Our scripture reading is found
00:00:20.62\00:00:22.42
in 2 Peter 3:9-12,
00:00:22.45\00:00:27.86
"The Lord is not slack
concerning His promise,
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as some count slackness,
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but is long suffering toward us,
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not willing that
any should perish,
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but that all
should come to repentance.
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But the day of
the Lord will come
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as a thief in the night
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in which the
heavens will pass away
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with great noise,
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and the elements will
melt with fervent heat,
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both the earth and the works
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that are in it
will be burned up.
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Therefore,
since all these things
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will be dissolved,
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what manner of persons ought you
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to be in holy
conduct and godliness,
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looking for and hastening
the coming of the day of God,
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because of which the
heavens will be dissolved,
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being on fire, and the elements
will melt with fervent heat."
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May the Lord add a rich blessing
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to the reading of His Word.
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I'm here to introduce
our speaker this morning,
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Pastor Mark Finley,
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who most people think of
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as a consummate
great evangelist,
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our own Billy Graham.
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But I am here to introduce him
for my own personal testimony
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of what he has done for me,
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and the impact
he's had in my life
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in setting me on a
path to business unusual.
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It was at the
2008 ASI convention
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on a Friday morning
at the 9 o'clock session
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that Pastor Finley preached
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a sermon entitled
Pentecost Revisited.
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And at the end of the
sermon, he gave an appeal.
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And during that appeal,
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he mentioned a
quote from Ellen White
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from The Great Controversy
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in which she was
talking about the end times.
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And she said,
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"Servants of God with
their faces light it up
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will hasten from
place to place, "
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going door-to-door
was the sense of that.
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And then Pastor Finley did
something very interesting.
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He presented a question
from God's point of view.
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He said, "Did He see you?"
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And at that point, I
was cut to the heart,
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and my husband and I decided
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that we would
indeed go door-to-door
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in our neighborhood
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where everyone
has almost everything
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they need in
this life except God.
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And so as a result,
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a direct result of
that particular question
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that Pastor Finley asked,
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my husband and I did
indeed go door-to-door.
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And as a result, my
husband became a big brother
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to a young boy, a neighbor boy
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whose father died
prematurely of ALS.
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And I began Bible
studies with a neighbor
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who knew nothing
about Jesus Christ,
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and who has been blessed,
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and with who I've been
studying for a couple of years.
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And that started me
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on the path of business unusual.
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Over the years,
Pastor Mark has become
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a very precious and dear friend,
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whose counsel and
advice I've sought often,
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and he answers immediately.
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I really appreciate that.
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His genuine love,
and care, and compassion
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for each individual
soul for whom Christ died
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is the thing that moves me most.
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And for this reason,
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he truly
exemplifies business unusual.
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And because of this,
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I believe God chose him
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to be our speaker for this hour.
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When peace like a river
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Attendeth my way
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When sorrows
like sea billows roll
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Whatever my lot
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Thou hast taught me to say
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It is well, it is well
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With my soul
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It is well
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It is well with my soul
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With my soul
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It is well
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It is well, with my soul
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Though Satan should buffet
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Though trials should come
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Let this blest assurance
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Control
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That Christ hath regarded
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My helpless estate
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And hath shed His own blood
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For my soul
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It is well It is well
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With my soul With my soul
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It is well It is well
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With my soul
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And Lord, haste the day
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When our faith shall be sight
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The clouds be rolled back
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As a scroll
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The trump shall resound
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And the Lord shall descend
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Even so, it is well
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With my soul
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It is well It is well
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With my soul With my soul
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It is well
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It is well
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With my soul
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It is well
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Amen.
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It is well with my soul.
00:08:08.78\00:08:13.82
My wife and I've
been coming to ASI
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for well over 25 years.
00:08:15.89\00:08:20.00
And every convocation
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is an incredible blessing to us.
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We deeply appreciate ASI,
it has become part of our DNA,
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and we look forward
every year to the convention.
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Somebody asked me not long ago,
they said, "Now Pastor Mark,
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you and your
wife are 73 years old.
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And when are you
going to retire?"
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And I said,
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"Where is that
verse in the Bible?
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I didn't quite catch that one."
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Our ministry continues
to expand and our radio
00:08:50.23\00:08:53.50
and television
ministry around the world.
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Our evangelistic
ministry continues to grow.
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I still have a few
sermons left in me.
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And so I am just thanking
God for the joy of health,
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for the joy of service.
00:09:05.51\00:09:07.21
We have what we
call the living hope,
00:09:07.24\00:09:10.48
evangelistic training school.
00:09:10.51\00:09:12.51
If you did not get
our little brochure
00:09:12.55\00:09:15.35
about our classes,
00:09:15.38\00:09:16.72
we run intense classes on
how to do health ministry,
00:09:16.75\00:09:20.59
how to be effective in
preaching for laypeople,
00:09:20.62\00:09:25.19
correct
churches on church growth
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and evangelism.
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The wonderful
thing about our classes
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is they're all free.
00:09:29.96\00:09:31.30
Jesus has given us so much
that at this point in our lives
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after 50 years of ministry,
00:09:34.54\00:09:36.40
we want to give
away what we have.
00:09:36.44\00:09:37.94
So if you want to
schedule our classes
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if you haven't gotten one,
we are in Haymarket, Virginia,
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Living Hope
School of Evangelism.
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Then there's a class schedule,
00:09:45.25\00:09:46.95
it'll either be at the
door if you haven't gotten it.
00:09:46.98\00:09:49.08
Let's bow our heads
and pray, and ask the Lord
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to especially draw near.
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Father in heaven,
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we thank You
for the Word of God.
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We thank You that the
word is a creative word
00:10:00.60\00:10:04.90
that the seed of the word
00:10:04.93\00:10:06.27
planted in the soil of the heart
00:10:06.30\00:10:08.00
is life transformational.
00:10:08.04\00:10:10.17
So as we study Your Word today,
00:10:10.21\00:10:12.74
I pray Thee, that
You touch our lives,
00:10:12.77\00:10:15.94
come and may creation
take place all over again
00:10:15.98\00:10:20.02
in this auditorium
00:10:20.05\00:10:21.85
where there is
darkness may there be light,
00:10:21.88\00:10:25.19
where there is barrenness,
00:10:25.22\00:10:27.06
may the fruits
of the Spirit grow,
00:10:27.09\00:10:30.09
where there is death,
may there be new life.
00:10:30.13\00:10:32.43
We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
00:10:32.46\00:10:35.83
Have you ever noticed
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how children
particularly young boys,
00:10:38.50\00:10:41.20
at 10 or 11 years old,
are often quite forgetful?
00:10:41.24\00:10:46.17
Now their forgetfulness
is selective forgetfulness.
00:10:46.21\00:10:50.38
As a lot of 10 or 11,
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I had difficulty
remembering my chores,
00:10:51.78\00:10:54.38
and mom would often ask,
"Mark, have you made your bed?"
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And my response was, "Oh,
mom, I'm sorry, I forgot."
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"Mark, have you
cleaned your room?"
00:11:03.09\00:11:04.96
My response, "Oh,
mom, I'm sorry, I forgot."
00:11:04.99\00:11:09.96
"Mark, have you
taken up the trash today?"
00:11:10.00\00:11:12.83
"Mom, I'm sorry, but I forgot."
00:11:12.87\00:11:17.84
And I remember my
mother with a smile would say,
00:11:17.87\00:11:20.31
"Mark, if you
forget one more time,
00:11:20.34\00:11:24.88
I'm going to tie a red
ribbon around your finger.
00:11:24.91\00:11:30.02
So you'll remember
00:11:30.05\00:11:31.39
when you get up in the morning."
00:11:31.42\00:11:32.95
Now no boy, 10 or 11 years old,
00:11:32.99\00:11:35.19
wants a red ribbon
tied around their finger.
00:11:35.22\00:11:39.56
Sometimes we need a red
ribbon tied around our finger.
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Sometimes we tend
to forget the obvious,
00:11:43.80\00:11:47.87
and this is what precisely
what 2 Peter is all about.
00:11:47.90\00:11:52.27
It's about a red
ribbon tied around our finger.
00:11:52.31\00:11:55.38
It's about the glory of
the second coming of Jesus.
00:11:55.41\00:11:59.35
That's so easy
in the hectic pace
00:11:59.38\00:12:02.35
of the 21st century to forget.
00:12:02.38\00:12:06.02
It was about AD 65.
00:12:06.05\00:12:08.79
Peter was a prisoner in Rome,
00:12:08.82\00:12:10.39
condemned to death by
the Roman Emperor Nero.
00:12:10.43\00:12:14.13
He knew that the end was near.
00:12:14.16\00:12:16.77
And there was one
thing on his mind,
00:12:16.80\00:12:18.97
one thing that
filled his imagination,
00:12:19.00\00:12:21.57
one thing that
captured his attention,
00:12:21.60\00:12:23.87
one thing that
dominated his thoughts,
00:12:23.91\00:12:26.24
one truth that
swallowed up every other,
00:12:26.27\00:12:29.01
the Christ he loved,
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the Jesus that gave His
life for him on Calvary's cross,
00:12:30.68\00:12:35.18
the Christ who redeemed him,
00:12:35.22\00:12:37.02
the Christ who accepted
him in spite of his failures,
00:12:37.05\00:12:40.06
the Jesus that gave him
grace to continuous ministry,
00:12:40.09\00:12:43.39
the Jesus of the second chance,
this Jesus was coming again.
00:12:43.43\00:12:48.53
And Paul writes to
scattered believers
00:12:48.56\00:12:51.57
throughout Asia
in the first century,
00:12:51.60\00:12:54.84
but its words ring
with eternal relevance
00:12:54.87\00:12:57.41
in the 21st century.
00:12:57.44\00:12:59.21
They come echoing and reechoing
down the corridors of time.
00:12:59.24\00:13:02.34
If you have your
Bible and I hope you do.
00:13:02.38\00:13:04.61
Take it and turn
to 2 Peter Chapter 1.
00:13:04.65\00:13:08.18
And this morning, we're
going to look at 2 Peter,
00:13:08.22\00:13:10.32
we'll look at Chapter
1 where Peter talks about
00:13:10.35\00:13:13.25
the certainty of the advent.
00:13:13.29\00:13:15.16
We'll look at Chapter 2,
00:13:15.19\00:13:16.52
where he talks
about the judgment
00:13:16.56\00:13:18.16
in the light of the advent.
00:13:18.19\00:13:19.63
We'll look at Chapter 3,
00:13:19.66\00:13:21.00
where he talks about
the delay of the advent,
00:13:21.03\00:13:22.83
and he confronts
the scoffers head on.
00:13:22.86\00:13:25.43
2 Peter Chapter 1,
00:13:25.47\00:13:27.70
we look there
beginning at verse 12.
00:13:27.74\00:13:30.74
Peter writes from Rome.
00:13:30.77\00:13:32.11
He's an old man now.
00:13:32.14\00:13:33.78
His hands are trembling.
00:13:33.81\00:13:35.84
There are deeply
etched lines upon his face,
00:13:35.88\00:13:38.88
his hair is gray,
but yet he writes,
00:13:38.91\00:13:41.82
he writes from a
passionate heart,
00:13:41.85\00:13:44.19
he writes from a convicted soul,
00:13:44.22\00:13:46.45
there's something
the old man wants to say,
00:13:46.49\00:13:48.69
and he wants to speak to
us here at ASI this morning,
00:13:48.72\00:13:51.49
2 Peter Chapter 1, we
look there at verse 12,
00:13:51.53\00:13:54.53
"Therefore, I
will not be negligent
00:13:54.56\00:13:57.80
to remind you
always of these things
00:13:57.83\00:14:01.17
though you know them,
00:14:01.20\00:14:02.60
and be established
in the present truth."
00:14:02.64\00:14:06.14
Peter puts it clearly.
00:14:06.17\00:14:08.01
He says, I want to
remind you of some things.
00:14:08.04\00:14:10.31
Some things that are obvious
that are so easy to forget.
00:14:10.35\00:14:13.98
The Greek
philosophers had a saying,
00:14:14.02\00:14:17.19
and the saying went
something like this,
00:14:17.22\00:14:19.85
"Time wipes out all things.
00:14:19.89\00:14:23.99
Time wipes out all things."
00:14:24.03\00:14:27.50
The promise of Christ's
return came 2,000 years ago.
00:14:27.53\00:14:33.13
But in the passage of time,
00:14:33.17\00:14:36.00
in the hectic
pace of our society,
00:14:36.04\00:14:39.17
it's easy to have the
second coming of Christ
00:14:39.21\00:14:43.14
someplace remotely
back there in your brain,
00:14:43.18\00:14:46.85
someplace in the consciousness,
and Peter says, 2 Peter 1:12,
00:14:46.88\00:14:52.85
"Therefore, I
will not be negligent
00:14:52.89\00:14:55.26
to remind you of all things,
00:14:55.29\00:14:57.53
the passage of time
causes us to forget."
00:14:57.56\00:15:01.93
And Peter is
concerned, not with novelty,
00:15:01.96\00:15:05.67
he's not concerned with
some innovative new truth,
00:15:05.70\00:15:09.30
he's concerned
about taking believers
00:15:09.34\00:15:11.61
back to the eternal
truths of scripture.
00:15:11.64\00:15:15.04
I'm not here this
morning to wow you with novelty.
00:15:15.08\00:15:18.65
I'm not here to impress you
00:15:18.68\00:15:22.98
with eloquence or time setting.
00:15:23.02\00:15:26.22
I'm here to remind you
of what you know already,
00:15:26.25\00:15:28.96
Jesus Christ is coming again.
00:15:28.99\00:15:31.29
And that coming
00:15:31.33\00:15:33.56
is the greatest
hope of the ages.
00:15:33.60\00:15:35.83
Here in Chapter 1,
00:15:35.86\00:15:38.17
Peter discusses the
certainty of Christ coming,
00:15:38.20\00:15:42.20
and he's speaking not
only to his generation,
00:15:42.24\00:15:44.57
but to ours.
00:15:44.61\00:15:45.94
He's speaking not
only to the first century,
00:15:45.97\00:15:47.81
but to the 21st century.
00:15:47.84\00:15:49.58
He's speaking not only to
scattered believers in Asia,
00:15:49.61\00:15:53.28
but to gathered
believers in Orlando.
00:15:53.31\00:15:55.92
He writes to
remind us of eternal truth
00:15:55.95\00:15:58.45
of the return of our Lord.
00:15:58.49\00:15:59.89
You know, it is
so easy to forget.
00:15:59.92\00:16:02.56
Life tends to go on as normal.
00:16:02.59\00:16:05.69
The ebb and flow
of life seems to be
00:16:05.73\00:16:08.66
as it always has been.
00:16:08.70\00:16:10.60
We are born, we live,
the decades pass, we die.
00:16:10.63\00:16:15.87
And Peter shakes us up.
00:16:15.90\00:16:17.94
He says, "Never forget
that death is not the end,
00:16:17.97\00:16:20.81
Jesus Christ is coming again."
00:16:20.84\00:16:23.28
It's so easy to
forget, to become complacent,
00:16:23.31\00:16:26.58
to become half hearted,
to become lackadaisical.
00:16:26.61\00:16:29.65
And Peter says, "Listen to
me, there is a divine certainty,
00:16:29.68\00:16:33.25
all of life is moving to
one grand, glorious climax,
00:16:33.29\00:16:37.33
Jesus Christ is coming again."
00:16:37.36\00:16:39.39
It's so easy to forget.
00:16:39.43\00:16:41.23
Life presses in on us.
00:16:41.26\00:16:42.86
There are family
responsibilities,
00:16:42.90\00:16:44.70
financial
pressures, health concerns,
00:16:44.73\00:16:47.14
and a thousand other things.
00:16:47.17\00:16:49.54
And Peter says, "Listen to me.
00:16:49.57\00:16:51.21
There's a divine certainty,
Jesus is coming again."
00:16:51.24\00:16:54.64
In 2 Peter 1:14-16.
00:16:54.68\00:16:59.58
Let's go back
and pick up verse 13.
00:16:59.61\00:17:02.28
The aged warrior of
the cross is dying now.
00:17:02.32\00:17:05.62
His strength is ebbing away,
he's been through the battle,
00:17:05.65\00:17:09.56
his body has been battered,
and bruised, and bloodied.
00:17:09.59\00:17:12.99
He focuses in
verses 13 and on what?
00:17:13.03\00:17:16.33
On the brevity of life.
00:17:16.36\00:17:18.17
Now, there are two
interesting words there.
00:17:18.20\00:17:21.00
Verse 13, "Yes, I
think it is right,
00:17:21.04\00:17:23.71
as long as I'm in this tent
00:17:23.74\00:17:26.34
to stir you up
by reminding you."
00:17:26.37\00:17:29.04
Now circle the
word tent in your mind.
00:17:29.08\00:17:31.95
"Knowing that I
surely must put off my tent,"
00:17:31.98\00:17:35.55
again, the word tent,
00:17:35.58\00:17:37.15
"just as our Lord
Jesus Christ showed me.
00:17:37.19\00:17:39.95
More over I will be
careful to ensure you
00:17:39.99\00:17:43.49
that you always have a
reminder of these things
00:17:43.53\00:17:45.93
after my decease."
00:17:45.96\00:17:48.23
Now notice what Peter
says, he talks about the tent.
00:17:48.26\00:17:52.30
He's writing to
scattered believers
00:17:52.33\00:17:55.10
in Asia of a Jewish persuasion.
00:17:55.14\00:17:59.21
When Israel
wandered in the wilderness,
00:17:59.24\00:18:02.34
they lived in tents.
00:18:02.38\00:18:04.88
And for 14 years,
they wandered there,
00:18:04.91\00:18:07.62
but they had a destination.
00:18:07.65\00:18:10.12
Now notice the second word
beside tent that Peter uses.
00:18:10.15\00:18:15.09
It is the word decease.
00:18:15.12\00:18:16.93
You see that there
at the end of verse 15.
00:18:16.96\00:18:21.13
"Moreover, I will be
careful to ensure you always
00:18:21.16\00:18:24.57
that you have a
reminder of these things
00:18:24.60\00:18:27.37
after my decease."
00:18:27.40\00:18:29.97
The word decease
in the Greek language
00:18:30.01\00:18:33.38
is the root word for Exodus.
00:18:33.41\00:18:36.85
So what does Peter say?
00:18:36.88\00:18:38.68
Just as Israel lived in tents
00:18:38.71\00:18:42.15
that were temporary dwellings
00:18:42.18\00:18:44.85
on their way to
the Promised Land
00:18:44.89\00:18:46.89
during the Exodus.
00:18:46.92\00:18:48.49
So every single one of us
are traveling through life.
00:18:48.52\00:18:52.49
We travel in
these feeble bodies,
00:18:52.53\00:18:55.26
we travel in these frail bodies,
00:18:55.30\00:18:57.97
we travel in this
tent like structures,
00:18:58.00\00:19:01.37
but there is a destination.
00:19:01.40\00:19:04.07
That destination is the
second coming of Christ.
00:19:04.11\00:19:07.71
That destination is eternity.
00:19:07.74\00:19:10.31
That destination
is the Promised Land.
00:19:10.35\00:19:13.42
We are all on this Exodus,
00:19:13.45\00:19:15.28
a journey through
the desert of this world
00:19:15.32\00:19:17.65
where pilgrims
passing through this world
00:19:17.69\00:19:20.16
on the way to glory.
00:19:20.19\00:19:21.52
We have a destination,
00:19:21.56\00:19:23.16
we are not wandering
mindlessly to nowhere.
00:19:23.19\00:19:27.20
If life is going nowhere,
if there's no end in sight,
00:19:27.23\00:19:31.93
if we're drifting
aimlessly along in the cosmos,
00:19:31.97\00:19:36.14
life has no meaning.
00:19:36.17\00:19:38.37
You know, there are
epitaphs on the heathen graves.
00:19:38.41\00:19:42.14
And one epitaph goes like this,
00:19:42.18\00:19:45.78
"I was not, I was,
00:19:45.81\00:19:49.35
I am not.
00:19:49.38\00:19:52.12
So eat, drink, and be married
00:19:52.15\00:19:54.16
because some time
you will be like me."
00:19:54.19\00:19:57.16
What hopelessness.
00:19:57.19\00:19:59.19
"I was not, I was,
00:19:59.23\00:20:03.43
I am not after death,"
00:20:03.47\00:20:06.33
this epitaph.
00:20:06.37\00:20:07.70
So, eat, drink, and be married
00:20:07.74\00:20:09.07
because one day
you'll be like me.
00:20:09.10\00:20:10.44
In other words, life
is not going anywhere.
00:20:10.47\00:20:12.47
Shakespeare once
defined life as this.
00:20:12.51\00:20:14.74
He said, "It's a
tale told by any idiot,
00:20:14.78\00:20:17.45
full of sound and
fury, signifying nothing."
00:20:17.48\00:20:21.12
And I read an
interesting contest
00:20:21.15\00:20:23.02
in a college newspaper,
00:20:23.05\00:20:25.12
and the college newspaper
offered university students
00:20:25.15\00:20:29.76
a significant prize
if they could define life
00:20:29.79\00:20:32.49
in one sentence.
00:20:32.53\00:20:34.20
And here is the
sentence that won the top prize
00:20:34.23\00:20:38.17
in that contest on
a definition of life.
00:20:38.20\00:20:41.27
"Life is the penalty that we pay
00:20:41.30\00:20:44.44
for the crime of being born."
00:20:44.47\00:20:47.91
What hopelessness,
00:20:47.94\00:20:49.51
what despair in the
secular world today?
00:20:49.54\00:20:52.81
If there's nothing
in life to live for,
00:20:52.85\00:20:55.85
but ultimate extinction
at the end of the days,
00:20:55.88\00:20:58.82
life has little meaning.
00:20:58.85\00:21:01.02
If all of life is
moving to absolute nothingness,
00:21:01.06\00:21:04.89
if time is a fleeting moment,
00:21:04.93\00:21:07.16
if every breath takes us
closer to a step of oblivion,
00:21:07.20\00:21:11.53
life becomes a
cruel saga of pain,
00:21:11.57\00:21:14.24
suffering, and injustice.
00:21:14.27\00:21:15.87
But the aged apostle
breeze a breath of hope,
00:21:15.90\00:21:19.57
light pierces the
darkness, and he says,
00:21:19.61\00:21:22.18
"Jesus Christ is coming again."
00:21:22.21\00:21:26.15
That all of life is
moving to one great,
00:21:26.18\00:21:28.75
glorious climax that one
day the earth will shake,
00:21:28.78\00:21:31.85
one day lightning will flash,
00:21:31.89\00:21:34.22
one day the sky
will be illuminated
00:21:34.26\00:21:36.02
with the glory of God,
00:21:36.06\00:21:37.46
and one day
Jesus Christ will come.
00:21:37.49\00:21:39.69
Now Peter gives two
great evidences of that,
00:21:39.73\00:21:43.03
2 Peter Chapter 1,
00:21:43.06\00:21:45.53
he gives two great evidences
of the return of our Lord.
00:21:45.57\00:21:50.07
We start there in verse 16,
00:21:50.11\00:21:52.04
and we look at the
first of those evidences
00:21:52.07\00:21:54.14
that he gives, the
first witness, he says,
00:21:54.18\00:21:57.55
"For we have not followed
cunningly devised fables,
00:21:57.58\00:22:00.42
when we made
known to you the power
00:22:00.45\00:22:03.18
and coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ,
00:22:03.22\00:22:05.82
but were
eyewitnesses of His glory,
00:22:05.85\00:22:09.49
for we received from God,
the Father, honor and glory.
00:22:09.52\00:22:13.36
When such a voice came to him
00:22:13.40\00:22:17.20
from the excellent glory,
00:22:17.23\00:22:19.37
'This is my beloved Son
in whom I'm well pleased.'
00:22:19.40\00:22:21.97
And we heard this voice
00:22:22.00\00:22:24.27
which came from heaven
00:22:24.31\00:22:25.64
when we were with
Him on the mountain.'
00:22:25.67\00:22:27.51
Peter says this, "Look,
I've seen the glory of God.
00:22:27.54\00:22:30.58
I've seen the majesty of God.
00:22:30.61\00:22:32.65
I was with Christ on the
Mount of Transfiguration,
00:22:32.68\00:22:35.68
and I was clothed
with the glory of God.'"
00:22:35.72\00:22:38.09
That was a
miniature second coming
00:22:38.12\00:22:40.22
when God revealed
His glory through Christ
00:22:40.26\00:22:42.32
like it'll be
revealed in eternity.
00:22:42.36\00:22:44.23
That's a witness.
00:22:44.26\00:22:45.59
I saw it, Peter says.
00:22:45.63\00:22:46.96
But Peter says, "Let me
give you the second witness
00:22:47.00\00:22:49.03
of the coming of the Lord."
00:22:49.06\00:22:51.57
Let your eyes
drop down to verse 19.
00:22:51.60\00:22:53.97
He says, "We also have
the prophetic word made sure."
00:22:54.00\00:22:59.17
Paul says, Peter says rather,
"The echo of the prophets, "
00:22:59.21\00:23:03.85
the prophets have
spoken in the Old Testament.
00:23:03.88\00:23:06.78
Jude 14, Enoch, the
seventh from Adam prophesied,
00:23:06.82\00:23:10.05
"The Lord will come
with 10,000 of His saints."
00:23:10.09\00:23:12.72
The prophet speak,
David declares, Psalm 50:3,
00:23:12.75\00:23:16.29
"Our God will come
and not keep silence."
00:23:16.32\00:23:18.69
Isaiah cries out in 35:10,
00:23:18.73\00:23:22.06
"The ransom of the Lord
will come to Zion with singing
00:23:22.10\00:23:25.27
and everlasting
joy on their heads."
00:23:25.30\00:23:27.64
Daniel adds,
"Let me add my word,"
00:23:27.67\00:23:29.64
Daniel says,
00:23:29.67\00:23:31.01
"That God of heaven
will set up a kingdom
00:23:31.04\00:23:32.54
that will never be
destroyed," Daniel 2:44.
00:23:32.57\00:23:36.31
Ezekiel speaks, Amos speaks,
Micah speaks, Hosea speaks,
00:23:36.34\00:23:40.68
Peter says, "The prophets
00:23:40.72\00:23:43.08
are speaking
down through the ages,
00:23:43.12\00:23:45.22
listen to the prophets."
00:23:45.25\00:23:48.09
The prophets speak of
the coming of the Lord,
00:23:48.12\00:23:50.49
the prophets speak
of the return of Christ.
00:23:50.53\00:23:52.99
Each of the gospel writers,
00:23:53.03\00:23:54.36
Matthew, Mark,
Luke, John herald it.
00:23:54.40\00:23:56.77
The angel say at
the ascension of Christ,
00:23:56.80\00:24:00.27
this same Jesus that you've seen
00:24:00.30\00:24:02.00
go up into heaven
shall so come in like manner
00:24:02.04\00:24:05.61
as you've seen
Him go into heaven.
00:24:05.64\00:24:07.58
And Jesus Himself says,
00:24:07.61\00:24:09.84
"Let not your
heart be troubled."
00:24:09.88\00:24:12.35
You believe in
God, believe also in Me.
00:24:12.38\00:24:15.08
Do you have a
troubled heart this morning?
00:24:15.12\00:24:19.99
A loved one has died of cancer.
00:24:20.02\00:24:22.92
A child died prematurely.
00:24:22.96\00:24:26.29
You lost the job.
Your business went bust.
00:24:26.33\00:24:29.80
You went through a
tragedy of divorce.
00:24:29.83\00:24:32.73
Up seems down,
and down seems up,
00:24:32.77\00:24:34.90
and your life seems confused.
00:24:34.94\00:24:37.01
Jesus says, "Let not
your heart be troubled.
00:24:37.04\00:24:40.64
You believe in
God, believe also in Me.
00:24:40.68\00:24:43.35
In my Father's
house are many mansions,
00:24:43.38\00:24:45.41
if it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:24:45.45\00:24:47.55
I go to prepare a place for you.
00:24:47.58\00:24:49.82
If I go and
prepare a place for you,
00:24:49.85\00:24:51.45
I will come again."
00:24:51.49\00:24:54.82
The second coming of
Christ lifts our eyes
00:24:54.86\00:24:57.06
from what is to what will be.
00:24:57.09\00:24:59.36
They take our eyes of time,
00:24:59.39\00:25:00.96
and they focus them on eternity.
00:25:01.00\00:25:02.86
We look from the mud
of the earth to the glory
00:25:02.90\00:25:05.30
of the joy of heaven.
00:25:05.33\00:25:07.80
Here's what Peter is
saying, "Don't lose hope,
00:25:07.84\00:25:10.57
echoing and
reechoing down the centuries
00:25:10.61\00:25:12.47
through the
voice of the prophets."
00:25:12.51\00:25:14.51
You know, the words,
"Jesus Christ is coming again."
00:25:14.54\00:25:18.25
Now, one of the greatest dangers
00:25:18.28\00:25:19.65
facing God's people today
is a loss of sense of identity,
00:25:19.68\00:25:24.75
a failure to understand
who we are and why we're here.
00:25:24.79\00:25:28.89
We exist for one prime
reason as a church, as a people,
00:25:28.92\00:25:32.83
as a denomination,
00:25:32.86\00:25:34.20
to prepare a world for
the return of our Lord,
00:25:34.23\00:25:37.67
to reveal His love,
and grace, and goodness,
00:25:37.70\00:25:41.10
and the eternal
truth of the gospel
00:25:41.14\00:25:42.84
to a waiting world
and a watching universe.
00:25:42.87\00:25:45.57
And as time passes,
00:25:45.61\00:25:48.21
and the second
coming of Christ is delayed
00:25:48.24\00:25:50.81
because the Adventist
movement was always in it
00:25:50.85\00:25:53.25
for the sprint,
never for the marathon.
00:25:53.28\00:25:56.08
We were sprinters,
sprinting to the end,
00:25:56.12\00:25:59.85
and we're part of a movement
that really should not be here,
00:25:59.89\00:26:02.82
but should be
in eternity by now.
00:26:02.86\00:26:06.49
But yet the longer time goes on,
00:26:06.53\00:26:09.36
the more difficult it is to
pass on to a new generation,
00:26:09.40\00:26:13.70
the passion, the urgency
00:26:13.74\00:26:15.87
of the second
coming of our Lord.
00:26:15.90\00:26:18.07
And that's why Peter's
message is so important
00:26:18.11\00:26:21.14
because he says,
"Never lose hope."
00:26:21.18\00:26:23.95
Chapter 1, the
certainty of the Advent.
00:26:23.98\00:26:26.01
Chapter 2, he
takes on the scoffers,
00:26:26.05\00:26:28.95
and he takes on the
rebellious, and he says,
00:26:28.98\00:26:30.99
"The judgment will come."
00:26:31.02\00:26:33.32
But it is Chapter 3
that we want to focus on.
00:26:33.36\00:26:36.83
Take your Bible please,
and turn to 2 Peter Chapter 3.
00:26:36.86\00:26:41.20
The words of this preacher
00:26:41.23\00:26:42.56
may not be critically important,
00:26:42.60\00:26:43.97
but the words of Peter are.
00:26:44.00\00:26:46.20
And the Word of
God still speaks,
00:26:46.23\00:26:48.17
and the Word of God
still changes lives,
00:26:48.20\00:26:50.64
and the Word of God
still transforms us inside.
00:26:50.67\00:26:53.51
2 Peter Chapter 3,
we'll begin with verse 1,
00:26:53.54\00:26:56.24
"Beloved, I now write
to you this second epistle
00:26:56.28\00:27:02.65
of which I stir
up your pure minds
00:27:02.68\00:27:05.32
by way of reminder
00:27:05.35\00:27:07.46
that you may be
mindful of the words
00:27:07.49\00:27:09.42
which are spoken
by the Holy Prophets."
00:27:09.46\00:27:11.46
Again, he's saying,
00:27:11.49\00:27:12.89
I'm taking it
back to the prophets,
00:27:12.93\00:27:14.90
"Christ indeed is going to come,
00:27:14.93\00:27:16.63
and He's going to come soon."
00:27:16.67\00:27:18.07
Peter's not letting the
church forget that Jesus Christ
00:27:18.10\00:27:21.34
is going to return.
00:27:21.37\00:27:22.77
Then he says this,
verse 3, "Knowing this first,
00:27:22.80\00:27:27.34
that scoffers will
come in the last days
00:27:27.38\00:27:31.08
walking after their own lusts,
00:27:31.11\00:27:33.42
saying, 'Where is the
promise of His coming?'
00:27:33.45\00:27:36.18
For since the
Father's fell asleep,
00:27:36.22\00:27:37.92
all things continuously work
00:27:37.95\00:27:39.29
as they were from the
beginning of creation.' "
00:27:39.32\00:27:40.99
Peter's point is
clear, the scoffers can scoff,
00:27:41.02\00:27:44.29
the mockers can mock,
the ridiculers can ridicule,
00:27:44.33\00:27:48.06
the doubters can doubt,
the skeptics can skepticize.
00:27:48.10\00:27:51.27
I hope my English
teacher is not here,
00:27:51.30\00:27:52.63
I made up that word.
00:27:52.67\00:27:56.10
But that does not change
the eternal truth one wit.
00:27:56.14\00:28:01.01
Jesus Christ is coming in
spite of their skepticism.
00:28:01.04\00:28:04.31
Jesus Christ is coming
in spite of their mockery.
00:28:04.35\00:28:07.68
His coming is not
altered by their unbelief.
00:28:07.72\00:28:11.65
The certainty of
Christ coming is a reality,
00:28:11.69\00:28:14.36
Jesus is coming again.
00:28:14.39\00:28:16.02
And that gives life meaning.
00:28:16.06\00:28:18.03
But Peter says something
really fascinating here.
00:28:18.06\00:28:21.20
Notice what he says, verse 3,
00:28:21.23\00:28:24.10
"Knowing this first,
00:28:24.13\00:28:26.00
the scoffers will
come in the last days,
00:28:26.03\00:28:29.50
walking according
to their own lusts."
00:28:29.54\00:28:35.04
Listen to me, church,
00:28:35.08\00:28:36.64
our morality often
dictates our theology.
00:28:36.68\00:28:42.18
What you believe
impacts how you live,
00:28:42.22\00:28:46.39
but how you live
impacts what you believe.
00:28:46.42\00:28:50.56
Many a man, many a
woman, reasons away divine truth
00:28:50.59\00:28:56.06
not because
they don't understand
00:28:56.10\00:28:58.37
divine truth,
00:28:58.40\00:28:59.90
but because there's some
cherished sin in their life
00:28:59.93\00:29:04.67
that they would
have to surrender
00:29:04.71\00:29:06.68
if they gave up divine...
00:29:06.71\00:29:08.04
If they accept the divine truth.
00:29:08.08\00:29:10.05
If you are struggling
with some divine truth,
00:29:10.08\00:29:13.45
ask yourself this question.
00:29:13.48\00:29:15.68
Is it because I
do not understand?
00:29:15.72\00:29:19.02
Is it more
knowledge that I need?
00:29:19.05\00:29:21.49
Or is there some long
cherished sin in my life?
00:29:21.52\00:29:26.53
Is there some
ingrained lifestyle practice?
00:29:26.56\00:29:30.57
Is there some
questionable behavior?
00:29:30.60\00:29:33.57
Is there some deep
seated selfish attitude
00:29:33.60\00:29:37.24
that I'm reluctant to give up?
00:29:37.27\00:29:40.11
Often we plateau in
our Christian experience,
00:29:40.14\00:29:44.58
not because we
need more knowledge,
00:29:44.61\00:29:47.02
not because we
don't know enough,
00:29:47.05\00:29:49.15
not because we need to
discover some hidden truth,
00:29:49.18\00:29:52.62
but because there's
some hidden sin in our life,
00:29:52.65\00:29:55.76
some long cherished
habit lurking deeply within,
00:29:55.79\00:29:59.13
some attitude of lust,
some attitude of jealousy,
00:29:59.16\00:30:02.93
some attitude of
competition with somebody else.
00:30:02.96\00:30:06.84
Their attitudes and practices,
00:30:06.87\00:30:09.20
not in harmony with God's will
00:30:09.24\00:30:11.84
that requires
spiritual surgery in our lives
00:30:11.87\00:30:14.88
if we're going to be
ready for the coming of Jesus.
00:30:14.91\00:30:17.05
And there are times
that surgery is painful.
00:30:17.08\00:30:19.81
I pray that the Holy Spirit
00:30:19.85\00:30:23.22
will speak to our
hearts this morning
00:30:23.25\00:30:26.86
and reveal any Christ
like attitudes in our lives,
00:30:26.89\00:30:30.76
so we can be done with
them in the name of Jesus.
00:30:30.79\00:30:33.86
I pray the Holy Spirit
will so move among us today,
00:30:33.90\00:30:37.20
here in this place that
a revealed cherished sin
00:30:37.23\00:30:40.87
that's deep down
there in the heart,
00:30:40.90\00:30:43.57
deep within the mind,
and then we can surrender it.
00:30:43.61\00:30:47.28
I pray that the Holy Spirit
00:30:47.31\00:30:49.28
will so powerfully be
present here this morning
00:30:49.31\00:30:52.61
that we will see our
sin, surrender our sin,
00:30:52.65\00:30:55.58
and by the grace of
God become overcomers.
00:30:55.62\00:30:57.92
What do you say, church?
00:30:57.95\00:31:00.56
There's a wonderful statement
in the book, Desire of Ages.
00:31:00.59\00:31:04.26
And it's like this,
"Holiness is wholeness for God.
00:31:04.29\00:31:09.93
It is a surrender
of the heart in life
00:31:09.96\00:31:12.40
to the principles of heaven."
00:31:12.43\00:31:14.04
Can you say that
with me this morning?
00:31:14.07\00:31:16.24
Holiness is wholeness for God.
00:31:16.27\00:31:19.51
Together, holiness
is wholeness for God.
00:31:19.54\00:31:24.11
It is a surrender of
the principles of heart.
00:31:24.15\00:31:28.32
It is a surrender of the heart
00:31:28.35\00:31:30.05
and life to the
principles of heaven.
00:31:30.09\00:31:31.95
What is holiness, everybody?
00:31:31.99\00:31:33.82
It's wholeness for God.
00:31:33.86\00:31:36.39
It is cooperation
and not competition.
00:31:36.42\00:31:39.63
It is service
and not selfishness.
00:31:39.66\00:31:42.43
It is commendation
and blessing others
00:31:42.46\00:31:45.57
when you see them
succeed, not criticizing them.
00:31:45.60\00:31:48.40
It is giving and not grasping.
00:31:48.44\00:31:50.64
It is respect and not revenge
for those that do wrong to you.
00:31:50.67\00:31:54.78
It is thankfulness,
not thoughtlessness.
00:31:54.81\00:31:57.58
It is mercy, not meanness.
00:31:57.61\00:32:00.05
Does Jesus have
every part of you?
00:32:00.08\00:32:04.82
Does He have every
fiber of your being?
00:32:04.85\00:32:08.09
Are you Christ,
in Christ totally?
00:32:08.12\00:32:12.79
Peter speaks to
you this morning.
00:32:12.83\00:32:15.66
What would the old
man say if he were here?
00:32:15.70\00:32:19.43
He would say,
00:32:19.47\00:32:21.10
"Is there anything in your life,
00:32:21.14\00:32:25.17
any cherished sin,
any selfish attitude,
00:32:25.21\00:32:30.31
anything lurking deeply within
00:32:30.35\00:32:33.85
that would keep
you from being ready
00:32:33.88\00:32:36.58
for the coming of Christ."
00:32:36.62\00:32:38.95
Now Peter apart
employs three major arguments
00:32:38.99\00:32:43.19
against the scoffers.
00:32:43.22\00:32:45.23
He argues from the
perspective of history,
00:32:45.26\00:32:48.06
he argues from the
perspective of time,
00:32:48.10\00:32:51.43
and he argues
from the perspective
00:32:51.47\00:32:53.07
of the
graciousness of God's character.
00:32:53.10\00:32:55.94
Take your Bible please,
and go to 2 Peter Chapter 3.
00:32:55.97\00:33:00.04
And look at Peter's arguments.
00:33:00.08\00:33:02.88
He first argues
00:33:02.91\00:33:04.25
from the perspective of history.
00:33:04.28\00:33:06.35
We go and pick up verse 3,
00:33:06.38\00:33:07.95
and then we move on
from verse 3 and onward.
00:33:07.98\00:33:10.75
"Knowing this first,
00:33:10.79\00:33:12.12
that the scoffers
will come in the last days
00:33:12.15\00:33:14.92
walking after
their own lusts and say,
00:33:14.96\00:33:17.96
'Where is the
promise of His coming?' "
00:33:17.99\00:33:19.93
In other words, the
delay has been so long
00:33:19.96\00:33:22.76
that Christ may not come.
00:33:22.80\00:33:25.03
"For since the
Father's fell asleep
00:33:25.07\00:33:27.64
all things continue as they were
00:33:27.67\00:33:29.87
from the beginning of creation."
00:33:29.90\00:33:31.77
So the argument of the scoffers
is that history is a continuum,
00:33:31.81\00:33:37.35
and there's never
been a change that life
00:33:37.38\00:33:39.78
and history have
flown uninterruptedly.
00:33:39.81\00:33:42.85
Now Peter meets
that argument head on
00:33:42.88\00:33:45.12
when he says, "For
this, they willingly forget,
00:33:45.15\00:33:48.02
that by the Word of
God, the heavens were of old
00:33:48.06\00:33:51.56
and the earth
standing on a water."
00:33:51.59\00:33:53.03
He said, this is they forget
that God created the world
00:33:53.06\00:33:56.56
at a historical
period of time in history.
00:33:56.60\00:34:00.30
God broke through, the
world was created by God.
00:34:00.34\00:34:04.74
Then he says, he
argues from creation,
00:34:04.77\00:34:08.01
then he argues from the flood,
00:34:08.04\00:34:09.54
the earth standing on a
water by which, verse 6,
00:34:09.58\00:34:12.91
"The world that
then existed perished
00:34:12.95\00:34:15.12
and being flooded with water."
00:34:15.15\00:34:16.48
Peter says, look, we're
not skin covering bones,
00:34:16.52\00:34:19.29
we're not some genetic accident,
00:34:19.32\00:34:21.09
God created us,
God fashioned us,
00:34:21.12\00:34:23.36
we have purpose.
00:34:23.39\00:34:24.73
And the God that
created us is the Christ
00:34:24.76\00:34:26.70
that is going to
come and redeem us.
00:34:26.73\00:34:28.26
Then he says,
00:34:28.30\00:34:29.63
"God destroyed the
world with a flood once."
00:34:29.66\00:34:31.07
You're willingly ignorant,
you don't know history.
00:34:31.10\00:34:33.70
God created the world at
a historical period of time,
00:34:33.74\00:34:38.04
God destroyed the
world with a flood,
00:34:38.07\00:34:40.84
Christ came at a
historical period of time,
00:34:40.88\00:34:43.01
and Jesus is coming again.
00:34:43.04\00:34:44.81
Then he argues
from the point of time.
00:34:44.85\00:34:47.92
Notice verse 8,
00:34:47.95\00:34:50.39
"But beloved, do not forget
00:34:50.42\00:34:54.52
that this one thing
that with the Lord one day
00:34:54.56\00:34:58.39
it says a 1,000 years and
a 1,000 years is one day."
00:34:58.43\00:35:02.03
He says they fail to
understand God's view of time.
00:35:02.06\00:35:05.33
God's relationship with
time is dramatically different
00:35:05.37\00:35:09.34
than our relationship with time.
00:35:09.37\00:35:11.91
The delay of the Advent
is from our perspective,
00:35:11.94\00:35:15.51
but God is doing things in a way
00:35:15.54\00:35:18.65
that will settle
the great controversy
00:35:18.68\00:35:20.88
in the universe forever.
00:35:20.92\00:35:23.82
The reason we've had
a delay of the Advent
00:35:23.85\00:35:27.56
is because in the
divine drama of destiny,
00:35:27.59\00:35:32.03
in the light of
the great controversy
00:35:32.06\00:35:34.03
between good and evil,
00:35:34.06\00:35:36.33
God's love that was
revealed on the cross
00:35:36.36\00:35:39.43
will be revealed in
His people before end time,
00:35:39.47\00:35:43.10
and before a waiting
world and a watching universe,
00:35:43.14\00:35:46.27
God will have people
that are so committed to Him,
00:35:46.31\00:35:50.08
that are so
transformed by His grace,
00:35:50.11\00:35:52.51
so charmed by His love,
00:35:52.55\00:35:54.45
so attracted by the cross
that they revealed to the world
00:35:54.48\00:36:00.06
the life of Jesus, of
unselfish love, of kindness,
00:36:00.09\00:36:04.39
and compassion.
00:36:04.43\00:36:06.56
And here, Peter says,
"God's never in a hurry."
00:36:06.59\00:36:10.87
He's dealing with
the great controversy
00:36:10.90\00:36:12.47
in a way that His
love, and grace, and power
00:36:12.50\00:36:14.50
will be
revealed to the universe.
00:36:14.54\00:36:16.37
God's concern is the security
00:36:16.40\00:36:19.21
of the universe forever.
00:36:19.24\00:36:22.44
God's concern is that sin
never rises a second time.
00:36:22.48\00:36:28.02
Peter says to the scoffers,
"You don't know history."
00:36:28.05\00:36:30.62
Peter says to the scoffers,
00:36:30.65\00:36:32.35
"You don't understand
God's purpose is in time."
00:36:32.39\00:36:34.99
But he says one other
thing to the scoffers.
00:36:35.02\00:36:37.49
He says, "You fail to understand
00:36:37.53\00:36:38.86
the gracious character of God."
00:36:38.89\00:36:41.00
Verse 9,
00:36:41.03\00:36:42.73
"But the Lord is not
slack concerning his promise,
00:36:42.76\00:36:45.30
as some men count slackness,
but is longsuffering toward us,
00:36:45.33\00:36:49.34
not willing that
any should perish,
00:36:49.37\00:36:51.74
but that all should
come to repentance."
00:36:51.77\00:36:54.54
The delay of the Advent
is not because God is tardy,
00:36:54.58\00:36:59.28
it's not because He's
slow to fulfill His promises,
00:36:59.31\00:37:02.78
He is longsuffering.
00:37:02.82\00:37:04.75
The longsuffering of God
00:37:04.79\00:37:08.12
refers not only to
the patience of God,
00:37:08.16\00:37:12.23
it refer not
only to God's desire
00:37:12.26\00:37:14.40
to save all humanity,
00:37:14.43\00:37:16.83
it refers not only
to His gracious mercy,
00:37:16.87\00:37:20.37
it refers not only
to His patient longing
00:37:20.40\00:37:23.37
to see every
individual in His kingdom,
00:37:23.41\00:37:26.68
but it refers
also to His suffering.
00:37:26.71\00:37:30.41
God is longsuffering.
00:37:30.45\00:37:34.82
He suffers long,
00:37:34.85\00:37:36.99
and He's willing to suffer
00:37:37.02\00:37:39.69
the pain and the
agony of a sinful world
00:37:39.72\00:37:43.66
to ensure the security
of the universe forever.
00:37:43.69\00:37:47.83
This planet in rebellion
brings sorrow to God's heart.
00:37:47.86\00:37:53.10
He has endured the
pain of sin for millenniums
00:37:53.13\00:37:57.41
because of His great love.
00:37:57.44\00:37:59.21
He doesn't want one person lost.
00:37:59.24\00:38:01.61
His heart is broken over sin.
00:38:01.64\00:38:04.88
His capacity to suffer
is in direct proportion
00:38:04.91\00:38:09.48
to His capacity to love.
00:38:09.52\00:38:12.02
His suffering began
the day that sin began.
00:38:12.05\00:38:15.82
And His suffering will never end
00:38:15.86\00:38:17.79
until the day that sin ends.
00:38:17.83\00:38:20.16
He is the Lamb
00:38:20.20\00:38:22.16
slain from the
foundation of the world.
00:38:22.20\00:38:26.00
And when God
created the human race,
00:38:26.03\00:38:27.70
He took a risk,
00:38:27.74\00:38:29.10
and that risk was
to create human beings
00:38:29.14\00:38:31.47
with the capacity of
choice, knowing full well,
00:38:31.51\00:38:34.24
they could make wrong choices,
00:38:34.28\00:38:35.84
and knowing that
00:38:35.88\00:38:37.21
sin would bring
grief to his own heart,
00:38:37.25\00:38:38.95
but love could do no other.
00:38:38.98\00:38:40.88
And as day-by-day,
00:38:40.92\00:38:42.25
Jesus sees the heartache
and suffering in our world,
00:38:42.28\00:38:45.32
His heart grieves,
and as Isaiah puts it,
00:38:45.35\00:38:48.16
"In all their
affliction, He was afflicted."
00:38:48.19\00:38:51.33
Ellen White describes it in
the book Education this way,
00:38:51.36\00:38:55.63
"Those who think..."
00:38:55.66\00:38:57.00
I'm reading Education, page 263.
00:38:57.03\00:39:00.14
"Those who think of
the result of hastening
00:39:00.17\00:39:02.50
or hindering the gospel,
00:39:02.54\00:39:04.54
think of it in
relationship to themselves
00:39:04.57\00:39:06.94
and to the world.
00:39:06.98\00:39:08.34
Few give thought of
its relationship to God.
00:39:08.38\00:39:12.65
All heaven
suffered in Christ agony,
00:39:12.68\00:39:16.28
but that suffering
did not begin or end
00:39:16.32\00:39:19.59
with this
manifestation in humanity."
00:39:19.62\00:39:22.26
"The cross," and I'm quoting,
00:39:22.29\00:39:24.26
"is a revelation to our
dull senses of the pain,
00:39:24.29\00:39:28.43
that sin from its very inception
00:39:28.46\00:39:30.33
is brought to the heart of God.
00:39:30.37\00:39:32.23
Every deed of cruelty,
every departure from right,
00:39:32.27\00:39:35.80
every failure of humanity
to reach the divine ideal
00:39:35.84\00:39:39.07
brings grief to Him."
00:39:39.11\00:39:41.24
The greatest
motivation to turn loose of sin
00:39:41.28\00:39:45.55
is not the fear of hell
00:39:45.58\00:39:48.78
or the joy of heaven,
00:39:48.82\00:39:50.65
it is the one
that loves me so much
00:39:50.69\00:39:56.22
has pain in His heart
00:39:56.26\00:39:58.39
every time I turn away from Him.
00:39:58.43\00:40:03.67
The greatest
motivation to turn loose of sin
00:40:03.70\00:40:06.80
is seeing Christ on
the cross with nails
00:40:06.84\00:40:10.14
through His hands
and a crown of thorns
00:40:10.17\00:40:12.34
upon His head
00:40:12.37\00:40:13.71
and blood running down His face,
00:40:13.74\00:40:15.94
and knowing that He
bears the sins of all humanity.
00:40:15.98\00:40:20.55
And looking at that cross,
00:40:20.58\00:40:23.15
knowing that my rebellion today,
00:40:23.18\00:40:25.89
knowing that my
selfishness today,
00:40:25.92\00:40:28.42
knowing that my greed today
00:40:28.46\00:40:30.46
brings grief and
sorrow to His heart.
00:40:30.49\00:40:33.66
Peter comes to a
conclusion, 2 Peter 3:10, 11.
00:40:33.70\00:40:38.93
In Chapter 1, he talks about
the certainty of the Advent,
00:40:38.97\00:40:41.97
in Chapter 2, he
talks about judgment
00:40:42.00\00:40:43.87
in the light of the Advent.
00:40:43.91\00:40:45.27
In Chapter 3, he talks
about the delay of the Advent
00:40:45.31\00:40:47.88
and the
longsuffering patience of God.
00:40:47.91\00:40:50.45
And then he says in 3:10, 11,
00:40:50.48\00:40:56.08
"But the day of
the Lord will come,
00:40:56.12\00:40:59.42
the delay of the Advent
will not take place forever."
00:40:59.45\00:41:02.72
There is a point beyond
00:41:02.76\00:41:04.09
which God will
not allow sin to go.
00:41:04.13\00:41:07.10
There's a point upon
00:41:07.13\00:41:08.46
which God's people on
their knees seeking Him
00:41:08.50\00:41:10.43
received the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
00:41:10.47\00:41:12.43
"The gospel is preached
to the end of the world.
00:41:12.47\00:41:14.60
But the day of
the Lord will come
00:41:14.64\00:41:17.47
as a thief in the night
00:41:17.51\00:41:18.84
in which the
heavens will pass away
00:41:18.87\00:41:20.34
with great noise,
00:41:20.38\00:41:21.71
the elements will
melt with fervent heat,
00:41:21.74\00:41:23.68
both the earth and the works
00:41:23.71\00:41:25.08
that are there in
will be burned up,
00:41:25.11\00:41:26.92
therefore
00:41:26.95\00:41:29.58
since all these
things will be dissolved,
00:41:29.62\00:41:32.52
what manner of
persons ought you to be
00:41:32.55\00:41:35.92
in holy conduct and godliness."
00:41:35.96\00:41:38.19
Peter's urgent appeal
00:41:38.23\00:41:40.60
in the blazing light of
the second coming of Christ
00:41:40.63\00:41:44.50
is an appeal to
the church today,
00:41:44.53\00:41:46.63
it's an appeal for holiness,
it's appeal for godliness,
00:41:46.67\00:41:50.27
it's appeal for a
grace that is so powerful
00:41:50.31\00:41:53.17
and life transforming
00:41:53.21\00:41:54.64
that it makes
you a different man
00:41:54.68\00:41:56.01
or a different woman.
00:41:56.04\00:41:57.65
God is a problem,
00:41:57.68\00:41:59.01
and God's problem
is the sin problem.
00:41:59.05\00:42:01.28
Sin reigns in the universe,
and it reigns in our hearts.
00:42:01.32\00:42:05.12
And the central issue
in the Great Controversy
00:42:05.15\00:42:08.26
is over the character of God.
00:42:08.29\00:42:10.53
Is the grip of grace
greater than the grip of sin?
00:42:10.56\00:42:16.16
Is God's love more
powerful than selfishness?
00:42:16.20\00:42:19.27
Will there ever be a
group of people in this world
00:42:19.30\00:42:23.30
who love Jesus
more than they love sin,
00:42:23.34\00:42:26.17
whose hearts are
more set on heaven
00:42:26.21\00:42:27.98
than the things of this world,
00:42:28.01\00:42:29.71
whose minds are
more fixed on eternity,
00:42:29.74\00:42:32.35
who live totally dedicated,
00:42:32.38\00:42:34.12
unselfish, godly
lives, a service.
00:42:34.15\00:42:37.02
What can break the
hold of sin in our lives?
00:42:37.05\00:42:43.02
What can
transform us into His image?
00:42:43.06\00:42:47.06
What can deliver us
00:42:47.10\00:42:49.33
from the chains
of evil that bind us?
00:42:49.36\00:42:52.87
What can release
us from the prisons
00:42:52.90\00:42:57.71
that so often enslave us?
00:42:57.74\00:43:00.24
There is only one thing
that has the power to do it,
00:43:00.28\00:43:03.14
the cross of Calvary.
00:43:03.18\00:43:06.08
Why is the cross the
remedy for the sin problem?
00:43:06.11\00:43:11.42
At the cross, we
see love in action.
00:43:11.45\00:43:14.19
At the cross, we
see the divine righteous
00:43:14.22\00:43:17.36
Son of God suffering in agony,
pouring out His life for us.
00:43:17.39\00:43:21.00
At the cross,
00:43:21.03\00:43:22.36
we see the just
dying for the unjust,
00:43:22.40\00:43:24.77
the righteous one
dying for the unrighteous,
00:43:24.80\00:43:27.74
the innocent one
dying for the guilty,
00:43:27.77\00:43:30.14
the obedient dying
for the disobedient.
00:43:30.17\00:43:32.74
At the cross, the Son
of God bears the guilt,
00:43:32.77\00:43:35.94
the weight, the
burden, the shame,
00:43:35.98\00:43:37.81
the condemnation of our sin.
00:43:37.85\00:43:40.18
At the cross, we are
freed from the shackles
00:43:40.22\00:43:42.68
that bind us.
00:43:42.72\00:43:44.05
At the cross,
love breaks our hearts.
00:43:44.09\00:43:46.42
At the cross, the
chains are severed.
00:43:46.45\00:43:50.49
At the cross, we are set free.
00:43:50.53\00:43:52.73
At the cross,
healing grace flows to heal
00:43:52.76\00:43:55.93
our sin sick souls.
00:43:55.96\00:43:57.53
Listen to this amazing reference
00:43:57.57\00:43:59.77
in Acts of the
Apostles, page 532.
00:43:59.80\00:44:02.94
"Before the
believer is held out,
00:44:02.97\00:44:05.81
the wonderful possibility
of being like Christ."
00:44:05.84\00:44:09.04
Oh Jesus, that can't be me.
00:44:09.08\00:44:11.18
I know myself better
than anybody else knows me.
00:44:11.21\00:44:13.92
I know this
sinful, wicked heart,
00:44:13.95\00:44:15.88
Jesus, that can't be me, Jesus.
00:44:15.92\00:44:18.92
Notice,
00:44:18.95\00:44:21.39
Jesus will lead
us to be obedient
00:44:21.42\00:44:23.06
to all the
principles of His law.
00:44:23.09\00:44:25.13
But of himself,
00:44:25.16\00:44:26.49
man is unable to
reach this condition.
00:44:26.53\00:44:28.63
The holiness that God's
Word declares he must have
00:44:28.66\00:44:31.23
before it can be saved
00:44:31.27\00:44:32.60
is the result of the
working of divine grace
00:44:32.63\00:44:35.64
as he bows in
submission to the discipline
00:44:35.67\00:44:38.14
and restraining
influence of the Holy Spirit.
00:44:38.17\00:44:39.81
Now listen to this one.
00:44:39.84\00:44:41.18
Man's obedience
can be made perfect
00:44:41.21\00:44:44.65
only by the incense of
Christ's righteousness,
00:44:44.68\00:44:48.52
which fills with
divine fragrance,
00:44:48.55\00:44:50.95
every act of obedience.
00:44:50.99\00:44:52.82
I cannot but He can.
00:44:52.85\00:44:56.02
I am not, but He is.
00:44:56.06\00:44:58.43
I am weak, but He is strong.
00:44:58.46\00:45:00.60
I am frail, but He is almighty.
00:45:00.63\00:45:03.23
I am sinful,
but He is righteous.
00:45:03.26\00:45:06.63
And as we come to Him,
00:45:06.67\00:45:11.17
opening our hearts to Him,
00:45:11.21\00:45:15.21
Jesus says, "My child,
00:45:15.24\00:45:17.45
I'm not only the
author of your faith,
00:45:17.48\00:45:19.75
I'm the finisher of it."
00:45:19.78\00:45:21.45
Jesus can finish in
you what He began in you.
00:45:21.48\00:45:27.36
When you see your defects,
when you see your weakness,
00:45:27.39\00:45:31.99
when you struggle with
those cherished habits,
00:45:32.03\00:45:37.63
the cross is all sufficient.
00:45:37.67\00:45:40.84
Our Savior longs
to do something in us,
00:45:40.87\00:45:44.24
so He can do
something through us.
00:45:44.27\00:45:47.11
He longs to do something for us,
00:45:47.14\00:45:50.05
so He can do something with us.
00:45:50.08\00:45:52.95
He longs to change us,
00:45:52.98\00:45:55.52
so we can change the world.
00:45:55.55\00:45:59.45
You have only one life to live,
00:45:59.49\00:46:04.03
time is passing.
00:46:04.06\00:46:06.70
It's the urgent hour.
00:46:06.73\00:46:09.26
It's no longer
business as usual,
00:46:09.30\00:46:11.47
it's business unusual.
00:46:11.50\00:46:13.90
The present is
rapidly becoming the past,
00:46:13.94\00:46:19.24
and the future is
rapidly becoming the present
00:46:19.27\00:46:25.05
in the flood light of eternity,
00:46:25.08\00:46:28.88
in the blazing light
of the coming of Christ.
00:46:28.92\00:46:32.99
Will you this
morning make that full,
00:46:33.02\00:46:38.09
complete, absolute, total,
00:46:38.13\00:46:41.33
radical all out commitment
00:46:41.36\00:46:44.57
to this Christ of the cross?
00:46:44.60\00:46:47.84
Recently, in fact
it was last Sabbath,
00:46:47.87\00:46:51.47
my wife and I were in a
little village in England
00:46:51.51\00:46:55.71
at a place called the
Cotswolds where the houses,
00:46:55.74\00:46:58.61
they have stone houses.
00:46:58.65\00:47:01.22
We're taking a
Sabbath to refresh our souls.
00:47:01.25\00:47:05.45
And I came upon a
little stone house.
00:47:05.49\00:47:08.76
And in that stone house,
there was etched in stone
00:47:08.79\00:47:12.19
these words,
00:47:12.23\00:47:14.00
"Every noble life
00:47:14.03\00:47:17.37
leaves the fabric of it forever
00:47:17.40\00:47:20.84
woven into the
work of this world."
00:47:20.87\00:47:25.21
"Every noble life
00:47:25.24\00:47:28.41
leaves the fabric of it forever
00:47:28.44\00:47:31.88
woven into the
work of this world."
00:47:31.91\00:47:36.12
You've one life to live.
00:47:36.15\00:47:39.35
What are you
going to leave behind?
00:47:39.39\00:47:42.56
What legacy will you leave?
00:47:42.59\00:47:46.39
What will you weave
00:47:46.43\00:47:49.53
into the fabric of this world?
00:47:49.56\00:47:53.23
Will you live
in the joyful light
00:47:53.27\00:47:55.20
of the second coming of Christ
00:47:55.24\00:47:58.37
committed to share His love
00:47:58.41\00:48:01.31
and His grace with others.
00:48:01.34\00:48:06.18
Is there anything in
your life, any attitude,
00:48:06.21\00:48:11.72
any habit, any cherished sin
00:48:11.75\00:48:16.36
that keep you from
being the man, the woman,
00:48:16.39\00:48:20.33
the young person
that God wants you to be.
00:48:20.36\00:48:24.97
I love that old song,
00:48:25.00\00:48:26.33
"Come every soul
of sin oppressed."
00:48:26.37\00:48:29.57
There's mercy with
the Lord, only trust Him,
00:48:29.60\00:48:34.21
and only trust Him,
and only trust Him now.
00:48:34.24\00:48:39.78
Beth is going to come and sing.
00:48:39.81\00:48:42.75
I want you to bow
your head and meditate.
00:48:42.78\00:48:45.32
Listen to the words of the song.
00:48:45.35\00:48:47.72
Let Jesus speak to your heart.
00:48:47.76\00:48:50.09
Let Jesus touch
you deeply inside.
00:48:50.13\00:48:54.20
Is there something
way down there inside,
00:48:54.23\00:48:58.03
something that keeps you
00:48:58.07\00:48:59.40
from being totally
committed to Jesus?
00:48:59.43\00:49:04.01
Have you been holding
something back for Him?
00:49:04.04\00:49:06.81
His plans for
your life are amazing,
00:49:06.84\00:49:11.21
far greater than
you could ever imagine.
00:49:11.25\00:49:13.95
Listen as Beth sings,
00:49:13.98\00:49:15.32
and let the Spirit of
God speak to your heart.
00:49:15.35\00:49:17.19
Come, every
soul by sin oppressed
00:49:23.19\00:49:30.37
There's mercy with the Lord
00:49:30.40\00:49:37.71
And He will save you
00:49:37.74\00:49:41.94
He will save you
00:49:41.98\00:49:45.51
By trusting in His Word
00:49:45.55\00:49:53.09
Only trust Him Only trust Him
00:49:53.12\00:50:00.73
Only trust Him now
00:50:00.76\00:50:08.20
He will save
you He will save you
00:50:08.24\00:50:15.84
He will save you now
00:50:15.88\00:50:21.78
Would you like to say
to Jesus this morning?
00:50:21.82\00:50:25.32
Lord, the best I know,
I'm giving my life to you.
00:50:25.35\00:50:31.09
You know, that's
what God requires.
00:50:31.13\00:50:34.53
We don't know
everything about ourselves.
00:50:34.56\00:50:37.73
The past for
you is but a memory,
00:50:37.77\00:50:42.04
the future for
you is but a dream,
00:50:42.07\00:50:46.11
but this moment is yours.
00:50:46.14\00:50:48.78
This moment is yours.
00:50:48.81\00:50:51.05
Would you like to stand and say,
00:50:51.08\00:50:52.41
"Jesus, the best I know,
I'm giving my life to You,
00:50:52.45\00:50:57.92
and I want to be
ready for Your return.
00:50:57.95\00:51:02.06
When we make
those kind of decisions,
00:51:02.09\00:51:05.59
come to this
Christ of the cross,
00:51:05.63\00:51:08.46
His arms are open for us.
00:51:08.50\00:51:11.23
You know, I could
offer the benediction,
00:51:11.27\00:51:12.90
and we could go out and
say that was a nice meeting.
00:51:12.93\00:51:15.44
But we're too
late in earth's history
00:51:18.27\00:51:20.01
for nice meetings.
00:51:20.04\00:51:22.98
I have a special appeal,
00:51:23.01\00:51:25.28
this is not a general appeal.
00:51:25.31\00:51:29.28
But as I was thinking and
praying about this message,
00:51:29.32\00:51:32.35
I have an appeal for
three groups of people.
00:51:32.39\00:51:34.99
First, there is
somebody here in this audience
00:51:35.02\00:51:39.53
that you have been struggling
with something in your life,
00:51:39.56\00:51:44.63
not in harmony with God's will,
00:51:44.67\00:51:47.70
and the Spirit of God,
this morning, has touched you
00:51:47.74\00:51:50.17
about that thing.
00:51:50.21\00:51:51.74
It may be some habit,
it may be some attitude.
00:51:51.77\00:51:56.28
And just now,
00:51:56.31\00:51:57.78
I'm going to invite
you to come and say,
00:51:57.81\00:52:00.18
"Jesus, I'm
giving that thing to you.
00:52:00.22\00:52:02.65
I'm giving that thing to you."
00:52:02.68\00:52:04.02
Beth is going to sing.
00:52:04.05\00:52:05.39
Secondly, there's
somebody here today
00:52:05.42\00:52:07.56
that you have been disappointed,
00:52:07.59\00:52:09.66
something in your
life has disappointed you,
00:52:09.69\00:52:12.89
and that disappointment
00:52:12.93\00:52:14.26
has fogged your vision
of the coming of Christ.
00:52:14.30\00:52:16.97
But you're walking out
of here with new hope today,
00:52:17.00\00:52:18.97
and you're coming to
this altar and you're saying,
00:52:19.00\00:52:20.84
"Lord, I'm leaving all
those disappointments behind.
00:52:20.87\00:52:24.11
I'm leaving them
all behind, Lord.
00:52:24.14\00:52:26.47
I'm coming to You to
lay that thing down."
00:52:26.51\00:52:29.04
And thirdly,
there's somebody here
00:52:29.08\00:52:33.35
that maybe you've never
made a full surrender to Jesus
00:52:33.38\00:52:35.92
and you want to do that today.
00:52:35.95\00:52:37.85
Just say, "Lord, I want
to be ready for Your coming."
00:52:37.89\00:52:39.62
If there's
something in your life, come,
00:52:39.65\00:52:40.99
forget about this audience,
00:52:41.02\00:52:42.36
just come here and pray,
and say, "Jesus, it's yours."
00:52:42.39\00:52:45.23
Somebody that had
something in their life
00:52:45.26\00:52:47.73
that's disappointed you,
00:52:47.76\00:52:49.26
and you've seen
that thing, and you say,
00:52:49.30\00:52:51.13
"I'm laying
that down, You come."
00:52:51.17\00:52:54.24
And somebody here,
00:52:54.27\00:52:55.60
who's never fully
made a decision for Christ,
00:52:55.64\00:52:57.21
you want to make it.
00:52:57.24\00:52:58.57
Let's sing, Beth.
00:52:58.61\00:52:59.94
And if you know the chorus,
when you come, only trust Him,
00:52:59.97\00:53:02.11
only trust Him,
only trust Him now.
00:53:02.14\00:53:04.45
Let's sing it together
with Beth on the chorus.
00:53:04.48\00:53:07.22
You just come as Beth sings.
00:53:07.25\00:53:09.12
Forget about the audience,
00:53:09.15\00:53:10.49
just come, bow
your head and pray.
00:53:10.52\00:53:12.12
Let God speak to your heart,
00:53:12.15\00:53:13.62
let this be a
special moment in your life.
00:53:13.66\00:53:15.89
Look back on this at a time
when God came and touched you
00:53:15.92\00:53:19.56
and Christ spoke to you.
00:53:19.59\00:53:20.93
For Jesus shed
His precious blood
00:53:27.54\00:53:35.08
Rich blessings to bestow
00:53:35.11\00:53:42.15
Plunge now into
that crimson flood
00:53:42.18\00:53:49.06
That washes white as snow
00:53:49.09\00:53:53.90
Only trust Him,
let's sing it together.
00:53:53.93\00:53:56.56
Only trust Him Only trust Him
00:53:56.60\00:54:03.47
Only trust Him now
00:54:03.51\00:54:10.11
He will save
you He will save you
00:54:10.15\00:54:17.09
He will save you now
00:54:17.12\00:54:23.69
Yes, Jesus is the truth, the way
00:54:23.73\00:54:30.90
That leads you into rest
00:54:30.93\00:54:37.64
To dwell in that celestial land
00:54:37.67\00:54:44.75
And you are of holy bands
00:54:44.78\00:54:51.99
Only trust Him Only trust Him
00:54:52.02\00:54:58.89
Only trust Him now
00:54:58.93\00:55:05.47
He will save
you He will save you
00:55:05.50\00:55:12.21
He will save you now
00:55:12.24\00:55:17.05
We're going to pray.
00:55:17.08\00:55:18.58
Here is the gracious good news.
00:55:21.58\00:55:25.89
Jesus wants to save you
00:55:25.92\00:55:28.59
more than you want to be saved.
00:55:28.62\00:55:31.79
The longing of Christ
00:55:31.83\00:55:34.30
is to have you
in heaven with Him.
00:55:34.33\00:55:37.87
Heaven's not going
to be worth it for Him
00:55:37.90\00:55:40.94
if you're not there.
00:55:40.97\00:55:42.84
That's what the
cross is all about,
00:55:42.87\00:55:45.41
His desire to have you with Him.
00:55:45.44\00:55:47.81
That's what the second
coming of Christ is about.
00:55:47.84\00:55:50.71
He's not coming predominantly
to burn up a world,
00:55:50.75\00:55:54.62
He's coming to take you home,
He's coming to take you home.
00:55:54.65\00:55:58.45
And an ancient
prophet 2,000 years
00:55:58.49\00:56:02.12
speaks down through the ages,
00:56:02.16\00:56:04.26
and his message comes echoing
00:56:04.29\00:56:05.99
and reechoing down
the course of time.
00:56:06.03\00:56:08.76
Never forget it,
Jesus is coming for you.
00:56:08.80\00:56:13.54
Let that hope
inspire your heart.
00:56:13.57\00:56:16.27
Let that hope break down
00:56:16.30\00:56:17.64
every barrier of
sin in your life.
00:56:17.67\00:56:19.81
Let that hope send
you from this place
00:56:19.84\00:56:22.54
impelled to serve
Him now and forever.
00:56:22.58\00:56:25.58
Let's pray, Father in heaven,
00:56:25.61\00:56:28.62
thank You that life
is not an endless journey
00:56:28.65\00:56:33.69
to nowhere.
00:56:33.72\00:56:35.26
Thank You that life
is not some cosmic joke.
00:56:35.29\00:56:38.26
Thank You that we're
not moving to oblivion.
00:56:38.29\00:56:40.80
Thank You for the blessed hope
00:56:40.83\00:56:42.96
that Jesus
Christ is coming again.
00:56:43.00\00:56:46.07
Thank You that You
want us in heaven so badly
00:56:46.10\00:56:49.84
that You sent Christ to die.
00:56:49.87\00:56:52.67
Father, the words of
the song echo in our hearts,
00:56:52.71\00:56:56.64
and we trust You today.
00:56:56.68\00:56:58.51
We come to You today,
00:56:58.55\00:56:59.88
I prayed for those
at the altar today.
00:56:59.91\00:57:01.65
May the barriers
of sin be broken down,
00:57:01.68\00:57:03.59
may the shackles
of sin be released.
00:57:03.62\00:57:07.89
Put new hope in our hearts
00:57:07.92\00:57:09.26
where there's
been discouragement,
00:57:09.29\00:57:10.66
new joy in our souls.
00:57:10.69\00:57:14.10
Send us from this place as
powerful witnesses for You,
00:57:14.13\00:57:18.03
now through all eternity, amen.
00:57:18.07\00:57:21.04
Let's sing that chorus again
as you get back to your seats.
00:57:21.07\00:57:24.27
Go in the joy of Jesus,
go in the grace of Jesus.
00:57:24.31\00:57:27.64
Just the chorus,
00:57:27.68\00:57:29.01
"Only trust
Him. Only trust Him."
00:57:29.04\00:57:31.31
Only trust Him Only trust Him
00:57:31.35\00:57:36.89
Only trust Him now
00:57:36.92\00:57:43.06
He will save
you He will save you
00:57:43.09\00:57:49.70
He will save you now
00:57:49.73\00:57:57.31