Hello, and welcome to Wednesday
night prayer meeting here
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at Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist church
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also known as
3ABN worship center.
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Here in the Midwest
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where the weather
is kind of inclement,
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that's a big word meaning bad.
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And there are those who
are fearful of the clouds
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and all the
warnings that are spewing
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or rotating around us.
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But you're here and we have
a wonderful crowd here tonight.
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Can you all say
amen to that? Amen.
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And so we are ready
to dig into God's word,
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that is, to get
some good living word,
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the bread of life that
will always strengthen us
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as we continue
following the Lord
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and living for His glory.
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Now if you want to
get a copy of the lesson,
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I know you'd like
to have a copy of it,
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go to this website,
don't put www, go ASF.3abn.org
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and download lessons 0, 09
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which will be the
Greatest Commission
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or Greatest Commission
and get a copy of that.
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And invite your
family and friends
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to sit down for
the next hour or so
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that is less than an
hour as we walk through
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what the Great Commission is.
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Now I know you
have it in your head,
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you're thinking
I know the answer.
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But we're gonna
surprise you tonight
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as we talk about
The Greatest Commission
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and really what that entails.
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But before we do
anything we have prayer,
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then we have a song together
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and then we get into
the study of the God's word.
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So let's bow our heads together
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and invite the Lord's
presence to continue with us.
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Heavenly Father, thank
You, Lord, for the opportunity.
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Your word is a
lamp unto our feet
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and, in this dark
world, a light unto our path.
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Father, we are traveling.
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We need our path to be lighted.
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And so Lord, tonight, come
and bring the word to life.
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Make it the living word.
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You are the living
word, the bread of life.
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But fill us now as
we seek to understand
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more clearly how we fit
into the greatest commission.
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In Jesus' name
we pray, amen. Amen.
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Now our song
tonight is which has been,
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of course, for quite
sometime "Victory in Jesus."
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We're gonna sing that song.
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If you know it you
can sing along with us.
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Here's our theme song.
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I heard an old, old story
How the Savior came from Glory
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How He gave His life on
Calvary To save a wretch like me
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I heard about His groaning
Of His precious blood's atoning
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Then I repented of my
sins And won the Victory.
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Oh, Victory in
Jesus my Savior forever
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He sought me and bought
me with His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew
Him and all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to Victory
beneath the cleansing flood
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I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory
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And I heard about the streets
of gold beyond the crystal sea
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About the angels singing
and the old redemption story
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And some sweet day I'll sing
up there the song of Victory
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Key change.
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Oh, Victory in
Jesus my Savior forever
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He sought me and bought
me with His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew
Him and all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to Victory
beneath the cleansing flood
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He plunged me to Victory
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beneath the cleansing flood
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Amen. Amen.
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Now this song fits really
well into the topic tonight,
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because it's called
"The victory in Jesus."
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And the topic tonight
is "The Greatest Commission
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or The Greatest Commission
or The Greatest Commission."
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You can pick which one you like
because there are all the same.
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There's a
commission that is so great
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that sometimes we
don't really understand
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what the great commission is.
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As I've studied this
lesson, I got so excited that
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last night when I climbed
in bed and I said to my wife,
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"Oh, I just read a
beautiful chapter in the book,
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The Life of Victory.
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And by the way, I
would strongly recommend,
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if you can get your
hand on a copy of the book,
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The Life of Victory.
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I have a copy here in
front of me that's so old,
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I had to take it to
Kinko's and have it rebound.
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But I understand
that Amazing Facts
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and some of the other ministries
are making this book available.
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If you want to
transform your understanding
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and strengthen
your understanding
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of the righteous life
of the Christian walk,
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this book is one of
the most powerful books
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I've read outside of
the writings of Ellen White.
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This book was
written, by the way,
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by an author by the
name of Meade MacGuire
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during the turn of the 1900s.
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Right at the early
1900s when many Christians,
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including Adventist,
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were struggling
with an understanding
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of righteousness by faith.
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And so it really put in
very simple and beautiful tones
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and clear language
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what righteousness
by faith really is.
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And so tonight's topic
is right along the lines
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of how we can
have victory in Jesus
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and really what the
greatest commission is.
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Now if somebody asks you
what the greatest commission
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is what would you say?
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Let me just get
some feedback tonight.
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What would you say the
greatest commission is?
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Go ye into all the world.
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Going into all the
world, that's right.
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Like when we asked
the question, what is sin?
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Sin is the
transgression of the law, right?
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What is faith?
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The substance of
things hoped for,
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the evidence of things not seen.
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Those are all correct answers.
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But sometimes those
answers became a wall to us
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really
understanding the fuller meaning
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of what the great commission is.
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And the other question is
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how the great commission
is really carried out?
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So this lesson looks at a word
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that--I would expand on
a word called deployment.
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What word is that? Deployment.
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Now when you hear that
word, what do you think of?
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Don't you think of a war?
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You think of military, you know?
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Deployment, if
it's in the air force,
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they send out planes.
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If it's in navy,
they send out ships.
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If it's the marines,
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well, you know,
they go in various ways.
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Some of them come in
incognito or in camouflage.
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But deployment
never means staying home.
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Deployment always means going.
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So if you can use that word,
go, God has deployed the church.
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But before the
church can be deployed,
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we talked about training
the church for deployment.
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So if you think
about this topic tonight,
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you must think about
it in the context of war.
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Because everything
about the Christian life
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is parallel to a military war.
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For example the Christian
is synonymous to the soldier.
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And in both
categories, there's a war.
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There's a military war
and there's a spiritual war.
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On both sides there are enemies.
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On both--in both camps
there is the other side.
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There's the adversary.
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And the adversary,
spiritually, is the devil.
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I just want to say that
because sometimes people think
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the adversaries
are the church members.
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One person once said to me,
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if you can see them
they are not your enemy.
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But the devil
uses people sometimes
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that have not been transformed.
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You also have the POWs,
prisoners of war, on both sides.
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We're not so much being deployed
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for prisoners of
war in a military,
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earthly sense but there
are many prisoners of war
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that don't know that the--
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that the emancipation
proclamation of freedom
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has been voiced for
everyone in the world.
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When Jesus died on the cross,
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He made provision
for everyone to be free,
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for everyone to be rescued.
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But we've got to carry this
rescue message to the world.
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And so tonight when you
think along those lines,
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you'll think of
military deployment.
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Then on both sides we also
have the commander-in-chief.
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Right now, that's the President
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of the United
States for America.
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But the
commander-in-chief for the world
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and for the universe is who?
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Jesus Christ, our
commander-in-chief.
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What's nice about thinking about
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that is very few
earthly commanders-in-chief
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have been in war
themselves. Some of them have.
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Some of them have
served in the military.
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But we do know that
our commander-in-chief,
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Jesus Christ, is a military.
I want to get this right.
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He is a general that
has never lost a battle.
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What do you say? Amen.
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So if He gives us orders,
we can rely on those orders.
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We know that they are concise,
that they are legitimate,
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that they are well thought out
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and that they are designed
for nothing but success, right?
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So what I want to
do tonight is begin
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and we're gonna go once again--
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I want you to flash
the title of this lesson.
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I know you
shared that a moment ago
00:10:06.96\00:10:08.33
but I want the people
that are watching the program
00:10:08.36\00:10:09.87
and if you're listening,
I'll just mention the title,
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the title is The
Greatest Commission.
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Say it with me, The
Greatest Commission.
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And the reason I say this is
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because when all
earthly wars are done,
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what's really gonna matter
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is how many souls have
been saved for eternity, right?
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People, there've been wars
ever since the Garden of Eden.
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First place
where the war began--
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matter of fact,
it began in heaven.
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Then it came to the earth.
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And Paul says, "The
earth has become a spectacle."
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People look at
this earth as a place
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where war will
seemingly never end.
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But tonight we're
gonna look at the first
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and most important deployment.
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Now let's go to
question number one.
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I want to dive
right into this, right?
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Question number one,
"What does the Bible teach us
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about the commission of Jesus?"
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Commissioned, you ever
heard of commissioned officers?
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Well, Jesus is a
commissioned officer.
00:11:04.41\00:11:06.88
"What does the Bible teach us
about the commission of Jesus?"
00:11:06.91\00:11:09.76
In other words, if you
could narrow this down,
00:11:09.79\00:11:12.05
what does the Bible tell us
about the deployment of Jesus?
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When was Jesus
deployed, all right?
00:11:16.47\00:11:19.52
Galatians 4 verse 4 to verse 5
00:11:19.55\00:11:23.38
is where we're gonna be
going for our answer tonight.
00:11:23.41\00:11:25.77
And as you know,
it'll be on the screen here
00:11:25.80\00:11:28.20
and those of you who
are watching the program
00:11:28.23\00:11:29.60
it'll be on the screen.
00:11:29.63\00:11:31.00
If you're listening,
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we'll mention it so
that you can follow along.
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Galatians 4:4 is where
our answer--now notice this.
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And I'd like us
to read this together
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or at least
follow me as I read it.
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The Bible says, "But when the,"
00:11:40.14\00:11:41.82
what's the next word?
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Fullness of the time
had come, God sent forth."
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Underline that
phrase sent forth his son.
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"Born of a woman,
born under the law,"
00:11:51.41\00:11:54.99
and what was the purpose?
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"To redeem those
who were under the law,
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that we might receive
the adoption" as what? Sons."
00:12:00.30\00:12:04.66
In other words, the
Lord had to put in place
00:12:04.69\00:12:09.81
a system by which we
could become adopted.
00:12:09.84\00:12:13.08
Matter of fact, if I go back,
00:12:13.11\00:12:14.64
some of the system
was already in place
00:12:14.67\00:12:16.85
but He had to carry that news
00:12:16.88\00:12:18.52
to say to those who
are prisoners of war,
00:12:18.55\00:12:20.71
you're really my
sons and daughters.
00:12:20.74\00:12:23.48
And I'm gonna show you
exactly how you can become
00:12:23.51\00:12:26.01
my sons and daughters.
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My mind right
now is going so fast.
00:12:27.44\00:12:28.81
I got to slow it down.
I have a New York mind.
00:12:28.84\00:12:31.23
Got to slow it down.
00:12:31.26\00:12:32.63
I'm on the F.D.R. drive
00:12:32.66\00:12:34.03
right now going
75 miles an hour.
00:12:34.06\00:12:35.43
If you are in New York,
you know that's too fast
00:12:35.46\00:12:36.96
for the F.D.R. drive.
00:12:36.99\00:12:39.16
But when I think
about this deployment,
00:12:39.19\00:12:42.47
I think of the most beautiful
language of this deployment.
00:12:42.50\00:12:45.82
It says when the
fullness of time had come.
00:12:45.85\00:12:48.57
In other words there is a time,
00:12:48.60\00:12:50.77
there was a specific
time allotted for Jesus
00:12:50.80\00:12:54.19
to come to this earth to
bring the message of salvation.
00:12:54.22\00:12:57.82
Those who lived before
the deployment of Jesus
00:12:57.85\00:13:00.98
were looking forward
to when Jesus would come.
00:13:01.01\00:13:03.20
They were in fact, by faith,
00:13:03.23\00:13:05.95
they were freed
00:13:05.98\00:13:07.50
as they looked
forward to the cross.
00:13:07.53\00:13:09.58
Now we are free
as we look, what?
00:13:09.61\00:13:12.30
Back to the cross.
00:13:12.33\00:13:13.81
They were all
waiting to find out
00:13:13.84\00:13:15.31
whether or not this
deployment would end
00:13:15.34\00:13:18.61
in a successful tour for Jesus.
00:13:18.64\00:13:23.20
I'm trying to use
military words tonight
00:13:23.23\00:13:24.72
so since I'm
not in the military,
00:13:24.75\00:13:26.36
I'm trying to pull them as
they come to the forefront.
00:13:26.39\00:13:28.92
They were hoping that
this military deployment
00:13:28.95\00:13:31.94
would be a
successful tour for Jesus.
00:13:31.97\00:13:34.50
In other words if he
died on the battle field
00:13:34.53\00:13:37.33
before He completed His mission,
00:13:37.36\00:13:39.53
there would be no hope
for the prisoners of war.
00:13:39.56\00:13:41.44
You're following me
here very carefully?
00:13:41.47\00:13:43.15
So this had to be put
together very, very well.
00:13:43.18\00:13:45.56
It's called the
plan of salvation.
00:13:45.59\00:13:49.53
He had to go and redeem those.
00:13:49.56\00:13:51.24
The plan of salvation
was in place just as--
00:13:51.27\00:13:53.92
my wife and I
just a few weeks ago
00:13:53.95\00:13:55.75
or maybe about a
month or more ago
00:13:55.78\00:13:57.20
when we came in
through the St. Louis Airport,
00:13:57.23\00:13:59.44
we saw a lot of
young men and young women
00:13:59.47\00:14:01.43
standing right in front
of the recruitment office.
00:14:01.46\00:14:04.26
And I looked at that
crowd and I said, "Honey,
00:14:04.29\00:14:09.30
some of them are
not coming back alive."
00:14:09.33\00:14:12.45
And it was a sad reality.
00:14:12.48\00:14:14.08
But not everyone that
goes to war comes back alive.
00:14:14.11\00:14:16.56
As a matter of fact we
have more casualties in this war
00:14:16.59\00:14:19.47
now that's been going on for
since 2001, lot of casualties.
00:14:19.50\00:14:25.70
But what I'm
glad to say here today
00:14:25.73\00:14:27.11
is that Jesus
came back alive. Amen.
00:14:27.14\00:14:29.90
He was not a casualty of war.
00:14:29.93\00:14:31.83
What do you say? Amen.
00:14:31.86\00:14:33.32
Now He paid a
price for our freedom
00:14:33.35\00:14:36.75
but He was not
a casualty of war.
00:14:36.78\00:14:40.90
Casualty means lost in battle.
00:14:40.93\00:14:45.64
You'll also find out
that there's a second question
00:14:45.67\00:14:48.32
that we have to answer
00:14:48.35\00:14:49.72
that is also under
question number one.
00:14:49.75\00:14:51.32
There's a second
scripture. The time had come.
00:14:51.35\00:14:54.00
And the thing I
want you to keep in mind
00:14:54.03\00:14:55.57
is when the time came God sent.
00:14:55.60\00:14:58.93
He did what, friends?
00:14:58.96\00:15:00.39
He sent in order for
the battle to be successful,
00:15:00.42\00:15:04.27
somebody's got to be sent.
00:15:04.30\00:15:07.83
And it was predetermined
00:15:07.86\00:15:10.13
that Jesus would be
the one that was sent.
00:15:10.16\00:15:12.15
Angels couldn't go
because they did not create us.
00:15:12.18\00:15:15.15
Jesus had to go.
00:15:15.18\00:15:16.70
Now when He came what
did He not come to do?
00:15:16.73\00:15:20.08
Look at John 3 and verse 17.
00:15:20.11\00:15:21.80
What did He not come to do?
00:15:21.83\00:15:23.78
This is so
elementary but so significant
00:15:23.81\00:15:26.04
to the preaching of the gospel
00:15:26.07\00:15:27.44
because sometimes we fail to
realize the power of the gospel,
00:15:27.47\00:15:31.64
one that's presented
00:15:31.67\00:15:33.04
the way that Jesus
established it to be presented.
00:15:33.07\00:15:35.43
John 3 and verse 17, look
together with me at that answer.
00:15:35.46\00:15:38.62
John 3 and verse 17.
00:15:38.65\00:15:40.18
This is what Jesus
did not come to do.
00:15:40.21\00:15:43.02
John 3 and verse
17, it says, "For God,"
00:15:43.05\00:15:47.57
say that together with me,
00:15:47.60\00:15:48.97
"did not send His son
into the world" to do what?
00:15:49.00\00:15:52.85
"Condemn the world, but
that the world through Him"
00:15:52.88\00:15:55.31
might be what? Saved."
00:15:55.34\00:15:57.09
Let's go ahead and back that up
00:15:57.12\00:15:58.49
and put that back in
the military context.
00:15:58.52\00:16:01.65
When you go to rescue
people that are caught
00:16:01.68\00:16:04.78
in the middle of the battle,
00:16:04.81\00:16:06.74
if they're caught in
the middle of the battle,
00:16:06.77\00:16:08.30
you don't go to rescue
them and when you find them,
00:16:08.33\00:16:10.85
condemn them.
00:16:10.88\00:16:12.81
Because they're already
in a condemned situation.
00:16:12.84\00:16:14.68
They already know that
they are prisoners of war.
00:16:14.71\00:16:16.84
They are in a serious situation.
00:16:16.87\00:16:18.74
They don't need to know
how bad their situation is.
00:16:18.77\00:16:21.58
They need to know how
much better it can become.
00:16:21.61\00:16:25.05
Lot of times we
spend so much time
00:16:25.08\00:16:27.53
on the negatives of the gospel.
00:16:27.56\00:16:30.08
And what I mean by that,
the gospel means good news.
00:16:30.11\00:16:33.78
How can you have negatives?
00:16:33.81\00:16:35.18
Because sometimes
when you present the gospel
00:16:35.21\00:16:37.31
in the wrong package it
sounds like it's negative.
00:16:37.34\00:16:41.04
But if you
realize that the gospel
00:16:41.07\00:16:42.62
is not for the
purpose of condemning
00:16:42.65\00:16:44.26
those who are without
Christ but rescuing them
00:16:44.29\00:16:47.76
who are without Christ
then you'll fall in line
00:16:47.79\00:16:50.48
with what Jesus did when
He came on His first mission,
00:16:50.51\00:16:54.09
His mission, His deployment,
when He was on His tour.
00:16:54.12\00:16:56.96
He didn't come to
condemn those who are in sin
00:16:56.99\00:16:58.71
because they were
condemned already.
00:16:58.74\00:17:01.37
So what I want
you to write down,
00:17:01.40\00:17:02.77
what does the Bible teach us
about the commission of Jesus?
00:17:02.80\00:17:05.67
Galatians 4:4, He was sent.
00:17:05.70\00:17:09.62
John 3:17, He was
not sent to condemn.
00:17:09.65\00:17:14.18
Galatians 4:4,
He was sent to save.
00:17:14.21\00:17:16.89
John 3:17, He was
not sent to condemn,
00:17:16.92\00:17:19.49
that's what you want to
put down in your answers.
00:17:19.52\00:17:21.52
He was sent to save.
00:17:21.55\00:17:23.04
He was not sent to condemn.
00:17:23.07\00:17:25.13
If you want to use the
word there in Galatians,
00:17:25.16\00:17:26.76
He was sent to redeem.
00:17:26.79\00:17:28.45
He was not sent to condemn.
00:17:28.48\00:17:31.65
We all need redemption.
00:17:31.68\00:17:33.24
And the last
thing we need to know
00:17:33.27\00:17:34.64
when we go to a
dentist with a toothache
00:17:34.67\00:17:37.56
is for the dentist
to look at us and say,
00:17:37.59\00:17:39.06
"You know,
you've got a problem."
00:17:39.09\00:17:42.32
I know that.
That's why I'm here.
00:17:42.35\00:17:44.86
That's not what I need to hear.
00:17:44.89\00:17:46.26
I need to--what can
you do about my problem?
00:17:46.29\00:17:48.49
And one of the
things I discovered is,
00:17:48.52\00:17:51.49
well, I don't want to
give this away right away.
00:17:51.52\00:17:53.94
Let me just, let me
just milk this as I go on.
00:17:53.97\00:17:57.20
One of the things
that you'll discover
00:17:57.23\00:17:58.64
when you study
the mission of Jesus,
00:17:58.67\00:18:00.29
the commission of
Jesus, the deployment of Jesus
00:18:00.32\00:18:03.06
is He did not become...
00:18:03.09\00:18:07.45
in every particular
like those He went to redeem.
00:18:10.39\00:18:14.58
Follow me very carefully.
00:18:14.61\00:18:16.06
The Bible says,
He became sin for us,
00:18:16.09\00:18:19.74
but He didn't become a sinner.
00:18:19.77\00:18:22.79
You follow me carefully?
00:18:22.82\00:18:24.45
He did not feel that it
was necessary to lower himself
00:18:24.48\00:18:28.96
to the darkness of the
earth to save those in darkness.
00:18:28.99\00:18:32.83
That is very important point.
00:18:32.86\00:18:35.00
He maintained His
stand as pure and holy.
00:18:35.03\00:18:40.03
He was tempted
but He did not feel
00:18:40.06\00:18:42.39
it was necessary to
lower the standards of heaven.
00:18:42.42\00:18:46.56
To become like those
who live at a lower level
00:18:46.59\00:18:49.59
to save those at a lower level.
00:18:49.62\00:18:53.29
He came down to save us
but He did not lower himself
00:18:53.32\00:18:59.72
to the standards of
sinful man to save sinful man.
00:18:59.75\00:19:04.12
He was accused of that.
00:19:04.15\00:19:06.65
They said, He
hung out with harlots
00:19:06.68\00:19:09.19
and tax collectors and
winebibbers and sinners.
00:19:09.22\00:19:12.87
He was the friend of sinners
but He did not become a harlot
00:19:12.90\00:19:16.78
and a winebibber
and a tax collector.
00:19:16.81\00:19:19.79
And that's so vitally important
00:19:19.82\00:19:21.19
because what's happening
in the church now-a-days--
00:19:21.22\00:19:22.78
and I'm gonna take
my time on this lesson--
00:19:22.81\00:19:24.41
what's happening in the church.
00:19:24.44\00:19:25.92
Last week, you may remember,
00:19:25.95\00:19:27.32
after prayer meeting I
showed some of you a video.
00:19:27.35\00:19:29.89
I'm not gonna talk
about it on the air.
00:19:29.92\00:19:31.29
I'm not gonna start a firestorm.
00:19:31.32\00:19:32.69
But, you know,
sometimes you look at the way
00:19:32.72\00:19:34.43
the church is going,
the churches of the world,
00:19:34.46\00:19:36.58
they are adopting
the ways of the world.
00:19:36.61\00:19:39.45
They are becoming so much like
the world that you can't tell
00:19:39.48\00:19:41.66
when you're in a
church whether this is
00:19:41.69\00:19:43.06
of the world or of the Lord.
00:19:43.09\00:19:45.56
And they're
becoming like the world
00:19:45.59\00:19:47.64
hoping that
becoming like the world
00:19:47.67\00:19:49.35
they can save
those in the world.
00:19:49.38\00:19:51.73
But when we follow the
lesson you'll discover,
00:19:51.76\00:19:53.63
Jesus came to save the world
00:19:53.66\00:19:55.72
not to become like the
world to save the world.
00:19:55.75\00:19:59.28
But there's another commission
we must look at right now.
00:19:59.31\00:20:01.93
Go to question number
two. Go to question number two.
00:20:01.96\00:20:05.01
First of all, God
sent His Son, Jesus.
00:20:05.04\00:20:09.49
And when the time came,
00:20:09.52\00:20:10.89
when the
fullness of time had come,
00:20:10.92\00:20:14.07
who did Jesus send?
Question number two.
00:20:14.10\00:20:18.27
Sshh, don't answer it.
00:20:18.30\00:20:20.21
Question number two, here it is.
00:20:20.24\00:20:21.61
You already know the answer.
00:20:21.64\00:20:23.01
"What does the Bible
say about John the Baptist
00:20:23.04\00:20:25.64
and the call on his life?"
00:20:25.67\00:20:28.38
"What does the Bible
say about John the Baptist
00:20:28.41\00:20:31.20
and the call on his life?"
00:20:31.23\00:20:34.86
We're gonna go to
John chapter 1 and verse 6.
00:20:34.89\00:20:37.48
And as you know, it will be
on the screen in just a moment
00:20:37.51\00:20:39.33
but I'm giving those who have
a Bible chance to turn there.
00:20:39.36\00:20:41.61
John Chapter 1 and
verse 6 reads as follows
00:20:41.64\00:20:43.37
and I want to
see if you pick up.
00:20:43.40\00:20:45.32
There's gonna be a thread
00:20:45.35\00:20:46.72
running through
all these scriptures.
00:20:46.75\00:20:48.25
The majority--I want to see
if you pick up the thread, okay?
00:20:48.28\00:20:50.98
Because picking up the
thread will get you excited
00:20:51.01\00:20:54.35
and picking up the
thread will let you know
00:20:54.38\00:20:55.75
what you need to do.
00:20:55.78\00:20:57.15
Picking up the thread
will help you understand
00:20:57.18\00:21:00.66
what God is going
to deploy you to do
00:21:00.69\00:21:03.21
and how He's gonna
deploy you, all right?
00:21:03.24\00:21:05.70
Very short verse and I want you
to read this with me, all of it.
00:21:05.73\00:21:08.93
Are you ready? Here we go.
00:21:08.96\00:21:10.75
"There was a man,"
what's the next word?
00:21:10.78\00:21:14.25
"Sent from God,
whose name was John." Okay?
00:21:14.28\00:21:19.59
When the fullness of
time had come God sent.
00:21:19.62\00:21:24.99
Then as God sent Jesus,
00:21:25.02\00:21:28.61
God sent John to
prepare the way for Jesus.
00:21:28.64\00:21:34.22
And you know,
John 1 and verse 29,
00:21:34.25\00:21:36.46
John said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God
00:21:36.49\00:21:38.35
that taketh away the,"
what? "The sin of the world."
00:21:38.38\00:21:41.21
Not take away
the sins, the actions
00:21:41.24\00:21:44.01
but he came to get
rid of that fallen nature,
00:21:44.04\00:21:47.24
that nature that
separated man from God,
00:21:47.27\00:21:50.08
that's what he
came to take away.
00:21:50.11\00:21:51.76
Some people
say, "Well, you know,
00:21:51.79\00:21:53.47
people that were
back then didn't struggle
00:21:53.50\00:21:55.43
with all the things
we struggled with now."
00:21:55.46\00:21:57.33
All sin is only
three categories,
00:21:57.36\00:21:59.46
lust of the
flesh, lust of the eyes,
00:21:59.49\00:22:01.51
and pride of life.
00:22:01.54\00:22:02.91
And Jesus faced
every one of those.
00:22:02.94\00:22:04.72
And you also notice that one
of the first casualties on earth
00:22:04.75\00:22:07.80
was Adam and Eve.
00:22:07.83\00:22:09.20
They fell in those areas.
00:22:09.23\00:22:10.60
Lust of the flesh,
00:22:10.63\00:22:12.00
they saw the tree
was pleasant to the eyes.
00:22:12.03\00:22:14.49
A tree
desirable to make one wise
00:22:14.52\00:22:16.27
and they took
of it and they ate.
00:22:16.30\00:22:19.89
lust of the
flesh, lust of the eyes,
00:22:19.92\00:22:22.82
and the pride of life.
00:22:22.85\00:22:24.22
They wanted to be
wiser, lust of the flesh.
00:22:24.25\00:22:27.25
Lust of the eyes,
the tree looked good.
00:22:27.28\00:22:30.05
And the pride of life,
00:22:30.08\00:22:31.56
the devil convinced them
they could become like God.
00:22:31.59\00:22:34.68
Make them more proud
than they already were.
00:22:34.71\00:22:37.35
Jesus faced temptation
in the very same areas.
00:22:37.38\00:22:39.63
And when you go further,
00:22:39.66\00:22:41.03
you'll find
that John talks about
00:22:41.06\00:22:42.43
all that is in the world
is the lust of the flesh,
00:22:42.46\00:22:45.31
the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life.
00:22:45.34\00:22:47.54
So where Adam and Eve
failed, Praise the Lord,
00:22:47.57\00:22:49.89
Jesus succeeded. Amen.
00:22:49.92\00:22:51.93
Now so John was sent.
00:22:51.96\00:22:53.64
But let's go to the next one.
00:22:53.67\00:22:55.04
What happened?
00:22:55.07\00:22:56.44
"How does the Bible describe
the impact of John's work?"
00:22:56.47\00:23:01.43
We're gonna see ourselves
unfold in this in just a moment.
00:23:01.46\00:23:04.42
"How does the Bible describe
the impact of John's work?"
00:23:04.45\00:23:09.33
What's amazing about
John and as I was reading,
00:23:09.36\00:23:13.68
there was a statement here
that I'd sure love to find it
00:23:13.71\00:23:16.29
and share it with
you very carefully.
00:23:16.32\00:23:19.34
But I know you're finding it.
00:23:19.37\00:23:20.74
You're turning there with me.
00:23:20.77\00:23:22.46
As soon as I find it,
I'm gonna read it to you
00:23:22.49\00:23:25.93
about how John was,
was so powerfully prepared.
00:23:25.96\00:23:32.50
I know it by heart. I'll
just go ahead and say it.
00:23:32.53\00:23:35.37
John was not
prepared for his mission.
00:23:35.40\00:23:40.14
John was not
prepared for his mission
00:23:40.17\00:23:42.62
by the things he
learned in school.
00:23:42.65\00:23:45.63
I don't know if you heard me.
00:23:48.55\00:23:49.92
See my head is down.
You probably didn't hear me.
00:23:49.95\00:23:52.72
John was not
prepared for his mission
00:23:52.75\00:23:55.07
by the things he
learned in school.
00:23:55.10\00:23:57.70
He was prepared instantaneously
by the God who sent him.
00:23:57.73\00:24:03.98
Because when you
read the story of John,
00:24:04.01\00:24:05.50
John was a strange fellow.
00:24:05.53\00:24:07.73
He would probably
be one of the guys
00:24:07.76\00:24:09.53
that we'd have a
hard time finding his seat
00:24:09.56\00:24:11.16
for when he comes to church.
00:24:11.19\00:24:13.13
Because he didn't
dress in such a way
00:24:13.16\00:24:15.75
that people
accepted him very easily.
00:24:15.78\00:24:17.99
And the kind of diet he had
whether it was actually locust
00:24:18.02\00:24:20.55
or locust beans, you know,
the conclusion there are people
00:24:20.58\00:24:26.60
who are still trying to
figure out which one it was.
00:24:26.63\00:24:28.76
He ate honey and he ate locust.
00:24:28.79\00:24:31.18
He lived outside of the city.
00:24:31.21\00:24:32.87
He didn't dress in
the fashions of the day.
00:24:32.90\00:24:35.05
He surely didn't
look like a Pharisee.
00:24:35.08\00:24:36.78
He wasn't dressed as
the leader describes.
00:24:36.81\00:24:39.11
He looked like a man that didn't
really matter, didn't count.
00:24:39.14\00:24:41.33
And so when the
Lord sent him out
00:24:41.36\00:24:45.22
and he was in the wilderness
preaching his heart out,
00:24:45.25\00:24:48.15
the Lord asked the
Pharisees and scribes.
00:24:48.18\00:24:50.01
Who did you go out to--
who did you go out to see?
00:24:50.04\00:24:52.80
A goodly man? Who
did you go out to see?
00:24:52.83\00:24:55.92
A man dressed in soft clothing?
00:24:55.95\00:24:58.56
I mean, who did
you go out to see?
00:24:58.59\00:25:00.49
And they were struggling
coming up with an answer
00:25:00.52\00:25:03.42
that will please them.
00:25:03.45\00:25:05.12
And the Lord said, "Well,
this is the one that I've sent."
00:25:05.15\00:25:09.21
The voice of one
crying in the wilderness.
00:25:09.24\00:25:11.28
But what you'll
find out is he got there
00:25:11.31\00:25:13.94
because the Bible described
the mission that he had.
00:25:13.97\00:25:17.65
And what-- how
effective was this mission?
00:25:17.68\00:25:19.66
What kind of
impact did this have?
00:25:19.69\00:25:21.57
Matthew 3 verse 5 to 6 is
where our answer is found.
00:25:21.60\00:25:25.23
Matthew 3 verse 5 to 6.
00:25:25.26\00:25:27.05
Look at the
impact of his ministry.
00:25:27.08\00:25:30.74
The Bible says in
Matthew 3 verse 5 and 6,
00:25:30.77\00:25:33.19
"Then Jerusalem, all Judea
00:25:33.22\00:25:36.45
and all the region around
the Jordan was sent out to him."
00:25:36.48\00:25:41.18
Verse 6, "And were
baptized by him in the Jordan,
00:25:41.21\00:25:46.15
confessing their sins."
00:25:46.18\00:25:48.21
Now I tell you when I
read that word 'all'--
00:25:48.24\00:25:50.62
I had read this text
before but the word 'all'
00:25:50.65\00:25:52.93
jumped out at me this time.
00:25:52.96\00:25:56.75
How much of Judea went?
00:25:56.78\00:25:59.50
How much of the region?
00:25:59.53\00:26:00.90
All the region
around the Jordan went out
00:26:00.93\00:26:04.79
and were baptized
by him in the Jordan,
00:26:04.82\00:26:07.79
confessing their sins.
Now let me ask you a question.
00:26:07.82\00:26:11.10
Was John a powerful preacher
or was John powerfully anointed?
00:26:11.13\00:26:16.45
Powerfully anointed.
00:26:16.48\00:26:17.85
I tell you, you got to
get the second correct.
00:26:17.88\00:26:19.38
You got to get that right.
00:26:19.41\00:26:20.78
Because what I want
to make very, very clear.
00:26:20.81\00:26:22.88
It is not the power of the voice
00:26:22.91\00:26:25.48
as much as it is the
power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
00:26:25.51\00:26:28.75
So the power that
the Spirit used to work
00:26:28.78\00:26:31.38
through this
seemingly out of context
00:26:31.41\00:26:33.92
of his day kind of man,
that's what drew the people.
00:26:33.95\00:26:38.61
Keep this in
mind, he was preaching--
00:26:38.64\00:26:40.95
he was preaching
repentance and confession.
00:26:40.98\00:26:43.79
He was preaching conversion.
00:26:43.82\00:26:45.24
He was about to
introduce Christ.
00:26:45.27\00:26:46.89
He was letting people know
00:26:46.92\00:26:48.29
that the coming of the
Son of man was at hand.
00:26:48.32\00:26:50.26
Get ready. The Lord is coming.
00:26:50.29\00:26:54.00
He talked about a
winnowing fan in his hand.
00:26:54.03\00:26:56.64
All the-- he was
laying the foundation
00:26:56.67\00:26:58.23
and the message was
so powerfully anointed
00:26:58.26\00:27:01.25
that all Judea, all the region
around Jordan went out to him
00:27:01.28\00:27:05.66
and they were
baptized by him in the Jordan,
00:27:05.69\00:27:07.90
confessing their sins.
00:27:07.93\00:27:09.36
Can you imagine what kind
of baptism that must have been?
00:27:09.39\00:27:12.12
Now, you know, we see
pictures of the Jordan.
00:27:12.15\00:27:14.12
Some people show us the
large size of the Jordan
00:27:14.15\00:27:17.46
then sometimes we see the small
little hole called the Jordan.
00:27:17.49\00:27:23.15
However, it's quite a challenge
to have a baptism with all Judea
00:27:23.18\00:27:27.50
and all the region around Jordan
00:27:27.53\00:27:29.83
when they're
going to get baptized.
00:27:29.86\00:27:31.44
And they got baptized because
the message was anointed,
00:27:31.47\00:27:36.55
the man was anointed
and the power that God,
00:27:36.58\00:27:40.63
that God flowed through him
00:27:40.66\00:27:42.58
impacted
everyone that heard him.
00:27:42.61\00:27:44.88
And then they came
confessing their sins.
00:27:44.91\00:27:49.02
Now let's go to the next level.
00:27:49.05\00:27:51.45
What does the
Bible say about him?
00:27:51.48\00:27:52.85
Look at question number four.
00:27:52.88\00:27:54.25
"So how does the Bible describe
the impact of John's work?"
00:27:54.28\00:27:56.78
It impacted all who heard him.
00:27:56.81\00:27:59.42
It impacted all who heard him.
00:27:59.45\00:28:02.68
It impacted all who heard him.
00:28:02.71\00:28:06.65
All Judea, all the region around
the Jordon, it was amazing.
00:28:06.68\00:28:13.81
How, the people were impacted
by the ministry of John.
00:28:13.84\00:28:18.24
Now what was the difference?
00:28:18.27\00:28:19.64
Question number four,
00:28:19.67\00:28:21.04
"what does the Bible
say about the life of John?"
00:28:21.07\00:28:23.21
"What does the Bible
say about the life of John?"
00:28:23.24\00:28:27.05
I like this text
because it says something.
00:28:27.08\00:28:28.56
One of my
favorite preaches says,
00:28:28.59\00:28:30.09
"You're either
on fire for the Lord
00:28:30.12\00:28:32.81
or you'll be on
fire by the Lord."
00:28:32.84\00:28:36.34
And I always, I have a
different translation to that.
00:28:36.37\00:28:39.32
At the end of this
journey there are two seats,
00:28:39.35\00:28:41.30
smoking and non-smoking.
00:28:41.33\00:28:43.75
I want to be in
the non-smoking seat.
00:28:43.78\00:28:45.15
What about you? But
look at John's life.
00:28:45.18\00:28:47.47
Look at John's life.
00:28:47.50\00:28:49.02
John, Chapter 5 and verse
35 is where we find the answer.
00:28:49.05\00:28:52.98
The Bible says up
John, "He was," what?
00:28:53.01\00:28:57.43
"The burning and" what?
00:28:57.46\00:28:59.50
"Shining lamp, and you
were willing for a time
00:28:59.53\00:29:03.56
to rejoice in his light."
00:29:03.59\00:29:05.68
Speaking of the
people of the region
00:29:05.71\00:29:07.31
and you were willing for a
time to rejoice in his light.
00:29:07.34\00:29:10.70
Jesus was addressing
the ministry of John.
00:29:10.73\00:29:13.52
And they were those
who as they heard him
00:29:13.55\00:29:15.45
for a time they were
willing to rejoice in his light.
00:29:15.48\00:29:18.57
But notice what
it says about him.
00:29:18.60\00:29:20.16
He was burning and shining.
00:29:20.19\00:29:21.87
He was a burning
and shining lamp.
00:29:21.90\00:29:23.45
That's what happens to the life.
00:29:23.48\00:29:25.81
That's what happens to the life
00:29:25.84\00:29:27.37
that is imbued
by the Holy Spirit.
00:29:27.40\00:29:29.79
When Jesus talks about
letting our light shine.
00:29:29.82\00:29:32.53
Matthew 5 verse 14, he says,
00:29:32.56\00:29:34.90
"You are the
light of the world."
00:29:34.93\00:29:36.30
In His absence we are
the light of the world.
00:29:36.33\00:29:38.71
John 8 verse 12, Jesus says,
"I am the light of the world."
00:29:38.74\00:29:43.50
And let's go to
First Thessalonians.
00:29:43.53\00:29:45.61
I want you to write this down.
00:29:45.64\00:29:47.01
First Thessalonians--let
me turn this to the text here.
00:29:47.04\00:29:52.85
First Thessalonians is
where we're turning, all right.
00:29:52.88\00:29:56.99
And let me see where it is.
00:29:57.02\00:30:00.16
I think I might have it here.
00:30:00.19\00:30:01.57
Yeah, First Thessalonians
Chapter 5 and verse 5.
00:30:01.60\00:30:08.58
Just in case you think
we're any different than John,
00:30:08.61\00:30:11.08
look what the Bible says about
those of us who are called.
00:30:11.11\00:30:14.52
It says, "You are,"
what's the next word? "Children.
00:30:14.55\00:30:18.89
You're all sons or children
of light and sons of the day.
00:30:18.92\00:30:23.94
We're not of the
night nor of darkness."
00:30:23.97\00:30:27.24
So when you think about
00:30:27.27\00:30:28.64
how God had lit
up the life of John,
00:30:28.67\00:30:31.82
how God had
empowered the life of John,
00:30:31.85\00:30:34.87
what got people excited--
00:30:34.90\00:30:36.81
another saying that one of
my favorite preachers have.
00:30:36.84\00:30:39.53
He says, "You cannot get
anybody ready for the fire
00:30:39.56\00:30:42.39
that's coming unless
there's fire down in your soul."
00:30:42.42\00:30:46.09
You've got to let
your light so shine--
00:30:46.12\00:30:48.16
the Lord is the light.
00:30:48.19\00:30:49.56
He is the light of the world,
00:30:49.59\00:30:50.96
but if you let
your light shine--
00:30:50.99\00:30:52.50
you know the
promise there in Isaiah 60,
00:30:52.53\00:30:54.73
"Arise and shine
for your light has come
00:30:54.76\00:30:57.42
and the glory of the
Lord has risen upon you."
00:30:57.45\00:31:00.39
"The Gentiles," the Lord says,
00:31:00.42\00:31:01.82
"will come to the
brightness of your shining."
00:31:01.85\00:31:04.94
So when we shine for Jesus--
sounds like a simple term,
00:31:04.97\00:31:08.65
but it's a powerful term,
when we shine for the Lord,
00:31:08.68\00:31:10.95
when we glow for the Lord.
00:31:10.98\00:31:13.25
How do we glow for the
Lord? Somebody tell me.
00:31:13.28\00:31:15.42
How do we glow for the Lord?
00:31:15.45\00:31:17.36
By representing His character
of love and faithfulness.
00:31:23.57\00:31:26.34
What else? Witnessing.
00:31:26.37\00:31:29.46
What else?
00:31:29.49\00:31:31.23
By every day
living, by the life we live.
00:31:31.26\00:31:35.05
But you'll
discover that by the life
00:31:35.08\00:31:38.36
we live by, by the love
00:31:38.39\00:31:39.78
and the peace and
the longsuffering,
00:31:39.81\00:31:41.21
the gentleness all these are
aspects of representing Christ.
00:31:41.24\00:31:44.58
But John went beyond that.
00:31:44.61\00:31:46.73
It was not just how he lived
but he went to the next level.
00:31:46.76\00:31:50.73
We'll discover that
as we continue to go on.
00:31:50.76\00:31:53.28
Let's look at another one.
00:31:53.31\00:31:54.91
Question number
five, question number five.
00:31:54.94\00:31:58.85
And one of my favorite
text is in First Peter.
00:31:58.88\00:32:00.50
I think it's First Peter
2:9 where it talks about,
00:32:00.53\00:32:04.59
"we have been called
out of darkness into this"
00:32:04.62\00:32:06.65
what kind of
life? "Marvelous life."
00:32:06.68\00:32:09.36
So when you
think of bright burning
00:32:09.39\00:32:11.72
and shining that's marvelous.
00:32:11.75\00:32:14.35
Jesus is a marvelous light
00:32:14.38\00:32:16.06
and so are we if
we follow the Lord.
00:32:16.09\00:32:18.95
Question number five,
00:32:18.98\00:32:21.08
"What was the driving force
00:32:21.11\00:32:23.62
behind Jesus'
mission of soul winning?"
00:32:23.65\00:32:28.33
"What was the driving force
00:32:28.36\00:32:30.87
behind Jesus'
mission of soul winning?"
00:32:30.90\00:32:35.41
We're in John,
Chapter 4 and verse 34.
00:32:35.44\00:32:40.13
I want to see if you
catch the thread, all right?
00:32:40.16\00:32:42.71
Don't want to give
it away too quickly
00:32:42.74\00:32:44.34
but some of you are really fast.
00:32:44.37\00:32:46.02
He we are, John 4,
verse 34, "Jesus said to them,
00:32:46.05\00:32:50.13
'My food is to do the
will of Him who" did what?
00:32:50.16\00:32:54.40
"Who sent Me," and to what?
00:32:54.43\00:32:57.19
"Finish His work."
What is the thread?
00:32:57.22\00:33:00.35
What thread have
we connected so far?
00:33:00.38\00:33:03.71
Sent, sent, sent, sent, sent.
00:33:03.74\00:33:07.27
I want you to follow that
00:33:07.30\00:33:08.67
because I'm gonna
share a few more with you.
00:33:08.70\00:33:10.07
But when you look in
the Bible, in the Gospels,
00:33:10.10\00:33:13.02
you find that 35 times
the word 'sent' shows up.
00:33:13.05\00:33:20.83
All pertaining to someone
00:33:20.86\00:33:22.32
who has been
prepared for the gospel.
00:33:22.35\00:33:25.17
And the reason I'm mentioning
00:33:25.20\00:33:26.57
that is God does
not call the Christian
00:33:26.60\00:33:32.05
to just respond to the gospel.
00:33:32.08\00:33:35.00
Danny Shelton often
says, We have two commissions.
00:33:35.03\00:33:38.15
Come unto me all
you who are weary
00:33:38.18\00:33:40.09
and heavy laden and
I'll give you rest."
00:33:40.12\00:33:41.81
But then go.
00:33:41.84\00:33:43.62
There's come and
then there is what? Go.
00:33:43.65\00:33:46.48
It's not enough
to join the church.
00:33:46.51\00:33:49.37
If we only join the church
00:33:49.40\00:33:51.35
we miss out on
the greatest blessing
00:33:51.38\00:33:54.07
of being deployed for Jesus.
00:33:54.10\00:33:57.03
If we just join the church
00:33:57.06\00:33:58.57
and we're settled
in basic training,
00:33:58.60\00:34:00.57
if we just go to basic training
and we come back home and say,
00:34:00.60\00:34:04.18
"I love basic
training. It was great.
00:34:04.21\00:34:09.09
But, I'm not going to the war.
00:34:09.12\00:34:11.59
I mean, I'm all qualified
and I know how to use my weapon.
00:34:11.62\00:34:14.64
I understand all the
lingo of the warrior,
00:34:14.67\00:34:17.33
but I'm not going
to the battle field.
00:34:17.36\00:34:18.73
There's no way."
00:34:18.76\00:34:20.93
Everybody that has been trained
in the United States army,
00:34:20.96\00:34:25.07
even those that
are volunteering,
00:34:25.10\00:34:26.74
have to standby for
deployment at any moment.
00:34:26.77\00:34:30.73
One of the greatest
battles of the last day church
00:34:30.76\00:34:34.39
is to find people that
are willing to be deployed.
00:34:34.42\00:34:37.82
Why don't you get that?
00:34:40.79\00:34:42.32
Because for
whatever reason the world has
00:34:42.35\00:34:47.48
and I'm using this phrase,
00:34:47.51\00:34:48.89
the world has
successfully trained
00:34:48.92\00:34:51.93
the churches of America
00:34:51.96\00:34:53.33
to think that Christianity
is mostly entertainment.
00:34:53.36\00:34:57.50
You think about that.
00:34:57.53\00:35:00.00
You know we have
Christian only in America.
00:35:00.03\00:35:02.69
You get Christian Dove awards
00:35:02.73\00:35:04.36
and you get Grammy awards
for singing Christian songs.
00:35:04.39\00:35:07.25
You get all kinds of awards
for singing Christian songs.
00:35:07.28\00:35:10.27
They reward you for working.
00:35:10.30\00:35:11.79
I always
wondered how do you give
00:35:11.82\00:35:13.28
a Christian
artist a Grammy award?
00:35:13.31\00:35:15.36
Is that based on how many souls
that song has won to Jesus?
00:35:15.39\00:35:18.72
I mean how do you measure that?
00:35:18.75\00:35:20.12
Is it because it's measured
against the popular charts
00:35:21.03\00:35:23.58
or the way the song was designed
00:35:23.61\00:35:24.98
or the people that were
playing on the instruments?
00:35:25.01\00:35:26.94
Because I've heard a lot
of Christian artists say,
00:35:26.97\00:35:29.08
"Do you know who I
have playing on my album?"
00:35:29.11\00:35:31.51
As if that's the major focus
of the product. It should be,
00:35:33.28\00:35:39.41
"Do you know who I'm
singing about on my product?"
00:35:39.44\00:35:45.32
Do you know why I
put this together?
00:35:45.35\00:35:47.18
I want this to lead
people to find Jesus.
00:35:47.21\00:35:50.60
But the world has
designed the churches.
00:35:50.63\00:35:52.17
So you have churches now-a-days
00:35:52.20\00:35:53.96
I saw a video recently and
the boast of the video was,
00:35:53.99\00:35:59.00
you've never seen
a stage like this,
00:35:59.03\00:36:00.88
a metal pulpit like this
and I'm preaching from my iPad.
00:36:00.91\00:36:05.02
And I use my iPad too,
00:36:05.05\00:36:06.42
but my iPad
should not be the reason
00:36:06.45\00:36:07.82
why people join my church.
00:36:07.85\00:36:09.22
How it looks upfront, the
aesthetics and how beautiful
00:36:10.98\00:36:13.26
and how large the arena
is, it should never be--
00:36:13.29\00:36:15.47
people should join the church
00:36:15.50\00:36:16.87
because they're concerned
about the prisoners of war.
00:36:16.90\00:36:19.78
About those who
don't yet know about Jesus,
00:36:19.81\00:36:22.07
about those who are
still in concentration camps.
00:36:22.10\00:36:25.69
Let's go ahead and use that term
00:36:25.72\00:36:27.13
and begin to parallel that.
00:36:27.16\00:36:29.01
There are some people who
are locked in their homes,
00:36:29.04\00:36:31.31
in the hovels and
the darkness of despair.
00:36:31.34\00:36:34.13
They have no courage.
00:36:34.16\00:36:35.76
They're crushed in spirit
00:36:35.79\00:36:37.51
under the burdens of the things
that they're fighting with.
00:36:37.54\00:36:40.49
They are in concentration camps.
00:36:40.52\00:36:43.20
They can't find
their way out of darkness.
00:36:43.23\00:36:45.38
The Bible talks about
those in the parables,
00:36:45.41\00:36:47.68
when Jesus talked about
the lost coin, the lost sheep.
00:36:47.71\00:36:51.51
The coin is lost,
but can't find itself.
00:36:51.54\00:36:54.34
The lost sheep knows he's lost,
but can't find his way back.
00:36:54.37\00:36:57.92
And the lost son who is
lost knows his way back,
00:36:57.95\00:37:00.03
but he doesn't
want to be bothered.
00:37:00.06\00:37:02.14
So this world is a
place where people are
00:37:02.17\00:37:05.01
locked in prison camps
of despair, hopelessness.
00:37:05.04\00:37:08.22
But unless the church
wakes up to the reality
00:37:08.25\00:37:10.16
that we are called to be sent
00:37:10.19\00:37:13.70
then we'll just be
content being called.
00:37:13.73\00:37:16.72
And that's not all
the Bible calls us to do.
00:37:16.75\00:37:19.24
Jesus says, "My food or my
meat is to do the will of Him
00:37:19.27\00:37:23.35
who sent Me and"
to do what, friends?
00:37:23.38\00:37:26.24
Can you imagine
what will happen,
00:37:26.27\00:37:27.95
how fast the--how fast
the gospel will wind up
00:37:27.98\00:37:31.15
if every member on the books
00:37:31.18\00:37:33.14
of every church
decided, you know what?
00:37:33.17\00:37:35.53
We cannot sit content.
00:37:37.50\00:37:39.55
We've got to finish the work.
00:37:39.58\00:37:43.54
When Jesus died
on the cross he said,
00:37:43.57\00:37:45.75
"It is finished. It is
done. I finished the work."
00:37:45.78\00:37:51.42
And in that context, we should
be so busy working for the Lord.
00:37:51.45\00:37:57.42
Jesus was sent
to finish the work.
00:37:57.45\00:38:00.23
Notice when
John the Baptist died
00:38:00.26\00:38:03.27
after he finished the
work of introducing Jesus.
00:38:03.30\00:38:10.24
He knew that it was his time.
00:38:10.27\00:38:11.64
I must decrease, he
must what? Increase.
00:38:11.67\00:38:15.09
He--people say, "Well,
man he was such an asset.
00:38:15.12\00:38:19.73
He was just sent by God to
prepare the way for Jesus."
00:38:19.76\00:38:24.56
When that work was
done, John was laid to rest.
00:38:24.59\00:38:28.67
And my good
friend Doug Batchelor
00:38:28.70\00:38:30.07
always says that we are always,
00:38:30.10\00:38:31.47
we are immortal
until God is done with us.
00:38:31.50\00:38:34.53
And if we die we
still have eternal life.
00:38:34.56\00:38:38.88
But the church has to catch
the vision that God calls us.
00:38:38.91\00:38:42.05
He sends us and
Jesus had the passion.
00:38:42.08\00:38:44.31
He said, "I didn't come to the
earth to hang out indefinitely.
00:38:44.34\00:38:47.09
I got some work to do.
00:38:47.12\00:38:48.49
And I don't have
a whole lot of time.
00:38:48.52\00:38:49.89
I got three and a half
years after my anointing
00:38:49.92\00:38:51.85
to get this work done.
00:38:51.88\00:38:53.40
And all the rest of that
time was preparing for that work
00:38:53.43\00:38:55.79
and the work was intense,
00:38:55.82\00:38:57.19
but He says I don't
have whole lot of time.
00:38:57.22\00:38:58.84
And when the time came He
was so busy doing His work
00:38:58.87\00:39:02.26
that when the time
came to arrest Him,
00:39:04.45\00:39:06.60
He knew that He had finished the
most important part of His work.
00:39:06.63\00:39:10.27
And He said to those
who came to arrest Him,
00:39:10.30\00:39:12.19
this is your hour,
this is your time now.
00:39:12.22\00:39:14.48
I got my work done. Now
it's your time to do your work.
00:39:14.51\00:39:18.31
Go ahead and do
what you must do.
00:39:18.34\00:39:19.71
He said Judas, whatever you do,
do quickly. That's your work.
00:39:19.74\00:39:23.07
The devil has given you
work to do. I've done my work.
00:39:23.10\00:39:25.86
The mob is gonna do their work.
00:39:25.89\00:39:27.36
Pilate's gonna do his work,
Caiaphas is gonna do his work.
00:39:27.39\00:39:29.77
But I've done my work.
00:39:29.80\00:39:31.17
And when He died on the
cross, He said, "It is done."
00:39:31.20\00:39:33.94
The greatest, the
greatest contentment
00:39:33.97\00:39:36.22
the Christian should
have is being able to say,
00:39:36.25\00:39:40.10
"I'm working for the Master.
00:39:40.13\00:39:41.50
The harvest is ripe,
but the laborers are few."
00:39:41.53\00:39:43.87
Let's go into the next one.
00:39:43.90\00:39:45.29
So what's the
answer to number five?
00:39:45.32\00:39:49.04
What does the Bible say
about the life of--number six?
00:39:50.48\00:39:53.47
That's right number
six is what we just read.
00:39:53.50\00:39:55.59
What did Jesus say
was the chief reason?
00:39:55.62\00:39:59.21
Number five what was
the driving force--sorry--
00:39:59.24\00:40:02.17
behind Jesus'
mission and soul winning?
00:40:02.20\00:40:04.92
What was the
driving force? Finish.
00:40:04.95\00:40:08.73
The word "finished."
00:40:08.76\00:40:10.74
Lot of people are doing things,
but what have they finished.
00:40:10.77\00:40:13.91
I've heard
people say, "I'm busy."
00:40:13.94\00:40:15.76
My supervisor once said,
00:40:15.79\00:40:17.16
"I don't care if you're busy,
are you finishing anything?"
00:40:17.19\00:40:20.63
See busy people
don't necessarily
00:40:20.66\00:40:22.03
mean they're finishing anything.
00:40:22.06\00:40:23.47
Some people can
always say, "I'm busy."
00:40:23.50\00:40:25.45
But what do they
mean? Busy doing what?
00:40:25.48\00:40:27.65
Busy doesn't mean necessarily
anything is getting done.
00:40:27.68\00:40:31.38
All right? Let's
go to number six.
00:40:31.41\00:40:34.07
"What did Jesus say
was the chief reason
00:40:34.10\00:40:36.12
that drove His will?"
00:40:38.08\00:40:40.39
"What did Jesus say
was the chief reason
00:40:40.42\00:40:42.75
that drove His will?"
00:40:43.73\00:40:45.94
I was talking
to the young people
00:40:45.97\00:40:47.34
at our junior academy
here and I said to them,
00:40:47.37\00:40:49.92
"What singular
word can you contribute
00:40:49.95\00:40:52.52
to the reason why people
don't accomplish many things?"
00:40:52.55\00:40:56.29
We talked about people
accomplishing things and we said
00:40:56.32\00:40:59.56
"What name comes to mind
that has so impacted the world
00:40:59.59\00:41:04.26
that you consider had that
word that they brought up?"
00:41:04.29\00:41:07.18
And they came up
with the word drive.
00:41:07.21\00:41:09.04
They said a lot of the reasons
why people are not successful
00:41:09.07\00:41:11.70
in what they attempt is
because they don't have drive.
00:41:11.73\00:41:15.31
They don't have drive.
00:41:15.34\00:41:16.71
Another word for
drive is passion.
00:41:16.74\00:41:18.13
They don't have mission.
00:41:18.16\00:41:19.53
They're not
deployed with a goal in mind.
00:41:19.56\00:41:21.55
They don't understand that
they have just put so much time
00:41:21.58\00:41:23.48
to do the work that
God has called them to do.
00:41:23.51\00:41:25.43
So this question
is in that context.
00:41:25.46\00:41:27.47
Look at the answer here.
00:41:27.50\00:41:28.98
And this is in
John 5 and verse 30,
00:41:29.01\00:41:32.21
Jesus said, "I can of Myself do"
00:41:32.24\00:41:34.90
how much? "Nothing."
00:41:34.93\00:41:36.31
Don't try to do
the work by yourself.
00:41:36.34\00:41:39.10
"As I hear, I judge, and
My judgment is righteous,
00:41:39.13\00:41:43.97
because I do
not seek My own will
00:41:44.00\00:41:47.25
but the will of the
Father who" did what?
00:41:47.28\00:41:50.69
"Sent me."
There's the thread again.
00:41:50.72\00:41:52.24
Now get this, the other reason
why the church is so inactive
00:41:52.27\00:41:54.97
is because people are
busy seeking their own will.
00:41:55.00\00:41:58.64
They say they are the
children of the Father,
00:41:58.67\00:42:01.19
but they're not concerned
about the Father's will.
00:42:01.22\00:42:04.00
How many times have you
heard people ask the question,
00:42:04.03\00:42:05.65
"I wonder what God's
will is for my life?"
00:42:05.68\00:42:07.44
You know what the will of God
is? To get involved in His work.
00:42:07.47\00:42:10.13
That was the
will--that's what Jesus says,
00:42:10.16\00:42:12.30
"I don't come to seek my own,
00:42:12.33\00:42:13.70
but the will of the
Father who sent Me."
00:42:13.73\00:42:15.56
And what did He say earlier?
00:42:15.59\00:42:18.69
"To finish the work."
00:42:18.72\00:42:21.55
"To finish the
work." What is God's will?
00:42:21.58\00:42:24.10
Now you sit around
waiting for some epiphany
00:42:24.13\00:42:26.05
from some spirituals
fortunetellers somewhere.
00:42:26.08\00:42:28.86
"I wonder what God's
will is for my life."
00:42:28.89\00:42:32.05
Well, ask a soldier. I wonder
what--wonder what my will is.
00:42:32.08\00:42:37.09
Wonder what the nation's
will is for this soldier?
00:42:37.12\00:42:39.28
Go to battle, get
on the battle field.
00:42:39.31\00:42:41.27
When God calls us,
00:42:41.30\00:42:42.89
He has work for us to
do long before He calls us.
00:42:42.92\00:42:44.95
So the answer to number six is,
00:42:44.98\00:42:47.19
"What did Jesus say
was the chief reason
00:42:47.22\00:42:49.18
that drove His will, is what?"
00:42:49.21\00:42:52.79
The will of the
Father was His will.
00:42:52.82\00:42:55.80
The will of the
Father was His will.
00:42:55.83\00:42:59.00
When we line up
with the Father's will
00:42:59.03\00:43:02.41
then we are one with the Father.
00:43:02.44\00:43:06.13
We can't be one with the Father
while we're doing our thing.
00:43:06.16\00:43:09.56
Remember Jesus
said that He says,
00:43:10.68\00:43:12.39
"You are either gathering
with Me or you are" what?
00:43:12.42\00:43:14.85
"Scattering abroad."
00:43:14.88\00:43:16.25
"He that is not
with me is" what?
00:43:16.28\00:43:17.70
"Against Me."
00:43:17.73\00:43:19.27
And so many
Christians are not by proxy.
00:43:19.30\00:43:22.68
They don't say by declaration.
00:43:22.71\00:43:24.98
They don't stand
up in church and say,
00:43:25.01\00:43:26.38
"You know what, I
am against Jesus."
00:43:26.41\00:43:28.17
But when Paul wrote
to Timothy, he said,
00:43:31.31\00:43:38.03
"With their
mouth they confess me.
00:43:40.07\00:43:42.38
But they are disqualified
for every good work."
00:43:42.41\00:43:45.94
In other words, the King James
Version used a word "reprobate."
00:43:45.97\00:43:49.18
In other words,
they're not ready.
00:43:49.21\00:43:50.61
They say, yes, they
are connected with Me.
00:43:50.64\00:43:52.78
But why is that that
they're not doing My will?
00:43:52.81\00:43:55.93
And soul winning is
the will of the Father.
00:43:55.96\00:43:58.27
Soul winning is
why Jesus was sent.
00:43:58.30\00:44:02.26
He just wanted to rescue
somebody from the dregs of sin.
00:44:02.29\00:44:07.41
Number seven, number seven.
00:44:07.44\00:44:09.71
So if you put the
answer to number six,
00:44:09.74\00:44:11.52
what did you put down?
00:44:11.55\00:44:13.84
The will of the
Father was what drove Jesus.
00:44:13.87\00:44:16.93
So when we pray, "Lord."
00:44:16.96\00:44:18.33
You know, you pray that prayer,
00:44:18.36\00:44:19.73
"Let thy will be done
on earth as it is" where?
00:44:19.76\00:44:23.56
"In heaven."
00:44:23.59\00:44:24.96
The will in
heaven was being done
00:44:24.99\00:44:26.57
because that will sent Jesus.
00:44:26.60\00:44:29.24
Now that will was
being done on earth.
00:44:29.27\00:44:31.22
But we're praying for that
same thing to happen in us.
00:44:31.25\00:44:33.84
Let thy will be
done where? In us.
00:44:33.87\00:44:37.26
Not just in everybody else.
00:44:37.29\00:44:38.97
Okay, number seven.
00:44:39.00\00:44:40.37
Question here it is,
00:44:40.40\00:44:41.77
"When questioned about His place
of origin, how did Jesus reply?"
00:44:41.80\00:44:45.23
"When questioned
about His place of origin,
00:44:45.26\00:44:48.09
how did Jesus reply?"
00:44:48.12\00:44:51.68
John 7:29, a very short passage.
00:44:51.71\00:44:54.60
I'll just go ahead and
read it to you very quickly.
00:44:54.63\00:44:56.42
Take you out of the
mode of suspense. Here it is.
00:44:56.45\00:45:00.59
He says, "But I know him."
00:45:00.62\00:45:01.99
Speaking of His
Father. "For I am from Him,
00:45:02.02\00:45:04.71
and He did what? Sent me."
00:45:04.74\00:45:07.48
When He knock on the door,
00:45:07.51\00:45:08.88
when He come to somebody's door,
00:45:08.91\00:45:10.37
and they may ask 'cause
when people knock at my door,
00:45:10.40\00:45:13.36
I always ask who is it? Do
you ever ask that question,
00:45:13.39\00:45:15.42
who is it? And
you can identify them
00:45:15.45\00:45:17.80
pretty much of
that big brown truck
00:45:17.83\00:45:19.66
drives up in
front of your house,
00:45:19.69\00:45:21.45
who is it? UPS.
00:45:21.48\00:45:23.80
If it's white
with pink and orange
00:45:23.83\00:45:25.70
that FedEx, right?
00:45:25.73\00:45:27.32
You can-- they are identifiable.
00:45:27.35\00:45:29.73
The Christian should be
identified in the world.
00:45:29.76\00:45:33.05
Let me go ahead and talk
about the things that keep
00:45:33.08\00:45:35.39
the Christian
from being identified.
00:45:35.42\00:45:38.67
If the FedEx
truck drove up and a guy
00:45:38.70\00:45:42.73
with UPS outfit
came out, you say, "Huh?"
00:45:42.76\00:45:45.20
Now follow me. Do you agree?
00:45:47.89\00:45:50.63
You became, "Oh,
for a FedEx truck
00:45:50.66\00:45:52.54
drove up and a guy with a
--if a FedEx truck drove up
00:45:52.57\00:45:54.84
and a guy with UPS came
out, did I just say that?"
00:45:54.87\00:45:57.30
Well, let's put that around
or if you went to the hospital
00:45:57.33\00:46:00.53
and a guy with a
mechanic's outfit came out,
00:46:00.56\00:46:02.64
doctor, are you okay?
Oh, don't worry about that.
00:46:04.96\00:46:07.02
I fix engines to
my engine outfit.
00:46:07.05\00:46:09.77
But don't worry about
it. I do surgeries also.
00:46:09.80\00:46:12.54
Will you be concerned?
You follow me carefully.
00:46:12.57\00:46:15.78
What will happen in
the world is sometimes
00:46:15.81\00:46:18.30
that the church looks
so much like the world
00:46:18.33\00:46:22.19
that you're
wondering, wait a minute,
00:46:22.22\00:46:23.59
wait a minute, wait a minute.
00:46:23.62\00:46:26.43
Are you a Christian?
00:46:26.46\00:46:27.83
The way is that
you don't look apart.
00:46:27.86\00:46:29.97
And while we are not saved
00:46:30.00\00:46:31.48
by how we look or
how we don't look,
00:46:31.51\00:46:34.29
tell that to a FedEx guy.
Tell that to the guy from UPS.
00:46:34.32\00:46:39.40
And let me use the-- let me take
00:46:39.43\00:46:41.14
the sinology to
the next designation
00:46:41.17\00:46:43.88
because I was in the clubs.
00:46:43.91\00:46:45.28
Christians in clubs are like
00:46:47.33\00:46:50.59
Federal Ex guys in UPS trucks.
00:46:50.62\00:46:53.16
It doesn't match.
00:46:55.85\00:46:57.36
A physician
00:47:00.35\00:47:01.72
with a motorcycle
uniform on in an operating room,
00:47:04.60\00:47:07.67
I gotta make a
great comparison here,
00:47:09.58\00:47:11.67
--is like a Christian that looks
00:47:13.70\00:47:15.07
so much like the world
that you cannot identify
00:47:15.10\00:47:18.05
who he or she
really is supposed to be.
00:47:18.08\00:47:21.17
And a lot of people say,
it doesn't really matter.
00:47:21.20\00:47:24.88
Doesn't really
matter what you see.
00:47:24.91\00:47:28.14
John the Baptist and Jesus
came to represent the Father.
00:47:29.79\00:47:34.49
And although John looked
like somebody who shouldn't fit,
00:47:34.52\00:47:38.35
you could not get
confused by the mission
00:47:38.38\00:47:41.74
and the message that he
bore and that he carried.
00:47:41.77\00:47:45.20
So when you
think about this text
00:47:45.23\00:47:46.98
which is a very short one.
00:47:47.01\00:47:48.83
The reason why
Jesus never forgot
00:47:48.86\00:47:50.93
His mission is
because He never forgot
00:47:50.96\00:47:53.42
where He was from.
00:47:53.45\00:47:55.23
You gotta write that down.
00:47:55.26\00:47:56.63
The answer here, Jesus
never forgot where He was from.
00:47:56.66\00:48:01.62
Sometimes when the church
is done and the week begins,
00:48:01.65\00:48:05.15
Christians forget
where they're from.
00:48:05.18\00:48:07.77
They'll be in church on Sabbath
singing to God be the glory.
00:48:07.80\00:48:10.69
But on Monday, they forgot
where they were on Sabbath.
00:48:10.72\00:48:13.48
And when I used to
pastor in California,
00:48:13.51\00:48:18.33
you know, we don't
have malls out here.
00:48:18.36\00:48:21.77
The biggest mall we
have is that service station
00:48:21.80\00:48:23.61
right around the corner.
00:48:23.64\00:48:25.22
There're no
malls in Thompsonville
00:48:25.25\00:48:26.62
for those of you
who are thinking about
00:48:26.65\00:48:28.02
this being the glory land, not.
00:48:28.05\00:48:31.02
This is not a mall city.
00:48:31.05\00:48:32.76
We gotta travel a
ways to get to a mall.
00:48:32.79\00:48:34.91
But sometimes you
see people in the mall
00:48:34.94\00:48:36.57
during the week and you think,
00:48:36.60\00:48:38.15
"Didn't I just see
you in church on Sabbath?"
00:48:38.18\00:48:39.95
Yeah, you did. And
00:48:39.98\00:48:41.95
you would never be able to tell
00:48:41.98\00:48:43.46
that just a few days earlier
00:48:43.49\00:48:45.30
they were in a
different context.
00:48:45.33\00:48:47.38
So much like the world they
miss the fact that they are--
00:48:47.41\00:48:50.68
they should
represent where they are from,
00:48:50.71\00:48:53.16
even though they are not there.
00:48:53.19\00:48:55.43
That's the
context of this verse.
00:48:55.46\00:48:57.55
Jesus represented
His Father even though
00:48:57.58\00:48:59.46
He wasn't with His Father.
00:48:59.49\00:49:00.97
He still
maintained the connection
00:49:01.00\00:49:02.38
in life and in mission.
00:49:02.41\00:49:04.64
All right? Number eight.
00:49:04.67\00:49:06.15
Number eight. Go
to the next page.
00:49:06.18\00:49:08.31
We're moving
right along pretty well.
00:49:08.34\00:49:10.77
But I don't think we're
gonna finish this tonight.
00:49:10.80\00:49:13.15
But that's all right.
00:49:13.18\00:49:14.55
As you know if you've
been watching the program,
00:49:14.58\00:49:15.95
we always continue
on to the next lesson.
00:49:15.98\00:49:20.10
All right, number
eight, "Where did Jesus say
00:49:20.13\00:49:22.83
He was going after
His work was completed?"
00:49:22.86\00:49:27.71
"Where did Jesus say
00:49:27.74\00:49:29.11
He was going after
His work was completed?"
00:49:29.14\00:49:30.83
I heard the question--
00:49:30.86\00:49:32.23
somebody just
answered the question.
00:49:32.26\00:49:33.63
Where do you say He was going?
00:49:33.66\00:49:35.03
Give me your own answer.
00:49:35.06\00:49:36.91
Going back home.
Where else would He go?
00:49:36.94\00:49:40.52
Well, let's see
how the Bible says it.
00:49:40.55\00:49:42.30
John 7 verse
33. John 7 verse 33.
00:49:42.33\00:49:48.04
These are simple answers,
00:49:48.07\00:49:49.44
but there's something
profound about each one of them.
00:49:49.47\00:49:51.56
"Then Jesus said to them,
00:49:51.59\00:49:53.30
I shall be with you
a little while longer,
00:49:53.33\00:49:57.54
and then I go to
Him who" did what?
00:49:57.57\00:50:00.53
"Sent me." Now get this.
00:50:00.56\00:50:02.81
Did Jesus leave before
His work was done, yes or no?
00:50:02.84\00:50:05.71
No. Now here is a point.
00:50:05.74\00:50:07.90
And this sounds really
strange, but do you know
00:50:07.93\00:50:09.56
that Matthew 24:15 says to us,
00:50:09.59\00:50:11.53
"We're not leaving
until our work is done.
00:50:11.56\00:50:14.90
And this gospel of the kingdom
00:50:14.93\00:50:17.87
shall be
preached in all the world
00:50:17.90\00:50:21.01
for a witness unto all nations
00:50:21.04\00:50:23.84
and" finish it with me,
"and then shall the end come."
00:50:23.87\00:50:27.87
We're not going
anywhere until our work is done.
00:50:27.90\00:50:30.91
And I can't get
past that statement
00:50:30.94\00:50:32.96
where Ellen White says,
00:50:32.99\00:50:34.36
"The church is
holding up to some degree
00:50:36.52\00:50:39.57
the coming of the
Lord by its inactivity,
00:50:39.60\00:50:42.77
by not getting busy
with the Lord's work."
00:50:42.80\00:50:45.71
So it's gotta
be more than just--
00:50:45.74\00:50:48.01
and I know--we
strongly support Media Ministry.
00:50:48.04\00:50:51.32
You know that because
you're watching the program,
00:50:51.35\00:50:52.86
you're listening to the program.
00:50:52.89\00:50:54.26
We strongly support that.
00:50:54.29\00:50:55.71
But this is
just the gas station.
00:50:55.74\00:50:58.14
This is the filling station.
00:50:58.17\00:50:59.54
This is not where
you leave your car.
00:50:59.57\00:51:01.22
When you get filled
in the study of the word,
00:51:01.25\00:51:03.45
the sermons, the
services in church,
00:51:03.48\00:51:05.42
that's just the filling station.
00:51:05.45\00:51:06.82
We've gotta go out
filled by the commission,
00:51:06.85\00:51:09.11
filled by a
passion to save lives.
00:51:09.14\00:51:12.66
And empty ourselves.
00:51:12.69\00:51:14.06
Become poured out in
the life of somebody else.
00:51:14.09\00:51:18.01
So the Lord made
it very clear here,
00:51:18.04\00:51:20.26
I'm not going
until my work is done.
00:51:20.29\00:51:22.39
A little while
longer. I'm almost finished,
00:51:22.42\00:51:24.29
in other words what He's saying.
00:51:24.32\00:51:26.09
And then I'm going
back to Him who sent Me.
00:51:26.12\00:51:28.55
We will not go to where
00:51:28.58\00:51:29.95
we should be
because the Lord says,
00:51:29.98\00:51:31.39
"I go to prepare
a place for you."
00:51:31.42\00:51:33.02
See it's not enough for us
just to be prepared for heaven
00:51:33.05\00:51:35.69
because when we've finished
this program or this topic,
00:51:37.50\00:51:40.36
not necessarily tonight,
but when we finish this lesson,
00:51:40.39\00:51:42.68
you'll discover that there are
00:51:42.71\00:51:44.08
two things that
God prepares for us.
00:51:44.11\00:51:46.39
I'll tell you
now for those of you
00:51:46.42\00:51:47.93
who may not get
the next program.
00:51:47.96\00:51:49.65
God prepares a home for us.
00:51:49.68\00:51:52.88
But He prepares a work for us.
00:51:52.91\00:51:56.50
Before we get
to the home for us,
00:51:56.53\00:51:59.62
we've gotta go
through the work for us.
00:51:59.65\00:52:03.36
Not speaking about
salvation by works.
00:52:03.39\00:52:06.25
But apply it to the world
00:52:06.28\00:52:08.01
there's not a single
person that's been hired
00:52:08.04\00:52:10.32
that gets paid without working.
00:52:10.35\00:52:12.77
"Behold, I come quickly
00:52:12.80\00:52:14.17
and My reward is with
Me to give to every man
00:52:14.20\00:52:15.75
according to as
his work shall be."
00:52:15.78\00:52:18.67
All right? Let's go
to question number nine.
00:52:18.70\00:52:21.64
Question number nine,
00:52:21.67\00:52:23.37
"Whom did Jesus say was
with Him as He ministered?"
00:52:25.37\00:52:31.69
"Whom did Jesus
say was with Him?"
00:52:33.73\00:52:35.38
I'm giving you
elementary things,
00:52:35.41\00:52:37.28
but I want you to
catch the parallel.
00:52:37.31\00:52:39.06
Because
everything that was true,
00:52:39.09\00:52:40.85
but the work and the mission
of Jesus is also true about us.
00:52:40.88\00:52:43.49
We're not going
anywhere until our work is done.
00:52:43.52\00:52:45.82
Look at number nine.
00:52:45.85\00:52:47.22
The answer is John
chapter 8 and verse 16.
00:52:47.25\00:52:50.09
John chapter 8 and verse 16
00:52:50.12\00:52:52.13
and the answer is as follows.
00:52:52.16\00:52:54.41
He says--
00:52:54.44\00:52:55.81
it's the
continuation of a thought,
00:52:58.39\00:52:59.76
but I just wanted this verse.
00:52:59.79\00:53:01.16
"And yet if I do
judge, My judgment is true;
00:53:01.19\00:53:04.35
for I am not alone,
but I am with the Father
00:53:04.38\00:53:08.59
who" did what? "Sent Me."
00:53:08.62\00:53:10.70
Now you want to get this.
He was physically on earth.
00:53:10.73\00:53:14.99
But He was with
the Father in thought,
00:53:15.02\00:53:17.55
in mission, in deed, in passion.
00:53:17.58\00:53:21.03
There were no two lines.
00:53:21.06\00:53:22.65
They were synchronized together.
00:53:22.68\00:53:24.31
They were locked
in. Here's my point.
00:53:24.34\00:53:26.55
Whether we are
physically with the Father,
00:53:26.58\00:53:29.42
whether we are physically with
Jesus or not, its not the point.
00:53:29.45\00:53:32.65
We have to remember
that when we are involved
00:53:32.68\00:53:34.90
in the work of
God, we are not alone.
00:53:34.93\00:53:38.86
We're not alone. He
says, "I'll never do" what?
00:53:38.89\00:53:42.24
"Never leave you,
I'll never forsake you."
00:53:42.27\00:53:43.75
So when we are
involved in the work,
00:53:43.78\00:53:45.23
we have a divine
presence with us,
00:53:45.26\00:53:47.17
the Father, the
Lord, the Holy Spirit.
00:53:47.20\00:53:50.79
That's what He
gave to the church.
00:53:50.82\00:53:53.26
He filled the church with
the power of His Holy Spirit.
00:53:53.29\00:53:56.46
And then He sent
them forth to labor.
00:53:56.49\00:53:58.23
So when we are involved in
the work, we are not alone.
00:53:58.26\00:54:02.53
That's what I wanted to
pull out of this passage.
00:54:02.56\00:54:04.78
We are not alone.
00:54:04.81\00:54:06.18
And Jesus made
it very, very clear.
00:54:06.21\00:54:07.58
"The one who sent me
is the one who I am with."
00:54:07.61\00:54:10.52
So if somebody
knocks on our door
00:54:10.55\00:54:13.11
that we don't
recognize and--by the way,
00:54:13.14\00:54:16.79
let me just give
you another part.
00:54:16.82\00:54:18.19
Don't open the door.
Don't ever open the door.
00:54:18.22\00:54:20.28
They say if
somebody's knocking on your door
00:54:20.31\00:54:21.70
and they claim to be-- make sure
00:54:21.73\00:54:23.52
they show you
official I.D., right?
00:54:23.55\00:54:28.07
So if you say, well I'm
with the Local Law Enforcement.
00:54:28.10\00:54:31.12
Could I see
your I.D.? All right?
00:54:31.15\00:54:35.51
See the
connection to the Father.
00:54:35.54\00:54:37.43
I need to make sure that
00:54:37.46\00:54:38.83
who you say you're
with is in fact the case.
00:54:38.86\00:54:42.16
Because there are lot
of camouflage Christians
00:54:42.19\00:54:43.79
now-a-days, lot of
camouflage messages.
00:54:43.82\00:54:46.39
We have to make sure
that our words and our work
00:54:46.42\00:54:49.19
is always in harmony with
the mission of the Father.
00:54:49.22\00:54:52.19
Okay, number ten. Number ten,
00:54:52.22\00:54:55.65
"Concerning His teachings
00:54:55.68\00:54:57.54
what point of
origin did Jesus give?"
00:54:57.57\00:55:01.39
"Concerning His teachings
00:55:01.42\00:55:02.86
what point of
origin did Jesus give?"
00:55:02.89\00:55:05.10
This is really--this
is very powerful one here.
00:55:05.13\00:55:07.64
Simple answer, but
powerful in the context.
00:55:07.67\00:55:10.57
Number ten, we're going
00:55:10.60\00:55:11.97
to John 7 and
verse 16 for the answer.
00:55:12.00\00:55:15.42
John 7 and verse 16, all right?
00:55:15.45\00:55:18.97
You all ready for the answer?
00:55:20.99\00:55:23.18
Ready for the
answer, here it comes.
00:55:23.21\00:55:24.65
And the Bible says,
"Jesus answered them and said,
00:55:26.47\00:55:30.70
"My," what's the next word?
00:55:30.73\00:55:33.15
"My doctrine is not
Mine, but His who sent Me."
00:55:33.18\00:55:38.75
Notice once again.
Everything He taught
00:55:38.78\00:55:41.24
had an origin,
a point of origin.
00:55:41.27\00:55:42.77
He didn't make it up
when He came to the earth.
00:55:42.80\00:55:44.37
As a matter of fact
even when the Spirit--
00:55:44.40\00:55:46.02
even when the
Holy Spirit was left--
00:55:46.05\00:55:47.69
if you go to John 16:13,
00:55:47.72\00:55:49.09
go there very quickly with me.
00:55:49.12\00:55:50.49
John 16 verse
13, just to show you
00:55:50.52\00:55:53.14
that the unbroken connection
00:55:53.17\00:55:56.22
between the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:55:56.25\00:56:01.19
John 16 verse 13,
00:56:01.22\00:56:03.56
there's a
connection that is so powerful.
00:56:03.59\00:56:05.24
In other words what
the Lord was saying--
00:56:05.27\00:56:06.91
He said to those if
you hear what I say,
00:56:06.94\00:56:09.66
you know that My Father
believes the same thing.
00:56:09.69\00:56:12.81
What does that say to us?
00:56:12.84\00:56:14.21
Anytime we teach
anybody anything,
00:56:14.24\00:56:16.27
it has to connect
with what Jesus would say.
00:56:16.30\00:56:19.49
Because there're whole
lot of doctrine in this world
00:56:19.52\00:56:22.31
that we cannot say
came from the Father.
00:56:22.34\00:56:26.73
There're whole lot
of doctrinal teachings
00:56:26.76\00:56:28.27
in this world that are man made
00:56:28.30\00:56:30.22
that does belong to the
individual who came up with it.
00:56:30.25\00:56:33.86
But anytime we teach something,
00:56:33.89\00:56:35.45
it has to have a
divine connection.
00:56:35.48\00:56:37.02
Look at John 16 verse 13,
00:56:37.05\00:56:39.24
boy, this is going by so fast.
00:56:39.27\00:56:41.32
"However when He, the
Spirit of truth, has come,
00:56:41.35\00:56:44.18
He will guide you into"
how much truth? "All truth.
00:56:44.21\00:56:48.29
For he will not
speak on his own authority
00:56:48.32\00:56:52.45
and neither did
Jesus, but whatever He hears,
00:56:52.48\00:56:56.86
He will speak and He
will tell you things to come."
00:56:56.89\00:57:00.61
And get this how Jesus
connected with the Father.
00:57:00.64\00:57:03.15
Look how the Holy
Spirit connects to Jesus.
00:57:03.18\00:57:05.35
"He will glorify Me for he will
00:57:05.38\00:57:07.64
take of what is
Mine, and declare to you."
00:57:07.67\00:57:11.44
See the unbroken thread.
00:57:11.47\00:57:13.36
From the Father to
Jesus, Jesus to the Holy Spirit,
00:57:13.39\00:57:17.77
the Holy Spirit to us.
00:57:17.80\00:57:19.67
That's how
Revelation got together.
00:57:19.70\00:57:21.89
Father to Jesus,
Jesus to the Holy Spirit,
00:57:21.92\00:57:25.82
to the Angel of the
seven churches down to us.
00:57:25.85\00:57:29.05
Man, our time
came and went so fast.
00:57:29.08\00:57:31.16
I'll tell you, I
want you to stay tuned
00:57:31.19\00:57:32.56
for the
continuation of this lesson.
00:57:32.59\00:57:34.13
And by the way, if
you want to summarize
00:57:34.16\00:57:36.05
this in a word that you
can take sometime to study.
00:57:36.08\00:57:38.52
The word is deployment.
00:57:38.55\00:57:40.30
There is a great commission
00:57:40.33\00:57:42.11
that I like to term
the greatest commission.
00:57:42.14\00:57:44.50
The greatest commission
00:57:44.53\00:57:46.00
is the saving of souls
for the kingdom of God.
00:57:46.03\00:57:49.46
When you walk through the
gates into the New Jerusalem,
00:57:49.49\00:57:52.33
there are gonna be
many that walk through
00:57:52.36\00:57:53.75
those gates with you if
you simply lived your lives
00:57:53.78\00:57:56.92
to the honor and glory of God.
00:57:56.95\00:57:58.32
So keep
trusting God and His word
00:57:58.35\00:58:00.57
will come into a sharper focus.
00:58:00.60\00:58:03.31