Good morning, GYC. Good morning.
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We're going to
start off our song service
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by singing He Leadeth Me.
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He leadeth me!
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O blessed thought!
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O words with heavenly
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Comfort fraught!
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Whate'er I do, where'er I be
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Still 'tis God's hand
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That leadeth me
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He leadeth me, He leadeth me
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By His own hand He leadeth me
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His faithful follower I would be
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For by His hand
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He leadeth me
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Sometimes 'mid
scenes of deepest gloom
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Sometimes where
Eden's bowers bloom
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By waters still,
o'er troubled sea
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Still 'tis His
hand that leadeth me!
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He leadeth me, He leadeth me
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By His own hand He leadeth me
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His Faithful follower I would be
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For by His hand He leadeth me
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Lord, I would
clasp my hand in Thine
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Nor ever murmur nor repine
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Content whatever lot I see
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Since 'tis my God
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That leadeth me
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He leadeth me, He leadeth me
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By His own hand He leadeth me
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His faithful follower I would be
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For by His hand
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He leadeth me
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And when my
task on earth is done
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When, by Thy grace
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The victory's won
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E'en death's cold
wave I will no flee
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Since God
through Jordan leadeth me
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He leadeth me, He leadeth me
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By His own hand He leadeth me
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His faithful follower I would be
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For by His hand
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He leadeth me
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Amen.
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Our next song will be
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Come All
Christians, Be Committed.
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Come, all
Christians, be committed
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To the service of the Lord
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Make your lives
for Him more fitted
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Tune your hearts with one accord
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Come into His
courts with gladness
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Each His sacred vows renew
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Turn away from sin and sadness
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Be transformed with life a new
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Of your time and talents give ye
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They are gifts from God above
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To be used by Christians freely
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To proclaim His wondrous love
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Come again to serve the Savior
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Tithes and
off'rings with you bring
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In your work with Him find favor
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And with joy His praises sing
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God's command to love each other
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Is required of every one
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Showing mercy to another
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Mirrors His redemptive plan
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In compassion He has given
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Of His love that is divine
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On the cross sins were forgiven
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Joy and peace are fully thine
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Come in praise and adoration
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All who on Christ's name believe
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Worship Him with consecration
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Grace and love you will receive
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For His grace give Him the glory
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For the Spirit and the Word
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And repeat the gospel story
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Till mankind His name has heard
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Good morning, everyone.
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Please turn in your
Bibles with me to Genesis 3:15.
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Genesis 3:15,
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"And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
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and between your
seed and her seed.
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He shall bruise your head
and you shall bruise his heel."
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When I ask Chantal Kayumba,
our speaker for this morning,
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what she'd like you all to
know about her, she replied,
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"There's nothing
to know about me."
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After I adamantly
rejected her response,
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she reluctantly added,
"I have a lot of siblings."
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That's cool, but does
anyone ever talk about
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how many siblings they have?
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I don't think so.
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I haven't done anything cool.
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Wait! What are you doing?
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Are you writing all this down?"
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Yes, yes, I did.
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And while I appreciate
her characteristic humility,
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I must once again respectfully
reject her statements
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because there is, in fact,
a lot to know about Chantal,
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and she is, in
fact, very, very cool.
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She's currently
a nursing student
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at the University of Windsor,
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and has developed a
passion for mental health.
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Additionally, for
the past two years,
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she's been serving
as GYC's VP of service,
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leading mission
endeavors to places like Rwanda
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and Manitoulin Island,
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and has been involved behind
the scenes with GYC conferences
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for the past seven years.
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Her speaking appointment
this morning is not her first.
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She gave her first
sermon which was one minute
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in length at age 12,
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preached in
evangelistic series at age 16,
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and has continued to
share her speaking talents
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at GYC and beyond.
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You see there is a lot to
know, and at a surface level,
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these biographical
details are pretty cool.
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But none define Chantal.
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Getting to know her on
the executive committee
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and as a personal
friend, I've come to realize
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that Chantal is much more
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than a
collection of cool titles.
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She's genuinely
kind and thoughtful.
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I've seen her stay up to
sweep floors, wash dishes,
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or throw away
other people's trash
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during GYC leadership retreats.
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I've witnessed her reach
out to people who are hurting
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or if you're out of place.
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There is no pretence in Chantal.
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And one of the
things I admire most
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about her is her realness,
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her desire to seek what is true,
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to remain open and honest,
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and to readily
acknowledge her weaknesses
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in an effort to transform them
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through God's
help into strengths.
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She's not here to
maintain or project a façade
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but is instead,
unapologetically herself,
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an individual
seeking the face of God
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in this dark
and confusing world.
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And today after
prayer and special music,
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sharing some of
these insights with you.
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Let's pray.
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Heavenly Father, I
uplift Chantal to you,
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her words, her mind, her being.
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May she rely not on her
own strength but on Yours.
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May she be a reflection of You.
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Fill her with Your Holy
Spirit and Your perfect peace.
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I pray this in
Jesus' name, amen.
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The fire of His spirit
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in faithful hearts is burning
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Arise! You are called
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To hold aloft its flame
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Arise and shine forth
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A light unto the nations
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A beacon of salvation
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A standard o'er the earth
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Arise and shine forth
to fill a world in darkness
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With the brightness
and the glory of the Lord
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Arise! Arise and shine forth
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A glorious dawn o'er
all the world is breaking
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For prophets again
have heard the voice of God
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He speaks from the heavens
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To every tongue and people
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Arise! You are called
to spread His word abroad
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Arise and shine forth
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A light unto the nations
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A beacon of salvation
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A standard o'er the earth
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Arise and shine forth
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To fill the world in darkness
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With the brightness
and the glory of the Lord
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Arise! Arise and shine forth
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A glorious dawn o'er
all the world is breaking
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The hour is at hand when
Christ will come to reign
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When goodness and mercy
will govern all creation
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Arise! You are
called to usher in the day
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Arise and shine forth
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A light unto the nations
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A beacon of salvation
00:13:41.88\00:13:45.05
A standard o'er the earth
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Arise and shine forth
to fill a world in darkness
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With the brightness
and the glory of the Lord
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Arise!
00:14:02.04\00:14:05.37
Arise and shine forth
00:14:05.41\00:14:11.15
Shine forth
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Amen! Amen!
00:14:22.32\00:14:25.69
Good morning, GYC.
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I didn't hear that.
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Good morning, GYC.
00:14:29.70\00:14:31.40
Good morning!
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I am great, friends.
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I am so excited to be
here with you this morning.
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I am so nervous to
be here this morning.
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But I know that
God will speak to us.
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My first GYC was in 2009,
it was in Louisville, Kentucky,
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and the theme was Unashamed.
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I was 13 years old
and I was just excited
00:14:55.42\00:14:58.89
to be taking a
trip without my parents.
00:14:58.93\00:15:01.63
And so, naturally,
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I don't remember
much about the conference.
00:15:03.63\00:15:05.90
I know that I was fascinated by
00:15:05.93\00:15:07.67
how many young people
were passionate about God.
00:15:07.70\00:15:11.21
I was fascinated by
how many young people
00:15:11.24\00:15:14.24
had opinions about
their local church,
00:15:14.28\00:15:17.05
and a passion for the gospel,
00:15:17.08\00:15:18.88
and a personal
commitment to the gospel.
00:15:18.91\00:15:22.08
One day, I
remember taking a nap,
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I took many naps at GYC,
00:15:23.82\00:15:26.32
and so I took a nap
00:15:26.35\00:15:27.69
and I woke up too
late for the seminars.
00:15:27.72\00:15:30.56
So I was walking
through the halls
00:15:30.59\00:15:32.19
trying to find something to
do, and I see a group of people
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just sitting on the
ground and they're talking
00:15:34.70\00:15:37.40
and they're
praying and I'm like,
00:15:37.43\00:15:39.07
"They're just so weird."
00:15:39.10\00:15:41.60
And so I stood
around watching them
00:15:41.64\00:15:44.07
and it got awkward so
they invited me into the circle
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and I joined them and I'm like,
00:15:47.21\00:15:48.54
"Wait, they're so cool."
00:15:48.58\00:15:52.48
And so I continued
through the weekend,
00:15:52.51\00:15:55.25
nothing life
changing until Saturday night.
00:15:55.28\00:15:59.39
Saturday night, I remember
sitting in the conference
00:15:59.42\00:16:03.39
and David
Asscherick was preaching.
00:16:03.43\00:16:04.93
I don't know if any
of you remember that.
00:16:04.96\00:16:06.83
But he was preaching
00:16:06.86\00:16:08.36
a sermon called Unashamed
of the Crucified Christ.
00:16:08.40\00:16:12.17
And as I sat there, I
realized for the first time
00:16:12.20\00:16:15.00
that God had this
incredible love for me.
00:16:15.04\00:16:19.51
And I was like, "You know what,
00:16:19.54\00:16:20.88
I don't know
that much about Him.
00:16:20.91\00:16:22.91
I don't know that
much about the Bible,
00:16:22.94\00:16:25.48
but I do know
that a God who loves me
00:16:25.51\00:16:28.08
this much is a
God to be followed."
00:16:28.12\00:16:32.12
And so that night, I
gave my life to Christ
00:16:32.15\00:16:34.26
and I was so inspired,
a fire burned within me.
00:16:34.29\00:16:39.89
I didn't listen
to the whole sermon.
00:16:39.93\00:16:42.20
At the time, I was incapable
of listening to entire sermons
00:16:42.23\00:16:45.63
but I heard enough to
start a revolution in my life.
00:16:45.67\00:16:49.20
And so going home...
00:16:49.24\00:16:51.47
The next day, I had
come to GYC with my sister
00:16:51.51\00:16:54.71
and her husband and I told them,
00:16:54.74\00:16:56.51
"Guys, we have to switch seats
00:16:56.54\00:16:58.05
because I need to
sit with a stranger,
00:16:58.08\00:17:00.15
I have things to
tell to that stranger."
00:17:00.18\00:17:02.98
And so we switched
seats and I plagiarized
00:17:03.02\00:17:05.59
David
Asscherick's entire sermon.
00:17:05.62\00:17:07.89
I was like, "I'm
ashamed of the crucified Christ.
00:17:07.92\00:17:10.53
I want to call you today
to give your life to Christ.
00:17:10.56\00:17:13.29
Go home, find an
Adventist church,
00:17:13.33\00:17:15.36
sign up and get baptized."
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.50
The woman was so
gracious, she accepted.
00:17:17.53\00:17:20.94
I was so on fire for God.
00:17:20.97\00:17:24.67
But
unfortunately, like many fires,
00:17:24.71\00:17:27.58
mine began to extinguish.
00:17:27.61\00:17:30.88
Our theme text
today is Isaiah 60:1-3,
00:17:30.91\00:17:36.79
and I think that
it's such a beautiful text
00:17:36.82\00:17:39.99
and we've focused on it in
varied many different lenses.
00:17:40.02\00:17:43.06
But today, I want
to focus on this text
00:17:43.09\00:17:45.69
through the individual
and the cross, the what?
00:17:45.73\00:17:50.00
I didn't hear that.
00:17:50.03\00:17:52.43
I want to focus
on the verge through
00:17:52.47\00:17:54.04
the individual and
the cross, you and God.
00:17:54.07\00:17:58.97
The word arise means
to get up or stand up,
00:17:59.01\00:18:01.91
to come up higher
00:18:01.94\00:18:03.28
than your current
position or condition,
00:18:03.31\00:18:06.15
and shine literally means
to give out a bright light.
00:18:06.18\00:18:09.05
So you put that together
and you have a call to stand up
00:18:09.08\00:18:13.05
and give out a bright light.
00:18:13.09\00:18:16.26
You see the call to
arise and shine implies
00:18:16.29\00:18:18.93
a current state of
laying down and not shining,
00:18:18.96\00:18:22.13
or in other terms, a
state of complacency,
00:18:22.16\00:18:24.70
inactivity, and darkness.
00:18:24.73\00:18:28.14
Arise and shine.
00:18:28.17\00:18:31.11
Let us pray.
00:18:31.14\00:18:34.84
Father, you know that
I have nothing to say.
00:18:34.88\00:18:41.32
As I stand here
and I read Your Word
00:18:41.35\00:18:43.22
and I read the call to arise,
00:18:43.25\00:18:44.95
Father, I myself
find myself inadequate.
00:18:44.99\00:18:49.59
And so, Lord, I pray that
00:18:49.62\00:18:51.23
You will do a
miracle this morning.
00:18:51.26\00:18:53.70
I pray that You will do for
me what I cannot do for myself.
00:18:53.73\00:18:58.53
I pray that You will
speak to each and every heart
00:18:58.57\00:19:01.17
that is here this morning.
00:19:01.20\00:19:04.07
And, Father, that we may see
a clear picture of who You are.
00:19:04.11\00:19:07.91
In Jesus' name, I pray, amen.
00:19:07.94\00:19:11.55
Arise and shine.
00:19:11.58\00:19:13.15
As I was preparing
for this, I wonder,
00:19:13.18\00:19:15.35
"Okay, so arise implies that
00:19:15.38\00:19:18.42
at some point in time, we fell."
00:19:18.45\00:19:21.02
And so I began to
search the scripture
00:19:21.06\00:19:23.49
until I found the fall of man.
00:19:23.53\00:19:27.30
And it's in
Genesis 3, the fall of man.
00:19:27.33\00:19:32.20
Genesis 3.
00:19:32.23\00:19:35.04
We know the story but
we will still look over it.
00:19:35.07\00:19:39.71
Genesis 3.
00:19:39.74\00:19:42.68
And it starts in
the Garden of Eden,
00:19:42.71\00:19:44.48
Adam and Eve are in the garden,
00:19:44.51\00:19:46.28
and we know that God
gave them every fruit
00:19:46.31\00:19:48.65
of the garden to eat, right?
00:19:48.68\00:19:51.05
But He gave them a
specific instruction,
00:19:51.09\00:19:52.92
and so in Genesis 3 says,
00:19:52.95\00:19:55.06
"Now the serpent was more crafty
00:19:55.09\00:19:56.73
than any of the wild
animals the Lord God had made.
00:19:56.76\00:20:00.36
He said to the
woman, "Did God really say,
00:20:00.40\00:20:02.80
'You must not eat from
any tree in the garden?'"
00:20:02.83\00:20:06.77
So interesting
how the devil works.
00:20:06.80\00:20:09.14
He misquotes God,
he misrepresents God,
00:20:09.17\00:20:11.57
and often, many
of us do not know
00:20:11.61\00:20:13.98
the Word of God
and so we are fooled.
00:20:14.01\00:20:17.45
So he says, "Is it true?"
00:20:17.48\00:20:18.81
The woman says, verse 2,
00:20:18.85\00:20:20.35
"The woman said to the serpent,
00:20:20.38\00:20:22.02
'We may eat fruit from
the trees in the garden
00:20:22.05\00:20:24.85
but God did say,
'You must not eat fruit
00:20:24.89\00:20:27.16
from the tree that is in
the middle of the garden,
00:20:27.19\00:20:29.29
you must not touch
it or you will die.'"
00:20:29.32\00:20:32.46
And so here we find that
the serpent approaches Eve
00:20:32.49\00:20:37.07
with a question,
a trick question.
00:20:37.10\00:20:39.00
He says, "Is it true that
you must not eat of any fruit?"
00:20:39.03\00:20:42.90
And Eve knows the truth
and she corrects the serpent
00:20:42.94\00:20:46.64
but we know how the story goes.
00:20:46.68\00:20:49.68
Even the truth,
if it's not applied
00:20:49.71\00:20:51.98
in our lives cannot save us.
00:20:52.01\00:20:55.45
And so she eats of the fruit
and she shares it with Adam,
00:20:55.48\00:20:58.15
so generous.
00:20:58.19\00:21:00.56
And Adam and Eve fall.
00:21:00.59\00:21:03.83
And the Bible
tells us that they fall,
00:21:03.86\00:21:06.53
and when you skip
to verse 7, it says,
00:21:06.56\00:21:09.26
"Then the eyes of
them both were opened
00:21:09.30\00:21:11.77
and they realize
that they were naked.
00:21:11.80\00:21:14.87
So they sewed fig leaves
for themselves and made...
00:21:14.90\00:21:18.24
They sewed fig leaves together
00:21:18.27\00:21:20.48
and made
coverings for themselves."
00:21:20.51\00:21:23.38
So the eyes of them were open,
00:21:23.41\00:21:25.55
and they
realized they were naked.
00:21:25.58\00:21:26.92
I don't know if
you've ever fallen
00:21:26.95\00:21:28.32
but there's a
realization that hits you.
00:21:28.35\00:21:31.69
And you realize for the
first time your condition,
00:21:31.72\00:21:34.12
you realize how
naked, how wretched you are,
00:21:34.16\00:21:37.03
and your eyes are opened.
00:21:37.06\00:21:39.86
It's not a good feeling.
00:21:39.89\00:21:42.83
I've been there.
00:21:42.86\00:21:44.63
So what do our first parents do?
00:21:44.67\00:21:46.13
The Bible says, "They
sewed together fig leaves
00:21:46.17\00:21:49.50
and made coverings."
00:21:49.54\00:21:54.58
Ellen G. White commenting
on their garment says,
00:21:54.61\00:21:57.38
and I want you to
pay very close attention.
00:21:57.41\00:22:00.12
Adam and Eve
both ate of the fruit
00:22:00.15\00:22:02.48
and obtained a knowledge
which had they obeyed God,
00:22:02.52\00:22:05.95
they would have never had.
00:22:05.99\00:22:08.22
An experience in disobedience
and disloyalty to God,
00:22:08.26\00:22:11.39
the knowledge
that they were naked.
00:22:11.43\00:22:14.96
The garment of
innocence, a covering from God
00:22:15.00\00:22:18.13
which surrounded them
departed and they supplied
00:22:18.17\00:22:20.70
the place of
this heavenly garment
00:22:20.74\00:22:22.90
by sowing together
fig leaves for aprons.
00:22:22.94\00:22:27.38
This is the covering that
the transgressors of the law
00:22:27.41\00:22:30.31
have used since the days
00:22:30.35\00:22:31.78
of Adam and Eve's disobedience.
00:22:31.81\00:22:34.45
They have sowed
together fig leaves
00:22:34.48\00:22:36.12
to cover their nakedness
caused by transgression.
00:22:36.15\00:22:39.45
The fig leaves
represent arguments
00:22:39.49\00:22:41.42
used to cover disobedience.
00:22:41.46\00:22:44.46
When the Lord calls the
attention of men and women
00:22:44.49\00:22:47.10
to the truth, the
making of fig leaves
00:22:47.13\00:22:49.66
into aprons will be begun,
00:22:49.70\00:22:51.57
to hide the
nakedness of the soul.
00:22:51.60\00:22:54.77
But the nakedness of
the sinner is not covered.
00:22:54.80\00:22:58.17
All the
arguments pieced together
00:22:58.21\00:23:00.34
by all who have
interested themselves
00:23:00.38\00:23:02.68
in this flimsy work
will come to naught.
00:23:02.71\00:23:07.18
You see, friends, fig
leaves will not cover your sin.
00:23:07.22\00:23:11.02
All the arguments pieced
together will come to nothing.
00:23:11.05\00:23:16.12
All the attempts to disobey
God will not result in peace.
00:23:16.16\00:23:22.56
So Adam and Eve lose
their robes of light,
00:23:22.60\00:23:24.97
they realize their nakedness,
and for the first time,
00:23:25.00\00:23:27.87
they encounter the darkness
00:23:27.90\00:23:29.80
that is a natural
consequence of sin.
00:23:29.84\00:23:34.81
Verse 8 says, "Then
the man and his wife heard
00:23:34.84\00:23:39.98
the sound of the Lord God
as He was walking in the garden
00:23:40.02\00:23:43.39
in the cool of the day,
and they hid from the Lord God
00:23:43.42\00:23:46.55
among the trees of the garden."
00:23:46.59\00:23:49.56
Now as I was reading
this, I thought growing up
00:23:49.59\00:23:52.19
in an African home,
00:23:52.23\00:23:54.00
there's something
scary about a father.
00:23:54.03\00:23:56.33
My dad is a great man
but every time he came home,
00:23:56.36\00:23:59.87
we naturally just went
to hide because we're like,
00:23:59.90\00:24:01.97
you know what, we might
have done something wrong today
00:24:02.00\00:24:04.27
and so we would hide.
00:24:04.31\00:24:09.11
And so Adam and Eve,
00:24:09.14\00:24:10.48
they knew they had
done something wrong
00:24:10.51\00:24:12.01
and they hear the voice of God,
00:24:12.05\00:24:13.85
they hear sound and
they go and they hide.
00:24:13.88\00:24:19.49
Verse 9, "But the
Lord God called to the man,
00:24:19.52\00:24:25.09
'Where are you?'"
00:24:25.13\00:24:28.03
I love God's approach in
verse 9, God looks at them.
00:24:28.06\00:24:34.14
And you know when
God came to the garden,
00:24:34.17\00:24:35.74
He knew full well
what Adam and Eve had done.
00:24:35.77\00:24:38.24
He knew exactly
where they were hiding.
00:24:38.27\00:24:40.88
But He looks at them and
He says, "Where are you?"
00:24:40.91\00:24:45.31
You see, friends,
I believe that today
00:24:45.35\00:24:46.75
God looks at your darkness,
He looks at your nakedness,
00:24:46.78\00:24:49.65
He sees you
hiding and He asks you,
00:24:49.68\00:24:52.35
"Where are you?"
00:24:52.39\00:24:57.53
And they replied, "We
heard Your voice and we hid."
00:24:57.56\00:25:04.00
How many of us this
weekend have been hearing
00:25:04.03\00:25:06.94
the voice of God,
appeal after appeal?
00:25:06.97\00:25:10.07
And you know that God
is tugging at your heart.
00:25:10.11\00:25:15.38
But instead, you hide.
00:25:15.41\00:25:20.12
"We heard Your voice
00:25:20.15\00:25:24.15
and we hid."
00:25:24.19\00:25:28.32
Verse 15, and this is
where I want us to focus today.
00:25:28.36\00:25:31.56
I thank Shauna
for her introduction
00:25:31.59\00:25:33.76
and for reading the scripture.
00:25:33.80\00:25:35.76
Verse 15 says,
"And I will put enmity
00:25:35.80\00:25:38.30
between you and the woman,
00:25:38.33\00:25:40.94
between your
offspring and hers."
00:25:40.97\00:25:44.11
So here we find that
God asked, "Where are you?"
00:25:44.14\00:25:46.47
And they explained to
Him their pitiful condition,
00:25:46.51\00:25:48.74
and He now outlines His plan.
00:25:48.78\00:25:52.38
And verse 15
says, "I will put enmity
00:25:52.41\00:25:54.95
between you and the woman,
00:25:54.98\00:25:56.85
between you and her offspring."
00:25:56.89\00:25:59.12
Here we find the plan
of salvation outlined.
00:25:59.15\00:26:02.46
God looks at our
pitiful condition,
00:26:02.49\00:26:04.76
He looks at our fig
leaves apron coverings,
00:26:04.79\00:26:07.96
and He says, "I."
00:26:08.00\00:26:10.47
That's so interesting, friends,
00:26:10.50\00:26:11.83
and I don't
want us to miss this.
00:26:11.87\00:26:13.20
God looks at our
condition and He says that
00:26:13.23\00:26:16.07
the only solution to our
condition is found through Him.
00:26:16.10\00:26:21.48
He says, I will put an enmity
00:26:21.51\00:26:23.41
between you and the serpent
00:26:23.45\00:26:25.05
because God recognizes
that in and of ourselves,
00:26:25.08\00:26:28.18
we can never hate the devil.
00:26:28.22\00:26:30.19
In and of ourselves,
we can never overcome sin,
00:26:30.22\00:26:33.12
in and of ourselves, we
are doomed, and He says,
00:26:33.15\00:26:36.06
"I will put enmity
between you and the serpent."
00:26:36.09\00:26:40.50
God says, "I."
00:26:40.53\00:26:41.86
And I believe that as
He looks at your darkness,
00:26:41.90\00:26:44.17
as He looks at your nakedness,
00:26:44.20\00:26:45.70
as He looks at your
pitiful condition this morning,
00:26:45.73\00:26:48.74
God says, "I will put enmity
between you and the serpent."
00:26:48.77\00:26:55.04
The focus, the
solution has always been in God,
00:26:55.08\00:26:59.08
never in human attempt.
00:26:59.11\00:27:04.42
God says, "I will do for you
00:27:04.45\00:27:07.16
what you cannot do for yourself.
00:27:07.19\00:27:09.86
I will restore you to the glory
00:27:09.89\00:27:12.46
that you just lost
because I am your God."
00:27:12.49\00:27:17.57
Ellen G. White
says, "As soon..."
00:27:17.60\00:27:20.70
I don't want us to miss this.
00:27:20.74\00:27:22.34
"As soon as there was
sin, there was a Savior."
00:27:22.37\00:27:27.11
Did you hear that, friends?
00:27:27.14\00:27:28.64
As soon as there was
sin, there was a Savior.
00:27:28.68\00:27:31.68
Our sin did not
cause heaven to fumble,
00:27:31.71\00:27:33.95
our sin did not bring the angels
00:27:33.98\00:27:35.55
and God together like,
00:27:35.58\00:27:36.92
"Oh, my goodness,
what do we do now?"
00:27:36.95\00:27:38.55
As soon as there was
sin, there was a Savior.
00:27:38.59\00:27:44.36
Christ knew that He
would have to suffer
00:27:44.39\00:27:46.66
yet He became man's substitute.
00:27:46.70\00:27:49.56
As soon as Adam sinned,
00:27:49.60\00:27:50.93
the Son of God presented Himself
00:27:50.97\00:27:53.03
as a surety for the human race.
00:27:53.07\00:27:55.50
With just as much power to avert
00:27:55.54\00:27:57.84
the doom
pronounce upon the guilty
00:27:57.87\00:28:00.34
as when He died upon Calvary.
00:28:00.38\00:28:03.75
Doom pronounced upon the
guilty, who are the guilty?
00:28:03.78\00:28:08.42
The guilty are you and I.
00:28:08.45\00:28:12.42
Friends, in any
battle against sin
00:28:12.45\00:28:15.12
unless Jesus is our only focus,
unless Jesus is our solution,
00:28:15.16\00:28:19.83
we will not overcome.
00:28:19.86\00:28:22.23
He is our substitute.
00:28:22.26\00:28:24.83
So in every youth ministry,
unless Jesus is the focus,
00:28:24.87\00:28:28.77
it will fail.
00:28:28.80\00:28:30.14
In every Bible study,
unless Jesus is the focus,
00:28:30.17\00:28:33.51
it will fail.
00:28:33.54\00:28:34.98
In every GYC convention,
in every mission trip,
00:28:35.01\00:28:38.21
unless Jesus is the
focus, it will fail.
00:28:38.25\00:28:44.02
Christ is our only foundation.
00:28:44.05\00:28:48.46
His love is our only hope.
00:28:48.49\00:28:51.89
It is a hard day
when you realize that
00:28:51.93\00:28:54.36
no love here on
earth is guaranteed.
00:28:54.40\00:28:57.87
It is a dark
reality when you realize
00:28:57.90\00:29:00.54
that those who
should be entrusted
00:29:00.57\00:29:02.80
to love and
protect you will fail you.
00:29:02.84\00:29:06.78
Yet we have one sure foundation,
00:29:06.81\00:29:09.94
a God that loved you in your sin
00:29:09.98\00:29:13.31
and loves you too much
00:29:13.35\00:29:14.75
to keep you in your darkness.
00:29:14.78\00:29:17.69
I remember my own darkness.
00:29:17.72\00:29:19.52
When I too like our
first parents drifted from God,
00:29:19.55\00:29:23.32
I became so
discouraged by the world.
00:29:23.36\00:29:27.43
But unfortunately, as I
look to the church for comfort,
00:29:27.46\00:29:31.30
I found a darkness there too.
00:29:31.33\00:29:34.60
I allowed people to
determine my view of God.
00:29:34.64\00:29:39.67
I allowed people to
distort my perception.
00:29:39.71\00:29:46.01
And ultimately, kill my faith.
00:29:46.05\00:29:48.38
And soon I deemed Adventism,
a healthy culture, a tradition
00:29:48.42\00:29:54.39
rather than a church
ordained by God Himself.
00:29:54.42\00:29:59.69
I share this not
because it is easy
00:29:59.73\00:30:01.56
but because I know
that some here are relating.
00:30:01.60\00:30:06.30
I know that some here
realized long time ago
00:30:06.33\00:30:09.70
that the world was a dark place
but what they did not expect
00:30:09.74\00:30:13.17
was for the church
to be just as dark.
00:30:13.21\00:30:18.95
I encourage you,
however, to hang in there.
00:30:18.98\00:30:23.49
You see, I realize,
00:30:23.52\00:30:24.85
it makes sense that the
devil would attack the church.
00:30:24.89\00:30:28.09
You see, oftentimes,
00:30:28.12\00:30:29.46
the devil more than we ourselves
00:30:29.49\00:30:31.09
realize the importance
00:30:31.13\00:30:32.93
and the value of the church.
00:30:32.96\00:30:36.20
So it makes sense
that you would have
00:30:36.23\00:30:38.43
his representatives there.
00:30:38.47\00:30:42.27
It was Gandhi who
said, "I like your Christ,
00:30:42.30\00:30:44.41
I do not like your Christians.
00:30:44.44\00:30:46.37
Your Christians are
so unlike your Christ."
00:30:46.41\00:30:48.68
Unfortunately,
oftentimes as Christians,
00:30:52.88\00:30:56.85
we are a source of
darkness for so many.
00:30:56.89\00:30:59.49
So mankind falls,
00:31:03.12\00:31:05.89
and God sends Jesus to
restore humanity to its glory.
00:31:05.93\00:31:11.53
And Jesus walks among us,
00:31:11.57\00:31:13.70
He lives a life of no sin.
00:31:13.74\00:31:17.87
I think,
sometimes, we forget that
00:31:17.91\00:31:19.64
Jesus really
took on human nature.
00:31:19.67\00:31:24.68
I don't think
we understand that,
00:31:24.71\00:31:26.05
He took on human
nature and lived a life
00:31:26.08\00:31:30.09
with no sin.
00:31:30.12\00:31:32.75
For you and for me,
00:31:32.79\00:31:36.66
He dedicated His life
00:31:36.69\00:31:38.06
to relieving the
suffering of humanity
00:31:38.09\00:31:40.56
and revealing the character
and glory of God to mankind.
00:31:40.60\00:31:46.97
And He did so faithfully
00:31:47.00\00:31:50.31
even to the point of death.
00:31:50.34\00:31:53.98
John 17 tells us of
Jesus praying before He died.
00:31:54.01\00:31:59.51
Let's turn our
Bibles to John 17.
00:31:59.55\00:32:02.02
And it says,
"After Jesus said this,
00:32:12.49\00:32:17.17
He looked toward
heaven and prayed,
00:32:17.20\00:32:19.57
'Father, the time has come.
00:32:19.60\00:32:22.60
Glorify Your Son that
Your Son may glorify You.
00:32:22.64\00:32:26.47
For You granted Him authority
00:32:26.51\00:32:28.04
over all people that
He might give eternal life
00:32:28.08\00:32:31.51
to those You have given Him.'"
00:32:31.55\00:32:35.08
Pay attention, "Now
this is eternal life
00:32:35.12\00:32:37.32
that they may know
You the one true God,
00:32:37.35\00:32:40.39
and Jesus Christ
whom You have sent.
00:32:40.42\00:32:42.29
I have brought
You glory on earth
00:32:42.32\00:32:44.39
by completing the
work You gave me to do.
00:32:44.43\00:32:47.43
And now, Father,
glorify Me in Your presence
00:32:47.46\00:32:50.57
with the glory I had
before the world began."
00:32:50.60\00:32:56.30
So we find here that Jesus prays
00:32:56.34\00:32:58.11
and the word glory is
mentioned so many times.
00:32:58.14\00:33:01.61
You see, friends,
when I was reading
00:33:01.64\00:33:03.38
the Bible commentary said,
00:33:03.41\00:33:05.11
"Christ is not praying
00:33:05.15\00:33:07.78
for the manifestation of
the glory of human nature.
00:33:07.82\00:33:12.39
He's not praying
for the manifestation,
00:33:12.42\00:33:15.36
the glory of human nature,
00:33:15.39\00:33:18.26
He is praying to His Father
00:33:18.29\00:33:19.79
in regard to the glory possessed
00:33:19.83\00:33:21.93
in His oneness with God.
00:33:21.96\00:33:26.07
You see, friends, Jesus
was always glorified in heaven.
00:33:26.10\00:33:30.41
He was glorified with the glory
00:33:30.44\00:33:32.04
which He had with His
father before the world was.
00:33:32.07\00:33:36.41
But amid His glory,
Christ did not lose sight
00:33:36.44\00:33:40.72
of His toiling
struggling ones on earth.
00:33:40.75\00:33:44.52
So we find that Christ
looks upon our darkness,
00:33:44.55\00:33:48.36
the struggle of this
world and He humbles Himself,
00:33:48.39\00:33:51.73
and He comes to earth
as a man to live and die
00:33:51.76\00:33:57.57
that He may remove
the veil that hinders us
00:33:57.60\00:34:00.04
from being one with God.
00:34:00.07\00:34:02.87
So let's recap.
00:34:02.90\00:34:04.87
First, we have Adam
and Eve and they fall.
00:34:04.91\00:34:09.04
They realized their nakedness,
they realized the darkness
00:34:09.08\00:34:11.81
that will now mark
their existence here on earth.
00:34:11.85\00:34:16.02
And then you have
Jesus, as soon as there was sin
00:34:16.05\00:34:19.55
there was a savior.
00:34:19.59\00:34:21.82
And so He lives a perfect life
00:34:21.86\00:34:24.29
that He might
restore to humanity
00:34:24.33\00:34:26.53
the glory that
was lost with sin.
00:34:26.56\00:34:29.80
That He may restore the oneness
00:34:29.83\00:34:32.33
that humanity once had with God.
00:34:32.37\00:34:35.70
And now we
revisit our theme text.
00:34:35.74\00:34:39.44
Turn with me to Isaiah 60:1-3.
00:34:39.47\00:34:43.81
Isaiah 60:1-3 and
it says, "Arise, shine,
00:34:47.55\00:34:52.35
for your light has come,
00:34:52.39\00:34:53.92
and the glory of
the Lord rises upon you.
00:34:53.96\00:34:56.42
See, darkness covers the earth
00:34:56.46\00:34:58.39
and thick darkness
is over the peoples,
00:34:58.43\00:35:00.96
but the Lord rises upon you
00:35:01.00\00:35:04.47
and His glory appears over you."
00:35:04.50\00:35:07.50
I want to pause there.
00:35:07.54\00:35:09.97
"Arise, shine, for
your light has come."
00:35:10.01\00:35:13.61
There's a few things
I want us to focus on.
00:35:13.64\00:35:15.54
The first thing is the
call to arise and shine
00:35:15.58\00:35:18.88
occurs because
your light has come.
00:35:18.91\00:35:21.42
It occurs because
the glory of the Lord
00:35:21.45\00:35:23.55
rises upon you and
occurs in the present.
00:35:23.59\00:35:27.82
It doesn't say, "Arise, shine,
for your light will come."
00:35:27.86\00:35:30.09
It says, "For it has come."
00:35:30.13\00:35:32.83
This is a present message.
00:35:32.86\00:35:34.63
Then the Bible
recognizes the darkness,
00:35:38.53\00:35:42.97
it says, "There will
be a darkness in the world
00:35:43.00\00:35:45.01
and thick
darkness on the people."
00:35:45.04\00:35:48.31
And this is the darkness
that necessitates the light.
00:35:48.34\00:35:54.28
And the last thing I
love about this verse
00:35:54.32\00:35:57.45
is that it's so personal.
00:35:57.49\00:36:00.22
It's a personal
call to arise and shine.
00:36:00.26\00:36:02.52
See, often, I think as GYC,
00:36:02.56\00:36:07.06
we read this verse as if
the darkness is out there.
00:36:07.10\00:36:11.97
Oh, yes, it is dark out there.
00:36:12.00\00:36:16.50
But I've learnt
that darkness is often
00:36:16.54\00:36:19.51
part of the human experience
00:36:19.54\00:36:21.41
regardless of who you are.
00:36:21.44\00:36:25.11
You see since sin
entered our world,
00:36:25.15\00:36:28.58
darkness has been consistent.
00:36:28.62\00:36:33.72
It was a consequence of sin.
00:36:33.76\00:36:37.96
I've traveled all
over the world speaking,
00:36:37.99\00:36:41.36
and one thing I love is
talking to people afterwards.
00:36:41.40\00:36:44.70
And you hear their stories
and I'm always so stunned
00:36:44.73\00:36:48.20
at how many tragedies
one person can experience.
00:36:48.24\00:36:53.01
I've talked to so many people
00:36:53.04\00:36:54.64
and they tell me one
thing that happened in childhood
00:36:54.68\00:36:56.81
and then something else happened
00:36:56.85\00:36:58.18
and then something happened,
00:36:58.21\00:36:59.55
it's like bam,
bam, bam, all bad.
00:36:59.58\00:37:02.28
And I sit there and I'm like,
00:37:02.32\00:37:04.15
"How dark can it get?"
00:37:04.19\00:37:06.09
But, moreover, I
think of God looking at us
00:37:09.99\00:37:12.93
and seeing the
intention He had for us
00:37:12.96\00:37:16.26
when He made us and how
far we've come from that.
00:37:16.30\00:37:20.10
How dark can it get?
00:37:20.14\00:37:23.44
And so God looks
at you, He looks at me
00:37:23.47\00:37:26.91
and calls us to arise and
shine despite this darkness.
00:37:26.94\00:37:30.78
Why?
00:37:30.81\00:37:32.41
Because His glory
is risen upon you,
00:37:32.45\00:37:36.32
because His
righteousness covers you,
00:37:36.35\00:37:39.42
because He does for you
00:37:39.45\00:37:41.99
what you cannot do for yourself,
00:37:42.02\00:37:45.16
because He already
gave Himself as a light,
00:37:45.19\00:37:50.17
as a hope for our
incredible darkness.
00:37:50.20\00:37:54.10
I remember getting to a
point in my Adventist journey
00:37:54.14\00:37:56.91
where all I could
focus on was my darkness.
00:37:56.94\00:38:00.11
I was so consumed by it.
00:38:00.14\00:38:04.18
And then week after
week, I'd go to church
00:38:04.21\00:38:06.35
and there was darkness too,
and I just simply lost hope.
00:38:06.38\00:38:11.29
I began to resent Adventism.
00:38:11.32\00:38:15.72
I looked at the
Bible as an old book.
00:38:15.76\00:38:17.76
And I want to
be honest with you,
00:38:22.56\00:38:25.20
this is a struggle
that you can go through
00:38:25.23\00:38:27.14
while still going
through all emotions.
00:38:27.17\00:38:31.01
It's a struggle
that you can go through
00:38:31.04\00:38:32.41
while still looking
very, very Adventist.
00:38:32.44\00:38:37.78
It's a struggle that I believe
00:38:37.81\00:38:39.15
many seated here
are going through.
00:38:39.18\00:38:44.69
Oftentimes, we
leave GYC so excited,
00:38:44.72\00:38:50.76
"We're going to go and
change our local churches,
00:38:50.79\00:38:52.83
we're going to go
and make a difference."
00:38:52.86\00:38:54.46
And then we
meet with opposition.
00:38:54.50\00:38:57.53
And by March,
00:38:57.57\00:39:00.94
we ourselves are
out of the church.
00:39:00.97\00:39:02.80
But I love this
verse because it says,
00:39:10.21\00:39:12.21
"Darkness covers the earth,
00:39:12.25\00:39:14.95
great darkness
covers the people."
00:39:14.98\00:39:17.55
But the next word is "But God."
00:39:17.59\00:39:19.32
I love a sermon that was
preached at GYC last year
00:39:23.09\00:39:26.36
by Sebastian that said,
"Don't doubt in darkness,
00:39:26.39\00:39:29.10
for God has revealed
to you in the light."
00:39:29.13\00:39:32.67
Friends, recall why you joined
Adventism in the first place.
00:39:32.70\00:39:36.64
It wasn't because of the people,
00:39:36.67\00:39:39.87
it was because we heard a
message that was so unique,
00:39:39.91\00:39:43.41
we saw a love of God
that was so propelling.
00:39:43.45\00:39:47.78
When we got baptized,
00:39:47.82\00:39:49.15
we weren't committing to
Adventist church members,
00:39:49.18\00:39:52.75
we were committing to God.
00:39:52.79\00:39:55.86
And so yes, at
times, it doesn't make sense
00:39:55.89\00:39:58.73
when you look all around you.
00:39:58.76\00:40:01.36
And church is dark, "But
don't doubt in the darkness,
00:40:01.40\00:40:05.20
for God has revealed
to you in the light."
00:40:05.23\00:40:07.77
I still believe that
this is God's ordained church,
00:40:07.80\00:40:11.87
I still believe that God's
hand is moving in this church.
00:40:11.91\00:40:16.61
In fact, I myself as
an executive here in GYC
00:40:16.64\00:40:20.48
will be open with you and
say, "My goal for 2018 is to go
00:40:20.52\00:40:24.32
and study once again why I
fell in love with Adventism,
00:40:24.35\00:40:28.72
to go and study once again
00:40:28.76\00:40:30.56
how Adventism
applies to my personal life,
00:40:30.59\00:40:34.86
to go and find the
light that I fell in love with
00:40:34.90\00:40:38.43
so long ago."
00:40:38.47\00:40:42.04
Oftentimes, you see,
it doesn't make sense
00:40:42.07\00:40:44.54
to keep going to church
00:40:44.57\00:40:45.91
when you know
it's so discouraging,
00:40:45.94\00:40:47.31
you know what
doesn't make sense?
00:40:47.34\00:40:50.15
What doesn't make sense is that
00:40:50.18\00:40:51.61
Jesus left heaven
and earth for you and I.
00:40:51.65\00:40:55.75
What doesn't make sense
is that He died to save us
00:40:55.78\00:40:59.95
and look how many of us
refuse Him day after day.
00:40:59.99\00:41:04.69
When you look
at the death of God
00:41:04.73\00:41:06.53
from a human perspective,
from a business perspective,
00:41:06.56\00:41:10.10
it was a fail.
00:41:10.13\00:41:12.03
Not even one out of
two will accept His death,
00:41:12.07\00:41:16.27
that's what doesn't make sense.
00:41:16.30\00:41:18.87
But, friends, if the church
gets dark and we all leave,
00:41:18.91\00:41:21.78
who will light it up.
00:41:21.81\00:41:23.35
Verse says,
"Darkness covers the earth,
00:41:29.25\00:41:31.49
great darkness
the people but God."
00:41:31.52\00:41:35.66
You see from the beginning,
00:41:35.69\00:41:37.33
the focus should have been God.
00:41:37.36\00:41:42.63
See, friends, we arise, we shine
00:41:42.66\00:41:45.73
because God arose and shone.
00:41:45.77\00:41:48.74
We overcome only through God.
00:41:48.77\00:41:53.34
He left heaven for us.
00:41:53.38\00:41:57.05
He lived a life of
complete oneness with God.
00:41:57.08\00:42:00.72
He was light and He revealed
the glory of God to humanity,
00:42:00.75\00:42:06.72
to remind us that we
too can be one with God.
00:42:06.76\00:42:12.06
Friends, this
morning, too many of us
00:42:12.09\00:42:13.93
are going through the emotions,
00:42:13.96\00:42:15.83
too many of us stopped
fighting long time ago,
00:42:15.86\00:42:19.10
we sat down, we
gave up, we stop shining,
00:42:19.13\00:42:24.21
and we've been
sitting in complete darkness.
00:42:24.24\00:42:27.54
And that's the
thing about darkness,
00:42:27.58\00:42:28.98
it too can become comfortable.
00:42:29.01\00:42:33.58
Someone here today is
consumed by their darkness,
00:42:33.62\00:42:37.05
overwhelmed by their darkness.
00:42:37.09\00:42:40.29
Someone here is hiding from God.
00:42:40.32\00:42:43.99
Someone here is chilling
00:42:44.03\00:42:46.43
in their fig leaf covering.
00:42:46.46\00:42:50.07
But today, God
asks, "Where are you?"
00:42:50.10\00:42:53.44
You see, friends,
the darker it gets
00:42:53.47\00:42:55.47
the more we
should cling to Christ.
00:42:55.50\00:42:58.64
The more we see our
helplessness with sin,
00:42:58.67\00:43:02.18
the faster we should run to Him.
00:43:02.21\00:43:06.65
The glory of the
Lord rises upon you.
00:43:06.68\00:43:11.82
Honestly, I love that
00:43:11.85\00:43:13.19
this verse
addresses the individual,
00:43:13.22\00:43:16.02
constantly, you, you, you.
00:43:16.06\00:43:20.20
You see I'm tired of our
lack of personal ownership
00:43:20.23\00:43:23.06
when it comes to
our walk with God.
00:43:23.10\00:43:25.40
I'm tired of our
lack of ownership
00:43:25.43\00:43:28.04
when it comes to Adventism.
00:43:28.07\00:43:29.94
When I ask, is the world better
for Adventists having existed?
00:43:29.97\00:43:35.34
I don't ask us to
quote ADRA's statistics,
00:43:35.38\00:43:38.51
I don't ask us to quote
what Pathways to Health did,
00:43:38.55\00:43:41.48
I don't want to know about
00:43:41.52\00:43:43.02
the results of GYC outreach,
00:43:43.05\00:43:44.85
I want to know,
was your world better
00:43:44.89\00:43:48.12
because you were an Adventist?
00:43:48.16\00:43:50.13
Was your home better
because you were an Adventist?
00:43:50.16\00:43:52.86
Was your campus better
because you were an Adventist?
00:43:52.89\00:43:56.70
Was your local church better
because you are an Adventist?
00:43:56.73\00:44:02.74
The individual and the cross.
00:44:02.77\00:44:05.37
Don't tell me what ADRA did.
00:44:05.41\00:44:06.84
The call is a personal call.
00:44:10.61\00:44:14.22
You and the cross.
00:44:14.25\00:44:16.42
Arise, shine, why?
00:44:22.56\00:44:27.76
Because as soon
as there was sin,
00:44:27.80\00:44:30.43
there was a savior.
00:44:30.47\00:44:31.80
I recently started a placement
on a psychiatric facility.
00:44:36.37\00:44:41.74
And I'm a nursing student
00:44:41.78\00:44:43.61
so my scope of
practice is very limited.
00:44:43.65\00:44:48.25
And so I had so many patients
00:44:48.28\00:44:50.05
and I fell in
love with my patients,
00:44:50.09\00:44:51.82
I broke every
ethical protocol, patient,
00:44:51.85\00:44:56.12
you know, client privilege,
00:44:56.16\00:44:58.03
no, no, no, nurse-patient
therapeutic relationship.
00:44:58.06\00:45:02.16
I broke everything.
00:45:02.20\00:45:04.43
And so I fell in
love with my patients,
00:45:04.47\00:45:06.37
we disclosed too
much, and I remember,
00:45:06.40\00:45:10.41
just hearing their stories,
darkness after darkness,
00:45:10.44\00:45:13.84
and it's actually something
that we write in our charts,
00:45:13.88\00:45:16.04
you know, the patient is dark.
00:45:16.08\00:45:17.61
And we don't
mean their complexion.
00:45:17.65\00:45:19.51
We mean, they're
literally just dark.
00:45:19.55\00:45:23.52
Their world view,
their perspective,
00:45:23.55\00:45:25.25
everything is
just dark, it's doomed.
00:45:25.29\00:45:29.82
And so one
specific patient I had,
00:45:29.86\00:45:32.29
I've been
struggling with depression
00:45:32.33\00:45:33.80
for a very long time.
00:45:33.83\00:45:37.03
And every day I
would talk to him
00:45:37.07\00:45:38.80
and he would tell me
how just dark everything was
00:45:38.83\00:45:41.67
and how he longed
to be happy again.
00:45:41.70\00:45:46.68
And so we talked and
we talked and we talked
00:45:46.71\00:45:48.71
and, finally, my
clinical instructor said,
00:45:48.74\00:45:50.85
"Tomorrow Chantal,
you'll be giving meds."
00:45:50.88\00:45:53.58
I was so excited because
in the psychiatric facility,
00:45:53.62\00:45:57.59
most meds are injections
00:45:57.62\00:45:59.02
and they're IM
injections so intramuscular.
00:45:59.05\00:46:02.66
And this was a skill
that I had never tried before.
00:46:02.69\00:46:05.73
And so the night before I
was supposed to give the med,
00:46:05.76\00:46:08.53
I went and I
researched everything
00:46:08.56\00:46:10.37
I could about the
medication, what it does,
00:46:10.40\00:46:13.80
you know, all the complications,
00:46:13.84\00:46:16.00
the side effects,
the adverse effects,
00:46:16.04\00:46:17.87
what you
monitor, for everything.
00:46:17.91\00:46:20.08
I was a pro at this medication.
00:46:20.11\00:46:22.58
And so I began to look
at the pharmacokinetics
00:46:22.61\00:46:24.85
and that's
basically how the drug
00:46:24.88\00:46:27.15
interacts in the
body and the implications.
00:46:27.18\00:46:30.29
And as I was
reading, I was like,
00:46:30.32\00:46:31.65
"My goodness tomorrow
when I give this injection,
00:46:31.69\00:46:34.82
my patient will
be changed forever.
00:46:34.86\00:46:38.93
His depression will be cured."
00:46:38.96\00:46:40.70
I was so excited.
00:46:40.73\00:46:42.66
I was like, "Wow,
heroes in scrubs, love it."
00:46:42.70\00:46:47.47
But as I continued to
read to the bottom of the page,
00:46:47.50\00:46:52.31
it was one line
that broke my heart.
00:46:52.34\00:46:56.54
The line said, "This
medication is not curative."
00:46:56.58\00:47:01.78
And it dawned on me.
00:47:01.82\00:47:04.19
My patient would live
00:47:04.22\00:47:06.29
in their darkness forever.
00:47:06.32\00:47:11.19
Yes, the injection
was thousands of dollars,
00:47:11.23\00:47:14.23
yes, it had so many
things that it could do.
00:47:14.26\00:47:18.07
But my patient would
live in darkness forever
00:47:18.10\00:47:23.27
because the
medication's not curative.
00:47:23.30\00:47:28.78
Friends, that broke
my heart as I realized
00:47:28.81\00:47:35.58
that darkness really is part
00:47:35.62\00:47:37.52
of our experience here on earth.
00:47:37.55\00:47:39.19
And I understood
for the first time
00:47:45.96\00:47:48.73
how God feels when
He looks at humanity
00:47:48.76\00:47:53.44
and He looks at the
intention He had for us.
00:47:53.47\00:47:58.44
And He looks at the darkness
00:47:58.47\00:47:59.87
that marks our
experience here on earth.
00:47:59.91\00:48:03.55
And He looks at
all of our attempts,
00:48:03.58\00:48:06.11
the way we rely on ourselves.
00:48:06.15\00:48:09.52
But He knows at the bottom
00:48:09.55\00:48:11.62
of the page of
all of hard times,
00:48:11.65\00:48:15.79
this medication is not curative.
00:48:15.82\00:48:20.30
Friends, there is only one thing
00:48:20.33\00:48:24.77
that can cure our darkness.
00:48:24.80\00:48:28.20
There's only one
remedy and it's so simple,
00:48:28.24\00:48:32.04
it's been there
since the beginning
00:48:32.07\00:48:34.91
but yet, I don't know,
we're just so stubborn.
00:48:34.94\00:48:39.05
We insist on
finding every other method.
00:48:39.08\00:48:42.32
The only permanent
solution to our darkness,
00:48:46.55\00:48:49.72
the only hope for our nakedness
00:48:49.76\00:48:54.30
was outlined in Genesis 3.
00:48:54.33\00:48:58.80
"I will put enmity.
00:48:58.83\00:49:03.20
Arise and shine.
00:49:03.24\00:49:05.17
Darkness covers the earth,
00:49:05.21\00:49:06.57
great darkness
the people, but God."
00:49:06.61\00:49:12.55
You see, friends,
the darker it gets,
00:49:12.58\00:49:15.88
the faster we need
to be turning to God.
00:49:15.92\00:49:18.95
When you think of
arising and shining,
00:49:24.69\00:49:28.56
you know, it sounds great at GYC
00:49:28.60\00:49:30.40
but then you get
home and you realize
00:49:30.43\00:49:33.13
what it actually
implies in your daily life
00:49:33.17\00:49:36.07
and it gets
discouraging sometimes.
00:49:36.10\00:49:39.84
But every time I think of
a call outlined in the Bible,
00:49:39.87\00:49:44.11
I remind myself of
the character of God,
00:49:44.15\00:49:48.32
the character of the God
00:49:48.35\00:49:49.68
that calls us
to arise and shine.
00:49:49.72\00:49:53.49
There's a song that says,
00:49:53.52\00:49:54.86
"The love of God
is greater far..."
00:49:54.89\00:49:58.16
I know many of you know it,
00:49:58.19\00:50:00.40
"Than tongue or
pen can ever tell.
00:50:00.43\00:50:03.93
It goes beyond the highest star
00:50:03.97\00:50:08.24
and reaches to the lowest hell.
00:50:08.27\00:50:12.67
The guilty pair
bowed down with care,
00:50:12.71\00:50:16.51
God gave His Son to win.
00:50:16.54\00:50:19.85
His erring child,
00:50:19.88\00:50:21.55
He reconciled and
pardoned from His sin."
00:50:21.58\00:50:28.16
It goes on to say,
00:50:28.19\00:50:29.72
"Could we with
ink, the oceans fill.
00:50:29.76\00:50:34.06
And were the
skies of parchment made
00:50:34.10\00:50:37.50
were every stalk
on earth a quill,
00:50:37.53\00:50:40.50
and every man a scribe by trade.
00:50:40.54\00:50:45.04
To write the love of God
00:50:45.07\00:50:47.11
above would
drain the oceans dry.
00:50:47.14\00:50:51.78
Nor could the
scroll contain the whole
00:50:51.81\00:50:55.85
though stretched
from sky to sky."
00:50:55.88\00:50:59.79
Friends, that's the God
00:50:59.82\00:51:01.69
that calls us
to arise and shine.
00:51:01.72\00:51:05.03
That's the love that
calls us to arise and shine.
00:51:05.06\00:51:08.70
That's the God that looks
at your darkness and He says,
00:51:08.73\00:51:13.20
"Arise and shine
00:51:13.23\00:51:14.64
because the glory of
the Lord rises upon you."
00:51:14.67\00:51:20.51
God longs to
restore us to our glory.
00:51:20.54\00:51:26.92
Friends, what
type of love is this?
00:51:26.95\00:51:30.59
How can we remain inactive?
00:51:30.62\00:51:34.06
How can we
remain in our darkness
00:51:34.09\00:51:36.09
with such a love?
00:51:36.12\00:51:37.46
You see, I think, so many
times we try to strategize
00:51:41.40\00:51:44.13
and we beg people
to go and evangelize.
00:51:44.17\00:51:48.24
But, friends, once we experience
00:51:48.27\00:51:49.94
the love of God,
00:51:49.97\00:51:51.31
have you ever
seen someone in love?
00:51:51.34\00:51:53.31
You don't have to
beg them to tell you
00:51:53.34\00:51:54.84
about their boyfriend,
00:51:54.88\00:51:56.44
they're telling you everything,
you're eating a salad,
00:51:56.48\00:51:59.78
"Oh, that's my
boyfriend's favorite salad."
00:51:59.81\00:52:02.18
How does it
relate? You don't know,
00:52:02.22\00:52:03.55
but they're just so in love,
00:52:03.59\00:52:05.49
you don't have to beg them.
00:52:05.52\00:52:08.86
But yet we beg year after
year begging GYC attendees,
00:52:08.89\00:52:14.26
please, go home and
just reach one, please.
00:52:14.30\00:52:19.97
And I ask myself,
"Are we in love with God?"
00:52:20.00\00:52:24.04
Because if we
were experiencing God,
00:52:24.07\00:52:26.88
you know, when God
shines in your life,
00:52:26.91\00:52:29.04
when you experience the way
00:52:29.08\00:52:30.41
He takes you out
of your darkness,
00:52:30.45\00:52:32.51
it's the natural
response to rise and shine.
00:52:32.55\00:52:38.65
We shouldn't have to beg
Adventists to be Adventist.
00:52:38.69\00:52:42.26
Arise and shine.
00:52:47.36\00:52:53.94
There's another aspect to this.
00:52:53.97\00:52:57.41
The reason why God calls you
specifically to arise and shine
00:52:57.44\00:53:02.81
it's because there's
one thing God cannot do
00:53:02.84\00:53:06.31
and that is create another you.
00:53:06.35\00:53:10.15
You see, when
you arise and shine,
00:53:10.19\00:53:13.62
you reveal a part of God
00:53:13.66\00:53:15.82
that no one else
could ever reveal.
00:53:15.86\00:53:19.06
You reveal His
glory in such a light
00:53:19.09\00:53:21.86
that no one else
could ever reveal.
00:53:21.90\00:53:25.60
You see if God is a puzzle,
00:53:25.63\00:53:27.67
we all bring a
piece of that puzzle.
00:53:27.70\00:53:31.94
And so when you
and I neglect our part,
00:53:31.97\00:53:34.38
God's puzzle remains incomplete.
00:53:34.41\00:53:38.45
That's why He calls you,
00:53:38.48\00:53:40.45
not Adventism
to arise and shine,
00:53:40.48\00:53:42.72
not GYC, you
specifically in your seat
00:53:42.75\00:53:46.52
to arise and shine
00:53:46.55\00:53:48.86
because you
reveal an angle of God
00:53:48.89\00:53:51.89
that I could never reveal.
00:53:51.93\00:53:54.80
You reveal a perspective,
00:53:54.83\00:53:56.77
your testimony,
your praise is unique
00:53:56.80\00:53:59.57
and God longs to
hear your praise.
00:53:59.60\00:54:04.37
That's why He would have come
00:54:04.41\00:54:07.48
even if it was just for one.
00:54:07.51\00:54:11.51
I'm running out of time.
00:54:11.55\00:54:14.25
And so I'll make my appeal.
00:54:14.28\00:54:16.99
It's a very specific appeal.
00:54:17.02\00:54:20.82
The call to arise and shine
00:54:20.86\00:54:24.36
starts with each of us.
00:54:24.39\00:54:27.76
See, I know that
00:54:27.80\00:54:29.13
there's someone
seated here today
00:54:29.16\00:54:30.80
and you've been hiding from God,
00:54:30.83\00:54:33.07
you've made your
fig leaf covering
00:54:33.10\00:54:35.07
and maybe you're
comfortable in your darkness,
00:54:35.10\00:54:38.71
maybe you've come to
terms with your darkness,
00:54:38.74\00:54:42.94
and maybe your
intention was to go home
00:54:42.98\00:54:45.91
and remain the same,
00:54:45.95\00:54:48.12
but God.
00:54:48.15\00:54:52.25
But God calls you today.
00:54:52.29\00:54:55.12
And you're saying
for the first time,
00:54:55.16\00:54:56.49
"You know what,
I'll try this thing out.
00:54:56.52\00:54:59.86
I want to experience what
God can do in my darkness.
00:54:59.89\00:55:03.60
I want to experience the
plan of salvation when He says,
00:55:03.63\00:55:07.04
'I will put enmity
between you and the serpent.'"
00:55:07.07\00:55:10.97
And you're saying,
"God, look at my darkness."
00:55:11.01\00:55:15.64
God says, "Let there be light."
00:55:15.68\00:55:19.68
And you want to
experience that for yourself,
00:55:19.71\00:55:21.68
you want to go home and say,
00:55:21.72\00:55:23.05
"In 2018, Lord, I want
to experience Your light."
00:55:23.08\00:55:27.89
I'm not asking you
to go and evangelize.
00:55:27.92\00:55:29.79
I'm not asking
you to do anything.
00:55:29.82\00:55:31.46
Just to experience
00:55:31.49\00:55:33.36
how God can change your darkness
00:55:33.40\00:55:36.56
because, I know, the
natural outworking of that
00:55:36.60\00:55:40.10
would be that you
will shine for others.
00:55:40.14\00:55:44.87
If you're saying,
"Lord, change my darkness.
00:55:44.91\00:55:48.51
I want to experience that."
00:55:48.54\00:55:51.05
If that is your
desire this morning,
00:55:51.08\00:55:53.58
I invite you to come forward.
00:55:53.62\00:55:56.95
Saying, "Lord, I want to see
00:55:56.99\00:55:59.95
how You can
shine in my darkness.
00:55:59.99\00:56:03.89
I want to see You do for me
what I cannot do for myself.
00:56:03.93\00:56:10.30
I want to see Your
glory revealed to me."
00:56:10.33\00:56:15.00
If that is your desire
this morning, come forward.
00:56:15.04\00:56:20.91
The second appeal
is even more specific.
00:56:20.94\00:56:24.88
And this is to
someone that saying,
00:56:24.91\00:56:26.31
"Chantal, just like you,
00:56:26.35\00:56:28.48
I deemed Adventism a culture.
00:56:28.52\00:56:31.79
I deemed Adventism
a thing of the past.
00:56:31.82\00:56:35.62
I forgot that this was a
church ordained by God Himself.
00:56:35.66\00:56:39.63
I forgot why I
came in the first place.
00:56:39.66\00:56:43.50
I lost my first love."
00:56:43.53\00:56:47.24
And you're saying,
"Chantal, just like you,
00:56:47.27\00:56:49.20
I want to go home and discover
00:56:49.24\00:56:51.51
why I fell in love
with Adventism in 2018."
00:56:51.54\00:56:57.88
If that is your
desire this morning,
00:56:57.91\00:57:00.08
I invite you to come forward.
00:57:00.12\00:57:01.58