Hello, friends.
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Grab your Bible and
a friend and sit back
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as we explore
God's word together
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on this edition of House Calls.
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Welcome to another
House Calls program.
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Thank you so much for tuning in,
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as we come into your heart
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and your home to
bring your God's word.
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My name is John Lomacang
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and to my right is John Stanton,
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my partner in Bible studies.
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We really enjoy studying
the word of God together.
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We thank you so much
for tuning in to invite us
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into your heart
and into your home.
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And as you know we always
have a lot of things to cover,
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so before we do anything
we always like to have prayer,
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so John, would you
have prayer for us today?
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Sure, would be happy to do that.
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Our Father in heaven,
we appeal to you again
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as we do on this
program each time.
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That your
presence will be with us
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that Your Holy
Spirit will attend us
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as we walk and study Your word.
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And may everything we say
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and drew me the
words that we share,
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may the picture we paint
of who you are be accurate,
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be clear and maybe rightly
dividing of that word of truth.
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In Jesus name we pray, amen.
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Amen! And we
also want to thank you
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for your Bible
questions and comments.
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They don't come
as a surprise to us,
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but sometimes
you do challenge us
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and whenever there is
a question that comes up
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either during the
program or maybe before
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or after we have an email
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that you can send
those questions too.
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You can send them if
they come to your mind
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to housecalls@3abn.org,
that's housecalls@3abn.org.
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And that's where we go
and download those questions.
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If you would like to
submit it in the letter form
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that is through the mail,
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send those to the
regular 3ABN address
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at PO Box 220 West
Frankfort, IL 62896.
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But this makes the first portion
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of our program very interesting,
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never knowing what
you are going to ask?
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So John, what do
you have for us today?
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Well, I got a question
here from let's see here,
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it looks like, M, well
just gives the first initial
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so I can't really tell you.
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But, she says that it's
very strong support here,
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she is very kind in her words.
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She says she started
watching 3ABN a few months ago,
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and our program was
the greatest discovery
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they had made
her and her husband.
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Wow! Praise the Lord.
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That's very nice,
thank you very much.
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My questions are
and it's twofold.
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There are actually two
different questions here.
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How do you get three
days and three nights
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from Good Friday
to Sunday morning?
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Okay. Okay, and that's I think
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from the reference of as Jonah
was in the belly of the whale,
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so will the son of God be
in the heart of the earth,
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and referring to
his crucifixion as well.
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The second one is why
do you celebrate Christmas,
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Easter when they are clearly
pagan and idolatrous origins.
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When you teach the
truth as strongly as you do,
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I must say I was disappointed.
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Anyway so she is asking
us to teach the whole truth
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not just the portion of it.
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And so these are
some questions here
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both of them will deal
with here as quick as we can.
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The first one,
three days three nights.
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If you look at
scripture as it's telling
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the gospel story of
Christ in His crucifixion.
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You find that the battle
that He was going through
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at the cross did
not start on Friday.
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The battle that
Jesus went through
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began in the
garden of Gethsemane.
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You'll see that the
demons of hell assailed Him,
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came against Him as He asked
His disciples to pray there
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with Him in the garden.
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And he said, it says that
He poured out His heart to God
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and even sweated drops of...
as if they were drops of blood,
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that He was the
barrel for determining
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to carry out the fathers will,
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and allowing Him
to bear the cross
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and be separated from His father
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began in the
garden of Gethsemane.
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He was there that Jesus
first began to experience
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the real burden of the cross,
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and what it was going to mean
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to His
relationship with His father
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in the separation
that wouldn't entail.
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And so we turn to
Matthew Chapter 26
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and you will see to
the depth of despair that
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at least Satan was trying to
levy upon Him in these words.
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And it says here in
verse 37 in Matthew 26,
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And He took with Him Peter
and the two sons of Zebedee,
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and He began to be
sorrowful and deeply distressed.
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Then He said to them,
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"My soul is exceedingly
sorrowful, even to what?
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What's that word
there? Even to death.
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Stay here and watch with Me."
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And then He goes out
and He pours out His heart
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in prayer to His father
asking if it is possible
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that the cup
would pass from Him.
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You read that, that cup
is the cup of His indignation
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that He was already
beginning there to experience.
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This word death is not a
word that Jesus takes lightly.
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No, not at all.
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In fact, Jesus most of the
time when He use the description
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or use the term for
describing someone dying,
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he calls it a sleep.
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So this death whenever
you use this term death,
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it's usually a
reference to the second death.
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Unless it needs to be
in an explanatory sense
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to the disciples where He says,
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you know, they
weren't getting it
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and then He was sleeping
and findings life versus dead.
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For there benefit, but here
Jesus is talking to His Father
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and He saying, or He
is talking to His friends
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saying that this experience
He is having is already
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causing Him to sense death.
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So receive there
the experience of Christ
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in the heart of the earth,
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the belly of earth
that was swallowing Him up
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and the sin that was
being heaped upon Him.
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He began to feel
the sense of that
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at the garden of Gethsemane.
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And that was Thursday night,
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so if you are looking for
three days and night nights,
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you've got to begin there
and that's Thursday night,
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Friday night, Saturday night.
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Then you have Friday,
day of the crucifixion,
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Saturday, Sunday the
day of the resurrection.
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So you have three days and
three nights as well, okay.
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So that's the
best way to explain
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or to understand the
three days and three nights
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that was reference
there in the text with regard
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to Jonah being in
the belly of the whale.
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But, now she adds
the question here,
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why do you celebrate Christmas?
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Well, let me add
something, before we go on.
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Because there is also
something that was contributed
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to coming up with the three
days and three nights is called
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"inclusive
reckoning", which meant
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any part of the
day meant the day.
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Jesus didn't separate
the day from the night.
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You would find a
reference in scripture
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where Jesus talked about,
I will you see the third day.
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And if you look at the
many references pertaining
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to the resurrection of Christ.
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He didn't say He was
gonna rise the fourth day,
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but it says particularly
when the king wanted
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to keep Jesus from rising.
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He said remember
that this deceiver said
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he would rise the third day.
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The confusion
came in when people try
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to extrapolate
from that 72 hours.
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Now if we, if our requirement
was Jesus be in the tomb
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72 hours before He rise,
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then we would have Him
rising on the fourth day.
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So be very careful
as you play with that
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because there are
some denominations
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that build an entire,
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they build their
entire denominational identity
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around 72 hours
being in the tomb,
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then rising the fourth day.
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That's not what the Bible says,
He would rise the third day.
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And not to mention
too that Friday began
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at sundown on Thursday night.
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Right and they
are different timing.
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We call it Thursday
night, but that's the beginning
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of the new day
is Thursday night,
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it should be the
new day or Friday.
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Right and that's one
of the other pictures,
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so Thursday
night in our reckoning
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would actually be
Friday night than Friday,
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Saturday night than Saturday
and Sunday night than Sunday.
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And so what
happens as you clearly see.
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If you use that
timeframe of reckoning time
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called "inclusive reckoning"
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then he was three
days and three nights,
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so that's the
second possibility.
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But the bottom
line is and I remember
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preaching the sermon about this,
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saying the bottom line
is he is not there now.
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And so if you wanted really,
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if you are battling
over how long He was there,
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then you would really forget,
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the focal point of that was not
72 hours to the exact minute,
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but that Jesus was
going to rise the third day,
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that's what He made
very, very clear in scripture.
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Yes, the second part
of the question here,
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why do you
celebrate Christmas and Easter
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when they are clearly
pagan and idolatrous origins.
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When you teach
the truth is stronger
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as you do I must
say I was disappointed.
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One of the things you have
to distinguish here between
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those who often many who
celebrate Christmas and Easter
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and the way that we
"celebrate Easter" is that
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we don't consider it a holy day.
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Today is a simple I mean
those days are simple holidays
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and they are recognizing
events within Christianity.
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They are very important to us.
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We cannot deny the importance
of the birth of Christ.
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We can't deny the
importance of the resurrection.
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Those are the two days
that the Christian world
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acknowledges those events
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and so it would really be wise
for us to utilize those events
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to on those days recognize them
in the context of showing that
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we can unite or we
can be there in tomb
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with the Christian
world in understanding
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the importance of the events
on those two days, that's it.
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We do not
consider them holy days.
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Now one thing many
don't realize John,
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is that God is
referred to in many ways
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and he has many names, Jehovah
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and then there is several many
Jireh, Jehovah, Rapha, Rapha.
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He has many descriptions
and what many don't realize
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John is that some of those names
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He took from pagan God's from
former nations in those areas.
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Well, you know
that's true, that's true.
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What He is saying by that
is, that God was no real God.
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He said what God
there is, but me.
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But He says I'm
the God that points
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to I'm the true
Jehovah, the one that protects,
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the one that provides,
the one that is gracious.
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I'm the one that is like that,
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not the God's that the
nations had acknowledged.
00:11:00.30\00:11:03.69
And so Jesus or God from
time and time again in the past
00:11:03.70\00:11:09.35
had taken and He
didn't always do this.
00:11:09.36\00:11:11.74
But in certain
occasions He would take the name
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of a pagan God
applied to Himself and say,
00:11:13.74\00:11:16.05
I'm the one that does that.
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Right! So He doesn't
have a problem doing that.
00:11:17.33\00:11:20.08
I don't think we should see
00:11:20.09\00:11:21.43
just because a
day has a pagan tie,
00:11:21.44\00:11:25.36
we can't say
that it has now today
00:11:25.37\00:11:27.59
a current Christian application.
00:11:27.60\00:11:28.98
We don't observe a pagan
day, we observe a Christian day.
00:11:28.99\00:11:32.38
And so I do take
exception to someone
00:11:32.39\00:11:35.28
strictly calling it pagan,
because it is no longer pagan,
00:11:35.29\00:11:39.37
it has become a
Christian holiday.
00:11:39.38\00:11:41.94
Right! Not a holy day
some one would suppose,
00:11:41.95\00:11:43.54
but to me and to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:11:43.55\00:11:46.02
for the most part a holiday.
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And to add to that
John this is very important,
00:11:47.76\00:11:51.58
my anniversary, my wife,
and I share a particular day
00:11:51.59\00:11:56.76
that is special to us.
00:11:56.77\00:11:59.02
But, what if in
the Wicca calendar,
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or the witch
calendar our anniversary falls
00:12:03.61\00:12:07.18
on the same day
that the witch has used
00:12:07.19\00:12:09.35
for some demonic activity.
00:12:09.36\00:12:11.68
Do I say to the to
the courts of record,
00:12:11.69\00:12:16.14
well, you know, I need
to change my anniversary
00:12:16.15\00:12:18.80
from May 22nd to another day
00:12:18.81\00:12:21.56
because the
witches look at that day
00:12:21.57\00:12:24.77
as some high and holy
day in their dark world.
00:12:24.78\00:12:29.78
In the same way many
people say well December 25
00:12:29.79\00:12:33.55
was a day connected
to Mithra, a pagan God.
00:12:33.56\00:12:38.54
And the pantheon was
used in that observance
00:12:38.55\00:12:44.02
of this high day for
Mithra, the pagan God.
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Also many people will say,
when you look at the churches
00:12:47.41\00:12:51.36
in Christendom in western,
00:12:51.37\00:12:56.34
the western
portion of Christianity
00:12:56.35\00:12:59.08
during the time
of the development
00:12:59.09\00:13:00.70
of many of these observances,
00:13:00.71\00:13:02.33
they will say, well an eastern,
00:13:02.34\00:13:04.31
in western
portions of Christianity
00:13:04.32\00:13:06.78
there were
different observances.
00:13:06.79\00:13:09.01
But they don't even see that
in the evolution of what day
00:13:09.02\00:13:12.55
they believe Jesus was born,
00:13:12.56\00:13:14.69
some thought it was a six months
earlier than December 23rd.
00:13:14.70\00:13:18.57
So, you began to see
that this is not so much,
00:13:18.58\00:13:22.12
something that has to do
with the per day in particular.
00:13:22.13\00:13:25.43
But this has to do
with the recognition
00:13:25.44\00:13:27.48
that I'm so happy and so
glad that Jesus was born,
00:13:27.49\00:13:31.23
but what
advantage it gives to us.
00:13:31.24\00:13:34.09
I ask Christians is,
when the world saying,
00:13:34.10\00:13:37.02
you know, joy to the world,
00:13:37.03\00:13:38.80
the Lord has come
and we begin to sing
00:13:38.81\00:13:41.76
O little town of
Bethlehem talking about
00:13:41.77\00:13:44.06
all these special
significant observances
00:13:44.07\00:13:47.86
surrounding the birth of Jesus.
00:13:47.87\00:13:49.69
We are not saying I'm
so glad for the pagan Gods.
00:13:49.70\00:13:52.54
I'm so glad for
the demonic world.
00:13:52.55\00:13:54.41
We are saying
we can all together
00:13:54.42\00:13:56.03
at least agree on
one thing Jesus was born.
00:13:56.04\00:13:59.50
Where we disagree is
we do not look at day
00:13:59.51\00:14:02.10
as a holy ordered
by God observance.
00:14:02.11\00:14:06.79
Now here is what people trip,
00:14:06.80\00:14:08.62
the very people
that have a stumbling
00:14:08.63\00:14:12.56
on that particular observance
like Easter and Christmas.
00:14:12.57\00:14:16.61
In many cases those are the
same individuals that say well,
00:14:16.62\00:14:19.62
we don't honor
the Sabbath either.
00:14:19.63\00:14:21.98
So, the very thing that
God has said to us to honor,
00:14:21.99\00:14:25.23
we want to
encouraging you to honor.
00:14:25.24\00:14:26.97
But where there
is no prohibition,
00:14:26.98\00:14:29.17
there is no
violation of a godly principle.
00:14:29.18\00:14:32.19
That's right. Did you get that?
00:14:32.20\00:14:33.19
Yeah. If God says,
don't observe my birthday
00:14:33.20\00:14:36.17
and we do, then we are
violating a prohibition.
00:14:36.18\00:14:39.40
Well, in many cases
you have in the past,
00:14:39.41\00:14:41.50
the patriarchs setting
up alters and doing things
00:14:41.51\00:14:44.37
in honor of God, that
God didn't ask them to do.
00:14:44.38\00:14:46.25
Right! It come
from their own heart,
00:14:46.26\00:14:47.77
it was an acknowledgement
00:14:47.78\00:14:50.85
of the importance
of God in their life.
00:14:50.86\00:14:53.24
And I would say
like for Christmas
00:14:53.25\00:14:55.45
I think what a great
way that we can say Jesus
00:14:55.46\00:14:57.71
we thank you for
coming as a child,
00:14:57.72\00:14:59.78
a messiah to save this world.
00:14:59.79\00:15:02.16
What a
wonderful time to do that.
00:15:02.17\00:15:03.82
And yes it did take
and replace a pagan day,
00:15:03.83\00:15:07.14
that's typically
acknowledging another thing,
00:15:07.15\00:15:09.44
but it is no longer pagan,
00:15:09.45\00:15:10.96
it is acknowledged
as a Christian day.
00:15:10.97\00:15:14.23
Again a holiday, not a holy day,
00:15:14.24\00:15:15.94
but yet
nonetheless we can acknowledge
00:15:15.95\00:15:18.12
or at least give
honor and glory to God
00:15:18.13\00:15:20.98
for sending His Son, the
gift of His Son Jesus Christ
00:15:20.99\00:15:23.67
to this world to
save us from our sins.
00:15:23.68\00:15:25.66
That's right. I'm sorry,
00:15:25.67\00:15:27.31
I just disagree with those,
00:15:27.32\00:15:28.80
everybody we got lots of
questions on this each year,
00:15:28.81\00:15:31.45
especially this time
of the year, we disagree.
00:15:31.46\00:15:35.37
That's right. Another
one is when you think about
00:15:35.38\00:15:40.82
how important it is
to the observance of...
00:15:40.83\00:15:44.06
to the issue of salvation, yes.
00:15:44.07\00:15:46.69
If this were an issue
about salvation then surely
00:15:46.70\00:15:50.31
unequivocally we would
avoid it like the plague,
00:15:50.32\00:15:53.91
but the Christmas
holiday and Easter
00:15:53.92\00:15:58.10
the two times of the year,
00:15:58.11\00:15:59.79
which are solely
dedicated to observing Christ,
00:15:59.80\00:16:02.85
doesn't even strike you that,
00:16:02.86\00:16:04.62
these are the very
days that Satan has made
00:16:04.63\00:16:06.61
a fearful thought in our minds.
00:16:06.62\00:16:09.14
It's like, here comes Christmas,
00:16:09.15\00:16:11.15
let's become Muslim and
I'm being very extreme here
00:16:11.16\00:16:14.68
in no offence to
the Muslims at all.
00:16:14.69\00:16:17.19
But I know a guy and
this is a true story,
00:16:17.20\00:16:19.81
I had a friend that I went
to school within high school
00:16:19.82\00:16:21.84
in New York City
and she said to me,
00:16:21.85\00:16:25.73
you know, anytime
Christmas is coming around,
00:16:25.74\00:16:27.82
my dad becomes
Jehovah's witness.
00:16:27.83\00:16:31.88
He wasn't really
religious at all,
00:16:31.89\00:16:33.59
but he did that to
avoid spending money
00:16:33.60\00:16:36.09
around the Christmas season.
00:16:36.10\00:16:37.61
And that's light
hearted application to the idea
00:16:37.62\00:16:41.01
that to some they find
ways and loopholes around
00:16:41.02\00:16:44.47
looking to Jesus as the author
and finisher of their faith.
00:16:44.48\00:16:47.66
If you can reach a
person who doesn't know Jesus
00:16:47.67\00:16:51.21
and he wouldn't talk or
they wouldn't talk about
00:16:51.22\00:16:53.54
Jesus any time of the year.
00:16:53.55\00:16:55.18
It's a beautiful
thing to walk into a store
00:16:55.19\00:16:57.69
and hear songs about Jesus.
00:16:57.70\00:16:59.78
Where other times of the air,
00:16:59.79\00:17:01.13
it will be just be rock songs
or crazy songs of the world.
00:17:01.14\00:17:04.65
So let's take
this as an opportunity
00:17:04.66\00:17:06.89
to let people know
that we have a connection
00:17:06.90\00:17:09.17
with Jesus all year long,
00:17:09.18\00:17:11.37
not just on one day
of the year, all right.
00:17:11.38\00:17:17.02
One of the
commonly asked questions
00:17:17.03\00:17:18.69
that come up on the
issue of the Sabbath?
00:17:18.70\00:17:24.02
Paul talked about this
and I want to bring this up,
00:17:24.03\00:17:27.50
since Paul declares.
00:17:27.51\00:17:29.17
Let no one judge you
regarding the Bible Sabbath.
00:17:29.18\00:17:32.31
Isn't Sabbath
keeping unnecessary?
00:17:32.32\00:17:34.77
Let's go Colossians
2, I want people to see
00:17:34.78\00:17:37.28
this text Colossians 2 verse 16.
00:17:37.29\00:17:40.36
This is a verse
that's often use,
00:17:40.37\00:17:46.00
as reference so
that people can ignore
00:17:46.01\00:17:50.33
what the Bible says
about the Sabbath, all right.
00:17:50.34\00:17:53.30
This is the
question then that you had.
00:17:53.31\00:17:54.62
Yeah, okay, okay.
Because I don't think
00:17:54.63\00:17:56.47
we've read your
question there specifically.
00:17:56.48\00:17:58.36
Yeah I remember,
so Colossians 2:16,
00:17:58.37\00:18:01.97
what does this text
have to do with us observing
00:18:01.98\00:18:04.99
or not observing the Sabbath.
00:18:05.00\00:18:06.66
Colossians 2
verse 16 and verse 17.
00:18:06.67\00:18:13.68
The Bible reads,
therefore let no one
00:18:13.69\00:18:17.17
judge you in food or in drink,
00:18:17.18\00:18:19.11
or regarding a festival
or a new moon or Sabbaths,
00:18:19.12\00:18:24.35
which are a
shadow of things to come,
00:18:24.36\00:18:26.51
but the substances of Christ.
00:18:26.52\00:18:29.20
Now one of the things
people miss in this verse
00:18:29.21\00:18:31.49
is the word Sabbaths and
also it's not only pluralized,
00:18:31.50\00:18:35.84
but it's not capitalized.
00:18:35.85\00:18:37.93
And it's also put in the context
00:18:37.94\00:18:39.59
and whenever you
find in the Bible
00:18:39.60\00:18:41.19
the grouping of this
together food and drinks
00:18:41.20\00:18:44.17
and festivals and
new moons and Sabbaths.
00:18:44.18\00:18:47.36
It's talking
clearly making reference
00:18:47.37\00:18:49.13
of the ceremonial observances.
00:18:49.14\00:18:51.56
This is by no
means, that's why it says
00:18:51.57\00:18:53.77
which are a
shadow of things to come,
00:18:53.78\00:18:55.93
but the substances of Christ.
00:18:55.94\00:18:58.19
There was ceremonial
Sabbaths established,
00:18:58.20\00:19:00.38
and by the way
while I'm saying this,
00:19:00.39\00:19:02.10
go with me to the
Leviticus Chapter 23,
00:19:02.11\00:19:04.57
Leviticus Chapter 23,
00:19:04.58\00:19:06.47
you want to see
these observances.
00:19:06.48\00:19:08.32
There were many Sabbaths
talking about in the Bible.
00:19:08.33\00:19:11.26
But the seventh day
Sabbath which is established
00:19:11.27\00:19:14.14
at the end of creation week
00:19:14.15\00:19:16.23
long before there
were any observances
00:19:16.24\00:19:20.21
pertaining to pagan rituals
or ceremonial observances.
00:19:20.22\00:19:27.45
The seventh-day
Sabbath was established first.
00:19:27.46\00:19:31.54
But let me go ahead now,
I'll mention some of those
00:19:31.55\00:19:34.39
that you may not
think of a Sabbaths,
00:19:34.40\00:19:35.89
but they were very well were.
00:19:35.90\00:19:38.61
Leviticus Chapter 23, and I'm
gonna read staring with verse 1
00:19:38.62\00:19:45.19
and it says, And the
Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
00:19:45.20\00:19:48.26
"Speak to the children
of Israel, and say to them,
00:19:48.27\00:19:51.03
'The feasts of the
Lord, which you shall proclaim
00:19:51.04\00:19:55.09
to be holy convocations,
these are My feasts.
00:19:55.10\00:20:00.71
Let me start with verse 3,
Six days shall work be done,
00:20:00.72\00:20:04.12
but the seventh day is
a Sabbath of solemn rest,
00:20:04.13\00:20:08.65
a holy convocation.
00:20:08.66\00:20:10.70
You shall do no work on it,
00:20:10.71\00:20:13.40
it is the Sabbath of the
Lord in all your dwellings.
00:20:13.41\00:20:18.49
And then he goes, any outlines
he goes from the Passover,
00:20:18.50\00:20:22.75
then he goes to the
Feast of Unleavened Bread,
00:20:22.76\00:20:25.30
then he goes to the
Feast of Firstfruits,
00:20:25.31\00:20:28.58
then he goes next to
the Feast of Pentecost,
00:20:28.59\00:20:32.39
then he goes to
the Feat of Trumpets
00:20:32.40\00:20:34.74
and the Day of Atonement
and the Feast of Tabernacles.
00:20:34.75\00:20:38.42
And I want you to
notice in verse 36
00:20:38.43\00:20:41.53
what he says, all right.
00:20:41.54\00:20:44.15
In verse 36 what he says.
00:20:44.16\00:20:47.70
He says besides the Sabbaths,
00:20:47.71\00:20:51.85
plural of the
Lord, besides your gifts,
00:20:51.86\00:20:55.45
besides all your vows,
00:20:55.46\00:20:58.03
and besides all
your freewill offerings
00:20:58.04\00:21:01.30
which you give to the Lord.
00:21:01.31\00:21:03.30
So what you see
here with the verse 39.
00:21:03.31\00:21:05.96
Also on the fifteenth
day of the seventh month,
00:21:05.97\00:21:09.26
when you have gathered
in the fruit of the land,
00:21:09.27\00:21:13.33
you shall keep the feast
of the Lord for seven days,
00:21:13.34\00:21:16.25
on the first day there
shall be a Sabbath-rest,
00:21:16.26\00:21:21.77
and on the eighth
day a Sabbath-rest.
00:21:21.78\00:21:24.92
So you find when
you read in Colossians 2
00:21:24.93\00:21:28.04
Paul is saying
there were many feast days
00:21:28.05\00:21:31.70
that were connected to
Sabbaths pluralization,
00:21:31.71\00:21:36.04
that's what's the
focus of that text...
00:21:36.05\00:21:37.65
It's the ceremonial Sabbath,
00:21:37.66\00:21:38.63
this is supposed
to be law of God,
00:21:38.64\00:21:40.90
the fourth commandment Sabbath.
00:21:40.91\00:21:42.01
Which was established
before sin entered the world.
00:21:42.02\00:21:45.94
So if sin never
entered the world,
00:21:45.95\00:21:47.55
you only have one Sabbath.
00:21:47.56\00:21:49.37
But because of sin
all these festivals
00:21:49.38\00:21:51.67
that were
observed in commemoration
00:21:51.68\00:21:54.76
with all the observance
as God had established
00:21:54.77\00:21:57.15
for the children of Israel,
that really were a shadow,
00:21:57.16\00:22:00.29
everyone of them
pointed to the coming Messiah.
00:22:00.30\00:22:02.69
So when Jesus came,
00:22:02.70\00:22:03.68
these shadows were
no longer available,
00:22:03.69\00:22:05.84
and were no longer observable
and were no longer necessary.
00:22:05.85\00:22:10.75
So that's why Paul said,
don't let anyone judge you
00:22:10.76\00:22:13.43
about those things,
because those were shadows.
00:22:13.44\00:22:15.83
But here is the one
that was not a shadow,
00:22:15.84\00:22:17.91
the one that is a sign
between us and our creator,
00:22:17.92\00:22:21.05
the one establish at
the end of creation week
00:22:21.06\00:22:23.61
on the seventh
day when God himself
00:22:23.62\00:22:25.98
sees from His labor, right.
00:22:25.99\00:22:29.28
Good, good! There
is a question from how,
00:22:29.29\00:22:34.18
and he is asking here
00:22:34.19\00:22:39.32
in Daniel 9 verse 2,
00:22:39.33\00:22:43.35
it is Daniel
referring to Jeremiah.
00:22:43.36\00:22:46.29
Jesus refers us to Daniel.
00:22:46.30\00:22:48.92
I'm just curious what
part or prophecy in Jeremiah
00:22:48.93\00:22:52.57
is Daniel using for reference.
00:22:52.58\00:22:55.22
And so anyway so, you know,
00:22:55.23\00:22:57.07
most of the many of
the prophecies spoken of
00:22:57.08\00:23:00.22
in the Bible go
back to, or New Testament
00:23:00.23\00:23:03.02
go back to Old
Testament prophets.
00:23:03.03\00:23:04.82
Right, that's right.
00:23:04.83\00:23:05.88
And Jesus often
refers back to Daniel,
00:23:05.89\00:23:08.47
well Daniel also
will refer to some
00:23:08.48\00:23:11.88
of his
contemporary prophets as well.
00:23:11.89\00:23:14.58
And he referred to Jeremiah
00:23:14.59\00:23:16.93
and so let's look
at Daniel 9 verse 2.
00:23:16.94\00:23:20.14
Okay, let's go to, if you
have your Bible go with us
00:23:24.59\00:23:26.78
to Daniel 9 and verse 2 and
follow along in this reference.
00:23:26.79\00:23:31.37
I will read verse 1 as well,
00:23:31.38\00:23:32.68
In the first year of
Darius the son of Ahasuerus,
00:23:32.69\00:23:36.21
of the lineage of the Medes,
00:23:36.22\00:23:38.20
who was made king over
the realm of the Chaldeans,
00:23:38.21\00:23:42.62
in the first year
of his reign I, Daniel,
00:23:42.63\00:23:45.88
understood by the
books the number of the years
00:23:45.89\00:23:48.61
specified by
the word of the Lord
00:23:48.62\00:23:50.91
through Jeremiah the prophet,
00:23:50.92\00:23:52.64
that he would
accomplish seventy years
00:23:52.65\00:23:54.77
in the desolations of Jerusalem.
00:23:54.78\00:23:58.65
So if you take a
look at this word 70,
00:23:58.66\00:24:03.17
in fact you can do
it easy word search.
00:24:03.18\00:24:05.33
I'm just doing it right now,
00:24:05.34\00:24:06.41
I'm popping into my computer
and go to the book of Jeremiah.
00:24:06.42\00:24:10.56
You will find several
references to a prophecy
00:24:10.57\00:24:13.68
that God made through him.
00:24:13.69\00:24:15.73
And there are three cases
00:24:15.74\00:24:17.24
where this prophecy of
seventy years comes up,
00:24:17.25\00:24:19.61
Jeremiah 25:11, it says,
00:24:19.62\00:24:22.60
And this whole land
shall be a desolation
00:24:22.61\00:24:25.01
and an
astonishment, speaking of Israel
00:24:25.02\00:24:27.65
and these nations shall serve
00:24:27.66\00:24:29.83
the king of Babylon
seventy years. That's right.
00:24:29.84\00:24:33.13
This is because they
play the part of the Harlot,
00:24:33.14\00:24:35.45
they had waked
away from their God
00:24:35.46\00:24:36.86
and God was going to allow
them to experience captivity
00:24:36.87\00:24:40.55
in Babylon for seventy years.
00:24:40.56\00:24:44.62
Jeremiah 25:12, it's
very next verse says,
00:24:44.63\00:24:48.08
'Then it will come to pass,
00:24:48.09\00:24:49.09
when seventy
years are completed,
00:24:49.10\00:24:50.91
that I will punish the
king of Babylon and that nation,
00:24:50.92\00:24:53.96
the land of the
Chaldeans, for their iniquity,'
00:24:53.97\00:24:56.43
says the Lord, 'and I will
make it a perpetual desolation.
00:24:56.44\00:25:00.04
So what happens
after the seventy years
00:25:00.05\00:25:01.85
then it's not only
does He punish Babylon,
00:25:01.86\00:25:04.67
but He also will
restore Jerusalem,
00:25:04.68\00:25:07.74
the people back in
the city of Jerusalem.
00:25:07.75\00:25:10.22
First is the
rebuilding of temple,
00:25:10.23\00:25:12.55
then next you
have the rebuilding
00:25:12.56\00:25:13.74
of the city and then its walls.
00:25:13.75\00:25:15.68
Those descriptions
of how that happened
00:25:15.69\00:25:18.14
are found in Ezra and Nehemiah.
00:25:18.15\00:25:20.10
So you can go back to
those books for that reference.
00:25:20.11\00:25:23.22
Jeremiah 29:10, it
says, For thus says the Lord,
00:25:23.23\00:25:26.66
After seventy years
are completed at Babylon,
00:25:26.67\00:25:29.47
I will visit you and
perform My good word toward you,
00:25:29.48\00:25:32.56
and cause you to
return to this place.
00:25:32.57\00:25:35.07
A reference to returning
to the place of Jerusalem.
00:25:35.08\00:25:38.15
So John, Jeremiah does
refer to the seventy years
00:25:38.16\00:25:40.76
several times in the
context of captivity in Babylon.
00:25:40.77\00:25:44.80
But it doesn't
leave them for ever,
00:25:44.81\00:25:45.95
He brings them back
to the land of Jerusalem
00:25:45.96\00:25:49.66
to rebuild the temple and
the city and its walls. Okay.
00:25:49.67\00:25:53.41
So that's the reference
that Daniel is referring
00:25:53.42\00:25:57.25
or that he is
using for Jeremiah.
00:25:57.26\00:25:59.73
All right, well I
think what I'm gonna do is,
00:25:59.74\00:26:01.77
we are gonna stop our
questions here because,
00:26:01.78\00:26:03.53
there is lot to
cover in this program.
00:26:03.54\00:26:05.95
We are gonna be
talking about the topic
00:26:05.96\00:26:07.14
that we have
never covered before.
00:26:07.15\00:26:09.18
This is the first of
it's kind, and we're gonna
00:26:09.19\00:26:12.18
try to cover as much as
we could within the time
00:26:12.19\00:26:14.45
that we have remaining.
00:26:14.46\00:26:15.57
However if you have
any questions and comments
00:26:15.58\00:26:17.47
you would like to send
to us here at House Calls,
00:26:17.48\00:26:19.44
send those
questions and comments
00:26:19.45\00:26:20.88
to housecalls@3abn.org
that's housecalls@3abn.org.
00:26:20.89\00:26:25.90
And we will do our
diligence to go ahead
00:26:25.91\00:26:28.16
and download those
questions and respond to you
00:26:28.17\00:26:29.96
as quickly and as
accurately as we possibly can.
00:26:29.97\00:26:33.54
Sometimes you will
find that the answer
00:26:33.55\00:26:36.07
was not to your satisfaction,
00:26:36.08\00:26:37.74
resubmit that maybe in the
form of an additional question.
00:26:37.75\00:26:40.77
So that we can
make it very clear,
00:26:40.78\00:26:42.39
because our goal
is to make sure that
00:26:42.40\00:26:44.32
when we finish the program,
00:26:44.33\00:26:46.25
you've heard from the
Lord and heard from His word.
00:26:46.26\00:26:50.03
Now I want you to open with me
to the book of Mark Chapter 4.
00:26:50.04\00:26:54.03
We are going to be talking
about the topic of fear, fear!
00:26:54.04\00:26:59.72
John, I noticed
that we are right now
00:26:59.73\00:27:01.66
in one of the more fearful
environments of human history.
00:27:01.67\00:27:06.20
There are
uprisings all over the world.
00:27:11.66\00:27:15.67
There are
contentions in the Middle East.
00:27:15.68\00:27:18.48
There are
protests in the Midwest.
00:27:18.49\00:27:21.68
There is fear when it comes
to the budget of our country.
00:27:21.69\00:27:26.24
There is fear on
the real estate market.
00:27:26.25\00:27:29.49
There is fear in the job market.
00:27:29.50\00:27:32.16
There is fear in the family.
00:27:32.17\00:27:34.67
There is fear
between parents and children.
00:27:34.68\00:27:38.19
We are living in
an atmosphere of fear.
00:27:38.20\00:27:42.42
And I thought that will be
encouraging to begin this topic
00:27:42.43\00:27:46.82
with a very important,
what I would refer to as
00:27:46.83\00:27:51.54
reiteration that
when Jesus said, fear not,
00:27:51.55\00:27:56.40
or let not your
hearts be troubled.
00:27:56.41\00:27:59.54
There is a
particular reason, but,
00:27:59.55\00:28:02.04
what I want to
begin with and I told you
00:28:02.05\00:28:03.73
to turn to the book of Mark,
00:28:03.74\00:28:04.71
but we are gonna go to a story
00:28:04.72\00:28:06.62
in which this
encapsulates or sets up for us
00:28:06.63\00:28:09.89
a particular picture as to why
the world is so fearful today.
00:28:09.90\00:28:14.56
But, I want you to
first begin with the text
00:28:14.57\00:28:16.73
that uses the word
fear a number of times.
00:28:16.74\00:28:19.78
And as a matter fact,
00:28:19.79\00:28:20.92
this is one of the
only passages in the Bible
00:28:20.93\00:28:23.00
where the word fear
shows up four times.
00:28:23.01\00:28:25.49
It's only one
passage 1 John 4 verse 18
00:28:25.50\00:28:29.35
and I will have you
read that for us John.
00:28:29.36\00:28:31.50
And when you get
to the word fear,
00:28:31.51\00:28:33.06
put a little bit
more emphasis on it,
00:28:33.07\00:28:36.45
because it's a
very important passage.
00:28:36.46\00:28:38.30
First John 4 and verse 18,
listen what John has to say.
00:28:38.31\00:28:42.22
There is no fear in love,
00:28:42.23\00:28:44.98
but perfect love casts out fear,
00:28:44.99\00:28:48.33
because fear involves torment.
00:28:48.34\00:28:50.98
But he who fears has not
been made perfect in love.
00:28:50.99\00:28:54.62
Okay, notice that.
00:28:54.63\00:28:56.11
Fear in love,
there is no fear in love,
00:28:56.12\00:29:00.17
perfect love casts out
fear, getting rid of it.
00:29:00.18\00:29:03.18
Fear is something of torment,
00:29:03.19\00:29:05.39
because those who
fear don't understand
00:29:05.40\00:29:07.94
what God's love is all about.
00:29:07.95\00:29:09.54
Very, very
important, it brakes it down,
00:29:09.55\00:29:11.43
so if you love
God, the beginning
00:29:11.44\00:29:13.45
and the end of the
text says, if you love God,
00:29:13.46\00:29:15.68
then you don't have
anything to fear about.
00:29:15.69\00:29:18.28
Because you know that
text that we often repeat John
00:29:18.29\00:29:20.72
in Romans 8 verse 28 it says,
00:29:20.73\00:29:24.59
And we know that
all things work together
00:29:24.60\00:29:27.13
for good to those who love God,
00:29:27.14\00:29:29.22
and to those who are the
called according to His purpose.
00:29:29.23\00:29:34.06
Romans 8 verse 28, that's
the text that we often refer to,
00:29:34.07\00:29:37.75
but I want you to
go back with me now.
00:29:37.76\00:29:39.71
And John, we want to pull out
some of the text in the Bible,
00:29:39.72\00:29:42.77
Old Testament and
New Testament alike
00:29:42.78\00:29:45.49
that show us what
fear is all about it.
00:29:45.50\00:29:48.29
And it actually uses
in those text itself,
00:29:48.30\00:29:51.24
the very word fear,
or fearful, or fear not.
00:29:51.25\00:29:55.72
We are gonna look at
those and you will be amazed
00:29:55.73\00:29:58.33
that they are so
many in the Bible.
00:29:58.34\00:30:00.62
As a matter
fact, let me just see
00:30:00.63\00:30:02.61
if I can get a
glimpse of this...
00:30:02.62\00:30:04.41
I did a quick here, hope I
did the same thing on another,
00:30:04.42\00:30:07.72
on the word fear, but
I did a quick search on
00:30:07.73\00:30:11.34
do not be afraid, okay.
00:30:11.35\00:30:13.10
And those consecutive
words 50 times in the Bible.
00:30:13.11\00:30:16.12
Wow! Admonishing
us do not be afraid,
00:30:16.13\00:30:20.35
I'm with you peace
be you, be with you.
00:30:20.36\00:30:23.53
I'm here, do not be afraid.
00:30:23.54\00:30:25.50
It's like continually
saying to His people,
00:30:25.51\00:30:28.37
I know you have fear,
00:30:28.38\00:30:29.50
but I don't want
you to have fear.
00:30:29.51\00:30:31.18
And that is
something that's difficult
00:30:31.19\00:30:32.77
when you think about it now.
00:30:32.78\00:30:33.87
Let's go and
emphasizes again the reason for
00:30:33.88\00:30:35.90
the motivation
behind this program
00:30:35.91\00:30:39.45
came to over the
fact that you look
00:30:39.46\00:30:41.15
at the statistics
in the job market.
00:30:41.16\00:30:43.12
I mean hundreds
of thousands of jobs
00:30:43.13\00:30:45.26
being lost every month.
00:30:45.27\00:30:46.89
And economy
where major businesses
00:30:46.90\00:30:49.55
that have establish
themselves for so long
00:30:49.56\00:30:51.64
are being sold or
liquidating the inventory
00:30:51.65\00:30:55.30
or just closing their
doors and we drive through
00:30:55.31\00:30:58.99
our local town here
and stores that were once
00:30:59.00\00:31:01.92
open are just big and empty.
00:31:01.93\00:31:04.68
And you ask
yourself the question,
00:31:04.69\00:31:06.82
what's happening to the goods
and services here in America?
00:31:06.83\00:31:09.39
What's happening to the
markets around the world?
00:31:09.40\00:31:11.40
Why is there fear in
Egypt and now in Libya
00:31:11.41\00:31:15.26
and other nations
that are really tormented
00:31:15.27\00:31:18.23
by things that
have been developing
00:31:18.24\00:31:20.08
for many, many years?
00:31:20.09\00:31:21.48
Well the
atmosphere that we invite now,
00:31:21.49\00:31:23.95
there is a lot of
that focuses on the story
00:31:23.96\00:31:27.84
that I'm gonna read to you
right now in Mark Chapter 4
00:31:27.85\00:31:30.87
and go there with me, I'm
gonna begin with verse 35,
00:31:30.88\00:31:33.84
this a wonderful parallel.
00:31:33.85\00:31:36.82
To the fact that we
don't really need to fear
00:31:36.83\00:31:41.15
if we knew that
Jesus is with us.
00:31:41.16\00:31:43.07
I will read verse 35.
00:31:43.08\00:31:44.92
And remember this
is the setting of,
00:31:44.93\00:31:47.67
this is Jesus had
just finish another day
00:31:47.68\00:31:50.66
of establishing
many, many parables
00:31:50.67\00:31:54.17
that were obviously signs that,
00:31:54.18\00:31:56.51
were obviously
little object lessons
00:31:56.52\00:31:58.66
that we are not fully
understood by the multitudes,
00:31:58.67\00:32:01.33
but He explained them
clearly to His disciples,
00:32:01.34\00:32:04.03
so they should know that there
is no reason for us to fear.
00:32:04.04\00:32:08.15
But He is now done,
the day is winding down
00:32:08.16\00:32:11.11
and He invites His disciples
to go to the other side
00:32:11.12\00:32:14.27
with him on the boat.
00:32:14.28\00:32:15.26
In verse 35
starts, On the same day,
00:32:15.27\00:32:17.86
when evening had
come, He said to them,
00:32:17.87\00:32:20.18
"Let us cross over
to the other side."
00:32:20.19\00:32:22.85
Now when they had
left the multitude,
00:32:22.86\00:32:25.88
they took Him along
in the boat as He was.
00:32:25.89\00:32:29.07
That's usually be the case,
00:32:29.08\00:32:30.20
we have to accept Jesus
as He is, can't change Him.
00:32:30.21\00:32:33.99
And it says, And other
little boats were also with Him.
00:32:34.00\00:32:38.15
And a great windstorm arose,
00:32:38.16\00:32:41.05
and the waves
beat into the boat,
00:32:41.06\00:32:43.17
so that it was already filling.
00:32:43.18\00:32:45.83
But He was in the
stern, asleep on a pillow.
00:32:45.84\00:32:49.47
And they awoke
Him and said to Him,
00:32:49.48\00:32:50.93
"Teacher, do You not
care that we are perishing?"
00:32:50.94\00:32:54.09
And then verse 39, Then He
arose and rebuked the wind,
00:32:54.10\00:32:59.32
and said to the
sea, "Peace, be still!"
00:32:59.33\00:33:01.92
And the wind ceased and there
was a great calm, great calm.
00:33:01.93\00:33:06.87
But He said to them, and here
is the focal point of the story
00:33:06.88\00:33:09.68
"Why are you so fearful?
00:33:09.69\00:33:12.54
How is it that
you have no faith?"
00:33:12.55\00:33:15.04
And this is what amazes me John.
00:33:15.05\00:33:17.12
And they feared exceedingly,
00:33:17.13\00:33:20.21
you know, what is
amazing about this,
00:33:20.22\00:33:21.67
they are fearful of the
storm, He calms the storm,
00:33:21.68\00:33:24.37
He says what you are afraid of.
00:33:24.38\00:33:25.55
And now they are
even more fearful
00:33:25.56\00:33:26.96
than they were in the
storm and here is the reason.
00:33:26.97\00:33:30.16
And they set to one and another,
00:33:30.17\00:33:31.58
"Who can this be,
that even the wind
00:33:31.59\00:33:33.90
and the sea obey Him!"
00:33:33.91\00:33:35.54
Well, first of
all I want to say,
00:33:35.55\00:33:36.60
I'm so glad that
in times of fear,
00:33:36.61\00:33:39.76
Jesus can calm the winds,
settle the storms in our lives.
00:33:39.77\00:33:44.61
And what will happen
is it's not just a calm,
00:33:44.62\00:33:48.77
but a great calm followed
the spoken word of Jesus.
00:33:48.78\00:33:54.04
He spoke to the
wind, and in your life
00:33:54.05\00:33:56.06
he can speak to the wind.
00:33:56.07\00:33:57.34
In your life he
can speak to the waves.
00:33:57.35\00:33:59.43
He can say peace be still.
00:33:59.44\00:34:01.35
But what's amazing about
that whole story is this.
00:34:01.36\00:34:05.52
In the middle of the
storm what was Jesus doing?
00:34:05.53\00:34:10.01
According to the
scriptures the Bible says
00:34:10.02\00:34:11.84
He was asleep on a
pillow in the stern of the ship
00:34:11.85\00:34:16.13
almost seeming as
though He was complacent
00:34:16.14\00:34:18.98
not caring
about what the outcome
00:34:18.99\00:34:20.69
was going to be
for His disciples.
00:34:20.70\00:34:22.75
But the reality of it
is, He knows that no matter
00:34:22.76\00:34:26.61
how fearful the climate,
00:34:26.62\00:34:29.16
He is still in
control of the winds and waves
00:34:29.17\00:34:32.71
and the obstacles and
the incidences in our lives.
00:34:32.72\00:34:36.22
And what do you want
to register on that John,
00:34:36.23\00:34:39.17
because it's
truly amazing story.
00:34:39.18\00:34:41.75
There is also a connection
in the story to the winds
00:34:41.76\00:34:45.39
that are coming against or
will come against God's people,
00:34:45.40\00:34:47.67
in the last days.
00:34:47.68\00:34:49.20
There is another
reference to a story
00:34:49.21\00:34:50.97
where Jesus has just
finished feeding the 5,000
00:34:50.98\00:34:54.73
and He sends
them out in the boat,
00:34:54.74\00:34:56.11
but He doesn't come
with them this time.
00:34:56.12\00:34:57.37
That's right. He
stays on the land
00:34:57.38\00:34:58.64
and He prays that
they might have faith
00:34:58.65\00:35:01.30
and they might have strength,
00:35:01.31\00:35:02.87
because it's almost
like if you look at the story
00:35:02.88\00:35:05.42
it's a deliberant intentional
sending of the disciples
00:35:05.43\00:35:09.71
out to experience the winds.
00:35:09.72\00:35:12.24
To experience the difficulties
00:35:12.25\00:35:14.97
and the trails that
come upon the sea there
00:35:14.98\00:35:19.36
indicative of the
trails that come up on us
00:35:19.37\00:35:22.74
at the end of time,
God's last day church.
00:35:22.75\00:35:25.42
And so, Jesus
here sends them out,
00:35:25.43\00:35:28.97
the winds it says begin the blow
00:35:28.98\00:35:32.49
and here He comes to
them walking on the sea
00:35:32.50\00:35:35.22
and that's the occasion
where Peter when He sees Him,
00:35:35.23\00:35:38.04
after they first of all
afraid and think He is a ghost.
00:35:38.05\00:35:40.14
Peter says Lord let me come out
00:35:40.15\00:35:42.69
and he goes out thinking
00:35:42.70\00:35:43.75
he can stand in his own power,
00:35:43.76\00:35:45.14
he sinks into water and Jesus
which is down and saves him.
00:35:45.15\00:35:49.21
But, the whole thing
there is just wonderful
00:35:49.22\00:35:54.01
and Jesus is teaching
us a lesson even while
00:35:54.02\00:35:56.36
we are
experiencing fearful things
00:35:56.37\00:35:59.85
that we don't
need to be fearful.
00:35:59.86\00:36:02.82
From the mere fact that
Jesus is always with us.
00:36:02.83\00:36:05.99
And I think
that's your point is that
00:36:06.00\00:36:08.18
when Jesus is
with us in the boat,
00:36:08.19\00:36:11.76
or when He comes to us
00:36:11.77\00:36:13.16
or we feel in the
boat by ourselves,
00:36:13.17\00:36:16.33
we don't have anything to fear.
00:36:16.34\00:36:18.33
And so that's one
of the first thing
00:36:18.34\00:36:19.54
that Jesus says
when He comes to them is,
00:36:19.55\00:36:21.66
don't be afraid
why are you fearing.
00:36:21.67\00:36:25.22
And I have to ask myself John
and you go through this too,
00:36:25.23\00:36:28.67
the first thing we
are inclined to do,
00:36:28.68\00:36:30.12
when we are facing
a challenge is fear.
00:36:30.13\00:36:31.89
That's right.
That's the first thing
00:36:31.90\00:36:33.36
the devil tries to get us to do.
00:36:33.37\00:36:35.18
But fear when we get
into that mode is opposite
00:36:35.19\00:36:38.84
of what God wants us to do.
00:36:38.85\00:36:40.31
Jesus wants us not to be
afraid to put our trust in Him,
00:36:40.32\00:36:43.78
and so these are
great stories today.
00:36:43.79\00:36:45.31
The subject is great
today to remind people.
00:36:45.32\00:36:47.72
Stay with God, go back to Him.
00:36:47.73\00:36:49.85
Let Him know
what your fears are,
00:36:49.86\00:36:51.05
He will take them
away, He will give a peace.
00:36:51.06\00:36:52.89
That's right. And
this is so important
00:36:52.90\00:36:56.36
because there are many of us
00:36:56.37\00:36:58.55
that are gonna go through
things that are gonna shake
00:36:58.56\00:37:00.39
the very
foundation that we're on.
00:37:00.40\00:37:02.67
Revelation 2:10,
we have to look beyond
00:37:02.68\00:37:06.72
the present
movement to down the road,
00:37:06.73\00:37:11.79
whether it's gonna be next week,
00:37:11.80\00:37:13.41
next month and in
some cases, next year.
00:37:13.42\00:37:15.80
I think of when I
first got injured,
00:37:15.81\00:37:18.52
my throat injury a
couple of years ago.
00:37:18.53\00:37:20.99
And I was so fearful because
it was such a severe injury,
00:37:21.00\00:37:24.71
that doctor
said to me, you know,
00:37:24.72\00:37:26.25
had that happened,
had this been quarter
00:37:26.26\00:37:29.78
or half an inch further
from the spot that it's now,
00:37:29.79\00:37:32.93
you may never have
been able to sing again.
00:37:32.94\00:37:36.20
And for person that
sings, that was a fearful thing
00:37:36.21\00:37:39.68
and I was just humbled by
the idea that God protected me
00:37:39.69\00:37:46.03
from something that
was worst in its scope.
00:37:46.04\00:37:50.00
When I think about
what could have happened
00:37:50.01\00:37:51.94
as compare to what it happened.
00:37:51.95\00:37:53.77
And then the
doctor said to me John,
00:37:53.78\00:37:56.27
he says your healing process
could be as much as 18 months.
00:37:56.28\00:38:01.93
Translated in my
mind, you won't be able
00:38:01.94\00:38:03.88
to sing again till
18 months are gone.
00:38:03.89\00:38:06.45
And God in a beautiful way
was able to allow me to sing,
00:38:06.46\00:38:10.20
more and more and more as
the healing process continue.
00:38:10.21\00:38:12.94
So the second thing
I would say in that is
00:38:12.95\00:38:15.15
when God is
preparing for your deliverance.
00:38:15.16\00:38:17.48
Don't forget that
God is also in the fire,
00:38:17.49\00:38:19.99
in the furnace with you.
00:38:20.00\00:38:21.48
Delivering the
Hebrews from the fire,
00:38:21.49\00:38:23.33
God delivers us from the
things that we will face.
00:38:23.34\00:38:25.69
And so Revelation 2:10,
notice what the Lord says.
00:38:25.70\00:38:29.36
And He says this to His people,
00:38:29.37\00:38:31.18
Do not fear any of those things
which you are about to suffer.
00:38:31.19\00:38:36.01
Indeed, the devil is about to
throw some of you into prison,
00:38:36.02\00:38:39.80
that you may be tested,
00:38:39.81\00:38:41.61
and you will have
tribulation ten days.
00:38:41.62\00:38:44.41
But be faithful unto death,
00:38:44.42\00:38:45.76
and I will give
you the crown of life.
00:38:45.77\00:38:49.79
So when you think about that,
00:38:49.80\00:38:51.45
the things we face
are not the sum total
00:38:51.46\00:38:56.15
of all the
experiences of our lives,
00:38:56.16\00:38:58.14
but they are speed bumps
that cause us to slow down
00:38:58.15\00:39:01.54
and take inventory of
where we are now walk with God,
00:39:01.55\00:39:04.13
because it doesn't develop
character in fearful times,
00:39:04.14\00:39:07.09
it reveals what kind
of character we have.
00:39:07.10\00:39:09.80
So, it says if you are really
fearful, groping and crying
00:39:09.81\00:39:13.26
and wondering where God is.
00:39:13.27\00:39:15.30
It could mean
that you don't have
00:39:15.31\00:39:17.46
a connected
relationship with Him,
00:39:17.47\00:39:19.24
outside of those
trials and tribulations.
00:39:19.25\00:39:21.36
Now I can hear
people in their response
00:39:21.37\00:39:25.83
to what we are saying here.
00:39:25.84\00:39:27.70
I can hear them saying,
00:39:27.71\00:39:29.34
but we're commanded to
fear God and give glory to Him.
00:39:29.35\00:39:33.86
And so I think we
need to recognize here
00:39:33.87\00:39:35.52
that there are several uses
although the same word fear,
00:39:35.53\00:39:38.92
there are several uses of
this word that are positive.
00:39:38.93\00:39:43.33
That's true. Are
negative, and so in looking
00:39:43.34\00:39:47.79
at that text from
Revelation 14 verse 7,
00:39:47.80\00:39:50.55
A cry from this angel the
First Angel's Message it says,
00:39:50.56\00:39:54.82
''Fear God and
give glory to Him,
00:39:54.83\00:39:56.23
for the hour of
His judgment has come."
00:39:56.24\00:39:57.57
You will find that
often the positive sign,
00:39:57.58\00:40:01.23
the positive aspect of fear,
00:40:01.24\00:40:02.71
the one things God wants us
00:40:02.72\00:40:03.69
to have it's an
issue of respect.
00:40:03.70\00:40:05.65
It's an issue of understanding
that God is ultimately our judge
00:40:05.66\00:40:10.05
and that He will render a
decision at the end of time
00:40:10.06\00:40:13.66
for the saints and
against the wicked.
00:40:13.67\00:40:16.73
So this fear is...
it's a motivating factor
00:40:16.74\00:40:20.61
in helping us to side with God,
00:40:20.62\00:40:22.37
to stay close to
God and to respect Him
00:40:22.38\00:40:25.32
and to order our life
in harmony with His ways
00:40:25.33\00:40:27.53
because of it is a
fearful thing, one verse says,
00:40:27.54\00:40:30.97
to fall into the
hands of living God.
00:40:30.98\00:40:32.76
That's true. So
there is a healthy fear,
00:40:32.77\00:40:35.73
but they are
shaking fearful aspect
00:40:35.74\00:40:38.67
of that is what God
wants to take away from us,
00:40:38.68\00:40:40.83
when we are in a
relationship with Him.
00:40:40.84\00:40:42.86
It's almost like, if you are not
in a relationship with Jesus,
00:40:42.87\00:40:45.52
you have something to fear.
00:40:45.53\00:40:47.35
If you are in a
relationship with Jesus,
00:40:47.36\00:40:48.93
you don't have anything to fear,
00:40:48.94\00:40:50.14
because you
already are fearing Him,
00:40:50.15\00:40:52.72
in the way that He
wants you to a helpful way.
00:40:52.73\00:40:54.92
That's right.
So that make sense.
00:40:54.93\00:40:56.35
I understand
what you are saying,
00:40:56.36\00:40:57.37
you are fearing Him.
00:40:57.38\00:40:58.63
In other words
the word there fear,
00:40:58.64\00:41:00.11
is more amplified,
you are giving honor,
00:41:00.12\00:41:02.57
you are giving recognition,
you are leaning upon the Lord,
00:41:02.58\00:41:05.16
you are giving homage to Him.
00:41:05.17\00:41:06.46
So the fear is removed.
00:41:06.47\00:41:08.03
One of the examples I find
in scriptures is Hebrews 11:27.
00:41:08.04\00:41:13.01
When God was leading the
children of Israel out of Egypt,
00:41:13.02\00:41:16.02
Pharaoh was continually
resisting any advancement
00:41:16.03\00:41:18.71
that they would make.
00:41:18.72\00:41:19.69
And there are many of
you that are in circumstances
00:41:19.70\00:41:22.09
where your
advancement is at a threat.
00:41:22.10\00:41:24.36
Somebody maybe
blocking your job.
00:41:24.37\00:41:26.39
There maybe a
lack of advancement
00:41:26.40\00:41:28.08
in your relationships.
00:41:28.09\00:41:30.55
But the reason
why you don't push
00:41:30.56\00:41:31.96
to change your circumstances
00:41:31.97\00:41:34.20
because you fear
what men can do to you.
00:41:34.21\00:41:36.41
And you want to remember
that example in the Bible
00:41:36.42\00:41:39.91
first of all in
Hebrews 11 verse 27.
00:41:39.92\00:41:44.17
It speaks about
who we should fear
00:41:44.18\00:41:46.95
more than our circumstances.
00:41:46.96\00:41:49.14
And says by
faith he forsook Egypt.
00:41:49.15\00:41:52.44
Not fearing the
wrath of the King,
00:41:52.45\00:41:54.64
so when Moses left
Egypt, he was not fearful about
00:41:54.65\00:41:58.22
what Pharaoh could do to him.
00:41:58.23\00:41:59.65
He knew that God had opened
the door for him to go forward
00:41:59.66\00:42:01.94
and he feared less
about what was gonna happen
00:42:01.95\00:42:04.58
when God opened the
doors of opportunity.
00:42:04.59\00:42:06.87
So it says, not
fearing the wrath of the king,
00:42:06.88\00:42:09.45
for he endured as
seeing Him who is invisible.
00:42:09.46\00:42:12.75
He didn't see the end result
and he didn't even see the one
00:42:12.76\00:42:16.00
who was offering him the
protection that he needed.
00:42:16.01\00:42:18.24
But, I want to
add one more verse
00:42:18.25\00:42:19.36
before I throw it
back over to you John.
00:42:19.37\00:42:21.52
Hebrews 13 in verse
6, So we may boldly say,
00:42:21.53\00:42:25.94
"The Lord is my
helper, I will not fear.
00:42:25.95\00:42:29.09
What can man do to me?"
00:42:29.10\00:42:30.73
I mean it's really the question,
00:42:30.74\00:42:32.41
what can man do to us?
00:42:32.42\00:42:33.66
Well, the most they
could do us is threaten us,
00:42:33.67\00:42:37.27
or in the extreme
sense take our lives,
00:42:37.28\00:42:41.51
but the Lord
when we read that text
00:42:41.52\00:42:43.65
in Revelation 2 in verse 20
00:42:43.66\00:42:45.72
He says you will
have tribulation,
00:42:45.73\00:42:47.21
but be faithful unto death
00:42:47.22\00:42:48.72
and I will give
you the crown of life.
00:42:48.73\00:42:50.89
So the fear that
man brings to us,
00:42:50.90\00:42:53.55
is nothing compared to the
blessings that God brings to us.
00:42:53.56\00:42:59.58
That's right, you
know, it says in Psalm 27:3,
00:42:59.59\00:43:02.76
Though an army may
in camp against me,
00:43:02.77\00:43:05.19
my heart shall not fear,
00:43:05.20\00:43:08.32
though war may
rise up against me,
00:43:08.33\00:43:10.36
in this I will be confident.
00:43:10.37\00:43:13.02
And who is he confident
in? Confident in the Lord.
00:43:13.03\00:43:15.90
In his God. That's right.
00:43:15.91\00:43:17.42
His God will protect
him and will watch over him.
00:43:17.43\00:43:21.09
And so over and
over again we find that
00:43:21.10\00:43:23.01
we have confidence in Christ,
00:43:23.02\00:43:24.88
that as long as we
are aligned with Him.
00:43:24.89\00:43:26.32
As long as we are
fearing Him in a respectful way
00:43:26.33\00:43:28.52
and a relationship with
Him is firmly established,
00:43:28.53\00:43:30.81
we have nothing
to fear around us.
00:43:30.82\00:43:32.94
Probably, John one
of the most popular,
00:43:32.95\00:43:34.62
one of the most common talked
about passages of the Bible
00:43:34.63\00:43:39.36
with regard to fear doesn't
even have the word fear in it.
00:43:39.37\00:43:42.24
Okay, which one is it?
00:43:42.25\00:43:44.21
It's found in Matthew Chapter 6.
00:43:44.22\00:43:46.37
All right let's go
there, Matthew 6 and what verse?
00:43:46.38\00:43:48.83
Matthew 6, it says in verse,
00:43:48.84\00:43:56.69
let's start with verse 26.
00:43:56.70\00:43:58.32
All right. No, it's
even before that, 25.
00:43:58.33\00:44:02.23
All right verse 25.
Therefore I say to you,
00:44:02.24\00:44:04.76
do not worry about your life,
00:44:04.77\00:44:06.95
what you will eat
or what you will drink,
00:44:06.96\00:44:08.51
nor about your body,
what you will put on.
00:44:08.52\00:44:10.77
Is not life more than food
and the body more than clothing?
00:44:10.78\00:44:14.43
Look at the birds of the air,
00:44:14.44\00:44:15.54
for they neither sow nor
reap nor gather into barns,
00:44:15.55\00:44:18.39
yet your heavenly
Father feeds them.
00:44:18.40\00:44:20.02
Are you not of
more value than they?
00:44:20.03\00:44:22.53
That's right.
Which of you by worrying
00:44:22.54\00:44:24.73
can add one
cubit to his stature?
00:44:24.74\00:44:27.15
So why do you
worry about clothing?
00:44:27.16\00:44:29.11
Consider the lilies of
the field, how they grow,
00:44:29.12\00:44:31.21
they neither toil nor
spin, and yet I say to you
00:44:31.22\00:44:33.77
that even
Solomon in all his glory
00:44:33.78\00:44:35.54
was not arrayed
like one of these.
00:44:35.55\00:44:37.85
Now if God so clothes
the grass of the field,
00:44:37.86\00:44:40.38
which today is, and tomorrow
is thrown into the oven,
00:44:40.39\00:44:43.08
will He not much more clothe
you, O you of little faith?
00:44:43.09\00:44:46.84
Therefore do not worry,
saying, 'What shall we eat?'
00:44:46.85\00:44:50.09
or 'What shall we
drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
00:44:50.10\00:44:52.20
For after all these
things the Gentiles seek.
00:44:52.21\00:44:55.44
For your heavenly Father knows
that you need all these things.
00:44:55.45\00:44:58.31
But seek first the kingdom
of God in His righteousness,
00:44:58.32\00:45:02.87
and all these things
shall be added to you.
00:45:02.88\00:45:05.41
And then he ends, Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow,
00:45:05.42\00:45:09.88
for tomorrow will
worry about its own things.
00:45:09.89\00:45:12.25
Sufficient for the
day is its own trouble.
00:45:12.26\00:45:16.27
Not once does it say fear,
but we know worry is based on
00:45:16.28\00:45:20.50
fear of tomorrow,
fear of things around us,
00:45:20.51\00:45:23.21
fear of circumstances.
00:45:23.22\00:45:24.96
God says clearly
Jesus is saying don't fear,
00:45:24.97\00:45:27.84
don't worry about these things.
00:45:27.85\00:45:29.86
Sometimes fear can be
removed by simply doing
00:45:29.87\00:45:33.85
what you know is necessary,
00:45:33.86\00:45:35.87
I know that in
this fearful climate,
00:45:35.88\00:45:38.06
there are some
individuals that had been
00:45:38.07\00:45:39.83
going through
conventionary measures,
00:45:39.84\00:45:41.93
traditional
measures to find a job,
00:45:41.94\00:45:44.27
to establish a business,
00:45:44.28\00:45:46.00
they go through
conventional measures.
00:45:46.01\00:45:47.57
But there are those individuals
that rise above so to speak
00:45:47.58\00:45:50.98
they think out of the
box, and they say okay,
00:45:50.99\00:45:53.68
well since the
conventional way is not working.
00:45:53.69\00:45:55.96
Let me be creative,
let me think differently,
00:45:55.97\00:45:59.58
let that is in
regards to gaining an income,
00:45:59.59\00:46:03.97
doing something
different to really establish
00:46:03.98\00:46:07.78
and sustain themselves
through difficult times.
00:46:07.79\00:46:10.47
But if you sit down and just
say, oh what's gonna happen.
00:46:10.48\00:46:14.29
Nobody wants to hire me.
00:46:14.30\00:46:16.77
My house is going
through foreclosure.
00:46:16.78\00:46:19.56
All the things
that I have saved up,
00:46:19.57\00:46:21.23
I don't have any
place to put my things
00:46:21.24\00:46:22.72
and I'm gonna be
put out of my house
00:46:22.73\00:46:23.91
and about two hours or
two weeks or two months.
00:46:23.92\00:46:26.89
And then this becomes
an internalizing cancer
00:46:26.90\00:46:31.39
that eats the person up.
00:46:31.40\00:46:32.62
But when you go back to
what you just read here John,
00:46:32.63\00:46:34.83
this is great
food, God is saying
00:46:34.84\00:46:37.36
have you ever seen any birds
00:46:37.37\00:46:39.16
in front of your
window protesting?
00:46:39.17\00:46:42.35
Well, they do protest
in front of my window,
00:46:42.36\00:46:44.18
I must say that, because my
wife and I love to feed them.
00:46:44.19\00:46:47.64
And whenever we forget
to put their feed out there,
00:46:47.65\00:46:50.31
they dive into the
windows and where they chirp
00:46:50.32\00:46:52.93
and chirp and the
squirrel we feed them too.
00:46:52.94\00:46:54.81
And when we forget to do that,
00:46:54.82\00:46:56.28
they stand on the railing
and they wag their tails.
00:46:56.29\00:46:59.40
But what that says to me,
in the way that God provides
00:46:59.41\00:47:02.27
for their needs through nature,
God provides for our need,
00:47:02.28\00:47:06.14
through His resources
that will never be languished,
00:47:06.15\00:47:09.05
that will never be dried-up.
00:47:09.06\00:47:10.63
And so the fear
factor so to speak,
00:47:10.64\00:47:14.52
is a good way of
thinking about the sermon,
00:47:14.53\00:47:17.57
but I want to also point out
00:47:17.58\00:47:19.13
is something
very, very important.
00:47:19.14\00:47:21.66
If you are going through fear
00:47:21.67\00:47:22.89
the question is
where did it come from?
00:47:22.90\00:47:26.08
And more particularly if
you are a Christian remember,
00:47:26.09\00:47:29.21
there is not also, there is not
just the spirit of depression,
00:47:29.22\00:47:32.86
there is not the
spirit of anxiety,
00:47:32.87\00:47:35.15
they are not just evil spirits,
00:47:35.16\00:47:36.95
but there is the spirit of fear.
00:47:36.96\00:47:40.73
There is the spirit of prophecy,
but there is a spirit of fear.
00:47:40.74\00:47:44.45
Now this is not saying
like a Holy Spirit of fear
00:47:44.46\00:47:47.48
or some inspired spirit of fear,
00:47:47.49\00:47:49.72
it simply saying
there, there are those of us
00:47:49.73\00:47:52.36
who operate in the mode of fear
00:47:52.37\00:47:54.42
and we have the spirit about us,
00:47:54.43\00:47:56.65
but it didn't come from God.
00:47:56.66\00:47:58.54
Second Timothy 1 verse
7, For God has not given us
00:47:58.55\00:48:01.53
a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love
00:48:01.54\00:48:05.52
and of a sound mind.
00:48:05.53\00:48:07.99
So when Noah heard
that the flood was coming,
00:48:08.00\00:48:10.59
the Bible says he
moved with godly fear.
00:48:10.60\00:48:15.10
He did something that
seemed completely irrational
00:48:15.11\00:48:19.78
and to those who
are the onlookers,
00:48:19.79\00:48:22.73
it's seemed as
though what he was doing
00:48:22.74\00:48:24.77
had no warranted
foundation of relevance.
00:48:24.78\00:48:28.69
But he moved with godly fear.
00:48:28.70\00:48:30.20
In other words,
God has not given us
00:48:30.21\00:48:32.11
the spirit to
cause us to be fearful.
00:48:32.12\00:48:34.30
But if we trust God
and rely on Him more,
00:48:34.31\00:48:37.09
the things that we do
are based on godly fear.
00:48:37.10\00:48:40.06
It's coming, God has warned me
00:48:40.07\00:48:41.93
there is
something that I need to do.
00:48:41.94\00:48:45.38
Great, you know, there is...
00:48:45.39\00:48:49.74
Okay I can think of
some of the passages where,
00:48:49.75\00:48:53.13
it's not just the
command to fear God in a way
00:48:53.14\00:48:55.11
that we respect Him.
00:48:55.12\00:48:56.13
There is a command that
00:48:56.14\00:48:57.44
God should be
feared in certain ways.
00:48:57.45\00:49:01.08
And the command seems to
be centered on the wicked.
00:49:01.09\00:49:05.99
Oh, yes. Not the righteous,
00:49:06.00\00:49:08.40
the righteous do not have
anything to be afraid off.
00:49:08.41\00:49:12.17
But, the wicked have
something to be afraid off,
00:49:12.18\00:49:15.98
and what they fear is judgment
00:49:15.99\00:49:20.59
and I'm trying to
find the text here.
00:49:20.60\00:49:23.84
While you are looking
for that, I'm gonna read...
00:49:23.85\00:49:25.33
Okay, go ahead,
you bring one up.
00:49:25.34\00:49:26.31
In Hosea, on the
flip side of the blessings
00:49:26.32\00:49:32.55
not coming into our
lives, sometimes it happens
00:49:32.56\00:49:35.38
because we do not fear the Lord.
00:49:35.39\00:49:38.33
The Bible says
the fear of the Lord
00:49:38.34\00:49:40.62
is the beginning of wisdom.
00:49:40.63\00:49:42.58
It doesn't mean, like
the three shaky characters
00:49:42.59\00:49:49.49
in the Wizard of Oz.
00:49:49.50\00:49:51.43
But, it means
because we do not consider
00:49:51.44\00:49:55.72
that the wisdom
that we get from a God
00:49:55.73\00:49:58.24
who thinks
nothing but good for us.
00:49:58.25\00:50:00.91
If we don't
consider that He is the way,
00:50:00.92\00:50:03.27
He is the director,
He is the foundation,
00:50:03.28\00:50:05.85
He is the source of
all of our blessings
00:50:05.86\00:50:07.89
and we choose not to fear Him.
00:50:07.90\00:50:09.95
Then what happens is
then we end up living
00:50:09.96\00:50:12.60
in fear of the Lord.
00:50:12.61\00:50:14.85
You see, we choose
the fear of the Lord.
00:50:14.86\00:50:18.92
We choose the way of the Lord.
00:50:18.93\00:50:20.92
But you'll find
that all the reasons why
00:50:20.93\00:50:23.25
Israel often have difficulty
in their walk with God
00:50:23.26\00:50:25.95
is they did not fear the Lord.
00:50:25.96\00:50:28.30
In Hosea 10 in verse 3 talks
about that particular station
00:50:28.31\00:50:33.14
that Israel was
in the near past.
00:50:33.15\00:50:34.94
Yeah, and they did
have something to fear
00:50:34.95\00:50:37.63
when they were in that state.
00:50:37.64\00:50:39.01
You know, this issues
of God is not to be feared,
00:50:39.02\00:50:45.53
that we should
just be, oh, you know,
00:50:45.54\00:50:47.31
He is so
gracious, He is so lovingly.
00:50:47.32\00:50:49.06
We don't
anything to worry about.
00:50:49.07\00:50:50.86
Once we accept Jesus
there is no accountability,
00:50:50.87\00:50:53.76
that's the word, there is
accountability for our actions
00:50:53.77\00:50:56.42
from that point on.
00:50:56.43\00:50:57.42
It's just mistaken
and I'm reading now
00:50:57.43\00:50:59.45
from Hebrews
Chapter 10 verses 26 and 27.
00:50:59.46\00:51:02.17
Okay, let's go there.
00:51:02.18\00:51:03.15
Let's think how an appropriate
fear kind of comes into it,
00:51:03.16\00:51:05.27
because the writer of
Hebrews very clear here on that
00:51:05.28\00:51:09.84
fear does have a part to play
in making us accountable to God.
00:51:09.85\00:51:13.43
Verse 26, "For
if we sin willfully
00:51:13.44\00:51:17.88
after we have received
the knowledge of the truth,
00:51:17.89\00:51:20.83
there no longer
remains a sacrifice for sins.
00:51:20.84\00:51:23.47
In other words once
we come into the truth,
00:51:23.48\00:51:24.84
we accept Jesus as our Savior.
00:51:24.85\00:51:26.61
But then we continue to
practice the old way of life,
00:51:26.62\00:51:29.12
to practice the sins that we,
that He has delivered us from.
00:51:29.13\00:51:33.37
Then it says there
is no longer remains
00:51:33.38\00:51:35.06
the sacrifice for those sins.
00:51:35.07\00:51:37.45
In other words
Christ death on the cross
00:51:37.46\00:51:39.98
does not benefit us any longer.
00:51:39.99\00:51:42.07
That's right.
Now look at verse 27.
00:51:42.08\00:51:44.69
"But what happens, a certain
fearful expectation of judgment,
00:51:44.70\00:51:49.68
and fiery indignation which
will devour the adversaries."
00:51:49.69\00:51:53.71
So this is what
remains in front of us
00:51:53.72\00:51:56.55
and this judgment
becomes fearful only
00:51:56.56\00:51:59.63
when you are not living
in harmony with God's ways.
00:51:59.64\00:52:05.17
And so when someone says, do I,
00:52:05.18\00:52:06.34
should I fear the judgment?
00:52:06.35\00:52:07.39
Yes if you are the wicked.
00:52:07.40\00:52:09.31
No, if you are
trusting in Christ,
00:52:09.32\00:52:11.16
because Jesus by His
own merits, by His own life,
00:52:11.17\00:52:15.28
who He has given to you as
He exchange them for your sins,
00:52:15.29\00:52:19.16
stands before the
judgment seat in perfection.
00:52:19.17\00:52:22.63
Your sins are not
coming up for judgment,
00:52:22.64\00:52:25.44
that is a good thing.
00:52:25.45\00:52:27.96
That's what in Christ we
should not fear the judgment.
00:52:27.97\00:52:31.86
But notice here what
Jesus says about the same event,
00:52:31.87\00:52:36.75
the certain fiery
indignation that we should fear
00:52:36.76\00:52:39.71
if there we are not
walking in God's ways.
00:52:39.72\00:52:42.90
Matthew 10:28 says do not
fear those who kill the body,
00:52:42.91\00:52:46.89
but cannot kill the soul.
00:52:46.90\00:52:49.01
In another words
they can take your life,
00:52:49.02\00:52:52.03
they can end it, but
when it comes to your soul.
00:52:52.04\00:52:55.56
When Jesus comes back in the
resurrection to raise you up,
00:52:55.57\00:52:58.81
you will live forever with Him.
00:52:58.82\00:53:00.27
That's right. Your
soul is preserved, right.
00:53:00.28\00:53:02.48
Okay, this isn't a
separate soul from the body,
00:53:02.49\00:53:03.91
this is just the
essence of who you are.
00:53:03.94\00:53:05.90
Thank you. And
then go on it says,
00:53:05.91\00:53:08.16
But rather fear Him,
00:53:08.17\00:53:10.21
speaking of His
Father who is able to destroy
00:53:10.22\00:53:14.63
both soul and body in hell.
00:53:14.64\00:53:16.92
Oh, good text.
00:53:16.93\00:53:17.97
So, this is
something we should fear,
00:53:17.98\00:53:20.52
and the only one that
can destroy soul and body,
00:53:20.53\00:53:23.88
in other words
there is no more at all.
00:53:23.89\00:53:26.22
There is no more coming back.
00:53:26.23\00:53:27.21
There is no more coming back
beyond that, is God Himself.
00:53:27.22\00:53:32.77
So when we talk
about, we shouldn't fear.
00:53:32.78\00:53:35.12
Let's put this
in proper context.
00:53:35.13\00:53:37.24
Those who are following
Christ have no reason to fear,
00:53:37.25\00:53:40.59
but those who are
not God is wooing them
00:53:40.60\00:53:43.63
and drawing them to hear to Him.
00:53:43.64\00:53:45.76
But as long as they
resist Him and the closer
00:53:45.77\00:53:47.93
they get to the end of time,
00:53:47.94\00:53:50.15
they do have something to
fear by rejecting His extension,
00:53:50.16\00:53:53.98
His offer for salvation.
00:53:53.99\00:53:56.14
That's right,
and so this passage
00:53:56.15\00:53:58.33
and I want to reiterate
what you just read a moment ago.
00:53:58.34\00:54:02.44
We should fear the one
who was able to destroy
00:54:02.45\00:54:04.62
both body and soul, completely
wipe us out of existence.
00:54:04.63\00:54:09.71
But I want to
continue with verse 29,
00:54:09.72\00:54:11.48
because this is a
very wonderful passage
00:54:11.49\00:54:13.18
in Matthew Chapter
10, because you find this
00:54:13.19\00:54:15.47
very theme continuing.
00:54:15.48\00:54:17.15
You find this
very theme continuing
00:54:17.16\00:54:19.28
in the sense of provision now.
00:54:19.29\00:54:21.15
It says, Are not two
sparrows sold for a copper coin?
00:54:21.16\00:54:25.96
And not one of them
falls to the ground apart
00:54:25.97\00:54:29.12
from the Father's will.
00:54:29.13\00:54:31.86
But the very hairs of
your head are all numbered.
00:54:31.87\00:54:35.35
That's great. Do
not fear...Do not fear.
00:54:35.36\00:54:39.37
Do not fear, yeah,
therefore, good emphasis
00:54:39.38\00:54:43.24
you are more
valuable than many sparrows.
00:54:43.25\00:54:48.31
Isn't that wonderful?
00:54:48.32\00:54:49.31
And He is
talking to His children,
00:54:49.32\00:54:50.59
He is talking to His brothers
and sisters but God's children,
00:54:50.60\00:54:53.18
right, do not fear.
00:54:53.19\00:54:54.39
So what you are fearful off.
00:54:54.40\00:54:56.10
There is not a sparrow
that falls to the aground
00:54:56.11\00:54:58.26
that the Father doesn't notice.
00:54:58.27\00:54:59.95
And, you know, what,
I know what that's like,
00:54:59.96\00:55:01.92
John in the
backyard, it's really funny.
00:55:01.93\00:55:04.95
People come to my
house and they say,
00:55:04.96\00:55:06.18
why do have blue
tape on your widows?
00:55:06.19\00:55:08.78
Well, there is a reflection
that comes off our lake
00:55:08.79\00:55:11.63
in the backyard, and
it reflects on the window
00:55:11.64\00:55:14.03
and it brightens
up and the sparrows
00:55:14.04\00:55:15.94
and the bird's think
that it's another outside
00:55:15.95\00:55:19.12
they see the
window and they think that
00:55:19.13\00:55:20.76
by flying into the
window they are sill outside
00:55:20.77\00:55:23.42
and I went outside
a number of occasions
00:55:23.43\00:55:25.35
and found birds I heard the bang
00:55:25.36\00:55:27.79
and I saw them
laying on the ground
00:55:27.80\00:55:29.34
struggling for their lives.
00:55:29.35\00:55:31.09
A number of
cases ended tragically
00:55:31.10\00:55:33.99
but on the other side of that
when they felt to the ground,
00:55:34.00\00:55:37.28
I noticed it and
I went out one day
00:55:37.29\00:55:39.32
I picked up a little
small gray and black sparrow
00:55:39.33\00:55:41.84
and picked him up
he was upside down,
00:55:41.85\00:55:43.33
his wings were both
out and he had blood
00:55:43.34\00:55:44.86
coming out of side of his mouth.
00:55:44.87\00:55:46.04
I don't want to be gruesome,
this has a very good ending.
00:55:46.05\00:55:48.71
And I picked him up
and I put a red towel
00:55:48.72\00:55:50.79
on the table in my backyard,
00:55:50.80\00:55:52.59
I got a small
little saucer of water,
00:55:52.60\00:55:54.94
small enough for
him to put his face in,
00:55:54.95\00:55:56.62
and I just started
just touching his mouth,
00:55:56.63\00:55:58.63
so he can sense
there was water nearby
00:55:58.64\00:56:00.40
and he began to drink it.
00:56:00.41\00:56:01.70
And I close my eyes, my
wife said, what are you doing?
00:56:01.71\00:56:03.82
And I said I'm
praying, I'm praying.
00:56:03.83\00:56:05.20
She said, what
are you praying for?
00:56:05.21\00:56:06.54
And I said I'm praying
God don't let this one die,
00:56:06.55\00:56:10.61
because I had seen
sometimes I miss them
00:56:10.62\00:56:12.78
and I've saw them,
seen the birds die.
00:56:12.79\00:56:14.91
And then I put a little bit,
put little handful of bird seeds
00:56:14.92\00:56:19.71
and put it in my hand
and I had my hand around him.
00:56:19.72\00:56:22.64
In most cases they get fearful.
00:56:22.65\00:56:25.55
But, I had my
hand to warm him up,
00:56:25.56\00:56:27.75
and as I close my eyes and pray,
00:56:27.76\00:56:30.20
then I put him down on the cloth
00:56:30.21\00:56:31.75
and at that point he
stood up I turn my back
00:56:31.76\00:56:34.75
and as I turn back to
look and see what happen,
00:56:34.76\00:56:36.78
he flew away.
00:56:36.79\00:56:38.43
And I said, oh thank you Lord,
00:56:38.44\00:56:40.93
this sparrow got your notice
when he fell to the ground,
00:56:40.94\00:56:44.89
you got my notice and together,
00:56:44.90\00:56:47.14
this sparrow flow away.
00:56:47.15\00:56:48.57
And friends
that's what God is like,
00:56:48.58\00:56:50.13
He doesn't look at us
and stay apart from us
00:56:50.14\00:56:53.93
in a time of fear,
He provides our needs.
00:56:53.94\00:56:56.52
That is wonderful.
00:56:56.53\00:56:57.96
What a great analogy of
what God actually does for us.
00:56:57.97\00:57:00.61
That's right. He sees
that we've run into a wall.
00:57:00.62\00:57:02.90
We have fallen,
but He has picked us up
00:57:02.91\00:57:05.26
and He said I will
not let this one die.
00:57:05.27\00:57:08.40
And He has died in our place,
so that we might have life.
00:57:08.41\00:57:11.63
That's right, you know,
the Lord says to all of us
00:57:11.64\00:57:13.92
in these fearful time,
fear not for I'm with you,
00:57:13.93\00:57:16.58
be not dismay, I'll uphold you,
00:57:16.59\00:57:19.41
I'll up hold you with
my righteous right arm.
00:57:19.42\00:57:21.87
Whatever the case
maybe, don't settle for fear.
00:57:21.88\00:57:26.01
Choose God instead
and you will find that
00:57:26.02\00:57:28.41
as He has done in the past,
00:57:28.42\00:57:30.21
He will do for
you in the future.
00:57:30.22\00:57:31.57
God bless you
until we see you again
00:57:31.58\00:57:33.18
and have a great day in Christ.
00:57:33.19\00:57:35.16