If you but trust
in God to guide you
00:00:34.66\00:00:41.17
And place your confidence in Him
00:00:41.20\00:00:47.31
You'll find Him
always there beside you
00:00:47.34\00:00:53.55
To give you hope
and strength within
00:00:53.58\00:00:59.35
For those who trust
God's changeless love
00:00:59.39\00:01:05.43
Build on the Rock
that will not move
00:01:05.46\00:01:11.20
What gain is
there in futile weeping
00:01:16.57\00:01:22.11
In helpless anger and distress
00:01:22.14\00:01:27.42
If you are in
His care and keeping
00:01:27.45\00:01:32.72
In sorrow will He love you less
00:01:32.75\00:01:38.16
For He who took for you a cross
00:01:38.19\00:01:43.43
Will bring you
safe through every loss
00:01:43.47\00:01:48.70
Sing, pray, and
keep His ways unswerving
00:01:53.84\00:01:59.28
Offer your service faithfully
00:01:59.31\00:02:04.35
And trust His
word though undeserving
00:02:04.39\00:02:09.52
You'll find His
promise true to be
00:02:09.56\00:02:14.66
God never will forsake in need
00:02:14.70\00:02:19.97
The soul that
trusts in Him indeed
00:02:20.00\00:02:25.17
God never will forsake in need
00:02:30.65\00:02:35.82
The soul that
trusts in Him indeed
00:02:35.85\00:02:41.22
Good evening, everyone.
00:03:02.51\00:03:03.85
Welcome to GYC.
00:03:06.92\00:03:08.45
Welcome to the year 2020.
00:03:09.98\00:03:12.62
How many of you are
excited to be here this evening?
00:03:14.09\00:03:17.26
Amen.
00:03:17.29\00:03:18.63
Friends,
00:03:21.96\00:03:24.30
the first thing
that I would like to do
00:03:24.33\00:03:25.67
as we begin this conference
00:03:25.70\00:03:27.60
is just give a rousing amen
00:03:27.64\00:03:29.94
to those that
have made it happen.
00:03:29.97\00:03:31.67
Can you do that with me?
00:03:31.71\00:03:33.38
Amen.
00:03:33.41\00:03:34.74
So many people,
most of them here,
00:03:34.78\00:03:37.38
but some that cannot be here
00:03:37.41\00:03:39.48
have put so much time and effort
00:03:39.51\00:03:42.25
into allowing this
conference to be a possibility.
00:03:42.28\00:03:45.55
And we believe that
00:03:45.59\00:03:46.92
God is going to
do something mighty
00:03:46.96\00:03:48.62
over the next few days.
00:03:48.66\00:03:50.16
My name is Dean Cullinane.
00:03:51.49\00:03:53.40
I was born in the
Republic of Ireland,
00:03:53.43\00:03:55.90
grew up in London, England.
00:03:55.93\00:03:58.07
My wife in here who
was just on the stage.
00:03:58.10\00:04:01.64
We've lived in the United States
00:04:01.67\00:04:03.27
for exactly four
years now as of last night.
00:04:03.30\00:04:07.14
The Lord blessed us
with the opportunity
00:04:07.18\00:04:11.01
and possibility to
move to California,
00:04:11.05\00:04:13.78
where I've been
studying at Weimar College,
00:04:13.82\00:04:16.42
one of our
Adventist institutions there.
00:04:16.45\00:04:19.79
And I now work as the
dean at Weimar Academy.
00:04:19.82\00:04:24.23
I've heard all the
jokes of dean the dean,
00:04:24.26\00:04:27.63
but I have the
privilege of being there
00:04:27.66\00:04:29.26
and working with
some amazing young people
00:04:29.30\00:04:31.47
from the ages of 14 to 18.
00:04:31.50\00:04:33.94
And I'm excited as
well to just praise the Lord
00:04:33.97\00:04:36.50
because as of two weeks
ago, I finished with school.
00:04:36.54\00:04:40.41
I'm very grateful that the
Lord has led me through that.
00:04:40.44\00:04:44.18
And if I had to ask
you to have a wild guess
00:04:44.21\00:04:47.58
as so what it is or what
it was that I was studying,
00:04:47.62\00:04:51.89
I imagine that you would fall
into one of three categories.
00:04:51.92\00:04:56.06
Surely, I must
either be studying theology,
00:04:56.09\00:04:59.06
I must be studying Education
00:04:59.09\00:05:01.16
or I must be studying
something in the medical field,
00:05:01.20\00:05:03.80
maybe nursing or premed.
00:05:03.83\00:05:06.77
And the reason if you
did pick one of those three,
00:05:06.80\00:05:10.21
I think, is
because as Adventists,
00:05:10.24\00:05:14.54
it's almost as if that's
just what we're meant to do.
00:05:14.58\00:05:17.71
Have you realized?
00:05:17.75\00:05:19.11
It's almost as if
00:05:19.15\00:05:20.48
those are the only
three options available.
00:05:20.52\00:05:22.72
I mean, if you went to a
public secular university,
00:05:22.75\00:05:26.52
you would have no chance
at guessing what that person
00:05:26.55\00:05:30.29
that you just
walked up to is studying.
00:05:30.33\00:05:32.29
There's no way you'd get
it, zoology, meteorology,
00:05:32.33\00:05:35.70
engineering,
psychology, it's endless.
00:05:35.73\00:05:38.73
But if you go to an Adventist,
00:05:38.77\00:05:42.37
you can look like a prophet
00:05:42.40\00:05:44.24
if you just take a wild
guess at one of those three.
00:05:44.27\00:05:48.41
And if you did take a wild guess
00:05:48.44\00:05:49.88
at one of those
three, you will be right.
00:05:49.91\00:05:51.75
I've just
finished studying theology.
00:05:51.78\00:05:53.65
But I think the
reason why we fall
00:05:53.68\00:05:56.48
into one of those categories
00:05:56.52\00:05:58.75
is because we
believe that especially there
00:05:58.79\00:06:01.69
can we make a difference.
00:06:01.72\00:06:03.96
I believe within all of
us gathered here this evening
00:06:05.36\00:06:08.33
that there is a desire
to truly make a difference.
00:06:08.36\00:06:11.90
So let's choose one
of those categories,
00:06:11.93\00:06:13.60
not my own.
00:06:13.64\00:06:14.97
Let's choose being a doctor.
00:06:15.00\00:06:16.54
How much difference
00:06:16.57\00:06:18.44
can one doctor
make in the world?
00:06:18.47\00:06:21.68
A group of researchers teamed up
00:06:21.71\00:06:23.38
with an aspiring doctor
00:06:23.41\00:06:24.75
that had the same
desires to figure this out.
00:06:24.78\00:06:27.02
And they concluded
that the average doctor
00:06:27.05\00:06:29.62
adds to his patients a
combined 140 years of life.
00:06:29.65\00:06:34.82
And that's not an easy
thing to put a number on,
00:06:34.86\00:06:36.93
but that's the
number they came to
00:06:36.96\00:06:38.29
with a few degrees of variants.
00:06:38.33\00:06:40.36
Now using a
standard conversion rate
00:06:40.40\00:06:42.20
given by the World Bank,
00:06:42.23\00:06:43.70
they've concluded
that 30 extra years of life
00:06:43.73\00:06:46.57
is considered a life saved.
00:06:46.60\00:06:49.74
So on average, a doctor,
00:06:49.77\00:06:51.54
speaking about doctors
in developing countries,
00:06:51.57\00:06:54.14
save about five lives
00:06:54.18\00:06:56.78
over the course of their career.
00:06:56.81\00:06:58.41
Now without
wanting to devalue life
00:06:58.45\00:07:00.88
or under appreciate
the work of physicians,
00:07:00.92\00:07:03.72
five lives doesn't
seem like an awful lot.
00:07:03.75\00:07:06.86
Some doctors, though,
do achieve an awful lot.
00:07:08.29\00:07:11.86
Take Dr. David
Nalin, for example.
00:07:11.89\00:07:14.23
Working in Burma and Bangladesh,
00:07:14.26\00:07:16.13
he discovered a
breakthrough treatment
00:07:16.16\00:07:18.13
for patients
suffering from diarrhea.
00:07:18.17\00:07:21.30
He figured out that
giving patients water
00:07:21.34\00:07:23.54
mixed with the specific
00:07:23.57\00:07:25.41
and just right concentration
of sugar and water,
00:07:25.44\00:07:28.21
they would rehydrate
00:07:28.24\00:07:29.58
at the same rate in
which they are losing fluids.
00:07:29.61\00:07:32.31
Since then, which was in 1968,
00:07:32.35\00:07:35.88
the annual rate of
deaths from diarrhea has dropped
00:07:35.92\00:07:38.59
from 5 million a
year to 1.3 million.
00:07:38.62\00:07:42.16
So when you compare the numbers,
00:07:42.19\00:07:44.13
he's saving
hundreds of thousands
00:07:44.16\00:07:46.36
of more people every year
00:07:46.39\00:07:48.10
than the
average doctor is today.
00:07:48.13\00:07:51.23
Those numbers though
dwindle when you compare them
00:07:51.27\00:07:54.77
to that have called Landsteiner,
00:07:54.80\00:07:56.24
who discovered blood
groups and changed the way
00:07:56.27\00:07:58.97
that we even view
anatomy and physiology.
00:07:59.01\00:08:02.51
Oh, consider
one, Stanislav Petrov,
00:08:02.54\00:08:06.01
a lieutenant
colonel in the Soviet Army
00:08:06.05\00:08:08.35
during the Cold War.
00:08:08.38\00:08:09.82
In 1983, Petro was on
duty as a Soviet missile base
00:08:09.85\00:08:14.36
when early warning
systems indicated to him
00:08:14.39\00:08:17.16
that the United States
had sent incoming missiles.
00:08:17.19\00:08:22.06
Protocol therefore
dictated that the Soviet Army
00:08:22.10\00:08:25.07
returned the strike,
00:08:25.10\00:08:27.10
but Petrov did
not push the button.
00:08:27.14\00:08:29.40
He reasoned that
the number of missiles
00:08:29.44\00:08:31.34
was far too few to
warn a counterattack
00:08:31.37\00:08:34.21
and thereby disobeyed protocol.
00:08:34.24\00:08:37.05
If he had ordered a strike,
00:08:37.08\00:08:39.48
there is at least
a reasonable chance
00:08:39.51\00:08:41.82
that hundreds of
millions would have died.
00:08:41.85\00:08:44.95
The two countries would likely
00:08:44.99\00:08:46.62
have entered into
all-out nuclear war
00:08:46.65\00:08:49.16
leading to
billions of deaths possibly.
00:08:49.19\00:08:52.49
If we're being
conservative, we might say
00:08:52.53\00:08:54.26
that Petrov
saved 1 billion lives,
00:08:54.30\00:08:57.87
but even that could
be an underestimation.
00:08:57.90\00:08:59.83
Why am I telling you this?
00:09:01.04\00:09:03.04
Because I feel as though
wanting to make a difference
00:09:03.07\00:09:06.71
is not enough.
00:09:06.74\00:09:08.08
Instead of trying
to make a difference,
00:09:10.18\00:09:12.55
I believe that we should be
trying to make the difference.
00:09:12.58\00:09:16.79
You see, I don't want
to just change things,
00:09:16.82\00:09:19.59
I want to completely transform
and revolutionize them.
00:09:19.62\00:09:24.33
I remember shortly
after I became an Adventist,
00:09:24.36\00:09:27.20
I was called to this event.
00:09:27.23\00:09:28.96
It was titled
Each One Reach One.
00:09:29.00\00:09:32.13
Great premise.
00:09:32.17\00:09:33.50
If everyone reached one person,
00:09:33.54\00:09:34.94
the world church
would double in a year.
00:09:34.97\00:09:37.47
And when you look at that
kind of exponential growth,
00:09:37.51\00:09:39.47
we'd probably be
going home very soon.
00:09:39.51\00:09:41.51
The problem is when everyone
is set such a low target,
00:09:41.54\00:09:44.85
there's not a whole lot
of motivation to meet it.
00:09:44.88\00:09:47.55
If I'm set that
target in January 1,
00:09:47.58\00:09:49.25
I can wait until
December to try and reach my 1.
00:09:49.28\00:09:51.99
And then December rolls on
and I don't have enough time.
00:09:52.02\00:09:55.36
And so I had an idea.
00:09:55.39\00:09:57.53
What if we
changed it just slightly?
00:09:57.56\00:09:59.66
What if instead of
each one reach one,
00:09:59.69\00:10:02.30
it became each one
reach one thousand.
00:10:02.33\00:10:05.43
We'd better start on January 2.
00:10:07.47\00:10:09.20
Friends, I'm not comfortable
00:10:12.71\00:10:14.04
with just bringing
one person to Jesus.
00:10:14.08\00:10:16.14
Is bringing one
person good? Absolutely.
00:10:18.65\00:10:21.72
Does heaven rejoice
00:10:21.75\00:10:23.08
when one person
comes to the Lord?
00:10:23.12\00:10:24.45
Yes. Yes, they do.
00:10:24.49\00:10:25.82
Would Jesus have
come for just one person?
00:10:25.85\00:10:27.92
Yes, He would have.
00:10:27.96\00:10:29.29
But what I want to speak
to you about this evening
00:10:29.32\00:10:31.26
is about making the difference,
00:10:31.29\00:10:33.13
maximizing our reach
00:10:33.16\00:10:35.16
and making the most
amount of difference.
00:10:35.20\00:10:38.73
Being the ones
that are responsible
00:10:38.77\00:10:40.97
for changing the entire world
00:10:41.00\00:10:43.10
because when I read the
Bible, that is what I see.
00:10:43.14\00:10:46.81
I see wholesale change.
00:10:46.84\00:10:48.74
I see people
that would not settle
00:10:48.78\00:10:51.01
for anything less than
complete transformation.
00:10:51.05\00:10:53.78
And when I look at
the story of Jonathan
00:10:53.82\00:10:55.95
and his armor-bearer
in 1 Samuel Chapter 14,
00:10:55.98\00:10:58.95
that is what I see.
00:10:58.99\00:11:01.02
Friends, the title
for this evening's message
00:11:02.22\00:11:05.39
is A Thousand Shall Run.
00:11:05.43\00:11:07.46
Let's pray.
00:11:08.63\00:11:10.43
Father in heaven,
this is Your time,
00:11:10.47\00:11:12.80
this is Your stage,
00:11:12.83\00:11:14.47
this is Your Word.
00:11:14.50\00:11:16.30
We ask that You
would speak to our hearts
00:11:16.34\00:11:19.07
and change us even now.
00:11:19.11\00:11:21.51
In the name of
Jesus we pray, Amen.
00:11:21.54\00:11:23.91
I often hawk on
about reading the Bible
00:11:25.61\00:11:28.92
for the first time again.
00:11:28.95\00:11:31.45
I know it doesn't
make much sense at first.
00:11:31.49\00:11:33.89
Listen, but could you
imagine going over the stories
00:11:33.92\00:11:36.59
that you know so
well for the first time
00:11:36.62\00:11:38.59
and receiving them
as fresh as they were
00:11:38.63\00:11:41.73
that very first
time you went through.
00:11:41.76\00:11:44.30
I actually started
a ministry of podcast
00:11:44.33\00:11:46.57
on this very idea.
00:11:46.60\00:11:47.94
It's called Why They Did That?
00:11:47.97\00:11:49.30
We have a booth over
there, big yellow booth
00:11:49.34\00:11:51.01
that we'd love for
you to come and check out
00:11:51.04\00:11:52.61
about helping you
to read the Bible again
00:11:52.64\00:11:55.28
for the very first time.
00:11:55.31\00:11:57.55
You see, we know the stories,
00:11:57.58\00:11:59.08
but we often don't
know why they're there.
00:11:59.11\00:12:02.12
The Bible, friends,
is more than a book.
00:12:02.15\00:12:03.99
It's more than a storybook,
and it's more than a collection
00:12:04.02\00:12:06.99
of storybooks.
00:12:07.02\00:12:08.36
The Bible is a manual,
a manual on how to live.
00:12:08.39\00:12:13.26
And the stories
here in the Old Testament
00:12:13.29\00:12:15.00
are recorded not
so that we would know
00:12:15.03\00:12:16.60
the right order of history
00:12:16.63\00:12:18.43
but so that we
would be able to enter in
00:12:18.47\00:12:22.34
to the scriptures so that
we will be transported back
00:12:22.37\00:12:25.31
millennia and look
through the characters
00:12:25.34\00:12:28.18
that we love so dearly and
look through them so deeply
00:12:28.21\00:12:31.85
that we would see
ourselves in them.
00:12:31.88\00:12:34.22
If you were to
go through the story
00:12:35.75\00:12:37.79
of 1 Samuel Chapter 13 and 14,
00:12:37.82\00:12:40.12
you would get there
having a decent understanding
00:12:40.16\00:12:42.76
of what is
taking place in Israel.
00:12:42.79\00:12:44.66
There's two main players.
00:12:44.69\00:12:46.33
There's Samuel
and there is Saul.
00:12:46.36\00:12:48.66
One is the prophet,
the other one is the king.
00:12:48.70\00:12:51.77
One is faithful,
the other one is Saul.
00:12:51.80\00:12:55.70
And if you
continue to read through,
00:12:58.54\00:13:00.18
if you'll turn with me
please the 1 Samuel Chapter 13,
00:13:00.21\00:13:04.11
we're
introduced to the character
00:13:04.15\00:13:07.88
in whom GYC's key
theme has come from.
00:13:07.92\00:13:12.75
It says in verse
1 of 1 Samuel 13,
00:13:12.79\00:13:14.82
"Saul reigned one year,
00:13:14.86\00:13:16.19
and when he had
reigned two years over Israel,
00:13:16.22\00:13:17.99
Saul chose for himself
three thousand men of Israel.
00:13:18.03\00:13:20.76
Whereof 2,000 were with Saul
and 1,000 were with Jonathan.
00:13:20.80\00:13:24.80
And the rest of the people,
he sent every man to his tent."
00:13:24.83\00:13:27.24
Verse three, and "Jonathan smote
00:13:27.27\00:13:29.84
the garrison of the
Philistines that was in Geba,
00:13:29.87\00:13:32.14
and the Philistines heard of it.
00:13:32.17\00:13:33.58
And Saul blew the trumpet
throughout the land, saying,
00:13:33.61\00:13:36.91
'Let the Hebrews hear.'"
00:13:36.95\00:13:38.81
So let me ask you a question,
00:13:38.85\00:13:40.18
if you're reading
this for the first time,
00:13:40.22\00:13:42.08
who is Jonathan?
00:13:42.12\00:13:44.25
Some of you would say,
well, he is Saul's son.
00:13:44.29\00:13:45.95
But here's the
thing, if you are reading it
00:13:45.99\00:13:47.32
for the first time,
you don't know that yet.
00:13:47.36\00:13:49.72
You don't know that
Jonathan is Saul's son
00:13:49.76\00:13:51.99
because he has not been
introduced as Saul's son.
00:13:52.03\00:13:54.83
When we first hear Jonathan,
00:13:54.86\00:13:56.46
Jonathan is
introduced as a warrior.
00:13:56.50\00:13:59.87
Introduction to him is one
that he is slaying Philistines,
00:13:59.90\00:14:03.04
where his victory is so great
that all the Philistines here
00:14:03.07\00:14:06.17
have it to the point
that they're in retreat.
00:14:06.21\00:14:09.04
Sister White
says that Saul's army
00:14:09.08\00:14:11.15
were filled
with hope and courage
00:14:11.18\00:14:13.42
upon Jonathan's victory.
00:14:13.45\00:14:15.72
And that if it was
followed through a great result
00:14:15.75\00:14:18.82
could have taken place
for the liberties of Israel.
00:14:18.85\00:14:21.09
It isn't until
verse 16, you see,
00:14:23.59\00:14:26.66
because my question was,
00:14:26.70\00:14:28.03
well, why wasn't
Jonathan chosen as the King?
00:14:28.06\00:14:30.17
It isn't until
you get to verse 16,
00:14:30.20\00:14:32.47
halfway through the story
that the Bible says and Saul,
00:14:32.50\00:14:35.80
and Jonathan, his son, it
throws in that minor detail,
00:14:35.84\00:14:40.01
that seemingly minor detail
halfway through the narrative,
00:14:40.04\00:14:43.45
which isn't really how
characters are introduced
00:14:43.48\00:14:46.01
in the scriptures.
00:14:46.05\00:14:47.38
And so I looked at this
and I asked myself, "Why?
00:14:47.42\00:14:49.22
Why introduced
him first as a warrior
00:14:50.72\00:14:53.36
and then later on
as the son of Saul?"
00:14:53.39\00:14:56.66
Perhaps, you could
look it as a coincidence.
00:14:56.69\00:15:00.70
But I don't
believe in coincidences
00:15:00.73\00:15:02.36
when it comes to the scriptures.
00:15:02.40\00:15:04.27
I believe that holy men
were moved by the Holy Ghost
00:15:04.30\00:15:08.14
and wrote these things
so that we could study them
00:15:08.17\00:15:10.24
and learn them.
00:15:10.27\00:15:12.01
Perhaps the Spirit of
God wants us to recognize
00:15:12.04\00:15:15.74
that it is not who
you are that matters,
00:15:15.78\00:15:18.31
it is what you are.
00:15:18.35\00:15:21.12
Jonathan's dad was a
mess, a complete mess.
00:15:21.15\00:15:24.65
Yet despite who his father
was and his family issues,
00:15:24.69\00:15:28.12
God was about to use him
based on who he was in Christ,
00:15:28.16\00:15:33.16
who his father
was didn't matter,
00:15:33.19\00:15:35.33
what mattered was who
his Heavenly Father was.
00:15:35.36\00:15:39.57
At the age of 10 years old,
00:15:39.60\00:15:41.27
I found out that my
father was a rapist,
00:15:41.30\00:15:45.07
that my existence
was the result of a man
00:15:45.11\00:15:47.54
that could not
control his lusts.
00:15:47.58\00:15:50.61
A man whose friend trusted
him to take his fiance home
00:15:50.65\00:15:53.95
after a late hour house party,
00:15:53.98\00:15:56.79
a man who drove
to the nearest field,
00:15:56.82\00:15:59.05
took out a bottle of vodka
00:15:59.09\00:16:00.86
and smashed it
over my mother's head
00:16:00.89\00:16:02.52
and rendering her unconscious
00:16:02.56\00:16:04.43
and proceeding to
rape her multiple times.
00:16:04.46\00:16:08.10
I carried that
with me for nine years.
00:16:08.13\00:16:11.13
For nine years, I
believe that everything
00:16:11.17\00:16:12.93
that happened in
my life was a result
00:16:12.97\00:16:14.97
of that horrible action.
00:16:15.00\00:16:17.31
Those were dark times,
00:16:17.34\00:16:18.67
times when I didn't know
the Lord, but the Lord knew me.
00:16:18.71\00:16:22.58
And when the time was right,
he revealed Himself to me.
00:16:22.61\00:16:25.71
When life was darkest,
00:16:25.75\00:16:27.58
the light shone
through the brightest.
00:16:27.62\00:16:30.39
When I was closest in my
life to throwing in the towel,
00:16:30.42\00:16:33.19
that's when God
whose hand is not too short
00:16:33.22\00:16:35.79
to save showed up.
00:16:35.82\00:16:37.93
He gave me purpose.
00:16:37.96\00:16:39.69
He gave me a reason to exist.
00:16:39.73\00:16:41.40
He put love in my heart
where there was once hatred.
00:16:41.43\00:16:45.07
And he showed me that, Dean,
00:16:45.10\00:16:46.43
it doesn't matter
who your father is,
00:16:46.47\00:16:47.80
I am your father.
00:16:47.84\00:16:50.34
Friends, it matters not
00:16:50.37\00:16:52.04
whose blood runs
through your veins,
00:16:52.07\00:16:54.31
it matters that the
blood of the Son of God
00:16:54.34\00:16:57.05
was spilled for you.
00:16:57.08\00:16:59.68
I want to tell
you here this evening
00:16:59.71\00:17:02.48
that our identity is
not found in family trees
00:17:02.52\00:17:05.25
and DNA markers.
00:17:05.29\00:17:07.36
It is not so
much about 23 and me
00:17:07.39\00:17:10.49
as much as it
is about 33 and me,
00:17:10.53\00:17:13.40
33 years of the life of Christ
00:17:13.43\00:17:15.86
will have far more
effect on the person
00:17:15.90\00:17:18.23
that you are going to be
than two sets of chromosomes.
00:17:18.27\00:17:22.47
Our identity as Christians,
our identity as Adventists,
00:17:22.50\00:17:26.78
our identity as humans
is found wrapped up in God,
00:17:26.81\00:17:30.71
in the person of Jesus Christ.
00:17:30.75\00:17:32.41
So we get to 1 Samuel Chapter 14
00:17:34.55\00:17:37.65
and Saul is soaking
under a pomegranate tree.
00:17:37.69\00:17:42.19
And you have to be
really, really soaking
00:17:42.22\00:17:44.93
to soak under a
pomegranate tree.
00:17:44.96\00:17:47.83
He's given up,
but Jonathan has not.
00:17:47.86\00:17:52.07
Jonathan takes his armor-bearer
00:17:52.10\00:17:54.44
and they had on
a kamikaze mission.
00:17:54.47\00:17:56.74
If ever you have seen one,
00:17:56.77\00:17:58.51
it's where he utters
those words in verse six.
00:17:58.54\00:18:01.11
"Come and let us
cross over to the garrison
00:18:01.14\00:18:02.94
of these uncircumcised.
00:18:02.98\00:18:04.41
It may be that the
Lord will work for us:
00:18:04.45\00:18:06.85
for there is no
restraint to the Lord
00:18:06.88\00:18:08.55
to save by many or
by few or by many."
00:18:08.58\00:18:11.05
Don't just repass that.
00:18:11.09\00:18:12.45
That's crazy.
00:18:12.49\00:18:13.82
That's crazy talk.
00:18:13.86\00:18:15.72
That's like me and Brother
Jem going to Afghanistan.
00:18:15.76\00:18:19.39
And standing outside
the borders of Afghanistan,
00:18:19.43\00:18:21.63
and where they're
on Instagram Live,
00:18:21.66\00:18:23.00
so you can all watch.
00:18:23.03\00:18:24.37
And I'm like, "Hey,
we're just gonna run in
00:18:24.40\00:18:25.73
and try and convert as
many people in this country
00:18:25.77\00:18:28.24
where it's literally
illegal to be Christian."
00:18:28.27\00:18:30.51
We're just gonna go
in, maybe go to work,
00:18:30.54\00:18:32.77
maybe you won't.
00:18:32.81\00:18:34.14
It's crazy.
00:18:36.34\00:18:38.58
Crazy faith.
00:18:38.61\00:18:41.15
It's insane, but that's
exactly what they go and do.
00:18:41.18\00:18:44.95
He says it may be
that God will work for us.
00:18:44.99\00:18:48.16
Friends, this
is not presumption,
00:18:48.19\00:18:49.82
this is faith.
00:18:49.86\00:18:51.23
Faith, as our
pioneer AT Jones once said
00:18:51.26\00:18:54.50
is taking the Word of God
00:18:54.53\00:18:56.23
as it is and trusting and
depending only in that word
00:18:56.26\00:18:59.60
to get it done.
00:18:59.63\00:19:01.34
So Jonathan and
his armor-bearer,
00:19:01.37\00:19:02.94
they go forward.
00:19:02.97\00:19:04.31
They go forward
bearing those promises in mind.
00:19:04.34\00:19:07.38
And they test the Lord.
00:19:07.41\00:19:08.74
Lord, if this is Your
will, then when we show up,
00:19:08.78\00:19:10.75
tell them to come.
00:19:10.78\00:19:12.68
And so they show up there
and they see, they look older,
00:19:12.71\00:19:15.22
the Hebrews have come out
of their caves, come up to us.
00:19:15.25\00:19:18.05
Let us show you something.
00:19:18.09\00:19:19.42
And so Jonathan looks at
his armor-bearer and says,
00:19:19.45\00:19:21.69
"The Lord is with us.
00:19:21.72\00:19:23.36
Let's go."
00:19:23.39\00:19:25.76
They go.
00:19:25.79\00:19:27.76
And, friends,
they slay them all.
00:19:27.80\00:19:29.36
How much of a
difference did they make?
00:19:31.77\00:19:34.60
Look at the very last verse 23.
00:19:34.64\00:19:36.64
Sorry, 1 Samuel 14: 23 says,
00:19:36.67\00:19:39.07
"So the Lord
saved Israel that day."
00:19:39.11\00:19:42.18
That's how much a
difference they made.
00:19:42.21\00:19:44.31
This is the same
language that was used
00:19:44.35\00:19:46.48
when God delivered
them from the Egyptians
00:19:46.51\00:19:48.48
through the Red Sea.
00:19:48.52\00:19:49.85
The Lord saved them that day.
00:19:49.88\00:19:51.52
It seems crazy that
this is how God is working.
00:19:53.66\00:19:57.79
But, friends, let me
let you in on little secret.
00:19:57.83\00:20:00.60
Can I do that?
00:20:00.63\00:20:02.63
Christianity is crazy.
00:20:02.66\00:20:05.40
Christianity is bonkers.
00:20:07.14\00:20:10.47
The problem is that we
have spent far too much time
00:20:10.51\00:20:13.88
trying to make
Christianity normal.
00:20:13.91\00:20:17.01
It was never meant to be normal.
00:20:17.05\00:20:19.35
Raining food down
from heaven isn't normal,
00:20:19.38\00:20:23.18
parting seas
and sending plagues,
00:20:23.22\00:20:26.05
God becoming a man and
then dying, resurrections,
00:20:26.09\00:20:29.32
blind people
seeing, deaf people hearing,
00:20:29.36\00:20:31.79
dumb people speaking,
00:20:31.83\00:20:33.80
martyrs singing at the stake,
for instance, is not normal,
00:20:33.83\00:20:37.00
it was never meant to be normal.
00:20:37.03\00:20:38.73
And it is in the time
that we have put forth
00:20:40.47\00:20:42.34
the most effort
to make this normal
00:20:42.37\00:20:44.41
that we've been least effective.
00:20:44.44\00:20:46.91
It's in our efforts to not
feel ostracized by the world
00:20:46.94\00:20:50.28
that we've somehow
lost sight of our mission.
00:20:50.31\00:20:53.28
It's in our efforts to
blend back in with the world
00:20:53.31\00:20:55.95
that we look strange to heaven.
00:20:55.98\00:20:57.59
It's in our efforts to be normal
00:20:57.62\00:20:59.19
that we have
appeared uniquely strange.
00:20:59.22\00:21:01.52
Christianity and Adventism
was always meant to be crazy.
00:21:03.16\00:21:07.03
Moses summed this up
when right before his death
00:21:08.66\00:21:11.57
at the end of the
book of Deuteronomy,
00:21:11.60\00:21:13.13
he looked at his
people, and he says,
00:21:13.17\00:21:14.87
"One man of you
shall chase a thousand."
00:21:14.90\00:21:18.94
Can you picture
that in your head?
00:21:18.97\00:21:20.41
A thousand men
running away from just one.
00:21:20.44\00:21:23.98
Joshua II on his
deathbed, In Joshua 23:10, says,
00:21:24.01\00:21:27.98
"One man of you shall
chase a thousand," how,
00:21:28.02\00:21:31.35
"for the Lord
your God is with you
00:21:31.39\00:21:33.12
He is it that fighteth
for you, as He promised you."
00:21:33.15\00:21:36.69
Friends, one man
can make a thousand run.
00:21:38.13\00:21:41.06
That's crazy. But
that's Christianity.
00:21:41.10\00:21:43.77
To have faith to
stand before a thousand men
00:21:43.80\00:21:46.00
because you know that
God stands behind you,
00:21:46.03\00:21:48.07
that's faith.
00:21:48.10\00:21:50.04
He wins the
victory on our behalf.
00:21:50.07\00:21:52.01
I know I would not be here today
00:21:52.04\00:21:53.68
if I had to
fight my own battles.
00:21:53.71\00:21:55.31
Sister White says that Jonathan
was moved by a divine impulse,
00:21:57.28\00:22:02.68
a divine impulse.
00:22:02.72\00:22:04.35
I used to think that
God had stopped sending
00:22:04.39\00:22:07.42
divine impulses.
00:22:07.46\00:22:08.89
And then I realized
that he has been sending
00:22:08.92\00:22:11.16
more and more divine
impulses as time has gone on.
00:22:11.19\00:22:14.33
The difference is that
00:22:14.36\00:22:15.70
we just seem to
not have the faith
00:22:15.73\00:22:17.23
to go forward with
those divine impulses.
00:22:17.27\00:22:20.10
And so I was looking
through Ellen White's writings
00:22:22.10\00:22:24.11
looking for a time
00:22:24.14\00:22:25.47
when she brought up this phrase,
00:22:25.51\00:22:26.84
she uses it, of
course, in this story,
00:22:26.88\00:22:28.68
but she also uses it
in the story of Balaam
00:22:28.71\00:22:31.28
as he's prophesied of
the coming of the Messiah,
00:22:31.31\00:22:34.28
and then speaks of it
in the Great Controversy
00:22:34.32\00:22:36.92
as God's lost people being moved
00:22:36.95\00:22:39.29
by divine impulse to go forth
00:22:39.32\00:22:41.39
with holy zeal and
shine for His glory.
00:22:41.42\00:22:44.79
And then there
was another quote.
00:22:44.83\00:22:46.19
And the quote was simply this,
00:22:48.53\00:22:50.10
"As long as the cross
of Christ is kept in view,
00:22:50.13\00:22:55.40
there will be a divine
impulse to render to God,
00:22:55.44\00:22:59.57
body, soul, and spirit."
00:22:59.61\00:23:02.04
Friends, as long as
the cross is kept in view,
00:23:02.08\00:23:05.41
there will be a divine impulse.
00:23:05.45\00:23:07.78
Can you say amen?
00:23:07.82\00:23:09.58
Now, of course, of
course, if you wanted to believe
00:23:09.62\00:23:13.42
that one person could
make all the difference,
00:23:13.46\00:23:16.42
you need only to
look at the one person
00:23:16.46\00:23:18.96
that did make
all the difference.
00:23:18.99\00:23:21.03
Friends, let me tell you,
00:23:22.63\00:23:23.97
Adventism is
nothing without the cross.
00:23:24.00\00:23:28.17
Do we have the sanctuary? Yes.
00:23:28.20\00:23:29.64
The three angels' message? Yes.
00:23:29.67\00:23:31.14
Prophecy, health, lifestyle,
we have all of these things,
00:23:31.17\00:23:34.58
but what will tie the ministries
00:23:34.61\00:23:36.58
and the churches
00:23:36.61\00:23:37.95
that go forward with Adventism
and leave Christ behind?
00:23:37.98\00:23:41.75
More about Jesus,
more about the cross,
00:23:43.59\00:23:47.92
Adventism has not
exhausted the cross.
00:23:47.96\00:23:50.99
Sometimes we dangerously tread
the path of putting prophecy
00:23:52.49\00:23:56.06
before the prophet himself.
00:23:56.10\00:23:58.20
We have far too
many evangelistic series
00:23:58.23\00:24:00.30
where we are telling off times
and dates but not of Christ.
00:24:00.34\00:24:03.61
We have limited
the power of the gospel
00:24:03.64\00:24:05.64
to Biblical arithmetic.
00:24:05.67\00:24:07.18
And all that does is
it produces Christians
00:24:07.21\00:24:09.84
that are convinced
but are not converted.
00:24:09.88\00:24:12.25
Jonathan had the cross
of Christ kept in view.
00:24:14.15\00:24:18.52
And he may not
have seen that yet.
00:24:18.55\00:24:20.49
But he had the picture
of the character of God
00:24:20.52\00:24:23.02
as He went forward.
00:24:23.06\00:24:24.39
And, friends, if you and I
00:24:24.43\00:24:25.76
were to keep
the cross before us,
00:24:25.79\00:24:27.70
if we were to sleep
there, and to awake there,
00:24:27.73\00:24:30.10
and to walk
there and talk there,
00:24:30.13\00:24:31.63
if we were to live there,
00:24:31.67\00:24:33.00
we would be doing truly
radical things for Jesus.
00:24:33.03\00:24:35.64
If we saw what
one man accomplished
00:24:37.21\00:24:39.47
with his whole life
wrapped up in the Father's will,
00:24:39.51\00:24:42.51
we would go forth
with that same confidence.
00:24:42.54\00:24:44.88
And so I encourage
you in all that you do,
00:24:44.91\00:24:47.08
preach the cross,
think on the cross,
00:24:47.12\00:24:49.78
lift up the cross,
00:24:49.82\00:24:51.35
and go forward
knowing that the man
00:24:51.39\00:24:53.15
that hung on the
cross hung there for you
00:24:53.19\00:24:56.62
so that you
could change the world.
00:24:56.66\00:24:58.69
But I think this narrative
has a little more to say.
00:25:00.23\00:25:04.10
Notice that as
Jonathan goes forth,
00:25:04.13\00:25:06.97
as I mentioned, Saul sits there,
00:25:07.00\00:25:09.10
sulking under
the pomegranate tree.
00:25:09.14\00:25:11.44
Friends, it would
have been easy for Jonathan
00:25:13.84\00:25:15.71
to sit there also,
00:25:15.74\00:25:17.15
if he were alive today,
00:25:17.18\00:25:18.71
and we're a
millennial like myself
00:25:18.75\00:25:20.58
and some of you, oh, it
would have been so easy.
00:25:20.62\00:25:23.92
He would have just sat there
00:25:23.95\00:25:25.39
and reverted to
type as the Israelites
00:25:25.42\00:25:27.69
and just moaned
and moaned and moaned.
00:25:27.72\00:25:30.46
Now, friends, it's one
thing to be frustrated.
00:25:32.43\00:25:35.06
It's another thing to not agree
00:25:35.10\00:25:37.87
with every
decision that is made.
00:25:37.90\00:25:39.93
But we go too far
when we sit down in a huff
00:25:41.64\00:25:44.57
and moan about how things
are not happening in our church
00:25:44.61\00:25:47.68
and how leadership is failing
00:25:47.71\00:25:49.51
and how the church
has lost its focus.
00:25:49.54\00:25:52.81
There's a name for
people like that today, trolls,
00:25:52.85\00:25:57.32
Facebook warriors
who are theologians
00:25:57.35\00:25:59.52
in their basements
00:25:59.55\00:26:00.92
but are not leaving to witness
to Jesus about anyone else.
00:26:00.96\00:26:04.43
Our excuses have not changed.
00:26:05.59\00:26:07.50
"Oh, I can't.
00:26:07.53\00:26:08.96
I'm not enabled.
I'm not equipped.
00:26:09.00\00:26:10.47
My Church is too old.
00:26:10.50\00:26:11.87
It's too restrictive,
you wouldn't understand."
00:26:11.90\00:26:14.14
Listen,
00:26:14.17\00:26:16.34
while the church leadership
00:26:16.37\00:26:17.71
was sitting under
a pomegranate tree,
00:26:17.74\00:26:19.84
having a big moan that the work
was far too hard to get done,
00:26:19.87\00:26:23.45
Jonathan was out
there getting things done.
00:26:23.48\00:26:25.95
You have two options, friends,
you are part of the problem
00:26:29.02\00:26:31.79
or part of the solution.
00:26:31.82\00:26:33.15
And I encourage you,
00:26:33.19\00:26:34.62
if you think you
might be part of the problem
00:26:34.66\00:26:36.52
or you're surrounded by people
that are part of the problem,
00:26:36.56\00:26:39.56
take that same
energy that we so often put
00:26:39.59\00:26:42.70
into critiquing and
redirected into productivity
00:26:42.73\00:26:47.94
because whilst
inside you're claiming that
00:26:47.97\00:26:50.07
it can't be done,
00:26:50.11\00:26:51.44
God has people out
there getting it done.
00:26:51.47\00:26:53.54
When it's too many people
complain about their elders
00:26:54.94\00:26:57.31
and their pastors
00:26:57.35\00:26:58.68
and their conference presidents,
00:26:58.71\00:27:01.08
in the words of our
world church president,
00:27:01.12\00:27:03.35
go forward.
00:27:03.39\00:27:05.35
You need no
permission to work for God.
00:27:05.39\00:27:07.96
You need no degree.
00:27:07.99\00:27:09.66
You need no special blessing
00:27:09.69\00:27:11.13
other than the
one that God Himself
00:27:11.16\00:27:13.06
is waiting to outpour.
00:27:13.09\00:27:15.56
Jonathan did not wait.
00:27:15.60\00:27:17.93
Verse one tells us that he
did not even tell his father
00:27:17.97\00:27:20.67
what he was going to do.
00:27:20.70\00:27:22.70
He just got up and did something
00:27:22.74\00:27:25.14
about the problem.
00:27:25.17\00:27:26.51
Friends, we do not
wait for man to come on,
00:27:26.54\00:27:29.28
because God has
already commissioned us.
00:27:29.31\00:27:32.08
What makes me wonder
00:27:34.12\00:27:35.82
is that maybe we just
don't actually want it enough.
00:27:35.85\00:27:39.49
Maybe we've just
been here for so long
00:27:39.52\00:27:41.79
and we've read enough that
we have a good understanding
00:27:41.82\00:27:44.06
of what things could be like,
00:27:44.09\00:27:45.69
we just much rather
someone else made it so,
00:27:45.73\00:27:49.66
we'd much rather
sometimes as young people
00:27:49.70\00:27:51.93
sit at the back of the church
00:27:51.97\00:27:53.54
scrolling down on Instagram,
00:27:53.57\00:27:55.14
moaning that the pastor
has no idea what he's doing.
00:27:55.17\00:27:58.97
We'd much rather moan
00:27:59.01\00:28:00.71
that our friend
was disfellowshipped,
00:28:00.74\00:28:02.21
but not show up at
the business meeting.
00:28:02.24\00:28:04.91
We'd much rather criticize
a movement that God raised up
00:28:04.95\00:28:08.02
and not man but neglect
to get ourselves involved
00:28:08.05\00:28:11.39
so we can understand
00:28:11.42\00:28:12.75
why certain decisions were made.
00:28:12.79\00:28:14.32
Friends, I
believe that this church
00:28:16.59\00:28:18.13
will do exactly
what God said it will do,
00:28:18.16\00:28:20.10
it will go right to the end,
00:28:20.13\00:28:21.70
until the
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:28:21.73\00:28:23.33
But the more that I'm here,
00:28:23.37\00:28:24.70
the more I'm
resigned to the fact,
00:28:24.73\00:28:26.07
it is going to be
a painful journey.
00:28:26.10\00:28:28.00
Friends, Jonathan
gave up his life here.
00:28:29.64\00:28:32.04
He gave it up in this chapter.
00:28:32.07\00:28:33.41
He didn't die,
but he was willing to.
00:28:33.44\00:28:35.54
And that makes me kind of afraid
00:28:35.58\00:28:37.91
because I don't see
that zeal very often anymore.
00:28:37.95\00:28:41.18
I'm fearful
that our young people
00:28:41.22\00:28:43.02
would rather show
off their new shoes
00:28:43.05\00:28:44.49
than their old Bibles.
00:28:44.52\00:28:46.65
I'm fearful that
our young people say
00:28:46.69\00:28:48.62
that they cannot hear God
00:28:48.66\00:28:49.99
speak to them through the Bible,
00:28:50.03\00:28:51.36
but yet we binge watch
Marvel movies as though
00:28:51.39\00:28:53.43
they're the only way to heaven.
00:28:53.46\00:28:54.86
I'm fearful that Jesus
stood before a whole heap of men
00:28:56.40\00:29:00.34
that were
wanting to take his life
00:29:00.37\00:29:01.70
and he said, "I
am the bread of life.
00:29:01.74\00:29:03.54
I am the way, I am
the truth, I am the life."
00:29:03.57\00:29:06.11
And when we read those things,
00:29:06.14\00:29:07.48
there's no semblance of emotion.
00:29:07.51\00:29:09.08
But when a fictional character
appears on the big screen,
00:29:09.11\00:29:12.11
snaps his fingers and
says, "I am Iron Man,"
00:29:12.15\00:29:14.82
everyone is in tears,
even our own young people.
00:29:14.85\00:29:17.59
We wonder why
miracles don't happen today
00:29:19.29\00:29:22.62
when we've made
our God's digital ones.
00:29:22.66\00:29:26.09
We wonder why we
can't see God anymore
00:29:26.13\00:29:28.73
when our feet are in the
church but our head is outside.
00:29:28.76\00:29:32.13
Friends, I want to
encourage you this evening.
00:29:33.74\00:29:36.24
I believe with all my
heart that God can use you
00:29:36.27\00:29:39.17
to change the world,
00:29:39.21\00:29:40.61
but to do so, he
needs all of you.
00:29:40.64\00:29:43.28
To do so, he needs
every single part of you.
00:29:44.85\00:29:48.15
We cannot be used
by the Holy Spirit
00:29:48.18\00:29:50.59
if our lives are
singing I Surrender Most.
00:29:50.62\00:29:53.36
I encourage you all.
00:29:54.49\00:29:55.92
Take
responsibility for the condition
00:29:55.96\00:29:58.96
of your local churches,
00:29:58.99\00:30:00.33
and then take responsibility
for being the change
00:30:00.36\00:30:03.43
that you believe is necessary.
00:30:03.47\00:30:05.47
Be the
difference, strive for that
00:30:05.50\00:30:09.20
because when God asks you
what you did with your time
00:30:09.24\00:30:12.27
and the talents
that he gave you,
00:30:12.31\00:30:13.64
you can't sit there and say,
"Well, I tried a couple times."
00:30:13.68\00:30:16.21
Friends, I encourage you
to put your trust in the Lord.
00:30:20.18\00:30:22.68
One man shall make
a thousand run. How?
00:30:22.72\00:30:25.69
The Lord, your God, it
is He that fights for you.
00:30:25.72\00:30:29.22
He has promised you,
00:30:29.26\00:30:30.89
take those promises
and claim those promises.
00:30:30.93\00:30:33.96
Put your name there, Dean
shall make a thousand run,
00:30:34.00\00:30:38.03
the Lord your God,
He shall fight for Dean.
00:30:38.07\00:30:41.54
He has promised Dean.
00:30:41.57\00:30:44.07
And the very next
verse in Joshua 23:11, says,
00:30:44.11\00:30:47.48
"Take heed
therefore that you love God."
00:30:47.51\00:30:52.41
Friends, check
that, analyze that.
00:30:52.45\00:30:55.42
You cannot love God by default.
00:30:55.45\00:30:58.52
God will fight for
you, so he says, "Love Me."
00:30:58.55\00:31:01.76
And do the scriptures
define how we should love Him
00:31:01.79\00:31:04.09
with all of our hearts,
00:31:04.13\00:31:05.93
friends, with
all of your hearts.
00:31:05.96\00:31:08.30
Movies and television,
celebrities and pop culture,
00:31:09.70\00:31:13.70
social media and
attention craving.
00:31:13.74\00:31:16.10
You cannot give those things
your heart and also love God,
00:31:16.14\00:31:19.04
not the way He asked.
00:31:19.07\00:31:21.21
"No other gods" is what He said.
00:31:21.24\00:31:23.31
That was the command.
00:31:23.35\00:31:25.51
Friends, you can make
00:31:25.55\00:31:26.88
all the difference in the world.
00:31:26.92\00:31:28.28
You can be like
Jonathan here in I Samuel 14,
00:31:28.32\00:31:31.19
and you'll never know how
much of a difference you make
00:31:31.22\00:31:33.86
until you put
those things to the side
00:31:33.89\00:31:36.09
and give your whole
entire life to Jesus.
00:31:36.12\00:31:38.89
Dr. Thomas Barnardo didn't
know how much of an impact
00:31:40.60\00:31:43.50
he was going to make
until 60,000 children
00:31:43.53\00:31:46.84
were taken into
one of the 96 homes
00:31:46.87\00:31:49.30
that he was
responsible for erecting.
00:31:49.34\00:31:52.14
How about the man
who coined the phrase,
00:31:52.17\00:31:54.14
"The Bible will
keep you from sin
00:31:54.18\00:31:55.98
or sin will keep
you from the Bible"?
00:31:56.01\00:31:58.01
Dwight Moody has no idea
00:31:58.05\00:32:00.22
how many people he's
responsible for saving,
00:32:00.25\00:32:02.65
but he will see in
the kingdom of God,
00:32:02.68\00:32:04.52
just the power,
00:32:04.55\00:32:05.89
just what the power
of the gospel can do.
00:32:05.92\00:32:08.86
Tell the orphans of
Bristol that George MA 1/4ller
00:32:08.89\00:32:11.33
was only one man
00:32:11.36\00:32:12.69
and couldn't make
much of a difference.
00:32:12.73\00:32:15.10
Tell John Boss that
thousands of disabled people
00:32:15.13\00:32:18.23
that he helped with asylum
just weren't worth the efforts.
00:32:18.27\00:32:21.74
Tell Ellen White
next time you see her
00:32:21.77\00:32:23.91
that the years that
she spent laboring away
00:32:23.94\00:32:26.61
writing book
after book after book
00:32:26.64\00:32:28.54
so that you and I would
have a more complete picture
00:32:28.58\00:32:31.05
of the character of God
00:32:31.08\00:32:32.41
that she just didn't
make enough of a difference.
00:32:32.45\00:32:35.62
Tell the Son of
God, the King of kings,
00:32:35.65\00:32:38.65
who became a babe
and lived a sinless life,
00:32:38.69\00:32:41.59
surrounded himself with 12 men
00:32:41.62\00:32:43.36
that you and I
would likely shun today
00:32:43.39\00:32:45.66
invite to the devil to
be his friend in the hope
00:32:45.69\00:32:48.30
of changing his heart.
00:32:48.33\00:32:49.66
A Man that suffered like no man,
00:32:49.70\00:32:51.50
a Man who was deserted
by his closest friends,
00:32:51.53\00:32:54.07
a Man that went to the
cross and suffered untold agony
00:32:54.10\00:32:57.44
so that you and I could
have a chance to be saved
00:32:57.47\00:32:59.87
from this horrid world.
00:32:59.91\00:33:01.24
You tell Him that one
person cannot make a difference.
00:33:01.28\00:33:04.78
Friends, God will fight for you.
00:33:06.95\00:33:09.88
As an individual, not
just as a world church,
00:33:09.92\00:33:12.39
God will fight for you.
00:33:12.42\00:33:13.99
Do you believe that one person
00:33:16.06\00:33:20.03
can change the
course of human history?
00:33:20.06\00:33:23.53
I invite you as we close
00:33:23.57\00:33:24.90
to turn to the
book of Ecclesiastes.
00:33:24.93\00:33:27.74
There's a story
hidden deep inside this book,
00:33:27.77\00:33:31.67
Ecclesiastes Chapter 9.
00:33:31.71\00:33:33.58
And when you're
there, just say amen.
00:33:36.71\00:33:38.31
Verse 13 of
Ecclesiastes Chapter 9 says,
00:33:43.18\00:33:46.65
"This wisdom have I
seen also under the sun
00:33:46.69\00:33:50.83
and it seemed great unto me."
00:33:50.86\00:33:52.73
Now listen, if the wisest
man in the world is saying
00:33:52.76\00:33:55.66
that this specific
piece of wisdom is great,
00:33:55.70\00:33:58.37
we ought to listen.
00:33:58.40\00:34:00.54
Verse 14, he gives this story.
00:34:00.57\00:34:02.87
"There was a little
city and few men within it.
00:34:02.90\00:34:06.31
And there came a great
king against it and besieged it
00:34:06.34\00:34:09.48
and build great
bulwarks against it.
00:34:09.51\00:34:12.81
Now there was found
in it a poor wise man,
00:34:12.85\00:34:16.02
and he, by his
wisdom, delivered the city,
00:34:16.05\00:34:19.05
yet no man
remembered that poor man."
00:34:19.09\00:34:22.72
Friends, the
city had few people.
00:34:22.76\00:34:24.66
It wasn't great.
00:34:26.53\00:34:27.96
There was nothing
fantastic about this city.
00:34:28.00\00:34:30.73
But a great king came
along and wanted to add it
00:34:30.77\00:34:33.94
to his list of conquests.
00:34:33.97\00:34:36.10
And so the
people are subjugated,
00:34:36.14\00:34:37.74
there's no way in,
there's no way out.
00:34:37.77\00:34:39.81
It looks like they are doomed
00:34:39.84\00:34:41.71
to suffer under
his reign forever.
00:34:41.74\00:34:45.18
Until a man comes
along and delivers them,
00:34:45.21\00:34:48.38
not by weapons, not by
war, not by force but by wisdom,
00:34:48.42\00:34:53.96
yet no man remembers him.
00:34:53.99\00:34:56.69
Perhaps if he was a great
man, a warrior or a soldier,
00:34:56.73\00:35:00.46
perhaps a man clad in
costume with a fancy shield,
00:35:00.50\00:35:03.77
and he fought his way
through the king's minions,
00:35:03.80\00:35:06.57
maybe then he
would be remembered.
00:35:06.60\00:35:09.17
But no, he did so by wisdom.
00:35:09.20\00:35:11.91
And here's the thing, friends.
00:35:11.94\00:35:13.27
The reality is that if
you do not take this charge
00:35:13.31\00:35:16.01
to step out in faith for God
00:35:16.04\00:35:17.71
and allow Him to
use you to cause change,
00:35:17.75\00:35:20.12
if you choose to do
that it might not be popular.
00:35:20.15\00:35:23.45
Your friends might
look at you strange,
00:35:24.99\00:35:27.02
your family might mock you,
00:35:27.06\00:35:28.59
even your church might
turn up their noses against you,
00:35:28.62\00:35:31.96
but we are not in
this work to be remembered.
00:35:31.99\00:35:36.13
We are not here so that
our names would be on videos
00:35:36.16\00:35:39.17
and in magazines and newspapers.
00:35:39.20\00:35:41.64
Friends, the Bible says
that if Christ is lifted up,
00:35:44.04\00:35:48.01
all men shall be drawn unto him.
00:35:48.04\00:35:50.71
Friends, Jesus is
that poor wise man.
00:35:50.75\00:35:54.28
Satan came to this poor
planet with few men within it.
00:35:54.32\00:35:58.02
He built great bulwarks
against it and besieged it.
00:35:58.05\00:36:00.66
And it looked like
00:36:00.69\00:36:02.02
nobody was going to be
able to deliver these people
00:36:02.06\00:36:05.26
until within the city
that was found a poor wise man.
00:36:05.29\00:36:09.43
And the deliverance that
Jesus brought was not by force.
00:36:09.46\00:36:12.37
It was by wisdom,
the wisdom of the cross.
00:36:12.40\00:36:16.64
Friends, we are
otherwise hopeless,
00:36:16.67\00:36:19.34
captives to sin and to Satan.
00:36:19.37\00:36:22.38
We have no way out of the city
but for the cross of Christ.
00:36:22.41\00:36:27.75
It's the cross of Calvary
00:36:27.78\00:36:29.15
that makes the
biggest difference.
00:36:29.18\00:36:31.15
It was Christ enduring that,
00:36:31.19\00:36:32.99
it was Christ suffering on that.
00:36:33.02\00:36:34.89
That is where
our power comes from.
00:36:34.92\00:36:37.53
Our power for change
comes not from prophetic charts.
00:36:37.56\00:36:41.83
It comes not from
the health message,
00:36:41.86\00:36:43.77
nor does it come from
a correct understanding
00:36:43.80\00:36:45.60
of end-time events,
00:36:45.63\00:36:46.97
our power comes from
the cross of Calvary.
00:36:47.00\00:36:50.97
And just as Jonathan was
moved by the divine impulse
00:36:51.01\00:36:54.24
if we keep our eyes on Calvary,
00:36:54.28\00:36:56.81
there will be a divine
impulse that follows everything
00:36:56.85\00:37:00.38
that we do too.
00:37:00.42\00:37:02.55
It is that
cross, when lifted up,
00:37:02.58\00:37:05.32
when carried on your shoulders
00:37:05.35\00:37:07.56
that will propel
you in your lives
00:37:07.59\00:37:10.03
from making a difference
to making the difference.
00:37:10.06\00:37:15.53
Be that poor wise man,
look for the impossible.
00:37:15.56\00:37:19.50
Look for the situations
where you have to simply put
00:37:19.53\00:37:21.90
all of your trust in God.
00:37:21.94\00:37:23.54
And then go forward.
00:37:23.57\00:37:25.44
Pray for that wisdom.
Pray for that divine impulse.
00:37:25.47\00:37:28.54
Pray for that
faith that you would have
00:37:28.58\00:37:30.48
to go wherever God is leading.
00:37:30.51\00:37:32.01
Friends, the reason why no
one has changed the world yet
00:37:34.48\00:37:39.02
is because we haven't
changed the world yet.
00:37:39.05\00:37:42.02
And the reason why we
haven't changed the world yet
00:37:42.06\00:37:44.86
is because you and I
haven't changed the world yet.
00:37:44.89\00:37:48.00
We cannot expect our
church to do it for us.
00:37:48.03\00:37:51.33
We must go forward as
Christ has commissioned
00:37:51.37\00:37:53.64
and be the church.
00:37:53.67\00:37:55.57
We must seek to make
the difference everywhere
00:37:55.60\00:37:58.81
that we are, everywhere we go.
00:37:58.84\00:38:00.88
We should be
looking to show people
00:38:00.91\00:38:03.31
an accurate
picture of the gospel.
00:38:03.35\00:38:06.01
Today, friends, I
would like to invite you
00:38:14.42\00:38:18.39
to reignite your
walk with Jesus Christ.
00:38:18.43\00:38:22.30
The call to be a crazy Christian
00:38:23.63\00:38:26.07
goes out to you today.
00:38:26.10\00:38:28.40
Go crazy for Jesus
in the mission field,
00:38:28.44\00:38:30.74
don't try and be normal.
00:38:30.77\00:38:33.07
Go crazy for Him
in the workplace,
00:38:33.11\00:38:35.24
crazy for Him at
school, look for the impossible.
00:38:35.28\00:38:39.21
Look for opportunities
to make a difference
00:38:39.25\00:38:41.15
and then allow
God to work in you.
00:38:41.18\00:38:44.19
My appeal to you this
evening is for those of you
00:38:44.22\00:38:47.39
that have
allowed your Christianity
00:38:47.42\00:38:49.26
and your
relationship with Jesus Christ
00:38:49.29\00:38:51.79
to become normal.
00:38:51.83\00:38:53.19
To those that have
allowed their zeal to simmer,
00:38:55.63\00:38:59.40
to those that have stayed
in the background in unbelief,
00:38:59.43\00:39:02.30
not sure that
God could use them,
00:39:02.34\00:39:04.54
friends, heaven
is at your disposal
00:39:04.57\00:39:07.71
if you trusted Him to guide you.
00:39:07.74\00:39:10.15
And so I invite you if you
feel as though the Holy Spirit
00:39:12.78\00:39:15.15
is moving on your
heart this evening,
00:39:15.18\00:39:17.39
to reignite that
relationship with Jesus Christ,
00:39:17.42\00:39:20.79
to choose today to
give Him your heart,
00:39:20.82\00:39:23.32
and allow God to work
through GYC in your life,
00:39:23.36\00:39:27.86
to experience the transformation
00:39:27.90\00:39:30.17
that you have
been waiting for years,
00:39:30.20\00:39:31.97
maybe for
decades, God is giving you,
00:39:32.00\00:39:35.34
you personally an opportunity
to start all over again.
00:39:35.37\00:39:40.94
Friend, that fire can be relit,
00:39:40.98\00:39:43.51
that
relationship can be revived,
00:39:43.55\00:39:48.18
your walk with
Jesus could be everything
00:39:48.22\00:39:51.22
that you wanted to be and more.
00:39:51.25\00:39:52.79
If that's your
will this evening,
00:39:54.16\00:39:56.06
I invite you to
stand to your feet
00:39:56.09\00:39:57.86
and to come forward.
00:39:57.89\00:39:59.23
If that's your will,
if you want to restart
00:39:59.26\00:40:01.30
that walk with
Christ this evening,
00:40:01.33\00:40:03.83
we invite you here to the front.
00:40:03.87\00:40:05.47
As you're coming forward,
00:40:09.67\00:40:11.01
I'd like to take your minds back
00:40:11.04\00:40:13.17
to the book of numbers
00:40:13.21\00:40:17.08
where Jesus Christ,
in John Chapter 3 said,
00:40:17.11\00:40:20.88
this is the
picture of the cross,
00:40:20.92\00:40:22.25
"As Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness,
00:40:22.28\00:40:25.75
so must the Son
of Man be lifted up."
00:40:25.79\00:40:28.46
You remember the story?
00:40:28.49\00:40:29.82
The people of Israel
00:40:31.53\00:40:32.89
were attacked
by bronze serpents,
00:40:32.93\00:40:35.03
fiery serpents,
00:40:35.06\00:40:36.93
they were bitten and
many of them were dying.
00:40:36.97\00:40:39.83
And so Moses by
the command of God
00:40:39.87\00:40:41.80
erected a bronze
serpent, put it on a pole.
00:40:41.84\00:40:46.51
I said if you want to be
saved, come here and look,
00:40:46.54\00:40:50.85
and if you look,
you will be saved.
00:40:50.88\00:40:52.58
So they would come,
and they would look,
00:40:52.61\00:40:55.18
and they'll be healed.
00:40:55.22\00:40:56.55
And then what
happens after that healing
00:40:56.58\00:40:58.25
is they would turn
around, and they would go home,
00:40:58.29\00:41:00.76
back to their tents,
00:41:00.79\00:41:02.12
but they would go
back to their tents
00:41:02.16\00:41:03.49
and guess what
was waiting for them,
00:41:03.53\00:41:05.23
serpents, and they
will get bitten again.
00:41:05.26\00:41:07.40
"Oh, it hurts, I'm dying,
I'm losing my grip on life."
00:41:07.43\00:41:11.37
And so do you
know where they go?
00:41:11.40\00:41:12.73
They'd go straight back,
they'd go back to the pole,
00:41:12.77\00:41:15.00
back to the serpent on the pole,
00:41:15.04\00:41:16.37
the representative of Christ,
00:41:16.40\00:41:17.81
taking all of our sins
upon his own shoulders,
00:41:17.84\00:41:20.38
and then they
experience healing.
00:41:20.41\00:41:21.84
And then they'd
go back to the tent,
00:41:21.88\00:41:23.35
they'd get bitten
again, and they'd go back there
00:41:23.38\00:41:25.45
and look up and
they'd be healed.
00:41:25.48\00:41:26.82
This up and down, backwards
and forwards relationship
00:41:26.85\00:41:29.85
with Jesus Christ that
you and I know all too well.
00:41:29.88\00:41:34.06
Friends, can I
give you some advice?
00:41:34.09\00:41:36.59
You don't have to keep leaving.
00:41:36.62\00:41:38.23
You don't have
to keep going back
00:41:39.66\00:41:41.83
to where you came from.
00:41:41.86\00:41:43.20
And then when you
realize everything is a mess,
00:41:43.23\00:41:45.13
go back and look for Jesus.
00:41:45.17\00:41:46.50
It doesn't have to be that way.
00:41:46.53\00:41:47.90
Here's my advice. Go home.
00:41:47.94\00:41:50.14
Go home, pick up your tent.
00:41:50.17\00:41:52.54
Pick up everything you
have, everything you own
00:41:52.57\00:41:58.18
and drop it right there.
00:41:58.21\00:41:59.55
Drop it at the very
feet of Jesus Christ.
00:42:00.75\00:42:05.82
Live there.
00:42:05.85\00:42:07.66
This is not a guarantee
that the serpents won't come
00:42:07.69\00:42:09.72
and bite you
still, because they might,
00:42:09.76\00:42:11.93
but you're right there.
00:42:11.96\00:42:13.29
And if you keep
the cross of Calvary
00:42:14.50\00:42:17.07
ever before you
everything that you do
00:42:17.10\00:42:21.20
will be marked by
the presence of God.
00:42:21.24\00:42:25.07
A divine impulse
awaits every mission trip
00:42:25.11\00:42:28.81
that is lined up.
00:42:28.84\00:42:30.18
Every sermon that
is gonna be preached,
00:42:30.21\00:42:31.88
every door that is going
to be knocked here at GYC.
00:42:31.91\00:42:35.98
The Spirit of
God wants to use you.
00:42:36.02\00:42:38.22
Friends, I'll be
honest, I'm tired.
00:42:40.36\00:42:43.73
Tired of all of this.
00:42:43.76\00:42:45.36
I'm tired of GYCs as well.
00:42:45.39\00:42:47.00
I mean, it's great.
00:42:48.43\00:42:50.20
But can you imagine heaven?
00:42:50.23\00:42:52.60
How many more of
these are we gonna have?
00:42:52.63\00:42:54.80
How many more
revivals are we gonna need?
00:42:54.84\00:42:57.34
How many more times
are you going to be like,
00:42:57.37\00:42:58.71
"Oh, God, I'm
just gonna wait for you
00:42:58.74\00:43:00.31
to spark me back into life."
00:43:00.34\00:43:01.71
Why can't it be now?
00:43:01.74\00:43:03.85
Why can't it be you?
00:43:03.88\00:43:05.71
Why can't you be the
Jonathan that we need today?
00:43:05.75\00:43:08.55
Why can't you go
forward and change the world?
00:43:08.58\00:43:10.79
Friends, it's
here, and only here.
00:43:13.89\00:43:16.83
And by here I mean at
the foot of Calvary's cross
00:43:16.86\00:43:20.26
that we can change the world.
00:43:20.30\00:43:21.73
And so I invite you this evening
00:43:23.06\00:43:26.03
to come a little closer.
00:43:26.07\00:43:27.40
Come a little closer to Jesus.
00:43:28.57\00:43:31.57
Lay all of your
plans at His feet
00:43:31.61\00:43:34.88
and ask Him to make
the difference in your life
00:43:34.91\00:43:39.41
as you strive to
make a difference
00:43:39.45\00:43:41.48
in the lives of others.
00:43:41.52\00:43:43.59
Friends, God wants
to change the world
00:43:43.62\00:43:47.62
for the last time
00:43:47.66\00:43:50.13
and He wants to
use you to do it.
00:43:50.16\00:43:52.83
Father in heaven,
we thank You, Lord.
00:43:52.86\00:43:55.53
We are humbled by the
fact that You would call us
00:43:55.56\00:44:00.24
to be co-workers with
you in the plan of salvation.
00:44:00.27\00:44:04.07
Father, I pray
especially for the people
00:44:04.11\00:44:06.57
gathered here at GYC
00:44:06.61\00:44:07.98
and those that are
watching at home and online,
00:44:08.01\00:44:10.91
that Father, You would
fill us with the same courage
00:44:10.95\00:44:14.12
and holy boldness
that you filled Jonathan
00:44:14.15\00:44:16.45
and his armor bearer.
00:44:16.48\00:44:18.25
Lord, I don't
care how many people,
00:44:18.29\00:44:20.19
how many obstacles
00:44:20.22\00:44:21.76
or how many
enemies stand before us.
00:44:21.79\00:44:24.13
One man shall make 1,000 run,
00:44:24.16\00:44:27.03
2 shall put 10,000 to flight.
00:44:27.06\00:44:30.60
Why? Because,
Lord, you fight for us.
00:44:30.63\00:44:33.57
Give us that faith.
00:44:33.60\00:44:35.14
Give us that
dependence that we can find
00:44:35.17\00:44:38.34
only at the cross of Calvary.
00:44:38.37\00:44:40.44
Use us, Lord, to
change this world
00:44:40.48\00:44:42.38
for the last time
to make the difference.
00:44:42.41\00:44:46.58
This is our prayer
in the name of Jesus.
00:44:46.61\00:44:50.25
Amen.
00:44:50.29\00:44:51.62