46.26
You know, some of our
Adventist churches even
00:52:48.03\00:52:50.60
feel that if they
have more upbeat music
00:52:50.93\00:52:55.67
and they contemporize
their worship practices
00:52:57.24\00:53:00.78
and they implement
new methods of evangelism
00:53:01.71\00:53:04.45
such as mimes, dramatic presen-
tations, continental breakfasts,
00:53:04.48\00:53:08.12
preaching a prosperity gospel
00:53:08.25\00:53:10.55
that the congregation
is going to experience
00:53:10.69\00:53:12.75
a revival and the church is
going to have numerical growth.
00:53:12.89\00:53:16.19
The only thing that
will lead to true growth
00:53:18.03\00:53:22.23
of the church is
not "gimmick evangelism"
00:53:22.36\00:53:26.40
but a change and transfor-
mation of a human heart - Amen!
00:53:26.74\00:53:30.51
that will change and
transform the human life. Amen!
00:53:30.64\00:53:35.28
Ellen White speaks about
those counterfeit revivals.
00:53:35.71\00:53:38.45
She says: "Popular revivals
are too often carried by appeals
00:53:38.61\00:53:42.05
to the imagination,
by exciting the emotions,
00:53:42.08\00:53:46.29
by gratifying the love for
what is new and startling. "
00:53:46.52\00:53:50.59
Now notice:
"Converts thus gained
00:53:51.53\00:53:54.46
have little desire to
listen to Bible truth,
00:53:54.60\00:53:57.57
little interest in the testimony
of prophets and apostles.
00:53:58.50\00:54:02.44
Unless a religious service
has something of a sensational
00:54:03.47\00:54:07.68
character it has no
attraction for them. "
00:54:07.71\00:54:11.48
And then she says: "A
message which appeals to
00:54:11.81\00:54:14.98
the unimpassioned reason...
" That means your reasoning
00:54:15.12\00:54:18.19
powers without
interposing your emotions.
00:54:18.22\00:54:20.99
"A message which appeals
to the unimpassioned reason
00:54:22.72\00:54:25.83
awakens no response. The
plain warnings of God's Word
00:54:26.16\00:54:30.77
relating directly to the eternal
interests are unheeded. "
00:54:30.90\00:54:34.84
And then she says - this is in
the chapter that I referred to
00:54:36.10\00:54:38.71
at the beginning of our study -
00:54:38.74\00:54:39.97
she says: "The power of
godliness has well nigh departed
00:54:40.11\00:54:43.35
from many of the churches. "
00:54:43.48\00:54:44.71
She's not speaking of
the Adventist churches,
00:54:44.95\00:54:46.25
but I think by
extension it applies to us
00:54:46.38\00:54:48.32
and we need to be
careful. She says:
00:54:48.55\00:54:50.25
"Picnics, church theatricals,
00:54:51.05\00:54:54.16
church fairs, fine houses,
00:54:54.39\00:54:57.46
personal display have
banished thoughts of God.
00:54:57.69\00:55:01.56
Lands and goods
and worldly occupations
00:55:01.90\00:55:05.00
engross the mind and
things of eternal interest
00:55:05.03\00:55:08.70
receive hardly a
passing notice. "
00:55:08.84\00:55:12.54
Then she speaks on page 464
about a great revival is coming.
00:55:14.44\00:55:19.58
That's what we're
longing for, isn't it? Amen.
00:55:19.71\00:55:22.05
Jesus is not going to
come until this takes place.
00:55:22.08\00:55:24.32
She says: "Notwithstanding
the widespread declension
00:55:24.45\00:55:27.12
of faith and piety there
are true followers of Christ
00:55:27.16\00:55:29.79
in these churches"
that she's talked about.
00:55:29.82\00:55:31.73
"Before the final visitation of
God's judgments upon the earth
00:55:32.06\00:55:35.30
there will be among the people
of the Lord such a revival
00:55:35.43\00:55:38.70
of primitive godliness
as has not been witnessed
00:55:38.83\00:55:42.07
since apostolic times.
00:55:42.20\00:55:43.61
The Spirit and power
of God will be poured out
00:55:43.94\00:55:46.91
upon His children. At that time
many will separate themselves
00:55:46.94\00:55:50.91
from those churches in
which the love of this world has
00:55:51.05\00:55:53.58
supplanted love
for God and His Word.
00:55:53.62\00:55:55.95
Many both of ministers
and people will gladly accept
00:55:56.08\00:56:00.36
those great truths which
God has caused to be proclaimed
00:56:00.39\00:56:04.09
at this time to prepare a people
for the Lord's second coming. "
00:56:04.13\00:56:08.36
Amen.
00:56:08.50\00:56:09.76
Do we want to see that? Amen!
00:56:10.77\00:56:13.20
I long for that more
than anything in the world,
00:56:13.54\00:56:15.87
you know, and if
we had that experience
00:56:15.90\00:56:17.74
we would not be debating
and arguing about things
00:56:17.87\00:56:20.68
that are distracting us
from the mission of the church
00:56:20.71\00:56:23.18
and from the
message of the church.
00:56:23.41\00:56:25.28
My prayer is that the Lord
will give us that true revival.
00:56:25.41\00:56:29.98
That we will
dedicate our time, folks,
00:56:30.02\00:56:31.95
to spending our time
with Jesus Christ. Amen.
00:56:32.09\00:56:36.12
That thoughtful hour
that Ellen White mentions
00:56:36.26\00:56:38.73
which will lead us to see
the beauty and the perfection
00:56:38.86\00:56:42.23
of Christ, our own sinfulness,
and then visit Gethsemane
00:56:42.26\00:56:45.87
and see the great
sacrifice that Jesus has made.
00:56:46.30\00:56:49.17
And that this will be a
constant daily experience
00:56:49.30\00:56:52.01
so that God will
give us victory over sin.
00:56:52.14\00:56:55.64
Let us pray. Father
in heaven, we thank you
00:56:55.98\00:56:59.48
for Your many blessings.
00:56:59.75\00:57:01.48
We thank you especially
for the promise of revival
00:57:01.72\00:57:04.22
and reformation. I ask, Lord,
that You will bless each one
00:57:04.25\00:57:07.49
of those who are gathered here.
00:57:07.52\00:57:08.96
That You will truly,
with all of Your power,
00:57:09.19\00:57:12.56
give us this
wonderful experience of revival
00:57:12.69\00:57:15.66
and reformation because
we know that Jesus is not
00:57:15.80\00:57:19.43
going to come
unless this happens.
00:57:19.47\00:57:21.37
So please, do a
great work among us.
00:57:21.60\00:57:24.11
And we thank you,
Father, for hearing our prayer
00:57:24.34\00:57:26.78
for we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus,
00:57:27.01\00:57:29.68
Amen.
00:57:29.98\00:57:31.88