Participants: Pr. Mike Thompson
Series Code: CSH
Program Code: CSH021346
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:45 >>WELCOME TO SACRAMENTO CENTRAL SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. 00:49 IT'S A SUNNY DAY HERE IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. 00:52 WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE TUNING IN, WHETHER YOU'RE LISTENING ON 00:55 THE RADIO OR WATCHING LIVE AT OUR WEBSITE RIGHT NOW, 00:58 'SACCENTRAL.ORG', OR ON THE VARIOUS TELEVISION NETWORKS - 01:01 HOWEVER YOU ARE JOINING US WE'RE JUST SO GLAD THAT YOU JOIN WITH 01:06 US EVERY WEEK. MAYBE THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME, 01:08 SO WHAT WE DO IS WE SING YOUR FAVORITE REQUESTS THAT YOU SEND 01:11 IN AND THEN WE OPEN UP GOD'S WORD AND WE STUDY TOGETHER. 01:15 SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO SING ONE OF MY FAVORITES, 01:19 'GOD OF OUR FATHERS'. 01:20 IF YOU HAVE A HYMNAL AT HOME, OPEN IT UP TO #645. 01:25 THIS IS A REQUEST FROM WILSON IN CANADA, MAISIE AND KARL IN 01:28 FRANCE, SILVERWYNN IN THAILAND, ASHOOK IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 01:33 AND MANY MORE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. 01:35 WE'RE GOING TO SING ALL FOUR STANZAS - 'GOD OF OUR FATHERS'. 01:39 (MUSIC) 02:50 >>WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, HANDERSON, FOR ADDING ALL THAT 02:52 EXTRA STUFF THAT IS NOT WRITTEN IN THE HYMNAL. I LOVE IT. 02:57 IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SONG THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SING WITH US 03:00 ON AN UPCOMING PROGRAM, IT IS SO SIMPLE. 03:03 JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE 'SACCENTRAL.ORG' AND CLICK ON 03:06 THE 'CONTACT US' LINK AND YOU CAN SEND IN YOUR FAVORITE SONG. 03:10 IF IT'S IN THE HYMNAL WE WILL SING THAT FOR YOU. 03:13 #78 IS OUR NEW SONG AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK OUR WAY 03:18 THROUGH THE HYMNAL SINGING THE SONGS WE DON'T KNOW. 03:21 WE'VE LEARNED A LOT OF NEW SONGS THIS YEAR - WELL, IT'S BEEN OVER 03:24 A YEAR SINCE WE STARTED THIS, I THINK, AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE 03:26 ABOUT TWELVE YEARS TO FINISH SINGING THROUGH THE HYMNAL SO 03:29 BEAR WITH US. #78 'FOR GOD SO LOVED US'. 03:36 WE'RE GOING TO SING ALL FOUR STANZAS. 03:38 THIS IS A REQUEST FROM AMEIDI IN BELIZE, LEON IN CALIFORNIA, 03:43 JOSEFIN IN IRELAND, HOWARD AND DIANE IN MISSISSIPPI, GILBERT IN 03:47 THE PHILIPPINES, AND GRACE IN TANZANIA AND THERE WERE A FEW 03:50 MORE PEOPLE THAT REQUESTED THIS SONG. #78 - 03:53 'FOR GOD SO LOVED US'. 03:55 (MUSIC) 05:19 >>GOD LOVES US AND WE ARE HIS CHILDREN AND HE EVEN LOVES ME. 05:27 SOME OF THESE SONGS, THEY HAVE SUCH LOVELY WORDS TO THEM. 05:30 AND YOU FIND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE HYMNS - YOU READ THE STORIES 05:34 ON, YOU KNOW, HOW - WHY THEY WERE WRITTEN AND WHAT THE 05:37 EXPERIENCES OF THE PEOPLE WERE THAT WROTE THEM. 05:40 AND THERE'S ALWAYS SOME OF THESE - THE MAJORITY OF THEM - SUCH 05:44 AMAZING STORIES OF EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE HAVE GONE THROUGH 05:47 AND IT USUALLY SEEMS THAT A BIG EXPERIENCE - SOMETHING THAT 05:53 IMPACTS YOU, USUALLY MAKES THESE WONDERFUL HYMNS THE RESULT OF 05:58 THAT EXPERIENCE. SO WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE 06:01 LEARNING THESE AND I HOPE YOU ARE TOO. 06:06 AT THIS TIME LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. 06:09 FATHER IN HEAVEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LOVING US. 06:14 AND WE ARE YOUR CHILDREN AND SOMETIMES WE'RE VERY NAUGHTY BUT 06:18 WE KNOW THAT YOU DO LOVE US. AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 06:22 DYING ON THE CROSS FOR US SO THAT ONE DAY WE CAN BE IN HEAVEN 06:27 WITH YOU, OUR LOVING, HEAVENLY FATHER. 06:30 THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER TO OPEN UP YOUR WORD 06:35 AND STUDY TOGETHER. I PRAY THAT YOU'LL BE WITH EACH 06:38 ONE HERE IN THE SANCTUARY AND OUR EXTENDED FAMILY AROUND THE 06:41 WORLD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EACH ONE. 06:44 AND I PRAY THAT WE WILL RECEIVE THE BLESSING THAT YOU HAVE FOR 06:46 US. IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. AT THIS TIME OUR LESSON STUDY IS 06:52 GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR MIKE THOMPSON. 06:55 HE IS OUR HEALTH AND VISITATION PASTOR HERE AT CENTRAL CHURCH. 07:01 >>THANK YOU VERY MUCH CHORISTERS AND HANDERSON, THANK YOU SO 07:07 MUCH. THAT WAS A NICE PIECE OF MUSIC OUT THERE. VERY RELAXING. 07:14 IT'S MY PLEASURE TODAY TO BE ABLE TO WELCOME YOU ALSO TO 07:19 CENTRAL STUDY HOUR. 07:20 BEFORE WE BEGIN WE HAVE OUR USUAL OFFER THAT I WANT TO MAKE 07:25 AVAILABLE TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE AND ALSO THE VIEWERS. 07:28 THIS IS OFFER #102 AND IT'S CALLED 'THREE STEPS TO HEAVEN'. 07:35 IF YOU CALL THE NUMBER 1-866-STUDY-MORE OR 07:38 1-866-788-3966 AMAZING FACTS WILL SEND THIS TO YOU IF YOU 07:44 LIVE IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 07:47 IT'S CALLED 'THREE STEPS TO HEAVEN'. 07:49 IT'S LOOKING AT THREE STEPS: CONFESSION, FORGIVENESS, AND 07:55 CONVERSION - THE NEW BIRTH. AND IF WE CAN EXPERIENCE THESE 07:59 BY FAITH, THE DOOR OF HEAVEN IS OPEN WIDE. 08:05 NOT THAT THAT DOOR OPENS BECAUSE OF THE THINGS WE DO, THERE'S 08:08 ACTUALLY - THERE'S NO VIRTUE IN OUR CONFESSION, THE VIRTUE IS IN 08:13 THE ONE WHO FORGIVES US WHEN WE CONFESS AND THAT'S JESUS. 08:17 SO TODAY WE'RE ON LESSON #7 IN OUR QUARTERLY BOOK 'THE 08:22 SANCTUARY' AND IT'S CALLED TODAY 'CHRIST OUR SACRIFICE'. 08:27 SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT TODAY AND THERE'S A MEMORY TEXT FROM 1 08:31 PETER CHAPTER 2, VERSE 24 IN THE LESSON. 08:34 SPEAKING OF CHRIST IT SAID, "'HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS' IN HIS 08:39 BODY ON THE CROSS, SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SINS AND LIVE FOR 08:44 RIGHTEOUSNESS; 'BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED.'" 08:50 WE'LL DISCUSS THIS A LITTLE MORE IN A MOMENT, BUT IN THE 08:54 INTRODUCTION PAGE IN THE LESSON WE READ THIS - IT'S DOWN NEAR 08:58 THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE - IT SAYS, 'THIS WEEK WE WILL STUDY 09:01 DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF CHRIST'S ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND SEE WHAT 09:06 HIS ONCE-FOR-ALL DEATH HAS PROVIDED FOR US.' 09:11 HE PROVIDED MANY THINGS IN THIS LIFE BUT, ULTIMATELY, ETERNAL 09:15 LIFE, WHICH IS WAITING FOR US IN THE NEXT. 09:18 SO SUNDAY IS ENTITLED 'JESUS IN ISAIAH 53'. 09:23 I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY KIND OF SAYING THIS: GOD HAS NEVER 09:31 GOTTEN USED TO SIN. HE'S NEVER GOTTEN USED TO IT. 09:36 HE'S WITNESSED IT FOR MUCH LONGER THAN WE HAVE IN OUR FEW 09:39 YEARS OF LIFE. HE'S BEEN WITNESSING IT FOR 09:41 CLOSE TO 6,000 YEARS. HE'S NEVER GOTTEN USED TO IT. 09:47 WE, UNFORTUNATELY - AND IT'S NOTHING TO BOAST ABOUT - WE'RE 09:52 QUITE INSENSITIVE TO EVIL. WE'RE BORN AS WE ARE INTO A 09:57 FALLEN WORLD. WE'RE BORN WITH FALLEN NATURES 10:00 AND THE NATURAL TENDENCY IS TO TAKE THE DOWN ROAD. 10:04 SO IN A LARGE DEGREE WE'RE QUITE DESENSITIZED TO THE 10:08 OFFENSIVENESS OF SIN. BUT AGAIN I SAY 10:11 IT'S NOT SO WITH GOD. GOD HATES INIQUITY. 10:17 AND I'VE DESCRIBED IT THIS WAY BEFORE: THE MOMENT WE SIN, GOD'S 10:23 WRATH IS IMMEDIATELY PRIMED AND PREPARED TO GO FORTH AND MEET 10:29 OUR SIN AND US AND CONSUME THE SIN AND US ALL AT ONCE, JUST 10:35 LIKE THAT - CONSUME US UNTIL WE ARE NO MORE. 10:39 THAT WOULD BE WHAT WE DESERVE, RIGHT? 10:43 YET, IN SPITE OF THE MULTIPLICITY OF OUR EVILS, WE'RE 10:48 ALL STILL HERE. GOD HAS NOT CONSUMED US. WHY? 10:54 BECAUSE - THIS IS ALMOST LIKE THE LAST LESSON THAT I DID HERE 10:58 ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO. ALMOST THE SAME THING - BECAUSE 11:02 FOR OUR GOD IS A JUST GOD AND HE WILL SURELY PUNISH SIN. 11:07 HE'S EQUALLY A MERCIFUL GOD - LONGSUFFERING, 11:12 NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH. 11:16 IT SAYS IN PSALM 103:8 "THE LORD IS MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS, SLOW 11:22 TO ANGER, AND ABOUNDING IN MERCY." 11:26 NOW THIS DOESN'T MEAN FOR ONE INSTANT THAT GOD WILL EVER 11:30 EXCUSE A SIN. EVERY TRANSGRESSION IS DULY 11:35 NOTED AND PRIMED TO RECEIVE ITS JUST REWARD. 11:40 INDEED GOD LOATHES IT, HE DESPISES IT, AND HE WILL NEVER 11:45 EXCUSE ONE SINGLE VIOLATION OF HIS LAW. 11:50 IT IS ALL WRITTEN DOWN IN THE BOOK. 11:53 AND YET, AT THE SAME TIME, HE WILL FREELY FORGIVE EVERY SINGLE 11:59 VIOLATION OF HIS LAW NO MATTER HOW GREAT THAT TRANSGRESSION 12:05 MIGHT BE BECAUSE, IN HIS GREAT MERCY - THIS IS WHY HE CAN DO 12:13 THIS - AND YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING - WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 12:15 ISAIAH 53 - GOD GAVE JESUS TO BECOME GUILTY IN OUR PLACE AND 12:22 TO BE OUR SUBSTITUTE TO SUFFER THE SENTENCE OF EXECUTION - TO 12:28 SUFFER THE WRATH OF GOD AND THE DIVINE JUSTICE SO THAT WE COULD 12:32 BE SPARED FROM THAT. AND ALL THIS THAT WE'RE TALKING 12:35 ABOUT IS VERY CLEARLY PREFIGURED IN ISAIAH 53 - WRITTEN ABOUT 700 12:42 YEARS BEFORE JESUS EVER SET FOOT UPON THIS EARTH IN HUMAN FORM. 12:48 SO, FOR THIS REASON, THIS MORNING, WE ARE CALLED TO, KIND 12:51 OF - IF WE CAN, ASK GOD TO HELP YOU DO THIS - DE-CLUTTER OUR 12:55 MINDS FROM A THOUSAND DISTRACTIONS - DE-CLUTTER OUR 13:01 MINDS FROM A THOUSAND DISTRACTIONS - BE STILL, BE 13:05 SILENT - SOBERLY, PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER AND CONTEMPLATE JUST 13:14 WHAT JESUS HAS DONE TO EFFECT FOR US THIS WONDERFUL MEANS 13:21 WHEREBY WE CAN HAVE ETERNAL SALVATION. 13:26 AND ALSO DE-CLUTTER OUR MINDS AND FOCUS SO THAT WE CAN ALSO 13:31 CONSIDER WHAT HE EXPERIENCED IN HIS HUMAN FLESH IN GETHSEMANE - 13:37 WELL, ACTUALLY, ALL THROUGH HIS LIFE - ALL THROUGH HIS LIFE. 13:41 BUT ESPECIALLY - IT REACHED A CLIMAX IN GETHSEMANE AND UPON 13:46 THE CROSS. I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER 13:53 TODAYSUFFERING - PHYSICALLY,GH - EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY - THAT WE 13:57 AGAIN CAN BE THE RECIPIENTS OF SUCH A PRICELESS GIFT. 14:03 IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO DO THAT IN ABOUT FIVE OR TEN MINUTES I 14:06 HAVE JUST ON THIS SECTION, BUT LET'S - LET'S ASK GOD 14:11 TO HELP US GRASP IT. 14:13 ISAIAH 53 AND VERSE 3 TELLS US, "HE WAS DESPISED AND REJECTED 14:20 OF MEN; A MAN OF SORROWS, AND ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF." 14:27 JESUS WAS ACQUAINTED WITH ALL THE ABOVE. 14:31 HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO SUFFER REJECTION. 14:34 IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN REJECTED IT'S A WHOLE WORLD OF PAIN JUST 14:39 IN ITSELF. BUT YOU SEE, THE SUFFERINGS OF 14:42 CHRIST, THEY'RE IN LAYERS AND IT'S EASY TO JUST LOOK AT A 14:47 CROSS AND SAY, 'HEY, HE WAS NAILED TO A CROSS. 14:49 IT WAS A HARD TIME HE HAD.' NO, THE PHYSICAL PAIN HE FELT - 14:54 BAD AS IT WAS - WAS ALMOST INSIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO THE 15:01 OTHER FLAVORS AND SHAPES AND FORMS OF SUFFERING THAT HE WENT 15:06 THROUGH IN HIS MIND AND IN HIS HEART. 15:11 SO REJECTION WAS ONE THING, BAD AS IT WAS, BUT JESUS SUFFERED 15:14 MANY OTHER WAYS BECAUSE OF SIN AND I'M GOING TO MENTION ONE 15:18 NOW. JESUS SUFFERED JUST BY 15:20 WITNESSING THE COMMISSION OF SIN. 15:24 THERE'S A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU. 15:28 THE FIRST ONE IS FROM ISAIAH - SORRY, FROM 'DESIRE OF AGES' 15:32 PAGE 88, THEN ANOTHER ONE FROM 'DESIRE OF AGES' PAGE 111. 15:38 THE FIRST ONE SAYS, SPEAKING OF JESUS, HE HATED BUT ONE THING IN 15:44 THIS WORLD AND THAT WAS SIN. 15:47 HE HATED BUT ONE THING AND THAT WAS SIN. 15:51 NOW LISTEN, JESUS "COULD NOT WITNESS A WRONG ACT WITHOUT PAIN 15:58 WHICH IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DISGUISE." 16:02 IN OTHER WORDS, HE COULD BE WALKING THROUGH THE MARKETPLACE, 16:06 PEOPLE JOSTLING HIM, AND YOU MAY SEE A FATHER OR A MOTHER TURN 16:10 AROUND ON THEIR CHILD AND JUST - JUST LET THE CHILD HAVE IT - YOU 16:14 KNOW, CHILDREN GET IMPATIENT - AND JUST CURSE THEIR OWN CHILD 16:18 OR SLAP THE CHILD. WHEN JESUS SAW THINGS LIKE THAT 16:20 AND EVEN LESS, IT CAUSED HIM SUCH PAIN THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE 16:27 FOR HIM TO DISGUISE. NEXT THING, FROM 'DESIRE OF 16:32 AGES' 111, "EVERY SIN, EVERY DISCORD, EVERY DEFILING LUST 16:39 THAT TRANSGRESSION HAD BROUGHT, WAS TORTURE TO HIS SPIRIT." 16:45 GOING BACK AGAIN TO WHAT I SAID: GOD HAS NEVER GOTTEN USED TO 16:49 SIN. WE HAVE. WE HAVE. BUT HE WAS SO SINLESS, SO PURE 16:53 IN HIS HEART WHEN HE WITNESSED A WRONG ACT OR HE HEARD A WRONG 16:57 TONE OF VOICE, IT WAS TORTURE TO HIS SPIRIT. 17:02 SO HE SUFFERED MERELY BY WITNESSING SIN. 17:06 NOW, KEEP THIS IN MIND - KEEP THIS IN MIND, BECAUSE I'M GOING 17:12 TO READ ISAIAH 53, VERSE 6 - KEEP THIS IN MIND THAT IT WAS A 17:21 CONSIDER THE FACT THAT HE BORE BUT OUR SINS SO WE CAN HAVE A 17:24 GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE INFINITE 17:27 MAGNITUDE OF CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS JUST BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF 17:31 SIN. ISAIAH 53:6 TELLS US, "ALL WE 17:37 LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY; WE HAVE TURNED EVERY ONE TO HIS OWN 17:42 WAY; AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL." 17:49 SO FOLLOW ME NOW, IF IT WAS INFINITELY PAINFUL FOR JESUS TO 17:55 WITNESS SIN, WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN HE ACTUALLY TOOK UPON HIM 18:04 OUR SINS? IT ADDS A WHOLE DIFFERENT 18:08 DIMENSION TO THE MAGNITUDE OF HIS SUFFERING. 18:13 HOW GREAT WAS HIS SUFFERING WHEN - THE BIBLE TELLS US IN 18:16 CORINTHIANS 'HE BECAME SIN'. HE NEVER SINNED - DON'T LET 18:19 ANYBODY MISUNDERSTAND ME - HE NEVER SINNED EVEN BY A THOUGHT. 18:23 YOU CAN READ THAT ALSO IN 'DESIRE OF AGES'. 18:25 HE WAS PRISTINE, PURE AND SINLESS BUT HE BECAME - WHEN HE 18:30 TOOK OUR SINS - HE BECAME THE PERSONIFICATION OF EVIL AND, 18:35 THEREFORE, THE THEOLOGIANS TELL US WHAT CHRIST DID NOT ASSUME - 18:41 HE COULD NOT RESOLVE FOR US - SO UNLESS HE ASSUMED OUR SINS AND 18:47 MADE THEM HIS OWN PERSONAL PROPERTY - THOUGH HE NEVER, 18:49 NEVER COMMITTED THEM, HE COULD NOT RESOLVE OUR ISSUE OF 'WHAT 18:54 CAN WE DO WITH OUR SINS?' 'HOW CAN WE GET RID OF THESE SO 18:57 WE CAN BE SPARED FROM ETERNAL DEATH?' SO CHRIST ASSUMED THEM. 19:03 NOT IN SOME PHILOSOPHICAL - NOT IN SOME KIND OF THEORETICAL WAY, 19:09 BUT HE TOOK THEM. HE BECAME A PART - THEY BECAME A 19:13 PART OF HIS ACTUAL BEING - HIS HUMAN FLESH - SUCH AS WE HAVE. 19:20 I HOPE YOU CAN FOLLOW ME. 19:22 SO ALL THE PUTREFYING FILTH OF THE HUMAN RACE - ALL THE 19:28 CORRUPTION, ALL THE DEFILEMENT INFUSED, AS IT WERE, HIS MORTAL 19:33 FLESH TO BECOME PART OF HIS OWN BEING. 19:37 WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THIS AS WE SHOULD. ISAIAH 53:5 SAYS, 19:45 "HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS," - IF YOU HAVE 19:48 THE KING JAMES THERE'S A MARGINAL READING THERE. 19:51 FOR THE WORD 'WOUNDED' WE HAVE IN THE MARGIN 'TORMENTED'. 19:56 HE WAS TORMENTED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS. 20:01 NOT JUST TORMENTED THROUGH THE PHYSICAL PAIN, BUT THE TORMENT 20:05 OF FINDING HIMSELF SO UTTERLY DEFILED BY THE SIN OF EVERY MAN, 20:13 WOMAN AND CHILD. 20:18 I TRIED TO FIND WORDS TO DESCRIBE THIS AND, ACTUALLY, 20:22 THEY COME OUT PRETTY GRAPHIC SO I WANT TO BE CAREFUL, BUT IT'S 20:26 AS IF HE HAD CLINGING TO HIM THIS VILE, STENCHING SLIME THAT 20:31 HE LONGED TO WASH OFF - LIKE HE'D BEEN THROWN IN A CESSPIT OF 20:35 HUMAN WICKEDNESS AND HE COMES OUT AND HE'S GOT THIS VILE SLIME 20:40 JUST ALL OVER HIM. YOU KNOW HOW YOU'D FEEL? 20:42 YOU WANT TO GET IN THE SHOWER AND WASH IT OFF - BUT HE 20:44 COULDN'T. HE WAS INVESTED WITH THEM. 20:50 SO THAT, IN ITSELF, WAS PART OF THE SUFFERINGS OF JESUS. 20:53 AND IF YOU READ ISAIAH 53 IT'S RIGHT THERE IF YOU'LL ASK GOD TO 20:59 REVEAL THAT TO YOU IN THOSE QUIET MOMENTS, WHICH IS OFTEN 21:03 WHEN GOD DOES THIS KIND OF THING. 21:05 AND BECAUSE THERE HE WAS SO DEFILED, IN GOD'S EYES GOD IS 21:09 RIGHTEOUS, RIGHT? DOES GOD LOVE SIN? 21:11 GOD LOATHES SIN - HE HATES SIN. 21:14 AND SOMEBODY HAD TO PAY THE PRICE FOR SIN AND GOD HAD A 21:17 CHOICE OF EITHER LOATHING US AS WE BECAME THE EPITOME OF 21:21 UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OR LOATHING HIS OWN SON WHEN HE TOOK THE SINS 21:26 FOR US AND BECAME SIN PERSONIFIED. 21:29 AND SO WHEN JESUS HUNG ON THE CROSS INVESTED WITH OUR SINS, 21:37 THIS WAS HARD FOR GOD. THIS WAS HIS BELOVED SON. 21:42 IT WAS PART OF HIS OWN BEING AND YET GOD LOOKED UPON HIS OWN SON 21:49 AS AN OFFENSE IN HIS OWN EYES WHEN HE TOOK OUR INIQUITY UPON 21:54 HIM. AND JESUS KNEW THAT. 21:57 JESUS KNEW THAT THIS WONDERFUL HEAVENLY FATHER WHO HAD ALWAYS 22:02 BEEN WITH HIM ON HIS EARTHLY SOJOURN AND WITH WHOM HE'D 22:06 ALWAYS BEEN ONE FROM ETERNITY - FOR CHRIST WAS NOT A CREATED 22:09 BEING FROM HIS DIVINE SIDE. 22:12 THIS FELLOWSHIP THAT JESUS HAD HAD FOR ALL ETERNITY NOW - HE 22:16 SEES HIS FATHER TURN HIS FACE AWAY AND THERE'S THAT AWFUL 22:21 FEELING THAT HE'S SO OFFENSIVE IN HIS FATHER'S EYES. 22:26 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN - HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANXIETY SEPARATION - 22:30 OR SEPARATION ANXIETY? YOU SEE PUPPIES GO THROUGH IT. 22:36 YOU SEE CHILDREN GO THROUGH IT. JESUS DRANK A CUP OF SEPARATION 22:43 ANXIETY FOR THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE AND YET, WHAT DID HE DO? 22:50 HE JUST QUIETLY DRUNK IT AND SUFFERED IT. YOU SEE, 22:58 IT'S ALL PART OF THE LAYERS THAT HE WAS GOING THROUGH. 23:02 WE SO OFTEN READ ISAIAH 53 AND WE READ ABOUT GETHSEMANE AND WE 23:07 THINK ABOUT THE CROSS AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SO SHALLOW AND 23:10 SUPERFICIAL. I MEAN, AREN'T WE? I AM. 23:12 IT'S ONLY IN MORE SERIOUS MOMENTS I START TO GET THIS. 23:16 WE SEE THE CROSS AND IT'S AS IF 'THERE'S THE CROSS. 23:19 BAD THING FOR JESUS.' AND WE'RE GONE. WE NEED TO SPEND 23:26 TIME THERE AND THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S ONLY AS WE DO THIS 23:31 - LIKE GOD, WE CAN LEARN TO HAVE A HATRED FOR SIN. 23:38 BECAUSE UNLESS, BELOVED, WE LEARN TO HATE SIN, WE'LL NEVER 23:43 HAVE THE INCENTIVE OR DESIRE TO BE SEPARATED FROM IT. 23:48 AND GOD CANNOT TAKE US TO HEAVEN IF WE HAVE DIVIDED AFFECTIONS. 23:53 WHEN WE SAY, 'OH LORD, I LOVE YOU.' 23:55 BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE'VE GOT SOME LITTLE THINGS HERE THAT - 23:58 THE TENDRILS OF OUR AFFECTION HAVE WOUND AROUND SOME SECRET 24:02 VICE. GOD SAYS, 'I LOVE YOU BUT 24:04 I CANNOT TAKE YOU.' YOU'VE GOT TO SEVER THEM ALL. 24:09 AND IT'S ONLY AT THE CROSS THAT WE GET THE INCENTIVE TO HATE SIN 24:14 BECAUSE THEN WE SEE WHAT IT'S DONE TO JESUS AND WE SAY, 'OH, I 24:19 WANT TO QUIT THIS.' AND GOD HAS THE GRACE TO HELP US DO THAT. 24:25 THAT'S WHY I SAY HE BECAME THE VERY PERSONIFICATION OF HUMAN 24:28 WICKEDNESS ALL, IF YOU LIKE, DISTILLED INTO ONE BEING. 24:33 IF YOU CAN TRY AND IMAGE THAT. THERE ON THE - AND THERE ON THE 24:37 CROSS, BECAUSE HE BECAME THE PERSONIFICATION OF ALL THE 24:41 WICKEDNESS OF THE WORLD ALL DISTILLED INTO ONE BEING AND GOD 24:46 LOOKED AT HIM - HIS SON THAT HE LOVED - AND YET JUSTICE DEMANDED 24:50 THAT SOMEBODY PAY THE PRICE. AND SO GOD LOOKED AND HIS OWN 24:56 SON BECAME AN OFFENSE IN HIS OWN EYES. 25:02 THERE ON THE CROSS JESUS PROVOKED THE RIGHTEOUS ANGER OF 25:05 GOD AGAINST ALL OUR EVIL WHICH HE BORE FOR OUR SAKES. 25:11 AND LIKE A MAGNET - AS JESUS HUNG THERE - LIKE A MAGNET HE 25:14 DREW FORTH UPON HIMSELF THE ACCUMULATED WRATH OF GOD WHICH 25:20 DESCENDED UPON HIM WITHOUT MERCY. 25:25 ON A BARREN HILL, NAILED TO A CROSS, JESUS, LIKE A LIGHTNING 25:33 ROD, STUCK UP THERE IN A DARK, BROODING AND VIOLENT STORM WAS 25:41 UNSPARINGLY SMITTEN FROM ABOVE - PUNISHED MERCILESSLY - DESTROYED 25:48 AND WASTED BY HIS FATHER'S OWN HAND. ALL FOR US. 25:58 IT WAS HIM OR IT WAS US AND AS BAD AS IT WAS FOR HIM, BOTH THE 26:06 FATHER AND JESUS DECIDED THEY'D RATHER STAND - GOD WOULD RATHER 26:11 STAND BESIDE THE SIDE OF HIS SON'S CROSS AND WATCH HIM SUFFER 26:18 THAN STAND BESIDE OUR CROSS AND WATCH US SUFFER. 26:23 'DESIRE OF AGES' 756, "HE, THE SIN BEARER, ENDURES THE WRATH OF 26:27 DIVINE JUSTICE AND FOR THY SAKE BECOMES SIN ITSELF." 26:32 NOW SOME PEOPLE MAY ASK, 'YOU KNOW, IS SIN REALLY SO BAD THAT 26:37 JESUS HAD TO SUFFER SO INCREDIBLY MUCH FROM ITS 26:40 CONSEQUENCES?' THE ANSWER IS 'YES'. 26:44 'AND IS GOD SO PARTICULAR THAT HE WOULDN'T EVEN SPARE HIS OWN 26:48 SON WHEN IT CAME TO EXPRESSING HIS DISPLEASURE TOWARD SIN?' 26:52 THE ANSWER IS 'YES'. GOD COULD NOT SPARE HIM. 26:57 IN 'DESIRE OF AGES' AGAIN, PAGE 693 THERE IS A STATEMENT - THE 27:04 IMMEDIATE CONTEXT IS CHRIST HANGING ON THE CROSS - SORRY, 27:08 THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT IS GETHSEMANE BUT YOU CAN EQUALLY 27:12 APPLY THIS TO BOTH THE CROSS AS WELL AND I THINK YOU'LL 27:15 UNDERSTAND THIS WHEN I READ IT SO WE CAN SEE 27:17 HOW OFFENSIVE IS SIN TO GOD. 27:20 IT SAYS, "COULD MORTALS HAVE VIEWED THE AMAZEMENT OF THE 27:23 ANGELIC HOST, AS IN SILENT GRIEF THEY WATCHED THE FATHER 27:28 SEPARATING HIS BEAMS OF LIGHT, LOVE AND GLORY FROM HIS BELOVED 27:34 SON" - IT SAYS 'IF WE COULD UNDERSTAND THIS, THEN' IT SAYS, 27:37 "THEY" - WE - WE "WOULD BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW OFFENSIVE IN HIS 27:43 SIGHT IS SIN." IN ISAIAH 53 IT'S ALL THERE FOR 27:53 US TO CONTEMPLATE AND WE NEED TO READ THIS CHAPTER. 27:58 WE NEED TO READ IT. 'YOUTH INSTRUCTOR' DECEMBER 20, 1900, 28:01 IT SAYS THIS ABOUT ISAIAH 53 - IT SAYS, 28:04 "THIS CHAPTER SHOULD BE STUDIED. 28:06 THE ENTIRE CHAPTER SHOULD BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY." WHY? 28:10 NOT JUST SO YOU CAN WIN IN SOME BIBLE QUIZ, BUT SO YOU CAN 28:13 CONTEMPLATE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING. 28:17 SO WE CAN ALL CONTEMPLATE IT ON OUR KNEES AND ASKING GOD THAT WE 28:21 MIGHT GRASP IT AND GET IT AND SO THAT SIN WILL, INDEED, BE 28:25 OFFENSIVE AND WE'LL HATE THE STUFF. 28:28 CONTINUING THE STATEMENT, "THOSE" - THOSE - WE'RE ALL VERY 28:34 PROUD BEINGS, AREN'T WE? AREN'T WE JUST? 28:38 I'M AS PROUD AS THEY COME. I'LL JUST COME CLEAN. PROUD AND VAIN 28:44 - MANY A TIME GOD HAS TO HUMBLE ME. I'M CONFESSING THIS MORNING. 28:50 YOU MIGHT BE OKAY - I'M NOT - BUT IF YOU STRUGGLE WITH PRIDE 28:55 YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO TO GET THAT DARN STUFF OUT OF YOU AND IT'S 29:01 AT THE CROSS. YOU SEE IT IN ISAIAH 53. 29:04 LET ME READ THIS: "THOSE WHO ARE LIFTED UP WITH PRIDE, WHOSE 29:10 SOULS ARE FILLED WITH VANITY" - 'I WANT TO BE SEEN, LORD.' 29:14 I'M A LEADER IN THE CHURCH, YOU KNOW. 29:17 I CAN BE A PASTOR, I CAN BE AN ELDER, A DEACON. 29:22 I MIGHT BE THE HEAD DEACONESS OR A SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 29:26 I MIGHT BE THE MINISTER OF MUSIC. 29:28 I MIGHT BE THE ONE IN CHARGE OF THE OUTREACH. 29:31 I MIGHT BE ALL OF THESE THINGS, BUT YOU KNOW, SO OFTEN 29:34 WE SO LOVE AN AUDIENCE, DON'T WE? 29:37 AND WE'RE SO GOOD AT COVERING IT WITH THIS GUISE OF HUMILITY. 29:42 CHARLES DICKENS WROTE A STORY ONCE - DAVID COPPERFIELD - AND 29:46 THERE WAS A MAN IN THAT STORY CALLED URIAH HEEP AND ALL HE 29:49 COULD SAY WAS, 'OH, WE'RE EVER SO HUMBLE. 29:51 WE'RE EVER SO HUMBLE.' AND SO AS CHRISTIANS WE CAN BE, 29:53 'OH, WE'RE EVER SO HUMBLE.' BUT INSIDE WE CAN JUST HAVE 29:56 RAGING PRIDE. WE GET PRETTY GOOD AT COVERING IT. 30:00 LITTLE KIDS - WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET. 30:02 THEY'RE SELFISH, THEY'RE MEAN, THEY'RE PROUD AND IT SHOWS. 30:05 BUT AT LEAST THEY AREN'T HYPOCRITES. 30:07 WE'RE SO SOPHISTICATED AND WE'RE ABLE TO COVER IT. 30:11 GOD SEES IT ALL AND HE WANTS IT OUT. 30:16 'THOSE WHO ARE LIFTED UP WITH PRIDE WHOSE SOULS ARE FILLED 30:19 WITH VANITY, SHOULD LOOK UPON THIS PICTURE OF THEIR REDEEMER' 30:24 - AS IN ISAIAH 53 - 'AND HUMBLE THEMSELVES IN THE DUST. 30:29 ITS INFLUENCE WILL SUBDUE AND HUMBLE THE SOUL DEFILED BY SIN 30:34 AND UPLIFTED BY SELF-EXALTATION.' 30:39 WHO WAS LIFTED UP BY SELF-EXALTATION AND STARTED ALL 30:42 THIS MESS IN THE FIRST PLACE? LUCIFER, YEAH. 30:47 AND THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE, DOES IT? 30:51 BUT WE CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT PARENT. 30:53 WE CAN HAVE GOD. WE CAN HAVE JESUS. 30:55 SO LET US BE HUMBLE AND CHANGE AS WE LOOK UPON THIS PICTURE OF 30:59 OUR SUFFERING REDEEMER. WE NEED TO LOOK AND BE CHANGED. 31:03 NOW I'M NOT STILL DONE WITH THIS SECTION AND TIME'S GOING, 31:05 BUT I FEEL I HAVE TO PROCEED HERE. 31:09 IT'S SAD TO SAY THERE ARE MANY WHO WILL NOT TAKE THE TIME TO 31:14 TAKE ISAIAH 53 OR OTHER RELATED PASSAGES AND CONTEMPLATE THEM 31:19 AND HAVE A LOOK AT THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST AND 31:23 UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WENT THROUGH AND, THEREFORE, THEY 31:25 COUNT THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST ALMOST AS A LIGHT THING. 31:30 JUST, YOU KNOW, NOTHING THAT SERIOUS. 31:32 AND THEY CLING TO THE SINS THAT BIND THEM FAST THROUGH THEIR 31:38 AFFECTIONS. BUT WHAT A PRICE OF SUFFERING 31:42 SUCH INDIVIDUALS WILL ULTIMATELY HAVE TO PAY. 31:47 HEBREWS 10, VERSE 29, IT SAYS, "OF HOW MUCH SORER PUNISHMENT, 31:55 SUPPOSE YE, SHALL HE BE THOUGHT WORTHY, WHO HATH TRODDEN UNDER 31:59 FOOT THE SON OF GOD, AND HATH COUNTED THE BLOOD OF THE 32:03 COVENANT, WHEREWITH HE WAS SANCTIFIED, AN UNHOLY THING, AND 32:08 HATH DONE DESPITE UNTO THE SPIRIT OF GRACE?" 32:15 IF WE DON'T CARE TO CONSIDER CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS AND, AS A 32:20 CONSEQUENCE, ALLOW THAT TO BE A CATALYST THAT LEADS US TO THE 32:24 FOOT OF THE CROSS TO BE FORGIVEN AND CLEANSED AND DELIVERED FROM 32:28 SIN, THEN ONE DAY THE WRATH THAT JESUS - THE DIVINE WRATH THAT 32:35 JESUS SUFFERED FOR US, WE WILL SUFFER IT OURSELVES. 32:41 'DESIRE OF AGES' 743, "GOD SUFFERED HIS WRATH AGAINST 32:48 TRANSGRESSION TO FALL ON HIS BELOVED SON. 32:53 JESUS WAS TO BE CRUCIFIED FOR THE SINS OF MEN." 32:57 - NOW LISTEN - "WHAT SUFFERING THEN WOULD THE SINNER BEAR WHO 33:02 CONTINUED IN SIN? ALL THE IMPENITENT AND 33:08 UNBELIEVING WILL KNOW A SORROW AND MISERY THAT LANGUAGE WILL 33:12 FAIL TO EXPRESS." SO DO YOU WANT JESUS TO HAVE 33:19 DRUNK THAT CUP OF SUFFERING FOR YOU OR DO YOU WANT TO DRINK IT 33:24 YOURSELF? I KNOW WHAT I WANT. I WANT HIM TO HAVE DRUNK IT FOR 33:31 ME AND I WANT TO HAVE APPRECIATED THAT SO MUCH THAT AS 33:37 I SEE HIS LOVE I'LL ALLOW GOD TO SEPARATE ME FROM EVERY EVIL. 33:40 AND WHEN THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD FALL UPON THIS EARTH AFTER THE 33:44 CLOSE OF PROBATION, I'LL HAVE A SHELTER FROM HIS WRATH. 33:50 AND AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM, AS I CLING TO CHRIST 33:54 IN THIS LIFE, I WON'T BE IN ANY SECOND RESURRECTION, I'LL HAVE 33:57 BEEN IN HEAVEN FOR A THOUSAND YEARS. AND WHEN THE WICKED 34:01 COME UP IN THE SECOND RESURRECTION, THERE'S THE GREAT 34:03 WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT AS THEY STAND AROUND THE NEW JERUSALEM. 34:08 AND AS THEIR LIVES ARE PLAYED OUT BEFORE THEM, THE BOOKS ARE 34:11 OPEN AND THEY SEE THEIR LIFE PLAYS OUT BEFORE THEM AND THEY 34:14 SEE THE GREAT SCENES IN THE HEAVENS ABOVE THE NEW JERUSALEM, 34:18 THEY SEE IT ALL PLAYED OUT - THE SCENES OF LUCIFER'S REBELLION 34:23 AND THEN HOW HE BROUGHT IT TO THIS EARTH AND THEN HOW HE 34:26 WROUGHT IN THE HUMAN RACE AND IN THE COMING OF JESUS. 34:29 AND WHEN HE WAS IN GETHSEMANE AND ON CALVARY AND HE DRANK THAT 34:31 CUP OF SUFFERING AND THEY'LL SEE THE WHOLE THING PLAYED OUT AND 34:36 THEY'LL SEE HOW GOD, IN THEIR LIVES, HE SOUGHT TO GET THEIR 34:38 ATTENTION THROUGH MANY LITTLE THINGS. 34:40 IT'LL ALL COME BACK TO THEM AND THEY WILL REALIZE THAT THEY ARE 34:46 LOST AND THEY'VE GOT A CUP OF SORROW AND WRATH TO DRINK THAT 34:50 THEY WISH THEY COULD BE EXCUSED FROM BUT IT WILL BE BROUGHT HOME 34:55 WITH SUCH CLARITY THEY REALIZE THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE. 35:00 NOW WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE - INSIDE THE WALL 35:03 OR OUTSIDE THE WALL? INSIDE. 35:09 IT'S THE ONLY WISE THING. IT'S THE ONLY RIGHT THING. 35:14 SO WE MUST, EVEN IF WE GO THROUGH SUFFERING, AS WE 35:19 ALLOW GOD TO SEPARATE US FROM THESE EVILS, IT'S WORTH IT. 35:23 I'D RATHER GO THROUGH THE SUFFERING OF WITHDRAWAL PAINS 35:27 FROM SOME LITTLE PET SIN THAN GO THROUGH THE SUFFERINGS THAT WILL 35:32 COME UPON THOSE WHO COUNT AS LITTLE CONSEQUENCE THE 35:38 SUFFERINGS JESUS TOOK FOR THEM SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO BEAR 35:42 THEM THEMSELVES. WE ARE DEALING WITH SERIOUS 35:46 ISSUES HERE. I HOPE WE REALIZE THIS. 35:52 WE ARE DEALING WITH VERY, VERY SERIOUS ISSUES HERE BUT LET 36:00 THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN THE LOWEST AND HAVE, AS WE JUST READ HERE 36:06 IN HEBREWS 10:29, LET THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN THE LOWEST AND HAVE 36:12 'TRODDEN UNDERFOOT THE SON OF GOD, AND HAVE COUNTED THE BLOOD 36:17 OF THE COVENANT AN UNHOLY THING' - THAT'S A TERRIBLE THING TO DO 36:22 - AND HAVE DESPISED THE SPIRIT OF GRACE AND GRIEVED THE HOLY 36:26 SPIRIT - LET ALL SUCH KNOW THAT GOD, YES, TO YOU, WILL EVEN YET 36:36 EXTEND MERCY AND FORGIVENESS IF YOU WILL SEEK HIS FACE WITH A 36:43 DESIRE TO SINCERELY TURN FROM EVERY WICKED WAY. 36:48 ISN'T GOD GOOD? 36:50 ISAIAH 55:6 AND 7, "SEEK YE THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND, CALL 36:57 YE UPON HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR: LET THE WICKED FORSAKE HIS WAY, 37:02 AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS MAN HIS THOUGHTS: AND LET HIM RETURN 37:06 UNTO THE LORD, AND HE WILL HAVE MERCY UPON HIM; AND TO OUR GOD, 37:12 FOR HE WILL ABUNDANTLY PARDON." OH, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT WHAT 37:20 DOOM AND GLOOM YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD THIS MORNING, RIGHT? 37:23 THIS MORNING MY DAUGHTER CALLS ME - SHE SAYS, 'DAD, YOU'RE THE 37:25 DOOM AND GLOOM PASTOR.' YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TRY TO BRING 37:28 A SILVER LINING AT THE END BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT JESUS DOES, 37:31 RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT THE BIBLE DOES. 37:32 GOD, IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, THROUGH THE PROPHETS, PAINTS NO 37:35 GLORIOUS PICTURE - HE PAINTS OUR SINS BLACK AND HE TELLS US 'YOU 37:40 DO THIS, YOU GET THAT. BUT IF YOU'LL TURN TO ME I'LL 37:45 LOVE YOU AS A PARENT LOVES THEIR ONLY CHILD. 37:49 AND I WANT YOU TO TURN TO ME. I WILL FORGIVE YOU 37:53 NO MATTER WHAT.' GOD IS GOOD. GOD IS GOOD. 38:01 IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT WE'D SIT HERE PRETTY DEPRESSED THROUGH 38:03 THE REST OF THIS MORNING, I'M SURE. 38:05 BUT LISTEN TO THIS: 'YOUTH INSTRUCTOR' JANUARY 20, 1900 - 38:08 THE SAME 'YOUTH INSTRUCTOR' STATEMENT I WAS READING BEFORE - 38:13 THIS IS A BIT MORE - ISAIAH 53 - IT SAYS "'HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR 38:18 TRANSGRESSIONS. HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES. 38:23 THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM AND WITH HIS 38:27 STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.'" - THIS IS ALL PART OF THIS 38:29 STATEMENT - "THIS PENALTY CHRIST BORE FOR THE SINS OF THE 38:34 TRANSGRESSOR. HE HAS BORNE THE PUNISHMENT FOR 38:38 EVERY MAN AND FOR THIS REASON HE CAN 38:43 RANSOM EVERY SOUL HOWEVER FALLEN HIS CONDITION." 38:49 JESUS CAN RANSOM EVERY SOUL EVER FALLEN. 38:52 THEIR CONDITION: IF THEY ACCEPT THE LAW OF GOD AS THEIR STANDARD 38:56 OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THERE'S NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF. 39:00 SAY, 'LORD, DO I HAVE TO OBEY THAT LAW?' 39:02 LISTEN, YOU JUST COME AND ASK FORGIVENESS. 39:05 YOU ASK HIM TO COME INTO YOUR HEART. 39:06 THAT LAW WILL BE THERE. BUT YOU KNOW WHO WILL HELP YOU? 39:09 WHO WILL LIVE OUT THE PRINCIPLES OF THAT LAW IN YOUR LIFE IF YOU 39:12 LET HIM? JESUS WILL. HE DID IT IN HIS HUMANITY AND 39:16 HE'LL LIVE IT OUT IN YOUR HUMANITY. SO WHY? 39:21 WHY SHOULD WE THINK IT SUCH A FEARFUL THING TO WANT TO OBEY 39:24 GOD AND DO HIS WILL? IT'S A JOY. 39:29 AND SO NOW, WHILE WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS ISSUE HERE OF THE 39:33 QUESTION OF FORGIVENESS - AS I SAID A MOMENT AGO, I WANT TO 39:36 KIND OF JUST SKIP AHEAD BRIEFLY TO THURSDAY'S SECTION CALLED 39:41 'THE GREATEST DANGER'. I WANT TO JUST LOOK AT TWO 39:46 GET BACK INTO THE EARLIER PART OF THE WEEK AND LOOK AT SOME 39:49 OTHER THINGS, BUT I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT WE DO THIS. 39:52 HEBREWS CHAPTER 6 - I SUPPOSE I COULD SAY SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR I 39:59 HAVE PEOPLE CALL ME OR THEY TAKE ME ASIDE AND SAY, 'PASTOR MIKE, 40:04 I JUST - I NEED TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING.' 40:08 AND YOU FIND OUT THAT THESE DEAR SOULS - THEY THINK THEY'VE 40:11 COMMITTED THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. 40:13 AND, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERY SIX THAT MAY COME TO YOU IN THE 40:16 YEAR, YOU KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT MORE THAT DON'T FEEL THEY 40:20 CAN DARE APPROACH YOU AND THEY'RE WALKING AROUND WITH THIS 40:22 - THIS FEELING THAT THEY'RE LOST. 40:26 FIRST PASSAGE - HEBREWS 6:4 THROUGH 6 - EXCUSE ME - IT SAYS, 40:33 "FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED, AND 40:38 HAVE TASTED OF THE HEAVENLY GIFT, AND WERE MADE PARTAKERS OF 40:42 THE HOLY GHOST, AND HAVE TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD, AND THE 40:46 POWERS OF THE WORLD TO COME," - THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE 40:48 CHRISTIANS. THEY'VE HAD A CONVERSION EXPERIENCE EVEN. 40:54 THEN VERSE 6 - "IF THEY SHALL FALL AWAY, TO RENEW THEM AGAIN 40:58 UNTO REPENTANCE; SEEING THEY CRUCIFY TO THEMSELVES THE SON OF 41:03 GOD AFRESH, AND PUT HIM TO AN OPEN SHAME." 41:09 THE ISSUE HERE, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PASSAGE - ESPECIALLY VERSE 41:14 6 - THE ISSUE HERE IS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD BEING UNWILLING TO 41:19 FORGIVE A PERSON'S SINS HOWEVER BAD. 41:24 THE ISSUE IS THAT OF THE SINNER BEING UNWILLING TO REPENT OR 41:30 FINDING THEMSELVES UNABLE TO REPENT. VERSE 6 AGAIN, "IF THEY 41:36 SHALL FALL AWAY, TO RENEW THEM AGAIN UNTO REPENTANCE." 41:39 AGAIN, IT'S NOT THE ISSUE OF REPENTANCE FROM THE HUMAN SIDE - 41:43 AGAIN, IT'S THE ISSUE OF REPENTANCE FROM THE HUMAN SIDE, 41:46 NOT THE ISSUE OF FORGIVENESS FROM GOD'S SIDE. 41:49 THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD REMEMBER BUT, YOU KNOW, THE DEVIL HAS A 41:53 WAY - HE'S VERY GOOD AT DOING BAD STUFF. 41:57 HE KNOWS HUMAN NATURE. HE KNOWS PSYCHOLOGY. 42:01 AND WHAT HE WILL DO - HE'LL LEAD SOMEBODY INTO SIN AND TELL THEM, 42:04 'GO AHEAD. IT'S OKAY.' THEN THEY DO IT AND HE COMES DOWN, 42:07 'YOU'VE DONE IT NOW! YOU'VE DONE IT NOW!' 42:12 AND THEY'RE SMITTEN WITH THIS FEAR THAT SUDDENLY NOW THE HOLY 42:16 SPIRIT HAS DEPARTED FROM THEM AND THEY'RE LOST. 42:21 AND YOU CAN BE SURE HE DOES THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN 42:25 WITH CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. 42:27 AND THEY LONG TO BE FORGIVEN BUT THEY DAREN'T GO TO GOD. 42:31 THEY JUST FEEL CONVINCED THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN ASK FORGIVENESS. 42:34 AND SO THE TEMPTER COMES AND HE WHISPERS IN THEIR EAR AND HE 42:38 ACCENTUATES THE SITUATION AND HE ENLARGES IT AND HE WHISPERS IN 42:43 THEIR EAR - HE SAYS, 'IT'S NO USE. YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR. 42:50 YOU'VE GRIEVED AWAY THE HOLY SPIRIT. 42:54 YOU'VE COMMITTED THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. 42:58 GOD CAN NO LONGER FORGIVE YOU. YOU'RE LOST AND GOING TO HELL.' 43:03 SO WHAT DO THESE PEOPLE DO? WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 43:06 WELL, YOU MIGHT JUST AS WELL GO AND GET DRUNK. 43:11 IF THAT'S BEEN YOUR SIN IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOU MIGHT AS WELL 43:14 GO BACK TO THE BOTTLE OF ALCOHOL. 43:18 YOU MIGHT JUST AS WELL GO AND GET - BLOW YOUR MIND ON DRUGS TO 43:21 NUMB THE PAIN AND THE FEAR THAT 'I'M LOST AND ALL I CAN LOOK 43:25 FORWARD TO IS THE WRATH OF GOD AND THE LAKE OF FIRE.' 43:30 OH, THE DEVIL LOVES TO INSTILL THAT FEAR INTO PEOPLE. 43:34 HE'S A BULLY BUT HE'S A LIAR BUT SO OFTEN HE'S BELIEVED. 43:41 AND SO PEOPLE - THEY DO THAT. THEY GO DRINK THEMSELVES INTO 43:45 OBLIVION OR IT'S SO BAD, WHAT DO THEY DO? 43:47 THEY BUY A GUN AND THEY - THEY BLOW THEIR HEAD OFF. 43:53 THESE THINGS HAPPEN FRIENDS. IT HAPPENS. 43:58 WELL, I'M SAYING THIS IN CASE THERE'S SOMEBODY HERE THIS 44:03 MORNING OR SOMEBODY OUT THERE LIVE ON THE INTERNET OR SOMEBODY 44:08 WHO MAY WATCH THIS ON HOPE CHANNEL OR 3ABN THREE WEEKS FROM 44:11 NOW WHEN IT'S EDITED AND IT GOES UP ON THE SATELLITE. 44:15 IF THERE'S ONE PERSON OUT THERE IN THIS PREDICAMENT - IN THIS 44:18 DARKNESS - IN THIS FEAR - LISTEN TO ME. 44:21 LISTEN TO ME PLEASE AND ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION: AS MUCH 44:27 AS I AM HOPELESSLY ENTANGLED IN SIN - YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDST 44:34 OF IT STILL - AS MUCH AS I AM HOPELESSLY ENTANGLED IN SIN AND 44:38 HAVE WILLINGLY TRANSGRESSED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WOULD I STILL 44:43 LIKE GOD TO FORGIVE ME? AND IF I HAD THE STRENGTH WOULD 44:48 I LIKE TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE? IF YOU CAN SAY 'YES' TO THAT 45:00 THAT YOU HAVE NOT GRIEVED AWAYE ATHE HOLY SPIRIT, YOU HAVE NOT 45:04 COMMITTED THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. YOU CAN STILL BE SAVED. 45:08 BUT YOU MUST ACT ON THAT DESIRE AND YOU CANNOT WASTE ANY TIME. 45:14 THE BIBLE SAYS, 'BEHOLD, TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.' 45:20 SO DON'T LISTEN TO THE LIE. READ THE PROMISE OF GOD. 45:25 NOW THE NEXT PASSAGE - HEBREWS 10:26, "FOR IF WE SIN WILLFULLY 45:32 AFTER THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH, THERE 45:35 REMAINETH NO MORE SACRIFICE FOR SINS." 45:38 NO MORE BLOOD TO ATONE - NO MORE OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS 45:41 THAT I'VE TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT. IT DOESN'T AVAIL FOR ME ANYMORE. 45:46 WHAT FEAR AND DREAD SUCH PEOPLE HAVE. 45:49 WELL LET ME GIVE YOU - NOT TO MAKE LIGHT OF THE SIN - NOT 45:53 DOING THAT, BUT LET ME READ YOU THIS. 45:57 THIS IS FROM THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST BIBLE COMMENTARY. 45:59 I CAN TELL YOU MYSELF BUT THEY'VE WRITTEN IT REALLY GOOD. 46:02 IT SAYS, SIN WILLFULLY - I QUOTE NOW - THAT IS, "CONTINUE TO SIN 46:08 WILLFULLY" - SO IT'S NOT A ONE OFF THING - "CONTINUE TO SIN" - 46:13 WHERE IS IT? - "WILLFULLY". 46:16 THE REFERENCE HERE IS NOT TO SINGLE ACTS OF SIN COMMITTED IN 46:23 A FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR HEINOUS CHARACTER, BUT TO THE 46:28 ATTITUDE OF MIND THAT PREVAILS WHEN A PERSON DELIBERATELY 46:31 RENOUNCES CHRIST AND REFUSES SALVATION AND REJECTS THE HOLY 46:46 SO THE CONTEXT OF HEBREWS 10:26 AND THE COUPLE OR THREE VERSES 46:50 BEFORE - IS NOT SOMEBODY WHO SINNED ONCE - IN FULL LIGHT, 46:56 YEAH - BAD? YES, BUT IT'S TALKING ABOUT 46:59 SOMEBODY THAT ONCE HAD THE EXPERIENCE AND THEY HAVE 47:02 ACTUALLY CHANGED THEIR - THEY NOW ACTUALLY RENOUNCE CHRIST - 47:06 SAY 'I RE-' - I DON'T EVEN WANT TO SAY IT, ACTUALLY. 47:09 BUT THEY RENOUNCE THE ONE WHO DIED FOR THEM ON THE CROSS AND 47:14 THEY DELIBERATELY REFUSE THE GIFT OF SALVATION. 47:18 NOW IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE 47:20 I'M TALKING ABOUT? THERE'S A - 47:22 ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME? YEAH, OKAY. YOU LOOKED A LITTLE BLANK. 47:27 BUT IT IS AN ATTITUDE OF MIND THAT 'I DON'T WANT IT - I DON'T 47:31 WANT JESUS.' BUT IF THE ATTITUDE OF MIND IS 47:33 'LORD, I'VE DONE WRONG BUT I ASK YOU TO FORGIVE ME.' 47:38 YOU'VE GOT IT. IS GOD GOOD? YES HE IS. 47:43 HEBREWS 7:25 - IT SAYS, "WHEREFORE HE IS ABLE ALSO TO 47:46 SAVE THEM TO THE UTTERMOST THAT COME UNTO GOD BY HIM, SEEING HE 47:50 EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM." 47:53 SO I WANT TO MOVE ON - WE'VE GOT EIGHT MINUTES LEFT AND I'M 47:56 WONDERING WHERE I SHOULD GO NEXT. 48:00 OH, THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD THINGS. 48:02 YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO? I'M GOING TO GO TO WEDNESDAY. 48:05 I WAS GOING TO FINISH ON THIS BUT I WILL DO THIS AND IF I'VE 48:08 GOT TIME I'LL GO BACK SOMEWHERE ELSE. 48:10 BUT WEDNESDAY'S SECTION 'SPOTLESS SACRIFICE' - THERE'S A 48:14 VERSE FROM EXODUS 12:5 AND IT'S SPEAKING OF THE - GOING BACK TO 48:24 EACH ONE HAD TO BE WITHOUTE LITTLE GOAT BLEMISH.VER IT WAS - 48:26 IT HAD TO BE A PERFECT SPECIMEN BECAUSE IT SYMBOLIZED JESUS, 48:31 RIGHT? PERFECT, SINLESS, WITHOUT ANY BLEMISH. EXODUS 12:5 SAYS - 48:37 JUST THE FIRST PART - IT SAYS, "YOUR LAMB SHALL BE 48:39 WITHOUT BLEMISH." SO GOD SAYS, 'WHEN YOU BRING A 48:41 SACRIFICE - YOU'VE GOT A LAMB YOU CAN TAKE IT OUT - THE SHEEP 48:45 - OFTEN THE GOATS - BUT IT'S A YOUNG ONE SO IT'S A LAMB - 48:47 MUST BE WITHOUT BLEMISH. OF COURSE, SYMBOLIC OF CHRIST. 48:53 NOW THE LESSON - AND IT WAS THIS INNOCENT VICTIM WHOSE BLOOD 48:58 WAS SHED THAT ATONES FOR OUR SINS. 49:01 NOW THE LESSON SAYS THIS - THIS IS ACTUALLY ON THE LESSON PAGE 49:04 OF WEDNESDAY - "THIS IS THE GUARANTEE OF OUR SALVATION" - 49:09 THE SINLESSNESS OF JESUS - "FOR ONLY A SINLESS ONE COULD BEAR 49:14 OUR SINS FOR US, AND IT IS HIS PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT 49:19 COVERS US, NOW AND IN THE JUDGMENT THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS 49:24 IS OUR HOPE OF SALVATION." 49:30 AND, INDEED, IT IS ONLY THOSE WHO, BY FAITH, HAVE PUT ON 49:36 CHRIST'S ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT WILL BE FOUND WORTHY OF 49:40 ETERNAL LIFE AND THEIR LIVES AND CHARACTERS, WHEN THEY COME UNDER 49:44 SCRUTINY IN THE JUDGEMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE 49:47 RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST, THEY WILL BE FOUND ACCEPTABLE. 49:52 THIS IS WHY, IF WE ABIDE IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS MOMENT BY 49:55 MOMENT, WE DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF THE JUDGMENT. 49:59 WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF IT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID. 50:09 DAY ADVENTISTS, THEY'RE FULL OF PICTFEAR OF THE JUDGMENT. 50:12 YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THIS JUDGMENT DOCTRINE AND THEY'RE 50:14 ALL FULL OF FEAR. THEY'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, HAVE THIS 50:16 - THEY'RE NOT SURE - THEY DON'T HAVE ASSURANCE.' 50:19 I TELL YOU WHAT - I HAVE ASSURANCE. 50:22 AND I HAVE IT NOT BECAUSE I'M SMARTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE OR I 50:25 FIGURED IT OUT, I JUST KNOW THAT JESUS IS MY SAVIOR. 50:30 THIS MORNING I GAVE HIM MY HEART. 50:33 IT STRUGGLED A BIT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE OLD MAN DOESN'T 50:37 WANT TO DIE - HE GOES KICKING AND SCREAMING TO THE - 'NO, I 50:40 DON'T WANT TO GO!' BUT YOU GO. 50:42 YOU GET ON YOUR KNEES AND YOU OPEN YOUR HEART AND SAY, 'LORD, 50:45 I'M STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW AND YEAH I COULD GO SIN, BUT LORD 50:50 WHAT KIND OF AN ACT OF THANKFULNESS AND GRATITUDE WOULD 50:53 THAT BE TO YOU WHEN YOU'VE POURED YOURSELF OUT FOR ME? 50:57 I DON'T WANT TO BE SUCH A SELFISH PERSON LORD, BUT YOU'RE 50:59 GOING TO HAVE TO HELP ME BECAUSE I HAVE THIS FALLEN NATURE THAT - 51:02 IT'S SUCH AN AFFLICTION BUT I DON'T WANT IT.' 51:04 SO YOU OPEN YOUR HEART AND YOU TALK IT THROUGH WITH GOD AND HE 51:07 CHANGES YOU. AND SO JESUS, HE CAME IN THIS 51:11 MORNING AND I HAVE PEACE. AND IF YOU ASK ME, 'MICHAEL 51:15 THOMPSON, YOU'RE NAME IS UP NEXT IN THE JUDGMENT. 51:19 ARE YOU SCARED TO DEATH?' NO, I'M NOT. NOT AT ALL. 51:24 AND I DON'T SAY THAT FLIPPANTLY, BUT I HAVE A FRIEND AND HE'S GOT 51:29 MY NAME WRITTEN ON THE PALMS OF HIS HANDS AND I'M WEARING HIS 51:32 CLOTHES AND HE'LL TAKE ME BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD AND MY NAME 51:37 WILL COME UP AND I'LL STAND THERE SERIOUSLY, OF COURSE - 51:41 WE'RE IN GOD'S PRESENCE IN A COURT OF LAW. 51:43 I'M NOT GOING TO ACT SILLY, I'LL STAND THERE VERY SOLEMNLY AND 51:47 SERIOUSLY, BUT WITH A SWEET JOY BECAUSE I'LL HEAR JESUS TALKING 51:52 TO THE FATHER. HE'LL SAY, 'FATHER, THIS IS MICHAEL. 51:57 THERE'S HIS BOOK. THERE'S SOME THINGS WRITTEN IN THERE THAT WE 52:02 KNOW THAT - BUT YOU SEE, HE ASKED FORGIVENESS AND THESE 52:06 SCARS ON MY HAND ARE EVIDENCE THAT I ATONED FOR THEM.' 52:10 I'LL JUST STAND THERE AND JESUS WILL DO ALL THE TALKING. 52:14 WHEN IT'S ALL DONE, CALL FOR THE VERDICT, AND GOD WILL SAY, IN 52:19 HIS MAJESTIC VOICE, 'JESUS, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU THEN IT'S 52:26 OKAY WITH ME.' AND GOD WILL TELL THE RECORDING 52:30 ANGEL 'KEEP MICHAEL THOMPSON'S NAME IN THE BOOK OF LIFE.' 52:35 I'M NOT SCARED. NOW I WOULD BE IF I KNEW THAT 52:41 HEART WAS OUT THERE REBELLING BUT JESUS HAS IT AND I'M SAFE. 52:46 HE TAKES CARE OF US. WE'RE JUST LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN, 52:47 YOU KNOW. WE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES 52:50 SO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE GOD TAKE CARE OF US. 52:54 IF YOU WANT SOMETHING - THOSE OF YOU WHO TEACH THE CLASS - ON 52:58 WEDNESDAY'S SECTION - I WOULD SUGGEST YOU GO TO 'CHRIST'S 53:00 OBJECT LESSONS' AND THE CHAPTER CALLED 'FIT FOR A WEDDING' OR 53:04 'THE WEDDING GARMENT' DEPENDING ON WHICH FORMAT OF 'CHRIST'S 53:07 OBJECT LESSONS' YOU HAVE. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST 53:10 TREATISES - IF I CAN USE THAT TERM - ON RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH 53:14 THAT YOU WILL EVER READ. AND IT'S IN SUCH SIMPLE 53:16 LANGUAGE. BUT WE NEED THE WEDDING GARMENT. 53:21 THIS IS PAGE 310, "BY THE WEDDING GARMENT IN THE PARABLE 53:24 IS REPRESENTED THE PURE SPOTLESS CHARACTER WHICH 53:27 CHRIST'S TRUE FOLLOWERS WILL POSSESS." - 53:31 MOVING ON HERE - IT SAYS, "THIS ROBE, WOVEN IN THE LOOM OF 53:34 HEAVEN, HAS IN IT NOT ONE THREAD OF HUMAN DEVISING. 53:39 CHRIST, IN HIS HUMANITY, WROUGHT OUT A PERFECT CHARACTER AND THIS 53:43 CHARACTER HE OFFERS TO IMPART IN US." 53:47 - AND THIS LAST STATEMENT - I'M GOING TO HAVE TO FINISH - "BY 53:51 HIS PERFECT OBEDIENCE HE HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR EVERY HUMAN 53:55 BEING TO OBEY GOD'S COMMANDMENTS. 53:58 WHEN WE SUBMIT OURSELVES TO CHRIST THE HEART IS UNITED WITH 54:02 HIS HEART, THE WILL IS MERGED IN HIS WILL, THE MIND BECOMES ONE 54:07 WITH HIS MIND, THE THOUGHTS ARE BROUGHT INTO CAPTIVITY TO HIM. 54:11 WE LIVE HIS LIFE. THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE 54:14 CLOTHED WITH THE GARMENT OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 54:17 THEN AS THE LORD LOOKS UPON US HE SEES NOT THE FIG LEAF 54:20 GARMENT, NOT THE NAKEDNESS AND DEFORMITY OF SIN, HE SEES HIS 54:24 OWN ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS PERFECT OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW 54:28 OF JEHOVAH." IN WHOSE POWER? IN CHRIST'S. OUR TIME HAS GONE. 54:37 I'M GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND 54:40 YOU AGAIN SEND IN FOR OUR FREE OFFER 'THREE STEPS TO HEAVEN' - 54:44 OFFER #102 - THREE STEPS WAS - WHAT WERE THEY? 54:48 CONFESSION, FORGIVENESS, AND THE NEW BIRTH. 54:52 AND THE DOORS OF HEAVEN, THROUGH CHRIST'S GRACE AND 54:55 RIGHTEOUSNESS, WILL OPEN WIDE. IF YOU WANT THIS, 54:57 CALL 1-866-STUDY-MORE - 1-866-788-3966. 55:08 >>PAUL AND JESUS BOTH PREDICT THAT THE CHURCH OF GOD BECOMES 55:13 A FORCE AGAINST GOD. 55:17 >>THE RADICAL FAITH THAT JESUS TAUGHT HAD BECOME THE OFFICIAL 55:19 RELIGION OF THE EMPIRE THAT MURDERED HIM. 55:25 >>THE SPEED WITH WHICH THE EARLY CHURCH TOBOGGANED INTO APOSTASY 55:29 WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17