Hello, friends. Grab your Bible
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and a friend and sit
back as we explore God's word
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together on this
edition of House Calls.
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Hello, friends.
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Welcome to another
edition of House Calls,
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so glad that
you've chosen to tune in
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and join with John and John.
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Good to have you here, John.
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It's great to be here.
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Oh, should be good to have
me here, it's been a while.
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Yeah, good to have you back.
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Yes, it's been a while.
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And we always enjoy
House Calls program,
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but we enjoy even
better when both of us
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are in the saddle since
it's something we love to do.
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And we want to encourage
you to get your Bibles,
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get your pens, don't forget that
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we do take your questions.
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Anytime you have a
question you want to send to us,
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you can send
them right here to us,
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and we'll give
you that email address
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in just a moment, but
thank you for tuning in.
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We have a very
important topic today.
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We're gonna be
answering your questions
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and then also get in to
the answering another question
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which is in the minds of many,
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why so many denominations?
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A lot of people
ask that question,
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why so many types
of cereal in the store?
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We know why that's the case.
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Why so many
churches all claiming to have
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the Bible as they rode map.
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This gonna be a
very interesting series
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over a number of programs,
and we encourage you to
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tune in and invite
your friends to watch it,
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or maybe tape it
and share that with your
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friends and family and churches.
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But before we do anything, John,
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would you have a
pray for us today?
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Absolutely, let's do that.
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Gracious Father in heaven,
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we're so blessed
to be able to be here,
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to sit here, to open
your word and to know that
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as we divided, you are
there to lead us and guide us.
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We pray that You would
speak to our hearts today
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and that You would
open the minds and hearts
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and ears of those
who are listening,
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who are viewing this program.
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Lord, bless us, and may
we understand the topic today
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and go away from
this place, this study,
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knowing you more
fully, in Jesus name, amen.
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Also as I
mentioned, we enjoy taking
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your questions, if
you have any questions,
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you can send them here
to housecalls@3abn.org,
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that's housecalls@3abn.org.
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Upload them to the
Internet and we'll download them
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and make sure that we can answer
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as many as we possibly can.
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And if you
don't have a computer,
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which is getting
more and more rare,
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you can send them to
here at 3ABN, PO Box 220,
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West Frankfort, IL, 62896.
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But we like
questions so thank you so much
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for sending them and
being faithful to ask us
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questions that
sometimes challenge us.
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John, what do we have
for the first question today?
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We got a question
that's, it's an interesting one,
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we haven't had it before.
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So I thought I pick this up and,
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it's a good one
and I think we can
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all learn little bit,
which we can be challenged
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a little bit but learn a
little bit by the question.
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It says, from the time
the Holy Spirit put Jesus
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in the womb of Mary,
he was developing just as
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any other baby in
the womb would develop.
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My question is, where was
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Jesus mental
capability during that time?
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And even after He was born,
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where was it as
He was developing
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toward the age of
reasoning things out.
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Was His mental
capability stored in
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some nebulous state of suspended
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animation during that time?
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And did He have
no communications
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with the Father whatsoever?
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Also during that
time, was there in effect
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only two persons of the trinity
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until He reached
the age of reason?
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I appreciate your
discussion on this.
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Okay, so, you know,
one of the things that
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we find as we
look through the word
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especially with
regard to Jesus early life.
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Is that it is really
fairly quite on what His
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young childhood life was like.
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In fact, you go
from in most gospels,
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you go from the
baby to, you know,
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baby and child
to 12 years old on.
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In fact, 12 years
old it's only a brief
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pause of Him in the
temple, meeting and talking
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and teaching and
sharing and dialoguing
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with the teachers of the day.
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And then all of a
sudden you get to almost
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30 years of age which is
when He began His ministry.
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So I want to go to a text here,
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I think it does tell
us a little bit, John.
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Give us some insight here
and that's Luke Chapter 2--
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Okay, let's go there.
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Luke Chapter 2 and
verse 40, and this verse,
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the sequence of this verse comes
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to into play
right after Jesus was
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circumcised and basically
His parents have brought
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Him to the
temple and I'm missing
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the word, he was dedicated.
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Boy! My mind is not
working well this morning.
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Dedicated at the
temple, and so we have now
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then going back to Nazareth
and there are these words
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in verse 40, it says,
the child grew and became
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strong in spirit,
filled with wisdom
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and the grace of
God was upon him.
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This is pretty much
the passage that tells us,
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He grew up to know His father
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and to know who He was
ultimately by the age of 12.
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So the question is
and it's a good question
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what, you know,
when it comes to Christ
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and His knowledge of who He was
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and His godliness so to speak,
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where was it at that time?
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Well, one of things
that I think is implied here
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in the question that
isn't really a reality.
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Is that our mind or
somehow our knowledge is stored
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somewhere else besides our head.
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We do not believe, nor
does the Bible teach in
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a separate soul that
is capable of thinking,
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of consciousness
apart from the brain, body.
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So you know
where was Christ mind
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when He was a child,
and He was growing up?
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Well, I think
this verse says a lot.
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It grew, He
became knowledgeable,
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He was filled
with wisdom as He grew
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and developed over time.
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And here is one
thing that's interesting
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to know about Christ life.
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In no time during Christ life,
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did He depend upon His divinity
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to be able to
overcome temptation,
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to be able to
get through this life
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because He came to live as a man
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to be in our place and
so then He had to develop,
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He had to grow in the same way
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that you and I would grow.
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So the question really answer,
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the answer is
how do we get to know
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to grow and to know the Lord.
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Well, it's
because we read, we study,
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we learn from our
parents, we read then,
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we begin to study,
and read on our own
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the Bible, the scriptures.
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And then we become, we
get to a point where we have
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grown in the knowledge
and stature of the Lord.
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And Jesus did the
same, now I do believe
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at some point He was given
the knowledge by his Father
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that he was in fact the Messiah
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that he had been learning about.
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And from that point
on he grew exponentially
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as he studied the scriptures.
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I believe the Holy
Spirit led him to understand
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not only his
mission, but who he was
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beyond being the son of man.
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He was also the son of God.
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And so that's really, John,
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we don't have any
special in depth synopsis
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or analysis through the word
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with regard to
Christ's early life.
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His early childhood, you know,
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someone and I know
the question comes up.
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Well, you know, I'm
sure he was tempted out there
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as he was
talking with his friends
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and they were out playing.
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He was tempted to do things that
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they often
what's so come to or do,
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and you know did he sin that,
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and what the Bible tells us,
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so without sin,
so evidently not.
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We know that he did not
so come to sin in any case.
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So there were
things about Him, John,
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I'm sure that were very special,
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but no time that He
used any supernatural power
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to overcome the enemy.
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The power had come from
God through the Holy Spirit
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to strengthen Him as a
man to overcome temptation.
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And I think
overtime He developed the
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knowledge and wisdom
that His father had taught him
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through the Holy
Spirit of who He was.
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You know, what's so
interesting about this
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particular topic and I thank you
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for bring that one up,
John, because I remember when
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John mentioned that
question, I said, wow!
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That's a, you
know, it's almost like
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asking us to
psychoanalyze Jesus.
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And for us to even try
to explain his mental state
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would almost be to dabble
in the laboratory of eternity
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which we don't
have the capacity to do.
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Well, what we can't
do is point or something
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and I like the
fact that and I want
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to reiterate what he just said.
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Jesus grew up as any childhood,
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and coming through
being born into the world,
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as a matter of
fact, let me just give you
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a couple of
scriptures that will give you
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some of the foundation here.
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Galatians 4:4,
But when the fullness
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of the time had come,
God sent forth His Son,
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born of a woman,
born under the law.
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He came if to be
born through a woman,
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he had to born as any babyhood,
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but his mission
was very defined before
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he even came because, God sent.
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For God so love the world,
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that he gave his
only begotten son.
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It wasn't against Jesus as well,
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but it was a cold
mission, in other words,
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they were
together in this mission,
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the mission to
say fallen humanity.
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And he goes on
to say in verse 5,
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in Galatians 4 verse 5.
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What was the purpose of Jesus?
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This one that
was born of a woman.
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It says, to redeem
those who were under the law,
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that we might
receive the adoption as sons.
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So what was His mission,
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to redeem those
who are under the law?
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The first mission He
had was to His own people.
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He came to His
own, John 1:16 says,
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John Chapter 1
says, "He came to His own,
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and His own did not receive Him"
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but going back
to the mental state,
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not going back to
the issues of the Jews,
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he was born a flesh.
00:10:01.34\00:10:03.74
Therefore, one of
the beauties of the God
00:10:03.75\00:10:06.58
head which we will understand
00:10:06.59\00:10:08.10
or the phrase or
the word condescension.
00:10:08.11\00:10:12.56
Somebody want to
say condescension.
00:10:12.57\00:10:15.37
But the condescension
the bring down of divinity
00:10:15.38\00:10:18.96
clothing it in
humanity and then making it's
00:10:18.97\00:10:21.81
subservient without the
use of any divine powers
00:10:21.82\00:10:25.12
to all the temptations,
all the struggles that
00:10:25.13\00:10:27.24
any one of us would have.
00:10:27.25\00:10:28.86
That's why the
Bible says he was tempted
00:10:28.87\00:10:30.36
in all points like we are.
00:10:30.37\00:10:32.50
Well, agree without
sin, but let's go back to the
00:10:32.51\00:10:35.80
who was He when He was born?
00:10:35.81\00:10:39.03
Matthew 1 verse 21 says,
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"And she will bring forth a Son,
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and you shall
call His name JESUS,
00:10:48.81\00:10:51.47
for He will save His
people from their sins."
00:10:51.48\00:10:55.91
Verse 23. And they
shall call His name Immanuel,
00:10:55.92\00:10:59.29
which is
translated, "God with us."
00:10:59.30\00:11:01.38
So clearly who is this child?
00:11:01.39\00:11:04.62
And who is this
child, he is God with us,
00:11:04.63\00:11:08.73
He is Jesus the savior.
00:11:08.74\00:11:10.56
You go to verse 8 in Luke,
00:11:10.57\00:11:12.03
in Matthew
Chapter 2 and it says,
00:11:12.04\00:11:14.83
"And he sent them
to Bethlehem, and said,
00:11:14.84\00:11:19.85
Go and search diligently,
for the young child."
00:11:19.86\00:11:22.62
Jesus was a young child.
00:11:22.63\00:11:24.92
"And when you have found Him,
00:11:24.93\00:11:26.44
bring back word to
me, that I may come
00:11:26.45\00:11:28.50
and worship Him also."
00:11:28.51\00:11:30.64
So they recognized,
so Herald recognize that,
00:11:30.65\00:11:34.60
hey, there is a king
born who is worthy of worship,
00:11:34.61\00:11:37.75
so even as a child
Jesus was worthy of worship.
00:11:37.76\00:11:41.39
So was he ever at a
point that he wasn't divine?
00:11:41.40\00:11:44.49
No. Was there ever a point
00:11:44.50\00:11:46.07
that he wasn't human
in his condescension?
00:11:46.08\00:11:48.34
No. You go through the Bible
00:11:48.35\00:11:50.35
you're continually seeing
00:11:50.36\00:11:51.93
the phrase young
child, young child emphasized
00:11:51.94\00:11:55.01
there in Matthew Chapter 2
verse 20, verse 21, verse 8,
00:11:55.02\00:11:58.88
young child verse 11,
young child in the house.
00:11:58.89\00:12:01.75
So any young child,
any baby has to grow
00:12:01.76\00:12:04.81
and learn the processes.
00:12:04.82\00:12:06.74
That's why Jesus is our Savior,
00:12:06.75\00:12:09.75
because He came and walked
as where we would have to walk,
00:12:09.76\00:12:12.85
tempted as we
would have to be tempted,
00:12:12.86\00:12:15.27
or as we are tempted,
00:12:15.28\00:12:16.82
learned as we
would have to learn,
00:12:16.83\00:12:18.85
he took no
divine advantages over
00:12:18.86\00:12:21.27
what we would have as humans.
00:12:21.28\00:12:23.16
That's why it
says He was tempted
00:12:23.17\00:12:24.95
in all points just as we are.
00:12:24.96\00:12:27.58
So was He a child like
John and I were children? Yes.
00:12:27.59\00:12:31.55
One difference though which
was not a divine difference
00:12:31.56\00:12:36.23
but a choice,
was He did not allow
00:12:36.24\00:12:40.24
sin to come into His life.
00:12:40.25\00:12:42.81
Because the Bible made
it very clear, Jesus said,
00:12:42.82\00:12:45.04
the prince of
this world has come
00:12:45.05\00:12:46.38
but he has nothing in me.
00:12:46.39\00:12:48.16
Had he had any
point, yield that his sin,
00:12:48.17\00:12:50.70
he would have
cease to be our Savior.
00:12:50.71\00:12:52.11
That was the fragile nature,
00:12:52.12\00:12:55.88
that was the
fragile circumstance
00:12:55.89\00:12:57.78
under which Jesus was born.
00:12:57.79\00:12:59.30
That was really amazing.
00:12:59.31\00:13:00.51
And one of the
interesting things too
00:13:00.52\00:13:01.63
is that you hear
repeatedly throughout, you know,
00:13:01.64\00:13:06.33
many preachers whether
you're listening to them
00:13:06.34\00:13:08.27
on TV or you hear them
on the radio or something,
00:13:08.28\00:13:10.85
they give Jesus this,
well you have the picture
00:13:10.86\00:13:15.03
that Jesus used His
divinity to overcome.
00:13:15.04\00:13:17.28
But you know, they
missed the part that
00:13:18.36\00:13:20.25
if Jesus was not one of us.
00:13:20.26\00:13:22.80
If he didn't come in the
likeness of sinful flesh,
00:13:22.81\00:13:25.15
in our flesh, our weaknesses
00:13:25.16\00:13:26.68
and overcome in our flesh,
00:13:26.69\00:13:29.14
then He could not be our Savior.
00:13:29.15\00:13:32.12
And so He
identified with human kind,
00:13:32.13\00:13:34.55
He identified, He was one of us
00:13:34.56\00:13:37.49
but and overcame as one of us,
00:13:37.50\00:13:39.80
but He did so
was an example to us
00:13:39.81\00:13:41.83
that we could also
depend upon our Father in Heaven
00:13:41.84\00:13:45.77
and through the power
the Holy Spirit overcome
00:13:45.78\00:13:47.97
as Jesus overcame
while He was here.
00:13:47.98\00:13:50.72
Does that mean
that we can be perfect.
00:13:50.73\00:13:52.51
Well, all of us have
sinned and fallen sort of
00:13:52.52\00:13:54.31
the glory of God, it's too late.
00:13:54.32\00:13:55.65
We, sin has already entered
00:13:55.66\00:13:57.12
into our flesh, we are tainted.
00:13:57.13\00:13:59.19
Christ was never tainted by sin,
00:13:59.20\00:14:01.31
although he experienced
00:14:01.32\00:14:03.61
four thousand
years plus at that time,
00:14:03.62\00:14:06.58
of the effects of sin
on human kind as well.
00:14:06.59\00:14:09.56
So, you know, praise
God that we had a Savior
00:14:09.57\00:14:12.20
that was one of
us, and now gives us
00:14:12.21\00:14:15.01
his perfect life in
exchange for our sinful life.
00:14:15.02\00:14:17.82
And don't forget friends,
there was never a time that
00:14:17.83\00:14:22.98
He did not have everything
that was necessary to be God.
00:14:22.99\00:14:26.89
Colossians 2, this is
really a couple of verses
00:14:26.90\00:14:30.17
I want to give you
before I let this one go.
00:14:30.18\00:14:31.91
Colossians 2 verse 8 to 10.
00:14:31.92\00:14:33.88
It says, "Beware
lest anyone cheat you
00:14:33.89\00:14:37.38
through
philosophy and empty deceit,
00:14:37.39\00:14:39.90
according to the
tradition of men,
00:14:39.91\00:14:41.89
according to the basic
principles of the world,
00:14:41.90\00:14:44.50
and not according to Christ.
00:14:44.51\00:14:46.38
For in Him," this the
Christ that walk the earth.
00:14:46.39\00:14:49.97
"For in Him dwells all the
00:14:49.98\00:14:52.14
fullness of the Godhead bodily.
00:14:52.15\00:14:56.40
And you are complete in Him,
00:14:56.41\00:14:58.18
who is the head of all
principality and power."
00:14:58.19\00:15:00.57
So in him dwelt
all the fullness of the
00:15:00.58\00:15:02.99
Godhead bodily,
that was very important.
00:15:03.00\00:15:06.62
How do you harness
divinity in human flesh?
00:15:06.63\00:15:09.82
That's something will
understand in eternity.
00:15:09.83\00:15:12.58
It's like
putting a nuclear, well,
00:15:12.59\00:15:15.36
I will try to get
this, this is a comparison
00:15:15.37\00:15:17.25
that's very, very
probably falls far short
00:15:17.26\00:15:20.53
of comparing divinity
to humanity, but I'm aware,
00:15:20.54\00:15:23.91
I know somebody that
works at a nuclear power plant.
00:15:23.92\00:15:27.25
Matter of fact, a
lady in California,
00:15:27.26\00:15:30.67
and she says, I ask,
00:15:30.68\00:15:33.64
can you ever look
at the nuclear core?
00:15:33.65\00:15:35.39
She said, yes, you can.
00:15:35.40\00:15:36.37
I said, well, how and not die?
00:15:36.38\00:15:38.40
She says
through a veil of water.
00:15:38.41\00:15:41.81
You see the same water we drink
00:15:41.82\00:15:44.46
is the barrier
between the radiation
00:15:44.47\00:15:47.31
that's on this side and the
human that was on that side.
00:15:47.32\00:15:51.89
And I thought about
that and I thought the sin
00:15:51.90\00:15:54.19
that could so easily destroy us,
00:15:54.20\00:15:57.85
the one between us is
Jesus the water of life.
00:15:57.86\00:16:02.64
In Him, He is so powerful,
00:16:02.65\00:16:04.00
He can keep back
all of the forces
00:16:04.01\00:16:05.38
that can destroys yet.
00:16:05.39\00:16:07.17
We can partake
of Him, and not die.
00:16:07.18\00:16:09.36
And it's amazing
to me to think that
00:16:09.37\00:16:11.60
all the Godhead bodily,
all the power of eternity
00:16:11.61\00:16:14.87
is in Him that He can
walk with us and talk with us
00:16:14.88\00:16:17.70
and dwell among people
and we not be consumed,
00:16:17.71\00:16:20.28
because He is dwelling now
00:16:20.29\00:16:21.77
and is all
veiled in a bodily form.
00:16:21.78\00:16:25.67
It's just, just amazing to me.
00:16:25.68\00:16:27.13
It's powerful, it's
difficult to comprehend
00:16:27.14\00:16:29.26
which is one of the reasons
00:16:29.27\00:16:31.00
why there are so
many questions today.
00:16:31.01\00:16:32.52
About this. Oh, yeah.
00:16:32.53\00:16:33.60
Yeah we're gonna talk
about some of those things.
00:16:33.61\00:16:35.79
Now, here is another one.
00:16:35.80\00:16:36.79
This one is really good,
now I want you to turn to
00:16:39.32\00:16:41.26
Matthew Chapter
13 for this question,
00:16:41.27\00:16:43.96
because the person
here obviously has a passion
00:16:43.97\00:16:49.34
for things that He
sees that are not right.
00:16:49.35\00:16:53.18
There is so little if any,
00:16:53.19\00:16:54.66
I can look up to
the Adventist Church.
00:16:56.43\00:16:59.96
There is so little if anyone,
00:16:59.97\00:17:02.02
I can look up to
the Adventist Church.
00:17:02.06\00:17:03.71
How can I convince
people that the Adventists
00:17:03.72\00:17:06.41
have the truth if none
practice what they preach.
00:17:06.42\00:17:10.00
Those are big broad
brush strokes, you know,
00:17:10.01\00:17:12.74
everyone know, when
people uses those words,
00:17:12.75\00:17:15.20
we say the only time
they should be used is,
00:17:15.21\00:17:17.01
no one should ever use the word
00:17:17.02\00:17:19.51
no one and ever, and everyone.
00:17:19.52\00:17:21.64
Never use everyone, no one,
00:17:22.85\00:17:24.88
because those are
blanket statements.
00:17:24.89\00:17:27.34
But he goes on to say,
there is so much adultery
00:17:27.35\00:17:29.60
in the history of church,
00:17:29.61\00:17:31.05
in the history of churchgoers.
00:17:31.06\00:17:32.87
I've recently joined them.
00:17:32.88\00:17:35.82
Come from a charismatic church,
00:17:35.83\00:17:38.62
the only difference is
Adventists keep the Sabbath.
00:17:38.63\00:17:42.08
Both living by the
influences of this world,
00:17:42.09\00:17:44.47
the more I get to
know the Adventist,
00:17:44.48\00:17:46.26
the more disappointed I am.
00:17:46.27\00:17:49.62
How can I stop judging?
00:17:49.63\00:17:51.57
I know the word says,
I'm not to judge others,
00:17:51.58\00:17:53.90
but if the
Adventists have the truth
00:17:53.91\00:17:55.22
why doesn't it set them free?
00:17:55.23\00:17:57.98
So obviously once again
broad, broad, broad strokes.
00:17:57.99\00:18:01.05
You know it's like saying,
00:18:01.06\00:18:02.03
why can't I find
a Honda that works,
00:18:02.04\00:18:04.96
why is my Ford
always breaking down,
00:18:04.97\00:18:07.01
why is my Chevy not
giving me good gas mileage?
00:18:07.02\00:18:09.88
Well, those are broad strokes,
00:18:09.89\00:18:11.02
their Chevy up in
around for 30 years that worked
00:18:11.03\00:18:14.11
just great because
a person maintains it.
00:18:14.12\00:18:15.98
Therefore, it's
never broke down,
00:18:15.99\00:18:17.60
the Hondas that
always break down.
00:18:17.61\00:18:20.09
So let's not make
those broad statements
00:18:20.10\00:18:21.72
but here is the
point, whenever a person,
00:18:21.73\00:18:25.37
whenever a person joins a Church
00:18:25.38\00:18:27.00
and this is
something that I always tell
00:18:27.01\00:18:29.30
people are new in the
Church to really be careful.
00:18:29.31\00:18:32.27
Because what happens
is they get this complete
00:18:32.28\00:18:35.19
dose of truth that
they use it to just become
00:18:35.20\00:18:38.74
a measuring tool for
everyone else except themselves.
00:18:38.75\00:18:43.08
And they founded what I call
00:18:43.09\00:18:44.76
the avenue of criticism,
very, very, very critical.
00:18:44.77\00:18:48.13
Everything is wrong,
nobody is doing right,
00:18:48.14\00:18:50.45
everybody is, you know,
going down on wrong path,
00:18:50.46\00:18:53.15
everybody is
committing adultery,
00:18:53.16\00:18:54.31
nobody is living
by what they believe.
00:18:54.32\00:18:56.03
That is not true.
00:18:56.04\00:18:57.54
They are many
that are righteous,
00:18:57.55\00:18:59.35
matter of fact, Elijah.
00:18:59.36\00:19:02.43
You're saying this, I'm thinking
00:19:02.44\00:19:03.50
are you gonna mention Elijah.
00:19:03.51\00:19:04.48
Go ahead and say
it. Gimme a break.
00:19:04.49\00:19:06.18
You say there is no
one that serves Israel,
00:19:06.19\00:19:07.88
in Israel, except me.
00:19:07.89\00:19:09.02
You say, I'm the only one left.
00:19:09.03\00:19:10.81
The only one that's faithful.
00:19:10.82\00:19:12.16
And the Lord said, there are
00:19:12.17\00:19:13.47
seven thousand Israelites
who they haven't bowed to Baal.
00:19:13.48\00:19:16.73
Right. So, yeah.
00:19:16.74\00:19:18.55
So be careful, I want
to caution you to try to
00:19:18.56\00:19:21.30
not to get into
I-ism, because that's just
00:19:21.31\00:19:24.00
a bad disease, the I-disease.
00:19:24.01\00:19:25.91
Everybody has a
problem except me.
00:19:25.92\00:19:27.88
What I want you to see though,
00:19:27.89\00:19:28.86
is the condition of
the world and the Church
00:19:28.87\00:19:31.81
is if I were the
devil I would work as hard
00:19:31.82\00:19:34.15
on those who have the
truth as I possibly can.
00:19:34.16\00:19:36.55
And I would create in
the atmosphere of the hearts
00:19:36.56\00:19:38.70
that are not yet converted,
00:19:38.71\00:19:39.79
even the hearts
that are struggling.
00:19:39.80\00:19:41.31
You have to keep in
the mind the Church,
00:19:41.32\00:19:42.51
every Church is
a divine hospital.
00:19:42.52\00:19:45.13
People are there to get healed,
00:19:45.14\00:19:46.89
they are continuing to
grow and grow in grace,
00:19:46.90\00:19:50.77
not grow into grace but they're
00:19:50.78\00:19:52.08
growing in the grace of God.
00:19:52.09\00:19:53.51
We need grace
because we are imperfect.
00:19:53.52\00:19:55.80
But the Lord has
begun to work in them,
00:19:55.81\00:19:58.06
Philippians 1:6, the
Lord has begun a work in them
00:19:58.07\00:20:02.36
that he is going to
complete once they submit
00:20:02.37\00:20:04.84
to the surgical
process, using that example,
00:20:04.85\00:20:07.95
you know, a guy
heard about that got really
00:20:07.96\00:20:09.98
in a terrible
motorcycle accident,
00:20:09.99\00:20:11.75
looked like he wouldn't live.
00:20:11.76\00:20:13.03
After being in the hospital,
00:20:13.04\00:20:14.01
four months he walked
out on his own strength.
00:20:14.02\00:20:17.46
Didn't look
like he would survive
00:20:17.47\00:20:18.67
when he first got
there, he looked hopeless.
00:20:18.68\00:20:21.58
There were many
that look hopeless,
00:20:21.59\00:20:23.29
multiple
marriages, adultery, lying,
00:20:23.30\00:20:26.66
embezzlement,
don't support the church
00:20:26.67\00:20:28.47
with his tithe and offerings,
say one thing do another,
00:20:28.48\00:20:31.64
leave one way during the week,
00:20:31.65\00:20:32.62
another way on the weekend.
00:20:32.63\00:20:33.80
That's true in
every denomination.
00:20:33.81\00:20:35.41
Well, there is also a
glass half full glass,
00:20:35.42\00:20:37.52
half empty thing
here, so it's like.
00:20:37.53\00:20:40.06
What are you looking
for when you're looking
00:20:40.07\00:20:42.27
in the Church and
you're interacting with them,
00:20:42.28\00:20:44.43
are you looking for
the worst in people,
00:20:44.44\00:20:46.56
or you're looking
for the best in people?
00:20:46.57\00:20:48.50
Because I've found
that even though people
00:20:48.51\00:20:50.19
make mistakes, even
though they commit errors
00:20:50.20\00:20:52.79
and sins and stuff
that you just wouldn't
00:20:52.80\00:20:55.88
even consider doing yourself.
00:20:55.89\00:20:57.04
There are things about
them that are positive,
00:20:57.05\00:21:00.14
that you can, you
know, then you can enjoy
00:21:00.15\00:21:04.28
and help to nurture and
encourage and, you know,
00:21:04.29\00:21:07.86
make it your ministry, you know,
00:21:07.87\00:21:09.45
to help and lift up
these people and pray for them.
00:21:09.46\00:21:13.00
This is a positive approach
to the life in the Church.
00:21:13.01\00:21:16.98
Don't be
negative, don't separate
00:21:16.99\00:21:18.37
yourself as me and them.
00:21:18.38\00:21:19.86
You know, one of the
mottos that I've used
00:21:19.87\00:21:22.23
and I use it
every Church I pastor.
00:21:22.24\00:21:24.45
And you can even
come into the Church
00:21:24.46\00:21:25.96
and you can say,
what's the pastor's favorite
00:21:25.97\00:21:28.48
saying in this Church
and they'll tell you this.
00:21:28.49\00:21:30.27
"Judge yourself,
extend mercy to others."
00:21:32.29\00:21:37.62
What is it we often
do as Church members?
00:21:37.63\00:21:40.20
You judge others and
extend mercy to ourselves.
00:21:40.21\00:21:43.90
And so when I
came in there from the
00:21:43.91\00:21:46.19
very beginning and
this is same point, I said,
00:21:46.20\00:21:48.53
now the greatest
thing I expect of my elders
00:21:48.54\00:21:50.57
and of people that
are members of the Church,
00:21:50.58\00:21:52.09
our humility, is humility.
00:21:52.10\00:21:54.25
That's the biggest
characteristic I really
00:21:54.26\00:21:56.11
want to see everybody have.
00:21:56.12\00:21:57.73
But the second
thing is that you would
00:21:57.74\00:22:00.00
judge others, or judge yourself
00:22:00.01\00:22:02.59
extend mercy to others
rather than judging others
00:22:02.60\00:22:04.66
and extend mercy to yourself.
00:22:04.67\00:22:06.51
Of course, that is the
fruit of humility, isn't it?
00:22:06.52\00:22:08.95
Recognizing your
own failures other than
00:22:08.96\00:22:11.30
looking at
others failures. Right.
00:22:11.31\00:22:13.15
So really we need
to, this is the mind set
00:22:13.16\00:22:15.20
that Christ
wants to have, I mean,
00:22:15.21\00:22:16.81
can you imagine Christ
as He was going around.
00:22:16.82\00:22:19.59
I mean, His people
who received Him not,
00:22:19.60\00:22:22.41
what if He had
gone around and said,
00:22:22.42\00:22:24.13
these people are just a
bunch of hopeless folks.
00:22:24.14\00:22:27.21
I mean, His approach,
00:22:27.22\00:22:28.48
He looked to the possibilities,
00:22:28.49\00:22:30.40
not at their failures. Right.
00:22:30.41\00:22:32.45
He knew what they
could be through Him
00:22:32.46\00:22:34.08
and through His
power, not what they were.
00:22:34.09\00:22:36.91
You know, many years
ago I taught my niece,
00:22:36.92\00:22:38.97
my wife and I gave these
00:22:38.98\00:22:40.38
little Bible cards to my niece.
00:22:40.39\00:22:42.83
She is now in her early 30s,
00:22:42.84\00:22:46.31
she probably is not
happy I just said that.
00:22:46.32\00:22:48.63
However, whenever we
call her to this very day
00:22:48.64\00:22:51.64
we say, okay, Luke
19:10, what is that?
00:22:51.65\00:22:54.42
"The Son of Man has come to seek
00:22:54.43\00:22:56.25
and to save
that which was lost."
00:22:56.26\00:22:58.21
And I mention the
text and she would tell me
00:22:59.57\00:23:01.70
the verse, I mention the verse,
00:23:01.71\00:23:02.68
she tell me what the text says.
00:23:02.69\00:23:05.30
The fact of the matter is,
00:23:05.31\00:23:07.45
if you go to a
hospital and you get upset
00:23:07.46\00:23:09.61
because people are
sick, then it's not the people
00:23:09.62\00:23:13.49
are the problem it's you.
00:23:13.50\00:23:15.55
Because that's where sick
people are supposed to be.
00:23:15.56\00:23:17.73
Where are
sinners supposed to be?
00:23:17.74\00:23:20.82
In the Church,
not practicing sin
00:23:20.83\00:23:24.31
but at the feet of a
Savior who has come to seek
00:23:24.32\00:23:26.69
and to save those who are lost.
00:23:26.70\00:23:28.40
The more people you look at,
00:23:28.41\00:23:30.03
the more you will
come to the realization
00:23:30.04\00:23:31.70
that they are
sinners, who are in need
00:23:31.71\00:23:34.39
of the saving
grace of Christ everyday.
00:23:34.40\00:23:36.77
They will fall along
the way, and the Lord says,
00:23:36.78\00:23:39.41
however, there are those
who practice lawlessness.
00:23:39.42\00:23:42.57
There are those who are
determined not to do right,
00:23:42.58\00:23:45.00
those are the ones who
are living in inequity.
00:23:45.01\00:23:46.91
But if a person
falls, a person does wrong,
00:23:46.92\00:23:49.05
a person stumbles,
those are not the year marks
00:23:49.06\00:23:52.62
that we now say, I see,
00:23:52.63\00:23:53.97
that's the reason
why this Church is bad.
00:23:53.98\00:23:56.84
We could say that of every
denomination under the son.
00:23:56.85\00:23:59.43
Every Church has a
preacher that's gone bad,
00:23:59.44\00:24:02.08
every Church has
members that are living right,
00:24:02.09\00:24:04.03
every Church has --
but, but what you do?
00:24:04.04\00:24:06.94
You go to the hospital
where they're all being
00:24:06.95\00:24:09.95
ministered to and getting better
00:24:09.96\00:24:11.58
or you leave
them out in the world
00:24:11.59\00:24:12.60
where they die in
their malnourished sin.
00:24:12.61\00:24:15.29
That's the difference between
the church and the world.
00:24:15.30\00:24:17.22
But there is hope in the church.
00:24:17.23\00:24:18.78
That's why the Lord
says this and let me give you
00:24:18.79\00:24:20.75
this text here,
first in Matthew.
00:24:20.76\00:24:24.20
In book of Matthew Chapter 13,
00:24:24.21\00:24:27.30
something very, very important,
00:24:27.31\00:24:28.93
the Lord made a very
clear in Matthew 13:30,
00:24:28.94\00:24:32.27
speaking about the
wheat and the tare.
00:24:32.28\00:24:34.09
He says, "Let both grow
together until the harvest,
00:24:34.10\00:24:37.59
at the time of harvest
I will say to the reapers,
00:24:37.60\00:24:39.69
'First gather together the tares
00:24:39.70\00:24:41.62
and bind them in
bundles to burn them,
00:24:41.63\00:24:43.70
but gather the
wheat into my barn.'
00:24:43.71\00:24:45.69
"In the Church they
are wheat and tears.
00:24:45.70\00:24:47.73
That's a fact.
So what must we do?
00:24:47.74\00:24:50.32
Here is the text of the counsel,
00:24:50.33\00:24:52.09
Hebrews 12 and verse 2.
00:24:52.10\00:24:53.94
You got to start
looking unto Jesus,
00:24:53.95\00:24:56.53
the author and
finisher of your faith,
00:24:56.54\00:24:59.87
keep your eyes on
Christ, there is nothing
00:24:59.88\00:25:02.37
wrong with His
Church, there is nothing wrong
00:25:02.38\00:25:04.51
with the Bible,
there is nothing wrong
00:25:04.52\00:25:06.41
with the teachings in the Bible,
00:25:06.42\00:25:08.11
but the only problem
in the Christian Church
00:25:08.12\00:25:10.01
is people like you
and me, we're in it, okay.
00:25:10.02\00:25:14.04
What if someone say, I
went to the perfect Church
00:25:14.05\00:25:16.56
and the moment I sat
down, it was a problem.
00:25:16.57\00:25:18.80
Okay, there you go.
00:25:18.81\00:25:20.05
The only perfect
church is an empty Church,
00:25:20.06\00:25:22.06
however, when you
think about the church,
00:25:22.07\00:25:25.06
Jesus has upon this
rock I build my church,
00:25:25.07\00:25:27.60
when He comes back, however,
00:25:27.61\00:25:29.16
He is going to
present to His father,
00:25:29.17\00:25:30.75
a church without spot or
wrinkle or any such thing.
00:25:30.76\00:25:34.05
So submit to the
process and the people that
00:25:34.06\00:25:36.38
right now look like
they're not going to be saved,
00:25:36.39\00:25:39.15
will be enjoying
the kingdom with you,
00:25:39.16\00:25:41.17
if you give them the room for
Christ to work on their life.
00:25:41.18\00:25:44.41
No, there has
been no greater success
00:25:44.42\00:25:47.19
for the enemy then
causing someone to be hurt
00:25:47.20\00:25:50.33
by another in the
Church and then that individual
00:25:50.34\00:25:53.65
gets so hurt,
they leave the church.
00:25:53.66\00:25:56.23
It's not what the preacher says,
00:25:56.24\00:25:57.89
it's not the
truth from God's word,
00:25:57.90\00:25:59.57
it's not what -- you know,
00:25:59.58\00:26:00.83
it's not about
Christ, it's about someone
00:26:00.84\00:26:02.48
in the church hurting
someone else with their words,
00:26:02.49\00:26:05.14
with their actions,
with something they've done
00:26:05.15\00:26:07.42
and the devil sits
back and goes, wow!
00:26:07.43\00:26:09.30
That was easy. Yeah.
00:26:09.31\00:26:11.66
You know, we sit
down as pastors to some
00:26:11.67\00:26:13.82
who have been,
haven't been to church
00:26:13.83\00:26:14.98
for ten years or more times.
00:26:14.99\00:26:16.94
And you just ask, you know,
00:26:16.95\00:26:18.54
why aren't you in
church, what happened?
00:26:18.55\00:26:20.03
Well, way back when this
person did this and that,
00:26:20.04\00:26:22.98
and they left the Church.
00:26:22.99\00:26:24.46
And we're wondering,
00:26:24.47\00:26:25.56
brought them I
wonder what brought them
00:26:25.57\00:26:27.26
to church in the
first place? Was it Christ?
00:26:27.27\00:26:30.32
Or were they
there for the people,
00:26:30.33\00:26:31.65
for the social
club and other things.
00:26:31.66\00:26:33.68
You know, we're there because
00:26:33.69\00:26:34.89
this is the
place we worship Jesus.
00:26:34.90\00:26:37.10
This is the place we
follow our master, teacher.
00:26:37.11\00:26:39.40
This is place we learn from Him
00:26:39.41\00:26:41.26
and give back to Him everything
00:26:41.27\00:26:43.16
that we have
and in that respect,
00:26:43.17\00:26:45.15
if our eyes are kept
on Christ then the things
00:26:45.16\00:26:47.06
that people do to
us are nothing less
00:26:47.07\00:26:50.20
than prompting
us to pray for them.
00:26:50.21\00:26:53.48
So that we all may get to
the kingdom of heaven together.
00:26:53.49\00:26:56.29
So thank you, John.
00:26:56.30\00:26:57.86
Here is one thing
you want to avoid.
00:26:57.87\00:26:59.86
I just segue to the
topic on this particular text.
00:26:59.87\00:27:03.94
There are 12 tribes
mentioned in the Bible.
00:27:03.95\00:27:06.74
In Genesis
Chapter 49 you find them
00:27:06.75\00:27:08.84
in their original context.
00:27:08.85\00:27:11.06
In Revelation 7 you
will find I mentioned again.
00:27:11.07\00:27:14.01
There is one
particular one that I want to
00:27:14.02\00:27:16.11
point out that is not in
Revelation, his name is Dan.
00:27:16.12\00:27:19.27
Genesis Chapter 49 verse 19,
00:27:19.28\00:27:21.11
and here is the reason why
00:27:21.12\00:27:22.19
he is not
mentioned in Revelation.
00:27:22.20\00:27:24.08
Although it's
mentioned in Revelation are
00:27:24.09\00:27:25.66
overcomers, they
are symbols of those
00:27:25.67\00:27:27.51
who have overcome,
but Dan is not mentioned,
00:27:27.52\00:27:29.73
here is what Dan problem,
00:27:29.74\00:27:31.53
here is what Dan's problem was.
00:27:31.54\00:27:33.69
Genesis 49 verse 19, sorry,
00:27:33.70\00:27:36.42
Genesis 49 verse 16.
00:27:36.43\00:27:38.74
"Dan shall judge his people."
00:27:38.75\00:27:41.26
"Dan" verse 17, "shall
be a serpent by the way,
00:27:43.55\00:27:47.16
A viper by the path,
That bites the horse's heels
00:27:47.17\00:27:51.11
So that its rider
shall fall backward.
00:27:51.12\00:27:55.78
I have waited for
your salvation, O Lord!"
00:27:55.79\00:28:00.47
Daniel or Dan is one
who is a stumbling block.
00:28:00.48\00:28:05.80
Or Dan is one who
judges everybody but himself.
00:28:05.81\00:28:08.56
And those are the
characteristics there.
00:28:08.57\00:28:10.01
Right. The
characteristics there,
00:28:10.02\00:28:11.85
and so that's
Dan's characteristic.
00:28:11.86\00:28:13.83
He never judged himself so
therefore, he never overcame.
00:28:13.84\00:28:16.60
If he never overcame
he was never one that
00:28:16.61\00:28:18.22
mentioned in Revelation 7,
00:28:18.23\00:28:20.07
all those who are
part of the over comers.
00:28:20.08\00:28:22.00
So anyway look to
Jesus, let's not judge others,
00:28:22.01\00:28:24.63
there is nothing wrong
what the church's teachings,
00:28:24.64\00:28:26.77
there is nothing
wrong with the Bible.
00:28:26.78\00:28:28.29
The problem is
people are still growing
00:28:28.30\00:28:30.59
and they are
still being nurtured.
00:28:30.60\00:28:32.91
Thank you for
you Bible questions
00:28:32.92\00:28:34.20
that you've sent to us.
00:28:34.21\00:28:35.89
If you have any more
questions you like to
00:28:35.90\00:28:37.09
send to us, you
can send those to
00:28:37.10\00:28:38.55
housecalls@3abn.org
that's housecalls@3abn.org
00:28:38.56\00:28:44.12
and we promise to do our best
00:28:44.13\00:28:46.47
to respond to them
according to the scriptures.
00:28:46.48\00:28:48.74
We appreciate
your input so much.
00:28:48.75\00:28:52.18
Today we're going
to dive into a topic
00:28:52.19\00:28:54.62
that's going to
occupy, I'd say at least
00:28:54.63\00:28:57.89
the next six or eight programs.
00:28:57.90\00:29:00.88
We're talking about
why so many denominations
00:29:00.89\00:29:04.82
or in a single
word denominationalism,
00:29:04.83\00:29:08.86
that's a big word ism,
all those isms, you know,
00:29:08.87\00:29:11.66
capitalism, communism,
00:29:11.67\00:29:13.33
denominationalism,
gadgetarianism.
00:29:13.34\00:29:16.54
That's the one I
like people that have
00:29:18.47\00:29:20.65
an issue with gadgets.
00:29:20.66\00:29:22.67
But why are there are
so many denominations?
00:29:22.68\00:29:27.13
Where did all this variety
as the spice of life come from?
00:29:27.14\00:29:31.24
There are so many
people that, well you know,
00:29:31.25\00:29:33.67
go to
supermarket, or go to Safeway,
00:29:33.68\00:29:36.39
if I got to Hog, if
I go to Piggly Wigglys.
00:29:36.40\00:29:39.38
You know, if I got to
whatever store I go to,
00:29:39.39\00:29:42.34
you know, let me just Kroger,
00:29:42.35\00:29:44.12
let me just pick a cereal
and that's good enough for me.
00:29:44.13\00:29:48.09
Well, nowadays,
John, doctors are saying,
00:29:48.10\00:29:50.07
no that's not
good enough for you.
00:29:50.08\00:29:51.90
Look for something
with high fiber, low sugar.
00:29:51.91\00:29:55.21
So they're even saying to us,
00:29:55.22\00:29:56.31
that's not the best measure
00:29:56.32\00:29:57.42
just because it's on the shelf.
00:29:57.43\00:29:59.35
On in the very
same way, we're gonna be
00:29:59.36\00:30:00.54
talking about over the
next coming number of programs,
00:30:00.55\00:30:03.21
just because it
says it's a church
00:30:03.22\00:30:05.24
it's not
necessarily always good for you.
00:30:05.25\00:30:08.30
But how do we
know which church is
00:30:08.31\00:30:11.15
where we need to be, I
know some of you may be saying,
00:30:11.16\00:30:14.10
Ah! they're gonna
talk about their church.
00:30:14.11\00:30:16.22
You are absolutely right.
00:30:16.23\00:30:18.43
We're gonna begin by judging
and examining our own church.
00:30:18.44\00:30:22.01
Well, they may be
thinking you're gonna
00:30:22.02\00:30:23.61
lead us to your church
it's the only right church
00:30:23.62\00:30:25.85
but let me, we're gonna tell you
00:30:25.86\00:30:26.83
some problems with the church.
00:30:26.84\00:30:29.71
You know, yeah.
It's good, bad and ugly.
00:30:29.72\00:30:31.79
You know, John, I
think the launching pad here
00:30:33.22\00:30:35.77
is Ephesians 4 and
I know that it's...
00:30:35.78\00:30:38.10
That's a very good point.
00:30:38.11\00:30:40.12
You know, was
this ordained by God,
00:30:40.13\00:30:41.83
did Christ want
His churches divided?
00:30:41.84\00:30:45.20
Did He want
multiple denominations
00:30:45.21\00:30:47.53
and people to worship separately
00:30:47.54\00:30:49.22
and to believe different things.
00:30:49.23\00:30:51.87
Well, it says here
in Ephesians Chapter 4
00:30:51.88\00:30:57.30
and I'm gonna begin with verse 1
00:30:57.31\00:30:59.98
'cause I like the context here.
00:30:59.99\00:31:02.40
"I, therefore, the
prisoner of the Lord,
00:31:02.41\00:31:04.79
beseech you to walk
worthy of the calling
00:31:04.80\00:31:07.85
with which you were called,
00:31:07.86\00:31:09.76
with all
lowliness and gentleness,
00:31:09.77\00:31:12.01
with longsuffering, bearing
with one another in love,
00:31:12.02\00:31:15.44
endeavoring to
keep the unity of the
00:31:15.45\00:31:17.78
Spirit in the bond of peace."
00:31:17.79\00:31:19.94
So the goal, the objective here,
00:31:19.95\00:31:21.84
Paul was admonishing
the church to be unified.
00:31:21.85\00:31:24.86
That's right.
00:31:24.87\00:31:25.87
But then you look what he says,
00:31:25.88\00:31:27.12
going on because this is
what Christ has given the church
00:31:27.13\00:31:30.37
as far as a directive emission.
00:31:30.38\00:31:33.48
"There is one
body and one Spirit,
00:31:33.49\00:31:37.13
just as you were called
in one hope of your calling.
00:31:37.14\00:31:41.31
One Lord, one
faith, one baptism,
00:31:41.32\00:31:45.07
one God and Father of
all, who is above all,
00:31:45.08\00:31:48.03
and through
all, and in you all."
00:31:48.04\00:31:51.42
So how many? John, how
many are of these things?
00:31:51.43\00:31:55.03
One. One,
unified, there is just one
00:31:55.04\00:31:58.60
and I believe throughout time,
as Satan saw this happening,
00:31:58.61\00:32:03.82
as Satan saw the early Church
and the unifying of the body
00:32:03.83\00:32:07.44
under Christ and his direction.
00:32:07.45\00:32:10.21
I think one of his goals.
00:32:10.22\00:32:12.16
John, one of his
strategies was to divide,
00:32:12.17\00:32:14.96
it always is the enemy seeks
to divide and then conquer.
00:32:14.97\00:32:19.36
And he began to divide and
he did it over the very issues
00:32:19.37\00:32:22.53
that they were
supposed to be one in.
00:32:22.54\00:32:25.18
And that is, you
know, one body, one spirit,
00:32:25.19\00:32:28.02
one hope, one Lord, one faith,
all these things actually,
00:32:28.03\00:32:30.72
in fact, each of these as an
individual teaching, he divided.
00:32:30.73\00:32:34.12
That's right. He has a different
account of teaching on.
00:32:34.13\00:32:37.14
And so we'll explore some
of these and the time to come,
00:32:37.15\00:32:39.60
but you will see that,
it wasn't God's design ever
00:32:39.61\00:32:41.86
to have multiple thousands
of denominations as we do today?
00:32:41.87\00:32:45.87
Matter of fact, to strengthen
that point even further,
00:32:45.88\00:32:49.87
you will notice
that when Jesus speaks,
00:32:49.88\00:32:51.39
He doesn't speak duplicitously.
00:32:51.40\00:32:54.68
He speaks singularly.
00:32:54.69\00:32:56.83
He says, upon
this rock I build my,
00:32:56.84\00:33:01.12
I build my church,
this rock, not those rocks,
00:33:01.13\00:33:07.67
not those rocks, on this
rock I build my, singular.
00:33:07.68\00:33:12.14
He is building
his church, not many.
00:33:12.15\00:33:14.56
He is not talking about just
throwing all these, you know,
00:33:14.57\00:33:17.70
pick whatever color
you like and wear it.
00:33:17.71\00:33:19.89
He says, I build my church,
00:33:19.90\00:33:20.98
and the gates of hell
will not prevail against it.
00:33:20.99\00:33:23.55
Or newer transition
say that gates of Hades.
00:33:23.56\00:33:27.54
All the attacks of the enemy
cannot prevail against that.
00:33:27.55\00:33:30.45
And so you begin to see,
00:33:30.46\00:33:31.48
he also says in
John 10 verse 16,
00:33:31.49\00:33:33.44
Other sheep I have
that are not of this,
00:33:33.45\00:33:37.30
he doesn't say,
are not of these folds,
00:33:37.31\00:33:40.14
that are not of this fold.
00:33:40.15\00:33:42.54
One Lord, one faith,
he's talking about one fold,
00:33:42.55\00:33:45.47
one shepherd, John 10 verse 16.
00:33:45.48\00:33:47.74
So when you go back one Church,
00:33:47.75\00:33:49.25
one Lord, one
faith, one baptism,
00:33:49.26\00:33:50.72
one God, one Father of
all, one, one, one, one, one.
00:33:50.73\00:33:53.96
How did we get
to the place today
00:33:53.97\00:33:55.88
where there are so many
different denominations,
00:33:55.89\00:33:59.27
and the sadness, John
is this, there are people
00:33:59.28\00:34:02.22
that are fearful of
putting their faith to the test.
00:34:02.23\00:34:07.52
There are people that
are fearful of saying,
00:34:07.53\00:34:09.08
okay, I know what
my Church teaches,
00:34:09.09\00:34:10.85
but can it stand
upon against the scrutiny
00:34:10.86\00:34:13.38
in examination of the Bible.
00:34:13.39\00:34:14.92
Because, in fact, if
I give you directions
00:34:14.93\00:34:18.39
and the directions
needed to be check or examine,
00:34:18.40\00:34:21.97
the best way to check
them is against the map.
00:34:21.98\00:34:24.12
Google map, Rand McNally
map whatever the case maybe,
00:34:24.13\00:34:27.28
check it against the map.
00:34:27.29\00:34:28.66
We always have
things calibrated,
00:34:28.67\00:34:30.40
check it against the GPS,
and one of the reasons why
00:34:30.41\00:34:33.22
we all trust our
GPS's for the most part,
00:34:33.23\00:34:36.88
sometimes we
know a shorter route.
00:34:36.89\00:34:39.08
But one of the reasons
why we buy those device,
00:34:39.09\00:34:40.99
they're selling
by the millions is,
00:34:41.00\00:34:42.30
we believe that they
have been program to get us
00:34:42.31\00:34:44.33
from where we are,
to where we need to be.
00:34:44.34\00:34:47.16
Well, the Bible is
written by God to get us
00:34:47.17\00:34:49.52
from where we are
to where we need to be,
00:34:49.53\00:34:51.90
but the devil along way
have thrown some splinters
00:34:51.91\00:34:54.77
or shavings in the engine
00:34:54.78\00:34:56.41
under different
leaders throughout the ages.
00:34:56.42\00:34:58.83
And people are off into
all different directions
00:34:58.84\00:35:01.14
saying we're going one place.
00:35:01.15\00:35:03.26
It's not really logical,
it's not really truthful.
00:35:03.27\00:35:06.30
And so we're gonna
begin to examine starting
00:35:06.31\00:35:08.13
with our Church what we teach,
00:35:08.14\00:35:10.33
and are there
duplicitous fractions
00:35:10.34\00:35:13.53
and conflicts in
our own denomination.
00:35:13.54\00:35:16.73
Let's explore further
before we dive into the Church.
00:35:16.74\00:35:21.30
Let's explore one aspect I think
00:35:21.31\00:35:23.55
it's very important
to talk about which is,
00:35:23.56\00:35:26.20
you know, does a
Bible have anything to say
00:35:26.21\00:35:28.94
about the counterfeit.
00:35:28.95\00:35:31.66
Satan's strategy, you
know, what he is doing to,
00:35:31.67\00:35:35.65
to divide the church
and set up a multiplicity
00:35:35.66\00:35:38.70
as you're saying of
Churches and of doctrines,
00:35:38.71\00:35:41.36
and of faiths
and all these things.
00:35:41.37\00:35:43.15
We know there is a multiplicity
already of religions.
00:35:43.16\00:35:45.44
Right. So that's His
first tiered strategy,
00:35:45.45\00:35:47.62
you know, create
other forms of religion,
00:35:47.63\00:35:50.36
but even within the Church,
00:35:50.37\00:35:51.87
because if you look
at the scriptures clearly
00:35:51.88\00:35:53.94
it says that Satan war
is against Christ's Church.
00:35:53.95\00:35:57.28
Right. Not just
establishing other religions.
00:35:57.29\00:36:00.40
The Church of Christ itself,
he's warring against that.
00:36:00.41\00:36:02.81
So what do we find here?
00:36:02.82\00:36:04.28
And if you go to
the book of Revelation,
00:36:04.29\00:36:06.13
okay, which is,
you know, sometimes,
00:36:06.14\00:36:08.51
John, I call
Revelation, the Revelation story
00:36:08.52\00:36:11.54
because it is a
story, it's a story of,
00:36:11.55\00:36:15.20
it takes us way back
before earth's history began
00:36:15.21\00:36:18.81
and it's a story
that takes us way beyond
00:36:18.82\00:36:20.65
where we are today.
00:36:20.66\00:36:22.43
And if you look at Revelation,
00:36:22.44\00:36:25.32
it's just briefly
you begin in Chapter 12
00:36:25.33\00:36:27.99
you will find that
there is this sign of a woman
00:36:28.00\00:36:31.40
that appears in verse
1, "she appears in heaven
00:36:31.41\00:36:37.66
clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
00:36:37.67\00:36:40.22
and on her head a
garland of twelve stars."
00:36:40.23\00:36:44.17
And if you look at,
in fact I had a chance,
00:36:44.18\00:36:46.91
John, in a previous program,
you were gone for scheduling.
00:36:46.92\00:36:51.02
But I offered to our
listeners and our viewers,
00:36:51.03\00:36:56.67
a chart that's a Revelation
symbols and explanations chart.
00:36:56.68\00:37:00.08
Lot of you sent me an email
and I sent that back to you.
00:37:00.09\00:37:04.07
But if you look at that you will
find that clearly in scripture,
00:37:04.08\00:37:07.65
a woman is a
representative of a Church.
00:37:07.66\00:37:09.89
Right. A body of believers.
00:37:09.90\00:37:12.63
And so the woman can
represent Israel of old,
00:37:12.64\00:37:15.82
but the woman can also
represent Christ's church
00:37:15.83\00:37:18.61
in the New
Testament, the early Church.
00:37:18.62\00:37:20.55
That's right. And
you find here that
00:37:20.56\00:37:24.12
this symbol is not only carried
or isn't just identified here
00:37:24.13\00:37:27.63
in Revelation, but
it's throughout scriptures.
00:37:27.64\00:37:29.71
When Jesus saw that
the children of Israel
00:37:29.72\00:37:32.49
were rebelling against Him,
00:37:32.50\00:37:34.14
when they were
backsliding against Him.
00:37:34.15\00:37:37.42
He referred to them
as a harlot. That's true.
00:37:37.43\00:37:41.59
So they weren't His pure Church
at the time they were a harlot.
00:37:41.60\00:37:44.91
In fact he said they
were playing the harlot.
00:37:44.92\00:37:47.15
And even actually
called them a harlot,
00:37:47.16\00:37:48.88
they were playing
the role of a harlot.
00:37:48.89\00:37:51.31
And so as you look that
and you start to see, okay,
00:37:51.32\00:37:54.53
woman pure, God's Church harlot,
00:37:54.54\00:37:57.43
impure,
backsliding, not God's Church.
00:37:57.44\00:38:00.52
You begin to see the symbols
00:38:00.53\00:38:02.04
then coming alive
here in Revelation.
00:38:02.05\00:38:04.23
And so kind of with that
I want to throw this to you.
00:38:04.24\00:38:06.79
Take us to Revelation 17
and where we go from there,
00:38:06.80\00:38:09.59
because Revelation just
doesn't depict a pure woman.
00:38:09.60\00:38:13.22
There are something
else that is telling us about
00:38:13.23\00:38:15.09
what happens to
this woman going forward.
00:38:15.10\00:38:18.55
Matter of fact, I
will use Revelation 12
00:38:18.56\00:38:20.09
then jump into Revelation 17.
00:38:20.10\00:38:21.65
Look at Revelation
12, we're there already,
00:38:21.66\00:38:24.10
and I'm not gonna go
through the whole book,
00:38:24.11\00:38:26.37
but I'm just gonna show you
a very important part of it.
00:38:26.38\00:38:28.36
Because Revelation 12 is
the history of the Church,
00:38:28.37\00:38:31.30
as John pointed out very
clearly more specifically
00:38:31.31\00:38:33.73
the New Testament church.
00:38:33.74\00:38:35.28
And it talks about how
Satan sought over and over
00:38:35.29\00:38:38.15
and over and over
again to wipe the church out.
00:38:38.16\00:38:40.52
But God provided protection,
00:38:40.53\00:38:42.52
historically we know
that the Lord had the church
00:38:42.53\00:38:47.60
in refuge munitions in the rocks
00:38:47.61\00:38:50.86
and the mountains
of Europe and caves
00:38:50.87\00:38:52.84
and people had to
literally hide for their lives
00:38:52.85\00:38:56.98
and serve God in secret
because of the domination
00:38:56.99\00:39:01.29
of the Church for 1260 years,
00:39:01.30\00:39:03.91
but there is a particular
one that's gonna cause us
00:39:03.92\00:39:06.06
to jump from where we are
going right to Revelation 17.
00:39:06.07\00:39:09.53
Look at Revelation
12 in verse 14, well,
00:39:09.54\00:39:12.88
verse 13 and 14, because
13 leads us right in. It says,
00:39:12.89\00:39:16.33
"Now when the dragon saw that
he had been cast to the earth,
00:39:16.34\00:39:19.83
he persecuted the woman who
gave birth to the male Child.
00:39:19.84\00:39:23.95
But the woman was given
two wings of a great eagle,
00:39:23.96\00:39:27.07
that she might fly
into the wilderness,
00:39:27.08\00:39:30.33
to a place where she
is nourished for a time
00:39:30.34\00:39:33.12
and times and half a time, from
the presence of the serpent."
00:39:33.13\00:39:37.44
And so clearly you see here
00:39:37.45\00:39:38.77
for 1200 time,
time and half a time.
00:39:38.78\00:39:41.94
A time literally--I want to just
kind of put this one to sleep,
00:39:41.95\00:39:46.97
a lot of times
people say time, time,
00:39:46.98\00:39:48.76
and half a times
refer to Jewish calendar.
00:39:48.77\00:39:51.87
This more specifically
refer to time, times,
00:39:51.88\00:39:54.88
and half a time in
the astronomical sense.
00:39:54.89\00:39:57.55
Remember this is
written in the Greek here.
00:39:57.56\00:39:59.90
And in the context of
astronomy, not astrology,
00:39:59.91\00:40:02.83
astronomy one time refers
00:40:02.84\00:40:05.90
to one complete
revolution round the sun.
00:40:05.91\00:40:09.28
Right. That's 360 degrees.
00:40:09.29\00:40:11.58
Times refers to two
revolutions that 720.
00:40:11.59\00:40:15.24
You combine that
and half a time is 180,
00:40:15.25\00:40:17.94
so you add 360, 720,
and 180 and you get 1260.
00:40:17.95\00:40:22.60
So is a time,
times, half a time.
00:40:22.61\00:40:27.06
That's right. That's
where the 1260 come from.
00:40:27.07\00:40:29.16
Not a different
calendar because when you start
00:40:29.17\00:40:31.24
having all these different
calendars, different dates.
00:40:31.25\00:40:33.34
People can honestly say,
we've lost track of time.
00:40:33.35\00:40:36.50
You know, and the
other thing too is don't get
00:40:36.51\00:40:37.89
thrown off too by
our current 365 day year.
00:40:37.90\00:40:41.85
Right. Because it
was always counted
00:40:41.86\00:40:45.46
as 360 days throughout
the history of Israel,
00:40:45.47\00:40:49.79
and that's the way
their calendar treated
00:40:49.80\00:40:52.29
every month was 30 days.
00:40:52.30\00:40:53.94
It was based on
the moon and its cycle.
00:40:53.95\00:40:57.11
So it's hard because, its count,
00:40:57.12\00:40:59.75
it becomes a
little obscure today.
00:40:59.76\00:41:01.55
But the principle, we understand
00:41:01.56\00:41:03.35
what the
principle is you're saying.
00:41:03.36\00:41:04.38
And they always had to
add a little extra time
00:41:04.39\00:41:06.51
and we call now leap
years to make up the difference
00:41:06.52\00:41:09.86
in the seconds of the clock.
00:41:09.87\00:41:11.33
But, so you find a woman
going in to the wilderness.
00:41:11.34\00:41:15.64
She goes in pure, what happens
00:41:15.65\00:41:19.46
while she's there?
Revelation 17 it says,
00:41:19.47\00:41:25.03
so he carried--
Revelation 17 and verse 3,
00:41:25.04\00:41:30.05
"So he carried me away in the
Spirit" that is now in vision.
00:41:30.06\00:41:34.59
"Into the wilderness.
00:41:34.60\00:41:36.64
And I saw a woman
sitting on a scarlet beast,
00:41:36.65\00:41:40.76
which was full of
names of blasphemy,
00:41:40.77\00:41:43.80
having seven
heads and ten horns.
00:41:43.81\00:41:47.14
And the woman was
arrayed in purple and scarlet,
00:41:47.15\00:41:49.37
and adorned with gold and
precious stones and pearls,
00:41:49.38\00:41:52.23
having in her hand a
golden cup full of abominations
00:41:52.24\00:41:55.44
and the filthiness
of her fornication."
00:41:55.45\00:41:57.50
Let's stop there for a second,
00:41:57.51\00:41:58.65
because
something jumped out at me
00:41:58.66\00:42:00.36
that I haven't really
thought about or talked to,
00:42:00.37\00:42:02.95
specifically in point
of, in 12 you had a dragon
00:42:02.96\00:42:08.71
that was warring
after a woman who was pure.
00:42:08.72\00:42:11.31
Now you have a
beast, that's red scarlet,
00:42:11.32\00:42:15.57
it's the same, I
mean, you're talking about
00:42:15.58\00:42:17.01
another dragon,
it's a red beast.
00:42:17.02\00:42:18.88
Right. With seven
heads and ten horns
00:42:18.89\00:42:20.57
only this time
what's the woman doing?
00:42:20.58\00:42:22.18
She's riding
it. She's riding it.
00:42:22.19\00:42:23.96
She's in harmony with him now.
00:42:23.97\00:42:26.36
She's not running
from it, she's on it.
00:42:26.37\00:42:29.73
A matter of fact,
you see that transition
00:42:29.74\00:42:31.45
when you go to Revelation 13,
00:42:31.46\00:42:32.91
you see the seven
heads and ten horns,
00:42:32.92\00:42:34.65
and it says, the
dragon gave him his power,
00:42:34.66\00:42:38.94
his seat, and
his great authority.
00:42:38.95\00:42:41.02
So you see that
Satan found a way
00:42:41.03\00:42:44.01
into the church
during the dark ages,
00:42:44.02\00:42:45.61
this is so appropriate
for the setting of our topic,
00:42:45.62\00:42:49.09
of all the
different denominations.
00:42:49.10\00:42:50.56
The devil found the way into
the church during the dark ages
00:42:50.57\00:42:53.73
and by the time you
get to this picture,
00:42:53.74\00:42:55.31
during the dark
ages you find here,
00:42:55.32\00:42:57.32
the woman is
sitting on the beast now,
00:42:57.33\00:43:00.04
riding the
scarlet colored beast.
00:43:00.05\00:43:02.81
No longer in opposition and
now the Bible describes her,
00:43:02.82\00:43:06.27
in the condition that she
has now in the present condition
00:43:06.28\00:43:10.88
that she, I would use a
phrase metamorphosized into,
00:43:10.89\00:43:15.06
she was pure before.
00:43:15.07\00:43:16.52
Sun, moon, stars,
00:43:16.53\00:43:17.84
but now wait a minute
something is missing here.
00:43:17.85\00:43:20.21
She is called in
Revelation 17 verse 5,
00:43:20.22\00:43:23.63
"Mystery, Babylon the
Great, the Mother of harlots
00:43:23.64\00:43:28.66
and of the
abominations of the earth."
00:43:28.67\00:43:30.98
And so you clearly see her now,
00:43:30.99\00:43:32.72
she is not by
herself but she has harlots.
00:43:32.73\00:43:36.58
Harlots meaning she is the madam
00:43:36.59\00:43:39.13
and she has
women working for her.
00:43:39.14\00:43:41.63
They're all under her rule.
00:43:41.64\00:43:43.32
Now you got to get this
because this is powerful.
00:43:43.33\00:43:45.94
You see the symbol in
the Bible for the Church is--
00:43:45.95\00:43:48.97
Woman. The woman.
00:43:48.98\00:43:50.05
Okay, so if the
woman has daughters,
00:43:50.06\00:43:53.37
break that down for us.
00:43:53.38\00:43:54.69
Well, if the woman
is pure, she's single,
00:43:54.70\00:43:57.75
notice that the
purity of that woman starting
00:43:57.76\00:44:00.02
in twelve is showing us
that God has a pure Church.
00:44:00.03\00:44:03.64
And no
daughters. And no daughters.
00:44:03.65\00:44:05.25
Okay. That's right.
00:44:05.26\00:44:06.24
And then you get to Chapter 17
00:44:06.25\00:44:09.02
and we see that
her name is Mystery,
00:44:09.03\00:44:10.26
Babylon the Great,
the Mother of harlots.
00:44:10.27\00:44:12.69
She herself is a harlot,
and she has harlot daughters.
00:44:12.70\00:44:17.46
And so all of
them are women. Okay.
00:44:17.47\00:44:20.16
So therefore, you must
have then in the situation here,
00:44:20.17\00:44:23.45
a church that is no longer
following Christ but is being,
00:44:23.46\00:44:26.85
is riding around on the beast,
00:44:26.86\00:44:29.71
and notice who is
doing the driving?
00:44:29.72\00:44:31.72
The beast. The
beast is driving it,
00:44:31.73\00:44:33.35
not the woman any longer.
00:44:33.36\00:44:34.78
So she is riding around on
this beast and she has children,
00:44:34.79\00:44:38.17
she has daughters, also women,
00:44:38.18\00:44:40.58
also churches who
have followed her example,
00:44:40.59\00:44:44.23
they are harlots as well,
they've apostatized as well.
00:44:44.24\00:44:46.77
And they're following
her, established doctrines,
00:44:46.78\00:44:52.25
her lead, her
everything that she teaches.
00:44:52.26\00:44:55.18
And not everything,
I mean, there are parts
00:44:55.19\00:44:56.67
that may be that they've changed
00:44:56.68\00:44:57.90
and we'll see where
this all comes from.
00:44:57.91\00:44:59.58
But this is where we're at,
00:44:59.59\00:45:00.80
by the time you
get to Revelation 17.
00:45:00.81\00:45:02.95
The church is
changed and it is multiplied
00:45:02.96\00:45:06.59
but it hasn't
multiplied as a good thing,
00:45:06.60\00:45:08.88
it's not
multiple pure daughters,
00:45:08.89\00:45:11.13
it is multiple harlot daughters.
00:45:11.14\00:45:13.87
And so, so the Bible puts
her in the category of Babylon,
00:45:13.88\00:45:19.57
calls her
Babylon, that's her name,
00:45:19.58\00:45:22.30
not just the woman but Babylon.
00:45:22.31\00:45:25.00
What is her condition?
00:45:25.01\00:45:27.37
She is obviously
in a terrible state
00:45:27.38\00:45:30.16
because now she is
hanging out with the beast,
00:45:30.17\00:45:32.36
the very one that
warred against her.
00:45:32.37\00:45:34.92
He has found a way to get
her to be in line with him,
00:45:34.93\00:45:38.73
but what else does
it say about this woman?
00:45:38.74\00:45:40.70
Yeah, and I was gonna see
may be we should define Babylon,
00:45:40.71\00:45:43.92
what does Babylon mean?
00:45:43.93\00:45:44.92
Okay, well, here Revelation
18, I am going ahead now.
00:45:44.93\00:45:47.87
Go ahead.
Revelation 18 and verse 2,
00:45:47.88\00:45:51.71
Revelation 18
and verse 2, it says,
00:45:51.72\00:45:54.97
"And he cried mightily
with a loud voice, saying,
00:45:54.98\00:45:57.38
Babylon the great
is fallen, is fallen,
00:45:57.39\00:46:00.26
is fallen, and has
become the habitation of demons,
00:46:00.27\00:46:02.87
a prison for every foul spirit,
00:46:02.88\00:46:06.26
and a cage for every
unclean and hated bird!"
00:46:06.27\00:46:09.77
But I want you to get something,
we got to go to verse 4, John.
00:46:09.78\00:46:16.17
Why is Babylon
described that way?
00:46:16.18\00:46:18.90
"For all the nations
have drunk of the wine
00:46:18.91\00:46:21.64
of the wrath of
her fornication,"
00:46:21.65\00:46:23.53
read verse 3 continually John.
00:46:23.54\00:46:26.47
"The kings of the earth have
committed fornication with her,
00:46:26.48\00:46:29.67
and the merchants of
the earth have become rich
00:46:29.68\00:46:32.79
by the abundance of her luxury.
00:46:32.80\00:46:34.86
Then I heard," look at verse 4.
00:46:34.87\00:46:36.63
"I heard another
voice from heaven saying,
00:46:36.64\00:46:38.95
'Come out of her, my people,
lest you share in her sins,
00:46:38.96\00:46:43.02
and lest you
receive of her plagues."
00:46:43.03\00:46:45.49
Okay, now get this.
My church, my people.
00:46:45.50\00:46:52.73
The Lord says, I
will be in my church
00:46:52.74\00:46:54.70
and then here it says my people.
00:46:54.71\00:46:57.31
Now the gates of hell will
not prevail against this Church.
00:46:57.32\00:47:00.82
So this church has not
been pulled in by Babylon
00:47:00.83\00:47:03.61
'cause it's not gonna happen.
00:47:03.62\00:47:05.93
But I have some
people that are mine,
00:47:05.94\00:47:07.81
I got to get my
people into my church thus
00:47:07.82\00:47:11.40
John 10:16 other sheep I have
that are not of this fold them
00:47:11.41\00:47:15.38
also I must bring,
00:47:15.39\00:47:16.38
the call has come
out of her, my people.
00:47:16.39\00:47:20.06
So here is an interesting point,
00:47:20.07\00:47:21.93
there is difference between
the church and the people.
00:47:21.94\00:47:25.02
That's right. Church is
God's established church
00:47:25.03\00:47:29.28
including its
system of teachings
00:47:29.29\00:47:31.69
and that if follows Christ,
00:47:31.70\00:47:33.13
it is pure in its
doctrine, in its truth.
00:47:33.14\00:47:36.25
The people that worship in her
are following God's teachings.
00:47:36.26\00:47:40.58
But there are
people that are God's,
00:47:40.59\00:47:42.29
that are in other
churches that have apostatize
00:47:42.30\00:47:44.57
that aren't teaching truths.
00:47:44.58\00:47:46.09
That are following error.
00:47:46.10\00:47:47.75
He's got to pull his people
out of there and bring them
00:47:47.76\00:47:50.17
into his true church so
that we can be all together,
00:47:50.18\00:47:53.11
one flock with one shepherd.
00:47:53.12\00:47:54.69
And you know what,
the people that are there,
00:47:54.70\00:47:56.72
many of them have not followed
these cunningly devised fables.
00:47:56.73\00:48:02.57
Willingly but they've
followed it ignorantly.
00:48:02.58\00:48:06.66
And the reason why they
have fallen under the guise
00:48:06.67\00:48:09.12
or the deceptions of
the Church of Babylon,
00:48:09.13\00:48:11.08
of the teachings that are there.
00:48:11.09\00:48:12.34
It's because
this says in verse 3,
00:48:12.35\00:48:13.76
for all nations
have drunk of the wine.
00:48:13.77\00:48:16.86
When you drink
wine you get inebriated.
00:48:16.87\00:48:19.50
Another single
word of inebriated
00:48:19.51\00:48:21.18
is drunk or intoxicated,
and the hardest thing
00:48:21.19\00:48:24.17
for drunk person to do
is walk a straight line,
00:48:24.18\00:48:26.49
you can get, that's why
when a police pulls you over,
00:48:26.50\00:48:28.97
they do the breathalyzer test.
00:48:28.98\00:48:31.23
You see the
breathalyzer test says,
00:48:31.24\00:48:34.33
says there is lot of
spiritual obligation here.
00:48:34.34\00:48:36.20
It says, I can tell by examining
what comes out of your mouth,
00:48:36.21\00:48:39.36
what's inside of your body.
00:48:39.37\00:48:42.14
I can tell by your inability
to walk a straight line
00:48:42.15\00:48:45.42
that there is something wrong.
00:48:45.43\00:48:46.78
So when your
teaching are not straight,
00:48:46.79\00:48:48.91
like the Bible says, make
straight paths for your feet,
00:48:48.92\00:48:51.70
the road to eternal
life is a narrow path,
00:48:51.71\00:48:53.93
that means, straight.
00:48:53.94\00:48:55.37
You see clearly that
somebody is messing up
00:48:55.38\00:48:58.07
the way that God
wants His people to walk.
00:48:58.08\00:49:00.11
And He says, they love me
but they are in the wrong place,
00:49:00.12\00:49:02.79
I got to get them out of there.
00:49:02.80\00:49:04.25
So what we wanna do at the
very beginning of the program,
00:49:04.26\00:49:06.22
is we don't want to
talk about the people.
00:49:06.23\00:49:08.79
We're gonna talk
about the various things
00:49:08.80\00:49:10.90
that have gotten
people where they are
00:49:10.91\00:49:12.94
and why in this very critical
hour of earth's history,
00:49:12.95\00:49:15.38
God is saying to His
people, if you hear my voice
00:49:15.39\00:49:18.42
as He says in John Chapter 10,
00:49:18.43\00:49:20.37
if you hear my
voice you will come out,
00:49:20.38\00:49:22.42
you will follow me,
you will get on to the path
00:49:22.43\00:49:24.56
that's straight and narrow.
00:49:24.57\00:49:26.03
You know, and, when
His talking about the wine
00:49:26.04\00:49:28.15
that is dispensed,
00:49:28.16\00:49:29.23
it dispensed by the
church, not the people.
00:49:29.24\00:49:31.88
It's the teachings of the
church that deceive the people.
00:49:31.89\00:49:34.97
Right. And you say,
well, how you arrive at wine
00:49:34.98\00:49:37.84
being the teachings of
false teachings of the church.
00:49:37.85\00:49:40.70
We know, we got to give you
a text for everything, right?
00:49:40.71\00:49:42.69
Okay, go for it.
Micah 2 verse 11.
00:49:42.70\00:49:44.41
Right. Look at
this, Micah 2 verse 11,
00:49:44.42\00:49:47.73
"If a man should walk in a false
spirit and speak a lie, saying,
00:49:47.74\00:49:53.95
'I will prophesy to
you of wine and drink,'
00:49:53.96\00:49:58.15
even he would be the
prattler of this people."
00:49:58.16\00:50:02.33
So when you're
talking about wine dispensed,
00:50:02.34\00:50:06.06
you were talking
about false prophesy,
00:50:06.07\00:50:08.67
deceiving, deceitful words,
things to move or mislead,
00:50:08.68\00:50:12.52
to guide or to make go astray.
00:50:12.53\00:50:15.36
And this is why
the people are drunk
00:50:15.37\00:50:17.64
because they don't
know what to follow,
00:50:17.65\00:50:19.35
they can't
stand on stable ground
00:50:19.36\00:50:20.73
'cause the
ground's always moving.
00:50:20.74\00:50:23.05
And so the wine is causing
the people to be deceived.
00:50:23.06\00:50:27.72
So the truth
reaches out to the people,
00:50:27.73\00:50:30.52
brings them out of Babylon
00:50:30.53\00:50:32.12
so they can not only
be in God's true church,
00:50:32.13\00:50:33.96
they can be as one
as with God's people.
00:50:33.97\00:50:36.63
That's right, and God
wants His people to be one,
00:50:36.64\00:50:39.29
so it's very important that we
don't get hung up on the label.
00:50:39.30\00:50:45.11
I remember one
person once saying,
00:50:45.12\00:50:46.72
well, how do I know
where to come and how,
00:50:46.73\00:50:50.54
how do I find out
where I'm supposed to be.
00:50:50.55\00:50:52.71
I'm just off again, you know,
I'm not even gonna go to Church
00:50:52.72\00:50:54.92
because I am just so confused.
00:50:54.93\00:50:56.46
It's not that difficult.
00:50:56.47\00:50:59.59
It requires study,
but it's not difficult.
00:50:59.60\00:51:02.83
The Lord can
lead us and guide us,
00:51:02.84\00:51:04.36
which He promises to do
through the Holy Spirit.
00:51:04.37\00:51:06.65
John, there was a,
there was a quick story.
00:51:06.66\00:51:08.65
Sure. On the
radio the other day,
00:51:08.66\00:51:10.07
there was someone
that was teaching some,
00:51:10.08\00:51:11.84
some truths about how important
it is to know their Bible.
00:51:11.85\00:51:15.18
And He was suggesting that
all the people not just follow
00:51:15.19\00:51:19.89
what their pastors
were telling them blindly.
00:51:19.90\00:51:22.73
If they go to the word
of God and actually study
00:51:22.74\00:51:28.06
the stuff for
themselves to determine
00:51:28.07\00:51:30.11
whether or not it's
truth or error. Right.
00:51:30.12\00:51:31.85
And by the way, this was
not an Adventist preacher,
00:51:31.86\00:51:33.55
this was another
teacher that was saying,
00:51:33.56\00:51:36.61
don't just believe
everything you hear, follow it.
00:51:36.62\00:51:38.84
And you know, what the
response was when a person said,
00:51:38.85\00:51:41.45
well you know, that
would be a lot of work.
00:51:41.46\00:51:46.19
And I thought my, oh my!
00:51:46.20\00:51:48.96
You mean, it would be a
lot of work to find the truth.
00:51:48.97\00:51:52.33
When Jesus says, they will know
00:51:52.34\00:51:54.48
the truth and
the truth will what?
00:51:54.49\00:51:56.15
Make them free. Make them free,
00:51:56.16\00:51:58.28
the question is do
you want to be free.
00:51:58.29\00:52:00.27
Sometimes when you're in bondage
00:52:00.28\00:52:02.68
it takes work to become free.
00:52:02.69\00:52:05.20
And Jesus is saying that He
will set you free by His truth.
00:52:05.21\00:52:08.63
If you study it, if you
read it out, you will be free.
00:52:08.64\00:52:11.64
Isn't it worth the work?
00:52:11.65\00:52:13.24
That's right, it
is worth the work.
00:52:13.25\00:52:14.97
Absolutely, it
surprised me to hear that
00:52:14.98\00:52:17.49
and hear someone say, well
that will be a lot of work.
00:52:17.50\00:52:19.77
What our world has
done today is just taken
00:52:19.78\00:52:22.58
what I called the
process out of the hands
00:52:22.59\00:52:24.34
of so many other people.
00:52:24.35\00:52:25.80
We just kind of wanted,
00:52:25.81\00:52:27.74
you know, we wanted all packaged
00:52:27.75\00:52:29.41
and put to
together just kind of--
00:52:29.42\00:52:31.15
Okay, so we go and buy the book.
00:52:31.16\00:52:34.22
We have inundated ourselves
with so many people's books,
00:52:34.23\00:52:39.15
that we have ignored thee book.
00:52:39.16\00:52:42.11
If you study this one
book you won't get confused,
00:52:42.12\00:52:45.06
it will guide you through prayer
00:52:45.07\00:52:47.87
and study of the
word you will be guided
00:52:47.88\00:52:50.52
in the right direction.
00:52:50.53\00:52:51.54
But people are comfortable
with books and preachers
00:52:51.55\00:52:53.79
and teachers and
there is pretty much saying,
00:52:53.80\00:52:56.53
well, you know, my
pastor doesn't look like a guy
00:52:56.54\00:52:59.52
that we wanted to deceive me,
00:52:59.53\00:53:00.91
but then again that's
part of the deception.
00:53:00.92\00:53:02.74
He doesn't look the part.
00:53:02.75\00:53:04.05
Satan says,
okay, I have ministers
00:53:04.06\00:53:06.29
who appear to be
ministers of righteousness
00:53:06.30\00:53:08.73
but inwardly they are
raven, ravenous wolves.
00:53:08.74\00:53:12.56
First
Corinthians, second Corinthians
00:53:12.57\00:53:14.05
Chapter 11 verse 13 and 14,
00:53:14.06\00:53:16.93
he says, they look the part,
00:53:16.94\00:53:19.05
that's what makes
a deception so easy,
00:53:19.06\00:53:21.41
they look the part.
00:53:21.42\00:53:22.51
Read that text for
me, John, for such,
00:53:22.52\00:53:24.29
I think it's very 13 and 14.
00:53:24.30\00:53:25.75
Yes, verse 13 of
second Corinthians 11. Yeah.
00:53:25.76\00:53:28.27
"For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers,
00:53:28.28\00:53:31.17
transforming themselves
into apostles of Christ.
00:53:31.18\00:53:34.59
And no wonder, for Satan
himself transforms himself
00:53:34.60\00:53:37.89
into an angel of light.
00:53:37.90\00:53:39.53
Therefore it is no
great thing if his ministers,"
00:53:39.54\00:53:42.98
note that Satan has ministers.
00:53:42.99\00:53:44.29
"If his ministers
also transform themselves
00:53:44.30\00:53:47.67
into ministers of righteousness,
00:53:47.68\00:53:49.60
whose end will be
according to their works."
00:53:49.61\00:53:51.80
Isn't that
amazing? He has ministers,
00:53:51.81\00:53:54.58
so when you say, minister so
and so, or minister so and so,
00:53:54.59\00:53:57.70
or minister so and so, you know,
00:53:57.71\00:53:59.25
it doesn't mean anything to me,
00:53:59.26\00:54:00.69
it doesn't mean
anything to God either.
00:54:00.70\00:54:02.91
Is He a minister
of righteousness?
00:54:02.92\00:54:05.62
And the other
interesting thing too is...
00:54:05.63\00:54:06.90
Is He a minister of truth?
00:54:06.91\00:54:08.06
Absolutely, if you look
at the book of Job, verse 5,
00:54:08.07\00:54:11.50
it says, "Certain men
have crept in unnoticed."
00:54:11.51\00:54:14.32
Right. You
know, and they aren't,
00:54:14.33\00:54:16.57
you can't just see, you
can't know by looking at him.
00:54:16.58\00:54:20.03
You can only know by what?
00:54:20.04\00:54:22.15
Hearing what they teach.
00:54:22.16\00:54:24.48
A person, oh, right,
exactly you have to know
00:54:24.49\00:54:28.44
by the what the,
you will know them,
00:54:28.45\00:54:30.56
you will know
them by their fruits.
00:54:30.57\00:54:32.71
There are many
Christians that are,
00:54:32.72\00:54:34.28
they just so love the Lord.
00:54:34.29\00:54:36.29
Their fruits are
beautiful, love, joy, peace,
00:54:36.30\00:54:38.50
longsuffering,
gentle, meekness, patience.
00:54:38.51\00:54:40.79
Then there are
some who would know
00:54:40.80\00:54:41.81
the truth that are just
so harsh and some people say,
00:54:41.82\00:54:44.20
well, I want to go
where the nice people are
00:54:44.21\00:54:45.73
and I want to
ignore the harsh people.
00:54:45.74\00:54:47.39
Don't judge the
truth by the people,
00:54:47.40\00:54:49.79
judge the people by the truth.
00:54:49.80\00:54:52.50
You see, and that's
what Jesus is saying,
00:54:52.51\00:54:54.32
He is just not that one is
more important than the other.
00:54:54.33\00:54:57.95
But I tell you what
I rather be on a plane
00:54:57.96\00:55:00.06
with cantankerous
people and get home.
00:55:00.07\00:55:05.01
Then be on the place with--
00:55:05.02\00:55:06.08
to be on a plane with
nice people and get lost.
00:55:06.09\00:55:08.77
The other thing too
is Satan work harder
00:55:08.78\00:55:11.08
on those that are in the
truth to be cantankerous, yes.
00:55:11.09\00:55:14.39
Then will who think with people
who think they're just fine.
00:55:14.40\00:55:17.59
Right, because he wants
the people to judge the church
00:55:17.60\00:55:20.52
by the people or the
Christ by the people.
00:55:20.53\00:55:22.73
That's why this
gentleman who send us
00:55:22.74\00:55:24.14
that email talked about
oh, people are just so bad.
00:55:24.15\00:55:26.15
They're doing all these things,
00:55:26.16\00:55:27.28
let me just added
another caveat to that,
00:55:27.29\00:55:28.66
another component to that.
00:55:28.67\00:55:30.48
They are those who love the Lord
00:55:30.49\00:55:31.76
who are in the right place,
00:55:31.77\00:55:32.84
they are those who have
patience, love, and kind,
00:55:32.85\00:55:35.00
who accept the
truth and love the truth.
00:55:35.01\00:55:36.89
Praise God for that.
00:55:36.90\00:55:38.35
So look at the good flowers.
00:55:38.36\00:55:40.83
When you go to the
store just the same way
00:55:40.84\00:55:42.41
you pick those
fruits that really look,
00:55:42.42\00:55:43.75
pick the right fruits,
don't just start painting
00:55:43.76\00:55:47.01
the entire kit and kaboodle bad,
because not everything is bad.
00:55:47.02\00:55:50.87
But as we dive more and
more into this topic, John,
00:55:50.88\00:55:53.19
we're gonna begin
to see this thing,
00:55:53.20\00:55:54.53
we're gonna begin to see God's
truth unfold in a miraculous
00:55:54.54\00:55:57.85
and an amazing way to show
us what, in fact, is truth.
00:55:57.86\00:56:01.24
And we also find that there is,
00:56:01.25\00:56:02.79
it's a lot of
confusion out there too.
00:56:02.80\00:56:04.53
We understand this is
a confusing environment
00:56:04.54\00:56:06.53
for people to go into.
00:56:06.54\00:56:07.95
There are those looking for
a church and looking to follow
00:56:07.96\00:56:10.33
the Lord and it's very confusing
00:56:10.34\00:56:11.90
'cause this
church teaches one thing,
00:56:11.91\00:56:13.27
this church
teaches another thing.
00:56:13.28\00:56:14.94
What's right? But it
shouldn't surprise you,
00:56:14.95\00:56:17.45
because even the word Babylon,
00:56:17.46\00:56:18.80
if you go back to
the Old Testament,
00:56:18.81\00:56:20.69
the word Babylon is
Babel, which the derivative is,
00:56:20.70\00:56:25.70
the meaning of
that word is confusion.
00:56:25.71\00:56:29.39
Remember at the tower of Babel,
00:56:29.40\00:56:30.96
if you read the story,
we don't have time for it,
00:56:30.97\00:56:32.40
but if you go
there, read the story,
00:56:32.41\00:56:34.48
Jesus confused their
language and that confusion
00:56:34.49\00:56:38.70
was a reference to Babel.
00:56:38.71\00:56:41.43
In fact, I
pronounce the word wrong
00:56:41.44\00:56:43.28
because when you talk
about like a little child,
00:56:43.29\00:56:46.05
and wa-wa-wa,
what are they doing?
00:56:46.06\00:56:48.16
They're babbling on.
00:56:48.17\00:56:50.35
And so Babel is a
reference to confusion.
00:56:50.36\00:56:53.24
So don't get confused
or don't get disheartened
00:56:53.25\00:56:57.55
by the confusing
messages out there.
00:56:57.56\00:56:59.82
We believe God's
truth will shine through.
00:56:59.83\00:57:01.97
That's right. You
know, the Bible says,
00:57:01.98\00:57:03.54
in Second Timothy 4
verse 3 "For the time will come
00:57:03.55\00:57:08.54
when they will not
endure sound doctrine,
00:57:08.55\00:57:10.92
but according to
their own desires,
00:57:10.93\00:57:13.91
because they have itching ears,
00:57:13.92\00:57:15.73
they will heap up
for themselves teachers."
00:57:15.74\00:57:18.23
They are those who are
looking for teachers to say
00:57:18.24\00:57:21.00
what they want them to say,
and here what they want to hear.
00:57:21.01\00:57:25.04
And so, friends,
don't get discourage,
00:57:25.05\00:57:27.00
here at House Calls we
believe in teaching the truth
00:57:27.01\00:57:29.44
because one day
the Lord will come
00:57:29.45\00:57:31.33
and we'll have
to account for it.
00:57:31.34\00:57:32.53
God bless you
until we see you again.
00:57:32.54\00:57:35.00