I am so thankful that we have
someone we can always lean on
00:00:32.16\00:00:36.30
when we go through tough times.
00:00:36.33\00:00:37.77
And we're going to sing next,
Leaning On the Everlasting Arms.
00:00:37.80\00:00:42.37
Please join us.
00:00:42.40\00:00:43.74
Please stand with us
as we sing our theme song,
00:03:07.02\00:03:09.08
Once To Every Man and Nation.
00:03:09.12\00:03:11.22
Happy Sabbath GYC!
00:07:34.35\00:07:36.52
You guys can be seated.
00:07:36.55\00:07:38.42
I have the privilege of
introducing to you today
00:07:38.45\00:07:41.46
our speaker for this
morning, Evangelist Taj Pacleb.
00:07:41.49\00:07:45.23
I had the privilege of meeting
him a few months ago in October
00:07:45.26\00:07:48.56
at GYC Southeast on
the campus of Southern
00:07:48.60\00:07:51.00
Adventist University.
00:07:51.03\00:07:52.37
Taj's passion is to help people
see Jesus in every doctrine
00:07:52.40\00:07:58.41
and every principle
found within the Bible.
00:07:58.44\00:08:00.38
He's traveled to twenty-eight
countries around the world,
00:08:00.41\00:08:03.65
including Malaysia, India,
and last but not least, Fiji.
00:08:03.68\00:08:08.08
His mission, and his final
purpose in life, is to change
00:08:08.12\00:08:11.89
the population in
heaven, one soul at a time,
00:08:11.92\00:08:15.49
by sharing the hope,
health, and harmony of heaven
00:08:15.52\00:08:19.56
in this dark world.
00:08:19.59\00:08:21.56
I know I'm looking forward
to Taj's message this morning,
00:08:21.60\00:08:24.17
as I am sure you are.
00:08:24.20\00:08:25.53
Let us pray. Dear Heavenly
Father, we humbly wait for You.
00:08:25.57\00:08:31.77
We thank You for the
love that You have for us,
00:08:31.81\00:08:35.01
and we thank You for the
rest that You give us in You,
00:08:35.04\00:08:37.61
and we thank You for the
hope that we can have in You.
00:08:37.65\00:08:39.88
And this morning I just ask
that You would fill this place;
00:08:39.91\00:08:43.32
that You would make Yourself
so fully known that the city of
00:08:43.35\00:08:46.96
Louisville, and every attendee
here would see You clearly.
00:08:46.99\00:08:50.79
Hide Taj behind Your cross Lord,
that You may be lifted high
00:08:50.83\00:08:55.56
to draw all to You.
00:08:55.60\00:08:56.93
And we thank You for Your
promise, in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:08:56.97\00:09:01.70
Amen. Good morning family.
00:11:19.21\00:11:22.21
Good morning!
00:11:22.48\00:11:23.81
Aloha, and happy
Sabbath to each one of you.
00:11:23.85\00:11:26.48
I want to thank God for this
wonderful opportunity of being
00:11:26.51\00:11:29.52
together on this, the
first Sabbath of the New Year,
00:11:29.55\00:11:32.49
to experience a
fresh revelation of Jesus.
00:11:32.52\00:11:35.66
We have lots to share this
morning, so we're just going to
00:11:35.69\00:11:38.09
pray, and jump
into our presentation.
00:11:38.13\00:11:39.73
I hope you brought your Bible.
00:11:39.76\00:11:41.46
I hope you brought a notebook.
00:11:41.50\00:11:42.83
And I hope you brought a
spiritual appetite as we feast
00:11:42.86\00:11:44.97
upon the living manna, the
bread of life, this morning.
00:11:45.00\00:11:48.14
I invite you to bow our
heads as we pray together.
00:11:48.17\00:11:49.94
Let us pray. Thank
You so much dear God,
00:11:49.97\00:11:53.27
for breathing Your
breath of life into us today.
00:11:53.31\00:11:57.78
Thank You for giving us
another Sabbath, another year,
00:11:57.81\00:12:02.85
another day to live.
00:12:02.88\00:12:04.22
And Lord we realize
that time is very short,
00:12:04.25\00:12:07.19
that indeed You
are coming again.
00:12:07.22\00:12:10.19
And Lord we want to be ready.
00:12:10.23\00:12:12.23
We understand, we recognize
that You have called us,
00:12:12.26\00:12:15.70
You have chosen us.
00:12:15.73\00:12:17.20
And I pray dear Lord that
Your faithfulness will be ours,
00:12:17.23\00:12:21.07
that You would fill this
room with Your Holy Spirit,
00:12:21.10\00:12:23.77
fill our hearts
with Your Spirit.
00:12:23.81\00:12:25.87
And as we open Your Word, that
our hearts and minds will be
00:12:25.91\00:12:29.41
open to receive the message
of this hour, that we might be
00:12:29.44\00:12:32.98
inspired, motivated,
challenged, and blessed.
00:12:33.01\00:12:37.49
Please, dear God, speak and
give us ears to hear Your voice,
00:12:37.52\00:12:42.82
and a heart that can
know Your heart is our prayer
00:12:42.86\00:12:46.59
in Jesus name, Amen, Amen.
00:12:46.63\00:12:50.20
Our message this
morning is entitled,
00:12:50.23\00:12:52.50
I invite you to take your Bible,
and open with me to the book of
00:12:55.04\00:12:58.11
Mark, Chapter 1, as we
begin our study entitled,
00:12:58.14\00:13:02.58
Great in the Sight of the Lord.
00:13:02.61\00:13:04.85
Mark 1, beginning with
Verse 1, the Bible says this:
00:13:04.88\00:13:11.32
Mark 1:1, the Bibles says, The
beginning of the gospel of Jesus
00:13:11.35\00:13:18.29
Christ, the Son of God; As
it is written in the prophets,
00:13:18.33\00:13:22.73
Behold, I send My
messenger before your face,
00:13:22.76\00:13:27.40
who will prepare
your way before you.
00:13:27.44\00:13:31.37
The voice of one crying in
the wilderness, Prepare the way
00:13:31.41\00:13:37.31
of the Lord, and
make His paths straight.
00:13:37.35\00:13:40.88
Our message this morning takes
us back to the first century of
00:13:42.08\00:13:45.85
the common era.
00:13:45.89\00:13:47.22
It was a time of
great instability and
00:13:47.26\00:13:50.16
uncertainty in the world.
00:13:50.19\00:13:51.99
And this somber uncertainly was
mingled with a solemn expectancy
00:13:52.03\00:13:57.70
for something that was
going to happen amongst
00:13:57.73\00:13:59.77
the people of God.
00:13:59.80\00:14:01.14
Because the Jews of old
thought to themselves that soon
00:14:01.17\00:14:04.44
their Messiah would come.
00:14:04.47\00:14:06.21
Soon the day of
reckoning would arrive.
00:14:06.24\00:14:08.58
Soon their enemies would
be vanquished under their
00:14:08.61\00:14:11.41
feet, so they thought.
00:14:11.45\00:14:12.78
But before the Messiah
would come to the world,
00:14:12.81\00:14:15.98
the Bible says in this passage,
that He would send His messenger
00:14:16.02\00:14:19.62
to prepare the
way for His arrival.
00:14:19.65\00:14:22.39
And we know that this
prophetic promise was fulfilled
00:14:22.42\00:14:25.96
in the life and in the
ministry of John the Baptist.
00:14:25.99\00:14:28.86
He was sent to prepare the way
for the first coming of Christ.
00:14:28.90\00:14:32.73
And so, too, God is looking for
some final forerunners in the
00:14:32.77\00:14:37.64
last days to prepare the way for
for the second coming of Christ.
00:14:37.67\00:14:41.01
John was the first forerunner.
00:14:41.04\00:14:43.71
God is calling us to
be the final forerunners
00:14:43.75\00:14:46.72
in these last days.
00:14:46.75\00:14:48.08
And so this morning, as
well as tomorrow, as we examine
00:14:48.12\00:14:51.05
the life, and ministry, and
message of John the Baptist,
00:14:51.09\00:14:53.56
we will see an example, a visual
aid of what God is calling
00:14:53.59\00:14:57.69
us to be in these solemn times.
00:14:57.73\00:15:00.16
His life, in other
words, was a shadowy type,
00:15:00.20\00:15:03.40
and God is calling us
to be the greater reality,
00:15:03.43\00:15:07.10
to prepare people for
the second coming of Jesus.
00:15:07.14\00:15:11.31
In this passage John is
introduced simply as the voice
00:15:11.34\00:15:15.98
of one crying in the wilderness.
00:15:16.01\00:15:18.41
But what kind of
voice was that of John's?
00:15:18.45\00:15:20.75
John's voice was a voice calling
for revival and reformation.
00:15:20.78\00:15:24.65
It was a catalyst for revival.
00:15:24.69\00:15:27.09
His voice was a
clear voice announcing
00:15:27.12\00:15:29.76
the coming of King Jesus.
00:15:29.79\00:15:31.73
It was also a penetrating voice;
a voice that would sigh and cry
00:15:31.76\00:15:36.60
for the abominations that were
done in the church of that time.
00:15:36.63\00:15:40.30
It was a voice that would
break up the hardened soil
00:15:40.34\00:15:43.14
of spiritual indifference.
00:15:43.17\00:15:44.64
It was also a piercing voice
that would cut men's hearts
00:15:44.67\00:15:47.91
with Holy Spirit conviction.
00:15:47.94\00:15:49.41
It was a startling
voice calling for revival,
00:15:49.44\00:15:52.58
repentance, and reformation.
00:15:52.61\00:15:54.28
It was also a shaking voice
causing some to be shaken up,
00:15:54.32\00:15:58.15
and others to be sifted out.
00:15:58.19\00:15:59.95
His was a bold voice, not afraid
to call sin by its right name.
00:15:59.99\00:16:03.99
But it was also a balanced
voice; a voice that not only
00:16:04.03\00:16:06.73
comforted the afflicted, but
also afflicted the comfortable.
00:16:06.76\00:16:11.17
His voice, friends,
was clear and crying,
00:16:11.20\00:16:13.90
penetrating and piercing.
00:16:13.94\00:16:15.37
It was bold and balanced.
00:16:15.40\00:16:17.31
Also it was a relevant voice;
a voice that reached all types
00:16:17.34\00:16:20.71
of different demographics:
the young and the old,
00:16:20.74\00:16:23.38
the rich and the poor,
the educated the uneducated,
00:16:23.41\00:16:26.41
the Jew and the
Gentile, men and women,
00:16:26.45\00:16:28.55
the religious as
well as the irreligious.
00:16:28.58\00:16:31.22
It was also a hopeful voice;
a voice that would give light
00:16:31.25\00:16:35.09
to those who sit in darkness.
00:16:35.12\00:16:36.66
And it was also
a faithful voice;
00:16:36.69\00:16:38.99
a voice that
would not keep silent
00:16:39.03\00:16:41.93
until the
mission was accomplished;
00:16:41.96\00:16:44.73
the mission simply
to prepare the path,
00:16:44.77\00:16:47.97
and the way for the Lord.
00:16:48.00\00:16:49.74
That was the
voice of God's first
00:16:49.77\00:16:52.74
forerunner, John the Baptist.
00:16:52.77\00:16:54.91
And so will it be the voice
of God's faithful messengers,
00:16:54.94\00:16:58.51
and final
forerunners in these last days.
00:16:58.55\00:17:01.38
And my charge and challenge
to each and every one of us this
00:17:01.42\00:17:03.99
morning is for us to simply
stand up and to let God make us
00:17:04.02\00:17:09.12
His voice, His final generation
of faithful forerunners.
00:17:09.16\00:17:13.40
Friends, I don't know about
you, but I want to stand up
00:17:13.43\00:17:14.96
and be amongst that group, Amen?
00:17:15.00\00:17:16.77
It's time for us, friends,
to run to the world to announce
00:17:16.80\00:17:20.54
the coming of King Jesus.
00:17:20.57\00:17:22.37
It's time for us to be
that voice to give that loud cry
00:17:22.40\00:17:25.74
message; to lift up our
voice and loud let it ring
00:17:25.77\00:17:28.78
that Jesus is coming again.
00:17:28.81\00:17:31.15
But friends, in our world today,
with so may different voices,
00:17:31.18\00:17:34.18
speaking so many
different things in confusion,
00:17:34.22\00:17:36.75
the question I ask this morning
is, How can we be that clarion
00:17:36.79\00:17:40.42
voice announcing
the return of our King?
00:17:40.46\00:17:44.59
Well, to answer that question,
all we need to do is examine
00:17:44.63\00:17:48.36
the life of John the Baptist.
00:17:48.40\00:17:50.60
And we're going
to ask the question,
00:17:50.63\00:17:51.97
What made John who he was?
00:17:52.00\00:17:54.14
And that will answer the
question as to what God is
00:17:54.17\00:17:58.51
wanting us to be as well.
00:17:58.54\00:18:01.41
You see, when the angel Gabriel
came to the parents of John
00:18:01.44\00:18:05.88
announcing his coming, the angel
Gabriel prophesied concerning
00:18:05.91\00:18:11.15
John in Luke 1:15, and he
said that John would be great
00:18:11.19\00:18:17.39
in the sight of the Lord,
great in the sight of the lord.
00:18:17.43\00:18:22.06
John was destined for greatness,
and so it is with us today.
00:18:22.10\00:18:27.14
God has called us, friends, not
to live an ordinary, mundane,
00:18:27.17\00:18:32.44
boring life, but to
live a life that is great
00:18:32.47\00:18:35.58
in the sight of the Lord.
00:18:35.61\00:18:37.11
And that's the
life I want to live.
00:18:37.15\00:18:38.48
How about you? Amen?
00:18:38.51\00:18:40.38
But what made John so great?
00:18:40.42\00:18:43.28
There are three things
that I want to share with you.
00:18:43.32\00:18:46.12
There are several
things that make him great,
00:18:46.15\00:18:47.49
but three things I
want to share with you,
00:18:47.52\00:18:48.92
that I want to highlight
with you today and tomorrow.
00:18:48.96\00:18:53.13
The three things that
made this voice so great:
00:18:53.16\00:18:56.33
1. Was what John
said about himself.
00:18:56.36\00:19:00.34
2. What John said about Jesus.
00:19:00.37\00:19:05.24
And then, 3. What
Jesus said about John.
00:19:05.27\00:19:09.84
This morning we're
going to cover that first one:
00:19:09.88\00:19:12.51
What John said about himself.
00:19:12.55\00:19:14.18
And then tomorrow morning
we're going to cover the second
00:19:14.22\00:19:16.99
and third: What
John said about Jesus,
00:19:17.02\00:19:19.35
and what Jesus said about John.
00:19:19.39\00:19:21.62
Now friends, based upon
what John said about himself,
00:19:21.66\00:19:25.16
which we're about to read, we
can conclude three things about
00:19:25.19\00:19:28.83
John the Baptist that made him
great in the sight of the Lord.
00:19:28.86\00:19:32.73
And I'm going to give it to you
right now, which is the three
00:19:32.77\00:19:35.80
points of our
presentation today.
00:19:35.84\00:19:37.47
1. That which made
John great is that he was
00:19:37.51\00:19:42.68
confident in his identity.
00:19:42.71\00:19:45.38
2. He was secure
in his simplicity.
00:19:45.41\00:19:49.95
And 3. He was
genuine in his humility.
00:19:49.98\00:19:54.29
And those are the three
things that make us great
00:19:54.32\00:19:57.49
in the sight of
the Lord as well.
00:19:57.53\00:19:59.03
And so I invite you to take
your Bible and turn with me to
00:19:59.06\00:20:01.16
the book of John 1, as we see
what John said about himself.
00:20:01.20\00:20:06.77
John 1. As the voice in
the wilderness was heard
00:20:06.80\00:20:10.87
the whole nation of
Israel was stirred with
00:20:10.91\00:20:13.48
excitement and anticipation.
00:20:13.51\00:20:15.31
Many believed that the
voice that they heard in the
00:20:15.34\00:20:17.61
wilderness was one of the
prophets risen from the dead.
00:20:17.65\00:20:20.58
Others thought that perhaps
this was the promised Messiah.
00:20:20.62\00:20:24.15
He has come! And then in verse
19 of John 1 the Bible tells us
00:20:24.19\00:20:29.82
that the priests and Levites
approach John, asking John
00:20:29.86\00:20:33.19
about his identity.
00:20:33.23\00:20:34.56
They asked the
question, Who are you?
00:20:34.60\00:20:37.27
What do you say
concerning yourself?
00:20:37.30\00:20:40.14
And notice how John responds
to the question in John 1:20.
00:20:40.17\00:20:45.74
If you're there would you please
let me know by saying Amen.
00:20:45.77\00:20:48.44
Amen.
00:20:48.48\00:20:49.81
John 1:20. John said, or the
Bible says, And he confessed,
00:20:49.84\00:20:53.31
and denied not; but
confessed, I am not the Christ.
00:20:53.35\00:20:57.89
And they asked him what then?
00:20:57.92\00:20:59.62
Art thou Elias?
And he said, I am not.
00:20:59.65\00:21:02.96
Art thou that Prophet?
00:21:02.99\00:21:04.99
And he answered, No.
00:21:05.03\00:21:06.36
Then they said unto him, Who
art thou? that we may give an
00:21:06.39\00:21:09.83
answer to them that sent us.
00:21:09.86\00:21:11.20
What do you say of yourself?
00:21:11.23\00:21:14.07
Now, friends, I want you
to notice as the Levites and
00:21:14.10\00:21:17.94
priests asked John this
question, John could have easily
00:21:17.97\00:21:21.18
responded and
claimed to be the Messiah.
00:21:21.21\00:21:23.58
And the people
would have revered him,
00:21:23.61\00:21:25.75
and accepted him as such.
00:21:25.78\00:21:27.22
He could have also claimed
to be Elijah, or a great prophet
00:21:27.25\00:21:33.39
risen from the dead, and
people would have followed.
00:21:33.42\00:21:35.76
You see, when John was
confronted with these questions,
00:21:35.79\00:21:38.96
he is faced with an opportunity
of power, and promotion,
00:21:38.99\00:21:43.33
and self
exaltation in these questions.
00:21:43.37\00:21:46.67
All that appealed to
the carnal flesh of John
00:21:46.70\00:21:49.50
was presented before him.
00:21:49.54\00:21:51.01
It was an opportunity
for him to exalt himself
00:21:51.04\00:21:54.14
in the eyes of man.
00:21:54.18\00:21:55.51
But John the Baptist was
like one who saw and heard not,
00:21:55.54\00:21:59.35
because he understood
that he did not have to be
00:21:59.38\00:22:01.82
great in the eyes of
men; he was already great
00:22:01.85\00:22:04.85
in the eyes of the Lord.
00:22:04.89\00:22:06.29
And so he
responds to their question.
00:22:06.32\00:22:08.22
He doesn't even
tell them his name.
00:22:08.26\00:22:10.53
He simply says in verse 23,
I am the voice of one crying
00:22:10.56\00:22:16.16
in the wilderness,
Prepare ye the way of the Lord.
00:22:16.20\00:22:20.07
It says, Make
straight the way of the Lord,
00:22:20.10\00:22:22.54
as said the prophet... What does
it say?... the prophet Isaiah.
00:22:22.57\00:22:27.44
Notice friends, John's answer
to the questions about what he
00:22:27.48\00:22:32.41
thinks about himself
highlights why he was so great
00:22:32.45\00:22:36.08
in the sight of the Lord.
00:22:36.12\00:22:37.45
First of all John knew
his prophetic identity.
00:22:37.49\00:22:41.36
He saw himself as the
fulfillment of Isaiah's
00:22:41.39\00:22:44.36
prophecy, the
voice preparing the way
00:22:44.39\00:22:47.50
for the coming of Messiah.
00:22:47.53\00:22:49.20
His identity was
rooted in prophecy.
00:22:49.23\00:22:52.53
John understood that his
existence was called forth
00:22:52.57\00:22:55.84
by the prophetic word,
and that is what enabled him
00:22:55.87\00:22:59.91
to fulfill his purpose.
00:22:59.94\00:23:01.61
His purpose was
rooted in his identity.
00:23:01.64\00:23:04.15
His identity was
rooted in the prophetic word.
00:23:04.18\00:23:07.85
John, in other words,
knew exactly who he was.
00:23:07.88\00:23:12.35
And as a result he knew
why he was sent to the world.
00:23:12.39\00:23:16.46
My question to you this
morning friends is this:
00:23:16.49\00:23:18.69
Do you know who you are?
00:23:18.73\00:23:20.43
Do you know why
that you are here?
00:23:20.46\00:23:24.33
Allow me to remind us
all this morning that we
00:23:24.37\00:23:27.64
are not just a church.
00:23:27.67\00:23:29.74
We are not just a conversation.
00:23:29.77\00:23:32.21
We are a prophetic movement
of destiny, called and chosen by
00:23:32.24\00:23:37.25
God Himself to fulfill a
specific, special mission,
00:23:37.28\00:23:40.85
to present a beautiful,
glorious message for a very
00:23:40.88\00:23:44.32
distinctive and solemn time.
00:23:44.35\00:23:46.02
Our identity has
been called forth by the
00:23:46.05\00:23:49.69
prophetic Word of God.
00:23:49.72\00:23:51.16
It's rooted in the book
of Revelation, chapter 10,
00:23:51.19\00:23:53.80
Revelation chapter
14, Revelation chapter 18.
00:23:53.83\00:23:56.70
We find our
identity, not only as a church,
00:23:56.73\00:23:59.87
not just as a conversation,
but as a prophetic movement
00:23:59.90\00:24:03.97
called to usher in
the return of King Jesus;
00:24:04.01\00:24:07.44
to be the final
forerunners we have been called,
00:24:07.48\00:24:10.08
we have been chosen.
00:24:10.11\00:24:11.45
The question
is, Are we faithful?
00:24:11.48\00:24:13.42
In order to be great
in the sight of the Lord:
00:24:13.45\00:24:17.85
1. We must be
confident in our identity.
00:24:17.89\00:24:22.82
Not obnoxious in our
identity, but simply confident;
00:24:22.86\00:24:26.80
knowing who we are
and why we're here.
00:24:26.83\00:24:30.37
This was the mindset
of the first forerunner,
00:24:30.40\00:24:33.74
so, too, the final forerunners.
00:24:33.77\00:24:35.87
But now we go to the
second thing that made
00:24:35.90\00:24:38.31
John the Baptist so great.
00:24:38.34\00:24:39.91
He wasn't just
confident in his identity,
00:24:39.94\00:24:42.41
he was secure in his simplicity.
00:24:42.44\00:24:45.68
You see, when you study
the life of John the Baptist
00:24:45.71\00:24:48.38
there is nothing flashy,
or extravagant about his life.
00:24:48.42\00:24:51.69
He lived a life that
was characterized by modest
00:24:51.72\00:24:54.82
simplicity in his dress,
in his diet, in his training,
00:24:54.86\00:24:58.63
in his
education, and his message.
00:24:58.66\00:25:00.63
The Bible describes the
diet of John the Baptist.
00:25:00.66\00:25:03.97
And the point that we learned
from that is that his diet
00:25:04.00\00:25:07.37
was simple in nature.
00:25:07.40\00:25:09.17
He lived by the principle
of temperance, because you see
00:25:09.20\00:25:12.11
friends, in order to
give a clear message,
00:25:12.14\00:25:14.81
we have to have a clear mind.
00:25:14.84\00:25:16.95
In order to have a clear mind
we have to have a healthy body.
00:25:16.98\00:25:20.55
Amen? And in order to have a
healthy body, we must live by
00:25:20.58\00:25:24.35
the principle of being
temperate in all things.
00:25:24.39\00:25:27.32
And that was John the Baptist.
00:25:27.36\00:25:28.69
He gave a clear message
because he had a clear mind,
00:25:28.72\00:25:31.83
because he had a
healthy body, because he
00:25:31.86\00:25:33.43
lived a life of temperance.
00:25:33.46\00:25:35.80
Not only that, but the
Bible describes his dress:
00:25:35.83\00:25:38.33
simple in nature,
and very distinct.
00:25:38.37\00:25:40.74
He lived by the
principle of modesty.
00:25:40.77\00:25:42.70
And friends, the spirit of
prophecy tells us that the dress
00:25:42.74\00:25:46.31
of John the Baptist was
such that it was an open rebuke
00:25:46.34\00:25:49.71
to the flashy fashions, and the
dazzling displays of the time.
00:25:49.74\00:25:53.31
You see, the Scribes
and Pharisees, and religious
00:25:53.35\00:25:55.68
leaders during that time,
they loved to dress to impress
00:25:55.72\00:25:59.75
others of their
religious importance.
00:25:59.79\00:26:02.32
But John understood that
it wasn't about attracting
00:26:02.36\00:26:06.26
attention to himself, but
calling people's attention
00:26:06.29\00:26:10.07
to the One that
was coming after him.
00:26:10.10\00:26:12.67
John was temperate in his diet.
00:26:12.70\00:26:14.30
He was modest in his dress.
00:26:14.34\00:26:15.97
That was the first forerunner.
00:26:16.00\00:26:17.34
So, too, will be
the final forerunners.
00:26:17.37\00:26:19.17
He was a health, and a
dress reformer, but he was also
00:26:19.21\00:26:22.48
an educational reformer.
00:26:22.51\00:26:24.31
It's interesting that when you
read the book, Desire of Ages,
00:26:24.35\00:26:27.18
it describes the
training of the first
00:26:27.22\00:26:30.15
forerunner, John the Baptist.
00:26:30.19\00:26:31.59
God did not send him to
the teachers of theology,
00:26:31.62\00:26:34.66
or the Rabbinical
schools of the day.
00:26:34.69\00:26:36.59
In fact the Spirit of Prophecy
tells us that that would have
00:26:36.62\00:26:40.40
actually
unfitted him for his work.
00:26:40.43\00:26:43.30
Instead God called him to the
desert so that he might learn
00:26:43.33\00:26:46.94
from nature, and nature's God.
00:26:46.97\00:26:49.00
John the Baptist lived between
the mountain and the multitude.
00:26:49.04\00:26:52.51
He, and in this wilderness
retreat, he studied God's
00:26:52.54\00:26:56.08
two great books: the book of
nature, and that of Revelation.
00:26:56.11\00:27:00.48
He searched diligently
the prophetic scrolls.
00:27:00.52\00:27:03.25
He watched the
passing signs of the times.
00:27:03.28\00:27:05.92
He understood the day
and hour in which he lived.
00:27:05.95\00:27:08.29
And he also observed the
character of men so that he
00:27:08.32\00:27:11.66
can discover the best
way to reach their hearts
00:27:11.69\00:27:14.50
with the message of heaven.
00:27:14.53\00:27:15.86
And with God as his instructor,
John the Baptist received a
00:27:15.90\00:27:20.74
well-rounded holistic education.
00:27:20.77\00:27:23.74
A what kind of education?
00:27:23.77\00:27:25.21
well-rounded and holistic
00:27:25.24\00:27:27.68
Now, friends, we have to
understand this morning that
00:27:27.71\00:27:29.51
John did not have an accredited
degree that was recognized
00:27:29.54\00:27:34.78
by the clergy of the day.
00:27:34.82\00:27:36.25
But nonetheless, He was
thoroughly educated and trained
00:27:36.28\00:27:40.76
to live out his purpose
and fulfill his mission.
00:27:40.79\00:27:44.56
Now please listen carefully,
and don't misunderstand.
00:27:44.59\00:27:47.60
There's nothing wrong with
pursuing an accredited degree.
00:27:47.63\00:27:50.97
Can you say, Amen?
00:27:51.00\00:27:52.33
If it's within your reach,
and it's within your budget,
00:27:52.37\00:27:55.37
go get it!
It'll open many doors.
00:27:55.40\00:27:57.91
And if you've got one, you ought
to thank God for another tool
00:27:57.94\00:28:01.08
to use in ministry.
00:28:01.11\00:28:02.44
But friends, listen, I
believe that as God's children,
00:28:02.48\00:28:05.88
we ought to aim for
excellence in all that we do.
00:28:05.91\00:28:09.35
Can you say Amen?
00:28:09.38\00:28:10.72
Moral excellence, spiritual
excellence, physical excellence,
00:28:10.75\00:28:14.32
as well as academic excellence.
00:28:14.36\00:28:16.32
But here, my friends, listen
carefully, is the forgotten
00:28:16.36\00:28:19.29
reality that we need to
remember, and be reminded of
00:28:19.33\00:28:22.80
today, and that is this: God
is not dependent on your degree,
00:28:22.83\00:28:27.10
nor is He
limited if you lack one.
00:28:27.14\00:28:31.54
God is dependent upon our
humility, and our availability
00:28:31.57\00:28:37.75
to be used by Him.
00:28:37.78\00:28:39.11
We've been told in the book,
Great Controversy, page 606,
00:28:39.15\00:28:42.95
that when the time comes for
the third angel's message to be
00:28:42.98\00:28:45.79
given, with its greatest power,
it says the Lord will work
00:28:45.82\00:28:49.42
through humble instruments.
00:28:49.46\00:28:51.63
Nothing wrong with literary
institutions; we need them
00:29:00.34\00:29:03.30
all over the world.
00:29:03.34\00:29:04.67
But God is not dependent
on them to finish the work.
00:29:04.71\00:29:08.18
He's looking for humble
instruments who are willing
00:29:08.21\00:29:11.55
to put self, and self
sufficiency aside, to be filled
00:29:11.58\00:29:15.82
with the Holy Spirit.
00:29:15.85\00:29:17.19
And I love what it says in
the devotional book, Maranatha.
00:29:17.22\00:29:19.55
And on page 23 it says that:
00:29:19.59\00:29:22.06
How long?
00:29:24.59\00:29:25.93
You see, the reason why this
ought to be encouraging to us
00:29:33.27\00:29:36.54
is because you may not have the
time, the means, or the need to
00:29:36.57\00:29:40.64
spend many years in
a literary institution.
00:29:40.68\00:29:42.88
But the good news is that
the Holy Spirit is available,
00:29:42.91\00:29:46.18
and accessible to us all.
00:29:46.21\00:29:48.02
He is the greatest teacher,
and we need to be careful not to
00:29:48.05\00:29:51.52
limit the work of
the Holy Spirit. Amen?
00:29:51.55\00:29:54.26
In the book, Gospel Workers,
on page 488, 489, it says this
00:29:54.29\00:29:59.46
very challenging
statement. It says this:
00:29:59.49\00:30:02.93
You see, those who live
for Christ ought to aim for
00:30:57.15\00:31:00.46
excellence in all things.
00:31:00.49\00:31:01.92
But friends, let us never
fall into the Devil's trap
00:31:01.96\00:31:06.16
of equating formal education
with holistic education.
00:31:06.19\00:31:10.93
Because not all
formal education is holistic,
00:31:10.97\00:31:14.44
and seldom is holistic
education considered formal.
00:31:14.47\00:31:18.47
Let us never over emphasize
formal education over holistic
00:31:18.51\00:31:22.94
education to the point that
we adopt this mindset that if we
00:31:22.98\00:31:26.75
do not have a piece of
paper, recognized by a secular
00:31:26.78\00:31:30.22
accrediting institution,
that somehow we're not qualified
00:31:30.25\00:31:34.06
for ministry,
and to work for God.
00:31:34.09\00:31:36.32
The Spirit of Prophecy
calls that mindset unbelief,
00:31:36.36\00:31:40.33
limiting the Holy Spirit,
hindering the work of God,
00:31:40.36\00:31:44.47
uncalled for, distrust for,
because friends, if that mindset
00:31:44.50\00:31:48.70
was true, then John the Baptist
was unqualified for ministry.
00:31:48.74\00:31:52.54
Not only John the Baptist, but
even Jesus, God in the flesh,
00:31:52.57\00:31:57.55
because they did not have
a degree accredited by some
00:31:57.58\00:32:02.08
institution, but nonetheless,
they had God as their teacher.
00:32:02.12\00:32:05.22
They learned from the
experience of the patriarchs,
00:32:05.25\00:32:08.29
and prophets of
old, and they had an
00:32:08.32\00:32:10.53
experience with their Master.
00:32:10.56\00:32:11.89
Don't forget what I
shared with you the other day.
00:32:11.93\00:32:13.26
Your greatest qualification
is your experience with Jesus.
00:32:13.29\00:32:17.33
Amen? The strongest proof that
God has called one to ministry
00:32:17.37\00:32:21.47
is written in the book of,
Acts of the Apostles, page 328.
00:32:21.50\00:32:24.87
It says this:
00:32:24.91\00:32:26.24
Jesus said, Ye shall
know them by their fruits,
00:32:37.52\00:32:40.46
not by their letters.
00:32:40.49\00:32:42.02
Jesus said in John
15:16, You have not chosen Me,
00:32:42.06\00:32:46.29
but I have chosen you, and
ordained you, that you should go
00:32:46.33\00:32:51.17
and bring forth fruit, and
that your fruit should remain.
00:32:51.20\00:32:54.40
Even when we did not
choose God, God choose us.
00:32:54.44\00:33:00.54
He ordained us
to be fruit bearers.
00:33:00.58\00:33:04.68
It is not the letters, but
the fruit that is the evidence
00:33:04.71\00:33:07.42
of Holy Spirit ordination.
00:33:07.45\00:33:08.85
That's what John had.
00:33:08.88\00:33:10.52
His training was simple, but it
was profound in its simplicity.
00:33:10.55\00:33:14.72
And because his training was of
a higher order, so too was his
00:33:14.76\00:33:18.89
message and his methods.
00:33:18.93\00:33:21.06
You see, John did not use fancy
gimmicks, or emotional theatrics
00:33:21.10\00:33:26.07
to captivate the crowds.
00:33:26.10\00:33:27.50
His message and
approach was very different
00:33:27.54\00:33:30.81
from that of the Pharisees.
00:33:30.84\00:33:32.17
It was very simple.
00:33:32.21\00:33:33.54
He simply spoke the
truth, and he spoke it in love.
00:33:33.58\00:33:37.25
John did not compromise
the message in order to satisfy
00:33:37.28\00:33:40.95
the itching
ears of his audience.
00:33:40.98\00:33:43.02
He did not sugar coat the
message in order for it to
00:33:43.05\00:33:45.92
become more
palatable for the people.
00:33:45.95\00:33:48.16
He simply spoke the
truth, and he spoke it in love.
00:33:48.19\00:33:50.93
And tomorrow morning
we're going to see specifically
00:33:50.96\00:33:53.29
exactly what John spoke.
00:33:53.33\00:33:55.03
But in this we see that John
was secure in his simplicity,
00:33:55.06\00:34:00.64
confident in his identity.
00:34:00.67\00:34:02.70
2. Secure in his simplicity.
00:34:02.74\00:34:06.07
And that's what's going
to give us success friends.
00:34:06.11\00:34:08.18
I want you to notice Testimonies
for the Church, Volume 2,
00:34:08.21\00:34:11.08
page 608. It says:
00:34:11.11\00:34:12.71
Success is found in simplicity.
00:34:27.60\00:34:30.57
When we try to change things,
and adopt things to meet the
00:34:30.60\00:34:37.77
changing cultures, and to
satisfy the postmodern mindset
00:34:37.81\00:34:42.94
friends, many
ministries have no power.
00:34:42.98\00:34:45.81
Because they're trying to
replace the simplicity of God's
00:34:45.85\00:34:50.39
Word with something else that
appeals to the carnal flesh.
00:34:50.42\00:34:53.62
John was
confident in his identity.
00:34:53.66\00:34:56.49
He was secure in his simplicity.
00:34:56.52\00:34:59.13
But most importantly, 3. He
was genuine in his humility.
00:34:59.16\00:35:04.23
When people asked John
who he was, he didn't even
00:35:04.27\00:35:08.17
tell them his name.
00:35:08.20\00:35:09.64
His simple response
was, I am the voice of one
00:35:09.67\00:35:12.94
crying in the wilderness.
00:35:12.97\00:35:14.88
He took no credit to himself.
00:35:14.91\00:35:16.85
He didn't show them his resume.
00:35:16.88\00:35:19.55
He didn't even
tell them his name.
00:35:19.58\00:35:21.18
He simply said, I'm the voice...
00:35:21.22\00:35:23.08
It's not my name
that's important.
00:35:23.12\00:35:25.55
It's not my title, or
position, it's simply my voice,
00:35:25.59\00:35:29.32
my message that's important.
00:35:29.36\00:35:31.29
When the people approached
John and said, John people are
00:35:31.33\00:35:34.50
leaving you and going to Jesus.
00:35:34.53\00:35:35.86
It was then that John said, in
John 3:30, he said, He must...
00:35:35.90\00:35:40.54
what? increase. I must decrease.
00:35:40.57\00:35:44.67
You see, John was great
in the sight of the Lord,
00:35:44.71\00:35:47.84
because he was small
in the sight of himself.
00:35:47.88\00:35:51.41
And this is what made
him safe for God to bless.
00:35:51.45\00:35:56.32
When you study the Bible,
friends, the Bible tells us
00:35:56.35\00:36:00.02
the stories of great men and
women of faith, that God used in
00:36:00.06\00:36:04.73
powerful, potent, and
profound ways, and that which
00:36:04.76\00:36:07.96
they all had in common; it
was humility and self distrust.
00:36:08.00\00:36:13.03
We look at Moses. When the
Lord called him Moses said,
00:36:13.07\00:36:15.50
Who am I that I
should go to Pharaoh?
00:36:15.54\00:36:17.44
I am not eloquent.
00:36:17.47\00:36:18.81
I am slow of speech.
00:36:18.84\00:36:20.18
And yet God was able to
use him as a powerful deliverer
00:36:20.21\00:36:22.91
to set the people free
of the bondage of Egypt.
00:36:22.94\00:36:26.68
Look at Solomon, king of Israel.
00:36:26.72\00:36:29.18
When God called him, in his
prayer he did not as for riches.
00:36:29.22\00:36:33.19
He did not ask for power.
00:36:33.22\00:36:35.26
He asked for wisdom.
00:36:35.29\00:36:36.62
He said, Lord
I'm a little child.
00:36:36.66\00:36:37.99
I know not how to
come in or to go out.
00:36:38.03\00:36:40.93
I need wisdom. And it tells
us that Solomon was not wiser,
00:36:40.96\00:36:47.54
wealthier, or more exalted
than when he spoke those words.
00:36:47.57\00:36:52.24
I'm just a little child.
00:36:52.27\00:36:53.61
I don't know what to do.
00:36:53.64\00:36:55.34
And he leaned wholly
upon the Lord's wisdom.
00:36:55.38\00:36:58.38
You look at
Jeremiah, the weeping prophet.
00:36:58.41\00:37:00.92
When God called him, he said,
Ah Lord God, I am but a child.
00:37:00.95\00:37:03.75
I can't speak. But the
Lord says, Don't worry.
00:37:03.79\00:37:05.95
I'm going to put My
words in your mouth;
00:37:05.99\00:37:08.19
humility, self distrust.
00:37:08.22\00:37:11.13
Daniel, when he saw the
Lord he said, My comeliness
00:37:11.16\00:37:14.46
is turned into corruption.
00:37:14.50\00:37:15.83
I retain no strength.
00:37:15.86\00:37:17.20
Isaiah said, Woe
is me, I am undone;
00:37:17.23\00:37:20.27
a man of unclean lips.
00:37:20.30\00:37:21.80
Peter, when he saw the glimpse
of the divinity of Christ,
00:37:21.84\00:37:26.78
he fell at His feet and
he said, Depart from me.
00:37:26.81\00:37:28.91
I'm a sinful man, O Lord.
00:37:28.94\00:37:31.31
And Paul, the mighty apostle
said, I am the chief of sinners,
00:37:31.35\00:37:36.02
and least of all the apostles.
00:37:36.05\00:37:38.19
Even Ellen White
said, I am a little girl.
00:37:38.22\00:37:40.26
They're not
going to listen to me.
00:37:40.29\00:37:41.62
And even our Lord Jesus said, Of
My Own self, I can do nothing.
00:37:41.66\00:37:47.53
And yet these were the
ones that moved the world.
00:37:47.56\00:37:51.10
And so my friends if you feel
yourself unworthy, insufficient,
00:37:51.13\00:37:55.10
and inadequate to live up to the
holy calling God has placed upon
00:37:55.14\00:37:58.87
you, if you feel
yourself insufficient,
00:37:58.91\00:38:01.11
you're in good company, because
that was the mindset of all
00:38:01.14\00:38:04.45
of those who were great
in the sight of the Lord;
00:38:04.48\00:38:07.58
humility and self distrust.
00:38:07.62\00:38:11.12
Prophets and Kings, page 175.
00:38:11.15\00:38:13.96
I love this promise. It says:
00:38:13.99\00:38:15.39
What everyone?
00:38:17.76\00:38:19.09
What is that word?
00:38:21.03\00:38:22.36
Nothing more helpless, but
at the same time invincible,
00:38:29.04\00:38:34.01
in the one who is
genuine in humility.
00:38:34.04\00:38:36.11
And so, such was
John the Baptist.
00:38:36.14\00:38:38.85
Three things. What were they?
00:38:38.88\00:38:41.18
1. He was... Help me.
00:38:41.22\00:38:42.55
...confident in his identity.
00:38:42.58\00:38:45.95
2. He was secure
in his simplicity.
00:38:45.99\00:38:51.29
And 3. He was
genuine in his humility.
00:38:51.33\00:38:55.16
And that's what made
him safe for God to bless.
00:38:55.20\00:38:58.13
Friends, do you realize that God
is eager, and anxious to pour
00:38:58.17\00:39:04.17
out all the
blessings of heaven upon us.
00:39:04.21\00:39:06.27
You know, sometimes when we pray
we're praying, Lord bless me.
00:39:06.31\00:39:11.35
But friends, I believe that
we ought to modify that prayer
00:39:11.38\00:39:16.18
a bit, because God wants
to bless us, but many times He
00:39:16.22\00:39:20.66
doesn't because He can't
trust us with those blessings.
00:39:20.69\00:39:23.93
So instead of praying,
Lord bless me, we ought to pray,
00:39:23.96\00:39:27.50
Lord change my heart and
make me safe for You to bless.
00:39:27.53\00:39:33.97
And that which makes us safe
for God to bless is when we have
00:39:34.00\00:39:38.91
the mind of Christ,
the humility of Jesus.
00:39:38.94\00:39:43.51
It says in the book, Ministry
of Healing, page 476, 478:
00:39:43.55\00:39:50.69
What are the angels looking for?
00:40:04.40\00:40:06.03
I want to be like
that. How about you?
00:40:43.04\00:40:45.71
Amen!
00:40:45.74\00:40:47.08
And that was the characteristic
of the first forerunner.
00:40:47.11\00:40:50.11
So, too, will it be the
characteristic of the final
00:40:50.15\00:40:54.38
forerunners in the last days.
00:40:54.42\00:40:56.18
Friends, let me ask you, How
many want, and could use more
00:40:56.22\00:41:00.66
humility in your life?
00:41:00.69\00:41:02.22
And friends, we need to be
careful that we don't become
00:41:02.26\00:41:06.46
proud of our humility, Amen?
00:41:06.49\00:41:09.20
I think it was C. S. Lewis that
said, If you think you have no
00:41:09.23\00:41:14.70
pride, then you most surely do.
00:41:14.74\00:41:17.74
We need to be genuine in
humility, to recognize our
00:41:17.77\00:41:24.95
unworthiness, our inadequacies,
and our insufficiencies.
00:41:24.98\00:41:29.82
Because it is then that
God takes the weak things
00:41:29.85\00:41:33.29
of the world and He
shows Himself strong
00:41:33.32\00:41:37.63
through their experience. Amen?
00:41:37.66\00:41:38.99
I'll never forget receiving
the e- mail inviting me to speak
00:41:40.10\00:41:44.70
at the General
Conference Session
00:41:44.73\00:41:46.13
this past July in San Antonio.
00:41:46.17\00:41:48.37
How many of you
were there at the
00:41:48.40\00:41:50.24
General Conference Session?
00:41:50.27\00:41:51.61
It was a wonderful experience;
my first time going there.
00:41:51.64\00:41:54.78
The General
Conference, as many of you know,
00:41:54.81\00:41:57.18
is held only
once every five years.
00:41:57.21\00:41:59.81
This past year it was
held at the Alamo Dome Stadium,
00:41:59.85\00:42:03.28
which seats over 65,000
people; the former home of the
00:42:03.32\00:42:07.56
San Antonio
Spurs basketball team.
00:42:07.59\00:42:09.56
And when I received this
invitation, this e-mail inviting
00:42:09.59\00:42:13.36
me to do one of the devotionals
for the General Conference,
00:42:13.40\00:42:16.46
my initial reaction to
that was I was shocked.
00:42:16.50\00:42:19.37
I was, I thought to myself,
of the thousands of speakers
00:42:19.40\00:42:24.84
available, why was I chosen?
00:42:24.87\00:42:27.14
It had to be a mistake.
00:42:27.18\00:42:29.01
I read it over and over again.
00:42:29.04\00:42:30.91
I thought, They must
have sent it to the wrong
00:42:30.95\00:42:32.91
person, because why me?
00:42:32.95\00:42:34.65
I don't have some high position
of leadership in the church.
00:42:34.68\00:42:38.22
I'm not an ordained pastor.
00:42:38.25\00:42:40.62
I don't have any
formal education that many
00:42:40.66\00:42:44.16
esteem so important.
00:42:44.19\00:42:45.53
All I have is a high school
diploma, a two year certificate
00:42:45.56\00:42:49.33
from a small Bible
college called Soswes,
00:42:49.36\00:42:51.57
field experience,
and a walk with Jesus.
00:42:51.60\00:42:54.30
But I guess that's enough, Amen?
00:42:54.34\00:42:55.87
Amen!
00:42:55.90\00:42:57.24
But I honestly, I honestly
felt friends that there were
00:42:57.27\00:42:59.44
hundreds of others far more
qualified, and far more Godly
00:42:59.47\00:43:03.78
than I was to take
this solemn responsibility.
00:43:03.81\00:43:06.88
I felt unworthy, and inadequate,
to speak at such a large stage
00:43:06.92\00:43:12.85
at such a sacred event.
00:43:12.89\00:43:14.22
But nonetheless I accepted
the invitation with excitement,
00:43:14.26\00:43:17.19
but also a great
level of trepidation.
00:43:17.23\00:43:20.00
But as I prayed, I put it in
God's hands, and the Lord gave
00:43:20.03\00:43:23.47
me what I feel was a
timely message for His church;
00:43:23.50\00:43:27.60
a message calling us
back to our mission to preach
00:43:27.64\00:43:30.84
the Word in all the world.
00:43:30.87\00:43:32.77
When the General
Conference began,
00:43:32.81\00:43:34.91
it was my first time attending.
00:43:34.94\00:43:36.28
I was there with my wife,
and we saw the tens of thousands
00:43:36.31\00:43:39.88
of people crawling like
ants all over the place.
00:43:39.91\00:43:42.78
I tried not to think about the
fact that I was going to speak
00:43:42.82\00:43:46.22
to them on the second Thursday
of the General Conference.
00:43:46.25\00:43:48.59
I was nervous, but at the same
time I had a sense of peace,
00:43:48.62\00:43:53.06
knowing that if
God could use Moses,
00:43:53.09\00:43:54.96
surely He could
use someone like me.
00:43:55.00\00:43:56.53
And the morning that I stood up
on that stage in front of tens
00:43:56.56\00:44:01.40
of thousands of people, all the
fear and nervousness vanished.
00:44:01.44\00:44:05.71
The Holy Spirit
took full control.
00:44:05.74\00:44:07.78
I could sense a lot of
people were praying for me.
00:44:07.81\00:44:10.15
It was surreal, friends.
00:44:10.18\00:44:11.51
It was like I was
in some type of zone.
00:44:11.55\00:44:13.11
It was just God and I up there.
00:44:13.15\00:44:15.22
Jesus was lifted up.
00:44:15.25\00:44:16.65
The Spirit moved, and the people
were blessed, and it was a
00:44:16.69\00:44:19.95
wonderful experience I
am eternally thankful for.
00:44:19.99\00:44:22.32
But let me tell you what
happened when I descended
00:44:22.36\00:44:25.13
the stage where all the
delegates were gathered.
00:44:25.16\00:44:28.63
As I began to exit the building,
it seemed like the whole
00:44:28.66\00:44:32.83
world just opened up.
00:44:32.87\00:44:34.20
Delegates from Africa, and Asia,
and South America, and Europe;
00:44:34.24\00:44:38.01
they all started coming and
asking me for my business card,
00:44:38.07\00:44:40.81
inviting me to come and
to speak in their country.
00:44:40.84\00:44:44.11
And I was excited, but
I quickly became afraid.
00:44:44.15\00:44:46.82
I was afraid, and
here's the reason why.
00:44:48.72\00:44:51.89
Because the Bible says, To whom
much is given, much is required.
00:44:51.92\00:44:57.43
I feel like I've been
given too much too quick.
00:44:57.46\00:45:00.80
It's not
something I sought, but it's
00:45:00.83\00:45:03.00
something that God brought.
00:45:03.03\00:45:04.97
And friends to be honest, just
to be very transparent with you,
00:45:05.00\00:45:08.24
I'm not
comfortable being up front.
00:45:08.27\00:45:11.07
I don't want to be famous.
00:45:11.11\00:45:14.21
I just want to be faithful.
00:45:14.24\00:45:15.58
Amen!
00:45:15.61\00:45:16.95
And naturally I'm
an introvert; very shy.
00:45:16.98\00:45:20.28
Growing up in Hawaii I had a
disadvantage, I had an advantage
00:45:20.32\00:45:25.05
because I was close to the
beach, but the disadvantage
00:45:25.09\00:45:27.99
is that in Hawaii we speak
a different language there.
00:45:28.02\00:45:30.33
It's called simplified English.
00:45:30.36\00:45:32.86
We take a paragraph and
we say it in one sentence.
00:45:32.89\00:45:37.37
We take a sentence and
we say it in two words.
00:45:37.40\00:45:40.44
We take two words and we
say it with our eyebrows.
00:45:40.47\00:45:43.30
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
00:45:43.34\00:45:45.07
It's basically broken English.
00:45:45.11\00:45:46.78
And so growing up I was
very shy, slow of speech.
00:45:46.81\00:45:50.05
I'm not the smartest person, and
I would much rather be behind
00:45:50.08\00:45:53.31
the camera taking
pictures, rather than in
00:45:53.35\00:45:55.02
front of the camera.
00:45:55.05\00:45:56.38
I don't want to be famous;
I just want to be faithful.
00:45:56.42\00:45:59.59
I don't want to be
great in the sight of men;
00:45:59.62\00:46:04.56
only great in the
sight of the Lord.
00:46:04.59\00:46:05.93
That night that I preached,
I preached in the morning,
00:46:05.96\00:46:10.47
but that night 3ABN was
reviewing the day at the GC
00:46:10.50\00:46:13.84
and they made a comment on
the devotional that I shared
00:46:13.87\00:46:16.44
that morning, and
someone on 3ABN called me
00:46:16.47\00:46:18.61
a rising star in Adventism.
00:46:18.64\00:46:21.08
And my human nature was
flattered, but I quickly became
00:46:21.11\00:46:24.11
afraid, because we've been
told, friends, that many a star
00:46:24.15\00:46:27.85
that we have
admired for its brilliancy
00:46:27.88\00:46:30.72
will go out in darkness.
00:46:30.75\00:46:34.56
Jeremiah said to his scribe
Baruch, Seekest thou great
00:46:34.59\00:46:38.39
things for
yourself? Seek them not.
00:46:38.43\00:46:40.50
And the reason is
because if we're not watchful,
00:46:40.53\00:46:42.80
if we're not sober, the
Devil will make us think
00:46:42.83\00:46:45.33
we're something special.
00:46:45.37\00:46:46.70
We've seen so many bright and
shining stars loose their light,
00:46:46.74\00:46:50.74
and fall into darkness.
00:46:50.77\00:46:52.11
We're seen so many
spiritual mentors fall
00:46:52.14\00:46:55.38
and turn back to the world.
00:46:55.41\00:46:58.55
And so, my
friends, let us stay humble.
00:46:58.58\00:47:02.72
Lets allow Jesus to clothe
us with humility day by day.
00:47:02.75\00:47:06.12
Lets stay on guard, and keep
humble, and stay with Jesus.
00:47:06.15\00:47:10.13
The Devil is
coming after you friends.
00:47:10.16\00:47:12.86
He has a trap prepared for you.
00:47:12.89\00:47:14.76
Because Satan knows
that if he can get you,
00:47:14.80\00:47:18.53
he will get all those
whom you have influence over.
00:47:18.57\00:47:21.20
And so stay with Jesus.
00:47:23.61\00:47:24.94
Stay with
Jesus. Stay with Jesus.
00:47:26.98\00:47:30.75
Be sober, be vigilant.
00:47:30.78\00:47:34.38
The Devil is like a lion
seeking whom he may devour.
00:47:34.42\00:47:37.39
Be sober, be vigilant, but
don't be afraid because Satan,
00:47:37.42\00:47:41.46
even though he's a wily foe,
even though he's a mighty enemy,
00:47:41.49\00:47:45.13
he is also a defeated enemy.
00:47:45.16\00:47:47.03
Can you say Amen? Amen.
00:47:47.06\00:47:48.40
The greatest one that you
ought to fear is not the Devil.
00:47:48.43\00:47:51.67
He's a defeated enemy.
00:47:51.70\00:47:53.07
The one that you ought to fear
the most is the one you look at
00:47:53.10\00:47:56.00
every single
morning in the mirror.
00:47:56.04\00:47:57.84
Self is the enemy
we need fear most.
00:47:57.87\00:48:02.38
I want to share with
you a few more things,
00:48:03.31\00:48:05.55
as we bring
this to a close soon.
00:48:05.58\00:48:09.72
The Bible tells us that perfect
love casts out fear. Amen?
00:48:09.75\00:48:16.19
We don't have to
be afraid of Satan,
00:48:16.22\00:48:18.56
but we ought to
be afraid of self.
00:48:18.59\00:48:20.93
Now there's a lot of things that
people are afraid of in life.
00:48:20.96\00:48:26.10
A lot of people
are afraid of heights.
00:48:27.50\00:48:29.00
Any of you afraid of
heights? afraid of flying?
00:48:29.04\00:48:32.11
Well, friends, God has
taken that fear out of my heart.
00:48:33.34\00:48:36.48
You know, growing up in
Hawaii, I grew up jumping
00:48:36.51\00:48:40.02
off cliffs into water.
00:48:40.05\00:48:41.38
We've done sky
diving, and bungee jumping,
00:48:41.42\00:48:44.25
and jumping off buildings, and
I don't have a fear of heights
00:48:44.29\00:48:47.82
like many people do.
00:48:47.86\00:48:49.19
Now there are others
who are afraid of speed,
00:48:49.22\00:48:51.69
afraid of going fast.
00:48:51.73\00:48:53.73
I grew up riding
dirt bikes, racing,
00:48:53.76\00:48:57.13
doing all of these
types of activities,
00:48:57.17\00:48:59.07
or riding skate boards
down hills and whatnot,
00:48:59.10\00:49:01.40
and so I'm not afraid of speed
like many others are afraid of.
00:49:01.44\00:49:04.47
And this next one, some
of you'll think I'm crazy,
00:49:04.51\00:49:07.31
but many people, including
myself, growing up in Hawaii,
00:49:07.34\00:49:10.15
had a great fear of sharks.
00:49:10.18\00:49:12.91
But in recent years I've
learned that sharks are amazing.
00:49:12.95\00:49:18.89
I love swimming with sharks.
00:49:18.92\00:49:20.29
Here's a picture of my
wife and I swimming with sharks.
00:49:20.32\00:49:22.92
Sharks are
amazing, amazing creatures.
00:49:22.96\00:49:26.06
I'm not afraid. I've swam
with, many times, reef sharks,
00:49:26.09\00:49:29.13
and I've even
swam with hammer heads,
00:49:29.16\00:49:31.23
and bull sharks,
and a tiger shark.
00:49:31.27\00:49:33.10
And if you ever get
the chance to go to Hawaii,
00:49:33.13\00:49:35.64
let me know, and we'll go
swim with some sharks together.
00:49:35.67\00:49:38.07
Now how many of
you want to do that?
00:49:38.11\00:49:39.44
It's all good? Alright!
00:49:39.47\00:49:40.81
We have some
adventurous people here.
00:49:40.84\00:49:42.18
Some people are
afraid of sharks.
00:49:42.21\00:49:43.68
I'm not afraid of that.
00:49:43.71\00:49:45.05
Others are afraid of death, but
I've boarded planes in the past
00:49:45.08\00:49:48.52
where it wasn't certain
that the plane would land.
00:49:48.55\00:49:51.59
And I'll never forget... It was
just a few months ago in fact.
00:49:53.22\00:49:57.16
My wife and I boarded
a plane heading to Fiji.
00:49:57.19\00:49:59.93
We were going to speak there.
00:49:59.96\00:50:01.30
And about fifteen minutes
into the flight we realized that
00:50:01.33\00:50:05.20
we were flying a lot
lower than we should.
00:50:05.23\00:50:09.47
And then we were sitting in the
front row, and we saw the flight
00:50:09.50\00:50:14.01
attendant in his
seat, and the captain called
00:50:14.04\00:50:16.21
him over the phone.
00:50:16.24\00:50:17.78
And then we saw
the facial expression
00:50:17.81\00:50:20.78
of the flight attendant.
00:50:20.82\00:50:22.15
His face became
serious and somber.
00:50:22.18\00:50:24.45
His eyes began to blink.
00:50:24.49\00:50:26.09
His breathing became heavy.
00:50:26.12\00:50:27.62
And we were just watching and
wondering what was taking place.
00:50:27.66\00:50:30.03
And then we heard him say,
So you want me to prepare for
00:50:30.06\00:50:34.23
an evacuation landing?
00:50:34.26\00:50:35.86
And at that moment we
started to become nervous.
00:50:35.90\00:50:39.77
He ended the phone call
and looked for some manual.
00:50:39.80\00:50:43.20
He was frantically trying
to find something that would
00:50:43.24\00:50:45.37
instruct him how to
prepare for evacuation landing.
00:50:45.41\00:50:48.24
Then he got on the intercom and
he told all those on the plane,
00:50:48.28\00:50:51.61
We have a serious problem.
00:50:51.65\00:50:53.58
The captain has informed us that
the landing gears are stuck down
00:50:53.62\00:50:57.69
and we need to go
back to the airport.
00:50:57.72\00:51:00.42
We're not sure what's going
to happen, so we need to prepare
00:51:00.46\00:51:03.12
for an evacuation landing.
00:51:03.16\00:51:05.06
The landing gear is stuck down,
and you know it's better to be
00:51:05.09\00:51:08.73
stuck down than stuck up. Amen?
00:51:08.76\00:51:10.90
So at least it was
stuck down, and not stuck up.
00:51:10.93\00:51:14.20
And so we were heading back to
the airport, and he's teaching
00:51:14.24\00:51:16.97
us how to do the brace
position, and what would happen,
00:51:17.01\00:51:19.14
in case we crashed.
00:51:19.17\00:51:20.54
And since we're in the
front row, he looked at us,
00:51:20.58\00:51:23.75
and he told us, I need
your assistance in opening
00:51:23.78\00:51:26.18
the evacuation emergency doors.
00:51:26.21\00:51:28.18
And he got a verbal
from every single one of us.
00:51:28.22\00:51:30.59
His face, he was, there was
no joking; somber and serious.
00:51:30.62\00:51:34.26
And then he said this to us,
he said, And if for any reason
00:51:34.29\00:51:39.03
I get knocked out, unconscious,
would you please remove
00:51:39.06\00:51:43.53
my body from the airplane?
00:51:43.57\00:51:45.20
And that's when we
knew it was serious.
00:51:45.23\00:51:47.74
As we head back to the
airport we saw the fire engines,
00:51:47.77\00:51:51.57
the fire trucks. We didn't
know what was going to happen.
00:51:51.61\00:51:56.64
But I thought to myself,
Lord, I'm on Your errands.
00:51:56.68\00:52:01.82
My life is in Your hands.
00:52:01.85\00:52:04.15
And if You are finished with me,
then by Your grace I'm ready.
00:52:04.19\00:52:08.29
And there was a serene calmness
and peace in that moment
00:52:08.32\00:52:12.33
that I can't
describe with words.
00:52:12.36\00:52:13.86
There was no fear of
death in that moment.
00:52:13.90\00:52:16.30
Because when your life is in
God's hands, you have nothing
00:52:16.33\00:52:19.47
to be afraid of. Amen?
00:52:19.50\00:52:20.84
And while I can say that I'm not
afraid to die, I'm not afraid of
00:52:21.44\00:52:25.41
jumping off cliffs, and going
fast, and swimming with sharks,
00:52:25.47\00:52:29.84
there is one thing that I know
that I am deathly afraid of.
00:52:29.88\00:52:34.22
I'm afraid of falling.
00:52:34.25\00:52:37.29
I'm afraid of a moral fall.
00:52:37.32\00:52:39.85
I'm afraid of hurting my
God, disappointing others,
00:52:39.89\00:52:46.06
misrepresenting my
church, embarrassing my family,
00:52:46.09\00:52:50.23
making a fool out of myself.
00:52:50.27\00:52:51.60
Friends, we've seen
so many bright shining
00:52:51.63\00:52:54.00
stars in Adventism fall.
00:52:54.04\00:52:56.44
Let it be a warning to us
that we are not indispensible.
00:52:56.47\00:53:00.88
If we're not faithful,
God can use somebody else
00:53:00.91\00:53:05.31
to finish the work.
00:53:05.35\00:53:06.68
And as we see others
falling, lets not kick them
00:53:06.72\00:53:10.85
while they're on
the ground. Amen?
00:53:10.89\00:53:13.99
Our response as we see
others falling and failing,
00:53:14.02\00:53:18.39
is Lord, but for
Your grace, there go I.
00:53:18.43\00:53:22.33
To recognize our own humanity.
00:53:22.36\00:53:25.33
And so recently, especially
as these opportunities have come
00:53:25.37\00:53:29.80
our way, I've been
praying a different prayer.
00:53:29.84\00:53:32.07
I've been praying, Lord if you
see that I'm ever placed in a
00:53:32.11\00:53:35.31
compromising situation
where I would end up falling,
00:53:35.34\00:53:38.45
disappointing others, tarnishing
Your work, and are breaking Your
00:53:38.48\00:53:41.98
heart, Lord let me die first.
00:53:42.02\00:53:45.25
I would rather die.
00:53:47.02\00:53:48.36
I would rather die than
tarnish the work of God,
00:53:48.39\00:53:53.29
because I see the excruciating
pain that it causes others.
00:53:53.33\00:53:58.20
Pray for your leaders, friends.
00:53:58.23\00:54:01.14
Pray for yourself.
00:54:01.17\00:54:03.04
I've seen so many of my
own spiritual mentors fall.
00:54:04.34\00:54:07.68
Pray for those who are engaged
in ministry, because they are
00:54:07.71\00:54:12.75
on Satan's most wanted list.
00:54:12.78\00:54:14.48
The Devil knows that if
he can smite the shepherd,
00:54:14.52\00:54:17.75
the sheep will scatter.
00:54:17.79\00:54:19.12
And so I told my wife recently
that I've been praying that
00:54:19.15\00:54:21.32
prayer just in case I
die, she would understand why.
00:54:21.36\00:54:24.99
And half jokingly she
said, You've been praying that?
00:54:26.03\00:54:28.80
So you want me to
be a widow? she said.
00:54:28.83\00:54:31.63
She said, I'm glad
that you distrust yourself.
00:54:32.77\00:54:35.57
But you ought to also pray
that God will give you victory,
00:54:35.60\00:54:39.97
and that you can run
like Joseph ran as well. Amen?
00:54:40.01\00:54:43.45
My friends, it's serious.
00:54:43.48\00:54:45.08
But I'm thankful for this
opportunity, because I know
00:54:45.11\00:54:47.95
that this is how
God is saving me.
00:54:47.98\00:54:49.88
So friends, as we get ready
to close, let's never seek fame.
00:54:49.92\00:54:53.29
Let's only seek to be faithful.
00:54:53.32\00:54:55.56
Not to be great
in the eyes of men,
00:54:55.59\00:54:57.59
but great in the
eyes of the Lord.
00:54:57.63\00:55:00.03
My last quotation I
want to read to you.
00:55:01.10\00:55:03.67
Christ's Object
Lessons, page 403 reads:
00:55:03.70\00:55:08.27
And so my friends, do
the duty that lies nearest.
00:56:10.43\00:56:15.04
Be faithful in
that which is least.
00:56:15.07\00:56:17.71
Be confident in your identity,
knowing that you're called.
00:56:17.74\00:56:22.01
Be secure in your simplicity,
knowing that you're chosen.
00:56:22.04\00:56:26.01
And be genuine in your
humility, because that is what
00:56:26.05\00:56:29.82
makes us faithful,
faithful, faithful.
00:56:29.85\00:56:36.19
John the Baptist was
great in the sight of the Lord,
00:56:36.22\00:56:40.83
because he was small
in the sight of himself.
00:56:40.86\00:56:44.63
How many of you want to
be like John the Baptist?
00:56:44.67\00:56:47.44
More importantly, how many
of you want to be like Jesus?
00:56:47.47\00:56:51.47
And so let us pray and
make John's declaration
00:56:51.51\00:56:58.05
our proclamation as well.
00:56:58.08\00:57:00.42
He must
increase; I must decrease.
00:57:00.45\00:57:05.55
Lets live a
life that's pleasing,
00:57:05.59\00:57:08.56
and brings joy to our King.
00:57:08.59\00:57:10.53
And may our lives be
great, not in the sight of men,
00:57:10.56\00:57:14.43
but in the sight of the Lord.
00:57:14.46\00:57:16.53
If that's the experience you
desire, would you bow your heads
00:57:16.56\00:57:19.73
with me as we pray?
00:57:19.77\00:57:21.10
Lord, we thank You
so much for calling us,
00:57:21.14\00:57:26.57
and for choosing us to be Your
forerunners, Your victorious
00:57:26.61\00:57:34.82
voices in these solemn times.
00:57:34.85\00:57:38.89
Lord we recognize
that we're not worthy.
00:57:38.92\00:57:42.39
We're inadequate. The angels
could do a much better job.
00:57:42.42\00:57:48.10
But thank You, Lord,
that You have chosen us,
00:57:48.13\00:57:51.80
not just for the sake
of those who will hear us,
00:57:51.83\00:57:56.50
but You've chosen us
because through the process
00:57:56.54\00:58:00.68
You're trying to save us.
00:58:00.71\00:58:02.38
Lord please save
us from ourselves.
00:58:02.41\00:58:05.81
Clothe us with Your humility,
Your simplicity, Your identity,
00:58:05.85\00:58:13.56
and make us Your
children, make us Your movement,
00:58:13.59\00:58:18.63
make us Your people.
00:58:18.66\00:58:20.00
Bless us the rest
of this, Your Sabbath.
00:58:20.03\00:58:22.53
We thank You for hearing.
00:58:22.56\00:58:24.00
In Jesus' name we pray.
00:58:24.03\00:58:26.17
Let all of God's
forerunners say Amen.
00:58:26.20\00:58:29.80