The last hour: a
window of opportunity.
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This phrase, the last
hour, brings a certain sense of
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urgency, of finality, and yet
in Earth's last hour there is a
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window of
opportunity for God to work.
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This Earth is certainly in its
last hour, and because of this
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more and more people are
literally in their last hour.
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The world's
coming apart; there's
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bloodshed, there's conflict.
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And in this world of uncertainty
and danger we do not know
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when our last hour might be.
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What do we want to
do in Earth's last hour?
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I'm a physician, so news reports
like the ones we have had
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recently cut close to home.
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Just last week there was
a physician that was killed
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because he refused to
prescribe pain pills to
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the wife of the killer.
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A few years ago
this incident happened.
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So in health care we seem to
think that because we're helping
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people we're
somehow immune from these
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dangers, but we're not.
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Do you ever
wonder what would be most
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important in your last hour?
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In the last
hour the mind clears,
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life compresses and distills
to what's most important.
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I met a man I'll call Adam in
my office for a routine visit.
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He had excruciating hip
pain, and his x-ray showed why.
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He looked terrible.
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He needed a hip replacement.
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Well, I'm an Orthopedic Surgeon.
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I enjoy doing hip
replacements and helping people,
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so I was happy to help him.
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He also had some
problems with his feet.
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He had some congenital
problems that made his
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balance an issue for him,
so he was concerned about his
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rehabilitation after surgery.
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He wanted to make sure that
he went to a particular rehab
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facility so he could get
his balance and get the services
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he needed when he was
discharged from the hospital.
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So we had the usual discussion.
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We prayed together, as is my
practice with patients like that
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before we proceed with surgery.
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And the surgery went well.
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It went very well. In
fact his new hip looked great.
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But something strange
happened when he got to his
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room after surgery.
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It's like he decompensated:
the stress, the thought of,
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Can I get what I need?
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This self-focus turned into
lashing out at other people.
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This is what he did
under stress, and I didn't know
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that ahead of time.
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He began to give
the nurses a hard time.
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I got reports of them
throwing things, and swearing,
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and things just
went from bad to worse.
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He was acting out his fears and
creating a disaster for himself.
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So what does a
good physician do?
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I ordered some
medication to calm him down.
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And it was so effective
that when I got to his room
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a few hours later, I was in
surgery, and got to his room.
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He was up in a chair, and
he was sleeping in the chair.
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So I didn't want to bother
him because this was a stressful
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situation, and I
didn't want to wake him up and
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have him swear at me.
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But when he woke up
again he continued to alienate
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everyone around him.
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Unfortunately, the nurses that
work at the hospital also do
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part time at the rehab facility.
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And this was a problem because
the word soon got to this place,
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and they wanted
nothing to do with this man at
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that rehab facility.
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But he refused to go to any
other option, so what ended up
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happening was our
Physician Assistant
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discharged him to
home, put him on the
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doorstep of the hospital.
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I think it was
snowing at the time.
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And his estranged,
not surprisingly estranged
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wife, took him home.
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And I thought,
Well, okay, that's okay.
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But then the phone calls began.
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He had a few falls at
home and it was my fault;
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I had abandoned him.
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I left him to suffer.
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He'd swear at me on the
phone, swear at my staff.
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He was going to sue me.
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It's a wonderful
thought as a physician.
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Well, he did agree to
come back for a visit.
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As a physician I have
a responsibility to make
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sure he's doing okay.
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And he did agree to come back,
but my thought was, Doing this
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is going to be quite risky.
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These reports of physicians
being offed by their patients
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are not comforting.
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What risk was I
taking in even letting him
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come into the office?
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Well, in the last days and hours
preceding his visit I started
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to think, I'm a
Christian physician.
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I'm here to
minister to my patients.
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How do I deal
with the situation?
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Didn't this man
create his own disaster?
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What's my responsibility
in this situation?
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Could this in any way be my
fault, or my responsibility?
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How could I handle
the risk and the danger?
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Well, my mind went in an
interesting direction as I
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pondered these questions.
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The approach of the
last hour had a clarifying
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effect on my thoughts.
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I needed a new way of
thinking, a new way of seeing
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this problem with Adam.
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I needed a metanoia, as it
says in the original language.
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A change of mind. So I thought
only with heaven's help can I
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have this
paradigm shift that I need.
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And the word of God provides us
the paradigm sift that we need
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in Earth's last hour to
deal with the danger and
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stress that we face.
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We read in 2
Corinthians 5:14-16,
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Seeing that Christ's death was
a representative death put me on
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equal footing with Adam in
the sense his sin was my sin.
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We share the same human nature.
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I have the same
weaknesses he does.
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Have I ever lashed out at
someone when I'm under stress?
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Not only that, I was compelled,
according to this text,
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by the love of God in
Christ, to repent myself for not
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ministering this gospel to him.
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I needed the gift of
heavenly repentance in order to
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effectively minister to Adam.
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Here's how Ellen White puts
it: Repentance represents the
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process by which the soul
seeks to reflect the image
00:12:05.65\00:12:11.23
of Christ to the world.
00:12:11.26\00:12:13.40
For me that was a mind altering
thought, and my prayer is that
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it might be for us
collectively as well.
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Well, how could actual
reconciliation with Adam occur?
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How much of this
was my responsibility?
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How much of this
was his responsibility?
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Did I need to
hold him to account for
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what his behavior was?
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How did this actually
work out in practical ways?
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So as I thought about
this I read further down
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in 2 Corinthians 5.
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Here's what it looks like:
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In this wonderful, glorious
act God has gifted us with the
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ministry of reconciliation.
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This is His promise,
especially in what could be,
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or is, our last hour.
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I saw that I did
not have to hold Adam's
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transgressions against him.
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In fact my not doing so was
the key to our reconciliation.
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But more than that I wanted
Adam to actually be restored.
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I wanted his mind to
actually have a change.
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Could he be restored to a better
way of thinking and of living?
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I found that my
fear was relieved by
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focusing on what he needed.
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As I interceded with
heaven on Adam's behalf
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my focus became clear.
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But I would need resources that
I don't possess to help Adam.
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But here was my hope: we, I
do not have a High Priest who
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cannot
sympathize with my weakness,
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I have a High
Priest interceding for me.
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I could boldly ask for the gift
of His restoring power on behalf
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of Adam, because
He's the second Adam.
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And he already has done the
work to reconcile the first Adam
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and complete that restoration.
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Well, it came down to
the literal last hour.
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Do you want to
know what happened?
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I had arranged, in my weakness,
to have a Sheriff's Deputy
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in the office, but out of sight
to Adam, because I didn't want
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to stress Adam out.
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That would be the
wrong trigger for Adam.
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But I did have a responsibility,
actually, to protect my staff
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in case Adam brought something.
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But I would still have
to go into the room alone,
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and there would be a moment
where Adam and I would have
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to interact one on one.
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But I saw that the confrontation
that we were facing,
00:16:00.69\00:16:03.63
potentially facing, was
primarily a Spiritual one.
00:16:03.66\00:16:06.43
Because we wrestle not
against flesh and blood,
00:16:06.46\00:16:09.16
but against the rulers of
darkness, the Spiritual hosts
00:16:09.20\00:16:12.93
of wickedness, as it
says in Ephesians 6:12.
00:16:12.97\00:16:15.80
So I needed to apply the mighty
weapons of the gospel to pull
00:16:15.84\00:16:19.64
down the strongholds that
were holding Adam in place;
00:16:19.67\00:16:23.71
the strongholds that are
mentioned in 2 Corinthians 10:4.
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Well, here's what I did.
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I walked in the room and
Adam said, Doc, we need to talk.
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I said, Yes, we do.
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Let me start. Adam I
want to ask your forgiveness.
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You were in great need.
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You were under stress, and I
didn't come and minister to you,
00:16:48.87\00:16:52.44
and for that I
ask your forgiveness.
00:16:53.44\00:16:55.61
I'd had another patient bring me
some thank you gifts; some food,
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some olives and eggs.
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It doesn't matter what it was.
00:17:05.02\00:17:06.35
But I asked him, Hey,
would you like these things?
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And I gave him some gifts.
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And we experienced
reconciliation at that moment.
00:17:14.46\00:17:17.30
And then I asked again
at the end of the visit,
00:17:18.93\00:17:20.67
Can I pray for
you? And he said, Yes.
00:17:20.70\00:17:23.27
But he said, I want you to
intercede for me with my family,
00:17:23.30\00:17:30.25
with my wife; these
people I've estranged.
00:17:30.28\00:17:32.68
Would you call them?
00:17:32.71\00:17:34.05
So I agreed to do that,
and I did call them later.
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And I found out that the
reconciliation for this family
00:17:37.59\00:17:40.12
was already occurring.
00:17:40.16\00:17:41.49
The gospel of
Jesus Christ applied was
00:17:44.53\00:17:46.80
indeed the power of God.
00:17:46.83\00:17:51.67
So in my last hour
what would I want to do?
00:17:53.40\00:17:56.20
Like Daniel I would
repent on behalf of the body of
00:17:56.24\00:17:58.74
Christ, the church.
00:17:58.77\00:18:00.24
I would repent of not doing more
for others, of not believing
00:18:00.28\00:18:02.84
and living the gospel
that transforms lives.
00:18:02.88\00:18:05.81
I would accept my identity truly
with Christ, who has identified
00:18:07.45\00:18:10.22
His humanity with me as He
gives me the gift of repentance,
00:18:10.25\00:18:14.16
which He exercised
on behalf of the race.
00:18:14.19\00:18:16.36
In my last hour I would want
to help someone else reconcile
00:18:16.39\00:18:20.13
with God and others, believing
the initiative that God has
00:18:20.16\00:18:23.87
taken with me, and
applying that as a reconciling
00:18:23.90\00:18:26.63
force in the world.
00:18:26.67\00:18:28.00
In my last hour I would
intercede to see people in
00:18:28.04\00:18:30.01
relationships restored.
00:18:30.04\00:18:31.54
I can trust my Intercessor
to restore all things.
00:18:31.57\00:18:35.51
He will restore my life
if I lose it for His sake.
00:18:35.54\00:18:39.41
I pray He will use me to heal
and restore the relationships
00:18:39.45\00:18:43.85
of those around me.
00:18:43.89\00:18:45.22
And it's my prayer in this last
hour of Earth's history that we
00:18:45.25\00:18:48.02
can all experience
this power of God's love
00:18:48.06\00:18:49.92
revealed in the cross to cast
out all fear, so that we can
00:18:49.96\00:18:53.16
become effective
ambassadors for Christ.
00:18:53.19\00:18:55.96
Our message will be that
God has already reconciled each
00:18:56.00\00:19:01.14
and every member of the human
race to Himself through Christ.
00:19:01.17\00:19:05.37
And our simple yet powerful
call will be to each one
00:19:05.41\00:19:11.18
this call: be reconciled. Amen!
00:19:11.21\00:19:15.62
To my knowledge I've
not faced imminent death.
00:19:29.76\00:19:32.33
However, about a year and a
half ago I did walk through the
00:19:32.37\00:19:36.24
valley of the shadow of death
with my friend and colleague
00:19:36.27\00:19:40.14
during her battle with an
aggressive form of Leukemia;
00:19:40.18\00:19:43.55
A battle which she
lost three months following
00:19:43.58\00:19:47.35
the day of diagnosis.
00:19:47.38\00:19:48.72
Because of the severity of the
diagnosis she was hospitalized
00:19:48.75\00:19:53.99
from the moment of diagnosis
until three days before she
00:19:54.02\00:19:57.53
died, when she was
released home to die.
00:19:57.56\00:20:01.86
Being hospitalized in the same
hospital in which we both worked
00:20:01.90\00:20:05.90
allowed me to
visit her every day.
00:20:05.93\00:20:10.01
And our visits became sort
of like Tuesdays with Morey,
00:20:10.04\00:20:13.71
except it was
every day with Beatrice.
00:20:13.74\00:20:16.41
She was an English woman, crisp,
very stoic, raised Catholic,
00:20:16.44\00:20:21.58
but not particularly religious.
00:20:21.62\00:20:23.25
And initially our
conversations were very general;
00:20:23.28\00:20:27.39
things like work, her
children, things like that.
00:20:27.42\00:20:31.43
But about a month before
she died it became increasingly
00:20:31.49\00:20:35.26
obvious that she was
not going to make it,
00:20:35.30\00:20:38.23
and our conversations
turned to more serious topics.
00:20:38.27\00:20:43.14
Topics like heaven and God.
00:20:43.20\00:20:46.31
What is He like? and death.
00:20:46.34\00:20:49.38
How was she going to face
this death that was unexpected?
00:20:49.41\00:20:54.52
These visits always
ended with my praying with her.
00:20:54.58\00:20:59.05
And as I turned to
go she would always say,
00:20:59.09\00:21:01.02
Andi, please come back.
00:21:01.09\00:21:03.29
I enjoy your visits.
00:21:03.32\00:21:05.53
About two weeks before she
died she looked me straight
00:21:06.26\00:21:10.13
in the eyes and she said, Andi,
have you considered what you
00:21:10.17\00:21:15.57
would do if you were
facing imminent death?
00:21:15.60\00:21:18.64
I hadn't. And taking
in the look on my face
00:21:20.44\00:21:24.41
she said, You should.
00:21:24.45\00:21:26.11
And about the same time
that I was going through this
00:21:26.15\00:21:29.68
experience with Beatrice, I was
studying the book of 2 Timothy,
00:21:29.72\00:21:34.49
the last book Paul
ever wrote; his swan song.
00:21:34.52\00:21:38.73
He was facing
imminent and certain death
00:21:39.56\00:21:42.16
at the hands of Nero.
00:21:42.20\00:21:43.77
And on this backdrop the
book of 2 Timothy was written.
00:21:43.80\00:21:48.47
And it is a window
into how he faced death.
00:21:48.50\00:21:53.07
And I was reminded of a quote
made famous by Sir Isaac Newton.
00:21:53.11\00:21:57.48
If I have seen further
it is by standing on the
00:21:57.51\00:22:02.35
shoulders of giants.
00:22:02.38\00:22:03.72
And today I would
like us to stand on the
00:22:03.75\00:22:07.06
shoulders of giants,
giants like the Apostle Paul.
00:22:07.09\00:22:11.13
And see not further than
they saw, but what they saw
00:22:11.16\00:22:15.16
as they faced death.
00:22:15.20\00:22:16.60
In 2 Timothy Paul is
writing with a chilling
00:22:18.33\00:22:21.64
urgency to Timothy.
00:22:21.67\00:22:23.10
He says, Timothy be
diligent to come to me quickly,
00:22:23.17\00:22:26.61
and when you come
bring my cloak and my books,
00:22:26.64\00:22:30.35
especially the parchments.
00:22:30.38\00:22:32.38
Why the parchments?
00:22:32.41\00:22:33.88
Well the Bible Commentaries
tell us that the parchments were
00:22:33.92\00:22:38.39
his copy of the
Septuagint, and early copies of
00:22:38.45\00:22:42.72
the words of Christ.
00:22:42.76\00:22:45.69
Paul in his final hour in
this urgent message uses a very
00:22:45.73\00:22:51.60
interesting
phrase in 2 Timothy 1:9.
00:22:51.63\00:22:54.84
He says, Timothy grace
was given to us in Christ
00:22:54.90\00:22:58.44
Jesus before time began.
00:22:58.47\00:23:00.68
Some translations say
before the world began.
00:23:00.71\00:23:03.65
For several years that phrase,
Scriptures that contained that
00:23:03.68\00:23:09.62
phrase, before time began,
before the beginning of the
00:23:09.68\00:23:13.66
world, or from the
foundation of the world,
00:23:13.69\00:23:15.66
have arrested my attention,
and captivated my imagination.
00:23:15.69\00:23:21.46
And for the Apostle Paul to
use this phrase in this urgent
00:23:21.50\00:23:27.24
letter means that this
is not just some poetry,
00:23:27.27\00:23:30.94
some vague theory, but one with
profound gospel implications.
00:23:30.97\00:23:36.98
And Proverbs 8
helps us understand that.
00:23:37.01\00:23:40.82
And it was not until I read
a paper by Andrews University
00:23:42.25\00:23:47.12
Seminarian, Dr. Richard
Davidson, on Proverbs 8:22-31,
00:23:47.16\00:23:52.03
that this took on
significance for me.
00:23:52.06\00:23:55.06
Proverbs 8:30 is very well
known to us, as it describes the
00:23:55.10\00:23:59.60
relationship of God and Jesus,
that they had in Heaven before
00:23:59.63\00:24:04.14
Jesus came to this earth.
00:24:04.17\00:24:05.51
He says, Then I
was daily His delight.
00:24:05.54\00:24:10.31
I was beside Him,
rejoicing always before Him.
00:24:10.35\00:24:14.12
And we acknowledge
that it is Jesus that is
00:24:14.15\00:24:17.89
saying these words.
00:24:17.92\00:24:19.25
But it's interesting
because Verse 30 has a context,
00:24:19.29\00:24:23.22
and the context
is Verses 22 to 31.
00:24:23.26\00:24:26.46
There's a story being
told in Verses 22 to 31 which
00:24:26.49\00:24:31.17
incorporate us as human beings.
00:24:31.20\00:24:33.94
Verse 22, it's
the dawn of creation.
00:24:33.97\00:24:38.77
And someone identified as
Wisdom is speaking in the first
00:24:38.84\00:24:42.64
person and telling a story.
00:24:42.68\00:24:44.75
That person is
identified as Wisdom.
00:24:44.78\00:24:47.98
But it's not just any old
story, it's his own story.
00:24:48.02\00:24:51.52
And it's obvious from the
surrounding texts that there's
00:24:51.55\00:24:55.06
not just a
personification of wisdom,
00:24:55.09\00:24:57.06
but an intelligent
person telling a story.
00:24:57.09\00:25:00.60
And that person is
the Son of God Himself
00:25:00.66\00:25:04.17
telling His own story.
00:25:04.20\00:25:05.53
He says, The Lord possessed
Me at the beginning of His ways,
00:25:05.57\00:25:10.71
before His works of old.
00:25:12.57\00:25:14.18
I've been established from
everlasting, from the beginning,
00:25:14.21\00:25:17.85
before there was an
earth, I was brought forth.
00:25:18.75\00:25:21.48
Strange words, strange
language, language which can be
00:25:21.52\00:25:24.82
misconstrued as
someone being created.
00:25:24.85\00:25:28.32
However the Hebrew is helpful
here because in the Hebrew
00:25:28.36\00:25:32.63
those words actually mean
anointed to, appointed to a
00:25:32.66\00:25:37.43
new office, set up or install
into a new role, a new job.
00:25:37.47\00:25:42.17
It has nothing to do
with someone being created.
00:25:42.20\00:25:47.24
It is the dawn of creation,
and they are about to do
00:25:47.28\00:25:53.01
something risky: create
man; thinking, self-willed man
00:25:53.05\00:25:58.79
with the ability to choose,
the ability to choose to accept
00:25:58.82\00:26:02.96
and love them, or
the ability to rebel.
00:26:02.99\00:26:05.89
This being the case, they make
a decision: one of us needs to
00:26:05.93\00:26:13.57
step down into a new
role, that of a Savior.
00:26:13.64\00:26:17.14
And so in this passage,
the Divine second person in the
00:26:17.17\00:26:21.24
Godhead, the Son of God Himself
is describing for us in this
00:26:21.28\00:26:26.68
short autobiography His formal
instillation into a new office,
00:26:26.72\00:26:32.09
a new role: that of a son,
a faithful and obedient son
00:26:32.12\00:26:37.83
who thought it not robbery to be
equal with God, but made Himself
00:26:37.86\00:26:42.90
of no reputation, took the
form of a servant, came in the
00:26:42.93\00:26:48.30
likeness of man, and
became obedient to death,
00:26:48.37\00:26:50.41
even the death of the cross.
00:26:50.44\00:26:53.38
Before time began
the Lord cared about us.
00:26:53.41\00:27:00.05
The cross was
manifested not just at Calvary,
00:27:01.52\00:27:04.29
but before time began.
00:27:05.79\00:27:07.66
John the Revelator says it this
way: that He was the Lamb slain
00:27:07.69\00:27:12.26
from the
foundation of the world.
00:27:12.29\00:27:13.76
But I don't want you to
miss Proverbs 31, Proverbs 8:31.
00:27:13.80\00:27:18.27
It's my favorite
part of this passage.
00:27:18.30\00:27:20.34
It says, and my delight
was with the sons of men.
00:27:20.40\00:27:25.24
They did this
because they delighted in us.
00:27:25.27\00:27:27.44
Even though They
knew that we could rebel,
00:27:27.48\00:27:29.61
They delighted in us.
00:27:29.64\00:27:31.01
And in the fullness
of the times He shows up.
00:27:33.05\00:27:35.88
In Isaiah 9:6 it says,
for unto us a child is born.
00:27:35.92\00:27:41.29
At Christmastime many of
us like to participate in,
00:27:43.76\00:27:45.89
or attend performances
of Handel's Messiah.
00:27:45.93\00:27:48.83
And there's one of the best
choruses: For unto us a child is
00:27:50.17\00:27:54.44
born; unto us a son is given.
00:27:54.47\00:27:56.67
And the government
shall be upon His shoulders.
00:27:56.71\00:27:59.54
It's sung with a
triumphant jaunty lilt.
00:27:59.57\00:28:02.64
The choir continues, soaring
in emphasis: And His name shall
00:28:03.98\00:28:08.32
be called Wonderful, Counselor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting
00:28:08.35\00:28:12.65
Father, the Prince of Peace.
00:28:12.69\00:28:14.09
But have you considered the
first few words: for unto us
00:28:16.19\00:28:23.40
a child is born,
unto us a son is given?
00:28:23.43\00:28:32.14
What did that cost?
00:28:36.04\00:28:38.31
What did that cost Heaven?
00:28:38.38\00:28:40.65
Zachariah describes
their relationship this way.
00:28:46.92\00:28:49.66
He says that they were friends.
00:28:49.69\00:28:53.09
He said he was his companion.
00:28:55.50\00:28:56.93
He says he was his best friend,
his best beloved, the one who
00:28:58.83\00:29:03.94
stood close to him.
00:29:03.97\00:29:05.31
Most of you know that I have
an identical twin sister, Lindy,
00:29:06.61\00:29:12.41
who I love very much,
and to whom I am very close.
00:29:12.48\00:29:17.12
And before Bob and I got
married, we, I don't know,
00:29:17.15\00:29:21.79
went to premarital counseling.
00:29:21.82\00:29:23.19
And our pastor
gave us a questionnaire.
00:29:23.22\00:29:26.09
He knew Bob and me, but
he also knew the relationship
00:29:27.86\00:29:30.77
I had with my twin sister.
00:29:30.80\00:29:32.50
So he added a question,
true or false: Your family comes
00:29:33.17\00:29:37.87
before your spouse.
00:29:37.91\00:29:39.24
Tough question. God the Father
and God the Son were even closer
00:29:39.27\00:29:47.55
than my twin sister and me.
00:29:47.58\00:29:49.98
Nevertheless, God the Father
agreed to separate from His
00:29:50.05\00:29:57.06
best beloved and give Him to us.
00:29:57.09\00:29:59.69
And one day, like a
poof, He was gone from Heaven.
00:30:02.23\00:30:08.80
And there was a long period
of silence when there was no
00:30:10.24\00:30:14.58
communication
between Them, because He was
00:30:14.64\00:30:17.81
in the womb of Mary.
00:30:17.85\00:30:19.18
Absolute silence. Someone who
was your best friend, your best
00:30:20.68\00:30:28.66
beloved, in the
bosom of the Father.
00:30:28.69\00:30:30.99
Now absolute silence.
00:30:31.03\00:30:35.23
A loss was
sustained in Heaven that day.
00:30:43.64\00:30:45.97
The Incarnation
cost Deity dearly.
00:30:46.01\00:30:48.94
The Godhead was radically
changed, but not just for nine
00:30:48.98\00:30:52.81
months, but forever.
00:30:52.85\00:30:55.25
He was given to us willingly,
even though we rebelled.
00:30:57.05\00:31:02.19
And then it's time.
00:31:03.89\00:31:08.73
He thinks back to
Heaven, when before time began,
00:31:09.56\00:31:15.17
a plan was laid, and now He's
in Gethsemane and He trembles.
00:31:15.20\00:31:19.77
He remembers three days before
when the Greeks came to Him
00:31:19.81\00:31:24.35
and He said,
Father, what should I do?
00:31:24.38\00:31:26.51
Save Me from this hour?
00:31:26.55\00:31:29.02
He says, No, I can't do that.
00:31:29.05\00:31:30.99
Because for this
reason I came into the world.
00:31:31.05\00:31:35.76
And He says to the disciples,
Watch and pray that you enter
00:31:37.96\00:31:42.50
not into temptation.
00:31:42.53\00:31:43.87
The spirit is
willing, but the flesh is weak.
00:31:43.90\00:31:46.23
How did He know that?
00:31:46.30\00:31:49.87
Most of us interpret
that as being a teachable
00:31:51.94\00:31:55.34
moment for the disciples.
00:31:55.38\00:31:56.71
He's giving them a lecture.
00:31:56.75\00:31:58.08
But I want to submit that the
Divine Son of God was speaking
00:31:58.45\00:32:03.59
from the flesh that He took
when He joined Himself to us,
00:32:03.62\00:32:08.72
and became one with us.
00:32:08.76\00:32:10.33
And was telling them
listen, My spirit is willing,
00:32:10.36\00:32:14.20
but the flesh that
I took, it is weak,
00:32:14.26\00:32:16.87
and I'm trembling at this hour.
00:32:16.90\00:32:19.03
Abba, Father all
things are possible for You.
00:32:19.07\00:32:23.61
Take this cup from
Me. I want to go home.
00:32:23.64\00:32:28.28
But praise God, as the
Lionel Harrison song says,
00:32:28.31\00:32:32.08
When He saw unfold just
how much His love would cost,
00:32:32.11\00:32:36.02
He still ran the final
mile between me and heaven
00:32:36.05\00:32:39.89
so I would not be lost.
00:32:39.92\00:32:41.46
In February of 1990,
twelve years after its launch,
00:32:43.96\00:32:48.16
Voyager 1 reached the edge
of the solar system, and was
00:32:48.20\00:32:52.37
commanded by NASSA to turn
around and photograph Earth,
00:32:52.43\00:32:56.57
photograph the planets rather.
00:32:56.84\00:32:58.74
They returned
several photographs to Earth,
00:32:58.77\00:33:03.81
and one of them was this one.
00:33:03.85\00:33:06.48
You probably
cannot see that very well.
00:33:08.98\00:33:11.15
It's circled here for you.
00:33:12.99\00:33:15.26
It's called the Pale Blue Dot.
00:33:15.29\00:33:17.53
And my clicker's
not working very well.
00:33:20.63\00:33:23.77
Carl Sagan, the late great
Carl Sagan reflected on that dot
00:33:26.40\00:33:30.41
in a lecture given at
Cornell University in 1994,
00:33:30.44\00:33:35.11
and he said this:
Look again at that dot.
00:33:35.14\00:33:39.01
That's here,
that's home, that's us.
00:33:39.05\00:33:41.75
Our planet is a lonely speck
in the great enveloping cosmic
00:33:41.78\00:33:48.02
dark, and are
obscured in all this vastness.
00:33:48.06\00:33:51.53
There is no hint that
help will come from elsewhere
00:33:51.56\00:33:55.80
to save us from ourselves.
00:33:55.86\00:33:57.23
That is one man's opinion, but
I want to submit to you that as
00:33:57.27\00:34:03.51
the Godhead looked on that pale
blue dot, the shadow of a cross
00:34:03.54\00:34:09.74
arose upon a lonely hill.
00:34:09.78\00:34:13.52
And They made a decision: save
man at any cost to Themselves.
00:34:13.55\00:34:19.35
This is what the
Apostle Paul saw;
00:34:19.39\00:34:22.19
the giant the Apostle Paul saw.
00:34:22.22\00:34:24.73
He saw that there was a God who,
before time began loved him,
00:34:24.79\00:34:29.03
even though he was
the chief of sinners.
00:34:29.06\00:34:30.77
He saw that there was a God
who before time began decided
00:34:30.83\00:34:35.50
to save man at any
cost to Themselves.
00:34:35.54\00:34:38.44
So he turns to Timothy, and he
says to Timothy, Timothy, grace
00:34:38.47\00:34:42.91
was given to us
before time began.
00:34:42.94\00:34:44.88
And then he says in Verse
10, and has now been revealed
00:34:44.91\00:34:48.78
at the pairing of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
00:34:48.82\00:34:52.65
Praise God!
Immanuel, God with us! Amen!
00:34:52.69\00:34:58.66
Just one question this morning
that I'd like to ask you.
00:35:07.87\00:35:11.34
And that question is:
00:35:11.37\00:35:13.68
Some, of course, might respond
and say, Well, yes, I have.
00:35:19.85\00:35:26.09
Others might say,
Well, I probably should.
00:35:26.12\00:35:32.76
And maybe others
might say, No way!
00:35:32.79\00:35:36.63
I'm not praying
for the President.
00:35:36.67\00:35:40.47
Not this President.
00:35:40.54\00:35:42.17
Because this
President is not my President.
00:35:42.20\00:35:48.51
This last political election
was extremely disappointing
00:35:51.51\00:35:58.15
to me
personally, and individually,
00:35:59.69\00:36:02.49
and I think to many of us.
00:36:03.19\00:36:05.69
But the reason it was
disappointing to me is because
00:36:05.76\00:36:08.50
I realized through the process
of this political election that
00:36:08.56\00:36:14.90
my heart and my spirit was prone
to be drawn away from my God
00:36:14.94\00:36:21.51
given commission, and embroiled
in the political influences
00:36:21.54\00:36:28.08
of this world to
become critical and negative.
00:36:28.12\00:36:32.65
That was the disappointment
personally, individually.
00:36:32.69\00:36:35.26
It was disappointing for me
in other ways because I saw that
00:36:35.29\00:36:39.79
same spirit that was cropping
up in me, especially in the
00:36:39.86\00:36:44.37
Republican runoffs, I saw that
same spirit in my brothers and
00:36:44.43\00:36:48.90
sisters all around me.
00:36:48.97\00:36:50.31
I don't know if you experienced
that, but I certainly did.
00:36:50.34\00:36:53.91
It was disappointing to
see how I was effected by this
00:36:54.74\00:37:00.58
political election.
00:37:00.62\00:37:01.95
And I think this
political election was a test
00:37:01.98\00:37:04.95
of our hearts and characters.
00:37:06.59\00:37:08.09
I think it was a test as to
whether or not we really believe
00:37:08.12\00:37:14.56
and practice this gospel.
00:37:14.60\00:37:18.53
If we really are Christians
in more than just name,
00:37:18.57\00:37:22.80
if we are really Christ like.
00:37:22.84\00:37:25.54
The whole process has really
helped me actually to consider
00:37:28.68\00:37:32.25
prayerfully the
question facing us this morning.
00:37:32.28\00:37:34.18
And that question, of course,
is if we just had one hour to
00:37:34.22\00:37:37.42
live, what would we
say about the gospel?
00:37:37.45\00:37:41.22
If we just had one
hour to live, what would we
00:37:42.09\00:37:44.06
say about the gospel?
00:37:44.09\00:37:45.43
And I thought and pondered this.
00:37:45.46\00:37:46.80
And I thought to myself,
wouldn't it be a blessing if we
00:37:46.83\00:37:53.84
could actually answer
that question from the Bible?
00:37:53.87\00:37:56.10
What I mean by that is, if
we could actually go to people,
00:37:56.14\00:37:59.74
individuals in the
word of God, in the Bible,
00:37:59.77\00:38:02.24
and find people who were
living in their last hour,
00:38:02.28\00:38:06.58
and see demonstrated in their
actions, or in their words,
00:38:06.85\00:38:11.39
what they had to
say about the gospel.
00:38:11.42\00:38:13.12
What do you think about that?
00:38:13.15\00:38:14.62
So I found three; three
that really hit home with me.
00:38:14.66\00:38:18.69
The first one was Stephen.
00:38:18.73\00:38:20.36
Stephen, we all know, had this
incredible last hour moment.
00:38:20.40\00:38:29.40
His experience is
recorded in Acts 7:60.
00:38:29.97\00:38:35.78
It says that as Stephen, who had
been rehearsing the history of
00:38:35.81\00:38:40.78
Israel to the religious leaders
of his day, the Sanhedrin
00:38:40.82\00:38:44.89
and the Pharisees.
00:38:44.92\00:38:46.25
As he had come to the close of
this discourse, that the anger,
00:38:46.29\00:38:51.59
and the animosity, and
the hatred of these religious
00:38:51.63\00:38:54.86
leaders was stirred against,
and they began to knash their
00:38:54.90\00:38:58.07
teeth and they grabbed him,
and they took him out to a place
00:38:58.13\00:39:01.27
where they could
stone him to death.
00:39:01.30\00:39:03.81
And as they began to stone
him, throwing stones at him,
00:39:03.84\00:39:06.07
and of course, Saul was
there consenting to his death.
00:39:06.11\00:39:08.28
As they began to stone Stephen
it says that he kneeled down,
00:39:08.31\00:39:12.88
and he cried with a loud voice,
and he said, Lord, lay not this
00:39:12.91\00:39:17.45
sin to their charge.
00:39:17.49\00:39:18.82
Hum, that was quite
a revelation for me.
00:39:20.52\00:39:24.39
See the thing I love about
the Bible is no matter what the
00:39:24.46\00:39:28.53
media tells us, and no
matter what politics tells us,
00:39:28.56\00:39:31.73
no matter what the world
tells us, the Bible has a power
00:39:31.77\00:39:34.87
to draw us away from
the influences of the world.
00:39:34.90\00:39:38.81
It's powerful! Amen!
00:39:38.84\00:39:41.24
And as I looked at this man,
Stephen, in his last hour of
00:39:41.28\00:39:48.22
life, and I thought about what
he had to say about the gospel,
00:39:48.25\00:39:54.06
it occurred to me that, well,
Stephen was giving a powerful
00:39:54.09\00:39:59.86
testimony of the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:39:59.89\00:40:03.00
There was another
man that I thought
00:40:03.03\00:40:06.13
about, and that was Paul.
00:40:06.17\00:40:07.57
Now you remember
Paul was actually Saul,
00:40:07.60\00:40:09.67
who consented
to Stephen's death.
00:40:09.70\00:40:11.04
He was standing there next to
Stephen when Stephen was being
00:40:11.07\00:40:13.01
stoned, and yet Paul
eventually was converted.
00:40:13.04\00:40:16.54
Called out of time as
an apostle of Jesus Christ
00:40:16.58\00:40:20.05
by the Lord Himself.
00:40:20.08\00:40:21.42
And Paul became a
powerful preacher of the
00:40:21.45\00:40:25.05
gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:40:25.09\00:40:27.26
The Bible tells us that
when Paul came to the end of his
00:40:27.29\00:40:31.76
life he was imprisoned,
probably because of the Jews,
00:40:31.79\00:40:36.26
and the accusations
they made against him.
00:40:36.30\00:40:38.13
He was
imprisoned under the Romans.
00:40:38.17\00:40:40.34
And Nero, being the Emperor
at that time, wasn't about to
00:40:40.37\00:40:45.67
let him go, though he
was released the first
00:40:45.74\00:40:49.51
time he was in prison.
00:40:49.54\00:40:50.88
And Paul, in 2 Timothy, talks
about his experience as he went
00:40:52.08\00:40:56.85
before Nero, as he
was tried before Nero.
00:40:56.89\00:40:58.95
And he says there
in 2 Timothy, he says,
00:40:58.99\00:41:00.99
Paul was deserted
like Christ on the cross.
00:41:05.09\00:41:08.80
He was forsaken of
friends and companions.
00:41:08.86\00:41:12.53
He stood by himself.
00:41:12.57\00:41:13.90
All men forsook me.
00:41:13.94\00:41:15.27
And then he says this: he says,
I pray God that it may not be
00:41:15.30\00:41:19.67
laid to their charge.
00:41:19.71\00:41:21.04
The Bible is powerful.
00:41:23.78\00:41:25.11
Here's a man standing alone,
when he should have all of the
00:41:25.15\00:41:28.22
encouragement, and the
prayers, and the support of his
00:41:28.25\00:41:31.89
brothers and sisters.
00:41:31.95\00:41:33.29
He's standing alone, and yet
he's praying, Don't lay to their
00:41:33.32\00:41:37.83
charge the way
they've treated me.
00:41:37.86\00:41:39.96
Then I think about Jesus, of
course, our Savior, the One who
00:41:43.73\00:41:49.24
is the gospel incarnate,
and His experience as He came to
00:41:49.27\00:41:54.74
the last hour of
His life, like Paul and
00:41:54.78\00:41:57.48
Stephen, who followed Him.
00:41:57.51\00:41:59.68
He was hanging on a
cross, and there as the Romans,
00:41:59.71\00:42:04.89
the political leaders
of his time, and the Jews,
00:42:04.92\00:42:10.09
the religious leaders of
his time, and all of the people
00:42:10.13\00:42:13.60
railed against him,
accusing and condemning him.
00:42:13.63\00:42:18.67
There, Jesus said,
Father, forgive them for they
00:42:18.70\00:42:23.71
know not what they do.
00:42:23.74\00:42:25.07
I think about these experiences:
Christ praying for the combined
00:42:26.91\00:42:31.71
religious and civil authorities
who were torturing Him to death,
00:42:31.75\00:42:36.52
Stephen praying for
the religious leaders and
00:42:36.55\00:42:40.16
authorities who were stoning him
to death, Paul praying for those
00:42:40.19\00:42:46.73
people who were
responsible for abandoning him
00:42:46.76\00:42:48.73
and forsaking him, praying to
God that that sin would not be
00:42:48.76\00:42:52.63
laid to their charge.
00:42:52.67\00:42:54.00
I thought about all of that,
and then I thought about this
00:42:54.04\00:42:56.30
political election, and
my attitude, and my spirit,
00:42:56.34\00:43:03.18
and the spirit and
attitude of those around me.
00:43:05.08\00:43:06.98
I thought about it long and
hard, and I began to realize
00:43:07.02\00:43:12.09
that this was a test.
00:43:12.12\00:43:14.02
Truly this was a test.
00:43:14.42\00:43:15.76
Now Paul's death is not
described as specifically as
00:43:15.79\00:43:20.73
Stephen and Christ's death are
in the Scriptures, but as he was
00:43:20.76\00:43:26.63
nearing the end of his life,
he recorded for us something
00:43:26.67\00:43:30.44
that I think is really powerful.
00:43:30.47\00:43:32.17
In 1 Timothy 2,
beginning with Verse 1, he says,
00:43:32.21\00:43:35.91
But it goes beyond that.
00:44:00.34\00:44:01.74
In Verses 3 through 5 he says,
For this is good and acceptable
00:44:01.77\00:44:04.57
in the sight of God
our Savior who will have...
00:44:04.61\00:44:07.44
How many men to be saved?
00:44:07.71\00:44:09.24
All men to be saved, and to come
to a knowledge of the truth.
00:44:09.28\00:44:12.58
The reason why we should
pray for kings and presidents,
00:44:12.61\00:44:16.02
for prime ministers, and all
those who are in authority is
00:44:16.05\00:44:18.05
because God wants
everyone to be saved.
00:44:18.12\00:44:20.49
For there is one God, and one
mediator between man and God,
00:44:24.23\00:44:27.93
God and men, the man Christ
Jesus who gave Himself a ransom
00:44:27.96\00:44:31.67
for all to be
testified in due time.
00:44:31.70\00:44:35.10
It's time to testify.
00:44:38.87\00:44:40.78
If there was ever a time in
Earth's history when there is an
00:44:40.81\00:44:45.51
atmosphere, a climate in which
we can testify of the Savior
00:44:45.55\00:44:50.22
of all men, this is the time.
00:44:50.25\00:44:52.72
If there was ever a time
when we would get distracted
00:44:52.75\00:44:56.26
from it this is the time.
00:44:56.29\00:44:57.96
I guess when Paul wrote
these words he didn't get
00:44:57.99\00:45:02.13
the memo about Nero.
00:45:02.16\00:45:03.77
He forgot what a
wicked, debased person Nero was.
00:45:05.57\00:45:10.41
He forgot that Nero was capable
of more atrocious cruelty than
00:45:10.44\00:45:15.18
any ruler that had preceded him.
00:45:15.21\00:45:16.64
That he killed his stepbrother,
the rightful heir to the throne.
00:45:16.68\00:45:20.92
And he killed his mother,
and eventually killed his wife.
00:45:20.95\00:45:26.39
Pray for Nero? Are
you sure about that, Paul?
00:45:26.42\00:45:30.49
Are you sure about that?
00:45:30.53\00:45:32.69
Because he's the one that's
going to have you beheaded.
00:45:32.73\00:45:35.90
He's the one that's
going to take off your head.
00:45:37.40\00:45:39.33
I guess Paul didn't
get the memo, or did he?
00:45:40.94\00:45:45.94
And so I have to ask myself
the question, Am I going to be
00:45:47.61\00:45:54.78
siding with the thousands,
perhaps the hundreds of
00:45:54.82\00:45:58.45
thousands, perhaps the millions,
who are boldly declaring
00:45:58.49\00:46:02.86
NOT MY PRESIDENT?
00:46:02.89\00:46:04.23
Am I going to be
influenced by the media,
00:46:04.99\00:46:07.43
or by the word of God?
00:46:09.06\00:46:10.47
I have to ask this question
because it's a question that
00:46:12.43\00:46:16.47
relates to us personally, and
individually, not just now but
00:46:16.50\00:46:20.51
as we near the end; the
end of this Earth's history.
00:46:20.54\00:46:24.31
The question that relates
to our destiny, and the destiny
00:46:24.35\00:46:31.65
of others: Have you
prayed for the President?
00:46:31.72\00:46:38.66
Now this election was startling,
I think, both from a political
00:46:38.69\00:46:43.90
perspective, and from
a religious perspective.
00:46:43.93\00:46:46.70
People are under
the impression that this
00:46:46.74\00:46:50.77
President is a disgrace.
00:46:50.81\00:46:53.98
And many find it justifiable
to engage in unlawful
00:46:54.94\00:46:58.91
demonstrations, and destroy
property, and block traffic,
00:46:58.95\00:47:02.72
and generally violate the rights
and liberties of whoever happens
00:47:02.75\00:47:07.39
to be in the wrong
place at the wrong time.
00:47:07.42\00:47:08.79
We think it's justifiable.
00:47:10.43\00:47:11.76
But I think a lot of this
has to do with the way the media
00:47:12.49\00:47:17.83
influences us rather than
the way the Bible influences us.
00:47:17.87\00:47:22.74
I think that myself personally,
and we as Bible believing
00:47:22.77\00:47:27.58
Christians need to
step back and take a second
00:47:27.61\00:47:30.08
look at all of this.
00:47:30.11\00:47:31.45
Because to a large degree
the media has not, is no longer
00:47:32.41\00:47:36.58
reporting, and investigating,
but it's actually telling us how
00:47:36.62\00:47:41.59
to think, and what to do.
00:47:41.62\00:47:43.53
Have you noticed that?
00:47:43.59\00:47:45.46
The very thing that the
Bible is supposed to do for us,
00:47:46.80\00:47:50.53
the media is trying
to step in and take over.
00:47:50.57\00:47:52.83
For believers in God's
holy word, the media is
00:47:54.30\00:47:59.71
spiritually poisoning us.
00:47:59.74\00:48:01.08
It's killing our
spiritual experience.
00:48:01.11\00:48:04.28
The media stands in
direct opposition, I believe,
00:48:04.31\00:48:06.95
to our heavenly orders, to the
position that we would occupy as
00:48:07.02\00:48:11.82
Ambassadors for God.
00:48:11.85\00:48:13.19
When I read my Bible I'm
reminded that the kings of Sodom
00:48:14.59\00:48:19.26
had their Abraham.
00:48:19.29\00:48:22.40
Pharaoh had his Joseph.
00:48:22.43\00:48:24.67
Nebuchadnezzar had his Daniel.
00:48:24.70\00:48:28.00
Even the king of
Assyria had his reluctant Jonah.
00:48:28.07\00:48:32.14
I'm reminded that the
Sanhedrin had their Stephen,
00:48:33.64\00:48:37.41
that the Romans had their
Paul, and that the world has a
00:48:39.18\00:48:45.59
Savior, Jesus Christ.
00:48:45.65\00:48:48.89
The entire world is
living in the last hour of time.
00:48:50.33\00:48:53.93
And in this last hour some
of us may end up in prison,
00:48:53.96\00:48:57.37
some of us may end up
being persecuted and mistreated.
00:48:57.40\00:49:00.77
We'll be tested much
more than by an election
00:49:00.80\00:49:05.37
that didn't go our way.
00:49:05.41\00:49:06.88
What will be we doing then?
00:49:06.94\00:49:08.34
Will we, like Paul,
be praying for all men?
00:49:08.38\00:49:13.52
You know, the Bible isn't
called a good book for nothing.
00:49:15.72\00:49:17.59
It reminds us of how
wicked, and sinful, and evil,
00:49:19.15\00:49:24.69
and selfish all of us are.
00:49:24.73\00:49:26.80
Therefore we need a Savior.
00:49:28.46\00:49:29.80
You need a Savior, I need
a Savior, we need a Savior.
00:49:29.83\00:49:32.03
The political election in
the United States of America has
00:49:32.10\00:49:34.94
reminded us that
we need a Savior.
00:49:34.97\00:49:37.17
Every political leader, and
every person on planet Earth
00:49:37.21\00:49:40.68
needs a Savior, and we have one.
00:49:40.71\00:49:43.28
We have Jesus Christ,
who is the Savior of all men.
00:49:43.31\00:49:48.42
So understanding our
corporateness, the corporateness
00:49:49.88\00:49:54.19
of our fallen humanity should
lead us to pray for all mankind,
00:49:54.22\00:49:59.39
which begs the question,
00:50:01.16\00:50:02.50
Three
presentations: one message.
00:50:12.87\00:50:16.64
God's love is
greater than we imagined.
00:50:18.28\00:50:21.32
God's grace is
larger than we've thought.
00:50:21.35\00:50:24.32
Todd reminded us that
God's love and grace leads us to
00:50:24.35\00:50:30.59
repentance, that there can never
be reconciliation with another
00:50:30.63\00:50:36.00
human being unless we take the
initiative in repentance in our
00:50:36.03\00:50:41.34
own lives for our
failures in that relationship.
00:50:41.37\00:50:45.87
Todd reminded us that
that repentance leads to
00:50:45.91\00:50:50.31
reconciliation, and that
repentance in it's very self
00:50:50.35\00:50:54.28
is not something that we conjure
up, but repentance is a gift
00:50:54.32\00:50:59.62
that God gives us, not
only for what we've done,
00:50:59.65\00:51:03.19
but for what we haven't done.
00:51:03.22\00:51:05.63
All reconciliation is
based on that repentance.
00:51:05.66\00:51:09.43
Jesus came, identified with
the human race, and repented,
00:51:10.00\00:51:16.71
not for what He had
done, but for what we had done,
00:51:16.74\00:51:20.28
and hung on Calvary's cross,
taking our guilt and shame,
00:51:20.31\00:51:24.01
and all of our condemnation for
one purpose: to restore us to
00:51:24.05\00:51:29.48
the relationship with God, and
He reminded us that before the
00:51:29.52\00:51:35.29
world began, that deep within
the heart of God was that desire
00:51:35.32\00:51:41.06
to be one with
His children again.
00:51:41.10\00:51:43.57
That before the world began God
set in motion, in Christ, a plan
00:51:43.60\00:51:50.57
to reconcile the human race.
00:51:50.61\00:51:53.48
I was moved with the thought,
and I know you were, too,
00:51:53.51\00:51:57.48
that when Jesus
was in the womb of Mary
00:51:57.51\00:52:00.55
there was silence in Heaven.
00:52:00.58\00:52:02.68
That was a new thought for me.
00:52:02.72\00:52:04.75
I hadn't thought
about that before.
00:52:04.79\00:52:07.12
And that that separation between
the Father and the Son cost
00:52:07.16\00:52:13.63
Heaven something significant.
00:52:13.66\00:52:15.76
Grace is amazing! God's
love is far greater than we have
00:52:15.80\00:52:22.07
imagined or thought.
00:52:22.10\00:52:24.94
And then James reminded us that
when we are consumed with God's
00:52:24.97\00:52:31.31
love, and amazed by God's grace,
it leads us to reach out and
00:52:31.35\00:52:37.65
pray for those that may
abuse us, and may persecute us.
00:52:37.69\00:52:43.06
It leads us to pray for the
most unlovely people around like
00:52:43.09\00:52:47.96
Stephen did as he
prayed for his persecutors.
00:52:48.00\00:52:52.07
What was it about
today's presentations that
00:52:52.13\00:52:56.17
touched your heart?
00:52:56.20\00:52:57.54
What was it about today's
presentations that you will go
00:52:57.57\00:53:03.88
away with that will
make you a different man
00:53:03.91\00:53:06.95
or a different woman?
00:53:06.98\00:53:08.32
Did you just come and listen,
and then go away and say,
00:53:08.35\00:53:13.89
Weren't those nice talks?
00:53:13.92\00:53:15.32
Is there something that you will
grasp, something that you will
00:53:15.36\00:53:20.80
go away with,
something that will be life
00:53:20.83\00:53:24.67
transformational for you?
00:53:24.70\00:53:26.87
As we bow our heads to pray,
I want you to think of this one
00:53:26.90\00:53:32.71
thought, and meditate upon it,
and ask God to burn it into your
00:53:32.74\00:53:38.51
heart, to indelibly
stamp it upon your mind.
00:53:38.55\00:53:45.05
One single thought, and
here it is: God's love is more
00:53:45.09\00:53:50.63
amazing than I've thought.
00:53:50.66\00:53:52.76
And because of that love I
today am reconciled to God.
00:53:52.79\00:53:59.60
And is being
reconciled to God, I today am an
00:53:59.63\00:54:06.88
Ambassador for Christ.
00:54:06.91\00:54:08.58
I want to live
like an Ambassador.
00:54:08.64\00:54:10.61
What does it mean to you
today to be reconciled to God
00:54:10.65\00:54:14.65
and to be an
Ambassador to Christ?
00:54:14.68\00:54:16.85
As we bow our heads to pray,
I'm going to give you just a few
00:54:16.89\00:54:19.42
seconds in your
own heart, in your own
00:54:19.45\00:54:21.89
mind to talk to Jesus.
00:54:21.92\00:54:23.96
Tell Him what it means
to you to have that thought
00:54:26.46\00:54:32.53
of His amazing grace.
00:54:32.60\00:54:33.94
Tell Him what it
means to you that you're an
00:54:33.97\00:54:38.31
Ambassador for Christ.
00:54:38.37\00:54:39.74
Ask Him to help you to
be reconciled to others,
00:54:39.77\00:54:45.25
to be restored in every aspect
of your being, and every thought
00:54:45.28\00:54:52.39
of your mind into a
relationship with Him,
00:54:52.42\00:54:55.49
to reflect His character.
00:54:55.52\00:54:56.89
Ask Him today to
enable you to be a powerful
00:54:58.36\00:55:03.06
Ambassador for Christ.
00:55:03.10\00:55:04.43
All that I am, all I can be,
all that I have, all that is me.
00:55:13.81\00:55:28.76
Accept the news
Lord, as You would choose
00:55:28.79\00:55:35.13
Lord, right now today.
00:55:35.16\00:55:42.00
Take every passion, every
skill, take all my dreams,
00:55:43.74\00:55:54.05
and bend them to Your will.
00:55:54.08\00:55:57.82
My all I give Lord, for You
I'll live Lord, come what may.
00:55:57.85\00:56:11.33
Often I come with my problems
and cares, running to You when
00:56:13.97\00:56:24.51
distressed, but I must
bring You the whole of my life.
00:56:24.55\00:56:34.96
Lord I must give You my best.
00:56:34.99\00:56:41.46
All that I am, all I can be,
all that I have, all that is me.
00:56:41.50\00:56:56.08
Accept the news
Lord, as You would choose
00:56:56.11\00:57:01.75
Lord, right now today.
00:57:01.78\00:57:10.13
Take every passion, every
skill, take all my dreams,
00:57:10.16\00:57:20.47
and bend them to Your will.
00:57:20.50\00:57:24.11
My all I give Lord, for You
I'll live Lord, come what may.
00:57:24.14\00:57:36.62
Life has no
purpose unless it is Yours.
00:57:39.82\00:57:46.59
Life without You has no goals.
00:57:46.63\00:57:53.97
All that fulfills
me is doing Your will,
00:57:54.00\00:58:00.84
knowing that You're in control.
00:58:00.88\00:58:07.72
All that I am, all I can be,
all that I have, all that is me,
00:58:07.75\00:58:23.00
accept the news
Lord, as You would choose
00:58:23.03\00:58:29.24
Lord, right now today.
00:58:29.27\00:58:37.48
Take every passion,
every skill, take all my dreams
00:58:37.51\00:58:49.02
and bend them to Your will.
00:58:49.06\00:58:52.69
My all I give Lord, for You
I'll live Lord, come what may.
00:58:52.73\00:59:06.54
All that I am.
00:59:06.57\00:59:18.52