Participants:
Series Code: 15GYC
Program Code: 15GYC000004A
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00:32 We're gonna start a special section
00:34 called "I Believe." 00:38 And our speaker for this section, 00:40 her name is Lisa Manzanares. 00:44 Lisa used to be a florist. 00:49 She was a wedding coordinator I believe, 00:52 and she was a florist, and then she started to sell 00:57 or to open chains of In & Out. 00:59 Apparently, that is a chain of food, 01:02 famous in California. 01:04 I'm from Michigan, I don't know that much about In & Out, 01:07 but I believe that it is a big chain. 01:11 And she used to open those chains 01:13 for In & Out, that is what she used to do. 01:16 And then, she will tell you something happened in her life, 01:21 and now Lisa is a church planter. 01:24 She's an Adventist, she loves the Lord, 01:27 she works with Anil Kanda 01:29 from the Central California Church or conference. 01:34 And she's here to share with us 01:35 why she loves being a Seventh-day Adventist. 01:41 Why she loves Christ, and Lisa, 01:46 GYC wants to know why do you love Jesus so much. 01:53 Without further adieu, 01:54 I'd like to introduce you to Lisa Manzanares. 01:58 Thank you. Thank you, Moise. 02:01 It's an honor to be here, 02:04 and answering the question why do I love this church 02:07 and why do I love Jesus. 02:09 I'll start by reading a quote by C.S. Lewis, 02:11 he said, "What you say about Seventh-day Adventist 02:15 interests me extremely. 02:18 If they have so much charity, 02:20 there must be something very right about them." 02:24 Newly released data shows Seventh-day Adventism 02:27 growing by 2.5 percent in North America. 02:30 A rapid clip for this part of the world, 02:31 where mainline denominations 02:33 as well as other groups are declining. 02:36 This was written in Forbes Magazine 02:37 as well as USA Today. 02:39 Adventists are even growing faster, 02:41 75 percent faster than the Mormon denomination 02:44 who prioritize numeric growth. 02:47 For observers 02:48 outside the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 02:50 the growth rate in North America is perplexing, 02:53 although we're not content. 02:54 Amen. 02:56 Many in the general public have noticed 02:58 Adventists tend to be superstars 02:59 of good health and longevity. 03:01 Research has shown 03:04 that they tend to live 10 years longer 03:05 than the average American with a strong record 03:08 for success, and health, and education. 03:11 Adventists find, they get a hearing among skeptics 03:14 who share these priorities. 03:16 The Adventist church runs 03:18 one of the largest educational systems in the world. 03:20 They operate 5,700 preschools, primary, and secondary schools 03:24 as well as colleges, universities, 03:26 seminaries, and medical schools 03:28 in about 145 countries worldwide. 03:32 This educational system involves some 66,000 teachers 03:36 and 1,257,000 students. 03:40 Amen. 03:42 Did you know that Seventh-day Adventist Church 03:44 has been active for over 100 years 03:46 in advocating for religious freedom? 03:49 They also have been formally, mind you, 03:52 just formally active in humanitarian aid 03:55 for over 50 years. 03:56 This is with ADRA. 03:57 How many of you have heard of them? 03:59 Amen. 04:00 Did you know there is someone 04:02 that the Seventh-day Adventist Church 04:04 and the world recognizes, 04:06 not just the church but also the world recognizes 04:09 and commends for the writings and contributions to the world 04:12 in Seventh-day Adventist Church. 04:14 This person wrote more than 5,000 periodical articles 04:17 in 40 books, but today including compilation 04:20 from her 50,000 pages of manuscripts, 04:23 more than 100 titles are now available in English. 04:26 This person was the most translated writer 04:29 of their gender in the entire history of literature, 04:32 and the most translated American author 04:34 of either gender. 04:36 The life changing masterpiece on successful Christian Living 04:39 by this author is called "Steps to Christ," 04:41 how many of you have read it? 04:43 And has been published in more than 140 languages, 04:47 and is used not just 04:48 in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, 04:50 but in almost every single other Christian denomination. 04:53 Amen. 04:55 On September 25, 1997, Paul Harvey, 04:58 the popular radio personality 05:00 announced on his nationally syndicated program. 05:03 Women have been honored on American postage stamps 05:06 for more than 100 years, 05:08 starting with one woman who was not an American. 05:10 Queen Isabella in 1893, 05:13 since then 86 women have been honored 05:15 ranging from Martha Washington to Marilyn Monroe. 05:18 Also many women authors like Louisa May Alcott, 05:21 Emily Dickens, and Rachel Carson. 05:24 But I can name an American author 05:26 who has never been honored thus, 05:28 though her writings have been translated into 148 languages, 05:32 more than Marks or Tolstoy, more than Agatha Christie, 05:36 and more than William Shakespeare. 05:38 Only now is the world coming to appreciate 05:40 her recommended prescription 05:42 for optimum spiritual and physical health. 05:46 During these few minutes, 05:47 millions of Americans had never before 05:50 heard of this historic author and speaker. 05:54 GYC, have you heard of her, because the world has. 05:58 Paul Harvey concluded by saying, 06:00 "Ellen Whites, you don't know her? 06:03 Get to know her." 06:04 This woman Ellen White was a Seventh-day Adventist, 06:07 the world knows her, do you? 06:10 I know you do, 06:12 because we know her as more than just an author. 06:14 I love my church, 06:15 because they're not afraid to call an atheist an atheist, 06:17 a prophet a prophet. 06:19 And the church loves that I love, 06:21 believes that this is the truth. 06:23 But it's more than that. 06:25 This church is a part of so much. 06:28 All those statistics I just read. 06:30 It's something, if you're not a part of it now, 06:33 you can find your place in Him. 06:35 Amen. 06:36 You will hear negative things, 06:38 in fact, there are problems in the church, 06:40 but friends there are always flowers 06:43 for those who want to see them. 06:45 You see the facts speak for themselves, 06:47 and the fruits are undeniable. 06:50 Gandhi said this, 06:51 "You Christians look after a document 06:53 containing enough dynamite 06:55 to blow all civilization to pieces, 06:58 turn the world upside down, 07:00 and bring peace to a battle torn planet. 07:03 But you treat it 07:04 as though it was nothing more than a piece of literature." 07:08 These are all beautiful facts 07:09 about the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 07:11 and reason to feel humbly privileged 07:14 to be a part of this great movement. 07:17 They are certainly nothing to be ashamed of. 07:20 Amen. 07:21 But the thing is this, 07:24 and the real reason that I love my church, 07:30 is that we as a church have the biblical, 07:34 and the most beautiful picture of Jesus. 07:39 In fact, this church is the vehicle, 07:41 the chosen vehicle in which God has entrusted 07:45 to present to a dying world, 07:47 the clearest picture of a Savior. 07:51 You see I was raised in a Pentecostal home. 07:53 And at the age of 19, 07:55 I went through a time of searching. 07:57 I visited many churches, I started studying out, 07:59 what do Jehovah's Witnesses believe, what do Mormons, 08:01 Baptists, Catholics anything. 08:02 I even went to the Buddhist temple. 08:04 I wanted to know and begin to learn truth. 08:07 I understood in some sense who God was? 08:12 That He was a loving God sometimes, 08:15 but never truly got it. 08:18 It was later that I read the book 08:20 called The Desire of Ages by Ellen White. 08:23 The Spirit of Prophecy is a blessing, not a curse. 08:27 And I also read An Endless Falling in Love 08:29 by Ty Gibson, and my world was rocked. 08:34 I was skeptical, 08:36 but then presented solid Bible prophecy 08:38 with Christ at its core. 08:40 And the reality of the times 08:42 that you and I are living in as young people, 08:44 and that we have an everlasting Gospel 08:46 sitting in our laps found in Revelation Chapter 14, 08:49 and there are dying people that need to know about it. 08:52 Amen. 08:54 I was broken, completely broken, 08:57 and was presented that I was fully known 09:00 and still fully loved by the God of the Bible. 09:04 This church is God's chosen vehicle. 09:08 I remember so clearly 09:09 the day I decided to join wholeheartedly 09:12 the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 09:15 It was in my car, as I was driving, 09:18 the Lord spoke so clearly to me. 09:21 I was at a point of decision in my life, 09:25 wholehearted commitment to Christ 09:29 or my desired level of commitment to Christ. 09:34 So completely giving myself to Him 09:37 even if I didn't feel like it 09:40 or the desired level of commitment to Christ. 09:44 It was at this point of decision. 09:47 And when I realized the reason I love my church 09:50 is that I was shown a God of love 09:52 that told me no matter what I picked, 09:55 He would love me the same. 09:59 We have something to offer the world 10:01 in this church. 10:02 You as an individual, 10:04 me have something to offer the world 10:06 far beyond the scope of mainstream Christianity. 10:09 I know it because I was raised in it. 10:12 To be a part of God's remnant, now that is purpose, 10:15 that is worth, that is identity. 10:17 Amen. We each have to decide. 10:22 I have decided, I am God's and He is mine. 10:27 You are God's and He can be yours. 10:30 We've been called, we've been chosen. 10:33 How can we be anything but faithful? 10:36 Have you called Him, have you chosen Him, 10:39 because he will definitely be faithful to you. 10:43 You see prior to learning about the God of the Bible 10:48 that the Seventh-day Adventist Church presented to me. 10:52 The best fantasy I could come up within my mind for my life 10:56 is nothing, 10:58 nothing compared to the reality that I am living right now 11:01 as a Seventh-day Adventist church member. 11:04 I love my church, 11:05 because they introduced me to the love of my life. 11:08 They introduced me 11:10 to who the God of the Bible truly is 11:13 that He is love and He is nothing else. 11:16 Amen. 11:18 And because of this, I am passionate, proud, 11:21 and also privileged to call myself 11:24 a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. 11:27 That is the reason why I love my church. 11:30 God bless you all. 11:34 What an amazing day. 11:38 I cannot tell you how excited I am right now. 11:43 I'm about to jump out of my shoes. 11:46 I'm so excited. 11:48 We have the privilege of coming together 11:53 from several countries, 11:55 from several states, from several towns, 11:58 from several spiritual experiences 12:01 to seek Jesus at one time, in one place through His word. 12:08 I want you to know that before we begin tonight. 12:11 I must ask for a few favors, is that okay? 12:17 My first favor is, 12:19 we must be praying through the entire sermon. 12:23 Can you say amen? Can you do that for me? 12:27 I want you to be praying through the entire sermon. 12:30 Lord, speak to me, that's the first prayer. 12:35 And the second prayer is, 12:37 Lord give me courage to do what you want me to do. 12:42 Are you with me? 12:44 Lord speak to me, 12:45 and Lord give me courage to do what you are calling me to do. 12:51 My second favor is, 12:54 is that if God speaks to you throughout the message 12:58 or something resonates with your heart. 13:01 We don't need to applause, we don't need to clap, 13:03 we can just say amen. 13:06 Can you say amen? Now amen is not a black word. 13:11 It is not just for black churches, 13:12 can you say amen? 13:14 Amen. 13:15 And for some reason, people think, 13:17 if you say amen, "Oh, that's the black church." 13:21 No, the Bible says 13:23 that's going to be the last word 13:24 when all is said and done, everyone will say amen. 13:28 No was going to say amen. Amen. 13:34 And so those are my only two requests, 13:39 pray, pray and pray. 13:42 But before we officially begin, 13:45 I want you to bow your heads with me, 13:46 and you can kneel as much as possible. 13:56 Mighty God, everlasting Father, 14:02 we are here before you in Louisville. 14:07 We have not come to this place for more of the same. 14:12 We have not come to this place just to check off our list 14:16 another GYC that we have attended. 14:19 We have come to experience something 14:22 that will move the kingdom of God on earth forward. 14:26 And so we pray, Lord, 14:28 that don't just speak to us in an average way. 14:32 Lord, just don't give us the same old sermons. 14:37 We are praying 14:38 that at this moment God would be in this place, 14:42 and because we sense that God is here, 14:45 let every voice be hushed. 14:49 And that the world, when it has come to an end, 14:52 and you take over the affairs of this planet. 14:56 May the universe look back in Louisville, 15:00 and say that "Out of this little city, 15:04 God had begun something 15:06 that has started the domino effect 15:09 of the final events of earth's history." 15:12 Father we are ready to go home. 15:15 Revive us again, 15:17 and help us above all else to see, to know, 15:22 and to love Jesus. 15:25 This is our prayer. 15:27 And we trust that you will help this 15:29 to be our experience, 15:31 for we ask in the mighty name of Jesus. 15:35 Let all of God's people say. Amen. 15:43 The title of my message is Come Back, 15:50 Come Back. 15:55 I want you to know tonight 15:57 that as we begin this presentation 16:00 that beliefs lead to behaviors. 16:04 You see, there is a story about a young man. 16:08 Today was the day that this young man 16:10 was going to finally approach the prettiest girl 16:14 in his high school history class. 16:16 Sandra. 16:18 And invite her out in his new Honda Accord 16:21 for some food and fun. 16:24 Beliefs lead to behaviors. 16:27 He believed that she was single, 16:29 and clearly waiting for the right guy 16:31 to come along, 16:33 and treat her as she deserved like a respectful intelligent 16:36 young Seventh-day Adventist young woman. 16:39 And he believed that he was the man for the job, 16:42 because beliefs lead to behaviors. 16:45 As the class bell rang, 16:47 he hunted her down amidst the passing students 16:51 as they left their classrooms for the last time that week. 16:55 As she turned around, startled by his hand, 16:58 he politely apologized 17:00 and began to start the small talk, 17:03 beliefs lead to behaviors. 17:07 As he finally came 17:08 to his well-crafted appeal for dinner 17:11 and a movie, she smiled and said, 17:13 "Well, my boyfriend has a football game this weekend, 17:18 and I'll probably be spending it with him. 17:20 He plays for the rival school's football team, 17:23 but you're so cute for asking." 17:28 And I walked away devastated, 17:32 because beliefs lead to behaviors. 17:36 You see, since the dawn of time, 17:39 this has always been true. 17:41 Eve believed that the tree was desirable to make one wise, 17:46 her belief didn't make it true, 17:48 and it didn't make it any less impactful on human history. 17:53 And so she ate of the fruit 17:54 of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 17:57 Beliefs lead to behaviors. 18:01 Cain believed that he could be accepted by God 18:05 through the sacrifice of his best fruits 18:08 without blood. 18:10 And so he came boldly before the Lord 18:13 without that which God had requested 18:16 and expected to be accepted by God, 18:19 because beliefs lead to behaviors. 18:22 Even in the dark ages, 18:24 Luther believed 18:26 that painful penance was required for forgiveness. 18:30 So he crawled up the steps 18:33 of an enormous cathedral upon his knees 18:36 begging for God's mercy on every single step, 18:39 because beliefs lead to behaviors. 18:42 There was a man inside the KKK 18:45 that believed he was superior to a black man 18:48 simply because of the color of his own skin. 18:51 So we hung the man and his family 18:53 from the highest tree in town, 18:54 because beliefs lead to behaviors. 18:58 There was a man that believed 19:00 that he was more worthy of voting 19:02 because of his gender. 19:04 So we instituted laws preventing women from voting, 19:08 because beliefs lead to behaviors. 19:12 Hitler believed 19:13 in the superiority of his people. 19:16 So he systematically executed millions that were different, 19:21 because beliefs lead to behaviors. 19:24 Hutus believe 19:26 that Tutsis were a scourge to be removed from the earth. 19:30 So they hunted them down with machetes 19:33 and killed them a million in three months, 19:37 because beliefs lead to behaviors. 19:42 The Japanese at one point 19:44 believed that Koreans were beneath them. 19:48 So they turned their women into comfort women, 19:52 because beliefs lead to behaviors. 19:58 There was a young woman, last year, sat on the phone, 20:05 and she could not pray, she could not study her Bible, 20:12 she could not attend church. 20:15 Why is it that these behaviors were so difficult? 20:18 Well, as the conversation went on, 20:20 it also became clear 20:22 that she believed that God hated her, 20:24 and she said, Sebastian, 20:26 all I'm praying is that God doesn't hate me, 20:31 that God has not cast me off, 20:33 that God is no longer interested 20:35 in my eternal wellbeing. 20:37 It makes perfect sense 20:39 why you don't want to come to His house. 20:42 It makes perfect sense 20:43 why you don't want to read His word, 20:46 it makes perfect sense 20:48 why you don't want to fellowship 20:49 with His people in His church, makes perfect sense, 20:54 you don't want to do things on His time. 20:57 And you definitely are not pursuing His will, 21:01 because beliefs lead to behaviors. 21:05 But you see among the most important beliefs in life 21:10 is who you believe who you are. 21:13 It is what you believe about identity, 21:17 but unfortunately for many of us, 21:19 we are going through an identity crisis, 21:21 and in many ways 21:23 our church is going through the same thing. 21:27 Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, 21:30 he gives an account to what happens. 21:32 To the human soul when it dealts its own purpose. 21:38 He says, "For the secret of man's being 21:41 is not only to live, 21:44 but to live for something definite. 21:46 Without a firm notion of what he is living for, 21:50 man will not accept life 21:53 and will rather destroy himself than remain on earth." 21:57 You see some people believe 21:59 that we are constrained to be who we are by the categories, 22:03 by which they separate us. 22:06 So Marxists believe 22:07 that we are interpreted by categories of class, 22:11 Floridians believe 22:12 that we are separated by childhood neurosis, 22:16 feminists by gender, 22:18 pop commentators by your generation. 22:20 Oh, you are the silent generation. 22:22 These are the baby boomers, these are the Gen Xers, 22:27 these are the Millennials, 22:28 this is the helicopter generation. 22:31 So therefore, we believe that, 22:32 "Oh, I'm constrained to be this way," 22:34 so we explain our behaviors, 22:36 we explain what we like and what we don't like, 22:38 because I'm a Millennial. 22:41 Because I'm a Gen Xer, I'm all about family life. 22:44 When the Bible is all about family life, 22:47 it doesn't matter your generation. 22:50 But you see other people believe 22:52 that we must have the courage to be. 22:55 In other words, we must decide who we want to be. 23:00 I remember growing up, my father used to tell me 23:02 that one of his favorite poems was, the poem about Invictus, 23:07 captain of my own soul. 23:12 I'm the one that determines my fate. 23:14 My father used to tell me, "Sebastian, 23:18 when people hear the name, Sebastian Braxton, 23:22 you determine what comes to their minds." 23:25 You see it was already the seed planted in the soul to say, 23:29 you decide who you want to be. 23:31 You must have the courage to be who you want. 23:34 Take control of your life. 23:36 Carve out your place out of the mountain of time, 23:41 and choose your position. 23:43 And as this view sees it, we all have the freedom. 23:46 Yes, 23:47 the terrible responsibility to be whatever we want to be. 23:52 All it takes is courage and willpower, 23:56 and we can actually we are told invent ourselves. 24:03 Other people believe that we are constituted to be. 24:09 This is the oak is in the acorn theory, 24:12 a new age mindsets, 24:15 this view that sees each of us is not only having a soul, 24:19 but also a soul companion that called it, 24:22 this guardian spirit called a demon, 24:25 directs us even in the choice of our bodies and parents. 24:29 So the secret of life 24:30 according to these new age gurus 24:32 is to read our life stories 24:35 and glimpse the guardian spirit in action 24:38 and give it free reign in our lives. 24:41 Only so will the acorn become the oak. 24:44 And each of us grow to be the people 24:47 we were destined to become. 24:53 You see, each of these three positions, 24:56 they contain a grain of truth. 25:00 To some extent, 25:01 we are constrained by our circumstances 25:04 to become the people we are today. 25:06 I didn't decide to be born in a Jamaican family, 25:09 God decided that. 25:11 To some degree, 25:13 we are constrained by our circumstances. 25:16 I didn't decide to be male, God decided that. 25:19 He decided what generation I was to be born. 25:22 He decided what generation we were to be born. 25:26 You see GYC, and I are the same age. 25:30 I was baptized the year that GYC started. 25:34 So I tell people, "I don't know 25:35 what the Seventh-day Adventist Church is without GYC." 25:40 In my mind, it is always been in my spiritual experience, 25:45 but the reality is there are people 25:47 who know what the church was like before GYC. 25:51 They remembered the burdens and the fire 25:53 that led to its birth and its creation, 25:56 because they were young people 25:57 who were tired of being entertained. 26:00 They were young people 26:01 who wanted the Bible and the Bible only. 26:04 They were young people who were sick and tired of the fact 26:07 that why is it I can't invite my friend to church, 26:10 because I'm not sure 26:11 what my pastor is going to preach. 26:14 Young people who recognize 26:16 that why is it you got to pull teeth 26:18 just to get your church to do what it was created to do. 26:23 Somebody doesn't know what I'm talking about. 26:27 That is why GYC was started. 26:30 We don't have to wait on others. 26:33 We don't have to wait on some adult 26:35 or deep pockets in order to do God's work, 26:37 and to move the kingdom of God forward. 26:39 We already have a father who has deep pockets. 26:42 Amen. 26:45 And so we recognize 26:47 that we don't believe just being constrained to be, 26:50 but we also have to recognize that to some extent, 26:53 it does take courage to be a Christian. 26:57 Courage to be our true selves, to be authentic, 27:00 and to live an authentic life. 27:04 You see we live in a time where people are afraid 27:07 to tell people they're Adventists. 27:09 Mercy. 27:11 I was sitting by the elevator just a couple days ago. 27:15 And as I came around, I saw a young lady, 27:18 and I began to make conversation. 27:20 She had a very interesting thing 27:22 on her back. 27:23 And I said, "Oh, what's that?" 27:25 She said, "Oh, well, you know, 27:26 I'm just here for a conference." 27:28 So clearly she didn't know I was Adventist. 27:30 So I'm like, I know what conference 27:32 you're here for, 27:33 I can see it on the nametag, but I didn't say anything. 27:35 I just wanted to see 27:37 if she would tell me that she was Adventist. 27:39 If this was GYC, 27:42 because we all know the conversation, 27:45 we start talking to someone and we beat around the bush. 27:49 We're ashamed to tell people why we're here. 27:51 We're ashamed to tell people on the bus, on the train, 27:55 up in the gas station. 27:56 Oh, well, why are you doing this? 27:57 Why are we ashamed? Mercy. 28:01 It takes courage to be. There is no question. 28:06 Someone has to decide in their mind tonight 28:09 that I'm tired of being a coward, 28:11 because a Christian and a coward 28:12 are not synonymous. 28:14 You cannot be both. 28:16 If you are a Christian by definition, 28:19 you are not a coward. 28:20 And if you are a coward by definition, 28:22 you are not a Christian. 28:25 Amen. Amen. 28:28 This church was not born by people 28:31 who were cowards. 28:33 This church was not born by people 28:35 who were afraid to be different. 28:39 It was born by people who were doubted and laughed at 28:42 when they sold their fields waiting for Jesus to come. 28:46 Went through the disappointment and still stayed with the Lord. 28:49 Amen. 28:52 These are the people 28:55 that taught us it takes courage to be. 28:59 And to some extent, 29:02 we are constituted to be something. 29:06 The Bible says that we were predestined to be conformed 29:09 to the image of God's Son. 29:14 But the biblical position is not being constrained to be, 29:19 it is not the courage to be, 29:21 it is not the constitution to be, it is called to be. 29:27 I want you to take your Bibles 29:28 and go with me to the Book of Genesis Chapter 1. 29:32 Genesis Chapter 1, 29:36 we believe that we were called to be 29:40 what we were created to be. 29:43 All of a sudden, this call comes, 29:46 but it's not coming out of nowhere. 29:48 It goes all the way back to the beginning of time. 29:52 When you're there, you can say amen. 29:53 Amen. 29:55 The Bible says in Genesis 1:26, 29:59 a verse so familiar to us. 30:02 It says, "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, 30:06 according to our likeness, 30:08 and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, 30:11 over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, 30:13 and over all the earth, 30:14 and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." 30:17 I want to make some observations 30:19 about this text. 30:21 The Bible says, that God, 30:23 when He was looking at making men, 30:26 He did not look at something else. 30:28 This was not completely a unique creature. 30:32 The Bible says, "Let us make man in our image." 30:36 In other words, man cannot understand himself 30:40 if he does not know God. 30:43 We must recognize that being made in the image of God 30:48 must determine the fact that to understand who I am, 30:52 and who I'm called to be requires me to understand God. 30:58 The least amount of knowledge of God 31:01 will move us one step forward towards our own identity. 31:05 Who we were created and called to be, 31:08 but you see, the text doesn't stop there. 31:11 It says, "According to our likeness 31:15 and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea." 31:20 Now the important point here is twofold. 31:22 Number one, 31:24 the Bible doesn't say that they were born rulers. 31:28 No, the Bible says, let them have dominion. 31:32 You cannot give dominion if you don't have dominion. 31:36 So in other words, God had dominion 31:39 over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the air, 31:41 over the creeping things and the cattle upon the earth, 31:46 and he gave it over to Adam. 31:49 But before He gave Adam dominion, 31:52 He made sure that Adam was like Him. 31:55 God is not willing to give dominion over to someone 31:58 that is not like Him. 32:00 Before I give you dominion over this, you must be like me. 32:05 So in other words, 32:07 if God is giving dominion over to Adam and to Eve, 32:10 He must conclude in His mind 32:14 that because they are in the image of God, 32:17 they will rule, 32:18 they will exercise their dominion 32:21 no different than I would. 32:23 They are fit representatives. 32:25 If that is clear, let's say amen. 32:26 Amen. 32:28 In other words, 32:30 in order for Adam and Eve to truly be who they are, 32:36 their focus must be 32:37 to be 100 percent representatives of Jesus, 32:41 100 percent representatives of God. 32:44 There must be no deviation. 32:46 They should be able to say if you see me, 32:49 you have seen the Father, because I am in His image. 32:55 That's what they were created to say, 32:57 that's what they were made to be, 32:59 but of course something went wrong. 33:05 And I have to make this point 33:07 before we go any further forward. 33:12 To represent God, to be God like, 33:17 to be His representative 33:19 is what it means to be a human being. 33:22 This is not just a church thing, this is not just, 33:26 oh, we need to be restored into the image of God, 33:28 we've fallen, no, the fall of humanity. 33:33 So therefore to represent God 33:35 is what it means to be a human being, 33:37 and the least, 33:38 the less and less that we represent Christ, 33:40 the less and less human we are. 33:44 But in case we didn't accept that point, 33:49 God had people throughout every single generation, 33:53 every single generation that He was calling to say, 33:57 this is my representative, this is my representative, 34:00 this is my representative. 34:01 But every single time, even when He had a nation, 34:06 they failed, they came up short. 34:10 And so just then when all hope was lost, 34:14 there were God's people. 34:16 The Jews, supposedly his representatives on earth, 34:20 deep in darkness, but the Bible says, 34:23 "When the fullness of time was come, 34:27 God sent forth His Son." 34:33 Who could be a better representative 34:35 than His own Son? 34:38 I want you to go with me to the Book of John 1. 34:42 John 1:18. 34:59 John 1:18. 35:01 Are you there, can you say amen? 35:03 The Bible says, "No one has seen God when, 35:08 at any time. 35:11 The only begotten son 35:14 who is in the bosom of the father, 35:17 he has what, 35:19 declared him, he has revealed him, 35:23 he has made the invisible God visible." 35:27 In other words when the Bible is talking here about Christ 35:30 and saying, "No one has seen God in any time, 35:32 but up until this point, Jesus saw God all the time." 35:38 So when Jesus comes down and He says, 35:40 "No man has seen God in any time, 35:42 but Jesus has seen God." 35:46 And He comes down and He says, "But this Man, this Son, 35:50 who is in the bosom of the Father, 35:53 He is in close communion, 35:54 He is in close relationship with the Father, 35:57 He has declared Him, He has revealed Him, 36:00 He's made Him known." 36:02 But you see, Christ recognized 36:07 that as He came down to fulfill humanity's purpose, 36:13 to eventually take us back and show us 36:16 what is possible for a human being to become. 36:20 What exactly is God's ideal for His children? 36:24 What did He have in mind when He made mankind? 36:28 Christ says, "I've come to present this idea." 36:33 But Jesus recognized 36:35 that He was not just coming down to brag 36:37 and say, no one can represent God 36:39 better than me. 36:40 Jesus wasn't just coming down to say, "Oh, I've revealed God. 36:44 Good luck, I hope you get your act together." 36:47 No, the Bible says that Christ was not content 36:51 just living to represent God Himself, 36:54 but He issued a call. 36:57 I want you to go with me 36:58 to the Book of Matthew Chapter 4. 37:03 Matthew Chapter 4, beginning in verse 19. 37:07 When you're there, you can say amen. 37:17 The Bible says, beginning in verse 18, 37:20 "And Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee, 37:24 saw two brothers, 37:25 Simon called Peter and Andrew, his brother 37:27 casting a net into the sea, because they were what, 37:31 they were fishermen." 37:33 Then Jesus said to them, what two words, follow me, 37:39 with those two words 37:41 Jesus has changed the course of human history. 37:45 You see we don't recognize that 37:47 when Jesus spoke to Peter and to Andrew 37:50 and eventually to James and John. 37:53 The movement that Christ began by saying, 37:55 "I am living the life 37:57 that God has called humanity to live, 38:00 and I want to invite you into this experience. 38:04 I want you to become my disciple. 38:06 I'm not just going to teach you how to be a good Christian. 38:09 I'm not just going to teach you how to be a good men. 38:12 I'm not just going to teach you how to be a good believer. 38:14 This is about what it means to be a human being. 38:18 I'm going to show you 38:19 how to live according to God's idea. 38:23 And so He says, follow me, Jesus said. 38:28 And when Jesus said that he was saying, 38:30 stop living for your parents, stop living for your country, 38:35 stop living for your culture, stop living for prestige, 38:40 for power, and for pleasure. 38:42 I need you to live for the audience of one man 38:45 and that person is Jesus Christ. 38:48 You see, right here in this room, 38:50 we may be at GYC, 38:52 but it doesn't mean that we haven't lost our focus. 38:56 People come to conferences all the time and miss Christ. 38:59 Mercy. 39:01 But I got to sit and listen to Mark Finley, 39:04 but I got to sit and listen to this favorite speaker, 39:07 but I got to get my questions answered on relationships, 39:10 but did you get Christ. 39:13 There are people in this room 39:15 that are going to leave GYC delivered. 39:17 People are going to leave this conference going on 39:20 to do amazing things for the kingdom of God, 39:22 because God was speaking for them, 39:24 because they were seeking Christ, 39:27 and Christ found them. 39:32 And Christ says, "The call is to follow Me." 39:36 But when Jesus said, "Follow me," 39:38 He was saying it's not about being original. 39:40 It's about following the original. 39:43 Too many times we're dyeing our hair, 39:46 we're getting weird haircuts, 39:47 we're buying the latest shoes here, 39:49 and the latest that there to make ourselves unique. 39:52 You are never more unique 39:53 than when you are following Christ. 39:56 You want to be your true self, 39:58 stop following fashion, follow Christ. 40:01 He says, follow me, and Jesus was saying, 40:04 "Stop all the diversion 40:06 and the distractions of life and living. 40:09 Come to a place of singleness of mind." 40:14 We must come back to that place where we say, 40:16 "Look, the very first thing we do in the morning 40:19 is go to Christ." 40:21 I watched a presentation, and a man said, 40:24 "If you are between the ages of 15 and 35 years old, 40:29 the very first thing you do in the morning 40:32 is grab your phone." 40:35 Somebody in this room knows what I'm talking about. 40:39 Yeah, you may be at GYC, you may be, 40:42 "Oh, yeah, we had a prayer session," 40:43 but as soon as you wake up in that hotel, 40:45 "Where's my phone?" 40:47 Nobody is saying, "Where's my Lord?" 40:52 Where's the audience chamber? 40:54 Where can I go to get my blessing, 40:56 I need to connect with Christ first 40:58 before you check your phone. 41:01 Soon as people arrive at GYC in a hotel, 41:03 "How do you get on the WiFi?" 41:06 How do you get connected to Christ? 41:09 Somebody better say amen. You know I'm telling the truth. 41:15 "Hey, do you have the passcode? Do you have the password?" 41:19 "Oh, you've got an account, can I use your account." 41:21 Why? 41:22 So you can get on Instagram, so you can Snapchat, 41:25 this is what I'm doing at GYC. 41:29 While we're out sending messages to others, 41:31 Christ is sending messages to us, not getting through. 41:36 Jesus says, follow me, 41:39 noticed that for Peter and Andrew. 41:41 I want you to look at the text again. 41:43 The Bible says that Jesus called them, 41:46 and in verse 20, 41:47 they immediately left their nets 41:49 and they followed Him. 41:51 This is so important. 41:52 It was assumed 41:55 that to follow Christ meant forsaking their nets. 41:59 Jesus didn't say, "Forsake your nets." 42:01 He just said, "Follow me." 42:02 But they assume, because Christ called me 42:05 to follow Him, I must leave these nets. 42:08 I cannot be a fisherman and a follower. 42:12 But you see, too many of us are trying to follow Jesus 42:14 without forsaking. 42:18 We want to be Seventh-day Adventists, 42:20 we want to worship on the correct day, 42:23 we want to be at church, we want to be blessed, 42:25 we want to be in Sabbath school, 42:26 but we also want our worldly stuff too. 42:30 We still want to go back to our worldly music. 42:34 We still want to go back to our worldly dress. 42:37 Why, but you know we're so smart 42:38 and we're so politically correct, 42:40 because we only wear those skirts 42:42 when we're with our non-Adventist friends. 42:48 We only watch those movies 42:49 when we're with our non-Adventist friends, 42:51 because they won't judge us. 42:53 No, because you won't be convicted, 42:56 'cause you know how to behave inside the church, 42:59 but then you get unbelieving friend, 43:01 so you can do the evil in your own heart. 43:05 Jesus says follow me. 43:07 Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, 43:09 "When Jesus calls a man, He beats him come and die." 43:16 This is why we are resisting the call that Christ is giving. 43:21 We don't really want to follow Jesus. 43:23 We want to do what the Book of Isaiah says, 43:26 when seven women take hold of one man, 43:29 say let us wear our own clothes, 43:31 eat our own food, 43:32 but let us be called by your name. 43:38 Jesus says follow Me. 43:42 But you see, 43:44 there are some of us who are forsaking, 43:47 but we are not following. 43:50 You see, we may leave worldly things behind, 43:53 we may change our diets, 43:55 we may give up Christless communities 43:58 and painful habits, 43:59 but a Christ like life is not, is more than denial, 44:04 it is decisive, it is devotional. 44:07 We do not just shun evil, we pursue good. 44:11 You know some of us live in here 44:12 as if we're going to-- 44:14 as if sin is a physical disease, 44:17 as if it's something you can't-- 44:18 oh, I can't hang around with those people, 44:20 because you see how they dress. 44:22 Because they dress that way, 44:24 that's the people you need to be hanging out with, 44:27 not because you're trying to become like them, 44:29 but because you're trying to win them. 44:32 Call them higher, but many of us live like, 44:36 "Oh, I need to shun the community of these people, 44:39 and I need to shun away from these things." 44:41 How are you going to reach the heathen, 44:42 you're not with the heathen. 44:45 How are you going to win souls, you're not with souls. 44:49 Everybody wants to be a missionary, 44:51 where they're not. 44:52 Oh, I can go and go to Africa and win this, 44:56 but back in LA, I got nothing to say. 45:03 Anybody can pretend to be spiritual for two weeks. 45:09 But Jesus says follow Me, 45:12 see as Lewis wrote in "The Weight of Glory." 45:14 If you asked 20 good men today 45:18 what they thought was the highest of virtues, 45:22 19 of them would reply unselfishness, 45:27 but if you asked almost any of the great Christians of old, 45:31 he would have replied love. 45:34 You see what has happened? 45:37 A negative term has been substituted for a positive one, 45:42 and this is more than just a play on words. 45:46 You see, the negative ideal of unselfishness 45:49 carries within the suggestion 45:52 not primarily of securing good for others 45:55 but of going without good things ourselves 45:59 as if our abstinence and their happiness 46:03 was not the important point. 46:06 C.S Lewis goes on to say, "I don't think 46:09 this is the Christian virtue of love." 46:12 It would seem that our Lord finds our desires 46:15 not too strong but too weak. 46:18 We are half hearted creatures, 46:21 fooling about with drink, and sex, and ambition 46:24 when infinite joy is offered us, 46:27 like an ignorant child 46:29 who wants to play within the mud in the slums 46:34 because he cannot imagine what it is like 46:38 when he's offered a holiday by the sea. 46:42 We are far too easily pleased. 46:48 I don't want this point to be lost. 46:52 You see, whatever we are struggling with here tonight, 46:57 it is easy for you and for me to say, oh, Lord, 47:00 this lust that I'm struggling with, 47:02 this jealousy that I'm struggling with, 47:04 this appetite that I'm struggling with, 47:06 the problem is my desire is too strong. 47:08 Just go without this, more fasting, more neglect, 47:12 more abstinence, no, no, no, no, no. 47:14 The question is not 47:16 why am I trying to eat this late at night? 47:18 Why am I trying to wear this? 47:20 Why am I trying to listen to this? 47:21 Why am I trying to have a relationship 47:22 with this person? 47:24 That is not the question. 47:27 The question is, 47:28 why are you so satisfied with something so cheap? 47:37 We are too easily pleased. 47:40 I sit down with a young girl one time 47:42 and she said, "You know, Sebastian, 47:44 I'm in this relationship with this unbeliever." 47:46 And I said, listen, "You know what you have to do. 47:51 You're not coming to me 47:53 thinking I'm gonna rubber stamp your relationship. 47:56 You and I both know 47:57 you don't have one biblical verse 47:59 to support what you're doing. 48:01 And if we want an example, let's go to Solomon, 48:03 and let's what had got him." 48:06 She looked at me and she said, "Yeah, but you know, 48:08 he's such a nice guy, and he's kind, and he's loving, 48:11 and he's giving, and he's faithful, 48:13 and all these different things." 48:14 And I said, "Sister, let me give you two options. 48:18 You can have a young man who is kind, and loving, 48:22 and faithful, and he cooks for you, 48:24 and rubs your feet, and all that stuff. 48:28 But when it comes time to go to church, 48:32 he is not interested. 48:34 He may even be pleasure. 48:35 Hey, that's your religion, 48:37 but eventually he's gonna get to you 48:38 when you realize that you're praying with your girlfriends, 48:40 and they're praying with their husbands, 48:42 but you can't pray with yours. 48:44 That's option A. Or you can have option B. 48:48 He is kind, he is loving, he is faithful, 48:51 he rubs your feet, he does all that 48:52 but the man is a man of God. 48:55 Those are your options. 48:57 So tell me which one would you prefer?" 49:00 "Well, I'd love to have a man of God." 49:02 "Then go after the man of God." 49:05 Do not allow yourself to settle for this. 49:09 God is able to give you much more than this. 49:14 Getting off my notes. 49:19 The Bible says "Follow me." 49:24 Jesus says, "Follow me 49:28 and I will make you fishers of men." 49:32 You see, discipleship to Jesus 49:36 is the practical outliving of the gospel. 49:39 It is the Christ focus life 49:42 that experiences the soul focus transformation. 49:47 We do the following, Jesus does the making. 49:50 I like that. 49:52 Since the first time I heard it, 49:54 I've always liked it. 49:56 You do the following, Jesus does the making. 49:59 Don't try to do Jesus' work. 50:03 You do the following, Jesus does the making. 50:06 In these two words, 50:08 we're being called back to what we were created to be. 50:15 But, brothers and sisters, 50:18 among the most important things to follow Jesus 50:23 is to follow Him in what He believed. 50:27 You see, I've come to a resolution 50:31 as we look at our identity as individuals 50:34 and as a church that I want to believe what Jesus believed 50:38 because, if beliefs lead to behaviors, 50:42 and I want to behave like Jesus. 50:44 Do you want to behave like Jesus? 50:46 Yes, amen. 50:47 So if beliefs lead to behaviors, 50:50 then I want to believe what Jesus believed. 50:53 Can you say amen? Amen. 50:55 And let me just take you on a journey. 50:58 Jesus believed that men shall not live by bread alone, 51:02 but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 51:06 Jesus believed that there was one God. 51:09 That there was a Father in heaven 51:11 and that there was the Holy Spirit 51:13 that proceeds from the Father that He could send, 51:16 and that Jesus also believed 51:18 that He had glory with the Father 51:20 before the world was. 51:23 Jesus believed according to Matthew 19:4, 51:28 that God who made the male and female in the beginning, 51:31 and instituted the institution of marriage, 51:35 and believed that God had made them male and female, 51:39 not only in the beginning 51:40 but He gave them the gift of marriage 51:42 and God says, 51:43 and what God has joined together 51:45 let not men put a sunder. 51:46 God didn't believe in divorce. 51:50 Jesus believed that man by nature is evil, 51:54 that he is defiled by the things 51:56 that proceed from his heart. 51:58 Jesus believed that when He was walking on the earth 52:01 He told the disciples, 52:03 "I saw Satan fall like lightning." 52:05 He told Peter Simon, "Simon, Satan has desired you." 52:10 He believed in a great controversy. 52:13 Jesus believed that His life, His death, 52:15 and His resurrection would provide atonement for humanity. 52:19 Jesus believed that no man could enter the kingdom of God 52:23 unless he was born of the water and of the spirit. 52:25 Jesus believed 52:27 that the growth of the Christian is a process, 52:30 first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn on the ear. 52:34 Jesus believed that upon this truth 52:39 that He is the Christ, 52:40 the Son of God that He would build His church. 52:45 Jesus has a church. 52:46 Can you say amen? Amen. 52:48 And upon this truth that He is the Christ, 52:50 the Son of the living God, He would build His church 52:53 and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. 52:57 He believed that in the time near His coming 53:00 that His disciples should be giving meat in due season. 53:05 That's called present truth. 53:08 And He believed 53:10 that He was the true shepherd of His fold, 53:13 and He would bring His other sheep 53:16 in other folds to His fold, 53:19 and bring them into complete unity. 53:22 Jesus believed that the Sabbath was made for men, 53:26 and He made it His custom 53:29 to go into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, 53:33 and He affirmed that the heavens and the earth 53:35 would pass away before the law would pass away. 53:39 Jesus believed in the gift of prophecy 53:42 'cause He looked at His disciples 53:45 on the Mount of Olives and He said, 53:48 "And if when you see the abomination 53:51 or desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet." 53:56 Jesus believed in prophets. 53:59 Jesus believed 54:01 in spiritual gifts in ministries. 54:03 Jesus believed 54:05 that He was going to go to His Father's house, 54:08 and that He was going to prepare a place for us, 54:11 and that He was coming back to receive us unto Himself, 54:15 that where He is there we may be also. 54:17 Jesus believed according to John 11, 54:21 that when His friend Lazarus was dead, 54:23 that Lazarus was asleep. 54:27 And Jesus believed according to John 5:28 and 29, 54:31 that there were two resurrections, 54:33 the resurrection unto condemnation 54:35 and the resurrection unto life. 54:37 Jesus believed that eventually all who cling to sin, 54:41 and sin itself would be destroyed. 54:45 Just to summarize, 54:48 the book "Medical Ministry" page 49 says, 54:52 "Christ was a Seventh-day Adventist 54:58 to all intents and purposes." 55:03 You see, what that means is if Jesus was alive today, 55:06 the question we should be asking ourselves is, 55:08 if He was walking around what church would He join? 55:14 But the prophet already told us. 55:17 He was a Seventh-day Adventist 55:19 so when you look at the gospels, 55:21 and you're looking at the life of Christ, 55:23 you're looking at the life 55:24 of what a Seventh-day Adventist should be living. 55:27 You're not just looking, "oh, that's just Christ. 55:29 He's just a general Christian." No, no, no, no, no, no, no. 55:35 We believe what Jesus believed. 55:38 But the problem is 55:40 even though we believe what He believed, 55:42 we don't live the way He lived, which tells me, 55:46 we don't believe what He believed. 55:49 We mentally agree, it makes sense, 55:55 but that's not faith, 56:00 because Jesus believed these things, 56:03 He lived a certain way. 56:08 And when you look at all the criticisms 56:10 of unbelievers, 56:11 you'll never find the criticism of Jesus Himself. 56:15 All people want to do in the world 56:16 is redefine Jesus. 56:18 Oh, here's the real Jesus on the History Channel. 56:21 He actually grew up in this village. 56:23 This was, He actually wasn't really that poor. 56:27 But they can't argue with the man's life and impact, 56:31 they can't argue with the fact that you can't find His body. 56:37 We want to believe what Jesus believed. 56:46 So I go into my closing, I want to read a quote, 56:50 I'm gonna ask my wife to come out 56:54 as we go into our appeal. 56:56 Dr. James Allan Francis, he wrote these words 57:01 to the first Baptist Union Youth in 1926 57:05 under the title The Real Jesus. 57:09 He said, "Let us now turn to the story. 57:13 A child is born in an obscure village, 57:16 he is brought up in another obscure village, 57:19 he works in a carpenter shop until he is 30, 57:21 and then for three brief years is an itinerary preacher. 57:25 Proclaiming a message and living a life, 57:27 he never writes a book, he never holds an office, 57:29 he never raises an army, 57:31 he never has a family of his own, 57:33 he never owns a home, he never goes to college, 57:36 he never travels 200 miles from the place he was born. 57:39 He gathers a little group of friends about him, 57:42 teaches them his way of life. 57:44 While still a young man, 57:46 the tide of popular feelings turned against him, 57:50 the band of followers forsakes him. 57:53 One denies him, another betrays him, 57:55 he is turned over to his enemies, 57:57 he goes through the mockery of a trial, 58:00 he is nailed on a cross between two thieves, 58:03 and when dead, he is laid in a borrowed grave 58:06 by the kindness of a friend. 58:08 Those are the facts of his human life. 58:13 He rises from the dead. 58:16 Today, we look back across 1900 years and ask, 58:22 "What kind of a trail has he left 58:24 across the centuries." 58:27 When we try to sum up his influence, 58:31 all the armies that ever marched, 58:34 all the parliaments that ever sat, 58:37 all the kings that ever reigned 58:38 are absolutely minuscule in their influence on mankind 58:43 compared to this one solitary life." 58:47 He concludes by saying, "I remind you, 58:50 I ask you to pause a moment 58:52 and think of this thing that Christians believe. 58:55 We are talking about great adventures. 58:57 I remind you that there must be a great adventure in faith 59:01 before there is a great adventure." |
Revised 2016-07-11