Three Angels
Broadcasting Network
00:00:01.33\00:00:02.66
is pleased to bring
you something better,
00:00:02.70\00:00:06.03
a faith inspiring
picture of a loving God
00:00:06.07\00:00:08.84
from the Book of Hebrews.
00:00:08.87\00:00:11.07
Welcome to 3ABN's
Virtual Homecoming Camp Meeting.
00:00:11.11\00:00:16.54
Welcome back to 3ABN
Fall Homecoming Camp Meeting.
00:00:16.58\00:00:19.75
And I tell you what a blessing
00:00:19.78\00:00:21.12
we've had already
here at camp meeting.
00:00:21.15\00:00:22.48
It's amazing.
00:00:22.52\00:00:23.85
It's already Friday afternoon,
00:00:23.89\00:00:25.45
and we've already
been filled up, haven't we?
00:00:25.49\00:00:27.66
I can see you and
hear you saying your amens
00:00:27.69\00:00:30.79
and taking notes there at home.
00:00:30.83\00:00:32.53
Thank you for being a
part of our 3ABN family.
00:00:32.56\00:00:35.53
Of course, we
miss you being here.
00:00:35.56\00:00:37.50
But praise the Lord,
we can do this virtually
00:00:37.53\00:00:39.27
and still join and
you can join with us
00:00:39.30\00:00:41.34
here in Thompsonville/West
Frankfort, Illinois.
00:00:41.37\00:00:44.14
Praise God for technology
00:00:44.17\00:00:45.51
that the gospel can still go out
00:00:45.54\00:00:47.21
around the world.
00:00:47.24\00:00:48.71
I have the privilege
right now of introducing
00:00:48.74\00:00:51.98
the love of my life.
00:00:52.01\00:00:53.45
And that's Jill Morikone.
00:00:53.48\00:00:54.98
Of course, my wife, we
just passed our anniversary,
00:00:55.02\00:00:59.19
we've been married 19 years,
00:00:59.22\00:01:01.82
which to some of you that
even been married 60 years
00:01:01.86\00:01:04.76
or 50 years, you're
like, Oh, you're just the baby.
00:01:04.79\00:01:07.50
But I have to say
00:01:07.50\00:01:08.83
what an incredible
blessing Jill is to me.
00:01:08.86\00:01:10.73
And those 19 years have
just absolutely flown by.
00:01:10.77\00:01:14.20
You know, she's been
my friend for 25 years.
00:01:14.24\00:01:18.37
We knew each
other back in school.
00:01:18.41\00:01:20.44
And I was talking to her
the other day, and I said, wow,
00:01:20.48\00:01:22.34
you know,
sweetie, I've known you
00:01:22.38\00:01:24.41
more than half my life.
00:01:24.45\00:01:26.28
I'm only in my 40s.
00:01:26.31\00:01:27.85
And so I said, "Well,
00:01:27.88\00:01:29.22
this is an incredible blessing."
00:01:29.25\00:01:30.59
So I just praise the Lord
that we can minister together
00:01:30.65\00:01:33.02
with you at the
Ministry of 3ABN.
00:01:33.05\00:01:36.69
You know, Jill is
a woman of detail.
00:01:36.73\00:01:39.76
And a list lady,
as many of you say
00:01:39.79\00:01:41.70
because you watched
Sabbath School panel,
00:01:41.73\00:01:43.50
and she loves lists.
00:01:43.53\00:01:44.87
She's a woman of detail.
00:01:44.90\00:01:46.23
She's a woman
who cares for others.
00:01:46.27\00:01:48.94
And I have to
say she cares for me,
00:01:48.97\00:01:50.54
I'm so blessed by.
00:01:50.57\00:01:53.04
She's also a woman that
stands for what is right,
00:01:53.07\00:01:56.31
and a woman of the
Word and she loved to share.
00:01:56.34\00:01:59.28
She loves to share and
to teach the Word of God.
00:01:59.31\00:02:03.22
The message that
she's bringing to us today
00:02:03.25\00:02:05.02
is entitled God of
love, God of justice.
00:02:05.05\00:02:09.06
Now, the music
today is going to be
00:02:09.09\00:02:10.43
at the end of her message.
00:02:10.46\00:02:11.79
And that's going to be
brought by Ryan and Tim.
00:02:11.83\00:02:14.96
But at this time, I
want to welcome Jill here
00:02:15.00\00:02:16.93
to the platform.
00:02:16.97\00:02:18.30
Thank you so much, sweetheart.
00:02:21.04\00:02:22.90
What a privilege to have
your husband introduce you,
00:02:22.94\00:02:25.57
that's really special.
00:02:25.61\00:02:27.44
I feel like I need
to say Happy Sabbath
00:02:27.48\00:02:29.31
because I'm standing here
in the Worship Center stage.
00:02:29.34\00:02:32.58
But we are in the
middle of camp meeting,
00:02:32.61\00:02:34.28
and it's Friday afternoon.
00:02:34.32\00:02:35.95
What an incredible camp
meeting it's been already.
00:02:35.98\00:02:39.32
We're so glad that
you have joined us at home
00:02:39.35\00:02:42.36
and glad for our family
that's here in the audience.
00:02:42.39\00:02:46.26
That's such a blessing
00:02:46.29\00:02:47.66
to open up the Word of
God, to fellowship together
00:02:47.66\00:02:50.60
as we look at this
entire theme of camp meeting
00:02:50.63\00:02:52.83
something better.
00:02:52.87\00:02:54.67
As Greg mentioned, the theme
of my message for this hour
00:02:54.70\00:02:59.04
is God of love, God of justice.
00:02:59.07\00:03:03.55
How do you
reconcile a loving God
00:03:03.58\00:03:07.02
who also brings judgment?
00:03:07.05\00:03:10.89
You know, to be honest with you.
00:03:10.92\00:03:12.72
This is a subject that I
have sometimes tried to avoid
00:03:12.75\00:03:15.76
when I was growing up.
00:03:15.79\00:03:17.13
And even in my
20s and probably 30s,
00:03:17.16\00:03:19.26
I avoided some of those
verses in the Word of God
00:03:19.29\00:03:22.50
that appeared
that God was harsh,
00:03:22.53\00:03:24.67
or God was unloving.
00:03:24.70\00:03:26.70
But yet 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us,
00:03:26.74\00:03:28.77
"All scripture is
given by inspiration of God
00:03:28.80\00:03:31.51
and all scripture is inspired."
00:03:31.54\00:03:34.28
So what do we do
with those verses
00:03:34.31\00:03:37.01
in the Word of God
that we struggle with?
00:03:37.05\00:03:39.11
How do we handle that?
00:03:39.15\00:03:41.25
What do we do with that?
00:03:41.28\00:03:42.75
He's a God of love.
00:03:42.78\00:03:44.15
He is clearly the
God who raises the dead,
00:03:44.19\00:03:46.29
who heals the sick,
who sets the captives free.
00:03:46.32\00:03:49.76
He enables the lame to walk
00:03:49.79\00:03:51.29
and the blind to see
and the deaf to hear.
00:03:51.33\00:03:53.86
He forgives our sins,
00:03:53.90\00:03:56.03
He redeems our
life from destruction.
00:03:56.06\00:03:58.77
He breaks the chains
of sin and addiction.
00:03:58.80\00:04:02.50
He's the God who forgives,
who heals, who cleanses,
00:04:02.54\00:04:06.41
who sanctifies, who
loves us, who accepts us
00:04:06.44\00:04:11.31
no matter what we've done,
00:04:11.35\00:04:12.68
no matter where we've been,
00:04:12.71\00:04:14.05
He's the God who accepts us.
00:04:14.12\00:04:16.12
He cherishes us
and He redeems us.
00:04:16.15\00:04:19.22
But at the same time,
He's the God of justice.
00:04:19.25\00:04:22.86
How do we reconcile the
God of love on this side
00:04:22.89\00:04:27.30
with a God of justice over here?
00:04:27.30\00:04:30.53
How can He be the God
who delivered the Israelites?
00:04:30.57\00:04:33.70
That's love, is it not?
00:04:33.74\00:04:35.07
That is the God of love.
00:04:35.10\00:04:36.47
But how did He deliver them?
00:04:36.50\00:04:38.44
By destroying the
entire Egyptian army
00:04:38.47\00:04:42.88
in the Red Sea.
00:04:42.91\00:04:44.38
That's a God of justice.
00:04:44.41\00:04:45.95
How can He be the God
that ordered the destruction
00:04:45.98\00:04:50.15
of all the Canaanite nations
00:04:50.19\00:04:52.92
when the children of Israel went
00:04:52.95\00:04:54.86
to inhabit the Promised Land?
00:04:54.89\00:04:57.96
How can He be the God
who would cast the wicked
00:04:57.99\00:05:01.40
into the lake of
fire at the end of time
00:05:01.43\00:05:04.27
not to be burned eternally,
00:05:04.30\00:05:06.33
but they will be in
fire and will be burned up.
00:05:06.37\00:05:11.77
How do we
reconcile this God of love
00:05:11.81\00:05:15.08
with a God who brings justice?
00:05:15.11\00:05:18.01
And sometimes it's not
even the God who brings justice.
00:05:18.05\00:05:21.05
Sometimes it's
the God who allows
00:05:21.08\00:05:23.99
bad things to
happen in this world.
00:05:24.02\00:05:27.56
God is sovereign, is He not?
00:05:27.59\00:05:29.42
And if He is
sovereign, what does that mean?
00:05:29.46\00:05:32.43
That means He's in
control of everything.
00:05:32.46\00:05:34.36
That means if you are
sick, He can heal you.
00:05:34.36\00:05:36.63
Praise the Lord for that.
00:05:36.67\00:05:38.00
But does that
mean everyone's healed?
00:05:38.03\00:05:40.20
No.
00:05:40.24\00:05:41.57
So what do we do with that?
00:05:41.60\00:05:43.41
Does that mean
that He can redeem us?
00:05:43.47\00:05:46.17
Absolutely.
00:05:46.21\00:05:47.54
Does that mean
that some people tonight
00:05:47.58\00:05:50.31
will go to bed hungry?
00:05:50.35\00:05:52.11
Yes.
00:05:52.15\00:05:53.48
Could He provide food?
00:05:53.52\00:05:54.85
He provided food
through the ravens for Elijah,
00:05:54.88\00:05:56.65
did He not?
00:05:56.69\00:05:58.02
God can provide
food, but yet sometimes
00:05:58.05\00:06:03.36
He chooses not to
00:06:03.39\00:06:04.99
and some people
go to bed hungry.
00:06:05.03\00:06:07.23
So how do we reconcile that?
00:06:07.23\00:06:08.56
Our opening
scripture is 1 John 4:8,
00:06:08.60\00:06:12.70
you know, the
scripture open it up at home,
00:06:12.73\00:06:14.94
1 John 4:8,
00:06:14.97\00:06:17.61
"He who does not
love does not know God,
00:06:17.64\00:06:21.91
for God, He's love."
00:06:21.94\00:06:25.01
Everything we study today
00:06:25.05\00:06:26.92
will be looked at
through that scripture,
00:06:26.95\00:06:28.58
through the lens
of a God of love.
00:06:28.62\00:06:31.65
We're going to look
at a God of justice,
00:06:31.69\00:06:34.06
a God of judgment through
the lens of a God of love.
00:06:34.09\00:06:37.69
Let's pray.
00:06:37.73\00:06:39.06
Holy Father, we come
before You in the name of Jesus.
00:06:39.09\00:06:41.83
This is Your time.
00:06:41.86\00:06:43.73
We are Your children.
00:06:43.77\00:06:46.53
And we ask right now
00:06:46.57\00:06:48.10
for the outpouring
of Your Holy Spirit.
00:06:48.14\00:06:51.01
I pray that Your Word,
00:06:51.04\00:06:53.21
your character would come alive.
00:06:53.24\00:06:57.21
And You would
speak to us just now.
00:06:57.25\00:07:00.75
And God, could
You speak through me?
00:07:00.78\00:07:03.42
And I thank You in the precious,
00:07:03.45\00:07:05.55
in the holy name of Jesus.
00:07:05.59\00:07:07.49
Amen.
00:07:07.52\00:07:08.99
It was a Monday night.
00:07:09.02\00:07:10.56
I don't know about you
what you do on Monday night,
00:07:10.59\00:07:14.20
maybe you have
Monday Night Football,
00:07:14.23\00:07:15.56
but for many years, in my life,
00:07:15.60\00:07:18.07
at least five years,
Monday night was jail night.
00:07:18.10\00:07:21.24
That meant we went to the woman
00:07:21.27\00:07:23.41
and there are several women here
00:07:23.44\00:07:24.77
who have
participated in jail night.
00:07:24.81\00:07:26.54
That meant that we
went to our local county,
00:07:26.57\00:07:30.25
we went to the jail,
and we gave Bible studies
00:07:30.28\00:07:32.95
to the women there in jail.
00:07:32.98\00:07:35.58
And I'll never forget
this particular night,
00:07:35.62\00:07:37.59
we were having studying,
00:07:37.62\00:07:38.95
I noticed a girl I
had never seen before.
00:07:38.99\00:07:41.12
And I said, "Oh,
what's your name?
00:07:41.16\00:07:42.79
We're so glad you
came to the study."
00:07:42.82\00:07:44.66
And she said,
"My name is Crystal."
00:07:44.69\00:07:46.23
Now that's not her real name.
00:07:46.26\00:07:47.60
We just called her
that, my name is Crystal.
00:07:47.60\00:07:49.96
She said, "I don't
have any use for God."
00:07:50.03\00:07:53.07
And I thought, wow,
00:07:53.10\00:07:54.44
but you're in a
Bible study, right?
00:07:54.47\00:07:55.87
What are you
doing in a Bible study?
00:07:55.90\00:07:57.47
Praise the Lord.
She's in a Bible study.
00:07:57.51\00:07:59.54
And so I said, that's okay.
00:07:59.57\00:08:01.48
We're just glad
you came tonight.
00:08:01.51\00:08:03.04
And so we went around
and shared prayer requests.
00:08:03.08\00:08:05.41
And she said, "I
don't want to talk to God.
00:08:05.45\00:08:07.08
I don't have any use for God.
00:08:07.15\00:08:09.02
I'm not giving
any prayer requests."
00:08:09.05\00:08:10.52
And we said, "That's okay.
00:08:10.55\00:08:11.89
We're just glad you're here.
00:08:11.92\00:08:13.69
And then it
came time for prayer.
00:08:13.72\00:08:15.19
And in jail, we
always stand and hold hands
00:08:15.22\00:08:17.36
with a woman in a circle.
00:08:17.39\00:08:19.73
And she kind of stood back.
00:08:19.76\00:08:21.06
I don't want to, I
don't want to pray.
00:08:21.10\00:08:22.63
And one of the girls
said, "Come on, Crystal,
00:08:22.66\00:08:24.60
if you are
coming to Bible study,
00:08:24.63\00:08:27.24
you got to pray."
00:08:27.27\00:08:28.60
So she came
reluctantly and held hands,
00:08:28.64\00:08:31.51
and we prayed.
00:08:31.54\00:08:32.87
And then we began the study
00:08:32.91\00:08:34.28
and the study that particular
night was on forgiveness,
00:08:34.31\00:08:36.38
and the forgiveness
that Jesus extends to us
00:08:36.41\00:08:39.05
and the forgiveness
we can extend to others.
00:08:39.08\00:08:41.28
And as we were having the study,
00:08:41.32\00:08:43.49
I kept praying in my mind,
00:08:43.52\00:08:44.92
God, what is the source
of Crystal's angst with You?
00:08:44.95\00:08:47.82
Why is Crystal upset with you?
00:08:47.86\00:08:50.23
God, can You break
through to her heart.
00:08:50.26\00:08:53.53
And about halfway
through the study,
00:08:53.60\00:08:54.96
the breakthrough occurred.
00:08:55.00\00:08:56.93
One of the women there said,
00:08:56.97\00:08:58.97
"You all know
that I have cancer.
00:08:59.00\00:09:01.04
I believe that I
developed cancer,
00:09:01.07\00:09:04.71
because of a resentment
00:09:04.74\00:09:06.81
that I held on
to for many years."
00:09:06.84\00:09:09.78
And I thought, "Oh, wow."
00:09:09.81\00:09:11.71
True, our emotions
can affect our health.
00:09:11.75\00:09:13.75
There's truth in that.
00:09:13.78\00:09:15.12
But we also know we live
in a world of sin, do we not?
00:09:15.15\00:09:17.52
And that many times the
things that happened to us
00:09:17.55\00:09:20.29
have nothing to do
with even choices we made
00:09:20.32\00:09:22.42
and it's just the result of
the world of sin we live in.
00:09:22.46\00:09:24.89
And I didn't know
how the girls in the jail
00:09:24.93\00:09:26.93
Bible study would take
that particular thought.
00:09:26.96\00:09:30.10
And instantly Crystal spoke up.
00:09:30.17\00:09:32.33
And she said, "What
sort of a resentment
00:09:32.37\00:09:34.87
does an eight year
old child hold on to."
00:09:34.90\00:09:37.84
And I said, "What do you mean?"
00:09:37.87\00:09:39.97
And she said, "My
eight year old son died
00:09:40.01\00:09:41.91
six months ago."
00:09:41.94\00:09:43.35
Cancer.
00:09:43.38\00:09:44.71
You cannot tell me
that was his fault.
00:09:44.75\00:09:47.95
And instantly it
was like wow, God,
00:09:47.98\00:09:50.59
that is the source
of her angst with God.
00:09:50.62\00:09:52.62
That is why she
struggled with God.
00:09:52.65\00:09:55.06
And I said, "Crystal, tell me,
00:09:55.09\00:09:56.76
do you believe that God
caused him to develop answer."
00:09:56.83\00:10:00.90
And she said, "No, I don't.
00:10:00.93\00:10:02.83
But He could have
stopped it, and He didn't."
00:10:02.86\00:10:07.10
We're back again to
the sovereignty of God,
00:10:07.14\00:10:11.64
this God of love,
this God of justice.
00:10:11.67\00:10:14.71
How do we reconcile the two?
00:10:14.74\00:10:17.81
Turn with me to the
Book of Deuteronomy,
00:10:17.85\00:10:19.58
I'm going to give
you five keys coming up,
00:10:19.61\00:10:21.62
as Greg mentioned,
you know, I like lists.
00:10:21.65\00:10:24.35
But that's coming
a little bit later.
00:10:24.39\00:10:26.25
We're going to look first
at how some of these verses
00:10:26.29\00:10:30.23
that are sometimes heavy,
00:10:30.29\00:10:31.96
and sometimes difficult to read,
00:10:31.99\00:10:34.46
but where we see
the justice of God.
00:10:34.46\00:10:36.63
We're going to the
Book of Deuteronomy.
00:10:36.70\00:10:38.03
Now Deuteronomy is
an incredible book,
00:10:38.07\00:10:40.20
and you see a great deal
of God's love in this book.
00:10:40.27\00:10:43.54
We actually just finished it
with our Sabbath School panel.
00:10:43.57\00:10:46.61
We're going to be
studying it for fourth quarter.
00:10:46.64\00:10:48.98
And we did the
entire study on that.
00:10:49.01\00:10:51.18
And Deuteronomy, of course,
00:10:51.21\00:10:52.55
is the
retelling of the Covenant,
00:10:52.58\00:10:55.25
the
reaffirmation of the Covenant.
00:10:55.28\00:10:57.75
The children of
Israel have been 40 years
00:10:57.79\00:11:00.76
wandering in the wilderness
as a result of the sin
00:11:00.79\00:11:05.26
that they
committed years earlier.
00:11:05.29\00:11:07.20
And so they're just
about there at the borders
00:11:07.23\00:11:09.06
of the Promised
Land at the cusp,
00:11:09.10\00:11:10.83
the very cusp as it were,
00:11:10.87\00:11:12.20
and they're just ready
to enter the Promised Land.
00:11:12.23\00:11:16.10
And in Deuteronomy 32,
00:11:16.14\00:11:17.87
Moses is talking right
at the end of his life,
00:11:17.91\00:11:20.18
talking to these people
00:11:20.24\00:11:21.58
that he led for all these years,
00:11:21.61\00:11:22.94
talking to these
people that he loves.
00:11:22.98\00:11:25.41
Deuteronomy 32:39,
and he reminds them,
00:11:25.45\00:11:30.85
first of all, of what
God has done for them.
00:11:30.89\00:11:32.72
And then he tells them,
00:11:32.75\00:11:34.12
this is what's going to happen
to you if you are abstinent.
00:11:34.16\00:11:37.03
If you turn your back on
God, if you do your own thing,
00:11:37.09\00:11:41.66
and if you worship other idols,
judgment will come upon you.
00:11:41.70\00:11:46.10
Deuteronomy 32:39, "Now
see that I, even I, am He,
00:11:46.13\00:11:51.17
there is no God besides Me,
00:11:51.21\00:11:53.81
I am God,
overall, I am sovereign."
00:11:53.84\00:11:56.98
I kill, did you catch that word?
00:11:57.01\00:11:59.75
God kills.
00:11:59.78\00:12:01.18
"I kill and I make alive,
00:12:01.22\00:12:04.69
I wound and I heal,
00:12:04.72\00:12:09.69
nor is there any
who can deliver Me
00:12:09.72\00:12:11.53
from My hand."
00:12:11.56\00:12:15.56
Let's go to another scripture.
00:12:15.60\00:12:16.93
This one's in
Exodus, Exodus Chapter 22.
00:12:16.97\00:12:19.13
This is, of course,
00:12:19.17\00:12:20.50
part of the Sinaitic
covenant that's given.
00:12:20.54\00:12:22.20
And the heart
of that, of course,
00:12:22.24\00:12:23.57
is God's Ten Commandment
law of love found in Exodus 20.
00:12:23.61\00:12:27.24
But we're going
to Exodus 22:22-24.
00:12:27.28\00:12:31.98
"You shall not afflict
any widow or fatherless child.
00:12:32.01\00:12:35.12
If you afflict them in any way,
and if they cry at all to Me,
00:12:35.15\00:12:40.22
I will hear their cry."
00:12:40.26\00:12:41.89
And what's He going to do?
00:12:41.92\00:12:43.26
Verse 24, "My
wrath will become hot,
00:12:43.29\00:12:46.86
I will kill you with the sword,
00:12:46.90\00:12:49.30
and your wives will be
widows, and your children,
00:12:49.33\00:12:54.64
they're going to be fatherless."
00:12:54.67\00:12:56.00
So what you have experienced
00:12:56.04\00:12:58.94
if you inflict
punishment on those people,
00:12:58.97\00:13:02.51
I'm going to give
you your medicine.
00:13:02.54\00:13:06.11
Let's look at
the Book of Isaiah.
00:13:06.15\00:13:07.52
We're going to look
at two different passages
00:13:07.55\00:13:09.02
and then we'll
jump into our five keys.
00:13:09.05\00:13:10.99
We're going to Isaiah 66 first,
00:13:11.02\00:13:13.76
then we're going
to Isaiah Chapter 13.
00:13:13.79\00:13:15.82
Isaiah 66 shows judgments
00:13:15.86\00:13:19.33
against those who have
pushed back against God,
00:13:19.36\00:13:22.30
against those who have
wandered in their own way.
00:13:22.33\00:13:25.10
And specifically,
this is judgment against
00:13:25.13\00:13:27.94
the house of Israel,
against the house of Judah.
00:13:27.97\00:13:30.94
So you could say,
00:13:30.97\00:13:32.31
these are judgments
against God's chosen people.
00:13:32.34\00:13:36.61
Isaiah 66:16, "For by fire,
00:13:36.64\00:13:42.08
and by His sword, that's God,
00:13:42.12\00:13:45.69
the Lord will judge all flesh,
00:13:45.72\00:13:48.59
and a slain of the
Lord shall be many."
00:13:48.62\00:13:51.43
So they are judged,
why are they judged?
00:13:51.46\00:13:55.03
Why is the Lord
gonna judge all flesh?
00:13:55.06\00:13:56.83
And why will the
slain of the Lord be many?
00:13:56.90\00:14:01.07
Verse 6, we're in Isaiah
66, jump back to verse 6,
00:14:01.10\00:14:04.94
"The sound of
noise from the city!
00:14:04.97\00:14:06.37
A voice from the temple!
00:14:06.41\00:14:07.74
The voice of the Lord,
who fully repays His enemies!"
00:14:07.78\00:14:12.08
They're judged,
00:14:12.11\00:14:13.45
because they fought against God.
00:14:13.52\00:14:16.58
Verse 3, jump back to Isaiah 66.
00:14:16.62\00:14:19.09
Just a couple of
verses back, verse 3,
00:14:19.12\00:14:21.46
"He who kills a bull
is as if he slays a man,
00:14:21.49\00:14:26.03
He who sacrifices a lamb,
as if he breaks a dog's neck."
00:14:26.06\00:14:28.86
Now wait a minute,
00:14:28.90\00:14:30.23
what in the world is
Isaiah talking about here?
00:14:30.27\00:14:32.80
Of course, the
sacrificial system
00:14:32.83\00:14:34.90
was godly, was it not?
00:14:34.94\00:14:36.27
It was instituted, the
children of Israel did it
00:14:36.30\00:14:38.71
with a tabernacle
service in the wilderness,
00:14:38.74\00:14:41.21
and they carry this
forward into the temple,
00:14:41.24\00:14:44.71
they word this is
how they worshiped God.
00:14:44.75\00:14:46.78
So Isaiah is talking,
God is talking to His people,
00:14:46.82\00:14:50.99
and the manner in
which they worship Him.
00:14:51.02\00:14:52.92
They're
supposed to slay the lamb
00:14:52.95\00:14:55.29
that was part of
their worship service.
00:14:55.32\00:14:58.59
Symbolic, of course,
of Jesus the Lamb of God
00:14:58.63\00:15:01.36
who would come and take
away the sin of the world.
00:15:01.40\00:15:03.80
And yet, they're
sacrificing a lamb,
00:15:03.87\00:15:06.17
but it's not in a
godly sense, is it?
00:15:06.20\00:15:09.04
It's as if they're
breaking a dog's neck.
00:15:09.07\00:15:11.61
They're offering
a grain offering.
00:15:11.64\00:15:13.11
They were supposed to
offer grain offerings,
00:15:13.14\00:15:15.88
but it's as if they're
offering swine's blood.
00:15:15.91\00:15:20.65
They are burning incense,
00:15:20.72\00:15:22.15
they're
supposed to burn incense,
00:15:22.18\00:15:23.79
but it's as if they're
blessing an idol or idolatry,
00:15:23.82\00:15:28.72
just as they have
chosen their own ways,
00:15:28.76\00:15:30.93
and their soul
delights in their abomination.
00:15:30.96\00:15:33.19
So what is he saying?
00:15:33.23\00:15:34.56
The children of Israel
have walked in hypocrisy.
00:15:34.56\00:15:36.97
They have walked in legalism.
00:15:37.03\00:15:39.63
They knew what they
were supposed to do,
00:15:39.67\00:15:41.10
but their heart
was far from God.
00:15:41.14\00:15:44.17
And because of that
00:15:44.21\00:15:45.54
God was bringing
judgment upon them,
00:15:45.57\00:15:47.68
because they fought against God,
00:15:47.71\00:15:49.38
because they walked in hypocrisy
00:15:49.41\00:15:51.01
because they walked in legalism.
00:15:51.05\00:15:52.58
Look at verse 4, "I
will choose their delusions,
00:15:52.61\00:15:55.98
I will bring
their fears on them,
00:15:56.02\00:15:57.89
because when I
called, nobody answer."
00:15:57.92\00:16:01.36
That's really sad.
00:16:01.39\00:16:02.72
"When I spoke,
they did not hear,
00:16:02.76\00:16:06.46
but they did
evil before My eyes,
00:16:06.49\00:16:08.23
and chose that in
which I do not delight."
00:16:08.26\00:16:11.23
God said, "They
refuse to listen to me,
00:16:11.27\00:16:13.07
and they have openly
rebelled against Me."
00:16:13.10\00:16:16.81
And so judgment is
coming upon the house of God.
00:16:16.84\00:16:20.48
Now turn back to Isaiah 13.
00:16:20.51\00:16:22.08
This is not
judgment on the house of God.
00:16:22.11\00:16:23.85
This is not judgment
for the children of Israel.
00:16:23.88\00:16:26.05
This is judgment
on a heathen nation,
00:16:26.08\00:16:28.75
judgment on the
Babylonian nation.
00:16:28.78\00:16:31.19
In Isaiah 13, we
see this judgment,
00:16:31.22\00:16:34.29
this prophecy of
coming judgment against
00:16:34.32\00:16:38.39
the kingdom of Babylon.
00:16:38.43\00:16:40.90
Now, at this time in Isaiah 13,
00:16:40.93\00:16:42.83
Babylon was not
even a threat to Judah,
00:16:42.86\00:16:45.03
the threat to Judah at that time
00:16:45.07\00:16:47.30
would have been Assyria.
00:16:47.34\00:16:48.67
That was the major
political world power.
00:16:48.70\00:16:51.47
But yet, this is a
prophecy looking forward
00:16:51.51\00:16:53.74
because Babylon
would rise on the stage.
00:16:53.78\00:16:56.31
And eventually
Babylon would take
00:16:56.34\00:16:58.21
the children of Israel captive,
00:16:58.25\00:17:00.55
and bring them to Babylon.
00:17:00.58\00:17:02.62
So we're in Isaiah
13, pick it up in verse 4,
00:17:02.65\00:17:07.39
second half of verse 4,
00:17:07.42\00:17:09.06
"The Lord of hosts
musters the army for battle."
00:17:09.09\00:17:12.06
That tells us
that God's a warrior.
00:17:12.09\00:17:14.00
Verse 5, "They
come from a far country
00:17:14.03\00:17:16.40
from the end of heaven,
00:17:16.43\00:17:18.40
the Lord and His
weapons of indignation
00:17:18.43\00:17:20.37
to destroy the whole land."
00:17:20.44\00:17:23.71
God is a warrior, and
He's bringing destruction.
00:17:23.74\00:17:26.44
Is this hard for you to hear?
00:17:26.47\00:17:28.11
This has been, these
verses in the Word of God
00:17:28.14\00:17:31.51
have been
difficult for me to read,
00:17:31.55\00:17:34.22
difficult for me to understand,
00:17:34.25\00:17:36.48
difficult for me to digest.
00:17:36.52\00:17:39.85
It doesn't stop there.
00:17:39.89\00:17:41.22
Verse 6, "Wail, for the
day of the Lord is at hand,
00:17:41.26\00:17:44.03
it will come as
destruction from."
00:17:44.06\00:17:45.76
whom? "From the Almighty.
00:17:45.79\00:17:49.23
Therefore all
hands will be limp,
00:17:49.26\00:17:51.07
every man's heart will
melt, they will be afraid."
00:17:51.10\00:17:53.30
So the wicked are afraid, why?
00:17:53.34\00:17:54.97
Because of the
coming judgment of God.
00:17:55.00\00:17:57.41
Jump down to verse 9, "Behold,
the day of the Lord comes,
00:17:57.47\00:18:00.41
cruel, with both
wrath and fierce anger,
00:18:00.44\00:18:04.88
to lay the land desolate,
00:18:04.91\00:18:06.35
He will destroy
its sinners from it."
00:18:06.38\00:18:10.55
Now comes the
hardest verses of all for me
00:18:10.62\00:18:12.92
in this chapter
is verses 15, and 16.
00:18:12.95\00:18:17.39
Everyone who is
found, not one person,
00:18:17.46\00:18:20.76
not two people, not
10, not a 100, not a 1000.
00:18:20.83\00:18:24.20
"Everyone who is found
will be thrust through,"
00:18:24.27\00:18:29.67
meaning, they're
going to be killed,
00:18:29.70\00:18:32.47
"and everyone who is captured
will fall by the sword."
00:18:32.51\00:18:37.71
Verse 16, "Their children
also will be dashed to pieces
00:18:37.75\00:18:42.52
before their eyes,
00:18:42.55\00:18:43.89
their houses be plundered
and their wives ravished."
00:18:43.92\00:18:46.09
That word
ravished in Hebrew means
00:18:46.12\00:18:48.69
to be lain with or violated,
00:18:48.72\00:18:51.03
in other words,
they're going to be raped.
00:18:51.06\00:18:52.59
So what is God saying?
00:18:52.63\00:18:54.10
I'm coming.
00:18:54.10\00:18:55.80
What?
00:18:55.83\00:18:57.17
I will thrust everyone through,
I'm going to kill everyone,
00:18:57.23\00:19:00.87
not just one or two, everyone.
00:19:00.90\00:19:04.64
Their kids, I'm
going to cut in pieces
00:19:04.67\00:19:08.48
and rape the woman.
00:19:08.51\00:19:10.18
Now I don't know about you,
00:19:10.21\00:19:11.55
but we say in
today's society, do we not?
00:19:11.58\00:19:13.98
When there is a
war, and soldiers go in,
00:19:14.05\00:19:17.72
and they hurt the villagers.
00:19:17.75\00:19:19.15
What do people say?
00:19:19.19\00:19:21.12
There's an outcry, is there not?
00:19:21.16\00:19:22.62
There is a public outcry
00:19:22.66\00:19:24.09
that innocent
civilians were hurt,
00:19:24.16\00:19:26.49
and especially if
children are hurt,
00:19:26.53\00:19:29.66
or if women are hurt,
we have a public outcry.
00:19:29.70\00:19:34.14
And yet this is
in the Word of God.
00:19:34.17\00:19:36.24
And God is the one
bringing this judgment.
00:19:36.27\00:19:40.78
How in the world are we
to reconcile a God of love,
00:19:40.81\00:19:44.38
a God of peace, a God who
came and died for you and I
00:19:44.41\00:19:49.25
that we could
spend eternity with Him?
00:19:49.28\00:19:51.62
How do we
reconcile that God who says
00:19:51.65\00:19:53.76
I don't care what
you've done, I can forgive you.
00:19:53.79\00:19:55.79
I don't care where
you've been, I will cleanse you.
00:19:55.82\00:19:58.23
I don't care.
00:19:58.26\00:19:59.63
I love you.
00:19:59.66\00:20:00.96
Would you come home to Me?
00:20:01.00\00:20:02.76
How do we reconcile this
God with a God I just read about
00:20:02.80\00:20:07.30
in Isaiah Chapter 13?
00:20:07.34\00:20:09.40
That seems harsh, does it not?
00:20:09.44\00:20:13.58
Everything in the Word of
God, everything in our lives.
00:20:13.64\00:20:18.61
Today especially,
we're going to look at
00:20:18.65\00:20:20.98
through the lens of 1 John 4:8.
00:20:21.02\00:20:24.15
God is love.
00:20:24.19\00:20:25.52
God does not do
love, God is love.
00:20:25.55\00:20:29.99
So how do we
reconcile this God of love
00:20:30.03\00:20:34.10
with a God who brings judgment?
00:20:34.13\00:20:38.13
I want to give you five keys
00:20:38.17\00:20:39.90
to understanding
the character of God.
00:20:39.97\00:20:42.40
If we look at, if
we truly understand,
00:20:42.44\00:20:45.87
experience, and
know, these five keys,
00:20:45.91\00:20:49.54
they make a
tremendous difference
00:20:49.58\00:20:51.08
in how we look at
not just our God of love,
00:20:51.11\00:20:53.85
but this God of justice.
00:20:53.88\00:20:56.32
These five keys have
been transformational
00:20:56.35\00:21:00.16
in my own life in
experiencing who our God is.
00:21:00.19\00:21:05.49
I'm going to give you the keys
00:21:05.53\00:21:06.90
and then we'll go
back and unpack them all.
00:21:06.93\00:21:08.26
Key number one, love is holy.
00:21:08.30\00:21:13.44
Love is holy.
00:21:13.50\00:21:14.84
Key number two, love is jealous.
00:21:14.87\00:21:18.77
Now we don't even like to think
00:21:18.81\00:21:20.14
of that word in
connotation with God,
00:21:20.18\00:21:21.64
but we'll discuss
it, love is jealous.
00:21:21.68\00:21:24.11
Key number three,
love is disciplinary.
00:21:24.15\00:21:28.98
Key number four, love is fair.
00:21:29.02\00:21:33.32
And key number
five, love is redemptive.
00:21:33.36\00:21:37.23
So let's go back
to key number one.
00:21:37.29\00:21:38.69
This is love is holy.
00:21:38.73\00:21:40.56
I believe God's judgment
can only truly be understood
00:21:40.60\00:21:44.90
when we catch a glimpse
and a picture of the purity
00:21:44.93\00:21:48.57
and holiness of our God,
00:21:48.60\00:21:50.64
which we have no idea truly
of His purity and His holiness,
00:21:50.67\00:21:55.48
and the
dissonance or the disconnect
00:21:55.51\00:21:58.68
between God's
purity on this side
00:21:58.71\00:22:02.18
and my sin on this side.
00:22:02.22\00:22:04.45
My ugliness on this side,
the disconnect between the two.
00:22:04.49\00:22:09.49
You know, sin cannot exist
in the presence of a holy God.
00:22:09.52\00:22:12.83
Remember Adam and Eve
00:22:12.86\00:22:14.20
in the beginning
in the Garden of Eden,
00:22:14.20\00:22:15.53
what did they do?
00:22:15.56\00:22:16.93
Every evening, they
walked and they talked with God.
00:22:16.97\00:22:20.80
He came to them as their maker
00:22:20.84\00:22:22.64
and they communed every evening.
00:22:22.67\00:22:24.34
But what happened
in Genesis Chapter 3?
00:22:24.37\00:22:26.57
Eve reached out,
and she was fascinated
00:22:26.64\00:22:29.81
and deceived by the serpent.
00:22:29.84\00:22:31.91
And she took
that forbidden fruit,
00:22:31.95\00:22:34.12
the tree of
knowledge of good and evil,
00:22:34.18\00:22:35.52
she's not supposed to eat.
00:22:35.55\00:22:37.69
And Adam ate it as well.
00:22:37.72\00:22:39.22
And as soon as that happened,
00:22:39.25\00:22:40.62
you can read about
it in Genesis Chapter 3.
00:22:40.66\00:22:42.42
As soon as that
happened, they were afraid.
00:22:42.46\00:22:44.99
Sin brought a chasm
00:22:45.03\00:22:46.70
between God and His holiness
and His purity on this side,
00:22:46.76\00:22:50.63
and you and I, and
our junk on this side.
00:22:50.70\00:22:53.47
And in Genesis 3:8,
the Word of God says,
00:22:53.50\00:22:57.07
"They heard the
sound of the Lord God,
00:22:57.14\00:22:59.54
walking in the garden
in the cool of the day."
00:22:59.57\00:23:02.31
Now this is their favorite time.
00:23:02.34\00:23:03.68
God came every
evening to meet with them.
00:23:03.75\00:23:05.18
God came to teach them,
God came to talk with them.
00:23:05.21\00:23:09.25
And yet what did they do?
00:23:09.28\00:23:10.62
Adam and his wife hid themselves
00:23:10.69\00:23:13.99
from the
presence of the Lord God
00:23:14.06\00:23:15.42
among the trees of the garden.
00:23:15.46\00:23:16.83
You see sin, it
brings fear and guilt.
00:23:16.86\00:23:18.73
Sin brings separation from God.
00:23:18.76\00:23:21.86
Just the sound of His voice,
00:23:21.90\00:23:24.80
and they turned
and they ran away.
00:23:24.83\00:23:27.34
You know, if you look
at the Book of Revelation
00:23:27.40\00:23:29.00
Chapter 6,
00:23:29.04\00:23:30.37
this is, of
course, the sixth seal.
00:23:30.41\00:23:32.71
This is right before
the second coming of Jesus.
00:23:32.74\00:23:36.08
And what did the wicked say?
00:23:36.11\00:23:37.81
In Revelation 6,
you can look it up,
00:23:37.85\00:23:39.41
it's in verse 16 and 17.
00:23:39.45\00:23:40.92
"The wicked cry out
to the rocks," what?
00:23:40.95\00:23:43.55
Fall on us, and hide
us from the face of Him,
00:23:43.59\00:23:47.99
who sits on the throne and
from the wrath of the Lamb,
00:23:48.02\00:23:50.99
for the great day
of His wrath has come,
00:23:51.03\00:23:53.96
and who is able to stand."
00:23:54.00\00:23:55.33
Now the righteous
aren't saying that, are they?
00:23:55.36\00:23:57.13
They're saying,
lo, this is our God.
00:23:57.20\00:23:59.07
God, we've waited for you,
and You have come to save us,
00:23:59.10\00:24:02.60
You have come to set us free.
00:24:02.64\00:24:04.04
You have come to redeem us
00:24:04.11\00:24:05.87
from this world that we live in,
00:24:05.91\00:24:07.38
but the wicked are terrified.
00:24:07.41\00:24:09.18
Why?
00:24:09.21\00:24:10.55
Because love, love is holy.
00:24:10.58\00:24:13.15
And sin cannot exist in
the presence of a holy God.
00:24:13.18\00:24:18.55
How can the righteous
even stand in that time?
00:24:18.59\00:24:21.26
You see, that question
ends Revelation Chapter 6,
00:24:21.29\00:24:24.99
who's gonna stand?
00:24:25.03\00:24:26.36
God who can stand, fall on us
and hide us, who's gonna stand?
00:24:26.39\00:24:29.36
Revelation Chapter 7
tells us who can stand
00:24:29.40\00:24:32.43
and those are the ones who
are sealed with God's name,
00:24:32.47\00:24:36.20
sealed with God's character,
00:24:36.24\00:24:39.21
and we see a
little description of them
00:24:39.24\00:24:40.84
in Revelation Chapter 14,
00:24:40.88\00:24:42.31
we call them 144,000.
00:24:42.34\00:24:44.45
Revelation 14:1,
00:24:44.48\00:24:46.35
"I looked, and behold, a
Lamb standing on Mount Zion,
00:24:46.38\00:24:49.18
with Him one hundred
and forty-four thousand,
00:24:49.22\00:24:51.29
having the Father's name
written in their foreheads."
00:24:51.32\00:24:55.86
Jump down to verse 4.
00:24:55.89\00:24:57.29
"These are ones
they're not defiled with woman,
00:24:57.33\00:24:59.63
for they are virgins.
00:24:59.66\00:25:01.03
They're pure.
00:25:01.06\00:25:02.40
They are ones who follow
the Lamb everywhere he goes.
00:25:02.43\00:25:05.70
These are the ones who
walk and talk with Jesus."
00:25:05.73\00:25:08.94
Verse 5, "In their
mouth is found no deceit,
00:25:08.97\00:25:13.38
for they are without
fault before the throne of God."
00:25:13.41\00:25:18.98
Those are the
ones who can stand.
00:25:19.01\00:25:20.72
David says it in Psalm 24,
00:25:20.75\00:25:22.88
"Who shall ascend to
the hill of the Lord,
00:25:22.92\00:25:24.62
who shall stand
in his holy place,
00:25:24.65\00:25:28.02
He that has clean
hands, and a pure heart,
00:25:28.06\00:25:31.93
he who has not
lifted up his soul
00:25:31.96\00:25:34.30
to vanity or to an
idol, or sworn deceitfully."
00:25:34.30\00:25:38.97
Love is holy.
00:25:39.00\00:25:40.34
God's judgment can
only truly be understood
00:25:40.40\00:25:43.77
if we begin to catch a
glimpse of the holiness
00:25:43.81\00:25:47.24
and the purity of our God.
00:25:47.28\00:25:50.21
And the disconnect or
dissonance that creates
00:25:50.25\00:25:53.58
with sin over here on this side.
00:25:53.62\00:25:55.82
Key number two, love is jealous.
00:25:55.85\00:26:00.82
God's judgment can
only truly be understood
00:26:00.89\00:26:05.99
when we understand the
jealousy of our God for us,
00:26:06.03\00:26:09.60
and how He doesn't
like anything in our hearts
00:26:09.63\00:26:12.73
that would be
between us and God.
00:26:12.77\00:26:14.40
Now, wait a minute,
you say God jealous?
00:26:14.44\00:26:16.14
I thought jealousy
was an evil emotion,
00:26:16.17\00:26:18.74
is that not right?
00:26:18.77\00:26:20.11
We're taught, right?
00:26:20.18\00:26:21.51
Okay, don't be
jealous of so and so.
00:26:21.54\00:26:24.25
There are two
different types of jealousy
00:26:24.28\00:26:26.28
and we'll look at that.
00:26:26.31\00:26:27.65
Let's read first,
the second commandment.
00:26:27.68\00:26:29.12
This is in Exodus 20.
00:26:29.15\00:26:30.52
This is where God
actually talks about
00:26:30.59\00:26:32.29
that being a jealous God.
00:26:32.32\00:26:34.76
We're in Exodus 20:5,
00:26:34.79\00:26:36.56
this is the middle of
the second commandment.
00:26:36.59\00:26:38.63
"You shall not bow down
to them, nor serve them."
00:26:38.66\00:26:41.30
Meaning idols,
don't worship other idols.
00:26:41.33\00:26:43.77
Why?
00:26:43.83\00:26:45.17
"For I, the Lord your
God am... What's that word?
00:26:45.20\00:26:48.27
Jealous God, that's
right, a jealous God,
00:26:48.30\00:26:52.61
visiting the
iniquity of the fathers
00:26:52.64\00:26:54.08
upon the children to the
third and fourth generation
00:26:54.14\00:26:55.78
of those who hate me.
00:26:55.81\00:26:57.15
I, the Lord your
God, am a jealous God.
00:26:57.21\00:27:00.48
Seriously, God, You're jealous.
00:27:00.55\00:27:03.52
Now in Hebrew, the word is qana.
00:27:03.55\00:27:05.49
And it's used only six
times in the Old Testament,
00:27:05.52\00:27:08.32
and every time that
word jealous is used,
00:27:08.36\00:27:11.13
it means jealous.
00:27:11.16\00:27:13.96
But it also
always refers to God.
00:27:14.00\00:27:16.50
Wait a minute.
00:27:16.53\00:27:17.87
So this word
jealous refers to God.
00:27:17.90\00:27:20.44
You mean God can be jealous.
00:27:20.47\00:27:23.30
There's a difference
between godly jealousy
00:27:23.34\00:27:25.54
on this side, and
a sinful jealousy,
00:27:25.57\00:27:28.24
which to be honest, is
the kind I possess over here
00:27:28.28\00:27:31.01
on this side.
00:27:31.05\00:27:33.11
Godly jealousy is jealous for.
00:27:33.15\00:27:37.32
Sinful jealousy is jealous of.
00:27:37.39\00:27:41.56
I don't know about you,
00:27:41.59\00:27:42.92
but I've been jealous of things.
00:27:42.96\00:27:44.33
Have you ever been
jealous of someone else's home?
00:27:44.36\00:27:46.53
Oh, wow, they got
a really nice home.
00:27:46.56\00:27:48.46
But it doesn't belong to me.
00:27:48.50\00:27:50.23
It's not my home,
00:27:50.27\00:27:51.67
but I'm still
jealous of this home.
00:27:51.70\00:27:54.44
What about I'm
jealous of someone's position,
00:27:54.47\00:27:56.77
or I'm jealous
of someone's title.
00:27:56.81\00:27:59.01
Or I'm jealous
of someone's money,
00:27:59.04\00:28:01.68
or maybe someone's spouse.
00:28:01.71\00:28:03.78
These are all things
that we're jealous of wishing
00:28:03.81\00:28:07.65
we could have it.
00:28:07.68\00:28:09.02
But in reality, it
doesn't belong to us, does it?
00:28:09.05\00:28:11.85
It was never ours
in the first place.
00:28:11.89\00:28:13.59
This is coveting something
that does not belong to us,
00:28:13.62\00:28:17.29
that is sinful
jealousy jealous of.
00:28:17.36\00:28:20.43
But the godly
jealousy over here on this side
00:28:20.46\00:28:22.70
is jealous for.
00:28:22.73\00:28:25.13
This is a godly jealousy. Why?
00:28:25.17\00:28:27.04
Because God already owns us.
00:28:27.07\00:28:29.74
We belong to Him.
00:28:29.77\00:28:31.41
He's not coveting something
that does not belong to Him.
00:28:31.44\00:28:35.71
He owns us.
00:28:35.74\00:28:38.31
God wants nothing to supersede
the place in our hearts
00:28:38.35\00:28:43.15
that He shouldn't have.
00:28:43.18\00:28:46.99
2 Corinthians 11:2,
Paul talks about it,
00:28:47.06\00:28:49.76
references it to marriage
and Christ in the church.
00:28:49.79\00:28:52.89
He says, "I'm jealous
over you with godly jealousy."
00:28:52.93\00:28:55.23
There's that word again
godly jealousy, seriously.
00:28:55.26\00:28:57.70
"For I am betrothed,
00:28:57.73\00:28:59.63
I have betrothed
you to one husband,
00:28:59.67\00:29:01.84
so that to Christ,
00:29:01.87\00:29:03.20
I might present
you as a pure virgin."
00:29:03.24\00:29:05.91
In other words, if
you're married to someone,
00:29:05.94\00:29:07.44
you feel this over your spouse.
00:29:07.51\00:29:08.88
Now it can turn
sinful of course.
00:29:08.91\00:29:10.81
But it could also be
wow, I belong to this person.
00:29:10.88\00:29:13.45
Praise the Lord, what a gift.
00:29:13.48\00:29:15.28
So God says what?
00:29:15.32\00:29:16.65
In the beginning, I made you.
00:29:16.72\00:29:19.82
And then I bought you back.
00:29:19.85\00:29:22.29
I redeemed you.
00:29:22.32\00:29:25.56
You see we're
really twice bought.
00:29:25.59\00:29:27.03
He created us in the beginning,
00:29:27.03\00:29:28.36
He stooped and formed Adam
from the dust of the ground.
00:29:28.40\00:29:32.33
And then He
breathed into his nostrils
00:29:32.37\00:29:34.54
the breath of life.
00:29:34.57\00:29:35.97
And Adam became a living person.
00:29:36.00\00:29:38.71
He created him and yet
Adam chose to walk away.
00:29:38.74\00:29:41.24
Adam chose to do his own thing.
00:29:41.28\00:29:43.85
Adam said, "God, I'm
not going to serve you.
00:29:43.88\00:29:46.11
I'm not going to follow You.
00:29:46.15\00:29:48.42
I'm choosing to eat
of the forbidden tree
00:29:48.45\00:29:52.05
where I know I
should not be doing that."
00:29:52.09\00:29:54.32
And yet God said,
"I still love you.
00:29:54.36\00:29:56.93
I still want you.
00:29:56.96\00:29:58.79
I will buy you back."
00:29:58.83\00:30:00.90
It's like the
story of the little boy
00:30:00.93\00:30:02.33
who built a boat
and he loved his boat.
00:30:02.36\00:30:04.77
It was a sailboat.
00:30:04.80\00:30:06.13
And he took it out in the
water and he would watch it
00:30:06.17\00:30:09.20
and he loved to sail it.
00:30:09.24\00:30:10.67
And then one day
his boat disappeared.
00:30:10.71\00:30:12.24
It got caught in the
reeds, and he couldn't find it.
00:30:12.27\00:30:14.24
And he was so upset
because he had made the boat.
00:30:14.28\00:30:17.15
He created it himself.
00:30:17.21\00:30:19.61
And he said,
"Well, where's my boat?"
00:30:19.65\00:30:21.15
And then he trudged
up the little street
00:30:21.18\00:30:23.79
and he looked
in the shop window,
00:30:23.85\00:30:25.42
and guess what?
00:30:25.45\00:30:26.82
There was his
boat, and he ran in.
00:30:26.86\00:30:29.06
And then he said
to the shop owner,
00:30:29.09\00:30:30.49
"But that's my boat.
00:30:30.53\00:30:31.86
You have my boat?
00:30:31.89\00:30:33.23
How did you come with my boat?
00:30:33.26\00:30:34.56
I made that
boat, that is my boat."
00:30:34.60\00:30:36.90
And the shop owner
said, "I don't know,
00:30:36.93\00:30:38.27
Sonny, but it's my boat now.
00:30:38.30\00:30:41.14
If you want this
boat, you got to buy it."
00:30:41.17\00:30:44.07
And so the little
boy saved up his nickels
00:30:44.14\00:30:46.21
and dimes and quarters doing
all kinds of little odd jobs
00:30:46.24\00:30:48.94
until he had enough money.
00:30:48.98\00:30:51.38
And he went back
to the shop owner
00:30:51.41\00:30:53.11
and he purchased back the boat
00:30:53.15\00:30:54.88
that was really
his in the beginning.
00:30:54.92\00:30:57.22
And he said to its little boat
00:30:57.25\00:30:59.12
as he took it down to
the lake, you're mine.
00:30:59.15\00:31:02.36
You're twice mine.
00:31:02.39\00:31:04.13
First, I made you.
00:31:04.16\00:31:06.49
Second, I bought you.
00:31:06.53\00:31:09.23
You belong to me.
00:31:09.26\00:31:11.50
You see, you and I,
00:31:11.53\00:31:12.87
we belong to the
Lord Jesus Christ
00:31:12.90\00:31:14.40
if we have
accepted Him into our heart,
00:31:14.44\00:31:17.37
if we said yes, God, I
want you as Lord of my life.
00:31:17.41\00:31:21.28
What?
00:31:21.31\00:31:22.64
We belong to Him, we
belong to Him by creation.
00:31:22.68\00:31:25.21
Yes, Isaiah 43:1, "Thus
says the Lord who created you,
00:31:25.25\00:31:29.58
'O, Israel, He who formed you.'
00:31:29.62\00:31:32.22
Fear not, for I am,
I have redeemed you.'"
00:31:32.25\00:31:36.26
You see that, He
made us in the beginning,
00:31:36.29\00:31:38.26
then He redeemed us.
00:31:38.29\00:31:40.40
I've called you by name.
00:31:40.46\00:31:42.50
You are mine.
00:31:42.53\00:31:45.27
You're mine shows ownership.
00:31:45.30\00:31:47.64
God is jealous over us, of us
00:31:47.67\00:31:51.81
with a godly
jealousy because He loves us.
00:31:51.84\00:31:57.71
Key number one, love is holy.
00:31:57.75\00:31:59.38
Key number two, love is jealous.
00:31:59.41\00:32:01.42
Key number three,
love is disciplinary.
00:32:01.45\00:32:05.59
You see God's judgment can
only really truly be understood
00:32:05.62\00:32:10.03
when we look at it in the light
00:32:10.06\00:32:12.06
of the redemptive
judgment from a parent
00:32:12.09\00:32:15.86
who loves their child
and wants to save them.
00:32:15.90\00:32:20.14
If you look at the Book
of Hebrews, I love this.
00:32:20.20\00:32:22.00
In Hebrews Chapter 12,
00:32:22.04\00:32:23.37
we see this
picture of God as a parent
00:32:23.41\00:32:27.14
reaching out in love to
us as His children, what?
00:32:27.18\00:32:31.08
Because He wants to hurt us?
00:32:31.11\00:32:32.55
Because He wants to punish us?
00:32:32.58\00:32:33.92
No, because He loves us.
00:32:33.98\00:32:36.65
And He wants to make us
00:32:36.69\00:32:38.02
just a little more
into the image of Jesus,
00:32:38.05\00:32:41.86
as Ryan talked about
in our previous message.
00:32:41.89\00:32:45.43
Hebrews 12:5,
00:32:45.46\00:32:49.03
"My son, do not despise
the chastening of the Lord,
00:32:49.06\00:32:53.57
Do not be discouraged
when you are rebuked by Him."
00:32:53.60\00:32:57.14
I don't know about
you, but I get discouraged.
00:32:57.17\00:32:58.87
Wow, God really?
00:32:58.91\00:33:00.38
Seriously?
00:33:00.41\00:33:01.74
Did this have to happen too?
00:33:01.78\00:33:03.55
This happened here?
00:33:03.58\00:33:04.91
What in the world do you think
00:33:04.95\00:33:06.28
you are doing
right now in my life?
00:33:06.31\00:33:09.98
Do not despise the
chasing of the Lord
00:33:10.02\00:33:12.09
and don't be discouraged
when you're rebuked by Him.
00:33:12.12\00:33:14.09
Verse 6,
00:33:14.16\00:33:15.49
"For whom the Lord loves
00:33:15.52\00:33:16.86
He chastens,
00:33:16.89\00:33:21.43
and scourges every
son whom He receives."
00:33:21.46\00:33:24.87
Now that word scourges is used
00:33:24.90\00:33:26.23
seven times in the New Testament
00:33:26.27\00:33:27.60
and the Greek word is used.
00:33:27.64\00:33:29.00
And every time
it's used for Jesus,
00:33:29.04\00:33:31.21
when He was scourged,
00:33:31.24\00:33:32.57
and flogged, and
whipped by the Romans
00:33:32.61\00:33:34.88
right before His crucifixion.
00:33:34.91\00:33:36.44
And it's also used
for Jesus' disciples
00:33:36.48\00:33:39.48
when they were persecuted,
00:33:39.51\00:33:41.32
or flogged, or
whipped right before
00:33:41.35\00:33:46.09
when they were being persecuted
for righteousness sake.
00:33:46.12\00:33:50.09
This is the only time
it's used for you and I,
00:33:50.13\00:33:52.69
not referring to Jesus,
not referring to His disciples,
00:33:52.73\00:33:55.60
but by extension, His disciples,
00:33:55.63\00:33:57.57
you can say down
through the stream of time
00:33:57.60\00:33:59.70
to us here today.
00:33:59.73\00:34:03.41
Do all things really
work together for good?
00:34:03.44\00:34:06.17
I was at a funeral.
00:34:06.21\00:34:07.58
And Greg and I were at a funeral
00:34:07.61\00:34:08.94
just a couple weeks ago.
00:34:08.98\00:34:10.31
Young woman,
beautiful, died of COVID.
00:34:10.35\00:34:14.32
Whoo!
00:34:14.35\00:34:15.85
Painful.
00:34:15.88\00:34:17.59
And you know the scripture
they used in that service.
00:34:17.62\00:34:21.89
Now you can pick any
scripture in the Word of God,
00:34:21.92\00:34:24.23
you'd want maybe 1
Thessalonians 4, right?
00:34:24.26\00:34:26.93
The Lord Himself would descend
from heaven with a shout,
00:34:27.00\00:34:29.13
with the voice of the archangel,
00:34:29.16\00:34:30.53
with a trump of God.
00:34:30.57\00:34:31.90
Comfort one another
with these words, right?
00:34:31.93\00:34:33.80
Maybe we'd want, eye has
not seen neither ear heard,
00:34:33.84\00:34:36.71
nor is entered into
the heart of man the things
00:34:36.77\00:34:38.64
that God has reserved
for those who love Him.
00:34:38.67\00:34:41.74
Maybe that would be
what you would want.
00:34:41.78\00:34:43.81
But the scripture they chose,
00:34:43.85\00:34:45.18
the scripture the
husband chose for this funeral
00:34:45.21\00:34:47.95
that touched me
more than anything else
00:34:47.98\00:34:49.55
in the entire funeral.
00:34:49.58\00:34:51.29
It was Romans 8:28.
00:34:51.32\00:34:53.76
And we know that all
things work together for good,
00:34:53.82\00:34:57.86
that doesn't mean
all things were good.
00:34:57.89\00:34:59.23
That does not mean
that death of this woman,
00:34:59.26\00:35:01.23
young children, untimely death.
00:35:01.26\00:35:03.37
That does not mean
God wanted it to happen.
00:35:03.40\00:35:05.70
It does not mean
God caused it to happen.
00:35:05.73\00:35:07.94
And clearly it does
not mean it was good.
00:35:07.97\00:35:11.01
But it can work together
for good to those who love God,
00:35:11.04\00:35:16.31
to those who are the
called according to His purpose.
00:35:16.34\00:35:21.35
I can't even begin to
really understand that.
00:35:21.38\00:35:25.19
I don't know about you,
I'm just being honest with you.
00:35:25.22\00:35:27.26
There's times when I say,
wow, God, I'm still learning.
00:35:27.29\00:35:32.79
I'm still growing.
00:35:32.83\00:35:34.20
I'm still trying
to understand this.
00:35:34.20\00:35:37.43
Psalm 119:67,
"Before I was afflicted,
00:35:37.47\00:35:41.84
I went astray, but
now I keep Your word."
00:35:41.87\00:35:47.38
Another words, what is
David the Psalmist saying?
00:35:47.44\00:35:50.91
The affliction enabled me
to keep God's word better.
00:35:50.95\00:35:55.25
Did you catch that?
00:35:55.28\00:35:56.65
That means trials.
00:35:56.69\00:35:58.15
That means the
discipline that we experienced
00:35:58.19\00:36:01.42
that is
seemingly harsh sometimes,
00:36:01.46\00:36:04.29
seemingly judgmental sometimes,
00:36:04.36\00:36:07.30
God is working it in our lives
00:36:07.36\00:36:10.70
to make us that
much more like Jesus,
00:36:10.77\00:36:14.90
to enable us to walk with
Him and to experience His Word.
00:36:14.94\00:36:20.11
You know, in Nehemiah Chapter 9,
00:36:20.18\00:36:21.81
we see this incredible picture.
00:36:21.84\00:36:24.05
I'm going to turn
there, Nehemiah Chapter 9,
00:36:24.08\00:36:26.25
of the love of God,
00:36:26.28\00:36:28.32
and combined with
the judgment of God.
00:36:28.35\00:36:32.32
It's amazing to me as we look
at this in Nehemiah Chapter 9,
00:36:32.35\00:36:35.49
it happens three times
00:36:35.52\00:36:37.76
in a matter of
just a few verses,
00:36:37.79\00:36:39.73
and I call it the
five cycle of disobedience.
00:36:39.76\00:36:42.33
So over here, we
have disobedience.
00:36:42.36\00:36:44.80
The children of
Israel do their own thing.
00:36:44.83\00:36:46.74
They walk away from God,
they bow down to other idols,
00:36:46.80\00:36:50.37
they do what they want.
00:36:50.41\00:36:52.54
That's number one.
00:36:52.57\00:36:54.24
And the second
step of the cycle,
00:36:54.28\00:36:57.81
judgment comes.
00:36:57.85\00:36:59.31
Judgment from
God, and God sends it.
00:36:59.35\00:37:02.38
And the Word of God
is very clear about that,
00:37:02.42\00:37:04.02
if you read Nehemiah Chapter
9, but it doesn't stop there.
00:37:04.05\00:37:07.49
Step number three is repentance.
00:37:07.52\00:37:11.06
And repentance is
also a gift from God.
00:37:11.09\00:37:14.50
Romans 2:4 says, "It
is the goodness of God
00:37:14.56\00:37:16.90
that leads you
and I to repentance."
00:37:16.97\00:37:19.80
So it's not even
them trying to repent.
00:37:19.83\00:37:21.87
It's God wooing, God drawing,
00:37:21.90\00:37:24.31
God bringing
them back to Himself.
00:37:24.34\00:37:26.71
That's the third
step in the cycle
00:37:26.78\00:37:29.14
is repentance, that's from God.
00:37:29.18\00:37:30.95
Then we see mercy,
and that is from God.
00:37:30.98\00:37:33.75
And then number
five is deliverance,
00:37:33.82\00:37:35.42
and that comes from God as well.
00:37:35.45\00:37:37.02
So if we go all
the way back over here,
00:37:37.09\00:37:38.92
we start with
and we can see this.
00:37:38.95\00:37:42.56
I'm in Nehemiah 9:26,
"They were disobedient.
00:37:42.59\00:37:45.03
There's the disobedience.
00:37:45.06\00:37:46.39
They rebelled against you.
00:37:46.43\00:37:48.23
They cast your law
behind their backs.
00:37:48.26\00:37:50.57
They killed your prophets
who testified against you."
00:37:50.63\00:37:52.70
That's pretty hard.
00:37:52.73\00:37:54.10
"All of those things they did."
00:37:54.14\00:37:55.47
And then what did God do?
00:37:55.50\00:37:56.84
God sent judgment.
00:37:56.87\00:37:59.81
They repented,
00:37:59.84\00:38:03.51
God sent mercy.
00:38:03.58\00:38:06.65
And He delivered them.
00:38:06.68\00:38:08.02
And then what happens?
00:38:08.05\00:38:09.38
You think, wow, they would
have learned something, right?
00:38:09.42\00:38:11.39
Wow, God, when I
walk away from you,
00:38:11.42\00:38:13.62
it's doesn't go so well.
00:38:13.69\00:38:15.12
And You are so merciful,
and You're so forgiving,
00:38:15.16\00:38:17.56
and You love me.
00:38:17.59\00:38:19.13
Wow, God, I don't
want to walk away again.
00:38:19.16\00:38:20.93
But what they do?
00:38:20.96\00:38:22.26
They went right back
into sin, did they not?
00:38:22.30\00:38:24.27
And they disobeyed again.
00:38:24.30\00:38:26.40
It says, verse 28,
"After they had rest,
00:38:26.43\00:38:31.64
again, they did
evil before you."
00:38:31.67\00:38:33.38
So for a while they
walked in obedience,
00:38:33.41\00:38:35.74
for a while they
did what God had asked.
00:38:35.78\00:38:37.91
And then after they had rest,
00:38:37.95\00:38:39.35
again, they
stepped into disobedience.
00:38:39.38\00:38:41.78
Again, God sent judgment.
00:38:41.82\00:38:44.22
Again, the people repented.
00:38:44.29\00:38:47.06
God forgave and had
mercy and what happened?
00:38:47.09\00:38:50.13
He delivered again.
00:38:50.16\00:38:51.49
Now you think that would be it.
00:38:51.53\00:38:53.19
But that's not it, three times.
00:38:53.23\00:38:56.10
And Nehemiah Chapter 9,
00:38:56.13\00:38:57.73
detailing the history
of the children of Israel,
00:38:57.77\00:39:00.87
they stepped out again.
00:39:00.90\00:39:02.80
Verse 30, "For many years,
You had patients with them,
00:39:02.84\00:39:05.67
testified against them
00:39:05.71\00:39:07.04
by Your Spirit
and Your prophets,
00:39:07.11\00:39:08.44
but they would not listen.
00:39:08.48\00:39:10.61
And then judgment came again."
00:39:10.68\00:39:12.65
This is the Babylonian captivity
00:39:12.68\00:39:14.25
that was a serious judgment.
00:39:14.28\00:39:15.95
My friend always says,
00:39:15.98\00:39:17.32
God uses the gentlest means
possible to get our attention.
00:39:17.35\00:39:22.99
Meaning, if it just
takes a tap on the shoulder,
00:39:23.02\00:39:25.66
oh, yes, God, I
want to turn to you.
00:39:25.69\00:39:27.66
Instantly, we're
walking with Him again.
00:39:27.73\00:39:29.90
But in the case of
the children of Israel,
00:39:29.93\00:39:31.50
it took 70 years in
Babylonian captivity.
00:39:31.53\00:39:35.84
Then they turned back to Him.
00:39:35.87\00:39:38.31
Then they sought His face.
00:39:38.34\00:39:40.31
You see, love is disciplinary.
00:39:40.38\00:39:42.41
God's judgment can
only truly be understood
00:39:42.44\00:39:45.31
in light of the
redemptive judgment of a parent
00:39:45.35\00:39:48.75
who loves their child
and wants to save them.
00:39:48.78\00:39:50.79
Key number four, love.
00:39:50.82\00:39:53.79
Love is fair.
00:39:53.86\00:39:55.62
God's judgment can
only truly be understood
00:39:55.66\00:39:59.09
in light of His law,
in light of His fairness.
00:39:59.13\00:40:03.73
You know, Romans Chapter 7.
00:40:03.77\00:40:05.67
If you read Romans Chapter
7, it's this whole dichotomy,
00:40:05.70\00:40:08.97
the things I want to do.
00:40:09.00\00:40:11.01
I don't do them,
and the things I hate,
00:40:11.04\00:40:14.04
those are the things I do.
00:40:14.08\00:40:15.44
This is the
struggle of the person
00:40:15.48\00:40:18.11
who's seeking to follow God.
00:40:18.15\00:40:19.61
But yet the carnal nature
is pulling us away from God.
00:40:19.65\00:40:23.55
In the middle of Romans 7,
00:40:23.59\00:40:24.92
there's this
incredible statement
00:40:24.95\00:40:26.29
by Paul saying,
Okay, it's not God's fault,
00:40:26.32\00:40:29.36
because the law is holy.
00:40:29.39\00:40:30.79
Romans 7:12, "The law is
holy, and the commandment holy,
00:40:30.83\00:40:36.70
and just, and good."
00:40:36.73\00:40:38.73
You see, there's nothing
wrong with the law of God.
00:40:38.77\00:40:40.67
God's law is perfect.
00:40:40.70\00:40:43.14
Romans 6:23, "The
wages of sin is death.
00:40:43.17\00:40:47.78
But the gift of
God is eternal life,
00:40:47.81\00:40:51.01
through Christ Jesus, our Lord."
00:40:51.05\00:40:53.28
You see, we all should have died
00:40:53.35\00:40:54.78
when Adam and Eve
partook of that fruit,
00:40:54.82\00:40:56.55
we all should have died.
00:40:56.62\00:40:57.95
We all deserve to be punished.
00:40:57.99\00:41:01.02
If God is holy, if
His law is perfect,
00:41:01.06\00:41:05.53
if His standard is perfection,
00:41:05.56\00:41:08.33
we surely do not
meet that standard.
00:41:08.36\00:41:13.30
But yet, Jesus came
to be our substitute
00:41:13.34\00:41:18.11
and stand in our place.
00:41:18.14\00:41:19.77
We'll get to that,
00:41:19.81\00:41:21.14
because that's
really key number five,
00:41:21.18\00:41:22.51
so we won't step
into that right now.
00:41:22.54\00:41:23.91
But the point right now
is God is not only fair,
00:41:23.95\00:41:26.38
in His
upholding of His holy law,
00:41:26.41\00:41:29.85
and the punishment for
those who break the law.
00:41:29.88\00:41:32.79
But He's also fair in
His dealing with others.
00:41:32.82\00:41:35.86
He's fair in
His bringing His Son
00:41:35.89\00:41:38.39
as the perfect substitute
00:41:38.43\00:41:40.46
to fulfill the
claims of the law.
00:41:40.50\00:41:43.30
He's fair in how He
deals with other people,
00:41:43.33\00:41:45.67
and how He brings
justice and judgment
00:41:45.70\00:41:48.67
to those who don't follow Him.
00:41:48.70\00:41:52.24
You know, I
don't know about you,
00:41:52.27\00:41:53.61
but it's very interesting.
00:41:53.64\00:41:54.98
Human nature is
very fascinating to me.
00:41:55.01\00:41:56.71
And it seems as if we as humans
are never bothered by judgment,
00:41:56.78\00:42:01.82
as long as it's
against someone else.
00:42:01.85\00:42:03.72
You ever notice that?
00:42:03.79\00:42:05.12
It's when the
judgment comes against me,
00:42:05.15\00:42:07.82
that sometimes I have
more of an issue with it.
00:42:07.86\00:42:09.89
You ever noticed that we plead
with God to right our wrongs?
00:42:09.92\00:42:12.96
We plead with God
to rescue our families.
00:42:12.99\00:42:15.46
We plead with God to deliver.
00:42:15.50\00:42:18.73
Roman says, "Vengeance
is Mine, I will repay."
00:42:18.77\00:42:21.44
And sometimes we say
00:42:21.47\00:42:22.80
God, why haven't
You executed vengeance?
00:42:22.84\00:42:24.61
Why haven't You stepped forward?
00:42:24.64\00:42:26.41
Why haven't You
done something, God?
00:42:26.44\00:42:29.68
And yet when God does arise,
when God does execute judgment,
00:42:29.71\00:42:34.08
when justice
comes, what do we say?
00:42:34.12\00:42:37.05
Why is He so harsh?
00:42:37.09\00:42:39.45
Why does He bring judgment?
00:42:39.49\00:42:43.12
You know, it's very interesting
00:42:43.16\00:42:45.29
to step into
the role of employer
00:42:45.33\00:42:47.86
instead of employee.
00:42:47.93\00:42:49.60
And it's been a
big learning experience
00:42:49.63\00:42:51.90
for me here at 3ABN
the last several years.
00:42:51.93\00:42:54.80
And one of the things
I found very fascinating
00:42:54.84\00:42:56.97
is this whole conundrum
of justice and human nature.
00:42:57.04\00:43:00.78
As an example,
00:43:00.81\00:43:02.14
we had to terminate
an employee one time.
00:43:02.18\00:43:04.81
And before the termination,
00:43:04.85\00:43:06.35
I cannot tell you how many
people came forward and said,
00:43:06.38\00:43:09.05
you know what so and so does?
00:43:09.08\00:43:10.79
Can you believe why are
they still working here?
00:43:10.82\00:43:12.55
Why don't you all do something?
00:43:12.59\00:43:13.96
You need to
really execute justice
00:43:13.99\00:43:17.83
and judgment in this situation?
00:43:17.86\00:43:19.59
Why are you allowing
these things to happen?
00:43:19.63\00:43:22.33
And so administratively,
we looked and we prayed,
00:43:22.36\00:43:24.90
and we consider and
there's a lot of things
00:43:24.93\00:43:26.33
that go on behind the scenes.
00:43:26.37\00:43:27.70
You can't talk to anybody about.
00:43:27.74\00:43:29.07
You can't tell anyone about,
00:43:29.10\00:43:30.61
but we knew that
things were happening.
00:43:30.67\00:43:32.44
And eventually, unfortunately,
00:43:32.47\00:43:34.18
it led to the
person's termination.
00:43:34.24\00:43:36.14
At the very end,
when that happened,
00:43:36.18\00:43:38.15
you know what the
same employees then,
00:43:38.18\00:43:40.12
the same ones who
had come and said,
00:43:40.18\00:43:41.52
why don't you do some?
00:43:41.55\00:43:42.88
What's wrong with you all?
00:43:42.92\00:43:44.25
Why do you allow that to happen?
00:43:44.29\00:43:45.62
You know what they said?
00:43:45.65\00:43:47.02
Why did you terminate so and so?
00:43:47.06\00:43:49.59
What is wrong with you?
00:43:49.62\00:43:51.13
Why don't you exercise mercy?
00:43:51.16\00:43:53.26
You see, it's
that age old question
00:43:53.29\00:43:57.00
that we want, for
whatever reason, justice,
00:43:57.03\00:44:00.64
but we want it on other people.
00:44:00.67\00:44:02.20
We don't really want
justice to come against us.
00:44:02.24\00:44:05.61
You know, the martyrs,
00:44:05.64\00:44:06.98
this is the fifth seal
in Revelation Chapter 6.
00:44:07.01\00:44:10.08
They're crying
out under the altar,
00:44:10.15\00:44:12.15
and what do they cry out?
00:44:12.18\00:44:13.62
They say how long oh, Lord,
00:44:13.65\00:44:16.35
how long and
tell her mistreatment
00:44:16.38\00:44:18.85
and tell her abuse
and tell her torture,
00:44:18.89\00:44:21.06
and tell our
death is vindicated?
00:44:21.09\00:44:23.32
How long until
these wrongs are writing?
00:44:23.36\00:44:26.63
Psalm 73, David
said the same thing.
00:44:26.70\00:44:29.86
He said, "Why are
the wicked unpunished?
00:44:29.90\00:44:33.30
Why do the righteous suffer?
00:44:33.34\00:44:36.10
Why do the wicked
seemingly escape?"
00:44:36.14\00:44:39.94
We ask again, God, how long?
00:44:39.97\00:44:42.64
Are you fair?
00:44:42.68\00:44:44.01
And yet when God
does arise, we get mad.
00:44:44.05\00:44:47.72
Why are You being so harsh?
00:44:47.75\00:44:50.09
You know, we cry
today, how long God,
00:44:50.15\00:44:51.82
how long until you
release those in slavery?
00:44:51.85\00:44:55.02
How long until You rescue
00:44:55.06\00:44:56.39
those who are
abused and neglected?
00:44:56.42\00:44:58.23
How long until You
recover hurting families?
00:44:58.26\00:45:01.80
How long until You
feed the starving children?
00:45:01.83\00:45:04.27
How long until You
free persecuted Christians?
00:45:04.30\00:45:07.44
How long until You fight
00:45:07.47\00:45:08.84
for those who are
trafficked and abused?
00:45:08.87\00:45:11.67
How long God until You rise up
00:45:11.71\00:45:13.38
and vindicate Your name?
00:45:13.41\00:45:15.38
How long?
00:45:15.41\00:45:17.15
Love, key number four, is fair.
00:45:17.18\00:45:20.22
God's judgment can
only truly be understood
00:45:20.25\00:45:23.39
in light of His
law and His fairness.
00:45:23.42\00:45:26.29
Key number five,
love is redemptive.
00:45:26.32\00:45:29.09
God's judgment can
only truly be understood
00:45:29.12\00:45:32.59
in light of His redemption.
00:45:32.63\00:45:34.00
You see, Jesus took
my sin on the cross.
00:45:34.00\00:45:36.93
Jesus took your
sin on the cross.
00:45:36.97\00:45:39.50
1 Peter 2:24,
00:45:39.53\00:45:40.90
"He Himself God bore
our sins in his own body,
00:45:40.94\00:45:46.11
on the tree, that
we having died to sins
00:45:46.14\00:45:49.74
might live for righteousness,
00:45:49.78\00:45:52.28
by His wounds, we were healed."
00:45:52.31\00:45:55.48
In 2 Corinthians
5:21, all over again.
00:45:55.52\00:45:57.85
I love the scripture.
00:45:57.89\00:45:59.22
"God made Him, God made Jesus
00:45:59.25\00:46:01.66
who knew no sin
to be sin for us,
00:46:01.69\00:46:05.16
that we might
become the righteousness
00:46:05.19\00:46:07.13
of God in Him."
00:46:07.13\00:46:08.46
In other words, Jesus
on the cross took my sin.
00:46:08.50\00:46:11.97
He took my punishment.
00:46:12.00\00:46:13.84
He took what we
deserved, because why?
00:46:13.87\00:46:16.24
Love is fair, and love is holy.
00:46:16.27\00:46:20.78
He took my punishment,
and He credited to my account,
00:46:20.81\00:46:24.95
His righteousness,
in which I had no share.
00:46:24.98\00:46:29.95
How do you
reconcile a loving God,
00:46:29.98\00:46:32.69
allowing His only Son
to die a wicked death?
00:46:32.72\00:46:37.43
Because He is
holy, because He is fair,
00:46:37.46\00:46:41.83
because the demands of the law,
00:46:41.86\00:46:44.47
it must be met,
00:46:44.50\00:46:45.83
because the
wages of sin is death.
00:46:45.87\00:46:49.40
But the gift of
God is eternal life
00:46:49.44\00:46:52.41
through Christ Jesus, our Lord,
00:46:52.44\00:46:54.68
because He's redemptive.
00:46:54.71\00:46:56.04
He's not willing
that any should perish,
00:46:56.08\00:46:58.55
but He wants all
to come back to Him
00:46:58.58\00:47:03.92
for repentance.
00:47:03.95\00:47:05.75
Christ was
treated as we deserve,
00:47:05.79\00:47:08.12
that we may be
treated as He deserves.
00:47:08.16\00:47:10.96
He was condemned for our
sin in which He had no share,
00:47:10.99\00:47:15.80
that we might be
justified by His righteousness
00:47:15.83\00:47:18.63
in which we had no share.
00:47:18.67\00:47:20.47
He suffered the
death which was ours,
00:47:20.54\00:47:22.64
that we might receive
the life which was His.
00:47:22.67\00:47:25.81
By His stripes, we are healed.
00:47:25.84\00:47:29.61
How do we reconcile
this God of love on this side
00:47:29.64\00:47:32.68
with a God of justice over here?
00:47:32.71\00:47:35.08
The five keys in my experience
00:47:35.12\00:47:37.29
to understanding
the character of God
00:47:37.32\00:47:39.42
is that love is holy.
00:47:39.45\00:47:41.99
Love is jealous.
00:47:42.02\00:47:44.79
Love is disciplinary.
00:47:44.83\00:47:47.20
Love is fair and
love is redemptive.
00:47:47.23\00:47:50.63
Now, I told you,
there are five keys,
00:47:50.67\00:47:52.00
but in actuality, there's six.
00:47:52.03\00:47:54.10
There is one more
key to this puzzle
00:47:54.14\00:47:57.11
that to me is probably
the most important key of all,
00:47:57.17\00:48:00.11
and that is
this, love is present.
00:48:00.14\00:48:04.88
Hebrews 13:5, He
says, "I'll never leave you.
00:48:04.91\00:48:09.48
I'll never forsake you."
00:48:09.52\00:48:12.59
This key doesn't
help us understand
00:48:12.62\00:48:14.09
God's judgment at all.
00:48:14.12\00:48:15.72
You know what it does?
00:48:15.76\00:48:17.46
It helps you and
I walk through it.
00:48:17.49\00:48:20.43
It helps us when life is hard,
00:48:20.46\00:48:24.10
when the valley is deep,
00:48:24.17\00:48:26.50
when the journey
is long, it helps us
00:48:26.53\00:48:30.51
because God walks with
us in the midst of the fire,
00:48:30.54\00:48:36.28
in the midst of the valley,
00:48:36.31\00:48:38.35
in the midst of the difficulty,
00:48:38.38\00:48:40.42
God, He's with us.
00:48:40.45\00:48:44.72
I remember,
probably 16 years ago,
00:48:44.75\00:48:48.39
it's a long time ago.
00:48:48.42\00:48:49.76
Greg told you at the beginning,
we've been married 19 years.
00:48:49.79\00:48:53.06
So it's probably
about 16 years ago,
00:48:53.09\00:48:54.86
we were just at the beginning
of our infertility journey.
00:48:54.93\00:48:59.93
We just found out
00:49:00.07\00:49:01.40
that we could not have children.
00:49:01.44\00:49:03.10
And I'll never forget it.
00:49:03.14\00:49:05.17
It was Mother's
Day Sabbath here,
00:49:05.21\00:49:08.68
right here on the stage
at the Thompsonville Church.
00:49:08.71\00:49:12.35
And I was over
there playing the piano.
00:49:12.38\00:49:15.12
And it was the time
they honored the mothers.
00:49:15.15\00:49:18.72
And you know how it goes,
who's been a mom the longest?
00:49:18.75\00:49:22.76
Who has the most kids?
00:49:22.79\00:49:25.59
Who's the oldest mother?
00:49:25.63\00:49:28.30
Who's the newest mother?
00:49:28.33\00:49:31.03
And I'll never forget,
00:49:31.07\00:49:32.40
Greg and I had
just found out the news
00:49:32.43\00:49:34.54
that we could not have children.
00:49:34.57\00:49:36.74
And I was playing the piano.
00:49:36.81\00:49:38.14
And the mothers were coming
up from all over the church
00:49:38.17\00:49:40.61
to pick up roses right
here at the front at the altar.
00:49:40.68\00:49:45.11
And I thought, God,
they'll never be me.
00:49:45.15\00:49:49.35
What happened to that dream?
00:49:49.38\00:49:50.89
What happened to what I wanted?
00:49:50.92\00:49:52.65
What happened to what we wanted?
00:49:52.69\00:49:54.26
What happened to
the desire of our heart?
00:49:54.29\00:49:56.29
I thought you said you
give us the desire of our heart.
00:49:56.32\00:49:58.66
God, you could work a
miracle, but You chose not to.
00:49:58.69\00:50:01.13
So why?
00:50:01.16\00:50:02.50
I thought You
were sovereign God.
00:50:02.53\00:50:04.70
And I remember,
00:50:04.73\00:50:06.07
I put my head down and
shook my hair over my face.
00:50:06.10\00:50:08.40
So nobody at church
would see I was crying,
00:50:08.44\00:50:11.11
because I didn't
want them to know.
00:50:11.14\00:50:12.97
Sometimes when we're in
pain, it's like we hide.
00:50:13.01\00:50:15.34
We don't want
people to see our pain.
00:50:15.38\00:50:17.01
We don't want
people to know our pain.
00:50:17.05\00:50:20.58
And so I put my head
down and all of a sudden,
00:50:20.62\00:50:23.28
I felt a touch on my shoulder.
00:50:23.35\00:50:25.82
And a little girl
about 10 years old, said,
00:50:25.85\00:50:29.26
"Miss Jill, my mom
wanted you to have this rose."
00:50:29.29\00:50:33.50
And she laid it
right there on the piano.
00:50:33.56\00:50:36.80
And I thought of my friend.
00:50:36.83\00:50:38.67
She's here today,
sitting in the church.
00:50:38.70\00:50:42.37
And I thought of her love for me
00:50:42.40\00:50:46.24
at a painful
time in my own life.
00:50:46.27\00:50:50.81
And it reminded me that
00:50:50.88\00:50:52.21
sometimes God's ways
are past finding out.
00:50:52.25\00:50:56.22
Yes, when we look
at this God of love,
00:50:56.25\00:50:58.25
and we look at the God of
justice or God of judgment,
00:50:58.29\00:51:00.99
we can say love is holy.
00:51:01.02\00:51:02.66
And that helps a
piece of the understanding.
00:51:02.69\00:51:06.16
We can say love is jealous.
00:51:06.19\00:51:07.76
And maybe that gives us another
piece of the understanding.
00:51:07.76\00:51:10.93
We can say love is
disciplinary and yes,
00:51:10.97\00:51:13.10
God, I do want that
and need that in my life.
00:51:13.13\00:51:15.47
We can say love is fair.
00:51:15.50\00:51:17.11
We can say it's redemptive.
00:51:17.17\00:51:18.51
But when you get right
down to the nitty-gritty,
00:51:18.54\00:51:22.48
that doesn't
help my heart at all.
00:51:22.51\00:51:24.58
But what does help me
is to know that my God,
00:51:24.61\00:51:28.68
the God of the universe,
the God who can do anything,
00:51:28.72\00:51:32.62
and for whatever reason
00:51:32.65\00:51:34.12
in this
situation has chosen not to
00:51:34.16\00:51:36.99
and I may not fully
understand that until eternity.
00:51:37.03\00:51:41.00
But yet my God is present.
00:51:41.03\00:51:44.37
Are you walking
through a valley right now?
00:51:44.40\00:51:46.60
Are you walking through
a hard time in your life?
00:51:46.67\00:51:51.04
You might say, "I
don't need answers, Jill.
00:51:51.07\00:51:53.64
I don't need solutions.
00:51:53.71\00:51:55.14
But I need to know
someone's beside me.
00:51:55.18\00:51:57.18
I need to know
someone's in my corner.
00:51:57.21\00:51:59.95
I need to know
someone is walking with me
00:52:00.05\00:52:02.95
through this pain."
00:52:02.98\00:52:05.45
Love is present.
00:52:05.49\00:52:08.16
God Himself is walking with you.
00:52:08.19\00:52:12.03
He will never leave you,
He will never forsake you.
00:52:12.06\00:52:15.13
What storm are you in
right now in your life?
00:52:15.16\00:52:20.50
You may be in
the dark of midnight
00:52:20.54\00:52:22.17
where you can't
even find His face.
00:52:22.20\00:52:25.17
The storm could
be howling around you
00:52:25.21\00:52:28.48
and there'd be no hiding place,
00:52:28.51\00:52:30.65
but, yeah, He
wants to keep you safe
00:52:30.71\00:52:33.42
until the storm passes by.
00:52:33.48\00:52:35.98
In the dark of the midnight
00:52:51.47\00:52:56.77
Have I oft hid my face
00:52:56.84\00:53:02.38
While the storm howls above me
00:53:02.41\00:53:07.92
And there's no hiding place
00:53:07.95\00:53:13.79
'Mid the crash of the thunder
00:53:13.86\00:53:19.63
Precious Lord, hear my cry
00:53:19.66\00:53:25.57
Keep me safe
00:53:25.60\00:53:28.74
Till the storm
00:53:28.77\00:53:32.57
Passes by
00:53:32.61\00:53:38.11
Till the storm
00:53:38.15\00:53:41.42
Passes over
00:53:41.45\00:53:44.29
Till the thunder sounds no more
00:53:44.32\00:53:49.76
Till the clouds roll forever
00:53:49.79\00:53:55.10
From the sky
00:53:55.13\00:53:59.90
Hold me fast, let me stand
00:54:00.04\00:54:05.01
In the hollow of Thy hand
00:54:05.04\00:54:10.55
Keep me safe
00:54:10.58\00:54:13.42
Till the storm passes by
00:54:13.45\00:54:19.39
Many times Satan whispered
00:54:25.23\00:54:31.13
There is no use to try
00:54:31.17\00:54:36.17
For there's no end of sorrow
00:54:36.20\00:54:41.61
There's no hope by and by
00:54:41.64\00:54:47.28
But I know Thou art with me
00:54:47.32\00:54:52.52
And tomorrow I'll rise
00:54:52.55\00:54:57.89
Where the storms
00:54:57.93\00:55:00.73
Never darken
00:55:00.76\00:55:04.60
The skies
00:55:04.63\00:55:09.17
Till the storm passes over
00:55:09.20\00:55:14.58
Till the thunder sounds no more
00:55:14.61\00:55:19.81
Till the clouds roll forever
00:55:19.85\00:55:25.19
From the sky
00:55:25.22\00:55:30.56
Hold me fast, let me stand
00:55:30.63\00:55:35.86
In the hollow of Thy hand
00:55:35.90\00:55:41.57
Keep me safe
00:55:41.60\00:55:44.54
Till the storm
00:55:44.57\00:55:47.61
Passes by
00:55:47.64\00:55:52.91
Keep me safe
00:55:52.95\00:55:57.35
Till the storm
00:55:57.39\00:56:01.86
Passes by
00:56:01.89\00:56:07.86
Amen.
00:56:11.53\00:56:12.87
Thank you so much, Ryan and Tim.
00:56:12.90\00:56:15.30
Are you in the storm?
00:56:15.34\00:56:16.74
Are you walking through a storm?
00:56:16.81\00:56:19.64
Are you walking
through a time in your life
00:56:19.67\00:56:21.74
where it seems God has left you
00:56:21.78\00:56:24.61
or it seems all
you are experiencing
00:56:24.65\00:56:27.98
is the justice of God,
00:56:28.02\00:56:29.65
is the judgment
of God and you say,
00:56:29.68\00:56:32.19
God, but where are you?
00:56:32.22\00:56:34.59
I can't find you.
00:56:34.62\00:56:35.99
I can't feel Your face.
00:56:36.02\00:56:38.66
I want to know You are there.
00:56:38.69\00:56:41.73
That is the time, my
brothers and sisters,
00:56:41.76\00:56:44.60
where we open
up the Word of God,
00:56:44.63\00:56:47.04
where our Christian
life is not dependent
00:56:47.10\00:56:50.17
on how we feel.
00:56:50.21\00:56:51.54
It's dependent on the
authority of the Word of God.
00:56:51.57\00:56:54.71
If God says you are forgiven,
you are forgiven in Jesus.
00:56:54.74\00:56:58.75
If God says He
can bring you peace,
00:56:58.78\00:57:01.18
He will bring you peace.
00:57:01.22\00:57:03.12
If God says He can
anoint you, He will anoint you.
00:57:03.15\00:57:06.89
If God says when you are
weak, I will be made strong.
00:57:06.92\00:57:11.39
He will give you strength
00:57:11.43\00:57:13.63
no matter what
you're going through,
00:57:13.66\00:57:14.96
no matter what
you are experiencing,
00:57:15.00\00:57:17.37
He is right by your side
because love, love is present.
00:57:17.40\00:57:22.27
Holy Father, we're grateful
00:57:22.30\00:57:23.71
that in the midst of
our trials and experiences,
00:57:23.74\00:57:26.78
You are present, be
present in our lives today.
00:57:26.81\00:57:30.65
Amen.
00:57:30.68\00:57:32.01