Hello friends, grab
your Bible and a friend
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and sit back as
we explore God's word
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together on this
edition of House Calls.
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It's great to
have you here again
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for another
program of House Calls.
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We're excited that you
decided to join us today
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and we have another
exciting program for you.
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My name is Pastor John Stanton
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and with me in the studio
today is Pastor C.A. Murray.
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Good to be here John as always--
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C.A. it's great
to have you here.
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It's a blessing
and I look forward
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to the couple of programs
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that we get a
chance to do together here.
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Thank you so much.
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You know, we as we
come to House Calls
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from time to time to plan
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and get ready for the program,
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we are flooded with ideas.
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Lot's of
different opportunities,
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lot's of different--
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not only challenging questions
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that you bring to us,
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but topics that we
can share in a program
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maybe two, three, or
four that we can help
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or at least we
hope will help you along
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that path of getting
to know the Lord better
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and what your
responsibility is the ministry
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is giving to you as
followers of Christ.
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Today I think we
have such a program
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and we are gonna talk about
the priesthood of believers.
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We will spend a
couple programs on that
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and hopefully really
expound from scripture
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what Gods plan is,
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what His design for His church.
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But, before we
get into our topic
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as usual the first half hour,
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we like to spend time looking
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and answering your questions.
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And so we thank you,
for sending those in.
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I want to make sure first
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that I give you some direction,
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some instruction as to
where to send those questions.
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You can email them to
3ABN using housecalls@3abn.org,
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that's housecalls@3abn.org.
We will make sure
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that we get your
questions print them out,
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take a look at them,
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answer them
possibly on the program.
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We will do our
best to answer them
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by sending you an email back.
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And if you like to
send in just regular mail
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and then some of you even
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call into the call center here.
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You are free to do that as well,
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because those questions
are passed right along to us.
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Pastor Murray, before
we dive into the questions,
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would you be so kind
to lead us in prayer.
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Be glad to do so. Okay.
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Shall we pray? Thank you.
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Gracious Father,
again we thank you
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for the power of your word.
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We are thankful, Lord,
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that there is a
power in that word,
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and that when we read Your word
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we come into Your presence.
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We are exposed to the thoughts
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of God the mind of God
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and so we pray Lord
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that you would
give us discernment
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as we open up your word now,
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as we answer questions
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and discuss those things
talked about in your word
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that your spirit
may be the center
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and circumference
of all that we do,
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that Christ maybe seen
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and felt and experienced
in a very special way.
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Bless this program
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and we thank you
in Jesus name, amen.
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Thank you, very much
there, Pastor Murray,
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and let's dive right
into our questions here.
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Some real good
ones today and feel free
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if you could start us
off that will be great.
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Already we have got a question
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from Jane and she says,
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I read in the
Bible in Acts Chapter 8
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where the apostles
came down to Samaria
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and where the--
and were some people,
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there were some people
who want to be baptized
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and Peter said,
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Peter laid his hands on them
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and they receive the Holy Spirit
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in that particular Chapter.
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Simon actually saw by
the laying out of hands
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of the apostles that
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these people
receive the Holy Spirit
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and he wanted to by the power.
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Christ said that if you
are not baptized by water
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and the spirit can I
enter into Kingdom of God.
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And a question that is,
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is that the only way
to receive the spirit.
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Well, what we
see in Acts Chapter 8
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is a singular example of
a way to receive the spirit,
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but there are many
ways to receive the spirit
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and many examples of the spirit
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coming upon
people in different ways.
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And so in Acts Chapter
2 the day of Pentecost,
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they are together,
they are in one room,
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they are one
accord, they are praying
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and the spirit comes then
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and answer to
prayer, the supplication.
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We have the spirit
coming in and filling the place.
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In Acts Chapter 19, we
have the spirit coming in,
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in response to
preaching, to in query.
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So there are any number of ways
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Jane that the
spirit can be received
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and I guess the easiest
way would be simply we ask.
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You know, when we ask and pray
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and come to the presence of
the Lord the spirit responds.
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I am having a senior moment,
text is slipping my mind.
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But there was another a
place in the Book of Acts
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and perhaps it will come to me,
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you know, when
you think too hard
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you have to put the
thought out of your mind.
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Right, exactly.
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Where in response to preaching
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a number of people
again receive the spirit.
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We are told in Romans,
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that the spirit is there present
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helping us in our prayer life.
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So there are any number of
ways to receive the spirit.
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This is just one of
several ways listed in the Bible
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that the spirit
comes into our lives.
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I will say the most direct,
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the most easy way
ask for the sprit,
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pray for the spirit
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and you'll receive the
power of the spirit of God.
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You know, one of the
things that comes to mind here
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as we are talking about
the work of the Holy Spirit
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is the several
ways in which he works.
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He is always at
work, yes, on our minds.
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He is always at work
wooing him to himself,
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hopefully directing us
to Christ to our Father.
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This is his work and
he does this all the time
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and he is constantly
working on the hearts of men
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and that is even those
that are not converted.
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However there are
instances in the Bible
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where he manifests a
power, a strength beyond
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what is the general
work of the Holy Spirit,
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at least the conscious that
we talk conscious sometimes,
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yes, in the way that
he works on our minds.
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One of those examples is
also found in Acts Chapter 4.
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What we are
seeing in this story is
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both Peter and John
were brought into the--
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well they were
brought before the council
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and they were beaten
for preaching Christ.
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And then as they, it's funny,
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they left that
beating rejoicing. Yes.
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Which is something
we can't imagine but,
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but you know,
rejoice always, right.
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So they leave
rejoicing, it's funny,
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they come back to
meeting with their,
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the disciples and
they gather together again
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and this in the
Acts 2 experience,
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but they gather in together
and they are praying. Yes.
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And it says in
verse 31 of Acts Chapter 4
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that when they
had prayed the place
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where they were
assembled together were shaken
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and they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit
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and they spoke the
word of God with boldness.
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The boldness, yes.
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So, you know, I
must ask the question
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where Peter and John
filled with the Holy Spirit
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when they were
preaching the first time
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before they got
whipped. Yes, yes.
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But, they were filled
again with the Holy Spirit here
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and went forward
preaching with boldness.
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So the Holy
Spirit will come upon us
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in an answer to prayer for
specific times of need, yes,
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as well as he does
in our everyday life.
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So you almost
have three examples.
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The conscience working on us,
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our minds before conversion,
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upon conversion, upon baptism.
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Hopefully, we are
receiving the Holy Spirit
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for both things
happen at the same time
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where by God begins to
lead us in a new profound way.
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And then at
specific times of need
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where it maybe revival,
maybe the need for boldness
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and maybe the
need to come upon us
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to give us a word of truth. Yes.
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Whatever it maybe,
the Holy Spirit works
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in a mighty way
in that regard too.
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Yeah, I like that, you
know, it's interesting,
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if you look at my notes here,
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I got Acts Chapter 4 right here.
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All right, oh, good, good.
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So it did
possibly come into my mind.
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I think there are
certain times in our life,
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you know, when we
are being prepared
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for a particular
trial or something
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that is coming upon us
that is gonna try our faith.
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The spirit will
draw divine in near us
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and give us strength
for that particular trial.
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So I think we proved the point
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that there are many ways
in which the spirit comes,
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not just one way.
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And the Bible does highlight
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any number of ways and incidents
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when the spirit of
God comes to prepare us
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for whatever
life throws our way,
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John, I think we can say
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and we can get the
spirit through that.
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Oh, the easiest
way I say again ask,
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and if you ask,
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God, will supply all your
need according to His wish.
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That's right.
Specific promise from Christ.
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Ask and you will
receive the Holy Sprit.
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Okay, here's another question.
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It comes from
David in San Antonio.
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He says, thank you
for your recent program
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on a subject that
was interesting to him.
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And then he says, I
have a question in John 1,
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oh excuse me 1 John 4:1.
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It says to test
the spirits to see
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whether they are from God.
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And then he says
in 2 Corinthians 12
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verses 1 through 4,
there seems to indicate
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the possible out
of body experience.
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If all operations or
sightings of loved ones
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departed are demonic in nature
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even if you
didn't go to a medium
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which I understand is
wrong in the eyes of God,
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wouldn't 1 John
4:1 be a good time
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to put this
scripture to good use.
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In 1 Samuel 28,
the spirit of Samuel
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though brought up by
a medium does not appear
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to be demonic in
nature nor in the message,
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nor is the
message that was revealed.
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Okay, so there is
an assumption here
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and I will just
mention this first.
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This is an assumption made here,
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it says that if all operations
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or sightings of loved ones
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departed are demonic in nature,
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even if you
didn't go to a medium.
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And that statement is
made because we have asserted
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and have taught
many times before
00:10:02.10\00:10:04.19
that Gods word says
00:10:04.20\00:10:05.22
that any revealing
or appearance of those
00:10:05.23\00:10:11.16
who have died in
the past are demonic.
00:10:11.17\00:10:14.28
So they are
basically reaffirming that.
00:10:14.29\00:10:16.87
But then the
statement is made here
00:10:16.88\00:10:18.71
that this demon
that, oh it's not a demon,
00:10:18.72\00:10:22.19
at least it's not
said here in the question,
00:10:22.20\00:10:23.98
but Samuel coming
to Saul as brought up
00:10:23.99\00:10:26.75
by a medium does not appear
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to be demonic in nature,
00:10:28.58\00:10:29.89
we would probably
disagree with that.
00:10:29.90\00:10:31.66
Because it's very
clear from Gods word
00:10:31.67\00:10:34.48
that when you
die you are asleep.
00:10:34.49\00:10:37.02
You rest in the grave,
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you have no more involvement
in anything that goes on,
00:10:38.77\00:10:40.90
on this earth
in heaven no where.
00:10:40.91\00:10:44.42
Your mind seizes to work
there is no conscious state,
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we do not believe
with in a soul that departs
00:10:47.66\00:10:49.94
from the body
consciously in existence, right.
00:10:49.95\00:10:53.60
So all those things being said,
00:10:53.61\00:10:55.00
all those things being
taught according to Gods word,
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we come to this
question of 2 Corinthians 12.
00:10:58.07\00:11:01.02
Is it teaching an
out of body experience?
00:11:01.03\00:11:03.33
So let's first
take a look at that
00:11:03.34\00:11:06.25
and if you go
there, this is Paul writing
00:11:06.26\00:11:09.32
and he tells about an experience
00:11:09.33\00:11:13.07
that he had and he begins
00:11:13.08\00:11:16.62
in 2 Corinthians
12 verse 1 by saying,
00:11:16.63\00:11:19.75
"It is doubtless not
profitable for me to boast.
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I will come to visions
and revelations of the Lord.
00:11:23.65\00:11:27.70
I know a man in
Christ who 14 years ago
00:11:27.71\00:11:31.09
whether in the
body I do not know,
00:11:31.10\00:11:33.21
or whether out of
the body I do not know,
00:11:33.22\00:11:35.93
Christ knows or God knows
00:11:35.94\00:11:38.51
such a one was caught
up to the third heaven.
00:11:38.52\00:11:42.23
And I know such a man,
00:11:42.24\00:11:43.51
whether in the
body or out of the body
00:11:43.52\00:11:45.12
I do not know God knows
00:11:45.13\00:11:46.71
how that he was
caught up into Paradise,
00:11:46.72\00:11:49.38
and heard inexpressible words,
00:11:49.39\00:11:51.24
which it is not
lawful for a man to utter."
00:11:51.25\00:11:55.48
So someone could look at that,
00:11:55.49\00:11:57.55
Pastor Murray, and just say,
00:11:57.56\00:11:58.73
you know what here
clearly his soul left his body,
00:11:58.74\00:12:02.02
yes, and he appeared in heaven
00:12:02.03\00:12:03.67
and he saw these
wonderful things.
00:12:03.68\00:12:05.71
Well, first of all
that's not possible,
00:12:05.72\00:12:08.97
even if you do believe
that the soul is passed
00:12:08.98\00:12:11.42
or the soul can
live apart from the body.
00:12:11.43\00:12:14.30
In every case that at least
00:12:14.31\00:12:16.32
what I understand
those that teach that,
00:12:16.33\00:12:18.62
say that, that
happens upon death
00:12:18.63\00:12:20.91
and this person did not die.
00:12:20.92\00:12:23.30
So this isn't talking
about an out of body experience
00:12:23.31\00:12:26.33
so to speak the
soul leaving the body.
00:12:26.34\00:12:29.72
What this is
talking about is dreams
00:12:29.73\00:12:31.63
and revelations from the Lord,
00:12:31.64\00:12:33.30
visions that occur.
00:12:33.31\00:12:34.66
So when he is saying
that, when Paul is saying
00:12:34.67\00:12:38.37
"I do not know
00:12:38.38\00:12:40.01
whether he was in the
body or out of the body."
00:12:40.02\00:12:42.64
He is saying I don't
know if this was a vision
00:12:42.65\00:12:44.74
where his mind
was taken into heaven
00:12:44.75\00:12:47.47
and he saw things there
00:12:47.48\00:12:48.55
or God give him the
vision of things there,
00:12:48.56\00:12:50.70
or whether God literally
took him in person in body
00:12:50.71\00:12:54.59
to the place that he
showed Him. Precisely.
00:12:54.60\00:12:56.92
And we know that's
possible as well from the word,
00:12:56.93\00:12:59.65
so there is a
couple possibilities.
00:12:59.66\00:13:01.37
So this is all
that Paul is saying
00:13:01.38\00:13:03.28
with regard to this revelation,
00:13:03.29\00:13:04.47
this vision this man had
in the body out of the body,
00:13:04.48\00:13:07.79
I don't know if it's a vision
or if he actually him there,
00:13:07.80\00:13:09.76
I don't know but he saw things
00:13:09.77\00:13:11.71
in the paradise of God.
00:13:11.72\00:13:13.35
Yeah, and he sort
of sets his premise
00:13:13.36\00:13:15.84
in the first verse there.
00:13:15.85\00:13:17.66
"It is not expedient
for me doubtless to glory.
00:13:17.67\00:13:20.49
I will come to visions
and revelations of the Lord."
00:13:20.50\00:13:24.25
So it's kind of
setting his premise.
00:13:24.26\00:13:25.32
We are talking about
visions and revelations.
00:13:25.33\00:13:28.64
And then he is saying
00:13:28.65\00:13:30.02
I am not quite
sure where this falls.
00:13:30.03\00:13:32.70
Given this context
00:13:32.71\00:13:33.82
vision which means
that the Lord brought
00:13:33.83\00:13:36.50
something to his
mind or revelation,
00:13:36.51\00:13:38.39
Lord, took him some
place, I don't really know,
00:13:38.40\00:13:40.32
but here's what happened. Right.
00:13:40.33\00:13:41.77
Now you take this in
a sort of run with it,
00:13:41.78\00:13:43.88
but I'm not sure what happened,
00:13:43.89\00:13:45.44
what caused it,
00:13:45.45\00:13:46.42
but this is what happened
and this was the result.
00:13:46.43\00:13:48.77
But, it doesn't really give you
00:13:48.78\00:13:51.35
when you examine at the idea
00:13:51.36\00:13:52.76
of an out of body experience.
00:13:52.77\00:13:55.30
He is saying someone
had an experience with God.
00:13:55.31\00:14:00.56
I'm not quite
sure the mechanism,
00:14:00.57\00:14:02.13
I'm not quite sure what
God used to make this happen,
00:14:02.14\00:14:05.93
but here is what happened,
00:14:05.94\00:14:07.18
be it vision, direct revelation,
00:14:07.19\00:14:09.54
I don't know but
here is what happened.
00:14:09.55\00:14:10.90
So he is not leading us
00:14:10.91\00:14:12.50
towards out of body experience.
00:14:12.51\00:14:13.57
He is trying to explain
00:14:13.58\00:14:14.77
and experience that someone had
00:14:14.78\00:14:16.13
that he really doesn't
have all the answers too. Right.
00:14:16.14\00:14:18.80
But I know this
is the experience
00:14:18.81\00:14:20.10
and I know this
is what they saw.
00:14:20.11\00:14:21.95
You know, it's almost like a,
00:14:21.96\00:14:23.22
you know, we read
these legal documents,
00:14:23.23\00:14:25.45
its preamble. Yeah.
00:14:25.46\00:14:26.65
It's kind of sets the context
00:14:26.66\00:14:27.87
of what you are
about to read. Yes.
00:14:27.88\00:14:29.68
He is saying, you know,
00:14:29.69\00:14:30.81
here is where I came
from, I'm not sure entirely
00:14:30.82\00:14:33.56
how it happened
but here is the issue.
00:14:33.57\00:14:35.88
And the real context of this is
00:14:35.89\00:14:37.79
what comes from
that, that's the issue.
00:14:37.80\00:14:41.03
He is just simply commenting,
00:14:41.04\00:14:42.18
he didn't know exactly
which-- as you were saying
00:14:42.19\00:14:44.10
which kind of
experience this man had so.
00:14:44.11\00:14:46.94
Anyway now the other
thing about this question
00:14:46.95\00:14:48.73
that I just want to touch
on briefly is the scripture
00:14:48.74\00:14:51.55
to test the spirits
00:14:51.56\00:14:54.17
This is important,
00:14:54.18\00:14:55.84
because we have taught
here on House Calls and at 3ABN
00:14:55.85\00:15:00.96
that it's very important to know
00:15:00.97\00:15:02.87
what happens when you die.
00:15:02.88\00:15:04.86
The nature of man that
the soul is the whole being,
00:15:04.87\00:15:10.32
its body and spirit
00:15:10.33\00:15:12.80
that is the mind
together with that life,
00:15:12.81\00:15:15.86
that breath that God
has given us to live,
00:15:15.87\00:15:18.24
that creates the living
soul, the being, the essence.
00:15:18.25\00:15:21.59
In fact, you know,
00:15:21.60\00:15:22.81
we have said many
times when you look on TV
00:15:22.82\00:15:25.17
and it's often unfortunately
the result of a plane crash
00:15:25.18\00:15:28.26
they will say a
100 souls onboard died.
00:15:28.27\00:15:31.79
They are not
talking about spirit souls
00:15:31.80\00:15:33.64
they are talking
about individuals.
00:15:33.65\00:15:36.13
And this is the same
way that the scripture
00:15:36.14\00:15:38.42
reads as well when
it comes to the soul.
00:15:38.43\00:15:41.36
So when we look at 1 John 4:1,
00:15:41.37\00:15:46.16
John seems to be saying here
00:15:46.17\00:15:48.53
that the devil is
going to use demonic powers,
00:15:48.54\00:15:52.92
he will appear to many.
00:15:52.93\00:15:54.74
In fact some of these things
are called familiar spirits.
00:15:54.75\00:15:56.96
That word familiar is
where you get familiar,
00:15:56.97\00:15:59.47
the family,
familiar is people you know
00:15:59.48\00:16:04.07
coming back and
appearing to you,
00:16:04.08\00:16:06.21
but test the spirits to see
00:16:06.22\00:16:07.94
whether or not
they are from God.
00:16:07.95\00:16:09.59
And so in one
context pastor it is,
00:16:09.60\00:16:13.84
it's not saying the
dialogue with these spirits
00:16:13.85\00:16:16.09
if they are dead
folks, but it's testing
00:16:16.10\00:16:19.54
whether or not the experience
in general is from God,
00:16:19.55\00:16:23.28
whether it be your
experience or another experience
00:16:23.29\00:16:26.01
and the way you test that is
00:16:26.02\00:16:27.88
did this
individual talked to someone
00:16:27.89\00:16:29.37
who is passed away, who is dead.
00:16:29.38\00:16:32.22
If that's the case
that your first test,
00:16:32.23\00:16:34.02
no it's not true.
00:16:34.03\00:16:35.00
Yes, yes, yeah, very true.
00:16:35.01\00:16:37.82
And I think we ought
to keep that in mind,
00:16:37.83\00:16:40.11
because one of
the great deceptions
00:16:40.12\00:16:42.07
in these last days is
spiritism, spiritualism.
00:16:42.08\00:16:48.11
When you look at TV now,
00:16:48.12\00:16:49.55
there is so much
dealing with vampires,
00:16:49.56\00:16:51.75
the state of the dead and,
00:16:51.76\00:16:53.00
you know, its every now
00:16:53.01\00:16:54.49
and again this thing
seems to comes in waves John.
00:16:54.50\00:16:56.60
You know, it's like,
00:16:56.61\00:16:57.58
it's like you go back to
1800 you got the Fox Sisters
00:16:57.59\00:17:00.87
and the rappings then
it goes down in the 1920s
00:17:00.88\00:17:02.96
you got another
resurgence of spiritualism.
00:17:02.97\00:17:05.69
Then in 1950s you got anther
resurgence of spiritualism.
00:17:05.70\00:17:08.00
Now you got another
resurgence of spiritualism
00:17:08.01\00:17:10.67
and of course in
each successive wave media
00:17:10.68\00:17:14.49
is much more sophisticated,
00:17:14.50\00:17:16.01
so the saturation is
much more sophisticated.
00:17:16.02\00:17:18.05
Now it's on TV and
it's on your I-devices pad,
00:17:18.06\00:17:21.38
pod, phone, you know,
00:17:21.39\00:17:22.89
everything you see
these kinds of things.
00:17:22.90\00:17:26.79
And it's sort of a,
the devil softening us up
00:17:26.80\00:17:29.45
for ultimate
deception, you know.
00:17:29.46\00:17:32.38
This idea that
your mom, or your dad,
00:17:32.39\00:17:34.51
or someone you love can
comeback and talk to you.
00:17:34.52\00:17:37.94
And yet we have
got to go to the word
00:17:37.95\00:17:40.78
and the word
says they have nothing
00:17:40.79\00:17:42.64
more for ever in anything.
00:17:42.65\00:17:45.21
Solomon says in Ecclesiastes
00:17:45.22\00:17:46.61
that happens
under the sun. Correct.
00:17:46.62\00:17:48.48
So if someone comes
00:17:48.49\00:17:50.57
and says something
immediately go to the word,
00:17:50.58\00:17:54.46
can't be the Lord, can't be them
00:17:54.47\00:17:56.98
it's got to be something else,
00:17:56.99\00:17:58.94
because the Bible says,
00:17:58.95\00:17:59.92
the dead are indeed dead, yeah.
00:17:59.93\00:18:03.19
Yeah, absolutely.
00:18:03.20\00:18:04.83
Overwhelming delusions for some,
00:18:04.84\00:18:06.74
this is just, it's
hard to deny the existence
00:18:06.75\00:18:08.90
of a being in your
room or wherever it may be
00:18:08.91\00:18:12.10
but that's why John
says test that spirit.
00:18:12.11\00:18:15.12
Test that spirit--
00:18:15.13\00:18:16.17
You know, in your mind you know
00:18:16.18\00:18:17.51
that this is not from the Lord.
00:18:17.52\00:18:19.71
You have
another question for us?
00:18:19.72\00:18:20.89
Already! I am an
Adventist Jews in a Caribbean.
00:18:20.90\00:18:23.63
At our church we only have
piano and Psalms 150 tells us
00:18:23.64\00:18:29.42
what instruments to use.
00:18:29.43\00:18:30.55
Could you please enlight me
00:18:30.56\00:18:31.92
and my friends
on why we don't use
00:18:31.93\00:18:33.62
drums and stuff
in Adventist church?
00:18:33.63\00:18:36.57
Interesting, a number
of things came to mind,
00:18:36.58\00:18:38.56
John, when I was looking at this
00:18:38.57\00:18:40.78
and going back to Psalms 150.
00:18:40.79\00:18:43.54
Martin Luther and really
his best friend Melanchthon
00:18:43.55\00:18:47.98
disagreed on a couple of
issues that really strained
00:18:47.99\00:18:51.80
their relationship for a time.
00:18:51.81\00:18:54.51
Got to try to get this straight.
00:18:54.52\00:18:55.91
I think Luther asserted
00:18:55.92\00:18:58.66
that if the Bible
doesn't specifically state it,
00:18:58.67\00:19:02.14
you shouldn't do it.
00:19:02.15\00:19:04.08
Melanchthon said if the Bible
00:19:04.09\00:19:06.34
doesn't specifically
prohibited, you can do it.
00:19:06.35\00:19:09.89
So one said,
basically if I got to see it
00:19:09.90\00:19:13.01
in order to do it
and the other said,
00:19:13.02\00:19:14.84
well, if it's not
there, then its okay.
00:19:14.85\00:19:16.56
You know, it doesn't
seem like a big thing,
00:19:16.57\00:19:19.29
but it really strained
their relationship for a time.
00:19:19.30\00:19:21.72
So in applying that to 150
00:19:21.73\00:19:25.57
this is not a manual
00:19:25.58\00:19:28.69
of what
instruments to use in church,
00:19:28.70\00:19:30.93
this is just a cataloging
of things that were used,
00:19:30.94\00:19:35.37
but the Bible isn't
saying you have to use these
00:19:35.38\00:19:38.35
and you can only use these.
00:19:38.36\00:19:40.81
These are some of the things
00:19:40.82\00:19:41.90
that were used in
worship during those days.
00:19:41.91\00:19:46.34
Basically in
worship in Bible times
00:19:46.35\00:19:48.73
you had things that were blown,
00:19:48.74\00:19:51.63
you had trumpets or
something of that nature,
00:19:51.64\00:19:54.52
you had things that were plucked
00:19:54.53\00:19:55.76
or strummed, you
had string things,
00:19:55.77\00:19:58.36
and you had percussion things.
00:19:58.37\00:19:59.91
Those are-- that's
00:19:59.92\00:20:00.89
what the
technology allowed. Right.
00:20:00.90\00:20:02.67
So these fall in that category,
00:20:02.68\00:20:05.24
because that's what they have.
00:20:05.25\00:20:06.68
They are either
blowing something,
00:20:06.69\00:20:08.10
strumming or plucking something
00:20:08.11\00:20:09.62
or banging on something
and that was their worship.
00:20:09.63\00:20:12.21
Of course today,
00:20:12.22\00:20:13.20
you got any number
of instruments played,
00:20:13.21\00:20:15.84
any number of ways
including electronically.
00:20:15.85\00:20:18.81
And of course we have
electronic instruments
00:20:18.82\00:20:20.52
that with a touch of a button
00:20:20.53\00:20:21.58
can replicate or
duplicate all of these sounds.
00:20:21.59\00:20:25.37
The question for
worship for me has always been,
00:20:25.38\00:20:28.11
because I have never pastored
a church that used drums.
00:20:28.12\00:20:31.89
I have attended some that have.
00:20:31.90\00:20:35.14
For me it's--
first of all the skill
00:20:35.15\00:20:39.21
of the instrument
that can be played
00:20:39.22\00:20:41.04
and then why
are you trying to do
00:20:41.05\00:20:42.84
and what is the
effect on your congregation.
00:20:42.85\00:20:44.79
There was a time preceded us
00:20:44.80\00:20:49.62
when the organ wasn't allowed,
00:20:49.63\00:20:51.18
because it was thought
as a worldly instrument,
00:20:51.19\00:20:53.02
it wasn't played in churches
00:20:53.03\00:20:56.38
and then after a
while it came in.
00:20:56.39\00:20:58.12
There was a time
when the acoustic guitar
00:20:58.13\00:21:00.07
was sort of frowned upon.
00:21:00.08\00:21:01.43
Now, nobody has a
problem with an acoustic guitar.
00:21:01.44\00:21:04.40
So we do evolve.
00:21:04.41\00:21:07.63
Are we evolving in
the right direction,
00:21:07.64\00:21:09.75
sometimes I rather wonder,
00:21:09.76\00:21:10.93
you know, and perhaps we do.
00:21:10.94\00:21:13.36
The Bible says whatever we do,
00:21:13.37\00:21:14.72
do it to the glory of God.
00:21:14.73\00:21:16.16
The problem I have
with a lot of drum playing
00:21:16.17\00:21:18.05
in the church is that
the drummers seem to feel
00:21:18.06\00:21:21.47
that they are
the star of the show
00:21:21.48\00:21:22.98
and I'll just put it that way.
00:21:22.99\00:21:25.72
A drum is an instrument designed
00:21:25.73\00:21:27.61
to keep time in rhythm.
00:21:27.62\00:21:29.07
Not particularly in the worship
00:21:29.08\00:21:31.12
context to be a lead instrument.
00:21:31.13\00:21:33.39
So if it's all about drum
and thump and pound and beat,
00:21:33.40\00:21:37.31
then something
is out of balance.
00:21:37.32\00:21:38.57
Obviously where it
becomes the preponderate.
00:21:38.58\00:21:40.42
Precisely, yeah.
00:21:40.43\00:21:42.24
And many times even
in contemporary music,
00:21:42.25\00:21:45.57
you can't even
understand the word,
00:21:45.58\00:21:47.41
words for the accompaniment
00:21:47.42\00:21:49.30
and particularly worship
music is all about the words,
00:21:49.31\00:21:53.47
it's all about
what you are saying.
00:21:53.48\00:21:56.30
I have a good
friend, I had a Bible study,
00:21:56.31\00:21:58.08
you know, take just a moment
and said I had good friend
00:21:58.09\00:22:01.10
when I was in New
York who was the drummer
00:22:01.11\00:22:03.23
and bassist for a
disco group called Chic
00:22:03.24\00:22:06.23
back in the 80s and 90s.
00:22:06.24\00:22:08.67
And we had this Bible
study and they would come
00:22:08.68\00:22:11.70
and after one study
he said something to me,
00:22:11.71\00:22:14.06
because we are
talking about music.
00:22:14.07\00:22:16.67
And my question to him
00:22:16.68\00:22:18.45
is why do kids listen to music
00:22:18.46\00:22:21.65
at the volume that they do,
00:22:21.66\00:22:23.71
you know, what's with
this turn up in volume.
00:22:23.72\00:22:25.84
He said to me this,
00:22:25.85\00:22:27.39
he said contemporary music,
00:22:27.40\00:22:30.23
Christian music, rock, rap,
00:22:30.24\00:22:32.66
reggae, R& B, pop, soul,
00:22:32.67\00:22:38.56
name it was another
designed to be listened to.
00:22:38.57\00:22:44.32
He said it was
designed to be felt.
00:22:44.33\00:22:47.25
He said kids turn up
the volume to the point
00:22:47.26\00:22:50.97
that it thumps
them in the chest,
00:22:50.98\00:22:53.05
so it's not about, I'm
hitting my microphones,
00:22:53.06\00:22:54.88
I know my production
people having a meltdown,
00:22:54.89\00:22:58.65
but he said it's
about thumping in the chest.
00:22:58.66\00:23:01.60
He says they want
the volume to the point
00:23:01.61\00:23:04.11
where they can feel the
music not necessarily hear it.
00:23:04.12\00:23:06.81
So it's not about hearing,
00:23:06.82\00:23:08.04
it's about this thump
about feeling the music visibly.
00:23:08.05\00:23:11.49
So he said we know
what, we know what,
00:23:11.50\00:23:14.51
what's the term we use.
00:23:14.52\00:23:15.49
We know what the
formula is, heavy base riff
00:23:15.50\00:23:20.36
and a cadence that is close
to the beating of the heart.
00:23:20.37\00:23:26.32
And when we approximate that,
00:23:26.33\00:23:27.73
he said we can put in
any message that we want.
00:23:27.74\00:23:30.83
We can put in--
and we can say anything
00:23:30.84\00:23:32.86
and it goes right pass,
00:23:32.87\00:23:33.96
he said they draw
bridge and into the soul.
00:23:33.97\00:23:37.57
And so that's
what contemporary music
00:23:37.58\00:23:39.16
is all about.
00:23:39.17\00:23:40.14
This thumping of the drum
00:23:40.15\00:23:41.43
and the heavy base
riff actually allows
00:23:41.44\00:23:43.91
the music to go right pass
00:23:43.92\00:23:45.49
the guardianship
of the frontal lobes
00:23:45.50\00:23:47.59
and right into the,
00:23:47.60\00:23:48.78
right into the soul
and they know that formula.
00:23:48.79\00:23:51.48
And so we need to be
careful with all kind of music
00:23:51.49\00:23:55.32
that appeals to the
flesh and not to the mind,
00:23:55.33\00:23:58.99
because God is trying
to get into your mind.
00:23:59.00\00:24:00.84
The battle is for the
mind and so if the thumping
00:24:00.85\00:24:03.55
and the beat is
supersedes the words
00:24:03.56\00:24:06.68
and the lyrics and the message,
00:24:06.69\00:24:08.49
then something is wrong,
00:24:08.50\00:24:09.55
something is out of
balance. Yeah. Yeah.
00:24:09.56\00:24:11.50
And there is another balance to,
00:24:11.51\00:24:14.29
you are the
principle you laid out
00:24:14.30\00:24:15.63
there is very close to
the same one that I use
00:24:15.64\00:24:17.63
and I have always
used in pastoring.
00:24:17.64\00:24:20.34
But there is
another-- the other balance
00:24:20.35\00:24:21.75
to that is your congregation.
00:24:21.76\00:24:24.02
I mean what is-- there are some
00:24:24.03\00:24:29.10
in the congregation
that want just hymns only
00:24:29.11\00:24:32.77
and that's it.
00:24:32.78\00:24:34.38
And this whole
thing battle between hymns
00:24:34.39\00:24:36.10
and praise music
and this is being
00:24:36.11\00:24:37.46
going on for years too. Oh yeah.
00:24:37.47\00:24:39.99
I always said
coming into a church
00:24:40.00\00:24:42.34
I am fairly traditional.
00:24:42.35\00:24:43.84
You will see a fairly
traditional church with me.
00:24:43.85\00:24:45.95
You know, you
are not going to see
00:24:45.96\00:24:47.10
a drums set up front, yeah,
00:24:47.11\00:24:48.74
and you are not
going to emphasize that,
00:24:48.75\00:24:50.78
you know, the thump and the beat
00:24:50.79\00:24:51.77
all that kind of stuff,
00:24:51.78\00:24:52.76
but you are going to see
00:24:52.77\00:24:54.05
a balance of
hymns and praise music.
00:24:54.06\00:24:56.10
Because I believe
the Bible is very clear,
00:24:56.11\00:24:58.09
not only its
hymns, its musical songs,
00:24:58.10\00:25:00.25
its spiritual songs
that go along with that,
00:25:00.26\00:25:02.03
that's our worship experience.
00:25:02.04\00:25:04.07
And then there
are some that just
00:25:04.08\00:25:06.58
are adamant to do it their way.
00:25:06.59\00:25:10.47
And you have the spirit then of
00:25:10.48\00:25:12.45
I'm gonna get what I want, true,
00:25:12.46\00:25:14.77
and not be open
at least to allowing
00:25:14.78\00:25:17.75
someone else to
experience worship
00:25:17.76\00:25:19.51
in maybe the
way that they do it.
00:25:19.52\00:25:21.21
Now, I do
realize there is a line
00:25:21.22\00:25:22.92
that we should not cross
00:25:22.93\00:25:24.25
and I think we kind of
set some of those boundaries,
00:25:24.26\00:25:25.78
if it becomes preponderate,
00:25:25.79\00:25:26.76
if it wakes up the
body and gets us moving in,
00:25:26.77\00:25:29.18
yeah, it just not
really worshipful.
00:25:29.19\00:25:31.40
But on the other hand too,
we've got to understand that,
00:25:31.41\00:25:34.02
that we have
differences and likes and things
00:25:34.03\00:25:36.55
that within the
realm it's acceptable, yes,
00:25:36.56\00:25:38.75
we need to be balanced with.
00:25:38.76\00:25:40.84
And I'll tell you honestly,
00:25:40.85\00:25:42.89
I have never seen a music debate
00:25:42.90\00:25:45.15
in a church ending
well. No, very true.
00:25:45.16\00:25:48.56
Never, I have never seen one.
00:25:48.57\00:25:50.65
If it goes to the nth degree,
00:25:50.66\00:25:51.97
it causes division
and ultimately separation.
00:25:51.98\00:25:54.52
Yeah, we tend to
defy our own ethic
00:25:54.53\00:26:00.15
and interesting
enough of those who have done
00:26:00.16\00:26:01.81
and I have read several
books on ancient Hebrew worship,
00:26:01.82\00:26:05.08
it seems to be very joyous,
00:26:05.09\00:26:07.28
very up tempo, very spirited.
00:26:07.29\00:26:10.30
When I was
pastoring in New York,
00:26:10.31\00:26:11.38
I spent a lot of time
with some Jewish friends
00:26:11.39\00:26:13.76
and went to synagogue with
them on a number of occasions
00:26:13.77\00:26:16.13
and the worship is quite joyous
00:26:16.14\00:26:17.98
and quite-- the music is spirit,
00:26:17.99\00:26:20.59
not it is not base
driven or drum driven
00:26:20.60\00:26:22.97
but it is spirited music.
00:26:22.98\00:26:25.65
And there is this joy,
00:26:25.66\00:26:27.40
this elan that's
part of the worship,
00:26:27.41\00:26:28.96
that I think was part
of ancient worship also.
00:26:28.97\00:26:31.11
Worship was not
intended to be a depressing
00:26:31.12\00:26:33.17
kind of sad
morose kind of thing.
00:26:33.18\00:26:34.82
We come to the Lord with
joy and with thanksgiving
00:26:34.83\00:26:37.45
and you do see
that in the Psalms.
00:26:37.46\00:26:39.04
So you don't want
to swing the pendulum
00:26:39.05\00:26:41.27
all away to the right,
we say there is no joy,
00:26:41.28\00:26:43.43
there is no praise,
there is no laughter
00:26:43.44\00:26:47.54
and happiness in worship,
00:26:47.55\00:26:48.52
because I don't think
that's true worship either.
00:26:48.53\00:26:50.89
By the same token it
can all be jumping in praise
00:26:50.90\00:26:53.76
and sing and, you know--
00:26:53.77\00:26:54.74
there's got to be
some appealing to the mind
00:26:54.75\00:26:57.03
and to reason and rational.
00:26:57.04\00:26:58.69
And so we do need
to strike that balance.
00:26:58.70\00:27:00.34
I think you are very, very
correct in that. Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:00.35\00:27:02.18
Yeah, pretty good,
thank you for that question.
00:27:02.19\00:27:04.91
One more that hopefully
won't take too long here.
00:27:04.92\00:27:11.06
Where is my question here?
00:27:11.07\00:27:12.48
Here we go, why do you think
00:27:12.49\00:27:15.33
it's necessary for
God to be invisible?
00:27:15.34\00:27:18.82
And this comes from
Jackie in Kalama Falls.
00:27:18.83\00:27:22.21
Why do you think God
needs to be invisible?
00:27:22.22\00:27:23.77
He walked and talked
with Adam and Eve face to face
00:27:23.78\00:27:26.04
at least until they sinned.
00:27:26.05\00:27:28.06
And even after sin
He walked with them
00:27:28.07\00:27:31.18
at least one last time.
00:27:31.19\00:27:33.00
If it's because we are sinners
00:27:33.01\00:27:34.78
and Adam and Eve were at first,
00:27:34.79\00:27:36.44
were at first perfect,
00:27:36.45\00:27:38.16
we do become sinless now
00:27:38.17\00:27:40.11
with the righteous robe
of Jesus and He forgives,
00:27:40.12\00:27:43.22
so why is He
still invisible to us.
00:27:43.23\00:27:45.91
Okay, so a
couple principles here,
00:27:45.92\00:27:47.48
let me give you a couple text.
00:27:47.49\00:27:49.42
Isaiah 59 verse 2.
00:27:49.43\00:27:55.18
And its Isaiah 59:2 we read
00:27:55.19\00:27:58.73
as I am turning,
00:27:58.74\00:28:02.42
"Behold, the Lord's
hand is not shortened,"
00:28:02.43\00:28:05.90
I'm reading from
verse 1 to give the context
00:28:05.91\00:28:07.96
"that it cannot
save, nor is his ear heavy,
00:28:07.97\00:28:09.92
that it cannot hear,
00:28:09.93\00:28:10.92
but your iniquities have
separated you from your God,
00:28:10.93\00:28:15.06
and your sins have
hidden His face from you,
00:28:15.07\00:28:16.71
so that he will not hear."
00:28:16.72\00:28:18.79
You know, we as
sinful human beings
00:28:18.80\00:28:22.95
because of that sin
have a concept now of space
00:28:22.96\00:28:29.87
and we have a concept of time.
00:28:29.88\00:28:32.46
And it is caused by
separation from God.
00:28:32.47\00:28:36.44
Prior to sin, there was no
concept of distance from God,
00:28:36.45\00:28:40.87
He was always there.
00:28:40.88\00:28:43.09
Not only just physically
I mean spiritually felt,
00:28:43.10\00:28:47.23
but physically He was there.
00:28:47.24\00:28:50.05
Secondly there was
no concept of time,
00:28:50.06\00:28:52.87
there was no this,
there wasn't this idea
00:28:52.88\00:28:54.46
that we are
ticking toward death.
00:28:54.47\00:28:57.44
And so those things
were absent from Adam and Eve
00:28:57.45\00:29:00.54
and they were perfect,
00:29:00.55\00:29:01.64
they were sinless and
so the Lord also freely,
00:29:01.65\00:29:05.15
because there was
no separation commune
00:29:05.16\00:29:07.46
with them face to face.
00:29:07.47\00:29:08.69
They saw God they
had a good intimate
00:29:08.70\00:29:11.80
personal visible
relationship with God.
00:29:11.81\00:29:14.89
But then we know
that after the fall
00:29:14.90\00:29:18.20
there is this
distance this space
00:29:18.21\00:29:20.64
and then there is this time
element that we're all stuck
00:29:20.65\00:29:22.85
with until His second coming.
00:29:22.86\00:29:24.64
But there is another text here
00:29:24.65\00:29:25.78
I think that tells us more about
00:29:25.79\00:29:27.05
why is he still invisible to us.
00:29:27.06\00:29:29.68
And it's not because
God is not a forgiving God,
00:29:29.69\00:29:32.10
He absolutely is.
00:29:32.11\00:29:33.96
But Exodus 33 verse 20,
00:29:33.97\00:29:38.10
is part of a story that is about
00:29:38.11\00:29:41.48
Moses on the
mountain meeting with God
00:29:41.49\00:29:43.50
and there were times that God
00:29:43.51\00:29:46.19
appeared to various patriarchs,
00:29:46.20\00:29:49.19
even matriarchs
of the Old Testament
00:29:49.20\00:29:51.63
and was visible to them,
00:29:51.64\00:29:53.04
but He always was
veiled in humanity.
00:29:53.05\00:29:56.60
But here we find an instant
00:29:56.61\00:29:57.68
where Moses is meeting
with God and Moses is in
00:29:57.69\00:30:00.12
and God is not veiled.
00:30:00.13\00:30:02.34
But Moses asked
to see Gods glory
00:30:02.35\00:30:06.02
and the Lord answers
00:30:06.03\00:30:08.26
and as He is
dialoging with Moses,
00:30:08.27\00:30:09.93
He says these words.
00:30:09.94\00:30:11.11
And this is Exodus 33 verse 20,
00:30:11.12\00:30:17.73
He says, "You cannot see my face
00:30:17.74\00:30:22.33
for no man shall see me,"
00:30:22.34\00:30:23.81
and do what? And live. "Live."
00:30:23.82\00:30:26.91
The reason why
God is still invisible
00:30:26.92\00:30:28.50
to us is for
our protection. Yes.
00:30:28.51\00:30:31.52
It's not because of separation
00:30:31.53\00:30:33.43
so much any longer,
00:30:33.44\00:30:34.42
but it is because we are
still sinful human beings.
00:30:34.43\00:30:36.98
We are-- I
should say maybe a more
00:30:36.99\00:30:38.63
appropriate word is
we are not only sinful,
00:30:38.64\00:30:41.37
we are mortal human beings.
00:30:41.38\00:30:43.60
And mortality cannot stand
in the presence of a Holy God.
00:30:43.61\00:30:47.03
And so for our
benefit, for our protection,
00:30:47.06\00:30:49.86
we cannot see God face to face,
00:30:49.87\00:30:52.45
because we'll be
consumed in an instant.
00:30:52.46\00:30:55.24
And so that is the reason
00:30:55.25\00:30:56.29
why He is still invisible to us,
00:30:56.30\00:30:57.79
but one day He will not
be, we'll see Him face to face.
00:30:57.80\00:31:00.62
Yeah, righteousness and
sin cannot inhabit same place,
00:31:00.63\00:31:04.04
same time like
light and darkness.
00:31:04.05\00:31:05.68
When you turn on light,
darkness ceases to exist.
00:31:05.69\00:31:07.96
So at this point
00:31:07.97\00:31:09.08
and your writer
does say we are sinners.
00:31:09.09\00:31:15.14
Well, we're sinners
because God declares us as such.
00:31:15.15\00:31:17.71
Not in our own right,
00:31:17.72\00:31:18.71
our righteousness is as
filthy rags and so the truth
00:31:18.72\00:31:21.78
is that while we
are being perfected,
00:31:21.79\00:31:26.00
God chooses to see us through
00:31:26.01\00:31:27.57
the justification
process as being perfect.
00:31:27.58\00:31:29.83
So the prefix in that
we've is a declaration
00:31:29.84\00:31:33.39
done by God. Right.
00:31:33.40\00:31:34.82
Its all God, it is not through
00:31:34.83\00:31:36.27
any inherent
righteousness that we have.
00:31:36.28\00:31:38.43
We're very much sinners
00:31:38.44\00:31:41.21
who are being saved
by grace through faith,
00:31:41.22\00:31:43.62
that's not of
ourselves it's a gift.
00:31:43.63\00:31:46.51
So in that condition we
still are unfit to stand
00:31:46.52\00:31:50.54
in the presence of a Holy God.
00:31:50.55\00:31:52.57
We're just not,
we're just not there yet,
00:31:52.58\00:31:54.80
and since righteousness
00:31:54.81\00:31:56.05
and sin cannot
inhabit the same place
00:31:56.06\00:31:57.66
as you've rightly said,
00:31:57.67\00:31:59.61
were we to come
directly into His presence
00:31:59.62\00:32:02.06
and to see Him, we
would cease to exist.
00:32:02.07\00:32:05.71
It's like putting a 220V,
00:32:05.72\00:32:07.95
you know, into a
little light socket
00:32:07.96\00:32:10.46
or something
just too much power,
00:32:10.47\00:32:12.32
too much just cannot handle it.
00:32:12.33\00:32:13.96
And so at this point,
there is this separation,
00:32:13.97\00:32:16.81
but praise God that separation
00:32:16.82\00:32:18.48
will not be always. Yeah. Yeah.
00:32:18.49\00:32:20.13
You know,
Christ came, this is a,
00:32:20.14\00:32:22.70
it's a matter of a heart.
00:32:22.71\00:32:23.76
Jesus came unveiled his
divinity His perfection, yes,
00:32:23.77\00:32:26.79
with sinful flesh.
00:32:26.80\00:32:28.63
He says, He
came in the lightness
00:32:28.64\00:32:29.69
of sinful flesh.
00:32:29.70\00:32:31.26
We receive in the righteousness
00:32:31.27\00:32:32.98
of Christ are "veiled"
00:32:32.99\00:32:35.46
so to speak by the robe
of Christ's righteousness
00:32:35.47\00:32:38.07
but inside we're
sinful. Yeah, we're sinful.
00:32:38.08\00:32:40.88
And that won't change
until tell the second coming.
00:32:40.89\00:32:42.72
So for our protection
00:32:42.73\00:32:45.72
that's why God
still remains invisible
00:32:45.73\00:32:47.53
but He is not still,
He is not far from you,
00:32:47.54\00:32:49.72
because of the presence of
the Holy Spirit in your life.
00:32:49.73\00:32:52.82
All right thank you, again
so much for your questions.
00:32:52.83\00:32:55.04
We appreciate your participation
00:32:55.05\00:32:57.46
in the program
by sending those in.
00:32:57.47\00:32:59.53
Let me give you
the address once again,
00:32:59.54\00:33:01.00
the email address,
00:33:01.01\00:33:01.98
its housecalls@3abn.org,
housecalls@3abn.org.
00:33:01.99\00:33:08.26
Please send us your questions,
00:33:08.27\00:33:09.24
we'll do our best to get
you involved in our program,
00:33:09.25\00:33:13.31
so thank you very much.
00:33:13.32\00:33:15.60
You know, Pastor
Murray, we live in an age today
00:33:15.61\00:33:20.88
many people have
different words for it,
00:33:20.89\00:33:22.55
the New Testament age,
00:33:22.56\00:33:25.22
we live under the New Covenant,
00:33:25.23\00:33:27.62
the Era of the Church.
00:33:27.63\00:33:30.17
But in what ever
you wanna call it
00:33:30.18\00:33:32.74
I think there is
something that Bible teaches us
00:33:32.75\00:33:35.40
very clearly that maybe not,
00:33:35.41\00:33:37.60
it's not entirely
understood or at least as well
00:33:37.61\00:33:39.56
as it should be that there
is a priesthood on this earth
00:33:39.57\00:33:43.99
that God has
chosen to do His work.
00:33:44.00\00:33:47.22
And there are some
text that allude to that,
00:33:47.23\00:33:48.66
we'll get to
those in a little bit.
00:33:48.67\00:33:50.69
But the topic
that we're gonna cover
00:33:50.70\00:33:52.83
for the next
couple of days involves,
00:33:52.84\00:33:54.49
or at least we take a deeper
look into this priesthood.
00:33:54.50\00:33:59.11
You know, pastor I
was watching a program
00:33:59.12\00:34:02.02
I think it was 60 minutes
00:34:02.03\00:34:03.39
and it was a few months ago
00:34:03.40\00:34:05.77
and they did it
on these monasteries
00:34:05.78\00:34:09.13
and monks within Mount Athos.
00:34:09.14\00:34:12.45
And of course Mount
Athos means Holy Mountain.
00:34:12.46\00:34:15.60
It was founded or
at least established
00:34:15.61\00:34:17.40
right around the
late 10th century
00:34:17.41\00:34:21.02
and these monasteries today
00:34:21.03\00:34:23.25
that CBS was
allowed in they have priest
00:34:23.26\00:34:26.63
there that
practice very, very strict
00:34:26.64\00:34:32.44
lifestyle and spiritual
kind of well, they practice,
00:34:32.45\00:34:37.91
I don't want to
review we've done it,
00:34:37.92\00:34:39.55
but these are the
practices of their faith.
00:34:39.56\00:34:41.23
This is what
they do to honor God
00:34:41.24\00:34:43.39
to make sure
they're close to God
00:34:43.40\00:34:45.10
and to live according to
how God wants them to live.
00:34:45.11\00:34:48.18
And so they have
these very rigid,
00:34:48.19\00:34:51.12
they almost appear they
are legalistic practices
00:34:51.13\00:34:53.87
and they are very commendable.
00:34:53.88\00:34:55.13
I would say, you know,
00:34:55.14\00:34:56.11
anybody that's got
that kind of dedication
00:34:56.12\00:34:58.83
should be commended at least
for their dedication itself.
00:34:58.84\00:35:01.01
But what we find in Gods word
00:35:01.02\00:35:03.87
is that the
church is not necessarily
00:35:03.88\00:35:07.95
to have each one of
its members as a whole,
00:35:07.96\00:35:11.26
each one of us act
out the part of a monk.
00:35:11.27\00:35:14.40
In a monastery we
wouldn't get any work done,
00:35:14.41\00:35:17.06
they're very isolated
and they're really sectarian,
00:35:17.07\00:35:20.30
they stand off from
the rest of the world,
00:35:20.31\00:35:22.37
that is not God's design.
00:35:22.38\00:35:23.68
When we see priesthood
of believers for the church,
00:35:23.69\00:35:26.10
it doesn't mean that priesthood
00:35:26.11\00:35:27.22
that stays isolated or secluded
00:35:27.23\00:35:29.33
it means we've a work to
do as God's living priesthood.
00:35:29.34\00:35:33.50
And so I share this example,
00:35:33.51\00:35:35.19
because where ever there
is a truth in God's word,
00:35:35.20\00:35:38.72
there seems to be a
counterfeit as well.
00:35:38.73\00:35:41.30
And so where God has a living,
00:35:41.31\00:35:42.98
priesthood here I
believe still on this earth
00:35:42.99\00:35:45.76
who is to do a work,
00:35:45.77\00:35:47.01
there is a
counterfeit priesthood
00:35:47.02\00:35:48.84
that also exists
on this earth as well,
00:35:48.85\00:35:50.82
and we got be
careful to distinguish
00:35:50.83\00:35:52.19
what is true and what is false.
00:35:52.20\00:35:55.28
But, as we look
back as we get to,
00:35:55.29\00:35:58.33
as we dive into the word here,
00:35:58.34\00:35:59.53
we're gonna see
that God has established
00:35:59.54\00:36:01.52
He established very early on
00:36:01.53\00:36:03.33
a priesthood to do
a work for Him through
00:36:03.34\00:36:07.56
and with the
children of Israel. Yes.
00:36:07.57\00:36:10.39
From very, the
very beginning God shows
00:36:10.40\00:36:12.54
His people through
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
00:36:12.55\00:36:16.41
Then after Jacob
they were in bondage
00:36:16.42\00:36:18.53
they were in captivity,
slavery to the Egyptians.
00:36:18.54\00:36:21.45
Finally after 400 years,
He delivered them from Egypt
00:36:21.46\00:36:25.00
and then He
established a priesthood again,
00:36:25.01\00:36:28.11
a very visible priesthood
00:36:28.12\00:36:29.78
that served around a sanctuary,
00:36:29.79\00:36:32.53
initially a
sanctuary that was portable
00:36:32.54\00:36:34.62
as they went around wilderness,
00:36:34.63\00:36:36.14
they journeyed for 40 years
00:36:36.15\00:36:38.53
and then later on
as they developed,
00:36:38.54\00:36:42.07
as they were
established in Canaan
00:36:42.08\00:36:43.79
there was a temple in Jerusalem
00:36:43.80\00:36:45.37
and the services
surrounded the temple.
00:36:45.38\00:36:47.84
And we find that through
00:36:47.85\00:36:48.82
the rest of the
life of the Israelites
00:36:48.83\00:36:53.17
and then of course
after they divide the king
00:36:53.18\00:36:55.78
and the Jews until
the time of Christ.
00:36:55.79\00:36:58.27
So I want to first
though go back early on
00:36:58.28\00:37:01.46
to Deuteronomy Chapter
7 and read a passage here,
00:37:01.47\00:37:05.07
about God choosing his
people and what his intent is
00:37:05.08\00:37:09.77
and was from the very beginning
00:37:09.78\00:37:11.55
for choosing a
specific people to Him.
00:37:11.56\00:37:14.71
And maybe you could
start this off by reading,
00:37:14.72\00:37:16.50
would you mind.
00:37:16.51\00:37:17.48
All right,
Deuteronomy 7:6 through 8,
00:37:17.49\00:37:20.42
"For you art an holy
people to the Lord your God,
00:37:20.43\00:37:24.74
the Lord your God has chosen
00:37:24.75\00:37:26.21
you to be a people for Himself,
00:37:26.22\00:37:28.53
a special treasure
above all the peoples
00:37:28.54\00:37:31.30
on the face of the earth."
00:37:31.31\00:37:32.99
In 7, "The Lord did
not set his love on you,
00:37:33.00\00:37:36.86
nor choose you,
00:37:36.87\00:37:37.84
because ye were
more in number than
00:37:37.85\00:37:40.12
any other people for you
were least of all peoples,
00:37:40.13\00:37:43.67
but because the Lord loves you.
00:37:43.68\00:37:47.12
Wow, so because
of the Lord's love,
00:37:47.13\00:37:49.50
he chose a people
00:37:49.51\00:37:51.82
and its not just
Abraham He promised Abraham,
00:37:51.83\00:37:54.51
He would make His descendents
like the sands of the sea.
00:37:54.52\00:37:58.83
And so as His people
were growing in number
00:37:58.84\00:38:00.77
He assured them that
00:38:00.78\00:38:02.31
He chose them from
the very beginning,
00:38:02.32\00:38:03.95
because of his
great love for them.
00:38:03.96\00:38:06.46
And this is an important thing,
00:38:06.47\00:38:07.79
I mean we should
probably not just slip pass
00:38:07.80\00:38:09.78
this very, very
quickly without at least noting
00:38:09.79\00:38:12.63
God's love for His people. Yes.
00:38:12.64\00:38:15.84
And not just love
for us individually,
00:38:15.85\00:38:18.75
but He loves His
chosen people. Yes.
00:38:18.76\00:38:22.23
A group that he is
calling out of the world
00:38:22.24\00:38:26.20
to be like Him to serve Him
00:38:26.21\00:38:29.28
and to minister
them as an outreach
00:38:29.29\00:38:31.83
to rest of the world
hoping to bring others in.
00:38:31.84\00:38:33.95
That's the part on the
other side of the period,
00:38:33.96\00:38:36.99
John that I think we
ought to always emphasize.
00:38:37.00\00:38:39.63
If we stop at God chose us,
00:38:39.64\00:38:41.59
because He loves us,
00:38:41.60\00:38:42.95
it will push us
in a wrong direction.
00:38:42.96\00:38:45.25
It would tend to
make us like these monks
00:38:45.26\00:38:51.63
that you are
talking about sometime ago.
00:38:51.64\00:38:53.21
All right God
chose me He loves me,
00:38:53.22\00:38:55.27
that's a nice thing.
00:38:55.28\00:38:56.92
On the other side of
that period is chose me
00:38:56.93\00:38:58.82
for what? Yeah.
00:38:58.83\00:39:00.76
And that question
must always be asked,
00:39:00.77\00:39:02.80
because if you stop
at just He chose me,
00:39:02.81\00:39:04.61
He loves me, then you may think
00:39:04.62\00:39:06.78
that you're better
than everybody else.
00:39:06.79\00:39:09.42
And actually He
chose you and loves you,
00:39:09.43\00:39:12.60
but out of that love
chose you to be a servant
00:39:12.61\00:39:15.48
to everybody else.
00:39:15.49\00:39:17.89
His choosing of you,
00:39:17.90\00:39:19.08
His selecting of you is
to give you a special task
00:39:19.09\00:39:22.47
to do in accordance
of what God himself does.
00:39:22.48\00:39:27.62
God loves the world
and He is choosing you
00:39:27.63\00:39:30.36
as an instrument to help
share that love to the world.
00:39:30.37\00:39:33.07
So you don't
stop that He chose me,
00:39:33.08\00:39:34.57
He love me, but you ask
the question chose me for what?
00:39:34.58\00:39:37.31
So it says that with that
chosen, with that love comes
00:39:37.32\00:39:39.69
special responsibility with you
00:39:39.70\00:39:42.22
and that special responsibility
00:39:42.23\00:39:45.07
is to do the work of the Lord.
00:39:45.08\00:39:46.74
You know, and He
seems to say that much here
00:39:46.75\00:39:48.15
because in the other
00:39:48.16\00:39:51.63
what He is saying leading up
00:39:51.64\00:39:52.70
to saying that
the Lord loves you.
00:39:52.71\00:39:54.51
He says that He
didn't choose you
00:39:54.52\00:39:55.79
because you were
bigger in number or more
00:39:55.80\00:39:58.40
special than
somebody else. Precisely.
00:39:58.41\00:40:00.27
So He's trying to
be very clear here,
00:40:00.28\00:40:02.61
I'm not loving you,
because you're lovable,
00:40:02.62\00:40:06.04
I'm loving you,
because that's my nature. Yes.
00:40:06.05\00:40:08.67
I love all of my
creation, I'm choosing you not
00:40:08.68\00:40:11.19
because you're
greater or better or whatever
00:40:11.20\00:40:14.71
you want to assign to
meaning the meaning better
00:40:14.72\00:40:17.46
but I loved you,
00:40:17.47\00:40:18.69
I poured out my love
upon you to choose you,
00:40:18.70\00:40:20.64
so that I may share the love,
00:40:20.65\00:40:22.17
the same love to the world.
00:40:22.18\00:40:23.65
Yeah, ultimately His
love is for the world,
00:40:23.66\00:40:27.27
your selection facilitates that,
00:40:27.28\00:40:29.77
that's what He is trying to--
00:40:29.78\00:40:30.75
I'm trying to get
to the whole world.
00:40:30.76\00:40:32.07
So I'm laying my
hand on your shoulder,
00:40:32.08\00:40:35.51
because you are gonna help me
00:40:35.52\00:40:36.77
get my love to the
whole world. Yeah. Yeah.
00:40:36.78\00:40:39.34
Our next couple text actually
help to build on this theme
00:40:39.35\00:40:42.58
and we're just kind of
establishing a foundation now
00:40:42.59\00:40:44.76
for God choosing Israel
00:40:44.77\00:40:46.96
and how He established Israel,
00:40:46.97\00:40:48.50
because we'll see some parallels
00:40:48.51\00:40:50.21
with how He
establishes His church
00:40:50.22\00:40:51.85
as well in a little while.
00:40:51.86\00:40:54.94
Let's read from
Isaiah Chapter 42,
00:40:54.95\00:40:58.61
and I'm almost
there 42:6 and 7 and then,
00:40:58.62\00:41:04.86
C.A. maybe you can pickup 49:6
00:41:04.87\00:41:07.25
after I read 42:6 and 7 here.
00:41:07.26\00:41:10.34
It says in Isaiah 42:6 and 7.
00:41:10.35\00:41:14.79
"I the lord have
called you in righteousness,
00:41:14.80\00:41:17.46
and will hold your
hand, I will keep you,
00:41:17.47\00:41:19.88
and give you as a
covenant to the people,
00:41:19.89\00:41:25.82
as light" to
who? "The Gentiles."
00:41:25.83\00:41:29.27
So wait a
minute, God didn't choose
00:41:29.28\00:41:31.24
the Gentiles from the beginning,
00:41:31.25\00:41:32.43
but He is saying that
I chose you as a people
00:41:32.44\00:41:36.18
and to be a
covenant to the people
00:41:36.19\00:41:38.03
and a light to
who? The gentiles,
00:41:38.04\00:41:40.09
those outside your
sect or your group,
00:41:40.10\00:41:44.32
so the motivation here
goes far beyond just Israel.
00:41:44.33\00:41:47.71
Look at verse 7, to do what,
00:41:47.72\00:41:49.35
"to open blind
eyes, to bring out
00:41:49.36\00:41:51.48
the prisoners from the prison,
00:41:51.49\00:41:53.18
those who sit in
darkness from the prison house."
00:41:53.19\00:41:57.20
And then of course
He says, "I am the Lord,
00:41:57.21\00:41:58.47
that is my name and my glory
00:41:58.48\00:41:59.77
I will not give to another."
00:41:59.78\00:42:01.94
So we've here
God saying to Israel,
00:42:01.95\00:42:05.89
I'm choosing you to be
a light to the Gentiles,
00:42:05.90\00:42:09.12
a light to others. Yes
00:42:09.13\00:42:11.03
But for you to be
that light to others
00:42:11.04\00:42:12.89
I need to first work on you.
00:42:12.90\00:42:15.25
On you, yes, yes.
00:42:15.26\00:42:17.54
And we find this
also in the New Testament.
00:42:17.55\00:42:19.41
God, when Jesus
appeared He chose 12,
00:42:19.42\00:42:24.10
because we know that in the--
00:42:24.11\00:42:26.50
with the
Israelites He chose 12 tribes,
00:42:26.51\00:42:29.40
but here we find 12 disciples
00:42:29.41\00:42:30.96
and He chose them to
teach them the ways of God.
00:42:30.97\00:42:34.53
And Christ
taught them day by day
00:42:34.54\00:42:36.54
and led that by example,
00:42:36.55\00:42:38.59
so that they
might be able to then
00:42:38.60\00:42:39.95
give that same
teaching to the world.
00:42:39.96\00:42:44.33
This the idea of coming aside
00:42:44.34\00:42:47.65
in the Bible is
only a temporary measure
00:42:47.66\00:42:50.83
as it prepares us to go
out and do a wider work.
00:42:50.84\00:42:53.73
And that's why I think
a lot of the monasteries
00:42:53.74\00:42:55.81
and the whole
monastery tradition,
00:42:55.82\00:42:59.19
this is the a boat, if I
can use that terminology,
00:42:59.20\00:43:01.96
you don't come aside for
the purpose of coming aside,
00:43:01.97\00:43:04.93
you come aside
to fortify yourself
00:43:04.94\00:43:07.31
to go back to the world
and leave them in the way
00:43:07.32\00:43:11.75
that Christ
would have them to go.
00:43:11.76\00:43:13.40
So Christ brought them aside,
00:43:13.41\00:43:15.61
He took them aside
He spoke with them,
00:43:15.62\00:43:18.74
He talked to them,
He walked with them.
00:43:18.75\00:43:20.67
He gave them examples
from life and from nature
00:43:20.68\00:43:23.25
for a time and then
He commissioned them,
00:43:23.26\00:43:26.35
now you got it, give it.
00:43:26.36\00:43:29.20
So you don't come
aside just to be aside.
00:43:29.21\00:43:31.26
In fact, if you
come to aside to be aside
00:43:31.27\00:43:33.98
you become unbalanced.
00:43:33.99\00:43:35.77
You know, it's
like a stream or a river
00:43:35.78\00:43:39.11
that gets in but never exits,
00:43:39.12\00:43:41.84
it never goes out,
you become unbalanced.
00:43:41.85\00:43:43.88
So you come aside
simply to fortify,
00:43:43.89\00:43:46.43
to learn, to experience
00:43:46.44\00:43:48.61
and then you take
what you've learned,
00:43:48.62\00:43:49.94
what you've experienced
and you take that to a world
00:43:49.95\00:43:52.07
that needs to have
what God has given you.
00:43:52.08\00:43:55.30
You know, and
the ultimate motive
00:43:55.31\00:43:56.54
is found in that
next verse there,
00:43:56.55\00:43:58.33
of Isaiah.
00:43:58.34\00:44:03.22
"And he said, It
is a light thing that
00:44:03.23\00:44:06.02
you shouldest be my servant
00:44:06.03\00:44:07.21
and raise up
the tribes of Jacob,
00:44:07.22\00:44:09.17
and to restore the
preserved of Israel."
00:44:09.18\00:44:12.06
And here is the key part.
00:44:12.07\00:44:13.42
"I will also give thee
for a light to the Gentiles,"
00:44:13.43\00:44:17.29
that's the key.
00:44:17.30\00:44:18.43
"I'm gonna give you
as the light to them
00:44:18.44\00:44:20.91
because they need the light,
00:44:20.92\00:44:22.38
that thou mayest be my salvation
00:44:22.39\00:44:24.52
to the ends of the earth."
00:44:24.53\00:44:25.87
So God is saying I'm
gonna put that light in you
00:44:25.88\00:44:28.87
and then you take that
light to those dark places
00:44:28.88\00:44:31.84
throughout the earth.
00:44:31.85\00:44:33.48
And the objective
there is to save the world.
00:44:33.49\00:44:36.28
Precisely, Yeah.
00:44:36.29\00:44:38.14
And this is
where I think to degree
00:44:38.15\00:44:41.21
There is been
this battle over time
00:44:41.22\00:44:44.74
The battle clearly was evident
00:44:44.75\00:44:46.55
when Jesus came to
earth the first time
00:44:46.56\00:44:48.87
as He dialoged
with the Pharisees,
00:44:48.88\00:44:50.51
there was this
very exclusive club,
00:44:50.52\00:44:53.24
this group that was
separate from the world.
00:44:53.25\00:44:56.13
They just knew in their heart
00:44:56.14\00:44:57.43
they were better
than every one else,
00:44:57.44\00:44:58.80
that God chose them
for what they had to offer.
00:44:58.81\00:45:02.16
And that translated very
much down through time even,
00:45:02.17\00:45:05.49
to the perception
of many still today
00:45:05.50\00:45:07.52
of the Jewish people.
00:45:07.53\00:45:09.45
And so you have very,
you know, anti Semitic,
00:45:09.46\00:45:13.36
you know, folks who see that,
00:45:13.37\00:45:16.53
from way in the
back and they just,
00:45:16.54\00:45:18.82
they hate that. Yeah.
00:45:18.83\00:45:20.21
And so what's the
worse thing a church can do,
00:45:20.22\00:45:22.58
to give out any kind of
even a semblance or possibility
00:45:22.59\00:45:27.36
that might be their thinking,
00:45:27.37\00:45:29.05
when they are
trying to evangelize
00:45:29.06\00:45:30.04
the very people that, you know,
00:45:30.05\00:45:32.24
that God has sent
them to do evangelize--
00:45:32.25\00:45:33.89
Yeah, you know,
its funny Pastor,
00:45:33.90\00:45:34.87
we tend to like as
humans secret handshakes
00:45:34.88\00:45:38.17
and secret
clubs, and secret signs
00:45:38.18\00:45:40.72
and secret, you
know. We're special.
00:45:40.73\00:45:42.07
You have to be a
part of the cognizant,
00:45:42.08\00:45:43.52
you have to be
part of the inside,
00:45:43.53\00:45:45.08
you flash the secret sign,
00:45:45.09\00:45:46.23
nobody knows the secret sign,
00:45:46.24\00:45:47.90
you know, it's very,
very, chic, very, very, very hit
00:45:47.91\00:45:51.12
to be have this secret
clubs and secret signs.
00:45:51.13\00:45:54.88
And sometimes, the church
falls into that little trap,
00:45:54.89\00:45:59.27
you know, we have certain words
00:45:59.28\00:46:01.25
and certain
terminologies and certain things
00:46:01.26\00:46:02.97
we do that the
world does not know.
00:46:02.98\00:46:05.40
But that turns what God
wanted to be an open door
00:46:05.41\00:46:11.59
into a club house
and you don't want
00:46:11.60\00:46:13.50
the church to
degenerate into a club house.
00:46:13.51\00:46:15.93
Your job as a Christian,
00:46:15.94\00:46:18.60
talking about the
priesthood of all believers
00:46:18.61\00:46:20.13
is to get out from the closet
00:46:20.14\00:46:22.86
and into the world with
the light of the gospel.
00:46:22.87\00:46:25.96
So if you make it too difficult
00:46:25.97\00:46:27.85
or too eclectic
to become a member,
00:46:27.86\00:46:30.32
then you're doing
actually the opposite
00:46:30.33\00:46:32.17
of what Christ is
asking you to do. Yeah. Yeah.
00:46:32.18\00:46:34.49
And there are
many secret societies
00:46:34.50\00:46:35.71
and things out there
that we know nothing about.
00:46:35.72\00:46:37.48
Precisely, we
don't want the church
00:46:37.49\00:46:39.37
to become a secret society.
00:46:39.38\00:46:40.48
No, no, not, not by
any stretch of imagination.
00:46:40.49\00:46:45.69
So we've established here now
00:46:45.70\00:46:47.03
as we looked at
some of these text,
00:46:47.04\00:46:48.12
God's motive for choosing Israel
00:46:48.13\00:46:51.48
and that eventually,
00:46:51.49\00:46:52.87
He would use them as
a light to the Gentiles.
00:46:52.88\00:46:54.84
When Jesus came to this earth,
00:46:54.85\00:46:57.89
He intended for Israel
to accept Him as the Messiah
00:46:57.90\00:47:02.46
and as a result of that,
00:47:02.47\00:47:03.83
He would then use
them to reach the world.
00:47:03.84\00:47:08.01
I said this several
times and some people kind of,
00:47:08.02\00:47:11.23
they're taken back and
then they think about it,
00:47:11.24\00:47:12.87
you know, what that's true.
00:47:12.88\00:47:14.87
There would have been no church.
00:47:14.88\00:47:18.30
There would have been no
reason to establish a church,
00:47:18.31\00:47:21.20
if the Jewish
people had accepted Christ
00:47:21.21\00:47:23.95
as their Messiah
00:47:23.96\00:47:25.28
He would have used
them to bring salvation
00:47:25.29\00:47:27.93
to the ends of the earth.
00:47:27.94\00:47:30.16
The church was chosen, yeah,
00:47:30.17\00:47:31.86
because the Jewish
hierarchy rejected Christ. Yeah.
00:47:31.87\00:47:35.98
Crucified Him,
were involved in that,
00:47:35.99\00:47:37.84
they didn't have to be. Yeah.
00:47:37.85\00:47:39.26
The Romans would have
done this on their own,
00:47:39.27\00:47:41.60
if they had
assured him and his king,
00:47:41.61\00:47:43.09
what you think the
Romans would have done.
00:47:43.10\00:47:44.23
Yeah, they have taken to panic--
00:47:44.24\00:47:45.27
They would have
crucified Him anyway. Precisely,
00:47:45.28\00:47:46.95
But they joined
in united with Romans
00:47:46.96\00:47:49.11
and use the
Romans to crucify Him,
00:47:49.12\00:47:50.92
that's rejecting Christ
00:47:50.93\00:47:52.37
which is why the
church was established.
00:47:52.38\00:47:54.04
Yeah, the church was,
00:47:54.05\00:47:55.07
I don't want to say
the default settings,
00:47:55.08\00:47:56.36
certainly was
the alternate plan,
00:47:56.37\00:47:57.99
because we weren't and
I'll use the terminology
00:47:58.00\00:48:00.91
buying into the original plan.
00:48:00.92\00:48:02.89
Right, which is
one of the reasons
00:48:02.90\00:48:04.36
why Israel is used to talk
to talking about the church.
00:48:04.37\00:48:09.47
The prophecies of
Israel of the Old Testament
00:48:09.48\00:48:11.84
now apply to the
church. Apply to the church.
00:48:11.85\00:48:13.78
And there is this
false teaching out there,
00:48:13.79\00:48:15.42
this dual
covenant theology where
00:48:15.43\00:48:17.51
God is a separate
covenant with Jews,
00:48:17.52\00:48:19.56
that He has with the church.
00:48:19.57\00:48:21.42
And its complete
misunderstanding that,
00:48:21.43\00:48:22.86
that covenant ended with
the Jews as a nation. Yes.
00:48:22.87\00:48:27.57
And then was established
00:48:27.58\00:48:28.97
and brought as a new
covenant through the church,
00:48:28.98\00:48:32.85
also to
evangelize the Jews again,
00:48:32.86\00:48:34.81
who have been--
00:48:34.82\00:48:35.88
Right, the covenant blessings
00:48:35.89\00:48:37.61
as well as the
covenant responsibilities
00:48:37.62\00:48:39.88
now fall upon, now
fall upon the church.
00:48:39.89\00:48:42.46
Even if you look at
where Israel was placed
00:48:42.47\00:48:44.91
when they went into
Canaan into "Promise land."
00:48:44.92\00:48:49.70
They were put on what we called
00:48:49.71\00:48:51.47
the crossroads of the nations.
00:48:51.48\00:48:54.30
The civilized world was
concentrated in North Africa,
00:48:54.31\00:48:57.57
Mesopotamia and they to
get where you have to go,
00:48:57.58\00:49:01.83
you had to pass
through that area of the world
00:49:01.84\00:49:05.94
and may contact
with God's people.
00:49:05.95\00:49:08.83
And so they were
strategically placed
00:49:08.84\00:49:10.52
and then of course
later through the Diasporas
00:49:10.53\00:49:13.15
and the intimate connection
with the Roman Empire,
00:49:13.16\00:49:17.13
the goodness of the gospel,
00:49:17.14\00:49:18.92
the awareness of
the gospel of Christ
00:49:18.93\00:49:20.97
will spread
throughout the world.
00:49:20.98\00:49:21.95
That wasn't accidental,
00:49:21.96\00:49:22.93
they won't put in
some islands, some place.
00:49:22.94\00:49:25.45
They will put right
there in the center of
00:49:25.46\00:49:27.31
the then civilized
world for a specific purpose,
00:49:27.32\00:49:29.86
and that was to share.
00:49:29.87\00:49:31.15
You had trade
routes and caravans
00:49:31.16\00:49:32.98
moving to one fro
to and fro and yet,
00:49:32.99\00:49:35.15
they chose to do the
opposite to be insular
00:49:35.16\00:49:37.46
and sort of just
keep it to themselves,
00:49:37.47\00:49:39.13
when all Christ wanted them
00:49:39.14\00:49:40.25
to do will share with everyone,
00:49:40.26\00:49:42.08
the goodness of
His love and His mercy.
00:49:42.09\00:49:44.78
Yeah. Yeah.
00:49:44.79\00:49:45.92
Let's turn to Exodus Chapter 19,
00:49:45.93\00:49:48.47
we are gonna continue to
build on this picture of God,
00:49:48.48\00:49:51.41
choosing a people to serve Him,
00:49:51.42\00:49:54.08
and to then extend salvation
to the ends of the world.
00:49:54.09\00:49:57.79
Exodus 19 verses 5 and 6,
00:49:57.80\00:50:01.76
it says, "Now
therefore, if you will indeed
00:50:01.77\00:50:03.93
obey My voice
and keep My covenant,
00:50:03.94\00:50:08.01
then you shall be a
special treasure to me
00:50:08.02\00:50:11.18
above all people,
for all the earth is mine
00:50:11.19\00:50:14.87
and you shall be to
me a kingdom of priest
00:50:14.88\00:50:18.50
and a Holy nation.
00:50:18.51\00:50:20.39
These are the words
00:50:20.40\00:50:21.37
which you shall speak
to the children of Israel.
00:50:21.38\00:50:23.10
"This is God speaking to Mosses,
00:50:23.11\00:50:25.13
to then have Mosses carry
to the children of Israel.
00:50:25.14\00:50:29.65
Now we find in this word priest
00:50:29.66\00:50:35.27
and I looked up in
Merriam's dictionary,
00:50:35.28\00:50:39.68
in Merriam Webster's dictionary
00:50:39.69\00:50:41.82
and it says,
with regard to priest,
00:50:41.83\00:50:44.09
that it refers to one authorized
00:50:44.10\00:50:46.31
to perform the sacred
rights of the religion
00:50:46.32\00:50:48.25
especially as a mediatory agent.
00:50:48.26\00:50:52.34
A mediatory agent
between humans and God.
00:50:52.35\00:50:56.26
Now this is a
fairly narrow definition
00:50:56.27\00:50:58.68
and I think
we're gonna expand that
00:50:58.69\00:51:00.00
greatly over the
time that we're here.
00:51:00.01\00:51:02.25
But clearly I like the picture
00:51:02.26\00:51:03.70
though of mediatory. Yes.
00:51:03.71\00:51:06.20
Because God has chosen
00:51:06.21\00:51:08.34
His this entire
nation initially,
00:51:08.35\00:51:10.32
the whole nation is to
be a kingdom of priest.
00:51:10.33\00:51:13.57
And we're gonna find that
00:51:13.58\00:51:14.58
as we go through this
choosing this kingdom,
00:51:14.59\00:51:17.04
or these people as
a kingdom of priest,
00:51:17.05\00:51:19.12
they don't really necessarily
like the idea. Yes, yes.
00:51:19.13\00:51:23.09
And it begins in
the very next Chapter
00:51:23.10\00:51:25.33
because in the
very next Chapter,
00:51:25.34\00:51:26.58
Exodus 20,
00:51:26.59\00:51:27.71
we have the people at
the base of Mount Sinai,
00:51:27.72\00:51:31.60
God at the top of Mount
Sinai thundering His law.
00:51:31.61\00:51:36.93
And interesting
things, it says about that,
00:51:36.94\00:51:39.28
in fact, you want
to read this one C.A.,
00:51:39.29\00:51:40.92
Exodus 20:18 to 21?
00:51:40.93\00:51:42.78
Can do. I'm in Exodus 20.
00:51:42.79\00:51:48.40
"Now all the people
witnessed the thunderings,
00:51:48.41\00:51:50.42
the lightning, flashes,
the sound of the trumpet,
00:51:50.43\00:51:54.44
and the mountain smoking
and when the people saw it,
00:51:54.45\00:51:58.02
they trembled
and stood afar off.
00:51:58.03\00:52:01.46
Then they said to
Moses, speak,you speak with us
00:52:01.47\00:52:06.35
and we will hear, but
let not God speak with us,
00:52:06.36\00:52:10.07
lest we die."
00:52:10.08\00:52:11.73
And Moses said to his
people, "Do not be fear,
00:52:11.74\00:52:14.41
for God has come to test you,
00:52:14.42\00:52:17.41
and that His
fear maybe before you,
00:52:17.42\00:52:20.23
so that you may not sin."
00:52:20.24\00:52:22.47
And 21 "So, the
people stood a far off,
00:52:22.48\00:52:25.14
but Moses drew
near the thick darkness
00:52:25.15\00:52:28.00
where God was."
00:52:28.01\00:52:29.14
Ah, there is so
much in this passage,
00:52:29.15\00:52:31.38
it just lights
up my imagination,
00:52:31.39\00:52:34.74
but I think there is some
wonderful teachings in here.
00:52:34.75\00:52:37.48
We find that God is
appearing on this mountain
00:52:37.49\00:52:41.39
and the people
respond by being fearful. Yes.
00:52:41.40\00:52:45.01
Of course, Moses
says, it's kind of an,
00:52:45.02\00:52:47.50
kind of speaking
in two different ways,
00:52:47.51\00:52:49.95
and this is a
good text anybody use
00:52:49.96\00:52:51.49
when you're teaching about fear,
00:52:51.50\00:52:52.94
you know, the fear
of God, do not fear,
00:52:52.95\00:52:55.46
in other words,
do not be afraid.
00:52:55.47\00:52:57.31
"For God has come to test you,
00:52:57.32\00:52:58.29
that His fear maybe before you."
00:52:58.30\00:53:00.46
So we should
fear, but not fear. Yes.
00:53:00.47\00:53:02.75
Don't be afraid like trembling
00:53:02.76\00:53:04.22
like you're afraid of God,
00:53:04.23\00:53:05.77
but your fear
respect Him. Respect Him.
00:53:05.78\00:53:07.90
Because He does hold
us to accountability.
00:53:07.91\00:53:11.19
And so we find these people
00:53:11.20\00:53:12.39
who are seeing these
manifestations of miraculous,
00:53:12.40\00:53:15.47
just power on this
mountain, and what do they do?
00:53:15.48\00:53:18.94
They stood a far off.
And it says that twice.
00:53:18.95\00:53:22.73
Verse 21 again, it says,
00:53:22.74\00:53:23.84
"The people stood a far
off, but, Moses did what?"
00:53:23.85\00:53:26.71
Drew near. Moses drew near.
00:53:26.72\00:53:28.73
Now notice, if
you read the passage,
00:53:28.74\00:53:31.83
it says, God says,
00:53:31.84\00:53:33.09
"Put a boundary
around the mountain,
00:53:33.10\00:53:34.98
and if you just step
across that you'll die,
00:53:34.99\00:53:37.46
My holiness is as
such where you'll die,
00:53:37.47\00:53:39.49
do not go near."
00:53:39.50\00:53:41.89
But Moses drew near,
00:53:41.90\00:53:43.95
he didn't step
across the boundary. Yes.
00:53:43.96\00:53:45.79
He just drew near to it,
where the people shrunk back,
00:53:45.80\00:53:49.13
they stood a far
off from that boundary
00:53:49.14\00:53:50.92
and what you see
here are two things,
00:53:50.93\00:53:54.13
you're seeing the
people being afraid of God now,
00:53:54.14\00:53:56.64
warning to draw
near as Moses did,
00:53:56.65\00:53:59.88
but you're also
seeing their resistance
00:53:59.89\00:54:01.70
of being the mediatory agent,
00:54:01.71\00:54:04.09
God had called them to
be just the Chapter earlier.
00:54:04.10\00:54:07.14
God is saying "Come
in, commune with Me,
00:54:07.15\00:54:09.56
be a special people to
Me, be My agent to others."
00:54:09.57\00:54:12.63
And He has called
Moses to do the same. Yeah.
00:54:12.64\00:54:14.48
Moses draw near,
draws near and says,
00:54:14.49\00:54:16.78
"Okay, I'm here, Lord."
00:54:16.79\00:54:18.12
The people say, "No, no, no,
00:54:18.13\00:54:19.54
Moses, you do it, not us."
00:54:19.55\00:54:21.11
Yeah, not us, not us.
00:54:21.12\00:54:22.31
You know the Lord is trying to,
00:54:22.32\00:54:24.43
to do any number of things.
00:54:24.44\00:54:25.91
One, I think, I like your point,
00:54:25.92\00:54:27.69
the idea that He
wants us not to fear Him,
00:54:27.70\00:54:30.40
but it says, His
fear, a Godly fear,
00:54:30.41\00:54:33.10
a Godly respect,
the Lord is sovereign,
00:54:33.11\00:54:35.40
the Lord is the
Lord, He's the Lord God,
00:54:35.41\00:54:38.33
and that always to be
respected and understood.
00:54:38.34\00:54:43.41
Having said that, He doesn't get
00:54:43.42\00:54:45.81
any kicks out of having us
tremble and quake before Him.
00:54:45.82\00:54:50.23
He wants us to come boldly,
00:54:50.24\00:54:51.66
particularly when
we need something,
00:54:51.67\00:54:53.22
but to come in the
respect and deference that
00:54:53.23\00:54:55.44
we are dealing with
00:54:55.45\00:54:56.67
the sovereign of
the universe. Amen.
00:54:56.68\00:54:58.79
And that, when
we come before Him,
00:54:58.80\00:55:00.98
we come in a certain mindset,
00:55:00.99\00:55:03.04
with a certain
mind fit, mindset.
00:55:03.05\00:55:05.16
And, of course, His desire
00:55:05.17\00:55:06.47
when we come is to
turn us right back around
00:55:06.48\00:55:09.01
and send us out
to the world, amen,
00:55:09.02\00:55:10.29
they needs to have that.
00:55:10.30\00:55:11.95
So, as the people now
are standing afar off.
00:55:11.96\00:55:14.66
Moses, the one, is
the one to draw near,
00:55:14.67\00:55:16.90
we're finding a
little bit of a plan B
00:55:16.91\00:55:20.71
kind of kick into
place here. Yeah, yeah.
00:55:20.72\00:55:22.69
The people have almost
solidified their resistance
00:55:22.70\00:55:26.17
to draw near to God,
00:55:26.18\00:55:27.54
especially as Moses
went up the mountain
00:55:27.55\00:55:29.30
to get the tables of stone.
00:55:29.31\00:55:31.29
And then when he came back down,
00:55:31.30\00:55:32.45
we find that
Golden Calf experience.
00:55:32.46\00:55:34.98
Well, as Moses broke
those tables of stone,
00:55:34.99\00:55:38.64
which depicts really the
breaking of the covenant.
00:55:38.65\00:55:42.33
He kind of places the
test before the people
00:55:42.34\00:55:44.84
and he says,
"Those who are with God,
00:55:44.85\00:55:47.64
stand here and
those who are not,
00:55:47.65\00:55:50.36
who are part of this
golden calf experience,
00:55:50.37\00:55:53.93
we want to
separate from you." Amen.
00:55:53.94\00:55:55.38
And who we have,
that are faithful
00:55:55.39\00:55:58.21
in that test are
the tribe of Levi. Yeah.
00:55:58.22\00:56:02.00
Levi remained faithful
00:56:02.01\00:56:03.35
and we find that in this story.
00:56:03.36\00:56:06.38
And so as, God, sees a
resistance of the people
00:56:06.39\00:56:08.93
in general to draw near
00:56:08.94\00:56:10.24
and to accept this priesthood
of all believers-- Yes.
00:56:10.25\00:56:14.05
Creating a kingdom of priest.
00:56:14.06\00:56:16.17
We now see Levi, who is faithful
00:56:16.18\00:56:19.58
and God is going to call them
00:56:19.59\00:56:21.07
forward then to be His priest.
00:56:21.08\00:56:23.08
And we picked that up
00:56:23.09\00:56:24.06
in Numbers Chapter
3 verses 6 through 10,
00:56:24.07\00:56:27.31
and we don't really have time
00:56:27.32\00:56:28.38
to go into all
of that right now.
00:56:28.39\00:56:30.32
I see our time is
slipping away from here,
00:56:30.33\00:56:32.75
but I'll start
off with Exodus 28:1,
00:56:32.76\00:56:35.35
where it says,
"Take Aaron your brother,
00:56:35.36\00:56:37.26
and his sons with him,
00:56:37.27\00:56:38.24
and from among the
children of Israel,
00:56:38.25\00:56:39.53
that he may
minister to me as priests,
00:56:39.54\00:56:41.90
Aaron and Aaron's sons,
00:56:41.91\00:56:42.98
Nadab, Abihu,
Eleazar, and Ithamar."
00:56:42.99\00:56:45.92
So clearly God is
now not just establishing
00:56:45.93\00:56:48.83
His priest with all the kingdom,
00:56:48.84\00:56:50.77
He's choosing
Aaron and His sons,
00:56:50.78\00:56:52.47
yes, yes, and the tribe of Levi.
00:56:52.48\00:56:54.12
It's a powerful point that
there's a subtle drawing back
00:56:54.13\00:56:56.96
from God's original plan,
00:56:56.97\00:56:58.31
even at the very
earliest days of Israel.
00:56:58.32\00:57:01.94
You know they are at Sinai,
00:57:01.95\00:57:03.32
God wants everyone
to be to service priest,
00:57:03.33\00:57:06.49
but we're not
quite ready for that,
00:57:06.50\00:57:08.22
so then He's got another plan,
00:57:08.23\00:57:10.07
but it wasn't His original plan,
00:57:10.08\00:57:12.02
but He kicks in this other plan.
00:57:12.03\00:57:14.14
Yeah. Very powerful.
00:57:14.15\00:57:15.19
And we're gonna
see a part of that,
00:57:15.20\00:57:16.29
we're gonna continue on in
our story in our next program
00:57:16.30\00:57:18.51
which will be next week,
so make sure you stay tune
00:57:18.52\00:57:20.94
for part two of this.
00:57:20.95\00:57:22.49
But we pray that
the, Lord, is blessing you
00:57:22.50\00:57:24.31
as you open the
word, as you study the word
00:57:24.32\00:57:26.66
and He has bless you
today through this program.
00:57:26.67\00:57:29.12
May you have a
great day in the, Lord,
00:57:29.13\00:57:30.93
as you serve Him
as one of His priests.
00:57:30.94\00:57:33.59
God bless you.
00:57:33.60\00:57:34.95