My name is Dennis Uffindell,
00:00:29.47\00:00:30.89
and I'm glad to welcome
you to our program again today.
00:00:30.92\00:00:34.59
Let us bow together and
ask God's blessing as we do so.
00:00:34.62\00:00:39.75
Father in heaven,
00:00:39.78\00:00:41.59
thank You that we
can call You our Father,
00:00:41.62\00:00:44.58
and know that You
have a Father's tender care
00:00:44.61\00:00:46.92
for each one of His children.
00:00:46.95\00:00:49.96
We also know that
good children are attentive
00:00:49.99\00:00:53.53
to what their
fathers have to say,
00:00:53.56\00:00:56.06
and we pray that You'll bless us
00:00:56.09\00:00:58.06
that we may be
attentive to Your word today.
00:00:58.09\00:01:01.30
And thus be blessed
for Christ sake, amen.
00:01:01.33\00:01:07.83
Perhaps the greatest
problem that we can have with--
00:01:07.86\00:01:12.50
or the God has
with us I should say,
00:01:12.53\00:01:14.85
is that the church
down through the ages
00:01:14.88\00:01:17.47
has not really
wanted what God said
00:01:17.50\00:01:20.35
was essential for their good,
00:01:20.38\00:01:23.34
whether it was
the Hebrews church
00:01:23.37\00:01:25.39
or the Christian church.
00:01:25.42\00:01:27.40
What about today?
00:01:27.43\00:01:29.27
Well, the Bible
answers that question,
00:01:29.30\00:01:31.69
in rather startling terms.
00:01:31.72\00:01:33.75
If we go to the Book
of Revelation Chapter 3,
00:01:33.78\00:01:36.89
I'm going to read
a few verses here,
00:01:36.92\00:01:39.20
it says "Unto the
angel of the church
00:01:39.23\00:01:41.01
of the Laodicea write:
00:01:41.04\00:01:43.10
These thing saith the amen,
the faithful and true witness,
00:01:43.13\00:01:47.41
the begin of the
creation of God."
00:01:47.44\00:01:49.17
So first all let's notice,
00:01:49.20\00:01:50.85
He's the one who
doesn't make any mistake
00:01:50.88\00:01:53.00
so far as his
witness is concerned,
00:01:53.03\00:01:55.48
but His witness
is rather disturbing,
00:01:55.51\00:01:58.22
He says, "I Know thy works,
00:01:58.25\00:01:59.57
that thou art
neither cold nor hot.
00:01:59.60\00:02:02.71
I would thou wert cold or hot.
00:02:02.74\00:02:05.47
So then because
thou art lukewarm,
00:02:05.50\00:02:07.18
and neither cold nor hot,
00:02:07.21\00:02:09.01
I will spue
thee out of my mouth.
00:02:09.04\00:02:11.81
Because thou sayest, I am
rich, and increased with goods,
00:02:11.84\00:02:14.50
and have need of nothing
00:02:14.53\00:02:16.40
and knowest not
that thou art wretched,
00:02:16.43\00:02:18.86
and miserable, and
poor, and blind and naked."
00:02:18.89\00:02:24.39
Now I don't know about you,
00:02:24.42\00:02:26.25
but I wouldn't want to be
in that destitute position
00:02:26.28\00:02:30.79
physically, would
you in temporal affairs,
00:02:30.82\00:02:33.32
and I certainly wouldn't
want spiritually either.
00:02:33.35\00:02:36.30
What does it mean?
00:02:36.33\00:02:37.65
To be lukewarm means
very simply to be insensitive,
00:02:37.68\00:02:43.15
to have no feelings,
either for or against.
00:02:43.18\00:02:48.68
To be miserable of course means
to have no joy in the Lord.
00:02:48.71\00:02:53.84
And to be destitute,
totally destitute means,
00:02:53.87\00:02:57.98
we have no like,
Christ likeness of character
00:02:58.01\00:03:01.11
because that is the
goal that's worth having.
00:03:01.14\00:03:04.34
To be blind is to have
no spiritual discernment,
00:03:04.37\00:03:09.04
and to be naked
means not to be covered
00:03:09.07\00:03:11.54
with the
righteousness of Christ.
00:03:11.57\00:03:13.45
Now really, I find it
difficult to understand,
00:03:13.48\00:03:15.53
how the Lord can even call
00:03:15.56\00:03:17.32
the church like that His church,
00:03:17.35\00:03:19.33
but in His great love
00:03:19.36\00:03:20.43
and readiness to
forgive and to bless,
00:03:20.46\00:03:23.99
He still has not cut them off.
00:03:24.02\00:03:27.37
Why is it that they
are in this situation?
00:03:27.40\00:03:31.78
I refer to it again
and it says in verse 20,
00:03:31.81\00:03:36.65
"Behold, I stand at
the door, and knock:
00:03:36.68\00:03:41.12
if any man hear my
voice, and open the door,
00:03:41.15\00:03:43.53
I will come in to
him, and will sup with him,
00:03:43.56\00:03:46.78
and he with me."
00:03:46.81\00:03:49.33
So then Jesus is on the
outside of their hearts,
00:03:49.36\00:03:53.95
not on the inside.
00:03:53.98\00:03:56.72
So He's not in
control of their lives.
00:03:56.75\00:04:00.84
The problem is
one of relationships,
00:04:00.87\00:04:05.63
but I warn you although this
answer seem to be very simple
00:04:05.66\00:04:08.91
and straightforward,
00:04:08.94\00:04:10.33
there's much more to it
than appears on the surface.
00:04:10.36\00:04:14.93
In fact what it really
means is a terrifying thing,
00:04:14.96\00:04:19.82
hence my title
is "All or Nothing:
00:04:19.85\00:04:23.39
The Terrifying Ultimatum."
00:04:23.42\00:04:25.88
Let me illustrate
it with a little story.
00:04:25.91\00:04:29.08
An apartment
building had caught on fire
00:04:29.11\00:04:32.10
and a woman was trapped
in an upstairs apartment,
00:04:32.13\00:04:35.57
the flames were
all up the doors,
00:04:35.60\00:04:40.14
I mean, yeah, through the doors
00:04:40.17\00:04:41.37
and corridors
and stairs and so on.
00:04:41.40\00:04:45.03
And the wall behind her
00:04:45.06\00:04:46.18
and all she had was the
window between her and escape,
00:04:46.21\00:04:51.86
but it was a long way down.
00:04:51.89\00:04:54.05
Fortunately some men
00:04:54.08\00:04:55.25
who were
concerned for her safety
00:04:55.28\00:04:56.74
when they saw her there,
00:04:56.77\00:04:57.85
had run and got
a large tarpaulin
00:04:57.88\00:04:59.80
and they stretched it out
between them beneath the window
00:04:59.83\00:05:02.72
and they said "jump",
but she was afraid to jump.
00:05:02.75\00:05:07.22
It was terrifying going down
that far and so she hesitated,
00:05:07.25\00:05:11.33
and they called out
"jump", but she didn't jump
00:05:11.36\00:05:16.96
and tragically
the flames caught her,
00:05:16.99\00:05:20.13
although she was
terrified of them,
00:05:20.16\00:05:22.50
the flame caught
her and killed her,
00:05:22.53\00:05:26.17
before she made
the decision to jump.
00:05:26.20\00:05:30.08
And this
illustrates I think very well,
00:05:30.11\00:05:34.10
what the Lord is
wanting of you and me.
00:05:34.13\00:05:38.13
He's saying give me
all there is of you.
00:05:38.16\00:05:44.29
And we find that
extremely difficult to do.
00:05:44.32\00:05:48.14
And it's the terrible
mistake that so many have made.
00:05:48.17\00:05:51.36
Jesus spoke about this often.
00:05:51.39\00:05:53.83
You may remember
that in Mathew 25
00:05:53.86\00:05:56.00
there is a story
of the Ten Virgins.
00:05:56.03\00:05:58.49
Five were called wise
and five were called foolish.
00:05:58.52\00:06:02.61
The wise ones, it says
had oil in their lamps,
00:06:02.64\00:06:05.76
representing the Holy Spirit
00:06:05.79\00:06:07.43
and therefore the Holy Spirit's
presence in their lives.
00:06:07.46\00:06:10.09
The foolish ones had
a little, it ran out,
00:06:10.12\00:06:13.25
they were not
ready when the Lord came
00:06:13.28\00:06:15.40
and they were left outside.
00:06:15.43\00:06:18.10
The scary part if I may
put it that way is this.
00:06:18.13\00:06:22.02
When they knocked on the
door and asked for entrance,
00:06:22.05\00:06:25.31
Jesus said, "I never knew you."
00:06:25.34\00:06:30.39
And then in another one--
00:06:30.42\00:06:33.68
He says something
very similar in Luke,
00:06:33.71\00:06:37.07
"I never knew you."
00:06:37.10\00:06:39.37
Why?
00:06:39.40\00:06:40.56
Because they had neglected
the necessary preparation.
00:06:40.59\00:06:45.94
They were not doing God's will
00:06:45.97\00:06:47.82
although they thought they were.
00:06:47.85\00:06:49.73
Thus their deeds were
evil in the sight of God,
00:06:49.76\00:06:53.06
rather than good,
even though to human beings
00:06:53.09\00:06:55.28
they may appear to be good.
00:06:55.31\00:06:57.52
And their reward-- and
this is the serious part,
00:06:57.55\00:07:01.32
their reward was
the same as those
00:07:01.35\00:07:04.14
who had never ever
professed to be Christians.
00:07:04.17\00:07:08.20
Now that is heavy stuff.
00:07:08.23\00:07:11.22
And it can on the
surface appear to be unfair,
00:07:11.25\00:07:16.04
but Jesus makes very clear
the reason why as we go along.
00:07:16.07\00:07:21.55
So the point that I'd
like make right here is this.
00:07:21.58\00:07:23.82
There are no big
saints and little saints,
00:07:23.85\00:07:27.19
no big sins and little sins.
00:07:27.22\00:07:31.51
Why?
00:07:31.54\00:07:33.10
Because the issue
is not how bad you are
00:07:33.13\00:07:36.05
or how good you are,
00:07:36.08\00:07:38.21
but rather it's who
is Lord of your life.
00:07:38.24\00:07:43.53
God does not
discard us because we sin.
00:07:43.56\00:07:48.27
He discards us in the end
00:07:48.30\00:07:50.43
because we've
totally discarded Him.
00:07:50.46\00:07:54.19
And He says it's all or nothing.
00:07:54.22\00:07:59.94
Make me king of your life,
00:07:59.97\00:08:02.96
and I'll take care
of all the problems,
00:08:02.99\00:08:06.80
but if you have
to be my follower,
00:08:06.83\00:08:09.45
I must be King of your life.
00:08:09.48\00:08:14.39
So righteousness by faith
00:08:14.42\00:08:16.45
which the church
talks a lot about
00:08:16.48\00:08:18.47
and yet it's so
often misunderstood
00:08:18.50\00:08:20.90
and even misrepresented.
00:08:20.93\00:08:23.10
It's not an escape
from implicit obedience.
00:08:23.13\00:08:26.60
It's the door
that opens us to that,
00:08:26.63\00:08:29.76
so that Christ can
live His life in us,
00:08:29.79\00:08:35.09
having taken care of the problem
00:08:35.12\00:08:38.66
of our sin and guilt.
00:08:38.69\00:08:41.96
So what He is saying
is, there is only one way
00:08:41.99\00:08:46.80
out of your problem as a sinner.
00:08:46.83\00:08:51.37
It's not trying harder,
it's not biting your teeth
00:08:51.40\00:08:54.00
and gritting--
biting your tongue,
00:08:54.03\00:08:56.12
and gritting your teeth
00:08:56.15\00:08:57.59
and building up
your determination.
00:08:57.62\00:09:00.76
I've tried that
and I can tell you,
00:09:00.79\00:09:03.76
it doesn't work.
00:09:03.79\00:09:07.56
But we're not left in
doubt about what it really is
00:09:07.59\00:09:10.60
because Jesus told a story
00:09:10.63\00:09:12.47
that illustrates it beautifully.
00:09:12.50\00:09:15.50
A rich young man
came to Jesus one day,
00:09:15.53\00:09:19.69
he came running to Him.
00:09:19.72\00:09:21.64
Now rulers don't do that,
it's not dignified, is it?
00:09:21.67\00:09:25.94
You Know, you come
with property quorum.
00:09:25.97\00:09:28.48
He was anxious.
00:09:28.51\00:09:30.87
He came to Jesus and
knelt at His feet and said
00:09:30.90\00:09:33.29
"Good Master, what good thing
00:09:33.32\00:09:35.27
shall I do that I may
inherit eternal life."
00:09:35.30\00:09:39.66
And Jesus asked
why he called Him good
00:09:39.69\00:09:42.15
and then said very simply.
00:09:42.18\00:09:44.87
"If you would enter eternal
life, keep the commandments."
00:09:44.90\00:09:48.47
And so the young
man said "well which?"
00:09:48.50\00:09:51.06
And Jesus said,
mentioned several of them,
00:09:51.09\00:09:54.01
of The Ten Commandments,
00:09:54.04\00:09:55.63
and the young man
was very happy about that
00:09:55.66\00:09:57.13
because he said well,
00:09:57.16\00:09:58.21
"All these thing have
I kept from youth up."
00:09:58.24\00:10:01.35
But there was still
that nagging emptiness
00:10:01.38\00:10:05.07
so he said, "What lack I yet?"
00:10:05.10\00:10:08.75
So Jesus put his finger
00:10:08.78\00:10:10.80
on the sore spot
in his experience
00:10:10.83\00:10:14.40
and He said if
thou would be perfect,
00:10:14.43\00:10:17.59
go sell what you
have and give to the poor,
00:10:17.62\00:10:21.29
then come and follow me.
00:10:21.32\00:10:25.57
Tragically we read
00:10:25.60\00:10:27.61
that the young man
went away sorrowful,
00:10:27.64\00:10:30.24
doubtless he hung
his head because it says,
00:10:30.27\00:10:33.73
he had great possessions.
00:10:33.76\00:10:37.25
I would like to state to you
00:10:37.28\00:10:39.22
that actually he
too was poverty-stricken
00:10:39.25\00:10:43.20
because the possessions
00:10:43.23\00:10:44.28
that matter most
are not material things.
00:10:44.31\00:10:47.57
I've known wealthy people
00:10:47.60\00:10:49.55
who were some of the most
unhappy people I've ever met.
00:10:49.58\00:10:52.82
And I have known some
poverty stricken people,
00:10:52.85\00:10:55.97
who had a joy that
anybody could rightly envy,
00:10:56.00\00:10:59.68
because they were totally
committed to Jesus Christ.
00:10:59.71\00:11:06.34
How is it with you?
00:11:06.37\00:11:10.30
He may have to ask you,
00:11:10.33\00:11:11.61
He will
inevitably have to ask you
00:11:11.64\00:11:14.63
to let him separate
you from certain things
00:11:14.66\00:11:17.97
that for some
foolish reason you treasure,
00:11:18.00\00:11:23.26
but He only asks you to
separate them-- from them
00:11:23.29\00:11:26.74
because He knows
00:11:26.77\00:11:29.34
that is necessary
for your walk with Him.
00:11:29.37\00:11:33.01
In Mathew 6:24 Jesus said this,
00:11:33.04\00:11:38.62
"No man can serve two masters:
00:11:38.65\00:11:42.39
for either he will hate the one,
00:11:42.42\00:11:44.16
and love the other,
00:11:44.19\00:11:45.49
or else he will
cling to the one,
00:11:45.52\00:11:48.02
and despise the other.
00:11:48.05\00:11:49.88
You cannot
serve God and mammon."
00:11:49.91\00:11:53.00
Those were Jesus' words.
00:11:53.03\00:11:55.09
In other words you
can't be on both sides.
00:11:55.12\00:11:58.13
We all know that
tragically the United States
00:11:58.16\00:12:00.21
has faced problems with traitors
00:12:00.24\00:12:02.82
and I suppose most
countries have had that,
00:12:02.85\00:12:05.62
where people have sold secrets
to the other side for money
00:12:05.65\00:12:10.25
or for kicks or whatever it was.
00:12:10.28\00:12:13.97
It is impossible to
faithfully serve two masters.
00:12:14.00\00:12:18.94
He say either serve
Me or go your own way
00:12:18.97\00:12:24.49
but don't pretend.
00:12:24.52\00:12:29.48
Jesus said, "He that is
not for Me is against Me."
00:12:29.51\00:12:36.34
So that's what it
is: It's all or nothing.
00:12:36.37\00:12:41.67
And unfortunately
today in the kind of society
00:12:41.70\00:12:44.74
in which we live that
can sound like fanaticism.
00:12:44.77\00:12:48.69
Oh, you don't have to or
doesn't really matter if.
00:12:48.72\00:12:53.97
But I would ask
this simple question,
00:12:57.14\00:13:00.77
who is likely to be
right, the King of the universe
00:13:00.80\00:13:04.39
who says this and this
and this is what I require
00:13:04.42\00:13:10.06
or the foolish sinner,
00:13:10.09\00:13:12.22
caught up in
sin and selfishness,
00:13:12.25\00:13:15.06
who says I don't think.
00:13:15.09\00:13:18.09
Frankly it doesn't matter
00:13:18.12\00:13:19.16
what Dennis
Uffindell thinks to whose.
00:13:19.19\00:13:21.75
It really doesn't
matter what you think,
00:13:21.78\00:13:23.93
but it matters a great deal
what the God of heaven thinks
00:13:23.96\00:13:28.53
and what we choose to allow Him
00:13:28.56\00:13:31.00
to do in our
lives in that regard,
00:13:31.03\00:13:33.65
determines whether in fact
we are for Him or against Him.
00:13:33.68\00:13:41.19
There are no halfway measures.
00:13:41.22\00:13:44.35
There is no
possibility of compromise here.
00:13:44.38\00:13:49.86
That's Christ's ultimatum.
00:13:49.89\00:13:54.28
What He is
actually saying is this.
00:13:54.31\00:13:56.47
"I want all there is of
you or I can't have any at all,
00:13:56.50\00:14:04.13
won't you choose me?"
00:14:04.16\00:14:07.69
Now that's terrifying.
00:14:07.72\00:14:10.58
I know from personal experience,
00:14:10.61\00:14:13.26
but I also have seen
00:14:13.29\00:14:15.32
this ultimatum be
faced by individuals.
00:14:15.35\00:14:19.89
And I have seen how before this,
00:14:19.92\00:14:23.19
their Christian
experience was weak and wavering
00:14:23.22\00:14:26.79
and it was not full of joy.
00:14:26.82\00:14:31.68
They don't have peace,
and they don't have assurance,
00:14:31.71\00:14:34.90
just as that rich
young ruler did not.
00:14:34.93\00:14:39.36
So we decide ourselves,
00:14:39.39\00:14:43.55
by the way we
respond to what God says.
00:14:43.58\00:14:47.26
Now let me illustrate this.
00:14:47.29\00:14:49.87
Many times we try
to serve two masters
00:14:49.90\00:14:52.17
because we try to rationalize
our own attitude enacts.
00:14:52.20\00:14:57.25
We like to indulge in
greed or pride or appetite,
00:14:57.28\00:15:02.75
or impure thoughts or shall
I illustrate it with gossip.
00:15:02.78\00:15:08.92
You see this
lady, excuse me ladies
00:15:08.95\00:15:11.10
for saying lady but anyway,
00:15:11.13\00:15:14.72
she didn't mean to hurt anybody,
00:15:14.75\00:15:17.67
she didn't realize she was
00:15:17.70\00:15:19.35
but she was
doing it all the time,
00:15:19.38\00:15:21.83
under
rationalization for talking,
00:15:21.86\00:15:24.61
gossiping about people woes--
00:15:24.64\00:15:26.14
she liked people but
every day she was hurting people
00:15:26.17\00:15:30.45
because she refused
to control her tongue.
00:15:30.48\00:15:37.07
Something has to be done about
this kind of things my friend,
00:15:37.10\00:15:41.23
and only the Lord can do it,
00:15:41.26\00:15:44.16
but He will not take
any sin or evil from us
00:15:44.19\00:15:48.15
that we do not give
Him permission to do,
00:15:48.18\00:15:52.21
and that's why it
has to be all or nothing.
00:15:52.24\00:15:57.15
You see, the God of Heaven
00:15:57.18\00:15:58.78
in spite of
what the devil claims
00:15:58.81\00:16:00.43
is not a dictator.
00:16:00.46\00:16:02.10
He will not force
anyone into heaven.
00:16:02.13\00:16:04.74
He will not force
anyone to serve Him.
00:16:04.77\00:16:08.04
He will either love
them into doing it totally
00:16:08.07\00:16:13.57
or they'll not be His at all.
00:16:13.60\00:16:19.27
Speaking to His
followers 2,000 years ago
00:16:19.30\00:16:24.61
Jesus said this in Luke
14, "If any man come to me,
00:16:24.64\00:16:29.12
and hate not his
father, and mother,
00:16:29.15\00:16:32.03
and wife, and children,
and brethren, and sisters,
00:16:32.06\00:16:35.34
yea, and his own life
also, he cannot be my disciple.
00:16:35.37\00:16:39.99
And whosoever doth
not bear His cross,
00:16:40.02\00:16:42.38
and come after me,
cannot be my disciple.
00:16:42.41\00:16:46.85
So likewise,
whosoever he be of you
00:16:46.88\00:16:50.28
that forsaketh
not all that he hath,
00:16:50.31\00:16:53.43
he cannot be my disciple."
00:16:53.46\00:16:56.32
Now that's a hard saying,
00:16:56.35\00:16:58.27
and many turned away
from Jesus at that time
00:16:58.30\00:17:01.51
because they were not prepared
00:17:01.54\00:17:03.27
for that kind of
level of commitment.
00:17:03.30\00:17:06.57
But Jesus is not really saying
00:17:06.60\00:17:08.10
what we mean with
the word hate today.
00:17:08.13\00:17:12.03
In the Bible times
the word hate is choosing
00:17:12.06\00:17:16.52
who shall come first.
00:17:16.55\00:17:19.65
And so let me put
it in my own words.
00:17:19.68\00:17:24.29
My, friend, what
Jesus is saying to you
00:17:24.32\00:17:26.82
and to me is this,
00:17:26.85\00:17:28.99
"I have done and
I am willing to do
00:17:29.02\00:17:32.58
everything for your
salvation and happiness,
00:17:32.61\00:17:36.06
but it is absolutely
essential that you understand
00:17:36.09\00:17:39.47
fully the terms of my
covenant and accept them.
00:17:39.50\00:17:45.42
I am offering
Myself totally to you,
00:17:45.45\00:17:49.77
but the only way
that you can have me
00:17:49.80\00:17:52.45
or anything that I have to offer
00:17:52.48\00:17:54.89
is if you give
yourself unreservedly to Me."
00:17:54.92\00:18:00.55
That is the ultimatum.
00:18:00.58\00:18:03.66
Let me repeat a little of it,
00:18:03.69\00:18:07.66
"I am offering
Myself to you" Jesus says,
00:18:07.69\00:18:10.77
"totally, and the only way
00:18:10.80\00:18:14.12
that you can have
or will ever have,
00:18:14.15\00:18:18.19
what I am offering or
anything that I have to offer,
00:18:18.22\00:18:22.45
is if you give yourself totally
and without reserved to me."
00:18:22.48\00:18:27.92
There is no
alternative proposition
00:18:27.95\00:18:30.64
that He has to offer.
00:18:30.67\00:18:34.04
You know, a few years ago
00:18:34.07\00:18:35.39
it was my privilege to
visit Glastonbury in England.
00:18:35.42\00:18:40.62
Now Glastonbury is the
earliest Christian site,
00:18:40.65\00:18:45.79
in the British Isles,
very close after it was Iona,
00:18:45.82\00:18:49.96
but it is reputed
that it was Nicodemus,
00:18:49.99\00:18:54.94
who first took the
gospel to the British Isles.
00:18:54.97\00:18:59.39
It dates back to
as early as that,
00:18:59.42\00:19:03.43
but what threw me
as I spent my time
00:19:03.46\00:19:06.12
walking around the
ruins of the building
00:19:06.15\00:19:09.08
that they
constructed there was this.
00:19:09.11\00:19:12.96
Christian men and women
would send their young people
00:19:12.99\00:19:16.98
there to be
trained as missionaries.
00:19:17.01\00:19:20.53
And such was the
hostility to missionaries
00:19:20.56\00:19:24.38
and such was the danger
00:19:24.41\00:19:26.10
of international
travel in those days
00:19:26.13\00:19:29.21
that they knew that the
chances of those young people
00:19:29.24\00:19:31.81
ever coming back home
00:19:31.84\00:19:33.55
and the young people
knew that their chances
00:19:33.58\00:19:35.48
of ever coming back home
were hardly worth talking about,
00:19:35.51\00:19:39.86
but such was their
commitment to Christ
00:19:39.89\00:19:42.01
and their parents
commitment to Christ,
00:19:42.04\00:19:44.80
that they
rejoiced at the privilege
00:19:44.83\00:19:47.58
of being able to go in
those tiny little boats
00:19:47.61\00:19:50.92
at the risk of life and limb,
00:19:50.95\00:19:52.79
knowing that those who
hated the cause of Christ
00:19:52.82\00:19:55.17
will destroy them if they could.
00:19:55.20\00:19:58.26
And thousands of
them never did come back.
00:19:58.29\00:20:02.54
But I want to
tell you something,
00:20:02.57\00:20:04.64
their names are written
in the Lamb's Book of Life,
00:20:04.67\00:20:08.27
and when the Lord comes
back to this world again,
00:20:08.30\00:20:12.00
you know what?
00:20:12.03\00:20:13.46
They are going
to be among the ones
00:20:13.49\00:20:15.23
who are called from
their graves and He says
00:20:15.26\00:20:18.12
"Come ye blessed of my Father,
00:20:18.15\00:20:20.24
inherit the
Kingdom prepared for you."
00:20:20.27\00:20:24.67
I want to hear Him say
those words to me some day,
00:20:24.70\00:20:27.18
don't you?
00:20:27.21\00:20:29.86
I want to be sure
that I'm on right side,
00:20:29.89\00:20:34.39
Christianity was
founded upon sacrifice.
00:20:34.42\00:20:38.36
Oh, its true, Jesus
said that "My yoke is easy,
00:20:38.39\00:20:40.61
and my burden is light."
00:20:40.64\00:20:42.33
And many people
think that that means
00:20:42.36\00:20:44.94
you can just go on
a merry-old-easy way.
00:20:44.97\00:20:47.11
That's not what He was meaning.
00:20:47.14\00:20:48.87
What He was meaning is this;
00:20:48.90\00:20:51.38
the road that the non-Christians
00:20:51.41\00:20:54.34
hose is a hard road,
and it ends in death.
00:20:54.37\00:20:59.98
The Lord doesn't
want that for us.
00:21:00.01\00:21:02.97
He wants us to take a road
00:21:03.00\00:21:05.61
that's going to
lead to eternal life.
00:21:05.64\00:21:08.54
And the only way
that Christianity
00:21:08.57\00:21:10.33
is going to be finished,
00:21:10.36\00:21:12.62
is in the same
way that it started.
00:21:12.65\00:21:16.32
And that is that those who
give their lives to Christ,
00:21:16.35\00:21:20.01
counted a privilege to
surrender to Him totally,
00:21:20.04\00:21:23.58
knowing that they are
far safer in His hands
00:21:23.61\00:21:26.32
than in their own hands.
00:21:26.35\00:21:30.52
And that He will
allow or bring nothing,
00:21:30.55\00:21:32.82
which when seen from the end.
00:21:32.85\00:21:36.08
They would not
choose for themselves,
00:21:36.11\00:21:38.76
because our God
makes no mistakes.
00:21:38.79\00:21:42.23
He is a tender and a loving God,
00:21:42.26\00:21:45.60
he cares for every
one of His children,
00:21:45.63\00:21:48.30
with a love
beyond our comprehension.
00:21:48.33\00:21:51.79
And He wants you to
enter into that love,
00:21:51.82\00:21:54.23
into that joy
and into that peace.
00:21:54.26\00:21:59.93
For 2000 year
the Christian church
00:21:59.96\00:22:03.67
has awaited and yet delayed
the second coming of Christ.
00:22:03.70\00:22:09.28
How much longer is
He going have to wait
00:22:09.31\00:22:11.84
for His church to be ready?
00:22:11.87\00:22:15.79
He can only come for
those who are totally committed.
00:22:15.82\00:22:20.28
And if you my friend
are not totally committed,
00:22:20.31\00:22:24.61
then He cannot yet come for you.
00:22:24.64\00:22:27.34
And He doesn't
want to leave you out.
00:22:27.37\00:22:30.25
Have you wondered
why hasn't come yet?
00:22:30.28\00:22:34.72
It's out of impart at
least, tender regard for you,
00:22:34.75\00:22:39.52
because He wants
you in His kingdom.
00:22:39.55\00:22:45.49
So I ask you my
friend, does that describe you,
00:22:45.52\00:22:51.18
and unwillingness to
make the full commitment,
00:22:51.21\00:22:55.24
or are you
determined that nothing
00:22:55.27\00:22:58.96
is going to get in you way?
00:22:58.99\00:23:00.84
I'll tell you one thing,
00:23:00.87\00:23:02.83
if you'll spend
real time with Jesus,
00:23:02.86\00:23:06.54
it'll reach the point,
00:23:06.57\00:23:08.30
where that will not
seem to be a terrible
00:23:08.33\00:23:10.71
and dangerous decision to make.
00:23:10.74\00:23:13.42
It will be the only
one that's worth while.
00:23:13.45\00:23:16.55
You know, it
reminds of a little story,
00:23:16.58\00:23:18.58
I believe it
happened on the river
00:23:18.61\00:23:22.24
a little above Niagara falls.
00:23:22.27\00:23:25.13
It'd been a cold winter,
00:23:25.16\00:23:26.37
and the river was
frozen over solid,
00:23:26.40\00:23:29.05
and a lot of people were skating
00:23:29.08\00:23:31.06
and doing all kinds
of things on the river,
00:23:31.09\00:23:34.07
and having a great time
but then something happened,
00:23:34.10\00:23:37.86
and some of the ice broke.
00:23:37.89\00:23:42.67
And one young
couple were on one of these
00:23:42.70\00:23:47.34
separated pieces of
ice, above Niagara falls.
00:23:47.37\00:23:53.25
And the flow of the
river started taking them away.
00:23:53.28\00:23:57.73
The young man
grabbed his wife by the arm
00:23:57.76\00:24:00.29
and took her to the edge
of the ice, and said "Jump."
00:24:00.32\00:24:02.65
It was easy for
them to, at this point
00:24:02.68\00:24:05.29
jump across onto the solid ice.
00:24:05.32\00:24:10.17
But she was terrified,
00:24:10.20\00:24:12.35
and she began to
sank to her knees in fear.
00:24:12.38\00:24:16.01
And you could see for a movement
00:24:16.04\00:24:18.13
that he was hesitating,
00:24:18.16\00:24:19.54
he could have jump to
safety, but he choose not to,
00:24:19.57\00:24:25.33
instead he knelt
down beside his wife
00:24:25.36\00:24:28.62
and put his arms
around in total commitment,
00:24:28.65\00:24:33.49
then slowly and yet surely
they floated to water falls.
00:24:33.52\00:24:41.08
Somehow or other a
rope was got across
00:24:41.11\00:24:43.64
and dangled where
he could reach it,
00:24:43.67\00:24:46.35
and he could have
saved himself again.
00:24:46.38\00:24:50.09
But he knew there is no way
00:24:50.12\00:24:51.96
that he could get
her attached to it
00:24:51.99\00:24:53.60
before it was too late.
00:24:53.63\00:24:55.89
And he will not leave her alone.
00:24:55.92\00:24:59.48
So instead, they went
over the falls together.
00:24:59.51\00:25:04.83
That my friend,
is total commitment,
00:25:04.86\00:25:07.86
that's the kind of commitment
00:25:07.89\00:25:09.39
that Jesus Christ
had when 2000 years ago.
00:25:09.42\00:25:13.35
He left the security of
Heaven, with His peace and joy
00:25:13.38\00:25:17.15
and adoration of
the heavenly hosts,
00:25:17.18\00:25:20.80
and came down here
to this sin cursed world
00:25:20.83\00:25:23.85
where the most implacable
enemy the universe ever seen,
00:25:23.88\00:25:27.95
Satan was in control.
00:25:27.98\00:25:32.72
It was total
commitment for you and me.
00:25:32.75\00:25:38.44
Somehow suggested that it
would have been possible--
00:25:38.47\00:25:41.28
impossible, sorry--
for Christ to have failed,
00:25:41.31\00:25:44.07
after all He was
both, God and Man.
00:25:44.10\00:25:48.31
I would like to
state categorically,
00:25:48.34\00:25:50.37
that if that was the case then
God would have been play-acting
00:25:50.40\00:25:53.89
and not real,
00:25:53.92\00:25:55.41
and I don't
believe that God does that.
00:25:55.44\00:25:58.50
It would have been
possible for Christ to fail,
00:25:58.53\00:26:01.78
but He did not fail,
00:26:01.81\00:26:03.70
because not only was
His commitment to us total,
00:26:03.73\00:26:08.39
but His commitment
to His Father was total.
00:26:08.42\00:26:11.99
And so His arms were
stretched out both ways,
00:26:12.02\00:26:15.12
keeping a firm
hold upon His Father,
00:26:15.15\00:26:18.04
and a firm hold upon human
race that would accept Him.
00:26:18.07\00:26:25.32
And today, 2000 years later
00:26:25.35\00:26:31.51
He comes to you,
00:26:31.54\00:26:33.52
as He did to the
disciples and invites them,
00:26:33.55\00:26:37.98
and invite you as He
did to them to follow Him.
00:26:38.01\00:26:43.98
But remember, there's
only one way of follow Him,
00:26:44.01\00:26:49.10
and that is with all our hearts.
00:26:49.13\00:26:53.71
Lets us Pray.
00:26:53.74\00:26:55.67
Oh, God, our Father,
You know the hearts of those
00:26:55.70\00:26:59.04
who've been listening
to this massage today,
00:26:59.07\00:27:01.65
You know my heart.
00:27:01.68\00:27:03.44
Remove anything that
stands between us and You,
00:27:03.47\00:27:06.56
oh, God, that You
may have total control
00:27:06.59\00:27:10.83
and we may rejoice
00:27:10.86\00:27:13.33
in that beautiful relationship
with You to only those
00:27:13.36\00:27:17.16
who are totally
committed can have.
00:27:17.19\00:27:20.42
That we can have the fullness
of joy and perfect peace
00:27:20.45\00:27:26.60
and something worth living for
00:27:26.63\00:27:29.30
that's better than anything else
00:27:29.33\00:27:31.96
this world can offer.
00:27:31.99\00:27:36.03
So speak to each heart,
00:27:36.06\00:27:39.00
and may each one
make that decision.
00:27:39.03\00:27:40.74
I pray for Christ sake.
00:27:40.77\00:27:44.00
Amen.
00:27:44.03\00:27:47.15
Don't let the devil
persuade you to delay;
00:27:47.18\00:27:53.11
procrastination
is the thief of souls
00:27:53.14\00:27:55.71
as well as thief of time.
00:27:55.74\00:27:57.55
Say yes to Jesus.
00:27:57.58\00:27:59.56