Hello, friends, and welcome
to another A Sharper Focus
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Wednesday Night Bible Study here
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at the 3ABN Worship
Center in Thompsonville.
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Can we all say welcome?
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Welcome.
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Hey, yeah, our
local audience is ready.
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I hope you are ready
also with your Bibles,
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and if you like a
copy of the lesson tonight,
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go to this website,
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don't put www, go asf.3abn.org
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and download lesson 009,
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we're continuing
to finish that lesson.
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But if you wanna get ready
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just in case we
finish that tonight,
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there's a new lesson uploaded,
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lesson number 10,
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it is called
"The Power of Prayer."
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And you wanna have
a copy of that also
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just in case we get
through the seven questions`
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that we have to cover tonight
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but as you know, if
you've watched before,
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whatever we
don't finish tonight,
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we hold over until next week,
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but thank you for tuning in.
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And we'd like you
to invite your friends
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and family members
to sit down right now.
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We're ready,
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but we're gonna ask
the Lord's blessing,
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then we gonna sing a song
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and then we will
dive into our lesson
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study tonight entitled...
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What's the title
of our lesson tonight?
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"The Greatest Commission,"
"The Greatest Commission,"
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that's what our
lesson title is for tonight.
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But let's bow our heads
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and invite the presence
of the Lord to be with us.
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Heavenly Father, thank
You for this opportunity,
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Your Word is a book that
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continues to be the
number one best seller.
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Yet for some
strange reason, Father,
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so many lives are
not being changed,
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so many people are
moving in directions
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that are not fitting,
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and not in
harmony with the leading
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of Your Holy Spirit.
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But, Lord, on the
other side of that coin,
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there are lots of
transformed lives.
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Lives that are
being strengthened
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preparing for eternity.
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And, Lord, tonight
remind us that as we follow You,
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there's a
particular call upon our lives
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and as we study
that commission tonight,
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what that great commission is,
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help us to also be filled
with a desire to follow it.
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In Jesus name we pray.
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Amen. Amen.
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Now last week we ended
with question number 21,
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but tonight I wanna go back
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to one of my favorite
passages in the Bible,
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actually there are two.
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I wanna begin by
going to Matthew Chapter 12.
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It's not on the screen
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but sorry, we're
gonna sing a song.
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I forgot, we're
gonna sing a song.
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If you have been following us,
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you know that we
always sing the song,
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what's the name of it?
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"Victory in
Jesus." "Victory in Jesus."
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So tonight join us as
we sing our theme song.
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It will be on our screen,
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but you can join us as we sing.
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I heard an old, old story
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How the Savior came from glory
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How He gave His life on Calvary
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To save a wretch like me
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I heard about His groaning
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Of His precious blood's atoning
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Then I repented of my sin
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And won the victory
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Chorus.
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O victory in Jesus
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My Savior forever
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew Him
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And all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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I heard about a mansion
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He has built for me in glory
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And I heard about
the streets of gold
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Beyond the crystal sea
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About the angels singing
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And the old redemption story
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And some sweet day
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I'll sing up there
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The song of victory Key change.
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O victory in Jesus
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My Savior forever
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew Him
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And all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to victory
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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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Can you say amen to that?
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Amen.
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You know the words that I,
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I think sometimes we miss
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but this song
has a lot of elements
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of relevance to
what we're studying.
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It says, "He sought
me and He bought me."
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He sought, say that with me,
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He did what? Sought.
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Sought me and he bought me.
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And we've been
studying up until this point
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that the gospel commission
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is broader than
sometimes we really give it
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the relevance that it has.
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The gospel commission
is not just for preachers,
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and evangelists, and pastors,
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and
professionally trained people
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that are
comfortable in the public side.
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But every one of us
is called to do something
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for the building up
of the kingdom of God,
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every one of us.
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And when you look
at these two texts
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that I alluded to a moment ago
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that I like you
to turn to tonight
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to begin our study.
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First go with me
to Matthew Chapter 12.
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What book did I say? Matthew.
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Matthew Chapter 12
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and I wanna recommend if
anyone is tuning in late,
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if you wanna get a
copy of the lesson,
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go to asf.3abn.org
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and download lesson number 9,
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and don't put
www, you won't find it.
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We're getting now to
the place where you know,
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you just don't
need the www anymore.
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If it is www, you can put it,
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but if you don't put
it, you'll still find it.
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But in our case
you won't find it
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if you do put the www.
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Now that I've confused you,
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let's go to Matthew 12:30.
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Okay, this text
is really amazing.
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This text destroys neutrality.
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What's the word that I used?
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Neutrality. Neutral...
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There is no neutral
gear in the Christian life.
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You are either going forward
or you're going in reverse.
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There is no place as a Christian
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that you're standing
there wondering what to do.
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You're either
growing or you're dying.
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You're either...
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And so this is the
verse that we read together.
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Let's read this together.
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It says, "He who is not..."
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Let's try that again.
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"He who is not with me..."
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Oh, verse 30,
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didn't I say Matthew 12:30?
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Good thing you guys are awake.
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I've got a really good class,
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they are holding
my feet to the fire.
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Are you ready? Matthew 12:30.
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Let's read that together.
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"He who is not
with Me is against Me,
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and he who does not
gather with Me," does what?
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"Scatters abroad."
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I always like to think
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of the gospel commission
as a person standing there
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when a feathered
pillow bursts open.
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If you are not
gathering those feathers
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as they're flying in
the different directions,
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it's impossible
to get them later on
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because they are
moving so quickly, so rapidly
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that it's hard to gather them.
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But the Lord gives
us another analogy.
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We're gonna go to Matthew 4:19,
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same book but different chapter.
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The gospel
commission destroys neutrality.
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In other words,
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every one of us
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is in one of those
categories or the other.
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We are either gathering
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or we are, what's the next word?
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Scattering.
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We're either
gathering or scattering.
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In other words, we may not be
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intentionally
scattering people away
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by our inactivity, by
our unwillingness to gather,
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we're involved in scattering.
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And when you
think of this parable,
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the Lord is using
the Parable of the Sower.
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Matthew 13 talks about
the Parable of the Sower.
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They scattered seed,
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seed went everywhere
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but when the harvest time came,
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they gather in
100% of the harvest.
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When the seed was scattered,
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it only was effective
one fourth of the time
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because three
fourths of the time,
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the kind of ground that
it found was either stony,
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thorny, or shallow,
but that was not the case.
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When the seed that
found good soil was gathered,
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it was always a
100% of the harvest
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that grew was gathered in.
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So the reason why this
text is so relevant for today
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is because a lot
of times people think,
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well, when the
latter rain falls out,
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when the latter
rain is poured out,
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then I'll be ready and waiting
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to go out and
gather in the sheaves
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so to speak.
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But we can't wait
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until there is some
latter burst of energy
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or some empowerment
later on in the future
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because if you look
at the world right now,
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the harvest is ripe.
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There are people that
want to be gathered in,
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but if you're not
going out to gather them in,
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then they are
going to stand there
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and unfortunately, somebody
is gonna gather them in.
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Somebody is gonna gather.
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They're gonna be
gathered by error
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or they're gonna
be gathered by what?
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Truth.
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So those of us
who know the truth
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cannot afford to be idle
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and say, well, you know,
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they will be
there when I am ready.
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No, the devil is busy.
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The devil is very busy.
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There was a lady that
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always had
something positive to say
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and one day the pastor said,
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"You know what? I know
how to shut her mouth."
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Because every
time the truth was out
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and people were leaving
and they were shaking hands,
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this lady was always positive
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and the church members got tired
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of her being positive.
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What kind of church was she in?
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And so they decided
along with the pastor
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to try
something one day terrible
00:10:39.17\00:10:41.40
and they said,"
Let's see if she...
00:10:41.44\00:10:42.77
Let's see if we could get
her to say something negative."
00:10:42.80\00:10:44.47
So one day, they said,"
00:10:44.51\00:10:46.34
What can you tell me
positive about the devil?"
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And she said, "He sure is busy."
00:10:49.58\00:10:51.65
Isn't that true? Yes.
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If you go to Las Vegas,
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we went to Las Vegas
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and I wanna let you
know we went to Las Vegas
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with 3ABN to one of
the churches out there,
00:11:01.29\00:11:04.89
but you can't be in that city
00:11:04.93\00:11:06.26
and not be drawn by the lights,
00:11:06.29\00:11:08.16
so we decided one evening
after the program is over,
00:11:08.20\00:11:10.57
kind of walked down the streets
00:11:10.60\00:11:11.93
and see what's
actually happening out there.
00:11:11.97\00:11:13.30
Lot of lights, lot of
camera, lot of action,
00:11:13.34\00:11:15.44
but I noticed on
every street corner
00:11:15.47\00:11:17.34
and between one
corner and the other,
00:11:17.37\00:11:19.71
there was always
somebody out there
00:11:19.74\00:11:21.08
passing something out.
00:11:21.11\00:11:24.61
I mean it could be freezing cold
00:11:24.65\00:11:26.11
and they're out there
backpack filled with fliers
00:11:26.15\00:11:29.62
and they are
passing something out.
00:11:29.65\00:11:31.59
And I wanna let you know
00:11:31.62\00:11:33.15
that what they were passing out,
00:11:33.19\00:11:34.52
I wasn't buying
00:11:34.56\00:11:36.52
because it was quite earthly,
quite earthy, quite dark
00:11:36.56\00:11:41.26
but on every street corner
when you go to New York City
00:11:41.30\00:11:44.37
and you're
walking down Time Square
00:11:44.40\00:11:46.03
or you're walking on one
of those busy intersections,
00:11:46.07\00:11:49.10
there's somebody
always passing something out
00:11:49.14\00:11:51.97
and the question
begs to be asked,
00:11:52.01\00:11:54.78
"Where are the Christians?
00:11:54.81\00:11:57.05
Where are Christians
with their backpacks?"
00:11:57.08\00:11:59.55
You know, how come we're
not on the corner somewhere?
00:11:59.58\00:12:02.42
How come we're not at
a mall out in Carbondale?
00:12:02.45\00:12:04.59
You know, there's
nothing, there's no law.
00:12:04.62\00:12:09.12
If they say no
loitering or no solicitation,
00:12:09.16\00:12:12.23
that's a
different story altogether,
00:12:12.26\00:12:13.93
but there are so many
places that we could be active
00:12:13.96\00:12:16.83
in planting
seeds and activating.
00:12:16.87\00:12:19.97
That's why just recently
our board made the decision
00:12:20.00\00:12:22.70
to go ahead and plant...
00:12:22.74\00:12:25.54
door hangers,
00:12:25.57\00:12:28.14
so we could just
blink at the world
00:12:28.18\00:12:30.01
many times over
that is our world.
00:12:30.05\00:12:32.41
We don't have
40,000 people living here
00:12:32.45\00:12:34.42
but I'll tell you
what, it'd be great to go out
00:12:34.45\00:12:35.98
over and over and over again.
00:12:36.02\00:12:37.35
Amen?
00:12:37.39\00:12:38.72
Because you either
gathering with Christ
00:12:38.75\00:12:40.79
or you're scattering abroad.
00:12:40.82\00:12:42.16
There is no such thing
as a neutral Christian.
00:12:42.19\00:12:44.86
And here's why we
have to go out and gather.
00:12:44.89\00:12:47.40
Look at Matthew 4:19.
00:12:47.43\00:12:50.77
Matthew 4:19,
notice what it says,
00:12:50.80\00:12:54.80
"Then He said to them,"
00:12:54.84\00:12:56.27
what are the next two words?
00:12:56.30\00:12:57.64
Follow me.
00:12:57.67\00:12:59.01
"Follow Me, and I
will make you," what?
00:12:59.04\00:13:01.11
"Fishers of men."
00:13:01.14\00:13:02.48
Now he didn't say,
follow me inactively.
00:13:02.51\00:13:05.05
Jesus wasn't
taking them to the ocean
00:13:05.08\00:13:07.32
and getting them fishing rods
00:13:07.35\00:13:09.15
and getting them tackling worms,
00:13:09.18\00:13:11.19
but what He was
in essence saying,
00:13:11.22\00:13:12.72
the word, the
phrase there follow Me,
00:13:12.75\00:13:14.42
he's in essence saying,
00:13:14.46\00:13:16.42
"Look at what I am
doing and do likewise."
00:13:16.46\00:13:20.80
I mean look at what my life
is consumed by and do likewise.
00:13:20.83\00:13:25.80
So He's in essence saying,
"I am setting up an example."
00:13:25.83\00:13:28.24
And the reason why
this is so vitally important
00:13:28.27\00:13:30.04
because this commission
is not always going to be...
00:13:30.07\00:13:33.24
There's not always
going to be this opportunity
00:13:33.27\00:13:36.71
waiting for us
00:13:36.75\00:13:38.08
because sooner or later
the opportunity to gather souls
00:13:38.11\00:13:40.78
is not going to be there.
00:13:40.82\00:13:42.28
That's why I wanna bring
up question number 22 tonight.
00:13:42.32\00:13:46.05
Question number 22.
00:13:46.09\00:13:47.42
Now this question,
let's look at the screen.
00:13:47.46\00:13:50.63
How solemn is the call laid
upon the followers of Christ?
00:13:50.66\00:13:55.70
It's a very solemn call.
00:13:55.73\00:13:58.60
And when you read
this, you will discover
00:13:58.63\00:14:01.60
that we've gotta
be busy for the Lord.
00:14:01.64\00:14:03.61
All right?
00:14:03.64\00:14:04.97
Ezekiel 33:8 and
question number 22,
00:14:05.01\00:14:08.44
that's on syllabus 009,
The Greatest Commission.
00:14:08.48\00:14:12.81
Here's the question,
how solemn is the call
00:14:12.85\00:14:14.45
laid upon the
followers of Christ?
00:14:14.48\00:14:16.58
Look at this, Ezekiel
33:8, it's on the screen.
00:14:16.62\00:14:19.82
Now follow me as I read it.
00:14:19.85\00:14:22.22
It says, "When I
say to the wicked,
00:14:22.26\00:14:24.49
'O wicked man, you
shall surely die!'"
00:14:24.53\00:14:28.86
And get this,
00:14:28.90\00:14:30.23
"And you do not
speak to warn the wicked
00:14:30.27\00:14:33.34
from his ways,
00:14:33.37\00:14:35.10
that wicked man
shall die in his," what?
00:14:35.14\00:14:38.61
"In his iniquity,
00:14:38.64\00:14:40.08
but his blood
will I require," what?
00:14:40.11\00:14:43.35
"At your hand."
00:14:43.38\00:14:44.78
Now, you may say but,
that's about preaching.
00:14:44.81\00:14:49.35
I don't know if you know
it but a flyer preaches also.
00:14:49.38\00:14:53.22
A tract preaches also.
00:14:53.25\00:14:55.89
A pamphlet preaches also
00:14:55.92\00:14:58.86
and what's nice about that
00:14:58.89\00:15:00.23
is you can have pulpits
all over the neighborhood.
00:15:00.26\00:15:02.96
Anywhere that a
person receives a tract
00:15:03.00\00:15:05.23
or a pamphlet or a
booklet, a sermon is preached.
00:15:05.27\00:15:08.40
So God is
calling us as watchmen.
00:15:08.44\00:15:10.94
We are what?
00:15:10.97\00:15:12.31
We are watchmen.
00:15:12.34\00:15:13.68
We've got to
see the sword coming
00:15:13.71\00:15:15.04
and believe me,
the sword is coming.
00:15:15.08\00:15:16.88
We've got to
see the sword coming
00:15:16.91\00:15:18.51
and be willing to warn those
00:15:18.55\00:15:21.12
whose lives are
presently in danger.
00:15:21.15\00:15:23.45
We've gotta warn the wicked
00:15:23.49\00:15:24.85
but if we don't warn the wicked,
00:15:24.89\00:15:27.36
who has to answer for that?
00:15:27.39\00:15:29.22
Every one of us.
00:15:29.26\00:15:30.59
So put it this way.
00:15:30.63\00:15:32.29
I wanna hear the
words or the phrase,
00:15:32.33\00:15:34.23
"Well done thou good
and faithful servant."
00:15:34.26\00:15:36.33
I don't wanna
stand before the Lord
00:15:36.36\00:15:37.70
and say, and hear Him say,
00:15:37.73\00:15:39.13
"Now you have to pay
00:15:39.17\00:15:42.07
for those that you didn't warn."
00:15:42.10\00:15:45.74
That's the only other category.
00:15:45.77\00:15:47.51
See this thing
about being called,
00:15:47.54\00:15:49.38
think about it in the army now.
00:15:49.41\00:15:50.85
Let's think about the
army for a brief moment.
00:15:50.88\00:15:53.31
Do you know what
happens to soldiers
00:15:53.35\00:15:54.68
that refuse to go
to the battlefield
00:15:54.72\00:15:57.45
or decide that you know what?
00:15:57.49\00:16:01.19
When they get deployed,
00:16:01.22\00:16:02.56
I'm gonna hide
somewhere, find a way
00:16:02.59\00:16:04.46
to have somebody meet
me down in Afghanistan
00:16:04.49\00:16:07.36
and get me a private plane,
00:16:07.40\00:16:08.73
I'm gonna fly
back to New York City.
00:16:08.76\00:16:11.97
And when they go to check
00:16:12.00\00:16:13.34
to see whether or
not I'm in the field,
00:16:13.37\00:16:14.77
I don't really
care whether or not
00:16:14.80\00:16:16.14
they discover that I'm gone.
00:16:16.17\00:16:17.51
What do they call that?
00:16:17.54\00:16:19.04
Awol. Awol, right?
00:16:19.07\00:16:21.14
Which means what?
00:16:21.18\00:16:22.61
Absent without leave.
00:16:22.64\00:16:26.38
Now, each one of us
is a soldier, are we not?
00:16:26.41\00:16:30.32
We are soldiers in
the army of the Lord.
00:16:30.35\00:16:33.19
If you don't
think you're in a war,
00:16:33.22\00:16:34.82
read Revelation 12:17,
00:16:34.86\00:16:36.73
the dragon went to make war,
00:16:36.76\00:16:39.49
that war in heaven, this
earth is the battlefield.
00:16:39.53\00:16:42.83
So every one of us is called
00:16:42.86\00:16:44.20
to be soldiers
on the battlefield
00:16:44.23\00:16:45.63
for the Lord.
00:16:45.67\00:16:47.00
So we cannot
afford to be what? Awol.
00:16:47.04\00:16:51.01
Awol, absent without leave
00:16:51.04\00:16:53.27
because once the call
of God comes on your life,
00:16:53.31\00:16:55.61
that call is not removed.
00:16:55.64\00:16:58.01
That call is there
until the Lord comes.
00:16:58.05\00:17:00.58
So when we
accept the commission,
00:17:00.62\00:17:03.45
remember, we
talked about a commission,
00:17:03.49\00:17:05.05
what a commission is,
a commissioned officer.
00:17:05.09\00:17:08.12
When a person is commissioned,
they are called to be involved
00:17:08.16\00:17:11.73
in the battle or in
the work that is at hand.
00:17:11.76\00:17:14.86
That's why it's
so vitally important
00:17:14.90\00:17:16.23
as pastors for us to
get our membership ready.
00:17:16.26\00:17:18.93
To be not awol
but in the battle,
00:17:18.97\00:17:22.47
on the battlefield,
00:17:22.50\00:17:24.57
carrying the message
of salvation freedom.
00:17:24.61\00:17:27.31
So how solemn is the call laid
upon the followers of Christ?
00:17:27.34\00:17:30.21
What would you put?
00:17:30.25\00:17:32.51
How solemn?
00:17:32.55\00:17:34.35
Very solemn.
00:17:34.38\00:17:35.72
You can even
underline the passage,
00:17:35.75\00:17:37.59
"His blood will I
require at your hand."
00:17:37.62\00:17:40.32
That's a powerful verse.
00:17:40.36\00:17:42.72
I mean, you know,
that's why some people say,
00:17:42.76\00:17:44.39
"Man, Pastor John, that was a...
00:17:44.43\00:17:45.76
Boy, that was a hard
solemn." You know what?
00:17:45.79\00:17:48.40
I've made up my mind that
when I stand before the Lord,
00:17:48.43\00:17:50.97
I'm not gonna have to
answer for those that I...
00:17:51.00\00:17:54.14
I'm not gonna say Lord,
00:17:54.17\00:17:55.50
I wanted to preach
that sermon really hard,
00:17:55.54\00:17:57.11
but I don't
wanna offend anybody.
00:17:57.14\00:17:58.64
He'll say, "Offend?
00:17:58.67\00:18:00.11
That's your job as a soldier
to let them know there's a war,
00:18:00.14\00:18:02.88
to let them know
that there is something
00:18:02.91\00:18:04.31
that's gonna take their lives."
00:18:04.35\00:18:05.68
If we don't tell it like
it is, then what happens?
00:18:05.71\00:18:08.98
His blood will be
required at my hands.
00:18:09.02\00:18:13.29
So I just, I need the
atoning blood of Christ for me.
00:18:13.32\00:18:16.42
I don't have any blood
to atone for anybody else.
00:18:16.46\00:18:19.16
Number 23. Number 23.
00:18:19.19\00:18:22.23
What biblical story describes
00:18:22.26\00:18:24.77
the two classes of
Christ's followers?"
00:18:24.80\00:18:26.94
What biblical story describes
00:18:26.97\00:18:30.14
the two classes of
Christ's followers?"
00:18:30.17\00:18:33.84
And we are in Matthew 21:28-31.
00:18:33.88\00:18:40.02
Matthew 21:28-31,
there are only two classes,
00:18:40.05\00:18:45.62
this is really amazing.
00:18:45.65\00:18:46.99
You might see yourself
in one of these categories.
00:18:47.02\00:18:49.49
This is kind of... This
story is really unusual.
00:18:49.52\00:18:51.49
I've not heard
many sermons about it,
00:18:51.53\00:18:53.56
but it's pretty interesting.
00:18:53.60\00:18:55.76
Here it is,
00:18:55.80\00:18:57.23
starting with verse 28,
00:18:57.27\00:18:59.77
"But what do you
think?" What do you think?
00:18:59.80\00:19:03.04
A man had, "how many sons?"
00:19:03.07\00:19:04.47
Two sons, and he
came to the first
00:19:04.51\00:19:06.74
and said, 'Son, go, work,' when?
00:19:06.78\00:19:11.31
"Today in my vineyard.
00:19:11.35\00:19:12.88
He answered and
said, 'I will not,'
00:19:12.91\00:19:16.12
but afterward,"
what does it say?
00:19:16.15\00:19:18.39
"He regretted it and went.
00:19:18.42\00:19:21.59
Then he came to the
second and said likewise.
00:19:21.62\00:19:24.49
And he answered and said,
00:19:24.53\00:19:26.19
'I go, sir,'
but he did not go.'"
00:19:26.23\00:19:29.26
Now here's the question.
00:19:29.30\00:19:30.70
"Which of the two did
the will of his father?'
00:19:30.73\00:19:35.04
They said to Him, 'The first.'
00:19:35.07\00:19:38.04
And Jesus said to them,
00:19:38.07\00:19:39.41
'Assuredly, I say to you
that tax collectors and harlots
00:19:39.44\00:19:45.28
enter the kingdom
of God before you.'"
00:19:45.31\00:19:48.32
Now this is a solemn
passage, 'cause you know what?
00:19:48.35\00:19:52.42
I don't know
about how many people
00:19:52.45\00:19:53.79
ever read their
baptismal certificate.
00:19:53.82\00:19:55.16
How many of you have
baptismal certificate?
00:19:55.19\00:19:56.52
You all should have one.
00:19:56.56\00:19:57.89
It may do you well to go
home and read those 13 points
00:19:57.93\00:20:00.63
that you agreed to,
because you agreed to go.
00:20:00.66\00:20:05.30
But it says, "And
afterword he didn't."
00:20:05.33\00:20:09.14
And those who didn't
agree to go actually went.
00:20:09.17\00:20:13.14
So here's the...
00:20:13.17\00:20:16.85
I don't wanna
use the word crazy,
00:20:16.88\00:20:18.21
here's the magnificent...
00:20:18.25\00:20:23.55
I'm at loss for words.
00:20:23.59\00:20:25.69
And that's strange
from a person from New York.
00:20:25.72\00:20:29.16
It's such an amazing
responsibility to say,
00:20:29.19\00:20:34.03
I wanna follow Christ.
00:20:34.06\00:20:36.36
It's an amazing responsibility
because when we stand there,
00:20:36.40\00:20:39.87
I wish I had a
baptismal certificate,
00:20:39.90\00:20:41.40
I have the
internet, I can go find it
00:20:41.44\00:20:42.77
but it's not imperative
right now but the point is,
00:20:42.80\00:20:44.81
will you buy your
efforts and buy your ties
00:20:44.84\00:20:47.64
and buy your gears,
00:20:47.68\00:20:49.01
you know, a system there
carrying forth of the message
00:20:49.04\00:20:51.65
and they stand there
before the congregation
00:20:51.68\00:20:53.01
and say, "I will."
00:20:53.05\00:20:57.75
And he said, "Which one?"
00:20:57.79\00:21:00.26
Which one did the
will of the father?
00:21:00.29\00:21:01.86
The one that
said, "I'm not going,"
00:21:01.89\00:21:03.22
and he ended up
going or the one that says,
00:21:03.26\00:21:05.03
"I'm going," but
he didn't do anything.
00:21:05.06\00:21:08.43
So look, what's the answer now.
00:21:08.46\00:21:10.97
Which biblical story
00:21:11.00\00:21:12.73
describes the two classes
of the followers of Christ?
00:21:12.77\00:21:15.97
Okay, let me
just put it this way.
00:21:16.00\00:21:18.97
If you wanna
write your answer down,
00:21:19.01\00:21:20.78
maybe you want to write this,
00:21:20.81\00:21:22.14
because this is a
long answer but put this,
00:21:22.18\00:21:23.85
action speaks louder than words.
00:21:23.88\00:21:27.45
Right?
00:21:27.48\00:21:29.48
You gotta be careful.
00:21:29.52\00:21:30.85
There's a text
in the Ecclesiastes,
00:21:30.89\00:21:32.22
it says,
00:21:32.25\00:21:33.96
and I'm gonna read it
in the King James Version,
00:21:33.99\00:21:35.52
it says, "Suffer not thy
mouth to cause thy flesh to sin
00:21:35.56\00:21:39.59
and say before
God it was a mistake."
00:21:39.63\00:21:43.06
Because He does
not delight Himself
00:21:43.10\00:21:44.43
in the sacrifice of fools.
00:21:44.47\00:21:46.84
That's a powerful passage.
00:21:46.87\00:21:49.00
In other words, he
says, "Don't allow your mouth
00:21:49.04\00:21:52.04
to cause your flesh to sin
00:21:52.07\00:21:53.94
and say as you stand before God,
00:21:53.98\00:21:55.44
it was a mistake."
00:21:55.48\00:21:56.88
Because God says,
"He does not accept
00:21:56.91\00:21:59.01
the sacrifice of fools."
00:21:59.05\00:22:00.72
What He in essence is saying,
it is foolish for us to say,
00:22:00.75\00:22:03.35
I am going,
00:22:03.39\00:22:05.55
but then you go out
in the vineyard and say,
00:22:05.59\00:22:06.92
"Where are they?"
00:22:06.96\00:22:08.29
And there is a
songwriter that says,
00:22:08.32\00:22:09.99
"My house is full,
but my field is empty.
00:22:10.03\00:22:13.90
Who will go and
work for me today?"
00:22:13.93\00:22:15.56
Now, let me put
this in the right context
00:22:15.60\00:22:16.93
because lot of
times people may say,
00:22:16.97\00:22:18.77
"Wow, he's talking
whole lot about works."
00:22:18.80\00:22:20.90
I just finished a
sermon this Sabbath
00:22:20.94\00:22:22.97
called "The Faith of Demons."
00:22:23.00\00:22:25.34
Now, the point I wanna make
00:22:25.37\00:22:26.71
for those of you that
did not tune in on Sabbath
00:22:26.74\00:22:28.71
to hear the sermon.
00:22:28.74\00:22:30.11
The demons believed
that there is one God.
00:22:30.15\00:22:33.98
They had an intellectual
00:22:34.02\00:22:35.72
and a theological belief
that was completely correct,
00:22:35.75\00:22:40.92
but they were still demons.
00:22:40.96\00:22:43.66
They believed
that God was one God
00:22:43.69\00:22:45.09
and that was true.
00:22:45.13\00:22:46.46
That's the one thing
that separated Christians
00:22:46.49\00:22:47.96
from any other
religion on the earth.
00:22:48.00\00:22:50.20
They believed in one God.
00:22:50.23\00:22:52.27
But what made them demons
00:22:52.30\00:22:56.07
is that they did nothing
to advance the cause of God.
00:22:56.10\00:22:58.64
Their existence was to thwart
00:22:58.67\00:23:02.21
or to hinder the
spread of the gospel.
00:23:02.24\00:23:04.98
Our existence as
Christians cannot be
00:23:05.01\00:23:07.55
to hinder the
spread of the gospel.
00:23:07.58\00:23:09.12
It's like a football game starts
00:23:09.15\00:23:10.89
and out of the 40 players
on the San Francisco 49ers...
00:23:10.92\00:23:16.26
I don't know
what's the Illinois...
00:23:16.29\00:23:17.63
What's the Illinois team?
00:23:17.66\00:23:19.19
Chicago Bears.
00:23:19.23\00:23:21.70
It's like 38 of the 40 players
are in a locker room still
00:23:21.73\00:23:25.93
and the coach is on the
sideline saying, "Okay...
00:23:25.97\00:23:27.80
The game is about to
begin, where is my team?"
00:23:31.07\00:23:33.17
And the other team is
on the field ready to go,
00:23:33.21\00:23:36.04
fully dressed up in the uniform.
00:23:36.08\00:23:37.81
If you look at the
world, brothers and sisters,
00:23:37.85\00:23:41.12
the devil's got
his people out there.
00:23:41.15\00:23:44.55
They are out there.
00:23:44.59\00:23:45.92
You walk the streets of New York
00:23:45.95\00:23:47.29
or any major city,
00:23:47.32\00:23:48.66
they are there
trying to sell you drugs
00:23:48.69\00:23:50.36
or get you to go to
some kind of dark parlor
00:23:50.39\00:23:53.50
or trying to sell you something
that you don't wanna buy.
00:23:53.53\00:23:56.33
The advertisers are
always plunging our emails
00:23:56.36\00:23:59.33
with offers for
things that we don't want.
00:23:59.37\00:24:02.54
Have you noticed that?
00:24:02.57\00:24:05.57
But we are the Christians,
00:24:05.61\00:24:07.51
we're kind of like
the silent majority,
00:24:07.54\00:24:09.68
and we cannot
finish the work of God
00:24:09.71\00:24:12.21
with a remote control.
00:24:12.25\00:24:14.18
Now let's look at
question number 24,
00:24:14.22\00:24:15.58
so what biblical story?
00:24:15.62\00:24:18.55
The two sons,
00:24:18.59\00:24:20.29
the two sons is the answer.
00:24:20.32\00:24:22.39
You wanna be the faithful son.
00:24:22.42\00:24:24.96
You wanna be the son
00:24:24.99\00:24:26.33
whose mouth and
life is in harmony
00:24:26.36\00:24:28.23
with his profession.
00:24:28.26\00:24:30.00
Now, the next one is
00:24:30.03\00:24:31.80
according to the
passage you just read now.
00:24:31.83\00:24:34.87
This is gonna require you
to put your thinking cap on
00:24:34.90\00:24:38.27
because if you look
at this question now,
00:24:38.31\00:24:39.64
it says, according
to Matthew 21:28-31,
00:24:39.67\00:24:44.25
what is the
Christian Commission?
00:24:44.28\00:24:46.98
Let's look at that.
00:24:47.02\00:24:49.15
Somebody come up
with the answer for me.
00:24:49.18\00:24:52.65
Okay, put it, put
it altogether for me,
00:24:52.69\00:24:54.99
what is the
Christian Commission?
00:24:55.02\00:24:56.36
Who can find it?
00:24:59.86\00:25:01.20
Do I have to put on the screen?
00:25:04.93\00:25:06.87
It's in there, you guys
are looking right at it.
00:25:06.90\00:25:08.97
What do you think it is, Monee?
00:25:09.00\00:25:10.34
Okay, now read it,
00:25:13.04\00:25:14.38
go read it actually as
it appears in the text.
00:25:14.41\00:25:17.31
"A certain man had two
sons, and he came to the first
00:25:17.35\00:25:19.75
and said, 'Son, go
work today in my vineyard.'"
00:25:19.78\00:25:22.88
Okay, there's the
answer, put it down.
00:25:22.92\00:25:25.75
Go work when? Today.
00:25:25.79\00:25:29.26
Today, he didn't say tomorrow,
00:25:29.29\00:25:31.66
he didn't say as a
new year's resolution,
00:25:31.69\00:25:33.83
he said as a new
morning resolution.
00:25:33.86\00:25:35.50
If you wake up that
day and you know what?
00:25:35.53\00:25:38.93
Should I say each one of us
00:25:38.97\00:25:40.84
here at 3ABN is doing
something in every capacity
00:25:40.87\00:25:44.37
to advance the cause of God?
00:25:44.41\00:25:47.01
While we have office skills,
00:25:47.04\00:25:51.15
while we have editing
skills and singing skills
00:25:51.18\00:25:55.22
and program producing skills,
00:25:55.25\00:25:57.59
there is another
facet to the gospel,
00:25:57.62\00:25:59.12
there is another
facet to the war.
00:25:59.15\00:26:01.12
There are those
who are generals,
00:26:01.16\00:26:02.56
you need the generals,
you need the commanders,
00:26:02.59\00:26:04.16
you need those
who are figuring out
00:26:04.19\00:26:05.53
all the strategies in
the situation room, right?
00:26:05.56\00:26:10.43
But then there are foot soldiers
00:26:10.47\00:26:11.80
that are needed, right?
00:26:11.83\00:26:13.17
So the foot soldiers
need to be also in harmony
00:26:13.20\00:26:15.54
with what's
happening behind the scenes.
00:26:15.57\00:26:17.84
The reason why we know
that they are soldiers,
00:26:17.87\00:26:19.87
the reason why we know
there's something happening
00:26:19.91\00:26:21.48
behind the scenes is
because we see the direction
00:26:21.51\00:26:24.81
and the strategies
carried out by the foot soldiers
00:26:24.85\00:26:27.92
that are not
behind closed doors.
00:26:27.95\00:26:30.85
You got the commander in chief.
00:26:30.89\00:26:32.22
Who is the commander in chief?
00:26:32.25\00:26:34.99
It's right, exactly.
00:26:35.02\00:26:36.62
Then you have...
00:26:36.66\00:26:39.63
Then you have the little chiefs.
00:26:39.66\00:26:41.70
Who are they?
00:26:41.73\00:26:43.53
Who are the little chiefs?
00:26:43.57\00:26:44.90
That's the pastors,
00:26:47.64\00:26:49.30
that's the leaders,
that's the teachers.
00:26:49.34\00:26:52.91
And then you got...
00:26:52.94\00:26:55.98
The army, the commissioned,
00:26:56.01\00:26:59.18
those who are
being trained to go.
00:26:59.21\00:27:02.75
So if you look at that,
00:27:02.78\00:27:04.75
if you look at
that infrastructure,
00:27:04.79\00:27:06.55
there's nobody in
that entire infrastructure
00:27:06.59\00:27:08.69
that is inactive
because as we studied earlier,
00:27:08.72\00:27:12.46
one of the things we learnt
over and over and over again
00:27:12.49\00:27:15.10
and if you're just
looking at this program
00:27:15.13\00:27:17.23
for the first time
00:27:17.27\00:27:18.60
and didn't get
the beginning of it,
00:27:18.63\00:27:19.97
you'll discover as we
go from question number one
00:27:20.00\00:27:23.20
all the way down
to question number 18,
00:27:23.24\00:27:25.37
we find this repetitive word,
we find this repetitive word.
00:27:25.41\00:27:29.41
What was that single word
that began with the letter S?
00:27:29.44\00:27:32.08
Sent.
00:27:32.11\00:27:33.45
Okay, say it again. Sent.
00:27:33.48\00:27:34.82
Say one more time together.
00:27:34.85\00:27:36.18
Sent. Sent, sent.
00:27:36.22\00:27:37.82
When the
fullness of time had come,
00:27:37.85\00:27:39.82
God sent forth us.
00:27:39.85\00:27:41.99
For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten son.
00:27:42.02\00:27:45.73
And then Jesus
before He left, He says,
00:27:45.76\00:27:47.46
"As the Father
has sent Me," so what?
00:27:47.50\00:27:50.97
"Send I you."
00:27:51.00\00:27:52.33
So you look at
this, the Father sent out,
00:27:52.37\00:27:54.24
"Go Son."
00:27:54.27\00:27:56.74
When the Son left, He
sent us out, go children.
00:27:56.77\00:28:00.78
So the gospel
commission is not stop or pause,
00:28:00.81\00:28:03.78
it's go, go, go.
00:28:03.81\00:28:06.75
One day we gonna get
the commission to stop
00:28:06.78\00:28:09.12
but that's not
gonna be until Jesus comes
00:28:09.15\00:28:11.62
or we're laid to rest.
00:28:11.65\00:28:13.09
So we should,
00:28:13.12\00:28:14.46
as Danny said the
blessing is always on the go,
00:28:14.49\00:28:16.39
we've gotta go.
00:28:16.42\00:28:17.76
As one person says,
"I'll go till He comes.
00:28:17.79\00:28:20.53
I'll work till He stops me."
00:28:20.56\00:28:22.96
Okay, number 25.
00:28:23.00\00:28:24.50
So if you wrote the answer down,
00:28:24.53\00:28:25.87
here's the answer, go
work today in my vineyard.
00:28:25.90\00:28:27.84
There are four
lines, go work today
00:28:27.87\00:28:30.91
and the last long
line in my vineyard.
00:28:30.94\00:28:34.28
All right?
00:28:34.31\00:28:35.98
Now number 25.
00:28:36.01\00:28:37.35
Number 25, moving right along.
00:28:37.38\00:28:40.52
Number 25,
00:28:40.55\00:28:41.88
I am so glad I looked
at my presentation here
00:28:41.92\00:28:44.65
before I went on screen.
00:28:44.69\00:28:46.39
They had the
proper slides out there,
00:28:46.42\00:28:48.32
but I was missing number 24,
00:28:48.36\00:28:51.29
but that's okay, we got it.
00:28:51.33\00:28:52.99
Now number 25.
00:28:53.03\00:28:55.06
With what urgency
does Jesus describe
00:28:55.10\00:28:59.97
the work of His followers?
00:29:00.00\00:29:03.41
With what urgency
does Jesus describe
00:29:03.44\00:29:05.34
the work of His followers?
00:29:05.37\00:29:07.01
As we go to Luke Chapter 14,
00:29:07.04\00:29:09.78
I want to just
professes by saying something.
00:29:09.81\00:29:12.71
If you knew and I said this
00:29:12.75\00:29:14.42
maybe at the
beginning of this...
00:29:14.45\00:29:15.78
of this study a few weeks ago.
00:29:15.82\00:29:17.52
If you knew that you
were building your house
00:29:17.55\00:29:19.69
and your roof is not yet done
00:29:19.72\00:29:21.39
and the rainy season was coming.
00:29:21.42\00:29:24.26
Would you be fishing?
00:29:24.29\00:29:26.73
Come on, answer me, yes or no?
00:29:26.76\00:29:28.90
Okay, well, listen.
00:29:28.93\00:29:30.27
Would you be going to the mall?
00:29:30.30\00:29:32.47
Okay, okay, let me see
00:29:32.50\00:29:33.84
what else could I get you to do.
00:29:33.87\00:29:36.40
Would you be
dining out all day long?
00:29:36.44\00:29:40.68
No, no, no.
00:29:40.71\00:29:42.04
What would be the
number one urgency?
00:29:42.08\00:29:44.71
Get your roof fixed
00:29:44.75\00:29:46.08
because as in some
places of the nation we say,
00:29:46.11\00:29:48.95
"The rainy season is coming."
00:29:48.98\00:29:50.65
We know that.
00:29:50.69\00:29:52.02
Well, brethren,
there's a season of distress
00:29:52.05\00:29:53.86
and anguish before us
00:29:53.89\00:29:56.93
that requires a preparation
that we have not yet made.
00:29:56.96\00:30:01.06
And we are told by
God's messenger that,
00:30:01.10\00:30:03.03
that which the church fails
00:30:03.06\00:30:04.43
to do in times of
peace shall force,
00:30:04.47\00:30:07.30
shall be forced to do
00:30:07.34\00:30:08.94
under the most
trying circumstances.
00:30:08.97\00:30:11.94
And it's gonna be a lot harder.
00:30:11.97\00:30:13.58
Can you imagine
getting to the place
00:30:13.61\00:30:14.94
and it's happening nowadays,
00:30:14.98\00:30:16.31
I know, and I'm not
gonna mention the country,
00:30:16.34\00:30:18.41
but there are
certain places in the world
00:30:18.45\00:30:19.78
that you can't
preach certain things
00:30:19.81\00:30:21.28
that the Bible demands
we preach as preachers.
00:30:21.32\00:30:24.15
There are certain
places you can't say anything
00:30:24.19\00:30:26.19
and there are
certain, certain things
00:30:26.22\00:30:27.66
that you speak
about that's in prophecy
00:30:27.69\00:30:29.92
or things about the
immorality of the world
00:30:29.96\00:30:32.59
being generaled here.
00:30:32.63\00:30:34.26
In certain countries,
00:30:34.30\00:30:35.86
it's against the law
00:30:35.90\00:30:37.23
to preach against homosexuality,
00:30:37.27\00:30:39.33
it's against the law
00:30:39.37\00:30:40.70
to talk about
Rome's place in prophecy,
00:30:40.74\00:30:42.90
is being described and labeled
00:30:42.94\00:30:44.27
as a hate crime
in certain societies.
00:30:44.31\00:30:46.68
So it's getting to the place now
00:30:46.71\00:30:48.04
where preaching
straight messages
00:30:48.08\00:30:50.18
are being replaced now with,
00:30:50.21\00:30:51.81
you know, portfolio messages
00:30:51.85\00:30:53.38
and all the fluff and the icing,
00:30:53.42\00:30:55.68
but the cake is being left out.
00:30:55.72\00:30:57.95
And I tell you, unless we,
00:30:57.99\00:31:00.42
unless we are
activated in faithful
00:31:00.46\00:31:02.52
while we have the opportunities,
00:31:02.56\00:31:04.39
then the time is going to come
00:31:04.43\00:31:05.76
when the opportunity
is gonna be so stringent,
00:31:05.79\00:31:09.03
so difficult that
under trying circumstances,
00:31:09.06\00:31:12.63
we're gonna be
trying to get to people
00:31:12.67\00:31:14.10
that we've had
opportunity to talk
00:31:14.14\00:31:15.90
to long before all
these issues became public,
00:31:15.94\00:31:19.51
and let me say
what I mean by that.
00:31:19.54\00:31:22.51
So many preaches are
not telling the truth
00:31:22.54\00:31:24.05
about the Bible Sabbath.
00:31:24.08\00:31:25.41
What will happen when...
00:31:25.45\00:31:26.78
What will happen
when, if an edict goes forth
00:31:26.82\00:31:28.65
that you gotta now keep
Sunday as a matter of law?
00:31:28.68\00:31:33.12
Are we gonna start then
by saying to our neighbor,
00:31:33.15\00:31:34.99
oh, by the way, did you
know about the Bible Sabbath?
00:31:35.02\00:31:37.93
It's imperative of us
00:31:37.96\00:31:39.36
that we share the
gospel while the door's open.
00:31:39.39\00:31:42.33
It's imperative
that before the lines
00:31:42.36\00:31:43.97
of demarcation
are drawn on the sand,
00:31:44.00\00:31:46.20
that people that we
know are not in the gospel,
00:31:46.23\00:31:48.20
we start sharing with them now.
00:31:48.24\00:31:49.90
Because when the walls go up...
00:31:49.94\00:31:51.81
those people that have
not given themselves to Christ
00:31:55.31\00:31:58.11
are going to
say, "Wait a minute,
00:31:58.15\00:31:59.48
are you asking me
00:31:59.51\00:32:00.85
to go against the
laws of the land?"
00:32:00.88\00:32:04.52
How many people
00:32:04.55\00:32:05.89
would have
joined Daniel and pray
00:32:05.92\00:32:07.82
when the Medes and the Persians
00:32:07.86\00:32:09.22
passed the law against prayer?
00:32:09.26\00:32:11.63
But Daniel has said,
"You know what about...
00:32:11.66\00:32:13.43
Hey, where's everybody?
It's prayer meeting tonight."
00:32:13.46\00:32:16.77
Daniel was the only one
still having a prayer meeting
00:32:16.80\00:32:19.63
after the law of the Medes
and the Persians were passed.
00:32:19.67\00:32:21.54
You see what I am saying.
00:32:21.57\00:32:23.04
How many people would
have been willing to stand
00:32:23.07\00:32:24.67
with the Hebrews
00:32:24.71\00:32:26.64
when Nebuchadnezzar said bow?
00:32:26.68\00:32:29.74
You gotta wait
before those moments,
00:32:29.78\00:32:31.38
those moments are coming.
00:32:31.41\00:32:32.75
We don't have ours yet,
00:32:32.78\00:32:34.12
but if you could put
your ear to the ground,
00:32:34.15\00:32:36.18
as one guy once said
00:32:36.22\00:32:37.55
when he was
tiptoeing across the ice up
00:32:37.59\00:32:39.52
in Wisconsin in the
middle of the wintertime,
00:32:39.55\00:32:42.06
he was tiptoeing across the ice
00:32:42.09\00:32:43.96
because he was
afraid that it will break
00:32:43.99\00:32:45.93
and whole team of
horses carrying a wagon
00:32:45.96\00:32:48.46
just shot right past him.
00:32:48.50\00:32:50.47
Didn't know how thick it was.
00:32:50.50\00:32:53.47
You see, the situation
right now is in our favor.
00:32:53.50\00:32:56.94
We've got to not
tiptoe with the gospel,
00:32:56.97\00:32:58.77
we've got to walk bravely
00:32:58.81\00:33:00.68
because Satan
has a whole caravan
00:33:00.71\00:33:03.48
of people that are
willing to teach err
00:33:03.51\00:33:05.51
that are flying right by us
and we are tiptoeing fearful
00:33:05.55\00:33:08.82
that the ice below
our feet may break.
00:33:08.85\00:33:10.79
Now that
illustration wasn't in my notes.
00:33:13.89\00:33:16.52
Let's go to the next question.
00:33:16.56\00:33:17.99
Okay, here it is, number 25.
00:33:18.03\00:33:19.36
Here's the answer.
00:33:19.39\00:33:20.73
Luke 14:23.
00:33:20.76\00:33:22.60
With what
urgency is the question,
00:33:22.63\00:33:24.23
Luke 14:23,
00:33:24.27\00:33:25.77
"Then the master
said to the servant,
00:33:25.80\00:33:30.74
'Go out into the," what?
00:33:30.77\00:33:33.34
"Highways and," what?
00:33:33.38\00:33:35.08
"Hedges," and
what's the next word?
00:33:35.11\00:33:37.28
"And compel them to come in,
00:33:37.31\00:33:40.55
that my house may be filled."
00:33:40.58\00:33:43.75
I believe and you know what?
00:33:43.79\00:33:46.29
I'm actually whipping
myself with a lot of this sermon
00:33:46.32\00:33:50.23
because I'm saying
this is giving me urgency
00:33:50.26\00:33:52.26
now to really,
really elders and leaders,
00:33:52.29\00:33:55.16
and deaconess and deacons,
00:33:55.20\00:33:56.73
and our leadership teams
have to really become urgent
00:33:56.77\00:33:59.90
in getting the
whole congregation
00:33:59.93\00:34:02.60
to minimize the
empty seats in our church
00:34:02.64\00:34:04.84
on Sabbath morning
00:34:04.87\00:34:07.01
because that's
what is being said here.
00:34:07.04\00:34:09.44
Go out into the high wedge,
00:34:09.48\00:34:10.98
highways and hedges.
00:34:11.01\00:34:12.61
You know what hedges are?
00:34:12.65\00:34:14.08
Bushes.
00:34:14.12\00:34:17.49
We're in the hedges, exactly.
00:34:17.52\00:34:19.62
We've got highway
and we got hedges.
00:34:19.65\00:34:22.32
So if you drive by
the highway out here,
00:34:22.36\00:34:23.96
not a lot of times
will you see a house
00:34:23.99\00:34:25.69
because many of
them are recessed
00:34:25.73\00:34:27.06
way back off the road.
00:34:27.10\00:34:28.43
You gotta get out,
00:34:28.46\00:34:29.80
go through the hedges,
00:34:29.83\00:34:31.50
find those who need the gospel
00:34:31.53\00:34:33.34
and compel them to come.
00:34:33.37\00:34:35.40
We can't be settled
with a comfortable seat
00:34:35.44\00:34:38.57
that we choose and you know,
00:34:38.61\00:34:40.08
I look at the church sometimes
00:34:40.11\00:34:41.44
and there are people
that have chosen a seat
00:34:41.48\00:34:45.21
that they sit in every Sabbath.
00:34:45.25\00:34:47.05
It's like clockwork being raised
00:34:47.08\00:34:49.18
in church in New York City.
00:34:49.22\00:34:51.92
People put their
coat down in their seat
00:34:51.95\00:34:53.49
and that's their seat
every week, Lord, have mercy,
00:34:53.52\00:34:55.49
if you ask them to
move their seat, it's like,
00:34:55.52\00:34:57.99
"But I paid for this seat."
00:34:58.03\00:35:00.96
We have a lot
of choices in seats
00:35:01.00\00:35:02.33
where we can sit on Sabbath.
00:35:02.36\00:35:04.30
We need to get to the place
where it's hard to get a seat
00:35:04.33\00:35:07.60
because we are so busy going out
00:35:07.64\00:35:09.04
into the highways and hedges.
00:35:09.07\00:35:10.41
We've gotta be...
00:35:10.44\00:35:11.77
We've gotta get to the
place where our hearts pulsate
00:35:11.81\00:35:14.54
with the fact that
if this seat is empty
00:35:14.58\00:35:16.48
that means one more seat is
being filled in the stadium,
00:35:16.51\00:35:18.78
in a movie theatre somewhere,
00:35:18.81\00:35:20.15
in a hall, a
place, a dark place,
00:35:20.18\00:35:22.52
a dance hall,
somewhere, the gambling halls,
00:35:22.55\00:35:25.15
there are seats
all over that place
00:35:25.19\00:35:26.59
and when you go to Las Vegas,
00:35:26.62\00:35:27.96
it's like people are
pouring into that false hope,
00:35:27.99\00:35:30.83
pulling down
machines, trying to get wealthy
00:35:30.86\00:35:33.06
and their lives are
falling apart all around them,
00:35:33.09\00:35:36.67
but the churches.
00:35:36.70\00:35:38.57
So we have to, so if
you answer the question,
00:35:38.60\00:35:40.77
if you answer the question,
00:35:40.80\00:35:42.20
with what urgency
does Jesus describe
00:35:42.24\00:35:44.24
the work of His followers?
00:35:44.27\00:35:46.21
What's the word
that you can find there
00:35:46.24\00:35:48.01
in that passage at...
00:35:48.04\00:35:49.94
Okay, say it again.
00:35:49.98\00:35:51.31
Compel Compel, compel.
00:35:51.35\00:35:53.52
What does compel mean?
00:35:53.55\00:35:56.58
Okay, exactly.
00:35:56.62\00:35:58.22
A preacher that's
preaching his heart
00:35:58.25\00:35:59.59
out for an
appeal, he's compelling.
00:35:59.62\00:36:01.96
Accept Jesus,
00:36:01.99\00:36:04.19
give your life to the Lord
00:36:04.23\00:36:06.19
for the sake of
the blood of Christ,
00:36:06.23\00:36:07.93
compelling man,
compelling women to come forth
00:36:07.96\00:36:11.40
and you know
what's amazing about that
00:36:11.43\00:36:12.93
is we've got an insight
to what's going to happen.
00:36:12.97\00:36:15.64
There are many
people that don't know
00:36:15.67\00:36:17.01
it's coming down the road,
00:36:17.04\00:36:18.37
but I can guarantee you this.
00:36:18.41\00:36:20.61
When the time comes,
00:36:20.64\00:36:23.14
that those things
that are on the horizon
00:36:23.18\00:36:24.81
actually become a
clearer and in focus,
00:36:24.85\00:36:28.08
like the laws of our land,
00:36:28.12\00:36:30.42
maybe the
reinstitution of difficulty
00:36:30.45\00:36:32.79
of worshipping certain ways.
00:36:32.82\00:36:34.16
When those times do come,
00:36:34.19\00:36:35.82
the people that have
been compelled to come in,
00:36:35.86\00:36:38.49
they'll say, I am so glad,
00:36:38.53\00:36:41.76
I made my decision to come in
00:36:41.80\00:36:45.40
while I had the opportunity.
00:36:45.43\00:36:48.94
There are those of you
watching that may be saying wow,
00:36:48.97\00:36:51.87
I've heard lot of
programs on 3ABN but you know,
00:36:51.91\00:36:54.54
I am beginning to understand
00:36:54.58\00:36:56.64
the importance of the gospel
00:36:56.68\00:36:58.01
is not just a message to accept,
00:36:58.05\00:37:00.25
but it's a message
that the Lord is saying,
00:37:00.28\00:37:03.08
get the message out there,
every day when I drive home,
00:37:03.12\00:37:05.95
I have a PO box
and I have a physical,
00:37:05.99\00:37:08.69
I have a PO box
in the post office
00:37:08.72\00:37:10.23
and I have a physical
mailbox in front of my house.
00:37:10.26\00:37:12.79
I go to look for
letters every day
00:37:12.83\00:37:15.86
because why do I go
looking for letters?
00:37:15.90\00:37:18.63
Somebody tell me,
why do I go looking?
00:37:18.67\00:37:20.17
'Cause I had them before,
00:37:24.97\00:37:26.31
but what's the main reason
that I go every day to look?
00:37:26.34\00:37:30.35
Huh?
00:37:30.38\00:37:33.21
Okay, why do I go
looking every day?
00:37:33.25\00:37:35.45
Why not once a week?
00:37:35.48\00:37:37.75
Why not just maybe on Tuesdays?
00:37:37.79\00:37:41.82
It piles up,
we're getting close.
00:37:41.86\00:37:45.36
Because it's
delivered every day.
00:37:45.39\00:37:48.73
Can you imagine?
00:37:48.76\00:37:50.10
It's delivered every day.
00:37:50.13\00:37:52.07
We go out
looking for the message.
00:37:52.10\00:37:53.87
Now, let's put that together.
00:37:53.90\00:37:55.44
Let's see
ourselves like the postmen.
00:37:55.47\00:37:57.34
Let's see ourselves
00:37:57.37\00:37:58.71
as the federal
express of heaven.
00:37:58.74\00:38:00.38
Let's see ourselves as
the UPS of a divine kingdom.
00:38:00.41\00:38:05.11
If the message is
being delivered every day,
00:38:05.15\00:38:07.42
people are gonna
go out looking for it.
00:38:07.45\00:38:10.15
That's why we gotta get
these door hangers, Greg,
00:38:10.19\00:38:11.85
we gotta get this
design real quick.
00:38:11.89\00:38:13.32
So if a rainstorm comes
00:38:13.36\00:38:14.96
and wash away the
first door hanger, Joe,
00:38:14.99\00:38:16.52
we go put
another one a week later.
00:38:16.56\00:38:18.13
Amen? Amen.
00:38:18.16\00:38:19.49
You get another
one a week later.
00:38:19.53\00:38:21.13
And you say, well,
how many door hangers
00:38:21.16\00:38:22.50
have you put in the last month?
00:38:22.53\00:38:23.87
Well 40,000.
00:38:23.90\00:38:25.23
Well, let's order another 40,000
00:38:25.27\00:38:26.60
because somebody missed
00:38:26.63\00:38:27.97
the last four
times we passed by.
00:38:28.00\00:38:29.34
Amen?
00:38:29.37\00:38:30.71
Those are precious souls,
precious souls for the kingdom.
00:38:30.74\00:38:34.08
You gotta compel them,
00:38:34.11\00:38:35.44
you gotta go on the highways
00:38:35.48\00:38:36.88
and you gotta go out.
00:38:36.91\00:38:38.25
You can't wait
for them to come in,
00:38:38.28\00:38:39.61
you gotta go out
because they ain't coming in.
00:38:39.65\00:38:42.45
They don't know
what to come in for.
00:38:42.48\00:38:44.45
They don't know
what to come in to.
00:38:44.49\00:38:46.69
If I seem a little
excited, ignore me.
00:38:46.72\00:38:50.33
Okay, hope you catch
the same fever that I have,
00:38:50.36\00:38:54.10
a fever for the kingdom.
00:38:54.13\00:38:55.46
Number 26.
00:38:55.50\00:38:56.83
Number 26,
00:38:56.87\00:38:59.37
question is, how
ready is the world
00:38:59.40\00:39:01.60
for the reception
of the Gospel Message?
00:39:01.64\00:39:03.74
How ready are
they? How ready are they?
00:39:03.77\00:39:08.01
We're gonna look at
Matthew, sorry, John 4:35.
00:39:08.04\00:39:13.58
How ready are they?
00:39:13.62\00:39:15.92
We have how many
people in the world nowadays,
00:39:15.95\00:39:17.59
seven billion?
00:39:17.62\00:39:19.29
Seven billion.
00:39:19.32\00:39:22.42
That's a lot, billion.
00:39:22.46\00:39:25.63
It's a B, and billion is a lot.
00:39:25.66\00:39:30.70
Let's see how ready they are.
00:39:30.73\00:39:32.77
John 4:35 is where we're turning
00:39:32.80\00:39:34.60
for the answer.
00:39:34.64\00:39:35.97
Now I want you
to read this with me
00:39:36.00\00:39:37.34
because I want
you to kind of hear
00:39:37.37\00:39:39.37
the Lord talking to you,
00:39:39.41\00:39:40.74
this is a
powerful way He says it.
00:39:40.78\00:39:42.81
Are you ready?
00:39:42.84\00:39:45.68
"Do you not say,
00:39:45.71\00:39:47.55
there are still how many months?
00:39:47.58\00:39:49.58
Four months and
then comes the harvest?
00:39:49.62\00:39:53.99
Behold, I say to you," what?
00:39:54.02\00:39:56.69
"Lift up your eyes
and look at the fields,
00:39:56.73\00:40:00.46
for they are
already white for harvest!"
00:40:00.50\00:40:06.13
How many people
are in hospitals?
00:40:06.17\00:40:08.07
How many people are
strung out on drugs?
00:40:08.10\00:40:10.94
How many people are
taking their lives every day?
00:40:10.97\00:40:12.91
I read a quotation
00:40:12.94\00:40:14.28
where Ellen
White's talked about,
00:40:14.31\00:40:15.64
"There're people by
the scores going down
00:40:15.68\00:40:17.85
to christless graves."
00:40:17.88\00:40:20.75
And that in and of itself
00:40:20.78\00:40:24.09
is why the Christian
00:40:24.12\00:40:25.45
needs to be so
urgent about looking up.
00:40:25.49\00:40:30.39
And I like the way
the Lord says this,
00:40:30.43\00:40:32.29
look, look at the fields,
00:40:32.33\00:40:34.90
the way he says that here is,
00:40:34.93\00:40:37.60
lift up your
eyes, lift up your eyes.
00:40:37.63\00:40:40.47
You know what happens
when you lift up your eyes?
00:40:40.50\00:40:42.24
Our eyes could be down.
00:40:42.27\00:40:43.64
What happens when
things around you,
00:40:43.67\00:40:45.74
you don't see them?
What's the main reason?
00:40:45.77\00:40:47.58
Because we haven't
lifted our eyes up.
00:40:47.61\00:40:49.44
If you walk down the
streets of any major city...
00:40:49.48\00:40:52.31
The one question my
wife and I've asked sometimes
00:40:52.35\00:40:54.48
when we've
walked in New York city,
00:40:54.52\00:40:56.25
sometimes we've
gone to Time Square
00:40:56.28\00:40:57.62
and those of you
who are in New York,
00:40:57.65\00:40:58.99
you know what I am talking about
00:40:59.02\00:41:00.36
or sometimes you
go to San Francisco
00:41:00.39\00:41:01.72
or Chicago during a
very busy time of the day,
00:41:01.76\00:41:04.26
once we stood on the corner
00:41:04.29\00:41:05.63
and more than once
but we stood on the corner
00:41:05.66\00:41:07.26
and we saw this
sea of people, Monick,
00:41:07.30\00:41:09.96
and we looked at
each other and said,
00:41:10.00\00:41:11.33
"How is God gonna
reach all these people?"
00:41:11.37\00:41:17.54
And now I am
hearing him say, "By you."
00:41:17.57\00:41:22.54
If we stationed,
folk, if we said, okay,
00:41:22.58\00:41:24.75
if we said the
church in New York.
00:41:24.78\00:41:26.11
Now, there is a New York 13,
00:41:26.15\00:41:27.82
they are planning
for this bigger push
00:41:27.85\00:41:29.38
in New York City next year.
00:41:29.42\00:41:30.79
Don't wait to be assigned,
00:41:30.82\00:41:32.39
get yourself a backpack,
00:41:32.42\00:41:34.26
put $100 into
buying some tracts,
00:41:34.29\00:41:37.49
get yourself books, a
box of Steps to Christ,
00:41:37.53\00:41:40.96
get yourself some
of the GLOW tracts,
00:41:41.00\00:41:42.80
get your backpack
and go station it,
00:41:42.83\00:41:45.33
42nd in
Broadway, 43rd in Broadway,
00:41:45.37\00:41:48.00
44th in
Broadway, 45th in Broadway.
00:41:48.04\00:41:50.91
Make sure that on every corner
00:41:50.94\00:41:52.27
there is an
Adventist with a backpack.
00:41:52.31\00:41:54.11
And if somebody
missed them on 42nd,
00:41:54.14\00:41:56.11
they will get them on 43rd
00:41:56.14\00:41:57.61
or they will get them on 44th.
00:41:57.65\00:41:58.98
You see what I am saying?
00:41:59.01\00:42:00.35
Or they'll get them on 45th.
00:42:00.38\00:42:01.72
That's how you
have to be strategic
00:42:01.75\00:42:03.08
because the devil
is on every corner.
00:42:03.12\00:42:04.45
Amen.
00:42:04.49\00:42:05.82
There's music that
takes your mind away.
00:42:05.85\00:42:08.02
You can walk in restaurants
00:42:08.06\00:42:09.96
and my wife and
I sat down one day
00:42:09.99\00:42:11.33
and we actually asked them,
00:42:11.36\00:42:12.69
"Could you turn
that music down some,"
00:42:12.73\00:42:14.06
because you don't
have to ask for the world,
00:42:14.10\00:42:15.43
it just gets piped in.
00:42:15.46\00:42:17.47
You don't have to ask
for the advertisement,
00:42:17.50\00:42:19.03
you drive down the highway,
00:42:19.07\00:42:20.40
you know they have
the liquor advertise,
00:42:20.44\00:42:22.37
they have the
Lion's Den advertise,
00:42:22.40\00:42:24.31
you see that gigantic Lion's Den
00:42:24.34\00:42:25.97
exit 45.
00:42:26.01\00:42:27.34
Lord, have mercy why
would anybody wanna go
00:42:27.38\00:42:29.04
to place called the Lion's Den,
00:42:29.08\00:42:33.11
and they tell you
what exit to get off
00:42:33.15\00:42:34.48
to go to the Lion's Den.
00:42:34.52\00:42:35.85
Wasn't Daniel in
lions' den, can you imagine,
00:42:35.88\00:42:38.09
you gonna find
Daniel, he's at exit 45.
00:42:38.12\00:42:41.79
But the world is
advertising everything
00:42:41.82\00:42:43.39
that is pulling
people away from the gospel.
00:42:43.43\00:42:45.89
We've got this billboard,
would you like to advertise?
00:42:45.93\00:42:48.36
To advertise, call
618 and the numbers there.
00:42:48.40\00:42:50.67
I'm thinking, we gotta
find how much that costs,
00:42:50.70\00:42:53.70
exit 65 east, to find the truth,
00:42:53.74\00:42:57.34
exit 71 east, to find the truth,
00:42:57.37\00:43:02.21
that's how you gotta
get, you gotta get creative.
00:43:02.24\00:43:05.31
You gotta get to
the pace where, "Ah,
00:43:05.35\00:43:06.92
there is a whole lot
of billboards up there
00:43:06.95\00:43:08.38
but ours is right there."
00:43:08.42\00:43:10.39
Amen?
00:43:10.42\00:43:11.75
And you can't
say it cost too much
00:43:11.79\00:43:13.12
because what is
the worth of a soul.
00:43:13.15\00:43:15.56
When the Lord comes,
00:43:15.59\00:43:16.93
I rather have a zero
balance in my account
00:43:16.96\00:43:19.53
from giving to help
souls come to Christ
00:43:19.56\00:43:21.76
than all this money
that is cankered up again.
00:43:21.80\00:43:24.20
Some people are content to
have a lot of money in the bank.
00:43:24.23\00:43:26.67
Some Christians
are content to have.
00:43:26.70\00:43:28.24
I got seven
zeroes, I am happy now.
00:43:28.27\00:43:32.41
That's gonna be a
witness against us
00:43:32.44\00:43:33.78
if we are not using
it for the cause of God.
00:43:33.81\00:43:35.18
Isn't that right? Yes.
00:43:35.21\00:43:36.54
And I got seven zeroes
00:43:36.58\00:43:37.91
but didn't have
one in front of that.
00:43:37.95\00:43:43.08
I'll tell you it's...
00:43:43.12\00:43:44.45
I'm excited about the fact
00:43:44.49\00:43:47.52
that God has given
us this opportunity
00:43:47.56\00:43:49.49
to continue to carry
the gospel message forth.
00:43:49.52\00:43:51.86
And let me just
make a change here
00:43:51.89\00:43:54.73
'cause my computer,
00:43:54.76\00:43:56.20
I forgot to put my plug in
the battery but that's okay.
00:43:56.23\00:44:01.37
That's okay, don't
worry about the screen.
00:44:01.40\00:44:03.07
We're gonna go ahead
and answer the questions
00:44:03.10\00:44:05.17
as we go along.
00:44:05.21\00:44:06.54
Look at question number...
00:44:06.57\00:44:07.91
Now, what's the answer now?
00:44:07.94\00:44:09.28
Question number what?
00:44:09.31\00:44:10.65
Twenty six. Twenty six.
00:44:10.68\00:44:12.01
How ready is the world?
00:44:12.05\00:44:13.38
Let's read that together.
00:44:13.42\00:44:17.25
White for harvest.
00:44:17.29\00:44:18.95
`The world is what?
00:44:18.99\00:44:20.62
White for harvest.
00:44:20.66\00:44:23.12
If you just look
around, it's white for harvest.
00:44:23.16\00:44:25.89
Now question number 27.
00:44:25.93\00:44:28.96
What does the Bible describe
00:44:29.00\00:44:30.33
as the right time
to share the gospel?
00:44:30.37\00:44:35.50
The right time
to share the gospel.
00:44:35.54\00:44:38.71
All right?
00:44:38.74\00:44:40.08
Okay, and we're gonna
go to 2 Corinthians 6:2.
00:44:46.48\00:44:50.89
2 Corinthians 6:2,
00:44:50.92\00:44:55.72
all right?
00:44:55.76\00:44:59.06
I just love this passage,
00:44:59.09\00:45:00.43
it is one of those passages
00:45:00.46\00:45:01.86
that just don't
let you off the hook.
00:45:01.90\00:45:04.17
Okay.
00:45:04.20\00:45:05.53
Are you all there?
00:45:05.57\00:45:07.64
Okay, here's how it reads.
00:45:07.67\00:45:10.51
"For He says
00:45:10.54\00:45:12.37
'In an acceptable
time I have heard you,
00:45:12.41\00:45:16.64
and in the day of
salvation I have done," what?
00:45:16.68\00:45:20.12
"Helped you."
00:45:20.15\00:45:21.82
Now, let's read this together.
00:45:21.85\00:45:23.28
"Behold," when?
00:45:23.32\00:45:24.65
"Now is the
accepted time, behold," when?
00:45:24.69\00:45:28.56
"Now is the day of salvation."
00:45:28.59\00:45:31.89
Behold when, friends?
00:45:31.93\00:45:33.40
Now is the accepted time.
00:45:33.43\00:45:35.73
When is the day of salvation?
00:45:35.76\00:45:37.30
Now is the day of salvation.
00:45:37.33\00:45:40.54
So today is when
the Lord is calling us.
00:45:40.57\00:45:42.67
When is He calling us to
go with the gospel, when?
00:45:42.70\00:45:45.27
Now.
00:45:45.31\00:45:46.64
Is He calling us
a month from now?
00:45:46.68\00:45:48.24
No, He's calling us when?
00:45:48.28\00:45:50.55
He's calling us today, now.
00:45:50.58\00:45:52.11
So if you put the
answer down there,
00:45:52.15\00:45:54.35
if you put the
answer down there,
00:45:54.38\00:45:55.72
you can go ahead
and put the word,
00:45:55.75\00:45:57.55
put the word
together, what's the word?
00:45:57.59\00:45:59.32
Now. Say that again.
00:45:59.35\00:46:00.69
The word is what? Now.
00:46:00.72\00:46:02.06
That's right, today is the day.
00:46:02.09\00:46:03.43
Today is the day of salvation.
00:46:03.46\00:46:04.79
Today is the acceptable time.
00:46:04.83\00:46:06.16
Now is the acceptable time.
00:46:06.19\00:46:08.30
Not five months
from now but now.
00:46:08.33\00:46:11.27
If somebody is
hungry, when do you feed them?
00:46:11.30\00:46:14.00
Now.
00:46:14.04\00:46:16.04
If somebody is
thirsty and need some water,
00:46:16.07\00:46:18.44
I'll give it to you on Tuesday.
00:46:18.47\00:46:21.98
If you fall down,
I'm lying on the floor,
00:46:22.01\00:46:23.58
I'm hurt, could you help me out?
00:46:23.61\00:46:25.21
Tomorrow at,
00:46:25.25\00:46:26.58
tomorrow I'll
help you up at 3:15.
00:46:26.61\00:46:28.18
No, there are
people that are hungry
00:46:28.22\00:46:30.32
for the gospel,
00:46:30.35\00:46:31.69
they wanna be fed when? Now.
00:46:31.72\00:46:33.52
There are people that
are thirsty for Christ,
00:46:33.56\00:46:34.96
they wanna be thirst,
00:46:34.99\00:46:36.32
they want to be quenched when?
00:46:36.36\00:46:37.69
Now.
00:46:37.73\00:46:39.06
And there are people
00:46:39.09\00:46:40.43
that are falling
down all around us.
00:46:40.46\00:46:41.90
We need to help them up when?
00:46:41.93\00:46:43.26
Now.
00:46:43.30\00:46:44.63
So just put that one word when?
00:46:44.67\00:46:46.10
Now, now, wonderful.
00:46:46.13\00:46:48.50
In an acceptable
time, I've heard you.
00:46:48.54\00:46:52.01
One simple word, now.
00:46:52.04\00:46:54.64
Now, question number 28.
00:46:54.68\00:46:56.58
Question number 28.
00:46:56.61\00:46:59.68
Oh boy.
00:46:59.71\00:47:04.35
Wow, wow, wow.
00:47:04.39\00:47:08.69
Why are we told
not to postpone working
00:47:08.72\00:47:13.46
for the salvation of others?
00:47:13.50\00:47:15.90
I have a hobby.
00:47:25.67\00:47:30.18
My hobby is, I'm an RC pilot.
00:47:30.21\00:47:33.18
Just in case you
don't know what that is,
00:47:33.21\00:47:34.78
that means radio control.
00:47:34.82\00:47:37.09
I like to fly airplanes,
I like to fly helicopters
00:47:37.12\00:47:39.85
but I only do that
one day of the week
00:47:39.89\00:47:41.52
for few hours.
00:47:41.56\00:47:42.96
And it's usually
Sunday afternoons,
00:47:42.99\00:47:45.26
you know, but the
weather has to be nice
00:47:45.29\00:47:47.56
for me to do that.
00:47:47.60\00:47:49.06
And this summer,
00:47:49.10\00:47:50.83
I've been so busy,
00:47:50.87\00:47:52.73
all year long I've gone
to the flying field once
00:47:52.77\00:47:56.91
because it's
either I'm in a wedding
00:47:56.94\00:47:59.24
or I had to choose
between training people
00:47:59.27\00:48:01.68
for Bible studies
or flying my airplane,
00:48:01.71\00:48:04.25
which one do you think I chose?
00:48:04.28\00:48:05.98
Training people
for Bible studies.
00:48:06.01\00:48:08.08
And every time,
my wife can tell you,
00:48:08.12\00:48:10.65
every time I go
outside on a beautiful day,
00:48:10.69\00:48:12.45
I say, honey,
this day is perfect
00:48:12.49\00:48:14.49
and she always
ends, for flying, right?
00:48:14.52\00:48:17.39
And I say, oh,
the weather is warm,
00:48:17.43\00:48:19.43
there's no heavy wind,
00:48:19.46\00:48:21.36
it's perfect and she says,
00:48:21.40\00:48:22.73
for flying, right?
00:48:22.76\00:48:24.10
But I gotta go visit.
00:48:24.13\00:48:25.83
I gotta give that Bible study.
00:48:25.87\00:48:27.80
I gotta make sure that person
00:48:27.84\00:48:29.17
has his or her need met
00:48:29.20\00:48:31.54
because this says
you can't postpone.
00:48:31.57\00:48:33.27
When the opportunity
comes to reach a life,
00:48:33.31\00:48:36.21
you gotta choose to reach a life
00:48:36.24\00:48:38.01
over your own comforts,
00:48:38.05\00:48:40.12
over your own conveniences.
00:48:40.15\00:48:41.68
Now, we do need leisure time
00:48:41.72\00:48:43.45
every now and then.
00:48:43.49\00:48:44.82
You gotta fit
that into your schedule
00:48:44.85\00:48:46.19
but if I had, but if I was faced
00:48:46.22\00:48:47.59
between giving a Bible
study to a person right now
00:48:47.62\00:48:50.39
or flying my plane,
00:48:50.43\00:48:51.93
giving the Bible
study would always win.
00:48:51.96\00:48:55.50
You can't postpone that.
00:48:55.53\00:48:56.87
So why are we told
not to postpone working
00:48:56.90\00:48:58.57
for the salvation of others.
00:48:58.60\00:48:59.93
Jeremiah 8:20, this
is a solemn passage,
00:48:59.97\00:49:03.61
solemn passage 'cause
00:49:03.64\00:49:04.97
we know the summer is
passing right now, isn't it?
00:49:05.01\00:49:07.01
Let's read this together.
00:49:07.04\00:49:08.38
Ready?
00:49:08.41\00:49:09.74
"The harvest is past,
00:49:09.78\00:49:11.55
the summer is ended,
and we are not saved."
00:49:11.58\00:49:15.05
Wow, there's a season to work.
00:49:15.08\00:49:18.82
Notice what's past,
the harvest is gone,
00:49:18.85\00:49:20.89
the summer is gone
and we're not saved.
00:49:20.92\00:49:24.46
What is in
essence being said here,
00:49:24.49\00:49:25.89
the lament that's
being expressed here
00:49:25.93\00:49:28.03
is by those who
were not gathered in,
00:49:28.06\00:49:31.77
is by those who
were not drawn in.
00:49:31.80\00:49:34.27
The time of gathering is
past, the summer is done,
00:49:34.30\00:49:37.61
you can't be sowing anymore,
00:49:37.64\00:49:38.97
the weather is not
even favorable for it
00:49:39.01\00:49:40.88
and when you look at the context
00:49:40.91\00:49:42.24
of some Bible times,
00:49:42.28\00:49:43.61
they had a
certain time of the year
00:49:43.65\00:49:44.98
that they had to sow
00:49:45.01\00:49:46.35
as the rainy season ended,
00:49:46.38\00:49:47.72
the spring came in,
00:49:47.75\00:49:49.08
they had to make sure
00:49:49.12\00:49:50.45
that their grounds were
tilled and prepared for soil
00:49:50.49\00:49:52.22
just like when we
lived in Northern California,
00:49:52.25\00:49:53.86
we lived out
close to Napa Valley.
00:49:53.89\00:49:56.02
And we knew there were certain
00:49:56.06\00:49:57.39
times of the year that
00:49:57.43\00:49:58.76
you can see the people out there
00:49:58.79\00:50:00.13
in the vineyard, but
when the rainy season came,
00:50:00.16\00:50:01.63
there's nobody out there.
00:50:01.66\00:50:03.00
When the, after the harvest
is done, fields are barren.
00:50:03.03\00:50:06.80
Sometimes in
Northern California,
00:50:06.84\00:50:08.17
right throughout of Sacramento
00:50:08.20\00:50:10.07
we see this billows
of smoke just raising
00:50:10.11\00:50:13.58
toward the sky,
you remember that, Dee?
00:50:13.61\00:50:15.64
And we say what on...
00:50:15.68\00:50:17.01
When I first saw
that, I thought man,
00:50:17.05\00:50:18.38
Sacramento is burning up
00:50:18.41\00:50:21.22
and I drove up
highway five to realize
00:50:21.25\00:50:23.89
that after the harvest is done,
00:50:23.92\00:50:26.32
it showed me something
of why there will be a fire
00:50:26.35\00:50:29.16
at the end of the world
00:50:29.19\00:50:30.53
because all the
wheat was gathered in
00:50:30.56\00:50:33.16
and all that was
left was stubble.
00:50:33.19\00:50:36.03
And the farmers
decided to purify
00:50:36.06\00:50:39.13
the field to get
ready for the next season,
00:50:39.17\00:50:42.90
that's why there
is gonna be a fire.
00:50:42.94\00:50:44.47
But we've have to
be out there to gather
00:50:44.51\00:50:46.84
in the harvest
before the fire comes
00:50:46.88\00:50:49.88
because there's
gonna be a bellowing smoke
00:50:49.91\00:50:51.61
all over the world
00:50:51.65\00:50:52.98
and whatever has
not been gathered in,
00:50:53.01\00:50:55.12
when the season
of harvest is past,
00:50:55.15\00:50:57.15
that lament will be expressed,
00:50:57.19\00:50:59.15
we are not saved.
00:50:59.19\00:51:00.76
We don't want that
to be on our watch.
00:51:00.79\00:51:02.12
Amen? Amen.
00:51:02.16\00:51:03.49
We've got to be busy
with the Lord's work.
00:51:03.53\00:51:04.96
Now, question number 29.
00:51:04.99\00:51:06.63
Question number 29.
00:51:06.66\00:51:09.16
Number 29.
00:51:09.20\00:51:11.30
Okay, here it is.
00:51:11.33\00:51:14.14
What is the great purpose
00:51:14.17\00:51:16.81
for which we have been saved?
00:51:16.84\00:51:18.84
I like choirs, I like
music, I am a singer myself,
00:51:27.75\00:51:30.32
I like lights, camera, action,
00:51:30.35\00:51:31.75
I think it's great
to have good musicians
00:51:31.79\00:51:33.72
and wonderful
esthetics in the church,
00:51:33.76\00:51:36.06
but all those
things just make you
00:51:36.09\00:51:38.39
feel comfortable being at home,
00:51:38.43\00:51:39.76
it's like a good
comfortable couch,
00:51:39.79\00:51:41.13
nice wonderful
air conditioned room,
00:51:41.16\00:51:42.86
wonderful soft carpet,
00:51:42.90\00:51:44.23
all those things are good,
00:51:44.27\00:51:45.60
that's for the house.
00:51:45.63\00:51:47.50
But they should
never be mistaken as,
00:51:47.54\00:51:50.07
as what they call them?
00:51:50.11\00:51:52.17
Creature comforts,
00:51:52.21\00:51:53.71
that we're so
comfortable in the house,
00:51:53.74\00:51:56.34
then we don't wanna
go outside of the house.
00:51:56.38\00:51:59.28
I've discovered
this is something
00:51:59.31\00:52:00.65
that those of
you who are that like
00:52:00.68\00:52:03.22
working in the garden.
00:52:03.25\00:52:04.59
How many of you like
to work in the garden?
00:52:04.62\00:52:06.29
Okay, you may not like it.
00:52:06.32\00:52:07.66
Let me ask, how many
of you work in the garden?
00:52:07.69\00:52:09.02
I think the word like
00:52:09.06\00:52:10.39
was probably not the
right word to choose.
00:52:10.43\00:52:11.76
How many of you
sometimes are compelled
00:52:11.79\00:52:13.73
to work in the garden
00:52:13.76\00:52:15.10
because the
trees are falling down.
00:52:15.13\00:52:17.23
How many of you
like raking leaves?
00:52:17.27\00:52:20.67
I put my hand, I
don't like raking leaves,
00:52:20.70\00:52:22.50
but there's a
certain time of the year
00:52:22.54\00:52:23.87
that compels you to
do that, am I right?
00:52:23.91\00:52:25.91
If we don't rake
leaves in our yard,
00:52:25.94\00:52:27.44
you know what happens?
00:52:27.48\00:52:28.81
We've got about a hundred trees
00:52:28.84\00:52:30.25
lining our property
plus all the other trees
00:52:30.28\00:52:33.15
that have falling leaves.
00:52:33.18\00:52:34.68
You know the season is coming
00:52:34.72\00:52:36.38
and I look out the
window and say, "Ah!
00:52:36.42\00:52:38.49
Leaves, leaves."
00:52:38.52\00:52:41.89
If I don't rake those leaves
00:52:41.92\00:52:43.26
you know what happens?
00:52:43.29\00:52:44.63
The rain comes,
saturate those leaves,
00:52:44.66\00:52:47.53
covers the ground
00:52:47.56\00:52:49.03
and the ground
that should have been
00:52:49.06\00:52:50.40
fertilized by water,
the water can't get through.
00:52:50.43\00:52:53.17
You know what happens
00:52:53.20\00:52:54.54
when the season comes
00:52:54.57\00:52:55.90
for them to begin to sprout?
00:52:55.94\00:52:57.61
All those dead leaves smother it
00:52:57.64\00:53:00.34
and no grass grows in that area.
00:53:00.38\00:53:02.84
You know when I say that.
00:53:02.88\00:53:04.61
Working for the Lord
00:53:04.65\00:53:05.98
was not necessarily intended
00:53:06.01\00:53:08.52
to be an easy task
00:53:08.55\00:53:10.89
but you'll be so much happier
00:53:10.92\00:53:14.62
if you put forth diligent labor
00:53:14.66\00:53:17.43
to do what is
necessary rather than saying,
00:53:17.46\00:53:21.06
"I should have done that."
00:53:21.10\00:53:23.23
Because when...
00:53:23.26\00:53:24.60
Until I got used to it,
00:53:24.63\00:53:26.03
you know, until
I got used to it,
00:53:26.07\00:53:28.27
Lorraine, I would say...
00:53:28.30\00:53:30.31
I am from New York,
00:53:30.34\00:53:31.67
I am not raking leaves.
00:53:31.71\00:53:33.54
So I tried a short cut,
00:53:33.58\00:53:34.91
I took my John
Deere mower out there
00:53:34.94\00:53:36.28
and it has a big
old fan you know,
00:53:36.31\00:53:37.91
its spinning those
blades are spinning very fast,
00:53:37.95\00:53:40.42
you don't wanna
put your fingers there
00:53:40.45\00:53:42.08
and I tried a, an easy route
00:53:42.12\00:53:44.49
then I decided to go ahead
00:53:44.52\00:53:46.22
and mow over the
leaves and actually mow,
00:53:46.25\00:53:48.36
it does like grass,
00:53:48.39\00:53:49.72
it pushes it to the right
00:53:49.76\00:53:51.09
but you know what it does?
00:53:51.13\00:53:52.46
It doesn't get
rid of the leaves,
00:53:52.49\00:53:53.83
it just moves them
to a different location.
00:53:53.86\00:53:56.06
And I discovered,
00:53:56.10\00:53:57.50
the more I mow,
these leaves are not going,
00:53:57.53\00:53:59.83
they just change their
address and what happens is,
00:53:59.87\00:54:03.20
all of a sudden I have
a big old pile of leaves
00:54:03.24\00:54:07.18
and then I got small
one, I say, "Ah, huh,
00:54:07.21\00:54:09.84
good idea, push
them all in one direction
00:54:09.88\00:54:12.58
and do like my
neighbors, set them on fire."
00:54:12.61\00:54:15.58
I am learning, I
am not a country guy
00:54:15.62\00:54:17.22
but I am learning how to be.
00:54:17.25\00:54:19.12
But you gotta do
it in a certain time,
00:54:19.15\00:54:21.22
you cannot wait
till the rain comes
00:54:21.26\00:54:23.43
'cause those
leaves will not ignite
00:54:23.46\00:54:25.69
and after the rain passes,
00:54:25.73\00:54:27.06
it seems like those leaves
lose their ability to ignite,
00:54:27.10\00:54:30.47
and then when you try to,
00:54:30.50\00:54:31.93
when you try to
take that lawnmower
00:54:31.97\00:54:33.30
and go over them
after the rains have come,
00:54:33.34\00:54:34.67
they're not moving, they
are adhered to the grass.
00:54:34.70\00:54:37.87
So there's a specific time,
00:54:37.91\00:54:39.51
now is the time, today,
today is the day of salvation.
00:54:39.54\00:54:43.88
Now is the most important time,
00:54:43.91\00:54:45.81
and here's the answer
to question number 29.
00:54:45.85\00:54:49.92
What is the great purpose
for which we have been saved?
00:54:49.95\00:54:52.65
I am so excited tonight,
00:54:52.69\00:54:54.12
I am just eating all my words up
00:54:54.16\00:54:55.62
but you follow me.
00:54:55.66\00:54:57.63
Here's the answer, John 15:16,
00:54:57.66\00:55:00.60
the Lord says,
"You did not choose Me,
00:55:00.63\00:55:03.53
but I," did what?
00:55:03.57\00:55:05.03
"I chose you,"
00:55:05.07\00:55:06.40
and the next one I did what?
00:55:06.43\00:55:07.77
"Appointed you."
00:55:07.80\00:55:09.14
I choose you and I appointed you
00:55:09.17\00:55:11.04
"that you should
go and do," what?
00:55:11.07\00:55:12.97
"Bear fruit,
00:55:13.01\00:55:14.54
and that your
fruit should remain,
00:55:14.58\00:55:18.78
that whatever you
ask the Father in," what?
00:55:18.81\00:55:23.89
"My name He may give you."
00:55:23.92\00:55:27.26
Now, I am gonna
spend little time
00:55:27.29\00:55:28.62
on this text tonight.
00:55:28.66\00:55:30.13
This is a powerful text.
00:55:30.16\00:55:31.49
First of all,
let's break this down.
00:55:31.53\00:55:34.16
What is the great purpose
00:55:34.20\00:55:35.53
for which we have been appointed
00:55:35.56\00:55:36.93
for which we have been saved?
00:55:36.97\00:55:39.23
I gave you the
answer just a minute ago.
00:55:39.27\00:55:41.14
We've been saved
to bring forth fruit,
00:55:43.44\00:55:45.77
but we have been saved
to be appointed, appointed.
00:55:45.81\00:55:51.25
What's another
word for appointed?
00:55:51.28\00:55:53.68
Appointment.
00:55:53.72\00:55:55.12
God has an appointment for us.
00:55:55.15\00:55:57.32
Before we even accept the job,
00:55:57.35\00:55:59.22
He's got a job appointed for us.
00:55:59.25\00:56:01.32
So now let me work on this text
00:56:01.36\00:56:02.69
just a little bit
before we wind up tonight.
00:56:02.72\00:56:04.09
I wanna go on to the new topic
00:56:04.13\00:56:05.46
but we have so little time,
00:56:05.49\00:56:06.83
I don't wanna take the time
00:56:06.86\00:56:08.20
to open a new can tonight,
00:56:08.23\00:56:09.83
but we're gonna
continue next week
00:56:09.86\00:56:11.83
with a beautiful topic,
00:56:11.87\00:56:13.20
the Power of Prayer.
00:56:13.23\00:56:15.20
It's so significant.
00:56:15.24\00:56:17.24
We're gonna talk
about this next week,
00:56:17.27\00:56:18.61
the Power of Prayer,
00:56:18.64\00:56:20.61
but let me talk about
this very quickly here.
00:56:20.64\00:56:25.01
He said, "You did not choose Me
00:56:25.05\00:56:26.51
but I choose you
and appointed you
00:56:26.55\00:56:28.98
that you should
go and bear fruit
00:56:29.02\00:56:30.99
and that your
fruit should remain
00:56:31.02\00:56:33.19
that whatever you ask
the Father in my name,
00:56:33.22\00:56:35.46
He may give you."
00:56:35.49\00:56:36.83
Let me tell you
00:56:36.86\00:56:38.19
about a revolutionary
method of evangelism.
00:56:38.23\00:56:40.53
If you can't preach a sermon,
00:56:40.56\00:56:42.76
and you've never
given a Bible study,
00:56:42.80\00:56:45.07
and you're not
completely familiar
00:56:45.10\00:56:46.50
with your 28 fundamentals
00:56:46.53\00:56:47.94
or you need to
become familiar with that.
00:56:47.97\00:56:50.31
There's no excuse for that.
00:56:50.34\00:56:51.84
You gotta spend the time
00:56:51.87\00:56:53.21
while you have the opportunity
00:56:53.24\00:56:54.58
and study the Word of God,
00:56:54.61\00:56:55.94
become familiar
00:56:55.98\00:56:57.31
because when you're
standing at the point
00:56:57.35\00:56:58.68
where somebody else
is sharing their faith
00:56:58.71\00:57:00.12
and you have no answer,
00:57:00.15\00:57:01.88
because you say I
know it's in the Bible
00:57:01.92\00:57:03.25
somewhere but I
can't point it out.
00:57:03.28\00:57:05.32
You should be rightly
dividing the word of truth.
00:57:05.35\00:57:08.42
A workman that needs
not to be ashamed, right?
00:57:08.46\00:57:11.53
A revolutionary
method of evangelism,
00:57:11.56\00:57:13.86
he said, "Whatever you
ask the Father in my name,
00:57:13.90\00:57:16.63
He may give you."
00:57:16.67\00:57:18.00
Let me suggest,
00:57:18.03\00:57:19.37
start writing down
the names of your workers,
00:57:19.40\00:57:22.97
the names of your neighbors,
00:57:23.00\00:57:24.71
the names of people
that you meet in the store
00:57:24.74\00:57:27.34
on a casual
basis, what's your name?
00:57:27.38\00:57:29.54
Just write it down
on a piece of paper.
00:57:29.58\00:57:31.01
When you get home
put that before the Lord
00:57:31.05\00:57:33.21
and pray for those names.
00:57:33.25\00:57:34.58
What did I say?
00:57:34.62\00:57:35.95
Pray. Pray for those names.
00:57:35.98\00:57:37.32
You'll discover,
00:57:37.35\00:57:38.69
when you ask for a soul
00:57:38.72\00:57:40.06
in the Father's
name, what did He say?
00:57:40.09\00:57:43.53
He'll give you.
00:57:43.56\00:57:45.63
He may not give you right away,
00:57:45.66\00:57:47.33
but if we are diligent
to labor as evangelists
00:57:47.36\00:57:50.53
and that's what we're
gonna talk about next week,
00:57:50.57\00:57:52.13
why prayer is so
vitally important.
00:57:52.17\00:57:54.17
How powerful prayer really is.
00:57:54.20\00:57:56.14
Ask the Father
00:57:56.17\00:57:57.51
and He will give you
and when you ask Him,
00:57:57.54\00:57:59.47
whatever is not clear,
00:57:59.51\00:58:00.84
will come into A Sharper Focus.
00:58:00.88\00:58:03.28
God bless you.
00:58:03.31\00:58:04.65