Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: AFP
Program Code: AFP005001
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:01 >>THE FOLLOWING IS A PAID PRESENTATION BROUGHT TO YOU 00:03 BY AMAZING FACTS, INCORPORATED. 00:11 >>WE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WE WENT TO CHURCH BECAUSE IT WAS 00:13 SUPPOSED TO BE SOME FORM OF RESORT FOR THE SAINTS. 00:18 IN MANY RESPECTS IT'S A HOSPITAL FOR THE SINNERS, ISN'T IT? 00:24 >>FOR OVER 40 YEARS AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO 00:27 SHARING GOD'S WORD THROUGH MEDIA. 00:30 THIS PROGRAM FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS FROM SOME OF OUR BEST 00:33 TELEVISION BROADCASTS. 00:34 WE INVITE YOU TO SIT BACK AND ENJOY THIS EDITION OF 00:37 AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 00:44 >>HI FRIENDS, WELCOME TO AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 00:48 TODAY WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL PRESENTATION WE'RE EXCITED TO 00:50 BRING TO YOU. 00:51 YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE LORD - 00:54 THEY ACCEPT JESUS - BUT THEN, OVER TIME, THEY BEGIN TO DRIFT 00:57 FROM THEIR CHURCH EXPERIENCE. 00:59 MAYBE YOU KNOW SOMEONE LIKE THAT. 01:02 MAYBE YOU'RE IN THAT CATEGORY. 01:04 THAT'S WHY I THINK YOU'LL BE BLESSED BY TODAY'S PROGRAM 01:06 CALLED 'WHO NEEDS THE CHURCH?' >>I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND JUST 01:11 BUYING ANY KIND OF DRUGS JUST TO DO FOR MYSELF BECAUSE IT 01:15 JUST MADE SENSE TO INVEST IT IN SOMETHING ELSE AND THEN I COULD 01:18 MAKE ALL THE MONEY BACK AND HAVE WEED THAT I COULD 01:21 SMOKE FOR FREE. 01:23 I WAS HAVING A LOT OF FUN - AT LEAST AT FIRST. 01:29 I WAS MAKING MORE MONEY THAN ANYBODY I - THAT I KNEW. 01:32 I'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, POUNDS AND POUNDS OF WEED IN THE CLOSET AND 01:35 I'VE GOT ALL THIS MONEY. 01:37 I'VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL, FULLY FURNISHED APARTMENT - 01:40 A CHANDELIER HANGING IN MY LIVING ROOM. 01:42 I'VE GOT A LUXURY CAR - ALL LEATHER INTERIOR. 01:44 I'VE GOT THE HOTTEST GIRLFRIEND. 01:46 I HAVE EVERY SINGLE THING THAT THIS WORLD TELLS ME THAT I NEED. 01:52 AND THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED HOW EMPTY I REALLY WAS. 01:57 EVENTUALLY, SMOKING WEED DIDN'T DO IT ANYMORE. 02:00 I STARTED GOING TO DOING A LOT OF ACID, LSD, AND ECSTASY. 02:06 OF COURSE, OTHER HARD DRUGS CAME INTO THE PICTURE. 02:08 I FOUND OUT THAT YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM YOURSELF AND NO MATTER 02:12 WHERE YOU GO, THERE YOU ARE. 02:15 IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO RECONCILE A FAITH IN GOD AND 02:18 THEN THIS LIFESTYLE THAT I WAS CHOOSING TO LEAD. 02:21 AND, AT THIS POINT, I HAD MADE THAT CHOICE TO LEAD THAT 02:23 LIFESTYLE, BUT I COULDN'T REVERSE IT. 02:26 EVEN THOUGH I WANTED TO STOP - OR AT LEAST SLOW DOWN - 02:30 I HAD NO POWER. 02:32 I SAID, 'GOD, DO WHATEVER IT IS YOU'VE GOT TO DO TO CHANGE ME.' 02:35 I GET ARRESTED FOR A DUI. 02:37 I'D BEEN TO JAIL MANY TIMES BEFORE BUT I USED TO THINK THAT 02:40 THE REASON THAT I WENT TO JAIL IS BECAUSE GOD WAS SICK OF ME - 02:43 THAT GOD HATED ME. 02:45 THERE I AM IN JAIL AND I'M STARTING TO SEE THE FACT THAT 02:48 GOD LOVES ME - TO KNOW THE EMPTINESS OF THIS WORLD - 02:52 TO KNOW THAT THIS LIFE REALLY STINKS, BUT THERE'S HOPE. 02:59 AND THE HOPE THAT I FOUND CAN ONLY BE SEEN OR KNOWN 03:05 IN CHRIST JESUS. 03:12 MY NAME IS JUSTIN MONTERO AND I'VE RECLAIMED MY FAITH. 03:19 >>AMEN. 03:21 YOU KNOW FRIENDS, WE CAN TELL FROM SOME OF THE TESTIMONIES 03:23 WE'VE ALREADY HEARD DURING THIS PROGRAM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE 03:27 OUT THERE THAT HAVE BEGUN A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD, 03:32 BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED. 03:34 MAYBE SOMEBODY HURT THEM OR THEY GOT DISTRACTED WITH THE BUSYNESS 03:37 OF LIFE, OR MAYBE THEY GREW UP IN THE CHURCH AND THEY WERE JUST 03:40 CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT'S OUT THERE IN THE WORLD AND THEY WANTED TO 03:43 GO FIND OUT FOR THEMSELVES WHAT THEY WERE MISSING, BUT THEY 03:46 DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT WAS A WHIRLPOOL THAT WAS GOING TO 03:49 CATCH THEM AND HOLD THEM. 03:52 AND WE'RE DOING THIS PROGRAM ESPECIALLY TO ENCOURAGE 03:54 EVERYBODY TO KNOW - THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE 03:57 A HISTORY AND A BACKGROUND WITH JESUS, YOU CAN COME BACK - 04:01 YOU CAN GET A NEW BEGINNING, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE 04:04 A DECISION NOT TO JUMP SHIP - TO STAY WITH THE BOAT. 04:10 IN SPITE OF THE PROBLEMS, IN SPITE OF THE STORMS, IN SPITE OF 04:13 THE OTHER SAILORS, YOU HAVE TO STAY ON THE BOAT. 04:18 JESUS WILL NOT FORCE YOU. 04:19 YOU CAN MAKE A DECISION - IF YOU'RE OUT THERE WHERE THE 04:21 SHARKS ARE - TO SWIM BACK TO THE BOAT. 04:25 YOU KNOW, THERE'S A STORY IN THE BIBLE THAT TELLS US THERE IS A 04:28 TIME TO TRUST THE LORD AND HANG TIGHT IN THE BOAT, EVEN THOUGH 04:35 THERE MAY BE STORMS. 04:37 IF YOU HAVE A BIBLE YOU'LL FIND THIS IN THE BOOK OF ACTS. 04:40 THE BOOK OF ACTS TELLS ABOUT THE EXCITING WAY THAT GOD HAS LED 04:44 HIS CHURCH. 04:46 AND AT THE END OF THE STORY OF ACTS, THE BOOK TAKES QUITE A BIT 04:49 OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT A STORM AT SEA. 04:54 THERE IS A BOATLOAD OF SAILORS FOR JUDGMENT - THEY'RE ACTUALLY 05:00 PRISONERS ON THEIR WAY TO ROME TO BE JUDGED BY CAESAR. 05:04 THE APOSTLE PAUL IS ON THE BOAT AND AFTER THEY LOSE EVERYTHING - 05:09 THEY THROW EVERYTHING OVERBOARD - THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE 05:11 THEY ARE. THEY'RE LOST. 05:12 THEY'VE LOST THEIR TACKLING - AND THEY THREW THE FOOD 05:15 OVERBOARD - BUT PAUL PRAYED AND HE INTERCEDED FOR EVERYBODY ON 05:19 THE BOAT AND THE ANGEL SAID, 'I'VE HEARD YOUR PRAYER.' 05:24 WELL JUST AS THEY WERE NEARING LAND, SOME OF THE SAILORS 05:28 THOUGHT, 'YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO BETTER ON OUR OWN. 05:31 WE'RE GOING TO SNEAK OFF IN THE LITTLE LIFEBOAT - THE LITTLE 05:34 DINGHY BY OURSELVES.' AND YOU CAN READ IN ACTS 27, 05:37 VERSE 30 - "AND AS THE SAILORS WERE SEEKING TO ESCAPE FROM THE 05:42 SHIP AND THEY LET DOWN THE SKIFF INTO THE SEA UNDER PRETENSE" - 05:46 PRETENDING THAT THEY WERE PUTTING OUT ANCHORS FROM THE BOW 05:50 - "PAUL SAID TO THE CENTURION AND THE SOLDIERS, 05:53 'UNLESS THESE MEN STAY IN THE SHIP, YOU CANNOT BE SAVED.'" 06:00 WOW. WHY? 06:03 PERHAPS GOD'S SENDING A MESSAGE TO HIS PEOPLE AS WE NEAR SHORE - 06:07 ESPECIALLY DURING THE STORMS OF THE LAST DAYS - HOW CRUCIAL IT 06:10 IS FOR US TO STICK TOGETHER. 06:14 BECAUSE, UNLESS WE STICK TOGETHER, WE'RE ALL IN DANGER. 06:20 AND WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER. 06:22 I'M NOT ONLY INTERESTED IN MY SALVATION, I NEED TO BE 06:25 INTERESTED IN YOUR SALVATION - AND I HOPE YOU'RE INTERESTED 06:28 IN MINE. 06:30 YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PRAY THE LORD'S PRAYER IT NEVER SAYS 06:32 'GIVE ME...DELIVER ME...FEED ME' - IT'S 'LEAD US...DELIVER 06:37 US...FEED US' BECAUSE WE SHOULD BE CORPORATELY INTERESTED. 06:42 BUT WE'RE LIVING IN THE AGE OF INDIVIDUALISM AND EVERYBODY'S 06:45 KIND OF OFF DOING THEIR OWN THING. 06:47 I READ SOME STATISTICS - THE BARNA RESEARCH GROUP PUT THIS 06:50 OUT THAT "NEARLY THREE OUT OF EVERY FIVE YOUNG CHRISTIANS - 06:54 APPROXIMATELY 59% - DISCONNECT FROM THE CHURCH AFTER AGE 15 - 07:00 SOME PERMANENTLY." 07:02 SOME, PRAISE THE LORD, COME BACK. 07:05 APPROXIMATELY 150,000 PEOPLE LEAVE THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN 07:09 NORTH AMERICA EVERY WEEK. 07:12 NOW, FORTUNATELY, THERE ARE MANY COMING IN ALSO, BUT AT LARGE, 07:17 THE BACK DOOR OF THE CHURCH IS LARGER NOW THAN THE FRONT DOOR. 07:22 NOW, THAT'S NOT TRUE IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD, BUT WE'VE 07:24 GOT A PROBLEM - ESPECIALLY IN NORTH AMERICA AND OTHER PARTS OF 07:28 THE WORLD - SOME OF WESTERN EUROPE. 07:30 HEBREWS 10, VERSES 24 AND 25 - "AND LET US CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER 07:35 IN ORDER TO STIR UP LOVE AND GOOD WORKS" - STIR EACH OTHER UP 07:41 - "NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER." 07:46 THAT'S WHAT THE CHURCH IS - WE ASSEMBLE TOGETHER - "AS THE 07:48 MANNER OF SOME IS" - SOME ARE DOING THIS - "BUT EXHORTING ONE 07:52 ANOTHER AND SO MUCH THE MORE AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING." 07:58 WHAT DAY IS APPROACHING, FRIENDS? THE DAY OF THE LORD - 08:01 JESUS' COMING. 08:02 AND ALL THE MORE AS WE SEE THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING, WE 08:06 NEED TO ENCOURAGE AND EXHORT AND STIR EACH OTHER 08:10 TO COME TOGETHER. 08:13 THERE IS REDEMPTIVE VALUE IN OUR COMING TOGETHER. 08:17 YOU KNOW, ONE REASON WE NEED THE CHURCH SO MUCH IS 08:18 BECAUSE OF LOVE. 08:21 GREAT COMMANDMENTS - LOVE THE LORD, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. 08:25 WE GO TO CHURCH BECAUSE WE LEARN MORE ABOUT LOVING GOD BY 08:29 LEARNING HOW TO LOVE EACH OTHER. 08:31 AND JOHN TELLS US IF WE CANNOT LOVE OUR BROTHERS WHO WE DO SEE, 08:34 HOW CAN WE SAY THAT WE LOVE THE LORD WHO WE DON'T SEE? 08:37 AND WE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WE WENT TO CHURCH BECAUSE IT WAS 08:40 SUPPOSED TO BE SOME FORM OF RESORT FOR THE SAINTS. 08:44 IN MANY RESPECTS IT'S A HOSPITAL FOR THE SINNERS, ISN'T IT? 08:49 PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH SOMETIMES AREN'T ALWAYS LOVABLE - 08:52 BUT THAT'S HOW YOU LEARN LOVE - YOU DON'T LEARN TO LOVE WHEN 08:55 YOU'RE SURROUNDED ALWAYS WITH LOVABLE PEOPLE. 08:58 YOU ESPECIALLY LEARN TO LOVE - WHEN YOU PRAY FOR PATIENCE WHAT 09:01 DO YOU THINK GOD'S GOING TO GIVE YOU? 09:04 HE'LL SEND YOU DELAY BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU GROW. 09:07 IF YOU PRAY FOR MUSCLES, WHAT IS GOD GOING TO GIVE YOU? 09:11 HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU WEIGHT TO CARRY - I DIDN'T MEAN IT THE WAY 09:14 IT FIRST CAME OUT. 09:16 BUT YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO LIFT WEIGHTS. 09:20 AND IF YOU SAY, 'LORD, GIVE ME LOVE FOR MY NEIGHBOR' HE'S GOING 09:24 TO PUT YOU NEXT TO AN ORNERY NEIGHBOR. 09:28 AND THAT'S - ISN'T THAT HOW WE LEARN LOVE? 09:31 AND SO, SOME PEOPLE, THEY EXCUSE THEMSELVES FROM THE CHURCH AND 09:34 THEY THINK, 'I'M GOING TO STAY HOME AND I'M GOING TO BE 09:36 ESPECIALLY HOLY' - IT ACTUALLY HAS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. 09:40 WE DESPERATELY NEED EACH OTHER. 09:42 WE NEED TO LEARN TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND STICK TOGETHER 09:45 AS A CHURCH. 09:47 SO WHAT IS THE CHURCH? 09:49 WHEN WE SAY THE WORD CHURCH IT'S ACTUALLY A SCOTTISH WORD - IT 09:52 COMES FROM THE WORD 'KIRK' AND YOU MAYBE HAVE HEARD SOME SONGS 09:55 ABOUT THAT - 'THE WEE KIRK IN THE HEATHER' - AND THAT'S REALLY 10:00 NOT THE WORD. 10:01 IN GREEK IT'S ECCLESIA AND IT MEANS 'THE GATHERING, THE 10:06 CALLING OUT, THE CONGREGATION, THE ASSEMBLY' - IT IS A 10:09 COMMUNITY OF FAITH - IT'S NOT A BUILDING, IT'S A PLACE WHERE 10:13 GOD'S PEOPLE GATHER TO LEARN HIS WILL AND TO KNOW HOW TO SERVE 10:17 HIM BETTER. 10:19 SO HERE'S THE BIG QUESTION: CAN YOU BE A CHRISTIAN AND NOT BE 10:24 PARTICIPATING IN CHURCH? 10:26 NOW AGAIN, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THOSE WHO CAN'T BECAUSE OF A 10:28 MEDICAL PROBLEM OR ISOLATION, BUT CAN YOU REALLY BE A HEALTHY 10:33 CHRISTIAN AND NOT WANT TO BE PART OF GOD'S PEOPLE? 10:37 WELL, SURE, IF YOU CAN BE A HONEYBEE AND NOT BE PART OF 10:41 A HIVE - YOU USUALLY DON'T MAKE A LOT OF HONEY THAT WAY. 10:44 IF YOU CAN BE A SOLDIER WITHOUT AN ARMY - YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF 10:47 RAMBO - YOU RUN AROUND DOING YOUR OWN THING. 10:51 IF YOU CAN BE A SALESMAN WITH NO CUSTOMERS. 10:55 IF YOU CAN BE A FOOTBALL PLAYER WITHOUT A TEAM - YOU THROW THE 10:58 BALL THEN YOU RUN AHEAD AND YOU CATCH IT - AND DO ALL YOUR OWN 11:01 BLOCKING AND TACKLING. 11:05 IF YOU CAN BE A POLITICIAN WHO IS A HERMIT WELL THEN SURE, YOU 11:10 CAN BE A CHRISTIAN THAT DOESN'T PARTICIPATE IN CHURCH. 11:14 BUT I REALIZE - I KNOW YOU REALIZE THAT I'M SAYING THIS 11:16 TONGUE-IN-CHEEK. 11:18 THE BIBLE TELLS US, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT - ACTS CHAPTER 2, 11:20 VERSE 47, "THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY THOSE WHO WERE 11:26 BEING SAVED." 11:28 NOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, FRIENDS, BUT I WANT TO BE SAVED. 11:32 JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS - 11:35 AND WHO IS BEING SAVED? 11:37 THE ONES WHO ARE ADDED TO THE CHURCH. 11:41 SO HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO JESUS THAT WE ARE PART OF THE CHURCH? 11:45 YOU KNOW, AS YOU READ THE NEW TESTAMENT, ANY IDEA THAT YOU 11:50 COULD BE SAVED OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH IS A FOREIGN CONCEPT TO 11:54 THE BIBLE. 11:56 THE WHOLE NEW TESTAMENT IS WRITTEN WITH THE IDEA IN MIND 11:59 THAT PEOPLE ARE SAVED INTO THE CHURCH. 12:02 THEY ARE BROUGHT INTO CHRIST AND INTO THE CHURCH 12:04 AT THE SAME TIME. 12:07 NOW, I'M SAYING THIS FOR THOSE WHO ARE OUT THERE THAT SAY, 12:09 'OH YEAH, I'M A CHRISTIAN, I JUST DON'T GO TO CHURCH.' 12:12 I REMEMBER PICKING UP A HITCHHIKER ONE TIME - I BEGAN TO 12:15 SHARE MY FAITH WITH HIM AND HE SAID, 'OH YEAH, I'M A CHRISTIAN, 12:17 I'M JUST NOT A PRACTICING CHRISTIAN.' 12:21 AND THEN HE COMMENCED TO SHOW ME THE CROSSES THAT HE WORE. 12:25 AND I STOPPED - I ACTUALLY STOPPED AND ATE A MEAL WITH HIM 12:28 BECAUSE I WANTED TO TALK TO HIM A LITTLE FURTHER AND SAID, 12:32 'SO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN. 12:35 'WELL, YOU KNOW, JESUS SAVES YOU FROM YOUR SIN.' 12:36 AND I SAID, 'NOW EXPLAIN WHAT A NON-PRACTICING CHRISTIAN IS.' 12:41 WE'RE EITHER FOLLOWING CHRIST OR WE'RE NOT. 12:44 NOW, YOU DON'T SAY, 'WELL I'M NOT GOING TO GO TO CHURCH UNTIL 12:46 I'M FOLLOWING CHRIST.' OR 'I'M AFRAID IF I GO TO CHURCH 12:49 I'LL BE UNDER CONVICTION.' WELL THAT'S GOOD - COME ANYWAY 12:53 BECAUSE CONVICTION IS SOMETHING THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES YOU. 12:56 IT HELPS YOU TO FACILITATE CHANGE. COME TO CHURCH. 13:01 YOU'VE HEARD IT SAID BEFORE, THE BIBLE WILL KEEP YOU FROM SIN 13:04 OR SIN WILL KEEP YOU FROM THE BIBLE. 13:07 SOME PEOPLE THAT GO TO CHURCH BUT THEY'RE UNDER CONVICTION SO 13:09 THEY SAY, 'I DON'T WANT TO GO ANY MORE AND BE CONVICTED.' 13:11 SO THEY STAY AWAY. 13:12 IT'S HEALTHY TO GO AND BE CONVICTED. 13:15 YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT SOME DIRT ON YOUR FACE DON'T HIDE 13:17 FROM MIRRORS. 13:19 IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM. 13:21 AND SOMETIMES WHEN WE GO TO CHURCH, WE BECOME AWARE OF THE 13:24 CHANGES WE NEED - THAT'S HEALTHY. 13:26 YOU GO ANYWAY. 13:28 YOU WANT THE TRUTH DON'T YOU? 13:30 WE WANT TO BE CHANGED. 13:31 WE WANT TO KNOW. 13:33 VERY IMPORTANT - ACTS CHAPTER 4, VERSE 12 - THE BIBLE SAYS, "NOR 13:38 IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER 13:44 HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED." 13:48 THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO BE SAVED IS THROUGH CHRIST AND THE CHURCH 13:53 IS THE BODY OF CHRIST. 13:55 THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT - SO CRUCIAL THAT WE ARE 13:57 IN CHRIST. 13:59 1 TIMOTHY 3:15 - HERE THE APOSTLE SAYS, "I WRITE TO YOU 14:03 THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW HOW YOU OUGHT TO CONDUCT YOURSELF IN THE 14:07 HOUSE OF GOD, WHICH IS THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD. 14:11 THE PILLAR AND THE GROUND OF TRUTH." 14:15 THE CHURCH IS A PLACE WHERE WE GATHER AND WE OPEN THE WORD AND 14:18 WE LEARN THE TRUTH FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE. 14:22 AND ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS THINGS IN OUR CULTURE TODAY - 14:24 IT'S A VERY POWERFUL THING - IT CAN BE POWERFUL FOR GOOD AND IT 14:28 CAN BE DANGEROUS - IS THE MEDIA. 14:31 IF WE ARE NOT COMING TO CHURCH AND HEARING THE TRUTH FROM THE 14:35 WORD OF GOD ON A REGULAR BASIS, THEN WHAT MESSAGES ARE GOING TO 14:39 DOMINATE WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU BECOME? 14:43 WE'RE ALL BEING INFLUENCED BY WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CULTURE 14:45 AROUND US, BUT WE NEED TO BE INFLUENCED BY THE WORD OF GOD. 14:48 WE NEED TO CARVE OUT THAT FAITHFUL TIME TO COME TOGETHER 14:52 IN THE CHURCH AND TO HEAR HIS WORD. 14:54 CAN YOU SAY 'AMEN'? 14:55 DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? 14:56 I THOUGHT YOU WERE WITH ME, I JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK. 15:00 FOR SOMEONE TO SAY, 'WELL, I WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN BUT 15:03 I DON'T REALLY WANT TO GO TO CHURCH.' 15:05 THAT'S LIKE SAYING, 'YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE A FISH BUT I DON'T 15:07 WANT TO LIVE IN THE WATER.' NOW, THERE ARE A FEW RARE 15:10 EXCEPTIONS - YOU MIGHT FIND A MUDSKIPPER THAT LEAVES THE WATER 15:13 FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT NOT TOO MANY FISH SURVIVE OUT OF THE 15:16 WATER FOR VERY LONG. 15:18 AND NOT TOO MANY CHRISTIANS THRIVE AND SURVIVE OUT OF 15:21 THE CHURCH. 15:23 IT'S HARD TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE IN CHRIST WHEN YOU STAY AWAY 15:26 FROM THE BODY. 15:28 IN JOHN CHAPTER 13 JESUS SAID, 'BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT 15:32 YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES: IF YOU HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.' 15:38 AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE COME TOGETHER. 15:40 NOW, I BELIEVE THAT THE DEVIL HEARD JESUS SAY THAT. 15:45 I THINK THE DEVIL HEARD JESUS SAY 'ALL MEN WILL KNOW THAT 15:47 YOU'RE MY DISCIPLES BY THE WAY YOU LOVE EACH OTHER. 15:50 AND HE THOUGHT, 'WELL, IF THE WORLD HEARS AND LEARNS ABOUT 15:54 JESUS BY THEIR CORPORATE LOVE FOR EACH OTHER, THEN IT MUST 15:57 ALSO STAND TO REASON THAT IF I CAN SCATTER THEM AND FRAGMENT 16:01 THE CHURCH, IT'LL ADVERTISE AGAINST CHRIST. 16:06 AND SO, IF WE DO OUR BEST ADVERTISING BY SHOWING OUR UNITY 16:11 - 'BEHOLD HOW THEY LOVE ONE ANOTHER' - THEN IT WOULD ALSO BE 16:14 TRUE THAT THE HEATHEN MOCK AND LAUGH AT CHRISTIANS WHEN THEY 16:17 SAY, 'LOOK AT HOW FRAGMENTED THEY ARE.' 16:20 IS THERE ANY RELIGION IN THE WORLD THAT HAS MORE SPLINTERS 16:22 AND DENOMINATIONS THAN CHRISTIANITY? 16:26 BUT, ACTUALLY, THAT'S A TESTIMONY THAT SHOWS THAT THE 16:30 DEVIL IS MORE THREATENED BY CHRISTIANITY THAN ANYTHING ELSE 16:35 BECAUSE HE IS SEEKING TO HIDE THE DIAMOND BY CAMOUFLAGING IT 16:41 WITH A BUNCH OF BROKEN GLASS. 16:43 THERE IS A TRUTH OUT THERE AND HE'S TRYING TO HIDE IT BY ALL 16:45 THESE FRAGMENTS AND ALL THESE DIVISIONS. 16:47 THE LORD WANTS US TO PULL TOGETHER - AND NOT JUST PULL 16:49 TOGETHER FOR THE SAKE OF BEING TOGETHER - WE NEED TO PULL 16:52 TOGETHER BASED ON TRUTH. 16:55 THE RIGHT REASON TO GO TO A CHURCH IS BECAUSE THE 16:56 FOUNDATIONAL TEACHINGS OF THAT CHURCH ARE THE TEACHINGS OF 16:59 JESUS AND IT'S THE TRUTH AND IT'S HIS BODY AND I'M GOING 17:05 THERE TO WORSHIP HIM ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES. 17:09 IT MIGHT BE A HAMBURGER STAND THAT'S BEEN RENOVATED, 17:12 THE SINGING MIGHT BE AWFUL, THE PEOPLE MIGHT BE CRANKY, YOU 17:17 MIGHT HAVE TO GO 50 MILES TO GET THERE, THEY MIGHT ALL BE POOR, 17:24 BUT IF THE FOUNDATIONAL TEACHINGS OF THAT CHURCH ARE THE 17:26 TEACHINGS OF JESUS, THEN THAT'S HIS BODY AND THAT'S WHERE HE 17:28 WANTS YOU. 17:30 NOW THE REASON I SAID THINGS THE WAY I DID IS YOU CAN BETTER 17:33 UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS THIS TERRIBLE PROBLEM WHERE PEOPLE 17:39 ARE HEMORRHAGING FROM THE CHURCHES - ONE OF THE BIG 17:42 REASONS THAT PEOPLE ARE LEAVING IS BECAUSE THEY JOINED 17:45 FOR THE WRONG REASONS. 17:47 IF WE UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING, WE UNDERSTAND WHY 17:51 IT IS WE'RE STAYING. 17:54 IT'S BECAUSE CHRIST COMMANDS US TO. 17:57 ONE OF THE IMPORTANT REASONS THAT WE NEED TO GO TO CHURCH - 18:01 THE LORD WANTS US TO BE ONE - ONE BODY. 18:05 COLOSSIANS 3:15, "AND LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN YOUR HEARTS 18:10 TO WHICH ALSO YOU WERE CALLED IN ONE BODY." 18:14 - HOW MANY BODIES? <<ONE>> - HE WANTS US TO BE UNITED. 18:17 JOHN 17 - LISTEN TO THE PRAYER OF JESUS - THE LORD SAYS, "AND 18:21 THE GLORY" - HE'S TALKING TO THE FATHER - GOD THE SON IS TALKING 18:24 TO GOD THE FATHER - "AND THE GLORY, WHICH YOU GAVE ME I HAVE 18:28 GIVEN THEM THAT THEY MAY BE ONE" - NOW LISTEN TO HOW HE WANTS US 18:31 TO BE ONE - JESUS IS PRAYING THAT THEY MAY BONE - 18:36 "JUST AS WE ARE ONE THAT THEY MAY BE ONE." 18:43 WOW. HOW ONE IS THE FATHER AND THE SON? 18:50 IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, JESUS SAID TO PHILLIP, 'IF YOU'VE SEEN 18:52 ME, YOU'VE SEEN THE FATHER.' TALK ABOUT BEING PERFECTLY ONE - 18:57 THE ONLY WAY WE CAN HAVE THAT PERFECT ONENESS IS TO BE 18:59 BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. 19:03 THE ONLY WAY - IF YOU'VE GOT THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND I'VE GOT THE 19:05 SPIRIT OF GOD, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BE ONE THE WAY JESUS 19:08 WANTS US TO BE ONE. 19:09 ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 19:12 BUT IS THAT HIS WILL? 19:14 JESUS - DID HE PRAY FOR THAT - THAT WE WOULD HAVE THAT KIND 19:16 OF ONENESS? 19:18 ISN'T THAT KIND OF IMPOSSIBLE? 19:21 IT IS WITHOUT A MIRACLE. 19:24 WERE THE DISCIPLES EVER ONE LIKE THAT? 19:27 YOU KNOW THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WHEN THE DAY OF PENTECOST - ACTS 19:31 CHAPTER 2, VERSE 1 "WHEN THE DAY OF PENTECOST WAS FULLY COME THEY 19:35 WERE ALL OF ONE ACCORD" - THEY PUT ASIDE ALL THEIR DIFFERENCES. 19:39 DID THE DISCIPLES - DID THE EARLY CHURCH OF JESUS - 19:42 WAS THERE A LITTLE BIT OF STRIFE AND DIVISION AMONG THEM? 19:45 BUT BEFORE THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT, THEY FINALLY GOT TO 19:48 WHERE THEY WERE ONE. 19:51 THEY WERE IN ONE ACCORD AND THEY WERE IN ONE PLACE. 19:55 SO, DOES IT MATTER THAT WE COME TOGETHER PHYSICALLY - AS FAR AS 19:59 WE ARE ABLE - INTO ONE PLACE? 20:01 IS THERE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE COLLECT AND WE 20:05 GATHER TOGETHER? 20:07 WELL, I THINK IT'S TIME THAT GOD'S PEOPLE GET TOGETHER. 20:10 AND THAT THOSE WHO ARE OUT THERE WANDERING - WE NEED TO PULL 20:12 TOGETHER AS A CHURCH FAMILY, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE RUNNING 20:15 OUT OF TIME. 20:16 HE WANTS US TO BE ONE. 20:18 THERE'S POWER IN THAT. 20:21 JESUS SAID, WHEN WE COME TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE - 20:23 HE TELLS US WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ONE BODY. 20:28 NOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS THAT I REALLY 20:30 ENJOY - THAT WE ARE ALL MEMBERS OF CHRIST'S BODY AND WE ALL 20:35 SERVE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS. 20:37 IN YOUR BIBLE, IF YOU READ IN ROMANS 12 - AND THERE ARE JUST 20:39 SO MANY PLACES I COULD GO TO, BUT JUST ROMANS 12, VERSES 4 TO 20:42 6 - HE SAYS, "FOR AS WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS IN ONE BODY, BUT 20:47 ALL THE MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION. 20:51 SO WE, BEING MANY ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST" - THAT MEANS THAT 20:56 WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE DIFFERENT - "AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF ONE 21:00 ANOTHER HAVING THEN GIFTS DIFFERING ACCORDING TO THAT 21:04 WHICH IS GIVEN US, LET US USE THEM." 21:08 CAN YOU BE A CHRISTIAN AND BE SEPARATED FROM THE BODY? 21:13 HOW CAN YOU DO YOUR FUNCTION? 21:16 WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER AND EVERY PART OF THE BODY NEEDS THE OTHER 21:18 PART OF THE BODY. 21:20 I GREW UP IN THE ERA WHERE SCIENTISTS THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE 21:23 HAD A LOT OF SPARE PARTS AND THEY TOOK MY TONSILS. 21:27 YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS HAD A SORE THROAT AND THEY NEVER DID MAKE A 21:30 CONNECTION BETWEEN ME STARTING MY DAY WITH HOSTESS TWINKIES FOR 21:32 BREAKFAST AND ALWAYS HAVING A SORE THROAT AND THEY JUST SAID, 21:35 'OH, BAD TONSILS. 21:36 THEY'RE VESTIGIAL REMNANTS, YOU DON'T REALLY NEED THEM. 21:38 TAKE THEM OUT.' MY BROTHER HAD A STOMACH ACHE - 21:42 'MUST BE A BAD APPENDIX - DON'T NEED IT - SPARE PARTS! 21:44 TAKE 'EM OUT.' YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THIS IDEA 21:47 THAT EVERYTHING WAS SPARE PARTS. 21:49 WELL, WE KNOW MORE NOW - THAT THOSE THINGS ALL HAVE A PURPOSE, 21:52 DON'T THEY? 21:53 SOME OF YOU MAYBE FELT LIKE THE APPENDIX OR THE TONSILS OF THE 21:56 CHURCH - AND YOU THINK, 'THERE'S NO PURPOSE FOR ME.' 22:01 OR MAYBE YOU THOUGHT SOMEONE ELSE WAS THE APPENDIX - 22:02 THAT'S MORE LIKELY, RIGHT? 22:07 WE ALL ARE NEEDED BY CHRIST. 22:11 AND YOU KNOW, THE LORD PUTS SOME PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH JUST SO WE 22:13 CAN LEARN LOVE AND PATIENCE, BUT THEY'RE NEEDED. 22:17 AND WE'RE ALL PART OF HIS BODY AND WE NEED TO STAY TOGETHER OR 22:22 WE DON'T STAY ALIVE. 22:26 I HEARD A STORY ONE TIME - A PARABLE - THAT ONE MORNING A MAN 22:31 WOKE UP AND HE REACHED FOR THE COUNTER BY THE BED AND HE WENT 22:34 TO GRAB HIS GLASSES AND TO PUT THEM ON AND THE NOSE SHOUTED AT 22:38 THE EYES AND THE NOSE SAID, 'ENOUGH OF THIS! 22:43 DAY AFTER DAY YOU PLOP THOSE GLASSES DOWN ON TOP OF ME, 22:45 THEY SLIDE UP AND DOWN, THEY'RE IRRITATING, 22:48 I FEEL THE PRESSURE - THEY LEAVE LITTLE RED DOTS ON EITHER SIDE - 22:51 NO MORE GLASSES!' SO THE MAN HEARD THAT AND HE PUT 22:55 THE GLASSES BACK DOWN. 22:57 HE GOT UP AND ON HIS WAY TO THE RESTROOM HE RAN INTO THE DOOR 23:00 AND BANGED HIS NOSE. 23:06 EVERYBODY SUFFERS IF WE ARE NOT TOGETHER. 23:13 WE ALL NEED TO BE TOGETHER AS PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. 23:18 HOW LONG DO WE SURVIVE IF WE'RE SEPARATED? 23:22 IT'S ALSO TRUE FOR THOSE THAT SAY, 'I'M A CHRISTIAN BUT, YOU 23:26 KNOW, I'M GOING TO GO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE IN THE 23:29 WORLD' - AND WE PRESUME ON GOD'S GRACE, YOU REALIZE THAT WE'RE ON 23:33 THE DEVIL'S ENCHANTED GROUND WHEN WE GET VERY FAR 23:36 FROM THE SHIP. 23:37 AND IT'S ONLY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT PRESERVES US BUT IT'S A 23:39 SERIOUS THING IF YOU'RE OUT THERE WANDERING AROUND AND 23:43 YOU'RE PRESUMING THAT GOD'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO SAVE AND 23:47 PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOU. 23:48 GOD IS GOOD AND GOD IS PATIENT, BUT IT'S A DANGEROUS WORLD OUT 23:52 THERE, FRIENDS. 23:53 WE SHOULD NOT GAMBLE WITH THE GIFT OF EVERLASTING LIFE AND 23:58 SAY, 'I WONDER HOW I CAN DO OUT THERE WITHOUT GOD FOR 24:02 A LITTLE WHILE? 24:03 YOU KNOW, I THINK I CAN MAKE IT ON MY OWN.' 24:06 WE NEED TO STAY WITH THE SHIP, FRIENDS, WHAT DO YOU SAY? 24:10 FRIENDS, THERE'S A STORM COMING AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO 24:14 BE ABLE TO SURVIVE THIS STORM IS WE'VE GOT TO STICK TOGETHER. 24:18 WE NEED TO PRESS TOGETHER, PRESS TOGETHER, PRESS TOGETHER. 24:23 IT'S THAT TIME AND SOME OF YOU WHO MAYBE HAVE BEEN OUT THERE 24:26 AND YOU'VE BEEN WANDERING - FOR WHATEVER REASON - 24:29 AND YOU'RE DRIFTING. 24:30 PERHAPS THIS IS THE CALL THAT YOU'VE BEEN WONDERING ABOUT - 24:33 WHERE JESUS IS SAYING, 'NOW IT'S TIME TO COME BACK.' 24:37 NOW IT'S TIME TO COME - YOU'RE NOT COMING TO A BUILDING, 24:41 YOU'RE COMING TO A BODY. 24:43 IT'S NOT A BODY OF PEOPLE - JESUS SAID IT'S HIS BODY. 24:48 THE CHURCH TODAY IS THE HANDS AND THE FEET OF JESUS IN THE 24:51 WORLD AND HE WANTS US TO BE PART OF THAT. 24:56 YEARS AGO I HEARD ABOUT AN OLD PASTOR THAT WENT TO VISIT ONE OF 24:59 HIS MEMBERS - HE HAPPENED TO BE A FARMER - A BUSY MAN - WHO HAD 25:03 STOPPED COMING TO CHURCH. 25:05 AND HE WENT TO SEE HIM ONE EVENING AND HE TALKED TO THE 25:07 FATHER OF THE HOUSE BY HIMSELF AND THEY SAT BEFORE A FIREPLACE 25:12 THAT WAS THERE AND THE PASTOR SAID, 'BROTHER, YOU KNOW, WE'VE 25:16 BEEN MISSING YOU AT CHURCH AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT 25:19 THAT YOU COME.' AND HE SAID, 'I'M STILL A 25:20 CHRISTIAN, PASTOR, I DON'T NEED TO GO TO CHURCH.' 25:22 HE SAYS, 'THE LORD KNOWS MY HEART. THE LORD KNOWS I PRAY. 25:26 I BELIEVE IN HIM. 25:28 WE'VE GOT A RELATIONSHIP AND I CAN MAKE IT ON MY OWN.' 25:34 AND THE PASTOR WASN'T SURE EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY AND WITHOUT 25:36 ASKING THE MAN'S PERMISSION, HE LEANED OVER AND HE TOOK THE 25:39 POKER BY THE FIREPLACE - THE FIRE WAS GOING RIGHT THERE - ON 25:42 THE HEARTH - HE PULLED ASIDE THE SCREEN AND THE PASTOR TOOK ONE 25:46 OF THE PROMINENT PIECES OF WOOD THAT WAS BURNING THERE ON THE 25:49 FIRE AND HE KIND OF FLICKED IT OFF BY ITSELF IN THE ASHES AND 25:52 HE SAT BACK DOWN. 25:54 AND THE MAN HE WAS VISITING, HE LOOKED AT THAT AND THE FIRE ON 25:58 THE LOG THERE IT BURNED FOR A FEW MOMENTS AND SLOWLY THE FIRE 26:02 ON THAT SEPARATED LOG BEGAN TO FLICKER OUT, BUT THE COALS 26:07 GLOWED FOR A LITTLE WHILE. 26:09 BUT THEN AS IT SAT THERE, GRADUALLY THE COALS BEGAN TO 26:12 GROW DIM. 26:15 AND ALL THIS TIME THE PASTOR SAT THERE WITH THE MAN, THEY JUST 26:17 LOOKED AT THE FIRE - YOU KNOW, FIRE'S KIND OF HYPNOTIC, 26:20 ESPECIALLY ON A COLD NIGHT - AND HE GOT THE MESSAGE JUST BY 26:26 LOOKING AT THAT. 26:28 HE SAID, 'I UNDERSTAND PASTOR.' HE SAID, 'I'M GOING TO COME BACK 26:31 TO CHURCH.' WE DO NOT BURN BY OURSELVES. 26:37 WE DO NOT GLOW BY OURSELVES. 26:41 WE CANNOT PUT OFF THAT HEAT AND THAT WARMTH BY OURSELVES. 26:45 WE NEED EACH OTHER. 26:47 AND NOT ONLY DO WE NEED EACH OTHER, WE NEED THE LORD. 26:51 THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THESE LAST DAYS IS IF 26:54 JESUS TAKES OUR HAND. 26:57 >>STAY TUNED. 26:57 WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL OFFER. 27:08 >>YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE I KNOW - THEY STOP GOING TO 27:11 CHURCH BECAUSE SOMEBODY IN THE CHURCH DID SOMETHING 27:14 TO HURT THEM. 27:17 WE'RE PART OF AN ARMY, GOD SAYS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW 27:22 WE'VE GOT EACH OTHER'S BACKS. 27:27 AND WHEN WE SLIGHT EACH OTHER, IT PAINS HIM AND IT HURTS OUR 27:30 RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. 27:37 >>IF YOU'VE MISSED ANY OF OUR AMAZING FACTS PROGRAMS, VISIT 27:39 OUR WEBSITE AT 'AMAZINGFACTS.ORG'. 27:42 THERE YOU'LL FIND AN ARCHIVE OF ALL OUR TELEVISION AND RADIO 27:44 PROGRAMS INCLUDING AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 27:47 ONE LOCATION. 27:48 SO MANY POSSIBILITIES. 27:49 AMAZINGFACTS.ORG.p >>THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO 27:56 TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL FREE OFFER. 27:58 THERE IS NO COST OR OBLIGATION. 28:00 JUST CALL THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND BE SURE TO 28:04 NOTE THE OFFER NUMBER WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR REQUEST. 28:19 >>THE PRECEDING WAS A PAID PRESENTATION BROUGHT TO YOU BY |
Revised 2015-02-06