Participants: Doug Batchelor
Series Code: CSH
Program Code: CSH021408
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:45 >>WELCOME TO SACRAMENTO CENTRAL SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 00:49 RIGHT HERE. TODAY IT'S SUNNY HERE IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA 00:52 AND WE ARE SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE TUNING IN WITH US, WHETHER 00:55 YOU'RE LISTENING ON THE RADIO, WATCHING LIVE AT OUR WEB SITE 00:58 'SACCENTRAL.ORG', OR WATCHING ON THE VARIOUS TELEVISION NETWORKS, 01:02 IT DOESN'T MATTER. WE'RE JUST GLAD THAT YOU'RE 01:03 TUNING IN AND YOU ARE GOING TO JOIN WITH US FOR 01:06 'CENTRAL STUDY HOUR' TODAY. WE ALWAYS START OUR PROGRAM WITH 01:10 SINGING YOUR FAVORITES AND THIS, TODAY, IS A GREAT SONG: 01:14 'MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE COMING OF THE LORD'. 01:18 PULL OUT YOUR HYMNALS IF YOU HAVE THEM AT HOME. 01:20 HERE IN THE SANCTUARY, WE'RE GOING TO SING - 'MINE EYES HAVE 01:23 SEEN THE GLORY' - #647. WE'LL SING ALL THREE STANZAS. 01:27 THIS COMES AS A REQUEST FROM JOSEPH IN AUSTRALIA, JERILYN IN 01:31 SAUDI ARABIA, PAIGE AND SARINA IN ENGLAND, GEORGE IN 01:34 PENNSYLVANIA, TIMOTHY IN TENNESSEE AND THERE WERE SOME 01:37 MORE FROM AROUND THE WORLD. SO LET'S DO OUR BEST. 01:41 SING THAT NICE AND LOUD - ALL THREE STANZAS. 01:43 (MUSIC) 04:08 >>I LOVE THAT SONG AND I LOVE IT WHEN IT'S A HUGE CHOIR 04:13 AND THEY DO THAT KEY CHANGE ON THAT LAST VERSE AND THERE'S A 04:15 CRAZY DESCANT GOING ON AND THE ORCHESTRA IS GOING CRAZY. 04:19 OH, IT'S A WONDERFUL SONG! BUT I LIKE IT EVEN IF THERE IS 04:22 NO ORCHESTRA AND BIG CHOIR. IT'S JUST A GOOD SONG. 04:26 IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SING WITH US ON AN 04:29 UPCOMING PROGRAM, IT'S VERY, VERY SIMPLE. 04:32 JUST GO TO OUR WEB SITE AT 'SACCENTRAL.ORG', CLICK ON THE 04:36 'CONTACT US' LINK, AND YOU CAN SEND IN ANY SONG THAT'S IN THE 04:40 HYMNAL AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO SING THAT FOR YOU ON AN 04:44 UPCOMING PROGRAM. WE ARE SWITCHING GEARS AND GOING 04:47 BACK TO THE SONGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW AND THAT WE'RE ALL LEARNING 04:50 TOGETHER. TODAY IT'S #84 - 'GOD THE OMNIPOTENT' - AND IT IS 04:58 A RUSSIAN HYMN SO EVERYONE IN RUSSIA, WE'RE SINGING THIS FOR 05:03 YOU TODAY. IT IS ACTUALLY - 05:07 I LOOKED AT THE HISTORY BEHIND THIS SONG AND IT 05:11 WAS WRITTEN FOR THE RUSSIAN CZAR, NICHOLAS 1. 05:14 I GUESS - AND I WANT TO DO SOME MORE RESEARCH ON THIS - BUT I - 05:17 SOMETHING ABOUT THEY WERE USING THE ENGLISH NATIONAL ANTHEM TUNE 05:22 FOR THEIR NATIONAL ANTHEM? DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT, OKAY. 05:26 I'M GOING TO DO MORE RESEARCH BUT THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE 05:28 FROM WHAT I WAS READING. 05:30 AND SO THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE A DIFFERENT TUNE. 05:32 I LOVE THE ENGLISH NATIONAL ANTHEM. 05:35 THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, BUT THEY WANTED IT 05:40 THEIR OWN TUNE, OBVIOUSLY, SO THEY WROTE THIS ONE. 05:44 SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING. 05:45 SO WE'RE GOING TO SING 'GOD THE OMNIPOTENT' TODAY - #84. 05:50 THIS IS FROM JOYANN IN NEW YORK AND JOYCE IN KENYA AND WE'LL 05:53 SING THE FIRST, SECOND, AND FOURTH STANZAS. 05:56 (MUSIC) 08:19 >>BEAUTIFUL SONG. THANK YOU FOR PICKING THAT. 08:22 AND NEXT WEEK WE KNOW 85 SO LET'S - AND WE KNOW 86 - 08:27 LET'S DO 87. SO YOU CAN BE LEARNING ALONG 08:29 WITH US, #87 IS NEXT WEEK'S SONG. 08:32 AT THIS TIME, LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. 08:36 FATHER IN HEAVEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LOVING US, FOR BRINGING 08:40 US HERE TODAY TO WORSHIP YOU, AND WE JUST THANK YOU FOR 08:44 REMINDING US, THROUGH THE WORDS OF THE SONG, 08:47 THAT YOU ARE GOD THE OMNIPOTENT. PLEASE BE WITH US AS WE OPEN UP 08:51 YOUR WORD AND WE STUDY TOGETHER. BE WITH OUR SPEAKER AND EACH 08:54 PERSON HERE AND OUR EXTENDED FAMILY AROUND THE WORLD. 08:57 BE WITH EACH ONE. IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 09:01 AT THIS TIME, YES, OUR LESSON STUDY IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO 09:05 US BY PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR. >>MORNING. 09:14 THANK YOU TO OUR SINGERS AND MUSICIANS AND - YEAH, I ENJOY 09:19 LEARNING THOSE NEW SONGS. HOW IS EVERYBODY? HAPPY SABBATH. 09:25 IT WAS NICE TO FINALLY GET A LITTLE RAIN HERE IN CALIFORNIA 09:28 AFTER, WHAT DID THEY SAY? 50 DAYS OF NO RAIN. 09:32 THAT'S NORMAL IN THE SUMMER. IT'S NOT NORMAL IN THE WINTER. 09:35 AND WE ARE CONTINUING OUR STUDY DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT OF 09:39 DISCIPLESHIP AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH LESSON 09:43 #8 WITH 'THE RICH AND THE FAMOUS'. 09:47 AND I DIDN'T PICK THIS AS THE FREE OFFER. 09:50 I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, BUT THE FREE OFFER THAT OUR STUDIO 09:54 PICKED TO GIVE AWAY IS 'THE RICHEST CAVEMAN'. 09:57 THIS IS ACTUALLY MY TESTIMONY. IT'S A DVD OF THAT AND WE'LL 10:00 SHARE THAT WITH ANYBODY. IT TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FAME 10:04 AND FORTUNE ISSUES. BUT WE'LL SEND THAT TO YOU. 10:07 JUST CALL THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN AND THEN AFTER YOU WATCH 10:09 IT, GIVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE. AND THAT NUMBER IS 10:13 866-STUDY-MORE - 866-788-3966 AND WHEN YOU DO CALL, ASK FOR 10:19 OFFER #807 AND WE'LL SEND YOU THE DVD OF 'THE RICHEST CAVEMAN' 10:24 AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE ENCOURAGED BY THAT. 10:26 OUR MEMORY VERSE TODAY COMES TO US FROM 1 TIMOTHY AND 10:33 THAT WOULD BE CHAPTER 6, VERSE 10. 10:35 I APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WANT TO SAY IT WITH ME. 10:37 IN YOUR LESSON IT COMES FROM THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION - 10:40 1 TIMOTHY CHAPTER 6, VERSE 10. ARE YOU READY? 10:44 I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW THIS, "FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE 10:49 ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL FOR WHICH SOME HAVE STRAYED FROM THE 10:53 FAITH IN THEIR GREEDINESS AND HAVE PIERCED THEMSELVES THROUGH 10:57 WITH MANY SORROWS. THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL." 11:03 NOW DOES THE BIBLE SAY THAT MONEY IS THE ROOT OF EVIL? 11:09 MONEY CAN BE A VERY GOOD THING. MONEY IS REALLY, I MEAN, 11:13 WHAT IS MONEY? WHAT IS GOLD, SILVER, DOLLARS, 11:16 DEUTSCHE MARKS, PESOS - TAKE YOUR PICK - RUPLES - RUPEES 11:24 - WHATEVER YOUR CURRENCY IS, WHAT IS MONEY? 11:28 IT'S A MEANS OF TAKING INFLUENCE TO BUY THINGS OR TO PAY FOR 11:35 SERVICES AND SO IT REPRESENTS A POWER OF INFLUENCE. 11:39 THAT COULD BE USED FOR GOOD AND IT COULD BE USED FOR BAD. 11:43 SOMEBODY WROTE - AND IT SAYS THIS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 11:45 LESSON, "PEOPLE SPEND MONEY THEY DON'T HAVE FOR THINGS THEY DON'T 11:48 NEED, IN ORDER TO IMPRESS PEOPLE THEY DON'T EVEN LIKE." 11:52 AND THAT'S TRUE. AND THEY DO IT - THEY MOUNT UP 11:55 THEIR CREDIT CARDS AND GO INTO GREAT DEBT TO DO IT. 12:00 NOW THE BIBLE SAYS THAT, 'BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT' 12:04 AND THAT 'IT'S HARDER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH THE EYE OF A 12:08 NEEDLE THAN FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 12:11 BUT IF YOU WERE TO ASK THE AVERAGE CHRISTIAN, 'WOULD YOU 12:15 RATHER BE RICH OR POOR?' WHAT WOULD MOST PEOPLE SAY? 12:21 WELL, GIVEN THE OPTION - THAT'S WHY IT'S SO AMAZING THAT WHEN 12:29 THE SON OF DAVID, SOLOMON, GOD APPEARS TO HIM AND SAYS, 'WHAT 12:32 CAN I DO FOR YOU?' INSTEAD OF SAYING, 'WELL, I'D 12:38 LIKE A SWISS BANK ACCOUNT WITH A BILLION DOLLARS IN IT' - YOU'VE 12:42 PROBABLY HEARD THAT STORY ABOUT THE MAN WHO FOUND A GENIE AND HE 12:46 RUBBED THE BOTTLE AND OUT POPPED THE GENIE AND HE ASKED FOR THREE 12:49 WISHES AND HE WENT THROUGH THE TYPICAL WISHES, YOU KNOW. 12:53 HE SAID, 'FIRST I WANT THAT SWISS BANK ACCOUNT WITH ONE 12:55 BILLION DOLLARS.' POOF! HE HAD THE BANK ACCOUNT. 12:59 HE SAID, 'THEN I WAS THE RED - NEWEST, FASTEST MASERATI CAR.' 13:04 POOF! HE GOT THE MASERATI CAR. HE SAID, 'LAST WISH,' HE SAID, 13:09 'I WANT TO BE IRRESISTIBLE TO WOMEN.' POOF! 13:12 HE TURNED INTO A BOX OF CHOCOLATES. 13:15 SO - PIERCED HIMSELF THROUGH WITH MANY SORROWS. 13:22 BUT THAT'S TYPICAL, YOU KNOW, AND SOLOMON, INSTEAD OF ASKING 13:25 FOR THOSE THINGS, 'I WANT THE FAME AND I WANT THE FORTUNE', HE 13:29 SAID, 'LORD, I WANT YOUR SPIRIT.' HE SAID, 'I WANT A 13:32 WISE AND UNDERSTANDING HEART.' AND GOD SAID, 'BECAUSE 13:36 YOU MADE THIS YOUR PRIORITY,' - JESUS SAID, 'SEEK FIRST THE 13:40 KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS' - AND THIS IS 13:42 WHAT SOLOMON DID. HIS FIRST CONCERN WAS FOR THE 13:44 KINGDOM OF GOD. HE SAID, 'YOU MADE ME RULER. 13:46 ALL THESE PEOPLE - THEY'RE YOUR PEOPLE. 13:48 IT'S YOUR KINGDOM. I'M JUST YOUR SERVANT AND I 13:50 DON'T KNOW HOW TO JUDGE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG. 13:53 GIVE ME A WISE AND UNDERSTANDING HEART.' HE WAS SEEKING FIRST THE 13:56 KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 13:58 AND BECAUSE THAT WAS HIS PRIORITY, GOD SAID 'I WILL GIVE 14:00 YOU EVERYTHING ELSE.' AND HE COULD TRUST HIM WITH THAT. 14:05 NOW LATER, IT WASN'T SO MUCH THE RICHES THAT BECAME A PROBLEM FOR 14:07 SOLOMON - IT WAS THE WIVES. HE HAD TOO MANY WIVES AND THEY 14:10 DREW HIS HEART AWAY. BUT FABULOUS WEALTH, FABULOUS 14:15 FAME, AND FOR THE FIRST OH, AT LEAST, 40 - 60% OF HIS LIFE HE 14:21 WAS FAITHFUL TO GOD. IN THE LATTER YEARS HE BEGAN TO 14:25 BE MANIPULATED. HE DRIFTED AWAY. 14:27 SO THE BIBLE TELLS US - AND THIS IS OUR FIRST SECTION - THERE ARE 14:30 MANY EXAMPLES IN THE BIBLE OF PEOPLE WHO WERE BLESSED WITH 14:33 RICHES AND IT DID NOT ALWAYS HURT THEM, THOUGH IT COULD. 14:37 SOMEBODY LOOK UP FOR ME GENESIS 13:5 AND 6. 14:41 WE GAVE OUT SOME SLIPS WITH SOME SCRIPTURES ON IT. 14:43 IF YOU GOT THAT ONE HOLD YOUR HAND UP. HERE IT IS. 14:45 I'M LOOKING RIGHT PAST YOU. LET'S GET YOU A MICROPHONE. 14:48 WE'LL GET TO YOU IN JUST A MOMENT. 14:49 AND IN THE MEANTIME, I'M GOING TO GO TO 14:51 DEUTERONOMY 8, VERSES 17 AND 18. DEUTERONOMY 8, VERSES 17 AND 18 14:57 AND HERE MOSES IS SPEAKING HERE IN HIS FINAL SERMON. 15:01 "THEN YOU SAY IN YOUR HEART" - WHEN YOU COME INTO THE LAND THAT 15:04 GOD HAS GIVEN YOU AND YOU MOVE INTO HOUSES YOU DIDN'T BUILD AND 15:07 YOU DRINK FROM CISTERNS YOU DID NOT DIG AND YOU DRINK - YOU EAT 15:11 FROM FRUIT TREES YOU DID NOT PLANT. 15:13 IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN YOU HAVE ALL OF THIS ABUNDANCE - KEEP IN 15:16 MIND, THEY WERE MOVING INTO EXISTING COMMUNITIES AND THEY 15:19 JUST - THEY HAD, BASICALLY, PRE-PACKAGED PROSPERITY THAT GOD 15:24 WAS GIVING THEM WHEN THEY CONQUERED THESE KINGDOMS. 15:27 "THEN YOU SAY IN YOUR HEART, 'MY POWER AND THE MIGHT OF MY HAND 15:31 HAVE GAINED ME THIS WEALTH.' AND YOU SHALL REMEMBER THE LORD YOUR 15:38 GOD, FOR IT IS HE WHO GIVES YOU POWER TO GET WEALTH, THAT HE MAY 15:41 ESTABLISH HIS COVENANT WHICH HE SWORE TO YOUR FATHERS, AS IT IS 15:45 THIS DAY." NOW, THE BIBLE IS TELLING US 15:48 THAT GOD CAN GIVE POWER TO GET WEALTH. 15:51 IF YOU HAVE POWER TO GET WEALTH, IS THAT A BLESSING OR A CURSE? 15:57 COULD BE EITHER. SOMETIMES THE DEVIL WILL CAST 16:04 PROSPERITY INTO A PERSON'S PATH TO GET THEM OFF TRACK. 16:10 BUT GOD CAN BLESS WITH WEALTH. ALRIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO READ 16:17 FOR US, I THINK, GENESIS CHAPTER 13:5 AND 6. 16:21 >>"AND LOT ALSO, WHICH WENT WITH ABRAM, HAD FLOCKS, AND HERDS, 16:25 AND TENTS. AND THE LAND WAS NOT ABLE TO 16:27 BEAR THEM, THAT THEY MIGHT DWELL TOGETHER; FOR THEIR SUBSTANCE 16:31 WAS GREAT, SO THAT THEY COULD NOT DWELL TOGETHER." 16:35 >>YOU KNOW, THE BEGINNING OF THE BIBLE TELLS US OF MANY FAITHFUL 16:38 CHARACTERS THAT HAD AN ABUNDANCE OF WEALTH. 16:41 NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE THIS EXAMPLE HERE OF ABRAHAM AND LOT 16:45 THAT HAD SO MUCH THEY COULDN'T EVEN STAY TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY 16:48 FILLED THE LAND. YOU READ THE FIRST CHAPTER OF 16:51 JOB - IT SAYS, IN JOB 1, VERSE 1, "THERE WAS A MAN IN THE LAND 16:56 OF UZ, WHOSE NAME WAS JOB; AND THAT MAN WAS BLAMELESS AND 17:00 UPRIGHT, AND ONE THAT FEARED GOD, AND SHUNNED EVIL." 17:02 IS HE A GOOD MAN? RIGHTEOUS MAN? 17:04 "AND SEVEN SONS AND THREE DAUGHTERS WERE BORN TO HIM. 17:08 ALSO, HIS POSSESSIONS WERE SEVEN THOUSAND SHEEP, THREE THOUSAND 17:11 CAMELS, FIVE HUNDRED YOKE OF OXEN, FIVE HUNDRED FEMALE 17:14 DONKEYS, AND A VERY LARGE HOUSEHOLD, SO THAT THIS MAN WAS 17:18 THE GREATEST OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE EAST." 17:20 - HE WAS A VIRTUAL BILLIONAIRE BY TODAY'S STANDARDS - BUT WHAT 17:24 KIND OF RELATIONSHIP DID HE HAVE WITH GOD? 17:27 HE SOUGHT FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 17:29 HE ROSE UP EVERY MORNING. HE OFFERED SACRIFICE. 17:31 HE PRAYED FOR HIS CHILDREN. HE WAS A GODLY MAN. 17:33 SO MUCH SO THAT GOD HELD UP JOB AS EXHIBIT A OF GODLINESS. 17:39 HE DIDN'T PICK A POOR PERSON, HE PICKED THE RICHEST MAN - VERY 17:42 RARE - AND HE SAID, 'HAVE YOU BEHELD MY SERVANT JOB?' 17:46 EVEN THOUGH JOB WAS VERY RICH, HE WAS A SERVANT OF GOD. 17:49 YOU KNOW, THE LORD - THE LORD KNOWS THAT HE CAN BLESS SOME 17:52 PEOPLE WITH PROSPERITY AND THEY CAN HANDLE IT AND SOME CAN'T. 17:57 AND IF YOU KNEW THAT PROSPERITY WAS GOING TO TAKE YOU OFF THE 18:01 PATH TO HEAVEN, WOULD YOU STILL PRAY FOR IT? 18:07 SO HAVE YOU EVER THANKED GOD FOR YOUR POVERTY? 18:11 SOMETIMES THAT'S GOOD THAT YOU HAVE - SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD TO 18:14 SAY, 'LORD, MAYBE YOU JUST KNOW I HAVE MORE THAN I CAN HANDLE 18:18 RIGHT NOW' - OR - 'I HAVE AS MUCH AS I CAN HANDLE'. 18:20 AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PROVERB THAT SAYS, 'DON'T PRAY FOR TOO 18:23 MUCH LEST YOU FORGET THE LORD AND DON'T HAVE TOO LITTLE 18:27 EITHER.' I'M TRYING TO - SOMEONE MIGHT LOOK THAT UP AND QUOTE IT 18:30 TO ME. BUT IT TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 18:34 YOU CAN HAVE TOO MUCH AND YOU CAN HAVE TOO LITTLE AND YOU CAN 18:38 PRAY THAT GOD GIVES YOU THE RIGHT AMOUNT. 18:41 NEBUCHADNEZZAR - WHAT HAPPENED WHEN HE HAD TOO MUCH? 18:47 AND IT SAYS, "ALL THIS CAME UPON KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 18:49 AT THE END OF TWELVE MONTHS. 18:50 HE WAS WALKING ABOUT THE ROYAL PALACE OF BABYLON. 18:53 THE KING SPOKE, SAYING, 'IS NOT THIS GREAT BABYLON, THAT I HAVE 18:56 BUILT FOR A ROYAL DWELLING BY MY MIGHTY POWER AND FOR THE HONOR 19:00 OF MY MAJESTY?' WHILE THE WORD WAS STILL IN THE 19:03 KING'S MOUTH, A VOICE FELL FROM HEAVEN: 'KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR, TO 19:07 YOU IT IS SPOKEN: THE KINGDOM HAS DEPARTED FROM YOU! 19:10 AND THEY SHALL DRIVE YOU FROM MEN, AND YOUR DWELLING SHALL BE 19:12 WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD. 19:14 THEY SHALL MAKE YOU EAT GRASS LIKE OXEN; AND SEVEN TIMES SHALL 19:17 PASS OVER YOU, UNTIL YOU KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULES IN THE 19:21 KINGDOM OF MEN, AND GIVES IT TO WHOMEVER HE CHOOSES.'" SO 19:25 NEBUCHADNEZZAR FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY - LIKE GOD WARNED THE 19:28 ISRAELITES WHEN THEY CAME INTO CANAAN, 'BEWARE THAT YOU DON'T 19:31 SAY 'I HAVE GOTTEN THIS WEALTH MYSELF.'' SOMETIMES - I REMEMBER 19:36 WHO - I DON'T REMEMBER, I SHOULD SAY, WHO IT WAS, BUT THERE WAS 19:39 SOME VERY WEALTHY MAN - PROBABLY A BILLIONAIRE - THAT WAS BEING 19:42 INTERVIEWED AND THEY ASKED 'TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE, YOU KNOW, 19:46 YOUR GREAT WEALTH AND YOUR - YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF STOCKS OR 19:50 FINANCES?' AND THEY SHOCKED THE INTERVIEWER 19:54 BY SAYING, 'TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I JUST WAS LUCKY. 19:58 I WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND BOUGHT THE RIGHT 20:01 THING AND THE MARKET WENT THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 20:04 I JUST WAS LUCKY.' AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT LIKE MOST 20:08 PEOPLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW WHAT MONEY DOES TO A LOT OF PEOPLE? 20:11 IT INFLAMES OUR NATURAL PRIDE. LIKE NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 20:16 HE WAS BORN IN THE PALACE BUT HE SAID, 'I'VE DONE ALL THIS.' AND 20:19 GOD SAID, 'OH, REALLY? I CAN TAKE IT ALL AWAY IN ONE 20:21 DAY.' DID JOB LOSE EVERYTHING IN A DAY? AND CAN GOD GIVE IT BACK? 20:28 AND JOB SAID, 'THE LORD HAS GIVEN AND THE LORD HAS TAKEN 20:29 AWAY.' AND SOME OF YOU ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE LORD TO GIVE YOU 20:32 YOUR MILLIONS, RIGHT? BUT WE CAN'T ALWAYS HANDLE IT. 20:40 I MEAN, EVEN GOOD MEN - MANY OF THEM FELL IN THIS AREA. 20:44 TURN, IN YOUR BIBLES, TO ISAIAH 39 - ANOTHER SIMILAR STORY - 20:50 AND HERE'S THE STORY OF HEZEKIAH. HEZEKIAH - GOOD KING 20:53 OR BAD KING? YOU KNOW ALL THROUGH ISRAEL AND 20:56 JUDAH - THEY HAD SOME GOOD ONES AND THEY HAD SOME BAD ONES. 20:58 SOME WERE IN BETWEEN. SOME WERE REALLY BAD AND SOME 21:00 WERE REALLY GOOD. HEZEKIAH IS USUALLY LISTED AS 21:03 ONE OF THE REALLY GOOD KINGS. VERSE 39 - ISAIAH 39. 21:07 BY THE WAY, YOU NOT ONLY FIND THIS STORY MENTIONED IN 21:10 CHRONICLES AND IN 2 KINGS, BUT IT'S ALSO LISTED BY THE PROPHET 21:15 ISAIAH AND THAT'S WHERE I'M READING IT RIGHT NOW. 21:18 START WITH VERSE 1 - IT'S A QUICK STORY. 21:22 "AT THAT TIME MERODACH-BALADAN THE SON OF BALADAN, KING OF 21:25 BABYLON, SENT LETTERS AND A PRESENT TO HEZEKIAH, FOR HE 21:29 HEARD THAT HE HAD BEEN SICK AND HAD RECOVERED." 21:31 - THEY HEARD ABOUT THE SICKNESS - HE PRAYED AND THE SUN WENT 21:33 BACKWARDS TEN DEGREES AND ALL THE ASTRONOMERS AND ASTROLOGERS 21:36 THERE IN BABYLON SAID, 'WHAT CAUSED THIS SIGN?' 21:38 'IT'S FROM THE KING OF JUDAH." AND THEY WENT TO FIND OUT ABOUT 21:41 THE GOD THAT HAD POWER THAT COULD REVERSE THE COSMOS AND 21:45 THEY'RE COMING - JUST ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEAT - TO HEAR 21:48 ABOUT JEHOVAH AND WHAT DOES HEZEKIAH DO? - 21:53 "AND HEZEKIAH WAS PLEASED WITH THEM," - 'BABYLON? REALLY? 21:56 FOR ME?' IT KIND OF TICKLED HIS PRIDE 21:59 THAT 'THEY CAME TO SEE ME?' - "AND SHOWED THEM TO THE HOUSE 22:02 OF HIS TREASURES - THE SILVER AND GOLD, THE SPICES AND 22:06 PRECIOUS OINTMENT, AND ALL HIS ARMORY - ALL THAT WAS FOUND 22:10 AMONG HIS TREASURES. THERE WAS NOTHING IN HIS HOUSE 22:13 OR IN ALL HIS DOMINION THAT HEZEKIAH DID NOT SHOW THEM." 22:16 WHAT'S HAPPENING IN HEZEKIAH'S HEART? 22:20 I MEAN, HE JUST WAS TERMINAL. HE PRAYED AND GOD HEALED HIM. 22:23 AND I WOULD THINK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN SO HAPPY AND HUMBLE, BUT 22:26 GOD - THE BIBLE SAYS GOD LEFT HEZEKIAH TO TEST HIM TO SEE ALL 22:30 THAT WAS IN HIS HEART. IT'S NOT THAT GOD COULD SEE, IT 22:33 MEANT SO HEZEKIAH COULD REALLY SEE WHAT'S IN HIS HEART. 22:35 HE THOUGHT, 'BOY, I MUST BE PRETTY SPECIAL. 22:38 GOD MADE THE SUN GO BACKWARDS FOR ME. 22:41 GOD WORKED THIS GREAT MIRACLE AND HEALED ME.' AND MAYBE IT WAS 22:45 A SPIRITUAL PRIDE - 'LOOK AT ALL MY TREASURES. 22:47 LOOK AT ALL MY BLESSINGS.' HEZEKIAH, AT THIS POINT, MIGHT 22:51 HAVE BEEN READY TO JOIN A PROSPERITY-PREACHING CHURCH. 22:54 YOU KNOW WHAT THE PROSPERITY PREACHING - THE NAME IT AND 22:56 CLAIM IT DOCTRINES ARE? ANY OF YOU SEEN ANY OF THESE PASTORS? 23:01 THEY CALL IT 'BLAB IT AND GRAB IT' - 'NAME IT AND CLAIM IT'. 23:05 THEY'VE GOT ALL THESE DIFFERENT NAMES FOR THIS IDEA THAT IF YOU 23:08 REALLY LOVE - YOU GOT ENOUGH FAITH, YOU'LL BE RICH. 23:10 NO, GOD BLESSES SOME PEOPLE THAT WAY, BUT THE BIBLE DOESN'T TEACH 23:13 THAT. ANYWAY, "THEN ISAIAH THE PROPHET 23:17 WENT TO KING HEZEKIAH," - I'M ON VERSE 3 - 23:19 "AND SAID TO HIM, 'WHAT DID THESE MEN SAY, AND FROM 23:21 WHERE DID THEY COME TO YOU?' SO HEZEKIAH SAID, 'THEY CAME TO 23:23 ME FROM A FAR COUNTRY, FROM BABYLON.' AND HE SAID, 'WHAT 23:27 HAVE THEY SEEN IN YOUR HOUSE?' SO HEZEKIAH ANSWERED, 'THEY HAVE 23:30 SEEN ALL THAT IS IN MY HOUSE; THERE IS NOTHING AMONG MY 23:33 TREASURES THAT I HAVE NOT SHOWN THEM.' THEN ISAIAH SAID TO 23:37 HEZEKIAH, 'HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD OF HOSTS: 'BEHOLD, THE DAYS 23:39 ARE COMING WHEN ALL THIS IS IN YOUR HOUSE, AND WHAT YOUR 23:42 FATHERS HAVE ACCUMULATED UNTIL THIS DAY, SHALL BE CARRIED TO 23:45 BABYLON; NOTHING SHALL BE LEFT,' SAYS THE LORD. 23:48 AND THEY SHALL TAKE AWAY SOME OF YOUR SONS WHO WILL DESCEND FROM 23:50 YOU, WHOM YOU WILL BEGET; AND THEY SHALL BE EUNUCHS IN THE 23:52 PALACE OF THE KING OF BABYLON.'" - THEIR NAMES WERE DANIEL, 23:55 HANANIAH, MISHAEL AND AZARIAH. ALL THIS PROPHECY CAME TRUE. 24:00 THE BABYLONIANS CAME AND CARRIED IT ALL OFF. 24:01 THEY CAME TO FIND OUT ABOUT GOD. HOW DIFFERENT HISTORY WOULD HAVE 24:04 BEEN IF, INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT HIS RICHES, HE HAD THOUGHT 24:08 ABOUT BEING A WITNESS. NOW, THIS LESSON ABOUT 24:11 DISCIPLESHIP IS REALLY TALKING ABOUT SEVERAL THINGS. 24:15 IT'S TALKING ABOUT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SOUL WINNERS, WE 24:18 NEED TO KNOW HOW TO WITNESS TO THE RICH THAT ARE LOST. 24:23 WE NEED TO KNOW HOW TO WELCOME RICH THAT ARE IN THE CHURCHES 24:27 AND NOT SCORN THEM AND SAY - BE JEALOUS. 24:31 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE LORD HAS BLESSED SOME 24:33 PEOPLE THAT WAY. WE NEED TO LOVE AND RESPECT THEM 24:34 AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND SOMETIMES THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE 24:40 RICHES IN THE CHURCH, ARE RESENTFUL AND JEALOUS AGAINST 24:43 THOSE THAT DO. IT ADDRESSES THAT IN THE LESSON. 24:46 IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE RICH BEING WILLING TO 24:50 DISTRIBUTE. AND THEN IT TALKS ABOUT HOW DO 24:53 YOU WITNESS TO THE RICH - GOOD AND BAD? THEN BEING WILLING 25:01 - THE DAY MAY COME WHEN WE NEED TO LET GO OF ALL OF OUR 25:04 RESOURCES AND FOLLOW JESUS - LIKE THE RICH YOUNG RULER. 25:08 SO DISCIPLESHIP, REALLY - YOU KNOW, IN THE JUDGMENT EVERYBODY 25:14 IS GOING TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO GOD FOR TWO THINGS - TWO 25:16 PRINCIPLE AREAS THAT WE WILL ALL ANSWER TO GOD FOR. 25:19 HERE IT IS: WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THE TIME THAT YOU HAD? 25:24 BECAUSE WE'VE ALL GOT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME. 25:27 AND WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THE MEANS THAT YOU HAD? 25:30 WE HAVE INFLUENCE OVER OUR TIME AND WE ALL HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT 25:34 OF RESOURCES WE ARE STEWARDS OVER THAT WE ARE TO MANAGE. 25:39 AND WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS BUT, TYPICALLY IN 25:42 AMERICA, AND MOST OF THOSE WHO ARE VIEWING LIVE IN THIS 25:46 COUNTRY, BY THE STANDARDS OF MUCH OF THE WORLD, WE ARE VERY 25:50 WELL OFF. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE LIVED IN OR VISITED A 25:53 THIRD-WORLD - WHAT WE WOULD CALL A THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY? 25:55 AND SOME OF THESE THIRD-WORLD COUNTRIES ARE RAPIDLY BECOMING 25:57 SECOND AND FIRST-WORLD COUNTRIES. 25:59 THINGS ARE CHANGING AROUND THE WORLD IN MANY PLACES - AND YOU 26:03 KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT - WHERE PEOPLE ARE REALLY POOR. 26:08 NOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY 26:11 STRUGGLING HERE IN AMERICA - MANY THAT ARE HOMELESS - 26:14 AND I DON'T WANT TO UNDERSTATE THAT. 26:18 I ALSO SHARE WITH YOU, COMING FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEBODY 26:21 WHO HAS DUG IN GARBAGE CANS FOR FOOD. 26:24 I HAVE PANHANDLED ON THE STREET FOR MONEY. 26:28 I HAVE SLEPT ON THE GROUND BEFORE. 26:30 I HAVE SLEPT ON THE STREETS BEFORE AND SO I UNDERSTAND THOSE 26:35 STREET PEOPLE AND HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE PANHANDLING 26:38 WERE ALL OF MY FRIENDS. 26:39 THOSE WERE THE PEOPLE I HUNG OUT WITH SO I UNDERSTAND THAT. 26:42 BUT STILL, HAVING SAID THAT, I HAVEN'T MET TOO MANY PEOPLE IN 26:47 THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE POOR LIKE THE POVERTY I'VE SEEN IN THE 26:49 COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NO WELFARE PROGRAM. 26:52 THAT THEY WILL DIE OF HUNGER ON THE STREETS AND THEIR BODIES 26:55 WILL GET CARTED OFF. THERE ARE COUNTRIES LIKE THAT. 26:58 AND SO, WHEN WE THINK, 'WOW, I'M JUST REALLY STRUGGLING. 27:04 I CAN'T MAKE MY TV PAYMENT.' WE DON'T UNDERSTAND POVERTY. 27:09 WE'RE COMING FROM THE AMERICAN - 'MAN, I'M SO POOR MY CAR'S 27:13 BROKEN DOWN.' WE DON'T UNDERSTAND. 27:16 YOU GO TO SOME OF THESE COUNTRIES, YOU TELL THEM YOU 27:18 HAVE A CAR AND THEY GO, 'WOW, YOU'VE GOT A CAR?' 27:22 IT WAS EMBARRASSING FOR KAREN AND I WHEN WE WENT TO - WELL, I 27:24 WON'T TELL YOU WHERE - ONE COUNTRY AND SOMEHOW WE MENTIONED 27:30 WE HAD THREE VEHICLES AND I WAS ASHAMED. 27:33 I SAW THE REACTION THAT IT CAUSED. 27:35 YOU KNOW, KAREN'S GOT A CAR, I'VE GOT A CAR, 27:36 AND WE'VE GOT A PICK-UP TRUCK IN THE HILLS. 27:37 AND WE SAID SOMETHING LIKE - I DON'T KNOW HOW IT CAME OUT - AND 27:40 ONCE IT GOT OUT I SAW THEM ALL LOOK AT EACH OTHER LIKE 'HE'S A 27:43 MILLIONAIRE!' AND I WAS EMBARRASSED. 27:49 SO, BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU DO HAVE. 27:53 MOST OF US, YOU KNOW, I'VE NOTICED SOMETHING THAT - WE ARE 27:57 HAPPY WITH OUR TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS UNTIL WE FIND OUT 27:59 THERE'S SOMEONE THAT HAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND. 28:01 AND THE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR PERSON IS HAPPY UNTIL THEY FIND 28:06 OUT THERE'S SOMEONE WHO HAS A MILLION. 28:08 AND EVEN MILLIONAIRES BECOME DISSATISFIED WHEN THEY THINK 28:10 ABOUT BILL GATES AND WARREN BUFFETT. IT'S NEVER ENOUGH. 28:14 SOMEONE WAS ASKING NELSON - WAS IT - IT MAY HAVE BEEN NELSON 28:20 ROCKEFELLER - ONE OF THE ROCKEFELLER FAMILY WAS BEING 28:22 INTERVIEWED AND THEY SAID, 'HOW MUCH MONEY DOES IT TAKE TO 28:27 SATISFY A MILLIONAIRE?' HE SAID, 'A LITTLE BIT MORE. 28:31 ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT MORE.' YOU NEVER GET TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU 28:36 THINK IT'S ENOUGH. A MAN'S LIFE, JESUS SAID, DOES 28:39 NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS HE POSSESSES. 28:43 THE LOVE OF MONEY CAN BE THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL.' ALRIGHT, 28:47 SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME PROVERBS 15, VERSE 6. 28:50 WHO HAS THAT? RIGHT HERE. MANJEET? LET'S GET YOU A 28:52 MICROPHONE. WHERE IS THE MIC? MICROPHONE ON THIS SIDE? 28:56 THERE WE GO. AND HOLD YOUR HAND UP. 29:00 WE'LL GET TO YOU IN JUST A MOMENT. 29:02 WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A NIGHTTIME RENDEZVOUS. 29:05 IN JOHN 3, WE READ ABOUT NICODEMUS. 29:08 SOMEBODY ELSE LOOK UP FOR ME JOHN 19:39. WHO HAS THAT? 29:12 JOHN 19:39 - DID WE GIVE THAT VERSE TO SOMEBODY? 29:17 DON'T SEE A HAND ANYWHERE. WHO WOULD VOLUNTEER? 29:19 SOMEONE ON THIS SIDE - READ 19 - LET'S GET YOU A MICROPHONE. 29:22 JOHN 19, VERSES 39 AND 40 - JOHN 19:39 AND 40. 29:26 WE'LL GET TO YOU IN JUST A MOMENT. 29:27 ALRIGHT, I'M GOING TO READ JOHN 3:1-3, "THERE WAS A MAN OF THE 29:32 PHARISEES NAMED NICODEMUS, A RULER OF THE JEWS. 29:36 THIS MAN CAME TO JESUS BY NIGHT AND SAID TO HIM, 'RABBI, WE KNOW 29:39 THAT YOU ARE A TEACHER COME FROM GOD; FOR NO ONE CAN DO THESE 29:42 SIGNS THAT YOU DO UNLESS GOD IS WITH HIM.' JESUS ANSWERED AND 29:45 SAID TO HIM, 'MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, UNLESS ONE IS BORN 29:50 AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.'" NOW, NICODEMUS, THE 29:55 BIBLE TELLS US, WAS VERY WEALTHY. 29:59 HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES PASTORS, WHEN THEY'RE TALKING TO 30:02 THE WEALTHY, THEY MIGHT SOFT PEDAL A LITTLE BIT THE PERSON'S 30:06 SINS OR THEIR NEED FOR REFORM OR TRANSFORMATION? 30:12 INSTEAD OF CALLING IT SIN WE SAY, 'WELL, YOU KNOW THAT THERE 30:15 ARE SOME AREAS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT.' DID JESUS MINCE 30:21 WORDS WITH NICODEMUS OR DID HE TELL HIM, 'YOU NEED TO BE BORN 30:25 AGAIN.' 'I'M A TEACHER! 30:27 I'M WEALTHY. DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM? 30:30 I CAN MAKE A DONATION TO YOUR CHURCH. 30:32 AND NOW, SINCE YOU HURT MY FEELINGS, I'M NOT GOING TO DO 30:34 IT. YOU KNOW, I THINK I'VE SHARED 30:39 WITH YOU BEFORE THAT I AM - CONSTANTLY KIND OF GO THROUGH A 30:45 LITTLE MORAL DILEMMA IN MY MIND BECAUSE AMAZING FACTS IS 30:52 ENTIRELY SUPPORTED BY PEOPLE THAT GIVE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO 30:55 DENOMINATION OR ORGANIZATION THAT UNDERWRITES US, IT'S JUST 30:58 EVERYONE WATCHING OR READING AND THEY DONATE. 31:01 AND, PERIODICALLY, OFTEN GETS A BIG DONATION AND WE'RE REALLY 31:05 EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. 31:09 AND I WILL CALL AND THANK THESE PEOPLE AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE 31:13 IT - NOT ALWAYS, BUT AS OFTEN AS I CAN. 31:16 BUT WHEN I DO I THINK, WELL, THIS PERSON THAT JUST DONATED 31:20 $5,000 TO THE MINISTRY - FOR THEM, THEY MIGHT HAVE TEN 31:25 MILLION - THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MISS IT AT ALL. 31:27 AND THEN YOU READ ABOUT SOMEONE THAT TAKES A PIECE OF THEIR 31:30 SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME AND IT WAS A GREAT SACRIFICE FOR THEM. 31:35 THEY'RE ACTUALLY DECIDING THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITHOUT 31:37 SOMETHING SO THEY CAN SEND TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL. 31:41 AND YOU WONDER IN YOUR HEART, MAYBE THE PERSON WHO SENT THE 31:47 TWELVE DOLLARS GAVE MORE THAN THE PERSON WHO SENT THE $5,000 - 31:51 BECAUSE IT WAS A BIGGER SACRIFICE. 31:53 AND I'VE ALWAYS GOT THESE THINGS GOING ON IN MY MIND. 31:55 I NEVER HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO RESOLVE IT EXCEPT - I TRY TO 31:57 THANK EVERYBODY BUT YOU CAN'T PERSONALLY CALL EVERYBODY, YOU 32:00 KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND SO, IT'S JUST A STRUGGLE 32:03 BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THE PERSPECTIVE. WHAT DID JESUS 32:06 DO WHEN THAT WIDOW CAME THROUGH AND PUT HER TWO CENTS IN? 32:09 WAS JESUS IMPRESSED BY THE RICH THAT WERE BLOWING THE HORN AND 32:13 MAKING BIG DONATIONS WITH A LOT OF FANFARE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS AND 32:16 SPEECHES AND PEOPLE OOING AND AHHING AND THEY'D MAKE SURE THE 32:18 GOLD WENT 'CLANK' WHEN IT HIT THE BOTTOM? 32:20 AND THIS ONE WIDOW WENT BY AND SHE HAD TWO LITTLE COINS THAT 32:24 WERE SO SMALL THAT YOU COULDN'T EVEN HEAR THEM HIT THE BOTTOM OF 32:27 THE BOX AND JESUS SAID, 'LOOK AT THAT! EVERYBODY LOOK 32:30 AT THAT!' AND, FOR HIM, IT WAS A BIG DEAL. WHY? 32:34 BECAUSE HE SAW HOW BIG THE SACRIFICE WAS. 32:38 SHE WAS A WIDOW - MAY HAVE HAD CHILDREN. 32:39 IT WAS EVERYTHING SHE HAD THAT SHE GAVE. 32:43 SO IN OUR WORLD - LET'S ADMIT IT - OUR CONCEPT OF THE RICH AND 32:46 THE FAMOUS - THE MAGAZINES ARE FILLED. 32:50 LOOK AT THE TABLOID MAGAZINES. DON'T LOOK AT THEM BUT, 32:51 YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. DON'T BUY THEM. 32:53 LOOK AT THEM IN THE CHECKOUT STAND. 32:57 WHO IS TYPICALLY ON THE COVER? IT'S THE RICH AND THE FAMOUS. 33:02 WHY? BECAUSE IN OUR CARNAL HEARTS, 33:06 MANY OF US WISH WE COULD BE THESE PEOPLE. 33:08 WE VICARIOUSLY DREAM, 'OH, I WISH I COULD HAVE THAT KIND OF 33:13 MONEY AND THAT KIND OF FAME AND PRAISE.' NOW SOME WEALTHY PEOPLE 33:16 CAN HANDLE IT. SOMETIMES IT'S A BLESSING. 33:18 GO AHEAD, READ FOR US, MANJEET. 33:19 I THINK YOU'VE GOT PROVERBS 15:6. 33:22 >>"IN THE HOUSE OF THE RIGHTEOUS THERE IS MUCH TREASURE, BUT IN 33:27 THE REVENUE OF THE WICKED IS TROUBLE." 33:31 >>SO THERE'S TREASURE IN THE HOUSE OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 33:33 CAN GOD BLESS THE RIGHTEOUS? NICODEMUS WAS A GOOD MAN. 33:37 THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. SOMEONE SAID THAT THE - I THINK 33:40 IT WAS JOHN WESLEY - AND SORT OF THE METHODIST MOTIF OF LIFE 33:43 WAS 'A CHRISTIAN OUGHT TO WORK AND EARN ALL THEY CAN. 33:48 THEY SHOULD SAVE ALL THEY CAN. AND THEY SHOULD GIVE ALL THEY 33:53 CAN.' NOW WHERE TO DRAW THE LINES THERE - YOU HAVE TO PRAY 33:55 ABOUT, BUT WE OUGHT TO BE A PEOPLE THAT WORK ALL WE 33:58 CAN TO EARN ALL WE CAN. GOD WANTS US TO EARN - DON'T DO 34:01 IT AT THE EXPENSE OF NEVER HAVING TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY BUT 34:05 WE SHOULD BE HARD WORKERS. CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE KNOWN, NOT 34:08 AS SLOTHFUL BUT AS DILIGENT. RIGHT? WE SHOULD SAVE. 34:13 THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT STORING - AN ANT STORES UP - KNOW HOW TO 34:16 SAVE SOME FOR A RAINY DAY - AND YET, WE SHOULD BE GENEROUS. 34:20 AND SO THERE'S THAT BALANCE THAT WE NEED TO PRAY FOR. 34:23 NOW NICODEMUS HAD A LOT, BUT HE WAS WILLING TO SHARE. 34:27 WHO'S GOING TO READ FOR US? JOHN 19:39 AND 40, I THINK. 34:30 YOU? GO AHEAD. 34:32 >>"AND THERE CAME ALSO NICODEMUS, WHICH AT THE FIRST 34:35 CAME TO JESUS BY NIGHT, AND BROUGHT A MIXTURE OF MYRRH AND 34:39 ALOES, ABOUT AN HUNDRED POUND WEIGHT. 34:42 THEN TOOK THEY THE BODY OF JESUS, AND WOUND IT IN LINEN 34:45 CLOTHES WITH THE SPICES, AS THE MANNER OF THE JEWS IS TO BURY." 34:50 >>WHAT WOULD HAVE BECOME OF JESUS IF IT WASN'T FOR THE RICH 34:52 AND THE FAMOUS WHEN IT WAS HIS TIME TO DIE? 34:56 WASN'T IT JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, A WEALTHY MAN, THAT GAVE HIM - 34:59 HE SAID, 'HERE. TAKE MY TOMB.' - 35:01 AND THAT WASN'T LIKE HE JUST SAID, 'HERE'S MY PINE COFFIN.' 35:03 HE HAD A WEALTHY TOMB WHERE YOU HAD TO PAY SLAVES 35:08 TO CARVE A HOLE BACK IN SOLID ROCK AND IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE 35:13 AND THEY - IT SAYS 'HE MADE HIS GRAVE WITH THE RICH IN HIS 35:15 DEATH.' AND SO HERE YOU HAVE JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA AND THEN 35:20 YOU'VE GOT NICODEMUS, WHO BUYS THE OINTMENT FOR A KING AND 35:25 COMES TO ANOINT HIM. THERE'S A STATEMENT IN YOUR 35:27 LESSON AND IT'S FROM 'THE DESIRE OF AGES' PAGE 177. "AFTER THE 35:33 LORD'S ASCENSION, WHEN THE DISCIPLES WERE SCATTERED 35:36 BY PERSECUTION, NICODEMUS CAME BOLDLY TO THE FRONT. 35:40 HE EMPLOYED HIS WEALTH IN SUSTAINING THE INFANT CHURCH 35:43 THAT JESUS HAD EXPECTED TO BE BLOTTED OUT AT - THE JEWS HAD 35:48 EXPECTED TO BE BLOTTED OUT AT THE DEATH OF CHRIST. 35:51 IN THE TIME OF PERIL HE, WHO HAD BEEN SO CAUTIOUS AND 35:55 QUESTIONING" - HE CAME QUIETLY TO JESUS THE FIRST TIME, 35:57 NICODEMUS - "WAS FIRM AS A ROCK, ENCOURAGING THE FAITH OF THE 36:01 DISCIPLES AND FURNISHING MEANS TO CARRY FORWARD THE WORK OF THE 36:05 GOSPEL. HE WAS SCORNED AND PERSECUTED BY 36:08 THOSE WHO HAD PAID HIM REVERENCE ON OTHER DAYS. HE BECAME POOR 36:12 IN THIS WORLD'S GOODS, YET HE FALTERED NOT IN FAITH WHICH 36:16 HAD ITS BEGINNING IN THAT NIGHT CONFERENCE WITH JESUS." 36:19 NICODEMUS, WHEN HE FIRST CAME WITH JESUS, HE WAS VERY WEALTHY 36:23 AND HE BEGAN TO GIVE TOWARDS THE CAUSE. 36:25 AND DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CHURCH HE GAVE LIBERALLY UNTIL 36:28 HE DIED POOR. SO SOME REALLY DID, UNLIKE THAT 36:33 RICH YOUNG RULER, GIVE EVERYTHING TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL. 36:35 SO WHENEVER YOU READ ABOUT NICODEMUS - JESUS SAID, 'YOU 36:39 MUST BE BORN AGAIN' - HE WAS BORN AGAIN AND HE DID INVEST 36:42 EVERYTHING HE HAD IN PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL. 36:45 'THE RICH AND THE INFAMOUS' - LUKE 5:27 AND 28 - SOMEBODY LOOK 36:50 UP FOR ME ECCLESIASTES 5:10 - WHO HAS THAT VERSE? 36:54 ALRIGHT, RIGHT HERE. WE'LL GET TO YOU IN JUST A MOMENT. 36:57 AND I'LL READ LUKE 5:27 AND 28, "AFTER THESE THINGS HE WENT 37:03 FORTH, AND SAW A PUBLICAN, NAMED LEVI, SITTING AT THE TAX OFFICE 37:07 AND HE SAID TO HIM, 'FOLLOW ME.' AND HE LEFT ALL, ROSE UP, AND 37:12 FOLLOWED HIM." NOW HE'S A PUBLICAN, A TAX COLLECTOR. 37:17 TAX COLLECTORS, IN BIBLE TIME, WERE NOT STATE EMPLOYEES OR 37:20 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES NOW, WHERE THEY'RE ON A SET SALARY. 37:24 THEY ACTUALLY WERE SOMETHING LIKE PART OF ORGANIZED CRIME 37:28 BACK THEN. YOU KNOW, THE MAFIA USED TO 37:31 CONTROL THE SHIPPING DOCKS IN NEW YORK HARBOR AND SO THEY GOT 37:37 A CUT OF EVERYTHING THAT CAME IN AND THEY HAD NEIGHBORHOODS THEY 37:42 WOULD PROTECT BUT THEY GOT A CUT OF THAT AND THEY BECAME VERY 37:45 WEALTHY. WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING LIKE WHAT 37:47 THE PUBLICANS WERE - THEY WERE LIKE THE MAFIA. 37:49 THEY BASICALLY HAD PERMISSION - THEY HAD A CONTRACT FROM THE 37:52 ROMANS TO CHARGE THEIR OWN PEOPLE TAXES. 37:55 THEY WERE HATED BY THEIR OWN PEOPLE BUT THEY HAD THE ROMAN 37:57 SOLDIERS BEHIND THEM AND THEY WOULD ALSO TAKE OUT A LITTLE 38:00 EXTRA FOR THEMSELVES AND THEY BECAME VERY WEALTHY. 38:03 MATTHEW GETS UP AND WALKS AWAY FROM ALL OF THAT TO FOLLOW 38:05 JESUS. BUT THE PUBLICANS - PUBLICANS, 38:08 THEIR NAMES WERE MENTIONED - IT WAS JUST - WHEN JESUS WANTED TO 38:13 TELL A PARABLE AND SHOW A CONTRAST BETWEEN WHO THE PEOPLE 38:17 THOUGHT WAS THE ULTIMATE RIGHTEOUS PERSON AND THE 38:19 ULTIMATE WICKED PERSON, HERE'S HOW JESUS DID IT. 38:22 'TWO MEN WENT UP TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY; ONE A PHARISEE AND ONE 38:25 A PUBLICAN' - RIGHT? BECAUSE ONE WAS CONSIDERED THE PIOUS 38:30 AND THE HOLY AND THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE OTHER WAS CONSIDERED 38:33 THE - JUST THE SCABS OF SOCIETY. AND JESUS SAID, BECAUSE OF THE 38:38 WAY THEY PRAYED, THE PHARISEE WENT HOME UNFORGIVEN AND THE 38:41 PUBLICAN WENT HOME FORGIVEN. AND THAT WAS A SCANDALOUS 38:44 PARABLE AS FAR AS THE PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED. 38:47 SO WHEN IT SAYS THAT HE'S GOT A PUBLICAN THAT'S ONE OF HIS 38:50 APOSTLES, THAT'S LIKE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO START A 38:55 NEW CHURCH AND WE'RE GOING TO GET A FORMER MAFIA MEMBER IN THE 39:00 WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM - HE'S GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR 39:01 ASSOCIATE PASTORS. IT'S JUST - YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT WENT OVER. 39:06 IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. SOMEONE READ - WHO HAS IT? 39:10 ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER 5, VERSE 10. 39:13 >>"HE WHO LOVES SILVER WILL NOT BE SATISFIED WITH SILVER, NOR HE 39:18 WHO LOVES ABUNDANCE, WITH INCREASE. THIS ALSO IS VANITY." 39:23 >>SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT MATTHEW, WHAT WAS ONE OF THE 39:27 REASONS HE WAS WILLING TO GET UP AND FOLLOW JESUS? 39:30 DID HE HAVE MONEY? BUT DID IT SATISFY? HE WAS UNSATISFIED. 39:36 AND THAT ALSO EXPLAINS MANY OF HIS COMPANIONS. 39:39 NOTICE - MATTHEW 9, VERSES 10 THROUGH 13, "NOW IT HAPPENED, AS 39:43 JESUS SAT AT THE TABLE IN THE HOUSE," - AND THIS IS PROBABLY 39:46 THE HOUSE OF MATTHEW - INVITED HIM OVER - "THAT BEHOLD, MANY 39:50 TAX COLLECTORS AND SINNERS" - TAX COLLECTORS' NAMES WERE OFTEN 39:53 USED, NOT ONLY AS SINNERS, THEY WERE USED WITH PROSTITUTES - SO 40:00 JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA IT WAS JUST NOT A GOOD NAME. 40:03 AND JESUS GOES TO THIS HOME OF THIS PERSON WHO'S A TAX 40:07 COLLECTOR AND HE'S HANGING OUT WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE OF ILL 40:09 REPUTE. THERE WERE SORT OF LIKE THE 40:12 SCOUNDRELS AND THE DRUGGIES OF SOCIETY - THE CRIME CULTURE - 40:19 "AS JESUS SAT AT THE TABLE IN THE HOUSE, MANY TAX COLLECTORS 40:21 AND SINNERS CAME AND SAT DOWN WITH HIM AND HIS DISCIPLES. 40:25 AND WHEN THE PHARISEES SAW IT, THEY SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, 'WHY 40:28 DOES YOUR TEACHER EAT WITH TAX COLLECTORS AND SINNERS?'" 40:31 - HE'LL BE DEFILED - "WHEN JESUS HEARD THAT, HE SAID TO 40:36 THEM, 'THOSE WHO ARE WELL HAVE NO NEED OF A PHYSICIAN, BUT 40:38 THOSE WHO ARE SICK. BUT GO AND LEARN WHAT THIS 40:40 MEANS: 'I DESIRE MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE.' FOR I DID NOT COME 40:45 TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT SINNERS, TO REPENTANCE.'" 40:48 DID JESUS JUST COME TO CALL POOR SINNERS? 40:51 OR DID HE ALSO COME TO CALL RICH SINNERS? ALL KINDS OF SINNERS. 40:57 YES, IT'S HARD FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT 41:00 YOU SHOULDN'T SHRUG YOUR SHOULDERS AND SAY, 'WELL, I'M 41:02 KIND OF JEALOUS THEY HAVE MONEY. I'M GLAD THEY'RE LOST.' 41:06 BUT THAT'S THE ATTITUDE OF MANY CHURCHES. 41:08 'WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THEM IN. IT SERVES THEM RIGHT. 41:09 THEY'RE RICH. THE BIBLE SAYS, 'IF YOU'RE RICH 41:11 IN THIS WORLD YOU'LL BE POOR IN THE NEXT.'' YOU KNOW, LIKE THE 41:14 POOR MAN - THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS? RIGHT? 41:17 LAZARUS, THE POOR MAN, HE GOES TO HEAVEN. 41:19 THE RICH MAN, HE GOES TO HELL.' 'THEY'RE ALL LOST ANYWAY. 41:22 WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THEM.' ARE THE SOULS OF THE POOR 41:26 WORTH MORE TO GOD THAN THE SOULS OF THE RICH? 41:29 THEN SHOULD WE HAVE CONCERN FOR THEM? NOW, IT TAKES - 41:34 IT TAKES A SPECIAL GROUP, SOMETIMES, TO REACH THEM. 41:39 YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS, BUT THERE ARE 41:41 SOME PEOPLE - AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW SOME, OR YOU'VE HEARD OF 41:44 SOME THAT, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY'VE GROWN UP, THEY'RE 41:46 SOPHISTICATED, THEY'VE HAD BREEDING, YET THEY'RE DEDICATED 41:48 CHRISTIANS AND THEY KNOW HOW TO REACH OUT TO THIS CLASS OF 41:51 PEOPLE AND TO WIN THEIR AFFECTION AND TO REACH THEM. 41:55 AND THAT'S PART OF DISCIPLESHIP - KNOWING HOW TO REACH PEOPLE 41:59 EVERYWHERE. DID JESUS DO IT? ALRIGHT, ONE MORE STORY. 42:03 LUKE 19:1, "THEN JESUS ENTERED AND PASSED THROUGH JERICHO." 42:10 MATTER OF FACT, I'M GOING TO TURN TO THIS REAL QUICK. 42:13 I THINK I'VE GOT TIME. "THEN JESUS ENTERED AND PASSED 42:23 THROUGH JERICHO. NOW BEHOLD, THERE WAS A MAN 42:25 NAMED ZACCHAEUS WHO WAS A CHIEF TAX COLLECTOR, AND HE WAS RICH." 42:33 NOW, YOU KNOW, I'VE SHARED BEFORE SO I DON'T THINK IT'S NEW 42:39 THAT, GROWING UP WITH MY MOM - MOM IS WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE 42:43 CALLED MIDDLE CLASS. I MEAN, COMPARED TO THE WORLD 42:45 SHE WAS PROBABLY RICH, BUT COMPARED TO NORTH AMERICA SHE 42:48 WAS SORT OF MIDDLE CLASS. WE WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL - WENT 42:51 TO SOME PRIVATE SCHOOLS BUT WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL AND SHE 42:56 STRUGGLED SOMETIMES BETWEEN JOBS. 42:58 SOMETIMES SHE'D HAVE A GOOD PAYDAY AND WE'D BE ALRIGHT FOR 43:00 AWHILE AND THEN SHE'D RUN OUT OF THAT MONEY AND WE'D BE POOR FOR 43:02 AWHILE AND WE'D EAT BEANS. WHEN I LIVED WITH DAD - MOM AND 43:06 DAD DIVORCED SO WHEN I WAS LIVING WITH DAD, DAD WAS VERY 43:09 WEALTHY. MOST OF DAD'S GREAT WEALTH 43:13 ACTUALLY HAPPENED AFTER I LEFT HOME. 43:15 HE CONTINUED TO MAKE MONEY AND, YOU KNOW, NEAR THE END OF HIS 43:17 LIFE HE HAD MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND SET UP A 43:19 FOUNDATION. HE WAS VERY WEALTHY. 43:21 AND ONE THING I NOTICED IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, 43:27 PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS TELL YOU THE TRUTH BECAUSE FOLKS OFTEN THINK 43:32 YOU HAVE SO MUCH INFLUENCE THROUGH YOUR MEANS - 43:36 THEY ALWAYS WANT SOMETHING. 43:39 AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHO TO TRUST SO YOU GET TO WHERE YOU DON'T 43:42 TRUST ANYBODY AND I FOUND THAT WITH MY FATHER. 43:45 AND IT'S ALSO A PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY GOT 43:46 WEALTH - ANYONE STARTS ACTING LIKE A FRIEND YOU WONDER, 'ARE 43:50 THEY WONDERING WHAT'S IN IT FOR THEM OR DO THEY JUST REALLY LIKE 43:53 ME?' AND I'D BE AROUND DAD SOMETIMES 43:55 AND I'D SEE PEOPLE JUST BEGIN - THEY'D JUST SLATHER ON THESE 44:00 COMPLIMENTS AND THIS STUFF AND THEY ALWAYS HAD SOME ULTERIOR 44:03 MOTIVE AND IT JUST GOT TO WHERE HE DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO BELIEVE, 44:06 DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO TRUST, AND IT WAS A MISERABLE EXISTENCE NOT 44:10 KNOWING YOU HAD ANY REAL FRIENDS. 44:12 EVERYBODY ALWAYS WANTED SOMETHING. 44:14 SO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS CONDITION ARE EMPTY AND 44:18 ZACCHAEUS, THE BIBLE SAYS, WAS VERY RICH AND HE WAS VERY 44:22 UNHAPPY. NOT ONLY THAT - BECAUSE 44:25 ZACCHAEUS CAME BY MOST OF HIS WEALTH BY EXTORTING HIS 44:28 OWN PEOPLE SO THEY HAD SEVERAL REASONS TO HATE HIM. 44:31 THEY HATED HIM BECAUSE HE WAS RICH AND THEY WERE JEALOUS AND 44:33 THEY HATED HIM BECAUSE THEY FELT HE UNJUSTLY TOOK THEIR MONEY. 44:36 AND HE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, 'LIFE HAS NO PURPOSE. 44:40 MONEY DOESN'T SATISFY. POWER DOESN'T SATISFY. 44:43 I'M GETTING OLD. I'M GOING TO DIE. 44:45 MY LIFE WILL BE A WASTE. I'M FORSAKEN BY GOD. 44:47 THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES SAY I'M LOST.' THEN ZACCHAEUS 44:51 GOT WORD THAT THERE WAS A JEWISH RABBI THAT ACTUALLY INVITED A 44:57 PUBLICAN TO BE ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES AND APOSTLES AND HE 45:03 BECAME VERY INTERESTED. 'YOU MEAN THERE MIGHT BE HOPE 45:05 FOR A PUBLICAN TO BE SAVED?' AND THEN HE HEARD JESUS SHARE 45:10 THIS PARABLE ABOUT THE PUBLICAN THAT GOES HOME FROM CHURCH 45:13 FORGIVEN AND THE PHARISEE DOES NOT. HE THOUGHT, 'WOW, MAYBE 45:18 THERE'S HOPE FOR ME.' AND WHEN JESUS WAS ON HIS LAST JOURNEY 45:22 TO JERUSALEM HE WENT THROUGH JERICHO - ZACCHAEUS THOUGHT, 45:25 'I'VE GOT TO SEE THIS MAN THAT TELLS ME THERE'S A GOD THAT 45:29 MIGHT EVEN FORGIVE A PUBLICAN.' AND THAT'S WHY HE WENT TO SUCH 45:32 EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT TO CLIMB A TREE. 45:35 I MEAN, YOU KNOW, USUALLY RICH PEOPLE WEARING THOSE VERY 45:38 EXPENSIVE CLOTHES BOUGHT AT NORDSTROM'S DON'T CLIMB TREES 45:43 AND HERE HE IS HUFFING AND PUFFING AND TEARING HIS ROBES 45:46 AND HE'S GOING UP ON THIS TREE SO HE CAN JUST GET A LOOK AT 45:48 JESUS. AND THEN JESUS COMES UNDER THE 45:51 TREE AND HE KNOWS HIM. HE SAYS, 'ZACCHAEUS, MAKE HASTE 45:56 AND COME DOWN FOR TODAY I MUST EAT AT YOUR HOUSE. 45:58 I MUST ABIDE AT YOUR HOUSE.' HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE JESUS TO 46:01 ABIDE AT YOUR HOUSE? NOW WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE? 46:06 DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE'LL DRAW NEAR TO YOU. 46:08 ZACCHAEUS MADE AN EFFORT TO SEE JESUS. 46:11 JESUS KNEW HE WAS SEARCHING - SEEK AND YOU'LL FIND - AND HE 46:15 REVEALED HIMSELF TO HIM. HE HAD NO IDEA JESUS KNEW WHO HE 46:18 WAS ALL THIS TIME. SO JESUS NOT ONLY HAD A MINISTRY 46:21 TO THE POOR, BUT HE ALSO HAD A MINISTRY TO THE RICH. 46:26 ANYBODY THAT WAS SEARCHING FOR HIM, HE WAS INTERESTED IN. 46:29 AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S AMAZING IS AFTER ZACCHAEUS IS ACCEPTED BY 46:33 THE LORD - YOU READ ON HERE AND YOU GO TO CHAPTER 19 - WHEN THE 46:39 CROWD SAW THAT HE MADE HASTE AND CAME TO JESUS - VERSE 7, "AND 46:43 WHEN THEY" - THE CROWD - "SAW IT, THEY ALL MURMURED, SAYING, 46:46 THAT HE WAS GONE TO BE A GUEST WITH A MAN THAT IS A SINNER." 46:52 IS JESUS WILLING TO COME INTO THE HEARTS AND THE HOMES OF 46:56 SINNERS? THERE'S NO HOPE FOR US IF THAT'S NOT TRUE. 47:01 AND LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO ZACCHAEUS' 47:02 HEART WHEN JESUS ACCEPTED HIM. 47:04 "THEN ZACCHAEUS STOOD, AND SAID TO THE LORD: 'LOOK, LORD, I GIVE 47:07 HALF OF MY GOODS TO THE POOR; AND IF I HAVE TAKEN ANYTHING 47:09 FROM ANYONE BY FALSE ACCUSATION, I RESTORE FOURFOLD.'" BY THE 47:13 WAY, HE'S GETTING THAT FROM EXODUS 22:1. 47:16 IT SAYS IF YOU STEAL SOMETHING YOU PAY IT BACK FOURFOLD. 47:18 SO ZACCHAEUS KNEW THE BIBLE. HE PROBABLY WENT TO SABBATH 47:21 SCHOOL GROWING UP. HE HAD DRIFTED FROM THE LORD. 47:25 ZACCHAEUS WAS PROBABLY A C STUDENT. 47:29 C STUDENTS USUALLY BECOME BILLIONAIRES. 47:32 THE A STUDENTS END UP COMING BACK AND BECOMING PROFESSORS AT 47:34 THE UNIVERSITY. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE B 47:41 STUDENTS DO. THEY RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE. 47:46 ANYWAY, SO ZACCHAEUS - HE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE RICH 47:50 AND THE INFAMOUS THAT GOD FORGAVE. 47:53 AND THEN IN THE LAST SECTION HERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE 47:55 GOLD-PLATED MESSAGE - OR NOT QUITE THE LAST SECTION - THE 47:58 GOLD-PLATED MESSAGE - LUKE 16:13, "NO SERVANT CAN SERVE TWO 48:02 MASTERS; FOR EITHER HE WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER, OR 48:06 ELSE HE WILL BE LOYAL TO THE ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER. 48:08 YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON." 48:11 IT DOES NOT END WELL IF WE THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND 48:14 HAPPINESS IN MONEY. SOMEONE LOOK UP PROVERBS 23:4 AND 5. 48:19 WHO HAS THAT? OVER HERE. OKAY. PROVERBS 23, VERSES 4 AND 5 AND 48:24 WE'LL GET TO YOU IN JUST A MOMENT. IN THE PARABLE OF THE 48:27 FOUR DIFFERENT KINDS OF SOILS JESUS SAID, SOME OF THE SEED 48:31 FALLS ON A CERTAIN TYPE OF SOIL AND IT SAYS, "THESE ARE THE ONES 48:35 WHO, WHEN THEY HEAR THE WORD," - IT SPRINGS UP - "AND THE CARES 48:40 OF THIS WORLD, THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, AND THE DESIRES FOR 48:45 OTHER THINGS ENTERING IN CHOKE THE WORD, AND IT BECOMES 48:48 UNFRUITFUL." WHY DOES IT SAY THE 48:50 DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES? WHAT'S DECEITFUL ABOUT RICHES? 48:57 IF YOU'RE LED TO BELIEVE THAT RICHES ARE GOING TO BRING YOU 49:00 HAPPINESS, YOU'VE BEEN DECEIVED. I'LL TELL YOU ANOTHER 49:03 DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES. THERE ARE MANY CHRISTIANS WHO 49:05 THINK 'I CAN STRIVE AFTER MONEY DURING HALF OF MY LIFE AND THE 49:10 OTHER HALF OF MY LIFE I'LL SERVE THE LORD AND I'LL GIVE TO GOD. 49:13 BUT I'M GOING TO EARN' - YOU KNOW, WHEN MY DAD DIED THERE WAS 49:17 A BIG BATTLE IN FLORIDA OVER HIS ESTATE AND I'LL ADMIT I WAS 49:22 TEMPTED TO GET INTO THE FRAY BECAUSE PEOPLE CAME TO ME AND 49:27 THEY SAID, 'DOUG, IF YOU JUST TAKE A FEW YEARS OFF RIGHT NOW' 49:32 - IT WAS GOING TO BE YEARS IN COURT - 'IF YOU TAKE A FEW 49:35 YEARS OFF AND FIGHT NOW, YOU COULD GET SOMETHING AND THEN YOU 49:37 COULD GIVE IT TO GOD.' AND YOU KNOW, I HEARD THE DEVIL. 49:42 I MEAN IT WAS - IT WAS A VERY CLEVERLY CLOTHED DECEPTION AND 49:47 THEN I REMEMBERED AN EVANGELIST I KNEW THAT SAID, 'YOU KNOW, I'M 49:53 SO TIRED OF WORKING WITH THE CHURCH - THE ORGANIZATION - I 49:55 JUST WANT TO BE A SELF-SUPPORTING EVANGELIST. 49:57 I'M GOING TO LEAVE PUBLIC EVANGELISM AND I'VE GOT THIS 49:59 MEANS TO MAKE A LOT OF MONEY. I'M GOING TO MAKE A FORTUNE AND 50:04 THEN I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND DO EVANGELISM AND BE 50:06 SELF-SUPPORTING.' AND HE DID GO INTO THIS BUSINESS AND MADE A 50:12 LOT OF MONEY AND NEVER WENT BACK INTO PUBLIC EVANGELISM. 50:17 THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES - AND I HAD TO DECIDE AT SOME 50:20 POINT - A CHRISTIAN FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S AN ATTORNEY SAID, 50:23 'DOUG, THIS IS GOING TO SUCK YOU IN.' HE SAID, 'YOU'VE GOT TO 50:26 DECIDE IF GOD CALLED YOU TO DO THIS OR HE CALLED YOU TO 50:29 PREACH.' AND I WAS VERY CONVICTED THAT I SHOULD JUST NOT 50:33 GET INVOLVED IN ALL THAT AND DROP WHAT I WAS DOING - WELL, 50:36 THE MAIN THING I NEEDED TO DO IS MAKE SURE - SOMEBODY WAS TRYING 50:38 TO TAKE OVER MY FATHER'S FOUNDATION. 50:40 HE SET UP A FOUNDATION TO GIVE MONEY TO HUMANITARIAN AND 50:44 EDUCATIONAL, MEDICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PURPOSES AND 50:47 SOMEBODY WAS MOVING IN AND THEY WERE GOING TO USE IT SELFISHLY 50:50 AND SO I FOUGHT THAT AND GOT THEM OUT OF THE WAY AND THEN I 50:53 WALKED AWAY AND JUST SAID, 'I'M GOING TO PREACH THE GOSPEL.' 50:57 BECAUSE - AND I'M HAPPY. SO ISN'T THAT THE BOTTOM LINE? 51:02 NO, YOUR HAPPINESS IS NOT THE BOTTOM LINE ACTUALLY. 51:04 YOUR HOLINESS IS THE BOTTOM LINE. 51:05 BUT, YOU KNOW, REALLY, COMPARED TO MOST OF THE WORLD WE ARE 51:09 RICH. WE'VE GOT SO MUCH. 51:12 LOOK IN OUR CLOSET SOMEDAY WHEN YOU COME OVER. 51:15 WE'VE GOT SO MUCH AND YOURS IS PROBABLY THAT WAY TOO, RIGHT? 51:18 YOU KNOW, I HEARD AN AMAZING FACT THAT 86% OF U.S. HOMES HAVE 51:25 TWO-CAR GARAGES. 40% OF THOSE TWO-CAR GARAGES 51:29 HAVE NO CARS IN THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE STORED WITH STUFF. 51:35 THEY'VE GOT JUNK IN THEIR GARAGE. 51:36 THEY CAN'T PUT THE CAR IN THERE. WE HAVE SO MUCH. 51:41 I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE HAVE TWO CARS IN OUR TWO-CAR GARAGE. 51:46 IT'S BECAUSE I'M A FANATIC. I WENT TO MILITARY SCHOOL. 51:49 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD. READ FOR US PROVERBS 23:4 AND 5. 51:55 >>"DO NOT OVERWORK TO BE RICH; BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN 51:58 UNDERSTANDING, CEASE! WILL YOU SET YOUR EYES ON THAT 52:02 WHICH IS NOT? FOR RICHES CERTAINLY MAKE 52:05 THEMSELVES WINGS; THEY FLY AWAY LIKE AN EAGLE TOWARD HEAVEN." 52:10 >>A MAN'S LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS HE 52:13 POSSESSES. CAN YOU THINK OF A COUPLE OF 52:15 CHURCH MEMBERS THAT MADE A FATAL MISTAKE IN PUTTING MONEY FIRST? 52:22 ACTS CHAPTER 5, VERSES 1 AND 2, "BUT A CERTAIN MAN NAMED 52:27 ANANIAS, WITH SAPPHIRA HIS WIFE, SOLD A POSSESSION. 52:33 AND HE KEPT BACK PART OF THE PROCEEDS," - NOT EVEN 100%. 52:36 THEY JUST LIED AND THEY WANTED TO LOOK LIKE THEY WERE GIVING 52:39 EVERYTHING BUT THEY REALLY ONLY GAVE HALF. 52:41 WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM? THEY LIED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THEY 52:44 DIED. WHAT HAPPENED TO GEHAZI? HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER? 52:49 2 KINGS, CHAPTER 5 - THE SERVANT OF ELISHA - WHEN NAAMAN WAS 52:53 CURED OF HIS LEPROSY HE TRIED TO GIVE - NAAMAN TRIED TO GIVE 52:56 ELISHA SOME MONEY TO PAY FOR HIS HEALING. 52:58 ELISHA SAID, 'NO, I WILL NOT TAKE ANYTHING. 53:00 IT'S A SIGN OF SALVATION AND BAPTISM AND CLEANSING. 53:03 IT'S A GIFT FROM GOD.' BUT GEHAZI, AS HE SAW NAAMAN 53:06 GOING BACK DOWN THE ROAD WITH HIS CHARIOTS LOADED WITH WEALTH, 53:09 HE SAID, 'MY MASTER'S CRAZY. HE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN SOMETHING. 53:13 I MEAN, HE COULD USE IT FOR HIS CHURCH.' ALL THESE 53:16 RATIONALIZATIONS AND GEHAZI RAN AFTER NAAMAN AND HE LIED TO HIM. 53:21 HE SAID, 'OH, MY MASTER CHANGED HIS MIND. 53:22 SOME POOR PROPHETS JUST CAME AND WE'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM A 53:25 DONATION. SO HE GAVE HIM ALL THIS SILVER. 53:28 AND ELISHA SAID, 'WHERE'D YOU GO?' 53:30 'WELL, I DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE.' - GEHAZI LIED. 53:33 HE SAID, 'MY HEART WENT WITH YOU WHEN YOU RAN AFTER THE MAN.' AND 53:37 HE SAID, 'IS THIS THE TIME TO GET VINEYARDS AND ORCHARDS 53:40 AND MALE - AND MENSERVANTS? 53:42 IT SAYS, 'THEREFORE THE LEPROSY OF NAAMAN WILL CLING UNTO YOU 53:46 AND YOUR SEED FOREVER AND GEHAZI BECAME A LEPER BECAUSE THE LOVE 53:52 OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL. 53:54 AND THOSE THAT DON'T LEARN THAT, PIERCE THEMSELVES THROUGH 53:57 WITH MANY SORROWS. RICHES CAN BE DECEITFUL. 54:01 THE RICH YOUNG RULER - PROBABLY JUST BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THAT 54:04 STORY. WE ALL KNOW THAT STORY. YOU FIND IT IN MATTHEW. 54:07 IT'S IN MARK CHAPTER 10. IT'S IN YOUR LESSON. 54:10 RUNS UP TO JESUS AND SAYS, 'GOOD MASTER.' - AND HE SEES RIGHT 54:13 AFTER JESUS BLESSES THE CHILDREN. 54:15 HE'S SO IMPRESSED THAT THIS IS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF GOD AND HE 54:19 RUNS AFTER HIM AND HE FALLS ON HIS KNEES AND HE'S VERY SINCERE. 54:22 HE SAID, 'GOOD MASTER. WHAT GOOD THING SHALL I DO THAT 54:25 I MIGHT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE? AND JESUS SAID, 'WHY CALLEST 54:29 THOU ME GOOD? NONE IS GOOD BUT ONE AND THAT IS 54:31 GOD. BUT IF YOU WOULD ENTER INTO 54:32 LIFE, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS.' KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS? 54:36 ARE WE SUPPOSED TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS TO ENTER INTO LIFE? 54:40 I THOUGHT WE WERE SAVED BY GRACE? 54:42 HE SAID, 'WHICH ONES?' JESUS SAID - HE BEGINS TO RECITE 54:45 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS DEALING WITH MAN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH MAN 54:48 - HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER, DON'T STEAL, DON'T LIE, SO FORTH 54:51 - AND HE INTERRUPTS JESUS. HE SAYS, 'ALL THESE I HAVE KEPT 54:54 FROM MY YOUTH.' EVERY JEWISH BOY COULD QUOTE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 54:57 - MOST CHURCH MEMBERS CAN'T, BUT EVERY JEWISH BOY COULD. 55:01 HE SAID, 'WHAT DO I LACK?' JESUS SAID, 'THERE'S ONE THING LEFT. 55:05 JUST ONE THING YOU LACK.' WOULDN'T YOU LIKE THE 55:07 LORD TO SAY, 'YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALMOST PERFECT. 55:09 YOU ONLY LACK ONE THING'? HE SAID, 'GO, SELL WHAT YOU 55:13 HAVE, GIVE IT TO THE POOR. YOU'LL HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN. 55:18 TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.' THE BIBLE SAYS 'HE WENT 55:24 AWAY GRIEVED FOR HE HAD GREAT POSSESSIONS.' I ALWAYS THOUGHT 55:27 THAT'S SUCH A PARADOX THAT HE WENT AWAY RICH AND GRIEVED. 55:32 HE STILL HAD HIS MONEY BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE WHAT HE CAME TO 55:34 JESUS FOR. NOW, IS JESUS ASKING EVERYBODY 55:38 TO GO SELL EVERYTHING THEY HAVE AND GIVE IT TO THE POOR? 55:42 I DON'T HEAR ANYONE SAYING 'YES'. 55:44 HE IS ASKING EVERYBODY - WHEN YOU TAKE UP YOUR CROSS - TO BE 55:49 WILLING TO PLACE EVERYTHING ON THE ALTAR RIGHT THEN. 55:53 WHEN YOU ACCEPT JESUS, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BASICALLY CHANGE - YOU 55:57 NEED TO GIVE POWER OF ATTORNEY OF YOUR BANK ACCOUNT TO JESUS. 56:00 YOU NEED TO PUT IT ALL IN HIS NAME. 56:03 YOU NEED TO REALIZE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE BELONGS TO HIM. 56:06 YOU BECOME HIS STEWARD AND IF HE SAYS, 'I NEED MEANS FOR THIS' OR 56:09 'I NEED MEANS FOR THAT' YOU SAY, 'LORD, IT'S NOT MINE IT'S YOURS' 56:11 - THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GUIDE YOU. 56:13 YOU NEED TO BE WILLING TO SELL AND TO LIQUIDATE AS HE TELLS 56:16 YOU. THIS MAN, IN PARTICULAR, WAS 56:18 BEING INVITED TO BECOME AN APOSTLE. YOU NOTICE HE DIDN'T 56:21 SAY 'SELL WHAT YOU HAVE, GIVE IT TO THE POOR. 56:23 YOU'LL HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE'? 56:26 HE SAID, 'AND FOLLOW ME.' SAME THING HE SAID TO MATTHEW. 56:28 SAME THING HE SAID TO PETER, JAMES AND JOHN HE SAID TO THIS 56:31 MAN, 'FOLLOW ME'. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN APOSTLE. 56:36 SO HE WAS ASKING TO CUT ALL TIES AND HE DIDN'T AND HE WENT AWAY 56:41 GRIEVED. COULD HAVE BEEN A GOSPEL NAMED AFTER HIM. 56:43 WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HIS NAME. HOW SAD. 56:46 WHAT PROFIT IS IT IF YOU GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE YOUR 56:49 SOUL? SO WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THE 56:51 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BEING A DISCIPLE AND HOW TO RELATE TO 56:55 THAT, AND WORLDLY WEALTH. AND WE WANT TO BE FAITHFUL. 56:58 FOR OUR LISTENING FRIENDS, WE'RE ABOUT OUT OF TIME. 57:00 I WANT TO REMIND YOU IF YOU MISSED IT, WE HAVE A FREE OFFER. 57:03 IT'S THE TESTIMONY VIDEO OF YOURS TRULY CALLED 'THE RICHEST 57:06 CAVEMEN' DVD. WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU FOR FREE. 57:08 WATCH IT AND SHARE IT. CALL 866-STUDY-MORE - 57:12 866-788-3966 AND WHEN YOU DO CALL, ASK FOR OFFER #807 AND 57:18 WE'LL SEND YOU THE DVD OF 'THE RICHEST CAVEMAN'. 57:21 AND GOD BLESS YOU UNTIL WE STUDY TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT WEEK. 57:26 >>IN SIX DAYS GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. FOR 57:30 THOUSANDS OF YEARS MAN HAS WORSHIPED GOD ON THE SEVENTH DAY 57:33 OF THE WEEK. NOW, EACH WEEK MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORSHIP ON 57:37 THE FIRST DAY. WHAT HAPPENED? WHY DID GOD CREATE A DAY OF 57:42 REST? DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT DAY WE WORSHIP? WHO IS BEHIND 57:46 THIS GREAT SHIFT? DISCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND GOD'S LAW AND HOW 57:50 IT WAS CHANGED. VISIT 'SABBATHTRUTH.COM'. 57:56 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17