It's such a blessing to
see all of your faces smiling
00:00:32.93\00:00:36.00
and praising the
Lord for outreach, amen.
00:00:36.03\00:00:40.74
It is our "I Believe" section,
and our special speaker,
00:00:40.77\00:00:46.44
our special person so to
speak is Josephine Elia Loi.
00:00:46.47\00:00:52.68
Josephine grew up
in an Adventist family
00:00:52.71\00:00:56.02
in Indonesia.
00:00:56.05\00:00:58.39
She came to the US for college,
00:00:58.42\00:01:00.66
where her life was
changed by the ministry
00:01:00.69\00:01:04.06
of an Adventist
student group in Boston.
00:01:04.09\00:01:07.83
Since then she had
the privilege of serving
00:01:07.86\00:01:10.63
in the Adventist
campus ministries
00:01:10.67\00:01:12.83
on secular universities.
00:01:12.87\00:01:15.30
She holds a
Chemical Engineering degree
00:01:15.34\00:01:17.67
from MIT and a
PhD from Princeton.
00:01:17.71\00:01:22.74
And currently works in
the engineering industry.
00:01:22.78\00:01:26.41
But above all,
Josephine loves the Lord.
00:01:26.45\00:01:31.99
And Josephine
today, she had to tell us
00:01:32.02\00:01:34.06
why she loves being a
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:01:34.09\00:01:38.96
And GYC wants
to know, Josephine,
00:01:38.99\00:01:41.76
why do you love
your church so much?
00:01:41.80\00:01:46.17
Thank you.
00:01:46.20\00:01:47.54
I love being a
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:01:52.97\00:01:56.78
Like many of you, I grew
up in an Adventist family,
00:01:56.81\00:02:00.42
which meant that I had
to learn the discipline
00:02:00.45\00:02:02.82
of being an Adventist.
00:02:02.85\00:02:04.29
Doesn't it take
discipline to be an Adventist?
00:02:04.32\00:02:07.36
But as I grew up to be
use and at young adult,
00:02:07.39\00:02:10.49
I've come to embrace
and realize the grandeur
00:02:10.53\00:02:13.66
of being a part of
God's last day movement.
00:02:13.70\00:02:16.56
It is bigger than anything
like I could ever imagine.
00:02:16.60\00:02:19.03
And tonight I
want to share with you,
00:02:19.07\00:02:21.20
three reasons why I love
being a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:02:21.24\00:02:24.67
Number one, I love
being a Seventh-day Adventist,
00:02:24.71\00:02:27.74
because we believe
and practice the Sabbath.
00:02:27.78\00:02:31.01
I cannot tell
you all the benefits
00:02:31.05\00:02:32.95
that I experience
from keeping the Sabbath
00:02:32.98\00:02:35.28
in my spiritual,
personal, and professional life.
00:02:35.32\00:02:39.29
When the sun sets
in the horizon today
00:02:39.32\00:02:41.82
in a few minutes,
00:02:41.86\00:02:43.19
we enter into a
sanctuary in time,
00:02:43.22\00:02:45.86
where God needs
mankind in a special way.
00:02:45.89\00:02:49.30
And the relevance of
this time cannot be overstated
00:02:49.33\00:02:52.00
in a busy 21st century life.
00:02:52.03\00:02:55.30
When I was a graduate
student a couple of years ago,
00:02:55.34\00:02:57.61
I went to an
event that talked about
00:02:57.64\00:02:59.94
"How to be a
Christian in the academic world,
00:02:59.97\00:03:03.01
in academia?"
00:03:03.04\00:03:04.45
It's an environment
with a lot of pressure
00:03:04.48\00:03:07.48
where you're
constantly evaluated
00:03:07.52\00:03:09.22
by the number of
papers you published,
00:03:09.25\00:03:11.29
the research, and
the books you write.
00:03:11.32\00:03:14.26
And it's a very hard environment
00:03:14.29\00:03:16.49
to be a Christian sometimes.
00:03:16.52\00:03:18.29
So the speaker at that
time was a faculty member
00:03:18.33\00:03:20.56
from Harvard University.
00:03:20.60\00:03:22.56
And she had a joint appointment
in the department of sociology.
00:03:22.60\00:03:26.47
So as an Adventist,
00:03:26.50\00:03:27.84
when I hear
Harvard and sociology,
00:03:27.87\00:03:30.37
I can think of a
name, Dr. David Williams.
00:03:30.41\00:03:34.01
Maybe some of you're familiar.
00:03:34.04\00:03:35.68
He is a Seventh-day Adventist
faculty member at Harvard.
00:03:35.71\00:03:39.71
He has spoken at GYC before.
00:03:39.75\00:03:42.48
And he's a practicing
Seventh-day Adventists
00:03:42.52\00:03:44.55
and he's also affiliated
00:03:44.59\00:03:45.92
with the
department of sociology.
00:03:45.95\00:03:48.52
Interestingly,
when she was speaking,
00:03:48.56\00:03:51.39
she mentioned the
importance of Sabbath,
00:03:51.43\00:03:53.90
not necessarily the
seventh day Sabbath,
00:03:53.93\00:03:56.33
but the concept of rest
from the never-ending toil
00:03:56.36\00:03:59.10
and work and research.
00:03:59.13\00:04:01.17
So I spoke to her afterwards.
00:04:01.20\00:04:03.34
And I asked her, "Do
you keep the Sabbath,"
00:04:03.37\00:04:06.51
and she said to
me, "I wish I could.
00:04:06.54\00:04:09.48
I would love to
be able to do that."
00:04:09.51\00:04:12.05
I asked her "If you
know Dr. David Williams,"
00:04:12.08\00:04:16.02
also shared with her,
I'm a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:04:16.05\00:04:18.45
And I felt the joy of
keeping the Sabbath in my life,
00:04:18.49\00:04:21.76
in academia.
00:04:21.79\00:04:23.83
She said that she
knows Dr. Williams,
00:04:23.86\00:04:26.23
and she admires his commitment
00:04:26.26\00:04:27.96
to keep the Sabbath every
week to stop from working,
00:04:28.00\00:04:31.27
and yet accomplish
so much in his career.
00:04:31.30\00:04:35.40
Do you know that the world
needs the Sabbath, friends?
00:04:35.44\00:04:38.77
Some of the world's
most brilliant minds,
00:04:38.81\00:04:41.08
the world's highest
achievers, the most ambitious,
00:04:41.11\00:04:44.61
they're craving for
a certain kind of rest.
00:04:44.65\00:04:47.05
Not the rest that
comes from just a vacation,
00:04:47.08\00:04:49.62
it's a rest from
this continual chase
00:04:49.65\00:04:52.75
to achieve and to succeed.
00:04:52.79\00:04:55.46
For many of them,
00:04:55.49\00:04:56.83
their identity is tied
with their achievements.
00:04:56.86\00:04:59.29
So it becomes very
hard to stop working,
00:04:59.33\00:05:01.83
'cause they have to have
the discipline and the courage
00:05:01.86\00:05:04.53
to stop and also to
not cave into the pressure
00:05:04.57\00:05:07.97
while their colleagues are
getting an extra day of work.
00:05:08.00\00:05:11.71
As Adventist, we know
that our lives are in His hand,
00:05:11.74\00:05:15.28
when we surrender in obedience.
00:05:15.31\00:05:17.18
We know that our
identity rests in Christ,
00:05:17.21\00:05:19.85
the fact that God
created us and He redeemed us.
00:05:19.88\00:05:23.39
Each week we have
a tangible reminder
00:05:23.42\00:05:26.05
that Christ is Lord
00:05:26.09\00:05:27.46
and that our identity is
not resting on what we do,
00:05:27.49\00:05:30.73
but who we are.
00:05:30.76\00:05:33.23
Because of the Sabbath,
00:05:33.26\00:05:34.63
I have liberty from
the tyranny of work,
00:05:34.66\00:05:37.80
and this becomes a source of joy
00:05:37.83\00:05:40.44
and a source of comfort
in my life as a professional.
00:05:40.47\00:05:45.57
Do you know that
we have a treasure
00:05:45.61\00:05:46.94
that the world
needs in the Sabbath.
00:05:46.98\00:05:49.58
There is nothing
to be ashamed of.
00:05:49.61\00:05:51.78
Number two, I love
being an Adventist,
00:05:51.81\00:05:54.22
because it gives
me a sense of identity
00:05:54.25\00:05:56.12
that infuses all
aspects of my life.
00:05:56.15\00:05:59.02
Every time I sit
down at a restaurant,
00:05:59.05\00:06:01.22
there are sections I skip,
00:06:01.26\00:06:03.09
because I'm a
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:06:03.12\00:06:05.36
There are things I drink,
00:06:05.39\00:06:06.73
and there are
things I do not drink,
00:06:06.76\00:06:08.10
because I'm a
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:06:08.13\00:06:10.20
There are tests I do not take,
because they're on the Sabbath.
00:06:10.23\00:06:13.60
There are opportunities I skip,
because they're on the Sabbath.
00:06:13.64\00:06:17.54
Being an Adventist
is the guiding principle
00:06:17.57\00:06:19.64
on what I study, where
I work, what books I read,
00:06:19.67\00:06:23.01
what I write and whom I marry.
00:06:23.04\00:06:26.08
It's a day to day reality,
not just a mental assent.
00:06:26.11\00:06:29.72
But it also gives me not
just a personal identity,
00:06:29.75\00:06:32.79
but also a communal identity.
00:06:32.82\00:06:34.99
I am part of a
people who worship God,
00:06:35.02\00:06:37.79
who made heaven and earth.
00:06:37.83\00:06:39.49
I am part of a people
from all nations of tongues
00:06:39.53\00:06:42.53
who have received the Gospel
00:06:42.56\00:06:44.13
that supersedes
all of our cultures.
00:06:44.17\00:06:46.84
I am part of a people
00:06:46.87\00:06:48.20
who keeps the faith of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
00:06:48.24\00:06:51.04
that has been passed
down through the ages
00:06:51.07\00:06:53.21
by the faithfulness
through the word of God.
00:06:53.24\00:06:55.71
I am a recipient
of a legacy of truth
00:06:55.74\00:06:58.38
that I too need to pass on.
00:06:58.41\00:07:01.22
We understand
00:07:01.25\00:07:02.58
that human
history has a direction,
00:07:02.62\00:07:04.35
which is towards
the second coming
00:07:04.39\00:07:05.72
of Jesus Christ.
00:07:05.75\00:07:07.56
Adventism is
philosophically sound,
00:07:07.59\00:07:10.03
harmonious, and
practically applicable.
00:07:10.06\00:07:13.46
Do you know that
the Adventist Church
00:07:13.50\00:07:15.30
has something to
contribute to the world
00:07:15.33\00:07:17.37
that nobody else can?
00:07:17.40\00:07:19.97
If someone asks, if
someone wants to know
00:07:20.00\00:07:22.27
how to keep the
Sabbath, who can they go to?
00:07:22.30\00:07:26.47
If someone
discovers the sanctuary
00:07:26.51\00:07:28.61
and want to learn
what the sacrifice meant,
00:07:28.64\00:07:31.05
the most holy
place, the holy place,
00:07:31.08\00:07:33.62
which church can they go to?
00:07:33.65\00:07:36.08
If someone's
reading Revelation 14,
00:07:36.12\00:07:38.52
who can say to them
00:07:38.55\00:07:39.89
like what Philip
said to the Ethiopian?
00:07:39.92\00:07:42.22
Do you understand
what you are reading?
00:07:42.26\00:07:44.49
And if they say, "How can
I unless someone guides me?
00:07:44.53\00:07:48.83
Who is left on this earth
00:07:48.86\00:07:50.60
who can give a
coherent explanation of Bible?
00:07:50.63\00:07:55.30
Which brings to
me to my last reason,
00:07:55.34\00:07:57.24
I love being an Adventist,
00:07:57.27\00:07:58.87
because it gives me a
distinct commission in life.
00:07:58.91\00:08:01.71
As a people who
have been given a mandate
00:08:01.74\00:08:04.28
to declare to the
world, a loud cry.
00:08:04.31\00:08:06.88
The everlasting
Gospel to prepare the world
00:08:06.92\00:08:08.98
to meet its savior.
00:08:09.02\00:08:10.89
It is a time sensitive
mission with a global scope,
00:08:10.92\00:08:13.86
and it requires every
one of us to be involved.
00:08:13.89\00:08:17.19
I found this
mission to be the engine
00:08:17.23\00:08:18.99
that gives me a vigor
and excitement in my life.
00:08:19.03\00:08:21.66
God has something for me to do.
00:08:21.70\00:08:23.97
It's a humbling
thought, but also exciting.
00:08:24.00\00:08:26.90
It means that
when I go to school.
00:08:26.94\00:08:28.70
I'm not just a regular
student, I'm a missionary.
00:08:28.74\00:08:31.87
It means that when I work,
I'm not just a regular worker,
00:08:31.91\00:08:35.11
I'm an ambassador for heaven.
00:08:35.14\00:08:37.15
When I write, I think about
how to engage the secular minds
00:08:37.18\00:08:40.45
to think about spiritual things.
00:08:40.48\00:08:42.45
In my corner as an engineer,
00:08:42.48\00:08:44.52
I think about how to
engage the technical minds
00:08:44.55\00:08:47.06
to think about God.
00:08:47.09\00:08:49.56
But there's more to
this, for Adventists,
00:08:49.59\00:08:52.66
we need to think
in a global scope
00:08:52.69\00:08:54.40
for our mission
to be accomplished.
00:08:54.43\00:08:56.93
We need to think how to
appeal to the eastern minds.
00:08:56.97\00:09:00.20
We need to think how
do we reach our Muslim,
00:09:00.24\00:09:02.84
our Buddhist, and
Hindu brothers and sisters,
00:09:02.87\00:09:04.97
those who make up the world,
most of the world's population.
00:09:05.01\00:09:08.58
Who will think about how
to reach the Arabian minds,
00:09:08.61\00:09:11.15
the Iraqi minds,
the Pakistani minds,
00:09:11.18\00:09:13.65
the Moroccan,
the Cambodian minds?
00:09:13.68\00:09:16.28
Closer to home,
00:09:16.32\00:09:17.65
who will think about who
are incarcerated and condemned.
00:09:17.69\00:09:23.59
What about those in the
highest levels of society?
00:09:23.63\00:09:26.53
It's going to take
every single one of us
00:09:26.56\00:09:28.76
for this to be accomplished.
00:09:28.80\00:09:30.93
And, friends, this
is what we're born for.
00:09:30.97\00:09:34.37
This is why we exist as
a church and individually.
00:09:34.40\00:09:38.67
In beholding the grand mission
that God has given to us.
00:09:38.71\00:09:42.24
I find a reason
why I live right now
00:09:42.28\00:09:45.21
in this earth's history.
00:09:45.25\00:09:47.48
Why I am a Seventh-day Adventist
00:09:47.52\00:09:49.02
at this present world.
00:09:49.05\00:09:50.82
It is to be part
of God's movement
00:09:50.85\00:09:52.89
that will herald Jesus coming.
00:09:52.92\00:09:55.86
Being an
Adventist is a high calling.
00:09:55.89\00:09:58.66
It demands something of you.
00:09:58.69\00:10:00.76
But what is the
point of having a faith
00:10:00.80\00:10:02.43
that is not worth giving all to.
00:10:02.46\00:10:05.47
It comes with many privileges,
00:10:05.50\00:10:06.97
but also responsibilities
to God and to our fellow men.
00:10:07.00\00:10:11.21
Adventism is a bold call
for an unconventional life,
00:10:11.24\00:10:14.54
a holy life in
this present world.
00:10:14.58\00:10:17.78
So why not embrace the entirety
00:10:17.81\00:10:20.42
of what it means to be
a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:10:20.45\00:10:23.52
So tonight on the
first day of 2016,
00:10:23.55\00:10:26.49
I would like to extend
an invitation to all of you
00:10:26.52\00:10:29.59
to respond yes to
the audacious call
00:10:29.62\00:10:33.06
to be a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:10:33.09\00:10:34.90
Be still
00:10:50.71\00:10:54.32
My soul
00:10:54.35\00:10:57.89
The Lord is on your side
00:10:57.92\00:11:05.36
Bear patiently
00:11:05.39\00:11:12.70
The cross of grief or pain
00:11:12.73\00:11:19.87
Leave to thy God
00:11:19.91\00:11:26.95
To order and provide
00:11:26.98\00:11:34.39
In every change
00:11:34.42\00:11:41.66
He faithful will remain
00:11:41.70\00:11:48.67
Be still
00:11:48.70\00:11:52.17
My soul
00:11:52.21\00:11:55.51
Thy best Your heavenly Friend
00:11:55.54\00:12:03.45
Through thorny ways
00:12:03.49\00:12:07.26
Leads to a joyful end
00:12:07.29\00:12:14.76
Be still
00:12:25.24\00:12:28.74
My soul
00:12:28.78\00:12:32.11
Thy God doth undertake
00:12:32.15\00:12:38.85
To guide the future
00:12:38.89\00:12:46.56
As He has a past
00:12:46.59\00:12:52.47
Your hope
00:12:52.50\00:12:55.87
Your confidence
00:12:55.90\00:13:01.54
Let nothing shake
00:13:01.58\00:13:06.68
All now mysterious
00:13:06.72\00:13:14.39
Shall be bright at last
00:13:14.42\00:13:20.50
Be still
00:13:20.53\00:13:24.07
My soul
00:13:24.10\00:13:27.47
The waves
00:13:27.50\00:13:29.64
And winds still know
00:13:29.67\00:13:35.71
His voice who ruled them
00:13:35.74\00:13:40.25
While He lived below
00:13:40.28\00:13:47.32
Be still
00:13:51.39\00:13:55.26
My soul
00:13:55.30\00:13:59.50
Be still
00:13:59.53\00:14:03.74
My soul
00:14:03.77\00:14:08.44
Be still.
00:14:08.48\00:14:12.81
Oh, GYC, do you love Jesus?
00:14:18.09\00:14:21.72
Oh yes, we love Jesus
00:14:21.76\00:14:24.23
Are you sure you love Jesus?
00:14:24.26\00:14:26.73
Yes, we're sure we love Jesus
00:14:26.76\00:14:29.06
And why do you love Jesus?
00:14:29.10\00:14:31.40
He's my, I love Jesus
00:14:31.43\00:14:33.94
Because He first loved me
00:14:33.97\00:14:37.14
That's the
reason we all are to--
00:14:37.17\00:14:40.21
All together.
00:14:40.24\00:14:41.64
Oh, how I love Jesus, singing
00:14:41.68\00:14:46.92
Oh, how I love Jesus
00:14:46.95\00:14:52.05
So how I love Jesus
00:14:52.09\00:14:57.03
Because He first loved me.
00:14:57.06\00:15:02.66
How many of you guys
that's why you here tonight
00:15:02.70\00:15:04.43
'cause you love Jesus?
00:15:04.47\00:15:05.80
Amen. Amen.
00:15:05.83\00:15:07.30
I know that's
why I'm here tonight.
00:15:07.34\00:15:09.64
The devil trying to
give me a little cold.
00:15:09.67\00:15:12.17
So that means it's got to get
a little hotter in the sermon.
00:15:12.21\00:15:15.94
Amen.
00:15:15.98\00:15:17.38
Don't want me to
preach, that's all right,
00:15:17.41\00:15:19.68
I'm going to preach anyway.
00:15:19.71\00:15:23.82
Well, this evening as I am--
00:15:23.85\00:15:27.42
I want you to take your Bibles
00:15:27.46\00:15:28.79
and go with me to Revelation 12.
00:15:28.82\00:15:30.93
Revelation 12.
00:15:38.47\00:15:42.57
And we're going to have
a word of prayer together.
00:15:42.60\00:15:44.17
When you're
there, you can say amen.
00:15:47.44\00:15:48.88
All right, let's pray together.
00:15:53.15\00:15:57.92
Father in heaven,
just want to thank You Lord
00:15:57.95\00:16:01.09
that we have come
safely through another week.
00:16:01.12\00:16:05.86
Here we are on the
very edges of this holy day.
00:16:05.89\00:16:12.70
Father we just pray
00:16:12.73\00:16:14.07
that this would afford
sweet hours of communion.
00:16:14.10\00:16:19.84
We just pray that as
we bring in the New Year,
00:16:19.87\00:16:25.08
almost upon a Sabbath.
00:16:25.11\00:16:27.98
We pray that we would
learn to rest in You, Lord.
00:16:28.02\00:16:32.69
We ask tonight that
as we look at Your word
00:16:32.72\00:16:36.09
that You would
speak through this man
00:16:36.12\00:16:38.73
who is but dust in Your sight.
00:16:38.76\00:16:41.80
We pray Lord that You
would not only speak through me
00:16:41.83\00:16:44.23
that You would speak to me.
00:16:44.27\00:16:46.53
And we are praying
that Jesus would be seen,
00:16:46.57\00:16:48.70
and He would be
high and lifted up.
00:16:48.74\00:16:50.14
And we pray that in His name
00:16:50.17\00:16:51.94
that you would banish all things
00:16:51.97\00:16:53.44
that are not of His
kingdom from this place.
00:16:53.48\00:16:56.88
And Lord that You would allow us
00:16:56.91\00:16:59.08
to be revived by that spirit
that is coming in the name
00:16:59.11\00:17:02.52
that is above every name.
00:17:02.55\00:17:04.89
That is coming in a name
00:17:04.92\00:17:06.25
that is the only
name given among men
00:17:06.29\00:17:08.26
whereby we must be saved.
00:17:08.29\00:17:10.23
And that is the same
name we offer this prayer
00:17:10.26\00:17:14.96
in Jesus' name.
00:17:15.00\00:17:16.97
Amen.
00:17:17.00\00:17:18.33
Brothers and sisters, I think,
00:17:23.81\00:17:28.34
I found the devil's
least favorite chapter
00:17:28.38\00:17:30.58
in the Bible.
00:17:30.61\00:17:33.11
In Revelation
12, the Bible says,
00:17:33.15\00:17:36.62
beginning in verse 3.
00:17:36.65\00:17:39.12
"And another sign
appeared in heaven.
00:17:39.15\00:17:41.32
Behold a great fiery red
dragon having seven heads,
00:17:41.36\00:17:45.13
and ten horns, and
seven diadems on his heads.
00:17:45.16\00:17:48.46
And his tail drew a
third of the stars of heaven,
00:17:48.50\00:17:51.70
and threw them to the earth.
00:17:51.73\00:17:53.07
And the dragon
stood before the woman
00:17:53.10\00:17:55.44
who was ready to give
birth to devour her child
00:17:55.47\00:17:58.07
as soon as it was born.
00:17:58.11\00:18:00.58
She bore a male child
who was to rule all nations
00:18:00.61\00:18:04.41
with a rod of iron.
00:18:04.45\00:18:05.78
And her child was not
consumed by the dragon,
00:18:05.81\00:18:09.15
but the child was caught
up to God into his throne."
00:18:09.18\00:18:12.75
I think, I found the
devil's least favorite chapter.
00:18:12.79\00:18:17.39
You see, the
Bible says in verse 6,
00:18:17.43\00:18:19.39
"Then the woman
fled into the wilderness,
00:18:19.43\00:18:21.70
where she has a
place prepared by who,
00:18:21.73\00:18:24.70
by God that they should
feed her there 1,260 days."
00:18:24.73\00:18:30.47
I think I found the
devil's least favorite chapter,
00:18:30.51\00:18:34.74
in verse 7 the Bible says,
"And war broke out in heaven.
00:18:34.78\00:18:38.31
Michael and his angels
fought with the dragon.
00:18:38.35\00:18:40.65
And the dragon
and his angels fought.
00:18:40.68\00:18:43.39
But the Bible says,
"But they did not prevail."
00:18:43.42\00:18:45.89
Can you say amen?
00:18:45.92\00:18:47.46
Nor was a place found for
them in heaven any longer.
00:18:47.49\00:18:50.76
I think, I found the
devil's least favorite chapter.
00:18:50.79\00:18:54.80
But it goes on
to tell us, it says,
00:18:54.83\00:18:57.93
"Then I heard a loud
voice saying in heaven,
00:18:57.97\00:19:00.80
"Now salvation and strengthen
the kingdom of our God,
00:19:00.84\00:19:04.11
and the power of
his Christ have come
00:19:04.14\00:19:06.41
for the accuser of our brethren
who accuse them before our God
00:19:06.44\00:19:10.28
day and night
has been cast down."
00:19:10.31\00:19:13.58
I think I found the
devil's least favorite chapter.
00:19:13.62\00:19:17.55
And the Bible
says, in the next verse
00:19:17.59\00:19:19.62
and they overcame him singular,
00:19:19.65\00:19:22.99
the devil, the
dragon, that old serpent,
00:19:23.02\00:19:26.66
Satan, they overcame
him by the blood of the Lamb
00:19:26.70\00:19:31.70
and by the word
of their testimony.
00:19:31.73\00:19:33.80
And they did not love
their lives onto death."
00:19:33.84\00:19:36.47
I think I found the
devil's least favorite chapter
00:19:36.50\00:19:38.87
in the Bible.
00:19:38.91\00:19:40.24
It goes on to say,
"Therefore rejoice, Oh heavens."
00:19:40.28\00:19:43.85
It's not only that
the brother is defeated,
00:19:43.88\00:19:46.28
people are
rejoicing in your defeat.
00:19:46.31\00:19:50.32
And you who dwell in them.
00:19:50.35\00:19:51.85
Woe into the inhabitants
of the earth and of the sea,
00:19:51.89\00:19:55.06
for the devil
has come down to you,
00:19:55.09\00:19:56.99
having great wrath.
00:19:57.03\00:19:58.93
Because He knows
that He has a short time.
00:19:58.96\00:20:02.13
The Bible says in verse
13 that "When the dragon saw
00:20:02.16\00:20:04.90
that he had been
cast to the earth,
00:20:04.93\00:20:07.70
he persecuted the woman
00:20:07.74\00:20:09.57
who gave birth
to the male child.
00:20:09.60\00:20:12.31
But the woman was given
two wings of a great eagle
00:20:12.34\00:20:16.34
that she might fly into
the wilderness to her place,
00:20:16.38\00:20:19.91
where she is
nourished for a time and times,
00:20:19.95\00:20:21.98
and half a time
00:20:22.02\00:20:23.35
from the
presence of the serpent."
00:20:23.39\00:20:25.29
I think, I found the
devil's least favorite chapter.
00:20:25.32\00:20:31.49
But as if that wasn't
enough verse 15 says so,
00:20:31.53\00:20:35.40
"The serpent spewed
water out of his mouth
00:20:35.43\00:20:38.70
like a flood after the woman
00:20:38.73\00:20:40.87
that he might cause her to
be carried away by the flood."
00:20:40.90\00:20:44.57
But the Bible says,
"The earth helped the woman,
00:20:44.61\00:20:48.71
and the earth opened its
mouth and swallowed up the flood
00:20:48.74\00:20:51.61
which the dragon had
spewed out of his mouth."
00:20:51.65\00:20:54.28
I think, I found the
devil's least favorite chapter.
00:20:54.32\00:20:59.45
Time and time again, the
devil has been getting it,
00:20:59.49\00:21:03.19
whether it be on heaven
or whether it be on earth.
00:21:03.22\00:21:06.09
Every single time
the devil has a plan,
00:21:06.13\00:21:08.56
Revelation 12 reminds us
00:21:08.60\00:21:10.37
the devil's plans
have always failed.
00:21:10.40\00:21:14.20
Time and time again,
00:21:14.24\00:21:15.74
the devil doesn't want
you reading this chapter
00:21:15.77\00:21:18.14
to remind you how many
times Christ has sent him away
00:21:18.17\00:21:21.64
with his tail between his legs.
00:21:21.68\00:21:24.91
This is the devil's
least favorite chapter,
00:21:24.95\00:21:27.58
but there is one last verse,
00:21:27.62\00:21:31.65
because the
devil is a knucklehead.
00:21:31.69\00:21:35.16
You know, when I was growing up,
00:21:35.19\00:21:36.69
I recently went to
my uncle's funeral.
00:21:36.73\00:21:39.69
And one of my youngest uncles,
00:21:39.73\00:21:42.10
he used to baby-sit me as a kid.
00:21:42.13\00:21:44.70
And he said, "Sebastian,
you know, of course you know,
00:21:44.73\00:21:47.64
your family
always wants to bring up
00:21:47.67\00:21:49.10
the embarrassing
stories at these gatherings,
00:21:49.14\00:21:52.54
that's all they remember
00:21:52.57\00:21:53.91
are the things
that make you look bad."
00:21:53.94\00:21:56.51
So my uncle looked at my family,
00:21:56.54\00:21:58.31
we're all sitting
there talking at the table,
00:21:58.35\00:22:00.65
at the repast.
00:22:00.68\00:22:02.08
And he said, "You know,
00:22:02.12\00:22:03.45
what I used to call
you when you were younger?"
00:22:03.49\00:22:04.99
I said, "Of course, I remember
what you used to call me.
00:22:05.02\00:22:07.09
Let's not talk it."
00:22:07.12\00:22:08.46
No, no, I have to, I
have to remind people.
00:22:08.49\00:22:10.06
I used to call you "Will not,"
00:22:10.09\00:22:12.76
because no matter
what you told Sebastian,
00:22:12.79\00:22:14.96
he will not do it."
00:22:15.00\00:22:17.17
Sebastian go brush
your hair, I will not do it.
00:22:17.20\00:22:20.27
He said, "Sebastian sit
down," he will not sit down.
00:22:20.30\00:22:22.84
You know, I learn from the fact
00:22:22.87\00:22:24.54
that that nickname
doesn't really belong to me.
00:22:24.57\00:22:27.08
Amen.
00:22:27.11\00:22:28.44
It really belongs
to the devil himself,
00:22:28.48\00:22:30.75
because it doesn't
matter how many times he loses,
00:22:30.78\00:22:33.52
he still wants to keep
making war and fighting.
00:22:33.55\00:22:36.18
How many times do
you have to be defeated
00:22:36.22\00:22:38.62
before you get the picture?
00:22:38.65\00:22:41.99
But you see, I think
the devil keeps going,
00:22:42.02\00:22:44.49
because he realizes
00:22:44.53\00:22:46.03
that he is not
always losing in our lives.
00:22:46.06\00:22:51.27
The devil keeps going,
because at some point in time,
00:22:51.30\00:22:54.50
he's realizing on
winning a couple victories
00:22:54.54\00:22:57.11
on this side of eternity.
00:22:57.14\00:23:00.54
The devil keeps making war
00:23:00.58\00:23:02.04
even though Christ has
ultimately defeated him,
00:23:02.08\00:23:05.05
because he's
getting some minor victories
00:23:05.08\00:23:07.22
in your heart and in my heart,
00:23:07.25\00:23:09.02
and because of this
he continues to make war.
00:23:09.05\00:23:12.05
So the Bible says
that the dragon in verse 17
00:23:12.09\00:23:15.66
was enraged with the woman.
00:23:15.69\00:23:18.49
And he went to make war
with the remnant of her seed,
00:23:18.53\00:23:24.77
who keep the commandments of God
00:23:24.80\00:23:27.34
and have the testimony of Jesus.
00:23:27.37\00:23:31.07
You see,
00:23:31.11\00:23:32.44
the devil has come
down to a point unto our day
00:23:32.47\00:23:36.81
where the Bible says,
00:23:36.85\00:23:38.25
"The dragon is in
rage with the woman."
00:23:38.28\00:23:39.91
You see, the
word wrath and enrage
00:23:39.95\00:23:41.82
doesn't really capture it.
00:23:41.85\00:23:43.75
You see, in the
original language,
00:23:43.79\00:23:45.15
it's the idea of
being exasperated.
00:23:45.19\00:23:48.02
It's the idea of
being frustrated.
00:23:48.06\00:23:50.06
It's the idea of saying,
I've tried this time and time
00:23:50.09\00:23:52.89
and time and time and time again
00:23:52.93\00:23:54.33
and I keep failing.
00:23:54.36\00:23:55.70
Every time he tries to
get the woman, all the sudden,
00:23:55.73\00:23:58.90
some miraculous happening
comes in to deliver her.
00:23:58.93\00:24:01.70
Can you say amen?
00:24:01.74\00:24:03.37
You see, we don't have
to worry about the fact
00:24:03.41\00:24:05.91
that this woman who symbolizes
the church in all ages.
00:24:05.94\00:24:09.51
She never stands up
to fight the dragon.
00:24:09.54\00:24:11.95
Did you notice
that in the chapter?
00:24:11.98\00:24:14.35
You see, when you
look in this corner,
00:24:14.38\00:24:17.49
we have Lucifer, the
highest created being.
00:24:17.52\00:24:21.66
And in this corner,
this little feeble woman,
00:24:21.69\00:24:24.43
you can't get weaker
than this in prophecy to say,
00:24:24.46\00:24:26.93
who is going to win,
the woman or the dragon?
00:24:26.96\00:24:29.76
And guess what?
00:24:29.80\00:24:31.13
Every single time,
00:24:31.17\00:24:32.50
the woman four, the dragon zero.
00:24:32.53\00:24:36.57
It should have been a
bigger amen than that.
00:24:36.60\00:24:42.21
It doesn't make sense
that she is four, four, four.
00:24:42.24\00:24:47.05
Five, four,
five, and still going,
00:24:47.08\00:24:50.19
because she has learned
a principle of her success
00:24:50.22\00:24:53.69
that her success does
not rest in her strength,
00:24:53.72\00:24:56.89
her success does not
rest in her intellect,
00:24:56.93\00:24:59.53
her success does not
rest in her ability to do this
00:24:59.56\00:25:03.26
or her numbers, or her prestige,
00:25:03.30\00:25:05.57
or her money, or her power,
00:25:05.60\00:25:07.34
that's not where
her success rests in.
00:25:07.37\00:25:09.70
She knows that her success rests
00:25:09.74\00:25:11.97
in 100 percent
dependence upon Christ.
00:25:12.01\00:25:17.38
She has come to realize
00:25:17.41\00:25:18.91
that the devil
is going to be angry
00:25:18.95\00:25:20.72
and he's not just
angry with everybody.
00:25:20.75\00:25:24.19
The Bible says the
devil is frustrated.
00:25:24.22\00:25:27.72
He is exasperated.
00:25:27.76\00:25:29.09
I'm so tired of
chasing this woman
00:25:29.12\00:25:31.09
and never catching her.
00:25:31.13\00:25:32.46
So you know,
what he decided to do.
00:25:32.49\00:25:33.83
The Bible says,
"He went to make war."
00:25:33.86\00:25:37.90
You see that word went
doesn't just mean he left,
00:25:37.93\00:25:40.37
that means the Bible is trying
to say the devil came aside
00:25:40.40\00:25:43.67
and he had a group
meeting with his minions.
00:25:43.71\00:25:47.34
They had a board meeting,
00:25:47.38\00:25:49.04
and the chairman walked
in looking a little beat up,
00:25:49.08\00:25:51.61
dusty, like he just came
from a spiritual Vietnam.
00:25:51.65\00:25:55.28
What's going on with you man?
00:25:55.32\00:25:57.29
We need a better plan,
'cause this is not working.
00:25:57.32\00:26:02.42
So as he sits down
in his board meeting,
00:26:02.46\00:26:04.36
and he's saying, "How
we're going to make war
00:26:04.39\00:26:06.26
against the
remnant of her seed?"
00:26:06.29\00:26:08.93
Do you know that
the word remnant,
00:26:08.96\00:26:11.97
it simply means
that which is remaining,
00:26:12.00\00:26:15.14
that which is left.
00:26:15.17\00:26:17.24
But you see the
remnant are not just people
00:26:17.27\00:26:19.27
who are the leftovers,
00:26:19.31\00:26:20.64
that's not what
the remnant means.
00:26:20.68\00:26:22.71
The remnant means
that this particular thing
00:26:22.74\00:26:25.18
is just like the original,
but it has survived a crisis.
00:26:25.21\00:26:31.92
It has gone through something
00:26:31.95\00:26:33.66
that the rest of
them didn't go through.
00:26:33.69\00:26:36.39
You see, when we talk
about the remnant concept,
00:26:36.42\00:26:39.29
yes, it is all about we
believe what Jesus believes.
00:26:39.33\00:26:43.13
But as I said, the
devil keeps making war,
00:26:43.16\00:26:46.27
because he has been gaining
some victories in our lives.
00:26:46.30\00:26:51.17
You see, some days I wake up
00:26:51.21\00:26:52.67
and I think there is
something wrong with my church.
00:26:52.71\00:26:55.71
When I come down
into the sanctuary,
00:26:55.74\00:26:58.08
and I sit down on
the day of my baptism,
00:26:58.11\00:27:00.62
and the pastor who
baptizes me begins to preach
00:27:00.65\00:27:04.55
that you can never
get victory over sin.
00:27:04.59\00:27:07.16
Sometimes I think,
00:27:07.19\00:27:08.52
there's something
wrong with my church.
00:27:08.56\00:27:10.46
When you go to church
00:27:10.49\00:27:11.83
and the pastor
can stand up there,
00:27:11.86\00:27:13.40
and talk for 60 minutes
and never crack the Bible.
00:27:13.43\00:27:16.73
Sometimes I think
00:27:16.77\00:27:18.10
there's something
wrong with my church.
00:27:18.13\00:27:20.44
When you go down, you find out
00:27:20.47\00:27:21.94
that an elder
is having an affair
00:27:21.97\00:27:23.77
with another
member in the church.
00:27:23.81\00:27:27.04
And everybody
knows except his wife.
00:27:27.08\00:27:30.45
Sometimes I think
00:27:30.48\00:27:31.81
there's something
wrong with my church.
00:27:31.85\00:27:35.28
When all the
sunning as a young person,
00:27:35.32\00:27:37.59
you come home, you get fired up,
00:27:37.62\00:27:39.29
you want to do a Bible study,
00:27:39.32\00:27:40.76
and the board is putting
more money into new carpets
00:27:40.79\00:27:43.69
and banisters than
they are into evangelism.
00:27:43.73\00:27:46.49
Sometimes I think,
00:27:46.53\00:27:47.86
there's something
wrong with my church.
00:27:47.90\00:27:52.77
Because the devil is
gaining victories over them.
00:27:52.80\00:27:55.47
But brothers and sisters,
00:27:55.50\00:27:56.84
I'm here to talk to you
tonight about the remnant.
00:27:56.87\00:28:00.68
I want you to notice
00:28:00.71\00:28:02.04
that the devil is not
enraged with the woman
00:28:02.08\00:28:04.91
and going to make war
with the remnant of her seed,
00:28:04.95\00:28:07.35
because they are perfect.
00:28:07.38\00:28:10.05
It doesn't say he
is going to make war
00:28:10.09\00:28:11.85
with the remnant of her
seed, because they're so holy.
00:28:11.89\00:28:15.19
It doesn't say he
is going to make war
00:28:15.22\00:28:17.93
with the remnant of her seed,
because they're so faithful,
00:28:17.96\00:28:21.30
because they are 100
percent dependent upon Jesus.
00:28:21.33\00:28:24.73
No, no, no, it says,
00:28:24.77\00:28:26.10
because they keep
the commandments of God
00:28:26.13\00:28:28.80
and have the testimony of Jesus.
00:28:28.84\00:28:30.71
You and I must realize something
00:28:30.74\00:28:32.54
I learned a long time ago,
00:28:32.57\00:28:34.08
when I decided to
join God's remnant church.
00:28:34.11\00:28:37.35
My favorite
preacher used to say,
00:28:37.38\00:28:39.08
some people think when
they come into the church,
00:28:39.11\00:28:41.28
the devil is going to pat you
on the back and wish you well.
00:28:41.32\00:28:44.75
Oh, good job, you
chose the right side,
00:28:44.79\00:28:47.09
Jesus is going
to win in the end.
00:28:47.12\00:28:48.46
No, no, no, no, no.
00:28:48.49\00:28:50.53
As soon as you cross the line,
00:28:50.56\00:28:52.86
the devil is waiting
for you on the other side.
00:28:52.89\00:28:56.73
So as soon as we made a
decision to follow Jesus.
00:28:56.77\00:28:59.77
Let's not get it
twisted in this place
00:28:59.80\00:29:03.51
that we are all the
sudden going to follow Christ,
00:29:03.54\00:29:05.54
we don't believe
in prosperity gospel.
00:29:05.57\00:29:08.28
We believe in a
gospel that perfects us,
00:29:08.31\00:29:11.31
that is purifying us.
00:29:11.35\00:29:13.15
And guess what,
00:29:13.18\00:29:14.52
that means you're
going to have some trials.
00:29:14.55\00:29:16.02
Brothers and sisters,
we need to know tonight,
00:29:16.05\00:29:18.15
the message that
we have to preach.
00:29:18.19\00:29:19.95
You can't preach
that message with power,
00:29:19.99\00:29:22.69
when you haven't
been through something.
00:29:22.72\00:29:25.53
A man came to me and
said, "Brother Sebastian,
00:29:25.56\00:29:27.36
I want you to
mentor me in preaching."
00:29:27.40\00:29:28.96
And I said "Brother, I
can teach you in 10 minutes
00:29:29.00\00:29:31.03
everything I
know about preaching.
00:29:31.07\00:29:32.87
But what I cannot teach
you is the life experience
00:29:32.90\00:29:36.24
that goes behind the sermons."
00:29:36.27\00:29:37.91
I don't just preach
stuff because it makes sense.
00:29:37.94\00:29:41.78
I preach it because
I've experienced it.
00:29:41.81\00:29:44.81
I know what it's
like to stand for Jesus
00:29:44.85\00:29:47.32
and be counted.
00:29:47.35\00:29:50.65
When I decided to follow Christ,
00:29:50.69\00:29:54.46
within a month time,
my stepfather passed away,
00:29:54.49\00:29:59.46
within four months time I had
six, seven family members die.
00:29:59.49\00:30:03.63
I never been to a funeral
up until that point in my life.
00:30:03.67\00:30:07.90
I went to go meet my grandfather
00:30:07.94\00:30:09.64
for the very first time.
00:30:09.67\00:30:11.77
And as I was driving
up to see my grandfather,
00:30:11.81\00:30:14.58
he passed away
while I was in the car.
00:30:14.61\00:30:18.01
So instead of going
to meet my grandfather
00:30:18.05\00:30:19.98
for the first time,
00:30:20.02\00:30:21.35
I ended up going to his funeral.
00:30:21.38\00:30:23.59
And as me and all my
cousins were gathered in there.
00:30:23.62\00:30:26.29
They said, "Oh,
Sebastian is a Christian now.
00:30:26.32\00:30:29.12
Oh, Sebastian's a
disciple of Jesus now,
00:30:29.16\00:30:31.36
he is a Jesus freak."
00:30:31.39\00:30:33.43
They said, "You know,
it's so interesting, Sebastian,
00:30:33.46\00:30:35.66
because nobody
died in the family
00:30:35.70\00:30:37.53
until you
decided to follow God."
00:30:37.57\00:30:39.97
I thought that when you
make a decision to follow Jesus
00:30:40.00\00:30:43.07
that all of the sudden
everything's going to go well.
00:30:43.10\00:30:45.27
I said, "What
made you think that?"
00:30:45.31\00:30:48.31
I said, "You show me
one believer in the Bible
00:30:48.34\00:30:51.08
that decided to follow
Christ and things got smoother."
00:30:51.11\00:30:55.95
All of the
sudden, the Bible says
00:30:55.98\00:30:57.82
that when God has
called the remnant,
00:30:57.85\00:30:59.72
as soon as the remnant agrees
to that covenant with God,
00:30:59.75\00:31:02.99
all of the sudden the
devil is acting up in your life.
00:31:03.02\00:31:06.09
All of the sudden, he's pressing
00:31:06.13\00:31:07.46
every button of
temptation he can find.
00:31:07.50\00:31:11.30
I want to take you
back to the Book of Genesis.
00:31:11.33\00:31:13.37
Go to Genesis 6,
00:31:13.40\00:31:15.50
because the devil has always
been trying to make a mess
00:31:15.54\00:31:19.11
out of the remnant.
00:31:19.14\00:31:21.54
The Bible says in Genesis 7,
00:31:21.58\00:31:26.41
when you're
there you can say amen.
00:31:26.45\00:31:28.02
Genesis 7:23, the Bible says,
00:31:31.15\00:31:36.99
"So he God
destroyed all living things
00:31:37.03\00:31:39.49
which were on the
face of the ground.
00:31:39.53\00:31:41.60
Both man and
cattle creeping thing,
00:31:41.63\00:31:44.33
and bird of the air,
00:31:44.37\00:31:45.93
they were
destroyed from the earth.
00:31:45.97\00:31:47.77
Only Noah and those who
were with him in the ark."
00:31:47.80\00:31:51.94
What's that next word?
00:31:51.97\00:31:53.91
Remained,
00:31:53.94\00:31:55.78
that is where we get
the concept of the remnant.
00:31:55.81\00:31:58.51
They were the only
ones that remained.
00:31:58.55\00:32:01.65
Now I want you
to notice something.
00:32:01.68\00:32:03.15
How did God choose
00:32:03.18\00:32:04.69
when He was going to destroy
the earth of all of humanity?
00:32:04.72\00:32:08.36
How did He choose who
was going to be His remnant?
00:32:08.39\00:32:12.89
How did He decide on Noah?
00:32:12.93\00:32:15.60
I want you to go back
to Noah, to Genesis 6.
00:32:15.63\00:32:20.67
Genesis 6:7, the Bible
says, "So the Lord said,
00:32:20.70\00:32:25.67
I will destroy man
whom I have created
00:32:25.71\00:32:28.78
from the face of the
earth both man and beast.
00:32:28.81\00:32:31.85
Creeping thing
in birds of the air,
00:32:31.88\00:32:33.82
for I am sorry
that I have made them."
00:32:33.85\00:32:38.09
God had come to a point,
00:32:38.12\00:32:39.62
where He regretted the fact
that He created a human being.
00:32:39.65\00:32:43.43
And I can understand
why God would feel that way
00:32:43.46\00:32:46.13
just by watching the news.
00:32:46.16\00:32:48.53
When you see what
humanity is capable of,
00:32:48.56\00:32:51.93
when you see the
full expression of evil
00:32:51.97\00:32:54.27
come out of the fingertips
of mankind and womankind.
00:32:54.30\00:32:57.74
You cannot believe
what man is able to do.
00:32:57.77\00:33:00.41
But the Bible says,
00:33:00.44\00:33:01.78
"Even though God
regretted that He made man."
00:33:01.81\00:33:04.21
It says in the next verse,
00:33:04.25\00:33:05.75
"But Noah found grace
in the eyes of the Lord."
00:33:05.78\00:33:08.75
Amen.
00:33:08.78\00:33:10.12
The remnant are
not a group of people
00:33:10.15\00:33:11.79
who are perfect.
00:33:11.82\00:33:13.19
The remnant are
not a group of people
00:33:13.22\00:33:14.92
who have all of the sudden
been ready for translation
00:33:14.96\00:33:17.69
on some
platform of spirituality.
00:33:17.73\00:33:20.80
The remnant are a
group of individuals
00:33:20.83\00:33:22.90
who have found grace
in the eyes of the Lord.
00:33:22.93\00:33:25.83
These are individuals
who know what it's like
00:33:25.87\00:33:28.04
that I do not deserve
to be where I am right now.
00:33:28.07\00:33:31.37
I do not deserve to be
alive. It's almost like Lazarus.
00:33:31.41\00:33:38.08
You can argue so many
things in the story of Lazarus.
00:33:38.11\00:33:43.89
But when you
really come down to it,
00:33:43.92\00:33:45.65
and Jesus said,
00:33:45.69\00:33:47.02
this sickness
is not on to death,
00:33:47.06\00:33:48.52
but it is for the glory of God.
00:33:48.56\00:33:51.03
And you realize that
00:33:51.06\00:33:52.39
when Lazarus is
resurrected from the grave,
00:33:52.43\00:33:54.96
no one is going
to sit down and say
00:33:55.00\00:33:56.87
the miracle of the
Lazarus is not what he's eating,
00:33:56.90\00:33:59.73
it's the fact that he can eat.
00:33:59.77\00:34:01.50
Amen.
00:34:01.54\00:34:02.87
The miracle of Lazarus has
nothing to do with the fact
00:34:02.90\00:34:05.97
of, "Oh, where
is Lazarus walking."
00:34:06.01\00:34:07.91
It's the fact that
the brother is walking.
00:34:07.94\00:34:10.51
I remember when he
was laid in the grave.
00:34:10.55\00:34:15.85
And so when you and I
00:34:15.88\00:34:17.29
have gone through these
experiences of failure and sin,
00:34:17.32\00:34:21.16
and darkness in our lives,
00:34:21.19\00:34:23.06
and somehow in this
crooked and perverse generation,
00:34:23.09\00:34:26.66
we have found grace
in the eyes of the Lord.
00:34:26.70\00:34:29.96
C.S. Lewis used to
tell it this way, he said,
00:34:30.00\00:34:31.87
"People walk
around talking about
00:34:31.90\00:34:33.57
when they found the Lord."
00:34:33.60\00:34:36.24
He said this is so funny.
00:34:36.27\00:34:37.61
It's like the mouse
saying, "When I found the cat."
00:34:37.64\00:34:41.21
No, the cat was
looking for you the whole time.
00:34:41.24\00:34:43.48
Can you say amen?
00:34:43.51\00:34:46.08
Jesus was always looking for us.
00:34:46.11\00:34:49.22
He was always seeking us.
00:34:49.25\00:34:51.85
We didn't find the
Lord, the Lord found us
00:34:51.89\00:34:54.09
and we finally
stop resisting Him.
00:34:54.12\00:34:58.16
That's what
happened at conversion.
00:34:58.19\00:35:02.00
But because we found
grace in the eyes of the Lord.
00:35:02.03\00:35:04.80
And unfortunately, brothers
and sisters, I have to say,
00:35:04.83\00:35:08.04
even though we find
grace in the eyes of the Lord,
00:35:08.07\00:35:10.97
we don't always find
grace in the eyes of each other.
00:35:11.01\00:35:16.18
There are times I remember,
00:35:16.21\00:35:17.95
when I was coming out
of my legal situation.
00:35:17.98\00:35:20.98
And I called the
man on the phone,
00:35:21.02\00:35:24.05
and the man told
me, he said, "Sebastian,
00:35:24.09\00:35:25.55
I want you to know
00:35:25.59\00:35:27.62
that in my eyes
you are as innocent
00:35:27.66\00:35:31.56
as if you never
committed one thing."
00:35:31.59\00:35:34.83
And then all of the sudden,
you come back to the church,
00:35:34.86\00:35:37.17
and all of a
sudden, people are saying,
00:35:37.20\00:35:38.53
"Well, you know,
00:35:38.57\00:35:39.90
I don't know about this brother,
00:35:39.93\00:35:42.27
because he has a past."
00:35:42.30\00:35:45.17
I don't know about this
man because he has a past.
00:35:45.21\00:35:48.98
I don't know about this man
because of where he came from.
00:35:49.01\00:35:51.88
And I sat down
with a church member,
00:35:51.91\00:35:53.42
and I said, "If a
person cannot preach
00:35:53.45\00:35:56.18
because of their
past, then who can preach?"
00:35:56.22\00:36:01.22
You tell me who can preach,
00:36:01.26\00:36:02.72
who doesn't have
skeletons in the closet?
00:36:02.76\00:36:05.86
Who hasn't been
through the muck of life?
00:36:05.89\00:36:08.63
Who hasn't known what it's like
to be in the pit of temptation
00:36:08.66\00:36:11.77
and despair, knowing
that there is no other reason
00:36:11.80\00:36:15.10
why I am
standing on this platform
00:36:15.14\00:36:17.37
except because
of the grace of God.
00:36:17.41\00:36:21.34
Because the remnant is not a
generation of perfect people,
00:36:21.38\00:36:24.41
but people who found
grace in the eyes of the Lord.
00:36:24.45\00:36:29.28
And brothers and
sisters, we need to learn
00:36:29.32\00:36:31.12
how to find grace in
the eyes of each other.
00:36:31.15\00:36:34.92
So many times, I remember
being in a canvassing program.
00:36:34.96\00:36:38.49
And they were saying, "You know,
00:36:38.53\00:36:39.86
in order to go out
canvassing, sister,
00:36:39.89\00:36:41.23
you got to have skirts,
you can only wear dresses."
00:36:41.26\00:36:45.27
So she goes and she
shows up to worship.
00:36:45.30\00:36:49.10
And all of the
sudden, her dress is so short.
00:36:49.14\00:36:51.74
"You think, okay,
00:36:51.77\00:36:53.11
I got to give my Bible
study sitting next to you."
00:36:53.14\00:36:56.31
So I sat next to
her, I gave the worship,
00:36:56.34\00:36:58.11
and all of the sudden,
the leaders came to me,
00:36:58.15\00:36:59.98
they said, "Oh, man, she
can't go out canvassing today.
00:37:00.02\00:37:03.15
And so they pulled
her aside and they said,
00:37:03.18\00:37:04.72
"Look sister, you
know, because of your dress,
00:37:04.75\00:37:06.59
you know, you really
can't go out door to door,
00:37:06.62\00:37:08.26
you can't go canvassing today."
00:37:08.29\00:37:10.16
She says, "Well,
this is all I have right."
00:37:10.19\00:37:11.96
She starts crying,
and I looked at them,
00:37:11.99\00:37:15.16
and I said, "Guys, guys,
guys, guys, guys, guys, listen.
00:37:15.20\00:37:18.70
Why don't we go to the store
00:37:18.73\00:37:20.34
and buy her some other dresses."
00:37:20.37\00:37:23.67
We consider and talk
about the skirt all we want.
00:37:23.71\00:37:26.47
Take off the skirt,
put it in the trash,
00:37:26.51\00:37:28.54
let's go to the
mall, get you a dress,
00:37:28.58\00:37:30.41
and let's get to spreading
the word of the Kingdom of God.
00:37:30.45\00:37:35.35
We need to learn
how to find grace
00:37:35.38\00:37:37.12
in the eyes of each other.
00:37:37.15\00:37:39.99
I remember
preaching and a man told me
00:37:40.02\00:37:41.79
why his wife was no
longer coming to the church.
00:37:41.82\00:37:44.89
I said, "Why is
your wife not coming?"
00:37:44.93\00:37:46.90
He said, "Well, you know,
brother before I met my wife,
00:37:46.93\00:37:50.20
she had gotten
into a relationship
00:37:50.23\00:37:52.17
and gotten pregnant
outside of marriage.
00:37:52.20\00:37:55.24
The church decided
to disfellowship her
00:37:55.27\00:37:57.71
and not the guy.
00:37:57.74\00:37:59.57
The guy married her best
friend in the same church.
00:37:59.61\00:38:03.58
So after she had the baby,
00:38:03.61\00:38:04.95
the church members used
to shun her and avoid her
00:38:04.98\00:38:07.58
and she'd be walking
in this African country
00:38:07.62\00:38:11.82
holding her baby
tied to her back.
00:38:11.85\00:38:13.42
And as she was walking
00:38:13.46\00:38:14.79
church members would
drive right past her.
00:38:14.82\00:38:18.16
Not even offer her a ride.
00:38:18.19\00:38:20.33
And then one day, a
woman came up and said,
00:38:20.36\00:38:22.86
"Excuse me sister, are
you going to the market?
00:38:22.90\00:38:26.20
She said, "Actually I am."
00:38:26.23\00:38:27.57
She says, "Why don't you hop in,
00:38:27.60\00:38:29.47
I'll take you to the market."
00:38:29.50\00:38:30.84
Then she got to the market.
00:38:30.87\00:38:32.21
She says, "Get
whatever you need.
00:38:32.24\00:38:33.58
I'll happily
drop you off at home."
00:38:33.61\00:38:36.68
So the woman put a
whole cart of groceries
00:38:36.71\00:38:38.75
thinking this
is a gift from God.
00:38:38.78\00:38:41.78
So she loaded up that cart.
00:38:41.82\00:38:43.35
When after they
scanned all the items,
00:38:43.39\00:38:45.29
she put out her
wallet and the cashier said,
00:38:45.32\00:38:49.72
"It's already been paid for.
00:38:49.76\00:38:52.13
The woman over there
paid for your groceries."
00:38:52.16\00:38:55.20
She said, "What?"
00:38:55.23\00:38:56.87
So she walked out of the line,
00:38:56.90\00:38:58.50
and with the groceries
started loading them in the car.
00:38:58.53\00:39:00.34
And the lady said,
"Hey, don't worry about it.
00:39:00.37\00:39:02.27
God is good. God is good.
00:39:02.30\00:39:03.64
Don't worry about it."
00:39:03.67\00:39:05.01
So she put the
groceries in the car.
00:39:05.04\00:39:06.54
The woman went to
walk away with her baby,
00:39:06.57\00:39:08.41
and the woman came
back with the keys.
00:39:08.44\00:39:11.65
And she said, "Here,
00:39:11.68\00:39:13.01
drive yourself
and your baby home.
00:39:13.05\00:39:15.85
You can keep the car this week.
00:39:15.88\00:39:17.62
I'll call my
husband to pick me up."
00:39:17.65\00:39:20.36
She says, "Just meet
me back here in one week."
00:39:20.39\00:39:24.76
As she came back the
next week with the car,
00:39:24.79\00:39:27.33
because there is no way
00:39:27.36\00:39:28.70
you're not going to
show up with that car.
00:39:28.73\00:39:30.77
That person has been so
grateful, gracious to you.
00:39:30.80\00:39:33.94
You don't want to burn
the hand that's feeding you.
00:39:33.97\00:39:36.44
So she brought that car
right back to the market.
00:39:36.47\00:39:38.97
The woman said, Well, why
don't you get some groceries
00:39:39.01\00:39:40.98
before we separate
and I take your car?
00:39:41.01\00:39:44.65
So she went ahead
and got the groceries.
00:39:44.68\00:39:47.32
Again she got to the register,
00:39:47.35\00:39:48.68
the woman paid
for the groceries.
00:39:48.72\00:39:51.05
Then she got back
and she in the car
00:39:51.09\00:39:53.15
and the woman said,
"Listen why don't you drive."
00:39:53.19\00:39:55.46
She says, "No,
no, it's your car.
00:39:55.49\00:39:57.09
She says, "No, actually me
and my husband prayed about it.
00:39:57.13\00:39:59.89
We said it's not right
00:39:59.93\00:40:01.26
for a young
mother to be walking.
00:40:01.30\00:40:03.93
So we decided, we're
going to give you our car,
00:40:03.97\00:40:05.97
because we have another car."
00:40:06.00\00:40:08.37
And she said, "I
just want you to know
00:40:08.40\00:40:11.11
that you and
your baby are accepted
00:40:11.14\00:40:13.31
at our local
Pentecostal church."
00:40:13.34\00:40:16.85
Guess what
church she was going to.
00:40:16.88\00:40:20.48
And I told them, I
said, "Brothers and sisters."
00:40:20.52\00:40:23.79
I said, I told them, and I said,
00:40:23.82\00:40:25.19
"Can I talk to your wife,
00:40:25.22\00:40:28.42
because I wanted her
to know that this is not
00:40:28.46\00:40:31.23
how all
Seventh-day Adventists behave.
00:40:31.26\00:40:34.03
I wanted her to know
that the devil was angry,
00:40:34.06\00:40:37.50
that the devil was
wroth with the woman
00:40:37.53\00:40:39.13
he was trying to make a
mess out of the remnant."
00:40:39.17\00:40:42.27
And even though she
didn't find grace in the eyes
00:40:42.30\00:40:44.71
of those members,
there are other people
00:40:44.74\00:40:47.31
who she will find
grace in their eyes.
00:40:47.34\00:40:50.21
If I had known, you would
have had my car in a second.
00:40:50.25\00:40:53.72
If I had known you would
have had a place to stay,
00:40:53.75\00:40:56.08
your groceries would
have been taken care of,
00:40:56.12\00:40:57.92
it has nothing to do with these.
00:40:57.95\00:40:59.32
Brothers and sisters,
00:40:59.35\00:41:00.69
I know there's
people in this room
00:41:00.72\00:41:02.36
that have been
burned by fellow believers.
00:41:02.39\00:41:05.16
And Noah found grace
in the eyes of the Lord,
00:41:09.13\00:41:14.80
but you know, after
Noah had come out of the Ark,
00:41:14.84\00:41:18.44
the Bible says that, "God
had brought Noah out of the ark.
00:41:18.47\00:41:24.05
And I want you to
look in chapter 9.
00:41:24.08\00:41:28.65
After God has chosen
his remnant and he said,
00:41:28.68\00:41:30.79
"Noah, you alone have I found
righteous in this generation."
00:41:30.82\00:41:34.56
Genesis 9. Are you there?
00:41:39.29\00:41:43.83
Verse 20, the Bible says,
and Noah began to be a farmer,
00:41:43.87\00:41:47.44
and he planted a vineyard.
00:41:47.47\00:41:49.97
Then he drank of
the wine and was drunk
00:41:50.01\00:41:52.57
and became
uncovered in his tent.
00:41:52.61\00:41:55.88
And Ham, the father of Canaan,
00:41:55.91\00:41:57.95
saw the nakedness of his father
00:41:57.98\00:41:59.85
and told his two
brothers outside.
00:41:59.88\00:42:03.59
But Shem and
Japheth took a garment
00:42:03.62\00:42:06.49
and laid it on
both of their shoulders,
00:42:06.52\00:42:08.09
and went backward,
00:42:08.12\00:42:09.46
and covered the
nakedness of their father.
00:42:09.49\00:42:11.43
Their faces were turned away,
00:42:11.46\00:42:13.29
and they did not see
their father's nakedness.
00:42:13.33\00:42:17.97
How in the world
is this a remnant.
00:42:18.00\00:42:22.54
After all of this, Noah,
00:42:22.57\00:42:25.67
120 years of
fighting against persecution,
00:42:25.71\00:42:29.14
being misunderstood,
being made fun of Noah.
00:42:29.18\00:42:32.25
"Really, you're building an ark,
00:42:32.28\00:42:33.72
where is the rain,
where are the clouds?"
00:42:33.75\00:42:35.92
All of this Noah, a
120 years you preach.
00:42:35.95\00:42:39.55
And now that
you've come off the ark,
00:42:39.59\00:42:41.52
the waters have receded.
00:42:41.56\00:42:43.02
You now worship God.
00:42:43.06\00:42:44.69
Now all of the sudden, you're
getting drunk off of wine,
00:42:44.73\00:42:48.76
so drunk that you came
up naked in your house.
00:42:48.80\00:42:52.83
This is the remnant of
God, the remaining portion.
00:42:52.87\00:42:57.37
But you know what is
happening brothers and sisters.
00:42:57.41\00:42:59.84
The reason why this happened
00:42:59.87\00:43:01.44
is because the dragon
was wroth with the woman.
00:43:01.48\00:43:05.81
We don't need to beat a
man when he's already down.
00:43:05.85\00:43:09.15
The Bible says, if a
brother is overtaken in a fault,
00:43:09.18\00:43:11.92
restore such a one with
meekness and gentleness,
00:43:11.95\00:43:17.49
considering yourself also
let's you yourself be tempted.
00:43:17.53\00:43:22.66
Brothers and sisters, let
the devil do the accusing.
00:43:22.70\00:43:25.40
Can you say amen?
00:43:25.43\00:43:26.84
I don't want to do
the devil's work for him.
00:43:26.87\00:43:29.54
He's already busy enough
00:43:29.57\00:43:31.41
as it is accusing
people in their conscience.
00:43:31.44\00:43:34.34
Accusing people in private,
00:43:34.38\00:43:36.18
accusing people
behind their back,
00:43:36.21\00:43:38.15
the devil is
already busy enough.
00:43:38.18\00:43:39.98
We don't need to help him.
00:43:40.02\00:43:41.35
Gandhi said it this way,
00:43:45.32\00:43:49.72
he said, "I like your Christ.
00:43:49.76\00:43:54.33
I do not like your Christians,
00:43:54.36\00:43:57.90
because your Christians
are so unlike your Christ."
00:43:57.93\00:44:01.74
I believe, if people like Christ
00:44:05.91\00:44:08.91
and Christ was a
Seventh-day Adventist,
00:44:08.94\00:44:12.91
then people like the remnant,
00:44:12.95\00:44:17.49
but they may not
like its followers.
00:44:17.52\00:44:19.72
It brings us to a place to
say, "Am I a part of the problem
00:44:24.39\00:44:29.96
or am I a part of the solution?"
00:44:30.00\00:44:33.97
In each of these experiences
00:44:34.00\00:44:38.47
from Noah to Abraham,
00:44:38.51\00:44:41.21
to Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph,
00:44:41.24\00:44:45.35
to the nation of
Israel in the wilderness,
00:44:45.38\00:44:47.02
you're saying
constantly time and time again
00:44:47.05\00:44:49.48
here is the remnant of
God attacked by the devil,
00:44:49.52\00:44:55.52
because he is
enraged with the woman.
00:44:55.56\00:44:57.09
Do you think after the
devil has failed for millennium
00:44:57.13\00:45:01.36
that he is not
going to come down to us
00:45:01.40\00:45:03.23
with great wrath?
00:45:03.26\00:45:05.13
Because the Bible
says he knows that he has
00:45:05.17\00:45:06.94
but a short time.
00:45:06.97\00:45:08.30
I'm going to say something
that may be misunderstood,
00:45:11.01\00:45:13.17
but that's okay.
00:45:13.21\00:45:16.34
We have to realize,
brothers and sisters,
00:45:16.38\00:45:18.01
that if the devil knows
that he has a short time,
00:45:18.05\00:45:20.15
then how much time do we have.
00:45:20.18\00:45:24.49
And if we don't
have a lot of time,
00:45:24.52\00:45:25.89
and the devil knows
that he has a short time,
00:45:25.92\00:45:28.09
do you think, this is the time
00:45:28.12\00:45:30.39
to be dillydallying
with this sin and that sin?
00:45:30.43\00:45:35.00
Do you think this is the time
that you can sit down and say,
00:45:35.03\00:45:38.07
"Well, I don't
know if I can forgive,
00:45:38.10\00:45:39.73
I don't know if
I can reconcile."
00:45:39.77\00:45:41.34
Brothers and sisters, we
don't have that much time.
00:45:41.37\00:45:45.67
You cannot be
sitting on grudges.
00:45:45.71\00:45:47.84
You cannot be sitting
on hating your parents.
00:45:47.88\00:45:50.15
Listen, I know as a preacher,
one of the number one reasons
00:45:50.18\00:45:53.75
why young people
are dead in the church
00:45:53.78\00:45:55.55
is because of the home life.
00:45:55.58\00:45:58.29
It's because the remnant
is failing in the family.
00:45:58.32\00:46:03.59
I know, parents always come
and say, "Brother Sebastian,
00:46:03.63\00:46:07.66
my son loves your sermons,
can you talk to my son?"
00:46:07.70\00:46:10.03
I sit down with his son, I
say, "Listen, what's your issue?
00:46:10.07\00:46:12.63
Why you're not coming to church?
00:46:12.67\00:46:14.00
Why did you not
get up for the appeal?
00:46:14.04\00:46:15.47
He says, "It's
because of my mom."
00:46:15.50\00:46:18.87
There was a man that came
and said, "Brother Sebastian,
00:46:18.91\00:46:20.64
I don't know why my wife
doesn't come to church anymore.
00:46:20.68\00:46:23.24
She just stopped coming.
00:46:23.28\00:46:24.61
She just decided, you know what,
00:46:24.65\00:46:25.98
I'm done with religion.
00:46:26.01\00:46:27.35
I'm done with this."
00:46:27.38\00:46:28.72
And I said, "Why do
you think she said that?"
00:46:28.75\00:46:30.52
And he said, "You know,
it just hit me last night,
00:46:30.55\00:46:33.32
my wife and I had an argument
because I brought it up.
00:46:33.36\00:46:35.99
I said. "Honey why
don't you just come to church,
00:46:36.02\00:46:38.09
why don't you just visit?"
00:46:38.13\00:46:40.30
And finally after a long
pause and tears in her eyes,
00:46:40.33\00:46:43.93
she looked at her
husband, and she said,
00:46:43.97\00:46:45.87
"It's because of
you, why I don't come."
00:46:45.90\00:46:50.61
I don't have a
problem with the church.
00:46:50.64\00:46:53.17
I have a problem with you,
00:46:53.21\00:46:55.81
and you are a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:46:55.84\00:46:58.21
and if that's what it means,
00:46:58.25\00:46:59.58
I don't want to have
anything to do with it.
00:46:59.61\00:47:03.72
When your wife tells you that,
00:47:03.75\00:47:06.99
I cannot tell you
how broken this man was.
00:47:07.02\00:47:11.99
To know you were called
to be a spiritual leader
00:47:12.03\00:47:14.03
and you were nothing
but the devil's tool,
00:47:14.06\00:47:17.37
to destroy the
faith of your wife.
00:47:17.40\00:47:19.07
Brothers and sisters,
00:47:23.24\00:47:25.27
I want to take you
to one last passage.
00:47:25.31\00:47:27.74
I want you to go to Matthew 11,
00:47:27.78\00:47:30.95
as I bring this to a conclusion.
00:47:30.98\00:47:32.51
Matthew 11,
00:47:36.18\00:47:39.19
because I know somebody
here is doubting this church
00:47:39.22\00:47:43.29
because of what
they see in their home,
00:47:43.32\00:47:46.19
because of what they see
in their church, they wonder,
00:47:46.23\00:47:49.06
can this really be
God's remnant church.
00:47:49.10\00:47:53.77
The Bible says in Matthew 11,
00:47:53.80\00:47:56.27
are you there, can you say amen?
00:47:56.30\00:47:58.44
The Bible says in verse 2,
00:47:58.47\00:47:59.81
"And when John heard in prison
about the works of Christ,
00:47:59.84\00:48:02.94
he sent two of his disciples."
00:48:02.98\00:48:06.85
And this is the message
that John sent to Jesus.
00:48:06.88\00:48:12.25
And when John
had heard in prison
00:48:12.29\00:48:14.66
about the works of Christ,
00:48:14.69\00:48:16.02
he sent two of his
disciples and said to him,
00:48:16.06\00:48:18.19
"Are you the coming one
or do we look for another?"
00:48:18.23\00:48:24.27
Are you the coming one
or do we look for another?
00:48:24.30\00:48:29.70
John is the one that looked
at the disciples and said,
00:48:29.74\00:48:34.08
"Behold the Lamp of God."
00:48:34.11\00:48:37.61
John is the one that
prepared the way of the Lord,
00:48:37.65\00:48:42.32
to make straighter paths.
00:48:42.35\00:48:44.59
John was the one
that laid the groundwork
00:48:44.62\00:48:47.36
for the King of
kings and the Lord of lords
00:48:47.39\00:48:49.72
to be born upon this earth,
00:48:49.76\00:48:51.36
and to prepare a
people to meet their God.
00:48:51.39\00:48:54.66
John was the one
that said Christ, him,
00:48:54.70\00:48:58.57
Jesus of Nazareth.
00:48:58.60\00:48:59.97
That is the Son
of God, come down.
00:49:00.00\00:49:04.57
And now in this
moment, in the prison,
00:49:04.61\00:49:07.31
because he is
suffering, because he is alone,
00:49:07.34\00:49:11.51
because he is in a dark
place, He is now questioning,
00:49:11.55\00:49:14.48
"Are you really the Christ?"
00:49:14.52\00:49:18.62
And a friend told me one time.
00:49:18.65\00:49:20.26
What my message
00:49:23.43\00:49:25.03
and what I believe
Jesus' message was to John.
00:49:25.06\00:49:29.43
Never doubt in the darkness,
00:49:29.46\00:49:33.10
what God has
told you in the light.
00:49:33.13\00:49:37.57
Never doubt in the darkness,
00:49:37.61\00:49:39.04
what God has
told you in the light.
00:49:39.07\00:49:41.68
When you get
discouraged at your church,
00:49:41.71\00:49:43.65
because your pastor is
not preaching the word,
00:49:43.68\00:49:45.78
go back to how you
came into the church.
00:49:45.81\00:49:49.22
Go back to what broke your heart
00:49:49.25\00:49:51.02
and brought you to the altar,
00:49:51.05\00:49:52.49
and said, "All to
Jesus, I surrender."
00:49:52.52\00:49:55.39
Go back to that point
00:49:55.42\00:49:56.76
where you were crying
on your knees in tears
00:49:56.79\00:49:59.23
and said, "I have
decided to follow Jesus."
00:49:59.26\00:50:02.93
When you decided in your
mind, though no one join me,
00:50:02.96\00:50:05.90
still I will follow.
00:50:05.93\00:50:08.60
When you came to that
place and your experience
00:50:08.64\00:50:10.71
what you said, I
will follow you my savior.
00:50:10.74\00:50:14.24
Where so ever my lot maybe.
00:50:14.28\00:50:18.01
Where thou goest,
00:50:18.05\00:50:19.38
I will follow by thy
grace I'll follow that.
00:50:19.41\00:50:22.48
You go back to that moment
00:50:25.62\00:50:28.99
where you met your
savior at that cross.
00:50:29.02\00:50:32.79
And you remember that
Jesus looked beyond your faults,
00:50:32.83\00:50:35.80
and He saw your need.
00:50:35.83\00:50:37.97
You remember that Jesus
looked beyond your sinful ways
00:50:38.00\00:50:41.77
and saw your need.
00:50:41.80\00:50:43.64
You remember that moment
00:50:43.67\00:50:45.14
when Jesus looked
beyond your foolishness,
00:50:45.17\00:50:47.38
your brokenness,
your selfishness,
00:50:47.41\00:50:49.51
your depression,
and He saw your need.
00:50:49.54\00:50:52.51
And He said, "Even though
00:50:52.55\00:50:53.88
your life is beat
up and broken down.
00:50:53.92\00:50:57.02
I'll still accept you.
You can still come home.
00:50:57.05\00:50:59.75
And you're not
going to be my servant,
00:50:59.79\00:51:01.62
you're not going to be my slave,
00:51:01.66\00:51:03.12
you're going to be my child."
00:51:03.16\00:51:04.49
And you're going to be
joint heirs with Jesus.
00:51:08.20\00:51:12.77
Brothers and sisters,
00:51:12.80\00:51:14.14
if there's someone here
that is hurting tonight.
00:51:14.17\00:51:16.67
If someone here that is doubting
00:51:16.71\00:51:18.14
that this is God's church,
00:51:18.17\00:51:19.64
because of what's
happening inside the church.
00:51:19.67\00:51:21.88
I want to tell you, do
not doubt in the darkness
00:51:21.91\00:51:24.68
what God told you in the light.
00:51:24.71\00:51:26.11
Just because it's
dark, just because it hurts,
00:51:29.28\00:51:32.09
just because you're
alone, don't doubt it.
00:51:32.12\00:51:36.06
John knew that
Jesus was the Christ.
00:51:36.09\00:51:39.96
And there was a day
00:51:40.00\00:51:41.33
where every single one of
us knew this was God's church.
00:51:41.36\00:51:44.97
But because
things have gotten hard,
00:51:48.20\00:51:52.31
we start questioning.
00:51:52.34\00:51:55.54
And we do what John did.
00:51:55.58\00:51:58.28
"Lord, is this
really your church?"
00:51:58.31\00:52:02.45
Is this really your church?
00:52:06.15\00:52:07.76
Every head is
bowed, every eye is closed.
00:52:10.73\00:52:12.99
As my wife comes out to sing,
00:52:16.26\00:52:17.77
I want to make a
very simple appeal.
00:52:17.80\00:52:24.07
And that appeal is this, if
you are someone in this room
00:52:24.11\00:52:30.58
that says,
"Lord, I have been hurt,
00:52:30.61\00:52:34.58
I have been discouraged,
I've been broken down,
00:52:34.62\00:52:39.75
because of what I've
seen inside Your church.
00:52:39.79\00:52:43.29
But tonight I'm coming up
to this altar to tell you Lord,
00:52:43.32\00:52:46.90
I don't want to
doubt in the darkness
00:52:46.93\00:52:48.70
what You told me in the light.
00:52:48.73\00:52:50.93
Lord, I want You to
take me back to that moment
00:52:50.97\00:52:53.44
where I understood what it
was to experience amazing grace.
00:52:53.47\00:52:58.87
Lord, I want you to remind me
00:52:58.91\00:53:00.61
how excited I was to
come to Sabbath school.
00:53:00.64\00:53:04.11
I want You to take me back
00:53:04.15\00:53:05.58
to why I decided to go
to a missionary school.
00:53:05.61\00:53:08.82
I want You to take me back
to that moment when I said,
00:53:08.85\00:53:11.42
Lord, I would do
whatever it takes
00:53:11.45\00:53:13.86
to finish this
work in this generation.
00:53:13.89\00:53:17.89
But Lord, I see my
heart is growing cold,
00:53:17.93\00:53:21.66
because of what I've
seen inside your church."
00:53:21.70\00:53:26.74
And so as Candis sings,
00:53:26.77\00:53:29.40
you say, "Lord, you're
speaking to me tonight,
00:53:29.44\00:53:32.71
and I need You to restore
my faith in Your church."
00:53:32.74\00:53:38.01
If God is speaking to you
to restore your faith tonight,
00:53:38.05\00:53:41.08
you say, "Lord, no longer
will I doubt in the darkness
00:53:41.12\00:53:43.59
what You've
told me in the light.
00:53:43.62\00:53:44.95
I want you to come up out
of your seat to this altar
00:53:44.99\00:53:47.49
to pray with me that God would
restore faith in His church."
00:53:47.52\00:53:52.49
Come.
00:53:56.36\00:53:59.57
Amazing grace
00:53:59.60\00:54:07.51
Where always be
00:54:07.54\00:54:11.81
My song of praise
00:54:11.85\00:54:18.65
For it was grace
00:54:18.69\00:54:24.69
That bought
00:54:24.73\00:54:26.49
My liberty
00:54:26.53\00:54:33.34
I do not know
00:54:33.37\00:54:40.28
Just how he came
00:54:40.31\00:54:44.51
To love me so--
00:54:44.55\00:54:49.85
Let this song be your prayer.
00:54:49.88\00:54:51.22
He looked
00:54:51.25\00:54:52.59
Beyond my faults
00:54:52.62\00:54:58.29
And saw my need
00:54:58.33\00:55:05.17
I shall forever lift
00:55:05.20\00:55:13.17
Mine eyes to Calvary
00:55:13.21\00:55:20.48
To view the cross
00:55:20.52\00:55:27.16
Where Jesus died
00:55:27.19\00:55:31.09
For me
00:55:31.13\00:55:36.67
How marvelous the grace
00:55:36.70\00:55:44.41
That caught my falling soul
00:55:44.44\00:55:51.25
He looked beyond my faults
00:55:51.28\00:55:59.25
And saw my need
00:55:59.29\00:56:05.56
I shall forever lift
00:56:05.59\00:56:13.44
Mine eyes to Calvary
00:56:13.47\00:56:20.04
To view the cross
00:56:20.08\00:56:26.85
Where Jesus died
00:56:26.88\00:56:30.59
For me
00:56:30.62\00:56:36.52
How marvelous the grace
00:56:36.56\00:56:43.97
That caught my falling soul
00:56:44.00\00:56:50.47
He looked beyond
00:56:50.51\00:56:58.05
He looked beyond
00:56:58.08\00:57:05.62
He looked beyond
00:57:05.65\00:57:11.53
My faults
00:57:11.56\00:57:15.76
And saw
00:57:15.80\00:57:19.73
My need.
00:57:19.77\00:57:27.74
Father in heaven,
Lord, we are kneeling here,
00:57:27.78\00:57:32.58
because we've been in
that place where John was,
00:57:32.61\00:57:36.28
where we were
doubting in the darkness
00:57:36.32\00:57:38.15
what God told us in the light.
00:57:38.19\00:57:41.56
And so we are here Lord,
00:57:41.59\00:57:43.06
asking that she
would give us the courage.
00:57:43.09\00:57:48.73
Lord, that she
would give us the healing,
00:57:48.76\00:57:51.63
that she would give us
the vision, and the joy,
00:57:51.67\00:57:54.24
and the
excitement to be reminded
00:57:54.27\00:57:56.64
that even in these dark times,
00:57:56.67\00:57:58.17
the devil is
still going to lose.
00:57:58.21\00:58:01.88
To know when these moments
00:58:01.91\00:58:03.31
that Jesus' church
is going to go through,
00:58:03.35\00:58:07.28
that there is only one ark
00:58:07.32\00:58:09.02
that's going to navigate
the stormy waves of a flood.
00:58:09.05\00:58:12.95
Help us to stay on board Lord,
00:58:12.99\00:58:15.79
and help us to go
back to that moment,
00:58:15.82\00:58:18.49
where we met
Jesus on that cross.
00:58:18.53\00:58:21.43
And may we for ever
lift our eyes to Calvary.
00:58:21.46\00:58:27.40
This is our prayer and
we offer it in Jesus' name.
00:58:27.44\00:58:32.07
Amen.
00:58:32.11\00:58:33.44