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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Thank you for joining us again
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for our 3ABN
Australia Homecoming.
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The theme is
preparing for eternity.
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You know, eternity
is not an instant thing.
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It's a process step by step.
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And we've been
going through this series
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with the last speaker
was Pastor Geoff Youlden.
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And he was talking
about growing up into Christ.
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That was chapter eight
of the book Steps to Christ.
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Justification by
faith is being forgiven
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and accepted by God as
if we had never sinned.
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Sanctification by
faith, where we walk with God
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and experience the
joy of victory over sin.
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All three are
exceedingly good news
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and part of the final
message being proclaimed around
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the world in the last days.
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You know, we're living
in an interesting time.
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God wants us to be
ready and be prepared.
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For our special item,
Rosemary will be singing,
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"Mending Broken People."
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And you know what?
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That's a song that
you often hear on 3ABN,
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it's a beautiful song.
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And straight after Rosemary,
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you will hear the voice
of Pastor Lyle Southwell.
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He's an evangelist
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and he's also a radio announcer.
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Thank you Rosemary.
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When I see my brother stumble
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And all his dreams crumble
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Let me be there for
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I, too, fell
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And when I see
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His heartbreaking
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From a wrong turn
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he's taking
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Let me there
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for I remember well
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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When I see a life that's broken
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Lord, give me words
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That should be spoken
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For I
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Well remember the pain
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And when I see
teardrops falling Lord
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Remind me of my calling
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Help me
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Restore their faith in You
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my whole life
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Mending broken people
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Was so good to be with you
here today in the 3ABN Studio.
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I do kind of feel a
little bit at home here.
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Sometimes it feels like
I've got the North studio
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and the South studio,
where we have, of course, 3ABN,
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which is doing a
great work in media for God.
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And just a few
minutes up the road,
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we've got the Faith FM Studio
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where we are
broadcasting on the radio there.
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But it's great
to be with you all
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and particularly those of
you who are listening at home.
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We're glad that
you can join us here
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for the 3ABN Homecoming.
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As we begin today, and
as we open the Word of God,
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let's start with prayer.
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Father, we thank You
so much for the privilege
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of being able to spend this time
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reading and sharing
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and studying Your Word together,
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particularly as we look
at this important chapter,
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the life and the work.
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Father, we pray that
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You will just guide
us as we work our way
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through the instruction
that is given to us here
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that we will be
drawn close to you,
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that we will receive
a very special blessing
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and an outpouring
of Your Holy Spirit
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that we will not just learn,
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but that we will
put into practice
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the things that are
shared here in these passages.
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And so we ask this
now in Jesus' name,
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amen.
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As you begin this subject,
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I'd like you to turn in
your Bibles to Acts Chapter 10.
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We're going to be spending
a little bit of time here
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in Acts Chapter 10 today,
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and considering
the story of Cornelius.
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And you might wonder,
well, what that's got to do with
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Steps to Christ, Chapters
9, The Life and the Work, Well,
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we're going to find out
what it has to do with it
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as we work our way
through this chapter.
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We're simply going
to start in verse 1.
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The Bible says,
"There was a certain man
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in Caesarea called Cornelius,
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a centurion of the band
called the Italian band.
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A devout man, and
one that feared God
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with all his house,
which gave much gifts
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to the people, and
prayed to God always.
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He saw in a vision evidently
about the ninth hour of the day
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an angel of God
coming in to him,
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and saying unto him,
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Cornelius.
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And when he looked at him,
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he was afraid, and
said, What is it, Lord?
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And he, that's the
angel, said to him,
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Your prayers and
your alms have come up
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for a memorial before God.
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And now send men to Joppa,
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and call for one
Simon, whose surname is Peter:
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He lodgeth with
one Simon a tanner,
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whose house is by the sea side:
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and he will tell you
what you ought to do."
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You know, as we begin
this particular passage
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right here, we have Cornelius,
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and this is a
little bit unusual,
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particularly at
this point in history,
00:08:08.25\00:08:11.02
in the history of
the Christian Church.
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The Bible makes,
mentions, specific mentioned
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that this man was an Italian,
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he was in charge
of an Italian band,
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an Italian regiment 100
men that he was in charge of,
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and he has a
visit from an angel.
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As he has this
visit from an angel,
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the angel instructs him to go
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and find Peter.
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And Peter is going to come
and tell him what he needs to
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answer his questions.
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Cornelius has
been praying to God,
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and he's been
praying to the true God,
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because he has
questions about God
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that are unanswered.
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Now I want you
to think about Peter
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at this particular instance.
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And we don't
have time here today
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to read the whole chapter.
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So I'm going to assign
it for you for homework.
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Your homework for today
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is to go and
read Acts Chapter 10.
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Read the whole story through.
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But let's think
about Peter for a moment.
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Peter is in a bit of a...
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is going to be in a bit of
a difficult situation here,
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because for the very
first time in his life,
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he is going to be
called to minister to,
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to go into the home of somebody
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who is a Gentile.
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Now we sort of, you
know, we might kind of laugh
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a little bit of that today.
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You know, what would
be the problem with that?
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I mean, after all,
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we're probably most
of us Gentiles here,
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listening to the show.
00:09:34.27\00:09:35.60
Most of us would
fall into that category,
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and how could that be a problem?
00:09:37.67\00:09:40.94
But what we need to
recognize that for Peter,
00:09:40.98\00:09:42.68
this was a massive problem.
00:09:42.71\00:09:44.41
He would have to enter
the house of a Gentile.
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He would get
Gentile on his fingers.
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He would get
Gentile on his clothes.
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He would sit on a chair
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that had been
set on by a Gentile.
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He would have a
Gentile roof over his head.
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He might get
Gentile dust on him.
00:10:00.16\00:10:04.43
Not only that,
00:10:04.47\00:10:05.80
but if he's going
to minister there,
00:10:05.83\00:10:07.17
then he's going to eat food
00:10:07.20\00:10:09.60
that was prepared by Gentiles
00:10:09.64\00:10:13.61
in the Gentile kitchen.
00:10:13.64\00:10:17.35
Imagine the thought,
now, for us, of course,
00:10:17.38\00:10:22.75
is, you know, there's kind
of no issue with that at all,
00:10:22.78\00:10:25.25
we would, we
wouldn't even blink it
00:10:25.29\00:10:26.96
at such a thought.
00:10:26.99\00:10:28.46
But for Peter, this
was a massive issue.
00:10:28.49\00:10:34.53
This was something
incredibly radical.
00:10:34.56\00:10:36.87
And as you go
down through the story,
00:10:36.90\00:10:38.23
you're going to find that
00:10:38.27\00:10:39.60
this was such a
radical thought for Peter
00:10:39.63\00:10:42.54
that God has to send a vision.
00:10:42.57\00:10:44.84
So God's doing some
big stuff right here.
00:10:44.87\00:10:47.54
God is sending an
angel to Cornelius.
00:10:47.58\00:10:51.15
And an entire vision,
00:10:51.18\00:10:53.11
of course, you
remember the vision
00:10:53.15\00:10:55.15
of the net that is let down,
00:10:55.18\00:10:56.62
he's sending
entire vision to Peter,
00:10:56.65\00:10:59.85
just so that they
can cross this gap
00:10:59.89\00:11:03.59
of going into the
home of a Gentile.
00:11:03.63\00:11:07.36
This was no small thing.
00:11:07.40\00:11:09.06
When God is acting like that,
00:11:09.10\00:11:11.00
you know that big things
are happening and for Peter,
00:11:11.03\00:11:15.30
this was going to be
massively challenging.
00:11:15.34\00:11:21.51
So what does this
have to do with us today?
00:11:21.54\00:11:25.58
And how does it
apply to us today?
00:11:25.61\00:11:27.98
What lessons can
we learn from this?
00:11:28.02\00:11:30.12
Is there ever any circumstance
00:11:30.15\00:11:33.62
in which it may be similar
for us in our experience?
00:11:33.66\00:11:39.73
Who are the
Gentiles in our society?
00:11:39.76\00:11:43.53
In Steps to Christ,
00:11:43.57\00:11:46.07
The Work and the Life, page 77,
00:11:46.10\00:11:50.84
we find this,
"Angels are ever engaged
00:11:50.87\00:11:55.81
in working for the
happiness of others.
00:11:55.84\00:11:59.28
This is their joy
00:11:59.31\00:12:01.38
that which selfish hearts
00:12:01.42\00:12:02.98
would regard as
humiliating service,
00:12:03.02\00:12:07.22
ministering to
those who are wretched
00:12:07.26\00:12:09.46
and in every way
inferior in character and rank,
00:12:09.49\00:12:14.20
is the work of sinless angels.
00:12:17.50\00:12:19.50
The spirit of
Christ's self sacrificing love
00:12:19.53\00:12:23.07
is the spirit
that pervades heaven,
00:12:23.10\00:12:25.97
and is the very
essence of its bliss.
00:12:26.01\00:12:30.25
This is the spirit
that Christ's followers
00:12:30.28\00:12:32.15
will possess the
work that they will do."
00:12:32.18\00:12:37.05
Why don't you think
about that for a moment?
00:12:37.09\00:12:38.42
There was a key thought
00:12:38.45\00:12:39.79
right in the middle of
this that jumped out to me
00:12:39.82\00:12:41.16
as I was reading through
00:12:41.19\00:12:42.52
and preparing for
this presentation.
00:12:42.56\00:12:44.83
Ministering to
those who are wretched
00:12:44.86\00:12:49.13
and in every way
inferior in character and rank,
00:12:49.16\00:12:54.04
is the work of sinless angels.
00:12:54.07\00:12:57.21
And so we ask
ourselves the questions,
00:12:57.24\00:12:58.77
who are we superior to?
00:12:58.81\00:13:02.94
Now our natural
reaction is to sit here and say,
00:13:02.98\00:13:04.81
well, yeah, I'm
not superior to anyone.
00:13:04.85\00:13:06.48
You know, that's how we
respond as Christians, isn't it?
00:13:06.51\00:13:09.18
That is even a
part of our culture.
00:13:09.22\00:13:13.56
And the reason that is
become a part of our culture
00:13:13.59\00:13:16.16
is for one reason only
00:13:16.19\00:13:17.79
is the influence of
this book right here,
00:13:17.83\00:13:19.66
because it never used to be
00:13:19.69\00:13:22.20
a part of the
culture of the world.
00:13:22.23\00:13:25.33
In fact, if you go
back to Peter's day,
00:13:25.37\00:13:28.80
the Jews considered
themselves to be every way
00:13:28.84\00:13:32.17
superior in
character and rank to everybody
00:13:32.21\00:13:36.71
that was around them,
00:13:36.75\00:13:38.08
which is why they
couldn't bear the thought
00:13:38.11\00:13:39.85
of contaminating
themselves with Gentile.
00:13:39.88\00:13:44.49
They had to stay clean
and separate from Gentiles
00:13:44.52\00:13:47.06
and everyone,
because they consider
00:13:47.09\00:13:48.42
themselves to be superior.
00:13:48.46\00:13:50.49
And we say, well,
you know, we're just,
00:13:50.53\00:13:51.86
we're just like everybody else.
00:13:51.89\00:13:53.23
We're not
superior to anybody else.
00:13:53.26\00:13:54.60
But the reality is
that there are many things
00:13:54.63\00:13:58.23
that make us
superior to other people,
00:13:58.27\00:14:01.44
whether we like it or not.
00:14:01.47\00:14:04.87
You see, simply by the fact
that we live here in Australia,
00:14:04.91\00:14:08.84
we are superior to
the vast population,
00:14:08.88\00:14:11.61
the vast majority of
the population of the world,
00:14:11.65\00:14:13.62
isn't that so?
00:14:13.65\00:14:15.75
We have the highest
income, the highest education,
00:14:15.78\00:14:19.45
the highest quality of housing,
the highest health care,
00:14:19.49\00:14:22.16
and, you know,
00:14:22.19\00:14:23.53
just the highest
stuff in general,
00:14:23.56\00:14:27.53
because we live in
a developed country.
00:14:27.56\00:14:29.46
We have more stuff
00:14:29.50\00:14:31.30
than so much of our world today.
00:14:31.33\00:14:37.17
And that makes us superior,
00:14:37.21\00:14:38.97
whether we like it or not.
00:14:39.01\00:14:40.34
Now, we might not
think that we are superior
00:14:40.38\00:14:42.11
in who we are, as you know,
00:14:42.14\00:14:47.12
we might see all
people as being equal,
00:14:47.15\00:14:49.08
and that's a good thing because
that's what the Bible teaches.
00:14:49.12\00:14:51.55
And that's the
lesson that is being drawn
00:14:51.59\00:14:53.36
out in this passage
00:14:53.39\00:14:54.72
that we're looking at right now.
00:14:54.76\00:14:58.56
But then again,
let's come to Australia.
00:14:58.59\00:15:02.76
And let's ask
ourselves the question.
00:15:02.80\00:15:05.30
Are there people
00:15:05.33\00:15:06.67
that we feel
superior to in Australia?
00:15:06.70\00:15:08.27
Now, I've traveled
and, you know, in ministry,
00:15:08.30\00:15:09.97
sometimes you
travel, and when you travel,
00:15:10.01\00:15:12.07
you have all
kinds of adventures.
00:15:12.11\00:15:13.58
I'm going to share a few
different adventures with you.
00:15:13.61\00:15:15.48
I traveled once one
time to a developed country.
00:15:15.51\00:15:19.85
And arrangements had
been made for accommodation,
00:15:19.88\00:15:23.02
I made some
arrangements before I left.
00:15:23.05\00:15:25.62
When I got there, I
was a little bit surprised.
00:15:25.65\00:15:29.19
Because I found
myself staying with a family
00:15:29.22\00:15:31.46
from a low socioeconomic
environment and it was,
00:15:31.49\00:15:37.43
you know, sort of
immediately apparent,
00:15:37.47\00:15:40.30
but as is generally the case,
00:15:40.34\00:15:43.84
people that come from
00:15:43.87\00:15:45.21
a low socioeconomic environment,
00:15:45.24\00:15:46.64
they're just super friendly,
00:15:46.68\00:15:48.38
and give you the
shirt off their back.
00:15:48.41\00:15:50.51
And they're super generous,
and they do anything for you.
00:15:50.55\00:15:53.28
But you know, you
walk into their home,
00:15:53.31\00:15:54.65
and it's just, it was just
a little bit different from
00:15:54.68\00:15:57.05
what I'm used to.
00:15:57.09\00:15:59.75
You know, they'd
pull out the, out the,
00:15:59.79\00:16:03.59
you know, the couch
that folds out into a,
00:16:03.63\00:16:05.69
into a bed for me, so
that was kind of nice.
00:16:05.73\00:16:08.73
And so I've climbed
into the bed, but then,
00:16:08.76\00:16:10.87
you know, well,
I should say this.
00:16:10.90\00:16:15.80
That kind of
when I ended the home,
00:16:15.84\00:16:20.48
it sometimes you just
get hit with that smell.
00:16:20.51\00:16:23.71
Like this is not a clean home.
00:16:23.75\00:16:26.45
And I'm gonna be
staying in this home.
00:16:26.48\00:16:27.82
Yeah.
00:16:27.85\00:16:29.18
And then I climb into bed,
00:16:29.22\00:16:30.55
and there's a half
chin dog burn in the bed.
00:16:30.59\00:16:34.89
And then
there's a couple of dogs
00:16:34.92\00:16:36.26
that decide that, you know what?
00:16:36.29\00:16:38.03
There's a visitor here,
this is amazing as dogs do.
00:16:38.06\00:16:41.53
You know how dogs do that,
00:16:41.56\00:16:42.90
that they love
to meet new people.
00:16:42.93\00:16:44.70
It's like, well, we
will sleep with the visitor,
00:16:44.73\00:16:47.10
so they climb in bed as well.
00:16:47.14\00:16:49.44
I'm the kind of
person that comes from
00:16:49.47\00:16:50.91
a background of, you know,
our dogs were working dogs.
00:16:50.94\00:16:53.71
And so they were outside dogs.
00:16:53.74\00:16:55.24
And so the dogs
that I have right now,
00:16:55.28\00:16:56.91
he's an outside
dog, he lives outside.
00:16:56.95\00:16:59.21
So this was very unusual for me.
00:16:59.25\00:17:01.48
It was the kind of
place that you know,
00:17:01.52\00:17:02.85
you go to the
fridge, and it's like,
00:17:02.88\00:17:04.89
you don't want
to go to the fridge.
00:17:04.92\00:17:08.92
It's quite tempting in
that kind of environment
00:17:08.96\00:17:11.29
to suddenly feel superior.
00:17:11.33\00:17:12.66
Another time I stayed in a home,
00:17:18.17\00:17:22.04
where in fact,
I've had this happen
00:17:22.07\00:17:24.27
on a couple of occasions.
00:17:24.31\00:17:26.94
One home I stayed
in, there was no walls.
00:17:26.98\00:17:30.55
It was just like one big shed
00:17:30.58\00:17:33.21
with a big open
fireplace in the middle of it
00:17:33.25\00:17:35.15
and the whole
family lived in it.
00:17:35.18\00:17:37.55
No walls whatsoever.
00:17:37.59\00:17:41.69
Another one, I had a
similar, a similar one to that
00:17:41.72\00:17:43.53
that was in a, in
an undeveloped country.
00:17:43.56\00:17:46.13
And it also had,
like it kind of had walls,
00:17:46.16\00:17:49.63
it had studs.
00:17:49.66\00:17:52.90
But that was all,
there was no covering
00:17:52.93\00:17:54.54
on any of the walls
00:17:54.57\00:17:55.90
and no nothing in any
of the windows, no glass,
00:17:55.94\00:17:58.71
no louvers, no fly
screens, nothing to keep
00:17:58.74\00:18:02.01
the mosquitoes
out, nothing like that.
00:18:02.04\00:18:05.51
My most recent
traveling adventure was
00:18:05.55\00:18:09.72
traveling in one,
00:18:09.75\00:18:11.09
probably one of the
most undeveloped countries,
00:18:11.12\00:18:12.45
and I'm not naming any
countries here because,
00:18:12.49\00:18:15.26
you know, I don't
want people to go, oh,
00:18:15.29\00:18:16.62
that was that
experience right there.
00:18:16.66\00:18:19.03
But a very, very
undeveloped country
00:18:19.06\00:18:21.63
and being invited home to a meal
00:18:21.66\00:18:25.90
by, you know, a non,
somebody not of our faith.
00:18:25.93\00:18:30.81
But being invited home
to this meal and explaining,
00:18:30.84\00:18:32.64
well, you know,
I'm a vegetarian,
00:18:32.67\00:18:34.24
and so they've
gone out of their way.
00:18:34.28\00:18:36.48
But their home was
basically one small step
00:18:36.51\00:18:40.12
above being a mud hut.
00:18:40.15\00:18:43.18
And when you eat in
that kind of environment,
00:18:43.22\00:18:45.19
you know, being a Westerner
00:18:45.22\00:18:46.99
and coming from
where I come from,
00:18:47.02\00:18:50.19
you know, the thoughts
sort of go through your mind
00:18:50.23\00:18:52.46
is I'm on the
other side of the world,
00:18:52.49\00:18:55.20
don't have, you
know, a hospital here that
00:18:55.23\00:18:58.00
I would feel
comfortable in, you know.
00:18:58.03\00:18:59.73
You see the hospital,
it's like, woo, really.
00:18:59.77\00:19:02.94
I really don't want to get sick
00:19:02.97\00:19:04.57
at this particular time
and in this particular place.
00:19:04.61\00:19:07.74
And so, you know, how do we feel
00:19:07.78\00:19:10.95
in those kind of environments?
00:19:10.98\00:19:14.05
And the reality is
that even here in Australia,
00:19:14.08\00:19:16.48
there are many, many people
00:19:16.52\00:19:18.09
where we can go
and visit their home.
00:19:18.12\00:19:20.52
And we can feel
incredibly uncomfortable.
00:19:20.56\00:19:22.86
We can feel uncomfortable
just sitting on their furniture.
00:19:22.89\00:19:26.49
We can feel uncomfortable
by the smell that assails us
00:19:26.53\00:19:30.43
when they open the door.
00:19:30.47\00:19:32.47
We can find, feel
incredibly uncomfortable
00:19:32.50\00:19:34.70
when they offer us a
hot drink and we have
00:19:34.74\00:19:36.57
you know that we have
that good cup of herbal tea
00:19:36.60\00:19:40.31
that hopefully that
they've got in their cupboard.
00:19:40.34\00:19:44.01
And you sort of
wonder, you know,
00:19:44.05\00:19:45.45
how well and when
was the mug last washed.
00:19:45.48\00:19:50.75
Now maybe you're sitting there,
00:19:50.79\00:19:52.12
maybe you're sitting there
back at home and saying, well,
00:19:52.15\00:19:53.76
I've never had
that kind of experience.
00:19:53.79\00:19:56.39
Well, if you've never
had that kind of experience
00:19:56.42\00:19:59.76
then maybe you
haven't been challenged enough
00:19:59.79\00:20:05.10
in the work and the life.
00:20:05.13\00:20:07.54
Because I will guarantee
00:20:07.57\00:20:10.64
that if you go
out to the community,
00:20:10.67\00:20:13.01
and you start to share Jesus
00:20:13.04\00:20:15.28
with people in
an intentional way,
00:20:15.31\00:20:18.98
you will have these
kinds of experiences.
00:20:19.01\00:20:21.62
And it won't be that rare.
00:20:21.65\00:20:24.82
How should we act?
And how do we respond?
00:20:28.16\00:20:31.26
What does it say here?
00:20:31.29\00:20:34.60
That this, where are we,
00:20:34.63\00:20:37.33
the Spirit of
Christ's self sacrificing love
00:20:37.37\00:20:39.97
is the spirit
that pervades heaven,
00:20:40.00\00:20:42.97
and is the very
essence of its bliss.
00:20:43.00\00:20:48.31
And so here is
the first challenge
00:20:48.34\00:20:49.68
that I find in
this chapter right here,
00:20:49.71\00:20:51.78
the essence of heaven's bliss.
00:20:51.81\00:20:53.15
Are you experiencing the heaven,
00:20:53.18\00:20:54.52
the essence of heaven's bliss?
00:20:54.55\00:20:57.05
You know, the chapter goes on,
00:20:57.09\00:20:58.65
and it continues to
be very, very challenging
00:20:58.69\00:21:01.09
all the way through.
00:21:01.12\00:21:02.46
Says the Savior,
this is from page 78.
00:21:02.49\00:21:04.03
So we go to the
next page in here.
00:21:04.06\00:21:05.63
The Savior's life on
earth was not a life of ease
00:21:05.66\00:21:08.06
and devotion to Himself,
00:21:08.10\00:21:09.43
but He toiled with persistent,
00:21:09.46\00:21:10.87
earnest, untiring effort
00:21:10.90\00:21:12.57
for the
salvation of lost mankind.
00:21:12.60\00:21:15.24
From the manger to Calvary
00:21:15.27\00:21:16.67
He followed the
path of self-denial
00:21:16.71\00:21:18.27
and sought not to be
released from arduous tasks,
00:21:18.31\00:21:21.58
painful travels,
exhausting care and labor.
00:21:21.61\00:21:24.95
This was the one
great object of his life;
00:21:24.98\00:21:27.22
everything else was
secondary and subservient.
00:21:27.25\00:21:30.32
It was his meat and
drink to do the will of God
00:21:30.35\00:21:33.29
and to finish his work.
00:21:33.32\00:21:34.79
Self and self interest
had no part in his labor.
00:21:34.82\00:21:40.93
Now we read that right
there, we read that passage.
00:21:40.96\00:21:42.73
And these kinds of
passages, you know,
00:21:42.76\00:21:44.90
they give us that nice,
warm fuzzy inside, don't they?
00:21:44.93\00:21:48.14
Like, oh, yeah,
self sacrificing love,
00:21:48.17\00:21:49.84
we should be self sacrificing.
00:21:49.87\00:21:51.37
That's who we are as Christians.
00:21:51.41\00:21:54.64
But I want you to notice here,
it says that this was the focus
00:21:54.68\00:21:57.78
of the Savior's life on earth,
00:21:57.81\00:22:00.68
and that it was
not a life of ease,
00:22:00.72\00:22:05.02
but a life of sacrifice.
00:22:05.05\00:22:07.32
Yeah, it's very interesting,
00:22:07.36\00:22:08.69
very easy way for us all to test
00:22:08.72\00:22:12.23
whether or not we
have a life of ease,
00:22:12.26\00:22:15.26
or a life of sacrifice.
00:22:15.30\00:22:18.40
Here's a test that I
want to challenge you
00:22:18.43\00:22:20.04
all with right now.
00:22:20.07\00:22:23.30
What kind of life do you have?
00:22:23.34\00:22:25.84
And that is, simply ask yourself
00:22:25.87\00:22:28.54
the question right now.
00:22:28.58\00:22:32.08
How did COVID
00:22:32.11\00:22:35.38
affect your plans this year?
00:22:35.42\00:22:39.75
What was it in your life
00:22:39.79\00:22:43.43
that was canceled as a
result of COVID this year?
00:22:43.46\00:22:49.93
Did you have
opportunities for sacrifice
00:22:49.96\00:22:54.70
and toil and labor
00:22:54.74\00:22:58.17
that were canceled this year?
00:22:58.21\00:23:01.24
Or was it your cruise?
00:23:01.28\00:23:02.78
You know, it kind of cuts
00:23:05.88\00:23:07.22
a little bit close
to home, doesn't it?
00:23:07.25\00:23:08.58
We have to stop
00:23:08.62\00:23:09.95
and ask ourselves this question,
00:23:09.98\00:23:11.32
what was the focus
of the Savior's life?
00:23:11.35\00:23:15.12
Persistent,
earnest untiring effort
00:23:15.16\00:23:19.86
for the salvation of others.
00:23:19.89\00:23:22.46
Now, I'm not saying and
you know, I'm not saying,
00:23:22.50\00:23:24.63
there is not a time and a place
00:23:24.67\00:23:27.44
for witnessing for Jesus
in all kinds of environments.
00:23:27.47\00:23:32.17
And there's not, I'm not saying
there's not a time and a place
00:23:32.21\00:23:34.24
for taking some time
off and having a break.
00:23:34.28\00:23:38.51
Jesus did that as well.
00:23:38.55\00:23:40.45
But was that the
focus of His life?
00:23:40.48\00:23:44.49
Was He living a
life where He lived from,
00:23:44.52\00:23:48.16
you know, kind of,
from one experience
00:23:48.19\00:23:52.73
of ease to another.
00:23:52.76\00:23:56.73
Sometimes I meet
people, and the reason
00:23:56.77\00:24:00.04
that they go to work,
00:24:00.07\00:24:01.40
they just simply go
to work to earn money,
00:24:01.44\00:24:03.41
so that they can have a
holiday somewhere and sit back
00:24:03.44\00:24:06.14
and relax and take like easy.
00:24:06.17\00:24:09.18
Why do you go to work?
00:24:09.21\00:24:11.15
Why do you earn money?
00:24:11.18\00:24:12.51
What is the focus of your life?
00:24:12.55\00:24:14.25
Is it so that you can have
00:24:14.28\00:24:16.45
those times of
ease and relaxation?
00:24:16.48\00:24:19.35
Or is it do you work,
00:24:19.39\00:24:22.56
so that you can
share Jesus with others?
00:24:22.59\00:24:27.00
Let's think about the example
00:24:27.03\00:24:28.46
that Jesus has
given to us right here
00:24:28.50\00:24:31.43
and is highlighted to us
00:24:31.47\00:24:33.70
in this particular passage.
00:24:33.74\00:24:35.07
Let's go to Matthew Chapter 20.
00:24:35.10\00:24:39.54
Matthew 20,
00:24:39.57\00:24:41.28
and we are going
to read verse 28.
00:24:41.31\00:24:45.55
Matthew chapter 20
00:24:45.58\00:24:46.92
And verse 20:28, the Bible says,
00:24:51.39\00:24:52.92
"Even as the Son of man
came not to be ministered unto,
00:24:52.95\00:24:56.32
but to minister
00:24:56.36\00:24:58.53
and to give His
life a ransom for many."
00:24:58.56\00:25:02.36
You know, when
we truly understand
00:25:02.40\00:25:03.80
the sacrifice of Christ,
00:25:03.83\00:25:05.17
isn't that what
motivates us in service?
00:25:05.20\00:25:07.77
And if we are not
motivated in and service
00:25:07.80\00:25:09.60
and when if we ask
ourselves that question,
00:25:09.64\00:25:11.31
what we are
cancelled as a result of COVID.
00:25:11.34\00:25:13.74
And if we suddenly
realized that, you know,
00:25:13.78\00:25:15.91
most of what we have
cancelled has been, you know,
00:25:15.94\00:25:18.75
things to bring us pleasure
and to bring us a life of ease.
00:25:18.78\00:25:24.65
And if that is the major impact
that COVID has had on our life,
00:25:24.69\00:25:28.02
then maybe we need
to relook at our lives
00:25:28.06\00:25:30.23
and relook at our
relationship with Jesus Christ
00:25:30.26\00:25:33.76
because maybe this is
where the challenge comes in.
00:25:33.80\00:25:39.63
Steps to Christ, Chapter 9,
00:25:39.67\00:25:41.50
The Life and the Work,
it's full of challenges.
00:25:41.54\00:25:43.51
That's what it's there for.
00:25:43.54\00:25:46.07
And it simply goes on
from one challenge to another.
00:25:46.11\00:25:48.14
We talk about
ease and sacrifice,
00:25:48.18\00:25:50.35
but let's talk
about our highest honor.
00:25:50.38\00:25:53.25
What is our highest honor?
00:25:53.28\00:25:56.38
I want to come back to the story
00:25:56.42\00:25:57.75
of Cornelius right here.
00:25:57.79\00:25:59.42
And I want you to think
about Cornelius for a moment.
00:25:59.45\00:26:02.49
Cornelius is in his house.
00:26:02.52\00:26:04.39
He's had lots of
questions for a long time.
00:26:04.43\00:26:06.90
We know that is the case.
00:26:06.93\00:26:09.10
Because he's in his
house in the middle of the day,
00:26:09.13\00:26:11.37
and he is deep in prayer,
00:26:11.40\00:26:13.34
He has, you know, been assigned,
00:26:13.37\00:26:15.57
he's been sent by the
empire to the Jewish nation.
00:26:15.60\00:26:19.67
And somewhere along the line,
00:26:19.71\00:26:21.94
he has discovered Yahweh,
00:26:21.98\00:26:24.71
the Jewish God, a
very, very different God
00:26:24.75\00:26:28.38
from the gods that he
is used to worshiping.
00:26:28.42\00:26:31.62
Somewhere along the
line, he has given his life
00:26:31.65\00:26:34.72
to the service of Yahweh.
00:26:34.76\00:26:37.26
We know this
because the Bible says
00:26:37.29\00:26:38.63
that he is a very devout man.
00:26:38.66\00:26:41.00
And, of course, as a devout man,
00:26:41.03\00:26:43.16
he's right there.
00:26:43.20\00:26:44.53
He is deep in prayer.
00:26:44.57\00:26:49.60
And so God decides to
do something for Cornelius
00:26:49.64\00:26:51.51
that He has done for
very, very few people.
00:26:51.54\00:26:53.58
He's probably
not done it for us.
00:26:53.61\00:26:55.58
I don't know. I
don't know your experience.
00:26:55.61\00:26:57.48
There would be some of you
who have had this experience,
00:26:57.51\00:27:00.38
I'm sure but very few.
00:27:00.42\00:27:03.32
God in heaven
hears Cornelius' prayer,
00:27:03.35\00:27:05.45
and commissions an
angel to fly from heaven.
00:27:05.49\00:27:10.09
And so the angel leaves heaven.
00:27:10.13\00:27:11.63
He flies down to this
earth and he stands there
00:27:11.66\00:27:15.36
in Cornelius' house.
00:27:15.40\00:27:18.20
Now, if I was Cornelius
at this particular time,
00:27:18.23\00:27:20.74
I would be like, great.
00:27:20.77\00:27:23.07
This is fantastic.
00:27:23.10\00:27:24.44
Definitely intimidated and
you can tell that Cornelius
00:27:24.47\00:27:27.21
was definitely intimidated
by the presence of an angel,
00:27:27.24\00:27:30.71
but I would
also be super excited
00:27:30.75\00:27:33.52
that someone had come
00:27:33.55\00:27:35.25
to share the gospel with me,
00:27:35.28\00:27:39.35
and not just
some ordinary person
00:27:39.39\00:27:43.09
but an angel
from heaven was there
00:27:43.12\00:27:45.26
present in my house
00:27:45.29\00:27:48.40
to share with me
the gospel message.
00:27:48.43\00:27:52.90
And so you can imagine Cornelius
00:27:52.93\00:27:54.27
at this particular point,
00:27:54.30\00:27:55.64
he's super
excited and he's ready.
00:27:55.67\00:27:57.21
He's ready now to
hear the gospel message.
00:27:57.24\00:28:02.54
But does the angel share
the gospel with Cornelius?
00:28:02.58\00:28:06.65
Is that what happens?
00:28:06.68\00:28:08.75
Does the angel
stand there and say, okay,
00:28:08.78\00:28:10.52
you had all of these questions.
00:28:10.55\00:28:12.45
Let me answer
these questions for you.
00:28:12.49\00:28:16.19
Is that what the angel does?
00:28:16.22\00:28:18.43
No, not at all, not at all.
00:28:18.46\00:28:21.36
The angel comes all the
way from heaven, stands there,
00:28:21.40\00:28:24.40
grabs his attention,
00:28:24.43\00:28:27.14
and says, okay,
send people to Joppa,
00:28:27.17\00:28:29.74
and find somebody
by the name of Peter,
00:28:29.77\00:28:33.78
and he will share
the gospel with you.
00:28:33.81\00:28:38.91
Wow, really?
00:28:38.95\00:28:43.42
Peter.
00:28:43.45\00:28:46.09
Peter is going
to share the gospel.
00:28:46.12\00:28:48.92
Seriously? We all
know Peter, right?
00:28:48.96\00:28:53.09
So you've got a choice now,
00:28:53.13\00:28:54.46
you can hear the
gospel from an angel.
00:28:54.50\00:28:57.23
So the angel is a
perfect, sinless being,
00:28:57.27\00:29:00.94
and you can imagine
that that angel would give
00:29:00.97\00:29:03.14
a flawless presentation
of the gospel message,
00:29:03.17\00:29:07.14
isn't that so?
00:29:07.18\00:29:08.98
Perfect. Not a
word out of place.
00:29:09.01\00:29:13.92
You know, this is
somebody, this is,
00:29:17.45\00:29:18.85
an angel has been standing there
00:29:18.89\00:29:20.89
with God in the
courts of heaven.
00:29:20.92\00:29:24.29
But the angel's like
now you gotta get Peter.
00:29:24.33\00:29:26.39
All right, so we
know about Peter, right?
00:29:26.43\00:29:28.76
Peter, who always
seemed to open his mouth,
00:29:28.80\00:29:31.60
and before he did anything else
he put his foot in it, right?
00:29:31.63\00:29:35.30
Is pretty much the
experience of Peter?
00:29:35.34\00:29:37.21
He was the one who always
seem to be getting himself
00:29:37.24\00:29:40.14
into all kinds of trouble.
00:29:40.18\00:29:43.35
Yes, Peter,
00:29:46.35\00:29:49.72
who in Matthew 16:23,
00:29:49.75\00:29:54.59
Jesus calls him Satan.
00:29:54.62\00:29:58.03
You know, there
are not too many people
00:29:58.06\00:29:59.39
in the Bible that have been
00:29:59.43\00:30:03.16
referred to as Satan.
00:30:03.20\00:30:05.33
You can think of Peter
00:30:05.37\00:30:06.70
and you can think
of maybe you know,
00:30:06.74\00:30:08.07
the king of
Babylon, the king of Tyre,
00:30:08.10\00:30:09.44
one or two others,
00:30:09.47\00:30:10.81
Peter is called
Satan, doesn't he?
00:30:10.84\00:30:12.17
Then you go over.
00:30:12.21\00:30:13.54
Let's go over this passage
in Luke, Luke Chapter 22.
00:30:13.58\00:30:15.38
Because this is right down
00:30:15.41\00:30:17.75
near the end of Jesus' ministry.
00:30:17.78\00:30:21.22
Luke 22:31,
00:30:21.25\00:30:24.49
"The Lord said, 'Simon, Simon,
00:30:24.52\00:30:25.99
behold, Satan has
desired to have you
00:30:26.02\00:30:27.76
that he may sift you as wheat.
00:30:27.79\00:30:29.59
But I have prayed for
you that your faith fail not
00:30:29.62\00:30:33.33
and when you are converted,
00:30:33.36\00:30:37.27
strengthen your brethren.'"
00:30:37.30\00:30:38.87
This is the night
before Jesus dies.
00:30:38.90\00:30:41.50
Peter's been, you know,
00:30:41.54\00:30:42.87
three and a
half years with Jesus
00:30:42.90\00:30:45.77
and Jesus is like yeah, okay.
00:30:45.81\00:30:47.68
When you are converted,
00:30:47.71\00:30:50.78
I've got a work for you to do.
00:30:50.81\00:30:52.41
Imagine spending three
and a half years with Jesus
00:30:52.45\00:30:54.68
and Jesus turns around says,
00:30:54.72\00:30:56.05
"Yeah, okay,
you're not yet converted."
00:30:56.08\00:30:57.42
Of course, Peter
was converted that night
00:30:57.45\00:31:00.39
in the Garden of Gethsemane.
00:31:00.42\00:31:03.12
But under pretty terrible
circumstances, wasn't it?
00:31:03.16\00:31:06.46
You know, when
you think about it,
00:31:06.49\00:31:07.83
he was converted
after having denied Jesus.
00:31:07.86\00:31:11.90
What a disaster?
00:31:11.93\00:31:13.27
So this is Peter.
00:31:13.30\00:31:15.60
Yeah, the story of
Peter doesn't stop,
00:31:15.64\00:31:17.24
you can go to
Galatians Chapter 2,
00:31:17.27\00:31:18.61
and you'll remember what happens
00:31:18.64\00:31:19.97
in Galatians Chapter 2, right?
00:31:20.01\00:31:23.11
The Bible says that
in Galatians Chapter 2,
00:31:23.14\00:31:26.05
Peter dissembled.
00:31:26.08\00:31:28.82
Now there is an old
English word for you.
00:31:28.85\00:31:31.19
You'll find that in
the King James Version,
00:31:31.22\00:31:33.05
it says it means to act
hypocritically to deceive
00:31:33.09\00:31:37.13
and to speak under a false part.
00:31:37.16\00:31:41.03
Because Peter was hanging
out with all the Gentiles,
00:31:41.06\00:31:42.93
he'd learned how to do that.
00:31:42.96\00:31:44.30
And then the Jews
from Jerusalem turned up
00:31:44.33\00:31:46.60
and suddenly is like, Oh, no,
00:31:46.63\00:31:49.07
can't be hanging out
with Gentiles anymore,
00:31:49.10\00:31:51.11
because that
would make me look bad
00:31:51.14\00:31:52.97
to the churches
back in Jerusalem.
00:31:53.01\00:31:55.88
And Paul had to call
him out and said Peter,
00:31:55.91\00:31:57.45
you know, Peter, the
picture we get of Peter
00:31:57.48\00:32:00.52
is a weak failing human
being bumbling his way along,
00:32:00.55\00:32:06.09
but at the same
time being used by God
00:32:06.12\00:32:09.39
to do tremendous things.
00:32:09.42\00:32:13.29
That's the
picture we have of Peter.
00:32:13.33\00:32:15.36
And so this
bumbling, stumbling individual
00:32:15.40\00:32:19.27
who always seems
to say the wrong thing
00:32:19.30\00:32:22.97
at the wrong time,
00:32:23.00\00:32:25.47
is who Cornelius is directed
00:32:25.51\00:32:28.44
to and so why?
00:32:28.48\00:32:32.51
Why send Cornelius to Peter?
00:32:32.55\00:32:37.05
What do that?
00:32:37.09\00:32:38.62
The angels made the effort
come all the way from heaven
00:32:38.65\00:32:42.32
is already here.
00:32:42.36\00:32:43.83
Why not just share the gospel?
00:32:43.86\00:32:45.86
Why get Peter to do it?
00:32:45.89\00:32:47.60
There's an incredibly important
lesson for us, right here.
00:32:47.63\00:32:51.23
And the simple reality is
00:32:51.27\00:32:54.34
that God could have reached
00:32:54.37\00:32:55.70
His object in saving
sinners without our aid.
00:32:55.74\00:33:00.54
But in order for us to develop
00:33:00.58\00:33:04.18
a character like Christ's.
00:33:04.21\00:33:09.38
Now, isn't that the object
00:33:09.42\00:33:11.39
of what
Christianity is all about,
00:33:11.42\00:33:13.96
to develop a
character like Jesus.
00:33:13.99\00:33:17.93
In order for us to
develop a character like Christ,
00:33:17.96\00:33:20.86
we must share in His work,
in order to enter into His joy,
00:33:20.90\00:33:25.30
the joy of seeing souls
redeemed by His sacrifice,
00:33:25.33\00:33:28.94
we must
participate in His labors
00:33:28.97\00:33:32.34
for their redemption.
00:33:32.37\00:33:34.21
That's Desire of Ages, page 142.
00:33:34.24\00:33:35.84
Let me read it to you
00:33:35.88\00:33:37.21
from Steps to Christ, Chapter 9.
00:33:37.25\00:33:39.98
That's the chapter that
we are studying right here,
00:33:40.02\00:33:42.08
the best, no,
that's not the right one.
00:33:42.12\00:33:44.45
Here is up here, page 79.
00:33:44.49\00:33:49.66
God might have committed
the message of the gospel
00:33:49.69\00:33:52.06
to the heavenly angels.
00:33:52.09\00:33:54.13
But in His infinite love,
00:33:54.16\00:33:56.93
He chose to make us
co-workers with Himself
00:33:56.97\00:34:00.47
that we might
share the blessing,
00:34:00.50\00:34:02.87
the joy, the
spiritual uplifting,
00:34:02.90\00:34:05.97
which results from
this unselfish ministry.
00:34:06.01\00:34:11.28
God did not give
the work to the angels.
00:34:11.31\00:34:13.18
He could have given to
the work to the angels,
00:34:13.21\00:34:14.62
and the work
would have been done
00:34:14.65\00:34:16.02
so much faster,
00:34:16.05\00:34:17.39
simpler, and easier.
00:34:17.42\00:34:19.92
But He gave the work to us,
00:34:19.95\00:34:22.02
He entrusted it to us.
00:34:22.06\00:34:23.63
And this is our highest honor.
00:34:23.66\00:34:26.53
And particularly ours
as Seventh-day Adventists
00:34:26.56\00:34:28.83
have been committed to us
00:34:28.86\00:34:30.53
the most solemn message
00:34:30.57\00:34:32.23
ever entrusted to mortals,
00:34:32.27\00:34:35.50
think about that.
00:34:35.54\00:34:37.61
Think about the honor of that.
00:34:37.64\00:34:41.34
Hasn't given it to the angels,
He's given it to us, why?
00:34:41.38\00:34:45.28
Because He knows, God
knows, there is a blessing
00:34:45.31\00:34:49.02
that we can receive in
sharing the gospel message
00:34:49.05\00:34:51.62
that we can get in no other way.
00:34:51.65\00:34:56.36
And unless we
receive that blessing,
00:34:56.39\00:34:58.16
we can never experience
the joy of seeing other save.
00:34:58.19\00:35:01.56
We can never experience the joy
00:35:01.60\00:35:03.93
that God experiences.
00:35:03.97\00:35:05.73
And He wants us to
enter into that joy.
00:35:05.77\00:35:08.60
Not only that, we can never have
00:35:08.64\00:35:09.97
our characters formed,
00:35:10.01\00:35:11.34
like the
character of Jesus Christ.
00:35:11.37\00:35:13.88
God has granted,
00:35:13.91\00:35:15.24
this is Steps
to Christ, page 79.
00:35:15.28\00:35:18.11
God has granted men
the privilege of diffusing
00:35:18.15\00:35:22.05
blessings to their fellow men.
00:35:22.08\00:35:24.25
This is the highest honor,
00:35:24.29\00:35:27.09
the greatest joy that
it is possible for God
00:35:27.12\00:35:30.56
to bestow upon men.
00:35:30.59\00:35:33.53
I want you to think about that.
00:35:33.56\00:35:36.63
The highest honor
00:35:36.67\00:35:40.87
that God can give.
00:35:40.90\00:35:44.44
We all like to receive honor
on occasion, isn't that so.
00:35:44.47\00:35:48.61
And here God has
come along and says, Okay,
00:35:48.64\00:35:50.31
I'll give the highest honor.
00:35:50.35\00:35:52.58
The highest one
out of all of them.
00:35:52.61\00:35:55.88
What is that highest honor?
00:35:55.92\00:35:57.59
It's the joy of sharing
Jesus with other people.
00:35:57.62\00:36:00.82
And if we are not
actively doing that,
00:36:00.86\00:36:03.86
in our life, in our
work, in our experience,
00:36:03.89\00:36:06.39
in whatever it is
that we are doing,
00:36:06.43\00:36:08.56
we are missing out
on the joy of heaven.
00:36:08.60\00:36:12.10
We've only got half
the Christian experience,
00:36:12.13\00:36:13.84
you know, so often
people come to me and you know,
00:36:13.87\00:36:15.20
and I've heard this
00:36:15.24\00:36:16.57
over and over
again, they're like, yeah,
00:36:16.60\00:36:17.94
I've tried
Christianity, didn't work.
00:36:17.97\00:36:19.31
It's not for me, you
know, been there done that.
00:36:19.34\00:36:21.08
It didn't work.
00:36:21.11\00:36:22.54
I'm like, what do you
mean you tried Christianity?
00:36:22.58\00:36:23.91
Like yeah, used to go to church,
00:36:23.95\00:36:25.28
used to reading
the Bible used to,
00:36:25.31\00:36:26.72
used to pray, used to study,
00:36:26.75\00:36:28.52
used to go small group,
all of that kind of stuff.
00:36:28.55\00:36:30.75
But it just, it
just didn't work for me.
00:36:30.79\00:36:34.82
You know, there's
more to being a Christian
00:36:34.86\00:36:37.36
than just taking in the
spiritual blessings of God.
00:36:37.39\00:36:43.33
It's a little bit
like eating, in fact,
00:36:43.37\00:36:44.83
it's a lot like
eating if all you ever do
00:36:44.87\00:36:47.20
is take in and you
never exert any of the energy
00:36:47.24\00:36:51.31
that you are taking
into yourself, what happens?
00:36:51.34\00:36:55.14
You become very, very unhealthy,
00:36:55.18\00:36:57.55
and you're going to die.
00:36:57.58\00:37:03.08
It will kill you.
00:37:03.12\00:37:05.19
That's what happens
to us as Christians,
00:37:05.22\00:37:06.55
we become fast food
Christians where we're like,
00:37:06.59\00:37:08.19
yeah, I'm a Christian,
00:37:08.22\00:37:09.56
and I'll spend some
time reading the Bible,
00:37:09.59\00:37:10.93
da-da, done.
00:37:10.96\00:37:12.29
Move on into
the rest of the day,
00:37:12.33\00:37:13.80
you know, drive
through Christianity,
00:37:13.83\00:37:15.30
have a drive through experience
with Jesus in the morning,
00:37:15.33\00:37:17.57
launch off into the day
and think that that's going
00:37:17.60\00:37:19.10
to get us
through the day somehow.
00:37:19.13\00:37:20.87
And then as we
go through the day,
00:37:20.90\00:37:23.24
we never ever share,
00:37:23.27\00:37:24.61
we never ever
burn off all of that,
00:37:24.64\00:37:26.24
you know, that
energy that we have,
00:37:26.27\00:37:29.28
you know, taken in
whatever it might be.
00:37:29.31\00:37:32.28
It's a lethal combination,
it will kill you spiritually,
00:37:32.31\00:37:34.85
you will die as a result of it.
00:37:34.88\00:37:36.95
And God has given to
us the highest honor,
00:37:36.99\00:37:39.05
and that is sharing Jesus
with those people around us.
00:37:39.09\00:37:45.03
You know, often we get
intimidated by the concept
00:37:45.06\00:37:48.90
of sharing Jesus with others,
00:37:48.93\00:37:50.27
and we look out
at the whole world
00:37:50.30\00:37:51.93
and we look at the
big field that there is.
00:37:51.97\00:37:56.57
And all of the needs
that there are in our world
00:37:56.60\00:37:58.61
and we say to
ourselves, well, you know,
00:37:58.64\00:38:00.38
we can't sort of
meet all of those needs,
00:38:00.41\00:38:01.91
what can we?
00:38:01.94\00:38:03.28
What can we, you know,
and we just kind of give up,
00:38:03.31\00:38:05.48
or we say, you know,
I'm not really qualified,
00:38:05.51\00:38:09.05
you know, what do I do?
00:38:09.08\00:38:13.49
I got to tell you that
when I was young person,
00:38:13.52\00:38:17.86
just a teenager,
I had opportunity
00:38:17.89\00:38:20.13
to share the
Bible with some people
00:38:20.16\00:38:22.66
and to study
the Bible, you know,
00:38:22.70\00:38:24.03
some other young
folk that were about
00:38:24.07\00:38:25.40
the same age as me.
00:38:25.43\00:38:26.77
And I just went
and gave Bible studies.
00:38:26.80\00:38:32.54
They were
terrible Bible studies.
00:38:32.57\00:38:36.24
In fact, I teach people
how to do Bible studies today.
00:38:36.28\00:38:40.35
And when I teach people
how to do Bible studies,
00:38:40.38\00:38:42.28
I teach them
how to do everything
00:38:42.32\00:38:46.19
completely the
opposite of what I did
00:38:46.22\00:38:48.62
in those first Bible studies.
00:38:48.66\00:38:50.36
I'm like, these are all
the mistakes you can make.
00:38:50.39\00:38:52.03
You know, this is a
mistake, this is a mistake,
00:38:52.06\00:38:53.93
this is a mistake.
00:38:53.96\00:38:55.30
And when I was giving
those first Bible studies
00:38:55.33\00:38:56.93
as young person,
00:38:56.97\00:38:58.30
I was going down the
tick box of mistakes.
00:38:58.33\00:39:00.84
Yep, made that
one, yep, made that one,
00:39:00.87\00:39:03.30
yep, made that
one, yep made that one.
00:39:03.34\00:39:04.67
I didn't know I
was making mistakes
00:39:04.71\00:39:06.04
I was just
enthusiastic in sharing Jesus.
00:39:06.07\00:39:09.04
And you know, young
people gave their life
00:39:09.08\00:39:10.41
to Jesus Christ as
a as a result of that.
00:39:10.45\00:39:12.41
And they are still
followers of Jesus Christ
00:39:12.45\00:39:14.42
as a result of
those Bible studies today,
00:39:14.45\00:39:16.75
even though I broke every rule
00:39:16.79\00:39:19.25
that there was in the book
00:39:19.29\00:39:20.82
in relationship to
giving Bible studies,
00:39:20.86\00:39:22.36
I'm gonna turn
up, I'd be on fire.
00:39:22.39\00:39:24.13
I'd stay there
for like three hours.
00:39:24.16\00:39:29.56
You know, you ever been
in a three hour Bible study
00:39:29.60\00:39:31.23
can be pretty heavy going
00:39:31.27\00:39:34.17
and I held them with
the Bible, you know, like,
00:39:34.20\00:39:38.17
it's kind of what people do
00:39:38.21\00:39:39.54
when they're just
new young Christians.
00:39:39.57\00:39:40.98
It's not the a...
00:39:41.01\00:39:42.34
It's one of those
things that we need to,
00:39:42.38\00:39:44.61
to figure out is that,
yeah, as new Christians.
00:39:44.65\00:39:50.29
We need to train
our new Christians,
00:39:50.32\00:39:51.72
so they can be super effective
00:39:51.75\00:39:53.22
because I let
harness that energy.
00:39:53.25\00:39:55.56
But let's find that
energy for ourselves.
00:39:55.59\00:39:57.56
If you go to work
as Christ designs,
00:39:57.59\00:39:59.89
you will feel the need
of a deeper experience.
00:39:59.93\00:40:02.10
What do you think
about this for a moment?
00:40:02.13\00:40:03.47
Think about the disciples
00:40:03.50\00:40:04.83
as they gathered
in the upper room?
00:40:04.87\00:40:07.64
You've got 120
disciples that gather together
00:40:07.67\00:40:09.94
in the upper room
after the resurrection.
00:40:09.97\00:40:15.41
Now there's two
gatherings in that upper room.
00:40:15.44\00:40:17.55
There's one
before the crucifixion,
00:40:17.58\00:40:20.35
there is one
after the resurrection.
00:40:20.38\00:40:24.19
Now those two gatherings
have very, very different
00:40:24.22\00:40:26.59
atmospheres, don't they?
00:40:26.62\00:40:28.89
Let's think about it.
00:40:28.92\00:40:30.26
What was it they
were talking about
00:40:30.29\00:40:34.83
in the upper room
before the crucifixion?
00:40:34.86\00:40:38.53
They're all talking
about who's gonna be greatest
00:40:38.57\00:40:39.93
in the kingdom, aren't they?
00:40:39.97\00:40:42.24
They've been with Jesus
for three and a half years
00:40:42.27\00:40:45.37
and this is still
where their heads are at.
00:40:45.41\00:40:50.88
It must have
broken Jesus' heart.
00:40:50.91\00:40:54.48
But then when
they gathered together
00:40:54.52\00:40:56.38
after the resurrection,
00:40:56.42\00:40:59.02
they've now received
the Great Commission,
00:40:59.05\00:41:01.29
go and take the
gospel to the whole world,
00:41:01.32\00:41:03.43
begin at
Jerusalem, and then Judea,
00:41:03.46\00:41:05.66
and then Samaria and
then the whole world.
00:41:05.69\00:41:11.30
They were
completely 100% divided
00:41:11.33\00:41:16.40
before the crucifixion,
and completely 100%.
00:41:16.44\00:41:21.44
United after the
Great Commission.
00:41:21.48\00:41:26.25
What made the difference?
00:41:26.28\00:41:27.62
And I've got to
challenge them with a big job.
00:41:27.65\00:41:31.29
He commissioned them
00:41:31.32\00:41:33.15
with a massive mission.
00:41:33.19\00:41:35.72
And they unified
around the mission,
00:41:35.76\00:41:38.59
because the
mission became so big
00:41:38.63\00:41:42.46
that all of the
little differences
00:41:42.50\00:41:44.10
that had divided
them and split them up
00:41:44.13\00:41:46.23
before that just seemed
00:41:46.27\00:41:48.27
to fade into the background.
00:41:48.30\00:41:52.24
They just didn't seem
to be relevant anymore.
00:41:52.27\00:41:55.88
Once you think
about our churches today,
00:41:55.91\00:42:00.28
think about your church today.
00:42:00.32\00:42:04.52
And you can travel to all
kinds of different churches,
00:42:04.55\00:42:06.86
big churches, small churches,
00:42:06.89\00:42:08.92
different churches
all over the place,
00:42:08.96\00:42:10.59
and you find
people who are divided
00:42:10.63\00:42:14.16
and they are, you know,
they're kind of having these
00:42:14.20\00:42:16.20
little bit of
squabbles over things.
00:42:16.23\00:42:19.03
And when you come
in as an outsider,
00:42:19.07\00:42:21.20
you sort of think, you know,
this is a really small issue,
00:42:21.24\00:42:24.64
you know? We have that
saying, our first world issues.
00:42:24.67\00:42:28.24
This is definitely
first world issues,
00:42:28.28\00:42:29.64
I can't believe that
you're arguing over that.
00:42:29.68\00:42:31.81
Why is it that our
churches like that?
00:42:35.18\00:42:38.12
Doesn't matter where you
go, you're gonna find it.
00:42:38.15\00:42:40.52
Why? Because we
don't have enough to do.
00:42:40.56\00:42:47.30
If you go to work
as Christ designs,
00:42:47.33\00:42:49.06
you'll feel a need
of a deeper experience,
00:42:49.10\00:42:51.60
and a greater
knowledge in divine things,
00:42:51.63\00:42:53.67
and will hunger and
thirst after righteousness,
00:42:53.70\00:42:56.27
you will plead with God
00:42:56.30\00:42:57.97
and your faith
will be strengthened,
00:42:58.01\00:42:59.67
and your soul will
drink deeper drafts
00:42:59.71\00:43:03.28
of the well of salvation.
00:43:03.31\00:43:07.05
I want you to think about that.
00:43:07.08\00:43:08.42
We all want to
drink those deep drafts
00:43:08.45\00:43:11.42
of the well of
salvation, isn't that so?
00:43:11.45\00:43:14.06
And here, we find
out exactly how to do so,
00:43:14.09\00:43:18.69
by simply going to
work as Christ designs,
00:43:18.73\00:43:20.60
because when you go to
work as Christ designs,
00:43:20.63\00:43:22.50
and when you're
studying with somebody,
00:43:22.53\00:43:24.27
and when, you know,
real life great controversy
00:43:24.30\00:43:27.94
is happening right
there, where I, you can
00:43:27.97\00:43:30.97
see it taking place around
and you see people wrestling
00:43:31.01\00:43:33.94
with decisions,
wrestling with decisions
00:43:33.98\00:43:36.64
to give their
life to Jesus Christ,
00:43:36.68\00:43:38.51
wrestling with their addictions,
00:43:38.55\00:43:39.95
wrestling with, you know,
all of the things in their life
00:43:39.98\00:43:42.35
that are holding
them back from God,
00:43:42.38\00:43:44.19
and you have a
burning desire in your heart
00:43:44.22\00:43:47.32
to see the transforming power
of God's grace in their life,
00:43:47.36\00:43:51.73
it's going to
drive you to your knees.
00:43:51.76\00:43:55.30
And as you go to your knees,
00:43:55.33\00:43:57.67
that's where you're going
to find that deeper experience.
00:43:57.87\00:44:00.04
Because you're
going to recognize
00:44:00.07\00:44:01.40
your total
inability to convert anybody,
00:44:01.44\00:44:05.41
your total inability to be able
to change another person's life
00:44:05.44\00:44:10.05
and then you'll see
the Holy Spirit at work.
00:44:10.08\00:44:13.82
And I've often said,
00:44:13.85\00:44:15.68
being a Bible
worker, being a pastor,
00:44:15.72\00:44:18.95
or sharing a Bible study,
00:44:18.99\00:44:20.46
and leading
someone to Jesus Christ
00:44:20.49\00:44:23.32
is kind of like
being a spectator.
00:44:23.36\00:44:26.83
You know, I've
been in ministry for
00:44:26.86\00:44:28.70
full time ministry for 26 years.
00:44:28.73\00:44:31.37
And during that
time, I've always wanted
00:44:31.40\00:44:34.34
to lead
somebody to Jesus Christ.
00:44:34.37\00:44:37.14
Got to tell you,
I've seen it happen a lot.
00:44:37.17\00:44:40.48
And I've seen their life change.
00:44:40.51\00:44:41.84
And every time it happens,
00:44:41.88\00:44:43.21
you kind of have this
human thing where you feel like
00:44:43.24\00:44:45.61
you want to be able to take
some credit somewhere for it.
00:44:45.65\00:44:52.25
But you never feel like you can.
00:44:52.29\00:44:54.52
Because you always
sit back and say, wow,
00:44:54.56\00:44:56.99
what just happened
in that person's life?
00:44:57.03\00:44:59.73
How did that change
happen so dramatically?
00:44:59.76\00:45:04.67
This is the joy of
sharing Jesus with others,
00:45:04.70\00:45:07.24
and seeing God at
work in people's lives.
00:45:07.27\00:45:14.08
The Church of Christ
00:45:14.11\00:45:17.11
is God's is to Steps
of Christ now page 81
00:45:17.15\00:45:19.88
is God's appointed
agency for the salvation of men.
00:45:19.91\00:45:24.09
Its mission is to carry
the gospel to the world.
00:45:24.12\00:45:26.52
And we talk about the divisions
that come into our church
00:45:26.55\00:45:28.46
and all those petty
little things that come up.
00:45:28.49\00:45:30.43
In fact, I've
another quote here somewhere,
00:45:30.46\00:45:32.26
where did it go?
00:45:32.29\00:45:33.63
I was going to share
it, was a really good one.
00:45:33.66\00:45:36.87
But it's disappeared.
00:45:36.90\00:45:38.23
But it talks about, you know,
how we get all of these petty
00:45:38.27\00:45:40.14
little differences that come in,
00:45:40.17\00:45:41.94
and that try and divide us up.
00:45:41.97\00:45:43.67
And the best
medicine for the church
00:45:43.71\00:45:46.57
is to set the church to work.
00:45:46.61\00:45:49.31
Simple as that.
00:45:49.34\00:45:50.71
That's the best medicine
you can give any church.
00:45:50.75\00:45:53.25
Because when they realize
the bigness of the mission
00:45:53.28\00:45:57.45
and when they realize
and they see real issues.
00:45:57.49\00:46:02.66
You know, when you're studying
the Bible with somebody,
00:46:02.69\00:46:05.53
that's struggling with
an addiction in their life
00:46:05.56\00:46:08.36
that is just
absolutely controlling them.
00:46:08.40\00:46:10.43
And when you're
seeing that great controversy
00:46:10.47\00:46:12.67
between Christ and Satan,
00:46:12.70\00:46:14.20
that battle for that person's
00:46:14.24\00:46:15.77
soul being
waged in front of you,
00:46:15.80\00:46:18.84
suddenly realize that
this is actually a real issue.
00:46:18.87\00:46:23.21
And the things that we so often
00:46:23.24\00:46:24.58
fight over in our churches,
00:46:24.61\00:46:27.98
they're not real issues.
00:46:28.02\00:46:29.85
This is a real issue,
00:46:29.88\00:46:31.62
because this is life and death.
00:46:31.65\00:46:34.56
Bible says the church is
weak and failing as it is,
00:46:38.06\00:46:41.46
and let's be real.
00:46:41.50\00:46:43.53
We're all human beings,
and we all bring our humanity
00:46:43.57\00:46:46.60
into the
experience of the church,
00:46:46.63\00:46:50.71
is God's appointed
agency for the salvation of men.
00:46:50.74\00:46:52.91
So often I find that
people like, yeah, you know,
00:46:52.94\00:46:55.08
I don't need to be a...
00:46:55.11\00:46:57.05
I don't need to go to
church to be a Christian.
00:46:57.08\00:47:00.05
Yeah, in COVID everybody's
going to church on Zoom.
00:47:00.08\00:47:02.25
Yeah, I'm doing fine.
00:47:02.28\00:47:05.59
No, you're not.
00:47:05.62\00:47:08.39
It's not what God designed.
00:47:08.42\00:47:10.03
It's not what God called us to.
00:47:10.06\00:47:11.76
God invented
church for a reason.
00:47:11.79\00:47:14.60
Describe that as
a holy convocation
00:47:14.63\00:47:16.46
that the children of
Israel were to do every Sabbath,
00:47:16.50\00:47:18.83
the holy gathering
together every Sabbath.
00:47:18.87\00:47:24.01
Church is God's means
of salvation for the world.
00:47:24.04\00:47:28.18
You can do things on your own.
00:47:28.21\00:47:30.48
But you're going to be
limited, incredibly limited.
00:47:33.52\00:47:37.35
It's as we draw
together as a church
00:47:37.39\00:47:39.85
and as we gain
strength from each other.
00:47:39.89\00:47:42.12
And as we form a body
where you become one part
00:47:42.16\00:47:45.29
and somebody else
becomes another part.
00:47:45.33\00:47:47.93
And we recognize that, okay,
00:47:47.96\00:47:49.46
there's differences
in our church right here.
00:47:49.50\00:47:52.03
But those
differences can be strength,
00:47:52.07\00:47:55.04
because this person
can reach someone I can't.
00:47:55.07\00:47:57.51
And this person
could do something I can't.
00:47:57.54\00:47:59.47
That is when we can
see big things happening.
00:47:59.51\00:48:04.85
You go through the Book of Acts,
00:48:04.88\00:48:06.21
and we've been looking
at the story of Cornelius
00:48:06.25\00:48:07.65
and we find the
conversion of Cornelius
00:48:07.68\00:48:09.78
in his whole household.
00:48:09.82\00:48:12.25
But I find the Book of
Acts incredibly exciting.
00:48:12.29\00:48:14.99
You know when the
church realized the bigness
00:48:15.02\00:48:17.19
of their mission, and
when they united together.
00:48:17.23\00:48:20.40
And when they became
active for Jesus Christ,
00:48:20.43\00:48:25.60
big things happened.
00:48:25.63\00:48:28.17
You know, they
united at Pentecost,
00:48:28.20\00:48:31.07
all the petty
differences faded away
00:48:31.11\00:48:33.34
because they saw the
bigness of the mission,
00:48:33.38\00:48:36.04
the Holy Spirit filled.
00:48:36.08\00:48:37.98
What does the Bible say?
00:48:38.01\00:48:39.45
Acts 2:41, 3000 people
00:48:39.48\00:48:41.82
gave their lives
to Jesus in one day.
00:48:41.85\00:48:45.59
Acts 4:4,
00:48:45.62\00:48:48.82
5000 people,
no, not 5000 people,
00:48:48.86\00:48:54.80
5000 men gave their
lives to Jesus Christ,
00:48:54.83\00:48:57.47
that's at least,
00:48:57.50\00:48:59.23
if you're counting
women and children,
00:48:59.27\00:49:01.14
that's at least 15,000 people
00:49:01.17\00:49:04.07
baptized that day and
I would say closer to 20.
00:49:04.11\00:49:07.81
And maybe a lot more.
00:49:07.84\00:49:09.18
There had been
families back in the day.
00:49:09.21\00:49:12.71
And then you go
to Acts Chapter 5.
00:49:12.75\00:49:14.08
So you got Acts 2,
then you got Acts 4,
00:49:14.12\00:49:15.45
then you got Acts 5.
00:49:15.48\00:49:17.25
Bible simply says,
multitude, both men and women.
00:49:17.29\00:49:21.82
By the time you get to Acts 5,
00:49:21.86\00:49:23.19
there are so many
people coming to Jesus Christ.
00:49:23.22\00:49:25.36
They couldn't
count them anymore.
00:49:25.39\00:49:27.26
They could count
them in Chapter 2.
00:49:27.30\00:49:29.83
In Chapter 4 they couldn't,
so they just counted the men.
00:49:29.86\00:49:31.90
In Chapter 5, they
couldn't count them anymore.
00:49:31.93\00:49:33.94
That was the
result of the outpouring
00:49:33.97\00:49:35.57
of the Holy Spirit.
00:49:35.60\00:49:36.94
And that is what we
can see happen in our lives
00:49:36.97\00:49:40.21
and in our churches today
00:49:40.24\00:49:41.81
under the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
00:49:41.84\00:49:46.95
Steps to Christ, page 81
00:49:46.98\00:49:50.89
of Chapter 9, The
Life and the Work.
00:49:50.92\00:49:53.05
The greater part of
our Savior's life on earth
00:49:53.09\00:49:54.86
was spent in patient toil.
00:49:54.89\00:49:56.39
This is interesting.
00:49:56.42\00:49:58.79
Because a lot of people
at this particular point,
00:49:58.83\00:50:00.36
they come to me and
say, "Well, you know,
00:50:00.40\00:50:01.73
maybe I need to do this
or do that or do the other."
00:50:01.76\00:50:04.13
You need to do
all of these things.
00:50:04.17\00:50:05.73
I need to...
00:50:05.77\00:50:07.30
I can't be a witness for Jesus,
00:50:07.34\00:50:08.67
because you know, I
haven't studied ministry,
00:50:08.70\00:50:10.67
or I haven't studied
how to be a Bible worker.
00:50:10.71\00:50:12.61
How am I going to share Jesus?
00:50:12.64\00:50:17.21
We share Jesus by following
the example of Jesus, don't we?
00:50:17.25\00:50:21.25
Jesus was the master evangelist,
00:50:21.28\00:50:22.88
the greatest of them all.
00:50:22.92\00:50:24.25
We talk about Christ's method
and we studied Christ's method.
00:50:24.29\00:50:26.96
But there are certain aspects
00:50:26.99\00:50:29.26
of Christ's method
that we kind of leave out.
00:50:29.29\00:50:34.23
And the greater
part of Christ's life,
00:50:34.26\00:50:39.30
we don't stop to think about.
00:50:39.33\00:50:43.51
The greater part, this
is Steps to Christ, page 81.
00:50:43.54\00:50:47.18
The greater part of
our Savior's life on earth
00:50:47.21\00:50:49.54
was spent in patient toil
00:50:49.58\00:50:52.38
in the
carpenter's shop at Nazareth.
00:50:52.41\00:50:57.29
Where was the bulk of
Jesus' earthly ministry?
00:50:57.32\00:51:01.56
The bulk of
Jesus' earthly ministry
00:51:01.59\00:51:04.56
was not in those last
three and a half years,
00:51:04.59\00:51:07.66
was 30 years before that,
working in a carpenter's shop.
00:51:07.70\00:51:12.37
Now there would
be a lot of people
00:51:12.40\00:51:13.84
who would look at that situation
00:51:13.87\00:51:15.40
and to say if you
come into this earth
00:51:15.44\00:51:16.77
to make a big impact and have,
00:51:16.81\00:51:19.27
you know, start a
new global religion,
00:51:19.31\00:51:21.71
then you need to
dedicate your entire life to it.
00:51:21.74\00:51:23.41
Jesus go three and
a half years to that.
00:51:23.45\00:51:26.11
He gave 30 years to
working in a carpenter shop
00:51:26.15\00:51:28.65
and growing up as a child,
00:51:28.68\00:51:33.39
spending patient,
00:51:33.42\00:51:34.76
toil in the
carpenter shop at Nazareth,
00:51:34.79\00:51:36.86
He was as faithfully
fulfilling His mission
00:51:36.89\00:51:40.40
while working at His trade
00:51:40.43\00:51:43.77
as when He healed the sick.
00:51:43.80\00:51:46.17
Won't you think about that?
00:51:46.20\00:51:49.10
Is there anybody
00:51:49.14\00:51:52.24
who doesn't
have that opportunity
00:51:52.27\00:51:55.84
to simply share Jesus
00:51:55.88\00:51:57.51
in what we're
called to do day by day.
00:51:57.55\00:52:00.45
Now God calls many of us
00:52:00.48\00:52:01.82
and He might be
calling you, I don't know.
00:52:01.85\00:52:03.18
You can go out and
do great things for Him.
00:52:03.22\00:52:05.55
But I do know this,
00:52:05.59\00:52:07.66
that God called
every single person
00:52:07.69\00:52:12.39
whatever their circumstances.
00:52:12.43\00:52:14.00
Some people come to
me and they're like, "Oh,
00:52:14.03\00:52:15.36
you've got a son who
follow in your footsteps.
00:52:15.40\00:52:16.73
You're proud of your son
00:52:16.77\00:52:18.10
who's following
in your footsteps."
00:52:18.13\00:52:19.47
He has gone and done
ministry and, of course,
00:52:19.50\00:52:20.84
I'm enormously proud of
my son who's doing ministry.
00:52:20.87\00:52:23.97
But I like to remind
people that I have two sons
00:52:24.01\00:52:26.21
that are in full time ministry.
00:52:26.24\00:52:29.58
One son who's in full
time ministry as a pastor,
00:52:29.61\00:52:33.08
the other son who is
in full time ministry
00:52:33.11\00:52:35.62
as a panel debater,
00:52:35.65\00:52:39.35
and both of them are
just as qualified for ministry
00:52:39.39\00:52:42.69
and both of them are
just as active in ministry,
00:52:42.72\00:52:46.56
because both of them have given
their life to Jesus Christ,
00:52:46.59\00:52:49.50
and use their opportunities,
wherever those opportunities
00:52:49.53\00:52:52.10
might be to share Jesus.
00:52:52.13\00:52:54.17
You know, you think about Peter,
00:52:54.20\00:52:55.60
and he comes to Cornelius
00:52:55.64\00:52:57.87
and he could feel
intimidated by that.
00:52:57.91\00:53:00.54
You know, here
you've got Cornelius,
00:53:00.58\00:53:01.91
who is, he's centurion.
00:53:01.94\00:53:04.95
He's a Roman officer.
00:53:04.98\00:53:06.31
He's highly
trained and highly skilled.
00:53:06.35\00:53:08.65
He's got 100 servants
who will do anything he asks,
00:53:08.68\00:53:12.22
without question.
00:53:12.25\00:53:14.42
And who's Peter?
00:53:14.46\00:53:16.09
What's Peter's background?
00:53:16.12\00:53:18.16
What's his training?
00:53:18.19\00:53:20.26
He's a fisherman.
00:53:20.30\00:53:22.23
That's superior he is.
00:53:22.26\00:53:24.13
And Peter could at
that particular point
00:53:24.17\00:53:25.80
say I will, I
can't really do this.
00:53:25.83\00:53:27.17
How am I qualified?
00:53:27.20\00:53:28.54
I'm just a fisherman,
00:53:28.57\00:53:30.44
but Peter was qualified,
00:53:30.47\00:53:32.44
because he
spent time with Jesus.
00:53:32.47\00:53:34.24
Isn't that so?
00:53:34.28\00:53:36.85
Have you spent time with Jesus?
00:53:36.88\00:53:38.88
If you spend time with Jesus,
00:53:38.91\00:53:40.82
you're qualified as well.
00:53:40.85\00:53:43.08
Just as qualified as Peter.
00:53:43.12\00:53:46.25
Finally, we have
the unlimited joy
00:53:46.29\00:53:50.69
of service to Jesus Christ.
00:53:50.73\00:53:54.56
Steps to Christ, page 83.
00:53:54.60\00:53:56.83
You are workers
together with God in this life,
00:53:56.87\00:53:59.43
and are thus
fitting for the higher work
00:53:59.47\00:54:01.77
and unshadowed joy
of the life to come.
00:54:01.80\00:54:05.41
And we might say
00:54:05.44\00:54:06.88
the unshadowed joy of eternity
00:54:06.91\00:54:10.45
with Jesus Christ.
00:54:10.48\00:54:11.81