Participants:
Series Code: 15GYC
Program Code: 15GYC000006A
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00:32 It's such a blessing to see all of your faces smiling
00:36 and praising the Lord for outreach, amen. 00:40 It is our "I Believe" section, and our special speaker, 00:46 our special person so to speak is Josephine Elia Loi. 00:52 Josephine grew up in an Adventist family 00:56 in Indonesia. 00:58 She came to the US for college, 01:00 where her life was changed by the ministry 01:04 of an Adventist student group in Boston. 01:07 Since then she had the privilege of serving 01:10 in the Adventist campus ministries 01:12 on secular universities. 01:15 She holds a Chemical Engineering degree 01:17 from MIT and a PhD from Princeton. 01:22 And currently works in the engineering industry. 01:26 But above all, Josephine loves the Lord. 01:32 And Josephine today, she had to tell us 01:34 why she loves being a Seventh-day Adventist. 01:38 And GYC wants to know, Josephine, 01:41 why do you love your church so much? 01:46 Thank you. 01:52 I love being a Seventh-day Adventist. 01:56 Like many of you, I grew up in an Adventist family, 02:00 which meant that I had to learn the discipline 02:02 of being an Adventist. 02:04 Doesn't it take discipline to be an Adventist? 02:07 But as I grew up to be use and at young adult, 02:10 I've come to embrace and realize the grandeur 02:13 of being a part of God's last day movement. 02:16 It is bigger than anything like I could ever imagine. 02:19 And tonight I want to share with you, 02:21 three reasons why I love being a Seventh-day Adventist. 02:24 Number one, I love being a Seventh-day Adventist, 02:27 because we believe and practice the Sabbath. 02:31 I cannot tell you all the benefits 02:32 that I experience from keeping the Sabbath 02:35 in my spiritual, personal, and professional life. 02:39 When the sun sets in the horizon today 02:41 in a few minutes, 02:43 we enter into a sanctuary in time, 02:45 where God needs mankind in a special way. 02:49 And the relevance of this time cannot be overstated 02:52 in a busy 21st century life. 02:55 When I was a graduate student a couple of years ago, 02:57 I went to an event that talked about 02:59 "How to be a Christian in the academic world, 03:03 in academia?" 03:04 It's an environment with a lot of pressure 03:07 where you're constantly evaluated 03:09 by the number of papers you published, 03:11 the research, and the books you write. 03:14 And it's a very hard environment 03:16 to be a Christian sometimes. 03:18 So the speaker at that time was a faculty member 03:20 from Harvard University. 03:22 And she had a joint appointment in the department of sociology. 03:26 So as an Adventist, 03:27 when I hear Harvard and sociology, 03:30 I can think of a name, Dr. David Williams. 03:34 Maybe some of you're familiar. 03:35 He is a Seventh-day Adventist faculty member at Harvard. 03:39 He has spoken at GYC before. 03:42 And he's a practicing Seventh-day Adventists 03:44 and he's also affiliated 03:45 with the department of sociology. 03:48 Interestingly, when she was speaking, 03:51 she mentioned the importance of Sabbath, 03:53 not necessarily the seventh day Sabbath, 03:56 but the concept of rest from the never-ending toil 03:59 and work and research. 04:01 So I spoke to her afterwards. 04:03 And I asked her, "Do you keep the Sabbath," 04:06 and she said to me, "I wish I could. 04:09 I would love to be able to do that." 04:12 I asked her "If you know Dr. David Williams," 04:16 also shared with her, I'm a Seventh-day Adventist. 04:18 And I felt the joy of keeping the Sabbath in my life, 04:21 in academia. 04:23 She said that she knows Dr. Williams, 04:26 and she admires his commitment 04:28 to keep the Sabbath every week to stop from working, 04:31 and yet accomplish so much in his career. 04:35 Do you know that the world needs the Sabbath, friends? 04:38 Some of the world's most brilliant minds, 04:41 the world's highest achievers, the most ambitious, 04:44 they're craving for a certain kind of rest. 04:47 Not the rest that comes from just a vacation, 04:49 it's a rest from this continual chase 04:52 to achieve and to succeed. 04:55 For many of them, 04:56 their identity is tied with their achievements. 04:59 So it becomes very hard to stop working, 05:01 'cause they have to have the discipline and the courage 05:04 to stop and also to not cave into the pressure 05:08 while their colleagues are getting an extra day of work. 05:11 As Adventist, we know that our lives are in His hand, 05:15 when we surrender in obedience. 05:17 We know that our identity rests in Christ, 05:19 the fact that God created us and He redeemed us. 05:23 Each week we have a tangible reminder 05:26 that Christ is Lord 05:27 and that our identity is not resting on what we do, 05:30 but who we are. 05:33 Because of the Sabbath, 05:34 I have liberty from the tyranny of work, 05:37 and this becomes a source of joy 05:40 and a source of comfort in my life as a professional. 05:45 Do you know that we have a treasure 05:46 that the world needs in the Sabbath. 05:49 There is nothing to be ashamed of. 05:51 Number two, I love being an Adventist, 05:54 because it gives me a sense of identity 05:56 that infuses all aspects of my life. 05:59 Every time I sit down at a restaurant, 06:01 there are sections I skip, 06:03 because I'm a Seventh-day Adventist. 06:05 There are things I drink, 06:06 and there are things I do not drink, 06:08 because I'm a Seventh-day Adventist. 06:10 There are tests I do not take, because they're on the Sabbath. 06:13 There are opportunities I skip, because they're on the Sabbath. 06:17 Being an Adventist is the guiding principle 06:19 on what I study, where I work, what books I read, 06:23 what I write and whom I marry. 06:26 It's a day to day reality, not just a mental assent. 06:29 But it also gives me not just a personal identity, 06:32 but also a communal identity. 06:35 I am part of a people who worship God, 06:37 who made heaven and earth. 06:39 I am part of a people from all nations of tongues 06:42 who have received the Gospel 06:44 that supersedes all of our cultures. 06:46 I am part of a people 06:48 who keeps the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob 06:51 that has been passed down through the ages 06:53 by the faithfulness through the word of God. 06:55 I am a recipient of a legacy of truth 06:58 that I too need to pass on. 07:01 We understand 07:02 that human history has a direction, 07:04 which is towards the second coming 07:05 of Jesus Christ. 07:07 Adventism is philosophically sound, 07:10 harmonious, and practically applicable. 07:13 Do you know that the Adventist Church 07:15 has something to contribute to the world 07:17 that nobody else can? 07:20 If someone asks, if someone wants to know 07:22 how to keep the Sabbath, who can they go to? 07:26 If someone discovers the sanctuary 07:28 and want to learn what the sacrifice meant, 07:31 the most holy place, the holy place, 07:33 which church can they go to? 07:36 If someone's reading Revelation 14, 07:38 who can say to them 07:39 like what Philip said to the Ethiopian? 07:42 Do you understand what you are reading? 07:44 And if they say, "How can I unless someone guides me? 07:48 Who is left on this earth 07:50 who can give a coherent explanation of Bible? 07:55 Which brings to me to my last reason, 07:57 I love being an Adventist, 07:58 because it gives me a distinct commission in life. 08:01 As a people who have been given a mandate 08:04 to declare to the world, a loud cry. 08:06 The everlasting Gospel to prepare the world 08:09 to meet its savior. 08:10 It is a time sensitive mission with a global scope, 08:13 and it requires every one of us to be involved. 08:17 I found this mission to be the engine 08:19 that gives me a vigor and excitement in my life. 08:21 God has something for me to do. 08:24 It's a humbling thought, but also exciting. 08:26 It means that when I go to school. 08:28 I'm not just a regular student, I'm a missionary. 08:31 It means that when I work, I'm not just a regular worker, 08:35 I'm an ambassador for heaven. 08:37 When I write, I think about how to engage the secular minds 08:40 to think about spiritual things. 08:42 In my corner as an engineer, 08:44 I think about how to engage the technical minds 08:47 to think about God. 08:49 But there's more to this, for Adventists, 08:52 we need to think in a global scope 08:54 for our mission to be accomplished. 08:56 We need to think how to appeal to the eastern minds. 09:00 We need to think how do we reach our Muslim, 09:02 our Buddhist, and Hindu brothers and sisters, 09:05 those who make up the world, most of the world's population. 09:08 Who will think about how to reach the Arabian minds, 09:11 the Iraqi minds, the Pakistani minds, 09:13 the Moroccan, the Cambodian minds? 09:16 Closer to home, 09:17 who will think about who are incarcerated and condemned. 09:23 What about those in the highest levels of society? 09:26 It's going to take every single one of us 09:28 for this to be accomplished. 09:30 And, friends, this is what we're born for. 09:34 This is why we exist as a church and individually. 09:38 In beholding the grand mission that God has given to us. 09:42 I find a reason why I live right now 09:45 in this earth's history. 09:47 Why I am a Seventh-day Adventist 09:49 at this present world. 09:50 It is to be part of God's movement 09:52 that will herald Jesus coming. 09:55 Being an Adventist is a high calling. 09:58 It demands something of you. 10:00 But what is the point of having a faith 10:02 that is not worth giving all to. 10:05 It comes with many privileges, 10:07 but also responsibilities to God and to our fellow men. 10:11 Adventism is a bold call for an unconventional life, 10:14 a holy life in this present world. 10:17 So why not embrace the entirety 10:20 of what it means to be a Seventh-day Adventist. 10:23 So tonight on the first day of 2016, 10:26 I would like to extend an invitation to all of you 10:29 to respond yes to the audacious call 10:33 to be a Seventh-day Adventist. 10:50 Be still 10:54 My soul 10:57 The Lord is on your side 11:05 Bear patiently 11:12 The cross of grief or pain 11:19 Leave to thy God 11:26 To order and provide 11:34 In every change 11:41 He faithful will remain 11:48 Be still 11:52 My soul 11:55 Thy best Your heavenly Friend 12:03 Through thorny ways 12:07 Leads to a joyful end 12:25 Be still 12:28 My soul 12:32 Thy God doth undertake 12:38 To guide the future 12:46 As He has a past 12:52 Your hope 12:55 Your confidence 13:01 Let nothing shake 13:06 All now mysterious 13:14 Shall be bright at last 13:20 Be still 13:24 My soul 13:27 The waves 13:29 And winds still know 13:35 His voice who ruled them 13:40 While He lived below 13:51 Be still 13:55 My soul 13:59 Be still 14:03 My soul 14:08 Be still. 14:18 Oh, GYC, do you love Jesus? 14:21 Oh yes, we love Jesus 14:24 Are you sure you love Jesus? 14:26 Yes, we're sure we love Jesus 14:29 And why do you love Jesus? 14:31 He's my, I love Jesus 14:33 Because He first loved me 14:37 That's the reason we all are to-- 14:40 All together. 14:41 Oh, how I love Jesus, singing 14:46 Oh, how I love Jesus 14:52 So how I love Jesus 14:57 Because He first loved me. 15:02 How many of you guys that's why you here tonight 15:04 'cause you love Jesus? 15:05 Amen. Amen. 15:07 I know that's why I'm here tonight. 15:09 The devil trying to give me a little cold. 15:12 So that means it's got to get a little hotter in the sermon. 15:15 Amen. 15:17 Don't want me to preach, that's all right, 15:19 I'm going to preach anyway. 15:23 Well, this evening as I am-- 15:27 I want you to take your Bibles 15:28 and go with me to Revelation 12. 15:38 Revelation 12. 15:42 And we're going to have a word of prayer together. 15:47 When you're there, you can say amen. 15:53 All right, let's pray together. 15:57 Father in heaven, just want to thank You Lord 16:01 that we have come safely through another week. 16:05 Here we are on the very edges of this holy day. 16:12 Father we just pray 16:14 that this would afford sweet hours of communion. 16:19 We just pray that as we bring in the New Year, 16:25 almost upon a Sabbath. 16:28 We pray that we would learn to rest in You, Lord. 16:32 We ask tonight that as we look at Your word 16:36 that You would speak through this man 16:38 who is but dust in Your sight. 16:41 We pray Lord that You would not only speak through me 16:44 that You would speak to me. 16:46 And we are praying that Jesus would be seen, 16:48 and He would be high and lifted up. 16:50 And we pray that in His name 16:51 that you would banish all things 16:53 that are not of His kingdom from this place. 16:56 And Lord that You would allow us 16:59 to be revived by that spirit that is coming in the name 17:02 that is above every name. 17:04 That is coming in a name 17:06 that is the only name given among men 17:08 whereby we must be saved. 17:10 And that is the same name we offer this prayer 17:15 in Jesus' name. 17:17 Amen. 17:23 Brothers and sisters, I think, 17:28 I found the devil's least favorite chapter 17:30 in the Bible. 17:33 In Revelation 12, the Bible says, 17:36 beginning in verse 3. 17:39 "And another sign appeared in heaven. 17:41 Behold a great fiery red dragon having seven heads, 17:45 and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 17:48 And his tail drew a third of the stars of heaven, 17:51 and threw them to the earth. 17:53 And the dragon stood before the woman 17:55 who was ready to give birth to devour her child 17:58 as soon as it was born. 18:00 She bore a male child who was to rule all nations 18:04 with a rod of iron. 18:05 And her child was not consumed by the dragon, 18:09 but the child was caught up to God into his throne." 18:12 I think, I found the devil's least favorite chapter. 18:17 You see, the Bible says in verse 6, 18:19 "Then the woman fled into the wilderness, 18:21 where she has a place prepared by who, 18:24 by God that they should feed her there 1,260 days." 18:30 I think I found the devil's least favorite chapter, 18:34 in verse 7 the Bible says, "And war broke out in heaven. 18:38 Michael and his angels fought with the dragon. 18:40 And the dragon and his angels fought. 18:43 But the Bible says, "But they did not prevail." 18:45 Can you say amen? 18:47 Nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 18:50 I think, I found the devil's least favorite chapter. 18:54 But it goes on to tell us, it says, 18:57 "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 19:00 "Now salvation and strengthen the kingdom of our God, 19:04 and the power of his Christ have come 19:06 for the accuser of our brethren who accuse them before our God 19:10 day and night has been cast down." 19:13 I think I found the devil's least favorite chapter. 19:17 And the Bible says, in the next verse 19:19 and they overcame him singular, 19:23 the devil, the dragon, that old serpent, 19:26 Satan, they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb 19:31 and by the word of their testimony. 19:33 And they did not love their lives onto death." 19:36 I think I found the devil's least favorite chapter 19:38 in the Bible. 19:40 It goes on to say, "Therefore rejoice, Oh heavens." 19:43 It's not only that the brother is defeated, 19:46 people are rejoicing in your defeat. 19:50 And you who dwell in them. 19:51 Woe into the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, 19:55 for the devil has come down to you, 19:57 having great wrath. 19:58 Because He knows that He has a short time. 20:02 The Bible says in verse 13 that "When the dragon saw 20:04 that he had been cast to the earth, 20:07 he persecuted the woman 20:09 who gave birth to the male child. 20:12 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle 20:16 that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, 20:19 where she is nourished for a time and times, 20:22 and half a time 20:23 from the presence of the serpent." 20:25 I think, I found the devil's least favorite chapter. 20:31 But as if that wasn't enough verse 15 says so, 20:35 "The serpent spewed water out of his mouth 20:38 like a flood after the woman 20:40 that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood." 20:44 But the Bible says, "The earth helped the woman, 20:48 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood 20:51 which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth." 20:54 I think, I found the devil's least favorite chapter. 20:59 Time and time again, the devil has been getting it, 21:03 whether it be on heaven or whether it be on earth. 21:06 Every single time the devil has a plan, 21:08 Revelation 12 reminds us 21:10 the devil's plans have always failed. 21:14 Time and time again, 21:15 the devil doesn't want you reading this chapter 21:18 to remind you how many times Christ has sent him away 21:21 with his tail between his legs. 21:24 This is the devil's least favorite chapter, 21:27 but there is one last verse, 21:31 because the devil is a knucklehead. 21:35 You know, when I was growing up, 21:36 I recently went to my uncle's funeral. 21:39 And one of my youngest uncles, 21:42 he used to baby-sit me as a kid. 21:44 And he said, "Sebastian, you know, of course you know, 21:47 your family always wants to bring up 21:49 the embarrassing stories at these gatherings, 21:52 that's all they remember 21:53 are the things that make you look bad." 21:56 So my uncle looked at my family, 21:58 we're all sitting there talking at the table, 22:00 at the repast. 22:02 And he said, "You know, 22:03 what I used to call you when you were younger?" 22:05 I said, "Of course, I remember what you used to call me. 22:07 Let's not talk it." 22:08 No, no, I have to, I have to remind people. 22:10 I used to call you "Will not," 22:12 because no matter what you told Sebastian, 22:15 he will not do it." 22:17 Sebastian go brush your hair, I will not do it. 22:20 He said, "Sebastian sit down," he will not sit down. 22:22 You know, I learn from the fact 22:24 that that nickname doesn't really belong to me. 22:27 Amen. 22:28 It really belongs to the devil himself, 22:30 because it doesn't matter how many times he loses, 22:33 he still wants to keep making war and fighting. 22:36 How many times do you have to be defeated 22:38 before you get the picture? 22:42 But you see, I think the devil keeps going, 22:44 because he realizes 22:46 that he is not always losing in our lives. 22:51 The devil keeps going, because at some point in time, 22:54 he's realizing on winning a couple victories 22:57 on this side of eternity. 23:00 The devil keeps making war 23:02 even though Christ has ultimately defeated him, 23:05 because he's getting some minor victories 23:07 in your heart and in my heart, 23:09 and because of this he continues to make war. 23:12 So the Bible says that the dragon in verse 17 23:15 was enraged with the woman. 23:18 And he went to make war with the remnant of her seed, 23:24 who keep the commandments of God 23:27 and have the testimony of Jesus. 23:31 You see, 23:32 the devil has come down to a point unto our day 23:36 where the Bible says, 23:38 "The dragon is in rage with the woman." 23:39 You see, the word wrath and enrage 23:41 doesn't really capture it. 23:43 You see, in the original language, 23:45 it's the idea of being exasperated. 23:48 It's the idea of being frustrated. 23:50 It's the idea of saying, I've tried this time and time 23:52 and time and time and time again 23:54 and I keep failing. 23:55 Every time he tries to get the woman, all the sudden, 23:58 some miraculous happening comes in to deliver her. 24:01 Can you say amen? 24:03 You see, we don't have to worry about the fact 24:05 that this woman who symbolizes the church in all ages. 24:09 She never stands up to fight the dragon. 24:11 Did you notice that in the chapter? 24:14 You see, when you look in this corner, 24:17 we have Lucifer, the highest created being. 24:21 And in this corner, this little feeble woman, 24:24 you can't get weaker than this in prophecy to say, 24:26 who is going to win, the woman or the dragon? 24:29 And guess what? 24:31 Every single time, 24:32 the woman four, the dragon zero. 24:36 It should have been a bigger amen than that. 24:42 It doesn't make sense that she is four, four, four. 24:47 Five, four, five, and still going, 24:50 because she has learned a principle of her success 24:53 that her success does not rest in her strength, 24:56 her success does not rest in her intellect, 24:59 her success does not rest in her ability to do this 25:03 or her numbers, or her prestige, 25:05 or her money, or her power, 25:07 that's not where her success rests in. 25:09 She knows that her success rests 25:12 in 100 percent dependence upon Christ. 25:17 She has come to realize 25:18 that the devil is going to be angry 25:20 and he's not just angry with everybody. 25:24 The Bible says the devil is frustrated. 25:27 He is exasperated. 25:29 I'm so tired of chasing this woman 25:31 and never catching her. 25:32 So you know, what he decided to do. 25:33 The Bible says, "He went to make war." 25:37 You see that word went doesn't just mean he left, 25:40 that means the Bible is trying to say the devil came aside 25:43 and he had a group meeting with his minions. 25:47 They had a board meeting, 25:49 and the chairman walked in looking a little beat up, 25:51 dusty, like he just came from a spiritual Vietnam. 25:55 What's going on with you man? 25:57 We need a better plan, 'cause this is not working. 26:02 So as he sits down in his board meeting, 26:04 and he's saying, "How we're going to make war 26:06 against the remnant of her seed?" 26:08 Do you know that the word remnant, 26:12 it simply means that which is remaining, 26:15 that which is left. 26:17 But you see the remnant are not just people 26:19 who are the leftovers, 26:20 that's not what the remnant means. 26:22 The remnant means that this particular thing 26:25 is just like the original, but it has survived a crisis. 26:31 It has gone through something 26:33 that the rest of them didn't go through. 26:36 You see, when we talk about the remnant concept, 26:39 yes, it is all about we believe what Jesus believes. 26:43 But as I said, the devil keeps making war, 26:46 because he has been gaining some victories in our lives. 26:51 You see, some days I wake up 26:52 and I think there is something wrong with my church. 26:55 When I come down into the sanctuary, 26:58 and I sit down on the day of my baptism, 27:00 and the pastor who baptizes me begins to preach 27:04 that you can never get victory over sin. 27:07 Sometimes I think, 27:08 there's something wrong with my church. 27:10 When you go to church 27:11 and the pastor can stand up there, 27:13 and talk for 60 minutes and never crack the Bible. 27:16 Sometimes I think 27:18 there's something wrong with my church. 27:20 When you go down, you find out 27:21 that an elder is having an affair 27:23 with another member in the church. 27:27 And everybody knows except his wife. 27:30 Sometimes I think 27:31 there's something wrong with my church. 27:35 When all the sunning as a young person, 27:37 you come home, you get fired up, 27:39 you want to do a Bible study, 27:40 and the board is putting more money into new carpets 27:43 and banisters than they are into evangelism. 27:46 Sometimes I think, 27:47 there's something wrong with my church. 27:52 Because the devil is gaining victories over them. 27:55 But brothers and sisters, 27:56 I'm here to talk to you tonight about the remnant. 28:00 I want you to notice 28:02 that the devil is not enraged with the woman 28:04 and going to make war with the remnant of her seed, 28:07 because they are perfect. 28:10 It doesn't say he is going to make war 28:11 with the remnant of her seed, because they're so holy. 28:15 It doesn't say he is going to make war 28:17 with the remnant of her seed, because they're so faithful, 28:21 because they are 100 percent dependent upon Jesus. 28:24 No, no, no, it says, 28:26 because they keep the commandments of God 28:28 and have the testimony of Jesus. 28:30 You and I must realize something 28:32 I learned a long time ago, 28:34 when I decided to join God's remnant church. 28:37 My favorite preacher used to say, 28:39 some people think when they come into the church, 28:41 the devil is going to pat you on the back and wish you well. 28:44 Oh, good job, you chose the right side, 28:47 Jesus is going to win in the end. 28:48 No, no, no, no, no. 28:50 As soon as you cross the line, 28:52 the devil is waiting for you on the other side. 28:56 So as soon as we made a decision to follow Jesus. 28:59 Let's not get it twisted in this place 29:03 that we are all the sudden going to follow Christ, 29:05 we don't believe in prosperity gospel. 29:08 We believe in a gospel that perfects us, 29:11 that is purifying us. 29:13 And guess what, 29:14 that means you're going to have some trials. 29:16 Brothers and sisters, we need to know tonight, 29:18 the message that we have to preach. 29:19 You can't preach that message with power, 29:22 when you haven't been through something. 29:25 A man came to me and said, "Brother Sebastian, 29:27 I want you to mentor me in preaching." 29:29 And I said "Brother, I can teach you in 10 minutes 29:31 everything I know about preaching. 29:32 But what I cannot teach you is the life experience 29:36 that goes behind the sermons." 29:37 I don't just preach stuff because it makes sense. 29:41 I preach it because I've experienced it. 29:44 I know what it's like to stand for Jesus 29:47 and be counted. 29:50 When I decided to follow Christ, 29:54 within a month time, my stepfather passed away, 29:59 within four months time I had six, seven family members die. 30:03 I never been to a funeral up until that point in my life. 30:07 I went to go meet my grandfather 30:09 for the very first time. 30:11 And as I was driving up to see my grandfather, 30:14 he passed away while I was in the car. 30:18 So instead of going to meet my grandfather 30:20 for the first time, 30:21 I ended up going to his funeral. 30:23 And as me and all my cousins were gathered in there. 30:26 They said, "Oh, Sebastian is a Christian now. 30:29 Oh, Sebastian's a disciple of Jesus now, 30:31 he is a Jesus freak." 30:33 They said, "You know, it's so interesting, Sebastian, 30:35 because nobody died in the family 30:37 until you decided to follow God." 30:40 I thought that when you make a decision to follow Jesus 30:43 that all of the sudden everything's going to go well. 30:45 I said, "What made you think that?" 30:48 I said, "You show me one believer in the Bible 30:51 that decided to follow Christ and things got smoother." 30:55 All of the sudden, the Bible says 30:57 that when God has called the remnant, 30:59 as soon as the remnant agrees to that covenant with God, 31:03 all of the sudden the devil is acting up in your life. 31:06 All of the sudden, he's pressing 31:07 every button of temptation he can find. 31:11 I want to take you back to the Book of Genesis. 31:13 Go to Genesis 6, 31:15 because the devil has always been trying to make a mess 31:19 out of the remnant. 31:21 The Bible says in Genesis 7, 31:26 when you're there you can say amen. 31:31 Genesis 7:23, the Bible says, 31:37 "So he God destroyed all living things 31:39 which were on the face of the ground. 31:41 Both man and cattle creeping thing, 31:44 and bird of the air, 31:45 they were destroyed from the earth. 31:47 Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark." 31:51 What's that next word? 31:53 Remained, 31:55 that is where we get the concept of the remnant. 31:58 They were the only ones that remained. 32:01 Now I want you to notice something. 32:03 How did God choose 32:04 when He was going to destroy the earth of all of humanity? 32:08 How did He choose who was going to be His remnant? 32:12 How did He decide on Noah? 32:15 I want you to go back to Noah, to Genesis 6. 32:20 Genesis 6:7, the Bible says, "So the Lord said, 32:25 I will destroy man whom I have created 32:28 from the face of the earth both man and beast. 32:31 Creeping thing in birds of the air, 32:33 for I am sorry that I have made them." 32:38 God had come to a point, 32:39 where He regretted the fact that He created a human being. 32:43 And I can understand why God would feel that way 32:46 just by watching the news. 32:48 When you see what humanity is capable of, 32:51 when you see the full expression of evil 32:54 come out of the fingertips of mankind and womankind. 32:57 You cannot believe what man is able to do. 33:00 But the Bible says, 33:01 "Even though God regretted that He made man." 33:04 It says in the next verse, 33:05 "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." 33:08 Amen. 33:10 The remnant are not a group of people 33:11 who are perfect. 33:13 The remnant are not a group of people 33:14 who have all of the sudden been ready for translation 33:17 on some platform of spirituality. 33:20 The remnant are a group of individuals 33:22 who have found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 33:25 These are individuals who know what it's like 33:28 that I do not deserve to be where I am right now. 33:31 I do not deserve to be alive. It's almost like Lazarus. 33:38 You can argue so many things in the story of Lazarus. 33:43 But when you really come down to it, 33:45 and Jesus said, 33:47 this sickness is not on to death, 33:48 but it is for the glory of God. 33:51 And you realize that 33:52 when Lazarus is resurrected from the grave, 33:55 no one is going to sit down and say 33:56 the miracle of the Lazarus is not what he's eating, 33:59 it's the fact that he can eat. 34:01 Amen. 34:02 The miracle of Lazarus has nothing to do with the fact 34:06 of, "Oh, where is Lazarus walking." 34:07 It's the fact that the brother is walking. 34:10 I remember when he was laid in the grave. 34:15 And so when you and I 34:17 have gone through these experiences of failure and sin, 34:21 and darkness in our lives, 34:23 and somehow in this crooked and perverse generation, 34:26 we have found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 34:30 C.S. Lewis used to tell it this way, he said, 34:31 "People walk around talking about 34:33 when they found the Lord." 34:36 He said this is so funny. 34:37 It's like the mouse saying, "When I found the cat." 34:41 No, the cat was looking for you the whole time. 34:43 Can you say amen? 34:46 Jesus was always looking for us. 34:49 He was always seeking us. 34:51 We didn't find the Lord, the Lord found us 34:54 and we finally stop resisting Him. 34:58 That's what happened at conversion. 35:02 But because we found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 35:04 And unfortunately, brothers and sisters, I have to say, 35:08 even though we find grace in the eyes of the Lord, 35:11 we don't always find grace in the eyes of each other. 35:16 There are times I remember, 35:17 when I was coming out of my legal situation. 35:21 And I called the man on the phone, 35:24 and the man told me, he said, "Sebastian, 35:25 I want you to know 35:27 that in my eyes you are as innocent 35:31 as if you never committed one thing." 35:34 And then all of the sudden, you come back to the church, 35:37 and all of a sudden, people are saying, 35:38 "Well, you know, 35:39 I don't know about this brother, 35:42 because he has a past." 35:45 I don't know about this man because he has a past. 35:49 I don't know about this man because of where he came from. 35:51 And I sat down with a church member, 35:53 and I said, "If a person cannot preach 35:56 because of their past, then who can preach?" 36:01 You tell me who can preach, 36:02 who doesn't have skeletons in the closet? 36:05 Who hasn't been through the muck of life? 36:08 Who hasn't known what it's like to be in the pit of temptation 36:11 and despair, knowing that there is no other reason 36:15 why I am standing on this platform 36:17 except because of the grace of God. 36:21 Because the remnant is not a generation of perfect people, 36:24 but people who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 36:29 And brothers and sisters, we need to learn 36:31 how to find grace in the eyes of each other. 36:34 So many times, I remember being in a canvassing program. 36:38 And they were saying, "You know, 36:39 in order to go out canvassing, sister, 36:41 you got to have skirts, you can only wear dresses." 36:45 So she goes and she shows up to worship. 36:49 And all of the sudden, her dress is so short. 36:51 "You think, okay, 36:53 I got to give my Bible study sitting next to you." 36:56 So I sat next to her, I gave the worship, 36:58 and all of the sudden, the leaders came to me, 37:00 they said, "Oh, man, she can't go out canvassing today. 37:03 And so they pulled her aside and they said, 37:04 "Look sister, you know, because of your dress, 37:06 you know, you really can't go out door to door, 37:08 you can't go canvassing today." 37:10 She says, "Well, this is all I have right." 37:11 She starts crying, and I looked at them, 37:15 and I said, "Guys, guys, guys, guys, guys, guys, listen. 37:18 Why don't we go to the store 37:20 and buy her some other dresses." 37:23 We consider and talk about the skirt all we want. 37:26 Take off the skirt, put it in the trash, 37:28 let's go to the mall, get you a dress, 37:30 and let's get to spreading the word of the Kingdom of God. 37:35 We need to learn how to find grace 37:37 in the eyes of each other. 37:40 I remember preaching and a man told me 37:41 why his wife was no longer coming to the church. 37:44 I said, "Why is your wife not coming?" 37:46 He said, "Well, you know, brother before I met my wife, 37:50 she had gotten into a relationship 37:52 and gotten pregnant outside of marriage. 37:55 The church decided to disfellowship her 37:57 and not the guy. 37:59 The guy married her best friend in the same church. 38:03 So after she had the baby, 38:04 the church members used to shun her and avoid her 38:07 and she'd be walking in this African country 38:11 holding her baby tied to her back. 38:13 And as she was walking 38:14 church members would drive right past her. 38:18 Not even offer her a ride. 38:20 And then one day, a woman came up and said, 38:22 "Excuse me sister, are you going to the market? 38:26 She said, "Actually I am." 38:27 She says, "Why don't you hop in, 38:29 I'll take you to the market." 38:30 Then she got to the market. 38:32 She says, "Get whatever you need. 38:33 I'll happily drop you off at home." 38:36 So the woman put a whole cart of groceries 38:38 thinking this is a gift from God. 38:41 So she loaded up that cart. 38:43 When after they scanned all the items, 38:45 she put out her wallet and the cashier said, 38:49 "It's already been paid for. 38:52 The woman over there paid for your groceries." 38:55 She said, "What?" 38:56 So she walked out of the line, 38:58 and with the groceries started loading them in the car. 39:00 And the lady said, "Hey, don't worry about it. 39:02 God is good. God is good. 39:03 Don't worry about it." 39:05 So she put the groceries in the car. 39:06 The woman went to walk away with her baby, 39:08 and the woman came back with the keys. 39:11 And she said, "Here, 39:13 drive yourself and your baby home. 39:15 You can keep the car this week. 39:17 I'll call my husband to pick me up." 39:20 She says, "Just meet me back here in one week." 39:24 As she came back the next week with the car, 39:27 because there is no way 39:28 you're not going to show up with that car. 39:30 That person has been so grateful, gracious to you. 39:33 You don't want to burn the hand that's feeding you. 39:36 So she brought that car right back to the market. 39:39 The woman said, Well, why don't you get some groceries 39:41 before we separate and I take your car? 39:44 So she went ahead and got the groceries. 39:47 Again she got to the register, 39:48 the woman paid for the groceries. 39:51 Then she got back and she in the car 39:53 and the woman said, "Listen why don't you drive." 39:55 She says, "No, no, it's your car. 39:57 She says, "No, actually me and my husband prayed about it. 39:59 We said it's not right 40:01 for a young mother to be walking. 40:03 So we decided, we're going to give you our car, 40:06 because we have another car." 40:08 And she said, "I just want you to know 40:11 that you and your baby are accepted 40:13 at our local Pentecostal church." 40:16 Guess what church she was going to. 40:20 And I told them, I said, "Brothers and sisters." 40:23 I said, I told them, and I said, 40:25 "Can I talk to your wife, 40:28 because I wanted her to know that this is not 40:31 how all Seventh-day Adventists behave. 40:34 I wanted her to know that the devil was angry, 40:37 that the devil was wroth with the woman 40:39 he was trying to make a mess out of the remnant." 40:42 And even though she didn't find grace in the eyes 40:44 of those members, there are other people 40:47 who she will find grace in their eyes. 40:50 If I had known, you would have had my car in a second. 40:53 If I had known you would have had a place to stay, 40:56 your groceries would have been taken care of, 40:57 it has nothing to do with these. 40:59 Brothers and sisters, 41:00 I know there's people in this room 41:02 that have been burned by fellow believers. 41:09 And Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, 41:14 but you know, after Noah had come out of the Ark, 41:18 the Bible says that, "God had brought Noah out of the ark. 41:24 And I want you to look in chapter 9. 41:28 After God has chosen his remnant and he said, 41:30 "Noah, you alone have I found righteous in this generation." 41:39 Genesis 9. Are you there? 41:43 Verse 20, the Bible says, and Noah began to be a farmer, 41:47 and he planted a vineyard. 41:50 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk 41:52 and became uncovered in his tent. 41:55 And Ham, the father of Canaan, 41:57 saw the nakedness of his father 41:59 and told his two brothers outside. 42:03 But Shem and Japheth took a garment 42:06 and laid it on both of their shoulders, 42:08 and went backward, 42:09 and covered the nakedness of their father. 42:11 Their faces were turned away, 42:13 and they did not see their father's nakedness. 42:18 How in the world is this a remnant. 42:22 After all of this, Noah, 42:25 120 years of fighting against persecution, 42:29 being misunderstood, being made fun of Noah. 42:32 "Really, you're building an ark, 42:33 where is the rain, where are the clouds?" 42:35 All of this Noah, a 120 years you preach. 42:39 And now that you've come off the ark, 42:41 the waters have receded. 42:43 You now worship God. 42:44 Now all of the sudden, you're getting drunk off of wine, 42:48 so drunk that you came up naked in your house. 42:52 This is the remnant of God, the remaining portion. 42:57 But you know what is happening brothers and sisters. 42:59 The reason why this happened 43:01 is because the dragon was wroth with the woman. 43:05 We don't need to beat a man when he's already down. 43:09 The Bible says, if a brother is overtaken in a fault, 43:11 restore such a one with meekness and gentleness, 43:17 considering yourself also let's you yourself be tempted. 43:22 Brothers and sisters, let the devil do the accusing. 43:25 Can you say amen? 43:26 I don't want to do the devil's work for him. 43:29 He's already busy enough 43:31 as it is accusing people in their conscience. 43:34 Accusing people in private, 43:36 accusing people behind their back, 43:38 the devil is already busy enough. 43:40 We don't need to help him. 43:45 Gandhi said it this way, 43:49 he said, "I like your Christ. 43:54 I do not like your Christians, 43:57 because your Christians are so unlike your Christ." 44:05 I believe, if people like Christ 44:08 and Christ was a Seventh-day Adventist, 44:12 then people like the remnant, 44:17 but they may not like its followers. 44:24 It brings us to a place to say, "Am I a part of the problem 44:30 or am I a part of the solution?" 44:34 In each of these experiences 44:38 from Noah to Abraham, 44:41 to Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph, 44:45 to the nation of Israel in the wilderness, 44:47 you're saying constantly time and time again 44:49 here is the remnant of God attacked by the devil, 44:55 because he is enraged with the woman. 44:57 Do you think after the devil has failed for millennium 45:01 that he is not going to come down to us 45:03 with great wrath? 45:05 Because the Bible says he knows that he has 45:06 but a short time. 45:11 I'm going to say something that may be misunderstood, 45:13 but that's okay. 45:16 We have to realize, brothers and sisters, 45:18 that if the devil knows that he has a short time, 45:20 then how much time do we have. 45:24 And if we don't have a lot of time, 45:25 and the devil knows that he has a short time, 45:28 do you think, this is the time 45:30 to be dillydallying with this sin and that sin? 45:35 Do you think this is the time that you can sit down and say, 45:38 "Well, I don't know if I can forgive, 45:39 I don't know if I can reconcile." 45:41 Brothers and sisters, we don't have that much time. 45:45 You cannot be sitting on grudges. 45:47 You cannot be sitting on hating your parents. 45:50 Listen, I know as a preacher, one of the number one reasons 45:53 why young people are dead in the church 45:55 is because of the home life. 45:58 It's because the remnant is failing in the family. 46:03 I know, parents always come and say, "Brother Sebastian, 46:07 my son loves your sermons, can you talk to my son?" 46:10 I sit down with his son, I say, "Listen, what's your issue? 46:12 Why you're not coming to church? 46:14 Why did you not get up for the appeal? 46:15 He says, "It's because of my mom." 46:18 There was a man that came and said, "Brother Sebastian, 46:20 I don't know why my wife doesn't come to church anymore. 46:23 She just stopped coming. 46:24 She just decided, you know what, 46:26 I'm done with religion. 46:27 I'm done with this." 46:28 And I said, "Why do you think she said that?" 46:30 And he said, "You know, it just hit me last night, 46:33 my wife and I had an argument because I brought it up. 46:36 I said. "Honey why don't you just come to church, 46:38 why don't you just visit?" 46:40 And finally after a long pause and tears in her eyes, 46:43 she looked at her husband, and she said, 46:45 "It's because of you, why I don't come." 46:50 I don't have a problem with the church. 46:53 I have a problem with you, 46:55 and you are a Seventh-day Adventist 46:58 and if that's what it means, 46:59 I don't want to have anything to do with it. 47:03 When your wife tells you that, 47:07 I cannot tell you how broken this man was. 47:12 To know you were called to be a spiritual leader 47:14 and you were nothing but the devil's tool, 47:17 to destroy the faith of your wife. 47:23 Brothers and sisters, 47:25 I want to take you to one last passage. 47:27 I want you to go to Matthew 11, 47:30 as I bring this to a conclusion. 47:36 Matthew 11, 47:39 because I know somebody here is doubting this church 47:43 because of what they see in their home, 47:46 because of what they see in their church, they wonder, 47:49 can this really be God's remnant church. 47:53 The Bible says in Matthew 11, 47:56 are you there, can you say amen? 47:58 The Bible says in verse 2, 47:59 "And when John heard in prison about the works of Christ, 48:02 he sent two of his disciples." 48:06 And this is the message that John sent to Jesus. 48:12 And when John had heard in prison 48:14 about the works of Christ, 48:16 he sent two of his disciples and said to him, 48:18 "Are you the coming one or do we look for another?" 48:24 Are you the coming one or do we look for another? 48:29 John is the one that looked at the disciples and said, 48:34 "Behold the Lamp of God." 48:37 John is the one that prepared the way of the Lord, 48:42 to make straighter paths. 48:44 John was the one that laid the groundwork 48:47 for the King of kings and the Lord of lords 48:49 to be born upon this earth, 48:51 and to prepare a people to meet their God. 48:54 John was the one that said Christ, him, 48:58 Jesus of Nazareth. 49:00 That is the Son of God, come down. 49:04 And now in this moment, in the prison, 49:07 because he is suffering, because he is alone, 49:11 because he is in a dark place, He is now questioning, 49:14 "Are you really the Christ?" 49:18 And a friend told me one time. 49:23 What my message 49:25 and what I believe Jesus' message was to John. 49:29 Never doubt in the darkness, 49:33 what God has told you in the light. 49:37 Never doubt in the darkness, 49:39 what God has told you in the light. 49:41 When you get discouraged at your church, 49:43 because your pastor is not preaching the word, 49:45 go back to how you came into the church. 49:49 Go back to what broke your heart 49:51 and brought you to the altar, 49:52 and said, "All to Jesus, I surrender." 49:55 Go back to that point 49:56 where you were crying on your knees in tears 49:59 and said, "I have decided to follow Jesus." 50:02 When you decided in your mind, though no one join me, 50:05 still I will follow. 50:08 When you came to that place and your experience 50:10 what you said, I will follow you my savior. 50:14 Where so ever my lot maybe. 50:18 Where thou goest, 50:19 I will follow by thy grace I'll follow that. 50:25 You go back to that moment 50:29 where you met your savior at that cross. 50:32 And you remember that Jesus looked beyond your faults, 50:35 and He saw your need. 50:38 You remember that Jesus looked beyond your sinful ways 50:41 and saw your need. 50:43 You remember that moment 50:45 when Jesus looked beyond your foolishness, 50:47 your brokenness, your selfishness, 50:49 your depression, and He saw your need. 50:52 And He said, "Even though 50:53 your life is beat up and broken down. 50:57 I'll still accept you. You can still come home. 50:59 And you're not going to be my servant, 51:01 you're not going to be my slave, 51:03 you're going to be my child." 51:08 And you're going to be joint heirs with Jesus. 51:12 Brothers and sisters, 51:14 if there's someone here that is hurting tonight. 51:16 If someone here that is doubting 51:18 that this is God's church, 51:19 because of what's happening inside the church. 51:21 I want to tell you, do not doubt in the darkness 51:24 what God told you in the light. 51:29 Just because it's dark, just because it hurts, 51:32 just because you're alone, don't doubt it. 51:36 John knew that Jesus was the Christ. 51:40 And there was a day 51:41 where every single one of us knew this was God's church. 51:48 But because things have gotten hard, 51:52 we start questioning. 51:55 And we do what John did. 51:58 "Lord, is this really your church?" 52:06 Is this really your church? 52:10 Every head is bowed, every eye is closed. 52:16 As my wife comes out to sing, 52:17 I want to make a very simple appeal. 52:24 And that appeal is this, if you are someone in this room 52:30 that says, "Lord, I have been hurt, 52:34 I have been discouraged, I've been broken down, 52:39 because of what I've seen inside Your church. 52:43 But tonight I'm coming up to this altar to tell you Lord, 52:46 I don't want to doubt in the darkness 52:48 what You told me in the light. 52:50 Lord, I want You to take me back to that moment 52:53 where I understood what it was to experience amazing grace. 52:58 Lord, I want you to remind me 53:00 how excited I was to come to Sabbath school. 53:04 I want You to take me back 53:05 to why I decided to go to a missionary school. 53:08 I want You to take me back to that moment when I said, 53:11 Lord, I would do whatever it takes 53:13 to finish this work in this generation. 53:17 But Lord, I see my heart is growing cold, 53:21 because of what I've seen inside your church." 53:26 And so as Candis sings, 53:29 you say, "Lord, you're speaking to me tonight, 53:32 and I need You to restore my faith in Your church." 53:38 If God is speaking to you to restore your faith tonight, 53:41 you say, "Lord, no longer will I doubt in the darkness 53:43 what You've told me in the light. 53:44 I want you to come up out of your seat to this altar 53:47 to pray with me that God would restore faith in His church." 53:56 Come. 53:59 Amazing grace 54:07 Where always be 54:11 My song of praise 54:18 For it was grace 54:24 That bought 54:26 My liberty 54:33 I do not know 54:40 Just how he came 54:44 To love me so-- 54:49 Let this song be your prayer. 54:51 He looked 54:52 Beyond my faults 54:58 And saw my need 55:05 I shall forever lift 55:13 Mine eyes to Calvary 55:20 To view the cross 55:27 Where Jesus died 55:31 For me 55:36 How marvelous the grace 55:44 That caught my falling soul 55:51 He looked beyond my faults 55:59 And saw my need 56:05 I shall forever lift 56:13 Mine eyes to Calvary 56:20 To view the cross 56:26 Where Jesus died 56:30 For me 56:36 How marvelous the grace 56:44 That caught my falling soul 56:50 He looked beyond 56:58 He looked beyond 57:05 He looked beyond 57:11 My faults 57:15 And saw 57:19 My need. 57:27 Father in heaven, Lord, we are kneeling here, 57:32 because we've been in that place where John was, 57:36 where we were doubting in the darkness 57:38 what God told us in the light. 57:41 And so we are here Lord, 57:43 asking that she would give us the courage. 57:48 Lord, that she would give us the healing, 57:51 that she would give us the vision, and the joy, 57:54 and the excitement to be reminded 57:56 that even in these dark times, 57:58 the devil is still going to lose. 58:01 To know when these moments 58:03 that Jesus' church is going to go through, 58:07 that there is only one ark 58:09 that's going to navigate the stormy waves of a flood. 58:12 Help us to stay on board Lord, 58:15 and help us to go back to that moment, 58:18 where we met Jesus on that cross. 58:21 And may we for ever lift our eyes to Calvary. 58:27 This is our prayer and we offer it in Jesus' name. 58:32 Amen. |
Revised 2016-07-21