Welcome to Anchors Of
Truth from Oakwood University
00:00:11.47\00:00:16.30
in Huntsville, Alabama.
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Keep On Going,
with Dr. James Doggette.
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A prankster thought it might
be fun to slip some alcohol
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in the punch at a
very swank dinner party.
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After several hours
of drinking and revelry,
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the party goers realized
that many of them would not
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be able to drive home.
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They would have to surrender
their keys and either walk,
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get a ride, or take
public transportation.
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One enterprising young
man decided that he would
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save time and steps by
cutting through the cemetery
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to get home quicker.
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And so in his inebriated
state, he decided that he would
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jump the fence and
run through the cemetery
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as fast as he could.
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But as luck would have it, he
fell into a freshly dug grave.
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He tried as hard as
he could to get out.
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He scratched and clawed and
bloodied his hands and fingers,
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and screamed for help
until he was hoarse and raw.
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He realized he would not
get out and so he settled down
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in the corner of that grave
until he could get some help
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some time the next day.
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But wouldn't you
know, about an hour later
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another fellow ran
into the same fate.
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He fell into the hole,
clawed and scratched and scraped
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for almost an
hour trying to get out.
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And the first fellow
watched all of this frenetic
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and frantic commotion.
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And he said, "Hey man,
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you might as well
get up and give up.
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Cause you are never
going to get out of here."
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But don't you know, ten
seconds later he was out.
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You see, the key is inspiration.
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You can be surprised,
you would be surprised,
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the things you can do if you've
got the right inspiration.
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When we designed
Anchors Of Truth,
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it was designed to give
the body of Christ inspiration.
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One of the things we found out
about our viewing audience...
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And statistics are very
difficult and expensive to get.
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But our 3ABN viewing audience,
from the anecdotal evidence
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we have, numbers
about 1.5 billion people.
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Of that 1.5 billion, a rather
small amount, 2 to 3 percent,
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are Seventh-day Adventist.
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But we found that of
that Advent community,
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there are large numbers,
larger than you would think,
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who are not able to get to
an Adventist church on Sabbath.
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Either through chronic illness,
disease, temporary illness,
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there are large numbers
who can't get to church.
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Now we've always fashioned
3ABN as an evangelistic tool.
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But when we looked at Anchors,
the default setting on Anchors
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was to provide inspiration for
that large number of Adventists
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who can't get to church,
who just because of sickness or
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illness or whatever
need some inspiration
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to keep on keeping on.
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And so Anchors was something
designed by Jim Gilley and
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co-signed by us all to
inspire the Adventist community
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to hold onto Jesus.
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And that is why we are here.
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My name is C.A. Murray,
and it is again my privilege
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and pleasure to welcome
our house audience and our
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worldwide viewing
audience to Oakwood University
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to our Anchors Of Truth.
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We are so very,
very pleased to be here.
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And we have been treated
so very royally by the pastor
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of this church, Pastor Byrd, by
the president of the university.
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Just everyone has been so
very, very gracious to us,
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and it has been our pleasure.
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I'm going to talk to you
tomorrow a little bit more
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about closet Adventism
and what you can do to help us
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reaching closet Adventists.
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But God is so very, very
good, and we expect a blessing
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again this night.
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The preaching
has been wonderful.
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And we felt very, very close to
God these past several nights.
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And we expect no less than
that this night as we hear from
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our pastor, our
friend, Pastor Jimmy Doggette.
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I've got to tell you a
secret about him and you can't
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share this with anybody.
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Twenty years ago, he preached
for me at the Ephesus Church
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when I was the senior
pastor in Manhattan, New York.
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The Ephesus Church
pulpit, if you know it,
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is about this
high from the floor.
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And do you know that Jimmy
Doggette leaped from my pulpit
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in the middle of my
church in one of his sermons?
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I reminded him
about that the other day.
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He said he doesn't
leap any more, he's gotten
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a little too old for that.
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But I saw that my church
kind of liked him leaping.
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So I waited one full
year, because I didn't want
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them to think I was a
copycat, and then I leaped
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from that pulpit.
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And my Elders said,
"You know, you did what
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Doggette did a year ago."
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I said, "Yea, I
guess you had the tape."
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But God is good.
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And it's good to be in the
house of God on the Sabbath day.
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Pastor Doggette is our friend,
a powerful preacher of the Word,
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pastor of the Madison Mission
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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and a professor here
in the School of Theology
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here at Oakwood University.
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We're very, very
pleased to have him here.
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I'm going to call
Corey Johnson to join me now.
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He is the Adventist
Youth leader here on campus.
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And before he gives us
the prayer, we all know what
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AYS is, but as I said, much
of our audience does not know
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what AYS is, our world audience.
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So give us the Reader's Digest
version just a few moments.
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What is AYS and
what does it seek to do?
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Well, AYS is the
Adventist Youth Society
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of a church, of an
Adventist school, or any
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Adventist organization.
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It's really young people
coming together of all ages
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and working for the
kingdom to present programming,
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ministries,
outreach opportunities,
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for you and by you.
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And that's the
Adventist Youth Society.
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Amen, thank you so very much.
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Would you now lead us in prayer?
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Let us all stand as
we go to God in prayer.
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God, we thank You so
much for this day, Father.
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We thank You for
life, health, and strength.
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Father, we thank You for
Sabbath; a time to commune
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and spend with You, dear Lord.
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We thank You for what You've
done so far this week, Father.
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We thank You for the
songs that have been sung
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and the words
that have been spoken.
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Now tonight,
Father, use Your manservant,
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Dr. Doggette, as
You've never used him before.
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That somebody may,
either by watching online or
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here in the sanctuary, cry out,
"What must I do to be saved."
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We are excited for
what You will do through
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Your word this evening.
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Now dwell with us, Holy Spirit.
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In Jesus' name we do pray, amen.
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Amen. Thank you so very much.
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Please be seated.
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In talking with Dr.
Pollard on yesterday,
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he mentioned and we certainly
agree that one of the great
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gifts that God has given to this
school is the gift of music.
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When I was here, I
sang in four choirs.
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But I don't think all
four together were as big as
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the choir that is behind me now.
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The choirs have grown
but the music has stayed
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polished and beautiful.
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This group is
the, Voices Of Triumph.
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And they will be singing,
Great Is Thy Faithfulness.
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After they shall have sung
to the honor and glory of God,
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the next voice that you
will hear will be that of our
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pastor, our
friend, Dr. James Doggette.
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Great is Thy faithfulness,
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O God my Father.
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There is no shadow of
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turning with Thee.
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Great is Thy faithfulness,
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O God my Father.
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Mercies, mercies, mercies I see.
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Mercies, mercies, mercies I see.
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Great is Thy mercy towards me.
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Great is Thy mercy towards me.
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Though I'm yet sinful,
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new mercies I see.
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Great is Thy mercy towards me.
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Great is Thy mercy towards me.
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Great is Thy mercy towards me.
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Though I'm yet sinful,
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new mercies I see.
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Great is Thy mercy towards me.
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Great is Thy faithfulness.
00:11:01.59\00:11:06.41
Great is Thy faithfulness.
00:11:06.81\00:11:11.70
Great is Thy faithfulness.
00:11:12.19\00:11:15.67
Great is Thy faithfulness
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towards me.
00:11:20.37\00:11:22.51
Great is Thy faithfulness.
00:11:22.54\00:11:27.66
Great is Thy faithfulness.
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Great is Thy faithfulness.
00:11:33.21\00:11:36.74
Great is Thy faithfulness.
00:11:37.14\00:11:41.35
For every mountain
You brought me over,
00:11:58.34\00:12:07.07
for every trial
You've seen me through,
00:12:09.30\00:12:19.30
for every blessing;
00:12:20.33\00:12:23.69
hallelujah,
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for this I give You praise.
00:12:28.92\00:12:38.85
For every mountain
00:12:40.67\00:12:45.10
You brought me over,
00:12:45.13\00:12:48.67
for every trial
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You've seen me through,
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for every blessing;
00:13:00.65\00:13:03.28
hallelujah,
00:13:05.66\00:13:08.48
for this I give You praise.
00:13:09.13\00:13:19.07
For every mountain
00:13:20.81\00:13:25.07
You brought me over,
00:13:25.10\00:13:28.61
for every trial
00:13:30.32\00:13:34.91
You've seen me through,
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for every blessing;
00:13:40.46\00:13:43.09
hallelujah,
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for this I give You praise.
00:13:48.56\00:13:58.50
For every mountain
00:14:00.22\00:14:04.56
You brought me over,
00:14:04.59\00:14:09.39
for every trial
00:14:09.42\00:14:14.09
You've seen me through,
00:14:14.12\00:14:19.64
for every blessing;
00:14:19.67\00:14:22.39
hallelujah,
00:14:24.80\00:14:27.45
for this I give You
00:14:27.77\00:14:33.10
praise.
00:14:35.25\00:14:45.17
We thank Voices Of Triumph for
lifting us to heavenly places.
00:15:16.29\00:15:19.86
Did you feel that song?
00:15:20.39\00:15:21.85
We certainly do thank
God as well for being the
00:15:23.55\00:15:25.93
Captain of our ship.
00:15:25.96\00:15:27.34
For steering us
through the turbulent waters
00:15:28.55\00:15:30.66
of another week.
00:15:30.69\00:15:32.11
For bring us safe into
the harbor of another Sabbath.
00:15:32.97\00:15:36.73
We thank Him that He's still
the God who heals and delivers
00:15:37.99\00:15:41.21
during the hours of the Sabbath.
00:15:41.24\00:15:43.22
Specially, He's made a
promise to come close to us.
00:15:43.84\00:15:47.24
And we don't even
waste time asking Him to
00:15:47.81\00:15:49.80
come into this place.
00:15:49.83\00:15:51.20
We've already heard Him, we
felt Him, and we know He's here.
00:15:51.23\00:15:56.38
I'm going to ask you now to bow
your heads for a word of prayer
00:15:56.70\00:15:59.16
as we prepare to
lift up His Word.
00:15:59.19\00:16:01.49
Father in heaven, we thank
You so much for giving to us
00:16:02.19\00:16:05.97
permission to come into
Your presence on this night.
00:16:06.00\00:16:08.73
We do thank You so much for
the experiences of this week
00:16:09.90\00:16:13.10
that remind us
that You are still God,
00:16:13.13\00:16:15.98
and You are still
sitting on the throne.
00:16:16.59\00:16:18.96
We do thank You, oh
Lord, that although the devil
00:16:19.77\00:16:22.41
did his best to steal, kill, and
destroy, we're still standing.
00:16:23.05\00:16:27.70
We thank You, oh God,
that even the pains of life
00:16:28.61\00:16:31.09
remind us that
we're still alive.
00:16:31.12\00:16:33.50
We thank You that You've
made a promise to walk with us
00:16:34.31\00:16:36.90
even through the
valley of the shadow of death.
00:16:37.00\00:16:39.49
And so tonight, we fear no evil.
00:16:40.34\00:16:43.02
We ask now that You
would please honor Your Son
00:16:43.77\00:16:46.41
as we lift up His Word.
00:16:46.44\00:16:48.75
May we this night see
Jesus again high and lifted up.
00:16:49.48\00:16:53.37
And may we be drawn to Him
in sacrifice and in service.
00:16:54.39\00:16:58.59
Give to us, not just
more spiritual information,
00:16:59.47\00:17:03.22
but please give to us
the inspiration and power
00:17:04.21\00:17:06.98
that comes when we submit and
You fill us with Your Spirit.
00:17:07.01\00:17:11.26
May we leave this
place tonight changed.
00:17:12.10\00:17:14.28
May those who watch by
television and internet
00:17:14.31\00:17:17.34
experience Your presence.
00:17:17.37\00:17:20.53
And when we leave, may we
be certain and sure that we've
00:17:21.18\00:17:25.22
been with God and we've
been changed by that contact.
00:17:25.25\00:17:28.83
It's in the name
of Jesus that we pray.
00:17:29.34\00:17:31.64
Amen, amen.
00:17:32.34\00:17:35.10
Tonight, the sermon title,
because they require me to
00:17:36.16\00:17:39.77
have a sermon
title, is Keep On Going.
00:17:39.80\00:17:42.64
Keep On Going.
00:17:43.37\00:17:45.36
There is, in fact, an
article that I read from the
00:17:46.12\00:17:51.16
Chicago Tribune
that recounted a story.
00:17:51.87\00:17:56.74
And it was a sad story.
00:17:56.77\00:17:58.46
1993 in the
state of Massachusetts,
00:17:58.87\00:18:02.64
the police found a lady
dead on the kitchen floor.
00:18:02.67\00:18:08.91
She was an older woman,
approximately 77 years of age.
00:18:10.05\00:18:14.32
And what was so sad and
unusual about this story
00:18:14.35\00:18:17.63
is that this lady, 77
years of age, had actually been
00:18:18.20\00:18:22.54
lying there on the floor
dead for some four years.
00:18:22.84\00:18:27.41
Four years.
00:18:28.26\00:18:29.63
She had been dead,
and no one really noticed.
00:18:30.15\00:18:32.87
When they interviewed
the family, when they
00:18:33.59\00:18:35.67
interviewed the neighbors to
find out exactly what happened,
00:18:35.70\00:18:38.67
they heard the story that,
in fact, there were those who
00:18:38.70\00:18:43.38
felt like they
somewhat knew her, but no one
00:18:43.41\00:18:46.70
was really connected.
00:18:46.73\00:18:48.65
Her brother said, "I
was certain and sure she had
00:18:49.30\00:18:52.06
moved into a rest home.
00:18:52.09\00:18:53.59
I thought she was alright."
00:18:53.62\00:18:55.52
In fact, early on when she first
died, apparently the neighbors
00:18:55.55\00:19:00.02
felt like something must
be wrong because they hadn't
00:19:00.05\00:19:03.07
seen her for a while.
00:19:03.10\00:19:04.47
And so they called the police.
00:19:04.50\00:19:05.87
And when the police came, he
called another family member,
00:19:05.90\00:19:09.66
or they called
another family member.
00:19:09.69\00:19:11.68
And though other
family members simply said,
00:19:11.71\00:19:14.69
"Oh no, she's fine."
00:19:14.72\00:19:17.00
So they stopped
having the mail delivered.
00:19:18.37\00:19:21.14
And in fact when a water
main burst during the winter
00:19:21.17\00:19:24.77
that year, they had
the water even shut off.
00:19:24.80\00:19:28.39
That's what the neighbors did.
00:19:28.42\00:19:29.86
There was one neighbor
who even had her grandson
00:19:29.89\00:19:32.75
to cut the grass
because it was growing too high.
00:19:32.78\00:19:36.25
But for four years, no
one knocked on the door
00:19:36.28\00:19:39.14
or rang the bell.
00:19:39.17\00:19:40.73
And she lay there
dead four solid years.
00:19:40.76\00:19:45.28
Sad as this story is,
tomorrow when church is all over
00:19:46.54\00:19:49.85
the globe, there will be
persons who go to church,
00:19:49.88\00:19:53.67
and although we think they're
alive because they've been
00:19:53.70\00:19:57.61
baptized and they're active
and moving, they're really dead.
00:19:57.64\00:20:02.07
Been dead, many of
them, for a long, long time.
00:20:03.79\00:20:06.71
And we may have even
suspected it early on,
00:20:06.81\00:20:09.33
but we did not have
the connection necessary
00:20:09.36\00:20:13.96
to move in close, lay on
hands, and walk them back
00:20:13.99\00:20:18.14
to health and life.
00:20:18.17\00:20:20.26
I thank God for this preachment.
00:20:21.82\00:20:24.61
I love the sermons I
have heard delivered.
00:20:24.64\00:20:28.16
The powerful
preaching of Dr. Carlton Byrd
00:20:28.19\00:20:31.71
when he talked about
putting on our war clothes.
00:20:31.74\00:20:35.19
And then last night...
00:20:35.22\00:20:36.76
Oh my goodness, last night.
00:20:37.25\00:20:40.00
When the preacher stood behind
the sacred desk and walked
00:20:41.08\00:20:44.42
around on this
platform delivering a powerful
00:20:44.45\00:20:46.97
word that came
from the book of Daniel,
00:20:47.00\00:20:49.29
I have been fed.
00:20:49.32\00:20:50.74
And in fact, I
told somebody who said,
00:20:50.77\00:20:53.11
"We're looking
forward to tonight,"
00:20:53.14\00:20:54.55
I said, "Well, I'm kind
of looking forward to it,
00:20:54.58\00:20:57.03
but not as much as I was looking
forward to the other times
00:20:57.06\00:21:00.54
when people
were going to preach.
00:21:00.57\00:21:01.94
Because I like to eat,
but I'm particularly excited
00:21:01.97\00:21:06.74
about having to cook tonight."
00:21:06.77\00:21:08.38
I'm going to talk
about a subject tonight
00:21:12.36\00:21:14.00
that I know a little bit about.
00:21:14.10\00:21:16.05
And let me say, that the
reason I think so many persons
00:21:16.08\00:21:19.57
who come to church
are really the living dead
00:21:19.60\00:21:22.82
with a lack of real
spirit and vitality is because
00:21:22.85\00:21:27.85
they're still at the
starting line warming up,
00:21:27.88\00:21:31.47
but they've never
gotten into the race.
00:21:31.50\00:21:33.79
Oh, there's activity
and there's movement,
00:21:34.94\00:21:37.52
there is the
stretching going on.
00:21:37.55\00:21:39.15
In fact, in a lot of
churches, what we like to do is
00:21:39.18\00:21:41.99
we like to talk
about the power of God,
00:21:42.02\00:21:44.82
and we like to talk
about the miracle working of
00:21:44.85\00:21:48.08
God who is up in heaven.
00:21:48.11\00:21:49.48
We want to talk about a
God who is able to deliver,
00:21:49.51\00:21:52.95
we like to talk about a God who
worked miracles in times of old.
00:21:52.98\00:21:57.19
But we go there and
talk about it, and we leave
00:21:57.22\00:22:00.25
without experiencing it.
00:22:00.28\00:22:02.33
Dr. Byrd actually talked
about that helmet of salvation.
00:22:06.14\00:22:10.39
And it sparked
something in my thinking.
00:22:10.42\00:22:12.60
I do believe that one of
the reasons some folks are dead
00:22:12.63\00:22:16.36
is because they may have
on some of the other armor,
00:22:16.39\00:22:19.43
but they have not yet figured
out about their salvation.
00:22:19.46\00:22:23.36
There's nothing worse
than going through the motions
00:22:25.04\00:22:28.52
uncertain that you're even
headed to a heavenly place,
00:22:28.55\00:22:32.25
to hear about a great God
and not experience His power
00:22:32.28\00:22:36.88
nor have the
certainty of salvation.
00:22:36.91\00:22:39.85
And so when you're
in the presence of God,
00:22:39.88\00:22:42.89
and those who know God and
are experiencing His moving
00:22:42.92\00:22:46.82
in your life, instead of getting
excited about a God who has
00:22:46.85\00:22:51.98
delivered, a God who has saved,
the question comes in your mind,
00:22:52.01\00:22:56.87
"Can I actually make it?
00:22:56.90\00:22:59.53
Can I be saved, especially
given how messed up I am?"
00:22:59.56\00:23:04.55
I just want to deal
with that question tonight.
00:23:06.00\00:23:08.17
Can I be certain of my salvation
when I look in the mirror
00:23:08.72\00:23:13.20
and see somebody looking back
who constantly makes mistakes?
00:23:13.23\00:23:17.61
"If I could figure that out,
I think I would be in the race.
00:23:19.22\00:23:22.36
I believe I could run
on if I actually knew where
00:23:22.39\00:23:25.14
my destination was."
00:23:25.17\00:23:26.81
I think I could get going.
00:23:26.84\00:23:28.58
And so tonight,
I'm going to talk...
00:23:28.61\00:23:30.71
I'm not going to
talk, I'm going to celebrate
00:23:30.74\00:23:33.27
what we know as
righteousness by faith.
00:23:33.30\00:23:36.69
And I'm going to do
it in an unusual way.
00:23:39.00\00:23:41.11
At least it's an
unusual way for me.
00:23:41.14\00:23:42.98
I often find myself,
when I'm going to talk about
00:23:43.01\00:23:45.84
righteousness by faith,
starting my presentation with
00:23:45.87\00:23:49.24
a lot of disclaimers.
00:23:49.27\00:23:51.05
Saying things like, "Well
you know, I'm not saying that
00:23:51.08\00:23:54.62
although He's saving
you, that you don't have to
00:23:54.65\00:23:57.54
work real hard.
00:23:57.57\00:23:58.94
There are things we have to..."
00:23:58.97\00:24:00.34
I'm not going to say
those types of things tonight.
00:24:00.37\00:24:03.55
I'm going to celebrate
righteousness by faith.
00:24:03.58\00:24:07.90
The battle is not
ours. It's the Lord's.
00:24:11.32\00:24:16.31
But what we think is,
"The battle might be the Lord's
00:24:16.34\00:24:19.02
but I sure better help Him."
00:24:19.05\00:24:20.59
Tonight, I want to stand
right on top of the topic
00:24:24.49\00:24:29.27
of the theme and
declare, the battle is not ours.
00:24:29.37\00:24:34.17
It is the Lord's.
00:24:34.20\00:24:36.15
And standing on top of
that gives me the confidence
00:24:38.03\00:24:41.21
to say to anybody who
wants to point out my thoughts,
00:24:41.24\00:24:44.98
you are absolutely right.
00:24:45.01\00:24:47.65
But you are watching
the development of a saved
00:24:47.68\00:24:50.53
child of God who's celebrating
salvation already received
00:24:50.56\00:24:54.91
while he's
working on working it out.
00:24:54.94\00:24:57.54
There is a text of
Scripture that I want to go to.
00:25:01.09\00:25:03.24
In fact, tonight I'm going
to go to two texts of Scripture.
00:25:03.27\00:25:06.25
And I want to go
first to Isaiah 53.
00:25:07.30\00:25:11.07
This particular text of
Scripture is one that has
00:25:13.69\00:25:16.24
a lot of meaning
for Adventist history.
00:25:16.64\00:25:18.65
In fact, William
Miller got to Isaiah 53 and he
00:25:18.68\00:25:22.09
experienced an epiphany.
00:25:22.12\00:25:23.95
He learned to love the
wounded and sacrificed Savior.
00:25:23.98\00:25:28.49
And it's important
that you get to the Savior
00:25:28.52\00:25:31.07
even before you get to prophecy.
00:25:31.10\00:25:33.06
You might want to stop
by Mount Calvary before you
00:25:34.77\00:25:37.78
get to Mount Sinai.
00:25:37.81\00:25:39.51
The root to fanaticism
is to go straight to Sinai
00:25:41.30\00:25:44.47
and then make a left
turn over to the prophecies,
00:25:44.50\00:25:47.05
and then somewhere
along the line hope you
00:25:47.08\00:25:48.99
run into Jesus in your journey.
00:25:49.02\00:25:50.94
I read somewhere
that Jesus is the door.
00:25:53.74\00:25:56.64
I'm not even in the house
until I get to the Jesus event.
00:25:56.67\00:26:00.39
I want to stop by Calvary first.
00:26:00.42\00:26:03.00
And while William Miller
was known for his prophetic
00:26:03.03\00:26:05.91
interpretations, William
Miller himself declared that,
00:26:05.94\00:26:09.50
"I got saved, I got converted,
when I tripped over Jesus
00:26:09.53\00:26:13.86
in the book of Isaiah."
00:26:13.89\00:26:15.80
And I want us to
trip over Him tonight too.
00:26:17.37\00:26:19.88
Isaiah 53,
beginning with verse 1.
00:26:20.10\00:26:23.88
This is the Holman translation.
00:26:23.99\00:26:26.05
"Who has believed
what we have heard?
00:26:26.08\00:26:28.69
And who has the arm of
the Lord been revealed to?
00:26:28.99\00:26:32.20
He grew up before Him
like a young plant and like a
00:26:32.59\00:26:35.62
root out of dry ground.
00:26:35.65\00:26:37.40
He didn't have an impressive
form or majesty that we should
00:26:37.43\00:26:41.79
look at Him, and no appearance
that we should desire Him.
00:26:41.82\00:26:46.03
He was despised and rejected
by men, a Man of sorrows
00:26:46.73\00:26:52.88
who knew what sickness was.
00:26:52.91\00:26:55.35
He was like someone
people turned away from;
00:26:56.09\00:27:00.30
He was despised, and
we did not value Him.
00:27:00.76\00:27:04.08
Yet He Himself bore our
sicknesses, and He carried
00:27:04.49\00:27:10.08
our pains; but we in
turn regarded Him stricken,
00:27:10.11\00:27:14.17
struck down by
God, and afflicted.
00:27:14.20\00:27:16.88
But..."
00:27:17.62\00:27:18.99
And I'm going to go back into
the King James now on this part.
00:27:19.02\00:27:21.96
"But He was wounded
for our transgressions,
00:27:22.67\00:27:28.08
He was despised
for our iniquities.
00:27:29.48\00:27:33.74
The chastisement of
our peace was upon Him;
00:27:34.40\00:27:37.79
and with His
stripes we are healed."
00:27:37.82\00:27:41.36
Verse 6, "We all
went astray like sheep;
00:27:41.93\00:27:45.05
we all have turned to
our own way; and the Lord has
00:27:45.08\00:27:48.41
punished Him for
the iniquity of us all.
00:27:48.44\00:27:52.27
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet He did not open His mouth.
00:27:53.08\00:27:57.57
But like a lamb led to
the slaughter and like a sheep
00:27:57.60\00:28:00.57
silent before her shearers,
He did not open His mouth.
00:28:00.60\00:28:04.08
He was taken away because
of oppression and judgment;
00:28:04.57\00:28:08.03
and who considered His fate?
00:28:08.06\00:28:10.04
For He was cut off
from the land of the living;
00:28:10.40\00:28:14.10
He was struck because
of my people's rebellion.
00:28:14.38\00:28:18.63
They made His grave with
the wicked and with a rich man
00:28:18.92\00:28:22.21
at His death, although He
had done no violence and had
00:28:22.24\00:28:25.79
not spoken deceitfully.
00:28:25.82\00:28:27.93
Yet the Lord was
pleased to crush Him severely.
00:28:28.40\00:28:32.03
When You make Him a restitution
offering, He will see His seed,
00:28:32.52\00:28:36.99
He will prolong His
days, and by His hand,
00:28:37.02\00:28:39.80
the Lord's pleasure
will be accomplished.
00:28:39.83\00:28:42.74
He will see it out of
His anguish, and He will be
00:28:43.15\00:28:47.06
satisfied with His knowledge.
00:28:47.09\00:28:49.34
My righteous Servant
will justify many, and He will
00:28:49.91\00:28:56.38
carry their iniquities."
00:28:56.41\00:28:59.08
This is righteousness by faith.
00:28:59.47\00:29:02.26
Look at the words in the text.
00:29:02.29\00:29:04.81
Look at what relates to
Him and what relates to us.
00:29:04.84\00:29:08.67
He was
despised, He was rejected,
00:29:08.70\00:29:11.99
He suffered, He
endured sickness,
00:29:12.02\00:29:14.72
He was
despised, He was stricken,
00:29:14.75\00:29:17.46
He was struck
down, He was afflicted,
00:29:17.49\00:29:20.35
He was pierced, He was crushed,
00:29:20.38\00:29:23.12
He was oppressed,
He was slaughtered,
00:29:23.15\00:29:25.86
He was cut off, He died.
00:29:25.89\00:29:28.73
And what we get is, we
are healed, we are saved,
00:29:28.76\00:29:34.29
and we have peace.
00:29:34.32\00:29:36.33
That's the deal.
00:29:36.36\00:29:37.73
For our sins, He died.
00:29:39.06\00:29:41.84
And we get the
benefit of being righteous
00:29:42.48\00:29:46.36
because He justifies us.
00:29:46.46\00:29:50.05
Which is to say, Christ
was treated as we deserve
00:29:50.67\00:29:54.50
so that we might be
treated as He deserved.
00:29:54.53\00:29:57.60
He suffered for sins
in which He had no share.
00:29:58.31\00:30:01.77
And we got an opportunity
to experience the righteousness
00:30:01.80\00:30:04.71
in which we had no share.
00:30:04.74\00:30:06.76
He suffered the death
that was ours, that we might
00:30:06.96\00:30:10.06
have the life that was His.
00:30:10.09\00:30:12.00
And with His
stripes, we are healed.
00:30:12.03\00:30:16.32
We don't earn it, we receive it.
00:30:16.35\00:30:19.61
It's righteousness by faith.
00:30:21.30\00:30:24.43
Paul goes to great
lengths to make the case
00:30:25.06\00:30:28.57
that it is not of works.
00:30:28.60\00:30:30.90
Your righteousness is
not something that is to be
00:30:30.93\00:30:34.08
purchased by the works of man.
00:30:34.11\00:30:36.85
It has already been bought,
it has already been purchased.
00:30:36.88\00:30:41.02
And we receive it.
00:30:41.05\00:30:43.00
The text says we were justified
when He bore our iniquities.
00:30:43.03\00:30:48.13
Now we have peace.
00:30:48.16\00:30:49.98
And because of what
He did, we are healed.
00:30:50.01\00:30:54.15
But here's the question again.
00:30:54.91\00:30:56.50
"I hear what you're saying.
00:30:56.96\00:30:59.05
Theologically, I
guess I can't argue with you
00:30:59.66\00:31:03.04
because, in fact,
the Bible does say that.
00:31:03.07\00:31:05.81
But why is it I'm so messed up?
00:31:06.71\00:31:10.17
And why is it I
don't feel saved?
00:31:10.20\00:31:13.71
Why is it I act
like I'm suppose to act,
00:31:14.16\00:31:17.79
I shout when I'm
suppose to shout,
00:31:17.82\00:31:20.15
I say "amen" when
I'm suppose to say it,
00:31:20.45\00:31:23.26
I come to church
when I'm scheduled to,
00:31:23.30\00:31:26.16
I don't live a bad life,
but I know I'm just not right.
00:31:26.19\00:31:31.56
And I don't feel saved.
00:31:31.59\00:31:33.59
I don't have the assurance that
if He broke through the clouds
00:31:33.62\00:31:36.46
tonight I would go to glory.
00:31:36.49\00:31:38.59
I think I'm coming
up short on something.
00:31:38.62\00:31:41.33
Do I need to read
a little more Bible?
00:31:41.36\00:31:43.75
Do I need to add 10
minutes to my prayer time?
00:31:43.78\00:31:46.77
Do I need to go and
knock on some doors?
00:31:46.80\00:31:49.06
What else can I do so
that I can start feeling saved?
00:31:49.09\00:31:52.51
I know the battle is the Lord's,
but aren't I suppose to fight?"
00:31:52.54\00:31:56.43
If you let me do some
work right now, I want to talk
00:32:10.34\00:32:12.83
about what is not
just theologically true,
00:32:12.86\00:32:15.44
but what is absolutely real.
00:32:15.47\00:32:17.81
May I do it?
00:32:18.39\00:32:19.76
In this particular
passage, the theory is laid out.
00:32:20.47\00:32:24.05
But when I want to know how
theory translates into practice,
00:32:25.07\00:32:30.41
I walk over to the New Testament
and I stop in the gospels,
00:32:30.84\00:32:35.40
and I watch how
Jesus plays it all out.
00:32:35.43\00:32:39.42
The gold standard, our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
00:32:40.10\00:32:42.78
in John the 8th
chapter, illustrates how
00:32:42.81\00:32:46.02
this thing works.
00:32:46.05\00:32:47.65
How a messed up person
can declare with certainty,
00:32:48.12\00:32:52.57
"I am saved."
00:32:52.60\00:32:55.17
I'm fighting to hold
back the disclaimers now.
00:32:58.23\00:33:00.61
I am saved.
00:33:02.30\00:33:05.04
"You can't be saved. I
heard that word you said."
00:33:06.16\00:33:08.77
No, I am saved.
00:33:08.80\00:33:12.62
John, the 8th chapter.
00:33:17.45\00:33:18.82
Verse 10 and 11, "When
Jesus stood up, He said to her,
00:33:23.52\00:33:30.52
'Woman, where are they?'"
00:33:31.35\00:33:33.68
Speaking of the accusers.
00:33:35.07\00:33:37.61
"'Has no one condemned you?'
00:33:38.18\00:33:40.65
'No one, Lord,' she answered.
00:33:41.63\00:33:44.22
'Neither do I
condemn you,' said Jesus.
00:33:44.95\00:33:49.12
'Go, and from now on
do not sin anymore.'"
00:33:49.90\00:33:55.69
"Go and sin no more."
00:33:56.95\00:34:00.18
Tonight, I'm talking
about, keep on going.
00:34:02.20\00:34:04.67
First, let's give context
to this passage and then see
00:34:06.60\00:34:10.22
what it says about
righteousness by faith.
00:34:10.25\00:34:12.73
This passage is
easy to interpret.
00:34:14.39\00:34:16.17
There's not need to
embellish anything about it.
00:34:16.20\00:34:18.67
We can see it, we can feel it.
00:34:18.70\00:34:20.52
It's a set-up, it's a sting.
00:34:21.43\00:34:23.32
It's a devious plot
hatched by the enemies of Jesus,
00:34:23.35\00:34:26.79
who are so diabolical,
devilish, and downright dirty,
00:34:26.82\00:34:30.29
that they actually had a meeting
with only one agenda item.
00:34:30.49\00:34:34.24
And that item was killing Jesus.
00:34:34.27\00:34:36.97
Any meeting with that
agenda item certainly has to be
00:34:38.07\00:34:40.51
shared by the devil himself.
00:34:40.54\00:34:42.46
But there were religious
people sitting around the table.
00:34:43.54\00:34:46.49
And they were working out a
way to make it theologically
00:34:46.52\00:34:50.36
and civilly correct
to kill the Son of God.
00:34:50.39\00:34:53.99
Don't give Scripture to
somebody who wants to use it
00:34:54.02\00:34:57.27
to kill other people,
because it's a sharp weapon.
00:34:57.30\00:35:00.73
"Well, what we can do,"
said somebody, "is utilize the
00:35:02.90\00:35:06.34
law of Moses and
the law of the land.
00:35:06.37\00:35:09.69
We will come up
with a scenario."
00:35:10.62\00:35:12.26
In fact, Deuteronomy says
that if a woman is betrothed
00:35:12.29\00:35:16.22
or married and she's
caught in the act of adultery,
00:35:16.25\00:35:19.85
she is to be killed.
00:35:19.88\00:35:21.96
Deuteronomy 22 makes it clear
that when a woman is betrothed,
00:35:22.42\00:35:26.47
she would be killed by stoning.
00:35:26.50\00:35:29.22
If a woman was
married, she might be killed by
00:35:29.25\00:35:31.53
strangulation or by stoning.
00:35:31.56\00:35:33.91
The woman, obviously
who ends up being the patsy
00:35:33.94\00:35:37.15
in the story, had
made a prior commitment
00:35:37.18\00:35:40.57
that she did not keep.
00:35:40.60\00:35:42.40
Talking now about
some people who have made
00:35:49.03\00:35:52.04
a prior commitment.
00:35:52.07\00:35:54.07
In fact, sin isn't
sin until that commitment
00:35:54.10\00:35:57.33
has been made and violated.
00:35:57.36\00:35:59.07
Until, in fact, we know
what's right and make a decision
00:35:59.10\00:36:02.86
to do what's wrong.
00:36:02.89\00:36:04.26
God said, "I'll wink at it
when you don't know any better."
00:36:04.29\00:36:06.88
But not only is our name
suppose to be written in the
00:36:06.91\00:36:10.49
Lamb's Book of Life
as individuals who have
00:36:10.52\00:36:13.01
made a commitment to
Him, we have made a decision
00:36:13.04\00:36:16.51
to allow Him to be
the Lord of our lives.
00:36:16.54\00:36:19.26
And when we sin, we
have wondered away from Him,
00:36:19.29\00:36:22.85
and we are being unfaithful.
00:36:22.88\00:36:25.13
They found a woman to
fit into their scheme.
00:36:28.80\00:36:32.14
The scheme was simply,
"When we pull her out of the
00:36:32.17\00:36:35.27
bed of adultery, we'll
drop her at Jesus' feet.
00:36:35.30\00:36:37.76
And we'll say,
'What should happen?'
00:36:37.79\00:36:39.81
The Bible says that
she should be stoned.
00:36:39.84\00:36:42.32
That's the law of Moses.
00:36:42.35\00:36:43.77
And if He says, 'Okay,
let's go with the Bible,'
00:36:43.80\00:36:46.95
then He'll be
violating the law of the land.
00:36:46.98\00:36:49.24
Because only Caesar can give
the capital punishment sentence.
00:36:49.27\00:36:54.11
Either way, He's going to
be breaking somebody's law.
00:36:55.38\00:36:59.61
Okay, we've got to
find somebody who can
00:37:01.47\00:37:04.87
help us with this scheme."
00:37:04.90\00:37:07.14
Somebody volunteered and decided
that they would be the paramour.
00:37:07.71\00:37:12.44
The one who would then go
and talk the smooth lines.
00:37:13.16\00:37:17.14
The smooth operator goes
and begins to talk to her.
00:37:18.42\00:37:21.28
Gets her into a
compromising position.
00:37:21.86\00:37:24.70
I don't know if it was in
the back seat of a chariot
00:37:24.73\00:37:27.81
in a dark alley of Jerusalem,
00:37:27.84\00:37:29.92
a Motel 6 on the
outskirts of the city,
00:37:32.99\00:37:35.66
or if it was in
a high class place.
00:37:38.20\00:37:40.74
But whatever they decided,
they ended up in that position.
00:37:41.87\00:37:47.70
That position.
00:37:48.77\00:37:50.17
Remember now, when they
say to Jesus, "We caught her
00:37:50.76\00:37:52.79
in the act," they did
not say, "We caught her
00:37:52.82\00:37:55.88
when she was leaving the hotel."
00:37:55.91\00:37:57.80
Caught her in the...
00:38:00.97\00:38:02.91
How do you catch
somebody in the act?
00:38:02.94\00:38:05.32
The law required that
the ones who stoned first
00:38:10.58\00:38:15.22
are the ones who were witnesses.
00:38:15.32\00:38:17.61
There were multiple
witnesses because they were
00:38:17.64\00:38:20.15
co-conspirators in the
demise of a child of God.
00:38:20.18\00:38:24.70
And God doesn't like that.
00:38:24.73\00:38:26.65
Go with us now into the room.
00:38:32.91\00:38:35.59
Right in the middle of
the act, all of a sudden,
00:38:36.49\00:38:39.45
deacons come from
behind the curtains and
00:38:39.48\00:38:41.68
elders roll from
underneath the bed.
00:38:41.71\00:38:43.89
They snatch back the sheets.
00:38:43.92\00:38:45.57
They grab her as she tries
to roll herself as best she can.
00:38:45.60\00:38:49.32
They begin to drag her
down main street of Jerusalem
00:38:49.35\00:38:52.44
all the way to the temple.
00:38:52.47\00:38:54.14
They come in
down the center aisle.
00:38:54.17\00:38:56.15
There's One preaching.
00:38:56.18\00:38:57.55
Jesus, the Son of Man, is
preaching with great authority.
00:38:57.58\00:39:00.66
But He stops and He looks
as though He had been waiting
00:39:00.69\00:39:03.89
for His illustration to arrive.
00:39:03.92\00:39:06.03
He rolls up the scroll and
He steps from behind the podium.
00:39:12.52\00:39:16.51
And He looks at them as though
He's ready with an answer.
00:39:16.54\00:39:19.65
And they say, as they
drop this woman in a heap
00:39:19.68\00:39:23.12
at the feet of Jesus...
00:39:23.15\00:39:24.85
She still has the
look of sin all around her.
00:39:24.88\00:39:28.29
She's full of shame and guilt.
00:39:28.32\00:39:30.30
She's in a balled up
heap at the feet of Jesus
00:39:30.33\00:39:32.98
on the dusty
floor of the church.
00:39:33.01\00:39:34.97
And they say,
"This woman is a sinner.
00:39:35.00\00:39:37.66
We caught her in the very act.
00:39:37.69\00:39:39.62
The Bible says
she's to be killed.
00:39:39.65\00:39:42.10
What do You say?"
00:39:42.13\00:39:43.50
Jesus, unphased, not surprised,
00:39:50.66\00:39:57.65
simply stoops down.
00:39:59.06\00:40:01.03
And He slowly begins to write.
00:40:05.07\00:40:07.29
We find others on other
occasions writing for Him,
00:40:10.55\00:40:14.00
but this time He said,
"I'm going to do it Myself.
00:40:14.03\00:40:16.57
I don't even want to
involve other people in what I'm
00:40:19.00\00:40:22.36
writing about right now."
00:40:22.39\00:40:23.98
Oh, we love to write
people's sins in the sand.
00:40:25.61\00:40:28.32
We volunteer to help
the Lord with that task.
00:40:30.59\00:40:33.17
But Jesus says,
"Everybody, mind your business.
00:40:34.32\00:40:37.33
I'm going to mind this.
00:40:37.36\00:40:38.73
As it relates to this
that I'm writing in the sand
00:40:38.76\00:40:41.98
right now, I'll handle it.
00:40:42.01\00:40:43.53
In fact, you all have no idea."
00:40:43.56\00:40:45.21
And He just starts writing.
00:40:45.24\00:40:46.61
They keep pressing the Master.
00:40:48.75\00:40:50.50
Their agenda is
foremost in their minds.
00:40:50.53\00:40:52.82
They don't like
what Jesus is doing.
00:40:52.85\00:40:54.77
He seems to be ignoring them.
00:40:54.80\00:40:56.84
Ellen White says that what
Jesus was writing in the sand
00:40:56.87\00:41:00.04
were the sins
of co-conspirators.
00:41:00.07\00:41:02.79
Those sins that were in
the closet and they thought
00:41:02.82\00:41:05.52
were covered by darkness.
00:41:05.55\00:41:07.22
Jesus was exposing holy
people who were publically good
00:41:07.25\00:41:12.51
but privately bad.
00:41:12.54\00:41:14.08
He was writing
the sins in the sand.
00:41:14.11\00:41:16.96
And when they kept pressing
Him, He got up and said,
00:41:20.82\00:41:23.20
"Okay...
00:41:23.30\00:41:24.67
Whoever of you is without sin,
00:41:28.07\00:41:32.48
go ahead, cast the first stone."
00:41:34.46\00:41:38.16
And then He
starts writing again.
00:41:39.87\00:41:41.76
They wonder up to the
scene and they get close
00:41:43.20\00:41:46.05
to see His writing.
00:41:46.08\00:41:47.84
Then they remember that they had
some things they needed to do.
00:41:49.16\00:41:52.06
And one by one, they
disappeared for fear that they
00:41:59.31\00:42:02.81
would be publically exposed.
00:42:02.84\00:42:04.29
When you're wrong, sometimes
you just can't hide it.
00:42:04.32\00:42:07.28
And they were so embarrassed
as He was writing their sins.
00:42:07.31\00:42:10.03
I don't know if He put
their names on top of their sins
00:42:10.06\00:42:13.15
or not, but they felt like
everybody was going to know
00:42:13.18\00:42:16.19
that, "This one is me."
00:42:16.22\00:42:17.59
And they started leaving.
00:42:17.62\00:42:19.05
Watch this.
00:42:21.31\00:42:22.68
I love the fact that when Jesus
starts writing down our sins,
00:42:23.08\00:42:27.91
He doesn't write them on tablets
of stone like He wrote the law.
00:42:29.21\00:42:32.27
But He writes them in dust.
00:42:34.61\00:42:36.56
And really, with just
a good Palestinian wind,
00:42:36.59\00:42:39.79
they can be blown away.
00:42:39.82\00:42:41.29
Our assessments
tend to be eternal.
00:42:49.79\00:42:52.43
But He judges
with another standard.
00:42:54.62\00:42:58.50
He looks now at this woman.
00:43:00.92\00:43:02.81
And I can see the pity
as it comes from the Master.
00:43:02.84\00:43:05.69
She's all balled up,
afraid that she is worthless
00:43:05.72\00:43:09.60
and about to lose her life.
00:43:09.63\00:43:11.51
Jesus comes and says
something to her that
00:43:11.54\00:43:14.20
has a world full
of theology in it.
00:43:14.23\00:43:17.00
He says, "Woman,
where are your accusers?
00:43:17.03\00:43:21.87
Is there anyone here
who can condemn you?"
00:43:23.40\00:43:28.26
Look at the words.
00:43:29.00\00:43:31.24
Those guys successfully accused,
00:43:31.72\00:43:34.73
but they weren't so
successful in condemning.
00:43:35.96\00:43:38.88
For she rises and
says, "No one, Lord."
00:43:40.36\00:43:43.91
No one.
00:43:45.04\00:43:46.41
Jesus then says,
"Neither do I condemn you."
00:43:46.66\00:43:51.32
In other words, Elder
Jones, Jesus was saying,
00:43:52.37\00:43:56.02
"I could accuse
you just like they did,
00:43:56.05\00:43:59.25
because you're wrong.
00:44:00.65\00:44:02.43
But I don't condemn you.
00:44:03.97\00:44:06.22
And they couldn't
condemn you either."
00:44:06.25\00:44:08.42
To be accused is one
thing, but to be condemned
00:44:09.23\00:44:11.65
is another thing.
00:44:11.68\00:44:13.05
A building that is condemned
is no longer inhabitable.
00:44:13.08\00:44:16.44
It has to be boarded
up and then taken down.
00:44:16.47\00:44:19.52
It is to suggest
that it cannot be used.
00:44:20.91\00:44:23.53
It is to suggest that, in
fact, it is good for nothing.
00:44:23.56\00:44:27.12
That its usage is over.
00:44:27.15\00:44:28.88
That it has no future.
00:44:28.91\00:44:30.67
A condemned
building must come down.
00:44:30.70\00:44:33.43
No one can use it
for anything functional.
00:44:33.46\00:44:36.35
Jesus says, "I
don't condemn you."
00:44:36.38\00:44:39.85
Listen to the theology of Jesus
when He then goes on to say,
00:44:45.19\00:44:49.49
"Now go and sin no more."
00:44:49.52\00:44:52.46
There are two
things happening here.
00:44:53.13\00:44:54.78
Number one, Jesus, when He said,
"Neither do I condemn you,"
00:44:55.32\00:44:59.19
that was a
declaration of justification.
00:44:59.22\00:45:02.77
You are not condemned.
00:45:04.14\00:45:06.79
But then when He
said, "Go and sin no more,"
00:45:07.90\00:45:10.93
that was a command
for sanctification.
00:45:10.96\00:45:14.05
"I start out by
declaring you just."
00:45:15.46\00:45:18.50
Justification is a declaration
by an authoritative voice
00:45:18.53\00:45:22.46
that you are
declared to be right.
00:45:22.49\00:45:24.89
Now sanctification is
saying with your right self,
00:45:26.23\00:45:29.38
it's time for you to go...
00:45:29.41\00:45:31.64
...get up from where you are...
00:45:34.29\00:45:36.59
...go.
00:45:37.63\00:45:39.00
That Greek word "go" there
suggests that you are to get up
00:45:39.40\00:45:43.62
and begin a journey.
00:45:43.65\00:45:45.54
Start your way on a
traveling destination
00:45:45.57\00:45:48.73
to some place
where you need to be.
00:45:48.76\00:45:51.12
"You're not there yet,
that's why I'm telling you go."
00:45:51.15\00:45:54.03
Jesus did not pick
her up and drop her back
00:45:59.17\00:46:01.99
into a better place.
00:46:02.02\00:46:03.40
He told her, "Where
you are, get up and go."
00:46:03.43\00:46:08.20
Start the process.
00:46:09.83\00:46:12.00
Get in motion.
00:46:12.83\00:46:14.20
Listen, if I ask one of my son's
to please go to the store...
00:46:14.23\00:46:18.97
The closest store
to my house is down...
00:46:20.46\00:46:22.96
What is it? Old Railroad Bend?
00:46:23.49\00:46:25.08
A good little ways.
00:46:25.11\00:46:26.48
So if he's being obedient, my
child probably would not walk.
00:46:27.33\00:46:30.85
They would get in a
car and begin driving.
00:46:30.88\00:46:33.23
On the way there, they might
have to stop and get some gas.
00:46:33.26\00:46:36.47
And if you see them at
the gas station, they'll say,
00:46:36.50\00:46:38.31
"Your son was over
at the gas station."
00:46:38.34\00:46:40.36
There are a couple
of lights, you know.
00:46:43.37\00:46:44.91
And they may have
to stop at the light.
00:46:44.94\00:46:46.62
And while they're at the light,
they may be listening to music
00:46:46.65\00:46:48.94
bobbing their head.
00:46:48.97\00:46:50.34
And you might say, "Your
son was just having a good time
00:46:50.37\00:46:52.87
just stopped over
there at the light."
00:46:52.90\00:46:54.33
If they get to the store,
like they often do, they forget
00:46:58.07\00:47:01.41
what they've been asked to get.
00:47:01.44\00:47:02.81
They might sit there in the
car and pull out their phone
00:47:02.84\00:47:05.77
and call me and say, "Dad, what
am I suppose to be getting?"
00:47:05.80\00:47:08.98
And if you see them in
that position, you'll say,
00:47:09.01\00:47:11.29
"Your son was just
sitting in the parking lot
00:47:11.32\00:47:13.48
talking on the phone."
00:47:13.51\00:47:15.29
But from my perspective,
00:47:23.51\00:47:25.32
my son is about
his father's business.
00:47:28.27\00:47:30.81
And I happen to know
that there's a gas station
00:47:31.63\00:47:34.41
on the way to where I sent him.
00:47:34.44\00:47:36.15
And there's a red light on
the way to where I sent him.
00:47:36.83\00:47:39.45
And when he was on the
phone, he was just trying to get
00:47:40.18\00:47:42.66
reoriented and get
his instructions restated.
00:47:42.69\00:47:46.44
I know that my son was
about his father's business.
00:47:46.47\00:47:49.57
Remember in Isaiah 53,
it said they considered Him
00:47:49.60\00:47:52.59
smitten by God, rejected by God.
00:47:52.62\00:47:56.25
That's what it
looked like to them.
00:47:56.28\00:47:57.98
But ask God the
Father, He'd say,
00:47:58.01\00:47:59.84
"My Son was about My business."
00:47:59.87\00:48:04.05
That's why I'm not so quick
any more to call people unsaved.
00:48:05.11\00:48:10.37
Because they might
be sitting at the light.
00:48:10.40\00:48:12.50
At the point of the declaration,
"Neither do I condemn you."
00:48:20.37\00:48:24.54
Ellen White says that
what made this woman so special
00:48:24.57\00:48:27.11
is, she made no excuses.
00:48:27.14\00:48:29.01
She was full of guilt and took
responsibility for her wrong.
00:48:29.04\00:48:32.60
She never once opened her mouth
and said, "It was those guys
00:48:32.63\00:48:35.70
over there who
tricked me into doing it."
00:48:35.73\00:48:37.97
And because of her
penitent spirit, God was able to
00:48:38.00\00:48:41.15
rightly declare,
"I don't condemn you."
00:48:41.18\00:48:44.42
At that point, one is saved.
00:48:46.18\00:48:48.48
Stretched out on a
cross next to the Master,
00:48:50.07\00:48:52.58
cussing just a
few minutes earlier.
00:48:52.61\00:48:54.49
At the point where
one takes responsibility,
00:48:54.52\00:48:57.35
they too can hear, "You
will be with Me in Paradise."
00:48:57.38\00:49:01.24
Let me illustrate it this way.
00:49:06.16\00:49:07.98
Some of you know
that God blessed me
00:49:09.15\00:49:10.94
with two transplants in
the last couple of years.
00:49:12.19\00:49:14.75
And I thank Him.
00:49:15.89\00:49:17.46
Mr. and Mrs. Roddy's
son-in-law, Dr. Graham,
00:49:21.79\00:49:26.52
was a surgeon who was
involved in both surgeries.
00:49:27.64\00:49:30.42
He took good care
and he warned me about
00:49:31.82\00:49:33.59
things on the front side.
00:49:33.62\00:49:35.17
But what I wanted to
hear is what he had to say
00:49:35.51\00:49:37.42
on the back side of the surgery.
00:49:37.45\00:49:39.18
Uncertain when I first
went in for the kidney surgery
00:49:40.90\00:49:43.93
of exactly what to
expect, it was a scary event.
00:49:43.96\00:49:47.04
But when it was over with,
the doctor came in and said,
00:49:48.03\00:49:50.32
"The surgery was successful."
00:49:50.35\00:49:52.15
I then went through
a process of healing.
00:49:53.93\00:49:56.24
Earlier this year
when I had a transplant,
00:49:57.80\00:50:00.20
I knew a little bit more what to
expect, but I didn't know that
00:50:01.58\00:50:04.20
this one would be
tougher than the first one.
00:50:04.23\00:50:06.17
And when I came around,
what I was looking to hear from
00:50:07.74\00:50:10.06
the doctor is, "The
surgery was successful."
00:50:10.09\00:50:12.97
And I heard it again.
00:50:13.67\00:50:15.04
Now when the doctor said
the surgery was successful,
00:50:16.49\00:50:19.61
I would love to tell you
that I jumped up out of the bed,
00:50:20.36\00:50:23.46
threw on my clothes,
and ran out of that place.
00:50:23.49\00:50:26.19
But although he declared
it successful, Dr. Pollard,
00:50:28.42\00:50:31.73
I didn't feel real good.
00:50:36.08\00:50:37.82
We're too dependent on feelings.
00:50:42.57\00:50:45.41
When we accept what God has
declared, we ought to give Him
00:50:47.98\00:50:51.72
credit for telling the truth.
00:50:51.75\00:50:55.99
"But I don't feel saved."
00:50:57.13\00:50:59.70
So what.
00:51:00.15\00:51:01.75
It might be as simple as
the last bad meal you ate
00:51:02.97\00:51:06.52
making you feel unsaved.
00:51:07.63\00:51:09.74
And you think when you feel real
good and the right chemicals
00:51:10.62\00:51:15.21
are flowing in your
system, "Now I'm saved again."
00:51:15.24\00:51:19.71
What a fickle religion.
00:51:20.26\00:51:21.84
I'll tell you now I'm saved,
because I have surrendered
00:51:22.75\00:51:27.32
my life to Christ, I
have confessed my sins.
00:51:27.35\00:51:30.24
He has cleaned me up.
00:51:30.27\00:51:31.64
And I sometimes
still feel a little bad,
00:51:31.67\00:51:34.00
but feeling bad
doesn't mean I'm not saved.
00:51:34.03\00:51:37.25
He has declared me
justified by faith.
00:51:37.28\00:51:42.47
I could not eat,
my second surgery.
00:51:44.03\00:51:46.08
I ate on Friday and I didn't eat
again until, I believe it was
00:51:46.11\00:51:50.29
the next Friday.
00:51:50.32\00:51:51.96
And I wasn't fasting either.
00:51:52.62\00:51:54.18
Couldn't take anything by mouth.
00:51:55.29\00:51:56.69
They would not
even give me any ice
00:51:56.72\00:51:58.53
for that long period of time.
00:51:58.56\00:51:59.98
I was angry about that thing.
00:52:00.01\00:52:01.38
If the surgery was
successful, certainly I can eat.
00:52:01.41\00:52:04.06
I've got a
pancreas that works now.
00:52:04.09\00:52:05.69
It's ready to kick in gear.
00:52:05.72\00:52:07.09
Let's give it
some food to work on.
00:52:07.12\00:52:08.67
But no, "You can't eat
or drink anything until
00:52:08.70\00:52:12.33
we tell you that
you're ready for it."
00:52:12.36\00:52:14.40
"Why is that?"
00:52:14.43\00:52:15.80
"Because your system
has not fully awakened yet."
00:52:15.83\00:52:19.06
"You can't handle
food and water right now.
00:52:24.54\00:52:31.04
I've got to put it
through your veins right now.
00:52:32.08\00:52:34.59
I've got to do it
intravenously for you now.
00:52:34.62\00:52:36.87
Your system is not developed
enough and awake enough
00:52:36.90\00:52:39.98
to handle it yet."
00:52:40.01\00:52:41.38
When you hear from Him
that you are not condemned,
00:52:41.41\00:52:44.05
you better get up and
leave some situations that
00:52:44.08\00:52:46.47
you're not ready to handle yet.
00:52:46.50\00:52:48.18
You're still hanging with
your weed smoking partners
00:52:52.87\00:52:55.40
talking about, "I'm
going to save them."
00:52:55.43\00:52:57.65
No, no, no. You're
not ready for it yet.
00:52:57.68\00:52:59.82
Leave until your system
is more fully developed.
00:52:59.85\00:53:02.64
And then to this very
day, I will sometimes go on
00:53:06.81\00:53:12.40
some coughing spells.
00:53:12.43\00:53:14.36
It's so
frustrating, Elder Jones.
00:53:15.09\00:53:16.76
Sometimes when I start
preaching a little bit hard,
00:53:16.79\00:53:18.89
I'll try to get into
about second or third gear,
00:53:18.92\00:53:21.08
coughing will break out.
00:53:21.11\00:53:22.52
And I'm so tired of that.
00:53:22.55\00:53:23.92
And I asked the doctor about
that and he's been trying to
00:53:23.95\00:53:26.10
figure it all out.
00:53:26.13\00:53:27.50
And he hasn't worked it out yet.
00:53:27.53\00:53:28.90
Trying to adjust medications
and do various things,
00:53:28.93\00:53:31.53
trying to get it right.
00:53:31.56\00:53:33.20
And I'll tell you, I'm
better today than I was
00:53:33.23\00:53:35.53
a few weeks ago, but every
now and then I still cough.
00:53:35.56\00:53:39.11
And you think you're unsaved
because every now and then
00:53:39.14\00:53:41.67
you still cough.
00:53:41.70\00:53:43.07
Part of your healing
takes you through an episode
00:53:47.09\00:53:51.14
where what's wrong
with you becomes revealed
00:53:51.17\00:53:53.62
in frustrating ways.
00:53:53.65\00:53:55.12
But if you hang in there
and do what the doctor said do,
00:53:55.15\00:53:58.27
you're going to get well
because you're in process.
00:53:58.30\00:54:02.15
Keep on going.
00:54:03.00\00:54:04.37
Keep on going. Don't stop.
00:54:05.24\00:54:07.43
At the point of justification,
you begin the process
00:54:07.46\00:54:11.26
of sanctification.
00:54:11.29\00:54:12.66
And while I'm in
process, I'm still saved.
00:54:12.69\00:54:15.68
Now, if I ignore
what the doctor says,
00:54:15.71\00:54:18.59
and I decide to
do things my own way,
00:54:19.95\00:54:22.57
there is what
they call, rejection.
00:54:22.60\00:54:24.85
The doctor said, "Take
your medications at eight
00:54:27.10\00:54:29.75
in the morning and
eight in the evening.
00:54:29.78\00:54:31.93
Take them in these combinations.
00:54:31.96\00:54:33.92
Avoid these kinds of settings.
00:54:33.95\00:54:35.93
Make sure you do
this and do that."
00:54:35.96\00:54:38.29
And if I get frustrated
with it and decide I'm not
00:54:38.32\00:54:41.02
going to do it, then everything
that happened for my heath
00:54:41.05\00:54:44.25
can reverse on me.
00:54:44.28\00:54:46.00
You wonder why I pray?
00:54:49.58\00:54:51.49
Why I study my Word?
00:54:52.40\00:54:54.00
Not because the
surgery wasn't successful,
00:54:55.83\00:54:58.75
but I don't want
that rejection to set in.
00:55:00.08\00:55:02.40
We look at the acts and
we don't have the context.
00:55:08.86\00:55:12.94
That's why we
don't judge each other.
00:55:12.97\00:55:14.91
But the doctor who has done
this surgery many times before,
00:55:16.76\00:55:20.88
when he says the
surgery is successful,
00:55:21.75\00:55:24.62
you see the symptoms of
a person who's been ill.
00:55:25.66\00:55:28.96
But he sees the progress
of a person who's been healed.
00:55:29.72\00:55:33.27
Jesus doesn't need a long time
to accomplish this with you.
00:55:38.64\00:55:43.88
My surgery took hours,
but He can do it in a moment,
00:55:45.11\00:55:48.31
at the point where you
surrender and say, "Father,
00:55:48.34\00:55:51.44
I'm guilty."
00:55:52.87\00:55:54.24
He is the one Judge who will
give you an innocent verdict
00:55:55.15\00:55:59.67
when you plead guilty.
00:55:59.70\00:56:01.72
And in one sentence, He can
call you a sinner and a saint.
00:56:04.52\00:56:10.29
"Neither do I
condemn you." Saved.
00:56:11.27\00:56:14.27
"Sin no more." Sinner.
00:56:14.47\00:56:17.35
I'm going to end with this.
00:56:23.77\00:56:25.14
There's a
gentleman in town right now.
00:56:25.17\00:56:26.54
His name is M.L. Carr.
00:56:26.57\00:56:28.54
M.L. Carr use to play
for the Boston Celtics.
00:56:29.44\00:56:31.48
Do you remember him?
00:56:31.51\00:56:32.88
He's a really good man,
but he was a Boston Celtic.
00:56:34.04\00:56:36.66
Earlier this week, talking
with him and he was recalling,
00:56:42.59\00:56:47.30
he was rehearsing some
of the things that happened
00:56:47.33\00:56:49.83
during his career.
00:56:49.86\00:56:51.23
And he went back to
that scene that took place
00:56:51.26\00:56:53.57
when the Los Angeles Lakers...
00:56:53.60\00:56:54.97
You knew I was going to
use one of those illustrations.
00:56:55.00\00:56:56.67
Los Angeles Lakers were playing
against the Boston Celtics.
00:56:56.70\00:56:59.38
And the last play of the
game is when Magic Johnson
00:57:01.27\00:57:04.12
came dribbling across the lane.
00:57:05.26\00:57:07.66
And he rolls up with
a Kareem-like baby hook.
00:57:08.10\00:57:11.04
And M.L. Carr said that he
was sitting over on the bench
00:57:11.69\00:57:14.11
when that hook shot went up.
00:57:14.14\00:57:15.51
Sitting next to
Cornbread Maxwell.
00:57:15.54\00:57:17.61
And he said it looked like
Cornbread Maxwell has a shot.
00:57:17.71\00:57:20.29
It went through the
net, and he said, "Oh Lord.
00:57:20.32\00:57:23.66
My career in Boston is over."
00:57:25.56\00:57:27.60
The two of them knew that
they would be taken on out.
00:57:28.81\00:57:31.07
Knew that they were done.
00:57:32.00\00:57:33.37
But what was
going on in the radio
00:57:34.61\00:57:35.98
isn't the same thing he said.
00:57:36.01\00:57:37.38
He said, "My career is over..."
00:57:37.41\00:57:40.02