Friends, for our last song
of contemplation this evening,
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I would like to remind
us of the last few days.
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We have a God who understands
the trials that we face, amen?
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So much more Christ did
what no human could ever do.
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Spotless was He born
and spotless was He torn.
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He died of a broken heart for me
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and for you.
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So we would never have to face
complete separation from Him.
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Because of this, my only hope
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is for Him to be born in me.
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This week we have asked for that
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for Him to take control.
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Now one challenge is left,
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do not be afraid.
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He will take you
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where you had not planned to go,
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where you've never been before.
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But don't be afraid
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because He has redeemed you.
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Do not be afraid
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Do not be
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Afraid
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For I have
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Redeemed you
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I have called you
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By your name
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You are mine
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You are mine
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When you walk Through the waters
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I'll be with you
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You will never sink
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Beneath the waves
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When the fire is burning
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All around you
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You will never
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Be consumed by the flames
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Do not be afraid
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Do not be
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Afraid
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For I have
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Redeemed you
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I have called you
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By your name
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You are mine
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You are mine
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When the fear
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Of loneliness is looming
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Then remember
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I am at your side
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When you dwell
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In the exile of a stranger
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Remember you are
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Precious in my eyes
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Do not be afraid
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Do not be
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Afraid
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For I have
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Redeemed you
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I have called you
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By your name
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You are mine
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You are mine
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You are mine
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Oh my child
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I am your
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Father
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And I Love You
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I love you
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I love you
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I love you
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With a perfect
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Love
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A perfect
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Love
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Do not be afraid
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Do not be
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Afraid
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For I have
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Redeemed you
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I have called You
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By your name
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You are mine
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You are mine
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You are mine
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Thank you so much.
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Thank you so much for
that wonderful special music.
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I want to thank the
music team in the evenings,
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well every musician,
but I want to thank you
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especially at this time
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for the wonderful gift of music.
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Throughout church history,
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one of the greatest battles
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that the church has had to fight
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is the battle
dealing with culture.
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When Jesus began His ministry,
00:08:08.58\00:08:11.75
started the greatest
movement of all time,
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the Christian church.
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It was something
that was unpopular.
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And yet over
time, as a message began
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to take its root in
the heart of people,
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people began to accept
the teachings of Scripture,
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the message of Jesus.
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But this multitude became mixed.
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And somehow, someway,
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culture began to
impact the church.
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We live in a society today
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where the church
is not only in danger
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of being impacted by culture,
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but it is also in danger
of being impacted by politics.
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I'm not talking about
politics that take place
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between one person and another.
00:09:02.10\00:09:04.61
But I'm talking about
00:09:04.64\00:09:05.97
global politics,
national politics.
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It seems as though
everywhere you look,
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politics has
invaded our thinking.
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Wherever we
turn, wherever we look,
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we see that politics is
dominating the conversation.
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And it has so changed
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the mentality of even Christians
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that now we think that
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in order to change the world,
00:09:30.57\00:09:32.80
that in order to
change the church,
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the same methods of
politics must be applied.
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My brothers and sisters,
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if you don't believe
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this to be a legitimate problem,
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just scroll down
the latest social media.
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Everywhere you turn,
everywhere you read it,
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it seems as though politics
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and culture have
so gripped our minds
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that is what we talk about more
00:10:00.13\00:10:02.46
than even our walks with God.
00:10:02.50\00:10:05.80
And I want to tell us today
that it is impossible for us
00:10:05.83\00:10:10.81
to advance the kingdom of God
00:10:10.84\00:10:13.31
and to prepare an
army of young people
00:10:13.34\00:10:15.51
to meet their God
while focusing on politics
00:10:15.54\00:10:19.51
and while focusing on culture.
00:10:19.55\00:10:22.88
Politics divides,
the models have been
00:10:22.92\00:10:27.52
stated throughout
in the United States,
00:10:27.56\00:10:30.29
throughout the
last several years.
00:10:30.33\00:10:32.46
I'm with her. Let's
make America great again.
00:10:32.49\00:10:37.87
And I want to tell us
today that I'm with Him.
00:10:37.90\00:10:43.30
And more than
making America great again,
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we need to make
Adventism good again.
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The church can only be changed.
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The world can only be won,
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not by something as
attractive as greatness.
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It will be won,
it will be changed
00:11:02.56\00:11:04.49
by something less dramatic,
00:11:04.53\00:11:06.23
something less attractive,
00:11:06.26\00:11:07.60
something less beautiful
and charming and shiny.
00:11:07.63\00:11:11.97
And that
something is you and me.
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Let us pray.
00:11:16.50\00:11:18.57
Father in heaven,
as we open Your Word,
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speak to our hearts,
00:11:22.11\00:11:24.18
bypass the
human instrumentality.
00:11:24.21\00:11:27.42
And through the
foolishness of preaching,
00:11:27.45\00:11:29.72
apply Your word to
every individual heart
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that is present here today.
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It is my prayer in Jesus' name.
00:11:36.46\00:11:38.79
Amen.
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In his book, Good to Great,
00:11:41.06\00:11:44.50
Jim Collins speaks of
different organizations,
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good organizations that
over the process of time
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became great organizations.
00:11:52.44\00:11:55.01
He differentiates
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these organizations
by different criteria.
00:11:56.41\00:11:58.41
For example, He
excludes Coca Cola
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because he thinks that
00:12:00.65\00:12:01.98
Coca Cola had
always been a great brand.
00:12:02.02\00:12:05.05
But there are
certain organizations
00:12:05.09\00:12:06.55
that started off
as good organizations,
00:12:06.59\00:12:08.52
Fortune 500 companies,
00:12:08.56\00:12:10.73
yet they lacked something
00:12:10.76\00:12:12.83
that took them
to the next level,
00:12:12.86\00:12:14.70
the level of greatness.
00:12:14.73\00:12:17.30
And so in his book,
he outlines principles on
00:12:17.33\00:12:20.24
how organizations
and people can move
00:12:20.27\00:12:23.04
from something that is
good to something that is great.
00:12:23.07\00:12:26.71
Why?
00:12:26.74\00:12:28.08
Because we live now in
a culture of greatness.
00:12:28.11\00:12:32.58
And so, as he speaks in his book
00:12:32.61\00:12:35.65
of these
different organizations,
00:12:35.68\00:12:37.29
he discovers or
he shares principles
00:12:37.32\00:12:39.75
of how it is
possible for someone
00:12:39.79\00:12:42.09
or some organizations
to go from good to great.
00:12:42.12\00:12:46.76
One of the foundational
principles of his book is this.
00:12:46.80\00:12:51.60
That good is the enemy of great.
00:12:51.63\00:12:56.34
In other words, the reason
00:12:56.37\00:12:57.71
why many people
don't achieve greatness
00:12:57.74\00:12:59.71
is because they're
content to settle with goodness.
00:12:59.74\00:13:05.28
I want to tell
us today that good,
00:13:05.31\00:13:08.08
that great many times
00:13:08.12\00:13:10.69
is actually
something that is overrated.
00:13:10.72\00:13:14.49
Let me share with you a story.
00:13:14.52\00:13:17.23
When I was a
high school student,
00:13:17.26\00:13:19.09
Ouachita Hills Academy,
00:13:19.13\00:13:21.23
I remember very clearly
00:13:21.26\00:13:22.70
the principal of
the school Mrs. Clark,
00:13:22.73\00:13:25.63
standing before a
group of anxious students,
00:13:25.67\00:13:28.07
me being one of them.
00:13:28.10\00:13:29.84
We were in our
third year in high school.
00:13:29.87\00:13:32.87
And she began to
hand out envelopes
00:13:32.91\00:13:36.08
that contained the
scores of each student
00:13:36.11\00:13:39.18
who had just recently taken
a standardized test, the PSAT.
00:13:39.21\00:13:45.42
And as she
shared these envelopes,
00:13:45.45\00:13:47.22
she began to try to
calm our nerves by saying,
00:13:47.26\00:13:49.99
"Listen, guys, don't worry.
00:13:50.03\00:13:52.73
In the history of our school,
00:13:52.76\00:13:54.10
most of our students do
very well on these tests."
00:13:54.13\00:13:57.67
And she said,
"As a matter of fact,
00:13:57.70\00:13:59.50
never in the history of
a school has anyone scored
00:13:59.53\00:14:02.74
below this certain percentile."
00:14:02.77\00:14:06.51
I opened up the
envelope to discover that
00:14:06.54\00:14:09.21
I was part of a
particular group of people.
00:14:09.24\00:14:12.81
I, for the
first time in history,
00:14:12.85\00:14:14.72
I created a new
and distinctive group
00:14:14.75\00:14:18.55
that scored in
the one percentile.
00:14:18.59\00:14:23.09
I think that to this day,
00:14:23.12\00:14:24.96
no one in Ouachita Hills Academy
00:14:24.99\00:14:27.93
has scored in
the one percentile.
00:14:27.96\00:14:31.00
Now, if I was to
ask you here tonight,
00:14:31.03\00:14:33.20
this evening,
how many of you know
00:14:33.23\00:14:36.10
someone that has
scored in the 99th percentile
00:14:36.14\00:14:39.54
of a standardized test?
00:14:39.57\00:14:41.38
I would guess that many of
you would raise your hands.
00:14:41.41\00:14:43.71
As a matter of fact, in the work
00:14:43.75\00:14:45.08
that I'm involved in
today, I come across people
00:14:45.11\00:14:48.95
who score in the 99th percentile
00:14:48.98\00:14:51.09
of their tests and
who know other people
00:14:51.12\00:14:53.36
who do the same so much so
00:14:53.39\00:14:56.09
that they are unimpressed
by this kind of score.
00:14:56.12\00:14:59.66
And I think to
myself, they're all average.
00:14:59.69\00:15:02.63
But when I tell someone
00:15:02.66\00:15:04.00
that I've scored
in the one percentile,
00:15:04.03\00:15:05.63
these people are shocked.
00:15:05.67\00:15:07.90
They think to themselves,
man, I thought you need to be
00:15:07.94\00:15:09.80
a lot smarter to
score in the one percentile.
00:15:09.84\00:15:14.18
Greatness is often overrated.
00:15:14.21\00:15:19.05
We think about people
00:15:19.08\00:15:20.42
who seek to
accomplish great things.
00:15:20.45\00:15:23.22
And we discover that
the truth of the matter is,
00:15:23.25\00:15:26.99
greatness is overrated.
00:15:27.02\00:15:31.86
Also, in Scripture,
00:15:31.89\00:15:36.56
and in the church,
00:15:36.60\00:15:38.67
great is the enemy of good.
00:15:38.70\00:15:43.67
Great is the enemy of good.
00:15:43.71\00:15:45.94
Think about it.
00:15:45.97\00:15:47.41
We live in a society today
where Instagram has taken over.
00:15:47.44\00:15:52.95
We take pictures of ourselves
00:15:52.98\00:15:54.75
on our phones in
our beds in the morning,
00:15:54.78\00:15:57.45
acting as though we woke up
00:15:57.49\00:15:59.59
with our make-up done,
hash-tagging just woke up.
00:15:59.62\00:16:05.03
We want to be great.
00:16:05.06\00:16:06.46
And this obsession
00:16:06.49\00:16:08.80
has caused many to
come up with the dream
00:16:08.83\00:16:11.40
of dropping out of school
00:16:11.43\00:16:12.80
to launch a GoFundMe
campaign to become self-employed
00:16:12.83\00:16:17.07
and start up a company
00:16:17.11\00:16:18.71
that will make
them millionaires,
00:16:18.74\00:16:21.04
so they can be an awesome
Adventist philanthropist.
00:16:21.08\00:16:25.68
But when the
philanthropic opportunities
00:16:25.71\00:16:28.22
come knocking on our doors,
00:16:28.25\00:16:31.55
and the offering
plate is passed at church,
00:16:31.59\00:16:35.19
we don't have
enough money to give.
00:16:35.22\00:16:37.69
And we don't take advantage
of those opportunities.
00:16:37.73\00:16:41.50
Many times, in other words,
00:16:41.53\00:16:43.03
we don't do something
because it is not great enough.
00:16:43.06\00:16:48.30
We talk about our
need to go protest
00:16:48.34\00:16:51.07
and go marching down the streets
00:16:51.11\00:16:52.64
and promote social
justice and yet we walk down
00:16:52.67\00:16:56.01
the streets of
our city every day.
00:16:56.04\00:16:58.35
Homeless people asking for food,
00:16:58.38\00:17:01.02
asking for support.
00:17:01.05\00:17:03.39
And they go by
without our notice,
00:17:03.42\00:17:06.05
because that is
not great enough.
00:17:06.09\00:17:10.76
In other words,
because we seek to be great,
00:17:10.79\00:17:13.63
we neglect the
little opportunities
00:17:13.66\00:17:16.06
that God places before
us day after day after day.
00:17:16.10\00:17:21.90
Heaven doesn't value greatness.
00:17:21.94\00:17:25.07
It values the
common little things
00:17:25.11\00:17:27.98
that are often neglected.
00:17:28.01\00:17:31.31
And we find this in Scripture.
00:17:31.35\00:17:34.12
Turn with me if you would,
00:17:34.15\00:17:35.48
in your Bibles
to the Book of John.
00:17:35.52\00:17:37.99
John Chapter 12.
00:17:38.02\00:17:40.79
The Bible says in verse 1,
00:17:40.82\00:17:43.29
"Then, Jesus, six days
00:17:43.32\00:17:45.89
before the
Passover came to Bethany,
00:17:45.93\00:17:49.46
where Lazarus was
which had been dead,
00:17:49.50\00:17:52.77
whom He had
raised from the dead.
00:17:52.80\00:17:56.30
There they made him a
supper, and Martha served:
00:17:56.34\00:17:59.37
but Lazarus was
one that was with them
00:17:59.41\00:18:01.84
and he sat at
the table with him.
00:18:01.88\00:18:04.45
Then took Mary a pound
of ointment of spikenard,
00:18:04.48\00:18:07.05
very costly, and
anointed the feet of Jesus,
00:18:07.08\00:18:09.72
and wiped his
feet with her hair:
00:18:09.75\00:18:12.52
and the house was filled
with the odor of the ointment.
00:18:12.55\00:18:16.52
Then saith one of his disciples,
00:18:16.56\00:18:18.06
Judas Iscariot, Simon's
son, which should betray him,
00:18:18.09\00:18:22.63
'Why was not this ointment
sold for three hundred pence,
00:18:22.66\00:18:26.10
and given to the poor?
00:18:26.13\00:18:28.74
This he said, not
that he cared for the poor,
00:18:28.77\00:18:31.44
but because he was a
thief, and had the bag,
00:18:31.47\00:18:33.84
and he bare that
which was put therein.
00:18:33.88\00:18:37.08
Then said Jesus,
'Leave her alone:
00:18:37.11\00:18:40.22
against the day of my
burying has she done this,
00:18:40.25\00:18:44.49
the poor you
have with you always,
00:18:44.52\00:18:47.52
but me you don't
have with you always.'"
00:18:47.56\00:18:52.33
John tells us a
story about Jesus.
00:18:52.36\00:18:55.86
And He lays the
context by telling us that
00:18:55.90\00:18:57.97
this event takes place
00:18:58.00\00:19:00.17
just six days
before the Passover.
00:19:00.20\00:19:03.04
In other words, it
takes place just six days
00:19:03.07\00:19:05.14
before the death of
Jesus Christ on the cross.
00:19:05.17\00:19:09.24
The Bible tells us
that Jesus is in Bethany,
00:19:09.28\00:19:12.71
which is translated
as the house of the poor.
00:19:12.75\00:19:16.35
If you look at Mark's
account and Matthew's account,
00:19:16.38\00:19:18.92
you discover that
00:19:18.95\00:19:20.29
there's another group of people,
00:19:20.32\00:19:22.02
the Pharisees, they've
also gathered together,
00:19:22.06\00:19:25.19
and on their radar,
00:19:25.23\00:19:26.80
their topic of
conversation is also Jesus.
00:19:26.83\00:19:30.27
They're gathered in
the city of Jerusalem,
00:19:30.30\00:19:32.43
which is translated
as the city of peace.
00:19:32.47\00:19:35.47
The purpose of their
gathering is to talk about Jesus
00:19:35.50\00:19:39.24
but it is not to honor Him.
00:19:39.27\00:19:41.54
As a matter of fact,
they're gathered together
00:19:41.58\00:19:43.98
to come up with a plan
to crucify the Son of God.
00:19:44.01\00:19:47.88
Two groups of people
meeting talking about Jesus
00:19:47.92\00:19:51.49
but with two different purposes.
00:19:51.52\00:19:54.56
Friends, the question
that we must first answer
00:19:54.59\00:19:56.83
is why are we here tonight?
00:19:56.86\00:20:00.36
The fact that we
are here at a conference
00:20:00.40\00:20:02.56
that is seeking to
speak about Jesus Christ
00:20:02.60\00:20:05.43
does not guarantee
that everyone is here
00:20:05.47\00:20:08.14
because we want to honor Him.
00:20:08.17\00:20:10.87
Just because Jesus
is being spoken of,
00:20:10.91\00:20:13.27
just because Jesus
is being talked about
00:20:13.31\00:20:15.44
does not mean that
00:20:15.48\00:20:16.81
we are gathered here
today to honor the Son of God.
00:20:16.85\00:20:22.22
In Bethany,
they're there to honor Him.
00:20:22.25\00:20:25.45
And I'd like to think that
00:20:25.49\00:20:26.82
the reason why we are here today
00:20:26.86\00:20:28.42
is not to spend a nice
evening in the cool hotel,
00:20:28.46\00:20:32.26
or to enjoy the great food,
00:20:32.29\00:20:34.06
or to ride on a school bus,
00:20:34.10\00:20:35.56
or to hang out with our friends,
00:20:35.60\00:20:37.33
or to get away from our parents,
00:20:37.37\00:20:39.63
or to visit a new city.
00:20:39.67\00:20:41.70
But I'd like to
think in my heart of hearts
00:20:41.74\00:20:43.84
that the reason why
we are here tonight,
00:20:43.87\00:20:47.04
is because we want
to honor Jesus Christ.
00:20:47.08\00:20:51.38
However, as this group of people
00:20:51.41\00:20:54.08
gather in Bethany,
00:20:54.12\00:20:55.45
the house of the
poor, to honor Jesus Christ,
00:20:55.48\00:20:58.32
something
interesting takes place.
00:20:58.35\00:21:00.89
The Bible says that
sitting next to Jesus
00:21:00.92\00:21:03.53
is a man named Lazarus.
00:21:03.56\00:21:06.13
This is a man whom Jesus
has raised from the dead.
00:21:06.16\00:21:09.63
The greatest
miracle that Jesus performs
00:21:09.66\00:21:11.77
in the Book of John,
there are six of them.
00:21:11.80\00:21:14.14
The culmination
of these miracles
00:21:14.17\00:21:16.24
is the resurrection of Lazarus,
00:21:16.27\00:21:18.54
someone who has
been in the grave so long
00:21:18.57\00:21:21.34
that his body is
beginning to decay.
00:21:21.38\00:21:23.95
And the Word of God
demonstrates so much power,
00:21:23.98\00:21:27.08
that it has the
ability to transform a dead
00:21:27.12\00:21:30.35
and decaying body and
give life into that dead,
00:21:30.39\00:21:34.22
into that lifeless form.
00:21:34.26\00:21:37.96
On the other side,
00:21:37.99\00:21:40.23
Matthew tells us
and Mark tells us,
00:21:40.26\00:21:43.26
there's a man
whose name is Simon.
00:21:43.30\00:21:47.24
This man is the one
00:21:47.27\00:21:48.60
who has actually
thrown the feast.
00:21:48.64\00:21:51.74
The Bible says that
this man used to be a leper,
00:21:51.77\00:21:55.88
outcast of society,
outcast of the church.
00:21:55.91\00:22:00.95
Because Jesus has
given him his health,
00:22:00.98\00:22:03.65
this man of great means,
00:22:03.69\00:22:05.85
seeks to celebrate
the gift of Jesus Christ.
00:22:05.89\00:22:11.29
And so to honor
Him, he throws a feast.
00:22:11.33\00:22:16.06
The Bible tells us that
00:22:16.10\00:22:17.43
there's another
character in the story,
00:22:17.47\00:22:19.70
a woman by the name of Martha.
00:22:19.73\00:22:22.90
She is also
invited to this feast.
00:22:22.94\00:22:25.87
But the reason why
she's invited is to serve.
00:22:25.91\00:22:29.31
And so she is
serving the guests.
00:22:29.34\00:22:33.21
Finally, we're introduced
to a woman in verse 3.
00:22:33.25\00:22:37.05
This woman has no introduction
regarding why she's there.
00:22:37.09\00:22:41.29
We don't know why
she's supposed to be there.
00:22:41.32\00:22:44.46
She doesn't have any specific,
00:22:44.49\00:22:45.83
any special tasks
that she is accomplishing.
00:22:45.86\00:22:49.33
She's not the person
in charge of the feast.
00:22:49.36\00:22:53.13
She's not Lazarus who
Christ has raised from the dead.
00:22:53.17\00:22:57.64
The Bible just says that
there's this woman named Mary,
00:22:57.67\00:23:01.11
who comes into the story
00:23:01.14\00:23:03.38
because she
takes an alabaster box,
00:23:03.41\00:23:06.21
breaks it open
and begins to pour
00:23:06.25\00:23:08.95
its content on the
feet of Jesus Christ.
00:23:08.98\00:23:14.32
The Bible says that
the effect is significant.
00:23:14.36\00:23:19.66
The Bible says that
this uninvited woman,
00:23:19.69\00:23:23.60
on top of being uninvited,
00:23:23.63\00:23:26.33
does something
that is unimaginable.
00:23:26.37\00:23:30.27
She breaks this
perfume and the perfume
00:23:30.31\00:23:33.58
begins to fill
the air with its aroma
00:23:33.61\00:23:37.58
so that the whole house is full.
00:23:37.61\00:23:42.72
Friends, if there's anything
that's radical that's radical,
00:23:42.75\00:23:45.82
to go to a party that
you are not even invited to,
00:23:45.85\00:23:50.73
and to instead of
sitting down quietly
00:23:50.76\00:23:53.03
and observing what is going on,
00:23:53.06\00:23:55.90
you open up a bottle
of heavily scented perfume
00:23:55.93\00:24:00.84
and you dump its content
on the feet of Jesus Christ
00:24:00.87\00:24:05.27
and you begin to
weep over this man.
00:24:05.31\00:24:10.81
Talk about awkward
moments. This is one.
00:24:10.85\00:24:16.48
People begin to
look at what is going on.
00:24:16.52\00:24:19.72
And the Bible says that
00:24:19.75\00:24:21.09
the response of the people
there is not a positive one.
00:24:21.12\00:24:24.83
Judas begins to get upset.
00:24:24.86\00:24:28.83
And he begins to
whisper to the other disciples,
00:24:28.86\00:24:31.97
"What in the world
is this girl thinking?
00:24:32.00\00:24:34.77
Why was this waste made?"
00:24:34.80\00:24:36.67
Its ultimately
would have stated,
00:24:36.71\00:24:38.84
something that
begins like a whisper
00:24:38.87\00:24:40.74
when you compare
the different accounts
00:24:40.78\00:24:42.28
of the gospel writers,
00:24:42.31\00:24:44.11
something that begins
like a whisper mounts up
00:24:44.15\00:24:47.02
and builds up steam to the point
00:24:47.05\00:24:48.75
where people are now
00:24:48.78\00:24:50.12
beginning to
openly rebuke this person,
00:24:50.15\00:24:52.85
this woman Mary,
00:24:52.89\00:24:54.22
what in the world
were you thinking?
00:24:54.26\00:24:55.59
Why have you
wasted all this money
00:24:55.62\00:24:57.63
it could have been sold
00:24:57.66\00:24:58.99
they say for 300
pence, 300 denarii.
00:24:59.03\00:25:03.33
Other accounts tell us that
00:25:03.37\00:25:04.70
it could have been sold
for even more than that.
00:25:04.73\00:25:10.07
And so we are now introduced
to the cost of the gift
00:25:10.11\00:25:13.14
that this woman
gives to Jesus Christ.
00:25:13.17\00:25:17.15
The cost is 300 denarii.
00:25:17.18\00:25:21.52
In the parable of the workers
that go into the vineyard.
00:25:21.55\00:25:27.02
You remember that the
first group of people came,
00:25:27.06\00:25:31.19
they made a deal
00:25:31.23\00:25:32.56
that they would
work in the farm,
00:25:32.59\00:25:34.66
and they agreed upon the price.
00:25:34.70\00:25:37.10
The price was one denarii.
00:25:37.13\00:25:39.50
And then the people
that came the next hour,
00:25:39.53\00:25:41.34
and the next
hour, and the next hour,
00:25:41.37\00:25:42.77
and finally the
11th hour workers
00:25:42.80\00:25:45.24
received one denarii as well.
00:25:45.27\00:25:47.94
And the point of the
parable was simply this,
00:25:47.98\00:25:50.71
that the people
that worked 11 hours
00:25:50.75\00:25:52.85
were upset that the
people that only worked one hour
00:25:52.88\00:25:56.32
received the same wage.
00:25:56.35\00:25:59.42
They said to
themselves and to their master,
00:25:59.45\00:26:01.36
how was it possible
that these individuals
00:26:01.39\00:26:03.86
that worked only one hour
00:26:03.89\00:26:05.69
will receive the
same compensation
00:26:05.73\00:26:07.66
that a person would receive
when they worked an entire day?
00:26:07.70\00:26:12.73
The point of that parable
for this purpose is this,
00:26:12.77\00:26:16.20
that a person who
worked an entire day
00:26:16.24\00:26:19.11
would receive a
salary of one denarii.
00:26:19.14\00:26:24.41
And the Bible says
that this woman Mary
00:26:24.45\00:26:26.88
who poured this
perfume on the feet of Jesus
00:26:26.92\00:26:30.82
poured a gift on
the feet of Christ
00:26:30.85\00:26:33.05
that was worth 300 denarii.
00:26:33.09\00:26:36.62
That's, in other
words, 300 days of working.
00:26:36.66\00:26:41.66
If Mary lived
today, that's about a year
00:26:41.70\00:26:45.83
and she worked minimum wage.
00:26:45.87\00:26:48.64
That would probably
be about a $20,000 gift.
00:26:48.67\00:26:53.64
Have you ever
stopped to think about that?
00:26:53.68\00:26:56.71
Because if you did,
00:26:56.75\00:26:58.31
all of a sudden you'd
be thinking to yourself
00:26:58.35\00:26:59.81
why did she
waste that much money?
00:26:59.85\00:27:03.69
I mean, when we buy
perfume, when we buy cologne,
00:27:03.72\00:27:08.16
our stuff comes
nowhere near the price
00:27:08.19\00:27:11.19
that Mary paid for
what she gave to Jesus.
00:27:11.23\00:27:15.73
And when we use
these kinds of gifts,
00:27:15.76\00:27:17.97
we use them sparingly.
00:27:18.00\00:27:20.07
We spray it and
then we walk into it,
00:27:20.10\00:27:22.74
so I can get the
whole body right there.
00:27:22.77\00:27:24.94
There's a science to how we
use these expensive perfumes.
00:27:24.97\00:27:28.48
And we think to
ourselves, Mary, I mean,
00:27:32.01\00:27:33.92
couldn't you just have put
00:27:33.95\00:27:35.28
a little bit of
perfume on the feet of Jesus,
00:27:35.32\00:27:37.85
that would have been enough.
00:27:37.89\00:27:40.26
But Mary wasted an entire pound
00:27:40.29\00:27:45.33
of spikenard on the
feet of Jesus Christ.
00:27:45.36\00:27:50.60
It's no wonder that
the comment was made.
00:27:50.63\00:27:55.60
Why was this waste made?
00:27:55.64\00:28:00.38
By all appearances,
00:28:00.41\00:28:01.74
the gift of Mary was
not a gift of greatness
00:28:01.78\00:28:03.71
or an act of greatness
but one of wastefulness.
00:28:03.75\00:28:08.92
But what determines
00:28:08.95\00:28:10.99
whether or not
Mary wasted on Jesus,
00:28:11.02\00:28:16.19
or whether she
gave Him a good gift?
00:28:16.22\00:28:18.83
This depends upon what
Christ has done for us.
00:28:18.86\00:28:24.80
Whether or not we consider
00:28:24.83\00:28:26.17
the gift of Mary
to be a good gift
00:28:26.20\00:28:28.47
or a waste depends on
00:28:28.50\00:28:29.87
how we value the gift
that Jesus has given to us.
00:28:29.90\00:28:35.91
You see, for Mary,
00:28:35.94\00:28:37.28
it was not a
waste to waste on Jesus,
00:28:37.31\00:28:40.72
because Jesus had
done so much for her.
00:28:40.75\00:28:44.55
It was Jesus who raised
her brother from the dead.
00:28:44.59\00:28:48.52
It was Jesus who cast
out seven demons out of her.
00:28:48.56\00:28:52.53
It was Jesus who saved her life
00:28:52.56\00:28:55.00
when at the point of
being caught in adultery,
00:28:55.03\00:28:58.33
the rest of the society
wanted to put her to death.
00:28:58.37\00:29:02.57
And because of everything
that Jesus had done for her,
00:29:02.60\00:29:05.94
wasting on
Jesus was not a waste.
00:29:05.97\00:29:09.68
Secondly, what is it
critical for us to acknowledge
00:29:09.71\00:29:12.95
about the story is a fact that
Mary not only wasted on Jesus,
00:29:12.98\00:29:17.22
but she wasted on
Jesus at the right time.
00:29:17.25\00:29:21.76
Jesus was six days
from His crucifixion.
00:29:21.79\00:29:26.39
And at a time when
people sought to honor Christ
00:29:26.43\00:29:29.56
with measured gifts,
00:29:29.60\00:29:31.63
Mary gave
everything that she had.
00:29:31.67\00:29:36.17
Many times, we say,
we don't want to give
00:29:36.20\00:29:41.08
everything that
we have to Christ,
00:29:41.11\00:29:42.68
it would be a waste.
00:29:42.71\00:29:44.65
Or sometimes we think
00:29:44.68\00:29:46.01
we're willing to waste
on Jesus but not right now.
00:29:46.05\00:29:49.35
Let me waste on Jesus
00:29:49.38\00:29:50.92
when I have something
significant to offer Him.
00:29:50.95\00:29:54.49
Mary says to you and to me, no,
00:29:54.52\00:29:57.19
waste on Jesus and
waste on Him right now.
00:29:57.23\00:30:01.20
It is better to
waste on Jesus now
00:30:01.23\00:30:03.50
with what we have than to wait
00:30:03.53\00:30:05.80
until we have
something greater to offer Him.
00:30:05.83\00:30:09.54
Although society has played
00:30:09.57\00:30:11.01
with our minds
to strive for that
00:30:11.04\00:30:13.24
which is great,
Jesus is saying no,
00:30:13.27\00:30:15.31
don't strive for
that which is great,
00:30:15.34\00:30:17.18
strive for that which is good.
00:30:17.21\00:30:19.31
And that which is
good is giving everything
00:30:19.35\00:30:22.05
that we have to Jesus
Christ at the right time
00:30:22.08\00:30:25.35
and that right time is now.
00:30:25.39\00:30:29.69
A good work is
better than a great work.
00:30:29.72\00:30:34.43
And so Jesus responds
00:30:34.46\00:30:35.83
to these people leave her alone.
00:30:35.86\00:30:39.03
In another passage in
Scripture in Mark's account,
00:30:39.07\00:30:42.27
or in Matthew's
account, it says,
00:30:42.30\00:30:43.84
she has done a good work
00:30:43.87\00:30:47.71
and to the Mary's of today,
00:30:47.74\00:30:51.81
Jesus response is,
00:30:51.85\00:30:55.32
why do you trouble them?
00:30:55.35\00:30:57.42
Why do we trouble people
00:30:57.45\00:30:59.29
that radically seek to give
God everything that they have.
00:30:59.32\00:31:03.69
Leave them alone.
00:31:03.73\00:31:05.83
They are doing a good work.
00:31:05.86\00:31:10.73
Mary's good work
was more valuable
00:31:10.77\00:31:13.90
than everyone else's great work.
00:31:13.94\00:31:18.27
The Bible tells us that
the story of Mary will be told
00:31:18.31\00:31:21.78
everywhere the
gospel is preached.
00:31:21.81\00:31:24.11
And I've often
wondered why that is.
00:31:24.15\00:31:26.85
Why is a story so significant
that it should be mentioned
00:31:26.88\00:31:30.45
whenever wherever
the gospel is preached?
00:31:30.49\00:31:34.72
Although we think
Mary's gift is great,
00:31:34.76\00:31:39.19
it actually isn't.
00:31:39.23\00:31:41.56
Turn with me your Bibles,
00:31:41.60\00:31:42.93
just a few pages over to
the Book of John Chapter 19.
00:31:42.96\00:31:47.04
John 19:38, "And after
this Joseph of Arimathea,"
00:31:47.07\00:31:52.34
speaking after the
crucifixion of Jesus,
00:31:52.37\00:31:55.24
"being a disciple of Jesus,
00:31:55.28\00:31:56.71
but secretly for
fear of the Jews,
00:31:56.75\00:31:58.98
besought Pilate that
00:31:59.01\00:32:00.35
he might take
away the body of Jesus:
00:32:00.38\00:32:02.88
and Pilate gave him leave.
00:32:02.92\00:32:06.02
He came therefore, and
took the body of Christ.
00:32:06.05\00:32:08.36
And there also who
came with him Nicodemus,
00:32:08.39\00:32:10.63
which at first
came to Jesus by night,
00:32:10.66\00:32:12.89
and brought a
mixture of myrrh and aloes,
00:32:12.93\00:32:18.10
about an
hundred-pounds in weight.
00:32:18.13\00:32:21.24
And they took the body of..."
00:32:21.27\00:32:23.51
Sorry, yeah, and
they, then took they,
00:32:23.54\00:32:26.64
"the body of Jesus, and
wound it in linen clothes
00:32:26.68\00:32:30.55
with spices, as the
manner of the Jews is to bury."
00:32:30.58\00:32:35.45
Did you just
catch what Nicodemus
00:32:35.48\00:32:37.79
and Joseph of Arimathea did?
00:32:37.82\00:32:40.99
If you want to
talk about a great gift,
00:32:41.02\00:32:43.63
this is a great gift.
00:32:43.66\00:32:46.66
The Bible says that Joseph
of Arimathea and Nicodemus
00:32:46.70\00:32:50.57
took the body of Jesus Christ.
00:32:50.60\00:32:54.04
And they gave
Him a gift of myrrh
00:32:54.07\00:32:56.64
which by the way is comparable
to spikenard in its value,
00:32:56.67\00:33:00.78
it was a gift that
was given to the kings.
00:33:00.81\00:33:03.41
Very costly.
00:33:03.45\00:33:05.41
And it says that
they took this myrrh,
00:33:05.45\00:33:08.15
about 100 pounds worth.
00:33:08.18\00:33:12.55
And with it, they buried
the body of Jesus Christ.
00:33:12.59\00:33:17.89
If you want to
talk about a great gift,
00:33:17.93\00:33:20.50
there was no
greater gift than the gift
00:33:20.53\00:33:22.86
that Nicodemus and
Joseph of Arimathea
00:33:22.90\00:33:25.83
gave to Jesus Christ,
it was hundred times more,
00:33:25.87\00:33:29.94
the gift of Mary.
00:33:29.97\00:33:33.51
But listen, listen to
what the Desire of Ages says
00:33:33.54\00:33:37.31
concerning the gift
of Joseph of Arimathea.
00:33:37.35\00:33:41.42
"The fragrant gift,
which Mary had thought
00:33:41.45\00:33:45.02
to lavish upon the
dead body of the Savior,
00:33:45.05\00:33:48.19
she poured upon His living form,
00:33:48.22\00:33:52.19
at the burial, his sweetness
00:33:52.23\00:33:54.96
could only have
pervaded the tomb.
00:33:55.00\00:33:57.70
Now, it gladdens his heart
00:33:57.73\00:34:00.14
with the assurance
of her faith and love,
00:34:00.17\00:34:04.14
Joseph of Arimathea
and Nicodemus offered
00:34:04.17\00:34:08.08
not their gift of
love to Jesus in His life.
00:34:08.11\00:34:12.08
With bitter tears,
00:34:12.11\00:34:13.72
they brought their costly spices
00:34:13.75\00:34:16.18
for His cold, unconscious form.
00:34:16.22\00:34:20.42
The women who had
bought spices to the tomb,
00:34:20.46\00:34:23.83
found their errand in
vain, for He had risen.
00:34:23.86\00:34:29.63
But Mary, pouring out
her love upon the Savior,
00:34:29.66\00:34:34.70
while He was
conscious of her devotion,
00:34:34.74\00:34:37.61
was anointing His
body for His burial.
00:34:37.64\00:34:41.98
And as He went down
00:34:42.01\00:34:43.91
into the darkness
of His great trial,
00:34:43.95\00:34:48.02
He carried with Him
the memory of that deed,
00:34:48.05\00:34:52.79
in earnest of the
love that would be His,
00:34:52.82\00:34:56.69
from His redeemed ones forever.
00:34:56.73\00:35:00.63
Did you catch the significance
00:35:00.66\00:35:02.00
of what is said
there in the book,
00:35:02.03\00:35:03.80
Desire of Ages?
00:35:03.83\00:35:06.20
She tells us that the gift
00:35:06.23\00:35:09.54
that Mary gave was
a reminder of Jesus.
00:35:09.57\00:35:14.54
During the
darkest hour of His time,
00:35:14.58\00:35:17.51
it was a reminder
that it was a reminder,"
00:35:17.55\00:35:21.92
what does it the say here?
00:35:21.95\00:35:23.28
"Was a reminder of
an earnest of the love
00:35:23.32\00:35:25.39
that would be His from
His redeemed ones forever."
00:35:25.42\00:35:29.79
In other words, the gift of Mary
00:35:29.82\00:35:31.99
was supposed to be
00:35:32.03\00:35:34.10
the first fruits
in the mind of Christ,
00:35:34.13\00:35:38.33
a reminder of the
love that you and I,
00:35:38.37\00:35:41.14
when we go to heaven
will demonstrate to God to Him
00:35:41.17\00:35:44.77
for the rest of our lives.
00:35:44.81\00:35:47.14
During the darkest
hour of Jesus' life,
00:35:47.18\00:35:51.65
as He walked
from place to place,
00:35:51.68\00:35:55.72
the trial after
trial after trial,
00:35:55.75\00:35:58.09
to the very cross itself.
00:35:58.12\00:36:00.32
There was but one reminder
00:36:00.36\00:36:03.73
that there would
be something special
00:36:03.76\00:36:06.09
after this hell
that He experienced
00:36:06.13\00:36:07.83
would all be over.
00:36:07.86\00:36:09.70
And that
reminder was given to him
00:36:09.73\00:36:12.03
by none other than Mary herself.
00:36:12.07\00:36:16.60
Think about that.
00:36:16.64\00:36:19.47
Now, friends, nobody, nobody,
00:36:19.51\00:36:24.55
no human being
00:36:24.58\00:36:27.12
has ever saved humanity.
00:36:27.15\00:36:31.82
But when Christ
wrestled over my salvation,
00:36:31.85\00:36:37.23
Mary's perfume encouraged him
00:36:37.26\00:36:41.06
to save my life.
00:36:41.10\00:36:44.00
Yeah, Nicodemus,
Joseph of Arimathea,
00:36:44.03\00:36:47.97
they gave a lot
of money to Jesus.
00:36:48.00\00:36:51.64
But it was worthless.
00:36:51.67\00:36:53.78
It was worthless
00:36:53.81\00:36:55.14
because it fell
upon a lifeless form
00:36:55.18\00:36:59.38
and this is why the
story of Mary is forever told,
00:36:59.41\00:37:03.28
the story of
Mary is forever told
00:37:03.32\00:37:05.25
because if there
was any human being
00:37:05.29\00:37:08.29
who played any role in
your salvation and mine,
00:37:08.32\00:37:11.56
it was Mary.
00:37:11.59\00:37:12.93
It was Mary's perfume
that encouraged Christ.
00:37:12.96\00:37:15.63
Although all these
people will forsake you,
00:37:15.66\00:37:17.97
although Peter has
run away, although John
00:37:18.00\00:37:20.37
is nowhere to be found,
00:37:20.40\00:37:21.80
I believe that
you are Jesus Christ,
00:37:21.84\00:37:24.37
the Son of God, go
and die for my sins,
00:37:24.41\00:37:27.68
and when You are resurrected,
00:37:27.71\00:37:29.58
and when You come
00:37:29.61\00:37:30.95
as a King of
kings and Lord of lords,
00:37:30.98\00:37:32.98
and when the
redeemed of the earth
00:37:33.01\00:37:35.08
enter into the gates of heaven,
00:37:35.12\00:37:37.05
there will be more Mary's
00:37:37.09\00:37:39.79
that will show their love
00:37:39.82\00:37:41.29
and devotion to you
throughout eternity.
00:37:41.32\00:37:44.23
Jesus in the
darkest hour of your life,
00:37:44.26\00:37:48.16
press on and save humanity.
00:37:48.20\00:37:52.73
Friends, greatness is
the enemy of goodness.
00:37:52.77\00:37:57.74
Because if we wait to be
like Joseph of Arimathea,
00:37:57.77\00:38:01.54
if we wait to be like Nicodemus,
00:38:01.58\00:38:03.98
if we wait to
become millionaires
00:38:04.01\00:38:05.75
before we give everything
00:38:05.78\00:38:07.22
that we are to the
cause of Jesus Christ,
00:38:07.25\00:38:09.75
we will never do it.
00:38:09.78\00:38:13.22
We'll never do it.
00:38:13.25\00:38:15.86
Greatness never comes.
00:38:15.89\00:38:19.79
Don't do something great.
00:38:19.83\00:38:22.60
Do something now.
00:38:22.63\00:38:26.43
Forget the obsession
with trying to become
00:38:26.47\00:38:28.67
something better and better
00:38:28.70\00:38:30.14
and better
although, as though some,
00:38:30.17\00:38:32.44
as though we can
make ourselves good enough
00:38:32.47\00:38:36.51
to be useful in
the service of Christ.
00:38:36.54\00:38:39.51
It is not the capabilities
that we now possess.
00:38:39.55\00:38:42.75
It is not the capabilities
that we'll ever possess
00:38:42.78\00:38:45.99
that will make us worthy
00:38:46.02\00:38:47.69
to work in the
service of Jesus Christ.
00:38:47.72\00:38:51.63
It is only what
God can do for us.
00:38:51.66\00:38:57.57
There are moments in history
when greatness is eclipsed.
00:38:57.60\00:39:02.87
Story is told about a
woman by the name of Julie Moss.
00:39:02.90\00:39:07.44
She was a student
studying in California,
00:39:07.48\00:39:09.54
trying to earn a
degree in education.
00:39:09.58\00:39:13.31
And as part of her
experiment program,
00:39:13.35\00:39:18.55
she signed up to run one
of the most difficult races
00:39:18.59\00:39:22.79
in the United States
and really around the world.
00:39:22.82\00:39:25.46
It's called an Iron
Men, which, by the way,
00:39:25.49\00:39:28.66
our outgoing President
Moyes, he didn't run two-thirds,
00:39:28.70\00:39:31.83
he ran the whole thing
and maybe a little extra,
00:39:31.87\00:39:34.07
we got to make
that correction for him.
00:39:34.10\00:39:36.00
Because I know Justin switched
the story a little bit there.
00:39:36.04\00:39:41.28
Julie Moss
embarked upon this journey.
00:39:41.31\00:39:46.08
No training, had
never even completed
00:39:46.11\00:39:49.92
the three
disciplines that make the race.
00:39:49.95\00:39:52.72
The race begins
with a two-mile swim
00:39:52.75\00:39:55.76
more than 112 miles on the bike
00:39:55.79\00:39:58.99
and then you top it
off with a full marathon.
00:39:59.03\00:40:02.00
Julie Moss had never
completed all three things.
00:40:02.03\00:40:07.87
And when she
showed up in Kona, Hawaii,
00:40:07.90\00:40:11.37
she started the race.
00:40:11.41\00:40:14.11
To her surprise,
00:40:14.14\00:40:16.18
and to the
surprise of many people
00:40:16.21\00:40:17.71
watching on television,
00:40:17.75\00:40:19.88
she was actually in first place.
00:40:19.91\00:40:24.52
As she began the marathon,
she began to build a distance
00:40:24.55\00:40:28.52
between her and
the second place person
00:40:28.56\00:40:30.36
by more than a
minute or more than a mile.
00:40:30.39\00:40:34.56
But something happened
towards the end of the race.
00:40:34.60\00:40:38.23
About 400 yards or so
before the finish line,
00:40:38.27\00:40:43.20
she experienced dehydration
00:40:43.24\00:40:45.87
and she had no
nutrition in her body.
00:40:45.91\00:40:48.28
She says that
00:40:48.31\00:40:49.64
she actually
had carried with her
00:40:49.68\00:40:51.05
a Snickers bar.
00:40:51.08\00:40:52.85
But because the TV
cameras were there,
00:40:52.88\00:40:55.15
she did not want to open it up
00:40:55.18\00:40:56.82
because it was melted
00:40:56.85\00:40:58.19
and she would
not look nice on TV.
00:40:58.22\00:40:59.99
So she threw the thing
away, 400 miles or 400 meters
00:41:00.02\00:41:04.86
or yards before the finish line,
00:41:04.89\00:41:07.10
her body was
completely depleted of energy.
00:41:07.13\00:41:11.13
And she began to
stumble towards the finish line.
00:41:11.17\00:41:15.80
Her body actually looked
00:41:15.84\00:41:17.27
as though it was
deformed and convulsing.
00:41:17.31\00:41:21.24
She struggled to put
one foot after the other,
00:41:21.28\00:41:24.15
and although she was
determined in her mind
00:41:24.18\00:41:26.72
to finish the race, she
fell down to the ground.
00:41:26.75\00:41:33.09
She got up, she saw
00:41:33.12\00:41:35.62
the finish line in front of her.
00:41:35.66\00:41:38.63
And she began to walk
towards the finish line
00:41:38.66\00:41:41.03
putting one foot after
another, she fell again.
00:41:41.06\00:41:45.23
This time she could not get up
00:41:45.27\00:41:46.67
and she begins to explain
what is going through her mind.
00:41:46.70\00:41:49.94
And she says, I
made a deal with myself
00:41:49.97\00:41:52.11
that I would finish the race
00:41:52.14\00:41:53.81
and I'm going
to finish the race.
00:41:53.84\00:41:55.94
And so she put her
hands in front of her.
00:41:55.98\00:41:58.08
She spread her
legs behind her stood up
00:41:58.11\00:42:00.08
like a tripod
00:42:00.12\00:42:01.95
and forced her way
up and began again.
00:42:01.98\00:42:05.95
But she fell.
00:42:05.99\00:42:08.56
The person behind her got closer
00:42:08.59\00:42:10.19
and closer and closer
and finally passed her up.
00:42:10.23\00:42:13.50
Passed her up just
before she finished the race.
00:42:16.56\00:42:20.70
Julie speaks of this experience.
00:42:20.74\00:42:23.41
And she said that at that point,
00:42:23.44\00:42:25.14
she said to herself, I quit.
00:42:25.17\00:42:29.18
There's no point in
finishing this race.
00:42:29.21\00:42:31.25
I lost the race.
There's no point in continuing.
00:42:31.28\00:42:36.32
And it was at that time
00:42:36.35\00:42:38.55
that a voice
came to her and said,
00:42:38.59\00:42:40.22
"You made a deal with yourself
00:42:40.26\00:42:41.76
that you would finish the
race, so finish the race."
00:42:41.79\00:42:48.00
And so she began to crawl
00:42:48.03\00:42:51.23
and crawl and crawl
00:42:51.27\00:42:54.77
until she crawled
over the finish line.
00:42:54.80\00:42:58.67
Television reporter said,
00:42:58.71\00:43:00.68
"The sport of Iron Men
00:43:00.71\00:43:03.55
will never be the same again."
00:43:03.58\00:43:08.28
When you run most races,
00:43:08.32\00:43:10.45
they say now you can run,
00:43:10.49\00:43:12.99
walk or crawl
across the finish line.
00:43:13.02\00:43:17.96
You know what's
significant about this?
00:43:17.99\00:43:21.06
What's significant
about this race is the fact
00:43:21.10\00:43:25.27
that although
Julie Moss never won,
00:43:25.30\00:43:28.80
and although she made
00:43:28.84\00:43:30.17
a fool of
herself by many accounts,
00:43:30.21\00:43:32.71
crawling over the finish line,
00:43:32.74\00:43:35.04
although she's
known as the person
00:43:35.08\00:43:36.71
who wobbled across and looked
00:43:36.75\00:43:38.78
as though she was convulsing,
00:43:38.81\00:43:41.25
although she's
known as the woman
00:43:41.28\00:43:43.15
who went to the
bathroom on herself
00:43:43.18\00:43:45.32
as she crossed
across the finish line.
00:43:45.35\00:43:50.06
Nobody remembers.
00:43:50.09\00:43:51.66
I shouldn't say
nobody 'cause some people do.
00:43:51.69\00:43:54.40
But rarely do we
remember the person
00:43:54.43\00:43:56.23
who even won the race.
00:43:56.26\00:43:58.70
We remember Julie Moss.
00:43:58.73\00:44:01.00
But we have to go
back and look to see
00:44:01.04\00:44:03.91
who was it that
actually won this race.
00:44:03.94\00:44:09.04
Friends, being number one
is not what it's all about.
00:44:09.08\00:44:14.52
Oh yeah, we need to
strive for excellence.
00:44:14.55\00:44:16.99
But excellence is not determined
00:44:17.02\00:44:18.65
by what we achieve.
00:44:18.69\00:44:20.72
Excellence is determined
by how much of ourselves
00:44:20.76\00:44:23.22
we're willing to give.
00:44:23.26\00:44:25.53
And when a person gives all,
00:44:25.56\00:44:28.00
to anything, that
person is recognized.
00:44:28.03\00:44:33.97
Friends, we don't live in a time
00:44:34.00\00:44:37.04
where Jesus needs your riches.
00:44:37.07\00:44:40.14
We don't live in a time
00:44:40.18\00:44:41.51
where Jesus
needs your greatness.
00:44:41.54\00:44:44.31
We don't live in a time
when Jesus needs our talents.
00:44:44.35\00:44:48.65
We live in a time
when Jesus needs you now.
00:44:48.68\00:44:52.69
That's the time in
history that we live in today,
00:44:52.72\00:44:58.16
a time where Jesus
does not need our greatness,
00:44:58.19\00:45:02.40
He needs us now.
00:45:02.43\00:45:06.03
I want to
challenge you this evening
00:45:06.07\00:45:09.54
as we conclude
this great conference.
00:45:09.57\00:45:14.78
What has been the driving
force in your spirituality?
00:45:14.81\00:45:19.65
We have more than 1,000
people come into prayer groups.
00:45:19.68\00:45:23.18
That's great.
00:45:23.22\00:45:25.75
But will we have one person
00:45:25.79\00:45:28.26
going to prayer group
every morning in your house,
00:45:28.29\00:45:31.66
in your room, when
you're by yourself.
00:45:31.69\00:45:34.96
Oh, we have many
buses going out on outreach,
00:45:35.00\00:45:39.07
handing out stuff,
rebuilding churches.
00:45:39.10\00:45:43.10
But will we have
one person, go back home
00:45:43.14\00:45:47.41
and do something
for their community,
00:45:47.44\00:45:50.15
all alone
without the spotlights.
00:45:50.18\00:45:56.12
We've accomplished
a lot of great things
00:45:56.15\00:45:58.15
but will we do what
is good when we go home,
00:45:58.19\00:46:02.19
that's the question
that we need to answer.
00:46:02.22\00:46:07.60
So my appeal for you
00:46:07.63\00:46:10.70
tonight is this.
00:46:10.73\00:46:14.97
How many of you feel
00:46:15.00\00:46:18.44
God's call upon your heart
00:46:18.47\00:46:23.04
to not do something
great, but to do something now.
00:46:23.08\00:46:29.42
As you've been sitting
through this conference,
00:46:29.45\00:46:32.12
through this convention,
00:46:32.15\00:46:33.56
as you walk down the halls
00:46:33.59\00:46:34.92
and you see the different booths
00:46:34.96\00:46:36.62
that are here,
00:46:36.66\00:46:38.19
you pass by
Adventist Frontier Missions,
00:46:38.23\00:46:42.16
people are dying
all over the world,
00:46:42.20\00:46:44.40
dying all over the world
without even the opportunity
00:46:44.43\00:46:47.14
of knowing the
name of Jesus Christ.
00:46:47.17\00:46:50.41
There are people
that have come here.
00:46:50.44\00:46:52.51
We have a youth
director from Hong Kong,
00:46:52.54\00:46:56.21
who's telling me that
they need people to go to Asia
00:46:56.24\00:46:59.38
to serve as missionaries.
00:46:59.41\00:47:03.05
There are people,
places that need people
00:47:03.08\00:47:07.96
who will serve
00:47:07.99\00:47:09.32
in some of the most
dangerous places in the earth.
00:47:09.36\00:47:13.76
Who will boldly share
the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
00:47:13.80\00:47:16.60
not in a big
massive place like this,
00:47:16.63\00:47:19.83
but home by home,
00:47:19.87\00:47:21.20
person by person
with little success.
00:47:21.24\00:47:25.61
But people who understand that
00:47:25.64\00:47:27.04
greatness is never something
that is revealed openly,
00:47:27.08\00:47:30.65
but rather it is
something that is only estimated
00:47:30.68\00:47:34.32
in the private halls of heaven.
00:47:34.35\00:47:37.92
You've heard the stories of
people that need to go beep,
00:47:37.95\00:47:40.36
they need to go preach
sermons all around the world.
00:47:40.39\00:47:44.03
People who will go,
00:47:44.06\00:47:45.56
who will
sacrifice their education,
00:47:45.59\00:47:47.93
who will pay for
themselves to go,
00:47:47.96\00:47:50.17
who will work and make money
00:47:50.20\00:47:52.40
and pay for themselves to go.
00:47:52.43\00:47:55.20
People who will go door to door
00:47:55.24\00:47:57.04
in different places in the world
00:47:57.07\00:47:58.44
to share the
Gospel of Jesus Christ,
00:47:58.47\00:48:00.31
whether it's through
an evangelistic campaign
00:48:00.34\00:48:04.75
or in the darkest
places in earth's history,
00:48:04.78\00:48:07.95
these are the kind
of people that we need.
00:48:07.98\00:48:09.55
And these are the kind of people
00:48:09.58\00:48:10.92
that we need now.
00:48:10.95\00:48:12.65
We need Mary's
00:48:12.69\00:48:14.72
that's essentially what we need.
00:48:14.76\00:48:17.16
Someone that will
not say, this is a waste.
00:48:17.19\00:48:22.26
Someone that is willing to say,
00:48:22.30\00:48:23.63
I am aware of the sacrifice
00:48:23.67\00:48:28.50
that Jesus has made for me.
00:48:28.54\00:48:30.61
I am aware enough of the cost
00:48:30.64\00:48:32.67
that Jesus paid
for my salvation,
00:48:32.71\00:48:35.18
that there is no
limit to the wasting
00:48:35.21\00:48:39.31
that I'm willing to do.
00:48:39.35\00:48:43.15
To give back to my master.
00:48:43.18\00:48:48.16
I work on public
university campuses.
00:48:48.19\00:48:52.16
More than 70%
of our young people
00:48:52.19\00:48:53.86
like you are attending schools
00:48:53.90\00:48:57.33
that are not
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:48:57.37\00:49:00.20
Many of these people
are losing their faith.
00:49:00.24\00:49:02.44
By the time many
of you reach my age,
00:49:02.47\00:49:06.17
many will have left the church.
00:49:06.21\00:49:10.05
We need people to go as
missionaries across the world.
00:49:10.08\00:49:14.18
And we need them
across the street.
00:49:14.22\00:49:15.88
We need them
00:49:15.92\00:49:17.25
on our public
university campuses.
00:49:17.29\00:49:20.49
We need people who
will not go for greatness,
00:49:20.52\00:49:22.32
not go for
numbers, not go for fame,
00:49:22.36\00:49:26.03
but people who will go now.
00:49:26.06\00:49:29.16
I want to make an appeal to you.
00:49:29.20\00:49:31.57
If the Lord is
calling upon your heart,
00:49:31.60\00:49:35.44
to give your all to
Jesus right now, not tomorrow,
00:49:35.47\00:49:38.57
not next year, not when
you become something great.
00:49:38.61\00:49:41.44
But right now,
this appeal is for you.
00:49:41.48\00:49:46.78
We don't want
people who are impulsive.
00:49:46.82\00:49:49.58
We don't want people
who have nothing to do.
00:49:49.62\00:49:52.52
We don't want people who
have nothing to sacrifice,
00:49:52.55\00:49:54.56
no cost to pay.
00:49:54.59\00:49:56.89
We want young people
00:49:56.93\00:49:59.19
who after counting the cost
00:49:59.23\00:50:01.36
and understanding the
cost that Jesus has paid
00:50:01.40\00:50:03.77
for them will say,
00:50:03.80\00:50:06.20
if I believe that
Jesus is in fact coming soon,
00:50:06.23\00:50:10.57
I do not care
00:50:10.61\00:50:11.94
what everyone
else is going to say.
00:50:11.97\00:50:13.78
I don't care the people,
00:50:13.81\00:50:15.14
if people are
going to say, "Man,
00:50:15.18\00:50:16.51
you're wasting your youth,
you're wasting your means,
00:50:16.54\00:50:19.18
you're wasting your talents."
00:50:19.21\00:50:20.55
I want to give my life
00:50:20.58\00:50:21.92
to Jesus today
in service for Him.
00:50:21.95\00:50:25.22
I want to do something good,
00:50:25.25\00:50:26.79
and not care so much
about doing something great.
00:50:26.82\00:50:30.36
If that's you, I
want to call upon you
00:50:30.39\00:50:31.79
to respond to this appeal.
00:50:31.83\00:50:35.43
I'm especially
calling upon young people,
00:50:35.46\00:50:38.37
who are between
the ages of 18 to 25.
00:50:38.40\00:50:43.04
If this fits you,
you are a young person
00:50:43.07\00:50:46.24
between the ages of 18 to 25.
00:50:46.27\00:50:50.31
The prime of
your young adult life
00:50:50.35\00:50:53.75
and you sense God's
calling to give everything
00:50:53.78\00:50:57.22
that you have,
00:50:57.25\00:50:58.59
everything that you
are to Jesus Christ today
00:50:58.62\00:51:01.86
and work for Him immediately,
00:51:01.89\00:51:03.79
give a year of your life to Him.
00:51:03.83\00:51:06.36
I want to call upon you
00:51:06.39\00:51:07.73
to come up here with
me and answer this appeal.
00:51:07.76\00:51:13.37
This appeal is not for everyone.
00:51:13.40\00:51:16.17
This appeal is only for a few.
00:51:16.20\00:51:18.74
If you fit this category
between the ages of 18 to 25,
00:51:18.77\00:51:23.55
and you have
looked at your life,
00:51:23.58\00:51:25.91
you look at what God
has done for you, say,
00:51:25.95\00:51:27.62
I want to give at
least a year of my life.
00:51:27.65\00:51:29.82
I want to give
five years of my life.
00:51:29.85\00:51:31.62
I want to give everything
that I have in my life
00:51:31.65\00:51:35.69
surrender to Jesus Christ
00:51:35.72\00:51:37.39
because of what
He has done for me.
00:51:37.43\00:51:38.93
I want you to come up,
so we can pray for you.
00:51:38.96\00:51:41.63
God bless you.
00:51:41.66\00:51:47.24
God bless you.
00:51:47.27\00:51:51.94
God is looking for a
group of young people
00:51:51.97\00:51:54.38
that will not focus on
something that is great,
00:51:54.41\00:51:57.15
but do for Him something now.
00:51:57.18\00:52:01.72
We can't close this
meeting without making an appeal
00:52:01.75\00:52:06.69
for that young person
00:52:06.72\00:52:09.36
who is yet to
give their life to God
00:52:09.39\00:52:11.73
and express it through baptism.
00:52:11.76\00:52:14.63
Is there someone here tonight
as we close this conference,
00:52:14.66\00:52:18.93
that wants to give their life
to Christ, never been baptized,
00:52:18.97\00:52:20.87
you want to say,
00:52:20.90\00:52:22.24
I want to give my life to Jesus.
00:52:22.27\00:52:23.71
I want to make, take my
stand with God's people.
00:52:23.74\00:52:26.81
I want to become
a baptized member
00:52:26.84\00:52:29.81
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:52:29.84\00:52:31.71
God's remnant church.
00:52:31.75\00:52:33.35
I want to prepare for baptism.
00:52:33.38\00:52:34.72
I want to study the Bible.
00:52:34.75\00:52:37.49
I want to find out for myself
00:52:37.52\00:52:38.85
what it takes to be baptized
a disciple of Jesus Christ.
00:52:38.89\00:52:42.59
If that's you, I want
you to raise your hand
00:52:42.62\00:52:44.43
wherever you are.
00:52:44.46\00:52:45.79
Never been baptized
before, you want to bap,
00:52:45.83\00:52:47.33
you want to be baptized.
00:52:47.36\00:52:48.70
I see your hands. God bless you.
00:52:48.73\00:52:50.50
We want to pray
for you. Let us pray.
00:52:50.53\00:52:54.70
Father in heaven,
00:52:54.74\00:52:58.84
You have never
asked us to be great.
00:52:58.87\00:53:04.58
You've only asked us
to selflessly follow You
00:53:04.61\00:53:09.92
with everything that we have.
00:53:09.95\00:53:12.35
There's a group of young
people before You tonight
00:53:12.39\00:53:14.32
who want to follow You.
00:53:14.36\00:53:16.62
And we want to pray
that You bless them.
00:53:16.66\00:53:19.03
There's a group
of people tonight
00:53:19.06\00:53:20.40
that want to be baptized,
00:53:20.43\00:53:21.76
they want to give their
lives to You through baptism,
00:53:21.80\00:53:23.83
be buried and buried in Christ
and resurrected a new life.
00:53:23.87\00:53:28.07
Bless those commitments
00:53:28.10\00:53:29.44
and make them
disciples of Jesus Christ.
00:53:29.47\00:53:31.57
Father as we, as we
get ready to welcome
00:53:31.61\00:53:34.28
the soon coming of Jesus Christ,
00:53:34.31\00:53:36.14
give us, give us
00:53:36.18\00:53:40.85
a deeper yearning
00:53:40.88\00:53:43.18
to surrender everything
that we have to follow You.
00:53:43.22\00:53:48.09
This is my prayer.
00:53:48.12\00:53:49.76