The love of God is greater far
00:00:43.91\00:00:49.94
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
00:00:49.98\00:00:55.75
It goes beyond the highest star
00:00:55.78\00:01:01.62
And reaches to the lowest hell
00:01:01.66\00:01:07.13
The guilty pair,
bowed down with care
00:01:07.16\00:01:12.63
God gave His Son to win
00:01:12.67\00:01:18.07
His erring child He reconciled
00:01:18.11\00:01:23.65
And pardoned from his sin
00:01:23.68\00:01:28.48
When hoary time shall pass away
00:01:37.33\00:01:43.06
And earthly
thrones and kingdoms fall
00:01:43.10\00:01:48.77
When men who here refuse to pray
00:01:48.80\00:01:54.34
On rocks and
hills and mountains call
00:01:54.38\00:01:59.71
God's love so
sure, shall still endure
00:01:59.75\00:02:05.35
All measureless and strong
00:02:05.39\00:02:10.76
Redeeming grace to Adam's race
00:02:10.79\00:02:16.60
The saints' and angels' song.
00:02:16.63\00:02:21.77
Oh, love of God,
how rich and pure!
00:02:21.80\00:02:27.28
How measureless and strong!
00:02:27.31\00:02:32.58
It shall forevermore endure
00:02:32.61\00:02:38.02
The saints' and angels' song.
00:02:38.05\00:02:42.66
Could we with ink the ocean fill
00:02:46.23\00:02:51.77
And were the
skies of parchment made
00:02:51.80\00:02:57.21
Were every
stalk on earth a quill
00:02:57.24\00:03:02.51
And every man a scribe by trade
00:03:02.54\00:03:07.92
To write the love of God above
00:03:07.95\00:03:13.49
Would drain the ocean dry
00:03:13.52\00:03:18.73
Nor could the
scroll contain the whole
00:03:18.76\00:03:24.17
Though stretched from sky to sky
00:03:24.20\00:03:29.37
Oh, love of God,
how rich and pure!
00:03:29.40\00:03:34.84
How measureless and strong!
00:03:34.88\00:03:40.08
It shall forevermore endure
00:03:40.12\00:03:45.52
The saints' and angels' song.
00:03:45.55\00:03:50.93
Oh, love of God,
how rich and pure!
00:03:50.96\00:03:57.63
How measureless and strong!
00:03:57.67\00:04:02.77
It shall forevermore endure
00:04:02.80\00:04:08.44
The saints' and angels' song
00:04:08.48\00:04:14.12
It shall forevermore endure
00:04:14.15\00:04:20.06
The saints' and angels' song.
00:04:20.09\00:04:26.06
Good evening, friends.
00:04:48.08\00:04:51.02
You know many, many people
this weekend will probably
00:04:51.05\00:04:54.16
come up here and call you GYC,
00:04:54.19\00:04:57.93
but to me this
evening you're my friend.
00:04:57.96\00:05:02.33
I know that there's,
there's a big stage up here,
00:05:02.36\00:05:04.40
there's beautiful flowers,
00:05:04.43\00:05:07.54
all the lights but in many ways,
00:05:07.57\00:05:11.37
in all ways the people
that you see up here are really
00:05:11.41\00:05:15.31
very ordinary
people just like you.
00:05:15.34\00:05:20.55
I have the
privilege of introducing you
00:05:20.58\00:05:23.82
to our speaker this evening.
00:05:23.85\00:05:26.79
She's someone that I've known
for a very, very long time,
00:05:26.82\00:05:31.76
it actually
struck me just today,
00:05:31.79\00:05:36.26
and that I've almost
known her for half of my life.
00:05:36.30\00:05:40.40
Known her for a very long time
00:05:40.44\00:05:42.47
and she is someone
that has grown very near
00:05:42.50\00:05:46.01
and dear to my heart.
00:05:46.04\00:05:48.94
Near and dear to my heart
00:05:48.98\00:05:50.31
because we share a heart passion
00:05:50.35\00:05:53.65
to see the majesty
and the glory of God
00:05:53.68\00:05:57.79
return into the lives
00:05:57.82\00:06:00.22
and the hearts
of this generation,
00:06:00.26\00:06:02.32
to return into my
life and into my heart.
00:06:02.36\00:06:07.60
I simply want to share
with you some of the heartbeat
00:06:07.63\00:06:13.34
that I know
pulses through her veins.
00:06:13.37\00:06:16.00
It's one that pulses
through mine as well.
00:06:16.04\00:06:20.98
First of all, she has a heart,
00:06:21.01\00:06:25.11
a deep sincerity
00:06:25.15\00:06:28.95
and a heart for the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:06:28.98\00:06:33.96
A heart for the work
of God here in this world
00:06:33.99\00:06:39.03
and a heart that is touched
00:06:39.06\00:06:41.90
for the weak and the broken,
00:06:41.93\00:06:45.20
for the orphan and
for the trafficked.
00:06:45.23\00:06:49.50
It's a heart that
pulses with the heart of Christ
00:06:49.54\00:06:52.64
as he looks on
to a broken world.
00:06:52.67\00:06:57.08
She also has a
heart for sacrifice.
00:06:57.11\00:07:01.42
Many of you may not know,
00:07:01.45\00:07:03.85
in fact, probably
most of you do not know
00:07:03.89\00:07:06.79
the sacrifice that
she has gone through
00:07:06.82\00:07:10.93
simply to stand on a
stage in front of you.
00:07:10.96\00:07:16.87
She has a heart to lay
everything on the altar
00:07:16.90\00:07:20.34
to see our savior lifted up.
00:07:20.37\00:07:22.94
And she also has a
heart in a generation where,
00:07:26.31\00:07:30.78
where there is
so much confusion,
00:07:30.81\00:07:36.42
in a generation
where we have strayed
00:07:36.45\00:07:41.12
so far from the
image of God in humanity.
00:07:41.16\00:07:45.49
She has a heart
00:07:45.53\00:07:46.90
for biblical femininity,
00:07:46.93\00:07:53.30
to stand as a woman
00:07:53.34\00:07:56.04
in an age where we hardly know
00:07:56.07\00:07:57.77
what it means
to truly be a woman
00:07:57.81\00:08:00.58
and to be a man.
00:08:00.61\00:08:01.94
She caught this
vision at a very young age,
00:08:06.82\00:08:10.39
and I can truly tell
you that I know no one that,
00:08:10.42\00:08:14.26
that has the ability
to honor and to respect
00:08:14.29\00:08:17.53
and to build those in her life
00:08:17.56\00:08:21.06
especially the man in her life
00:08:21.10\00:08:23.83
and to lift up the
cross of Jesus Christ.
00:08:23.87\00:08:28.30
She as I've already mentioned,
00:08:28.34\00:08:30.91
she's someone that is very
near and dear to our hearts
00:08:30.94\00:08:33.07
and to be to my heart and
to be very honest with you,
00:08:33.11\00:08:38.11
we share this heart
pulse, this passion.
00:08:38.15\00:08:42.85
Honestly,
00:08:42.88\00:08:47.66
we are somewhat
tired of stages and lights
00:08:47.69\00:08:51.13
and pretty flowers
and beautiful music,
00:08:51.16\00:08:56.06
that the glory of God
would come into this place.
00:08:56.10\00:09:00.44
That the Spirit of God
would fall on our hearts
00:09:00.47\00:09:05.47
that we would truly
see him face to face.
00:09:05.51\00:09:10.51
And so this
evening I introduce to you
00:09:10.55\00:09:13.18
not a president but a princess.
00:09:16.58\00:09:21.06
And not just any princess
00:09:21.09\00:09:23.16
but my princes
00:09:23.19\00:09:25.13
and my beloved
fiancé Natasha Nebblett.
00:09:25.16\00:09:29.96
I'd like Natasha to
come up on to the stage now.
00:09:30.00\00:09:32.60
Hi, sweetheart.
00:09:38.47\00:09:39.81
Sweetheart, we share a passion
00:09:45.45\00:09:47.22
for the vision of
seeing God's majesty
00:09:47.25\00:09:49.88
return to this world.
00:09:49.92\00:09:51.25
Amen.
00:09:51.29\00:09:53.49
And I challenge
you this morning,
00:09:53.52\00:09:55.46
I mean this evening as you speak
00:09:55.49\00:09:58.96
be not afraid of their faces,
00:09:58.99\00:10:02.30
for as the Lord our
God, that goes with you.
00:10:02.33\00:10:06.77
He is your strength.
00:10:06.80\00:10:09.04
I also challenge you to be bold.
00:10:09.07\00:10:13.01
We live in a generation that
00:10:13.04\00:10:15.38
frankly we're tired of
politically correct speeches.
00:10:15.41\00:10:20.65
We want to hear the
undiluted word of God.
00:10:20.68\00:10:23.99
I challenge you to be bold
00:10:24.02\00:10:26.82
and to stand
00:10:26.86\00:10:28.89
and share the word with
strength and with power.
00:10:28.92\00:10:32.83
And I challenge you to humility
00:10:32.86\00:10:36.77
because ultimately
00:10:36.80\00:10:39.53
we're simply dust in His hands.
00:10:39.57\00:10:43.71
You and I are simply
here to wash the feet
00:10:43.74\00:10:48.64
of those we
come in contact with.
00:10:48.68\00:10:53.18
Let's pray.
00:10:53.21\00:10:55.68
Our heavenly Father, I
pray that Your Holy Spirit
00:10:55.72\00:11:01.26
would come and wash
over my beloved fiancé
00:11:01.29\00:11:04.43
as she shares
your word this evening.
00:11:04.46\00:11:10.50
Father, I pray that you would
00:11:10.53\00:11:12.53
take our minds off of
any form of production
00:11:12.57\00:11:17.07
and stages and lights
and that You would face
00:11:17.11\00:11:19.84
that we would see Your face.
00:11:19.87\00:11:22.84
That Your Holy Spirit
would enter this building
00:11:22.88\00:11:25.18
and enter our hearts
with power and with glory.
00:11:25.21\00:11:30.42
That we would go from
this place knowing that
00:11:30.45\00:11:32.89
you are our almighty God,
00:11:32.92\00:11:35.62
and with a love that is build.
00:11:35.66\00:11:38.76
Father, I pray that
You would put Your words
00:11:38.79\00:11:41.70
into Natasha's mouth,
00:11:41.73\00:11:43.80
that You would give her
boldness to speak Your word,
00:11:43.83\00:11:48.30
and that she
would be given humility
00:11:48.34\00:11:52.87
to forever stand
humbly before Your throne.
00:11:52.91\00:11:57.95
We pray that You would
take each one of our hearts
00:11:57.98\00:12:01.75
and soften them this morning,
00:12:01.78\00:12:03.22
this evening,
00:12:03.25\00:12:05.89
soften them before You because
00:12:05.92\00:12:09.42
all of us are
simply dust in Your hands.
00:12:09.46\00:12:14.63
May we see Your
face in Jesus' name,
00:12:14.66\00:12:18.33
amen.
00:12:18.37\00:12:19.97
Love you.
00:12:20.00\00:12:21.34
He is a sweetie, uh,
00:12:24.71\00:12:26.61
I'm marrying an amazing man.
00:12:26.64\00:12:29.04
Well, welcome to GYC everyone.
00:12:29.08\00:12:31.91
It is so good to see
00:12:31.95\00:12:34.65
the work of a whole year
00:12:34.68\00:12:38.82
coming to reality in the
faces that are in this room
00:12:38.85\00:12:42.42
and GYC actually taking place,
00:12:42.46\00:12:44.23
it's such a
blessing to know that
00:12:44.26\00:12:47.93
how much we have leaned on God
00:12:47.96\00:12:50.40
and prayed hours and
hours worth of prayer
00:12:50.43\00:12:54.34
is coming to
reality and God will bless,
00:12:54.37\00:12:56.81
I know He will.
00:12:56.84\00:12:58.57
Something about my fiancé
in his very kind introduction,
00:12:58.61\00:13:02.28
something about GYC
and my fiancé and myself
00:13:02.31\00:13:05.55
two years ago right
before Orlando in 2013,
00:13:05.58\00:13:09.18
the day before
GYC Orlando began,
00:13:09.22\00:13:11.82
he asked to court me,
so I was like all you know.
00:13:11.85\00:13:15.89
Surprise and
everything throughout Orlando,
00:13:15.92\00:13:17.76
and then one week
before Phoenix last year,
00:13:17.79\00:13:21.40
he asked me to marry him.
00:13:21.43\00:13:24.03
And now in 45 days from today,
00:13:24.07\00:13:26.97
we're going to get
married on Valentine's Day.
00:13:27.00\00:13:29.17
So I'm a blessed girl.
00:13:29.20\00:13:31.87
Very, very, very blessed girl.
00:13:31.91\00:13:33.94
He has put a lot
into supporting me,
00:13:33.98\00:13:35.68
and I'm so thankful
and my family as well,
00:13:35.71\00:13:38.55
all of my family is here tonight
00:13:38.58\00:13:41.48
including my
sister and brother-in-law,
00:13:41.52\00:13:43.49
and niece and nephew,
they're missionaries to Africa.
00:13:43.52\00:13:46.02
And last year
they were in Africa,
00:13:46.05\00:13:47.92
we were at Phoenix.
00:13:47.96\00:13:49.32
But this year
00:13:49.36\00:13:50.69
because of my wedding in 45 days
00:13:50.73\00:13:53.60
their schedule has
changed and they're here at GYC.
00:13:53.63\00:13:56.77
And that means so much to me,
00:13:56.80\00:13:58.13
my parents and my brothers
00:13:58.17\00:13:59.73
and all those who
have sacrificed so much
00:13:59.77\00:14:03.00
to support me
over this last term
00:14:03.04\00:14:07.48
as being president of GYC.
00:14:07.51\00:14:09.58
And I had to be honest with you,
00:14:09.61\00:14:11.11
the last several months,
00:14:11.15\00:14:15.15
I have been thinking
00:14:15.18\00:14:16.72
and a question has been going
over and over again in my mind,
00:14:16.75\00:14:19.72
and that is if I never
had the chance to speak
00:14:19.75\00:14:23.96
with any of you again.
00:14:23.99\00:14:25.73
What would I want to be sure,
00:14:25.76\00:14:28.00
I had
communicated to you tonight?
00:14:28.03\00:14:32.20
Because this is the
opening night of GYC,
00:14:32.23\00:14:34.67
but it is also in
many respects my closing,
00:14:34.70\00:14:39.84
my closing
message to you because
00:14:39.87\00:14:41.74
after a wonderful term
being president to GYC,
00:14:41.78\00:14:44.15
I'm getting married and so
I'm stepping down as president
00:14:44.18\00:14:46.88
and being
replaced by an extremely,
00:14:46.92\00:14:49.05
extremely capable president
and extremely capable team.
00:14:49.08\00:14:51.85
And I am so excited
for where God will lead GYC
00:14:51.89\00:14:55.12
under Mellissa's leadership.
00:14:55.16\00:14:56.69
But I'm stepping down and
so this is my last opportunity
00:14:56.73\00:14:59.33
to share with you
as president of GYC.
00:14:59.36\00:15:03.26
And so I've been
thinking about, you know,
00:15:03.30\00:15:05.97
thinking about the last term,
00:15:06.00\00:15:07.47
thinking about
my years before that
00:15:07.50\00:15:08.90
as V.P. of Logistics for GYC,
00:15:08.94\00:15:10.71
thinking about this movement
00:15:10.74\00:15:12.07
which has become
so special to me.
00:15:12.11\00:15:14.18
So precious to me,
thinking about our God.
00:15:14.21\00:15:17.01
What would be what I
want to share with you
00:15:17.05\00:15:20.65
if it's my last
opportunity to share.
00:15:20.68\00:15:24.82
That's why I want to
talk to you about tonight.
00:15:24.85\00:15:26.76
Tonight's message is going to be
00:15:26.79\00:15:28.52
quite a personal one for me.
00:15:28.56\00:15:31.09
And don't, don't expect
00:15:31.13\00:15:33.70
a big professional presentation,
00:15:33.73\00:15:35.16
don't even
expect a comprehensive
00:15:35.20\00:15:37.57
treatise of the subject.
00:15:37.60\00:15:38.97
I'm just going to
be sharing with you
00:15:39.00\00:15:40.34
what has been
going through my mind
00:15:40.37\00:15:41.94
for the last couple of months,
00:15:41.97\00:15:43.30
and what God has really
been pressing on my heart.
00:15:43.34\00:15:47.41
As I've been coming to
the very end of my presidency
00:15:47.44\00:15:51.28
but by no means coming
to the end of my involvement
00:15:51.31\00:15:53.15
in this movement,
00:15:53.18\00:15:54.62
and my belief in it,
and my prayers for it.
00:15:54.65\00:15:57.22
So before I get in and share,
let's have one more prayer.
00:15:57.25\00:16:00.22
Heavenly Father,
00:16:03.69\00:16:05.03
you know I've not had as
much quiet a day as I would,
00:16:08.06\00:16:11.00
have liked to had as much
time to reflect in my message
00:16:11.03\00:16:17.31
as I like but ultimately Father,
00:16:17.34\00:16:20.71
this does not need to be me.
00:16:20.74\00:16:24.41
In fact, it had
better not be me,
00:16:24.45\00:16:26.21
it needs to be you.
00:16:26.25\00:16:28.92
And you can use me
00:16:28.95\00:16:30.72
whether I am feeling
all collected or I'm not.
00:16:30.75\00:16:36.36
So I pray that You
would put Your hand upon me
00:16:36.39\00:16:38.73
and Your words in my mouth
00:16:38.76\00:16:41.06
and that I would just
beseech in Christ instead.
00:16:41.10\00:16:46.00
And all of me would
be put out of the way,
00:16:46.03\00:16:49.90
and that all of you
would come to the front.
00:16:49.94\00:16:51.97
Give me Your Spirit I pray
00:16:54.51\00:16:56.41
and give Your Spirit
to all those that are here
00:16:56.44\00:16:59.58
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:16:59.61\00:17:04.82
So it's kind of
anticlimactic technically
00:17:04.85\00:17:08.49
to share the point of my message
00:17:08.52\00:17:10.46
at the very beginning, you know,
00:17:10.49\00:17:11.83
before I've even gotten into it
00:17:11.86\00:17:13.19
but I'm going to
tonight because I don't have...
00:17:13.23\00:17:16.93
I don't have time
in my presentation
00:17:16.97\00:17:18.60
to just kind of talk away
00:17:18.63\00:17:21.47
before I get
down to my real point.
00:17:21.50\00:17:23.17
So I'm just going to tell you
00:17:23.20\00:17:24.54
the point of my
message right now
00:17:24.57\00:17:25.91
and that's "Love" love for God.
00:17:25.94\00:17:28.98
And really
actually tonight is kind of
00:17:29.01\00:17:31.71
part one of my seminar
00:17:31.75\00:17:33.08
because this has
been on my mind so much.
00:17:33.11\00:17:36.58
You know there are unofficial
00:17:36.62\00:17:41.46
like condensed mission statement
00:17:41.49\00:17:43.16
as GYC 'cause all of
us in this room are GYC,
00:17:43.19\00:17:47.23
is that we are a
movement of young people
00:17:47.26\00:17:49.60
on a mission to take
The Three Angels' Messages
00:17:49.63\00:17:54.24
to the entire
world in this generation,
00:17:54.27\00:18:00.64
this generation.
00:18:00.68\00:18:02.88
And while of
course we cannot actually
00:18:02.91\00:18:06.68
measure a spiritual
thing by earthly measures,
00:18:06.72\00:18:11.22
yet at the same time
it is a very defined goal.
00:18:11.25\00:18:13.96
The Three Angels' Messages,
entire world, this generation.
00:18:13.99\00:18:18.09
It's a very defined goal,
00:18:18.13\00:18:19.46
so as I have
been president of GYC,
00:18:19.49\00:18:21.03
I have often spent a
lot of time thinking about,
00:18:21.06\00:18:24.23
are we accomplishing
what we set out to do.
00:18:24.27\00:18:28.14
Are we taking The
Three Angels' Message
00:18:28.17\00:18:29.84
to the entire
world in this generation?
00:18:29.87\00:18:33.58
Elder Carton was up
here talking earlier
00:18:33.61\00:18:35.38
and he is gonna have a
seminar about the Middle East.
00:18:35.41\00:18:38.31
Has GYC done anything
about the Middle East?
00:18:38.35\00:18:41.38
Have we done
anything about India?
00:18:41.42\00:18:44.22
The 10/40 Window,
00:18:44.25\00:18:45.59
I mean it's like
the need is so enormous
00:18:45.62\00:18:48.12
and what we're
actually saying is
00:18:48.16\00:18:50.16
that every single person
in all of those countries
00:18:50.19\00:18:54.63
will hear The
Three Angels' Messages
00:18:54.66\00:18:57.43
and the message is that we have
00:18:57.47\00:18:58.87
as Seventh-day Adventists
in this generation, us.
00:18:58.90\00:19:03.30
So that we're not
going to get old and die
00:19:03.34\00:19:05.51
and then our kids get, you know,
00:19:05.54\00:19:07.64
whatever before Jesus comes.
00:19:07.68\00:19:09.01
We're actually saying, "No,
00:19:09.04\00:19:10.38
that's gonna
happen before them."
00:19:10.41\00:19:11.78
And I think what's it gonna
00:19:11.81\00:19:13.55
take for that
really to take place.
00:19:13.58\00:19:16.45
And of course, we can't
always see the movement of God
00:19:16.48\00:19:19.42
on people's hearts.
00:19:19.45\00:19:22.56
But as we look
around us, we say you know
00:19:22.59\00:19:25.19
what the need is extremely great
00:19:25.23\00:19:27.33
What's it gonna take for
us to actually get this done.
00:19:27.36\00:19:33.03
And I'm convinced that
love is the one ingredient
00:19:33.07\00:19:39.84
that we need more
off for this to get done.
00:19:39.87\00:19:45.21
Not just the job of taking
The Three Angels' Messages
00:19:45.25\00:19:49.58
to the entire
world in this generation,
00:19:49.62\00:19:52.22
but also lack of
love is involved,
00:19:52.25\00:19:53.82
and lack of true conversion,
00:19:53.86\00:19:55.19
and doubt, and
complaining, and lack of unity,
00:19:55.22\00:19:58.43
and pretty much
everything that is involved
00:19:58.46\00:20:02.26
in our lives and in the church.
00:20:02.30\00:20:04.30
And lack of purity, backsliding,
00:20:04.33\00:20:06.07
unfaithfulness, criticism.
00:20:06.10\00:20:10.44
And love is what took Christians
00:20:10.47\00:20:12.97
into coliseums
to be torn of lions
00:20:13.01\00:20:16.21
and to be lighted
on the streets of Rome
00:20:16.24\00:20:18.01
and at the same
time took the gospel
00:20:18.05\00:20:20.88
to the entire
world in one generation.
00:20:20.92\00:20:25.69
And love gave people
00:20:25.72\00:20:27.06
a completely
different perspective.
00:20:27.09\00:20:28.42
Listen, I've been
stewing over this story
00:20:28.46\00:20:29.82
for two months now.
00:20:29.86\00:20:31.26
I was reading in Foxe's Book
of Martyrs and you know what,
00:20:31.29\00:20:33.90
I don't meet very many people
00:20:33.93\00:20:35.43
who like to read
Foxe's Book of Martyrs.
00:20:35.46\00:20:38.03
But I would strongly
encourage occasionally
00:20:38.07\00:20:40.94
to pick up and read a bit of it
00:20:40.97\00:20:43.27
because it sets forth
Christianity at its strongest,
00:20:43.30\00:20:47.18
at its best, it's amazing.
00:20:47.21\00:20:49.28
This is a story from
Foxe's Book of Martyrs,
00:20:49.31\00:20:53.15
it was right at the beginning
00:20:53.18\00:20:54.52
of the St. Bartholomew massacre,
00:20:54.55\00:20:56.45
which was one of the most
00:20:56.48\00:20:57.82
infamous
massacres of Protestants.
00:20:57.85\00:21:01.16
And the Prince of Navarre
00:21:01.19\00:21:04.36
was the
champion of Protestantism
00:21:04.39\00:21:05.93
and so the king in an
effort to take him down
00:21:05.96\00:21:08.56
artfully arranged for a marriage
00:21:08.60\00:21:10.43
between the prince
and the king's sister,
00:21:10.47\00:21:13.20
the princess.
00:21:13.23\00:21:14.87
And all of her
professions of love
00:21:14.90\00:21:18.47
for the Prince of
Navarre was just an artful way
00:21:18.51\00:21:22.84
to bring him down.
00:21:22.88\00:21:24.75
Isn't that sick?
00:21:24.78\00:21:26.31
And so picking up what Foxe's
Book of Martyrs has to say,
00:21:26.35\00:21:30.85
they had like a
week's worth of celebrations
00:21:30.89\00:21:33.42
over this new
marriage and everything
00:21:33.46\00:21:35.56
and four days
after their celebrations
00:21:35.59\00:21:38.89
for their marriage had ended.
00:21:38.93\00:21:41.50
Picking up quoting
from Foxe's Book of Martyrs,
00:21:41.53\00:21:44.13
"Four days after this the prince
00:21:44.17\00:21:46.94
as he was
coming from the council
00:21:46.97\00:21:48.80
was shot in both arms.
00:21:48.84\00:21:52.44
He then said to Maure
who was a family friend
00:21:52.47\00:21:55.84
because he had been the pastor
00:21:55.88\00:21:57.21
of the prince's deceased mother.
00:21:57.25\00:22:01.42
He said to Maure, "O my brother,
00:22:01.45\00:22:03.75
I do now perceive that I
am indeed beloved of my God,
00:22:03.79\00:22:08.79
since for His most
holy sake I am wounded.
00:22:08.82\00:22:14.33
Although, Vidam,
advised him to fly,
00:22:14.36\00:22:16.06
yet he abode in Paris,
00:22:16.10\00:22:17.43
and was soon
after slain by Bemjus;
00:22:17.47\00:22:20.17
who afterward declared
00:22:20.20\00:22:22.54
he never saw a man meet death
00:22:22.57\00:22:25.51
more valiantly
than the admiral."
00:22:25.54\00:22:28.38
I mean what kind
of reaction is that.
00:22:32.28\00:22:35.22
He comes out, this
is a week, you know,
00:22:35.25\00:22:37.29
he's just gotten married
and he realizes in this moment
00:22:37.32\00:22:40.19
when he comes out of the council
00:22:40.22\00:22:41.56
and shot in both arms.
00:22:41.59\00:22:42.92
This woman was a total joke.
00:22:42.96\00:22:44.49
The king was a total joke,
00:22:44.53\00:22:46.49
they arranged this whole
thing to take this man's life,
00:22:46.53\00:22:49.76
and what is his reaction?
00:22:49.80\00:22:51.30
Is it anger?
00:22:51.33\00:22:52.67
Is it, you know frustration?
00:22:52.70\00:22:54.04
Is it anything like that?
00:22:54.07\00:22:55.40
No, his reaction is,
00:22:55.44\00:22:56.84
"I do now perceive
I am beloved of my God
00:22:56.87\00:22:59.61
since for His most
holy sake I am wounded."
00:22:59.64\00:23:02.14
And a few days later
he's killed for good,
00:23:02.18\00:23:04.55
you know, the job was
finished a few days later
00:23:04.58\00:23:07.98
and even the man
that killed him said,
00:23:08.02\00:23:09.48
"He had never seen a man
meet death more valiantly."
00:23:09.52\00:23:12.29
That is the
power of Christianity
00:23:12.32\00:23:14.56
and that is the
Christianity I want in my life.
00:23:14.59\00:23:17.16
And you know what?
00:23:17.19\00:23:18.53
That kind of
Christianity is not caused by
00:23:18.56\00:23:21.40
having in our minds that
we're going to be that way
00:23:21.43\00:23:24.27
and that if we get
wounded we're gonna...
00:23:24.30\00:23:26.97
It just does not produce it
00:23:27.00\00:23:29.10
that kind of determination,
that is produced only by love.
00:23:29.14\00:23:32.77
It changes the way we think,
00:23:32.81\00:23:34.64
it changes our
perspective entirely,
00:23:34.68\00:23:36.91
it makes people unearthly,
00:23:36.95\00:23:38.88
the world was not
worthy of these people
00:23:38.91\00:23:42.32
because of love.
00:23:42.35\00:23:44.42
So let's turn to our theme verse
00:23:44.45\00:23:45.79
Revelation 17:14,
00:23:45.82\00:23:50.99
this is where our theme comes
00:23:51.03\00:23:52.36
from a theme of called
and chosen and faithful.
00:23:52.39\00:23:54.46
These shall make
war with the lamb,
00:23:54.50\00:23:56.70
this is talking about the beast
and the dragon and all those,
00:23:56.73\00:23:59.30
"Make war with the Lamb
00:23:59.33\00:24:00.77
and the Lamb
shall overcome them."
00:24:00.80\00:24:04.11
Can anyone say amen?
00:24:04.14\00:24:06.47
"For he is Lord of
lords and King of kings
00:24:06.51\00:24:11.38
and they that are
with him are called
00:24:11.41\00:24:15.75
and chosen and faithful."
00:24:15.78\00:24:17.39
And we're going
to be digging into
00:24:17.42\00:24:18.75
what that means to be called
00:24:18.79\00:24:20.12
and chosen and
faithful this week
00:24:20.16\00:24:21.49
and it's a profound thing
00:24:21.52\00:24:22.86
what we're digging into
the concept of the remnant.
00:24:22.89\00:24:24.23
Millennials don't like
the concept of the remnant.
00:24:24.26\00:24:27.00
But you know what?
00:24:27.03\00:24:29.96
I'm a millennial
and it's in the Bible
00:24:30.00\00:24:32.07
and so I love it.
00:24:32.10\00:24:33.44
But what I want to
focus on tonight is those
00:24:36.10\00:24:39.37
that are with him.
00:24:39.41\00:24:41.24
Those that are with
him, all this earthly power,
00:24:41.28\00:24:45.18
earthly and the power,
00:24:45.21\00:24:47.45
all the powers of earth
and hell are against the Lamb,
00:24:47.48\00:24:50.39
but then there's
this little company
00:24:50.42\00:24:51.99
that are with the
Lamb and my question is,
00:24:52.02\00:24:54.62
who is with him tonight.
00:24:54.66\00:24:57.49
Who is with him tonight?
00:24:57.53\00:24:58.96
Obviously, I'm
getting married in 45 days.
00:24:58.99\00:25:01.20
And so because I'm
getting married in 45 days,
00:25:01.23\00:25:03.23
I've given a lot more
thought to the two wedding vows
00:25:03.26\00:25:06.97
for better or for worse.
00:25:09.74\00:25:11.91
We're very
familiar with these words,
00:25:11.94\00:25:14.88
"In sickness and in health,
00:25:14.91\00:25:18.65
to love and cherish,
00:25:18.68\00:25:21.88
forsaking all others,
00:25:21.92\00:25:23.89
keep you only to him
till death do us apart.
00:25:23.92\00:25:30.36
Powerful words.
00:25:30.39\00:25:33.29
What I am saying,
what I will be saying
00:25:33.33\00:25:35.26
by saying those words in 45 days
00:25:35.30\00:25:37.17
when I get married
to my beloved Paul,
00:25:37.20\00:25:39.13
what I will be
saying is, you know what,
00:25:39.17\00:25:41.00
it does not matter, if his life,
00:25:41.04\00:25:42.97
if he is wealthy
or if he is destitute.
00:25:43.00\00:25:45.87
If his life goes well
or it doesn't go well,
00:25:45.91\00:25:48.61
if we have health or God
forbid some lingering illness
00:25:48.64\00:25:52.05
comes that lasts
for years and years
00:25:52.08\00:25:55.38
of suffering and slow loss.
00:25:55.42\00:25:59.15
What I am saying by
saying wedding vows in 45 days,
00:25:59.19\00:26:02.66
is it does not
matter if it's going well
00:26:02.69\00:26:04.93
or if it's not going well.
00:26:04.96\00:26:07.10
I cast in my lot with him,
00:26:07.13\00:26:08.93
he cast in his lot with me, why.
00:26:08.96\00:26:11.43
Is it just because I'm like,
00:26:11.47\00:26:13.13
I'm going to do
this if it kills me,
00:26:13.17\00:26:16.47
I'll be with him is
that, is that kind of...
00:26:16.50\00:26:20.88
I mean no, no.
00:26:20.91\00:26:23.65
Why?
00:26:23.68\00:26:25.51
Because I love
him, because I love him
00:26:25.55\00:26:28.12
and it is love that makes me say
00:26:28.15\00:26:30.22
that if his life is
better or if his life is worse
00:26:30.25\00:26:33.36
I'll be with him.
00:26:33.39\00:26:35.09
It's not just some
intellectual assent.
00:26:35.12\00:26:37.66
Yes, I will admit that
00:26:37.69\00:26:39.09
marriages have happened on earth
00:26:39.13\00:26:41.30
that were just
into let, you know,
00:26:41.33\00:26:42.86
people going to
the altar knowing fully
00:26:42.90\00:26:44.73
well they should not be there.
00:26:44.77\00:26:46.90
But that's not the case now
00:26:46.94\00:26:48.27
and it should not be the
case in Christian marriage.
00:26:48.30\00:26:50.61
The case is I'm
casting in my lot with Paul
00:26:50.64\00:26:53.81
because I know in my mind
00:26:53.84\00:26:57.95
and I know in my heart, love.
00:26:57.98\00:27:01.82
And you know what?
00:27:01.85\00:27:03.18
Marriage is
supposed to be an example
00:27:03.22\00:27:08.92
of our relationship with Christ
00:27:08.96\00:27:11.83
that for better or for
worse, for richer or for poorer,
00:27:11.86\00:27:15.76
and Christ is never poor
00:27:15.80\00:27:17.17
but sometimes on earth
00:27:17.20\00:27:20.90
it is not
profitable to follow Him
00:27:20.94\00:27:26.94
in society as us.
00:27:26.98\00:27:31.31
It's not just,
well, I had knowledge.
00:27:31.35\00:27:32.75
Richard Rembrandt,
00:27:32.78\00:27:35.68
who was tortured for 14
years for the name of Christ
00:27:35.72\00:27:38.95
and never once was
willing to renounce his faith,
00:27:38.99\00:27:42.62
never once bent.
00:27:42.66\00:27:44.79
When he came out of out of jail,
00:27:44.83\00:27:47.16
somebody asked him basically,
00:27:47.20\00:27:49.16
how do you
withstand 14 years of torture?
00:27:49.20\00:27:51.67
Many of those were
in solitary confinement
00:27:51.70\00:27:54.80
and this was his comment,
00:27:54.84\00:27:56.64
"If the heart is
cleansed by the love of Christ.
00:27:56.67\00:28:00.81
And if the heart loves Him,
00:28:00.84\00:28:03.81
you can resist all tortures."
00:28:03.85\00:28:06.48
He continues on to say,
00:28:06.51\00:28:07.85
"What would a loving bride
not do for a loving bridegroom.
00:28:07.88\00:28:11.72
What would a loving
mother not do for her child,
00:28:11.75\00:28:15.02
if you love Christ..."
00:28:15.06\00:28:16.62
This is him quoting him still,
00:28:16.66\00:28:18.46
"If you love Christ as Mary did
00:28:18.49\00:28:20.30
who had Christ as
a baby in her arms.
00:28:20.33\00:28:22.06
If you love Christ as a
bride, loves her bridegroom,
00:28:22.10\00:28:25.67
then you can
resist such tortures.
00:28:25.70\00:28:28.90
God will judge us not according
to how much we have endured
00:28:28.94\00:28:32.37
but how much we could love.
00:28:32.41\00:28:36.31
I'm a witness."
00:28:36.34\00:28:37.68
He says, concluding,
00:28:37.71\00:28:39.71
"For the Christians
in communist prisons
00:28:39.75\00:28:42.28
that they could love,
they could love God and men."
00:28:42.32\00:28:46.22
Right now, it's pretty easy
to be a halfhearted Christian.
00:28:49.29\00:28:54.26
If we give our
heart partially to Christ
00:28:54.30\00:28:56.26
or if we choose not to,
00:28:56.30\00:28:59.83
if we decide to ride the fence
00:28:59.87\00:29:01.20
or if we decide
to be all in for him
00:29:01.24\00:29:02.74
or decide to be
not all in for him.
00:29:02.77\00:29:05.74
Doesn't make
that much difference
00:29:05.77\00:29:07.11
but time is the
time is soon coming
00:29:07.14\00:29:09.44
when being a
halfhearted Christian
00:29:09.48\00:29:12.28
is not going to be enough.
00:29:12.31\00:29:15.62
When halfhearted Christians
will find the going to rough
00:29:15.65\00:29:19.22
to keep sailing.
00:29:19.25\00:29:21.72
Remember, the Parable of
the Pearl of Great Price,
00:29:21.76\00:29:26.80
but the merchant man
finds the goodly pearl
00:29:26.83\00:29:28.96
and he goes and sells
everything, everything.
00:29:29.00\00:29:33.27
Same thing with the Parable
of the Treasure in the Field,
00:29:33.30\00:29:35.34
he finds a treasure in the field
00:29:35.37\00:29:36.94
and he goes and sells
everything to buy that field
00:29:36.97\00:29:39.74
and the rest of the
world is looking at him like,
00:29:39.77\00:29:41.11
"What are you doing?
00:29:41.14\00:29:42.48
Why are you selling your house?
00:29:42.51\00:29:43.85
Why are you selling all
your livestock at the time?
00:29:43.88\00:29:45.51
Why are you selling all your
earthly assets to buy a field?"
00:29:45.55\00:29:48.62
Because he knew
the value of the field.
00:29:48.65\00:29:51.39
Why are you selling everything
you have to buy the pearl?
00:29:51.42\00:29:53.69
Because he knew
the value of the pearl.
00:29:53.72\00:29:55.42
Why am I going to forsake
all others and marry Paul?
00:29:55.46\00:29:58.03
Because of the value of Paul.
00:29:58.06\00:30:00.10
Why would we
forsake the world for Jesus?
00:30:00.13\00:30:04.10
Because of the value of Jesus.
00:30:04.13\00:30:06.87
Who is with Him tonight?
00:30:06.90\00:30:10.57
Who is standing
here and wondering
00:30:10.61\00:30:13.38
the pearl or the world
both actually not both,
00:30:13.41\00:30:16.85
the time is coming
00:30:16.88\00:30:18.21
where we will sell
the world for the pearl
00:30:18.25\00:30:19.85
or we will sell the
pearl for the world.
00:30:19.88\00:30:23.75
One of the two,
00:30:23.79\00:30:25.85
one of my favorite
books is, "Pilgrim's Progress"
00:30:25.89\00:30:27.92
and one of my favorite quotes
in Pilgrim's Progress is when,
00:30:27.96\00:30:30.69
"Christian is talking
to this guy called By-ends
00:30:30.73\00:30:32.73
who wants both God and the world
00:30:32.76\00:30:35.16
and he's like, "Man,
these go together just great.
00:30:35.20\00:30:37.37
I'm going to live
my life with both,"
00:30:37.40\00:30:38.73
and Christians
statement to him is,
00:30:38.77\00:30:40.37
"If you go with us,
00:30:40.40\00:30:42.24
you must go
against wind and tide.
00:30:42.27\00:30:44.84
You must own
religion in his rags
00:30:44.87\00:30:47.01
as well as in
his silver slippers.
00:30:47.04\00:30:49.11
You must stand by him
too when bound in irons
00:30:49.14\00:30:51.58
as when he walks the
streets with applause."
00:30:51.61\00:30:56.85
Who tonight will
follow Christ in His rags
00:30:56.89\00:31:01.82
as well as in
His silver slippers?
00:31:01.86\00:31:04.63
Who will stand by Him
when everybody is applauding
00:31:04.66\00:31:07.33
and wants Him to be king
after the feeding of the 5000?
00:31:07.36\00:31:10.00
And who will stand by Him
00:31:13.44\00:31:15.94
when He's hanging on the cross?
00:31:15.97\00:31:17.41
This is not a mere
intellectual assent,
00:31:21.24\00:31:23.01
it's a level of bonding
00:31:23.04\00:31:25.88
that is fused to
the person of Christ
00:31:25.91\00:31:29.78
so much so
00:31:29.82\00:31:32.72
that you would
rather die than hurt him.
00:31:32.75\00:31:37.56
And I have slowly learned
00:31:37.59\00:31:39.26
what that level of love means
00:31:39.29\00:31:41.50
by being in a
relationship and getting married
00:31:41.53\00:31:43.13
and suddenly it's like
what would I rather do,
00:31:43.16\00:31:46.17
be tortured or
turn Paul over torture.
00:31:46.20\00:31:49.54
Suddenly the
issues are clarified.
00:31:49.57\00:31:52.67
Love makes a difference.
00:31:52.71\00:31:54.84
It makes a difference in the way
00:31:54.88\00:31:57.21
we live our lives so...
00:31:57.25\00:31:58.75
I want to share.
00:31:58.78\00:32:00.98
Let me share this quote
00:32:06.39\00:32:07.72
and then I want
to share three things
00:32:07.76\00:32:09.09
that the Lord has
been putting on my heart
00:32:09.12\00:32:11.59
over the last
probably three months
00:32:11.63\00:32:16.23
especially, on the subject
of learning love for God.
00:32:16.26\00:32:22.50
And this is not kind of,
00:32:22.54\00:32:23.87
this is not a comprehensive
study of the subject
00:32:23.91\00:32:25.24
by any means but
just three things
00:32:25.27\00:32:26.78
that God has really
been pressing into my heart,
00:32:26.81\00:32:29.68
this quote first,
"True holiness..."
00:32:29.71\00:32:31.41
This comes from
Christ Object Lessons,
00:32:31.45\00:32:32.85
"True holiness is
wholeness in the service of God.
00:32:32.88\00:32:36.55
Love must be the
principle of action.
00:32:36.58\00:32:39.55
Love is the underlying
principle of God's government
00:32:39.59\00:32:42.22
in heaven and earth
00:32:42.26\00:32:43.59
and it must be the foundation
of the Christian's character.
00:32:43.63\00:32:47.63
The thought of His honor
00:32:47.66\00:32:49.00
and His glory will
come before anything else.
00:32:49.03\00:32:51.70
This is the religion of
Christ anything short of this,
00:32:51.73\00:32:56.34
she says, is a deception."
00:32:56.37\00:33:01.14
Pretty strong words,
00:33:01.18\00:33:02.51
so I want to share
with you three things
00:33:02.54\00:33:04.85
that God has really
been pressing into my heart,
00:33:04.88\00:33:07.08
'cause I'm like Lord,
00:33:07.12\00:33:09.58
have you found it
just the world is set up
00:33:09.62\00:33:13.46
to not let us
have love like this
00:33:13.49\00:33:15.02
for Christ to esteem Him.
00:33:15.06\00:33:17.59
Yes, and think highly of
Him and want to worship Him,
00:33:17.63\00:33:20.36
want to serve Him in everything.
00:33:20.40\00:33:21.83
But, but to love Him
consumingly and passionately
00:33:21.86\00:33:27.40
and with every single thing
00:33:27.44\00:33:29.90
we have just
the world is set up.
00:33:29.94\00:33:31.71
We know, we can't see Him and
00:33:31.74\00:33:34.38
the world's set up to make
the I have faith grow very dim.
00:33:34.41\00:33:38.55
So have you ever wondered.
00:33:38.58\00:33:40.28
I esteem Him and
I want love for Him
00:33:40.32\00:33:42.58
but I know I
don't quite have it.
00:33:42.62\00:33:46.76
If you've had that I want
to share with you three things
00:33:46.79\00:33:49.09
that God has
really pressed in my heart
00:33:49.12\00:33:50.56
and the first one is,
00:33:50.59\00:33:52.69
"That no one will
love Christ passionately
00:33:52.73\00:33:54.90
until they know how
much they need him."
00:33:54.93\00:33:58.33
Turn with me in
your Bible to Luke 7...
00:33:58.37\00:34:00.24
Luke 7:36.
00:34:08.91\00:34:13.01
This is the story of the woman
00:34:17.72\00:34:21.06
who poured the
alabaster on Christ's feet,
00:34:21.09\00:34:24.66
Mary Magdalene.
00:34:24.69\00:34:28.26
I'm not going to read
all for the sake of time,
00:34:28.30\00:34:29.80
because it's
going on quickly but,
00:34:29.83\00:34:31.83
we know the story,
00:34:31.87\00:34:33.20
Christ is invited to this feast.
00:34:33.23\00:34:34.57
He comes in, He is eating there
00:34:34.60\00:34:36.47
and then this woman
Mary Magdalene comes in,
00:34:36.50\00:34:38.51
and she cracks the
thing over His feet
00:34:38.54\00:34:40.21
and she is wiping His
feet with her hair and crying
00:34:40.24\00:34:42.34
and the smell goes
through the whole room.
00:34:42.38\00:34:44.11
And everybody starts
muttering about this woman
00:34:44.15\00:34:46.25
and not what
kind of waste this is
00:34:46.28\00:34:47.82
because that's a
whole year's worth of stuff
00:34:47.85\00:34:49.82
that you just poured on
His feet and it's gone now,
00:34:49.85\00:34:52.45
we should have sold
it and give to the poor
00:34:52.49\00:34:54.26
and then Christ ask
this question of Simon
00:34:54.29\00:34:57.13
who is the host of the feast.
00:34:57.16\00:35:00.20
And he tells them the story.
00:35:00.23\00:35:02.73
He said, you know
there was certain creditor,
00:35:02.76\00:35:04.63
there are two
people that owed him
00:35:04.67\00:35:06.50
one 500 pence the other 50
00:35:06.53\00:35:09.14
and when they had nothing to pay
00:35:09.17\00:35:10.77
he frankly forgave them both.
00:35:10.81\00:35:14.21
Which one loves more?
00:35:14.24\00:35:16.85
Simon is like, "Oh yeah, well
00:35:16.88\00:35:19.01
the one that owe 500 right?"
00:35:19.05\00:35:23.08
And Jesus says,
"You see this woman,"
00:35:23.12\00:35:27.06
and Jesus begins to compare
00:35:27.09\00:35:29.66
the actions of Mary Magdalene
her gratitude to Simon.
00:35:29.69\00:35:33.80
Now let's compare
the two actions, okay.
00:35:33.83\00:35:37.10
"Mary Magdalene as
we know had been what.
00:35:37.13\00:35:41.30
A prostitute, in Magdala,
00:35:41.34\00:35:43.34
a Roman party
town had seen very much
00:35:43.37\00:35:47.14
the underside of life.
00:35:47.18\00:35:49.44
Seven demons Christ
cast out of her seven,
00:35:49.48\00:35:54.68
and at the end of all of that,
00:35:54.72\00:35:59.29
her love for
Christ was so intense
00:35:59.32\00:36:02.56
the she poured out
her whole life savings
00:36:02.59\00:36:06.23
basically on His feet.
00:36:06.26\00:36:10.57
Simon on the other
hand is this Pharisee
00:36:10.60\00:36:12.90
and we know from
the Desire of Ages
00:36:12.93\00:36:14.70
that it was his sin
00:36:14.74\00:36:17.54
that actually set
Mary on the trajectory
00:36:17.57\00:36:19.81
that ended her up on
the streets of Magdala.
00:36:19.84\00:36:24.21
But Simon is over here thinking
00:36:24.25\00:36:27.82
feeling pretty
good about himself,
00:36:27.85\00:36:29.18
he had been, he had
been healed of leprosy even.
00:36:29.22\00:36:31.75
He should have a lot of reason
00:36:31.79\00:36:33.12
to have tremendous
gratitude for Christ
00:36:33.15\00:36:35.86
but he is looking
at Mary and he is like,
00:36:35.89\00:36:37.63
"Oh, that woman, have mercy,"
00:36:37.66\00:36:39.89
if Christ knew who she was,
he wouldn't let her touch him.
00:36:39.93\00:36:42.50
When Simon was
in as desperate need
00:36:42.53\00:36:46.20
of Christ
forgiveness as Mary was.
00:36:46.23\00:36:50.67
But he thought
himself not to need it.
00:36:50.71\00:36:54.64
And so what is he doing
00:36:54.68\00:36:56.44
criticizing both Mary's
conduct and Christ's conduct
00:36:56.48\00:37:00.32
for allowing this to take place.
00:37:00.35\00:37:04.35
Jesus on the other hand is like
00:37:04.39\00:37:06.89
Mary washing his feet perfume.
00:37:06.92\00:37:11.03
Simon, no perfume, no water,
00:37:11.06\00:37:13.83
no nothing, no kiss,
00:37:13.86\00:37:16.83
both of them needed
Him just as desperately.
00:37:16.87\00:37:19.83
One knew she needed Him
and the other one did not.
00:37:19.87\00:37:24.81
And I'm convinced that
00:37:24.84\00:37:26.17
this is one of
the dreadful downfalls
00:37:26.21\00:37:28.44
of my generation and of myself.
00:37:28.48\00:37:31.51
It's like, "Oh,
I know I need Him.
00:37:31.55\00:37:34.15
I do realize I need God
00:37:34.18\00:37:36.45
but do I know how
desperately I need God.
00:37:36.48\00:37:39.02
Do I understand the desperation
of my own soul poverty
00:37:39.05\00:37:43.79
that I am nothing without Him."
00:37:43.83\00:37:47.66
Nothing, going back
to, to Pilgrim's Progress,
00:37:47.70\00:37:50.07
one of my other favorite
parts in Pilgrim's Progress is,
00:37:50.10\00:37:52.90
when they're going
to the Enchanted Ground
00:37:52.93\00:37:54.47
and Hopeful is
sharing his conversion
00:37:54.50\00:37:57.14
how he decided
to go on pilgrimage
00:37:57.17\00:37:59.17
and Ellen White says that,
00:37:59.21\00:38:00.58
"Pilgrim's Progress lays out
the path of the Celestial City
00:38:00.61\00:38:03.24
so clearly that thousands
have been saved through it."
00:38:03.28\00:38:06.11
Anyway Hopeful is
sharing his conversion story
00:38:06.15\00:38:09.05
and he talks about how he was...
00:38:09.08\00:38:10.75
Oh, he loved sinful company,
00:38:10.79\00:38:12.52
he loved doing all
the things of this world
00:38:12.55\00:38:14.26
and after a while he
came under conviction
00:38:14.29\00:38:15.62
that that was wrong
00:38:15.66\00:38:16.99
and so he turned away from it
00:38:17.03\00:38:18.36
and he decided he was
going to do this right.
00:38:18.39\00:38:19.96
So he started
weeping for his sins,
00:38:20.00\00:38:21.76
he started
fasting, he started praying,
00:38:21.80\00:38:23.73
and everything and for a while
00:38:23.77\00:38:25.10
he thought he was pretty good,
00:38:25.13\00:38:27.60
pretty well off.
00:38:27.64\00:38:29.47
And then he said, he
started reading such verses as,
00:38:29.50\00:38:32.67
"All our righteousness
is are like filthy rags.
00:38:32.71\00:38:37.38
And by the works of the
law shall no man be justified."
00:38:37.41\00:38:41.92
And after awhile just,
00:38:41.95\00:38:46.19
just quoting
Pilgrim's Progress here,
00:38:46.22\00:38:47.56
he said, "For a
while I thought myself,"
00:38:47.59\00:38:48.92
well, after he had been weeping,
00:38:48.96\00:38:50.46
weeping for his sin
and having all his prayer
00:38:50.49\00:38:52.66
and all that.
00:38:52.69\00:38:54.03
''For awhile I
thought myself well
00:38:54.06\00:38:55.40
but at the last all my trouble
came tumbling upon me again,
00:38:55.43\00:38:58.00
and that over the neck
of all my reformations.
00:38:58.03\00:39:00.47
There were several
things that brought it upon me
00:39:00.50\00:39:01.87
especially such things as these
00:39:01.90\00:39:03.97
all our
righteousness are filthy rags,
00:39:04.01\00:39:07.78
by the works of the law
shall no flesh be justified.
00:39:07.81\00:39:10.41
when he have done
all these things say,
00:39:10.45\00:39:12.55
we are unprofitable."
00:39:12.58\00:39:14.95
And this is his conclusion,
00:39:14.98\00:39:16.32
"I believed that was true
that had been told me to wit
00:39:16.35\00:39:20.69
that without the
righteousness of this Christ
00:39:20.72\00:39:23.86
all the world could not save me.
00:39:23.89\00:39:27.90
And therefore,
thought I with myself
00:39:27.93\00:39:29.66
if I leave off I
die but I can but die
00:39:29.70\00:39:32.30
at the throne of grace."
00:39:32.33\00:39:35.47
How many of us have decided
00:39:35.50\00:39:38.34
we don't want to
live a life of the world
00:39:38.37\00:39:40.44
and so we're going
to reform our lives
00:39:40.48\00:39:42.38
and we do reform our lives
and then we think ourselves.
00:39:42.41\00:39:45.78
Well, when we have nothing
to commend ourselves to God.
00:39:45.81\00:39:51.79
What have we done
to deserve His favor?
00:39:51.82\00:39:54.66
What have we
done to make Him think
00:39:54.69\00:39:56.39
that we're wonderful?
00:39:56.42\00:39:57.76
Nothing, nothing and yet
00:39:57.79\00:39:59.96
His love is still
stretching out to us.
00:40:00.00\00:40:02.73
And if we knew how
desperately we needed Him,
00:40:02.76\00:40:05.37
if we knew that
without the righteousness
00:40:05.40\00:40:07.10
of this Christ,
00:40:07.14\00:40:08.47
this one Christ
there is no other name
00:40:08.50\00:40:10.61
under heaven given among
men whereby we must be saved.
00:40:10.64\00:40:13.17
Without the
righteousness of this Christ,
00:40:13.21\00:40:15.24
all the world cannot save us.
00:40:15.28\00:40:17.61
Tonight in this very room,
00:40:17.65\00:40:19.61
we have one option for salvation
00:40:19.65\00:40:22.12
only one and
that is Jesus Christ.
00:40:22.15\00:40:24.15
Without Him, we are
all doomed, all doomed.
00:40:24.19\00:40:28.46
How much do we realize it
00:40:28.49\00:40:30.16
when we know how
much we need Him?
00:40:30.19\00:40:32.33
And that He is there
and that we can run to Him
00:40:32.36\00:40:34.30
and find
shelter under His wings,
00:40:34.33\00:40:37.40
then we will
who love our Savior,
00:40:37.43\00:40:39.83
when we know how
much we need Him.
00:40:39.87\00:40:43.67
But as long as we
think ourselves well,
00:40:43.71\00:40:46.68
Jesus is a
wonderful buddy, but...
00:40:46.71\00:40:49.78
all the things God has
been pressing upon my heart is
00:40:54.02\00:40:56.15
Natasha, you do not
know how much you need me.
00:40:56.18\00:41:01.06
You still have that
little idea running in your mind
00:41:01.09\00:41:04.56
as much as I
strive to renounce it
00:41:04.59\00:41:07.93
and God has been
working in my life,
00:41:07.96\00:41:09.76
and I thank Him that I
know so much more tonight
00:41:09.80\00:41:12.93
how much I need Him
than I knew two years ago.
00:41:12.97\00:41:18.17
But without the
righteousness of this Christ,
00:41:18.21\00:41:21.64
all the world cannot save us.
00:41:21.68\00:41:24.91
Second part is
communing to love,
00:41:24.95\00:41:27.98
Deuteronomy 6:4, 5,
00:41:28.02\00:41:30.52
"Here O, Israel the
Lord our God is one Lord
00:41:30.55\00:41:33.49
that shall love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart,
00:41:33.52\00:41:36.59
with all thy soul and
with all thy might..."
00:41:36.62\00:41:38.96
Christ again quotes this
verse in the New Testament
00:41:38.99\00:41:41.20
and He says, "This is the
first and great commandment."
00:41:41.23\00:41:46.57
The word first,
primary foremost in time,
00:41:46.60\00:41:51.24
place order or importance.
00:41:51.27\00:41:54.41
And the word
great in the Hebrew,
00:41:54.44\00:41:58.61
Megas, probably not
pronouncing it right,
00:41:58.65\00:42:00.85
excuse me all of
you Hebrew scholars.
00:42:00.88\00:42:03.39
But in other words,
it's the word from where
00:42:03.42\00:42:05.09
we get the word mega from.
00:42:05.12\00:42:06.45
In other words, Christ is like
00:42:06.49\00:42:07.82
this is the one
that's primary in place,
00:42:07.86\00:42:10.46
order and importance,
this is the mega commandment,
00:42:10.49\00:42:12.96
"Love God with all your
heart, with all your soul,
00:42:12.99\00:42:15.70
with all your mind,
with all your strength."
00:42:15.73\00:42:18.00
All of them love God.
00:42:18.03\00:42:19.77
This is the mega commandment.
00:42:19.80\00:42:21.84
Then the second one is like it,
00:42:21.87\00:42:23.37
love your neighbor as yourself.
00:42:23.41\00:42:25.77
And when we see that
00:42:25.81\00:42:27.14
we're struggling to love
our neighbor as ourselves
00:42:27.18\00:42:30.65
in the world and in the church,
00:42:30.68\00:42:33.08
we can look to the fact
00:42:33.11\00:42:35.15
that the first
and mega commandment.
00:42:35.18\00:42:38.45
Love the Lord
with all your heart,
00:42:38.49\00:42:40.69
with all your
soul, with all your mind,
00:42:40.72\00:42:42.59
with all your strength
00:42:42.62\00:42:46.19
has somehow not gotten
deep into our hearts yet.
00:42:46.23\00:42:48.96
Communing to love
00:42:53.03\00:42:54.40
we've lost the
art of loving God.
00:42:54.44\00:42:59.21
I would have told
you that two years ago
00:42:59.24\00:43:01.84
from an intellectual perspective
00:43:01.88\00:43:03.31
but I'm going to
tell you that tonight
00:43:03.35\00:43:04.91
from my personal experience.
00:43:04.95\00:43:07.48
I can tell you
with a resounding,
00:43:07.52\00:43:10.29
resounding yes that
we do not know really
00:43:10.32\00:43:13.15
what it means to
be in love with God.
00:43:13.19\00:43:16.52
Let me give you a
very practical example,
00:43:16.56\00:43:18.39
what it means to be in
love, okay, I would know.
00:43:18.43\00:43:22.40
So about two or
three months ago,
00:43:22.43\00:43:25.40
my fiancé was at a conference.
00:43:25.43\00:43:28.20
And I was not
there, I was at home
00:43:28.24\00:43:29.74
but he was going to
be on stage that night
00:43:29.77\00:43:31.34
and I wanted to watch,
it was being live streamed
00:43:31.37\00:43:33.64
but it was at the same time
as my workout and everything.
00:43:33.68\00:43:36.01
So I was like, ah, I'll
just put it on my iPhone,
00:43:36.04\00:43:38.25
put it up on my dresser,
I was working at my room.
00:43:38.28\00:43:40.15
I'll just work out
and I'll be able to hear
00:43:40.18\00:43:42.18
what he has to say
onstage, it will be great.
00:43:42.22\00:43:44.35
So I put my
iPhone up on my dresser
00:43:44.39\00:43:47.42
and I'm listening to
it and everything else,
00:43:47.46\00:43:50.43
all the other
things were happening
00:43:50.46\00:43:53.29
and I was just working out.
00:43:53.33\00:43:55.46
and suddenly this familiar voice
00:43:55.50\00:43:56.83
comes on to my phone.
00:43:56.87\00:43:58.20
And I tell you,
I did not have time
00:43:58.23\00:43:59.90
to reason through my reaction,
00:43:59.93\00:44:01.34
I whirled up off the ground,
00:44:01.37\00:44:02.70
I had been doing a ton of
ab exercises, core exercises.
00:44:02.74\00:44:06.31
And I whirled up off the ground,
00:44:06.34\00:44:07.68
snatched my phone off a dresser
00:44:07.71\00:44:09.04
and I was
looking at it like this
00:44:09.08\00:44:10.51
and then I thought,
00:44:10.55\00:44:12.65
"Wait, that's kind of weird."
00:44:12.68\00:44:14.72
I mean just calm
down and go workout.
00:44:14.75\00:44:18.45
It's not going to change,
he is thousand miles away.
00:44:18.49\00:44:20.56
It's not going to change
00:44:20.59\00:44:21.92
if I'm looking at it
like this or if I'm not.
00:44:21.96\00:44:24.23
How often when we hear
the name of Jesus being spoken
00:44:24.26\00:44:28.26
do we immediately react
00:44:28.30\00:44:29.63
and want to know
what he has to say.
00:44:29.66\00:44:32.47
When the Bible is there,
how do we rush to open like.
00:44:32.50\00:44:35.17
What does it say?
00:44:35.20\00:44:38.31
That's what it
means to be in love.
00:44:38.34\00:44:41.01
That's what it means to
be in love with Jesus Christ,
00:44:41.04\00:44:45.25
that when we hear
His name being spoken,
00:44:45.28\00:44:47.48
we perk up.
00:44:47.52\00:44:48.92
It's like,
00:44:48.95\00:44:50.62
''What did you have to say."
00:44:50.65\00:44:53.69
Why do we expect that of
people in love with people,
00:44:53.72\00:44:57.39
and we don't expect of
people in love with God.
00:44:57.43\00:45:01.20
What is wrong with
the way we think about it?
00:45:01.23\00:45:04.07
Well, it's
because we don't have,
00:45:04.10\00:45:05.97
we don't have
examples before us of
00:45:06.00\00:45:09.60
martyrs going to their
death and singing in the flames.
00:45:09.64\00:45:15.61
In the Dark Ages their
way of killing men was mostly
00:45:15.64\00:45:19.01
burning them at
the stake there with.
00:45:19.05\00:45:20.98
Murdering women was
burying them alive and,
00:45:21.02\00:45:23.42
and if you read back in
Foxe's Book of Martyrs and such.
00:45:23.45\00:45:27.39
They say that the
women went to their graves
00:45:27.42\00:45:30.99
to be buried alive
in their best clothes
00:45:31.03\00:45:34.50
and with a smile on their face
00:45:34.53\00:45:35.86
and a song in their singing,
00:45:35.90\00:45:39.10
why?
00:45:39.13\00:45:42.40
Because they loved Him.
00:45:42.44\00:45:45.07
They loved the one for whom
00:45:45.11\00:45:48.54
they were going to die.
00:45:48.58\00:45:51.25
That is love,
00:45:51.28\00:45:52.88
the song Solomon says that
00:45:52.91\00:45:54.25
love is stronger
than death and it is true.
00:45:54.28\00:45:57.32
It is true, commune to love.
00:45:57.35\00:45:59.95
We've lost the
art of loving God.
00:45:59.99\00:46:03.32
When it comes to my
family or my fiancé,
00:46:03.36\00:46:06.49
I want to know
what makes them happy.
00:46:06.53\00:46:08.06
I want to know
their likes and dislikes.
00:46:08.10\00:46:09.60
I want to understand them
00:46:09.63\00:46:10.97
because why, I love them
00:46:11.00\00:46:12.50
and it works the
exact same way with God,
00:46:12.53\00:46:14.70
we want to know Him.
00:46:14.74\00:46:16.07
We want to know
His likes and dislikes.
00:46:16.10\00:46:17.44
We want to know
what pleases Him,
00:46:17.47\00:46:18.81
what satisfies Him,
00:46:18.84\00:46:20.18
what brings Him
glory because we love Him,
00:46:20.21\00:46:21.81
when we love Him.
00:46:21.84\00:46:23.18
What does it...
00:46:28.95\00:46:30.29
What does it take
to make God feel loved
00:46:30.32\00:46:32.75
by the human race?
00:46:32.79\00:46:34.96
There's a story of a
man who deeply loved God,
00:46:34.99\00:46:41.20
and he loved to pray
00:46:41.23\00:46:42.60
and he said to
his servant one day,
00:46:42.63\00:46:44.93
"I'm going to go
pray for half an hour
00:46:44.97\00:46:46.50
come and get me when, when,
00:46:46.53\00:46:49.10
when half an hour is over."
00:46:49.14\00:46:51.17
So the man went off
to his room to pray.
00:46:51.21\00:46:53.07
Half an hour later
the servant went looked in
00:46:53.11\00:46:56.14
and the man was
so wrapped in prayer
00:46:56.18\00:46:59.41
praying out loud
00:46:59.45\00:47:00.78
and he was so wrapped in prayer.
00:47:00.82\00:47:02.78
The servant felt really
bad about interrupting him
00:47:02.82\00:47:05.22
so he thought I'll just
give him a little more time,
00:47:05.25\00:47:07.66
I'll come back later,
so the servant went away.
00:47:07.69\00:47:10.29
While later the
servant comes back, looks in,
00:47:10.33\00:47:12.99
the man still completely
absorbed in communication,
00:47:13.03\00:47:16.67
I'll better come
back a little bit.
00:47:16.70\00:47:18.77
This continued on
until three hours later
00:47:18.80\00:47:20.67
the servant was like,
00:47:20.70\00:47:22.04
"Now this is
awkward because he told me
00:47:22.07\00:47:23.54
to get him after half an hour."
00:47:23.57\00:47:25.07
And it's been three
hours and he goes there
00:47:25.11\00:47:27.14
and the man still
lost in communion with God
00:47:27.18\00:47:29.74
but the servant felt
like he had to interrupt him
00:47:29.78\00:47:31.78
and so he's like you master,
00:47:31.81\00:47:34.75
you know, it's time
00:47:34.78\00:47:38.45
and the man turned
to him and he said,
00:47:38.49\00:47:39.82
"Oh, half an
hour goes so quickly
00:47:39.85\00:47:44.53
when I'm
communicating with Him."
00:47:44.56\00:47:47.60
I want that experience,
00:47:47.63\00:47:52.10
where after
three hours, I think,
00:47:52.13\00:47:55.44
oh, half an hour
goes by so quickly
00:47:55.47\00:47:59.14
when I'm in the
presence of Jesus Christ,
00:47:59.17\00:48:02.81
the one, the only
one that can save me.
00:48:02.84\00:48:07.58
How often do we
commune not to tell God,
00:48:07.62\00:48:10.12
oh, this happened
and it was terrible,
00:48:10.15\00:48:12.42
and oh, God, please make
that person be more agreeable.
00:48:12.45\00:48:17.23
And, Lord, this
happened and such and such
00:48:17.26\00:48:20.10
and hey, please I
need help with this test,
00:48:20.13\00:48:22.40
and oh finances,
Lord, oh, my finances.
00:48:22.43\00:48:26.00
How often do we go to
God just pepper with him
00:48:26.03\00:48:29.34
and treat him
like a gumball machine.
00:48:29.37\00:48:32.01
Quarter,
gumball, quarter, gumball,
00:48:32.04\00:48:34.28
quarter, gumball, pray, answer,
00:48:34.31\00:48:37.15
finances, money, that
person deal with them.
00:48:37.18\00:48:41.52
And instead start
thinking of the fact
00:48:41.55\00:48:45.05
that God loves us so much,
00:48:45.09\00:48:47.99
He would love to
just communicate with us
00:48:48.02\00:48:50.39
exclusively for the
purpose of just loving Him.
00:48:50.43\00:48:56.23
How would my
family or Paul like it
00:48:56.26\00:48:58.13
if the only reason I would
talk to them was just be like,
00:48:58.17\00:49:04.51
"Honey, fix
this, Honey, do that."
00:49:04.54\00:49:07.84
Some marriages
probably are like that
00:49:07.88\00:49:09.64
but that's not...
00:49:09.68\00:49:12.81
They are not vibrant.
00:49:12.85\00:49:15.38
Communion just to love
00:49:15.42\00:49:17.75
this is a second thing God
has been pressing on my heart,
00:49:17.79\00:49:19.25
I'm running out of time,
00:49:19.29\00:49:20.62
God's been pressing on my heart,
00:49:20.66\00:49:21.99
"Natasha, sometimes
come to me just to love me.
00:49:22.02\00:49:26.86
Sometimes come to me
just so I can love you.
00:49:26.90\00:49:30.03
But ultimately,
00:49:34.80\00:49:37.24
oh, let me let me share this.
00:49:37.27\00:49:38.77
We find the same
principle in the Bible.
00:49:44.48\00:49:46.21
For instance, Moses
right after the scenario
00:49:46.25\00:49:48.38
with the golden
calf, it's awful, his...
00:49:48.42\00:49:50.79
The tabernacle is
removed from the camp.
00:49:50.82\00:49:52.99
He's outside in the tabernacle
00:49:53.02\00:49:55.22
away from camp
interceding for these people,
00:49:55.26\00:49:57.59
and go to Exodus and read it
00:49:57.63\00:49:59.09
because he's there
interceding for these people.
00:49:59.13\00:50:01.66
You can actually
watch in the account.
00:50:01.70\00:50:06.77
Moses becoming
more and more distracted
00:50:06.80\00:50:08.47
just from the people
00:50:08.50\00:50:09.84
and more and more
just in enchanted with God
00:50:09.87\00:50:14.78
until he's finally like,
00:50:14.81\00:50:17.28
all he can think
about is God's glory,
00:50:17.31\00:50:18.81
he's like, ''I just beseech you,
00:50:18.85\00:50:20.25
show me your glory."
00:50:20.28\00:50:23.99
How would you
like to be distracted
00:50:24.02\00:50:25.92
from the things
of this world by God?
00:50:25.95\00:50:29.92
Same thing with
the beloved John.
00:50:29.96\00:50:31.83
While everybody else was
out hiding behind bushes,
00:50:31.86\00:50:34.56
John was at the
foot of the cross.
00:50:34.60\00:50:36.13
Why?
00:50:36.16\00:50:37.50
Because he thought
this was supposed to happen.
00:50:37.53\00:50:39.03
No.
00:50:39.07\00:50:41.34
Because he loved Him,
00:50:41.37\00:50:43.61
because he loved Him,
00:50:43.64\00:50:45.51
commune to love.
00:50:45.54\00:50:47.41
There was a Waldensian
martyr in the Dark Ages,
00:50:47.44\00:50:50.45
who was a pastor
and he was caught
00:50:50.48\00:50:53.05
and he was told
that his wife and his son
00:50:53.08\00:50:55.15
were going to be killed
00:50:55.18\00:50:56.52
and that he would be killed
00:50:56.55\00:50:57.89
with all the perfected
tortures of the inquisition
00:50:57.92\00:51:00.42
if he did not
renounce his faith in Christ.
00:51:00.46\00:51:03.53
The Waldensian pastor's
response to his torturers was
00:51:06.80\00:51:10.27
"Ten thousand
deaths of such a kind
00:51:10.30\00:51:12.93
would be too few to
express my love for Him."
00:51:12.97\00:51:16.64
How do we fall in love with Him?
00:51:20.91\00:51:24.65
Ultimately,
00:51:24.68\00:51:26.11
it's knowing how
much He loves you.
00:51:26.15\00:51:30.39
Jeremiah 3:14 says,
00:51:30.42\00:51:33.62
"Turn, O backsliding children,
00:51:33.66\00:51:37.19
saith the Lord, for
I am married unto you."
00:51:37.23\00:51:41.80
What would possess
the God of the universe
00:51:41.83\00:51:45.53
to look at stubborn
humanity and be like,
00:51:45.57\00:51:50.44
"I'm married to you
00:51:50.47\00:51:53.51
for better or for worse,
00:51:53.54\00:51:55.44
for richer or for
poorer, to love and to cherish,
00:51:55.48\00:51:58.58
I'll keep myself only
to you throughout eternity,
00:51:58.61\00:52:01.25
God Jesus Christ
never gives up His humanity
00:52:01.28\00:52:08.09
forsaking all others,
00:52:08.12\00:52:09.69
keep himself to the human race,
00:52:09.72\00:52:13.73
till death do us part and
not even death can part us.
00:52:13.76\00:52:18.67
God is in love
with the human race
00:52:18.70\00:52:20.97
for some inexplicable reason.
00:52:21.00\00:52:24.44
How much do we
love Him in return?
00:52:24.47\00:52:28.14
Why are we discussing this?
00:52:28.18\00:52:30.15
GYC's mission statement
00:52:30.18\00:52:31.71
like I mentioned
at the beginning,
00:52:31.75\00:52:33.08
"The movement to
young people on a mission
00:52:33.11\00:52:34.45
to take a Three
Angels' Messages,
00:52:34.48\00:52:35.85
to the entire world
in this generation."
00:52:35.88\00:52:38.42
That means that
we're going to see
00:52:42.72\00:52:44.06
all the prophecies
of Revelation fulfilled
00:52:44.09\00:52:46.66
in this generation,
00:52:46.70\00:52:48.46
that's what, that's our goal,
00:52:48.50\00:52:49.83
that's what we,
that's what we want.
00:52:49.86\00:52:51.20
Obviously, God is in
control of all these events.
00:52:51.23\00:52:52.70
But that's what
we're saying we desire
00:52:52.73\00:52:55.10
and only one thing is going
to suffice to accomplish it
00:52:55.14\00:52:58.81
and that is when
our hearts are so lost
00:52:58.84\00:53:01.91
with love for God that
nothing else can suffice.
00:53:01.94\00:53:05.91
Some of you may ask
00:53:05.95\00:53:07.28
why are you telling
so many martyrs stories.
00:53:07.32\00:53:09.12
I told you at the beginning,
because I love how clear,
00:53:09.15\00:53:12.42
crystal clear Christianity
is in the lives of these people
00:53:12.45\00:53:14.72
so I have one more to
close off with you for you.
00:53:14.76\00:53:18.06
The Waldensians
during the Dark Ages were,
00:53:18.09\00:53:21.96
well, they were persecuted
for a millennium, right.
00:53:22.00\00:53:24.73
So it was many, many times
00:53:24.77\00:53:26.13
and they had to
run for their homes
00:53:26.17\00:53:27.50
but this particular
time their persecutors chose
00:53:27.54\00:53:29.80
the dead of winter to
evict them from their homes.
00:53:29.84\00:53:34.21
"Cold and icy were the peaks..."
00:53:37.55\00:53:39.65
This is J.A. Wylie,
History of the Waldenses,
00:53:39.68\00:53:41.48
"Cold and icy were the peaks
00:53:41.52\00:53:42.85
that looked down
upon this miserable troop,
00:53:42.88\00:53:45.05
who were now
fording the torrents
00:53:45.09\00:53:46.45
and now struggling
up the mountain tracks,
00:53:46.49\00:53:48.46
but the heart of the
persecutor was colder still.
00:53:48.49\00:53:50.66
True, an
alternative was offered them,
00:53:50.69\00:53:52.96
they might give up their faith."
00:53:52.99\00:53:55.00
Did they avail themselves of it?
00:53:55.03\00:53:56.77
The historian Leger informs us
00:53:56.80\00:53:58.37
that he had a congregation
of well-nigh 2,000 persons,
00:53:58.40\00:54:02.30
and that not a man of them
all accepted the alternative.
00:54:02.34\00:54:07.21
"I can well bear them
this testimony," he observes,
00:54:07.24\00:54:10.08
"seeing I was their
pastor for eleven years,
00:54:10.11\00:54:12.55
and I knew every one of
them by name, judge, reader,
00:54:12.58\00:54:15.52
whether I had not
cause to weep for joy,
00:54:15.55\00:54:17.92
as well as for sorrow,
00:54:17.95\00:54:19.79
when I saw that all
the fury of these wolves
00:54:19.82\00:54:23.79
was not able to
influence one of these lambs,
00:54:23.83\00:54:28.63
and that no earthly advantage
could shake their constancy.
00:54:28.66\00:54:31.90
And when I marked
the traces of their blood
00:54:31.93\00:54:33.90
on the snow and ice
00:54:33.94\00:54:35.27
over which they had
dragged their lacerated limbs,
00:54:35.30\00:54:37.37
had I not cause to bless God
00:54:37.41\00:54:41.08
that I had seen accomplished
in their poor bodies
00:54:41.11\00:54:43.04
what remained of the measure
of the sufferings of Christ,
00:54:43.08\00:54:45.51
and especially when I
beheld this heavy cross
00:54:45.55\00:54:48.08
borne by them with
a fortitude so noble?"
00:54:48.12\00:54:54.39
This is the
Christianity that can
00:54:54.42\00:54:56.93
and will come back
to this generation.
00:54:56.96\00:55:02.16
Not because we will, will it,
00:55:02.20\00:55:04.27
not because we
like pull ourselves up
00:55:04.30\00:55:06.37
by our own bootstraps
00:55:06.40\00:55:07.74
and decide that we
are going to renounce
00:55:07.77\00:55:09.17
everything of the world
00:55:09.20\00:55:10.87
and that we are going to go
spill our blood on the fields,
00:55:10.91\00:55:14.28
that is not going
to be what does this.
00:55:14.31\00:55:17.81
It's going to be understanding
the passionate love of God
00:55:17.85\00:55:21.65
for my soul,
00:55:21.68\00:55:25.62
that's for better or for worse.
00:55:25.65\00:55:27.66
He's committed to me
for richer or for poorer,
00:55:27.69\00:55:31.96
He's married to me,
He's dedicated to me,
00:55:31.99\00:55:35.63
He will never
leave me or forsake me
00:55:35.66\00:55:38.30
and without the
righteousness of this Christ
00:55:38.33\00:55:39.87
all the world cannot save me
00:55:39.90\00:55:41.40
and therefore I
turn my life over to Him.
00:55:41.44\00:55:45.57
At the beginning of GYC,
00:55:45.61\00:55:49.78
as GYC is starting,
00:55:49.81\00:55:53.85
I want to challenge
all of you to reflect
00:55:53.88\00:55:59.52
just how much do you love God.
00:55:59.55\00:56:04.13
How much is your
heart turned over for Him?
00:56:04.16\00:56:08.30
How much are you
willing to trade the pearl,
00:56:08.33\00:56:12.07
pardon me trade the
world for the pearl,
00:56:12.10\00:56:17.51
is not the Lamb
that was slain worthy
00:56:17.54\00:56:21.98
to receive the
reward of his inheritance?
00:56:22.01\00:56:25.45
Worthy is the Lamb
00:57:03.35\00:57:06.55
That was slain
00:57:06.59\00:57:12.49
Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain
00:57:12.53\00:57:17.43