Participants: Greg & Jill Morikone (Host), Natasha Nebblett
Series Code: 15GYC
Program Code: 15GYC000001A
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00:43 The love of God is greater far
00:49 Than tongue or pen can ever tell 00:55 It goes beyond the highest star 01:01 And reaches to the lowest hell 01:07 The guilty pair, bowed down with care 01:12 God gave His Son to win 01:18 His erring child He reconciled 01:23 And pardoned from his sin 01:37 When hoary time shall pass away 01:43 And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall 01:48 When men who here refuse to pray 01:54 On rocks and hills and mountains call 01:59 God's love so sure, shall still endure 02:05 All measureless and strong 02:10 Redeeming grace to Adam's race 02:16 The saints' and angels' song. 02:21 Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! 02:27 How measureless and strong! 02:32 It shall forevermore endure 02:38 The saints' and angels' song. 02:46 Could we with ink the ocean fill 02:51 And were the skies of parchment made 02:57 Were every stalk on earth a quill 03:02 And every man a scribe by trade 03:07 To write the love of God above 03:13 Would drain the ocean dry 03:18 Nor could the scroll contain the whole 03:24 Though stretched from sky to sky 03:29 Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! 03:34 How measureless and strong! 03:40 It shall forevermore endure 03:45 The saints' and angels' song. 03:50 Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! 03:57 How measureless and strong! 04:02 It shall forevermore endure 04:08 The saints' and angels' song 04:14 It shall forevermore endure 04:20 The saints' and angels' song. 04:48 Good evening, friends. 04:51 You know many, many people this weekend will probably 04:54 come up here and call you GYC, 04:57 but to me this evening you're my friend. 05:02 I know that there's, there's a big stage up here, 05:04 there's beautiful flowers, 05:07 all the lights but in many ways, 05:11 in all ways the people that you see up here are really 05:15 very ordinary people just like you. 05:20 I have the privilege of introducing you 05:23 to our speaker this evening. 05:26 She's someone that I've known for a very, very long time, 05:31 it actually struck me just today, 05:36 and that I've almost known her for half of my life. 05:40 Known her for a very long time 05:42 and she is someone that has grown very near 05:46 and dear to my heart. 05:48 Near and dear to my heart 05:50 because we share a heart passion 05:53 to see the majesty and the glory of God 05:57 return into the lives 06:00 and the hearts of this generation, 06:02 to return into my life and into my heart. 06:07 I simply want to share with you some of the heartbeat 06:13 that I know pulses through her veins. 06:16 It's one that pulses through mine as well. 06:21 First of all, she has a heart, 06:25 a deep sincerity 06:28 and a heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ. 06:33 A heart for the work of God here in this world 06:39 and a heart that is touched 06:41 for the weak and the broken, 06:45 for the orphan and for the trafficked. 06:49 It's a heart that pulses with the heart of Christ 06:52 as he looks on to a broken world. 06:57 She also has a heart for sacrifice. 07:01 Many of you may not know, 07:03 in fact, probably most of you do not know 07:06 the sacrifice that she has gone through 07:10 simply to stand on a stage in front of you. 07:16 She has a heart to lay everything on the altar 07:20 to see our savior lifted up. 07:26 And she also has a heart in a generation where, 07:30 where there is so much confusion, 07:36 in a generation where we have strayed 07:41 so far from the image of God in humanity. 07:45 She has a heart 07:46 for biblical femininity, 07:53 to stand as a woman 07:56 in an age where we hardly know 07:57 what it means to truly be a woman 08:00 and to be a man. 08:06 She caught this vision at a very young age, 08:10 and I can truly tell you that I know no one that, 08:14 that has the ability to honor and to respect 08:17 and to build those in her life 08:21 especially the man in her life 08:23 and to lift up the cross of Jesus Christ. 08:28 She as I've already mentioned, 08:30 she's someone that is very near and dear to our hearts 08:33 and to be to my heart and to be very honest with you, 08:38 we share this heart pulse, this passion. 08:42 Honestly, 08:47 we are somewhat tired of stages and lights 08:51 and pretty flowers and beautiful music, 08:56 that the glory of God would come into this place. 09:00 That the Spirit of God would fall on our hearts 09:05 that we would truly see him face to face. 09:10 And so this evening I introduce to you 09:16 not a president but a princess. 09:21 And not just any princess 09:23 but my princes 09:25 and my beloved fiancé Natasha Nebblett. 09:30 I'd like Natasha to come up on to the stage now. 09:38 Hi, sweetheart. 09:45 Sweetheart, we share a passion 09:47 for the vision of seeing God's majesty 09:49 return to this world. 09:51 Amen. 09:53 And I challenge you this morning, 09:55 I mean this evening as you speak 09:58 be not afraid of their faces, 10:02 for as the Lord our God, that goes with you. 10:06 He is your strength. 10:09 I also challenge you to be bold. 10:13 We live in a generation that 10:15 frankly we're tired of politically correct speeches. 10:20 We want to hear the undiluted word of God. 10:24 I challenge you to be bold 10:26 and to stand 10:28 and share the word with strength and with power. 10:32 And I challenge you to humility 10:36 because ultimately 10:39 we're simply dust in His hands. 10:43 You and I are simply here to wash the feet 10:48 of those we come in contact with. 10:53 Let's pray. 10:55 Our heavenly Father, I pray that Your Holy Spirit 11:01 would come and wash over my beloved fiancé 11:04 as she shares your word this evening. 11:10 Father, I pray that you would 11:12 take our minds off of any form of production 11:17 and stages and lights and that You would face 11:19 that we would see Your face. 11:22 That Your Holy Spirit would enter this building 11:25 and enter our hearts with power and with glory. 11:30 That we would go from this place knowing that 11:32 you are our almighty God, 11:35 and with a love that is build. 11:38 Father, I pray that You would put Your words 11:41 into Natasha's mouth, 11:43 that You would give her boldness to speak Your word, 11:48 and that she would be given humility 11:52 to forever stand humbly before Your throne. 11:57 We pray that You would take each one of our hearts 12:01 and soften them this morning, 12:03 this evening, 12:05 soften them before You because 12:09 all of us are simply dust in Your hands. 12:14 May we see Your face in Jesus' name, 12:18 amen. 12:20 Love you. 12:24 He is a sweetie, uh, 12:26 I'm marrying an amazing man. 12:29 Well, welcome to GYC everyone. 12:31 It is so good to see 12:34 the work of a whole year 12:38 coming to reality in the faces that are in this room 12:42 and GYC actually taking place, 12:44 it's such a blessing to know that 12:47 how much we have leaned on God 12:50 and prayed hours and hours worth of prayer 12:54 is coming to reality and God will bless, 12:56 I know He will. 12:58 Something about my fiancé in his very kind introduction, 13:02 something about GYC and my fiancé and myself 13:05 two years ago right before Orlando in 2013, 13:09 the day before GYC Orlando began, 13:11 he asked to court me, so I was like all you know. 13:15 Surprise and everything throughout Orlando, 13:17 and then one week before Phoenix last year, 13:21 he asked me to marry him. 13:24 And now in 45 days from today, 13:27 we're going to get married on Valentine's Day. 13:29 So I'm a blessed girl. 13:31 Very, very, very blessed girl. 13:33 He has put a lot into supporting me, 13:35 and I'm so thankful and my family as well, 13:38 all of my family is here tonight 13:41 including my sister and brother-in-law, 13:43 and niece and nephew, they're missionaries to Africa. 13:46 And last year they were in Africa, 13:47 we were at Phoenix. 13:49 But this year 13:50 because of my wedding in 45 days 13:53 their schedule has changed and they're here at GYC. 13:56 And that means so much to me, 13:58 my parents and my brothers 13:59 and all those who have sacrificed so much 14:03 to support me over this last term 14:07 as being president of GYC. 14:09 And I had to be honest with you, 14:11 the last several months, 14:15 I have been thinking 14:16 and a question has been going over and over again in my mind, 14:19 and that is if I never had the chance to speak 14:23 with any of you again. 14:25 What would I want to be sure, 14:28 I had communicated to you tonight? 14:32 Because this is the opening night of GYC, 14:34 but it is also in many respects my closing, 14:39 my closing message to you because 14:41 after a wonderful term being president to GYC, 14:44 I'm getting married and so I'm stepping down as president 14:46 and being replaced by an extremely, 14:49 extremely capable president and extremely capable team. 14:51 And I am so excited for where God will lead GYC 14:55 under Mellissa's leadership. 14:56 But I'm stepping down and so this is my last opportunity 14:59 to share with you as president of GYC. 15:03 And so I've been thinking about, you know, 15:06 thinking about the last term, 15:07 thinking about my years before that 15:08 as V.P. of Logistics for GYC, 15:10 thinking about this movement 15:12 which has become so special to me. 15:14 So precious to me, thinking about our God. 15:17 What would be what I want to share with you 15:20 if it's my last opportunity to share. 15:24 That's why I want to talk to you about tonight. 15:26 Tonight's message is going to be 15:28 quite a personal one for me. 15:31 And don't, don't expect 15:33 a big professional presentation, 15:35 don't even expect a comprehensive 15:37 treatise of the subject. 15:39 I'm just going to be sharing with you 15:40 what has been going through my mind 15:41 for the last couple of months, 15:43 and what God has really been pressing on my heart. 15:47 As I've been coming to the very end of my presidency 15:51 but by no means coming to the end of my involvement 15:53 in this movement, 15:54 and my belief in it, and my prayers for it. 15:57 So before I get in and share, let's have one more prayer. 16:03 Heavenly Father, 16:08 you know I've not had as much quiet a day as I would, 16:11 have liked to had as much time to reflect in my message 16:17 as I like but ultimately Father, 16:20 this does not need to be me. 16:24 In fact, it had better not be me, 16:26 it needs to be you. 16:28 And you can use me 16:30 whether I am feeling all collected or I'm not. 16:36 So I pray that You would put Your hand upon me 16:38 and Your words in my mouth 16:41 and that I would just beseech in Christ instead. 16:46 And all of me would be put out of the way, 16:49 and that all of you would come to the front. 16:54 Give me Your Spirit I pray 16:56 and give Your Spirit to all those that are here 16:59 in Jesus' name, amen. 17:04 So it's kind of anticlimactic technically 17:08 to share the point of my message 17:10 at the very beginning, you know, 17:11 before I've even gotten into it 17:13 but I'm going to tonight because I don't have... 17:16 I don't have time in my presentation 17:18 to just kind of talk away 17:21 before I get down to my real point. 17:23 So I'm just going to tell you 17:24 the point of my message right now 17:25 and that's "Love" love for God. 17:29 And really actually tonight is kind of 17:31 part one of my seminar 17:33 because this has been on my mind so much. 17:36 You know there are unofficial 17:41 like condensed mission statement 17:43 as GYC 'cause all of us in this room are GYC, 17:47 is that we are a movement of young people 17:49 on a mission to take The Three Angels' Messages 17:54 to the entire world in this generation, 18:00 this generation. 18:02 And while of course we cannot actually 18:06 measure a spiritual thing by earthly measures, 18:11 yet at the same time it is a very defined goal. 18:13 The Three Angels' Messages, entire world, this generation. 18:18 It's a very defined goal, 18:19 so as I have been president of GYC, 18:21 I have often spent a lot of time thinking about, 18:24 are we accomplishing what we set out to do. 18:28 Are we taking The Three Angels' Message 18:29 to the entire world in this generation? 18:33 Elder Carton was up here talking earlier 18:35 and he is gonna have a seminar about the Middle East. 18:38 Has GYC done anything about the Middle East? 18:41 Have we done anything about India? 18:44 The 10/40 Window, 18:45 I mean it's like the need is so enormous 18:48 and what we're actually saying is 18:50 that every single person in all of those countries 18:54 will hear The Three Angels' Messages 18:57 and the message is that we have 18:58 as Seventh-day Adventists in this generation, us. 19:03 So that we're not going to get old and die 19:05 and then our kids get, you know, 19:07 whatever before Jesus comes. 19:09 We're actually saying, "No, 19:10 that's gonna happen before them." 19:11 And I think what's it gonna 19:13 take for that really to take place. 19:16 And of course, we can't always see the movement of God 19:19 on people's hearts. 19:22 But as we look around us, we say you know 19:25 what the need is extremely great 19:27 What's it gonna take for us to actually get this done. 19:33 And I'm convinced that love is the one ingredient 19:39 that we need more off for this to get done. 19:45 Not just the job of taking The Three Angels' Messages 19:49 to the entire world in this generation, 19:52 but also lack of love is involved, 19:53 and lack of true conversion, 19:55 and doubt, and complaining, and lack of unity, 19:58 and pretty much everything that is involved 20:02 in our lives and in the church. 20:04 And lack of purity, backsliding, 20:06 unfaithfulness, criticism. 20:10 And love is what took Christians 20:13 into coliseums to be torn of lions 20:16 and to be lighted on the streets of Rome 20:18 and at the same time took the gospel 20:20 to the entire world in one generation. 20:25 And love gave people 20:27 a completely different perspective. 20:28 Listen, I've been stewing over this story 20:29 for two months now. 20:31 I was reading in Foxe's Book of Martyrs and you know what, 20:33 I don't meet very many people 20:35 who like to read Foxe's Book of Martyrs. 20:38 But I would strongly encourage occasionally 20:40 to pick up and read a bit of it 20:43 because it sets forth Christianity at its strongest, 20:47 at its best, it's amazing. 20:49 This is a story from Foxe's Book of Martyrs, 20:53 it was right at the beginning 20:54 of the St. Bartholomew massacre, 20:56 which was one of the most 20:57 infamous massacres of Protestants. 21:01 And the Prince of Navarre 21:04 was the champion of Protestantism 21:05 and so the king in an effort to take him down 21:08 artfully arranged for a marriage 21:10 between the prince and the king's sister, 21:13 the princess. 21:14 And all of her professions of love 21:18 for the Prince of Navarre was just an artful way 21:22 to bring him down. 21:24 Isn't that sick? 21:26 And so picking up what Foxe's Book of Martyrs has to say, 21:30 they had like a week's worth of celebrations 21:33 over this new marriage and everything 21:35 and four days after their celebrations 21:38 for their marriage had ended. 21:41 Picking up quoting from Foxe's Book of Martyrs, 21:44 "Four days after this the prince 21:46 as he was coming from the council 21:48 was shot in both arms. 21:52 He then said to Maure who was a family friend 21:55 because he had been the pastor 21:57 of the prince's deceased mother. 22:01 He said to Maure, "O my brother, 22:03 I do now perceive that I am indeed beloved of my God, 22:08 since for His most holy sake I am wounded. 22:14 Although, Vidam, advised him to fly, 22:16 yet he abode in Paris, 22:17 and was soon after slain by Bemjus; 22:20 who afterward declared 22:22 he never saw a man meet death 22:25 more valiantly than the admiral." 22:32 I mean what kind of reaction is that. 22:35 He comes out, this is a week, you know, 22:37 he's just gotten married and he realizes in this moment 22:40 when he comes out of the council 22:41 and shot in both arms. 22:42 This woman was a total joke. 22:44 The king was a total joke, 22:46 they arranged this whole thing to take this man's life, 22:49 and what is his reaction? 22:51 Is it anger? 22:52 Is it, you know frustration? 22:54 Is it anything like that? 22:55 No, his reaction is, 22:56 "I do now perceive I am beloved of my God 22:59 since for His most holy sake I am wounded." 23:02 And a few days later he's killed for good, 23:04 you know, the job was finished a few days later 23:08 and even the man that killed him said, 23:09 "He had never seen a man meet death more valiantly." 23:12 That is the power of Christianity 23:14 and that is the Christianity I want in my life. 23:17 And you know what? 23:18 That kind of Christianity is not caused by 23:21 having in our minds that we're going to be that way 23:24 and that if we get wounded we're gonna... 23:27 It just does not produce it 23:29 that kind of determination, that is produced only by love. 23:32 It changes the way we think, 23:34 it changes our perspective entirely, 23:36 it makes people unearthly, 23:38 the world was not worthy of these people 23:42 because of love. 23:44 So let's turn to our theme verse 23:45 Revelation 17:14, 23:51 this is where our theme comes 23:52 from a theme of called and chosen and faithful. 23:54 These shall make war with the lamb, 23:56 this is talking about the beast and the dragon and all those, 23:59 "Make war with the Lamb 24:00 and the Lamb shall overcome them." 24:04 Can anyone say amen? 24:06 "For he is Lord of lords and King of kings 24:11 and they that are with him are called 24:15 and chosen and faithful." 24:17 And we're going to be digging into 24:18 what that means to be called 24:20 and chosen and faithful this week 24:21 and it's a profound thing 24:22 what we're digging into the concept of the remnant. 24:24 Millennials don't like the concept of the remnant. 24:27 But you know what? 24:30 I'm a millennial and it's in the Bible 24:32 and so I love it. 24:36 But what I want to focus on tonight is those 24:39 that are with him. 24:41 Those that are with him, all this earthly power, 24:45 earthly and the power, 24:47 all the powers of earth and hell are against the Lamb, 24:50 but then there's this little company 24:52 that are with the Lamb and my question is, 24:54 who is with him tonight. 24:57 Who is with him tonight? 24:58 Obviously, I'm getting married in 45 days. 25:01 And so because I'm getting married in 45 days, 25:03 I've given a lot more thought to the two wedding vows 25:09 for better or for worse. 25:11 We're very familiar with these words, 25:14 "In sickness and in health, 25:18 to love and cherish, 25:21 forsaking all others, 25:23 keep you only to him till death do us apart. 25:30 Powerful words. 25:33 What I am saying, what I will be saying 25:35 by saying those words in 45 days 25:37 when I get married to my beloved Paul, 25:39 what I will be saying is, you know what, 25:41 it does not matter, if his life, 25:43 if he is wealthy or if he is destitute. 25:45 If his life goes well or it doesn't go well, 25:48 if we have health or God forbid some lingering illness 25:52 comes that lasts for years and years 25:55 of suffering and slow loss. 25:59 What I am saying by saying wedding vows in 45 days, 26:02 is it does not matter if it's going well 26:04 or if it's not going well. 26:07 I cast in my lot with him, 26:08 he cast in his lot with me, why. 26:11 Is it just because I'm like, 26:13 I'm going to do this if it kills me, 26:16 I'll be with him is that, is that kind of... 26:20 I mean no, no. 26:23 Why? 26:25 Because I love him, because I love him 26:28 and it is love that makes me say 26:30 that if his life is better or if his life is worse 26:33 I'll be with him. 26:35 It's not just some intellectual assent. 26:37 Yes, I will admit that 26:39 marriages have happened on earth 26:41 that were just into let, you know, 26:42 people going to the altar knowing fully 26:44 well they should not be there. 26:46 But that's not the case now 26:48 and it should not be the case in Christian marriage. 26:50 The case is I'm casting in my lot with Paul 26:53 because I know in my mind 26:57 and I know in my heart, love. 27:01 And you know what? 27:03 Marriage is supposed to be an example 27:08 of our relationship with Christ 27:11 that for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, 27:15 and Christ is never poor 27:17 but sometimes on earth 27:20 it is not profitable to follow Him 27:26 in society as us. 27:31 It's not just, well, I had knowledge. 27:32 Richard Rembrandt, 27:35 who was tortured for 14 years for the name of Christ 27:38 and never once was willing to renounce his faith, 27:42 never once bent. 27:44 When he came out of out of jail, 27:47 somebody asked him basically, 27:49 how do you withstand 14 years of torture? 27:51 Many of those were in solitary confinement 27:54 and this was his comment, 27:56 "If the heart is cleansed by the love of Christ. 28:00 And if the heart loves Him, 28:03 you can resist all tortures." 28:06 He continues on to say, 28:07 "What would a loving bride not do for a loving bridegroom. 28:11 What would a loving mother not do for her child, 28:15 if you love Christ..." 28:16 This is him quoting him still, 28:18 "If you love Christ as Mary did 28:20 who had Christ as a baby in her arms. 28:22 If you love Christ as a bride, loves her bridegroom, 28:25 then you can resist such tortures. 28:28 God will judge us not according to how much we have endured 28:32 but how much we could love. 28:36 I'm a witness." 28:37 He says, concluding, 28:39 "For the Christians in communist prisons 28:42 that they could love, they could love God and men." 28:49 Right now, it's pretty easy to be a halfhearted Christian. 28:54 If we give our heart partially to Christ 28:56 or if we choose not to, 28:59 if we decide to ride the fence 29:01 or if we decide to be all in for him 29:02 or decide to be not all in for him. 29:05 Doesn't make that much difference 29:07 but time is the time is soon coming 29:09 when being a halfhearted Christian 29:12 is not going to be enough. 29:15 When halfhearted Christians will find the going to rough 29:19 to keep sailing. 29:21 Remember, the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, 29:26 but the merchant man finds the goodly pearl 29:29 and he goes and sells everything, everything. 29:33 Same thing with the Parable of the Treasure in the Field, 29:35 he finds a treasure in the field 29:36 and he goes and sells everything to buy that field 29:39 and the rest of the world is looking at him like, 29:41 "What are you doing? 29:42 Why are you selling your house? 29:43 Why are you selling all your livestock at the time? 29:45 Why are you selling all your earthly assets to buy a field?" 29:48 Because he knew the value of the field. 29:51 Why are you selling everything you have to buy the pearl? 29:53 Because he knew the value of the pearl. 29:55 Why am I going to forsake all others and marry Paul? 29:58 Because of the value of Paul. 30:00 Why would we forsake the world for Jesus? 30:04 Because of the value of Jesus. 30:06 Who is with Him tonight? 30:10 Who is standing here and wondering 30:13 the pearl or the world both actually not both, 30:16 the time is coming 30:18 where we will sell the world for the pearl 30:19 or we will sell the pearl for the world. 30:23 One of the two, 30:25 one of my favorite books is, "Pilgrim's Progress" 30:27 and one of my favorite quotes in Pilgrim's Progress is when, 30:30 "Christian is talking to this guy called By-ends 30:32 who wants both God and the world 30:35 and he's like, "Man, these go together just great. 30:37 I'm going to live my life with both," 30:38 and Christians statement to him is, 30:40 "If you go with us, 30:42 you must go against wind and tide. 30:44 You must own religion in his rags 30:47 as well as in his silver slippers. 30:49 You must stand by him too when bound in irons 30:51 as when he walks the streets with applause." 30:56 Who tonight will follow Christ in His rags 31:01 as well as in His silver slippers? 31:04 Who will stand by Him when everybody is applauding 31:07 and wants Him to be king after the feeding of the 5000? 31:13 And who will stand by Him 31:15 when He's hanging on the cross? 31:21 This is not a mere intellectual assent, 31:23 it's a level of bonding 31:25 that is fused to the person of Christ 31:29 so much so 31:32 that you would rather die than hurt him. 31:37 And I have slowly learned 31:39 what that level of love means 31:41 by being in a relationship and getting married 31:43 and suddenly it's like what would I rather do, 31:46 be tortured or turn Paul over torture. 31:49 Suddenly the issues are clarified. 31:52 Love makes a difference. 31:54 It makes a difference in the way 31:57 we live our lives so... 31:58 I want to share. 32:06 Let me share this quote 32:07 and then I want to share three things 32:09 that the Lord has been putting on my heart 32:11 over the last probably three months 32:16 especially, on the subject of learning love for God. 32:22 And this is not kind of, 32:23 this is not a comprehensive study of the subject 32:25 by any means but just three things 32:26 that God has really been pressing into my heart, 32:29 this quote first, "True holiness..." 32:31 This comes from Christ Object Lessons, 32:32 "True holiness is wholeness in the service of God. 32:36 Love must be the principle of action. 32:39 Love is the underlying principle of God's government 32:42 in heaven and earth 32:43 and it must be the foundation of the Christian's character. 32:47 The thought of His honor 32:49 and His glory will come before anything else. 32:51 This is the religion of Christ anything short of this, 32:56 she says, is a deception." 33:01 Pretty strong words, 33:02 so I want to share with you three things 33:04 that God has really been pressing into my heart, 33:07 'cause I'm like Lord, 33:09 have you found it just the world is set up 33:13 to not let us have love like this 33:15 for Christ to esteem Him. 33:17 Yes, and think highly of Him and want to worship Him, 33:20 want to serve Him in everything. 33:21 But, but to love Him consumingly and passionately 33:27 and with every single thing 33:29 we have just the world is set up. 33:31 We know, we can't see Him and 33:34 the world's set up to make the I have faith grow very dim. 33:38 So have you ever wondered. 33:40 I esteem Him and I want love for Him 33:42 but I know I don't quite have it. 33:46 If you've had that I want to share with you three things 33:49 that God has really pressed in my heart 33:50 and the first one is, 33:52 "That no one will love Christ passionately 33:54 until they know how much they need him." 33:58 Turn with me in your Bible to Luke 7... 34:08 Luke 7:36. 34:17 This is the story of the woman 34:21 who poured the alabaster on Christ's feet, 34:24 Mary Magdalene. 34:28 I'm not going to read all for the sake of time, 34:29 because it's going on quickly but, 34:31 we know the story, 34:33 Christ is invited to this feast. 34:34 He comes in, He is eating there 34:36 and then this woman Mary Magdalene comes in, 34:38 and she cracks the thing over His feet 34:40 and she is wiping His feet with her hair and crying 34:42 and the smell goes through the whole room. 34:44 And everybody starts muttering about this woman 34:46 and not what kind of waste this is 34:47 because that's a whole year's worth of stuff 34:49 that you just poured on His feet and it's gone now, 34:52 we should have sold it and give to the poor 34:54 and then Christ ask this question of Simon 34:57 who is the host of the feast. 35:00 And he tells them the story. 35:02 He said, you know there was certain creditor, 35:04 there are two people that owed him 35:06 one 500 pence the other 50 35:09 and when they had nothing to pay 35:10 he frankly forgave them both. 35:14 Which one loves more? 35:16 Simon is like, "Oh yeah, well 35:19 the one that owe 500 right?" 35:23 And Jesus says, "You see this woman," 35:27 and Jesus begins to compare 35:29 the actions of Mary Magdalene her gratitude to Simon. 35:33 Now let's compare the two actions, okay. 35:37 "Mary Magdalene as we know had been what. 35:41 A prostitute, in Magdala, 35:43 a Roman party town had seen very much 35:47 the underside of life. 35:49 Seven demons Christ cast out of her seven, 35:54 and at the end of all of that, 35:59 her love for Christ was so intense 36:02 the she poured out her whole life savings 36:06 basically on His feet. 36:10 Simon on the other hand is this Pharisee 36:12 and we know from the Desire of Ages 36:14 that it was his sin 36:17 that actually set Mary on the trajectory 36:19 that ended her up on the streets of Magdala. 36:24 But Simon is over here thinking 36:27 feeling pretty good about himself, 36:29 he had been, he had been healed of leprosy even. 36:31 He should have a lot of reason 36:33 to have tremendous gratitude for Christ 36:35 but he is looking at Mary and he is like, 36:37 "Oh, that woman, have mercy," 36:39 if Christ knew who she was, he wouldn't let her touch him. 36:42 When Simon was in as desperate need 36:46 of Christ forgiveness as Mary was. 36:50 But he thought himself not to need it. 36:54 And so what is he doing 36:56 criticizing both Mary's conduct and Christ's conduct 37:00 for allowing this to take place. 37:04 Jesus on the other hand is like 37:06 Mary washing his feet perfume. 37:11 Simon, no perfume, no water, 37:13 no nothing, no kiss, 37:16 both of them needed Him just as desperately. 37:19 One knew she needed Him and the other one did not. 37:24 And I'm convinced that 37:26 this is one of the dreadful downfalls 37:28 of my generation and of myself. 37:31 It's like, "Oh, I know I need Him. 37:34 I do realize I need God 37:36 but do I know how desperately I need God. 37:39 Do I understand the desperation of my own soul poverty 37:43 that I am nothing without Him." 37:47 Nothing, going back to, to Pilgrim's Progress, 37:50 one of my other favorite parts in Pilgrim's Progress is, 37:52 when they're going to the Enchanted Ground 37:54 and Hopeful is sharing his conversion 37:57 how he decided to go on pilgrimage 37:59 and Ellen White says that, 38:00 "Pilgrim's Progress lays out the path of the Celestial City 38:03 so clearly that thousands have been saved through it." 38:06 Anyway Hopeful is sharing his conversion story 38:09 and he talks about how he was... 38:10 Oh, he loved sinful company, 38:12 he loved doing all the things of this world 38:14 and after a while he came under conviction 38:15 that that was wrong 38:17 and so he turned away from it 38:18 and he decided he was going to do this right. 38:20 So he started weeping for his sins, 38:21 he started fasting, he started praying, 38:23 and everything and for a while 38:25 he thought he was pretty good, 38:27 pretty well off. 38:29 And then he said, he started reading such verses as, 38:32 "All our righteousness is are like filthy rags. 38:37 And by the works of the law shall no man be justified." 38:41 And after awhile just, 38:46 just quoting Pilgrim's Progress here, 38:47 he said, "For a while I thought myself," 38:48 well, after he had been weeping, 38:50 weeping for his sin and having all his prayer 38:52 and all that. 38:54 ''For awhile I thought myself well 38:55 but at the last all my trouble came tumbling upon me again, 38:58 and that over the neck of all my reformations. 39:00 There were several things that brought it upon me 39:01 especially such things as these 39:04 all our righteousness are filthy rags, 39:07 by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 39:10 when he have done all these things say, 39:12 we are unprofitable." 39:14 And this is his conclusion, 39:16 "I believed that was true that had been told me to wit 39:20 that without the righteousness of this Christ 39:23 all the world could not save me. 39:27 And therefore, thought I with myself 39:29 if I leave off I die but I can but die 39:32 at the throne of grace." 39:35 How many of us have decided 39:38 we don't want to live a life of the world 39:40 and so we're going to reform our lives 39:42 and we do reform our lives and then we think ourselves. 39:45 Well, when we have nothing to commend ourselves to God. 39:51 What have we done to deserve His favor? 39:54 What have we done to make Him think 39:56 that we're wonderful? 39:57 Nothing, nothing and yet 40:00 His love is still stretching out to us. 40:02 And if we knew how desperately we needed Him, 40:05 if we knew that without the righteousness 40:07 of this Christ, 40:08 this one Christ there is no other name 40:10 under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. 40:13 Without the righteousness of this Christ, 40:15 all the world cannot save us. 40:17 Tonight in this very room, 40:19 we have one option for salvation 40:22 only one and that is Jesus Christ. 40:24 Without Him, we are all doomed, all doomed. 40:28 How much do we realize it 40:30 when we know how much we need Him? 40:32 And that He is there and that we can run to Him 40:34 and find shelter under His wings, 40:37 then we will who love our Savior, 40:39 when we know how much we need Him. 40:43 But as long as we think ourselves well, 40:46 Jesus is a wonderful buddy, but... 40:54 all the things God has been pressing upon my heart is 40:56 Natasha, you do not know how much you need me. 41:01 You still have that little idea running in your mind 41:04 as much as I strive to renounce it 41:07 and God has been working in my life, 41:09 and I thank Him that I know so much more tonight 41:12 how much I need Him than I knew two years ago. 41:18 But without the righteousness of this Christ, 41:21 all the world cannot save us. 41:24 Second part is communing to love, 41:28 Deuteronomy 6:4, 5, 41:30 "Here O, Israel the Lord our God is one Lord 41:33 that shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 41:36 with all thy soul and with all thy might..." 41:38 Christ again quotes this verse in the New Testament 41:41 and He says, "This is the first and great commandment." 41:46 The word first, primary foremost in time, 41:51 place order or importance. 41:54 And the word great in the Hebrew, 41:58 Megas, probably not pronouncing it right, 42:00 excuse me all of you Hebrew scholars. 42:03 But in other words, it's the word from where 42:05 we get the word mega from. 42:06 In other words, Christ is like 42:07 this is the one that's primary in place, 42:10 order and importance, this is the mega commandment, 42:12 "Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, 42:15 with all your mind, with all your strength." 42:18 All of them love God. 42:19 This is the mega commandment. 42:21 Then the second one is like it, 42:23 love your neighbor as yourself. 42:25 And when we see that 42:27 we're struggling to love our neighbor as ourselves 42:30 in the world and in the church, 42:33 we can look to the fact 42:35 that the first and mega commandment. 42:38 Love the Lord with all your heart, 42:40 with all your soul, with all your mind, 42:42 with all your strength 42:46 has somehow not gotten deep into our hearts yet. 42:53 Communing to love 42:54 we've lost the art of loving God. 42:59 I would have told you that two years ago 43:01 from an intellectual perspective 43:03 but I'm going to tell you that tonight 43:04 from my personal experience. 43:07 I can tell you with a resounding, 43:10 resounding yes that we do not know really 43:13 what it means to be in love with God. 43:16 Let me give you a very practical example, 43:18 what it means to be in love, okay, I would know. 43:22 So about two or three months ago, 43:25 my fiancé was at a conference. 43:28 And I was not there, I was at home 43:29 but he was going to be on stage that night 43:31 and I wanted to watch, it was being live streamed 43:33 but it was at the same time as my workout and everything. 43:36 So I was like, ah, I'll just put it on my iPhone, 43:38 put it up on my dresser, I was working at my room. 43:40 I'll just work out and I'll be able to hear 43:42 what he has to say onstage, it will be great. 43:44 So I put my iPhone up on my dresser 43:47 and I'm listening to it and everything else, 43:50 all the other things were happening 43:53 and I was just working out. 43:55 and suddenly this familiar voice 43:56 comes on to my phone. 43:58 And I tell you, I did not have time 43:59 to reason through my reaction, 44:01 I whirled up off the ground, 44:02 I had been doing a ton of ab exercises, core exercises. 44:06 And I whirled up off the ground, 44:07 snatched my phone off a dresser 44:09 and I was looking at it like this 44:10 and then I thought, 44:12 "Wait, that's kind of weird." 44:14 I mean just calm down and go workout. 44:18 It's not going to change, he is thousand miles away. 44:20 It's not going to change 44:21 if I'm looking at it like this or if I'm not. 44:24 How often when we hear the name of Jesus being spoken 44:28 do we immediately react 44:29 and want to know what he has to say. 44:32 When the Bible is there, how do we rush to open like. 44:35 What does it say? 44:38 That's what it means to be in love. 44:41 That's what it means to be in love with Jesus Christ, 44:45 that when we hear His name being spoken, 44:47 we perk up. 44:48 It's like, 44:50 ''What did you have to say." 44:53 Why do we expect that of people in love with people, 44:57 and we don't expect of people in love with God. 45:01 What is wrong with the way we think about it? 45:04 Well, it's because we don't have, 45:06 we don't have examples before us of 45:09 martyrs going to their death and singing in the flames. 45:15 In the Dark Ages their way of killing men was mostly 45:19 burning them at the stake there with. 45:21 Murdering women was burying them alive and, 45:23 and if you read back in Foxe's Book of Martyrs and such. 45:27 They say that the women went to their graves 45:31 to be buried alive in their best clothes 45:34 and with a smile on their face 45:35 and a song in their singing, 45:39 why? 45:42 Because they loved Him. 45:45 They loved the one for whom 45:48 they were going to die. 45:51 That is love, 45:52 the song Solomon says that 45:54 love is stronger than death and it is true. 45:57 It is true, commune to love. 45:59 We've lost the art of loving God. 46:03 When it comes to my family or my fiancé, 46:06 I want to know what makes them happy. 46:08 I want to know their likes and dislikes. 46:09 I want to understand them 46:11 because why, I love them 46:12 and it works the exact same way with God, 46:14 we want to know Him. 46:16 We want to know His likes and dislikes. 46:17 We want to know what pleases Him, 46:18 what satisfies Him, 46:20 what brings Him glory because we love Him, 46:21 when we love Him. 46:28 What does it... 46:30 What does it take to make God feel loved 46:32 by the human race? 46:34 There's a story of a man who deeply loved God, 46:41 and he loved to pray 46:42 and he said to his servant one day, 46:44 "I'm going to go pray for half an hour 46:46 come and get me when, when, 46:49 when half an hour is over." 46:51 So the man went off to his room to pray. 46:53 Half an hour later the servant went looked in 46:56 and the man was so wrapped in prayer 46:59 praying out loud 47:00 and he was so wrapped in prayer. 47:02 The servant felt really bad about interrupting him 47:05 so he thought I'll just give him a little more time, 47:07 I'll come back later, so the servant went away. 47:10 While later the servant comes back, looks in, 47:13 the man still completely absorbed in communication, 47:16 I'll better come back a little bit. 47:18 This continued on until three hours later 47:20 the servant was like, 47:22 "Now this is awkward because he told me 47:23 to get him after half an hour." 47:25 And it's been three hours and he goes there 47:27 and the man still lost in communion with God 47:29 but the servant felt like he had to interrupt him 47:31 and so he's like you master, 47:34 you know, it's time 47:38 and the man turned to him and he said, 47:39 "Oh, half an hour goes so quickly 47:44 when I'm communicating with Him." 47:47 I want that experience, 47:52 where after three hours, I think, 47:55 oh, half an hour goes by so quickly 47:59 when I'm in the presence of Jesus Christ, 48:02 the one, the only one that can save me. 48:07 How often do we commune not to tell God, 48:10 oh, this happened and it was terrible, 48:12 and oh, God, please make that person be more agreeable. 48:17 And, Lord, this happened and such and such 48:20 and hey, please I need help with this test, 48:22 and oh finances, Lord, oh, my finances. 48:26 How often do we go to God just pepper with him 48:29 and treat him like a gumball machine. 48:32 Quarter, gumball, quarter, gumball, 48:34 quarter, gumball, pray, answer, 48:37 finances, money, that person deal with them. 48:41 And instead start thinking of the fact 48:45 that God loves us so much, 48:48 He would love to just communicate with us 48:50 exclusively for the purpose of just loving Him. 48:56 How would my family or Paul like it 48:58 if the only reason I would talk to them was just be like, 49:04 "Honey, fix this, Honey, do that." 49:07 Some marriages probably are like that 49:09 but that's not... 49:12 They are not vibrant. 49:15 Communion just to love 49:17 this is a second thing God has been pressing on my heart, 49:19 I'm running out of time, 49:20 God's been pressing on my heart, 49:22 "Natasha, sometimes come to me just to love me. 49:26 Sometimes come to me just so I can love you. 49:34 But ultimately, 49:37 oh, let me let me share this. 49:44 We find the same principle in the Bible. 49:46 For instance, Moses right after the scenario 49:48 with the golden calf, it's awful, his... 49:50 The tabernacle is removed from the camp. 49:53 He's outside in the tabernacle 49:55 away from camp interceding for these people, 49:57 and go to Exodus and read it 49:59 because he's there interceding for these people. 50:01 You can actually watch in the account. 50:06 Moses becoming more and more distracted 50:08 just from the people 50:09 and more and more just in enchanted with God 50:14 until he's finally like, 50:17 all he can think about is God's glory, 50:18 he's like, ''I just beseech you, 50:20 show me your glory." 50:24 How would you like to be distracted 50:25 from the things of this world by God? 50:29 Same thing with the beloved John. 50:31 While everybody else was out hiding behind bushes, 50:34 John was at the foot of the cross. 50:36 Why? 50:37 Because he thought this was supposed to happen. 50:39 No. 50:41 Because he loved Him, 50:43 because he loved Him, 50:45 commune to love. 50:47 There was a Waldensian martyr in the Dark Ages, 50:50 who was a pastor and he was caught 50:53 and he was told that his wife and his son 50:55 were going to be killed 50:56 and that he would be killed 50:57 with all the perfected tortures of the inquisition 51:00 if he did not renounce his faith in Christ. 51:06 The Waldensian pastor's response to his torturers was 51:10 "Ten thousand deaths of such a kind 51:12 would be too few to express my love for Him." 51:20 How do we fall in love with Him? 51:24 Ultimately, 51:26 it's knowing how much He loves you. 51:30 Jeremiah 3:14 says, 51:33 "Turn, O backsliding children, 51:37 saith the Lord, for I am married unto you." 51:41 What would possess the God of the universe 51:45 to look at stubborn humanity and be like, 51:50 "I'm married to you 51:53 for better or for worse, 51:55 for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, 51:58 I'll keep myself only to you throughout eternity, 52:01 God Jesus Christ never gives up His humanity 52:08 forsaking all others, 52:09 keep himself to the human race, 52:13 till death do us part and not even death can part us. 52:18 God is in love with the human race 52:21 for some inexplicable reason. 52:24 How much do we love Him in return? 52:28 Why are we discussing this? 52:30 GYC's mission statement 52:31 like I mentioned at the beginning, 52:33 "The movement to young people on a mission 52:34 to take a Three Angels' Messages, 52:35 to the entire world in this generation." 52:42 That means that we're going to see 52:44 all the prophecies of Revelation fulfilled 52:46 in this generation, 52:48 that's what, that's our goal, 52:49 that's what we, that's what we want. 52:51 Obviously, God is in control of all these events. 52:52 But that's what we're saying we desire 52:55 and only one thing is going to suffice to accomplish it 52:58 and that is when our hearts are so lost 53:01 with love for God that nothing else can suffice. 53:05 Some of you may ask 53:07 why are you telling so many martyrs stories. 53:09 I told you at the beginning, because I love how clear, 53:12 crystal clear Christianity is in the lives of these people 53:14 so I have one more to close off with you for you. 53:18 The Waldensians during the Dark Ages were, 53:22 well, they were persecuted for a millennium, right. 53:24 So it was many, many times 53:26 and they had to run for their homes 53:27 but this particular time their persecutors chose 53:29 the dead of winter to evict them from their homes. 53:37 "Cold and icy were the peaks..." 53:39 This is J.A. Wylie, History of the Waldenses, 53:41 "Cold and icy were the peaks 53:42 that looked down upon this miserable troop, 53:45 who were now fording the torrents 53:46 and now struggling up the mountain tracks, 53:48 but the heart of the persecutor was colder still. 53:50 True, an alternative was offered them, 53:52 they might give up their faith." 53:55 Did they avail themselves of it? 53:56 The historian Leger informs us 53:58 that he had a congregation of well-nigh 2,000 persons, 54:02 and that not a man of them all accepted the alternative. 54:07 "I can well bear them this testimony," he observes, 54:10 "seeing I was their pastor for eleven years, 54:12 and I knew every one of them by name, judge, reader, 54:15 whether I had not cause to weep for joy, 54:17 as well as for sorrow, 54:19 when I saw that all the fury of these wolves 54:23 was not able to influence one of these lambs, 54:28 and that no earthly advantage could shake their constancy. 54:31 And when I marked the traces of their blood 54:33 on the snow and ice 54:35 over which they had dragged their lacerated limbs, 54:37 had I not cause to bless God 54:41 that I had seen accomplished in their poor bodies 54:43 what remained of the measure of the sufferings of Christ, 54:45 and especially when I beheld this heavy cross 54:48 borne by them with a fortitude so noble?" 54:54 This is the Christianity that can 54:56 and will come back to this generation. 55:02 Not because we will, will it, 55:04 not because we like pull ourselves up 55:06 by our own bootstraps 55:07 and decide that we are going to renounce 55:09 everything of the world 55:10 and that we are going to go spill our blood on the fields, 55:14 that is not going to be what does this. 55:17 It's going to be understanding the passionate love of God 55:21 for my soul, 55:25 that's for better or for worse. 55:27 He's committed to me for richer or for poorer, 55:31 He's married to me, He's dedicated to me, 55:35 He will never leave me or forsake me 55:38 and without the righteousness of this Christ 55:39 all the world cannot save me 55:41 and therefore I turn my life over to Him. 55:45 At the beginning of GYC, 55:49 as GYC is starting, 55:53 I want to challenge all of you to reflect 55:59 just how much do you love God. 56:04 How much is your heart turned over for Him? 56:08 How much are you willing to trade the pearl, 56:12 pardon me trade the world for the pearl, 56:17 is not the Lamb that was slain worthy 56:22 to receive the reward of his inheritance? 57:03 Worthy is the Lamb 57:06 That was slain 57:12 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain |
Revised 2016-09-13