One day a plain village woman,
00:00:57.75\00:01:05.79
driven by love for her Lord,
00:01:06.86\00:01:14.77
recklessly poured
out a valuable essence,
00:01:15.77\00:01:24.98
disregarding the scorn.
00:01:25.35\00:01:32.95
And once it was
broken and spilled out
00:01:33.42\00:01:42.20
a fragrance filled all the room;
00:01:42.30\00:01:50.01
like a prisoner
released from his shackles,
00:01:50.17\00:01:58.78
like the risen set
free from the tomb.
00:01:58.81\00:02:06.02
Broken and spilled out,
00:02:06.05\00:02:14.20
just for love of You, Jesus;
00:02:14.23\00:02:22.40
my most precious treasure
00:02:22.80\00:02:31.41
lavished on Thee.
00:02:31.45\00:02:39.59
Broken and spilled out,
00:02:39.79\00:02:48.50
and poured at Your feet.
00:02:48.53\00:02:57.54
In sweet abandon,
Lord You were spilled out
00:02:57.57\00:03:06.28
and used up for me.
00:03:06.31\00:03:13.05
Lord, You were
God's precious treasure,
00:03:18.69\00:03:26.23
His loved and
His own perfect Son,
00:03:26.63\00:03:34.28
sent here to show me
the love of the Father.
00:03:35.11\00:03:43.82
Yes, just for love it was done.
00:03:43.85\00:03:51.19
And though You
were perfect and holy,
00:03:51.23\00:03:59.47
You gave up Yourself willingly.
00:03:59.50\00:04:07.04
You spared no
expense for my pardon.
00:04:07.14\00:04:15.02
You were used up
and wasted for me.
00:04:15.05\00:04:21.66
Broken and spilled out,
00:04:21.69\00:04:29.53
just for love of me, Jesus;
00:04:29.56\00:04:37.77
God's most precious treasure
00:04:37.81\00:04:46.31
lavished on me.
00:04:46.35\00:04:54.86
Broken and spilled out.
00:04:54.89\00:05:03.37
and poured at my feet.
00:05:03.40\00:05:12.17
In sweet abandon,
Lord You were spilled out
00:05:12.21\00:05:20.88
and used up for me.
00:05:20.92\00:05:24.85
Yes, used up for me.
00:05:24.89\00:05:29.76
In sweet abandon,
let me be spilled out
00:05:29.79\00:05:39.73
and used up for Thee.
00:05:43.71\00:05:53.38
Used up for Thee.
00:05:55.88\00:06:05.46
Good evening, GYC.
00:06:19.54\00:06:21.11
Happy Sabbath.
00:06:22.01\00:06:23.35
What a way to spend the
last Sabbath of 2016, amen?
00:06:24.11\00:06:28.45
I would rather be no
other place than here at GYC.
00:06:29.12\00:06:32.79
I know the Lord has
blessed you tremendously
00:06:32.82\00:06:36.36
over the last two days.
00:06:36.46\00:06:38.09
And I'm looking forward to
hearing about the testimonies
00:06:38.19\00:06:40.50
tomorrow of how the Lord
blessed in outreach today.
00:06:40.53\00:06:43.90
The Lord has a blessing
prepared for us tonight also.
00:06:44.20\00:06:46.77
And as we linger in
His presence just a little
00:06:46.80\00:06:49.27
bit longer, I would invite
you to bow your heads with me
00:06:49.30\00:06:53.04
and we're going to take
just a moment to come into
00:06:53.07\00:06:55.58
the throne of God
and ask His blessing
00:06:55.61\00:06:57.48
upon the study of His Word.
00:06:57.58\00:06:58.91
Would you bow
your heads with me now?
00:06:58.95\00:07:00.28
Merciful God and
loving heavenly Father,
00:07:07.59\00:07:12.79
we thank You, Lord, for
the gift of the Sabbath.
00:07:14.30\00:07:19.27
We thank You, Father,
for the gift of Your Word.
00:07:20.24\00:07:24.04
We thank You, Father,
for the many blessings
00:07:25.11\00:07:27.74
that You give to us.
00:07:27.78\00:07:29.21
And tonight, dear Jesus,
we pray that the Holy Spirit
00:07:30.28\00:07:35.82
would be poured
out upon this place,
00:07:36.32\00:07:38.79
and that Your children
would be blessed by the hearing
00:07:39.25\00:07:44.16
of Your Word.
00:07:44.19\00:07:45.53
For we pray it in
the name of Jesus, amen.
00:07:46.73\00:07:51.13
Adventists are uniquely
privileged to understand the
00:07:53.84\00:07:58.11
Bible in a way that no
other church understands it.
00:07:58.14\00:08:04.85
One of the unique perspectives
that we have as a people
00:08:06.41\00:08:11.69
is the doctrine of the
investigative judgment.
00:08:11.99\00:08:16.09
There are passages of
Scripture in the Bible
00:08:17.56\00:08:20.73
that really cannot
be fully understood
00:08:21.06\00:08:24.97
unless it is looked at through
the lens of this great doctrine
00:08:25.30\00:08:31.17
in the Word of God.
00:08:31.57\00:08:32.91
For an example, take
for example the parable
00:08:33.61\00:08:38.58
of the wedding
garment in Matthew chapter 22.
00:08:38.61\00:08:42.38
Most Bible commentators
know that the king in Matthew 22
00:08:42.65\00:08:48.39
represents God the Father.
00:08:48.42\00:08:49.96
Most Bible commentators,
non-Adventist Bible
00:08:49.99\00:08:53.70
commentators, know that the son
in the story represents Jesus.
00:08:53.73\00:08:59.10
Most Bible commentators
know that the invitation to
00:08:59.13\00:09:03.94
the wedding feast is
the gospel invitation.
00:09:04.04\00:09:07.44
Most Bible commentators
know that the robe represents
00:09:07.84\00:09:13.21
the righteousness of Christ.
00:09:13.25\00:09:15.62
However, there is an
element of that parable
00:09:16.22\00:09:19.89
that has only
begun to be understood
00:09:19.99\00:09:23.16
in the last 160 or so years.
00:09:23.19\00:09:26.76
Now that's rather interesting
when you think about the fact
00:09:27.00\00:09:30.20
that the parable
of the wedding garment
00:09:30.40\00:09:33.10
was given to us
over 2000 years ago
00:09:33.13\00:09:36.54
and it's only in the last
160 years that a certain portion
00:09:36.67\00:09:41.41
of that parable is
now able to be understood.
00:09:41.44\00:09:45.35
I know you've
read the story before
00:09:46.38\00:09:48.42
and you're
probably familiar with it.
00:09:48.45\00:09:50.19
But I'm going to invite you to
take your Bibles and go with me
00:09:50.22\00:09:53.29
to Matthew the 22nd chapter.
00:09:53.32\00:09:56.12
Matthew chapter 22 and
we're going to look at verse 9.
00:09:56.32\00:10:01.86
We're going to start in verse 9.
00:10:01.90\00:10:03.47
At this point, while
you are turning there,
00:10:03.50\00:10:05.83
there have been two
invitations that have been made
00:10:05.87\00:10:09.77
to the wedding feast.
00:10:09.97\00:10:12.17
Both of those
invitations have been rejected.
00:10:12.57\00:10:15.51
And in verse 9 the third
invitation is being given
00:10:15.54\00:10:19.51
to come to the wedding feast.
00:10:19.55\00:10:23.49
Verse 9, the Bible says
this, this is the king talking,
00:10:23.52\00:10:27.12
"Go ye therefore
into the highways,
00:10:27.16\00:10:29.92
and as many as ye
find, bid to the marriage.
00:10:29.96\00:10:34.73
So those servants
went out into the highways
00:10:34.83\00:10:38.80
and gathered together
all, as many as they found,
00:10:38.83\00:10:41.90
both bad and good:
00:10:41.94\00:10:43.81
and the wedding
was furnished..."
00:10:43.84\00:10:46.98
Now if you stop the story there,
it appears like the problem
00:10:47.28\00:10:50.81
has been solved.
00:10:50.85\00:10:52.35
The problem was that there
were no guests at the wedding.
00:10:52.38\00:10:56.42
How can you have a
wedding without guests there?
00:10:56.45\00:10:59.15
But it appears at
this point like the
00:10:59.35\00:11:00.99
problem has been solved.
00:11:01.02\00:11:02.36
However, we understand that
the story does not stop there.
00:11:02.39\00:11:05.43
There's more to the story.
00:11:05.46\00:11:07.13
As we look at the
story, what we find out
00:11:07.33\00:11:09.50
is that not only is there a
distinction between those who
00:11:09.60\00:11:13.60
accept the invitation and
those who reject the invitation,
00:11:13.64\00:11:17.24
but as you
continue to read the parable
00:11:17.27\00:11:19.44
you will also find
that there is a separation
00:11:19.47\00:11:22.24
among those who have
accepted the invitation as well.
00:11:22.28\00:11:25.95
Because not all who
accept the gospel invitation
00:11:26.68\00:11:29.95
do so for the right reasons.
00:11:29.98\00:11:33.15
Continue reading with
me, if you would, verse 11.
00:11:34.02\00:11:36.62
The Bible says this,
"And when the king came to
00:11:36.66\00:11:39.83
see the guests,
he saw there a man
00:11:40.13\00:11:45.63
which had not a wedding garment.
00:11:45.67\00:11:48.90
And he said unto
him, 'Friend...'"
00:11:48.94\00:11:51.11
I love how God the
Father refers to him.
00:11:51.14\00:11:54.18
"Friend, how camest
thou in hither not having
00:11:54.21\00:11:58.15
a wedding garment?"
00:11:58.18\00:11:59.61
And the Bible
says he was speechless.
00:11:59.65\00:12:03.79
Who comes to a wedding without
being appropriately clothed?
00:12:05.85\00:12:10.73
You know, if I
wanted to go to a wedding
00:12:11.19\00:12:13.66
in shorts and a t-shirt, I
can pretty much guarantee you
00:12:13.70\00:12:17.17
that my wife
would not go with me.
00:12:17.20\00:12:19.20
There is a tie that I wanted
to wear to GYC, and she said,
00:12:20.67\00:12:23.41
"No, you cannot wear that tie."
00:12:23.44\00:12:24.87
But here we have this guy.
00:12:26.37\00:12:27.71
He has the audacity to
come to the wedding feast
00:12:27.74\00:12:31.58
and he is not properly clothed
in the right wedding garment.
00:12:31.61\00:12:37.49
In the book, Great
Controversy, page 428,
00:12:39.09\00:12:42.59
the servant of
the Lord says this,
00:12:43.53\00:12:45.29
"In the parable of Matthew
22, the investigative judgment
00:12:47.46\00:12:53.00
is clearly represented as taking
place before the marriage.
00:12:53.03\00:12:58.94
Previous to the wedding, the
king comes to see the guests..."
00:12:59.27\00:13:03.91
Now listen to this.
00:13:03.95\00:13:05.28
"...to see if all are
attired in the wedding garment;
00:13:05.31\00:13:09.72
the spotless robe of
character washed and made white
00:13:09.75\00:13:14.09
in the blood of the Lamb."
00:13:14.12\00:13:15.46
And then she says this,
"This work of examination
00:13:16.19\00:13:20.56
of character of
determining who are prepared
00:13:20.60\00:13:24.40
for the kingdom of God is that
of the investigative judgment."
00:13:24.43\00:13:30.01
So in the last 160
years, as the formation of this
00:13:31.24\00:13:36.28
doctrine has developed...
00:13:36.31\00:13:37.65
We went over that in our
study together last night.
00:13:37.68\00:13:39.65
...now we are able to
have a fuller understanding
00:13:39.68\00:13:42.68
of this great
parable in Matthew 22.
00:13:42.72\00:13:45.19
That when the king
comes in, he is coming in
00:13:45.22\00:13:48.12
for a specific reason.
00:13:48.16\00:13:49.99
And I don't want you to
miss this point tonight.
00:13:50.03\00:13:52.89
When the king comes
in, he comes in to see
00:13:53.19\00:13:57.03
who has the wedding garment on.
00:13:57.07\00:14:00.10
He does not come into
the gathering of people
00:14:01.24\00:14:05.54
to dole out the wedding garment.
00:14:05.64\00:14:07.74
That has already taken place.
00:14:07.78\00:14:09.94
That wedding garment
has already been given out.
00:14:09.98\00:14:12.28
But he comes in to see who
has the wedding garment on.
00:14:12.31\00:14:16.75
Now here is a point in
this parable that is unique
00:14:16.79\00:14:20.59
to Seventh-day Adventists.
00:14:20.69\00:14:22.82
Most miss the significance
of the kings inspection.
00:14:23.76\00:14:27.10
But when my name is
called, listen to me carefully,
00:14:27.30\00:14:30.00
in the investigative judgment,
00:14:30.03\00:14:31.73
when my case is examined, they
will determine whether or not
00:14:33.47\00:14:39.77
I have the
wedding garment on or not.
00:14:40.34\00:14:44.58
That's the point of
the investigative judgment.
00:14:45.11\00:14:47.85
To determine who has the
wedding garment already on;
00:14:47.88\00:14:52.32
the precious character,
the spotless character,
00:14:52.35\00:14:56.42
of Jesus Christ.
00:14:56.46\00:14:58.96
Now the good news
this evening is this:
00:14:58.99\00:15:01.06
Christ is ready and
willing to give His character
00:15:01.36\00:15:05.47
to anybody who wants it.
00:15:05.50\00:15:07.70
Amen?
00:15:08.10\00:15:09.44
That's something that should
fill your heart with great joy.
00:15:09.64\00:15:12.74
Jesus is willing if we
ask and we say, "Lord, please,
00:15:12.84\00:15:16.78
give me this character.
00:15:16.81\00:15:18.15
I do not have it of my own.
00:15:18.18\00:15:19.71
But give me the
character of Christ."
00:15:19.75\00:15:21.52
He is ready, He is
willing, He is able
00:15:21.55\00:15:24.55
to give you this character;
00:15:24.59\00:15:26.62
the spotless robe
of the wedding garment.
00:15:26.65\00:15:29.62
But if we do not take it
on, which would be your choice,
00:15:29.66\00:15:34.10
it will be said to us as
it was to the man in the story
00:15:34.63\00:15:38.70
as the king came in,
"How comest thou in hither
00:15:39.03\00:15:41.94
not having the wedding garment?"
00:15:42.34\00:15:45.44
And it will be with us as it
was with the man in the story.
00:15:46.47\00:15:50.75
We also will be speechless.
00:15:51.38\00:15:55.02
Speechless because there
will be no excuse worth uttering
00:15:55.75\00:15:59.55
in response to that
penetrating question.
00:15:59.59\00:16:02.59
Speechless because instantly
will flash through our minds
00:16:02.62\00:16:06.16
all of the times that the
Holy Spirit has tried to help us
00:16:06.19\00:16:09.46
put that wedding garment on.
00:16:09.66\00:16:11.67
Speechless because
there we will recognize
00:16:11.70\00:16:16.00
all of the wasted
opportunities that we had to put
00:16:16.04\00:16:19.57
the wedding garment on.
00:16:19.61\00:16:21.01
Speechless because at
that time we will have terror
00:16:21.11\00:16:24.21
because we will realize
that the time is too late.
00:16:24.25\00:16:27.55
We will be speechless because
there will be nothing worth
00:16:27.58\00:16:31.19
saying in answer
to that question,
00:16:31.22\00:16:35.09
"How comest thou in hither
not having the garment on?"
00:16:35.52\00:16:40.70
And it will be said
to that speechless man,
00:16:44.77\00:16:47.87
who was, interestingly
enough, afforded all of the same
00:16:47.90\00:16:52.14
opportunities that
everybody else was afforded.
00:16:52.17\00:16:54.58
He had
everything at his disposal
00:16:55.54\00:16:57.45
just like everybody else did.
00:16:57.48\00:16:58.81
He had all the
same opportunities
00:16:58.85\00:17:00.18
that everybody else had.
00:17:00.22\00:17:01.55
It will be said to those who do
not have the wedding garment on,
00:17:01.98\00:17:05.32
in verse 13, "Then said
the king to his servants,
00:17:05.35\00:17:09.96
'Bind him hand and
foot, and take him away,
00:17:10.63\00:17:14.30
and cast him
into outer darkness.'
00:17:14.33\00:17:16.77
There shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth."
00:17:16.80\00:17:21.40
Now that's the part of
the parable we want to quickly
00:17:21.44\00:17:23.54
glaze over and continue
reading the rest of the chapter.
00:17:23.57\00:17:26.51
It makes us uncomfortable
to think about that there will
00:17:26.74\00:17:29.44
come a time where God
will utter these words
00:17:29.48\00:17:32.05
to those who have
chosen of their own choice
00:17:32.08\00:17:35.65
not to have the
wedding garment put on.
00:17:35.68\00:17:37.59
That He would say, "Depart ye."
00:17:37.62\00:17:40.26
That there would be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
00:17:41.16\00:17:45.23
Is it a reality to you
today that right now in the
00:17:45.26\00:17:48.86
kingdom of heaven
names are being accepted,
00:17:48.90\00:17:51.90
names are being rejected?
00:17:51.93\00:17:53.67
That this great work of
judgment is taking place.
00:17:53.70\00:17:56.77
That there is an investigation
into the cases of men
00:17:56.81\00:18:00.24
to see if they are
clad in the wedding garment;
00:18:00.28\00:18:04.15
the spotless
character of Jesus Christ.
00:18:04.18\00:18:08.45
Is that a reality to you?
00:18:08.48\00:18:09.95
I believe the King
wants to come to GYC.
00:18:10.82\00:18:16.26
And He wants to see
a group of young people
00:18:17.09\00:18:20.03
who are clad in the
beautiful wedding garment
00:18:20.86\00:18:24.57
of the spotless
character of Jesus.
00:18:24.77\00:18:28.20
But the
question tonight is this:
00:18:28.47\00:18:31.24
If the King were to
look at you right now,
00:18:31.44\00:18:34.78
what would He see?
00:18:35.38\00:18:36.71
If the King were
to look at you...
00:18:38.81\00:18:40.68
If your case came up right
now, what would the King see?
00:18:40.72\00:18:46.82
Would He see the
wedding garment on,
00:18:46.86\00:18:49.52
or would He see a
garment of your own creation?
00:18:49.79\00:18:53.96
By God's grace, one day, if
not today, the King will see
00:18:54.06\00:19:00.60
that you have the
wedding garment on.
00:19:00.80\00:19:02.44
Amen?
00:19:02.47\00:19:03.81
Now I want you to go
with me in your Bibles
00:19:04.94\00:19:06.57
to the book of Revelation.
00:19:06.61\00:19:07.94
And I want you to
look at John's description,
00:19:08.48\00:19:10.85
Revelation chapter 3.
00:19:10.88\00:19:12.55
I want you to look at John's
description of those who are
00:19:13.72\00:19:18.19
allowed to stay
at the wedding feast.
00:19:18.22\00:19:21.12
Those that were not
clad properly were cast out.
00:19:22.19\00:19:25.83
But those that
are allowed to stay,
00:19:26.76\00:19:28.93
notice how John describes them.
00:19:28.96\00:19:30.57
This is a beautiful passage.
00:19:30.60\00:19:31.93
Revelation 3:5
00:19:32.33\00:19:35.97
The Bible says
this, "He that overcometh,
00:19:38.07\00:19:43.21
the same shall be
clothed in white raiment..."
00:19:45.05\00:19:48.78
That's the wedding garment.
00:19:48.82\00:19:50.15
"...and I will not blot out his
name out of the book of life,
00:19:52.02\00:19:57.36
but I will confess
his name before my Father,
00:19:57.96\00:20:03.23
and before the angels."
00:20:03.26\00:20:05.57
Who are the ones that
are clothed in a beautiful
00:20:07.60\00:20:09.84
white wedding garment?
00:20:09.87\00:20:11.37
John describes them as
those who have overcome.
00:20:11.87\00:20:17.38
I don't want you
to miss this point.
00:20:18.11\00:20:19.71
That those who
overcome are the ones who have
00:20:19.75\00:20:23.75
the wedding garment on.
00:20:23.79\00:20:25.95
Many times throughout
the book of Revelation,
00:20:25.99\00:20:28.22
as you look at John's
description of God's people,
00:20:28.26\00:20:32.19
you will see that he
describes them as overcomers.
00:20:32.23\00:20:37.53
Please quickly notice
with me, as you look at this
00:20:37.57\00:20:40.44
Bible passage, that John
does not describe these people
00:20:40.47\00:20:44.87
as those who had been forgiven.
00:20:44.91\00:20:47.14
Although that is true.
00:20:47.81\00:20:49.14
They had been forgiven.
00:20:49.44\00:20:50.78
But John describes them as what?
00:20:51.18\00:20:54.28
Overcomers.
00:20:54.85\00:20:56.18
There is a distinct difference
between being forgiven
00:20:57.09\00:21:01.32
and being an overcomer.
00:21:01.59\00:21:03.43
One who is forgiven is
forgiven by virtue of the fact
00:21:04.59\00:21:08.66
that they have been tempted and
they fell into that temptation.
00:21:08.70\00:21:12.33
They've sinned, therefore
they need to be forgiven.
00:21:12.37\00:21:15.40
But somebody who has overcome
is one who has been tempted
00:21:16.24\00:21:20.91
by the devil to do wrong, they
have resisted that temptation,
00:21:20.94\00:21:25.11
and they have done what is
right instead of the wrong.
00:21:25.15\00:21:27.95
One who is an overcomer is
somebody who has been changed
00:21:27.98\00:21:32.32
from enjoying sin to hating sin.
00:21:32.35\00:21:35.36
One who is an overcomer is
one who finds great delight
00:21:35.39\00:21:39.76
and pleasure, not in the
sinful things of this world,
00:21:39.79\00:21:43.10
but in obedience
to God and His Word.
00:21:43.13\00:21:45.20
Would you say amen?
00:21:45.23\00:21:46.57
And John describes the
people of God who are clad
00:21:47.24\00:21:51.34
in the wedding
garment that they are those
00:21:51.37\00:21:54.31
who have overcome.
00:21:54.34\00:21:56.24
They will be the ones that
have the wedding garment on.
00:21:57.91\00:22:01.62
And now we get to
the heart of the message.
00:22:03.92\00:22:05.92
God's people had been forgiven.
00:22:09.42\00:22:12.46
Would you say amen?
00:22:12.49\00:22:13.83
I praise the Lord for
the gift of forgiveness.
00:22:14.53\00:22:17.37
When we do wrong, we can
ask Him, "Forgive me, Lord,"
00:22:17.47\00:22:20.14
and He forgives us.
00:22:20.17\00:22:21.50
But as a whole, God's
people cannot yet be described
00:22:23.44\00:22:27.91
as overcomers.
00:22:29.14\00:22:30.65
The good news is
that one day they will be.
00:22:32.85\00:22:34.85
But we're not quite there yet.
00:22:34.88\00:22:37.69
If we were, we
wouldn't be here any longer.
00:22:37.72\00:22:39.82
Now I want you to
notice with me a passage from,
00:22:41.09\00:22:44.16
1 Selected Messages, page 343.
00:22:44.19\00:22:47.06
The servant of the Lord
pens these outstanding words.
00:22:48.50\00:22:51.90
She says this, "Christ is
represented as continually
00:22:51.93\00:22:57.47
standing at the altar,
momentarily offering up
00:22:57.51\00:23:02.11
the sacrifice for
the sins of the world...
00:23:02.14\00:23:05.91
The atoning sacrifice through
a Mediator is essential..."
00:23:07.12\00:23:12.99
What is essential?
00:23:13.19\00:23:14.52
"The atoning sacrifice through
a Mediator is essential..."
00:23:14.66\00:23:18.03
Now don't miss this next part.
00:23:18.06\00:23:19.53
"...because of the
constant commission of sins."
00:23:20.56\00:23:26.90
Why does Jesus have to continue
doing the work of mediation?
00:23:29.30\00:23:33.54
Because of the
constant commission,
00:23:33.74\00:23:36.51
the constant flowing of sins
into the heavenly Sanctuary.
00:23:36.54\00:23:41.48
Our sins, when we
sin, brothers and sisters,
00:23:41.52\00:23:45.05
we are keeping Jesus employed
in the heavenly Sanctuary.
00:23:45.09\00:23:49.02
And that's not
where we want Him.
00:23:49.66\00:23:51.76
We want to be with Him.
00:23:52.06\00:23:53.60
We want to be in heaven.
00:23:53.63\00:23:55.00
We want to see Him,
we want to walk with Him,
00:23:55.03\00:23:57.10
we want to talk with Him.
00:23:57.13\00:23:58.47
We don't want to keep
Jesus in the heavenly Sanctuary
00:23:58.50\00:24:01.80
doing the work of intercession.
00:24:01.84\00:24:03.24
Would you say amen?
00:24:03.27\00:24:04.61
But Jesus is there.
00:24:05.54\00:24:06.88
It is a requirement for Him to
be there because of the constant
00:24:06.91\00:24:10.88
commission of sins that
are ascending to the kingdom
00:24:10.91\00:24:14.98
of heaven.
00:24:15.28\00:24:16.62
The reason why Jesus has waited
for the past over 170 years
00:24:19.45\00:24:24.33
to come back to this
world is because God's people
00:24:24.36\00:24:28.36
are still sinning.
00:24:29.03\00:24:30.37
Turn with me to Revelation 22,
just a couple of chapters back,
00:24:36.14\00:24:38.91
verses 11 and 12.
00:24:41.21\00:24:42.78
Revelation 22:11-12
00:24:42.98\00:24:46.05
Listen to these
profound words that Jesus utters
00:24:47.95\00:24:50.92
when the work of
cleansing the Sanctuary
00:24:51.19\00:24:52.95
has been completed.
00:24:52.99\00:24:54.32
Jesus says this,
Matthew 22:11-12...
00:24:54.79\00:24:58.03
I'm sorry.
Revelation 22. Thank you.
00:25:00.30\00:25:02.23
Revelation 22:11-12
00:25:02.26\00:25:04.50
The Bible says, "He that is
unjust, let him be unjust still:
00:25:05.33\00:25:10.91
and he which is filthy,
let him be filthy still:
00:25:11.44\00:25:14.61
and he that is righteous,
let him be righteous still:
00:25:14.74\00:25:17.85
and he that is holy,
let him be holy still."
00:25:17.98\00:25:21.72
And then in verse 12 He
says, "And behold, I..." What?
00:25:21.75\00:25:25.42
"...come quickly;
and my reward is with me,
00:25:25.92\00:25:29.56
to give every man
according as his work shall be."
00:25:29.59\00:25:33.60
Jesus tells us that right before
He comes, the entire world
00:25:33.63\00:25:37.93
will reach the
point of no return.
00:25:37.97\00:25:40.30
They will reach a point
where they are no longer
00:25:41.47\00:25:44.47
going to change.
00:25:44.51\00:25:45.84
The wicked will
continue being wicked.
00:25:45.87\00:25:48.31
They will continue to sin.
00:25:48.34\00:25:50.08
Stubbornly persistent in
their course of wholehearted
00:25:50.18\00:25:53.85
rebellion against God.
00:25:53.88\00:25:55.35
But the righteous will
continue being righteous
00:25:55.38\00:25:58.05
because they also
are stubbornly persistent
00:25:58.09\00:26:01.09
in their course of
wholehearted surrender to God,
00:26:01.12\00:26:04.39
in living a life of
obedience and victory in Jesus.
00:26:04.43\00:26:08.86
Right before Jesus
comes back the entire world
00:26:09.16\00:26:12.70
will be polarized
into one of two groups.
00:26:12.73\00:26:15.37
A point of no return will
happen and Jesus will pronounce
00:26:15.40\00:26:19.27
the end of His work.
00:26:19.31\00:26:20.64
And He will come
and take His bride home
00:26:20.68\00:26:23.51
who can now be
described as overcomers.
00:26:23.55\00:26:27.98
When we reach that
point of no return,
00:26:29.42\00:26:31.39
we are walking as Enoch walked.
00:26:32.85\00:26:35.62
And God wants us to be in the
atmosphere of heaven with Him.
00:26:35.66\00:26:40.13
In his 1974 address
to the Annual Council,
00:26:43.26\00:26:47.14
a man who I've grown to respect
who's no longer with us...
00:26:48.60\00:26:52.61
I look forward to meeting
him when we get to heaven.
00:26:52.64\00:26:54.68
...W.D. Frazee made
this fascinating statement at
00:26:56.48\00:26:59.31
the Annual Council.
00:26:59.35\00:27:00.68
He was describing
the heavenly Sanctuary
00:27:01.65\00:27:05.35
as a hospital that
deals with the sin problem.
00:27:05.39\00:27:09.69
And then he made this
fascinating statement.
00:27:10.66\00:27:12.79
He said this, "But
the emergency hospital
00:27:12.83\00:27:16.63
that has been dealing with
the sin problem for centuries
00:27:17.17\00:27:20.67
is going to close.
00:27:20.94\00:27:24.57
Why? May I put
it simply," he says.
00:27:25.77\00:27:29.58
"For a lack of business."
00:27:30.05\00:27:33.95
Profound. Absolutely profound.
00:27:35.02\00:27:37.65
I don't think we get
the full ramifications
00:27:37.69\00:27:40.26
of what that means.
00:27:40.29\00:27:41.62
This is absolutely
mind blowing to me.
00:27:41.66\00:27:44.13
Yes there is going to come a
time that there will no longer
00:27:44.16\00:27:48.33
be a constant stream
of commissionings of sins
00:27:48.36\00:27:52.03
that will ascend into
the heavenly Sanctuary.
00:27:52.07\00:27:54.64
No longer will the people
of God be caught in the crazy
00:27:54.67\00:27:58.01
cycle of sinning and repenting,
sinning and repenting,
00:27:58.04\00:28:01.98
sinning and repenting.
00:28:02.01\00:28:03.48
No longer will the wicked
people feel remorse for sin.
00:28:03.51\00:28:06.82
No longer will they feel
the need to confess their sins
00:28:06.92\00:28:11.25
into the heavenly Sanctuary.
00:28:11.29\00:28:12.75
Why? Because the
wicked will go on sinning
00:28:12.79\00:28:15.96
and the righteous
will go on overcoming.
00:28:15.99\00:28:19.19
And the heavenly
Sanctuary will be closed
00:28:20.66\00:28:24.73
for a lack of business.
00:28:25.03\00:28:27.60
This is good news, amen?
00:28:27.97\00:28:29.37
One day, one day God's people
will be described as overcomers.
00:28:30.14\00:28:35.61
And I want to tell you,
brothers and sisters tonight,
00:28:35.64\00:28:37.88
Jesus is
longing for that moment.
00:28:37.91\00:28:41.15
He is yearning to
see a church that can be
00:28:41.28\00:28:44.69
described as overcomers.
00:28:44.72\00:28:46.59
That He can come back to
this world and take them back
00:28:46.62\00:28:50.89
to the kingdom
of heaven and spend
00:28:50.93\00:28:52.59
eternity together with them.
00:28:52.63\00:28:54.33
And I don't know
about you, but tonight
00:28:54.36\00:28:56.26
I want to be part of that group.
00:28:56.30\00:28:58.33
The fact that
Jesus has waited so long
00:29:01.40\00:29:03.91
tells me that He
wants something so bad
00:29:06.61\00:29:10.98
that He will wait, and
wait, and wait until He gets it.
00:29:11.95\00:29:18.75
He will continue to wait.
00:29:20.56\00:29:21.99
There is something
that Jesus wants so bad
00:29:22.02\00:29:25.09
that He will wait and
wait until He gets it.
00:29:25.13\00:29:27.43
And what Jesus is not
waiting for is He is not waiting
00:29:27.53\00:29:31.80
for Bible
prophecy to be fulfilled.
00:29:31.83\00:29:33.94
He is not waiting for
a national Sunday law.
00:29:34.20\00:29:37.14
He's not waiting
for the enforcement
00:29:37.17\00:29:39.14
of the mark of the beast.
00:29:39.17\00:29:40.51
He is not waiting for some
political things to take place
00:29:40.54\00:29:44.65
in this world
where the Papacy gains
00:29:44.68\00:29:46.92
a certain measure of control.
00:29:46.95\00:29:48.78
This is not what
Jesus is waiting for.
00:29:48.98\00:29:51.85
He is waiting for something
far better, much greater.
00:29:51.89\00:29:55.62
And He will wait, and He
will wait, and He will wait
00:29:55.66\00:29:58.79
because He is a patient
God and He wants to wait
00:29:58.83\00:30:02.10
until He gets
what He is looking for.
00:30:02.20\00:30:05.47
And tonight, brothers and
sisters, I want to tell you,
00:30:06.10\00:30:08.70
what Jesus is waiting for
is He's waiting for His people.
00:30:09.47\00:30:14.44
What Jesus is waiting for
is He's waiting for His people.
00:30:17.61\00:30:22.78
From the book, Maranatha,
a great devotional book,
00:30:27.02\00:30:32.36
page 112, we're told this...
00:30:32.56\00:30:36.00
It's a beautiful passage.
00:30:36.03\00:30:37.57
"Christ is
waiting..." What is He doing?
00:30:39.50\00:30:43.51
"Christ is waiting
with longing desire..."
00:30:45.04\00:30:49.44
How is He waiting?
00:30:50.55\00:30:51.88
Longing desire.
00:30:51.98\00:30:53.31
It's like He's waiting
with great expectation.
00:30:53.35\00:30:56.85
He's waiting for
something that He wants so bad.
00:30:56.89\00:31:00.36
It's almost like, I
remember my wedding day
00:31:00.39\00:31:02.82
as I was standing on the podium
waiting to see my dear wife
00:31:02.86\00:31:07.80
come into the
back of the church.
00:31:08.10\00:31:09.70
With longing desire,
with great expectation
00:31:09.73\00:31:12.60
for this beautiful day when we
would unite our lives together.
00:31:12.63\00:31:16.14
"Christ is waiting
with longing desire
00:31:16.30\00:31:20.81
for the manifestation
of Himself in His church."
00:31:21.88\00:31:26.85
What is He waiting for?
00:31:27.55\00:31:28.88
The manifestation of
Himself in the church.
00:31:29.12\00:31:31.75
"When the character of
the Saviour shall be perfectly
00:31:33.19\00:31:37.79
reproduced in His
people, then He will come
00:31:37.83\00:31:42.90
to claim them as His own."
00:31:43.43\00:31:46.53
When does He come?
00:31:48.14\00:31:49.47
He comes when He sees
the character of Himself
00:31:49.50\00:31:53.41
reproduced in the
life of His people.
00:31:53.61\00:31:56.31
And He will wait, and He
will wait, and He will wait
00:31:56.34\00:31:59.45
with longing desire
because He's waiting to see
00:31:59.48\00:32:02.78
the signs of His
character being replicated
00:32:02.82\00:32:06.45
in the life of His people.
00:32:06.49\00:32:07.82
He's waiting for His people
to not only profess godliness,
00:32:07.86\00:32:12.66
but to live godliness.
00:32:12.69\00:32:14.80
Let the people of God say amen.
00:32:14.83\00:32:16.46
He's waiting
with longing desire.
00:32:18.23\00:32:19.83
I want to tell you
something, brothers and sisters.
00:32:20.37\00:32:21.84
This is not just a
spirit of prophecy concept.
00:32:21.87\00:32:24.17
This is biblical.
00:32:25.41\00:32:26.74
The Bible tells us in
1 John 3:2, it says this,
00:32:27.91\00:32:31.25
"But we know that,
when he shall appear..."
00:32:32.31\00:32:36.85
What event is that?
00:32:37.89\00:32:39.22
"...when he shall
appear, we shall be like him..."
00:32:40.42\00:32:47.33
Like who?
00:32:48.53\00:32:49.86
Like the world?
00:32:50.63\00:32:51.97
Like what you see on TV?
00:32:52.27\00:32:54.04
Like some religious
person in the church,
00:32:54.74\00:32:58.31
some popular religious person?
00:32:58.34\00:33:00.44
No. The Bible says
that when Jesus comes,
00:33:00.48\00:33:03.14
we shall be like Him.
00:33:03.24\00:33:06.61
And I don't know about
you, brothers and sisters,
00:33:07.25\00:33:08.68
but the first time I
read that Bible passage
00:33:08.72\00:33:10.35
I had to fall down
on my knees and say,
00:33:10.39\00:33:12.89
"God, there's no
way I can do this.
00:33:12.92\00:33:15.42
There is absolutely no
way that I can be like You
00:33:16.36\00:33:20.80
unless You perform
that miracle in my life.
00:33:20.83\00:33:24.27
And dear Jesus, I'm will for
You to do that work in my life."
00:33:24.80\00:33:31.74
I know what
you're thinking tonight.
00:33:32.17\00:33:33.51
"Jason, you are
absolutely crazy.
00:33:33.54\00:33:36.21
There's no way I can be perfect.
00:33:38.15\00:33:40.38
There's no...
listen, I'm trying to have a
00:33:40.85\00:33:43.08
consistent devotional
life and not over eat,
00:33:43.18\00:33:46.82
and now you're
here telling me tonight
00:33:46.86\00:33:48.56
that I have to be perfect?
00:33:48.59\00:33:49.92
That I have to be like
Jesus when He comes back?"
00:33:49.96\00:33:52.29
No, I'm not telling you that.
00:33:52.33\00:33:53.66
The Bible is telling you that.
00:33:53.70\00:33:55.06
And you know, sometimes I
kind of find it interesting
00:33:58.27\00:34:00.90
that as Seventh-day
Adventists, as Christians,
00:34:01.80\00:34:04.54
we believe that God had
the power to create the world
00:34:04.81\00:34:07.71
in six literal days.
00:34:07.74\00:34:09.31
To create
something out of nothing.
00:34:10.01\00:34:12.45
But we question His
ability to give us victory
00:34:12.98\00:34:15.48
over sin in our lives.
00:34:15.52\00:34:16.85
Listen, let's
not put God in a box.
00:34:19.75\00:34:21.72
I serve a God
that's bigger than that.
00:34:22.26\00:34:23.99
The Bible says
that when Jesus comes,
00:34:27.36\00:34:29.33
we shall be like Him.
00:34:30.57\00:34:32.63
Jot down these promises in your
notes tonight, if you would.
00:34:33.54\00:34:36.47
1 John 5:14
00:34:36.50\00:34:38.57
We must have promises
when we deal with this stuff.
00:34:38.61\00:34:40.91
Otherwise we'll just get
smothered in hopelessness.
00:34:40.94\00:34:44.35
That there's no way I
can achieve this goal.
00:34:44.38\00:34:47.25
1 John 5:14,
the Bible says this,
00:34:47.28\00:34:51.52
"And this is the confidence..."
00:34:51.55\00:34:55.16
...that we have in Jason Sliger.
00:34:57.43\00:34:59.93
...that we have in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:35:02.70\00:35:06.03
"This is the confidence," the
boldness, "that we have in him,
00:35:06.67\00:35:11.71
that if we ask any
thing according to his will,
00:35:11.94\00:35:15.94
he..." What? Now listen to me.
00:35:15.98\00:35:18.18
If the Bible says
that when He appears
00:35:18.21\00:35:20.88
I'm going to be like Him,
if I ask Him, "Lord, do that
00:35:20.92\00:35:24.79
work in my life," is He going to
answer that prayer, yes or no?
00:35:24.82\00:35:27.22
There is no question about
it, that we can be emphatic
00:35:27.86\00:35:31.03
in our answer.
00:35:31.06\00:35:32.39
Yes!
00:35:32.43\00:35:33.76
He will give it to us.
00:35:34.23\00:35:35.56
Because I'm praying
according to His will.
00:35:35.60\00:35:37.77
These are simple promises
that have huge ramifications
00:35:38.53\00:35:41.14
if we actually apply them.
00:35:41.17\00:35:42.50
I love this
one, Philippians 1:6.
00:35:44.04\00:35:46.17
"Being confident
of this very thing,
00:35:46.88\00:35:51.31
that he which hath
begun a good work in you
00:35:51.78\00:35:54.68
will perform it
until the day of Christ."
00:35:54.95\00:35:58.39
Listen, God is not
asking you to do this work of
00:35:58.42\00:36:01.36
character
development on your own.
00:36:01.39\00:36:03.02
He's not asking you to take the
robe of Christ's righteousness,
00:36:03.12\00:36:06.36
the wedding garment,
and put it on yourself.
00:36:06.39\00:36:09.06
He's saying,
"Listen, I'm doing this work.
00:36:09.10\00:36:11.70
I will finish it if
you will simply let Me."
00:36:11.73\00:36:14.57
God is saying, "Listen, if you
will step out of the driver seat
00:36:15.40\00:36:19.27
and stop acting like
you know what you're doing,
00:36:19.31\00:36:22.51
and let Me take
control over your life,
00:36:22.54\00:36:24.95
I will do this work for you.
00:36:24.98\00:36:27.15
I will create the impossible.
00:36:27.78\00:36:29.95
I will make you
to be like Jesus.
00:36:29.98\00:36:32.55
I will change your desires.
00:36:32.59\00:36:34.39
I will change your wants.
00:36:34.42\00:36:35.99
I will change your
lusts and your desires.
00:36:36.02\00:36:38.36
I will change them so
that when you come into heaven,
00:36:38.39\00:36:41.33
it will be a
natural transition for you."
00:36:41.36\00:36:43.80
Manuscript
Releases, volume 12, page 55,
00:36:47.20\00:36:51.01
the servant of
the Lord says this,
00:36:51.04\00:36:53.04
"God..." This is a promise.
00:36:53.44\00:36:56.78
"...has made
provision that every difficulty
00:36:57.45\00:37:02.85
may be overcome..."
00:37:02.88\00:37:04.29
"God has made
provision that every difficulty
00:37:06.86\00:37:13.19
may be overcome..."
00:37:13.23\00:37:14.56
Do we believe that?
00:37:14.60\00:37:15.93
Every difficulty.
00:37:16.10\00:37:17.43
"...every want supplied
through the Holy Spirit.
00:37:18.03\00:37:20.84
Thus He designs that man shall
perfect a Christian character."
00:37:21.04\00:37:29.31
Every difficulty.
00:37:30.91\00:37:32.25
Listen, God
again, He's not saying
00:37:32.28\00:37:33.62
you have to do this on your own.
00:37:33.65\00:37:34.98
He's not telling us to do it.
00:37:35.05\00:37:36.62
He says, "Listen, I
will provide it for you
00:37:36.65\00:37:39.25
if you will simply
let Me do that work."
00:37:39.29\00:37:41.32
Now you may be
asking the question,
00:37:44.09\00:37:45.79
"How is this supposed to happen?
00:37:46.70\00:37:48.43
How am I suppose
to have this drastic
00:37:49.43\00:37:52.87
character transformation?
00:37:52.90\00:37:54.24
Listen Jason, I've
never seen somebody like this.
00:37:54.27\00:37:57.37
How does it work?"
00:37:57.41\00:37:58.84
There's a beautiful
passage of Scripture where Paul
00:37:59.37\00:38:02.14
answers this question for us
in beautifully simple language.
00:38:02.18\00:38:06.38
And I want you to go
there with me in your Bibles
00:38:06.41\00:38:08.45
to 2 Corinthians.
00:38:08.48\00:38:10.39
2 Corinthians 3:18
00:38:10.42\00:38:16.42
2 Corinthians 3:18
00:38:17.26\00:38:22.80
The Bible says this:
00:38:23.37\00:38:24.83
"But we all, with open
face beholding as in a glass
00:38:27.27\00:38:33.88
the glory," the character,
"of the Lord, are changed
00:38:34.08\00:38:39.81
into the same image
from glory to glory,
00:38:39.85\00:38:43.89
even as by the
Spirit of the Lord."
00:38:43.92\00:38:46.99
Say amen to that.
00:38:47.09\00:38:48.49
"But we all, with open
face beholding as in a glass
00:38:49.29\00:38:52.03
the glory of the Lord, we're
changed into the same image..."
00:38:52.06\00:38:54.83
It is a law of nature, that what
you behold is what you become.
00:38:54.86\00:39:00.67
It is as unchangeable
as Newton's law of gravity.
00:39:01.30\00:39:05.17
You might think that
you can control what you see
00:39:05.21\00:39:08.14
and how that affects your life.
00:39:08.18\00:39:09.58
But if you think that,
you're only kidding yourself.
00:39:09.61\00:39:12.51
What we see, what we
behold, is what we become.
00:39:12.91\00:39:17.02
But back to our
original question.
00:39:17.05\00:39:18.52
How can I have this total
00:39:18.55\00:39:20.02
character
transformation in my life?
00:39:20.06\00:39:21.66
It is so simple that
my three and five year old
00:39:21.69\00:39:24.83
could understand this.
00:39:24.86\00:39:26.19
God doesn't make
this stuff complicated.
00:39:26.76\00:39:28.86
He says, "Listen, if
you want My character,
00:39:28.96\00:39:31.87
make Jesus the
focus in your life."
00:39:32.40\00:39:36.20
Simple as that.
Plain and simple.
00:39:37.77\00:39:40.04
This is not
theologically complicated stuff.
00:39:40.08\00:39:42.84
He says, "Make Me the
primary focus in your life."
00:39:44.38\00:39:49.05
Look to Jesus, study Him,
think about Him, talk about Him.
00:39:49.08\00:39:53.46
Let Jesus be the all
consuming thoughts of your mind
00:39:53.49\00:39:57.06
as you go through the
day, as you go about your work.
00:39:57.09\00:39:59.43
Think and talk and
meditate upon the life of Jesus.
00:39:59.53\00:40:04.17
Maybe this might mean
that you need to get rid of
00:40:04.20\00:40:06.53
a few things in your
life that are killing your
00:40:06.57\00:40:09.14
spiritual walk with the Lord.
00:40:09.17\00:40:10.81
Maybe this means
that you need to change
00:40:10.91\00:40:13.34
the course of your life.
00:40:13.38\00:40:14.74
Maybe this means
that you need to get rid
00:40:14.84\00:40:16.78
of the pornography in your life
that is changing your character
00:40:16.81\00:40:20.15
from what God wants it to be
00:40:20.18\00:40:21.72
to what the
world wants it to be.
00:40:21.75\00:40:23.32
Maybe it means you need
to get rid of the novels
00:40:23.35\00:40:25.52
that you're reading in your life
that's changing your character
00:40:25.55\00:40:28.26
into the world instead
of a character after God.
00:40:28.29\00:40:30.83
Maybe it means you
need to get rid of Hollywood
00:40:30.86\00:40:33.70
out of your life, in all of its
mediums and all of its forms,
00:40:33.73\00:40:36.40
so that you can
have the character of God
00:40:36.43\00:40:38.63
instead of the
character of Hollywood.
00:40:38.67\00:40:40.64
What you behold
is what you become.
00:40:41.07\00:40:44.41
And if you want to be
able to come to the judgment
00:40:44.44\00:40:46.88
and have the King look upon
you and see that you have the
00:40:46.91\00:40:49.84
wedding garment on,
turn your eyes to Jesus.
00:40:49.88\00:40:54.12
So the question is, what am
I spending my time beholding?
00:41:01.29\00:41:05.06
You know, as you go through
the day you always have these
00:41:06.49\00:41:08.16
little minutes here and there.
00:41:08.20\00:41:09.56
And when you have those
little minutes where you're not
00:41:10.63\00:41:12.93
doing much, what do
you begin to think about?
00:41:12.97\00:41:15.24
What do you think about as
you're driving down the road?
00:41:15.57\00:41:18.47
What do you think
about while you're brushing
00:41:18.57\00:41:20.28
your teeth at night?
00:41:20.31\00:41:21.64
What do you think about
while you're taking a shower
00:41:21.68\00:41:24.11
in the evening
or in the morning?
00:41:24.15\00:41:25.71
What do you think about as
you're walking down the road
00:41:25.75\00:41:28.38
observing nature
or whatever it is?
00:41:28.42\00:41:30.39
What do you think about
in those scraps of moments
00:41:30.42\00:41:33.56
as you go through the day?
00:41:33.59\00:41:34.92
And I believe if
you're honest with yourself
00:41:34.96\00:41:36.89
and you begin to reflect upon
this, you will all of a sudden
00:41:36.93\00:41:39.63
realize why you
are at where you are at
00:41:39.66\00:41:42.40
in your spiritual experience.
00:41:42.43\00:41:43.90
We need to gather
up these fragments
00:41:44.63\00:41:46.74
and throughout the day not just
leave Jesus at our devotions,
00:41:46.77\00:41:50.31
not just leave Him at
church, but carry Him with us
00:41:50.34\00:41:53.44
throughout the day.
00:41:53.48\00:41:54.81
Meditating, and thinking,
and reflecting upon Him.
00:41:54.84\00:41:58.35
Literally, I ask you the
question, who are you beholding?
00:41:58.61\00:42:01.55
Who are you looking at?
00:42:01.58\00:42:02.92
Listen, some of us spend
more time looking at ourselves
00:42:02.95\00:42:06.19
in a 24 hour period
of time in the mirror
00:42:06.22\00:42:08.62
than we spend looking at Jesus.
00:42:08.66\00:42:10.49
Lord, have mercy.
00:42:10.93\00:42:12.26
And you men out there
that are pointing your finger
00:42:12.86\00:42:14.46
at the women, listen, I
know there's guys out there
00:42:14.50\00:42:16.53
that are looking at themselves
in every shiny surface
00:42:16.56\00:42:18.47
they can find.
00:42:18.50\00:42:19.83
Listen, in all sincerity,
if you want to be a real man,
00:42:22.90\00:42:27.58
stop looking at yourself
and start looking at Jesus.
00:42:27.74\00:42:30.45
The world today has made
Jesus look like a weak man.
00:42:32.18\00:42:36.08
But I'm here to
tell you this evening
00:42:36.12\00:42:37.79
that if you want real
masculinity, if you want
00:42:37.82\00:42:40.56
real manliness, look at Jesus.
00:42:40.59\00:42:44.36
Because there's no
better man than Him.
00:42:44.39\00:42:46.56
Who are you beholding?
00:42:48.10\00:42:49.43
Who are you looking at?
00:42:49.63\00:42:51.13
What is consuming your thoughts
as you go throughout the day?
00:42:51.30\00:42:56.60
When people think about
you, what do they think about?
00:42:57.31\00:43:01.14
Do they think of you
as a spiritual person
00:43:01.74\00:43:04.48
or as a nominal Christian?
00:43:04.51\00:43:06.98
Do they think of you as
somebody who's like Jesus
00:43:07.18\00:43:09.65
or like a lukewarm Laodicean?
00:43:09.68\00:43:12.85
You know, when Moses
came down from the mount
00:43:12.99\00:43:15.16
in Exodus 34, the Bible tells
us that his face was shining
00:43:15.19\00:43:20.10
after being in
the presence of God,
00:43:20.13\00:43:21.70
after looking at God.
00:43:21.73\00:43:23.63
They had to veil his face
for fear as they looked at him.
00:43:24.17\00:43:27.47
And brothers and sisters,
they didn't have to ask Moses,
00:43:27.50\00:43:30.47
"Who were you with?"
00:43:30.51\00:43:31.84
If we look at Jesus in the
morning, it should shine forth
00:43:33.48\00:43:37.01
out of our faces in the actions
and the life that we live.
00:43:37.05\00:43:40.52
People should know that you have
beheld Jesus in the morning.
00:43:40.55\00:43:44.35
This evening I want to challenge
you to spend a little bit of
00:43:48.82\00:43:51.46
time in prayer and ask the Lord,
"Lord, what am I beholding?
00:43:51.49\00:43:54.40
What happens when my
mind shifts into neutral?
00:43:55.33\00:43:58.23
What am I beholding?"
00:43:58.33\00:43:59.67
It was 1853, and Ellen
and James White, and perhaps
00:44:02.27\00:44:07.58
a small group of other
people, had gathered themselves
00:44:07.61\00:44:11.55
into a modest farmhouse
in the state of Vermont
00:44:12.95\00:44:16.12
to perform one of the earliest
recorded ordination services
00:44:16.99\00:44:22.79
among Sabbath keeping
Adventists at the time.
00:44:23.83\00:44:26.43
Some of the guys that
were ordained that day
00:44:27.03\00:44:29.86
you would doubtless
recognize their names.
00:44:29.90\00:44:32.13
But there was one particular
individual that if you read
00:44:33.03\00:44:36.04
you would probably
just continue going on and
00:44:36.07\00:44:38.67
wouldn't take much
notice of that name.
00:44:38.71\00:44:41.64
This man was a
powerful worker for God.
00:44:42.04\00:44:45.11
He was a great dedicated
man of God who presented
00:44:45.31\00:44:50.79
the truths of God and
helped build up the church.
00:44:50.82\00:44:53.62
Therefore, they were laying the
hands of ordination upon his.
00:44:53.66\00:44:56.62
This man's name was Elon Everts.
00:44:57.69\00:45:01.43
Elon was not just a
mighty worker of God,
00:45:02.76\00:45:05.50
but he was a theologian.
00:45:05.53\00:45:07.17
In December of 1856, Elon
was accompanying James and Ellen
00:45:07.80\00:45:13.17
on a sleigh ride.
00:45:13.21\00:45:14.54
They were traveling
somewhere west in their work
00:45:14.58\00:45:16.98
in the winter time.
00:45:17.01\00:45:18.35
And on that trip, Elon
was spending time writing down
00:45:18.38\00:45:21.85
some of his findings
about the investigative judgment
00:45:21.88\00:45:24.65
and the cleansing of
the heavenly Sanctuary,
00:45:24.69\00:45:26.65
and all of the ramifications
that are involved in that.
00:45:26.69\00:45:29.29
And as he was jotting
down this Bible truth,
00:45:29.32\00:45:33.16
Elon coined the term,
investigative judgment,
00:45:33.19\00:45:37.27
at that time and
handed it down to Adventism.
00:45:37.37\00:45:40.70
It has become a common
expression to us at the time.
00:45:40.74\00:45:42.97
But it happened
from the pen of this man.
00:45:43.00\00:45:45.44
He was a valuable
worker; and doubtless, people
00:45:48.21\00:45:50.81
will trace their
conviction back to the preaching
00:45:52.08\00:45:54.45
of this man of God.
00:45:54.48\00:45:55.88
I'm sure there will be many
people in the kingdom of heaven
00:45:56.62\00:45:58.95
because of Elon Everts.
00:45:58.99\00:46:00.32
But unfortunately,
they will probably not meet
00:46:01.82\00:46:07.53
Elon Everts in heaven.
00:46:07.60\00:46:09.43
Because Elon had a problem.
00:46:11.70\00:46:13.97
A problem that was so
insidious that even he himself
00:46:14.90\00:46:20.81
could not recognize it.
00:46:21.44\00:46:23.08
A powerful man of God.
00:46:23.91\00:46:25.41
Right around this time
Elon and his family decided to
00:46:29.88\00:46:34.32
cash in their wealth and move
west to the state of Illinois.
00:46:34.36\00:46:39.56
That was the west at the time.
00:46:39.59\00:46:41.06
And they wanted to go out there
as farmers to have a trade,
00:46:42.56\00:46:46.40
but really what Elon
wanted to do was to go out there
00:46:46.43\00:46:48.94
and preach the
gospel while he was working.
00:46:48.97\00:46:51.11
Kind of a tent
maker, if you will.
00:46:51.27\00:46:53.98
That was what Elon wanted
to do, but his wife, Mary,
00:46:54.94\00:46:57.55
had a different idea.
00:46:57.75\00:46:59.15
In fact, both James and
Ellen White, as they reflected
00:46:59.18\00:47:02.58
upon the move of Elon,
they reflected and they both
00:47:02.62\00:47:07.12
came to the same
conclusion that Elon moved west
00:47:07.16\00:47:10.53
because he wanted
to preach the gospel,
00:47:11.06\00:47:13.40
but Mary moved because she
wanted to get wealthy farming.
00:47:13.60\00:47:17.50
These would prove to be the
last two years of Elon's life.
00:47:20.94\00:47:25.37
And unfortunately,
the historical accounts
00:47:26.31\00:47:28.61
reveal that he spent a
good portion of that time
00:47:28.64\00:47:32.35
laying up treasures on earth...
00:47:32.38\00:47:35.32
...that eventually
ended up corrupting his soul.
00:47:36.25\00:47:40.26
On a few occasions,
Ellen appealed to Elon to sell
00:47:42.62\00:47:45.59
large portions of his land
to support the fledgling work
00:47:45.63\00:47:48.73
in the west.
00:47:48.76\00:47:50.10
But Elon proved
to be a weak man.
00:47:50.40\00:47:52.93
And he was moved by
the desires of his wife.
00:47:53.03\00:47:57.34
And his wife
wanted to get wealthy.
00:47:57.57\00:47:59.87
And she convinced him
to keep accumulating land
00:47:59.91\00:48:03.55
and property and
wealth, and continue this work.
00:48:03.58\00:48:06.31
And Elon was a weak man...
00:48:06.35\00:48:08.95
...that did not stand
up and do what was right.
00:48:10.19\00:48:12.02
Finally, Ellen was shown in
a vision that if Mary did not
00:48:12.05\00:48:17.36
get out of the way of the work
that the Lord had commissioned
00:48:17.39\00:48:20.43
her husband to do, that
God would have to remove her.
00:48:20.46\00:48:25.13
It's a hard
work being a prophet.
00:48:27.10\00:48:28.60
Unfortunately, Mary did not
take this counsel very well.
00:48:30.41\00:48:33.81
She continued in
her course of rebellion.
00:48:34.38\00:48:36.78
And shortly after this,
Mary became sick and died.
00:48:37.05\00:48:41.98
She would not give up
her love for the world,
00:48:43.08\00:48:45.29
and she died in
her pursuit of it.
00:48:46.19\00:48:48.62
It was a few weeks after Mary's
death that Ellen and James
00:48:49.92\00:48:54.06
went to go visit
Elon to comfort him.
00:48:54.10\00:48:56.53
But they also went
there to encourage him
00:48:57.17\00:48:59.83
to lay up treasures in heaven.
00:49:00.30\00:49:02.97
To do the work that God
had commissioned him to do.
00:49:03.41\00:49:05.94
And the roots of the
world had penetrated so deep
00:49:05.97\00:49:09.31
into the heart of
Elon that he was wrestling
00:49:09.34\00:49:12.28
with this conviction.
00:49:12.31\00:49:13.65
And Ellen and James appealed
to him, they worked with him,
00:49:15.18\00:49:19.02
they prayed for him.
00:49:19.05\00:49:21.32
And Elon was in a
moment of conviction.
00:49:21.36\00:49:24.69
And he finally came to
the point where he was willing
00:49:24.73\00:49:27.70
to lay his farm upon the
altar, where he was willing to
00:49:27.73\00:49:31.83
give it all to God.
00:49:31.87\00:49:33.20
And just as the
devil would have it,
00:49:33.23\00:49:35.44
his daughter came in there and
played the part of her mother
00:49:35.47\00:49:39.81
and convinced her father
to keep all of their wealth.
00:49:39.84\00:49:43.21
He was a weak man.
00:49:45.41\00:49:46.75
Later Ellen wrote this,
"I saw that this brother
00:49:49.45\00:49:54.59
loved this world more
than he ever thought he did,
00:49:55.32\00:49:58.86
and that it was a snare to him.
00:49:59.73\00:50:02.46
It deceived him."
00:50:03.26\00:50:05.63
That's what the
world will do to you.
00:50:06.50\00:50:07.87
As best as I can tell
from my study of this story,
00:50:10.77\00:50:14.18
the next summer Ellen
received another vision
00:50:14.88\00:50:17.78
concerning Elon.
00:50:18.78\00:50:20.22
And the Lord revealed to
her that he was not doing
00:50:21.28\00:50:24.89
what God had asked
him to do quick enough.
00:50:24.92\00:50:27.16
Shortly after this, the
next thing that Ellen found out
00:50:29.29\00:50:33.19
about Elon is that he
had passed to his grave.
00:50:33.23\00:50:37.97
It will come as no surprise
to you that Elon left his
00:50:39.63\00:50:44.24
entire estate, which was worth
a staggering amount of money,
00:50:44.67\00:50:49.64
to his selfish,
world-loving, daughter.
00:50:51.38\00:50:56.38
Not a penny of the
money that he had earned
00:50:57.89\00:51:01.49
was used to
advance the cause of God.
00:51:01.59\00:51:05.33
His daughter, it seemed
like a curse had followed her.
00:51:07.56\00:51:10.67
She was unable to manage
this vast amount of money.
00:51:10.70\00:51:14.17
And in a short period of
time she fell into great debt
00:51:14.27\00:51:18.07
and lost everything.
00:51:18.11\00:51:20.54
And Ellen penned these
words, "I saw that Satan's wish
00:51:23.11\00:51:30.82
had been gained."
00:51:31.69\00:51:33.22
Brothers and sisters,
here is a man who had all the
00:51:38.46\00:51:42.83
head knowledge, but the devil
had a foothold in his heart.
00:51:42.86\00:51:48.70
He knew enough about
the Bible to be able to
00:51:50.41\00:51:53.01
come up with this
term, investigative judgment.
00:51:53.48\00:51:56.44
He knew the concepts of
the judgment and the Sanctuary,
00:51:56.48\00:52:00.35
and the cleansing of it.
00:52:00.38\00:52:01.72
He understood all of that stuff.
00:52:01.75\00:52:03.55
But the devil had a
foothold in his heart.
00:52:04.75\00:52:07.32
Maybe you tonight are like Elon.
00:52:07.79\00:52:09.39
Maybe your idol is not wealth.
00:52:09.42\00:52:12.16
But it matters
little what it is.
00:52:12.19\00:52:14.26
Because unless we
come to the point where
00:52:18.10\00:52:20.47
we hate sin the same
way that Jesus hates it
00:52:20.50\00:52:23.41
we are not safe to let
loose in the kingdom of heaven.
00:52:24.07\00:52:26.84
We need to come to the point
in our spiritual experience
00:52:29.34\00:52:32.38
where we are not
sorry after we have sinned,
00:52:32.65\00:52:36.05
but we are sorry
before we have sinned
00:52:36.08\00:52:38.55
so that we do not sin.
00:52:38.59\00:52:40.12
And that is only possible
through the power of Jesus.
00:52:42.39\00:52:45.93
You cannot do it on
your own, so don't even try.
00:52:46.13\00:52:50.10
Let Jesus do it for you.
00:52:50.40\00:52:52.07
Give your heart in wholehearted
surrender to Him and say,
00:52:52.27\00:52:55.20
"Lord, please do
this work for me."
00:52:55.24\00:52:57.14
You probably don't have a
little carved idol in your house
00:52:57.17\00:52:59.34
that you bow down to,
but maybe there's something
00:52:59.37\00:53:01.51
in your library that is
distracting you from God.
00:53:01.54\00:53:04.25
Maybe there's something on your
phone that is distracting you
00:53:04.48\00:53:07.52
from God at this very
moment as I'm talking to you.
00:53:07.55\00:53:10.39
Maybe there's
something on your computer
00:53:11.32\00:53:13.39
that is
distracting you from God.
00:53:13.42\00:53:15.52
Maybe there is
something in your house that is
00:53:15.56\00:53:18.43
distracting you from God.
00:53:18.46\00:53:20.30
Maybe there is some
type of music that is
00:53:20.33\00:53:24.20
distracting you from God.
00:53:24.23\00:53:25.67
Maybe there is
something in your wardrobe
00:53:25.70\00:53:28.24
that is distracting you
and other people from God.
00:53:28.27\00:53:31.47
Maybe there is some type
of amusement in your life
00:53:31.51\00:53:35.34
that you enjoy more than you
enjoy time together with God,
00:53:35.38\00:53:39.05
and it is distraction to you.
00:53:39.08\00:53:40.82
Maybe there is a relationship
that's distracting you from God.
00:53:40.85\00:53:44.32
Maybe there is a career choice
that's distracting you from God.
00:53:44.42\00:53:48.42
And if that is the
case, as the old song goes,
00:53:48.46\00:53:53.80
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
00:53:54.03\00:53:58.40
look full in His wonderful face;
00:53:58.43\00:54:01.10
and the things of this
world will grow strangely dim
00:54:01.14\00:54:05.51
in the light of
His glory and grace."
00:54:05.81\00:54:10.01
Turn your eyes to Jesus.
00:54:10.68\00:54:13.01
God wants to give
you the wedding garment.
00:54:13.18\00:54:16.79
He wants to clothe you
with the righteousness of Christ
00:54:17.05\00:54:20.62
so that when your name comes
up in the investigative judgment
00:54:20.66\00:54:23.86
you will be permitted to
stay at the wedding feast
00:54:23.96\00:54:27.03
instead of cast
out into outer darkness
00:54:27.06\00:54:29.46
where there is weeping and
wailing and gnashing of teeth.
00:54:29.50\00:54:31.93
Is this a reality to you...
00:54:31.97\00:54:34.14
...that today, right
now, this work is going on?
00:54:34.90\00:54:39.04
A great
missionary, Lilias Trotter,
00:54:43.45\00:54:45.31
was a rising star in the
art world in the mid 1800's.
00:54:47.32\00:54:52.65
The famous art critic,
John Ruskin, told Trotter
00:54:54.46\00:54:58.59
that if she would
devote herself to art
00:54:59.36\00:55:06.47
she would be the
greatest living painter
00:55:06.50\00:55:09.54
and do works that
would become immortal.
00:55:09.57\00:55:13.34
She was a fantastic artist.
00:55:14.64\00:55:16.38
Although Trotter was drawn to
the prospects of a life of art,
00:55:17.75\00:55:21.65
in 1879 she came to the
realization that she could not
00:55:21.82\00:55:27.79
give herself, quote, "to
painting and continue to still
00:55:27.82\00:55:31.83
seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness."
00:55:31.86\00:55:34.46
Instead she devoted
her life to mission work
00:55:34.66\00:55:38.37
as a single woman
among the Muslims of Algeria.
00:55:38.40\00:55:42.70
Her whole life.
00:55:44.77\00:55:46.11
She penned these words
in reflection upon this,
00:55:47.71\00:55:51.91
"Dare to have it
out with God," she said,
00:55:52.41\00:55:55.42
"and ask Him to
show you whether or not
00:55:55.72\00:55:58.79
all is focused on
Christ and His glory."
00:55:58.89\00:56:02.02
Listen to this, "Turn
your soul's vision to Jesus
00:56:02.06\00:56:05.79
and look, and look at Him.
00:56:05.83\00:56:08.60
And a strange
dimness will come over all
00:56:08.63\00:56:13.13
that is apart from Him."
00:56:13.17\00:56:15.94
As she saw Jesus, everything
else became unimportant to her.
00:56:18.17\00:56:24.85
Today, Jesus is in
the heavenly Sanctuary
00:56:27.25\00:56:31.12
and He's doing
the work of mediation.
00:56:31.15\00:56:33.49
Forgiving people of their sins.
00:56:34.09\00:56:36.06
And tonight I want to ask you,
00:56:40.00\00:56:41.73
how many of you would like to
say, "Jesus, I want to be part
00:56:43.97\00:56:51.51
of getting rid of
this sin problem."
00:56:52.01\00:56:54.34
Amen. Amen.
00:56:55.61\00:56:57.81
Jesus, I want to get rid of
that sin problem in my life.
00:57:00.65\00:57:03.25
Not looking at
other people, but myself.
00:57:03.99\00:57:06.09
I want to get rid
of that sin problem.
00:57:06.69\00:57:08.19
Now maybe the Lord
tonight, as you have listened to
00:57:08.79\00:57:11.93
the message, maybe
the Lord has laid upon you
00:57:11.96\00:57:16.06
a specific sin that you
have been struggling with.
00:57:16.10\00:57:20.94
You know, what is often times
referred to as the darling sins,
00:57:21.64\00:57:25.31
the pet sins in our
lives that we make excuses for.
00:57:25.34\00:57:30.08
That thing that you often
times get caught up into that
00:57:32.21\00:57:35.42
crazy cycle of
sinning and repenting,
00:57:35.45\00:57:37.72
sinning and repenting.
00:57:37.82\00:57:39.15
And tonight the
Lord has laid that
00:57:39.19\00:57:41.32
specific thing on your heart
and said, "Tonight is the night
00:57:41.36\00:57:45.09
to give it to Me."
00:57:45.13\00:57:46.46
If that's the case, and
you want to say, "Lord Jesus,
00:57:50.40\00:57:55.17
I'm sick of serving sin,
00:57:55.40\00:57:57.51
I'm sick of serving Satan,
00:57:58.27\00:58:00.41
and tonight I want
to give this to You
00:58:00.98\00:58:05.21
because it's not
worth holding on to.
00:58:05.65\00:58:07.75
Tonight, Jesus, I do not
want to be known as a sinner,
00:58:10.02\00:58:14.72
but I want to be
known as an overcomer
00:58:15.12\00:58:17.86
who has been clothed in
the wedding garment of Jesus."
00:58:17.89\00:58:22.86
If that's your desire, I'm
going to ask you to stand up.
00:58:23.83\00:58:25.63
Don't do it just because
everybody else is doing it.
00:58:26.47\00:58:28.87
Lord, I want to
give you this sin,
00:58:31.84\00:58:33.54
and I want the
wedding garment on.
00:58:34.14\00:58:36.38