(MUSIC) 00:00:00.33\00:00:45.40 >>WELCOME TO SACRAMENTO CENTRAL SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. 00:00:45.40\00:00:48.73 WE ARE SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE TUNING IN, WHETHER YOU'RE 00:00:48.73\00:00:51.23 LISTENING ON THE RADIO, WATCHING LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AT 00:00:51.23\00:00:54.26 'SACCENTRAL.ORG' OR ON THE VARIOUS TELEVISION NETWORKS. 00:00:54.26\00:00:58.16 FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD WE KNOW THAT 00:00:58.16\00:01:01.20 YOU ARE JOINING WITH US AND WE'RE SO EXCITED TO SING SONGS 00:01:01.20\00:01:04.06 AND OPEN UP GOD'S WORD TOGETHER AND TODAY IS NO EXCEPTION. 00:01:04.06\00:01:08.30 WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE SINGING THROUGH THE HYMNAL AND FIRST 00:01:08.30\00:01:11.33 WE'RE GOING TO SING A GOOD OLD FAVORITE, 'WILL YOUR ANCHOR 00:01:11.33\00:01:14.63 HOLD?' - SO TURN WITH US - #534 - FIRST AND FIFTH. 00:01:14.63\00:01:18.90 (MUSIC) 00:01:18.90\00:01:19.70 >>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT REQUEST. 00:02:53.03\00:02:55.06 AND IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SING WITH US 00:02:55.06\00:02:57.40 ON AN UPCOMING PROGRAM, IT'S VERY, VERY SIMPLE. 00:02:57.40\00:03:00.73 YOU JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT 'SACCENTRAL.ORG', YOU CLICK ON 00:03:00.73\00:03:03.93 THE 'CONTACT US' LINK AND YOU CAN SEND IN ANY SONG THAT IS 00:03:03.93\00:03:07.50 RIGHT HERE IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST HYMNAL AND WE WILL DO 00:03:07.50\00:03:10.40 OUR BEST TO SING THAT FOR YOU ON AN UPCOMING PROGRAM. 00:03:10.40\00:03:15.56 FATHER IN HEAVEN, IT IS YOUR GRACE AND YOUR MERCY THAT WE ARE 00:03:15.56\00:03:19.93 SO THANKFUL FOR TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LOVING US, 00:03:19.93\00:03:27.10 FOR SHOWERING US WITH BLESSINGS THAT WE DON'T DESERVE, BUT WE 00:03:27.10\00:03:31.76 THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS. 00:03:31.76\00:03:34.70 I PRAY YOU BE WITH US AS WE OPEN UP YOUR WORD AND WE STUDY 00:03:34.70\00:03:37.23 TOGETHER TODAY. PLEASE BE WITH OUR SPEAKER AND 00:03:37.23\00:03:40.03 OUR EXTENDED FAMILY AROUND THE WORLD. BE WITH EACH ONE. 00:03:40.03\00:03:43.23 WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING EACH OTHER ON THE SEA OF GLASS AND 00:03:43.23\00:03:47.50 THE STREETS OF GOLD. IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 00:03:47.50\00:03:51.63 AT THIS TIME OUR LESSON STUDY IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO US BY 00:03:51.63\00:03:56.20 PASTOR MIKE THOMPSON. HE IS OUR HEALTH AND VISITATION 00:03:56.20\00:03:58.80 PASTOR HERE AT SACRAMENTO CENTRAL. 00:03:58.80\00:04:02.46 >>THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY AND GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL. 00:04:02.46\00:04:06.26 THANK YOU MICHAEL. WE'RE BLESSED INDEED, AREN'T WE, 00:04:06.26\00:04:10.16 TO BE ABLE TO SIT HERE TODAY IN THE HOUSE OF GOD AND BE ABLE TO 00:04:10.16\00:04:12.90 OPEN HIS WORD AND NOT GET THROWN IN JAIL. THINGS MAY CHANGE. 00:04:12.90\00:04:20.40 BUT IT'S STILL A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. 00:04:20.40\00:04:24.50 WE WON'T BE HERE LONG BECAUSE JESUS IS COMING SOON. 00:04:24.50\00:04:27.93 BUT I'D STILL RATHER LIVE HERE IN THE GOOD OLD UNITED STATES 00:04:27.93\00:04:30.90 THAN A LOT OF OTHER PLACES, EVEN THOUGH I CAME FROM ENGLAND. 00:04:30.90\00:04:34.90 ANYWAY, TODAY THERE'S A SPECIAL OFFER - OFFER #109 - AND IF YOU 00:04:34.90\00:04:41.10 CALL 866-788-3966 OR 866-STUDY-MORE, AMAZING FACTS 00:04:41.10\00:04:49.66 WILL SEND THIS TO YOU FREE. IT'S ACTUALLY LESSON #3 IN THEIR 00:04:49.66\00:04:54.70 BIBLE STUDY GUIDES. IT'S CALLED 'RESCUE FROM ABOVE'. 00:04:54.70\00:04:58.86 IT'S A VERY BASIC, FUNDAMENTAL - BUT IT'S A GROUND FLOOR 00:04:58.86\00:05:03.83 FOUNDATION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN. 00:05:03.83\00:05:07.30 DO YOU KNOW JESUS? DO YOU KNOW WHY HE CAME? 00:05:07.30\00:05:10.96 WHAT HE DID WHEN HE WAS HERE? WHAT IS HE DOING NOW? 00:05:10.96\00:05:13.40 AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, HOW CAN JESUS LIVE IN YOUR HEARTS 00:05:13.40\00:05:16.40 BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE HIM IN A STAINED GLASS WINDOW IN MANY OLD 00:05:16.40\00:05:19.46 CHURCHES, ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE, BUT HE NEEDS TO BE INSIDE, 00:05:19.46\00:05:24.23 RIGHT? SO THIS IS A VERY GOOD LITTLE LESSON. 00:05:24.23\00:05:27.13 THEY'LL SEND IT TO YOU FREE AND WE'LL GIVE YOU THE NUMBER AGAIN 00:05:27.13\00:05:29.36 AT THE END, BEFORE WE CONCLUDE TODAY. 00:05:29.36\00:05:33.33 AND WE'RE LOOKING AT LESSON NUMBER - THE WEEKS FLY - 00:05:33.33\00:05:36.80 LESSON #4. IT'S CALLED 'SALVATION' - ONE WORD BUT IT'S 00:05:36.80\00:05:41.43 ACTUALLY LOADED WITH MEANING. THERE IS A MEMORY VERSE. 00:05:41.43\00:05:46.83 IT'S ONE THAT SHOULD BE WELL KNOWN TO ALL OF US - JOHN 3:16 - 00:05:46.83\00:05:50.50 IT SAYS, "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN 00:05:50.50\00:05:55.13 SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE 00:05:55.13\00:06:01.43 EVERLASTING LIFE." 00:06:01.43\00:06:03.83 AND IN THE INTRODUCTION ON THE FIRST PAGE, WHICH IS LIKE FOR 00:06:03.83\00:06:09.23 SABBATH AFTERNOON REVIEW, I'M GOING TO READ THE LAST PARAGRAPH 00:06:09.23\00:06:13.23 JUST AS AN INTRO TO THE REST OF THE MATERIAL. 00:06:13.23\00:06:17.16 IT SAYS, "THIS WEEK WE WILL CONSIDER JESUS' SAVING WORK. 00:06:17.16\00:06:22.40 FIRST, OUR ATTENTION WILL FOCUS ON THE BASIS OF OUR SALVATION 00:06:22.40\00:06:26.56 AND LATER ON THE RESULTS OF IT. THE BIBLE IS CLEAR. 00:06:26.56\00:06:32.73 WE HAVE ONLY TWO CHOICES REGARDING OUR SINS. 00:06:32.73\00:06:36.16 EITHER WE PAY FOR OUR SINS IN THE LAKE OF FIRE OR WE ACCEPT 00:06:36.16\00:06:40.50 CHRIST'S PAYMENT FOR THEM ON THE CROSS." AND I DON'T HAVE TO ASK 00:06:40.50\00:06:45.26 YOU WHICH YOU WOULD PREFER, I'M SURE. 00:06:45.26\00:06:47.93 AS WE REVIEW THE GENEROUS GIFT OF GOD'S GRACE THROUGH CHRIST, 00:06:47.93\00:06:52.46 LET US, ONCE AGAIN, HUMBLY RENEW OUR FAITH IN JESUS AS OUR 00:06:52.46\00:06:56.60 PERSONAL SAVIOR. SO I WANT TO BEGIN. 00:06:56.60\00:07:00.53 I WANT TO BEGIN IN SUNDAY'S LESSON HERE AND THE TITLE IS A 00:07:00.53\00:07:05.43 SUBTITLE: 'SALVATION IS A GIFT FROM GOD.' AND OUR MEMORY VERSE, 00:07:05.43\00:07:09.16 WHICH WE JUST READ, 'FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY 00:07:09.16\00:07:12.10 BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT 00:07:12.10\00:07:16.00 PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.' HOPEFULLY THIS VERSE WILL 00:07:16.00\00:07:20.80 HELP US TO GRASP SOMETHING WHICH WE REALLY NEED TO GRASP FROM THE 00:07:20.80\00:07:25.00 GET-GO HERE; SOMETHING VERY PROFOUND AND IMPORTANT ABOUT GOD 00:07:25.00\00:07:29.66 AND HIS LOVE TOWARD US. IT IS BECAUSE GOD ALREADY LOVED 00:07:29.66\00:07:34.90 US AND LOVES US THAT HE GAVE JESUS TO DIE FOR US IN THE FIRST 00:07:34.90\00:07:40.93 PLACE. HE GAVE HIS SON. 00:07:40.93\00:07:44.40 AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE AND I THINK, HONESTLY, I 00:07:44.40\00:07:49.56 CAN HONESTLY SAY I'VE BEEN THERE IN THE PAST SO I'LL SPEAK FOR 00:07:49.56\00:07:53.50 MYSELF. I KIND OF HAD THE IDEA, SOMEHOW, 00:07:53.50\00:07:56.66 THAT GOD LOVES ME SO MUCH BECAUSE JESUS CAME AND JESUS 00:07:56.66\00:08:01.30 DIED FOR ME SO I'M KIND OF WORTH A LOT MORE NOW. 00:08:01.30\00:08:05.06 SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HAD THAT THOUGHT IN YOUR MIND. 00:08:05.06\00:08:08.20 IT'S BECAUSE GOD ALREADY LOVED YOU INFINITELY THAT JESUS CAME. 00:08:08.20\00:08:14.66 IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GRASP THAT. 00:08:14.66\00:08:17.16 AND THAT'S A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL TRUTH. 00:08:17.16\00:08:20.26 BUT, IN TURN, OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO THIS AMAZING, 00:08:20.26\00:08:25.26 MYSTERIOUS, FATHOMLESS OCEAN OF DIVINE LOVE - OUR ABILITY TO 00:08:25.26\00:08:30.96 RESPOND TO THAT GIFT OF SALVATION - IT CAN REALLY ONLY 00:08:30.96\00:08:36.80 BE IN PROPORTION TO THE MEASURE OF OUR UNDERSTANDING AND OUR 00:08:36.80\00:08:40.90 ABILITY TO GRASP AND COMPREHEND THAT. 00:08:40.90\00:08:44.26 DOES THAT KIND OF MAKE SENSE? THE MORE YOU APPRECIATE 00:08:44.26\00:08:46.46 SOMETHING, THE MORE YOU CAN GIVE, HOPEFULLY, A BIGGER 00:08:46.46\00:08:49.60 'THANK YOU'. BUT HOW DO YOU, KIND OF, 00:08:49.60\00:08:54.10 QUANTIFY SOMETHING WHICH IS ABSTRACT, LIKE LOVE, 00:08:54.10\00:08:58.30 YOU KNOW? I WAS WONDERING THE OTHER WEEK, 00:08:58.30\00:09:01.80 YOU KNOW, HOW BIG IS A TRILLION DOLLARS? 00:09:01.80\00:09:04.03 YOU HEAR ABOUT THE DEBT - SO I WENT ON THE INTERNET AND LO AND 00:09:04.03\00:09:06.50 BEHOLD A TRILLION DOLLARS ILLUSTRATION - BANG - THERE IT 00:09:06.50\00:09:09.73 IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF A TRILLION DOLLARS. 00:09:09.73\00:09:12.20 IT SHOWS YOU IN ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR BILLS - IF YOU HAD 00:09:12.20\00:09:16.10 PALLETS - TWO PALLETS HIGH - SIX FOOT - AND THERE'S A PICTURE OF 00:09:16.10\00:09:20.16 A LITTLE GUY AND THERE'S THIS HUGE BLOCK OF PALLETS - BIGGER 00:09:20.16\00:09:23.76 THAN COSTCO WAREHOUSE. I THOUGHT, 'THAT'S HOW BIG A 00:09:23.76\00:09:27.06 TRILLION DOLLARS IS. AND I THINK WE'RE ONLY 17 00:09:27.06\00:09:29.86 TRILLION IN DEBT, RIGHT? BUT ANYWAY, BUT NONETHELESS MY 00:09:29.86\00:09:33.70 LITTLE MIND WAS ABLE TO GRASP THAT. 00:09:33.70\00:09:35.63 BUT HOW DO YOU QUANTIFY SOMETHING LIKE LOVE? 00:09:35.63\00:09:38.86 EVEN HUMAN LOVE - IT'S HARD TO PUT IT IN A BOX. 00:09:38.86\00:09:42.56 'OH, I SEE HOW BIG IT IS.' NOW IT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN 00:09:42.56\00:09:46.13 EXPERIENCE BUT IF HUMAN LOVE IS HARD ENOUGH TO KIND OF QUANTIFY, 00:09:46.13\00:09:51.13 HOW DO YOU QUANTIFY DIVINE LOVE? 00:09:51.13\00:09:54.93 ESPECIALLY - I MEAN, EVEN ANGELS CAN'T GRASP IT FULLY. 00:09:54.93\00:10:00.83 YOU READ IN 'DESIRE OF AGES' THAT EVEN ANGELS - THE CROSS 00:10:00.83\00:10:04.76 WILL BE THE SCIENCE OF THE ANGELS THROUGHOUT ALL ETERNITY. 00:10:04.76\00:10:07.86 SO HOW DO WE, IN OUR FALLEN STATE, WITH THESE TINY LITTLE 00:10:07.86\00:10:12.40 CRUMMY DARK MINDS - HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY GRASP IT? 00:10:12.40\00:10:17.50 MICHAEL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I DON'T GET VERY FAR. 00:10:17.50\00:10:22.73 SO WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME HELP. THAT'S REASONABLE, RIGHT? 00:10:22.73\00:10:28.00 WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME HELP. 'LORD, I HAVE TO TELL YOU I 00:10:28.00\00:10:30.43 THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW 'CAUSE THE 00:10:30.43\00:10:33.80 BIBLE TELLS ME SO.' BUT I JUST DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW BIG 00:10:33.80\00:10:38.36 THAT IS SO WE NEED SOME HELP. AND GOD WILL GIVE US HELP. 00:10:38.36\00:10:43.73 SO THAT EVEN IN THIS LIFE - EVEN IN THIS LIFE - AS FAR AS IT IS 00:10:43.73\00:10:49.26 HUMANLY POSSIBLE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO GRASP THE LENGTH, THE 00:10:49.26\00:10:56.30 BREADTH, THE DEPTH AND THE HEIGHT OF THE LOVE OF GOD THAT 00:10:56.30\00:11:00.10 WAS ALL PACKAGED, IF I CAN USE THAT CHEAP TERM, IN THE GIVING 00:11:00.10\00:11:07.26 OF THE GIFT OF A SAVIOR WHO POURED HIMSELF OUT ON A CROSS 00:11:07.26\00:11:10.56 AND EVEN THEN, IN THIS LIFE, AT BEST WE'RE JUST SCRATCHING THE 00:11:10.56\00:11:13.33 SURFACE. SO GOD WILL GIVE US HELP IF WE ASK HIM. 00:11:13.33\00:11:17.13 IN 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 2, VERSES 9 AND 10, THERE'S A VERSE 00:11:17.13\00:11:23.03 HERE - IT'S REALLY A PRINCIPLE THAT, I BELIEVE, WE CAN APPLY TO 00:11:23.03\00:11:25.86 THIS ABILITY TO HAVE GOD HELP US UNDERSTAND SOMETHING THAT IS FAR 00:11:25.86\00:11:28.93 BEYOND US. IT SAYS, "EYE HATH NOT SEEN NOR EAR HEARD" - 00:11:28.93\00:11:35.26 YOU KNOW THIS - "NEITHER HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MEN 00:11:35.26\00:11:39.43 THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THEM 00:11:39.43\00:11:42.06 THAT LOVE HIM." BUT WHAT DOES THE NEXT VERSE SAY? 00:11:42.06\00:11:46.13 "BUT GOD HATH REVEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT." 00:11:46.13\00:11:51.76 AND I BELIEVE WE CAN TAKE THIS - THE PRINCIPLE APPLIES - AND SAY, 00:11:51.76\00:11:55.53 'LORD, YOU REVEAL CERTAIN THINGS TO ME THROUGH YOUR SPIRIT. 00:11:55.53\00:11:59.60 I REALLY WANT TO GET A BIGGER GRASP OF HOW GREAT IS THIS GIFT 00:11:59.60\00:12:05.86 OF SALVATION. SHOW ME THROUGH YOUR SPIRIT' 00:12:05.86\00:12:10.00 AND GOD WILL DO THAT. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT. 00:12:10.00\00:12:14.13 THIS WONDROUS MYSTERY. IT'LL START TO UNFOLD TO US. 00:12:14.13\00:12:17.60 BUT WE DO HAVE A PART TO PLAY. WE CAN'T JUST SIT THERE AND SAY, 00:12:17.60\00:12:20.63 'LORD, LET'S PUT A DVD IN THE MACHINE AND LET ME JUST SIT 00:12:20.63\00:12:24.30 BACK, YOU KNOW, WITH SOME POPCORN AND WATCH THIS WHOLE 00:12:24.30\00:12:26.70 THING. NO, WE HAVE A PART TO PLAY. 00:12:26.70\00:12:28.63 WE HAVE AN INVESTMENT. WE HAVE TO INVEST OUR TIME. 00:12:28.63\00:12:33.43 'OH, BUT I'M BUSY.' WELL, HOW MUCH IS ETERNAL LIFE WORTH TO 00:12:33.43\00:12:36.96 YOU. 'OKAY LORD, I THINK I HAVE THE TIME. 00:12:36.96\00:12:41.10 WE HAVE TO INVEST THE TIME - THE PRIME TIME - AT THE BEGINNING OF 00:12:41.10\00:12:46.56 THE DAY WHEN EVERY VOICE IS HUSHED, HOPEFULLY. 00:12:46.56\00:12:50.20 NOW, I KNOW IF YOU HAVE KIDS I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT. 00:12:50.20\00:12:52.80 WE RAISED TWO. I KNOW IT'S HARD. 00:12:52.80\00:12:56.43 BUT SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW, GOD WILL HELP YOU FIND SOME TIME IN YOUR 00:12:56.43\00:13:02.40 DAY WHEN YOU CAN GO ASIDE AND SPEND THAT TIME AND INVEST THAT 00:13:02.40\00:13:07.80 TIME TOTALLY THERE TO SAY, 'LORD, I'M HERE. 00:13:07.80\00:13:11.33 I'M HERE TO CONTEMPLATE AND TO THINK AND TO PONDER. 00:13:11.33\00:13:16.43 SO WE NEED TO INVEST THAT TIME. WE NEED TO INVEST OUR HEART AND 00:13:16.43\00:13:20.03 MEET WITH GOD DAILY IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE. 00:13:20.03\00:13:23.70 HE'LL BE THERE WAITING. IN FACT, HE'LL LEAD YOU THERE. 00:13:23.70\00:13:27.10 YOU'VE GOT TO SOMEHOW MAKE TIME TO MEET WITH GOD BY THE CROSS. 00:13:27.10\00:13:30.53 JUST YOU AND GOD AND JESUS. YOU SAY, 'FATHER, HELP ME 00:13:30.53\00:13:35.70 UNDERSTAND.' HE'LL PUT HIS ARM AROUND YOU AND SAY, 'WELL, 00:13:35.70\00:13:39.76 LISTEN TO ME.' AND HE'LL EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. 00:13:39.76\00:13:43.56 AND IT'S IN THOSE SUBLIME MOMENTS AND I KNOW THERE'S THOSE 00:13:43.56\00:13:50.93 OF YOU SITTING IN HERE THAT ARE TRYING TO GRASP THIS AND I KNOW 00:13:50.93\00:13:54.26 SOME OF YOU WELL ENOUGH THAT YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO 00:13:54.26\00:13:56.86 TALK ABOUT. IT'S IN THOSE MOMENTS WHERE 00:13:56.86\00:14:01.60 SUDDENLY AS YOU KIND OF BECOME LOST IN PRAYER. 00:14:01.60\00:14:05.40 THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES - AND I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS AND I'M JUST AN 00:14:05.40\00:14:10.86 ORDINARY PERSON. I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS WHERE 00:14:10.86\00:14:14.73 CERTAINLY YOU DON'T SEE LIGHTS FLASH. 00:14:14.73\00:14:17.30 YOU DON'T HEAR BELLS RING, BUT SUDDENLY IT'S LIKE YOUR MIND IS 00:14:17.30\00:14:21.26 ABLE TO SUDDENLY GRASP THINGS AS THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALS TO 00:14:21.26\00:14:26.16 YOU THE WONDER OF GOD'S LOVE AND SALVATION. 00:14:26.16\00:14:31.03 AND THE CROSS - EVERYTHING TAKES ON A CLARITY AND SUDDENLY IN 00:14:31.03\00:14:35.60 YOUR HEART AND YOUR MIND IT'S LIKE, 'OH, I SEE IT LORD.' IT'S 00:14:35.60\00:14:40.53 AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. EVEN THEN WE'RE JUST SCRATCHING 00:14:40.53\00:14:45.00 THE SURFACE, BUT WHAT WE SEE IS SO BIG BUT THERE'S SO MUCH 00:14:45.00\00:14:48.66 LEFT IN STORE FOR US TO PONDER THROUGH ALL ETERNITY. 00:14:48.66\00:14:53.13 BUT GOD WILL REVEAL THAT TO US IN A MOST MYSTERIOUS AND 00:14:53.13\00:14:56.60 WONDROUS WAY. AND THIS IS WHERE WE START. 00:14:56.60\00:14:59.96 WE'VE GOT TO START GRASPING THE DIMENSIONS AND IT WILL ENLARGE 00:14:59.96\00:15:04.03 OUR PERCEPTIONS AND OUR ABILITIES TO UNDERSTAND. 00:15:04.03\00:15:06.00 IN FRIDAY'S SECTION I'M GOING TO READ ONE LITTLE PASSAGE HERE AND 00:15:06.00\00:15:10.43 - ACTUALLY, THEY'RE BOTH FROM 'DESIRE OF AGES' - PAGE 661 - 00:15:10.43\00:15:17.73 BUT THERE - IF YOU GO TO FRIDAY'S SECTION, FIRST 00:15:17.73\00:15:19.93 STATEMENT THERE FROM 'DESIRE OF AGES' THIS APPLIES TO OUR 00:15:19.93\00:15:23.56 ABILITY TO COMPREHEND. 00:15:23.56\00:15:24.90 IT SAYS, "LOOKING UPON THE CRUCIFIED REDEEMER WE MORE FULLY 00:15:24.90\00:15:30.20 COMPREHEND" - COMPREHEND, YOU SEE - "THE MAGNITUDE AND MEANING 00:15:30.20\00:15:36.40 OF THE SACRIFICE MADE BY THE MAJESTY OF HEAVEN" - THE MAJESTY 00:15:36.40\00:15:41.40 - THE MAJESTY OF HEAVEN - FOR YOU. 'JUST ME, LORD? 00:15:41.40\00:15:47.13 I'M JUST A LITTLE SHRIMP AND YOU'RE THE MAJESTY OF HEAVEN.' 00:15:47.13\00:15:51.23 'YES, BUT THIS SACRIFICE WAS MADE FOR YOU.' WHEN YOU GRASP 00:15:51.23\00:15:58.40 THAT, IT DOES SOMETHING TO YOU. AND THAT SOMETHING IT DOES, 00:15:58.40\00:16:03.33 WE'LL LOOK AT IN THE NEXT SECTION. 00:16:03.33\00:16:05.96 IT SAYS, "THE PLAN OF SALVATION IS GLORIFIED BEFORE US. 00:16:05.96\00:16:10.86 IT LIGHTS UP AND THE THOUGHT OF CALVARY AWAKENS LIVING AND 00:16:10.86\00:16:14.53 SACRED EMOTIONS IN OUR HEARTS. PRAISE TO GOD AND THE LAMB WILL 00:16:14.53\00:16:19.23 BE ON OUR HEARTS AND ON OUR LIPS." I'M GOING TO READ THIS. 00:16:19.23\00:16:23.76 IT SAYS, "FOR PRIDE AND SELF-WORSHIP CANNOT FLOURISH IN 00:16:23.76\00:16:26.90 THE SOUL THAT KEEPS FRESH IN MEMORY THE SCENES OF CALVARY." 00:16:26.90\00:16:32.90 ESPECIALLY WHEN THOSE SCENES COME HOME AND THEY BECOME REAL. 00:16:32.90\00:16:38.53 SO REAL THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO STOP PRAYING. 00:16:38.53\00:16:41.06 SO REAL THAT YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK OF SAYING, 'AMEN' AND 00:16:41.06\00:16:44.53 GETTING IN YOUR CAR AND GOING OUT. 00:16:44.53\00:16:46.26 YOU JUST WANT TO STAY THERE. THAT'S THE EXPERIENCE GOD WANTS 00:16:46.26\00:16:50.16 US TO HAVE AND IT'S WAITING FOR US. ANYWAY, I HAVE TO MOVE ON. 00:16:50.16\00:16:55.40 EVERY LITTLE SECTION IS LIKE A - IT'S LIKE A SERMON IN ITSELF. 00:16:55.40\00:16:59.83 BUT GOD IS WAITING FOR THOSE TIMES WHEN OUR HEARTS CAN BURN 00:16:59.83\00:17:02.93 WITHIN US AS THE PLAN OF SALVATION IS OPEN TO OUR MIND 00:17:02.93\00:17:06.30 THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. OKAY MONDAY'S SECTION 'GOD'S 00:17:06.30\00:17:11.43 INITIATIVE' - AND I'M GOING TO READ FROM JOHN 6, VERSE 44. 00:17:11.43\00:17:17.70 JESUS SAID, "NO MAN CAN COME TO ME, EXCEPT THE FATHER WHICH HATH 00:17:17.70\00:17:23.30 SENT ME DRAW HIM: AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY." 00:17:23.30\00:17:30.16 I WANT US TO GRASP THIS PICTURE IF WE CAN. 00:17:30.16\00:17:32.13 WHAT IS JESUS SAYING HERE? 00:17:32.13\00:17:33.76 HE SAYS, 'NO MAN CAN COME TO ME' - THE POINT IS WE DON'T HAVE THE 00:17:33.76\00:17:37.20 DESIRE TO COME TO HIM AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT - 'NO MAN CAN COME 00:17:37.20\00:17:40.90 TO ME EXCEPT THE FATHER WHICH HATH SENT ME DRAW HIM:' SO THERE 00:17:40.90\00:17:47.33 IS SOME DRAWING HERE ON GOD'S PART. 00:17:47.33\00:17:51.26 HE HAS TAKEN THE INITIATIVE THAT WE MIGHT BE ATTRACTED TO HIM. 00:17:51.26\00:17:56.90 SO WE SEE THIS PICTURE - ACTUALLY, OUR GOD SEEKS US - WE 00:17:56.90\00:18:01.03 OFTEN - AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, 00:18:01.03\00:18:03.90 SOMETIMES WE GET A DESIRE TO PRAY AND WE THINK, 'OH, I CAME 00:18:03.90\00:18:06.70 UP WITH THAT THOUGHT.' WE KIND OF TAKE CREDIT FOR IT. 00:18:06.70\00:18:09.06 'OH, I'M SO SPIRITUAL I CAME UP WITH THIS THOUGHT OF GOING TO 00:18:09.06\00:18:11.53 PRAY.' NO YOU DIDN'T. DON'T LIE. IT WAS GOD THAT PUT THAT IN YOUR 00:18:11.53\00:18:17.93 HEART, NOT YOU. IT'S GOD CALLING YOU. 00:18:17.93\00:18:21.33 AND SO BE ENCOURAGED: IF YOU THINK YOU'RE LOST IN SIN BUT YOU 00:18:21.33\00:18:24.30 GET THESE LITTLE SPARKS, 'OH I'D LOVE TO GO TO CHURCH. 00:18:24.30\00:18:26.76 OH, I'D LOVE TO READ MY BIBLE. 00:18:26.76\00:18:28.16 I'D LOVE TO PRAY BUT GOD WON'T ACCEPT ME.' THAT IS GOD ALREADY 00:18:28.16\00:18:30.83 CALLING YOU SAYING, 'COME ON, I WANT YOU BACK.' SO WHEN WE SEE 00:18:30.83\00:18:38.26 THIS PICTURE OF HOW EARNESTLY GOD IS SO EXTRAVAGANTLY IN HIS 00:18:38.26\00:18:43.00 UNQUENCHABLE LOVE POURED OUT - THAT THIS LOVE OFFERING - THIS 00:18:43.00\00:18:46.80 GIFT, BY ULTIMATELY SENDING HIS SON TO BE THE MEANS OF OUR 00:18:46.80\00:18:52.03 SALVATION AND AT THE SAME TIME OF WOOING US - DRAWING US INTO 00:18:52.03\00:18:56.70 HIS ARMS. WE NEED TO SEE THAT PICTURE. 00:18:56.70\00:18:59.33 LADIES, DID YOUR HUSBAND - BEFORE YOU GOT MARRIED AND 00:18:59.33\00:19:02.36 HOPEFULLY EVEN AFTERWARDS - DID HE WOO YOU? 00:19:02.36\00:19:05.40 DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE WOOED? 00:19:05.40\00:19:07.53 DIANA'S SMILING. THAT'S A GOOD SIGN. 00:19:07.53\00:19:12.26 MEN, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN - HAS A LADY EVER WOOED YOU? 00:19:12.26\00:19:15.83 DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? IT MEANS YOU LOOK AND, 00:19:15.83\00:19:20.13 HOPEFULLY, YOU SEE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND SHE SHOULD BE 00:19:20.13\00:19:25.33 BEAUTIFUL. BUT IT'S NOT JUST HER BEAUTY. 00:19:25.33\00:19:27.63 THERE'S A PERSONALITY. THERE'S A SOUND OF A VOICE. 00:19:27.63\00:19:32.86 JUST THAT LITTLE LAUGH, YOU KNOW? 00:19:32.86\00:19:34.86 THOSE LITTLE THINGS. I WON'T GET TOO CARRIED AWAY 00:19:34.86\00:19:37.03 HERE BUT THOSE THINGS - AND IT JUST STEALS YOUR HEART. 00:19:37.03\00:19:42.43 MY WIFE DID THAT TO ME FORTY-SOMETHING YEARS AGO. 00:19:42.43\00:19:46.76 AND YOU KNOW, SHE STILL DOES. 00:19:46.76\00:19:48.86 I'VE GOT MY LITTLE NAMES FOR HER. 00:19:48.86\00:19:50.43 I'M NOT GOING TO TELL THEM HERE, SHE'D KILL ME. 00:19:50.43\00:19:52.30 BUT IT'S ALL PART - THE WOOING EXPERIENCE SHOULD CONTINUE. 00:19:52.30\00:19:57.60 AND WHAT GOD DOES IS HE WOOS US, YOU SEE, HE TOOK THE INITIATIVE. 00:19:57.60\00:20:00.70 WHY DID HE TAKE THE INITIATIVE? 00:20:00.70\00:20:04.16 BECAUSE OUR HEARTS ARE SO HARD, SO INSENSITIVE, SO UNFEELING, 00:20:04.16\00:20:14.00 THAT LEFT TO OURSELVES WE'D JUST BE LIKE A ROCK. 00:20:14.00\00:20:20.06 HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO WOO A ROCK? 00:20:20.06\00:20:25.23 WELL, YOU COULD GET AN ILLUSTRATION THERE, I SUPPOSE. 00:20:25.23\00:20:27.96 I'M SURE THERE'S SOME MEN YOU'VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH A LADY AND 00:20:27.96\00:20:30.33 IT'S LIKE TRYING TO WOO A ROCK. NOT THAT SHE'S NOT NICE, BUT SHE 00:20:30.33\00:20:32.56 JUST DOESN'T LOVE YOU, OKAY? BUT GOD - GOD WOOS US. 00:20:32.56\00:20:38.06 SO LET'S TAKE THAT PICTURE THEN CONTRAST THAT PICTURE OF GOD 00:20:38.06\00:20:41.46 WOOING US WITH THE PICTURE OF HOW WE ARE. 00:20:41.46\00:20:44.10 WE DO NOT NATURALLY SEEK HIM. I ALREADY SAID THAT. 00:20:44.10\00:20:48.16 IT'S JUST NOT - WE DO NOT NATURALLY - WE'RE NOT NATURALLY 00:20:48.16\00:20:50.90 SPIRITUAL BEINGS. WE DON'T GO LOOKING FOR GOD. 00:20:50.90\00:20:54.93 BECAUSE HERE'S THE THING, YOU SEE, ACTUALLY LET ME READ YOU 00:20:54.93\00:20:58.10 THIS HERE - IN ROMANS 3:10 AND 11 IT SAYS, "AS IT IS WRITTEN, 00:20:58.10\00:21:03.63 THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE:" - PAUL, HERE, IS QUOTING 00:21:03.63\00:21:08.36 FROM ISAIAH AND HE CONTINUES -"THERE IS NONE THAT 00:21:08.36\00:21:12.06 UNDERSTANDETH, THERE IS NONE THAT SEEKETH AFTER GOD." 00:21:12.06\00:21:16.40 BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE WAY - IT'S THE EFFECTS OF SIN, YOU SEE. 00:21:16.40\00:21:19.80 BEFORE ADAM SINNED HE WAS JUST LIKE THAT WITH GOD, NATURALLY, 00:21:19.80\00:21:24.10 'OH, GOD, I LOVE YOU.' AND THERE WAS A SEEKING IN BOTH 00:21:24.10\00:21:27.53 DIRECTIONS. BUT BECAUSE OF SIN, WHICH IS NOT 00:21:27.53\00:21:30.90 JUST AN ACT - WELL, SIN IS AN ACT OF REBELLION BUT IT HAS THIS 00:21:30.90\00:21:33.96 WOEFUL EFFECT UPON US. IT DARKENS THE MIND. 00:21:33.96\00:21:39.53 IT ROBS US OF OUR ABILITY TO DISCERN AND UNDERSTAND SPIRITUAL 00:21:39.53\00:21:42.93 THINGS, WHICH IS WHAT WE LOOKED AT IN THE FIRST PART, AND IT 00:21:42.93\00:21:46.30 DISTORTS AND CORRUPTS AND DESTROYS EVERY GOOD PICTURE OF 00:21:46.30\00:21:49.96 GOD SO THAT WE SEE GOD, IF WE SEE HIM AT ALL, AS NOTHING TO BE 00:21:49.96\00:21:54.03 DESIRED AND HE IS NOTHING TO BE SOUGHT AFTER. 00:21:54.03\00:21:57.33 THAT'S WHAT SIN DOES AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE LIKE WE ARE. 00:21:57.33\00:21:59.73 AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, SATAN TAKES ADVANTAGE OF OUR FALLEN 00:21:59.73\00:22:03.56 STATE - OF OUR FALLEN HUMANITY - AND HE GOES AND HE BOMBARDS THE 00:22:03.56\00:22:07.20 SENSES TO ALIENATE US EVEN FURTHER FROM GOD BECAUSE HE 00:22:07.20\00:22:11.00 DOESN'T WANT US CONNECTING. HE WANTS GOD TO REMAIN TOTALLY 00:22:11.00\00:22:14.46 UNDESIRABLE AND UGLY IN OUR EYES. 00:22:14.46\00:22:17.33 AND HE'S SO SUCCESSFUL WITH SO MANY PEOPLE. 00:22:17.33\00:22:20.16 MIKE, CAN I HAVE MY BOOK PLEASE? THANK YOU. 00:22:20.16\00:22:22.96 I WANT TO READ FROM 'DESIRE OF AGES'. 00:22:22.96\00:22:25.80 THIS IS THE CHAPTER 'THE FULLNESS OF TIME' AND WE'RE 00:22:25.80\00:22:29.26 LOOKING HERE 2,000 YEARS AGO. THIS WAS THE STATE OF HUMANITY. 00:22:29.26\00:22:34.80 EVEN GOD'S PEOPLE - THIS WAS THE STATE OF GOD'S 00:22:34.80\00:22:37.53 PEOPLE JUST AT THE TIME WHEN JESUS CAME. 00:22:37.53\00:22:43.13 AND THEN WE WONDER WHY IT IS NOBODY SEEKS AFTER GOD. 00:22:43.13\00:22:48.86 IT SAYS, "THE DECEPTION OF SIN HAD REACHED ITS HEIGHT" - DESIRE 00:22:48.86\00:22:52.50 OF AGES' - PAGE 36 GOING ON TO 37 - IT'S A PARAGRAPH ABOUT THIS 00:22:52.50\00:22:56.10 BIG SO I HOPE YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME. 00:22:56.10\00:22:59.23 "THE DECEPTION OF SIN HAD REACHED ITS HEIGHT. 00:22:59.23\00:23:02.70 ALL THE AGENCIES FOR THE DEPRAVING OF THE SOULS OF MEN 00:23:02.70\00:23:06.20 HAD BEEN PUT IN OPERATION. THE SON OF GOD, LOOKING UPON THE 00:23:06.20\00:23:11.26 WORLD, BEHELD SUFFERING AND MISERY WITH PITY. 00:23:11.26\00:23:17.63 HE SAW HOW MEN HAD BECOME VICTIMS OF SATANIC CRUELTY. 00:23:17.63\00:23:22.70 HE LOOKED WITH COMPASSION UPON THOSE WHO HAD BEEN CORRUPTED, 00:23:22.70\00:23:26.00 MURDERED, AND LOST. THEY HAD CHOSEN A RULER WHO 00:23:26.00\00:23:29.83 CHAINED THEM TO HIS CAR AS CAPTIVES. 00:23:29.83\00:23:33.36 BEWILDERED AND DECEIVED THEY WERE MOVING ON IN GLOOMY 00:23:33.36\00:23:36.16 PROCESSION TOWARD ETERNAL RUIN. TO DEATH IN WHICH IS NO HOPE OF 00:23:36.16\00:23:41.40 LIFE. TOWARD NIGHT TO WHICH COMES NO MORNING." 00:23:41.40\00:23:46.70 - JUST GET THIS HERE - "SATANIC AGENCIES WERE INCORPORATED WITH 00:23:46.70\00:23:51.96 MEN. THE BODIES OF HUMAN BEINGS, MADE 00:23:51.96\00:23:56.53 FOR THE DWELLING PLACE OF GOD HAD BECOME THE HABITATION OF 00:23:56.53\00:23:59.70 DEMONS. THE SENSES, THE NERVES, THE 00:23:59.70\00:24:05.43 PASSIONS, THE ORGANS OF MEN WERE WORKED BY SUPERNATURAL AGENCIES 00:24:05.43\00:24:10.70 IN THE INDULGENCES OF VILEST LUST." 00:24:10.70\00:24:15.93 IS ANYTHING NEW? IT'S LIKE THAT TODAY, ISN'T IT? 00:24:15.93\00:24:19.56 AND THEN WE WONDER - WHAT DOES IT SAY? 'THERE IS NONE THAT 00:24:19.56\00:24:23.10 UNDERSTANDETH; THERE IS NONE THAT SEEKETH AFTER GOD.' BECAUSE 00:24:23.10\00:24:27.20 WE'RE SO VILE. "THE VERY STAMP OF DEMONS WAS 00:24:27.20\00:24:31.76 IMPRESSED UPON THE COUNTENANCES OF MEN. 00:24:31.76\00:24:34.96 HUMAN FACES REFLECTED THE EXPRESSION OF THE LEGIONS OF 00:24:34.96\00:24:40.13 ANGELS WITH WHICH THEY WERE POSSESSED" - EVIL ANGELS - "SUCH 00:24:40.13\00:24:45.16 WAS THE PROSPECT UPON WHICH THE WORLD'S REDEEMER LOOKED. 00:24:45.16\00:24:50.80 WHAT A SPECTACLE FOR INFINITE PURITY TO BEHOLD." 00:24:50.80\00:24:56.16 - GOING DOWN TO THIS DARKENED PLANET WHERE NOBODY EVEN DESIRED 00:24:56.16\00:25:00.23 YOU - "SIN HAD BECOME A SCIENCE AND 00:25:00.23\00:25:05.50 VICE WAS CONSECRATED AS A PART OF RELIGION. 00:25:05.50\00:25:10.06 REBELLION HAD STRUCK ITS ROOT DEEP INTO THE HEART AND THE 00:25:10.06\00:25:13.80 HOSTILITY OF MEN WAS MOST VIOLENT AGAINST HEAVEN. 00:25:13.80\00:25:18.80 IT WAS DEMONSTRATED BEFORE THE UNIVERSE THAT APART FROM GOD, 00:25:18.80\00:25:23.83 HUMANITY COULD NOT BE UPLIFTED." THAT'S EXACTLY THE 00:25:23.83\00:25:28.63 POINT HERE. GOD HAD TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE AND HE DID. 00:25:28.63\00:25:34.63 LAST SENTENCE: "A NEW ELEMENT OF LIFE AND POWER MUST BE IMPARTED 00:25:34.63\00:25:38.63 BY HIM WHO MADE THE WORLD." THANK YOU MICHAEL. 00:25:38.63\00:25:45.36 AND THAT NEW ELEMENT WAS WHAT? IT WAS THE COMING OF JESUS. 00:25:45.36\00:25:51.40 THAT NEW ELEMENT - GOD TOOK THAT INITIATIVE AND JESUS CAME DOWN 00:25:51.40\00:25:57.13 HERE. AND THEN WE HAD THAT WONDROUS 00:25:57.13\00:26:01.06 GREATER UNFOLDING OF THE LOVE OF GOD. 00:26:01.06\00:26:05.00 THOSE WHO LOOKED UPON HIM SAW THIS MYSTERY UNFOLDED AND YET 00:26:05.00\00:26:11.80 SOME COULD LOOK UPON HIM AND JUST TURN AWAY AND GO THE OTHER 00:26:11.80\00:26:14.86 DIRECTION. I HAVE TO ASK YOU TODAY: WHAT IS 00:26:14.86\00:26:20.46 YOUR GREATEST DESIRE IN LIFE? YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ME 00:26:20.46\00:26:24.26 VERBALLY - JUST IN YOUR OWN HEART. 00:26:24.26\00:26:26.16 WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST DESIRE? IS IT TO MAKE THIS WORLD YOUR 00:26:26.16\00:26:31.33 HOME? BECAUSE THE MORE YOU MAKE THIS 00:26:31.33\00:26:33.83 WORLD YOUR HOME, THE LESS DESIRABLE JESUS WILL LOOK AND 00:26:33.83\00:26:38.23 THE LESS YOU'LL WANT TO SEEK AFTER HIM. 00:26:38.23\00:26:40.73 OR DO YOU WANT A HOME OUTSIDE OF THIS WORLD WHERE THERE'S NO MORE 00:26:40.73\00:26:46.56 TEMPTER - NO MORE SIN. 00:26:46.56\00:26:49.06 YOU CAN WAKE UP - IF YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO SLEEP - AND YOU'RE 00:26:49.06\00:26:54.56 JUST NATURALLY LIKE THAT WITH GOD. I WANT THAT. 00:26:54.56\00:26:58.73 IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT - IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, THEN YOU 00:26:58.73\00:27:03.43 CAN HAVE THAT NO MATTER HOW FALLEN YOU ARE. 00:27:03.43\00:27:07.00 IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT THEN YOU'RE THE KIND OF PERSON WHO 00:27:07.00\00:27:09.23 LOOKS AT JESUS AND YOU SEE THAT BEAUTY AND YOU SAY, 00:27:09.23\00:27:11.00 'I WANT THAT. 00:27:11.00\00:27:12.30 I WANT TO SEEK AFTER THAT.' WELL YOU CAN, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO 00:27:12.30\00:27:15.26 LOOK TOO FAR BECAUSE HE ALREADY SOUGHT YOU FIRST. 00:27:15.26\00:27:17.63 HE'S RIGHT THERE. HE'S ALREADY GOT HIS HAND OUT. 00:27:17.63\00:27:20.06 BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT - THAT NEW ELEMENT IN JESUS CHRIST. 00:27:20.06\00:27:24.53 AND SO, WHILE WE HAD NEITHER THE STRENGTH, NOR DESIRE, GOD TOOK 00:27:24.53\00:27:29.26 THE INITIATIVE TO SEEK US AND TO SAVE US IN CHRIST HIS SON. 00:27:29.26\00:27:34.10 ROMANS 5:8 SAYS, "BUT GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, 00:27:34.10\00:27:40.13 IN THAT," - WHAT DOES IT SAY? - 00:27:40.13\00:27:41.63 "WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS," - HE TOOK THE INITIATIVE WHILE WE 00:27:41.63\00:27:46.10 WERE SINNERS - WHILE WE WERE ENEMIES - GOD TOOK THE 00:27:46.10\00:27:48.03 INITIATIVE AND "CHRIST DIED FOR US." 00:27:48.03\00:27:51.76 AND IN ROMANS 5, VERSE 10, "...WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES, WE 00:27:51.76\00:27:57.56 WERE RECONCILED TO GOD BY THE DEATH OF HIS SON." 00:27:57.56\00:28:00.20 - WHY? BECAUSE WHILE WE WERE ENEMIES, 00:28:00.20\00:28:02.20 GOD TOOK THE INITIATIVE AND SENT JESUS. 00:28:02.20\00:28:05.63 AND THEN, AS WE - IN THE FIRST PART WE LOOKED AT HOW WE COULD 00:28:05.63\00:28:10.50 START SEEING MORE, INTELLECTUALLY, IF YOU LIKE, 00:28:10.50\00:28:13.06 WITH THE MIND'S EYE, THE WONDER OF GOD'S LOVE. 00:28:13.06\00:28:15.20 IT WILL REVEAL IT TO US. 00:28:15.20\00:28:16.53 BUT THEN, AS WE GO TO THE CROSS, WE GET THAT VISION BUT NOT JUST 00:28:16.53\00:28:20.00 MORE - THEN IT STARTS DOING SOMETHING INSIDE HERE AND HERE'S 00:28:20.00\00:28:24.56 WHERE SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE AND TAKE PLACE AND IT IS THE 00:28:24.56\00:28:28.26 DAILY CONTEMPLATION OF GOD'S GREAT SACRIFICE, MADE FOR US 00:28:28.26\00:28:32.40 WHEN WE DESERVED IT THE LEAST - WHEN WE WERE STILL ENEMIES - 00:28:32.40\00:28:35.03 WHEN WE WERE ALIENATED FROM HIM - IT IS THIS THAT WONDROUSLY 00:28:35.03\00:28:38.23 AND MYSTERIOUSLY DRAWS US TO JESUS. 00:28:38.23\00:28:42.30 HE SAYS, IN JOHN 12, HE SAYS, "AND I, IF I BE LIFTED UP FROM 00:28:42.30\00:28:47.10 THE EARTH" - HE MEANS WHEN HE'S LIFTED UP ON A CROSS. 00:28:47.10\00:28:49.96 HE SAID, "I WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME." WHAT DID HE MEAN? 00:28:49.96\00:28:52.70 HE SAID - JESUS MEANT, 'IF YOU WILL GO TO CALVARY IN YOUR 00:28:52.70\00:28:55.96 MIND'S EYE AND YOU SEE ME ON THAT CROSS AND YOU WILL STAY 00:28:55.96\00:28:58.86 THERE AND YOU WILL PRAY THAT PRAYER, 'FATHER, HELP ME TO 00:28:58.86\00:29:03.13 UNDERSTAND WHAT AM I LOOKING AT HERE?' 00:29:03.13\00:29:06.76 'MY FATHER WILL HELP YOU TO SEE WHO I AM AND WHAT I'VE DONE AND 00:29:06.76\00:29:11.70 I, IN TURN, I WILL DRAW YOU.' DOES IT WORK? 00:29:11.70\00:29:17.76 YOU BET IT WORKS. I WAS LISTENING TO A MAN ON THE 00:29:17.76\00:29:22.56 RADIO A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, WHO HAD BEEN IN A PRISONER OF WAR 00:29:22.56\00:29:25.90 CAMP DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. 00:29:25.90\00:29:28.73 AND HIS CAPTOR - ONE OF HIS CAPTORS WAS JUST A PSYCHOPATH - 00:29:28.73\00:29:34.20 CRUEL MAN - CRUEL. LONG STORY SHORT, THE WAR ENDED 00:29:34.20\00:29:39.20 AND THIS MAN CAME HOME. HE'S AN OLD MAN NOW. HE WAS BEING 00:29:39.20\00:29:43.30 INTERVIEWED ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE AND THE INTERVIEWER 00:29:43.30\00:29:46.60 SAID, 'WELL, TELL ME HOW YOU FELT ABOUT YOUR CAPTOR. 00:29:46.60\00:29:48.83 DID YOU FORGIVE HIM?' AND HE SAID, 'OH YEAH.' HE SAID 00:29:48.83\00:29:52.73 - AND HE JUST STARTED DESCRIBING HIS CONVERSION EXPERIENCE - HE 00:29:52.73\00:29:57.23 SAID, 'I GOT ON MY KNEES' - HE SAID - 'AND I PRAYED TO GOD' - 00:29:57.23\00:30:02.73 AND HE SAID - 'I ASKED JESUS CHRIST TO COME INTO MY HEART.' 00:30:02.73\00:30:07.36 THIS MUST HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY JUST AFTER THE WAR - A COUPLE OF 00:30:07.36\00:30:09.40 YEARS AFTER THE WAR - HE SAID HE CAME IN AND HE SAID, 'I THOUGHT 00:30:09.40\00:30:14.26 ABOUT THIS CAPTOR' AND HE SAID, 'THE FORGIVENESS, IT JUST FLOWED 00:30:14.26\00:30:17.53 INTO ME.' - HE SAID - 'I DIDN'T HATE HIM ANYMORE.' HE SAID, 00:30:17.53\00:30:20.36 'YEAH, SURE I FORGAVE HIM.' - HE SAYS, 'IN THAT FIRST NIGHT AFTER 00:30:20.36\00:30:23.73 THIS CONVERSION EXPERIENCE - FOR THE FIRST NIGHT IN TWO YEARS - I 00:30:23.73\00:30:26.10 NEVER HAD A NIGHTMARE AND I'VE NEVER HAD ANY SINCE.' SO WHEN 00:30:26.10\00:30:30.73 JESUS DRAWS YOU HE DOES SOMETHING. 00:30:30.73\00:30:34.80 SOMETHING VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY WONDERFUL AND HEARTS ONCE 00:30:34.80\00:30:37.66 HARDENED IN SIN, DEFIANT, REBELLIOUS, INDIFFERENT, BECOME 00:30:37.66\00:30:44.36 BROKEN, MELTED, AND ACTUALLY SORROWFUL. 00:30:44.36\00:30:47.96 FOR SINNERS THE WARM SWEET FRAGRANT LOVE OF JESUS INVADES 00:30:47.96\00:30:55.10 TO CONQUER, TO CONVERT AND SET FREE THE HEART ONCE BOUND IN 00:30:55.10\00:31:01.83 EVIL TO THE POWER OF SATAN. THAT IS CONVERSION. 00:31:01.83\00:31:07.86 YOU DON'T BRING THAT ABOUT AND NEITHER DO I, BUT I KNOW 00:31:07.86\00:31:11.40 SOMEBODY WHO DOES IT AND THAT'S GOD. 00:31:11.40\00:31:15.00 THERE'S A SECOND STATEMENT FROM 'DESIRE OF AGES' - THE FIRST ONE 00:31:15.00\00:31:18.90 WAS HOW WE CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND IT, THE SECOND ONE IS 00:31:18.90\00:31:21.03 HOW IT AFFECTS IT ONCE WE DO UNDERSTAND IT. 00:31:21.03\00:31:24.23 THIS IS IN FRIDAY'S SECTION, "HE WHO BEHOLDS THE SAVIOR'S 00:31:24.23\00:31:27.30 MATCHLESS LOVE WILL BE ELEVATED IN THOUGHT, PURIFIED IN HEART, 00:31:27.30\00:31:35.16 TRANSFORMED IN CHARACTER." THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL CONVERSION. 00:31:35.16\00:31:42.36 AND WHO DOES IT? GOD DOES IT. 00:31:42.36\00:31:45.43 BUT YOU HAVE TO INVEST THAT TIME AND GO AND RECEIVE IT AND YOU 00:31:45.43\00:31:49.60 SHALL, INDEED. SO LET US, INDEED, THANK GOD. 00:31:49.60\00:31:55.36 FOR IF HE HAD NOT TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO SEEK US FIRST, WE 00:31:55.36\00:31:58.90 WOULD NEVER HAVE RECEIVED THE INCENTIVE, IN TURN, TO SEEK HIM 00:31:58.90\00:32:03.36 AND FIND SALVATION IN RETURN. 00:32:03.36\00:32:07.40 OKAY, I WANT TO MOVE ON TO TUESDAY. 'THE REQUIRED DEATH' - 00:32:07.40\00:32:14.36 SOME THINGS IN LIFE ARE REQUIRED AND AS FAR AS SIN IS 00:32:14.36\00:32:17.30 CONCERNED, DEATH IS REQUIRED. SO EITHER YOU, FOR YOUR SINS OR 00:32:17.30\00:32:23.10 JESUS DYING FOR YOU. IT'S JUST A GIVEN. 00:32:23.10\00:32:26.83 THAT'S WHY IT SAYS IN ROMANS 6, VERSE 23, "THE WAGES OF SIN IS 00:32:26.83\00:32:33.83 DEATH." RIGHT? THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. 00:32:33.83\00:32:38.43 AND GOD MADE THIS VERY CLEAR RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN HE 00:32:38.43\00:32:41.76 DECLARED TO ADAM AND EVE THERE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, 'IF YOU 00:32:41.76\00:32:45.73 EAT THIS FRUIT YOU SHALL SURELY DIE. WELL, WE KNOW WHAT 00:32:45.73\00:32:52.33 HAPPENED, OF COURSE, THEY DID - THEY DID EAT THE FRUIT. 00:32:52.33\00:32:56.50 ADAM AND EVE BOTH SINNED AND THE MOMENT THEY DID, DIVINE JUSTICE 00:32:56.50\00:32:59.46 DEMANDED THEIR LIVES. IT WAS A REQUIREMENT. DONE. REQUIRED. 00:32:59.46\00:33:06.00 AND THE DEATH OF THE OFFENDER BECAME THE REQUIRED PUNISHMENT 00:33:06.00\00:33:11.30 FOR BREAKING GOD'S SACRED AND HOLY LAW. 00:33:11.30\00:33:14.70 AND THIS VERY SOMBER AND CARDINAL TRUTH WAS DEPICTED TIME 00:33:14.70\00:33:20.10 AFTER TIME FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS FROM WHEN GOD FIRST SACRIFICED 00:33:20.10\00:33:25.30 FOR ADAM AND EVE THAT FIRST VICTIM - THAT INNOCENT LAMB 00:33:25.30\00:33:30.23 OR WHATEVER IT WAS THERE, RIGHT? 00:33:30.23\00:33:33.46 FOR ALL THOSE HUNDREDS OF YEARS THROUGH THE TIME OF ABRAHAM, THE 00:33:33.46\00:33:36.06 PATRIARCHS, THROUGH THE TIME OF THE KINGS AND THE BUILDING OF 00:33:36.06\00:33:39.93 THE TEMPLE - SOLOMON'S TIME - RIGHT UP - ALL THOSE - RIGHT 00:33:39.93\00:33:43.10 THROUGH THE TIME OF JESUS ON THE CROSS, THIS WHOLE THING THAT 00:33:43.10\00:33:48.53 DEATH IS THE REQUIRED CONSEQUENCE OF SIN WAS SEEN 00:33:48.53\00:33:53.40 EVERY TIME THOSE INNOCENT ANIMALS WERE SLAIN UPON THE 00:33:53.40\00:33:57.26 ALTAR. BUT THERE, FINALLY, THERE 00:33:57.26\00:34:02.00 FINALLY CAME THE FULFILLMENT OF WHAT THOSE SYMBOLS REPRESENTED. 00:34:02.00\00:34:08.00 THERE AT CALVARY TYPE MET ANTITYPE AND, AGAIN, THERE 00:34:08.00\00:34:12.96 AGAIN, THERE WAS THIS PICTURE SHOWN OF TWO THINGS - TWO THINGS 00:34:12.96\00:34:17.83 WERE SHOWN AT CALVARY: HOW BAD IS SIN AND HOW GOOD IS GOD? 00:34:17.83\00:34:24.70 FIRST OF ALL, HOW BAD IS SIN? IT WAS SHOWN THAT SIN IS SO BAD 00:34:24.70\00:34:29.73 THAT THE ONLY WAY THAT EVEN GOD - EVEN GOD AND JESUS CHRIST 00:34:29.73\00:34:33.03 COULD SAVE US WAS TO SUFFER AND DIE THROUGH THE MOST 00:34:33.03\00:34:35.80 UNIMAGINABLE MEANS. NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL THINGS - 00:34:35.80\00:34:40.06 I THINK IT WAS LAST TIME WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS - THERE WAS 00:34:40.06\00:34:43.30 THE WRATH OF GOD AND THE REMORSE AND GUILT THAT JESUS FELT. 00:34:43.30\00:34:47.50 THERE WERE LAYERS OF SUFFERINGS. HE WENT THROUGH ALL THIS. 00:34:47.50\00:34:52.86 IT WAS JUST TERRIBLE BUT THAT'S THE PRICE HE HAD TO PAY. 00:34:52.86\00:34:56.23 AND WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT - WHEN YOU GO TO THE CROSS AND YOU 00:34:56.23\00:34:58.36 SAY, 'LORD, HELP ME UNDERSTAND.' YOU START SEEING THESE 00:34:58.36\00:35:00.90 SUFFERINGS AND THEN YOU SEE HOW BAD IS SIN. 00:35:00.90\00:35:04.06 IT IS AWFUL, FRIENDS. NOW OUR PROBLEM IS WE LOVE IT SO 00:35:04.06\00:35:06.50 MUCH - WE HAVE SO MUCH SYMPATHY FOR EVIL. WE DO. 00:35:06.50\00:35:12.30 WE'RE SO QUICK TO FEEL SORRY FOR IT. IT'S A DASTARDLY THING. 00:35:12.30\00:35:17.73 BUT IT'S ONLY AT THE CROSS YOU'LL LEARN TO HATE IT AND IT'S 00:35:17.73\00:35:21.40 ONLY AT THE CROSS YOU'LL RECEIVE THE POWER TO FIGHT AGAINST IT 00:35:21.40\00:35:25.46 AND TO TREAD IT DOWN. THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID, 'IF I'M 00:35:25.46\00:35:29.00 LIFTED UP.' IT ALL STARTS RIGHT THERE AT THE CROSS. 00:35:29.00\00:35:36.76 BUT WHILE, AGAIN, I SAY WE SEE HOW BAD IS SIN AND THE REQUIRED 00:35:36.76\00:35:39.83 SUFFERINGS AND THE DEATH OF JESUS, WE ALSO SEE HOW GOOD IS 00:35:39.83\00:35:46.16 GOD TOWARD US IN THE FACT THAT GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE - 00:35:46.16\00:35:52.70 HE GAVE. AND THE WORLD - THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT GOD WAS IN 00:35:52.70\00:35:56.43 CHRIST RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF. 00:35:56.43\00:35:59.83 SO JESUS WAS NOT SOME REMOTELY CONTROLLED THING ON GOD'S PART 00:35:59.83\00:36:06.80 WHILE GOD SAT ON THE THRONE WITH HIS, YOU KNOW, DOING HIS THING 00:36:06.80\00:36:09.73 HERE AND JESUS WAS DOING HIS STUFF DOWN THERE. 00:36:09.73\00:36:13.00 'HOW'S IT GOING SON?' 'IT'S A BIT ROUGH TODAY.' 'OKAY, 00:36:13.00\00:36:16.00 I'M WATCHING YOU. HANG IN.' GOD WAS IN CHRIST 00:36:16.00\00:36:21.00 RECONCILING THE WORLD UNTO HIM. WHAT JESUS FELT, GOD FELT. 00:36:21.00\00:36:25.73 BUT HE GAVE HIM NONETHELESS BECAUSE HE LOVES US. 00:36:25.73\00:36:34.30 IT JUST ROLLS OFF THE TONGUE, DOESN'T IT? 00:36:34.30\00:36:35.83 HE DID IT BECAUSE HE LOVES US. UNTIL WE GRASP HOW MUCH HE LOVES 00:36:35.83\00:36:41.50 US, WE WON'T LOVE HIM AS WE SHOULD. BUT WE CAN. WE CAN. 00:36:41.50\00:36:46.40 MATTHEW 20, VERSE 28, "EVEN AS THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE 00:36:46.40\00:36:53.86 MINISTERED UNTO, BUT TO MINISTER, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A 00:36:53.86\00:37:00.30 RANSOM FOR MANY." HE CAME. WHEN JESUS CAME HE DIDN'T COME 00:37:00.30\00:37:06.40 EXPECTING ACCOLADES. HE KNEW HE'D GET NO PRAISE. 00:37:06.40\00:37:11.00 HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS COMING FOR BUT HE CAME BECAUSE HE LOVES US. 00:37:11.00\00:37:18.60 HE GAVE HIMSELF. AND IN JOHN 10 - WE HAVE ANOTHER 00:37:18.60\00:37:23.30 VERSE HERE - JOHN 10, VERSE 11, JESUS SAID, "I AM THE GOOD 00:37:23.30\00:37:35.73 SHEPHERD: THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVETH HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP." 00:37:35.73\00:37:43.10 A GOOD SHEPHERD. IT'S SO EASY, IN A SUPERFICIAL 00:37:43.10\00:37:46.83 WAY, TO THINK OF A SHEPHERD, 'OH THAT'S NICE - WITH HIS SHEEP. 00:37:46.83\00:37:49.76 AND THAT'S CUTE. SEE THE LITTLE LAMB SKIPPING BEHIND.' BUT 00:37:49.76\00:37:55.16 UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF A SHEPHERD THIS IS AND WHAT KIND 00:37:55.16\00:37:58.53 OF A SHEEP WE ARE. WE'RE A NASTY LITTLE BUNCH BUT 00:37:58.53\00:38:03.30 HE CAME AND HE POURED HIMSELF OUT BECAUSE HE LOVES US. 00:38:03.30\00:38:10.36 I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT BUT I'M WORKING ON IT. 00:38:10.36\00:38:14.80 AND HE REVEALS IT TO ME. I'M NOT THERE YET BUT HE LOVES ME. 00:38:14.80\00:38:19.76 AND THOUGH I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE, AT THIS POINT, TO PLUMB ANY 00:38:19.76\00:38:22.26 DEEPER THE DEPTHS AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THAT MYSTERIOUS 00:38:22.26\00:38:24.86 LOVE OF GOD, I BELIEVE IT AND I'M THANKFUL FOR IT BECAUSE I 00:38:24.86\00:38:31.40 KNOW I HAVE A FATHER IN HEAVEN WHO CARES FOR ME. 00:38:31.40\00:38:34.56 EVEN WHEN I FALL HE DOESN'T CAST ME OFF. 00:38:34.56\00:38:37.63 DO I HURT HIM WHEN I DO IT? YEAH, SURE I HURT HIM. 00:38:37.63\00:38:40.56 AND I WANT TO FEEL BAD EVERY TIME I SIN. 00:38:40.56\00:38:43.90 BUT I KNOW HE DOESN'T CAST ME OFF. 00:38:43.90\00:38:46.53 HE PUTS HIS HAND DOWN, 'MICHAEL.' 'YES.' 'I SAW IT.' 'I 00:38:46.53\00:38:50.60 KNOW YOU DID, LORD.' 'COME ON SON, LET'S GO.' 'I'M SORRY, 00:38:50.60\00:38:54.43 LORD.' 'I FORGIVE YOU.' 'DID I HURT YOU?' 00:38:54.43\00:38:57.26 'WELL, YOU KNOW YOU HURT ME. SURE IT HURTS ME. 00:38:57.26\00:39:00.86 I'VE NEVER GOTTEN USED TO SIN BUT I STILL LOVE YOU. 00:39:00.86\00:39:03.40 SO COME ON. LET'S GO.' SO YOU GO. 00:39:03.40\00:39:05.90 HE'S THE BEST FRIEND YOU'LL EVER HAVE. 00:39:05.90\00:39:10.63 AND SO JESUS SAID, 'I'M THE GOOD SHEPHERD. 00:39:10.63\00:39:13.43 THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVETH HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP.' AND SO GOD 00:39:13.43\00:39:17.43 GAVE AND JESUS ALSO PERMITTED HIMSELF TO BE GIVEN TO US AS A 00:39:17.43\00:39:25.30 SACRIFICE - SOMETHING WE DON'T DESERVE BUT WE GOT IT. 00:39:25.30\00:39:28.20 I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS JUST THIS LAST TUESDAY DOWN AT THE 00:39:28.20\00:39:32.30 JAIL - JUST DOWN THERE AT 'I' STREET AND I WENT IN THERE AND 00:39:32.30\00:39:37.60 THIS WEEK THERE WAS - THROUGH THE GLASS ON THE OTHER PART - 00:39:37.60\00:39:41.83 THERE WAS THE WORLD CUP AND I THOUGHT, 'OH NO.' AND THE TV WAS 00:39:41.83\00:39:45.13 ON LOUD AND I'M THINKING, 'I'VE GOT TO TELL THESE PEOPLE ABOUT 00:39:45.13\00:39:47.70 JESUS AND THE WORLD CUP'S BLAZING AWAY ON THIS TELEVISION 00:39:47.70\00:39:50.26 HERE AND - BUT ANYWAY, THESE GENTLEMEN CAME OUT. 00:39:50.26\00:39:53.90 THERE WERE 25 OF THEM. THEY SAT AROUND AND - I JUST 00:39:53.90\00:39:59.46 LOVE THOSE MEN. I MEAN, I REALLY DO. 00:39:59.46\00:40:02.40 YOU LOOK IN SOME OF THOSE FACES - YOU LOOK IN ALL OF THOSE FACES 00:40:02.40\00:40:05.53 AND SOME HAVE PROBABLY DONE SOME BAD STUFF. 00:40:05.53\00:40:07.96 THERE'S PROBABLY SOME PEOPLE THAT HATE THEM. 00:40:07.96\00:40:09.90 THAT'S WHY THEY'RE LOCKED UP. 00:40:09.90\00:40:11.23 BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'VE DONE BECAUSE I 00:40:11.23\00:40:13.33 CAN COME IN AND I CAN LOVE THEM AND I KNOW THAT GOD LOVES 00:40:13.33\00:40:15.80 THEM. BUT THESE MEN ARE SITTING THERE 00:40:15.80\00:40:18.03 AND I START TELLING THE STORY ABOUT THE LOST COIN AND THE LOST 00:40:18.03\00:40:21.50 SHEEP AND THERE'S THE WORLD CUP PLAYING. 00:40:21.50\00:40:24.86 AND, YOU KNOW, SOME WEEKS, SOME OF THEM THEIR EYES ARE RIVETED 00:40:24.86\00:40:27.46 - MOST OF THEM ARE WATCHING YOU. 00:40:27.46\00:40:28.96 SOMETIMES YOU SEE THEM WANDERING AROUND - THEY'RE JUST GLAD TO 00:40:28.96\00:40:30.76 BE OUT OF THEIR CELL AND YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE. 00:40:30.76\00:40:33.20 BUT WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE CRUCIFIXION - ABOUT WHAT IT WAS 00:40:33.20\00:40:37.23 ACTUALLY LIKE. AND OVER IN ONE CORNER THERE'S A 00:40:37.23\00:40:41.00 COUPLE OF GUYS - THEY WOULDN'T COME IN OUR GROUP. 00:40:41.00\00:40:42.73 THEY'D BE OVER THERE, YOU KNOW, DOING THEIR PUSH UPS AND THIS 00:40:42.73\00:40:45.90 KIND OF STUFF AND THEY'RE ALL TATTOOED ALL OVER THE PLACE - 00:40:45.90\00:40:48.20 JUST TOUGH GUYS - AND THEY DO THEIR OWN THING BUT EVEN THEY 00:40:48.20\00:40:50.80 DRIFTED OVER. IT'S NOTHING I WAS DOING. 00:40:50.80\00:40:53.33 I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THE CROSS. 00:40:53.33\00:40:55.96 BUT I STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT CROSS. 00:40:55.96\00:40:58.20 I SAID, 'YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T ANYTHING SMOOTHLY PLANED AND 00:40:58.20\00:41:01.06 VARNISHED.' I SAID THEY GOT A COUPLE OF BIG TREE TRUNKS AND 00:41:01.06\00:41:04.23 THEY JUST HACKED OUT THAT UPRIGHT AND THEY GOT THAT 00:41:04.23\00:41:07.43 CROSSBAR AND THEY JUST TIED IT ON THERE. 00:41:07.43\00:41:11.26 AND I SAID THEY BROUGHT JESUS TO BE CRUCIFIED AND I SAID, 'THERE 00:41:11.26\00:41:15.00 WERE THOSE ROMAN GUARDS - THOSE TOUGH ROMAN MARINES' - I SAID - 00:41:15.00\00:41:17.86 'THEY WERE 20-YEAR VETERANS. 00:41:17.86\00:41:19.80 THEY'D BEEN IN WAR AFTER WAR AFTER WAR. 00:41:19.80\00:41:21.60 THEY WERE JUST HARD.' AND I SAID, 'WHEN MEN CAME TO BE 00:41:21.60\00:41:24.63 EXECUTED - ESPECIALLY CRUCIFIED - NOBODY WANTED IT SO MEN WOULD 00:41:24.63\00:41:28.83 STRUGGLE FOR THEIR LIVES.' AND I SAID, 'THOSE BIG, TOUGH MARINES' 00:41:28.83\00:41:32.33 - ROMAN MARINES - I SAID 'THEY WERE STANDING BY READY TO GRAB 00:41:32.33\00:41:34.40 JESUS AND GET HIM DOWN ON THAT FLOOR, PUT THEIR KNEES IN HIS 00:41:34.40\00:41:38.10 SHOULDERS AND ON HIS ARMS - PIN HIM DOWN AND JUST BANG THOSE 00:41:38.10\00:41:40.46 NAILS IN. THEY WERE READY. THAT'S WHAT USUALLY HAPPENED. 00:41:40.46\00:41:45.33 THESE MEN WERE SITTING THERE - EVEN THE BIG GUYS, ALL TATTOOED 00:41:45.33\00:41:48.06 - THEY WERE LISTENING AND I SAID, 'YOU KNOW WHAT?' 00:41:48.06\00:41:52.90 I SAID, 'JESUS CAME AND THERE WAS THAT CROSS - THAT HORRIBLE 00:41:52.90\00:41:58.00 LOOKING THING.' I SAID, 'THEN JESUS CAME' AND I SAID 'HE JUST 00:41:58.00\00:42:03.43 LAID DOWN. HE JUST LAID DOWN ON THE CROSS, PUT HIS ARMS OUT. 00:42:03.43\00:42:10.26 THE OTHER ARM. PUT HIS FEET DOWN. NOT A WORD. 00:42:10.26\00:42:17.03 I SAID, 'THOSE SOLDIERS ARE GETTING READY TO WRESTLE HIM 00:42:17.03\00:42:19.83 DOWN BUT HE JUST LAID DOWN.' AND I'M WATCHING THESE MEN. 00:42:19.83\00:42:24.23 THEN THEY PUT HIS ARM OUT AND ONE CAME WITH A HAMMER AND NAILS 00:42:24.23\00:42:28.26 AND BANG. I SAID, 'DID HE SCREAM?' NOT A WORD. 00:42:28.26\00:42:34.00 I SAID, 'THEN THE OTHER ARM - BANG! DID IT HURT?' 00:42:34.00\00:42:38.80 'YES.' 'DID HE SCREAM?' NOT A WORD. 00:42:38.80\00:42:42.56 AND I WAS TELLING THEM - I MEAN, IT'S ONLY WHAT I'VE READ IN 00:42:42.56\00:42:44.63 'DESIRE OF AGES.' IT'S ALL RIGHT THERE. 00:42:44.63\00:42:46.76 I SAID, 'THOSE STRONG GUYS, THEY GOT THAT CROSS AND THEY 00:42:46.76\00:42:50.63 LIFTED IT UP AND THEY DROPPED IT DOWN INTO THAT SOCKET IN THE 00:42:50.63\00:42:53.86 EARTH - BOOM!' AND JESUS WAS HANGING ON THOSE 00:42:53.86\00:42:57.33 NAILS. AND THESE MEN WERE WATCHING. 00:42:57.33\00:43:01.53 I KID YOU NOT, IT WAS A VERY POWERFUL, POWERFUL MOMENT. 00:43:01.53\00:43:05.73 I WAS TELLING OUR STAFF EARLIER THIS WEEK. 00:43:05.73\00:43:07.76 THERE'S MELISSA OVER THERE. IT WAS A POWERFUL MOMENT. 00:43:07.76\00:43:11.06 IT WAS THESE BIG TOUGH GUYS. YOU KNOW WHAT? 00:43:11.06\00:43:15.43 WHEN PEOPLE GET A GLIMPSE OF JESUS - I DON'T CARE HOW TOUGH 00:43:15.43\00:43:19.46 THEY ARE - YOU SEE BEHIND ALL THOSE TATTOOS AND THAT TOUGH 00:43:19.46\00:43:23.36 EXTERIOR THERE'S A HEART THERE. 00:43:23.36\00:43:26.16 NO MATTER HOW HARD IT MIGHT BE AT THIS POINT, IT CAN BE 00:43:26.16\00:43:28.90 SOFTENED AND IT CAN BE BROKEN. AND I SAW SOME OF THAT. 00:43:28.90\00:43:34.06 AND SO WE WENT THROUGH THIS WHOLE SCENARIO AND, YOU KNOW, 00:43:34.06\00:43:37.06 THE WORLD CUP WAS PLAYING - I NEVER HEARD IT. 00:43:37.06\00:43:39.36 I COULD TELL BY LOOKING AT THEIR FACES, NEITHER DID THEY. 00:43:39.36\00:43:44.33 IT'S A POWERFUL, POWERFUL THING AND WE SHOULD, INDEED, MARVEL 00:43:44.33\00:43:51.16 THAT GOD WAS IN CHRIST RECONCILING THE WORLD UNTO 00:43:51.16\00:43:58.96 HIMSELF. AND I WANT TO CONCLUDE THIS 00:43:58.96\00:44:01.10 LITTLE BIT HERE - I KIND OF LOST MYSELF A BIT THERE BUT - 00:44:01.10\00:44:04.40 FINALLY, I WANT TO GO TO ISAIAH 53, VERSE 7 - ISAIAH 53, VERSE 7 00:44:04.40\00:44:11.60 - JESUS ACCEPTED THIS AND HE CAME DOWN AND HE CAME DOWN SO 00:44:11.60\00:44:16.60 UNCOMPLAININGLY KNOWING HOW HE WOULD BE TREATED AS HE CAME TO 00:44:16.60\00:44:23.43 DIE THIS REQUIRED DEATH FOR US. BUT HE DIDN'T COMPLAIN IN HEAVEN 00:44:23.43\00:44:30.63 AND HE DIDN'T COMPLAIN WHEN HE GOT DOWN HERE. 00:44:30.63\00:44:33.63 ISAIAH 53, VERSE 7, IT SAYS, "HE WAS OPPRESSED AND HE WAS 00:44:33.63\00:44:43.30 AFFLICTED YET HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH: HE IS BROUGHT AS A LAMB 00:44:43.30\00:44:50.40 TO THE SLAUGHTER, AND AS A SHEEP BEFORE HER SHEARERS IS DUMB, SO 00:44:50.40\00:44:56.06 HE OPENETH NOT HIS MOUTH." ISN'T THAT SOMETHING? 00:44:56.06\00:45:01.20 NOT A WORD. NOT A PEEP. NOT A SWEAR WORD. NOT A CURSE. 00:45:01.20\00:45:09.13 QUIETLY HE COMES TO PAY THE REQUIRED PRICE SO THAT YOU AND I 00:45:09.13\00:45:14.20 COULD HAVE SALVATION. ARE YOU THANKFUL THIS MORNING? 00:45:14.20\00:45:21.30 ARE YOU THANKFUL OR WHAT? AS THEY SAY. 00:45:21.30\00:45:24.20 'FREE FROM SIN' - WE'RE GOING TO READ FROM JOHN CHAPTER 8 - JOHN 00:45:24.20\00:45:31.80 8, VERSES 34 THROUGH 36 - JOHN 8:34 - 36, "JESUS ANSWERED THEM, 00:45:31.80\00:45:44.43 'VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, WHOSOEVER COMMITTETH SIN IS THE 00:45:44.43\00:45:50.00 SERVANT OF SIN. AND THE SERVANT ABIDETH NOT IN 00:45:50.00\00:45:54.43 THE HOUSE FOR EVER: BUT THE SON ABIDETH EVER. 00:45:54.43\00:45:58.76 IF THE SON THEREFORE SHALL MAKE YOU FREE, YE SHALL BE FREE 00:45:58.76\00:46:03.83 INDEED.'" WE'RE ON ABOUT FREEDOM HERE FROM SIN AND JOHN CHAPTER 8 00:46:03.83\00:46:09.90 TEACHES A VERY IMPORTANT TRUTH ABOUT SERVANTHOOD AND FREEDOM 00:46:09.90\00:46:16.06 AND HERE IT IS IN THIS PASSAGE AND IF WE GET TIME, I WANT TO GO 00:46:16.06\00:46:18.70 ACROSS TO ANOTHER EARLIER PART IN THE PASSAGE AND YOU'LL SEE 00:46:18.70\00:46:22.23 HOW THERE'S A DOVETAILING OF TWO OR THREE OTHER VERSES THAT 00:46:22.23\00:46:27.83 DOVETAIL WITH THESE IN VERSES 34 AND 36. 00:46:27.83\00:46:32.60 SO IT TEACHES A VERY IMPORTANT LESSON ABOUT SERVANTHOOD AND 00:46:32.60\00:46:35.56 FREEDOM. IN JOHN 8, VERSE 34, AS WE JUST 00:46:35.56\00:46:42.70 READ, JESUS SAID, "VERILY, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, WHOSOEVER 00:46:42.70\00:46:47.40 COMMITTETH SIN IS THE SERVANT OF SIN." SO WHOEVER - 00:46:47.40\00:46:50.66 IF YOU SIN, YOU'RE A SERVANT OF SIN. SIMPLE AS THAT. 00:46:50.66\00:46:54.73 PAUL ALSO REPEATED THIS TRUTH IN ROMANS 6, VERSE 16. 00:46:54.73\00:46:59.46 HE SAYS, "KNOW YE NOT, THAT TO WHOM YE YIELD YOURSELVES 00:46:59.46\00:47:04.40 SERVANTS TO OBEY, HIS SERVANTS YE ARE TO WHOM YE OBEY; WHETHER 00:47:04.40\00:47:09.86 OF SIN UNTO DEATH, OR" - THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN - "OF 00:47:09.86\00:47:14.16 OBEDIENCE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS?" WE'RE NOT SERVANTS OF BOTH, 00:47:14.16\00:47:19.70 WE'RE SERVANTS OF ONE OR THE OTHER - EITHER SERVANTS OF SIN 00:47:19.70\00:47:22.46 OR SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THERE'S NO MIDDLE GROUND. 00:47:22.46\00:47:25.16 THERE'S NO SWITZERLAND - YOU'VE HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE. 00:47:25.16\00:47:28.96 AND IN THE ISSUE OF THE GREAT CONTROVERSY AND THE WORKING OUT 00:47:28.96\00:47:31.73 OF OUR OWN ETERNAL SALVATION, WE CANNOT FUNCTION AS INDEPENDENT 00:47:31.73\00:47:36.23 AGENTS. WE'RE ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER. 00:47:36.23\00:47:40.56 THERE'S NO NEUTRAL PLACE. JESUS SAID, 'HE WHO IS NOT WITH 00:47:40.56\00:47:42.86 ME IS' - WHAT?" 'IS AGAINST ME.' THAT'S RIGHT. 00:47:42.86\00:47:47.43 SO WE ALIGN OUR LOYALTIES WITH EITHER CHRIST OR SATAN AND 00:47:47.43\00:47:50.93 ULTIMATELY RECEIVE THE CORRESPONDING REWARD OF ETERNAL 00:47:50.93\00:47:54.53 LIFE OR ETERNAL DEATH. SO THE ONLY RIGHT AND THE ONLY 00:47:54.53\00:47:59.33 SAFE THING FOR ANY OF US THEN, IS TO SEEK FREEDOM FROM THE 00:47:59.33\00:48:04.40 SERVANTHOOD TO SIN. WOULD YOU AGREE? 00:48:04.40\00:48:07.33 THAT MAKES SENSE, RIGHT? WE NEED TO BE FREE FROM SIN. 00:48:07.33\00:48:09.60 AND THAT CAN ONLY BE REALIZED THROUGH THE FREEDOM AND 00:48:09.60\00:48:13.00 DELIVERANCE THAT JESUS ALONE CAN BRING TO US AS WE RECEIVE HIM 00:48:13.00\00:48:16.30 INTO OUR LIVES. AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT 00:48:16.30\00:48:17.80 THIS ALREADY THIS MORNING. THAT'S WHY HE SAID, 'IF THE SON 00:48:17.80\00:48:20.16 THEREFORE SHALL MAKE YOU FREE, YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED.' NOW I 00:48:20.16\00:48:24.70 WANT US TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING VERY SIGNIFICANT HERE AND 00:48:24.70\00:48:27.16 IMPORTANT - WHAT JESUS IS SPEAKING ABOUT IN THIS PASSAGE - 00:48:27.16\00:48:31.53 HE'S MAKING THE POINT THAT HE IS ABLE TO MAKE US FREE - WHEN HE 00:48:31.53\00:48:34.90 SAYS 'FREE FROM SIN' - FROM THE VERY PRACTICE OF SIN. 00:48:34.90\00:48:38.26 NOT JUST FREE FROM THE GUILT OF SIN. 00:48:38.26\00:48:40.96 IN OTHER WORDS, SIN AND LIVE THEOLOGY - THAT KIND OF A THING. 00:48:40.96\00:48:43.70 'WE'LL KEEP SINNING UNTIL JESUS COMES. 00:48:43.70\00:48:45.20 JESUS WILL JUST SET ME FREE FROM THE CONDEMNATION OF SIN WHILE 00:48:45.20\00:48:49.03 I'M STILL COMMITTING IT.' NO, IT'S NOT TEACHING THAT AT ALL. 00:48:49.03\00:48:52.63 SO WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE JESUS IS GOING HERE WITH THIS. 00:48:52.63\00:48:56.36 AND IT IS ONLY AS WE ENTER THIS EXPERIENCE THAT HE OFFERS AND 00:48:56.36\00:49:00.06 THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT - 'I WILL SET YOU FREE, INDEED.' IT'S 00:49:00.06\00:49:04.00 ONLY AS WE ENTER INTO THIS EXPERIENCE, THROUGH GRACE ALONE, 00:49:04.00\00:49:07.36 THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO TO LIVE IN HEAVEN WITH HIM. 00:49:07.36\00:49:10.26 BECAUSE IT SAYS HERE, 'THOSE WHO CONTINUE IN SIN, CONTINUE TO 00:49:10.26\00:49:14.46 REMAIN THE SERVANTS OF SIN.' AND AS JESUS SAID IN CHAPTER 8, 00:49:14.46\00:49:17.40 VERSE 35, SUCH A SERVANT "ABIDETH NOT IN THE HOUSE FOR 00:49:17.40\00:49:21.96 EVER." SO YOU CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN AND 00:49:21.96\00:49:23.90 LIVE IN GOD'S HOUSE IF YOU'RE A SERVANT OF SIN. 00:49:23.90\00:49:26.63 YOU HAVE TO BECOME A SERVANT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 00:49:26.63\00:49:28.80 DID I EXPLAIN THAT CLEAR ENOUGH? OKAY. 00:49:28.80\00:49:32.70 NOW SOMEBODY MIGHT ASK, 'PASTOR MIKE, WHY DO YOU ALWAYS KEEP 00:49:32.70\00:49:38.03 MAKING - WHY DO YOU ALWAYS KEEP GOING ON ABOUT THIS - 00:49:38.03\00:49:40.96 ABOUT VICTORY OVER SIN? 00:49:40.96\00:49:42.86 ABOUT WE HAVE TO OVERCOME IT THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST.' I'LL 00:49:42.86\00:49:46.70 GIVE YOU THE SHORT ANSWER FOR THAT - IT'S BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT 00:49:46.70\00:49:48.93 THE BIBLE TEACHES AND I WANT TO TEACH THE BIBLE. 00:49:48.93\00:49:52.03 AND I TEACH THIS BECAUSE THERE IS A DIFFERENT GOSPEL OUT THERE 00:49:52.03\00:49:57.93 AS YOU KNOW TOO WELL. WE'VE MENTIONED THIS MANY TIMES 00:49:57.93\00:50:00.23 FROM THE PULPIT, WHEN IT'S UP HERE DURING THE CHURCH SERVICE 00:50:00.23\00:50:03.80 AND EVEN DOWN HERE DURING THE SABBATH SCHOOL. 00:50:03.80\00:50:05.63 THERE'S OTHER VERSIONS OF THE GOSPEL OUT THERE AND ONE THAT IS 00:50:05.63\00:50:08.40 NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT JESUS IS SAYING HERE IN JOHN 8. 00:50:08.40\00:50:12.16 WHEN THE SON MAKES YOU FREE FROM THE VERY PRACTICE OF SIN, YOU 00:50:12.16\00:50:16.53 SHALL BE FREE INDEED. THERE ARE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES TO 00:50:16.53\00:50:22.30 ACCEPTING THE OTHER VERSION OF THE GOSPEL, WHICH IS NOT IN THE 00:50:22.30\00:50:27.00 WORD OF GOD AND JESUS NEVER TAUGHT IT. 00:50:27.00\00:50:30.50 IN JOHN 8:36, WHICH I JUST READ, JESUS SAID HE'S THE ONE WHO CAN 00:50:30.50\00:50:38.50 MAKE YOU FREE, INDEED. JOHN 8:36 - JESUS IS THE ONE WHO 00:50:38.50\00:50:41.96 CAN MAKE YOU FREE INDEED - FROM SIN. 00:50:41.96\00:50:45.53 NOW IF YOU LOOK IN JOHN 8:31, HE'S ALSO CONTRASTING THOSE WHO 00:50:45.53\00:50:50.70 ARE FREE - WHO HE'LL MAKE, INDEED, FREE FROM SIN WITH THOSE 00:50:50.70\00:50:53.23 WHO ARE HIS DISCIPLES INDEED. 00:50:53.23\00:50:55.63 NOT TRYING TO PLAY ON WORDS HERE, BUT THESE TWO 'INDEEDS' GO 00:50:55.63\00:50:58.76 TOGETHER AND I WANT US TO NOTICE THIS. 00:50:58.76\00:51:03.30 8:31, JESUS SAID - "THEN SAID JESUS TO THOSE JEWS WHICH 00:51:03.30\00:51:07.56 BELIEVED ON HIM, 'IF YE CONTINUE IN MY WORD, THEN ARE YE MY 00:51:07.56\00:51:12.43 DISCIPLES INDEED.'" 'IF YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES INDEED' IN VERSE 31 00:51:12.43\00:51:18.66 - VERSE 36 'THEN I WILL SET YOU FREE FROM SIN, INDEED.' SO 00:51:18.66\00:51:25.23 THERE'S NOT A QUESTION HERE. JESUS' DISCIPLES, HE SAYS, ARE - 00:51:25.23\00:51:31.40 VERSE 31 - "THEN SAID JESUS TO THOSE JEWS WHICH BELIEVED ON 00:51:31.40\00:51:35.50 HIM, 'IF YE CONTINUE IN MY WORD, THEN ARE YE MY DISCIPLES 00:51:35.50\00:51:38.53 INDEED.'" JESUS' DISCIPLES ARE THOSE WHO CONTINUE IN HIS WORD. 00:51:38.53\00:51:45.10 AND FOR US TO REMAIN HIS DISCIPLES - AND I TRUST WE WANT 00:51:45.10\00:51:48.50 TO BE HIS DISCIPLES, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE CONTINUE IN 00:51:48.50\00:51:52.90 THE WORD OF GOD - IN THE WORD OF CHRIST THAT WAS GIVEN TO US IN 00:51:52.90\00:51:57.26 THE EARLY DAYS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS MOVEMENT - 00:51:57.26\00:52:00.73 THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH - AND IT'S ONLY AS WE CONTINUE 00:52:00.73\00:52:04.76 IN THE TRUTH OF THE SANCTUARY AND THE THIRD ANGELS' MESSAGES 00:52:04.76\00:52:08.60 AND THESE THINGS, THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US, WILL WE CONTINUE TO 00:52:08.60\00:52:11.80 BE HIS TRUE DISCIPLES AS WE CONTINUE TO WALK IN THE LIGHT 00:52:11.80\00:52:15.36 AND ONLY AS WE DO THAT WILL WE THEN, ULTIMATELY, BE FREE FROM 00:52:15.36\00:52:19.80 SIN THIS SIDE OF THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS. 00:52:19.80\00:52:22.86 DO YOU GET THE POINT? BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE - AND I 00:52:22.86\00:52:30.83 KNOW THEY MEAN WELL - VERY NICE PEOPLE - PRAY FOR THEM - VERY 00:52:30.83\00:52:35.40 KIND PEOPLE - BUT THERE'S A LOT THEY DON'T GET IT. 00:52:35.40\00:52:39.10 THEY IMBIBE THESE CATHOLIC AND EVANGELICAL IDEAS OF THE GOSPEL 00:52:39.10\00:52:44.30 AND IT GETS THEM OFF TRACK TO THE GOSPEL HERE THAT JESUS IS 00:52:44.30\00:52:48.20 PREACHING - 'I WILL SET YOU FREE FROM THE VERY PRACTICE OF SIN 00:52:48.20\00:52:52.10 THIS SIDE OF MY SECOND COMING.' THEY GET SIDE-TRACKED AND 00:52:52.10\00:52:56.73 THEY'RE BRINGING THESE OTHER THINGS AND A DIFFERENT 00:52:56.73\00:52:58.46 DEFINITION OF SIN AND, YOU KNOW, JESUS WILL SAVE YOU IN YOUR SIN. 00:52:58.46\00:53:02.30 THAT IS A LIE. WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GO DOWN THAT 00:53:02.30\00:53:04.43 PATH. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE IN HIS WORD. 00:53:04.43\00:53:08.76 IF YOU IMBIBE THESE OTHER THINGS IT DOES TWO THINGS, ACTUALLY. 00:53:08.76\00:53:11.33 IT SKEWS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF GOD'S LAST MESSAGE TO LAODICEA 00:53:11.33\00:53:15.23 AND WE'RE TOLD IN 'TESTIMONIES' THAT THE MESSAGE TO LAODICEA - 00:53:15.23\00:53:17.93 THE DESTINY OF THE CHURCH HANGS UPON THE RECEPTION OF THE 00:53:17.93\00:53:20.66 MESSAGE TO LAODICEA, WHICH IS FROM REVELATION 3, WHICH IS THE 00:53:20.66\00:53:25.13 LAST CHURCH IN THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION, AND 00:53:25.13\00:53:27.80 EVERY ONE OF THOSE - THE THEME - THE ULTIMATE THEME - THE 00:53:27.80\00:53:30.13 ULTIMATE BOTTOM LINE IS TO BE AN OVERCOMER, RIGHT? 00:53:30.13\00:53:34.03 AND TO LAODICEA - AND TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH WILL I GRANT TO 00:53:34.03\00:53:36.86 SIT WITH ME ON MY THRONE EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME AND HAVE SAT 00:53:36.86\00:53:40.70 DOWN WITH MY FATHER ON HIS THRONE. 00:53:40.70\00:53:42.66 WE MUST CONTINUE IN HIS WORD AND UNDERSTAND WE MUST BE OVERCOMERS 00:53:42.66\00:53:49.76 AND HE SAYS HERE IN JOHN HE SAYS, 'I TELL YOU IF THE SON 00:53:49.76\00:53:53.30 THEREFORE SHALL SET YOU FREE, YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED.' SO IF 00:53:53.30\00:53:57.30 WE GO ON THIS OTHER TRACK WE GET A SKEWED UNDERSTANDING OF THE 00:53:57.30\00:54:00.90 DOCTRINE TO LAODICEA - THAT'S GOD'S LAST MESSAGE TO US. 00:54:00.90\00:54:04.13 AND THEN HOW, IN TURN, WILL THAT AFFECT GOD'S MESSAGES THAT HE'S 00:54:04.13\00:54:07.03 GIVEN US TO GIVE TO THE WORLD, THAT IS, THE THIRD ANGEL'S 00:54:07.03\00:54:09.16 MESSAGE THAT GOES DOWN THE TUBES AS WELL. 00:54:09.16\00:54:13.16 I HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE. 00:54:13.16\00:54:15.13 BUT WHAT WAS THE THEME ON WEDNESDAY? 00:54:15.13\00:54:17.43 'FREE FROM SIN.' ONE STATEMENT IN 'THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY' - I 00:54:17.43\00:54:22.10 DON'T HAVE THE REFERENCE BUT IT SAYS, 'THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE 00:54:22.10\00:54:24.96 FAITH ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS CAN KEEP THEM FROM SIN 00:54:24.96\00:54:28.50 WILL NOT HAVE A PLACE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 00:54:28.50\00:54:31.70 IF YOU WANT TO E-MAIL ME I'LL FIND IT FOR YOU AND I'LL SEND IT 00:54:31.70\00:54:35.10 TO YOU. OKAY, OUR TIME IS GONE. WE HAVE TO CLOSE. 00:54:35.10\00:54:39.80 I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. 00:54:39.80\00:54:43.43 >>EVERY DAY WE MAKE HUNDREDS OF DECISIONS. 00:54:43.43\00:54:46.03 SOMETIMES THESE CHOICES ARE MUNDANE. WHAT WILL YOU HAVE FOR 00:54:46.03\00:54:49.23 BREAKFAST? OR WHAT WILL YOU WEAR FOR WORK? 00:54:49.23\00:54:51.66 BUT SOMETIMES THESE DECISIONS CAN HAVE AN ETERNAL IMPACT: LIKE 00:54:51.66\00:54:55.80 WHEN YOU SET UP AN ESTATE PLAN THAT SUPPORTS GOD'S WORK. 00:54:55.80\00:55:00.30 WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY, FRIENDS, TO ENSURE AS MANY SOULS 00:55:00.30\00:55:04.00 AS POSSIBLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR CHRIST. 00:55:04.00\00:55:08.70 AND WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO INCLUDE YOUR EVANGELISM VALUES IN YOUR 00:55:08.70\00:55:11.50 ESTATE PLAN TODAY, AMAZING FACTS CAN DO EVEN MORE TO EXPAND GOD'S 00:55:11.50\00:55:16.03 KINGDOM THROUGH YOUR FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP. 00:55:16.03\00:55:18.63 I'D LIKE TO OFFER YOU A FREE GIFT ENTITLED, 'PROVIDE AND 00:55:18.63\00:55:22.23 PROTECT' WHICH IS A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE TELLING ABOUT LIFE AND 00:55:22.23\00:55:25.83 DEATH DECISIONS CONNECTED WITH YOUR ESTATE PLAN. 00:55:25.83\00:55:29.26 CONTACT OUR PLANNED GIVING DEPARTMENT AT 800-436-2695 OR 00:55:29.26\00:55:34.73 VISIT 'ENDURINGLEGACY.ORG' AND YOU CAN HAVE THE PEACE OF MIND 00:55:34.73\00:55:40.13 THAT COMES FROM KNOWING YOUR HOUSE IS IN ORDER. 00:55:40.13\00:55:43.76 >>AMAZING FACTS HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE. 00:55:43.76\00:55:46.13 >>I JUST PRAISE GOD FOR AMAZING FACTS. 00:55:46.13\00:55:48.16 >>AMAZING FACTS ACTUALLY DID HAVE AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE. 00:55:48.16\00:55:50.53 >>IT'S ALL A PROCESS, GETTING TO WHERE I AM TODAY. 00:55:50.53\00:55:52.50 >>AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN - >>I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT - 00:55:52.50\00:55:55.93 >>I BEGAN READING THE BIBLE. 00:55:55.93\00:55:57.63 I GOT BAPTIZED INTO THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST - 00:55:57.63\00:56:00.33 >>I REALIZED THAT THERE HAD TO BE MORE TO LIFE. 00:56:00.33\00:56:02.46 >>GOD IS REALLY DOING THIS. >>THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL. 00:56:02.46\00:56:08.70 >>AMAZING FACTS - MORE THAN 45 YEARS OF PROCLAIMING GOD'S 00:56:08.70\00:56:13.33 MESSAGE AROUND THE WORLD. 00:56:13.33\00:56:15.43 >>AND THEN THE LOGO POPS ACROSS - AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 00:56:15.43\00:56:19.30 I'VE LISTENED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT MINISTERS, BUT HE WAS 00:56:19.30\00:56:21.96 - THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE'S ACTUALLY SAYING SOMETHING 00:56:21.96\00:56:24.70 WHERE I HAD TO GRAB MY BIBLE AND ACTUALLY PICK IT UP - AND I'VE 00:56:24.70\00:56:27.93 NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE LET ME - LET ME LOOK THROUGH AND 00:56:27.93\00:56:31.00 FIND THIS. I JUST COULDN'T GET ENOUGH. 00:56:31.00\00:56:32.80 >>AND SO I STARTED DOING BIBLE STUDIES. 00:56:32.80\00:56:35.00 EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE GUYS STARTED BEING CHANGED - 00:56:35.00\00:56:38.83 INCLUDING MYSELF. 00:56:38.83\00:56:40.26 >>MY QUESTION WAS 'WHY DID THAT HAPPEN TO ME, GOD?' 00:56:40.26\00:56:43.56 THE LORD WAS ABLE TO REACH OUT AND - AND I ACTUALLY SAW HIM AS 00:56:43.56\00:56:46.70 A FATHER. >>I LOST EVERYTHING AND THAT 00:56:46.70\00:56:50.00 WAS WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS GOD MISSING IN MY LIFE. 00:56:50.00\00:56:53.13 >> I WENT TO A PROPHECY SEMINAR WHICH KNOCKED ME OUT. 00:56:53.13\00:56:57.03 THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL AND SO IRREFUTABLE AND I JUST WENT 00:56:57.03\00:57:01.60 'THIS IS REAL. THIS IS - THIS IS AMAZING.' 00:57:01.60\00:57:07.53 >>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 00:57:07.53\00:57:10.73 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 00:57:10.73\00:57:14.43 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 00:57:14.43\00:57:17.73 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST DAY EVENTS OF 00:57:17.73\00:57:20.80 REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM' IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 00:57:20.80\00:57:24.86 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 00:57:24.86\00:57:28.13 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD'S 00:57:28.13\00:57:31.20 WORD. GO DEEPER. 00:57:31.20\00:57:33.36 VISIT THE AMAZING BIBLE TIMELINE AT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'. 00:57:33.36\00:57:39.20 >>IN SIX DAYS GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. 00:57:39.20\00:57:43.40 FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS MAN HAS WORSHIPED GOD ON THE SEVENTH DAY 00:57:43.40\00:57:46.96 OF THE WEEK. NOW, EACH WEEK MILLIONS OF 00:57:46.96\00:57:49.90 PEOPLE WORSHIP ON THE FIRST DAY. WHAT HAPPENED? 00:57:49.90\00:57:53.66 WHY DID GOD CREATE A DAY OF REST? 00:57:53.66\00:57:56.06 DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT DAY WE WORSHIP? 00:57:56.06\00:57:58.86 WHO IS BEHIND THIS GREAT SHIFT? DISCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND GOD'S 00:57:58.86\00:58:02.43 LAW AND HOW IT WAS CHANGED. VISIT 'SABBATHTRUTH.COM'. 00:58:02.43\00:58:09.56 (MUSIC) 00:58:09.56\00:58:10.56