For this program we go to Mount
Sinai, at the foot of which is
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Santa Katarina, or
St. Katherine's Monastery.
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But, of course, the most
important reason for being there
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is because this was where the
Israelites camped for a whole
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year, and where Moses met with
God, and the Ten Commandments
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were proclaimed.
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After Pharaoh had given
permission for his Israelite
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slaves to leave Egypt,
they marched to the Red Sea,
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but Pharaoh had some second
thoughts and pursued them.
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The Red Sea, which you see
behind me, is quite shallow at
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this point, and it was
pounded by a strong wind,
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and the Israelites were able
to cross to the Sinai Peninsula.
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When the Egyptians followed
the wind dropped and the
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sea closed in.
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The entire
Egyptian Army was drowned.
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From here the vast throng
of Israelites had to plod their
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weary way across the
desert to Mount Sinai.
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Now we are at Mount Sinai, and
from here we can look down on
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the Montessori of Santa
Katarina, or St. Katherine's.
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Early in the Christian era
some pious monks established a
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settlement here, but
it was dangerous living.
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The nomads gave them no peace,
and many of the monks perished.
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In the fourth century
AD, Helena, the mother of the
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Roman Emperor Constantine
visited Jerusalem, and she heard
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of the plight of the monks.
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She provided the money for
a protective tower to be built
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here so the monks could
be safe from the marauders.
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In the year 530 AD the Emperor
Justinian had a defensive wall
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built around this chapel,
but even then it was so lawless
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the Greeks were afraid of
the nomads crashing the gates.
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So the only way they had
entrance was by being hauled up
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by a rope, or a basket, up
onto that platform up there.
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In the 3rd century AD there was
a Christian woman by the name of
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Katherine who was martyred
in in Alexandria in Egypt.
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Legend has it, and we may doubt
this legend, but the legend is
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that her body was miraculously
transported to the highest peak
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in this area.
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Three hundred years later the
monks found it and brought it
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down and buried it
in this chapel here.
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This is a Greek monastery.
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When the monks die
they're buried in the cemetery.
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After awhile they're
disinterred, and their skulls
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are placed in this skull room.
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We'll go in and have a look.
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Well, we're climbing Mount
Sinai, and there's our first
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glimpse of the summit up there.
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See the little chapel?
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It's right at the top.
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Jebel Musser, or the Mount
of Moses, is 2,300 meters high.
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You have to climb 3,750
steps to get to the top.
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Well, I climb this
mountain twice a year.
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I bring a group of
tourists around the middle East
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every year.
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In fact this is the
second time I've climbed
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the mountain this year.
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And do you want
to know something?
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It never gets any easier!
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Anyway, we're on the
last steep pitch here.
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Well, at last
we've reached the summit.
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Up here is a little Greek chapel
that is meant to commemorate
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the visit of Moses to
the top of the mountain.
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Mind you, there's no guarantee
that this is actually the
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mountain that Moses climbed
because most scholars favor
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a peak over there
called Rassassafi.
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The reason is up here there
is no place you can see the
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Israelites encamped down below
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Whereas over there there's
a place where the Israelites
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could be encamped.
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However, this is
typical of scenery here in the
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Sinai Peninsula.
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What a tremendous view you
get as you look around here.
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Over there in the distance is
Gebal Katarina, or the mountain
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of Saint Katherine,
where she was supposed to have
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been buried miraculously.
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That is 2,600
meters above sea level.
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That makes it 300
meters higher than where we are
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at the present time.
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And when the voice of God
was heard around here somewhere
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proclaiming the Ten
Commandments, it must have
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really been an
awe inspiring scene.
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I think the best thing we can do
is just read from the Biblical
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account what it says.
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Here it is in Exodus 19:16.
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Then it came to pass on
the third day, in the morning,
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that there were thunderings
and lightenings, and a thick
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cloud on the mountain, and the
sound of the trumpet was very
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loud; so that all the people
who were in the camp trembled
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because the Lord descended
upon it in fire: and the whole
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mountain quaked greatly.
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Then the Lord came down upon
mount Sinai, on the top of the
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mountain: and the Lord
called Moses to the top of the
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mountain; and Moses went up.
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And God spoke all these words,
saying, I am the Lord your God,
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who brought you out of the
land of Egypt, out of the house
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of bondage.
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...or any likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above,
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or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the waters under
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the earth: Thou shalt not bow
down to them, nor serve them:
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for I the Lord your God am
a jealous God, visiting the
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iniquity of the fathers
on the children to the third
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and fourth
generation of those who hate me;
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but showing mercy to thousands
of those who love me and keep
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my commandments.
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...for the Lord will not hold
him guiltless who takes his name
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in vain;
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Six days you shall
labor, and do all your work:
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but the seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord your God:
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in it you shall do no work, you,
nor your son, nor your daughter,
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nor your manservant, nor your
maidservant, nor your cattle,
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nor your stranger
who is within your gates:
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for in six days the Lord
made the heavens and the earth,
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the sea, and all that is in
them, and rested the seventh
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day: therefore the Lord
blessed the Sabbath day,
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and hallowed it.
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...that your days may be long
upon the land which the Lord
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your God is giving you.
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...your neighbors house, you
shall not covet your neighbors
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wife, nor his manservant,
nor his maidservant, nor his ox,
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nor his donkey, nor any
thing that is your neighbor's.
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Well, that's a very good law.
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The trouble is that not too many
people really make much of an
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effort to keep it.
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Have you ever noticed
some of the things that
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it's saying here?
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For instance, it says You shall
not take the name of the Lord
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your God in vain.
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Have you ever listened in
to the average conversation?
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You know, people can't say
a sentence these days without
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bringing God's
name, or the Holy Spirit,
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or Jesus Christ into it.
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It's awful!
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God says, You shall
not take the name of the
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Lord your God in vain.
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Remember the Sabbath
day, to keep it holy.
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How many people really
stop work and put down tools,
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and keep the Sabbath day holy?
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It's, unfortunately, something
that's forgotten instead of
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remembered today.
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Then it says here,
You shall not murder.
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Life is cheap!
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And even hating your
brother is breaking this law.
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Life is sacred in God's sight.
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Then it says, You
shall not commit adultery.
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That's one that seems
to be old fashioned in most
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peoples thinking.
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But what a
beautiful thing marriage is!
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God ordained marriage, and
for a husband and wife to be
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faithful to each other.
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Marriage is a very beautiful
and sacred relationship;
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the family, the home.
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Beautiful!
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But people spoil it
by breaking God's laws.
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Nobody ever made themselves
happy by committing adultery.
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Premarital sex; all you
get is some early thrills.
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But beating the gun to it
like that is only spoiling the
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ultimate enjoyment of
the marriage relationship.
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God wants you to be
careful about things like this.
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And as for homosexuality, or
you can call it an alternative
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lifestyle, if you'd like,
but that's only giving a trade
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name to a poison.
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God forbids the
practice of homosexuality.
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That's why Sodom and
Gomorrah got destroyed.
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So people need to stop and think
about these laws, and realize
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that God means what He says.
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Unfortunately, there are some
well meaning people in the world
00:11:37.34\00:11:40.89
today who try to say that when
Jesus Christ came He ushered in
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a new era of love and abolished
the Ten Commandments so that
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Christians don't
need to keep them.
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Well, I find Christ's sayings
just the opposite of that.
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Do you remember when the
rich young ruler came to Him and
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asked Him a very
important question?
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He said, Good Master, what good
thing should I do to inherit
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eternal life?
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Jesus Christ said
to him in Matthew 19:17
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Why do you call me good?
00:12:07.14\00:12:09.12
No one is good but one, and that
is God, but if you want to enter
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life keep the commandments.
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So it doesn't seem
that Jesus was abolishing
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the Ten Commandments.
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In fact, I'll tell you
something maybe you don't know.
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Do you know that it was
actually Jesus Christ who spoke
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the Ten Commandments
from the top of Mount Sinai?
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You see, when 1
Corinthians 10:4 says
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Moreover brethren I do not want
you to be unaware that all our
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fathers were under the cloud,
and all passed through the sea,
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and all drank the same spiritual
drink, for they drank of that
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spiritual rock that followed
them, and that rock was Christ.
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Was Christ!
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You see, it was Christ that
led the Israelites through the
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Red Sea, across the Sinai
Peninsula, to Mount Sinai.
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And then it was He who
proclaimed the Ten Commandments
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because He says, I am the Lord
your God, who brought you up
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out of the land of Egypt.
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So if Christ proclaimed the Ten
Commandments, I don't suppose
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He's likely to abolish them.
00:13:07.58\00:13:08.74
Well, what about the Apostles?
00:13:08.77\00:13:11.51
Did they change
the Ten Commandments
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or say that they are abolished?
00:13:13.28\00:13:14.62
I think they'd be
surprised at such an idea.
00:13:14.65\00:13:17.61
For instance, Paul said in
Romans 7:12, Therefore the Law
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is holy, and the commandment
holy, and just, and good.
00:13:24.93\00:13:30.36
Paul couldn't see anything
wrong with the Ten Commandments.
00:13:30.39\00:13:33.11
He thought it was really good.
00:13:33.14\00:13:34.32
What about the
beloved Apostle John?
00:13:34.35\00:13:36.59
You know John is called the
Apostle of love, and he was too.
00:13:36.62\00:13:40.19
If anyone is going to say love
replaces the Ten Commandments
00:13:40.22\00:13:43.62
you'd expect the
Apostle John to be saying that.
00:13:43.65\00:13:46.53
But over here in 1 John 2:3 we
find him saying, Now by this we
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know that we know him,
if we keep his commandments.
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He who says I know him and
does not keep his commandments,
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is a liar, and the
truth is not in him.
00:14:02.35\00:14:05.32
That's laying it right
down the line, isn't it?
00:14:05.35\00:14:07.40
But I didn't say that; that's
the Apostle John, and he says
00:14:07.43\00:14:11.19
that if you say that you
love God and don't keep his
00:14:11.22\00:14:13.32
commandments, you're
just not telling the truth.
00:14:13.35\00:14:15.60
We're on the plain of
Genneseret on the edge of the
00:14:18.50\00:14:22.49
Lake of Galilee.
00:14:22.52\00:14:23.64
It was down here one morning
when Jesus went down to the
00:14:23.67\00:14:29.29
edge of the lake.
00:14:29.32\00:14:30.29
There's a little
narrow beach down there.
00:14:30.30\00:14:32.51
There were so many people
gathered to hear him that he
00:14:32.54\00:14:35.57
realized that there
just wasn't enough room.
00:14:35.60\00:14:37.36
so he led the way across
the plain of Genesseret to
00:14:37.39\00:14:42.95
the nearby
mountain, and up the mountain.
00:14:42.98\00:14:46.17
I think it was probably; you see
that rise over there where the
00:14:46.21\00:14:50.37
mountains goes up and
then sort of levels off?
00:14:50.41\00:14:52.52
I think that's a very
likely place where He sat on the
00:14:52.55\00:14:56.04
mountain and preached
to the people the famous
00:14:56.07\00:14:58.90
Sermon on the Mount.
00:14:58.93\00:15:00.34
It's a wonderful sermon.
00:15:00.37\00:15:01.50
I think we should look
a bit more closely at it.
00:15:01.53\00:15:03.66
Well, we've climbed up onto this
slope that I pointed out to you,
00:15:03.69\00:15:08.71
but I want to tell you
there's one big difference;
00:15:08.74\00:15:11.29
Jesus preached this Sermon
on the Mount in springtime
00:15:11.32\00:15:14.55
just when the grass had just
started growing nice and green
00:15:14.58\00:15:17.02
and soft.
00:15:17.05\00:15:18.02
We've come here when
the grass has all gone dead.
00:15:18.03\00:15:20.78
I want to tell
you that there's some
00:15:20.81\00:15:22.47
pretty sharp
prickles around here.
00:15:22.50\00:15:24.13
Anyway, this is the scene, and
what a magnificent view it is
00:15:24.16\00:15:28.82
looking out over
the Lake of Galilee.
00:15:28.85\00:15:31.90
Jesus must have
been really inspired.
00:15:31.93\00:15:36.21
Anyone could be inspired here.
00:15:36.24\00:15:37.86
And what
wonderful truths He taught!
00:15:37.89\00:15:41.86
I'll read you some of them.
00:15:41.89\00:15:43.41
We can't deal
with the whole sermon.
00:15:43.44\00:15:45.72
There's three chapters in
the book of Matthew on the
00:15:45.75\00:15:48.04
Sermon on the Mount.
00:15:48.07\00:15:49.04
I can recommend you get
your Bibles out and read it.
00:15:49.05\00:15:52.44
It's good, spiritual, uplifting
reading, and some very high
00:15:52.47\00:15:56.97
standards here.
00:15:57.00\00:15:57.97
It says: He went up on
the mountain, and when he was
00:15:57.98\00:16:01.75
seated, his
disciples came to him.
00:16:01.78\00:16:03.35
Then he opened his
mouth, and taught them, saying,
00:16:03.38\00:16:06.12
Blessed are the poor
in spirit: for theirs is
00:16:06.15\00:16:09.54
the kingdom of heaven.
00:16:09.58\00:16:10.55
Blessed are those who morn:
for they shall be comforted.
00:16:10.56\00:16:12.93
Blessed are the meek: for
they shall inherit the earth.
00:16:12.96\00:16:16.33
Blessed are the merciful:
for they shall obtain mercy.
00:16:16.36\00:16:20.07
Blessed are the pure in
heart: for they shall see God.
00:16:20.10\00:16:24.27
There are eight blessings
here; beautiful truths.
00:16:24.30\00:16:27.49
As the people listened their
hearts must have thrilled as the
00:16:27.52\00:16:31.73
wonderful blessings were
pronounced on those who had
00:16:31.76\00:16:33.78
really been trying
to do the will of God.
00:16:33.81\00:16:36.56
But, you know, there must
have been some people in the
00:16:36.59\00:16:40.36
congregation who
were critical, you know?
00:16:40.39\00:16:43.55
They'd never heard anything
like this before, and they were
00:16:43.58\00:16:46.15
probably thinking in
their hearts, Yeah, what about
00:16:46.18\00:16:49.31
the Law of Moses?
00:16:49.34\00:16:50.31
What about the Ten Commandments
proclaimed from Mount Sinai?
00:16:50.32\00:16:53.44
And I think Jesus read their
thoughts because it says here in
00:16:53.47\00:16:57.71
chapter 5, and in verse
17, Do not think that I came to
00:16:57.74\00:17:04.03
destroy the law, or the
prophets: I did not come to
00:17:04.06\00:17:07.38
destroy, but to fulfill.
00:17:07.41\00:17:09.40
For assuredly I say to you,
Till heaven and earth pass away
00:17:09.43\00:17:13.69
one jot or one tittle will
by no means pass from the law,
00:17:13.72\00:17:18.26
till all is fulfilled.
00:17:18.29\00:17:19.59
You know, a jot or a yod,
is the smallest letter in the
00:17:19.62\00:17:23.31
Hebrew alphabet, and a tittle is
the little bump on the edge of
00:17:23.34\00:17:27.92
one of the Hebrew letters;
just a part of a letter.
00:17:27.95\00:17:30.81
Not even a yod or a
tittle is going to pass from the
00:17:30.84\00:17:34.48
Ten Commandments He says.
00:17:34.51\00:17:35.48
Whoever therefore breaks one of
the least of these commandments
00:17:35.63\00:17:39.46
and teaches men so,
shall be called least in the
00:17:39.49\00:17:43.15
kingdom of heaven.
00:17:43.18\00:17:44.43
Now that doesn't mean that
they're going to get to heaven
00:17:44.47\00:17:45.82
and be called least.
00:17:45.85\00:17:46.82
It means up there in
heaven such people will be
00:17:46.83\00:17:49.47
called least.
00:17:49.50\00:17:50.47
So, you see, Jesus
wasn't saying that the
00:17:50.48\00:17:53.80
Ten Commandments are finished.
00:17:53.84\00:17:55.01
Oh, no!
00:17:55.04\00:17:56.01
He was the one who spoke
from Mount Sinai, and he said,
00:17:56.02\00:17:58.46
Don't think that I've
come to destroy the law,
00:17:58.49\00:18:00.93
or the prophets.
00:18:00.96\00:18:02.16
And whoever keeps these
commandments and does them,
00:18:02.19\00:18:04.82
well then, he's the one
who is doing the will of God.
00:18:04.85\00:18:08.23
Seated here on the Mount Jesus
said to them, You are the light
00:18:12.62\00:18:17.67
of the world.
00:18:17.70\00:18:18.67
A city that is set on
a hill cannot be hidden.
00:18:18.68\00:18:21.73
Now that's very meaningful
language for those people.
00:18:21.76\00:18:24.70
You see, for defensive purposes
most of the villages and towns
00:18:24.73\00:18:29.11
of Israel were
built on top of low hills.
00:18:29.14\00:18:32.19
We call them tells.
00:18:32.22\00:18:33.75
So Jesus said to them a
city that is set on a hill
00:18:33.78\00:18:37.49
cannot be hidden.
00:18:37.53\00:18:38.50
You're going to see it.
00:18:38.51\00:18:39.48
And... you are the light of the
world... so let your light shine
00:18:39.49\00:18:44.22
before men that they
may see your good works,
00:18:44.25\00:18:46.78
and glorify your
Father in heaven.
00:18:46.81\00:18:49.72
He also said, Nor do they
light a lamp, and put it under a
00:18:49.75\00:18:53.85
basket, but on a
lampstand; and it gives light
00:18:53.88\00:18:56.22
to all who are in the house.
00:18:56.25\00:18:57.40
The archeologists have found so
many of these little oil lamps.
00:18:57.43\00:19:02.22
People would put some oil in
the lamp, and a wick at the end
00:19:02.25\00:19:06.84
of it and light it up.
00:19:06.87\00:19:08.77
Well, you're not going to put a
lamp like that under the bed or
00:19:08.80\00:19:11.90
under a basket or something.
00:19:11.93\00:19:13.29
You're going to let it be seen,
or where it will show light.
00:19:13.32\00:19:16.76
So Jesus says, Let your light so
shine before men, that they may
00:19:16.79\00:19:21.53
see your good works, and
glorify your Father in heaven.
00:19:21.56\00:19:24.14
Then He goes on to say, and I
want you to notice that He's not
00:19:24.17\00:19:29.12
demolishing the law
here, He's rather expanding it.
00:19:29.15\00:19:32.48
He's showing how deep it goes.
00:19:32.51\00:19:34.04
Listen.
00:19:34.07\00:19:35.60
You have heard that it was
said to those of old, You shall
00:19:35.64\00:19:38.40
not murder; and whoever murders
shall be in danger of the
00:19:38.43\00:19:41.52
judgment: but I say to you
that whoever is angry with his
00:19:41.55\00:19:45.12
brother without a cause shall
be in danger of the judgment.
00:19:45.15\00:19:48.20
So it's not just a case
of whether you hit a fellow
00:19:48.23\00:19:50.27
on the head, or cut
his throat, or shoot him,
00:19:50.30\00:19:52.20
or something like that.
00:19:52.23\00:19:53.57
It's a case of if you just get
angry with him you are breaking
00:19:53.60\00:19:56.70
the commandment which
says, You shall not kill.
00:19:56.73\00:20:00.10
Here's another one.
00:20:00.13\00:20:01.63
You have heard that it was said
to those of old, You shalt not
00:20:01.66\00:20:05.98
commit adultery.
00:20:06.01\00:20:06.98
That was the law that was
proclaimed from Mount Sinai.
00:20:06.99\00:20:10.00
Now Jesus says, I say to you
that whoever looks at a woman to
00:20:10.03\00:20:14.42
lust for her has already
committed adultery with her
00:20:14.45\00:20:17.79
in his heart.
00:20:17.82\00:20:18.79
So Jesus is not getting rid of
the Ten Commandments, He's just
00:20:18.80\00:20:21.81
showing how deep they go.
00:20:21.84\00:20:23.12
They go right down to
your motives, and right down
00:20:23.15\00:20:24.93
to your thoughts.
00:20:24.96\00:20:25.93
So this is setting a very
high standard of commandment
00:20:25.94\00:20:29.37
keeping, isn't it?
00:20:29.40\00:20:30.37
One more.
00:20:30.38\00:20:31.67
I say to you that whoever
divorces his wife for any reason
00:20:31.70\00:20:34.86
except sexual immorality,
causes her to commit adultery.
00:20:34.89\00:20:38.30
Divorce has become
too easy these days.
00:20:38.33\00:20:41.34
People entering into
marriage take it too lightly.
00:20:41.37\00:20:44.52
It is true Jesus
makes an exception.
00:20:44.55\00:20:47.06
He says if somebody is
unfaithful to the marriage vow,
00:20:47.09\00:20:50.09
then the innocent party
has the right to get a divorce.
00:20:50.12\00:20:53.54
The marriage is broken.
00:20:53.57\00:20:54.74
But apart from that, He said,
just because you don't like the
00:20:54.77\00:20:58.32
way your partner stirs her or
his coffee, is not a good reason
00:20:58.35\00:21:02.19
for divorce.
00:21:02.22\00:21:03.25
So Jesus set some
very high standards here.
00:21:03.28\00:21:07.73
Now, have you ever
heard of the golden rule?
00:21:09.32\00:21:13.29
Well, that's part of the
Sermon on the Mount, you know.
00:21:13.32\00:21:16.42
And just in case
you're not familiar with it,
00:21:16.45\00:21:18.42
let me read it to you.
00:21:18.45\00:21:20.29
Therefore whatever you want men
to do to you, do also to them:
00:21:20.32\00:21:25.78
for this is the
law and the prophets.
00:21:25.81\00:21:29.31
Well, it is a
golden rule, isn't it?
00:21:29.34\00:21:31.31
And it's a very good one too.
00:21:31.34\00:21:32.77
What a high standard it sets
for people to live up to today
00:21:32.80\00:21:37.32
when they're thinking about
the Ten Commandments and the
00:21:37.35\00:21:39.90
Sermon on the Mount.
00:21:39.93\00:21:41.42
There are some people who say,
Listen, you just can't do it.
00:21:41.45\00:21:44.81
You just can't reach
a standard like that.
00:21:44.84\00:21:47.67
But I want you to notice what
Jesus says here in Matthew 5,
00:21:47.70\00:21:54.07
when he's talking about
this Sermon on the Mount.
00:21:54.10\00:21:57.19
I think he's really referring
to people who are just wondering
00:21:57.95\00:22:00.94
whether they can keep it or not.
00:22:00.97\00:22:03.05
He says, look at the birds of
the air: for they neither sow,
00:22:03.08\00:22:07.77
nor reap, nor gather into
barns; yet your heavenly Father
00:22:07.80\00:22:10.30
feeds them.
00:22:10.33\00:22:11.30
Are you not more
valuable than they?
00:22:11.31\00:22:14.40
He says, Why do you
worry about clothing?
00:22:14.43\00:22:17.88
Consider the lilies of
the field, how they grow;
00:22:17.91\00:22:20.97
they neither toil nor spin:
yet I say to you, that even
00:22:21.00\00:22:24.23
Solomon in all his glory was
not arrayed like one of these.
00:22:24.26\00:22:28.94
So he says, If God so
clothed the grass of the field,
00:22:28.97\00:22:32.26
which today is, and tomorrow
is thrown into the oven,
00:22:32.29\00:22:34.85
will he not much more clothe
you, O ye of little faith?
00:22:34.88\00:22:38.37
You see, what He is saying
is to the people who think, Oh,
00:22:38.40\00:22:41.71
look, you've just got
to do a bit of cheating
00:22:41.74\00:22:44.24
to get on in business.
00:22:44.27\00:22:45.24
You've got to tell a few lies.
00:22:45.25\00:22:46.60
He says, listen,
this is the standard.
00:22:46.63\00:22:49.51
What you should realize is
that if you live up to what God
00:22:49.54\00:22:53.58
tells you to do, He's
going to look after you.
00:22:53.61\00:22:55.60
In fact, it says over here
in Matthew 6:33, Seek first the
00:22:55.63\00:23:01.87
kingdom of God and his
righteousness; and all these
00:23:01.90\00:23:05.19
things shall be added to you.
00:23:05.22\00:23:06.97
So just put God first, and
everything else will come along;
00:23:07.00\00:23:11.83
just so long as
you do your part.
00:23:11.86\00:23:13.33
Now does this mean that you've
got to so live that you just
00:23:13.36\00:23:18.49
never make any mistakes?
00:23:18.52\00:23:19.66
Well, of course, you
want to try that, but don't be
00:23:19.69\00:23:22.89
discouraged if you don't
live up to this Sermon on the
00:23:22.92\00:23:25.27
Mount just in one day.
00:23:25.30\00:23:26.79
I think the Bible makes it very
plain that even if we do our
00:23:26.82\00:23:32.07
best, we're still
going to make mistakes.
00:23:32.10\00:23:33.85
Listen, in 1 Kings 8:46
Solomon was praying and he said,
00:23:33.88\00:23:38.81
When they sin against
you, for there is no one who
00:23:38.84\00:23:42.33
does not sin.
00:23:42.36\00:23:43.33
If you happen to think
that you're one of these people
00:23:43.34\00:23:46.39
who never makes any mistakes,
you don't realize just how
00:23:46.42\00:23:49.14
sinful you are.
00:23:49.17\00:23:50.14
We all make mistakes.
00:23:50.15\00:23:51.35
Listen to what James says.
00:23:51.38\00:23:53.38
And James, mind you, was
the Lord's brother, and probably
00:23:53.41\00:23:58.42
at this time, the
head of the church.
00:23:58.45\00:24:00.68
He says in James 3:2, For
we all stumble in many things.
00:24:00.71\00:24:07.17
Yeah, we've got to face
it, we all make mistakes.
00:24:07.20\00:24:09.69
So, okay, if we
make mistakes, what then?
00:24:09.72\00:24:13.22
Do we give up in despair,
and say you just can't do it?
00:24:13.25\00:24:16.23
Some people say, you know, well,
we're under the new covenant.
00:24:16.26\00:24:19.80
We're not under the law of the
Ten Commandments proclaimed from
00:24:19.83\00:24:23.40
Mount Sinai.
00:24:23.43\00:24:24.95
Do you know what the
new covenant is all about?
00:24:24.98\00:24:27.54
I'll read it to
you in Hebrews 8.
00:24:27.57\00:24:30.59
This is the new covenant that
I will make with the house of
00:24:30.62\00:24:35.57
Israel after those
days, says the Lord.
00:24:35.60\00:24:37.83
I will put my laws in their
minds, and write them on their
00:24:37.86\00:24:41.77
hearts.
00:24:41.80\00:24:42.82
Under the new
covenant there's no question of
00:24:42.85\00:24:44.94
abolishing the law.
00:24:44.98\00:24:46.06
What it says, I'll
write that law in your heart.
00:24:46.09\00:24:49.14
In other words, God is
going to help you to keep it.
00:24:49.17\00:24:51.68
But listen, if you do make
mistakes, don't get discouraged.
00:24:51.71\00:24:55.83
Don't get the idea that if you
sin against God; break one of
00:24:55.86\00:24:59.17
His laws, or fall fowl of some
of the sayings of the Sermon
00:24:59.20\00:25:03.32
on the Mount, God is
going to wipe you out and say,
00:25:03.35\00:25:05.27
I've finished with you.
00:25:05.30\00:25:06.40
Not at all!
00:25:06.43\00:25:07.80
We've got a
wonderful, loving God!
00:25:07.83\00:25:08.87
And even if you do make a
mistake, remember if you have
00:25:08.90\00:25:12.22
faith in Christ you
are still God's child.
00:25:12.25\00:25:14.77
Do you know what
it says in 1 John 2:1?
00:25:14.80\00:25:20.82
It says here, My little
children, these things I write
00:25:20.85\00:25:24.65
to you that you may not sin.
00:25:24.68\00:25:26.78
You see, God
doesn't want you to sin.
00:25:26.81\00:25:28.44
He doesn't want
you to break his laws.
00:25:28.47\00:25:30.20
You should make up
your mind you should try
00:25:30.23\00:25:33.05
not to break God's laws.
00:25:33.09\00:25:34.65
But, He says, if anyone sins,
we have an advocate with the
00:25:34.68\00:25:39.91
Father, Jesus
Christ the Righteous...
00:25:39.94\00:25:42.86
So he says, even if you do make
a mistake, don't be discouraged.
00:25:42.89\00:25:46.39
You're still God's
child, and Jesus Christ is your
00:25:46.42\00:25:50.42
great advocate.
00:25:50.45\00:25:51.71
So the whole teaching of the
law from Mount Sinai, and the
00:25:51.74\00:25:55.80
Sermon on the Mount is
this is God's standard.
00:25:55.83\00:25:59.20
You should choose.
00:25:59.23\00:26:00.90
God wants you to choose; to try
and live up to this standard,
00:26:00.93\00:26:04.13
but if you make mistakes you
have a wonderful loving Savior
00:26:04.16\00:26:08.30
who still
regards you as His child.
00:26:08.33\00:26:10.65
You still belong to Him,
and you can still trust Him.
00:26:10.68\00:26:14.49
There's an appropriate verse
in Psalms 119 for today's very
00:26:14.52\00:26:19.54
stressful world.
00:26:19.57\00:26:20.64
It says, Great peace have
those who love your law...
00:26:20.67\00:26:23.95
We certainly need as much
peace of mind as we can all get.
00:26:23.98\00:26:27.61
In our next program we travel
around the Lake of Galilee,
00:26:27.64\00:26:31.35
which is behind me, to
the little town of Capernaum.
00:26:31.38\00:26:34.56
and we talk of the things
that Jesus did there on the
00:26:34.59\00:26:38.07
Sabbath day.
00:26:38.10\00:26:39.13