"And this is the record
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that God hath
given to us eternal life,
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and this life is in His Son."
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Welcome to 3ABN
Australia Homecoming.
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Welcome to today's program.
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It's the Homecoming
of 3ABN Australia 2020.
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And it's called
Preparing for Eternity.
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Preparing for
Eternity involves knowing Jesus
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and we're going through
the book Steps to Christ,
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so that we can know
Jesus and be ready for eternity
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because without knowing
Jesus, we won't be there.
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So I'm Rosemary Malkiewycz.
I'm the host for this program.
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And I welcome the people
who are here to watch this
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and to listen to
Pastor Mike Browning.
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You know, Pastor Mike,
from our Let God Speak series.
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He's our main host
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and the producer
for that program.
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And he does an wonderful job
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and he's been
doing it for many years.
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He's gonna be leading us through
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Chapter 2 of Steps to Christ,
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The Sinner's Need of Christ,
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but in our previous program,
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we listened to Dr. Sven Ostring,
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who helped us with
Chapter 1, God's Love for Man,
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and he somewhat
summarized it this way.
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One, people are
engineered for a type of love
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that cannot ultimately
be found in this world.
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Two, God is the
greatest being in the universe,
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and love is His
greatest quality.
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Three, we catch
glimpses of God's love
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in the world around us.
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Four, the Bible is the record
of the history of God's love.
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And five, the clearest picture
that we have of God's love
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is in the
person of Jesus Christ,
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in His life,
death, and resurrection.
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But before we hear
Pastor Mike Browning,
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we have Dr. Kevin
and his wife Jennifer,
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Dr. Kevin Petrie
and Jennifer Petrie.
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And they're gonna
sing a song for us this day
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on this program
called Hide Me Lord.
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Into His presence
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I run to hide
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Though the storm
clouds may gather
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And the tempest are wild
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There's not a darkness
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Or a wind that can blow
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But my Heavenly
Father already knows
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Hide me Lord
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Until the storm is passed
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Take me to the
shelter of your wings
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Hold me Lord
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For the night is lengthy, Lord
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Hide us in the
shadow of Your wings
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There is no sorrow
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That ye had not seen
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And when there's a burden
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He shares it with me
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You test us Lord
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And refine us like gold
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But You never reject us
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You never let go
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Hide me Lord
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Until the storm is passed
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Take me to the
shelter of Your wings
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Hold me Lord
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For the night is lengthy, Lord
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Hide us in the
shadow of Your wings
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Hide me Lord
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until the storm is passed
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Take me to the
shelter of Your wings
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Hold me Lord
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For the night is lengthy, Lord
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Hide us in the
shadow of Your wings
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Hide us in the shadow
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Of Your wings
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Well, thank you,
Kevin and Jennifer,
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that was an
absolutely beautiful song.
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And it was very touching.
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And I appreciate that.
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And welcome to
those who have come
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to share with us today.
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We'd like to invite you
to bear with us in prayer
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as we seek God before
we open the Scripture.
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So please join us.
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Father in heaven, we
thank You, Lord God in heaven,
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for the privilege
of being alive today.
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We're talking about
life today and what it means,
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its value and how
it can be extended.
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And I pray that You'll guide us
through Your Holy Spirit today.
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Guide the words of this preacher
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and touch every
heart listening please,
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Lord, I pray
this in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Now I think we all know,
folks, that death is so final.
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And it can come
as a tremendous shock
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and can turn us right off.
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All of we thinking, my
dad, when he was getting old,
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was getting more frail
as people do, of course,
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and then I got a call,
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we were living
on the Gold Coast,
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which is in
Queensland in Australia,
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and we got the call.
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Dad's failing, you
probably should come down.
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He was living in Sydney,
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which is about 9
hours drive away from us.
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And I was out at
the time got home,
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and my wife Anne
says, "Had this call.
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I did ring the airport,
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there's just two seats
left on the last plane tonight.
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We could get on that
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or we can drive
down in the morning."
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And I thought, "Oh,
what are we going to do?"
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They were
expensive seats, you know,
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you buy them off the cuff.
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And yes, they're
usually pretty deep.
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And anyhow,
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I wanted my car
down there in Sydney.
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So I said, "Ah,
we've got to pray.
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We've got to know from
God, should we go on this,
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take these two
seats on the plane
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and go or should we
drive down in the morning?"
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So we just got on our knees
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and we prayed and we prayed
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and we didn't have
long to make a decision.
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And I said, "Lord, I
know this is unusual.
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And you don't often do this,
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but I'd like you to
speak to me through the Bible."
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We've got to know now
because we've only got
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a few moments to
make our decision.
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So I said, "Lord, please speak
to me through the scriptures."
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And so I opened
up the scriptures.
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And I read Psalm 130:6.
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Now I wanna read it out to you
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because it's just
amazing what it says.
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"My soul waits for the Lord
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more than those who
watch for the morning.
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Yes, more than those
who watch for the morning."
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And I knew God had spoken.
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Now I must hasten to say here
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that I've sought
God for direction
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through the
scriptures like that before.
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And God has not
chosen to do that.
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So I don't want anyone
to get the wrong idea here,
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but I would like
to pose the question,
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why did God answer
that question so directly
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through the
scripture on that occasion?
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And I think the answer
is pretty obvious, folks.
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Death is a very big
deal to us, isn't it?
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Somebody close to
us is passing away,
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or even if it's us,
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when the time comes,
it's a very important thing.
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And because of that,
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it's very
important to go out as well.
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And perhaps you've
had that experience.
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I've seen so
many people's lives,
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in their lives when
death is approaching
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to someone in the family.
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God really goes out
of His way to help people
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because He is very compassionate
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towards us at such
a time because death,
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dear folks, brings to the end,
the greatest gift that we have,
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which is life.
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And by the way,
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we took those two
plane tickets down to Sydney.
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We got down there,
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about 9 o'clock in the evening
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and by 1 o'clock in the morning,
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dad, breathe his last.
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Had we not gone?
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When we did I wouldn't have said
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my goodbyes to him
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and being able to
just communicate with him
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briefly before he went.
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So God knew what He was doing.
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A tenderness of
God is just remarkable,
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that such a time as this
death is the cessation of life,
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and life is our greatest gift.
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If you don't have life,
you don't have anything.
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And so how important it is.
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All right, so I'm
going to talk more
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about life today than
death, you'll be glad to know.
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Well, I want to
talk about physical life.
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Now everybody here,
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at this point in
time has physical life
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or natural life,
as the Bible puts it,
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saint and sinner,
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we're all the
same, we possess life.
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That's the thing
that God has given us.
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We are born and we live,
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that your conception 200 million
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would be humans
took to the racetrack,
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your little
champion got there first
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and here you are.
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You're alive, and
you're enjoying natural life.
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And that's amazing.
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Initially, of course,
the human race was born
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a little differently
from the way it is today.
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Adam and Eve, our
first parents were pure,
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and happy, and holy in
every sense of the word.
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And I'm going to read to you
from Steps to Christ Chapter 2,
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the chapter
we're looking at today
00:11:03.02\00:11:05.06
because I want
to just make clear
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what sort of a
person Adam representing
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each one of us as guardian,
potentially wanted us to be.
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And it says this, "Adam
was perfect in his being,
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and in harmony with God.
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His thoughts were
pure, his aims were holy."
00:11:20.38\00:11:25.01
So it was a beautiful,
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holy happy being
that God had made,
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but unfortunately,
didn't stay that way.
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And without
going into the detail
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of Adam and Eve's fall,
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and their disobedience
to God, I'm just gonna read
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very briefly still in Chapter 7,
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verse, I'm sorry,
page 17 of Steps to Christ.
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"But through disobedience,
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he is that Adams
powers were perverted,
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and selfishness took
the place of love sadly.
00:11:49.54\00:11:54.34
As a result, it
was impossible for him,
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in his own strength, to
resist the power of evil."
00:11:57.15\00:12:01.85
And so mankind moved
into a very difficult time,
00:12:01.88\00:12:05.25
in your
experience, in our experience,
00:12:05.29\00:12:08.26
sin definitely marred humanity.
00:12:08.29\00:12:11.23
And one of the worst,
and most damaging emotions
00:12:11.26\00:12:14.90
that we can
experience which is fear,
00:12:14.93\00:12:17.60
was immediately
coming into their lives.
00:12:17.63\00:12:19.83
And amazingly,
they were afraid of God.
00:12:19.87\00:12:23.71
And I thought, well,
that's tremendously sad.
00:12:23.74\00:12:26.74
Not only that, they were denied
access to the tree of life.
00:12:26.78\00:12:29.38
And so
therefore, they were doomed,
00:12:29.41\00:12:32.55
there's no other
word to describe it,
00:12:32.58\00:12:34.12
the wages of sin is death,
and that's what they faced,
00:12:34.15\00:12:37.25
and ultimately experienced.
00:12:37.29\00:12:39.79
I'm going to read to you
00:12:39.82\00:12:41.32
1 Corinthians 15:44,
00:12:41.36\00:12:46.76
which says this,
talking about death,
00:12:46.80\00:12:50.37
"It is sown as in
buried, a natural body.
00:12:50.40\00:12:55.04
It is raised a spiritual body."
00:12:55.07\00:12:57.34
So that's the kind of body
you have in the resurrection,
00:12:57.37\00:12:59.27
a spiritual body.
00:12:59.31\00:13:00.94
"There is a natural body,
and there is a spiritual body."
00:13:00.98\00:13:04.95
Now that's interesting,
00:13:04.98\00:13:06.31
and he makes
that difference there.
00:13:06.35\00:13:07.68
We'll talk about that some more.
00:13:07.72\00:13:09.18
Next, verse 45, says,
"And so it is written,
00:13:09.22\00:13:13.25
'The first man Adam
became a living being.'
00:13:13.29\00:13:16.83
The last Adam became
a life-giving spirit,"
00:13:16.86\00:13:19.09
reference to Jesus here.
00:13:19.13\00:13:21.60
Verse 46, "However,
the spiritual is not first,
00:13:21.63\00:13:24.60
but the natural."
00:13:24.63\00:13:25.97
So you have natural life now,
but the spiritual, and he says,
00:13:26.00\00:13:29.84
"afterward the
spiritual," the spiritual life,
00:13:29.87\00:13:32.61
is what God is going to give us,
00:13:32.64\00:13:34.54
the spiritual body.
00:13:34.58\00:13:36.68
The spiritual body, folks,
00:13:36.71\00:13:38.05
don't think in terms of
disembodied spirits floating
00:13:38.08\00:13:40.35
about without
bodies, a spiritual body.
00:13:40.38\00:13:43.92
And it's quite different.
That's really interesting.
00:13:43.95\00:13:45.92
So how is God
going to respond to us?
00:13:45.95\00:13:48.46
Well, in Galatians 4:4,
00:13:48.49\00:13:53.36
Paul, the Apostle
Paul clearly explains
00:13:53.40\00:13:55.90
what happened, what God did.
00:13:55.93\00:13:58.20
Verse 4, "But when the
fullness of the time had come,"
00:13:58.23\00:14:02.74
the fullness of the time
00:14:02.77\00:14:04.11
with reference
to Daniel Chapter 9,
00:14:04.14\00:14:05.67
which gives the
exact time for the Messiah,
00:14:05.71\00:14:08.88
the Son of God to
appear on the earth.
00:14:08.91\00:14:11.21
"When the fullness
of the time had come,
00:14:11.25\00:14:13.72
God sent forth His Son,
00:14:13.75\00:14:16.08
born of a woman,
born under the law."
00:14:16.12\00:14:18.25
So He sent forth His
Son to save us from death.
00:14:18.29\00:14:23.96
We faced a terrible dilemma.
00:14:23.99\00:14:26.70
None of us can stop the
march toward the grave, can we?
00:14:26.73\00:14:30.67
Some of us here are further
along the way than others,
00:14:30.70\00:14:34.07
but we're on
conscious of that fact.
00:14:34.10\00:14:36.37
And that's not a bad thing,
00:14:36.40\00:14:38.54
but it's, God
has a plan, however,
00:14:38.57\00:14:40.41
to deal with this,
and He sent His Son.
00:14:40.44\00:14:43.24
And once again, I'm appealing
to the writings of EGW here,
00:14:43.28\00:14:46.38
Ellen White in 1
Selected Messages, page 296.
00:14:46.41\00:14:51.35
And it makes this
statement, "In Him was life,"
00:14:51.39\00:14:55.52
talking about the
nature of Christ now,
00:14:55.56\00:14:57.93
"In him was life,
00:14:57.96\00:14:59.69
original,
unborrowed, underived."
00:14:59.73\00:15:03.80
Original,
unborrowed, this is underived,
00:15:03.83\00:15:06.53
this is a tremendously
profound statement, dear folks.
00:15:06.57\00:15:10.97
Jesus had life,
not just physical life,
00:15:11.01\00:15:14.08
which He did
have, just like we have,
00:15:14.11\00:15:16.54
and not just immortal life,
00:15:16.58\00:15:18.28
which is what
we are aspiring to.
00:15:18.31\00:15:20.48
He also possessed life.
00:15:20.52\00:15:22.82
Now there's a difference,
no other human being has ever
00:15:22.85\00:15:25.49
or will ever have that
power, only God possesses life.
00:15:25.52\00:15:29.39
There is
therefore able to give life,
00:15:29.42\00:15:31.63
no other human will have that.
00:15:31.66\00:15:34.76
I'm going to read from
00:15:34.80\00:15:36.63
1 John 5:11 there.
00:15:36.67\00:15:41.57
1 John 5:11.
00:15:41.60\00:15:47.51
A beautiful
statement by 1 John 5:11.
00:15:47.54\00:15:52.41
This is what he says,
"This is the testimony.
00:15:52.45\00:15:57.59
God has given us eternal
life," that's good to know,
00:15:57.62\00:16:01.62
"and this life
is found in His Son.
00:16:01.66\00:16:06.06
He who has the Son has life,
00:16:06.09\00:16:09.20
he who does not have
00:16:09.23\00:16:10.57
the Son of God
does not have life."
00:16:10.60\00:16:13.07
So Jesus is the source of life.
00:16:13.10\00:16:15.67
And if we come to Him,
00:16:15.70\00:16:17.27
we find the life
that we are looking
00:16:17.31\00:16:20.21
and inspiring to have
that is immortal life.
00:16:20.24\00:16:23.38
Remember that.
Remember that word.
00:16:23.41\00:16:27.55
Remember, life was
not gifted to Jesus,
00:16:27.58\00:16:29.92
He possessed life.
00:16:29.95\00:16:31.85
And that's why we
need Jesus, folks.
00:16:31.89\00:16:35.29
We need Him more
than anything else.
00:16:35.32\00:16:37.16
And we may have
all that He offers,
00:16:37.19\00:16:39.09
and He's prepared
to come into our lives.
00:16:39.13\00:16:41.66
I'm going to read to you
00:16:41.70\00:16:43.03
from the gospel
of John Chapter 10.
00:16:43.06\00:16:46.43
John understood
00:16:46.47\00:16:47.80
some of the most
profound aspects of Jesus' life,
00:16:47.84\00:16:51.07
and His possession
of the life principle.
00:16:51.11\00:16:53.24
John 5, sorry, 10:17,
00:16:53.27\00:16:58.31
John 10:17,
00:16:58.35\00:17:01.35
Jesus is talking and He says,
"Therefore My Father loves Me,
00:17:01.38\00:17:07.36
because I lay down My
life that I may take it again."
00:17:07.39\00:17:10.53
Now some of you
have been quite familiar
00:17:10.56\00:17:12.16
with this
statement, then this one.
00:17:12.19\00:17:14.46
"No one takes it from Me,
but I lay it down of Myself.
00:17:14.50\00:17:19.87
I have power to lay it down,
I have power to take it again.
00:17:19.90\00:17:23.41
This command I have
received from My Father."
00:17:23.44\00:17:26.88
Jesus lay down His life
when He died on the cross.
00:17:26.91\00:17:30.71
Folks, no one, He
says, takes it from Me.
00:17:30.75\00:17:33.82
He laid it down
willingly. This is amazing.
00:17:33.85\00:17:36.32
And what an
incredible thing to say.
00:17:36.35\00:17:38.22
So He lay down
His physical life,
00:17:38.25\00:17:42.29
not His divine life,
00:17:42.32\00:17:43.86
if you like
because in His divine life,
00:17:43.89\00:17:49.10
He was immortal,
00:17:49.13\00:17:50.67
which by definition
means not subject to death.
00:17:50.70\00:17:54.97
And so Jesus
divine life was immortal,
00:17:55.00\00:18:00.11
and, of course,
could not be lay down,
00:18:00.14\00:18:02.24
could not be lost.
00:18:02.28\00:18:03.85
And this is no wonder, folks,
00:18:03.88\00:18:05.21
when Jesus came
out of the grave,
00:18:05.25\00:18:07.82
as described in Revelation 1:18,
00:18:07.85\00:18:10.79
He says that He holds the
key to death and the grave.
00:18:10.82\00:18:15.76
And how exciting that is.
00:18:15.79\00:18:17.56
Dear friends, He is
the one that we need,
00:18:17.59\00:18:19.76
we need Him more than
we need anything else.
00:18:19.79\00:18:23.20
No other human
being has what Jesus has,
00:18:23.23\00:18:26.37
and He alone can give it to us.
00:18:26.40\00:18:28.37
Now look, here's a
profound statement.
00:18:28.40\00:18:29.74
Once again, it
comes from the writings
00:18:29.77\00:18:31.17
of Ellen G. White.
00:18:31.21\00:18:33.17
And it's found in the book,
Great Controversy, page 652.
00:18:33.21\00:18:38.41
It's a simple statement.
00:18:38.45\00:18:40.08
And this is what it says,
00:18:40.12\00:18:42.38
"The Mystery of
the cross explains
00:18:42.42\00:18:45.45
every other mystery."
00:18:45.49\00:18:47.32
Because I've just been talking
00:18:47.36\00:18:48.69
about a mystery here, haven't I?
00:18:48.72\00:18:50.76
How the Son of God
00:18:50.79\00:18:52.66
in His humanity
could lay down His life,
00:18:52.69\00:18:55.26
His natural life, and
then take it up again.
00:18:55.30\00:18:58.83
Now if that's
not a mystery to you,
00:18:58.87\00:19:01.04
then you have a spiritual
mind that I don't have.
00:19:01.07\00:19:04.37
It is a huge mystery, folks.
00:19:04.41\00:19:06.44
And this scripture,
00:19:06.47\00:19:07.81
this statement
rather by Ellen G. White
00:19:07.84\00:19:09.38
that the mystery of the cross,
00:19:09.41\00:19:11.88
which is what
we've just talked about,
00:19:11.91\00:19:13.38
that mystery,
explains all other mysteries.
00:19:13.42\00:19:17.39
What is the mystery
that the cross explains?
00:19:17.42\00:19:20.79
Now I know I'm only
going to touch the surface
00:19:20.82\00:19:22.79
on such a profound statement,
00:19:22.82\00:19:24.46
but I'm going to
do my best today.
00:19:24.49\00:19:27.16
In Romans 3:26,
00:19:27.20\00:19:32.50
Romans 3:26, the
Apostle Paul, again,
00:19:32.53\00:19:36.00
raises something
that's going to help us here.
00:19:36.04\00:19:39.01
Romans 3:26.
00:19:39.04\00:19:43.48
Romans 3:26, which says,
00:19:43.51\00:19:49.12
"To demonstrate
at the present time
00:19:49.15\00:19:51.29
His righteousness,
that He might be,"
00:19:51.32\00:19:54.56
now listen carefully here,
00:19:54.59\00:19:55.92
"that He might be
just and the justifier
00:19:55.96\00:19:59.59
of the one who
believes in Christ
00:19:59.63\00:20:02.60
or has faith in Christ."
00:20:02.63\00:20:04.67
Both just and
justify, He's just in that,
00:20:04.70\00:20:09.40
He met the demands of
the broken law of God,
00:20:09.44\00:20:11.77
the eternal law of God.
00:20:11.81\00:20:13.74
At the same time, He's
able to justify the people
00:20:13.78\00:20:17.01
who come to Him in faith.
00:20:17.05\00:20:18.88
And as you know that
we're justified as a play on,
00:20:18.91\00:20:21.22
we can use a play on the
word just as if I'd never sin,
00:20:21.25\00:20:24.82
you're accounted as
you have never sinned
00:20:24.85\00:20:26.76
if you've been justified,
00:20:26.79\00:20:28.59
and God is able
to do on the cross,
00:20:28.62\00:20:31.23
be both just,
00:20:31.26\00:20:32.83
and justifier of
those who believe.
00:20:32.86\00:20:35.56
And it's pretty exciting
when you think about it, folks,
00:20:35.60\00:20:38.07
that He is able to do that.
00:20:38.10\00:20:40.47
It's remarkable really.
00:20:40.50\00:20:42.07
I want to just go over
Chapter 6 of Romans as well.
00:20:42.10\00:20:46.31
This is 6:8 now, where it says,
00:20:46.34\00:20:50.41
"If we died with Christ,
00:20:50.45\00:20:52.91
we believe that we
shall also live with Him."
00:20:52.95\00:20:54.98
Now this is on the
tail end of a statement
00:20:55.02\00:20:56.55
that begins in verse 6,
00:20:56.58\00:20:58.29
which I'm now going to
read, still Romans 3, sorry,
00:20:58.32\00:21:01.46
Romans 6:6, "Knowing this,
00:21:01.49\00:21:05.03
that our old man
was crucified with Him,"
00:21:05.06\00:21:07.46
that is, our sinful
nature, folks, and our sins,
00:21:07.50\00:21:09.86
"we're crucified with Him."
00:21:09.90\00:21:12.17
When Jesus died, we
were deemed to have died.
00:21:12.20\00:21:17.17
This is the
mystery of the cross,
00:21:17.21\00:21:19.47
"that the body of sin
might be done away with,
00:21:19.51\00:21:21.64
that we should no
longer be slaves of sin.
00:21:21.68\00:21:24.58
For he who has died
has been freed from sin."
00:21:24.61\00:21:27.08
That's clear.
00:21:27.12\00:21:28.45
And then he goes on to
say what we read before,
00:21:28.48\00:21:30.02
"If we die with Christ,
00:21:30.05\00:21:31.75
we believe that we
shall also live with Him."
00:21:31.79\00:21:34.36
It's a very interesting thing.
00:21:34.39\00:21:36.83
When John was talking,
00:21:36.86\00:21:38.36
or quoting Jesus talking about
His coming death on the cross.
00:21:38.39\00:21:43.06
In John 12:31,
00:21:43.10\00:21:47.04
Jesus makes this
profound statement.
00:21:47.07\00:21:50.14
"Now is the
judgment of this world,
00:21:50.17\00:21:53.54
now the ruler of this
world will be cast out."
00:21:53.58\00:21:55.81
As He faces the cross,
He recognizes, dear friends,
00:21:55.84\00:21:58.91
that He is being
judged as guilty for the sins
00:21:58.95\00:22:02.18
of the entire world.
00:22:02.22\00:22:04.92
And because you are in
Christ, then the judgment
00:22:04.95\00:22:08.26
was placed on you of
guilt, you're guilty.
00:22:08.29\00:22:11.09
There's no question
about it, but Jesus,
00:22:11.13\00:22:13.36
as our representative was going
to pay the price for our guilt.
00:22:13.40\00:22:17.23
Praise God for that.
00:22:17.27\00:22:19.17
Then he goes on
to say in verse 32,
00:22:19.20\00:22:21.57
and give us the context.
00:22:21.60\00:22:23.24
"And I, if I am
lifted up from the earth,
00:22:23.27\00:22:25.51
will draw all people to Myself."
00:22:25.54\00:22:28.28
So it was the cross
he was talking about
00:22:28.31\00:22:30.08
being lifted up on
the cross when he said,
00:22:30.11\00:22:32.38
"Now is the
judgment of this world."
00:22:32.41\00:22:34.32
So the world, the whole
world, every human being,
00:22:34.35\00:22:38.19
dear friends, was
with exception of Himself,
00:22:38.22\00:22:41.62
the one who paid
the price for our sins.
00:22:41.66\00:22:43.59
Isn't that incredible?
That He should do that.
00:22:43.63\00:22:46.23
So what a blessing it
is that we have a Savior,
00:22:46.26\00:22:49.60
who was judged as
guilty for our sins,
00:22:49.63\00:22:52.47
in order that He
might be justifier
00:22:52.50\00:22:55.27
of those who believe in Christ.
00:22:55.30\00:22:57.57
Jesus tried to explain the fact
00:23:01.51\00:23:04.71
that He possessed life,
00:23:04.75\00:23:07.22
to the Sanhedrin,
00:23:07.25\00:23:08.58
the rulers of the Jewish people,
00:23:08.62\00:23:09.98
they didn't want to hear
it, but he told them anyway.
00:23:10.02\00:23:12.35
And I'm going to read
00:23:12.39\00:23:13.72
some of the things that
00:23:13.76\00:23:15.09
He said to them in John 5:21.
00:23:15.12\00:23:19.96
"As the Father raises the
dead and gives life to them,
00:23:20.00\00:23:24.63
even so the Son gives
life to whoever He wills."
00:23:24.67\00:23:30.91
The Son gives
life, dear friends,
00:23:30.94\00:23:32.57
to whomever He
chooses to give life to.
00:23:32.61\00:23:35.78
Verse 22, "For the
Father judges no one,
00:23:35.81\00:23:38.71
but has committed
all judgment to the Son."
00:23:38.75\00:23:41.62
It's rather encouraging to me,
00:23:41.65\00:23:43.15
as I'm sure it is
to you to know that
00:23:43.18\00:23:45.09
the one who gave His life for us
00:23:45.12\00:23:46.65
and as our Savior
is also our judge.
00:23:46.69\00:23:50.06
Again, he goes
on to say something
00:23:50.09\00:23:51.69
more about that, actually.
00:23:51.73\00:23:53.06
I'm going down to verse 24.
00:23:53.09\00:23:54.96
Still John Chapter 5.
00:23:55.00\00:23:56.73
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:23:56.77\00:23:59.33
he who hears My
word and believes in Him
00:23:59.37\00:24:03.00
who sent Me has
everlasting life,
00:24:03.04\00:24:07.84
and shall not
come into judgment,
00:24:07.88\00:24:10.55
but has passed
from death to life."
00:24:10.58\00:24:12.78
That's an interesting statement
that Jesus is making here.
00:24:12.81\00:24:15.88
Those who believe in Him
do not come into judgment.
00:24:15.92\00:24:19.55
Dear friends,
those who trust in Jesus
00:24:19.59\00:24:22.09
do not stand trembling
before the power of God.
00:24:22.12\00:24:26.33
They are to give
account for their sins.
00:24:26.36\00:24:27.73
They don't have to do that.
00:24:27.76\00:24:29.10
We don't have to do that
00:24:29.13\00:24:30.60
because we were
judged as guilty already.
00:24:30.63\00:24:32.67
So we don't come into judgment.
00:24:32.70\00:24:35.17
And the price has
already been paid.
00:24:35.20\00:24:37.94
And we are now justified.
00:24:37.97\00:24:40.21
And he goes on
to say in verse 24,
00:24:40.24\00:24:41.88
"But has passed
from death to life."
00:24:41.91\00:24:45.91
So a huge
transition has been made.
00:24:45.95\00:24:48.02
When we receive
Jesus, dear friends,
00:24:48.05\00:24:50.29
when we accept
00:24:50.32\00:24:51.65
what He's done
on the cross for us,
00:24:51.69\00:24:53.62
we pass from death to life.
00:24:53.66\00:24:57.06
Death is no longer
our destiny as sinners,
00:24:57.09\00:25:00.30
life is our destiny.
00:25:00.33\00:25:03.03
What a brilliant thing
00:25:03.06\00:25:04.40
God has done in arranging
such a wonderful thing.
00:25:04.43\00:25:08.10
And let me go over to
back to the letter of John,
00:25:08.14\00:25:10.17
1 John Chapter 5,
00:25:10.21\00:25:11.57
where he spoke
quite a lot about this.
00:25:11.61\00:25:14.41
1 John 5:13.
00:25:14.44\00:25:19.95
He says, "These
things I have written to you
00:25:19.98\00:25:22.45
who believe in the
name of the Son of God,"
00:25:22.48\00:25:24.62
and that would include us all.
00:25:24.65\00:25:26.45
If we believe in
Jesus, this is us,
00:25:26.49\00:25:29.06
"that you may know
that you have eternal life,
00:25:29.09\00:25:33.66
and that you may continue
00:25:33.70\00:25:35.26
to believe in the
name of the Son of God."
00:25:35.30\00:25:38.83
That you may know
that you have eternal life.
00:25:38.87\00:25:41.20
So you have eternal life
at the moment you believe.
00:25:41.24\00:25:44.44
Your sins have
already gone to judgment.
00:25:44.47\00:25:46.94
The price has been
paid for your sins already,
00:25:46.98\00:25:50.21
and you are now justified,
00:25:50.25\00:25:52.51
you are now a son
or a daughter of God.
00:25:52.55\00:25:55.18
And heaven is your destiny.
00:25:55.22\00:25:59.45
Not yet, have we?
00:25:59.49\00:26:02.09
Because you don't
have eternal life at...
00:26:02.12\00:26:04.36
Sorry, you don't have
immortal life at the moment,
00:26:04.39\00:26:06.56
you believe you
have eternal life.
00:26:06.59\00:26:09.33
Now eternal life can
be interrupted by death.
00:26:09.36\00:26:13.37
And for most of God's
people throughout history,
00:26:13.40\00:26:16.50
that has happened.
00:26:16.54\00:26:18.47
And death has
been the interruption.
00:26:18.51\00:26:20.74
And the resurrection,
00:26:20.78\00:26:22.11
of course, we
will deal with that,
00:26:22.14\00:26:24.01
but we still die even
though we have eternal life.
00:26:24.05\00:26:29.98
Do we lose eternal
life because we die?
00:26:30.02\00:26:32.82
Of course, we do not.
00:26:32.85\00:26:34.32
Thank the Lord for that,
00:26:34.36\00:26:35.72
what an arrangement He has made.
00:26:35.76\00:26:37.69
In the book Maranatha,
302 is the page number.
00:26:37.73\00:26:41.96
A statement I want to
read out, it says this,
00:26:42.00\00:26:45.23
"We become one with
Him, and our will is brought
00:26:45.27\00:26:49.67
into harmony
with the divine will.
00:26:49.70\00:26:52.34
We become partakers of the life
of Christ which is eternal."
00:26:52.37\00:26:57.91
You actually become
a partaker of His life.
00:26:57.95\00:27:01.62
How wonderful it is that God
00:27:01.65\00:27:02.98
has made such an
arrangement for us,
00:27:03.02\00:27:06.35
that we are thus taken
00:27:06.39\00:27:09.69
from death as
our destiny to life,
00:27:09.72\00:27:12.99
as our experience and,
of course, our destiny too.
00:27:13.03\00:27:15.93
Now this is a process.
00:27:15.96\00:27:17.77
Dear friends,
00:27:17.80\00:27:19.13
it's a process
that we go through.
00:27:19.17\00:27:21.10
And I'd like to
suggest to you now
00:27:21.14\00:27:22.64
that as we talk
about this together,
00:27:22.67\00:27:26.47
that we realize, dear friends,
00:27:26.51\00:27:28.18
how important our
relationship with Jesus is
00:27:28.21\00:27:31.31
because our privileges,
we may get to know Him
00:27:31.35\00:27:36.38
who to know is life eternal.
00:27:36.42\00:27:39.02
It is our
privilege to actually come
00:27:39.05\00:27:40.92
into communication with Him.
00:27:40.96\00:27:43.86
Jesus made some
astounding promises, you know,
00:27:43.89\00:27:47.46
it's worth just going through
00:27:47.50\00:27:49.00
and looking at
the promises He made,
00:27:49.03\00:27:51.07
writing them down
in a book somewhere.
00:27:51.10\00:27:52.70
So you've got them all together
00:27:52.73\00:27:54.57
because He said
some things that well,
00:27:54.60\00:27:57.34
we need to keep in
mind that very encouraging,
00:27:57.37\00:28:00.18
very encouraging indeed.
00:28:00.21\00:28:01.98
I want to read you one out of,
00:28:02.01\00:28:06.31
let's see, John 14:21,
00:28:06.35\00:28:10.45
where Jesus gives us
this beautiful promise,
00:28:10.49\00:28:12.29
He says,
00:28:12.32\00:28:13.66
"He who has My
commandments and keeps them."
00:28:13.69\00:28:16.79
In other words, you're
faithful, you're loyal,
00:28:16.83\00:28:19.46
you're a commandment keeper
because you're loyal to Jesus.
00:28:19.49\00:28:22.50
"He who has My
commandments and keeps them,
00:28:22.53\00:28:24.37
it is he who loves Me," right?
00:28:24.40\00:28:26.84
Obedience was always a
demonstration of love to God.
00:28:26.87\00:28:30.14
"And he who loves Me
will be loved by My Father,
00:28:30.17\00:28:34.24
and I will love
him," and then this,
00:28:34.28\00:28:36.91
"and manifest Myself to him."
00:28:36.95\00:28:39.51
That word manifest
00:28:39.55\00:28:40.88
is sometimes
translated, reveal myself.
00:28:40.92\00:28:43.82
He will reveal Himself to us.
00:28:43.85\00:28:47.69
Now I'm going to
put it to you that
00:28:47.72\00:28:49.06
if you rush into His presence,
00:28:49.09\00:28:50.73
first in the morning,
and you spend 30 seconds,
00:28:50.76\00:28:53.03
that's giving
your life to Christ,
00:28:53.06\00:28:54.43
and moving on with your
life, not a bad thing to do,
00:28:54.46\00:28:57.23
but if that's all you do,
00:28:57.27\00:28:58.60
in terms of your
communication with God,
00:28:58.63\00:29:00.37
you are not going to sense Him
00:29:00.40\00:29:02.30
revealing Himself to you.
00:29:02.34\00:29:04.14
How does God
reveal Himself to us?
00:29:04.17\00:29:05.91
How does Jesus
manifest Himself to us?
00:29:05.94\00:29:09.28
He said it a lot of
times, He manifest Himself
00:29:09.31\00:29:12.38
through the
peace that He brings.
00:29:12.41\00:29:15.02
If you take time in prayer,
00:29:15.05\00:29:17.29
you will sense His presence
00:29:17.32\00:29:18.85
through the sense of peace
that He brings into your life.
00:29:18.89\00:29:22.39
Many of us are too busy
to experience that privilege,
00:29:22.42\00:29:25.33
but all of us
may, just take the time
00:29:25.36\00:29:28.76
and claim this promise and say,
00:29:28.80\00:29:30.30
"Lord, You
promised to reveal Yourself,
00:29:30.33\00:29:32.13
manifest Yourself to me.
00:29:32.17\00:29:34.27
Today, may I have the
peace of Your presence."
00:29:34.30\00:29:37.74
And God will do that.
00:29:37.77\00:29:39.14
And we're encouraged
00:29:39.17\00:29:40.51
by the little
lady to spend time,
00:29:40.54\00:29:42.78
not rushing into His
presence and rushing out again,
00:29:42.81\00:29:45.81
but taking time
to wait for counsel.
00:29:45.85\00:29:49.18
And I believe many more of us
00:29:49.22\00:29:50.59
would be
hearing the voice of God
00:29:50.62\00:29:52.69
if we were to do that in prayer.
00:29:52.72\00:29:54.79
So prayer is an
absolute essential.
00:29:54.82\00:29:58.26
It draws us into
the presence of Jesus
00:29:58.29\00:30:00.50
gives us confidence in Him,
00:30:00.53\00:30:03.03
confidence that
we may rest in Him
00:30:03.06\00:30:06.63
for our forgiveness of our sins.
00:30:06.67\00:30:08.04
Not only that,
the hope of eternity.
00:30:08.07\00:30:11.94
Prayer does
something really remarkable.
00:30:11.97\00:30:14.38
Now Paul knew about
this, the Apostle Paul,
00:30:14.41\00:30:16.75
and in 1 Corinthians Chapter 2,
00:30:16.78\00:30:19.58
I'm going to read you
what he said about this.
00:30:19.61\00:30:22.12
And this is a very
profound statement.
00:30:22.15\00:30:24.92
I don't claim to fully
get what he is saying here,
00:30:24.95\00:30:28.42
but I'd like,
I'd like to read it.
00:30:28.46\00:30:30.49
1 Corinthians 2:16,
00:30:30.53\00:30:33.66
"For 'who has known
the mind of the Lord
00:30:33.70\00:30:36.03
that he may instruct Him?'
00:30:36.06\00:30:38.47
Then he says but we
have the mind of Christ.'"
00:30:38.50\00:30:44.57
Through prayer, dear
friends, we become like Him.
00:30:44.61\00:30:48.78
The Holy Spirit is
able to move in our minds
00:30:48.81\00:30:51.35
and make us like Jesus
as we spend time with Him
00:30:51.38\00:30:55.08
because as we focus in on Him,
00:30:55.12\00:30:57.52
and as we read
this amazing book,
00:30:57.55\00:31:00.92
and as the Holy
Spirit impresses things
00:31:00.96\00:31:02.82
upon our minds,
00:31:02.86\00:31:04.43
we become like Christ,
we have the mind of Christ,
00:31:04.46\00:31:07.80
you begin to love
the things that He loves,
00:31:07.83\00:31:11.33
and hate the
things the world loves.
00:31:11.37\00:31:13.94
And you begin to become
like Jesus, I just think,
00:31:13.97\00:31:16.47
well, what a privilege we
have, that He should do that.
00:31:16.50\00:31:20.78
We have the mind of Christ.
00:31:20.81\00:31:25.18
People struggle with temptation.
00:31:25.21\00:31:27.92
Christians struggle
with temptation, don't they?
00:31:27.95\00:31:31.35
And it can spoil your
relationship with Christ,
00:31:31.39\00:31:34.59
seen as an enemy,
whichever way it comes at you.
00:31:34.62\00:31:37.16
And temptation is
not a happy experience
00:31:37.19\00:31:39.43
for any of us, but
what do we do about it?
00:31:39.46\00:31:43.20
Does having the mind
of Christ help us to deal
00:31:43.23\00:31:46.20
with temptation to sin?
00:31:46.23\00:31:47.57
I'm going to suggest
that it definitely does.
00:31:47.60\00:31:49.90
I am going to show you now,
00:31:49.94\00:31:51.84
what I consider to be
the most powerful promise
00:31:51.87\00:31:54.91
in the entire Bible
00:31:54.94\00:31:56.85
when it comes to making sure
00:31:56.88\00:31:58.51
you live the life of
obedience to Jesus Christ
00:31:58.55\00:32:01.48
that you want to live.
00:32:01.52\00:32:02.92
I'm going to read to you
from 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.
00:32:02.95\00:32:07.92
2 Corinthians
10:4-5, please write it down.
00:32:07.96\00:32:10.76
Don't forget this.
00:32:10.79\00:32:12.13
This is going to help you
00:32:12.16\00:32:13.50
in your walk
with Christ in life.
00:32:13.53\00:32:16.63
2 Corinthians 10:4,
00:32:16.67\00:32:18.83
"For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal,"
00:32:18.87\00:32:21.47
that is to say not
things of this life,
00:32:21.50\00:32:24.14
"but mighty in God for
pulling down strongholds."
00:32:24.17\00:32:28.28
And then listen to
this next verse, verse 5,
00:32:28.31\00:32:30.48
2 Corinthians 10:5,
00:32:30.51\00:32:32.28
"Casting down
arguments and every high thing
00:32:32.31\00:32:36.62
that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God,"
00:32:36.65\00:32:39.12
and then this point,
"bringing every thought
00:32:39.15\00:32:42.62
into captivity to
the obedience of Christ."
00:32:42.66\00:32:46.46
Now, folks, this is
where it all happens
00:32:46.49\00:32:48.60
in between your
ears, isn't that correct?
00:32:48.63\00:32:50.20
Right?
00:32:50.23\00:32:51.57
That's where your
relationship with God occurs,
00:32:51.60\00:32:53.40
your decisions are made there,
00:32:53.44\00:32:55.17
that's where you
really live your life.
00:32:55.20\00:32:58.84
And that's where we get tempted.
00:32:58.87\00:33:01.71
And what is this saying,
00:33:01.74\00:33:03.08
"Bringing every
thought into captivity
00:33:03.11\00:33:05.71
to the obedience of Christ."
00:33:05.75\00:33:07.08
And I'm going to
suggest to you that
00:33:07.12\00:33:08.82
you can't do that on
your own, and neither can I.
00:33:08.85\00:33:12.29
And this is where the indwelling
00:33:12.32\00:33:13.82
Holy Spirit brings the
mind of Christ into us,
00:33:13.86\00:33:17.16
brings Jesus into our lives,
00:33:17.19\00:33:19.33
so that He is able to bring
every thought into captivity,
00:33:19.36\00:33:24.43
to the obedience of Christ.
00:33:24.47\00:33:25.80
So this is what I do.
00:33:25.83\00:33:27.17
I just explained to you
briefly how I deal with this.
00:33:27.20\00:33:30.07
If I'm tempted, and
that happens too often,
00:33:30.11\00:33:34.04
then I pray like this, Lord,
00:33:34.08\00:33:38.18
please fill me
with Your Holy Spirit,
00:33:38.21\00:33:39.91
and bring my thoughts
00:33:39.95\00:33:41.68
into captivity to
the obedience of Christ.
00:33:41.72\00:33:45.05
I know He never fails me.
00:33:45.09\00:33:47.66
It can be many times a day,
00:33:47.69\00:33:49.12
and I just become aware
of an hour or two later,
00:33:49.16\00:33:52.16
that I haven't
thought that thought since.
00:33:52.19\00:33:55.03
So I'm encouraging you,
folks, take advantage of this.
00:33:55.06\00:33:57.70
This is a powerful promise,
and God will never fail you.
00:33:57.73\00:34:02.20
All the resources of
heaven, dear friends,
00:34:02.24\00:34:04.31
are geared up to
help human beings deal
00:34:04.34\00:34:06.91
with the sin problem.
00:34:06.94\00:34:09.31
And if you ask
for help, you get it.
00:34:09.34\00:34:11.98
And this promise is the
best and most powerful promise
00:34:12.01\00:34:14.42
I know in order to deal
with the problem of sin.
00:34:14.45\00:34:19.25
It's fantastic really,
00:34:19.29\00:34:21.59
because on our own
we cannot deal with sin.
00:34:21.62\00:34:25.13
I'm sure we all know this.
00:34:25.16\00:34:27.90
I'm going to read to you
from Steps to Christ, page 18.
00:34:27.93\00:34:30.47
This is once again
that second chapter
00:34:30.50\00:34:32.10
that we're
looking at, at the moment.
00:34:32.13\00:34:34.30
This is what it
says, "Education, culture,
00:34:34.34\00:34:39.37
the exercise of
the will, human effort,
00:34:39.41\00:34:42.28
all have their
proper sphere, but here,"
00:34:42.31\00:34:45.58
that is dealing
with sin and temptation,
00:34:45.61\00:34:47.92
"here they are powerless."
00:34:47.95\00:34:51.09
Isn't that true? So
it's good to know that.
00:34:51.12\00:34:54.22
That's why God
hasn't left us alone
00:34:54.26\00:34:56.06
because alone we're doomed.
00:34:56.09\00:34:57.43
We're done for, we
haven't got a hope,
00:34:57.46\00:34:59.59
but in Jesus, dear
friends, it's all under control.
00:34:59.63\00:35:03.43
Jesus has made
every provision for us.
00:35:03.47\00:35:07.07
If necessary, every angel
00:35:07.10\00:35:09.47
in heaven would
come to our assistance.
00:35:09.50\00:35:11.34
By the way, I also pray that
00:35:11.37\00:35:13.41
and I asked that
God will surround me
00:35:13.44\00:35:14.94
with holy angels
and banished the demons.
00:35:14.98\00:35:17.51
They love to spoil your life
and give you, and harass you,
00:35:17.55\00:35:19.98
don't let them.
00:35:20.02\00:35:21.35
Ask God to send His
angels to protect you,
00:35:21.38\00:35:24.29
and give you a break.
00:35:24.32\00:35:25.79
Everybody needs a break.
00:35:25.82\00:35:27.96
And we need breaks
from the harassment
00:35:27.99\00:35:30.09
and temptation
that comes in this life.
00:35:30.13\00:35:32.89
And so please
remember that fantastic promise
00:35:32.93\00:35:36.97
because on our own, we
can't do a thing about it,
00:35:37.00\00:35:39.33
but in Christ, we can.
00:35:39.37\00:35:41.74
What a wonderful thing.
00:35:41.77\00:35:44.04
All right, to
back up, where were we?
00:35:44.07\00:35:46.71
We have eternal life,
00:35:46.74\00:35:48.71
but we don't have immortal life.
00:35:48.74\00:35:51.48
Have you got that?
00:35:51.51\00:35:53.28
When we believe in Jesus,
00:35:53.31\00:35:54.65
we are given the gift
that says eternal life,
00:35:54.68\00:35:56.95
but you don't
have immortal life yet.
00:35:56.99\00:35:59.79
None of us have it.
We know that, don't we?
00:35:59.82\00:36:02.36
We wouldn't die if
we had immortal life,
00:36:02.39\00:36:05.36
but you don't get to
heaven without immortality.
00:36:05.39\00:36:08.46
So how is God
going to deal with this?
00:36:08.50\00:36:11.07
Well, I'm going
to read to you again
00:36:11.10\00:36:12.57
from 1 Corinthians 15,
00:36:12.60\00:36:15.04
because it's such
a wonderful statement
00:36:15.07\00:36:17.31
that Paul is making here
00:36:17.34\00:36:18.67
about the necessity
00:36:18.71\00:36:22.21
of immortal life.
00:36:22.24\00:36:24.68
And so he says in verse
50, "Now this I say, brethren,
00:36:24.71\00:36:29.98
that flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God,
00:36:30.02\00:36:35.32
nor does corruption
inherit incorruption."
00:36:35.36\00:36:38.49
Notice the connection
between corruption here,
00:36:38.53\00:36:40.76
and flesh and blood.
00:36:40.80\00:36:42.86
Specifically,
00:36:42.90\00:36:44.23
this is dealing
with our sinfulness,
00:36:44.27\00:36:46.27
our sinful nature, if
you like, but not only that,
00:36:46.30\00:36:48.64
it's dealing
with our natural life.
00:36:48.67\00:36:51.57
Natural life and the sin that
00:36:51.61\00:36:53.58
we battle within it cannot
inherit the kingdom of God,
00:36:53.61\00:36:57.05
you can't go there.
00:36:57.08\00:36:58.58
So even though
00:36:58.61\00:36:59.95
you have eternal life, by faith,
00:36:59.98\00:37:02.05
the hope of
eternal life, dear friends,
00:37:02.08\00:37:04.52
you don't have immortality.
00:37:04.55\00:37:05.89
We are not yet
fitted for heaven.
00:37:05.92\00:37:07.89
We are not.
00:37:07.92\00:37:10.79
What are we
going to do about it?
00:37:10.83\00:37:13.53
Well, the sin infection must go.
00:37:13.56\00:37:15.46
That's the problem.
00:37:15.50\00:37:17.43
That sin infection must go.
00:37:17.47\00:37:19.30
I once talked to a young fellow,
00:37:19.33\00:37:21.74
young man about this.
00:37:21.77\00:37:24.91
And he said to me, "I know that,
00:37:24.94\00:37:27.18
I know we can't go to
heaven the way we are."
00:37:27.21\00:37:30.05
He said, "That's why
we've got to go to purgatory."
00:37:30.08\00:37:32.75
You've got to go to
purgatory for a time,
00:37:32.78\00:37:35.08
so that the sin is
purged out of you in purgatory.
00:37:35.12\00:37:38.89
And I said to him, "Well,
look, you're on the right track.
00:37:38.92\00:37:42.52
You can't go to heaven
with that sin on your shoulders
00:37:42.56\00:37:44.76
and that sinful nature,
00:37:44.79\00:37:46.13
but I've got good news for you."
00:37:46.16\00:37:48.50
You don't have to
go over the flames
00:37:48.53\00:37:49.86
to have it dealt
with, dear friends.
00:37:49.90\00:37:51.70
We have it dealt with
already by Jesus Christ.
00:37:51.73\00:37:55.14
He was the one who
suffered. His blood was shed.
00:37:55.17\00:37:58.57
He died on the cross
that we wouldn't have to.
00:37:58.61\00:38:02.24
What a bargain.
00:38:02.28\00:38:03.65
Why wouldn't you accept
Jesus Christ as your Savior?
00:38:03.68\00:38:06.95
It's the biggest bargain
you've ever heard in your life.
00:38:06.98\00:38:09.48
Some people love bargains.
00:38:09.52\00:38:11.45
I've got a friend
who loves bargains.
00:38:11.49\00:38:14.86
And if ever I wanted anything,
00:38:14.89\00:38:16.22
or need anything
to be bought in life,
00:38:16.26\00:38:18.26
I talk to him and I say,
I would not give his name.
00:38:18.29\00:38:21.36
You might all
want to talk to him.
00:38:21.40\00:38:23.00
He might get nothing else done.
00:38:23.03\00:38:24.43
And I say, "Do you reckon
you can find me thus and thus,"
00:38:24.47\00:38:26.87
and he never forget.
00:38:26.90\00:38:28.54
And he always finds it for me.
00:38:28.57\00:38:30.24
He's amazing. He
just loves a bargain.
00:38:30.27\00:38:33.71
Oh, dear friends, most of
us, I guess, love a bargain,
00:38:33.74\00:38:36.98
but you never heard a
bargain like this one.
00:38:37.01\00:38:40.22
Right? You're off scot-free.
00:38:40.25\00:38:43.42
There's to be no suffering,
specifically, no suffering.
00:38:43.45\00:38:46.79
When you come to Jesus,
00:38:46.82\00:38:48.52
how do you publicly
demonstrate the fact
00:38:48.56\00:38:51.96
that you have
accepted Jesus into your life?
00:38:51.99\00:38:54.56
What do you do?
Walk on hot coals?
00:38:54.60\00:38:57.73
There are some religions
who believe you should do that.
00:38:57.77\00:39:01.00
What about it?
00:39:01.04\00:39:02.37
Do you flagellate
yourself with whips?
00:39:02.40\00:39:05.14
Is that how you
demonstrate that you?
00:39:05.17\00:39:06.84
No. You're baptized.
00:39:06.88\00:39:10.28
And it's very specifically
00:39:10.31\00:39:11.85
a gentle experience as
you go under those waters.
00:39:11.88\00:39:15.55
I guess our audience
here have all been baptized
00:39:15.58\00:39:18.62
at some point in time.
00:39:18.65\00:39:19.99
Was it painful? Did it
hurt? Of course, it didn't.
00:39:20.02\00:39:22.92
You can't imagine
anything more soft and gentle
00:39:22.96\00:39:25.46
and just being
swamped with water,
00:39:25.49\00:39:27.66
and then you
come out of the water.
00:39:27.70\00:39:29.73
Why is it so easy?
It's specifically like that.
00:39:29.76\00:39:33.70
God wants us to
draw the contrast
00:39:33.74\00:39:37.37
between our baptism in water
00:39:37.41\00:39:39.97
and the cross and
the blood of the cross,
00:39:40.01\00:39:43.28
which was a terrible experience.
00:39:43.31\00:39:48.28
What a wonderful
thing God has done
00:39:48.32\00:39:50.62
in making such
a provision for us
00:39:50.65\00:39:53.99
to have life endless life
00:39:54.02\00:39:58.13
so grateful that he does that.
00:39:58.16\00:40:01.46
So grateful.
00:40:01.50\00:40:02.83
I should read on
here in 1 Corinthians 15,
00:40:02.86\00:40:05.43
I read verse 50, where it says,
00:40:05.47\00:40:07.34
"That flesh and blood
00:40:07.37\00:40:08.70
cannot inherit
the kingdom of God."
00:40:08.74\00:40:10.47
So we're not quite
ready for it for heaven yet.
00:40:10.51\00:40:13.88
Dear friends, we're not.
00:40:13.91\00:40:15.64
What else is going to happen?
00:40:15.68\00:40:17.28
Verse 51, "Behold,
I tell you a mystery."
00:40:17.31\00:40:20.52
The Bible is full of mysteries.
00:40:20.55\00:40:22.62
Most of them are
explained, at least partly,
00:40:22.65\00:40:25.99
"I tell you a mystery,"
00:40:26.02\00:40:27.36
and he's going to
tell us the mystery.
00:40:27.39\00:40:29.16
"We shall not all sleep,"
00:40:29.19\00:40:30.53
referring to the sleep of death,
00:40:30.56\00:40:31.93
of course, "but we
shall all be changed,"
00:40:31.96\00:40:34.80
because we need to be
changed, we must be changed.
00:40:34.83\00:40:39.33
He goes on to say in
verse 52, "In a moment,
00:40:39.37\00:40:42.64
in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trumpet.
00:40:42.67\00:40:47.04
For the trumpet will sound,
00:40:47.08\00:40:48.98
and the dead will be
raised incorruptible,
00:40:49.01\00:40:51.85
and we shall be changed."
00:40:51.88\00:40:53.45
Okay, so there's a change
comes when the trumpet blasts,
00:40:53.48\00:40:57.65
and that trumpet blast
00:40:57.69\00:40:59.45
when Jesus
comes the second time,
00:40:59.49\00:41:01.96
and we know that He comes
00:41:01.99\00:41:03.53
to gather together His children,
00:41:03.56\00:41:05.93
and call us out of the graves,
what's it going to be like?
00:41:05.96\00:41:09.63
"The dead will be
raised incorruptible,"
00:41:09.66\00:41:11.73
He says, and we that
is those still alive,
00:41:11.77\00:41:14.57
the last generation
will still be living,
00:41:14.60\00:41:16.87
we shall be changed.
00:41:16.91\00:41:18.54
"For," verse 53,
00:41:18.57\00:41:21.31
"this corruptible
must put on incorruption,"
00:41:21.34\00:41:24.85
and then what comes next?
00:41:24.88\00:41:26.85
"This mortal must
put on immortality."
00:41:26.88\00:41:30.29
The word must is
very significant there.
00:41:30.32\00:41:33.05
No options here, folks,
00:41:33.09\00:41:34.42
it must happen
because no one goes to glory
00:41:34.46\00:41:37.56
without becoming immortal first.
00:41:37.59\00:41:40.76
I like the fact that
it's two things happen there.
00:41:40.80\00:41:44.17
One of them, our
corruption is taken away,
00:41:44.20\00:41:48.00
and at the same time,
we are given immortality.
00:41:48.04\00:41:51.84
No corruptible
sin infested person
00:41:51.87\00:41:54.28
receives immortality.
00:41:54.31\00:41:55.64
And that makes good sense
as to why not, but now we do.
00:41:55.68\00:42:00.22
We receive more immortality,
00:42:00.25\00:42:03.15
never subject to death.
00:42:03.18\00:42:09.16
Well, what an amazing offer
00:42:09.19\00:42:11.86
God makes, an incredible offer.
00:42:11.89\00:42:16.16
Our natural body is doomed.
00:42:16.20\00:42:18.27
That's the one we
have now, we all know it,
00:42:18.30\00:42:20.87
but in the resurrection,
we have a spiritual,
00:42:20.90\00:42:24.37
immortal body.
00:42:24.41\00:42:28.18
What's it going to be like?
00:42:28.21\00:42:29.54
It's going to be
fantastic, folks.
00:42:29.58\00:42:31.28
We don't know how
magnificent it is going to be.
00:42:31.31\00:42:35.88
We only know
and I tell that out,
00:42:35.92\00:42:38.25
we are going to be like
Him in our resurrection.
00:42:38.29\00:42:41.56
So as Jesus was
in His resurrection,
00:42:41.59\00:42:44.19
so we will be in ours,
00:42:44.23\00:42:46.49
because Jesus still retains
His humanity, doesn't He?
00:42:46.53\00:42:51.00
He is still the
God Man, Jesus Christ.
00:42:51.03\00:42:54.17
So what He
experienced in His humanity,
00:42:54.20\00:42:56.17
we will experience.
00:42:56.20\00:42:57.81
And I tell you what,
00:42:57.84\00:42:59.17
it was definitely a
new improved version
00:42:59.21\00:43:01.24
of humanity that Jesus
had after His resurrection,
00:43:01.28\00:43:04.65
a spiritual immortal body.
00:43:04.68\00:43:07.35
And we are going
to experience that.
00:43:07.38\00:43:09.95
With that
immortal body, and folks,
00:43:09.98\00:43:12.02
we are going to transition
00:43:12.05\00:43:13.59
from earth to heaven
because the resurrection
00:43:13.62\00:43:15.59
takes place right here on earth.
00:43:15.62\00:43:17.96
And Jesus takes us
back to the glory land.
00:43:17.99\00:43:20.90
And we can look forward to that
00:43:20.93\00:43:22.66
because that is going to be
such a wonderful experience.
00:43:22.70\00:43:25.10
You're going to be
able to go to a place
00:43:25.13\00:43:27.57
where there's no temptation,
00:43:27.60\00:43:30.17
where there's
no pain and sorrow.
00:43:30.21\00:43:32.21
And plenty of us have
had those sort of experiences
00:43:32.24\00:43:34.54
that are not pleasant,
00:43:34.58\00:43:36.68
but it won't happen
again, dear friends.
00:43:36.71\00:43:39.41
And when we get there,
00:43:39.45\00:43:40.78
we're going to say
heaven was cheap enough.
00:43:40.82\00:43:44.95
Trials of this
life will just fade
00:43:44.99\00:43:48.32
into the
distance, and be as nothing
00:43:48.36\00:43:51.46
when we compare them with
the beauty of immortality.
00:43:51.49\00:43:54.60
I'm going to read again
from Maranatha, page 302,
00:43:54.63\00:43:59.27
which says this,
00:43:59.30\00:44:01.04
"We derive immortality from God,
00:44:01.07\00:44:05.27
by receiving
the life of Christ,"
00:44:05.31\00:44:07.68
that's how you get it,
00:44:07.71\00:44:09.11
"by receiving
the life of Christ,"
00:44:09.14\00:44:10.48
so that's where
we start right now,
00:44:10.51\00:44:12.71
"for in Christ dwells
00:44:12.75\00:44:14.08
all the fullness of
the Godhead bodily."
00:44:14.12\00:44:16.22
That's trying
to say to us there,
00:44:16.25\00:44:19.59
that He has the
authority to do this.
00:44:19.62\00:44:23.99
He has the fullness
00:44:24.03\00:44:25.36
of the Godhead
in His human body,
00:44:25.39\00:44:27.90
is the fullness of God.
00:44:27.93\00:44:29.60
So that's the thing that
He's trying to say to us.
00:44:29.63\00:44:34.40
Paul summarizes
how we are to live,
00:44:34.44\00:44:37.61
now that we have eternal life.
00:44:37.64\00:44:41.74
And I'm going
to just read to you
00:44:41.78\00:44:43.75
a couple of scriptures.
00:44:43.78\00:44:45.11
The first one is
found in Galatians 2:20.
00:44:45.15\00:44:50.89
Galatians 2:20.
00:44:50.92\00:44:53.49
And Paul says this.
00:44:53.52\00:44:57.26
"I have been
crucified with Christ."
00:44:57.29\00:44:59.56
Now I mentioned a
moment ago, didn't I?
00:44:59.59\00:45:01.73
When Christ died, we
died, we're deemed to have died.
00:45:01.76\00:45:06.43
"I have been
crucified with Christ."
00:45:06.47\00:45:08.90
We are deemed to have
been crucified with Him.
00:45:08.94\00:45:11.54
Dear friends, we are deemed
to have paid the full price
00:45:11.57\00:45:14.84
for our sins, and our
breaking of God's law.
00:45:14.88\00:45:18.35
When Christ died
because we were in Christ.
00:45:18.38\00:45:22.18
"It is no longer
there for I who live,
00:45:22.22\00:45:25.35
but Christ who lives in me,
00:45:25.39\00:45:28.29
and the life which I
now live in the flesh,
00:45:28.32\00:45:31.29
I live by faith
in the Son of God,
00:45:31.33\00:45:33.46
who loved me and
gave Himself for me."
00:45:33.50\00:45:37.63
Now I don't
pretend to understand
00:45:37.67\00:45:39.87
the closeness of the experience
00:45:39.90\00:45:41.67
that has been
described for us here,
00:45:41.70\00:45:43.94
where he said, "It
is no longer I who live,
00:45:43.97\00:45:46.41
but Christ lives in me,
00:45:46.44\00:45:48.74
and the life which I
now live in the flesh
00:45:48.78\00:45:50.81
I live by faith
in the Son of God."
00:45:50.85\00:45:52.71
It's just so profound.
00:45:52.75\00:45:55.15
We may have an
experience with God
00:45:55.18\00:45:57.62
and Jesus that
escapes most of us,
00:45:57.65\00:46:03.43
but is available to all of us.
00:46:03.46\00:46:06.73
We may have such an experience.
00:46:06.76\00:46:09.76
And it's our
privilege to do that.
00:46:09.80\00:46:13.20
Crucified with Christ,
00:46:13.23\00:46:14.57
that is we're
put to death ourself
00:46:14.60\00:46:17.11
and our desire for anything
that is not like Christ.
00:46:17.14\00:46:21.28
And now we want to live for Him.
00:46:21.31\00:46:23.91
Paul also writes
00:46:23.95\00:46:25.28
in Colossians 1:27,
00:46:25.31\00:46:30.75
this statement, Colossians 1:27.
00:46:30.79\00:46:35.42
And he says this,
"To them," the saints,
00:46:35.46\00:46:39.53
"God willed to make known
00:46:39.56\00:46:41.06
what are the riches of
the glory of this mystery,"
00:46:41.10\00:46:44.87
here is another
mystery they made plain.
00:46:44.90\00:46:47.77
"The glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles,
00:46:47.80\00:46:52.21
which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory."
00:46:52.24\00:46:58.61
Christ in you,
the hope of glory.
00:46:58.65\00:47:00.82
If you have
Christ living in you,
00:47:00.85\00:47:02.75
dear friends, you have His life.
00:47:02.78\00:47:05.65
And you have the
promise of immortal life.
00:47:05.69\00:47:08.92
God couldn't do any
more than that for us.
00:47:08.96\00:47:11.29
We have been so
blessed to have this,
00:47:11.33\00:47:13.93
so blessed that
we're able to do that.
00:47:13.96\00:47:18.70
Back in 1:19, it says,
00:47:18.73\00:47:20.94
"For it pleased the
Father that in Jesus, in Him,"
00:47:20.97\00:47:24.17
it says, but it's
talking about Jesus,
00:47:24.21\00:47:26.27
"in Him all the
fullness should dwell."
00:47:26.31\00:47:30.08
Folks, He came behind in none
of the powers of the divine,
00:47:30.11\00:47:34.45
when He walked this
earth in His humanity,
00:47:34.48\00:47:38.12
and when the
promise is made to you
00:47:38.15\00:47:39.85
and to me of life,
and its immortal life,
00:47:39.89\00:47:43.26
we may have
confidence that it is ours,
00:47:43.29\00:47:46.80
and it is ours to keep.
00:47:46.83\00:47:49.06
So that's our goal to lose sight
00:47:49.10\00:47:52.00
of ourselves live for Jesus,
lose sight of the world, folks,
00:47:52.03\00:47:55.60
we've got to turn our back
on the things of the world,
00:47:55.64\00:47:58.77
particularly the pressures
00:47:58.81\00:48:01.24
that the world puts on everybody
00:48:01.28\00:48:03.48
to follow the standards
and the behavior of the world.
00:48:03.51\00:48:06.35
It's so powerful now, isn't it?
00:48:06.38\00:48:08.12
I don't know how
young people cope
00:48:08.15\00:48:09.82
with a television
00:48:09.85\00:48:11.25
and the constant bombardment
00:48:11.29\00:48:13.66
of basically a sinful lifestyle.
00:48:13.69\00:48:16.06
It's demonstrated
there for everybody to see
00:48:16.09\00:48:18.93
and it goes on and on and on.
00:48:18.96\00:48:21.40
And I really
fear for our children.
00:48:21.43\00:48:23.63
Our children need our prayers.
00:48:23.67\00:48:25.03
And I'm going to suggest to you
00:48:25.07\00:48:26.40
that you do
something for your children
00:48:26.43\00:48:27.90
and grandchildren,
and for yourselves.
00:48:27.94\00:48:31.51
My wife and I set aside Fridays,
00:48:31.54\00:48:34.08
and we've been doing
this for some months now.
00:48:34.11\00:48:36.68
And we have a Friday
of prayer and fasting,
00:48:36.71\00:48:39.91
we don't do a complete fast.
00:48:39.95\00:48:41.78
It's just a simple food fast.
00:48:41.82\00:48:44.85
And we pray
every hour on the air.
00:48:44.89\00:48:47.89
So when we
together, we pray together.
00:48:47.92\00:48:49.59
And if we happen to be
off doing something else
00:48:49.62\00:48:52.43
because we don't stop
doing our regular things.
00:48:52.46\00:48:54.40
We know that every hour on
the air we're both praying,
00:48:54.43\00:48:58.77
but I'd
encourage you to do that.
00:48:58.80\00:49:00.47
That didn't come with me.
00:49:00.50\00:49:02.54
When we were in
Tasmania ministering years ago,
00:49:02.57\00:49:06.04
we had some friends who
lived down south of Hobart,
00:49:06.07\00:49:10.08
who went to a little
Glen Huon Church there,
00:49:10.11\00:49:12.25
and their boys had gone astray.
00:49:12.28\00:49:14.58
And so they told me,
"Well, we've set aside,
00:49:14.62\00:49:18.55
I think they set
aside Fridays too.
00:49:18.59\00:49:20.16
We set aside every Friday
to fast and pray for our sons."
00:49:20.19\00:49:23.93
Now I'm telling you that was,
that's a wonderful thing to do.
00:49:23.96\00:49:26.19
The first boy came to Christ
within months, short months.
00:49:26.23\00:49:31.20
And I don't know how
the other boy's gone,
00:49:31.23\00:49:32.80
but I do know this.
00:49:32.83\00:49:34.17
There's power in
that kind of praying.
00:49:34.20\00:49:36.00
So I wanna
encourage you to do that.
00:49:36.04\00:49:38.27
Every Friday, Anne
and I will be doing it.
00:49:38.31\00:49:40.24
We'll be doing
it again tomorrow.
00:49:40.28\00:49:42.41
And we've got a lot
of things to pray about.
00:49:42.44\00:49:44.65
And I guarantee
you have too, people,
00:49:44.68\00:49:46.78
put them to God in prayer.
00:49:46.82\00:49:49.48
Pray for yourself.
00:49:49.52\00:49:51.85
Someone said to me,
00:49:51.89\00:49:53.22
"Oh, well, I feel a bit
selfish praying for myself."
00:49:53.25\00:49:54.59
Well, I said,
"Well, that's fine,
00:49:54.62\00:49:55.96
as long as everyone knows
00:49:55.99\00:49:57.33
what your needs are
and can pray for you."
00:49:57.36\00:49:58.83
If not, you'd be
praying for yourself
00:49:58.86\00:50:01.16
because you need
that help yourself.
00:50:01.20\00:50:03.70
We're gonna put
aside flirting with sin.
00:50:03.73\00:50:06.77
Folks, it's a dangerous thing.
00:50:06.80\00:50:09.10
There's so much to
lose, remember the bargain.
00:50:09.14\00:50:12.74
You can lose the
bargain, don't do it.
00:50:12.77\00:50:15.31
The rewards, the
rewards of following Christ
00:50:15.34\00:50:17.81
are sensational, people.
00:50:17.85\00:50:19.75
Absolutely sensational.
00:50:19.78\00:50:21.88
I want to read you a
couple of statements,
00:50:21.92\00:50:24.92
Ellen White makes in
the book Great Controversy.
00:50:24.95\00:50:27.46
Both these
statements come from page 675.
00:50:27.49\00:50:31.73
And this is going to
warm your heart, I'm sure.
00:50:31.76\00:50:34.60
This is what she says,
00:50:34.63\00:50:36.70
"Human language is inadequate
00:50:36.73\00:50:39.40
to describe the
reward of the righteous."
00:50:39.43\00:50:41.40
Remember I said the
rewards are sensational.
00:50:41.44\00:50:44.77
He just wants your heart now.
00:50:44.81\00:50:47.04
"Human language is inadequate
00:50:47.08\00:50:48.71
to describe the
reward of the righteous.
00:50:48.74\00:50:51.51
It will be known only
to those who behold it.
00:50:51.55\00:50:55.22
No finite mind can comprehend
00:50:55.25\00:50:58.55
the glory of the
paradise of God."
00:50:58.59\00:51:01.76
I'm willing to give it a try,
00:51:01.79\00:51:03.12
but I'd like to know I
want to see it, don't you?
00:51:03.16\00:51:05.59
I want to be there.
You know what a bargain.
00:51:05.63\00:51:08.86
The bargain is ours,
and it's just as gentle
00:51:08.90\00:51:12.83
as a covering of water
00:51:12.87\00:51:14.74
when you're baptized, no
pain, no blood, no purgatory.
00:51:14.77\00:51:19.37
No, just reach out to
Jesus, give Him your life.
00:51:19.41\00:51:23.21
Then she makes this statement.
00:51:23.24\00:51:24.58
This is page 675 of
Great Controversy still.
00:51:24.61\00:51:29.35
"There are
ever-flowing streams,"
00:51:29.38\00:51:31.62
look at this, "clear as crystal,
00:51:31.65\00:51:34.79
and beside them
00:51:34.82\00:51:36.16
waving trees cast their shadows
00:51:36.19\00:51:38.66
upon the paths prepared
for the ransomed of the Lord.
00:51:38.69\00:51:42.90
There the wide spreading
00:51:42.93\00:51:44.53
plains swell
into hills of beauty."
00:51:44.57\00:51:46.70
Now I hope you're getting
a mental picture of this.
00:51:46.74\00:51:48.40
I would be. I read this often.
00:51:48.44\00:51:50.57
I keep the book
Great Controversy
00:51:50.61\00:51:52.07
beside my bed.
00:51:52.11\00:51:53.44
And I read it often,
00:51:53.48\00:51:54.81
especially those
last few chapters
00:51:54.84\00:51:56.18
because they're so exciting.
00:51:56.21\00:51:57.75
And such a wonderful
picture of eternity comes to us.
00:51:57.78\00:52:00.95
Where did we get to?
00:52:00.98\00:52:02.32
Oh, yes, "There the
wide spreading plains
00:52:02.35\00:52:05.09
swell into hills of beauty,
00:52:05.12\00:52:07.26
and the mountains of God
rear their lofty summits.
00:52:07.29\00:52:13.56
On those peaceful plains,
beside those living streams,
00:52:13.60\00:52:18.33
God's people, so long
pilgrims and wanderers,
00:52:18.37\00:52:22.84
shall find a home."
00:52:22.87\00:52:25.54
You know, you
could end your life
00:52:25.57\00:52:28.28
in a little caravan
on the side of a hill,
00:52:28.31\00:52:31.95
and doesn't matter.
00:52:31.98\00:52:33.62
If that's all you
possessed, who cares?
00:52:33.65\00:52:35.92
Look at this
00:52:35.95\00:52:37.29
that we've just been
reading about difference.
00:52:37.32\00:52:39.55
It's just so
exciting to think about.
00:52:39.59\00:52:42.26
Now I just think, you know,
I would love I've always loved
00:52:42.29\00:52:44.39
the thought of
some beautiful land
00:52:44.43\00:52:46.80
with lovely soil
because I'm a keen gardener.
00:52:46.83\00:52:49.40
I have an orchard at home
and I love to see things grow,
00:52:49.43\00:52:53.03
they're just the
miracle, it just is amazing.
00:52:53.07\00:52:55.40
And I'd love to have
00:52:55.44\00:52:57.41
a stream going past
my place, wouldn't you?
00:52:57.44\00:53:00.11
A crystal clear stream.
00:53:00.14\00:53:03.28
There is
nothing like pure water.
00:53:03.31\00:53:05.31
I don't know if you've
ever tasted pure water.
00:53:05.35\00:53:07.25
In the mountains of Tasmania,
00:53:07.28\00:53:09.28
I have tasted pure water
00:53:09.32\00:53:11.69
without anything
at all to pollute it,
00:53:11.72\00:53:15.52
of any kind, not even mud.
00:53:15.56\00:53:17.89
And it, folks, it has
a taste. It has a flavor.
00:53:17.93\00:53:21.06
It's absolutely beautiful.
00:53:21.10\00:53:22.76
Well, that's the kind of stream
we're going to have there.
00:53:22.80\00:53:26.03
You might never
have it on this earth,
00:53:26.07\00:53:27.84
but you're
going to have it there
00:53:27.87\00:53:29.77
because God has
arranged it for you.
00:53:29.80\00:53:31.91
So I'm asking you,
00:53:31.94\00:53:33.27
inviting you to make your
commitment to Jesus today.
00:53:33.31\00:53:38.68
Folks, if you're
watching this on television,
00:53:38.71\00:53:42.82
and you know that
this is the moment,
00:53:42.85\00:53:44.89
then don't wait, do it.
00:53:44.92\00:53:47.16
Now is the time
they will never be
00:53:47.19\00:53:48.92
a better time to come to Jesus,
00:53:48.96\00:53:51.09
and I'm going to pray
for us now as we close.
00:53:51.13\00:53:53.86
So would you join
with me in prayer?
00:53:53.90\00:53:56.13
Father in heaven,
we thank You that Jesus
00:53:56.16\00:53:58.83
is the source and
the author of life.
00:53:58.87\00:54:01.97
That by His amazing
death on the Cross of Calvary
00:54:02.00\00:54:05.01
He purchased life for us.
00:54:05.04\00:54:08.68
Father, we
embrace it again today.
00:54:08.71\00:54:11.65
We pray that Your
Holy Spirit will come
00:54:11.68\00:54:13.92
and fill us and
that the blood of Jesus
00:54:13.95\00:54:17.09
will cover every person
00:54:17.12\00:54:19.22
who earnestly
desires that today.
00:54:19.25\00:54:21.42
Please we pray in Jesus' name.
00:54:21.46\00:54:24.79
Amen.
00:54:24.83\00:54:26.16