Participants: Pr. John Lomacang
Series Code: ASHF
Program Code: ASHF000029
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00:19 Hello, friends, and welcome to another A Sharper Focus
00:22 Wednesday Night Bible Study here 00:25 at the 3ABN Worship Center in Thompsonville. 00:27 Can we all say welcome? 00:28 Welcome. 00:30 Hey, yeah, our local audience is ready. 00:31 I hope you are ready also with your Bibles, 00:34 and if you like a copy of the lesson tonight, 00:36 go to this website, 00:38 don't put www, go asf.3abn.org 00:42 and download lesson 009, 00:45 we're continuing to finish that lesson. 00:48 But if you wanna get ready 00:49 just in case we finish that tonight, 00:51 there's a new lesson uploaded, 00:53 lesson number 10, 00:54 it is called "The Power of Prayer." 00:57 And you wanna have a copy of that also 00:59 just in case we get through the seven questions` 01:02 that we have to cover tonight 01:03 but as you know, if you've watched before, 01:05 whatever we don't finish tonight, 01:07 we hold over until next week, 01:08 but thank you for tuning in. 01:10 And we'd like you to invite your friends 01:12 and family members to sit down right now. 01:13 We're ready, 01:15 but we're gonna ask the Lord's blessing, 01:16 then we gonna sing a song 01:18 and then we will dive into our lesson 01:19 study tonight entitled... 01:21 What's the title of our lesson tonight? 01:24 "The Greatest Commission," "The Greatest Commission," 01:27 that's what our lesson title is for tonight. 01:29 But let's bow our heads 01:31 and invite the presence of the Lord to be with us. 01:34 Heavenly Father, thank You for this opportunity, 01:37 Your Word is a book that 01:39 continues to be the number one best seller. 01:42 Yet for some strange reason, Father, 01:44 so many lives are not being changed, 01:46 so many people are moving in directions 01:48 that are not fitting, 01:49 and not in harmony with the leading 01:51 of Your Holy Spirit. 01:53 But, Lord, on the other side of that coin, 01:55 there are lots of transformed lives. 01:57 Lives that are being strengthened 01:59 preparing for eternity. 02:02 And, Lord, tonight remind us that as we follow You, 02:05 there's a particular call upon our lives 02:09 and as we study that commission tonight, 02:11 what that great commission is, 02:13 help us to also be filled with a desire to follow it. 02:17 In Jesus name we pray. 02:19 Amen. Amen. 02:21 Now last week we ended with question number 21, 02:24 but tonight I wanna go back 02:26 to one of my favorite passages in the Bible, 02:29 actually there are two. 02:30 I wanna begin by going to Matthew Chapter 12. 02:33 It's not on the screen 02:34 but sorry, we're gonna sing a song. 02:37 I forgot, we're gonna sing a song. 02:41 If you have been following us, 02:42 you know that we always sing the song, 02:44 what's the name of it? 02:46 "Victory in Jesus." "Victory in Jesus." 02:47 So tonight join us as we sing our theme song. 02:50 It will be on our screen, 02:51 but you can join us as we sing. 03:01 I heard an old, old story 03:05 How the Savior came from glory 03:09 How He gave His life on Calvary 03:13 To save a wretch like me 03:17 I heard about His groaning 03:20 Of His precious blood's atoning 03:24 Then I repented of my sin 03:28 And won the victory 03:31 Chorus. 03:32 O victory in Jesus 03:35 My Savior forever 03:39 He sought me and bought me 03:43 With His redeeming blood 03:47 He loved me ere I knew Him 03:51 And all my love is due Him 03:54 He plunged me to victory 03:58 Beneath the cleansing flood 04:02 I heard about a mansion 04:06 He has built for me in glory 04:10 And I heard about the streets of gold 04:13 Beyond the crystal sea 04:17 About the angels singing 04:21 And the old redemption story 04:25 And some sweet day 04:27 I'll sing up there 04:28 The song of victory Key change. 04:32 O victory in Jesus 04:36 My Savior forever 04:40 He sought me and bought me 04:43 With His redeeming blood 04:47 He loved me ere I knew Him 04:51 And all my love is due Him 04:55 He plunged me to victory 04:59 Beneath the cleansing flood 05:02 He plunged me to victory 05:06 Beneath the cleansing flood 05:13 Can you say amen to that? 05:14 Amen. 05:16 You know the words that I, 05:17 I think sometimes we miss 05:19 but this song has a lot of elements 05:21 of relevance to what we're studying. 05:24 It says, "He sought me and He bought me." 05:29 He sought, say that with me, 05:31 He did what? Sought. 05:32 Sought me and he bought me. 05:34 And we've been studying up until this point 05:36 that the gospel commission 05:39 is broader than sometimes we really give it 05:43 the relevance that it has. 05:48 The gospel commission is not just for preachers, 05:51 and evangelists, and pastors, 05:53 and professionally trained people 05:56 that are comfortable in the public side. 05:59 But every one of us is called to do something 06:02 for the building up of the kingdom of God, 06:03 every one of us. 06:05 And when you look at these two texts 06:07 that I alluded to a moment ago 06:09 that I like you to turn to tonight 06:11 to begin our study. 06:12 First go with me to Matthew Chapter 12. 06:15 What book did I say? Matthew. 06:17 Matthew Chapter 12 06:20 and I wanna recommend if anyone is tuning in late, 06:23 if you wanna get a copy of the lesson, 06:25 go to asf.3abn.org 06:28 and download lesson number 9, 06:31 and don't put www, you won't find it. 06:35 We're getting now to the place where you know, 06:38 you just don't need the www anymore. 06:40 If it is www, you can put it, 06:42 but if you don't put it, you'll still find it. 06:44 But in our case you won't find it 06:46 if you do put the www. 06:48 Now that I've confused you, 06:49 let's go to Matthew 12:30. 06:52 Okay, this text is really amazing. 06:55 This text destroys neutrality. 06:59 What's the word that I used? 07:01 Neutrality. Neutral... 07:02 There is no neutral gear in the Christian life. 07:05 You are either going forward or you're going in reverse. 07:08 There is no place as a Christian 07:10 that you're standing there wondering what to do. 07:12 You're either growing or you're dying. 07:15 You're either... 07:17 And so this is the verse that we read together. 07:18 Let's read this together. 07:20 It says, "He who is not..." 07:23 Let's try that again. 07:24 "He who is not with me..." 07:26 Oh, verse 30, 07:28 didn't I say Matthew 12:30? 07:31 Good thing you guys are awake. 07:33 I've got a really good class, 07:35 they are holding my feet to the fire. 07:37 Are you ready? Matthew 12:30. 07:38 Let's read that together. 07:40 "He who is not with Me is against Me, 07:44 and he who does not gather with Me," does what? 07:48 "Scatters abroad." 07:50 I always like to think 07:51 of the gospel commission as a person standing there 07:56 when a feathered pillow bursts open. 07:59 If you are not gathering those feathers 08:01 as they're flying in the different directions, 08:03 it's impossible to get them later on 08:05 because they are moving so quickly, so rapidly 08:07 that it's hard to gather them. 08:09 But the Lord gives us another analogy. 08:12 We're gonna go to Matthew 4:19, 08:14 same book but different chapter. 08:17 The gospel commission destroys neutrality. 08:20 In other words, 08:22 every one of us 08:23 is in one of those categories or the other. 08:24 We are either gathering 08:26 or we are, what's the next word? 08:28 Scattering. 08:29 We're either gathering or scattering. 08:31 In other words, we may not be 08:32 intentionally scattering people away 08:35 by our inactivity, by our unwillingness to gather, 08:39 we're involved in scattering. 08:41 And when you think of this parable, 08:44 the Lord is using the Parable of the Sower. 08:47 Matthew 13 talks about the Parable of the Sower. 08:50 They scattered seed, 08:51 seed went everywhere 08:53 but when the harvest time came, 08:57 they gather in 100% of the harvest. 09:00 When the seed was scattered, 09:02 it only was effective one fourth of the time 09:04 because three fourths of the time, 09:06 the kind of ground that it found was either stony, 09:09 thorny, or shallow, but that was not the case. 09:13 When the seed that found good soil was gathered, 09:17 it was always a 100% of the harvest 09:19 that grew was gathered in. 09:21 So the reason why this text is so relevant for today 09:25 is because a lot of times people think, 09:26 well, when the latter rain falls out, 09:28 when the latter rain is poured out, 09:30 then I'll be ready and waiting 09:32 to go out and gather in the sheaves 09:34 so to speak. 09:36 But we can't wait 09:37 until there is some latter burst of energy 09:41 or some empowerment later on in the future 09:44 because if you look at the world right now, 09:46 the harvest is ripe. 09:48 There are people that want to be gathered in, 09:49 but if you're not going out to gather them in, 09:53 then they are going to stand there 09:55 and unfortunately, somebody is gonna gather them in. 09:59 Somebody is gonna gather. 10:00 They're gonna be gathered by error 10:02 or they're gonna be gathered by what? 10:04 Truth. 10:05 So those of us who know the truth 10:06 cannot afford to be idle 10:08 and say, well, you know, 10:10 they will be there when I am ready. 10:11 No, the devil is busy. 10:14 The devil is very busy. 10:15 There was a lady that 10:17 always had something positive to say 10:18 and one day the pastor said, 10:20 "You know what? I know how to shut her mouth." 10:23 Because every time the truth was out 10:24 and people were leaving and they were shaking hands, 10:29 this lady was always positive 10:30 and the church members got tired 10:32 of her being positive. 10:33 What kind of church was she in? 10:36 And so they decided along with the pastor 10:39 to try something one day terrible 10:41 and they said," Let's see if she... 10:42 Let's see if we could get her to say something negative." 10:44 So one day, they said," 10:46 What can you tell me positive about the devil?" 10:49 And she said, "He sure is busy." 10:54 Isn't that true? Yes. 10:56 If you go to Las Vegas, 10:58 we went to Las Vegas 10:59 and I wanna let you know we went to Las Vegas 11:01 with 3ABN to one of the churches out there, 11:04 but you can't be in that city 11:06 and not be drawn by the lights, 11:08 so we decided one evening after the program is over, 11:10 kind of walked down the streets 11:11 and see what's actually happening out there. 11:13 Lot of lights, lot of camera, lot of action, 11:15 but I noticed on every street corner 11:17 and between one corner and the other, 11:19 there was always somebody out there 11:21 passing something out. 11:24 I mean it could be freezing cold 11:26 and they're out there backpack filled with fliers 11:29 and they are passing something out. 11:31 And I wanna let you know 11:33 that what they were passing out, 11:34 I wasn't buying 11:36 because it was quite earthly, quite earthy, quite dark 11:41 but on every street corner when you go to New York City 11:44 and you're walking down Time Square 11:46 or you're walking on one of those busy intersections, 11:49 there's somebody always passing something out 11:52 and the question begs to be asked, 11:54 "Where are the Christians? 11:57 Where are Christians with their backpacks?" 11:59 You know, how come we're not on the corner somewhere? 12:02 How come we're not at a mall out in Carbondale? 12:04 You know, there's nothing, there's no law. 12:09 If they say no loitering or no solicitation, 12:12 that's a different story altogether, 12:13 but there are so many places that we could be active 12:16 in planting seeds and activating. 12:20 That's why just recently our board made the decision 12:22 to go ahead and plant... 12:25 door hangers, 12:28 so we could just blink at the world 12:30 many times over that is our world. 12:32 We don't have 40,000 people living here 12:34 but I'll tell you what, it'd be great to go out 12:36 over and over and over again. 12:37 Amen? 12:38 Because you either gathering with Christ 12:40 or you're scattering abroad. 12:42 There is no such thing as a neutral Christian. 12:44 And here's why we have to go out and gather. 12:47 Look at Matthew 4:19. 12:50 Matthew 4:19, notice what it says, 12:54 "Then He said to them," 12:56 what are the next two words? 12:57 Follow me. 12:59 "Follow Me, and I will make you," what? 13:01 "Fishers of men." 13:02 Now he didn't say, follow me inactively. 13:05 Jesus wasn't taking them to the ocean 13:07 and getting them fishing rods 13:09 and getting them tackling worms, 13:11 but what He was in essence saying, 13:12 the word, the phrase there follow Me, 13:14 he's in essence saying, 13:16 "Look at what I am doing and do likewise." 13:20 I mean look at what my life is consumed by and do likewise. 13:25 So He's in essence saying, "I am setting up an example." 13:28 And the reason why this is so vitally important 13:30 because this commission is not always going to be... 13:33 There's not always going to be this opportunity 13:36 waiting for us 13:38 because sooner or later the opportunity to gather souls 13:40 is not going to be there. 13:42 That's why I wanna bring up question number 22 tonight. 13:46 Question number 22. 13:47 Now this question, let's look at the screen. 13:50 How solemn is the call laid upon the followers of Christ? 13:55 It's a very solemn call. 13:58 And when you read this, you will discover 14:01 that we've gotta be busy for the Lord. 14:03 All right? 14:05 Ezekiel 33:8 and question number 22, 14:08 that's on syllabus 009, The Greatest Commission. 14:12 Here's the question, how solemn is the call 14:14 laid upon the followers of Christ? 14:16 Look at this, Ezekiel 33:8, it's on the screen. 14:19 Now follow me as I read it. 14:22 It says, "When I say to the wicked, 14:24 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!'" 14:28 And get this, 14:30 "And you do not speak to warn the wicked 14:33 from his ways, 14:35 that wicked man shall die in his," what? 14:38 "In his iniquity, 14:40 but his blood will I require," what? 14:43 "At your hand." 14:44 Now, you may say but, that's about preaching. 14:49 I don't know if you know it but a flyer preaches also. 14:53 A tract preaches also. 14:55 A pamphlet preaches also 14:58 and what's nice about that 15:00 is you can have pulpits all over the neighborhood. 15:03 Anywhere that a person receives a tract 15:05 or a pamphlet or a booklet, a sermon is preached. 15:08 So God is calling us as watchmen. 15:10 We are what? 15:12 We are watchmen. 15:13 We've got to see the sword coming 15:15 and believe me, the sword is coming. 15:16 We've got to see the sword coming 15:18 and be willing to warn those 15:21 whose lives are presently in danger. 15:23 We've gotta warn the wicked 15:24 but if we don't warn the wicked, 15:27 who has to answer for that? 15:29 Every one of us. 15:30 So put it this way. 15:32 I wanna hear the words or the phrase, 15:34 "Well done thou good and faithful servant." 15:36 I don't wanna stand before the Lord 15:37 and say, and hear Him say, 15:39 "Now you have to pay 15:42 for those that you didn't warn." 15:45 That's the only other category. 15:47 See this thing about being called, 15:49 think about it in the army now. 15:50 Let's think about the army for a brief moment. 15:53 Do you know what happens to soldiers 15:54 that refuse to go to the battlefield 15:57 or decide that you know what? 16:01 When they get deployed, 16:02 I'm gonna hide somewhere, find a way 16:04 to have somebody meet me down in Afghanistan 16:07 and get me a private plane, 16:08 I'm gonna fly back to New York City. 16:12 And when they go to check 16:13 to see whether or not I'm in the field, 16:14 I don't really care whether or not 16:16 they discover that I'm gone. 16:17 What do they call that? 16:19 Awol. Awol, right? 16:21 Which means what? 16:22 Absent without leave. 16:26 Now, each one of us is a soldier, are we not? 16:30 We are soldiers in the army of the Lord. 16:33 If you don't think you're in a war, 16:34 read Revelation 12:17, 16:36 the dragon went to make war, 16:39 that war in heaven, this earth is the battlefield. 16:42 So every one of us is called 16:44 to be soldiers on the battlefield 16:45 for the Lord. 16:47 So we cannot afford to be what? Awol. 16:51 Awol, absent without leave 16:53 because once the call of God comes on your life, 16:55 that call is not removed. 16:58 That call is there until the Lord comes. 17:00 So when we accept the commission, 17:03 remember, we talked about a commission, 17:05 what a commission is, a commissioned officer. 17:08 When a person is commissioned, they are called to be involved 17:11 in the battle or in the work that is at hand. 17:14 That's why it's so vitally important 17:16 as pastors for us to get our membership ready. 17:18 To be not awol but in the battle, 17:22 on the battlefield, 17:24 carrying the message of salvation freedom. 17:27 So how solemn is the call laid upon the followers of Christ? 17:30 What would you put? 17:32 How solemn? 17:34 Very solemn. 17:35 You can even underline the passage, 17:37 "His blood will I require at your hand." 17:40 That's a powerful verse. 17:42 I mean, you know, that's why some people say, 17:44 "Man, Pastor John, that was a... 17:45 Boy, that was a hard solemn." You know what? 17:48 I've made up my mind that when I stand before the Lord, 17:51 I'm not gonna have to answer for those that I... 17:54 I'm not gonna say Lord, 17:55 I wanted to preach that sermon really hard, 17:57 but I don't wanna offend anybody. 17:58 He'll say, "Offend? 18:00 That's your job as a soldier to let them know there's a war, 18:02 to let them know that there is something 18:04 that's gonna take their lives." 18:05 If we don't tell it like it is, then what happens? 18:09 His blood will be required at my hands. 18:13 So I just, I need the atoning blood of Christ for me. 18:16 I don't have any blood to atone for anybody else. 18:19 Number 23. Number 23. 18:22 What biblical story describes 18:24 the two classes of Christ's followers?" 18:26 What biblical story describes 18:30 the two classes of Christ's followers?" 18:33 And we are in Matthew 21:28-31. 18:40 Matthew 21:28-31, there are only two classes, 18:45 this is really amazing. 18:47 You might see yourself in one of these categories. 18:49 This is kind of... This story is really unusual. 18:51 I've not heard many sermons about it, 18:53 but it's pretty interesting. 18:55 Here it is, 18:57 starting with verse 28, 18:59 "But what do you think?" What do you think? 19:03 A man had, "how many sons?" 19:04 Two sons, and he came to the first 19:06 and said, 'Son, go, work,' when? 19:11 "Today in my vineyard. 19:12 He answered and said, 'I will not,' 19:16 but afterward," what does it say? 19:18 "He regretted it and went. 19:21 Then he came to the second and said likewise. 19:24 And he answered and said, 19:26 'I go, sir,' but he did not go.'" 19:29 Now here's the question. 19:30 "Which of the two did the will of his father?' 19:35 They said to Him, 'The first.' 19:38 And Jesus said to them, 19:39 'Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots 19:45 enter the kingdom of God before you.'" 19:48 Now this is a solemn passage, 'cause you know what? 19:52 I don't know about how many people 19:53 ever read their baptismal certificate. 19:55 How many of you have baptismal certificate? 19:56 You all should have one. 19:57 It may do you well to go home and read those 13 points 20:00 that you agreed to, because you agreed to go. 20:05 But it says, "And afterword he didn't." 20:09 And those who didn't agree to go actually went. 20:13 So here's the... 20:16 I don't wanna use the word crazy, 20:18 here's the magnificent... 20:23 I'm at loss for words. 20:25 And that's strange from a person from New York. 20:29 It's such an amazing responsibility to say, 20:34 I wanna follow Christ. 20:36 It's an amazing responsibility because when we stand there, 20:39 I wish I had a baptismal certificate, 20:41 I have the internet, I can go find it 20:42 but it's not imperative right now but the point is, 20:44 will you buy your efforts and buy your ties 20:47 and buy your gears, 20:49 you know, a system there carrying forth of the message 20:51 and they stand there before the congregation 20:53 and say, "I will." 20:57 And he said, "Which one?" 21:00 Which one did the will of the father? 21:01 The one that said, "I'm not going," 21:03 and he ended up going or the one that says, 21:05 "I'm going," but he didn't do anything. 21:08 So look, what's the answer now. 21:11 Which biblical story 21:12 describes the two classes of the followers of Christ? 21:16 Okay, let me just put it this way. 21:19 If you wanna write your answer down, 21:20 maybe you want to write this, 21:22 because this is a long answer but put this, 21:23 action speaks louder than words. 21:27 Right? 21:29 You gotta be careful. 21:30 There's a text in the Ecclesiastes, 21:32 it says, 21:33 and I'm gonna read it in the King James Version, 21:35 it says, "Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin 21:39 and say before God it was a mistake." 21:43 Because He does not delight Himself 21:44 in the sacrifice of fools. 21:46 That's a powerful passage. 21:49 In other words, he says, "Don't allow your mouth 21:52 to cause your flesh to sin 21:53 and say as you stand before God, 21:55 it was a mistake." 21:56 Because God says, "He does not accept 21:59 the sacrifice of fools." 22:00 What He in essence is saying, it is foolish for us to say, 22:03 I am going, 22:05 but then you go out in the vineyard and say, 22:06 "Where are they?" 22:08 And there is a songwriter that says, 22:10 "My house is full, but my field is empty. 22:13 Who will go and work for me today?" 22:15 Now, let me put this in the right context 22:16 because lot of times people may say, 22:18 "Wow, he's talking whole lot about works." 22:20 I just finished a sermon this Sabbath 22:23 called "The Faith of Demons." 22:25 Now, the point I wanna make 22:26 for those of you that did not tune in on Sabbath 22:28 to hear the sermon. 22:30 The demons believed that there is one God. 22:34 They had an intellectual 22:35 and a theological belief that was completely correct, 22:40 but they were still demons. 22:43 They believed that God was one God 22:45 and that was true. 22:46 That's the one thing that separated Christians 22:48 from any other religion on the earth. 22:50 They believed in one God. 22:52 But what made them demons 22:56 is that they did nothing to advance the cause of God. 22:58 Their existence was to thwart 23:02 or to hinder the spread of the gospel. 23:05 Our existence as Christians cannot be 23:07 to hinder the spread of the gospel. 23:09 It's like a football game starts 23:10 and out of the 40 players on the San Francisco 49ers... 23:16 I don't know what's the Illinois... 23:17 What's the Illinois team? 23:19 Chicago Bears. 23:21 It's like 38 of the 40 players are in a locker room still 23:25 and the coach is on the sideline saying, "Okay... 23:31 The game is about to begin, where is my team?" 23:33 And the other team is on the field ready to go, 23:36 fully dressed up in the uniform. 23:37 If you look at the world, brothers and sisters, 23:41 the devil's got his people out there. 23:44 They are out there. 23:45 You walk the streets of New York 23:47 or any major city, 23:48 they are there trying to sell you drugs 23:50 or get you to go to some kind of dark parlor 23:53 or trying to sell you something that you don't wanna buy. 23:56 The advertisers are always plunging our emails 23:59 with offers for things that we don't want. 24:02 Have you noticed that? 24:05 But we are the Christians, 24:07 we're kind of like the silent majority, 24:09 and we cannot finish the work of God 24:12 with a remote control. 24:14 Now let's look at question number 24, 24:15 so what biblical story? 24:18 The two sons, 24:20 the two sons is the answer. 24:22 You wanna be the faithful son. 24:24 You wanna be the son 24:26 whose mouth and life is in harmony 24:28 with his profession. 24:30 Now, the next one is 24:31 according to the passage you just read now. 24:34 This is gonna require you to put your thinking cap on 24:38 because if you look at this question now, 24:39 it says, according to Matthew 21:28-31, 24:44 what is the Christian Commission? 24:47 Let's look at that. 24:49 Somebody come up with the answer for me. 24:52 Okay, put it, put it altogether for me, 24:55 what is the Christian Commission? 24:59 Who can find it? 25:04 Do I have to put on the screen? 25:06 It's in there, you guys are looking right at it. 25:09 What do you think it is, Monee? 25:13 Okay, now read it, 25:14 go read it actually as it appears in the text. 25:17 "A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first 25:19 and said, 'Son, go work today in my vineyard.'" 25:22 Okay, there's the answer, put it down. 25:25 Go work when? Today. 25:29 Today, he didn't say tomorrow, 25:31 he didn't say as a new year's resolution, 25:33 he said as a new morning resolution. 25:35 If you wake up that day and you know what? 25:38 Should I say each one of us 25:40 here at 3ABN is doing something in every capacity 25:44 to advance the cause of God? 25:47 While we have office skills, 25:51 while we have editing skills and singing skills 25:55 and program producing skills, 25:57 there is another facet to the gospel, 25:59 there is another facet to the war. 26:01 There are those who are generals, 26:02 you need the generals, you need the commanders, 26:04 you need those who are figuring out 26:05 all the strategies in the situation room, right? 26:10 But then there are foot soldiers 26:11 that are needed, right? 26:13 So the foot soldiers need to be also in harmony 26:15 with what's happening behind the scenes. 26:17 The reason why we know that they are soldiers, 26:19 the reason why we know there's something happening 26:21 behind the scenes is because we see the direction 26:24 and the strategies carried out by the foot soldiers 26:27 that are not behind closed doors. 26:30 You got the commander in chief. 26:32 Who is the commander in chief? 26:35 It's right, exactly. 26:36 Then you have... 26:39 Then you have the little chiefs. 26:41 Who are they? 26:43 Who are the little chiefs? 26:47 That's the pastors, 26:49 that's the leaders, that's the teachers. 26:52 And then you got... 26:56 The army, the commissioned, 26:59 those who are being trained to go. 27:02 So if you look at that, 27:04 if you look at that infrastructure, 27:06 there's nobody in that entire infrastructure 27:08 that is inactive because as we studied earlier, 27:12 one of the things we learnt over and over and over again 27:15 and if you're just looking at this program 27:17 for the first time 27:18 and didn't get the beginning of it, 27:20 you'll discover as we go from question number one 27:23 all the way down to question number 18, 27:25 we find this repetitive word, we find this repetitive word. 27:29 What was that single word that began with the letter S? 27:32 Sent. 27:33 Okay, say it again. Sent. 27:34 Say one more time together. 27:36 Sent. Sent, sent. 27:37 When the fullness of time had come, 27:39 God sent forth us. 27:42 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son. 27:45 And then Jesus before He left, He says, 27:47 "As the Father has sent Me," so what? 27:51 "Send I you." 27:52 So you look at this, the Father sent out, 27:54 "Go Son." 27:56 When the Son left, He sent us out, go children. 28:00 So the gospel commission is not stop or pause, 28:03 it's go, go, go. 28:06 One day we gonna get the commission to stop 28:09 but that's not gonna be until Jesus comes 28:11 or we're laid to rest. 28:13 So we should, 28:14 as Danny said the blessing is always on the go, 28:16 we've gotta go. 28:17 As one person says, "I'll go till He comes. 28:20 I'll work till He stops me." 28:23 Okay, number 25. 28:24 So if you wrote the answer down, 28:25 here's the answer, go work today in my vineyard. 28:27 There are four lines, go work today 28:30 and the last long line in my vineyard. 28:34 All right? 28:36 Now number 25. 28:37 Number 25, moving right along. 28:40 Number 25, 28:41 I am so glad I looked at my presentation here 28:44 before I went on screen. 28:46 They had the proper slides out there, 28:48 but I was missing number 24, 28:51 but that's okay, we got it. 28:53 Now number 25. 28:55 With what urgency does Jesus describe 29:00 the work of His followers? 29:03 With what urgency does Jesus describe 29:05 the work of His followers? 29:07 As we go to Luke Chapter 14, 29:09 I want to just professes by saying something. 29:12 If you knew and I said this 29:14 maybe at the beginning of this... 29:15 of this study a few weeks ago. 29:17 If you knew that you were building your house 29:19 and your roof is not yet done 29:21 and the rainy season was coming. 29:24 Would you be fishing? 29:26 Come on, answer me, yes or no? 29:28 Okay, well, listen. 29:30 Would you be going to the mall? 29:32 Okay, okay, let me see 29:33 what else could I get you to do. 29:36 Would you be dining out all day long? 29:40 No, no, no. 29:42 What would be the number one urgency? 29:44 Get your roof fixed 29:46 because as in some places of the nation we say, 29:48 "The rainy season is coming." 29:50 We know that. 29:52 Well, brethren, there's a season of distress 29:53 and anguish before us 29:56 that requires a preparation that we have not yet made. 30:01 And we are told by God's messenger that, 30:03 that which the church fails 30:04 to do in times of peace shall force, 30:07 shall be forced to do 30:08 under the most trying circumstances. 30:11 And it's gonna be a lot harder. 30:13 Can you imagine getting to the place 30:14 and it's happening nowadays, 30:16 I know, and I'm not gonna mention the country, 30:18 but there are certain places in the world 30:19 that you can't preach certain things 30:21 that the Bible demands we preach as preachers. 30:24 There are certain places you can't say anything 30:26 and there are certain, certain things 30:27 that you speak about that's in prophecy 30:29 or things about the immorality of the world 30:32 being generaled here. 30:34 In certain countries, 30:35 it's against the law 30:37 to preach against homosexuality, 30:39 it's against the law 30:40 to talk about Rome's place in prophecy, 30:42 is being described and labeled 30:44 as a hate crime in certain societies. 30:46 So it's getting to the place now 30:48 where preaching straight messages 30:50 are being replaced now with, 30:51 you know, portfolio messages 30:53 and all the fluff and the icing, 30:55 but the cake is being left out. 30:57 And I tell you, unless we, 31:00 unless we are activated in faithful 31:02 while we have the opportunities, 31:04 then the time is going to come 31:05 when the opportunity is gonna be so stringent, 31:09 so difficult that under trying circumstances, 31:12 we're gonna be trying to get to people 31:14 that we've had opportunity to talk 31:15 to long before all these issues became public, 31:19 and let me say what I mean by that. 31:22 So many preaches are not telling the truth 31:24 about the Bible Sabbath. 31:25 What will happen when... 31:26 What will happen when, if an edict goes forth 31:28 that you gotta now keep Sunday as a matter of law? 31:33 Are we gonna start then by saying to our neighbor, 31:35 oh, by the way, did you know about the Bible Sabbath? 31:37 It's imperative of us 31:39 that we share the gospel while the door's open. 31:42 It's imperative that before the lines 31:44 of demarcation are drawn on the sand, 31:46 that people that we know are not in the gospel, 31:48 we start sharing with them now. 31:49 Because when the walls go up... 31:55 those people that have not given themselves to Christ 31:58 are going to say, "Wait a minute, 31:59 are you asking me 32:00 to go against the laws of the land?" 32:04 How many people 32:05 would have joined Daniel and pray 32:07 when the Medes and the Persians 32:09 passed the law against prayer? 32:11 But Daniel has said, "You know what about... 32:13 Hey, where's everybody? It's prayer meeting tonight." 32:16 Daniel was the only one still having a prayer meeting 32:19 after the law of the Medes and the Persians were passed. 32:21 You see what I am saying. 32:23 How many people would have been willing to stand 32:24 with the Hebrews 32:26 when Nebuchadnezzar said bow? 32:29 You gotta wait before those moments, 32:31 those moments are coming. 32:32 We don't have ours yet, 32:34 but if you could put your ear to the ground, 32:36 as one guy once said 32:37 when he was tiptoeing across the ice up 32:39 in Wisconsin in the middle of the wintertime, 32:42 he was tiptoeing across the ice 32:43 because he was afraid that it will break 32:45 and whole team of horses carrying a wagon 32:48 just shot right past him. 32:50 Didn't know how thick it was. 32:53 You see, the situation right now is in our favor. 32:56 We've got to not tiptoe with the gospel, 32:58 we've got to walk bravely 33:00 because Satan has a whole caravan 33:03 of people that are willing to teach err 33:05 that are flying right by us and we are tiptoeing fearful 33:08 that the ice below our feet may break. 33:13 Now that illustration wasn't in my notes. 33:16 Let's go to the next question. 33:18 Okay, here it is, number 25. 33:19 Here's the answer. 33:20 Luke 14:23. 33:22 With what urgency is the question, 33:24 Luke 14:23, 33:25 "Then the master said to the servant, 33:30 'Go out into the," what? 33:33 "Highways and," what? 33:35 "Hedges," and what's the next word? 33:37 "And compel them to come in, 33:40 that my house may be filled." 33:43 I believe and you know what? 33:46 I'm actually whipping myself with a lot of this sermon 33:50 because I'm saying this is giving me urgency 33:52 now to really, really elders and leaders, 33:55 and deaconess and deacons, 33:56 and our leadership teams have to really become urgent 33:59 in getting the whole congregation 34:02 to minimize the empty seats in our church 34:04 on Sabbath morning 34:07 because that's what is being said here. 34:09 Go out into the high wedge, 34:11 highways and hedges. 34:12 You know what hedges are? 34:14 Bushes. 34:17 We're in the hedges, exactly. 34:19 We've got highway and we got hedges. 34:22 So if you drive by the highway out here, 34:23 not a lot of times will you see a house 34:25 because many of them are recessed 34:27 way back off the road. 34:28 You gotta get out, 34:29 go through the hedges, 34:31 find those who need the gospel 34:33 and compel them to come. 34:35 We can't be settled with a comfortable seat 34:38 that we choose and you know, 34:40 I look at the church sometimes 34:41 and there are people that have chosen a seat 34:45 that they sit in every Sabbath. 34:47 It's like clockwork being raised 34:49 in church in New York City. 34:51 People put their coat down in their seat 34:53 and that's their seat every week, Lord, have mercy, 34:55 if you ask them to move their seat, it's like, 34:58 "But I paid for this seat." 35:01 We have a lot of choices in seats 35:02 where we can sit on Sabbath. 35:04 We need to get to the place where it's hard to get a seat 35:07 because we are so busy going out 35:09 into the highways and hedges. 35:10 We've gotta be... 35:11 We've gotta get to the place where our hearts pulsate 35:14 with the fact that if this seat is empty 35:16 that means one more seat is being filled in the stadium, 35:18 in a movie theatre somewhere, 35:20 in a hall, a place, a dark place, 35:22 a dance hall, somewhere, the gambling halls, 35:25 there are seats all over that place 35:26 and when you go to Las Vegas, 35:27 it's like people are pouring into that false hope, 35:30 pulling down machines, trying to get wealthy 35:33 and their lives are falling apart all around them, 35:36 but the churches. 35:38 So we have to, so if you answer the question, 35:40 if you answer the question, 35:42 with what urgency does Jesus describe 35:44 the work of His followers? 35:46 What's the word that you can find there 35:48 in that passage at... 35:49 Okay, say it again. 35:51 Compel Compel, compel. 35:53 What does compel mean? 35:56 Okay, exactly. 35:58 A preacher that's preaching his heart 35:59 out for an appeal, he's compelling. 36:01 Accept Jesus, 36:04 give your life to the Lord 36:06 for the sake of the blood of Christ, 36:07 compelling man, compelling women to come forth 36:11 and you know what's amazing about that 36:12 is we've got an insight to what's going to happen. 36:15 There are many people that don't know 36:17 it's coming down the road, 36:18 but I can guarantee you this. 36:20 When the time comes, 36:23 that those things that are on the horizon 36:24 actually become a clearer and in focus, 36:28 like the laws of our land, 36:30 maybe the reinstitution of difficulty 36:32 of worshipping certain ways. 36:34 When those times do come, 36:35 the people that have been compelled to come in, 36:38 they'll say, I am so glad, 36:41 I made my decision to come in 36:45 while I had the opportunity. 36:48 There are those of you watching that may be saying wow, 36:51 I've heard lot of programs on 3ABN but you know, 36:54 I am beginning to understand 36:56 the importance of the gospel 36:58 is not just a message to accept, 37:00 but it's a message that the Lord is saying, 37:03 get the message out there, every day when I drive home, 37:05 I have a PO box and I have a physical, 37:08 I have a PO box in the post office 37:10 and I have a physical mailbox in front of my house. 37:12 I go to look for letters every day 37:15 because why do I go looking for letters? 37:18 Somebody tell me, why do I go looking? 37:24 'Cause I had them before, 37:26 but what's the main reason that I go every day to look? 37:30 Huh? 37:33 Okay, why do I go looking every day? 37:35 Why not once a week? 37:37 Why not just maybe on Tuesdays? 37:41 It piles up, we're getting close. 37:45 Because it's delivered every day. 37:48 Can you imagine? 37:50 It's delivered every day. 37:52 We go out looking for the message. 37:53 Now, let's put that together. 37:55 Let's see ourselves like the postmen. 37:57 Let's see ourselves 37:58 as the federal express of heaven. 38:00 Let's see ourselves as the UPS of a divine kingdom. 38:05 If the message is being delivered every day, 38:07 people are gonna go out looking for it. 38:10 That's why we gotta get these door hangers, Greg, 38:11 we gotta get this design real quick. 38:13 So if a rainstorm comes 38:14 and wash away the first door hanger, Joe, 38:16 we go put another one a week later. 38:18 Amen? Amen. 38:19 You get another one a week later. 38:21 And you say, well, how many door hangers 38:22 have you put in the last month? 38:23 Well 40,000. 38:25 Well, let's order another 40,000 38:26 because somebody missed 38:28 the last four times we passed by. 38:29 Amen? 38:30 Those are precious souls, precious souls for the kingdom. 38:34 You gotta compel them, 38:35 you gotta go on the highways 38:36 and you gotta go out. 38:38 You can't wait for them to come in, 38:39 you gotta go out because they ain't coming in. 38:42 They don't know what to come in for. 38:44 They don't know what to come in to. 38:46 If I seem a little excited, ignore me. 38:50 Okay, hope you catch the same fever that I have, 38:54 a fever for the kingdom. 38:55 Number 26. 38:56 Number 26, 38:59 question is, how ready is the world 39:01 for the reception of the Gospel Message? 39:03 How ready are they? How ready are they? 39:08 We're gonna look at Matthew, sorry, John 4:35. 39:13 How ready are they? 39:15 We have how many people in the world nowadays, 39:17 seven billion? 39:19 Seven billion. 39:22 That's a lot, billion. 39:25 It's a B, and billion is a lot. 39:30 Let's see how ready they are. 39:32 John 4:35 is where we're turning 39:34 for the answer. 39:36 Now I want you to read this with me 39:37 because I want you to kind of hear 39:39 the Lord talking to you, 39:40 this is a powerful way He says it. 39:42 Are you ready? 39:45 "Do you not say, 39:47 there are still how many months? 39:49 Four months and then comes the harvest? 39:54 Behold, I say to you," what? 39:56 "Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, 40:00 for they are already white for harvest!" 40:06 How many people are in hospitals? 40:08 How many people are strung out on drugs? 40:10 How many people are taking their lives every day? 40:12 I read a quotation 40:14 where Ellen White's talked about, 40:15 "There're people by the scores going down 40:17 to christless graves." 40:20 And that in and of itself 40:24 is why the Christian 40:25 needs to be so urgent about looking up. 40:30 And I like the way the Lord says this, 40:32 look, look at the fields, 40:34 the way he says that here is, 40:37 lift up your eyes, lift up your eyes. 40:40 You know what happens when you lift up your eyes? 40:42 Our eyes could be down. 40:43 What happens when things around you, 40:45 you don't see them? What's the main reason? 40:47 Because we haven't lifted our eyes up. 40:49 If you walk down the streets of any major city... 40:52 The one question my wife and I've asked sometimes 40:54 when we've walked in New York city, 40:56 sometimes we've gone to Time Square 40:57 and those of you who are in New York, 40:59 you know what I am talking about 41:00 or sometimes you go to San Francisco 41:01 or Chicago during a very busy time of the day, 41:04 once we stood on the corner 41:05 and more than once but we stood on the corner 41:07 and we saw this sea of people, Monick, 41:10 and we looked at each other and said, 41:11 "How is God gonna reach all these people?" 41:17 And now I am hearing him say, "By you." 41:22 If we stationed, folk, if we said, okay, 41:24 if we said the church in New York. 41:26 Now, there is a New York 13, 41:27 they are planning for this bigger push 41:29 in New York City next year. 41:30 Don't wait to be assigned, 41:32 get yourself a backpack, 41:34 put $100 into buying some tracts, 41:37 get yourself books, a box of Steps to Christ, 41:41 get yourself some of the GLOW tracts, 41:42 get your backpack and go station it, 41:45 42nd in Broadway, 43rd in Broadway, 41:48 44th in Broadway, 45th in Broadway. 41:50 Make sure that on every corner 41:52 there is an Adventist with a backpack. 41:54 And if somebody missed them on 42nd, 41:56 they will get them on 43rd 41:57 or they will get them on 44th. 41:59 You see what I am saying? 42:00 Or they'll get them on 45th. 42:01 That's how you have to be strategic 42:03 because the devil is on every corner. 42:04 Amen. 42:05 There's music that takes your mind away. 42:08 You can walk in restaurants 42:09 and my wife and I sat down one day 42:11 and we actually asked them, 42:12 "Could you turn that music down some," 42:14 because you don't have to ask for the world, 42:15 it just gets piped in. 42:17 You don't have to ask for the advertisement, 42:19 you drive down the highway, 42:20 you know they have the liquor advertise, 42:22 they have the Lion's Den advertise, 42:24 you see that gigantic Lion's Den 42:26 exit 45. 42:27 Lord, have mercy why would anybody wanna go 42:29 to place called the Lion's Den, 42:33 and they tell you what exit to get off 42:34 to go to the Lion's Den. 42:35 Wasn't Daniel in lions' den, can you imagine, 42:38 you gonna find Daniel, he's at exit 45. 42:41 But the world is advertising everything 42:43 that is pulling people away from the gospel. 42:45 We've got this billboard, would you like to advertise? 42:48 To advertise, call 618 and the numbers there. 42:50 I'm thinking, we gotta find how much that costs, 42:53 exit 65 east, to find the truth, 42:57 exit 71 east, to find the truth, 43:02 that's how you gotta get, you gotta get creative. 43:05 You gotta get to the pace where, "Ah, 43:06 there is a whole lot of billboards up there 43:08 but ours is right there." 43:10 Amen? 43:11 And you can't say it cost too much 43:13 because what is the worth of a soul. 43:15 When the Lord comes, 43:16 I rather have a zero balance in my account 43:19 from giving to help souls come to Christ 43:21 than all this money that is cankered up again. 43:24 Some people are content to have a lot of money in the bank. 43:26 Some Christians are content to have. 43:28 I got seven zeroes, I am happy now. 43:32 That's gonna be a witness against us 43:33 if we are not using it for the cause of God. 43:35 Isn't that right? Yes. 43:36 And I got seven zeroes 43:37 but didn't have one in front of that. 43:43 I'll tell you it's... 43:44 I'm excited about the fact 43:47 that God has given us this opportunity 43:49 to continue to carry the gospel message forth. 43:51 And let me just make a change here 43:54 'cause my computer, 43:56 I forgot to put my plug in the battery but that's okay. 44:01 That's okay, don't worry about the screen. 44:03 We're gonna go ahead and answer the questions 44:05 as we go along. 44:06 Look at question number... 44:07 Now, what's the answer now? 44:09 Question number what? 44:10 Twenty six. Twenty six. 44:12 How ready is the world? 44:13 Let's read that together. 44:17 White for harvest. 44:18 `The world is what? 44:20 White for harvest. 44:23 If you just look around, it's white for harvest. 44:25 Now question number 27. 44:29 What does the Bible describe 44:30 as the right time to share the gospel? 44:35 The right time to share the gospel. 44:38 All right? 44:46 Okay, and we're gonna go to 2 Corinthians 6:2. 44:50 2 Corinthians 6:2, 44:55 all right? 44:59 I just love this passage, 45:00 it is one of those passages 45:01 that just don't let you off the hook. 45:04 Okay. 45:05 Are you all there? 45:07 Okay, here's how it reads. 45:10 "For He says 45:12 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, 45:16 and in the day of salvation I have done," what? 45:20 "Helped you." 45:21 Now, let's read this together. 45:23 "Behold," when? 45:24 "Now is the accepted time, behold," when? 45:28 "Now is the day of salvation." 45:31 Behold when, friends? 45:33 Now is the accepted time. 45:35 When is the day of salvation? 45:37 Now is the day of salvation. 45:40 So today is when the Lord is calling us. 45:42 When is He calling us to go with the gospel, when? 45:45 Now. 45:46 Is He calling us a month from now? 45:48 No, He's calling us when? 45:50 He's calling us today, now. 45:52 So if you put the answer down there, 45:54 if you put the answer down there, 45:55 you can go ahead and put the word, 45:57 put the word together, what's the word? 45:59 Now. Say that again. 46:00 The word is what? Now. 46:02 That's right, today is the day. 46:03 Today is the day of salvation. 46:04 Today is the acceptable time. 46:06 Now is the acceptable time. 46:08 Not five months from now but now. 46:11 If somebody is hungry, when do you feed them? 46:14 Now. 46:16 If somebody is thirsty and need some water, 46:18 I'll give it to you on Tuesday. 46:22 If you fall down, I'm lying on the floor, 46:23 I'm hurt, could you help me out? 46:25 Tomorrow at, 46:26 tomorrow I'll help you up at 3:15. 46:28 No, there are people that are hungry 46:30 for the gospel, 46:31 they wanna be fed when? Now. 46:33 There are people that are thirsty for Christ, 46:34 they wanna be thirst, 46:36 they want to be quenched when? 46:37 Now. 46:39 And there are people 46:40 that are falling down all around us. 46:41 We need to help them up when? 46:43 Now. 46:44 So just put that one word when? 46:46 Now, now, wonderful. 46:48 In an acceptable time, I've heard you. 46:52 One simple word, now. 46:54 Now, question number 28. 46:56 Question number 28. 46:59 Oh boy. 47:04 Wow, wow, wow. 47:08 Why are we told not to postpone working 47:13 for the salvation of others? 47:25 I have a hobby. 47:30 My hobby is, I'm an RC pilot. 47:33 Just in case you don't know what that is, 47:34 that means radio control. 47:37 I like to fly airplanes, I like to fly helicopters 47:39 but I only do that one day of the week 47:41 for few hours. 47:42 And it's usually Sunday afternoons, 47:45 you know, but the weather has to be nice 47:47 for me to do that. 47:49 And this summer, 47:50 I've been so busy, 47:52 all year long I've gone to the flying field once 47:56 because it's either I'm in a wedding 47:59 or I had to choose between training people 48:01 for Bible studies or flying my airplane, 48:04 which one do you think I chose? 48:06 Training people for Bible studies. 48:08 And every time, my wife can tell you, 48:10 every time I go outside on a beautiful day, 48:12 I say, honey, this day is perfect 48:14 and she always ends, for flying, right? 48:17 And I say, oh, the weather is warm, 48:19 there's no heavy wind, 48:21 it's perfect and she says, 48:22 for flying, right? 48:24 But I gotta go visit. 48:25 I gotta give that Bible study. 48:27 I gotta make sure that person 48:29 has his or her need met 48:31 because this says you can't postpone. 48:33 When the opportunity comes to reach a life, 48:36 you gotta choose to reach a life 48:38 over your own comforts, 48:40 over your own conveniences. 48:41 Now, we do need leisure time 48:43 every now and then. 48:44 You gotta fit that into your schedule 48:46 but if I had, but if I was faced 48:47 between giving a Bible study to a person right now 48:50 or flying my plane, 48:51 giving the Bible study would always win. 48:55 You can't postpone that. 48:56 So why are we told not to postpone working 48:58 for the salvation of others. 48:59 Jeremiah 8:20, this is a solemn passage, 49:03 solemn passage 'cause 49:05 we know the summer is passing right now, isn't it? 49:07 Let's read this together. 49:08 Ready? 49:09 "The harvest is past, 49:11 the summer is ended, and we are not saved." 49:15 Wow, there's a season to work. 49:18 Notice what's past, the harvest is gone, 49:20 the summer is gone and we're not saved. 49:24 What is in essence being said here, 49:25 the lament that's being expressed here 49:28 is by those who were not gathered in, 49:31 is by those who were not drawn in. 49:34 The time of gathering is past, the summer is done, 49:37 you can't be sowing anymore, 49:39 the weather is not even favorable for it 49:40 and when you look at the context 49:42 of some Bible times, 49:43 they had a certain time of the year 49:45 that they had to sow 49:46 as the rainy season ended, 49:47 the spring came in, 49:49 they had to make sure 49:50 that their grounds were tilled and prepared for soil 49:52 just like when we lived in Northern California, 49:53 we lived out close to Napa Valley. 49:56 And we knew there were certain 49:57 times of the year that 49:58 you can see the people out there 50:00 in the vineyard, but when the rainy season came, 50:01 there's nobody out there. 50:03 When the, after the harvest is done, fields are barren. 50:06 Sometimes in Northern California, 50:08 right throughout of Sacramento 50:10 we see this billows of smoke just raising 50:13 toward the sky, you remember that, Dee? 50:15 And we say what on... 50:17 When I first saw that, I thought man, 50:18 Sacramento is burning up 50:21 and I drove up highway five to realize 50:23 that after the harvest is done, 50:26 it showed me something of why there will be a fire 50:29 at the end of the world 50:30 because all the wheat was gathered in 50:33 and all that was left was stubble. 50:36 And the farmers decided to purify 50:39 the field to get ready for the next season, 50:42 that's why there is gonna be a fire. 50:44 But we've have to be out there to gather 50:46 in the harvest before the fire comes 50:49 because there's gonna be a bellowing smoke 50:51 all over the world 50:53 and whatever has not been gathered in, 50:55 when the season of harvest is past, 50:57 that lament will be expressed, 50:59 we are not saved. 51:00 We don't want that to be on our watch. 51:02 Amen? Amen. 51:03 We've got to be busy with the Lord's work. 51:04 Now, question number 29. 51:06 Question number 29. 51:09 Number 29. 51:11 Okay, here it is. 51:14 What is the great purpose 51:16 for which we have been saved? 51:27 I like choirs, I like music, I am a singer myself, 51:30 I like lights, camera, action, 51:31 I think it's great to have good musicians 51:33 and wonderful esthetics in the church, 51:36 but all those things just make you 51:38 feel comfortable being at home, 51:39 it's like a good comfortable couch, 51:41 nice wonderful air conditioned room, 51:42 wonderful soft carpet, 51:44 all those things are good, 51:45 that's for the house. 51:47 But they should never be mistaken as, 51:50 as what they call them? 51:52 Creature comforts, 51:53 that we're so comfortable in the house, 51:56 then we don't wanna go outside of the house. 51:59 I've discovered this is something 52:00 that those of you who are that like 52:03 working in the garden. 52:04 How many of you like to work in the garden? 52:06 Okay, you may not like it. 52:07 Let me ask, how many of you work in the garden? 52:09 I think the word like 52:10 was probably not the right word to choose. 52:11 How many of you sometimes are compelled 52:13 to work in the garden 52:15 because the trees are falling down. 52:17 How many of you like raking leaves? 52:20 I put my hand, I don't like raking leaves, 52:22 but there's a certain time of the year 52:23 that compels you to do that, am I right? 52:25 If we don't rake leaves in our yard, 52:27 you know what happens? 52:28 We've got about a hundred trees 52:30 lining our property plus all the other trees 52:33 that have falling leaves. 52:34 You know the season is coming 52:36 and I look out the window and say, "Ah! 52:38 Leaves, leaves." 52:41 If I don't rake those leaves 52:43 you know what happens? 52:44 The rain comes, saturate those leaves, 52:47 covers the ground 52:49 and the ground that should have been 52:50 fertilized by water, the water can't get through. 52:53 You know what happens 52:54 when the season comes 52:55 for them to begin to sprout? 52:57 All those dead leaves smother it 53:00 and no grass grows in that area. 53:02 You know when I say that. 53:04 Working for the Lord 53:06 was not necessarily intended 53:08 to be an easy task 53:10 but you'll be so much happier 53:14 if you put forth diligent labor 53:17 to do what is necessary rather than saying, 53:21 "I should have done that." 53:23 Because when... 53:24 Until I got used to it, 53:26 you know, until I got used to it, 53:28 Lorraine, I would say... 53:30 I am from New York, 53:31 I am not raking leaves. 53:33 So I tried a short cut, 53:34 I took my John Deere mower out there 53:36 and it has a big old fan you know, 53:37 its spinning those blades are spinning very fast, 53:40 you don't wanna put your fingers there 53:42 and I tried a, an easy route 53:44 then I decided to go ahead 53:46 and mow over the leaves and actually mow, 53:48 it does like grass, 53:49 it pushes it to the right 53:51 but you know what it does? 53:52 It doesn't get rid of the leaves, 53:53 it just moves them to a different location. 53:56 And I discovered, 53:57 the more I mow, these leaves are not going, 53:59 they just change their address and what happens is, 54:03 all of a sudden I have a big old pile of leaves 54:07 and then I got small one, I say, "Ah, huh, 54:09 good idea, push them all in one direction 54:12 and do like my neighbors, set them on fire." 54:15 I am learning, I am not a country guy 54:17 but I am learning how to be. 54:19 But you gotta do it in a certain time, 54:21 you cannot wait till the rain comes 54:23 'cause those leaves will not ignite 54:25 and after the rain passes, 54:27 it seems like those leaves lose their ability to ignite, 54:30 and then when you try to, 54:31 when you try to take that lawnmower 54:33 and go over them after the rains have come, 54:34 they're not moving, they are adhered to the grass. 54:37 So there's a specific time, 54:39 now is the time, today, today is the day of salvation. 54:43 Now is the most important time, 54:45 and here's the answer to question number 29. 54:49 What is the great purpose for which we have been saved? 54:52 I am so excited tonight, 54:54 I am just eating all my words up 54:55 but you follow me. 54:57 Here's the answer, John 15:16, 55:00 the Lord says, "You did not choose Me, 55:03 but I," did what? 55:05 "I chose you," 55:06 and the next one I did what? 55:07 "Appointed you." 55:09 I choose you and I appointed you 55:11 "that you should go and do," what? 55:13 "Bear fruit, 55:14 and that your fruit should remain, 55:18 that whatever you ask the Father in," what? 55:23 "My name He may give you." 55:27 Now, I am gonna spend little time 55:28 on this text tonight. 55:30 This is a powerful text. 55:31 First of all, let's break this down. 55:34 What is the great purpose 55:35 for which we have been appointed 55:36 for which we have been saved? 55:39 I gave you the answer just a minute ago. 55:43 We've been saved to bring forth fruit, 55:45 but we have been saved to be appointed, appointed. 55:51 What's another word for appointed? 55:53 Appointment. 55:55 God has an appointment for us. 55:57 Before we even accept the job, 55:59 He's got a job appointed for us. 56:01 So now let me work on this text 56:02 just a little bit before we wind up tonight. 56:04 I wanna go on to the new topic 56:05 but we have so little time, 56:06 I don't wanna take the time 56:08 to open a new can tonight, 56:09 but we're gonna continue next week 56:11 with a beautiful topic, 56:13 the Power of Prayer. 56:15 It's so significant. 56:17 We're gonna talk about this next week, 56:18 the Power of Prayer, 56:20 but let me talk about this very quickly here. 56:25 He said, "You did not choose Me 56:26 but I choose you and appointed you 56:29 that you should go and bear fruit 56:31 and that your fruit should remain 56:33 that whatever you ask the Father in my name, 56:35 He may give you." 56:36 Let me tell you 56:38 about a revolutionary method of evangelism. 56:40 If you can't preach a sermon, 56:42 and you've never given a Bible study, 56:45 and you're not completely familiar 56:46 with your 28 fundamentals 56:47 or you need to become familiar with that. 56:50 There's no excuse for that. 56:51 You gotta spend the time 56:53 while you have the opportunity 56:54 and study the Word of God, 56:55 become familiar 56:57 because when you're standing at the point 56:58 where somebody else is sharing their faith 57:00 and you have no answer, 57:01 because you say I know it's in the Bible 57:03 somewhere but I can't point it out. 57:05 You should be rightly dividing the word of truth. 57:08 A workman that needs not to be ashamed, right? 57:11 A revolutionary method of evangelism, 57:13 he said, "Whatever you ask the Father in my name, 57:16 He may give you." 57:18 Let me suggest, 57:19 start writing down the names of your workers, 57:23 the names of your neighbors, 57:24 the names of people that you meet in the store 57:27 on a casual basis, what's your name? 57:29 Just write it down on a piece of paper. 57:31 When you get home put that before the Lord 57:33 and pray for those names. 57:34 What did I say? 57:35 Pray. Pray for those names. 57:37 You'll discover, 57:38 when you ask for a soul 57:40 in the Father's name, what did He say? 57:43 He'll give you. 57:45 He may not give you right away, 57:47 but if we are diligent to labor as evangelists 57:50 and that's what we're gonna talk about next week, 57:52 why prayer is so vitally important. 57:54 How powerful prayer really is. 57:56 Ask the Father 57:57 and He will give you and when you ask Him, 57:59 whatever is not clear, 58:00 will come into A Sharper Focus. 58:03 God bless you. |
Revised 2019-06-10