Music...
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Welcome to 3ABN
Australia Homecoming
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2019.
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And a very warm
welcome from Wahroonga Church
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we're delighted
that you can join us...
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and we're really looking forward
to a wonderful evening together
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of preaching and
praise... fellowship.
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And Pastor David, you're
an Associate Pastor here.
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That's right, yeah,
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and... great pleasure
to be hosting this event.
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Excellent, well, we've
got a really good time here
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for this hour,
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we've got David
Aitken from western Australia
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who's going to be
singing the Wintley-Phipps song,
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"Coming Again"
and who's our Speaker?
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Danny Milenkov from Hillview
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in the Northeast
South Wales Conference
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a very dynamic speaker
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and so we're
really looking forward
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to what Danny has to
share with us this evening.
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And what's he speaking on?
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I believe it's the Sabbath.
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Hmmm... "Lest We Forget"
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And he has a text here...
his key text is: Exodus 20:8-11.
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"Remember the
Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
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Six days shalt thou
labour, and do all thy work:
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But the seventh day is the
Sabbath of the LORD thy God:
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in it thou
shalt not do any work,
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thou, nor thy son,
nor thy daughter...
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thy manservant,
nor thy maidservant,
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nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
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that is within thy gates:
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For in six days the
LORD made heaven and earth,
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the sea, and
all that in them is,
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and rested the seventh day:
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wherefore the LORD
blessed the Sabbath day,
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and hallowed it. "
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And Pastor David,
would you like to have
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a short prayer of dedication?
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Certainly, let's
bow our heads in prayer.
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"Father, we thank you that
You're a God of communication.
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We thank you that you get in
touch with us in various ways.
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We want to thank you
for the gift of music...
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a wonderful
language in itself...
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the gift of Your Word.
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We do pray that
You'd bless your servants
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David and Danny as
they minister to us...
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as they speak on Your
behalf... sing on Your behalf
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we pray that You'd
bless their ministry
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and we just ask Lord
that You'd be present now
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with this time together
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and Your Holy Spirit
would be in our midst,
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and that each one of us
would be blessed and challenged
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and refreshed as a
result of being here,
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so we commit
this time to You now
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and we ask these
things in Jesus' name, amen. "
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Amen.
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Thank you.
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Pause...
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Music...
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Why stand ye gazing there
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into the sky?
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Be not discouraged
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for we have brought good news
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This same Jesus
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whom we do magnify
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Soon He will come again
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for all to glorify
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He is coming again...
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He is coming again
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Son of the Father
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He is coming again
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on Calvary He claimed my destiny
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would I humble myself
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myself
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to
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Thee...
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Thee.
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Lord, I want to see Your face
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just help me... be strong
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I know You will return
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I know it won't be long
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He is coming again...
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He is coming again
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Son of the Father
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He is coming again
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On Calvary... He gave my destiny
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Would I humble myself
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To Thee
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Lift up the trumpet
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and loud let it ring
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Jesus is coming again
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Cheer up ye pilgrims
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Be joyful and sing
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Jesus is coming again
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Coming again...
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Coming again
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Jesus is coming again
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Coming again...
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Coming again
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Jesus is coming
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again...
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again.
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Amen.
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Pause...
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Good evening to you all
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and happy Sabbath.
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The Sabbath has begun and
we praise the Lord for that
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and thank you so much for
that beautiful item, David,
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we really appreciate it there
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and Jesus is
indeed coming again amen.
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Audience: Amen.
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Last year at the
3ABN Camp Meeting,
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I had the privilege
as... as David reminded me
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he sang before I
got up and shared
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and once again, we have a repeat
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and I don't know about you but
I could listen to him all-day
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and my wife would
probably say the same.
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She'd rather
listen to him than to me.
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So... ah ha ha ha...
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beautiful voice...
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beautiful voice and we
praise the Lord for that
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so, wherever you are watching,
those who are here at Wahroonga,
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here in Sydney
or around the world,
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I really want to
welcome you to...
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to this 3ABN Camp Meeting
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and for me personally,
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it's a real privilege to
be invited by 3ABN Australia
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and to share God's
Word on this weekend
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and so, I really
count it a privilege
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and am very grateful for that.
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I have entitled my
message, "Lest We Forget. "
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Lest we forget these words...
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near and dear to
Australians and New Zealanders
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that would be well
familiar with these words
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that are especially repeated
on April 25 each and every year,
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one of the... one of the most
sacred commemorative holidays
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or days of
remembrance here in Australia
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where Australians and
New Zealanders and other...
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and other peoples
in the South Pacific
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pause and stop and remember
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those that have
given their lives...
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those that have
paid the ultimate price
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in war and
conflict around the world
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in order to ensure our safety.
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This year, I had the
opportunity of going to Turkey
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for the first time
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and going to what has
become known as Gallipoli
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where the Anzacs back in
1915 1915 of April 25 landed.
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I have a few... a
few snapshots that I took
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and there is Anzac
Cove as it has become known
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and there was the beach
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where those Anzacs...
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those Australian and
New Zealand Army Corps
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is what Anzac stands for
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where they landed in the
early morning of April 25, 1915.
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As I... as I was
there and surveyed the area,
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they had the
remnants of... of the barracks
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and where they
fought against the Turks.
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You also have there...
not far from the shoreline
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you... you have a Cemetery
there where men were buried.
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You have these
commemorative stones
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and a number of them
have very fascinating
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and interesting inscriptions
and here's just a couple.
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Here is one from this individual
who died at the age of 40
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and the words underneath,
"Greater love hath no man
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than to lay down his
life for his friends. "
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So, as Australians
pause and New Zealanders pause
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to remember...
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they remember those
that paid the ultimate price.
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Those that...
that gave their lives
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in order that their fellow
countrymen... countrywomen
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would have
peace... would have safety
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and would enjoy life...
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and then, this
one, I came across
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as I was walking
through the cemetery,
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"Lest we forget. "
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Lest we forget...
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Around Australia, on April 25...
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people... young and
old and those in between
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gather at war memorials
and here is one war memorial
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with these words
that you can see,
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"Lest we forget... "
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and they gather to
celebrate and to remember
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and to commemorate
what has taken place.
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In fact, War Memorials in
Australia are a holy place...
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a holy site in many towns.
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Here is one that I
took from a little town
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in Northeast South
Wales called Mullumbimby
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and this was the sign: SACRED
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WAR MEMORIAL PLEASE KEEP OFF.
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There isn't too much
that is sacred in Australia...
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we're a very secular
country, not very religious
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but the War Memorials...
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that which... that which
demonstrates the sacrifice...
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and the service of men and women
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that have paid
the ultimate price
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is considered to be sacred.
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So, on April 25,
in a very special way,
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Australian's pause to remember.
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Today, we want to take a
look at another memorial.
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Not a war memorial
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but today we're going to take
a look at another memorial...
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a significant memorial...
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I would suggest to you,
the most significant memorial
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that helps us
understand the God that we serve
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that helps us
understand Who He is
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and what He has done...
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the ultimate
sacrifice that He has paid
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in order that
we may have life...
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in order that we
might have freedoms...
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in order that we
may be able to come here
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and celebrate together.
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So, without any
further ado, I'd like to pray,
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I know that we
have prayed already,
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but before I open
up God's Word with you,
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I'd like us to
pray one more time.
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So, if you like, just
bow your heads with me,
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let us pray, "Father in heaven,
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as we pause
now... just one moment
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before we open up Your Word,
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we pray that your Holy Spirit
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will lead and guide
us through Your Word.
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Father, there's a lot to share
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on this all important
subject of the Sabbath
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that we're going to
unpack from Your Word
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and I may not be
able to share all of it,
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but Father, I pray
that I'll be able to share
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that which You would want
me to share on this occasion,
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so, I pray that Your Holy
Spirit will lead and guide
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as we open Your Word...
open our hearts and our minds,
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for we pray this in
Jesus' name, amen. "
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If you have your
Bibles here this evening,
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I want to invite
you to turn with me
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to the book of Genesis,
right at the very beginning,
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Genesis chapter one
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and we're going to
read the opening words
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of Scripture, Genesis
chapter 1 verses 1 to 4,
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most of the Scriptures
will be up on the screen
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but this one isn't this evening
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but Genesis 1 verses 1 to 4,
00:13:58.17\00:14:00.14
"In the
beginning... " the Bible says,
00:14:00.17\00:14:02.07
"God created the
heavens and the earth. "
00:14:02.10\00:14:05.24
Talk about
certainty amid uncertainty.
00:14:05.27\00:14:07.88
Right at the very
beginning of time,
00:14:07.91\00:14:10.51
"God... " the Bible says,
00:14:10.55\00:14:12.88
created the
heavens and the world.
00:14:12.91\00:14:14.38
We did not come from
some cosmic accident.
00:14:14.45\00:14:17.72
We were brought
forth on to this planet
00:14:17.75\00:14:21.02
by a God with a purpose.
00:14:21.06\00:14:22.79
Let's keep reading...
00:14:22.82\00:14:24.53
"The earth was
without form and void
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and darkness was on
the face of the deep
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and the Spirit
of God was hovering
00:14:28.80\00:14:30.67
over the face of the waters.
00:14:30.70\00:14:32.03
Then God said, Let
there be... " what?
00:14:32.07\00:14:34.44
"Let there be
light and there was light
00:14:34.47\00:14:36.94
and God saw that
light that it was... " what?
00:14:37.01\00:14:39.07
"good and God divided the
light from the darkness. "
00:14:39.11\00:14:42.11
And that was the end of Day 1.
00:14:42.14\00:14:43.75
As you go through
chapter one, you discover
00:14:43.78\00:14:46.35
that God continues to
create over the next five days
00:14:46.38\00:14:51.09
and at the end of the chapter,
00:14:51.12\00:14:54.32
we have these words in
Genesis 1 and verse 31,
00:14:54.36\00:14:58.23
we read these words,
00:14:58.26\00:14:59.59
"Then God saw
everything that He had made
00:14:59.63\00:15:02.40
and indeed, it was... " what?
00:15:02.43\00:15:03.77
"very good.
00:15:03.80\00:15:05.13
So the evening and the
morning were the sixth day. "
00:15:05.17\00:15:06.90
As God looked at
all of His creation
00:15:06.94\00:15:10.34
after He had created Adam
and then left the best till last
00:15:10.41\00:15:15.74
created Eve... and
all the men said...
00:15:15.78\00:15:18.35
Audience: Amen...
00:15:18.38\00:15:19.81
Laughter...
00:15:19.85\00:15:21.65
Let me try that again.
00:15:21.68\00:15:24.29
After God had
created the entire world,
00:15:24.32\00:15:27.16
and He created Adam
00:15:27.22\00:15:29.19
and He left the best
till last in creating Eve,
00:15:29.22\00:15:31.89
and all the men said...
00:15:31.93\00:15:33.40
Audience: Amen.
00:15:33.43\00:15:34.86
Oh, that was
kind of half better.
00:15:34.90\00:15:36.23
The Bible goes on and says,
00:15:36.26\00:15:40.24
"Thus the heavens and the earth,
00:15:40.27\00:15:41.87
and all the host of
them, were finished.
00:15:41.90\00:15:44.51
And on the seventh
day God ended His work
00:15:44.54\00:15:47.08
which He had done, and
He rested on the seventh day
00:15:47.11\00:15:49.78
from all His work
which He had done.
00:15:49.81\00:15:51.31
Then God blessed the
seventh day and sanctified it,
00:15:51.35\00:15:54.75
because in it He
rested from all His work
00:15:54.78\00:15:57.55
which God had
created and made. "
00:15:57.59\00:16:00.36
Here we have the
climax of God's creative work.
00:16:00.39\00:16:05.09
The Bible says, "God
blessed... He sanctified...
00:16:05.13\00:16:09.80
and He rested on
the seventh day. "
00:16:09.83\00:16:11.73
Scholars have
discovered this incredible...
00:16:11.80\00:16:14.60
this incredible creative
plan that God put in place...
00:16:14.64\00:16:20.48
no accident...
00:16:20.51\00:16:21.84
and notice...
00:16:21.88\00:16:23.21
notice this forming and
filling that God performed
00:16:23.24\00:16:27.02
during those six
days of creation.
00:16:27.05\00:16:29.98
We have this up on the screen,
00:16:30.02\00:16:32.95
Day 1: God created light,
00:16:32.99\00:16:35.19
on Day 4: God filled the heavens
with the sun, moon and stars.
00:16:35.22\00:16:40.53
On Day 2: God created space
00:16:40.60\00:16:44.43
in the way of
sky and the seas...
00:16:44.47\00:16:47.97
and on Day 5: God filled that
space with birds and with fish.
00:16:48.00\00:16:52.51
On Day 3: God created
dry land and vegetation,
00:16:52.57\00:16:56.44
and on Day 6: He brought about
land animals and human beings
00:16:56.48\00:17:02.48
that would enjoy
that space and that food.
00:17:02.52\00:17:05.52
Can you see that, yes or no?
00:17:05.55\00:17:07.36
It's so powerful, isn't it?
00:17:07.39\00:17:09.32
This forming and this filling
00:17:09.36\00:17:11.26
all the way through
the six days of creation.
00:17:11.29\00:17:14.43
So, we get to the 7th
day that we have just read
00:17:14.46\00:17:18.40
and the Bible says,
"God rested and He sanctified
00:17:18.43\00:17:22.37
and He blessed the 7th day. "
00:17:22.40\00:17:24.47
So, God formed this day...
00:17:24.51\00:17:26.51
He formed
space... He formed time
00:17:26.54\00:17:28.84
but how did He fill it?
00:17:28.88\00:17:30.31
Pause...
00:17:30.35\00:17:31.75
There's only one way
00:17:31.78\00:17:33.11
that we can come
to an understanding
00:17:33.15\00:17:35.95
of how He filled it,
He filled it with Himself.
00:17:35.98\00:17:39.32
God filled the
Sabbath day with His presence.
00:17:39.35\00:17:43.06
That is why the
Sabbath is the very climax...
00:17:43.09\00:17:46.76
very apex of creation.
00:17:46.80\00:17:48.53
It's because God gave
Himself to the human race.
00:17:48.56\00:17:53.23
He didn't create
anything for the Sabbath day,
00:17:53.27\00:17:57.87
He gave
Himself... He gave His heart.
00:17:57.91\00:18:01.44
Back in 2010, I
had the opportunity
00:18:01.48\00:18:04.95
of going to
Jerusalem for the first time
00:18:04.98\00:18:06.95
and this year, I've
been blessed to go again,
00:18:06.98\00:18:09.18
and we ended up in Jerusalem
on the Friday afternoon
00:18:09.22\00:18:13.66
and as... a couple of...
00:18:13.69\00:18:16.16
a couple of the ministers
that I was with on this tour
00:18:16.19\00:18:19.26
that had been to
Jerusalem before...
00:18:19.29\00:18:20.80
they said to me,
"Danny, we have to make...
00:18:20.86\00:18:24.37
we have to make it
down to Old Jerusalem...
00:18:24.40\00:18:27.90
down to the
Western Wall where Jews...
00:18:27.94\00:18:31.21
men and women will be gathering
as the Sabbath draws near
00:18:31.24\00:18:35.74
and you have to
see the celebrations...
00:18:35.78\00:18:38.15
you have to see
the incredible worship
00:18:38.18\00:18:40.55
that will take place there,
00:18:40.58\00:18:41.92
you've never seen
anything like it before... "
00:18:41.95\00:18:44.25
and so we headed to Jerusalem.
00:18:44.29\00:18:46.99
To the Old Jerusalem...
there's a photo there
00:18:47.02\00:18:50.83
and as we made our
way to Old Jerusalem,
00:18:50.86\00:18:55.86
we walked...
00:18:55.90\00:18:57.50
and I'd been looking forward
to this day for a long time.
00:18:57.53\00:18:59.60
I've always wanted
to go to Old Jerusalem
00:18:59.63\00:19:01.64
and we walked through...
through one of the gates
00:19:01.67\00:19:03.61
and I think it
was the Jaffa Gate,
00:19:03.64\00:19:05.14
there are a number of
Gates that surround the Old City
00:19:05.17\00:19:08.34
which is about four
kilometers in perimeter.
00:19:08.38\00:19:10.31
I've walked there
a number of times,
00:19:10.35\00:19:12.31
just a beautiful...
a beautiful experience
00:19:12.35\00:19:14.62
there they were gathered
on that Friday afternoon...
00:19:14.65\00:19:17.79
the men on one side
and the women on the other
00:19:17.82\00:19:21.86
and as I watched the view
and as the sun began to set,
00:19:21.89\00:19:26.43
more and more men
and more and more women
00:19:26.46\00:19:29.36
made their way to
this place of worship
00:19:29.40\00:19:32.27
where... where
they began to sing
00:19:32.30\00:19:35.17
and they read from the Torah
00:19:35.20\00:19:36.84
and they began to celebrate...
the men on one side...
00:19:36.87\00:19:39.94
the women, as you can
see, on the other side...
00:19:39.97\00:19:42.04
divided by a wall
00:19:42.08\00:19:43.71
and there was
incredible celebrations
00:19:43.75\00:19:45.78
as the Sabbath was brought in.
00:19:45.81\00:19:49.15
Why were they celebrating?
00:19:49.18\00:19:51.59
That is because for a Jew,
00:19:51.62\00:19:53.96
they begin
counting down the Sabbath
00:19:53.99\00:19:57.56
when Sunday comes.
00:19:57.59\00:19:58.93
You know how
they refer to Sunday?
00:19:58.96\00:20:01.86
"It's only six more
days until the Sabbath. "
00:20:01.90\00:20:08.17
Only six more...
00:20:08.20\00:20:09.84
Monday... it's only
five... and so on and so forth
00:20:09.87\00:20:13.24
and then when Friday comes
it's the Preparation day...
00:20:13.27\00:20:16.68
and I'm telling you come
lunch time... in Jerusalem
00:20:16.71\00:20:19.81
the shops are shutting
up... shutting up shop...
00:20:19.85\00:20:22.92
that's what they
tend to do that day
00:20:22.95\00:20:24.45
and people are
preparing for the Sabbath,
00:20:24.52\00:20:27.49
they don't wait till the
last minute, like, some of us,
00:20:27.52\00:20:30.36
where they're... where
they're looking at the clock
00:20:30.39\00:20:33.19
and they're doing the vacuuming
00:20:33.23\00:20:34.56
and they're doing
the final bit of cooking
00:20:34.60\00:20:36.46
and they're doing
the final bit of whatever
00:20:36.50\00:20:38.33
and as the sun sets and
they look at their clocks
00:20:38.37\00:20:42.90
and they're
like... "30 seconds to go"
00:20:42.97\00:20:44.87
and they're
sliding on their knees
00:20:44.91\00:20:46.71
and they're ready
to start off Sabbath...
00:20:46.78\00:20:48.54
no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no...
00:20:48.58\00:20:50.28
they welcome the Sabbath
well and truly before it begins,
00:20:50.31\00:20:57.45
they celebrate it
like I have not seen.
00:20:57.49\00:20:59.95
It's just powerful to witness...
powerful to witness...
00:20:59.99\00:21:04.16
powerful to witness.
00:21:04.19\00:21:05.53
Well, the Sabbath and
family go hand in hand...
00:21:05.56\00:21:08.86
hand in hand.
00:21:08.90\00:21:10.33
Let me share with you
from Genesis 1 verses 26 to 28.
00:21:10.37\00:21:16.87
Genesis 1 verses 26 to 28.
00:21:16.91\00:21:20.18
"Then God said, 'Let
Us make man in Our image,
00:21:20.21\00:21:25.41
according to Our likeness;
00:21:25.45\00:21:26.78
let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
00:21:26.82\00:21:29.15
over the birds of the
air, and over the cattle,
00:21:29.18\00:21:31.32
over all the earth and
over every creeping thing
00:21:31.35\00:21:33.49
that creeps on the earth. '
00:21:33.52\00:21:34.86
So God created
man in His own image;
00:21:34.89\00:21:37.09
in the image of
God He created Him;
00:21:37.13\00:21:39.03
male and female He created them.
00:21:39.06\00:21:40.93
Then God blessed them... "
00:21:40.96\00:21:43.37
Another time, we
have the word "blessing"
00:21:43.40\00:21:46.94
"and God said to them,
'Be fruitful and multiply;
00:21:46.97\00:21:50.21
fill the earth and subdue it;
00:21:50.24\00:21:51.67
have dominion over
the fish of the sea,
00:21:51.71\00:21:54.11
over the birds of the air,
00:21:54.14\00:21:55.48
and over every living thing
that moves on the earth. '"
00:21:55.51\00:21:58.38
God created marriage
at the beginning of time
00:21:58.41\00:22:03.25
and God created the Sabbath
at the beginning of time.
00:22:03.28\00:22:07.59
These two institutions
are referred to as blessings
00:22:07.62\00:22:11.86
to the human race.
00:22:11.89\00:22:13.66
The Sabbath was to be the
honeymoon for Adam and Eve.
00:22:13.70\00:22:19.40
That's what you do when you
get married, isn't that right?
00:22:19.43\00:22:22.14
The next thing you
do... you go on a honeymoon
00:22:22.20\00:22:24.57
as so, Adam and Eve...
they went on a honeymoon...
00:22:24.61\00:22:26.98
the ultimate honeymoon...
00:22:27.01\00:22:29.34
in the Garden of Eden.
00:22:29.38\00:22:31.61
This place that literally means
00:22:31.65\00:22:34.72
"a place of
pleasure and delight. "
00:22:34.75\00:22:37.55
That's what Eden means...
00:22:37.59\00:22:39.35
pleasure and delight...
00:22:39.39\00:22:41.06
and they were there
enjoying their honeymoon
00:22:41.09\00:22:44.29
on the 7th day
with their Creator God.
00:22:44.33\00:22:48.00
Marriage and the
Sabbath hand in hand.
00:22:48.03\00:22:51.63
This was to be so important...
this was to last forever
00:22:51.67\00:22:57.61
and ever and ever.
00:22:57.64\00:22:59.34
This blessed
institution of the Sabbath
00:22:59.37\00:23:01.68
that God ensured
that it would be enshrined
00:23:01.71\00:23:05.35
in the heart of His Law
of Love the Ten Commandments.
00:23:05.38\00:23:10.29
Let's go there tonight.
00:23:10.32\00:23:12.42
We heard the
words earlier from...
00:23:12.45\00:23:16.46
we read in our Scripture
reading in Exodus chapter 20...
00:23:16.49\00:23:20.23
Exodus chapter 20
00:23:20.26\00:23:22.80
and verses 8 to 11,
we read these words,
00:23:22.83\00:23:25.77
"Remember the
Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
00:23:25.83\00:23:28.47
Six days you shall
labor and do all your work,
00:23:28.50\00:23:31.07
but the seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord your God.
00:23:31.11\00:23:34.21
In it you shall do no
work: you, nor your son,
00:23:34.24\00:23:37.28
nor your daughter,
nor your male servant,
00:23:37.31\00:23:39.61
nor your female
servant, nor your cattle,
00:23:39.65\00:23:41.68
nor your stranger
who is within your gates.
00:23:41.72\00:23:43.69
For in six days the Lord
made the heavens and the earth,
00:23:43.72\00:23:46.92
the sea, and
all that is in them,
00:23:46.96\00:23:49.26
and rested the seventh day.
00:23:49.29\00:23:51.13
Therefore the Lord blessed the
Sabbath day and hallowed it. "
00:23:51.16\00:23:55.20
The language directly
from the book of Genesis...
00:23:55.23\00:23:59.43
directly from that Sabbath that
God created for the human race
00:23:59.47\00:24:04.54
at the very beginning of time.
00:24:04.57\00:24:06.01
The Sabbath and
marriage and family
00:24:06.07\00:24:11.51
go hand in hand.
00:24:11.55\00:24:12.98
It's interesting to notice that
00:24:13.01\00:24:15.52
in the very heart
of the Garden of Eden
00:24:15.55\00:24:18.09
there were two trees
00:24:18.12\00:24:19.45
that stood out
from all the trees.
00:24:19.49\00:24:21.66
You can read about that
in Genesis chapter 2 verse 9.
00:24:21.69\00:24:24.89
One of them... the Tree of
the Knowledge of Good and Evil,
00:24:24.93\00:24:28.93
the other... the Tree of Life.
00:24:28.96\00:24:30.47
As we take a look at
the Ten Commandments,
00:24:30.50\00:24:32.93
we discover that
there are two commandments
00:24:32.97\00:24:35.37
that stand out amongst the ten
00:24:35.40\00:24:38.54
and they happen to be in
the very heart of God's Law...
00:24:38.74\00:24:41.54
The Sabbath Commandment...
00:24:41.58\00:24:43.35
that does not begin
with "Thou shalt not... "
00:24:43.38\00:24:46.28
but begins with
the word, "Remember"
00:24:46.31\00:24:49.12
"Remember the Sabbath day... "
00:24:49.15\00:24:50.99
lest we forget
where we came from.
00:24:51.02\00:24:53.19
And the 5th Commandment,
00:24:53.22\00:24:55.42
"Honor thy
mother and thy father. "
00:24:55.46\00:24:58.59
These two commandments are
different from all the others
00:24:58.63\00:25:03.63
in how they begin.
00:25:03.67\00:25:06.03
Could it be
that God is directing
00:25:06.10\00:25:10.91
the attention of us all...
the attention of the world
00:25:10.94\00:25:14.44
to the two institutions
that have been neglected
00:25:14.48\00:25:17.95
in human history
more than any other.
00:25:17.98\00:25:21.58
The two institutions that
will bring forth blessings
00:25:21.62\00:25:26.45
unlike any other...
to the entire human race.
00:25:26.49\00:25:30.56
I don't need to
remind you tonight
00:25:30.59\00:25:33.43
that marriage and the
family is under attack.
00:25:33.46\00:25:37.00
Isn't that true?
00:25:37.07\00:25:38.80
It's under attack...
00:25:38.83\00:25:40.54
like at no other
time in earth's history,
00:25:40.57\00:25:42.70
it's under attack.
00:25:42.74\00:25:44.07
I'm not sure what it's
like where you may be watching
00:25:44.11\00:25:46.91
around the world,
00:25:46.94\00:25:48.28
but here in Australia,
00:25:48.31\00:25:49.74
currently, more
than one in three
00:25:49.78\00:25:52.45
of those who say, "I
do... " come to the point
00:25:52.48\00:25:56.38
where they no longer are
willing to live together.
00:25:56.42\00:26:00.32
Today, in
Australia, the average marriage
00:26:00.36\00:26:05.39
has a "Use-by-date" of 12 years.
00:26:05.43\00:26:08.96
Today, in Australia,
four out of five people
00:26:09.00\00:26:14.27
live together
before they get married
00:26:14.30\00:26:17.11
and there are many, many
00:26:17.14\00:26:20.14
who don't bother
with marriage at all.
00:26:20.18\00:26:22.84
I mean, why bother
with an institution
00:26:22.88\00:26:24.88
that has brought
so much heartache
00:26:24.91\00:26:27.25
to my parents and
to my grandparents
00:26:27.32\00:26:29.58
and so, the enemy has
done a tremendous work
00:26:29.62\00:26:33.46
in destroying the very
foundation of the society
00:26:33.49\00:26:37.33
which is
marriage and the family.
00:26:37.36\00:26:39.03
As goes marriage and the
family... so goes society.
00:26:39.06\00:26:44.00
These two institutions
given by God to the human race..
00:26:44.03\00:26:48.90
to Adam and Eve at the
very beginning of time,
00:26:48.94\00:26:51.07
marriage and the family...
00:26:51.11\00:26:52.44
two blessed
institutions... God blessed them
00:26:52.47\00:26:55.34
today are under attack.
00:26:55.38\00:26:57.41
Today, marriage and
the family is under attack
00:26:57.45\00:26:59.81
and one day... and I believe,
not too far down the track,
00:26:59.85\00:27:03.15
the Sabbath will
also be under attack.
00:27:03.18\00:27:06.25
This is the preliminary...
before the main event
00:27:06.29\00:27:10.13
according to Scripture.
00:27:10.16\00:27:11.99
Now, I have to give
credit to my friend Rosemary
00:27:12.06\00:27:16.70
who is no stranger to 3ABN
Viewers, Rosemary Malkiewycz
00:27:16.77\00:27:20.50
for pointing
something powerful out to me
00:27:20.54\00:27:22.70
several years ago.
00:27:22.74\00:27:24.07
We often... we often
look at the Ten commandments
00:27:24.11\00:27:27.41
and we say that the
first four are in regard
00:27:27.44\00:27:30.28
to our relationship
with God, isn't that right?
00:27:30.35\00:27:33.11
And the next six are... in
our relationship to one another
00:27:33.15\00:27:37.75
and that... and that is true.
00:27:37.79\00:27:40.26
However, she pointed something
out that I hadn't seen before
00:27:40.29\00:27:44.89
and that is... that
the 5th Commandment...
00:27:44.93\00:27:47.20
the one that deals with honoring
your mother and father...
00:27:47.23\00:27:50.07
marriage and the family...
00:27:50.10\00:27:52.50
so that your days may be long
00:27:52.53\00:27:54.90
in the land that the
Lord is giving you...
00:27:54.94\00:27:57.61
that is the only
commandment of the last six
00:27:57.64\00:28:00.31
where "the Lord
your God" is mentioned.
00:28:00.34\00:28:02.28
The only commandment where
"the Lord your God" is mentioned
00:28:02.31\00:28:06.15
it's not mentioned
in any of the other six
00:28:06.18\00:28:08.05
and in any of
the five that follow.
00:28:08.08\00:28:10.05
Could it be that
marriage and the family
00:28:10.09\00:28:13.76
is the hinge...
listen to me carefully...
00:28:13.79\00:28:17.39
the hinge that
connects us with God
00:28:17.43\00:28:21.93
and connects us
with our fellowman...
00:28:21.96\00:28:26.40
the very hinge...
marriage and the family...
00:28:26.43\00:28:28.90
once that gives
way, they all give way
00:28:28.97\00:28:34.44
and that is where we are today.
00:28:34.48\00:28:37.25
Today, the very
hinge of God's Law...
00:28:37.28\00:28:40.18
the very hinge that
the blessings of humanity
00:28:40.22\00:28:45.72
is hinged on is under attack
00:28:45.75\00:28:47.46
and so, there'll be nothing
left when that goes completely.
00:28:47.49\00:28:53.16
The very
foundation of our society...
00:28:53.19\00:28:56.53
it's been said the
Sabbath has been likened
00:28:56.56\00:29:01.34
to the Bill of Rights.
00:29:01.37\00:29:02.70
The American Bill of Rights
or any nation's Bill of Rights.
00:29:02.74\00:29:06.91
You would probably be
very familiar with these words
00:29:06.94\00:29:10.75
from the
Declaration of Independence.
00:29:10.81\00:29:13.01
July 4, 1776 when 13
American Colonies broke away
00:29:13.05\00:29:18.09
from the King... or
the Kingdom, I should say,
00:29:18.12\00:29:23.12
of Great Britain and...
and formed the foundations of
00:29:23.16\00:29:26.80
what would become known as
the United States of America.
00:29:26.83\00:29:30.13
Notice these words,
00:29:30.17\00:29:31.83
"We hold these
truths to be self-evident,
00:29:31.90\00:29:33.70
that all men are created equal,
00:29:33.74\00:29:35.44
that they are
endowed by their Creator
00:29:35.50\00:29:37.64
with certain inalienable rights,
00:29:37.67\00:29:39.91
that among these
are Life, Liberty,
00:29:39.97\00:29:42.14
and the Pursuit of Happiness. "
00:29:42.21\00:29:43.55
That's the
Declaration of Independence,
00:29:43.58\00:29:44.91
they are words from the
Declaration of Independence.
00:29:44.95\00:29:48.88
As I look at those words,
I cannot help but discover
00:29:48.92\00:29:52.85
and notice that
these are the very words
00:29:52.89\00:29:54.96
in the 4th Commandment.
00:29:54.99\00:29:56.93
If you take a look at
Exodus chapter 20 and verse 10,
00:29:56.96\00:30:00.93
once again,
00:30:00.96\00:30:02.30
you discover
there that the Sabbath
00:30:02.33\00:30:03.80
was designed by God for all.
00:30:03.83\00:30:08.40
Let me read, "... in
it you shall do no work,
00:30:08.44\00:30:11.57
you, nor your
son, nor your daughter,
00:30:11.64\00:30:13.44
nor your male servant,
nor your female servant,
00:30:13.48\00:30:15.31
nor your cattle,
00:30:15.34\00:30:16.68
nor your stranger who
is within your gates... "
00:30:16.71\00:30:18.25
it's for all.
00:30:18.28\00:30:19.61
The Sabbath is for all...
00:30:19.65\00:30:22.78
for all.
00:30:22.82\00:30:24.15
It's the image of God
once again being re-created
00:30:24.19\00:30:30.43
in His
people... in His children.
00:30:30.46\00:30:32.83
Pause...
00:30:32.86\00:30:34.80
I find it
fascinating that the Sabbath
00:30:34.83\00:30:38.93
was also a
symbol for deliverance.
00:30:39.00\00:30:43.04
Every seventh year, the
slaves were to be released
00:30:43.07\00:30:48.24
according to Exodus 21 verse 2.
00:30:48.28\00:30:51.31
According to Exodus
23 verses 10 and 11,
00:30:51.35\00:30:54.28
the land was to
rest every seventh year
00:30:54.32\00:30:57.19
and the poor were to enjoy
the produce during that time.
00:30:57.25\00:31:01.99
If ever there was a time
when we desperately needed
00:31:02.02\00:31:06.59
God's Sabbath rest,
I believe it's today.
00:31:06.63\00:31:09.26
Audience: Amen.
00:31:09.30\00:31:10.67
I believe it's today.
00:31:10.73\00:31:12.73
The words of Jesus come to
mind in Matthew 11 and verse 28,
00:31:12.80\00:31:18.07
Jesus says, "Come unto Me,
00:31:18.11\00:31:20.64
all you who labor
and are heavy laden,
00:31:20.68\00:31:23.41
and I will give you... " what?
00:31:23.45\00:31:24.78
I will give you rest.
00:31:24.81\00:31:26.48
Today, we are
absorbed and bombarded
00:31:26.51\00:31:30.72
by attractions and distractions.
00:31:30.75\00:31:34.89
We are bombarded by what
people think we ought to be
00:31:34.92\00:31:39.03
in order to have value.
00:31:39.06\00:31:40.76
We live in a world
today where you are valuable
00:31:40.80\00:31:45.73
and you're important
and you're significant
00:31:45.77\00:31:50.64
depending on the job you have,
00:31:50.71\00:31:52.97
depending on where you live,
00:31:53.04\00:31:55.31
the car you drive,
00:31:55.34\00:31:57.61
your education,
00:31:57.65\00:31:59.71
your bank balance,
00:31:59.75\00:32:01.82
your share portfolio,
00:32:01.85\00:32:03.49
your investments.
00:32:03.52\00:32:05.09
Today, we live in a world
00:32:05.12\00:32:08.42
where unlike any other
time in earth's history,
00:32:08.46\00:32:12.26
people are comparing
themselves with one another.
00:32:12.29\00:32:16.06
Facebook...
00:32:16.10\00:32:18.53
do I need to tell you a
little bit about Facebook?
00:32:18.57\00:32:20.90
And its cousins in the media
00:32:20.94\00:32:27.68
in social media...
00:32:27.71\00:32:29.81
it's all about
what I've been doing...
00:32:29.84\00:32:31.48
where I've been going...
what I've been eating...
00:32:31.51\00:32:33.31
what I've been drinking...
what I've been wearing...
00:32:33.42\00:32:34.95
what car I have bought
00:32:34.98\00:32:37.02
and so we're comparing
ourselves to one another
00:32:37.09\00:32:39.19
and I love the Sabbath
00:32:39.22\00:32:40.92
because the Sabbath is a
day when we all come together
00:32:40.96\00:32:44.66
and we realize...
we are all the same.
00:32:44.69\00:32:47.40
We're all the same...
00:32:47.43\00:32:50.07
it matters not
what you look like,
00:32:50.10\00:32:52.33
where you're from,
00:32:52.37\00:32:53.70
how rich or how poor you are,
00:32:53.74\00:32:55.67
you are equally valuable
00:32:55.70\00:32:58.14
because the Sabbath
reminds us that we all came
00:32:58.17\00:33:02.04
from a Creator God who
created us in His image
00:33:02.11\00:33:05.25
at the beginning of time.
00:33:05.31\00:33:06.98
Amen.
00:33:07.02\00:33:08.35
The Sabbath is
the great equalizer,
00:33:08.38\00:33:12.75
and if ever there was a time
when we needed that equalizer,
00:33:12.79\00:33:17.23
it's today... it's today.
00:33:17.26\00:33:19.59
Jesus said, in Mark
chapter 2 and verses 27 and 28,
00:33:19.63\00:33:27.47
"The Sabbath was
made for man... mankind...
00:33:27.50\00:33:30.61
and not man for the Sabbath.
00:33:30.64\00:33:32.54
Therefore the Son of Man
is also Lord of the Sabbath. "
00:33:32.57\00:33:35.78
Jesus went about
doing good, the Bible says,
00:33:35.81\00:33:38.68
Jesus said, it is lawful
to do good on the Sabbath
00:33:38.71\00:33:42.82
and I find it fascinating
that the Gospel writers record
00:33:42.85\00:33:47.76
seven Sabbath
miracles that Jesus performed.
00:33:47.79\00:33:50.69
I suspect He performed
many more Sabbath miracles
00:33:50.73\00:33:55.46
but they have recorded seven.
00:33:55.50\00:33:57.23
Why seven?
00:33:57.27\00:33:58.83
Could it be that God wanted
us to understand and to know
00:33:58.87\00:34:04.97
seven being
God's perfect number...
00:34:05.01\00:34:08.28
the number of completion...
00:34:08.31\00:34:10.18
that we need to continue
to do good on the Sabbath
00:34:10.21\00:34:15.18
continually...
00:34:15.22\00:34:16.95
continually.
00:34:16.99\00:34:21.46
The Sabbath is not only a day
where we remember our Creator
00:34:21.49\00:34:27.83
and where we have come from
00:34:27.86\00:34:29.23
and that God has
created us in His image
00:34:29.26\00:34:31.83
and is seeking to restore us
more and more... day by day...
00:34:31.87\00:34:35.90
into His image
00:34:35.94\00:34:37.27
but it's also a symbol... a
powerful symbol of redemption.
00:34:37.31\00:34:42.08
Notice these words
that we find in Deuteronomy
00:34:42.14\00:34:45.61
chapter 5 and verses
12 and 15 where Moses...
00:34:45.65\00:34:50.22
before his departure
and before his death,
00:34:50.29\00:34:54.82
he recounts the
history of Israel
00:34:54.86\00:34:58.06
and he shares the Ten
Commandments once again
00:34:58.09\00:35:01.70
with his people
00:35:01.73\00:35:03.93
but there's slight twist
to the fourth commandment
00:35:03.97\00:35:07.30
and I want us to notice.
00:35:07.34\00:35:08.67
Notice, Deuteronomy
chapter 5 verses 12 and 15,
00:35:08.70\00:35:12.27
"Observe the Sabbath
day, to keep it holy,
00:35:12.31\00:35:14.11
as the LORD your
God commanded you...
00:35:14.18\00:35:16.64
and then we have
in the next verses
00:35:16.68\00:35:19.08
a direct quotation
out of Exodus chapter 20
00:35:19.11\00:35:22.88
but then, in verse
15, we have a change.
00:35:22.95\00:35:26.65
"And remember that you were
a slave in the land of Egypt,
00:35:26.69\00:35:29.99
and the LORD your
God brought you out
00:35:30.03\00:35:32.26
from there by a mighty hand
00:35:32.29\00:35:33.90
and by an outstretched arm;
00:35:33.93\00:35:35.43
therefore the LORD
your God commanded you
00:35:35.46\00:35:38.60
to keep the Sabbath. "
00:35:38.63\00:35:40.04
Observe the
Sabbath... remember it
00:35:40.10\00:35:44.17
because you
were a slave in Egypt
00:35:44.21\00:35:48.21
and God brought you
out with His mighty hand.
00:35:48.24\00:35:50.41
So, not only is the
Sabbath a memorial for Creation,
00:35:50.45\00:35:56.05
not only is it a
powerful reminder of creation
00:35:56.08\00:35:58.45
and our Creator God,
00:35:58.49\00:35:59.82
but it's also a reminder
that we have been redeemed.
00:35:59.85\00:36:03.76
We have been set free,
not by slavery in Egypt
00:36:03.79\00:36:09.13
but we have been set
free from the slavery of sin.
00:36:09.16\00:36:14.44
That's what the Sabbath is...
00:36:14.47\00:36:17.81
reminding us of creation...
reminding us of redemption...
00:36:17.84\00:36:22.28
I find it fascinating and
I don't think it's by chance
00:36:22.31\00:36:26.72
that in Genesis chapter 1 and 2,
00:36:26.75\00:36:29.48
there it says, "And God
finished all of His work
00:36:29.52\00:36:31.75
that He had done
00:36:31.79\00:36:33.12
at the end of six
days of creation. "
00:36:33.15\00:36:35.69
And then, when we come to
Calvary 4,000 years later,
00:36:35.72\00:36:41.00
Jesus' final words
before He gives up the Spirit
00:36:41.03\00:36:46.37
as the Bible says, or
gives up His breath and dies,
00:36:46.40\00:36:50.07
He cries out in
John chapter 19 verse 30,
00:36:50.11\00:36:53.21
"It is... " what?
00:36:53.24\00:36:54.81
"finished... "
00:36:54.84\00:36:56.34
and He cried out on
Friday, "It is finished"
00:36:56.38\00:36:59.01
when He purchased our
salvation by His precious blood.
00:36:59.25\00:37:04.75
Audience: Amen.
00:37:04.79\00:37:06.12
At the end of the
six days of Creation,
00:37:06.15\00:37:09.49
God said, "It is finished... "
00:37:09.52\00:37:12.23
and He rested on the Sabbath.
00:37:12.26\00:37:14.90
At the end of
salvation on the cross,
00:37:14.93\00:37:21.00
on Friday afternoon,
00:37:21.04\00:37:23.57
Jesus cried out,
"It is finished... "
00:37:23.61\00:37:27.08
I have paid the
price... I have won the victory
00:37:27.11\00:37:30.35
amen...
00:37:30.38\00:37:31.71
and what did He do?
00:37:31.75\00:37:33.28
He rested... He
rested in the grave
00:37:33.31\00:37:35.88
and he rose on the
first day of the week,
00:37:35.92\00:37:38.69
the first day of Creation...
00:37:38.72\00:37:40.26
to continue to re-create
in you and me and all of us
00:37:40.29\00:37:44.46
His wonderful image
00:37:44.49\00:37:46.23
and to prepare us for the
heavenly courts above, amen.
00:37:46.26\00:37:48.86
Audience: Amen.
00:37:48.90\00:37:50.23
The Sabbath...
00:37:50.27\00:37:51.60
God's memorial of
creation and redemption...
00:37:51.63\00:37:57.21
and for this
reason... for this reason
00:37:57.24\00:38:00.41
because the Sabbath is
linked in Exodus chapter 20
00:38:00.48\00:38:06.92
to Creation
00:38:06.95\00:38:08.28
and the Sabbath is
linked in Deuteronomy chapter 5
00:38:08.32\00:38:13.32
to God's redemption
for the people of God...
00:38:13.36\00:38:18.26
listen to me
carefully and clearly,
00:38:18.29\00:38:20.40
for the people of God,
00:38:20.43\00:38:22.36
the Sabbath
became God's covenant
00:38:22.40\00:38:26.90
with His people.
00:38:26.94\00:38:28.27
Audience: Amen.
00:38:28.30\00:38:29.64
Really?
00:38:29.67\00:38:31.01
Really.
00:38:31.04\00:38:32.37
Notice these words from Exodus
chapter 31 verses 12 and 13,
00:38:32.41\00:38:40.02
"And the LORD
spoke to Moses, saying,
00:38:40.05\00:38:43.05
'Speak also to the
children of Israel, saying:
00:38:43.08\00:38:45.32
"Surely My... '" what?
00:38:45.35\00:38:47.32
"My Sabbaths you
shall... " do what?
00:38:47.36\00:38:50.19
"you shall keep
for it is a... " what?
00:38:50.23\00:38:52.96
"a sign between me and
you throughout your... " what?
00:38:52.99\00:38:57.47
"generations,
that you may... " what?
00:38:57.50\00:38:59.67
"know that I am the
LORD who... " does what?
00:38:59.70\00:39:02.97
"sanctifies you. "
00:39:03.00\00:39:04.34
Wow!
00:39:04.37\00:39:06.37
The Sabbath is God's covenant
between Him and His people.
00:39:06.41\00:39:15.98
It was to be the outward sign...
00:39:16.02\00:39:18.85
it was to be the
outward demonstration
00:39:18.89\00:39:21.62
that you belong to God.
00:39:21.69\00:39:23.02
A little like two individuals
on their very special day
00:39:23.06\00:39:30.77
when they say, "I do...
" before all their family
00:39:30.80\00:39:33.94
before all their friends...
00:39:33.97\00:39:35.47
will give one another a... what?
00:39:35.50\00:39:38.04
As an outward symbol
00:39:38.07\00:39:39.41
that they have committed
their lives together forever.
00:39:39.44\00:39:41.74
Until death do them part.
00:39:41.78\00:39:43.24
What do they give one another?
00:39:43.28\00:39:44.61
Do you know what
they give one another?
00:39:44.65\00:39:48.08
They give one
another.. yeah... a kiss...
00:39:48.12\00:39:51.65
I'm thinking of... I'm
thinking of something that's
00:39:51.72\00:39:54.69
possibly a little bit
more significant to them.
00:39:54.72\00:39:57.69
Well, depending...
00:39:57.73\00:39:59.76
they give one
another a wedding ring.
00:39:59.79\00:40:02.00
Isn't that right?
00:40:02.06\00:40:03.97
In many cultures... including
our culture here in Australia,
00:40:04.00\00:40:08.14
many choose to give
one another a wedding ring.
00:40:08.17\00:40:12.67
What's that wedding ring?
00:40:12.71\00:40:15.31
A wedding ring is
an outward symbol...
00:40:15.34\00:40:18.71
an outward sign to
all those around you
00:40:18.75\00:40:22.72
that you have done... what?
00:40:22.75\00:40:24.09
That you have
committed your life to someone
00:40:24.12\00:40:27.39
for the rest of your life
00:40:27.42\00:40:29.29
and so the... the
Sabbath is that outward sign...
00:40:29.32\00:40:33.70
it's that the outward
symbol that God's people choose
00:40:33.76\00:40:37.90
as they keep that day holy
00:40:37.93\00:40:41.47
to demonstrate
before the entire world
00:40:41.50\00:40:45.67
that they
belong to their Creator
00:40:45.74\00:40:48.28
and Redeemer God, amen.
00:40:48.31\00:40:49.91
Audience: Amen.
00:40:49.94\00:40:51.28
That's the whole
purpose of the Sabbath.
00:40:51.31\00:40:54.88
It's powerful...
absolutely powerful.
00:40:54.92\00:40:58.45
and so too, at the end of time,
00:40:58.52\00:41:01.16
the Bible says in
Revelation chapter 7
00:41:01.19\00:41:04.33
and Revelation chapter 14,
00:41:04.36\00:41:05.69
God will have a people
who will receive His seal.
00:41:05.73\00:41:08.50
The seal... the sign...
00:41:08.53\00:41:10.67
it will be the covenant between
God and His faithful people
00:41:10.70\00:41:14.44
at the end of time,
00:41:14.47\00:41:15.80
you can read about that
in Revelation chapter 7,
00:41:15.84\00:41:17.57
verses 1 to 3,
00:41:17.61\00:41:18.94
we don't have time
to go there tonight,
00:41:18.97\00:41:20.34
in Revelation
chapter 14 verse 1,
00:41:20.38\00:41:22.51
where Revelation
describes God's end-time people
00:41:22.54\00:41:26.15
as having His Father's name
written on their foreheads...
00:41:26.18\00:41:30.19
that sign of the covenant
00:41:30.22\00:41:35.66
that was for God's
people during the time of Israel
00:41:35.69\00:41:41.33
continues all the way
through to the very end of time
00:41:41.36\00:41:46.97
and God's seal...
00:41:47.00\00:41:48.34
God sign at the end of
time is indeed His Sabbath day.
00:41:48.37\00:41:51.51
It's His Sabbath day
and make no mistake...
00:41:51.57\00:41:55.58
those three significant
elements of a seal...
00:41:55.61\00:41:59.61
the name...
00:41:59.65\00:42:01.58
the title...
00:42:01.62\00:42:03.52
the territory of the
person giving that seal...
00:42:03.55\00:42:06.89
they are all found in
the Sabbath Commandment.
00:42:06.92\00:42:10.69
"The Lord your God
Who is the Creator... "
00:42:10.73\00:42:14.46
that's His title...
00:42:14.50\00:42:16.10
His dominion... "the
heavens and the earth
00:42:16.16\00:42:18.33
and all that is within
them... " it's all in there...
00:42:18.37\00:42:20.17
and if we had time to
unpack that, I would...
00:42:20.20\00:42:22.80
but that's God's seal...
00:42:22.84\00:42:24.57
that's God's special
sign at the end of time
00:42:24.61\00:42:26.47
and in Hebrews...
00:42:26.51\00:42:27.84
Hebrews chapter 4
and verses 4 and 9,
00:42:27.88\00:42:32.01
New Testament...
we have these words,
00:42:32.05\00:42:36.18
"For He has spoken in a
certain place of the seventh day
00:42:36.22\00:42:38.92
in this way:
00:42:38.95\00:42:40.32
'And God... '" did what?
00:42:40.36\00:42:42.19
"rested on the seventh
day from all His works...
00:42:42.22\00:42:45.53
therefore there
remains a rest" for who?
00:42:45.56\00:42:50.43
"for the people of God. "
00:42:50.47\00:42:52.20
There remains a rest
for the people of God...
00:42:52.23\00:42:55.34
pause...
00:42:55.37\00:42:58.67
that word there "remains"
is in the continuous tense.
00:42:58.71\00:43:01.44
I'm not a scholar...
I'm not even close...
00:43:01.48\00:43:05.08
but I asked one of
my "scholar" friends
00:43:05.11\00:43:08.68
who is a... who is well
versed and well acquainted
00:43:08.72\00:43:13.99
with the Greek
language of the New Testament
00:43:14.02\00:43:15.99
and I asked him... I said,
00:43:16.02\00:43:17.76
"Is it possible that this
is in the continuous tense?"
00:43:17.79\00:43:20.30
He says, "Yes...
00:43:20.33\00:43:21.66
this means it remains forever
and ever and ever and ever. "
00:43:21.70\00:43:27.90
Audience: Praise the Lord.
00:43:27.94\00:43:29.77
The Sabbath remains as
God's eternal covenant.
00:43:29.80\00:43:33.84
I want to share with you
00:43:33.88\00:43:36.81
something you may
not have thought of.
00:43:36.85\00:43:38.18
"Remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy... "
00:43:38.21\00:43:42.88
there is a covenant
that God made with Noah.
00:43:42.92\00:43:46.82
You can read the
story of Noah in Genesis
00:43:46.86\00:43:49.92
and you'll
discover there that God...
00:43:49.96\00:43:53.73
God has Moses...
the author of Genesis,
00:43:53.76\00:43:57.47
writing the story of the flood
in what is known as a Chiasm.
00:43:57.50\00:44:03.67
You may be thinking,
"What on earth is a Chiasm?"
00:44:03.71\00:44:05.84
A Chiasm is a literary
device that the Hebrews used
00:44:05.87\00:44:10.71
and the majority of the
stories of the Old Testament
00:44:10.75\00:44:14.62
or many of them are
written in this Chiastic form
00:44:14.65\00:44:18.52
which is... where the
first part of the story
00:44:18.55\00:44:21.52
lines up with the
last part of the story.
00:44:21.56\00:44:24.53
Second... with
the second last...
00:44:24.56\00:44:26.49
third... with the third last...
00:44:26.53\00:44:27.86
and so on and so forth
00:44:27.90\00:44:29.26
until you get to
the heart of the Chiasm
00:44:29.30\00:44:32.43
which I call the "bull's eye"
00:44:32.50\00:44:35.07
the most
important part of the story
00:44:35.10\00:44:37.64
and in the story of Noah,
00:44:37.67\00:44:39.81
guess what the very
center of the story of Noah is?
00:44:39.84\00:44:43.51
It's Genesis chapter 8 verse 1
00:44:43.55\00:44:46.58
and there it simply says,
"And God remembered Noah. "
00:44:46.61\00:44:51.45
Wow!
00:44:51.49\00:44:53.25
"Remember the
Sabbath-day covenant"
00:44:53.29\00:44:57.16
God remembered Noah.
00:44:57.19\00:44:59.69
Could it be that when
the thief on the cross says,
00:44:59.73\00:45:05.60
"Lord, remember me when
You come into Your Kingdom... "
00:45:05.63\00:45:09.27
he was calling upon
the covenant of God...
00:45:09.30\00:45:12.74
the
truthfulness... the faithfulness
00:45:12.77\00:45:15.24
of God and His covenant.
00:45:15.31\00:45:16.95
The Old Testament
ends... go home and read it...
00:45:16.98\00:45:22.15
Malachi chapter
4, verses 5 and 6,
00:45:22.18\00:45:24.65
where God, one final
time, is seeking to...
00:45:24.69\00:45:28.69
is seeking to remind His
people of His loving covenant
00:45:28.72\00:45:31.69
that He has made with
them and He says, "Remember...
00:45:31.73\00:45:34.66
remember the
covenant I made with you,
00:45:34.70\00:45:39.77
you can look it up.
00:45:39.80\00:45:41.14
Remember...
00:45:41.17\00:45:42.50
I wonder why it's called
the Book of Remembrance...
00:45:42.54\00:45:47.61
Remembrance...
00:45:47.64\00:45:49.54
lest we forget God and
His covenant of love...
00:45:49.58\00:45:55.08
His covenant of grace to us
00:45:55.12\00:45:58.39
God said, "Remember...
00:45:58.42\00:46:01.62
Remember...
00:46:01.69\00:46:03.46
and so as we end, we want to
go to the book of Revelation,
00:46:03.49\00:46:07.93
Revelation chapter 14
00:46:07.96\00:46:09.96
where one final time at
the end of earth's history,
00:46:10.00\00:46:12.87
and Pastor Geoff
Youlden reminded us of this
00:46:12.90\00:46:17.04
in previous powerful
message on the judgment.
00:46:17.07\00:46:21.18
and Revelation chapter 14,
00:46:21.21\00:46:24.61
we have God's final
message of love to the world...
00:46:24.65\00:46:27.72
three angels that are
streaking through the skies
00:46:27.75\00:46:32.22
at the end of time
symbolic three angels...
00:46:32.25\00:46:35.16
three all-important messages
that God has for the world
00:46:35.19\00:46:38.99
and notice these words in
Revelation 14 verses 6 and 7,
00:46:39.03\00:46:42.20
John writes, "Then
I saw another angel
00:46:42.23\00:46:46.50
flying in the midst of
heaven, having the... " what?
00:46:46.53\00:46:48.74
"the everlasting gospel
00:46:48.77\00:46:50.44
to preach to those
who dwell on the earth...
00:46:50.47\00:46:52.34
to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people...
00:46:52.37\00:46:54.41
saying with a loud voice,
'Fear God and give glory to Him,
00:46:54.44\00:46:58.35
for the hour of His
judgment has come... '"
00:46:58.38\00:47:00.45
and notice these words now,
00:47:00.48\00:47:01.82
and do... what?
00:47:01.85\00:47:03.18
"worship Him who
made heaven and earth,
00:47:03.22\00:47:05.25
the sea and the
springs of water. "
00:47:05.29\00:47:07.46
These words are taken directly
out of the 4th Commandment,
00:47:07.49\00:47:12.23
"to worship Him Who
made heaven and earth,
00:47:12.26\00:47:16.77
the sea and the
springs of water. "
00:47:16.80\00:47:18.13
These words come to us
from the book of Genesis
00:47:18.17\00:47:21.04
where God gave the
Sabbath to the human race.
00:47:21.07\00:47:24.27
At the end of time, God
is inviting the world...
00:47:24.31\00:47:27.44
inviting the world to
enter into His covenant of grace
00:47:27.48\00:47:33.38
that the Sabbath is
such a powerful symbol of...
00:47:33.42\00:47:38.55
to worship Him as
Creator and God...
00:47:38.59\00:47:42.09
as Creator and God.
00:47:42.12\00:47:43.83
Today, the
Sabbath is under attack
00:47:43.86\00:47:49.33
and I don't need to remind you
00:47:49.36\00:47:50.97
especially, ever since Charles
Darwin put out his thesis,
00:47:51.00\00:47:59.37
"The Origin of Species" in 1859
00:47:59.41\00:48:03.55
no longer do many...
00:48:03.58\00:48:07.02
do most, especially
in the western world
00:48:07.05\00:48:11.85
believe that we came
from a loving Creator God
00:48:11.89\00:48:15.52
and so the Creator and
creation is under attack.
00:48:15.56\00:48:19.16
I find it
fascinating that Charles Darwin
00:48:19.19\00:48:24.27
put out his first
major 230-page draft of
00:48:24.33\00:48:29.37
"Original of the
Species" in 1844...
00:48:29.40\00:48:31.87
in 1844...
00:48:31.91\00:48:33.91
the beginning of the judgment...
00:48:33.94\00:48:36.31
the beginning of
the judgment hour, wow!
00:48:36.34\00:48:39.81
Two messages going head
to head and so, this message
00:48:39.85\00:48:44.35
is for the entire world
00:48:44.39\00:48:45.92
and God says, "He
will have a people... "
00:48:45.95\00:48:47.76
He will have a
people on planet earth
00:48:47.79\00:48:49.56
who will be faithful to Him...
00:48:49.59\00:48:52.03
who will enter
into His covenant...
00:48:52.06\00:48:54.00
we read that in
verse 12 of Revelation 14,
00:48:54.03\00:48:56.26
"Here is the
patience of... " who?
00:48:56.30\00:48:57.73
"the saints,
00:48:57.77\00:48:59.10
"here are those
who... " do what?"
00:48:59.13\00:49:00.54
keep the
commandments of God... "
00:49:00.57\00:49:01.90
and have the what?
"the faith of Jesus"
00:49:01.94\00:49:04.07
and these groups of
people are hated by the enemy.
00:49:04.11\00:49:07.94
They're absolutely
hated by the enemy...
00:49:07.98\00:49:11.51
in Revelation 12:17, the
dragon... who is Satan...
00:49:11.58\00:49:15.08
a symbol of Satan...
00:49:15.12\00:49:16.45
he hates God's people who enter
into this Commandment Covenant
00:49:16.48\00:49:23.19
of grace...
00:49:23.22\00:49:24.63
and he seeks to destroy them.
00:49:24.69\00:49:29.30
He seeks to destroy them.
00:49:29.33\00:49:31.07
Why?
00:49:31.10\00:49:32.63
That is because according
to Revelation 22 and verse 14,
00:49:32.67\00:49:36.44
God's end-time
covenant-keeping people
00:49:36.47\00:49:40.68
those who love Jesus
and keep His commandments
00:49:40.71\00:49:43.75
including the one that begins
with the word "remember. "
00:49:43.78\00:49:46.35
In Revelation 22
verse 14, it says,
00:49:46.38\00:49:49.95
"Blessed are those
who do His commandments
00:49:49.98\00:49:52.25
that they may have the
right to the Tree of Life
00:49:52.29\00:49:54.16
and may enter through
the gates into the City. "
00:49:54.19\00:49:56.39
Audience: Amen.
00:49:56.42\00:49:57.83
"Blessed...
blessed are they... "
00:49:57.86\00:50:00.40
that word rings
a bell doesn't it?
00:50:00.43\00:50:02.50
"Blessed... "
00:50:02.53\00:50:03.87
I remember reading that
in Genesis 2 and Exodus 20.
00:50:03.90\00:50:09.34
"Blessed... blessed. "
00:50:09.37\00:50:12.01
So the Sabbath... as we
take a look at the Sabbath
00:50:12.04\00:50:15.08
in the Bible,
00:50:15.14\00:50:17.18
we see that at
the beginning of time
00:50:17.21\00:50:20.08
God created the Sabbath day.
00:50:20.12\00:50:22.38
At Mount Sinai,
God commanded it.
00:50:22.42\00:50:24.69
In His life,
Jesus worshipped on it.
00:50:24.72\00:50:26.65
In his death, Jesus observed it.
00:50:26.69\00:50:28.56
The New Testament
church continued to observe it.
00:50:28.62\00:50:31.89
God's last-day
people will keep it.
00:50:31.93\00:50:33.90
And finally, number 7...
00:50:33.93\00:50:36.13
we got to have 7 don't we?
00:50:36.16\00:50:38.27
We're dealing with the
Sabbath, we got to have 7...
00:50:38.30\00:50:40.60
finally, the Sabbath
will remain for how long?
00:50:40.64\00:50:43.67
Forever and ever and ever...
00:50:43.71\00:50:46.37
let me finish off with Isaiah
chapter 66 verses 22 and 23
00:50:46.44\00:50:50.78
where God describes those who
are living in the New Jerusalem
00:50:50.81\00:50:55.15
on the earth made new,
00:50:55.18\00:50:57.39
"For as the new heavens and
the new earth which I will make
00:50:57.42\00:51:00.46
shall remain
before Me, says the LORD,
00:51:00.49\00:51:02.22
So shall your descendants
and your name remain.
00:51:02.26\00:51:04.86
And it shall come to pass that
from one New Moon to another,
00:51:04.89\00:51:08.33
and from one... " what?
00:51:08.36\00:51:09.73
"Sabbath to another...
" most of the flesh...
00:51:09.76\00:51:13.13
No! "all flesh
shall come and" do what?
00:51:13.17\00:51:16.20
"worship before
Me, says the LORD."
00:51:16.24\00:51:19.17
Wow! God's Sabbath
given to the human race
00:51:19.24\00:51:23.98
as a blessing before
sin entered the world
00:51:24.05\00:51:28.72
will continue to be a
blessing to all of the redeemed
00:51:28.75\00:51:33.59
throughout the
ceaseless ages of eternity
00:51:33.66\00:51:37.16
so, what are we
going to do every Sabbath?
00:51:37.19\00:51:40.66
Good question,
thank you for asking.
00:51:40.70\00:51:42.76
We're going to come
before our Creator God
00:51:42.80\00:51:45.90
and our Redeemer God
00:51:45.93\00:51:47.40
and we're going
to fall at His feet
00:51:47.44\00:51:49.30
and we're going to say,
"Thank You and praise Your name
00:51:49.34\00:51:53.38
that You
created us in Your image
00:51:53.41\00:51:57.45
and when we walked
away, You came in human form
00:51:57.48\00:52:02.92
and You died for
us as our redeemer
00:52:02.95\00:52:06.86
and then You came
as our coming King
00:52:06.89\00:52:10.69
to usher us
into the eternal rest
00:52:10.73\00:52:14.36
where there'll
be no more pain...
00:52:14.40\00:52:17.37
no more suffering...
00:52:17.40\00:52:19.67
no more sin...
00:52:19.73\00:52:21.07
each and every Sabbath,
we will bow down and worship
00:52:21.10\00:52:25.51
our Creator and our Redeemer God
00:52:25.54\00:52:29.44
Who will sustain
us for all eternity. "
00:52:29.48\00:52:32.78
Audience: Amen.
00:52:32.81\00:52:34.15
So, is it your decision...
00:52:34.18\00:52:35.52
is it your desire to
be part of that group
00:52:35.55\00:52:39.12
throughout all eternity
that will come and worship...
00:52:39.15\00:52:43.19
because it's all about who
is worthy to be worshipped...
00:52:43.22\00:52:47.23
worship the
Creator and the Redeemer.
00:52:47.26\00:52:49.96
Is that your desire?
00:52:50.00\00:52:51.37
That is my desire, let us pray,
00:52:51.43\00:52:53.64
"Father in heaven, we
thank You and praise You
00:52:53.67\00:52:57.54
that Jesus is our
Creator... He is our Savior
00:52:57.57\00:53:01.41
and He is our coming King...
00:53:01.44\00:53:04.08
the One we will live
forever and ever with.
00:53:04.11\00:53:07.02
Bless us Father,
on this Sabbath day
00:53:07.05\00:53:09.85
as we long and look
forward to that eternal rest,
00:53:09.88\00:53:13.05
we will enjoy with Jesus
Christ our Lord and our Savior,
00:53:13.09\00:53:18.73
in His name we pray,
00:53:18.76\00:53:20.13
and everybody
said, amen and amen... "
00:53:20.16\00:53:22.53
and God bless.
00:53:22.56\00:53:24.40