Participants: Pr. Chris Buttery
Series Code: CSH
Program Code: CSH021435
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:45 >>WELCOME TO SACRAMENTO CENTRAL SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. 00:48 WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE TURNING IN. 00:49 WHETHER IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME OR YOU ARE A DIE HARD AND YOU JOIN 00:53 US EVERY WEEK, WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE READY TO OPEN UP 00:57 YOUR HYMNALS AND SING WITH US AND STUDY GOD'S WORD TOGETHER. 01:01 TODAY IS NO EXCEPTION. WE ARE SINGING YOUR FAVORITES 01:05 THAT HAVE COME IN FROM AROUND THE WORLD. 01:07 SO WHETHER YOU'RE LISTENING ON THE RADIO, WATCHING LIVE ON OUR 01:10 WEBSITE AT 'SACCENTRAL.ORG' OR ON THE VARIOUS TELEVISION 01:13 NETWORKS, WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU ARE JOINING WITH US. 01:17 SO LET'S START WITH #318 - 'WHITER THAN SNOW.' THIS IS A 01:21 REQUEST FROM ABINA IN DOMINICA, KARL, LISBIE, PASCAL, MARTINE 01:26 AND JERA IN FRANCE AND JOEY IN NEW ZEALAND, AND THERE WAS A 01:30 WHOLE LONG LIST OF MORE NAMES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. 01:33 IT'S SO EXCITING. #318 - 'WHITER THAN SNOW' - THE 01:36 FIRST, SECOND AND FOURTH STANZAS - JOIN WITH US. 01:39 (MUSIC) 03:53 >>BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REQUESTING THAT AND WE WILL 03:55 CONTINUE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THE HYMNAL. 03:58 LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. FATHER IN HEAVEN, THANK YOU SO 04:03 MUCH FOR BEING LORD OF ALL AND ONE DAY IN HEAVEN WE WILL THROW 04:07 OUR CROWNS AT YOUR FEET AND CROWN YOU LORD OF ALL. 04:13 FATHER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO THIS WORLD, FOR GOING 04:18 TO DARK GETHSEMANE BECAUSE YOU LOVE US. 04:23 AND YOU KNEW THAT ONE DAY THERE WOULD BE MANY, MANY PEOPLE THAT 04:27 WOULD HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE AND BE ABLE TO WALK 04:30 ON THOSE STREETS OF GOLD BECAUSE OF YOUR SACRIFICE. 04:34 I PRAY THAT WE WILL EACH TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND ACCEPT THE 04:39 GIFT THAT YOU GIVE US FREELY. I PRAY THAT YOU WILL BE WITH OUR 04:43 SPEAKER TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BLESSING 04:45 US WITH THE SABBATH AND THE FREEDOMS THAT WE STILL HAVE IN 04:48 THIS COUNTRY TO OPEN UP YOUR WORD AND STUDY TOGETHER. 04:51 IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. AT THIS TIME OUR LESSON STUDY IS 04:55 GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR CHRIS BUTTERY. 04:58 HE IS OUR SENIOR PASTOR HERE AT SACRAMENTO CENTRAL. 05:08 >>THANK YOU SO MUCH. BEAUTIFUL - AND GOOD MORNING. 05:10 HAPPY SABBATH TO YOU. I TELL YOU WHAT, YOU SOUND 05:15 SPECTACULAR FROM WHERE I WAS SITTING. 05:17 IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO LEARN A NEW SONG TOO, ISN'T IT? 05:20 YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS DABBLING IN THE THINGS OF THE WORLD, WE 05:27 WOULD WORK HARD - I WOULD WORK HARD TO MEMORIZE ALL THE 05:31 DIFFERENT SONGS - THE TOP TEN, THE TOP 20, THE TOP 40 - 05:34 WHATEVER IT WAS - AND YOU'D BE SINGING THEM ALL DAY LONG. 05:37 AND EVEN TODAY, YOU GO INTO THE STORE AND THERE'S THE MUSIC AND 05:40 YOU CAN HUM IT - YOU CAN SAY THE WORDS - IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. 05:44 I REMEMBER, IN COLLEGE, WE WOULD DO CHAPELS AND 05:48 I GAVE MY LIFE TO THE LORD. 05:49 I WENT TO CHRISTIAN COLLEGE AND WE WOULD HAVE CHAPELS THE FIRST 05:52 THING IN THE MORNINGS AND THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN OVER THERE - ONE 05:54 OF THE STUDENTS - AND HE WAS SINGING WITHOUT A HYMNBOOK. 05:58 I WAS LIKE, 'MAN, HOW IS HE DOING THAT?' 06:00 AND THAT IMPRESSED ME AND I SAID, 'LOOK, IF I CAN LEARN THE 06:02 TOP 40 HITS, I CAN LEARN HYMNS. AND SO I STARTED PUTTING SOME 06:07 IN THERE. I'M RAW. I'M FRESH. 06:09 I DON'T KNOW A LOT BUT GETTING THERE - AND MAYBE SERVE US A 06:13 GOOD PURPOSE TO PUT SOME OF THESE SONGS TO MEMORY AS WELL. 06:17 SO WELCOME - AND WE WANT TO WELCOME THOSE WHO ARE VIEWING 06:18 US, WHEREVER YOU ARE - IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME, MAYBE EVEN 06:21 LISTENING TO US ON YOUR RADIO, IN THE CAR, WHEREVER YOU ARE 06:24 WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU JOINED US. AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE VIEWING 06:27 US, WE WANT TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF OUR SPECIAL OFFER AND IT'S 06:31 #780 - '12 STEPS TO REVIVAL.' PASTOR DOUG HAS PUT TOGETHER 06:36 THESE BIBLICAL STEPS TOWARD REVIVAL AND REFORMATION, 06:41 CERTAINLY NEEDED IN OUR LIVES AND IN THE CHURCH TODAY. 06:46 AND SO, YOU WANT TO CALL IN TO THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND 06:48 THAT'S 866-STUDY-MORE OR 866-788-3966 AND CALL IN FOR 06:54 THIS VERY SPECIAL BOOK AND SPECIAL OFFER. 06:58 WELL, HERE WE ARE, AND STUDYING AGAIN OUR LESSONS AND TODAY'S 07:04 LESSON IS #9 AND IT'S 'OUR MISSION.' WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT 07:09 THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT 07:12 JESUS HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH. 07:15 WHO IS THE CHURCH? IT'S NOT A BUILDING, IS IT? 07:19 OR A GREAT CATHEDRAL - IT'S YOU AND I. WE MAKE UP THE CHURCH. 07:23 AND WE'RE GOING TO LEARN WHAT JESUS - REVIEW 07:27 WHAT JESUS HAD TO SAY REGARDING OUR MISSION. 07:30 WHAT HE SET US APART TO DO. LET'S GO TO OUR MEMORY TEXT. 07:34 IT'S MATTHEW CHAPTER 24 - MATTHEW 24:14 - I'LL GET IT OUT 07:38 - MATTHEW 24, VERSE 14 AND THIS IS A VERSE, PERHAPS, WE KNOW 07:42 VERY WELL AND, PERHAPS YOU WANT TO READ IT HERE WITH ME THIS 07:45 MORNING. I'LL READ IT FROM OUR LESSON. 07:47 IT SAYS, "AND THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM WILL BE PREACHED IN ALL 07:51 THE WORLD AS A WITNESS TO ALL NATIONS AND THEN THE END WILL 07:57 COME." ALRIGHT, SO WE WILL CERTAINLY 08:00 TALK MORE ABOUT THAT HERE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. 08:03 NOTHING UNITES PEOPLE LIKE A COMPELLING MISSION - WHEN YOU'RE 08:07 A PART OF A CHURCH EVEN, THERE'S A MISSION AND THERE'S A VISION 08:12 AND A FOCUS THAT RALLIES PEOPLE TOGETHER 08:14 AND PEOPLE GET EXCITED ABOUT THE MISSION. 08:17 IT WAS APRIL 12, 1961 WHEN THE SOVIET COSMONAUT, YURI GAGARIN - 08:23 HE BEGAN THE FIRST - HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO FLY IN SPACE AND 08:28 THAT REINFORCED AMERICAN FEARS ABOUT BEING LEFT BEHIND IN A 08:32 TECHNOLOGICAL COMPETITION WITH THE THEN SOVIET UNION. 08:35 THE PRESIDENT AT THAT TIME WAS JFK - JOHN F. KENNEDY - AND HE 08:39 WAS EAGER FOR THE U.S. TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THE SPACE RACE, 08:44 FOR REASONS OF STRATEGY AND PRESTIGE. HE FIRST ANNOUNCED THE 08:48 GOAL OF LANDING - A MAN LANDING ON THE MOON IN A SPEECH TO A 08:52 JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS IN THAT SAME YEAR - 1961 - MAY 25. 08:57 HE SAID THIS, "FIRST I BELIEVE THAT THIS NATION SHOULD COMMIT 09:00 ITSELF TO ACHIEVING THE GOAL, BEFORE THIS DECADE IS OUT, OF 09:05 LANDING A MAN ON THE MOON AND RETURNING HIM SAFELY TO EARTH. 09:10 NO SINGLE SPACE PROJECT IN THIS PERIOD WILL BE MORE IMPRESSIVE 09:13 TO MANKIND OR MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE LONG-RANGE EXPLORATION OF 09:17 SPACE AND NONE WILL BE SO DIFFICULT OR EXPENSIVE TO 09:21 ACCOMPLISH." TALK ABOUT RALLYING PEOPLE, RIGHT? 09:24 'IT'S GOING TO BE COSTLY, IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT.' NOW 09:26 KENNEDY ALSO MADE A SPEECH AT RICE UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS THERE 09:30 IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND THAT WAS MADE SEPTEMBER 12 OF THE 09:33 FOLLOWING YEAR, 1962, AND IF YOU'VE HEARD THAT SPEECH IT IS 09:37 ROUSING. I MEAN, IT JUST - YOU FEEL LIKE 09:40 YOU WANT TO SEND SOMEONE TO THE MOON RIGHT NOW. 09:42 I MEAN, IT WAS JUST A VERY, VERY ROUSING SPEECH. 09:45 HE SAID THIS, "NO NATION, WHICH EXPECTS TO BE THE LEADER OF 09:48 OTHER NATIONS, CAN EXPECT TO STAY BEHIND IN THIS RACE FOR 09:52 SPACE. WE CHOOSE TO GO TO THE MOON IN 09:55 THIS DECADE AND DO THE OTHER THINGS, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE 09:59 EASY, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE HARD." 10:03 THE MISSION - YOU KNOW, KENNEDY, HE REALLY RALLIED THE NATION. 10:07 SOME OF YOU REMEMBER THOSE SPEECHES. 10:09 I WASN'T BORN YET BUT SOME OF YOU REMEMBER THOSE SPEECHES AND 10:13 YOU REMEMBER THE FEELINGS THAT YOU HAD AND HOW PROUD YOU WERE 10:16 OF YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR PRESIDENT AND THE MISSION THAT 10:20 WAS - HE RALLIED THE NATION THROUGH THESE CONTINUAL 10:23 SPEECHES. THE MISSION WAS SO INSPIRING 10:26 THAT A JANITOR WORKING AT THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON, 10:30 TEXAS - THAT'S WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE CALLED, AT LEAST, AND 10:33 WHAT IT WAS LATER - HE SAID THAT, "I'M HELPING" - THIS IS A 10:36 JANITOR - "I'M HELPING PUT A MAN ON THE MOON." 10:39 EVERYONE WAS INVOLVED IN THE MISSION. 10:42 EVERYONE FELT THAT IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR TASK, WHETHER IT BE ONE 10:46 THAT WOULD BE MENIAL OR GREAT, EVERYONE FELT THAT THEY WERE 10:50 CONTRIBUTING TO THE MISSION. SIX YEARS AFTER KENNEDY'S 10:55 ASSASSINATION, ON JULY 20, 1969, THE FIRST MANNED SPACE CRAFT 11:00 LANDED ON THE MOON. WAS THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED? 11:03 YES IT WAS. IT CERTAINLY WAS - WITHIN THE DECADE THAT 11:06 JOHN F. KENNEDY SUGGESTED. MOST SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES AND 11:12 COMPANIES CARRY A CLEAR MISSION STATEMENT, DON'T THEY? 11:16 THEY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT THEIR MISSION IS - 11:19 WHAT THEY'RE ALL ABOUT. 11:20 APPLE'S AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO BE PLAYING FAVORITES BUT 11:24 APPLE - THEIR MISSION STATEMENT SAYS, "THE BEST 11:27 COMPUTING EXPERIENCE THROUGH INNOVATIVE HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, 11:31 AND INTERNET OFFERINGS." PRETTY CLEAR. 11:33 GOOGLE'S MISSION STATEMENT: "TO ORGANIZE THE WORLD'S INFORMATION 11:38 AND MAKE IT UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE AND USEFUL." 11:41 PRETTY GOOD. LET'S LOOK AT ANOTHER ONE HERE. 11:44 RITZ CARLTON - DON'T SUSPECT MANY OF US HAVE STAYED THERE BUT 11:48 THIS IS WHAT THEIR MISSION STATEMENT IS: "THE GENUINE CARE 11:51 AND COMFORT OF OUR GUESTS." THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT 11:54 THE CHURCH OUGHT TO EMBRACE, RIGHT? YEAH. HOW ABOUT AMAZON? 11:58 THIS IS PRETTY POWERFUL, "EVERY BOOK EVER PRINTED IN ANY 12:02 LANGUAGE ALL AVAILABLE IN LESS THAN SIXTY SECONDS." HMMMM. 12:08 AND THEN SONY: "CHANGE THE WORLDWIDE IMAGE OF JAPANESE 12:12 PRODUCTS AS BEING OF POOR QUALITY." 12:14 ALRIGHT, FAIR ENOUGH. THAT'S THEIR MISSION. 12:16 AND WHAT'S NIKE'S MISSION? "CRUSH ADIDAS." 12:21 THAT'S IT, CRUSH ADIDAS. DOES THE CHURCH HAVE A MISSION? 12:25 DOES THE CHURCH HAVE A MISSION STATEMENT? 12:27 WHAT DID JESUS SAY THERE IN MATTHEW 28? HE SAID, "GO INTO 12:30 ALL THE WORLD AND" - IN ESSENCE HE SAID - "MAKE DISCIPLES." 12:33 THAT'S THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH - THE MISSION STATEMENT. 12:36 HERE AT CENTRAL WE'VE GOT A MISSION STATEMENT AND IT'S 12:38 COMPREHENSIVE AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT, GET FAMILIAR WITH IT. 12:44 BUT IT ENCOMPASSES THIS VISION: "MAKE DISCIPLES - GO INTO ALL 12:48 THE WORLD AND MAKE DISCIPLES." DURING HIS LIFE, JESUS WAS 12:53 PREPARING HIS CHURCH FOR THAT MISSION. 12:56 YOU DON'T GET TOO FAR WHEN YOU READ THE GOSPELS AND YOU BEGIN 12:59 TO REALIZE THAT JESUS IS SETTING THE STAGE - SETTING THE PACE - 13:03 FOR THE WORK OF THE CHURCH - THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH TO GO INTO 13:08 ALL THE WORLD TO MAKE DISCIPLES. YOU REMEMBER HE CALLED PETER AND 13:11 ANDREW, JAMES AND JOHN AND HE SAID - CALLED THEM FROM FISHING 13:14 FOR FISH AND HE CALLED THEM TO BECOME FISHERS OF MEN. 13:19 THAT'S RIGHT. 'YOU'RE GOING TO BE FISHERS OF MEN. 13:20 I'M GOING TO TEACH YOU HOW TO DO THAT' IS WHAT JESUS SAID. 13:23 AND THEN LATER, JESUS APPOINTED TWELVE - HE LAID HANDS ON THEM, 13:27 PRAYED OVER THEM, AND HE APPOINTED TWELVE - THOSE WERE 13:29 THE TWELVE DISCIPLES. AND THEN HE SENT THOSE TWELVE 13:32 OUT ON A MISSIONARY ENDEAVOR TO PREACH AND TO LEAD PEOPLE TO 13:37 ACCEPTING THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IN THEIR HEARTS. 13:41 AND THEN LATER HE SENT OUT THE SEVENTY AND SAID, 'GO AND DO 13:45 LIKEWISE.' YOU KNOW, 'YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HEAL THE 13:47 SICK AND THE DEVILS ARE GOING TO FLEE FROM YOU AND YOU'LL BE 13:50 PREACHING THE GOSPEL.' SO HE SENT OUT THE SEVENTY. 13:52 AND THEN, DURING THE FORTY DAYS AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, HE 13:56 PLACED THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL INTO THEIR 14:00 HANDS AGAIN. AND SO WHEN WE - THIS IS WHAT 14:04 WE'LL BE DOING HERE - REVIEWING THESE STORIES - THESE 14:07 AFFIRMATIONS OR COMMISSIONS THAT JESUS GAVE HIS DISCIPLES WHEN HE 14:12 WALKED THIS EARTH. WHILE NOT ONE GOSPEL WRITER 14:16 SPEAKS TO EVERYTHING JESUS SAID REGARDING THIS MISSION, THE 14:21 VARIOUS GOSPEL WRITERS SAY SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT JESUS SAID. 14:25 AND WHEN WE PUT THOSE PIECES TOGETHER WE FORM A BEAUTIFUL 14:28 WHOLE AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE DOING HERE THIS MORNING. 14:31 WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT JESUS SAID ON THIS SUBJECT. 14:33 SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO SUNDAY'S LESSON AS WE BEGIN: "TO BE THE 14:37 LIGHT OF THE WORLD." TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 14:43 I INVITE YOU TO TURN WITH ME TO MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 AND WE'LL LOOK 14:46 AT THESE FAMILIAR WORDS JESUS SPOKE ON THE - THAT WE HAVE COME 14:52 TO KNOW AS THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT - MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 - 14:55 JESUS JUST FINISHED SHARING THE BEATITUDES - THE BLESSINGS - AND 15:02 WE GO OVER TO MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 AND WE READ HERE VERSE 14. 15:06 NOW JUST BEFORE VERSE 14 JESUS SAID SOMETHING INTERESTING. 15:09 HE TALKED ABOUT HIS FOLLOWERS BEING LIKE WHAT? 15:12 SALT. AND SALT MAKES YOU THIRSTY. SALT ADDS FLAVOR. 15:17 AND SO HE'S ENCOURAGING HIS FOLLOWERS TO INTERACT AND TO BE 15:21 INVOLVED AND TO EXERT A POSITIVE INFLUENCE AND MAKE PEOPLE 15:24 THIRSTY FOR THE WATER THAT WILL ALLOW A PERSON TO NEVER THIRST 15:28 AGAIN - THE WATER BEING JESUS AND SALVATION. 15:31 THEN IN VERSE 14, JESUS SAID, "YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 15:37 A CITY THAT IS SET ON A HILL CANNOT BE HID. 15:40 NEITHER DO MEN LIGHT A CANDLE AND PUT IT UNDER A BUSHEL, BUT 15:43 ON A CANDLESTICK AND IT GIVETH LIGHT UNTO ALL THAT ARE IN THE 15:46 HOUSE. LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE 15:49 MEN THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER 15:53 WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." POWERFUL. 15:58 SO THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN LIGHT, ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 16:00 YOU CAN READ RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE LIGHTS ARE ON. 16:03 IF IT WERE DARK IT'D BE VERY DIFFICULT. 16:05 YOU'D BE SQUINTING AND, LIKE FOLKS USED TO SAY, "YOU SQUINT 16:07 WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO READ IN THE DARK, YOU'RE GOING TO RUIN 16:10 YOUR EYESIGHT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAPPENED TO 16:12 ANYBODY BUT LIGHT IS A GOOD THING AND WE HAVE LIGHT. 16:14 THE FIRST OF DAY OF CREATION GOD SAID WHAT? "LET THERE BE LIGHT." 16:19 THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT BECAUSE WHAT WAS HAPPENING - 16:22 THE DARKNESS COVERED THE FACE OF THE DEEP. GOD SAID, 'LET THERE 16:27 BE LIGHT." LIGHT IS INDISPENSABLE TO LIFE. 16:31 LIGHT IS INDISPENSABLE TO LIFE. AND GOD, GOD HIMSELF IS THE 16:36 SOURCE OF LIFE AND ALSO, THEREFORE, THE SOURCE OF LIGHT. 16:41 AND YOU CAN READ THAT IN 1 JOHN 1, VERSE 5. 16:44 BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND 16:47 LIGHT, THE BIBLE WRITERS OFTEN USE LIGHT TO SYMBOLIZE THINGS 16:53 LIKE TRUTH, LIKE KNOWLEDGE, LIKE GODLINESS AND SO ON. 16:59 JOHN SAID OF JESUS THAT HE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN, JOHN 1:4, AND 17:04 SPEAKING OF HIMSELF HE SAID, IN JOHN 8:12, "I AM THE LIGHT OF 17:09 THE WORLD." SO JESUS IS THE ONE WHO DISPELS 17:12 DARKNESS, YOU SEE, AND BRINGS LIFE AND LIGHT. 17:17 NOW WHEN WE READ EARLY IN JESUS' MINISTRY, HE SPELLED OUT HERE - 17:22 WHAT WE'RE READING HERE IS THE EARLY PART OF JESUS' MINISTRY - 17:24 AND HE SPELLS OUT HERE WHAT HIS FOLLOWERS ARE TO BE IN THE 17:27 WORLD. THEY ARE TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 17:30 ISRAEL WERE CALLED TO SHINE FOR JESUS. 17:34 THIS HAS BEEN GOD'S PLAN - THIS WAS GOD'S PLAN FROM WAY BACK 17:37 WHEN HE INVITED ABRAHAM TO REPRESENT HIM. 17:41 HE SAID, 'I WANT YOU TO BE A BLESSING. I'M GOING TO BLESS YOU 17:43 AND I WANT YOU TO BE A BLESSING TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. 17:45 AND THAT PROMISE WAS EXTENDED TO ISRAEL AND ISRAEL WAS TO SHINE 17:49 THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL TO THE HEATHEN NATIONS. 17:53 AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN GOD'S PLAN FOR HIS PEOPLE TO BE LIGHT IN A 18:00 DARK WORLD. DARK WITH RESPECT TO THE KNOWLEDGE REGARDING THE 18:07 CHARACTER OF GOD - THERE'S DARKNESS WITH REGARD TO 18:10 WHO GOD IS. IS GOD TRULY LOVE OR IS HE SOME 18:14 VINDICTIVE MEAN LANDLORD OVERLOOKING PLANET EARTH READY 18:19 TO STRIKE SOMEONE DOWN WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING WRONG. 18:21 PEOPLE HAVE VERY CONTORTED IDEAS REGARDING WHO GOD IS. 18:25 IT'S A VERY DARK - PEOPLE HAVE A VERY DARK MISCONCEPTION - DARK 18:29 IDEA WHEN IT COMES TO WHO GOD IS. AND GOD'S FOLLOWERS - THAT'S 18:33 GOD'S PLANS - GOD'S FOLLOWERS - HE SET THEM IN THE WORLD TO BE 18:35 LIGHT - TO SHINE THE GLORIOUS CHARACTER OF JESUS TO OTHERS. 18:40 I'M GOING TO READ ISAIAH CHAPTER 60, VERSES 1 THROUGH 3. 18:43 HE SAYS, "ARISE, SHINE; FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME! 18:47 AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD IS RISEN UPON YOU. 18:51 FOR BEHOLD, THE DARKNESS SHALL COVER THE EARTH, AND DEEP 18:55 DARKNESS THE PEOPLE; BUT THE LORD WILL ARISE OVER YOU, AND 19:01 HIS GLORY WILL BE SEEN UPON YOU." 19:03 - THEN VERSE 3 - "THE GENTILES SHALL COME TO YOUR LIGHT, AND 19:07 KINGS TO THE BRIGHTNESS OF YOUR RISING." 19:11 SO BACK THERE GOD TELLS HIS PEOPLE 'ARISE AND SHINE.' AND WE 19:15 UNDERSTAND FROM READING THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL AND 19:18 UNDERSTANDING PROPHECY, GOD GAVE HIS PEOPLE A CERTAIN PERIOD OF 19:23 TIME TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T REALLY 19:25 SHINING FOR HIM, WERE THEY? 19:26 THEY WERE ACTUALLY FALLING INTO LINE WITH HEATHEN PRACTICES AND 19:30 CUSTOMS THAN BEING A DISTINCT, PECULIAR PEOPLE. 19:33 NOT PECULIAR IN THE SENSE OF WEIRD BUT PECULIAR IN THE SENSE 19:35 OF STRAIGHT AND OBEDIENT TO GOD'S WILL. 19:39 THEY WEREN'T FULFILLING THEIR MISSION. 19:41 THEY WERE BEING INFLUENCED RATHER THAN INFLUENCING. 19:44 AND SO GOD HAD PLAN B IN MIND WITH HIS EARLY CHURCH. 19:49 BUT HE TOLD HIS PEOPLE, 'ARISE AND SHINE. 19:52 THE WORLD IS DARK AND I'M PUTTING YOU AS LIGHTS IN THE 19:56 WORLD TO LIGHT THE PATH SO PEOPLE CAN SEE THE WAY TO THE 19:59 KINGDOM OF GOD,' YOU SEE, TO BRING THE LIGHT OF GOD'S LOVE TO 20:03 THE WORLD. AND GENTILES WILL COME. 20:07 SO WE'RE CALLED TO BE THE LIGHT OF THIS WORLD. 20:10 THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? 20:14 FIRST, WHAT IS LIGHT? 20:15 I TRIED TO GET ALL TRICKY HERE AND BE IMPRESSIVE TO YOU HERE 20:19 THIS MORNING BUT THE FURTHER I GOT INVOLVED WITH STUDYING LIGHT 20:23 - AND I WAS NEVER REALLY GREAT AT PHYSICS, ALTHOUGH I TOOK IT - 20:26 THE MORE I GOT INVOLVED IN DISCOVERING ALL THE DIFFERENT 20:30 COMPONENTS OF LIFE, THE MORE CONFUSED I GOT. 20:32 I MEAN, LIGHT IS NOT A SIMPLE THING TO FIGURE OUT. 20:36 SO I JUST WENT TO A DICTIONARY. FAIR ENOUGH. 20:39 "LIGHT IS THE NATURAL AGENT THAT STIMULATES SIGHT AND MAKES 20:42 THINGS VISIBLE." NOW, I COULD HAVE SAID THAT BUT 20:43 YOU KNEW THAT. BUT NOW YOU KNOW IT AGAIN. 20:46 LIGHT IS SIMPLY A NATURAL AGENT THAT STIMULATES SIGHT AND MAKES 20:50 THINGS VISIBLE. THAT'S LIGHT. 20:52 LIGHT IS RADIANT ENERGY, ALSO KNOWN AS ELECTROMAGNETIC 20:57 RADIATION AND THAT'S LIGHT AND WE'RE CALLED TO BE THAT. 21:02 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD? WHAT DOES IT 21:05 MEAN? TWO THINGS: FIRST OF ALL, AS LIGHTS WE'RE 21:08 INTENDED TO ILLUMINATE. AGAIN, AS I SAID EARLIER, TO ILLUMINATE 21:13 THE PATHWAY TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD SO THAT PEOPLE 21:16 CAN SEE THEIR WAY TO HEAVEN, YOU SEE. WE'RE SHINING LIGHTS LIKE 21:20 THE STORY OF THE TEN BRIDESMAIDS THAT JESUS TOLD. 21:25 THEY WERE TO HAVE THEIR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING AND THE 21:28 PURPOSE OF THAT WAS TO LIGHT THE WAY TO THE BRIDEGROOM'S HOME AND 21:31 SO GOD HAS CALLED US TO BE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. 21:35 YOU REMEMBER IN REVELATION CHAPTER 1 JESUS IS SEEN WALKING 21:41 UP AND DOWN IN THE MIDST OF THE SEVEN WHAT? DO YOU REMEMBER? 21:44 GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS. AND YOU READ THE SAME CHAPTER 21:47 THOSE SEVEN GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS ARE THE SEVEN CHURCHES. 21:51 NOW SPECIFICALLY, THE ONES MENTIONED THERE IN REVELATION 21:54 CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 3 - ALSO MENTIONED IN CHAPTER 1. 21:57 BUT JESUS LIKENED THE CHURCHES TO A GOLDEN CANDLESTICK 22:02 TO BE A LIGHT, YOU SEE. 22:05 AND, OF COURSE, WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF 22:08 REVELATION, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NOT ONLY REPRESENTED THOSE 22:10 LITERAL CHURCHES EXISTING BACK THERE AT THAT TIME IN THE FIRST 22:13 CENTURY, BUT THE CHURCHES ALSO REPRESENT THE HISTORY OF THE 22:19 CHRISTIAN CHURCH STARTING IN THE DAYS - THE FIRST CENTURY - 22:21 STARTING IN THE DAYS OF THE APOSTLES AND EXTENDING ALL THE 22:23 WAY UNTIL THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS. THE REASON GOD HAS CALLED 22:28 THE CHURCH TO BE LIGHT IN THE WORLD IS BECAUSE DARKNESS 22:31 ENVELOPES THE WORLD. BUT THE LIGHT OF CHRIST'S LOVE 22:34 REFLECTED IN OUR LIVES IS TO PENETRATE THAT DARKNESS. 22:41 IT'S BEEN RIGHTLY SAID, 'HE WHO WOULD SHINE AS A LIGHT MUST 22:45 BURN.' HE WHO WOULD SHINE AS A LIGHT MUST BURN. 22:50 NO CANDLE CAN LIGHT OR GIVE LIGHT WITHOUT THE WAX BEING 22:55 CONSUMED. ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 22:56 NO CANDLE CAN GIVE LIGHT UNLESS THE WAX IS BEING CONSUMED. 23:00 NO LAMP - IF YOU HAVE AN OLD OIL LAMP - NO LAMP CAN GIVE LIGHT 23:05 UNLESS THE OIL IS BEING USED UP. NO FLASHLIGHT CAN GIVE LIGHT 23:11 UNLESS THE BATTERIES ARE BEING SPENT. 23:17 AND SO IF WE'RE GOING TO SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THIS WORLD THAT 23:21 SIMPLY MEANS THERE'S GOT TO BE LESS OF ME AND MORE OF JESUS, 23:24 ISN'T THAT RIGHT? IT WAS JOHN THE BAPTIST WHO SAID 23:28 - TALKING OF JESUS - 'HE MUST INCREASE AND I MUST DECREASE.' 23:33 IF WE'RE GOING TO SHINE, SELF HAS GOT TO BE LEVELED. 23:37 SELF HAS GOT TO BE CONSUMED - USED UP, SO TO SPEAK, IN ORDER 23:42 TO SHINE FOR JESUS. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CALLED 23:47 TO BE. FIRST OF ALL, LIGHT ILLUMINATES. 23:49 SECOND OF ALL, LIGHTS ARE ILLUSTRIOUS. 23:52 THIS IS ACCORDING TO MATTHEW HENRY IN HIS COMMENTARY. 23:54 LIGHTS ARE ILLUSTRIOUS AND CONSPICUOUS. 23:56 I LIKE HOW HE PUT THAT. NOT NON-CONSPICUOUS BUT 23:59 CONSPICUOUS - SEEN BY ALL. WHAT DID JESUS SAY THERE? 24:04 'AS A CITY SET ON A HILL.' MUCH LIKE THE HOMES DOTTING THE 24:07 HILLS OF PALESTINE BACK IN THE DAYS OF JESUS, 24:10 YOU COULD SEE THOSE HOMES FROM A DISTANCE. 24:12 SOMETIMES EVEN AT NIGHT IF YOU WERE TRAVELING YOU COULD SEE THE 24:15 HOMES LIT UP WITH A CANDLE OR A LAMP AND YOU COULD SEE THOSE ON 24:18 A HILL - LIKE A CITY SET ON A HILL WE'RE ILLUSTRIOUS AND 24:22 CONSPICUOUS - A CITY SET ON A HILL. 24:26 SOME OF YOU ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH - OUT HERE ON THE 24:29 WEST COAST - IF YOU DRIVE THE BIG SUR DOWN - 24:32 FROM SAN FRANCISCO DOWN TO L.A. OR AT LEAST THAT PORTION OF THE 24:36 BIG SUR THERE KNOWN AS THE BIG SUR. IF YOU'RE DRIVING THERE 24:40 AND ENJOYING THE OCEAN VIEW SIGHTS AND MAYBE A WHALE DOING 24:44 A BREACHING OR YOU'RE SEEING THE FLUKE OF THE WHALE COMING UP OUT 24:47 OF THE WATER, YOU'RE JUST ENJOYING THAT. 24:49 FOR THE DRIVER, YOU'RE KEEPING YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD BECAUSE 24:51 YOU DON'T WANT TO GET OFF THE ROAD, IT'D BE TREACHEROUS, BUT 24:55 AS YOU'RE COMING DOWN FURTHER SOUTH, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU 24:58 KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE HILLS AND UP ON THIS HILL OVER 25:01 TO THE LEFT - OVER TO THE EAST - THERE'S A BIG HOUSE - MAMMOTH 25:06 THING - SITTING UP THERE ON THE HILL - KIND OF LIKE A CITY ON A 25:10 HILL - KNOWN AS THE HEARST CASTLE, HOME OF WILLIAM RANDOLPH 25:14 HEARST THE NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER. THE GUY WAS A MILLIONAIRE - 25:19 WHATEVER HE WAS - A BILLIONAIRE - I DON'T KNOW - MILLIONAIRE - 25:22 THE GUY HAD MONEY AND HE BUILT THIS MAMMOTH MANSION 25:25 UP ON THE HILL. SOME OF YOU HAVE SEEN IT OR HAVE 25:27 READ ABOUT IT OR HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF IT. AND, FROM A 25:30 DISTANCE, YOU KNOW IT IS BIG. AND GOD IS CALLING HIS PEOPLE 25:35 TO BE LIKE THAT CASTLE ON A HILL - VISIBLE, NOTICEABLE TO ALL - 25:41 GIVING LIGHT, RADIATING THE LOVE OF CHRIST'S LOVE AND GOODNESS 25:45 TO THOSE AROUND THEM, NOT HIDING IT. 25:48 IT WOULD BE KIND OF STRANGE IF YOU TURNED THE LIGHT ON IN YOUR 25:51 HOUSE AND THEN YOU SOUGHT TO COVER THE LAMPSHADE. 25:53 IT WOULD BE KIND OF ODD IF YOU DID THAT, WOULDN'T IT? 25:55 YOU TURN THE LIGHT ON BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GIVE LIGHT AND JESUS 25:58 HAS ASKED HIS PEOPLE TO LET THEIR LIGHT SHINE. 26:02 WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? TO LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE MEANS IF JESUS' 26:04 LIGHT IS IN YOUR LIFE IT'S GOING TO SPILL OUT AND SPILL OVER. 26:08 DOESN'T IT MEAN THAT? JUST LET IT HAPPEN. 26:11 THE ONLY THING TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING IS YOURS AND MY 26:14 STUBBORN REFUSAL TO LET IT SHINE. IF JESUS IS IN OUR HEARTS 26:18 AND LIVES, HIS LIGHT WILL SHINE THROUGH. 26:20 SO WE'RE CALLED TO BE LIGHTS. ALRIGHT, SO WHAT IS THE LIGHT? 26:24 ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 5, VERSE 16, IT'S GOOD WORKS, ISN'T IT? 26:28 LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR - 26:30 WHAT? - GOOD WORKS. LIGHT IS YOUR GOOD WORKS. 26:35 WE'LL EXPLORE THOSE GOOD WORKS AS WE CARRY ON HERE, BUT FOR NOW 26:37 JESUS BEGINS TO OUTLINE THE MISSION FOR HIS FOLLOWERS TO 26:41 UNDERTAKE AND THOSE GOOD WORKS ARE TO DRAW PEOPLE TO CHRIST, 26:44 NOT TO THEMSELVES, YOU SEE. ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE OVER TO 26:47 MONDAY'S LESSON, 'TO BE WITNESSES.' TO BE WITNESSES. 26:51 JUST TURN OVER WITH ME A FEW PAGES TO LUKE 24 AND LOOK AT A 26:56 FEW WORDS THAT JESUS SHARED HERE. WHEN YOU THINK OF A 27:00 WITNESS, OR AT LEAST WHEN I THINK OF A WITNESS, I THINK OF 27:02 SOMEONE WHO IS CALLED TO COURT TO TESTIFY FOR OR 27:04 AGAINST A DEFENDANT. A WITNESS IS SOMEONE WHO REALLY, 27:08 IN ESSENCE, HAS SEEN AN EVENT - WITNESSED AN EVENT. 27:12 IF YOU'VE SEEN A CAR ACCIDENT HAPPEN RIGHT BEFORE YOU YOU'VE 27:14 BEEN - YOU'RE A WHAT? A WITNESS TO THAT ACCIDENT. 27:17 IF YOU'VE WITNESSED A HOME RUN IT MEANS YOU SAW IT, RIGHT? 27:21 IF YOU'VE WITNESSED A MARRIAGE - A WEDDING - IT MEANS YOU SAW IT. 27:27 AND SO, TO BE A WITNESS IS TO TESTIFY OR TO RELATE WHAT YOU 27:31 HAVE SEEN - WHAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED. 27:36 CHRIST HAS CALLED HIS PEOPLE TO BE HIS WITNESSES. 27:38 WE'RE IN LUKE CHAPTER 24 AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT VERSES 46 27:41 THROUGH 48. THIS IS AFTER THE RESURRECTION 27:45 AND JESUS APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES IN THE UPPER ROOM. 27:50 THEY'RE TALKING AMONGST THEMSELVES. 27:51 THEY'RE SHUT IN THERE FOR FEAR OF THE JEWS - THAT'S JOHN'S 27:54 ACCOUNT - JOHN 20 - AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR FUTURE - 27:59 THEIR PROSPECTS. IF THEY'VE DONE THIS TO THEIR 28:03 MASTER, SURELY IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM. 28:05 HE WAS CRUCIFIED. MAYBE THE FUTURE DOESN'T LOOK SO 28:09 BRIGHT FOR THEM AND YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY. 28:10 AND SO THEY'RE UP THERE AND JESUS APPEARS TO THEM. 28:14 HE APPEARS - IT SEEMS LIKE OUT OF NOWHERE. 28:16 THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE HE'S COME FROM. THEY THINK IT'S A GHOST. 28:20 AND JESUS SAID, 'LOOK, DON'T YOU WORRY. 28:22 DON'T YOU WORRY. IT'S OKAY. IT'S ME. LOOK AT THE SCARS 28:27 IN MY HANDS, MY FEET, AND MY SIDE.' AND HE ASSURED THEM - 28:30 EVEN ATE SOME FISH TO ASSURE THEM THAT HE WAS NOT FLESH - 28:35 RATHER HE WAS NOT SPIRIT BUT FLESH AND BLOOD - FLESH AND 28:37 BONES LIKE THEY WERE, ALTHOUGH GLORIFIED, RADIANT - THE 28:42 FATHER'S GLORY SHINING OFF HIS FACE. 28:45 SO HE APPEARED TO THEM BECAUSE THEY NEEDED ENCOURAGEMENT. 28:49 AND NOTICE WHAT IT SAYS HERE IN VERSE 46. 28:52 HE OPENS TO THEM MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS AND HE EXPLAINS TO 28:56 THEM ALL THE PROPHECIES CONCERNING HIMSELF AND HE SAYS, 28:59 "THUS IT IS WRITTEN, AND THUS IT BEHOOVED CHRIST TO SUFFER, AND 29:03 TO RISE FROM THE DEAD THE THIRD DAY: AND THAT REPENTANCE AND 29:07 REMISSION OF SINS SHOULD BE" - WHAT'S THAT WORD? 29:09 - "PREACHED" - JESUS IS GENTLY EXPLAINING TO THEM THEIR ROLE - 29:13 THEIR FUNCTION. HE SAID EARLIER ON THAT YOU WERE 29:15 TO BE LIGHT IN THE WORLD - SALT OF THE EARTH. 29:17 HE SENT THEM OUT TO PREACH AND TO TEACH AND TO HEAL. 29:22 HE WAS TEACHING THEM - HELPING THEM WITH THE MISSION 29:25 THAT HE WAS GIVING TO THEM. AND SO HE SAID YOU ARE TO PREACH 29:30 THIS "IN HIS NAME AMONG ALL NATIONS, BEGINNING AT 29:35 JERUSALEM." - VERSE 48 - "AND YE ARE WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS." 29:40 NOW NO ONE CAN GAINSAY A WITNESS ACCOUNT - AN EYE WITNESS 29:45 ACCOUNT. THESE MEN HAD SEEN JESUS. THEY LIVED WITH JESUS. 29:48 THEY WALKED WITH JESUS AND NOW THEY HAD SEEN HIM - THEY HAD 29:51 SEEN HIM CRUCIFIED - NOW THEY HAD SEEN HIM ALIVE AND HERE HE 29:55 WAS ALIVE AND WELL AND HE APPEARED TO THEM. 30:00 HE SAID, 'YOU ARE TO PREACH THE GOSPEL FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS 30:03 - REPENTANCE OF MANY - YOU SHOULD PREACH THAT YOU ARE 30:06 WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS. 30:10 YOU AND I, RESCUED SINNERS, HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF TELLING OTHERS 30:15 ABOUT WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR US AND IS DOING FOR US. 30:22 WHAT HE'S DONE FOR US AND WHAT HE IS DOING FOR US. 30:28 WHEN WE CONSIDER WHAT HE'S DONE FOR US, YOU CAN SAY, PROBABLY 30:31 WITH ME, THAT HE SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME. 30:34 I ONCE WAS LOST BUT NOW I'M FOUND. 30:37 I WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE. WHAT HAS HE DONE FOR US? 30:42 HE LOVED ME WHILE I EVEN REJECTED HIM. 30:45 HE PLEADED WITH ME WHILE I TURNED A DEAF EAR. 30:49 I TREATED HIS CREATION WITH DISDAIN AND DISRESPECT WHILE HE 30:53 TREATED ME WITH GRACE AND RESPECT. 30:57 HE DIED FOR ME WHILE I WAS HIS ENEMY. 31:01 MAN, GREAT THINGS GOD HAS DONE FOR US. GREAT THINGS. 31:06 WE CAN TESTIFY TO WHAT HE HAS DONE. 31:08 HE HAS FORGIVEN ME MY SINS - WASHED THEM CLEAN - REMOVED MY 31:13 GUILT AND SET MY FEET ON A ROCK AND SET ME ON A PLAIN PATH TO 31:19 WALK ON - GIVEN ME HIS SPIRIT SO THAT I MIGHT WALK AFTER HIS WAY 31:23 AND HIS WILL. SO WE SHOULD - WE'RE TO TESTIFY 31:28 OF WHAT HE'S DONE FOR US. YOU CAN TELL SOMEBODY WHAT YOU 31:32 WERE BUT NOW, WHAT YOU ARE, BY THE GRACE OF GOD - WHAT JESUS 31:35 HAS DONE FOR YOU. YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN AND 31:38 NOW YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. WE CAN TESTIFY TO THAT. 31:42 WE ALSO SHOULD LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING. 31:45 I WAS TALKING WITH A FRIEND OF MINE. 31:46 SHE - CHRIST RESCUED HER FROM WITCHCRAFT AND SHE WAS REDEEMED 31:53 AND RANSOMED FROM THAT AND JUST - SHE HAS AN INCREDIBLE 31:59 TESTIMONY. SHE TOLD ME ONE DAY - SHE SAID, 32:00 'YEAH CHRIS, I'VE BEEN TELLING THIS TESTIMONY FOR YEARS AND 32:03 YEARS - ABOUT WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR ME. 32:05 AND I DON'T' - IT'S A POWERFUL STORY AND WE OUGHT TO TELL 32:09 PEOPLE BUT SHE SAID, 'YOU KNOW WHAT? 32:11 I NEED TO BE TELLING PEOPLE WHAT HE'S DOING FOR ME TODAY. 32:13 I NEED TO BE TELLING PEOPLE WHAT HE'S DOING FOR ME NOW.' IT'S NOT 32:16 ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED HERE. ON MARCH 23, 1959, I GAVE 32:20 MY LIFE TO JESUS AND THEN THE REST IS HISTORY. 32:22 NO, NO, NO, WE'RE WRITING HISTORY. JESUS IS RECREATING US 32:25 AND MAKING US INTO HIS IMAGE AND WHAT IS HE DOING FOR US - WE GOT 32:29 OUT OF BED THIS MORNING, DIDN'T WE? 32:31 PUT OUR FEET ON THE FLOOR, SO TO SPEAK. 32:33 OUR HEARTS ARE PUMPING BLOOD THROUGH OUR VEINS. 32:37 IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. LUNGS ARE TAKING IN AIR. 32:41 THE GOOD THINGS THAT GOD DOES FOR US. 32:44 HAS HE ANSWERED YOUR PRAYERS RECENTLY? 32:47 HAS HE DONE SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOU RECENTLY? 32:51 HELPED YOU WITH A PROBLEM? HELPED YOU MANEUVER THROUGH A 32:55 CHALLENGING SITUATION. HAS HE COMFORTED YOU WHILE 32:58 YOU'VE BEEN HURTING? SURE. WE'VE GOT SOMETHING TO TELL 33:01 ABOUT WHAT HE'S DOING TODAY, DON'T WE. GOD IS SO GOOD TO US. 33:06 WHAT IS HE DOING FOR ME NOW? HE DIED ON A CROSS, BUT WHAT IS 33:09 HE DOING FOR ME NOW? THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HE EVER 33:11 LIVES TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR ME. 33:13 JESUS IS ALIVE AND WELL IN HEAVEN TODAY, INTERCEDING FOR 33:18 YOU AND I. HE HASN'T LOST HIS LOVE FOR YOU 33:20 OR EXPRESSED LACK OF INTEREST IN YOU, HE'S THERE FOR YOU NOW IN 33:24 HEAVEN'S TEMPLE, INTERCEDING IN THAT MOST HOLY PLACE. 33:28 MAN, WE'VE GOT SOMETHING TO TELL TODAY, DON'T WE? 33:31 YOU KNOW, WITNESS - OUR WITNESS CHANGES LIVES. 33:36 THAT'S WHY JESUS WANTS US TO SHARE. 33:39 HE'S CALLED US TO BE WITNESSES. 33:40 HE WANTS US TO SHARE OUR STORIES - HIS STORY - WHAT HE'S DONE IN 33:44 OUR LIVES WITH OTHER PEOPLE. A WITNESS CHANGES LIVES. 33:47 I REMEMBER - AND THERE WAS SOME TURMOIL IN MY YOUNG LIFE AS A 33:50 YOUTH AND GOING THROUGH SOME THINGS IN MY HEAD - IN MY HEART 33:55 - AND I WAS WRESTLING AND STRUGGLING WITH THE NOTION OF 33:58 EVER GIVING MY LIFE TO JESUS. AND I WAS AT HOME AT THE TIME, 34:02 I WAS ABOUT 17, I THINK, AND MY MOM WAS PRETTY CRAFTY. 34:08 SHE HAD INVITED A FRIEND OF MY SISTER'S OVER, WHO HAD JUST KIND 34:13 OF RECENTLY GIVEN HIS LIFE TO THE LORD AND HE WAS STUDYING 34:15 OVER THERE AT A COLLEGE - STUDYING TO BE A MINISTER. 34:19 SHE INVITED HIM OVER TO SIT AND TO JUST RELATE HIS STORY AND 34:23 INVITED ME TO COME IN AND SIT DOWN AND LISTEN AND SO HE WAS 34:27 TELLING HOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT GOD HAD DONE IN HIS LIFE AND HOW HE 34:30 WAS SELFISH AND PRIDEFUL AND JESUS RESCUED HIM AND WORKED A 34:35 CHANGE IN HIS HEART AND DONE SOME INCREDIBLE THINGS. 34:40 HE WAS IN A BAND AND THEN HE GAVE UP THE BAND AND HE WAS 34:44 PLAYING THE BASS GUITAR AND HE SAID, 'THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I'M 34:46 GOING TO PLAY SOME HEAVENLY MUSIC AND GOD IS WORKING CERTAIN 34:50 THINGS IN MY LIFE AND CHANGING ME. 34:53 AND I'M SITTING THERE AND I'M IMPRESSED. 34:55 MAN, HE'S SO HAPPY AND I'M NOT HAPPY. 34:58 HE'S SO - HE'S GOT A PURPOSE. YOU CAN SEE THE TWINKLE IN HIS 35:02 EYE, YOU KNOW? I WAS IMPRESSED AND I COULDN'T 35:07 SHAKE THAT AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LED ME TO MAKING 35:11 A SURRENDER TO JESUS WAS HIS STORY - HIS TESTIMONY. 35:15 HE WAS BEING A WITNESS. HE WAS JUST TELLING HIS STORY. 35:20 HE WAS TELLING IT SO NICE - HE WASN'T PRESSING ANYTHING, HE WAS 35:23 JUST SHARING. 'THIS IS WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR 35:25 ME AND HE CAN DO IT FOR ANYBODY AND I'M CONVINCED OF THAT. 35:29 THAT'S WHY I'M GOING TO BE A PREACHER' - HE SAID - 'AND TELL 35:31 OTHERS ABOUT WHAT HE'S DONE FOR ME AND HE CAN DO IT FOR THEM AND 35:35 THEIR LIVES WILL BE CHANGED AND HAPPIER AND WITH PURPOSE AND 35:37 WITH DIRECTION. JUST LIKE HE'S GIVEN TO ME.' WOW. 35:43 IMPRESSED ME. THE PREACHING THING DIDN'T IMPRESS ME. 35:46 I HAD NO INTEREST IN THAT, BUT THE THING ABOUT JESUS 35:48 IMPRESSED ME. WOW, CHANGED LIFE. 35:51 SO JESUS HAS CALLED US TO BE HIS WITNESSES. 35:53 WE THINK OF WITNESSING - MAYBE GOING DOOR TO DOOR OR STANDING 35:56 ON A STREET CORNER ON A SOAPBOX PREACHING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT 36:00 AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE. THOSE THINGS WE DO DO AND 36:05 IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, OKAY, BY ALL MEANS. BUT JESUS IS ASKING 36:08 US JUST TO BEFRIEND INDIVIDUALS AND SHARE OUR STORY - 36:12 TELL THEM WHAT JESUS HAS DONE IN OUR HEARTS AND LIVES. 36:15 SO HE WANTS US TO SHARE OUR STORY - TO BE WITNESSES - 36:19 BECAUSE IT'LL CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES. 36:22 I WANT TO BE A WITNESS FOR JESUS EVERY DAY. HOW ABOUT YOU? YEAH. 36:25 LET'S GO OVER TO TUESDAY'S LESSON. 36:26 WE'RE CONTINUING HERE WITH JESUS' INSTRUCTION TO HIS 36:30 DISCIPLES AND WITH REGARD TO THE MISSION THAT HE HAS GIVEN THE 36:36 CHURCH. WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN 36:39 RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WITNESSING FOR JESUS? 36:42 WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP THERE? WE HAVE SEVERAL VERSES. 36:45 I HAVE SOMEONE READING ACTS 4, VERSE 33 FOR ME HERE THIS 36:48 MORNING. THANK YOU, JOLYNE. 36:50 AND WE'LL LOOK AT A FEW OTHER VERSES HERE. 36:52 IF YOU WANT TO TURN WITH ME, YOU'RE WELCOME TO. 36:54 LUKE - WE'RE ACTUALLY THERE - LUKE 24:49. 36:57 I WANT TO LOOK AT THE INSTRUCTION THAT - FINISH UP 37:00 WITH THE INSTRUCTION JESUS GAVE TO HIS DISCIPLES. 37:03 HE MET THEM IN THE UPPER ROOM AND HE HAD TOLD THEM THAT THEY 37:06 WERE TO PREACH AND THEY WOULD BE HIS WITNESSES. THEY WERE 37:11 WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS - OF HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. 37:14 VERSE 49 - NOTICE THIS: "AND BEHOLD" - JESUS ISN'T FINISHED 37:17 WITH THE INSTRUCTION - VERSE 49 - "AND, BEHOLD, I SEND THE 37:20 PROMISE OF MY FATHER UPON YOU: BUT TARRY YE IN THE CITY OF 37:25 JERUSALEM, UNTIL YE BE ENDUED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH." 37:31 NOW GO OVER TO ACTS CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE 8 - ACTS CHAPTER 1 AND 37:37 VERSE 8 - AND WE'LL NOTICE WHAT THAT POWER IS THAT JESUS TOLD 37:42 THEM TO WAIT FOR - TARRY IN JERUSALEM - 37:45 WAIT FOR THIS POWER THAT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU. 37:48 WE'RE TALKING HERE AND ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT BEING A 37:51 WITNESS - BEING ON THE MISSION OF JESUS AND THE RELATIONSHIP 37:55 THAT HAS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT - RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT. 37:58 ACTS CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE 8 - VERSE 7. 38:04 JESUS SAID, "IT IS NOT FOR YOU TO KNOW THE TIMES OR THE 38:05 SEASONS, WHICH THE FATHER HATH PUT IN HIS OWN POWER." 38:08 - VERSE 8 - "BUT YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER," - NOW WE'RE 38:11 GOING TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT POWER IS - "AFTER THAT THE HOLY 38:15 GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME BOTH 38:23 IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA, AND IN SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE 38:26 UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH." SO THE POWER THAT JESUS WAS 38:31 INVITING THEM TO TAP INTO - TO TARRY IN JERUSALEM TO RECEIVE 38:35 WAS THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. POWER - THAT WORD 38:39 'POWER' IN THE GREEK IS DUNAMIS, FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH 38:43 WORD 'DYNAMITE.' THIS IS EXPLOSIVE POWER WE'RE TALKING 38:47 ABOUT HERE WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD COME UPON THEM AND THEY 38:50 WERE TO BE THERE AND TARRY AND WAIT. AND YOU REMEMBER THAT THEY 38:54 WERE THERE FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS IN THAT UPPER ROOM THERE. 38:59 THEY WAITED TEN DAYS - WAITING, YOU SEE. 39:02 JESUS MINISTERED - APPEARED TO THEM FOR 40 DAYS AFTER HIS 39:05 RESURRECTION AND THEN THEY WERE IN THE UPPER ROOM FOR TEN DAYS 39:08 WAITING FOR THAT POWER TO DESCEND ON THEM - STUDYING THE 39:12 WORD, PRAYING TOGETHER, ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR FLAWS AND 39:19 THEIR FAULTS AND ASKING INDIVIDUALS TO FORGIVE THEM FOR 39:22 THE WRONG THAT THEY HAD DONE TO EACH OTHER. 39:24 THEY WERE PREPARING THEIR HEARTS TO RECEIVE THE OUTPOURING OF THE 39:27 HOLY SPIRIT AND ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST IT HAPPENED. 39:31 JOHN 20 AND VERSES 21 AND 22 AND THEN WE'LL COME OVER TO 39:35 ACTS 4:33. JOHN 20:21 AND 22 - AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT JESUS' 39:41 INSTRUCTION REGARDING THE MISSION 39:43 WE'RE PUTTING ALL THESE PIECES TOGETHER. 39:46 JOHN CHAPTER 20, VERSES 21 AND 22. 39:53 NOW THIS IS, AGAIN, IN THE UPPER ROOM WHEN JESUS 39:56 MEETS WITH THE DISCIPLES FOR THE FIRST TIME. 39:58 LUKE'S ACCOUNT - HE'S TALKING ABOUT AFFIRMING THEIR FAITH THAT 40:02 IT'S HIM - THE SCARS IN HIS HANDS, HIS FEET, SIDE, ETC. - 40:06 EATS THE FISH. THIS IS JOHN'S ACCOUNT OF THAT 40:09 SAME SITUATION - THAT SAME GATHERING. 40:12 VERSES 21 AND 22, "THEN SAID JESUS TO THEM AGAIN, 'PEACE BE 40:16 UNTO YOU: AS MY FATHER HATH SENT ME, EVEN SO SEND I YOU. 40:24 AND WHEN HE HAD SAID THIS, HE BREATHED ON THEM, AND SAITH 40:29 UNTO THEM, RECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST.'" JESUS WAS PREPARING 40:35 THEM TO RECEIVE THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 40:38 IT WAS A PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE PROMISE 'WHEN YOU GO BACK, 40:41 YOU'RE GOING TO WAIT HERE IN JERUSALEM, YOU SEE, 40:44 YOU'RE GOING TO HANG OUT HERE. THE HOLY SPIRIT'S GOING TO 40:46 DESCEND AND GIVE YOU POWER TO BE MY WITNESSES.' AND IT'S 40:49 INTERESTING, JESUS SAID, 'AS I HAVE BEEN SENT.' AS THE FATHER 40:55 HAS SENT ME, I ALSO SEND YOU.' WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A 41:00 MOMENT. ACTS 4:33. THANKS JOLYNE. 41:04 >>"AND WITH GREAT POWER THE APOSTLES GAVE WITNESS 41:08 TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS. 41:11 AND GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM ALL." 41:13 >>SO THIS IS LUKE'S ACCOUNT OF WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE. 41:16 THANK YOU. WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE AFTER THEY 41:18 HAD RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT - YOU READ THE STORY 41:20 IN ACTS 2 AND YOU CONTINUE THE STORY IN ACTS 3 AND ACTS 4 AND 41:23 THE WONDERFUL THINGS GOD WAS WORKING OUT THROUGH THESE 41:27 WILLING VESSELS BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN ONLY USE SOMEONE 41:30 WHO'S WILLING. HE'S NOT GOING TO FORCE ANYONE INTO SUBMISSION. 41:33 NOT GOING TO PUSH YOU OUT AND NOW DO MY THING FOR ME. 41:36 THE HOLY SPIRIT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. 41:37 THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYS, 'DO YOU CONSENT? ARE YOU WILLING? 41:40 AND I WILL USE YOU.' SO HERE WERE WILLING INDIVIDUALS THAT 41:43 WERE WITNESSING TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD, JESUS. 41:46 GREAT POWER WAS UPON THEM. GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM. 41:51 WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT, IN ESSENCE, OUR WITNESS IS GOING 41:55 TO BE DILUTED. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY AND ON THAT 42:00 PARTICULAR DAY WHEN THIS GENTLEMAN SHARED WITH ME 42:02 HIS STORY, THAT WOULD HAVE - THAT WOULD HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF 42:07 EARS HAD NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT BEEN IMPRESSING MY HEART - 42:11 MAKING AN APPLICATION TO MY LIFE. 42:14 IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE WORDS THAT FELL FROM THE GUY'S LIPS, 42:17 BUT IT WOULDN'T HAVE MADE AN IMPRESSION. 42:19 THAT'S THE HOLY SPIRIT'S JOB. 42:21 SO WHEN WE'RE CALLED TO BE WITNESSES AND TO SHARE JESUS 42:24 WITH OTHERS, OUR JOB'S NOT TO DO THE CONVINCING, OUR JOB IS JUST 42:28 TO SHARE AND TO TELL AND CERTAINLY WE CAN TRY TO BE 42:34 PERSUASIVE. BUT, ULTIMATELY, THE POWER THAT 42:38 WILL IMPACT A PERSON'S LIFE IS THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 42:40 OUR WORK IS DRAMATICALLY DILUTED IF WE DON'T RECEIVE THE HOLY 42:45 SPIRIT. HE COMES WITH CONVINCING AND 42:47 CONVICTING POWER. HE'S THE ONE WHO CONVICTS THE 42:49 WORLD OF SIN AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND OF JUDGMENT. 42:52 THAT'S THE HOLY SPIRIT'S JOB AND WE WORK ALONGSIDE OF HIM, 42:55 YOU SEE. HAVING THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD BRING CHRIST TO HIS 42:59 FOLLOWERS EVEN CLOSER THAN JESUS WAS WHEN HE WAS IN PERSON. 43:03 I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE STOPPED TO THINK ABOUT THAT BUT JESUS 43:06 COULD ONLY BE AT ONE PLACE AT ONE TIME WHEN HE WALKED THIS 43:08 EARTH. BUT WHEN THE HOLY SPRIT WAS SENT, JESUS, IN THE PERSON 43:12 OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, COULD BE PRESENT EVERYWHERE. AND SO, 43:16 IN FACT, THE HOLY SPIRIT COMING - JESUS COULD BE, IN FACT, 43:20 CLOSER TO EACH ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES THAN IF HE WERE 43:22 WALKING IN HUMAN FLESH. I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY POWERFUL. 43:26 WE DON'T OFTEN THINK ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT AS BEING A PERSON 43:29 BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS HE'S KIND OF LIKE WIND - WE DON'T SEE THE 43:32 HOLY SPIRIT - BUT HE'S A PERSON AND HE BRINGS TO US THE LOVE OF 43:38 CHRIST IN OUR HEARTS AND EMPOWERS US AND GIVES US 43:42 COURAGE. THESE WERE DISCIPLES - IN ACTS 4 - THESE DISCIPLES 43:46 PREVIOUSLY WERE COWARDS, RUNNING AWAY FLEEING. 43:49 PETER HAD DENIED HIS LORD. BUT AFTER THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD 43:52 BEEN POURED OUT, THESE GUYS WERE BOLD FOR JESUS AND THEY 43:55 PROCLAIMED THE GOSPEL WITHOUT FEAR. 43:58 THEY EVEN SAID TO THE AUTHORITIES, AFTER THEY TOLD 44:00 THEM 'DON'T YOU COME BACK IN HERE AND SPREAD JESUS' NAME 44:03 AROUND THESE PARTS.' THEY CAME BACK INTO THE TEMPLE COURT AND 44:05 THEY WERE PROCLAIMING JESUS - HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION - AND 44:09 THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS CAME BACK TO THEM AND SAID, 44:11 'DIDN'T WE TELL YOU NOT TO DO THIS?' 44:13 AND THEY SAID, 'WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD, RATHER THAN MEN.' WE'VE 44:18 BEEN GIVEN A COMMISSION AND NOTHING OUGHT TO GET IN THAT 44:20 WAY, NOT WHAT YOU SAY, NOT WHAT YOU SAY, BUT WHAT GOD HAS SAID 44:24 MUST TAKE PRE-EMINENCE. HE SAID, 'GO.' IT'S A COMMAND SO 44:27 WE GO AND WE SHARE THE GOSPEL, YOU SEE. 44:30 NOW REFERRING TO JOHN CHAPTER 20, VERSE 21 WHERE JESUS 44:34 BREATHED ON THEM AND SAID, 'RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.' AND 44:38 WHERE HE SAID, 'PEACE BE TO YOU.' AND 'THE FATHER HAS SENT 44:41 ME AND I, THEREFORE, SEND YOU.' JESUS IS REFERRING - THIS IS A 44:46 COMMISSION, REALLY, OF JESUS - TO THE DISCIPLES - TO YOU AND I 44:49 - OF A CONTINUATION OF THE MINISTRY OF JESUS. 44:53 AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, SO I'M SENDING YOU. 44:58 MORE THAN JUST 'HE SENT ME, I'M SENDING YOU.' BUT 'AS HE HAS 45:02 SENT ME.' WHAT DID JESUS COME INTO THE WORLD TO DO? 45:06 IN JOHN 3:17 JESUS SAID, 'I'VE NOT COME INTO THIS WORLD TO 45:10 CONDEMN THIS WORLD, BUT THAT THE WORLD MIGHT BE SAVED THROUGH 45:13 ME.' YOU SEE? AND SO THIS WAS HOW JESUS WAS SENT. 45:18 HE WAS SENT INTO THIS WORLD TO BLESS AND TO UPLIFT AND TO 45:21 RESTORE AND TO HEAL AND TO TEACH AND TO PREACH. 45:23 AND SO, IN JOHN 20, JESUS IS, IN ESSENCE, COMMISSIONING THE 45:27 CHURCH TO A CONTINUATION OF JESUS' OWN MINISTRY. 45:31 THAT'S WHY HE COULD SAY, 'GREATER WORKS WILL YOU DO WHEN 45:34 I GO TO MY FATHER - THAN I'VE DONE - WHEN I GO TO MY FATHER.' 45:37 HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN DO GREATER THINGS THAN JESUS HAS 45:39 DONE? BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE OF US. 45:42 HE'S GIVEN US THE COMMISSION TO GO. AS A MATTER OF FACT, 45:46 IT'S A COMPLETE MINISTRY THAT JESUS HAS CALLED US TO. 45:49 MATTHEW CHAPTER 9 - JUST TURN THERE QUICKLY WITH ME. 45:51 MATTHEW 9, VERSE 35 - MATTHEW 9, VERSE 35. 45:58 NOTICE THE COMPLETE MINISTRY OF JESUS AND REMEMBER, THIS IS THE 46:02 COMMISSION THE CHURCH HAS BEEN GIVEN. 46:04 THIS IS THE MINISTRY THE CHURCH HAS BEEN GIVEN. 46:06 AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, SO SEND I YOU. 46:08 MATTHEW 9 AND VERSE 35. IT SAYS, "THEN JESUS WENT ABOUT 46:14 ALL THE CITIES AND VILLAGES" - WHAT WAS HE DOING? - "TEACHING 46:18 IN THEIR SYNAGOGUES, PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM, AND 46:24 HEALING EVERY SICKNESS AND EVERY DISEASE AMONG THE PEOPLE. 46:29 BUT WHEN HE SAW THE MULTITUDES, HE WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION." 46:32 AND SO THE WHOLE MINISTRY - THE COMPLETE MINISTRY THAT WE'VE 46:36 BEEN CALLED TO - THE CONTINUATION OF THE MINISTRY 46:40 THAT JESUS DID IS A MINISTRY THAT INVOLVES TEACHING. 46:44 IT'S A MINISTRY THAT INVOLVES PREACHING. 46:47 AND IT'S ALSO A MINISTRY THAT INVOLVES HEALING. 46:50 THEY'RE ALL ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS TO THE COMMISSION 46:54 THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN AS A CHURCH. 46:55 I WISH I COULD SPEND MORE TIME ON THAT BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET 46:58 THROUGH THE DAYS, SO LET'S GO TO WEDNESDAY. 47:00 LET'S GO TO WEDNESDAY - WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR 47:03 WITNESS WOULD BE DILUTED. AND SO, WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT. 47:07 WE NEED TO HAVE LESS OF SELF AND MORE OF HIM. 47:11 WHAT DO YOU SAY? AMEN. ALRIGHT, WEDNESDAY, 'TO MAKE 47:14 DISCIPLES' - WE'RE OVER IN MATTHEW 28 NOW - MATTHEW 28 - 47:18 THESE FAMILIAR WORDS JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES. 47:23 NOW A DISCIPLE - JUST TO CLARIFY TERMS HERE, A DISCIPLE IS, IN 47:28 ESSENCE, A STUDENT OR A TEACHER - OF A TEACHER, RATHER - 47:32 A STUDENT OF A TEACHER. IN THE BIBLICAL SENSE, 47:36 A DISCIPLE IS A FOLLOWER OR AN IMITATOR OF JESUS CHRIST. 47:41 THAT'S WHAT A DISCIPLE IS. AND DID JESUS MAKE DISCIPLES? 47:44 YES. AND SO IF WE ARE DISCIPLES OF 47:47 JESUS, WHAT WILL WE BE DOING? MAKING DISCIPLES OF - 47:51 FOR JESUS, YEAH. NOT DISCIPLES OF ME. 47:53 YOU DON'T WANT ANOTHER ME IN THE WORLD, I CAN ASSURE YOU OF THAT. 47:56 WE'RE MAKING DISCIPLES OF JESUS. TRUE DISCIPLES FOLLOW JESUS, 47:59 THEY RECEIVE HIS WORD, THEY'RE BAPTIZED, THEY CONTINUE TO GROW 48:04 IN HIS GRACE AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH AND THEY MAKE 48:07 DISCIPLES JUST AS JESUS DID, YOU SEE. 48:10 THAT'S, IN THE BIBLICAL SENSE, WHAT A DISCIPLE IS. 48:13 WE WORK ON THE PLAN OF ADDITION WHILE HE WORKS ON THE PLAN OF 48:17 MULTIPLICATION. DON'T YOU LIKE THAT? 48:19 THAT'S A GREAT PROGRAM RIGHT THERE. 48:22 MATTHEW 28, VERSES 18 TO 20 - IT SAYS, "AND JESUS CAME AND SPAKE 48:27 UNTO THEM, SAYING, 'ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME" - NOW I LIKE THAT 48:30 - ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME. THEY HAD SEEN JESUS WALK ON 48:35 WATER, CALM THE RAGING SEA, GIVE SIGHT TO THE BLIND - JESUS 48:42 RAISED THE DEAD AND HE DID THAT AS A MAN. 48:46 AND NOW - CERTAINLY HE WAS THE SON OF GOD AS A MAN, BUT AS, 48:51 NOW, THE GLORIFIED SON OF MAN - SON OF GOD, HE IS SAYING, 48:56 'ALL POWER IS GIVEN TO ME. I LAID MY POWER DOWN WHEN I 49:00 BECAME A MAN AND NOW ALL POWER HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME AND THIS IS 49:04 THE REASON WHY I AM SENDING YOU - "ALL POWER IS GIVEN TO ME IN 49:07 HEAVEN AND IN EARTH. GO YE THEREFORE," - BASED UPON 49:09 THE FACT THAT I HAVE ALL POWER, GO. 49:12 BASED UPON THE FACT THAT YOU'VE SEEN ME DO ALL THESE THINGS BUT 49:14 I HAVE MORE NOW THAN I HAD THEN. 49:16 GO, GO - AND WHAT WAS - WHAT DID HE SAY? 49:20 "GO YE THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS," - OR MAKE DISCIPLES - 49:25 "BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND 49:27 OF THE HOLY GHOST: TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER 49:31 I HAVE COMMANDED YOU: AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN UNTO 49:35 THE END OF THE WORLD.'" AND MATTHEW WRITES "AMEN." 49:40 SO HERE WE ARE GIVEN, IN ESSENCE, FOUR VERBS HERE IN THIS 49:43 PARTICULAR - THESE PARTICULAR VERSES. 49:46 GO, MAKE DISCIPLES, BAPTIZE, AND TEACH. 49:51 THERE ARE THE FOUR OF THEM RIGHT THERE. 49:53 MAKE - APPARENTLY, IN THE ORIGINAL GREEK, IS THE ONLY 49:55 IMPERATIVE VERB - MEANING THE OTHER THREE ARE DEPENDENT ON 49:59 MAKING DISCIPLES. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, TO MAKE A 50:02 DISCIPLE, IT ENCOMPASSES THOSE OTHER THREE. 50:05 TO MAKE A DISCIPLE YOU MUST GO. TO MAKE A DISCIPLE YOU MUST 50:09 BAPTIZE. TO MAKE A DISCIPLE YOU MUST 50:12 EDUCATE - OR YOU MUST TEACH. THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, YOU SEE. 50:16 AND A LOT OF DISCIPLING HAS TO DO WITH MODELING THE LIFE OF 50:24 JESUS. PEOPLE WATCH FROM A DISTANCE. 50:27 IT'S KIND OF MORE PASSIVE LEARNING, BUT OTHERS WALK 50:29 ALONGSIDE OF YOU AND SAY, 'WHY DO YOU DO THIS AND HOW COME YOU 50:31 DO THAT? AND YOU'RE EXPLAINING TO THEM, 50:33 'WELL, YOU KNOW, THE LORD HAS SAID THIS AND HERE I AM CLAIMING 50:35 HIS PROMISE.' AND THIS IS MORE INTIMATE DISCIPLING. 50:38 THIS IS HELPING SOMEONE OUT - GETTING CLOSE TO SOMEBODY. 50:41 JESUS MANDATES THESE THREE ACTIVITIES. 50:44 GO, BAPTIZE AND TEACH, WHICH ARE INVOLVED IN MAKING DISCIPLES AND 50:49 ARE VERY IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF DISCIPLESHIP. 50:54 BAPTISM IS NOT THE END OF THE JOURNEY. 50:56 SOMETIMES CHURCHES VIEW BAPTISM AS A GRADUATION SERVICE. 51:01 'WHEW, FINISHED THE BIBLE STUDIES. 51:03 BAPTISM - GRADUATED - NOW FINISHED. 51:06 NO, BAPTISM IS THE BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY, IS IT NOT? 51:10 SURE, IT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY. 51:12 AND EVEN IF WE'RE TOLD TO GO TO ALL PEOPLE AND SHARE THIS 51:16 GOSPEL, NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO RECEIVE IT, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT 51:19 WE ARE STILL TOLD TO GO BECAUSE JESUS HAS ALL POWER, AMEN? 51:24 AND WE'RE TO TEACH. A LOT OF FOLK ARE BAPTIZED AND 51:27 THEY WALK OUT OF THE CHURCH AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAME IN BECAUSE 51:29 THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN. 51:30 THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE INUNDATED BY 51:32 TEMPTATIONS AND CHALLENGES AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH 51:35 THAT. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF SURRENDER AND 51:38 ALLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK IN THAT PERSON'S LIFE. 51:42 AND SO, AS QUICKLY AS THEY'VE COME IN, THEY QUICKLY LEAVE. 51:44 THEY'RE NOT EDUCATED. THEY'RE NOT TAUGHT. 51:45 THEY DON'T KNOW THE MAIN TEACHINGS OF SCRIPTURE AND WHAT 51:49 IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND SO THIS IS WHAT'S INVOLVED IN 51:52 MAKING DISCIPLES. AND SO, THAT'S OUR JOB. 51:54 THAT'S OUR MISSION AS A CHURCH - TO MAKE DISCIPLES. 51:57 LET'S GO TO THE LAST DAY, THURSDAY. 52:01 I HAVE LESS THAN FOUR MINUTES TO PULL IT OFF. HERE IT IS. 52:08 'PREACH THE GOSPEL' - WE'RE IN MARK NOW, CHAPTER 16, VERSE 15 - 52:11 MARK 16 AND VERSE 15. MARK PRESENTS THE COMMISSION IN 52:17 CONCISENESS AND IN CLARITY. THAT'S MARK'S STYLE. 52:24 MARK 16, VERSE 15 - THIS IS JESUS - "AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, 52:28 'GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO" - 52:32 HOW MANY PEOPLE? - "EVERY CREATURE." 52:34 EVERY PERSON. EVERY SINGLE PERSON. 52:37 GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH. 52:39 THAT'S 'CARUSO' - TO PROCLAIM ALOUD - TO ANNOUNCE - TO PREACH 52:44 TO EVERY CREATURE THE GOSPEL, YOU SEE. 52:48 NOT JUST TO ISRAEL ANYMORE - EVEN THOUGH JESUS HAD TOLD THEM 52:51 'GO TO THE HOUSE OF THE LOST SHEEP OF ISRAEL.' 52:53 BUT GO - I WANT YOU TO GO TO THE ENTIRE WORLD. 52:56 GO TO SAMARIA. GO TO THE OUTER ENDS OF 52:58 THE EARTH AND PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL. 53:00 BE MY WITNESSES ALL OVER THE PLACE. 53:05 AND WHAT GOSPEL IS GOD'S PEOPLE ENCOURAGED TO PROCLAIM? 53:09 GO TO REVELATION CHAPTER 14 - REAL QUICKLY HERE - REVELATION 53:12 14 AND I WILL NOT READ ALL OF THIS, BUT I WANT TO REFERENCE 53:15 IT. REVELATION 14, VERSE 6 - THERE'S 53:18 A SPECIFIC MESSAGE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN HIS CHURCH IN THESE LAST 53:21 DAYS TO PROCLAIM TO THE ENTIRE WORLD. 53:24 NOTICE VERSE 6, "AND I SAW ANOTHER ANGEL FLY IN THE MIDST 53:27 OF HEAVEN, HAVING THE" - WHAT FRIENDS? - "EVERLASTING GOSPEL 53:31 TO PREACH UNTO THEM THAT DWELL ON THE EARTH, AND TO EVERY 53:33 NATION, AND KINDRED, AND TONGUE, AND PEOPLE." 53:36 AND THEN HE PROCEEDS TO HIGHLIGHT THREE DISTINCT POINTS 53:39 THAT FALL UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL: "FEAR 53:43 GOD, GIVE GLORY TO HIM FOR THE HOUR OF HIS JUDGEMENT IS COME 53:46 AND WORSHIP HIM WHO MADE THE HEAVEN, THE EARTH, THE SEA AND 53:48 THE FOUNTAINS OF WATER." THE SECOND ANGEL FOLLOWED 53:50 SAYING, "BABYLON IS FALLEN, IS FALLEN." AND THEN THE THIRD 53:53 ANGEL FOLLOWED SAYING, 'YOU DON'T WANT TO WORSHIP THE BEAST, 53:56 NOR ITS IMAGE OR RECEIVE THE MARK OF THAT BEAST.' 54:01 SO THAT'S THE MESSAGE - GOSPEL MESSAGE. THE GOSPEL IS CERTAINLY 54:05 JESUS CHRIST WHO CAME IN THE FLESH AND LIVED AND THEN 54:08 SUFFERED AND THEN DIED AND ROSE AGAIN THE THIRD DAY. 54:11 BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL, THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO 54:13 CONSIDER THAT THERE IS A JUDGMENT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. 54:16 THERE IS A CALL TO WORSHIP THE CREATOR GOD, BABYLON IS FALLEN, 54:20 AND THEN THE CALL TO NOT WORSHIP THE BEAST - CONTRASTING WITH 54:25 WORSHIPING THE CREATOR, YOU SEE. THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL. 54:29 WILL THE WORK GET DONE? IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A MISSION, 54:32 BUT WILL IT EVER BE ACCOMPLISHED? YEAH, WHEN JFK 54:35 SAID, 'TEN YEARS - IT'S GOING TO BE DONE.' THAT WAS SERIOUS. 54:39 THEY HAD GOALS. THEY HAD PLANS. IT WAS THEIR FOCUS. 54:42 IT MEANT EVERYTHING TO THEM AND THEY PULLED IT OFF. 54:45 THE GOSPEL'S GOT TO GO TO ALL THE WORLD. 54:47 WHAT DOES JESUS SAY IN MATTHEW 24:14? 54:50 WE'RE GOING TO END WITH THIS VERSE. 54:51 IT'S THE ONE WE STARTED WITH, "AND THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM 54:54 SHALL BE PREACHED IN ALL THE WORLD FOR A WITNESS TO ALL 54:57 NATIONS THEN THE END SHALL COME." THERE IT IS. 55:03 THERE'S THE PROMISE RIGHT THERE. 'THE GOSPEL WILL BE PREACHED. 55:06 THE END WILL COME.' IF YOU WANT TO JUST MARK IT DOWN TOO, 55:10 YOU COULD MARK DOWN ROMANS 9:28, "THE LORD WILL CUT SHORT 55:14 THE WORK IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. 55:16 IN RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL HE CUT SHORT THE WORK." 55:20 GOD IS GOING TO GET THE WORK DONE. 55:21 HE WANTS TO USE YOU AND I - FACES LIGHTED UP SPREADING 55:25 ACROSS THIS GLOBE, SHARING THE GOSPEL. 55:28 WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY BEFORE US, IN A TIME OF RELATIVE 55:32 PEACE AND EASE, TO GET THE JOB DONE. 55:36 IF WE DON'T GET IT DONE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET IT DONE 55:38 UNDER THE MOST FORBIDDING DISCOURAGING CIRCUMSTANCES. 55:41 GOD HAS CALLED US TO DO THE WORK AND THE JOB, BY GOD'S GRACE, 55:45 IS GOING TO GET DONE. 55:46 IT'S NOT UP TO THE PREACHER TO DO IT ALONE. 55:51 WE ALL NEED TO PITCH IN AND DO IT TOGETHER. 55:53 A UNITED EFFORT PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL. 55:56 I WANT TO SEE JESUS COME BACK AGAIN. HOW ABOUT YOU? 55:59 THE WAY THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS FOR THIS GOSPEL TO GO TO THE 56:02 ENTIRE WORLD. YOU AND I ARE TO BE A PART OF THAT. 56:04 LET'S GO FORWARD WITH ALL WE'VE GOT UNDER THE UNCTION AND POWER 56:08 OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. SURRENDER TO JESUS. 56:10 WHAT DO YOU SAY? SURE. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING 56:13 US FROM WHEREVER YOU'VE BEEN VIEWING TODAY. 56:15 DON'T FORGET TO CALL IN FOR YOUR FREE OFFER, 56:17 '12 STEPS TO REVIVAL' - OFFER #780 - YOU WANT TO CALL 56:21 1-866-STUDY-MORE OR 1-866-788-3966. 56:26 THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, THANK YOU. 56:29 >>AMAZING FACTS HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE. 56:31 >>I JUST PRAISE GOD FOR AMAZING FACTS. 56:33 >>AMAZING FACTS ACTUALLY DID HAVE AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE. 56:36 >>IT'S ALL A PROCESS, GETTING TO WHERE I AM TODAY. 56:38 >> AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN - >>I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT - 56:41 >>I BEGAN READING THE BIBLE. 56:43 >>I GOT BAPTIZED INTO THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST - 56:46 >>I REALIZED THAT THERE HAD TO BE MORE TO LIFE. 56:48 >>GOD IS REALLY DOING THIS. >>THE LIFE THAT HE'S GIVEN ME. 56:50 >>THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL. >>AMAZING FACTS - MORE THAN 45 56:57 YEARS OF PROCLAIMING GOD'S MESSAGE AROUND THE WORLD. 57:01 >>AND THEN THE LOGO POPS ACROSS - AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 57:05 I'VE LISTENED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT MINISTERS, BUT HE WAS 57:07 - THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE'S ACTUALLY SAYING SOMETHING 57:10 WHERE I HAD TO GRAB MY BIBLE AND ACTUALLY PICK IT UP - AND I'VE 57:13 NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE LET ME - LET ME LOOK THROUGH AND 57:16 FIND THIS. I JUST COULDN'T GET ENOUGH. 57:18 >>AND SO I STARTED DOING BIBLE STUDIES. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF 57:22 THESE GUYS STARTED BEING CHANGED - INCLUDING MYSELF. 57:25 >>MY QUESTION WAS 'WHY DID THAT HAPPEN TO ME, GOD?' THE LORD WAS 57:29 ABLE TO REACH OUT AND - AND I ACTUALLY SAW HIM AS A FATHER. 57:33 >>I LOST EVERYTHING AND THAT WAS WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS 57:37 GOD MISSING IN MY LIFE. >>I WENT TO A PROPHECY SEMINAR 57:40 WHICH KNOCKED ME OUT. THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL AND 57:45 SO IRREFUTABLE AND I JUST WENT 'THIS IS REAL. THIS IS - 57:48 THIS IS AMAZING.' 57:52 >>IF YOU'VE MISSED ANY OF OUR AMAZING FACTS PROGRAMS, 57:55 VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT 'AMAZINGFACTS.ORG'. 57:57 THERE YOU'LL FIND AN ARCHIVE OF ALL OUR TELEVISION AND RADIO 58:00 PROGRAMS, INCLUDING AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 58:03 ONE LOCATION. SO MANY POSSIBILITIES. AMAZINGFACTS.ORG. 58:08 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17