Hello friends, grab
your Bible and a friend
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and sit back as we
explore God's word together
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on this edition of House Calls.
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Well friends, welcome
to another exciting program
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as we break open
the bread of life today.
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And we are going to
share the loaf with you.
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Thank you for
joining the most exciting
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and informative program
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we believe in the
world at this time.
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And I'm not
alone in that opinion.
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What about you, John?
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That's right. At this hour.
At this hour, that's right.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
It's good to be here, John.
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It's good to have you.
And we know we get together
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and as we say, we
open the word of God
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and study it together
and we invite our listeners
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and viewers to join
us. And they have done so.
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And we have an exciting program
that we want you to tune in.
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We want you to stay tuned into.
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We're gonna about
the Holy Spirit today,
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a walk in the Spirit.
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But we have some
dynamic Bible questions.
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Some of you have
sent me snail mail.
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We still accept snail mail.
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Yes, the Internet is
not the only means whereby,
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we received questions. Thank
you for sending what you have.
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But before we do anything
we're gonna have prayer.
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So John, would you have
prayer for us. Let's do that.
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Dear Father, in heaven we
are so thankful to be here
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and to have this
opportunity to open your word.
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And so we just pray that you
lead through this Bible study.
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That you will come and
your spirit will inhabit us
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and those who are
watching, who are listening.
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So that we may
understand you better.
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And that we may not
just have knowledge,
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but the wisdom to live
according to that knowledge,
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in Jesus name, amen, amen.
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As you know, your
Bible questions are
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a big part of this
program. As a matter of fact,
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I think each of the
programs we spent about
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half of the time
answering your Bible questions
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and they are some
really good questions.
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And if you have any questions,
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you want to send to us because
we've always like to activate
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thought in your mind.
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Send them to
housecalls@3abn.org,
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that's housecalls@3abn.org.
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And for those of you
who know the address,
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who still like to write
letters with great penmanship,
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thank you for those
who write very legibly.
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You can send
those to PO. Box 220,
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West Frankford, Illinois, 62896.
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Thank you for those. And, John,
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we're gonna go back and
forth, we're gonna go computer,
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snail mail,
computer, snail mail,
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so lets start with
computer. Here we go. Okay.
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This question is from Annette.
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And she is asking with regard
to something that she says,
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Jesus said, but
actually I think,
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she doesn't the
quote the verse here. Okay.
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So I think it's, it's
more of along Paul's writings.
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Jesus obviously
eluted to the issue but,
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she says here
could you please tell me
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who Jesus is talking about,
all who are taught by the law.
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And then she also
says do we connect that
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along with those
thieves and robbers
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referred to by
Jesus in John 10 verse 8.
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And so I took a
look on the, you know,
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we have this quick club program
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that we can
look up as, you know,
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part of the, you
know, our Bible programs
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that we can look up
and find taught by the law.
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And I couldn't
find your reference
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specifically by
Jesus and it could be that
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the translation I'm using
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or something
isn't pulling it up.
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But, from what it
appears to me that,
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she's probably
referring to something
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John that Paul
said, a few times,
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specifically in
Romans 7 verse 1.
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I think, he mentioned
that in verses where he,
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eluding to it and most closely.
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And here is what Paul
says in Romans 7 verse 1.
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Okay. Find it for you real fast.
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He says, Or do
you not know brethren,
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for I speak to
those who know the law,
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that the law has dominion
over a man as long as he lives.
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Several times Paul
would reference the law
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or reference the law when
he's speaking specifically
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to the leaders of the Jews,
the Pharisees, the Sadducees,
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those who were teachers
of the law in those days.
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And you know, he is, I believe
speaking to the same here,
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those who know the
law, know what it teaches.
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Know, know its practices.
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So, the question then here
is those who know that law,
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could it be that
Jesus is referring to them
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as thieves and
robbers in John 10 verse 8.
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Now, first of all,
before we enter that question,
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what's, let's
talk about what Jesus
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and what Paul
would be referring to,
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speaking of the law.
Because there are several ways
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to define law or at
least in context which law
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they're talking
about. That's true.
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Now we know that the law
of God is the Ten Commandments
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that were given,
written by his own finger,
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given on tablets
of stone to Moses,
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which he put inside
the Ark of the covenant.
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You know, we jump over
that really quickly at times.
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But it is the very foundation,
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the very basis of the covenant
that God made with his people.
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That's right. And
then there was the laws,
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the various laws
that God gave to Moses
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that Moses wrote
down. That's true.
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And he told Moses
don't put this in the Ark
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but put this beside
the Ark. That's right.
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And if you read,
Daniel's pray and in Daniel 9,
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you will see both of
those laws referred to
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in fact I'll mention that,
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I'll read that
really quickly here,
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'cause it's a real good example.
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Daniel chapter 9, okay,
let's go there, Daniel 9.
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Verse 10 and 11.
we have not obeyed
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the voice of the Lord, our God,
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he is speaking in behalf
of his people corporately,
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that is the children of Israel.
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To walk in his laws,
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which he set before us by
his servants, the prophets.
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Yes, all Israel has
transgressed your law,
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and has departed as to not
obey your voice, therefore.
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Okay, so he's
spoken of the Law of God
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up to this point. True.
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Therefore, he says the
curse and the oath written
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in the Law of
Moses, the servant of God
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has been poured out on us,
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because we have
sinned against him.
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So you see the Law of
Moses was really given
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after the Law of God.
And it contained with in it
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ceremonies and other
things that they had to perform
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as purification rituals.
As not only purification
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from sin but as an anti,
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or a type which
point forward to Christ,
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the anti-type who would be our
savior to take away our sins,
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sin of the world. That's right.
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And so, what is
being referred to here then
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when he is talking
about those who know the law,
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I believe is those
ceremonies and those rituals
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and those things that they
were very comfortable doing,
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they have doing all their lives.
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And Paul battled
this all the time
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with in the early
church. Because the early church
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didn't just contain
Gentiles, it contained Jews.
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Amen, that's true.
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So as the early church began
to grow both Jews and Gentiles
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as they worship
together, you had two cultures
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clashing often.
One culture saying hey,
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we've always
kept the Law of Moses;
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we've always
kept those ceremonies.
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And although they
understood that Christ fulfilled
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those things,
there was still a battle
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there to do many of those things
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or continue to
practice them. That's right.
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Where as the Gentiles
were hearing from Paul
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and the rest of the
Apostles, you know Barnabas,
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he had James,
John, Peter who said
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that Christ was the fulfillment
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of those
things. And so there was
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this clash between,
you know, shall we do them,
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shall we not do
them. That's right.
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So Paul in Romans
is saying, you know,
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you know these things
those who know the law
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and then he goes on
to explain and express
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what that law is
really pointed to.
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Now if you look at
getting to the question here
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found in John
chapter 10 verse 8 it says,
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or let's back up to verse
7 Jesus said to them again,
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most assuredly I say to
you, I am the door of the sheep.
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Speaking of himself,
as the doorway by which
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we must come to not
only God but unto salvation.
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All, verse 8, all
who ever come before me
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are thieves and robbers,
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but the sheep did not hear them.
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In other words those who provide
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or show another way to be saved,
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another way to come to God
those are thieves and robbers.
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So in some
respects, you could say that
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if someone is saying,
well you need to continue
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even though Christ has
come to fulfill all those laws,
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those laws of Moses
specifically those ceremonies
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and rituals, right.
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Those who were saying you
have to do that to be saved
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are coming another
way besides the door.
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That's it. So in that
respect you would qualify them
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probably the
Pharisees or Sadducees,
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the teachers of
the law of those days
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as thieves and robbers.
You know all those things
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you said are true
and let me just add
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another component to
that, because there's always
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this confusion
John about the law.
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There are a lot of
people, it's amazing to me
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how many people
are really confused
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when you mentioned
the single word, law.
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Just like mentioning
the single word hell,
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in the Bible has
four different meanings.
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It has Hebrew definition,
it has Greek definition
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and it's applied to the grave,
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it's applied to
the lake of fire,
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it's applied to
the garbage heap,
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that was outside of
the city of Jerusalem
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where people dump their garbage
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and the warm never died
and the fire never went out.
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And the Lord talks about,
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the torment of the
wicked being similar to that,
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the warm never died,
the fire never going out.
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And so when it comes to
the law lot of people forget
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and some people
misapply the meaning of it
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and say well because
you say we must keep the law
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then you are forcing
us to do all the things
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that the Jews did
and that's not exactly,
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that's not what
we're saying at all.
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Matter of fact,
one of the texts,
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there are a couple of
things came to my mind.
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First, let's go to
the book of Galatians,
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want you to see this Galatians.
00:10:00.81\00:10:01.97
The Bible makes
it very, very clear.
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And first of all I want
to, as we're turning there,
00:10:06.83\00:10:08.83
I want to make it abundantly
clear that to be a Christian
00:10:08.84\00:10:13.23
and to be and to believe
that Christians could live
00:10:13.24\00:10:16.44
their lives in-obedience
to the Lord we serve,
00:10:16.45\00:10:21.31
to Jesus, without living in
harmony with his commandments.
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It's a diabolical
or, the word I'm using is
00:10:25.25\00:10:31.72
a contrast, is a conflict,
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is the best word I
can use or best phrase.
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It's a conflict. Because
there are so many people,
00:10:35.78\00:10:38.42
let's say, well you know
Jesus did away with the law
00:10:38.43\00:10:40.78
are now in order for us
to live in harmony with him,
00:10:41.44\00:10:43.93
we have to get rid of the law.
00:10:43.94\00:10:45.23
Let me go back to
the very beginning.
00:10:46.83\00:10:48.04
Before the children of
Israel even came into existence,
00:10:50.10\00:10:53.45
before they
arrived at Mount Sinai,
00:10:53.46\00:10:55.20
before they entered into Egypt,
00:10:55.21\00:10:56.59
before they were
made slaves there.
00:10:57.21\00:10:59.40
Abraham who was not a Jew,
00:11:00.58\00:11:03.48
in Genesis 26 verse
5 we're gonna go there
00:11:04.54\00:11:06.19
and show you how there were
laws existing way back then,
00:11:06.20\00:11:09.90
that were not yet
written down on tables of stone
00:11:10.40\00:11:13.61
but what communicated
to Moses during that time.
00:11:13.62\00:11:16.20
Well, let's first start
with this, in Galatians 3:19
00:11:16.49\00:11:18.64
I'm gonna show
you the contrast here.
00:11:18.65\00:11:20.39
I know which verse
you are going to, okay,
00:11:20.76\00:11:22.55
it says what purpose
then does the law serve.
00:11:22.86\00:11:25.27
It was added
because of transgressions
00:11:26.29\00:11:28.84
till the seed should come
to whom the promise was made
00:11:29.62\00:11:33.40
and it was
appointed through angels
00:11:33.95\00:11:35.59
by the hand of a mediator.
Okay, you asked the question.
00:11:35.60\00:11:39.46
What laws are
referring to there?
00:11:39.47\00:11:41.00
Yeah. We just read from Daniel,
00:11:41.41\00:11:42.85
it was added. It was added.
00:11:43.06\00:11:44.70
Because of their
sins. There you go.
00:11:44.71\00:11:46.34
The same thing that Daniel said,
00:11:46.99\00:11:48.46
it was added because,
because men committed murder,
00:11:48.63\00:11:54.22
because Cain killed Abel.
00:11:54.48\00:11:56.15
You know, it would
not have been a sin
00:11:56.93\00:11:58.04
for Cain to kill
Abel, unless there was a law
00:11:58.05\00:11:59.80
already in place.
Saying thou shall not kill.
00:11:59.81\00:12:01.71
That's right. So, how could you,
00:12:01.96\00:12:03.26
so let's look
at that now a days.
00:12:03.76\00:12:05.07
Okay, we live in a society
where we have speed cameras.
00:12:05.48\00:12:08.92
We have people,
police with their
00:12:10.85\00:12:13.56
speed detecting
guns, with lasers,
00:12:13.71\00:12:16.18
helicopters that watch you
when you go from line to line.
00:12:16.45\00:12:19.81
You know, you probably
wonder how I know about this.
00:12:20.33\00:12:22.19
I never got a
speed camera check,
00:12:23.66\00:12:25.12
but I've had a chance to
meet a highways patrolmen
00:12:25.13\00:12:27.67
here and there.
And that's you know
00:12:27.68\00:12:30.09
the frailty of humanity
and sometimes out desired
00:12:30.24\00:12:32.24
to get to where we getting,
00:12:32.25\00:12:33.27
trying to get to without
following the speed limit
00:12:33.54\00:12:36.24
all the time. Here is the point.
00:12:36.25\00:12:38.28
If there was no, on
the autobahn there would be
00:12:38.93\00:12:42.55
no need for a laser gun,
00:12:42.56\00:12:43.83
because there was
no speed limit. Right.
00:12:44.85\00:12:46.33
There would no need for a
helicopter tracing how fast
00:12:47.51\00:12:49.61
you are going on the
autobahn because once again
00:12:49.74\00:12:51.24
there was no speed
limit. So where there is no law
00:12:51.38\00:12:53.85
against going fast
there is no necessary means
00:12:54.00\00:12:57.93
to put another
law in place. Right.
00:12:58.07\00:12:59.94
And so because the
law of speeding is being
00:13:00.07\00:13:01.95
violated in America, we
have all these other laws
00:13:02.20\00:13:05.76
following. You know
55 mile an hour here.
00:13:05.77\00:13:08.47
50 miles an hour
there, 30, these are all laws.
00:13:08.73\00:13:10.67
These are all which I
would refer to as ordinances.
00:13:11.30\00:13:14.85
So you have the
ordinance on the city,
00:13:15.61\00:13:17.19
there are
ordinances, ordinances.
00:13:17.20\00:13:18.27
And these were
all added and built up
00:13:18.52\00:13:20.00
and they continued to be added
and continued to be built up,
00:13:20.01\00:13:22.11
because the bottom line
is they just want people
00:13:22.63\00:13:25.48
to stay with in the
confines of the speed limit.
00:13:25.62\00:13:29.04
But John, if you think if all
the things that are out there
00:13:29.55\00:13:31.65
that exists, comes
down to that simple fact.
00:13:32.77\00:13:35.76
Well the law the
ceremonial law was added
00:13:36.09\00:13:37.94
because man sinned.
00:13:38.09\00:13:39.23
But now let's go to
First Corinthians 7:19.
00:13:39.73\00:13:42.31
Go to First Corinthians
of chapter 7 and verse 19.
00:13:43.41\00:13:47.43
When you look at the
Law of the various washings,
00:13:48.44\00:13:53.35
the cardinal
ordinances, the blood of bulls
00:13:53.48\00:13:57.39
and goats and cows and doves,
00:13:57.40\00:14:00.12
the ways you're
offering, all these things.
00:14:00.13\00:14:02.92
They had, you had to
specifically be a Jew
00:14:02.93\00:14:05.77
to honor these
things, but when it came down
00:14:07.13\00:14:09.17
to the Commandments of
God that is not the case.
00:14:09.18\00:14:11.25
That's right.
00:14:11.26\00:14:12.23
Read First Corinthians
7 verse 19 for us John.
00:14:12.24\00:14:14.30
Circumcision is nothing,
and Uncircumcision is nothing,
00:14:14.71\00:14:18.43
but keeping the commandments
of God is what matters.
00:14:18.60\00:14:21.28
Is that clear? Pretty clear.
00:14:21.40\00:14:23.16
Paul the Apostle
of New Testament.
00:14:23.52\00:14:25.09
That's right.
00:14:25.10\00:14:26.07
So you can't read that text
00:14:26.08\00:14:27.05
and say the commandments
of God don't matter, right.
00:14:27.06\00:14:29.51
Because here you're
talking about circumcision
00:14:29.84\00:14:31.98
which is part of the
Law of Moses, that's right,
00:14:32.13\00:14:34.03
and the Law of God or
the Commandments of God,
00:14:34.04\00:14:37.22
God's moral law, as being
the real that matters, right.
00:14:37.36\00:14:42.35
And the circumcision
Paul also goes unto say,
00:14:42.60\00:14:44.48
he say it's not the
circumcision of the flesh
00:14:44.89\00:14:47.08
but it's the circumcision
of the heart, that's right.
00:14:47.46\00:14:49.67
And that's what the
Lord is taking about.
00:14:49.68\00:14:51.06
So when you
really narrow or down,
00:14:51.18\00:14:52.70
theirs is nothing wrong with
the Ten Commandments of God,
00:14:53.07\00:14:55.19
there is nothing
wrong with God's law.
00:14:55.20\00:14:56.39
The weakness of the ceremonial
law made it necessary for Jesus
00:14:57.09\00:15:01.98
the anti-type to come.
And by the way you know
00:15:02.33\00:15:05.05
we use the phrase
anti-Christ and anti-type.
00:15:05.06\00:15:07.36
Anti doesn't mean
against it means in place of.
00:15:08.28\00:15:11.27
Right. So when Jesus
came those who were taken
00:15:11.28\00:15:14.28
the lives of the
lambs gave the introduction
00:15:14.29\00:15:19.54
to John the Baptist. It wasn't
something John came up with
00:15:19.68\00:15:23.14
and what should I
call Jesus, Lamb of God.
00:15:23.15\00:15:26.42
You know, right. The lamb
had been slain for centuries.
00:15:27.19\00:15:29.76
And so when Jesus came he
was simply saying to the Jews
00:15:30.42\00:15:33.31
gathered by the River of Jordan,
00:15:33.44\00:15:35.09
there is the Lamb, right.
00:15:36.18\00:15:37.85
That's the lamb,
that's the lamb you want.
00:15:37.97\00:15:38.94
The anti-type has come.
So when the anti-type came
00:15:39.08\00:15:42.67
that's why when Jesus
was crucified the lamb
00:15:42.68\00:15:45.23
that was about to
be killed in the temple
00:15:45.35\00:15:47.94
that day was set free
and all the temple ceremonies
00:15:48.06\00:15:52.03
were exposed, the curtain
being torn from top to bottom
00:15:52.19\00:15:54.65
bringing that to
an end. And so John,
00:15:55.07\00:15:57.21
people to say that, we have
to keep all those feast days
00:15:58.34\00:16:02.37
where we're adding to
our salvation something
00:16:03.63\00:16:06.69
that does not exist any
longer in prospect of two.
00:16:06.82\00:16:10.52
Our faith walk with
Christ, because now the type,
00:16:12.27\00:16:14.88
the anti-type has come.
00:16:15.27\00:16:16.24
The very essence
has come with Jesus,
00:16:16.34\00:16:18.03
no needed for, no needed
for all the types any longer.
00:16:18.83\00:16:21.63
Right, exactly.
Well that's a lot,
00:16:22.00\00:16:26.02
that's a long question.
00:16:26.52\00:16:27.49
But that was a good one.
00:16:27.50\00:16:28.47
Okay, here is another one.
00:16:28.67\00:16:29.64
And I commend those of you
who send these questions in.
00:16:30.77\00:16:32.76
Sometimes some of
you that are watching
00:16:32.89\00:16:35.65
the program I
think, are they writing
00:16:35.66\00:16:37.33
these questions
because it seems like
00:16:37.34\00:16:38.78
they come up so often. Right.
00:16:38.79\00:16:40.42
These are the
frequent questions;
00:16:40.70\00:16:41.85
these are the
questions that come up.
00:16:41.86\00:16:42.89
This one is from Pauline,
00:16:43.47\00:16:46.70
thank you Pauline, from Arizona.
00:16:46.71\00:16:49.56
I won't give the city
00:16:49.63\00:16:50.60
because I'm sure there
are many Paulines in Arizona.
00:16:50.61\00:16:52.29
Thank you so much
for your question.
00:16:52.43\00:16:53.50
I'm commenting on Sabbath day,
00:16:54.83\00:16:57.42
Leviticus 26 verse 2
and Exodus 20 verse 8 say,
00:16:58.52\00:17:03.43
keep the Sabbath holy,
respect God's sanctuary.
00:17:03.97\00:17:08.73
That's what she is saying there.
00:17:09.15\00:17:10.12
And let me go
and read that text.
00:17:10.45\00:17:12.83
Leviticus chapter 26 verse 2,
00:17:14.28\00:17:15.86
Ye shall keep my Sabbaths,
00:17:16.41\00:17:18.25
and reverence my sanctuary:
00:17:18.81\00:17:20.97
I am the LORD. You
will notice if you read
00:17:20.98\00:17:23.34
Leviticus chapter 26
it's pluralized Sabbaths.
00:17:23.35\00:17:26.86
If you go to
Leviticus chapter 23
00:17:27.40\00:17:29.17
there are many Sabbaths
talked about in the Bible.
00:17:29.86\00:17:32.76
And so depending on
the translation you use,
00:17:33.33\00:17:36.40
Exodus chapter 20 verse
8 to 11 reads differently,
00:17:36.78\00:17:40.46
only in the context
of plural or singular,
00:17:40.83\00:17:45.41
specific or general.
00:17:45.42\00:17:46.83
Let me read the NIV.
00:17:46.84\00:17:48.16
And this is one of the reasons
why people kind of shy away
00:17:48.81\00:17:51.43
from the NIV. But
I wanna say to you
00:17:51.44\00:17:53.60
in the context
it's not incorrect.
00:17:53.98\00:17:55.72
You just have to add
the bigger picture to it,
00:17:56.07\00:17:58.35
and I'll go and read it.
00:17:58.36\00:17:59.33
It says remember
the Sabbath day Exodus
00:18:00.05\00:18:02.55
chapter 20 verse 8,
00:18:02.56\00:18:03.61
remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:18:03.89\00:18:05.78
Six days you shall
labor and do all your work
00:18:06.13\00:18:08.47
but the seventh day
is a Sabbath to the Lord,
00:18:09.98\00:18:12.87
your God. Notice
that used a Sabbath
00:18:12.88\00:18:15.27
rather than the seventh
day is the Sabbath of the Lord.
00:18:15.69\00:18:20.54
They put a Sabbath
to the Lord as compared
00:18:21.17\00:18:24.26
to the Sabbath of the Lord.
00:18:24.27\00:18:26.09
And if you don't keep
reading you could say blaspheme.
00:18:26.84\00:18:32.11
Right. But I
want to keep reading.
00:18:32.85\00:18:34.23
And it says, I'm
going to verse 11,
00:18:34.24\00:18:36.31
For in six days
the LORD made heavens
00:18:37.59\00:18:40.50
and earth, the sea,
and all that in them,
00:18:40.51\00:18:42.91
but he rested
on the seventh day:
00:18:43.17\00:18:46.54
therefore the LORD
blessed the Sabbath day,
00:18:46.90\00:18:50.71
and made it holy, specifying.
00:18:50.72\00:18:53.79
So the reason why,
00:18:54.31\00:18:55.28
NIV used the Seventh day
is a Sabbath to the Lord,
00:18:55.29\00:18:59.89
is because in the Leviticus,
the Book of Leviticus,
00:19:00.34\00:19:03.15
there are many, many
Sabbaths talked about
00:19:03.63\00:19:05.72
that were not connected
at all to the weekly Sabbath
00:19:06.38\00:19:09.78
at the end of
creation. Matter of fact,
00:19:09.79\00:19:11.68
go with me John, any
thoughts on that so far?
00:19:11.84\00:19:14.42
No. Good. Okay. Let's
go to Leviticus chapter 23
00:19:14.43\00:19:17.89
and we share few of
them with you before I answer
00:19:19.15\00:19:21.86
the question
because this person says
00:19:21.87\00:19:23.21
according to Jesus
Christ in the New Testament
00:19:23.22\00:19:27.48
everyday is a Sabbath day.
00:19:27.49\00:19:28.91
And I must, I
must disagree with you,
00:19:29.75\00:19:32.48
can't even agree with you.
00:19:33.24\00:19:34.21
You know they say
respectfully I think
00:19:34.22\00:19:36.05
that's we're not
disrespectful here,
00:19:36.06\00:19:38.43
but I can't agree with that
00:19:38.44\00:19:39.41
because everyday is
not the Sabbath day.
00:19:39.42\00:19:40.76
Do you realize the ramifications
00:19:41.44\00:19:42.73
if everyday was a Sabbath day.
00:19:42.74\00:19:44.05
Yeah. What are some other things
00:19:44.49\00:19:45.52
that we couldn't do?
00:19:45.53\00:19:46.50
Well, the fourth
commandment doesn't talk
00:19:47.10\00:19:48.62
just about
keeping the Sabbath holy,
00:19:48.75\00:19:50.06
it talks about not
working on that day.
00:19:50.07\00:19:51.74
Right. Okay.
00:19:51.75\00:19:53.35
So if everyday was the Sabbath
you wouldn't work period.
00:19:53.48\00:19:56.93
Because according
to the Sabbath command
00:19:57.29\00:19:59.49
you shall labor six days
that shows you right away
00:20:01.50\00:20:04.85
that the seventh
day was the Sabbath,
00:20:04.99\00:20:06.52
it's not
everyday. You know some,
00:20:06.78\00:20:07.83
just another quick note,
00:20:08.35\00:20:09.32
somebody say
well when Jesus came
00:20:09.33\00:20:11.52
there was a different set of
commandments that were given,
00:20:11.66\00:20:14.04
you heard that argument.
00:20:14.17\00:20:15.14
You know, well,
00:20:15.45\00:20:16.42
you know the ones that
he reiterated are important.
00:20:16.54\00:20:18.64
I'm sorry, with
that which you write,
00:20:19.29\00:20:21.27
which God wrote with his own
finger in stone is set in place.
00:20:21.77\00:20:26.59
And if you look also
in the New Testament,
00:20:26.99\00:20:31.10
even the words
of Christ every time
00:20:31.24\00:20:32.58
you talked about the Sabbath.
00:20:32.59\00:20:33.87
Oh! Here is one
example. Matthew chapter 5,
00:20:34.03\00:20:36.19
you know not one jot or
tittle of the law shall fail,
00:20:37.06\00:20:39.09
okay, right.
00:20:40.25\00:20:41.22
Then right after that
what does it talk about?
00:20:41.23\00:20:42.81
Thou shall not murder,
00:20:43.14\00:20:44.50
thou shall not commit adultery.
00:20:45.61\00:20:48.00
See so, all of a sudden,
00:20:48.27\00:20:49.29
Jesus starts
quoting and referencing
00:20:49.30\00:20:51.01
the Ten Commandments.
00:20:51.19\00:20:52.72
So you know the Commandments
00:20:53.34\00:20:54.95
of the New
Testament are the same as
00:20:55.07\00:20:56.38
the Commandments
of the Old Testament,
00:20:56.63\00:20:57.62
nothing has changed.
00:20:57.63\00:20:58.60
And it's amazing when you walk
00:20:59.44\00:21:01.99
through the Book of
Leviticus chapter 23
00:21:02.00\00:21:03.93
I just pointed out
a few of them for you.
00:21:03.94\00:21:05.33
There is the weekly Sabbath.
00:21:06.40\00:21:07.71
I just give the Summery of it.
00:21:08.53\00:21:09.50
The weekly Sabbath,
00:21:10.09\00:21:11.06
the seventh day of the week,
00:21:11.87\00:21:13.23
weekly, there is the Passover.
00:21:13.54\00:21:15.61
Which you look at,
that's also referred
00:21:16.72\00:21:18.67
to as the Sabbath.
00:21:18.68\00:21:19.65
Verse 5 on the fourteenth
day of the first month
00:21:20.74\00:21:23.64
at twilight is
the Lord's Passover.
00:21:23.83\00:21:25.90
You go on now, down
to lets look at verse 11.
00:21:26.91\00:21:33.02
He shall wave the sheaf,
00:21:34.19\00:21:35.93
this is the first
fruits of ceremony
00:21:35.94\00:21:38.94
of the first fruits,
he shall wave the sheaf,
00:21:38.95\00:21:41.70
before the Lord to be
accepted on your behalf
00:21:41.71\00:21:45.45
on the day after the Sabbath
the priest shall wave it.
00:21:45.46\00:21:48.58
And you shall offer on
that day when you wave the sheaf
00:21:49.45\00:21:53.48
a male lamb of the
first year without blemish.
00:21:53.73\00:21:56.02
You have the Passover,
00:21:56.64\00:21:57.61
you have feast of
unleavened breads,
00:21:57.62\00:21:59.30
you have the
feast of first fruits,
00:21:59.31\00:22:00.63
you have the
feast of tabernacles,
00:22:01.19\00:22:02.62
of Pentecost, of
trumpets of dedication,
00:22:02.63\00:22:04.61
you have the fest Purim,
00:22:04.62\00:22:06.23
you had also look at verse 15.
00:22:07.07\00:22:09.57
And ye shall count for
yourselves from the day
00:22:11.35\00:22:13.33
after the Sabbath,
from the day that ye brought
00:22:13.34\00:22:16.78
the sheaf of the wave offering;
00:22:16.79\00:22:18.28
seven Sabbaths
shall be completed.
00:22:18.83\00:22:20.90
And then if you go down,
00:22:21.67\00:22:22.69
oh, let me give
you another one here.
00:22:23.57\00:22:25.71
He added the Day of Atonement.
00:22:27.01\00:22:28.45
You also had in
verse 32, it says,
00:22:29.99\00:22:32.43
It shall be to you a
Sabbath of solemn rest,
00:22:32.70\00:22:36.00
and ye shall afflict
your souls on the ninth day
00:22:36.33\00:22:38.79
of the month at
evening, from even to even,
00:22:39.51\00:22:42.05
ye shall celebrate your Sabbath.
00:22:42.06\00:22:43.62
You see right
there. That was the Sabbath
00:22:43.63\00:22:45.52
that fell on the
9th day of the month.
00:22:45.66\00:22:47.82
You had one on the
first day of the month.
00:22:48.63\00:22:50.68
And these were all
ceremonial celebrations
00:22:50.99\00:22:54.62
but not the weekly Sabbath.
00:22:54.95\00:22:56.43
But there are
ceremonial celebrations
00:22:56.44\00:22:57.88
because there were holy
days to the people in addition
00:22:57.89\00:23:01.97
to the seven day
holy day every week.
00:23:01.98\00:23:05.55
Look at verse 39,
Also on the fifteenth day,
00:23:06.57\00:23:09.29
this is Leviticus chapter 23,
00:23:09.30\00:23:10.59
also on the fifteenth
day of the seventh month,
00:23:10.94\00:23:12.96
when ye have gathered in
the first fruit of the Lord,
00:23:13.31\00:23:17.34
ye shall keep the feast
of the LORD for seven days:
00:23:17.88\00:23:20.37
on the first day there
shall be a Sabbath rest,
00:23:20.66\00:23:23.47
not a small
Sabbath, a Sabbath rest.
00:23:23.48\00:23:26.27
And on the eighth
day a Sabbath rest,
00:23:26.68\00:23:29.29
that eighth day one was
the feast of tabernacles.
00:23:29.30\00:23:31.99
So you find the
Bible talks about many,
00:23:32.26\00:23:34.42
many Sabbaths,
when those Sabbaths
00:23:34.43\00:23:36.56
which Colossians 2 talks about.
00:23:36.75\00:23:38.71
When it says let no
man judge you in meats,
00:23:39.94\00:23:41.43
and drinks and new
moons and Sabbath days.
00:23:41.44\00:23:43.80
Those are the things
that have been talked about.
00:23:44.66\00:23:46.24
Those are pointing to Christ.
00:23:46.25\00:23:48.27
When Jesus came the
only Sabbath that continued
00:23:48.94\00:23:52.16
was the one that was blessed
at the end of creation week,
00:23:52.17\00:23:54.01
long before sin
entered the world.
00:23:54.82\00:23:56.50
Very good. And did I say
00:23:58.17\00:24:00.12
I was gonna
give you also Exodus,
00:24:00.13\00:24:02.23
let me just give this last one.
00:24:02.24\00:24:03.44
Exodus chapter, not Exodus,
00:24:07.00\00:24:14.40
Genesis, here it is.
00:24:14.73\00:24:15.91
Okay. Are you ready?
00:24:17.14\00:24:18.11
And by the way, by the way
00:24:26.07\00:24:29.87
when you read the book
of Genesis you see that...
00:24:29.88\00:24:35.62
Okay here it is,
Genesis chapter, oh,
00:24:38.68\00:24:44.98
we have it here, okay.
00:24:44.99\00:24:48.03
Well let's move on here,
00:24:54.20\00:24:55.17
I just lost my point
here was right in my head.
00:24:55.40\00:24:58.09
That's alright, one of the
things about Genesis though,
00:24:58.10\00:25:00.39
you hadn't mentioned, or
you touched on a little bit
00:25:00.40\00:25:02.89
is the fact that, that's
where the Sabbath really begin.
00:25:03.43\00:25:06.64
You know so when the
Sabbath came into view
00:25:07.94\00:25:11.44
or came to the forefront again
with in the Ten Commandments,
00:25:11.45\00:25:14.91
it wasn't the first time
that the Jews or that anybody
00:25:14.92\00:25:18.02
had heard about the Sabbath,
00:25:18.03\00:25:19.06
Adam and Eve knew
about the Sabbath.
00:25:19.07\00:25:20.45
In fact it was the first
day they spent together. Right.
00:25:21.36\00:25:23.79
God created them on the
sixth day and then as the
00:25:24.74\00:25:27.61
evening came the
Sabbath, the Holy sacred 24 hour
00:25:27.62\00:25:32.14
period came into, at
least that's the first full day
00:25:32.15\00:25:37.24
that they spent together.
So kind of a neat things,
00:25:37.25\00:25:39.48
that we can see there
even a creation God created the
00:25:39.49\00:25:42.32
Sabbath for relationships.
Right. And for them to get to
00:25:42.33\00:25:46.05
know each other and
really spend some close time
00:25:46.06\00:25:47.96
together with themselves
and with God especially
00:25:47.97\00:25:50.40
who was their creator. You
know if you think about it,
00:25:50.82\00:25:54.12
it was kind an
anniversary for them. Right.
00:25:54.13\00:25:56.62
And I think that's one of
the things we were talking about
00:25:56.63\00:25:58.64
you were mentioning earlier
that you know it's like saying
00:25:59.14\00:26:02.38
my birthday or my
anniversary is everyday,
00:26:03.28\00:26:05.28
that doesn't make
sense. Because the Sabbath,
00:26:06.31\00:26:09.45
the weekly Sabbath
points back to creation,
00:26:09.78\00:26:11.63
a single day event.
Right. So in many respects
00:26:12.06\00:26:16.24
how you view creation can
help determine or at least
00:26:17.37\00:26:21.68
determines to a great
degree how you view the 24 hour
00:26:21.69\00:26:24.21
Sabbath period,
it's a sacred day. Right.
00:26:24.22\00:26:26.43
Because my anniversary or
my birthday is a 24 hour period
00:26:27.08\00:26:32.21
that is always
has been celebrated.
00:26:32.22\00:26:33.63
And always acknowledges
that one day that I was married,
00:26:33.87\00:26:36.30
or that I was born. Right.
00:26:36.31\00:26:37.88
And I can't expand
that to everyday, everyday.
00:26:38.49\00:26:42.67
Or even a couple days,
it's just doesn't work.
00:26:42.88\00:26:45.37
You get old very fast if
everyday was your birthday.
00:26:45.38\00:26:47.71
But, let me just qualify now,
I think I need to give justice
00:26:48.87\00:26:53.19
to the letter, to the
letter that was given to us,
00:26:53.71\00:26:55.97
I got tongue tied
there. This person wrote
00:26:56.86\00:27:00.90
and this was a
reasoning that they gave,
00:27:01.12\00:27:02.67
that they believe
everyday is the Sabbath day.
00:27:02.68\00:27:04.44
We should live lives
holy, obedient, righteous
00:27:05.18\00:27:08.11
lives with God and Jesus
Christ in our life everyday.
00:27:08.12\00:27:12.56
Not just on Saturday and Sunday.
00:27:13.08\00:27:14.48
The commandment doesn't
suggest that we live holy
00:27:14.84\00:27:16.80
one day a week.
That's never what we teach
00:27:16.81\00:27:19.38
and the Bible
doesn't teach that either.
00:27:19.68\00:27:21.12
I married everyday, but
everyday is not my anniversary.
00:27:21.55\00:27:24.39
Right. John, I'm not
faithful on just my anniversary.
00:27:25.11\00:27:27.98
Thank you. That's
a very good point.
00:27:28.79\00:27:30.44
We are not faithful
just on our anniversary.
00:27:30.68\00:27:32.71
We are in love, we love our
wives, they love us everyday.
00:27:33.12\00:27:36.44
And so the relationship
is what takes place everyday.
00:27:36.80\00:27:38.78
That's what you're
talking about here.
00:27:38.79\00:27:39.82
But you don't
expand the relationship
00:27:40.37\00:27:41.93
and say because I
love her everyday,
00:27:41.94\00:27:43.31
everyday is our anniversary.
No more than you say
00:27:43.32\00:27:46.40
well now because we
have to live obedient lives.
00:27:46.41\00:27:48.49
And John, for whatever
reason and I'm not saying
00:27:49.03\00:27:51.28
this is your reason but
sometimes people use it as a
00:27:51.29\00:27:53.51
cop out to say we
could pick whatever day.
00:27:53.52\00:27:55.59
We have a number of letters here
00:27:55.95\00:27:56.92
and we can't get to
the rest of them today.
00:27:56.93\00:27:58.41
But keep this in my
mind, we cannot explain
00:27:59.65\00:28:02.68
a way the only
day that Jesus rested.
00:28:02.69\00:28:05.89
The only day that he
blessed the only day that he
00:28:06.08\00:28:08.93
sanctified the only
day that he hollowed,
00:28:08.94\00:28:11.40
there's only one
day. And so you can't say
00:28:11.52\00:28:14.09
well Sunday is my Sabbath.
That's just not possible,
00:28:15.98\00:28:19.17
because you can't
bless a day. Right.
00:28:19.62\00:28:21.51
See, you bless a relationship
but you can't bless the day.
00:28:21.76\00:28:24.29
Alright. Well I have
so many more to go on
00:28:25.02\00:28:27.54
but we'll have to just
wait for the next program.
00:28:27.55\00:28:29.16
You know
there's a question John,
00:28:29.45\00:28:30.43
that keeps coming
up over and over again
00:28:30.44\00:28:32.52
and we don't wanna
spend time on this,
00:28:32.53\00:28:33.83
we answer it every
year. But I bring it up again
00:28:33.84\00:28:36.98
because we had
several questions about it
00:28:36.99\00:28:39.20
and we're gonna answer
it in brevity to that. Okay.
00:28:39.21\00:28:41.89
And I'd segue kind of
from what we are talking about
00:28:43.18\00:28:45.80
here because it's the way that
we're gonna answer it. Okay.
00:28:45.81\00:28:48.93
It says, this
question is for House Calls;
00:28:50.96\00:28:53.07
please I would like to have
the real story behind Christmas,
00:28:53.08\00:28:55.42
Easter and
Halloween. Why do we as
00:28:55.43\00:28:58.02
Seventh-day Adventists
participate in these holidays
00:28:58.03\00:29:00.30
especially in our SJ
schools, colleges extra?
00:29:00.31\00:29:03.35
They mentioned Halloweens,
I think that couples subjects
00:29:03.61\00:29:05.71
together, that we just,
we don't know Halloween.
00:29:05.72\00:29:08.16
Yeah, Halloween I think we
can take out of the question.
00:29:08.17\00:29:09.94
There is no debate I often
really seen anybody with in
00:29:09.95\00:29:12.18
the Seventh-day
Adventist faith that endorses
00:29:12.58\00:29:15.01
or keeps Halloween.
Yeah, it's like witches day.
00:29:15.02\00:29:18.70
You know it's, like it's
the day that we shall not try to
00:29:18.71\00:29:21.32
escape even from our
house and go do something else,
00:29:21.33\00:29:23.78
But I think the
biggest issue in the question
00:29:24.69\00:29:26.96
that really arises John
is Christmas, Easter. Right.
00:29:26.97\00:29:30.05
You know why are we having
this keeping Christmas, Easter.
00:29:30.56\00:29:33.07
Let me say just real quick.
And keeping is the thing you
00:29:33.73\00:29:35.66
are gonna talk about.
Exactly where I'm going. Okay.
00:29:35.67\00:29:37.95
We as Adventist Christians
don't keep Christmas and Easter.
00:29:39.31\00:29:42.96
Right. And the
reference there is,
00:29:42.97\00:29:45.58
it comes from the ideology
behind the original days
00:29:45.59\00:29:48.92
it was established,
both those days as Rome,
00:29:48.93\00:29:51.76
the church of
Rome established them,
00:29:51.77\00:29:53.65
made them holy days, days
to be kept by the members,
00:29:54.63\00:30:00.31
or adherence of
Roman Catholicism.
00:30:00.32\00:30:02.55
Matter of fact
let me add this point;
00:30:02.56\00:30:03.78
they made it
like a ceremonial law.
00:30:04.21\00:30:06.35
That's right. Exactly,
since we are talking about
00:30:06.36\00:30:08.77
that point, very good reference.
00:30:08.78\00:30:09.86
They made it an ordinance
that you must honored. Yeah.
00:30:09.87\00:30:13.47
That is a
distortion of God's word.
00:30:13.48\00:30:16.14
In fact you know
many Catholics would say
00:30:16.33\00:30:18.46
well I don't go to
a church all the time,
00:30:18.47\00:30:19.82
or all the mass but
you know what, on holiday.
00:30:19.83\00:30:21.51
Christmas, Easter I'm in
church. Mortal sins. Yes.
00:30:22.33\00:30:26.31
And so anyway I just,
we bring that up because
00:30:26.32\00:30:29.10
we distinguish
the difference between
00:30:30.70\00:30:32.80
a holiday and a holy-day.
They are two different things.
00:30:32.81\00:30:37.60
You know, you know
over and over again,
00:30:38.11\00:30:42.23
year after year, we
are faced with these days
00:30:42.57\00:30:45.08
and the challenge of how to
evangelize others on these days.
00:30:45.26\00:30:49.67
And you know what I would
suggest John that these days
00:30:49.68\00:30:52.28
present an opportunity
rather than something to avoid,
00:30:52.65\00:30:57.94
an opportunity to
share Christ with others.
00:30:58.56\00:31:01.38
Christmas, I mean the one day
the people are open to hearing
00:31:02.12\00:31:05.33
about the story of Jesus.
The people who want nothing
00:31:05.34\00:31:07.42
to do with him 364
days will come to see a
00:31:07.43\00:31:10.51
Christmas program
with their kids in it,
00:31:10.52\00:31:12.23
or come to church and see a
Christmas program on that day.
00:31:12.47\00:31:14.68
I mean, come on, are we
sitting in our homes and say,
00:31:14.98\00:31:17.65
oh, it's a bad day,
I'm not gonna go anywhere.
00:31:17.66\00:31:19.69
No we use that day as an
opportunity to get out there
00:31:20.10\00:31:22.45
and tell us about Jesus.
And I'll tell you, you know,
00:31:22.46\00:31:26.46
it's nothing about keeping
the day holy, it's about,
00:31:26.94\00:31:29.69
this is a great
opportunity to share.
00:31:30.06\00:31:31.84
Share Jesus,
right. And not only that
00:31:31.85\00:31:33.58
let's think about, lets just
think set aside all the stuff
00:31:33.59\00:31:36.52
about the holy
day and things now,
00:31:36.53\00:31:38.34
on both those days.
Shouldn't we use any day
00:31:38.68\00:31:42.13
that really is about
friendships, relationships,
00:31:42.14\00:31:45.74
love, God's love for us.
Shouldn't we take those times
00:31:46.14\00:31:50.60
to engage in activities
that draw us close to our
00:31:50.61\00:31:53.08
brothers and
sisters and our families.
00:31:53.09\00:31:54.74
That's what I've always
done growing up as an Adventist.
00:31:55.78\00:31:58.23
From year to year as
my parents would put the
00:31:58.68\00:32:01.39
evergreen tree in the house,
00:32:01.60\00:32:03.10
or maybe put
gifts around the tree,
00:32:03.42\00:32:05.51
and we share with each other,
it was about relationships,
00:32:05.68\00:32:08.32
right, and sure kids do,
you know digress into this thing
00:32:08.52\00:32:12.51
or what I get for Christmas.
Well if that's what going on
00:32:12.52\00:32:15.27
in your home then you
have a chance to teach them
00:32:15.28\00:32:17.66
about what
Christmas really is about.
00:32:17.67\00:32:19.20
Because that's not really
the intention of Christmas,
00:32:19.21\00:32:20.89
that's what secular
society has made of it.
00:32:20.90\00:32:23.66
And we don't support
that either because that to me
00:32:24.31\00:32:26.93
it's just simply
coveting, alright.
00:32:26.94\00:32:29.71
So the issue really
is in reference of today,
00:32:30.05\00:32:32.89
we don't believe it's a
holy day either one of them.
00:32:33.83\00:32:35.38
No. Not at all. But a
great opportunity to share
00:32:35.59\00:32:37.55
with others and talk
to others about Christ
00:32:37.56\00:32:39.52
and a great opportunity
to get together our family
00:32:39.83\00:32:41.50
and our friends, and
they share gifts out of love
00:32:41.51\00:32:43.96
and out of care for one
another. So you know I'm sorry.
00:32:43.97\00:32:47.48
Truth. If we were
to take everything
00:32:48.08\00:32:50.78
that originated
in its pagan form,
00:32:51.12\00:32:52.84
if we would say I'm not gonna
have anything to do with it,
00:32:53.59\00:32:55.18
do you realize you
wouldn't have a time to wake up
00:32:55.19\00:32:57.33
every morning, you wouldn't
know what date it was. Okay.
00:32:57.34\00:33:01.82
Because today would not
be and I can't give them,
00:33:01.97\00:33:04.47
I am not gonna date the program,
00:33:04.48\00:33:05.50
but today
wouldn't be the date it is,
00:33:05.93\00:33:07.75
because you know
what? That goes back to
00:33:07.76\00:33:10.27
Greco-Roman structure of time
and how they began to you know.
00:33:11.64\00:33:16.99
Get the days like, the
days. Monday was moon's day,
00:33:17.46\00:33:20.54
Tuesday is twees day,
yeah, Wednesday is weedens day.
00:33:20.55\00:33:23.74
And not only that the
year, you know January 1,
00:33:23.75\00:33:26.91
the year 2005 was, what
does AD stand for, Anno Domini.
00:33:26.92\00:33:34.32
That was, that had it's
Roman and its Greek origins,
00:33:34.75\00:33:38.86
flatten origins
and pagan forms, right.
00:33:38.87\00:33:42.66
So I mean, come on, we
have to be careful about that
00:33:43.33\00:33:45.87
because it's not
just about Christmas
00:33:45.88\00:33:47.63
and Easter when
we're talking about,
00:33:47.64\00:33:49.96
you know avoiding
things that are pagan.
00:33:50.40\00:33:51.98
The thing we should
avoid that is pagan.
00:33:53.15\00:33:54.60
And I gave a sermon here I just
mentioned this before to you.
00:33:54.61\00:33:56.93
My sermon last Sabbath
was like a pagan. Okay.
00:33:57.50\00:34:00.75
If you really want to read
in the Bible what pagans did,
00:34:00.76\00:34:03.57
it is nothing to do with
Christmas and Easter activities.
00:34:03.98\00:34:07.69
It was much more
sinister than that.
00:34:08.51\00:34:09.88
Right, it was not about
recognizing Jesus at all.
00:34:10.19\00:34:12.50
The thing that we
have to keep in mind,
00:34:13.45\00:34:15.30
and Ellen White talks about
this in the book Adventist Home,
00:34:15.31\00:34:17.38
she talk about how we should
focus on the Christmas season.
00:34:17.39\00:34:20.60
She said it's not possible,
she said it will be almost
00:34:21.20\00:34:23.89
impossible to ignore the time
of the year and then this is
00:34:23.90\00:34:26.60
something that a lot
of Adventists tumble over
00:34:26.61\00:34:28.30
when I say Adventists
because you know in the
00:34:29.04\00:34:31.81
Bible and the book of Jeremiah,
there was an evergreen tree
00:34:31.82\00:34:34.25
that was afixed, and people
bowed down and worshiped it.
00:34:34.26\00:34:37.39
And some people I don'
know that that's a huge leap
00:34:37.72\00:34:39.66
between what those who are
paganistic in their approaches
00:34:40.03\00:34:43.67
and in their practices
did. And compared to now we
00:34:43.68\00:34:47.51
by having a Christmas tree
in our home we're bowing down
00:34:47.66\00:34:49.83
and worshiping it. I
have never done that.
00:34:49.84\00:34:52.42
Because that's not even where
the Christmas tree came from?
00:34:52.60\00:34:54.61
No, but I want to say
that was a practice, yeah,
00:34:54.86\00:34:56.44
one of the practices that people
often referred to that the most.
00:34:56.45\00:35:01.42
But I find it unusual
that the 2 days of the year
00:35:01.85\00:35:03.99
that are most apropo to
the resurrection of Jesus
00:35:04.00\00:35:07.54
and the birth of
Jesus, which both dates
00:35:08.08\00:35:10.70
are not even
established. I mean that is the
00:35:10.71\00:35:13.68
birth of Jesus
is not established,
00:35:13.69\00:35:15.35
we have more accuracy
of the resurrection time.
00:35:15.71\00:35:17.74
But the birth of
Jesus is not established.
00:35:17.75\00:35:19.50
And, but to honor his birth
and to honor and to praise God
00:35:20.32\00:35:23.56
for his resurrection is not
an observance that takes away
00:35:23.57\00:35:27.18
from any command of
God nor does it add to it
00:35:27.19\00:35:30.91
a pagonistic nature.
And says now by saying
00:35:31.22\00:35:34.55
even using the
phrase Merry Christmas.
00:35:35.68\00:35:37.55
We know that Jesus
wasn't born on that day.
00:35:38.17\00:35:40.87
Or I don't use the
phrase Happy Easter;
00:35:41.81\00:35:44.81
we just recognize the
resurrection of Christ
00:35:45.26\00:35:47.54
around that time of the year.
Yeah. So, these are not things,
00:35:47.55\00:35:50.47
these are not things taken
away from our walk with Christ.
00:35:50.69\00:35:53.33
If it starts taken away
from your walk with Christ,
00:35:53.34\00:35:55.67
then the approach that you have
00:35:56.07\00:35:57.12
towards it may
be really the issue.
00:35:57.13\00:35:59.89
Yeah, and you know what.
If you can in good conscious,
00:36:00.14\00:36:02.97
you know, celebrate
and enjoy your family
00:36:04.52\00:36:06.72
and do the things
that typically, you know,
00:36:06.73\00:36:10.13
families do on
these days. Don't do it.
00:36:10.36\00:36:12.08
I mean we're not
saying go against that.
00:36:12.34\00:36:13.67
You must be not
saying you have to.
00:36:13.68\00:36:14.68
But don't yell, get
after everybody else
00:36:14.72\00:36:16.81
and I say yell because we
get how many questions on this
00:36:16.82\00:36:19.27
every single year? Yeah, we
get a lot of questions on it.
00:36:19.28\00:36:21.50
It's a huge
question this time of year.
00:36:21.51\00:36:23.07
Don't condemn your
brethren because they do,
00:36:23.79\00:36:26.46
some of these
things on these days
00:36:26.79\00:36:28.34
because that just puts a
barrier or a block between
00:36:28.35\00:36:30.84
you and your
brethren, that's not right.
00:36:30.85\00:36:32.21
And that's what
Paul was talking about
00:36:32.71\00:36:33.92
one man eseems
one day above another,
00:36:33.93\00:36:36.44
another man
esteems everyday alike.
00:36:36.63\00:36:38.24
There are some
people you know, December 25
00:36:38.60\00:36:40.60
is just like any other day.
Easter just like any other day.
00:36:40.61\00:36:44.16
There are some people say that
Sabbath is like any other day.
00:36:44.80\00:36:46.80
You know, it
doesn't really matter,
00:36:46.99\00:36:48.11
they say well
it's just Saturday,
00:36:48.12\00:36:49.14
and Saturday becomes
a major shopping day,
00:36:49.48\00:36:51.60
Macy's white sale, you
know, all these sales are going
00:36:52.11\00:36:54.93
one day only. That's what
the world does to Sabbath,
00:36:54.94\00:36:57.69
but to us it's a holy
day. But Easter and Christmas
00:36:57.83\00:37:00.83
have never become holy
days. But Jesus is always holy.
00:37:00.84\00:37:04.60
Right. So that's to
keep, if you honor Jesus,
00:37:04.61\00:37:06.91
you honor Him
everyday and when other people
00:37:06.92\00:37:09.12
who don't know Jesus
pause to recognize Him,
00:37:09.13\00:37:12.09
look at it is an open door to
share Jesus in a realistic way.
00:37:12.50\00:37:15.37
And that's what
Christmas and Easter does.
00:37:15.68\00:37:17.27
Well thank you
for your questions,
00:37:18.19\00:37:19.25
we have spent a
little more time here today.
00:37:19.26\00:37:20.75
But that's okay,
we have latitude,
00:37:20.76\00:37:23.40
we don't have a clock
that's beating us in the head
00:37:23.83\00:37:25.99
as to how long we can
cover a particular topic.
00:37:26.23\00:37:28.24
But I know we have
awakened some questions
00:37:29.35\00:37:31.66
in your minds and if you want to
send any questions to us here,
00:37:31.67\00:37:34.58
you can send those to
the address on the screen.
00:37:34.97\00:37:37.26
Housecalls@3ABN.org,
that's Housecalls@3ABN.org
00:37:37.49\00:37:42.21
and we'll do the
computer snail mail thing
00:37:42.60\00:37:45.25
and most of you who
are sending snail mail.
00:37:45.26\00:37:47.14
I am not going to
give out the address;
00:37:48.00\00:37:49.12
I don't want to
encourage anybody else to.
00:37:49.13\00:37:50.69
But those of you
who are writing to 3ABN,
00:37:51.80\00:37:53.59
you pretty much
know what our address is.
00:37:53.60\00:37:55.39
We appreciate
your support very much.
00:37:55.75\00:37:58.70
Now John, while I
am clearing my throat,
00:37:59.52\00:38:01.23
lead us into our topic.
Well, you know, there is much
00:38:01.81\00:38:05.08
said about the work of
the Holy Spirit. Right.
00:38:05.09\00:38:07.33
And in fact if you look
at Christendom at large,
00:38:07.60\00:38:10.61
there are so many differences
of opinion with regards to
00:38:11.04\00:38:13.49
how the Holy Spirit works
in the lives of individuals
00:38:13.50\00:38:16.82
and the church
itself. It's also attacked for
00:38:16.83\00:38:21.38
the doctrine of
itself of the Holy Spirit,
00:38:22.77\00:38:25.77
as to whether or not it's
a force that comes from God
00:38:25.78\00:38:30.31
or whether it's a
being of the Godhead,
00:38:30.32\00:38:33.03
which is the Godhead,
the Triune Godhead doctrine
00:38:33.40\00:38:36.59
that we as Adventist scribe
to. And so, we thought we take
00:38:36.76\00:38:40.64
some time to talk
about a walk in the spirit.
00:38:40.65\00:38:44.64
You know, when we're
having this walk of faith
00:38:45.48\00:38:47.15
as Paul describes
in Roman chapter 8.
00:38:47.16\00:38:49.35
Those that walk in the spirit,
those are the ones that are
00:38:49.84\00:38:52.33
abiding in Christ
and living in Christ.
00:38:52.34\00:38:54.03
What does that really
mean, when we're talking about a
00:38:54.53\00:38:57.97
walk in the spirit.
And what does it mean
00:38:57.98\00:39:00.81
to have the spirit
of God abiding in you
00:39:00.82\00:39:02.52
and so we'll spend a
couple of programs here at least
00:39:02.53\00:39:05.53
talking about these kinds
of things and other things
00:39:05.54\00:39:08.40
relating to the Holy
Spirit. Yes, as a matter of fact
00:39:08.41\00:39:12.86
I was thinking of this, matter
of fact I am tempted to share
00:39:13.54\00:39:17.21
this question but I am not
gonna yield to the temptation,
00:39:17.22\00:39:20.86
we'll do it in the next program.
But let's go ahead and dive
00:39:20.87\00:39:24.00
into this because you
know. Everything that we do
00:39:24.01\00:39:27.50
including honoring
the commandments of God,
00:39:27.51\00:39:30.64
the Ten Commandments
to be more specific.
00:39:30.65\00:39:32.62
You cannot do
that without the power
00:39:33.82\00:39:35.85
of the Holy Spirit in your
life. I remember the mistake
00:39:35.86\00:39:39.89
that the children of old,
or the children of Israel made.
00:39:39.90\00:39:43.12
They said, all that the
Lord has said we will do,
00:39:43.13\00:39:46.31
that lasted maybe a few hours.
00:39:47.70\00:39:49.23
Because right
there at the mount,
00:39:49.72\00:39:50.79
the base of Mount
Sinai. They got involved in
00:39:50.80\00:39:53.89
adultery, promiscuity,
they just sunk lower and lower
00:39:53.90\00:39:57.93
and lower and lower, because
they made a wow with their
00:39:57.94\00:40:00.48
mouths but they were not
able to do with their hearts
00:40:00.49\00:40:02.87
because they were trying to
do it on their own strength.
00:40:02.88\00:40:04.79
Well the question is where
do we get the strength from to
00:40:05.20\00:40:08.69
live a Christ centered life.
Right. And that's where the
00:40:08.70\00:40:11.63
Holy Spirit's power come
in. So, John, let's begin at the
00:40:12.06\00:40:15.25
beginning, let's go to
the book of Acts, okay,
00:40:15.26\00:40:16.96
I am gonna start
there. Acts chapter 1,
00:40:16.97\00:40:20.76
Acts chapter 1
not enough said about
00:40:21.71\00:40:24.12
the Holy Spirit and his
work. We often say, well,
00:40:24.13\00:40:27.12
it's great to have the
Holy Spirit but what good
00:40:27.49\00:40:29.84
is going to make
and you will see.
00:40:29.85\00:40:33.14
I remember a sermon, I
don't know if it's the topic,
00:40:34.71\00:40:37.01
I don't know if it's the title
but it was something to the
00:40:37.02\00:40:39.14
effect of, we will
leave the light on for you.
00:40:39.15\00:40:43.69
Remember that
slogan I think Motel 6,
00:40:44.52\00:40:46.66
that should have
been a Christian slogan.
00:40:46.99\00:40:48.34
We'll leave the
light on for you.
00:40:48.84\00:40:50.87
Notice the most
important reason and the most
00:40:51.30\00:40:55.33
important purpose for
praying for and asking for
00:40:55.34\00:40:59.49
and pleading for
God's Holy Spirit.
00:40:59.50\00:41:01.43
John Acts chapter 1
and verse 8 start there.
00:41:01.44\00:41:04.47
This is Jesus
speaking to the disciples,
00:41:05.49\00:41:07.81
He says, but you shall receive
power when the Holy Spirit
00:41:07.82\00:41:13.31
has come upon you and
you shall be witnesses to me
00:41:13.32\00:41:16.75
in Jerusalem and in
all Judea and Samaria
00:41:16.76\00:41:19.96
and to the end of the
earth. Okay, notice the text.
00:41:20.30\00:41:23.73
You shall receive power,
and the King James Version says
00:41:24.26\00:41:27.23
after that the Holy
Spirit is come upon you.
00:41:27.51\00:41:29.71
Brethren, we don't
have any resident power,
00:41:30.30\00:41:34.28
anymore than a computer can
work without being plugged in
00:41:34.99\00:41:39.58
or just last
forever on battery life.
00:41:40.08\00:41:42.56
There are some Christians that
are battery life Christians,
00:41:42.90\00:41:45.41
which means they are righteous
as long as their battery lasts.
00:41:45.62\00:41:48.95
And I am using that
application because it's very
00:41:49.35\00:41:51.58
difficult to sin
while in you're in church,
00:41:51.59\00:41:53.39
although we've seen some
people try that as pastors.
00:41:53.72\00:41:57.54
Sabbath mornings
sometimes it could be a fiasco,
00:41:58.08\00:42:00.02
depending on the heart of
the person coming to church.
00:42:00.73\00:42:03.09
But it is not possible to
live a Christ centered life.
00:42:03.64\00:42:07.66
It is not possible to
keep in living harmony with the
00:42:08.46\00:42:11.35
commandments of Jesus.
When he says if you love me,
00:42:11.36\00:42:13.71
keep me my commandments,
the very next passage shows
00:42:13.72\00:42:16.99
how important
the Holy Spirit is.
00:42:17.20\00:42:18.69
So, we need the Holy Spirit
for power in our relationship.
00:42:18.81\00:42:22.58
I am reading
from Luke chapter 24.
00:42:22.99\00:42:24.87
Okay, let's go there.
And Luke, Dr. Luke wrote
00:42:24.88\00:42:28.83
the book of Acts. That's
Right. And so, this is the same
00:42:29.18\00:42:32.08
thread of thought here as
we just now read in Acts 1
00:42:32.09\00:42:36.50
of being concluded by
his book, by under his name,
00:42:37.49\00:42:41.95
his surname Luke. What verse?
00:42:41.96\00:42:44.77
And it says here, Luke
24 beginning with verse 46.
00:42:44.78\00:42:50.50
Okay, let's go
there. He said to them,
00:42:50.96\00:42:53.58
thus it is written and thus
it was necessary for the Christ
00:42:54.33\00:42:57.73
to suffer in the rise
from the dead the third day
00:42:57.74\00:43:00.41
and that repentance and
remission of sins should be
00:43:01.62\00:43:04.01
preached in His name to all
nations beginning at Jerusalem.
00:43:04.02\00:43:07.37
Here we see a picture
of the great commission
00:43:07.38\00:43:10.04
and Matthew describes in
a little different words.
00:43:10.61\00:43:12.81
But essentially what's being
told the disciples is that,
00:43:13.23\00:43:16.05
these things aren't just
for you, this is for the world.
00:43:16.81\00:43:19.00
Christ came to save the world
00:43:19.60\00:43:21.13
and this message
must go to the world.
00:43:21.28\00:43:23.26
That's right. Then
notice these words verse 48.
00:43:23.47\00:43:27.33
And you are
witnesses of these things.
00:43:28.10\00:43:29.92
Behold, I send the
promise of My Father upon you,
00:43:30.67\00:43:34.11
a very important promise
because He calls it the promise.
00:43:35.37\00:43:37.77
That's right. But tarry
in the city of Jerusalem
00:43:37.78\00:43:41.68
until you are endued
with power from on high.
00:43:41.69\00:43:46.49
That's right I like that.
In other words make sure you
00:43:47.23\00:43:49.64
will stay here, make
sure you wait in Jerusalem,
00:43:49.65\00:43:51.32
don't go out yet. Don't
go out to share your faith,
00:43:51.33\00:43:54.38
don't go out to give
the message, don't go out to
00:43:54.39\00:43:56.06
do anything,
because first you need what?
00:43:56.07\00:43:58.87
Power, I like
that. You need power.
00:43:59.48\00:44:02.67
That's a very good one,
John. My wife when we travel
00:44:02.68\00:44:05.35
long distance says and
we are sitting in a seat
00:44:05.36\00:44:07.48
in a plain that
doesn't have a power outlet.
00:44:07.49\00:44:09.39
We were coming back from
Australia earlier this year
00:44:10.54\00:44:14.42
and you know, in Australia
we bought some of these
00:44:15.17\00:44:17.71
auxiliary
batteries that you charge
00:44:17.72\00:44:19.65
by plugging it into a USB
port, Universal Serial Bus port.
00:44:19.66\00:44:24.26
And because if you're on a
flight that's gonna last in one
00:44:24.88\00:44:28.72
lake for fourteen and
hours and your battery
00:44:28.73\00:44:31.98
lasts only may be
for 3, the mathematical
00:44:31.99\00:44:36.09
difference is
obvious. So, we bought a
00:44:36.10\00:44:38.55
couple of those
extended batteries
00:44:38.56\00:44:39.87
and charged them up
and my wife had an iPod
00:44:39.89\00:44:42.02
and she uses it quite a
bit. And she's started running
00:44:42.03\00:44:44.74
down her extra battery
before my extra battery
00:44:44.77\00:44:48.44
starts to run down.
And when her extra battery
00:44:48.45\00:44:51.08
life started blinking
and you know those message
00:44:51.09\00:44:53.71
came upon the iPod
screen, you know, 20 percent
00:44:53.72\00:44:56.67
battery life, that low
battery and it got to the
00:44:56.68\00:44:59.09
and it went off and she
says aah shocks... my battery,
00:44:59.44\00:45:03.15
my iPod shut down and she
leaned over to me very kindly,
00:45:03.16\00:45:06.63
do you have your
battery? And you know,
00:45:06.64\00:45:11.14
brethren, when we
are not connected.
00:45:11.58\00:45:15.90
We will have one
of those moments.
00:45:16.82\00:45:18.29
Do you have your
battery? And you know what?
00:45:18.91\00:45:20.58
The beautiful thing about that
is I went ahead and gave mine
00:45:20.59\00:45:22.92
because I didn't
need it. I have my laptop
00:45:22.93\00:45:26.01
and what I was
doing at that time.
00:45:26.02\00:45:27.52
I said that was a great
joy to give her the battery
00:45:27.53\00:45:30.03
and just let her plug
it in, and say ah great.
00:45:30.04\00:45:31.82
And you know
what the point of the,
00:45:32.36\00:45:33.58
point of the
illustration is this;
00:45:34.08\00:45:35.16
we don't have
any resident power.
00:45:36.29\00:45:37.87
We don't have this, now
that I am a Christian I am gonna
00:45:38.37\00:45:42.24
live like a Christian,
walk like a Christian,
00:45:42.25\00:45:45.20
talk like a Christian. You
walk around with that attitude,
00:45:45.63\00:45:48.18
that boastful attitude;
you will be falling on your
00:45:48.19\00:45:50.01
face on the first
day of your Christianity.
00:45:50.02\00:45:52.21
Because you say that the
echo from the spirit world,
00:45:52.35\00:45:55.02
the dark spirit
world is oh yeah. Exactly.
00:45:55.14\00:45:58.81
Oh yeah, and you
will have trouble.
00:45:59.33\00:46:01.45
Matter of fact in
the book of James,
00:46:01.74\00:46:03.65
I think that's where
it is. Let me go there.
00:46:03.87\00:46:06.10
Yeah James,
yeah. James chapter 1,
00:46:07.48\00:46:14.38
yeah there, that's
where it talks about here.
00:46:16.11\00:46:19.06
The trials that we
get here as Christians,
00:46:20.36\00:46:22.52
we have to keep in mind
that whenever we begin to boast
00:46:22.88\00:46:25.58
that we have some
kind of resident power,
00:46:26.02\00:46:28.06
James says not at
all. Let patience have
00:46:28.56\00:46:32.15
its perfect work
that you may be perfect
00:46:32.16\00:46:34.48
and complete lacking nothing.
But you will know in verse 3,
00:46:34.49\00:46:38.16
there will be
testing of your faith
00:46:38.59\00:46:39.83
that's gonna
produce the patience.
00:46:40.18\00:46:41.50
And so
temptations are going to come,
00:46:41.81\00:46:48.00
trials are going to
come but the Bible says,
00:46:48.40\00:46:50.69
let him who thinks he
stands take he lest he fall.
00:46:50.70\00:46:53.41
And the only way that we
could live our life without
00:46:53.97\00:46:56.07
falling continually is
when we lean and pray for
00:46:56.08\00:47:01.70
and walk in the
power that's made
00:47:02.36\00:47:05.28
available
through the Holy Spirit.
00:47:05.29\00:47:06.71
That's right, you
know, one of the verse
00:47:07.10\00:47:09.41
that I was gonna read here.
That I think as we launch this
00:47:09.42\00:47:12.56
topic, it's very important
are the words of Christ found in
00:47:12.57\00:47:16.11
John chapter 14. Yes.
Because, he uses a word here
00:47:16.12\00:47:20.07
to describe the Holy Spirit,
that is very important since
00:47:20.08\00:47:23.48
we are talking about how
much we need the Holy Spirit
00:47:23.49\00:47:25.85
working on our
lives as Christians.
00:47:25.86\00:47:27.19
John 14 in fact
you know, I would add
00:47:28.39\00:47:30.03
just before I read
this. Whenever I find myself
00:47:30.34\00:47:34.42
struggling or maybe I failed
and I have committed a sin
00:47:34.43\00:47:37.47
and find that I am
not abiding in Christ
00:47:38.21\00:47:40.20
and letting the
Holy Spirit at work.
00:47:40.21\00:47:41.43
That's true. I find I can tie
it back usually to the morning.
00:47:41.81\00:47:45.06
Maybe I didn't, I skip
my devotion like I so busy
00:47:45.43\00:47:47.92
for the day and you
know, how we get those days.
00:47:47.93\00:47:49.12
We rush out and we
go. And we fin ourselves
00:47:49.13\00:47:51.73
either agitated or things aren't
going so well and our wives
00:47:51.74\00:47:55.44
will remind us, why
are you so upset today?
00:47:55.45\00:47:58.14
You've been kind of testy.
We've been there, right? Right.
00:47:58.30\00:48:01.57
It's because I am not allowing
the Holy Spirit to work.
00:48:01.73\00:48:04.35
I am kind of taking
over for the day, right.
00:48:04.36\00:48:06.44
And so, Jesus said
these words with regard to our
00:48:06.73\00:48:08.86
need every day
of the Holy Spirit.
00:48:08.87\00:48:10.23
He says in verse
16 of John chapter 14.
00:48:12.19\00:48:14.68
And I will pray the Father and
He will give you another helper.
00:48:15.25\00:48:19.74
That he may abide
with you how long?
00:48:21.10\00:48:23.91
Forever. Forever.
The spirit of truth whom
00:48:24.22\00:48:28.22
the world cannot receive
because it neither sees Him
00:48:28.23\00:48:31.07
nor knows Him but you know
Him, for He dwells with you
00:48:31.51\00:48:35.46
and will be in
you, right. Now, here's,
00:48:35.47\00:48:38.48
I love this verse, verse
18. The verse that sometimes
00:48:38.69\00:48:41.17
we stop and we don't
read, listen to this.
00:48:41.18\00:48:42.94
I speaking of Jesus, I
will not leave you orphans,
00:48:43.89\00:48:47.14
I will come to
you. That's right.
00:48:47.15\00:48:49.95
So the Holy Spirit, when the
Holy Spirit comes inside of you.
00:48:50.60\00:48:53.84
He is bringing
Christ into your life.
00:48:54.36\00:48:56.60
That is an
important key to remember.
00:48:57.16\00:48:58.58
It's not just well I do
everything out of the power
00:48:59.12\00:49:00.74
the Holy Spirit, Lord
Jesus, send your spirit to me.
00:49:00.75\00:49:03.64
Jesus says no by the Holy
Spirit coming into your life.
00:49:03.85\00:49:06.35
He inhabits you
Jesus Himself inhabits you.
00:49:06.85\00:49:10.40
And begins to work
and help you in your life
00:49:10.88\00:49:14.57
as your helper, as your helper.
Also as the spirit of truth
00:49:14.82\00:49:18.96
and we'll probably talk
about that later on too,
00:49:18.97\00:49:20.86
how the truth is
associated with the Spirit.
00:49:20.87\00:49:22.57
But, John, Jesus as He
begin to describe His departure
00:49:22.58\00:49:26.85
from the disciples that
he was going to leave them,
00:49:26.86\00:49:29.11
they were very concerned.
They're very concerned about
00:49:29.36\00:49:32.67
how Jesus could leave
them all to themselves
00:49:33.82\00:49:36.85
and where would He be going
that they couldn't go with Him.
00:49:36.86\00:49:39.16
Well, He made sure
that He told them that
00:49:39.64\00:49:41.06
they would not be
alone. He would be with them
00:49:41.07\00:49:43.74
through the power of the
Holy Spirit and that is so
00:49:44.10\00:49:47.22
important for us to
remember as Christians
00:49:47.23\00:49:48.69
that we can't do it
alone. Jesus has left this world
00:49:48.70\00:49:52.53
but He is with us through
the Holy Spirit only and we need
00:49:52.54\00:49:56.55
that spirit
working in us every day.
00:49:56.56\00:49:58.28
Matter of fact; let me
refer to a story in the Bible
00:49:58.50\00:50:00.92
that shows you how
important it is to walk in the
00:50:00.93\00:50:03.06
spirit, to continue
to walk in the spirit.
00:50:03.07\00:50:05.52
You've heard people throw
that phrase around loosely
00:50:06.22\00:50:08.43
but they're about
to chop your head off.
00:50:09.04\00:50:10.52
To walk in the spirit,
means we are exemplifying,
00:50:12.55\00:50:15.04
we display the
presence of the spirit.
00:50:15.05\00:50:17.32
We use the phrase
the Bible use the phrase,
00:50:17.63\00:50:19.81
the fruit of
the spirit singular.
00:50:19.82\00:50:22.02
When that fruit is, when
that one fruit is present,
00:50:22.43\00:50:24.96
it brings with it love,
joy, peace, long-suffering,
00:50:26.36\00:50:29.46
gentleness, meekness,
patience. Now we often run
00:50:29.93\00:50:33.27
past love, joy, peace.
But there are a lot of people
00:50:33.28\00:50:35.42
that are not love filled.
There are a lot of people
00:50:35.43\00:50:37.99
don't have joy, there are a
lot of people that they just are
00:50:38.25\00:50:40.72
never at peace, they are
not even advocates of peace.
00:50:40.73\00:50:43.40
Love, joy, peace there
are some people that are
00:50:44.56\00:50:46.25
so impatient long
suffering is missing.
00:50:46.26\00:50:48.09
And sometimes
they have a short fuse
00:50:48.42\00:50:49.95
for their
brother and their sister.
00:50:49.96\00:50:51.50
Yet they read
and teach the Bible.
00:50:51.73\00:50:53.51
Yeah, they teach the doctrinal
aspects of it and they are very
00:50:53.77\00:50:56.85
astute in the
understanding of it.
00:50:56.86\00:50:58.33
But like Jesus
said to the Pharisees,
00:50:58.76\00:51:00.25
sometimes you are
like an empty sepulchre.
00:51:00.26\00:51:01.73
But here is the
real, here is the problem.
00:51:01.74\00:51:03.71
Let's go to
Matthew 12 and verse 43.
00:51:04.03\00:51:05.94
Matthew 12 and
verse 43 you know,
00:51:06.90\00:51:09.35
when you pray for the
Lord to clean up your life.
00:51:09.36\00:51:12.37
It's like somebody
cleaning up your house,
00:51:12.77\00:51:15.49
but there is more to a life
than just a cleaned up life.
00:51:16.44\00:51:19.88
All right, if your life is only
cleaned up you are in danger.
00:51:20.70\00:51:23.99
Read that for us
John, Matthew chapter 12
00:51:24.97\00:51:27.89
starting with the
verse 43 down to verse 45.
00:51:28.06\00:51:30.15
When an unclean
spirit goes out of a man,
00:51:30.94\00:51:32.99
he goes through dry places
seeking rest and finds none.
00:51:33.93\00:51:37.01
Okay notice. An
unclean spirit goes out.
00:51:37.12\00:51:39.77
So he is no longer in, he
is out, so then he is left.
00:51:39.93\00:51:43.10
Because both spirits can't
reside within the same person.
00:51:43.72\00:51:46.96
So watch out when you say
you've rebuking the spirit.
00:51:47.36\00:51:49.92
Yeah. That's just the
only one aspect of it.
00:51:50.26\00:51:52.49
That's right. Okay, go on.
00:51:52.66\00:51:53.64
Then he says I will return
to my house from which I came
00:51:53.95\00:51:57.07
and when he
comes, he finds it empty,
00:51:57.92\00:51:59.77
swept and put in order.
Okay, read those three words
00:51:59.78\00:52:02.22
again he finds it
how? Empty. Empty.
00:52:02.23\00:52:04.87
Swept and put in order.
That represents the lives
00:52:05.20\00:52:08.17
of so many
people come to church.
00:52:08.18\00:52:09.72
They are empty of
sin, they are swept up.
00:52:10.52\00:52:14.92
You don't see
the dirt any longer
00:52:15.50\00:52:16.82
and they all put in order,
they just look the part. Right.
00:52:17.07\00:52:19.62
But continue the
story. Verse 45, then he goes
00:52:20.29\00:52:25.64
and takes with him seven
other spirits more wicked
00:52:25.65\00:52:28.73
than himself and they
enter and dwell there.
00:52:28.74\00:52:31.77
In the last state of that
man is worse than the first.
00:52:32.96\00:52:35.87
So, shall it be with
this wicked generation.
00:52:36.92\00:52:39.69
And the problem in the
story was the house was empty,
00:52:40.00\00:52:43.37
it was swept, it
was put in order.
00:52:44.50\00:52:46.29
The spirit left, but he said
wait a minute let me go back
00:52:46.73\00:52:49.06
and here's the key.
When the Bible says,
00:52:49.07\00:52:50.92
pray to be
filled with the spirit.
00:52:50.93\00:52:52.83
You can't just afford to be
empty of sin so when we talk
00:52:53.63\00:52:56.18
about we got over
cigarettes, and got over
00:52:56.19\00:52:58.18
whatever you got
over, whatever the Lord
00:52:59.36\00:53:00.72
gave you victory over.
You now have to be filled
00:53:00.73\00:53:03.07
with the Holy Spirit
in order to be saved.
00:53:03.08\00:53:04.85
When Paul, as Paul and
especially Paul was going
00:53:06.36\00:53:09.91
around teaching the people
and bringing Christ to those
00:53:09.92\00:53:12.39
who had not yet become
part of that early church
00:53:12.40\00:53:16.32
but as the early
church was growing.
00:53:16.33\00:53:17.94
There was one question he
asked them very frequently.
00:53:18.49\00:53:20.48
He said, have you
received the spirit? Right.
00:53:21.51\00:53:24.45
Have you been
filled with the spirit yet?
00:53:24.46\00:53:26.04
And that was a question
that seemed to be repeated
00:53:26.58\00:53:28.25
over and over again and most
of the time people would say.
00:53:28.26\00:53:30.97
What are you talking about?
They didn't know what Paul
00:53:32.03\00:53:34.09
was referring
to. And so that's why
00:53:34.10\00:53:36.99
there was a description
there of two baptisms.
00:53:37.00\00:53:40.06
There is a baptism
where by we are baptized
00:53:40.58\00:53:43.39
into the life of
Christ but then there is also
00:53:44.18\00:53:45.45
a baptism with the
Holy Spirit. Right.
00:53:45.46\00:53:47.16
And they can happen at the
same time but some evidently
00:53:47.77\00:53:51.21
receive the baptism of
the water going down to
00:53:51.22\00:53:54.51
get rid of the old life which
we just talked about. Right.
00:53:54.52\00:53:57.16
But did not receive the
baptism with the Holy Spirit
00:53:57.67\00:53:59.81
which is the new life
coming in and beginning to work
00:53:59.95\00:54:02.87
and give us power
to live the holy life.
00:54:03.18\00:54:04.83
So Paul, you know, I think
it's very indicative of how
00:54:05.50\00:54:09.00
important the Holy
Spirit is because Paul is
00:54:09.01\00:54:11.26
one of the first questions
Paul would ask anybody,
00:54:11.27\00:54:13.36
as they talked
about living for Christ
00:54:13.93\00:54:16.37
is Have you received the
spirit? Right, and the disciples
00:54:16.38\00:54:20.06
couldn't even
proclaim the Gospel
00:54:20.07\00:54:22.03
without
receiving the Holy Spirit.
00:54:22.04\00:54:23.54
You know, when you
think about it here's
00:54:23.99\00:54:25.04
the way that Paul talks
about it in Romans Chapter 8.
00:54:25.05\00:54:27.08
And Romans Chapter 8
is the spirit chapter
00:54:27.35\00:54:30.22
and I could use
that phrase loosely
00:54:30.55\00:54:31.83
because he talks about
the spirit all the time.
00:54:31.84\00:54:33.74
But Romans chapter 8 and
from verse 5 down to verse 11.
00:54:35.32\00:54:40.66
I am gonna read
this very quickly.
00:54:40.67\00:54:41.84
For those who live
according to the flesh,
00:54:42.45\00:54:44.74
set their minds on
the things of the flesh.
00:54:45.04\00:54:47.53
But those who live
according to the spirit,
00:54:48.29\00:54:49.93
the things of the spirit
check out what your mind is
00:54:50.20\00:54:52.56
focused on to find out
whether or not the spirit is
00:54:52.57\00:54:54.47
abiding you,
that's the first test.
00:54:54.48\00:54:55.93
For to be carnally mind of
death but to be spiritually
00:54:56.54\00:54:59.43
mind of his life in peace.
In other words, if your mind
00:54:59.44\00:55:02.10
is on all the things
that are temporary and carnal,
00:55:02.11\00:55:04.01
you are abiding in
death not in the spirit.
00:55:04.43\00:55:06.35
It says because the carnal
mind is enmity against God,
00:55:07.16\00:55:10.94
for it is not subject to the
law of God nor indeed it can be.
00:55:11.35\00:55:14.46
Another indication John
that we are not walking in the
00:55:14.47\00:55:16.66
spirit is we have a
problem with God's law. Yeah.
00:55:16.67\00:55:19.65
Okay, but that's not the
whole just of my point here.
00:55:20.02\00:55:22.04
So, then those who are in
the flesh cannot please God.
00:55:22.88\00:55:25.99
Now read verse 9 to 11.
But you are not in the flesh
00:55:26.42\00:55:29.92
but in the spirit if indeed
the spirit of God dwells in you.
00:55:29.93\00:55:33.01
Notice in you, if the spirit
of God dwells in you according
00:55:33.02\00:55:35.81
to that story the
devil wouldn't come back
00:55:35.82\00:55:37.57
and found it empty.
That's right. Keep going.
00:55:37.58\00:55:39.46
Now if anyone does not have the
spirit of Christ he is not his.
00:55:39.91\00:55:43.23
Okay notice, if you don't
have the spirit of Christ,
00:55:43.61\00:55:45.74
you don't belong to Jesus.
In other words look for the
00:55:45.75\00:55:48.25
fruit to be
evidence that the spirit
00:55:48.42\00:55:50.88
is abiding there continue.
And if Christ is in you,
00:55:50.89\00:55:53.76
the body is dead because
of sin, but the spirit is life
00:55:53.77\00:55:57.04
because of
righteousness. Go ahead.
00:55:57.15\00:55:59.22
But if the spirit of
Him who raised Jesus from
00:55:59.23\00:56:01.26
the dead dwells in you,
He who raised Christ from
00:56:01.27\00:56:04.24
the dead will also give life
to your mortal bodies through
00:56:04.25\00:56:08.17
his spirit who dwells in
you. See, and so clearly it says
00:56:08.18\00:56:11.82
if you narrow it down verse
13. If you live according to the
00:56:12.23\00:56:16.15
flesh you will die but if
by the spirit you put to death,
00:56:16.16\00:56:19.83
the deeds of the
body you will live.
00:56:19.84\00:56:21.35
As many as are led by the
spirit of God these are the
00:56:21.57\00:56:24.37
children of God. So,
when you look at that.
00:56:24.38\00:56:26.99
Look at the things that
are abiding in your life
00:56:27.00\00:56:29.02
and see whether or
not they are spirit based,
00:56:29.18\00:56:31.11
or whether they
are carnally based.
00:56:31.53\00:56:33.30
Or whether they are flesh
based. Are you getting your way
00:56:33.43\00:56:36.79
or is the spirit having his
way. Right, you know, the other
00:56:37.10\00:56:39.49
thing too I pick up in
verse 11 is that this power.
00:56:39.50\00:56:42.04
Power of the spirit that resides
in us is resurrection power.
00:56:42.46\00:56:45.14
It says the same power that
raised Christ from the dead,
00:56:46.01\00:56:49.53
now raises us from
the dead of old works
00:56:49.89\00:56:53.04
and sin through life in Christ.
And then these mortal bodies
00:56:53.05\00:56:56.67
that we're gonna have
till Jesus comes and now can be
00:56:56.68\00:56:59.24
kept from falling into
the temptations and the sins,
00:56:59.58\00:57:01.91
at least not giving into
the temptations because we have
00:57:01.92\00:57:04.56
resident power the
spirit says ahh...ahh
00:57:04.57\00:57:06.89
and we say okay, thank you Lord.
00:57:07.33\00:57:08.45
We will listen
to the Holy Spirit.
00:57:08.46\00:57:09.54
That's right,
Amen. So, does it make a
00:57:09.55\00:57:11.05
difference John? Absolutely.
00:57:11.06\00:57:12.81
You know friends when
we talk about this topic
00:57:13.01\00:57:14.40
and we've just scratch
the surface as you know we're
00:57:14.41\00:57:16.20
just laying the foundation,
but you could begin to
00:57:16.21\00:57:18.71
experience this joy and this
presence of the spirit of God
00:57:18.72\00:57:21.76
in your life
today. How do you do it?
00:57:21.77\00:57:24.26
Invite the spirit of God
into your life and when you do
00:57:24.43\00:57:26.86
you will know what
resurrection power is all about.
00:57:26.87\00:57:30.02
Have a great day in
the power of Christ.
00:57:30.46\00:57:33.02