Participants:
Series Code: 17GYC
Program Code: 17GYC000007A
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00:41 Lily of the Valley
00:45 Let your sweet aroma 00:48 Fill my life 00:56 Rose of Sharon show me 01:00 How to grow in beauty 01:03 In Your sight 01:11 Fairest of ten thousand 01:15 Make me a reflection 01:19 Of your light 01:27 Daystar shine down on me 01:31 Let your love shine through me 01:34 In the night 01:42 Lead me Lord, I'll follow 01:46 Anywhere 01:47 You open up the door 01:56 Let Your word speak to me 01:59 Show me what 02:01 I've never seen before 02:09 Lord, I want to be Your witness 02:14 You can take what's wrong 02:17 And make it right 02:26 Daystar shine down on me 02:30 Let Your love shine through me 02:33 In the night 02:41 Lord, I've seen a world that's dying 02:46 Wounded by the master of deceit 02:56 Groping in the darkness 03:00 Haunted by the years 03:03 Of past defeat 03:09 But then I see You standing near me, Lord 03:15 Shining with compassion 03:18 In Your eyes 03:26 Daystar shine down on me 03:30 Let your love shine through me 03:33 In the night 03:41 Lead me Lord, I'll follow 03:45 Anywhere You open up 03:48 The door 03:55 Let Your word speak to me 03:59 Show me what 04:00 I've never seen before 04:09 Lord, I want to be Your witness 04:14 You can take what's wrong 04:17 And make it right 04:26 Daystar shine down on me 04:30 Let Your love shine through me 04:34 In the night 04:42 Daystar shine down on me 04:46 Let Your love shine through me 04:49 In the night 04:58 Jesus shine down on me 05:03 And let Your love shine through me 05:08 In the night 05:32 Praise God. Amen. 05:34 Good evening to all of you. 05:38 My dear friends, do you want 05:40 the daystar to shine down upon you. 05:45 That He might shine through you in the darkness of this night 05:49 that we are living in. 05:54 Tonight as we begin, let us pray. 06:03 Lord, that is the prayer of this GYC Conference 06:09 that the light of the daystar Jesus would shine upon us, 06:14 shine in us, and shine through us. 06:20 That the darkness of this earth 06:22 would be dissipated by the light of Your glory 06:26 shining forth from Your people. 06:29 And so tonight as we enter this time of study, 06:33 lay everything aside in our life, Lord, 06:36 and help us that we might focus... 06:44 on what You are calling each of us to do. 06:49 We pray this in Jesus' name, amen. 06:53 Amen. 06:57 I'll never forget the date, 07:00 January 8th, 1989. 07:07 Let me pause for just a moment 07:08 because last night I told a story from 1986. 07:14 And as I prepared the message, 07:15 I realized that the great majority of my audience 07:20 was not alive in 1986 or 1989. 07:26 Lest you think I'm old, I'm not old. 07:32 I assure you, 07:34 this does not yet fall into the category of ancient history. 07:41 January 8th, 1989, I was 14 years old, 07:45 I'll help you so you don't have to do the math 07:47 so you can pay attention, I'm 43. 07:56 But on that day my dad took me 07:58 to the National Football Conference, 08:01 the NFC championship game. 08:05 The Chicago Bears versus the San Francisco 49ers. 08:10 I lived in Chicago, it was our team. 08:14 But it was a cold winter day, wind chills, 08:18 negative 20 Fahrenheit. 08:23 But I was excited 08:25 because the winner of this game was going to Super Bowl. 08:29 Having lived most of my life up until that point in Chicago, 08:35 this was a big moment. 08:39 After enduring a few hours of negative temperatures, 08:44 my excitement dwindled to disappointment 08:49 as the Bears lost the game. 08:52 They were blown out as a matter of fact. 08:58 But I didn't realize it at that moment 09:00 that the beginnings of my disappointment 09:05 had only just begun. 09:10 We took the metro train back to the suburbs. 09:15 We got in our car and my dad took me out for Chinese food. 09:20 I remember it like yesterday, it was bad Chinese food. 09:31 And there as we sat, 09:36 my dad shared with me something 09:40 that would drastically change our family and my life forever. 09:46 After 15 years of being married, 09:50 my dad told me that he and my mom 09:52 were going to get divorced. 09:57 And I'll tell you, I didn't understand. 10:00 I mean, I knew things were tough in our family, 10:02 but I didn't think they were that bad. 10:06 I grew up in a Catholic home. 10:09 My parents were active in the church. 10:12 I would not call our family devout, 10:13 but we went to mass every week. 10:16 I was baptized, had my first communion 10:18 and was confirmed in the Catholic Church. 10:25 My parents taught the youth and young adult class. 10:29 Ironically enough taught marriage in Richmond classes. 10:34 We went camping together as a family. 10:37 Our favorite destination 10:38 being the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, 10:42 Copper Harbor to be exact. 10:48 We had family dinner together every single night. 10:54 My mom, my dad, my three younger brothers, 10:57 and myself all there at the table, 10:59 every single night. 11:02 But now my dad told me that that all was going to end. 11:09 And with that it brought 11:10 an uncontrolled downward spiral. 11:15 First, in my spiritual life I observed a church 11:19 in which my parents were active, 11:20 we knew people from the church, 11:22 the priest would come to our home on occasion. 11:27 And when my parents went through this, no one came. 11:31 No one came. 11:37 The members, the priest, no one came to visit. 11:41 And while immature in my young teenage mind, 11:43 I decided if this is what the church 11:45 and God is all about, 11:48 I've got no use for it. 11:51 And I'll tell you I never became an atheist. 11:53 I knew there was something, 11:55 I just didn't know what or who it was 11:59 and where to find it. 12:02 And I'll tell you I became angry, unhealthy angry. 12:07 I played football when I was in high school. 12:11 And the field became the place where I dealt with my anger. 12:15 My friends said that they didn't know who I was 12:18 when I played ball. 12:20 I literally left it all on the field. 12:24 It was unhealthy, but it's how I dealt with it. 12:29 I don't want to give any illusions of grandeur, 12:32 I was not headed for the NFL by any means. 12:37 But there were expectations 12:39 that I could play in a smaller college program. 12:42 However, in the midst of my high school experience 12:46 on a soggy October day, I took an awkward hit. 12:52 And my knee bent in ways that it's not designed to bend. 12:57 And I laid there on the ground feeling like 12:58 someone had shot me in the knee. 13:03 One surgery turned into two surgeries, 13:05 the doctor told me no more football. 13:08 But that was okay because I wrestled, 13:10 so I could still settle it all on the mat. 13:13 Three months of intensive rehab. 13:16 I actually got my left leg stronger than my right leg. 13:21 The first day that I was 13:24 able to go live in practice, 13:28 I blew my knee out again. 13:31 Sixteen years old, macho wrestler, 13:34 and I laid face down on the mat, weeping aloud, 13:38 asking the question "Why?" 13:43 Why is this happening to me? 13:45 I spent the majority 13:46 of my 10th and 11th grade year on crutches. 13:51 And so with no outlet in sports, 13:53 I turned to other things, all kinds of other things 13:59 and each of them left me 14:00 more empty than I felt before I did them, 14:04 each of them actually making me more angry 14:07 after their momentary doling of the pain. 14:13 I was so angry at so many things. 14:18 And as my parents went through the divorce process, 14:22 my dad moved out, 14:25 and then he moved back in, 14:27 and then he moved out again, 14:30 and then he moved back in, 14:33 and then he moved out, 14:35 and he moved back in, 14:37 and then he moved to in his own room. 14:41 And then he moved out forever. 14:46 I was angry. 14:50 As I got older, 14:54 I began to get especially angry with my mom. 14:59 And at the age of 18 believing 15:00 I had learned all that I needed to learn in life. 15:05 I blamed my mom entirely for the divorce of my parents. 15:14 I blamed her for holding me back from the things 15:17 that I wanted to do in life. 15:21 And so three months after I graduated from high school 15:23 one day my mom faithfully went to work 15:28 as she had done since my father left 15:30 to support me and my three younger brothers. 15:36 I packed up all my stuff 15:39 and I left not telling her where I was going, 15:45 not speaking to her. 15:52 I made no contact with my mom. 15:58 You know they say 15:59 in life everything happens for a reason. 16:01 During the millennium, 16:03 I'm going to be asking the Lord about that one. 16:09 But I'll tell you, my mom faithfully contacted me, 16:16 wrote me cards, phone calls, 16:19 never missed a holiday or a birthday. 16:25 Reaching out, telling me that she loved me, 16:28 she wanted to talk to me. 16:32 And in my insensitivity 16:33 I did not return any of her phone calls. 16:36 My mom looked for excuses to send me cards on holidays 16:41 that you normally don't send cards. 16:44 She sent me cards on my birthday, 16:46 and on Christmas, and Easter, the standard ones. 16:48 But then she sent cards on Valentine's Day. 16:52 And she sent cards on Halloween. 16:55 And let me tell you something that's interesting, 16:56 I'm 43 years old 16:58 and my mom still sends me candy on Halloween. 17:05 And if you want to write about 17:06 the apostate nature of such things, 17:08 you're missing the whole point 17:10 of what my mom was trying to do. 17:15 Folks, that went on. 17:18 Not contacting my mom for two years, two years. 17:25 In the midst of all of that... 17:31 And being so angry, and lost, and confused, 17:36 I was searching for who or what God was. 17:40 I began attending a mega church in the Chicago area. 17:45 But I didn't find what I was looking for. 17:49 I went to the Pentecostal Church, 17:53 and I did not find what I was looking for. 17:58 I had contact with the Mormons. 18:02 I didn't find what I was looking for. 18:06 I had a friend who was a Jehovah's Witness, 18:09 who would talk to me about their religion. 18:12 And I knew that that's what I was not looking for. 18:21 Spiritual things to me were like taking a 500 piece puzzle, 18:26 a 1000 piece puzzle, 18:28 and a 5,000 piece puzzle putting it in a bag 18:31 and mixing it all together. 18:34 It just didn't make sense. 18:37 I even went looking 18:39 and attended a New Age Conference over a weekend. 18:45 And I knew that that's not what I was looking for. 18:51 But God used that weekend 18:54 during a time of personal reflection. 18:59 I was 20 years old. 19:02 I came to realize how selfish I was 19:04 and how selfish I was being. 19:09 And I called my mom. 19:13 Think about it, what do you say, 19:17 "Hey, I forgot to call." 19:20 Been two years. 19:24 I didn't know what to say, 19:25 I didn't know what she would say, 19:27 I didn't know how to say it, 19:29 and as soon as my mom answered the phone 19:31 and she heard my voice, she started crying. 19:36 And all I could think of saying was, 19:39 "Mom, I'm sorry." 19:44 And I'll tell you what my Mom accepted me back 19:47 with not one condition laid upon me. 19:51 No questions, no pressure, she just accepted me back. 19:57 And I will tell you in that moment, 20:01 my mother taught me more about the love of Jesus 20:04 than I had ever been taught in any church 20:06 at that point in my life. 20:12 I was lost and confused. 20:17 I was still searching for the real meaning of life 20:19 and life circumstances took me from Chicago, 20:22 Illinois to South Bend, Indiana, 20:25 Mishawaka to be more exact. 20:30 When I arrived there, I needed a way to pay the bills 20:34 and so I took a job working the third shift 20:38 at a Speedway gas station. 20:45 And then one night, 20:48 someone came into the gas station 20:51 that would change my life forever. 20:55 She worked a second shift as a nursing assistant 20:57 at a nursing home right up the road. 21:02 And she came in to get gas. 21:05 Every night she came in to get gas, five dollars. 21:09 She'd come and talk 21:10 until the wee hours of the morning. 21:13 She had grown up Seventh-day Adventist, 21:15 but was having her own spiritual struggles. 21:18 But my interest in spiritual things awakened 21:21 a renewed commitment in her life. 21:25 And as our relationship became more serious 21:27 and as I asked more questions, 21:29 she invited me to attend her home church 21:33 in Berrien Springs, Michigan. 21:36 And on that one night we attended 21:37 the Pioneer Memorial Church with a big satellite 21:42 on the side of the church. 21:44 And there that evening 21:46 as we attended projected on the big screen was Mark Finley 21:51 during the NET '95 series. 21:55 My first message in the Adventist church 21:59 in NET '95, 22:02 little did I know at that time the impact 22:04 that this man would have on my life in later years. 22:08 We attended more meetings 22:09 that were held locally in the South Bend First Church 22:14 and I began learning so many things. 22:17 Yet, as I learned so many things, 22:19 so many things that seemed to make logical sense, 22:22 I was still very angry. 22:24 See now what I was dealing with as I learned these new things 22:27 as how could I have lived 21 years of life 22:30 and no one ever shared this with me before. 22:35 And I want to tell you, dear friends, 22:37 there are countless millions if not billions of people 22:41 around this earth who are in a situation just like I was. 22:50 I was so angry. 22:52 And I was trying to work through my guilt. 22:58 It was in those moments 23:01 that I sensed God arising in my life. 23:15 At the same time I was attending a Baptist Church 23:18 that my dad was going to which confused things even more. 23:27 And at 21 years old, 23:29 I made a decision to become a Baptist. 23:37 This young lady didn't dump me to the side. 23:44 She stayed close to me and I brought home one day 23:46 a Bible study on the secret rapture. 23:53 And this young lady gave me a study on the Second Coming. 23:59 That she probably could not replicate today. 24:03 Or at least not the intensity that existed. 24:12 It was at that moment I knew 24:14 that I needed to let go of my old ways. 24:21 So I went and met the Adventist pastor. 24:24 And I will tell you in a decision 24:26 that I still don't understand to this day. 24:32 I came to the pastor's office to study with him, 24:36 to understand the last few questions that I had 24:39 about the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 24:41 And this Adventist pastor is waiting outside 24:43 and he says to me, "Hey, listen I need to pick up 24:46 my son from Sam's Club, 24:49 so why don't you jump in my car." 24:51 Now I remind you this is a man I don't know. 24:54 And for some reason I got in his car. 25:00 And there I sat in the front seat and he said, 25:04 "So what are your questions?" 25:06 And I had the Bible in my hand. 25:09 And I began asking him those questions 25:15 that were most pertinent in my life, 25:20 and there sitting in the front seat of a Mercedes Benz, 25:26 God convicted my heart. 25:30 I died to self. 25:32 And that day made a decision 25:34 to become a part of God's last day movement of destiny. 25:39 Amen! 25:46 You see the call of God was for me to arise and shine. 25:51 But before I could arise and shine, 25:53 He needed to arise in my life 25:55 just as we talked about last night. 25:58 And from my broken, bruised, ruined, 26:00 and wasted life Jesus arose. 26:03 I drank from the fountain. 26:06 God arose in my life, 26:11 and as the light of the glory 26:14 of His character came into my life. 26:19 The call from God was to arise. 26:25 Isaiah 61, 26:27 "Arise and shine." 26:33 Yet tonight, as we look at this word arise, 26:36 I need to tell you, 26:37 there is great irony in the word arise. 26:42 Because in the ways of God 26:45 the only way that you can arise 26:47 is that you would first die. 26:53 Isaiah 60:2, 26:54 "For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, 26:56 and deep darkness the people, 26:58 but the Lord will arise over you." 27:01 Ephesians 5, if you have your Bibles, 27:04 you open them to Ephesians 5:8. 27:08 We're going to be moving through 27:09 a number of texts rather quickly. 27:13 Ephesians 5:8 expands upon this idea 27:17 of the light breaking forth through the darkness. 27:23 Ephesians 5:8, "For you were once in darkness, 27:28 but now you are light in the Lord." 27:32 How did that happen? 27:33 Well, Isaiah 60 already answered that, 27:35 "The Lord arose on us." 27:37 That's how we come out of the darkness. 27:40 But the text then continues, "Walk as the children of light, 27:44 for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, 27:47 righteousness, and truth, 27:48 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord, 27:51 and have no fellowship 27:52 with the unfruitful works of darkness, 27:54 but rather expose them for it 27:57 is shameful even to speak of those things 27:59 which are done by them in secret. 28:02 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light 28:06 for whatever makes manifest is light." 28:09 Therefore, he says now and take note, 28:13 "Awake you who sleep, arise from the dead, 28:17 and Christ might give you light." 28:20 No, no, he says, "He will give you lights. 28:25 Awake you who sleep, arise from the dead." 28:29 Don't miss it this word awake 28:31 and the word arise are synonymous words. 28:36 You see as you experience 28:37 the Lord arising over you and His word, 28:40 His character take precedence 28:43 and priority in your life. 28:48 The call of God then is to awake or arise, 28:53 but in order to arise, we must first die. 28:58 The rising of God's character in our life 29:00 helps us to realize that we must die to self 29:04 and then arise in Him. 29:07 This death is to all of our old ways. 29:10 But the most important thing is 29:12 it is the death of self reliance. 29:17 Ephesians 2:1, 29:21 expounds further on this very principle. 29:24 Ephesians 2:1, 29:28 "And you, He made alive who were dead 29:33 in trespasses and sins, 29:37 in which you once walked 29:38 according to the course of this world, 29:40 according to the prince of the power of the air, 29:43 the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 29:46 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves 29:50 in the lusts of our flesh, 29:53 fulfilling the desires of the flesh, 29:55 and of the mind, and were by nature, 29:58 children of wrath just as others." 30:01 How many people is that by the way? 30:04 How many is it does it say? 30:06 All people, all of us 30:08 once conducted ourselves in such a way. 30:11 But God who is rich in mercy 30:14 because of His great love with which He loved us 30:17 even when we were dead in our trespasses, 30:20 here it is made us, what is the word there, 30:23 alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, 30:26 and raised us up together, 30:28 and made us sit together 30:30 in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus and in the... 30:35 Excuse me, that in the ages to come 30:37 He might show the exceeding riches 30:39 of His grace and His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus, 30:44 for by grace you have been saved through faith 30:48 and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God. 30:52 Not of works lest any should boast, 30:55 for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus 31:00 for good works which God prepared beforehand 31:04 that we should walk in them. 31:10 The call of Isaiah 60 is for us to arise, for you to arise. 31:15 And that word there arise is a different word, 31:17 a different Hebrew word used than the word 31:21 that is used to describe God arising over us. 31:25 It is the Hebrew word come, 31:28 and it refers to the physical action 31:31 of standing up from a prostrated position. 31:39 But that word is also interestingly enough used 31:43 and translated as established. 31:47 When God established His covenant, 31:50 it's the same exact word that Isaiah commands us to arise. 31:56 You see the call to arise 31:58 is the call to die to our previous ways 32:01 and then for God to raise us 32:05 into a covenant relationship to stand with Him, in Him, 32:10 in uprightness, 32:11 resisting the temptations of the evil one 32:14 and living a victorious life in Him. 32:20 And this is why Paul in Romans 13 32:24 gave us this very promise. 32:28 Romans... 32:30 13:11. 32:38 "And do this. 32:41 Knowing the time that now it is high time to," 32:45 what does it say there? 32:47 "Awake out of sleep, 32:49 for now our salvation is nearer than we first believed. 32:54 The night is far spent, the day is at hand." 32:58 All of this that Paul is articulating 33:00 by the way is simply a reminder of Isaiah 60:1. 33:06 Yet with urgency, Paul calls us to take action. 33:10 And the action he calls us to is to arise from death. 33:18 How do we do that? 33:21 Paul continues, "Therefore, let us cast off 33:27 the works of darkness 33:28 and let us put on the armor of light, 33:33 arise and shine," is what Paul is saying 33:36 and then the passage continues, 33:38 "let us walk properly 33:39 as in the day not in revelry and drunkenness, 33:44 not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy, 33:48 but put on the Lord Jesus Christ 33:51 and make no provision for the flesh 33:55 or to fulfill its lusts." 33:58 You see the call of God to this last day generation, 34:02 this generation that God is looking upon asking, 34:06 "How will I finish the work through you? 34:09 How will I finish the work in you? 34:11 Is the call to arise 34:14 and we arise by casting off all of those things 34:19 that hinder us from moving forward. 34:22 This very word cast off is used six times in the New Testament. 34:27 Listen to these, I'm going to go through them 34:28 in rapid fire progression. 34:30 Ephesians 4:22, 34:33 "That you put off concerning your former conduct, 34:36 the old man which grows corrupt 34:38 according to the deceitful lusts, 34:40 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 34:43 that you put on the new man 34:44 which was created according to God." 34:47 Ephesians 4:25, "Therefore, put away," 34:50 it's the same word cast off, "put away lying, 34:53 let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor." 34:56 Colossians 3:8, "But now you yourselves are to put off," 35:01 it's the same word cast off, cast aside, 35:03 "put off all these anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, 35:08 filthy language out of your mouth. 35:10 Do not lie to one another since you have put off 35:13 the old man with his deeds 35:14 and have put on the new man who has renewed 35:17 in knowledge according to the image of Him 35:19 who created Him." 35:21 Hebrews 12, "Therefore, we also, 35:24 since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 35:27 here it is, let us lay aside," it's the same word cast off, 35:31 "every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, 35:35 and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 35:39 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." 35:45 James 1:21, "Therefore, let us lay aside," cast aside, 35:49 it's the same word, 35:51 "all filthiness and overflow of wickedness. 35:54 And receive with meekness the implanted word 35:57 which is able to save your souls." 36:01 1 Peter 2, "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, 36:06 hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 36:09 as newborn babes, 36:11 desire the pure milk of the word 36:15 that you may grow thereby, 36:17 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 36:20 My dear brothers and sisters, the call of God is to arise, 36:24 but the only way to arise is to die 36:27 through full surrender to Him, 36:29 to die to our old ways, to let Him raise you 36:32 to the highest standards and by His grace, 36:35 and His mercy to cast aside every hindrance, 36:39 anything that impedes you, 36:41 anything of the past and live a life anew in Him." 36:48 I will tell you. 36:51 This sermon was not supposed to start the way it did. 36:55 I hesitate to tell my story. 36:58 And the reason I hesitate to tell my story 37:01 is because there are a number of you 37:02 sitting here saying that's not my story, 37:05 that's a dramatic conversion, 37:07 that's not my experience. 37:09 I've actually had young people and even parents say to me, 37:13 well, maybe I need to go and have a worldly experience 37:16 and then I can have a dramatic story. 37:20 My dear brothers and sisters, let me tell you this, 37:22 that's like placing five bullets in a six shooter 37:25 and playing Russian roulette. 37:27 And if you're not getting the analogy here 37:29 is what I'm telling you, that's foolishness. 37:36 Because here is the reality 37:37 and don't miss this, young people. 37:40 Here is the reality. 37:43 Romans 3:23 is clear for, 37:50 what's the word. 37:52 That's not convincing, what's the word "all." 37:56 How many? All. 37:58 For all have sinned 38:00 and fall short of the glory of God. 38:03 No exceptions. 38:06 It doesn't say except for those 38:08 who are home schooled on the country farm. 38:13 It doesn't say except for those 38:15 who have gone to Adventist schools all their life. 38:17 It doesn't say except for those who went to the campus program 38:20 or those who do summer canvassing, 38:22 or except those who have served as student missionaries. 38:25 No, the Bible is clear, all have sinned 38:28 and fallen short of the glory of God. 38:31 And let me tell you this, 38:35 Isaiah 64:6 makes it all real clear, real fast. 38:41 But we are all like an unclean thing 38:45 and all our righteousness are like filthy rags. 38:50 My dear brothers and sisters, 38:52 no matter how protected in environment you grew up in, 38:54 no matter how godly your parents were 38:56 and by the way those are all wonderful things 39:00 because I will tell you there are days 39:02 where I wish I had not seen the things I've seen. 39:07 But let me tell you the miracle that happened in my life 39:10 is no more a miracle 39:12 than the miracle happening in your life 39:14 because you have been plucked as a brand from the fire 39:18 just as I was plucked. 39:22 You don't need a dramatic story 39:23 because your story is already dramatic. 39:27 Here's the reality, 39:28 you are sinner in need of a savior 39:31 and His name is Jesus Christ. 39:35 You cannot make a decision for Him 39:37 by mere culture or heredity, 39:40 you must make a decision for yourself, 39:43 you must die. 39:47 And then by the power of the indwelling Christ 39:50 who is risen upon you, you must arise. 39:57 Casting aside your former conduct, 39:59 the old man, the old woman, 40:01 putting away lying, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, 40:05 filthy language, all filthiness, 40:07 wickedness, all deceit, 40:09 hypocrisy, envy and all evil speaking, 40:13 and if you wrestle 40:14 with none of those categories fitting you, 40:18 then Paul made it real clear in Hebrews 12, 40:21 "Lay aside every weight, 40:24 anything that ensnares you." 40:33 When I pastored in the Chesapeake Conference 40:37 during camp meeting... 40:42 I was in charge of the primaries. 40:46 I believe it that is actually 40:47 part of the path towards ordination 40:49 in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 40:51 If you can survive the primaries, 40:52 you can survive anything. 40:56 One of our activities during our primary time, 40:59 during camp meeting as we went to the pool. 41:02 I had a number of young people helping me, 41:05 but life gets really exciting 41:08 when you have 67 41:10 and 9-year olds jumping in pool. 41:15 In my teenagers, my teenager's day, 41:18 you know, these bricks that they coat with rubber 41:20 that you can drop to the bottom of the pool, 41:21 and dive down, and pick it up, and come to the top. 41:24 You know what I'm talking about. 41:27 Maybe? Okay, good. 41:30 That's not even a Canadian thing, 41:32 you know, that's a Maryland thing so. 41:35 Anyways. 41:37 Here's what happened the 79-year old 41:39 saw the teenagers diving to get the brick and guess what? 41:43 They wanted to do it. 41:46 So we started in the six foot under the pool and said, 41:48 "Okay, you can do it." 41:49 And that wasn't good enough, they wanted to go in the, 41:51 you know, 15 foot end. 41:53 And that was a little nerve-racking, 41:54 and so I had all of my teenager surrounding. 41:59 And the 79-year olds would dive down 42:00 and they'd get the brick 42:02 and sure some of them would come up to the top. 42:03 But let me tell you 42:04 what the great majority would happen. 42:07 They'd get that brick. 42:09 And with all their might they would kick, kick, kick, 42:12 and they'd get about a foot 42:13 and a half from the top of the water. 42:15 And then they just levitated there. 42:18 They couldn't get enough power to come up out of the water. 42:23 I'd let that go on for a few moments. 42:28 The goal is you don't want to lose anybody. 42:34 And every last one of them. Every last one of them. 42:43 I would grab them and pull them up out of the water. 42:46 I had asked them one simple question, 42:50 "Why didn't you let go off the brick?" 42:57 And they'd always say to me, 42:58 "Pastor, 'cause I just want to get to the top." 43:04 And I'm afraid, my dear young people, 43:09 many of us are striving for a mountain top experience, 43:13 while we're hanging on to the brick. 43:18 And we can't get to the top and no matter what we do, 43:22 no matter how hard we kick, 43:26 we keep having the same issue 43:31 over and over again. 43:39 And all Jesus is saying to you... 43:45 Is you "I want you to arise." 43:49 But in order to arise you must die. 43:53 And in order to die, you must let go off the brick. 44:11 You may not think your story is as dramatic as mine. 44:17 But there is only one path. 44:21 As Pilgrim's Progress calls in, 44:24 there's only one path to the Celestial City. 44:29 And that goes right through Jesus who is the way, 44:35 the truth, and the life. 44:51 Abraham... 44:56 Was called to be the father of nations. 45:01 But he had a problem. 45:04 There was no heir. 45:07 You know the story of Abraham well, 45:11 by faith he came out of Ur of the Chaldees, 45:14 by faith he took the land that looked less fertile. 45:23 But he had some bumps and bruises, 45:25 and for him the brick was, I don't have a son. 45:30 He took matters into his own hands 45:32 and the consequence of that sin 45:36 is still seen ever present on the news today. 45:45 But then the Bible says at the appointed time, 45:51 Isaac was born, the son of the promise. 46:08 But then after the son 46:10 of the promise had been born, 46:16 God asked Abraham 46:21 to sacrifice his only son. 46:28 Abraham had been confident 46:32 in heredity 46:34 and not the power of God. 46:38 And God needed to test Abraham and say, 46:40 "Are you willing to lay everything on the altar, 46:44 including your son." 46:50 Before we are too critical of God 46:52 asking for such thing. 46:56 He did not ask Abraham to give any more 47:00 than God Himself was willing to give. 47:06 And in that passage read 47:11 in Genesis 22, 47:14 we see the faith of Abraham exemplified 47:19 as he leaves behind those servants. 47:34 And Genesis 22:4, 47:39 "Then on the third day, 47:41 Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off 47:44 and Abraham said to his young men, 47:46 'Stay here with the donkey...'" 47:48 Excuse me. 47:49 "Stay here with the donkey, 47:51 the lad and I will go yonder and worship." 47:56 It's a two letter word, but it is ever important. 48:01 And we 48:05 will come back to you. 48:11 Hebrews 11 makes it clear. 48:13 Abraham went there, somehow, 48:16 some way God arose upon Abraham, 48:19 Abraham died to self. 48:21 He had a re-conversion experience, 48:23 where he understood that the promise of God 48:27 was not about heredity, 48:29 but the promise of God was about the power of God 48:33 working in him and working through him. 48:35 And Abraham was willing to take his boy to the altar, 48:40 but in faith knew 48:42 that God would provide a ram 48:45 or that God would raise him from the dead. 48:49 And tonight I want to ask you this simple question, 48:55 "What's your Isaac? 48:58 What's your brick? 49:01 What is it that God's calling you to lay on the altar?" 49:09 Just as I did last night, 49:12 I'm going to make three appeals. 49:18 This is going to be a more difficult appeal 49:19 because I'm not going to call 49:21 everybody to stand. 49:25 But tonight, the first appeal is this. 49:30 You've not been baptized 49:31 and you've sensed your need for the Lord 49:33 to arise in your life, 49:35 tonight you want to answer the call to arise, 49:37 tonight you sense that you need to die to self 49:40 and you want to arise in Him. 49:43 Maybe you know you've strayed far from Him 49:45 and you need to rededicate yourself through re-baptism. 49:50 I'm going to invite you to come forward now. 49:53 Tonight you're going to commit yourself to being baptized. 49:56 You come right in front of that screen there, 49:58 there's people waiting for you. 50:01 Number two, you've sensed 50:04 that God is calling you to cast aside all things 50:07 that are between you and Him, 50:09 you know that there's that one thing 50:10 or maybe there are multiple things 50:13 that are holding you back tonight 50:14 and you want to let go in a special commitment, 50:17 you want to let go of that Isaac, 50:19 you want to let go of that brick, 50:22 you come forward right here tonight. 50:25 And then the third... 50:31 You need Jesus to arise in your life through His Word. 50:35 And somehow, someway 50:37 your devotional life is grown stale. 50:40 And you're in a valley and tonight by faith 50:41 you're coming forward 50:44 asking that God would renew that experience in you, 50:48 you come forward. 50:51 While Sonya plays and Marleta sings, 50:56 "What's your Isaac tonight." 50:59 Come forward not 51:01 because everybody else is coming, come forward, 51:04 those of you who want to be baptized right over here, 51:07 come right in front of the screen as Marleta sings. 51:32 I have a prayer 51:38 As pure as gold 51:43 That where You lead me 51:48 I will go 51:55 And I'll not miss 51:59 The impassioned plea 52:05 When your sweet Spirit 52:09 Calls to me 52:15 And in that hour 52:20 And in that time 52:25 When I must lose my will 52:32 In Thine 52:36 O my allegiance 52:41 Will be found 52:45 The day I lay 52:49 My Isaac down 53:04 Grant me a faith 53:10 Beyond all doubt 53:15 Whose flames of hope cannot 53:20 Burn out 53:24 Let mercy flow 53:29 And grace abound 53:34 The day I lay 53:37 My Isaac down 53:58 Sweet lamb of love 54:04 Most blessed friend 54:09 Nailed to the altar 54:13 For my sin 54:18 Where in my place 54:23 God's son was laid 54:28 The day he laid 54:31 his Jesus down 54:38 Each idol vain 54:43 It's now laid bare 54:48 His suffering cross my heart 54:53 Will share 54:57 Earth kingdoms fall 55:02 Without a sound 55:07 The day I lay 55:11 My Isaac 55:14 Down 55:18 My soul redeemed 55:24 On holy ground 55:29 The day I lay 55:33 my Isaac 55:39 down 55:52 Tonight you've come forward. 55:56 And as you come forward, 55:57 you have made a decision to lay your Isaac down. 56:03 You've made a decision to 56:06 let go of the brick. 56:09 You've made a decision to be baptized. 56:15 It's easy in conferences like this 56:19 to go home and pick Isaac back up. 56:24 It's easy to go home and pick the brick up. 56:27 Young people, 56:29 I want to urge you, don't leave, 56:31 don't leave this room tonight, 56:35 whether you write it in your journal, 56:39 whether you put it in a note in your phone. 56:42 Write down your decision. 56:45 Date the decision. 56:49 And then come up with a plan. 56:51 What are you going to do tonight? 56:55 What will you do tomorrow morning? 56:59 But more importantly, 57:02 what are you going to do on Monday morning 57:05 when you've left this place. 57:09 God's calling. 57:11 He must arise. 57:14 Tonight, 57:16 He's calling for you to arise. 57:20 Cast it all away, and lay your burdens down. 57:25 Let's pray. 57:27 Oh heavenly Father, 57:31 each of us have our Isaacs, 57:35 each of us have those bricks. 57:40 You've called upon us to die to self 57:42 and cast this all aside. 57:45 Maybe there's someone here tonight 57:47 that's been struggling year after year 57:52 holding on to that brick. |
Revised 2018-07-03