male announcer: This
presentation is brought to you
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by the friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
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¤¤¤
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Doug Batchelor: In discovering
God and holiness, you will find
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real happiness.
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If you get that equation
backwards, you will never
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find happiness.
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It's not gonna come through the
job, or the school, or the kids,
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or the marriage, or retirement.
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¤¤¤
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Doug Batchelor: I read that
a few years ago, the magazine
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"Psychology Today" did a survey
and they asked 52,000 Americans,
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"What will it take
to make you happy?"
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And most of the answers that
were varied basically said their
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happiness would depend upon
circumstances instead of issues
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of the heart.
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For example, they say, "I
would be happy when I get out
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of school.
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I'll be happy."
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And then they would say, "When
I get a job, I'll be happy."
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So it wasn't just
school, then they need a job.
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But once they got the job,
they said, "I'll be happy when I
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get married."
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And then they said, "I need
a job that makes more money now
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that I'm married."
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No, I just threw that in.
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Then they said, "If I could have
children, then I'll be happy."
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And it's interesting, right
after that, honest to goodness,
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it says, "When the kids
leave home, then I'll be happy."
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Then it says, "When I'm able
to retire, then I'll be happy."
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Well, I think at that point
just everything's about over.
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You know, the Bible teaches that
true happiness, real Christian
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happiness, is not the
victim of circumstances.
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It's something
that you have within.
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And as circumstances change, the
devil cannot take away your joy
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and your happiness.
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Jesus taught what the source was
to real and lasting happiness,
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and it's in what we
call the Beatitudes.
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Now, I thought it might be
a good idea just to create the
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foundation for what we'll
be talking about is just read
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them together.
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And so if you have your Bibles,
turn to Matthew 5, and I'm going
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to read through verse 12.
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It doesn't take long.
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Then we'll back up and we'll
do some expositional study as
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we proceed.
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Matthew chapter 5, verse 1, "And
seeing the multitudes, He went
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up on a mountain, and when
He was seated the disciples came
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to Him.
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And He opened his mouth and
He taught them, saying: 'Blessed
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are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
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Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
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Blessed are the meek, for
they will inherit the earth.
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Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness, for
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they will be filled.
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Blessed are the merciful,
for they will obtain mercy.
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Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they will see God.
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Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called the sons
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of God.
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Blessed are those who are
persecuted for righteousness'
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sake, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
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Blessed are you when they revile
and persecute you, and say all
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kinds of evil against
you falsely for My sake.
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Rejoice and be exceeding glad,
for great is your reward in
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heaven, for so they
persecuted the prophets who were
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before you.'"
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You know, it's probably good
to do a little introduction that
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just talks about
what's going on here.
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You've got the who, the when,
the where, the why, and the how
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in the delivering of the
Beatitudes, so bear with me
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because I think
this will be helpful.
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So you read in chapter 5,
verse 1, it says, "Seeing the
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multitudes, He went up on the
mountain, and when He was seated
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His disciples came to Him.
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Then He opened his
mouth and taught them."
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So it's a good idea to look
first at who are the Beatitudes
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coming from?
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It's good to know something
about the background of the
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one speaking.
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These teachings are coming from
the greatest teacher, the one
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who has the greatest authority.
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Basically, you've got the
Creator, because all things that
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were made were made by Him.
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So He has the owner's manual.
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He knows exactly what
we need for real happiness.
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Who could understand better
what we need than the Creator?
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You've got the Redeemer.
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It talks in the Beatitudes about
salvation, and the one who was
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going to die for our
sins understands best what is
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necessary to be saved.
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So He's qualified to
talk to us about these things.
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And then ultimately, He's
also the Judge who is going to
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separate the wheat from
the chaff and the goats from
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the sheep.
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And so He knows what it will
take for you to go from cursing
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to blessing and He has the
answers here in His teaching.
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What about the when?
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Well, when Jesus sat down
and delivered the message, He's
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still 30 years of age.
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It's a few months
into His ministry.
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He's been baptized.
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John the Baptist points to
Him and says, "This is the Lamb
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of God."
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Some disciples
began to follow Him.
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He left them for 40 days in the
wilderness, came back filled in
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a special way
with the Holy Spirit.
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He performed some miracles, like
when the man came down through
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the roof.
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He did some healing.
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He had done some
preliminary teaching.
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Because of the miracles
and His teachings, the crowds
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were swelling.
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So it's still
early in His ministry.
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John the Baptist
is not in prison yet.
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He's still preaching down at
Jordan, but Jesus is now working
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around Galilee, the Sea
of Galilee, sometimes called
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Gennesaret, sometimes
called the Sea of Tiberias.
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Same sea.
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It's like, you know, Mount Sinai
is also called Mount Horeb.
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You've got a couple of
different names for it.
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So this was a time
of great oppression.
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They were
occupied by the Romans.
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It was a time of
spiritual oppression.
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The religious leaders were so
engaged in a round of ceremonies
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that they really missed the
understanding of what it all
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pointed to.
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They were preoccupied with the
show of religion, praying, and
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giving, and fasting to be seen.
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They wanted to
fight for the best seats.
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There's a lot of spiritual pride
in the nation and so-- and they
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misunderstood what the
mission of the Messiah was.
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Because they were being
oppressed by the Romans, they
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were living in great
anticipation that a King would
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come, but they didn't
understand the nature.
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They thought the Messiah was
gonna come in like David and be
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given all the strength
of Samson, and the wisdom of
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Solomon, and the courage
of Elijah, and He was going to
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overthrow using
military force the Romans.
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Even the apostles misunderstood.
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But in spite of that, Jesus at
this point when He delivers the
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Beatitudes, shortly before, He
picks 12 of them, and He ordains
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them, and He sets them aside
even though they had still much
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to learn.
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The where of the Beatitudes.
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Well, it's not far
from the Sea of Galilee.
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The weather gets very warm there
in the summer, and so possibly,
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you know, one time when it was
cooler, they went down by the
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sea because wasn't so bad, and
He pushed out in the boat, and
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He taught them.
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This time they need a
little elevation to cool off.
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He leads them up the mountain.
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He finds a great natural
amphitheater, because it tells
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us there's great multitudes
that are following Him.
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There's a knoll, some prominent
spot on the grass, it may have
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been a crag, where He sits.
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And then through the disciples'
example, they sit and the
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multitudes all sit,
and He begins to teach.
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So it's a mountain.
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And then how.
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I think it's interesting.
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It says, "He sat."
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He didn't stand and
teach as I'm doing now.
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A few more years, I'll probably
sit and teach, but for now I
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can stand.
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He sat.
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His posture was one
of solemn declaration.
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He's getting ready to issue his
teachings, like Solomon on his
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throne making--
ruling a judgment.
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And so when Christ sat down to
teach, they understood there was
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a sense of expectation.
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He's getting ready to tell us.
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He's going to
introduce the kingdom.
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Because you see, when He
was baptized, He started saying
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right away, "The
kingdom of heaven is at hand."
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And they said, "Oh,
it's about to happen.
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He's going to arm us all."
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They kept-- even when He fed the
multitudes, they said, "Oh good,
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we figured out
how to feed the army.
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Now let's attack."
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They almost made Him a king by
force because they misunderstood
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the nature of His kingdom.
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So He sits down.
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And then we're going to go to
the section where He begins with
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a blessing, and I'm just
going to talk about blessing.
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And I guess I should tell you
what does the word "blessing"
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mean here in the Greek?
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It comes from the word
"makarios," and it means to be
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supremely
fortunate, well off, happy.
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Yes, God wants you to be happy.
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Contrary to what you may have
been taught or told, God does
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want you to be happy, but you
are not to pursue happiness as
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an objective.
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You are to pursue God and
holiness, and in discovering God
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and holiness, you
will find real happiness.
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If you get that equation
backwards, you will never
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find happiness.
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It's not gonna come through the
job, or the school, or the kids,
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or the marriage, or retirement.
00:09:42.38\00:09:44.98
It's gonna come
through finding God.
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Jesus said, "If you will lose
your life, then you find it."
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You let go of everything.
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You surrender to Christ.
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You take up your cross and
then you find the greatest joy
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and happiness.
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And that's all borne
out as we go through the
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different Beatitudes.
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Now, how many of you have
memorized the Ten Commandments?
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I think I could do it.
00:10:08.77\00:10:10.11
I might stumble on a little
adjective here, but I think I
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know them.
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Have you
memorized the Beatitudes?
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We remember the law,
"Thou shall not," but what about
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the blessings?
00:10:21.28\00:10:23.12
And in the Beatitudes, keep in
mind the Beatitudes are not just
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a hodgepodge like a bouquet.
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They are given in sequence.
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They are steps, each one leading
to an each one needing to
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precede the one that follows.
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In other words, why
are the mourning mourning?
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Because they recognize
they are poor in spirit.
00:10:41.24\00:10:44.81
And so it's a progression.
00:10:44.84\00:10:46.81
And finally, when you are living
it out, you are pure in heart,
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and you are being a peacemaker
and a witness for the Lord, then
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you're going to get persecuted.
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See how it works?
00:10:56.55\00:10:57.85
And so it's a progression.
00:10:57.89\00:10:59.22
So it's good to know
that this is given in steps.
00:10:59.25\00:11:01.46
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Doug Batchelor: But now I want
to get into the first of-- I
00:11:36.56\00:11:40.16
think we'll cover
three of the Beatitudes.
00:11:40.20\00:11:44.63
So He begins and He
says, "Blessed are the poor."
00:11:44.67\00:11:48.87
Not just poor, poor in spirit.
00:11:48.90\00:11:52.01
Now, I need to let you know
that when you go to Luke, Luke
00:11:52.04\00:11:55.34
actually does say, "Blessed are
the poor," and he doesn't say
00:11:55.38\00:11:57.88
"in spirit."
00:11:57.91\00:12:00.15
And he says, "Blessed
are those that mourn."
00:12:00.18\00:12:02.25
And Luke does talk to the poor
people in particular because so
00:12:02.28\00:12:06.79
many of the poor followed Jesus,
and it seemed it was easier for
00:12:06.82\00:12:10.09
the poor, the financially poor,
to embrace being poor in spirit.
00:12:10.13\00:12:18.27
So what does this mean?
00:12:18.30\00:12:19.67
"Blessed are
the poor in spirit."
00:12:19.70\00:12:21.04
Who would want to be poor?
00:12:21.07\00:12:23.94
Well, if it's poor in spirit,
it means blessed are those who
00:12:23.97\00:12:26.34
realize their
spiritual bankruptcy.
00:12:26.37\00:12:29.74
Let me give you some
Bible examples of that.
00:12:29.78\00:12:31.98
It's talking about those who are
humble and lowly in their own
00:12:32.01\00:12:35.08
eyes, because they
recognize their weakness.
00:12:35.12\00:12:38.35
When David sinned, he
thought he was the king.
00:12:38.39\00:12:41.19
He thought he was starting
to think a little too much
00:12:41.22\00:12:43.26
of himself.
00:12:43.29\00:12:44.53
But after his sin with Bathsheba
and the murder of Uriah, he says
00:12:44.56\00:12:48.13
in Psalm 51, "The sacrifices
of God are a broken spirit, a
00:12:48.16\00:12:54.04
broken and a contrite
heart-- These, O God, You will
00:12:54.07\00:12:57.74
not despise."
00:12:57.77\00:12:59.11
He said that under the influence
of the Holy Spirit, and it is
00:12:59.14\00:13:01.74
true that when you have become
brokenhearted, like Peter went
00:13:01.78\00:13:06.68
out and wept bitterly, then God
was able to fill him with the
00:13:06.72\00:13:10.65
Holy Spirit.
00:13:10.69\00:13:12.55
There was a brokenness because
of his sin-- David, and Peter,
00:13:12.59\00:13:16.26
and others.
00:13:16.29\00:13:17.63
It's like when Isaiah sees God
high on His throne and he says,
00:13:17.66\00:13:22.46
"Woe is me.
00:13:22.50\00:13:23.83
I am undone."
00:13:23.87\00:13:25.17
You see God in His holiness.
00:13:25.20\00:13:27.70
You know, when Solomon first has
that dream and God says, "What
00:13:27.74\00:13:31.14
shall I do for you?"
00:13:31.17\00:13:32.57
Solomon, when he received that
great wisdom of God's Spirit, he
00:13:32.61\00:13:37.55
begins by
saying, "I am bankrupt."
00:13:37.58\00:13:42.28
I'm paraphrasing.
00:13:42.32\00:13:43.62
He said, "I am
just a little child.
00:13:43.65\00:13:44.95
I don't know anything.
00:13:44.99\00:13:46.32
I don't know how to go out or
come in, and here I'm suddenly
00:13:46.35\00:13:48.36
responsible for this great
people and I've got to follow in
00:13:48.39\00:13:51.99
the footsteps of the
greatest king, my father David.
00:13:52.03\00:13:54.66
Lord, I'm inadequate."
00:13:54.73\00:13:56.56
And God says, "Now
you're beginning to understand.
00:13:56.60\00:14:00.44
Now I can bless you with wisdom,
and might, and power, because
00:14:00.47\00:14:05.07
you know that
without Me, you're nothing."
00:14:05.11\00:14:08.11
God was able to bless Solomon
when he had that humility in his
00:14:08.14\00:14:10.95
heart, being poor in spirit.
00:14:10.98\00:14:15.55
You remember reading the parable
of the tax collector and the
00:14:15.58\00:14:18.49
publican, the
Pharisee and the publican.
00:14:18.52\00:14:22.36
Luke 18:10, "Two men went up
to the temple to pray, one was a
00:14:22.39\00:14:27.66
Pharisee, the
other a tax collector.
00:14:27.66\00:14:30.10
The Pharisee stood, he
prays thus with himself."
00:14:30.13\00:14:34.24
He wonders if he's talking
to God or is he just praying
00:14:34.27\00:14:36.24
to himself?
00:14:36.27\00:14:38.04
"God, I thank You that I am not
like other men-- extortioners,
00:14:38.07\00:14:42.08
unjust, adulterers, or even as
this tax collector," looking at
00:14:42.11\00:14:45.58
the guy in the back row.
00:14:45.61\00:14:47.62
"'I fast twice a week; I give
tithes of all that I possess.'
00:14:47.65\00:14:52.59
Whereas the tax collector,
standing afar off, would not so
00:14:52.62\00:14:57.83
much as raise his eyes to
heaven, but he beat on his
00:14:57.86\00:15:00.83
breast and he said, 'God,
be merciful to me a sinner!'"
00:15:00.86\00:15:05.57
And it says, "I tell you,
this man went down to his house
00:15:05.60\00:15:08.57
justified
rather than the other."
00:15:08.60\00:15:10.51
Why?
00:15:10.54\00:15:11.84
Because he humbled himself.
00:15:11.87\00:15:13.21
He realized that we are
nothing without the Lord.
00:15:13.24\00:15:16.81
It's like Jesus said, you don't
know that you are poor, and
00:15:16.85\00:15:20.75
wretched, and
miserable, and blind, and naked.
00:15:20.78\00:15:23.55
So knowing our condition is a
prerequisite to the Lord giving
00:15:23.59\00:15:28.16
us the true riches, and
the white garment, and the eye
00:15:28.19\00:15:31.56
salve, and everything He
offers there in Revelation.
00:15:31.59\00:15:35.73
You know that story of the
man, he's caught mismanaging the
00:15:35.76\00:15:39.67
king's money, and it
comes to public knowledge.
00:15:39.70\00:15:43.41
He owes 10,000 talents.
00:15:43.44\00:15:45.51
Do you realize what a
fantastic amount that is?
00:15:45.54\00:15:49.58
That was-- 10,000 talents,
someone wrote, was the annual
00:15:49.61\00:15:56.15
budget for the whole
land of Israel for one year.
00:15:56.18\00:16:00.32
I mean, this is
like government money.
00:16:00.36\00:16:02.29
They say, you
know, $50 trillion.
00:16:02.32\00:16:03.79
I don't know what are our
national debt is right now.
00:16:03.83\00:16:06.36
Anyone know?
00:16:06.39\00:16:07.66
It's like $17 trillion.
00:16:07.73\00:16:09.73
Does that
number even make sense?
00:16:09.76\00:16:11.07
How much is it?
00:16:11.10\00:16:12.57
Twenty-two trillion.
00:16:12.60\00:16:14.04
Twenty-two
trillion and counting.
00:16:14.07\00:16:15.54
You know, it doesn't bother me
anymore having it 22 than it was
00:16:15.57\00:16:17.97
when it was 15.
00:16:18.01\00:16:19.81
I mean, I-- you just think about
that and I could go $10 trillion
00:16:19.84\00:16:23.24
or so.
00:16:23.28\00:16:25.11
It just doesn't shake me at all.
00:16:25.15\00:16:28.12
Those numbers-- well, that
number, when Jesus said 10,000
00:16:28.15\00:16:30.65
talents, it's that kinda number,
because these are talents.
00:16:30.69\00:16:33.42
It's a weight and
it's like gold or silver.
00:16:33.46\00:16:34.99
It didn't matter.
00:16:35.02\00:16:36.36
It's so much.
00:16:36.39\00:16:37.76
And so the man unable to pay
comes before the king and says,
00:16:37.79\00:16:41.76
"Have mercy.
00:16:41.80\00:16:43.13
I can't pay."
00:16:43.16\00:16:44.47
The king says,
"I'll have mercy."
00:16:44.50\00:16:45.83
When he realized there was no
way I could ever pay, he says,
00:16:45.87\00:16:49.07
"Then I'm going to have mercy."
00:16:49.10\00:16:51.34
You and I, there's nothing
you could do, there's no way you
00:16:51.37\00:16:53.51
could ever pay for your sins.
00:16:53.54\00:16:56.61
We are poor.
00:16:56.64\00:16:58.15
It's not just
poor, we are bankrupt.
00:16:58.18\00:17:01.15
We are ruined.
00:17:01.18\00:17:03.95
There's no recovery.
00:17:03.99\00:17:06.12
There's nothing you
can do to ever get it back.
00:17:06.15\00:17:11.49
And when we recognize that, He
says, "If you come to me and you
00:17:11.53\00:17:14.83
realize it," it's like the
prodigal son when he comes home.
00:17:14.83\00:17:18.00
What has he got?
00:17:18.03\00:17:19.57
He's wasted everything.
00:17:19.60\00:17:22.30
He's got nothing.
00:17:22.34\00:17:23.67
He's got rags.
00:17:23.71\00:17:25.01
It's how we come to Jesus.
00:17:25.04\00:17:27.84
Mark 12, verse 43, He says,
"Assuredly, I say this poor
00:17:27.88\00:17:32.15
widow has put in more than
all those who've given to the
00:17:32.18\00:17:35.08
treasury; for they all put in of
their abundance, but she out of
00:17:35.12\00:17:38.25
her poverty put
in all that she had."
00:17:38.29\00:17:41.56
You know, when we come to
Christ, we basically need to
00:17:41.59\00:17:44.73
cast everything aside
and realize we have nothing.
00:17:44.76\00:17:48.23
So what is the reward for them?
00:17:48.26\00:17:53.64
It says one of these days
they might get the kingdom.
00:17:53.67\00:17:57.01
Is that what it says
for the poor in spirit?
00:17:57.04\00:18:00.14
No, "Theirs is."
00:18:00.18\00:18:02.64
Now, is that present tense?
00:18:02.68\00:18:04.58
You notice when Jesus started
preaching, and John the Baptist,
00:18:04.61\00:18:07.08
He said, "Repent, for
the kingdom of heaven," is on
00:18:07.12\00:18:10.82
its way?
00:18:10.85\00:18:12.32
"Is at hand."
00:18:12.35\00:18:13.59
Now, this to me, it was the most
mind-blowing thing that I had to
00:18:13.62\00:18:17.53
share today.
00:18:17.56\00:18:18.79
I don't know if you'll feel that
way, but that's what I thought.
00:18:18.83\00:18:21.06
That means that if this is true,
no matter who you are, if you
00:18:21.10\00:18:27.07
recognize that without
Christ you are nothing, you have
00:18:27.10\00:18:29.90
nothing, that you can leave
today and God says you can be an
00:18:29.94\00:18:34.18
owner of, present
tense, the kingdom of God.
00:18:34.21\00:18:37.71
Alright, we're going
to go to step number two.
00:18:37.75\00:18:40.82
"Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted."
00:18:40.85\00:18:47.12
You know, my heart
went out yesterday.
00:18:47.16\00:18:49.36
I was driving down the hill.
00:18:49.39\00:18:51.43
Actually it was two days ago.
00:18:51.46\00:18:52.79
I was driving down the
hill and-- no, it was yesterday.
00:18:52.83\00:18:59.27
Doesn't matter for you,
but I just want to be telling
00:18:59.30\00:19:01.00
the truth.
00:19:01.04\00:19:02.34
It was yesterday.
00:19:02.37\00:19:03.67
I was coming back from
getting my Chipotle burrito.
00:19:03.71\00:19:05.54
How much more
information do you want?
00:19:05.57\00:19:09.28
On Interstate 80, and off in the
distance, I've seen this before,
00:19:09.31\00:19:12.48
you see a poof
from the highway go up.
00:19:12.51\00:19:15.15
It's not a good sign.
00:19:15.18\00:19:16.95
There was an accident.
00:19:16.99\00:19:18.82
One car hits another, and
sometimes a radiator explodes,
00:19:18.85\00:19:21.32
and you'll see a proof of steam
go up, and sometimes worse,
00:19:21.36\00:19:24.63
there's smoke.
00:19:24.66\00:19:25.96
And I saw all the
cars began to slow down.
00:19:25.99\00:19:28.40
The police had not arrived yet.
00:19:28.43\00:19:29.73
And I'm going-- I'm
going-- now, where am I going?
00:19:29.76\00:19:32.30
West.
00:19:32.33\00:19:33.67
This was an eastbound lane,
and so I thought I better take
00:19:33.70\00:19:35.67
a look.
00:19:35.70\00:19:37.01
And I get over, you
know, like the looky-loos.
00:19:37.04\00:19:38.74
I get over to see what happened,
and by the time we crawled up to
00:19:38.77\00:19:42.91
where the accident was, two or
three cars, at least three cars,
00:19:42.94\00:19:47.85
were pulled
over on the shoulder.
00:19:47.88\00:19:50.02
And I saw this one guy and
my heart just broke for him.
00:19:50.05\00:19:53.96
It looked like a young man.
00:19:53.99\00:19:55.29
I'm not even sure it
was his car, but he had rear
00:19:55.32\00:19:57.36
ended somebody.
00:19:57.39\00:19:58.69
Front of the
car was all smashed.
00:19:58.73\00:20:00.03
And it didn't look
like anyone was hurt.
00:20:00.06\00:20:01.36
Steam was comin'
out of the radiator.
00:20:01.40\00:20:03.10
And he had his arms folded and
his head on his arms on the hood
00:20:03.13\00:20:06.84
of the car, and
he was just mourning.
00:20:06.87\00:20:10.44
You know that feeling like, "Oh
no, this is the last thing in
00:20:10.47\00:20:15.08
the world I needed."
00:20:15.11\00:20:16.41
And he was just so overwhelmed,
I just felt like crying for
00:20:16.44\00:20:19.08
the fellow.
00:20:19.11\00:20:20.45
I could just tell he
hadn't planned that that day.
00:20:20.48\00:20:23.89
And I just prayed for him.
00:20:23.92\00:20:25.55
I said, "Lord, help him know
that someday this will pass."
00:20:25.59\00:20:29.72
But do you ever have
that feeling of just anguish?
00:20:29.76\00:20:34.76
Well, when you realize that
you're bankrupt, you will feel
00:20:34.83\00:20:38.80
that sense of anguish.
00:20:38.83\00:20:40.90
Amos 8, verse 10, "I will make
it like the mourning for an only
00:20:40.94\00:20:44.91
son, and its end
like the bitter day."
00:20:44.94\00:20:49.54
Why is there mourning
when we become poor of spirit?
00:20:49.58\00:20:54.05
We realize our sins.
00:20:54.08\00:20:55.38
We realize what our sins cost.
00:20:55.42\00:20:57.99
Don't you usually
mourn when there's a death?
00:20:58.02\00:21:01.86
And to be saved,
there's really two deaths.
00:21:01.89\00:21:07.03
There is the death of Jesus, and
we realize He died for us, and
00:21:07.03\00:21:12.03
that brings about our death.
00:21:12.07\00:21:13.37
We take up our
cross and we follow Him.
00:21:13.40\00:21:15.00
We are crucified
with Christ, right?
00:21:15.04\00:21:17.81
But then He's
blessing the mourning.
00:21:17.84\00:21:22.34
And Revelation ultimately tells
us, "God will wipe away every
00:21:22.38\00:21:26.31
tear from their eyes; and there
will be no more death, sorrow,
00:21:26.35\00:21:29.08
or crying.
00:21:29.12\00:21:30.45
There will be no more pain."
00:21:30.49\00:21:31.79
But I want to assure you that
that comfort is not just when we
00:21:31.82\00:21:35.26
get to heaven.
00:21:35.29\00:21:36.62
When you mourn even in this
life, God will then comfort and
00:21:36.66\00:21:40.60
you'll end up having peace.
00:21:40.63\00:21:42.43
And then the final
point for today is the meek.
00:21:42.46\00:21:45.53
"Blessed are the meek, for
they will inherit the earth."
00:21:45.57\00:21:49.70
You know, I think Jesus may
have been quoting from Psalm 37.
00:21:49.74\00:21:52.74
Tell me what you think.
00:21:52.77\00:21:54.08
Verse 11, "But the meek will
inherit the earth, and delight
00:21:54.11\00:21:58.35
themselves in the
abundance of peace."
00:21:58.38\00:22:01.38
So that's what we're talking
about today, how to have that
00:22:01.42\00:22:03.39
joy and peace.
00:22:03.42\00:22:04.75
You know, people who are proud
are never peaceful because they
00:22:04.79\00:22:08.79
never have enough.
00:22:08.82\00:22:10.66
They never have enough power.
00:22:10.69\00:22:11.99
They never have
enough attention.
00:22:12.03\00:22:13.36
They're always insecure.
00:22:13.40\00:22:14.83
And so they're always restless.
00:22:14.86\00:22:17.57
But when you finally realize
you're poor, and you've mourned,
00:22:17.60\00:22:21.00
and God has comforted you,
you've got this meekness about
00:22:21.04\00:22:24.41
you that, you know, it's
not easy to be insulted or to
00:22:24.44\00:22:29.71
be hurt.
00:22:29.74\00:22:31.05
Jesus said, Matthew 11:29, "Take
My yoke upon you and learn of
00:22:31.08\00:22:35.48
Me, for I am meek and lowly."
00:22:35.52\00:22:37.49
He's calling us to follow Him.
00:22:37.52\00:22:39.35
Jesus was meek and lowly.
00:22:39.39\00:22:40.72
He's calling us to
have that same humility.
00:22:40.76\00:22:44.23
"I'm meek and lowly in
heart, and you will find rest."
00:22:44.26\00:22:47.30
Through meekness, you find rest.
00:22:47.30\00:22:49.63
So much of our dissatisfaction
is because of our pride.
00:22:49.66\00:22:54.47
We're upset with other people,
what they think, or what they
00:22:54.50\00:22:58.04
say, and it's really
a form of selfishness.
00:22:58.07\00:23:02.91
Someone said you're never
more like the devil than when
00:23:02.94\00:23:04.91
you're proud.
00:23:04.95\00:23:06.35
It's through pride that
Satan was cast out of heaven.
00:23:06.38\00:23:09.25
And yet Jesus is the one who
made Himself of no reputation.
00:23:09.28\00:23:14.49
He went from God,
He became a human.
00:23:14.52\00:23:16.86
He not only became a
human, He became a humble human.
00:23:16.89\00:23:19.13
He became a meek
human, born in a barn human.
00:23:19.16\00:23:22.26
I mean, He took the
lowest position that God might
00:23:22.30\00:23:25.53
exalt Him.
00:23:25.57\00:23:26.87
Yet in the world, we're
always fighting for recognition.
00:23:26.90\00:23:31.07
I've been reading a book by John
Calvin the last few weeks and,
00:23:31.11\00:23:36.54
you know,
Calvin makes a comment.
00:23:36.58\00:23:39.48
He says all of us have this
kingdom in our breast that must
00:23:39.51\00:23:42.78
be subdued.
00:23:42.82\00:23:44.15
We want to be king,
always thinkin' about ourselves.
00:23:44.19\00:23:46.22
It's a kingdom of I, and I
thought, "Yeah, I can resonate
00:23:46.25\00:23:49.76
with that."
00:23:49.79\00:23:51.09
My biggest problem is me.
00:23:51.13\00:23:52.49
John Calvin, when he died, he
gave strict instructions that he
00:23:52.53\00:23:55.53
be buried in a common
cemetery with no tombstone.
00:23:55.56\00:23:59.90
He had his friends bury him
in an unmarked grave somewhere
00:23:59.93\00:24:04.07
there in Geneva.
00:24:04.11\00:24:05.41
And to this day nobody knows
where his grave is because he
00:24:05.44\00:24:07.18
said, "I don't want
anyone making a shrine out of
00:24:07.21\00:24:09.04
my grave."
00:24:09.08\00:24:10.38
He understood
there was that danger.
00:24:10.41\00:24:13.75
Bible tells us that this is the
key to that happiness is knowing
00:24:13.78\00:24:19.02
that it all comes from the Lord.
00:24:19.05\00:24:21.69
He's offering us that peace.
00:24:21.72\00:24:23.43
"Great peace have those that
love His law and nothing will
00:24:23.46\00:24:27.03
offend them."
00:24:27.03\00:24:28.36
Would you like to have that
peace and that joy, friends?
00:24:28.40\00:24:31.10
And it comes from being poor in
spirit, recognizing that we're
00:24:31.13\00:24:36.44
mourning for what Christ had
to pay because of our sins, and
00:24:36.47\00:24:41.08
willing to take up our cross
and follow Him, and then follow
00:24:41.11\00:24:44.95
Him meekly.
00:24:44.98\00:24:46.31
male announcer: Don't forget to
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share it with others.
00:25:20.85\00:25:24.25
male announcer: Doug Batchelor
was the teenage son of a
00:25:24.29\00:25:26.52
millionaire father and
show business mother, yet he was
00:25:26.55\00:25:29.59
living in a cave.
00:25:29.62\00:25:31.33
He had everything money could
buy, everything but happiness.
00:25:31.36\00:25:34.93
But all of the fun and
excitement he enjoyed left his
00:25:34.96\00:25:37.63
life out of control.
00:25:37.67\00:25:39.60
His search eventually led him to
a cave above Palm Springs that
00:25:39.63\00:25:43.30
became his home.
00:25:43.34\00:25:44.87
While Doug scavenged for food in
garbage bins, his father owned a
00:25:44.91\00:25:48.64
yacht, a
learjet, and an airline.
00:25:48.68\00:25:51.55
But in his cave home, he
discovered a dust-covered Bible.
00:25:51.58\00:25:55.32
As he began to read, he
soon learned of his true purpose
00:25:55.35\00:25:58.49
in life.
00:25:58.52\00:25:59.82
"The Richest Caveman" is the
extraordinary true story of Doug
00:25:59.85\00:26:03.39
Batchelor that tells how a
rebellious teenager who once
00:26:03.43\00:26:06.66
lived in a cave became a
tremendous soul winner for
00:26:06.70\00:26:09.63
Jesus Christ.
00:26:09.66\00:26:11.00
It's a thrilling testimony
of the transforming power of
00:26:11.03\00:26:13.90
God's Word.
00:26:13.94\00:26:15.24
To order your copy of
"The Richest Caveman," call
00:26:15.27\00:26:17.97
800-538-7275 or
visit afbookstore.com.
00:26:18.01\00:26:23.75
Doug Batchelor: Every week,
"Amazing Facts" produces a radio
00:26:24.85\00:26:27.35
broadcast called "Bible Answers
Live" where listeners can call
00:26:27.38\00:26:31.75
in and ask some of the most
pressing Bible questions that
00:26:31.79\00:26:34.96
are circulating
in the world today.
00:26:34.99\00:26:37.19
This popular weekly radio
program has reached millions
00:26:37.23\00:26:40.56
with the truth
found in God's Word.
00:26:40.60\00:26:42.70
Now we've compiled a series
of books to help you find clear
00:26:42.73\00:26:46.23
biblical answers to the
meaningful questions about
00:26:46.27\00:26:49.10
Scripture's most
difficult topics.
00:26:49.14\00:26:51.47
The questions and answers in
these books are based on actual
00:26:51.51\00:26:54.74
calls that have been
featured on the "Bible Answers
00:26:54.78\00:26:57.25
Live" program.
00:26:57.28\00:26:58.71
For over 25 years now, "Bible
Answers Live" has given millions
00:26:58.75\00:27:02.68
the Bible truth they need to
better understand the Word and
00:27:02.72\00:27:06.12
to know God's will for their
lives, and now it's your turn.
00:27:06.15\00:27:09.36
If you've got difficult Bible
questions or you're searching
00:27:09.39\00:27:11.86
for answers, chances are
your questions or somewhere in
00:27:11.89\00:27:15.36
these books.
00:27:15.40\00:27:16.70
Order your copy of "The Best
of Bible Answers Live" today.
00:27:16.73\00:27:21.34
male announcer: In six days,
God created the heavens and
00:27:24.91\00:27:27.88
the earth.
00:27:27.91\00:27:29.14
For thousands of years, man has
worshiped God on the seventh day
00:27:29.18\00:27:33.05
of the week.
00:27:33.08\00:27:34.42
Now, each week, millions of
people worship on the first day.
00:27:34.45\00:27:38.59
What happened?
00:27:38.62\00:27:39.92
Why did God
create a day of rest?
00:27:39.95\00:27:42.22
Does it really
matter what day we worship?
00:27:42.26\00:27:44.93
Who was behind this great shift?
00:27:44.96\00:27:46.76
Discover the truth behind God's
law and how it was changed.
00:27:46.80\00:27:50.47
Visit sabbathtruth.com.
00:27:50.50\00:27:51.80
¤¤¤
00:27:51.83\00:28:00.54
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's free offer.
00:28:00.58\00:28:02.61
It's sure to be a blessing.
00:28:02.64\00:28:04.41
And thank you for your continued
support as we take the gospel of
00:28:04.45\00:28:07.82
Jesus Christ to the world.
00:28:07.85\00:28:09.75
We hope you'll join us next week
as we delve deep into the Word
00:28:09.78\00:28:13.22
of God to explore
more amazing facts.
00:28:13.25\00:28:15.69
¤¤¤
00:28:15.72\00:28:24.93
male announcer: This
presentation was brought to you
00:28:24.97\00:28:26.37
by the friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
00:28:26.40\00:28:29.40