We're gonna
start a special section
00:00:32.79\00:00:34.83
called "I Believe."
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And our speaker
for this section,
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her name is Lisa Manzanares.
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Lisa used to be a florist.
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She was a wedding
coordinator I believe,
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and she was a florist,
and then she started to sell
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or to open chains of In & Out.
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Apparently, that
is a chain of food,
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famous in California.
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I'm from Michigan, I don't
know that much about In & Out,
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but I believe
that it is a big chain.
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And she used to
open those chains
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for In & Out, that
is what she used to do.
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And then, she will tell you
something happened in her life,
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and now Lisa is
a church planter.
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She's an
Adventist, she loves the Lord,
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she works with Anil Kanda
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from the Central
California Church or conference.
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And she's here to share with us
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why she loves being a
Seventh-day Adventist.
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Why she loves Christ, and Lisa,
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GYC wants to know why
do you love Jesus so much.
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Without further adieu,
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I'd like to introduce
you to Lisa Manzanares.
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Thank you. Thank you, Moise.
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It's an honor to be here,
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and answering the question
why do I love this church
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and why do I love Jesus.
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I'll start by reading
a quote by C.S. Lewis,
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he said, "What you say
about Seventh-day Adventist
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interests me extremely.
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If they have so much charity,
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there must be something
very right about them."
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Newly released data
shows Seventh-day Adventism
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growing by 2.5
percent in North America.
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A rapid clip for
this part of the world,
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where mainline denominations
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as well as other
groups are declining.
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This was written
in Forbes Magazine
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as well as USA Today.
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Adventists are
even growing faster,
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75 percent faster than
the Mormon denomination
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who prioritize numeric growth.
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For observers
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outside the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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the growth rate in
North America is perplexing,
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although we're not content.
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Amen.
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Many in the
general public have noticed
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Adventists tend to be superstars
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of good health and longevity.
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Research has shown
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that they tend to
live 10 years longer
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than the average
American with a strong record
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for success, and
health, and education.
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Adventists find, they
get a hearing among skeptics
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who share these priorities.
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The Adventist church runs
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one of the largest educational
systems in the world.
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They operate 5,700 preschools,
primary, and secondary schools
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as well as
colleges, universities,
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seminaries, and medical schools
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in about 145
countries worldwide.
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This educational system
involves some 66,000 teachers
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and 1,257,000 students.
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Amen.
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Did you know that
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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has been active
for over 100 years
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in advocating for
religious freedom?
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They also have
been formally, mind you,
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just formally
active in humanitarian aid
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for over 50 years.
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This is with ADRA.
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How many of you
have heard of them?
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Amen.
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Did you know there is someone
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that the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:04:02.84\00:04:04.51
and the world recognizes,
00:04:04.54\00:04:06.14
not just the church but
also the world recognizes
00:04:06.17\00:04:09.74
and commends for the writings
and contributions to the world
00:04:09.78\00:04:12.91
in Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:04:12.95\00:04:14.68
This person wrote more
than 5,000 periodical articles
00:04:14.72\00:04:17.65
in 40 books, but
today including compilation
00:04:17.69\00:04:20.56
from her 50,000
pages of manuscripts,
00:04:20.59\00:04:23.32
more than 100 titles are
now available in English.
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This person was the
most translated writer
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of their gender in the
entire history of literature,
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and the most
translated American author
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of either gender.
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The life changing masterpiece
on successful Christian Living
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by this author is
called "Steps to Christ,"
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how many of you have read it?
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And has been published
in more than 140 languages,
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and is used not just
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in the Seventh-day
Adventist denomination,
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but in almost every single
other Christian denomination.
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Amen.
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On September 25,
1997, Paul Harvey,
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the popular radio personality
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announced on his
nationally syndicated program.
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Women have been honored
on American postage stamps
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for more than 100 years,
00:05:06.40\00:05:08.07
starting with one woman
who was not an American.
00:05:08.10\00:05:10.77
Queen Isabella in 1893,
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since then 86
women have been honored
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ranging from Martha
Washington to Marilyn Monroe.
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Also many women
authors like Louisa May Alcott,
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Emily Dickens,
and Rachel Carson.
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But I can name
an American author
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who has never been honored thus,
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though her writings have been
translated into 148 languages,
00:05:28.29\00:05:32.46
more than Marks or Tolstoy,
more than Agatha Christie,
00:05:32.49\00:05:36.23
and more than
William Shakespeare.
00:05:36.26\00:05:38.03
Only now is the
world coming to appreciate
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her recommended prescription
00:05:40.74\00:05:42.74
for optimum
spiritual and physical health.
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During these few minutes,
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millions of
Americans had never before
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heard of this
historic author and speaker.
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GYC, have you heard of
her, because the world has.
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Paul Harvey concluded by saying,
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"Ellen Whites,
you don't know her?
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Get to know her."
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This woman Ellen White
was a Seventh-day Adventist,
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the world knows her, do you?
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I know you do,
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because we know her as
more than just an author.
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I love my church,
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because they're not afraid
to call an atheist an atheist,
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a prophet a prophet.
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And the church
loves that I love,
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believes that this is the truth.
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But it's more than that.
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This church is
a part of so much.
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All those
statistics I just read.
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It's something, if
you're not a part of it now,
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you can find your place in Him.
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Amen.
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You will hear negative things,
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in fact, there are
problems in the church,
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but friends there
are always flowers
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for those who want to see them.
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You see the facts
speak for themselves,
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and the fruits are undeniable.
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Gandhi said this,
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"You Christians
look after a document
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containing enough dynamite
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to blow all
civilization to pieces,
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turn the world upside down,
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and bring peace to
a battle torn planet.
00:07:00.68\00:07:03.28
But you treat it
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as though it was nothing more
than a piece of literature."
00:07:04.69\00:07:08.36
These are all beautiful facts
00:07:08.39\00:07:09.82
about the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:07:09.86\00:07:11.93
and reason to
feel humbly privileged
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to be a part of
this great movement.
00:07:14.50\00:07:17.80
They are certainly
nothing to be ashamed of.
00:07:17.83\00:07:20.17
Amen.
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But the thing is this,
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and the real reason
that I love my church,
00:07:24.64\00:07:30.85
is that we as a
church have the biblical,
00:07:30.88\00:07:34.78
and the most
beautiful picture of Jesus.
00:07:34.82\00:07:39.42
In fact, this
church is the vehicle,
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the chosen vehicle in
which God has entrusted
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to present to a dying world,
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the clearest
picture of a Savior.
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You see I was raised
in a Pentecostal home.
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And at the age of 19,
00:07:53.94\00:07:55.27
I went through a
time of searching.
00:07:55.30\00:07:57.17
I visited many churches,
I started studying out,
00:07:57.21\00:07:59.41
what do Jehovah's Witnesses
believe, what do Mormons,
00:07:59.44\00:08:01.38
Baptists, Catholics anything.
00:08:01.41\00:08:02.91
I even went to
the Buddhist temple.
00:08:02.94\00:08:04.78
I wanted to know and
begin to learn truth.
00:08:04.81\00:08:07.95
I understood in
some sense who God was?
00:08:07.98\00:08:12.65
That He was a
loving God sometimes,
00:08:12.69\00:08:15.22
but never truly got it.
00:08:15.26\00:08:18.63
It was later
that I read the book
00:08:18.66\00:08:20.80
called The Desire
of Ages by Ellen White.
00:08:20.83\00:08:23.93
The Spirit of Prophecy
is a blessing, not a curse.
00:08:23.97\00:08:27.04
And I also read An
Endless Falling in Love
00:08:27.07\00:08:29.10
by Ty Gibson, and
my world was rocked.
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I was skeptical,
00:08:34.84\00:08:36.18
but then presented
solid Bible prophecy
00:08:36.21\00:08:38.35
with Christ at its core.
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And the reality of the times
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that you and I are
living in as young people,
00:08:42.15\00:08:44.62
and that we have
an everlasting Gospel
00:08:44.65\00:08:46.72
sitting in our laps
found in Revelation Chapter 14,
00:08:46.76\00:08:49.79
and there are dying people
that need to know about it.
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Amen.
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I was broken, completely broken,
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and was presented
that I was fully known
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and still fully loved
by the God of the Bible.
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This church is
God's chosen vehicle.
00:09:04.37\00:09:08.41
I remember so clearly
00:09:08.44\00:09:09.81
the day I decided
to join wholeheartedly
00:09:09.84\00:09:12.55
the Seventh-day
Adventist Church.
00:09:12.58\00:09:14.98
It was in my
car, as I was driving,
00:09:15.02\00:09:18.49
the Lord spoke so clearly to me.
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I was at a point of
decision in my life,
00:09:21.16\00:09:25.26
wholehearted
commitment to Christ
00:09:25.29\00:09:29.43
or my desired level
of commitment to Christ.
00:09:29.46\00:09:34.50
So completely
giving myself to Him
00:09:34.54\00:09:37.91
even if I didn't feel like it
00:09:37.94\00:09:40.08
or the desired level
of commitment to Christ.
00:09:40.11\00:09:44.05
It was at this
point of decision.
00:09:44.08\00:09:47.42
And when I realized
the reason I love my church
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is that I was
shown a God of love
00:09:50.55\00:09:52.89
that told me no
matter what I picked,
00:09:52.92\00:09:55.66
He would love me the same.
00:09:55.69\00:09:58.99
We have something
to offer the world
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in this church.
00:10:01.43\00:10:02.76
You as an individual,
00:10:02.80\00:10:04.30
me have something
to offer the world
00:10:04.33\00:10:06.47
far beyond the scope of
mainstream Christianity.
00:10:06.50\00:10:09.54
I know it because
I was raised in it.
00:10:09.57\00:10:12.11
To be a part of God's
remnant, now that is purpose,
00:10:12.14\00:10:15.48
that is worth, that is identity.
00:10:15.51\00:10:17.78
Amen. We each have to decide.
00:10:17.81\00:10:22.52
I have decided, I am
God's and He is mine.
00:10:22.55\00:10:27.09
You are God's
and He can be yours.
00:10:27.12\00:10:30.23
We've been
called, we've been chosen.
00:10:30.26\00:10:33.53
How can we be
anything but faithful?
00:10:33.56\00:10:36.90
Have you called
Him, have you chosen Him,
00:10:36.93\00:10:39.43
because he will
definitely be faithful to you.
00:10:39.47\00:10:43.41
You see prior to learning
about the God of the Bible
00:10:43.44\00:10:48.21
that the Seventh-day Adventist
Church presented to me.
00:10:48.24\00:10:52.28
The best fantasy I could come
up within my mind for my life
00:10:52.31\00:10:56.65
is nothing,
00:10:56.69\00:10:58.22
nothing compared to the reality
that I am living right now
00:10:58.25\00:11:01.32
as a Seventh-day
Adventist church member.
00:11:01.36\00:11:04.03
I love my church,
00:11:04.06\00:11:05.39
because they introduced
me to the love of my life.
00:11:05.43\00:11:08.73
They introduced me
00:11:08.76\00:11:10.10
to who the God of
the Bible truly is
00:11:10.13\00:11:13.74
that He is love
and He is nothing else.
00:11:13.77\00:11:16.71
Amen.
00:11:16.74\00:11:18.27
And because of this,
I am passionate, proud,
00:11:18.31\00:11:21.91
and also
privileged to call myself
00:11:21.94\00:11:24.61
a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian.
00:11:24.65\00:11:27.35
That is the reason
why I love my church.
00:11:27.38\00:11:30.62
God bless you all.
00:11:30.65\00:11:34.12
What an amazing day.
00:11:34.16\00:11:38.96
I cannot tell you how
excited I am right now.
00:11:38.99\00:11:43.43
I'm about to
jump out of my shoes.
00:11:43.47\00:11:46.03
I'm so excited.
00:11:46.07\00:11:48.30
We have the
privilege of coming together
00:11:48.34\00:11:53.27
from several countries,
00:11:53.31\00:11:55.58
from several
states, from several towns,
00:11:55.61\00:11:58.08
from several
spiritual experiences
00:11:58.11\00:12:01.35
to seek Jesus at one time,
in one place through His word.
00:12:01.38\00:12:08.09
I want you to know that
before we begin tonight.
00:12:08.12\00:12:11.49
I must ask for a few
favors, is that okay?
00:12:11.53\00:12:17.17
My first favor is,
00:12:17.20\00:12:19.90
we must be praying
through the entire sermon.
00:12:19.93\00:12:23.81
Can you say amen?
Can you do that for me?
00:12:23.84\00:12:27.38
I want you to be praying
through the entire sermon.
00:12:27.41\00:12:30.75
Lord, speak to me,
that's the first prayer.
00:12:30.78\00:12:35.88
And the second prayer is,
00:12:35.92\00:12:37.42
Lord give me courage to
do what you want me to do.
00:12:37.45\00:12:42.22
Are you with me?
00:12:42.26\00:12:43.99
Lord speak to me,
00:12:44.03\00:12:45.36
and Lord give me courage to do
what you are calling me to do.
00:12:45.39\00:12:51.33
My second favor is,
00:12:51.37\00:12:54.34
is that if God speaks to
you throughout the message
00:12:54.37\00:12:58.47
or something
resonates with your heart.
00:12:58.51\00:13:01.68
We don't need to
applause, we don't need to clap,
00:13:01.71\00:13:03.58
we can just say amen.
00:13:03.61\00:13:06.21
Can you say amen? Now
amen is not a black word.
00:13:06.25\00:13:11.22
It is not just
for black churches,
00:13:11.25\00:13:12.95
can you say amen?
00:13:12.99\00:13:14.32
Amen.
00:13:14.36\00:13:15.92
And for some
reason, people think,
00:13:15.96\00:13:17.79
if you say amen, "Oh,
that's the black church."
00:13:17.83\00:13:21.93
No, the Bible says
00:13:21.96\00:13:23.30
that's going to be the last word
00:13:23.33\00:13:24.73
when all is said and
done, everyone will say amen.
00:13:24.77\00:13:28.50
No was going to say amen. Amen.
00:13:28.54\00:13:34.94
And so those are
my only two requests,
00:13:34.98\00:13:39.15
pray, pray and pray.
00:13:39.18\00:13:42.72
But before we officially begin,
00:13:42.75\00:13:45.05
I want you to bow
your heads with me,
00:13:45.09\00:13:46.49
and you can kneel
as much as possible.
00:13:46.52\00:13:48.39
Mighty God, everlasting Father,
00:13:56.63\00:14:02.87
we are here
before you in Louisville.
00:14:02.90\00:14:07.94
We have not come to this
place for more of the same.
00:14:07.98\00:14:12.58
We have not come to this
place just to check off our list
00:14:12.61\00:14:16.22
another GYC that
we have attended.
00:14:16.25\00:14:19.65
We have come to
experience something
00:14:19.69\00:14:22.29
that will move the
kingdom of God on earth forward.
00:14:22.32\00:14:26.93
And so we pray, Lord,
00:14:26.96\00:14:28.30
that don't just speak
to us in an average way.
00:14:28.33\00:14:32.30
Lord, just don't give
us the same old sermons.
00:14:32.33\00:14:37.17
We are praying
00:14:37.21\00:14:38.91
that at this moment
God would be in this place,
00:14:38.94\00:14:42.78
and because we
sense that God is here,
00:14:42.81\00:14:45.81
let every voice be hushed.
00:14:45.85\00:14:49.82
And that the world,
when it has come to an end,
00:14:49.85\00:14:52.35
and you take over the
affairs of this planet.
00:14:52.39\00:14:56.39
May the universe
look back in Louisville,
00:14:56.42\00:15:00.50
and say that "Out
of this little city,
00:15:00.53\00:15:04.17
God had begun something
00:15:04.20\00:15:06.40
that has started
the domino effect
00:15:06.43\00:15:08.97
of the final events
of earth's history."
00:15:09.00\00:15:12.47
Father we are ready to go home.
00:15:12.51\00:15:15.38
Revive us again,
00:15:15.41\00:15:17.85
and help us above
all else to see, to know,
00:15:17.88\00:15:22.48
and to love Jesus.
00:15:22.52\00:15:25.89
This is our prayer.
00:15:25.92\00:15:27.86
And we trust that
you will help this
00:15:27.89\00:15:29.49
to be our experience,
00:15:29.52\00:15:31.49
for we ask in the
mighty name of Jesus.
00:15:31.53\00:15:35.86
Let all of God's
people say. Amen.
00:15:35.90\00:15:39.17
The title of my
message is Come Back,
00:15:43.67\00:15:50.65
Come Back.
00:15:50.68\00:15:52.01
I want you to know tonight
00:15:55.05\00:15:57.05
that as we begin
this presentation
00:15:57.09\00:15:59.99
that beliefs lead to behaviors.
00:16:00.02\00:16:04.86
You see, there is a
story about a young man.
00:16:04.89\00:16:08.16
Today was the day
that this young man
00:16:08.20\00:16:10.60
was going to finally
approach the prettiest girl
00:16:10.63\00:16:14.10
in his high
school history class.
00:16:14.14\00:16:16.64
Sandra.
00:16:16.67\00:16:18.27
And invite her out
in his new Honda Accord
00:16:18.31\00:16:21.48
for some food and fun.
00:16:21.51\00:16:24.05
Beliefs lead to behaviors.
00:16:24.08\00:16:27.22
He believed that she was single,
00:16:27.25\00:16:29.32
and clearly
waiting for the right guy
00:16:29.35\00:16:31.82
to come along,
00:16:31.85\00:16:33.19
and treat her as she deserved
like a respectful intelligent
00:16:33.22\00:16:36.79
young Seventh-day
Adventist young woman.
00:16:36.83\00:16:39.66
And he believed that he
was the man for the job,
00:16:39.69\00:16:42.36
because beliefs
lead to behaviors.
00:16:42.40\00:16:45.73
As the class bell rang,
00:16:45.77\00:16:47.50
he hunted her down
amidst the passing students
00:16:47.54\00:16:51.44
as they left their classrooms
for the last time that week.
00:16:51.47\00:16:55.01
As she turned
around, startled by his hand,
00:16:55.04\00:16:58.81
he politely apologized
00:16:58.85\00:17:00.42
and began to
start the small talk,
00:17:00.45\00:17:03.79
beliefs lead to behaviors.
00:17:03.82\00:17:07.02
As he finally came
00:17:07.06\00:17:08.39
to his
well-crafted appeal for dinner
00:17:08.42\00:17:10.99
and a movie,
she smiled and said,
00:17:11.03\00:17:13.80
"Well, my boyfriend has a
football game this weekend,
00:17:13.83\00:17:18.27
and I'll probably be
spending it with him.
00:17:18.30\00:17:20.37
He plays for the rival
school's football team,
00:17:20.40\00:17:23.77
but you're so cute for asking."
00:17:23.81\00:17:28.11
And I walked away devastated,
00:17:28.14\00:17:32.48
because beliefs
lead to behaviors.
00:17:32.51\00:17:36.92
You see, since the dawn of time,
00:17:36.95\00:17:39.22
this has always been true.
00:17:39.25\00:17:41.76
Eve believed that the tree
was desirable to make one wise,
00:17:41.79\00:17:46.43
her belief didn't make it true,
00:17:46.46\00:17:48.83
and it didn't make it any
less impactful on human history.
00:17:48.86\00:17:53.50
And so she ate of the fruit
00:17:53.54\00:17:54.94
of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil.
00:17:54.97\00:17:57.91
Beliefs lead to behaviors.
00:17:57.94\00:18:01.34
Cain believed that he
could be accepted by God
00:18:01.38\00:18:05.35
through the
sacrifice of his best fruits
00:18:05.38\00:18:08.28
without blood.
00:18:08.32\00:18:10.45
And so he came
boldly before the Lord
00:18:10.49\00:18:13.66
without that
which God had requested
00:18:13.69\00:18:16.22
and expected to
be accepted by God,
00:18:16.26\00:18:19.13
because beliefs
lead to behaviors.
00:18:19.16\00:18:22.40
Even in the dark ages,
00:18:22.43\00:18:24.37
Luther believed
00:18:24.40\00:18:26.00
that painful penance was
required for forgiveness.
00:18:26.03\00:18:30.91
So he crawled up the steps
00:18:30.94\00:18:33.14
of an enormous
cathedral upon his knees
00:18:33.17\00:18:36.21
begging for God's
mercy on every single step,
00:18:36.24\00:18:39.51
because beliefs
lead to behaviors.
00:18:39.55\00:18:42.78
There was a man inside the KKK
00:18:42.82\00:18:45.42
that believed he was
superior to a black man
00:18:45.45\00:18:48.36
simply because of the
color of his own skin.
00:18:48.39\00:18:51.06
So we hung the
man and his family
00:18:51.09\00:18:53.23
from the highest tree in town,
00:18:53.26\00:18:54.90
because beliefs
lead to behaviors.
00:18:54.93\00:18:58.70
There was a man that believed
00:18:58.73\00:19:00.07
that he was
more worthy of voting
00:19:00.10\00:19:02.10
because of his gender.
00:19:02.14\00:19:03.97
So we instituted laws
preventing women from voting,
00:19:04.01\00:19:08.08
because beliefs
lead to behaviors.
00:19:08.11\00:19:12.35
Hitler believed
00:19:12.38\00:19:13.72
in the
superiority of his people.
00:19:13.75\00:19:16.95
So he systematically executed
millions that were different,
00:19:16.99\00:19:21.42
because beliefs
lead to behaviors.
00:19:21.46\00:19:24.83
Hutus believe
00:19:24.86\00:19:26.19
that Tutsis were a scourge
to be removed from the earth.
00:19:26.23\00:19:30.77
So they hunted
them down with machetes
00:19:30.80\00:19:33.60
and killed them a
million in three months,
00:19:33.64\00:19:37.87
because beliefs
lead to behaviors.
00:19:37.91\00:19:42.84
The Japanese at one point
00:19:42.88\00:19:44.95
believed that
Koreans were beneath them.
00:19:44.98\00:19:48.52
So they turned their
women into comfort women,
00:19:48.55\00:19:52.65
because beliefs
lead to behaviors.
00:19:52.69\00:19:58.66
There was a young woman,
last year, sat on the phone,
00:19:58.69\00:20:05.63
and she could not pray,
she could not study her Bible,
00:20:05.67\00:20:12.11
she could not attend church.
00:20:12.14\00:20:15.14
Why is it that these
behaviors were so difficult?
00:20:15.18\00:20:18.21
Well, as the
conversation went on,
00:20:18.25\00:20:20.58
it also became clear
00:20:20.62\00:20:22.65
that she believed
that God hated her,
00:20:22.68\00:20:24.65
and she said, Sebastian,
00:20:24.69\00:20:26.02
all I'm praying is
that God doesn't hate me,
00:20:26.05\00:20:31.09
that God has not cast me off,
00:20:31.13\00:20:33.83
that God is no longer interested
00:20:33.86\00:20:35.66
in my eternal wellbeing.
00:20:35.70\00:20:37.63
It makes perfect sense
00:20:37.67\00:20:39.40
why you don't want
to come to His house.
00:20:39.43\00:20:42.14
It makes perfect sense
00:20:42.17\00:20:43.54
why you don't
want to read His word,
00:20:43.57\00:20:46.37
it makes perfect sense
00:20:46.41\00:20:47.98
why you don't want to fellowship
00:20:48.01\00:20:49.64
with His people in His
church, makes perfect sense,
00:20:49.68\00:20:54.12
you don't want to
do things on His time.
00:20:54.15\00:20:57.12
And you definitely
are not pursuing His will,
00:20:57.15\00:21:01.09
because beliefs
lead to behaviors.
00:21:01.12\00:21:05.86
But you see among the
most important beliefs in life
00:21:05.89\00:21:10.53
is who you believe who you are.
00:21:10.57\00:21:13.77
It is what you
believe about identity,
00:21:13.80\00:21:17.07
but
unfortunately for many of us,
00:21:17.11\00:21:19.54
we are going
through an identity crisis,
00:21:19.57\00:21:21.91
and in many ways
00:21:21.94\00:21:23.28
our church is going
through the same thing.
00:21:23.31\00:21:27.28
Dostoyevsky's The
Brothers Karamazov,
00:21:27.32\00:21:30.02
he gives an
account to what happens.
00:21:30.05\00:21:32.39
To the human soul when
it dealts its own purpose.
00:21:32.42\00:21:38.29
He says, "For the
secret of man's being
00:21:38.33\00:21:41.70
is not only to live,
00:21:41.73\00:21:44.00
but to live for
something definite.
00:21:44.03\00:21:46.84
Without a firm notion
of what he is living for,
00:21:46.87\00:21:50.71
man will not accept life
00:21:50.74\00:21:53.04
and will rather destroy
himself than remain on earth."
00:21:53.07\00:21:57.35
You see some people believe
00:21:57.38\00:21:59.45
that we are constrained to
be who we are by the categories,
00:21:59.48\00:22:03.55
by which they separate us.
00:22:03.59\00:22:06.15
So Marxists believe
00:22:06.19\00:22:07.56
that we are interpreted
by categories of class,
00:22:07.59\00:22:11.33
Floridians believe
00:22:11.36\00:22:12.69
that we are separated
by childhood neurosis,
00:22:12.73\00:22:16.13
feminists by gender,
00:22:16.16\00:22:17.97
pop commentators
by your generation.
00:22:18.00\00:22:20.34
Oh, you are the
silent generation.
00:22:20.37\00:22:22.90
These are the baby
boomers, these are the Gen Xers,
00:22:22.94\00:22:26.98
these are the Millennials,
00:22:27.01\00:22:28.34
this is the
helicopter generation.
00:22:28.38\00:22:31.15
So therefore, we believe that,
00:22:31.18\00:22:32.71
"Oh, I'm
constrained to be this way,"
00:22:32.75\00:22:34.68
so we explain our behaviors,
00:22:34.72\00:22:36.58
we explain what we
like and what we don't like,
00:22:36.62\00:22:38.79
because I'm a Millennial.
00:22:38.82\00:22:41.09
Because I'm a Gen Xer,
I'm all about family life.
00:22:41.12\00:22:44.59
When the Bible is
all about family life,
00:22:44.63\00:22:47.10
it doesn't
matter your generation.
00:22:47.13\00:22:50.60
But you see other people believe
00:22:50.63\00:22:52.60
that we must have
the courage to be.
00:22:52.63\00:22:55.90
In other words, we must
decide who we want to be.
00:22:55.94\00:23:00.68
I remember growing up,
my father used to tell me
00:23:00.71\00:23:02.81
that one of his favorite poems
was, the poem about Invictus,
00:23:02.84\00:23:07.85
captain of my own soul.
00:23:07.88\00:23:12.59
I'm the one that
determines my fate.
00:23:12.62\00:23:14.59
My father used to
tell me, "Sebastian,
00:23:14.62\00:23:18.93
when people hear the
name, Sebastian Braxton,
00:23:18.96\00:23:22.30
you determine what
comes to their minds."
00:23:22.33\00:23:25.47
You see it was already the
seed planted in the soul to say,
00:23:25.50\00:23:29.67
you decide who you want to be.
00:23:29.70\00:23:31.57
You must have the
courage to be who you want.
00:23:31.61\00:23:34.48
Take control of your life.
00:23:34.51\00:23:36.95
Carve out your place
out of the mountain of time,
00:23:36.98\00:23:41.08
and choose your position.
00:23:41.12\00:23:43.12
And as this view sees
it, we all have the freedom.
00:23:43.15\00:23:46.49
Yes,
00:23:46.52\00:23:47.86
the terrible responsibility
to be whatever we want to be.
00:23:47.89\00:23:52.76
All it takes is
courage and willpower,
00:23:52.79\00:23:56.00
and we can actually we
are told invent ourselves.
00:23:56.03\00:23:59.87
Other people believe
that we are constituted to be.
00:24:03.34\00:24:09.04
This is the oak is
in the acorn theory,
00:24:09.08\00:24:12.85
a new age mindsets,
00:24:12.88\00:24:15.48
this view that sees each of
us is not only having a soul,
00:24:15.52\00:24:19.39
but also a soul
companion that called it,
00:24:19.42\00:24:22.16
this guardian
spirit called a demon,
00:24:22.19\00:24:25.23
directs us even in the choice
of our bodies and parents.
00:24:25.26\00:24:29.03
So the secret of life
00:24:29.06\00:24:30.40
according to these new age gurus
00:24:30.43\00:24:32.90
is to read our life stories
00:24:32.93\00:24:35.27
and glimpse the
guardian spirit in action
00:24:35.30\00:24:38.67
and give it free
reign in our lives.
00:24:38.71\00:24:41.74
Only so will the
acorn become the oak.
00:24:41.78\00:24:44.65
And each of us
grow to be the people
00:24:44.68\00:24:47.38
we were destined to become.
00:24:47.42\00:24:53.59
You see, each of
these three positions,
00:24:53.62\00:24:56.29
they contain a grain of truth.
00:24:56.32\00:25:00.00
To some extent,
00:25:00.03\00:25:01.36
we are constrained
by our circumstances
00:25:01.40\00:25:04.00
to become the
people we are today.
00:25:04.03\00:25:06.47
I didn't decide to be
born in a Jamaican family,
00:25:06.50\00:25:09.77
God decided that.
00:25:09.80\00:25:11.67
To some degree,
00:25:11.71\00:25:13.17
we are constrained
by our circumstances.
00:25:13.21\00:25:16.54
I didn't decide to be
male, God decided that.
00:25:16.58\00:25:19.88
He decided what
generation I was to be born.
00:25:19.91\00:25:22.68
He decided what
generation we were to be born.
00:25:22.72\00:25:26.86
You see GYC, and
I are the same age.
00:25:26.89\00:25:30.89
I was baptized the
year that GYC started.
00:25:30.93\00:25:34.30
So I tell people, "I don't know
00:25:34.33\00:25:35.76
what the Seventh-day Adventist
Church is without GYC."
00:25:35.80\00:25:40.27
In my mind, it is always
been in my spiritual experience,
00:25:40.30\00:25:45.11
but the reality
is there are people
00:25:45.14\00:25:47.08
who know what the
church was like before GYC.
00:25:47.11\00:25:50.98
They remembered the
burdens and the fire
00:25:51.01\00:25:53.52
that led to its
birth and its creation,
00:25:53.55\00:25:56.45
because they were young people
00:25:56.48\00:25:57.82
who were tired of
being entertained.
00:25:57.85\00:26:00.32
They were young people
00:26:00.36\00:26:01.69
who wanted the
Bible and the Bible only.
00:26:01.72\00:26:04.13
They were young people who
were sick and tired of the fact
00:26:04.16\00:26:07.33
that why is it I can't
invite my friend to church,
00:26:07.36\00:26:10.20
because I'm not sure
00:26:10.23\00:26:11.57
what my pastor
is going to preach.
00:26:11.60\00:26:14.24
Young people who recognize
00:26:14.27\00:26:16.10
that why is it
you got to pull teeth
00:26:16.14\00:26:18.41
just to get your church to
do what it was created to do.
00:26:18.44\00:26:23.08
Somebody doesn't know
what I'm talking about.
00:26:23.11\00:26:27.58
That is why GYC was started.
00:26:27.62\00:26:30.65
We don't have to wait on others.
00:26:30.69\00:26:33.15
We don't have to
wait on some adult
00:26:33.19\00:26:35.16
or deep pockets in
order to do God's work,
00:26:35.19\00:26:37.69
and to move the
kingdom of God forward.
00:26:37.73\00:26:39.59
We already have a
father who has deep pockets.
00:26:39.63\00:26:42.50
Amen.
00:26:42.53\00:26:45.33
And so we recognize
00:26:45.37\00:26:47.04
that we don't believe
just being constrained to be,
00:26:47.07\00:26:50.24
but we also have to
recognize that to some extent,
00:26:50.27\00:26:53.54
it does take
courage to be a Christian.
00:26:53.58\00:26:57.81
Courage to be our true
selves, to be authentic,
00:26:57.85\00:27:00.65
and to live an authentic life.
00:27:00.68\00:27:04.19
You see we live in a
time where people are afraid
00:27:04.22\00:27:07.62
to tell people
they're Adventists.
00:27:07.66\00:27:09.82
Mercy.
00:27:09.86\00:27:11.19
I was sitting by the
elevator just a couple days ago.
00:27:11.23\00:27:15.66
And as I came
around, I saw a young lady,
00:27:15.70\00:27:18.50
and I began to
make conversation.
00:27:18.53\00:27:20.90
She had a very interesting thing
00:27:20.94\00:27:22.27
on her back.
00:27:22.30\00:27:23.64
And I said, "Oh, what's that?"
00:27:23.67\00:27:25.54
She said, "Oh, well, you know,
00:27:25.57\00:27:26.91
I'm just here for a conference."
00:27:26.94\00:27:28.51
So clearly she
didn't know I was Adventist.
00:27:28.54\00:27:30.85
So I'm like, I
know what conference
00:27:30.88\00:27:32.21
you're here for,
00:27:32.25\00:27:33.58
I can see it on the nametag,
but I didn't say anything.
00:27:33.62\00:27:35.62
I just wanted to see
00:27:35.65\00:27:36.99
if she would tell me
that she was Adventist.
00:27:37.02\00:27:39.85
If this was GYC,
00:27:39.89\00:27:42.22
because we all
know the conversation,
00:27:42.26\00:27:45.49
we start talking to someone
and we beat around the bush.
00:27:45.53\00:27:49.26
We're ashamed to tell
people why we're here.
00:27:49.30\00:27:51.83
We're ashamed to tell
people on the bus, on the train,
00:27:51.87\00:27:55.00
up in the gas station.
00:27:55.04\00:27:56.37
Oh, well, why
are you doing this?
00:27:56.40\00:27:57.81
Why are we ashamed? Mercy.
00:27:57.84\00:28:01.91
It takes courage to
be. There is no question.
00:28:01.94\00:28:06.58
Someone has to
decide in their mind tonight
00:28:06.61\00:28:09.25
that I'm tired
of being a coward,
00:28:09.28\00:28:11.05
because a Christian and a coward
00:28:11.09\00:28:12.45
are not synonymous.
00:28:12.49\00:28:14.72
You cannot be both.
00:28:14.76\00:28:16.79
If you are a
Christian by definition,
00:28:16.83\00:28:19.19
you are not a coward.
00:28:19.23\00:28:20.56
And if you are a
coward by definition,
00:28:20.60\00:28:22.46
you are not a Christian.
00:28:22.50\00:28:25.47
Amen. Amen.
00:28:25.50\00:28:28.87
This church was
not born by people
00:28:28.90\00:28:31.24
who were cowards.
00:28:31.27\00:28:33.14
This church was
not born by people
00:28:33.17\00:28:35.28
who were afraid to be different.
00:28:35.31\00:28:39.55
It was born by people who
were doubted and laughed at
00:28:39.58\00:28:42.58
when they sold their fields
waiting for Jesus to come.
00:28:42.62\00:28:46.25
Went through the disappointment
and still stayed with the Lord.
00:28:46.29\00:28:49.59
Amen.
00:28:49.62\00:28:52.39
These are the people
00:28:52.43\00:28:55.76
that taught us it
takes courage to be.
00:28:55.80\00:28:59.27
And to some extent,
00:28:59.30\00:29:02.07
we are
constituted to be something.
00:29:02.10\00:29:06.44
The Bible says that we
were predestined to be conformed
00:29:06.47\00:29:09.48
to the image of God's Son.
00:29:09.51\00:29:14.22
But the biblical position
is not being constrained to be,
00:29:14.25\00:29:19.22
it is not the courage to be,
00:29:19.25\00:29:21.92
it is not the constitution
to be, it is called to be.
00:29:21.96\00:29:27.23
I want you to take your Bibles
00:29:27.26\00:29:28.60
and go with me to the
Book of Genesis Chapter 1.
00:29:28.63\00:29:32.83
Genesis Chapter 1,
00:29:32.87\00:29:36.50
we believe that
we were called to be
00:29:36.54\00:29:40.24
what we were created to be.
00:29:40.28\00:29:43.41
All of a
sudden, this call comes,
00:29:43.45\00:29:46.11
but it's not
coming out of nowhere.
00:29:46.15\00:29:48.58
It goes all the way back
to the beginning of time.
00:29:48.62\00:29:52.52
When you're
there, you can say amen.
00:29:52.55\00:29:53.89
Amen.
00:29:53.92\00:29:55.26
The Bible says in Genesis 1:26,
00:29:55.29\00:29:59.76
a verse so familiar to us.
00:29:59.79\00:30:02.86
It says, "Then God said,
"Let us make man in our image,
00:30:02.90\00:30:06.77
according to our likeness,
00:30:06.80\00:30:08.80
and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
00:30:08.84\00:30:11.47
over the birds of the
air, and over the cattle,
00:30:11.51\00:30:13.38
and over all the earth,
00:30:13.41\00:30:14.74
and over every creeping thing
that creeps upon the earth."
00:30:14.78\00:30:17.68
I want to make some observations
00:30:17.71\00:30:19.78
about this text.
00:30:19.81\00:30:21.78
The Bible says, that God,
00:30:21.82\00:30:23.92
when He was
looking at making men,
00:30:23.95\00:30:26.55
He did not look
at something else.
00:30:26.59\00:30:28.19
This was not
completely a unique creature.
00:30:28.22\00:30:32.63
The Bible says, "Let
us make man in our image."
00:30:32.66\00:30:36.67
In other words, man
cannot understand himself
00:30:36.70\00:30:40.07
if he does not know God.
00:30:40.10\00:30:43.91
We must recognize that
being made in the image of God
00:30:43.94\00:30:48.31
must determine the fact
that to understand who I am,
00:30:48.34\00:30:52.68
and who I'm called to be
requires me to understand God.
00:30:52.71\00:30:58.42
The least amount
of knowledge of God
00:30:58.45\00:31:01.46
will move us one step forward
towards our own identity.
00:31:01.49\00:31:05.29
Who we were
created and called to be,
00:31:05.33\00:31:07.96
but you see, the
text doesn't stop there.
00:31:08.00\00:31:11.47
It says,
"According to our likeness
00:31:11.50\00:31:15.30
and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea."
00:31:15.34\00:31:19.97
Now the important
point here is twofold.
00:31:20.01\00:31:22.84
Number one,
00:31:22.88\00:31:24.35
the Bible doesn't say
that they were born rulers.
00:31:24.38\00:31:28.25
No, the Bible says,
let them have dominion.
00:31:28.28\00:31:31.99
You cannot give dominion
if you don't have dominion.
00:31:32.02\00:31:36.69
So in other
words, God had dominion
00:31:36.73\00:31:39.23
over the fish of the
sea, over the fowl of the air,
00:31:39.26\00:31:41.73
over the creeping things
and the cattle upon the earth,
00:31:41.76\00:31:46.60
and he gave it over to Adam.
00:31:46.63\00:31:49.74
But before He
gave Adam dominion,
00:31:49.77\00:31:52.51
He made sure that
Adam was like Him.
00:31:52.54\00:31:55.58
God is not willing to
give dominion over to someone
00:31:55.61\00:31:58.41
that is not like Him.
00:31:58.45\00:32:00.58
Before I give you dominion
over this, you must be like me.
00:32:00.62\00:32:05.82
So in other words,
00:32:05.85\00:32:07.32
if God is giving dominion
over to Adam and to Eve,
00:32:07.36\00:32:10.96
He must conclude in His mind
00:32:10.99\00:32:14.13
that because they
are in the image of God,
00:32:14.16\00:32:17.23
they will rule,
00:32:17.27\00:32:18.93
they will
exercise their dominion
00:32:18.97\00:32:21.04
no different than I would.
00:32:21.07\00:32:23.44
They are fit representatives.
00:32:23.47\00:32:25.21
If that is
clear, let's say amen.
00:32:25.24\00:32:26.74
Amen.
00:32:26.78\00:32:28.28
In other words,
00:32:28.31\00:32:30.48
in order for Adam and
Eve to truly be who they are,
00:32:30.51\00:32:35.98
their focus must be
00:32:36.02\00:32:37.55
to be 100 percent
representatives of Jesus,
00:32:37.59\00:32:41.42
100 percent
representatives of God.
00:32:41.46\00:32:44.56
There must be no deviation.
00:32:44.59\00:32:46.63
They should be able
to say if you see me,
00:32:46.66\00:32:49.53
you have seen the Father,
because I am in His image.
00:32:49.56\00:32:55.80
That's what they
were created to say,
00:32:55.84\00:32:57.94
that's what
they were made to be,
00:32:57.97\00:32:59.31
but of course
something went wrong.
00:32:59.34\00:33:02.48
And I have to make this point
00:33:05.98\00:33:07.75
before we go
any further forward.
00:33:07.78\00:33:12.25
To represent
God, to be God like,
00:33:12.29\00:33:17.59
to be His representative
00:33:17.63\00:33:19.29
is what it means
to be a human being.
00:33:19.33\00:33:22.63
This is not just a
church thing, this is not just,
00:33:22.66\00:33:26.17
oh, we need to be
restored into the image of God,
00:33:26.20\00:33:28.60
we've fallen, no,
the fall of humanity.
00:33:28.64\00:33:33.04
So therefore to represent God
00:33:33.07\00:33:35.01
is what it means
to be a human being,
00:33:35.04\00:33:37.15
and the least,
00:33:37.18\00:33:38.51
the less and less
that we represent Christ,
00:33:38.55\00:33:40.82
the less and less human we are.
00:33:40.85\00:33:44.42
But in case we
didn't accept that point,
00:33:44.45\00:33:49.32
God had people throughout
every single generation,
00:33:49.36\00:33:53.63
every single generation
that He was calling to say,
00:33:53.66\00:33:57.00
this is my representative,
this is my representative,
00:33:57.03\00:34:00.10
this is my representative.
00:34:00.14\00:34:01.54
But every single time,
even when He had a nation,
00:34:01.57\00:34:06.11
they failed, they came up short.
00:34:06.14\00:34:10.35
And so just then
when all hope was lost,
00:34:10.38\00:34:14.08
there were God's people.
00:34:14.12\00:34:16.02
The Jews, supposedly his
representatives on earth,
00:34:16.05\00:34:20.52
deep in darkness,
but the Bible says,
00:34:20.56\00:34:23.73
"When the
fullness of time was come,
00:34:23.76\00:34:27.73
God sent forth His Son."
00:34:27.76\00:34:33.23
Who could be a
better representative
00:34:33.27\00:34:35.90
than His own Son?
00:34:35.94\00:34:37.97
I want you to go with
me to the Book of John 1.
00:34:38.01\00:34:42.64
John 1:18.
00:34:42.68\00:34:45.21
John 1:18.
00:34:59.69\00:35:01.60
Are you there, can you say amen?
00:35:01.63\00:35:03.87
The Bible says, "No
one has seen God when,
00:35:03.90\00:35:08.90
at any time.
00:35:08.94\00:35:11.54
The only begotten son
00:35:11.57\00:35:14.68
who is in the
bosom of the father,
00:35:14.71\00:35:17.18
he has what,
00:35:17.21\00:35:19.45
declared him, he
has revealed him,
00:35:19.48\00:35:23.22
he has made the
invisible God visible."
00:35:23.25\00:35:26.99
In other words when the Bible
is talking here about Christ
00:35:27.02\00:35:30.26
and saying, "No one
has seen God in any time,
00:35:30.29\00:35:32.96
but up until this point,
Jesus saw God all the time."
00:35:32.99\00:35:38.60
So when Jesus
comes down and He says,
00:35:38.63\00:35:40.57
"No man has
seen God in any time,
00:35:40.60\00:35:42.64
but Jesus has seen God."
00:35:42.67\00:35:46.61
And He comes down and He
says, "But this Man, this Son,
00:35:46.64\00:35:50.91
who is in the
bosom of the Father,
00:35:50.95\00:35:53.01
He is in close communion,
00:35:53.05\00:35:54.78
He is in close
relationship with the Father,
00:35:54.82\00:35:57.62
He has declared
Him, He has revealed Him,
00:35:57.65\00:36:00.26
He's made Him known."
00:36:00.29\00:36:02.92
But you see, Christ recognized
00:36:02.96\00:36:07.86
that as He came down to
fulfill humanity's purpose,
00:36:07.90\00:36:13.80
to eventually take
us back and show us
00:36:13.84\00:36:16.67
what is possible for
a human being to become.
00:36:16.71\00:36:20.51
What exactly is God's
ideal for His children?
00:36:20.54\00:36:24.45
What did He have in
mind when He made mankind?
00:36:24.48\00:36:28.72
Christ says, "I've
come to present this idea."
00:36:28.75\00:36:33.76
But Jesus recognized
00:36:33.79\00:36:35.16
that He was not
just coming down to brag
00:36:35.19\00:36:37.46
and say, no one
can represent God
00:36:37.49\00:36:38.99
better than me.
00:36:39.03\00:36:40.40
Jesus wasn't just coming down
to say, "Oh, I've revealed God.
00:36:40.43\00:36:44.07
Good luck, I hope you
get your act together."
00:36:44.10\00:36:47.04
No, the Bible says
that Christ was not content
00:36:47.07\00:36:51.07
just living to
represent God Himself,
00:36:51.11\00:36:54.34
but He issued a call.
00:36:54.38\00:36:56.98
I want you to go with me
00:36:57.01\00:36:58.35
to the Book of
Matthew Chapter 4.
00:36:58.38\00:36:59.91
Matthew Chapter 4,
beginning in verse 19.
00:37:03.72\00:37:07.92
When you're
there, you can say amen.
00:37:07.96\00:37:09.52
The Bible says,
beginning in verse 18,
00:37:17.87\00:37:20.60
"And Jesus walking
by the Sea of Galilee,
00:37:20.64\00:37:24.21
saw two brothers,
00:37:24.24\00:37:25.57
Simon called Peter
and Andrew, his brother
00:37:25.61\00:37:27.51
casting a net into the
sea, because they were what,
00:37:27.54\00:37:31.15
they were fishermen."
00:37:31.18\00:37:33.15
Then Jesus said to them,
what two words, follow me,
00:37:33.18\00:37:39.75
with those two words
00:37:39.79\00:37:41.36
Jesus has changed the
course of human history.
00:37:41.39\00:37:45.49
You see we don't recognize that
00:37:45.53\00:37:47.10
when Jesus spoke
to Peter and to Andrew
00:37:47.13\00:37:50.77
and eventually
to James and John.
00:37:50.80\00:37:53.13
The movement that
Christ began by saying,
00:37:53.17\00:37:55.80
"I am living the life
00:37:55.84\00:37:57.54
that God has
called humanity to live,
00:37:57.57\00:38:00.51
and I want to invite
you into this experience.
00:38:00.54\00:38:04.75
I want you to
become my disciple.
00:38:04.78\00:38:06.82
I'm not just going to teach
you how to be a good Christian.
00:38:06.85\00:38:09.85
I'm not just going to
teach you how to be a good men.
00:38:09.88\00:38:12.09
I'm not just going to teach
you how to be a good believer.
00:38:12.12\00:38:14.79
This is about what it
means to be a human being.
00:38:14.82\00:38:18.03
I'm going to show you
00:38:18.06\00:38:19.39
how to live
according to God's idea.
00:38:19.43\00:38:23.23
And so He says,
follow me, Jesus said.
00:38:23.26\00:38:28.27
And when Jesus
said that he was saying,
00:38:28.30\00:38:30.51
stop living for your parents,
stop living for your country,
00:38:30.54\00:38:35.81
stop living for your culture,
stop living for prestige,
00:38:35.84\00:38:40.52
for power, and for pleasure.
00:38:40.55\00:38:42.92
I need you to live for
the audience of one man
00:38:42.95\00:38:45.49
and that person is Jesus Christ.
00:38:45.52\00:38:47.99
You see, right
here in this room,
00:38:48.02\00:38:50.19
we may be at GYC,
00:38:50.23\00:38:52.03
but it doesn't mean that
we haven't lost our focus.
00:38:52.06\00:38:56.13
People come to conferences
all the time and miss Christ.
00:38:56.16\00:38:59.93
Mercy.
00:38:59.97\00:39:01.30
But I got to sit and
listen to Mark Finley,
00:39:01.34\00:39:04.91
but I got to sit and
listen to this favorite speaker,
00:39:04.94\00:39:07.44
but I got to get my questions
answered on relationships,
00:39:07.48\00:39:10.68
but did you get Christ.
00:39:10.71\00:39:13.31
There are people in this room
00:39:13.35\00:39:15.12
that are going to
leave GYC delivered.
00:39:15.15\00:39:17.65
People are going to
leave this conference going on
00:39:17.69\00:39:20.26
to do amazing things
for the kingdom of God,
00:39:20.29\00:39:22.79
because God was
speaking for them,
00:39:22.82\00:39:24.43
because they
were seeking Christ,
00:39:24.46\00:39:27.13
and Christ found them.
00:39:27.16\00:39:28.50
And Christ says, "The
call is to follow Me."
00:39:32.13\00:39:36.50
But when Jesus
said, "Follow me,"
00:39:36.54\00:39:38.14
He was saying it's
not about being original.
00:39:38.17\00:39:40.64
It's about
following the original.
00:39:40.68\00:39:43.91
Too many times
we're dyeing our hair,
00:39:43.95\00:39:46.01
we're getting weird haircuts,
00:39:46.05\00:39:47.62
we're buying the
latest shoes here,
00:39:47.65\00:39:49.08
and the latest that
there to make ourselves unique.
00:39:49.12\00:39:52.05
You are never more unique
00:39:52.09\00:39:53.62
than when you
are following Christ.
00:39:53.66\00:39:56.39
You want to be your true self,
00:39:56.42\00:39:58.13
stop following
fashion, follow Christ.
00:39:58.16\00:40:01.33
He says, follow me,
and Jesus was saying,
00:40:01.36\00:40:04.10
"Stop all the diversion
00:40:04.13\00:40:06.00
and the
distractions of life and living.
00:40:06.03\00:40:09.27
Come to a place of
singleness of mind."
00:40:09.30\00:40:14.28
We must come back to
that place where we say,
00:40:14.31\00:40:16.85
"Look, the very first
thing we do in the morning
00:40:16.88\00:40:19.48
is go to Christ."
00:40:19.51\00:40:21.82
I watched a
presentation, and a man said,
00:40:21.85\00:40:24.19
"If you are between the
ages of 15 and 35 years old,
00:40:24.22\00:40:29.62
the very first thing
you do in the morning
00:40:29.66\00:40:32.49
is grab your phone."
00:40:32.53\00:40:35.56
Somebody in this room
knows what I'm talking about.
00:40:35.60\00:40:39.37
Yeah, you may be
at GYC, you may be,
00:40:39.40\00:40:42.00
"Oh, yeah, we had
a prayer session,"
00:40:42.04\00:40:43.41
but as soon as you
wake up in that hotel,
00:40:43.44\00:40:45.74
"Where's my phone?"
00:40:45.77\00:40:47.64
Nobody is saying,
"Where's my Lord?"
00:40:47.68\00:40:52.11
Where's the audience chamber?
00:40:52.15\00:40:54.55
Where can I go
to get my blessing,
00:40:54.58\00:40:56.48
I need to
connect with Christ first
00:40:56.52\00:40:58.75
before you check your phone.
00:40:58.79\00:41:01.19
Soon as people
arrive at GYC in a hotel,
00:41:01.22\00:41:03.59
"How do you get on the WiFi?"
00:41:03.63\00:41:06.03
How do you get
connected to Christ?
00:41:06.06\00:41:09.26
Somebody better say amen.
You know I'm telling the truth.
00:41:09.30\00:41:15.14
"Hey, do you have the passcode?
Do you have the password?"
00:41:15.17\00:41:18.97
"Oh, you've got an account,
can I use your account."
00:41:19.01\00:41:21.14
Why?
00:41:21.18\00:41:22.51
So you can get on
Instagram, so you can Snapchat,
00:41:22.54\00:41:25.65
this is what I'm doing at GYC.
00:41:25.68\00:41:29.12
While we're out
sending messages to others,
00:41:29.15\00:41:31.42
Christ is sending messages
to us, not getting through.
00:41:31.45\00:41:36.02
Jesus says, follow me,
00:41:36.06\00:41:39.83
noticed that for
Peter and Andrew.
00:41:39.86\00:41:41.46
I want you to
look at the text again.
00:41:41.50\00:41:43.40
The Bible says
that Jesus called them,
00:41:43.43\00:41:46.33
and in verse 20,
00:41:46.37\00:41:47.70
they immediately left their nets
00:41:47.74\00:41:49.60
and they followed Him.
00:41:49.64\00:41:51.31
This is so important.
00:41:51.34\00:41:52.71
It was assumed
00:41:52.74\00:41:55.11
that to follow Christ
meant forsaking their nets.
00:41:55.14\00:41:59.15
Jesus didn't say,
"Forsake your nets."
00:41:59.18\00:42:01.25
He just said, "Follow me."
00:42:01.28\00:42:02.78
But they assume,
because Christ called me
00:42:02.82\00:42:05.25
to follow Him, I
must leave these nets.
00:42:05.29\00:42:08.69
I cannot be a
fisherman and a follower.
00:42:08.72\00:42:12.39
But you see, too many of
us are trying to follow Jesus
00:42:12.43\00:42:14.83
without forsaking.
00:42:14.86\00:42:18.33
We want to be
Seventh-day Adventists,
00:42:18.37\00:42:20.17
we want to worship
on the correct day,
00:42:20.20\00:42:23.30
we want to be at
church, we want to be blessed,
00:42:23.34\00:42:25.27
we want to be in Sabbath school,
00:42:25.31\00:42:26.64
but we also want
our worldly stuff too.
00:42:26.68\00:42:30.41
We still want to go
back to our worldly music.
00:42:30.45\00:42:34.72
We still want to go
back to our worldly dress.
00:42:34.75\00:42:37.15
Why, but you know we're so smart
00:42:37.19\00:42:38.85
and we're so
politically correct,
00:42:38.89\00:42:40.76
because we only
wear those skirts
00:42:40.79\00:42:42.36
when we're with our
non-Adventist friends.
00:42:42.39\00:42:48.26
We only watch those movies
00:42:48.30\00:42:49.76
when we're with our
non-Adventist friends,
00:42:49.80\00:42:51.70
because they won't judge us.
00:42:51.73\00:42:53.23
No, because you
won't be convicted,
00:42:53.27\00:42:56.71
'cause you know how to
behave inside the church,
00:42:56.74\00:42:59.07
but then you get
unbelieving friend,
00:42:59.11\00:43:01.04
so you can do the
evil in your own heart.
00:43:01.08\00:43:05.08
Jesus says follow me.
00:43:05.11\00:43:07.38
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said,
00:43:07.42\00:43:09.18
"When Jesus calls a man,
He beats him come and die."
00:43:09.22\00:43:12.39
This is why we are resisting
the call that Christ is giving.
00:43:16.46\00:43:21.90
We don't really
want to follow Jesus.
00:43:21.93\00:43:23.87
We want to do what
the Book of Isaiah says,
00:43:23.90\00:43:26.13
when seven women
take hold of one man,
00:43:26.17\00:43:29.20
say let us wear our own clothes,
00:43:29.24\00:43:31.07
eat our own food,
00:43:31.11\00:43:32.44
but let us be
called by your name.
00:43:32.47\00:43:33.81
Jesus says follow Me.
00:43:38.11\00:43:42.82
But you see,
00:43:42.85\00:43:44.45
there are some of
us who are forsaking,
00:43:44.49\00:43:47.52
but we are not following.
00:43:47.56\00:43:50.19
You see, we may leave
worldly things behind,
00:43:50.23\00:43:53.26
we may change our diets,
00:43:53.29\00:43:55.53
we may give up
Christless communities
00:43:55.56\00:43:58.07
and painful habits,
00:43:58.10\00:43:59.43
but a Christ like life
is not, is more than denial,
00:43:59.47\00:44:04.07
it is decisive,
it is devotional.
00:44:04.11\00:44:07.34
We do not just shun
evil, we pursue good.
00:44:07.38\00:44:11.18
You know some of us live in here
00:44:11.21\00:44:12.75
as if we're going to--
00:44:12.78\00:44:14.12
as if sin is a physical disease,
00:44:14.15\00:44:17.25
as if it's something you can't--
00:44:17.29\00:44:18.62
oh, I can't hang
around with those people,
00:44:18.65\00:44:20.79
because you see how they dress.
00:44:20.82\00:44:22.76
Because they dress that way,
00:44:22.79\00:44:24.29
that's the people you
need to be hanging out with,
00:44:24.33\00:44:27.20
not because you're
trying to become like them,
00:44:27.23\00:44:28.96
but because you're
trying to win them.
00:44:29.00\00:44:32.63
Call them higher,
but many of us live like,
00:44:32.67\00:44:36.27
"Oh, I need to shun the
community of these people,
00:44:36.30\00:44:39.21
and I need to shun
away from these things."
00:44:39.24\00:44:41.24
How are you going
to reach the heathen,
00:44:41.28\00:44:42.61
you're not with the heathen.
00:44:42.64\00:44:45.08
How are you going to win
souls, you're not with souls.
00:44:45.11\00:44:49.52
Everybody wants
to be a missionary,
00:44:49.55\00:44:51.09
where they're not.
00:44:51.12\00:44:52.85
Oh, I can go and go
to Africa and win this,
00:44:52.89\00:44:56.66
but back in LA, I
got nothing to say.
00:44:56.69\00:44:59.39
Anybody can pretend to
be spiritual for two weeks.
00:45:03.50\00:45:09.14
But Jesus says follow Me,
00:45:09.17\00:45:11.97
see as Lewis wrote in
"The Weight of Glory."
00:45:12.01\00:45:14.68
If you asked 20 good men today
00:45:14.71\00:45:18.95
what they thought was
the highest of virtues,
00:45:18.98\00:45:22.85
19 of them would
reply unselfishness,
00:45:22.88\00:45:27.22
but if you asked almost any
of the great Christians of old,
00:45:27.26\00:45:31.33
he would have replied love.
00:45:31.36\00:45:34.66
You see what has happened?
00:45:34.70\00:45:37.43
A negative term has been
substituted for a positive one,
00:45:37.47\00:45:42.27
and this is more
than just a play on words.
00:45:42.30\00:45:46.61
You see, the negative
ideal of unselfishness
00:45:46.64\00:45:49.44
carries within the suggestion
00:45:49.48\00:45:52.01
not primarily of
securing good for others
00:45:52.05\00:45:55.78
but of going without
good things ourselves
00:45:55.82\00:45:59.39
as if our
abstinence and their happiness
00:45:59.42\00:46:03.73
was not the important point.
00:46:03.76\00:46:06.86
C.S Lewis goes on
to say, "I don't think
00:46:06.90\00:46:09.40
this is the
Christian virtue of love."
00:46:09.43\00:46:12.83
It would seem that
our Lord finds our desires
00:46:12.87\00:46:15.44
not too strong but too weak.
00:46:15.47\00:46:18.61
We are half hearted creatures,
00:46:18.64\00:46:21.14
fooling about with
drink, and sex, and ambition
00:46:21.18\00:46:24.61
when infinite joy is offered us,
00:46:24.65\00:46:27.42
like an ignorant child
00:46:27.45\00:46:29.35
who wants to play
within the mud in the slums
00:46:29.38\00:46:33.99
because he cannot
imagine what it is like
00:46:34.02\00:46:38.36
when he's offered
a holiday by the sea.
00:46:38.39\00:46:42.40
We are far too easily pleased.
00:46:42.43\00:46:45.70
I don't want
this point to be lost.
00:46:48.80\00:46:52.51
You see, whatever we are
struggling with here tonight,
00:46:52.54\00:46:56.98
it is easy for you and
for me to say, oh, Lord,
00:46:57.01\00:47:00.02
this lust that
I'm struggling with,
00:47:00.05\00:47:02.05
this jealousy that
I'm struggling with,
00:47:02.08\00:47:04.02
this appetite that
I'm struggling with,
00:47:04.05\00:47:06.25
the problem is my
desire is too strong.
00:47:06.29\00:47:08.66
Just go without this,
more fasting, more neglect,
00:47:08.69\00:47:12.23
more abstinence,
no, no, no, no, no.
00:47:12.26\00:47:14.83
The question is not
00:47:14.86\00:47:16.20
why am I trying to
eat this late at night?
00:47:16.23\00:47:18.60
Why am I trying to wear this?
00:47:18.63\00:47:19.97
Why am I trying
to listen to this?
00:47:20.00\00:47:21.40
Why am I trying to
have a relationship
00:47:21.44\00:47:22.94
with this person?
00:47:22.97\00:47:24.31
That is not the question.
00:47:24.34\00:47:27.04
The question is,
00:47:27.08\00:47:28.41
why are you so satisfied
with something so cheap?
00:47:28.44\00:47:31.21
We are too easily pleased.
00:47:37.72\00:47:40.72
I sit down with a
young girl one time
00:47:40.76\00:47:42.82
and she said,
"You know, Sebastian,
00:47:42.86\00:47:44.19
I'm in this relationship
with this unbeliever."
00:47:44.23\00:47:46.80
And I said, listen, "You
know what you have to do.
00:47:46.83\00:47:51.83
You're not coming to me
00:47:51.87\00:47:53.20
thinking I'm gonna
rubber stamp your relationship.
00:47:53.23\00:47:56.40
You and I both know
00:47:56.44\00:47:57.77
you don't have
one biblical verse
00:47:57.81\00:47:59.24
to support what you're doing.
00:47:59.27\00:48:01.28
And if we want an
example, let's go to Solomon,
00:48:01.31\00:48:03.85
and let's what had got him."
00:48:03.88\00:48:06.88
She looked at me and she
said, "Yeah, but you know,
00:48:06.92\00:48:08.42
he's such a nice guy, and
he's kind, and he's loving,
00:48:08.45\00:48:11.39
and he's giving,
and he's faithful,
00:48:11.42\00:48:13.02
and all these different things."
00:48:13.05\00:48:14.39
And I said, "Sister,
let me give you two options.
00:48:14.42\00:48:18.16
You can have a young
man who is kind, and loving,
00:48:18.19\00:48:22.30
and faithful,
and he cooks for you,
00:48:22.33\00:48:24.63
and rubs your
feet, and all that stuff.
00:48:24.67\00:48:28.94
But when it comes
time to go to church,
00:48:28.97\00:48:32.44
he is not interested.
00:48:32.47\00:48:34.18
He may even be pleasure.
00:48:34.21\00:48:35.54
Hey, that's your religion,
00:48:35.58\00:48:37.21
but eventually
he's gonna get to you
00:48:37.25\00:48:38.61
when you realize that you're
praying with your girlfriends,
00:48:38.65\00:48:40.92
and they're praying
with their husbands,
00:48:40.95\00:48:42.28
but you can't pray with yours.
00:48:42.32\00:48:44.32
That's option A. Or
you can have option B.
00:48:44.35\00:48:48.42
He is kind, he is
loving, he is faithful,
00:48:48.46\00:48:51.06
he rubs your
feet, he does all that
00:48:51.09\00:48:52.76
but the man is a man of God.
00:48:52.79\00:48:55.36
Those are your options.
00:48:55.40\00:48:57.17
So tell me which
one would you prefer?"
00:48:57.20\00:49:00.74
"Well, I'd love to
have a man of God."
00:49:00.77\00:49:02.47
"Then go after the man of God."
00:49:02.50\00:49:05.11
Do not allow
yourself to settle for this.
00:49:05.14\00:49:09.01
God is able to give
you much more than this.
00:49:09.04\00:49:14.78
Getting off my notes.
00:49:14.82\00:49:16.15
The Bible says "Follow me."
00:49:19.02\00:49:24.73
Jesus says, "Follow me
00:49:24.76\00:49:28.56
and I will make
you fishers of men."
00:49:28.60\00:49:32.93
You see, discipleship to Jesus
00:49:32.97\00:49:36.20
is the practical
outliving of the gospel.
00:49:36.24\00:49:39.67
It is the Christ focus life
00:49:39.71\00:49:42.74
that experiences the
soul focus transformation.
00:49:42.78\00:49:47.65
We do the following,
Jesus does the making.
00:49:47.68\00:49:50.39
I like that.
00:49:50.42\00:49:52.92
Since the first time I heard it,
00:49:52.95\00:49:54.32
I've always liked it.
00:49:54.36\00:49:56.02
You do the following,
Jesus does the making.
00:49:56.06\00:49:59.36
Don't try to do Jesus' work.
00:49:59.39\00:50:03.03
You do the following,
Jesus does the making.
00:50:03.06\00:50:06.90
In these two words,
00:50:06.94\00:50:08.60
we're being called back to
what we were created to be.
00:50:08.64\00:50:15.28
But, brothers and sisters,
00:50:15.31\00:50:18.78
among the most
important things to follow Jesus
00:50:18.81\00:50:23.05
is to follow Him
in what He believed.
00:50:23.08\00:50:27.62
You see, I've
come to a resolution
00:50:27.66\00:50:31.26
as we look at our
identity as individuals
00:50:31.29\00:50:34.06
and as a church that I want
to believe what Jesus believed
00:50:34.10\00:50:38.67
because, if
beliefs lead to behaviors,
00:50:38.70\00:50:42.34
and I want to behave like Jesus.
00:50:42.37\00:50:44.27
Do you want to
behave like Jesus?
00:50:44.31\00:50:46.37
Yes, amen.
00:50:46.41\00:50:47.84
So if beliefs lead to behaviors,
00:50:47.88\00:50:50.88
then I want to
believe what Jesus believed.
00:50:50.91\00:50:53.21
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:50:53.25\00:50:55.02
And let me just
take you on a journey.
00:50:55.05\00:50:58.75
Jesus believed that men
shall not live by bread alone,
00:50:58.79\00:51:02.79
but by every word that proceeds
out of the mouth of God.
00:51:02.82\00:51:06.76
Jesus believed
that there was one God.
00:51:06.80\00:51:09.66
That there was
a Father in heaven
00:51:09.70\00:51:11.43
and that there
was the Holy Spirit
00:51:11.47\00:51:12.97
that proceeds from the
Father that He could send,
00:51:13.00\00:51:16.07
and that Jesus also believed
00:51:16.10\00:51:18.27
that He had
glory with the Father
00:51:18.31\00:51:20.34
before the world was.
00:51:20.38\00:51:23.45
Jesus believed
according to Matthew 19:4,
00:51:23.48\00:51:28.05
that God who made the male
and female in the beginning,
00:51:28.08\00:51:31.59
and instituted the
institution of marriage,
00:51:31.62\00:51:35.86
and believed that God had
made them male and female,
00:51:35.89\00:51:39.13
not only in the beginning
00:51:39.16\00:51:40.50
but He gave them
the gift of marriage
00:51:40.53\00:51:42.26
and God says,
00:51:42.30\00:51:43.63
and what God has joined together
00:51:43.67\00:51:45.03
let not men put a sunder.
00:51:45.07\00:51:46.67
God didn't believe in divorce.
00:51:46.70\00:51:50.91
Jesus believed that
man by nature is evil,
00:51:50.94\00:51:54.78
that he is defiled by the things
00:51:54.81\00:51:56.44
that proceed from his heart.
00:51:56.48\00:51:58.85
Jesus believed that when
He was walking on the earth
00:51:58.88\00:52:01.62
He told the disciples,
00:52:01.65\00:52:03.05
"I saw Satan
fall like lightning."
00:52:03.08\00:52:05.92
He told Peter Simon,
"Simon, Satan has desired you."
00:52:05.95\00:52:10.33
He believed in a
great controversy.
00:52:10.36\00:52:13.06
Jesus believed that
His life, His death,
00:52:13.09\00:52:15.56
and His resurrection would
provide atonement for humanity.
00:52:15.60\00:52:19.63
Jesus believed that no man
could enter the kingdom of God
00:52:19.67\00:52:23.00
unless he was born of
the water and of the spirit.
00:52:23.04\00:52:25.37
Jesus believed
00:52:25.41\00:52:27.24
that the growth of the
Christian is a process,
00:52:27.28\00:52:30.18
first the blade, then the ear,
then the full corn on the ear.
00:52:30.21\00:52:34.35
Jesus believed
that upon this truth
00:52:34.38\00:52:39.19
that He is the Christ,
00:52:39.22\00:52:40.86
the Son of God that He
would build His church.
00:52:40.89\00:52:45.06
Jesus has a church.
00:52:45.09\00:52:46.46
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:52:46.49\00:52:48.43
And upon this truth
that He is the Christ,
00:52:48.46\00:52:50.90
the Son of the living
God, He would build His church
00:52:50.93\00:52:53.90
and the gates of hell
would not prevail against it.
00:52:53.94\00:52:57.11
He believed that in
the time near His coming
00:52:57.14\00:53:00.78
that His disciples should
be giving meat in due season.
00:53:00.81\00:53:05.41
That's called present truth.
00:53:05.45\00:53:08.65
And He believed
00:53:08.68\00:53:10.02
that He was the true
shepherd of His fold,
00:53:10.05\00:53:13.92
and He would
bring His other sheep
00:53:13.96\00:53:16.19
in other folds to His fold,
00:53:16.22\00:53:19.53
and bring them
into complete unity.
00:53:19.56\00:53:22.66
Jesus believed that the
Sabbath was made for men,
00:53:22.70\00:53:26.94
and He made it His custom
00:53:26.97\00:53:29.17
to go into the
synagogue on the Sabbath day,
00:53:29.20\00:53:32.97
and He affirmed that
the heavens and the earth
00:53:33.01\00:53:35.34
would pass away before
the law would pass away.
00:53:35.38\00:53:39.85
Jesus believed in
the gift of prophecy
00:53:39.88\00:53:42.48
'cause He
looked at His disciples
00:53:42.52\00:53:45.75
on the Mount of
Olives and He said,
00:53:45.79\00:53:47.99
"And if when you
see the abomination
00:53:48.02\00:53:51.73
or desolation spoken
of by Daniel the prophet."
00:53:51.76\00:53:56.60
Jesus believed in prophets.
00:53:56.63\00:53:59.83
Jesus believed
00:53:59.87\00:54:01.20
in spiritual
gifts in ministries.
00:54:01.24\00:54:03.64
Jesus believed
00:54:03.67\00:54:05.04
that He was going to
go to His Father's house,
00:54:05.07\00:54:07.98
and that He was going
to prepare a place for us,
00:54:08.01\00:54:11.21
and that He was coming
back to receive us unto Himself,
00:54:11.25\00:54:15.28
that where He is
there we may be also.
00:54:15.32\00:54:17.59
Jesus believed
according to John 11,
00:54:17.62\00:54:21.32
that when His
friend Lazarus was dead,
00:54:21.36\00:54:23.73
that Lazarus was asleep.
00:54:23.76\00:54:27.40
And Jesus believed
according to John 5:28 and 29,
00:54:27.43\00:54:31.37
that there were
two resurrections,
00:54:31.40\00:54:33.10
the resurrection
unto condemnation
00:54:33.13\00:54:35.17
and the resurrection unto life.
00:54:35.20\00:54:37.84
Jesus believed that
eventually all who cling to sin,
00:54:37.87\00:54:41.11
and sin itself
would be destroyed.
00:54:41.14\00:54:45.61
Just to summarize,
00:54:45.65\00:54:48.82
the book "Medical
Ministry" page 49 says,
00:54:48.85\00:54:52.85
"Christ was a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:54:52.89\00:54:58.49
to all intents and purposes."
00:54:58.53\00:55:03.53
You see, what that means
is if Jesus was alive today,
00:55:03.57\00:55:06.74
the question we should
be asking ourselves is,
00:55:06.77\00:55:08.87
if He was walking around
what church would He join?
00:55:08.90\00:55:11.61
But the prophet already told us.
00:55:14.94\00:55:17.81
He was a Seventh-day Adventist
00:55:17.85\00:55:19.18
so when you look at the gospels,
00:55:19.21\00:55:21.28
and you're looking
at the life of Christ,
00:55:21.32\00:55:23.12
you're looking at the life
00:55:23.15\00:55:24.49
of what a Seventh-day
Adventist should be living.
00:55:24.52\00:55:27.82
You're not just looking,
"oh, that's just Christ.
00:55:27.86\00:55:29.96
He's just a general Christian."
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
00:55:29.99\00:55:35.13
We believe what Jesus believed.
00:55:35.16\00:55:38.83
But the problem is
00:55:38.87\00:55:40.20
even though we
believe what He believed,
00:55:40.24\00:55:42.30
we don't live the way
He lived, which tells me,
00:55:42.34\00:55:46.14
we don't believe
what He believed.
00:55:46.17\00:55:49.78
We mentally
agree, it makes sense,
00:55:49.81\00:55:55.75
but that's not faith,
00:55:55.78\00:56:00.42
because Jesus
believed these things,
00:56:00.46\00:56:03.79
He lived a certain way.
00:56:03.83\00:56:08.06
And when you look
at all the criticisms
00:56:08.10\00:56:10.53
of unbelievers,
00:56:10.57\00:56:11.90
you'll never find the
criticism of Jesus Himself.
00:56:11.93\00:56:15.37
All people want
to do in the world
00:56:15.40\00:56:16.87
is redefine Jesus.
00:56:16.91\00:56:18.57
Oh, here's the real
Jesus on the History Channel.
00:56:18.61\00:56:21.78
He actually grew
up in this village.
00:56:21.81\00:56:23.65
This was, He actually
wasn't really that poor.
00:56:23.68\00:56:27.35
But they can't argue with
the man's life and impact,
00:56:27.38\00:56:31.12
they can't argue with the fact
that you can't find His body.
00:56:31.15\00:56:37.96
We want to believe
what Jesus believed.
00:56:37.99\00:56:42.20
So I go into my
closing, I want to read a quote,
00:56:46.30\00:56:50.37
I'm gonna ask
my wife to come out
00:56:50.41\00:56:54.61
as we go into our appeal.
00:56:54.64\00:56:56.58
Dr. James Allan
Francis, he wrote these words
00:56:56.61\00:57:01.88
to the first
Baptist Union Youth in 1926
00:57:01.92\00:57:05.75
under the title The Real Jesus.
00:57:05.79\00:57:09.92
He said, "Let us
now turn to the story.
00:57:09.96\00:57:13.40
A child is born in
an obscure village,
00:57:13.43\00:57:16.46
he is brought up in
another obscure village,
00:57:16.50\00:57:19.33
he works in a
carpenter shop until he is 30,
00:57:19.37\00:57:21.84
and then for three brief
years is an itinerary preacher.
00:57:21.87\00:57:25.27
Proclaiming a
message and living a life,
00:57:25.31\00:57:27.24
he never writes a book,
he never holds an office,
00:57:27.28\00:57:29.84
he never raises an army,
00:57:29.88\00:57:31.31
he never has a
family of his own,
00:57:31.35\00:57:33.15
he never owns a home,
he never goes to college,
00:57:33.18\00:57:36.48
he never travels 200 miles
from the place he was born.
00:57:36.52\00:57:39.75
He gathers a little
group of friends about him,
00:57:39.79\00:57:42.26
teaches them his way of life.
00:57:42.29\00:57:44.76
While still a young man,
00:57:44.79\00:57:46.19
the tide of popular
feelings turned against him,
00:57:46.23\00:57:50.73
the band of
followers forsakes him.
00:57:50.77\00:57:53.00
One denies him,
another betrays him,
00:57:53.03\00:57:55.47
he is turned
over to his enemies,
00:57:55.50\00:57:57.24
he goes through
the mockery of a trial,
00:57:57.27\00:58:00.48
he is nailed on a
cross between two thieves,
00:58:00.51\00:58:03.04
and when dead, he is
laid in a borrowed grave
00:58:03.08\00:58:06.21
by the kindness of a friend.
00:58:06.25\00:58:08.52
Those are the
facts of his human life.
00:58:08.55\00:58:13.62
He rises from the dead.
00:58:13.66\00:58:16.66
Today, we look back
across 1900 years and ask,
00:58:16.69\00:58:22.23
"What kind of a
trail has he left
00:58:22.26\00:58:24.30
across the centuries."
00:58:24.33\00:58:27.50
When we try to
sum up his influence,
00:58:27.54\00:58:31.71
all the armies
that ever marched,
00:58:31.74\00:58:34.44
all the
parliaments that ever sat,
00:58:34.48\00:58:37.05
all the kings that ever reigned
00:58:37.08\00:58:38.51
are absolutely minuscule
in their influence on mankind
00:58:38.55\00:58:43.02
compared to this
one solitary life."
00:58:43.05\00:58:47.72
He concludes by
saying, "I remind you,
00:58:47.76\00:58:50.93
I ask you to pause a moment
00:58:50.96\00:58:52.59
and think of this thing
that Christians believe.
00:58:52.63\00:58:55.46
We are talking
about great adventures.
00:58:55.50\00:58:57.70
I remind you that there must
be a great adventure in faith
00:58:57.73\00:59:01.37
before there is
a great adventure."
00:59:01.40\00:59:04.47