A friend of mine some
years ago was conducting
00:00:27.85\00:00:31.33
some meetings just like
we've been conducting here.
00:00:31.53\00:00:34.04
And after the lecture a
man came down to the front
00:00:34.24\00:00:37.06
and he said: "Excuse
me, Mr. Preacher, " he said
00:00:37.16\00:00:39.36
"I have a question. Would you
be able to answer it for me? "
00:00:39.56\00:00:43.17
And my friend said that
he'd be happy to answer it
00:00:43.47\00:00:45.95
if he could. And
the man said: "Look,
00:00:46.05\00:00:48.79
what do you think is the
most popular church in town? "
00:00:48.89\00:00:53.07
My friend thought for a moment
and named a certain church
00:00:54.43\00:00:57.05
that he thought had the largest
number of people going to it.
00:00:57.25\00:00:59.94
And the man said:
"Well thank you very much. "
00:01:00.14\00:01:02.67
And he was just about to
walk away when my friend said:
00:01:02.87\00:01:05.48
"Now listen. Just before you
go, " he said, "you've asked me
00:01:05.58\00:01:08.09
a question. I'd like
to ask you a question. "
00:01:08.19\00:01:10.58
And the man said:
"Well I'll... happy...
00:01:12.96\00:01:16.21
You ask your question. "
00:01:16.41\00:01:18.11
And my friend said: "Why
did you ask me that question? "
00:01:18.31\00:01:21.02
"Oh, " the man said,
"that's easy... " he said
00:01:21.32\00:01:23.55
"I've just moved
into town here recently
00:01:23.76\00:01:25.98
and I'm planning to
open up a business. "
00:01:26.18\00:01:28.29
And he said: "I think it
would be good for my business
00:01:29.62\00:01:32.73
if I belong to the
most popular church. "
00:01:32.93\00:01:34.94
Now there are all sorts
of reasons that people have
00:01:36.17\00:01:39.07
for belonging to
a particular church.
00:01:39.27\00:01:41.28
Some people belong to a church
because they were born into it.
00:01:42.48\00:01:45.70
Now I guess in most
cases we are what we are
00:01:45.90\00:01:49.61
because our parents bequeathed
that to us, is that right?
00:01:49.82\00:01:52.72
Generally speaking that
is the way most people are.
00:01:53.12\00:01:56.51
Other people join a
church because it happens to be
00:01:56.71\00:01:59.99
the closest to where they live.
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Others join a
church... they like the preacher
00:02:01.83\00:02:03.99
or they like the music.
There are all sorts of reasons
00:02:04.09\00:02:07.27
that people have for
joining a particular church.
00:02:07.47\00:02:09.77
I believe that none of those
reasons are very substantial
00:02:09.97\00:02:13.78
reasons. The only reason that
we ought to belong to a church
00:02:13.98\00:02:17.71
is because we're
convinced that that church
00:02:17.91\00:02:20.12
teaches the truth...
00:02:20.32\00:02:22.24
and that truth has got
to come from the Bible.
00:02:22.64\00:02:25.35
Well people say: "Don't all
churches believe in the Bible? "
00:02:25.66\00:02:28.66
Yes they do, I guess.
00:02:28.86\00:02:31.01
At least most do anyway.
00:02:31.21\00:02:33.24
They believe the Bible,
but there's still a tremendous
00:02:33.44\00:02:36.99
division within Christianity.
00:02:37.09\00:02:38.87
I would think that in
this area alone there would be
00:02:39.08\00:02:42.48
hundreds of
different denominations.
00:02:42.68\00:02:45.95
So amongst the maze
and all the conglomerate
00:02:48.59\00:02:52.62
that there is today
how do we work out truth?
00:02:52.82\00:02:54.90
That's our subject tonight.
00:02:55.20\00:02:56.85
Come over to
John 17 and verse 17.
00:02:56.95\00:02:59.86
And Jesus made this statement.
You'll notice it's in red
00:02:59.89\00:03:02.38
so the words of Jesus. This is
actually the great high priestly
00:03:02.58\00:03:05.23
prayer of Jesus. And He said
in the midst of this prayer:
00:03:05.33\00:03:08.87
Now obviously the true church
would have to be upholding
00:03:15.77\00:03:19.24
the truth. Couldn't be the true
church unless it was upholding
00:03:19.44\00:03:23.99
the truth, could it?
00:03:24.20\00:03:25.27
And that truth obviously
will be found in the Bible.
00:03:27.22\00:03:30.90
Now tonight when we discuss
the subject of why there's so
00:03:31.10\00:03:34.42
many churches, the first
thing that we need to discuss
00:03:34.52\00:03:36.96
is "which was
the first church? "
00:03:37.16\00:03:39.30
Because if we can find
out which was the first church
00:03:39.90\00:03:42.67
that will give us a major
clue as to what God had in mind
00:03:42.87\00:03:46.80
when He
established the churches.
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Well people say to me:
"If you're going to talk about
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the first church that's got
to be the Catholic church. "
00:03:50.52\00:03:52.64
Well I'm surprised at the
number of even Protestants
00:03:53.48\00:03:56.16
who believe that,
but that's not true.
00:03:56.26\00:03:58.09
I'm going to show you
the first church existed
00:03:58.39\00:04:01.12
hundreds and hundreds of years
before there was a city of Rome
00:04:01.32\00:04:05.08
let alone a church of Rome.
00:04:05.28\00:04:06.62
So come back - or over - to the
book of Acts the 7th chapter -
00:04:06.93\00:04:10.15
which is the next book.
Chapter 7 of Acts and verse 38.
00:04:10.29\00:04:14.21
And here we read about
the first congregation or
00:04:14.41\00:04:17.12
the first church.
00:04:17.22\00:04:18.64
And the word congregation
or church is exactly the same
00:04:18.84\00:04:22.43
original Greek
word. And verse 38 says:
00:04:22.63\00:04:26.86
Now what church was that?
00:04:44.32\00:04:46.51
What congregation was that
00:04:46.71\00:04:48.63
that God established
back there on Mt. Sinai
00:04:48.93\00:04:52.43
that God gave the
living oracles to?
00:04:52.63\00:04:55.81
What church was
that? What denomination?
00:04:56.02\00:04:58.23
What is the name of that church?
00:04:58.43\00:05:00.21
Yes... the
Israelites, the Jewish church.
00:05:01.44\00:05:04.13
Call it what you
like but that's all true.
00:05:04.33\00:05:06.15
So the very first
church that God established
00:05:06.45\00:05:09.57
was the church of Israel right
back there in the beginning.
00:05:09.77\00:05:13.65
And when it says here: "He
gave them the living oracles
00:05:13.85\00:05:17.50
to give to us, "
00:05:17.70\00:05:18.96
what's the living oracles
that he's referring to there?
00:05:19.16\00:05:21.25
Yes, the Ten Commandments.
00:05:21.45\00:05:23.73
So you see, God gave
the Ten Commandments to
00:05:25.01\00:05:27.77
the church of Israel.
And as it says, they in turn
00:05:27.98\00:05:31.18
were to give them unto us.
00:05:31.38\00:05:33.87
Now when it says "us"
here in the book of Acts
00:05:34.07\00:05:36.49
who's that?
00:05:36.69\00:05:37.76
Yes, that's the
Christians in the New Testament.
00:05:39.43\00:05:42.17
So you see, the New Testament
knows nothing about the
00:05:43.33\00:05:46.93
Ten Commandments being
done away with at the cross.
00:05:47.03\00:05:49.07
Because the Bible says that
God gave that original church -
00:05:50.28\00:05:53.79
the first church - the living
oracles or the Ten Commandments.
00:05:53.99\00:05:57.69
They were to keep them.
00:05:57.72\00:05:59.90
They were to look after them.
00:06:00.10\00:06:01.52
They were to
preserve them so that in turn
00:06:01.72\00:06:04.37
they would be
able to bequeath them
00:06:04.57\00:06:07.12
and to give them to
us in the New Testament.
00:06:07.33\00:06:10.74
That was one of their purposes.
00:06:11.04\00:06:13.52
And you think about it as
you cast your mind back over
00:06:13.93\00:06:17.90
that original church how God
wonderfully loved that church.
00:06:18.00\00:06:20.98
He gave Himself for her.
00:06:21.18\00:06:22.51
He organized the
church; He fed them with manna
00:06:22.71\00:06:25.40
day after day. He kept them warm
by night with a pillar of fire
00:06:25.60\00:06:29.64
because you know it's very
cold in the desert, particularly
00:06:29.84\00:06:32.05
in the winter. And during
the day He protected them from
00:06:32.15\00:06:35.59
the searing sun
by a pillar of cloud.
00:06:35.79\00:06:38.44
And He wonderfully
blessed that church
00:06:39.47\00:06:41.91
down through the years.
00:06:42.11\00:06:43.60
But the trouble
was with that church
00:06:44.00\00:06:47.24
that while God gave
them the Ten Commandments
00:06:47.44\00:06:50.03
notice what
they didn't do to it.
00:06:50.23\00:06:52.26
Have a look at verse 53.
00:06:52.46\00:06:55.72
Verse 53... it says:
00:06:56.80\00:06:58.84
Now that was the tragedy
with the church of Israel.
00:07:07.03\00:07:09.43
So you see, God established
or gave the Ten Commandments
00:07:09.63\00:07:13.57
to the church of Israel.
And you can see that there
00:07:13.78\00:07:16.65
on our diagram. That
was one of the foundations
00:07:16.75\00:07:20.60
of that original
church... that first church...
00:07:20.90\00:07:23.81
were the commandments of God.
00:07:24.01\00:07:25.54
But the tragedy is
they didn't keep it.
00:07:25.74\00:07:28.68
But God gave that
church something else.
00:07:30.28\00:07:33.14
Come over to I Corinthians
in the New Testament.
00:07:33.34\00:07:35.46
I Corinthians chapter 10.
00:07:35.66\00:07:38.19
I Corinthians chapter
10 and notice here verse 1.
00:07:39.46\00:07:43.14
Maybe we just cast our
eye over the context here
00:07:43.44\00:07:49.05
in I Corinthians
10. It's talking about
00:07:49.25\00:07:51.26
the children of
Israel... this church
00:07:51.46\00:07:53.56
that we've been referring to.
00:07:53.76\00:07:55.12
Talks about how they all passed
through the sea and all were
00:07:55.32\00:07:58.36
baptized into Moses in
the cloud and in the sea.
00:07:58.46\00:08:01.71
"All ate the same spiritual
food. " Now notice verse 4:
00:08:01.91\00:08:05.06
So who was the Rock
that that original church
00:08:18.87\00:08:22.27
was established on?
It was Jesus Christ.
00:08:22.47\00:08:25.66
No question about
that. Jesus is the Rock
00:08:25.86\00:08:29.92
upon which the church was built.
00:08:30.12\00:08:33.24
So not only did God
establish the original church
00:08:33.54\00:08:37.06
with the Ten
Commandments but the Rock -
00:08:37.26\00:08:40.03
that is, the
foundation of that church -
00:08:40.23\00:08:42.85
was none other
than Jesus Himself.
00:08:43.05\00:08:46.12
He was the Rock.
00:08:47.07\00:08:49.55
And so that original
church had two great themes...
00:08:49.65\00:08:54.28
themes that run
all through the Bible:
00:08:54.58\00:08:58.03
the Rock - Christ Jesus -
and the commandments of God.
00:08:58.33\00:09:02.32
The faith of Jesus and
the commandments of God.
00:09:02.62\00:09:05.97
And how God blessed that church.
00:09:06.18\00:09:09.36
But the trouble was with that
church that God established:
00:09:09.56\00:09:13.21
they not only didn't
keep the Ten Commandments
00:09:13.51\00:09:15.89
when Jesus came along
what did they do to Him?
00:09:16.09\00:09:18.45
They crucified Him.
00:09:18.75\00:09:20.48
So that church that was once the
custodian of the truth of God
00:09:20.89\00:09:25.64
was established by God
as the original first church
00:09:25.84\00:09:29.57
that He blessed and cared for.
00:09:29.77\00:09:31.92
The apple of His eye
finally goes into apostasy
00:09:32.22\00:09:36.38
because they reject the command-
ments and they rejected Jesus.
00:09:36.58\00:09:39.80
And that's the pattern
because when people reject
00:09:40.10\00:09:43.79
the commandments the next
step is they reject Jesus.
00:09:43.90\00:09:46.27
And that's the sad history
of the experience of the church
00:09:47.31\00:09:50.75
of Israel. And so
when Jesus came along
00:09:50.95\00:09:54.30
He established another church.
00:09:54.70\00:09:57.62
Remember tonight we're talking
about why there are so many
00:09:57.82\00:10:01.10
churches. So far we've got
one church that now falls away
00:10:01.20\00:10:04.94
into apostasy. So when
Jesus came onto the earth
00:10:05.14\00:10:08.14
He established a second church.
00:10:08.25\00:10:10.30
What was that church called?
00:10:11.47\00:10:12.76
Yeah, the Christian church.
00:10:13.06\00:10:14.86
Now the Christian church was
established on exactly the same
00:10:16.45\00:10:19.69
platform as the
church of Israel.
00:10:19.89\00:10:22.40
Because you see
truth never changes.
00:10:22.60\00:10:24.50
As the Bible says:
"Jesus is the same yesterday,
00:10:24.70\00:10:27.70
today, and
forever. " Never changes!
00:10:28.00\00:10:29.83
And so we can expect that when
Jesus established the Christian
00:10:30.03\00:10:32.91
church it was built
on the same foundation
00:10:33.01\00:10:36.97
as the original church.
00:10:37.17\00:10:38.95
Now nobody doubts
that the Christian church
00:10:39.25\00:10:41.66
was founded upon Jesus.
00:10:41.87\00:10:43.21
I don't think I'd have to
convince anybody about that.
00:10:43.51\00:10:46.78
But sometimes there are
some Christians who doubt
00:10:47.09\00:10:50.61
whether the commandments of God
00:10:50.81\00:10:52.70
were part of the
Christian church. But they were!
00:10:52.90\00:10:55.09
Let me read it to you.
Come back to Matthew chapter 15.
00:10:56.15\00:10:58.99
Matthew the 15th
chapter and we'll notice here
00:10:59.19\00:11:03.46
verses 1 and 2. The
religious leaders, you see,
00:11:03.66\00:11:06.45
came to Jesus... the
scribes and the Pharisees.
00:11:06.65\00:11:09.13
And they challenged
Jesus as they often did over
00:11:09.43\00:11:13.90
religious matters.
And here in verse 2
00:11:14.10\00:11:17.35
they asked Jesus a question.
00:11:17.55\00:11:20.53
Now as we mentioned the other
night, this washing of the hands
00:11:30.68\00:11:34.58
had nothing
whatever to do with hygiene.
00:11:34.68\00:11:37.40
We're not talking
about a hygiene rule here.
00:11:37.60\00:11:39.40
But they used to rub their hands
together with water between
00:11:39.60\00:11:42.40
and everything they touched then
00:11:42.50\00:11:43.93
they said was
ceremonially clean.
00:11:44.13\00:11:47.37
Now when Jesus came along He
didn't rub His hands together
00:11:47.57\00:11:50.61
nor did the disciples
and so they were immediately
00:11:50.81\00:11:53.77
in conflict with the religious
leaders who said to them:
00:11:53.97\00:11:57.15
"Why aren't You following
the traditions of the church?
00:11:57.39\00:12:00.19
The traditions that have been
going on for hundreds of years.
00:12:00.39\00:12:03.23
The traditions that
mother and father taught us
00:12:03.43\00:12:05.28
and their parents taught them
and their parents taught them.
00:12:05.48\00:12:07.90
Those traditions that
have been going on for years.
00:12:08.10\00:12:10.40
Why don't Your disciples and You
Yourself follow those things? "
00:12:10.60\00:12:14.45
It's interesting what
Jesus said in reply. Verse 3:
00:12:14.75\00:12:18.43
Can you see how the devil
had deceived these people?
00:12:27.27\00:12:30.74
That the more earnest they were
in following what the church
00:12:30.94\00:12:34.08
said - that is, following
the traditions that the church
00:12:34.28\00:12:37.66
taught - in actual
fact what were they doing
00:12:37.76\00:12:40.50
to the commandments?
00:12:40.71\00:12:41.98
Breaking them.
00:12:43.36\00:12:45.26
So the more they
adhered to what the church said
00:12:45.66\00:12:49.71
the more they were breaking
one of God's Ten Commandments.
00:12:49.91\00:12:52.21
And in this case
it was commandment #5.
00:12:53.23\00:12:55.94
Can you see how
the devil had got them?
00:12:56.15\00:12:57.60
And finally Jesus summed
it up in verse 9 when He said:
00:12:57.80\00:13:02.12
And I don't care
what church it's in
00:13:09.16\00:13:11.62
any church that
teaches human teachings
00:13:11.82\00:13:15.76
that cause the members of
that church to break any one
00:13:15.96\00:13:20.01
of God's Ten Commandments
that church is vain or useless.
00:13:20.21\00:13:24.95
I don't care what
denomination it is.
00:13:25.25\00:13:27.32
I don't care how
earnest and sincere the members
00:13:27.35\00:13:31.39
and the leaders
of the churches are
00:13:31.59\00:13:33.24
if they are teaching
their members to break any one
00:13:33.44\00:13:36.32
of God's Ten Commandments
Jesus condemns it by saying
00:13:36.42\00:13:39.44
that church - that
teaching - is vain or useless.
00:13:39.65\00:13:43.17
Because that was the
issue back in Jesus' day.
00:13:45.27\00:13:47.63
And I want to say this: that
the issue that we are facing
00:13:47.83\00:13:50.31
in the Christian church
today is exactly the same
00:13:50.51\00:13:52.88
as the issue 2,000 years ago.
00:13:53.08\00:13:54.45
Human nature doesn't
change much over the years.
00:13:54.65\00:13:57.93
Hardly changes one iota.
00:13:58.23\00:14:01.79
And Jesus met the issue of
the commandments vs. tradition
00:14:02.09\00:14:06.86
head on... and we
need to do the same today
00:14:07.06\00:14:09.95
because it's
exactly the same problem.
00:14:10.25\00:14:12.48
You know, everywhere I go
I find people tell me that
00:14:12.68\00:14:16.01
the Christian church was
established upon the rock
00:14:16.21\00:14:18.72
Saint Peter. You
ever heard of that? Yes.
00:14:18.82\00:14:22.38
"Upon this rock I will
build My church" they say.
00:14:22.51\00:14:25.09
I guess that's the
only text some of them know.
00:14:25.29\00:14:27.07
"Upon this rock I
will build My church
00:14:27.27\00:14:29.01
and the gates of hell will
never prevail against it. "
00:14:29.14\00:14:31.16
Well listen friends:
Jesus wasn't saying that Peter
00:14:31.36\00:14:33.75
was the rock. They misunderstand
what Jesus was saying there
00:14:33.95\00:14:38.02
and they misunderstand
the play on words that Jesus
00:14:38.12\00:14:42.33
is involved with. Because,
you see, in the original
00:14:42.53\00:14:44.96
language Peter's name
means "a little pebble. "
00:14:45.16\00:14:48.14
It comes from the
Greek word petros.
00:14:48.44\00:14:53.76
That's where we get our
English word Peter from.
00:14:53.96\00:14:55.54
And the Greek
language like many languages
00:14:56.53\00:14:59.32
the ending of the word
affects the meaning of the word.
00:14:59.52\00:15:03.01
You have a base part of
the word and then you put
00:15:03.21\00:15:05.46
the ending. It might
be nominative, objective,
00:15:05.66\00:15:07.88
ablative, or
accusative and so forth.
00:15:08.08\00:15:10.56
Feminine; masculine. And that
changes the meaning of the word.
00:15:10.76\00:15:15.28
And that's exactly what
happened here. Jesus was saying
00:15:15.38\00:15:17.06
"Thou art petros... " Masculine,
which means a little pebble.
00:15:17.26\00:15:22.65
"You're a little
pebble" Jesus is saying.
00:15:22.96\00:15:25.15
But He said: "Upon this
petra I will build My church. "
00:15:25.35\00:15:29.16
He was talking about Himself.
00:15:29.36\00:15:31.09
Because petra... that's the
feminine ending of the word...
00:15:31.40\00:15:35.45
means a huge rock
like the Rock of Gibraltar.
00:15:35.66\00:15:38.80
That would be a
petra not a petros.
00:15:39.11\00:15:41.70
And Jesus was
simply saying to Peter:
00:15:42.69\00:15:44.38
"Thou art petros but upon this
petra I will build My church. "
00:15:44.58\00:15:49.77
I mean, if Jesus was saying
to Peter that He was building
00:15:49.80\00:15:52.10
the church upon
Peter He would have said:
00:15:52.20\00:15:53.84
"Thou art Peter and upon
you I will build the church. "
00:15:54.04\00:15:56.24
But He didn't say that at all!
00:15:56.44\00:15:57.78
It was Himself.
How strange it would be
00:15:58.08\00:16:01.22
that in the Old Testament
we find that Jesus is the Rock
00:16:01.42\00:16:04.71
but when we get over to
the New Testament we find
00:16:04.91\00:16:06.91
that Saint Peter is the rock.
00:16:07.01\00:16:08.57
Doesn't make sense.
00:16:08.77\00:16:10.34
And I don't want to belong
to a church that's built upon
00:16:10.64\00:16:12.81
a mere man no matter
how good the man was.
00:16:12.91\00:16:15.26
I want to belong to a
church that has its foundation
00:16:16.51\00:16:19.41
in Jesus, and
I'm sure you do too.
00:16:19.61\00:16:21.70
And whether it's
Old or New Testament
00:16:21.90\00:16:24.51
Jesus is the Rock upon
which the church is built.
00:16:24.71\00:16:28.68
And thank God for that!
00:16:28.88\00:16:30.58
And so we are talking tonight
about why are there so many
00:16:30.88\00:16:35.30
different churches. And so
far now we've got two churches.
00:16:35.40\00:16:38.05
We've got the original
church of Israel and now we have
00:16:38.25\00:16:40.03
the second church...
the Christian church.
00:16:40.23\00:16:41.85
You know, I meet people who
come along to me and they say
00:16:42.05\00:16:44.56
"Geoff, the trouble...
Look, I could never leave
00:16:44.76\00:16:48.55
the church that mother
and father brought me up in
00:16:48.65\00:16:51.13
to join a new denomination. "
00:16:51.24\00:16:53.43
I have people say that
to me from time to time.
00:16:53.73\00:16:56.77
I like to remind
them that every person
00:16:56.97\00:17:00.02
that joined the Christian church
00:17:00.32\00:17:03.21
left the denomination
that mother and father
00:17:03.41\00:17:05.74
brought them up
in. Is that true?
00:17:05.84\00:17:08.02
You think about it. What church
was the blessed virgin Mary
00:17:08.22\00:17:11.51
brought up in? It wasn't
the Christian church was it?
00:17:11.71\00:17:16.76
What church was
she brought up in?
00:17:16.96\00:17:18.13
The Jewish church.
Saint Paul, Saint Peter,
00:17:18.33\00:17:21.16
every one of the apostles
00:17:21.36\00:17:23.28
were all brought up
in the Jewish church.
00:17:23.49\00:17:25.55
And when Jesus came
along with added light
00:17:25.76\00:17:29.43
and further truth, in order
for them to stay in the truth
00:17:29.66\00:17:32.80
they had to leave the
denomination that mother
00:17:33.01\00:17:34.96
and father brought them up in -
00:17:35.06\00:17:36.37
the traditions that they
had known for all their lives -
00:17:36.57\00:17:39.04
they had to leave that
church and join the new church
00:17:39.24\00:17:42.57
that Jesus was establishing
called the Christian church.
00:17:42.77\00:17:45.22
Isn't that true?
00:17:45.43\00:17:46.50
Every one. So
there's nothing wrong with
00:17:46.80\00:17:49.84
changing your
denomination as long as you are
00:17:50.04\00:17:52.98
changing with truth.
00:17:53.18\00:17:54.66
In fact, God expects us
to change our denomination
00:17:54.96\00:17:58.32
when the denomination that
we may have been brought up in
00:17:58.52\00:18:02.51
no longer
teaches the full truth.
00:18:02.71\00:18:04.72
God expects it... just
like He expected those Jews
00:18:04.92\00:18:08.49
to join the Christian church.
00:18:08.69\00:18:10.16
You know, there's a
song that most of us know:
00:18:11.71\00:18:13.94
"Give Me That
Old Time Religion. "
00:18:14.14\00:18:15.60
It was good enough for father
and good enough for mother
00:18:15.91\00:18:18.85
and it's good enough for me.
00:18:19.05\00:18:20.10
I want to tell you there's not
too much truth in that at all.
00:18:20.30\00:18:23.39
Because what was good
enough for father and mother
00:18:23.69\00:18:27.22
is not necessarily
what's good enough for us today.
00:18:27.42\00:18:30.29
We don't believe
that in any other area.
00:18:31.37\00:18:33.64
We don't believe that in driving
a horse to the meeting tonight,
00:18:33.84\00:18:37.30
did we? Nobody came in a
horse... on the back of a horse.
00:18:37.50\00:18:41.33
Now parents, our grandparents
and so forth... they did.
00:18:41.53\00:18:44.80
We have refrigerators.
Our grandparents and so forth,
00:18:46.12\00:18:49.75
our relatives, they
didn't have a refrigerator.
00:18:49.96\00:18:52.14
We have a computer in
our homes... they didn't!
00:18:52.44\00:18:55.16
We have a motorcar and so forth.
00:18:55.47\00:18:58.11
We don't believe what was good
enough for father and mother
00:18:58.31\00:19:01.01
in any other area
was good enough for us.
00:19:01.21\00:19:03.32
And yet when it comes to
religion, many people want to
00:19:03.52\00:19:05.98
stay back in the
horse-and-buggy days
00:19:06.09\00:19:08.15
and not realize that as we get
closer to the coming of Jesus
00:19:08.35\00:19:12.34
truth is going to become
more and more clear and evident.
00:19:12.54\00:19:16.81
And God has special
truth for these last days.
00:19:17.11\00:19:20.03
Now I wish that I
could say to you tonight
00:19:22.79\00:19:24.96
that now the Christian church
was established everybody lived
00:19:25.17\00:19:28.18
happily ever after.
00:19:28.28\00:19:30.29
But I wouldn't be
telling you the truth
00:19:30.49\00:19:32.17
if I led you to believe
that because unfortunately
00:19:32.27\00:19:34.87
something tragic was going to
happen in the Christian church.
00:19:35.07\00:19:37.88
Let's come over to
the book of Acts now
00:19:38.08\00:19:39.60
and we'll notice
in Acts chapter 20.
00:19:39.81\00:19:41.62
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John and Acts 20 and verse 28.
00:19:41.82\00:19:45.92
Acts 20 verse 28.
00:19:46.52\00:19:48.05
And Paul here is talking to the
leaders of the church at Ephesus
00:19:48.25\00:19:51.36
and he says this:
00:19:51.56\00:19:52.71
So Paul was saying that the
apostles would hardly be cold
00:20:20.94\00:20:24.35
in the grave when these savage
wolves were going to arise.
00:20:24.45\00:20:28.08
And where were
they going to arise?
00:20:28.28\00:20:30.01
Outside or inside the church?
00:20:30.31\00:20:32.55
Inside the church.
00:20:32.85\00:20:34.92
And let me remind you that the
greatest attacks that have ever
00:20:35.12\00:20:37.65
been made against Christianity
and the church have always
00:20:37.75\00:20:40.42
been made from within the
church not so much from without.
00:20:40.62\00:20:43.99
We have infinitely more to
fear from within than we do
00:20:44.19\00:20:47.63
from without. That's been the
history of the Christian church.
00:20:47.73\00:20:50.90
And Paul here was
warning the leaders at Ephesus.
00:20:51.10\00:20:53.69
He said: "Look out
for those savage wolves
00:20:53.79\00:20:56.02
who are going to draw away
disciples after themselves. "
00:20:56.22\00:20:59.61
So we can expect on
the basis of that verse
00:20:59.81\00:21:02.48
that error was going to
creep into the Christian church
00:21:02.68\00:21:06.14
very very early. Is that right?
00:21:06.34\00:21:08.89
That's what Paul was saying.
00:21:09.09\00:21:10.61
And so we're not surprised when
we get over to II Thessalonians
00:21:10.81\00:21:14.19
a little further toward
the back of the New Testament
00:21:14.22\00:21:16.87
that Paul now
explains what this apostasy
00:21:17.08\00:21:21.16
was going to look like
and how this apostasy was
00:21:21.36\00:21:24.60
going to get into the
church and what the teachings
00:21:24.80\00:21:27.37
of this apostasy
were going to deal with.
00:21:27.51\00:21:31.12
Have a look at this in
II Thessalonians chapter 2
00:21:31.22\00:21:34.03
and verse 1.
00:21:34.23\00:21:35.69
Let me just pause
there for a moment.
00:21:53.16\00:21:55.00
What Paul was saying:
that there were unscrupulous
00:21:55.20\00:21:59.03
members in the Thessalonian
church who were teaching
00:21:59.23\00:22:02.00
that Jesus was going to
come back in the first century.
00:22:02.20\00:22:04.72
And to give their teaching
credence, what they were doing
00:22:04.92\00:22:07.64
is that they were sending
out letters to all the members
00:22:07.84\00:22:10.82
of the church teaching this
error that Christ was going to
00:22:10.92\00:22:14.04
come back in the first century.
00:22:14.14\00:22:15.31
And in order to give their
teaching credence they actually
00:22:15.51\00:22:18.84
forged Paul's signature
on the bottom of the letter.
00:22:18.94\00:22:22.25
What lengths people
will go to to deceive people.
00:22:23.33\00:22:26.88
And Paul says: "Even if
you get a letter as from us
00:22:27.18\00:22:30.89
as though the day of Christ
has come, don't believe it. "
00:22:31.10\00:22:33.33
Why not? Verse 3:
00:22:33.53\00:22:34.61
So the Bible is now saying
00:22:51.95\00:22:54.45
that this falling away was going
to come in the Christian church.
00:22:54.65\00:22:57.32
Now it's interesting...
In the Greek language
00:22:57.52\00:22:59.63
the word that's
translated here "falling away"
00:22:59.83\00:23:02.33
is the word apostates.
00:23:02.53\00:23:05.01
What English word do
we get from apostates?
00:23:06.25\00:23:09.04
Apostasy! In other words,
there was going to be a huge
00:23:09.35\00:23:13.09
landslide away from the truth.
00:23:13.29\00:23:15.10
An apostasy... a falling
away from the Christian church
00:23:15.30\00:23:19.76
from the truths that
Jesus and the apostles gave.
00:23:19.87\00:23:22.84
Notice verse 4.
00:23:23.76\00:23:25.36
And it talks about the man who
was going to lead out in this
00:23:25.56\00:23:27.87
apostasy.
00:23:28.07\00:23:29.08
So a man was going to
come in the Christian church.
00:23:41.28\00:23:44.01
People were going to
worship him and bow down to him
00:23:44.21\00:23:47.10
and he was going to
claim to be God on earth.
00:23:47.30\00:23:51.23
Now I want to tell
you, friends, when people
00:23:52.15\00:23:54.34
believe that you're God on earth
00:23:54.54\00:23:56.56
do you think that that
person would have power
00:23:56.76\00:23:59.31
over individuals? Absolutely!
00:23:59.51\00:24:03.25
And the church had unprecedented
power because at the head
00:24:03.55\00:24:09.54
of this church was going to
be a man that people worshiped.
00:24:09.64\00:24:12.31
And he was going
to claim to be God...
00:24:12.51\00:24:15.20
God's
representative on this earth.
00:24:15.40\00:24:17.27
And Paul goes on
to say in verse 5:
00:24:17.78\00:24:20.35
"Do you not remember
that when I was still with you
00:24:20.55\00:24:22.55
I told you these things? "
00:24:22.75\00:24:24.53
In other words, he's giving
them a little bit of a reminder.
00:24:24.56\00:24:26.56
"Look... I've
been over all of this.
00:24:26.66\00:24:28.43
Have you so soon forgotten? "
00:24:28.63\00:24:30.43
Then he says in verse 7:
00:24:30.73\00:24:32.52
So what was going to be the
primary teaching of this man
00:24:38.11\00:24:41.15
of sin?
00:24:41.25\00:24:42.58
But what error?
Error... that's correct, but
00:24:44.40\00:24:46.82
what error? Lawlessness.
00:24:46.92\00:24:50.39
Now we all understand when a
person is a lawless individual
00:24:50.69\00:24:54.90
they have no regard for the law.
00:24:55.00\00:24:56.88
That was going to be the
major teaching of the apostasy
00:24:57.99\00:25:01.43
that began very early
that they would be opposed
00:25:01.63\00:25:04.79
to the law of God. Lawlessness.
00:25:04.99\00:25:06.77
And it began very early.
00:25:06.97\00:25:09.60
Right back in Paul's
day... that's when it began.
00:25:09.90\00:25:12.52
Verse 8:
00:25:13.72\00:25:14.81
So how long was this
lawless teaching going to be
00:25:23.42\00:25:26.55
allowed to exist into the world?
00:25:26.75\00:25:28.33
If it began in Paul's day
00:25:28.53\00:25:30.36
how long was it
going to last through till?
00:25:30.56\00:25:32.50
Yes, until Jesus comes
when Christ destroys him
00:25:32.80\00:25:37.46
with the
brightness of His coming.
00:25:37.66\00:25:39.16
Obviously then, we
are not talking about
00:25:39.36\00:25:41.60
one individual
that's the antichrist.
00:25:41.80\00:25:44.06
It's a system... a
religious Christian system...
00:25:45.28\00:25:49.15
that started early in
the days of the apostle Paul
00:25:49.35\00:25:52.57
and continues right
through until Jesus comes.
00:25:52.77\00:25:55.15
In other words, we are
experiencing that apostasy
00:25:55.35\00:25:58.87
in the world
right now. Is that true?
00:25:58.97\00:26:01.10
Rampant! And the
teaching is lawlessness.
00:26:01.40\00:26:06.13
They'll be opposed to
the commandments of God.
00:26:06.33\00:26:08.72
That will be the identifying
mark of the apostasy.
00:26:08.92\00:26:12.57
That's what the Bible says...
that's not what I'm saying.
00:26:12.87\00:26:15.07
That's what the Bible says.
00:26:15.37\00:26:16.76
God forewarned us,
and He said... verse 9:
00:26:17.06\00:26:20.40
In other words, they
are going to use signs.
00:26:27.71\00:26:31.99
Satan is going to deceive people
into thinking that this is right
00:26:32.19\00:26:36.26
because miracles are going to be
associated with this apostasy.
00:26:36.46\00:26:41.31
You see, what... A wonder,
00:26:41.55\00:26:43.72
whenever the Bible talks
about a wonder that means
00:26:43.92\00:26:46.23
something that science does
not have any explanation for.
00:26:46.43\00:26:49.48
But the Bible says
it is a "lying wonder. "
00:26:50.43\00:26:53.91
That is, it's a
deception. Get the thought?
00:26:54.21\00:26:56.21
It's something
that you can't explain.
00:26:56.41\00:26:59.51
But it's a
lie... it's a deception!
00:26:59.81\00:27:03.09
And the devil is going to
use that as his trump card
00:27:03.29\00:27:07.90
into... misleading people into
thinking that it is the truth
00:27:08.10\00:27:12.35
because it's associated
with so-called miracles.
00:27:12.55\00:27:15.36
Human beings are
very, very impressed
00:27:16.57\00:27:19.48
with so-called miracles.
00:27:19.68\00:27:22.06
Very impressed. And
the devil knows that,
00:27:23.27\00:27:26.13
and that's going to be his
trump card of deceiving people
00:27:26.23\00:27:30.75
into disobeying the
commandments of God.
00:27:30.89\00:27:33.58
Verse 10 says:
00:27:36.38\00:27:37.41
You see, friends,
you and I must love truth
00:27:44.48\00:27:47.07
if we're going to be saved.
00:27:47.27\00:27:48.48
You know, I meet people who
want to put a lot of emphasis
00:27:49.87\00:27:51.91
on the Spirit. And I
believe in the Holy Spirit.
00:27:52.02\00:27:54.30
Let me tell you: I believe very
decidedly in the Holy Spirit.
00:27:54.50\00:27:57.76
We can never preach too
much about the Holy Spirit.
00:27:57.96\00:28:00.91
But at the same time, we've
got to have the other balance.
00:28:01.11\00:28:04.29
And that is: the truth.
00:28:04.49\00:28:06.30
We row the boat with two oars.
00:28:06.50\00:28:09.07
One is the Spirit of God and
the other is the truth of God.
00:28:09.27\00:28:12.40
The two things must go together
00:28:12.60\00:28:14.51
because if you row a
boat with only one oar
00:28:14.71\00:28:16.97
you finish up in a spin.
00:28:17.07\00:28:18.54
That's the trouble
with many Christians today:
00:28:19.68\00:28:21.99
they're in a spin.
00:28:22.19\00:28:23.39
But God wants us
to balance it out
00:28:23.69\00:28:26.08
and we must love truth.
00:28:26.18\00:28:27.50
And if you and I
don't love truth,
00:28:27.70\00:28:29.58
then we'll be
deceived let me tell you.
00:28:29.88\00:28:32.06
We've got to search out
from the Bible what is the truth
00:28:32.26\00:28:36.18
on this particular subject.
00:28:36.38\00:28:37.95
And when we find that
truth we must hang onto it.
00:28:39.05\00:28:42.07
The Bible talks
about this "man of sin. "
00:28:44.12\00:28:45.90
As you can see
there on the diagram
00:28:46.10\00:28:48.87
this apostasy was going
to be led by a "man of sin...
00:28:49.07\00:28:52.58
the son of perdition. "
00:28:52.78\00:28:53.83
The Bible only uses that
expression one other time
00:28:54.03\00:28:56.44
in the Bible to
describe Judas Iscariot:
00:28:56.64\00:28:58.92
"the son of perdition. "
00:28:59.13\00:29:00.45
The man who stood for Christ
00:29:00.75\00:29:04.11
on the outside but
betrayed Him underneath.
00:29:04.31\00:29:07.35
And so the church here is
called the same: it's a Judas.
00:29:07.65\00:29:10.82
Outwardly it shows all
the trappings of Christianity
00:29:10.95\00:29:15.01
but inside it has betrayed
the very teaching of Jesus
00:29:15.21\00:29:19.22
like Judas did. That's
why the Bible refers to it
00:29:19.52\00:29:22.39
as "the son of perdition. "
00:29:22.60\00:29:24.74
In other words, as
the apostasy took place
00:29:24.94\00:29:27.94
and this man of
sin now is revealed
00:29:28.15\00:29:30.61
the church would be
about as far away from truth
00:29:30.81\00:29:34.16
as midnight is from mid-day.
00:29:34.36\00:29:36.38
Because God established the
church with the 10 Commandments.
00:29:36.58\00:29:39.09
Now the man of sin the
Bible says was going to lead
00:29:39.30\00:29:41.98
the church into lawlessness:
00:29:42.08\00:29:43.82
the very opposite to how
God established the church.
00:29:44.02\00:29:48.71
And it was during
this period that tradition
00:29:48.74\00:29:51.24
was... became central to
the teaching of the church.
00:29:52.71\00:29:56.51
And one by one, errors started
to creep into the church.
00:29:58.06\00:30:01.99
Then we find images
crept into the church.
00:30:02.29\00:30:06.16
You'll never read
about that in the Bible.
00:30:06.30\00:30:07.90
And by the way, it was when
they brought images into the
00:30:08.30\00:30:11.04
church that led Muhammad to
establish the Muslim religion.
00:30:11.15\00:30:16.03
Because the Muslim
religion is very much opposed
00:30:16.33\00:30:18.91
to having images.
00:30:19.01\00:30:20.36
Look at their mosques...
they don't have any images.
00:30:20.56\00:30:22.27
They have just lines
and squares and so forth.
00:30:22.47\00:30:26.06
And it was over
this issue of images...
00:30:26.36\00:30:29.24
And if we hadn't had
images in the church we probably
00:30:29.54\00:30:32.36
would never have a
Muslim in the world today.
00:30:32.46\00:30:34.13
That's why the Bible
says in the book of Daniel
00:30:36.79\00:30:38.96
that this power is the
abomination that maketh
00:30:39.06\00:30:41.60
desolate. Every conceivable
error that's in the world today
00:30:41.70\00:30:45.04
comes right back
to that apostate power
00:30:45.34\00:30:48.24
that we're talking about.
00:30:48.44\00:30:49.48
Then not only did they bring
images, they brought penance
00:30:49.69\00:30:52.26
into the church. That's the idea
that you've got to do something
00:30:52.36\00:30:55.17
in order to be able
to get right with God.
00:30:55.37\00:30:58.35
Then after penance they
had confession to a priest.
00:30:59.36\00:31:02.15
Because the Bible teaches we
have confession only to Jesus.
00:31:02.35\00:31:05.93
This power said: "No, you've got
to go through a human agency -
00:31:06.14\00:31:09.33
a priest - to
find forgiveness. "
00:31:09.53\00:31:12.30
He's got to be a mediator.
00:31:13.32\00:31:15.27
Then they brought in
Sunday into the church.
00:31:15.57\00:31:19.17
Once again, you'll
never read that in the Bible
00:31:19.40\00:31:21.38
from cover to cover.
00:31:21.48\00:31:22.97
As we have noticed, not a single
text anywhere in the Bible
00:31:23.17\00:31:26.71
on Sunday but this power
brought it into the church.
00:31:26.91\00:31:29.64
This is when they brought
baby baptism, and we'll talk
00:31:29.84\00:31:32.20
about that in our next program.
00:31:32.30\00:31:33.96
Baby baptism into the church.
00:31:34.17\00:31:35.73
They brought the
immortality of the soul.
00:31:35.93\00:31:38.00
That is... when
you die you don't die,
00:31:38.31\00:31:40.39
you go on living
in another sphere.
00:31:40.60\00:31:44.01
And every false religion in the
world teaches the immortal soul:
00:31:44.97\00:31:48.31
that you don't
die when you die...
00:31:49.35\00:31:51.11
you go on living
in another sphere.
00:31:51.31\00:31:53.56
That then brought them
to teach eternal torment
00:31:53.76\00:31:56.23
because you've got to have
somewhere for the wicked to go.
00:31:56.43\00:31:58.69
Then they brought in
the idea of Mary-ology.
00:32:00.89\00:32:04.35
And today we are seeing
the worship of the virgin Mary
00:32:04.55\00:32:08.28
take on huge proportions.
00:32:08.48\00:32:11.60
And any... my dear friends
who have been brought up in the
00:32:12.99\00:32:15.98
church know that in the rosary
there are vastly more prayers
00:32:16.08\00:32:20.45
said to Mary than
there are ever to God.
00:32:20.65\00:32:23.80
Anyone that's been brought up
knows with the rosary there are
00:32:24.00\00:32:26.83
ten "hail Marys"
to one "our Father. "
00:32:26.93\00:32:28.98
Ten times more prayers
said to Mary than to God.
00:32:30.17\00:32:34.58
And she has taken on huge
proportions in the thinking
00:32:34.88\00:32:39.96
of these people. But that's
never taught in the Bible.
00:32:40.06\00:32:42.26
You'll never read
that in the Bible anywhere!
00:32:42.36\00:32:44.29
Mary's hardly mentioned.
00:32:45.50\00:32:47.22
After the death of Jesus
you don't find her mentioned.
00:32:47.42\00:32:50.05
She's important...
she's a wonderful woman,
00:32:51.32\00:32:55.22
but the Bible never elevates
her like the church has.
00:32:55.42\00:32:58.18
And all these things
crept into the church,
00:32:58.58\00:33:01.06
and it brings us
down to a period in time
00:33:01.17\00:33:03.37
when there was a young monk
who was very dissatisfied with
00:33:03.47\00:33:06.21
his experience because
continually he never found
00:33:06.32\00:33:09.06
peace in his heart.
He tried to find peace
00:33:09.17\00:33:12.02
but he couldn't find
peace. He went to his superiors
00:33:12.22\00:33:14.65
and they said: "Martin, what
you need to do is to have more
00:33:14.75\00:33:17.65
penance. " So what he did
is he put stones in his shoes
00:33:17.75\00:33:21.79
and walked around
with those stones.
00:33:21.99\00:33:23.77
And you know what
that would feel like.
00:33:23.87\00:33:25.46
He would sleep on cold stone
00:33:25.66\00:33:28.68
rather than to be
comfortable at night
00:33:28.78\00:33:30.70
believing that the more
you made the body uncomfortable
00:33:30.90\00:33:34.46
the more righteous you
were becoming with God.
00:33:34.66\00:33:37.35
That's the basis of penance.
00:33:37.66\00:33:39.43
The trouble is he never
found peace with God that way.
00:33:39.73\00:33:42.73
Until one day he
went into a monastery.
00:33:42.93\00:33:45.78
He opened up a
copy of the Bible.
00:33:45.98\00:33:49.12
He had not read the
Bible like this before,
00:33:49.32\00:33:51.74
and he opened it up.
And you've got to understand
00:33:51.94\00:33:54.09
that back in those days
most of the Bibles that they had
00:33:54.29\00:33:57.15
up unto that stage
were all written out by hand
00:33:57.35\00:33:59.75
because printing had only just
been invented a few years before
00:33:59.95\00:34:03.92
by a man by the
name of Guttenberg
00:34:04.12\00:34:06.29
and Caxton in
England... William Caxton.
00:34:06.59\00:34:09.15
Now it's interesting that
the Bible was the first book
00:34:09.55\00:34:11.74
that was ever printed.
00:34:11.84\00:34:13.20
And all the Bibles up unto
that stage had been written out
00:34:13.50\00:34:16.58
by hand. Now you can imagine
if the Bible that we have in our
00:34:16.69\00:34:18.97
hands tonight was
written out by hand
00:34:19.07\00:34:20.97
can you imagine
how much it would cost
00:34:21.17\00:34:22.60
at today's rate per hour?
00:34:22.80\00:34:24.75
So nobody would have been able
to afford a Bible today either
00:34:25.15\00:34:28.64
or very few would.
00:34:28.84\00:34:30.16
They couldn't afford it
back in those days either.
00:34:30.36\00:34:33.25
And the only Bibles were a
few that were chained in the
00:34:33.45\00:34:36.16
monasteries. And so he opened
this Bible up for the first...
00:34:36.26\00:34:39.52
this book, and his eyes
lighted on a verse of scripture
00:34:39.73\00:34:44.59
that he had never read
before. And this what he read:
00:34:44.79\00:34:46.66
"The just shall live by faith. "
00:34:46.86\00:34:52.24
And suddenly it
dawned on his mind
00:34:52.54\00:34:55.39
and I believe the Holy
Spirit impressed young Martin
00:34:55.59\00:34:58.12
that we don't get
righteous by what we do
00:34:58.32\00:35:01.44
but salvation is
something which is given to us
00:35:01.64\00:35:04.17
as a gift from God.
00:35:04.37\00:35:06.79
And it tell you: as soon as
Martin Luther understood that
00:35:06.82\00:35:09.99
the Reformation was underway.
00:35:10.29\00:35:12.72
And he began to protest.
00:35:13.12\00:35:15.90
Everywhere he went he protested
against what he had been taught
00:35:16.20\00:35:20.10
and what the church was saying.
00:35:20.30\00:35:21.63
And as he
traveled through Germany
00:35:21.83\00:35:23.44
people began to listen to
him. And as I said, at this time
00:35:25.00\00:35:27.80
the printing press was
just beginning to churn out
00:35:27.94\00:35:30.07
the Bibles. And the Bible
was now becoming available
00:35:30.18\00:35:34.02
in the language, the
vernacular, of the local people.
00:35:34.23\00:35:36.65
And for the first time
they began to read the Bible.
00:35:36.95\00:35:39.81
And when Martin Luther pointed
out to them that we aren't saved
00:35:40.01\00:35:42.95
by what we do but
rather as a gift from God
00:35:43.05\00:35:46.73
the Reformation was underway.
00:35:47.03\00:35:49.14
And people protested everywhere.
00:35:49.34\00:35:51.74
They protested through Germany.
00:35:51.94\00:35:53.42
And what church was established
in Germany as Martin Luther
00:35:53.62\00:35:57.47
began to go around
and the people protested
00:35:57.67\00:35:59.64
against the church? What church
was established in Germany?
00:35:59.75\00:36:02.63
The Lutheran church.
00:36:02.93\00:36:04.79
And God wonderfully
blessed in the Lutheran church.
00:36:04.99\00:36:07.53
The Lutheran church was
established on the Bible
00:36:07.73\00:36:10.17
and the Bible only and
the just shall live by faith.
00:36:10.27\00:36:12.40
But I need to read you a
verse before we go any further.
00:36:14.79\00:36:17.79
Come back to the book
of Acts the third chapter.
00:36:17.99\00:36:21.07
Acts chapter 3 and verse 19.
00:36:21.41\00:36:25.22
And here Peter was preaching
on the Day of Pentecost
00:36:25.42\00:36:27.70
and he made this statement.
00:36:27.80\00:36:28.84
Listen: want to
read this to you.
00:36:28.94\00:36:30.81
It's a very
interesting prophecy.
00:36:30.92\00:36:33.50
Acts 3 and verse
19 where he says:
00:36:33.80\00:36:36.81
You see, Peter's preaching
here on the Day of Pentecost
00:37:00.77\00:37:03.28
and he said Jesus
must stay in heaven.
00:37:03.48\00:37:05.28
He will not come back to
this earth until the times
00:37:05.68\00:37:09.37
of restitution of all things.
00:37:09.47\00:37:12.14
Those things that have
been spoken by the mouth of all
00:37:12.35\00:37:14.89
the holy prophets
down through the years.
00:37:14.99\00:37:17.07
And so as we think
about the second coming
00:37:17.38\00:37:19.84
Jesus cannot come
back to this earth
00:37:20.04\00:37:22.77
until the times of
restitution takes place.
00:37:22.97\00:37:27.51
And that's why it brings us
down to this time of protest.
00:37:28.75\00:37:32.15
And Luther, as he
began to walk through Germany
00:37:33.38\00:37:36.30
and preach, the people
protested and they became known
00:37:36.40\00:37:40.45
as protestants or Protestants.
00:37:40.55\00:37:43.86
Unfortunately
today, most of the protest
00:37:44.59\00:37:47.65
is gone from Protestants.
00:37:47.86\00:37:49.61
And if you take the
protest out of Protestants,
00:37:49.81\00:37:52.94
what have you got left?
00:37:53.04\00:37:54.22
Ants. And that's about what
they're doing back after row.
00:37:55.58\00:37:59.28
That was not God's intention.
00:37:59.58\00:38:01.50
They were to
protest... and they did!
00:38:01.71\00:38:03.77
The same truth went over
into England, and what church
00:38:03.97\00:38:06.67
was established over in England?
00:38:06.87\00:38:08.20
The Anglican church.
00:38:08.51\00:38:10.32
And I tell you, if you've
been brought up in the Anglican
00:38:10.53\00:38:12.16
church you've got
nothing to be ashamed of
00:38:12.26\00:38:14.59
because God
established that church.
00:38:14.79\00:38:16.35
Never believe the lie
that the Anglican church was...
00:38:16.55\00:38:19.01
was brought about by Henry VIII.
00:38:19.31\00:38:21.61
That's a lie! Henry
VIII died a Catholic.
00:38:22.69\00:38:25.42
He was never a
Protestant. Never!
00:38:25.62\00:38:28.48
The Anglican church was
begun by men like Hugh Latimer,
00:38:28.78\00:38:32.42
Ridley, and Cranmer.
00:38:32.62\00:38:34.20
And as they were
being burned at the stake...
00:38:34.41\00:38:35.88
And today you can go to
Oxford and see the little cross
00:38:36.08\00:38:38.12
in the street
opposite Balliol College
00:38:38.32\00:38:40.50
little brass cross - where those
2 men were burned at the stake.
00:38:40.70\00:38:44.24
And as the flames were
licking up around their feet
00:38:44.44\00:38:47.06
Latimer, whose prayers are
in the Anglican prayer book,
00:38:47.27\00:38:51.14
turned to Ridley and he
said: "Master Ridley, " he said
00:38:51.34\00:38:53.15
"today by God's grace we
will light a fire in England
00:38:53.35\00:38:56.94
which will never go out. "
00:38:57.14\00:38:58.67
That's where the
Anglican church began:
00:39:00.17\00:39:02.21
with wonderful men like that.
00:39:02.41\00:39:03.91
And if you've been brought
up in the Anglican church
00:39:04.11\00:39:05.66
you have nothing
to be ashamed of.
00:39:05.86\00:39:07.49
The same truth
went up into Scotland
00:39:08.43\00:39:10.19
and the Presbyterian church
was established with John Knox.
00:39:10.40\00:39:13.45
Faith that I was brought up in.
00:39:14.40\00:39:16.75
And friends, God wonderfully
blessed all of those churches.
00:39:18.05\00:39:21.49
They were established on
the Bible and the Bible only
00:39:21.69\00:39:24.11
and the just
shall live by faith.
00:39:24.31\00:39:25.59
But the trouble is, God had more
light to bring to the world yet.
00:39:25.89\00:39:29.25
So this time He
raised up another people
00:39:30.52\00:39:32.74
and they took
the name of Baptists.
00:39:32.94\00:39:36.15
Ever heard of the Baptists?
00:39:36.35\00:39:37.54
I'm sure you
have. Wonderful people.
00:39:37.74\00:39:39.37
Now the Baptists believe
like the Anglicans and the
00:39:39.57\00:39:42.08
Lutherans and the Presbyterians
in the Bible and the Bible only
00:39:42.18\00:39:44.68
and the just shall live by faith
00:39:44.88\00:39:45.97
but they went one step further.
00:39:46.17\00:39:47.42
What do you think they
emphasized that the others
00:39:47.62\00:39:49.07
didn't emphasize?
They had Bible baptism.
00:39:49.17\00:39:51.94
And do you know
what the Anglicans said
00:39:52.14\00:39:53.49
and the Lutherans said
and the Presbyterians said?
00:39:53.69\00:39:55.36
"Our fathers didn't
teach that; get out! "
00:39:55.56\00:39:58.45
And they literally
persecuted the Baptists.
00:39:59.67\00:40:02.93
In fact, the Baptists were
so persecuted - particularly
00:40:02.96\00:40:05.54
in England - that they
finally had to leave England
00:40:05.64\00:40:08.23
and sail over in the
Mayflower. And they became known
00:40:08.33\00:40:10.76
as the pilgrim fathers
who established America.
00:40:10.97\00:40:13.56
That's how
America was established.
00:40:14.68\00:40:16.44
In fact, Pastor Robinson...
I was just over in Plymouth
00:40:16.65\00:40:20.11
just very recently this year.
00:40:20.31\00:40:21.90
And Pastor Robinson,
who was their pastor,
00:40:22.20\00:40:26.55
preached his farewell sermon
to those people on the boat
00:40:28.06\00:40:31.59
on the Mayflower. And
this is part of his sermon.
00:40:31.89\00:40:36.35
this is what he said.
You'll see it now on the screen.
00:40:36.55\00:40:38.47
Isn't that a
wonderful statement?
00:41:50.22\00:41:51.93
What he's saying is that
if Luther was alive today
00:41:52.23\00:41:55.41
he wouldn't be a Lutheran.
00:41:55.61\00:41:57.15
Because light is progressive.
00:41:58.16\00:42:01.35
And as those men stood for
what God revealed at the time
00:42:01.55\00:42:05.00
in which they
lived they embraced it.
00:42:05.20\00:42:07.53
But if they were living today,
God has more light to bring
00:42:07.73\00:42:11.05
to the world. And the closer
we get to the coming of Jesus
00:42:11.15\00:42:13.45
the more understanding we're
going to have - particularly
00:42:13.65\00:42:16.00
of the prophecies of
Daniel and Revelation.
00:42:16.10\00:42:18.20
And truth is progressive...
00:42:18.50\00:42:20.35
truth is not
something which stands still.
00:42:20.56\00:42:22.96
And Pastor Robinson said that.
00:42:24.02\00:42:26.11
He said: "There is much
more light yet to be revealed
00:42:26.41\00:42:30.31
out of God's holy Word
and I want you to be willing
00:42:30.61\00:42:33.07
to receive that when it comes. "
00:42:33.27\00:42:35.30
Only if people were to
follow that good counsel.
00:42:35.60\00:42:39.05
But even the Baptists, wonderful
wonderful people as they are,
00:42:39.25\00:42:43.03
still didn't understand every-
thing, and God had to raise up
00:42:43.23\00:42:46.39
some more people. This
time He raised up two boys,
00:42:46.50\00:42:49.30
two young men, in England.
00:42:49.50\00:42:52.77
They were known as
John and Charles Wesley.
00:42:53.07\00:42:56.90
Ever heard about them? Sure.
00:42:57.20\00:42:59.59
And the great Methodist revival
took place there in England.
00:42:59.79\00:43:03.86
Some believe that it was
the preaching of John Wesley
00:43:04.16\00:43:07.36
that saved England from a revo-
lution that convulsed France.
00:43:07.56\00:43:10.86
And there were the
hymns of his brother Charles
00:43:11.26\00:43:14.69
that so stirred the Christian
world and we still sing them
00:43:15.09\00:43:19.39
today... some of the most
wonderful hymns there are.
00:43:19.49\00:43:21.67
You know, John Wesley's father
was an itinerant preacher.
00:43:21.87\00:43:24.99
He would only
come home once a year.
00:43:25.19\00:43:26.93
Not surprising that Mrs.
Wesley had 19, 20 children.
00:43:27.13\00:43:30.48
Only came home once a year.
00:43:31.61\00:43:33.45
And it's interesting
00:43:34.87\00:43:38.52
that he did a wonderful work.
00:43:38.73\00:43:41.77
But Wesley believed like
the others in the Bible and the
00:43:41.97\00:43:46.24
Bible only and the
just shall live by faith.
00:43:46.34\00:43:48.08
BUT he went further and he began
to teach methodical Bible study.
00:43:48.29\00:43:53.23
He taught
methodical giving to missions.
00:43:53.43\00:43:55.81
Everything he
did was methodical.
00:43:56.01\00:43:57.91
That's why the
nicknamed him a "Methodist. "
00:43:58.11\00:44:00.65
Because that name wasn't a good
name... that was a nickname.
00:44:00.95\00:44:03.63
"Don't tell me you want to
be a Methodist" they said...
00:44:03.83\00:44:05.47
the opponents of Wesley said.
00:44:05.67\00:44:07.91
In fact, the Anglican church
put out 323 tracts against
00:44:08.11\00:44:11.00
Wesley in the first six
weeks he began to preach.
00:44:11.10\00:44:13.38
Because truth has
always been opposed.
00:44:13.68\00:44:16.11
And they would say:
"Don't belong to that queer sect
00:44:16.31\00:44:18.76
of the Methodists. "
00:44:18.87\00:44:20.40
But friends, God had
truth with John Wesley.
00:44:22.97\00:44:25.94
And John Wesley began to preach
and he traveled like his father
00:44:27.34\00:44:32.15
all over and stirred
the social soul of England.
00:44:32.25\00:44:35.13
Outstanding
individual was John Wesley!
00:44:37.07\00:44:40.47
And any of us have been brought
up in the Methodist church
00:44:40.77\00:44:43.03
have nothing to
be ashamed of either.
00:44:43.23\00:44:45.44
But even the Methodists
didn't understand everything,
00:44:45.74\00:44:47.84
and God had yet more
light to bring to the world.
00:44:47.94\00:44:50.34
Can you sense
what's happening here?
00:44:50.64\00:44:52.57
As you look at the screen
and you can see error coming in
00:44:52.77\00:44:55.63
step by step, can you
sense that what God is doing?
00:44:55.64\00:44:58.72
He's restoring truth step
by step. Can you see that?
00:44:58.92\00:45:02.13
But there's still more
error that God had to weed out.
00:45:02.33\00:45:05.09
This time He raised up
people by the name of Adventist.
00:45:05.29\00:45:08.64
Not Seventh-day Adventist...
just the name Adventist.
00:45:08.85\00:45:10.93
Because an Adventist is someone
who believes in the soon return
00:45:11.13\00:45:14.09
of Jesus. And if you believe
in the soon coming of Jesus
00:45:14.19\00:45:16.56
you're an Adventist.
00:45:16.76\00:45:17.98
And this was led by a
layman of the Baptist church
00:45:18.18\00:45:21.33
called William Miller.
00:45:21.53\00:45:23.00
And William Miller
began to study particularly
00:45:23.51\00:45:26.66
the prophecies of
Daniel and Revelation.
00:45:26.76\00:45:28.73
And on the basis
of those prophecies
00:45:29.03\00:45:32.22
he was convinced
that Jesus was coming.
00:45:32.42\00:45:35.59
And thousands and
thousands of people
00:45:35.99\00:45:39.22
everywhere round the world
began to accept what Miller
00:45:39.42\00:45:43.61
was teaching. But do you
know what the Anglicans said
00:45:43.71\00:45:46.01
and the Baptists
and the Methodists
00:45:46.21\00:45:48.62
when William Miller began
to preach these prophecies?
00:45:48.82\00:45:51.60
They said: "Our fathers
didn't teach that. Get out! "
00:45:51.80\00:45:55.06
And they pushed
them out of the church.
00:45:56.19\00:45:58.19
It was never God's intention
that we have all these churches.
00:45:58.39\00:46:02.02
God wanted as new
truth came to the world
00:46:02.22\00:46:05.47
that everybody would embrace it.
00:46:05.67\00:46:07.01
But the trouble is people drew
up a creed around themselves
00:46:07.22\00:46:09.82
and they said: "This
is what we believe...
00:46:10.02\00:46:12.62
nothing more, nothing less. "
00:46:12.82\00:46:14.22
And so instead of
accepting that further truth
00:46:15.42\00:46:18.16
they withdrew and drew back.
00:46:18.36\00:46:21.30
But you see, the Adventists -
wonderful people as they were -
00:46:21.60\00:46:25.54
never understood everything.
00:46:25.84\00:46:28.31
They still had Sunday keeping.
00:46:28.51\00:46:30.18
All of the churches
that we have spoken so far
00:46:30.38\00:46:32.44
all still taught Sunday
00:46:32.64\00:46:34.32
and they all believed in
the immortality of the soul.
00:46:34.62\00:46:37.78
God had to weed out
those last major errors
00:46:38.08\00:46:41.10
out of the church. This
time He raised up another people
00:46:41.30\00:46:44.03
and they took the
name Seventh-day Adventist.
00:46:44.23\00:46:46.99
Now Seventh-day Adventists
believe like the Anglicans
00:46:47.30\00:46:49.87
and the Lutherans
and the Presbyterians
00:46:49.98\00:46:52.42
in the Bible and the Bible only
00:46:52.62\00:46:53.93
and the just
shall live by faith.
00:46:54.03\00:46:55.11
They believe like the Baptists
in baptism by immersion.
00:46:55.31\00:46:57.66
They believe like the
Methodists in methodical
00:46:57.86\00:47:00.24
Bible study. They believe
like the Adventists in the soon
00:47:00.27\00:47:03.11
coming of Jesus and the study
of the prophecies of Daniel
00:47:03.31\00:47:05.96
and Revelation. But
they went one step further.
00:47:06.06\00:47:08.99
And what do you think
they emphasized that the others
00:47:10.38\00:47:12.80
weren't emphasizing?
00:47:13.00\00:47:14.30
The great teaching of
the commandments of God
00:47:14.51\00:47:17.12
and the simple
teachings of Jesus.
00:47:17.22\00:47:18.82
And do you know what the
Anglicans said and still say?
00:47:19.03\00:47:22.02
"Get out! " The Baptists said
then and still say: "Get out! "
00:47:22.32\00:47:27.33
And the Methodists
still say: "Get out! "
00:47:27.53\00:47:29.92
Because friends,
every church, unfortunately,
00:47:31.27\00:47:35.23
instead of
wanting to embrace truth
00:47:35.43\00:47:37.81
they want to stand back
where their reformers left them.
00:47:38.11\00:47:42.38
And those reformers -
wonderful men as they were -
00:47:42.58\00:47:46.64
never understood all truth for
the hour in which they lived.
00:47:46.84\00:47:51.89
I'm not suggesting in any
way that they weren't good men,
00:47:53.86\00:47:56.15
that they weren't spiritual
men and that they didn't study
00:47:56.35\00:47:58.26
their Bibles. They did!
00:47:58.36\00:47:59.86
But God had special
light for the last days.
00:48:01.00\00:48:04.73
And it's God's intention
that that message goes out
00:48:05.96\00:48:08.55
to everyone. And
as soon as we get back
00:48:08.75\00:48:12.76
you see to the same teachings
that the original church
00:48:12.96\00:48:16.03
was established on, it's
interesting that a message goes
00:48:16.23\00:48:19.50
to the whole world. Just come
over to Revelation chapter 14
00:48:19.70\00:48:23.01
if you wouldn't
mind. Revelation chapter 14
00:48:23.21\00:48:25.67
and notice the beginning
of these three messages.
00:48:25.88\00:48:29.63
Remember? We were studying
about the other seminar.
00:48:29.83\00:48:33.10
Revelation
chapter 14 and verse 6.
00:48:33.30\00:48:36.00
You see, God has a message now
that's to go to all the world.
00:48:49.13\00:48:53.09
And what is that
message to every nation,
00:48:53.29\00:48:55.16
kindred, tongue, and people?
00:48:55.36\00:48:56.44
What is that message?
00:48:56.64\00:48:57.79
How is it summed up
in verse 12? Have a look.
00:48:57.99\00:49:00.60
Verse 12:
00:49:01.20\00:49:03.10
Can you see that we are back now
00:49:11.79\00:49:14.53
to exactly the same
platform as the original church
00:49:14.73\00:49:18.11
was established on?
Namely: the commandments of God
00:49:18.31\00:49:20.89
and the faith of Jesus.
00:49:21.09\00:49:22.61
Truth has done a
complete circle now
00:49:22.81\00:49:25.39
because we are back in the last
days to where God established
00:49:25.59\00:49:28.39
the church in the first place.
00:49:28.59\00:49:29.87
And that's why He has a message
now going to out every nation
00:49:30.07\00:49:33.94
and kindred and
tongue and people
00:49:34.14\00:49:36.13
getting people
ready for His return.
00:49:36.33\00:49:38.66
Now I want to say this,
friends. Seventh-day Adventists
00:49:38.76\00:49:41.21
don't spend any time
patting themselves on the back.
00:49:41.41\00:49:43.34
Let me make that
very clear... very clear.
00:49:43.54\00:49:46.42
But Seventh-day Adventists,
friends, look back on these
00:49:46.82\00:49:50.93
other churches
with tremendous respect.
00:49:51.13\00:49:53.86
Because we believe
that God led those churches
00:49:54.95\00:49:59.54
in re-discovering
truth. Get the thought?
00:49:59.75\00:50:01.71
And what we have today we
have built upon the foundation
00:50:02.01\00:50:06.22
that they have laid.
00:50:06.42\00:50:08.32
That's why we are
grateful - eternally grateful -
00:50:09.37\00:50:12.89
for what they did.
00:50:13.09\00:50:14.45
But human nature
being what human nature is
00:50:14.75\00:50:17.85
instead of
continuing to advance with truth
00:50:18.05\00:50:20.97
people have said: "Well I'm
satisfied with what I've got.
00:50:21.17\00:50:23.65
Don't tell me any
more... I'm not interested. "
00:50:23.85\00:50:25.31
And that's been the
tragedy of the Christian church
00:50:26.50\00:50:30.34
and we have so
many denominations.
00:50:30.54\00:50:32.19
Well people say to me: "Geoff,
that's not all the churches.
00:50:32.39\00:50:34.10
You said where all the
churches are coming from. "
00:50:34.30\00:50:35.81
Listen: I have given you
the main drift of the churches.
00:50:36.01\00:50:39.72
Now there are others. For
example, out of the Baptist
00:50:39.93\00:50:43.64
church you have
the Church of Christ,
00:50:43.74\00:50:44.92
you've got many other divisions
that believe similarly.
00:50:45.02\00:50:47.25
Out of the Methodist church
you have all your Pentecostal
00:50:47.55\00:50:49.68
churches and the myriad
of divisions within that.
00:50:49.78\00:50:53.53
Out of your Adventists you
have your Jehovah's Witness,
00:50:53.73\00:50:56.07
Mormons. You have
all sorts of ideas
00:50:56.27\00:51:00.18
that came out of the
great Adventist awakening.
00:51:00.38\00:51:04.40
I am giving you the
major drift of the churches.
00:51:04.71\00:51:09.06
Now sometimes people
say to me: "Well, Geoff,
00:51:09.36\00:51:10.70
how do you know that after
the Seventh-day Adventist church
00:51:10.90\00:51:13.75
there's not another one?
00:51:13.85\00:51:15.02
How can you be so
certain it's the last? "
00:51:15.22\00:51:16.99
I tell you, friend, how
I can be absolutely certain
00:51:17.19\00:51:19.87
that it's the last.
00:51:19.97\00:51:21.06
Because Revelation
14:6-12 is the last prophecy.
00:51:21.27\00:51:27.24
Because as soon as those
three messages go to the world
00:51:27.54\00:51:31.30
the harvest takes
place and Jesus returns!
00:51:31.50\00:51:34.32
That's why I know it's the last.
00:51:34.52\00:51:35.97
There is no other.
00:51:36.17\00:51:37.77
And as I said, we're not
spending time patting ourselves
00:51:39.08\00:51:41.38
on the back,
friends. Not at all.
00:51:41.48\00:51:42.87
Because this is God's
last message to the world.
00:51:43.99\00:51:46.65
And in humility I
believe that God has brought you
00:51:46.85\00:51:50.45
to these meetings. I
believe that God has brought you
00:51:50.55\00:51:52.75
to be watching today wherever
you are around the world.
00:51:52.95\00:51:56.70
God has brought you in
contact with this truth.
00:51:57.10\00:52:00.36
That's why we must take it
with... grasp with our hands
00:52:00.66\00:52:04.54
and never let it go.
00:52:04.74\00:52:05.91
Because this is God's
truth for these last days.
00:52:06.21\00:52:09.78
And listen: if you
and I aren't faithful
00:52:09.98\00:52:12.55
in the accepting of this message
00:52:12.75\00:52:14.56
God will lay us aside and
He will raise up someone else.
00:52:14.76\00:52:18.98
Because God doesn't
need you and doesn't need me.
00:52:19.93\00:52:22.26
He can raise up
people from the very rocks
00:52:22.56\00:52:26.04
He said on one occasion.
00:52:26.24\00:52:27.52
So He's not dependent upon us.
00:52:27.82\00:52:29.86
But He's given us an
opportunity to hear truth.
00:52:30.16\00:52:33.22
And when we hear truth
God wants us to accept it
00:52:33.42\00:52:36.86
and to follow it and
then to help our friends
00:52:37.06\00:52:39.48
to understand it.
Because I want to tell you,
00:52:39.59\00:52:41.28
friends, this is the most
wonderful thing that's going on
00:52:41.38\00:52:43.55
in the world today.
00:52:43.65\00:52:45.22
There's nothing more
exciting in the world
00:52:45.42\00:52:47.31
than God's last message
being preached to every nation,
00:52:47.42\00:52:50.60
kindred, tongue, and people.
00:52:50.80\00:52:52.20
Someone asked me just
before the meeting about other
00:52:52.99\00:52:55.32
Sabbath-keeping groups.
Well friends, there are...
00:52:55.42\00:52:57.13
but they're so insignificant,
so very, very, very tiny.
00:52:57.34\00:53:02.36
This is the message
that God has raised up.
00:53:02.56\00:53:06.28
It is the most wide-spread
message in the world.
00:53:06.48\00:53:09.30
Every nation. There isn't
a place under God's heaven
00:53:09.61\00:53:13.09
that you can go today that
you don't find this message
00:53:13.29\00:53:16.89
being preached
before you get there.
00:53:17.09\00:53:18.47
I don't care where you go!
00:53:18.67\00:53:19.73
Because it is
God's last message.
00:53:20.60\00:53:22.56
And if it IS God's last
message it has to be everywhere,
00:53:22.76\00:53:25.73
isn't that right? Not just
in a few places here and there
00:53:25.93\00:53:28.95
with one or two people
here and there. Not at all!
00:53:29.15\00:53:31.06
This is God's message
and God is raising up people.
00:53:31.36\00:53:35.72
That's why as I said
He's brought you in contact
00:53:35.92\00:53:38.37
to hear this message.
00:53:38.57\00:53:40.13
And it becomes a
tremendous responsibility of us
00:53:41.47\00:53:45.40
to accept this message
because it is God's last message
00:53:45.60\00:53:50.91
to the world. This message to us
00:53:51.11\00:53:53.66
is as important as the
message that Noah preached
00:53:53.86\00:53:57.30
to the people of his day.
00:53:57.50\00:53:58.81
Because remember Jesus said:
"As it was in the days of Noah
00:54:00.87\00:54:04.07
so shall it also be in
the days of the coming of the
00:54:04.27\00:54:06.82
Son of Man. "
00:54:06.93\00:54:08.49
It's exactly the same.
00:54:08.69\00:54:09.79
And we know that those people
who never accepted what Noah
00:54:10.88\00:54:14.51
said were finally lost.
00:54:14.61\00:54:16.45
And I believe, friends, that
the people who do not accept
00:54:17.54\00:54:20.30
this message will
suffer the same fate
00:54:20.51\00:54:24.06
because it is God's
final message to the world.
00:54:25.16\00:54:28.30
I don't say that because
I have authority to say it.
00:54:28.40\00:54:31.73
I don't. But I know from God
00:54:31.94\00:54:34.80
that this is God's last message.
00:54:35.00\00:54:36.85
And I read in
Revelation chapter 15
00:54:37.05\00:54:39.30
where it says those who
are saved in the last days
00:54:39.50\00:54:42.90
have gotten the victory over
the beast and over his image
00:54:43.10\00:54:46.02
and over the number of his name.
00:54:46.22\00:54:48.20
They're the group that stand
victorious on the sea of glass.
00:54:48.40\00:54:52.01
And the only
message in the entire Bible
00:54:52.31\00:54:56.76
that is telling
people about those things
00:54:56.96\00:54:59.13
are these three
messages of Revelation 14:6-12.
00:54:59.33\00:55:04.80
A message calling people
back to faithfulness to Jesus
00:55:05.11\00:55:09.79
and faithfulness
to His commandments.
00:55:09.99\00:55:12.73
And just as God
established the truth back there
00:55:13.03\00:55:15.53
in the land... in Israel
00:55:15.73\00:55:17.79
and then the people
objected and rejected Christ
00:55:17.99\00:55:21.90
and rejected the commandments
00:55:22.10\00:55:23.36
and Jesus established
the Christian church.
00:55:23.56\00:55:25.50
And unfortunately many
folk went into apostasy
00:55:25.90\00:55:29.52
in the Christian church.
They rejected the commandments.
00:55:29.72\00:55:32.46
Moved away from
the truth of God.
00:55:33.35\00:55:35.30
And then we find this great
error crept into the church.
00:55:35.50\00:55:38.22
And then step by
step in the Reformation
00:55:38.42\00:55:42.27
then God began to restore truth
00:55:43.77\00:55:46.83
bit by bit, section by section.
00:55:47.03\00:55:51.02
Some of the most
wonderful stories are told
00:55:52.37\00:55:55.43
of men and women
who stood for truth.
00:55:55.63\00:55:58.17
You know, I was
over there in France...
00:55:58.37\00:56:00.19
the southern part of France...
and I went down to a little
00:56:00.39\00:56:02.90
place called Constance.
00:56:03.00\00:56:05.27
It's a little
medieval city today.
00:56:05.58\00:56:08.05
It's a wonderful place.
If you ever go to France,
00:56:08.25\00:56:10.61
you must go and
have a look at this.
00:56:10.82\00:56:11.89
It's just the same as
it was in the Middle Ages.
00:56:12.09\00:56:15.13
They've preserved it.
People live there still today.
00:56:16.47\00:56:19.11
You've got the mote and you've
got the walls and you've got
00:56:19.31\00:56:22.65
where they used to shoot their
bows and arrows out of the slit
00:56:22.85\00:56:25.20
of the windows. Just as
it was in the Middle Ages.
00:56:25.30\00:56:29.25
And I walked up there...
I went down to Constance
00:56:30.45\00:56:32.60
because I wanted to have a
look at one particular spot
00:56:32.70\00:56:35.53
on one of those
towers where they chained up
00:56:35.73\00:56:37.95
a woman by the
name of Marie Durand.
00:56:38.16\00:56:40.65
She spent 38 years
00:56:40.95\00:56:43.34
there in that cold stone turret.
00:56:43.54\00:56:48.04
All she had to do was to confess
00:56:48.24\00:56:51.12
the sins to the priest and
they would have let her go.
00:56:51.33\00:56:53.75
She sat there for 38 years
00:56:53.78\00:56:56.95
because she
believed in the Bible.
00:56:57.15\00:56:59.72
And she was allowed to knit,
and she scratched into the stone
00:57:00.12\00:57:04.46
and you can still see it today
00:57:04.66\00:57:06.10
and I photographed it...
the French word resister.
00:57:06.40\00:57:11.92
She resisted the urge
to give in for 38 years.
00:57:14.48\00:57:20.47
And I tell you friends
what God requires today
00:57:20.77\00:57:24.12
in the world are
men and women like that
00:57:24.22\00:57:27.40
that have courage of conviction
00:57:27.60\00:57:30.15
and will stand for the
truth though the heavens fall.
00:57:30.35\00:57:33.31
That's what we are needing.
00:57:33.61\00:57:35.09
And I trust that God will
help us to have that conviction
00:57:35.29\00:57:38.27
and that certainty
in our hearts tonight.
00:57:38.47\00:57:41.51
Let's just bow our
heads together in prayer.
00:57:41.64\00:57:43.30
Our wonderful Father in heaven,
00:57:43.60\00:57:45.23
I want to thank you
again tonight for Jesus
00:57:45.33\00:57:47.28
and I want to
thank you for the truth
00:57:47.48\00:57:49.19
that You have shown
so brightly in Your Word.
00:57:49.39\00:57:52.17
Help us Lord today
to be like Marie Durand
00:57:52.37\00:57:54.96
and those in Bible
times who stood for truth
00:57:55.16\00:57:57.52
though the heavens fall.
00:57:57.72\00:57:59.07
Grant us much of Your
blessing now as we go home
00:57:59.27\00:58:01.56
and bring us back again
on our next program I pray
00:58:01.66\00:58:04.45
for Christ's sake, Amen.
00:58:04.65\00:58:07.16