Participants: Kyle Allen, Mark & Patricia LaVanture, Steve Dickman
Series Code: 17ASIC
Program Code: 17ASIC000016A
|
00:20 I just feel like when I come to ASI,
00:22 I get some wind under my wings. 00:25 How about you, Mark? Amen. All the way. 00:27 I'm just very, very thankful to be here. 00:30 We've been coming to ASI actually as a family 00:32 for a long time. 00:34 Probably 20 years plus. 00:36 And it's been such a blessing for our children. 00:39 They just kind of grew up as ASI kids. 00:42 So we're glad that you're here and we just pray that 00:47 you will receive a blessing at this last meeting. 00:50 Yes. 00:51 I was in the exhibit hall earlier 00:53 and there are many aspects to the convention 00:56 that are not just in this room. 00:58 So the exhibit hall, the dining room 01:00 and the visiting that goes on and the children's divisions 01:03 are just awesome. 01:04 Well, I mentioned to our neighbor in the next booth, 01:08 "It's so nice to be around so many nice people." 01:12 Amen. 01:13 And the enthusiasm really comes from God 01:16 because that's the root of that word 01:17 and it's just inspiring. 01:19 And that's a root of that word too, 01:20 the Holy Spirit is here and we want the Holy Spirit 01:23 to go with us as we go home. 01:26 Amen. 01:28 You know, when I come to ASI, 01:29 it's such a blessing to be around God's people 01:32 and to see the Holy Spirit working in your lives 01:35 and to hear what God is doing through you 01:39 and in you, it just, 01:41 it kind of sets my course for the whole year, 01:43 so I just want to thank you for being here. 01:47 Okay. 01:48 So as you can bow your heads with me, 01:50 we'd like to open again and ask God's special blessing 01:54 on our meeting tonight. 01:56 Father in heaven, we thank You for being the source 01:59 of the blessings this weekend. 02:01 We thank You for as Patti said being the wind under our wings 02:06 to lift us up and encourage us and I know the efforts put in 02:10 to making this convention what it has been 02:13 had been to that end 02:15 so that we can not only enjoy this time, 02:18 but be inspired to go home and do more for you 02:22 with full commitment and the blessing of you 02:25 going before us by Your Holy Spirit 02:28 not only here but the rest of our lives until You come. 02:31 And so we thank You and we know that 02:34 prayer is not just a form 02:36 but it is a real life infusing event 02:41 that we need to take part of every single day, 02:45 every moment. 02:46 And so please bless this evening 02:49 as we pray in Jesus' name, amen. 02:52 Amen. 02:53 Before you go... 02:55 Good evening ASI family. 02:59 We would just want to say a special word 03:01 of thank you to Patti. 03:03 For those of you who don't know, 03:04 she's been backstage the whole convention 03:07 running the program from back there. 03:09 And for the previous 10 months, 03:12 we have been spending on the telephone 03:15 doing hour and two hour phone conferences 03:19 selecting speakers, arranging seminars 03:21 and doing all of those things. 03:23 And we just wanted to take this opportunity, 03:25 Patti and Mark, both, I know Mark has sacrificed 03:29 that you can do this, so thank you guys so much 03:32 for what you've done. 03:33 And just we're praying for God's blessing upon you 03:36 and appreciate your work on behalf of ASI. 03:40 Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure. 03:42 It really has. Thank you so much. 03:50 I have the privilege this evening 03:53 of introducing a very special person 03:57 in this world and in my life, 04:00 the Secretary Treasurer of ASI, Pastor Kyle Allen. 04:05 Born and raised in Tennessee, 04:08 Kyle is what he is frequently called, 04:12 his family was introduced to Adventism when he was five. 04:16 And since a young age, he has had a heart for God. 04:21 As a young boy he remembered attending 04:24 an evangelistic series by Mark Finley 04:27 and feeling so excited to receive 04:29 a Bible signed by him. 04:32 Little did he know that one day 04:33 he would be sharing a stage with him 04:35 and many other dedicated leaders 04:37 in the church. 04:39 As Kyle grew older, he wrestled with his calling in life, 04:44 taking political science in the hopes of one day 04:47 becoming a lawyer and simultaneously 04:50 completing a degree in religion just in case 04:53 God was really calling him into pastoral ministry. 04:57 He finally gave in to God's calling in his life 05:00 and he went to seminary at Andrews 05:04 and accepted a call after that as a youth pastor in California 05:08 and then senior pastor of the Mentone Church. 05:12 Three and a half years ago, he was called to serve 05:15 as a Secretary Treasurer of the North American division 05:18 of ASI at the North American division 05:21 and has felt humbled to serve such a powerful ministry. 05:25 Kyle is a lover of God and as exemplified in his life 05:31 genuine commitment to the service of Christ. 05:34 For all the talents he possesses 05:36 and the opportunities given to him, 05:38 he is extremely humble praising God 05:41 for using a broken vessel like him. 05:45 As he shares from his heart tonight, 05:47 my prayer is that our ears will be opened to hear 05:50 what the Spirit has to say to each and every one of us 05:54 through the servant of Christ, Pastor Kyle Allen. 06:15 I walked today where Jesus walked 06:22 In days of long ago 06:29 I travel down each path He knew 06:35 With reverent step and slow 06:42 Those little lanes, they have not changed 06:49 A sweet peace fills the air 06:56 I walked today where Jesus walked 07:02 And felt His presence there 07:17 My pathway led through Bethlehem 07:23 A memory's ever sweet 07:30 The little town of Galilee 07:36 That knew those childish 07:41 Feet 07:45 The Mount of Olives, hallowed scenes 07:51 That Jesus knew before 07:58 I saw 08:01 The mighty Jordan row 08:07 As in the days 08:11 Of old 08:25 I knelt today where Jesus knelt 08:31 Where all alone He prayed 08:37 The Garden of Gethsemane 08:43 My heart was unafraid 08:49 I picked my heavy burden up 08:55 And with Him by my side 09:02 I climbed the Hill of Calvary 09:09 I climbed the Hill of Calvary 09:15 I climbed the Hill of Calvary 09:21 Where on the Cross 09:24 He died! 09:35 I walked today where Jesus walked 09:42 And felt Him close 09:49 To me 10:01 Thank you so much, Juan Carlos. 10:04 Good evening everyone. 10:06 Have you had a blessed Sabbath? 10:09 God has been good to us here at ASI. 10:12 I just have to say that 10:15 I couldn't start my sermon after Ranela introduced me 10:17 without saying she's the most beautiful woman in the world. 10:20 And I love her and I am so privileged and blessed 10:23 to have her as my girlfriend so. 10:28 I'm glad you guys can't make any comments right now 10:30 because I'm all the way up here. 10:33 God is good. 10:36 And I believe with all my heart that Jesus is coming soon. 10:40 We are here at ASI 2017, 10:43 the 70th anniversary celebrating our... 10:47 Well, not celebrating but looking at our 70 years 10:51 and hoping that we're not here another 70 10:54 because Jesus needs to come. 10:56 Amen? 10:57 Tonight, I have a burden on my heart 11:02 that I want to share with you as we close this convention. 11:05 But before I do that, I'd invite you 11:07 to bow your hands with me as we pray. 11:12 Father in heaven, tonight, 11:16 Lord, we come before You, pleading with You 11:18 that You would send Your Spirit into this auditorium. 11:22 Father, I pray that You would hide me behind the cross 11:25 that Jesus would be lifted up 11:29 and that You would speak to our hearts 11:32 what You would have us to do 11:33 as we close this ASI Convention. 11:37 Lord Jesus, please come to be with us here right now. 11:43 We ask this in Your name, amen. 11:49 I don't know about you but I loved hearing stories 11:52 from my grandpa. 11:53 And I especially loved hearing stories 11:55 when he was talking about his experiences in the war. 11:59 And I remember as a kid, I would listen to him 12:01 talking about what it was like when he was in the Marines 12:05 and going to battle. 12:06 My one grandpa, my mom's dad, had a harder time 12:10 talking about it though because he went through 12:12 some very hard times in war. 12:15 And when he did talk about it, 12:17 it was hard for the words to come out 12:18 and often tears would come into his eyes 12:21 and he would just clam up and stop talking. 12:24 But there were a few times when I remember him talking 12:27 about his experience in the battle of Iwo Jima, 12:31 one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. 12:34 Twenty five thousand men died in a nearly month long struggle 12:37 for that small Pacific Island. 12:40 And I remember my grandpa telling me what it was like 12:43 when they stormed the beach, when that ramp opened, 12:46 there was no, there was no... 12:49 You didn't have a decision at that point, 12:51 you had major commitment 12:52 you were going through the water 12:54 and going on that beach. 12:56 And I remember him telling me that the bullets were flying by 12:59 and the guys around him, guys he knew were falling 13:03 and they had just one mission 13:04 and that was to take that island. 13:07 They were committed to their mission 13:09 even if it meant paying the ultimate price. 13:14 You know, a number of years ago 13:16 the Marine Corps actually had a slogan, 13:18 a slogan to recruit new young people 13:21 into the Marine Corps and that slogan said, 13:24 "No applications, only commitments." 13:28 No applications here, 13:30 if you want to be a part of the Marine Corps, 13:31 you are gonna be committed. 13:33 Committed totally 13:37 even to possibly paying the ultimate price. 13:41 You know, some have called that generation 13:43 of my grandfather, 13:45 the generation of my grandparents, 13:46 'the greatest generation'. 13:49 But today, we often look around the world 13:51 and when we see the society that we live in, 13:55 it's hard to find commitment, is it not? 13:58 In our families, in our communities 14:01 and yes, even in the church 14:04 it can be hard to find commitment. 14:07 George Barna in a study a few years ago said that, 14:11 "Less than one half of the people 14:12 who call themselves Christians say 14:14 they are absolutely committed to their faith." 14:19 Tonight, as we close this 2017 ASI Convention, 14:22 I want to ask you this question. 14:26 Are you and I fully and totally committed 14:29 to this message? 14:31 Are you and I fully committed to the mission 14:34 that Jesus has given us as soldiers of the cross? 14:38 So tonight, turn with me in Scripture, 14:40 we're gonna look at a couple of passages 14:42 that talk about commitment 14:43 and we're gonna see what the Lord wants us to know 14:47 as we leave this ASI Convention. 14:49 Turn with me to Luke 5, Luke 5, starting with verse 1, 14:53 we're going to just look at the story, 14:56 the calling of the disciples. 14:57 Now you remember Jesus is at the Sea of Galilee 15:00 and He's teaching to people and there are so many people 15:03 that He has to get into Simon Peter's boat 15:06 and He pushes out a little bit from land and He's teaching 15:08 and then as soon as He's finished, 15:10 He tells Peter, "Put out the boats 15:13 and put down your nets." 15:15 And they go and they put down their nets 15:16 and they catch more fish they can even hold in that boat 15:19 so they pull the next boat over. 15:21 And Peter is so overcome by the fact that 15:24 Jesus knew where the fish were, 15:26 I mean, he had been fishing all night 15:27 and hadn't caught anything but Jesus tells him where to go 15:30 and his boat is overflowing that he's convicted that 15:33 Jesus is the Son of God. 15:36 And at that moment Jesus comes to him, 15:38 and in verse 10 of Luke 5, "Jesus says to Simon, 15:42 'Do not be afraid. 15:44 From now on you will catch men.'" 15:49 And the Bible says in verse 11, 15:51 "So when they had brought their boats to land, 15:54 they forsook all and followed Him." 15:59 The call of Christ. 16:02 This is a call not from human beings, 16:05 this call to Peter, James and John 16:07 came from the Son of God. 16:10 Now why would they simply leave their fishermen's nets? 16:13 I mean, Jesus just comes along and they leave, why? 16:18 Because they sensed in Jesus one whose vision was so great, 16:23 one whose mission was so broad, 16:25 so much bigger than anything in their lives. 16:28 There was more to God's plan 16:30 for their lives than catching fish, 16:31 nothing wrong with catching fish 16:33 but they had a higher calling. 16:36 Similarly tonight, Jesus comes to you and to me here at ASI 16:40 and He says, "I have called you. 16:43 I know you. 16:45 I've seen you're working hard. 16:47 I know you know how to make money, 16:49 you know how to be a banker, you know how to be a doctor, 16:51 or a lawyer, or a nurse, or an entrepreneur, 16:54 you know how to catch fish," 16:57 but He comes to you and He says tonight, 17:00 "I have called you and I have chosen you. 17:04 I have chosen you to take My message to the world. 17:08 I have chosen you to fish for men." 17:13 You may know how to have a career, 17:16 but our lives mean so much more than a career, 17:19 that is the mission of ASI because as laypeople 17:21 we are called and we are chosen to have a higher purpose. 17:25 Jesus says to you tonight, 17:27 "I have called you to take the gospel, 17:29 the three angels' messages to the world 17:32 in this generation." 17:35 And there is always a call, when Jesus gives a call, 17:37 there's always a call to something 17:39 and a call from something. 17:42 In this case Jesus is calling all of us, 17:44 Jesus is calling us to witness. 17:46 Jesus is calling us to a vision greater than ourselves. 17:50 And He's calling us away from something as well. 17:53 He's calling us away from our nets, 17:55 away from our boats, away from... 17:58 Nothing wrong with the nets and the boats 17:59 but away from a preoccupation with secular employment. 18:04 He's calling us to live a life of complete commitment 18:09 to the things of eternity. 18:11 But you say, "Well, Kyle, I know God has called." 18:14 We always talk as pastors about how God called us, 18:16 I mean, Ranela shared a little bit of my testimony 18:18 and I wish I could share it here tonight 18:20 and it's been a struggle for me to know 18:22 what God called me to do in my life. 18:25 But one thing I've been convicted of is 18:27 as time is going on is that the reality is I may be called 18:30 to have been a pastor but each one of you 18:32 is just as called. 18:34 Do you believe that tonight? Yes. 18:37 The call comes to each one. 18:39 I want you to look at this statement 18:41 from Prophets and Kings page 22, powerful statement. 18:45 "To everyone who becomes a partaker of His grace, 18:48 the Lord appoints a work for others. 18:50 Individually we are to stand our lot, saying, 18:54 "Here I am, send me." 18:57 Whether a man be a minister of the Word or a physician, 19:00 whether he be a merchant or a farmer, 19:02 professional man or mechanic, 19:04 the responsibility rests upon him. 19:07 It is his work to reveal to others 19:09 the gospel of their salvation. 19:12 Every enterprise in which he engages 19:15 should be a means to this end." 19:18 Every enterprise in which we engage 19:20 should be a means to spreading the three angels' messages, 19:23 what do you say tonight? 19:24 Amen. 19:26 But you say, "Lord, that's scary. 19:28 I mean, I know how to make money, 19:29 I know how to run my business 19:31 but I don't know how to witness." 19:33 Jesus says to you just like He said to Peter, 19:35 what did He say? 19:37 He said, "Don't be afraid. 19:39 Do not fear because I am with you." 19:43 Jesus understands He is the one who called you 19:47 and He is the one who will empower you 19:49 to fulfill the mission He has given you. 19:52 Remember, James was the first disciple 19:54 who was martyred. 19:56 John who was on that boat that day, 19:58 the longest living disciple wrote Revelation 20:01 but suffered a life of persecution. 20:03 And Peter, crucified upside down. 20:07 But none of them ever lost sight of the fact 20:09 that Jesus was always with them. 20:13 There is a story of a self-supporting missionary 20:16 that I wanted to share with you tonight. 20:18 It's just a, such a powerful story 20:21 that I had to share it. 20:23 A guy named Abram La Rue, 20:25 How many of you have heard of Abram La Rue? 20:26 Okay, I see few hands, some of you have. 20:28 I got to tell the story. 20:30 He was a seaman, he had traveled around the world 20:34 but in his 50s he settled in San Francisco. 20:37 And he invested all his life savings into his property. 20:40 He bought some property there only to have it 20:42 destroyed by fire a short time later. 20:44 He lost all of his savings. 20:47 So discouraged and penniless he moves out of the city, 20:50 but God had a plan for this man because just a few months later 20:54 someone gives him a Bible track, 20:56 the signs of the times. 20:58 And he reads the track and he gets so excited 21:00 about what he's reading, he starts reading his Bible 21:02 and he's converted. 21:03 And not only is he converted, he gets so on fire, 21:06 now he wants to go to the mission field. 21:08 There's only one problem, he's in his 60s and he feels, 21:11 well, other people think he's too old. 21:14 He writes to the General Conference 21:15 and he says, "Please, I really have a burden. 21:18 I have a burden to go to China 21:20 to share with the Chinese people 21:21 the three angels' messages of the gospel." 21:24 And you know what the brethren say? 21:26 They said, "Thank you for your commitment, 21:29 thank you for your interest. 21:31 Why don't you..." 21:32 I forgot to say that he had been serving 21:34 a little bit of time in Hawaii as a colporteur. 21:36 "Why don't you just stay in the islands of the Pacific," 21:39 thinking he'd just `stay in Hawaii. 21:41 Well, he said, "Okay, I'll tell you what," 21:45 he looked in a map, islands of the Pacific. 21:47 He saw that Hong Kong was an island in the Pacific. 21:50 It was a little bit on the edge but it was right next to China. 21:52 So he said, "Let me go to Hong Kong." 21:54 So he goes to Hong Kong, he opens up a mission 21:57 by himself by the way, he begins passing out tracks, 22:01 studying the Bible with people, 22:02 he converts the soldiers and sailors there in Hong Kong. 22:05 Some of these sailors by the way go back to England, 22:08 take the gospel and start working in places 22:10 where the work in places where it hadn't started 22:12 in England. 22:14 All over the world people carry the tracks 22:16 that Abram La Rue had given them in Hong Kong. 22:19 Fourteen years he labors from 1888 until 1902 22:24 when the next missionaries come. 22:27 And shortly after those next missionaries come, 22:28 nine people were baptized. 22:31 And just a year later in 1903, 22:33 Abram La Rue passed to his rest. 22:35 A committed Christian, he stood alone. 22:38 Fourteen years in a distant land 22:40 carrying on a self-supporting work, 22:41 this was a true ASI missionary. 22:44 The power that urged him onward was his firm belief 22:47 in the soon coming of Jesus. 22:49 A few days before he died, 22:51 he gave the little money he had to the work in China. 22:55 Totally committed to following the call of his savior. 22:58 Friend, it doesn't matter how old you are, 23:00 you can be young, you can be old, 23:02 Jesus is calling you tonight. 23:04 Jesus is calling you, Jesus is calling each one of us 23:07 to a life of commitment. 23:10 So Jesus calls us, Christ calls us 23:14 and also Christ calls us to commitment. 23:16 And I want us to turn to our next passage, Luke 9 23:19 and we're gonna look quickly here at Luke 9 23:21 because the problem is that when we get the call 23:26 sometimes we make excuses, don't we? 23:29 Sometimes we make excuses 23:31 and Jesus speaks about this in Luke 9. 23:34 In this story Jesus meets three men on the road 23:37 and He gives three responses that shed light on the excuses 23:40 we often give that keep us from living a committed life. 23:44 Verse 57 and 58 say, "Now it happened 23:47 as they journeyed on the road that someone said to Him, 23:49 'Lord, I will follow You wherever you go.'" 23:53 And what does Jesus say? 23:55 He says to him, "Foxes have holes 23:57 and birds of the air have nests 23:59 but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." 24:04 He calls this man to a commitment of sacrifice. 24:08 The call of Christ to the human heart 24:10 is the call to make the sacrifice. 24:12 Jesus is saying, "The things of eternity 24:14 far outweigh the things here on earth." 24:17 There's something you give up, 24:19 there's a surrender that you make. 24:21 Martin Luther, we're celebrating 500 years 24:24 since the Reformation, Martin Luther said, 24:27 "A religion that gives nothing costs nothing 24:29 and suffers nothing is worth nothing." 24:38 One of the former vice presidents 24:39 of the General Conference 24:41 was traveling far back in a mountain region of Asia. 24:43 As he's there, he's talking to two pioneer missionaries 24:45 traveling from village to village, 24:47 they're preaching the gospel. 24:48 And as he's talking to them he asked them a question, 24:50 he says, "Is there anything you need?" 24:52 They look at each other, they put their heads down, 24:55 they say, "Well there's one thing 24:58 very important to us." 24:59 He says, "Well, how can I help you?" 25:01 He says, "We only have one pair of shoes. 25:04 So whoever walks to the furthest village 25:06 gets the shoes for that day. 25:09 Oh, Pastor, if we only had one pair of shoes, 25:12 one more pair of shoes 25:14 so both of us could have shoes." 25:16 And yet that didn't stop them from sharing the gospel. 25:20 This is the commitment of those who follows Christ, 25:22 no excuses, willing to make sacrifices. 25:26 The Bible continues in Luke 9:59. 25:31 "Jesus said to another man, 'follow me' but he said, 25:33 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 25:36 And Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their own dead 25:38 but you go and preach the kingdom of God." 25:41 Now some of you might say, "Well, that's strange. 25:43 Why would Jesus respond like that?" 25:45 Well, think about this for a minute. 25:47 If the man's father was dead, he would have been there 25:50 because in Jewish culture when a person died 25:52 they were buried that same day. 25:54 You see what Jesus was saying... 25:56 What the man was saying was that, 25:57 "Let me wait until my father is dead and buried 25:59 and then I will come and follow you, Jesus. 26:02 Just let me go back and care for the affairs of my father 26:04 whether it would be six months or a year or however long 26:07 and then I will follow You." 26:09 In other words, he was putting off 26:11 what Christ wanted him to do. 26:13 And oftentimes we make that excuse, 26:15 we won't commit because there are other things 26:17 that come first. 26:19 First let me do this, first let me do that. 26:21 Friends, Jesus needs us to commit to being available 26:23 when He calls us. 26:25 So commitment not only requires sacrifice, 26:27 it requires availability. 26:29 Number three in this passage in Luke 9. 26:32 "Another man said to Jesus," verse 61, 26:34 "Lord, I will follow You but first let me go 26:37 and bid them farewell who are in my house." 26:40 But Jesus said to him, 26:42 "No one having put his hand to the plough 26:45 and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God." 26:50 For this excuse the man is saying that 26:52 he's occupied primarily with other things. 26:55 Nothing wrong with taking care of your family, right? 26:58 Right? 26:59 But the problem is when the things in your life 27:01 begin to overshadow the greater purpose 27:04 to which we are called, even if they are good things, 27:07 they can become problems in and of themselves. 27:10 Jesus called him to have an undivided heart. 27:14 So commitment requires sacrifice, 27:15 it requires availability and it requires 27:18 an undivided heart. 27:22 When I think of a story that talks about people 27:24 that had no excuses, 27:27 nothing could be better than the story 27:29 that we heard this afternoon. 27:31 I don't know if you were here, but we talked about 27:33 the history of ASI and the history of 27:34 self-supporting work. 27:36 And when I think of the story in particular of 27:38 Sutherland and Magan, 27:40 the men who founded Madison College 27:41 and who were the founders of ASI. 27:44 They were so committed to God's work, 27:47 they were so committed to leaving the comforts 27:49 of normal life. 27:50 They knew God's plan for education, 27:52 they were committed to following it wherever it led. 27:55 They were committed to whatever sacrifice it took. 27:58 You know, it's interesting and I read that book, 28:00 'God's Beautiful Farm'. 28:01 Have you guys read it? 28:03 I encourage you to pick it up before you leave, 28:04 we have it still at the booth. 28:06 But in that book there are a few stories 28:08 that stand out, and one of that stands out 28:09 is when they first moved the college to Andrews 28:12 what is now Andrews in Berrien Springs, 28:15 that first winter, you know, 28:17 they were trying to be out in the country 28:18 and have a more rural setting for the college. 28:21 They endured a winter in those cabins without heat. 28:24 Can you imagine Berrien Springs without heat? 28:27 I've been there with heat and it's still freezing. 28:31 They were willing to follow wherever God led them 28:34 because they were so committed. 28:36 But once they got the work established at Andrews, 28:39 they felt a call to Madison and they went there 28:41 even though they were severe trials, 28:43 even Percy's wife got sick and passed away. 28:48 And yet Percy could still say in 1903, 28:51 "I know that these trials are sent to us 28:54 not to bring bitterness out of our characters 28:56 but to bring all the fragrance that God can possibly bring 28:59 into our lives." 29:03 That didn't stop these two men of faith. 29:05 They were committed to following God 29:06 no matter what the sacrifice. 29:09 And they heard the call of Jesus 29:10 to leave Emmanuel Missionary College 29:12 and to found Madison College. 29:14 And you know, it's such an incredible story 29:17 but the particular scene that stands out in my mind 29:20 is that, is that moment when they... 29:22 the boat breaks down, remember, 29:23 and they have to go off the boat 29:25 and it happens to be at the property 29:27 where Ellen White had seen in vision that 29:28 this is where the school needed to be. 29:30 But Sutherland and Magan did not want 29:32 to have the school at this place. 29:34 It looked too foreboding, too hard. 29:36 There was rocks, and there were old buildings 29:38 and they struggled with it. 29:40 And yet Ellen White was telling them, 29:41 "Boys, this is the place." 29:44 And they didn't... 29:45 Oh, they struggled in their hearts. 29:48 But as the story goes they knelt down 29:49 and they agonized with God in prayer 29:52 and they both knew that they needed to follow 29:55 the counsel of the servant of the Lord. 29:57 And in the end, after prayer, they were convicted 29:59 that they must commit to following it 30:02 and to accepting the sacrifice that would come. 30:05 And so they said yes, 30:07 and we know the rest of the story, 30:09 God blessed them beyond measure. 30:12 It was the hard road, it was the difficult road 30:14 but it was worth it because it was the road 30:16 Jesus had called them to take. 30:20 Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after me, 30:23 let him deny himself and take up his cross 30:25 and follow me", Luke 8. 30:29 And in Help in Daily Living, page 477, 30:32 this quote speaks to my heart. 30:35 The servant of God says, "The Lord has no place 30:38 in His work for those who have a greater desire 30:40 to win the crown than to bear the cross. 30:43 He wants men who are more intent 30:45 upon doing their duty than upon receiving their reward, 30:48 men who are more solicitous for principle than promotion." 30:54 So, my friends, tonight we've seen the call of Christ. 30:57 Each of us is called to a vision 30:58 greater than ourselves, 31:01 taking the gospel to the world in this generation. 31:04 We've seen the commitment to Christ. 31:05 Christ calls us to commitment. 31:07 It requires sacrifice, being available, 31:10 and having an undivided heart. 31:11 But now, let's look at the motivation for all of it 31:13 which is the cross of Christ. 31:16 Ultimately, what motivated Sutherland and Magan, 31:19 what motivated Abram La Rue, 31:21 and what motivated Peter, James, and John 31:23 to take the gospel in their generation 31:25 was the cross of Christ, the one who gave us 31:29 the greatest example of commitment, 31:30 the only one who can enable us to live a life of commitment, 31:35 the preeminent ASI member, 31:38 Jesus, a self-supporting missionary. 31:42 He worked in a carpenter shop in Nazareth 31:44 supported by donations. 31:46 His life reveals the ultimate example 31:49 of commitment. 31:51 And because He was committed to you and to me, 31:55 as Philippians 2 says, "He humbled Himself 31:58 and became obedient to the point of death, 32:01 even the death of the cross." 32:05 In Luke 23, we read the story of the crucifixion 32:08 and just to draw our minds 32:12 to the sacrifice of Christ tonight, 32:13 I'll just look at verse 33 and verses 44 to 46. 32:18 The Bible says, "When they came to the place 32:20 called the Skull, 32:22 they crucified him along with criminals, 32:24 one on his right and the other on his left." 32:28 In verse 44 to 46, the Bible says, 32:31 "Now it was about the sixth hour 32:32 and there was darkness over all the earth 32:33 until the ninth hour, the sun was dark, 32:35 and the veil of the temple was torn in two, 32:37 and when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, 32:40 "Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit." 32:44 Having said this, He breathed His last. 32:49 The cross reveals more clearly 32:51 than any other place in scripture, 32:53 the self sacrificing ministry of Jesus. 32:57 It shows the depths that heaven would go 32:59 to redeem you and me. 33:02 What is it about the cross that leads us to commitment? 33:05 Jesus was committed not only to death in this life, 33:08 He was committed to giving up His life 33:10 for eternity for you, for me. 33:16 I can't fathom that. 33:19 He believed it was worth it to cease from existing 33:21 so we could have a chance of eternal life. 33:24 The sacrifice of Christ on the cross 33:25 reveals the true value of each one of us to God. 33:30 In the light of this sacrifice, can we do anything less? 33:36 The commitment of Christ should stir us 33:38 to a deep desire to be committed to Him. 33:42 Jesus said in John 17:4, 33:46 "I have glorified You on earth," 33:48 speaking of the Father, 33:50 "I have finished the work which You have given Me to do." 33:55 Jesus was committed to the work that the Father had given Him 33:58 to do to the very end. 34:01 When we come to the end of our life, 34:04 will we be able to say, "God, I was faithful 34:06 to finish the work You have given me to do." 34:12 This weekend some of you may have heard 34:14 little snapshots of a life of someone named Vera Onkoba. 34:18 Vera was a personal friend of mine, 34:21 a close friend of my girlfriend Ranela. 34:24 She was a modern day, 21st century Enoch, 34:28 committed to the calling of God in her life, 34:31 a nurse by trade and by ministry. 34:35 She grew up in a loving home, spiritual home. 34:38 And yet in her senior year in college, 34:39 she wrestled with questions about the true nature of God. 34:42 But she began to study the Bible 34:44 and she began devouring the Bible. 34:47 And it's particularly, "She loved 34:49 the book Revelation," speaks by Mark Finley. 34:51 Every day, she would read it. 34:54 God captivated her life. 34:55 Every day, she would pray and pour over the scriptures 34:58 and God began to change her heart. 35:01 And from there, the Lord continued 35:03 to grow this young woman 35:05 and gave her many missionary opportunities. 35:07 She began to do travel nursing 35:09 so that she could have more money 35:12 so she could work less and work more for Jesus. 35:15 At one point in her life, she was so convicted 35:18 by the words of Ellen White to do literature evangelism. 35:20 She would work three days a week as a nurse 35:22 and the remaining four days, every day, 35:24 she would take 12 people with her door to door 35:26 to do literature evangelism. 35:30 And then on Sabbath, she would train church members. 35:33 She continued this for over seven years. 35:36 Through the faithful efforts of this woman, 35:38 churches grew and church members were revived 35:41 to a life of witnessing. 35:43 The church never paid her but she was committed to Christ 35:48 and the calling that He had given her. 35:51 Most recently, she was a volunteer Bible worker 35:53 at a church in Michigan, 35:55 she lived in the basement of some friend's house 35:57 so she could pay off the last year of her debt 35:59 and she wanted more than anything to go 36:01 be a missionary in the Middle East. 36:03 She commuted an hour and a half to work every day 36:06 to the hospital she worked at, working the night shift. 36:09 The family that live with her said, 36:11 sometimes they wouldn't see her until 2 PM, 36:14 and she would come to sleep for a few hours 36:16 and then drive right back to the hospital that evening. 36:19 When asked where she was the whole morning, 36:21 she would say that she had developed Bible study contacts 36:24 in that area and she couldn't come back 36:25 until she gave Bible studies. 36:29 She was totally sold out 36:31 and committed to living God's calling in her life. 36:35 Vera touched the lives of people she had known 36:37 for years, months, or even minutes. 36:39 I know, she touched my life. 36:42 Many people knew that when she looked at you, 36:44 she didn't see what you looked like, 36:45 what your social status was, or your educational background, 36:48 all she saw was a soul for whom Jesus died. 36:53 Less than two weeks ago, my girlfriend Ranela 36:55 was on a brief phone call with her asking her 36:58 to co-speak at a seminar at ASI, 37:00 total member involvement. 37:02 She agreed, she was very excited, 37:03 she wanted to be here at this weekend. 37:06 Little did any of us know that less than a week later, 37:09 she would be lying on a hospital bed 37:11 fighting for her life. 37:13 The doctors tried all day and into the night 37:15 to get her heart to beat again but it suddenly stopped 37:17 that morning and it was over. 37:19 She was only 36 years old. 37:24 And now after her sudden death, those of us that knew her 37:27 and interact with her knew that this was a bright light 37:31 that the world had lost. 37:34 But perhaps the good that God will bring out of it 37:37 here on earth is the fact that 37:38 her legacy of commitment to Christ lives on. 37:41 The bright light is still shining 37:43 and God is shining her example into your hearts tonight 37:45 to tell you this one thing, when it is all said and done, 37:49 at the end of the day, if we take our last breath 37:52 here on earth before Jesus comes, 37:54 the only thing that will matter and that will live on 37:57 is a life of sacrificial commitment 37:59 that we live for others and the Savior we love. 38:02 The only thing that will matter are the souls 38:04 that we win for Jesus. 38:08 There is life of selfless service, 38:10 the love that she exuded for others, 38:11 her devotion to Jesus that let her to give away 38:13 almost all of her salary before her death. 38:15 All of this is a testimony to the power 38:18 that shakes the world when God's people 38:19 pledge their lives to him holding nothing back. 38:22 What would happen if we all live like Vera? 38:25 What would happen if we all lived like Jesus? 38:30 How soon would Jesus return? 38:33 How much of Christ's love would penetrate 38:35 the darkest parts of the earth until the earth is lighted 38:37 with the glory of God? 38:40 And we would see Vera and our loved ones 38:42 who have passed away in the sin and death, 38:44 and suffering and separation from God would be no more. 38:51 Here is a woman who was unselfishly 38:53 committed to Christ and to His service. 38:56 My friends, tonight, 39:00 you and I don't know what's around the corner. 39:05 We never know what's going on in our bodies 39:07 from a health standpoint. 39:08 I mean, many a person has felt well 39:10 and then the next day, they go to the doctor 39:12 and they find out they have cancer. 39:16 We don't know what's around the corner. 39:18 Vera didn't know what was around the bend. 39:21 God calls us to commitment now. 39:24 God calls us to commitment tonight, 39:26 to faithfulness tonight, to service tonight. 39:32 You may not have another ASI Convention, 39:36 I cannot guarantee you that tonight. 39:40 But today is the day that you can say 39:41 with all of your heart, "Lord Jesus, 39:43 I've been here at ASI, I've heard these messages. 39:45 I've been convicted by Your Spirit 39:47 to do something for You. 39:48 Please help me to live for You, 39:50 help me to lay aside the sin that so easily ensnares me 39:53 and to run the race that You have called me to run." 39:58 Thinking back to my grandpa, and those marines 40:01 who fought to take the beaches of Iwo Jima, 40:03 you know, they had a mission. 40:06 They were committed to their mission, 40:07 no matter the cost. 40:11 But how much greater is our mission, 40:14 our mission to take the gospel to every nation, 40:17 and kindred, and tongue, and people? 40:19 My friends, the greatest mission 40:20 ever entrusted to human beings is given to you. 40:24 To take the three angels' messages 40:27 to the ends of the earth in this generation. 40:30 ASI, tonight Jesus is calling you, 40:33 Jesus is calling me. 40:34 The work of God on this earth will never be finished 40:36 until each and every one of us does all we can 40:39 by the power of God uniting together 40:42 to take the gospel to the world. 40:47 This was Vera's mission. 40:51 Her story reminds us of the need 40:52 for total commitment to Christ. 40:56 I just want to say is as I ask you to pull out 41:00 this appeal card tonight, 41:02 you were handed this as you came in. 41:08 Sometimes it's hard to make a commitment. 41:12 I've struggled with commitment in my own life. 41:14 I wrestled with the call. 41:18 But I can tell you tonight that I am so grateful 41:23 because Jesus promises, like He said to Peter 41:28 that He will be with us, He is with you. 41:31 Jesus is calling you tonight to give your heart to Him. 41:37 I want to invite you as we close, 41:38 just take a look at this card. 41:40 And if you want to surrender your plans, and your heart, 41:43 and your life to God for the first time tonight, 41:45 just check that box. 41:49 If the second... 41:51 If you look at the second box on the card, it says, 41:54 "I long to have a renewed focus on heaven 41:56 and I desire to recommit my life 41:58 to Jesus again tonight." 42:00 Check that box, make that decision tonight. 42:04 And the third box is for you. 42:06 I want you to take this card and put it in your Bible 42:08 and pray over it as you go home. 42:10 As you have been here at ASI, undoubtedly 42:13 the Holy Spirit has been speaking to your heart. 42:15 He has said to you, "John, or Mary, or Ranela, 42:20 you need to do something for me. 42:23 You need to volunteer in that ministry. 42:25 You need to work for me in this field. 42:27 You need to," maybe sell your business. 42:30 I don't know what it is 42:31 but Jesus is calling you to something tonight 42:33 and I want you to write that on this card 42:34 and pray over it as you go home. 42:40 And tonight, I want to ask you this question because 42:44 I know there are some of us here tonight 42:46 that need to make a change in our priorities. 42:50 We recognize that Jesus has called us. 42:55 And we recognize that we need to make a change. 42:57 I want to make a simple appeal tonight, 42:58 two appeals, actually, for us. 43:02 Firstly, 43:04 there may be some here, you have served Christ, 43:07 you've been committed to His work 43:08 but you realize tonight that you need to make some changes 43:11 as you go home. 43:12 You need to rearrange your priorities 43:14 to be totally committed. 43:16 You want to go home different. 43:20 Would you just raise your hand? 43:23 I want to pray for you. 43:28 Put them down. 43:30 Secondly, there also may be someone here tonight, 43:33 you have not been involved in service 43:34 but during this ASI Convention, 43:36 you have heard Jesus saying to you, 43:38 "Follow Me and I will make you a fisher of men." 43:43 And the Spirit is speaking to you tonight. 43:46 For the first time, you realize that 43:47 you need to give your life and service to your Master. 43:51 You cannot go home the same, you need to make 43:53 a radical turn in the direction of your life. 43:57 Would you raise your hand tonight 43:59 if that is you? 44:03 I want to invite you... 44:07 as we hear this song. 44:12 If you have heard God speaking to your heart tonight 44:15 and during this ASI Convention, 44:18 if you want to say to the Lord Jesus, 44:19 "Lord Jesus, I want to commit my life to Your service. 44:23 Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee." 44:29 If that is your prayer tonight, 44:31 I want to invite you forward during this song. 44:34 And we're going to have a prayer of dedication 44:35 and commitment at the end. 44:52 Take my life 44:57 And let it be 45:03 Consecrated, Lord, to Thee 45:09 Take my hands and let them move 45:15 At the impulse 45:21 Of Thy love 45:30 Take my feet 45:36 And let them be 45:41 Swift and beautiful for Thee 45:48 Take my voice and let me sing 45:54 Always, only 46:01 For my King 46:10 Take my lips and let them be 46:17 Filled with messages from Thee 46:24 Take my silver and my gold 46:30 Not a mite would I withhold 46:37 Not a mite would I 46:43 Withhold 46:52 Take my will 46:58 And make it Thine 47:04 It shall be no longer mine 47:10 Take my heart, it is Thine own 47:17 It shall be 47:23 Thy royal throne 47:47 Father in heaven, 47:51 tonight we have seen 47:55 that the greatest example of commitment than any of us 48:01 have ever known as you. 48:05 You gave the ultimate sacrifice. 48:10 You made the ultimate commitment to us, 48:15 a commitment and a sacrifice that we can never understand 48:18 but for which we will be eternally grateful. 48:22 Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your life to save us. 48:26 Thank you for calling us, and for choosing us, 48:29 and for enabling us to be committed to you. 48:34 Oh, Father, forgive us for we have often made excuses. 48:38 We have often been distracted, 48:40 we have often had a divided heart 48:42 but tonight we want to come to you. 48:44 And those who have come forward 48:46 and those who are in their seats, 48:47 Lord, we recognize that we're not guaranteed tomorrow. 48:52 And like Vera, we want to live a life of total commitment. 48:58 We want others to know that, Jesus, you are number one, 49:02 that Your mission is the most important thing to us. 49:06 Lord, we lay it all on the altar tonight. 49:08 There is someone here tonight that is sensing 49:10 the call of God. 49:12 Empower them by Your Spirit to go from this ASI Convention 49:17 to where You have called them to go. 49:21 Help us to rearrange our priorities 49:23 so that You are number one. 49:27 Oh, Lord, we long to see You come. 49:31 We long to be reunited with our loved ones 49:33 that we have lost. 49:35 We long to see everyone on this earth know you. 49:37 We long to see this world lighted with the glory of God. 49:40 Lord Jesus, please empower Your church, 49:42 help us to take the three angels' messages 49:45 to the world in this generation. 49:46 We can't do it on our own, we don't have the strength 49:49 but by Your power and by Your grace, 49:51 we know that You can finish this work. 49:53 Help our church, Lord, please, we pray. 49:58 Pour out Your Spirit upon this generation 50:01 that this may be the generation that finishes the work. 50:05 And we will give You all the praise 50:07 when we see You coming in the clouds of heaven. 50:11 Oh, Lord, keep us faithful, 50:14 keep us committed, keep our eyes on You. 50:19 We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, 50:22 our Savior, our Lord, and our coming King. 50:28 Amen. |
Revised 2022-08-10