Friends, welcome to
Foundation of our Faith,
00:00:22.18\00:00:24.82
a Dare to Dream production here
00:00:24.85\00:00:26.86
at Three Angels
Broadcasting Network.
00:00:26.89\00:00:29.29
I'm particularly
excited about our presenter
00:00:29.32\00:00:31.59
and our musician for today,
00:00:31.63\00:00:33.43
Elder Dwayne Lemon of Preaching,
00:00:33.46\00:00:35.80
Teaching and Healing ministries
is gonna be our speaker
00:00:35.83\00:00:38.97
for this episode of
Foundation of our Faith.
00:00:39.00\00:00:43.54
He is a man that
has been delivered
00:00:43.57\00:00:45.77
by the Lord out of the darkness
of the R&B and hip-hop world.
00:00:45.81\00:00:50.38
He was a dancer
00:00:50.41\00:00:51.75
and a choreographer
in his former walk.
00:00:51.78\00:00:54.55
But now he is a
servant of the Lord,
00:00:54.58\00:00:56.18
bearing the light of
God's love to the world.
00:00:56.22\00:00:59.25
And people are being transformed
00:00:59.29\00:01:01.46
and brought to the
knowledge of God's saving grace
00:01:01.49\00:01:03.59
through his ministry.
00:01:03.63\00:01:05.16
He desires to lead people
to a life of surrender to God
00:01:05.19\00:01:08.96
and believes that
the medical ministry
00:01:09.00\00:01:12.43
is combined with the
Three Angels' Messages
00:01:12.47\00:01:15.80
is a way to get people prepared
for the coming of our Lord.
00:01:15.84\00:01:19.17
His message today is
entitled, "The Bottom Line".
00:01:19.21\00:01:22.41
But before he
comes to minister to us,
00:01:22.44\00:01:24.38
we'll be blessed
by Esther Alonzo-Neal
00:01:24.41\00:01:27.65
who is a recording
artist, known internationally,
00:01:27.68\00:01:30.89
she has sung in Kenya, Brazil,
France and the Philippines.
00:01:30.92\00:01:34.46
Her desire is to share Jesus
00:01:34.49\00:01:36.39
as she sings in
multiple languages,
00:01:36.42\00:01:39.16
and today she is gonna sing
00:01:39.19\00:01:41.06
in that beautiful
language of English,
00:01:41.10\00:01:43.43
this wonderful message in
song, "Go Light Your World".
00:01:43.47\00:01:47.67
After her song the next voice
that you'll hear will be that
00:01:47.70\00:01:51.67
of Elder Dwayne Lemon.
00:01:51.71\00:01:53.04
There is a candle in every soul
00:01:57.81\00:02:05.12
Some brightly
burning, some dark and cold
00:02:05.15\00:02:12.09
There is a
Spirit who brings a fire
00:02:12.13\00:02:18.83
Ignites your
candle and makes His home
00:02:18.87\00:02:25.44
So carry your candle
00:02:25.47\00:02:29.44
Run to the darkness
00:02:29.48\00:02:32.98
Seek out the helpless
00:02:33.01\00:02:36.55
Confused and torn
00:02:36.58\00:02:40.02
Hold out your candle
00:02:40.06\00:02:43.26
For all to see it
00:02:43.29\00:02:47.16
Take your candle
00:02:47.20\00:02:50.53
And go light your world
00:02:50.57\00:02:54.17
Take your candle
00:02:54.20\00:02:57.71
And go light your world
00:02:57.74\00:03:01.21
Frustrated brother
00:03:04.48\00:03:07.92
See how he's tried to
00:03:07.95\00:03:11.55
Light his own candle
00:03:11.59\00:03:15.12
Some other way
00:03:15.16\00:03:18.63
See now your sister
00:03:18.66\00:03:21.96
She's been robbed and lied to
00:03:22.00\00:03:25.43
Still holds a candle
00:03:25.47\00:03:29.10
Without a flame
00:03:29.14\00:03:32.57
So carry your candle
00:03:32.61\00:03:36.21
Run to the darkness
00:03:36.24\00:03:39.71
Seek out the helpless
00:03:39.75\00:03:43.32
Confused and torn
00:03:43.35\00:03:46.79
Hold out your candle
00:03:46.82\00:03:50.29
For all to see it
00:03:50.33\00:03:53.83
Take your candle
00:03:53.86\00:03:57.80
And go light your world
00:03:57.83\00:04:00.57
Take your candle
00:04:00.60\00:04:04.44
And go light your world
00:04:04.47\00:04:08.31
'Cause we are a family
00:04:11.35\00:04:14.75
Whose hearts are blazing
00:04:14.78\00:04:18.05
So let's raise our candles
00:04:18.09\00:04:21.62
And light up the sky
00:04:21.66\00:04:25.36
Praying to our Father
00:04:25.39\00:04:28.80
In the name of Jesus
00:04:28.83\00:04:32.33
Make us a
beacon in darkest night
00:04:32.37\00:04:39.01
So carry your candle
00:04:39.04\00:04:42.81
Run to the darkness
00:04:42.84\00:04:46.25
Seek out the helpless
00:04:46.28\00:04:49.92
Confused and torn
00:04:49.95\00:04:53.29
Hold out your candle
00:04:53.32\00:04:56.79
For all to see it
00:04:56.83\00:05:00.36
Take your candle
00:05:00.40\00:05:04.07
And go light your world
00:05:04.10\00:05:08.20
Run to the darkness
00:05:13.34\00:05:16.48
The hopeless
00:05:16.51\00:05:19.81
Confused and torn
00:05:19.85\00:05:23.25
Your candle
00:05:23.28\00:05:25.19
For all to see it
00:05:25.22\00:05:27.26
For all to see it
00:05:27.29\00:05:29.22
Take your candle
00:05:29.26\00:05:31.63
And go light your world
00:05:31.66\00:05:35.60
Take your candle
00:05:35.63\00:05:39.37
Go light your world.
00:05:43.17\00:05:48.24
Well, why don't we go
ahead and say amen again?
00:06:12.07\00:06:14.94
And praise the Lord
for such a wonderful song
00:06:14.97\00:06:17.17
that lifts our
hearts heavenward.
00:06:17.21\00:06:19.17
And I'm very
grateful for the opportunity
00:06:19.21\00:06:21.81
to study the word of God
with each and every one of us.
00:06:21.84\00:06:24.65
We are going to take a
very important look at a subject
00:06:24.68\00:06:28.12
that I've
entitled The Bottom Line,
00:06:28.15\00:06:30.19
and I think you'll understand
that as I share with you
00:06:30.22\00:06:32.99
a very brief story
and then after that,
00:06:33.02\00:06:35.16
we'll pause for word of prayer
00:06:35.19\00:06:37.09
and then we'll get
deeply into God's word.
00:06:37.13\00:06:41.40
I remember one
time I was in Seattle,
00:06:41.43\00:06:43.23
Washington and when I
was there somehow someway,
00:06:43.26\00:06:47.70
I found myself in the
home of a drug dealer.
00:06:47.74\00:06:52.04
Now I'm in
ministry at this point,
00:06:52.07\00:06:53.68
I'm definitely
not doing the things
00:06:53.71\00:06:55.11
I used to doing it and
even, and even in my old life,
00:06:55.14\00:06:58.15
I did not go around,
you know, selling drugs
00:06:58.18\00:07:00.55
or anything like
that but somehow, someway,
00:07:00.58\00:07:03.28
I was placed in
a home with a man
00:07:03.32\00:07:06.19
who was very, very
known for selling drugs,
00:07:06.22\00:07:09.12
very popular doing it.
00:07:09.16\00:07:10.49
And I would imagine my life
00:07:10.53\00:07:11.86
and his life was
in danger that night.
00:07:11.89\00:07:13.23
I discovered it on the backend
00:07:13.26\00:07:14.60
so it was too
late for me to leave.
00:07:14.63\00:07:16.33
So I just had to
kind of bear with it.
00:07:16.36\00:07:18.63
Well, nevertheless,
I remember being there
00:07:18.67\00:07:20.87
and so because I'm a
minister of the gospel,
00:07:20.90\00:07:23.77
I said, well, let me go
ahead and kind of dialogue
00:07:23.81\00:07:26.37
with my brother a little
bit, see where his head is at,
00:07:26.41\00:07:28.81
and see if there is a
way to share Christ with him.
00:07:28.84\00:07:31.85
And so I started to talk to
him about God and the Bible,
00:07:31.88\00:07:35.55
truth for this
time, end time events,
00:07:35.58\00:07:38.45
and as we were
talking he got to a place
00:07:38.49\00:07:40.56
where he said, "I
don't believe in the Bible."
00:07:40.59\00:07:42.42
And you know,
00:07:42.46\00:07:43.79
those who were kind
of special words to me,
00:07:43.83\00:07:45.16
you know, anytime a
minister hears that,
00:07:45.19\00:07:46.66
he sees it as an opportunity.
00:07:46.70\00:07:49.40
And so I remember
that I heard him say that,
00:07:49.43\00:07:51.70
and I said, "Oh
really, I said, tell me why,
00:07:51.73\00:07:53.13
why don't you
believe in the Bible?"
00:07:53.17\00:07:54.64
And he gave one of
the strangest answers
00:07:54.67\00:07:56.50
that I've ever heard.
00:07:56.54\00:07:57.97
And he said, because
the Bible does not explain
00:07:58.01\00:08:01.51
how pyramids were built.
00:08:01.54\00:08:05.05
And I remember, I
thought to myself,
00:08:05.08\00:08:07.05
the Bible doesn't
explain how pyramids were built
00:08:07.08\00:08:09.18
so you don't
believe in the Bible,
00:08:09.22\00:08:10.95
and he said, "Yup, that's right,
00:08:10.99\00:08:12.32
I don't believe in the Bible
00:08:12.35\00:08:13.69
'cause it doesn't explain
how pyramids were built."
00:08:13.72\00:08:15.26
And I began to
talk with him to say
00:08:15.29\00:08:17.09
so in your mind
you believe the Bible
00:08:17.13\00:08:19.19
is supposed to
explain every single thing
00:08:19.23\00:08:22.36
that has ever
happened in the world,
00:08:22.40\00:08:25.23
and he said,
"Well yeah, why not,
00:08:25.27\00:08:26.97
pyramids were significant."
00:08:27.00\00:08:29.20
And so, you
know, I met the brother
00:08:29.24\00:08:30.57
where he was at and
I said, "You know what,
00:08:30.61\00:08:32.61
I think your challenge is that
00:08:32.64\00:08:35.91
you do not understand
the theme of the Bible.
00:08:35.94\00:08:38.85
You do not
understand the bottom line point
00:08:38.88\00:08:41.32
of why God created this book."
00:08:41.35\00:08:43.69
And so I began to talk with him
00:08:43.72\00:08:45.82
and share some
principles with him
00:08:45.85\00:08:47.36
that at the end
of that discussion,
00:08:47.39\00:08:49.76
I believe that
he became a believer
00:08:49.79\00:08:52.99
in the word of God
00:08:53.03\00:08:54.40
and therefore became a
believer in God himself.
00:08:54.43\00:08:56.67
And the things
that I shared with him,
00:08:56.70\00:08:58.87
the Lord is impressed
upon my mind are things
00:08:58.90\00:09:00.90
that I need to share with you.
00:09:00.94\00:09:02.97
And so what we're
gonna do at this time is
00:09:03.00\00:09:04.57
we're gonna prepare
ourselves to study a little bit
00:09:04.61\00:09:06.61
about the bottom line.
00:09:06.64\00:09:08.21
Why does this book exist?
00:09:08.24\00:09:10.38
What is the bottom
line message of the gospel?
00:09:10.41\00:09:13.11
What is the bottom
line message of the church?
00:09:13.15\00:09:15.02
What is the bottom line message
of the Three Angels' Messages?
00:09:15.05\00:09:17.79
What is the bottom line?
00:09:17.82\00:09:20.99
And so as we prepare our
hearts to go through the study,
00:09:21.02\00:09:24.03
the best way for us to do
that, I believe is with prayer.
00:09:24.06\00:09:28.06
And I'd like to
do that upon my knees
00:09:28.10\00:09:29.96
and so I'm gonna kneel to pray
00:09:30.00\00:09:31.73
and you can just
reverently bow your heads
00:09:31.77\00:09:33.47
but let's all pray together
as we go before the Lord
00:09:33.50\00:09:36.24
and let Him speak to our hearts
00:09:36.27\00:09:37.74
as we prepare to
get to the bottom line.
00:09:37.77\00:09:40.88
Our loving Father,
00:09:44.61\00:09:45.95
we are grateful
always for the opportunity
00:09:45.98\00:09:47.32
to study Your words of truth.
00:09:47.35\00:09:49.28
We thank You, dear God,
00:09:49.32\00:09:50.65
for the way that Your spirit
00:09:50.69\00:09:52.02
speaks to the
hearts of humanity.
00:09:52.05\00:09:54.09
We are living in a time
00:09:54.12\00:09:55.49
where we need to
get to the bottom line.
00:09:55.52\00:09:57.73
We need to understand
why the church exists.
00:09:57.76\00:10:00.46
Why the everlasting
gospel is going forward?
00:10:00.50\00:10:02.96
Why do we even study
this book called the Bible
00:10:03.00\00:10:05.07
above any other book?
00:10:05.10\00:10:06.43
And I just pray that in
our few moments together,
00:10:06.47\00:10:09.17
make your words
plain to our hearts,
00:10:09.20\00:10:11.74
for this is our
prayer that we do ask
00:10:11.77\00:10:13.48
with the forgiveness of
our sins in Jesus' name, amen.
00:10:13.51\00:10:19.85
All right.
00:10:19.88\00:10:21.22
Why don't we go ahead
and let's turn our Bibles
00:10:21.25\00:10:22.58
to the Book of 2 Peter?
00:10:22.62\00:10:24.52
We're going to
the Book of 2 Peter,
00:10:24.55\00:10:25.89
we're going to
consider chapter 1.
00:10:25.92\00:10:29.02
Peter was explaining
a very powerful point
00:10:29.06\00:10:32.03
in previous verses.
00:10:32.06\00:10:33.40
Our focus is
gonna be in 2 Peter 1,
00:10:33.43\00:10:35.73
we're gonna look
at verses 20 and 21,
00:10:35.76\00:10:38.60
but you have to understand
that Peter is given reasoning
00:10:38.63\00:10:42.60
that in any other case
00:10:42.64\00:10:44.07
would have been the
greatest proof of a fact.
00:10:44.11\00:10:47.98
In other words,
there is a such thing
00:10:48.01\00:10:49.44
as called an eyewitness,
00:10:49.48\00:10:50.81
and when you have an witness,
that's about the greatest proof
00:10:50.85\00:10:52.48
that you can have of something
that took place, an event.
00:10:52.51\00:10:55.65
And Peter earlier in the chapter
00:10:55.68\00:10:58.35
was talking about how
he and his fellow brothers
00:10:58.39\00:11:00.86
were eyewitnesses to the
glory and the majesty of Christ.
00:11:00.89\00:11:04.89
Well, here it is that by
time we get down to verse 19,
00:11:04.93\00:11:07.63
he says
something very interesting.
00:11:07.66\00:11:09.00
I said verses 20 and 21
00:11:09.03\00:11:10.37
because that's
gonna be our key focus
00:11:10.40\00:11:11.83
but verse 19 will
give some context.
00:11:11.87\00:11:14.30
After Peter gives
a faithful account
00:11:14.34\00:11:17.67
of what they saw
with their own eyes,
00:11:17.71\00:11:20.64
heard with their
own ears after that,
00:11:20.68\00:11:23.45
he then says something
that to some of us might be
00:11:23.48\00:11:25.31
a bit strange.
00:11:25.35\00:11:26.68
After he gives
this sure witness,
00:11:26.72\00:11:28.88
he then says in verse 19,
00:11:28.92\00:11:30.65
he says, "We have also a
more sure word of prophecy."
00:11:30.69\00:11:36.56
In other words as
powerful as it was
00:11:36.59\00:11:39.29
that he was an eyewitness
to the majesty of Christ,
00:11:39.33\00:11:41.86
there is
something even more sure
00:11:41.90\00:11:44.17
than being an eyewitness
00:11:44.20\00:11:45.80
and that is the
word of prophecy,
00:11:45.83\00:11:48.40
the scripture.
00:11:48.44\00:11:49.90
He says, "We have also a
more sure word of prophecy,
00:11:49.94\00:11:52.61
whereunto you do
well that you take heed,
00:11:52.64\00:11:54.94
as unto a light that
shineth in a dark place,
00:11:54.98\00:11:57.41
until the day dawn,
00:11:57.45\00:11:59.01
and the day star
arises in your hearts."
00:11:59.05\00:12:01.85
And therefore he
says in verses 20 and 21,
00:12:01.88\00:12:04.29
"Knowing this first,
00:12:04.32\00:12:05.65
that no
prophecy of the scripture
00:12:05.69\00:12:08.89
is of any
private interpretation."
00:12:08.92\00:12:11.13
This is why it's more sure.
00:12:11.16\00:12:13.50
This is not a book
compiled by which man saw it
00:12:13.53\00:12:17.17
as an
opportunity to simply express
00:12:17.20\00:12:19.87
what he thinks.
00:12:19.90\00:12:21.24
You know, there's a lot
of ministers that do that.
00:12:21.27\00:12:23.17
There's a lot of
preachers that do that.
00:12:23.20\00:12:25.17
There's a lot of
evangelists that do that.
00:12:25.21\00:12:27.58
There's a lot of
parents that do that.
00:12:27.61\00:12:29.18
There's a lot of
teachers that do that.
00:12:29.21\00:12:30.81
There are people
who feel in their minds
00:12:30.85\00:12:33.48
that I have right to go
above what the Bible says,
00:12:33.52\00:12:36.89
I have a right to fall
short of what the Bible says,
00:12:36.92\00:12:39.45
but many people
ignore the reality
00:12:39.49\00:12:42.52
that ministers of the
gospel are called to preach
00:12:42.56\00:12:45.46
what the Bible says and
what the Bible says only.
00:12:45.49\00:12:48.60
We are never to
preach or to share
00:12:48.63\00:12:51.27
"gospel message
00:12:51.30\00:12:53.70
of our own
private interpretation."
00:12:53.74\00:12:56.47
The scriptures did not
come by private interpretation,
00:12:56.50\00:12:59.67
as a result of that,
00:12:59.71\00:13:01.18
that's why it's
a more sure word.
00:13:01.21\00:13:03.21
So notice what it goes on
to say, "Knowing this first,
00:13:03.24\00:13:06.25
that no
prophecy of the scripture
00:13:06.28\00:13:07.88
is of any
private interpretation."
00:13:07.92\00:13:09.58
It says, "For the
prophecy came not in old time
00:13:09.62\00:13:12.62
by the will of men:
00:13:12.65\00:13:13.99
but holy men of God spake
00:13:14.02\00:13:17.66
as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost."
00:13:17.69\00:13:21.50
And you need to understand that.
00:13:21.53\00:13:23.47
The Bible says,
00:13:23.50\00:13:24.83
that they were
these holy men of God
00:13:24.87\00:13:26.70
and before the
sisters get little upset
00:13:26.74\00:13:28.40
because sometimes you
know the Bible will speak
00:13:28.44\00:13:30.51
in a masculine
tense and many a times
00:13:30.54\00:13:33.17
it's not just
referring to men but mankind.
00:13:33.21\00:13:35.64
But if you read it
just for English face value
00:13:35.68\00:13:37.65
you might think the
Bible can be chauvinistic
00:13:37.68\00:13:39.25
and I'll balance
that out in just a second
00:13:39.28\00:13:41.25
but the reality is,
00:13:41.28\00:13:42.62
is that it was
holy men and holy women.
00:13:42.65\00:13:44.65
And they came
together and the Bible says
00:13:44.69\00:13:47.99
that they were
moved by the Holy Ghost.
00:13:48.02\00:13:50.39
Now we need to understand
that, so what I'm gonna do is
00:13:50.43\00:13:52.63
I'm gonna now tell
us to go to 2 Timothy 3,
00:13:52.66\00:13:55.50
just so we can
get an understanding.
00:13:55.53\00:13:57.23
2 Timothy and we're now
going to consider Chapter 3,
00:13:57.27\00:14:01.10
"Holy men of God spake
00:14:01.14\00:14:02.77
as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost."
00:14:02.80\00:14:05.97
What constitutes this idea
of moved by the Holy Ghost?
00:14:06.01\00:14:09.71
That needs to be explained.
00:14:09.74\00:14:11.08
So now we're going
to the Book of 2 Timothy
00:14:11.11\00:14:13.35
and we are going
to consider Chapter 3.
00:14:13.38\00:14:16.35
And let's notice
what the Bible says
00:14:16.38\00:14:17.92
as we look at 2 Timothy
3:16 and 17 and watch the verse.
00:14:17.95\00:14:23.06
The verse says in 2
Timothy 3:16 and 17, it says,
00:14:23.09\00:14:28.23
all scripture,
how much scripture?
00:14:28.26\00:14:31.47
"All scripture is
given by inspiration of God,
00:14:31.50\00:14:36.71
and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction,
00:14:36.74\00:14:40.58
for instruction
and righteousness,
00:14:40.61\00:14:42.04
that the man of
God may be perfect,
00:14:42.08\00:14:44.71
thoroughly furnished
unto all good works."
00:14:44.75\00:14:46.95
So scripture came to us
00:14:46.98\00:14:48.35
not by man's own
private interpretation,
00:14:48.38\00:14:51.09
him taking an opportunity
to say what he want to says
00:14:51.12\00:14:54.52
or she taking an opportunity
to say what she want to says
00:14:54.56\00:14:57.96
but the Bible says
00:14:57.99\00:15:00.13
that when these
men or women spoke,
00:15:00.16\00:15:03.13
these holy men and women of God,
00:15:03.16\00:15:05.77
when they spoke it was
as a result of being moved
00:15:05.80\00:15:09.30
by the Holy Spirit.
00:15:09.34\00:15:10.77
And now when you notice
what it says here, it says,
00:15:10.81\00:15:13.61
all scriptures given
by inspiration of God.
00:15:13.64\00:15:16.85
Now believe it or not,
that term inspiration of God
00:15:16.88\00:15:19.58
is synonymous to
this idea of being moved
00:15:19.61\00:15:22.82
by the Holy Spirit.
00:15:22.85\00:15:24.72
What does it mean
00:15:24.75\00:15:26.09
when it says inspiration of God?
00:15:26.12\00:15:27.46
What does that mean?
00:15:27.49\00:15:28.82
One day I was
looking it up, you know,
00:15:28.86\00:15:30.19
the Bible is written
in three basic languages
00:15:30.23\00:15:31.56
Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.
00:15:31.59\00:15:32.93
Well, in fact
they're not very basic
00:15:32.96\00:15:34.30
if you have studied
it, but nevertheless
00:15:34.33\00:15:36.33
they are definitely not English,
00:15:36.36\00:15:38.30
and the Bible says in the Greek
00:15:38.33\00:15:40.54
which is the New Testament here.
00:15:40.57\00:15:41.90
The Greek word for
inspiration is God breathed.
00:15:41.94\00:15:45.57
So my mind began
to imagine, you know,
00:15:45.61\00:15:47.08
I'm a home-schooling father
00:15:47.11\00:15:49.31
and I teach the
Bible class to my children.
00:15:49.34\00:15:51.88
My children all
teenager right now,
00:15:51.91\00:15:53.25
I have a house filled
with teenagers and thank God
00:15:53.28\00:15:55.75
they're not regular teenagers.
00:15:55.78\00:15:57.12
So we still have
heaven in our home, amen.
00:15:57.15\00:16:00.06
And so it is
that when, you know,
00:16:00.09\00:16:02.19
when we're teaching class,
00:16:02.22\00:16:03.56
we had to go through the
fundamentals of scripture
00:16:03.59\00:16:06.13
and when we went through
the fundamentals of scripture,
00:16:06.16\00:16:08.20
we were able to look at the idea
00:16:08.23\00:16:10.33
of inspiration God breathed.
00:16:10.37\00:16:12.63
So naturally in
your mind you're saying,
00:16:12.67\00:16:14.54
scripture came to
us when God breathed.
00:16:14.57\00:16:16.84
So if you take it
just for face value,
00:16:16.87\00:16:21.14
one would think
that somebody is here
00:16:21.18\00:16:24.35
and that's one of the
holy men or holy women of God
00:16:24.38\00:16:26.58
and God goes to them and goes
00:16:26.61\00:16:29.02
and just breathes
on them or goes...
00:16:29.05\00:16:32.29
You know, in other
words if you've just taken it
00:16:32.32\00:16:33.96
for face value,
00:16:33.99\00:16:35.32
God breathed, this
is how scripture came.
00:16:35.36\00:16:37.53
It would not make a
lot of sense, would it?
00:16:37.56\00:16:39.56
But you know
something that would make sense?
00:16:39.59\00:16:42.36
Go to the Book of 2
Samuel 23, watch this.
00:16:42.40\00:16:45.83
If you go to the
Book of 2 Samuel 23,
00:16:45.87\00:16:48.47
I think we're
gonna better understand
00:16:48.50\00:16:50.47
the idea of the
movement of the Holy Spirit
00:16:50.51\00:16:53.44
or the inspiration of
God meaning God breathed.
00:16:53.48\00:16:56.75
So let's notice now what
the Bible says in 2 Samuel,
00:16:56.78\00:16:59.81
we're going to Chapter 23
00:16:59.85\00:17:02.18
and we're gonna let
the Bible explain itself.
00:17:02.22\00:17:04.45
I want you to always
remember that scripture is
00:17:04.49\00:17:06.96
forever the key
that unlocks scripture.
00:17:06.99\00:17:10.56
Let the Bible explain itself.
00:17:10.59\00:17:13.16
So the Bible says in 2
Samuel, we're now in Chapter 23.
00:17:13.19\00:17:16.63
What does it
mean the Spirit of God
00:17:16.67\00:17:18.63
moved upon these
holy men or women?
00:17:18.67\00:17:21.07
What does it mean
00:17:21.10\00:17:22.44
when the scripture
came by inspiration,
00:17:22.47\00:17:25.37
God breathed upon these
people, what does that mean?
00:17:25.41\00:17:28.81
2 Samuel 23, the
Bible says in 2 Samuel 23
00:17:28.84\00:17:32.45
starting at verse 1 and
we'll do verses 1 and 2.
00:17:32.48\00:17:35.55
The Bible says in
2 Samuel 23:1 and 2,
00:17:35.58\00:17:39.79
"Now these be the
last words of David.
00:17:39.82\00:17:42.82
David the son of Jesse said,
00:17:42.86\00:17:44.39
and the man who
raised up on high,
00:17:44.43\00:17:46.39
the anointed of
the God of Jacob,
00:17:46.43\00:17:48.10
and the sweet
psalmist of Israel, said,
00:17:48.13\00:17:51.03
the Spirit of
the Lord, did what?
00:17:51.07\00:17:54.57
Spake by me, and his
word was in my tongue."
00:17:54.60\00:18:00.18
Did you know something I
realized every time we talk?
00:18:00.21\00:18:04.58
Do you know what
we're doing when we speak?
00:18:04.61\00:18:06.21
We're breathing.
Did you get that?
00:18:06.25\00:18:09.38
When we talk, we're breathing.
00:18:09.42\00:18:13.36
You can't hold
your breath and talk
00:18:13.39\00:18:14.72
or at least talk very long.
00:18:14.76\00:18:16.09
And this is a
pretty deep book here so,
00:18:16.12\00:18:17.56
I can guarantee
you God was breathing
00:18:17.59\00:18:19.03
and not holding His breath.
00:18:19.06\00:18:20.40
In other words,
00:18:20.43\00:18:21.76
when you think of
moved by the Spirit of God,
00:18:21.80\00:18:24.07
when you think of
inspiration God breathed,
00:18:24.10\00:18:26.84
the reality is God's
spirit was talking to the mind
00:18:26.87\00:18:30.57
of the holy men
and the holy women
00:18:30.61\00:18:32.61
and as they heard they
repeated the words of God.
00:18:32.64\00:18:36.18
This is how
scripture came to us.
00:18:36.21\00:18:37.85
It was not
conjured up by the ideas
00:18:37.88\00:18:40.78
and the philosophies of men.
00:18:40.82\00:18:42.18
It was conjured up
from the very mind of God
00:18:42.22\00:18:45.72
by which He spoke
His words to humanity
00:18:45.75\00:18:49.22
and humanity heard those words,
00:18:49.26\00:18:51.19
and then they
repeated those words,
00:18:51.23\00:18:53.09
and then there were
scribes who wrote those words
00:18:53.13\00:18:55.33
and hence we have the word.
00:18:55.36\00:18:57.90
This is what God has given
to each and every one of us.
00:18:57.93\00:19:00.54
This is the blessed
book called the Bible.
00:19:00.57\00:19:02.94
This is the holy scripture
00:19:02.97\00:19:04.37
that helps us
become wise unto salvation.
00:19:04.41\00:19:08.24
Now understanding this,
00:19:08.28\00:19:11.01
what then is the theme
of all of these writings?
00:19:11.05\00:19:14.38
What is the theme? What
is the great focal point?
00:19:14.42\00:19:16.92
Why was this book together?
00:19:16.95\00:19:18.85
What was it that God
wanted to talk about so bad?
00:19:18.89\00:19:21.46
That He wanted to make
it extra plain to humanity
00:19:21.49\00:19:24.19
so that we don't miss
it and we can understand
00:19:24.23\00:19:25.99
what He's saying.
00:19:26.03\00:19:27.36
Well, now I want us to
go to the Book of Acts 3,
00:19:27.40\00:19:29.90
we're gonna pick up in a story.
00:19:29.93\00:19:31.97
In Acts 3,
00:19:32.00\00:19:33.87
it was the Apostle Peter
anointed by the Holy Spirit
00:19:33.90\00:19:37.11
unto what is
termed the early rain.
00:19:37.14\00:19:40.08
The Spirit of God
came down upon Peter
00:19:40.11\00:19:41.78
and the other brethren.
00:19:41.81\00:19:43.48
And as they were
anointed with God's spirit
00:19:43.51\00:19:45.81
to preach the word with
power as promised in Acts 1:8.
00:19:45.85\00:19:49.95
When they were there
preaching the Word of God
00:19:49.98\00:19:52.19
to all of these devout
Jews from all over the planet.
00:19:52.22\00:19:56.02
As they were giving the Word
of God to these individuals,
00:19:56.06\00:19:59.03
presenting truth in a
manner that they did not know
00:19:59.06\00:20:01.66
or nor understand it before.
00:20:01.70\00:20:03.53
As Peter was
giving this message,
00:20:03.57\00:20:05.47
he got to the
phase of his message
00:20:05.50\00:20:07.54
by which he was
giving an appeal.
00:20:07.57\00:20:10.37
And when he made his appeal,
00:20:10.41\00:20:12.41
I want you to
notice the very keywords
00:20:12.44\00:20:14.41
that are used in Acts 3:19-21,
00:20:14.44\00:20:17.88
we're gonna consider now
the key focus of the message.
00:20:17.91\00:20:20.58
He's bringing to a close
and as he gets to Acts 3,
00:20:20.62\00:20:24.05
notice what it says in
verses 19 and 21, 19-21.
00:20:24.09\00:20:28.89
He says, "Repent ye therefore,
00:20:28.92\00:20:31.99
and be converted,
00:20:32.03\00:20:33.80
that your sins
may be blotted out,
00:20:33.83\00:20:36.83
when the times of refreshing
00:20:36.87\00:20:38.37
shall come from the
presence of the Lord.
00:20:38.40\00:20:40.54
And he shall send Jesus Christ,
00:20:40.57\00:20:42.74
which before was
preached unto you.
00:20:42.77\00:20:44.97
Whom the heaven must receive
00:20:45.01\00:20:47.14
until the times of
restitution of all things,
00:20:47.18\00:20:50.75
which God hath
spoken by the mouth of,
00:20:50.78\00:20:52.71
how many, all his holy
prophets since the world began."
00:20:52.75\00:20:58.85
Stop, notice,
00:20:58.89\00:21:01.72
I started our subject by
talking about an interaction
00:21:01.76\00:21:04.03
I had with a
man who was involved
00:21:04.06\00:21:05.76
in a very dangerous
lifestyle of drug dealing.
00:21:05.79\00:21:08.26
He made it clear
that he did not believe
00:21:08.30\00:21:09.66
in the Word of God, he
did not believe in God.
00:21:09.70\00:21:12.23
As we began to talk,
00:21:12.27\00:21:13.74
one of the key obstacles for him
00:21:13.77\00:21:16.07
was that he did not
believe in God or the Bible
00:21:16.10\00:21:18.84
because it did
not explain things
00:21:18.87\00:21:20.24
that he felt the
Bible should have explained.
00:21:20.28\00:21:23.18
So now I had to become
an educator to my brother
00:21:23.21\00:21:26.61
and to help him
understand the great theme
00:21:26.65\00:21:29.72
or focus of the Bible
00:21:29.75\00:21:31.25
so he can understand why
certain information is there
00:21:31.29\00:21:34.32
and certain information is not.
00:21:34.36\00:21:36.93
So we began by
looking at the fact
00:21:36.96\00:21:38.89
that how did the
scriptures come to us.
00:21:38.93\00:21:41.43
Well, we saw through the
words of the Apostle Peter
00:21:41.46\00:21:43.63
that the scriptures
came to us as a result
00:21:43.67\00:21:46.37
of being a more
sure word of prophecy
00:21:46.40\00:21:48.74
than even being an eyewitness
which is very encouraging.
00:21:48.77\00:21:51.57
He then said, "And
when the scriptures came,
00:21:51.61\00:21:54.08
it didn't come by
private interpretation
00:21:54.11\00:21:56.34
or independent man's will,
00:21:56.38\00:21:58.75
it came by the
movement of the Holy Spirit,
00:21:58.78\00:22:02.25
which we went to 2 Timothy 3
00:22:02.28\00:22:03.69
and saw that the
movement of the Holy Spirit
00:22:03.72\00:22:05.75
is the inspiration of God.
00:22:05.79\00:22:08.19
And the inspiration
of God is God breathing
00:22:08.22\00:22:11.56
of which we went to 2 Samuel 23
00:22:11.59\00:22:13.53
and saw that God
breathing means God was talking.
00:22:13.56\00:22:17.00
God was giving His words
to the minds of humanity.
00:22:17.03\00:22:20.74
The minds of
humanity would speak His words
00:22:20.77\00:22:22.84
and then the
words were written down
00:22:22.87\00:22:24.97
and that's what we have today.
00:22:25.01\00:22:26.78
Then we said, well,
00:22:26.81\00:22:28.14
what's the theme of these words?
00:22:28.18\00:22:30.65
What's the key focal point?
00:22:30.68\00:22:32.01
So we look at this
appeal point of Peter sermon
00:22:32.05\00:22:35.58
when Peter began to tell
the people very step by steps
00:22:35.62\00:22:40.26
of what they need to do
00:22:40.29\00:22:41.66
as a result of
hearing the gospel,
00:22:41.69\00:22:43.86
but I want you to
focus on what was the focus
00:22:43.89\00:22:46.43
of the writing
of all the prophets
00:22:46.46\00:22:48.23
because that's the theme.
00:22:48.26\00:22:49.66
Notice what it
said, it said in verse 19
00:22:49.70\00:22:51.83
that people need to repent,
00:22:51.87\00:22:53.34
but isn't there something
you have to do after that?
00:22:53.37\00:22:55.50
Yes, first you had to repent.
00:22:55.54\00:22:57.77
Then what came after repentance?
00:22:57.81\00:22:59.37
Then it said conversion.
00:22:59.41\00:23:00.74
What comes after conversion?
00:23:00.78\00:23:02.28
Sins being blotted out.
00:23:02.31\00:23:03.78
When are the sins blotted out?
00:23:03.81\00:23:05.65
When the times of
refreshing shall come
00:23:05.68\00:23:07.12
from the presence of the Lord.
00:23:07.15\00:23:09.48
But then what happens
after the times of refreshing?
00:23:09.52\00:23:10.95
And then they
shall send Jesus Christ
00:23:10.99\00:23:12.99
which before was
preached unto you.
00:23:13.02\00:23:14.79
But what happens
after Jesus Christ comes
00:23:14.82\00:23:17.69
of whom He was before preached?
00:23:17.73\00:23:19.29
It says, "That ultimately
we must get to something called
00:23:19.33\00:23:23.16
the times of
restitution of all things.
00:23:23.20\00:23:28.27
That is the end result of
what God wants to accomplish.
00:23:28.30\00:23:32.37
God is not satisfied
with just repentance.
00:23:32.41\00:23:35.08
God is not satisfied
with just conversation,
00:23:35.11\00:23:37.61
God is not satisfied just
with the blotting out of sins
00:23:37.65\00:23:40.18
when the times
of refreshing comes,
00:23:40.22\00:23:41.65
God is not satisfied
simply that Jesus comes back.
00:23:41.68\00:23:44.92
God is only satisfied
when everything is restored
00:23:44.95\00:23:48.89
back to the way
00:23:48.92\00:23:50.26
He set it up in the first place.
00:23:50.29\00:23:52.26
That's the end result.
00:23:52.29\00:23:53.70
I have a dear friend
of mine who always said,
00:23:53.73\00:23:55.30
always think
with the end in mind.
00:23:55.33\00:23:58.60
When you function in
life, you always think
00:23:58.63\00:24:00.24
what's the end result
of what I'm about to do?
00:24:00.27\00:24:02.80
You never make a move,
you never make a decision
00:24:02.84\00:24:05.77
and minister should
not even preach a message
00:24:05.81\00:24:07.64
if it does not
meet that end result.
00:24:07.68\00:24:11.11
What is the end result?
00:24:11.15\00:24:12.48
God says, "I want
to restore everything
00:24:12.51\00:24:16.28
back to its original course."
00:24:16.32\00:24:19.22
That's the great goal of God.
00:24:19.25\00:24:20.59
That's the great
goal of the gospel.
00:24:20.62\00:24:21.96
That's the great
goal of the first, second
00:24:21.99\00:24:23.32
and third angel's message.
00:24:23.36\00:24:24.69
That is the goal of the church
00:24:24.73\00:24:26.06
is to be
instruments in God's hands
00:24:26.09\00:24:28.93
that the ultimate goal
00:24:28.96\00:24:31.37
shall be accomplished.
00:24:31.40\00:24:34.77
And so God says,
00:24:34.80\00:24:36.14
"I want to get
everything restored back
00:24:36.17\00:24:37.87
to the blueprint if you will,
00:24:37.91\00:24:39.61
right back to the way
that he made everything.
00:24:39.64\00:24:41.64
And now my brothers and sisters,
00:24:41.68\00:24:43.01
this becomes a very
important point for us.
00:24:43.04\00:24:45.25
Because there's a lot of
things happening in our world
00:24:45.28\00:24:49.12
but they don't, and I'm
talking about good things,
00:24:49.15\00:24:51.45
there's a lot of good things
that are happening in our world
00:24:51.49\00:24:54.46
even in the church
but the question is,
00:24:54.49\00:24:57.23
is it designed to bring about
the restitution of all things?
00:24:57.26\00:25:02.00
You know, we have to understand
that the great work of God,
00:25:02.03\00:25:04.53
the great work of the gospel
00:25:04.57\00:25:06.40
is that God wants everything
00:25:06.43\00:25:08.50
as He planned it
to be restored back.
00:25:08.54\00:25:10.91
And this is important for us
because I used to say something
00:25:10.94\00:25:14.24
that I would imagine a lot
of you have said at one point
00:25:14.28\00:25:17.11
I've heard minister
say it a lot of times
00:25:17.15\00:25:19.15
and I would imagine
everybody who says it,
00:25:19.18\00:25:21.12
says it innocently.
00:25:21.15\00:25:23.12
Sometimes you're
working with young people,
00:25:23.15\00:25:24.65
I'll highlight young people,
00:25:24.69\00:25:26.22
and sometimes when you're
working with young people,
00:25:26.25\00:25:28.19
you know, you want to talk
about helping them understand
00:25:28.22\00:25:31.76
who they are and whose they are.
00:25:31.79\00:25:35.20
And one of the things
that often will be stated
00:25:35.23\00:25:37.30
especially to young people,
00:25:37.33\00:25:38.67
especially if
they're in the world
00:25:38.70\00:25:40.04
and you're trying to
bring them to Christ,
00:25:40.07\00:25:41.40
is you want to
help them understand,
00:25:41.44\00:25:42.77
don't you know that you
were made in God's image?
00:25:42.80\00:25:45.41
Don't you know that
God made you in His image
00:25:45.44\00:25:48.34
and you are a
representation of a king
00:25:48.38\00:25:50.75
and royalty and
all these things.
00:25:50.78\00:25:52.65
And I used to say
that, people said that to me.
00:25:52.68\00:25:55.32
But do you know I found out that
00:25:55.35\00:25:56.69
that is not holistically true.
00:25:56.72\00:26:00.26
And I used to say
this all the time,
00:26:00.29\00:26:01.62
we are made in God's image.
00:26:01.66\00:26:04.96
Now let me show
you why I believe that,
00:26:04.99\00:26:06.43
that is not a
holistically accurate statement.
00:26:06.46\00:26:10.17
Go to the Book of Genesis.
00:26:10.20\00:26:11.53
Let's go back to the beginning
because if we're gonna,
00:26:11.57\00:26:13.37
if things are gonna be restored,
00:26:13.40\00:26:15.30
you have to
know what to restore.
00:26:15.34\00:26:17.87
You know, you
can't, you can't just say,
00:26:17.91\00:26:19.31
let's restore everything
because you need to know
00:26:19.34\00:26:21.41
what the thing is
that needs to be restored.
00:26:21.44\00:26:23.24
So let's go back to
the beginning of time
00:26:23.28\00:26:25.91
and let's look at the
Bible a bit more carefully,
00:26:25.95\00:26:28.68
and let's understand
what God wants to restore.
00:26:28.72\00:26:32.35
Because remember, time is
the restitution of all things
00:26:32.39\00:26:34.96
was the focus of the writings
of all the holy prophets,
00:26:34.99\00:26:37.83
it's the theme of the Bible.
00:26:37.86\00:26:39.36
But what is the thing
that God wants to restore,
00:26:39.39\00:26:41.96
that has not
been identified yet.
00:26:42.00\00:26:43.77
So now let's go to
the Book of Genesis 1,
00:26:43.80\00:26:45.63
so we go back to Genesis.
00:26:45.67\00:26:47.57
We're in Genesis 1,
00:26:47.60\00:26:48.94
we're considering what is
it that God wants to restore
00:26:48.97\00:26:55.44
because whatever
He wants to restore
00:26:55.48\00:26:56.81
that should be the
focus of the church.
00:26:56.85\00:26:58.18
Whatever He wants to restore,
00:26:58.21\00:26:59.71
that should be the
focus of the every sermon.
00:26:59.75\00:27:01.68
Whatever God wants to restore,
00:27:01.72\00:27:03.18
that should be the
focus of every ministry.
00:27:03.22\00:27:05.95
Doesn't matter,
the goal is restoration
00:27:05.99\00:27:10.39
and He wants everything restored
00:27:10.43\00:27:12.16
which by the way
is the work of Elijah.
00:27:12.19\00:27:15.03
But now watch
this, in Genesis 1,
00:27:15.06\00:27:17.10
notice what the
Bible says in Genesis 1,
00:27:17.13\00:27:18.60
we're going to consider,
00:27:18.63\00:27:19.97
right there in
the beginning of time.
00:27:20.00\00:27:21.44
Genesis 1:26,
00:27:21.47\00:27:23.77
when God got to the
crowning of His creation
00:27:23.81\00:27:27.01
which was humanity.
00:27:27.04\00:27:29.04
You'll notice that the
Bible says in Genesis 1:26,
00:27:29.08\00:27:32.01
"And God said, Let us
make man in our image,
00:27:32.05\00:27:36.95
after our likeness:
00:27:36.99\00:27:39.59
and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
00:27:39.62\00:27:41.49
and over the fowl of the air,
00:27:41.52\00:27:42.86
and over the cattle,
and over all the earth,
00:27:42.89\00:27:44.23
and over every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth."
00:27:44.26\00:27:46.46
So as a result it's very simple,
00:27:46.49\00:27:49.36
as a result of man
being made in God's image
00:27:49.40\00:27:52.30
and likeness he had dominion.
00:27:52.33\00:27:54.90
You get that?
00:27:54.94\00:27:56.27
Mankind cannot have dominion
00:27:56.30\00:27:58.27
until his image and
likeness is restored.
00:27:58.31\00:28:00.48
There are people trying
to have dominion right now.
00:28:00.51\00:28:02.38
These people have
these dominion ministries.
00:28:02.41\00:28:04.75
You know, dominion
ministries, dominion kingdoms
00:28:04.78\00:28:06.75
and, and we talk
about all these things
00:28:06.78\00:28:08.38
and we want to have dominion
00:28:08.42\00:28:10.05
but we don't
want to have the image
00:28:10.09\00:28:11.42
and likeness of
God, that is ridiculous.
00:28:11.45\00:28:13.42
That is counterproductive,
that is out of gospel order.
00:28:13.46\00:28:16.83
The Bible lets us know that
00:28:16.86\00:28:18.23
the dominion comes as a result
of that which was previous.
00:28:18.26\00:28:22.06
First, man was made in the image
00:28:22.10\00:28:23.47
and likeness of God,
and as a result of that
00:28:23.50\00:28:25.87
he had dominion, all right?
00:28:25.90\00:28:27.60
So if we want to
see things in order,
00:28:27.64\00:28:30.01
then we must understand
00:28:30.04\00:28:31.37
that God in the
beginning of time,
00:28:31.41\00:28:33.58
we were made in
God's image and likeness.
00:28:33.61\00:28:37.48
Now that means that we had
actually a physiology like God
00:28:37.51\00:28:42.48
as well as a mindset like God.
00:28:42.52\00:28:43.85
If you look up those words
00:28:43.89\00:28:45.22
image and
likeness in their original,
00:28:45.25\00:28:46.65
it deals not just
with mindset like God.
00:28:46.69\00:28:49.92
It actually deals
with a physiology like God.
00:28:49.96\00:28:52.89
That's why sometimes you read
the Bible and it talk about,
00:28:52.93\00:28:54.83
you know, God has eyes,
00:28:54.86\00:28:56.20
He has hands etcetera and so on.
00:28:56.23\00:28:58.43
All right, well,
after man sinned,
00:28:58.47\00:29:01.37
I'm gonna fast forward
because remember what I said,
00:29:01.40\00:29:03.84
I said that when we tell people
that they're made in the image
00:29:03.87\00:29:06.91
and likeness of God
today in 2016, 2017 and beyond,
00:29:06.94\00:29:10.88
when we tell people that,
00:29:10.91\00:29:12.91
we have to understand
is that holistically true.
00:29:12.95\00:29:16.25
Well, let's consider it.
00:29:16.28\00:29:17.62
Genesis 5, in Genesis 5
after Adam and Eve sinned,
00:29:17.65\00:29:22.82
there was literally a change
00:29:22.86\00:29:25.49
in the very
structure of humanity.
00:29:25.53\00:29:28.33
And so notice what the
Bible says in Genesis 5,
00:29:28.36\00:29:30.40
look at what it says.
00:29:30.43\00:29:31.77
In Genesis 5:1 to
3, the Bible says,
00:29:31.80\00:29:34.87
"This is the book of
the generations of Adam.
00:29:34.90\00:29:38.24
In the day that God created man,
00:29:38.27\00:29:40.58
in the likeness
of God made he him.
00:29:40.61\00:29:43.98
Male and female created he them,
00:29:44.01\00:29:46.92
and blessed them, and
called their name Adam,
00:29:46.95\00:29:49.75
in the day when
they were created."
00:29:49.78\00:29:51.15
Now watch verse
3, this is after sin.
00:29:51.19\00:29:53.49
"And Adam lived a
hundred and thirty years,
00:29:53.52\00:29:56.29
and begat a son in,
what, his own likeness,
00:29:56.32\00:30:02.13
after his image, and
called his name Seth."
00:30:02.16\00:30:08.20
The Bible declares that
once Adam and Eve sinned,
00:30:08.24\00:30:12.17
mankind was no longer
simply born in the world
00:30:12.21\00:30:14.88
with the image
and likeness of God,
00:30:14.91\00:30:16.28
but we were born in
the world with the image
00:30:16.31\00:30:18.01
and likeness of Adam,
00:30:18.05\00:30:20.95
and that's why true
biblical Christianity
00:30:20.98\00:30:25.32
is a message not
simply, watch my words.
00:30:25.35\00:30:28.46
It is a message not
simply of redemption.
00:30:28.49\00:30:34.80
But true biblical Christianity
00:30:34.83\00:30:37.13
is inclusive of a
message of redemption
00:30:37.17\00:30:40.07
but also restoration.
00:30:40.10\00:30:43.71
Do you get that?
00:30:43.74\00:30:45.41
Now, my brother and sisters,
00:30:45.44\00:30:46.78
if we're made today
00:30:46.81\00:30:48.14
in the image
and likeness of God,
00:30:48.18\00:30:49.51
then what does
God need to restore?
00:30:49.54\00:30:52.61
He doesn't need
to restore anything
00:30:52.65\00:30:53.98
because the whole focus of God
00:30:54.02\00:30:55.42
is to restore His
image and likeness.
00:30:55.45\00:31:00.16
And so when I tell
young people today,
00:31:00.19\00:31:01.59
oh, I'm not gonna tell them,
00:31:01.62\00:31:02.96
you are in the
image and likeness of God.
00:31:02.99\00:31:05.36
We have remnants of
the reflection of the image
00:31:05.39\00:31:07.76
and likeness of God, but
we have great polarization
00:31:07.80\00:31:11.03
of the image and
likeness of Adam.
00:31:11.07\00:31:14.17
We have his nature.
00:31:14.20\00:31:15.60
We have his fallen nature.
00:31:15.64\00:31:18.37
We have his characteristics now.
00:31:18.41\00:31:20.68
And therefore the
goal of the gospel
00:31:20.71\00:31:23.24
is that we might
receive a message
00:31:23.28\00:31:25.61
by which it is restorative
00:31:25.65\00:31:28.78
to the image
and likeness of God.
00:31:28.82\00:31:33.76
Now there is
something we need to understand
00:31:33.79\00:31:36.56
about that image and likeness.
00:31:36.59\00:31:38.36
Because to say
image and likeness
00:31:38.39\00:31:40.03
is still is not
explanatory enough.
00:31:40.06\00:31:42.16
If I say what does the image
and likeness of God look like?
00:31:42.20\00:31:44.33
How does it, how
does it function?
00:31:44.37\00:31:45.83
We don't know yet, do we?
00:31:45.87\00:31:47.27
Not what we studied thus far.
00:31:47.30\00:31:48.67
We just know that man was made
00:31:48.70\00:31:50.04
in the image
and likeness of God,
00:31:50.07\00:31:51.51
but we need to
know what's that like,
00:31:51.54\00:31:53.24
because the Bible
make something else clear
00:31:53.27\00:31:55.28
when we go to Genesis 2.
00:31:55.31\00:31:57.85
So now I go to Genesis
2, watch the story here.
00:31:57.88\00:32:00.22
So in Genesis 2 this
is obviously before sin,
00:32:00.25\00:32:03.22
before the fall.
00:32:03.25\00:32:04.59
This is when they did have
the image and likeness of God.
00:32:04.62\00:32:07.72
I will submit unto you that
the image and likeness of God
00:32:07.76\00:32:11.73
had to in some shape,
form or size have a function.
00:32:11.76\00:32:15.86
Listen to my words carefully,
have a function like clothing.
00:32:15.90\00:32:20.04
It had a function like
clothing, was a covering
00:32:20.07\00:32:21.60
of some kind and I'll
prove that, watch this.
00:32:21.64\00:32:24.47
In Genesis 2, look
at what the Bible says
00:32:24.51\00:32:26.68
as we go to verses
20 to 25, all right?
00:32:26.71\00:32:29.71
Adam is by himself
00:32:29.74\00:32:31.48
and Adam is probably
having some issues right here
00:32:31.51\00:32:34.78
because God has given
Adam the job of naming animals,
00:32:34.82\00:32:38.89
and I would imagine in my mind
00:32:38.92\00:32:40.66
that as Adam is
naming the animals,
00:32:40.69\00:32:42.72
he is going through
something at some point
00:32:42.76\00:32:45.36
as he's doing some
comparative thought,
00:32:45.39\00:32:47.43
watch what I mean.
00:32:47.46\00:32:48.80
In verse 20 it
says, "And Adam gave names
00:32:48.83\00:32:51.07
to all cattle, and
to the fowl of the air,
00:32:51.10\00:32:53.90
and to every beast of the field,
00:32:53.94\00:32:55.37
but for Adam there was not
found an helpmeet for him."
00:32:55.40\00:32:58.44
Now that verse I believe
was put there on purpose,
00:32:58.47\00:33:01.98
because if there is
one thing that is for sure,
00:33:02.01\00:33:06.25
God's original
design for Adam and Eve
00:33:06.28\00:33:08.18
was to be
fruitful and to multiply
00:33:08.22\00:33:11.05
but it wasn't just Adam and Eve,
00:33:11.09\00:33:12.82
it was also the animal creation.
00:33:12.85\00:33:14.66
Now to be fruitful and multiply,
00:33:14.69\00:33:16.12
you have to have a
partner, is that right?
00:33:16.16\00:33:18.43
You're not gonna
do it by yourself.
00:33:18.46\00:33:19.93
We still haven't figure that
one out, at least not fully,
00:33:19.96\00:33:22.16
and so it is that
there had to be a partner
00:33:22.20\00:33:24.27
so Adam is naming,
00:33:24.30\00:33:25.63
Mr. Giraffe, Mrs. Giraffe,
00:33:25.67\00:33:27.90
Mr. Rhinoceros, Mrs. Rhinoceros,
00:33:27.94\00:33:30.57
Mr. Trout, Mrs. Trout,
00:33:30.61\00:33:32.87
Mr. Eagle, Mrs. Eagle.
00:33:32.91\00:33:34.71
So Adam is naming all
these animal creations
00:33:34.74\00:33:36.85
and then I can
imagine him going to that
00:33:36.88\00:33:38.21
crystal clear water
00:33:38.25\00:33:39.58
and he's looking by that
water, by the River Euphrates
00:33:39.61\00:33:41.55
and he's looking and
seen a reflection of himself
00:33:41.58\00:33:43.52
and he's
saying, "Adam and Adam".
00:33:43.55\00:33:47.12
And you can imagine that Adam
is having a problem right now
00:33:47.16\00:33:49.19
'cause he's noticing
there is all these pairs,
00:33:49.22\00:33:51.73
but there is no
helpmeet for him.
00:33:51.76\00:33:54.10
And so as Adam sees this,
00:33:54.13\00:33:56.33
God now allows Adam to
take a very sweet power nap.
00:33:56.36\00:34:02.00
And so what the
Bible says in verse 21,
00:34:02.04\00:34:03.81
"And the Lord God caused a
deep sleep to fall upon Adam,
00:34:03.84\00:34:06.64
and he slept: and he
took one of his ribs,
00:34:06.68\00:34:08.98
and closed up the
flesh instead thereof.
00:34:09.01\00:34:10.88
And the rib, which the
Lord God had taken from man,
00:34:10.91\00:34:13.48
made he a woman, praise God,
and brought her unto the man.
00:34:13.52\00:34:18.25
And Adam said, 'This
is now bone of my bones,
00:34:18.29\00:34:20.39
and flesh of my flesh:
she shall be called Woman,
00:34:20.42\00:34:23.73
because she was
taken out of Man.
00:34:23.76\00:34:25.96
Therefore shall a man
leave his father and his mother,
00:34:25.99\00:34:28.16
and shall cleave unto his wife:
and they shall be one flesh."
00:34:28.20\00:34:30.87
And I love verse 25, it
says, "And they were both naked,
00:34:30.90\00:34:35.70
the man and his wife,
and were not ashamed."
00:34:35.74\00:34:40.48
And you have to understand
that's a strange statement
00:34:40.51\00:34:41.98
in the Bible.
00:34:42.01\00:34:43.55
For them to both be
naked and not ashamed,
00:34:43.58\00:34:46.28
that's a strange statement
00:34:46.31\00:34:47.65
because it doesn't
follow the theme of scripture.
00:34:47.68\00:34:49.28
When you go to Isaiah 47:1-3,
00:34:49.32\00:34:52.65
you see that
nakedness and shame go together.
00:34:52.69\00:34:55.96
When you go to Revelation 3:18,
00:34:55.99\00:34:59.23
again you'll see
nakedness and shame go together.
00:34:59.26\00:35:01.96
It's a shameful
thing in our day and age,
00:35:02.00\00:35:04.63
when a man and a woman
reveals their nakedness
00:35:04.67\00:35:07.40
before whole bunch of people
00:35:07.44\00:35:08.77
that's none of their business
00:35:08.80\00:35:10.14
to know what
their bodies look like.
00:35:10.17\00:35:11.51
And so in the mind of God,
00:35:11.54\00:35:12.87
he actually shows
00:35:12.91\00:35:14.24
that nakedness and shame go
together but in Genesis 2:25
00:35:14.28\00:35:17.65
they're naked but
they're not ashamed.
00:35:17.68\00:35:19.78
Now that's not too
hard for us to figure out,
00:35:19.81\00:35:22.82
because right now all of
us in this room we are naked
00:35:22.85\00:35:28.06
and we are not
ashamed, you know why?
00:35:28.09\00:35:29.92
I'm naked before you right now,
00:35:29.96\00:35:31.29
and I'm not
talking about spiritually,
00:35:31.33\00:35:32.66
I'm talking about physically.
00:35:32.69\00:35:34.03
I'm naked before you right now,
00:35:34.06\00:35:35.40
but I'm not ashamed,
and the reason why is
00:35:35.43\00:35:37.27
because I have
something covering my nakedness
00:35:37.30\00:35:39.27
and it's call clothing.
00:35:39.30\00:35:41.67
I'm naked under this but
as long as I have clothing,
00:35:41.70\00:35:44.81
I'm not ashamed.
00:35:44.84\00:35:46.17
There is something
covering my nakedness.
00:35:46.21\00:35:50.68
And so was Adam and Eve,
00:35:50.71\00:35:52.05
they were naked but
they were not ashamed,
00:35:52.08\00:35:54.05
and I'll submit unto
you the reason why was
00:35:54.08\00:35:55.95
because there were something
00:35:55.98\00:35:58.35
that was
covering their nakedness.
00:35:58.39\00:36:01.72
And I know this to be so
because now watch Genesis 3.
00:36:01.76\00:36:07.26
When you pick up in
the story in Genesis 3,
00:36:07.30\00:36:09.30
what does the Bible say?
00:36:09.33\00:36:10.67
It says, "Now when
the serpent was more,
00:36:10.70\00:36:12.07
now the serpent was more subtle
than any beast of the field
00:36:12.10\00:36:15.20
which the Lord God had made.
00:36:15.24\00:36:16.57
And he said unto the
woman, Yea, hath God said,
00:36:16.60\00:36:19.61
Ye shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?
00:36:19.64\00:36:21.74
And the woman
said unto the serpent,
00:36:21.78\00:36:23.41
'We may eat of the fruit
of the trees of the garden.
00:36:23.45\00:36:25.71
But of the fruit of the tree
00:36:25.75\00:36:27.08
which is in the
midst of the garden,
00:36:27.12\00:36:28.45
God has said, 'Ye
shall not eat of it,
00:36:28.48\00:36:29.82
neither shall ye
touch it, lest ye die.'
00:36:29.85\00:36:31.55
And the serpent
said unto the woman,
00:36:31.59\00:36:32.92
'Ye shall not surely die.
00:36:32.95\00:36:34.49
For God doth know that
in the day ye eat thereof,
00:36:34.52\00:36:36.36
then your eyes shall be opened,
00:36:36.39\00:36:37.73
ye shall be as God's,
knowing good and evil.'
00:36:37.76\00:36:40.63
When the woman saw that
the tree was good for food,
00:36:40.66\00:36:42.86
that it was
pleasant to the eyes,
00:36:42.90\00:36:44.33
and a tree to be
desired to make one wise,
00:36:44.37\00:36:46.94
she took of the
fruit thereof, and did eat,
00:36:46.97\00:36:49.40
and gave also unto her husband
with her, and he did eat."
00:36:49.44\00:36:51.74
Watch verse 7,
00:36:51.77\00:36:53.11
"And the eyes of
them both were opened,
00:36:53.14\00:36:57.45
and they knew
something, what did they know?
00:36:57.48\00:36:59.98
They knew that they were naked,
00:37:00.02\00:37:03.49
and they sewed
fig leaves together,
00:37:03.52\00:37:05.22
and made themselves aprons."
00:37:05.25\00:37:07.22
Now that's a significant point.
00:37:07.26\00:37:09.92
Adam and Eve,
when they were made
00:37:09.96\00:37:11.29
in the image and likeness
of God, they had a covering,
00:37:11.33\00:37:14.70
and that covering enabled them
to be naked but not ashamed.
00:37:14.73\00:37:19.93
When they committed
one sin, don't lose that,
00:37:19.97\00:37:24.71
please don't lose that.
00:37:24.74\00:37:26.37
When they committed one sin,
00:37:26.41\00:37:30.51
they lost their covering
00:37:30.55\00:37:35.22
and now their eyes are open
00:37:35.25\00:37:36.85
and they now know
that they're naked.
00:37:36.89\00:37:39.69
And they see a need for covering
00:37:39.72\00:37:42.49
and they look to
self to cover themselves.
00:37:42.52\00:37:46.59
They sewed fig leaves together
and made themselves aprons.
00:37:46.63\00:37:50.67
Well, we know the effect of this
00:37:50.70\00:37:52.03
because it says in
verses 8 to 10 of Genesis 3,
00:37:52.07\00:37:55.00
"And they heard the
voice of the Lord God
00:37:55.04\00:37:56.37
walking in the garden
in the cool of the day,
00:37:56.40\00:37:58.37
and Adam and his
wife hid themselves
00:37:58.41\00:37:59.81
from the
presence of the Lord God
00:37:59.84\00:38:01.28
amongst the trees of the garden.
00:38:01.31\00:38:02.81
And the Lord God called
unto Adam, and said unto him,
00:38:02.84\00:38:04.88
Where art thou?
00:38:04.91\00:38:06.25
And he said, I heard
thy voice in the garden,
00:38:06.28\00:38:07.88
and I was afraid,
00:38:07.92\00:38:09.32
because I was
naked, and I hid myself."
00:38:09.35\00:38:13.72
Notice that in Genesis 2:25,
00:38:13.76\00:38:16.99
Adam and Eve are
naked and not ashamed.
00:38:17.03\00:38:20.93
By Genesis 3:10,
00:38:20.96\00:38:24.00
now Adam and Eve
are naked and ashamed.
00:38:24.03\00:38:28.60
There is something Adam
and Eve had in Genesis 2:25
00:38:28.64\00:38:34.44
that they lost by Genesis 3:10
00:38:34.48\00:38:38.98
that God's whole
theme of the Bible
00:38:39.01\00:38:42.38
is getting that thing
restored back to mankind
00:38:42.42\00:38:46.65
because when it is
restored back to mankind,
00:38:46.69\00:38:50.03
the image and likeness of
God will be perfectly reflected.
00:38:50.06\00:38:54.00
We need to find
out what that thing is.
00:38:54.03\00:38:58.53
What is the thing that Adam
and Eve had in Genesis 2:25,
00:38:58.57\00:39:02.80
it enabled them to be
naked and not ashamed.
00:39:02.84\00:39:05.04
But by Genesis 3:10
00:39:05.07\00:39:06.51
they're now naked
and they're ashamed,
00:39:06.54\00:39:07.88
they're hiding themselves.
00:39:07.91\00:39:09.24
There is something
they had but they lost it,
00:39:09.28\00:39:11.31
and God's design is to
bring it back, to restore it.
00:39:11.35\00:39:17.69
I wonder what it is.
00:39:17.72\00:39:19.75
Well, it's not
that hard you know.
00:39:19.79\00:39:21.92
Whenever I teach classes
and I go through these lessons
00:39:21.96\00:39:24.23
with missionaries, I
like to talk about it
00:39:24.26\00:39:25.83
and I let them go
ahead and rattle away,
00:39:25.86\00:39:27.63
and they'll say
all sorts of things.
00:39:27.66\00:39:29.00
Lot of people say,
oh, it's the light,
00:39:29.03\00:39:30.37
the light of God or
they'll say, oh, it's this
00:39:30.40\00:39:32.07
and that and you know,
they share lot of thoughts
00:39:32.10\00:39:33.87
and that's great.
00:39:33.90\00:39:35.24
And then I usually
ask this question next,
00:39:35.27\00:39:37.37
after they say oh, it was this,
it was that, it was the other,
00:39:37.41\00:39:40.81
I then say, okay, very good.
00:39:40.84\00:39:42.61
What Bible verse do you
have to support your answer?
00:39:42.64\00:39:46.48
And that's when it gets
very quiet like it is right now.
00:39:46.51\00:39:49.82
What Bible verse do you
have to support your answer?
00:39:49.85\00:39:52.69
And many a times they
don't have a Bible verse.
00:39:52.72\00:39:55.66
And if we don't
have a Bible verse
00:39:55.69\00:39:57.16
but we're still giving answers,
then it might be our opinion.
00:39:57.19\00:39:59.69
And I don't know about you
but everybody has an opinion
00:39:59.73\00:40:01.56
and who says your
opinion is above mine
00:40:01.60\00:40:03.13
and mine above yours.
00:40:03.16\00:40:04.63
Ministers are not
called to give our opinions,
00:40:04.67\00:40:06.53
we are called to give
the Word of God, amen?
00:40:06.57\00:40:08.24
All right.
00:40:08.27\00:40:09.60
So with that being stated,
00:40:09.64\00:40:10.97
we need to give the Word of God.
00:40:11.01\00:40:12.34
What is it that Adam
and Eve had in Genesis 2:25
00:40:12.37\00:40:16.71
that evidently was
lost by Genesis 3:10,
00:40:16.75\00:40:18.91
and now they're
hiding themselves
00:40:18.95\00:40:20.32
in their nakedness?
00:40:20.35\00:40:21.68
Well, the first
clue was in Genesis 1,
00:40:21.72\00:40:25.45
in Genesis 1:26,
did you catch it?
00:40:25.49\00:40:27.96
It said in Genesis 1:26,
00:40:27.99\00:40:30.19
"Let us make man in
our image and likeness."
00:40:30.23\00:40:34.03
So we agree that man had
not just a mindset like God
00:40:34.06\00:40:37.47
but a physical
structure like God.
00:40:37.50\00:40:39.53
Well, this is important
00:40:39.57\00:40:40.90
when we're talking
about covering, why?
00:40:40.94\00:40:42.87
Go to Psalms 104 division.
00:40:42.90\00:40:45.57
If you go to Psalms 104,
00:40:45.61\00:40:47.61
you'll notice
that there is something
00:40:47.64\00:40:50.35
that God Himself
actually covered Himself with
00:40:50.38\00:40:54.35
and He actually covered Himself
with something like clothing.
00:40:54.38\00:40:59.02
And I want you to see
what the Bible says about it.
00:40:59.05\00:41:00.92
So in Psalms the 104 division,
watch what the Bible says.
00:41:00.96\00:41:03.96
In Psalms 104
look at verses 1 and 2,
00:41:03.99\00:41:07.40
watch what God
covers Himself with,
00:41:07.43\00:41:10.17
literally like clothing.
00:41:10.20\00:41:13.67
The Bible says in Psalms 104:1,
"Bless the Lord, O my soul.
00:41:13.70\00:41:17.91
O Lord my God,
thou art very great,
00:41:17.94\00:41:19.81
thou art clothed
with honor and majesty.
00:41:19.84\00:41:22.68
Who covers thyself with," what?
00:41:22.71\00:41:25.51
Light, notice that,
00:41:25.55\00:41:27.05
"He covers himself with
light as with a garment:
00:41:27.08\00:41:31.15
who stretches out the
heavens like a curtain."
00:41:31.19\00:41:34.46
So the light is what God covers
Himself with like a garment
00:41:34.49\00:41:39.19
and it reveals
His glory and majesty.
00:41:39.23\00:41:42.50
But it reveals something else.
00:41:42.53\00:41:44.97
It reveals His glory
and majesty but it reveals
00:41:45.00\00:41:48.20
something else that's
very important to our study
00:41:48.24\00:41:50.34
because we need to get
to the theme of the Bible.
00:41:50.37\00:41:53.04
And so it is that
if God covered Himself
00:41:53.07\00:41:56.28
with light like clothing
00:41:56.31\00:41:57.91
and He made Adam and Eve
in His image and likeness,
00:41:57.95\00:42:02.05
then would we not
agree Adam and Eve
00:42:02.08\00:42:03.45
must've been covered with
light like clothing as well.
00:42:03.49\00:42:07.19
Wouldn't that be
a fair agreement?
00:42:07.22\00:42:08.56
Yes, it would.
00:42:08.59\00:42:09.92
If God covered Himself
with light like clothing,
00:42:09.96\00:42:12.83
then when He made Adam and
Eve in His image and likeness,
00:42:12.86\00:42:15.20
Adam and Eve were covered
with light like clothing.
00:42:15.23\00:42:18.70
Now here is a
question that might sound
00:42:18.73\00:42:20.07
super, super
simple and fundamental
00:42:20.10\00:42:22.10
but it actually make sense.
00:42:22.14\00:42:23.81
What is the purpose of light?
00:42:23.84\00:42:26.17
I just want you
to think about that,
00:42:26.21\00:42:27.54
what's the purpose of light?
00:42:27.58\00:42:28.91
We'll say things like
dispel darkness etcetera.
00:42:28.94\00:42:30.38
I'm gonna show you
what the purpose of light
00:42:30.41\00:42:31.81
is in Ephesians 5.
00:42:31.85\00:42:33.18
Go to Ephesians 5.
00:42:33.21\00:42:34.58
Because God covers
Himself with light,
00:42:34.62\00:42:36.58
and I believe any move
that God makes has deep purpose.
00:42:36.62\00:42:39.75
And so when God covers
Himself with something,
00:42:39.79\00:42:41.69
there was a purpose behind it.
00:42:41.72\00:42:43.06
When He covered Adam
and Eve with the same thing,
00:42:43.09\00:42:44.66
there was a purpose
behind it and the question is,
00:42:44.69\00:42:47.00
what is the purpose of light?
00:42:47.03\00:42:48.66
And so let's look at
the Book of Ephesians,
00:42:48.70\00:42:50.50
we're gonna consider Chapter 5
00:42:50.53\00:42:52.27
and we're gonna understand
the great purpose of light.
00:42:52.30\00:42:55.24
And notice what the Bible says.
00:42:55.27\00:42:57.24
In Ephesians 5, notice
00:42:57.27\00:42:59.67
what the Bible says in verse 13.
00:42:59.71\00:43:02.34
The Bible says
in Ephesians 5:13,
00:43:02.38\00:43:05.38
"But all things
that are reproved
00:43:05.41\00:43:07.52
are made manifest by the light:
00:43:07.55\00:43:09.92
for whatsoever doth
make manifest is light."
00:43:09.95\00:43:15.26
Did you catch that?
00:43:15.29\00:43:16.79
The purpose of light is
to make something manifest,
00:43:16.83\00:43:21.36
it is to make something known.
00:43:21.40\00:43:24.53
And the reason why
that's important to me
00:43:24.57\00:43:26.07
is because I
don't know about you
00:43:26.10\00:43:27.60
but a lot of people
struggle with Genesis 1
00:43:27.64\00:43:29.70
in the creation account,
00:43:29.74\00:43:31.27
because what's the first thing
00:43:31.31\00:43:33.07
that we read in
the creation account?
00:43:33.11\00:43:34.48
God said, "Let there be
light", but wait a minute.
00:43:34.51\00:43:38.88
On the fourth day, God
made sun, moon and stars.
00:43:38.91\00:43:42.62
So whatever light
00:43:42.65\00:43:44.19
God was talking about on
that first day of creation
00:43:44.22\00:43:46.39
is not the same light spoken of
on the fourth day of creation.
00:43:46.42\00:43:48.92
So whatever light
he was referring to
00:43:48.96\00:43:50.99
was not a light that
came from constellations.
00:43:51.03\00:43:54.66
It was a light that
was coming from Himself.
00:43:54.70\00:43:56.30
There were something
God wanted to make manifest
00:43:56.33\00:43:58.37
all throughout the universe.
00:43:58.40\00:44:00.24
And I wonder what it was.
00:44:00.27\00:44:02.17
And so we see
that God covers Himself
00:44:02.20\00:44:04.81
with light like clothing,
00:44:04.84\00:44:06.27
therefore when He
made Adam and Eve,
00:44:06.31\00:44:07.64
He covered them.
00:44:07.68\00:44:09.01
When Adam and Eve had the
image and likeness of God,
00:44:09.04\00:44:11.01
they were covered
with light like clothing.
00:44:11.05\00:44:13.98
So Adam and Eve
sinned, they lost the light.
00:44:14.02\00:44:19.22
And now their eyes are opened
00:44:19.25\00:44:20.92
and they know
their own nakedness,
00:44:20.96\00:44:22.86
their true condition.
00:44:22.89\00:44:25.36
Well, here it is that
the Bible makes it clear
00:44:25.39\00:44:27.10
that the purpose of light
is to make something manifest
00:44:27.13\00:44:29.10
and the question is,
00:44:29.13\00:44:30.47
what is it that the
light was to make manifest?
00:44:30.50\00:44:35.17
What is it that the
light was to make known?
00:44:35.20\00:44:38.57
Notice what the Bible
says in a wonderful story,
00:44:38.61\00:44:41.18
it is in the Book of Micah.
00:44:41.21\00:44:43.28
When you go to Micah 7,
00:44:43.31\00:44:45.58
Micah is
acknowledging the challenges
00:44:45.61\00:44:46.98
that he and his people faced
00:44:47.02\00:44:48.65
with the Assyrian Kingdom
00:44:48.68\00:44:50.39
and Micah recognizes his enemies
00:44:50.42\00:44:54.22
coming against him
00:44:54.26\00:44:55.59
but he also recognizes
his God of whom he can go to.
00:44:55.62\00:44:59.93
And the Bible says in Micah 7
00:44:59.96\00:45:02.46
and I want you
especially to consider verse 9.
00:45:02.50\00:45:05.77
Watch what the
Bible says in Micah,
00:45:05.80\00:45:07.47
we're looking at the 7th Chapter
00:45:07.50\00:45:09.37
and we're considering verse 9
00:45:09.40\00:45:11.01
when we're
entertaining the question
00:45:11.04\00:45:12.87
what is the purpose of light,
00:45:12.91\00:45:15.21
it is to make something manifest
00:45:15.24\00:45:17.01
and now what is the
light making manifest.
00:45:17.05\00:45:20.78
Micah 7:9, the Bible says,
00:45:20.82\00:45:24.05
"I will bear the
indignation of the Lord
00:45:24.09\00:45:27.82
because I have
sinned against him,
00:45:27.86\00:45:30.73
until he plead my cause
and execute judgment for me."
00:45:30.76\00:45:35.56
Watch this, "He will
bring me forth to the light
00:45:35.60\00:45:39.23
and I shall behold
his righteousness."
00:45:39.27\00:45:44.87
What is it that the
light was making manifest?
00:45:44.91\00:45:46.68
His righteousness.
00:45:46.71\00:45:51.28
When we come to
the light of God,
00:45:51.31\00:45:54.45
we will behold
His righteousness.
00:45:54.48\00:45:59.62
That is what the
light was making manifest.
00:45:59.65\00:46:04.09
And so it is and the
reason why this gets deep,
00:46:04.13\00:46:05.66
I got a second
witness, go to Psalms 37.
00:46:05.69\00:46:07.96
Watch again,
second witness, Psalms 37.
00:46:08.00\00:46:10.87
"The light makes
known God's righteousness."
00:46:10.90\00:46:15.57
Psalms 37
00:46:15.60\00:46:16.94
and notice what the
Bible says in Psalms 37:6,
00:46:16.97\00:46:19.74
second witness.
00:46:19.77\00:46:21.21
In Psalms the 37 division,
00:46:21.24\00:46:23.88
notice what it says
as we consider verse 6,
00:46:23.91\00:46:27.62
the Bible says,
00:46:27.65\00:46:28.98
"And he shall bring forth
thy righteousness as the light,
00:46:29.02\00:46:33.25
and thy
judgment as the noonday."
00:46:33.29\00:46:36.73
God's righteousness was
revealed through the light
00:46:36.76\00:46:41.66
and so when God
says, let there be light,
00:46:41.70\00:46:45.13
it was a manifestation
of His righteousness
00:46:45.17\00:46:46.67
going all
throughout the universe.
00:46:46.70\00:46:48.04
The whole
universe was to be governed
00:46:48.07\00:46:50.04
by righteousness.
00:46:50.07\00:46:51.57
Now that's not deep to
believe because go to Psalms 97,
00:46:51.61\00:46:55.71
if you go to Psalms 97,
00:46:55.74\00:46:57.08
you can see that this was
ultimately the desire of God
00:46:57.11\00:46:59.18
anyhow in
everything that He created.
00:46:59.21\00:47:01.08
In Psalms the 97th division,
00:47:01.12\00:47:02.85
watch how the Bible
spells it out again.
00:47:02.88\00:47:04.39
Psalms, we're
looking at Chapter 97
00:47:04.42\00:47:08.76
and look at what it says as
we looked at verses 1 and 2.
00:47:08.79\00:47:11.93
God wanted His
righteousness to be established
00:47:11.96\00:47:15.03
all throughout creation, why?
00:47:15.06\00:47:18.03
Notice what it
says in Psalms 97:1:2,
00:47:18.07\00:47:21.04
"The Lord reigneth,
let the earth rejoice,
00:47:21.07\00:47:23.51
let the multitude of
isles be glad thereof.
00:47:23.54\00:47:25.97
Clouds and darkness
are round about him:
00:47:26.01\00:47:28.51
righteousness and judgment
00:47:28.54\00:47:30.78
are the
habitation of his throne."
00:47:30.81\00:47:35.15
Literally righteousness is
how His throne is established,
00:47:35.18\00:47:39.12
His throne is
established upon righteousness.
00:47:39.15\00:47:41.49
And so when
God's throne in heaven
00:47:41.52\00:47:43.86
is established
upon righteousness,
00:47:43.89\00:47:45.29
when God created the universe,
00:47:45.33\00:47:46.66
He wanted the
universe to be established
00:47:46.70\00:47:48.03
in righteousness.
00:47:48.06\00:47:49.40
Righteousness,
God's righteousness
00:47:49.43\00:47:51.03
was to spread all
throughout existence.
00:47:51.07\00:47:55.87
So when God made man
00:47:55.90\00:47:57.77
His crowning act
of creating on earth,
00:47:57.81\00:48:00.94
God says, "I'm gonna cover
them with My righteousness."
00:48:00.98\00:48:04.71
And that's what Adam
and Eve were covered with,
00:48:04.75\00:48:07.15
and when Adam and Eve
chose to sin against God,
00:48:07.18\00:48:12.12
they lost righteousness.
00:48:12.15\00:48:15.39
You see a lot of
people don't understand this
00:48:15.42\00:48:16.76
but go to 1 John 5,
00:48:16.79\00:48:18.39
you see what
did Adam and Eve do?
00:48:18.43\00:48:20.13
Notice what it says in 1 John 5.
00:48:20.16\00:48:22.86
In 1 John 5, what
does the Bible say
00:48:22.90\00:48:25.27
as we consider verse 17?
00:48:25.30\00:48:27.60
The Bible says in 1 John 5:17,
00:48:27.64\00:48:30.91
it says, "All
unrighteousness is sin.
00:48:30.94\00:48:35.44
All unrighteousness is sin."
00:48:35.48\00:48:37.88
And so it is that
when God made man,
00:48:37.91\00:48:39.91
He covered mankind
with His righteousness,
00:48:39.95\00:48:43.35
but when man
chose unrighteousness,
00:48:43.39\00:48:45.29
when man chose to sin,
they lost God's righteousness.
00:48:45.32\00:48:49.56
Their eyes were now open
00:48:49.59\00:48:51.09
and they knew
that they were naked.
00:48:51.13\00:48:52.89
And therefore they
try to cover themselves.
00:48:52.93\00:48:57.00
The great theme of
the Bible is a plan
00:48:57.03\00:49:00.97
that God has put together
00:49:01.00\00:49:03.10
that He is going to
restore righteousness
00:49:03.14\00:49:07.88
back to His people.
00:49:07.91\00:49:10.61
When I was sitting
there with that drug dealer,
00:49:10.65\00:49:12.01
I told him I said, "My
brother, I said, you know,
00:49:12.05\00:49:13.38
what the great
theme of the Bible is?"
00:49:13.42\00:49:14.75
He said, "What's that,
after we did the study,
00:49:14.78\00:49:16.38
did the same
study with the brother.
00:49:16.42\00:49:18.02
I said, "My brother,
00:49:18.05\00:49:19.39
do you know
what God wants to do.
00:49:19.42\00:49:20.76
You want to know what
the theme of the Bible is?"
00:49:20.79\00:49:22.19
He says, "Yes, tell me."
00:49:22.22\00:49:23.56
I said, "It's
God's plan to help man
00:49:23.59\00:49:25.59
get His clothes back on."
00:49:25.63\00:49:28.56
And I remember he said,
00:49:28.60\00:49:29.93
"Man, I never heard
it like that before."
00:49:29.96\00:49:31.30
I said, "That's right."
00:49:31.33\00:49:32.67
The great theme of the Bible
is God has put a plan together
00:49:32.70\00:49:34.70
to help men get
his clothes back on
00:49:34.74\00:49:37.61
because right now we
have nakedness issue.
00:49:37.64\00:49:39.91
And we're not just talking
about breast and backside
00:49:39.94\00:49:41.68
that's been revealed,
00:49:41.71\00:49:43.04
we're talking about something
far more naked than that.
00:49:43.08\00:49:46.45
And that is the sinful condition
00:49:46.48\00:49:47.82
that all of us are in,
00:49:47.85\00:49:49.18
the unrighteousness condition
that we're in, the great focus,
00:49:49.22\00:49:52.39
the great theme of the
Bible is God wants to restore
00:49:52.42\00:49:57.73
His
righteousness back to humanity.
00:49:57.76\00:50:03.43
That's why, you see if a pyramid
00:50:03.47\00:50:05.63
could explain how I
could get God's righteousness,
00:50:05.67\00:50:07.94
I guarantee you God
would have explained it
00:50:07.97\00:50:10.21
as far as how it
become in the first place.
00:50:10.24\00:50:13.78
There are many things that
have been done in the world
00:50:13.81\00:50:15.51
that are very
amazing to the human eye,
00:50:15.54\00:50:17.68
but it does not help us
get one step closer to God
00:50:17.71\00:50:20.98
and His righteousness.
00:50:21.02\00:50:22.45
And so when the
Bible was put together
00:50:22.48\00:50:24.49
it is a 66 book compilation
by which God is showing mankind
00:50:24.52\00:50:28.59
how we can go from
an unrighteous state
00:50:28.62\00:50:30.96
to His righteous state.
00:50:30.99\00:50:34.70
And somebody
says righteous still
00:50:34.73\00:50:36.20
doesn't sound clear enough.
00:50:36.23\00:50:38.30
Righteousness is still
too broad, still too abstract.
00:50:38.33\00:50:41.17
Well, I believe God can
make it even more plain.
00:50:41.20\00:50:42.97
Go to Psalms 119, what
really is righteousness?
00:50:43.00\00:50:46.71
What is righteousness?
00:50:46.74\00:50:48.21
Someone may ask,
well, let's find out.
00:50:48.24\00:50:50.21
The Bible says in
Psalms, the 119th division
00:50:50.25\00:50:52.41
exactly what righteousness is.
00:50:52.45\00:50:56.08
And notice what the Bible says
in Psalms, the 119th division,
00:50:56.12\00:50:59.29
and I want you to see
what it says in Psalms 119
00:50:59.32\00:51:01.66
and we're going to
consider verse 172,
00:51:01.69\00:51:04.86
Psalms 119:172 and let's
notice what the Bible says,
00:51:04.89\00:51:11.00
in Psalms
119:172, the text says,
00:51:11.03\00:51:15.17
"My tongue shall
speak of thy word:
00:51:15.20\00:51:18.17
for all thy
commandments are righteousness."
00:51:18.21\00:51:24.25
Is that clear? Does that help?
00:51:24.28\00:51:28.28
All God's
commandments are righteousness,
00:51:28.32\00:51:31.32
and I believe
inspiration, put that word all,
00:51:31.35\00:51:35.02
I believe the Spirit of
God spoke the word all David,
00:51:35.06\00:51:39.79
because today we live in a world
00:51:39.83\00:51:41.16
where some people
say most commandments,
00:51:41.20\00:51:44.43
represents God's righteousness.
00:51:44.47\00:51:45.80
No, my brothers and sisters,
that's not what the Bible says.
00:51:45.83\00:51:48.60
The voice of God said,
00:51:48.64\00:51:50.11
"All thy
commandments are righteousness."
00:51:50.14\00:51:55.74
So that includes
seventh-day Sabbath,
00:51:55.78\00:51:57.91
that includes honor
thy father and thy mother,
00:51:57.95\00:51:59.95
that includes thou shalt
have no other gods before me,
00:51:59.98\00:52:02.25
that includes thou
shalt not commit adultery.
00:52:02.28\00:52:04.99
All thy
commandments are righteousness.
00:52:05.02\00:52:10.89
This is the great theme.
00:52:10.93\00:52:13.36
The great focus of the Bible.
00:52:13.40\00:52:15.96
God wants to bring man
back to His righteousness.
00:52:16.00\00:52:19.13
He wants to restore
00:52:19.17\00:52:21.67
His
righteousness back in humanity,
00:52:21.70\00:52:24.44
and we get a small picture of it
00:52:24.47\00:52:26.04
because the story
didn't end at Genesis 3:10.
00:52:26.07\00:52:28.98
Go back to Genesis 3,
00:52:29.01\00:52:30.35
let me show you a
closing point here.
00:52:30.38\00:52:31.75
In Genesis 3, yes, it is true.
00:52:31.78\00:52:34.98
When Adam and Eve
sinned, they lost righteousness.
00:52:35.02\00:52:37.82
You see when they were made,
00:52:37.85\00:52:39.19
they were covered
with God's righteousness
00:52:39.22\00:52:40.86
and God put the
clothing on them.
00:52:40.89\00:52:43.19
But then when
they fell into sin,
00:52:43.22\00:52:44.96
rather than repent they
went to their own righteousness
00:52:44.99\00:52:47.50
and they tried to make an apron.
00:52:47.53\00:52:48.86
Now I know about you
00:52:48.90\00:52:50.23
but you'll never
leave your home in an apron.
00:52:50.27\00:52:51.70
I hope you
wouldn't if you got sense
00:52:51.73\00:52:53.07
because aprons
reveal a lot of nakedness.
00:52:53.10\00:52:55.60
And so it is that
Adam and Eve are naked,
00:52:55.64\00:52:57.94
but they think
they're gonna put on
00:52:57.97\00:52:59.37
an apron to
cover their nakedness
00:52:59.41\00:53:01.71
but they were
too blind to realize
00:53:01.74\00:53:03.08
they were still naked.
00:53:03.11\00:53:04.45
Boy, does that
sound like humanity today?
00:53:04.48\00:53:07.72
And when you think about
it, if the truth be told,
00:53:07.75\00:53:10.69
we live in a country
00:53:10.72\00:53:12.65
where there's always
things talking and speaking of
00:53:12.69\00:53:16.19
in a political context.
00:53:16.22\00:53:18.06
You know, there's a lot
happening in politics often.
00:53:18.09\00:53:21.33
And generally the
idea is that in politics
00:53:21.36\00:53:25.03
there's always a politician
who wants to basically say,
00:53:25.07\00:53:27.97
we know how to
make things better,
00:53:28.00\00:53:29.34
we know how to help
things get stronger, etcetera.
00:53:29.37\00:53:32.11
And this is what we see in
the political realm for years
00:53:32.14\00:53:34.78
and not just years past,
but perhaps even years to come.
00:53:34.81\00:53:38.05
But the reality is,
is that did you know
00:53:38.08\00:53:40.42
that the Bible actually tells us
00:53:40.45\00:53:42.98
even how a nation can be great,
00:53:43.02\00:53:46.45
how a nation can be exalted.
00:53:46.49\00:53:48.26
And it's interesting
00:53:48.29\00:53:49.62
because it ties
directly into the very topic
00:53:49.66\00:53:52.69
we're discussing
right now, righteousness.
00:53:52.73\00:53:54.80
Notice what the Bible says
in the Book of Proverbs 14.
00:53:54.83\00:53:57.87
In Proverbs 14, I want you
to see what the Bible says.
00:53:57.90\00:54:00.90
You see no matter how much
we vowed or choose or decide
00:54:00.94\00:54:04.37
or elect different
individuals at various times
00:54:04.41\00:54:07.14
in our world history,
00:54:07.18\00:54:08.91
the standard of God's
word is always the same anytime
00:54:08.94\00:54:11.98
we seek to bring
God's country as we call it
00:54:12.01\00:54:15.65
to a, to an exalted state.
00:54:15.68\00:54:18.39
Notice what the
Bible says in Proverbs 14.
00:54:18.42\00:54:20.96
In Proverbs 14 consider
what it says in verse 34.
00:54:20.99\00:54:24.53
The Bible says
in Proverbs 14:34,
00:54:24.56\00:54:27.56
it says, "Righteousness
exalteth a nation,
00:54:27.60\00:54:32.93
but sin is a
reproach to any people."
00:54:32.97\00:54:36.77
You see if righteousness
is not the subject at hand
00:54:36.81\00:54:39.94
on how to make a nation great,
00:54:39.97\00:54:42.01
or how to make
a community great,
00:54:42.04\00:54:43.81
or how to make our
homes and our hearts great,
00:54:43.85\00:54:46.21
if righteousness is
not the central theme
00:54:46.25\00:54:49.35
and central subject,
00:54:49.38\00:54:51.72
we will be laboring in vain.
00:54:51.75\00:54:55.19
We might see
spurts here and there,
00:54:55.22\00:54:57.59
but we will never
see the fullness of
00:54:57.63\00:54:58.99
what God desires
00:54:59.03\00:55:00.36
because God wants to
restore righteousness.
00:55:00.40\00:55:04.77
And, my brothers and
sisters, the question is how?
00:55:04.80\00:55:07.20
We're unrighteous
00:55:07.24\00:55:09.07
and sometimes even our
more sincere righteous efforts
00:55:09.10\00:55:14.28
appears before
God as a filthy rag.
00:55:14.31\00:55:17.98
How do we do it?
00:55:18.01\00:55:19.35
The Bible is very simple.
00:55:19.38\00:55:21.08
It was in John 15,
00:55:21.12\00:55:23.15
that Jesus made a statement
that no other human being
00:55:23.18\00:55:27.56
can say in the
context of how Jesus said it.
00:55:27.59\00:55:31.39
The Bible says in John
15 as we prepare to close.
00:55:31.43\00:55:35.26
It says in John 15,
right there in verse 10,
00:55:35.30\00:55:40.44
Jesus makes a very
definite statement.
00:55:40.47\00:55:42.40
This is why I appeal
to you, it is sensible,
00:55:42.44\00:55:46.51
it's actually biblically logical
00:55:46.54\00:55:48.74
to look to Jesus
for righteousness.
00:55:48.78\00:55:51.88
You see we understood that
00:55:51.91\00:55:53.62
all God's
commandments are righteousness.
00:55:53.65\00:55:56.92
Psalms 119:172, well,
notice what Jesus says here
00:55:56.95\00:55:59.92
in John 15:10, Jesus says,
00:55:59.95\00:56:02.49
"If ye keep my commandments,
ye shall abide in my love,
00:56:02.52\00:56:08.80
even as I have kept
my Father's commandments,
00:56:08.83\00:56:13.74
and abide in his love."
00:56:13.77\00:56:16.50
My friends, do you
understand that Jesus says,
00:56:16.54\00:56:19.24
"I kept righteousness,
I did it perfectly.
00:56:19.27\00:56:23.45
I did it flawlessly."
00:56:23.48\00:56:25.61
At no point in Jesus' life,
00:56:25.65\00:56:28.32
do we see an
example of unrighteousness.
00:56:28.35\00:56:30.35
In Isaiah, I see
it, in Moses I see it,
00:56:30.39\00:56:34.49
in Daniel, I see it, in
John the Baptist, I see it,
00:56:34.52\00:56:39.23
in many of the
individuals that other religions
00:56:39.26\00:56:42.16
hold in high esteem and
revere so much, we see it.
00:56:42.20\00:56:46.27
Various points in their
lives of unrighteousness
00:56:46.30\00:56:48.94
but with Christ, He says,
00:56:48.97\00:56:50.94
I kept righteousness
from the cradle to the grave.
00:56:50.97\00:56:53.54
This is why He's qualified
to be our righteousness.
00:56:53.58\00:56:58.68
And the question is,
will we let Him in our hearts
00:56:58.71\00:57:02.02
that He might be
our righteousness
00:57:02.05\00:57:04.75
and finally we can
surrender our Vown.
00:57:04.79\00:57:08.69
This is my hope and my prayer
for each and every one of us
00:57:08.72\00:57:11.43
and that it's not
just an appeal to you,
00:57:11.46\00:57:13.63
that's an appeal to me.
00:57:13.66\00:57:15.46
And if you accept this appeal,
00:57:15.50\00:57:17.27
let us seal it
with a word of prayer.
00:57:17.30\00:57:19.33
Our loving Father,
we thank You so much
00:57:19.37\00:57:21.00
for the righteousness of
Jesus that is available to us
00:57:21.04\00:57:23.57
when all our
righteousness fails.
00:57:23.61\00:57:25.71
Please, Lord,
give us a sincere heart
00:57:25.74\00:57:27.94
to accept Christ
our righteousness today,
00:57:27.98\00:57:31.08
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:57:31.11\00:57:33.45