Heavenly Father,
00:00:11.97\00:00:14.24
Lord, here we are gathered again
00:00:14.28\00:00:16.04
together on night number 17.
00:00:16.08\00:00:19.61
Father, we have heard so many
precious truths from Your Word.
00:00:19.65\00:00:23.82
Lord, many of us are
contemplating decisions
00:00:23.85\00:00:26.12
in our minds.
00:00:26.15\00:00:27.59
And we want to
claim Your promise
00:00:27.62\00:00:29.16
in the Book of
James, Lord, You said,
00:00:29.19\00:00:31.69
that whoever lacks
wisdom, should ask You,
00:00:31.73\00:00:35.86
and that You
would give liberally.
00:00:35.90\00:00:38.33
So tonight we are asking,
Lord, that You would give us
00:00:38.37\00:00:40.94
spiritual wisdom
and spiritual knowledge
00:00:40.97\00:00:43.94
that You would pour
out Your Holy Spirit
00:00:43.97\00:00:46.44
and just shed light
on our Christian walk,
00:00:46.47\00:00:49.84
so that each of
us may know the way
00:00:49.88\00:00:52.18
in which You are leading.
00:00:52.21\00:00:53.88
Thank You for that
promise, we pray in Jesus' name.
00:00:53.92\00:00:57.92
Amen. Amen.
00:00:57.95\00:00:59.29
I wanna invite
you to take your Bible
00:00:59.32\00:01:01.26
and I want you to go
right away to Revelation 12:13.
00:01:01.29\00:01:08.13
Now you've noticed that usually
00:01:08.16\00:01:09.50
I start with a story each night.
00:01:09.53\00:01:11.17
But we've got so much to cover,
00:01:11.20\00:01:12.57
I'm just gonna
dispense with the story
00:01:12.60\00:01:14.54
and we're gonna go
right into the prophecy.
00:01:14.57\00:01:16.87
So we'll let the prophecy
00:01:16.91\00:01:18.24
be our
introductory story for tonight.
00:01:18.27\00:01:20.81
Revelation Chapter 12
00:01:20.84\00:01:23.08
and I want to read
verses 13 through 17,
00:01:23.11\00:01:27.05
which is really going to be
a new prophecy for us to study.
00:01:27.08\00:01:31.22
But before I read it,
00:01:31.25\00:01:32.65
I want to give
you the background
00:01:32.69\00:01:34.02
of what's
happening in this chapter.
00:01:34.06\00:01:36.79
In verses 7 through 12,
00:01:36.83\00:01:40.10
Revelation has just
told us about the dragon
00:01:40.13\00:01:43.03
being cast out of heaven,
00:01:43.06\00:01:45.13
how Satan was once a loyal angel
00:01:45.17\00:01:47.40
in the Kingdom of
Heaven named Lucifer.
00:01:47.44\00:01:49.80
And Revelation says
that Michael and his angels
00:01:49.84\00:01:52.84
fought against the
dragon and his angels.
00:01:52.87\00:01:55.14
And so the dragon and the angels
00:01:55.18\00:01:57.25
that followed him were cast out
00:01:57.28\00:02:00.28
and they were cast
down to this earth.
00:02:00.32\00:02:02.72
That's what verses 7
through 12 talk about,
00:02:02.75\00:02:05.29
we've already studied that.
00:02:05.32\00:02:07.06
But then verse 13 picks up,
00:02:07.09\00:02:10.46
and it talks
about how the dragon
00:02:10.49\00:02:13.40
now goes after the woman.
00:02:13.43\00:02:16.93
Let's pick it up
in Revelation 12:13.
00:02:16.97\00:02:21.44
The Bible says,
00:02:21.47\00:02:23.81
"Now when the dragon saw that
he had been cast to the earth,
00:02:23.84\00:02:28.31
he persecuted the woman
00:02:28.34\00:02:30.15
who gave birth
to the male child.
00:02:30.18\00:02:32.95
But the woman was given
two wings of a great eagle
00:02:32.98\00:02:36.72
that she might fly," where?
00:02:36.75\00:02:40.22
"Into the
wilderness to her place,
00:02:40.26\00:02:42.92
where she is
nourished for a time, times,
00:02:42.96\00:02:46.73
and half a time
00:02:46.76\00:02:48.26
from the
presence of the serpent.
00:02:48.30\00:02:50.33
So the serpent spewed
water out of his mouth
00:02:50.37\00:02:53.30
like a flood after the woman
00:02:53.34\00:02:55.50
that he might cause
her to be carried away
00:02:55.54\00:02:58.11
by the flood, but the
earth helped the woman
00:02:58.14\00:03:01.24
and the earth opened its
mouth and swallowed up the flood
00:03:01.28\00:03:04.91
which the dragon had
spewed out of his mouth."
00:03:04.95\00:03:08.12
Now notice verse 17,
00:03:08.15\00:03:10.02
"And the dragon was
enraged with the woman,
00:03:10.05\00:03:13.76
and went to make war
00:03:13.79\00:03:15.96
with the rest of her offspring."
00:03:15.99\00:03:18.43
Or if you have the King James,
00:03:18.46\00:03:20.36
it says, "The dragon
was wroth with the woman
00:03:20.40\00:03:23.20
and went to make
war against," who?
00:03:23.23\00:03:26.13
"The remnant of her seed,
00:03:26.17\00:03:28.57
who keep the commandments of God
00:03:28.60\00:03:31.27
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:03:31.31\00:03:34.78
Now we're gonna
stop here for a second.
00:03:34.81\00:03:37.25
Revelation is giving us
a picture of persecution.
00:03:37.28\00:03:41.58
You have a dragon and a serpent,
00:03:41.62\00:03:44.89
which is seeking
to persecute the woman
00:03:44.92\00:03:47.29
by spewing floods of
water out of its mouth.
00:03:47.32\00:03:50.86
It says the
earth helps the woman
00:03:50.89\00:03:53.60
and eventually the woman
has to hide in the wilderness
00:03:53.63\00:03:56.46
for a period of time.
00:03:56.50\00:03:58.73
And then in verse 17,
00:03:58.77\00:04:00.64
it says the dragon now
00:04:00.67\00:04:02.10
goes after the
remnants of the woman.
00:04:02.14\00:04:06.14
You say, "Well,
what does all that mean?"
00:04:06.17\00:04:08.74
Well, we're introduced to
three symbols in that passage,
00:04:08.78\00:04:11.75
I'm gonna put all
three of them on the screen.
00:04:11.78\00:04:14.12
First of all,
you have the dragon,
00:04:14.15\00:04:16.72
and you have the serpent.
00:04:16.75\00:04:18.09
Now, we've already learned
from previous prophecies,
00:04:18.12\00:04:20.76
who does the dragon
00:04:20.79\00:04:22.12
and the serpent
represent, you tell me?
00:04:22.16\00:04:23.66
Satan. Represents Satan.
00:04:23.69\00:04:25.69
And we've already learned
00:04:25.73\00:04:27.33
how the woman represents
God's people or God's church.
00:04:27.36\00:04:32.63
And so what we're seeing here
00:04:32.67\00:04:34.84
is really two
periods of persecution
00:04:34.87\00:04:37.81
that Revelation is representing.
00:04:37.84\00:04:40.18
In verses 13 through 16,
00:04:40.21\00:04:42.91
it is
representing the persecution
00:04:42.94\00:04:45.91
of the Middle Ages.
00:04:45.95\00:04:47.28
You say, "Now,
how do you know that?"
00:04:47.32\00:04:49.15
Notice it said that
the devil or the dragon
00:04:49.18\00:04:52.19
and the serpent
was attacking the woman
00:04:52.22\00:04:54.69
where she fled
into the wilderness
00:04:54.72\00:04:56.26
for what period of time?
00:04:56.29\00:04:58.49
A time, times and half a times.
00:04:58.53\00:05:02.23
And if you were
here a few nights ago,
00:05:02.26\00:05:04.17
we've already learned
00:05:04.20\00:05:05.73
that is referring
to the 1,260 years
00:05:05.77\00:05:09.34
of papal persecution
00:05:09.37\00:05:11.57
that happened
during the Middle Ages.
00:05:11.61\00:05:13.17
In fact, Revelation 12:6
clearly tells us that time,
00:05:13.21\00:05:17.08
times, and half a time
00:05:17.11\00:05:18.65
and 1,260 days are
the exact same thing.
00:05:18.68\00:05:22.58
Remember, we learned
that papal Rome dominated
00:05:22.62\00:05:25.55
from 538 to 1798,
00:05:25.59\00:05:29.26
when church and
state were united,
00:05:29.29\00:05:31.99
and anyone who refused
00:05:32.03\00:05:33.70
to follow the
traditions of Rome,
00:05:33.73\00:05:35.83
anyone who wanted to
follow only what the Bible said
00:05:35.86\00:05:39.60
was considered to be a heretic
and they were persecuted.
00:05:39.63\00:05:43.97
And so it is this
period of earth's history
00:05:44.01\00:05:47.08
that Revelation
refers to the woman
00:05:47.11\00:05:49.71
or God's people having
to hide in the wilderness
00:05:49.74\00:05:53.42
because this is the
time of papal persecution.
00:05:53.45\00:05:57.19
It says that the serpent
spews water out of its mouth,
00:05:57.22\00:06:00.89
that flood is the
flood of persecution.
00:06:00.92\00:06:05.59
The second period of persecution
00:06:05.63\00:06:07.96
that has been
mentioned is now in verse 17,
00:06:08.00\00:06:11.93
because apparently the dragon,
00:06:11.97\00:06:13.80
the serpent which is
used interchangeably,
00:06:13.84\00:06:16.44
they're not successful
in destroying God's people
00:06:16.47\00:06:19.27
during the Middle Ages.
00:06:19.31\00:06:20.91
So now in verse 17,
00:06:20.94\00:06:23.51
we're reaching
to the end of time.
00:06:23.55\00:06:26.25
And now the dragon is
persecuting the remnant,
00:06:26.28\00:06:30.52
God's end time
people in the last days.
00:06:30.55\00:06:35.49
And what's
significant about verse 17,
00:06:35.52\00:06:38.86
as I want you to notice
00:06:38.89\00:06:40.23
how it describes God's
remnant at the end of time.
00:06:40.26\00:06:45.23
I want to read verse 17 again.
00:06:45.27\00:06:47.64
Revelation 12:17,
00:06:47.67\00:06:49.60
"The dragon was
wroth with the woman,
00:06:49.64\00:06:52.37
and went to make war with
the remnants of her seed,"
00:06:52.41\00:06:56.85
that means those that remain
00:06:56.88\00:06:58.95
and they are
described in two ways.
00:06:58.98\00:07:02.35
"They keep the
commandments of God,
00:07:02.38\00:07:05.65
and they have the," what?
00:07:05.69\00:07:07.69
"Testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:07:07.72\00:07:10.16
Now we have to stop here.
00:07:10.19\00:07:11.99
What Revelation is telling
us is that in the last days,
00:07:12.03\00:07:17.13
there's going to be a
special remnant movement.
00:07:17.17\00:07:21.87
There's going to be
a movement of believers
00:07:21.90\00:07:25.21
who are going to come
back to following the Bible
00:07:25.24\00:07:28.11
and the Bible alone.
00:07:28.14\00:07:30.18
And that remnant
last day movement
00:07:30.21\00:07:33.88
is characterized in two ways.
00:07:33.92\00:07:36.72
Number one, they keep
the commandments of God
00:07:36.75\00:07:41.02
and they have the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
00:07:41.06\00:07:46.03
This is what we
need to study tonight.
00:07:46.06\00:07:48.23
Because if God is
saying at the end of time,
00:07:48.26\00:07:50.93
there's gonna be a remnant
00:07:50.97\00:07:52.70
and that remnant is
gonna keep God's commandments,
00:07:52.73\00:07:55.47
they're gonna have
the testimony of Jesus,
00:07:55.50\00:07:57.61
and they're gonna lead
people back to the Bible
00:07:57.64\00:07:59.94
and the Bible alone
away from the traditions
00:07:59.97\00:08:02.34
and the commandments of
men, then here's our question.
00:08:02.38\00:08:06.61
How do I find God's
remnant movement today?
00:08:06.65\00:08:11.29
How do I find
this remnant movement
00:08:11.32\00:08:13.52
that is drawing people
back to God's commandments,
00:08:13.56\00:08:16.76
bringing them back
00:08:16.79\00:08:18.13
to the
testimony of Jesus Christ?
00:08:18.16\00:08:21.13
Because the truth is finding
00:08:21.16\00:08:22.86
that last day remnant movement
that Revelation talks about,
00:08:22.90\00:08:27.34
that is no easy
task in this confusing
00:08:27.37\00:08:31.07
religious world that we live in.
00:08:31.11\00:08:34.14
In fact, let me
show you a statistic
00:08:34.18\00:08:35.84
from the Year Book of Churches.
00:08:35.88\00:08:37.88
Right now we are told
that in the world today
00:08:37.91\00:08:41.95
there are approximately 244
different church denominations.
00:08:41.98\00:08:47.89
Now that's including
those that are registered
00:08:47.92\00:08:50.49
with the government
and have an official name.
00:08:50.53\00:08:52.79
If we were to
add to that number,
00:08:52.83\00:08:55.13
all the smaller
groups or smaller sects,
00:08:55.16\00:08:58.30
we would have a
number of over 500.
00:08:58.33\00:09:00.64
And I want you
to think about that.
00:09:00.67\00:09:02.54
One God, one Bible, one truth,
00:09:02.57\00:09:06.78
500 different faiths
00:09:06.81\00:09:08.38
with thousands and thousands
of different doctrines,
00:09:08.41\00:09:12.51
that is confusing.
00:09:12.55\00:09:15.12
That's what causes
people to throw up their hands
00:09:15.15\00:09:17.62
and say, "Well, I
might as well forget it,
00:09:17.65\00:09:19.62
I will never be
able to find truth,
00:09:19.65\00:09:21.96
I'll never be able to
find God's remnant movement
00:09:21.99\00:09:25.89
in the last days
that he talks about."
00:09:25.93\00:09:29.16
Now, I'm gonna ask a question
00:09:29.20\00:09:30.53
that really
doesn't have a politically
00:09:30.57\00:09:31.97
correct answer to it.
00:09:32.00\00:09:33.97
When it comes to all of
these different churches
00:09:34.00\00:09:37.14
and different groups
that are in our world today,
00:09:37.17\00:09:41.11
can every church be right?
00:09:41.14\00:09:43.28
Yes or no?
00:09:43.31\00:09:44.95
They can't,
00:09:44.98\00:09:46.31
because some
churches teach things
00:09:46.35\00:09:47.95
that are totally
opposite of each other.
00:09:47.98\00:09:50.32
So someone's right
and someone's wrong.
00:09:50.35\00:09:52.75
Now, it's not
politically correct to say that,
00:09:52.79\00:09:55.72
but honestly, it's the truth.
00:09:55.76\00:09:58.36
One church says this,
another church says that.
00:09:58.39\00:10:01.70
One preacher preaches this,
00:10:01.73\00:10:03.33
another preacher
preaches the opposite.
00:10:03.37\00:10:05.87
How are we supposed to
know where to find truth?
00:10:05.90\00:10:09.64
In fact, in churches today,
00:10:09.67\00:10:11.77
many times it
can be a combination
00:10:11.81\00:10:14.44
of both truth and error,
00:10:14.48\00:10:17.38
a combination of what God
says, and also what man says.
00:10:17.41\00:10:22.38
And that kind of a concoction
00:10:22.42\00:10:25.12
can be very, very deceptive.
00:10:25.15\00:10:29.72
So how do we make our way
00:10:29.76\00:10:32.03
through and through this
confusing religious world
00:10:32.06\00:10:35.46
to be able to find truth?
00:10:35.50\00:10:37.73
How do we make our
way through 500 groups
00:10:37.77\00:10:40.84
to find Revelation's
special end time movement
00:10:40.87\00:10:45.34
that keeps the
commandments of God
00:10:45.37\00:10:47.71
and has the
testimony of Jesus Christ?
00:10:47.74\00:10:51.11
So here's what we're gonna do.
00:10:51.15\00:10:53.11
We're going to
cover six principles
00:10:53.15\00:10:55.78
from the Bible this evening.
00:10:55.82\00:10:58.39
Principles that
will help to guide us
00:10:58.42\00:11:00.99
in finding truth today,
00:11:01.02\00:11:03.43
principles that
come not from my opinion,
00:11:03.46\00:11:06.53
not from yours,
00:11:06.56\00:11:08.00
not from some
churches' interpretation,
00:11:08.03\00:11:10.37
but from the Bible
and the Bible alone.
00:11:10.40\00:11:13.30
And when we apply
these six principles
00:11:13.34\00:11:15.77
that we're going to
study, it is going to enable us
00:11:15.80\00:11:19.01
to find God's
remnant movement today,
00:11:19.04\00:11:22.34
and to shed light on
some of the decisions
00:11:22.38\00:11:25.78
that we are having to make.
00:11:25.81\00:11:27.95
So we're gonna go through
all six of these principles.
00:11:27.98\00:11:30.85
So are you ready to
go? Can you say amen?
00:11:30.89\00:11:32.99
All right, the first one is
found in 1 Corinthians 3:11.
00:11:33.02\00:11:39.36
And I'd like you to go ahead
00:11:39.39\00:11:40.73
and look all of
these verses up with me.
00:11:40.76\00:11:43.33
1 Corinthians Chapter 3
00:11:43.37\00:11:45.83
and we want to
begin in verse 11.
00:11:45.87\00:11:49.77
Now I need to
look this up myself.
00:11:49.80\00:11:51.14
1 Corinthians 3:11.
00:11:51.17\00:11:54.24
Now it's just one sentence long,
00:11:54.28\00:11:57.05
but it is power packed
with a foundational principle
00:11:57.08\00:12:01.28
that we need to
understand today.
00:12:01.32\00:12:04.29
1 Corinthians 3:11.
00:12:04.32\00:12:09.46
The Bible says,
00:12:09.49\00:12:11.86
"For no other
foundation can anyone lay
00:12:11.89\00:12:16.56
than that which is
laid, which is," what?
00:12:16.60\00:12:20.54
"Jesus Christ." So let's stop.
00:12:20.57\00:12:22.47
Now that's pretty elementary,
00:12:22.50\00:12:23.84
but it's still
nonetheless important.
00:12:23.87\00:12:26.41
Principle number one says,
00:12:26.44\00:12:28.24
if I want to find
God's truth today,
00:12:28.28\00:12:30.95
if I want to find
Revelation's remnant movement
00:12:30.98\00:12:34.22
at the end of time
that is going to be a group
00:12:34.25\00:12:38.35
that is founded on Jesus
Christ and His teachings.
00:12:38.39\00:12:43.22
Now, you may say, "Well,
that's kind of understood."
00:12:43.26\00:12:46.43
But you see,
you got to remember,
00:12:46.46\00:12:49.46
a true church of Jesus
00:12:49.50\00:12:51.77
is never going to put
the teachings of a man
00:12:51.80\00:12:55.40
above the
teachings of Jesus Christ.
00:12:55.44\00:12:58.14
It will never put the
teachings of a prophet
00:12:58.17\00:13:01.04
above the teachings of Jesus.
00:13:01.08\00:13:03.75
It will never put the teachings
of any earthly religious leader
00:13:03.78\00:13:09.02
above what Christ
teaches in His Word.
00:13:09.05\00:13:12.15
Can you say amen?
00:13:12.19\00:13:14.02
See, when you're asking
questions about the Bible,
00:13:14.06\00:13:17.33
when you're convicted
about something Scripture says,
00:13:17.36\00:13:20.00
a commandment that
says, we need to do this
00:13:20.03\00:13:22.23
or we need to refrain from that.
00:13:22.26\00:13:24.17
When I ask someone a
question about the Bible,
00:13:24.20\00:13:27.80
and the answer I get is,
00:13:27.84\00:13:29.70
"Oh, well, that
doesn't really matter."
00:13:29.74\00:13:32.77
That should be a
red flag in our minds.
00:13:32.81\00:13:35.74
When I ask a
question about the Bible,
00:13:35.78\00:13:38.01
and somebody says to me,
00:13:38.05\00:13:39.38
"Oh, well,
that's done away with,
00:13:39.41\00:13:40.75
we don't need to
worry about it anymore."
00:13:40.78\00:13:42.98
That's a red flag in my mind.
00:13:43.02\00:13:45.52
When I ask a
question about the Bible,
00:13:45.55\00:13:48.32
and someone says to me,
00:13:48.36\00:13:50.03
"Oh, well, we
just follow tradition
00:13:50.06\00:13:52.09
that's not the
way we do things."
00:13:52.13\00:13:54.73
That's a red flag in my mind.
00:13:54.76\00:13:58.17
Because the Bible says
when it comes to God's church,
00:13:58.20\00:14:01.47
when it comes to a remnant
movement in the last days,
00:14:01.50\00:14:05.57
it's going to be
founded on Jesus Christ
00:14:05.61\00:14:08.54
and His teachings in His Word.
00:14:08.58\00:14:11.31
Can you say amen?
00:14:11.35\00:14:12.68
That's the
foundation, not what's popular,
00:14:12.71\00:14:16.22
not what man says or
thinks, but on what Jesus says.
00:14:16.25\00:14:21.19
Because Paul right here says,
00:14:21.22\00:14:22.69
"Christ is the only foundation
upon which we can build,"
00:14:22.72\00:14:26.83
and that includes His
teachings and His Word.
00:14:26.86\00:14:31.07
So that's principle number one.
00:14:31.10\00:14:32.70
God's remnant
movement of the last days
00:14:32.73\00:14:35.00
will be founded on
Jesus Christ and His Word.
00:14:35.04\00:14:38.74
Now that one was
pretty elementary.
00:14:38.77\00:14:41.24
Well, let's go to
principle number two.
00:14:41.28\00:14:43.81
This one is found
in 2 or 1 Timothy 3:15.
00:14:43.85\00:14:49.42
I'd like to invite
you to turn there with me.
00:14:49.45\00:14:52.25
1 Timothy 3:15.
00:14:52.29\00:14:58.33
Now you actually want...
00:14:58.36\00:14:59.69
may want to write down
all six of these principles,
00:14:59.73\00:15:03.47
and the scripture references
00:15:03.50\00:15:05.10
because it will guide
you in your Christian walk.
00:15:05.13\00:15:09.00
1 Timothy 3:15.
00:15:09.04\00:15:14.41
And by the way, I'm gonna
speak rather plainly tonight
00:15:14.44\00:15:17.81
since we have known
each other for a month,
00:15:17.85\00:15:20.02
we've studied the
Word of God together.
00:15:20.05\00:15:22.28
You know, there are
times when God just wants
00:15:22.32\00:15:24.52
to come right out
and tell it like it is
00:15:24.55\00:15:27.26
because He loves us.
00:15:27.29\00:15:28.62
Can you say amen?
00:15:28.66\00:15:29.99
There's times when God doesn't
want to beat around the bush
00:15:30.03\00:15:32.53
because He doesn't want
His people to be deceived,
00:15:32.56\00:15:35.66
He wants them to
be on the right path.
00:15:35.70\00:15:38.03
And so there are
principles in the Word of God
00:15:38.07\00:15:40.94
that sometimes we
are tempted to skip,
00:15:40.97\00:15:44.57
because it has the
tendency to step on our toes.
00:15:44.61\00:15:47.74
And let's be honest,
00:15:47.78\00:15:49.11
we humans, we don't like
to have our toes stepped on,
00:15:49.14\00:15:52.31
but God's allowed to do that,
00:15:52.35\00:15:54.15
because He created us
00:15:54.18\00:15:56.08
and because He
loves and cares for us.
00:15:56.12\00:15:58.69
So 1 Timothy 3:15,
00:15:58.72\00:16:02.86
the principle is in the
last part of this verse.
00:16:02.89\00:16:06.39
The Bible says,
00:16:06.43\00:16:08.63
"But if I am delayed,
00:16:08.66\00:16:10.80
I write so that you may know
00:16:10.83\00:16:12.93
how you ought to conduct
yourself in the house of God,
00:16:12.97\00:16:17.07
which is the
church of the living God."
00:16:17.11\00:16:19.57
And notice how he describes it,
00:16:19.61\00:16:21.48
"The pillar and
ground of the," what?
00:16:21.51\00:16:24.88
"Truth."
00:16:24.91\00:16:26.25
Now we're gonna
stop there for a second.
00:16:26.28\00:16:28.12
Notice that God
describes His church
00:16:28.15\00:16:30.75
and that would
include His remnant movement
00:16:30.79\00:16:33.36
as the pillar
and ground of truth,
00:16:33.39\00:16:36.42
not the pillar and
ground of tradition,
00:16:36.46\00:16:39.29
not the pillar and
ground of popular teaching
00:16:39.33\00:16:41.90
or the way it's
always been done,
00:16:41.93\00:16:44.43
but the pillar
and ground of truth.
00:16:44.47\00:16:48.70
You see what's tempting to
do in the Christian world today,
00:16:48.74\00:16:52.77
is to kind of throw away truth
00:16:52.81\00:16:55.61
and we're just gonna
focus on the traditions
00:16:55.64\00:16:57.71
that we have always followed.
00:16:57.75\00:17:00.48
The temptation is to
throw away what the Bible says
00:17:00.52\00:17:03.79
and let's just
focus on what's popular
00:17:03.82\00:17:06.82
so that
everybody will accept us.
00:17:06.86\00:17:08.86
That's the temptation
in the religious world.
00:17:08.89\00:17:10.83
In fact, I'll tell you
00:17:10.86\00:17:12.19
what churches
sometimes have to go through.
00:17:12.23\00:17:15.76
Every preacher has the
desire, I would think, to have,
00:17:15.80\00:17:19.17
you know, a larger
church with people coming
00:17:19.20\00:17:21.74
because they want to
preach the Word of God,
00:17:21.77\00:17:23.41
they want to reach people.
00:17:23.44\00:17:25.07
Every preacher
wants to be successful.
00:17:25.11\00:17:28.48
I mean, that's a good thing.
00:17:28.51\00:17:29.84
I mean, who would
want to go to a church
00:17:29.88\00:17:31.21
with a preacher that says,
00:17:31.25\00:17:32.58
"Yep, I would like to be an
absolute and utter failure."
00:17:32.61\00:17:34.78
Well, nobody wants to
go to a church like that.
00:17:34.82\00:17:36.82
One should want
to be successful,
00:17:36.85\00:17:39.25
but never at the cost of truth.
00:17:39.29\00:17:42.49
Can you say amen?
00:17:42.52\00:17:43.99
See, many times a
church may choose to say,
00:17:44.03\00:17:47.00
"Well, you know,
00:17:47.03\00:17:48.53
if we preach too
much of the hard truths
00:17:48.56\00:17:51.77
in the Word of God,
00:17:51.80\00:17:53.60
my attendance may go down."
00:17:53.64\00:17:56.24
You know, if I challenge
people to grow spiritually,
00:17:56.27\00:17:59.24
I challenge them
with God's commandments.
00:17:59.27\00:18:02.41
I don't know, the
money in the offering plate
00:18:02.44\00:18:05.18
might get less and less.
00:18:05.21\00:18:07.52
And when the money
in the offering plates
00:18:07.55\00:18:09.25
gets less, you
can't pay your bills
00:18:09.28\00:18:13.09
and guess whose
salary gets affected?
00:18:13.12\00:18:16.69
The pastor's salary.
00:18:16.73\00:18:19.43
See, the
temptation is always there.
00:18:19.46\00:18:23.30
Now I don't know
who's genuine and who's not.
00:18:23.33\00:18:25.23
God didn't leave
that up to me to decide,
00:18:25.27\00:18:26.87
only God can read the heart.
00:18:26.90\00:18:28.94
But he says that His
church and His remnant movement
00:18:28.97\00:18:33.04
is gonna be focused on
what is called the pillar
00:18:33.07\00:18:35.81
and the ground of the truth.
00:18:35.84\00:18:37.65
I don't need to be
concerned with what's popular,
00:18:37.68\00:18:40.52
I need to be
concerned about being truthful
00:18:40.55\00:18:43.79
and about being faithful,
00:18:43.82\00:18:45.75
that's what God
calls His church to do.
00:18:45.79\00:18:49.56
Yes, I may want a bigger church.
00:18:49.59\00:18:52.09
Yes, I may want to
do big things for God.
00:18:52.13\00:18:55.20
But if it's
causing me to compromise
00:18:55.23\00:18:58.00
what the Word of God teaches,
00:18:58.03\00:19:00.27
that's a problem
and that's a red flag.
00:19:00.30\00:19:03.34
It's not worth it to
compromise God's Word
00:19:03.37\00:19:05.91
to have a big church
or to have a lot of money
00:19:05.94\00:19:08.34
flowing through the coffers.
00:19:08.38\00:19:10.38
Jesus says His
church is the pillar
00:19:11.55\00:19:14.42
and the ground of the truth.
00:19:14.45\00:19:18.09
In fact, there's a phrase
00:19:18.12\00:19:19.45
that sometimes
worries me a little bit
00:19:19.49\00:19:21.02
in this Christian
world and I'll tell you why.
00:19:21.06\00:19:25.19
Many times I'll hear people
say, "Well, you know what?
00:19:25.23\00:19:27.76
Doctrine doesn't
matter, Jesus only, Jesus only."
00:19:27.80\00:19:34.20
Now, I'm gonna encourage
you to be careful about that
00:19:34.24\00:19:36.47
because it sounds very good
and religious on the surface,
00:19:36.50\00:19:41.24
but it can be very deceptive.
00:19:41.28\00:19:43.28
Now, I think we all agree, yes,
00:19:43.31\00:19:45.15
Jesus is all we
need for salvation.
00:19:45.18\00:19:47.75
Can you say amen?
00:19:47.78\00:19:49.18
Doctrines not gonna
save me, that's for sure.
00:19:49.22\00:19:52.42
Only Jesus Christ
and Him crucified.
00:19:52.45\00:19:55.69
The fact that He
shed His blood for me
00:19:55.72\00:19:58.66
that He gave me a gift I
could never give for myself,
00:19:58.69\00:20:02.70
that He gives me His
perfect righteous life
00:20:02.73\00:20:06.07
so that I can enter
the kingdom of heaven.
00:20:06.10\00:20:08.44
All I need is
Jesus for salvation.
00:20:08.47\00:20:11.21
But that doesn't mean
that doctrine is not important.
00:20:11.24\00:20:16.04
Notice that God saw
fit to put how many books
00:20:16.08\00:20:19.35
in the canon of
the Bible, do you know?
00:20:19.38\00:20:22.02
Sixty six,
00:20:22.05\00:20:23.72
because it is filled
with doctrinal teaching.
00:20:23.75\00:20:26.55
In fact, the word
doctrine just means teaching.
00:20:26.59\00:20:29.39
It's important because for
every doctrine of the Bible
00:20:29.42\00:20:33.53
that I don't understand,
00:20:33.56\00:20:35.73
I leave myself
open to be deceived.
00:20:35.76\00:20:38.87
For every doctrine of Scripture,
00:20:38.90\00:20:41.30
that I
misinterpret, there's something
00:20:41.34\00:20:43.47
that I'm not understanding
about the character of God.
00:20:43.51\00:20:47.81
An example of
that is when we studied
00:20:47.84\00:20:49.94
what happens when you die?
00:20:49.98\00:20:52.15
Now I'm sure there
will be people in heaven
00:20:52.18\00:20:53.95
from the past who
didn't know the truth of that.
00:20:53.98\00:20:57.39
But today, God
knows how important it is
00:20:57.42\00:20:59.85
because if I don't know
00:20:59.89\00:21:02.02
what happens when a person dies,
00:21:02.06\00:21:04.69
I leave myself open to
the devil's deceptions.
00:21:04.73\00:21:08.06
I leave myself
open to spiritualism,
00:21:08.10\00:21:11.13
to things in the
new age, to sA(C)ances
00:21:11.17\00:21:13.87
and communicating with the dead,
00:21:13.90\00:21:15.67
if I do not understand
00:21:15.70\00:21:17.61
what the Bible
teaches about sleeping
00:21:17.64\00:21:19.67
and resting in the
grave until Jesus comes.
00:21:19.71\00:21:22.78
That doctrine doesn't save me,
00:21:22.81\00:21:24.98
but it sure has
the ability to keep me
00:21:25.01\00:21:27.45
from being
deceived by the devil.
00:21:27.48\00:21:29.52
Can you say amen?
00:21:29.55\00:21:31.12
So that's why it's
important for God's church,
00:21:31.15\00:21:33.82
even for His remnant movement
of people at the end of time
00:21:33.86\00:21:37.33
to be focused on
what is called the pillar
00:21:37.36\00:21:39.79
and the ground of truth.
00:21:39.83\00:21:42.60
In fact did you know,
the Bible describes truth,
00:21:42.63\00:21:46.13
actually defines
truth in three ways.
00:21:46.17\00:21:49.14
I want to show you the three.
00:21:49.17\00:21:51.27
In John 14:6, it
says, "Jesus is the truth."
00:21:51.31\00:21:55.58
John 17:17 says,
"God's word is the truth."
00:21:55.61\00:21:59.71
And Psalm 119:142 says,
"God's law is the truth."
00:21:59.75\00:22:06.35
So God's remnant
movement in the last days
00:22:06.39\00:22:10.16
that Revelation refers
to is gonna uplift Jesus,
00:22:10.19\00:22:14.26
it's gonna uphold God's Word,
00:22:14.30\00:22:16.73
and it's going
to uphold God's law,
00:22:16.77\00:22:19.83
because all of those
three things are the truth,
00:22:19.87\00:22:23.00
according to the Bible.
00:22:23.04\00:22:25.44
That's principle number two.
00:22:25.47\00:22:28.28
Let's go to
principle number three.
00:22:28.31\00:22:31.15
Now, this one
is tempting to skip
00:22:31.18\00:22:34.12
because it's one of
those hard hitting passages
00:22:34.15\00:22:37.59
that Jesus gives,
00:22:37.62\00:22:39.42
but we need to go to it
00:22:39.45\00:22:41.02
because the
principles in it are valuable.
00:22:41.06\00:22:45.09
Go to Matthew Chapter 7
and let's go to verse 21.
00:22:45.13\00:22:50.90
Matthew Chapter 7
00:22:50.93\00:22:53.74
and we're gonna
read verses 21 to 23.
00:22:53.77\00:22:57.84
And the reason this
one catches my attention
00:22:57.87\00:23:01.21
is because it says
something there about preachers.
00:23:01.24\00:23:05.48
Matthew 7:21,
00:23:05.51\00:23:07.95
now this is the words of Jesus.
00:23:07.98\00:23:11.09
The Bible says,
00:23:11.12\00:23:13.15
"Not everyone who says to me,
00:23:13.19\00:23:15.76
Lord, Lord shall
enter the Kingdom of Heaven,
00:23:15.79\00:23:20.83
but he who does the
will of my Father in heaven."
00:23:20.86\00:23:26.63
Okay, now let's
put the brakes on here
00:23:26.67\00:23:28.87
before we read
the next few verses.
00:23:28.90\00:23:31.81
Do you catch what
Jesus is saying here?
00:23:31.84\00:23:35.54
He's saying in the end,
00:23:35.58\00:23:37.71
there will be people
who claim to be Christians,
00:23:37.75\00:23:41.78
people who claim
to have known Him,
00:23:41.82\00:23:44.19
Lord, Lord, I've
known You, I followed You.
00:23:44.22\00:23:48.22
And Jesus says to
them, "I never knew you."
00:23:48.26\00:23:54.53
Now, folks, that's shocking.
00:23:54.56\00:23:56.90
Why?
00:23:56.93\00:23:58.80
Apparently they were Christians
00:23:58.83\00:24:01.07
who professed so on the outside,
00:24:01.10\00:24:04.34
but something was missing.
00:24:04.37\00:24:07.04
And the end of
the verse tells us.
00:24:07.08\00:24:08.61
It says, "But he who
does the will of the Father."
00:24:08.64\00:24:11.91
In other words,
00:24:11.95\00:24:13.38
these are people who
profess to be Christians
00:24:13.42\00:24:15.98
verbally on the outside,
00:24:16.02\00:24:17.69
maybe they even
sat in church pews.
00:24:17.72\00:24:21.89
But Jesus wants our experience
to go beyond profession,
00:24:21.92\00:24:25.16
because apparently
00:24:25.19\00:24:26.53
they weren't doing
the will of the Father.
00:24:26.56\00:24:28.50
You can profess anything,
00:24:28.53\00:24:31.03
but Jesus says,
"We shall know them
00:24:31.07\00:24:32.73
by their," what?
00:24:32.77\00:24:34.30
By their fruits.
00:24:34.34\00:24:35.97
Were they doing
the will of the Father?
00:24:36.00\00:24:38.77
And, of course, the question is,
00:24:38.81\00:24:40.18
where do you find
the will of the Father?
00:24:40.21\00:24:44.08
In the Word of God.
00:24:44.11\00:24:46.05
See, its' one
thing for me to say,
00:24:46.08\00:24:47.78
"Yes, I'm a Christian
00:24:47.82\00:24:49.48
and I know the Bible says this,
00:24:49.52\00:24:51.85
but I know God's
Word asks this of me,
00:24:51.89\00:24:56.86
but I don't
think it's important,
00:24:56.89\00:24:58.96
but I'd rather follow tradition,
00:24:58.99\00:25:01.20
and all of a sudden we
call ourselves Christians
00:25:01.23\00:25:03.97
while we're making
excuses and compromises
00:25:04.00\00:25:06.97
for some of the plain things
00:25:07.00\00:25:08.64
that are found
in the Word of God.
00:25:08.67\00:25:11.17
This is what Jesus is
talking about when He says,
00:25:11.21\00:25:13.51
"I never knew you."
00:25:13.54\00:25:16.85
See, what it's
telling us here is obedience
00:25:16.88\00:25:19.91
is an important part
of the Christian walk.
00:25:19.95\00:25:23.15
Now that doesn't mean
my obedience saves me.
00:25:23.18\00:25:26.62
My obedience will never save me,
00:25:26.65\00:25:29.16
because I can't perfectly obey.
00:25:29.19\00:25:31.36
I was born with sin, I
can't do that on my own.
00:25:31.39\00:25:34.43
It is Jesus' life that saves me,
00:25:34.46\00:25:36.67
so I can't be saved by my works.
00:25:36.70\00:25:39.30
But obedience is the evidence
00:25:39.33\00:25:43.37
that a higher power is
working inside of me, amen?
00:25:43.41\00:25:47.58
It's the evidence
that the Holy Spirit
00:25:47.61\00:25:49.28
is changing my mind
and changing my heart
00:25:49.31\00:25:52.11
that I have
chosen to follow Jesus.
00:25:52.15\00:25:54.22
So yes, according to
this, obedience is important,
00:25:54.25\00:25:57.32
following the
will of the Father.
00:25:57.35\00:26:00.49
But man, then when
you go to verse 22,
00:26:00.52\00:26:03.29
that really gets my attention.
00:26:03.32\00:26:06.43
Verse 22 says,
00:26:06.46\00:26:09.26
"Many will say
to me in that day,
00:26:09.30\00:26:12.43
Lord, Lord,
00:26:12.47\00:26:14.74
have we not
prophesied in Your name?
00:26:14.77\00:26:17.91
Cast out demons in Your name,
00:26:17.94\00:26:20.84
and done many
wonders in Your name?
00:26:20.88\00:26:24.11
And then I will declare to them,
00:26:24.15\00:26:26.72
I never knew you.
00:26:26.75\00:26:29.58
Depart from me,
00:26:29.62\00:26:31.35
you who practice
lawlessness or iniquity."
00:26:31.39\00:26:38.03
Okay.
00:26:38.06\00:26:40.80
You see that part where it says,
00:26:40.83\00:26:42.16
"Lord, we've
prophesied in Your name."
00:26:42.20\00:26:45.37
In a sense that can
also be interpreted,
00:26:45.40\00:26:47.64
"Lord, we have
preached in Your name."
00:26:47.67\00:26:51.01
Okay, that's hitting ministers
which I am a little bit.
00:26:51.04\00:26:54.74
What is the deal here?
00:26:54.78\00:26:57.08
Is Jesus really saying
that there will be ministers
00:26:57.11\00:27:00.92
who are lost?
00:27:00.95\00:27:02.98
Or people who have
preached things in His name
00:27:03.02\00:27:06.79
and Jesus says,
"I never knew you."
00:27:06.82\00:27:12.09
See, folks, this is
why I take very seriously
00:27:12.13\00:27:14.93
preaching the Word of God.
00:27:14.96\00:27:16.30
And I realized,
00:27:16.33\00:27:17.73
I know that
everything I say is not popular.
00:27:17.77\00:27:21.14
I realized that
sometimes I teach things
00:27:21.17\00:27:23.91
that don't go along
with the mainstream.
00:27:23.94\00:27:27.74
But it's because I'm
responsible for teaching
00:27:27.78\00:27:30.25
what the Word of God says,
00:27:30.28\00:27:32.11
If I call myself a minister,
or I could be a lay minister,
00:27:32.15\00:27:36.08
anyone who
preaches the Word of God,
00:27:36.12\00:27:39.05
and I'm willing to skip
something in the Word of God,
00:27:39.09\00:27:42.36
or I'm willing to compromise it,
00:27:42.39\00:27:45.26
just because I want to be liked.
00:27:45.29\00:27:48.50
I'm in danger of
having Jesus say to me,
00:27:48.53\00:27:51.00
"I never knew you."
00:27:51.03\00:27:54.20
And I don't want that to happen.
00:27:54.24\00:27:57.51
I think we all realize
00:27:57.54\00:27:59.91
there's genuine
religious leaders
00:27:59.94\00:28:03.08
and there's not so
genuine religious leaders.
00:28:03.11\00:28:06.11
Now God hasn't set me
up to judge who's who,
00:28:06.15\00:28:08.68
because I can't
read a person's heart.
00:28:08.72\00:28:10.85
Only God can do that
00:28:10.89\00:28:12.22
and He hasn't set
you up to do that either.
00:28:12.25\00:28:15.32
But we all know from
past Christian history,
00:28:15.36\00:28:18.16
there are charlatans
within the religious world,
00:28:18.19\00:28:20.90
can we agree on that?
00:28:20.93\00:28:22.26
False christs
and false prophets.
00:28:22.30\00:28:27.10
See, if I'm willing to sacrifice
00:28:27.14\00:28:29.24
what the will of God is,
00:28:29.27\00:28:31.54
simply because I
need a big church
00:28:31.57\00:28:34.08
or because I want to be
like something is wrong.
00:28:34.11\00:28:37.61
Jesus says, "I
need to preach truth."
00:28:37.65\00:28:42.75
But it goes farther.
00:28:42.78\00:28:45.29
In verse 22, it says,
00:28:45.32\00:28:48.09
"There are some
who cast out demons
00:28:48.12\00:28:49.99
and did many wonders
or miracles in His name.
00:28:50.03\00:28:54.16
And Jesus says,
"I never knew you."
00:28:54.20\00:28:58.03
That's almost hard to fathom.
00:28:58.07\00:29:00.14
Because you would
think, now wait a minute.
00:29:00.17\00:29:02.70
If they're doing miracles,
they've got to be from God.
00:29:02.74\00:29:07.08
Not necessarily.
00:29:07.11\00:29:09.51
Remember, we learned
the devil can do miracles
00:29:09.54\00:29:12.48
that he's not
more powerful than God,
00:29:12.51\00:29:14.25
but he can do signs and wonders.
00:29:14.28\00:29:17.05
And the devil is happy
to use a miracle worker,
00:29:17.09\00:29:20.82
if he can use that person
to lead us away from the pillar
00:29:20.86\00:29:24.23
and ground of the truth.
00:29:24.26\00:29:26.70
He is happy to use
an eloquent preacher,
00:29:26.73\00:29:29.76
if he can use that person
00:29:29.80\00:29:31.73
to lead us back
to the traditions
00:29:31.77\00:29:33.64
and the commandments of men
instead of what the Bible says.
00:29:33.67\00:29:39.21
So clearly, Jesus
here is telling us
00:29:39.24\00:29:40.98
it's important to do to
obey the will of the Father.
00:29:41.01\00:29:44.41
That's what His
church should be doing,
00:29:44.45\00:29:46.82
that's what the remnant movement
00:29:46.85\00:29:48.22
of the last days will
do, not just professing it,
00:29:48.25\00:29:51.02
but following the
will of the Father,
00:29:51.05\00:29:53.52
as is found in Scripture.
00:29:53.56\00:29:55.82
Does that make sense?
00:29:55.86\00:29:57.96
In fact, did you know that
00:29:57.99\00:30:00.56
if you look at Christian history
00:30:00.60\00:30:01.96
all throughout
Christian history,
00:30:02.00\00:30:04.30
God has always had a
faithful group of people
00:30:04.33\00:30:07.94
that chose to go
against the culture
00:30:07.97\00:30:11.01
and follow Him?
00:30:11.04\00:30:12.61
Let me show you this
pattern not only from the Bible,
00:30:12.64\00:30:14.84
but throughout history.
00:30:14.88\00:30:16.81
Let's start with Noah.
00:30:16.85\00:30:18.61
Not long after
God created the world,
00:30:18.65\00:30:20.28
we're already in
the Book of Genesis
00:30:20.32\00:30:21.68
and the world is so wicked,
00:30:21.72\00:30:23.28
God's got to destroy
it and start over again.
00:30:23.32\00:30:25.79
He calls Noah and his
family out to follow Him.
00:30:25.82\00:30:30.06
Now, let me ask you a question.
00:30:30.09\00:30:32.09
Was Noah in the
minority, yes or no?
00:30:32.13\00:30:34.46
Yep.
00:30:34.50\00:30:35.83
Was Noah persecuted? Yep.
00:30:35.86\00:30:37.90
And that you will
find that many times
00:30:37.93\00:30:39.97
God's faithful
people throughout history,
00:30:40.00\00:30:42.54
who wanted to uphold the Bible
00:30:42.57\00:30:44.74
and the Bible alone, almost,
00:30:44.77\00:30:46.61
always they
were in the minority,
00:30:46.64\00:30:48.74
they were persecuted,
and they were not liked.
00:30:48.78\00:30:52.11
That happened to Noah.
00:30:52.15\00:30:53.92
We could go to Abraham.
00:30:53.95\00:30:55.62
God calls Abraham out of Ur
00:30:55.65\00:30:57.59
to make a great
nation out of him.
00:30:57.62\00:31:00.32
Was Abraham in the
minority, yes or no?
00:31:00.36\00:31:02.86
Yeah.
00:31:02.89\00:31:04.23
Was Abraham persecuted?
00:31:04.26\00:31:05.86
At times.
00:31:05.89\00:31:08.06
What about the Israelites?
00:31:08.10\00:31:09.63
God called Israel out of Egypt?
00:31:09.66\00:31:12.27
Was Israel in the minority?
00:31:12.30\00:31:14.94
Yeah, compared to the
pagan nations of the world.
00:31:14.97\00:31:17.34
Were they persecuted?
00:31:17.37\00:31:19.34
Yeah, the other
nations hated them.
00:31:19.37\00:31:22.51
God called the Christian
church out of the Jewish nation.
00:31:22.54\00:31:26.48
In the early Christian church
00:31:26.51\00:31:28.28
were Christians in the minority,
00:31:28.32\00:31:29.85
yes or no?
00:31:29.88\00:31:31.22
Yes.
00:31:31.25\00:31:32.59
Were they persecuted?
00:31:32.62\00:31:33.99
History tells us so.
00:31:34.02\00:31:35.96
We could go all the
way to the Middle Ages.
00:31:35.99\00:31:38.19
God called the
reformers out of Rome
00:31:38.23\00:31:41.60
to bring people
back to the Bible,
00:31:41.63\00:31:43.93
were the
reformers in the minority?
00:31:43.97\00:31:46.50
Yes.
00:31:46.53\00:31:47.87
Were the reformers persecuted?
00:31:47.90\00:31:50.31
Absolutely.
00:31:50.34\00:31:52.11
And then Revelation says,
00:31:52.14\00:31:54.68
"God is calling
out a remnant of people
00:31:54.71\00:31:58.68
in the last days
00:31:58.71\00:32:00.32
who will keep the
commandments of God."
00:32:00.35\00:32:03.28
So based on the
pattern of biblical history,
00:32:03.32\00:32:06.49
would we expect that
remnant to be in the minority,
00:32:06.52\00:32:09.22
yes or no?
00:32:09.26\00:32:10.59
Yep.
00:32:10.63\00:32:11.96
Would we expect that
remnant to be persecuted?
00:32:11.99\00:32:13.46
Yep.
00:32:13.50\00:32:14.83
Would we expect that
remnant to probably not be liked
00:32:14.86\00:32:17.63
by the world?
00:32:17.67\00:32:19.00
Indeed.
00:32:19.03\00:32:20.37
In fact, you know the
early Christian church,
00:32:20.40\00:32:21.74
you know, what they
used to say about them?
00:32:21.77\00:32:23.10
They used to say, "Oh,
that sect," You know, S-E-C-T.
00:32:23.14\00:32:26.47
You know what,
that's another word for?
00:32:26.51\00:32:27.94
That's like saying, "Oh,
that cog that follows Jesus."
00:32:27.98\00:32:31.78
They were spoken negatively of.
00:32:31.81\00:32:34.95
God says you can expect
that in His remnant movement
00:32:34.98\00:32:37.65
in the last days.
00:32:37.69\00:32:40.02
You may wonder why does
God use that word remnant?
00:32:40.06\00:32:42.56
We don't use that
a whole lot today.
00:32:42.59\00:32:45.49
Let me see if I can
illustrate it for you
00:32:45.53\00:32:47.16
with a fun story really.
00:32:47.20\00:32:50.80
How many of you have
ever been to a cloth shop
00:32:50.83\00:32:54.04
where you have to buy
material to make things?
00:32:54.07\00:32:56.07
Can I see your hands?
00:32:56.10\00:32:57.77
Great, there're a couple
men too, I'm actually surprised.
00:32:57.81\00:33:01.11
I want you to pretend
00:33:01.14\00:33:02.58
because there's no
place more boring to a man
00:33:02.61\00:33:04.98
at least in my opinion
than a cloth shop, okay.
00:33:05.01\00:33:08.62
But I want you to pretend that
Marquita is gonna make a dress.
00:33:08.65\00:33:13.02
And so she takes David
to the boring old cloth shop
00:33:13.05\00:33:16.66
and she looks around
for the perfect material
00:33:16.69\00:33:19.06
that she wants to
make a beautiful dress.
00:33:19.09\00:33:22.16
And let's say if
she looks around,
00:33:22.20\00:33:24.13
she finds material that is red.
00:33:24.17\00:33:27.34
Now listen carefully.
00:33:27.37\00:33:28.70
What color is the material? Red.
00:33:28.74\00:33:30.67
The pattern is white polka dots.
00:33:30.71\00:33:33.74
And inside the white
polka dots are diamonds.
00:33:33.78\00:33:39.18
Maybe I'm not that
color coordinative.
00:33:39.21\00:33:41.32
So she takes that, she goes
up to the clerk and she says,
00:33:41.35\00:33:43.62
"I'm gonna make a dress,
give me 20 yards or whatever."
00:33:43.65\00:33:46.35
Well, that's
probably too much, isn't it?
00:33:46.39\00:33:48.09
I've never made
a dress in my life,
00:33:48.12\00:33:49.89
I wouldn't know.
00:33:49.92\00:33:51.26
So she just asked for
enough to make a dress.
00:33:51.29\00:33:54.00
She takes her home
and starts working on it.
00:33:54.03\00:33:56.60
And as she works on it,
she finds out lo and behold,
00:33:56.63\00:33:58.93
she doesn't have enough.
00:33:58.97\00:34:00.90
So she's gotta drag me back
to the boring old cloth shop,
00:34:00.94\00:34:04.64
I sit around while she
looks for this material
00:34:04.67\00:34:07.34
and she can't find it.
00:34:07.38\00:34:09.64
So she goes to
the clerk and says,
00:34:09.68\00:34:11.31
"Where can I find this
material to finish my dress?"
00:34:11.35\00:34:14.65
And where is the
clerk going to point her?
00:34:14.68\00:34:18.12
To the remnant then, the
material that's left over,
00:34:18.15\00:34:22.56
so she goes
searching in the remnant then.
00:34:22.59\00:34:26.06
If she wants to find
the remnant material,
00:34:26.09\00:34:30.33
what color is that
material going to be?
00:34:30.37\00:34:32.93
Red.
00:34:32.97\00:34:34.30
And what's the
pattern gonna be in it?
00:34:34.34\00:34:36.20
White polka dots
00:34:36.24\00:34:37.57
and what's gonna
be in the polka dots?
00:34:37.61\00:34:39.17
Diamonds.
00:34:39.21\00:34:40.54
So what we're saying
is, the remnant material
00:34:40.58\00:34:43.85
is going to be
just like the original.
00:34:43.88\00:34:48.35
Perhaps that's why
God uses the word remnant.
00:34:48.38\00:34:51.05
That in the last days
God is calling His church
00:34:51.09\00:34:54.46
to be like the
original early Christian church
00:34:54.49\00:34:57.33
founded on Jesus,
00:34:57.36\00:34:58.76
founded on His Word,
founded on the pillar
00:34:58.79\00:35:01.80
and ground of the
truth, just like the original.
00:35:01.83\00:35:06.23
Perhaps that's why
God uses that word.
00:35:06.27\00:35:09.24
But it goes farther, we've got
to finish the principles here.
00:35:09.27\00:35:12.07
Principle number four.
00:35:12.11\00:35:13.74
Principle number four
00:35:13.78\00:35:15.61
is probably the most
powerful of them all.
00:35:15.64\00:35:18.11
And this one I've
printed on the screen.
00:35:18.15\00:35:20.28
I'm gonna go back
to Revelation 12:17.
00:35:20.32\00:35:23.28
It says,
00:35:23.32\00:35:25.49
"And the dragon was
wroth with the woman,"
00:35:25.52\00:35:28.39
you know, God's
people, "and went to make war
00:35:28.42\00:35:31.89
with the remnant of her seed,"
00:35:31.93\00:35:33.93
you know, those that
remain in the last days,
00:35:33.96\00:35:36.73
"Who keep the
commandments of God,
00:35:36.77\00:35:40.44
and have the
testimony of Jesus."
00:35:40.47\00:35:44.74
I gotta stop there.
00:35:44.77\00:35:46.98
It describes the
remnant in two powerful ways
00:35:47.01\00:35:51.51
and I want to focus
on the first one, notice.
00:35:51.55\00:35:53.98
What do they keep?
00:35:54.02\00:35:56.48
The commandments of God.
00:35:56.52\00:35:59.62
That's what God's
church will be doing
00:35:59.65\00:36:01.32
at the end of time.
00:36:01.36\00:36:03.66
So right there if I
want to find a church
00:36:03.69\00:36:06.36
that is part of
this remnant movement,
00:36:06.39\00:36:10.30
the biggest clue it's
telling me right there.
00:36:10.33\00:36:13.37
And what I'm about to say
is not politically correct,
00:36:13.40\00:36:16.17
but I'm okay with it
00:36:16.20\00:36:17.54
because this is
what the Bible says.
00:36:17.57\00:36:19.44
That means any group that says,
00:36:19.47\00:36:22.81
"God's law is done away with,
00:36:22.84\00:36:26.08
God's law is
nailed to the cross,
00:36:26.11\00:36:29.25
God's law isn't
important anymore,"
00:36:29.28\00:36:33.39
cannot be part of
this remnant movement.
00:36:33.42\00:36:36.62
Because Revelation says,
00:36:36.66\00:36:38.36
"The people of the last days
00:36:38.39\00:36:40.53
keep the commandments of God."
00:36:40.56\00:36:44.50
Now, I didn't say that,
00:36:44.53\00:36:46.43
God said it,
00:36:46.47\00:36:48.50
and included with
that is the Bible Sabbath.
00:36:48.54\00:36:54.54
They're not gonna say, "Oh,
well, I'll keep 8 out of 10."
00:36:54.58\00:36:57.71
"Lord, I'll keep 9 out of 10."
00:36:57.75\00:36:59.68
But Lord, don't
ask me to love You
00:36:59.71\00:37:01.22
and follow You
with all of my heart.
00:37:01.25\00:37:06.55
See, James says
when we break one,
00:37:06.59\00:37:08.12
we break them all.
00:37:08.16\00:37:10.13
And truthfully when
sometimes when you ask people
00:37:10.16\00:37:13.53
most places are okay
with nine of the commandments.
00:37:13.56\00:37:16.63
If I would have asked
them, "Well, you know,
00:37:16.67\00:37:18.57
if the law is done away
with can I worship other gods?
00:37:18.60\00:37:21.70
No, no, no, no,
you shouldn't do that.
00:37:21.74\00:37:23.94
Can I bow down to
some graven images
00:37:23.97\00:37:25.31
just for the fun of it?
00:37:25.34\00:37:26.68
No, no, you shouldn't do that.
00:37:26.71\00:37:28.04
Well, how about can
I cuss when I get mad
00:37:28.08\00:37:29.71
and use God's name in vain?
00:37:29.74\00:37:31.08
Oh, no.
00:37:31.11\00:37:32.45
Well, how about when
my parents tick me off?
00:37:32.48\00:37:33.95
Do I still have to honor them?
00:37:33.98\00:37:35.32
Absolutely.
00:37:35.35\00:37:36.69
Well, can I kill
people when they irk me?
00:37:36.72\00:37:38.95
Oh, no.
00:37:38.99\00:37:40.32
Well, what about stealing?
00:37:40.36\00:37:41.69
You know I can fudge
some things on my taxes.
00:37:41.72\00:37:43.06
Oh, no, a
Christian should be honest.
00:37:43.09\00:37:44.89
Well, you know, I'm married,
00:37:44.93\00:37:46.63
can I have some fun on the side.
00:37:46.66\00:37:48.23
Absolutely not.
00:37:48.26\00:37:49.60
Well, what about coveting?
00:37:49.63\00:37:51.03
Can I covet? Can I
bear false witness?
00:37:51.07\00:37:53.54
Oh, no, we should
honor those things.
00:37:53.57\00:37:55.54
Oh, what about
remember the Sabbath day?
00:37:55.57\00:37:58.14
Oh, well, that
one's done away with.
00:37:58.17\00:38:01.11
That's the only one
we seem to not like.
00:38:01.14\00:38:04.71
But Revelation says,
00:38:04.75\00:38:06.08
"God's remnant movement
will keep His commandments.
00:38:06.11\00:38:08.82
That includes the
seventh day Sabbath."
00:38:08.85\00:38:13.42
Maybe that's why Revelation 14:7
00:38:13.46\00:38:15.76
actually quotes that commandment
00:38:15.79\00:38:17.96
because God's
bringing His people back to it.
00:38:17.99\00:38:21.66
Why would we want to do
away with a very command
00:38:21.70\00:38:25.13
that represents a
memorial to God's creation?
00:38:25.17\00:38:29.30
That symbolizes
that He is the authority
00:38:29.34\00:38:32.67
in the entire universe.
00:38:32.71\00:38:35.94
So point number four,
00:38:35.98\00:38:37.31
they keep the
commandments of God.
00:38:37.35\00:38:39.51
To be honest, when you
add that with the Sabbath,
00:38:39.55\00:38:42.02
that's gonna narrow down
the list very, very quickly.
00:38:42.05\00:38:47.32
Principle number five.
00:38:47.36\00:38:49.16
Let's go to Matthew 24:14.
00:38:49.19\00:38:52.83
Matthew Chapter 24
00:38:52.86\00:38:54.83
and we want to
go to verse 14 here.
00:38:54.86\00:38:59.00
The Bible says,
00:38:59.03\00:39:01.37
"And this gospel of the kingdom
will be preached," where?
00:39:01.40\00:39:06.71
"In all the world as a
witness to all the nations
00:39:06.74\00:39:10.51
and then the end will come."
00:39:10.55\00:39:14.48
And notice what Jesus said,
00:39:14.52\00:39:16.82
what has to
happen before He comes?
00:39:16.85\00:39:21.16
The gospels got to
go to all the world.
00:39:21.19\00:39:23.69
Now the early church was
very close to doing that,
00:39:23.73\00:39:26.49
they took it to all
the then known world,
00:39:26.53\00:39:28.53
not the whole world, but
all the then known world.
00:39:28.56\00:39:31.97
So that means if
God's remnant movement
00:39:32.00\00:39:34.84
is just like the original,
00:39:34.87\00:39:36.64
then it's going to be a movement
00:39:36.67\00:39:38.01
that is serious about
taking the gospel to the world,
00:39:38.04\00:39:41.61
to every people group,
every language, every tongue,
00:39:41.64\00:39:45.21
because the remnant movement
is gonna have the same passion
00:39:45.25\00:39:48.22
that the original
Christian church did
00:39:48.25\00:39:50.55
that was
founded on Jesus Christ.
00:39:50.59\00:39:52.72
Does that make sense?
00:39:52.75\00:39:54.26
It's going to be working
in all 220 whatever countries
00:39:54.29\00:39:58.29
there are in the world today,
I don't know that exact number
00:39:58.33\00:40:00.40
because they keep changing.
00:40:00.43\00:40:02.50
But it's important.
00:40:02.53\00:40:03.93
It means that God's
church in the last days,
00:40:03.97\00:40:06.43
He doesn't want
a remnant movement
00:40:06.47\00:40:08.54
that is just focused on
building huge monstrosities
00:40:08.57\00:40:12.24
of a structure and focusing
only on their neighborhood.
00:40:12.27\00:40:15.94
Now, yes, of course,
00:40:15.98\00:40:17.31
our neighborhood is
certainly a mission field.
00:40:17.35\00:40:19.01
But it's gonna be
an organized movement
00:40:19.05\00:40:21.28
that is taking the
gospel to the world.
00:40:21.32\00:40:24.09
It's gonna be a movement
00:40:24.12\00:40:25.45
where God's not
looking for pew warmers
00:40:25.49\00:40:28.36
to sit in a seat once a week
00:40:28.39\00:40:30.76
and listen to one
person do all the work.
00:40:30.79\00:40:33.60
He wants a
remnant movement of people
00:40:33.63\00:40:36.20
who are willing to use
their time, their talents
00:40:36.23\00:40:39.40
and their money for
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:40:39.43\00:40:42.00
Can you say amen?
00:40:42.04\00:40:43.37
Because that's what the
early Christian church did,
00:40:43.41\00:40:45.67
that's why they
changed the world.
00:40:45.71\00:40:49.04
God says, "His last day movement
00:40:49.08\00:40:51.68
will be just like the original
and they will be serious
00:40:51.71\00:40:55.25
and passionate about mission.
00:40:55.28\00:40:59.95
Principle number six.
00:40:59.99\00:41:02.26
For this one, we have to go
back to Revelation Chapter 14.
00:41:02.29\00:41:06.49
Because did you know
the Bible actually tells us
00:41:06.53\00:41:09.56
what message He
wants His end time church
00:41:09.60\00:41:13.34
to be preaching.
00:41:13.37\00:41:15.00
Revelation 14,
00:41:15.04\00:41:17.64
and we're gonna
start in verse 6.
00:41:17.67\00:41:20.58
Now I'm gonna go through some
of these a little more rapidly
00:41:20.61\00:41:23.14
because we have
studied this previously,
00:41:23.18\00:41:25.35
Revelation 14:6,
00:41:25.38\00:41:27.08
this is the
three angels' message.
00:41:27.12\00:41:29.42
Three angels that have
got three important messages
00:41:29.45\00:41:32.95
that have got to
go to all the world.
00:41:32.99\00:41:35.22
Verse 6, the Bible says,
00:41:35.26\00:41:39.16
"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:41:39.19\00:41:43.70
having the
everlasting gospel to preach
00:41:43.73\00:41:46.74
to those who dwell on the earth,
00:41:46.77\00:41:48.54
to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:41:48.57\00:41:52.51
Do you notice how all
inclusive it's got to be?
00:41:52.54\00:41:55.88
I mean, Revelation makes
a point to say every nation,
00:41:55.91\00:41:58.55
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:41:58.58\00:42:01.22
But notice the first message
00:42:01.25\00:42:02.72
which we've already read before,
00:42:02.75\00:42:05.12
saying with a
loud voice, "Fear God,
00:42:05.15\00:42:07.82
give glory to Him,
00:42:07.86\00:42:09.32
for the hour of
His judgment has come,
00:42:09.36\00:42:11.93
worship Him who made
the heaven and the earth,
00:42:11.96\00:42:15.90
and the sea, and
the springs of water.
00:42:15.93\00:42:19.17
Now I want to put
this on the screen.
00:42:19.20\00:42:21.07
What's the message
of the first angel?
00:42:21.10\00:42:22.80
Which by the way,
does this literally mean
00:42:22.84\00:42:25.57
that God is
gonna send three angels
00:42:25.61\00:42:27.68
to take this
message to the world?
00:42:27.71\00:42:30.15
I mean, angels are messengers,
00:42:30.18\00:42:31.81
God didn't send angels
00:42:31.85\00:42:33.18
to produce or
promote the gospel.
00:42:33.21\00:42:35.22
Who has been
given the responsibility
00:42:35.25\00:42:37.29
of taking the
gospel to the world?
00:42:37.32\00:42:39.29
We have. That is God's church.
00:42:39.32\00:42:41.16
So this is really referring
to what God's end time church
00:42:41.19\00:42:44.93
is supposed to be doing.
00:42:44.96\00:42:46.63
Number one,
00:42:46.66\00:42:48.00
if they're gonna be preaching
that Jesus is coming soon,
00:42:48.03\00:42:50.53
that's what it
means when it says
00:42:50.57\00:42:51.90
the hour of His
judgment has come,
00:42:51.93\00:42:53.80
Jesus is coming soon.
00:42:53.84\00:42:56.74
And at the end of verse 7,
00:42:56.77\00:42:58.57
where it talks about worship Him
00:42:58.61\00:43:00.01
who made the
heaven and the earth?
00:43:00.04\00:43:01.41
That is a direct quote
from the fourth commandment
00:43:01.44\00:43:05.58
of God's law, the Sabbath.
00:43:05.61\00:43:07.25
In other words,
00:43:07.28\00:43:08.62
they're gonna
be directing people
00:43:08.65\00:43:09.98
to remember the Sabbath,
00:43:10.02\00:43:11.39
and to come back
to God's holy law.
00:43:11.42\00:43:14.72
And that makes sense,
00:43:14.76\00:43:16.29
because
Revelation 12:17 told us,
00:43:16.32\00:43:18.33
"The remnant will keep
the commandments of God,"
00:43:18.36\00:43:22.13
not 8 out of
10, not 9 out of 10,
00:43:22.16\00:43:24.67
all the commandments.
00:43:24.70\00:43:26.67
But then we go
to the second angel.
00:43:26.70\00:43:28.30
Now we haven't
studied this one yet.
00:43:28.34\00:43:30.24
This is the
second angel's message.
00:43:30.27\00:43:31.94
Now it's pretty short.
Let's just read it in verse 8.
00:43:31.97\00:43:35.48
The Bible says,
00:43:35.51\00:43:38.08
"And another
angel followed, saying,
00:43:38.11\00:43:41.42
'Babylon is fallen, is fallen,
00:43:41.45\00:43:45.02
that great city,
00:43:45.05\00:43:47.02
because she has
made all nations drink
00:43:47.06\00:43:49.72
of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication."
00:43:49.76\00:43:53.36
You say, now what
in the world is that?
00:43:53.40\00:43:56.36
Now we're gonna
study this shortly.
00:43:56.40\00:43:58.30
But I want you to
take the term Babylon,
00:43:58.33\00:44:00.20
obviously this
is a symbolic term.
00:44:00.24\00:44:02.74
Do you know what
book in the Bible
00:44:02.77\00:44:04.61
Babylon is first mentioned in?
00:44:04.64\00:44:06.37
Do you know?
00:44:06.41\00:44:08.24
It's actually back
in the Book of Genesis.
00:44:08.28\00:44:10.85
Remember the story
about the Tower of Babel.
00:44:10.88\00:44:14.55
You know, they
eventually formed Babylon.
00:44:14.58\00:44:16.45
Think of what
happened in the Tower of Babel?
00:44:16.48\00:44:19.22
Men were trying to defy God.
00:44:19.25\00:44:22.12
They said, "We don't
want to follow God's Word
00:44:22.16\00:44:23.83
and God's law.
00:44:23.86\00:44:25.19
We want to live our own way.
00:44:25.23\00:44:26.56
We want to follow
our own doctrines.
00:44:26.59\00:44:28.03
So here's what
we're gonna to do.
00:44:28.06\00:44:29.76
We're gonna build a
tower as high as the heavens
00:44:29.80\00:44:32.27
to defy God.
00:44:32.30\00:44:33.64
And that way we
can live as we please.
00:44:33.67\00:44:36.30
And if God tries to
destroy this world with a flood,
00:44:36.34\00:44:38.91
again, will just go
up in this great tower
00:44:38.94\00:44:41.04
and He can't touch us.
00:44:41.08\00:44:43.48
It was an attitude of
defiance and rebellion.
00:44:43.51\00:44:47.75
And you remember
how God stopped that?
00:44:47.78\00:44:49.48
What did He do?
00:44:49.52\00:44:51.95
He confused their language.
00:44:51.99\00:44:53.69
One simple act,
00:44:53.72\00:44:55.22
and then they
eventually went off
00:44:55.26\00:44:56.59
and formed
different people groups.
00:44:56.62\00:44:57.96
So see, Babylon is pointing
us back to this confusion.
00:44:57.99\00:45:02.40
And when
Revelation is referring to it,
00:45:02.43\00:45:05.13
saying Babylon is fallen,
00:45:05.17\00:45:06.87
it's referring to
the religious confusion
00:45:06.90\00:45:10.07
that has come into
the Christian world today.
00:45:10.11\00:45:12.67
Thousands of
different doctrines,
00:45:12.71\00:45:14.71
traditions, commandments of men,
00:45:14.74\00:45:17.31
500 different faiths.
00:45:17.35\00:45:19.61
I mean,
Revelation is warning us,
00:45:19.65\00:45:21.88
in a sense,
parts of Christianity
00:45:21.92\00:45:24.49
have fallen away from the Bible.
00:45:24.52\00:45:28.12
Babylon is fallen,
00:45:28.16\00:45:30.06
there is religious confusion.
00:45:30.09\00:45:32.63
And so God is
telling His people,
00:45:32.66\00:45:34.93
He wants His church
to be drawing people
00:45:34.96\00:45:37.50
back to what the Bible says,
00:45:37.53\00:45:39.77
away from the
commandments of men,
00:45:39.80\00:45:41.87
away from all this
religious confusion.
00:45:41.90\00:45:44.67
That's what His end time
church will be preaching.
00:45:44.71\00:45:48.78
But then there's the
third angel's message.
00:45:48.81\00:45:51.11
Now we've studied that one,
so I'm just gonna summarize it.
00:45:51.15\00:45:54.08
It warns about the
antichrist, and the image
00:45:54.12\00:45:57.29
and the mark of the beast.
00:45:57.32\00:46:00.09
God's church will not shy away
00:46:00.12\00:46:01.86
from talking about that subject.
00:46:01.89\00:46:04.99
So let's put the six
principles on the screen here.
00:46:05.03\00:46:07.96
Now that we've covered them all,
00:46:08.00\00:46:09.46
let's summarize them.
00:46:09.50\00:46:11.40
Principle one,
00:46:11.43\00:46:13.44
God's remnant
movement in the last days
00:46:13.47\00:46:15.90
is founded on Jesus
Christ and His teachings.
00:46:15.94\00:46:19.81
Number two,
00:46:19.84\00:46:21.18
it's founded on the
pillar and ground of the truth.
00:46:21.21\00:46:24.95
Number three, it
will do the will of God,
00:46:24.98\00:46:27.82
not just profess it.
00:46:27.85\00:46:29.95
Number four, they keep
the commandments of God,
00:46:29.98\00:46:33.12
which would
include the Bible Sabbath.
00:46:33.15\00:46:35.66
Number five, they're taking
the gospel to all the world.
00:46:35.69\00:46:39.16
And number six,
00:46:39.19\00:46:40.53
preaching the
message of Revelation 14.
00:46:40.56\00:46:44.90
Now, how many will agree,
00:46:44.93\00:46:46.40
all six of those
principles came from the Bible
00:46:46.43\00:46:49.54
and the Bible alone?
00:46:49.57\00:46:50.91
Can I see your hands?
00:46:50.94\00:46:52.27
Did I make any
of those things up?
00:46:52.31\00:46:54.11
Did you make any of them up?
00:46:54.14\00:46:55.98
Did Pastor Mark
make any of them up?
00:46:56.01\00:46:57.38
None.
00:46:57.41\00:46:58.75
They all came
straight from the Word of God.
00:46:58.78\00:47:00.98
So if you and I will take
these six biblical principles,
00:47:01.02\00:47:06.25
it will guide us on
our Christian journey
00:47:06.29\00:47:09.86
as to where God is leading.
00:47:09.89\00:47:13.86
When you discover
truth from the Bible,
00:47:13.90\00:47:16.77
when you find out that maybe
00:47:16.80\00:47:18.13
what you thought
before isn't true,
00:47:18.17\00:47:20.20
if I will apply
these principles,
00:47:20.24\00:47:22.17
God will make my path clear.
00:47:22.20\00:47:26.68
You have to judge
churches by these principles.
00:47:26.71\00:47:29.81
You have to judge
preachers and speakers
00:47:29.84\00:47:31.75
by these principles.
00:47:31.78\00:47:33.65
You judge your church with them,
00:47:33.68\00:47:35.38
I have to judge whatever
church I fellowship with.
00:47:35.42\00:47:39.35
And I'm confident
that if we apply them,
00:47:39.39\00:47:42.16
God's light will shine
00:47:42.19\00:47:44.03
and we will know
where He is leading.
00:47:44.06\00:47:47.20
Can you say amen?
00:47:47.23\00:47:49.26
Now the time that we have left,
00:47:49.30\00:47:50.67
I've got about 10
minutes or so left.
00:47:50.70\00:47:53.60
I'd like to take a moment
00:47:53.64\00:47:55.14
and share just a little bit
00:47:55.17\00:47:56.64
of my own personal
testimony with you,
00:47:56.67\00:47:58.94
is that okay?
00:47:58.97\00:48:00.31
I haven't had a lot
of time in this series
00:48:00.34\00:48:02.08
because there's so
many topics we've covered,
00:48:02.11\00:48:04.61
to throw a little bit of
my own testimony in here.
00:48:04.65\00:48:08.78
It's because of those six points
00:48:08.82\00:48:10.79
that are on the screen.
00:48:10.82\00:48:12.85
Those are one of the big reasons
00:48:12.89\00:48:14.46
that I myself have chosen
00:48:14.49\00:48:16.93
to be a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian.
00:48:16.96\00:48:20.56
Because I believe
00:48:20.60\00:48:21.93
the Seventh-day
Adventist fellowship
00:48:21.96\00:48:23.77
is helping to
fulfill that prophecy
00:48:23.80\00:48:26.13
of Revelation 12:17.
00:48:26.17\00:48:28.14
You know, that
prophecy of a remnant movement
00:48:28.17\00:48:31.34
that draws people back
to the commandments of God,
00:48:31.37\00:48:34.54
and back to the Word of God.
00:48:34.58\00:48:37.51
Now I recognize
being part of a church
00:48:37.55\00:48:39.38
isn't going to save anybody,
00:48:39.41\00:48:40.95
just because you're on a
membership role somewhere.
00:48:40.98\00:48:44.02
And God doesn't expect us
00:48:44.05\00:48:45.39
to just simply
follow churches blindly.
00:48:45.42\00:48:47.99
He wants us to follow
Jesus, Can you say amen?
00:48:48.02\00:48:51.19
But if I find a fellowship
that is following Jesus,
00:48:51.23\00:48:55.06
that's following
the commandments of God,
00:48:55.10\00:48:57.63
that is truly seeking to uphold
00:48:57.67\00:48:59.60
the Bible above everything else,
00:48:59.63\00:49:02.44
then I am willing to be
part of that church fellowship.
00:49:02.47\00:49:06.88
Now that church fellowship
stops following truth,
00:49:06.91\00:49:10.11
I can tell you,
I'll be gone tomorrow.
00:49:10.15\00:49:12.45
The reason I
choose to fellowship
00:49:12.48\00:49:13.88
with the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:49:13.92\00:49:15.72
is not because I
think Seventh-day Adventists
00:49:15.75\00:49:18.25
are holier or more
righteous than anybody else
00:49:18.29\00:49:21.39
are going to get to
heaven before anybody else.
00:49:21.42\00:49:23.73
But I want to be part of a place
00:49:23.76\00:49:26.46
that is in this remnant movement
00:49:26.49\00:49:28.76
that is lifting up Jesus,
00:49:28.80\00:49:30.67
drawing people back to the Bible
00:49:30.70\00:49:32.70
and away from the traditions
and the commandments of men.
00:49:32.73\00:49:36.44
I'm willing to lend
my time, my talents,
00:49:36.47\00:49:39.84
and even money to
that kind of a movement.
00:49:39.87\00:49:42.21
Can you say amen?
00:49:42.24\00:49:43.58
See, we may not follow churches,
00:49:43.61\00:49:45.38
but we're following Jesus.
00:49:45.41\00:49:48.08
Now, you may say,
well, now, Pastor Dave,
00:49:48.12\00:49:51.72
are you putting
down other churches?
00:49:51.75\00:49:54.36
Certainly not.
00:49:54.39\00:49:56.56
God has His people in
every religious fellowship.
00:49:56.59\00:50:02.66
People who are seeking
to live up to all the light
00:50:02.70\00:50:06.13
that they do know.
00:50:06.17\00:50:07.80
They may not
have had the privilege
00:50:07.84\00:50:09.20
to hear some things that
you've heard of this seminar.
00:50:09.24\00:50:12.17
But the Bible
tells me that in the end,
00:50:12.21\00:50:14.24
as this remnant movement grows,
00:50:14.28\00:50:16.81
that when people
who truly love Jesus
00:50:16.85\00:50:19.28
hear the Word of
God and hear the truth,
00:50:19.31\00:50:21.35
they will choose to follow it.
00:50:21.38\00:50:23.89
I'll tell you what
made a difference for me.
00:50:23.92\00:50:27.36
I sat where you
sat 20 years ago,
00:50:27.39\00:50:29.46
believe it or not.
00:50:29.49\00:50:31.29
I went to a
seminar similar to this.
00:50:31.33\00:50:33.40
Now, I grew up in an
Adventist church home,
00:50:33.43\00:50:36.30
my parents were Seventh-day
Adventist Christians.
00:50:36.33\00:50:39.07
But that's not
why I chose to be one.
00:50:39.10\00:50:41.40
Regardless of what faith
affiliation you grow up in,
00:50:41.44\00:50:45.07
there comes a
time for every person
00:50:45.11\00:50:48.48
when they have got to
choose for themselves.
00:50:48.51\00:50:52.21
You don't just do something
because mom and dad did it
00:50:52.25\00:50:55.05
or your family do it,
00:50:55.08\00:50:56.42
though that may
be a big influence.
00:50:56.45\00:50:58.22
You got to study
Scripture for yourself.
00:50:58.25\00:51:01.12
And I remember as
I studied the Bible,
00:51:01.16\00:51:03.56
and what the Seventh-day
Adventist Church teaches,
00:51:03.59\00:51:05.59
I thought, wow,
00:51:05.63\00:51:07.00
this is following
the commandments of God.
00:51:07.03\00:51:09.96
And then I sat in a seminar
like this for the first time.
00:51:10.00\00:51:13.54
And I was at
every night, except one,
00:51:13.57\00:51:15.50
I only missed one
night with a friend of mine.
00:51:15.54\00:51:18.41
His name was Leo,
he was a preacher.
00:51:18.44\00:51:20.68
And I remember as I sat,
00:51:20.71\00:51:22.88
every night
looking up these verses,
00:51:22.91\00:51:25.08
it all began to connect for me.
00:51:25.11\00:51:27.78
I mean, I was probably,
I think I was probably 20
00:51:27.82\00:51:29.48
or 21 years old.
00:51:29.52\00:51:31.45
Like, whoa, this
makes perfect sense.
00:51:31.49\00:51:33.96
And it was during that seminar
that God laid on my heart,
00:51:33.99\00:51:37.59
that's what I want to do.
00:51:37.63\00:51:39.83
I want to preach
the Bible, like He is.
00:51:39.86\00:51:45.50
Doesn't mean that
00:51:45.53\00:51:46.94
people from other
churches aren't sincere.
00:51:46.97\00:51:50.37
But God said, "He's
leading His people into truth."
00:51:50.41\00:51:53.27
That's why Jesus said
in John 10:16, He said,
00:51:53.31\00:51:58.61
"And other sheep I have
which are not of this fold,
00:51:58.65\00:52:02.65
them also I must bring,
and they will hear My voice,
00:52:02.68\00:52:06.55
and there will be one flock
00:52:06.59\00:52:08.32
and there will be one shepherd."
00:52:08.36\00:52:11.79
See, right now, the Adventist
Church is actually a movement,
00:52:11.83\00:52:14.90
I don't really
consider it a denomination.
00:52:14.93\00:52:17.27
It's actually
the fastest growing
00:52:17.30\00:52:19.47
Protestant movement in
the entire world right now,
00:52:19.50\00:52:22.97
a movement that is
based on bringing people
00:52:23.00\00:52:25.77
back to the commandments of God,
00:52:25.81\00:52:28.31
and the Word of God.
00:52:28.34\00:52:30.55
Now just so, you
know, this is how it began.
00:52:30.58\00:52:33.05
It began back in the 1800s.
00:52:33.08\00:52:34.78
If you remember,
00:52:34.82\00:52:36.15
when papal persecution was over,
00:52:36.18\00:52:39.15
which it ended around 1798,
00:52:39.19\00:52:41.36
when the pope lost
its power back then.
00:52:41.39\00:52:44.13
It was at that time many
people flocked to America,
00:52:44.16\00:52:47.13
there was religious freedom,
Bible Societies were formed.
00:52:47.16\00:52:51.13
And for one of the
first times people had freedom
00:52:51.17\00:52:53.50
to study God's Word
without persecution.
00:52:53.54\00:52:56.87
And so what happened is people
from all faiths came together,
00:52:56.91\00:53:00.24
Baptists,
Catholics, Presbyterians,
00:53:00.28\00:53:03.45
they said,
"Let's study the Bible."
00:53:03.48\00:53:05.85
And as they did,
00:53:05.88\00:53:07.72
they discovered
there were many truths
00:53:07.75\00:53:10.29
from God's Word
00:53:10.32\00:53:11.65
that had been buried
beneath centuries of tradition
00:53:11.69\00:53:15.72
that came from papal
Rome of the Middle Ages.
00:53:15.76\00:53:18.83
And that group of people
00:53:18.86\00:53:20.20
from all
different faiths decided,
00:53:20.23\00:53:21.86
you know what?
00:53:21.90\00:53:23.23
Let's unite together,
00:53:23.26\00:53:24.67
and let's form a movement
that goes back to the Bible
00:53:24.70\00:53:27.84
and the Bible alone,
00:53:27.87\00:53:29.44
and back to the
commandments of God.
00:53:29.47\00:53:32.61
And you know, those people
from all those different faiths
00:53:32.64\00:53:35.38
eventually formed
what would be known
00:53:35.41\00:53:37.81
as the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:53:37.85\00:53:41.42
That's why I
choose to be a part of it.
00:53:41.45\00:53:43.18
I won't be saved,
nobody will be saved
00:53:43.22\00:53:45.25
because of the name they wear.
00:53:45.29\00:53:47.62
But God said, there's a remnant,
00:53:47.66\00:53:49.99
and God's drawing His
people back to His Word,
00:53:50.03\00:53:53.50
not traditions,
not men's teachings,
00:53:53.53\00:53:57.33
but His commandments
and the testimony of Jesus.
00:53:57.37\00:54:02.60
In Revelation 18,
00:54:02.64\00:54:04.37
God calls His
people to come out of error
00:54:04.41\00:54:08.08
and into truth.
00:54:08.11\00:54:09.88
And I want to stand by focusing
00:54:09.91\00:54:11.35
on this very important
passage from Scripture.
00:54:11.38\00:54:14.02
We have not looked
this up yet, Revelation 18.
00:54:14.05\00:54:17.25
I want to read
verses 1 through 4.
00:54:17.29\00:54:20.72
Revelation 18:1-4.
00:54:20.76\00:54:26.46
The Bible describes this.
00:54:26.49\00:54:29.73
"After these things,
00:54:29.76\00:54:32.23
I saw another angel
coming down from heaven,
00:54:32.27\00:54:35.97
having great authority,
00:54:36.00\00:54:38.11
and the earth was
illuminated with his glory.
00:54:38.14\00:54:41.81
And he cried mightily
with a loud voice saying,"
00:54:41.84\00:54:44.78
now notice,
"Babylon the Great is what?
00:54:44.81\00:54:48.58
Fallen is fallen,
then it gets real poetic,
00:54:48.62\00:54:51.75
and has become a
dwelling place of demons,
00:54:51.79\00:54:54.39
a prison for every foul spirit,
00:54:54.42\00:54:56.83
a cage for every unclean
00:54:56.86\00:54:58.86
and hated bird
for all the nations,
00:54:58.89\00:55:01.96
how many of the nations,
00:55:02.00\00:55:03.77
all the nations have drunk
00:55:03.80\00:55:05.43
of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication.
00:55:05.47\00:55:08.77
The kings of the earth have
committed fornication with her,
00:55:08.80\00:55:12.07
and the merchants of the earth
00:55:12.11\00:55:13.61
have become rich through
the abundance of her luxury.
00:55:13.64\00:55:17.88
And I heard another
voice from heaven saying,
00:55:17.91\00:55:20.48
now listen,
00:55:20.52\00:55:22.28
"Come out of her,
00:55:22.32\00:55:24.49
My people."
00:55:24.52\00:55:27.59
What is this referring to here?
00:55:27.62\00:55:29.32
What is God telling His
people to come out of here?
00:55:29.36\00:55:32.53
Remember what we
learned Babylon is.
00:55:32.56\00:55:35.30
Babylon symbolizes that
system of religious confusion
00:55:35.33\00:55:39.30
and false doctrines,
00:55:39.33\00:55:41.30
and see the wine that's
went throughout the world.
00:55:41.34\00:55:44.64
That was the wine of Babylon,
00:55:44.67\00:55:46.34
the false doctrine
from all the Middle Ages,
00:55:46.37\00:55:49.78
that came from
Rome and made its way
00:55:49.81\00:55:52.05
and even into parts
of Christianity today.
00:55:52.08\00:55:54.98
God is warning us
00:55:55.02\00:55:56.35
that wine has made
all the nations drunk
00:55:56.38\00:56:00.02
or intoxicated,
00:56:00.06\00:56:01.99
because for 1,260
years people were pulled away
00:56:02.02\00:56:06.19
from the Word of God.
00:56:06.23\00:56:07.80
And some of those
traditions still exist today.
00:56:07.83\00:56:11.90
And so what does God
call His people to do?
00:56:11.93\00:56:15.00
He says, "Come out of Babylon,
00:56:15.04\00:56:20.08
come away from the tradition.
00:56:20.11\00:56:23.08
Come away from the
commandments of men,
00:56:23.11\00:56:26.35
come out."
00:56:26.38\00:56:28.12
And let's come back
to following the Bible
00:56:28.15\00:56:31.15
and the Bible alone.
00:56:31.19\00:56:33.15
Let's base our faith on
the commandments of God,
00:56:33.19\00:56:37.23
and the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
00:56:37.26\00:56:42.03
You see, my friends,
00:56:42.06\00:56:44.03
it's really simply a call
00:56:44.07\00:56:46.50
to put Jesus
above everyone else,
00:56:46.53\00:56:49.90
and to put the Bible
above everything else.
00:56:49.94\00:56:54.24
The question is how you
00:56:54.28\00:56:55.61
and I will choose to
respond to that call?
00:56:55.64\00:56:58.51
Am I willing to
come out of Babylon?
00:56:58.55\00:57:01.72
Am I willing to
come out of things
00:57:01.75\00:57:03.72
that may be popular
but based on tradition?
00:57:03.75\00:57:07.49
Am I willing to come out
of the commandments of men?
00:57:07.52\00:57:10.99
And am I willing
to say, Lord Jesus,
00:57:11.03\00:57:13.70
I will stand on
the truth of Your Word,
00:57:13.73\00:57:17.43
and I will follow
You with all my heart,
00:57:17.47\00:57:21.00
all my soul, all my mind,
00:57:21.04\00:57:24.21
no more excuses.
00:57:24.24\00:57:26.17
Because if You laid your
life down on Calvary for me,
00:57:26.21\00:57:30.41
I will pick up my
cross and I will follow you,
00:57:30.45\00:57:33.92
because You have
prepared a place for me
00:57:33.95\00:57:36.79
in the kingdom of heaven.
00:57:36.82\00:57:39.89
When you come out of Babylon,
yeah, there may be challenges.
00:57:39.92\00:57:43.69
But Jesus says,
He never leaves you
00:57:43.73\00:57:45.86
and He never forsakes you.
00:57:45.89\00:57:47.56
And the peace that one has
00:57:47.60\00:57:50.27
when they know they
have left other things aside
00:57:50.30\00:57:53.37
and Jesus is
number one in their life,
00:57:53.40\00:57:55.90
that peace
outweighs any challenge
00:57:55.94\00:57:59.07
the devil can throw your way.
00:57:59.11\00:58:01.38