Participants: Pr. Doug Batchlor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG021547A
|
00:00 (MUSIC)
00:09 >>SO WHAT IS THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT IN THE WORLD? 00:12 WELL, NATURALLY, YOU'D SAY THE SUN, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 00:14 THE BRIGHTEST MAN-MADE LIGHT IN THE WORLD. 00:17 IT'S THE LIGHT THAT SHINES OUT OF THE ROOF OF THAT 00:19 PYRAMID-SHAPED HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS CALLED THE LUXOR. 00:23 THERE, IN THE CAP OF THAT HOTEL, THERE'S A ROOM THAT CONTAINS 39 00:27 WASHING-MACHINE SIZED XENON BULBS; AND EACH OF THOSE BULBS 00:31 REQUIRES ABOUT 7,000 WATTS. ALTOGETHER, THEY PRODUCE ABOUT 00:35 40 BILLION CANDLE POWER OF LIGHT. 00:39 CAN YOU IMAGINE GETTING THAT ELECTRIC BILL AT THE LUXOR HOTEL 00:42 EVERY MONTH? THAT LIGHT IS SO BRIGHT THAT 00:44 PLANES CAN SEE IT 250 MILES AWAY. 00:48 THEY'RE SHOOTING LIGHT TEN MILES UP INTO SPACE, MEANING, IF YOU 00:52 HAPPEN TO BE FLOATING BY, YOU COULD READ A NEWSPAPER UP THERE. 00:56 AND, AS YOU MIGHT HAVE GUESSED, THAT BRIGHT LIGHT HAS BECOME THE 00:59 WORLD'S BEST BUG ATTRACTOR, BRINGING IN MOTHS, BATS, AND 01:03 OWLS - CREATING ITS OWN ECOSYSTEM THERE AT NIGHT, ABOVE 01:06 THE HOTEL. BUT THE SAD THING ABOUT THE 01:08 BRIGHTEST LIGHT IN THE WORLD IS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE NIGHT AIR IS 01:11 CLEAR - WITHOUT ANY PARTICLES - THE LIGHT DOESN'T HIT 01:14 ANYTHING AND IT'S INVISIBLE. IT SHOOTS UP INTO EMPTY SPACE. 01:20 THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT IN THE WORLD ILLUMINATES NOTHING. 01:23 YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT THERE'S ANOTHER GREAT 01:25 WASTED LIGHT, AND THAT'S THE LIGHT OF GOD'S WORD. 01:29 IT SAYS IN PSALM 119, VERSE 105, "THY WORD IS A LAMP UNTO MY FEET 01:34 AND A LIGHT UNTO MY PATH.' AND YET, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE WALKING 01:38 IN DARKNESS. FURTHERMORE, JESUS SAID, IF YOU 01:41 DO HAVE THAT LIGHT, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T PUT IT UNDER A BUSHEL, 01:43 BUT YOU LET IT SHINE AND ILLUMINATE THE LIVES OF OTHERS. 01:47 JESUS SAID, IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 5, 'SET YOUR LIGHT UP ON A HILL, 01:50 LIKE A CITY, SO THAT ALL MIGHT SEE IT.' LIGHT ONLY BENEFITS 01:54 OTHERS WHEN IT REFLECTS OFF OF SOMETHING. 01:57 GOD WANTS OUR LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE THE LIVES OF OTHERS. 02:02 SO, ARE YOU GLOWING FOR GOD? REMEMBER, JESUS SAID, 02:04 'LET THERE BE LIGHT.' (MUSIC) 02:13 >>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 02:16 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 02:21 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 02:24 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST-DAY EVENTS OF 02:27 REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM' IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 02:31 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 02:34 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD'S 02:37 WORD. GO DEEPER. VISIT THE AMAZING BIBLE TIME 02:41 LINE AT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'. (MUSIC) 02:49 >>AMAZING FACTS BEGAN IN 1965 WITH A GOD-INSPIRED CONCEPT. 02:55 >>HELLO, THIS IS JOE CREWS AND THE AMAZING FACTS BROADCAST 02:58 FACTS WHICH AFFECT YOU. 03:01 >>EACH RADIO BROADCAST WOULD BEGIN WITH AN AMAZING FACT FROM 03:04 SCIENCE, NATURE, OR HISTORY, FOLLOWED BY A BIBLE MESSAGE THAT 03:08 TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF LISTENERS FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE. 03:12 THE PROGRAM WAS AN INSTANT SUCCESS AND THE MINISTRY SOON 03:16 BEGAN EXPANDING TO INCLUDE BIBLE LESSONS. 03:19 IN 1986 AMAZING FACTS ADDED THE MEDIUM OF TELEVISION TO ITS 03:23 GROWING OUTREACH EFFORTS, OFFERING SOUL-WINNING 03:26 EVANGELISTIC MESSAGES FOR VIEWERS AROUND THE WORLD. 03:31 IN 1994, PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR ASSUMED LEADERSHIP OF THE 03:35 MINISTRY, ADDING THE BIBLE ANSWERS LIVE CALL-IN RADIO 03:38 PROGRAM AND NEW MINISTRY TV PROGRAMS BEGAN AIRING ON 03:42 MULTIPLE NETWORKS AROUND THE WORLD. 03:45 FOR 50 YEARS, THE DRIVING VISION OF AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN THE 03:50 BOLD PROCLAMATION OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL AND, WITH A 03:54 TEAM OF EVANGELISTS CIRCLING THE GLOBE, AND THOUSANDS OF MEN AND 03:57 WOMEN BEING TRAINED THROUGH THE AMAZING FACTS CENTER OF 04:00 EVANGELISM PROGRAM - AFCOE - THE MINISTRY IS HELPING GOD'S CHURCH 04:05 SEE A RICH HARVEST OF SOULS. AMAZING FACTS: 04:10 GOD'S MESSAGE, OUR MISSION. (MUSIC) 04:32 >>YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO TALK A 04:33 LITTLE BIT ABOUT 'WHAT IS A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST?' 04:38 AND SEPARATE IT FROM FACT AND FICTION. 04:40 AND THAT'LL BE THE TITLE OF OUR MESSAGE TODAY, 04:42 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST FACTS AND FABLES . 04:46 NOW, WHEN I FIRST WAS EXPOSED TO THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST 04:50 MESSAGE - SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY THAT I 04:54 CAME FROM A BACKGROUND THAT WAS, FOR THE MOST PART, IRRELIGIOUS. 04:59 I KNOW, IT ALWAYS WORRIES ME WHEN PEOPLE SEE THAT PICTURE AND 05:02 SAY, 'OH, SO THAT GUY'S OUR PASTOR?' 05:06 BUT IN MY TEENAGE YEARS, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM A JEWISH 05:09 BACKGROUND, MY MOTHER, AND MY FATHER, HE WAS PRETTY MUCH AN 05:13 ATHEIST BUT WE GREW UP NOT REALLY BELIEVING ANYTHING. 05:17 I WENT TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND JEWISH SCHOOLS, BUT WE WEREN'T 05:20 REALLY INDOCTRINATED VERY MUCH. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF SEVENTH-DAY 05:24 ADVENTISTS, SO AFTER I READ A BIBLE, I WAS LIVING IN A CAVE 05:29 DURING SOME HIPPIE YEARS, AND I READ A BIBLE AND ACCEPTED JESUS 05:32 THROUGH THE POWER OF THE WORD. I SAID, 'WELL, I NEED TO GO TO 05:35 CHURCH.' I DIDN'T HAVE ANY - I WAS CLUELESS ABOUT WHERE TO GO. 05:39 I JUST WANTED TO GO WHERE I COULD BIBLE CHRISTIANS THAT WERE 05:42 ON FIRE. AND SO, I BEGAN TO STUDY WITH 05:45 AND MEET WITH A NUMBER OF EVANGELICAL CHURCHES. 05:48 AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT I'D NEVER EVEN HEARD OF A SEVENTH-DAY 05:52 ADVENTIST AT THAT TIME. IF YOU HAD ASKED ME WHO THEY 05:56 WERE, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN - I'D BE TOTALLY CLUELESS. 05:58 AND I'M AFRAID THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WORLD 06:02 OUT THERE THAT STILL DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA OR THEY HAVE A LOT OF 06:06 MISCONCEPTIONS. YOU KNOW, AS I TRAVEL, I'M A 06:10 PASTOR, SO WHEN YOU MEET PEOPLE AND YOU START WITH YOUR TYPICAL 06:14 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS - 'HOW ARE YOU? WHERE ARE YOU FROM? 06:16 WHAT DO YOU DO?' 'I'M A PASTOR.' 'WHAT CHURCH?' 06:19 'SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST.' 'SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST? 06:22 WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE? 06:24 AREN'T YOU GUYS - NO BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, RIGHT?' 06:28 I SAID, 'NO, IT'S NOT US.' THEY SAID, 'SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS - 06:31 THAT'S LIKE LDS - IS IT LATTER DAY SAINTS?' 06:35 I SAID, 'NO, WE'RE SDA, THAT'S LDS, WHICH IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED 06:39 WITH AOG, WHICH IS ASSEMBLY OF GOD OR CHURCH OF GOD OR 06:43 PRESBYTERIAN.' AND PEOPLE - YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MUCH 06:46 IGNORANCE THERE IS OUT THERE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT 06:49 DENOMINATIONS. AND YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE 06:53 REASON FOR SOME OF THE CONFUSION BECAUSE THERE ARE LITERALLY 06:58 HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA 07:02 THAT ALL CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIAN AND SO PEOPLE GET LOST IN THE 07:07 KALEIDOSCOPE OF DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS AND YOU TRY TO 07:12 EXPLAIN WHAT A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST IS AND IT'S - THEY 07:15 SEEM TO SCRAMBLE IT UP IF THEY'RE NOT ACQUAINTED WITH IT 07:18 OR THEY KNEW SOMEBODY WHO KNEW SOMEBODY OR THEY HAD A RELATIVE 07:23 AND ALL THEY KNOW IS THAT THEY WENT TO CHURCH ON A DIFFERENT 07:26 DAY AND THAT THEY DIDN'T EAT PORK. 07:29 I HEARD A STORY YEARS AGO - I'VE NOT VERIFIED THIS SO IT COULD BE 07:34 AN URBAN MYTH, BUT I'LL SHARE IT WITH YOU ANYWAY. 07:36 ANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE ART LINKLETTER SHOW? 07:40 AND HE HAD A - EITHER A FEATURE ON THAT PROGRAM OR A PROGRAM 07:45 THAT SAID, 'KIDS SAY THE STRANGEST THINGS' AND HE HAD 07:49 THIS ONE LITTLE GIRL UP THERE AND HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT, YOU 07:52 KNOW, 'WHAT'D YOU DO YESTERDAY?' AND SHE SAID, 'WELL, I WENT TO 07:53 CHURCH.' HE SAID, 'NO, YESTERDAY WAS SATURDAY. 07:55 YOU DON'T MEAN YOU WENT TO CHURCH.' SHE SAID, 'NO, WE WENT 07:58 TO CHURCH SATURDAY.' HE SAID, 'YOU GO TO CHURCH SATURDAY, WHY 08:00 DO YOU DO THAT?' SHE SAID, 'BECAUSE WE'RE 08:02 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.' 'SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS 08:05 - WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?' SHE SAID, 'WELL, WE DON'T EAT 08:07 PORK AND WE HATE CATHOLICS.' (RAUCOUS LAUGHTER) SO THAT 08:13 PROBABLY WENT A LONG WAY TO HELP WITH OUR PUBLIC IMAGE. 08:18 THE NOT EATING PORK PART IS TRUE. I HOPE THE OTHER PART 08:22 IS NOT TRUE. BUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE THESE 08:25 PERCEPTIONS AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION. 08:29 BUT IT'S INTERESTING, IT SEEMS LIKE, IN RECENT MONTHS, FOR A 08:33 VARIETY OF REASONS, SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS HAVE BEEN COMING AND, 08:36 I EXPECT, WILL BE COMING MORE INTO THE PUBLIC EYE AND SO I 08:40 THOUGHT I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TRY AND TALK ABOUT 08:44 'WHAT IS A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST?' 08:45 AND SOME OF THE FACTS AND TRY TO DE-BUNK SOME OF THE FABLES. 08:50 KAREN AND I WERE TICKLED WHEN WE WERE IN FIJI A FEW WEEKS AGO - 08:54 IT'S JUST LAST WEEK - MAYBE TWO WEEKS AGO - AND WE MET THE NEW 09:00 PRESIDENT - HE WAS PRESIDENT-ELECT THEN, HE HAS 09:02 BEEN INAUGURATED SINCE. MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE KONRATE, 09:07 WHO IS THE PRESIDENT AND HE IS THE FIRST SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST 09:10 PRESIDENT OF THIS ISLAND NATION. AND HE MET US TWICE, SAID 09:15 AMAZING FACTS HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH HIS BEING A SEVENTH-DAY 09:18 ADVENTIST - AND WE WERE THRILLED TO HEAR THAT. WONDERFUL, HUMBLE 09:21 MAN - VERY SMART MAN - VERY RESPECTED IN HIS COUNTRY. 09:24 AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE SOMEBODY, AT LEAST AT THE TIME 09:29 OF THIS RECORDING - I ALWAYS LIKE TO BE CONSCIOUS, THIS MAY 09:32 PLAY IN A FEW YEARS, BUT - A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST THAT IS 09:36 FAIRLY PROMINENT IN THE POLLS WHO IS RUNNING FOR THE 09:39 REPUBLICAN NOMINATION - DR. BEN CARSON. 09:43 AND I SPOKE WITH HIM, ACTUALLY, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. 09:46 HE WAS AT OUR RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS CONVENTION. 09:50 I THINK I SAW DUANE HERE, HE WAS THERE WITH ME, AND I STAYED 09:53 BEHIND AND VISITED WITH HIM. WE HAD ACTUALLY MET BEFORE 09:55 BECAUSE HE WOULD FREQUENT SOME OF THE SAME CAMP MEETINGS AND 10:00 CONVOCATIONS I WOULD BE AT AND I WOULD JUST SEE HIM 10:02 BRIEFLY BACKSTAGE. BUT THAT WAS BACK BEFORE HE 10:05 ANNOUNCED HE WAS RUNNING. AND SO NOW, DONALD TRUMP AND 10:09 OTHERS SAID, 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST 10:10 - WHAT'S THAT? SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST?' 10:12 AND SO THEN PEOPLE BEGAN TO GOOGLE SEARCH - WHAT IS IT? 10:16 AND IT WORRIED ME BECAUSE THEY WENT TO SOME WEBSITES THAT DON'T 10:20 KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT US AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND GOOD 10:22 AND BAD ON THE INTERNET. SOME PEOPLE THINK, 'WELL, IT 10:25 MUST BE TRUE - I SAW IT ON THE INTERNET.' TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, 10:28 NOT EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THE INTERNET IS TRUE. 10:32 AND IF YOU'VE GOT AN ACHE OR A PAIN, DON'T TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT 10:36 IT IS ON THE INTERNET BECAUSE YOU'LL BE SURE YOU'RE DYING IF 10:38 YOU LOOK THERE. SO, WHAT IS A SEVENTH-DAY 10:43 ADVENTIST AND WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT? WELL, IN A WORD, 10:47 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS ARE, VERY SIMPLY, BIBLE CHRISTIANS. 10:51 AND, OF COURSE, A LOT OF CHRISTIANS'LL SAY THAT, BUT 10:53 REALLY, THIS IS WHAT WE BELIEVE AND IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT 10:56 A CHURCH IS, LET'S GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE WAY RIGHT FROM THE 10:59 START: WHEN YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT A DENOMINATION BELIEVES, 11:05 DON'T SAY, 'WELL, I KNEW A BAPTIST SO I KNOW WHAT 11:08 BAPTISTS BELIEVE.' 11:10 BECAUSE I THINK EVERY BAPTIST WILL ADMIT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT 11:13 GO TO BAPTIST CHURCHES THAT DON'T VERY NICELY REPRESENT 11:15 BAPTISTS - OR DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY BELIEVE. 11:18 AND THAT WILL BE TRUE OF METHODISTS AND PRESBYTERIANS, 11:21 AND CHURCH OF CHRIST AND SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS. 11:25 AND SO, WHEN YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT A CHURCH BELIEVES, 11:28 DON'T JUST LOOK AT ONE PERSON - DON'T MISUNDERSTAND, YOU 11:30 SHOULD ALL, IF YOU'RE MEMBERS - I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF 11:32 NON-ADVENTISTS THAT ARE VISITING - WORSHIPING WITH US TODAY, BUT 11:36 IF YOU'RE A MEMBER YOU WANT TO LIVE A LIFE THAT IS A GOOD 11:38 EXAMPLE FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE. BUT NOT EVERYBODY DOES AND EVERY 11:44 CHURCH HAS SOME KOOKY COUSINS, RIGHT? 11:50 SO, IF YOU WANT TO REALLY FIND OUT WHAT THEY BELIEVE, LOOK IN 11:53 THE FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS. AND IF YOU LOOK IN THE DOCUMENTS 11:57 OF WHAT THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS BELIEVE, THEY'LL TELL 11:59 YOU VERY CLEARLY, THIS IS ONE OF OUR BAPTISMAL VOWS. 12:02 WHEN YOU JOIN THE CHURCH YOU SAY, 'WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS 12:06 GOD'S INSPIRED WORD AND THAT IT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY RULE OF 12:10 FAITH AND PRACTICE FOR THE CHRISTIAN. 12:12 WE BELIEVE BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS COMPRISE THE WORD OF 12:15 GOD.' WE BELIEVE AND TAKE THE WORD OF GOD QUITE LITERALLY. 12:19 WE BELIEVE IT'S THE INSPIRED, INFALLIBLE WORD OF GOD. 12:23 AND YOU WILL HEAR PEOPLE - BECAUSE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS 12:27 DO BELIEVE THAT GOD SPEAKS THROUGH PEOPLE, I MEAN, WHAT 12:32 ELSE - WHY WOULD PASTORS STAND UP EXCEPT YOU HOPE THAT GOD WILL 12:35 INSPIRE PEOPLE, RIGHT? AND ONE OF THE FOUNDERS IN THE 12:39 ADVENTIST CHURCH, ELLEN G. WHITE, MOST SEVENTH-DAY 12:42 ADVENTISTS BELIEVE, WAS INSPIRED AND HAD THE GIFT OF 12:46 PROPHECY THAT A PROPHET MIGHT HAVE. 12:48 AND - BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, PEOPLE SAY, 'WELL, SEVENTH-DAY 12:53 ADVENTISTS, YOU BASE YOUR TEACHINGS ON THE WRITINGS OF 12:55 ELLEN WHITE.' NOW, I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE RISKY HERE 12:58 IN THIS MESSAGE, BECAUSE I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE SEVENTH-DAY 13:02 ADVENTISTS, I'M GOING TO COME DOWN WHERE YOU ARE AND WE'RE 13:05 GOING TO PUT YOU ON CAMERA. WE'LL DO IT AS A CROWD. 13:07 WE WON'T SINGLE YOU OUT. NOW I'M GIVING YOU WARNING IN 13:11 ADVANCE BECAUSE SOME OF YOU LOOK VERY AUSTERE RIGHT NOW. 13:13 I WANT YOU TO SMILE BEFORE THE CAMERA GOES ON YOU. 13:14 (LAUGHTER) ALRIGHT, SO I'LL COME DOWN, WE'LL GET A CAMERA SHOT, 13:16 AND I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION AND I WANT THEM TO SEE YOUR ANSWER 13:19 BECAUSE WE'VE GOT - HOW MANY OF YOU ARE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST 13:21 MEMBERS? I WON'T ASK - I SEE A LOT THAT 13:24 ARE NOT RAISING HANDS - YOU'RE VISITORS, OKAY. 13:26 AND SO, GETTING A SHOT OF THE MEMBERS SO YOU CAN BEAR WITNESS. 13:31 DO WE BASE OUR BELIEFS ON WHAT THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY SAYS, 13:36 WHAT ELLEN WHITE SAYS, OR WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS? 13:38 >>THE BIBLE. >>OKAY, JUST WANTED 13:40 TO GET THAT ON RECORD. I HADN'T TOLD YOU I WAS 13:42 GOING TO SAY THAT, RIGHT? SO THIS IS ALL UNSCRIPTED. 13:45 I JUST WANT - OTHERS THAT ARE WATCHING MIGHT SEE THIS TAPE, IF 13:48 WE PUT IT UP, AND I WANT THEM TO KNOW THIS IS WHAT WE BELIEVE. 13:51 AND ELLEN WHITE, HERSELF, WHO WE DO BELIEVE WAS INSPIRED BY GOD, 13:56 SHE SAID, 'DO NOT BASE YOUR BELIEFS ON ANYTHING I'VE SAID.' 14:01 SHE SAID, 'BASE IT ON THE WORD OF GOD.' 14:04 >>AMEN. >>AND SO, YOU'LL HEAR PEOPLE 14:06 ACCUSE US OF THAT AND IT'S JUST NOT TRUE. 14:10 JESUS SAID, 'HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY; MY WORD WILL NOT 14:14 PASS AWAY.' THAT'S MATTHEW 24:35 - MATTHEW 4:4, "IT IS WRITTEN, 14:19 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT 14:24 PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" AND SO EVERYTHING - WHAT 14:28 THE PASTOR SAYS, WHAT A PROPHET SAYS, WHAT ANYBODY SAYS, MUST BE 14:32 MEASURED UP AGAINST WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS. 14:35 NOW, WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS, I'LL 14:38 JUST BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU, I THOUGHT IT WAS A PECULIAR NAME. 14:43 YOU KNOW, WHEN I STARTED SAYING, 'LORD, JUST SHOW ME YOUR CHURCH' 14:46 - BECAUSE I WORSHIPED WITH MANY DIFFERENT CHURCHES AND I FOUND 14:49 THAT THEY DISAGREED ON SOME, WHAT I THOUGHT WERE, PIVOTAL 14:51 DOCTRINES AND I - I JUST WENT BACK UP TO THE CAVE AND I SAID, 14:54 'LORD, I JUST WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH. 14:55 SHOW ME.' AND I EXPECTED THAT I WOULD FIND A CHURCH THAT WAS 14:58 NAMED 'CHURCH OF GOD' AND THERE ARE CHURCHES THAT ARE CALLED 15:03 THE CHURCH OF GOD - THAT'S A GREAT NAME. 15:05 OR I'D FIND ONE THAT SAID, 'THE CHURCH OF CHRIST' AND THERE IS A 15:09 CHURCH CALLED THE CHURCH OF CHRIST - THAT'S A GOOD NAME - 15:11 SIMPLE, RIGHT? ASSEMBLY OF GOD - ASSEMBLY 15:15 WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN MY FIRST CHOICE, BUT THAT'S 15:17 STILL A GREAT NAME. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL FIND 15:20 A LOT OF THE BEST NAMES ARE COPYRIGHTED. 15:23 AND THERE MAY BE SEVERAL THAT ARE ACTUALLY ARGUING OVER 15:26 CERTAIN NAMES. A LOT OF CHURCHES HAVE A LOT OF NAMES. 15:31 'WE'RE LIVING NEAR THE END OF TIME, I WANT TO BE A LATTER DAY 15:33 SAINT,' DON'T YOU? >>AMEN. 15:36 >>BUT THAT'S A MORMON AND OUR BELIEFS ARE DIFFERENT. 15:40 I WANT TO BE A WITNESS FOR JEHOVAH. 15:43 AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER VERY 15:46 DIFFERENT DENOMINATION. SO WHY SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST? 15:51 WELL, IT'S VERY SIMPLE, BECAUSE ALONG WITH THE OTHER NINE 15:54 COMMANDMENTS, WE BELIEVE - IN KEEPING A HUNDRED PERCENT - AND 15:57 ONE OF THEM SAYS, 'REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY' SO WE WORSHIP ON 16:02 THE SEVENTH DAY OF THE WEEK, SATURDAY, AS THE SABBATH. 16:05 WE DON'T SEE EVIDENCE IN THE BIBLE OR HISTORY THAT IT HAS 16:08 BEEN CHANGED BY GOD. AND SO, WE'RE GOING TO JUST 16:11 DO WHAT GOD TELLS US TO DO. WE FIGURE THAT 16:14 IT'S A COMMANDMENT. THAT'S ONE REASON. 16:16 THE WORD 'ADVENTIST' MEANS THAT WE BELIEVE IN THE SOON-COMING OR 16:21 THE IMMINENT RETURN OF JESUS. 16:23 CHRIST SAID, 'BEHOLD, I AM COMING QUICKLY.' SEVERAL TIMES 16:26 IN REVELATION HE TELLS US HE'S COMING. 16:29 IN JOHN CHAPTER 14, 'I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU AND IF I 16:32 GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME AGAIN.' AND SO THE 16:35 DISCIPLES AND THE APOSTLES MADE A GREAT PRIORITY ABOUT TALKING 16:39 ABOUT THE SHORTNESS OF LIFE, THE RETURN OF THE LORD, AND GETTING 16:44 PEOPLE READY FOR THAT EVENT. AND SO, WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE A 16:48 CHURCH THAT'S BEEN CALLED IN THE LAST GENERATION - THE LAST AGE 16:52 OF THE CHURCH - THE AGE OF LAODICEA - TO PREPARE THE 16:55 WORLD FOR THE ADVENT OF JESUS. THAT'S ALL THAT MEANS IS - SO WE 16:59 ARE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS BUT WE'RE BIBLE CHRISTIANS. 17:04 AND SO, SOMETIMES THE NAMES CAN SOUND CONFUSING. 17:08 A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THE FORMATION OF THE CHURCH. 17:11 BACK IN 1835 THERE WAS A GREAT REVIVAL. 17:15 IT BECAME KNOWN AS - IT WAS A 'THE GREAT SECOND AWAKENING' OR 17:19 'THE GREAT ADVENT MOVEMENT' - NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH 17:23 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS. SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS WERE NOT 17:26 ORGANIZED AS A CHURCH UNTIL 1863 - I THINK THE NAME WAS PICKED IN 17:30 1860 - IT WAS FORMALLY ORGANIZED AND INCORPORATED IN 1863. 17:35 WE'RE GOING BACK NOW TO 1835 THROUGH 1844 - THERE WAS A 17:38 MILLERITE MOVEMENT - WILLIAM MILLER WAS A BAPTIST. 17:42 HE WAS AN ADVENTIST BAPTIST AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF 17:48 CHRISTIANS AROUND NORTH AMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA AND EUROPE - 17:52 THROUGH READING THE PROPHECIES OF DANIEL, THEY WERE CONVINCED 17:55 BECAUSE DANIEL 8:14 SAID, "UNTO TWO THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED 17:59 DAYS; THEN THE SANCTUARY SHALL BE CLEANSED." 18:02 AND THEY UNDERSTOOD THOSE VERSES TO MEAN THAT CHRIST WAS GOING TO 18:06 COME AT THE END OF THIS TIME PERIOD AND CLEANSE THE EARTH 18:08 WITH FIRE - THAT THE EARTH WAS THE SANCTUARY - AND THAT JESUS 18:12 WAS COMING. AND IT IS TRUE, THE LORD'S COMING WITH FIRE AND A 18:15 WHIRLWIND, BUT THEY MISUNDERSTOOD THE PROPHECY. 18:18 BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY BELIEVED AND THEY SINCERELY BELIEVED IT. 18:22 AND THERE WAS A GREAT ADVENT MOVEMENT THAT'S KNOWN IN HISTORY 18:26 AS 'THE GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT' WHEN, IN 1844, AND THAT OCTOBER 18:30 DATE PASSED - JESUS DIDN'T COME. PEOPLE HAVE SAID 'SEVENTH-DAY 18:37 ADVENTISTS - YOU'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE SET DATES FOR JESUS' 18:41 COMING.' I'M GOING TO GO DOWN HERE SO YOU ALL LOOK HAPPY. 18:44 I WANT TO ASK YOU NOW - HOPEFULLY YOU KNOW YOUR BIBLES 18:46 AND YOUR HISTORY. HAVE WE, AS A CHURCH, EVER SET A DATE FOR THE 18:52 SECOND COMING OF JESUS? >>NO. 18:54 >>OKAY, JUST - THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I APPRECIATE THAT. 18:56 THAT LOOKED VERY DECIDED. WE HAVE NOT SET A DATE. 19:01 THAT WAS THE MILLERITES THAT SET A DATE. 19:03 WE WERE NOT EVEN ORGANIZED AS A CHURCH UNTIL YEARS LATER. 19:07 WHAT IS TRUE, IS A NUMBER OF CHURCH GROUPS FRAGMENTED 19:12 AND GREW OUT OF THAT DISAPPOINTMENT. 19:14 AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING BECAUSE IF YOU LOVE JESUS 19:17 AND THE NEW TESTAMENT, ARE YOU AWARE THAT THE BIBLE WRITERS IN 19:22 THE NEW TESTAMENT WROTE, AFTER ORGANIZING, AFTER COMING THROUGH 19:27 A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT, BECAUSE THEY MISUNDERSTOOD PROPHECY. 19:32 DID THE APOSTLES BELIEVE THAT JESUS WAS GOING TO DIE ON A 19:35 CROSS, EVEN THOUGH HE TOLD THEM? WERE THEY DEVASTATED? 19:39 DIDN'T THEY THINK THAT JESUS WAS GOING TO OVERWHELM THE ROMANS 19:42 AND SET HIMSELF UP ON THE THRONE OF DAVID AND PROCLAIM HIMSELF 19:45 KING AND MAKE ISRAEL A LITERAL NATION? 19:48 AND EVEN AFTER HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD THEY CAME TO HIM AND THEY 19:50 SAID, 'WILL YOU, AT THIS TIME, ESTABLISH THE KINGDOM?' 19:53 AND HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GET IT.' 19:57 AND THEY WERE SO DISAPPOINTED. SO IT SHOULDN'T SURPRISE YOU 20:02 THAT GOD WOULD RAISE UP A MOVEMENT COMING FROM THE ASHES 20:06 OF A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE NEW 20:10 TESTAMENT, SORT OF, GREW UP. THERE WAS A LOT OF 20:12 MISUNDERSTANDINGS. THEY ALSO DIDN'T THINK THEY 20:15 SHOULD PREACH TO GENTILES. IT WAS QUITE A STRUGGLE WHEN 20:18 PETER FIRST WENT TO CORNELIUS' HOUSE. 20:19 HE THOUGHT THE MESSAGE ABOUT THE MESSIAH WAS JUST FOR JEWS. 20:23 AND THEY HAD TO CONVINCE THEM, 'NO, IT'S TO GO TO EVERYBODY.' 20:27 AND SO, THAT'S - IT GREW OUT OF THIS GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT 20:32 TIME, WAS ORGANIZED IN 1863, BUT TO JUST GIVE YOU THE PICTURE, 20:38 WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE ADVENTIST CHURCH IS THAT WE ARE - WE'RE 20:42 SORT OF THE CO-MINGLING OF CHRISTIANS FROM MANY DIFFERENT 20:47 BACKGROUNDS THAT BASICALLY PUT ASIDE THEIR DIFFERENCES. 20:50 BACK AFTER JESUS DIDN'T COME IN 1844 THERE WERE BAPTISTS, 20:54 METHODISTS, CONGREGATIONALISTS, PRESBYTERIANS - ALL THESE 21:00 DIFFERENT CHURCHES - AND THEY SAID, 'LET'S STUDY TOGETHER. 21:04 WE'VE, OBVIOUSLY, MISUNDERSTOOD THE WORD. 21:06 THERE'S PROBABLY MANY OTHER MISUNDERSTANDINGS.' IT HAD NOT 21:09 BEEN THAT LONG SINCE THE PROTESTANTS CAME OUT OF THE DARK 21:12 AGES WHERE THE TRUTH WAS CAST TO THE GROUND. 21:15 AND THEY SAID, 'LET'S STUDY.' AND IN THOSE STUDIES FROM 21:19 CHRISTIANS OF MANY DENOMINATIONS, THE CHURCH 21:23 DEVELOPED. THEY SAID, 'LET'S GET BACK TO 21:24 THE BIBLE.' THEY REALIZED THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS THEY'D 21:26 BEEN FOLLOWING THAT WERE NOT BIBLICAL. 21:29 AND SO WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE 21:32 AND WHAT SOME OF THEM ARE NOT. SOME OF THE PRINCIPLE FOUNDERS 21:35 OF OUR CHURCH - THERE WAS A SEA CAPTAIN WHO HAD BEEN, I 21:39 BELIEVE, A PRESBYTERIAN - JOSEPH BATES - A VERY INTERESTING MAN. 21:43 IF YOU WANT TO HEAR AN AMAZING AUTOBIOGRAPHY, THIS GUY STARTED 21:46 OUT RUNNING AWAY AS A CABIN BOY. HE ENDED UP IN JAIL, AND PRESSED 21:49 INTO THE BRITISH NAVY AND SHIPWRECKED AND ALMOST EATEN BY 21:52 SHARKS AND - JUST AN INCREDIBLE STORY. JOSEPH BATES, ONE OF THE 21:58 FOUNDERS OF THE CHURCH ALONG WITH JAMES WHITE, ELLEN WHITE, 22:02 AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS - AND THEY WERE ALL YOUNG. 22:04 MANY OF THEM WERE IN THEIR TWENTIES. 22:07 JOSEPH BATES WAS SORT OF THE SENIOR MAN IN THE GROUP. 22:11 SO WHAT DO WE BELIEVE AS A CHURCH? 22:14 WHAT GREW OUT OF THAT BIBLE STUDY THAT DEVELOPED US INTO THE 22:17 CHURCH THAT WE ARE TODAY? WELL, ONE THING WE BELIEVE IN 22:20 FOLLOWING THE BIBLE, LOVING THE LORD, AND LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR. 22:23 WE BELIEVE IN SERVING OUR FELLOW MAN. 22:26 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS HAVE A WORLD-WIDE COMMUNITY SERVICE 22:29 PROGRAM. SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF ADRA - 22:32 THE ADVENTIST RELIEF DEVELOPMENT AGENCY - AND WE GO INTO 22:35 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S 22:37 DISASTERS AND WE PROVIDE RELIEF PLUS ONGOING HELP IN DEVELOPING 22:42 COUNTRIES TO ALLEVIATE THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE. 22:46 JESUS SAID, 'I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU FED ME; I WAS THIRSTY AND 22:49 YOU GAVE ME DRINK; I WAS NAKED AND YOU CLOTHED ME; I WAS A 22:52 STRANGER AND YOU VISITED ME; I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU CAME TO 22:54 ME.' AND CHRIST SAID, 'INASMUCH AS YOU DO IT TO THE LEAST OF 22:57 THESE YOU'VE DONE IT TO ME. SO SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS 23:00 BELIEVE IN ALLEVIATING THE SUFFERING OF HUMANITY AND THAT 23:04 IS PART OF THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST. 23:06 THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN. 23:08 AND SOME OF THE EVIDENCE OF THAT IS THAT ALL OVER THE WORLD WE 23:12 HAVE A VERY EXTENSIVE HEALTH AND MINISTRY WORK. 23:16 WE HAVE HOSPITALS AND SANITARIUMS - ACTUALLY, THERE 23:18 ARE 171 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST HOSPITALS AND SANITARIUMS AROUND 23:24 THE WORLD. IT IS THE LARGEST HEALTH-CARE 23:26 MINISTRY - LARGEST CHRISTIAN HEALTH-CARE MINISTRY 23:31 NEXT TO THE CATHOLICS. THE CATHOLICS HAVE A LONG 23:35 HISTORY OF MEDICAL WORK AND HOSPITALS. 23:37 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS, CONSIDERING THAT WE'RE CERTAINLY 23:40 NOT THE OLDEST PROTESTANT GROUP, BUT WE'RE NUMBER TWO WHEN IT 23:44 COMES TO OUR UNDERSTANDING RELIEVING THE PHYSICAL SUFFERING 23:47 OF HUMANITY AND MINISTERING TO THE SICK. 23:50 AND THAT MEANS THEY'RE TREATING 14,997,000 PEOPLE EVERY YEAR. 23:57 ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH DONE NOT TOO LONG AGO - 24:00 SOME OF YOU HEARD OF THE BLUE ZONE STUDY ? 24:03 BECAUSE OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF THAT THE BIBLE 24:06 TEACHES HEALTHFUL LIVING - THAT YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE 24:09 HOLY SPIRIT - WE NEED TO CARE FOR OUR BODIES - 24:12 A NUMBER OF STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS LIVE 24:15 AN AVERAGE OF TEN YEARS LONGER THAN THE AVERAGE CITIZEN. 24:21 NOW, IN SOME COUNTRIES, IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN THAT, BUT IN 24:23 AMERICA, WE LIVE AN AVERAGE OF TEN YEARS LONGER. 24:25 MATTER OF FACT, I THINK I'VE GOT A PICTURE SOMEWHERE THAT SHOWS - 24:29 YEAH, THERE SHE IS - THAT'S MARGE - AT THE TIME OF THIS 24:32 PICTURE - 104 YEARS OLD. SOME OF YOU SAW THE NATIONAL 24:35 GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE SECRETS OF LIVING LONGER - THEY 24:39 IDENTIFIED FOUR GROUPS. THREE OF THOSE GROUPS WERE 24:41 IDENTIFIED BASED ON A TERRITORY - I THINK IT WAS SARDINIA, 24:46 OKINAWA, JAPAN - >>LOMA LINDA. 24:51 >>LOMA LINDA'S THERE BUT THERE'S - THERE WAS A FOURTH ONE. 24:54 HUNZA - WAS IT HUNZA? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS ONE OF THEM. 24:58 ANYWAY, THERE WERE FOUR GROUPS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED. 25:00 ONE OF THEM, THOUGH, WAS SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS. 25:03 THEY FOCUSED ON LOMA LINDA, CALIFORNIA, BUT IT WASN'T 25:05 BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE OR THEIR GEOGRAPHY, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE 25:10 BELIEF SYSTEM, IN THIS STUDY, AND THEY SAID SEVENTH-DAY 25:14 ADVENTISTS CLEARLY LIVE LONGER THAN THE AVERAGE AND IT WAS 25:16 ATTRIBUTED TO - ONE THING, THE REST AND COMMUNITY ON THE 25:19 SABBATH; THERE'S SOMETHING HEALTHFUL ABOUT THAT - 25:21 BUT A LOT BECAUSE OF THE LIFESTYLE. 25:24 AND IT'S MUCH MORE COMMON FOR A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST TO REACH A 25:27 HUNDRED YEARS OF AGE THAN IT IS FOR THE AVERAGE CITIZEN, BECAUSE 25:31 WE BELIEVE IN CARING FOR OUR BODIES. 25:33 WE HAVE - WE ABSTAIN FROM UNCLEAN FOOD, ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, 25:37 AND ALONG WITH ANOTHER - A NUMBER OF OTHER IMPORTANT HEALTH 25:42 PRACTICES. SO WE'RE A HEALTH-CONSCIOUS PEOPLE. 25:45 JUST A FEW FACTS AND FIGURES I MIGHT SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT THE 25:48 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS - I JUST PRINTED THESE OFF LAST NIGHT 25:50 BECAUSE THE NUMBERS, OF COURSE, ARE CHANGING. 25:53 IT'S A VERY DYNAMIC FIGURE, BUT AS OF THIS RECORDING IN NOVEMBER 25:58 2015, THERE ARE 78,000 CHURCHES WORLDWIDE. 26:04 CHURCH MEMBERSHIP - IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 7,000 AROUND THE TURN OF 26:08 THE CENTURY - OR 78,000 AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY AND NOW 26:12 IT'S AT 18.4 MILLION AND GROWING. 26:18 BAPTISMS LAST YEAR - OR IF I'M - I COULD BE WRONG, IT MIGHT BE 26:23 BAPTISMS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS - THIS MAY BE A QUINQUENNIUM 26:27 REPORT - 1 MILLION - NO, I THINK IT'S MORE THAN THAT. 26:31 YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST LAST YEAR - I MILLION BAPTISMS - THAT'S - 26:34 AND WE JUST ADDED TO THAT AND WILL TODAY. 26:38 18,000 ORDAINED MINISTERS - WORLDS - HOW MANY COUNTRIES AND 26:42 AREAS IN THE WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE UNITED NATIONS? THERE ARE 26:46 237, NOT JUST COUNTRIES BUT INCLUDING PLACES DESIGNATED AS 26:50 AREAS - THEY MAY NOT BE INCORPORATED AS COUNTRIES - 237. 26:54 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS ARE WORKING - OUT OF 237 WE ARE IN 26:57 216. THAT'S ENCOURAGING. 27:00 JESUS SAID, 'THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM SHALL GO INTO ALL THE 27:03 WORLD FOR A WITNESS, THEN THE END WILL COME.' LANGUAGES USED 27:07 IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST PUBLICATIONS AND ORAL WORK - 947 27:12 LANGUAGES - AND SO PEOPLE THAT ARE SHARING THE MESSAGE AROUND 27:15 THE WORLD ARE DOING IT IN 900 LANGUAGES. 27:18 JESUS SAID TO EVERY TONGUE AND PEOPLE. 27:21 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM - WE HAVE 7,579 SCHOOLS WITH A TOTAL 27:27 ENROLLMENT OF 1,800,000 (AND CHANGE) STUDENTS. 27:34 294 CLINICS AND DISPENSARIES, 34 ORPHANAGES, AND 15 MEDIA 27:40 CENTERS, 63 PUBLISHING HOUSES PRINTING IN 366 LANGUAGES - AND 27:46 SO THIS IS A WORLD-WIDE MOVEMENT - AND SOME OF YOU ARE GOING TO 27:51 BE JOINING THAT MOVEMENT TODAY THROUGH BAPTISM AND WE THOUGHT 27:54 IT'D BE GOOD TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE FIGURES. 27:56 SO THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING - 28:00 OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, MEDICAL SYSTEM, MEDIA SYSTEM - AND 28:06 AMAZING FACTS IS PART OF THIS GLOBAL MEDIA WORK OF THE 28:09 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR TEACHINGS - 28:14 BECAUSE THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE - WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS? 28:17 YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ASK A PERSON, 'WHAT DOES YOUR CHURCH BELIEVE?' 28:23 A PERSON MIGHT SAY, 'WELL, LET ME SEE, WHAT DID MY PASTOR SAY 28:25 WE BELIEVED LAST WEEK?' OR 'WELL, I DON'T KNOW, I'LL ASK 28:29 ONE OF OUR MEMBERS.' IF YOU'RE GOING TO JOIN A CHURCH, WHAT IS 28:34 THE REASON TO JOIN A CHURCH? YOU KNOW WHY MOST 28:37 PEOPLE JOIN CHURCHES? LET ME SEE IF I CAN JUST LIST, 28:40 FROM MEMORY, SOME OF THE TOP TEN REASONS 28:42 'WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN CHURCHES?' IT'S WHERE THEIR FAMILY WENT. 28:48 'I JOINED WHILE IT'S - OUR PEOPLE - OUR FAMILY, FOR 28:50 GENERATIONS WE'VE BEEN CATHOLICS, SO I'M A CATHOLIC.' 28:53 WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE? 'WELL, I DON'T KNOW, LET ME ASK 28:54 THE PRIEST.' BUT SOME PEOPLE, THEY JUST JOINED - IT'S SORT OF 28:58 LIKE THEY'VE INHERITED THEIR RELIGION. 'OH YEAH, I WAS BORN A 29:01 BAPTIST, I'M GOING TO DIE A BAPTIST.' 'WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?' 29:04 'WHAT MY CHURCH BELIEVES.' 'WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE?' 29:09 'WHAT OUR PASTOR TEACHES.' 'WHAT DOES HE BELIEVE?' 29:10 'WE BELIEVE THE SAME THING.' (LAUGHTER) AND SOME PEOPLE, 29:14 THEY'RE NOT SURE, IT'S JUST SORT OF LIKE A CULTURAL THING WITH 29:16 THEM. SOME PEOPLE PICK A CHURCH BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO THEIR 29:19 HOUSE. 'WHY DO YOU GO THERE?' 29:21 'IT'S RIGHT UP AROUND THE CORNER. 29:22 IT'S CONVENIENT.' 'WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE?' 29:25 'WELL, I DON'T KNOW, MOST OF I AGREE WITH IT.' I KNOW THIS 29:28 BECAUSE WE GET CALLS ON THE RADIO EVERY WEEK AND WE HEAR THE 29:30 REASONS THAT PEOPLE JOIN A CHURCH. 29:32 'WHY DO YOU GO TO THAT CHURCH?' 'WELL, IT'S THE CHURCH WHERE 29:35 EVERYBODY THAT'S ANYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY, GOES TO THAT CHURCH. 29:39 IT IS THE CHURCH WHERE THE PEOPLE WITH THE POWER GO. 29:43 THEY ARE CONNECTED.' KAREN AND I WERE VISITING WITH SOMEBODY JUST 29:48 LAST WEEK AND THEY, BASICALLY, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID. 29:51 'THIS IS A CHURCH WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED WITH THE 29:54 COMMUNITY. THEY'RE - THEY - IT'S LIKE THE POWER - INFLUENCE. 29:58 YEARS AGO, WHEN PRESIDENTS CHANGED AND PRESIDENTS USED TO 30:03 GO TO CHURCH MORE COMMONLY ON SUNDAY, IN WASHINGTON D.C. AND 30:07 THEY WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE LOCAL METHODIST CHURCH OR THE 30:10 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND SAY, 'IS THE PRESIDENT ATTENDING TODAY?' 30:14 THEY WANTED TO GO WHEN THE PRESIDENT WENT. 30:16 'WHY DO YOU GO TO THAT CHURCH?' 30:18 'WOW, IT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUILDING. 30:20 I GO IN AND WHEN THE STAINED GLASS - WHEN THE SUN IS AT A 30:23 CERTAIN PLACE AND IT SHINES IN, THERE'S THIS AMBIENCE - I JUST 30:26 FEEL THE PRESENCE OF GOD - THE ARCHITECTURE, THE VAULT, THE 30:29 ECHO.' IT'S THE BUILDING. 'WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE?' 30:33 'I DON'T KNOW BUT OH, IT'S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL.' REALLY, SOME 30:36 PEOPLE - THAT'S - 'WHY DO YOU GO TO THAT CHURCH?' 30:39 'THEY'VE GOT A GREAT CHILDREN'S PROGRAM.' 30:43 NOW, I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT CHILDREN'S PROGRAM. 30:47 AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO TO A CHURCH WITH A GREAT CHILDREN'S 30:50 PROGRAM, BUT IS THAT THE REASON YOU PICK A CHURCH? 30:53 WHY DO YOU GO TO THAT CHURCH?' 'THE MUSIC. I LIKE TO SING, 30:58 THEY'VE GOT A CHOIR, SO I GO.' 'WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE?' 31:01 'I DON'T CARE FOR THEIR BELIEFS, BUT THEIR SINGING IS OUT OF THIS 31:03 WORLD.' AND, FOR THAT REASON, YOU OUGHT TO JOIN THE MORMON 31:06 TABERNACLE CHOIR BECAUSE THEY ARE REALLY GOOD. 31:09 (LAUGHTER) ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 'THEY'RE GREAT. 31:12 THEY CAN SING.' 'BUT WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE?' 31:16 AND THE THING IS WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE, RIGHT? 31:21 SO, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION AND SAY, 'I'M JOINING A 31:24 CHURCH.' - EVEN THOUGH YOU WANT THEM TO HAVE A CHARISMATIC 31:28 PASTOR, IT'S NICE IF THEY HAVE A GOOD MUSIC PROGRAM, A GOOD 31:31 CHILDREN'S PROGRAM, A CLEAN BUILDING - ALL OF THOSE THINGS 31:34 ARE FRINGE BENEFITS. 31:36 NONE OF THEM ARE THE REASON TO PICK THE CHURCH. 31:39 THE REASON TO PICK THE CHURCH IS THE TEACHINGS OF THAT CHURCH - 31:42 THE OFFICIAL TEACHINGS OF THAT CHURCH ARE THE TEACHINGS THAT 31:45 YOU FIND OF JESUS IN THE BIBLE. >>AMEN. 31:48 >>THAT'S THE REASON - THAT'S WHY I JOINED THIS CHURCH - AND, IF I 31:52 FIND A CHURCH - I HOPE I DON'T HURT ANYBODY'S FEELINGS, BUT IF 31:56 I FIND A CHURCH CLOSER, I WANT TO BE IN THE CHURCH THAT IS THE 31:59 CLOSEST TO THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS. 32:02 >>AMEN. >>THAT'S REALLY THE REASON THAT 32:04 YOU WANT TO BE PART - AND IF YOU'RE JOINING THIS CHURCH IT'S 32:06 BECAUSE, I HOPE, YOU BELIEVE THAT THE TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH 32:09 ARE THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST. WELL, LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF 32:12 THOSE - WHAT ABOUT OUR - TEACHING OF GOD? 32:14 LET ME READ TO YOU WHAT OUR TEACHING IS: 'THERE IS ONE GOD - 32:18 FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT - A UNITY OF THREE CO-ETERNAL 32:22 PERSONS. GOD IS IMMORTAL, ALL-POWERFUL, 32:25 ALL-KNOWING, ABOVE ALL AND EVER PRESENT. 32:27 HE IS INFINITE BEYOND HUMAN COMPREHENSION, YET KNOWN THROUGH 32:31 HIS SELF-REVELATION. HE IS FOREVER WORTHY OF WORSHIP, 32:34 ADORATION, SERVICE - BY THE WHOLE CREATION.' 32:38 WE BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU WOULD CALL 'THE TRINITY'. 32:41 NOW, THAT WORD IS NOT FOUND IN THE BIBLE - THAT GOD THE FATHER, 32:45 SON, AND SPIRIT COMPRISE GOD. 32:48 AND SO, NO, WE DON'T BELIEVE JESUS WAS CREATED. 32:52 WE BELIEVE ALL THINGS THAT WERE MADE WERE MADE BY HIM. 32:55 WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS JUST SOME ELECTRIC 32:58 FORCE THAT GOD USES. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON. 33:01 JESUS SAID, 'WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH IS COME, HE WILL LEAD 33:05 YOU INTO ALL TRUTH' - AND CHRIST IDENTIFIES HIM AS FATHER, SON, 33:10 AND SPIRIT BEING PART OF GOD. 33:12 WHAT DO WE BELIEVE ABOUT SALVATION? 33:14 'OH, BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IN THE SABBATH, SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS, 33:16 YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE SAVED BY KEEPING THE SEVENTH-DAY 33:20 SABBATH.' ALRIGHT, COMING DOWN HERE FOR A SECOND. 33:22 START SMILING NOW. DO WE - WE BELIEVE THE 33:27 SEVENTH DAY IS THE SABBATH? >>YES. 33:29 >>DO WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SAVED BECAUSE WE KEEP THE 33:31 SABBATH? >>NO. 33:33 >>SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE SAVED BY 33:35 SABBATH KEEPING ANY MORE THAN A BAPTIST BELIEVES THAT YOU'RE 33:39 SAVED BY NOT STEALING. JUST BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE ALL TEN 33:43 COMMANDMENTS DOES NOT BELIEVE - MEAN THAT YOU BELIEVE YOU'RE 33:46 EXCLUSIVELY SAVED BY KEEPING ONE OF THE COMMANDMENTS, WE JUST 33:49 BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE ALL IMPORTANT AND, OBVIOUSLY, 33:53 BECAUSE YOU'RE IN A CULTURE WHERE CHRISTIANS, AT LARGE, 33:56 NEGLECT ONE OF THE COMMANDMENTS, WE ARE GOING TO SAY MORE 33:58 ABOUT THAT. IDOLATRY'S WRONG. THERE ARE SOME CHURCHES THAT 34:02 DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. THERE ARE GOING TO BE PEOPLE IN 34:06 HEAVEN THAT DID NOT KNOW ABOUT IDOLATRY. 34:10 I KNOW THAT THAT MIGHT BE HARD FOR SOME OF YOU TO IMAGINE. 34:14 MATTER OF FACT, WHY DON'T I DO THAT RIGHT NOW? 34:18 I'LL COME DOWN HERE AND ASK ANOTHER QUESTION. 34:20 ONE OF THE MYTHS THAT I HEAR IS THAT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS 34:26 BELIEVE THAT WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN HEAVEN. 34:30 DO ANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT ONLY SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS ARE GOING 34:32 TO HEAVEN? >>NO. 34:34 >>OKAY, THAT'S GOOD. 34:35 YOU TALK TO ME LATER BECAUSE I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, 'OH, 34:42 ADVENTISTS, THEY THINK THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE GOING.' 34:44 ONE REASON I JOINED THE CHURCH IS I WAS PLEASED TO FINALLY FIND 34:48 A GROUP THAT SAID THAT THEY BELIEVE THE LARGEST PART - 34:51 MATTER OF FACT, THIS IS SOMETHING ELLEN WHITE SAYS IN 34:53 THE BOOK GREAT CONTROVERSY , THE GREATEST PART - NOT THE SMALLEST 34:57 PART - THE GREATEST PART OF CHRIST'S TRUE FOLLOWERS ARE IN 35:00 THE FELLOWSHIP OF OTHER DENOMINATIONS. 35:04 I SAID, 'OH, THAT'S REFRESHING.' I DON'T AGREE WITH ALL OF THE 35:06 TEACHINGS, BUT GOD KNOWS THEIR HEARTS AND THAT THERE ARE MANY 35:10 PEOPLE IN THESE OTHER CHURCHES THAT LOVE HIM AND THEY WALK IN 35:12 THE LIGHT THEY'VE GOT AND THEY'RE GOD'S CHILDREN AND HIS 35:15 SPIRIT WORKS IN THEM AND GOD ANSWERS THEIR PRAYERS, BUT 35:19 THEOLOGICALLY, THEY MAY BE WRONG ON SOME THINGS. 35:21 I'M IN THIS CHURCH BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S THEOLOGICALLY 35:24 CLOSER TO THE BIBLE. >>AMEN. 35:27 >>BUT THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS - I THINK THERE'S MORE TO IT 35:29 THAN THAT. I BELIEVE THAT IN THE LAST DAYS THE WHOLE WORLD IS 35:34 GOING TO BE POLARIZED INTO ONE OF TWO GROUPS. 35:37 MOST CHRISTIANS AGREE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE THOSE WHO 35:42 HAVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST AND THOSE WHO HAVE THE SEAL OF GOD. 35:45 YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE GROUP - EVERYONE'S GOING TO BE FORCED TO 35:48 WORSHIP THE BEAST. THAT'S GOING TO BE SORT OF GLOBAL, RIGHT? 35:50 ALL - SMALL AND GREAT, RICH AND POOR, FREE AND BOND. 35:52 THE OTHER GROUP IS GOING TO BE FAITHFUL TO GOD AND THAT MEANS, 35:57 RIGHT NOW, SINCE HE'S GOT HIS PEOPLE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT 35:59 CHURCHES, THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIME OF TROUBLE. 36:03 THERE'S GOING TO BE A SHAKING BEFORE THE END AND PEOPLE ARE 36:05 GOING TO BE SHAKEN INTO ONE OF TWO GROUPS. 36:09 CHRIST SAID, 'OTHER SHEEP I HAVE THAT ARE NOT OF THIS FOLD. 36:12 THEM, ALSO, I MUST CALL. THEY WILL HEAR MY VOICE. 36:14 THEY WILL BE ONE FOLD.' RIGHT NOW THERE'S MANY. 36:18 THE CHURCH IS FRAGMENTED. 36:20 OTHER RELIGIONS MAKE FUN OF CHRISTIANITY BECAUSE THERE'S 36:22 SUCH - SUCH A FRACTURED RELIGION. 36:25 IT'S NOT GOING TO ALWAYS BE THAT WAY. 36:27 CHRIST IS GOING TO COME BACK FOR A CHURCH THAT IS LIKE THE FAITH 36:30 THAT HE DELIVERED UNTO THE SAINTS. 36:32 THERE'S GOING TO BE A REVIVAL OF APOSTOLIC SPIRIT-FILLED BIBLICAL 36:37 CHRISTIANITY BEFORE THE END WHERE WE'RE GOING TO RETURN TO 36:40 THE TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE. ALRIGHT, LET ME GET BACK 36:43 TO SOME OF THE SPECIFICS. DO WE BELIEVE WE'RE 36:45 SAVED BY WORKS OR FAITH? >>FAITH. 36:48 >>SALVATION - EPHESIANS 2, "BY GRACE YOU ARE SAVED THROUGH 36:51 FAITH, NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS A GIFT OF GOD." 36:55 DO WE ALL BELIEVE THAT? >>YES. 36:56 >>DOES ANYONE BELIEVE WE'RE SAVED BY KEEPING THE SABBATH? 36:58 >>NO. >>OR ANY COMMAND - NO. 37:00 AND IT SAYS THIS IN OUR TEACHINGS: "WE ACCEPT THE DEATH 37:02 OF JESUS CHRIST ON CALVARY AS THE ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR 37:06 SINS AND BELIEVE, THROUGH FAITH IN HIS SHED BLOOD, I AM SAVED 37:09 FROM SIN AND ITS PENALTY. IT'S THROUGH FAITH 37:12 ALONE WE ARE SAVED. AND WE ALL BELIEVE THAT. 37:15 SO THE MYTH OUT THERE IS SOMEHOW WE BELIEVE BY NOT EATING PORK 37:18 WE'RE SAVED, OR EATING MORE GARLIC (LAUGHTER) - 37:24 YOU'VE ALL MET PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS BY 37:26 GARLIC, HAVEN'T YOU? AND THEY COME TO CHURCH AND SIT IN THEIR 37:29 OWN PEW - AND THAT'S A PUN. (LAUGHTER) IT'S THROUGH FAITH. 37:36 NOW, WITH THAT, I SHOULD PROBABLY SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE 37:39 LAW AND THE SABBATH. WE DO NOT KEEP THE LAW TO BE 37:44 SAVED, WE KEEP THE LAW BECAUSE WE ARE SAVED. 37:45 >>AMEN. >>JESUS SAID, 'IF YOU LOVE 37:47 ME' - WHAT COMES FIRST? LOVE FOR ME. 'IF YOU LOVE ME' - DO WHAT? 37:52 >>KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. >>KEEP COMMANDMENTS. IF ANYONE 37:53 SAYS YOU LOVE THE LORD AND YOU DON'T KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, 37:55 JOHN SAYS YOU'RE A LIAR AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN YOU. 37:58 AND THAT WOULDN'T MEAN 50% OR 80% - WE BELIEVE 100%, INCLUDING 38:02 THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT THAT HAS NEVER BEEN CHANGED. 38:06 AND, OF COURSE, YOU FIND THAT IN EXODUS 20, 38:09 "REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY TO KEEP IT HOLY." 38:11 WOULDN'T IT SEEM ODD TO YOU THAT GOD WOULD SAY THE ONE 38:16 COMMANDMENT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO REALLY FORGET ABOUT IS THE ONLY 38:19 COMMANDMENT HE SAID TO REMEMBER. >>RIGHT? 38:22 >>HE SAYS, 'REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY' AND THEN ON THE NEXT PAGE 38:25 HE SAYS, 'WELL, BUT THAT'S THE ONE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO FORGET.' 38:28 NO, HE'S VERY CLEAR. AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT. 38:31 WE BELIEVE IN KEEPING ALL OF THEM. 38:33 I DON'T BELIEVE I'M SAVED MORE BY KEEPING THE SEVENTH-DAY 38:36 SABBATH THAN I AM BY NOT COMMITTING ADULTERY - OR BY NOT 38:40 STEALING OR LYING - IT'S ALL PART OF GOD'S LAW AND IF WE LOVE 38:43 THE LORD WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. 38:47 >>AMEN. >>NOW SOMETHING THAT IS 38:49 ADMITTEDLY DIFFERENT FROM TYPICAL EVANGELICALS WITH THE 38:52 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS IS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT 38:55 HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE. WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN A PERSON 38:59 DIES, THAT THEY SLEEP A DREAMLESS, PEACEFUL SLEEP - AN 39:04 UNCONSCIOUS SLEEP IN THE GRAVE - UNTIL THE RESURRECTION. 39:07 'BUT WHAT ABOUT THAT VERSE IN THE BIBLE, PASTOR DOUG? 39:10 IT SAYS, IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5:8, "...TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY 39:13 AND TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD." 39:16 AND AS SOON AS YOU DIE YOU, YOU GET USHERED OFF TO ABRAHAM'S 39:19 BOSOM OR SOMEWHERE IN SPIRIT FORM AND THEN WHEN JESUS COMES 39:21 BACK YOU'LL GET THE BODY AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE JUDGMENT.' 39:24 WE JUST DON'T FIND THAT'S BIBLICAL. 39:27 FIRST OF ALL, IT IS TRUE THAT TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS TO BE 39:31 PRESENT WITH THE LORD. MEANING, IF YOU'RE SAVED, AND 39:35 YOU SHOULD DIE, YOUR NEXT CONSCIOUS THOUGHT IS THE 39:38 RESURRECTION AND THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. 39:40 THERE'S NO AWARENESS OF TIME FOR YOU AND SO - GOD LIVES IN ALL 39:45 DIMENSIONS OF TIME - BUT YOU AND I, WE LIVE IN TIME AND THE 39:49 RESURRECTION HASN'T HAPPENED YET. 39:51 DO WE ALL AGREE? >>RIGHT. 39:53 >>CHRIST SAID, 'I'LL RAISE HIM UP THE LAST DAY.' VERY CLEAR. 39:57 JESUS SAID, 'IN THE LAST DAY.' THE JUDGMENT HASN'T HAPPENED 40:00 YET. THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE GO RIGHT TO 40:02 HELL OR HEAVEN AS SOON AS THEY DIE, BEFORE THE RESURRECTION, 40:05 BEFORE THE JUDGMENT IS NOT BIBLICAL. 40:07 AND SO, YES, WE ARE IN THAT GROUP AND WE'RE NOT ALONE. 40:10 THAT WAS THE BELIEF OF MANY OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMERS, BUT 40:16 SOME OF THE MYTHOLOGICAL - THE TEACHINGS OF THE DARK AGES THAT 40:20 WERE IN THE CHURCH, CREPT INTO THE PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 40:23 LET ME GIVE YOU A QUOTE - AND THIS IS FROM MARTIN LUTHER - 40:26 THIS IS ACTUALLY WRITTEN BY THE LUTHERAN SCHOLAR DR. T.A. 40:31 KANTONEN IN HIS BOOK THE CHRISTIAN HOPE, P. 37 , 40:35 "FOR JUST AS ONE WHO FALLS ASLEEP AND REACHES MORNING 40:38 UNEXPECTEDLY AWAKES WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, WE 40:42 SHALL SUDDENLY RISE, ON THE LAST DAY, WITHOUT KNOWING HOW WE HAVE 40:46 COME INTO DEATH OR THROUGH DEATH." 40:48 THAT WAS THE TEACHING OF LUTHER. 40:50 HE BELIEVED YOU SLEPT IN THE GRAVE, UNCONSCIOUSLY, BUT HE 40:54 BELIEVED YOUR NEXT CONSCIOUS THOUGHT WAS THE RESURRECTION OF 40:56 THE LORD - OR THE RESURRECTION - THE COMING OF THE LORD. 40:59 THAT'S ALSO WHAT WILLIAM TYNDALE BELIEVED. 41:01 YOU'VE HEARD OF THE TYNDALE BIBLE TRANSLATORS. 41:03 MANY OF THESE EVANGELICALS WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW MANY OF THE 41:07 GREAT REFORMERS BELIEVED EXACTLY WHAT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS 41:10 BELIEVE ABOUT THE SUBJECT OF DEATH, EVEN THOUGH HOW MANY OF 41:13 YOU HAVE BEEN TO A FUNERAL WHERE THEY SAYS, 'OUR DEARLY BELOVED, 41:15 THEY'RE OUT - THEY'RE UP IN HEAVEN WITH JESUS NOW AND 41:18 THEY'RE SINGING AND WALKING AND THEY'RE - THEY'RE TELLING THEIR 41:20 FRIENDS DOWN ON EARTH TO SHAPE UP AND THEY'RE WATCHING OVER US 41:23 RIGHT NOW.' YOU'VE ALL HEARD THAT? 41:25 THE REASON IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO BE CONFUSED ON THE SUBJECT OF 41:28 DEATH IS BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS, IN THE LAST DAYS, SATAN IS GOING 41:33 TO USE SEDUCING SPIRITS THAT WILL DECEIVE PEOPLE. 41:38 AND IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THE DEAD CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THE LIVING 41:41 AND GHOSTS AND SPIRITS - CHRISTIANS SHOULDN'T BE GETTING 41:45 INVOLVED IN THAT. IF PEOPLE ARE GETTING MESSAGES 41:47 THEY MAY HAVE FALLEN ANGELS THAT ARE MANIPULATING THEM, BUT 41:51 THE BIBLE IS VERY CLEAR: "FOR THE LIVING KNOW THAT THEY WILL 41:53 DIE;" - ECCLESIASTES 9:5 - "BUT THE DEAD KNOW NOTHING." 41:57 IT IS THE LIVING THAT PRAISE THE LORD. 41:59 THOSE THAT DIE, IT SAYS IN THE DAY THEIR BREATH GOES FORTH - 42:02 PSALM 146 'THEIR THOUGHTS PERISH' - THEY STOP THINKING. 42:07 THEY'RE NOT THINKING ANYTHING. THEY'RE SLEEPING. THERE ARE 42:09 ABOUT TWELVE RESURRECTIONS IN THE BIBLE - OLD AND NEW 42:12 TESTAMENT. ARE YOU AWARE THAT IN EVERY ONE 42:14 OF THOSE CASES NONE OF THOSE RESURRECTED EVER MADE A SINGLE 42:18 COMMENT ABOUT KNOWING ANYTHING WHEN THEY DIED? 42:21 WOULDN'T YOU THINK THAT THE FIRST QUESTION THAT WOULD BE 42:24 ASKED WHEN SOMEONE WAS DEAD AND THEY WERE RAISED IS, 'WHAT DID 42:28 YOU SEE? WHAT DID YOU EXPERIENCE? 42:30 WHAT WAS IT LIKE? WHAT DID YOU FEEL?' 42:32 BUT THE RECORD OF THE BIBLE IS THAT NONE OF THEM HAVE ANYTHING 42:34 TO SAY ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE DURING DEATH BECAUSE THE DEAD 42:38 DON'T KNOW ANYTHING. IT'S PRETTY CLEAR. 42:41 BUT THAT FLIES IN THE FACE OF WHAT SOME CHRISTIANS HAVE HEARD 42:45 FOR YEARS. AND I KNOW IT TROUBLES PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY 42:48 SAY, 'YOU KNOW, I LOST MY HUSBAND AND I JUST FEEL HIS 42:50 PRESENCE WITH ME AND' - YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT THOSE MEMORIES. 42:54 I'M SURE THEY'RE VERY PRECIOUS, BUT THEY'RE SLEEPING. 42:57 AND SOME OF US KNOW LOVED ONES THAT HAVE DIED THAT MAYBE DIDN'T 43:01 KNOW THE LORD. I HOPE YOU FIND RELIEF IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT 43:06 THEY'RE NOT ROASTING WHILE YOU WALK THE EARTH. 43:09 THAT'S WHY, ON MANY OF THE ANCIENT GRAVES IT SAYS, 'RIP' 43:12 WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? REST IN PEACE. 43:15 THEY'RE SLEEPING - DREAMLESS SLEEP UNTIL THE RESURRECTION. 43:18 SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT IS ADMITTEDLY DIFFERENT ABOUT THE 43:21 ADVENTIST BELIEF. CONNECTED WITH THAT IS OUR 43:24 UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HELLFIRE. NOW, I WANT TO GET - 43:28 WHO WANTS IT THIS TIME? I'LL COME BACK OVER HERE. 43:31 OKAY, WE'VE BEEN ACCUSED 'SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS DO NOT 43:36 BELIEVE IN HELL.' LET ME ASK YOU, DO WE BELIEVE IN HELL? 43:40 >>YES. >>OKAY. IS HELL HOT? 43:43 >>YES. >>WILL THE LOST BURN IN HELL? 43:46 >>YES. >>OKAY, JUST IN CASE, I WANT TO 43:49 MAKE SURE - I KNOW WE HAVE SOME BAPTISTS THAT ARE WATCHING AND 43:51 THEY SAY, 'OH, SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS DON'T 43:53 BELIEVE IN HELL. WE DO BELIEVE IN HELL. 43:55 MATTER OF FACT, OUR HELL IS HOTTER THAN THE BAPTIST HELL 43:58 (LAUGHTER) BECAUSE THE BAPTIST HELL JUST SORT OF SIMMERS THEM 44:01 FOREVER AND OUR HELL BURNS THEM UP. (LAUGHTER) THEY DON'T BURN 44:06 FOREVER AND EVER. AND I KNOW THAT'S DIFFERENT. 44:09 DURING THE DARK AGES IT WAS VERY PROFITABLE FOR THE CHURCH TO 44:12 SCARE PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR WITS WITH THE IDEA OF THE WICKED 44:19 BEING TORMENTED FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER. 44:23 AND CAN YOU IMAGINE - AND THEY SAY AS SOON AS YOU DIE THEY GO 44:27 TO TORMENT - THEY HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN JUDGED YET AND THEY GO TO 44:29 HELL TO BURN FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER FOR THE SINS OF ONE 44:35 LIFETIME. AND IF THE BIBLE SAYS EVERY MAN IS REWARDED ACCORDING 44:39 TO THEIR WORK, BUT ADOLF HITLER GETS THE SAME PUNISHMENT AS 44:43 SOME, YOU KNOW, POOR CONFUSED TEENAGER THAT COMMITTED SUICIDE 44:46 AND DIDN'T KNOW JESUS, WHERE'S THE JUSTICE IN THAT? 44:52 THIS IS NOT WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES. 44:53 JESUS SAID THERE ARE TWO CHOICES: BELIEVE AND LIVE; DO 44:57 NOT BELIEVE AND PERISH - JOHN 3:16. 45:01 THE DEVIL SAID, 'YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE.' THAT DOCTRINE THAT 45:04 YOU JUST BURN FOREVER AND EVER COMES FROM THE DEVIL. 45:07 GOD SAID, 'IN THE DAY YOU SIN YOU WILL DIE.' LIFE IS A GIFT. 45:12 GOD DOESN'T GIVE ETERNAL LIFE - WHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES IT SAY 45:14 THAT EVERYBODY HAS IMMORTALITY? 45:17 WHEN JESUS COMES, THEN 'THIS MORTAL WILL PUT ON IMMORTALITY.' 45:22 GOD AND GOD ONLY HAS IMMORTALITY. 45:24 THE IDEA THAT SINNERS ARE IMMORTAL - WELL, THE DEVIL WOULD 45:27 LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE EVEN HE WILL BE CAST INTO THE 45:29 LAKE OF FIRE, BUT HE'S NOT IMMORTAL. 45:33 ONLY GOD IS IMMORTAL. GOD GIVES US THE GIFT OF 45:36 IMMORTALITY IN THE RESURRECTION. WE DON'T HAVE THAT YET. 45:39 SO WE BELIEVE THAT THE WICKED ARE CAST INTO HELL. 45:41 HELL IS REAL. IT'S GOING TO BURN. 45:43 EVERYONE IS PUNISHED ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY DESERVE, BUT THE 45:46 BIBLE SAYS THEY ARE CONSUMED - MALACHI CHAPTER 4 - THEY ARE 45:49 BURNT UP. IN REVELATION 20 IT SAYS FIRE 45:52 COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND DEVOURS THEM. 45:55 THE SCRIPTURES ARE VERY CLEAR THAT THE WICKED BURN UP IN HELL. 45:59 BY THE WAY, THIS WAS THE BELIEF OF JOHN STOTT, WHO WAS PROBABLY 46:04 THE MOST INFLUENTIAL EVANGELICAL THEOLOGIAN IN THE LAST CENTURY. 46:10 HE FIRMLY BELIEVED IN WHAT WE CALL ANNIHILATION - THAT THE 46:14 WICKED WILL BE BURNT UP. AND, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M RELIEVED. 46:17 I NEED TO BE HONEST AND TELL YOU THAT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS 46:20 DON'T REALLY HOLD A MONOPOLY ON THAT TEACHING. 46:23 MORE AND MORE EVANGELICALS I AM MEETING - MATTER OF FACT, I MEET 46:27 SOME OF THEM AT THESE RELIGIOUS BROADCASTER MEETINGS AND THEY 46:29 COME UP AND THEY LOOK AROUND TO MAKE SURE NOBODY'S LISTENING AND 46:32 THEY'LL SAY, 'I AGREE WITH YOU ON THE SUBJECT OF HELL.' THEY 46:35 SAID, 'YOU CAN'T PROVE THE OTHER FROM THE BIBLE.' AND THERE ARE 46:40 PENTECOSTALS, BAPTISTS, PRESBYTERIANS, METHODISTS - MORE 46:44 AND MORE LEADING SCHOLARS IN THESE CHURCHES REALIZE THAT THE 46:47 IDEA OF THE ETERNAL TORMENT OF THE LOST IS - WAS A MEDIEVAL 46:52 THEOLOGY THAT HAD KIND OF COME OVER INTO THE EVANGELICAL 46:56 CHURCHES. IT'S NOT WHAT JESUS TAUGHT. 46:59 JESUS SAID, 'WHEN YOU GO TO HEAVEN' - REVELATION - 'NO MORE 47:03 SIN. NO MORE CRYING, NO MORE PAIN. 47:06 ALL THINGS NEW.' IF ALL THINGS ARE NEW AND THERE'S NO MORE PAIN 47:09 AND THERE'S NO MORE CRYING, HOW CAN YOU SAY THERE'S SOME VAST 47:11 TORTURE CHAMBER WHERE PEOPLE ARE SHRIEKING FOREVER AND EVER AND 47:13 EVER. ANOTHER INTERESTING BELIEF 47:16 IS REGARDING THE SANCTUARY. NOW, YOU KNOW, THE REASON - WHAT 47:19 I'M DOING IS I'M HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE 47:21 UNIQUE ABOUT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS. 47:24 IN MANY WAYS WE'RE TYPICAL CHRISTIANS AND BELIEVE AND DO 47:27 THE TYPICAL CHRISTIAN THINGS, BUT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS 47:30 BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS OUR HIGH PRIEST. 47:32 AND DOESN'T THE BIBLE TEACH THIS? 47:34 AND THAT THERE IS A LITERAL DWELLING PLACE OF GOD KNOWN AS 47:37 THE SANCTUARY IN HEAVEN. THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT IT. 47:40 HEBREWS IS VERY CLEAR IN THAT CHRIST HAS ENTERED INTO 47:44 THE LAST PHASE OF HIS WORK OF REDEMPTION. 47:46 YES, HE DIED ONCE. HE WAS SACRIFICED ONCE, BUT HE 47:50 HASN'T CEASED WORKING AS OUR HIGH PRIEST. 47:52 IF THE MINISTRY OF JESUS IS TOTALLY OVER, THEN WHY HASN'T HE 47:55 COME BACK? WHAT'S GOD WAITING FOR? 47:57 IF IT'S ALL OVER, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? 48:00 OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT OVER YET AND CHRIST IS CONTINUING HIS WORK - 48:04 HIS INTERCESSION - HIS MEDIATION AS OUR HIGH PRIEST. 48:07 IF YOU LOOK IN HEBREWS 8:1 AND 2, "NOW THIS IS THE MAIN POINT 48:11 OF THE THINGS WE ARE SAYING: WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH PRIEST, WHO IS 48:14 SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF THE MAJESTY IN THE 48:17 HEAVENS, A MINISTER OF THE SANCTUARY AND OF THE TRUE 48:20 TABERNACLE WHICH THE LORD ERECTED, AND NOT MAN." 48:25 LIKE MOST CHRISTIANS, SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS CELEBRATE 48:27 THE COMMUNION. WE USE UNLEAVENED BREAD AND 48:30 UNFERMENTED GRAPE JUICE. THAT WOULD BE THE SAME AS 48:33 METHODISTS, BAPTISTS, MOST - SOME CHURCHES - PRESBYTERIAN, 48:37 CATHOLIC USE FERMENTED GRAPE JUICE. 48:39 WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS A TYPE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, WHICH IS 48:41 UNPOLLUTED AND IS TO BE PURE. IT SHOULD BE UNFERMENTED. 48:45 AND - I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THIS BUT - EXCEPT JUST TO SAY 48:53 THAT I BELIEVE JESUS WAS A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST. 48:55 >>AMEN. >>DID JESUS BELIEVE THAT THE 49:00 SEVENTH DAY WAS THE SABBATH? >>YES. 49:02 >>YOU CAN READ IN THE BIBLE, IT SAYS, 'AS HIS CUSTOM WAS, HE 49:07 WENT INTO THE CHURCH ON THE SABBATH DAY AND STOOD UP TO READ 49:10 THE SCRIPTURES - IN LUKE CHAPTER 2, MARK CHAPTER 1, 49:15 JESUS BELIEVED IN THE SECOND COMING. 49:19 HE SAID, 'I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU AND I WILL COME 49:23 AGAIN.' NOW HERE'S THE QUESTION - YOU MIGHT SAY, 'WELL, PASTOR 49:27 DOUG, I'VE HEARD - SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS - I'VE HEARD THAT 49:29 YOU'RE A CULT.' HAVE YOU HEARD THAT BEFORE? 49:33 IF THE LORD DID HAVE A UNIQUE CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS THAT HAD 49:39 A REVIVAL OF BIBLICAL TRUTH, AND IF YOU WERE THE DEVIL, HOW WOULD 49:43 YOU WANT TO PORTRAY THEM? WOULDN'T YOU DO EVERYTHING 49:47 YOU COULD TO SMEAR THAT NAME? ARE YOU AWARE THAT THAT'S WHAT 49:51 THEY DID TO JESUS WHEN HE WALKED THE EARTH? 49:53 THEY ACCUSED PAUL OF THAT. LISTEN TO WHAT THEY 49:55 SAID ABOUT PAUL. THEY CALLED HIM A HERETIC. 49:57 ACTS 24:5, "FOR WE HAVE FOUND THIS MAN A PLAGUE, A CREATOR OF 50:01 DISSENSION AMONG ALL THE JEWS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, AND A 50:04 RINGLEADER OF THE SECT" - THE CULT - "OF THE NAZARENES." 50:08 AND THEY PORTRAYED PAUL IN THE MOST VIOLENT AND OUTRAGEOUS 50:11 TERMS. ACTS 24:14 - PAUL SAID, "BUT 50:14 THIS I CONFESS TO YOU, THAT ACCORDING TO THE WAY WHICH THEY 50:17 CALL A SECT, SO I WORSHIP THE GOD OF MY FATHERS, BELIEVING ALL 50:21 THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE LAW AND IN THE PROPHETS." 50:23 AND FRIENDS, THAT'S WHY I'M A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST. 50:25 SOME WILL CALL IT A CULT, BUT I WILL BE HAPPY TO STAND TOE TO 50:28 TOE WITH A PASTOR FROM ANY CHURCH AND SAY, 'HERE'S WHY I 50:32 BELIEVE WHAT I BELIEVE. NOW LET ME CHALLENGE WHAT 50:34 YOU BELIEVE FROM THE BIBLE.' >>THAT'S RIGHT. 50:37 >>IT'S ALL ABOUT CAN YOU PROVE IT FROM THE SCRIPTURES? 50:39 NOW I RESPECT THAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE CONVINCED DIFFERENTLY 50:42 AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I BELIEVE, AS JESUS COMES 50:47 BACK, THERE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT SHAKING IN OUR WORLD AND 50:51 PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE CALLED INTO BIBLICAL FAITH. I DON'T 50:56 KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, FRIENDS, BUT SOMETHING'S 50:58 GOING TO HAPPEN AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A SHAKING. 51:01 IT'LL AFFECT OUR CHURCH, IT'LL AFFECT THE WHOLE WORLD, AND 51:04 PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE SEARCHING FOR GOD. MEN'S HEARTS FAILING 51:07 FOR FEAR - THERE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT TIME OF TROUBLE AND A 51:09 SMALL TIME OF TROUBLE AND, DURING THIS SMALL TIME OF 51:12 TROUBLE, I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE THE OUTPOURING OF 51:15 THE HOLY SPIRIT. 51:16 PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE DIGGING IN THE BIBLE LIKE NEVER BEFORE. 51:19 GOD'S PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE KINGS AND RULERS 51:21 OF THE WORLD TO GIVE A TESTIMONY. 51:25 I UNDERSTAND MEL GIBSON IS MAKING A MOVIE - 51:28 120-MILLION-DOLLAR MOVIE ABOUT A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST HERO, 51:32 BASED ON DESMOND DOSS, THE WINNER OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR WHO 51:37 WOULD NOT LIFT UP A GUN - VERY UNUSUAL. AND I KNEW HIM. 51:42 HIS WIFE WAS A MEMBER OF OUR CHURCH - AN INCREDIBLE PERSON - 51:46 BUT I THINK A NUMBER OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN THE WORLD TODAY 51:49 THAT ARE GOING TO BRING SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS MORE INTO 51:51 VISIBILITY, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO TAKE A LITTLE 51:54 TIME AND TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FACTS AND WHAT ARE 51:57 SOME OF THE FABLES AND LET OUR VIEWERS HEAR IT FROM THE HORSE'S 52:01 MOUTH, SO TO SPEAK, AND SAY IT IN THE PRESENCE OF WITNESSES 52:05 THAT WILL CONFIRM AND AFFIRM THESE THINGS. 52:07 SO, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, WE INVITE PEOPLE TO STUDY THE WORD 52:12 FOR THEMSELVES AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE BUILDING ON THE ROCK. 52:14 JESUS SAID THERE'S GOING TO BE A STORM COMING AND THE ONLY HOUSE 52:18 THAT'S GOING TO SURVIVE IS THE ONE THAT IS BUILT ON THE 52:20 FOUNDATION OF GOD - CHRIST'S TEACHING - AND HIS WORD. 52:24 AMEN? >>AMEN. 52:25 >>WHAT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS BELIEVE IS NOT NEW, 52:27 IT'S ACTUALLY VERY OLD. 52:29 WE ARE SEEKING TO RETURN TO THE FAITH THAT WAS DELIVERED TO THE 52:31 SAINTS AND I INVITE ALL THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING TO DO THAT. 52:34 ISN'T THAT YOUR PRAYER, FRIENDS? >>AMEN. 52:36 >>AND I WANT TO BE PART OF THAT PEOPLE. 52:38 >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? YOU DON'T HAVE TO 52:41 WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING, 52:45 VISIT THE AMAZING FACTS MEDIA LIBRARY AT 'AFTV.ORG'. 52:50 AT 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN ENJOY VIDEO AND AUDIO PRESENTATIONS AS 52:55 WELL AS PRINTED MATERIAL ALL FREE OF CHARGE, 24 HOURS A DAY 7 53:00 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM YOUR COMPUTER OR MOBILE DEVICE. 53:03 VISIT 'AFTV.ORG'. >>EVERY DAY WE MAKE 53:09 HUNDREDS OF DECISIONS. SOMETIMES THESE CHOICES ARE 53:12 MUNDANE: 'WHAT WILL YOU HAVE FOR BREAKFAST?' 53:14 OR 'WHAT WILL YOU WEAR FOR WORK?' 53:16 BUT SOMETIMES THESE DECISIONS CAN HAVE AN ETERNAL IMPACT, LIKE 53:20 WHEN YOU SET UP AN ESTATE PLAN THAT SUPPORTS GOD'S WORK. 53:25 WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY, FRIENDS, TO ENSURE AS MANY SOULS 53:29 AS POSSIBLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR CHRIST. 53:33 AND WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO INCLUDE YOUR EVANGELISM VALUES IN YOUR 53:36 ESTATE PLAN TODAY, AMAZING FACTS CAN DO EVEN MORE TO EXPAND GOD'S 53:40 KINGDOM THROUGH YOUR FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP. 53:43 I'D LIKE TO OFFER YOU A FREE GIFT ENTITLED PROVIDE AND 53:46 PROTECT , WHICH IS A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE TELLING ABOUT LIFE AND 53:50 DEATH DECISIONS CONNECTED WITH YOUR ESTATE PLAN. 53:54 CONTACT OUR PLANNED GIVING DEPARTMENT AT 800-436-2695 OR 53:59 VISIT ENDURINGLEGACY.ORG AND YOU CAN HAVE THE PEACE OF MIND THAT 54:05 COMES FROM KNOWING YOUR HOUSE IS IN ORDER. (MUSIC) 54:16 >>YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE EXPRESSION BEFORE, 'IF YOU 54:18 DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER IN TEXAS, JUST WAIT; IT'LL CHANGE.' AND 54:21 YOU'VE ALSO HEARD, 'EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS - THE 54:24 RANCHES, THE BELT BUCKLES, THE COWBOY HATS...' BUT THE MOST 54:28 FAMOUS SLOGAN ABOUT TEXAS IS 'REMEMBER THE ALAMO!' 54:36 THE VIOLENT BATTLES AND BRAVERY OF ICONIC HEROES, HAVE BEEN THE 54:39 STUFF OF LEGENDS, THROUGHOUT WHICH ENTIRE CULTURES OFTEN DRAW 54:42 THEIR IDENTITY AND PRIDE, EVEN LONG AFTER CENTURIES HAVE PAST. 54:46 AND IN TEXAS, THE STORY OF THE ALAMO HAS BEEN A RALLYING CRY OF 54:50 TEXAS INDEPENDENCE FOR 200 YEARS. 54:53 ONE REASON THAT TEXANS LOVE TO BRAG THAT EVERYTHING IS BIGGER 54:56 IN TEXAS IS, OF COURSE, BECAUSE TEXAS IS THE LARGEST OF THE 54:59 LOWER 48 U.S. STATES. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS 55:03 MASSIVE STATE GOT ITS BEGINNING IN A VERY SMALL CHRISTIAN 55:07 MISSION DURING THE BATTLE OF THE ALAMO. 55:10 EVERY YEAR THIS FAMOUS MISSION MUSEUM RECEIVES OVER TWO AND A 55:14 HALF MILLION VISITORS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE PLANET, THAT ARE 55:17 EAGER TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THIS LEGENDARY SITE. 55:20 THE ALAMO PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE TEXAS REVOLUTION. 55:24 IN DECEMBER 1835, TEXANS AND TEJANO VOLUNTEERS BATTLED 55:28 MEXICAN TROOPS QUARTERED IN THE CITY, FORCING GENERAL MARTIN 55:32 PERFECTO DE COS TO SURRENDER. THE VICTORIOUS VOLUNTEERS 55:35 THEN OCCUPIED THE ALAMO AND STRENGTHENED ITS DEFENSES. 55:39 FAMOUS AMERICANS LIKE DAVY CROCKETT, JIM BOWIE, AND COLONEL 55:42 WILLIAM TRAVIS MADE THIS LOCATION - THIS ANCIENT MISSION 55:46 - THE BEACHHEAD - THE LAST STAND IN AN EPIC BATTLE TO WIN 55:50 INDEPENDENCE OF TEXAS FROM MEXICO. 55:53 ON FEBRUARY 23, 1836, THE ARRIVAL OF GENERAL ANTONIO LOPEZ 55:58 SANTA ANA NEARLY CAUGHT THEM BY SURPRISE. UNDAUNTED, THE 56:02 TEXANS AND TEJANOS PREPARED TO DEFEND THE ALAMO. 56:06 FOR THIS SMALL RAG-TAG GROUP OF REBELS, THE YOUNGEST OF WHOM WAS 56:09 ABOUT SIXTEEN AND THE OLDEST SEVENTY-FIVE, WAS AGAINST THE 56:12 WELL-TRAINED AND ORGANIZED MEXICAN ARMY OF SIX 56:15 THOUSAND-PLUS SOLDIERS. 56:16 IT WAS A FIERCE AND LOPSIDED BATTLE, YET THE SMALL FORCE OF 56:20 REBELS WAS ABLE TO REPEL THE TROOPS FOR THIRTEEN DAYS. 56:24 LEGEND HOLDS THAT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL HELP 56:28 FADING, COLONEL TRAVIS DREW A LINE IN THE GROUND WITH A SWORD 56:31 AND ASKED ANY MAN WILLING TO STAY AND FIGHT TO STEP OVER THE 56:35 LINE. ALL EXCEPT ONE CROSSED OVER. 56:39 THE FINAL ASSAULT CAME BEFORE DAYBREAK. 56:41 ON THE MORNING OF MARCH 6, 1836, THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF THE SIEGE, 56:46 CANON AND SMALL ARMS FIRE FROM INSIDE THE ALAMO BEAT BACK 56:50 SEVERAL MEXICAN ATTACKS. REGROUPING, SANTA ANA'S SOLDIERS 56:54 SCALED THE WALLS AND RUSHED INTO THE COMPOUND. THE DESPERATE 56:58 STRUGGLE CONTINUED UNTIL THE DEFENDERS WERE OVERWHELMED. 57:01 BY SUNRISE, THE BATTLE HAD ENDED AND THE GARRISON WAS SLAIN. 57:05 YOU KNOW, HISTORIANS MAY DEBATE SOME OF THE DETAILS REGARDING 57:08 THE BATTLE OF THE ALAMO, BUT NONE OF THEM QUESTION THE 57:11 INCREDIBLE SACRIFICE THAT WAS MADE AND THE COURAGE THAT WAS 57:13 DISPLAYED DURING THAT INTENSE CONFLICT. 57:16 THEY MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE - GIVING THEIR LIVES - AND THIS 57:20 IS WHY THE STORY OF THE ALAMO IS SO INSPIRING AND SO ENCOURAGING. 57:24 YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY THE BIBLE IS SO 57:25 INSPIRING, FRIENDS, BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS WILLING TO MAKE THE 57:28 ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND GIVE HIS LIFE SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE 57:32 FREEDOM AND ETERNAL LIFE. DON'T YOU THINK YOU COULD TRUST 57:35 YOUR LIFE TO A FRIEND LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD GIVE EVERYTHING? 57:38 THE STORY OF THE GOSPEL IS A STORY OF COURAGE AND HOPE. 57:41 IT'S THE STORY OF GOD WHO WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU WITHOUT DEFENSE 57:44 AND SUPPORT. JESUS IS THE GOOD NEWS AND 57:47 THE GOSPEL IS A STORY WORTH REMEMBERING. (MUSIC) |
Revised 2016-04-14