How can people get involved here
00:00:33.40\00:00:34.90
with GYC beyond
this upcoming year?
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Yes, in the next year,
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if you look in your app sometime
00:00:38.87\00:00:40.57
or go to GYC Beyond webpage,
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in the app, there's
a link to GYC Beyond,
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but if you go to
gycweb.org/beyond,
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we have some
exciting new things.
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We have the
workbook, we have the podcast,
00:00:49.84\00:00:51.68
but we've also
developed an ideas database
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where you can see
a variety of ideas
00:00:54.62\00:00:56.28
of different
mission and service things
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that you can participate
in in your own church,
00:00:58.49\00:01:01.22
your own area, at a
school, wherever you are,
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and you can submit ideas
00:01:04.19\00:01:05.53
for other
ministry opportunities,
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maybe in
different careers or trades
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to try and
broaden the bank of ideas
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that people can participate in.
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One of the things
that you see there
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is different mission trips,
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different opportunities
where you can participate in
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as Eric said,
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but as we thought
about this year's theme,
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to the end,
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we realized that
this is not enough.
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No.
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We have to go to the end.
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And what that is
all about, for 2019,
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you will see now
in a short video.
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What if we came
together as an army of youth?
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What if we went beyond
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what we've ever
attempted before?
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What if we prayed
for God to work mightily
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and expected Him
to actually do it?
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What if God is
calling you to the end?
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In 1973, a
United States DC plane
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ran out of fuel over Iceland.
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It had to crash land
on Solheimasandur beach
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in Iceland.
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The pilots made a mistake
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and switched to
the wrong fuel tank,
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and they ran out of fuel
and crash landed on that beach.
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You see a picture
there on the screen.
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What happened was
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that the focus was
in the wrong direction.
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The story of this
plane is a great illustration
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of what happens when we run
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on the wrong fuel
of self-sufficiency.
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What happens when
we do not trust God
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to accomplish what He can do?
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This plane crashed on Iceland.
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It's a great
illustration of what can happen
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when we do things
without the Holy Spirit.
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But if we want to
fly in our ministry,
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if we want to have
a flight experience
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in a personal spirituality,
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we need the Holy
Spirit to fill us,
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we need a powerful prayer life,
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and we will see
mission work like never before.
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This plane crash in Iceland,
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a country that is
trapped in secularism,
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darkness, a history of
paganism, and occultism
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is waiting for missionaries.
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Only the power of God
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unleashed through
surrendered people
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can make a difference.
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And this is why we have decided
to take a very radical approach
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in claiming the
country of Iceland for God.
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So as we thought about this,
we've reached cities before,
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we've reached
smaller areas before,
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but we thought what
would God have us do
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if we aimed as high as
we could possibly imagine.
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And so we thought why not
go and reach an entire country
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for Christ.
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But how do you do that?
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You just go in and
start giving Bible studies
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and just being invasive and,
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you know, telling
people that you want to go in
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and just baptize
people for Christ.
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I mean, we want that, don't we?
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Amen.
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But we thought that we
would do something else instead,
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something far more
radical, far more crazy,
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and far more powerful
for God to be able to work.
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And so we thought
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why not go to this
first year and just pray,
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why not knock on
every single door
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that we can find on the
entire country landscape,
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and knock on each door
and offer to pray for people,
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to take prayer requests,
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to say, "God, what will You
do in the lives of these people
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now that we have
prayed for them?"
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And then walk around
the cities praying for them,
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walk around the
island praying for them.
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What could God do far
beyond we could ever imagine
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if we tried to just
do it all ourselves?
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We believe that God
is at work around us,
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and He's always
relevant, He's always powerful,
00:05:04.03\00:05:07.34
but He's always
waiting for people
00:05:07.37\00:05:08.94
to collaborate with Him.
00:05:08.97\00:05:10.81
And so that's
why we have decided
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to join forces with GYC Europe
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and going to Iceland
in the summer of 2019.
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In this first endeavor,
we will be, as Eric said,
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trying to knock on every door
in Iceland, praying for people,
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praying through the darkness,
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the darkness that
hovers over this island.
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In future
years, we may come back
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and do more
holistic efforts to try,
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take that further
to go back and say,
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"What did God do in your home?"
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Our goal is to be
able to track and see,
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okay, we prayed for this
door, what did God do here
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and to begin to build a
relationship with people.
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But as we do that,
we're going realizing
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that this is a
difficult mission field.
00:05:47.38\00:05:49.78
The church in Iceland
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has 150 actively
attending members
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out of about
450, 500 on the books.
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That's not a whole lot, is it?
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For a country
with 350,000 people,
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that's about one
Adventist for every 2,300 people
00:06:02.92\00:06:06.33
compared to North America,
00:06:06.36\00:06:07.70
which has 1 per 300 or so.
00:06:07.73\00:06:10.30
It's a place that needs
light more than ever before.
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And so we are praying that
you will join us this summer
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on this trip.
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If you want to be part of this,
you can see on the screen here,
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you can go to the website,
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GYCweb.org/Iceland
or in your app.
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If you open your Attendify
app, and you go to the menu,
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and you click Iceland 2019,
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you will be able to sign
up there for more information.
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You're not
signing up for a trip yet,
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but you're signing
up for more information
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as we will be
sending those things out
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very soon.
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And we want you
to be part of this,
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but we only want
people who are fully committed
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and who really are
willing to go to the end.
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We need God to do something,
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and so we are trusting
that He will unleash His power,
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unleash His light as we pray
for this country of Iceland.
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GYC, let's go
beyond, let's go to the end.
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Amen.
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See you in Iceland.
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Thank you, Brother Carlot,
00:12:43.63\00:12:45.79
for that
beautiful ministry of music.
00:12:45.83\00:12:48.10
Happy Sabbath, everyone.
00:12:48.13\00:12:51.03
It's a beautiful
opportunity to be in the south
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when you live in the north
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and enjoy some
of what even though
00:12:55.97\00:12:58.31
it might be a
cool day for Texas,
00:12:58.34\00:13:00.01
it's a warm day for
Berrien Springs, Michigan.
00:13:00.04\00:13:04.58
Let's pray together.
00:13:04.61\00:13:07.45
Thank you, Lord,
00:13:07.48\00:13:08.82
for the privilege of
Christian convocations.
00:13:08.85\00:13:14.32
Thank You for the blessings
that You've already poured out,
00:13:14.36\00:13:16.62
and I pray now, Lord,
continue to prepare our hearts,
00:13:16.66\00:13:20.43
anoint the presentation,
00:13:20.46\00:13:23.23
we know Your
Word is spirit-filled
00:13:23.26\00:13:27.10
and spirit-breathed.
00:13:27.14\00:13:28.47
So now, Lord, I
pray may we do nothing
00:13:28.50\00:13:30.24
to short circuit its power.
00:13:30.27\00:13:33.04
Bless us as we
worship You through this day.
00:13:33.07\00:13:36.51
Set a watch before my lips
00:13:36.54\00:13:38.01
and a guard before
the door of my mouth,
00:13:38.05\00:13:39.85
and give me a holy
boldness as well, I pray,
00:13:39.88\00:13:43.08
and readiness of heart myself
00:13:43.12\00:13:44.85
and those who have gathered here
00:13:44.89\00:13:47.09
to search the scriptures.
00:13:47.12\00:13:48.82
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:13:48.86\00:13:52.13
If you have your
Bibles, open them if you would
00:13:52.16\00:13:53.90
to the book of Corinthians,
00:13:53.93\00:13:56.36
1 Corinthians.
00:13:56.40\00:13:57.73
I have a
challenging topic this morning.
00:13:57.77\00:14:01.10
But we've gathered as Bereans
00:14:01.14\00:14:05.44
seeking to discern truth.
00:14:05.47\00:14:09.38
As Christians, as Seventh-day
Adventist Christians,
00:14:09.41\00:14:13.25
we have allowed God's
Spirit to be the guiding beacon
00:14:13.28\00:14:17.35
of our lives through His Word,
00:14:17.39\00:14:20.49
through the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:14:20.52\00:14:22.52
in communion and
community with each other.
00:14:22.56\00:14:26.63
The Book of 1 Corinthians is one
00:14:26.66\00:14:28.56
that I like to call
the postmodern gospel.
00:14:28.60\00:14:31.73
It's resplendent with
a variety of challenges,
00:14:31.77\00:14:34.60
some that would make your church
00:14:34.64\00:14:36.00
look like the healthiest church
on the face of the planet.
00:14:36.04\00:14:39.91
But it's not a
stellar beginning,
00:14:39.94\00:14:42.11
even though it's
a beautiful ending.
00:14:42.14\00:14:45.28
Paul finds himself
dealing with a fractured church,
00:14:45.31\00:14:49.25
a group of people
that are celebritizing
00:14:49.28\00:14:52.75
their allegiance to
people instead of to Christ.
00:14:52.79\00:14:57.23
He's gotten word back
from one of the notable
00:14:57.26\00:14:59.16
and trustworthy
women of the church
00:14:59.19\00:15:01.06
that there's a problem,
00:15:01.10\00:15:02.86
and he's
confident that it is so.
00:15:02.90\00:15:06.27
Now Paul does not practice
00:15:06.30\00:15:07.84
the modern forms
of pastoral esteemism,
00:15:07.87\00:15:12.04
he speaks with love,
the truth as it is in Jesus,
00:15:12.07\00:15:15.61
and he speaks directly.
00:15:15.64\00:15:17.58
1 Corinthians 3:1,
00:15:17.61\00:15:19.28
I'm reading from
00:15:19.31\00:15:20.65
the New American Standard Bible.
00:15:20.68\00:15:23.18
It says, "And I, brethren,
00:15:23.22\00:15:24.55
could not speak to
you as spiritual men,
00:15:24.59\00:15:27.69
but as to men of flesh,
as to infants in Christ.
00:15:27.72\00:15:32.23
I gave you milk to
drink, not solid food
00:15:32.26\00:15:34.66
for you were not
yet able to receive it.
00:15:34.70\00:15:36.46
Indeed even now,
you are not yet able,
00:15:36.50\00:15:39.73
for you are still fleshly.
00:15:39.77\00:15:42.44
For since there's
jealousy and strife among you,
00:15:42.47\00:15:45.47
are you not fleshly,
and are you not walking..."
00:15:45.51\00:15:49.14
I like this supplied phrase
in the New American Standard,
00:15:49.18\00:15:53.25
"Are you not
walking as mere men?"
00:15:53.28\00:15:56.69
The implied directive is that
00:15:56.72\00:15:58.52
the indwelling
presence of Christ,
00:15:58.55\00:16:01.12
the friendship of Jesus,
00:16:01.16\00:16:02.49
the power of the Holy Spirit,
00:16:02.52\00:16:04.49
and the direction of
the Father raises us up
00:16:04.53\00:16:06.86
above what regular humanity
would allow us to achieve.
00:16:06.90\00:16:11.03
So this morning,
00:16:11.07\00:16:12.40
I want to talk about
00:16:12.43\00:16:13.77
something very challenging
to every human being.
00:16:13.80\00:16:17.81
I want to talk to
you about authority,
00:16:17.84\00:16:19.37
and I want to talk to
you about accountability.
00:16:19.41\00:16:22.34
The first thing I
want to ask you is,
00:16:22.38\00:16:24.25
are you subject to the lawful
legal God appointed authorities
00:16:24.28\00:16:28.78
in your life?
00:16:28.82\00:16:30.59
Are you accountable to anybody?
00:16:30.62\00:16:32.89
Are you infected with
the spirit of this age
00:16:32.92\00:16:35.42
that defies your own
opinion and your own experience
00:16:35.46\00:16:38.59
and turns it into reality?
00:16:38.63\00:16:41.06
This morning, we find
ourselves in a larger picture
00:16:41.10\00:16:45.53
as a world body of believers
00:16:45.57\00:16:47.64
stressing and struggling over
how to conduct our business,
00:16:47.67\00:16:52.11
but I want to come back
00:16:52.14\00:16:53.48
to the individual
experience this morning,
00:16:53.51\00:16:55.31
I want to come back to
the experience of your home.
00:16:55.34\00:16:58.11
I want to come
back to the experience
00:16:58.15\00:16:59.48
of your church, your workplace.
00:16:59.51\00:17:01.98
God has said in this very same
00:17:02.02\00:17:04.25
or apostle that all things
be done decently and in order.
00:17:04.29\00:17:08.29
It is impossible
to do things decently
00:17:08.32\00:17:10.93
and in order with individuals
00:17:10.96\00:17:13.26
who are nurturing,
cherishing, fertilizing
00:17:13.29\00:17:16.23
a spirit of
independence or rebellion.
00:17:16.26\00:17:20.94
So my story is
just a little bit unique
00:17:20.97\00:17:24.24
because I'm the child
of a rebellious woman.
00:17:24.27\00:17:27.94
Now my mother is
highly esteemed in my life.
00:17:27.98\00:17:32.11
And if she had the
link, perhaps this morning,
00:17:32.15\00:17:34.42
she'd be watching,
00:17:34.45\00:17:36.48
instead she's probably
watched the pastor at the church
00:17:36.52\00:17:38.82
where I'm usually at,
00:17:38.85\00:17:40.19
but my mother is the
middle of three girls
00:17:40.22\00:17:43.56
whose life was difficult,
her father was an alcoholic,
00:17:43.59\00:17:48.66
and the stories
that I can recall
00:17:48.70\00:17:50.77
from my own experience
00:17:50.80\00:17:52.47
as well as the one she told
like she and her two sisters
00:17:52.50\00:17:56.44
fleeing from
their drunken father,
00:17:56.47\00:17:58.54
hiding with their mother,
00:17:58.57\00:17:59.91
my dear grandmother who
prayed me into this church,
00:17:59.94\00:18:02.64
locking
themselves in the bathroom
00:18:02.68\00:18:04.28
because grandpa was
drunk with a butcher knife
00:18:04.31\00:18:07.12
and was chasing
them around the house.
00:18:07.15\00:18:08.68
This is not an ideal childhood.
00:18:08.72\00:18:11.32
I can remember as
probably a 10 or 12-year-old boy
00:18:11.35\00:18:14.39
sitting in the car,
00:18:14.42\00:18:17.53
looking up onto the porch
00:18:17.56\00:18:20.00
and saying, "Dad,
grandpa is hitting Mom."
00:18:20.03\00:18:24.53
He had her by the hair,
and he was beating on her.
00:18:24.57\00:18:28.07
Now my father is at least
was before he became agent,
00:18:28.10\00:18:32.14
a larger man than myself,
00:18:32.17\00:18:34.64
and to watch my dad
go deliver my mother
00:18:34.68\00:18:37.71
from the hands of someone
00:18:37.75\00:18:39.08
that was supposed
to create security
00:18:39.11\00:18:42.02
was a strange thing.
00:18:42.05\00:18:44.19
So you could say my
mother had excuse or reason.
00:18:44.22\00:18:48.12
She was
expelled from her academy
00:18:48.16\00:18:50.93
six weeks before she graduated.
00:18:50.96\00:18:54.53
My mother was a rebel.
00:18:54.56\00:18:57.43
The Spirit of God
is moving on her heart,
00:18:57.47\00:18:59.27
and she is submitting
step by step to Jesus Christ
00:18:59.30\00:19:01.80
in her older age.
00:19:01.84\00:19:03.17
Can you say amen?
00:19:03.20\00:19:04.54
Now it's a strange thing
00:19:04.57\00:19:05.91
that my mother
in her younger years
00:19:05.94\00:19:08.18
should make some of
the decisions she made.
00:19:08.21\00:19:09.94
I learned early on in
my home what authority was.
00:19:09.98\00:19:12.81
By the way,
00:19:12.85\00:19:14.18
this is one of the
first things to be achieved
00:19:14.22\00:19:16.08
by human parents
00:19:16.12\00:19:17.45
is the loving direction
00:19:17.49\00:19:19.69
of proper authority and control.
00:19:19.72\00:19:22.92
Children who don't learn
it become a blight to society,
00:19:22.96\00:19:26.70
to their own
homes, to the churches,
00:19:26.73\00:19:28.43
and the institutions
they attempt to work for.
00:19:28.46\00:19:31.43
My mother taught me
she meant what she said.
00:19:31.47\00:19:34.14
I can remember when I
was in the sixth grade,
00:19:34.17\00:19:36.04
attending that
little public school
00:19:36.07\00:19:38.17
at Market Heights, Illinois,
00:19:38.21\00:19:40.78
getting a missive
from the principal
00:19:40.81\00:19:44.55
who had appeared at the
door of my sixth grade classroom
00:19:44.58\00:19:47.78
and had directed the
teacher to send me out,
00:19:47.82\00:19:50.69
I was being sent home.
00:19:50.72\00:19:52.05
This was exceptionally unusual.
00:19:52.09\00:19:53.79
It was the
middle of the morning.
00:19:53.82\00:19:55.49
You don't leave
school to go home
00:19:55.52\00:19:57.16
unless there's an emergency.
00:19:57.19\00:19:59.56
Well, in her point of view,
00:19:59.59\00:20:00.93
there was a problem
sizable enough to call me home.
00:20:00.96\00:20:04.43
When I got home,
what I found out was
00:20:04.47\00:20:06.43
that the problem was
that I had not cleaned my room
00:20:06.47\00:20:09.84
the way she had
told me to clean my room.
00:20:09.87\00:20:14.01
Now this wasn't
terribly surprising to me
00:20:14.04\00:20:17.78
to be called home to do
what she had told me to do,
00:20:17.81\00:20:21.85
but what was more troubling
was when my room was cleaned
00:20:21.88\00:20:24.55
and my mother said to me,
00:20:24.59\00:20:25.92
"Now you're going back
to school," and I thought,
00:20:25.95\00:20:27.29
"I'm going to face
a thousand questions,
00:20:27.32\00:20:29.19
and they're all going to
be about why I left school."
00:20:29.22\00:20:32.49
My mother taught me
that she meant what she said.
00:20:32.53\00:20:34.93
That was important
because a year or two later,
00:20:34.96\00:20:37.03
at the end of a
little summer vacation
00:20:37.07\00:20:38.70
at my aunt and uncle's house,
00:20:38.73\00:20:40.87
she called me out on
the porch and she said,
00:20:40.90\00:20:43.64
"Ronnie, some things are
going to change for you."
00:20:43.67\00:20:46.41
Now you have to remember
00:20:46.44\00:20:47.78
by the time I
was 13, 14 years old,
00:20:47.81\00:20:49.74
I was taller than my mother,
and I was looking down at her,
00:20:49.78\00:20:52.18
and she said to me, "You
are going to church school
00:20:52.21\00:20:55.95
in a few days."
00:20:55.98\00:20:57.32
And I said, "No, I am not."
00:20:57.35\00:20:59.49
Now you have to
remember, for me,
00:20:59.52\00:21:01.82
church was a bad association.
00:21:01.86\00:21:03.73
When I was a little boy,
00:21:03.76\00:21:06.16
my grandmother had
tried over and over again
00:21:06.19\00:21:07.93
to make this church thing stick.
00:21:07.96\00:21:10.53
And I can remember
going into the primary room,
00:21:10.57\00:21:13.64
this is my first
memory of church,
00:21:13.67\00:21:15.70
it's still fairly
vivid in my 54-year-old mind.
00:21:15.74\00:21:19.64
And I'm sitting in a
circle with all these primaries
00:21:19.67\00:21:22.21
in the basement
of the Peoria Church,
00:21:22.24\00:21:24.55
and they had handed
out books of the Bible.
00:21:24.58\00:21:28.62
Now unfortunately, for me,
00:21:28.65\00:21:29.98
I didn't get Haggai or Zachariah
00:21:30.02\00:21:32.42
or something like that,
00:21:32.45\00:21:33.79
I got the easiest book
in the Bible to pronounce,
00:21:33.82\00:21:36.52
except I got it wrong because
when they came around to me,
00:21:36.56\00:21:39.16
I said I had the Book of Job.
00:21:39.19\00:21:43.30
And that's
exactly what happened.
00:21:43.33\00:21:46.00
And I decided
00:21:46.03\00:21:47.67
I don't ever want to
come back to this place again.
00:21:47.70\00:21:50.61
Now it wasn't their fault,
00:21:50.64\00:21:52.74
and yet every
parent with a little child
00:21:52.77\00:21:54.84
ought to send their
children to Sabbath school
00:21:54.88\00:21:56.75
knowing they're
going as a missionary
00:21:56.78\00:21:58.21
because some backslider's
kid might be there that day
00:21:58.25\00:22:01.38
because the grandma
is praying for them.
00:22:01.42\00:22:03.55
That's what happened to me.
00:22:03.59\00:22:04.92
And I thought when I
show up in that church school,
00:22:04.95\00:22:06.72
I'm just going to
get perpetual rounds
00:22:06.76\00:22:09.22
of being a misfit,
00:22:09.26\00:22:10.63
only now, I'm a lot older,
00:22:10.66\00:22:11.99
and it bothers
me a whole lot more.
00:22:12.03\00:22:14.86
My mother wasn't
going to back up an inch.
00:22:14.90\00:22:16.46
She had fought
my father for years,
00:22:16.50\00:22:18.73
a good man,
00:22:18.77\00:22:20.10
but a man who didn't understand
why you'd pay good money
00:22:20.14\00:22:23.51
to leave a good public school,
00:22:23.54\00:22:25.14
but my mother, in
a strange situation,
00:22:25.17\00:22:27.84
a paradox, as it were,
00:22:27.88\00:22:29.61
from her own life of rebellion
00:22:29.64\00:22:31.31
was now exerting
an authority over me.
00:22:31.35\00:22:33.85
And pretty soon,
standing on that front porch,
00:22:33.88\00:22:35.92
I was weeping, and
crying, and praying
00:22:35.95\00:22:38.55
that she would change your mind
00:22:38.59\00:22:39.92
because I saw that
steely look in her face.
00:22:39.95\00:22:42.22
There was no going backwards.
00:22:42.26\00:22:43.73
I was going to Peoria
Junior Academy because
00:22:43.76\00:22:47.90
she said so.
00:22:47.93\00:22:50.43
And when I walked into
that classroom that first day,
00:22:50.47\00:22:54.07
and the Spirit of God
was there upon the teacher
00:22:54.10\00:22:56.24
and upon many of the students,
00:22:56.27\00:22:58.34
I began a trajectory that
has me standing before you
00:22:58.37\00:23:01.48
here today because in my home,
00:23:01.51\00:23:03.85
there was a proper understanding
00:23:03.88\00:23:05.41
of who was in charge
and what authority meant,
00:23:05.45\00:23:07.68
loving, proper,
firm, kind authority.
00:23:07.72\00:23:13.05
Now this morning,
00:23:13.09\00:23:14.42
I want to remind you of
some stories in the Bible.
00:23:14.46\00:23:17.43
We're living in an age
00:23:17.46\00:23:18.79
in which
independence of thought,
00:23:18.83\00:23:20.93
the postmodern mantra
for how you're to live
00:23:20.96\00:23:23.87
is that what happens
between your experience
00:23:23.90\00:23:26.70
and the synapses in your
brain create your own reality
00:23:26.74\00:23:30.31
and nobody has a
right to question it.
00:23:30.34\00:23:32.11
But this is not
what the Bible teaches,
00:23:32.14\00:23:34.11
this is not how
healthy homes work,
00:23:34.14\00:23:36.28
and this is not how
healthy churches work.
00:23:36.31\00:23:38.45
We believe in a
higher authority,
00:23:38.48\00:23:39.85
that is God's Word.
00:23:39.88\00:23:41.22
Amen.
00:23:41.25\00:23:42.58
That authority directs our path.
00:23:42.62\00:23:44.25
It supersedes culture
when it comes to moral living
00:23:44.29\00:23:48.09
and societal directions
00:23:48.12\00:23:50.16
on how to maintain
this authority in the home.
00:23:50.19\00:23:53.70
We can go all the way
back, take your Bibles,
00:23:53.73\00:23:55.40
go back to 1 Samuel chapter 2.
00:23:55.43\00:23:57.53
We can see that this authority
should be practiced first
00:23:57.57\00:24:01.30
in the home.
00:24:01.34\00:24:02.67
1 Samuel chapter 2,
00:24:02.70\00:24:04.64
the sad story of a man
who did not properly exercise
00:24:04.67\00:24:08.98
his authority, Eli, his boys,
00:24:09.01\00:24:13.48
they had no sense of the sacred,
00:24:13.52\00:24:15.68
they did not recognize
their father's authority.
00:24:15.72\00:24:20.29
1 Samuel chapter 2,
00:24:20.32\00:24:22.56
looking at verses 12 to 17,
00:24:22.59\00:24:27.43
we won't read it all,
00:24:27.46\00:24:28.80
but let's just
start with verse 12.
00:24:28.83\00:24:30.17
It says, "Now the sons
of Eli were worthless men,
00:24:30.20\00:24:33.84
and they did not know the Lord."
00:24:33.87\00:24:36.77
Skip down to verse 27,
00:24:36.81\00:24:40.44
there was a man of
God sent to Eli's house.
00:24:40.48\00:24:42.81
"The man of God
came to Eli and he said,
00:24:42.84\00:24:44.65
thus says the Lord,
00:24:44.68\00:24:46.58
'Did I not indeed reveal Myself
to the house of your father
00:24:46.61\00:24:50.15
when they were in Egypt in
bondage to Pharaoh's house?
00:24:50.19\00:24:53.62
Did I not choose them
from the tribes of Israel
00:24:53.66\00:24:56.42
to be My priests,
00:24:56.46\00:24:57.99
to go up to My
altar, to burn incense,
00:24:58.03\00:24:59.83
and to carry an ephod before Me,
00:24:59.86\00:25:01.46
did I not give to
the house of your father
00:25:01.50\00:25:04.23
all the fire offerings
of the sons of Israel?'"
00:25:04.27\00:25:08.50
And then this telling rebuke,
00:25:08.54\00:25:10.87
"Why do you kick at My sacrifice
00:25:10.91\00:25:14.01
and My offering
00:25:14.04\00:25:15.38
which I have
commanded in My dwelling,
00:25:15.41\00:25:17.15
and honor your sons above Me,
00:25:17.18\00:25:21.25
making yourselves fat
00:25:21.28\00:25:22.65
with the
choicest of every offering
00:25:22.68\00:25:25.35
of My people Israel?"
00:25:25.39\00:25:27.49
And then if you turn
over to the next chapter,
00:25:27.52\00:25:29.29
come down to verse 13,
00:25:29.32\00:25:31.66
we know that
Samuel has a vision.
00:25:31.69\00:25:34.16
It'd be a heavy
vision for a young person
00:25:34.20\00:25:35.96
to relate to an older person.
00:25:36.00\00:25:38.23
And by the way,
Spirit of Prophecy,
00:25:38.27\00:25:39.97
speaking of this
arrangement between the aged Eli
00:25:40.00\00:25:42.80
and the youthful Samuel
says this is as it should be.
00:25:42.84\00:25:45.77
If you want to avoid
issues with authority,
00:25:45.81\00:25:48.88
practice the
cross generational honor
00:25:48.91\00:25:51.18
that God has put in
place, start with your parents,
00:25:51.21\00:25:54.12
go to the
Sabbath school teachers,
00:25:54.15\00:25:55.65
the preachers, and all
those other individuals
00:25:55.68\00:25:58.05
that are in your life.
00:25:58.09\00:25:59.49
This young man had a
telling painful prophecy
00:25:59.52\00:26:02.66
for his mentor.
00:26:02.69\00:26:04.59
Verse 13,
00:26:04.63\00:26:07.26
"For have I not told him,
00:26:07.30\00:26:09.66
I'm about to judge his house
00:26:09.70\00:26:12.17
forever for the
iniquity which he knew
00:26:12.20\00:26:14.87
because his sons
brought a curse on themselves, "
00:26:14.90\00:26:17.87
and the final telling epitaph
00:26:17.91\00:26:20.24
on the Ministry
of Eli's family is,
00:26:20.28\00:26:22.98
"and he did not rebuke them."
00:26:23.01\00:26:27.08
So I want to ask you
today, are you under authority?
00:26:27.12\00:26:29.48
Husbands, do you recognize
00:26:29.52\00:26:31.39
that there are
people put in your life
00:26:31.42\00:26:33.12
to bring
accountability to your manhood?
00:26:33.15\00:26:36.79
Young people,
00:26:36.83\00:26:38.33
does the admonition
to obey your parents
00:26:38.36\00:26:40.60
matter to you?
00:26:40.63\00:26:42.20
Or do you believe
00:26:42.23\00:26:43.57
they don't have
rights in certain places?
00:26:43.60\00:26:45.67
Ellen White commenting
00:26:45.70\00:26:47.57
on the story of Eli and
his sons and challenging
00:26:47.60\00:26:50.94
a dysfunctional
family of her day
00:26:50.97\00:26:54.11
reminds them
00:26:54.14\00:26:56.21
that while they
are under your roof
00:26:56.24\00:26:59.58
and even beyond,
00:26:59.61\00:27:01.55
your parental authority,
00:27:01.58\00:27:03.08
the parental authority
in your life is not over.
00:27:03.12\00:27:05.69
Does it change?
00:27:05.72\00:27:07.06
Does it morph? Does it adapt?
00:27:07.09\00:27:08.56
Yes, but that
admonition to honor those
00:27:08.59\00:27:11.46
that are placed in authority
over you is imperative.
00:27:11.49\00:27:15.36
Take your Bibles and
go to the Book of Matthew.
00:27:15.40\00:27:17.73
Matthew chapter 8,
00:27:17.77\00:27:19.97
leading off in the
New Testament gospel
00:27:20.00\00:27:23.24
after the Sermon on the
Mount is this powerful story.
00:27:23.27\00:27:27.61
It's the story
of a non-Israelite,
00:27:27.64\00:27:30.05
a non-Christian, a
non-Adventist, if you would.
00:27:30.08\00:27:33.85
The story of a man who had
been watching from a distance.
00:27:33.88\00:27:37.82
Matthew chapter 8,
00:27:37.85\00:27:40.36
he has a sick
member of his household,
00:27:40.39\00:27:43.63
and he would like
them to be healed,
00:27:43.66\00:27:46.83
a servant.
00:27:46.86\00:27:49.03
Jesus says in verse 7,
00:27:49.06\00:27:51.73
"I will come and heal him."
00:27:51.77\00:27:53.84
But the centurion said,
00:27:53.87\00:27:55.20
"Lord, I am not worthy
for you to come under my roof.
00:27:55.24\00:27:59.67
Just say the word,
00:27:59.71\00:28:01.54
and my servant will be healed."
00:28:01.58\00:28:03.75
And this phraseology of verse
9 is exceptionally powerful.
00:28:03.78\00:28:08.52
He says, "For I also..."
00:28:08.55\00:28:11.12
what a strange
leading to honor Jesus.
00:28:11.15\00:28:13.92
But He says,
"For I also," me too,
00:28:13.96\00:28:18.26
I also am a man under authority,
00:28:18.29\00:28:21.33
with soldiers under me,
00:28:21.36\00:28:22.70
and I say to this
one, 'Go!' and he goes,
00:28:22.73\00:28:24.33
and to another one,
'Come!' and he comes,
00:28:24.37\00:28:26.67
and to my slave, 'Do
this!' and he does it."
00:28:26.70\00:28:30.71
And Jesus is almost
stunned by the experience.
00:28:30.74\00:28:35.44
It speaks to Him so powerfully
00:28:35.48\00:28:37.61
that He stops and
makes a commentary
00:28:37.65\00:28:39.41
where He says, "I've
not seen such great faith
00:28:39.45\00:28:42.38
in all of Israel."
00:28:42.42\00:28:43.75
I think sometimes we forget
that Jesus is the lead example
00:28:43.79\00:28:46.99
of how to live under authority.
00:28:47.02\00:28:48.89
Jesus was under
His parents' authority
00:28:48.92\00:28:50.86
with a few exceptions
00:28:50.89\00:28:52.23
when the authority of his father
00:28:52.26\00:28:54.13
dictated a different course
like at the 12-year appointment
00:28:54.16\00:28:57.60
in the temple.
00:28:57.63\00:28:59.33
Jesus Himself walked under
the direction of His father
00:28:59.37\00:29:03.20
with no literal, structural,
00:29:03.24\00:29:06.04
governmental
authority in His life,
00:29:06.07\00:29:08.71
He walked in the way
that God chose for Him,
00:29:08.74\00:29:12.05
and this was the
model for you and me.
00:29:12.08\00:29:16.05
So what does it mean
when we start to dialogue
00:29:16.08\00:29:19.05
about dynamics of
authority in the church?
00:29:19.09\00:29:24.36
Ellen White will
speak, and she says,
00:29:24.39\00:29:27.43
"Men and women,
00:29:27.46\00:29:29.43
who, in their
different organizations,
00:29:29.46\00:29:31.03
are brought
together in church capacity,
00:29:31.07\00:29:34.44
have peculiarities and faults.
00:29:34.47\00:29:37.34
As these are developed,
they will require reproof.
00:29:37.37\00:29:41.21
If those who are placed
in positions never reproved,
00:29:41.24\00:29:46.31
never rebuked,
00:29:46.35\00:29:48.05
there would soon be a
demoralizing condition
00:29:48.08\00:29:50.32
of things that would
greatly dishonor God."
00:29:50.35\00:29:54.06
There's something
00:29:54.09\00:29:55.42
about the dynamic of
someone standing in your way
00:29:55.46\00:29:57.73
when you're
marching down the wrong road.
00:29:57.76\00:30:00.00
That is absolutely
imperative to eternal salvation,
00:30:00.03\00:30:02.60
and health, and
happiness in this world.
00:30:02.63\00:30:06.74
Now we all come from
a variety of churches.
00:30:06.77\00:30:10.07
Your church may be
very healthy at the moment,
00:30:10.11\00:30:11.97
your church may be struggling.
00:30:12.01\00:30:14.08
We also are
involved in a larger body.
00:30:14.11\00:30:17.71
Ellen White has
1,000 references.
00:30:17.75\00:30:20.65
Now, of course, many
of these are repeats,
00:30:20.68\00:30:22.45
but when you go to the website
00:30:22.48\00:30:24.65
and you study the
phrase press together,
00:30:24.69\00:30:27.32
when you go to the website
00:30:27.36\00:30:29.02
and you study the
phrase the prayer of Christ,
00:30:29.06\00:30:31.43
all of those can be tied back
00:30:31.46\00:30:33.70
or most of them
to the references
00:30:33.73\00:30:35.13
to John chapter 17,
00:30:35.16\00:30:36.56
Christ's prayer for oneness.
00:30:36.60\00:30:39.10
It is impossible
to be one with someone
00:30:39.13\00:30:41.70
who is nurturing
the route of rebellion
00:30:41.74\00:30:44.31
of independent
thought and spirit.
00:30:44.34\00:30:46.71
If you're married
to somebody like this,
00:30:46.74\00:30:48.24
I feel sorry for you.
00:30:48.28\00:30:49.61
Keep praying, be
wise and patient.
00:30:49.64\00:30:52.91
If you're raising a child
00:30:52.95\00:30:54.55
who has decided
that their own way
00:30:54.58\00:30:56.32
is better than anybody
else's, this is a challenge,
00:30:56.35\00:30:58.72
God will work in the midst of it
00:30:58.75\00:31:00.09
to do something in you,
00:31:00.12\00:31:01.46
and eventually by God's
grace and through your prayers
00:31:01.49\00:31:03.86
and the life of the child.
00:31:03.89\00:31:06.56
If you're in a church
00:31:06.59\00:31:07.93
and there's stress factors
all around, don't give up,
00:31:07.96\00:31:10.10
it's a call to prayer.
00:31:10.13\00:31:12.10
Jesus prayed in John
17 that we would be one
00:31:12.13\00:31:15.10
just as He and the
Father and the Spirit were one.
00:31:15.14\00:31:18.94
It is so absolutely
important that we are one
00:31:18.97\00:31:21.71
because this oneness
is more and more unique
00:31:21.74\00:31:24.25
in an age of polarization
and stress fracture.
00:31:24.28\00:31:29.28
Ellen White, writing in 1888,
00:31:29.32\00:31:31.39
when the church was undergoing
00:31:31.42\00:31:32.75
one of its most
painful moments, said,
00:31:32.79\00:31:34.12
"Satan is the
accuser of the brethren.
00:31:34.16\00:31:36.49
And when he can set the
level of dissatisfaction
00:31:36.52\00:31:39.03
to work in the human
hearts, he's exalted.
00:31:39.06\00:31:41.93
When he can divide the brethren,
00:31:41.96\00:31:44.37
whether it's at home
or church or wherever,
00:31:44.40\00:31:46.63
when he can
divide the brethren,"
00:31:46.67\00:31:48.54
listen to this phrase,
"he has a hellish jubilee."
00:31:48.57\00:31:53.81
This kind of party
should not be thrown
00:31:53.84\00:31:55.94
with the
encouragement of thinking,
00:31:55.98\00:31:58.78
praying Seventh-day
Adventist Christians.
00:31:58.81\00:32:01.52
It's not our job to fertilize
00:32:01.55\00:32:03.22
or nurture the kind of division,
00:32:03.25\00:32:05.55
it takes too much
work to stay together.
00:32:05.59\00:32:07.86
Look around,
everything's falling apart,
00:32:07.89\00:32:09.99
families, institutions,
even the government.
00:32:10.03\00:32:15.50
It appears that
people can't talk anymore,
00:32:15.53\00:32:18.07
and it must be about time
for those prophetic strokes
00:32:18.10\00:32:21.54
described in the Book
of Revelation to take place
00:32:21.57\00:32:23.81
when we see a great
overreach of authority,
00:32:23.84\00:32:26.81
a dominion over conscience.
00:32:26.84\00:32:29.48
She goes on and she says,
00:32:29.51\00:32:30.85
"I think if our
brethren could see
00:32:30.88\00:32:32.48
as I've seen how
much wrong is done
00:32:32.51\00:32:34.82
in speaking
evil of our brethren,
00:32:34.85\00:32:36.72
there would be an entire change
00:32:36.75\00:32:38.09
in the way we treat one another.
00:32:38.12\00:32:40.46
You do not
understand yourselves,"
00:32:40.49\00:32:42.26
very interesting phrase,
00:32:42.29\00:32:43.63
"you
misinterpret words and deeds,
00:32:43.66\00:32:45.63
and you measure them
00:32:45.66\00:32:47.63
from your own finite standpoint.
00:32:47.66\00:32:49.80
Your imagination
leads you astray,
00:32:49.83\00:32:52.33
your feelings, your tongues,
which are not sanctified,
00:32:52.37\00:32:55.40
are employed in service and work
00:32:55.44\00:32:57.07
that is anything but
holy and Christ-like."
00:32:57.11\00:33:01.58
I had a member send me an
email just a few weeks ago.
00:33:01.61\00:33:07.42
And he told me
of a painful story
00:33:07.45\00:33:09.22
there happening in
Southwest Michigan.
00:33:09.25\00:33:12.79
Very respectable member,
00:33:12.82\00:33:15.36
sound solid
man, older gentleman,
00:33:15.39\00:33:17.93
respected in the community,
00:33:17.96\00:33:19.29
he said he went to do some work.
00:33:19.33\00:33:21.83
He was probably
consulting somebody
00:33:21.86\00:33:23.50
on a project for he's
an expert in his field.
00:33:23.53\00:33:26.23
And in the process,
somebody who had worked,
00:33:26.27\00:33:29.10
if you'd like to
say it in such a way
00:33:29.14\00:33:31.07
farther up in the organization,
00:33:31.11\00:33:32.51
the church went
into their house,
00:33:32.54\00:33:33.88
and they came
out with a cartoon.
00:33:33.91\00:33:36.81
The cartoon had a
picture of one of our leaders
00:33:36.85\00:33:39.41
wearing a Nazi
SS Gestapo uniform,
00:33:39.45\00:33:42.82
and the person
holding the piece of paper
00:33:42.85\00:33:44.49
thought it was
exceptionally funny,
00:33:44.52\00:33:47.92
the member who related the story
00:33:47.96\00:33:50.49
to me did not,
00:33:50.53\00:33:52.56
and he fulfilled a proper
role in challenging in love
00:33:52.59\00:33:57.03
the perspective
of the individual
00:33:57.07\00:33:59.47
who thought that the
caricature of one of our leaders
00:33:59.50\00:34:02.94
was humorous.
00:34:02.97\00:34:04.31
I don't know that he
changed anybody's mind,
00:34:04.34\00:34:06.44
but he did the right thing
in challenging a wrong mindset.
00:34:06.47\00:34:10.35
We're reaping the bitter fruits
of at least one generation,
00:34:14.25\00:34:16.69
maybe two in
America and beyond America
00:34:16.72\00:34:21.22
that, largely speaking,
has not been held accountable
00:34:21.26\00:34:23.59
by its parents, its
teachers, or its ministers.
00:34:23.63\00:34:27.43
When Paul says,
we're to walk worthy,
00:34:27.46\00:34:29.10
and he writes a book
00:34:29.13\00:34:30.47
that he thinks may
break his relationship
00:34:30.50\00:34:32.00
with the Corinthian church,
00:34:32.03\00:34:33.54
what he's doing is
being a faithful father
00:34:33.57\00:34:36.47
of that flock.
00:34:36.50\00:34:38.47
Doctrine is important,
00:34:38.51\00:34:39.91
and it matters that
we have right doctrine.
00:34:39.94\00:34:43.14
I want to assure you
today that parental authority,
00:34:43.18\00:34:47.52
pastoral authority,
even positional authority
00:34:47.55\00:34:50.89
is all part of saving us
00:34:50.92\00:34:52.99
from driving our
spiritual conveyances
00:34:53.02\00:34:56.93
to heaven off a cliff.
00:34:56.96\00:34:59.13
And it's absolutely
important, that in my heart,
00:34:59.16\00:35:01.66
as Edwin
Friedman says in his book,
00:35:01.70\00:35:03.73
"A failure of nerve
00:35:03.77\00:35:05.10
that I am responsible and honest
00:35:05.13\00:35:07.24
with myself about myself
00:35:07.27\00:35:08.90
because I might not see
myself the way God sees me."
00:35:08.94\00:35:14.84
I was dealing with
a number of pastors,
00:35:14.88\00:35:18.78
many of them
exceptionally wonderful people,
00:35:18.81\00:35:22.22
and I shared with them a summary
00:35:22.25\00:35:24.59
of one of my presentations
of a recent message
00:35:24.62\00:35:28.52
on authority and power.
00:35:28.56\00:35:31.93
The pastor lingered
around for a little bit,
00:35:31.96\00:35:33.70
and he said to
me, "You know, I agree
00:35:33.73\00:35:36.43
with what you're saying mainly,
00:35:36.46\00:35:40.70
but I'm not so sure
00:35:40.74\00:35:42.07
about the
maneuvering at the top,
00:35:42.10\00:35:44.64
some of the maneuvering behind
the administrational choices."
00:35:44.67\00:35:49.11
Now I need you to
understand a word.
00:35:49.14\00:35:50.68
There's a word in
our English language,
00:35:50.71\00:35:52.41
it is the word pejorative,
the word pejorative is a phrase
00:35:52.45\00:35:57.65
that means the
words you're using
00:35:57.69\00:35:59.99
are dripping with
some form of negativity
00:36:00.02\00:36:03.99
or detrimental speech,
00:36:04.03\00:36:06.19
something that
casts a negative light.
00:36:06.23\00:36:09.16
If one of your church members
were to come to me and say
00:36:09.20\00:36:12.20
that you and your position
were maneuvering something,
00:36:12.23\00:36:15.60
it's got the sound in
the field of manipulation,
00:36:15.64\00:36:19.47
it's not a proper way
00:36:19.51\00:36:20.88
to describe
somebody else's actions.
00:36:20.91\00:36:24.68
But in my
reflecting on the scriptures,
00:36:24.71\00:36:27.18
I think there were some others
00:36:27.22\00:36:28.55
in the scriptures who thought
that maybe there was some
00:36:28.58\00:36:31.55
maneuvering going on.
00:36:31.59\00:36:33.15
Take your Bibles and
turn to the Book of Numbers
00:36:33.19\00:36:34.86
chapter 12.
00:36:34.89\00:36:37.03
They were at
the very top almost.
00:36:37.06\00:36:40.50
Their younger
brother was the leader,
00:36:40.53\00:36:42.46
his name was Moses.
00:36:42.50\00:36:46.03
And it appeared
that he had chosen
00:36:46.07\00:36:47.70
to take advice from
someone else than them.
00:36:47.74\00:36:52.14
It created a bit of jealousy,
00:36:52.17\00:36:53.58
the spirit of
prophecy will write,
00:36:53.61\00:36:54.94
it created a bit of suspicion.
00:36:54.98\00:36:57.01
But what's worse is it in
their journey to reconciling
00:36:57.05\00:37:01.38
that somebody else
00:37:01.42\00:37:02.75
was in the circle
of administration,
00:37:02.78\00:37:06.02
they became blind.
00:37:06.05\00:37:08.39
It was a blindness
they could not see.
00:37:08.42\00:37:12.13
Writing in
Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:37:12.16\00:37:14.73
the author states that
00:37:14.76\00:37:16.30
Jethro would come into the camp,
00:37:16.33\00:37:18.57
father-in-law of Moses,
00:37:18.60\00:37:20.77
and that Miriam and Aaron feared
00:37:20.80\00:37:22.74
that his influence
with the great leader
00:37:22.77\00:37:25.31
exceeded theirs.
00:37:25.34\00:37:27.94
"Miriam, Aaron,"
she writes on page 83,
00:37:27.98\00:37:30.25
"were blinded by
jealousy and ambition."
00:37:30.28\00:37:34.55
Now to me, that's a
very important phrase
00:37:34.58\00:37:38.75
because when you're
blinded, you can't see.
00:37:38.79\00:37:42.12
She goes on to state,
"Had Aaron stood up firmly
00:37:42.16\00:37:44.59
for the right, he
might have checked the evil,
00:37:44.63\00:37:48.03
but instead of showing Miriam
the sinfulness of her conduct,
00:37:48.06\00:37:50.87
he sympathized with her
00:37:50.90\00:37:52.63
listening to her
words of complaint
00:37:52.67\00:37:54.90
and thus came to
share in her jealousy."
00:37:54.94\00:37:57.37
Now I need you to
understand something.
00:37:57.41\00:37:59.41
I have a very, very
expensive education.
00:37:59.44\00:38:03.41
I'm not talking about
the one I got in Andrews
00:38:03.45\00:38:05.75
which was worth every penny,
00:38:05.78\00:38:08.78
I'm not talking about the
one I got at the seminary,
00:38:08.82\00:38:11.05
which was
exceptionally beneficial to me,
00:38:11.09\00:38:14.59
I'm talking about the
one that I got after that,
00:38:14.62\00:38:17.33
the 30 years of
parenting and pastoring
00:38:17.36\00:38:19.46
where I have lost sleep,
lost friends, lost favor.
00:38:19.49\00:38:25.67
I'm talking to you
about the rejection
00:38:25.70\00:38:27.64
and the resistance to a ministry
00:38:27.67\00:38:31.14
that I believe most of the time
00:38:31.17\00:38:32.51
has been
motivated by a genuine love
00:38:32.54\00:38:34.34
for my people.
00:38:34.38\00:38:36.75
Some of you have more
expensive educations than I
00:38:36.78\00:38:39.41
because you've
sought to be faithful
00:38:39.45\00:38:40.98
through the years and
you're older than I am.
00:38:41.02\00:38:44.12
This life that we're living
when we live it with Christ
00:38:44.15\00:38:46.62
is the ultimate
teacher for Jesus Himself
00:38:46.65\00:38:48.22
is the shepherd
and the architect.
00:38:48.26\00:38:51.83
He is the engineer of every day
00:38:51.86\00:38:53.40
to teach us the
things we need to learn
00:38:53.43\00:38:55.30
in the journey we're on.
00:38:55.33\00:38:56.67
Yes, this
education is expensive.
00:38:56.70\00:38:59.10
And I want to make
sure you know something.
00:38:59.13\00:39:01.37
You need to be very careful
how you listen to people.
00:39:01.40\00:39:05.84
You listen to
somebody the wrong way,
00:39:05.87\00:39:08.38
you have
reinforced wrong thinking.
00:39:08.41\00:39:11.41
I said on the
airplane last night
00:39:11.45\00:39:13.42
between Karen and Sunshine
Ray, that's her real name.
00:39:13.45\00:39:19.02
Sunshine Ray
was younger than me,
00:39:19.05\00:39:21.26
Karen was older than me.
00:39:21.29\00:39:23.96
Sunshine's on her way
to take care of a relative
00:39:23.99\00:39:27.16
who's struggling mentally,
00:39:27.20\00:39:28.53
she's concerned about
her mental well-being.
00:39:28.56\00:39:31.00
Listen, if you don't show
00:39:31.03\00:39:34.04
the right kind of
discretion and listening,
00:39:34.07\00:39:36.04
you should always listen
long enough to understand,
00:39:36.07\00:39:38.54
but you better be
careful you don't listen
00:39:38.57\00:39:40.18
in the wrong way to
the wrong sentiments
00:39:40.21\00:39:42.48
because you can reinforce them
and set the person on a journey
00:39:42.51\00:39:45.88
that they will pay a high
price to make a U-turn on.
00:39:45.91\00:39:50.42
Aaron should
have stood up to her.
00:39:50.45\00:39:52.59
Aaron should have said, "Miriam,
00:39:52.62\00:39:53.96
you're going the wrong way.
00:39:53.99\00:39:55.32
God is clearly marked
out our younger brother
00:39:55.36\00:39:57.33
as the leader."
00:39:57.36\00:39:58.69
But instead of showing Miriam
her sinfulness of her conduct,
00:39:58.73\00:40:00.96
he sympathized, and pretty soon,
00:40:01.00\00:40:02.86
she knew she was right,
and he thought she was right.
00:40:02.90\00:40:07.47
Numbers chapter 12,
00:40:07.50\00:40:09.84
the Bible has a very interesting
00:40:09.87\00:40:12.64
and painful confrontation
recorded in this chapter.
00:40:12.67\00:40:16.44
And probably most of
you have missed the power
00:40:16.48\00:40:19.41
of its painfulness.
00:40:19.45\00:40:21.38
It says in verse one,
"Then Miriam and Aaron
00:40:21.42\00:40:23.42
spoke against Moses
00:40:23.45\00:40:25.25
because of the
Cushite woman he had married,
00:40:25.29\00:40:28.76
*for he had married a
Cushite woman, and they said,
00:40:28.79\00:40:31.69
"Has the Lord indeed
spoken only through Moses?
00:40:31.73\00:40:35.93
Has He not spoken
through us as well?"
00:40:35.96\00:40:38.53
And then this short
phrase, "The Lord heard it."
00:40:38.57\00:40:43.94
Now all of us should be reminded
00:40:43.97\00:40:45.77
of what Timothy is told by
Paul in 1 Timothy 3:3, 4, and 5.
00:40:45.81\00:40:51.65
"The purpose of the commandment
is love from a pure heart,
00:40:51.68\00:40:55.65
a good conscience,
and faith unfeigned."
00:40:55.68\00:40:59.52
If you're a younger
leader, if you're a parent,
00:40:59.55\00:41:02.76
if you're a pastor,
if you're a teacher,
00:41:02.79\00:41:04.56
if you're just a
Christian, remember this.
00:41:04.59\00:41:06.70
Paul will
summarize his book by saying,
00:41:06.73\00:41:08.63
"Look the purpose
of the commandment."
00:41:08.66\00:41:10.07
If you forget everything
else, Timothy, remember this,
00:41:10.10\00:41:12.80
"The purpose of the commandment
is love from a pure heart,
00:41:12.83\00:41:17.34
a good conscience,
and faith unfeigned."
00:41:17.37\00:41:19.64
When you say
something you shouldn't say,
00:41:19.67\00:41:22.54
when you think
something you shouldn't think,
00:41:22.58\00:41:24.71
and God plucks the
cords of your conscience,
00:41:24.75\00:41:27.75
don't turn that
into something religious
00:41:27.78\00:41:29.58
that you need to
kick to the curb.
00:41:29.62\00:41:31.32
There is a living God.
He's unseen, but He's alive.
00:41:31.35\00:41:34.16
He wants to dwell
in your heart and mind,
00:41:34.19\00:41:35.82
and He will talk to you if
you've educated your heart,
00:41:35.86\00:41:38.99
mind, and journey in this book.
00:41:39.03\00:41:42.73
When Miriam and
Aaron began thinking wrong
00:41:42.76\00:41:45.07
and speaking wrong,
00:41:45.10\00:41:46.43
you can be sure
the Spirit of God
00:41:46.47\00:41:47.80
was ahead of time
contending with them.
00:41:47.84\00:41:49.34
They chose to reject it,
00:41:49.37\00:41:51.34
but there is this commentary
that God Himself heard it.
00:41:51.37\00:41:56.24
Verse 3, now the man
Moses was very humble
00:41:56.28\00:41:58.51
more than any other man
00:41:58.55\00:41:59.88
who was on the
face of the earth.
00:41:59.91\00:42:02.12
And suddenly the Lord
said to Moses, and Aaron,
00:42:02.15\00:42:04.75
and to Miriam, "You three,
00:42:04.79\00:42:06.86
come out to the
tent of meeting,"
00:42:06.89\00:42:08.46
so the three of them came out.
00:42:08.49\00:42:11.39
You know, when my mother
called me by my entire name
00:42:11.43\00:42:14.66
with all my siblings
and I was told to appear,
00:42:14.70\00:42:18.73
it was a troublesome
moment, which this will be.
00:42:18.77\00:42:23.71
Then the Lord came
down in a pillar of cloud
00:42:23.74\00:42:25.57
and stood at the
doorway of the tent,
00:42:25.61\00:42:27.11
and he called Aaron and Miriam.
00:42:27.14\00:42:28.91
And when they both confirmed,
He said, "Here now My words,"
00:42:28.94\00:42:33.75
this is a very direct encounter,
00:42:33.78\00:42:35.15
there's not a lot of warm up,
00:42:35.18\00:42:36.72
there won't be a
lot of post lewd.
00:42:36.75\00:42:39.69
"If there's a prophet
among you, I, the Lord,
00:42:39.72\00:42:42.76
shall make myself
known to him in a vision.
00:42:42.79\00:42:45.03
I shall speak
with him in a dream,
00:42:45.06\00:42:48.33
not so with My servant Moses."
00:42:48.36\00:42:50.20
In other words, God's
taking him up a notch,
00:42:50.23\00:42:52.43
"He is faithful
in all my household.
00:42:52.47\00:42:56.10
With him I speak
mouth to mouth, even openly,
00:42:56.14\00:42:59.14
not in dark sayings,
00:42:59.17\00:43:00.51
and he beholds
the form of the Lord.
00:43:00.54\00:43:03.08
Why then were you not afraid
to speak against My servant
00:43:03.11\00:43:08.08
against Moses?"
00:43:08.12\00:43:09.45
"So the anger of the
Lord burned against them,
00:43:09.48\00:43:13.19
and He departed."
00:43:13.22\00:43:15.26
What you need to understand
00:43:15.29\00:43:16.86
is that in the book
of Exodus chapter 22,
00:43:16.89\00:43:21.33
Moses directed the
congregation of evil of Israel
00:43:21.36\00:43:26.60
not to speak evil
against the ruler.
00:43:26.63\00:43:28.70
This is what Paul
was referencing to
00:43:28.74\00:43:30.64
when in Acts chapter 22 or 23,
00:43:30.67\00:43:32.97
he's standing
before the Sanhedrin,
00:43:33.01\00:43:35.14
and he starts his
speech out by saying,
00:43:35.18\00:43:37.31
"I'm standing before You
here in all good conscience."
00:43:37.35\00:43:40.98
And the high
priest doesn't like it,
00:43:41.02\00:43:43.25
and he says to his attendant,
"Hit him in the mouth."
00:43:43.28\00:43:45.72
He just gives a
little hand moment.
00:43:45.75\00:43:47.29
And he hits Paul in the mouth,
00:43:47.32\00:43:48.82
and Paul says under inspiration,
00:43:48.86\00:43:51.46
not as irritated
response, he says,
00:43:51.49\00:43:55.36
"May God strike
you, you whitewash wall
00:43:55.40\00:43:57.47
for striking me
against the law."
00:43:57.50\00:44:01.20
And the person
standing next to Paul
00:44:01.24\00:44:02.87
says something very interesting.
00:44:02.90\00:44:04.37
He says, "Are you
going to talk that way
00:44:04.41\00:44:06.78
about the high priest?"
00:44:06.81\00:44:09.64
and Paul says, "I didn't
know it was the high priest."
00:44:09.68\00:44:14.48
And then there is his statement
00:44:14.52\00:44:16.69
which is a reference
to Exodus chapter 22,
00:44:16.72\00:44:19.25
"Don't speak evil
against the ruler."
00:44:19.29\00:44:23.93
This dynamic has
been communicated
00:44:23.96\00:44:25.73
to Israel and
yet it is something
00:44:25.76\00:44:27.66
that Miriam and
Aaron seemed quite casual
00:44:27.70\00:44:31.13
and going against.
00:44:31.17\00:44:32.50
You should not be speaking
evil against dignitaries
00:44:32.53\00:44:35.40
for even the angels, Peter or I,
00:44:35.44\00:44:37.41
don't bring riling
accusations gainst them.
00:44:37.44\00:44:39.81
When you lose proper
structure in society,
00:44:39.84\00:44:43.14
you can lose civility.
00:44:43.18\00:44:44.65
And when you
lose these dynamics,
00:44:44.68\00:44:46.58
you've lost more
than you can get back
00:44:46.61\00:44:48.38
in a generation.
00:44:48.42\00:44:49.75
A home that has not
properly under authority,
00:44:49.78\00:44:51.92
a church, an
administrative structure,
00:44:51.95\00:44:54.42
there is to be a humility
about the servants of Christ
00:44:54.46\00:44:57.79
with an appropriate
submission to each other
00:44:57.83\00:45:00.13
that allows God to speak
through the ones he appoints.
00:45:00.16\00:45:04.67
When David is being chased
around the wilderness by Saul,
00:45:04.70\00:45:08.90
he's in the cave.
00:45:08.94\00:45:10.47
David sneaks up to him.
00:45:10.51\00:45:12.67
His men are all
saying, "This is what God said,
00:45:12.71\00:45:14.81
'I'll turn your
enemies over to you.'"
00:45:14.84\00:45:16.44
David goes up on
his hands and knees,
00:45:16.48\00:45:18.81
pulls his sword
out of its sheath,
00:45:18.85\00:45:21.18
the light coming from
the entrance of the cave
00:45:21.22\00:45:23.42
is glistening off the blade,
00:45:23.45\00:45:25.52
but all the while
love from a pure heart,
00:45:25.55\00:45:28.72
a good conscience,
and faith unfeigned
00:45:28.76\00:45:30.96
are wrestling with
the would be king's
00:45:30.99\00:45:33.33
and the will be king's heart.
00:45:33.36\00:45:35.33
And David is
close to taking the life
00:45:35.36\00:45:37.90
of his persecutor, but
then he slides the knife
00:45:37.93\00:45:40.84
back into its sheath,
and he goes back and he says,
00:45:40.87\00:45:43.57
"I'm not going to be
the one who raises my hand
00:45:43.61\00:45:45.84
against the Lord's anointed."
00:45:45.87\00:45:48.58
David later finds
another opportunity.
00:45:48.61\00:45:50.68
This time, he's with
one of his mighty men,
00:45:50.71\00:45:52.41
Abishai, his nephew.
00:45:52.45\00:45:55.08
This is the man
who will save David
00:45:55.12\00:45:57.12
from one of
Goliath's relatives later on,
00:45:57.15\00:45:59.62
and they'll tell David,
00:45:59.65\00:46:00.99
no more coming onto
the battlefield with us.
00:46:01.02\00:46:04.23
They go all the way
into the center of camp,
00:46:04.26\00:46:06.06
which is a gutsy move.
00:46:06.09\00:46:08.96
And as they are
there with a divine slumber
00:46:09.00\00:46:11.93
on all of David's
enemies, Abishai says,
00:46:11.97\00:46:15.24
"Let me take the spear
and I can take care of him.
00:46:15.27\00:46:18.01
In one thrust, it'll be over,
00:46:18.04\00:46:19.71
and life will be
better and different."
00:46:19.74\00:46:22.74
And David says, "There's no way.
00:46:22.78\00:46:25.51
God can take him out,
God can deal with him,
00:46:25.55\00:46:29.18
I'm not going to be the one
00:46:29.22\00:46:30.55
who strikes the
Lord's anointed."
00:46:30.59\00:46:31.92
I want you to know something.
00:46:31.95\00:46:33.29
If you are a child barring
some unusual circumstance,
00:46:33.32\00:46:36.89
God has anointed your parents
00:46:36.93\00:46:38.26
to be a proper
authority in your life,
00:46:38.29\00:46:40.00
and it didn't end
when you got old enough
00:46:40.03\00:46:41.70
to come to GYC.
00:46:41.73\00:46:44.03
It changed and
it'll keep changing.
00:46:44.07\00:46:49.60
If God has called
your pastor to your church,
00:46:49.64\00:46:51.87
I hope that before he came,
00:46:51.91\00:46:53.51
you got down on your
knees and did a lot of praying
00:46:53.54\00:46:55.48
because personal
decisions are great big deals.
00:46:55.51\00:46:58.71
But once he brings him,
00:46:58.75\00:47:00.85
it's important
for you to make sure
00:47:00.88\00:47:02.62
that you understand
00:47:02.65\00:47:03.99
that there were prayerful
administrative moments,
00:47:04.02\00:47:07.02
and there was a
laying on of hands,
00:47:07.06\00:47:09.02
and he is or
she is to be the one
00:47:09.06\00:47:11.83
that is guiding
you on this journey.
00:47:11.86\00:47:15.70
God is in the midst
00:47:15.73\00:47:17.07
of His
administrative componentry
00:47:17.10\00:47:19.73
if we will bring Him in.
00:47:19.77\00:47:21.97
Verse 10, "But when
the cloud had withdrawn
00:47:22.00\00:47:25.31
from over the tent, behold,
00:47:25.34\00:47:26.68
Miriam was
leprous, as white as snow.
00:47:26.71\00:47:30.71
As Aaron turned toward
Miriam, behold, she was leprous.
00:47:30.75\00:47:33.42
Then Aaron said to
Moses, 'Oh, my lord, I beg you,
00:47:33.45\00:47:37.59
do not account this sin to us,
which we have acted foolishly
00:47:37.62\00:47:42.56
and in which we have sinned.
00:47:42.59\00:47:44.03
And don't let
her be like one dead,
00:47:44.06\00:47:46.76
whose flesh is half eaten away
00:47:46.80\00:47:49.23
when he comes from
his mother's womb!'
00:47:49.26\00:47:52.10
Moses cried out to the Lord,
00:47:52.13\00:47:53.57
saying, 'O God,
heal her, I pray!'"
00:47:53.60\00:47:57.24
And listen to God's response.
00:47:57.27\00:48:00.81
"But the Lord said to Moses..."
00:48:00.84\00:48:03.98
Now this is going to strike many
00:48:04.01\00:48:05.61
as offensive to
the sensibilities
00:48:05.65\00:48:08.95
of our modern
society and our culture,
00:48:08.98\00:48:11.95
this is going to strike
many as out of character
00:48:11.99\00:48:15.09
with the very nature of God,
00:48:15.12\00:48:16.69
but I'd like to
challenge you this morning
00:48:16.73\00:48:19.19
that when you become blind
and when you become jealous,
00:48:19.23\00:48:22.60
and God's got to come down
and smite you with leprosy,
00:48:22.63\00:48:25.33
there's a pretty
serious spiritual disease
00:48:25.37\00:48:28.00
that's farther
advanced than you might know,
00:48:28.04\00:48:30.34
and it might
require a severe rebuke,
00:48:30.37\00:48:33.04
which is what
this whole chapter is.
00:48:33.07\00:48:36.68
But this is what God says,
00:48:36.71\00:48:39.51
"If her father had
but spit in her face,
00:48:39.55\00:48:44.62
she would bear her
shame for seven days.
00:48:44.65\00:48:48.62
Let her be shut outside the camp
00:48:48.66\00:48:51.99
for seven days.
00:48:52.03\00:48:54.03
And she can be received again."
00:48:54.06\00:48:57.83
This manifestation,
00:48:57.87\00:48:59.20
Ellen White will write
of the Lord's displeasure
00:48:59.23\00:49:00.90
was designed to be a
warning to all Israel,
00:49:00.94\00:49:03.67
to check the growing spirit
00:49:03.71\00:49:05.04
of discontent
and insubordination.
00:49:05.07\00:49:08.14
If Miriam's envy
and dissatisfaction
00:49:08.18\00:49:11.05
had not been signally rebuked,
00:49:11.08\00:49:12.71
it would have
resulted in great evil.
00:49:12.75\00:49:15.38
The judgment visited upon Miriam
00:49:15.42\00:49:17.22
should be a rebuke to
all who yield jealousy
00:49:17.25\00:49:19.59
and murmur against those
00:49:19.62\00:49:20.96
whom God lays the
burden of His work.
00:49:20.99\00:49:23.69
You know, we
have a responsibility
00:49:23.73\00:49:25.86
and a right to our leaders,
00:49:25.89\00:49:27.23
whether it's a parent
or a teacher or a pastor
00:49:27.26\00:49:29.96
or a governmental leader,
00:49:30.00\00:49:31.80
we have the obligation to pray,
00:49:31.83\00:49:34.40
Paul says, for those
that are in authority.
00:49:34.44\00:49:36.67
We have God divinely
directed, counsel of Matthew 18,
00:49:36.71\00:49:40.71
to go and talk to people.
00:49:40.74\00:49:42.51
If I had $1 for every
time somebody said to me,
00:49:42.54\00:49:45.05
"Pastor, it won't do any good."
00:49:45.08\00:49:48.45
How do you know it's
not going to do any good?
00:49:48.48\00:49:51.55
You don't know until you go.
00:49:51.59\00:49:53.96
And besides the good
it will do will be in you
00:49:53.99\00:49:56.66
by giving you
the proper humility
00:49:56.69\00:49:58.46
and courage and love
00:49:58.49\00:49:59.83
that will only make
you a more effective leader
00:49:59.86\00:50:02.10
the rest of your life.
00:50:02.13\00:50:04.27
And whether or not
does any good in the moment,
00:50:04.30\00:50:06.10
it has the power to do
good somewhere down the road.
00:50:06.13\00:50:10.51
If you haven't read the
rest of the Book of Numbers,
00:50:10.54\00:50:13.71
you need to understand that
00:50:13.74\00:50:16.14
this problem
with insubordination
00:50:16.18\00:50:18.11
was an Israelite problem.
00:50:18.15\00:50:20.02
Stephen will be
stoned in the Book of Acts
00:50:20.05\00:50:22.75
because he says that Israel
was a stubborn, rebellious,
00:50:22.78\00:50:26.65
stiff-necked people.
00:50:26.69\00:50:28.02
It's true the people
in the camp of Israel
00:50:28.06\00:50:30.39
needed no encouragement
00:50:30.43\00:50:32.19
from the second
and third in command
00:50:32.23\00:50:34.53
to stand up to the leader
00:50:34.56\00:50:36.16
and act like
they're leaders too.
00:50:36.20\00:50:38.03
And if you read
the next chapters
00:50:38.07\00:50:39.43
of the Book of Numbers,
00:50:39.47\00:50:40.80
you see
rebellion after rebellion.
00:50:40.84\00:50:42.94
You may think
something that if you say
00:50:42.97\00:50:47.21
will sow the seeds
of doubt in resentment,
00:50:47.24\00:50:50.98
and
insubordination, and rebellion
00:50:51.01\00:50:53.18
in the heart of somebody else
00:50:53.21\00:50:54.55
and Satan's right there
00:50:54.58\00:50:55.92
behind you to
water and fertilize it,
00:50:55.95\00:50:57.45
and it may cost
them their eternal life.
00:50:57.49\00:51:01.79
This is why God shows up
so powerfully in this story
00:51:01.82\00:51:05.19
and says, "There just
isn't going to be any of this."
00:51:05.23\00:51:11.13
You know, there's
a lot of references
00:51:11.17\00:51:12.50
in the scriptures
to military metaphors.
00:51:12.53\00:51:17.41
Paul will talk about a soldier
00:51:17.44\00:51:19.27
not going to war
at his own expense.
00:51:19.31\00:51:22.08
We sing about
onward Christian soldiers
00:51:22.11\00:51:24.28
and stand like the brave.
00:51:24.31\00:51:26.35
The Spirit of
Prophecy will talk about
00:51:26.38\00:51:28.55
not everyone being
able to be generals,
00:51:28.58\00:51:30.35
and captains, and
sergeants, or even corporals,
00:51:30.39\00:51:32.62
and I'm quoting from her now
out of Christian stewardship,
00:51:32.65\00:51:36.06
"There's a hard work
of other kinds to be done.
00:51:36.09\00:51:37.99
Some must dig trenches
and build fortifications,
00:51:38.03\00:51:41.53
some must stand at sentinels,
some are to carry messages."
00:51:41.56\00:51:43.87
You know why?
00:51:43.90\00:51:45.23
God has a specific
special place for your life,
00:51:45.27\00:51:47.20
but He may not be
calling you to lead,
00:51:47.24\00:51:48.90
He may be calling you to follow
00:51:48.94\00:51:50.34
and hold up to
the hands of the ones
00:51:50.37\00:51:51.71
He's called you to support,
00:51:51.74\00:51:53.71
the ones that He
has called to lead.
00:51:53.74\00:51:56.04
There's all kinds of metaphors
00:51:56.08\00:51:57.51
of military might
and military order
00:51:57.55\00:52:01.05
in the
Scriptures, but right now,
00:52:01.08\00:52:02.95
the devil has one goal.
00:52:02.98\00:52:04.69
And this is the
point he wants to make sure
00:52:04.72\00:52:07.02
that Seventh-day Adventism
00:52:07.06\00:52:08.49
is at war with
nobody except itself.
00:52:08.52\00:52:13.80
And I want you
to think about it.
00:52:13.83\00:52:15.16
It's not your job to go home
from this message or another
00:52:15.20\00:52:17.80
and flavor your Christian
life by chewing on the preacher
00:52:17.83\00:52:20.77
or the teacher or the
Sabbath school leader.
00:52:20.80\00:52:23.47
That's not how you're to flavor
your Christian experience.
00:52:23.51\00:52:25.77
There has to be a
beautiful submissive humility.
00:52:25.81\00:52:28.44
It's enough
humility to stand up in love
00:52:28.48\00:52:30.38
when you should,
and it's enough humility
00:52:30.41\00:52:31.95
to get down on your
knees and pray often,
00:52:31.98\00:52:35.65
until we recognize
that we need accountability,
00:52:35.68\00:52:38.35
we will probably resent
and resist accountability.
00:52:38.39\00:52:42.76
And I can assure you for anyone
00:52:42.79\00:52:44.23
that's dealing with dynamics
of resistance right now,
00:52:44.26\00:52:49.06
that if someone will
not submit to authority,
00:52:49.10\00:52:52.47
eventually they will
have to convince themselves
00:52:52.50\00:52:54.74
that that authority is abusive
00:52:54.77\00:52:56.81
and not
legitimately do the support
00:52:56.84\00:52:59.71
of those that find themselves
00:52:59.74\00:53:01.21
in the structures of
governance underneath them
00:53:01.24\00:53:03.75
if you should
say it in such a way.
00:53:03.78\00:53:06.48
I'm holding in my
hands an amazing device.
00:53:06.51\00:53:09.98
I want to illustrate this
because in a crowd this big,
00:53:10.02\00:53:12.69
there's bound to be somebody
for whom this is salient.
00:53:12.72\00:53:18.23
If I could smash every
smartphone in the world
00:53:18.26\00:53:20.50
that was held by
an adolescent hand,
00:53:20.53\00:53:22.23
I'd do it.
00:53:22.26\00:53:24.63
Not because
it's inherently evil,
00:53:24.67\00:53:28.47
just because I'm
the father of four,
00:53:28.50\00:53:30.37
and I've gone
through so many chapters
00:53:30.41\00:53:32.17
where the world is
trying to get between me
00:53:32.21\00:53:34.81
and the rightful
discipleship of my child
00:53:34.84\00:53:37.51
by the unaccountable
access to their mind
00:53:37.55\00:53:40.05
with a moving of the thumb.
00:53:40.08\00:53:44.35
They can be sitting at
my table, I can walk in,
00:53:44.39\00:53:46.62
and with one sweep of the thumb,
00:53:46.65\00:53:47.99
they can be in
a different world.
00:53:48.02\00:53:50.39
If you think I
don't have experience,
00:53:50.43\00:53:51.89
I pastored for almost 20
years next to an academy.
00:53:51.93\00:53:55.46
But my real experiences
in raising four children,
00:53:55.50\00:53:58.23
you know, my mother
actually bought one of these
00:53:58.27\00:54:00.84
for one of my children
whom I will remain nameless,
00:54:00.87\00:54:03.20
so you only get a 25%
chance in figuring out who it is
00:54:03.24\00:54:06.01
if you know my kids.
00:54:06.04\00:54:09.54
And before it was put
into their hands, I said,
00:54:09.58\00:54:11.91
"Now you know that as a dad,
00:54:11.95\00:54:13.92
I have a right to look at
this phone whenever I want,
00:54:13.95\00:54:16.28
and look at anything I want."
00:54:16.32\00:54:17.75
And you know what they did?
00:54:17.79\00:54:19.12
They couldn't turn their
head up and down fast enough
00:54:19.15\00:54:22.59
to agree with what I was saying.
00:54:22.62\00:54:25.69
But I want to assure
you when the day came
00:54:25.73\00:54:27.46
that I wanted to look at it,
that was none of my business.
00:54:27.50\00:54:32.73
Now I want you
to think about this.
00:54:32.77\00:54:36.24
Are you a woman?
00:54:36.27\00:54:38.21
Are you a man?
00:54:38.24\00:54:39.81
Are you a boy? Are you
a girl under authority?
00:54:39.84\00:54:42.44
Are you your own authority?
00:54:42.48\00:54:43.81
If so, the work of rebellion
00:54:43.85\00:54:45.95
which is how God
characterized Moses' inability
00:54:45.98\00:54:49.22
to go into the Promised Land,
00:54:49.25\00:54:51.39
read the Book of Numbers,
00:54:51.42\00:54:52.75
he is told that he
acted in rebellion.
00:54:52.79\00:54:56.73
We must conduct ourselves
on the high plane of a noble,
00:54:56.76\00:55:00.40
dignified, submissive spirit.
00:55:00.43\00:55:03.67
Timothy tells us
to test the spirits.
00:55:03.70\00:55:06.17
John tells us to
test the spirits,
00:55:06.20\00:55:08.47
the spirit of
independence of thought,
00:55:08.50\00:55:10.61
and pride, of opinion.
00:55:10.64\00:55:12.17
We don't worship idols anymore.
00:55:12.21\00:55:13.98
We worship our own thinking.
00:55:14.01\00:55:15.74
And that is perhaps the
most dangerous way to live.
00:55:15.78\00:55:20.05
We're to reject the factious man
00:55:20.08\00:55:21.62
the scripture say.
00:55:21.65\00:55:25.82
Now I'm about out of time,
00:55:25.85\00:55:29.89
and I want to appeal to you.
00:55:29.92\00:55:33.66
I'm not God,
neither are your parents,
00:55:33.70\00:55:36.46
neither is your boss,
00:55:36.50\00:55:37.83
neither is your
conference president
00:55:37.87\00:55:39.23
or anywhere up the line.
00:55:39.27\00:55:42.77
But there's something
about you that lends itself
00:55:42.80\00:55:46.07
to this fantastic
vitality of spirit,
00:55:46.11\00:55:49.28
which sometimes doesn't
want the reins pulled in on it.
00:55:49.31\00:55:54.65
There's not a person
listening to me today
00:55:54.68\00:55:56.62
who doesn't have to wrestle
with their own cardinality
00:55:56.65\00:55:59.45
and the idea of
wanting to be right
00:55:59.49\00:56:01.62
and not be told
that they're wrong,
00:56:01.66\00:56:05.83
but it's dangerous.
00:56:05.86\00:56:08.13
We are living
at the end of time,
00:56:08.16\00:56:12.43
we cannot afford
00:56:12.47\00:56:14.94
to practice the
mentalities of independence
00:56:14.97\00:56:17.21
of thought and the
rejection of proper authority.
00:56:17.24\00:56:21.14
We must model proper
governance and structure
00:56:21.18\00:56:26.38
for the sake of the world
to see that the Holy Spirit
00:56:26.41\00:56:29.05
reigns in our midst individually
00:56:29.08\00:56:30.52
and collectively.
00:56:30.55\00:56:31.89
And this morning,
God has appointed me
00:56:31.92\00:56:34.22
to ask each of you,
00:56:34.26\00:56:36.73
are you too a man or
a woman under authority.
00:56:36.76\00:56:40.50
Can God speak to
you through someone else
00:56:40.53\00:56:43.83
and it's not abuse of power,
00:56:43.87\00:56:46.13
it's legitimate
love and concern,
00:56:46.17\00:56:48.54
it could even
severely rebuke you,
00:56:48.57\00:56:52.37
and would you
accept it like David did
00:56:52.41\00:56:53.98
when Abigail came to
him and later on wrote,
00:56:54.01\00:56:57.15
"Let the righteous smite me,
00:56:57.18\00:56:58.51
and it shall be
an ointment to me,
00:56:58.55\00:57:00.02
and shall be balm for my soul"?
00:57:00.05\00:57:02.75
I'm appealing to
you, whatever role,
00:57:02.78\00:57:04.72
position, or place you hold
to let the Lord Jesus Christ
00:57:04.75\00:57:08.86
who submitted Himself to
terrible abuse of authority,
00:57:08.89\00:57:12.73
and I'm not suggesting
there's not a proper way
00:57:12.76\00:57:14.70
to stand up and
speak truth to power
00:57:14.73\00:57:17.67
with the Spirit of
Christ, I'm simply saying,
00:57:17.70\00:57:20.97
let the truth speak
to your own soul first
00:57:21.00\00:57:25.27
so that you wouldn't be blinded
00:57:25.31\00:57:27.64
and miss the elemental
Lordship of Jesus Christ,
00:57:27.68\00:57:31.08
which would allow us to
dwell together in unity,
00:57:31.11\00:57:33.05
and it could be like oil
00:57:33.08\00:57:34.42
running down on
the beard of Aaron.
00:57:34.45\00:57:38.85
Let's pray.
00:57:38.89\00:57:41.26
Lord, touch the hearts
of my brothers and sisters.
00:57:41.29\00:57:45.96
Do what only You
can do to make us one.
00:57:45.99\00:57:48.83
May we individually...
00:57:48.86\00:57:50.57