Welcome to 3ABN's
Spring Camp Meeting:
00:00:52.25\00:00:54.05
Live from the
3ABN Worship Center.
00:00:56.95\00:00:59.75
And we welcome you once again
to the 3ABN Worship Center,
00:01:02.86\00:01:06.80
the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist church,
00:01:07.10\00:01:09.13
and to Spring Camp Meeting 2016.
00:01:09.33\00:01:14.44
We've been having a
wonderful time in the Lord.
00:01:14.64\00:01:16.77
And I didn't know if you knew
that when the children of Israel
00:01:17.27\00:01:19.91
went to church they
were also going to school.
00:01:20.14\00:01:23.18
There was much to
learn about the sanctuary.
00:01:23.61\00:01:25.75
It is the one doctrine
that is exclusively a doctrine
00:01:26.05\00:01:29.22
as preached by the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:01:29.42\00:01:31.35
And the sanctuary
doctrine tells us so very much
00:01:31.85\00:01:34.62
about who we are, who Christ is,
00:01:34.82\00:01:37.59
and what Christ is doing in
the heavenly sanctuary even now.
00:01:37.73\00:01:41.06
So we, too, are going to school.
00:01:41.46\00:01:43.30
And each instrument,
each implement, each piece of
00:01:43.50\00:01:47.17
furniture in the sanctuary
has a very specific meaning.
00:01:47.37\00:01:49.94
And we have been learning about
those things this very night.
00:01:50.14\00:01:52.91
We will again on tomorrow
evening and then again on
00:01:53.14\00:01:55.31
Sabbath. Our speaker
for this particular hour
00:01:55.51\00:01:57.71
is John Bradshaw who
is the speaker/director
00:01:57.91\00:02:01.38
for the It Is Written telecast.
00:02:01.58\00:02:03.69
He is a world-wide inter-
national evangelist and speaker
00:02:03.92\00:02:07.29
and he has much to say as
his subject this very night
00:02:07.49\00:02:10.46
are... is/are The
Golden Candlesticks.
00:02:10.93\00:02:14.56
I think that's an
are golden candlesticks
00:02:14.86\00:02:17.33
and yet it is one piece of
furniture so it IS the golden
00:02:17.53\00:02:19.93
candlestick... the
seven-branch candlestick.
00:02:20.14\00:02:23.57
And there is much to learn
about that particular piece of
00:02:23.97\00:02:26.98
furniture in the sanctuary.
And we look forward to a great
00:02:27.18\00:02:29.61
blessing from John Bradshaw.
00:02:29.81\00:02:33.58
Husband of one wife,
father of two children,
00:02:33.98\00:02:36.89
and a preacher of
righteousness for the Lord.
00:02:37.09\00:02:38.75
And we cannot wait to hear
a wonderful message from him.
00:02:38.95\00:02:41.76
We've got a group of
people standing behind me.
00:02:42.16\00:02:43.93
I'm going to call our founder
and president Danny Shelton
00:02:44.13\00:02:46.29
to come forward and let
us know just a little bit
00:02:46.49\00:02:48.30
about what is going to happen
just now. Oh, we're privileged
00:02:48.50\00:02:51.03
tonight and honored. We have
Lanny Wolfe back at the piano
00:02:51.23\00:02:54.30
and Marietta
Webster that's here.
00:02:54.50\00:02:56.94
And Lanny has written
songs like More Than Wonderful,
00:02:57.34\00:03:00.58
Surely the Presence of
the Lord is in This Place,
00:03:00.78\00:03:03.01
and Whatever It Takes - that
we're going to be doing here.
00:03:03.45\00:03:06.38
You didn't write He Touched
Me, though, did you Lanny?
00:03:06.72\00:03:08.65
I think that was Bill Gaither.
00:03:08.85\00:03:11.22
OK. Bill who? Well, we
won't mention Bill tonight.
00:03:11.42\00:03:15.42
We'll just go...
We'll go with Lanny's songs.
00:03:15.62\00:03:17.76
Lanny has written I
think over 700 songs
00:03:17.96\00:03:20.53
Grammy Award writer
but more importantly
00:03:20.73\00:03:23.63
has been gifted
by the Holy Spirit,
00:03:23.83\00:03:25.60
by God to write some of
the most incredible songs.
00:03:25.80\00:03:28.44
Lisa, Melody...
well, everybody up here
00:03:28.64\00:03:31.51
Tammy, Linda... all of you
00:03:31.71\00:03:33.78
Sandra... all of
us... Ladye Love.
00:03:34.08\00:03:36.21
I don't think there's anybody
up here that hasn't been singing
00:03:36.41\00:03:39.25
his songs - if we're old
enough - I am, I won't...
00:03:39.45\00:03:41.88
I'll let you judge about the
ladies here - but a lot of us
00:03:42.08\00:03:45.25
have been singing his
songs for 35 or 40 years.
00:03:45.45\00:03:47.79
And it's a real privilege to
have Bro. Lanny Wolfe tonight.
00:03:47.99\00:03:51.53
Sr. Marietta, one of my
favorite all-time singers
00:03:51.73\00:03:54.73
because you sing
under such an anointing
00:03:54.93\00:03:57.23
of the Holy Spirit.
00:03:57.43\00:03:58.77
Tonight we're going to
be doing literally one of my
00:03:58.90\00:04:02.37
all-time favorite songs -
and yours too for many of you
00:04:02.57\00:04:06.04
who have written
to us over the years -
00:04:06.24\00:04:07.71
Whatever it takes
for my will to break...
00:04:07.91\00:04:10.65
that's what I'll
be willing to do.
00:04:10.85\00:04:12.98
There's a voice calling me
00:04:21.59\00:04:25.86
from an old rugged tree.
00:04:26.26\00:04:29.96
And it whispers: "Draw closer
00:04:30.77\00:04:35.84
to Me. "
00:04:36.04\00:04:40.04
Leave this world far behind...
00:04:40.24\00:04:44.11
but there are
new heights to climb
00:04:44.31\00:04:48.55
and a new place
00:04:48.75\00:04:52.19
in Me you will find. "
00:04:52.59\00:04:58.43
We're here at
Camp Meeting tonight.
00:04:59.26\00:05:01.36
Camp Meetings
are special places,
00:05:01.76\00:05:03.87
and this is a
VERY special place.
00:05:04.07\00:05:06.74
I like to come out here to 3ABN.
00:05:07.14\00:05:09.44
So peaceful and quiet...
you can see stars in the sky!
00:05:09.64\00:05:14.34
But you know, one of the
reasons for Camp Meeting is
00:05:15.98\00:05:18.88
not just so we can get
together and see people -
00:05:19.08\00:05:21.45
friends - from last
year when we saw them.
00:05:21.65\00:05:23.52
We haven't seen them since then.
00:05:23.72\00:05:25.05
But it's so that
we can get together
00:05:25.29\00:05:27.96
and listen to what the
Lord is telling His church.
00:05:28.16\00:05:31.43
Amen! And so we have
this wonderful place to come
00:05:31.73\00:05:35.30
and get away from the city.
00:05:35.50\00:05:37.03
I thought today about an
old song that we used to sing.
00:05:37.57\00:05:40.04
It said: "I'll be somewhere
listening for my name. "
00:05:40.24\00:05:43.57
"When He calls
me I will answer. "
00:05:43.77\00:05:46.31
Well in this day that we live in
00:05:46.74\00:05:48.91
if you have to live in
the city and you have a job
00:05:49.11\00:05:52.35
and you have all the noises
that completely saturate our
00:05:52.55\00:05:57.99
time, I'm afraid
that's why a lot of people
00:05:58.19\00:06:01.22
aren't hearing Him.
They've got so many other noises
00:06:01.42\00:06:04.83
going inside. But
we're in this wonderful place
00:06:05.03\00:06:08.73
tonight and
tomorrow and tomorrow night.
00:06:08.93\00:06:11.60
And what are we
talking about? Christ,
00:06:12.00\00:06:15.74
Amen! Calvary, the Sanctuary.
00:06:15.94\00:06:19.67
That's Jesus calling
from an old rugged tree.
00:06:20.48\00:06:25.38
He's calling all the time, but
we're just not always listening.
00:06:26.35\00:06:29.65
And so I hope tonight
00:06:29.98\00:06:32.32
and tomorrow night especially
when we present this wonderful
00:06:32.52\00:06:37.03
musical celebration
about Calvary, I hope that you
00:06:37.23\00:06:42.46
will have your ears tuned to
hear what the Lord is saying.
00:06:42.66\00:06:45.37
"Lord, what part do You
want me to take in this last day
00:06:45.77\00:06:50.17
when we're trying to get
the gospel to the people?
00:06:50.37\00:06:53.38
We want them to listen,
Lord. Please use our voice.
00:06:53.58\00:06:56.81
Use our offering...
whatever it is that we can do
00:06:57.01\00:07:00.35
to get the gospel
around this world.
00:07:00.55\00:07:02.68
Lord, we hear You calling us. "
00:07:03.08\00:07:05.09
There are people who can
hear, and I hear it tonight.
00:07:05.49\00:07:08.62
And once you listen
and hear Him call you
00:07:08.82\00:07:12.29
and you let Him take
you out of this world...
00:07:12.49\00:07:14.46
We're in this world
but we're not of it.
00:07:14.63\00:07:16.90
And so if you'll listen,
He's going to transport you
00:07:17.30\00:07:20.44
to a higher place... a higher
ground. And then that's when
00:07:20.64\00:07:25.81
we can sing the
rest of this song.
00:07:26.11\00:07:28.24
All right. But you
have to listen first
00:07:28.44\00:07:30.85
and you have to have
this relationship with God
00:07:31.01\00:07:33.28
where no one else is in
competition for your time.
00:07:33.52\00:07:37.89
Praise the Lord! No one
else can get your attention
00:07:38.22\00:07:42.56
when Jesus is trying
to get a message to you
00:07:42.76\00:07:46.59
from the cross of
Calvary where He died for us.
00:07:47.00\00:07:50.23
NOBODY has done
what He's done for me!
00:07:50.63\00:07:53.54
And a lot of people
don't know about Him.
00:07:54.14\00:07:56.40
They don't know about
Calvary. They don't know!
00:07:56.60\00:07:59.14
And we don't know why He
did it. How did He do it?
00:07:59.74\00:08:03.51
You're going to hear some
beautiful songs tomorrow night
00:08:03.91\00:08:06.65
about Calvary. And so I
just want you to listen.
00:08:06.85\00:08:10.92
There's a voice calling me
00:08:11.45\00:08:14.69
from an old rugged tree
00:08:15.06\00:08:19.46
and it whispers
00:08:19.86\00:08:22.63
"Draw closer to Me.
00:08:22.83\00:08:28.77
Leave this world far behind...
00:08:29.64\00:08:33.91
there are new heights to climb
00:08:34.11\00:08:39.18
and a new place
00:08:39.38\00:08:42.18
in Me you will find. "
00:08:42.58\00:08:48.22
Take the dearest thing to me
00:10:02.86\00:10:05.87
if that's how it must be
00:10:06.84\00:10:10.91
to draw me closer
00:10:11.91\00:10:15.61
to Thee.
00:10:16.01\00:10:19.88
Let the disappointments come
00:10:20.28\00:10:23.45
lonely days without the sun
00:10:23.85\00:10:27.96
if through sorrow -
that's all right with me -
00:10:28.16\00:10:31.69
more like You
00:10:32.09\00:10:34.60
I'll become.
00:10:34.83\00:10:39.33
Take my houses and lands,
00:11:53.24\00:11:55.81
change my dreams and my plans
00:11:56.78\00:12:01.28
for I'm placing
00:12:01.68\00:12:04.19
my whole life
00:12:04.95\00:12:08.96
in Your hands. That's
the safest place to be.
00:12:09.36\00:12:13.93
And if You call me today
00:12:14.63\00:12:18.47
to a home far away
00:12:18.77\00:12:23.30
Lord, I'll go
00:12:23.51\00:12:27.24
and Your will obey.
00:12:27.44\00:12:33.11
That's what I'll be willing
00:13:49.72\00:13:55.63
to do...
00:13:55.83\00:14:00.34
That's what I'll be willing
00:14:01.47\00:14:05.74
to do...
00:14:06.98\00:14:09.41
Yvonne: That's what
00:14:10.98\00:14:15.25
I'll be willing to do...
00:14:15.52\00:14:21.49
Ladye Love:
00:14:21.69\00:14:23.43
That's what I'll be willing
00:14:24.39\00:14:29.53
to do... Reggie:
00:14:29.73\00:14:34.87
Lord, that's what
00:14:35.17\00:14:37.67
I'll be willing to do...
00:14:38.17\00:14:43.91
Oh... Everybody sing:
00:14:44.28\00:14:47.78
That's what I'll be willing
00:14:48.28\00:14:54.26
to do.
00:14:54.66\00:15:00.73
Thank you, Lord. Amen!
00:15:05.40\00:15:07.74
Thank you. God bless.
Lanny Wolfe, Marietta.
00:15:08.57\00:15:11.41
Thank you so much
for being here tonight.
00:15:11.61\00:15:13.24
Well, good evening
everyone. Good evening!
00:15:31.36\00:15:33.60
Wasn't that music something?
00:15:34.73\00:15:36.13
YES!
00:15:36.33\00:15:37.70
I hope you don't mind me
coming out here without an
00:15:39.43\00:15:41.00
actual paper
Bible. I intended to.
00:15:41.20\00:15:44.77
But I'll let you
in on a little secret:
00:15:44.97\00:15:47.24
these days the
Bible is just a prop.
00:15:48.24\00:15:53.28
It's a good one.
00:15:53.88\00:15:55.95
It's a necessary
one... it's one I believe in.
00:15:56.35\00:15:58.62
But these days it's a prop.
00:15:58.82\00:16:02.22
Now I have had to
explain this in other places.
00:16:03.22\00:16:04.99
But I don't mind... Do you
remember the first time anyone
00:16:05.19\00:16:08.90
ever read scripture in church
and they read off a phone?
00:16:09.10\00:16:11.73
Remember the first
time that happened?
00:16:11.93\00:16:13.74
Did you feel just a little
bit conflicted about that?
00:16:14.37\00:16:16.64
Yeah! I did too.
00:16:16.84\00:16:18.27
I had to remind
myself: "That's a Bible...
00:16:18.57\00:16:20.88
it's just on a phone. "
But I guess the traditionalist
00:16:21.04\00:16:25.25
in me or the something in
me just felt a little bit like
00:16:25.45\00:16:27.92
"Well, that seems a
little out of place. "
00:16:28.12\00:16:29.85
But the last time it happened
you felt less uneasy about it
00:16:30.29\00:16:33.46
because you got over that
little hump and you recognize
00:16:33.66\00:16:36.62
it's still a Bible...
it's just in a different form.
00:16:36.83\00:16:38.86
Now the first time I saw a
preacher preaching from an iPad
00:16:39.06\00:16:41.26
or a Tablet and not a
Bible I sort of felt the same.
00:16:41.46\00:16:47.40
Some years ago I
turned into my father.
00:16:47.60\00:16:49.44
I remember when we got a
video cassette recorder, a VCR,
00:16:49.64\00:16:53.27
at the house many years ago.
00:16:53.48\00:16:54.88
Remember those? Yes!
00:16:55.08\00:16:57.01
They were real modern
things once, weren't they?
00:16:59.05\00:17:01.45
I'm sounding like my father.
00:17:02.92\00:17:04.62
And I had to try to teach my
father how to program the thing.
00:17:05.72\00:17:09.76
And back them programming a VCR
00:17:09.96\00:17:13.03
was slightly more difficult
than piloting a space shuttle.
00:17:13.23\00:17:16.43
And he, he, he just fooled with
that for a couple of moments
00:17:18.87\00:17:22.50
and then he said
something like "Ahhhhh. "
00:17:22.70\00:17:24.74
And a few years ago I
discovered I had essentially
00:17:27.61\00:17:30.25
turned into that man.
00:17:30.45\00:17:32.18
When people are
wanting me to us apps and so on
00:17:32.48\00:17:35.38
and they're wanting me
to use a Google document
00:17:35.58\00:17:37.29
I mean "Just
send me an e-mail. "
00:17:37.49\00:17:40.06
"Oh no, no,
no... this is better! "
00:17:40.26\00:17:41.59
"But I have to put in
a password to read that
00:17:41.82\00:17:45.16
when I could
just read my e-mail. "
00:17:45.36\00:17:46.90
"Oh, you don't understand.
" And the reason they say that
00:17:47.10\00:17:49.43
is simply because I don't!
00:17:49.63\00:17:51.73
I don't understand.
00:17:53.13\00:17:54.47
Anyhow, when I saw the
preacher come out with the iPad
00:17:55.27\00:17:56.97
I felt slightly conflicted
about that. But you know,
00:17:57.17\00:17:58.84
it's OK because if
the Bible is on the iPad
00:17:59.04\00:18:01.41
it's still a Bible. You
understand how that goes.
00:18:01.61\00:18:03.61
But back to the reason why
I just need to explain to you
00:18:05.28\00:18:07.38
lest you think that somehow
I'm slightly less faithful
00:18:07.58\00:18:10.05
than you perhaps. I discovered
00:18:10.25\00:18:13.82
that a few years
ago Bible manufacturers
00:18:15.29\00:18:19.13
started printing
Bibles using much smaller text
00:18:19.33\00:18:25.20
than they used to use.
00:18:25.40\00:18:27.54
Did you notice that? Yes!
00:18:27.74\00:18:30.14
And if you're under 40 and
you're sitting there feeling
00:18:31.57\00:18:35.04
smug... yours is coming.
00:18:35.34\00:18:37.85
It's coming...
don't feel too cocky.
00:18:42.98\00:18:46.39
So that's that, and I just
feel slightly inappropriate
00:18:46.69\00:18:50.13
without the Bible. I
meant to bring it out,
00:18:50.33\00:18:51.89
but then truth be told I
was listening to the music
00:18:52.09\00:18:55.73
and I was thinking:
"Wow, that's great! "
00:18:55.93\00:18:57.43
And uh... forgot
it. I got carried away.
00:18:57.63\00:19:01.67
I'm sorry. I
really owe you an apology.
00:19:02.40\00:19:05.04
And that's because last
night I did not want to begin
00:19:05.24\00:19:09.14
without recognizing
the passing of a giant.
00:19:09.34\00:19:13.25
In New Zealand we would
say a "totara" has fallen.
00:19:15.22\00:19:19.19
A "totara" has fallen: one of
the great trees in the forest.
00:19:19.39\00:19:21.56
A mighty tree has
fallen in the forest.
00:19:22.72\00:19:25.39
And I wanted to mention
last night, but again, I
00:19:25.59\00:19:27.66
guess I just forgot in
the heat of the moment.
00:19:27.86\00:19:31.23
I think it would be
inappropriate for me at least
00:19:32.43\00:19:34.87
not to mention the
passing of C. D. Brooks.
00:19:35.07\00:19:37.44
I don't know how you
can quantify these things
00:19:40.38\00:19:43.14
and maybe this is just
what you say when you say
00:19:43.35\00:19:45.35
but in my mind
probably the greatest preacher
00:19:45.85\00:19:50.59
I've ever heard. Amen! For
me... for me... just for me.
00:19:50.79\00:19:54.26
I was a brand new
newly-baptized Christian
00:19:54.66\00:19:57.99
when I first heard C. D. Brooks.
00:19:58.29\00:20:00.60
And I didn't know
preaching could sound like that.
00:20:01.30\00:20:04.47
I just didn't know.
00:20:04.67\00:20:07.30
And I didn't know that
you could listen to a sermon
00:20:07.50\00:20:09.77
and be set on fire
00:20:10.07\00:20:13.17
like I was having heard
the preaching of Elder Brooks.
00:20:13.38\00:20:16.91
As I listened to
him I realized he was
00:20:17.11\00:20:19.78
academic
without being skeptical.
00:20:19.98\00:20:22.92
He was plain in his preaching
without being overly simple.
00:20:23.12\00:20:29.09
He was an orator
of the highest order
00:20:29.29\00:20:33.86
but the oratory did not
detract from his preaching
00:20:34.23\00:20:37.13
nor was it irrelevant.
00:20:37.33\00:20:38.97
He was self-revelatory.
00:20:39.37\00:20:41.74
I learned a lot about
him listening to his sermons.
00:20:41.94\00:20:44.07
But his sermons
were not about him.
00:20:44.54\00:20:47.21
He was
relentlessly Christ-centered
00:20:47.41\00:20:50.38
and revealed to the world
that there was and is power
00:20:50.78\00:20:56.52
in the Word of God. Amen!
00:20:56.82\00:21:00.09
Listening to Elder
Brooks the Bible came alive.
00:21:00.29\00:21:03.43
And he revealed to
me, long before I preached
00:21:04.39\00:21:06.80
my first sermon that sermons
ought to set people aglow.
00:21:07.00\00:21:12.30
Otherwise they are
probably not worth preaching.
00:21:13.34\00:21:16.24
And something that I learned
reading an interview about him,
00:21:17.17\00:21:21.58
and this came to me
as a bit of a surprise.
00:21:21.78\00:21:23.61
Someone asked him about
his preaching style and how he
00:21:23.81\00:21:25.95
arrived at his
style of preaching.
00:21:26.15\00:21:28.15
And he said in this
interview - I think I read it -
00:21:28.55\00:21:31.55
he had never spent more
than 5 minutes thinking about
00:21:31.95\00:21:36.52
preaching style... which
means he was an original.
00:21:36.73\00:21:41.73
He was not an imitator
00:21:41.93\00:21:44.53
though I suspect he
has been often imitated.
00:21:44.73\00:21:48.34
He didn't set out to be
anyone or anything other than
00:21:48.64\00:21:52.87
who and what he was...
and that was more than enough.
00:21:53.07\00:21:56.98
We have lost a giant.
00:21:57.78\00:22:00.25
And though this is a rather
impersonal way of doing it
00:22:00.65\00:22:04.12
I would like to
offer my sincere sympathies
00:22:04.32\00:22:06.99
to the Brooks family.
00:22:07.19\00:22:10.06
To his many friends and
colleagues who are mourning
00:22:10.26\00:22:13.93
a loss and are
feeling an emptiness.
00:22:14.10\00:22:17.03
Just, without
wanting to belabor the point,
00:22:17.23\00:22:18.93
I find it fascinating that
on day one there was a death
00:22:19.13\00:22:24.07
and people said: "We
have lost the greatest. "
00:22:24.27\00:22:27.18
"We have lost the greatest. "
00:22:27.38\00:22:29.44
That was when Muhammad Ali died.
00:22:30.41\00:22:32.25
I recognize Muhammad
Ali was a great boxer.
00:22:32.85\00:22:35.32
I don't know too many Christians
ought to take joy in that.
00:22:35.52\00:22:38.19
He was also a humanitarian
and a civil rights champion
00:22:39.09\00:22:42.02
and by all accounts a
wonderful human being.
00:22:42.22\00:22:44.49
But on the very next day I
think we lost the greatest.
00:22:44.69\00:22:48.20
Amen! Elder Brooks died.
00:22:48.40\00:22:50.23
C. D. Brooks... we
shall see him again. Amen!
00:22:50.53\00:22:55.34
Well, let's pray together.
00:22:55.54\00:22:57.94
Our Father in heaven,
we are grateful that we
00:22:58.14\00:23:00.38
can be here together tonight.
00:23:00.58\00:23:01.91
And we are asking in faith
00:23:02.24\00:23:05.98
that Your Spirit
will touch our hearts.
00:23:06.18\00:23:08.75
We are grateful for the
Bible... it is Your Word.
00:23:10.29\00:23:12.82
And I pray tonight it
would be alive... powerful.
00:23:13.02\00:23:17.66
That Your Word would do
its work as we open ourselves
00:23:18.16\00:23:21.60
up to Your Spirit. I
pray You'd take our hearts;
00:23:21.80\00:23:24.13
make them Yours. If we're dis-
tracted, banish the distractions
00:23:24.33\00:23:27.10
and speak in a voice that we
will hear. Let it be Your voice
00:23:27.30\00:23:31.77
we hear. We thank you;
we pray with confidence.
00:23:31.97\00:23:34.91
We ask this
blessing for Your glory
00:23:35.11\00:23:37.88
in Jesus' name. Please
say with me - Amen - Amen
00:23:38.91\00:23:43.79
and Amen. If you've
ever been to Rome...
00:23:44.69\00:23:50.33
and I don't mean Rome,
GA... If you've ever been
00:23:50.53\00:23:52.63
to Rome in Italy then
you've been to quite a city.
00:23:52.83\00:23:55.60
It's a fascinating place.
00:23:56.50\00:23:58.63
You might call it a great
city. I would say you would
00:23:58.83\00:24:01.30
probably more accurately
call it a once-great city.
00:24:01.50\00:24:04.64
In Rome not far from the
Forum, very close to the Forum,
00:24:05.74\00:24:09.21
a little further from the
Coliseum... not very far...
00:24:09.41\00:24:12.45
but a little further from
the Coliseum... is a fascinating
00:24:12.65\00:24:14.88
structure. It's a
little over 50 feet high.
00:24:15.08\00:24:18.09
Fifteen and one
half meters high it is.
00:24:18.29\00:24:20.66
It's shorter than
the Arch of Constantine
00:24:20.86\00:24:23.56
and significantly older.
00:24:23.96\00:24:26.13
The Arch of
Constantine was built in 312 AD.
00:24:26.80\00:24:29.93
You can walk pretty
much right up to it today.
00:24:30.13\00:24:32.50
It's 1,700+ years old.
00:24:32.90\00:24:36.14
That's phenomenon.
00:24:36.34\00:24:38.71
The Arch of
Titus is rather older.
00:24:39.11\00:24:43.85
Built in 82 AD - it's
almost 2,000 years old -
00:24:44.75\00:24:49.15
by the Emperor Domitian
in honor of his older brother
00:24:49.35\00:24:54.06
Titus. And it recognizes
many of Titus's accomplishments:
00:24:54.26\00:24:59.09
some of his military
battles and campaigns.
00:24:59.29\00:25:02.93
And one of those
that is recognized
00:25:03.13\00:25:08.70
on the Arch of Titus
was the siege of Jerusalem.
00:25:09.00\00:25:14.98
And you know about that because
it's written of in the Bible
00:25:15.78\00:25:18.35
looking forward to that.
It happened in the year 70 AD.
00:25:18.55\00:25:21.65
Jesus spoke of that ahead
of time in Matthew chapter 24.
00:25:22.48\00:25:26.35
Jesus referenced expectant
mothers and nursing mothers.
00:25:26.76\00:25:31.33
He urged that people would
pray that what He was talking of
00:25:31.53\00:25:35.60
would not happen in the
winter nor on the Sabbath Day
00:25:35.80\00:25:39.40
when Jews and Christians alike
- who all observe the Sabbath
00:25:39.60\00:25:44.11
at that time - would
be especially vulnerable.
00:25:44.31\00:25:48.18
Jesus was looking ahead to
a time when a Roman general
00:25:48.38\00:25:52.15
would go on to be for a
little more than two years
00:25:52.35\00:25:54.98
the 10th emperor
of the Roman Empire
00:25:55.38\00:25:58.65
would come and
wreak havoc in Jerusalem.
00:25:59.05\00:26:02.92
It was a siege in
which thousands and thousands
00:26:03.66\00:26:07.13
of people died. Josephus wrote
that at one point one million
00:26:07.30\00:26:10.77
people died in the
siege of Jerusalem.
00:26:10.97\00:26:12.63
Historians later say that that
number is wildly inaccurate.
00:26:12.83\00:26:15.80
Couldn't possibly have
been that many, but the fact was
00:26:16.20\00:26:18.67
that however many it
was it was a calamity.
00:26:18.87\00:26:23.04
The temple was destroyed
as Jesus said it would be.
00:26:24.11\00:26:29.38
The temple was plundered
00:26:30.12\00:26:33.22
and the armies of
Titus carried back to Rome
00:26:34.29\00:26:38.56
many items of great value.
00:26:38.76\00:26:40.96
They took so many
riches back to Rome
00:26:41.33\00:26:45.93
that the sale of
some of those riches
00:26:46.13\00:26:50.01
realized enough cash
that they were able to build
00:26:50.21\00:26:54.51
from the proceeds of
the destruction of Jerusalem
00:26:54.71\00:26:57.61
the Coliseum...
00:26:58.01\00:27:00.15
which is sadly ironic I think.
00:27:00.45\00:27:06.15
If you were to look
upon the Arch of Titus,
00:27:07.32\00:27:09.46
and you can today, you would
notice a fascinating depiction.
00:27:09.66\00:27:13.53
Roman soldiers are
depicted on that monument
00:27:14.46\00:27:18.50
as carrying away from Jerusalem
00:27:18.90\00:27:22.04
items of great value.
00:27:22.24\00:27:24.21
They are shown to be
carrying away golden trumpets.
00:27:25.04\00:27:30.98
They are shown to be
carrying away pans...
00:27:31.28\00:27:37.19
pans that were
used for removing ashes
00:27:37.59\00:27:41.49
from the altar at the temple.
00:27:41.69\00:27:44.06
They are shown to be carrying
away the table of showbread.
00:27:45.03\00:27:50.93
And they are shown to
be carrying away a golden
00:27:52.17\00:27:56.14
candelabrum... the Menorah.
00:27:56.34\00:28:00.31
It is depicted as being
spirited away from Jerusalem
00:28:00.71\00:28:03.51
by these invaders.
00:28:03.71\00:28:06.18
Now that golden candelabrum...
we shall refer to it as
00:28:07.05\00:28:11.05
the golden
candlestick tonight...
00:28:11.25\00:28:13.49
was built by a man
talented - gifted by God -
00:28:13.89\00:28:19.56
and hand-picked by God
to use his God-given gift
00:28:19.76\00:28:24.60
in the service of God.
This reminds me at least
00:28:24.80\00:28:27.77
that if you are given a talent
to preach then you preach.
00:28:27.97\00:28:30.84
If you are given
the talent to teach,
00:28:31.04\00:28:33.51
then you teach. If you are
given the talent to evangelize,
00:28:33.71\00:28:36.68
you are an evangelist.
00:28:37.08\00:28:38.61
If you are given the
talent, the gift of being
00:28:38.81\00:28:41.42
an apostle or a
missionary, then you use that.
00:28:41.62\00:28:43.92
If you are given the talent
- the very practical talent -
00:28:44.12\00:28:47.26
of building or sculpting
or creating or fashioning,
00:28:47.46\00:28:53.06
those talents, too,
can and really must be used
00:28:53.26\00:28:57.27
for the glory of God.
We don't read in the Bible
00:28:57.47\00:28:59.93
that Bezalel
preached a single sermon
00:29:00.20\00:29:03.00
but we do read that
his work made possible
00:29:03.44\00:29:07.31
the joyful worship
of the God of heaven.
00:29:07.51\00:29:11.41
He made beautiful
things. He created the laver.
00:29:11.81\00:29:16.02
He created the
altar of offering.
00:29:16.32\00:29:19.19
He created the
table of showbread.
00:29:19.39\00:29:23.09
All manner of things.
The altar of incense...
00:29:23.29\00:29:26.59
these were all items of
extraordinary significance.
00:29:27.03\00:29:30.57
God designed that they
would be used in the worship
00:29:30.97\00:29:35.70
of Almighty God. In
Exodus 31 verses 3 and 4
00:29:35.90\00:29:39.71
God said: "And I have filled
him with the Spirit of God
00:29:39.91\00:29:43.04
in wisdom and in
understanding and in knowledge
00:29:43.35\00:29:47.72
and in all manner of workmanship
00:29:47.92\00:29:49.48
to devise cunning works.
00:29:49.88\00:29:52.65
To work in gold and
in silver and in brass. "
00:29:53.25\00:29:59.26
This gifted man and his team
including Oholiab of the tribe
00:29:59.46\00:30:03.83
of Dan. Bezalel was
from the tribe of Judah.
00:30:04.03\00:30:07.04
This team was
commissioned by God
00:30:07.44\00:30:09.77
to build things
of magnificent beauty
00:30:09.97\00:30:13.98
including the
seven-branch candlestick.
00:30:14.74\00:30:19.05
And if you want to know what
that's like, then you look at
00:30:19.25\00:30:21.25
the depiction on the
side of the Arch of Titus.
00:30:21.45\00:30:26.09
There was a central
shaft and then 3 other branches
00:30:26.29\00:30:30.89
coming out from the
stem if I can call it that
00:30:31.06\00:30:34.46
and all ending
up at equal height.
00:30:34.86\00:30:38.83
It's now a symbol... a
well-known treasured symbol...
00:30:39.23\00:30:44.31
of the nation of
Israel, the Menorah.
00:30:44.51\00:30:46.61
We would call it the
seven-branched candlestick.
00:30:46.81\00:30:49.88
Let's go in the Bible to Exodus
00:30:50.08\00:30:53.85
and chapter 25. And
this is one of those passages
00:30:54.05\00:30:58.09
where if you were reading
the Bible from the beginning
00:30:58.29\00:31:00.49
you would start to
wonder if right about now
00:31:00.89\00:31:04.39
you'd just leap all the
way forward to I Samuel.
00:31:04.79\00:31:08.43
This is when you
start to wonder that.
00:31:08.83\00:31:11.47
You start to speed read and say
00:31:11.87\00:31:14.67
"God will understand for
surely I don't need to read this
00:31:14.87\00:31:18.77
too terribly closely. "
00:31:18.97\00:31:20.54
You know, what's very
interesting is that God put
00:31:20.74\00:31:22.81
some of these arcane
details into the Bible
00:31:23.01\00:31:25.45
and they are there for a reason.
00:31:25.65\00:31:27.85
The deeper you dig the
more important they seem,
00:31:28.05\00:31:32.42
the greater relevance
they appear to take on.
00:31:32.62\00:31:35.06
None of this is put in the
Bible because it's irrelevant.
00:31:35.26\00:31:38.49
None of it is there
just to fill up space.
00:31:38.69\00:31:40.40
And even if you struggle
00:31:40.60\00:31:44.63
to extract from
passages like this
00:31:44.83\00:31:47.70
something of meaning
then you pray and thank God
00:31:47.90\00:31:50.97
for the exercise. I've
seen dogs chewing on bones.
00:31:51.17\00:31:54.81
And they don't get much
nutritional benefit from chewing
00:31:55.41\00:31:58.68
on a bone, but at the very
least it sharpens their teeth.
00:31:58.88\00:32:01.98
So you can read
passages like this
00:32:02.18\00:32:04.32
knowing that at the
least they will make you sharp.
00:32:04.72\00:32:08.16
Exodus chapter 25 and verse 31.
00:32:09.02\00:32:11.33
The Bible says: "And
you shall make a candlestick
00:32:11.53\00:32:13.29
of pure gold. Of beaten work
shall the candlestick be made.
00:32:13.50\00:32:18.67
Its shaft and its branches,
its bowls, its... " It says
00:32:19.07\00:32:22.20
knops in my version of the
Bible. Yours might say knobs.
00:32:22.40\00:32:24.87
Knobs reads better.
00:32:25.07\00:32:26.41
"and its flowers
shall all be of the same.
00:32:26.64\00:32:29.01
And six branches shall
come out the sides of it.
00:32:29.41\00:32:31.91
Three branches of the
candlestick out of one side;
00:32:32.11\00:32:34.42
three branches of the candle-
stick out of the other side.
00:32:34.62\00:32:37.05
Three bowls made like
almonds with a knob and a flower
00:32:37.45\00:32:41.39
on one branch. Three
bowls made like almonds
00:32:41.59\00:32:44.03
in the other branch
with a knob and a flower.
00:32:44.23\00:32:45.83
So in the six branches
that shall come out of the
00:32:46.03\00:32:48.43
candlestick. And in the
candlestick shall be four bowls
00:32:48.63\00:32:51.83
made like almonds with
their knobs and their flowers.
00:32:52.03\00:32:55.70
And there shall be a knob
under two branches of the same
00:32:56.10\00:32:58.51
and a knob under
two branches of the same
00:32:58.71\00:33:00.28
and a knob under
two branches of the same
00:33:00.48\00:33:01.91
according to the six branches
00:33:02.31\00:33:04.65
that proceed out
of the candlestick.
00:33:04.85\00:33:06.75
Their knobs and their
branches shall be of the same.
00:33:07.15\00:33:09.88
All it shall be one
beaten work of pure gold. "
00:33:10.09\00:33:15.02
It's significant, and
we'll come back to that point.
00:33:15.29\00:33:18.49
"And you shall make the seven
lamps thereof, and they shall
00:33:19.13\00:33:21.60
give... " sorry... "and they
shall light the lamps thereof
00:33:21.80\00:33:26.10
that they may give a
light over against it.
00:33:26.30\00:33:29.30
And the tongs thereof,
the snuff dishes thereof,
00:33:29.50\00:33:31.81
shall all be of pure
gold. Of a talent of pure gold
00:33:32.01\00:33:36.41
shall he make it
with all these vessels. "
00:33:36.61\00:33:39.41
And you know roughly
how much a talent was.
00:33:39.61\00:33:41.45
Depending on whose scholarship
you're reading, this is
00:33:41.78\00:33:44.32
between... somewhere
between 60 and 70 pounds.
00:33:44.52\00:33:47.79
That's a lot of gold.
00:33:47.99\00:33:49.32
No wonder this thing is
depicted on the Arch of Titus
00:33:49.49\00:33:52.86
as being carried by several men
on the way back form Jerusalem
00:33:53.06\00:33:56.10
to Rome. That was a
valuable and beautiful thing.
00:33:56.30\00:33:59.50
"And look that you make
them after the pattern which was
00:33:59.90\00:34:03.41
shown thee in the mount. "
00:34:03.61\00:34:05.84
God had revealed to
Moses the plan, the pattern of
00:34:06.04\00:34:10.08
the sanctuary. He patterned
it after the heavenly sanctuary.
00:34:10.28\00:34:15.75
And ladies and gentlemen,
if ever there was a suggestion
00:34:15.95\00:34:19.35
that there was no
heavenly sanctuary,
00:34:19.55\00:34:21.72
let's just push that
right out of our mind now.
00:34:22.12\00:34:25.56
It is no wonder that
Satan wants to distract us
00:34:25.96\00:34:30.43
from looking towards the
sanctuary of God in heaven.
00:34:30.63\00:34:33.60
God's way is
revealed in the sanctuary.
00:34:34.00\00:34:37.57
The way God deals with sin
00:34:37.91\00:34:40.04
is revealed in the sanctuary.
00:34:40.24\00:34:42.21
Somebody wrote a book
you know that was titled
00:34:42.61\00:34:44.61
very appropriately The
Path to the Throne of God.
00:34:44.81\00:34:47.98
It was a book about the
sanctuary and the sanctuary
00:34:48.18\00:34:50.25
services. The sinner would bring
a lamb or some other offering
00:34:50.45\00:34:54.59
across that open
space down to the sanctuary.
00:34:54.79\00:34:57.86
And into the
courtyard the sinner would go.
00:34:58.26\00:35:00.26
Let's presume it was a lamb.
00:35:00.46\00:35:02.23
The lamb would be slain.
00:35:02.43\00:35:04.77
Interesting: the lamb was dead.
00:35:05.17\00:35:08.57
The sin that had been confessed
onto the head of the lamb
00:35:08.77\00:35:12.14
had now been
transferred from the sinner
00:35:12.34\00:35:14.81
to the animal sacrifice.
00:35:15.01\00:35:16.51
The sinner could turn
around and go knowing that
00:35:16.75\00:35:18.75
his or her sin or
his family's sin rather.
00:35:18.95\00:35:21.55
It wouldn't be a her.
His or his family's sin
00:35:21.75\00:35:23.69
was now gone... at
least separated from himself -
00:35:23.89\00:35:27.06
themselves - to the lamb.
00:35:27.26\00:35:28.99
Thank the Lord for that!
00:35:29.19\00:35:30.73
Now friends, that's wonderful.
00:35:31.09\00:35:32.73
We call that forgiveness
from sin justification.
00:35:32.93\00:35:36.23
And that's right.
When we confess our sins
00:35:36.43\00:35:39.00
He is faithful
and just to do what?
00:35:39.20\00:35:41.70
Forgive us our sins.
But ladies and gentlemen,
00:35:41.90\00:35:44.11
the verse does not
end there. And to do what?
00:35:44.31\00:35:46.31
Cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
00:35:46.64\00:35:49.14
Now we do not stand here
and salute the flag of heaven
00:35:49.34\00:35:53.82
and claim that in and of
ourselves we have arrived.
00:35:54.02\00:35:57.75
But we recognize
this is God's plan.
00:35:58.15\00:36:01.32
This is God's work.
00:36:01.52\00:36:03.79
As David wrote: "The Lord will
perfect that which concerneth
00:36:03.99\00:36:09.10
me. " God will get the
work done in your life.
00:36:09.30\00:36:12.63
"He which has
begun a good work in you
00:36:13.03\00:36:15.40
is faithful to perform it
until the day of Jesus Christ. "
00:36:15.60\00:36:20.18
Ladies and
gentlemen, Jesus died for us.
00:36:20.58\00:36:22.48
Can you say praise
the Lord? Praise the Lord!
00:36:22.68\00:36:24.68
Jesus died on the
cross. Can you say amen? Amen!
00:36:24.88\00:36:27.78
Jesus died for you.
Can you say hallelujah?
00:36:27.98\00:36:30.69
Hallelujah! Thank
God! But if all Jesus did
00:36:30.89\00:36:34.26
was die for you...
00:36:34.46\00:36:36.26
Can I say this without
pushing the envelope too far?
00:36:36.56\00:36:40.60
If all Jesus
did was die for you,
00:36:40.96\00:36:44.30
that wouldn't be enough
00:36:44.50\00:36:46.13
because the sanctuary service
reveals the path to the throne
00:36:46.74\00:36:52.37
of God. Let's call it
the path to sanctification.
00:36:52.57\00:36:57.51
Friends, that's a word
we ought to speak more of
00:36:57.71\00:37:00.48
and not less of
because the Bible says
00:37:00.68\00:37:03.32
"This is the will of
God... even your... " What?
00:37:03.52\00:37:07.52
"sanctification. "
That's what the Bible says.
00:37:07.72\00:37:10.36
So the lamb representing Christ
died out there in the courtyard.
00:37:10.76\00:37:14.50
And then what did the priest
do? He took some of that blood.
00:37:14.73\00:37:17.30
That blood now contains
your sin... symbolically so.
00:37:17.50\00:37:20.87
That blood was taken into the
1st apartment of the sanctuary.
00:37:21.27\00:37:25.21
In there it was later...
Perhaps on the curtains,
00:37:25.61\00:37:28.41
maybe on the horns of
the altar. Usually it was...
00:37:28.61\00:37:30.78
it was ministered down there.
00:37:30.98\00:37:32.31
Inside that first apartment
00:37:33.21\00:37:36.02
on the right-hand side
the table of showbread.
00:37:36.22\00:37:39.22
You'll hear more about that
this week. But we understand
00:37:39.42\00:37:41.39
that Jesus is the Bread of Life.
00:37:41.59\00:37:45.29
On the left-hand side
the seven-branch candlestick.
00:37:45.96\00:37:48.83
More about that in a moment.
00:37:49.03\00:37:50.37
We have just heard
about the altar of incense
00:37:50.53\00:37:53.84
that was directly
between the entering priest
00:37:54.04\00:37:58.07
and the Most Holy Place.
Of course there was a curtain
00:37:58.47\00:38:01.24
there. And then when ministry
had been made in the Holy Place
00:38:01.44\00:38:05.25
throughout the year on
a special day in the year
00:38:05.45\00:38:08.52
the high priest would then take
blood into the Most Holy Place.
00:38:08.82\00:38:14.72
Atonement would be made for sin.
00:38:15.22\00:38:17.29
The people would rejoice!
Even the record of their sin
00:38:17.49\00:38:21.50
was gone! They were
atoned for... at one
00:38:21.70\00:38:26.47
with the God of heaven.
00:38:26.67\00:38:28.34
Let's understand something:
God's plan is that we are at one
00:38:28.74\00:38:32.04
with Him. And thank God we
have a High Priest in heaven
00:38:32.24\00:38:34.98
right now -
Jesus, the Son of God -
00:38:35.18\00:38:37.25
ministering His
blood in our behalf.
00:38:37.45\00:38:41.05
Amen! The death of the lamb,
the shedding of the blood...
00:38:41.25\00:38:43.39
that was part one.
Was that enough? Yes.
00:38:43.59\00:38:46.89
Sacrificially speaking enough.
God could do no more for our sin
00:38:47.09\00:38:50.33
to pay the price for our sin.
00:38:50.73\00:38:52.63
Then the Lamb -
Jesus - would die.
00:38:52.83\00:38:55.00
That was an
absolutely-complete sacrifice.
00:38:55.40\00:38:59.13
But after the death of
the animal now the blood was
00:38:59.33\00:39:02.64
ministered inside the sanctuary.
00:39:02.84\00:39:04.67
Oh, thank God for that!
Blood was taken in there.
00:39:04.87\00:39:07.61
Jesus pleads the merits of
His shed blood for us tonight.
00:39:07.78\00:39:11.05
Aren't you glad? The
Bible says He appears now
00:39:11.25\00:39:14.35
in the presence of God for us.
00:39:14.48\00:39:16.92
That's good news.
00:39:17.12\00:39:18.45
Have you ever wondered if God
is really for ya or against ya?
00:39:18.49\00:39:20.62
Of course you have.
Don't tell me you haven't.
00:39:20.82\00:39:22.16
Of course you have. If
you've suffered a tragedy,
00:39:22.22\00:39:24.43
you've looked up
towards heaven and you've said:
00:39:24.63\00:39:26.19
"What do You have? Do
you have it in for me God? "
00:39:26.39\00:39:28.40
If you haven't, God bless you.
00:39:30.00\00:39:32.13
If you have,
everybody understands.
00:39:32.33\00:39:35.80
You've had a bad
day... you wrecked your car.
00:39:36.00\00:39:39.14
There's been a
death in the family.
00:39:39.34\00:39:40.91
You're starting to wonder:
"Is He for me or against me? "
00:39:41.11\00:39:44.41
We must
understand whatever happens
00:39:44.81\00:39:49.25
God is for you.
Can you say amen? Amen!
00:39:49.45\00:39:53.15
John the Baptist was
languishing in a prison cell.
00:39:53.36\00:39:55.76
Was God for him or
against him? For him.
00:39:56.16\00:39:58.56
James was taken out of prison
and he had his head separated
00:39:58.76\00:40:02.80
from his body. God was for him.
00:40:03.00\00:40:04.63
Now Peter was in prison sleeping
expecting to die the next day.
00:40:04.83\00:40:08.54
How's that for faith?
Asleep even though the next day
00:40:08.74\00:40:10.87
he was due to be executed.
00:40:11.07\00:40:12.41
That's faith!
And an angel came in.
00:40:12.64\00:40:15.88
Had to strike him to wake him
up he was sleeping so soundly.
00:40:16.08\00:40:19.08
Led him out, doorways
opening up before him.
00:40:19.48\00:40:22.85
God was for him, too.
He lived and he didn't die.
00:40:23.05\00:40:26.52
Hey, let's just let God
decide what happens to us. Amen!
00:40:26.72\00:40:30.79
And decide that whatever
it is, we believe He is for us
00:40:30.96\00:40:35.53
and not against us.
00:40:35.73\00:40:37.80
GOD IS ONLY GOOD.
00:40:38.00\00:40:40.67
And if you are going to measure
the goodness of God by your
00:40:40.87\00:40:43.17
circumstances, let me tell
you that's a very very narrow
00:40:43.37\00:40:46.61
measure. God is good.
00:40:46.81\00:40:48.74
And Christ tonight
is in heaven for us
00:40:48.94\00:40:52.41
and not against us. In that
first apartment of the heavenly
00:40:52.61\00:40:55.98
sanctuary... the earthly
sanctuary... heavenly as well...
00:40:56.18\00:40:59.05
was the seven-branch candle-
stick. It was made from gold.
00:40:59.25\00:41:02.52
It was beaten. It
wasn't molded; it was beaten.
00:41:02.72\00:41:05.86
And here's what happens when
the workman starts to beat gold.
00:41:06.16\00:41:08.96
Every now and then
if you start to beat it
00:41:09.16\00:41:10.57
then you've got to heat it up
again to make it a little more
00:41:10.77\00:41:13.40
malleable so you
can beat it some more.
00:41:13.60\00:41:14.97
Can you imagine
pounding and heat and pounding
00:41:15.57\00:41:19.24
and heat and pounding and heat?
00:41:19.44\00:41:21.51
Well, that's a little
bit like what we go through,
00:41:21.91\00:41:23.91
isn't that right?
Trials... God turns up the heat.
00:41:24.11\00:41:27.78
What's He trying to
do? Burn the impurities
00:41:27.98\00:41:30.05
out of our lives.
Mold us and fashion us
00:41:30.25\00:41:32.95
and make us into what we
aren't but what we ought to be.
00:41:33.15\00:41:36.22
Now this seven-branch candle-
stick you understand represents
00:41:36.62\00:41:39.33
Jesus. Was Jesus
beaten? You know He was!
00:41:39.53\00:41:42.10
Was the heat turned up in
Jesus' life? Oh yes it was!
00:41:42.50\00:41:47.07
The Bible says
Jesus learned obedience
00:41:47.27\00:41:49.77
through the
things which He suffered.
00:41:50.07\00:41:52.47
And here's Bezalel pounding
away on that candlestick.
00:41:52.87\00:41:57.01
I'm not talking about
Jesus needing to be chastised
00:41:57.21\00:42:00.05
because He was unrighteous
or a sinner or unholy.
00:42:00.25\00:42:02.62
But Jesus was drawn
closer to the heart of God,
00:42:02.95\00:42:05.95
Jesus learned more about
what it was to live as a man,
00:42:06.15\00:42:09.02
Jesus was being
prepared for that great test
00:42:09.22\00:42:13.63
when He would lay down His life
for us all through His life.
00:42:13.83\00:42:16.83
Jesus was beaten and buffeted,
00:42:17.23\00:42:19.30
very often literally,
towards the end of His life.
00:42:19.50\00:42:22.04
Think about
this... think about this:
00:42:22.24\00:42:23.61
before the seven-branch
candlestick shone, it was beaten
00:42:24.34\00:42:29.04
and subjected to heat.
00:42:29.24\00:42:30.71
It was worked. Think
about what Jesus went through
00:42:31.05\00:42:34.98
the night before He
died. False accusations,
00:42:35.18\00:42:38.39
ratted out by a friend,
00:42:39.39\00:42:42.16
betrayed by a confidant,
00:42:42.36\00:42:46.23
abandoned by the law.
00:42:46.86\00:42:49.30
The man who should have stood up
and said: "This is a travesty"
00:42:49.50\00:42:53.17
was the one who said:
"Do whatever you like...
00:42:53.37\00:42:54.97
I am washing my hands of Him. "
00:42:55.17\00:42:56.74
Pilate... that doesn't cut it.
00:42:56.94\00:42:58.81
But Pilate wimped out
when he should have stood up
00:42:59.21\00:43:02.81
and played the role of a man.
00:43:03.01\00:43:04.41
Jesus was
abused... beaten with a reed.
00:43:04.81\00:43:08.05
He was slapped; He was punched;
00:43:08.25\00:43:10.42
He was whipped.
They jeered at Him.
00:43:10.82\00:43:13.19
They cursed Him. They
watched Him nailed to a cross.
00:43:13.39\00:43:17.63
After all that
what did Jesus do?
00:43:18.03\00:43:21.00
He showed the greatest
act of love the world has ever
00:43:21.40\00:43:26.27
witnessed. Jesus
went through all of that.
00:43:26.47\00:43:28.24
And instead of
saying "I'm done, "
00:43:28.44\00:43:30.37
instead of
saying "Curse you all, "
00:43:30.57\00:43:33.44
instead of striking them dead
00:43:33.64\00:43:35.34
Jesus allowed a
demonstration of agape love
00:43:35.54\00:43:39.81
when He laid
down His life for us.
00:43:40.22\00:43:42.35
After all of that darkness
Jesus shone brighter than the
00:43:42.75\00:43:45.95
brightest light
you've ever seen.
00:43:46.15\00:43:47.62
See, candlesticks aren't
designed to be used in the
00:43:47.76\00:43:50.39
daytime unless you're just
keeping them for ornamental
00:43:50.59\00:43:52.26
purposes. Candlesticks
are only ever any use
00:43:52.46\00:43:56.13
when there is darkness.
00:43:56.33\00:43:58.60
There was darkness in the
Holy Place of the sanctuary.
00:43:59.47\00:44:02.70
There was no
light shining in there.
00:44:03.10\00:44:04.54
The seven-branch candlestick
gave brilliant light,
00:44:04.94\00:44:06.98
and as the walls were made
out of gold, my goodness, the
00:44:07.18\00:44:09.44
light in there was dazzling.
00:44:09.64\00:44:10.98
It was gorgeous
and it was glorious.
00:44:11.15\00:44:13.72
The seven-branch candlestick
was pounded into being
00:44:14.32\00:44:17.69
and it reminds us...
This thing - the 7 branches -
00:44:17.89\00:44:21.39
there was light in
there... light for your pathway.
00:44:21.59\00:44:24.99
Now you could say this
represents the Word of God
00:44:25.19\00:44:27.03
because God's Word
is a lamp to our feet
00:44:27.23\00:44:29.60
and a light to our
path. That could be so!
00:44:29.80\00:44:32.00
More... that seven-branch
candlestick represents
00:44:32.40\00:44:36.00
Jesus who said: "I am
the Light of the World. "
00:44:36.40\00:44:40.54
Christ shone, gave light. In
Him was light the Bible says.
00:44:40.94\00:44:46.88
And the light was the
what? Life of the world.
00:44:47.08\00:44:50.35
The light of Christ
gives life to you, to me...
00:44:50.55\00:44:53.96
to the world. When you
look into the sanctuary
00:44:54.16\00:44:57.43
everywhere you
look you find Jesus.
00:44:57.63\00:44:58.96
From here to heaven
who do you see? Jesus:
00:44:58.99\00:45:00.96
He's the Bread.
Jesus: He's the Light.
00:45:01.13\00:45:02.73
Jesus' righteousness going
up to heaven mingled with our
00:45:02.93\00:45:06.23
prayers.
Everywhere you go: Jesus.
00:45:06.43\00:45:08.37
The Lord's in there.
What does that tell you?
00:45:08.57\00:45:10.44
Jesus is the Lawgiver
and only through Jesus
00:45:10.64\00:45:13.31
can you obey the law of God.
00:45:13.51\00:45:14.98
Everywhere you look.
Jesus: the Lamb who died.
00:45:15.18\00:45:18.35
Salvation is totally, fully,
completely dependent upon Jesus.
00:45:19.35\00:45:24.52
Ladies and gentlemen,
sometimes we get too cerebral
00:45:24.72\00:45:26.86
with our theology.
Sometimes we get too technical
00:45:27.06\00:45:30.63
with our
understanding of the Bible.
00:45:30.83\00:45:32.23
It's OK to be
theologically minded.
00:45:32.43\00:45:34.20
It's good to understand
the techniques, but friend,
00:45:34.36\00:45:36.53
you've gotta know
Jesus personally. Amen!
00:45:36.73\00:45:38.90
At the end of the day,
Christianity is taking Christ
00:45:39.10\00:45:41.64
by the hand...
welcoming Christ into the heart.
00:45:41.84\00:45:44.37
Leaning on Jesus every
single step of your journey
00:45:44.77\00:45:48.14
from here to there.
Jesus: the Lamb of God.
00:45:48.34\00:45:51.25
Jesus: the Bread of Life.
Jesus: the Light of the World!
00:45:51.45\00:45:56.28
Thank God for Jesus
tonight. What do you say?
00:45:56.48\00:45:58.39
Amen! Jesus: the
Light of the World.
00:45:58.59\00:46:01.16
The seven-branch
candlestick: Jesus.
00:46:01.36\00:46:04.26
Now you know that Jesus
said in Matthew chapter 5,
00:46:05.03\00:46:07.23
as a matter of fact we
should turn there, shouldn't we?
00:46:07.46\00:46:08.80
I shall scroll
there while I speak.
00:46:09.20\00:46:12.00
Matthew chapter 5.
You turn... I'll race ya.
00:46:12.40\00:46:14.74
Matthew chapter
5... are you there yet?
00:46:14.94\00:46:16.47
No you're not?
You need one of these!
00:46:16.91\00:46:18.24
Matthew chapter 5.
00:46:18.37\00:46:20.38
I'm resting waiting
for you to turn there.
00:46:24.05\00:46:25.91
No... the truth is I can see
this, and that's really good.
00:46:27.98\00:46:30.29
Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5
00:46:30.49\00:46:32.55
and verse 13: "You
are the salt of the earth.
00:46:32.75\00:46:35.16
If the salt has lost its savor
wherewith shall it be salted?
00:46:35.56\00:46:38.13
It's henceforth good for
nothing but to be cast out
00:46:38.33\00:46:40.43
to be trodden
underfoot of men. "
00:46:40.63\00:46:41.93
Verse 14: "You are the...
What? "light of the world.
00:46:42.13\00:46:44.93
A city that is set
on a hill cannot be hid.
00:46:45.33\00:46:47.54
You are the
light of the world. "
00:46:48.04\00:46:49.57
Jesus said: "I am
the Light of the World. "
00:46:49.97\00:46:51.74
Then He said: "You are
the light of the world. "
00:46:51.94\00:46:53.58
How can it be
both? Oh... very easily.
00:46:53.98\00:46:55.98
As Paul said: "The mystery
of the gospel is... " What?
00:46:56.18\00:46:59.25
"Christ in you...
the hope of glory. "
00:46:59.65\00:47:03.05
Come on, ladies and gentlemen,
THAT is Biblical Christianity:
00:47:03.25\00:47:06.65
Jesus living His life in you.
00:47:06.89\00:47:10.06
And you know what? That's
where the rubber meets the road.
00:47:10.26\00:47:12.66
Man, you can know the
28 fundamental beliefs,
00:47:12.86\00:47:15.03
you can recite
the Ten Commandments
00:47:15.23\00:47:17.07
and still be lost! That's right.
00:47:17.27\00:47:20.34
You can say: "God bless
you. Please turn with me in your
00:47:20.74\00:47:23.41
Bible. Our opening hymn
is number so and so... "
00:47:23.61\00:47:26.34
and not even know Christ.
00:47:26.54\00:47:29.61
But that's not the
experience God is calling us to.
00:47:30.95\00:47:33.45
If you've memorized the
New Testament, congratulations!
00:47:33.85\00:47:36.45
If you don't know Jesus,
that memorization is going to
00:47:36.69\00:47:39.59
come back and haunt
you in the judgment.
00:47:39.79\00:47:41.69
We are called to
not only profess Christ
00:47:42.29\00:47:45.99
but to possess Christ:
00:47:46.39\00:47:49.03
the Light of the
World living His life in us.
00:47:49.23\00:47:53.90
"Neither do men light a candle
and put it under a bushel. "
00:47:54.24\00:47:57.11
That's a basket. I forget
how many pints, but it's about
00:47:57.51\00:48:01.18
8 gallons. We never grew up
with bushels where I was from.
00:48:01.58\00:48:05.08
That was a brand
of coffee... Bushel's.
00:48:05.28\00:48:08.68
But being as my
father-in-law grew up on a farm
00:48:09.82\00:48:11.65
in North Carolina... inciden-
tally an hour from the Brooks...
00:48:11.85\00:48:15.22
I just think that's
worth pointing out...
00:48:15.42\00:48:17.26
an hour from the Brooks family.
00:48:19.29\00:48:20.93
Everything was about bushels
and half a bushel of that
00:48:21.96\00:48:24.50
and a bushel
basket of something else.
00:48:24.70\00:48:26.84
You don't light a
candle and hide the thing.
00:48:27.34\00:48:32.74
You don't do that.
00:48:32.94\00:48:34.28
But you put it on a candlestick
00:48:34.64\00:48:36.95
and it gives light unto
all that are in the house.
00:48:37.15\00:48:39.95
In another place it
says: "You don't light it
00:48:40.15\00:48:41.78
and put it under a bed. "
00:48:41.98\00:48:43.79
Friend, our light is to shine.
00:48:43.99\00:48:46.99
I'm walking up a street the
other day near the It Is Written
00:48:47.19\00:48:48.99
office. There's no one around.
Coming towards me is some young
00:48:49.19\00:48:51.89
fellow... No, he wasn't
young; he was older than me
00:48:52.09\00:48:54.50
so he's like a really old
fellow as a matter of fact.
00:48:54.73\00:48:56.73
And he sees me,
walks towards me and goes:
00:48:58.13\00:48:59.70
"I've got something
for you. God bless you. "
00:48:59.90\00:49:01.40
I'm looking at this thing: it's
a tract; it's about the gospel.
00:49:01.60\00:49:03.84
I say: "God bless the
man. " I don't know who he is
00:49:04.04\00:49:06.34
or what he believes but
you know what he's doing?
00:49:06.54\00:49:08.18
He is letting his light shine.
00:49:08.38\00:49:10.28
There's a thousand
ways you can do that.
00:49:10.48\00:49:12.11
That's one way
that he's doing it.
00:49:12.31\00:49:14.25
God did not give us all this
wonderful truth so that we could
00:49:14.62\00:49:17.12
hide it and keep
it from the world.
00:49:17.32\00:49:19.02
If we know Jesus, we ought
to tell somebody about Him.
00:49:19.22\00:49:21.66
If He's blessed us, be a
blessing to somebody else
00:49:21.86\00:49:24.19
and let them know
that God is real and alive.
00:49:24.39\00:49:26.76
The atheists are not
shy about proselytizing
00:49:26.96\00:49:30.20
and evangelizing. There is
still no law against anybody
00:49:30.40\00:49:34.34
sharing their faith in
Jesus. Ya have it? Share it!
00:49:34.54\00:49:37.71
You've got it? Use it!
00:49:37.91\00:49:39.84
Don't hide that light.
You don't want to do it.
00:49:40.08\00:49:43.75
"Let your light so
shine before men... "
00:49:43.95\00:49:46.18
Why? "that they may
see your good works... "
00:49:46.38\00:49:48.38
And do what? "glorify your
Father which is in heaven. "
00:49:48.58\00:49:53.15
Now I've got to move quickly
here but let me say this:
00:49:53.36\00:49:55.59
That seven-branch candlestick
reminds us that Jesus is the
00:49:58.26\00:50:00.96
Light of the World.
It speaks to us that we
00:50:01.16\00:50:03.63
are the light of the world.
00:50:03.83\00:50:05.23
But I will say this:
"The candlestick isn't there
00:50:05.43\00:50:09.17
to do anything else other
than to let the light shine.
00:50:09.37\00:50:12.77
That's what it's there for.
00:50:13.17\00:50:14.51
Friends, that's what we
are on this planet for...
00:50:14.91\00:50:19.21
in this world for.
00:50:19.41\00:50:20.88
That's why we
are here. Not for us!
00:50:21.08\00:50:23.79
Not to collect... not to relax.
00:50:23.99\00:50:27.22
Not to luxuriate.
We are here so that God
00:50:27.62\00:50:32.93
might shine through us. Amen!
00:50:33.13\00:50:35.66
How's the gospel
gonna go to the world?
00:50:36.06\00:50:37.50
The Lord could have sent
angels to do all the preaching.
00:50:37.67\00:50:39.53
It've been done like that!
00:50:39.73\00:50:41.44
Those would have
been some good sermons!
00:50:41.64\00:50:42.97
Instead... God raised up YOU!
00:50:43.07\00:50:47.11
And He wants to preach
somehow through you. All right!
00:50:47.31\00:50:52.01
The candlestick only exists
00:50:52.21\00:50:55.98
that through it or by it
00:50:56.18\00:50:59.12
light might go to the world.
00:50:59.32\00:51:01.12
How does that
candlestick give light?
00:51:01.52\00:51:04.03
Well you would read in
the Bible that those lamps,
00:51:04.23\00:51:06.70
the seven lights, were
fed by oil... olive oil.
00:51:06.90\00:51:09.20
That was produced by the
olives being beaten as well.
00:51:09.40\00:51:12.43
That oil you
understand is a symbol of the?
00:51:14.20\00:51:16.97
Holy Spirit.
00:51:17.17\00:51:18.61
As we read in the book
of Zechariah: "Not by might
00:51:18.81\00:51:22.54
nor by power but by My Spirit
sayeth the Lord of Hosts. "
00:51:22.74\00:51:27.28
Ladies and gentlemen, we are
what we are and God knows that.
00:51:27.65\00:51:31.82
David wrote: "He
knoweth our frame;
00:51:32.22\00:51:35.26
He remembereth
that we are dust. "
00:51:35.46\00:51:38.43
Your brokenness
is never so broken
00:51:38.83\00:51:42.86
that the Spirit of God
cannot shine through you.
00:51:43.06\00:51:46.30
Christianity is
not something you do...
00:51:46.70\00:51:49.14
it's what you allow the
Spirit of God to do in you.
00:51:49.54\00:51:52.67
Amen! Your part is
surrendering and cooperating.
00:51:52.87\00:51:56.48
God's part is to fill
you with His Holy Spirit
00:51:56.88\00:51:59.38
and shine out of your
life so that you are truly
00:51:59.78\00:52:03.59
a light in the world.
00:52:03.79\00:52:05.22
Now I need to say this
and I need to say it quickly:
00:52:05.42\00:52:07.26
when you get over to Revelation
chapter 1 you see Jesus
00:52:07.66\00:52:10.33
walking in the
midst of the candlesticks.
00:52:10.53\00:52:11.96
And there may be some debate
as to whether these represent
00:52:14.00\00:52:16.46
the seven-branch
candlesticks or not.
00:52:16.67\00:52:18.37
I think that's what they repre-
sent, but there are 7 of them
00:52:18.77\00:52:21.14
and they represent... or at
least there were many of them...
00:52:22.14\00:52:24.84
and they represent the churches.
00:52:25.14\00:52:26.94
Is that right? That's what
it says in Revelation chapter 1.
00:52:27.14\00:52:30.01
Now friends, everywhere you go
00:52:30.51\00:52:36.38
there's always somebody
ready to criticize the church.
00:52:37.49\00:52:41.72
That's right. Amen. Now
there are reasons for that.
00:52:42.66\00:52:47.00
There are reasons for that.
00:52:47.20\00:52:48.50
The main reason is
lack of conversion.
00:52:48.56\00:52:51.10
That's the main reason.
00:52:51.50\00:52:52.83
People who are not converted are
happy to "rag" on the church.
00:52:52.93\00:52:56.94
We shouldn't... it's
the apple of God's eye,
00:52:58.51\00:53:02.21
weak and enfeebled though it is.
00:53:02.41\00:53:04.25
It is the one object
upon this earth upon which
00:53:04.38\00:53:06.21
Christ bestows in a special
sense His supreme regard.
00:53:06.41\00:53:10.49
It's God's... be
careful how you talk about it.
00:53:10.89\00:53:13.12
But having said that, there
are some things in the church
00:53:13.56\00:53:15.86
that makes it very very
difficult for some people to
00:53:16.06\00:53:18.06
keep biting their tongue.
00:53:18.26\00:53:19.59
You know, you see... So listen:
00:53:20.00\00:53:23.03
let's see if we can do a
deal. I don't think we can,
00:53:23.23\00:53:25.63
but I'm going to
propose this hypothetical deal.
00:53:25.83\00:53:27.60
Let's covenant with God
that we are willing to have Him
00:53:27.97\00:53:31.67
close our mouths
and quiet our criticism.
00:53:31.87\00:53:34.48
Instead of criticizing
the preacher we will pray for
00:53:34.68\00:53:36.58
the preacher. Instead of
criticizing the administrators
00:53:36.81\00:53:39.75
we will pray for
the administrators.
00:53:39.98\00:53:41.32
Instead of bemoaning the
lack of activity in the church
00:53:41.48\00:53:43.75
we will be
activity in the church.
00:53:43.95\00:53:45.65
At the same time, if you're
in a position of leadership
00:53:47.02\00:53:50.49
will you give
some of us a break?
00:53:50.69\00:53:52.36
We don't want our kids
going off to Camp Meeting
00:53:54.46\00:53:57.20
coming back with their
heads full of rock songs.
00:53:57.40\00:54:00.04
And I didn't say praise
music. I just said rock songs
00:54:00.54\00:54:03.27
and sometimes that
happens. We don't need that!
00:54:03.51\00:54:05.61
And if you are young
and you think you are hip
00:54:05.81\00:54:07.68
and together and relevant
and you think rock music's
00:54:07.88\00:54:09.91
OK, I have a message for you:
00:54:10.15\00:54:11.78
No it isn't!
00:54:12.15\00:54:13.52
It wasn't - Amen! - it
won't be; it isn't; it's not.
00:54:13.62\00:54:18.05
We are dumbing
down the standards.
00:54:18.45\00:54:20.86
In too many places we
are giving our children
00:54:21.16\00:54:24.23
something that looks a little
bit like the Bible but isn't
00:54:24.36\00:54:27.03
really the Bible. It
wouldn't be that difficult
00:54:27.23\00:54:31.83
really for people in authority
00:54:32.03\00:54:34.87
to give critics less
to be critical about.
00:54:35.07\00:54:38.21
Maybe we should
work to that end.
00:54:38.51\00:54:39.91
Maybe that's the
other side of the deal.
00:54:40.14\00:54:41.81
I'm just picking
on one easy target
00:54:42.01\00:54:43.81
and that's all a little bit
too predictable I am certain.
00:54:44.01\00:54:46.21
But friends, the
church is God's church
00:54:47.08\00:54:50.15
and you find Jesus
in Revelation chapter 1
00:54:50.35\00:54:53.42
walking in the
midst of the churches.
00:54:53.62\00:54:57.63
They don't get so bad
that Jesus abandons them.
00:54:57.83\00:55:01.83
This is His church.
00:55:02.23\00:55:05.53
We say "Praise the Lord"
that He has privileged us
00:55:05.73\00:55:08.50
with the opportunity to
be a part of the church.
00:55:08.70\00:55:10.81
And we will work for
Christ and work to proclaim
00:55:10.97\00:55:14.51
the everlasting gospel
with everything that we have.
00:55:14.71\00:55:18.11
The seven-branch candlestick
00:55:18.51\00:55:20.42
fed by the Holy Spirit of God.
00:55:20.62\00:55:23.89
Friends, are you being
filled with the Spirit of God?
00:55:24.09\00:55:26.55
You can be. It's
amazing, isn't it?
00:55:26.76\00:55:28.82
It's like if Bill Gates came
in and said: "I've got a million
00:55:29.02\00:55:31.19
dollars for
everybody. " You'd just grab it.
00:55:31.39\00:55:33.50
Tell me if you wouldn't
'cause I'll grab mine and yours.
00:55:34.76\00:55:37.33
No problem.
00:55:38.77\00:55:40.10
God says: "If you then being
evil know how to give good gifts
00:55:41.17\00:55:43.77
to your children, how much
more will your heavenly Father
00:55:43.97\00:55:46.17
give... give... give the
riches of the Holy Spirit
00:55:46.37\00:55:49.28
to them that ask. "
00:55:49.48\00:55:50.81
Man, this is the
best deal of your life.
00:55:50.95\00:55:52.51
Jesus said: "I am
the Light of the World;
00:55:52.71\00:55:54.98
I will shine. " But further
to that... further to that
00:55:55.18\00:55:58.19
"I want to shine in you. "
And when you read in Revelation
00:55:58.39\00:56:02.36
chapter 18 and verse 1 the
message of the 4th angel...
00:56:02.56\00:56:05.16
The fourth angel comes down
from heaven having great power
00:56:05.56\00:56:09.30
and the earth is
lightened with the glory of God.
00:56:09.50\00:56:12.03
You know what the
Bible is telling us?
00:56:12.23\00:56:13.57
That one day soon this
world is going to be lit up
00:56:13.97\00:56:16.91
with the manifestation
of the glory of God. Amen!
00:56:17.31\00:56:20.71
In you... by God's grace.
00:56:20.91\00:56:24.05
How does that
happen when today we have
00:56:24.25\00:56:26.11
tough times, and we're
battling to get on top of
00:56:26.31\00:56:28.82
our own sinful selves.
You know how it happens?
00:56:29.65\00:56:31.72
As you surrender to God
00:56:32.12\00:56:33.86
and God fills you
more and more and more
00:56:34.06\00:56:37.03
with His presence.
That's how it happens.
00:56:37.23\00:56:38.99
We grow in grace. We
accept Christ; we are His.
00:56:39.39\00:56:42.40
We are filled with His right...
given His righteousness.
00:56:42.60\00:56:46.20
Covered in His righteousness -
00:56:46.40\00:56:48.37
all right... that's right -
and we grow in the grace of God.
00:56:48.57\00:56:51.14
We are His and we are growing.
00:56:51.34\00:56:52.91
Onwards... more, more,
more towards His kingdom.
00:56:53.11\00:56:55.54
The best is yet to come.
00:56:55.74\00:56:57.21
Greatest ingathering
of saints of all time
00:56:57.41\00:56:59.58
are going to happen. Greatest
outpouring of the Holy Spirit's
00:56:59.78\00:57:02.42
going to happen. We've got to
be part of it. Can you say amen?
00:57:02.62\00:57:04.75
Amen! We must... We
must pray to that end.
00:57:04.95\00:57:07.12
Our Father and our God,
00:57:07.32\00:57:09.06
we thank you for Christ
represented in the sanctuary
00:57:09.26\00:57:12.69
as the candlestick:
the Light of the World
00:57:12.89\00:57:15.16
who wants to be the
light of the world in us.
00:57:15.36\00:57:17.37
Let it be so. We are
weak but we are willing.
00:57:17.77\00:57:20.34
Do Your work in us
we pray in Jesus' name,
00:57:20.74\00:57:24.21
please say, Amen and
Amen. God bless you tonight.
00:57:24.34\00:57:28.98