¤ ¤
00:00:01.36\00:00:20.25
If you would kindly turn in
your Bibles with me to Jeremiah
00:00:20.32\00:00:26.02
chapter 10, we're going to read
verses 10 and 11. Jeremiah 10
00:00:26.05\00:00:32.59
verses 10 and 11. But the
Lord is the true God. He is the
00:00:32.63\00:00:38.50
living God and an everlasting
King. At His wrath the earth
00:00:38.53\00:00:43.67
shall tremble and the nations
shall not be able to abide his
00:00:43.71\00:00:49.34
indignation. Thus shall ye say
unto them, the gods that have
00:00:49.41\00:00:54.48
not made the heavens and
the earth even they shall perish
00:00:54.52\00:00:59.65
from the earth and from under
these heavens. He hath made the
00:00:59.72\00:01:04.83
earth by his power. He hath
established the world by his
00:01:04.86\00:01:10.37
wisdom and stretched out
the heavens by His discretion.
00:01:10.40\00:01:15.80
Good morning everyone. It is my
pleasure, my distinct pleasure
00:01:15.84\00:01:23.41
to introduce to you the speaker
of the hour. It was perhaps
00:01:23.45\00:01:29.32
longer ago than he would care
to admit while as a student at
00:01:29.38\00:01:34.69
the University of Victoria,
a public university in British
00:01:34.72\00:01:39.63
Columbia, Canada that Sean
Boonstra's life was changed.
00:01:39.66\00:01:44.57
Having watched a television
program hosted by It Is
00:01:44.60\00:01:49.44
Written's George Vandeman
he became anxious to learn more
00:01:49.50\00:01:53.98
about this thing called the
Bible. Raised in a church family
00:01:54.01\00:01:58.35
he by this stage of his life was
not what he would describe as a
00:01:58.38\00:02:02.72
Christian. After watching
an It Is Written broadcast he
00:02:02.75\00:02:05.45
attended an evangelistic series.
There he met Jesus and his life
00:02:05.49\00:02:10.83
was changed. Changed to a degree
that he had to do something
00:02:10.86\00:02:16.30
about and something with this
Jesus he had met. Not content to
00:02:16.33\00:02:21.80
be a pew warmer, not content to
be a casual, cultural Christian,
00:02:21.84\00:02:27.64
Sean Boonstra was touched by God
and moved by God to enter a life
00:02:27.68\00:02:33.45
of ministry. He's dedicated
his life to preaching the three
00:02:33.48\00:02:38.42
angels messages on every
continent on the planet with the
00:02:38.45\00:02:43.56
exception of Antarctica and it
might be that he has plans for
00:02:43.59\00:02:48.63
Antarctica. He has held
evangelistic meetings in
00:02:48.66\00:02:51.67
every corner of the globe. Under
his ministry God has led many
00:02:51.70\00:02:55.10
thousands, the number frankly
is immaterial, but a large
00:02:55.14\00:02:58.57
number of people to faith
in Jesus Christ. He believes in
00:02:58.61\00:03:02.01
sharing Jesus with all of his
heart and empowering others to
00:03:02.04\00:03:06.21
to the same, which is why now
as the speaker and director of
00:03:06.25\00:03:10.42
It is... of, I beg your
pardon, of Voice of Prophecy...
00:03:10.45\00:03:15.19
Too many TV programs.
00:03:15.22\00:03:17.26
I couldn't have done that if
I tried. I'm so sorry. As the
00:03:17.29\00:03:21.86
speaker/director of Voice
of Prophecy, a media evangelism
00:03:21.90\00:03:26.07
ministry based in Loveland,
Colorado, Sean is active in not
00:03:26.10\00:03:30.31
only proclaiming the risen
Christ, but in also resourcing
00:03:30.34\00:03:34.48
others and training others that
they too can be heralds of the
00:03:34.51\00:03:37.41
everlasting gospel. So in
just a moment I ask you to be
00:03:37.45\00:03:41.68
prayerful for and expectant that
God will speak through, this
00:03:41.72\00:03:45.62
morning's speaker, Voice of
Prophecy's Pastor Sean Boonstra.
00:03:45.65\00:03:49.96
Why don't we bow our heads for
prayer. Loving heavenly Father,
00:03:49.99\00:03:54.10
we have come and gathered into
your presence. I pray that your
00:03:54.13\00:03:58.33
Holy Spirit will rest upon us
and attend Sean as he speaks to
00:03:58.37\00:04:02.54
us your words.
In Jesus name, Amen.
00:04:02.57\00:04:05.37
¤Let not your heart be troubled
Ye believe in God and in me. ¤
00:04:05.41\00:04:19.95
In my Father's house are many
mansions. I go to prepare a¤
00:04:19.99\00:04:34.50
¤place for thee. The Lord
is coming, are you ready?¤
00:04:34.54\00:04:45.21
¤The Lord is coming are
you. ready? Would your heart be¤
00:04:45.25\00:04:55.89
¤right if he came tonight? The
Lord is coming, are you ready?¤
00:04:55.92\00:05:09.67
¤Why will you wait, my brother?
Promises of God are all true. ¤
00:05:09.70\00:05:20.42
¤Jesus bought your live on
Calvary's mountain and soon¤
00:05:20.45\00:05:30.69
¤he will come again for
you. The Lord is coming are you¤
00:05:30.73\00:05:41.80
¤ready? The Lord is coming
are you ready? Would your heart¤
00:05:41.84\00:05:53.52
¤be right if he came tonight?
The Lord is coming, are you¤
00:05:53.55\00:06:05.99
¤ready? The Lord is coming,
are you ready? Would your heart¤
00:06:06.06\00:06:18.51
¤be right if he came
tonight? The Lord is coming,¤
00:06:18.54\00:06:34.49
¤Are you ready? ¤
00:06:34.52\00:06:44.73
I love that song, it's one
of the first songs I heard after
00:06:44.80\00:06:55.68
becoming a part of the Seventh-
day Adventist movement. I was so
00:06:55.71\00:07:00.15
excited I asked if they'd let
me join the chorus, but for 25
00:07:00.18\00:07:05.19
years I've been getting a no
to that question. Our theme this
00:07:05.22\00:07:10.19
year at ASI is Called, Chosen,
Committed so I think this
00:07:10.23\00:07:13.76
morning I want to spend a few
minutes with you talking about
00:07:13.80\00:07:17.50
one key aspect of what that
means, just one little sliver of
00:07:17.53\00:07:21.20
it. Our text in a moment
is going to be 2 Thessalonians
00:07:21.24\00:07:25.64
chapter 2. I know a few of
you noticed on the way in, Sean
00:07:25.67\00:07:32.08
you're wearing a tie. Yes I am.
Don't get used to it. If they
00:07:32.11\00:07:38.49
hand out ties in
heaven, gentlemen, would that be
00:07:38.52\00:07:42.39
disappointing, Yes or no? 2
Thessalonians 2, let's pray.
00:07:42.42\00:07:47.43
Father in heaven, we believe
that the Bible is not like every
00:07:47.50\00:07:53.23
other book. This is the voice
of our Creator, our God reaching
00:07:53.27\00:07:57.97
through to our sinful world and
asking us to take a step in your
00:07:58.01\00:08:01.54
direction. I ask this morning
that the world would fade away
00:08:01.58\00:08:05.11
for a moment and we would
recognize your voice in these
00:08:05.15\00:08:08.78
words and that when we are done
the direction you would have us
00:08:08.85\00:08:13.72
go would be clear. I ask that
you forgive my sins and that you
00:08:13.76\00:08:18.59
make me fit to speak this
morning. I beg that you would
00:08:18.63\00:08:21.83
take a coal from heaven's altar
and anoint my lips with it so
00:08:21.86\00:08:25.07
that what we hear is not
human opinion but truth from the
00:08:25.10\00:08:28.57
throne of God. It is our
covenant with you this morning
00:08:28.60\00:08:32.04
as always that when you speak
we will follow the Lamb wherever
00:08:32.07\00:08:38.21
he goes for that is our
prayer in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:08:38.25\00:08:43.05
2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 3
Paul writes, Let no one deceive
00:08:43.08\00:08:46.55
you by any means for that day
(the second coming of Christ)
00:08:46.59\00:08:52.73
will not come unless the falling
away comes first and the man
00:08:53.09\00:08:58.07
of sin is revealed. He's writing
in advance about the great
00:08:58.13\00:09:03.00
apostasy that would begin very
early on in the Christian church
00:09:03.04\00:09:07.08
The son of perdition, he writes,
who opposes and exalts himself
00:09:07.11\00:09:10.91
above all that is called God
or that is worshipped so that he
00:09:10.95\00:09:16.12
sits as God in the temple of God
showing himself that he is God.
00:09:16.18\00:09:20.82
I am convinced this morning that
that passage that we have just
00:09:20.86\00:09:25.49
read describes the greatest
threat that you face between
00:09:25.53\00:09:28.76
this moment this morning in
this auditorium and the moment
00:09:28.80\00:09:32.73
that Jesus comes again, but
maybe not the way that you think
00:09:32.77\00:09:36.37
We're very used to reading that
passage with an external set of
00:09:36.40\00:09:39.97
eyes. We have no problem
identifying the son of perdition
00:09:40.01\00:09:43.51
There he is, we know who that
is But I want you to look at it
00:09:43.55\00:09:45.78
through new eyes this morning
and you might recognize an even
00:09:45.81\00:09:49.25
greater threat buried in what
Paul has just written. And to do
00:09:49.28\00:09:52.65
that I want to take you back to
the pages of the Old Testament
00:09:52.69\00:09:56.29
and I want you to look at the
story of Saul the son of Kish.
00:09:56.32\00:09:59.63
He was a very ordinary, average
young man doing something very
00:09:59.66\00:10:02.80
ordinary and average the first
time that you meet him. He's out
00:10:02.83\00:10:06.23
looking for his father's missing
donkeys. He's like every other
00:10:06.27\00:10:09.40
farm boy who's ever had to
go and chase some livestock that
00:10:09.44\00:10:12.57
broke through the fence. He's
ordinary and he's average. But
00:10:12.61\00:10:16.01
when you start to read the
story of Saul very carefully you
00:10:16.04\00:10:20.15
notice very quickly he is not
like every other boy, not even
00:10:20.18\00:10:23.45
close. In some regards, you
might want to think about this
00:10:23.49\00:10:26.65
this coming week. In some regard
Saul was a lot like Lucifer just
00:10:26.69\00:10:30.26
before he fell. The Bible said
he's gifted, he's choice and
00:10:30.29\00:10:34.40
he's very attractive. Easy on
the eyes. He's the kind of guy
00:10:34.46\00:10:38.53
who turns the head of
every young lady when she walks
00:10:38.57\00:10:40.60
through the room. The kind
of guy I hated when I was out
00:10:40.64\00:10:42.97
shopping for a wife because
you can't get the attention of
00:10:43.00\00:10:46.14
everybody when Saul the son
of Kish walks into the room.
00:10:46.17\00:10:49.24
1 Samuel 9 and verse 2: And he
(that's Kish) had a choice and
00:10:49.28\00:10:54.12
handsome son whose name was
Saul. How handsome was he? The
00:10:54.15\00:10:58.05
Bible says there was not a more
handsome person than he among
00:10:58.09\00:11:01.59
the children of Israel. This is
literally the best looking guy
00:11:01.62\00:11:05.89
in the whole country. He's
the Brad Pit of his day, Pierce
00:11:05.93\00:11:10.20
Brosnan, the Cary Grant, the
Ryan Gosling, the Sean Boo...
00:11:10.23\00:11:12.83
no I'm kidding. He's the best
looking guy in the country and
00:11:12.90\00:11:19.47
in addition to being good
looking, the Bible says from his
00:11:19.51\00:11:21.78
shoulders upward he was taller
than any of the people. He's got
00:11:21.81\00:11:25.35
the whole package. He's so
amazing he probably doesn't even
00:11:25.38\00:11:28.58
have hair growing out of
his ears, this guy. I'm mean not
00:11:28.62\00:11:31.35
that I'm bitter about the way
that middle age has turned out
00:11:31.39\00:11:34.89
but this guy's amazing. And one
day, according to the story, the
00:11:34.92\00:11:38.39
best looking man in the whole
country goes out to find some
00:11:38.43\00:11:41.50
missing donkeys. What stud
muffin Saul doesn't realize, at
00:11:41.53\00:11:44.57
least at the beginning of the
story is that those donkeys are
00:11:44.60\00:11:47.60
not missing by accident. There's
a divine appointment. He's
00:11:47.64\00:11:50.47
supposed to be somewhere. God
wants him in a little village
00:11:50.51\00:11:53.64
called Ramah of Benjamin because
the elders of Israel have just
00:11:53.68\00:11:57.15
called a meeting with the aging
prophet Samuel who shuffles into
00:11:57.18\00:12:00.65
that meeting. Fellows, why
would you call a meeting on a
00:12:00.68\00:12:04.72
Wednesday afternoon at 2 p. m.
I know you think that all I do
00:12:04.75\00:12:08.49
is preach on Sabbath, but I've
got a full agenda. I'm very...
00:12:08.52\00:12:11.69
I hope this is important. And
he knows something's up because
00:12:11.73\00:12:15.00
everybody's falls quiet.
And finally somebody, working up
00:12:15.03\00:12:19.40
some courage begins to speak
nervously. Well, Samuel, ah we,
00:12:19.43\00:12:24.61
we have all, ah, been talking
and well we really think that
00:12:24.67\00:12:28.74
you're the best prophet we've
every had, we really, really do,
00:12:28.78\00:12:33.45
and ah, you may even be the best
prophet since the days of Moses.
00:12:33.48\00:12:36.79
I mean ah guys what do you think
You think anybody's ever been
00:12:36.85\00:12:39.95
better than Sam... We're so
convinced of it that we actually
00:12:39.99\00:12:43.32
went down to the trophy hut,
right there by the post office
00:12:43.36\00:12:46.19
in Ramah and we made you this
plaque. Look at what it says
00:12:46.23\00:12:49.30
Samuel. It says for 50 years
of faithful service you can hang
00:12:49.36\00:12:52.17
this in your study and every
time you look at it you'll know
00:12:52.20\00:12:55.34
how much we love you. Guys,
really, you called me in the
00:12:55.37\00:12:58.47
middle of the week to give me
a trophy that couldn't wait for
00:12:58.51\00:13:01.58
potluck. You could have done
that at potluck. I'm busy. What
00:13:01.61\00:13:05.41
is really on your mind because
anybody with experience knows
00:13:05.45\00:13:09.32
that when the world butters you
up for no reason the ax is about
00:13:09.35\00:13:13.69
to fall. Well Samuel, there
is this one other thing and this
00:13:13.72\00:13:17.09
is not easy to say but we kind
of notice that you're not the
00:13:17.13\00:13:20.26
same as you used to be, Samuel.
Things have changed. We have
00:13:20.30\00:13:23.63
noticed that at church board
meeting the other night, after
00:13:23.67\00:13:26.97
the meeting you went looking for
the keys to your ox cart and it
00:13:27.00\00:13:29.54
took you 30 minutes to find them
even though they were in your
00:13:29.57\00:13:32.11
hand the whole time. And we
notice that even when you are
00:13:32.14\00:13:35.98
sort of able to find your keys,
you fall asleep in board meeting
00:13:36.01\00:13:39.31
and when you are awake you can't
hear what we're saying and we
00:13:39.35\00:13:42.08
see that things are changing and
so we're just kind of thinking
00:13:42.12\00:13:44.82
you know what's going to
happen when Samuel the prophet
00:13:44.85\00:13:49.12
is gone? We think that while
you're here with us it might be
00:13:49.16\00:13:52.13
time to draft some kind
of a succession plan. Oh, a
00:13:52.16\00:13:55.66
succession plan. Guys ah if
that's all this is you think I
00:13:55.73\00:13:58.93
don't realize I'm getting up
there in years. I've got a plan.
00:13:59.00\00:14:02.20
I've already been training my
two boys, Abijah and Joel, I'm
00:14:02.24\00:14:05.14
sure you've noticed these two
boys. I've been training them
00:14:05.17\00:14:09.01
and they're going to take
my place. More awkward silence.
00:14:09.04\00:14:14.95
Well, ah, Samuel that, that's
the thing. We don't want your
00:14:14.98\00:14:20.16
boys. We're not comfortable with
Abijah and Joel. According to
00:14:20.19\00:14:24.53
Bible they kind of had a point
at that moment. 1 Samuel 8 and
00:14:24.56\00:14:28.20
verse 3 says that those two
boys, Abijah and Joel, did not
00:14:28.23\00:14:30.53
walk in the ways of their father
In fact, it says they turned
00:14:30.57\00:14:34.57
aside after dishonest gain, they
took bribes and they perverted
00:14:34.60\00:14:39.47
justice. Now that might be
perfectly acceptable in 21st
00:14:39.51\00:14:43.08
century north American
politics but that is completely
00:14:43.11\00:14:47.28
unacceptable in the camp
of Israel, completely, because
00:14:47.32\00:14:50.95
leadership in Israel at it's
very beginning didn't actually
00:14:50.99\00:14:54.59
legislate anything. They didn't
pass any laws. Samuel didn't
00:14:54.62\00:14:58.26
write new laws, he didn't really
make any decisions. The only
00:14:58.29\00:15:01.86
role of human leadership in
the camp of Israel was kind of a
00:15:01.90\00:15:05.23
coaching role. They were there
to direct the people back to the
00:15:05.27\00:15:09.50
One true ruler they had, the God
of Israel. That was it. It's a
00:15:09.54\00:15:13.24
coaching role and if Samuel's
boys were morally compromised in
00:15:13.27\00:15:17.75
any way they could never have
their father's job. So the old
00:15:17.78\00:15:21.75
prophet has to think for a
minute, just like you would if
00:15:21.78\00:15:24.99
you've discovered that you've
outlived your usefulness and
00:15:25.02\00:15:28.56
your one legacy, your
children nobody wants that to _.
00:15:28.62\00:15:32.09
What are you guys suggesting.
Well here's what we think Samuel
00:15:32.13\00:15:36.97
Just hear us out. We've been
thinking about this for quite a
00:15:37.03\00:15:40.74
while. I mean, here we are
now, we're living in the land of
00:15:40.77\00:15:44.41
Canaan, we're no longer slaves,
that's a long time ago and we're
00:15:44.47\00:15:48.44
free and respectable people and
we've got a culture now, and we
00:15:48.48\00:15:52.41
have industry now and we
have college degrees and we hear
00:15:52.45\00:15:54.58
they're even going to get a
symphony orchestra down in city
00:15:54.62\00:15:56.69
of Jerusalem. We are completely
different than we used to be and
00:15:56.72\00:16:00.29
we think that now it's been
so long and we've grown so much
00:16:00.32\00:16:04.03
that maybe it's time to grow up
and become a real country. What
00:16:04.06\00:16:07.73
do you mean a real country?
You are a real country. You're
00:16:07.76\00:16:10.23
better than a real country. You
are God's chosen nation. No, no
00:16:10.27\00:16:13.20
Samuel that's the point. That's
what you're missing. You haven't
00:16:13.23\00:16:16.17
been paying attention. We're
not a real country. Have you not
00:16:16.20\00:16:19.84
noticed Samuel that every other
country, without exception, has
00:16:19.87\00:16:23.48
a king, and every other
respectable religion, every
00:16:23.51\00:16:27.38
other church has a responsible
human being, a highly trained
00:16:27.42\00:16:30.85
professional, at the top of
the organization. And we're just
00:16:30.89\00:16:33.76
starting to get a little bit
embarrassed because after all
00:16:33.79\00:16:36.73
this time we still look like
a nation of peasants and we want
00:16:36.76\00:16:41.06
to graduate. We want to graduate
from prophet to king. Oh,
00:16:41.10\00:16:43.73
gentlemen, that is not a good
idea. That is not what God wants
00:16:43.77\00:16:49.07
Oh listen Samuel you
don't understand because you're
00:16:49.10\00:16:51.37
just from another generation.
You don't get it. You're out of
00:16:51.41\00:16:54.38
touch with the times. You used
to probably watch a little more
00:16:54.41\00:16:57.81
CNN. Maybe Samuel you ought to
get a Twitter account so you can
00:16:57.88\00:17:00.98
keep up with what's going on.
Talk to a few millennial focus
00:17:01.02\00:17:04.25
groups because they all know
that you're in the 12th century.
00:17:04.29\00:17:07.82
Good, professional leadership
absolutely requires a king.
00:17:07.86\00:17:11.26
That's how things are done
and that's how everybody else is
00:17:11.29\00:17:15.93
doing it. And they were right.
That is how everybody else was
00:17:15.96\00:17:20.34
doing it. But everybody else
folks is not the kingdom of God.
00:17:20.37\00:17:24.77
Everybody else is not the chosen
people. Everybody else was not
00:17:24.81\00:17:29.14
God's remnant church and God's
people have never been like
00:17:29.18\00:17:33.55
everybody else nor should they
be. It shouldn't happen. God's
00:17:33.62\00:17:37.29
people have always swum upstream
God's people have always been
00:17:37.32\00:17:40.96
countercultural and that's
why it ought to bother us when
00:17:40.99\00:17:44.23
people are forever looking
outside the walls of our own
00:17:44.26\00:17:48.03
movement and coveting what
everybody else has. It doesn't
00:17:48.06\00:17:51.47
make sense. Oh sure it makes
sense to pay attention to the
00:17:51.50\00:17:54.80
culture, yes it does. That's not
what I'm preaching. Yes it makes
00:17:54.87\00:17:57.44
sense to make friends with other
churches and know what's going
00:17:57.51\00:18:00.04
on, but that's not what I'm
talking about. When we covet
00:18:00.08\00:18:03.14
what others have we're missing
the boat. Pastor, have you seen?
00:18:03.18\00:18:06.21
There's a new church in town,
have you seen that they do. They
00:18:06.28\00:18:09.28
have 30 trained professionals
on staff including a staff
00:18:09.32\00:18:11.95
psychiatrist. They write a best
selling book every six months.
00:18:11.99\00:18:16.29
They put a Starbucks in the
lobby because everybody wants
00:18:16.32\00:18:20.26
Starbucks and they get 20,000
people every week. Have you seen
00:18:20.30\00:18:23.97
it pastor? Yeah, I have and
my reply to that is so what.
00:18:24.00\00:18:30.04
Is that what God asked
his remnant church to be?
00:18:30.07\00:18:32.17
But we always, always and
forever talk about what other
00:18:32.21\00:18:36.01
churches have and what other
churches do, what other churches
00:18:36.04\00:18:38.55
teach and we wish we could
be like them and we behave like
00:18:38.58\00:18:41.42
God somehow forgot about the
Seventh-day Adventist church and
00:18:41.45\00:18:44.52
short changed us. Then it is
high time for God's people to
00:18:44.55\00:18:47.16
open their Bibles and remember
that this is not another
00:18:47.19\00:18:49.82
denomination. This is the
prophetic movement of God, the
00:18:49.86\00:18:52.43
remnant church of Bible
prophecy. We were not called to
00:18:52.46\00:18:56.00
be like everybody else. We were
called because we were not to be
00:18:56.03\00:19:00.74
like everybody else. So Samuel
we want a king. 1 Samuel 8 verse
00:19:00.77\00:19:05.31
6 says that Samuel's displeased
so he prayed and he gets a
00:19:05.34\00:19:09.78
shocking answer from God. Verse
The Lord said to Samuel, Heed
00:19:09.84\00:19:14.15
the voice of the people in all
that they say to you. Give them
00:19:14.18\00:19:18.65
what they want. What?!. They
have not rejected you but they
00:19:18.69\00:19:22.79
rejected me that I should
not reign over them. There it is
00:19:22.82\00:19:26.93
again. I don't know if
you caught it but that was our
00:19:26.96\00:19:28.86
opening verse again. It's a
different context in a different
00:19:28.90\00:19:31.70
age and a different situation
but it's still there. There it
00:19:31.73\00:19:34.60
is. The biggest problem you
face between now and the second
00:19:34.64\00:19:37.47
coming of Christ. It's a
different generation but it's
00:19:37.51\00:19:40.34
the man of sin problem. It's
still about the throne of God.
00:19:40.38\00:19:43.75
It's still about the throne of
God. Lord, how could you tell me
00:19:43.78\00:19:46.78
to give them what they want?
I don't like it. Samuel, I don't
00:19:46.82\00:19:50.95
like it either; it hurts.
But I'm not going to force these
00:19:50.99\00:19:54.42
people into my kingdom. That's
not who I am. I don't make
00:19:54.46\00:19:57.83
slaves. If they want slavery, if
they want to go back to Pharaoh
00:19:57.86\00:20:01.33
if they want another round
of slavery, I'll let them go but
00:20:01.36\00:20:03.90
I'm not going to make
them slaves. You realize that's
00:20:03.93\00:20:08.40
exactly what Israel's asking
for, they're asking to go back
00:20:08.47\00:20:11.34
to slavery. They want another
Pharaoh. It's amazing to me
00:20:11.37\00:20:13.88
what people are willing to do,
what they're willing to lose,
00:20:13.91\00:20:16.24
what they're willing to
compromise because they cannot
00:20:16.28\00:20:18.71
bring themselves to believe that
God might actually know what
00:20:18.75\00:20:21.68
he's doing and he's going to
keep his promises, even on the
00:20:21.72\00:20:24.95
days when it doesn't look like
it. These people in this story
00:20:24.99\00:20:28.42
have a direct relationship with
the Creator God of heaven. They
00:20:28.46\00:20:32.59
have the Spirit of prophecy
in their midst and what do they
00:20:32.66\00:20:36.70
want? More slavery under a
new Pharaoh. Before we cluck our
00:20:36.73\00:20:40.77
tongues and say Oooo what
a bunch of dummies, we should
00:20:40.84\00:20:44.81
probably remember that it is the
story of the entire human race
00:20:44.84\00:20:49.38
right down to this day. Garden
of Eden, the ideal situation.
00:20:49.41\00:20:53.92
Have everything we need. What do
we do. Hand the keys to a fallen
00:20:53.95\00:20:57.55
angel who makes slaves out of
us for thousands of years. Moses
00:20:57.59\00:21:00.72
has been up the mountain Aaron
for so long we don't know if
00:21:00.76\00:21:03.96
he's ever coming back. Relax
guys. You do understand the
00:21:03.99\00:21:06.83
cloud on that mountain is
actually the presence of God. I
00:21:06.86\00:21:09.93
don't think there's anything to
worry about at all. I know but
00:21:09.96\00:21:12.67
we don't know if he's ever going
to come down and that's the
00:21:12.73\00:21:15.20
problem. We don't know how to
relate to that cloud We don't
know how to go up that
00:21:15.24\00:21:18.34
mountain. We're not allowed near
that. That seems so intangible
00:21:18.37\00:21:21.44
we don't know if we have direct
leadership anymore. Moses has
00:21:21.48\00:21:24.61
been missing so long. What do
you guys suggest? OK well listen
00:21:24.65\00:21:28.72
Aaron. Here's the thing. Just
hear the whole thing out. We
00:21:28.75\00:21:32.05
would like to have, and we
understand it's not really God,
00:21:32.09\00:21:35.32
but we really would like to have
one of those calves we used to
00:21:35.36\00:21:38.29
see in Egypt. We won't treat
it exactly the same but we can
00:21:38.33\00:21:41.06
relate to that. That's what
we've known for generations and
00:21:41.10\00:21:43.93
it's relatable and we want...
God actually brings that story
00:21:43.97\00:21:48.37
up in here when they ask for
a king in 1 Samuel 8. He says in
00:21:48.40\00:21:51.61
1 Samuel 8 verse 8 that the
request for a king is according
00:21:51.64\00:21:54.74
to all the works which they have
done since I brought them out of
00:21:54.81\00:21:57.48
Egypt even to this day
with which they have forsaken me
00:21:57.51\00:22:02.35
and served other Gods. Now
people have done this again and
00:22:02.38\00:22:08.49
again and again. This is the
biggest problem you face before
00:22:08.52\00:22:13.53
the second coming of Christ. It
happens when we stop believing
00:22:13.56\00:22:18.37
and we personally behave exactly
like the man of sin and we climb
00:22:18.40\00:22:22.14
up on the throne of God and we
try to second guess what he says
00:22:22.17\00:22:26.17
and what he promises. That's
what happens. And sometimes we
00:22:26.21\00:22:29.24
don't do it permanently. Look
Lord, I'll just get up here and
00:22:29.28\00:22:31.95
make one or two decisions,
then I'll get off the throne and
00:22:31.98\00:22:35.85
you'll be God again. That's what
happens. We can't trust God to
00:22:35.88\00:22:40.16
be the real king in our lives.
And you know it never works when
00:22:40.19\00:22:44.43
you take control. The Old
Testament's the story of people
00:22:44.46\00:22:45.99
who climb on the throne for five
minutes. Jacob, I know how to
00:22:46.06\00:22:50.07
get my inheritance. Abraham, I
know how to get a baby. Leads to
00:22:50.10\00:22:53.94
huge disasters every time. And
believe me this morning the man
00:22:53.97\00:22:58.34
of sin is the flag ship but he's
not the only one who does it.
00:22:58.37\00:23:02.74
The biggest problem you
face between now and the second
00:23:02.78\00:23:05.98
coming of Christ, listen
to me carefully and don't
00:23:06.01\00:23:07.75
misunderstand what I'm about to
say. But the biggest problem you
00:23:07.78\00:23:11.35
face personally is not the
little horn power of Daniel 7.
00:23:11.39\00:23:14.09
What are you saying, Pastor?
Yes, it's a real problem and you
00:23:14.16\00:23:16.93
should be paying attention, but
it's not your biggest problem
00:23:16.96\00:23:19.86
personally. Your biggest problem
isn't the rapid decline of
00:23:19.89\00:23:22.73
western civilization even though
that should probably concern you
00:23:22.76\00:23:25.80
if you're trying to raise
a family in this day and age.
00:23:25.83\00:23:27.90
It's not you biggest personal
problem. You're biggest personal
00:23:27.94\00:23:31.01
problem is not another
bad decision coming out of the
00:23:31.04\00:23:33.48
Supreme Court, it's not an
executive order from the White
00:23:33.51\00:23:35.84
House, it's not another decision
coming out of the congress. Your
00:23:35.88\00:23:39.15
biggest problem is not the
people who sit beside you in
00:23:39.18\00:23:41.32
church. Your biggest problem
is not your wife, it's not your
00:23:41.35\00:23:43.45
wife, it's not your husband,
it's not your kids, it's not
00:23:43.49\00:23:45.92
your boss, it's not your parole
officer. Gentlemen, it is not
00:23:45.95\00:23:50.83
even your mother-in-law. The
biggest problem you face between
00:23:50.89\00:23:54.63
this moment and when Jesus comes
again is sitting in the very
00:23:54.66\00:23:59.23
seat you occupy at this moment.
It's you. It's this tendency you
00:23:59.27\00:24:03.20
have to try and take control,
behave exactly like the man of
00:24:03.24\00:24:06.41
sin. Climb up on the throne of
God and pretend you're in charge
00:24:06.44\00:24:09.61
even for a minute. And if
you can't get that impulse under
00:24:09.64\00:24:12.81
control, you can't let God
be the king of your heart then
00:24:12.85\00:24:16.72
you're headed for a world of
hurt. Really. Whatever do you
00:24:16.75\00:24:19.29
think is going to happen
when everything that's going on
00:24:19.32\00:24:21.79
around you finally comes to a
head. I hope you've been paying
00:24:21.82\00:24:25.06
attention to the world. People
driving trucks through the
00:24:25.09\00:24:28.23
crowds of pedestrians in Europe,
bombs in the airport, shootings
00:24:28.26\00:24:32.50
in public places, the economy
ballooning to an all-time high
00:24:32.53\00:24:36.81
and yet the debt level's
the same as it was in 2008. NATO
00:24:36.84\00:24:40.24
started to pile up armies
against the Polish border with
00:24:40.28\00:24:43.65
Russia, NATO launched a missile
this week over the sea of Japan.
00:24:43.68\00:24:48.08
People getting beheaded and
burned alive on U-Tube. We're
00:24:49.55\00:24:52.75
finally figuring out that our
highest public officials have
00:24:52.79\00:24:55.06
been lying to us and the system
actually might be rotten to the
00:24:55.09\00:24:58.16
core. When all of that comes
to a head, and it will, when it
00:24:58.19\00:25:01.33
finally blows up and it feels
like the Spirit of God has been
00:25:01.36\00:25:03.73
lifted from the earth and Moses
might never come back down from
00:25:03.77\00:25:06.10
that mountain, then at
that moment when this earth is
00:25:06.13\00:25:10.04
plunged into midnight, how are
you going to react. Because if
00:25:10.07\00:25:12.74
you have not yet given up your
claim to God's throne, you're
00:25:12.77\00:25:15.24
going to find it very hard
to resist the first person who
00:25:15.28\00:25:17.65
comes along and offers a little
bit of peace and security. And
00:25:17.68\00:25:20.78
he's going to be very convincing
because the Bible says he will
00:25:20.82\00:25:23.89
bring fire down from heaven
in the sight of men. If you're
00:25:23.92\00:25:27.86
still trying to run the show
at that point you're going to
00:25:27.89\00:25:31.53
stumble. Listen carefully
because the next few verses in
00:25:31.56\00:25:35.70
this story have shaped world
history since the moment it
00:25:35.76\00:25:39.87
happened and it's one of
the most important keys to
00:25:39.90\00:25:41.64
understanding the book of Daniel
what's about to happen. Now
00:25:41.70\00:25:44.81
before we read it I want to give
you a refresher course from high
00:25:44.84\00:25:47.51
school history, because if you
were like me, you slept through
00:25:47.54\00:25:50.18
some of high school history
or maybe were even absent.
00:25:50.21\00:25:55.18
My kids aren't here. In 1517
Luther nailed the 95 Theses to
00:25:55.22\00:26:00.09
the church door. We're all aware
of that. And then the reformers
00:26:00.12\00:26:03.36
began to think about everything
that happened since that awful
00:26:03.39\00:26:06.59
moment in the fourth century
when we invited the Roman
00:26:06.63\00:26:08.63
emperor Constantine to be the
king of the church. What we did
00:26:08.66\00:26:11.73
in the fourth century is a
direct parallel with what Israel
00:26:11.77\00:26:14.57
did with Samuel in 1 Samuel
chapter 8; we invited a king
00:26:14.60\00:26:17.54
into the church. So Constantine
brings peace. He ends the
00:26:17.61\00:26:20.78
Diocletian persecution, just
brings it to an end and he looks
00:26:20.81\00:26:23.38
at the Christians; he said this
will be the glue that holds my
00:26:23.41\00:26:26.41
empire together. They were so
united under persecution. They
00:26:26.45\00:26:29.72
will hold my empire together.
He should have gone to a church
00:26:29.78\00:26:34.36
board meeting before he came
to that conclusion. Two crises
00:26:34.39\00:26:38.96
emerge immediately, the
Donatist controversy in North
00:26:38.99\00:26:41.26
Africa over readmitting
apostates and the Arian
00:26:41.30\00:26:44.17
controversy on the nature
of Christ. And the church can't
00:26:44.20\00:26:47.67
solve those disputes themselves
so you know what they did? They
00:26:47.70\00:26:50.01
made a direct appeal to
Constantine. Hey, you like
00:26:50.04\00:26:52.27
Christians, solve this for
us. But he's so busy with the
00:26:52.31\00:26:55.21
affairs of the empire that he
appoints the Bishop of Rome to
00:26:55.24\00:26:57.71
take over the whole matter and
for the first time in history
00:26:57.75\00:27:00.98
the Bishop of Rome becomes
first among equals. He rises in
00:27:01.02\00:27:04.49
influence. So are you with
me this morning. What we did, it
00:27:04.52\00:27:07.96
wasn't the outside pushing it's
way in. It was the inside asking
00:27:07.99\00:27:11.39
the outside to come. We begged
the emperor to take over the
00:27:11.43\00:27:16.40
church. That's what we did. And
once the government sets foot in
00:27:16.43\00:27:21.50
your church you will never get
rid of it. That model was not
00:27:21.54\00:27:26.54
what Jesus established. He
expected us to live directly
00:27:26.57\00:27:29.18
beneath God the Israel was
supposed to. How do I know?
00:27:29.21\00:27:31.95
Luke 22: He says to his
disciples the kings of the
00:27:31.98\00:27:34.65
Gentiles exercise lordship
over them but not so among you.
00:27:34.68\00:27:37.69
I don't want a king for
the church. But we did it. We
00:27:37.72\00:27:40.49
married Roman politics and
Christian faith that gave us
00:27:40.52\00:27:43.19
more than a thousand years of
darkness complete with burning
00:27:43.22\00:27:47.43
people at the stake. The
reformers opened their Bibles
00:27:47.46\00:27:54.87
and they realized what we had
done in the fourth century and
00:27:54.90\00:27:57.74
so they set about the work
of freeing themselves from the
00:27:57.77\00:28:00.54
biggest mistake we have every
made. Now the reformation was
00:28:00.58\00:28:03.75
about all kinds of things.
Yes it was doctrinal; sola fide,
00:28:03.78\00:28:06.58
sola scriptura. It was very
doctrinal but at the very core
00:28:06.61\00:28:09.32
of it the reformation was really
an attempt to undo the king we
00:28:09.38\00:28:13.02
brought into the church. That's
what it was. Suddenly over in
00:28:13.05\00:28:16.12
England Henry VIII is watching
what's going on and he thinks
00:28:16.16\00:28:19.46
I like this. The German princes
are free from the Bishop of Rome
00:28:19.49\00:28:22.76
I would like to be free from the
Bishop of Rome. That would be
00:28:22.83\00:28:26.23
great because he can't get
an annulment. So he establishes
00:28:26.27\00:28:29.84
the Church of England and
of course all across Britain
00:28:29.87\00:28:33.07
faithful Bible-believing
Christians are saying whoo we're
00:28:33.11\00:28:36.34
going to be free. They weren't.
Mmm-mm. It doesn't happen
00:28:36.38\00:28:39.55
because Henry's church is built
for the wrong reasons and by the
00:28:39.61\00:28:43.02
1600s it's in trouble. By the
1600s the church is telling the
00:28:43.05\00:28:45.65
British, Look you can believe
in your head whatever you want
00:28:45.69\00:28:48.29
Go ahead, believe the Sabbath.
That was there in the 1600s.
00:28:48.32\00:28:51.73
Believe up here in emersion
baptism, but when it comes time
00:28:51.76\00:28:55.13
to worship everybody does
the same thing. You will be
00:28:55.16\00:28:57.37
following the Book of Common
Prayer. By 1600 there's no real
00:28:57.40\00:29:00.60
freedom anymore and so to
avoid going to jail some of the
00:29:00.64\00:29:03.57
dissenters, the British
dissenters, actually start to
00:29:03.61\00:29:06.64
leave the country; people
like the early Baptists and the
00:29:06.68\00:29:09.21
barrowists (?) and the fifth
monarchists and the Puritans and
00:29:09.24\00:29:11.68
the Quakers and the Sabbath
keepers, all these people who
00:29:11.71\00:29:14.22
eventually hand down
their beliefs to God's last day
00:29:14.25\00:29:16.65
remnant church. These are our
spiritual grandparents. That's
00:29:16.69\00:29:19.75
who they are. Where did they go?
Some of them flee, I'm proud to
00:29:19.79\00:29:22.89
say as a Dutch kid, flee to the
Dutch Republic, which was the
00:29:22.92\00:29:25.96
freest nation of its day.
And when they get there they run
00:29:25.99\00:29:29.03
into another group that's
fleeing persecution too. The
00:29:29.06\00:29:32.30
Jews are fleeing Spain to get
away from the Inquisition and
00:29:32.33\00:29:35.17
they meet up in the Netherlands.
And they begin to talk to each
00:29:35.20\00:29:38.01
and study together and
Christians begin to read the Old
00:29:38.04\00:29:42.04
Testament in the original Hebrew
for the first time in centuries.
00:29:42.08\00:29:45.85
And they'd have access to some
very old Hebrew Commentaries and
00:29:45.88\00:29:49.32
they suddenly stumbled across
our story for today, I Samuel 8
00:29:49.35\00:29:52.55
verse 11. This will be the
behavior of the king who will
00:29:52.59\00:29:55.42
reign over you. He will take
your sons and appoint them for
00:29:55.49\00:29:59.39
his own chariots. King's going
to make you work for him, it
00:29:59.43\00:30:02.90
says. Verse 12, He'll appoint
captains over his thousands.
00:30:02.93\00:30:05.70
They'll be military conscription
Verse 14: He'll take the best
00:30:05.73\00:30:08.80
of your fields. There'll be
confiscation and taxes to pay,
00:30:08.84\00:30:12.04
and the reformers are reading
this, the dissenters are reading
00:30:12.07\00:30:15.28
this and they say Ahhh this
might be the trouble we still
00:30:15.31\00:30:17.58
have, this might be the reason
we still have trouble with
00:30:17.65\00:30:19.81
human kings 2900 years later and
based on this story, they began
00:30:19.88\00:30:24.05
to dream of a place that
wouldn't have a king. Began to
00:30:24.09\00:30:27.72
dream of a place you could live
directly beneath God. It's the
00:30:27.76\00:30:30.59
hottest topic of debate in the
17th and 18th centuries. William
00:30:30.63\00:30:33.43
Blythe, Thomas Hobbs, John
Milton, John Locke, John Bunyan
00:30:33.46\00:30:36.77
who's in prison for his beliefs.
They're all discussing this. We
00:30:36.80\00:30:39.47
got rid of the Bishop of Rome,
maybe we could get rid of the
00:30:39.53\00:30:41.90
king and they pray for a place
and while they're praying over
00:30:41.94\00:30:44.27
this issue they suddenly
discovered Deuteronomy chapter
00:30:44.31\00:30:47.64
17 where God anticipates the
request for a king and he says
00:30:47.68\00:30:50.55
Okay, one day you'll ask
for a king when you get to the
00:30:50.58\00:30:53.38
promised land but here are the
conditions. Deuteronomy 7:15:
00:30:53.42\00:30:58.52
He must be one from among
your brethren. He has to be a
00:30:58.55\00:31:01.49
commoner. You may not set a
foreigner over you. He can't be
00:31:01.52\00:31:04.59
foreign born. Neither shall
he multiply silver and gold for
00:31:04.63\00:31:07.83
himself. Verse 17. There were
checks and balances to prevent
00:31:07.86\00:31:11.20
corruption. I'm hoping this
is starting to ring some bells.
00:31:11.23\00:31:14.27
Also it shall be, (here's
the big one) when he sits on the
00:31:14.30\00:31:17.27
throne of his kingdom he shall
write for himself a copy of this
00:31:17.31\00:31:21.18
law and this book and be careful
to observe all the words of this
00:31:21.24\00:31:26.11
law. The supreme written law.
Let me ask you a question. We're
00:31:26.15\00:31:30.19
now in the 1700s. Have you ever
heard of a republic where the
00:31:30.25\00:31:34.06
chief executive has to be a
commoner, he's not allowed to be
00:31:34.09\00:31:37.19
foreign born, not allowed to get
rich off the public purse and
00:31:37.23\00:31:40.26
be subject to the supreme
written law of the land. Ever
00:31:40.30\00:31:44.33
heard of such a place emerging
in the 1700s? It is not a
00:31:44.37\00:31:47.60
coincidence that the American
constitution describes a
00:31:47.64\00:31:50.81
republic without a king and
that it guarantees things like
00:31:50.84\00:31:53.41
religious liberty under a
supreme written law. Where did
00:31:53.44\00:31:55.98
they get that idea. Every single
one of those founding fathers
00:31:56.01\00:31:59.51
even though they were not all
Christian had been reading the
00:31:59.55\00:32:02.45
works of the English political
philosophers and the English
00:32:02.48\00:32:05.72
dissenters and they used those
writings to literally build the
00:32:05.75\00:32:08.96
United States of America.
But they did not... I mean they
00:32:08.99\00:32:12.89
weren't all, some were deists
but they got the building blocks
00:32:12.93\00:32:15.70
from the reformation. That's
why Ellen White in Testimonies
00:32:15.73\00:32:18.47
volume 5, calls the American
constitution a protestant
00:32:18.50\00:32:21.94
document. Because there's
an unbroken chain of thought
00:32:22.00\00:32:25.01
leading directly from the
reformation to the birth of
00:32:25.07\00:32:28.04
America. That's why the Bible
describes America the way that
00:32:28.08\00:32:31.11
it does. Revelation 12 says that
the earth would open up to give
00:32:31.15\00:32:34.72
the persecuted masses a place
to go. Revelation 13 says this
00:32:34.78\00:32:38.22
brand new nation would be Christ
like, lamb like, and it doesn't
00:32:38.25\00:32:41.69
even have crowns on its horns
like the first beast because
00:32:41.72\00:32:45.16
there wouldn't be a king. The
founding fathers of this nation
00:32:45.19\00:32:49.63
knew exactly what they were
building, I can prove it. 1787
00:32:49.66\00:32:53.60
constitutional convention, big
debate on the floor over state
00:32:53.64\00:32:57.57
representation, I know
saints it's hard to imagine a
00:32:57.61\00:32:59.81
convention where the delegates
disagree but it happened. And it
00:32:59.84\00:33:04.11
nearly broke apart. This nation
came this close to not being a
00:33:04.15\00:33:08.35
nation. When suddenly Ben
Franklin stands up and suggests
00:33:08.38\00:33:13.82
everybody takes a break and go
spend the day they disagree with
00:33:13.86\00:33:16.73
Then he quotes the Bible by
memory for two minutes off the
00:33:16.76\00:33:20.70
top of his head, even
though he's a deist. Fourteen
00:33:20.73\00:33:23.83
references, something like that
in two minutes and then he makes
00:33:23.87\00:33:26.74
a radical suggestion. Before I
sit down, he said, I suggest Mr.
00:33:26.77\00:33:29.60
President, (the chair of
that meeting) that propriety of
00:33:29.64\00:33:33.34
nominating and appointing before
we separate a chaplain to the
00:33:33.38\00:33:36.21
convention whose duty it shall
be uniformly to introduce the
00:33:36.24\00:33:38.78
business of each day by an
address to the Creator of the
00:33:38.81\00:33:41.25
Universe and the governor of all
nations. You tell me. Who did
00:33:41.28\00:33:46.25
these people believe was
the real king of all nations. If
00:33:46.29\00:33:49.32
America wasn't going to have
a human king it's because those
00:33:49.36\00:33:52.79
founding fathers knew there was
already one in this universe.
00:33:52.83\00:33:56.36
And he wanted people to account
directly to him. Newport, Rhode
00:33:56.40\00:34:00.07
Island, 1790, a Jewish synagogue
is panicking because they know
00:34:00.10\00:34:03.57
that America has been born as
a Christian nation. Not the way
00:34:03.61\00:34:07.38
Christians in this century think
of it but in the original sense.
00:34:07.41\00:34:10.31
And they panic. What's going to
happen to us. In the old world
00:34:10.35\00:34:13.52
we were persecuted because we
were in a Christian nation and
00:34:13.58\00:34:16.28
George Washington hears about it
and he writes them a reassuring
00:34:16.32\00:34:18.89
letter. Listen, he says, you can
rest in peace. You're going to
00:34:18.92\00:34:21.49
be fine. You're going to be free
in this nation and then he says
00:34:21.52\00:34:24.09
this, this is his letter:
May the children of the stalk of
00:34:24.13\00:34:27.73
Abraham who dwell in this land
continue to merit and enjoy the
00:34:27.76\00:34:31.37
good will of the other
inhabitants. While everyone
00:34:31.40\00:34:34.34
shall sit in safety under his
own vine and fig tree and there
00:34:34.37\00:34:37.11
shall be none to make them
afraid. That's a direct quote
00:34:37.17\00:34:40.24
from Micah chapter 4 where
God describes his ideal kingdom.
00:34:40.28\00:34:43.95
That's what it is. Listen to me
carefully: The founding fathers
00:34:43.98\00:34:47.42
were building a Christian nation
in the original Biblical sense.
00:34:47.45\00:34:50.85
What they were trying to do
is rewind the clock to one day
00:34:50.89\00:34:54.12
before Saul, before the biggest
mistake we've ever made. What's
00:34:54.16\00:34:57.86
really interesting is the way
that Saul kind of foreshadows
00:34:57.89\00:35:01.16
the whole fate of America.
I mean in the beginning he's
00:35:01.20\00:35:04.07
Christ like, he's lamb like.
Look at the story. The Bible
00:35:04.10\00:35:07.10
says Samuel anoints him in
private. He doesn't get the
00:35:07.14\00:35:10.14
crown till he proves himself
on the battlefield. Jesus is
00:35:10.17\00:35:13.04
anointed the day he goes to
heaven, Acts chapter 2 verse 33.
00:35:13.07\00:35:15.91
But he doesn't really get
his inheritance until after the
00:35:15.94\00:35:19.01
judgment is complete. There's
a parallel. The Bible says Saul
00:35:19.05\00:35:21.98
was filled with the Holy Spirit
and became another man, 1 Samuel
00:35:22.02\00:35:24.99
chapter 10. And of course Jesus
was anointed by the Spirit at
00:35:25.02\00:35:28.26
the beginning of his ministry
and he also became someone else,
00:35:28.29\00:35:31.03
he because one of us. There's
no question in the beginning
00:35:31.06\00:35:35.03
Saul is lamb like but you
know he's not a type of Christ,
00:35:35.06\00:35:38.97
because as he continues down the
story you discover he's really
00:35:39.00\00:35:41.90
a type of the United States of
America. He even is ultimately
00:35:41.94\00:35:45.97
replaced by a messianic king
who sits on David's throne. Two
00:35:46.01\00:35:49.68
years into his reign Saul wants
to go to the battlefield against
00:35:49.74\00:35:53.21
the Philistines and he wants to
have a sacrifice but Samuel is
00:35:53.25\00:35:56.79
delayed, seven days, the perfect
delay it's the language of the
00:35:56.82\00:36:00.86
second coming and he decides
I'll bring fire on the altar
00:36:00.92\00:36:04.89
myself if Samuel doesn't come,
which is exactly what the second
00:36:04.93\00:36:09.96
beast does. He brings fire down
from heaven on the earth in the
00:36:10.00\00:36:15.30
sight of men. This nation here
was born exactly on time for the
00:36:15.34\00:36:19.27
appearance of the remnant church
lamb like in the beginning. But
00:36:19.31\00:36:23.21
over the course of the 20th
00:36:23.24\00:36:24.58
over the course of the 20th
century as we rejected the light
00:36:24.61\00:36:25.95
of the third angel's message
the whole character of America
00:36:25.98\00:36:28.65
began to change all through the
20th century and now we see the
00:36:28.68\00:36:32.49
heartbeat for midnight. And the
constitution is under attack.
00:36:32.52\00:36:36.09
Why should that matter to
Adventists. Testimonies volume 5
00:36:36.12\00:36:39.56
Ellen White says when our
country shall repudiate every
00:36:39.59\00:36:42.96
principle of its constitution
as a protestant and republican
00:36:43.03\00:36:45.90
government, then we may know
that the time has come for the
00:36:45.93\00:36:49.20
marvelous working of Satan and
the end is near. You been paying
00:36:49.24\00:36:53.11
attention for the last 15 years?
You know the government listens
00:36:53.14\00:36:56.98
to your phone calls because
I know when I say things to see
00:36:57.01\00:37:01.28
if I can hear a click on
the line. They force people to
00:37:01.32\00:37:04.75
participate in religious
ceremonies, take your business
00:37:04.79\00:37:08.16
if you won't. Forcing people
to buy things they don't want to
00:37:08.19\00:37:11.09
buy. Silencing people who say
the wrong things on a college
00:37:11.13\00:37:14.66
campus or on U-tube. That's just
the last 15 years and that's
00:37:14.73\00:37:19.87
just the warmup. We have
already seen Caesar stand in the
00:37:19.90\00:37:24.54
American Congress invited over
to speak because we've run out
00:37:24.57\00:37:27.38
of human answers. The Bishop of
Rome at the podium of God's last
00:37:27.41\00:37:34.68
day republic. Let me say this.
Everybody had an opinion last
00:37:35.58\00:37:41.22
year in 2016, rough year at the
ballot box. But it didn't matter
00:37:41.26\00:37:46.70
who won that election. Doesn't
matter because no human being
00:37:46.73\00:37:51.83
is the answer you're looking for
At the end of his life Saul has
00:37:51.87\00:37:55.64
to kill himself because if you
want to run the show you have
00:37:55.70\00:37:58.64
to provide your own problems.
The Philistines find his body,
00:37:58.67\00:38:01.21
cut his head off. He's no longer
head and shoulders taller than
00:38:01.24\00:38:03.75
everybody else because in
the end he is not your king and
00:38:03.78\00:38:07.35
nobody likes Saul as your king.
But you move forward 1200 years
00:38:07.42\00:38:10.69
in history, you will find your
king writhing in agony on the
00:38:10.72\00:38:14.19
cross we made for him. We spit
in his face and we mocked his
00:38:14.22\00:38:17.49
dignity and yet he pleads for
you, Father forgive them, they
00:38:17.53\00:38:23.13
don't know what they're doing.
That's your king. When I was a
00:38:23.16\00:38:28.44
younger man, 18, I used to hang
out at the legislative assembly
00:38:28.47\00:38:33.11
in British Columbia because it
was so much more fun than going
00:38:33.14\00:38:37.21
to school. At 2 o'clock in the
afternoon they had a question
00:38:37.25\00:38:40.35
and answer period. Question time
they called it, question period.
00:38:40.38\00:38:43.69
where the loyal opposition, Her
Majesty's loyal opposition got
00:38:43.72\00:38:45.99
to ask questions of the
government and embarrass them.
00:38:46.02\00:38:48.59
And you weren't allowed to
insult each other but they made
00:38:48.62\00:38:50.79
an art form out of it. Mr.
Speaker, would it be okay if I
00:38:50.83\00:38:54.10
called my loyal opponent an
idiot No that's not okay. But he
00:38:54.13\00:38:58.00
got it done anyway. I came down
one day out of the visitors'
00:38:58.03\00:39:01.74
gallery and I walked out
into the rotunda and there in a
00:39:01.77\00:39:05.44
storm of hostile reporters is
the Premier of British Columbia,
00:39:05.47\00:39:09.48
Bill Vander Zalm at that time.
Some of you know who Bill Vander
00:39:09.51\00:39:13.52
Zalm was. Now if you're an
American, he's kind of like the
00:39:13.55\00:39:17.95
governor but not really because
we have a fused executive and
00:39:17.99\00:39:20.76
legislative function, different
matter. He looks up and sees me.
00:39:20.79\00:39:23.53
I've got ripped jeans and a
tattered tee shirt and he says
00:39:25.56\00:39:27.73
hey it's good to see you. I
know he doesn't know me but he's
00:39:27.76\00:39:30.13
trying to use me to get away
from those reporters. And he
00:39:30.17\00:39:32.57
comes over and puts his arm
around me, let's go for a walk.
00:39:32.60\00:39:35.00
We walked down the hallway,
the premier of British Columbia,
00:39:35.04\00:39:38.24
walking down the hallway, out
the door, out into a breeze way,
00:39:38.27\00:39:41.48
into his executive offices
and as we step into his offices
00:39:41.51\00:39:44.35
there are people sitting there
that I have only ever seen on
00:39:44.38\00:39:47.48
the news and they rise to their
feet. Mr. Premier, so good to
00:39:47.52\00:39:49.98
see you. Gentlemen, sit down,
I'll be with you in a minute.
00:39:50.02\00:39:53.59
He walks me into his office,
closes the door, has me take a
00:39:53.62\00:39:56.52
seat. He says, just hang out
with me for a minute. I don't
00:39:56.56\00:40:01.66
want to talk to those guys.
Ahhhh. He asked me what do you
00:40:01.70\00:40:05.33
do? I go to school up at the
University of Victoria. What do
00:40:05.40\00:40:08.84
you take? Political science.
Oh that's a good degree. Only a
00:40:08.90\00:40:13.17
politician ever says that's
a good degree. So he talked a
00:40:13.21\00:40:17.45
little bit. He asked me about my
dreams, hopes and fears and then
00:40:17.48\00:40:20.22
10 minutes later escorts me out
the door, sends me on my way.
00:40:20.25\00:40:25.32
And I slaved for that guy until
he left office for free. Why!
00:40:25.35\00:40:30.46
Because he took the absolute
nobody and walked me into the
00:40:30.49\00:40:36.87
halls of power and sat me down
like I mattered. I slaved for
00:40:36.93\00:40:45.14
him. So here we are. I'm
not 18 anymore, neither are you.
00:40:45.17\00:40:53.35
If you're not sure, look around.
But at this moment in the last
00:40:53.38\00:41:01.39
gasp of this world's history God
has let us try everything on.
00:41:01.42\00:41:08.80
You want kings? Okay. The kings
of Israel became so wicked that
00:41:08.83\00:41:14.17
they caused the abomination of
desolation, the temple desolated
00:41:14.20\00:41:19.51
They were offering babies
to Molech. We've never had self
00:41:19.54\00:41:25.41
government again, we've never
been back. After that Babylon,
00:41:25.45\00:41:31.29
Medo-Persia, Greece,
Rome, little horn power and then
00:41:31.32\00:41:38.43
something that almost, almost
got it right. Second beast. But
00:41:38.46\00:41:46.43
it fails too. And in this
moment the rightful king of this
00:41:46.47\00:41:51.67
universe has just slipped
his arm around your shoulder and
00:41:51.71\00:41:56.88
said let's go for a walk. Here's
what he says, Revelation 3 verse
00:41:56.91\00:42:01.98
20. Listen carefully to this. If
anyone hears my voice and opens
00:42:02.02\00:42:06.22
the door, I will come in to him
and dine with him and he with
00:42:06.25\00:42:10.09
me and him who overcomes (here
it comes, listen) to him who
00:42:10.13\00:42:16.16
overcomes I will grant to sit
with me on my throne. All this
00:42:16.20\00:42:20.40
time you're trying to seize it,
just for a minute here, just for
00:42:20.44\00:42:23.81
a minute there. All this time
you've been trying to plan your
00:42:23.84\00:42:27.78
own life and run your own world
and all this time the Son of God
00:42:27.84\00:42:32.08
has been planning to share his
throne with you anyway. Are we
00:42:32.11\00:42:36.28
going to trust him? The only
thing that stands in the way
00:42:36.32\00:42:40.39
between now, this moment right
here and that moment then is you
00:42:40.46\00:42:46.43
So when are you going to let go?
What are you still clinging to?
00:42:46.46\00:42:52.37
I'll be honest this morning. I'm
concerned about a lot of things
00:42:52.40\00:42:58.84
we let distract us as a church.
We were only asked to do one
00:42:58.87\00:43:07.28
thing, one thing. God says
get down off that throne. Never
00:43:07.32\00:43:14.06
belonged to you in the first
place. I asked you to go get my
00:43:14.09\00:43:20.60
children and bring them home.
I've searched my Bible for years
00:43:20.63\00:43:24.33
now. It's the only job he gave
us. Testimonies volume 5 after
00:43:24.37\00:43:34.98
she describes the undoing of the
American constitution how it's
00:43:35.01\00:43:40.22
a warning. She writes this:
It is no time now to allow our
00:43:40.25\00:43:45.72
minds to be engrossed with
things of minor importance.
00:43:45.75\00:43:51.16
While men are sleeping, Satan
is actively arranging matters so
00:43:51.19\00:43:56.20
that the Lord's people
may not have mercy or justice.
00:43:56.23\00:43:59.83
The Sunday movement is now
making its way in darkness.
00:43:59.90\00:44:03.91
That was a long time ago and
we went through a whole cycle.
00:44:03.94\00:44:07.91
And if I'm looking at the
prophetic landscape and I'm
00:44:07.94\00:44:12.18
watching the news correctly
the cycle is repeating and we're
00:44:12.21\00:44:16.12
there again. I know it's fun
to get caught up in all kinds of
00:44:16.15\00:44:21.99
things but we do not have time
to get distracted. And it is
00:44:22.02\00:44:29.30
time to get off the throne and
believe the promises of God and
00:44:29.33\00:44:35.67
get back to the one and only
thing He ever asked us to do.
00:44:35.70\00:44:46.51
And His promise to you is, I
will share my throne with you.
00:44:46.55\00:44:54.89
It's His. Let Him have it. Maybe
you've tried to run your life
00:44:54.92\00:45:01.33
your own way. I have. I'll admit
I pull an Abraham once in a
00:45:01.36\00:45:07.14
while. Who and how to make this
happen. God's promises are good.
00:45:07.20\00:45:12.27
If I read my Bible correctly He
says that the crowd that makes
00:45:12.34\00:45:17.18
it is so big no man can number
it. Our work does not peter out,
00:45:17.21\00:45:22.02
it does not fizzle out, it
does not whimper or go into the
00:45:22.05\00:45:24.65
darkness. It ends Revelation 18
with the whole world lighting up
00:45:24.72\00:45:30.03
with the glory of Jesus Christ
with a mighty shout and until we
00:45:30.06\00:45:36.03
let go and believe God's promise
that's not going to happen.
00:45:36.06\00:45:42.44
Father, it's Your throne and
we believe we don't belong on
00:45:42.47\00:45:48.81
it and You do. And we will trust
Your promises and get the work
00:45:48.84\00:45:53.45
done so that we can stand in
glory with the one who gave His
00:45:53.52\00:45:58.09
life to buy us
eternity. In Jesus' name, Amen.
00:45:58.12\00:46:05.03
¤ ¤
00:46:05.06\00:46:25.05
¤All to Jesus I surrender,
All to him I freely give. ¤
00:46:25.08\00:46:41.56
¤I will ever love and trust him
In his presence daily live. ¤
00:46:41.60\00:47:01.52
¤I surrender all,
I surrender all. ¤
00:47:01.55\00:47:19.33
¤All to thee my blessed
savior I surrender all. ¤
00:47:19.37\00:47:38.39
¤All to Jesus I surrender
Make me Savior wholly thine. ¤
00:47:38.42\00:47:56.47
¤Fill me with thy love and power
Know that thou art truly mine. ¤
00:47:56.50\00:48:14.89
¤I surrender all,
I surrender all. ¤
00:48:14.92\00:48:36.61
¤All to thee my blessed
Savior, I surrender all. ¤
00:48:36.64\00:48:52.06
¤All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame. ¤
00:48:52.09\00:49:12.51
¤Oh the joy of full salvation
Glory, glory to his name. ¤
00:49:12.55\00:49:32.90
¤I surrender all,
I surrender all. ¤
00:49:32.93\00:49:49.18
¤All to thee my blessed
Savior I surrender all. ¤
00:49:49.22\00:50:31.59
Let's bow our heads for prayer.
Our Father in heaven, we pray
00:50:31.63\00:50:39.07
in a special sense for your
Holy Spirit to fill our hearts
00:50:39.10\00:50:46.47
and to prepare our lives for the
very soon coming of Jesus and
00:50:46.54\00:50:52.61
for the events that are soon to
take place upon the earth that
00:50:52.65\00:50:58.52
we will be prepared, but that
we will not only be prepared
00:50:58.55\00:51:03.73
but that we will have a great
company of others that will be
00:51:03.76\00:51:10.37
prepared. Oh our Father, we
believe that Jesus is coming
00:51:10.40\00:51:16.94
soon. The world is in darkness.
The world needs only that which
00:51:16.97\00:51:24.08
you can give and we pray that
you will help us. You told us
00:51:24.11\00:51:30.72
that a revival of primitive
godliness is our greatest and
00:51:30.75\00:51:37.33
most urgent of all
needs. Lord help us I pray.
00:51:37.36\00:51:42.50