Participants: John Lomacang
Series Code: ASHF
Program Code: ASHF000011
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00:20 Hello, friends and welcome to another "A Sharper Focus"
00:23 edition here in Thompsonville, Illinois 00:26 at the 3ABN Worship Center. 00:28 We thank you for tuning in. 00:29 My name is John Lomacang. 00:31 I'm the pastor here as well as the presenter for the series, 00:34 "How to live a spiritual life in a natural body." 00:38 That's what each of us is called to do, 00:40 as Christ calls us to a growing, 00:42 relationship with Him. 00:43 Thank you for tuning in. 00:45 We like to encourage you to spend the next hour, 00:47 to sit down and get your Bibles, get your friends, 00:50 get your family together, and we pray 00:52 that you'll be directed and guided by the Holy Spirit 00:55 as we study the word of God together. 00:59 Also want to say a special hello to those of you. 01:02 If you're in the Virgin Islands, my family is there. 01:04 If you're in the Bahamas, we have some good friends there. 01:06 Welcome you tonight. 01:07 And wherever you may be joining us from, 01:09 we hope that the Spirit of God will bless you 01:12 as we walk together through the study on 01:15 "How to be delivered." 01:17 And I'd like to welcome you with a hearty amen 01:19 from our local audience. Can you say, amen. 01:21 Amen. And every Wednesday night, 01:23 we get together to study our Bibles 01:24 and tonight is no exception. 01:26 But before we do anything, 01:27 before we have our prayer, 01:29 and before we have our song 01:30 and I will tell you where to find your study 01:32 on our website address. 01:34 Let's first begin with a word of prayer. 01:37 Our gracious Father in heaven, 01:38 we thank You so much that You call us 01:40 not through righteousness, but You also provide everything 01:44 we need to live soberly, godly, 01:47 and righteously in this present age. 01:50 Tonight as we study the Bible again, 01:52 as we study this all important topic, 01:54 we pray not only for an intellectual understanding, 01:56 but for a spirit connection to give us strength, 02:01 to live above the daily temptations 02:03 and to become more like Jesus. 02:06 This we ask in your precious name we pray, amen. 02:11 Now we have a theme-- 02:12 I think it's becoming a theme song. 02:14 It's the song of victory in Jesus 02:15 and I think our local audience knows it pretty well. 02:18 Now the words will not appear on your screen, 02:20 but if you know the song, you can sing along with us. 02:22 The words will appear on our local screen. 02:24 But this is a theme song, 02:26 that's becoming one that we really enjoy, 02:28 because we're talking about 02:29 how to have victory in Jesus. 02:31 Follow along and sing with us. 02:39 Are you ready? 02:41 I heard an old, old story 02:45 How a Savior came from glory 02:49 How He gave His life on Calvary 02:53 To save a wretch like me 02:57 I heard about His groaning 03:00 Of His precious blood's atoning 03:04 Then I repented of my sins 03:08 And won the victory 03:10 Raise that chorus. 03:12 O victory in Jesus 03:15 My Savior, forever 03:19 He sought me and bought me 03:23 With His redeeming blood 03:27 He loved me ere I knew Him 03:31 And all my love is due Him 03:34 He plunged me to victory 03:38 Beneath the cleansing flood 03:42 I heard about a mansion 03:46 He has built for me in glory 03:49 And I heard about the streets of gold 03:53 Beyond the crystal sea 03:57 About the angels singing 04:01 And the old redemption story 04:04 And some sweet day I'll sing up there 04:08 The song of victory He changed 04:12 O victory in Jesus My Savior, forever 04:20 He sought me and bought me 04:23 With His redeeming blood 04:27 He loved me ere I knew Him 04:31 And all my love is due Him 04:35 He plunged me to victory 04:39 Beneath the cleansing flood 04:42 He plunged me to victory 04:46 Beneath the cleansing flood 04:53 Amen. Amen. That's our theme, victory in Jesus. 04:59 That's the only way to have victory. 05:00 Tonight as we continue in our topic, 05:02 I think we're winding this one up tonight, 05:05 "How to be delivered." 05:06 And the next time we have our live broadcast. 05:08 It would be alive, alive in Jesus, alive unto God. 05:13 How to live the resurrected life? 05:16 Now many of us hear about the first resurrection. 05:19 And what's the other one? 05:21 Second Resurrection. 05:23 But there is a resurrection before the first resurrection. 05:26 That's walking in the newness of life. 05:28 And we'll talk about that topic. 05:30 How to be alive unto God? 05:32 How to live the resurrected life? 05:34 And by the way, you'll discover 05:36 that until you die the death of Christ, 05:39 you can't live the life of Christ. 05:41 You got to die the death of Christ 05:44 before you live the life of Christ. 05:46 Now tonight before we go to question number 9, 05:49 which is the question, we're going to begin with. 05:51 I like you to turn your Bibles with me to Second Peter. 05:54 Second Peter, Chapter 2, and this is a passage, 06:01 not often associated with the topic 06:02 of righteousness by faith. 06:04 But it fits--it fits very well. 06:08 Second Peter, Chapter 2. 06:10 And we're going to look 06:12 at two particular verses, verse 7. 06:16 This is speaking about the destruction 06:18 of not only Sodom and Gomorrah, 06:21 but the angels that sin that were cast to the earth 06:25 and delivered in chains of darkness. 06:27 But as it pertains to Sodom and Gomorrah, 06:30 look at verse 7. 06:31 The Lord speaks about the one He delivered. 06:34 And he says in verse 7, and delivered righteous, who? 06:37 Righteous lot, who was apposed 06:40 with a filthy conduct of the wicked. 06:43 For that righteous man, dwelling among them tormented 06:49 his righteous soul from day to day by seeing 06:53 and hearing their lawless deeds. 06:55 You think about that. That's kind of like 06:57 living in a major city that's overrun with corruption. 07:00 When a person has a walk with Christ, 07:02 the things that you see. 07:04 It's amazing the way they said it that way, 07:05 tormented his righteous soul. 07:08 And when you listen to the news nowadays, 07:10 heard a very interesting story today, 07:12 but I'm not done yet, I'm gonna read verse 9. 07:14 Heard a very interesting story today about 07:15 a baby that was born, a stillborn. 07:19 I believe it was one of the Spanish countries 07:22 and the parents--obviously if the baby is born dead, 07:26 they gave the baby to the mortician 07:28 to prepare the baby for burial. 07:31 And I don't know how they do it, 07:33 because it's amazing that they went to see 07:35 the baby and the baby was already in the coffin. 07:37 They opened the coffin and the baby was alive. 07:40 That's good news, amen. 07:42 Amen. Its amazing how that happened 07:47 because in America by the-- time they put you in a coffin, 07:52 you'd already have been embalmed. 07:54 But the Lord is so gracious, He knows how to deliver. 07:59 He knows how to do, what? 08:00 He knows how to deliver. 08:02 The reason why we're talking about deliverance 08:04 is everyone of us day by day face challenges, 08:08 packaged in a very big world that's been around 08:10 since the entrance of sin is called temptation. 08:13 What's the word? Temptation. Temptation. 08:14 Well, look at verse 9. 08:16 This is the verse that highlights 08:18 how God really cares about us. 08:21 He says then the Lord knows how to do, what friends? 08:25 How to deliver the godly out of, what? 08:29 Out of temptation and to reserve the unjust 08:33 under punishment for the Day of Judgment 08:37 or unto the Day of Judgment, whatever translation you have. 08:39 But the Bible says, the Lord knows 08:41 how to deliver the, what? 08:45 Godly. Do the godly need deliverance. 08:47 Now I want to reiterate this 08:49 just in case you haven't seen this before. 08:50 I want--I want to make this very clear. 08:52 God delivers three ways. 08:54 How many ways that I say? 08:55 Three. Three. One we come to Christ, 08:57 when we give our lives to Christ. 08:58 The first line of deliverance is deliverance 09:02 from the, what of sin? 09:05 Say it again, from the penalty of sin. 09:08 We're taken off death row. 09:10 That death sentence no longer reigns 09:12 over our heads. 09:14 But there is a second form of deliverance 09:16 that I believe this verse is talking about. 09:18 The second form of deliverance is deliverance 09:21 from the, what of sin? 09:23 From the power of sin. 09:24 The Lord knows how to deliver 09:26 the godly out of temptation. 09:28 Now let me ask the question. 09:30 Does temptation still exists? 09:33 So what makes temptation different for each person? 09:37 Someone tell me. What makes temptation 09:38 different for each person? 09:40 Okay, let me make it a different question. 09:44 Why is--why are people tempted by different things? 09:49 Because we're all different, that's a good answer. 09:51 Okay, good answer. 09:53 But let me get--let's get a little deeper into that. 09:57 Well, usually the environment or the thing 10:00 that you often yield to becomes 10:02 the line of your temptation, your environment, your society. 10:06 For example, there are some individuals 10:08 that are raised maybe in the home where there 10:09 is lot of alcohol and drinking and lot of carousing, 10:12 a lot of worldliness. 10:13 Then they grow up, they're tempted 10:15 from that kind of environment. 10:16 They're persons that are raised in home 10:18 where somebody smokes or drinks or takes drugs. 10:21 Well, that's the kind of temptation sometimes 10:23 that moulds their background. 10:25 But there are some people that live-- 10:26 that were raised in completely healthy homes, 10:28 no alcohol, no drinking, no carousing, no drugs, 10:34 no bad movies, no profanity and they still have temptation. 10:37 Now let me ask you the question. 10:39 What about us a fourth or fifth generation Adventist, 10:42 are they still tempted? 10:44 Yes. Now the reason I asked--the reason 10:46 I asked that question because somebody 10:48 posed the question just few days ago. 10:51 Ask me the question, they said now 10:52 what if the mother and the father are delivered. 10:55 They're both baptized. 10:56 They're both sanctified. 10:59 Does their baby still face temptation? 11:03 Yes. And I thought to myself, really good try. 11:06 Because we still pass on the-- 11:08 the only thing that we can't pass on is the nature 11:11 of our first father and his name is what? 11:14 His name is Adam. 11:15 So every one of us is continually tempted, 11:18 but the Lord knows how to deliver 11:21 the godly out of temptation, amen. 11:23 Amen. So he knows that-- 11:25 when those temptations come, if we turn to Him, 11:27 He will do, what? He will deliver us. 11:30 Now, go to First Corinthians Chapter 10. 11:33 Some people say well, you know, I don't know, 11:35 temptation is really strong, I have heard that 11:39 and temptation is strong. 11:41 But who is stronger than temptation, somebody tell me. 11:44 God. That's right. 11:45 If God before us who can be against us. 11:48 First Corinthians, Chapter 10. 11:51 Want you see this verse. 11:53 This falls in the context of all the children of Israel. 11:57 First of all they were delivered from Egypt. 11:59 They were delivered from bondage. 12:02 When the Lord delivers us from the penalty of sin, 12:06 he delivers us from bondage to sin. 12:09 I believe its Romans 6:16 when Paul says, 12:12 do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves 12:16 are servants to obey, you are that one servant. 12:19 Some translation says, slave. 12:21 So sin holds us into slavery just as the children of Israel 12:25 were held in Egypt as slaves. 12:27 But as the Lord delivered the children from Israel, 12:32 He can deliver us from temptation. 12:34 Now is there--let me ask this question. 12:36 Is there such thing as a temptation 12:38 that we cannot resist? Yes or no. 12:43 I'm having a hard time getting 12:44 an answer on that one. Let's try it again. 12:47 Is there an irresistible temptation? 12:54 Ah, she said peeking at your Christmas presents. 12:58 That's a good answer in the month of April. 13:00 Ah, if you're not in Christ 13:08 and I think some of you are getting theological 13:09 and trying to put a scenario together in your head, 13:12 because without Christ, all temptations are overpowering. 13:17 But look at First Corinthians 10:31, 13:20 I like to--sorry not 10:31. 10:13. 13:25 But let's--let's look at verse 12 13:27 to just kind of get the flow. 13:29 First Corinthians, Chapter 10, verse 12 and 13. 13:32 It says, therefore let him who thinks he stands, 13:36 let's read the rest together. 13:38 Take heed lest he, what? 13:40 Lest he fall. So for those who stand 13:44 and you know what the Bible talks about 13:45 having done all the stands. 13:46 Stand therefore, having on the whole armor of God. 13:50 But it's possible that when you say okay, good, 13:52 I have got the standing thing really down path. 13:55 The Lord says, ah, be careful, let him who thinks 13:58 he stands take heed lest the, what? 14:00 Lest the fall. Lest he stumbles 14:02 in his own attempt to deliver himself from temptation. 14:06 But I like verse 13. 14:07 And I like us to read that together 14:09 with some fervor. 14:10 Here we go. What are the first two words? 14:12 No temptation. No temptation has overtaking 14:17 you except such as his common to man. 14:20 But let's get this now. 14:22 But God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted 14:27 beyond what you're able, 14:30 but with the temptation will also make a way of escape 14:35 that you maybe able to do, what? 14:37 Amen. That you may be able to bear. 14:39 So now let me ask the question again in light of this text. 14:42 Is there any temptation that we must fall prey to? 14:46 No. Absolutely not. 14:47 Absolute--there is not a temptation 14:49 and when you think about that, 14:51 it says to me that God, He does not allow the devil 14:54 just to come and overpower us. 14:56 He knows what we can handle. 14:58 He knows where there is a point of--well, 15:02 that's too much, that's too great. 15:04 I'm not gonna allow you to tempt my child 15:06 that way and-- that's a good news. 15:07 But He allows us to understand 15:10 that with these temptations there is always a door. 15:14 There's always a way to escape. 15:16 If you have four walls, if there are four walls, 15:18 He will deliver you like He delivered 15:20 Daniel in a lion's den. 15:21 Which way was that? 15:22 Up. If you're in the fiery furnace, 15:25 He will deliver you like he did the Hebrews. 15:27 He goes in the furnace with you, 15:29 delivers you in that moment. 15:32 So He doesn't deliver you always from the moment, 15:34 but some times He delivers you, when? 15:36 In the moment. 15:39 He delivers us in the moment. 15:41 Now what I like to do is go to Second Corinthians. 15:44 What book did I say? 15:46 Second Corinthians, lay a little foundation 15:47 here and we're going to get through these questions tonight. 15:50 I know we haven't have enough time, 15:51 but I will lay some foundation here. 15:53 Second Corinthians and we're going 15:56 to look together at Chapter 1, 16:01 Second Corinthians, Chapter 1. 16:08 And let's look together at verse 10. 16:11 You want to write this down because 16:12 these kind of like our extra verses 16:15 just emphasizing how in the journeys of Paul. 16:20 This is particularly about Paul's trouble in Asia. 16:23 But what the Lord says about how 16:25 He delivered Paul applies to how He delivers us. 16:28 Look at verse 10. And it says, 16:32 "Who delivered us from so great a," what? 16:36 Death. "From so great a death and does deliver us. 16:40 Who did deliver us and does? 16:43 That's past and" what? 16:46 "Present. And it goes on in whom we trust 16:50 that he will still", what? 16:53 Deliver us. Did you get that? 16:55 He delivered us, He delivers us, 16:58 and He will deliver us, Amen. 17:00 He delivered us from our past, 17:02 He delivered us in our presence--in our present, 17:05 and He will deliver us in our future. 17:07 That's one of the only verses in Bible 17:08 where you find the word "deliver" three times. 17:11 He has delivered us. He is delivering us. 17:14 He will deliver us. Paul said it, 17:16 I have been a lot of problems, 17:17 I have been lot of situations. 17:19 Paul was in prison. He was whipped. 17:21 He was flogged. He was persecuted. 17:24 But in all of those, there is a particular passage, 17:26 I believe is in Psalms 34. 17:29 Let me peek at that here. 17:30 Psalms 34, verse 19. Yes, that's it. 17:37 Psalms 34, verse 19, which says 17:39 "Men you're the afflictions of the righteous, 17:42 but the Lord delivers him out of them all." 17:45 So does the Lord deliver? 17:46 Yes, he does. Now the reason 17:48 I laid the foundation with this is, 17:49 when we first give our lives to Christ in baptism. 17:53 Want to go to question number 9 tonight. 17:55 Let's look at this on the screen, question number 9. 17:58 And the question is how is the passion of Jesus 18:01 revealed in the cross? 18:03 I'll just read this first and then-- 18:04 I'll finish this statement I was about to make. 18:07 How is the passion of Jesus revealed in the cross? 18:10 Go with me to Romans, Chapter 6. 18:14 Romans Chapter 6 and verse 8. 18:19 Romans, Chapter 6 and verse 8, okay. 18:22 If you're already there, that's great. 18:24 If not, I'll have it on the screen. 18:25 Romans, Chapter 6 verse 8 18:27 and here is what the Bible says. 18:29 Now what's the next word? 18:32 "If we died with Christ, 18:33 we believe that we shall also," do what? 18:36 "Live with Him." "Live with Him." 18:37 When Paul communicates this message, 18:40 he says if we died with Christ, 18:42 that is death, burial, resurrection. 18:47 One day we're going to reign with Him. 18:49 Revelation 20 talks about that. 18:51 They lived and reign with Christ a thousand years. 18:54 But this is far deeper than just 18:55 what's going to happen in the future. 18:57 Matter of fact go with me to 18:58 Galatians Chapter 2 and verse20. 19:00 The living-- he living part. 19:02 So if you want to put that down. 19:03 How is the passion of Jesus revealed in the cross? 19:06 If we died with Christ, we believe 19:08 that we shall also live with Him. 19:10 In other words, here is the answer. 19:11 He died so that we can live. All right. 19:14 He died so that we can live. 19:17 That's a good--that's a good thing. 19:19 Because if we died, we wouldn't live. 19:22 No man ever died and conquered the grave. 19:26 Outside of those that are specifically refer 19:29 to in the Bible and you know who they are. 19:31 But Jesus was the only one 19:32 that was victorious over death. 19:34 He's the only one that the Bible says, 19:35 he has the keys of death. 19:38 he others didn't have the keys. 19:39 They still needed the power of God 19:41 to be resurrected. 19:42 But Jesus said, I laid down my life 19:44 and I had power to do, what? 19:46 Take it up again. And so there's only one who does that. 19:49 But Galatians 2:20, is that where you are? 19:51 Yes. Okay. Let me wait till I get there. 19:54 You guys are fast. Okay, here we are. 19:58 Okay. Galatians. 20:03 Okay. I'm there. 20:09 You know lot of time the speakers 20:10 says if you're already there, say amen. But now I'm there. 20:14 Okay, now this is the question 20:16 about dying and living in Christ. 20:19 The whole kit and caboodle 20:21 right here contained in this verse. 20:23 It says, I have been crucified with Christ. 20:29 It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives, where? 20:34 In me. In me. And the life 20:36 which I now live in the flesh. I live by, what? 20:41 Faith. Faith in the son of God 20:43 who loved me and did, what? 20:45 Gave Himself for me. When you read 20:49 Isaiah 53:12, that's what it talks about. 20:52 He went as a lamb to the slaughter, 20:55 yet he did not open his mouth. 20:57 He went as a lamb to the slaughter. 20:59 You know one of the things that Satan tried to do, 21:02 to defeat the mission of Christ. 21:03 As he couldn't stop him in his earthly life, 21:07 he couldn't defeat him in the wilderness. 21:10 So one of the ways that-- 21:11 And I don't know if you got this, 21:12 but when Christ was on the cross, 21:15 do you remember how they taunted him? 21:18 One of the things that they said to Christ 21:20 when He was hanging on the cross was what? 21:27 Save yourself. Save yourself. Yeah, come down, 21:29 save yourself. Now do you know that 21:31 if He had done that He couldn't save us. 21:34 So when you get this, when it says, 21:38 the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith 21:40 in the son of God who love me and gave himself for me. 21:43 He decided that He went to the cross for us. 21:48 He gave himself for us. 21:50 He couldn't save Himself and us. 21:55 Very interesting and I'll break 21:56 that down in just a moment. 21:57 So he decided without--to live with us, 22:02 to make provision for us to live with him. 22:05 He decided to die in our place 22:07 and open the door to salvation for us. 22:10 So when you think about the question. 22:11 What question was it, question number 9? 22:13 The passion of Christ is revealed in the cross. 22:16 He died that we might live. All right. 22:19 Look at question 10. Question number 10. 22:23 How is the transformation of baptism 22:26 described in scripture? How is it described? 22:31 Romans 6 verse 4. 22:41 Okay. Romans, the Book of Romans. 22:44 Romans Chapter 6. 22:47 All right. Romans Chapter 6, verse 4. 22:53 Okay. You know it's almost a continuation, 23:01 so you have to read verse 3 too, don't you think? 23:03 Because it starts with the word, therefore. 23:05 Are you ready? Look at verse 3. 23:07 We already know that we read verse 3 earlier, 23:09 but let's go and read it now. 23:10 It says, or do you not know that as many of us 23:13 as were baptized into Christ would baptize into his, what? 23:17 Death. Death. Therefore, in other words, 23:21 because of that we were buried with Him through, what? 23:25 Baptism. Baptism. Into what? Death. 23:28 Death. That just as Christ was raised from the dead by 23:32 the glory of the Father even so 23:37 we also should walk in what? 23:40 Newness of life. Newness of life. 23:41 I want you to get that word also. 23:43 That word also is powerful. 23:45 You know what it saying? 23:46 Let's go to Matthew, Chapter 20. 23:48 I want you to see what it means by also. 23:50 So if you want to put the answer there. 23:52 How is the transformation of baptism 23:55 described in scripture? We walk in the newness of life. 24:01 We died the death of Christ. 24:02 We walked in the newness of life. 24:04 Now, when it says also, that we should also 24:07 walk in newness of life. Matthew, Chapter 28. 24:10 This is something that sometimes 24:11 we don't-- we don't grapple. 24:14 When I was studying, this came out to me 24:16 in a very wonderful way showing what is available 24:18 to us on the other side of the new life. 24:26 We should also walk in the newness of life. 24:29 That means our new life is like his new life. 24:33 Verse 18, of Matthew 28. 24:36 Okay. Depending on the translation, 24:39 the word will either be authority or power. 24:42 Then Jesus came, Matthew 28:18. 24:44 Then Jesus came and spoke to them saying all, what? 24:48 All power or all authority has been given to me, where? 24:52 In heaven and where? 24:54 On earth. What happens is when you're in Christ, 24:57 there is a power available to you that is not available 25:01 to you outside of Christ. 25:03 And Acts 1:8 it says, but ye shall receive power, 25:08 after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you 25:11 and then you shall be witnesses to me 25:14 or witnesses of me. 25:16 But we can't be witnesses of Christ. 25:18 We can't do anything effectively 25:20 unless the power of Christ comes upon us. 25:22 So now to put it all together. 25:23 The reason why this lesson is so widely important is, 25:25 it's talking about baptism. 25:28 You see lot of people baptize, 25:29 but don't know what to expect on the other side of baptism. 25:32 So what happens is, we get baptized 25:35 and we join the church and we say. 25:38 Okay, now what. 25:41 I'm into an-- I'm in a church, 25:43 that's intellectually scripturally sound. 25:47 But I still have temptations. 25:49 What do I do? 25:51 So when you look at the life that Christ lived, 25:54 the temptations came. 25:56 Okay, let me ask you the question. 25:59 Did the devil tempt Him anymore after the cross? 26:02 Yes or no. No. 26:03 Why not? 26:07 Why not? 26:09 Because he lost the battle. 26:11 He tried everything to get Christ 26:13 from entering into that death. 26:15 And once Christ entered into that death, 26:18 to that burial, and that resurrection 26:20 that was the new and powerful life. 26:22 The life of all authority, 26:23 all power, he--forget it. 26:26 But the difference between Christ and us is this. 26:29 Christ was raised with a glorious body, right? 26:33 What do we still have? 26:35 Come on, what do we still have? 26:36 A mortal body. 26:38 See one day we will have a glorious body 26:40 just like His resurrected body. 26:42 Now but I want you to know, don't despair 26:44 because we can have the resurrected life 26:46 in the mortal body. 26:48 That's the beauty of the Christian life. 26:50 He's saying okay, don't be discouraged. 26:52 Christ has a glorious body. 26:57 But you have a mortal body. 27:00 Christ is resurrected never to die again. 27:03 You came forth from the watery grave, 27:08 but you still have to die. 27:13 I'll leave it there till we get to the question. 27:15 All right. 27:16 Let's go to question number 11. 27:18 We came from the watery grave, 27:20 when Christ came up out of the grave, 27:22 did He die anymore? 27:23 No more, He died once for all. 27:26 But when we come up-- 27:28 when Christ came up out of the grave, 27:30 not the watery grave. 27:31 When Christ came up out of the tomb, 27:33 no more death. 27:34 When we come up out of the watery grave, 27:36 there's still a continual death. 27:39 This is powerful to get. 27:41 Very important, because if you say, there are some churches 27:43 that teach once saved, always saved. 27:45 Now, you know, when you fall into temptation, 27:48 you know, there is no such thing 27:51 as once saved, always saved. Right? 27:56 All right. Let's go to the next question. 27:59 Question number 11. 28:01 What spiritual disposition 28:03 must we maintain following baptism? 28:07 Let's go to Romans 6 and verse 11. 28:10 What spiritual disposition must we maintain 28:15 following baptism? Okay. 28:18 Let's go to Romans 6 and verse 11. 28:21 Romans 6 and verse 11. Want you to see this. 28:25 And its also on the screen. I think you know that by now. 28:29 All right, here it is. 28:32 The spiritual disposition we must maintain. 28:35 It says, "Likewise, 28:36 you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to," what? 28:40 "To sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." 28:48 So if you're answering the question. 28:50 What spiritual disposition must we maintain? 28:55 Somebody give me the answer. 28:57 What spiritual disposition must we maintain? 29:02 Dead to sin. Say that together. 29:05 Dead to, what? To sin. 29:07 Dead to sin, either you're dead to sin 29:11 or you'll eventually be dead in sin. 29:14 You see Christ became sin for us. 29:20 Christ died not in sin. Christ became sin for us. 29:29 When He went to the cross, 29:30 He did not go to the cross in sin. 29:33 He took our sin to the cross. 29:35 You want to get that, because 29:37 if He went to the cross in sin, 29:39 He couldn't save was from sin. But He became sin for us. 29:44 Isaiah 53 makes it very, very clear, 29:46 as a lamb to the slaughter. 29:48 What happen-- what happened to the lamb? 29:50 Why was the lamb slaughtered? 29:52 Because the sins of the transgressor 29:56 was by confession transferred to the lamb. 30:02 That spotless lamb. 30:04 The lamb didn't do anything wrong. 30:06 Spotless, perfect lamb. 30:09 The sins transferred to that lamb 30:12 and then the lamb now innocent as it was, 30:14 couldn't fight, I think, 30:17 I can't remember who told me this, 30:18 but whoever was I think they had a very good point. 30:22 They said that, "When you turn a lamb over, 30:26 when you turn a lamb over, it just stops fighting." 30:30 There's some mechanism in the lamb 30:32 that just stops fighting, 30:35 but what's even more amazing to me is that, 30:38 when the sin of the transgressor 30:40 was confessed on the head of a lamb, 30:42 the lamb wasn't turned over. 30:45 If you follow this ceremony, 30:46 I want you to get this talks about the awful nature of sin. 30:53 Eye contact wasn't maintain with the lamb 30:56 as his throat was slit. 31:00 And a bowl was placed below the throat of a lamb 31:04 as the blood dripped out 31:06 and the transgressor kept his eyes 31:08 fixed on that lamb until the lamb's fleeting eyes 31:12 just let him to the point of death. 31:17 And I could imagine 31:18 when that person went home that day, 31:22 after confessing his sin on that lamb, 31:25 he must have felt awful. 31:28 I mean, how would you feel, 31:30 really, think about it, how would you feel? 31:32 And you think to yourself, 31:35 I've been doing this for-for years. 31:41 An awful feeling that where there is no shedding of blood 31:45 there is no remission of sin. 31:49 And then Christ comes, spotless lamb as Peter says, 31:54 "Without spot and without blemish." 31:57 And then He goes to the cross. 32:00 And then He shed His blood. 32:04 Our sins are transferred to Him. 32:06 Jesus went to the cross as sin, not in sin. 32:13 You may wanna write that down. You can chose to or not. 32:17 He went to the cross and survived a death 32:20 that we couldn't survive. 32:25 He went in a tomb and came out, 32:29 where we could not have come out. 32:31 No man ever came out victorious from a grave. 32:34 All those who had been crucified in Rome, 32:36 everyone of them when they were taken down 32:38 from the cross remained dead in their tombs. 32:41 Every single one of them. 32:43 But Christ was the only one 32:44 that came forth from the tomb victoriously 32:46 and then this gracious news of His victorious resurrection 32:52 was spread abroad in the ears of many witnesses, 32:56 but what made it even more powerful was that 32:58 when it got to the apostles. 32:59 I'm gonna give you the whole beauty of this. 33:01 When it got to the apostles, it's so infused them. 33:07 That they were so in filled by the spirit of God 33:09 that they turned the world upside down. 33:14 I believe, that when we live the resurrected life, 33:17 when we live the resurrected life, 33:19 Christ can do in us, 33:20 what He did in the lives of the apostles. 33:23 He can turn the world upside down. 33:25 But He could never do that 33:26 if we, if we live our lives each day 33:28 in the river on the bank, in the river on the bank. 33:31 There's some that believe we'll be, 33:33 you know, sin, forgiveness, sin, 33:35 forgiveness, sin, sin, sin, forgiveness, 33:37 forgiveness, sin, forgiveness, sin, 33:38 ain't that ridiculous life. 33:40 That's like, that's like a, 33:41 oh man, I was-- I had been a Christian 33:43 for x amount of years 33:44 and I'm still struggling with the very same thing. 33:48 Jesus came that we might have life 33:49 and have it more abundantly, John 10:10. 33:51 So that abundant life means, 33:53 He delivers us not just from the power, 33:55 not just from the penalty of sin, 33:56 but also from the power of sin. 33:59 That's why it's no longer, 34:00 I who lives for Christ who lives where? In me. 34:03 So when you think about that, 34:04 he says, since I have done all that for you, 34:06 what I want you do, here's the disposition 34:08 I want you to maintain. 34:10 Consider yourselves dead indeed to sin, 34:15 but alive unto God. 34:17 We're gonna talk about that topic coming in a-- 34:18 What does it mean to be alive unto God? 34:20 So if you write in the answer down, 34:23 here's the question, if you write it. 34:24 What spiritual disposition 34:26 must be maintain following baptism, 34:28 what is it? Dead to sin. 34:33 Alive unto God. 34:36 In other words that last life is gone, 34:38 this new life has come. 34:39 How do you treat new things? 34:41 How many of you? Tell me somebody. 34:42 How do you treat new things? 34:46 Really carefully, don't you? 34:48 Don't you get nervous when you get that first scratch 34:50 on something that you got brand new? 34:53 Car one day. 34:55 Years ago, I think it was 1994, 34:56 when we got our first Nissan Maxima, 34:58 well, we only had one Nissan Maxima. 35:00 We got our first car we were living in California. 35:03 And most people have boxes in their garage, 35:06 right, right? Yeah. 35:10 And my wife is driving the car 35:12 and I know my wife likes hidden stuff, 35:15 even still to this very day. 35:17 In all the space in a garage, and she is like hidden stuff, 35:19 just makes her feel like she's home. 35:21 Anyway, so she's driving the car into the garage 35:25 and there's a lot of space and the boxes. 35:28 You see the boxes, they're there, 35:29 they're not going anywhere. 35:31 They're terrified when she comes in the garage. 35:35 And she, week or week, maybe two weeks after, 35:40 hits the boxes and I get a dent in the front fender. 35:44 And she said, "Ah, it's nothing." 35:47 Come on guys, any of you, is it nothing? 35:52 Oh, it's huge. 35:54 You know why, because that beautiful dent less car 36:00 had been marred. 36:01 You think, of something that's brand new is precious. 36:04 I think that when it comes, let me change that, 36:07 when it comes not I think, 36:08 but when it comes to the new life, 36:10 we have in Christ, we have to protect and guard it, 36:12 what do you say? 36:13 Protect and guard it more than we protect something 36:16 that's temporal like a car 36:17 or brand new iPhone or brand new television 36:20 or when you wear your first-- 36:22 when the first time you wear those new shoes, 36:23 you walk ever so tenderly. 36:25 You avoid everything from getting a nick, 36:27 am I telling the truth? 36:29 But when you get the first nick, 36:30 it's like okay, forget it. 36:31 My shoes have broken in. 36:33 The new life in Christ is something 36:35 that's new everyday, 36:36 that's why we got it how often, 36:38 everyday. Let's move on. 36:40 You see this, I want to try to get this lesson done tonight. 36:42 And we're moving at a very good pace. 36:44 If you're following along, on the syllabus, 36:46 it's question number, question number 12, right? 36:51 You know, I forgot to do something, 36:53 or maybe our viewers maybe wondering all, 36:55 what does he looking at? 36:56 I did not remembered to tell you, 36:58 you would get a copy of the lesson tonight. 37:00 If it's not too late and you can forgive me. 37:02 Go to our website asf.3abn.org 37:09 and download lesson number 4 37:12 entitle "How to be delivered." 37:15 It just dawn to me, 37:16 the Lord just knock on the back of my head. 37:18 They're turning to what, 37:19 and they're not turning to anything 37:21 because they don't have it in a procession. 37:23 Okay, question number 12 question number 12, 37:27 here's the question. 37:29 "How has the mission of Jesus 37:31 made it possible to die to sin? 37:34 How has the mission of Jesus 37:36 made it possible to die to sin? 37:40 Matthew 1 and verse 21, 37:42 I think we all know this one by heart. 37:44 So I like us to read this together, 37:45 its gonna be on the screen. Here we go, are you ready? 37:48 "And she will bring forth a Son, 37:51 and you shall call His name Jesus, 37:54 for He will save His people," how? 37:58 "From their sins." Not in their sins. 38:05 I just recently, I got some very discouraging news, 38:10 can't even share with you in great detail, 38:12 but let me just put it in a general context. 38:14 I'm really perturbed that so many, 38:17 that our Christians and our Christian singers 38:22 and are in the Christian industry 38:24 are living double lives. 38:28 You know what, to be more specific 38:29 and I need just to be very, very candid about this. 38:31 There was a particular singer that, 38:35 I really enjoy that person's music. 38:36 I'm just going to be very general about it. 38:38 And I found that, that person is living 38:40 a dual sexual life. 38:42 And it's so, it's just so agitated me to the thing, 38:46 that can't be true. 38:48 That just can't be true, found it was true. 38:53 And it's just so discouraged me, 38:54 just so kind of, kind of, 38:56 not shook my faith, but thought. 38:59 Can't somebody, be a Christian 39:01 and live a Christian life, 39:03 because the whole intention of being saved from sin 39:06 is not thinking that living in sin 39:09 is an acceptable thing to God. 39:11 Jesus saves us how? From sin. 39:14 Is there gonna be sin in heaven? No. 39:19 Jesus died to sin once for all. 39:21 When He comes back, Hebrew said, 39:23 "He's coming back, without sin, apart from sin." 39:26 So if we're going to be victorious, 39:28 we have to find through Christ, 39:30 we can be delivered from sin, 39:32 but the challenge in this modern age is this. 39:35 In our world even in many Christian circles, 39:37 many Christian's denominations, 39:39 you can live any or how. 39:41 That's why it's not uncommon for people, 39:42 that to be in churches in there, 39:44 you know, they're singing songs for church 39:46 and then on in, the next day during the week 39:47 they're singing songs in the world. 39:50 They're getting a Grammy award this weekend 39:51 and on next weekend they're in weekend church singing. 39:54 And that person is exalted and that was denominations 39:57 and they live a life and they live promiscuously 40:01 and homosexuality and all these perverted lifestyles 40:05 and they're singing in the name of Jesus 40:06 and I'm thinking can somebody give evident 40:09 that Jesus can save us from sin? 40:11 So this whole life being delivered 40:13 is the serious thing. 40:14 You can't just name the name of Christ. 40:16 You got to show that Christ is the one 40:18 who can give us victory, what do you say? Amen. 40:22 He came to save His people from their sins. 40:25 Question number 13, okay. 40:28 Why is it imperative to die the death that Christ died? 40:32 Why is it imperative to die the death that Christ died? 40:37 Why is it imperative? 40:38 The word imperative means, important, 40:41 extremely important. 40:44 Question number 13 and that is, 40:46 John Chapter 12 verse 12, verse 24 and 25, 40:51 John 12 verse 24 and what else verse 25. 40:58 Okay, here we are. Here we are. 41:04 "Most assuredly, I say to you," 41:07 what's the next word? 41:09 "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground," and what? 41:14 "Dies, it remains alone," 41:16 or abides alone as the King James Version says, 41:19 "But if it dies," that's just, 41:21 "It produces," what? 41:23 "Much grain or much fruit. 41:26 He who loves his life will lose it, 41:29 and he who hates his life in this world 41:33 will keep it for eternal life." 41:37 But what has to happen in order for there to be fruit? 41:40 What has to happen in order for fruit to show up? 41:43 You got to do what? You got to die. 41:46 Now how many of you ever planted anything? 41:49 Okay, when I was in elementary school, 41:52 it was so exciting when our class project was, 41:56 go home and tell your parents take you to the store 41:59 and buy you some seeds. Not some flower seeds. 42:04 But they'll say, 42:08 'cause you can plant a some flower seed. 42:11 Anyway, buy yourself some seeds 42:14 so the teacher would say, "Get some rose flower seeds." 42:17 And they'll be we'll do that 42:19 at the beginning of the school year 42:21 and we'll water that all school year long 42:23 and at the end of the school year, 42:24 she said, "When graduation comes 42:26 or when you go to the next grade 42:27 'cause you know how its in elementary school 42:29 and I want, I went to public elementary schools 42:31 and then I went to Adventist school. 42:32 You know, how does an elementary school 42:34 you have a graduation every year 42:35 from third to four to fifth to sixth 42:36 and so on and so forth. 42:37 And they said, now what we're doing is 42:38 we're planting the gift 42:40 that you're gonna give to your parents 42:41 at the end of the year. 42:42 But you planted at the beginning of the year. 42:45 Notice, when you first plant that, 42:47 it's quiet discouraging when you're watering it 42:49 and nothing is happening. 42:51 My wife reminded me of how important it is, 42:53 not to look at something, 42:54 you think that there is no life in it. 42:56 We had a plant that we brought back 42:57 from the Virgin Island, 42:58 I think it was the maybe a little Aloe vera plant 43:03 and she had it on it, on the sink in our house 43:07 when we lived in Anaheim, California. 43:09 And one day while we were cleaning up the house, 43:12 you know, you dusted everything real quickly. 43:13 I've dusted in a corner and, you know, spraying Windex 43:16 and just going real fast in sliding 43:18 and I broke a leaf. 43:21 And it-- it was a little leaf 43:23 and I just--was it Aloe vera, 43:27 may be not and Aloe vera, another plant. 43:30 And a little stem of a leaf fell off 43:34 and I just let it lay it on the counter 43:36 and my wife came home 43:38 and I was just about to throw it out 43:39 and she said, "Don't you throw away my plant." 43:43 And I said, "This thing, and it was a little, 43:46 it look like a vein that was missing from the body. 43:52 A little, you've ever seen, 43:53 you know, what I'm talking about? 43:54 It just looks like there's nothing in it. 43:58 She said, "Don't you throw my plant away." 44:00 And I said, the plant is right there, 44:01 this is just, this is just, broke off of the plant, 44:04 throwing it away. 44:05 She got a little plastic cup of water, Dixie cup. 44:11 Put some water in there just small little 44:13 and--not to drown it, but just, just put it in there. 44:17 And I'm thinking, you know, our guys are-just crazy. 44:22 So everyday, periodically that two three days there, 44:25 she change the water, put some fresh water 44:27 and fresh water and one day few weeks down the road, 44:31 I saw little shoot come out. 44:34 And then another shoot come out. 44:38 Now I thought amazing, do you know 44:41 after about maybe six or seven months 44:43 she gave that at away to somebody as a plant. 44:48 And I thought just to think 44:49 I looked at this feeble weak thing 44:51 and I thought it was dead. 44:53 You know, what's so good about that brethren, 44:55 Jesus looks at us, broken, separated from the father, 44:59 look fledgling as though there's nothing in us. 45:02 And Christ says, the devil says, 45:04 throw them away and Christ says, 45:05 "Not my plant." 45:09 Unless I grain wheat falls in the ground 45:11 and die it abides alone. 45:14 So when we die, that's what this text is all about. 45:17 When we decide as sinners to die to sin 45:21 and live in Christ, 45:23 we may look fledgling and a whole percept 45:25 that very beginning but He plants us 45:27 in the soil of His righteousness. 45:29 Can you say amen to that? 45:31 And just look at the parable of the sow, 45:32 that's exactly what that means. 45:34 He plants us in the soil of His righteousness 45:36 and as time goes on, 45:38 He'll discover that the grain, 45:40 it begins to produce fruit, 45:42 it begins to produce righteousness, 45:44 but if you think that it has no power in itself, 45:47 then you cast it away. 45:49 So here is the answer, what question was that, 45:51 question number 13. 45:53 Why is it imperative to die to death that Christ died? 45:57 Somebody give me the answer. 45:58 Why is it imperative to die the death that Christ died? 46:06 To produce fruits. 46:08 In order to produce fruits. 46:11 You've got a die unless a grain 46:13 or wheat falls in a ground and die, 46:15 it abides alone. 46:17 So in another words, you'll be out there 46:19 trying to row up by yourself and the Lord says, 46:21 "This is lot easier than that, 46:23 just give your life to me." 46:25 There's some people that say, well, 46:26 I would give my life to Christ, 46:28 but I got to get some things cleaned up first. 46:30 No, come as you are. 46:32 And He'll do the cleaning up. 46:34 Because we can't, we cannot ended up ourselves 46:37 get ourselves together. 46:38 Christ does all that, He puts us 46:40 and how fitting it is, 46:42 that my wife put that plant in the water. 46:44 What is Jesus called? "The water of life." 46:47 Isn't that amazing? 46:48 You think that, a glass of water so insignificant. 46:51 It quenches our thirst, 46:52 yet in that water there's enough, 46:55 there's enough chemical development by God, 46:59 to take whatever is in that plant 47:03 and cause a germination of life to come 47:07 to that plant and then eventually fruit 47:09 and then eventually a full grown stiff nice plant. 47:13 Amazing how it begins, 47:14 but it has to fall on to the ground and die. 47:17 Number 14, let's move quickly to number 14, 47:20 all right, here it is. 47:22 After being delivered what daily decision 47:25 must we make and why? 47:29 This is a three part question, 47:30 First Corinthians 15:31, First Corinthians 15:31. 47:34 Turn there fast, saints. 47:36 I hear the pages turning and by the way, 47:38 you know, where I'm going next, 47:39 just look at the next text, okay. 47:41 First Corinthians 15:31, Paul says, 47:44 "I affirm, by the boasting in you 47:48 which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord," 47:52 together, "I die daily." 47:55 Man, that so get this now 47:59 if we don't die daily, what happens? 48:02 We live. Did you get that? 48:04 If we don't die daily, what happens? We live. 48:10 But if we die daily, who lives? 48:12 Correct, it is no longer I, who live. 48:16 If we die--Galatians 2:20 that's a perfect text. 48:18 Put that right next to First Corinthians 15:31, 48:21 put dash Galatians 2:20, 48:23 because if I die daily Christ lives. 48:28 If I don't die daily I live. 48:31 Paul says, this is a great, 48:33 "I die daily, it is no longer I who live," right. 48:37 That's the secret of the victorious. 48:39 That's the secret of living above the power of sin, 48:41 by putting self to death. 48:43 And you know what, let me just encourage you here 48:45 we're gonna get to the next ones very quickly. 48:47 I think we'll get it done. 48:48 Go to Roman 6 in verse 12 for the next answer, okay. 48:52 First of all you have to die daily, 48:53 put that first thing down. 48:54 You have to die, do what? 48:55 Die how often? Die daily. 48:57 First thing. Next thing, Roman 6 in verse 12. 49:00 I'll tell you what I'm gonna say 49:01 in a moment here. 49:02 Roman 6 in verse 12, I'm talking like a New Yorker, 49:04 listen like New Yorker, here we are. 49:06 "Therefore do not let sin reign in your," what? 49:10 "Mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts." 49:14 What's the act of words here? 49:17 That shows you have a choice. 49:20 Say it again, do not let, 49:24 do you have a choice, yes or no? 49:27 Chose you this day, whom you'll serve. 49:29 You can modify that and it says, 49:31 when you wake up in the morning 49:32 chose you today whom you will serve. 49:35 Joshua 24:15, you got to make a choice. 49:37 So it says, do not let. 49:39 Say that together, do not let. 49:41 You got to make that choice, you know, 49:42 why because if you don't make the choice 49:44 to not let sin reign, it's gonna reign. 49:48 How do you not let it reign, by dying to self? 49:52 When you die to self, who's alive in you? 49:54 Christ is alive in you. 49:57 Okay, I'm gonna give the other one, 49:58 okay, Roman 6 verse 12, the third part. 50:01 First of all, I die daily secondly do not let, 50:04 but there's something you must do 50:06 instead of just the death part and do not let. 50:07 But there's something positive about this. 50:10 Here it is, "And do not present 50:12 your members as instruments," of what? 50:15 "Unrighteousness to sin, 50:17 but present yourselves to God as being," what? 50:21 "Alive from the dead, and your members," as what? 50:26 "Instruments of righteousness to God. 50:30 Notice the difference, first of all you die, 50:33 secondly you do not let, 50:35 but thirdly you-- the thing that you've used 50:38 for wrong, you now give it to Christ, 50:40 say Lord, here it is. 50:41 Use it as an instrument to righteousness. 50:44 Brothers and sisters, we can be 50:45 instruments of righteousness to Christ. 50:48 He can work in us. 50:50 He can work through us. 50:51 So now we can either use that hand to perform sin 50:55 or use that hand to live righteously. 51:00 Do not let, sin reign in your mortal body. 51:04 Now why, because the mortal body 51:05 would naturally pull us in the direction of sin, 51:08 that's exactly what the mortal body does. 51:10 It pulls us in the direction of sin. 51:13 Let's look at the next one, number 15. 51:16 We're gonna make it, I think, we're gonna make it. 51:19 Okay, here we are. 51:21 And if not, we'll just finish next time. 51:24 Number 15, "What consistent choice 51:28 must we make to reflect the Lord in our lives?" 51:34 What consistent choice must we make 51:37 to reflect the Lord in our lives? 51:42 First Corinthians 4 and verse 10, all right. 51:47 On your page, on your paper says, 51:50 sorry, it's Second Corinthians 4 51:51 and verse 10, all right, that's where we're going. 51:54 On the screen it says, First Corinthians, 51:55 that's Second Corinthians. 51:56 So you want to make that, 51:58 make that change, it's Second Corinthians 4 51:59 and verse 10, here we are. 52:01 What's the first word? 52:03 "Always carrying about in the body 52:09 the dying of the Lord Jesus, that," 52:13 this is powerful, "That the life of Jesus 52:17 also may be manifested in our bodies." 52:21 Did you get that? 52:22 If you have died to yourself and you're still alive, 52:27 there's only one way that you are alive. 52:29 Who's living in you? 52:31 The Lord is living in you. 52:34 Always carrying about in the body, 52:36 the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ, 52:38 that the life of Jesus also maybe manifested 52:41 in our bodies. 52:42 It is no longer I who live for Christ who lives where? 52:44 In me. Christ in you, the hope of glory. 52:48 You think about that in a very real way. 52:50 I have a little remote here, 52:52 it works really great, but if I take those batteries out, 52:55 you can use it for anything. 52:58 You can use it for anything, 53:00 because it looses its usage. 53:03 But if you put the power in it, 53:05 it becomes a powerful remote. 53:07 It does what God intend, 53:08 what the manufacturer intends, 53:11 for it's duty it has a button here, 53:12 I haven't used that button in a long time button, 53:13 better I not press it now. 53:15 I do something unusual in my presentation, 53:18 but let's go to number 16, 53:20 so the answer is number 16, number 15. 53:23 What consistent choice must we make 53:25 to reflect the Lord in our lives, what? 53:29 What consistent-- always remembering that, 53:32 this body is, it belongs to the Lord, 53:35 just remember this body is not ours. 53:37 You are not your own. 53:39 Carry about that thought, this body, 53:41 the body of sin is dead. 53:42 Now give it to Christ, 53:43 so that His life maybe manifest in our bodies. 53:46 Number 16, here it is. 53:49 To maintain our Christian walk 53:50 how should we respond to temptation? 53:54 Now these are very, 53:55 these are very elementary things. 53:57 Here that it's so widely important. 53:59 How should we respond to temptation, all right? 54:05 Mark 8 and verse 34 to 35. 54:10 I begin with the word whoever. 54:13 I begin with the word whoever, 54:14 I know, it has a lot more before that, 54:16 but I begin with the word whoever. 54:19 Are you ready, here we go. 54:20 "Whoever desires to do," what? 54:24 "Come after me, let him," what? 54:27 "Deny himself, and take up his cross, 54:31 and do," what? 54:32 Follow Me, for whoever desires 54:35 to save his life will," what? 54:38 "Lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake 54:43 and the gospel's will," what? 54:45 "Save it," so you got to make a decision, 54:47 this life, you know, what brethren, 54:48 I have seen a lot of things, 54:49 but there is nothing I've seen on this planet, 54:50 that I want to trade for eternal life, 54:52 nothing, nothing really. 54:54 I mean, I like astronomy, not astrology, astronomy. 54:58 And I see so much out there, 55:01 every now and then I look up 55:02 that stall or a cloudless sky 55:03 and I see Arian and say, wow Arian, 55:07 isn't that where Jesus is supposed to come from? 55:10 Man, I can't wait to go past Arian, anybody else? 55:13 Then sometimes they say, well, now, 55:15 tonight if you look careful enough, 55:16 you can see Venus, or you can see Saturn, 55:19 or you can see Jupiter way look up a certain degree. 55:22 And I'm thinking man, one day we're gonna, 55:24 we're gonna just sail right past, that's amen. 55:27 I'm looking forward to that, I don't know about you, 55:28 but I'm looking forward to that. 55:30 But I know that if the devil defeats my, 55:34 if the devil defeats me, 55:35 I'll never get off this planet alive. 55:38 Matter of fact, they won't get it off- 55:40 get off this planet at all. 55:43 So I've got to loose my life 55:47 for the sake of the gospel 55:49 and for the sake of Jesus and I'll save it. 55:54 Number 17, let's get really brave here, number 17. 56:00 What will happen if we compare 56:02 ourselves to Christ's righteousness? 56:04 Job 42 verse 5 and 6. 56:08 here it is, on the screen, 56:09 Job 42 verse 5 and 6. 56:12 I might just leave one for next week, 56:13 just to make it interesting. 56:15 And by the way, if you're following 56:16 the live programs, next week is 56:18 an Anchors series, right? 56:21 So next Wednesday night, 56:22 we won't have A Sharper Focus, 56:23 but we'll have a special speaker 56:25 for our Anchors series, that's five parts. 56:27 So join us still on next week 56:29 at 7'O clock for the continuation. 56:32 God always says something good here 56:33 at 3ABN for you. 56:34 So stay tune at 7'O clock. 56:36 What will happen and here is Job 42 verse 5 and 6. 56:40 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, 56:43 but now my eye sees you. 56:47 Therefore I do," what? 56:49 "Abhor myself, and do," what? 56:51 "Repent in dust and ashes." 56:53 What will happen if we compare ourselves 56:55 to Christ's righteousness, what happens to us? 56:58 I Abhor myself. 57:01 It's like the olden days, when we used to turned on 57:03 a black light and then we say, 57:08 man, our suit looks clean 57:09 and somebody will hold it up next to the black light. 57:12 And you see all the dirt all the soil, 57:15 matter of fact, somebody wants it, 57:16 if you want-- if you think 57:17 your house is really clean, 57:19 just get a black light and go like this 57:20 all over your kitchen counters, 57:21 all over your carpet. 57:23 Brethren, I tell you what, 57:24 was so beautiful about Christ, 57:25 is when He cleans us up, 57:27 He shows, He shines His light of righteousness on us, 57:30 that the shame and the sin of our nakedness 57:33 and our formal life does not appear. 57:34 Praise the Lord for that. 57:36 So we'll continue talking about the Sharper Focus, 57:38 how important it is to be delivered from death. 57:42 How important it is to live our lives a daily in Christ. 57:45 How important it is to know that Christ 57:47 not only calls us for membership, 57:50 but He calls us for righteous fellowship. 57:53 If you'll invite Christ into your life, 57:54 you will understand how you can have 57:57 a sharper focus in Christ. 57:58 God bless you till we see you again. |
Revised 2014-12-17