Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: CSH
Program Code: CSH021330
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:47 >>WELCOME TO SACRAMENTO CENTRAL SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 00:51 AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR CENTRAL STUDY HOUR. 00:56 WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE WITH US WHEREVER YOU'RE JOINING 00:58 US FROM AROUND THE WORLD. WHETHER YOU'RE WATCHING LIVE 01:03 STREAMING AT 'SACCENTRAL.ORG' OR IF YOU'RE HERE IN THE SANCTUARY, 01:07 IF YOU'RE LISTENING ON THE RADIO OR ON THE VARIOUS NETWORKS. 01:10 WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE WITH US AND AS IS OUR CUSTOM WE 01:14 LIKE TO PREPARE OUR HEARTS FOR THE STUDY BY SINGING. 01:18 YOU KNOW, IN THE BIBLE, WHEN GOD'S CHILDREN SANG AMAZING 01:24 THINGS HAPPENED. I THINK OF THE STORY OF PAUL 01:26 AND SILAS. THEY WERE JUST BEATEN AND HAULED 01:29 OFF TO PRISON. WHAT DID THEY DO? 01:32 THEY PRAYED AND THEY SANG AND AS THEY WERE SINGING AN EARTHQUAKE 01:37 CAME AND IT TOOK OFF THEIR - IT JUST - THEIR SHACKLES FELL OFF 01:42 AND THE GATES OF THE PRISON WERE OPENED. 01:46 AND THEN I THINK OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - 2 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 01:49 20 - JUDAH WAS ABOUT TO GET ATTACKED BY A MULTITUDE AND - 01:57 GOT A LITTLE NERVOUS - JEHOSEPHAT PRAYED. THEY FASTED, 02:01 THEY PRAYED AND GOD SAID, 'THIS BATTLE IS IN MY HANDS. 02:05 THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD.' DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID? 02:09 THEY SANG. AND THE BIBLE SAYS, IN VERSE 22, 02:12 'AS THEY BEGAN TO SING THE LORD SET AMBUSHES AGAINST THE 02:16 CHILDREN OF AMMON, MOAB, AND MOUNT SEIR WHICH WERE COMING 02:19 AGAINST JUDAH AND THEY WERE SMITTEN.' 02:23 DOESN'T THAT MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE SINGING THIS MORNING? AMEN. 02:27 WHETHER YOU'RE HAPPY, SING SONGS TO GOD. 02:30 IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING, IF YOU'RE SAD, IF YOU'RE DISCOURAGED, IF 02:33 YOU'RE ANGRY, IF SOMETHING'S BOTHERING YOU PRAY TO THE LORD 02:37 AND SING SONGS TO HIM AND SEE WHAT HE CAN DO. 02:41 IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SING, STAY WITH US. 02:44 WE'RE GOING TO SING TWO OF YOUR FAVORITES RIGHT NOW. 02:46 THESE ARE SONGS THAT WERE CHOSEN BY OUR CHURCH FAMILY - OUR 02:50 VIEWERS - AND WE'RE GOING TO SING 'AT THE CROSS' - HYMN #163. 02:54 THIS IS A SONG REQUEST BY GREG IN ARKANSAS, IRENE IN AUSTRALIA, 02:59 EMMA IN BAHRAIN, ROBERT IN BELIZE, TONAO IN BRAZIL, LEON 03:05 AND BETTY IN CALIFORNIA, CAMILO IN COLOMBIA, SHERACE, PAIGE, 03:10 MAX, SAMUEL AND ISHBAH IN ENGLAND, PAOLO IN ITALY, 03:17 IMMANUEL IN MALAYSIA, ANITA IN MARYLAND, MAGALIE AND MICHA IN 03:23 MAURITIUS, DENNIS IN MINNESOTA, SELINA AND JOJO IN NETHERLANDS, 03:28 DANIELA IN NORWAY, JESSIE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA, FREDDY IN THE 03:33 SOLOMON ISLANDS, MAILA AND JACQUELINE IN ZAMBIA, AND MASTER 03:38 IN ZIMBABWE. AND APPARENTLY THERE WERE EVEN MORE NAMES THAT 03:42 REQUESTED THIS SONG BUT THE LIST WOULD BE WAY TOO LONG. 03:44 'AT THE CROSS' - HYMN #163. 03:47 (MUSIC) 06:10 >>IF YOU HAVE A HYMN REQUEST WE INVITE YOU TO GO TO THE WEBSITE, 06:15 'SACCENTRAL.ORG' AND CLICK ON THE 'CONTACT US' LINK. 06:19 IT'S VERY EASY, JUST GO IN THERE AND REQUEST YOUR SONG AND IT 06:22 WILL BE SUNG ON AN UP AND COMING SABBATH. OUR NEXT HYMN IS 06:26 HYMN #206 - 'FACE TO FACE' -HYMN #206, VERSES 1, 2 AND 4. 06:37 (MUSIC) 09:08 >>AMEN. I JUST CAN'T WAIT SO I JUST LOVE 09:12 TO DAYDREAM AND IMAGINE WHEN I'M GOING TO SEE HIM FACE TO FACE. 09:16 I GET SO EXCITED. LET'S PRAY. 09:19 DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS SABBATH 09:23 MORNING THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT US HERE TOGETHER TO WORSHIP YOU, TO 09:26 SING PRAISES TO YOU, TO LOVE YOU. 09:30 LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOUR SPIRIT FILL THIS ROOM AND FILL OUR 09:33 HEARTS. AND LORD, MAY WE BE TOUCHED BY YOUR PRESENCE. LORD, 09:40 PLEASE ACCEPT THIS WORSHIP SERVICE AS A SMALL TOKEN OF OUR 09:44 LOVE FOR YOU. WE LOVE YOU DEAR LORD. WE THANK YOU IN JESUS' 09:48 NAME. AMEN. TODAY OUR LESSON WILL BE BROUGHT TO US BY 09:54 OUR SENIOR PASTOR HERE, PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR. 10:04 >>THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JENNY AND OUR SINGERS. WE REALLY 10:07 APPRECIATE IT. I WANT TO WELCOME OUR EXTENDED 10:10 CLASS THAT ARE WATCHING VIA TELEVISION RIGHT NOW. AND WE 10:15 HAVE A LOT OF SACRAMENTO CENTRAL MEMBERS AROUND THE WORLD. 10:18 IT ALWAYS IS VERY EXCITING TO ME WHEN YOU HEAR THE SONG REQUESTS 10:22 COME IN, LITERALLY, FROM AROUND THE GLOBE AND I'VE BEEN 10:26 TRAVELING A LOT THIS YEAR AND IT'S FUN TO GO SEE PEOPLE IN 10:30 EVERY PART OF THE WORLD WHERE AT LEAST THEY SPEAK ENGLISH - AND 10:33 IT'S ALSO TRANSLATED IN SPANISH IN OTHER PLACES - TO SEE SO MANY 10:38 PEOPLE WHO ARE A PART OF THIS CLASS AND THAT'S VERY EXCITING 10:41 FOR US. IN KEEPING WITH THAT THOUGHT, I WANT TO SHARE 10:44 SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT WITH YOU. I HAVEN'T DONE THIS BEFORE 10:47 BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE. AS I 10:52 TRAVEL, I DON'T ALWAYS TAKE MY SABBATH SCHOOL QUARTERLY WITH 10:56 ME, BUT I DO STUDY IT AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE I NOT ONLY 11:01 HAVE IT ON MY LAPTOP - I'VE GOT ALL THE DEVICES - I'M A TECH 11:05 GEEK. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE A SMART PHONE? 11:09 LET ME SEE YOUR HANDS. QUITE A FEW OF YOU. 11:11 HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE A DUMB PHONE? JUST A SIMPLE PHONE. 11:15 BUT IF YOU CAN GET ON THE INTERNET WITH YOUR PHONE - HOW 11:18 MANY OF YOU HAVE LIKE AN IPAD OR YOU'VE GOT THE INTERNET? 11:22 THERE'S AN APPLICATION YOU CAN DOWNLOAD. 11:25 I STUDY MY LESSON - THE GENERAL CONFERENCE HAS THE WHOLE SABBATH 11:28 SCHOOL STUDY ON AN APPLICATION AND ON BOTH MY PHONE AND MY IPAD 11:33 I JUST DOWNLOAD THIS AND AS I TRAVEL I'M ABLE TO STUDY IT. 11:37 NOW HERE'S THE EXCITING THING, NOT ONLY DOES THE GENERAL 11:39 CONFERENCE HAVE AN APPLICATION WHERE YOU CAN STUDY YOUR LESSON 11:43 ON YOUR COMPUTER - BECAUSE I ALREADY TAKE MY ELECTRONIC STUFF 11:46 WITH ME. WHEN YOU TRAVEL, YOU KNOW, 11:48 LUGGAGE IS GETTING EXPENSIVE SO I'M GOING LIGHTER AND LIGHTER 11:51 ALL THE TIME TO TRY AND GET IT ON THE PLANE AND SO IF I ALREADY 11:54 HAVE MY SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY ON MY PHONE AND ON MY IPAD, I LEAVE 11:58 THIS AT HOME AND SO YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THAT. 12:02 SO IF YOU TRAVEL OR YOU WANT TO DO YOUR LESSON AT WORK, IT'S 12:05 REAL HANDY THAT WAY. AMAZING FACTS HAS AN APPLICATION 12:08 WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY WATCH THE SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY GUIDES AND 12:12 I'M GOING TO TELL YOU HOW TO GET THAT REALLY QUICK. 12:14 I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO SEEM LIKE A SHAMELESS PROMOTION BUT I 12:17 THINK IT WILL HELP YOU IN YOUR STUDY. 12:18 VERY SIMPLE, IF YOU'VE GOT A TEXT PHONE - YOU'RE NEVER GOING 12:20 TO HEAR A PASTOR SAY THIS DURING A LIVE BROADCAST - TAKE OUT YOUR 12:23 TEXT PHONE, MAKE SURE IT'S MUTED, AND WHAT YOU DO IS YOU 12:28 SIMPLY TEXT '99000' AND SAY, 'GETAPP'. 12:34 IF YOU TEXT '99000' AND SAY 'GETAPP' IT'LL SEND YOU A LINK. 12:38 YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE AMAZING FACTS APP. 12:41 IT NOT ONLY HAS THE ENTIRE SABBATH SCHOOL STUDIES THAT WE 12:45 DO, YOU CAN PLAY THEM - THEY COME THROUGH CLEAR AS A BELL - 12:48 NO JUMPING - AT LEAST ON MY - IT'S JUST VERY SMOOTH. 12:52 YOU CAN WATCH THE LESSON PRESENTATION. 12:54 BUT IT'S GOT ALL OF THE AMAZING FACTS BOOKS THAT ARE FREE, THE 12:58 STUDY GUIDES IF YOU WANT TO GIVE BIBLE STUDIES. 13:00 THIS WHOLE QUARTER IS DEALING WITH REVIVAL AND REFORMATION AND 13:03 DOING EVANGELISM. YOU COULD DO EVANGELISM THAT WAY. 13:06 YOU'LL HAVE ALL THE STUDY GUIDES RIGHT THERE ON YOUR IPAD, ON 13:09 YOUR SMART PHONE, ON YOUR ANDROID PHONE. 13:11 IT WORKS ON ALL OF THEM AND - SO YOU MIGHT DO THAT. HOPEFULLY 13:14 THEY'LL - YEAH - THEY'LL HAVE IT UP ON THE SCREEN. 13:16 NOW OUR OFFER IS ALSO IN KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF EVANGELISM. 13:19 WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WE'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE. 13:21 WE FIGURE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REVIVAL AND REFORMATION AND 13:25 DOING EVANGELISM AND SOUL WINNING, THEN AMAZING FACTS 13:28 WANTS TO MEAN BUSINESS ALSO. WE'RE OFFERING SOMETHING FREE 13:32 THAT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE, BUT WE THINK IT'S THAT 13:35 IMPORTANT AND WE'RE THIS CLOSE TO THE END. 13:38 ANYBODY THAT ASKS, AMAZING FACTS WILL SEND YOU - AND WE'RE HOPING 13:43 THERE'S AT LEAST ONE FOR EVERY CHURCH - THIS IS A MANUAL ON HOW 13:48 TO DO EVANGELISM. IT IS BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED. 13:52 IT IS VERY SIMPLE IN HOW IT EXPLAINS HOW TO GO - FOUR MONTHS 13:57 BEFORE THE MEETINGS BEGIN, THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE MEETINGS 13:59 BEGIN, GETTING A COMMITTEE TOGETHER, HOW TO DO IT, WHAT A 14:02 BRIDGING EVENT IS, HOW TO DEVELOP THE SMALL GROUPS, HOW TO 14:05 DO THE EVANGELISM. IT'S GOT THE WHOLE MANUAL ON HOW 14:08 TO DO AN EVANGELISTIC PROGRAM THAT YOUR CHURCH CAN SET UP A 14:11 COMMITTEE AND YOU CAN DO SOUL WINNING. IT'S STILL PROVEN - 14:15 IN SPITE OF PEOPLE THAT SPEAK NEGATIVELY ABOUT PUBLIC 14:18 EVANGELISM, STATISTICALLY IT IS STILL THE MOST EFFECTIVE THING. 14:23 NOW AMAZING FACTS ALWAYS - WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WRITE US AND 14:26 SAY, 'WE LEARNED THE MESSAGE FROM THE INTERNET AND WE WERE 14:29 STUDYING ONLINE' OR 'WE SAW THE PROGRAMS ON TV' BUT, ULTIMATELY, 14:33 WHEN YOU DO PUBLIC EVANGELISM THEN PEOPLE COME. 14:37 AND I JUST DID AN INTERVIEW WITH SOME OF OUR FOLKS HERE. 14:40 THEY STARTED OUT WATCHING ON TV AND THEN THEY SAW THE 14:43 EVANGELISTIC MEETINGS AND THAT WAS THE BRIDGE TO FINALLY BRING 14:45 THEM IN. SO IF YOU CALL AND ASK FOR OFFER 14:50 #790, WE WILL SEND THIS TO ANYBODY WHO ASKS FOR IT. 14:54 HOPEFULLY, THAT'S WITHIN NORTH AMERICA, BUT IF YOU ARE 14:57 INTERESTED OVERSEAS YOU HAVE TO CALL OUR OFFICE - WE HAVE TO 15:00 FIGURE OUT WHAT - HOW TO DO THAT WITH THE POSTAGE. 15:02 THE NUMBER AGAIN IS 866-788-3966 AND WE'LL SEND THIS TO YOU IF 15:07 YOU PROMISE TO USE IT. THAT SOUND FAIR? 15:09 YOU'RE JUST CURIOUS OR YOU JUST WANT SOMETHING FOR KINDLING 15:12 DON'T SEND FOR IT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE IT AND 15:15 READ IT THEN WE'LL SEND THAT TO YOU. 15:19 ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO OUR LESSON. 15:21 OUR LESSON TODAY IS #4 - WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR QUARTERLY ON 15:25 'REVIVAL AND REFORMATION'. I REALLY APPRECIATE PASTOR 15:27 FINLEY'S QUARTERLY THAT HE'S WRITTEN AND WE HAVE - IT'S 15:32 'WITNESS AND SERVICE: THE FRUIT OF REVIVAL' - 'WITNESS AND 15:35 SERVICE: THE FRUIT OF REVIVAL'. OUR MEMORY VERSE IS FROM ACTS 1, 15:38 VERSE 8 AND I'D INVITE YOU TO SAY THAT WITH ME. THIS IS FROM 15:42 THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION, ACTS 1, VERSE 8. ARE YOU READY? 15:47 "BUT YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME 15:51 UPON YOU; AND YOU SHALL BE WITNESSES TO ME IN JERUSALEM, 15:56 AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH." 16:00 WHY DOES GOD GIVE US THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? 16:05 SO YOU CAN BE WITNESSES FOR ME. THE REASON - AND OBVIOUSLY 16:09 PEOPLE WHO ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE REVIVED, RIGHT? 16:12 IF YOU'VE GOT A PEOPLE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT IS A 16:15 REVIVED GROUP. WELL, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT 16:17 MORE ON HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN. BUT HE GIVES US THE HOLY SPIRIT 16:21 SO WE CAN SPEAK IN TONGUES. IS THE HOLY SPIRIT A FRUIT OF 16:30 THE SPIRIT OR A GIFT OF THE SPIRIT? 16:33 JESUS SAID YOU'LL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS. THE HOLY SPIRIT 16:36 IS A GIFT OF THE SPIRIT. YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS 16:41 AND SO THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT ARE LOVE, JOY, PEACE, SO FORTH 16:45 BUT HE GIVES YOU THE HOLY SPIRIT SO YOU CAN BE A WITNESS. 16:49 NOW IF ONE OF THE WAYS YOU'RE A WITNESS IS BY HAVING THIS 16:52 MIRACULOUS ABILITY TO PREACH AND TEACH IN MANY LANGUAGES AND 16:56 THAT'S A GIFT OF THE SPIRIT, WELL THAT IS A WAY TO WITNESS. 17:00 BUT I THINK - I'VE BEEN TO CHURCHES BEFORE - USED TO BE 17:02 PART OF A CHURCH AND THEY SAID THE WHOLE PURPOSE IN GETTING THE 17:05 HOLY SPIRIT - MADE IT SOUND LIKE SO YOU COULD BABBLE IN TONGUES 17:08 AND THAT WAS IT. AND EVERYONE WOULD GET TOGETHER 17:10 AND BABBLE AND SAY, 'WASN'T THAT A WONDERFUL SERVICE?' 17:12 WEREN'T REACHING ANYBODY BY DOING IT. 17:16 THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THAT YOU MAY BE 17:18 WITNESSES IN YOUR LIFE AND GO OUT AND REACH OTHER PEOPLE. 17:21 ALRIGHT, CHRIST'S PARTING COMMISSION AND HIS PROMISE. 17:25 NOW SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME MARK 16, VERSES 15 AND 16. 17:30 WE GAVE THIS TO SOMEBODY - GENE, I THINK, HAS THAT ASSIGNMENT. 17:33 AND WHILE WE ARE GETTING CUED UP FOR THAT, I'LL BE READING SOME 17:37 OF THE OTHERS. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE 17:38 COMMISSION - VARIOUS FORMS OF THE GREAT COMMISSION IN MATTHEW, 17:41 MARK, LUKE AND JOHN - GET THE CLEAR TEACHING OF JESUS. 17:45 I THINK MOST OF US KNOW MATTHEW 28:19-20, "GO THEREFORE AND MAKE 17:50 DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF 17:54 THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TEACHING THEM 17:58 TO OBSERVE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE COMMANDED YOU" - I 18:02 KNEW OUR CHURCH WOULD CATCH THAT - "TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL 18:06 THINGS THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU; AND LO, I AM WITH YOU 18:09 ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE." 18:13 I'M WITH YOU ALWAYS IS WHAT JESUS SAID. 18:15 NOW HE WANTS US TO GO EVERYWHERE. 18:18 NOW MATTHEW - I LIKE MATTHEW BECAUSE IN MATTHEW 11:28 YOU'VE 18:23 GOT THE GREAT INVITATION: "COME UNTO ME ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND 18:28 ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST." COME TO ME. 18:32 THEN YOU GO TO MATTHEW 28 AND HE SAYS, 'GO'. AND THE WHOLE GOSPEL 18:37 IS REALLY SUMMARIZED IN THE GREAT INVITATION AND THE GREAT 18:41 COMMISSION. THE GREAT INVITATION IS TALKING ABOUT 18:44 WE COME TO JESUS - IT'S THIS LOVE RELATIONSHIP. 18:47 THEN AFTER YOU COME TO JESUS THEN YOU'VE GOT THE GREAT 18:50 COMMISSION: YOU GO FOR HIM. LOVE THE LORD, 18:53 LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. COME UNTO ME, GO FOR ME. 18:58 AND THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE YOU BREATHE IN, YOU BREATHE 19:01 OUT. YOU TAKE BLOOD IN, YOU LET BLOOD OUT. 19:05 YOUR HEART AND YOUR LUNGS - IT'S ALL A RHYTHM OF RECEIVING AND OF 19:08 GIVING AND IT'S ALL SUMMARIZED IN COMING TO JESUS FOR THE 19:12 PURPOSE OF GOING FOR JESUS. SOME PEOPLE COME TO CHURCH EVERY 19:16 WEEK BUT THEY NEVER GO. THEY ARE JUST CONSTANTLY COMING 19:19 TO JESUS WANTING FORGIVENESS, WANTING TO FEEL GOOD AND THEY 19:23 NEVER TELL ANYBODY AND YOUR RELIGION WILL BECOME STAGNANT 19:26 IF YOU'RE ONLY TAKING AND NOT GIVING, IT BECOMES STAGNANT. 19:30 YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE YOU'VE GOT, THERE IN THE JORDAN 19:33 VALLEY, TWO SEAS - VERY DIFFERENT. 19:36 BOTH SEAS - BODIES OF WATER - ARE FED BY THE SAME RIVER. 19:42 JORDAN RIVER RUNS INTO THE SEA OF GALILEE AND THE JORDAN RIVER 19:45 RUNS INTO THE DEAD SEA. BUT THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT. 19:47 ONE IS FULL OF LIFE AFTER THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF FISHING. 19:50 THE OTHER ONE IS DEAD. IT DOESN'T HAVE MOSQUITO LARVAE. 19:53 IT DOESN'T HAVE A POLLYWOG, THERE'S NOTHING IN IT. 19:56 IT'S BECAUSE ONE IS CONSTANTLY TAKING BUT IT'S ALSO GIVING. 19:59 THE JORDAN RIVER RUNS INTO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE 20:03 AND RUNS OUT THE SOUTH. IT'S KEPT FRESH BECAUSE IT'S 20:05 RECEIVING AND GIVING. THE DEAD SEA, BECAUSE IT'S THE 20:09 LOWEST PLACE ON EARTH, IT EVAPORATES BEFORE IT CAN RUN OUT 20:12 THE OTHER SIDE. IT ONLY TAKES AND IT BECOMES A 20:14 SINKHOLE OF MINERALS AND IT IS SO BITTER AND CONCENTRATED THAT 20:20 NOTHING CAN LIVE IN IT. AND SO, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO 20:23 US. WE BECOME STAGNANT. IF WE'RE CONSTANTLY - IT'S LIKE 20:26 LUKEWARM - WE'RE CONSTANTLY TAKING AND WE'RE NOT GIVING, 20:31 YOUR EXPERIENCE IS GOING TO BECOME BITTER. 20:34 YOU'VE GOT TO BE LETTING THE LORD FILL ONE HAND SO YOU CAN 20:39 GIVE WITH THE OTHER HAND. COME TO ME AND GO FOR ME. 20:41 ALRIGHT, MARK 16:15 AND 16 - GENE? 20:44 >>"AND HE SAID TO THEM, 'GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE 20:49 GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE AND HE WHO BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED 20:54 WILL BE SAVED, BUT HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE WILL BE CONDEMNED.'" 20:58 >>NOTICE A COUPLE THINGS HERE: IF YOU LOOK IN MATTHEW HE SAID, 21:02 'GO AND TEACH.' IF YOU LOOK IN MARK HE SAID, 'GO 21:04 AND PREACH.' ARE TEACHING AND PREACHING DIFFERENT? 21:08 WELL, THEY ARE, BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS WENT 21:11 THROUGHOUT THEIR VILLAGES TEACHING AND PREACHING AND SO IT 21:15 SAYS THAT THEY'RE REALLY TWO THINGS. PREACHERS ARE REALLY - 21:18 IT'S THE PROCLAMATION - TEACHING IS MORE EDUCATION. 21:22 IT SAYS HE SAT DOWN AND TAUGHT THE PEOPLE, WHICH IS A LITTLE 21:25 DIFFERENT FROM WHEN HE STOOD UP AND PREACHED AND SO TEACHING IS 21:29 YOU KIND OF USE THE SOCRATIC METHOD WHERE YOU'RE ASKING 21:32 QUESTIONS AND THEY MIGHT BE ASKING QUESTIONS AND YOU'RE 21:36 ANSWERING AND IT'S A LITTLE MORE INTERACTIVE THAT WAY. 21:39 PREACHING IS JUST, 'LISTEN HERE' AND YOU PROCLAIM, YOU KNOW? 21:44 BUT BOTH ARE INVOLVED. 21:46 TEACHING AND PREACHING - BUT THEY INVOLVE GOING. 21:49 BY THE WAY, DO YOU THINK THAT THE LAST WORDS OF JESUS SHOULD 21:52 HAVE A FIRST PRIORITY FOR CHRISTIANS? 21:56 LAST THING HE SAYS HERE IN THESE GOSPELS IS 'GO - TEACH, PREACH, 22:01 MAKE DISCIPLES.' ALRIGHT, THEN HE TELLS US WHAT 22:05 TO TEACH: 'ALL THINGS I'VE COMMANDED YOU.' 22:07 AND YOU LOOK IN LUKE 24, VERSE 46, "THUS IT IS WRITTEN, AND 22:13 THUS IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE CHRIST TO SUFFER AND TO RISE 22:16 FROM THE DEAD THE THIRD DAY, AND THAT REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF 22:19 SINS SHOULD BE PREACHED IN HIS NAME TO ALL NATIONS, BEGINNING 22:24 AT JERUSALEM." WHERE WAS THE HOLY SPIRIT POURED OUT? 22:27 IN JERUSALEM - IT STARTED THERE - "BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM AND 22:30 YOU ARE WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS." 22:32 - YOU ARE WITNESSES - TAKE THIS MESSAGE TO ALL THE WORLD ABOUT 22:36 CHRIST AND HIS FORGIVENESS. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT EMPHASIS 22:39 THAT LUKE MAKES. JOHN - JOHN IS ALWAYS DIFFERENT. 22:44 JOHN CHAPTER 20, VERSES 21 AND 22, "SO JESUS SAID TO THEM 22:50 AGAIN, 'PEACE TO YOU!'" - WHEN HE APPEARED IN THE 22:52 UPPER ROOM - "AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, I ALSO SEND YOU.'" 22:58 - HE JUST SORT OF SUMMARIZED IT: 'I'VE BEEN SENT AND AS 23:01 YOU'VE WATCHED ME FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS, I WANT YOU TO DO 23:03 WHAT I DID. I WANT YOU TO FORGIVE 23:06 AS I FORGAVE. I WANT YOU TO LIVE AS I LIVED. AS THE FATHER SENT 23:09 ME I'M SENDING YOU.' AND HE SAID, "PEACE TO YOU!" 23:13 "AND WHEN HE SAID THIS HE BREATHED ON THEM AND SAID TO 23:15 THEM, 'RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.'" - NOW THAT'S 23:18 INTERESTING, THEY RECEIVED SOME FORM OF A BAPTISM 23:20 OF THE SPIRIT EVEN BEFORE PENTECOST. 23:22 I MEAN, FORTY DAYS LATER THEY RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT IN A 23:26 SPECIAL POWER, BUT HE EVEN PROMISED THEM THE HOLY SPIRIT 23:29 RIGHT THERE AND HE BREATHED ON THEM. 23:31 BY THE WAY, HOW DID GOD ANIMATE ADAM? AFTER GOD MADE ADAM 23:39 HE BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE. 23:44 HOW DID JESUS ANIMATE THE CHURCH? HE BREATHED ON THEM. 23:49 AND SO A NEW CREATURE - THE CHURCH - WAS BORN, YOU MIGHT 23:52 SAY, AFTER THE RESURRECTION. NOW WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT WE GO. 23:58 WELL, FOR YOUR SALVATION AND FOR THE SALVATION OF OTHERS. 24:03 HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO THE LORD THAT PEOPLE ARE SAVED? 24:07 GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE SENT HIS SON. 24:10 THE COMING OF JESUS AND THE DEATH OF JESUS ARE A TESTIMONY 24:14 THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY TO GOD. GOD IS ABSOLUTELY DESPERATE. 24:21 IF YOU'RE A PARENT AND YOU LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND YOU SEE YOUR 24:23 CHILD IS IN THE STREET AND YOU'RE UP ON THE SECOND OR THIRD 24:26 FLOOR AND THEY'RE PLAYING IN THE STREET AND YOU SEE A TRUCK 24:29 COMING AND THEY DON'T SEE THE TRUCK BUT THERE'S A MAN STANDING 24:31 ON THE SIDEWALK AND YOU SHOUT OUT 'GRAB MY CHILD! 24:36 LITTLE BROTHER LEFT HIM. HE'S GOING TO GET HIT BY THE TRUCK!' 24:39 AND THEY SAY, 'IT'S NOT MY PROBLEM, IT'S YOUR CHILD.' 24:43 OR 'I'M BUSY' OR 'LATER' AND THEY DON'T, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL? 24:49 HOW DOES GOD FEEL WHEN HE SAYS, 'PEOPLE ARE PERISHING AND I WANT 24:55 YOU TO GO AND TELL THEM SO THEY DON'T DIE, BUT THEY LIVE AND NOT 24:59 ONLY DO THEY LIVE BUT THEY LIVE A MUCH BETTER LIFE THAN EVEN 25:03 THIS LIFE BECAUSE THEY'LL LIVE FOREVER IN PARADISE' AND YOU 25:06 DON'T TELL THEM? IS THAT INDIFFERENCE EXCUSABLE? 25:10 IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, ISN'T IT? ARE THERE PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT 25:15 HEAR IF WE DON'T TELL THEM. 'OH, HE'LL GET SOMEONE ELSE TO 25:19 TELL HIM.' NO. THERE'S CAUSE AND EFFECT. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO 25:24 WILL NOT BE SAVED IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT TELL THEM. 25:28 THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE SAVED BECAUSE I DID NOT TAKE THE 25:34 OPPORTUNITIES I HAD. YOU NEED TO LIVE WITH THAT 25:38 REALITY TOO. THROUGH YOUR LIFE HAVE YOU 25:40 MISSED OPPORTUNITIES? THAT OUGHT TO MAKE YOU SHUDDER 25:43 - IT DOES ME. SO I WANT TO DO MY BEST TO BE 25:47 OPEN TO THE SPIRIT'S LEADING TO SEIZE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. 25:51 THAT'S WHY PAUL SAID, 'I HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL TO PREACH AND MY 25:54 HANDS ARE CLEAN FROM THE BLOOD OF ANY MAN.' 25:56 ONCE I UNDERSTOOD THIS MESSAGE I TOLD EVERYBODY I COULD. 26:00 AND DON'T WORRY, I MEAN, GOD FORGIVES. 26:02 I DON'T WANT YOU TO LIVE WITH CONSTANT GUILT, BUT YOU OUGHT TO 26:04 HAVE ENOUGH. IF YOU'RE NOT MOTIVATED BY LOVE 26:07 THEN USE GUILT - USE WHATEVER IT TAKES. RIGHT? AND TELL PEOPLE. 26:13 AND IF YOU'RE NOT DOING IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS THEN DO IT FOR 26:15 THE WRONG REASONS BUT DO IT. DO SOMETHING. 26:18 AND SHARE WITH PEOPLE. GOD WANTS PEOPLE SAVED. 26:22 LET'S READ SOME VERSES ON THAT. SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME 26:24 EZEKIEL 18:23. WHO HAS THAT? 26:27 I GAVE IT - MIKE - RIGHT HERE - GET YOUR MICROPHONE. 26:29 PANCHO, YEAH - HOLD YOUR HAND UP. I'LL GET TO YOU 26:31 IN JUST A MOMENT. I ALWAYS LIKE TO GET PEOPLE 26:33 LOCKED AND LOADED SO THEY'RE READY. 26:35 1 TIMOTHY 2, VERSE 4, IT SAYS, GOD "WHO DESIRES ALL MEN TO BE 26:42 SAVED AND TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH." 26:45 SOME OF YOU KNOW WHAT CALVINISM IS - THE IDEA OF 'ONCE SAVED 26:49 ALWAYS SAVED' AND 'THE ELECT' AND 'GOD'S GOING TO SAVE WHO HE 26:52 WANTS' AND HE JUST SORT OF LOOKS DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND HE GOES, 26:55 'EENY, MEENY, MINEY, MOE. I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU NOT, 26:58 I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU NOT.' AND HE DECIDES HE'S GOING TO 27:01 SAVE SOME AND NOT OTHERS. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO 27:05 BELIEVE IN FREE WILL - THAT WE GET TO CHOOSE. 27:09 WE - SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS, METHODISTS, AND A LOT OF OTHER 27:12 DENOMINATIONS ARE OF THE CATEGORY OF CHRISTIANS THAT 27:15 BELIEVE - AND THERE'S EVEN BAPTISTS - SOME BAPTISTS ARE 27:17 SPLIT - SOME ARE FREEWILL BAPTISTS AND SOME ARE 27:19 CALVINISTIC BAPTISTS AND YOU'LL HEAR BOTH - EVEN ON THE RADIO. 27:24 I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PANORAMA OF CHRISTIANITY. BUT THERE'S A 27:28 DANGER WITH THE CALVINISTIC TEACHING. IT'S SORT OF LIKE GOD 27:32 HAS HIS ELECT AND HE'S GOING TO SAVE WHO HE'S GOING TO SAVE 27:34 AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU OR I CAN DO ABOUT IT. 27:36 THE DANGER WITH THAT DOCTRINE IS THERE'S A VERY LACKADAISICAL 27:40 ATTITUDE AMONG THOSE CONGREGATIONS ABOUT YOU AND I 27:43 HAVE A CHOICE TO DO SOMETHING AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A 27:47 CHOICE TO ACCEPT CHRIST AND IF YOU DO NOT DO ANYTHING, THEY 27:52 MIGHT PERISH AND GOD DOES NOT WANT ANYONE TO PERISH. 27:56 IT'S NOT LIKE GOD JUST DOESN'T WANT THE ELECT TO PERISH, HE 27:59 DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO PERISH, SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? 28:02 AND SO THIS IDEA THAT GOD IS CHOOSING SOME TO BE SAVED AND 28:05 SOME TO BE LOST MAKES IT SOUND LIKE HE WANTS SOME TO BE LOST. 28:07 NO, HE WANTS ALL MEN TO BE SAVED. 28:10 FOR INSTANCE, 2 PETER, 3:9, "THE LORD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS 28:16 PROMISE, AS SOME COUNT SLACKNESS, BUT IS LONGSUFFERING 28:19 TOWARD US, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH." 28:25 'GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT 28:27 WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH.' 28:30 HE WANTS 'WHOSOEVER' TO COME TO HIM. 28:33 ALRIGHT, READ FOR US EZEKIEL 18:23, PLEASE.' 28:36 >>EZEKIEL 18:23, "'DO I HAVE ANY PLEASURE AT ALL THAT THE WICKED 28:40 SHOULD DIE' SAYS THE LORD, GOD, 'AND NOT THAT HE SHOULD TURN 28:44 FROM HIS WAYS AND LIVE?'" >>HOW IS HE GOING TO TURN? 28:48 HOW IS SHE GOING TO TURN? YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S VERY 28:52 INTERESTING - AND OUR LESSON NEXT WEEK WILL TALK MORE ABOUT 28:55 THE CONVERSION OF PAUL - SAUL AT THAT POINT - LATER CHANGED TO 28:59 PAUL. BUT AFTER HE SAW THE LORD, JESUS 29:02 DID SOMETHING MIRACULOUS TO INTERVENE IN REACHING SAUL. 29:06 HE SAID, 'LORD WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?' 29:08 YOU KNOW, HE'S STRUCK BLIND. GOD SAID, 'SOMEONE WILL COME AND 29:11 TELL YOU.' AND FROM THAT MOMENT ON SAUL HAD 29:15 TO DEPEND ON OTHER PEOPLE TO LEAD HIM BY THE HAND AND THEN HE 29:19 WAS IN SOMEONE'S HOUSE PRAYING AND THEN ANANIAS CAME. 29:23 GOD USED OTHER PEOPLE - HE SAYS, 'LOOK PAUL, YOU ARE SINCERE AND 29:27 YOU'RE SINCERELY WRONG. I AM GOING TO INTERVENE.' 29:30 EVERY NOW AND THEN GOD WILL INTERVENE TO SAVE A PERSON AND 29:33 DIRECTLY SPEAK TO THEM. BUT THESE ROAD TO DAMASCUS 29:36 EXPERIENCES ARE VERY RARE. 99.99999 PERCENT OF THE TIME GOD 29:43 IS GOING TO REACH PEOPLE THROUGH PEOPLE. 29:46 EVERY NOW AND THEN AN ANGEL WILL SHOW UP AND TALK TO SOMEONE. 29:49 AND WE LOVE THOSE STORIES, DON'T WE? 29:51 SOMETIMES GOD JUST HAS TO GO OUT THERE AND YOU'VE HEARD THE 29:54 STORIES OF THE BUSHMEN IN AFRICA AND AN ANGEL APPEARED TO THEM 29:57 AND SAID, 'LOOK, I WANT YOU TO GO TO THIS MISSION AND THEY'RE 29:59 GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO.' BECAUSE THEY WERE NEVER GOING TO 30:02 BE REACHED UNLESS GOD INTERVENED - THIS WHOLE PEOPLE. 30:04 AND SO SOMETIMES GOD INTERVENES BUT MOST OF THE TIME HE IS GOING 30:08 TO USE YOU AND ME TO REACH PEOPLE. WHAT A PRIVILEGE. 30:12 WOULDN'T ANGELS BE A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE? 30:15 WOULDN'T THEY BE MORE EFFICIENT? 30:18 MORE ACCURATE? WHY DOES HE USE US? 30:22 BECAUSE IN USING US, NOT ONLY ARE WE REACHING OTHERS, WE ARE 30:26 BEING REACHED WHILE WE ARE BEING USED. 30:29 SOMETHING HAPPENS TO US IN REACHING OUT. 30:32 THE GREATEST JOY IN THE WORLD IS WHEN GOD USES YOU TO SAVE 30:35 ANOTHER SOUL. AND IT'S JUST WONDERFUL FOR ME - 30:39 NOT ONLY TO BAPTIZE PEOPLE - WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING - 30:41 BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN ATTRITION RATE AMONG PEOPLE WHO 30:44 COME TO THE LORD. EVEN JESUS HAD THAT. 30:46 IT'S WHEN YOU SEE THEM YEARS LATER AND THEY'RE THEN SERVING 30:50 THE LORD, THEY'RE DOING BIBLE WORK, MISSION WORK, EVANGELISM - 30:53 IT JUST THRILLS ME WHEN YOU SEE THAT IT STUCK. 30:57 WE'VE ALL SEEN PEOPLE THAT KIND OF HOP IN AND THEY HOP OUT. 31:01 AND THEN I WATCH PEOPLE WHO COME IN SLOWLY AND THEY STAY. 31:05 YOU KNOW THEY PUT THEIR ROOTS DOWN CAREFULLY AND THEY STUDY 31:07 AND I THINK, 'BOY, IT TOOK FOREVER FOR THEM TO GET 31:09 BAPTIZED.' THOSE PEOPLE USUALLY - THEY 31:12 STICK BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT THROUGH. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? 31:15 AND SO IT'S EXCITING FOR ME WHEN YOU SEE THAT AND IT'S THE 31:18 GREATEST JOY AND IT HAS A SANCTIFYING INFLUENCE ON YOU. 31:22 BY THE WAY, WHILE YOU'RE SHARING CHRIST WITH SOMEONE ELSE, THE 31:25 HOLY SPIRIT HAS TO GO THROUGH YOU TO REACH SOMEONE ELSE WITH 31:29 THE LIVING WATER. AS THAT WATER IS RUNNING THROUGH 31:31 YOU, IT HAS A PURIFYING INFLUENCE. 31:34 YOU ARE ACTUALLY TOUCHED BY THE REFRESHING OF THAT SPIRIT AS IT 31:40 GOES TO SOMEONE ELSE. AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO 31:42 BE INVOLVED. REVELATION 22 - STILL DEALING WITH THE FIRST 31:46 SECTION HERE - 22:17, OF COURSE, THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER IN 31:50 THE BIBLE, "AND THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY, 'COME!' AND 31:53 LET HIM WHO HEARS SAY, 'COME!' AND LET WHO THIRSTS COME. 31:58 WHOEVER DESIRES, LET HIM TAKE THE WATER OF LIFE" - HOW? - 32:01 "FREELY." SO IS GOD RESTRICTING SALVATION 32:04 TO AN ELECT - SELECT FEW OR TO EVERYBODY? WHOSOEVER WILL. 32:10 SO I REJECT THIS CONCEPT THAT GOD HAS A FEW THAT HE WANTS TO 32:16 SAVE AND THERE'S ONLY THIS ELECT. 32:19 GOD WANTS EVERYONE TO BE SAVED AND HE WANTS EVERYONE TO BE 32:21 INVOLVED IN REACHING EVERYONE. ALRIGHT, ACTS 20, VERSE 2, 32:27 'RECEIVING THE PROMISE' AND IT TELLS US IN VERSE 40 HERE - 32:31 MAYBE BEFORE I READ THAT LET'S JUST GET THE NEXT PERSON SET UP. 32:35 MATTHEW 4:18 - WHO HAS THAT? WE GAVE THAT VERSE OUT 32:39 TO SOMEONE? ARE YOU READY? 32:40 MATTHEW 4:18 - OKAY, WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU IN JUST A SECOND. 32:44 I'M GOING TO READ ACTS 2, VERSES 40 AND 41, "AND WITH MANY OTHER 32:48 WORDS HE TESTIFIED AND EXHORTED THEM," - THIS IS PETER PREACHING 32:52 ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST - "SAYING, 'BE SAVED FROM THIS 32:55 PERVERSE GENERATION.'" YOU KNOW, I JUST WONDER IF 33:01 BACK IN THE DAYS OF JESUS IF PETER WAS CAUSING - IF PETER IS 33:05 CALLING HIS GENERATION PERVERSE, WHAT WOULD HE SAY TODAY? 33:09 I JUST WONDER. "THEN THOSE WHO GLADLY RECEIVED 33:14 HIS WORD" - HOW SHOULD WE RECEIVE THE WORD? 33:17 GLADLY - "WERE BAPTIZED; AND THAT DAY ABOUT THREE THOUSAND 33:21 SOULS WERE ADDED TO THEM." FROM THE SIMPLE SPIRIT-FILLED 33:25 PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD THEY WERE CONVICTED. YOU GO TO ACTS 33:29 4:4, "HOWEVER, MANY OF THOSE WHO HEARD THE WORD BELIEVED; 33:33 AND THE NUMBER OF THE MEN CAME TO BE ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND." 33:37 AND THERE WERE PROBABLY WOMEN BEYOND THAT AS WELL. 33:40 SO YOU'VE GOT THREE THOUSAND BEING BAPTIZED AND THEN YOU GO 33:42 TO ACTS CHAPTER 4 - FIVE THOUSAND BEING BAPTIZED AND 33:47 PEOPLE WERE RESPONDING TO THE INVITATION. THEY WERE RECEIVING 33:53 AND THEN THEY WERE SHARING AND THE CHURCH WAS GROWING. 33:56 NOW, WHEN GOD CALLS US HE CALLS US TO FOLLOW HIM FOR A PURPOSE. 34:03 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, READ FOR US MATTHEW 4:18 THROUGH 20. 34:07 >>MATTHEW 4:18 THROUGH 20, "AND JESUS, WALKING BY THE SEA OF 34:11 GALILEE, SAW TWO BROTHERS, SIMON CALLED PETER, AND ANDREW HIS 34:16 BROTHER, CASTING A NET INTO THE SEA; FOR THEY WERE FISHERMEN. 34:20 THEN HE SAID TO THEM, 'FOLLOW ME, AND I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS 34:24 OF MEN.' THEY IMMEDIATELY LEFT THEIR NETS AND FOLLOWED HIM." 34:29 >>THERE'S A LOT WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS. 34:31 JUST BEFORE I COMMENT I'M GOING TO READ LUKE'S RENDITION OF THE 34:33 SAME STORY - OR A SIMILAR STORY. 34:36 LUKE 5:9, "FOR HE AND ALL WHO WERE WITH HIM WERE ASTONISHED AT 34:40 THE CATCH OF FISH WHICH THEY HAD TAKEN; AND SO ALSO WERE JAMES 34:44 AND JOHN, THE SONS OF ZEBEDEE, WHO WERE PARTNERS WITH SIMON. 34:47 AND JESUS SAID TO SIMON, 'DO NOT BE AFRAID. 34:50 FROM NOW ON YOU WILL CATCH MEN.' SO WHEN THEY HAD BROUGHT THEIR 34:53 BOATS TO LAND, THEY FORSOOK ALL AND FOLLOWED HIM." 34:56 NOW AS YOU READ THE GOSPEL, YOU'RE GOING TO - IF YOU'RE A 34:59 GOOD STUDENT, YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE THERE'S A DISCREPANCY IN 35:02 THE STORY OF HIS CALLING THE FISHERMEN. 35:05 ONE TIME THEY'RE CLEANING THEIR NETS, ANOTHER TIME HE FILLS 35:08 PETER'S BOAT WITH FISH AND HE SAYS, 'FOLLOW ME.' WHY IS THAT? 35:13 BECAUSE JESUS CALLED THEM IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SEGMENTS. 35:16 YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MINISTRY OF JESUS GOING ON FOR 35:20 THREE AND A HALF YEARS. WHEN THEY FIRST CALLED THEM THEY 35:22 WERE OUT JUST CLEANING THEIR NETS. THEY BEGAN TO FOLLOW HIM. 35:26 THEY WENT THROUGH A SEASON OF TEACHING AND PREACHING AND THEN 35:28 THEY RAN OUT OF MONEY AND PETER AND JOHN AND ANDREW AND JAMES - 35:31 THEY WENT BACK AND RESUMED FISHING AGAIN. 35:33 MAYBE JESUS WENT HOME TO SEE THE FAMILY AND THEN HE SAID - THEY 35:37 WERE GETTING BUSY WITH THEIR - THEY HADN'T COME BACK TO FOLLOW 35:40 HIM AGAIN. THEY GOT BACK IN THEIR WORK AND HE SAID, 'LOOK, 35:42 YOU'VE GOT TO COME FOLLOW ME.' AND HE PREACHED FROM THEIR BOAT, 35:44 PRAYED, FILLED THEIR NETS, AND SAYS, 'YOU GUYS ARE AFRAID 35:47 YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE YOUR RESOURCES IF YOU FOLLOW ME. 35:50 YOU'VE GOT TO STAY FOLLOWING ME.' 35:52 AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID 'IF A MAN PUTS HIS HAND TO 35:56 THE PLOW AND LOOKS BACK' - THEY WERE STARTING TO LOOK BACK AND 35:59 WONDERING IF FOLLOWING JESUS AS ITINERANT PREACHERS - HOW WERE 36:02 THEY GOING TO BE SUSTAINED? CHRIST FILLED THEIR NETS THAT 36:05 TIME TO SHOW THEM, 'DON'T WORRY, I'LL TEACH YOU TO CATCH MEN AND 36:11 YOU'LL BE SUSTAINED BY THAT.' IT SAYS, 'YE THAT PREACH THE 36:14 GOSPEL - THOSE THAT PREACH THE GOSPEL ARE FED BY THE GOSPEL.' 36:18 YOU REMEMBER WHEN PETER RAN OUT OF MONEY ONCE, HE HAD TO PAY A 36:20 TEMPLE TAX? WHAT DID JESUS TELL HIM TO DO? 36:23 HE SAID, 'WELL, SO THAT WE DON'T OFFEND THEM - WE WANT TO OBEY 36:26 THE LAWS OF THE LAND - PETER GO FISHING' - THIS IS A LOOSE 36:29 PARAPHRASE. AND HE WENT DOWN TO THE SEA AND 36:31 HE SAID, 'CAST IN YOUR HOOK' - NOT A NET THIS TIME, A HOOK - 36:35 'AND THE FIRST FISH THAT YOU BRING UP IS GOING TO HAVE A 36:37 PIECE OF GOLD IN ITS MOUTH. TAKE THAT AND PAY THEM.' 36:44 DID YOU EVER HEAR ME TELL THE AMAZING FACT ABOUT SOME MARINES 36:47 THAT WENT FISHING ON SAM RAYBURN LAKE IN TEXAS? 36:51 AND THEY CAUGHT THIS TROUT - TRUE STORY - AND THE TROUT - 36:58 WHEN THEY BROUGHT IT INTO THE BOAT IT WAS PLOPPING AROUND THE 37:00 BOTTOM OF THEIR BOAT AND A GOLD RING FELL OUT OF ITS MOUTH. 37:06 AND THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING AND THEY LOOKED AT 37:08 THE RING AND IT WAS A CLASS RING FROM UNITED TECHNICAL INSTITUTE. 37:12 WE HAVE ONE VERSION OF THAT HERE IN RIGHT UP ON 5 - THEY HAD ONE 37:15 IN TEXAS - AND THEY CLEANED IT OFF AND IT HAD A MAN'S NAME - I 37:20 DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME - THEY TOOK SOME WD-40 AND A TOOTHBRUSH 37:23 THAT WAS IN THE TACKLE BOX AND THEY CLEANED IT OFF AND THEY 37:26 READ THE NAME AND THEY SAID, 'WELL, SOMEBODY PROBABLY LIVES 37:29 AROUND HERE' AND THEY GOT ON THEIR IPHONES, RIGHT OUT THERE 37:31 ON THE LAKE, THEY CALLED TWO OR THREE PEOPLE BY THIS NAME - THE 37:35 SECOND ONE SAID, 'IS THIS A JOKE?' 37:37 THEY SAID, 'NO, WE FOUND A CLASS RING FROM UNITED TECHNICAL 37:39 INSTITUTE.' THEY SAID, 'I LOST THAT' - SHE 37:42 HANDED THE PHONE TO HER HUSBAND AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE - 37:44 HE SAID, 'I LOST THAT RING 20 YEARS AGO FISHING ON THE LAKE.' 37:48 CAUGHT A FISH - AND THEY MET UP WITH HIM AND GAVE HIM HIS RING 37:51 BACK. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF THAT? 37:54 SO WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS THAT PETER CAUGHT A FISH WITH A PIECE 37:58 OF GOLD IN ITS MOUTH, CAN IT HAPPEN? SURE IT DID. 38:02 IF YOU'RE FISHING FOR MEN, EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU'LL CATCH A FISH 38:05 THAT'S GOT GOLD IN ITS MOUTH. I DON'T MEAN THEIR TEETH. 38:08 AND THE LORD WILL SUPPLY. AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE 38:15 SHEPHERDING THE SHEEP, EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU GET TO SHEAR THE 38:17 WOOL, RIGHT? YOU'RE SUSTAINED BY THE GOSPEL. 38:21 PEOPLE WILL COME IN THAT WILL SUPPORT THE WORK AND JESUS WAS 38:23 SAYING, 'TRUST ME.' DID PEOPLE SUPPORT THE MINISTRY? 38:27 THE BIBLE SAYS, 'AND THERE WERE CERTAIN WOMEN THAT FOLLOWED THEM 38:29 THAT MINISTERED UNTO THEM OF THEIR SUBSTANCE.' 38:32 JUDAS WAS THE TREASURER AND THERE WERE PROBLEMS THERE - WE 38:35 KNOW ABOUT THAT - BUT PEOPLE GAVE MONEY TO SUPPORT THEM AS 38:39 THEY WENT AROUND PREACHING THE GOSPEL. 38:40 SO THEY NEEDED TO BE CALLED A COUPLE OF TIMES INTO FULL-TIME 38:44 MINISTRY TO TRUST AND 'FOLLOW ME' - HE SAYS - 'I WILL MAKE YOU 38:49 FISHERS OF MEN.' YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? 38:52 AS YOU FOLLOW HE WILL TEACH YOU - IT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN ONE DAY - 38:56 'AS YOU FOLLOW I WILL TEACH YOU.' 38:58 SOME OF THEIR METHODS WERE WRONG. THEY WENT THROUGH ONE 39:00 TOWN AND THE SAMARITANS WOULDN'T ACCEPT JESUS AND JAMES AND JOHN 39:04 SAID, 'LORD, GIVE US THE POWER OF ELIJAH. 39:06 WE'LL CALL FIRE DOWN AND BURN UP THE WHOLE VILLAGE BECAUSE THEY 39:09 DIDN'T ACCEPT YOU.' AND JESUS SAID, 'NO, THAT'S 39:12 PROBABLY NOT THE WAY TO DO EVANGELISM.' 39:15 HE SAYS, 'YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT SPIRIT YOU'RE OF.' 39:17 THAT SAME VILLAGE THEY WANTED TO BURN UP, LATER ACCEPTED JESUS. 39:21 IF YOU READ IN THE BOOK OF ACTS DID THE PEOPLE IN SAMARIA ACCEPT 39:25 JESUS LATER? WHAT IF THEY'D BURNED THEM ALL UP? 39:28 SOMETIMES PEOPLE YOU THINK THAT ARE BEING MEAN TO YOU AND YOU 39:30 SHOULD PRAY A METEOR HITS THEM AND - YOU DON'T KNOW, THEY MIGHT 39:34 BE CONVERTED. PAUL, WHO WAS STONING STEPHEN - WHAT IF 39:38 STEPHEN HAD SAID, 'LORD, RAIN FIRE DOWN UPON HIM.' INSTEAD HE 39:41 SAID, 'FATHER, FORGIVE HIM.' RIGHT? WAS PAUL CONVERTED LATER? 39:46 AND STEPHEN AND SAUL WILL MEET EACH OTHER IN HEAVEN AND THE 39:48 LAST PICTURE THAT STEPHEN HAD OF SAUL HE WAS THERE PRESIDING OVER 39:52 HIS EXECUTION - HIS UNJUST EXECUTION. 39:55 SO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HATING YOUR ENEMIES, THEY COULD BE CONVERTED 39:58 AND BECOME YOUR BROTHERS SOME DAY. 40:00 THE DISCIPLES HAD TO LEARN THAT AND IT TOOK TIME. 40:03 IT TAKES TIME - WE'RE STILL LEARNING THAT, RIGHT? 40:06 AND SO IT WAS THROUGH FOLLOWING JESUS THEY WERE LEARNING TO BE 40:09 LIKE JESUS AND THE PRINCIPLES OF 'HOW DO YOU CATCH PEOPLE?' 40:14 NOW I COULD JUST STOP RIGHT HERE AND TALK ABOUT FISHING. 40:17 I'M A VEGETARIAN BUT I LIKE FISHING. A FEW WEEKS AGO I WENT 40:22 AND STOCKED FISH IN A POND AND I GO CATCH AND THROW THEM BACK. 40:25 AND IT'S FUN, I MEAN, I WON'T ASK FOR A SHOW OF HANDS BUT 40:29 THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT CASTING YOUR LINE INTO THE DARK 40:34 MYSTERIOUS WATER WONDERING WHAT KIND OF CREATURES ARE LURKING 40:37 DOWN THERE AND WHAT WILL COME UP. DEEP SEA FISHING IS REALLY 40:41 INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO IDEA UNTIL YOU GET A LITTLE 40:44 CLOSER TO THE SURFACE WHAT IN THE WORLD YOU GOT. 40:46 AND SO DIFFERENT KINDS OF LINES OR NETS OR METHODS - SOME FISH 40:52 YOU CATCH DURING THE DAY, SOME YOU CATCH DURING THE NIGHT. 40:55 SOME YOU CATCH WITH A LURE, SOME YOU CATCH TROLLING, SOME YOU 40:57 CATCH WITH A LINE JUST STANDING STILL IN THE WATER. 41:00 ALL THESE DIFFERENT - AND GOOD FISHERMEN KNOW YOU HAVE FUZZY 41:05 LURES AND FLIES AND YOU'VE GOT WORM-LIKE ONES. 41:07 YOU'VE GOT THE SILVER SPOON ONES AND YOU'VE GOT SOME THAT YOU 41:09 KIND OF TUG AS IT GOES AND THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT 41:12 TECHNIQUES - WHY? FISH ARE DIFFERENT. AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF 41:16 DAY YOU USE DIFFERENT METHODS AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF BAIT. 41:20 AND IF THERE'S SO MANY INTRICACIES - THERE ARE WHOLE 41:23 CHANNELS - NOW THIS, TO ME, IS BORING, BUT THERE ARE WHOLE 41:26 CHANNELS WHERE PEOPLE JUST WATCH FISHING ALL DAY - DEDICATED - 41:30 AND THEY'VE GOT CHANNELS FOR GOLF AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS 41:32 REALLY SAD - PEOPLE WATCHING GOLF ALL DAY LONG. 41:39 BUT THERE'S A SCIENCE TO IT THAT NEEDS TO BE LEARNED. 41:44 AND HE NOT ONLY SAID, 'FOLLOW ME AND I'LL TEACH YOU TO FISH FOR 41:48 MEN. FOLLOW ME AND YOU'LL BE A GOOD SHEPHERD.' HE USED ALL 41:52 THESE ILLUSTRATIONS - 'FOLLOW ME YOU'LL BE A GOOD FARMER. 41:55 YOU'LL CAST A SEED OUT AND YOU'LL HAVE A HARVEST.' 41:58 JESUS TRIED TO USE - IS THERE A SCIENCE TO SHEPHERDING? 42:02 THERE'S A LOT TO KNOW ABOUT HOW TO DO IT RIGHT AND HOW TO DO IT 42:03 WRONG. IS THERE A SCIENCE TO FARMING? 42:06 THERE'S SEASONS AND SEED AND WEEDS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS 42:09 YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GET A HARVEST. 42:11 AND JESUS SAID, 'YOU FOLLOW ME AND I'LL TEACH YOU HOW TO BE 42:15 PRODUCTIVE IN A HARVEST. WHETHER THAT'S WOOL OR FISH OR 42:21 GRAIN.' AND HE SAID, 'FOLLOW ME AND I'LL 42:24 TEACH YOU HOW.' YOU DON'T KNOW IT. RIGHT AFTER YOU ACCEPT 42:27 JESUS YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME MISTAKES. 42:30 FIRST EVANGELISTIC MEETING I DID I WAS IN TEXAS IN A TENT. 42:34 I WAS A LAYMAN, I WAS NOT A CONFERENCE EMPLOYEE. 42:37 I WAS JUST A LAYMAN DOING EVANGELISM. 42:39 I HAD BEEN DOING BIBLE STUDIES IN DIFFERENT CHURCHES AND HAD 42:41 ENOUGH PEOPLE FROM THESE DIFFERENT CHURCHES WHERE I - I 42:44 MEAN, I WAS GOING TO CHURCH OF CHRIST, BAPTIST, METHODIST 42:47 CHURCH - I WAS TEACHING SUNDAY SCHOOL IN METHODIST CHURCH. 42:49 I'M NOT TELLING YOU ALL TO USE MY METHODS, IT'S JUST GOD OPENED 42:52 THESE DOORS AND FINALLY I WENT TO THE CONFERENCE AND SAID, 42:55 'GIVE ME A TENT!' I DON'T KNOW HOW I EVER 42:57 PERSUADED THEM BECAUSE, TO ME, FOR A CONFERENCE TO GIVE YOU 43:00 THEIR CAMP MEETING TENT - THIS KID OUT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF 43:04 NOWHERE - BUT THEY GAVE ME THE TENT AND I DECIDED TO PUT 43:09 TOGETHER AN EVANGELISTIC SERIES. 43:11 AND I THINK I'D ONLY BEEN TO ONE EVANGELISTIC SERIES IN MY LIFE - 43:15 WELL PARTS OF ANOTHER ONE - SO I KNEW ALMOST NOTHING ABOUT 43:18 EVANGELISM AND I DID SO MANY THINGS WRONG. 43:23 I MEAN, IT WAS JUST - IT WAS SAD. 43:25 I THINK I DID, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I JUST PREACHED, YOU KNOW, THE 43:30 SPEAKING IN TONGUES - ALL THESE PENTECOSTALS THERE AND RIGHT 43:32 AWAY I WANTED TO TELL THEM ABOUT THAT. 43:34 THEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE BEAST AND THEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT - AND 43:37 I DIDN'T KIND OF LEAD THEM ALONG AND USE ANY KIND OF TACT - AND I 43:41 THINK MY AUDIENCE WENT FROM 70 TO 20 IN ABOUT THREE DAYS. 43:46 BAPTIZED TWO PEOPLE BUT, OH MAN - AND I REMEMBER AN EVANGELIST 43:51 FROM LUBBOCK, TEXAS CAME TO VISIT MY MEETINGS AND HE SAID, 43:54 'DOUG, THIS SERIES OF MEETINGS IS REALLY FOR YOU.' 43:57 I SAID, 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN?' HE SAID, 'IT'S SO - YOU'RE GOING 43:59 TO LEARN A LOT. IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY GOOD FOR YOU.' 44:01 I SAID, 'OH NO, NO - I'M GOING TO REACH THE WORLD, YOU KNOW.' 44:03 HE SAID, 'NO, YOU'LL - THIS IS REALLY - THIS FIRST SERIES IS 44:06 ALWAYS FOR THE EVANGELIST TO LEARN HOW TO DO EVANGELISM.' 44:09 AH NOW, LOOKING BACK, I GO, 'YEAH, HE WAS RIGHT.' 44:12 I DID REACH A COUPLE PEOPLE BUT I HAD A LOT TO LEARN. 44:15 YOU HAVE TO MAKE SOME MISTAKES. YOU GET THE POINT? 44:17 DON'T BE AFRAID OF DOING SOMETHING WRONG. 44:20 IF YOU'RE AFRAID OF DOING SOMETHING WRONG YOU'LL NEVER DO 44:22 ANYTHING RIGHT. IF YOU WANT TO DO IT RIGHT YOU 44:25 MUST FIRST BE WILLING TO FAIL AND MAKE SOME MISTAKES. 44:28 TRY SOMETHING. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE IN 44:31 THE CHURCH TODAY WHEN IT COMES TO SOUL WILLING IS WE'RE SO 44:34 AFRAID OF DOING SOMETHING WRONG WE DO NOTHING VERY WELL. 44:38 WE'RE SO AFRAID OF DOING SOMETHING WRONG WE DO NOTHING - 44:41 WE'RE SO AFRAID 'I WON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO THIS PERSON. 44:43 I FEEL IMPRESSED TO SAY SOMETHING BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT 44:44 TO SAY.' SO WE DON'T SAY ANYTHING. 44:47 WELL, MAYBE WE'LL SAY IT WRONG OR YOU'LL STUMBLE OVER YOUR 44:50 WORDS, BUT WHO KNOWS? YOU MIGHT CHANGE A LIFE AND WE 44:56 NEED TO PRAY GOD'LL GIVE US COURAGE TO TRY SOMETHING. 44:59 NOW, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, THE FALL BACK SERMON ALL OF 45:04 US CAN USE IS YOUR PERSONAL TESTIMONY. 45:08 TELL - NO ONE CAN ARGUE WITH WHAT GOD MEANS TO YOU. 45:12 TELL YOUR STORY. YOU FIND MANY EXAMPLES OF THAT. 45:16 FOR INSTANCE - ALRIGHT, SOMEBODY LOOK UP FOR ME JOHN 4:28-30. 45:20 WE GAVE THAT SLIP OUT, I THINK, TO SOMEBODY - WHO HAS THAT? 45:23 HOLD YOUR HAND UP, KATHLEEN, SO WE CAN SEE YOU. 45:26 I'M GOING TO READ JOHN - THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1:40 AND 41 - 45:30 NOTICE HOW OFTEN IN THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 45:33 EVERYBODY'S FINDING OTHERS AND BRINGING THEM TO JESUS. 45:37 IT SAYS IN JOHN 1:40, "ONE OF THE TWO WHO HEARD JOHN SPEAK," - 45:41 JOHN THE BAPTIST - FOLLOWED JESUS WHEN HE SAID, 'THIS IS THE 45:44 LAMB OF GOD' HE SAID, 'HE IS? WELL I'M GOING TO FOLLOW HIM.' 45:47 "AND FOLLOWED HIM, WAS ANDREW, SIMON PETER'S BROTHER. 45:51 HE FIRST FOUND HIS OWN BROTHER SIMON," - SO WHERE DID HE START 45:53 HIS EVANGELISM? WITH HIS FAMILY. 45:56 HE SAID, 'I'M GOING TO GO TELL MY BROTHER.' - 45:58 "AND SAID TO HIM, 'WE HAVE FOUND THE MESSIAH' (WHICH IS 46:01 TRANSLATED, THE CHRIST). AND HE BROUGHT HIM TO JESUS." 46:03 ANDREW, YOU KNOW, IT NEVER SAYS ANDREW PREACHED A SERMON. 46:06 BUT IF YOU NOTICE IN THE BIBLE, A LITTLE BOY - ANDREW FINDS A 46:10 LITTLE BOY, HE BRINGS HIM TO JESUS. THE GREEKS WANT TO TALK 46:14 TO JESUS, ANDREW BRINGS THEM TO JESUS. 46:16 HIS OWN BROTHER, HE BRINGS HIM TO JESUS. 46:18 ANDREW IS ALWAYS JUST BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS. 46:20 IT NEVER SAYS ANYWHERE THAT ANDREW PREACHED A SERMON. 46:24 YOU SEE PETER AND JOHN PREACHING BUT ANDREW HAD A GIFT OF JUST 46:28 KIND OF TALKING TO PEOPLE AND SAYING, 'HEY, I'VE GOT SOMEONE I 46:31 WANT YOU TO MEET.' AND INTRODUCING THEM. 46:33 SO YOU MAY NOT BE A PREACHER. YOU MAY NOT BE A TEACHER. 46:36 YOU CAN BE AN INTRODUCER. WE CAN DO THE WORK OF ANDREW. 46:41 AND THEN YOU HAVE IN JOHN 1:44 - WE'RE JUMPING AHEAD IN THE SAME 46:44 CHAPTER, "NOW PHILIP WAS FROM BETHSAIDA, THE CITY OF ANDREW 46:48 AND PETER. PHILIP FOUND NATHANAEL AND SAID 46:50 TO HIM, 'WE HAVE FOUND HIM OF WHOM MOSES IN THE LAW, AND ALSO 46:53 THE PROPHETS, WROTE - JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE SON OF JOSEPH.'" 46:58 - NAZARETH? - "AND NATHANAEL SAID TO HIM, 47:01 'CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF NAZARETH?'" 47:04 I MEAN, YOU KNOW, NAZARETH HAD A BAD REPUTATION AND I - YOU 47:10 KNOW - AND SO INSTEAD OF ARGUING WHAT DOES PHILIP DO? 47:16 HE SAYS, 'COME AND SEE.' YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE SAME THING 47:21 HE HEARD JESUS SAY. THEY SAID TO JESUS, 'MASTER 47:23 WHERE ARE YOU DWELLING?' JESUS SAID, 'COME AND SEE.' 47:26 WHEN YOU INVITE PEOPLE TO AN EVANGELISTIC MEETING, 'WHAT 47:28 CHURCH IS PUTTING THIS ON?' 'COME AND SEE.' 47:31 'WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM?' 47:33 'COME AND SEE.' 'DO YOU GUYS BELIEVE IN THE 47:35 BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? ARE YOU CALVINISTIC? 47:38 WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THE TRIBULATION?' 'COME AND SEE.' 47:42 DON'T ARGUE WITH THEM. THAT'S GOOD EVANGELISM. 47:45 I'VE HAD TO COUNSEL OUR CHURCHES BEFORE - JUST BEFORE A MEETING 47:48 BEGINS WHEN PEOPLE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS - SAY, 'COME AND SEE. 47:52 OH, HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT. YOU WANT TO COME - 47:54 ASK HIM THAT QUESTION.' DON'T LET THEM SUCK YOU IN - 47:57 GET THEM IN THE DOORS IS VERY IMPORTANT. 48:00 ONCE THEY MEET JESUS THEN THINGS HAPPEN. 48:02 ALRIGHT, SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ FOR US JOHN 4:28-30 - 48:06 WHERE IS THAT? OVER HERE, SORRY. 48:09 >>JOHN 4:28-30, "THE WOMAN THEN LEFT HER WATERPOT, WENT HER WAY 48:17 INTO THE CITY, AND SAID TO THE MEN, 'COME, SEE A MAN WHO TOLD 48:22 ME ALL THINGS THAT I EVER DID. COULD THIS BE THE CHRIST?' 48:27 THEN THEY WENT OUT OF THE CITY AND CAME TO HIM." 48:30 >>WELL, THAT'S A GREAT STORY. 48:32 CAN THE LORD USE ANYONE AND EVERYONE TO WIN SOULS? 48:37 HE DELIBERATELY USES SOME OF THE MOST UNLIKELY CANDIDATES. 48:41 HE USES THIS WOMAN OF SAMARIA WHO MAY HAVE HAD A QUESTIONABLE 48:44 REPUTATION - JESUS COMES FROM A TOWN OF QUESTIONABLE ORIGINS - 48:49 AND THEN HE USES MARY MAGDALENE WHO HAD A QUESTIONABLE 48:52 REPUTATION AND HE TELLS THEM TO GO AND TELL OTHERS AND THAT 48:57 MEANS IF THE LORD CAN USE THEM, HE CAN USE ANYONE. 49:01 THIS WOMAN WHO HAD - I MEAN, SHE HAD BEEN MARRIED FIVE TIMES AND 49:05 SHE'S GOT THIS FELLA - EVERYBODY IN TOWN KNOWS THEY'RE NOT 49:08 MARRIED AND THEY'RE LIVING TOGETHER AND JESUS USES HER AND 49:11 WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT SHE USED? 49:14 HER TESTIMONY. SHE SAYS, 'COME AND SEE.' 49:17 AND DO YOU THINK THE EXPRESSION ON HER FACE SAID SOMETHING TOO? 49:20 SHE MUST HAVE LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS IN TOTAL AMAZEMENT AND 49:24 BELIEF AND EXCITEMENT - 'COME AND SEE! 49:26 COME AND SEE!' AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOUR 49:28 BODY LANGUAGE AND YOUR EXPRESSION SAYS A LOT. 49:31 'WANT TO COME TO MY CHURCH?' THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. 49:35 'COME TO - AW, WE'VE GOT THE GREATEST - COME VISIT OUR 49:37 CHURCH!' WE ALL WANT TO HAVE A CHURCH 49:40 LIKE THAT - THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT, RIGHT? 49:44 SO YOU'VE GOT THE PERSONAL TESTIMONY - WHO SHARES HIS 49:46 TESTIMONY THE MOST IN THE BIBLE, WHO KNOWS? 49:48 PAUL DOES. YOU FIND PAUL - AND PAUL HAD A 49:52 PRETTY DRAMATIC TESTIMONY - JESUS APPEARS TO HIM, RIGHT? 49:55 THERE ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS AND I COUNTED FOUR OR PARTS OF 50:01 FIVE TIMES HE REFERS TO HIS TESTIMONY - NOT JUST IN THE BOOK 50:06 OF ACTS, BUT ALSO IN HIS LETTERS. 50:09 PAUL CONSTANT - AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SAW JESUS FACE TO FACE 50:11 WOULD YOU ALWAYS BE REMEMBERING THAT? 50:13 YOU'D BE ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE YOUR TESTIMONY. 50:15 WELL, FRIENDS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE AN ANGELIC VISION OR HAVE 50:20 JESUS GIVE YOU SOME EPIPHANY ON THE ROAD TO SAY THAT YOU'VE GOT 50:24 A TESTIMONY. IF YOU HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS AND 50:27 IF THERE WAS A TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU KNOW YOU SURRENDERED TO 50:30 JESUS, AND YOU EXPERIENCED THAT TRANSFORMATION, YOU'VE GOT A 50:34 TESTIMONY. TELL WHAT HE MEANS TO YOU. 50:37 IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN EXPERIENCE THEN YOU NEED TO HAVE ONE. 50:40 YOU NEED TO SURRENDER COMPLETELY TO THE LORD. ACCEPT HIM. 50:43 YOU OUGHT TO, BY FAITH, EXPERIENCE SOME PEACE AND JOY 50:45 AND A TRANSFORMATION - YOU WERE DEAD, YOU'RE ALIVE - YOU WERE 50:48 LOST, YOU'RE FOUND. THERE SHOULD BE A DIFFERENCE. 50:51 YOU WERE HEADING FOR DESTRUCTION, YOU'RE HEADING FOR 50:53 LIFE - AND SHARE YOUR STORY WITH PEOPLE. 50:58 TELL WHAT A DIFFERENCE HE'S MADE IN YOUR LIFE. 51:00 AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT SERMON EVERYBODY CAN PREACH. 51:04 AND ONCE THAT'S HAPPENED YOU WANT TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT. 51:07 AND, BY THE WAY, THAT'S IN ACTS 22:6-8 - WHERE PAUL IS SHARING 51:12 HIS PERSONAL TESTIMONY THERE. I HEARD ABOUT A MAN AND THERE'S 51:17 A LOT OF VARIATIONS OF THIS STORY BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENED MANY 51:20 TIMES, BUT THE VERSION I HEARD IS THERE WAS A MAN WHO WAS 51:25 LEGALLY BLIND. HE DID HAVE HIS EYES AND HE WORE 51:27 GLASSES BUT HE HAD TO USE A CANE. YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN 51:29 PEOPLE THAT CAN SEE SOMEWHAT BUT THEY STILL USE A CANE. 51:32 WELL, EITHER THIS PROCEDURE WAS DEVELOPED OR HE DIDN'T KNOW 51:38 ABOUT IT, BUT FINALLY HE WENT AND HE HAD SURGERY AND AFTER, 51:42 YOU KNOW, BEING 25 OR SOMETHING YEARS OLD NEVER KNOWING HE COULD 51:47 SEE - HIS EYES WERE TOTALLY CORRECTED WHERE HE DIDN'T - NOT 51:49 ONLY NEED A CANE, HE DIDN'T NEED GLASSES. 51:52 HE WAS SO - IT MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN HIS LIFE. 51:55 HE WAS SO EXCITED THAT HE WENT TO THAT DOCTOR WHEN HE HAD HIS 51:57 FINAL VISIT AND THEY TOOK THE BANDAGES OFF AND HE COULD SEE, 52:00 HE SAID, 'CAN I HAVE SOME OF YOUR BUSINESS CARDS?' 52:02 THEY SAID, 'WELL HERE'S A COUPLE.' 52:04 HE SAID, 'NO, NO.' HE SAYS, 'LET ME SEE THE BOX.' 52:07 HE'D TAKE A STACK OF THEM - HE WAS ABLE TO GET A JOB - AND ON 52:12 HIS WAY TO WORK IN NEW YORK CITY HE WENT THROUGH THE SUBWAY AND 52:14 AS THE TRAIN WAS TAKING HIM FROM ONE END OF THE TOWN TO THE 52:17 OTHER HE WOULD GO UP THROUGH THE SUBWAY AND HE'D SEE ANYBODY WITH 52:20 GLASSES AND HE'D SAY, 'I WAS BLIND. 52:22 I WENT TO THIS DOCTOR AND NOW I CAN SEE AND I DON'T EVEN NEED 52:25 GLASSES.' 'I WAS BLIND.' AND HE WAS SO 52:27 EXCITED AND HE WAS TELLING EVERYBODY ABOUT THE DOCTOR. 52:30 ISN'T THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING WHEN WE BECOME CHRISTIANS AND WE'VE 52:34 HAD THAT KIND OF TRANSFORMATION IN OUR LIFE? 52:36 WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND THAT WANT TO SEE AND 52:41 YOU PASS OUT THE BUSINESS CARDS. IT'S NOT THAT HARD. 52:45 GIVE A BIBLE. GIVE THEM A TRACT. 52:46 THERE'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY CAN DO. 52:49 SO WE ARE SAVED FOR THE PURPOSE OF SERVICE. 52:53 'DESIRE OF AGES' - HERE'S A QUOTE HERE I WANTED TO SHARE 52:56 WITH YOU - PAGE 347 - TALKING ABOUT OUR PERSONAL TESTIMONY, 53:01 "OUR CONFESSION OF HIS FAITHFULNESS IS HEAVEN'S CHOSEN 53:04 AGENCY FOR REVEALING CHRIST TO THE WORLD." 53:08 - WOW - "WE'RE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS GRACE AS MADE KNOWN THROUGH 53:12 THE HOLY MEN OF OLD. THAT WHICH WILL BE MOST 53:14 EFFECTUAL IS THE TESTIMONY OF OUR OWN EXPERIENCE. 53:18 WE ARE WITNESSES FOR GOD AS WE REVEAL, IN OURSELVES, THE 53:22 WORKING OF A POWER THAT IS DIVINE." 53:25 IN YOUR FAMILY DO PEOPLE SEE A DIFFERENCE? 53:28 IN YOUR LIFE CAN PEOPLE SEE A DIFFERENCE? 53:30 YOUR NEIGHBORS, THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH. 53:32 IT'S ALWAYS KIND OF SOBERING WHEN SOMEONE TALKS TO YOU, 53:37 YOU'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS AND THEY SAY, 'OH, YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN? 53:39 I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE A CHRISTIAN.' 53:40 PEOPLE OUGHT TO KNOW. IT OUGHT TO BE SEEN IN OUR LIVES. 53:44 JOHN SHARED THAT WITH HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. 53:48 THIS IS IN 1 JOHN - 1 JOHN 1, VERSES 1 THROUGH 4, "THAT WHICH 53:54 WAS FROM THE BEGINNING, WHICH WE HAVE HEARD, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN 53:56 WITH OUR EYES," - WE HAVE SEEN IT. 53:59 HE STARTS HIS LETTER BY SAYING, 'I'M GIVING YOU MY PERSONAL 54:01 TESTIMONY' - "WHICH WE HAVE LOOKED UPON, AND OUR HANDS HAVE 54:04 HANDLED, CONCERNING THE WORD OF LIFE - THE LIFE WAS MANIFESTED, 54:09 AND WE HAVE SEEN, AND BEAR WITNESS, AND DECLARE TO YOU THAT 54:12 ETERNAL LIFE WHICH WAS WITH THE FATHER AND WAS MANIFESTED TO US 54:16 - THAT WHICH WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD WE DECLARE TO YOU, THAT 54:20 YOU ALSO MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH US; AND TRULY OUR 54:22 FELLOWSHIP IS WITH THE FATHER AND WITH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. 54:25 AND THESE THINGS WE WRITE TO YOU THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL." 54:29 WE'RE TELLING YOU WHAT WE'VE SEEN, WHAT WE'VE HEARD, WHAT 54:32 WE'VE WITNESSED, WHAT OUR HANDS HAVE HANDLED. 54:34 I TOUCHED HIM, I LEANED ON HIS BREAST, I SAW HIM EVERY DAY. 54:39 GOD BECAME A MAN. PERSONAL TESTIMONY. 54:43 WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THAT - YOU KNOW, MARKETING AGENCIES 54:47 KNOW THIS IS TRUE - THERE ARE A LOT OF INFOMERCIALS THAT THEY 54:52 HAVE - THERE ARE CERTAIN CHANNELS THAT AFTER A CERTAIN 54:54 TIME OF DAY THEY DON'T HAVE REGULAR PROGRAMMING. 54:56 IT'LL SAY IN A LITTLE BOX AT THE TOP, 'PAID ADVERTISEMENT' - BUT 55:00 IF YOU DON'T SPOT THAT, YOU'LL THINK, 'THIS IS AN EXCITING 55:03 PROGRAM.' AND IT'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF 55:06 PEOPLE THAT ARE UP FRONT AND THEY'VE GOT THIS ROOM FULL OF 55:08 FOLKS THAT ARE GOING 'OOH AND AAH' AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT 55:11 THIS HANDY DANDY VEGETABLE CHOPPER THAT CHANGED THEIR LIFE 55:14 AND SAVED THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR MARRIAGE AND THEIR HEALTH AND 55:17 EVERYTHING. AND THE PEOPLE ARE GOING, 'OH YES!' 55:20 AND THEY'RE CLAPPING AND THE CAMERA SWEEPS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE 55:23 WATCHING THAT LOOK SO EXCITED AND THEY'LL COME UP AND GIVE A 55:25 TESTIMONY, 'I HAD ONE OF THESE TOO AND MY VEGETABLES ARE SO 55:28 MUCH BETTER AND MY WHOLE LIFE CAME TOGETHER BECAUSE OF THIS 55:30 THING.' AND PEOPLE START TO - PHONE LINES LIGHT UP AND 55:34 EVERYONE ORDERS THESE THINGS AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S DOING IT? 55:36 THE TESTIMONIES. THE PERSONAL TESTIMONIES. 55:40 IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE AND THE PEOPLE ON MADISON AVENUE AND 55:44 THE ADVERTISERS KNOW - THEY'VE GOT A WHOLE WEBSITE THAT'S 55:49 CALLED 'ANGIE'S LIST' WHERE PEOPLE WILL CHECK OUT THE 55:54 REFERENCES AND YOU GIVE YOUR TESTIMONY ABOUT SOME SERVICE OR 55:57 PROJECT OR PLUMBER OR SOMETHING THAT YOU NEEDED AND THEY SAY, 56:04 'DO I GET A TESTIMONY?' OR YOU GO TO BUY A PRODUCT AND 56:08 YOU SAY, 'WHAT ARE THE STARS UNDERNEATH? 56:11 HOW WERE THEY RATED BY OTHERS? DO OTHERS LIKE THEM?' 56:15 AND SO YOU GET ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT ARE GIVING A TESTIMONY THAT 56:18 SAYS, 'THIS IS TRUE. THIS IS GOOD. THIS CHANGED MY LIFE.' 56:22 FOLKS ARE ALL LOOKING AROUND FOR PURPOSE. 56:24 A LOT OF UNHAPPY PEOPLE OUT THERE, RIGHT? AND SO 56:26 YOUR PERSONAL TESTIMONY IS VERY POWERFUL AND MY TIME IS UP. 56:31 A LOT MORE GOOD STUFF IN THIS LESSON, FRIENDS. 56:33 DON'T FORGET, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. IF YOU MISSED THIS 56:35 AT THE BEGINNING I WANT TO REPEAT IT. AMAZING FACTS HAS 56:38 DECIDED TO OFFER SOMETHING THAT'S A PREMIUM OFFER. 56:41 IT'S ACTUALLY VERY EXPENSIVE BUT IT TELLS A CHURCH HOW TO GO 56:44 THROUGH THE ENTIRE SCIENCE OF AN EVANGELISTIC PROGRAM - HOW IT 56:48 CAN BE INTEGRAL IN YOUR CHURCH. 'EVANGELISM PRE WORK MANUAL - 56:52 GROWING YOUR CHURCH FROM THE INSIDE OUT' - WE'LL SEND IT TO 56:54 YOU FOR ASKING. CALL THE NUMBER - 866-788-3966 - 56:59 ASK FOR OFFER #790. WE'LL SEND THAT TO YOU IF YOU 57:02 PROMISE TO USE IT AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF WE CAN DO WHAT 57:06 WE CAN DO TO PRIME THE PUMP AND STIMULATE REVIVAL, AMEN? 57:10 GET INVOLVED IN SHARING OUR FAITH. 57:11 GOD BLESS YOU UNTIL WE STUDY TOGETHER NEXT WEEK. 57:16 >>IN SIX DAYS GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. 57:20 FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS MAN HAS WORSHIPED GOD ON THE SEVENTH DAY 57:24 OF THE WEEK. NOW, EACH WEEK, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORSHIP 57:28 ON THE FIRST DAY. WHAT HAPPENED? WHY DID GOD CREATE A DAY OF 57:32 REST? DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT DAY WE WORSHIP? 57:36 WHO WAS BEHIND THIS GREAT SHIFT? DISCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND GOD'S 57:39 LAW AND HOW IT WAS CHANGED. VISIT SABBATHTRUTH.COM. 57:46 >>IF YOU'VE MISSED ANY OF OUR AMAZING FACTS PROGRAMS VISIT OUR 57:49 WEBSITE AT 'AMAZINGFACTS.ORG'. THERE YOU'LL FIND AN ARCHIVE OF 57:52 ALL OUR TELEVISION AND RADIO PROGRAMS INCLUDING 57:55 AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. ONE LOCATION. 57:58 SO MANY POSSIBILITIES. AMAZINGFACTS.ORG. 58:02 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17