Father in Heaven, we
pause now to ask your presence
00:00:16.33\00:00:21.00
to come here and
be our instructor.
00:00:21.03\00:00:23.38
Father we want to thank you,
you have been with us already
00:00:23.41\00:00:27.01
every night, and we anticipate
and expect that you will with us
00:00:27.04\00:00:30.23
again this evening.
00:00:30.26\00:00:31.63
Father, as we pull back
the curtain that separates
00:00:31.66\00:00:35.78
the seen from the unseen,
as we pull back the curtain
00:00:35.81\00:00:39.78
that separates this
world from the eternal world.
00:00:39.81\00:00:42.89
As we see the war
that is behind the wars,
00:00:42.92\00:00:46.57
we pray tonight that we would
see that this is not just an
00:00:46.60\00:00:49.79
intellectual truth or a concept,
but this is a war that we are
00:00:49.82\00:00:54.46
very much involved in ourselves.
00:00:54.49\00:00:57.04
Father, may we be making
decisions, daily decisions,
00:00:57.07\00:01:01.11
that plainly align ourselves,
with Christ and with you.
00:01:01.14\00:01:06.66
Please Father be with us
now as we open your Word,
00:01:06.69\00:01:10.35
as we're asking
you to open our hearts,
00:01:10.38\00:01:12.94
in the marvelous
name, of Jesus Christ,
00:01:12.97\00:01:15.45
let everyone say Amen.
00:01:15.48\00:01:17.99
Excellent!
00:01:18.02\00:01:19.35
Now last night
just as we were closing,
00:01:19.38\00:01:21.06
I realized that I did not get
through the last two paragraphs
00:01:21.09\00:01:24.66
of last night's presentation.
00:01:24.69\00:01:26.34
I originally thought, you
know what we'll do is we'll
00:01:26.37\00:01:28.02
spend the first part of
tonight doing that, but actually
00:01:28.05\00:01:30.55
what we are going to do is
sort of spend a little time
00:01:30.58\00:01:32.69
in review, and my hunch
is that you will be able
00:01:32.72\00:01:35.58
to figure those blanks
from last evenings presentation,
00:01:35.61\00:01:39.38
and if you are not, you
can come and ask me about it
00:01:39.41\00:01:41.10
personally, and I
will help you fill them in.
00:01:41.13\00:01:43.51
So let's go right to the
introductory paragraph on
00:01:43.54\00:01:45.96
tonight's study guide, right
to the introductory paragraph.
00:01:45.99\00:01:49.16
It says in the last
two lessons we learned,
00:01:49.19\00:01:52.40
that there is a
great "what" everyone?
00:01:52.43\00:01:55.11
"Battle," waging between the
forces of light and darkness,
00:01:55.14\00:01:59.09
good and evil, that
might sound a little bit like
00:01:59.12\00:02:01.18
Star Wars to you,
but this was occurring
00:02:01.21\00:02:03.64
long before George
Lucas came on the scene.
00:02:03.67\00:02:06.63
Satan's undiluted
fury is being poured out
00:02:06.66\00:02:10.01
upon this planet,
we saw that last night
00:02:10.04\00:02:12.04
in Revelation 12:
00:02:12.07\00:02:13.38
we read the whole
chapter through and saw that.
00:02:13.41\00:02:17.04
He has already
been cast out of heaven
00:02:17.07\00:02:18.95
and is now confined
to "where" everyone?
00:02:18.98\00:02:22.10
To this planet!
00:02:22.13\00:02:23.56
If we are to withstand the
increasing and ongoing attacks
00:02:23.59\00:02:27.56
of the Devil, then we
must have a potent and powerful
00:02:27.59\00:02:30.69
weapon to employ.
00:02:30.72\00:02:32.14
Fortunately the Book
of Revelation promises
00:02:32.17\00:02:34.38
just such weapon, in this
lesson we learn about this
00:02:34.41\00:02:38.08
important weapon.
00:02:38.11\00:02:40.10
Look with me at the screen
here, just by way of review,
00:02:40.13\00:02:43.03
we have learned that all of
the evil in world is traceable
00:02:43.06\00:02:47.34
to a rebellion.
00:02:47.37\00:02:48.86
Lucifer an exalted angel, made
the choice to rebel against God,
00:02:48.89\00:02:54.14
and became Satan, or
Sawtawn, the fallen foe.
00:02:54.17\00:02:58.78
Last night we looked at the
six stages of the great battle,
00:02:58.81\00:03:03.26
this great conflict that
exists between the forces
00:03:03.29\00:03:06.41
of light and
darkness, and good and evil.
00:03:06.44\00:03:08.76
1. The victory was declared,
who remembers where everyone?
00:03:08.79\00:03:12.17
In the Garden of
Eden, that's exactly right.
00:03:12.20\00:03:15.58
Remember there Genesis
3:15, God comes into the garden,
00:03:15.61\00:03:18.39
He says I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
00:03:18.42\00:03:21.12
and between your
seed and her seed,
00:03:21.15\00:03:22.94
and it will crush your head.
00:03:22.97\00:03:25.42
2. The victory then began, in
the earthly ministry of Jesus,
00:03:25.45\00:03:29.43
remember Luke 11: "He
said, when a strong man
00:03:29.46\00:03:31.98
is guarding his house,
then everything is fine,
00:03:32.01\00:03:34.59
but when a stronger
than he overcomes him,
00:03:34.62\00:03:37.12
he could spoil his goods. "
00:03:37.15\00:03:38.97
That's exactly what
we find in the gospels.
00:03:39.00\00:03:41.18
Jesus begins to heal and to
restore, and even to Resurrect
00:03:41.21\00:03:45.17
so that those that
Satan had claimed for his own
00:03:45.20\00:03:48.56
were being reclaimed
by the Lord Jesus Christ
00:03:48.59\00:03:51.54
in His earthly ministry.
00:03:51.57\00:03:52.77
Can you say "Amen" to that?
00:03:52.80\00:03:53.81
- Amen! - Praise the Lord!
00:03:53.84\00:03:54.90
Everybody who has put
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:03:54.93\00:03:57.54
has been reclaimed from
Satan and his captivity.
00:03:57.57\00:04:01.35
3. The victory has been
achieved "where" everyone?
00:04:01.38\00:04:05.44
On the cross,
that's exactly right.
00:04:05.47\00:04:07.14
We'll spend a lot of
time on that this evening.
00:04:07.17\00:04:08.89
4. The victory was proclaimed by
the "resurrection," very good.
00:04:08.92\00:04:14.47
5. The victory is
continued in the church,
00:04:14.50\00:04:17.41
the church, that's
right, in all of our lives,
00:04:17.44\00:04:19.29
the victory of Christ
over Satan is being carried out
00:04:19.32\00:04:23.14
in this present world.
00:04:23.17\00:04:24.83
6. The victory is
concluded in Revelation 20:
00:04:24.86\00:04:28.73
when Satan himself is
dealt that final death blow.
00:04:28.76\00:04:33.84
The end of Satan, the victory
concluded when he is cast
00:04:33.87\00:04:37.16
into the lake of fire.
00:04:37.19\00:04:38.38
Can you say "Amen" to that?
00:04:38.41\00:04:39.80
That is going to
be a glorious day.
00:04:39.83\00:04:42.11
We also read Revelation
12: through in it's entirety,
00:04:42.14\00:04:45.58
and we saw the 5 central
elements of Revelation 12:
00:04:45.61\00:04:49.87
1. Was the woman. Now
what does a woman represent
00:04:49.90\00:04:54.13
in Bible prophecy?
00:04:54.16\00:04:55.22
The church or the people of God.
00:04:55.25\00:04:57.06
2. The wily
dragon. Who was the dragon
00:04:57.09\00:05:00.09
in Revelation 12:?
00:05:00.12\00:05:01.75
That's right Satan, or Sawtawn.
00:05:01.78\00:05:03.82
3. The war. Remember
war broke out in Heaven
00:05:03.85\00:05:08.74
and remember the
war begins in Heaven,
00:05:08.77\00:05:10.87
but where will
that war be concluded?
00:05:10.90\00:05:13.13
On earth, that exactly right.
00:05:13.16\00:05:14.78
4. The weapon.
That's what we're going
00:05:14.81\00:05:16.93
to talk about tonight,
the cross of Jesus Christ.
00:05:16.96\00:05:19.48
5. The winners.
Revelation 12:17,
00:05:19.51\00:05:22.32
A powerful verse, it says
"The dragon was wroth with
00:05:22.35\00:05:25.70
the woman," and
went to make war with
00:05:25.73\00:05:28.13
the rest of her offspring,
those who keep the commandments
00:05:28.16\00:05:31.19
of God, and have
the testimony of Jesus.
00:05:31.22\00:05:33.60
Verse 11: also says
that they overcame him
00:05:33.63\00:05:35.99
by the blood of the Lamb, and
by the word of their testimony.
00:05:36.02\00:05:39.82
Let's open our Bibles to
Revelation and the 12th chapter.
00:05:39.85\00:05:42.81
Revelation 12: the
last book of the Bible,
00:05:42.84\00:05:46.00
Revelation chapter 12:
00:05:46.03\00:05:48.83
Last night was the
war behind wars part one,
00:05:48.86\00:05:53.11
tonight the war
behind the wars part two.
00:05:53.14\00:05:56.25
Let's look at Revelation
12: and hone in on verse 10.
00:05:56.28\00:06:01.89
Verse 10, it says "Then I heard
a loud voice saying in Heaven.
00:06:01.92\00:06:07.13
Now salvation and strength
and the kingdom of our God,
00:06:07.16\00:06:12.70
and the power of His Christ
have come for the accuser of
00:06:12.73\00:06:16.87
our brethren who
accused them before our God,
00:06:16.91\00:06:19.01
day and night" has
been "what" everyone?
00:06:19.04\00:06:20.97
Cast down! You can
actually fill that in
00:06:21.00\00:06:23.66
right there.
00:06:23.69\00:06:24.66
That verse Revelation 12:10
is the blanks that should be
00:06:24.67\00:06:28.59
filled in there, under
the sub-heading of the cross.
00:06:28.62\00:06:30.99
Who remembers how many
times does that word cast
00:06:31.03\00:06:34.46
occur here in Revelation 12:?
00:06:34.49\00:06:36.22
Five times, three
times in verse nine alone,
00:06:36.25\00:06:40.17
and two other times.
00:06:40.20\00:06:41.37
He was cast out, he was
cast out, he was cast out.
00:06:41.40\00:06:44.75
There on your study guide,
it says the blank of blank,
00:06:44.78\00:06:48.27
is Revelations blank.
00:06:48.30\00:06:49.72
The cross of Jesus
Christ is Revelations weapon,
00:06:49.75\00:06:55.54
beloved you can not fight
the devil in your own strength.
00:06:55.57\00:06:58.16
You cannot fight the
Devil with your fists.
00:06:58.19\00:07:00.77
In order to overcome
Satan, we need a weapon far more
00:07:00.80\00:07:04.25
powerful than that, far
more spiritual than that.
00:07:04.28\00:07:07.52
The only thing that we
can employ to overcome Satan,
00:07:07.55\00:07:10.91
and his sophistries is
the cross of Jesus Christ.
00:07:10.94\00:07:14.66
Can you say Amen?
00:07:14.69\00:07:15.98
Look at verse 11, we
just read Revelation 12:10,
00:07:16.01\00:07:19.25
look now at verse 11.
00:07:19.28\00:07:20.48
It says, "And they overcame
him by the "what" everyone?"
00:07:20.51\00:07:24.51
The blood of the Lamb, and by
the word of their testimony. "
00:07:24.54\00:07:30.83
So that's what you would write
in there in numbers one and two.
00:07:30.86\00:07:33.94
They overcame him by
the blood of the Lamb,
00:07:33.97\00:07:36.38
the blood was
shed "where" everyone?
00:07:36.41\00:07:38.33
On the cross, and by
the word of their testimony.
00:07:38.36\00:07:42.96
So there at the bottom of that
first page of the study guide,
00:07:42.99\00:07:46.93
it says that is the
cross, and the individuals
00:07:46.96\00:07:52.37
personal
experience with that cross.
00:07:52.40\00:07:56.94
Think of it this way.
00:07:56.97\00:07:58.07
Jesus' death on the
cross is an historical event,
00:07:58.10\00:08:02.54
"What" kind of event everyone?
00:08:02.57\00:08:04.31
Historical event!
00:08:04.34\00:08:06.03
It happened
some 2,000 years ago,
00:08:06.06\00:08:07.50
but that historical event will
not benefit you in an eternal
00:08:07.53\00:08:11.62
sense, unless you accept
it as your personal salvation.
00:08:11.65\00:08:16.51
Jesus is the
Saviour of the world,
00:08:16.54\00:08:19.07
but in order for it to
benefit you in an eternal sense,
00:08:19.10\00:08:22.28
He has to become
your personal Saviour.
00:08:22.31\00:08:25.96
Can you say Amen?
00:08:25.99\00:08:27.14
That's why it
says there in verse 11,
00:08:27.17\00:08:28.74
they needed both things,
they needed the historical fact
00:08:28.77\00:08:31.35
of Jesus death, and then
they needed their own testimony
00:08:31.38\00:08:34.65
with that historical fact,
and beloved Jesus is alive!
00:08:34.68\00:08:39.98
Amen!
00:08:40.01\00:08:41.06
Jesus is alive!
00:08:41.09\00:08:42.42
I'm on page two
now of the study guide.
00:08:42.45\00:08:44.69
Now we say sure
Satan was cast out,
00:08:44.72\00:08:47.93
but why did God wait?
00:08:47.96\00:08:51.15
How many times I
have heard the question,
00:08:51.18\00:08:53.85
Why didn't God just destroy the
Devil right at the beginning?
00:08:53.88\00:08:57.07
How many people here have
ever thought that or heard that
00:08:57.10\00:08:59.31
question before?
00:08:59.34\00:09:00.31
I mean if God knew the Devil
was going to do what he did,
00:09:00.34\00:09:02.21
why didn't he just
destroy him at the outset?
00:09:02.24\00:09:04.67
That is an excellent question.
00:09:04.70\00:09:06.86
Notice the top of page
two in the study guide.
00:09:06.89\00:09:09.63
It says as we
discovered last lesson,
00:09:09.66\00:09:12.22
Satan was cast out of
Heaven following Jesus death
00:09:12.25\00:09:16.64
on the cross.
00:09:16.67\00:09:17.84
I quote for you
very quickly, John 12:31,
00:09:17.87\00:09:20.49
remember what Jesus said?
00:09:20.52\00:09:21.56
"Now is the
judgment of this world,
00:09:21.59\00:09:24.70
now the prince of this
world will be cast out. "
00:09:24.73\00:09:28.44
Then verse 32, "And I, if I
am lifted up from the earth,
00:09:28.47\00:09:32.34
I will draw all men unto me. "
00:09:32.37\00:09:35.60
Jesus says in the
context of the cross,
00:09:35.63\00:09:38.78
Satan was cast out.
00:09:38.81\00:09:40.99
In the context of the
cross Satan's insinuations
00:09:41.02\00:09:45.04
and accusations were judged
and he was cast to the earth.
00:09:45.07\00:09:49.43
Now you are still
there in Revelation 12:
00:09:49.46\00:09:51.56
notice with me verse 12.
00:09:51.59\00:09:53.94
Revelation 12:12,
what's the first word everyone?
00:09:53.97\00:09:57.86
Therefore!, and when you see
the word therefore in the Bible,
00:09:57.89\00:10:01.38
you ask yourself,
what's it there for?
00:10:01.41\00:10:03.69
That's right, "Therefore on
the basis of the fact that Satan
00:10:03.72\00:10:07.33
has been cast out, therefore
on the basis of the fact
00:10:07.36\00:10:10.97
that the kingdom of
God has come, and the power
00:10:11.00\00:10:13.29
of his Christ,
therefore rejoice,
00:10:13.32\00:10:16.79
"who" according to that verse?
00:10:16.82\00:10:18.87
Oh Heavens, and
you who dwell in them,
00:10:18.90\00:10:22.11
but woe to the inhabitants
of the earth, and the sea," why?
00:10:22.14\00:10:28.35
Because the Devil has
come down to you having "what"
00:10:28.38\00:10:30.86
everyone?
00:10:30.89\00:10:32.22
Great wrath, because he
knows he has just a short time.
00:10:32.25\00:10:36.06
Fascinating, isn't it?
00:10:36.09\00:10:38.16
What John is saying here
is, if you live in heaven,
00:10:38.19\00:10:41.18
then rejoice because
Satan has been cast out.
00:10:41.21\00:10:43.48
If however you live
on the earth, woe to you.
00:10:43.51\00:10:47.00
The word woe means,
doom, it means danger,
00:10:47.03\00:10:51.00
watch out, then
look at verse 13.
00:10:51.03\00:10:53.95
It says "When the dragon
saw that he had been cast
00:10:53.98\00:10:58.24
to the earth, he
persecuted the woman,"
00:10:58.27\00:11:02.47
and who is the woman everyone?
00:11:02.50\00:11:03.47
The church, he persecuted
the church, and this attack
00:11:03.48\00:11:07.77
on the church reaches
its climax, it's escalation,
00:11:07.80\00:11:12.82
in verse 17, look at that.
00:11:12.85\00:11:14.57
And the dragon was enraged,
Old King James, "wroth,"
00:11:14.60\00:11:21.05
with the woman, and went
to make war with the rest
00:11:21.08\00:11:24.73
of her offspring, who
keep the commandment of God,
00:11:24.76\00:11:27.72
and the testimony of Jesus.
00:11:27.75\00:11:30.08
Now look at this, right there
at the top of the second page.
00:11:30.11\00:11:33.77
As we discovered last lesson,
Satan was cast out of Heaven
00:11:33.80\00:11:38.53
following Jesus'
death on the cross.
00:11:38.56\00:11:40.39
Now this will be new for some
of you so listen very carefully.
00:11:40.42\00:11:43.52
Prior to this Satan
still had limited access
00:11:43.55\00:11:49.19
to Heavenly beings.
00:11:49.22\00:11:50.31
You say "what,"
there was limited access,
00:11:50.34\00:11:52.86
absolutely.
00:11:52.89\00:11:53.99
Open your Bible
to the book of Job:
00:11:54.02\00:11:56.75
"What" book everyone?
00:11:56.78\00:11:58.34
Job! That's in
the Old Testament,
00:11:58.37\00:12:00.38
if you open up right to
the middle of your Bible.
00:12:00.41\00:12:02.73
You will probably be in
Psalms: and it's the book
00:12:02.76\00:12:05.92
immediately before Psalms:
00:12:05.95\00:12:07.62
Job chapter "what", Job
1, beginning in verse 6,
00:12:07.66\00:12:19.02
Job 1:6, it says, "Now there
was a day when the sons of God
00:12:19.05\00:12:26.39
came to present
themselves before the Lord.
00:12:26.42\00:12:29.93
Now we are not told where this
heavenly council is convened,
00:12:29.96\00:12:32.80
it doesn't say
where it took place.
00:12:32.83\00:12:34.69
But we know by the context
that it didn't take place
00:12:34.72\00:12:37.93
on planet earth.
00:12:37.96\00:12:38.93
You say well,
how do you know that?
00:12:38.94\00:12:39.91
I will explain in just a moment.
00:12:39.92\00:12:41.04
There was a day
when the sons of God came
00:12:41.07\00:12:43.48
to present
themselves before the Lord,
00:12:43.51\00:12:45.01
and who also came among them?
00:12:45.05\00:12:47.45
Satan.
00:12:47.48\00:12:48.73
Yeah, that's right the
Devil comes walking in,
00:12:48.76\00:12:50.13
Oh! hey! You are
all here, I just thought
00:12:50.16\00:12:51.85
I would come and join.
00:12:51.88\00:12:52.85
Now watch what happens next.
00:12:52.86\00:12:55.27
Verse 7, And the Lord said to
Satan, from where do you come?
00:12:55.30\00:13:01.16
In other words, where
are you coming here from?
00:13:01.19\00:13:03.94
Now if they
were on planet earth,
00:13:03.97\00:13:05.76
God wouldn't have
asked that question.
00:13:05.79\00:13:07.12
He would say,
where are you from?
00:13:07.15\00:13:08.65
Well, what do you
mean where am I from?
00:13:08.68\00:13:09.65
I'm here where I've always been.
00:13:09.66\00:13:10.88
He asks the
question, where are you from,
00:13:10.91\00:13:13.83
and I want you to
notice his response.
00:13:13.86\00:13:15.28
So Satan answered the Lord
and said, from going to and fro
00:13:15.31\00:13:20.63
on the earth, and from
walking back and forth on it.
00:13:20.66\00:13:25.97
He basically says,
oh I've come from earth.
00:13:26.00\00:13:28.49
Now again, we don't
know exactly where this
00:13:28.52\00:13:30.92
heavenly council was convened,
but we know it must have been
00:13:30.95\00:13:31.92
somewhere other than this earth.
00:13:31.95\00:13:36.13
Verse 8, Then the Lord said
to Satan, have you considered
00:13:36.16\00:13:39.92
my servant Job, that there
is none like him on the earth
00:13:39.95\00:13:43.46
a blameless and
upright man, one who fears God,
00:13:43.49\00:13:47.08
and shuns evil.
00:13:47.11\00:13:48.69
It's very interesting,
when God says to Satan,
00:13:48.73\00:13:51.01
where are you coming
from and he says earth.
00:13:51.04\00:13:52.66
What he is basically saying
is just walking to and fro,
00:13:52.69\00:13:55.65
down on my planet, you know,
just thought I would show up
00:13:55.68\00:13:58.71
to your little
meeting here from "my place,"
00:13:58.74\00:14:01.00
and God says wait a minute,
you think that's your place.
00:14:01.03\00:14:04.16
Have you thought
about my servant Job?
00:14:04.19\00:14:06.03
My seventh Job doesn't
go along with your plans.
00:14:06.06\00:14:08.24
My servant Job doesn't go
along with your principles.
00:14:08.27\00:14:11.02
Then Satan raises an
accusation against God.
00:14:11.05\00:14:15.50
He raises a "what" everyone?
00:14:15.53\00:14:16.88
An accusation!
We already saw that
00:14:16.91\00:14:18.75
in Revelation 12: that
Satan is called the accuser,
00:14:18.78\00:14:23.37
notice this
accusation in verse 9.
00:14:23.40\00:14:25.41
"So Satan
answered the Lord and said,
00:14:25.44\00:14:27.75
does Job fear God for nothing?"
00:14:27.78\00:14:30.81
He basically
says are you kidding?
00:14:30.84\00:14:33.01
Of course he's obedient.
00:14:33.04\00:14:34.51
Verse 10, have you not
made a hedge around him,
00:14:34.54\00:14:37.08
around his household,
and around all that he had
00:14:37.11\00:14:39.44
on every side.
00:14:39.47\00:14:40.44
You have blessed the work of
his hands and his possessions
00:14:40.45\00:14:42.65
have increased in the land,
but now, stretch out your hand
00:14:42.68\00:14:45.69
and touch all that he has, and
he will curse you to your face.
00:14:45.72\00:14:49.90
Is that an
accusation, yes or no?
00:14:49.93\00:14:52.49
I mean think of
basically what he is saying,
00:14:52.52\00:14:54.45
that would be like
me saying, you know,
00:14:54.48\00:14:55.62
I am talking to
someone and I say,
00:14:55.65\00:14:57.18
Oh my wife loves me so much
00:14:57.21\00:14:58.55
and they say, yeah right!
00:14:58.58\00:14:59.89
You think your wife loves
you, she only loves you because
00:14:59.92\00:15:02.80
you buy her all those flowers.
00:15:02.83\00:15:05.64
If my wife wasn't here I
would say a lot more, ummm!
00:15:05.67\00:15:10.49
Ah, You love her
because you are so nice to her,
00:15:10.52\00:15:12.80
I'm trying to come
up with something here,
00:15:12.83\00:15:13.89
sorry sweetheart, I
didn't mean to put you
00:15:13.92\00:15:14.89
on the spot like that.
00:15:14.90\00:15:15.91
But you can just
imagine, you know if I said,
00:15:15.94\00:15:17.74
oh my wife and I we have
a wonderful relationship,
00:15:17.77\00:15:19.75
and someone comes in and says,
00:15:19.78\00:15:20.75
you don't have a good
relationship with your wife.
00:15:20.76\00:15:22.26
In fact, the only reason
your wife likes you at all
00:15:22.29\00:15:24.73
is that you do a
bunch of good stuff for her.
00:15:24.76\00:15:26.53
Her appreciation of
you is not really for you,
00:15:26.56\00:15:29.11
it's just
because of the goodies.
00:15:29.14\00:15:30.80
Is that an
accusation, yes or no?
00:15:30.83\00:15:33.32
Now get this whole
scene in your mind.
00:15:33.35\00:15:35.76
It's really an amazing scene.
00:15:35.79\00:15:38.28
God here has
convened a heavenly council,
00:15:38.31\00:15:41.30
and all of the sons
of God, these must be
00:15:41.33\00:15:43.53
heavenly
intelligences of some kind,
00:15:43.56\00:15:45.60
have presented themselves
before God and here comes
00:15:45.63\00:15:48.10
the Devil walking
into the assembly.
00:15:48.13\00:15:49.89
God says, Hey what
are you doing here?
00:15:49.92\00:15:51.62
You know, I've just been
walking down to my planet,
00:15:51.65\00:15:53.73
just hanging
out on planet earth.
00:15:53.76\00:15:55.61
You think that's your planet?
00:15:55.64\00:15:56.88
What about my servant Job?
00:15:56.91\00:15:58.32
He doesn't go along with you,
with your governing principles,
00:15:58.35\00:16:00.99
with your ways.
00:16:01.02\00:16:01.99
Ahh!, Job, I mean really, the
only reason that Job loves you,
00:16:02.00\00:16:05.82
the only reason that
Job respects you is that
00:16:05.85\00:16:08.24
you take care of him
and give him good stuff.
00:16:08.27\00:16:10.34
Is that an
accusation, yes or no?
00:16:10.37\00:16:13.62
It's a huge accusation,
and it is only a case and point
00:16:13.65\00:16:18.26
of the very kinds of accusations
that Satan raised against God
00:16:18.29\00:16:22.35
beginning back in heaven.
00:16:22.38\00:16:24.64
Revelation 12:7, it says
"And war broke out in heaven. "
00:16:24.67\00:16:34.37
That word war is a
very interesting word.
00:16:34.40\00:16:37.70
You might to make
just a note of this,
00:16:37.73\00:16:39.54
the word war is
the Greek word polemia,
00:16:39.57\00:16:44.14
POLEMIA would be the
English transliteration.
00:16:44.17\00:16:47.89
Think about that, there's an
English word called polemics,
00:16:47.92\00:16:52.11
How many of you have heard
that word before, polemics?
00:16:52.14\00:16:54.41
It's basically arguing, the
Bible says when war broke out
00:16:54.44\00:16:59.86
in heaven, the primary
manifestation of that war,
00:16:59.89\00:17:02.82
listen very
carefully, was not physical.
00:17:02.85\00:17:06.89
It was not "what" everyone?
00:17:06.92\00:17:08.30
Physical, the word polemia
means it was a war of words,
00:17:08.33\00:17:13.06
it was a war of ideas,
it was a war of accusations,
00:17:13.09\00:17:17.98
and insinuations.
00:17:18.01\00:17:19.91
How many of you have ever
heard of the Christian writer,
00:17:19.94\00:17:22.60
well known Christian writer,
C.S. Lewis, raise your hand.
00:17:22.63\00:17:25.44
Excellent! Love that brother!
00:17:25.47\00:17:27.25
One of my all time
favorite Christian authors.
00:17:27.28\00:17:29.27
He wrote a book
entitled God Is In The Dock.
00:17:29.30\00:17:33.76
Now C.S. Lewis was an English
man, and in the English court
00:17:33.79\00:17:39.46
the dock was the place
that the person was on trial
00:17:39.49\00:17:43.18
gave their defense.
00:17:43.21\00:17:44.64
How many of you knew that?
00:17:44.67\00:17:46.09
So when C.S. Lewis
says God is in the dock,
00:17:46.12\00:17:48.66
what he is saying
is God is on trial,
00:17:48.69\00:17:52.65
accusations have been raised
against God, incidentally,
00:17:52.68\00:17:56.60
many people in modern
times have picked up on
00:17:56.63\00:17:59.11
Satan's accusations.
00:17:59.14\00:18:00.40
You can read in your
own insurance policies
00:18:00.43\00:18:03.06
that there are certain
ways that insurance companies
00:18:03.09\00:18:06.00
can get out of paying you
because of "acts of God. "
00:18:06.03\00:18:11.12
Have you read that, and
the acts of God is anything bad
00:18:11.15\00:18:13.83
that happens in the world.
00:18:13.86\00:18:15.00
We have this idea that God
is the causer of bad things,
00:18:15.03\00:18:19.45
but we have already
seen in our study when Jesus
00:18:19.48\00:18:22.25
found that woman
there and healed her.
00:18:22.28\00:18:24.03
He said whom Satan
has, do you remember, bound,
00:18:24.06\00:18:29.08
and also when he
spread the good seed out,
00:18:29.11\00:18:31.62
and the weeds came up,
the servants came and said,
00:18:31.65\00:18:34.41
hey, where did all
the weeds come from?
00:18:34.44\00:18:35.97
Remember he said five words,
"an enemy has done this. "
00:18:36.00\00:18:42.02
These so called acts of
God are not acts of God at all,
00:18:42.05\00:18:46.41
God is getting a very
bad rep in the universe.
00:18:46.44\00:18:51.01
These accusations are
being leveled against Him.
00:18:51.04\00:18:54.41
Go back to your study
guide, according to Job we see,
00:18:54.44\00:18:59.10
that some time
after the creation event,
00:18:59.13\00:19:02.02
Satan had limited
access, "what kind of access?"
00:19:02.05\00:19:06.05
Limited access to
heavenly intelligences.
00:19:06.08\00:19:10.28
But at the cross
that access ceased,
00:19:10.31\00:19:14.39
and that's what
John says in Revelation,
00:19:14.42\00:19:16.19
Rejoice, "who everyone," Oh
heavens, because at the cross
00:19:16.22\00:19:22.62
all of the on looking heavenly
intelligences, all of heaven,
00:19:22.65\00:19:27.34
saw that Satan was a murderer.
00:19:27.37\00:19:30.19
Let's continue on,
right there in your lesson.
00:19:30.22\00:19:32.55
The cross convinced the
universe, that Satan's ideas,
00:19:32.58\00:19:37.06
plans, and accusations
were groundless and false.
00:19:37.09\00:19:41.22
But why didn't God just
destroy Satan in the beginning?
00:19:41.25\00:19:43.95
After all He certainly
knew what was going to happen
00:19:43.98\00:19:46.66
with Satan's rebellion.
00:19:46.69\00:19:48.00
In order to understand
this we go back to the
00:19:48.03\00:19:50.94
parable of wheat and the tares.
00:19:50.97\00:19:53.20
Go to Matthew 13: first
book of the New Testament.
00:19:53.23\00:19:56.77
Now tonight, how many of you
again, have ever asked yourself
00:19:56.80\00:19:59.91
that question?
00:19:59.94\00:20:00.91
If God knew what the
Devil was going to do,
00:20:00.92\00:20:02.45
why didn't He just "shoot,"
00:20:02.48\00:20:03.95
snuff him out
right at the beginning.
00:20:03.99\00:20:05.67
Raise you hand if you
have ever wondered that.
00:20:05.71\00:20:06.73
Here's the answer,
it's the Biblical answer,
00:20:06.76\00:20:11.54
and it's a powerfully
logical compelling answer.
00:20:11.57\00:20:15.57
Matthew chapter 13,
Matthew "what chapter everyone?"
00:20:15.60\00:20:20.03
13, we're going
back to that parable,
00:20:20.06\00:20:22.50
The parable of the man who
sowed the seeds in the field.
00:20:22.53\00:20:26.78
Matthew chapter 13, we
will pick it up in verse 24.
00:20:26.81\00:20:30.89
Another parable He
put forth to them saying:
00:20:30.92\00:20:34.04
"The kingdom of heaven
is like a man who sowed,
00:20:34.08\00:20:38.17
"what kind of
seed in his field?"
00:20:38.20\00:20:39.75
"good seed," verse
25, but while men slept,
00:20:39.78\00:20:42.59
his enemy came and
sowed tares among the wheat,
00:20:42.62\00:20:43.60
and went his way.
00:20:43.63\00:20:47.30
But when the grain had
sprouted and produce a crop,
00:20:47.33\00:20:49.89
and the tares also appeared,
so the servants of the owner
00:20:49.92\00:20:52.67
came and said "Sir do you not
sow good seed in your field?"
00:20:52.70\00:20:57.53
How then does it have
tares, in other words,
00:20:57.56\00:20:59.28
where did all of
these weeds come from?"
00:20:59.31\00:21:01.45
He said to them five
words, say it with me.
00:21:01.48\00:21:03.78
An enemy has done this.
00:21:03.81\00:21:07.02
Exactly right! The
servant said to him.
00:21:07.05\00:21:08.89
Do you want us then
to go and gather them up?
00:21:08.92\00:21:11.78
Hey! We'll do you a favor and
gather up all of the bad stuff,
00:21:11.81\00:21:14.07
notice his response.
00:21:14.10\00:21:16.58
But he said "what?" No!, Why!,
00:21:16.61\00:21:21.50
"Lest while you gather up
the tares, you also uproot the
00:21:22.00\00:21:25.69
wheat with them," now look
at verse 30, this is the key.
00:21:25.72\00:21:29.34
"Let both grow
together until the harvest
00:21:29.37\00:21:35.92
and in the time of the harvest
I will say to the reapers.
00:21:35.95\00:21:39.15
First gather together the
tares and bind them in bundles,
00:21:39.18\00:21:41.85
and burn them, but
gather the wheat into my barn. "
00:21:41.88\00:21:45.14
Now remember we don't have to
wonder what this parable means
00:21:45.17\00:21:47.51
because we can go right
to Jesus own interpretation
00:21:47.54\00:21:50.23
in verse 37.
00:21:50.26\00:21:51.30
Look at verse 37.
00:21:51.33\00:21:52.90
He who sows the good
seed is who everyone?
00:21:52.93\00:21:55.91
Son of man!
00:21:55.94\00:21:57.40
The field is the world, the
good seeds are the sons of the
00:21:57.43\00:22:01.34
kingdom, but the tares are
the sons of the wicked one,
00:22:01.37\00:22:03.55
the enemy who sowed them is
the Devil, now look at this,
00:22:03.58\00:22:07.61
the harvest is, the end of
the world, yeah, the end of the
00:22:07.64\00:22:12.32
world, your Bible maybe
says world, my Bible says,
00:22:12.35\00:22:14.96
the end of the age, and
that's actually the word.
00:22:14.99\00:22:18.32
It's not the word for world, in
the sense of this terra firma,
00:22:18.35\00:22:22.25
this planet, it's the end of
the age, the end of this era.
00:22:22.28\00:22:26.91
You have to wait
until the harvest.
00:22:26.94\00:22:30.33
Wait until the "what" everyone?
00:22:30.36\00:22:32.85
Harvest! Are
there any gardeners here
00:22:32.88\00:22:34.47
this evening, any gardeners,
do you have a green thumb,
00:22:34.50\00:22:36.63
anyone here, Ok
just about two of you.
00:22:36.67\00:22:39.88
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
00:22:39.91\00:22:41.44
Well listen, you are exactly
the reason why this parable
00:22:41.47\00:22:45.83
will make so much sense ok.
00:22:45.86\00:22:47.71
We are reading right
from our study guide.
00:22:47.74\00:22:49.81
It can be difficult to
distinguish desirable plants
00:22:49.84\00:22:55.62
and non desirable weeds
when they first begin to sprout.
00:22:55.65\00:22:59.77
Is that true of false?
00:22:59.80\00:23:01.39
- True. -
Absolutely, sure especially
00:23:01.42\00:23:03.73
to the uninitiated which
is apparently every single
00:23:03.76\00:23:05.71
person in this room.
00:23:05.74\00:23:06.90
To the uninitiated Gardner
they can look almost "what"
00:23:06.93\00:23:13.05
identical, even after
weeks of growth, certain weeds
00:23:13.08\00:23:18.03
prove to be almost
indistinguishable from
00:23:18.06\00:23:20.68
certain plants, yet the
difference is clear to the
00:23:20.71\00:23:24.31
seasoned experienced Gardner.
00:23:24.34\00:23:26.70
Remember what they said,
Hey you want us to go gather up
00:23:26.73\00:23:29.09
the bad stuff,
Jesus said no! no! no! no!
00:23:29.12\00:23:30.62
because if you do
that, you will also pull up
00:23:30.65\00:23:33.47
some of the good.
00:23:33.50\00:23:34.86
Why?
00:23:34.89\00:23:35.98
Because when
something first starts to grow,
00:23:36.01\00:23:38.23
it can be difficult
to distinguish the good
00:23:38.26\00:23:42.32
from the bad.
00:23:42.35\00:23:43.73
Are we all clear
on this, yes or no?
00:23:43.76\00:23:45.65
See now the parable is
really starting to come alive.
00:23:45.68\00:23:47.77
Look at this.
00:23:47.80\00:23:49.00
Only at, what would go in there?
00:23:49.03\00:23:52.32
The harvest! Can
the inexperienced
00:23:52.35\00:23:55.97
see the difference
between the weeds and the wheat.
00:23:56.00\00:23:58.27
I mean anybody can tell the
difference between a thistle
00:23:58.30\00:24:01.16
and a tomato when
they are full grown,
00:24:01.19\00:24:03.93
but when they are just beginning
to poke their little heads,
00:24:03.96\00:24:08.06
I know I use that term,
00:24:08.09\00:24:09.06
up through the dirt
it can be difficult.
00:24:09.07\00:24:11.17
But when you have the
full grown tomato plant,
00:24:11.20\00:24:13.90
and the full grown thistle,
anyone can tell the difference,
00:24:13.93\00:24:17.94
at the harvest.
00:24:17.97\00:24:19.82
At the "what" everyone?
00:24:19.85\00:24:21.24
The harvest!
00:24:21.27\00:24:22.57
Does anyone in
here eat thistles?
00:24:22.60\00:24:23.84
Does anyone here eat artichokes?
00:24:23.87\00:24:28.10
Ok, then you eat
thistles. Ha! ha!
00:24:28.13\00:24:30.63
The artichoke is a thistle, many
people don't know that, anyway
00:24:30.66\00:24:33.74
I just thought I would play
a little trick on you there.
00:24:33.77\00:24:35.32
Look at this, this is
exactly what Jesus parable is
00:24:35.35\00:24:42.76
designed to teach,
look at the next paragraph.
00:24:42.79\00:24:46.25
God knew from the beginning,
the terrible direction
00:24:46.28\00:24:51.87
that Satan was headed.
00:24:51.90\00:24:52.91
Can you say "Amen" to
that, I mean is that true?
00:24:52.94\00:24:54.69
Sure it is.
00:24:54.72\00:24:56.53
Think of this, the parable
of the wheat and the tares,
00:24:56.56\00:25:00.11
is a powerful parable
that helps us to understand
00:25:00.14\00:25:03.26
why God didn't just
sliiiit! cut Satan off
00:25:03.29\00:25:07.86
at the very beginning.
00:25:07.89\00:25:09.70
The harvest,
something about the harvest
00:25:09.73\00:25:14.21
when the weeds and
the wheat in this context,
00:25:14.24\00:25:17.66
when evil and good
have come to full fruition,
00:25:17.69\00:25:21.68
then everyone would be
able to see, what God could see
00:25:21.71\00:25:25.82
from the beginning, you are
getting it, that exactly right.
00:25:25.85\00:25:30.14
Look at John 8:44, I'll put
it up here on the screen for you
00:25:30.17\00:25:33.54
this is the words of
Jesus, ok, look at this.
00:25:33.57\00:25:36.63
Speaking he said:
00:25:36.67\00:25:54.29
Now isn't that interesting,
he was a murder from the
00:25:54.32\00:25:57.86
beginning, but when really
did he commit his greatest
00:25:57.89\00:26:03.10
act of murder, it's when
he took Jesus and nailed him
00:26:03.13\00:26:07.87
to that cross.
00:26:07.90\00:26:08.87
Now, you say well God knew
that Jesus was going to come,
00:26:08.88\00:26:11.27
Jesus came to die, of course,
but God certainly did not intend
00:26:11.30\00:26:14.96
to die that hideous, terrible,
ignominious, humiliating death
00:26:14.99\00:26:20.37
that He did, it was the
Devil that designed the cross,
00:26:20.40\00:26:23.77
it was the Devil
who invented that thing,
00:26:23.80\00:26:26.02
so he could stick the Son
of God on it, and mock Him.
00:26:26.05\00:26:29.31
How many of you have ever
heard of the word excruciating
00:26:29.34\00:26:32.45
You hit your thumb with
the hammer and say ah! that's
00:26:32.48\00:26:36.21
an excruciating pain.
00:26:36.24\00:26:37.79
The word excruciating
comes from two words,
00:26:37.82\00:26:41.30
X which means out of, if you
turn to the back you see Exit
00:26:41.33\00:26:44.74
sings, exit means out,
and crucia which is the cross.
00:26:44.77\00:26:49.61
The word excruciating
means out of the cross.
00:26:49.64\00:26:53.95
It was a word that
was coined by the Romans,
00:26:53.98\00:26:56.95
because crucifixion was
so horrific, so painful,
00:26:56.98\00:27:00.56
so terrible, people
would be literally existing,
00:27:00.59\00:27:03.94
right on the
verge of death and life.
00:27:03.97\00:27:06.12
Sometimes for more than a week
in total pain, it was designed
00:27:06.15\00:27:10.76
in the bowels of hell
itself to bring maximum
00:27:10.79\00:27:14.34
pain and torture to an
individual, excruciating
00:27:14.37\00:27:18.72
is out of the cross.
00:27:18.75\00:27:20.93
God could look down when
Satan began his rebellion
00:27:20.96\00:27:23.88
there in heaven.
00:27:23.92\00:27:25.09
God could look down
through the corridors of time,
00:27:25.13\00:27:27.05
and He could
see that Satan would
00:27:27.08\00:27:30.09
one day kill Jesus on the cross.
00:27:30.12\00:27:33.81
Could God see that yes or no?
00:27:33.84\00:27:35.15
Sure He could, absolutely,
that's what Jesus says
00:27:35.18\00:27:38.32
he was a murderer
from the beginning.
00:27:38.35\00:27:42.01
Notice this quotation!
00:27:42.04\00:27:43.47
This is from the
epistle 1John 3:8,
00:27:43.50\00:27:48.17
Now go back to
your study guide there.
00:28:05.77\00:28:08.01
God knew from the
beginning the terrible direction
00:28:08.04\00:28:12.46
that Satan was headed, but
here is an important point.
00:28:12.49\00:28:16.00
The angels didn't
see it so clearly.
00:28:16.03\00:28:20.63
Think of it this
way, just imagine with me,
00:28:20.66\00:28:23.19
there is a terrible scandal that
breaks out in the White House.
00:28:23.22\00:28:27.30
A terrible scandal, and
one of the closest individuals
00:28:27.33\00:28:31.02
to the president, and begins
to accuse him of all kinds
00:28:31.05\00:28:33.69
of moral impurities, and
all kinds of money laundering,
00:28:33.72\00:28:37.69
and it's a huge scandal in
the White House and there's
00:28:37.72\00:28:40.39
one person who is
willing to ring the bell,
00:28:40.42\00:28:42.24
there is one
person who said he did it.
00:28:42.27\00:28:44.56
I know it all, I've got it
all documented, he's a bad guy,
00:28:44.59\00:28:48.05
in the moral area, he's a
bad guy in the financial area,
00:28:48.08\00:28:51.04
he's not what you think.
00:28:51.07\00:28:53.16
Raising these accusations,
we're going to say oh, we didn't
00:28:53.19\00:28:57.00
think that, oh! Really, really,
00:28:57.03\00:28:58.13
give us the documentation and
then suddenly he turns up dead.
00:28:58.16\00:29:02.03
What do you suspect immediately
00:29:02.06\00:29:06.12
if he turns up
mysteriously dead?
00:29:06.15\00:29:08.28
What do you think
about his accusations now?
00:29:08.31\00:29:12.19
They were probably
true, he was on to something,
00:29:12.22\00:29:16.93
think about this is in
the context of all of heaven.
00:29:16.96\00:29:19.33
Satan begins to
raise his insinuations,
00:29:19.36\00:29:23.95
Satan begins to basically
say, I could govern the universe
00:29:23.98\00:29:27.69
better than God could,
and we'll look at that here
00:29:27.72\00:29:29.80
in just a moment.
00:29:29.83\00:29:30.80
If all of a sudden
Satan turns up missing,
00:29:30.81\00:29:33.84
the other angels would
have thought, whoa I wonder
00:29:33.87\00:29:36.93
why that is.
00:29:36.96\00:29:37.96
What's God so afraid of,
why get rid of Satan in such a
00:29:37.99\00:29:42.12
quick way, why get rid of
Satan so un-ceremoniously.
00:29:42.15\00:29:45.94
Number one and two, they would
begin to serve God potentially
00:29:45.97\00:29:50.95
out of fear, and
perfect love casts out all fear.
00:29:50.98\00:29:58.12
God has not given us the
spirit of fear, but of power
00:29:58.15\00:30:02.33
and of love,
and of a sound mind.
00:30:02.36\00:30:05.70
The service of fear is not
an acceptable service to God.
00:30:05.73\00:30:09.79
Now fear is a motivator, but it
cannot be the primary motivator.
00:30:09.82\00:30:14.54
Can someone say "Amen?"
00:30:14.57\00:30:15.74
So God could see it, as
plain as the noon day sun,
00:30:15.77\00:30:20.48
exactly where this
rebellion was going to lead
00:30:20.51\00:30:22.78
but for the benefit
of the other angels,
00:30:22.81\00:30:25.94
the other heavenly intelligences
and frankly for the benefit
00:30:25.97\00:30:29.33
of you and me, God lets this
thing play out until the harvest
00:30:29.36\00:30:36.36
and we all can see
plain as the noon day sun,
00:30:36.39\00:30:39.60
that's the Devil, that's Christ,
00:30:39.63\00:30:41.61
I choose to stand with Christ.
00:30:41.64\00:30:44.90
If that makes sense,
say "Amen!" Powerful!
00:30:44.93\00:30:48.15
Let's go back to
our study guide here.
00:30:48.18\00:30:49.78
Here is an important
point, the angels didn't
00:30:49.81\00:30:52.72
see it so clearly.
00:30:52.75\00:30:53.73
Think of this,
Satan's arguments, ideas,
00:30:53.76\00:30:56.76
and insinuations, must have
been very persuasive indeed.
00:30:56.79\00:31:02.43
Don't forget that he deceived
a full one third of the angels.
00:31:02.46\00:31:08.25
Let me ask you a
Bible question here.
00:31:08.28\00:31:09.85
What is the first adjective
that is used to describe Satan
00:31:09.88\00:31:15.58
in the Bible?
00:31:15.61\00:31:16.58
- Subtle! -
That's exactly right.
00:31:16.59\00:31:19.74
Genesis 3: we read it yesterday,
it says that: "The serpent,
00:31:19.77\00:31:23.77
and of course it was
Satan that inhabited the serpent
00:31:23.80\00:31:26.51
at that moment, it says that the
serpent Satan was more subtle.
00:31:26.54\00:31:31.55
He's subtle, he's
manipulative, he's persuasive. "
00:31:31.58\00:31:37.10
What word everyone?
00:31:37.13\00:31:38.66
Persuasive you've got it.
00:31:38.69\00:31:41.10
A full one third of the angels.
00:31:41.13\00:31:43.14
God allowed Satan to come
to this planet to demonstrate
00:31:43.17\00:31:47.38
his way of running things,
his governing principles.
00:31:47.41\00:31:54.05
The angels in the entire
on looking universe was then
00:31:54.08\00:31:58.09
invited to watch and see.
00:31:58.12\00:32:01.17
Open your Bibles
to 1Corinthans 4:
00:32:01.20\00:32:03.98
see if you can get there before
me, 1Corinthians, are you there?
00:32:04.01\00:32:11.05
You beat me 1
Corinthians 4: I'm there.
00:32:11.08\00:32:13.17
1 Corinthians, you've got
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John,
00:32:13.20\00:32:17.33
then you've got Acts,
Romans, 1 Corinthians.
00:32:17.36\00:32:20.33
Ok, 1 Corinthians, I still hear
the pages rustling, don't worry,
00:32:20.36\00:32:24.91
we'll wait for you.
00:32:24.94\00:32:25.91
1 Corinthians 4:
now look at verse 9.
00:32:25.92\00:32:32.30
Wow! This is an amazing verse.
00:32:32.33\00:32:34.99
Verse 9, Paul says, for I
think that God has displayed us
00:32:35.02\00:32:41.03
the apostles last,
as men condemn to death,
00:32:41.06\00:32:45.10
for we have been made
a spectacle to the world,
00:32:45.13\00:32:49.92
both to angels and to men.
00:32:49.95\00:32:52.62
My Bible says a spectacle,
does any other version here say
00:32:52.65\00:32:57.59
something different?
00:32:57.62\00:32:58.83
Do you have another version?
00:32:58.86\00:33:00.73
A theater, I
heard someone say it.
00:33:00.76\00:33:03.26
In my Bible there's a
little marginal reference there,
00:33:03.29\00:33:05.90
that's a little number 1,
and that means I look over
00:33:05.93\00:33:08.22
into the margin and
the word is, a theater.
00:33:08.25\00:33:11.86
Let me read it to
you with that word.
00:33:11.89\00:33:13.95
God has displayed us the
apostles last, as men condemned
00:33:13.98\00:33:19.35
to death, for we have been
made a theater to the world,
00:33:19.38\00:33:23.74
both to angels and to men.
00:33:23.77\00:33:26.15
The Greek theater and the
Roman theater with something
00:33:26.18\00:33:29.20
in common in
the days of Paul and
00:33:29.23\00:33:31.16
Paul here chooses
that word theater.
00:33:31.19\00:33:33.80
What he basically says
is, we're on the stage,
00:33:33.83\00:33:37.15
as Shakespeare said
all the world is a stage,
00:33:37.18\00:33:40.77
but here that is really true.
00:33:40.80\00:33:42.73
Just as Satan presented
himself before the sons of God,
00:33:42.76\00:33:47.99
Ah, I've been walking
back and forth on my planet
00:33:48.02\00:33:50.59
and God says, what
about my servant Job?
00:33:50.62\00:33:53.55
Job was on the stage of
life, the apostle Paul says,
00:33:53.58\00:33:59.36
we're on a stage,
it's not a game beloved.
00:33:59.39\00:34:02.07
It's a real life experience,
a stage, and people are looking
00:34:02.10\00:34:07.08
in to see what we will choose.
00:34:07.11\00:34:10.54
Who's side will we stand on?
00:34:10.57\00:34:13.39
Who's governing
principles will we follow?
00:34:13.42\00:34:16.50
Will we believe the lies and the
persuasion, and the insinuations
00:34:16.53\00:34:20.88
of Satan, or will we
stand on the side of God.
00:34:20.91\00:34:24.86
Go to your study guide
there you can fill it in,
00:34:24.89\00:34:27.86
he says we are made
a theater to the world,
00:34:27.89\00:34:30.74
both to angels and to men.
00:34:30.77\00:34:33.60
Beloved what we are
trying to do here, and I hope
00:34:33.63\00:34:35.85
we are succeeding,
by the grace of God,
00:34:35.88\00:34:37.95
I hope I'm
succeeding, is to help you see
00:34:37.98\00:34:40.29
that there is a big picture.
00:34:40.32\00:34:41.29
A "what" everyone?
00:34:41.32\00:34:44.24
Your salvation is not just about
you, there are larger issues
00:34:44.27\00:34:53.67
at stake, namely the vindication
of God's own character.
00:34:53.70\00:34:58.84
Satan has raised
radical insinuations about God's
00:34:58.87\00:35:03.03
character.
00:35:03.06\00:35:04.03
Beloved when we take a stand
for Jesus, we're saying to the
00:35:04.04\00:35:06.86
whole on looking
universe, I reject Satan's lies,
00:35:06.89\00:35:10.10
I reject Satan's propaganda,
I will stand with Jesus.
00:35:10.13\00:35:15.28
Amen!
00:35:15.31\00:35:16.51
Powerful, I'm trying to
paint the big picture here.
00:35:16.54\00:35:19.50
There are two great
revelations of the cross,
00:35:19.53\00:35:22.27
you can fill it out
there in your study guide.
00:35:22.30\00:35:23.83
The cross teaches us two
things, powerfully, amazingly,
00:35:23.86\00:35:28.41
and unequivocally:
00:35:28.44\00:35:34.38
In fact if you think
about it God's in a real pickle,
00:35:34.41\00:35:38.47
because the supreme
object of God's love, sinners,
00:35:38.50\00:35:43.69
is bound up inexorably with
00:35:43.72\00:35:48.30
the supreme object
of His hatred "sin. "
00:35:48.33\00:35:49.42
God has to perform the
most difficult operation
00:35:49.45\00:35:53.95
in all of the
universe, a sin endectomy.
00:35:53.98\00:35:57.67
He has to take the
supreme object of His love
00:35:57.70\00:36:03.75
and separate that from the
supreme object of His hatred
00:36:03.78\00:36:06.89
because God hates
sin, but He loves sinners.
00:36:06.92\00:36:11.54
The problem that he has, is
that half the time we love sin.
00:36:11.57\00:36:16.30
The two great revelations of the
cross, God's love for sinners,
00:36:16.33\00:36:23.22
and God's hatred of sin.
00:36:23.25\00:36:25.83
Go to Isaiah 14: we've already
actually been to this before,
00:36:25.86\00:36:29.59
but lets look at this.
00:36:29.62\00:36:30.79
By the grace of God you are
going to see this big picture
00:36:30.82\00:36:34.76
here, in a way that you
have never seen it before.
00:36:34.79\00:36:38.36
We're going to Isaiah,
Isaiah 14: now we've been here
00:36:38.39\00:36:43.55
before, and here is
what I want you to do.
00:36:43.58\00:36:45.40
In Isaiah 14: I
just lost my place there,
00:36:45.43\00:36:49.00
Go to Isaiah 14: and
then keep your finger there,
00:36:49.03\00:36:55.42
put something there, like
I have one of these little
00:36:55.45\00:36:56.88
fancy ribbons here, so I'm
going to put it right there
00:36:56.91\00:36:59.28
and then go to Philippians
2: that's in the New Testament.
00:36:59.31\00:37:02.91
Philippians 2: Galatians,
Ephesians, Philippians,
00:37:02.94\00:37:07.50
chapter two.
00:37:07.53\00:37:08.91
So you've got one
hand in Isaiah 14, one hand
00:37:08.94\00:37:13.16
in Philippians 2: Ok.
00:37:13.19\00:37:15.54
I'll give you time to
get there, don't worry.
00:37:15.57\00:37:17.10
One is Isaiah "what" everyone?
00:37:17.13\00:37:20.41
Fourteen, and the
other is in, Philippians 2:
00:37:20.44\00:37:24.30
Ok, keep your
fingers right there,
00:37:24.33\00:37:26.12
and you say well why
do I need to do that.
00:37:26.15\00:37:27.25
because we're going to be
flipping, swish, swish, just
00:37:27.28\00:37:29.07
like that. Ok!
00:37:29.10\00:37:30.44
Here we go!
00:37:30.47\00:37:31.44
Isaiah 13:
beginning in verse 13.
00:37:31.45\00:37:34.77
These are the
thoughts of Satan himself.
00:37:34.80\00:37:35.77
"For you have said in
you heart, I will ascend
00:37:35.80\00:37:41.53
into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God,
00:37:41.56\00:37:45.41
I will sit also on the
mount of the congregation,
00:37:45.44\00:37:48.12
on the farther
sides of the north,
00:37:48.15\00:37:49.62
I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds,
00:37:49.65\00:37:52.53
I will be like the
most "what" everyone?
00:37:52.56\00:37:55.64
- High. "
00:37:55.67\00:37:56.64
So take a look at your
study guide there, five steps,
00:37:56.65\00:37:59.72
very different directions.
00:37:59.75\00:38:02.05
This next part of our
study is both stunning and
00:38:02.08\00:38:04.82
easily understood.
00:38:04.85\00:38:06.12
In a simple comparison
of two passages we will see
00:38:06.15\00:38:10.12
the essence of the
character of God, as contrasted
00:38:10.15\00:38:12.94
with the essence of
the character of Satan.
00:38:12.97\00:38:15.00
Prepare to be amazed
and humbled by the infinite
00:38:15.22\00:38:19.08
and eliminateable love of God.
00:38:19.11\00:38:21.53
Satan's five steps up is
what you would write in there.
00:38:21.56\00:38:27.29
Five steps up, notice
the upward direction of all
00:38:27.32\00:38:31.75
of these verses: 1. I
will ascend into Heaven,
00:38:31.78\00:38:37.03
2. I will exalt my throne,
3. I will sit on the mount.
00:38:37.06\00:38:42.32
Is the mount a high
thing or a low thing?
00:38:42.35\00:38:44.36
High thing! In the
congregation of the north.
00:38:44.39\00:38:49.38
North is at the top, you
look at a map, north is up.
00:38:49.41\00:38:52.10
4. I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds.
00:38:52.13\00:39:00.03
5. I will be like the
Most High, you've got it.
00:39:00.06\00:39:05.52
If you look at this
verse it's very simple,
00:39:05.55\00:39:07.83
Satan says I'll go up! I'll
go up! I'll go up! I'll go up.
00:39:07.86\00:39:11.86
I want to be higher than the
position, the office that God
00:39:11.89\00:39:16.97
has appointed me to.
00:39:17.00\00:39:18.32
Satan's basically
saying, I could do it better
00:39:18.35\00:39:21.07
than God could.
00:39:21.10\00:39:22.55
If I was running things, it
would be better and different.
00:39:22.58\00:39:27.26
I'll go up, I'll go
up, I'll go up, I'll go up.
00:39:27.29\00:39:31.02
Keep your finger
right there in Isaiah,
00:39:31.05\00:39:33.18
and flip over to Philippians 2:
00:39:33.21\00:39:35.92
Philippians "what
chapter" everyone?
00:39:35.95\00:39:37.68
Two! Beginning in verse 5,
00:39:37.71\00:39:40.97
Philippians 2:5, Let this
mind be in you, which was also
00:39:41.00\00:39:48.30
in "what" everyone?
00:39:48.33\00:39:49.32
Christ Jesus! Who
being in the form of God
00:39:49.35\00:39:52.88
did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God.
00:39:52.91\00:39:55.65
The Greek here is
a little complicated,
00:39:55.68\00:39:57.26
but basically what
it says is, he was God,
00:39:57.29\00:39:59.98
so it was not something that
he had to lay hold on to be God.
00:40:00.01\00:40:03.64
Verse 7, But made himself of
no reputation, taking the form
00:40:03.67\00:40:08.84
of a bond servant, and
coming in the likeness of men,
00:40:08.87\00:40:12.29
and being found in
the appearance of man,
00:40:12.32\00:40:14.31
he humbled himself and became
obedient to the point of death,
00:40:14.34\00:40:18.83
even the death of the cross.
00:40:18.86\00:40:22.03
Now look at that, these are
Jesus Christ's five steps down.
00:40:22.06\00:40:29.49
1. He made
Himself of no reputation,
00:40:29.52\00:40:32.28
who else could make
God of no reputation?
00:40:32.31\00:40:35.28
The only being in the universe
that could humble God is God.
00:40:35.31\00:40:40.04
Does that make sense?
00:40:40.07\00:40:42.21
Who else could do it?
00:40:42.24\00:40:43.92
If anyone is going to humble
God, it has to be God Himself.
00:40:43.95\00:40:46.88
He made Himself
of no reputation,
00:40:46.91\00:40:49.20
that's a choice that
God made, He stepped down.
00:40:49.23\00:40:52.09
2. He took the form of
a servant, think of it,
00:40:52.12\00:40:55.86
The Infinite, Eternal,
Omnipotent, Omni benevolent,
00:40:55.89\00:40:59.89
God of the universe, not
constrained by either time
00:40:59.92\00:41:05.52
or space, condescended
to become like a slave.
00:41:05.55\00:41:11.09
3. He came in the
likeness of "what" everyone?
00:41:11.13\00:41:15.37
A man! Think of it, let's just
say for sake of illustration
00:41:15.40\00:41:19.14
he was six foot tall.
00:41:19.17\00:41:20.20
Here you have the Illimitable,
Infinite God of the universe
00:41:20.23\00:41:23.23
confining Himself to a
man that's six feet tall.
00:41:23.26\00:41:27.35
As if that wasn't enough,
God, the very fountain of life,
00:41:27.38\00:41:33.25
4. Became obedient to death.
00:41:33.28\00:41:36.44
5. Even the death, not a
noble death, not a death where
00:41:36.47\00:41:42.48
He looked like a hero when
everybody said Ho! ta ta ta da!
00:41:42.51\00:41:45.26
Look at how wonderful He
is, look at how great He is,
00:41:45.29\00:41:47.43
No! no! no! He died bruised
and beaten, and bloodied,
00:41:47.46\00:41:50.94
and battered, and
naked, on a pathetic cross,
00:41:50.97\00:41:54.69
that was designed to
torture common criminals.
00:41:54.72\00:41:58.38
Jesus looked down from heaven
when He saw Adam and Eve fall
00:41:58.41\00:42:03.37
and when He saw you fall,
and when He saw all of us fall.
00:42:03.40\00:42:06.49
The love of God and the
love of Jesus compelled them,
00:42:06.52\00:42:11.28
it forced them into action.
00:42:11.31\00:42:14.08
They said I will come
down from my lofty throne,
00:42:14.11\00:42:16.69
I will come down from my lofty
sphere, down, down, down, down,
00:42:16.72\00:42:22.57
just to rescue My children.
00:42:22.60\00:42:26.01
Keep your finger
right there in Philippians.
00:42:26.04\00:42:30.88
Watch this, this is awesome.
00:42:30.91\00:42:36.16
So look what I'm doing
here, ok, repeat after me.
00:42:36.19\00:42:39.51
Here's Philippians right
here, and here is Isaiah.
00:42:39.54\00:42:42.26
Ok, now watch what
happens, go to Isaiah 14,
00:42:42.29\00:42:46.46
Isaiah 14 then get ready
to whoop! flip right over to
00:42:46.49\00:42:49.49
Philippians ok.
00:42:49.52\00:42:50.74
Isaiah 14:13, You have
said in your heart I will ascend
00:42:50.77\00:42:55.54
into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God
00:42:55.57\00:42:58.38
I will sit also on the mount of
the congregation on the farther
00:42:58.41\00:43:00.61
sides of the north, I
will ascend above the heights
00:43:00.64\00:43:03.10
of the clouds, I will
be like the most high,
00:43:03.13\00:43:04.97
I will go up, I'll go
up, I'll go up, I'll go up.
00:43:05.00\00:43:08.04
Look at verse 15,
you will be brought down.
00:43:08.07\00:43:09.04
Isn't that interesting,
his desire is to go up,
00:43:09.07\00:43:18.56
but the end result is
he will be brought down.
00:43:18.59\00:43:21.57
Now look at Philippians 2:
00:43:21.60\00:43:23.37
Philippians 2:8, "And being
found in the appearance of a man
00:43:23.40\00:43:29.55
He humbled Himself,
of course who else could
00:43:29.58\00:43:31.63
humble God, but God.
00:43:31.66\00:43:32.96
He humbled Himself and
became obedient to death,"
00:43:32.99\00:43:36.25
even the pathetic,
ignominious, death of the cross,
00:43:36.28\00:43:39.53
He went down! down! down! down!
00:43:39.56\00:43:41.92
Verse 9: Therefore, remember
when you see the word therefore
00:43:41.95\00:43:44.51
say hey! what's that there for.
00:43:44.54\00:43:46.27
"Therefore God has highly
exalted Him, and given Him a
00:43:46.30\00:43:52.84
name that is above every
name, that at the name of Jesus,
00:43:52.87\00:43:56.67
every knee should bow,
of those in heaven and those
00:43:56.70\00:43:59.60
on earth, and of all
things under the earth,
00:43:59.63\00:44:01.84
that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ
00:44:01.87\00:44:04.66
is Lord to the
glory of the Father. "
00:44:04.69\00:44:05.66
Can you say "Amen?"
00:44:05.69\00:44:07.18
Do you see the
contrast, yes or no?
00:44:07.21\00:44:09.59
Satan says I'll go up! I'll
go up! I'll go up! I'll go up!
00:44:09.62\00:44:12.54
I want to be more than the
office that God has appointed
00:44:12.57\00:44:15.86
me to, and God says,
in your desire to go up,
00:44:15.89\00:44:18.21
you'll be brought down.
00:44:18.24\00:44:19.42
Humble yourself in
the sight of the Lord,
00:44:19.45\00:44:23.09
and He will lift you up.
00:44:23.12\00:44:24.49
Then Jesus says I'll go
down, I'll lay my crown aside,
00:44:24.52\00:44:29.49
I'll go down, I'll lay my
throne aside, I'll go down.
00:44:29.52\00:44:32.68
I will go down for
the benefit of others,
00:44:32.71\00:44:35.96
down, down, down,
hanging bruised and beaten,
00:44:35.99\00:44:41.29
and humiliated,
falsely accused, spat upon,
00:44:41.32\00:44:44.51
His beard torn out, on a cross.
00:44:44.54\00:44:48.00
He went to the
bottom, to the dregs,
00:44:48.03\00:44:50.64
to the basement,
to the lowest place,
00:44:50.67\00:44:53.13
and God says, I will exalt Him.
00:44:53.16\00:44:56.90
Powerful!
00:44:56.93\00:44:59.90
Look at the bottom
of page three there,
00:44:59.93\00:45:01.63
At the end
however, Satan is cast down,
00:45:01.66\00:45:04.81
and Christ is exalted.
00:45:04.84\00:45:07.29
Can someone say "Amen!
00:45:07.32\00:45:08.40
Powerful!
00:45:08.43\00:45:10.04
One the cross, think
of it you are an angel,
00:45:10.07\00:45:12.27
you are one of the two
thirds of the loyal angels,
00:45:12.30\00:45:14.59
I mean think about it.
00:45:14.62\00:45:15.59
One third followed
Satan, and the two thirds
00:45:15.60\00:45:18.09
remained loyal, but
still you must know that there
00:45:18.12\00:45:20.81
must have been
questions in their mind.
00:45:20.84\00:45:22.87
Of course they
were loyal to God,
00:45:22.90\00:45:24.05
but they always
wondered what is Satan up to.
00:45:24.08\00:45:26.04
A full one third is
like our own civil war.
00:45:26.07\00:45:29.75
The Mason Dixon Line is
drawn and people on this side
00:45:29.78\00:45:33.51
and people on that
side, and the angels were
00:45:33.54\00:45:34.99
always kind of thinking hmm,
I wonder what this is about,
00:45:35.02\00:45:38.01
and then they saw Golgotha.
00:45:38.04\00:45:40.61
They saw the devil
and all his Satanic fury,
00:45:40.64\00:45:45.08
lay the
precious Son of God down,
00:45:45.11\00:45:49.68
humiliate Him,
pull out His beard,
00:45:49.71\00:45:52.02
and no, no they said,
no, surely, surely, surely
00:45:52.05\00:45:56.66
he's not, and they saw him
do it, and when they saw that.
00:45:56.69\00:46:01.24
When they looked
down, I can't believe it,
00:46:01.27\00:46:06.53
he's not, he's going to
do it, when they saw that.
00:46:06.56\00:46:12.50
When they saw what
happened on the cross,
00:46:12.53\00:46:16.69
their minds were made
up, they were already loyal,
00:46:16.73\00:46:21.22
and they said we
don't have all the answers.
00:46:21.25\00:46:23.20
But we don't want to
have anything to do with this
00:46:23.23\00:46:26.09
devil, and
therefore, he was cast out,
00:46:26.12\00:46:28.13
not even limited
access any more to heaven.
00:46:28.16\00:46:29.96
That's why it
says rejoice O heavens.
00:46:29.99\00:46:32.50
But there is one planet,
one place where that decision
00:46:32.53\00:46:38.11
has not been made,
that is this planet.
00:46:38.14\00:46:41.17
Something interesting,
is that this planet is not
00:46:41.20\00:46:44.54
going to make that
decision wholesale.
00:46:44.57\00:46:46.68
We'll make that
decision, as individuals.
00:46:46.71\00:46:50.04
God isn't going to
save this whole planet,
00:46:50.07\00:46:53.39
someone say "Amen!"
00:46:53.42\00:46:54.39
You see here it's different,
with us it's different,
00:46:54.40\00:46:57.49
with us individuals
will make the decision.
00:46:57.52\00:47:00.26
I will align myself with
Satan, and with his governing
00:47:00.29\00:47:03.57
principles, or I will
align myself with Christ,
00:47:03.60\00:47:06.42
and His governing
principles, and if you're having
00:47:06.45\00:47:08.41
difficulty making that
decision look at the cross.
00:47:08.44\00:47:12.58
Satan says I'll go up, up
up, at the expense of others,
00:47:12.61\00:47:15.84
Christ says I'll go
down, down, down down,
00:47:15.87\00:47:17.90
just to save others.
00:47:17.93\00:47:19.72
Look there at your study
guide there at the bottom.
00:47:19.75\00:47:23.40
One embodies almost reckless
condensention for the benefit
00:47:23.43\00:47:30.08
of others, that's Jesus.
00:47:30.11\00:47:31.55
Condesention, for
the almost reckless,
00:47:31.58\00:47:34.62
He throws away His crown,
He throws away His throne,
00:47:34.65\00:47:37.04
and He says I'm going
down, got to get My children.
00:47:37.29\00:47:41.01
The other embodies calculated
exaltation at the expense
00:47:41.04\00:47:47.55
of others.
00:47:47.58\00:47:48.56
Last page:
00:47:48.59\00:47:51.64
Just think of it, the
Infinite, Illimitable, God
00:47:51.68\00:47:56.55
of the universe,
condescended to become a Man,
00:47:56.58\00:48:01.42
more than this He condesended
to die, and even more than this,
00:48:01.45\00:48:07.01
He condescended to be ridiculed,
mocked, and die the ignominious
00:48:07.04\00:48:11.05
death of a common criminal.
00:48:11.08\00:48:12.43
What love, what
marvelous condensention,
00:48:12.46\00:48:16.76
what absolute selflessness.
00:48:16.79\00:48:18.78
The word condescend has
it's root word, descend.
00:48:18.81\00:48:24.34
What does descend mean?
00:48:24.37\00:48:26.32
To go down, the
prefix con means together,
00:48:26.35\00:48:30.51
so the word condescend
means that He goes down
00:48:30.54\00:48:33.36
together with us.
00:48:33.39\00:48:35.34
Is there anyone in this
room who has been at the bottom?
00:48:35.37\00:48:37.93
Anyone want to raise their
hand, I've been at the bottom.
00:48:37.96\00:48:40.62
Well, Jesus has been there too.
00:48:40.65\00:48:42.49
He came down to
get me, and to get you,
00:48:42.52\00:48:47.88
that's what the
word condescend means.
00:48:47.91\00:48:49.54
By His incomparable
love, you've heard it before,
00:48:49.57\00:48:53.55
but it's become so quaint,
00:48:53.58\00:48:54.71
we've seen it at
football stadiums,
00:48:54.74\00:48:59.18
we've seen it all
over, it's almost quaint now,
00:48:59.21\00:49:02.65
it rolls off the
tongue so easily, so readily.
00:49:02.69\00:49:06.16
Oh yeah, yeah, I've
heard that verse before,
00:49:06.19\00:49:07.47
Half the time as a
minister of the gospel,
00:49:07.50\00:49:09.46
I say open up your
Bibles to John 3:16,
00:49:09.49\00:49:11.26
90% of the people
don't even open their Bibles,
00:49:11.29\00:49:13.43
oh I know that one
been there done that.
00:49:13.46\00:49:15.45
Beloved think of it:
00:49:15.48\00:49:29.43
Can you say "Amen?"
00:49:29.46\00:49:31.31
This verse is for you
beloved, this verse is for you,
00:49:31.34\00:49:37.09
This verse is for me.
00:49:37.12\00:49:38.84
Jump down to
the third paragraph,
00:49:38.87\00:49:42.59
the cross of Jesus Christ
is the very center of it all.
00:49:42.62\00:49:45.52
The cross alone enables
us to make sense out of this
00:49:45.55\00:49:49.19
troubled and sin
filled world in which we live.
00:49:49.22\00:49:51.44
The cross of Jesus
Christ utterly demonstrates
00:49:51.47\00:49:54.45
God's character as a
character pre-dominated,
00:49:54.48\00:49:57.21
and characterized by love.
00:49:57.24\00:49:59.56
But it also upholds the
principles of His justice.
00:49:59.59\00:50:05.31
That's what you would
write there, it also upholds
00:50:05.34\00:50:08.96
the principles of His justice.
00:50:08.99\00:50:10.75
God couldn't just forgive
sin willy-nilly, well you know
00:50:10.78\00:50:14.25
I changed my mind about
the eating of the tree of
00:50:14.28\00:50:16.43
the knowledge of good and evil.
00:50:16.46\00:50:17.43
No, sin is a hatred
thing, it's a violation of the
00:50:17.44\00:50:20.18
very character, the
very eternal law of God
00:50:20.21\00:50:22.83
and so God is in a
real pickle here, isn't He,
00:50:22.86\00:50:24.91
He needs to uphold
His loving character,
00:50:24.94\00:50:27.06
but not compromise His justice.
00:50:27.09\00:50:29.42
Well how
pray-tell can He do that,
00:50:29.45\00:50:32.55
It upholds the
principles of His justice,
00:50:32.58\00:50:34.53
and His eternal
law, more on that later.
00:50:34.56\00:50:37.87
Yes at the cross, both
God's love and His justice,
00:50:37.90\00:50:43.29
were plainly and
perfectly demonstrated.
00:50:43.32\00:50:45.73
If that makes sense, I
want you to say "Amen!"
00:50:45.76\00:50:47.98
Psalm 85:10 is right
there, in your sheet:
00:50:48.01\00:50:51.18
On the cross, God didn't
have to lay aside His law
00:50:58.46\00:51:04.15
and His justice, and His
character in order to save us
00:51:04.18\00:51:08.90
but He did have to
put His Son on the cross.
00:51:08.93\00:51:12.70
Friends, if God could
have just changed His mind
00:51:12.73\00:51:15.74
willy-nilly, Jesus
wouldn't have gone to the cross.
00:51:15.77\00:51:18.49
The fact that Jesus
hung on the cross, is proof
00:51:18.52\00:51:22.67
that God's character is
immutable, it cannot change.
00:51:22.70\00:51:26.88
The principles of His
law cannot be laid aside.
00:51:26.91\00:51:30.23
The fact that Jesus died on
that cross is prove positive
00:51:30.26\00:51:35.51
that God's justice is
not up for negotiation,
00:51:35.54\00:51:38.57
but neither is His love,
and there was only one way
00:51:38.60\00:51:42.15
Jesus says I'll go
down, I'll go down,
00:51:42.18\00:51:47.05
I'll go all the way down.
00:51:47.09\00:51:49.59
This verse beloved is for you.
00:51:49.62\00:51:52.84
At this time I'm going to
invite my good friend Clint
00:51:52.87\00:51:55.82
to come up, and our
ministry partners are going to
00:51:55.85\00:51:57.58
distribute to you a card.
00:51:57.61\00:51:58.64
I would like to ask my
ministry partners to stand
00:51:58.67\00:52:01.36
up right now, and
distribute those cards.
00:52:01.39\00:52:02.87
You are going to
get a card right now.
00:52:02.90\00:52:03.98
As they are distributing
this card, I'm want to ask
00:52:04.01\00:52:06.86
you a question tonight:
00:52:06.89\00:52:07.86
1. Has this
presentation made sense?
00:52:07.88\00:52:12.01
Say Amen if it's made sense.
00:52:12.04\00:52:13.05
"Amen!"
00:52:13.08\00:52:14.87
Ok!
00:52:14.90\00:52:16.57
You're getting a card,
this is a decision card.
00:52:16.60\00:52:18.75
A "what" everyone?
00:52:18.78\00:52:21.26
And you notice on
there it doesn't say,
00:52:21.29\00:52:23.60
decision for David Asscherick.
00:52:23.63\00:52:25.34
It says decision
for "who" everyone?
00:52:25.37\00:52:28.41
Decision for "what" does it say?
00:52:28.44\00:52:30.76
"Christ!"
00:52:30.79\00:52:34.04
Beloved, tonight we
have done our very best
00:52:34.07\00:52:36.13
to present to
you the big picture,
00:52:36.16\00:52:38.18
the big picture, the
big conflict between the
00:52:38.21\00:52:42.56
character of Christ,
the character of God,
00:52:42.59\00:52:45.56
and the character of the enemy.
00:52:45.59\00:52:47.38
There is a war behind the
wars and that war is being waged
00:52:47.41\00:52:51.66
right here, right now in
your life and in this room.
00:52:51.69\00:52:55.93
Take a look at that card,
there are several boxes here
00:52:55.96\00:53:00.83
that could be checked:
00:53:00.86\00:53:01.83
1. I understood
tonight's presentation.
00:53:01.84\00:53:04.09
First of all please fill
out your name, your address,
00:53:04.12\00:53:06.08
all of that, we're going to
have to have that information.
00:53:06.11\00:53:08.40
If you are making a decision
for Christ tonight we want to
00:53:08.43\00:53:10.91
follow that up, we want to stand
with you on the side of Jesus.
00:53:10.94\00:53:14.27
Please as a personal
favor to me, fill that out,
00:53:14.30\00:53:18.24
put your name down,
put your address down,
00:53:18.27\00:53:20.46
put your contact
information down, please.
00:53:20.49\00:53:22.81
1. I understood
tonight's presentation.
00:53:22.84\00:53:26.92
If you need a pen just
raise your hands high to heaven,
00:53:26.95\00:53:28.62
Michael is here with pens.
00:53:28.65\00:53:29.81
2. I reaffirm my personal
acceptance of Jesus Christ's
00:53:29.84\00:53:35.88
death for me.
00:53:35.91\00:53:37.30
Ok you want to do that,
you mark that, you check that,
00:53:37.33\00:53:40.76
you say Yes! Maybe
you've done it before,
00:53:40.79\00:53:43.00
but you see it tonight,
and you say Yes! and Yes again.
00:53:43.03\00:53:45.91
3. For the first time
there is not a doubt in my mind,
00:53:45.94\00:53:51.39
that there is someone in here
who's never made this decision.
00:53:51.42\00:53:54.34
Someone in here tonight
who has never understood it
00:53:54.37\00:53:56.81
as you've understood it tonight.
00:53:56.84\00:53:58.29
That Jesus came down for you
so that you could live forever.
00:53:58.32\00:54:01.59
His righteousness
becomes your righteousness.
00:54:01.62\00:54:07.40
Your unrighteousness,
becomes His unrighteousness.
00:54:07.43\00:54:09.62
There is a divine
exchange that takes place,
00:54:09.65\00:54:12.05
He suffered the death which
was yours, you can live the life
00:54:12.08\00:54:15.42
which is His.
00:54:15.45\00:54:16.91
You can check that number three,
you say for the first time
00:54:16.94\00:54:20.34
I want to accept Jesus
Christ as my personal Saviour
00:54:20.37\00:54:22.76
from sin and death.
00:54:22.79\00:54:23.76
4. I have wandered from
God and His plan for my life,
00:54:23.77\00:54:27.81
and I want to return to
Him, if that describes you,
00:54:27.84\00:54:29.65
you check that, we
want to meet with you,
00:54:29.68\00:54:31.11
we want to pray with
you, we want to minister,
00:54:31.14\00:54:32.88
whatever we can do
to help you, we're here.
00:54:32.91\00:54:35.17
Some of you have wandered
from God, and you've been away
00:54:35.20\00:54:39.99
for a long time, well tonight
is the night to wander back.
00:54:40.02\00:54:42.47
5. I would like to be baptized,
00:54:42.50\00:54:46.34
perhaps you have
not been baptized.
00:54:46.37\00:54:47.52
Perhaps you have not made
that decision to make a full
00:54:47.55\00:54:51.66
commitment to Christ, and
to go through the Biblical
00:54:51.69\00:54:54.16
ceremony of
baptism, you mark that.
00:54:54.19\00:54:56.38
6. I would like
a personal visit.
00:54:56.41\00:54:58.61
7. I need special prayer
for, please fill that card out.
00:54:58.64\00:55:01.86
Here's what's going to happen,
my good friend Clint McCoy,
00:55:01.89\00:55:04.63
who's going to be doing
our concert tomorrow night,
00:55:04.66\00:55:06.46
is going to sing us a
song titled Give Me Jesus.
00:55:06.49\00:55:09.54
When that song is
done the ministry partners
00:55:09.57\00:55:12.90
are going to collect these
cards, please don't slide these
00:55:12.93\00:55:15.33
cards into your Bible, give
them to the ministry partners
00:55:15.36\00:55:17.56
they go to me, I
pray over every card.
00:55:17.59\00:55:19.61
Beloved I love you very much,
tonight I want you to see that
00:55:19.64\00:55:24.02
God loves you dearly.
00:55:24.05\00:55:26.88
"Amen!"
00:55:26.91\00:55:30.19
In the morning when I rise,
In the morning when I rise,
00:55:39.61\00:55:49.34
In the morning when
I rise, give me Jesus.
00:55:49.37\00:55:57.98
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus,
you can have all this world,
00:55:58.01\00:56:14.41
but give me Jesus.
00:56:14.44\00:56:19.97
And when I am alone,
oh and when I am alone,
00:56:20.00\00:56:29.52
when I am alone, give
me Jesus, give me Jesus,
00:56:29.55\00:56:45.44
Give me Jesus, you can have
all this world, give me Jesus.
00:56:45.47\00:57:00.47
And when I come to die,
oh and when I come to die,
00:57:00.50\00:57:14.84
when I come to die,
give me Jesus, give me Jesus,
00:57:14.87\00:57:30.89
Give me Jesus, you
can have all this world,
00:57:30.92\00:57:40.32
you can have all this world,
you can have all this world,
00:57:40.35\00:57:53.42
just give me Jesus.
00:57:53.45\00:58:01.35