Hello, friends,
welcome to our A Sharper Focus
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Wednesday Night Bible Study
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here at the 3ABN Worship Center.
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We thank you for
taking the time to tune
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in as we continue our topic on
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"The Stewardships,
the topic of Stewardship."
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You know, so much as
been said about stewardship
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but then sometimes,
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so little is really understood
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as the Bible
teaches stewardship.
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Tonight, we're
gonna look at stewardship
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in five different areas
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and we'd like to invite
you to stay tuned with us
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as we walk through
the Word of God together.
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In just a moment, we'll tell you
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how to get a copy of the lesson
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but before we go any further,
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all you need
really is your Bible.
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I invite your family
and friends to sit down
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and this time we're gonna
walk through the scriptures
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in God's Word asking Him to
teach us and guide our minds
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about how we can be
faithful and effective stewards
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that is in
charge of the property
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that really belongs to Him,
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but before we go any further,
we're gonna have prayer.
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I'll tell you how to
get a copy of the lesson.
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We're gonna have our theme song
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and then we'll go
into our Bible study.
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So bow your
heads with me tonight.
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Loving Father in heaven,
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thank You for the
privilege and opportunity.
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We know that we
cannot understand
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Your Word without Your guidance
and so speak to us, we pray.
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Send Your Holy
Spirit to be teacher
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and as we open
Your Word, inspire us
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with Your power
and Your presence.
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We pray that You'll teach
us not only what we will learn,
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but that You'll give us
wisdom and deep understanding
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to find ways to
apply it through our lives
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and to be empowered to
live in harmony with it.
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And so, Lord, come
and exalt Your holy name,
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we pray in Christ name, amen.
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Now every now and
then, we get new viewers
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that we have
opportunities to meet.
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And not too long ago,
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I found out about
somebody very special to us,
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a good family member
actually that's watching.
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Tonight I wanna gonna
say hello to Aunt Joyse
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who is a first time
viewer of A Sharper Focus.
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Can we all say amen? Amen!
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And we'd like to welcome
you as you join us tonight
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in a wonderful Bible study.
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If you'd like to
download a copy of the lesson
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that I have in my possession,
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go to this
following website ASF.3ABN.org
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and download lesson
number 43 which is in fact
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the truth about
complete stewardship.
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The truth about
complete stewardship.
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We'll find out what
that means in just a moment,
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but before we go any further,
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let's sing our
theme song tonight
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which is "Victory in Jesus."
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Join me as you sing that song.
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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 To save a wretch like me
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I heard about His groaning
Of His precious blood's atoning
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Then I repented of my
sin And won the victory
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O victory in
Jesus 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 And all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood
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I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory
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And I heard about the streets
of gold Beyond the crystal sea
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About the angels singing
And the old redemption story
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And some sweet
day I'll sing up there
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The song of victory Key change.
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O victory in
Jesus My Savior forever
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He sought me and bought
me With His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew
Him And all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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Amen. Amen.
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The topic tonight is
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"The Truth about
Complete Stewardship."
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Say that with me, "The Truth
about Complete Stewardship."
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You know a lot of times
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we think of the
word stewardship.
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There was a time
when flight attendants
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were called
stewards or stewardesses,
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remember that?
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Now my wife
continually reminds me
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they are no longer stewardess,
stewards or stewardesses,
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but they are flight attendants,
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a new word, but every now
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and then I get
pushed back into that,
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you know, where
is the stewardess
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or the steward,
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and that's an old word
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but if somebody
talks about stewardship,
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let me just give you an overview
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of what the word
stewardship means.
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It means someone responsible
for someone else's property.
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Someone responsible
for someone else's property
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and as we've been walking
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through the truth
about stewardship,
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it is in
reference to time, temple,
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talent, testimony, and treasure.
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Say that again, time,
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temple, talent,
testimony, and treasure.
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So stewardship really
is in more than one area.
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A lot of times we
talk about stewardship,
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we think to ourselves, well,
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stewardship has to do with money
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and in most cases, people
talk about tithe and offerings.
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We're gonna talk about that,
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but we're gonna
talk about that last,
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because that's the one that's
most commonly talked about.
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But if you think about it today,
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how much do we
really own in the world?
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When you really think about
it, if a person owns a home,
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and they refuse to pay taxes,
do they really own that home?
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No because everybody
that owns a home what?
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Pays taxes.
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If you think after
you paid off your house,
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that you no
longer have to pay taxes,
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then I got news for you,
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you start paying the taxes,
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you'll discover that you
really don't own that home
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and then when it
comes to the air we breathe,
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can we say because I
breathe my own personal air
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that I own my own air?
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No, everyone, the
rich and the poor,
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the free and the bond,
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the righteous
and the unrighteous,
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the birds, the animals,
everyone breathe the same air.
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And when it comes to the earth,
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the Bible says the
David the Psalmist says,
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"The earth is the Lord's
and the fullness thereof,
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the world and
those who dwell in it."
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So when we really
think about what we own,
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there's a passage in the Bible
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that really brings
it to us very clearly.
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I'll go ahead and find it
and have you turn with me,
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the Apostle Paul,
let's go to the book of,
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I think it's 1 Timothy,
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and I'm gonna
get there with you.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Yeah, it's in, I'll tell
you right now where it is.
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It's a beautiful
passage in the Bible.
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When I say beautiful, it brings
the point home very clearly
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and here it is.
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1 Timothy 6:7.
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Let's go to 1 Timothy 6:7.
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You get the 1
Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians,
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then you are at 1 Timothy.
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All right?
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Yeah, 1 Timothy Chapter 6.
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1 Timothy Chapter 6.
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Yeah, that's the
1st and 2nd Timothy,
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but now we're gonna
go to 1 Timothy Chapter 6
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and let's look at the
reality of stewardship.
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This is a really
powerful passage and notice
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what it tells us.
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The Bible says,
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"For we brought
nothing," how much?
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"Nothing into this world
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and it is certain
we carry nothing,"
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how much?
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"Nothing out."
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My mother-in-law used to say,
my wife's mother used to say,
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"Open the hand of a baby,
when they are born and see
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what they have.
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That's what
they're carrying out."
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We don't own anything.
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We don't own anything.
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You can't even
nowadays in some cases,
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you can't even die for free.
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Somebody's got to pay for it.
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And so the world
really is, in fact,
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a continual test of stewardship.
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And when you really, when
it really comes down to it,
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these aspects of ownership,
and time, and your talent,
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and your
finances, and your body,
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and your
materialism, and your health,
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all of those are
really in fact evidences
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that somebody else is
giving you those things
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and they are ours as
long as we can breathe.
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We began our lesson,
we covered quite a bit.
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We discovered
how the Lord gave man
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dominion, gave Adam and
Eve dominion over the world.
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He gave them
control of the world,
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but He never gave them
ownership of the world.
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In Genesis 1:26, the Bible says,
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"The Lord gave man dominion."
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Another word for dominion
is control responsibility.
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But we know that man
lost that and as we go on,
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we found out, we
started with time,
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how important time is.
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How long does the Bible say
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each one of us
can expect to live?
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Huh?
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Seventy years, right?
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The Bible says
three score and ten
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in the King James Version.
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So if you pass 70
years, you are on gifted time.
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I won't even say
borrowed time, but gifted time.
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And so we start with time,
we've been talking about time.
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And so tonight, we're
gonna go to that question.
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Question number 20,
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which if you have
a copy of the lesson,
00:10:58.65\00:10:59.99
you can go along with us.
00:11:00.02\00:11:01.39
Question number 20, and
now when we think about time,
00:11:01.42\00:11:04.76
you know, the Bible
talks about how time began.
00:11:04.79\00:11:08.63
Who owns time?
Can someone tell me?
00:11:08.66\00:11:11.33
Who owns time?
00:11:11.37\00:11:13.07
God owns time.
00:11:13.10\00:11:14.47
Time is under
the control of God.
00:11:14.50\00:11:16.81
But if you look at the
world in which we live today,
00:11:16.84\00:11:20.04
there are so many
signs around us telling us.
00:11:20.08\00:11:23.81
The Book of Daniel,
the Book of Revelation
00:11:23.85\00:11:25.51
reminds us that we're
living in the time of the end,
00:11:25.55\00:11:28.48
which means we're
coming down to the end of time.
00:11:28.52\00:11:31.25
But now when we
consider the things
00:11:31.29\00:11:32.85
that are happening around us,
00:11:32.89\00:11:34.36
let's look at
question number 20.
00:11:34.39\00:11:38.06
And here it is.
00:11:38.09\00:11:40.00
In what way does
the Bible express
00:11:40.03\00:11:43.33
the urgency of time?
00:11:43.37\00:11:46.60
We visited with a family
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who has a
somewhat of a seasonal home
00:11:56.28\00:12:00.92
and a certain time of the year,
when the weather gets good,
00:12:00.95\00:12:04.22
this location is
opened up where people,
00:12:04.25\00:12:07.76
it's kind of like a
spring, summer, early fall home.
00:12:07.79\00:12:11.03
But when the
season begins to change,
00:12:11.06\00:12:13.46
the island shuts
down for the season.
00:12:13.50\00:12:16.00
Fire Island, New
York, it shuts down.
00:12:16.03\00:12:18.13
You can't get
there except by boat,
00:12:18.17\00:12:19.90
beautiful, peaceful, serene.
00:12:19.93\00:12:21.37
We had a chance
to spend time there
00:12:21.40\00:12:23.27
with one of our family
members and enjoy the serenity.
00:12:23.30\00:12:26.84
And I said, it reminds us
00:12:26.88\00:12:28.21
somewhat of where we
live here in Thompsonville,
00:12:28.24\00:12:29.58
just quiet, peaceful.
00:12:29.61\00:12:32.61
The major difference is,
they have ocean around them
00:12:32.65\00:12:36.02
which we have lake around us.
00:12:36.05\00:12:38.79
But in fact, one of
the things I noticed
00:12:38.82\00:12:42.06
was as the
seasons begin to change,
00:12:42.09\00:12:44.79
the homeowners, you
notice in their behavior,
00:12:44.83\00:12:48.03
that they recognize that
it's almost time to shut down
00:12:48.06\00:12:51.43
their home for the season.
00:12:51.47\00:12:52.93
So their
patterns begin to change.
00:12:52.97\00:12:54.50
They begin to buy less groceries
00:12:54.54\00:12:56.00
because they're
not gonna leave them
00:12:56.04\00:12:57.37
there all went along to spoil,
they begin with a storm comes,
00:12:57.41\00:13:00.78
they put shutters up,
00:13:00.81\00:13:02.14
they make sure
things are secure,
00:13:02.18\00:13:03.85
because they know
that the season is changing
00:13:03.88\00:13:06.05
and something about
the time is telling them
00:13:06.08\00:13:08.85
how urgent their
activity needs to be.
00:13:08.88\00:13:11.12
Well, the question is,
00:13:11.15\00:13:12.49
in what way does
the Bible tell us,
00:13:12.52\00:13:14.39
express the urgency of time?
00:13:14.42\00:13:15.76
Look at Romans 13:11,
00:13:15.79\00:13:18.83
and for those
who are joining us,
00:13:18.86\00:13:20.90
this text will
appear on the screen.
00:13:20.93\00:13:24.53
Romans 13:11.
00:13:24.57\00:13:27.50
And here's what the Bible says,
00:13:27.54\00:13:30.61
"And do this knowing the time
00:13:30.64\00:13:33.54
that now it is," what
are the next two words?
00:13:33.58\00:13:36.51
"High time to
awake out of sleep,
00:13:36.54\00:13:39.95
for now our salvation is nearer
than when we first believed."
00:13:39.98\00:13:45.15
Now, what does that mean?
00:13:45.19\00:13:46.52
Are we living in an urgent time?
00:13:46.55\00:13:48.42
Of course, the Bible
says in 2 Timothy Chapter 3,
00:13:48.46\00:13:51.79
in the last days,
perilous times will come.
00:13:51.83\00:13:54.80
So when you see the
condition of the world,
00:13:54.83\00:13:56.80
the Bible say it's perilous,
00:13:56.83\00:13:59.33
and there is not
a place in the world
00:13:59.37\00:14:00.97
outside of some of
the isolated places
00:14:01.00\00:14:03.17
like Thompsonville,
like West Frankfort,
00:14:03.20\00:14:05.67
like Southern
Illinois, like Fire Island,
00:14:05.71\00:14:07.88
like some of the
places in Switzerland
00:14:07.91\00:14:09.34
in the mountains,
00:14:09.38\00:14:10.71
where you're pretty much
00:14:10.75\00:14:12.08
isolated from all the bad news
00:14:12.11\00:14:13.48
and all the
turbulence and the gunshots.
00:14:13.52\00:14:16.28
We were in New
York not too long ago
00:14:16.32\00:14:18.19
and I tell you,
00:14:18.22\00:14:19.75
the sounds of
silence are nonexistent.
00:14:19.79\00:14:24.13
Sirens and cars screeching
and motorcycles and cars,
00:14:24.16\00:14:30.13
it's like, and
I said to my wife,
00:14:30.17\00:14:32.33
"Oh, this is just not
00:14:32.37\00:14:35.20
what I'm really
accustomed to anymore.
00:14:35.24\00:14:38.21
Being born and
raised in New York,
00:14:38.24\00:14:39.57
beautiful city, it
has a lot of things.
00:14:39.61\00:14:41.61
But I said, Honey,
"I want to go back home,
00:14:41.64\00:14:43.45
where when I go to bed at night,
00:14:43.48\00:14:44.98
and I hear sounds on the porch,
00:14:45.01\00:14:46.95
I know it's the raccoon.
00:14:46.98\00:14:50.89
Nice, it's a good thing.
00:14:50.92\00:14:52.25
If I hear something on the roof,
00:14:52.29\00:14:53.62
I know it's the squirrel
00:14:53.66\00:14:54.99
or it's the
raccoon and the squirrel.
00:14:55.02\00:14:56.42
If something's running through
the yard, it's a deer or fox.
00:14:56.46\00:14:59.86
I just feel good about
the sounds I hear at night.
00:14:59.89\00:15:02.53
But that's not
the case in New York,
00:15:02.56\00:15:04.17
and Detroit, and Chicago,
and Atlanta, and Pennsylvania,
00:15:04.20\00:15:07.37
and LA, you know, the
urgency that you begin to see
00:15:07.40\00:15:10.44
when you live in the
cities that this text is true,
00:15:10.47\00:15:13.17
knowing the time and
what is this text saying?
00:15:13.21\00:15:15.31
When we see
00:15:15.34\00:15:16.68
the condition of
the world around us,
00:15:16.71\00:15:18.31
it calls for people to be awake.
00:15:18.35\00:15:21.25
It calls for us to be awake.
00:15:21.28\00:15:22.65
Go with me to 2 Thessalonians.
00:15:22.68\00:15:24.85
Actually 1 Thessalonians.
00:15:24.89\00:15:26.96
Let's go to that book.
00:15:26.99\00:15:28.32
1 Thessalonians, I
want you to see this.
00:15:28.36\00:15:30.59
1 Thessalonians Chapter 5
and I want you to see verse 1
00:15:30.63\00:15:35.76
because time is so
important for us to understand,
00:15:35.80\00:15:39.07
and even more so for those
00:15:39.10\00:15:40.87
who are Christians
and study God's Word,
00:15:40.90\00:15:42.97
it's important that what we
see happening in God's Word,
00:15:43.00\00:15:45.67
what we see being fulfilled
as God's Word unfolds it.
00:15:45.71\00:15:48.88
It says to us, this
world does not have long.
00:15:48.91\00:15:51.95
And when you study the Bible,
you begin to become familiar
00:15:51.98\00:15:54.95
with all those signs
like Matthew Chapter 24,
00:15:54.98\00:15:57.92
Daniel Chapter 2,
Daniel Chapter 7, Revelation,
00:15:57.95\00:16:01.39
the whole book,
Isaiah 24, Jeremiah,
00:16:01.42\00:16:05.19
all these prophets
in the Old Testament
00:16:05.23\00:16:07.26
and New Testament
begin to inform us
00:16:07.30\00:16:09.80
of the condition of the world.
00:16:09.83\00:16:11.70
And notice
this, the Apostle Paul
00:16:11.73\00:16:13.77
in this passage is
speaking to the Christians
00:16:13.80\00:16:16.91
at a place called Thessalonica,
00:16:16.94\00:16:19.67
and he's saying,
"I've told you so much,
00:16:19.71\00:16:22.28
I really don't need
to tell you anymore."
00:16:22.31\00:16:24.95
Listen to what he says
in 1 Thessalonians 5:1,
00:16:24.98\00:16:29.65
notice he says,
"But concerning the,"
00:16:29.68\00:16:31.82
what's the next word?
00:16:31.85\00:16:33.19
"The times and the seasons,"
the very thing we live by,
00:16:33.22\00:16:37.53
"brethren, you have no need
that I should write to you."
00:16:37.56\00:16:41.53
He says, "You
should know," verse two,
00:16:41.56\00:16:44.17
"For you
yourselves know perfectly
00:16:44.20\00:16:48.14
that the day of the Lord
00:16:48.17\00:16:49.50
so comes as a
thief in the night."
00:16:49.54\00:16:52.14
For those in the world
that are living for the world,
00:16:52.17\00:16:55.24
they have no idea.
00:16:55.28\00:16:57.11
It's like a storm that's
not even being forecasted.
00:16:57.15\00:17:01.78
It's like a coming tsunami
that nobody has even detected.
00:17:01.82\00:17:05.69
It's like a building
storm out there in the Atlantic
00:17:05.72\00:17:08.22
coming off the coast of
Africa that meteorologists
00:17:08.26\00:17:10.83
haven't even picked up
00:17:10.86\00:17:12.29
and it's coming at a rapid pace,
00:17:12.33\00:17:14.56
it's coming at a fury of
unimaginable proportions,
00:17:14.60\00:17:18.77
and the Apostle
Paul says in verse 3,
00:17:18.80\00:17:21.24
"For when they
say peace and safety,"
00:17:21.27\00:17:23.71
in other words, when they
say everything is just fine,
00:17:23.74\00:17:25.81
look what's gonna happen.
00:17:25.84\00:17:27.41
"Then sudden
destruction comes upon them
00:17:27.44\00:17:29.84
as labor pains
upon a pregnant woman,"
00:17:29.88\00:17:32.05
and what's gonna happen?
00:17:32.08\00:17:33.85
"And they shall not escape."
00:17:33.88\00:17:35.42
But look at verse 4,
00:17:35.45\00:17:37.05
and this is
about time once again.
00:17:37.09\00:17:40.06
"But you brethren
are not in darkness,
00:17:40.09\00:17:42.92
so that this day should
overtake you as a thief."
00:17:42.96\00:17:46.39
Verse 5 "You are
all sons of the light,
00:17:46.43\00:17:49.70
and sons of the day.
00:17:49.73\00:17:51.13
We are not of the
night, nor of darkness."
00:17:51.17\00:17:54.67
So then he says,
"What should we do?"
00:17:54.70\00:17:56.64
And here's going
back to this very passage,
00:17:56.67\00:17:59.01
it's time to wake out of sleep.
00:17:59.04\00:18:00.51
Notice what it says
in the very next verse.
00:18:00.54\00:18:02.88
Verse 6,
"Therefore let us not sleep,
00:18:02.91\00:18:07.38
let us not sleep as others do,
00:18:07.42\00:18:10.85
but let us watch and be sober,"
00:18:10.89\00:18:13.25
that is, be awake, be aware,
00:18:13.29\00:18:15.62
be self
controlled, be on the lookout.
00:18:15.66\00:18:18.96
When you know what's
coming, it's time to be awake.
00:18:18.99\00:18:21.66
Amen.
00:18:21.70\00:18:23.06
Let's go to question number 21.
00:18:23.10\00:18:24.43
So, fill the answer in,
00:18:24.47\00:18:25.80
in what way does
the Bible express
00:18:25.83\00:18:27.17
the urgency of time?
00:18:27.20\00:18:29.07
The urgency is,
it's time to awake.
00:18:29.10\00:18:32.44
It's time to awake.
00:18:32.47\00:18:34.34
How many of you
set your alarm clocks?
00:18:34.38\00:18:37.05
I think we all do.
00:18:37.08\00:18:39.81
Sometimes they work,
sometimes they don't.
00:18:39.85\00:18:43.28
But at least we
know there's a time
00:18:43.32\00:18:45.19
that we must be awake.
00:18:45.22\00:18:46.86
Let's go to question number 21.
00:18:46.89\00:18:49.72
All right, it
says, when we understand
00:18:49.76\00:18:53.40
the fragility of time,
what impact should it have?
00:18:53.43\00:18:58.33
When we understand
how fragile time is,
00:18:58.37\00:19:01.24
what impact should it have?
00:19:01.27\00:19:04.17
Let's go to the
Book of Psalms 90:12.
00:19:04.21\00:19:07.88
Psalms Chapter 90,
and we're looking together
00:19:07.91\00:19:10.78
at the 12th verse.
00:19:10.81\00:19:12.81
All right?
00:19:12.85\00:19:14.18
Here's what we
learn in the Bible.
00:19:14.22\00:19:18.15
The apostle says to us,
"So teach us," to do what?
00:19:18.19\00:19:22.49
"Number our days
00:19:22.52\00:19:24.96
that we may gain
a heart of wisdom."
00:19:24.99\00:19:27.83
Teach us to number our days,
00:19:27.86\00:19:30.30
so that we may
gain a heart of wisdom.
00:19:30.33\00:19:32.03
So put that down.
00:19:32.07\00:19:34.77
What impact should it have?
00:19:34.80\00:19:36.67
Number our days,
00:19:36.71\00:19:38.04
that means be aware of the time,
00:19:38.07\00:19:40.84
be aware of how
you spend your time,
00:19:40.88\00:19:43.91
because one thing I've heard
before and this is very true,
00:19:43.95\00:19:46.68
when you spend time,
you can't get it back.
00:19:46.72\00:19:50.32
There is no refund on time.
00:19:50.35\00:19:52.45
You can't say, well, I remember
00:19:52.49\00:19:54.66
one week when I did
nothing for two days
00:19:54.69\00:19:57.73
and when you're living
00:19:57.76\00:19:59.09
in those closing
hours of your life,
00:19:59.13\00:20:00.93
you can't say, could I
have those two days back?
00:20:00.96\00:20:03.53
So the patriarch here is
saying to us, number your days,
00:20:03.57\00:20:09.00
make your time count,
00:20:09.04\00:20:11.04
instead of counting
time, make time count.
00:20:11.07\00:20:14.64
As the person who's
preparing for the coming storm,
00:20:14.68\00:20:18.61
if he or she doesn't
get his roof covered,
00:20:18.65\00:20:21.65
the storm is gonna
come and find them unaware.
00:20:21.68\00:20:24.05
For those of us that
know that life is changing,
00:20:24.09\00:20:27.66
our seasons are changing.
00:20:27.69\00:20:29.69
We're getting older, older.
00:20:29.72\00:20:33.43
This hair is not
colored, it's actually gray.
00:20:33.46\00:20:36.16
Seasons is changing.
00:20:36.20\00:20:38.57
And when we know and
we see that we say, "Wow,
00:20:38.60\00:20:41.20
Lord, teach us
to number our days."
00:20:41.24\00:20:43.04
And it doesn't
matter when you start.
00:20:43.07\00:20:44.74
At any point you can
start and say, you know what?
00:20:44.77\00:20:47.44
I've just become aware
of the urgency of time.
00:20:47.48\00:20:50.78
I can start from right now
00:20:50.81\00:20:52.61
and make the
rest of my days count.
00:20:52.65\00:20:55.18
I can use those days
to get ready for eternity.
00:20:55.22\00:20:58.22
Amen? Amen.
00:20:58.25\00:21:00.16
The only time is
too late to start
00:21:00.19\00:21:02.12
is when you have
no more days left.
00:21:02.16\00:21:04.13
But as long as you're breathing,
00:21:04.16\00:21:05.49
as long as you are alive,
00:21:05.53\00:21:06.90
it's a good time to
stay, you know what?
00:21:06.93\00:21:09.26
Now I can make sure
that the rest of my time
00:21:09.30\00:21:13.40
is going to
count toward eternity
00:21:13.44\00:21:16.17
because as we read earlier
00:21:16.20\00:21:18.27
in the passage just before this,
00:21:18.31\00:21:20.28
for now, our salvation is nearer
00:21:20.31\00:21:22.68
than when we first believe.
00:21:22.71\00:21:24.71
And we could trace that back
to the many years we believe,
00:21:24.75\00:21:26.92
but we say, wait a minute,
it's been 30, 40, 50 years.
00:21:26.95\00:21:30.42
Now it's nearer.
It's time to get ready.
00:21:30.45\00:21:32.92
Look at the next passage.
00:21:32.95\00:21:34.29
Psalm 89:47, very
short but very powerful.
00:21:37.56\00:21:43.13
It says,
"Remember how short time is.
00:21:43.16\00:21:47.17
Remember how short my
time is, for what futility
00:21:47.20\00:21:51.67
have you created all
the children of men?"
00:21:51.71\00:21:57.08
And so what's
that in essence saying
00:21:57.11\00:21:58.75
the futility that's
been talked about here,
00:21:58.78\00:22:01.98
for what
futility have you created
00:22:02.02\00:22:04.29
all the children of men.
00:22:04.32\00:22:05.85
That means we live with
pretty feudal activities.
00:22:05.89\00:22:10.09
I'll give you an example.
00:22:10.13\00:22:11.46
I could use an example of a baby
00:22:11.49\00:22:14.23
trying to catch a racehorse.
00:22:14.26\00:22:16.67
It's an act of futility.
00:22:16.70\00:22:18.03
Will they ever
catch a racehorse?
00:22:18.07\00:22:19.40
No.
00:22:19.43\00:22:20.77
So what is being
said in the case of time,
00:22:20.80\00:22:23.51
when you think of how
short your time is, it's futile.
00:22:23.54\00:22:26.64
It's an act of
futility, meaning it's senseless
00:22:26.68\00:22:29.54
to try to get more
00:22:29.58\00:22:32.25
when you're not
really doing anything
00:22:32.28\00:22:33.85
with what you have.
00:22:33.88\00:22:35.22
That's what David the patriarch
is saying here, its futility.
00:22:35.25\00:22:39.05
All the children
of men, it's futility
00:22:39.09\00:22:41.16
when you think about
how short your time is.
00:22:41.19\00:22:43.99
So when you know
your time is short,
00:22:44.03\00:22:46.26
make that short time count.
00:22:46.29\00:22:47.90
Do something with it.
00:22:47.93\00:22:49.26
I was talking
about it not too long ago
00:22:49.30\00:22:50.63
how people should
put plans together,
00:22:50.67\00:22:52.33
and goals together,
00:22:52.37\00:22:53.70
and dreams
together, and visions,
00:22:53.74\00:22:55.40
and then start
moving in the direction
00:22:55.44\00:22:57.01
of making that
happen, fulfilling that.
00:22:57.04\00:22:59.97
Question number 22.
00:23:00.01\00:23:01.34
So did you put that in?
00:23:01.38\00:23:02.88
So Psalm 89:47, is in
essence, make your time matter.
00:23:02.91\00:23:09.18
Okay, question number 22.
00:23:09.22\00:23:11.82
How does the wise man Solomon,
00:23:11.85\00:23:14.82
summarize the
challenges of life?
00:23:14.86\00:23:18.33
How does he summarize
the challenges of life?
00:23:18.36\00:23:22.16
Ecclesiastes Chapter 9.
00:23:22.20\00:23:27.10
And we're gonna
look at verse 11 and 12,
00:23:27.14\00:23:29.24
the challenges of life, okay?
00:23:29.27\00:23:31.74
All right.
00:23:35.74\00:23:37.88
Now, if anybody is qualified
00:23:37.91\00:23:42.55
to write what
we're about to read,
00:23:42.58\00:23:44.52
it is Solomon.
00:23:44.55\00:23:45.89
Do you all agree?
00:23:45.92\00:23:47.36
Because Solomon had,
I would say, hands down,
00:23:47.39\00:23:52.03
more experience in the area
00:23:52.06\00:23:54.00
of who to marry
and who not to marry
00:23:54.03\00:23:57.27
than anyone else on the planet.
00:23:57.30\00:23:59.43
Solomon had enough money to
try anything and everything.
00:23:59.47\00:24:03.91
Solomon was the wealthiest
00:24:03.94\00:24:05.54
and the wisest
man outside of Jesus
00:24:05.57\00:24:08.74
that ever lived.
00:24:08.78\00:24:11.08
And so when he began to
look at all the things he tried,
00:24:11.11\00:24:14.95
all the things he pursued,
all the decisions he made
00:24:14.98\00:24:19.39
that were just
senseless and empty.
00:24:19.42\00:24:22.19
We get wisdom and
if there's anything
00:24:22.22\00:24:24.79
that you get as
you're getting older,
00:24:24.83\00:24:26.96
it should be wisdom.
00:24:27.00\00:24:28.53
You should be getting wise.
00:24:28.56\00:24:30.60
Look at what he said.
00:24:30.63\00:24:32.03
And I like the way he begins
this because what he does is
00:24:32.07\00:24:35.34
this passage is
suggesting that he sat down
00:24:35.37\00:24:38.07
and start to think back.
00:24:38.11\00:24:40.21
He started thinking back
00:24:40.24\00:24:42.11
and he started
looking at his life
00:24:42.14\00:24:43.61
the way it actually happened.
00:24:43.65\00:24:46.15
He said, "I returned
and saw under the sun.
00:24:46.18\00:24:52.35
The race is not to the swift,
nor the battle to the strong,
00:24:52.39\00:24:58.09
nor bread to the wise,
00:24:58.13\00:25:00.56
nor riches to
men of understanding,
00:25:00.60\00:25:04.50
nor favor to men of skill,
00:25:04.53\00:25:07.74
but time and
chance happen to them,"
00:25:07.77\00:25:11.04
what's the last word?
00:25:11.07\00:25:12.44
"To them all."
00:25:12.47\00:25:13.81
All the
categories he put together,
00:25:13.84\00:25:15.68
the strong, the
swift, the men that are wise,
00:25:15.71\00:25:19.18
those who are rich, he's saying,
00:25:19.21\00:25:21.38
"There's no difference
because every one of them.
00:25:21.42\00:25:24.65
I read this, I
don't know if I read it
00:25:24.69\00:25:28.49
or my wife showed it to
me, I think was a cartoon.
00:25:28.52\00:25:31.33
And it was a cartoon
of two graves opened up.
00:25:31.36\00:25:36.13
And the first question was,
00:25:36.16\00:25:38.20
what is the size of
a plot for a rich man?
00:25:38.23\00:25:44.14
And he said, "I think
it was seven feet long,
00:25:44.17\00:25:48.18
four feet wide
and six feet deep."
00:25:48.21\00:25:51.01
And then he says,
right next to him,
00:25:51.05\00:25:52.41
what is the size of
a plot for a poor man?
00:25:52.45\00:25:55.98
Seven feet long, four feet wide,
00:25:56.02\00:25:57.92
and six feet deep.
00:25:57.95\00:25:59.29
That's what Solomon is saying,
00:25:59.32\00:26:01.42
time and chance
happens to every one of us
00:26:01.46\00:26:03.96
and the sad reality is,
I have more time behind me
00:26:03.99\00:26:08.46
than I have ahead of me.
00:26:08.50\00:26:10.63
And if the Lord
doesn't come within the next,
00:26:10.67\00:26:14.24
and I wanna use
a broad scale here,
00:26:14.27\00:26:16.74
if the Lord doesn't come
within the next 120 years,
00:26:16.77\00:26:19.67
I'm starting from the
youngest to the oldest.
00:26:19.71\00:26:21.64
If the Lord doesn't
come within next 120 years,
00:26:21.68\00:26:24.41
everyone alive
today, this entire planet,
00:26:24.45\00:26:27.02
everyone alive today
on this entire planet
00:26:27.05\00:26:29.38
will have already passed away.
00:26:29.42\00:26:31.79
That's the reality of it.
00:26:31.82\00:26:33.32
Time and chance
happen to how many of us?
00:26:33.36\00:26:36.56
All.
00:26:36.59\00:26:37.93
So you see the picture is
dire when you think about it,
00:26:37.96\00:26:40.33
what can I do?
00:26:40.36\00:26:41.76
What can I do as Jesus said,
00:26:41.80\00:26:43.50
"What can a man give in exchange
00:26:43.53\00:26:45.73
for the greatest
gift he has been given?"
00:26:45.77\00:26:48.30
What can you give in
exchange for his soul?
00:26:48.34\00:26:50.21
What can you trade for that?
00:26:50.24\00:26:51.97
And what he means by that is,
00:26:52.01\00:26:53.61
when you put the
scale of eternal life
00:26:53.64\00:26:55.84
and temporal life,
00:26:55.88\00:26:57.55
what can you put on
the scale of temporal life
00:26:57.58\00:27:00.42
that can ever outweigh
the scale of eternal life.
00:27:00.45\00:27:02.88
And what's the answer?
00:27:02.92\00:27:04.32
Nothing, absolutely nothing.
00:27:04.35\00:27:07.06
So, but there
are a lot of people
00:27:07.09\00:27:08.59
that are giving up the scale.
00:27:08.62\00:27:09.96
They're packing the
scale of temporal life,
00:27:09.99\00:27:12.36
like the story of the
man who was very wealthy.
00:27:12.39\00:27:14.83
He was called the rich fool.
00:27:14.86\00:27:16.20
I think it was in
Luke, in the Book of Luke.
00:27:16.23\00:27:18.17
He had so much crops,
he had so many possessions,
00:27:18.20\00:27:20.90
he tore down his old
barns, filled up his new barns
00:27:20.94\00:27:24.27
with all the things he had.
00:27:24.31\00:27:26.71
And he said, sit
down, relax, take easier,
00:27:26.74\00:27:30.08
take easy of stuffs
saved up for many, many years.
00:27:30.11\00:27:34.62
And the Bible says,
00:27:34.65\00:27:35.98
and the Lord said
to him that night,
00:27:36.02\00:27:37.39
"Thy fool your soul
is required of you."
00:27:37.42\00:27:41.09
Who's all this
stuff going to before
00:27:41.12\00:27:44.63
and he died and
left it all behind.
00:27:44.66\00:27:47.30
And just like the
court jester to the king,
00:27:47.33\00:27:51.20
the king said to him,
whenever the king was sad,
00:27:51.23\00:27:53.67
he would invite the court jester
00:27:53.70\00:27:55.20
to come into the
court just like David
00:27:55.24\00:27:58.11
was invited to cheer up Solomon.
00:27:58.14\00:28:01.78
I mean, Saul, cheer up Saul and,
00:28:01.81\00:28:05.91
and he came when
he was on a sad day
00:28:05.95\00:28:08.22
and the king said,
"Dance for me, cheer me up."
00:28:08.25\00:28:12.55
And he danced for the king
and the king began to laugh.
00:28:12.59\00:28:15.46
And the king just begin
00:28:15.49\00:28:17.36
a hearty belly
laugh and he said,
00:28:17.39\00:28:19.33
"Oh, you're the
greatest fool I've ever met.
00:28:19.36\00:28:21.76
Go ahead and leave my court."
00:28:21.80\00:28:23.13
The court jester
left with his head down
00:28:23.16\00:28:24.93
with all his bells and his funny
00:28:24.97\00:28:26.47
multicolored outfit.
00:28:26.50\00:28:29.17
And one day he heard the
king was taken very early,
00:28:29.20\00:28:32.67
came to the king side.
00:28:32.71\00:28:34.64
And one day the king said to him
00:28:34.68\00:28:36.14
as he was leaving,
00:28:36.18\00:28:38.31
"Go, leave my court.
00:28:38.35\00:28:40.08
You're the
greatest fool I've ever met.
00:28:40.12\00:28:41.58
If you ever find a
fool greater than yourself,
00:28:41.62\00:28:43.95
let me know."
00:28:43.99\00:28:45.65
And he heard the king was dying
and he came to the king's bed
00:28:45.69\00:28:48.02
and he said, "What's wrong?"
00:28:48.06\00:28:50.53
He said, "Well, I think
as soon my time is soon.
00:28:50.56\00:28:54.80
I think my time is
coming, that I'm going to die.
00:28:54.83\00:28:58.83
He said, "Do you
know where you're going?
00:28:58.87\00:29:01.90
Do you know what's
gonna happen to you?
00:29:01.94\00:29:03.27
No.
00:29:03.30\00:29:04.64
Have you made any plans
for what's gonna happen to you?
00:29:04.67\00:29:07.98
No.
00:29:08.01\00:29:09.34
And he remembered the ring
00:29:12.28\00:29:13.62
that the king had
given him a while ago.
00:29:13.65\00:29:15.78
The ring was given in the midst
00:29:15.82\00:29:17.29
of all the
subjects of the castle.
00:29:17.32\00:29:19.49
He says, "This ring
is for the greatest fool
00:29:19.52\00:29:21.69
in my kingdom
00:29:21.72\00:29:23.49
and that court jester
took off the ring and...
00:29:23.53\00:29:26.90
placed it on the
king's finger and he said,
00:29:26.93\00:29:28.53
"I finally found the
fool greater than I."
00:29:28.56\00:29:32.97
You see, the point
of what's being said
00:29:33.00\00:29:35.24
by David and by Solomon,
00:29:35.27\00:29:37.61
and by the Apostle Paul,
00:29:37.64\00:29:39.41
is when we know
our time is winding up,
00:29:39.44\00:29:42.71
we take no advantage
to prepare for a time
00:29:42.74\00:29:46.28
that will never end.
00:29:46.31\00:29:48.22
It's not a wise thing to do
00:29:48.25\00:29:50.15
because as it is no
matter of the category,
00:29:50.19\00:29:52.69
time and chance
happens to how many of us?
00:29:52.72\00:29:55.22
All.
00:29:55.26\00:29:56.59
Very sobering
thought, happens to all of us.
00:29:56.62\00:29:59.29
Now, notice, I'm gonna continue
00:29:59.33\00:30:01.56
because it
continues in verse 12.
00:30:01.60\00:30:03.90
"For man also does
not know his time."
00:30:03.93\00:30:09.24
Look at this, Ecclesiastes 9:12,
00:30:09.27\00:30:12.54
"For man also
does not know his time,
00:30:12.57\00:30:15.88
like fish taken in a cruel net,
00:30:15.91\00:30:20.82
like birds caught in a snare.
00:30:20.85\00:30:24.15
So the sons of men
are snared in an evil time
00:30:24.19\00:30:28.92
when it falls
suddenly upon them."
00:30:28.96\00:30:32.16
That's what happens.
00:30:32.19\00:30:33.53
I hear stories, I
just heard a tragic story
00:30:33.56\00:30:36.46
in New York city were on the way
00:30:36.50\00:30:39.70
home from school, a
BMW sedan lost control
00:30:39.73\00:30:44.41
and ran upon the sidewalk
and took the life of a child
00:30:44.44\00:30:48.98
on his way home from
school, time and chance.
00:30:49.01\00:30:53.01
Some are snared in an evil time
when suddenly it falls upon us.
00:30:53.05\00:30:56.65
No one knows how
long his or her time is.
00:30:56.69\00:31:00.86
Very sobering, isn't it?
00:31:00.89\00:31:02.86
Let's go to question number 23.
00:31:02.89\00:31:05.36
Question number 23.
00:31:05.39\00:31:08.46
So if you look at question 22,
00:31:08.50\00:31:09.96
how does wise
man Solomon summarize
00:31:10.00\00:31:12.33
the challenges of life?
00:31:12.37\00:31:14.00
Everything that happens,
happens to every one of us.
00:31:14.04\00:31:16.81
We are all subject
to the same things.
00:31:16.84\00:31:19.61
Question 23, it says,
00:31:19.64\00:31:23.04
what description
does the Apostle James
00:31:23.08\00:31:25.65
give us to describe life?
00:31:25.68\00:31:27.25
Okay, let's look at James 4:14.
00:31:27.28\00:31:31.39
All right?
00:31:35.49\00:31:39.26
Here's the answer.
00:31:39.29\00:31:42.33
He said,
"Whereas you do not know
00:31:42.36\00:31:46.50
what will happen tomorrow.
00:31:46.53\00:31:48.57
For what is your life?
00:31:48.60\00:31:51.07
It is even a," what?
00:31:51.11\00:31:53.88
"Vapor that appears for
a little time and then,"
00:31:53.91\00:31:58.78
what happens?
00:31:58.81\00:32:00.15
"Vanishes away."
00:32:00.18\00:32:02.42
Does anybody like tea?
00:32:02.45\00:32:04.89
Like a hot every now and then?
00:32:04.92\00:32:06.92
I like ginger tea.
00:32:06.96\00:32:08.82
My wife makes some
of the good ginger tea,
00:32:08.86\00:32:10.43
we were in Africa
and they, ginger tea,
00:32:10.46\00:32:13.50
ginger with lemon and
honey, they call it Dawa.
00:32:13.53\00:32:16.23
In Kenya, Dawa in
Nakuru, Kenya, it's called Dawa.
00:32:16.26\00:32:21.70
Very good, I like that.
00:32:21.74\00:32:23.71
But what I notice
is, I can always tell
00:32:23.74\00:32:25.77
when the hot water is
ready because I see the vapor.
00:32:25.81\00:32:29.48
Now if you sit
there long enough,
00:32:29.51\00:32:31.88
how long does the vapor last?
00:32:31.91\00:32:33.48
Okay, now just let's
get this text in our head.
00:32:38.62\00:32:41.52
First answer the question.
00:32:41.56\00:32:43.16
How does James describe life?
00:32:43.19\00:32:45.49
Let's put down
in one word, vapor.
00:32:45.53\00:32:49.16
If you don't know
how long vapor last,
00:32:49.20\00:32:50.83
just go ahead
and boil something,
00:32:50.87\00:32:52.60
it just rises and is gone.
00:32:52.63\00:32:54.47
And when you
think about eternity,
00:32:54.50\00:32:55.94
when you think about
the broadness of eternity,
00:32:55.97\00:32:58.27
when you think about God
00:32:58.31\00:33:00.88
who has no
beginning and who has no what?
00:33:00.91\00:33:03.78
Has no end.
00:33:03.81\00:33:05.15
If you try to, if you
took a piece of paper like this
00:33:05.18\00:33:08.65
and it's very
bright and I don't want
00:33:08.68\00:33:10.62
to blank out the camera.
00:33:10.65\00:33:12.75
If I try to draw little lines
on this white piece of paper
00:33:12.79\00:33:15.62
that represented my life,
00:33:15.66\00:33:18.59
this pen is still too thick
00:33:18.63\00:33:22.60
to represent
how long my life is,
00:33:22.63\00:33:25.23
this whole piece of paper
represents God's existence.
00:33:25.27\00:33:28.20
If I tried to draw
a little line on here
00:33:28.24\00:33:29.84
representing how
long I was around this,
00:33:29.87\00:33:32.54
this will still be too thick.
00:33:32.57\00:33:34.54
You couldn't even see
the thin, thin, thin line
00:33:34.58\00:33:37.71
that represents my life
00:33:37.75\00:33:40.28
in comparison to the
alpha and the what else?
00:33:40.32\00:33:43.02
Omega.
00:33:43.05\00:33:44.39
The beginning and the what else?
00:33:44.42\00:33:45.75
End.
00:33:45.79\00:33:47.12
From everlasting to everlasting,
00:33:47.16\00:33:48.82
where are we in that?
00:33:48.86\00:33:50.19
Wow.
00:33:55.76\00:33:58.27
Say it again, vapor.
00:33:58.30\00:34:00.60
Say it, vapor.
00:34:00.64\00:34:04.37
Wow.
00:34:04.41\00:34:06.17
Young people
don't get caught vaping
00:34:06.21\00:34:08.98
because your life is a vapor.
00:34:09.01\00:34:12.11
Think about it.
00:34:12.15\00:34:14.08
I've seen these young people
nowadays getting messed up
00:34:14.12\00:34:16.25
with this vaping thing.
00:34:16.28\00:34:18.32
Teenagers smoke and
filling their lungs,
00:34:18.35\00:34:24.86
losing consciousness,
but their lives are a vapor
00:34:24.89\00:34:28.56
still short and fleeting.
00:34:28.60\00:34:31.00
Okay, let's go to number 24.
00:34:31.03\00:34:34.67
Let's see what we can do here.
00:34:34.70\00:34:36.04
Let's crack the code.
00:34:36.07\00:34:37.61
Number 24.
00:34:37.64\00:34:41.58
In light of the urgency of time,
00:34:41.61\00:34:45.65
what kind of
worker should we be?
00:34:45.68\00:34:50.09
What kind of
worker should we be?
00:34:50.12\00:34:54.66
In the light of
the urgency of time,
00:34:54.69\00:34:56.79
what kind of
worker should we be?
00:34:56.83\00:35:00.06
Wow.
00:35:00.10\00:35:01.86
And you know, for those of
us who live here in the Midwest,
00:35:01.90\00:35:03.77
this really jumped out because
00:35:03.80\00:35:05.13
we are in the breadbasket
of the United States.
00:35:05.17\00:35:07.27
You know, you can drive
down the road still here
00:35:07.30\00:35:09.04
in the Midwest and you can see,
00:35:09.07\00:35:10.77
you know,
cornfields on one side,
00:35:10.81\00:35:12.61
wheat on the other,
soybean on the other
00:35:12.64\00:35:15.14
and in the good
season, it's just like,
00:35:15.18\00:35:17.55
endless rows,
endless you could see,
00:35:17.58\00:35:21.48
but when the winter
comes, what do you see?
00:35:21.52\00:35:24.05
What do you see?
00:35:24.09\00:35:26.19
What do you see
out there, Roger?
00:35:26.22\00:35:28.32
Nothing in the winter,
and you think to yourself,
00:35:28.36\00:35:32.79
"I can't believe how
much stuff was out here
00:35:32.83\00:35:34.23
just four months ago
or three months ago."
00:35:34.26\00:35:36.50
And the winter
comes, what do you see?
00:35:36.53\00:35:38.23
Nothing.
00:35:38.27\00:35:39.70
That's why, and this
is gonna be powerful.
00:35:39.73\00:35:41.77
That's why when you see
how ripe the harvest is,
00:35:41.80\00:35:44.24
you have to know
it's just for time
00:35:44.27\00:35:47.58
because soon they'll be
after the harvest what's left?
00:35:47.61\00:35:51.21
Nothing.
00:35:51.25\00:35:52.58
So now with that in
mind, let's read this passage.
00:35:52.61\00:35:54.92
In light of the urgency of time,
00:35:54.95\00:35:56.58
what kind of
workers should we be?
00:35:56.62\00:35:58.55
John 4:35.
00:35:58.59\00:36:01.32
"Do you not say,
00:36:01.36\00:36:04.06
'There are still four months
and then comes the harvest?'
00:36:04.09\00:36:07.80
Behold I say to
you, lift up your," what?
00:36:07.83\00:36:11.90
"Eyes and look at the fields,
00:36:11.93\00:36:15.40
for they are
already ripe for," what?
00:36:15.44\00:36:18.01
"Harvest."
00:36:18.04\00:36:19.37
He says don't
get caught by missing
00:36:19.41\00:36:22.31
what's right in front of you.
00:36:22.34\00:36:23.98
We were driving on highway 55,
00:36:24.01\00:36:27.32
that's off of highway 64
in Southern Illinois here,
00:36:27.35\00:36:30.59
when you go to
55 through Staunton
00:36:30.62\00:36:34.92
and all those back
roads, but on left and right,
00:36:34.96\00:36:38.33
the road ebbs
and goes up and down
00:36:38.36\00:36:40.33
and sometimes
you're above the field,
00:36:40.36\00:36:41.96
sometimes you're below
the fields in visibility.
00:36:42.00\00:36:45.40
And my wife one day, she said,
00:36:45.43\00:36:48.14
"Why are you so
captured by this?
00:36:48.17\00:36:49.90
It's like you've
never seen this before."
00:36:49.94\00:36:51.97
I said, "It's so green
00:36:52.01\00:36:53.34
and it just seems
like it's so far."
00:36:53.38\00:36:57.01
Let's do the same
thing in the winter.
00:36:57.05\00:36:59.75
You don't see
anything, but just black fields,
00:36:59.78\00:37:02.28
shrubs, dried up ground.
00:37:02.32\00:37:05.09
And so what the Bible's
in essence saying to us here
00:37:05.12\00:37:06.99
in light of this is,
00:37:07.02\00:37:08.79
there is a time the
harvest is before us,
00:37:08.82\00:37:11.16
we should all be
diligent laborers
00:37:11.19\00:37:12.69
because the harvest is just for
very, very, very short season.
00:37:12.73\00:37:16.10
Okay.
00:37:16.13\00:37:17.47
So in light of
the urgency of time,
00:37:17.50\00:37:18.83
what kind of
workers should we be?
00:37:18.87\00:37:20.70
What word?
00:37:20.74\00:37:22.07
What's the word
you can give to me?
00:37:22.10\00:37:24.74
Diligent.
00:37:24.77\00:37:26.11
That's right,
diligent, diligent,
00:37:26.14\00:37:29.18
because I see some
of those corn stocks.
00:37:29.21\00:37:31.28
They're just so close together.
00:37:31.31\00:37:33.01
And I asked a farmer,
said, "How do you get in there?"
00:37:33.05\00:37:34.85
He said, "Well
combine, it's higher up,"
00:37:34.88\00:37:38.02
'cause I thought to myself,
00:37:38.05\00:37:39.55
who would walk in that
field and pick that corn,
00:37:39.59\00:37:42.22
it's so close together.
00:37:42.26\00:37:43.59
He said, "You don't
walk in there and pick it,
00:37:43.63\00:37:44.96
you just get a combine
and it just cleans it out."
00:37:44.99\00:37:49.16
So also the worker of
God should be in the field,
00:37:49.20\00:37:52.17
because the harvest is ripe
and ready to be gathered in.
00:37:52.20\00:37:56.64
Question number 25.
00:37:56.67\00:38:01.64
Okay.
00:38:01.68\00:38:04.21
As a steward of time,
00:38:04.25\00:38:06.55
what should the
servants of God do?
00:38:06.58\00:38:10.39
What should the
servants of God do?
00:38:10.42\00:38:13.59
This is a wonderful calibration.
00:38:13.62\00:38:16.32
Revelation 1:3,
as a steward of time,
00:38:16.36\00:38:19.59
what should the
servants of God do?
00:38:19.63\00:38:22.20
Okay.
00:38:22.23\00:38:23.57
There are three words
that are highlighted in yellow.
00:38:23.60\00:38:25.33
When I get to those, I
want you to read it with me.
00:38:25.37\00:38:27.54
All right?
00:38:27.57\00:38:29.07
Revelation 1:3,
here it is on the screen.
00:38:29.10\00:38:33.88
You gonna read the
yellow together, remember,
00:38:33.91\00:38:35.28
"Blessed is he who," does what?
00:38:35.31\00:38:37.25
"Reads and those who hear
00:38:37.28\00:38:40.08
the words of this
prophecy and," what else?
00:38:40.12\00:38:42.85
"Keep those things
which are written in it,
00:38:42.88\00:38:46.22
for the time is at hand."
00:38:46.25\00:38:52.09
Now, think about
that, when John wrote that,
00:38:52.13\00:38:55.80
he was on an island
00:38:55.83\00:38:58.27
in the Aegean Sea on
an island called Patmos.
00:38:58.30\00:39:01.57
He was a prisoner,
00:39:01.60\00:39:03.67
practically
almost 2000 years ago.
00:39:03.71\00:39:07.58
And he said, the time is
near or the time is at hand.
00:39:07.61\00:39:12.98
If the time was near then,
00:39:13.01\00:39:14.92
how much nearer is the time now?
00:39:14.95\00:39:17.59
And what he meant by that,
00:39:17.62\00:39:18.95
there's a particular
word he brings out here
00:39:18.99\00:39:22.56
the words of this prophecy.
00:39:22.59\00:39:24.29
He said, "What
is being prophesied
00:39:24.33\00:39:26.26
is a lot closer
now than it was then."
00:39:26.29\00:39:29.70
Want to get a glimpse of that?
00:39:29.73\00:39:31.13
Go to Matthew 24.
00:39:31.17\00:39:32.50
Let's see what
he's talking about.
00:39:32.53\00:39:34.24
Let's see what
he's talking about,
00:39:34.27\00:39:35.60
Matthew Chapter 24.
00:39:35.64\00:39:36.97
These are the words of Christ.
00:39:37.01\00:39:38.67
But you'll see the words of John
00:39:38.71\00:39:40.04
are also
intermingled with these.
00:39:40.08\00:39:44.28
Matthew 24, just
briefly look at that.
00:39:44.31\00:39:46.48
Okay, and I
wanna go to verse 36.
00:39:49.68\00:39:52.15
Because Matthew 24:36,
00:39:52.19\00:39:55.32
because this once again
goes down to the issue of time.
00:39:55.36\00:39:58.96
All right?
00:39:58.99\00:40:00.50
Matthew 24:36,
00:40:00.53\00:40:04.97
"But of the
day, but of that day,
00:40:05.00\00:40:07.54
an hour no one knows.
00:40:07.57\00:40:09.70
No, not even the
angels of heaven,
00:40:09.74\00:40:11.91
but my father," what?
00:40:11.94\00:40:13.41
"My father only."
00:40:13.44\00:40:14.78
But now look at the comparison.
00:40:14.81\00:40:16.14
But as the days of Noah,
00:40:16.18\00:40:18.28
that's the days
before the flood,
00:40:18.31\00:40:20.85
so also will the
coming of the Son of man be.
00:40:20.88\00:40:23.08
Now what kind
of days where they?
00:40:23.12\00:40:26.42
For as in the
days before the flood,
00:40:26.45\00:40:29.02
they were eating and drinking.
00:40:29.06\00:40:30.43
Are people doing that today?
00:40:30.46\00:40:32.39
You go to major
cities, that's the major event,
00:40:32.43\00:40:34.76
where can we eat,
where can we drink,
00:40:34.80\00:40:36.13
where can we go out?
00:40:36.16\00:40:37.50
They were eating and drinking,
00:40:37.53\00:40:39.17
marrying and giving a marriages,
00:40:39.20\00:40:41.20
that mean some
people were getting married,
00:40:41.24\00:40:43.20
some people given
their children to be married.
00:40:43.24\00:40:45.41
Nothing wrong
with either of those
00:40:45.44\00:40:46.78
but look what happened,
00:40:46.81\00:40:48.14
they were
unconscious of the time
00:40:48.18\00:40:50.08
until the day that
Noah entered the ark,
00:40:50.11\00:40:52.78
and verse 39,
00:40:52.81\00:40:54.35
and did not know
00:40:54.38\00:40:55.98
until the flood
came and did what?
00:40:56.02\00:40:58.45
Took them all away.
00:40:58.49\00:41:00.16
So also will the
coming of the Son of man be.
00:41:00.19\00:41:03.79
That's why let's
go now to verse 32.
00:41:03.83\00:41:05.86
I want you to get this.
00:41:05.89\00:41:07.23
I'm kind of going
backward setting the stage.
00:41:07.26\00:41:09.20
Look at verse
31. I mean, verse 32.
00:41:09.23\00:41:12.20
All right, now
learn the parable.
00:41:12.23\00:41:15.54
Learn this
parable from the fig tree.
00:41:15.57\00:41:18.94
Once again,
another parable about time,
00:41:18.97\00:41:22.11
"When its branch has
already become tender,
00:41:22.14\00:41:25.51
and puts forth leaves,
00:41:25.55\00:41:27.75
you know that," what is near?
00:41:27.78\00:41:29.62
"The summer is near."
00:41:29.65\00:41:30.99
Once again, a parable on time.
00:41:31.02\00:41:34.09
So you also, when
you see all these things,
00:41:34.12\00:41:37.63
know that it is near what?
00:41:37.66\00:41:40.53
At the very doors.
00:41:40.56\00:41:42.83
So now we're going back
now, I'm just setting the stage,
00:41:42.86\00:41:45.83
we're going back,
we're talking about
00:41:45.87\00:41:47.20
the urgency of time.
00:41:47.24\00:41:48.57
Nobody knows when it's gonna be,
00:41:48.60\00:41:49.94
but if you check
out the fig tree,
00:41:49.97\00:41:52.31
when you see the
shoots coming out,
00:41:52.34\00:41:54.41
you know the summer is coming.
00:41:54.44\00:41:55.78
So when you see
all these things,
00:41:55.81\00:41:57.81
you know, it's really near.
00:41:57.85\00:41:59.18
The question is what things?
00:41:59.21\00:42:00.55
Let's go very quickly.
00:42:00.58\00:42:01.92
Go back to verse 6.
00:42:01.95\00:42:06.86
Once again
about all the urgency.
00:42:11.76\00:42:14.00
Solomon talked about it.
00:42:14.03\00:42:16.93
Paul talked about
it. John talked about it.
00:42:16.97\00:42:19.60
Look at what
the Lord Jesus said,
00:42:19.63\00:42:21.50
"And you will hear of
wars and rumors of wars.
00:42:21.54\00:42:24.44
See that you are not troubled,
00:42:24.47\00:42:26.11
for all these
things must come to pass,
00:42:26.14\00:42:28.98
but the end is not yet."
00:42:29.01\00:42:30.78
Now, the scene changes.
00:42:30.81\00:42:33.75
"For nation, verse 7,
00:42:33.78\00:42:35.12
"will rise against nation
and kingdom against kingdom
00:42:35.15\00:42:39.22
and there will be famines,
00:42:39.25\00:42:40.76
pestilences and
earthquakes in various places.
00:42:40.79\00:42:44.26
All these are the," what?
00:42:44.29\00:42:46.66
"Beginning of sorrows."
00:42:46.70\00:42:48.03
The end is not yet
the beginning of sorrows.
00:42:48.06\00:42:49.93
And then he talks
about the scene changing.
00:42:49.96\00:42:52.73
Verse 9, "Then they will
deliver you up to tribulation,
00:42:52.77\00:42:56.47
and kill you and you
will be hated of all nations
00:42:56.50\00:42:58.94
for my name's sake."
00:42:58.97\00:43:01.38
But the good news is,
00:43:01.41\00:43:02.74
and I want you
to get the good news
00:43:02.78\00:43:04.15
because these are not
such good things to focus on.
00:43:04.18\00:43:08.25
But one of the most
encouraging signs of the end
00:43:08.28\00:43:11.49
is in verse 14.
00:43:11.52\00:43:14.52
Look at verse 14.
00:43:14.56\00:43:17.23
And that's
what's happening today,
00:43:17.26\00:43:18.79
even as you watch this program,
00:43:18.83\00:43:21.30
"And this gospel of the
kingdom will be preached,"
00:43:21.33\00:43:24.30
in how much of the world?
00:43:24.33\00:43:25.93
"All the world for a
witness to all nations
00:43:25.97\00:43:29.84
and then the end," will what?
00:43:29.87\00:43:32.14
"Will come," amen?
00:43:32.17\00:43:33.91
So you have
wars, rumors of wars,
00:43:33.94\00:43:35.64
earthquakes,
pestilence, that's diseases,
00:43:35.68\00:43:37.58
fires, floods,
marrying, giving in marriage,
00:43:37.61\00:43:40.02
drinking, eating, people just
oblivious of what's happening.
00:43:40.05\00:43:44.85
And the Bible says
00:43:44.89\00:43:46.22
that's how it was in Noah's day,
00:43:46.25\00:43:47.59
that's how it's gonna be today.
00:43:47.62\00:43:48.96
But then something that should
tell you that the end is very,
00:43:48.99\00:43:51.39
very near is the
gospel is being preached
00:43:51.43\00:43:54.10
in all the world
00:43:54.13\00:43:57.00
to let all the nations
know, you know, now you know,
00:43:57.03\00:43:59.63
now you know, now
you know, now you know.
00:43:59.67\00:44:03.04
And it's not
necessarily something
00:44:03.07\00:44:04.47
that's gonna be
accepted by everyone,
00:44:04.51\00:44:06.41
but it's gonna be as a
witness to all nations.
00:44:06.44\00:44:09.18
And heaven is
checking off the box
00:44:09.21\00:44:10.75
of all those who've heard
and then the end will come.
00:44:10.78\00:44:16.25
And right now as
you're watching this program,
00:44:16.28\00:44:18.15
3ABN is on the
forefront of fulfilling
00:44:18.19\00:44:20.49
that beautiful push
of getting the gospel
00:44:20.52\00:44:23.32
into the world by
television and by radio.
00:44:23.36\00:44:25.83
Amen?
00:44:25.86\00:44:27.23
Now we're gonna transition.
00:44:27.26\00:44:30.70
We talked about the
stewardship of time.
00:44:30.73\00:44:33.54
Is time important?
00:44:33.57\00:44:34.90
Let me get your
response, is time important?
00:44:34.94\00:44:37.37
Is it important
to know the times?
00:44:37.41\00:44:38.74
Yes.
00:44:38.77\00:44:40.11
And it's important
to also know what to do
00:44:40.14\00:44:41.48
in light of the
times not just to say,
00:44:41.51\00:44:43.35
well, it's 11:30,
I need to go to bed
00:44:43.38\00:44:46.11
as well.
00:44:46.15\00:44:47.48
I need to get, go to bed so
I can get up in the morning.
00:44:47.52\00:44:49.48
See, not only what you
need to do on this end,
00:44:49.52\00:44:52.49
but why you're doing it,
00:44:52.52\00:44:53.86
it affects what
happens on the other end.
00:44:53.89\00:44:55.52
Everything we do
on this end affects
00:44:55.56\00:44:57.83
what happens on the other end.
00:44:57.86\00:44:59.73
If I get ready for the
coming of the Lord now,
00:44:59.76\00:45:02.00
I won't have to worry
about when Jesus comes.
00:45:02.03\00:45:04.53
If I go to bed in time to
get up early in the morning.
00:45:04.57\00:45:07.00
I can be
refreshed in the morning
00:45:07.04\00:45:08.37
if the Lord
gives me another day.
00:45:08.40\00:45:10.14
Everything on this
end affects what happens
00:45:10.17\00:45:12.47
and how we look
forward to what happens
00:45:12.51\00:45:13.84
on the other end.
00:45:13.88\00:45:15.21
All right?
00:45:15.24\00:45:16.58
Which now takes us to another,
second category of stewardship.
00:45:16.61\00:45:20.62
The first one is time.
00:45:20.65\00:45:22.28
The next one is temple.
00:45:22.32\00:45:24.65
And I'm gonna go to testimony,
talent and then treasure.
00:45:24.69\00:45:30.03
All right?
00:45:30.06\00:45:31.39
So we're now gonna go
00:45:31.43\00:45:32.76
to the
stewardship of the temple,
00:45:32.79\00:45:36.73
the stewardship of the temple,
the stewardship of the temple.
00:45:36.77\00:45:40.44
Now the temple is,
00:45:40.47\00:45:42.37
is almost all
throughout the Bible.
00:45:42.40\00:45:47.58
I'll use another word
for temple, sanctuary.
00:45:47.61\00:45:52.28
All throughout the Bible.
00:45:52.31\00:45:54.62
So much of the Bible is
written in the understanding
00:45:54.65\00:45:57.49
of this concept of the temple.
00:45:57.52\00:46:00.19
And, huh?
00:46:00.22\00:46:02.56
Oh, yeah, we'll
get there in a moment.
00:46:02.59\00:46:05.49
He already knows,
but he thinks he does.
00:46:05.53\00:46:09.10
But that's a good one.
00:46:09.13\00:46:10.47
And so we're gonna begin to see
00:46:10.50\00:46:11.83
when we
understand the stewardship,
00:46:11.87\00:46:13.40
but once again
now who owns time,
00:46:13.44\00:46:16.00
just to
recollect, who owns time?
00:46:16.04\00:46:17.64
God does.
00:46:17.67\00:46:19.01
Okay, so we're
gonna get to see now,
00:46:19.04\00:46:20.68
who owns the temple, who does?
00:46:20.71\00:46:23.11
Now we'll see how
the Bible illustrates
00:46:23.14\00:46:24.75
that very point.
00:46:24.78\00:46:26.11
God owns the temple.
00:46:26.15\00:46:27.48
So the question is,
where is the temple?
00:46:27.52\00:46:30.92
What is the temple?
00:46:30.95\00:46:32.39
Let's stop with
this question tonight.
00:46:32.42\00:46:33.76
And by the way, as
you bring this slide up,
00:46:33.79\00:46:36.02
I wanna show you the
five T's, here it is.
00:46:36.06\00:46:39.06
Stewardship is time, temple,
testimony, talent, treasure.
00:46:39.09\00:46:44.33
Once again, together,
time, temple testimony,
00:46:44.37\00:46:48.34
talent, and treasure.
00:46:48.37\00:46:49.90
That's the five
areas of stewardship,
00:46:49.94\00:46:52.24
just to reiterate.
00:46:52.27\00:46:54.14
All right?
00:46:54.18\00:46:55.51
Now let's look
together at question number 26,
00:46:55.54\00:47:00.02
number 26.
00:47:00.05\00:47:02.65
How does the Bible describe
the stewardship of the temple?
00:47:02.68\00:47:08.16
How does the Bible describe
00:47:08.19\00:47:10.63
the stewardship of the temple?
00:47:10.66\00:47:13.93
This is so amazing
00:47:13.96\00:47:15.50
in light of the
world we live in today.
00:47:15.53\00:47:18.87
1 Corinthians 6:19,
00:47:18.90\00:47:22.24
"How does the Bible describe
00:47:22.27\00:47:23.67
the stewardship of the temple?"
00:47:23.71\00:47:25.11
Let's see
00:47:25.14\00:47:26.47
what the
Apostle Paul says to us.
00:47:26.51\00:47:28.54
1 Corinthians 6:19,
here is what we read,
00:47:28.58\00:47:34.45
"Or do you not know that,"
what's the next two words?
00:47:34.48\00:47:39.45
"Your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit,
00:47:39.49\00:47:45.06
who is in you,
whom you have from God
00:47:45.09\00:47:49.20
and you are not your own?"
00:47:49.23\00:47:51.43
Now, this is huge.
00:47:51.47\00:47:52.80
I don't want to run past this.
00:47:52.83\00:47:54.94
Because the words
that are in yellow
00:47:54.97\00:47:56.54
that you saw is simply
your body is the temple.
00:47:56.57\00:48:00.74
Your body is the
temple of the who?
00:48:00.78\00:48:04.05
Holy Spirit.
00:48:04.08\00:48:05.41
Now this is huge,
00:48:05.45\00:48:06.78
because when you
think of the furniture
00:48:06.82\00:48:08.15
that was in the
temple, Solomon built a temple
00:48:08.18\00:48:11.75
that was supposed to
be for the glory of God,
00:48:11.79\00:48:13.46
but even still to this very day,
00:48:13.49\00:48:15.32
we call it Solomon's temple,
00:48:15.36\00:48:17.06
when in fact it
was supposed to be
00:48:17.09\00:48:18.43
God's temple.
00:48:18.46\00:48:19.79
The glory went to
him instead to the Lord.
00:48:19.83\00:48:22.46
It was built for the Lord,
00:48:22.50\00:48:24.13
but it's not
called the Lord's temple.
00:48:24.17\00:48:26.07
It was called Solomon's temple.
00:48:26.10\00:48:28.57
Now, when you
think of your body,
00:48:28.60\00:48:30.31
your physical body
this is talked about.
00:48:30.34\00:48:32.71
It says your body
00:48:32.74\00:48:34.08
is the temple
of the Holy Spirit.
00:48:34.11\00:48:39.18
Where is the Holy
Spirit wanting to live?
00:48:39.21\00:48:42.38
In us.
00:48:42.42\00:48:43.75
So when you give
your life to Christ,
00:48:43.79\00:48:45.12
this is a powerful exchange,
00:48:45.15\00:48:47.89
because we have to
come to the conclusion
00:48:47.92\00:48:50.96
that not every spirit is holy.
00:48:50.99\00:48:56.23
When you give
your life to Christ,
00:48:56.26\00:48:58.40
a transaction takes place.
00:48:58.43\00:49:01.10
That means who was the body,
00:49:01.14\00:49:05.61
the owner of the
body hasn't really changed
00:49:05.64\00:49:10.25
but the stewardship
of the body has changed.
00:49:10.28\00:49:13.58
Can I say that again?
00:49:13.62\00:49:14.95
Well, let me give
you some questions.
00:49:18.55\00:49:22.92
The answer is
yes, so when I ask you.
00:49:22.96\00:49:25.79
Remember the answer is what?
00:49:25.83\00:49:27.16
Yes.
00:49:27.20\00:49:28.53
I'm making it really easy.
00:49:28.56\00:49:29.90
Who created, did God
create the human body?
00:49:29.93\00:49:31.93
Yes.
00:49:31.97\00:49:33.30
Okay, that was very easy.
00:49:33.34\00:49:35.14
Never got an
answer from the teacher,
00:49:35.17\00:49:36.71
but you got the answer.
00:49:36.74\00:49:38.07
So now with that
answer, with that answer,
00:49:38.11\00:49:41.24
who owns our bodies?
00:49:41.28\00:49:42.61
God.
00:49:42.64\00:49:43.98
Okay, so the wealthy, the poor,
00:49:44.01\00:49:47.68
the sinner, the righteous,
the good, the evil everybody?
00:49:47.72\00:49:51.95
Did everybody
that every human body
00:49:51.99\00:49:54.76
that ever walked this planet
00:49:54.79\00:49:57.23
come from the
original hand of God?
00:49:57.26\00:49:59.46
Yes.
00:49:59.49\00:50:00.83
Right because the
human bodies could not exist
00:50:00.86\00:50:02.50
without God creating them,
00:50:02.53\00:50:03.87
but has everyone
that walked this planet
00:50:03.90\00:50:06.90
honored the living God?
00:50:06.94\00:50:08.70
No. Okay.
00:50:08.74\00:50:10.07
So you could see the
impact on the human body
00:50:10.11\00:50:12.94
of the person who doesn't
acknowledge the true God.
00:50:12.97\00:50:17.21
You can see the impact.
00:50:17.25\00:50:19.11
The external evidence is,
boy, that person looks worn out.
00:50:19.15\00:50:25.12
Look at what's
happened to that individual.
00:50:29.22\00:50:32.73
The external evidences
00:50:32.76\00:50:35.50
of who you
recognize to be your God
00:50:35.53\00:50:39.60
is manifest in the body.
00:50:39.63\00:50:42.70
Did you get that?
00:50:45.74\00:50:47.41
The body is either the
place where the Holy Spirit
00:50:47.44\00:50:51.51
is dwelling and changing us
00:50:51.55\00:50:54.38
or the body is either
the place where evil spirits
00:50:54.42\00:50:58.52
are dwelling and the change
is not for the glory of God.
00:50:58.55\00:51:03.22
There is no third category.
00:51:03.26\00:51:06.96
When you give
your life to the Lord,
00:51:07.00\00:51:08.80
your body is the temple
00:51:08.83\00:51:10.23
of the Holy Spirit who is where?
00:51:10.27\00:51:12.33
In you.
00:51:12.37\00:51:13.70
Whom you have from
God and it ends by saying,
00:51:13.74\00:51:17.04
"And you are not your own,
you don't belong to yourself."
00:51:17.07\00:51:21.91
There's so many people
today and I've heard this before
00:51:21.94\00:51:26.65
even some songs years ago,
00:51:26.68\00:51:29.08
you know, this is my body
00:51:29.12\00:51:32.65
and, you know,
contemporary songs,
00:51:32.69\00:51:34.92
I used to be a disc jockey
00:51:34.96\00:51:36.29
that just one just came
to my mind, people saying,
00:51:36.32\00:51:38.36
you know, do what you
want to do, it's your body.
00:51:38.39\00:51:42.76
And they feel that there's
no accountability to anybody
00:51:42.80\00:51:45.00
but themselves.
00:51:45.03\00:51:46.60
But according to the Bible,
00:51:46.63\00:51:48.60
none of us belongs to ourselves.
00:51:48.64\00:51:52.27
So I want you
to write that down.
00:51:52.31\00:51:53.84
How does the Bible describe
the stewardship of the temple?
00:51:53.88\00:51:57.75
Who does your body belong to?
00:51:57.78\00:51:59.75
Write it down, who
does your body belong to?
00:51:59.78\00:52:03.79
God.
00:52:03.82\00:52:05.42
We must give an account
00:52:05.45\00:52:09.32
to God about our bodies.
00:52:09.36\00:52:15.40
Wow.
00:52:15.43\00:52:16.93
And when you
think of the way today
00:52:16.97\00:52:18.30
that the body is abused,
00:52:18.33\00:52:20.04
it's abused, materialistically.
00:52:20.07\00:52:22.04
It has become a canvas of ink.
00:52:22.07\00:52:24.11
It has become a
dartboard of holes.
00:52:24.14\00:52:26.84
It has become a place
where people don't care
00:52:26.88\00:52:28.74
about multiple sex partners
00:52:28.78\00:52:31.51
and dumping ground
for alcohol and drugs,
00:52:31.55\00:52:37.59
and people have just
degraded the human body
00:52:37.62\00:52:41.62
to the point
where God is saying,
00:52:41.66\00:52:43.73
"What happened?
00:52:43.76\00:52:45.09
What are you doing to My temple?
00:52:45.13\00:52:47.96
It's the canvas of ink tattoos,
00:52:48.00\00:52:52.70
but I want to give
you some good news.
00:52:52.73\00:52:55.04
There is no depth to
which a person has sunk,
00:52:55.07\00:52:58.81
that the Lord
can't pull them out.
00:52:58.84\00:53:01.01
Amen?
00:53:01.04\00:53:02.38
He ever lives to
make intercession.
00:53:02.41\00:53:04.25
He can save us to the uttermost,
00:53:04.28\00:53:06.78
if we simply come to Him.
00:53:06.82\00:53:08.32
There's nothing we could do
00:53:08.35\00:53:10.65
as Paul says
that can separate us
00:53:10.69\00:53:12.45
from God's love,
but if we come to Him,
00:53:12.49\00:53:14.96
that change is made.
00:53:14.99\00:53:16.52
But let's make
no doubt about it.
00:53:16.56\00:53:18.59
Each one of us is
accountable to the Lord
00:53:18.63\00:53:23.10
for what happens to our bodies.
00:53:23.13\00:53:25.33
Let's go to the next question.
See if we can get it tonight.
00:53:25.37\00:53:27.37
Question number 27,
might be able to get them in,
00:53:27.40\00:53:30.44
question number 27.
00:53:30.47\00:53:32.64
Through what event
00:53:32.67\00:53:34.31
does the Bible reveal
God's ownership of our bodies?
00:53:34.34\00:53:38.05
Through what event does
00:53:38.08\00:53:39.85
the Bible reveal God's
ownership of our bodies?
00:53:39.88\00:53:45.15
Let's go to Genesis 1:26.
00:53:45.19\00:53:48.26
Okay, let's look
at that together.
00:53:51.73\00:53:53.23
Going back to the
original creations,
00:53:56.77\00:53:58.43
"Then God said,"
it's on the screen,
00:53:58.47\00:54:00.64
"Let us make man in our," what?
00:54:00.67\00:54:03.94
"Image according to our," what?
00:54:03.97\00:54:06.61
"Likeness, let
them have dominion
00:54:06.64\00:54:09.21
over the fish of the sea,
00:54:09.24\00:54:11.11
over the birds of the
air, and over the cattle,
00:54:11.15\00:54:15.42
over all the earth,
00:54:15.45\00:54:17.05
and over every creeping
thing that creeps on the earth."
00:54:17.09\00:54:20.99
So who are we designed after?
00:54:21.02\00:54:26.19
God.
00:54:26.23\00:54:27.56
Not only did He make
us according to His image,
00:54:27.60\00:54:31.73
but He made us
according to His likeness.
00:54:31.77\00:54:34.90
Now something happened,
all have sinned in Romans 3:23,
00:54:34.94\00:54:39.17
"All have sinned and fallen
short of the glory of God."
00:54:39.21\00:54:42.04
That's what happened to humanity
00:54:42.08\00:54:43.45
when sin came into the world.
00:54:43.48\00:54:45.21
Romans 5:12, "By one
man sin entered the world,
00:54:45.25\00:54:48.32
and death through sin
00:54:48.35\00:54:49.88
and thus death spread to all men
00:54:49.92\00:54:52.29
because all have sinned,"
00:54:52.32\00:54:53.66
which simply means
00:54:53.69\00:54:55.02
not that a baby
does something wrong,
00:54:55.06\00:54:56.66
but she or he as they are born
00:54:56.69\00:54:59.56
has the same defective nature
00:54:59.59\00:55:02.30
that Adam received after
he led the world unto sin
00:55:02.33\00:55:05.07
after he opened the door to sin,
00:55:05.10\00:55:06.90
that same defect was
passed on to his genes.
00:55:06.94\00:55:09.74
And every one of
us from that point on,
00:55:09.77\00:55:11.87
that very image,
and that very likeness
00:55:11.91\00:55:13.84
that we were
created in, was distorted.
00:55:13.88\00:55:16.88
All have sinned and fallen
short of the glory of God.
00:55:16.91\00:55:19.01
Right?
00:55:19.05\00:55:20.38
So let's see, the
ownership of our bodies
00:55:20.42\00:55:23.35
is because now
through what event does
00:55:23.39\00:55:25.79
the Bible reveal God's
ownership of our bodies?
00:55:25.82\00:55:28.32
Genesis 1:26.
00:55:28.36\00:55:29.76
What is that event
that's being described there?
00:55:29.79\00:55:32.86
What is it? Creation.
00:55:32.89\00:55:34.23
Creation, so write it down
creation, through creation,
00:55:34.26\00:55:38.73
through
creation, through creation,
00:55:38.77\00:55:42.07
we are all property of God.
00:55:42.10\00:55:46.34
Through creation we are
all the property of God.
00:55:46.37\00:55:49.44
But now let's go
00:55:49.48\00:55:50.81
because remember
I said a moment ago,
00:55:50.85\00:55:52.25
something happened,
and we all fell into sin,
00:55:52.28\00:55:55.82
and that cord between
us and God was broken,
00:55:55.85\00:55:59.82
and somebody else
confiscated our rights,
00:55:59.85\00:56:02.56
because we gave it up.
00:56:02.59\00:56:04.13
Somebody else
was in control of us.
00:56:04.16\00:56:06.06
But look at the love of Christ.
00:56:06.09\00:56:07.66
1 Corinthians 6:20.
00:56:07.70\00:56:10.37
This is the next event
that shows God's ownership.
00:56:14.70\00:56:18.01
"For you were bought at a price,
00:56:18.04\00:56:20.84
therefore glorify
God," in your what?
00:56:20.88\00:56:24.05
"In your body
and in your spirit,
00:56:24.08\00:56:26.05
which are God's."
00:56:26.08\00:56:27.42
That means your spiritual
walk and your physical walk
00:56:27.45\00:56:31.15
should be evidence
that God is your Lord.
00:56:31.19\00:56:34.49
But what was this
event talked about here?
00:56:34.52\00:56:37.86
The first event in
Genesis 1:26 was creation.
00:56:37.89\00:56:41.06
What event here describes
God's ownership of our body?
00:56:41.10\00:56:44.70
Somebody tell me, what
does this event describe?
00:56:44.73\00:56:46.94
Say it again. Redemption.
00:56:46.97\00:56:48.30
Redemption, that's right.
00:56:48.34\00:56:49.67
Creation was one,
redemption is the other,
00:56:49.70\00:56:52.44
for you were bought at a price.
00:56:52.47\00:56:55.18
The devil by Adam's sin
00:56:55.21\00:56:58.81
confiscated the
ownership of the human body.
00:56:58.85\00:57:03.62
But the Lord brought
us back, amen somebody?
00:57:03.65\00:57:07.39
He bought us with the
price and what is that price?
00:57:07.42\00:57:11.36
His own life, His own
life, so I want to summarize
00:57:11.39\00:57:15.96
because I don't want to go
to the next question tonight,
00:57:16.00\00:57:17.57
I want to summarize,
what we've covered tonight
00:57:17.60\00:57:20.00
is the stewardship of
time, the stewardship of what?
00:57:20.04\00:57:22.80
Time. Who owns time?
00:57:22.84\00:57:24.57
God does.
00:57:24.61\00:57:25.94
All of our time
belongs to the Lord.
00:57:25.97\00:57:28.14
What we do with our time,
00:57:28.18\00:57:29.58
one day, we'll have to
be accountable to that time.
00:57:29.61\00:57:32.38
Who owns our bodies, together?
00:57:32.41\00:57:34.68
God does.
00:57:34.72\00:57:36.05
What we do with our body,
00:57:36.08\00:57:37.62
for we must all appear
00:57:37.65\00:57:39.09
before the
judgment seat of Christ,
00:57:39.12\00:57:41.69
that every one of
us must give an account
00:57:41.72\00:57:43.96
of the things done in the body,
whether good or whether evil.
00:57:43.99\00:57:47.56
So, friends let
me encourage you,
00:57:47.60\00:57:49.60
give your time and
your temple to the Lord,
00:57:49.63\00:57:52.03
who in fact is
the rightful owner
00:57:52.07\00:57:54.04
and if it doesn't make sense,
00:57:54.07\00:57:55.40
keep on studying
God's Word because one day
00:57:55.44\00:57:58.07
it will come
into A Sharper Focus.
00:57:58.11\00:58:00.68
God bless you.
00:58:00.71\00:58:02.04