Hello, friends.
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Grab your Bible and
a friend and sit back
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as we explore
God's word together
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on this edition of House Calls.
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Welcome to another
program of House Calls.
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We are excited that
you have joined us today.
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Without your participation,
without your willingness
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to be part of this program
it wouldn't be what it is.
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And that is a
Bible study program
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where we answer
questions, we cover a topic.
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House Calls, we've been going
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for quite a few years now
here and we have been blessed
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from year to year as we
receive your encouragement,
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your words, your
questions, your participation.
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This program is all about Christ
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and it's about making Him real
to each and everyone of you.
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Thank you for joining
me in this program today.
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With me, Pastor John
Stanton, is C.A. Murray.
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Pastor Murray, thank you
for being here again today.
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Good to be here.
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Yeah, it's a blessing to
always have an opportunity
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to sit here open God's
word and just let it speak.
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Amen, it is.
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Why don't we--before
we dive into our questions
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why don't we go ahead
and turn some time here
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to you to lead us in
prayer so that we make sure
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we have God's
spirit here with us.
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Praise God. Again Father,
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we come to thee
and call upon thee
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to be the author and
finisher of our faith.
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The beginning and the
end, the alpha and the omega,
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the center and
circumference of all that we do.
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We know that there
is truth in Your word.
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We know that there
is light in Your word,
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information and inspiration.
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And we ask that
as we, as it were,
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dig into the depths of
Your word as we take shovel
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and mine the gold
that's in Your word,
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that we will find that
gold, and that we will make
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application to our own
lives, so that we may indeed
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be shining lights for thee.
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Show us Your truth
this day and help us to walk
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in that truth and to
shed the light of that truth
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to a world that needs to
know the goodness of the Lord.
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Bless this particular
sitting, this program,
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all that is said and done.
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And we thank you in
Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
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You know, pastor,
thank you for praying there.
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I shared what I did
there about this program
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and opening up the
word of God because
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the topic we're covering
is about "Sharing Our Faith."
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It's an accountability to
God, we don't just receive
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His blessing and hoard them.
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We receive His blessing
so that we might be a light,
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a channel of blessing to others.
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And that is what our
hope is, our prayer is about
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this program that
there is a light out there
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in a very dark world.
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So thank you
again for joining us.
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We're gonna dive into
our questions here now.
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Before we read
our first question
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and Pastor Murray
will lead us in that.
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I want to give
or at least put up
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for our viewers and
our listeners our address.
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You can mail your questions
into housecalls@3abn.org,
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that's housecalls@3abn.org.
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You can send them in by email
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that way or feel
free to give us a call.
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Our call center
does take some questions
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and passes them along to us.
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Also you can send
them by snail-mail,
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they call it today, that
is the US Postal Service.
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And they will make
sure that if you put it in
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care of House Calls,
it will get to us as well.
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So those are the different ways
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that you can get your
questions to House Calls.
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Thank you for doing that.
And our first question today.
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Well, you know, I've got two
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and I am trying to decided
which one to go to first--
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I think I'll take this
shorter one to begin with.
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The second one is a bit longer.
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We may or may not
have time to get to it.
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The person is
asking about convictions
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that come from the Lord.
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The question is, does it
add several segments to it.
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Some people say that
God gives them dreams
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to go to a particular church.
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I was led by the Holy
Spirit to the Adventist Church,
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went to a Baptist Church
basically most of my life
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but then was led to
the Adventist Church.
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So does God lead people
to go to Sunday churches
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or other churches, if so why?
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For my understanding of
God, He is a God of order,
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so why would He do that?
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Some are convicted to
eat meat, others are not.
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What do you say about that?
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Basically the
question is about convictions.
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What comes from the
Lord and how does God lead?
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When she says
church, I don't know
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if she means a
particular building,
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a particular church, or
a particular denomination,
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I'm not quite sure.
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So I want to paint in the
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largest possible brush strokes.
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I believe that it is God's
desire to lead us to truth.
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John 14, rather 16:13,
tells us one of the jobs
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of Holy Spirit is
to lead us into truth,
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and testify of Jesus Christ,
because we get John 17:17,
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that tells us
that His word is truth.
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So it's God's I say
job, I use that term,
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I can't think of anything
else more fitting at the moment.
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It's His job, His
desire to lead us into truth.
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Whatever path that leading
takes for different people,
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it comes in different ways.
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This person was
Baptist was led into
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the truth of the
Adventist Church.
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I think God takes
you where He finds you
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and leads you along a
road that you can follow,
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the ultimate end of His truth.
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For some it may mean a
stop over in a First Day church,
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while He is
preparing us to go further.
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There are those who may
have never had or heard about
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the Adventist
Church, they were led
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into a particular church
and find a level of truth there.
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Then may be later on, they
find out about the Sabbath.
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They get more light.
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And then they follow
that in priest light,
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they leave where
they are because there is
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additional light
that comes into our life,
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and we are
called to follow light.
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Our early church
pioneers didn't believe
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in it or accept trinity.
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They had a close door
mindset but as truth came
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they grew into that truth.
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We have an example in
Acts Chapter 19 verse 2,
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a group of
believers were asked, well,
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"Were you baptized
into the Holy Spirit?"
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Well, we don't even
know. Yeah. What is it...
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If there is a Holy
Spirit, who know what that is.
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So once they were explained,
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we were baptized
in John's Baptism.
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Basically repent for
your sins and be baptized
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and that's what we did,
but we didn't know about this,
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this new light, so
now that new light comes
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we walk into that new light.
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So there is this process
that God brings us along.
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For some it may mean they're
into or attending a church
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that for at that point in
their lives was truth for them
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but then as they got more light,
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they felt moved of
the Lord to leave this,
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I'll say partial truth,
I'm trying to be delicate here
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and move into fuller truth.
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So you're following along
that progression into truth.
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So you're in a
particular church,
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a particular denomination,
it satisfies for a while
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but you go back to the
word and we've seen this
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from pastors who said,
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I just never saw the
truth of the Sabbath.
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I just never saw it.
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I studied and I believe,
but I just didn't see it.
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Now that I see it,
I've got to walk into that.
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So can that
happen, of times it does,
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but your job is,
the Holy Spirit's job is
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to lead you to truth.
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You job is to follow
truth where ever truth is made,
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wherever and whenever
truth is made available to you.
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It may, you may get a pit stop
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in one denomination
but as more light comes
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you are called
not to follow a church
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but to follow truth and
God would indeed lead you
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through His Holy
Spirit into all truth.
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You know, and
one of the trouble,
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troubling things is that
many who started on this road,
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who have found
the Lord, and entered
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into a very joyful
relationship with Him,
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have kind of parked in
one specific denomination
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or one specific
or level of truth.
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They're not shifting
into full goal forward,
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they're not going forward
with studying and reading
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their Bible and continuing
to find truth, to seek truth.
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The Lord says, if you seek me.
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Yeah. Then you will find me.
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Then you will find me.
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So seeking the Lord
and seeking His truth
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which He is the
word of truth, right?
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Christ is the
word of the Spirit.
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The spirit of truth but
Christ is the word of truth,
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then we need to be
following by seeking Him
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through reading His
words studying and everything.
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But a lot of folks are
just parked. Yeah, yeah.
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And so I think conviction
doesn't begin when you--
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It's not like when you get
to a church you're arrived,
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you're as far as you need to go.
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The Lord is asking you to
continue to grow day by day.
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And so, pastor, I
like what you are saying
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there is as you
continue to study,
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you accept further truth,
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there is
additional light that comes.
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If we're not
finding additional light
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wherever we are, even
if you're in the church
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that we have seen has
got the most light of all,
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if we're not still
receiving that light
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we're stagnant,
we're parked. Yeah.
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We need to shift it
in a gear and go forward.
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Precisely, I like that
idea of shifting out of park.
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You know, our calling
is to maintain the attitude
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of a learner, even
when you are in the church
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that is very comfortable
and everything you know
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about it that's only His sound,
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you don't ever put
it in on auto pilot,
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you know, you're always.
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The price of being a
Christian is vigilance,
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it's continual study,
it's continual seeking,
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it's continually
asking questions,
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it's continual
growth in the Lord.
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And whatever church
you're in that is the test
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that ought to
dominate your life.
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When I'm sitting
under a teaching,
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when I am accepting the
doctrines of this church,
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do they line up with the Bible?
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You continually
ask those questions,
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and if at any point in your
search you see a dissonance,
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a disconnect
with the word of God,
00:10:11.32\00:10:13.49
then you need
to make a decision.
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Do I stay? Do I
accept this dissonance?
00:10:14.81\00:10:17.84
Or do I look for a
church that lines up totally
00:10:17.85\00:10:20.66
with the word of God?
00:10:20.67\00:10:21.64
And that, of
course is our calling
00:10:21.65\00:10:23.07
to go into all
truth, not half truth,
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not three
quarters but all truth.
00:10:25.87\00:10:27.66
Yeah, and that can
be painful at times?
00:10:27.67\00:10:29.58
It can be. Do you
recognize that? Yes.
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You know, what a great segue
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into the question I have here.
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This person asked me
not to share his identity.
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So I'm not going to even read
his name or where he's from?
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But a great question and it's
along the lines of conviction.
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Often my friends and I
pray that the Lord will help us
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in making a decision like,
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should I go to
this school or another?
00:10:48.62\00:10:50.94
What should be my area of study?
00:10:50.95\00:10:53.76
Where should I work?
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Should I take this job or that?
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And thank God, we
have made good decisions
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for the most part,
some are still questionable.
00:11:00.29\00:11:03.33
How do we know the
right answer is from the Lord
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and whether it's from the Lord?
00:11:06.09\00:11:07.60
Do we choose the first thing
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that comes to
mind after we pray?
00:11:08.90\00:11:11.80
The answer to these
questions can be found in
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Judges 6:36 to 40.
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We need to do the Lord's will,
have constant communication
00:11:15.72\00:11:18.49
with Him and ask
for multiple signs
00:11:18.50\00:11:21.24
so we can be
certain of the answer.
00:11:21.25\00:11:24.40
This is what Gideon did?
Can you send me more examples?
00:11:24.41\00:11:27.56
And that's the Judges 6:36 to 40
00:11:27.57\00:11:30.01
is the story of
Gideon, probably the fleece
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is what I'm gathering here.
00:11:32.02\00:11:35.14
So please kindly
discuss this on your program,
00:11:35.15\00:11:38.10
I look forward to your answers.
00:11:38.11\00:11:39.67
So there are several
texts that I'll share with you,
00:11:39.68\00:11:42.90
as far as the story,
you know, I can hear,
00:11:42.91\00:11:45.21
I can think of a
story of someone who
00:11:45.22\00:11:47.24
did not follow
the Lord's leading.
00:11:47.25\00:11:48.87
And the Lord gave him
opportunity after opportunity,
00:11:48.88\00:11:51.25
but this man even
prayed for the Lord
00:11:51.26\00:11:53.24
to reveal His will and
still did not follow it.
00:11:53.25\00:11:57.18
Was determined to
take his own course,
00:11:57.19\00:11:58.61
and that is life of
Saul, the first King of Israel.
00:11:58.62\00:12:01.69
He was chosen, he was a man that
00:12:01.70\00:12:04.11
who had a heart for the Lord,
00:12:04.12\00:12:06.25
who prayed that
the Lord will lead him.
00:12:06.26\00:12:08.36
He was very humble
about his initial going
00:12:08.37\00:12:10.35
into the office of
king within over time,
00:12:10.36\00:12:14.17
he began to stop
following the Lord's leading
00:12:14.18\00:12:16.56
and doing His own
thing, following His own ways.
00:12:16.57\00:12:19.77
And so you see
that he continually took
00:12:19.78\00:12:22.31
or made bad
decision after decision,
00:12:22.32\00:12:25.20
and found himself
no longer with the Lord
00:12:25.21\00:12:27.88
by the time he
would get to the middle
00:12:27.89\00:12:29.61
and even end of his life.
00:12:29.62\00:12:31.44
So the Lord gives this
opportunity and reveals
00:12:31.45\00:12:34.18
ways that He is leading us
00:12:34.19\00:12:36.42
but we must be open to
responding to that call. Yes.
00:12:36.43\00:12:40.05
And not asserting our own will.
00:12:40.06\00:12:43.33
You know, there
are some people that
00:12:43.34\00:12:44.86
and I've heard this question
00:12:44.87\00:12:45.84
and I think some of
it's very facetious.
00:12:45.85\00:12:48.89
You know, when I
get up in the morning,
00:12:48.90\00:12:50.23
I pray to the Lord, should I
eat hot cereal or cold cereal?
00:12:50.24\00:12:54.84
Should I drive
this car or that truck?
00:12:54.85\00:12:58.17
You know, should I, you know,
00:12:58.18\00:13:00.18
some of the most trivial things,
00:13:00.19\00:13:01.93
you know, they're praying about.
00:13:01.94\00:13:03.64
And I believe the
Bible actually is telling us
00:13:03.65\00:13:06.00
that we are the ones
to make those decisions,
00:13:06.01\00:13:08.90
God helps us make
the big decision in life
00:13:08.91\00:13:11.18
and really sets
the course of our life.
00:13:11.19\00:13:13.14
And so let me turn with you
to first of all Proverbs 16.
00:13:13.15\00:13:19.18
Proverbs 16 verse 9.
00:13:19.19\00:13:21.17
All right, here.
00:13:26.51\00:13:29.93
I'll read it for
you Proverbs 16:9,
00:13:29.94\00:13:32.22
"A man's heart plans his way,
00:13:32.23\00:13:34.90
But the Lord directs his steps."
00:13:34.91\00:13:37.72
In other words, in our
own heart we have desires,
00:13:37.73\00:13:42.41
we've thousands of these things
00:13:42.42\00:13:43.83
we like and we don't
like, and we set our plans.
00:13:43.84\00:13:46.61
We put them, we
put them out each day
00:13:46.62\00:13:49.24
and we set them before the Lord.
00:13:49.25\00:13:51.08
And I think some of these plans,
00:13:51.09\00:13:52.34
the Lord is
saying it's implied here,
00:13:52.35\00:13:54.61
you make up your mind
on what cereal you want.
00:13:54.62\00:13:57.22
You want hot cereal
or you want cold cereal.
00:13:57.23\00:13:59.40
The Lord isn't asking to control
00:13:59.41\00:14:01.42
every single
aspect of your life.
00:14:01.43\00:14:03.09
What He wants you to
do is set your course.
00:14:03.10\00:14:05.63
What are the things you like,
00:14:05.64\00:14:07.32
what direction do
you want to go in life?
00:14:07.33\00:14:09.68
I will help to
lead you that way,
00:14:09.69\00:14:12.53
and if you really would
like to know and have my input
00:14:12.54\00:14:15.03
on especially major things,
please ask, I will respond,
00:14:15.04\00:14:19.11
I will set your
course because I know your--
00:14:19.12\00:14:21.47
What will be best
for you in the future,
00:14:21.48\00:14:23.27
but I want your
involvement in here.
00:14:23.28\00:14:25.02
You make some decisions
you have to set your plans.
00:14:25.03\00:14:27.81
But I'll direct your steps.
00:14:27.82\00:14:29.16
I will make sure that
these things open up before you.
00:14:29.17\00:14:31.41
If I know something is
wrong that you shouldn't go
00:14:31.42\00:14:33.60
in certain way, I
will put up barriers.
00:14:33.61\00:14:36.48
The question is, I
think when we're kind of
00:14:36.49\00:14:39.07
talking about the
sermon and conviction is,
00:14:39.08\00:14:40.75
are we looking for
the doors God opens
00:14:40.76\00:14:44.71
and the doors God closes.
00:14:44.72\00:14:46.56
There was a girl that was
in a church in Springfield.
00:14:46.57\00:14:50.08
And she's died now,
but she's a wonderful lady.
00:14:50.09\00:14:52.45
She would come to me everyday
00:14:52.46\00:14:54.56
and she had
resisted the truth for years.
00:14:54.57\00:14:57.42
But eventually I had an
opportunity to extend her
00:14:57.43\00:15:00.68
profession of
faith and she became
00:15:00.69\00:15:01.99
a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:15:02.00\00:15:03.15
She just became convicted.
00:15:03.16\00:15:04.53
She would say to me
over and over again,
00:15:04.54\00:15:05.82
she said, pastor, the Lord has
opened the door for me again.
00:15:05.83\00:15:11.18
You know, and it
was her way of saying
00:15:11.19\00:15:12.97
I've been convicted
yet again of another truth.
00:15:12.98\00:15:16.22
But sometimes we
get into these thing
00:15:16.23\00:15:18.53
where we're praying but
when the Lord closes the door
00:15:18.54\00:15:21.99
we stick our foot in that
door and we push through it
00:15:22.00\00:15:26.62
because that's what
we really want to do.
00:15:26.63\00:15:28.76
I've done it. I
know you've done it.
00:15:28.77\00:15:30.55
Oh, sure.
00:15:30.56\00:15:31.54
And even the
Bible, I believe alludes
00:15:31.55\00:15:33.71
to that just a
quick text Proverbs 4.
00:15:33.72\00:15:36.36
You're in the same
book Proverbs 4:25 to 27,
00:15:36.37\00:15:42.48
"Let your eyes
look straight ahead
00:15:42.49\00:15:44.38
And your eyelids
look right before you.
00:15:44.39\00:15:46.30
Ponder the path of your feet,
00:15:46.31\00:15:47.28
And let all your
ways be established.
00:15:47.29\00:15:49.45
Do not turn to
the right or the left,
00:15:49.46\00:15:51.11
remove your foot from evil."
00:15:51.12\00:15:54.13
In other words, don't
stick that foot in the door,
00:15:54.14\00:15:55.94
remove your foot, let
the Lord close the door
00:15:55.95\00:15:58.08
to evil and
establish your direction
00:15:58.09\00:16:00.48
through another
door that He is opening.
00:16:00.49\00:16:02.97
And I feel for this, this
young man and his friends,
00:16:02.98\00:16:08.66
my counsel to them would
be, let the Lord open and close
00:16:08.67\00:16:12.00
those doors,
discern, be open to discerning
00:16:12.01\00:16:14.53
His will for your life
00:16:14.54\00:16:15.94
and let Him
establish your convictions.
00:16:15.95\00:16:18.88
Sometimes we convict ourselves,
00:16:18.89\00:16:20.31
we do a good job
of rationalizing.
00:16:20.32\00:16:22.09
We don't try to,
try not to do that.
00:16:22.10\00:16:24.03
Pray about things,
lay them before the Lord
00:16:24.04\00:16:25.70
and then keep your eye out.
00:16:25.71\00:16:27.43
It may not be a
fleece like a test.
00:16:27.44\00:16:29.89
Lord, I'm gonna see
if there is if it rains
00:16:29.90\00:16:32.61
and there is water
on the ground tomorrow
00:16:32.62\00:16:34.08
that's not the kind of test
00:16:34.09\00:16:35.85
we're asked to
throw before the Lord.
00:16:35.86\00:16:37.35
We're asking Him to establish
a clear path and then give us
00:16:37.36\00:16:41.62
discernment to be
able to follow that path.
00:16:41.63\00:16:43.35
Yeah, you know, I want to just,
00:16:43.36\00:16:44.51
just show it goes back
to a question and we're--
00:16:44.52\00:16:47.57
The second part of
this question that Lennox
00:16:47.58\00:16:49.19
asked me just a moment ago.
00:16:49.20\00:16:50.71
He also talking
about particular churches,
00:16:50.72\00:16:54.90
talked about being
convicted to eat meat or not.
00:16:54.91\00:16:56.74
Again this, I think this really
00:16:56.75\00:16:58.53
ties into what
you're talking about.
00:16:58.54\00:16:59.98
I think the Lord, John
will become as intimate
00:16:59.99\00:17:04.30
with you as you allow him to.
00:17:04.31\00:17:06.48
I think there were times
when he will actually deal
00:17:06.49\00:17:09.75
with the minutia in your
life if that is necessary.
00:17:09.76\00:17:14.25
For the most part of it is not,
00:17:14.26\00:17:15.80
but say you're in a country
and someone puts something
00:17:15.81\00:17:19.81
on your plate and you
don't even know what it is.
00:17:19.82\00:17:21.95
And you're saying,
Lord, shall I eat that or not?
00:17:21.96\00:17:24.12
You need help right there.
00:17:24.13\00:17:26.09
Yeah. Right
now, I need an answer
00:17:26.10\00:17:27.30
because I don't
know what that is.
00:17:27.31\00:17:28.90
And it may harm me, may kill me,
00:17:28.91\00:17:30.94
may do me some harm.
00:17:30.95\00:17:32.07
And the Lord will give you
an instant impression particular
00:17:32.08\00:17:35.37
when He's trying to help
your avoid eminent danger.
00:17:35.38\00:17:37.81
Now normally you go to a
pastor's house for dinner.
00:17:37.82\00:17:41.50
Should I eat the beans
or should I eat the peas.
00:17:41.51\00:17:43.26
You know, okay, that's
not, you know, as a rule.
00:17:43.27\00:17:46.38
No, but you know,
00:17:46.39\00:17:47.48
there are times when the
Lord will involve Himself
00:17:47.49\00:17:50.35
in the minutia of your life
because it is for your safety
00:17:50.36\00:17:52.69
or for something that
He's trying to accomplish.
00:17:52.70\00:17:55.30
And this person's
asking a question about meat.
00:17:55.31\00:17:57.53
Now for me, I was
in the Adventist Church
00:17:57.54\00:18:00.59
and pastoring for a while
and was not convicted on me.
00:18:00.60\00:18:04.82
But once I took a course
and visited a slaughterhouse
00:18:04.83\00:18:08.69
and there are some other things
00:18:08.70\00:18:10.16
that conviction
came fairly easily.
00:18:10.17\00:18:12.33
You know, I was very convicted
00:18:12.34\00:18:13.38
and so I put it down
for a longtime even until
00:18:13.39\00:18:16.71
after I've got to 3ABN,
00:18:16.72\00:18:17.69
I was drinking fairly
large quantities of milk.
00:18:17.70\00:18:21.24
Did some study on milk and
some of the harmful effects
00:18:21.25\00:18:24.10
of particularly milk
in the quantities that
00:18:24.11\00:18:26.19
I was drinking,
and some other things
00:18:26.20\00:18:28.71
and was
convicted not to do that.
00:18:28.72\00:18:31.43
Well, a lot of
times our convictions
00:18:31.44\00:18:33.16
are driven by information.
00:18:33.17\00:18:35.14
You get the raw data. Right.
00:18:35.15\00:18:36.83
And the data will convict you,
that's not a wise thing to do.
00:18:36.84\00:18:41.06
So the Lord will
expose you to the data.
00:18:41.07\00:18:43.62
Once the data
comes, then you prayerfully
00:18:43.63\00:18:46.33
make that determination and
God will help you to do that.
00:18:46.34\00:18:48.67
But as a rule the Lord
does not insert himself
00:18:48.68\00:18:51.80
into the minutia of
your life unless you ask Him
00:18:51.81\00:18:55.28
to or unless there is
something to be gained or lost
00:18:55.29\00:18:58.25
by He is not intervening
in that part of your life.
00:18:58.26\00:19:02.56
Yeah. I think, these
are all good principles
00:19:02.57\00:19:04.39
and I hope that also
provides some counsel,
00:19:04.40\00:19:08.02
at least a direction
when you are seeking the Lord
00:19:08.03\00:19:12.44
and His will for your life.
00:19:12.45\00:19:13.86
You know, because
we're on this subject,
00:19:13.87\00:19:15.86
it's like we
have three questions
00:19:15.87\00:19:17.24
because I've got two of them
and I don't know the question
00:19:17.25\00:19:19.08
that you have
still is completely
00:19:19.09\00:19:20.31
on a different subject.
00:19:20.32\00:19:21.76
If it is may be I
just read the one that I...
00:19:21.77\00:19:23.32
Yeah, go yours
because mine totally changes,
00:19:23.33\00:19:24.93
yeah, the trajectory.
00:19:24.94\00:19:26.87
This is saying and
it's a person asking,
00:19:26.88\00:19:28.56
what are the best message
to approach Bible reading?
00:19:28.57\00:19:33.40
I pray but I like
to know how to approach
00:19:33.41\00:19:36.40
Bible reading, Bible study.
00:19:36.41\00:19:38.34
In other words, they're seeking
00:19:38.35\00:19:39.32
conviction about truth again.
00:19:39.33\00:19:41.45
So how do I allow
myself to have the word speak
00:19:41.46\00:19:44.60
to me to convict me of
what's right, and what is wrong.
00:19:44.61\00:19:47.98
You know, every preacher,
00:19:47.99\00:19:51.21
teacher has their
own way of saying,
00:19:51.22\00:19:53.54
you know, those buzz words
on Bible study, what to do.
00:19:53.55\00:19:55.96
Yeah. I use two simple ones.
00:19:55.97\00:19:57.90
A prayer probably
is not all encompassing
00:19:57.91\00:19:59.81
but my whole thing
is when I read the word,
00:19:59.82\00:20:02.83
context, and comparison.
00:20:02.84\00:20:04.90
Those are the true simple things
00:20:04.91\00:20:06.67
I remind myself of.
00:20:06.68\00:20:08.15
Context, where is the context
00:20:08.16\00:20:09.75
of the passage that I'm reading?
00:20:09.76\00:20:11.27
I want to make
sure I am reading,
00:20:11.28\00:20:12.25
I am talking the
whole thing in to really
00:20:12.26\00:20:14.07
get the main point
the author is speaking.
00:20:14.08\00:20:16.51
So when I read my Bible
00:20:16.52\00:20:17.69
I just don't
take an isolated text.
00:20:17.70\00:20:20.12
I read the whole passage. Yes.
00:20:20.13\00:20:22.49
To provide the entire,
00:20:22.50\00:20:25.04
the meet of the subject matter,
00:20:25.05\00:20:26.84
and to be
convicted on the wholeness
00:20:26.85\00:20:29.04
of or the whole point
the author is trying to make.
00:20:29.05\00:20:31.92
Comparison is
adding them to the passage
00:20:31.93\00:20:35.43
I'm reading with
other passages, other texts.
00:20:35.44\00:20:39.81
And this is where
comparison comes in.
00:20:39.82\00:20:41.85
I begin to take a concordance,
00:20:41.86\00:20:44.13
I pick a topic, I
pick some words out
00:20:44.14\00:20:46.19
of that passage and
I match them with words
00:20:46.20\00:20:48.20
where those words are
used in other passages
00:20:48.21\00:20:50.45
and so I have a
comparison as well.
00:20:50.46\00:20:52.00
I also do
contextual study of that other
00:20:52.01\00:20:54.21
passages to build on it.
00:20:54.22\00:20:56.31
So context and comparison,
00:20:56.32\00:20:58.09
those are the two things
00:20:58.10\00:20:59.25
that I use and of course,
I always share the text from
00:20:59.26\00:21:02.37
Isaiah Chapter 28,
00:21:02.38\00:21:05.52
which in verses 9 and 10 says
00:21:05.53\00:21:10.51
"Whom will He teach knowledge,
00:21:10.52\00:21:12.11
He being whom."
00:21:12.12\00:21:13.57
Anybody that's teaching,
00:21:13.58\00:21:15.01
in fact, even
the Lord as He leads.
00:21:15.02\00:21:17.42
And whom will he make
to understand the message?
00:21:17.43\00:21:19.37
Those just weaned from milk?
00:21:19.38\00:21:20.47
Those just drawn
from the breasts?
00:21:20.48\00:21:22.04
For precept
must be upon precept,
00:21:22.05\00:21:25.32
precept upon precept,
00:21:25.33\00:21:27.10
line upon line, line upon line,
00:21:27.11\00:21:28.99
here a little, there a little.
00:21:29.00\00:21:30.67
So you have not only a
contextual issue here--
00:21:30.68\00:21:34.05
a direction but
you have comparison,
00:21:37.71\00:21:40.31
matching things up
with other scripture. Yeah.
00:21:40.32\00:21:42.90
I think, you know,
I took that question
00:21:42.91\00:21:44.60
in total different way.
00:21:44.61\00:21:45.90
Of course, there are two ways,
00:21:45.91\00:21:47.37
you can read the
Bible just for inspiration.
00:21:47.38\00:21:49.30
You're just
reading through the Bible
00:21:49.31\00:21:51.82
following the
storyline as it were.
00:21:51.83\00:21:54.83
Then more of what
you were just telling,
00:21:54.84\00:21:57.06
which is Bible study.
00:21:57.07\00:21:58.19
You're trying to mine
or dig or unearth a truth.
00:21:58.20\00:22:02.47
So now you've got
to find everywhere
00:22:02.48\00:22:04.48
the Bible talks about
that particular subject.
00:22:04.49\00:22:07.23
Put them all together
and sort of bake your cake.
00:22:07.24\00:22:09.95
You don't, you don't bake a cake
00:22:09.96\00:22:11.29
with just flour. Right.
00:22:11.30\00:22:12.85
If you only use
flour, you're gonna have
00:22:12.86\00:22:14.39
a pretty lousy cake.
00:22:14.40\00:22:16.04
So you need all the
ingredients together,
00:22:16.05\00:22:18.46
then you put it together
and then you get your cake.
00:22:18.47\00:22:21.60
Sadly there are some people
00:22:21.61\00:22:23.10
who try to develop a
doctrinal premise on one text
00:22:23.11\00:22:26.23
and that is very dangerous.
00:22:26.24\00:22:28.61
Even if you
have a context right,
00:22:28.62\00:22:31.89
you need to find everything
the Bible says about death.
00:22:31.90\00:22:38.37
Look at everything,
00:22:38.38\00:22:39.66
then develop your
doctrinal premise.
00:22:39.67\00:22:41.50
And let the context
as you have rightly said,
00:22:41.51\00:22:44.58
have its way, don't
pull it out of context
00:22:44.59\00:22:46.86
and try to misapply
it but let the context
00:22:46.87\00:22:49.83
have its way then
see everywhere that,
00:22:49.84\00:22:53.50
that idea is spoken off,
00:22:53.51\00:22:56.23
bring all that
together and then develop
00:22:56.24\00:22:58.18
your doctrinal
premise from that point.
00:22:58.19\00:22:59.94
Yeah, you know, I
like the other aspect
00:22:59.95\00:23:01.40
that you brought
into this here too
00:23:01.41\00:23:02.72
'cause I didn't touch on
it but there's some reading
00:23:02.73\00:23:05.11
of scripture that is stories
00:23:05.12\00:23:07.27
and you're getting the
big picture here. Correct.
00:23:07.28\00:23:09.59
And so there are times
00:23:09.60\00:23:10.85
and this is often
the devotional reading
00:23:10.86\00:23:13.00
that I do at night
before I go to bed.
00:23:13.01\00:23:14.96
I'm worn out of the
day Bible study is probably
00:23:14.97\00:23:17.76
just my mind isn't
ready for it. Right.
00:23:17.77\00:23:19.61
I want to read the Bible,
00:23:19.62\00:23:20.70
get a good story
and take a principle
00:23:20.71\00:23:22.42
from that and go
to sleep with it.
00:23:22.43\00:23:23.66
Go to sleep, right? Okay.
00:23:23.67\00:23:24.80
So I'll read the scriptures more
00:23:24.81\00:23:26.78
in story form, more
just kind of through
00:23:26.79\00:23:28.72
and it gives me kind of,
God speaks to me that way
00:23:28.73\00:23:31.82
and I'm content, I can pray,
00:23:31.83\00:23:33.75
I can sleep soundly. Yeah.
00:23:33.76\00:23:35.30
But Bible study,
different picture.
00:23:35.31\00:23:36.74
A little different approach,
00:23:36.75\00:23:37.72
so I appreciate
the balance here.
00:23:37.73\00:23:39.44
We need to do both.
00:23:39.45\00:23:40.42
Yeah, you do need
them both. Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:40.43\00:23:42.85
Well, maybe we
ought to just dive
00:23:42.86\00:23:44.11
right into our topic. Yeah.
00:23:44.12\00:23:45.40
Because there is
quite a bit of stuff here
00:23:45.41\00:23:47.38
still to cover and
this is our last program
00:23:47.39\00:23:49.43
of our part II
and it's our last part
00:23:49.44\00:23:52.36
on "The Priesthood of Believers,
00:23:52.37\00:23:54.57
" a study that
we're doing on God
00:23:54.58\00:23:56.93
establishing His priesthood
from old through Israel
00:23:56.94\00:24:00.01
who He chose to be
a kingdom of priests,
00:24:00.02\00:24:02.77
to then the church itself
that continues to exist today
00:24:02.78\00:24:06.77
which we will
see in some textual
00:24:06.78\00:24:09.04
reading today is still God's
00:24:09.05\00:24:10.96
continuing
priesthood on earth. Yeah.
00:24:10.97\00:24:13.20
And I think we just,
00:24:13.21\00:24:14.18
we established the
last time when we spoke,
00:24:14.19\00:24:16.06
John, that the idea
of a kingdom of priests
00:24:16.07\00:24:19.09
has always been God's plan.
00:24:19.10\00:24:22.28
The priesthood,
the Aaronic priesthood,
00:24:22.29\00:24:26.42
the Levitical
priesthood was the God
00:24:26.43\00:24:30.41
dealing with
what he had, you know,
00:24:30.42\00:24:33.73
they're not buying into this
00:24:33.74\00:24:35.60
and so the Levitical
priesthood is setup now
00:24:35.61\00:24:41.10
but it's the plan B.
00:24:41.11\00:24:43.45
God's original
plan was that all men
00:24:43.46\00:24:46.28
that everywhere and, of course,
00:24:46.29\00:24:47.91
now that we've moved
into the dispensation
00:24:47.92\00:24:50.04
of the era of the church.
00:24:50.05\00:24:52.01
Again God brings
this idea to the floor.
00:24:52.02\00:24:55.41
You've got pastors
and we have this clergy,
00:24:55.42\00:24:58.64
laity kind of thing but
it's always been God's idea
00:24:58.65\00:25:01.99
that when He calls you,
00:25:02.00\00:25:03.56
He calls you to be a
priest person on your own.
00:25:03.57\00:25:06.80
And secondly, to
that sphere of influence
00:25:06.81\00:25:09.33
that you have around you,
work, job, friends, family,
00:25:09.34\00:25:13.30
whatever it maybe
church community. Yeah.
00:25:13.31\00:25:15.89
But each one of us
now is called to accept
00:25:15.90\00:25:18.59
that and we use the
term mediatorial work
00:25:18.60\00:25:23.74
for the world around
us and that's how God gets
00:25:23.75\00:25:25.90
His love, His light up to us.
00:25:25.91\00:25:27.27
Begin an agent
for God. Precisely.
00:25:27.28\00:25:28.80
To reach the world.
00:25:28.81\00:25:29.78
You know, the one
thing you touched on that,
00:25:29.79\00:25:32.56
I wanted to elaborate on,
when God first was choosing
00:25:32.57\00:25:35.75
His people to be a
kingdom of priests,
00:25:35.76\00:25:37.69
He actually was
choosing the firstborn.
00:25:37.70\00:25:39.81
That's the first
step that He took.
00:25:39.82\00:25:41.06
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
00:25:41.07\00:25:42.29
Because as the
firstborn we're judged,
00:25:42.30\00:25:44.54
the Egyptians
upon the deliverance,
00:25:44.55\00:25:46.59
he chose the firstborn
from Israel to serve as priests.
00:25:46.60\00:25:50.14
Well, things changed
00:25:50.15\00:25:51.12
at that burning at
that calf experience
00:25:51.13\00:25:54.15
and He clearly
transitions then to Aaron,
00:25:54.16\00:25:57.11
His sons and then
the tribe of Levi. Yes.
00:25:57.12\00:25:59.65
And then no longer
is all the firstborn,
00:25:59.66\00:26:01.44
it becomes the tribe of Levi
00:26:01.45\00:26:02.84
specifically
for the high priests
00:26:02.85\00:26:04.40
it's Aaron and His sons. Yes.
00:26:04.41\00:26:06.08
So you have this
shifting of gears constantly
00:26:06.09\00:26:08.25
because of what the people
are giving God to work with.
00:26:08.26\00:26:10.75
Right, right. And
so now we're at a point
00:26:10.76\00:26:13.71
where God has chosen His people
00:26:13.72\00:26:17.10
and specifically
the high priesthood
00:26:17.11\00:26:20.23
from Aaron and His sons,
00:26:20.24\00:26:21.38
and the priests and
those that are helping
00:26:21.39\00:26:23.41
in the priesthood
from the tribe of Levi.
00:26:23.42\00:26:25.74
And I want to bring just a text,
00:26:25.75\00:26:27.69
a passage here to
view just to kind of make
00:26:27.70\00:26:30.31
this point very clear.
00:26:30.32\00:26:31.97
Numbers Chapter 3
verses 6 through 10,
00:26:31.98\00:26:35.41
it says, and the
Lord is asking for Moses
00:26:35.42\00:26:38.76
"To bring the
tribe of Levi near,
00:26:38.77\00:26:41.70
and present them,
00:26:41.71\00:26:42.83
notice where
they're bringing them.
00:26:42.84\00:26:44.23
Near. Near again.
00:26:44.24\00:26:45.21
This is constantly
appeal to come here.
00:26:45.22\00:26:47.55
People stood
off, Moses went near,
00:26:47.56\00:26:49.25
Tribe of Levi now
comes near. Now comes near.
00:26:49.26\00:26:51.55
Bringing them near and present
00:26:51.56\00:26:54.02
them before Aaron, the priest.
00:26:54.03\00:26:55.62
So he's talking
about the tribe now,
00:26:55.63\00:26:57.15
He is gonna be under Aaron,
00:26:57.16\00:26:58.19
the high priest
that they may serve him
00:26:58.20\00:27:01.98
and they shall
attend to his needs
00:27:01.99\00:27:03.69
and the needs of
the whole congregation
00:27:03.70\00:27:05.40
before the tabernacle meeting.
00:27:05.41\00:27:07.15
Two people they're gonna serve,
00:27:07.16\00:27:09.06
the tribe of
Levi is gonna support
00:27:09.07\00:27:11.01
the priesthood of
Aaron, the high priest.
00:27:11.02\00:27:14.25
And they're also gonna
support the congregation.
00:27:14.26\00:27:16.87
This is a priesthood,
the Levitical priesthood
00:27:16.88\00:27:20.11
beyond the high priests,
00:27:20.12\00:27:21.46
these are the priest that serve
00:27:21.47\00:27:22.99
in multiple capacities. Okay.
00:27:23.00\00:27:25.47
So this trying to establish
00:27:25.51\00:27:26.49
the foundation 'cause
you're gonna see some,
00:27:26.50\00:27:28.13
the same truths when
we get to the church.
00:27:28.14\00:27:32.13
Let's see, to do the
work of the tabernacle
00:27:32.14\00:27:34.22
verse 8, "And they
shall attend to all
00:27:34.23\00:27:36.50
the furnishings of
the tabernacle of meeting,
00:27:36.51\00:27:38.95
and to the needs of
the children of Israel,
00:27:38.96\00:27:41.24
to do the work
of the tabernacle.
00:27:41.25\00:27:42.87
And you shall give
00:27:42.88\00:27:43.90
the Levites to
Aaron and his sons,
00:27:43.91\00:27:46.07
" notice giving the
Levites to Aaron and his sons,
00:27:46.08\00:27:50.08
"They're given entirely to him
00:27:50.09\00:27:52.10
from among the
children of Israel.
00:27:52.11\00:27:53.88
So you shall
appoint Aaron and his sons,
00:27:53.89\00:27:55.98
and they shall
attend to their priesthood,
00:27:55.99\00:27:57.56
but the outsider who comes
near shall be put to death."
00:27:57.57\00:28:00.21
This is a very serious issue.
00:28:00.22\00:28:02.39
So now here is a
beautiful picture
00:28:02.40\00:28:05.67
as we transition to the church.
00:28:05.68\00:28:08.94
Who's the high priest?
00:28:08.95\00:28:11.25
Who's our high priest? Jesus is.
00:28:11.26\00:28:14.74
The priesthood, the
Levitical priesthood
00:28:14.75\00:28:16.99
are given to Aaron. Yes.
00:28:17.00\00:28:19.29
The example of
Christ to serve him
00:28:19.30\00:28:22.67
and to serve the
congregation. Yes.
00:28:22.68\00:28:25.39
We as the church,
as the priesthood,
00:28:25.40\00:28:28.37
which we'll get
into there just a minute,
00:28:28.38\00:28:30.02
are given to Jesus. Yes.
00:28:30.03\00:28:32.20
The high priest to serve him
00:28:32.21\00:28:35.00
and administer
to the congregation,
00:28:35.01\00:28:37.33
everyone around us. Correct.
00:28:37.34\00:28:39.13
And you will see
this principle carry right
00:28:39.14\00:28:41.66
on into the church,
the same principle God
00:28:41.67\00:28:44.30
sought to establish
with the children of Israel
00:28:44.31\00:28:46.46
and its
priesthood way back when.
00:28:46.47\00:28:48.73
So what am I saying
here and this is just
00:28:48.74\00:28:50.98
kind of a lead-in to
give you some way in here.
00:28:50.99\00:28:56.37
We talked at the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:28:56.38\00:28:58.45
about one of the
pillars of our faith
00:28:58.46\00:28:59.93
which is the sanctuary.
00:28:59.94\00:29:01.81
And we look at the building,
00:29:01.82\00:29:03.26
we look at its apartments,
we look at the emblems,
00:29:03.27\00:29:05.54
we look at the sacrifice,
we look at the other things
00:29:05.55\00:29:08.23
that are going
on the furnishings
00:29:08.24\00:29:10.41
but what about
the priesthood? Yes.
00:29:10.42\00:29:12.95
What example is it giving
us as a church to live by?
00:29:12.96\00:29:17.49
Powerful! Yeah.
00:29:17.50\00:29:18.77
We have the plan of salvation
00:29:18.81\00:29:20.23
through the sanctuary service
00:29:20.24\00:29:21.71
but we're missing the Ministry
00:29:21.72\00:29:23.81
part of the plan
of salvation. Yes.
00:29:23.82\00:29:25.62
Which is you and me.
That is powerful, John.
00:29:25.63\00:29:29.10
The parallel is
direct and very striking.
00:29:29.13\00:29:32.28
It's not
something that is, you know,
00:29:32.29\00:29:35.59
it's not rocket science in
this particularly instance.
00:29:35.60\00:29:38.22
You see the direct parallel
00:29:38.23\00:29:40.39
between the Aaronic
priesthood and the people
00:29:40.40\00:29:46.04
and the ministry of
Christ now and the people.
00:29:46.05\00:29:49.12
And as we are here,
we're called to serve Jesus,
00:29:49.13\00:29:54.57
but to serve Him in doing what?
00:29:54.58\00:29:56.72
The first living like
Him and then living for Him.
00:29:56.76\00:30:02.01
And it's the for Him part
00:30:02.02\00:30:03.52
that is the
congregational aspect,
00:30:03.53\00:30:05.78
the society aspect,
00:30:05.79\00:30:07.22
the church and the world aspect.
00:30:07.23\00:30:09.77
So then it says if
we come to church, sit,
00:30:09.78\00:30:12.63
sing, pray, praise
the Lord, and go home.
00:30:12.64\00:30:15.27
We do our Lord a
great disservice,
00:30:15.28\00:30:17.79
that's only
half of the function.
00:30:17.80\00:30:20.68
The second part, the
other leg of the stool
00:30:20.69\00:30:23.75
is to go out and serve the
world for whom Christ died,
00:30:23.76\00:30:26.89
that's the complete ministry.
00:30:26.90\00:30:29.34
Ministry to God which
takes care of cleaning us,
00:30:29.35\00:30:32.11
gives us the Holy Spirit,
00:30:32.12\00:30:33.32
then ministry to our fellow man
00:30:33.33\00:30:35.14
which is the second part
00:30:35.15\00:30:36.52
and equally as
important as the first part.
00:30:36.53\00:30:38.53
You know, the other thing
00:30:38.54\00:30:39.51
it dispels to is
this notion that,
00:30:39.52\00:30:41.21
do I have to be
part of the church.
00:30:41.22\00:30:43.42
I mean, can I
just accept the truth
00:30:43.43\00:30:45.16
and I can be at home
00:30:45.17\00:30:46.21
'cause, you
know, the people there,
00:30:46.22\00:30:47.46
they're a bunch of hypocrites.
00:30:47.47\00:30:49.79
Yeah, we've heard this argument,
00:30:49.82\00:30:51.28
do I have to
become part of the church
00:30:51.29\00:30:53.75
if I get baptized or something.
00:30:53.76\00:30:55.54
And what this
priesthood of believers
00:30:55.55\00:30:57.85
teaching in the word
is telling us is that,
00:30:57.86\00:31:00.74
yes, being part
of the body of Christ
00:31:00.75\00:31:03.37
is an integral part of
His calling upon our lives.
00:31:03.38\00:31:07.13
Oh, yes. Not only to
work individually for Him
00:31:07.14\00:31:09.48
but to work together
for Him as the priesthood,
00:31:09.49\00:31:12.15
not just a
priest. Yes, yes, yes.
00:31:12.16\00:31:14.32
And that cannot be
done at home alone.
00:31:14.33\00:31:17.37
There is a call to not forsake
00:31:17.38\00:31:19.98
somewhere else together,
00:31:19.99\00:31:21.05
but there is beauty in that idea
00:31:21.06\00:31:24.35
that we encourage one another,
00:31:24.36\00:31:25.66
we fortify one
another and then together
00:31:25.67\00:31:27.33
we are stronger
than we are individually.
00:31:27.34\00:31:29.91
Just like you can
tear one sheet of paper
00:31:29.92\00:31:31.43
but you cannot tear a phonebook.
00:31:31.44\00:31:33.39
Together we become
a formidable weapon
00:31:33.40\00:31:36.10
in the hand of God to go out
00:31:36.11\00:31:38.08
and evangelize
the world. Amen. Yeah.
00:31:38.09\00:31:40.06
Look at Acts
Chapter 13 verses 45 to 47.
00:31:40.07\00:31:44.00
We have here a
transition of sorts
00:31:44.01\00:31:46.32
and it's not directly referring
00:31:46.33\00:31:47.87
to the priesthood
but the principle,
00:31:47.88\00:31:49.65
the thing behind this
transfer or transition
00:31:49.66\00:31:53.85
I should say is a better word
00:31:53.86\00:31:55.28
of the priesthood to the church
00:31:55.29\00:31:57.25
is found in this passage.
00:31:57.26\00:31:59.54
Verse 45 it says,
"That when the Jews
00:31:59.55\00:32:02.77
saw the multitudes,
they were filled with envy."
00:32:02.78\00:32:06.56
In other words, when
they saw the multitudes
00:32:06.57\00:32:07.89
responding to the preaching
of Paul and Barnabas. Yes.
00:32:07.90\00:32:10.36
And they were accepting Christ,
00:32:10.37\00:32:11.65
and they were coming in droves
00:32:11.66\00:32:13.05
they were leaving Judaism
and coming into Christianity.
00:32:13.06\00:32:17.65
Yes. They were filled with envy
00:32:17.66\00:32:19.64
and contradicting a blaspheming
00:32:19.65\00:32:21.46
they opposed the
things spoken up by Paul.
00:32:21.47\00:32:24.79
Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold
00:32:24.80\00:32:26.66
and said "It was
necessary that the word of God
00:32:26.67\00:32:30.16
should be spoken to you first"
00:32:30.17\00:32:31.94
that is you being the Jews."
00:32:31.95\00:32:35.17
But since you
rejected and judge yourselves
00:32:35.18\00:32:38.03
unworthy of everlasting
life, behold, we turn,
00:32:38.04\00:32:41.64
" in other words re-transition,
00:32:41.65\00:32:42.96
we changed and
we are now motivated
00:32:42.97\00:32:47.48
or "gospel then
goes to the Gentiles.
00:32:47.49\00:32:50.51
For so the Lord
has commanded us."
00:32:50.52\00:32:53.00
Now love this.
00:32:53.01\00:32:54.14
"I have set you as a
light to the gentiles,
00:32:54.15\00:32:57.46
that you should be for salvation
00:32:57.47\00:32:59.33
to the ends of the Earth." Yes.
00:32:59.34\00:33:00.79
The same prophecy
used for Israel as a nation
00:33:00.80\00:33:04.72
is now used for the
church of the Gentiles
00:33:04.73\00:33:08.28
and Jews alike
'cause both of them were
00:33:08.29\00:33:09.89
worshiping together
in the era of the church.
00:33:09.90\00:33:12.03
And as such you see the
parallel very strikingly,
00:33:12.04\00:33:14.07
very clear, almost the exact
00:33:14.08\00:33:15.56
same words used. Yes.
00:33:15.57\00:33:17.63
For the Jewish nation now
for the "Christian nation"
00:33:17.64\00:33:21.99
or the New Testament church.
00:33:22.00\00:33:23.83
The same
mandate has not changed.
00:33:23.84\00:33:25.87
God's mindset to enlighten
the earth with the love
00:33:25.88\00:33:30.70
and the knowledge of
Christ has never changed.
00:33:30.71\00:33:33.38
The mechanism has changed
00:33:33.39\00:33:34.90
because of our failure
00:33:34.91\00:33:36.44
but the mandate has
not changed. Yeah. Yeah.
00:33:36.45\00:33:39.84
You know, this kind of
sidebar here for you and I.
00:33:39.85\00:33:44.14
This is where a
lot of preachers,
00:33:44.15\00:33:46.03
a lot of teachers go wrong
00:33:46.04\00:33:48.64
because their eyes are on
the Jews as a nation still.
00:33:48.65\00:33:52.57
And while I believe
that there are manyJews
00:33:52.58\00:33:55.01
who will come to Christ.
00:33:55.02\00:33:57.25
There is currently
no existing covenant
00:33:57.26\00:34:01.34
so to speak with
the Jewish nation.
00:34:01.35\00:34:03.47
The nation, correct.
00:34:03.48\00:34:04.59
That covenant now Israel itself,
00:34:04.60\00:34:07.31
"Israel" is
spiritual Israel of the church.
00:34:07.32\00:34:10.89
So when you read
the Old Testament
00:34:10.90\00:34:12.78
prophecies of what
God will do for Israel,
00:34:12.79\00:34:16.30
those prophecies will be filled,
00:34:16.31\00:34:17.92
be fulfilled in the church
00:34:17.93\00:34:19.35
not in literal the
nation of Israel. Yeah.
00:34:19.36\00:34:23.24
And I think
that's very important.
00:34:23.25\00:34:24.39
God is not going to
re-trench or go back
00:34:24.40\00:34:27.24
and try to pick up the
pieces of a broken system.
00:34:27.25\00:34:30.66
We use this term
a couple of times
00:34:30.67\00:34:32.45
in this show
dealing with what we have.
00:34:32.46\00:34:34.89
You had a
people who were called,
00:34:34.90\00:34:37.61
who did not totally
fulfill that calling.
00:34:37.62\00:34:41.24
So God put in a
plan B, of course,
00:34:41.25\00:34:44.32
what we say plan B
was no surprise to Him
00:34:44.33\00:34:46.33
because He knew.
00:34:46.34\00:34:47.35
So that this other
plan is put into act
00:34:47.36\00:34:50.07
and now He spreads it
out to whosoever will,
00:34:50.08\00:34:53.10
let him come.
I'm not covenanting
00:34:53.11\00:34:54.96
with one small
group of people anymore.
00:34:54.97\00:34:56.83
Now the church
is, whoever chooses
00:34:56.84\00:34:59.64
to accept Jesus Christ.
00:34:59.65\00:35:01.05
You become now my priest.
00:35:01.06\00:35:03.00
He is really --
From the doors open wide.
00:35:03.01\00:35:06.44
Whoever comes to
me I will train you,
00:35:06.45\00:35:09.24
I will teach
you, I will mold you,
00:35:09.25\00:35:10.67
I will give you my spirit,
00:35:10.68\00:35:11.95
and then send you right back out
00:35:11.96\00:35:13.63
into that world to
share my love with that world.
00:35:13.64\00:35:16.37
And this is by faith? Yes.
00:35:16.38\00:35:17.86
By faith in Christ it happens,
00:35:17.87\00:35:19.01
by faith that call to
the priesthood becomes
00:35:19.02\00:35:22.65
reality and you become
that priesthood amongst
00:35:22.66\00:35:25.55
other believers by
faith as well. Yeah.
00:35:25.56\00:35:27.44
And here's where I
start getting excited,
00:35:27.45\00:35:29.24
so keep me down in
my chair if I get too
00:35:29.25\00:35:31.43
excited about this
because I want to look
00:35:31.44\00:35:32.81
at the new covenant as written
00:35:32.82\00:35:35.61
in the Old Testament
because something is going
00:35:35.62\00:35:38.58
to come alive here
00:35:38.59\00:35:39.56
that may not have
come alive to you before.
00:35:39.57\00:35:41.42
I want you to see something,
00:35:41.43\00:35:42.65
I think it's
really, really wonderful.
00:35:42.66\00:35:45.38
Jeremiah 31 verses 33 and 34,
00:35:45.39\00:35:49.55
and this is repeated by the way
00:35:49.56\00:35:51.02
in Hebrews Chapter
8 and in Chapter 10,
00:35:51.03\00:35:56.45
at least parts of
this, and almost verbatim.
00:35:56.46\00:36:00.53
So here we go, "But
this is the covenant
00:36:00.54\00:36:02.60
that I will make
with the house of Israel
00:36:02.61\00:36:04.22
after those
days" In other words,
00:36:04.23\00:36:05.47
not the former. Yes.
00:36:05.48\00:36:06.83
But this is the
latter, says the Lord
00:36:06.84\00:36:08.88
"I will put My
laws into their minds,
00:36:08.89\00:36:10.92
and write them in their hearts,
00:36:10.93\00:36:12.17
so clearly the law is part
of their experience in Christ.
00:36:12.18\00:36:16.26
And I will be their God
and they shall be my people.
00:36:16.27\00:36:21.03
No more shall every
man teach his neighbor
00:36:21.04\00:36:23.84
and every man his
brother saying, know the Lord,
00:36:23.85\00:36:27.60
for they all shall know
me from the least of them
00:36:27.61\00:36:32.54
to the greatest of
them, says the Lord,
00:36:32.55\00:36:34.05
for I will
forgive their iniquity
00:36:34.06\00:36:35.41
and their sin I will remember
00:36:35.42\00:36:36.63
them no more or
remembered no more."
00:36:36.64\00:36:38.57
Notice here, the
issue from the beginning
00:36:38.58\00:36:41.56
was the willingness of
the people to draw near.
00:36:41.57\00:36:44.99
You can only get
to know somebody,
00:36:45.00\00:36:46.26
see I only know
you because of time
00:36:46.27\00:36:48.60
that I've spent in
closer association with you.
00:36:48.61\00:36:51.85
I don't, I can't get to know
00:36:51.86\00:36:53.23
you by distance-learning. True.
00:36:53.24\00:36:55.07
It doesn't happen
well in relationship,
00:36:55.08\00:36:56.65
and they happen in school.
00:36:56.66\00:36:57.70
But distance-learning
doesn't work with relationships.
00:36:57.71\00:37:00.80
So God said, drawn near,
00:37:00.81\00:37:03.39
the people did not draw near.
00:37:03.40\00:37:05.63
So God is saying
here, you don't have to just
00:37:05.64\00:37:07.95
command somebody,
hey, know the Lord,
00:37:07.96\00:37:09.89
get the right
experience with Lord
00:37:09.90\00:37:11.66
because they really
will know me because why?
00:37:11.67\00:37:14.98
They will draw near to me.
00:37:14.99\00:37:17.26
The goal from the
beginning is for God
00:37:17.27\00:37:18.95
to get to know His
people and have an intimate
00:37:18.96\00:37:21.38
relationship with them.
00:37:21.39\00:37:23.11
So that he may call them
00:37:23.12\00:37:24.12
and may respond not
just by what they've heard
00:37:24.13\00:37:27.00
but by experience.
00:37:27.01\00:37:29.66
Today in the new covenant,
00:37:29.67\00:37:31.60
all those that become part
of the priesthood of believers,
00:37:31.61\00:37:34.75
know the Lord intimately
00:37:34.76\00:37:36.69
because they by faith
have drawn close to him
00:37:36.70\00:37:39.26
and have had an
experience in God.
00:37:39.27\00:37:41.33
That is truly the essence
00:37:41.34\00:37:42.62
of the new covenant relationship
00:37:42.63\00:37:44.17
we have with Christ.
00:37:44.18\00:37:45.23
Something pops into my mind,
what we read on the last show
00:37:45.24\00:37:50.50
and a little bit
earlier in this show.
00:37:50.51\00:37:52.72
Of the Jews
sending Moses forward,
00:37:52.73\00:37:56.51
sending the priest forward,
00:37:56.52\00:37:57.49
but as our
nation standing far off,
00:37:57.50\00:38:00.67
not only was that true of Sinai,
00:38:00.68\00:38:02.59
it was a metaphor for
their entire existence.
00:38:02.60\00:38:05.34
You know, they
never really drew as close
00:38:05.35\00:38:07.96
as they could have
indeed should have.
00:38:07.97\00:38:11.40
The priests did
it. Moses did it.
00:38:11.41\00:38:14.12
Prophets did it.
00:38:14.13\00:38:15.56
The occasional king
did it but as a people
00:38:15.57\00:38:18.70
they never drew
close to the Lord
00:38:18.71\00:38:21.51
like they should have.
00:38:21.52\00:38:22.83
So as such they had to be taught
00:38:22.84\00:38:25.72
what the Lord was all about
00:38:25.73\00:38:26.86
because they
couldn't do it experimentally.
00:38:26.87\00:38:28.68
They weren't
close enough, they just,
00:38:28.69\00:38:30.70
they just weren't there.
00:38:30.71\00:38:32.41
Now comes in New
Testament dispensation
00:38:32.42\00:38:34.70
and the Lord
actually doesn't wait for us
00:38:34.71\00:38:37.86
to draw near to Him.
00:38:37.87\00:38:40.50
He is chasing us.
He's drawing close to us.
00:38:40.51\00:38:43.36
And not only is
He is drawing near
00:38:43.37\00:38:45.12
He is moving inside
through the Holy Spirit.
00:38:45.13\00:38:47.84
Yeah, so He's
making up the difference.
00:38:47.85\00:38:50.49
He is bridging the gap.
00:38:50.50\00:38:52.13
He is tearing down
the wall of partition
00:38:52.14\00:38:55.51
as it were by
coming inside of us
00:38:55.52\00:38:58.73
through the Holy Spirit.
00:38:58.74\00:38:59.71
So now you don't have
to say, C.A. know the Lord.
00:38:59.72\00:39:02.67
I can say to you, John, I
do because the same spirit
00:39:02.68\00:39:05.48
that's in you is now in me.
00:39:05.49\00:39:07.47
And it's a wonderful way of God
00:39:07.48\00:39:11.74
making of a human deficiencies,
00:39:11.75\00:39:13.80
human arrogance,
human stubbornness
00:39:13.81\00:39:16.68
by doing all He can,
one to draw close to us,
00:39:16.69\00:39:21.15
and then to motivate us to take
00:39:21.16\00:39:23.16
His love to a dying world.
00:39:23.17\00:39:25.02
It's a powerful,
powerful metaphor
00:39:25.03\00:39:27.93
and a powerful,
powerful scenario.
00:39:27.94\00:39:29.23
And pastor, isn't really this
00:39:29.24\00:39:31.50
the difference between
old and new covenant anyway?
00:39:31.51\00:39:33.71
Precisely. The old
covenant was based upon a law
00:39:33.75\00:39:36.28
that was outward
00:39:36.29\00:39:37.26
that was seen as something they,
00:39:37.27\00:39:38.70
they needed to
do. They needed to do.
00:39:38.71\00:39:40.29
They needed to know
the Lord and follow Him.
00:39:40.30\00:39:41.51
Okay, I'll obey. Yeah.
00:39:41.52\00:39:43.38
But the new
covenant was all about
00:39:43.39\00:39:44.75
the experience, not
just knowing the Lord
00:39:44.76\00:39:46.97
but allowing the Holy
Spirit to fill them. Yes.
00:39:46.98\00:39:49.65
Putting the law from
an outward tables of stone
00:39:49.66\00:39:52.06
to inward heart of flesh.
00:39:52.07\00:39:53.91
And to, not that the
old teachings were bad,
00:39:53.92\00:39:56.97
nothing was
wrong with them. Yes.
00:39:56.98\00:39:58.38
But it came now inside
through experience. Yes.
00:39:58.39\00:40:01.48
And in the
conversion of the heart,
00:40:01.49\00:40:02.79
through the work
of the Holy Spirit
00:40:02.80\00:40:03.77
now makes you a
priest in new covenants.
00:40:03.78\00:40:07.73
Yes, yes.
00:40:07.74\00:40:08.71
In the church amongst other
priests and other believers.
00:40:08.72\00:40:11.60
It's the Lord, you know,
the Lord has not changed.
00:40:11.61\00:40:13.85
He has not altered.
00:40:13.86\00:40:14.83
He is still taking
us down the same road,
00:40:14.84\00:40:16.85
but instead of
pulling or pushing us
00:40:16.86\00:40:18.76
as the Old Testament
model is a little more
00:40:18.77\00:40:21.33
of the sort of
encouraging, you got to do this.
00:40:21.34\00:40:23.49
Now He's inside,
00:40:23.50\00:40:26.41
move where the love of
Christ constraineth us.
00:40:26.42\00:40:29.07
It's movement
from inward motivation
00:40:29.08\00:40:32.52
for want of a better thing.
00:40:32.53\00:40:33.50
Yeah, absolutely.
00:40:33.51\00:40:34.48
Go on the same direction,
00:40:34.49\00:40:35.46
but now instead of being
cattle prodded down the road,
00:40:35.47\00:40:38.52
you're going
because it's in you,
00:40:38.53\00:40:39.93
you can't do anything
else but walk down the road
00:40:39.94\00:40:42.04
because that's in you to walk.
00:40:42.05\00:40:43.07
It's not your
parent telling you to do,
00:40:43.08\00:40:44.43
to obey this or that? Yeah.
00:40:44.44\00:40:46.09
It's your true motivation
00:40:46.10\00:40:47.42
and desire to go
from within, amen. Yeah.
00:40:47.43\00:40:49.64
Hebrews 10 Chapter,
Chapter 10 verses 19 to 22.
00:40:49.65\00:40:54.08
Now transitioning.
00:40:54.09\00:40:55.37
Of course, Hebrews 10
is about the new covenant.
00:40:55.38\00:40:59.14
It says here, "Therefore,
brethren, having boldness
00:40:59.15\00:41:01.95
to enter the holiest
by the blood of Jesus,
00:41:01.96\00:41:04.19
by a new and living way,
00:41:04.20\00:41:06.19
which He is
consecrated for us. "
00:41:06.20\00:41:07.94
Notice who did the work here.
00:41:07.95\00:41:09.55
"He through the
veil, that is his flesh,
00:41:09.56\00:41:12.33
and having a high
priest over the house of God. "
00:41:12.34\00:41:15.55
Notice the priesthood
language here, and then 22.
00:41:15.56\00:41:18.58
"Let us draw near",
there is it again. Yeah.
00:41:18.59\00:41:21.39
"With a true heart in
full assurance of faith. "
00:41:21.40\00:41:24.93
You know, I think if we
did a study just on draw near,
00:41:24.94\00:41:30.50
what a powerful study would be,
00:41:30.51\00:41:32.91
here it comes again,
"they failed to draw near. "
00:41:32.92\00:41:35.08
Moses you draw near
what's the end back?
00:41:35.09\00:41:36.75
Aaron and priest you guys
draw near what's the end back.
00:41:36.76\00:41:39.93
Now the Lord says,
00:41:39.94\00:41:41.10
knowledge time
really to draw near.
00:41:41.11\00:41:43.38
The whole new covenant
idea is about drawing near.
00:41:43.39\00:41:46.95
So we pick up the
same language again,
00:41:46.96\00:41:48.51
it's really
powerful and fascinating.
00:41:48.52\00:41:49.95
Yeah, it really is.
00:41:49.96\00:41:51.24
Why don't you read the,
00:41:51.25\00:41:52.75
the main text
we've got here today
00:41:52.76\00:41:54.04
this is really
the, the launching test,
00:41:54.05\00:41:56.33
text often for the
priesthood of believers. Yes.
00:41:56.34\00:41:58.88
So you see
we've already launched
00:41:58.89\00:41:59.93
through several of them,
00:41:59.94\00:42:00.91
so we're now get, building
up to the key point here.
00:42:00.92\00:42:04.17
First Peter 2:9,
00:42:04.18\00:42:05.53
this is one of
ones that you know,
00:42:05.54\00:42:07.03
you commit to
memory verse early on.
00:42:07.04\00:42:08.71
"But ye are a chosen generation,
00:42:08.72\00:42:11.42
a royal
priesthood, a holy nation,
00:42:11.43\00:42:14.43
His own special people
00:42:14.44\00:42:16.73
that you may
proclaim the praises of Him
00:42:16.74\00:42:19.48
who called you out of darkness
into this marvelous light"
00:42:19.49\00:42:23.27
and there is so much,
John, in that particular.
00:42:23.28\00:42:25.20
You know what, in the mindset
00:42:25.21\00:42:27.23
in the foundation
established here up to now.
00:42:27.24\00:42:29.48
Your mind comes alive
00:42:29.49\00:42:31.35
as you read every
word there, doesn't it.
00:42:31.36\00:42:32.77
Yeah, yeah.
00:42:32.78\00:42:33.89
Because you're reading chosen,
you're reading priesthood,
00:42:33.90\00:42:36.34
you're reading holy,
you're reading special people,
00:42:36.35\00:42:38.32
you're reading Him who called
you out of darkness into light
00:42:38.33\00:42:41.48
and everything
pops in this text.
00:42:41.49\00:42:44.58
And they all
send it towards that,
00:42:44.59\00:42:46.90
little part of the
comment that you may proclaim.
00:42:46.91\00:42:50.03
So you are chosen,
00:42:50.04\00:42:51.34
you're royal, you're
holy, you're special, why?
00:42:51.35\00:42:55.16
That you may proclaim.
00:42:55.17\00:42:58.13
Yeah, it's a work
given to you as a,
00:42:58.14\00:43:00.69
well priesthood.
Yes. To do, go proclaim.
00:43:00.70\00:43:03.44
Yeah, and we touched on this,
you know, in the last show,
00:43:03.45\00:43:05.40
the idea chosen for what?
00:43:05.41\00:43:07.47
You don't stop and
put appear that chosen,
00:43:07.48\00:43:09.39
that's basically what
is a exclamation point
00:43:09.40\00:43:12.71
or even a colon or
a semicolon. Right.
00:43:12.72\00:43:15.01
Chosen to do something.
00:43:15.02\00:43:16.65
Here it is,
chosen to proclaim, yeah.
00:43:16.66\00:43:19.84
And we proclaim
not in just word,
00:43:19.85\00:43:23.24
we proclaim in deed.
00:43:23.25\00:43:24.69
Because God, over and over again
00:43:24.70\00:43:26.99
we're called to
not just to hear it
00:43:27.00\00:43:28.95
and say we believe it.
00:43:28.96\00:43:30.65
And even preach it,
we're called to do it. Yes.
00:43:30.66\00:43:33.47
The doers of the word
00:43:33.48\00:43:34.81
those are the ones
that are justified by God.
00:43:34.82\00:43:37.68
So now let's expound a
little bit on this ministry.
00:43:37.69\00:43:41.71
Paul continues to
talk about this work
00:43:41.72\00:43:44.56
and uses some
different language here
00:43:44.57\00:43:46.72
but also we find in
this different language
00:43:46.73\00:43:48.85
we are seeing the same
priesthood imagery going on.
00:43:48.86\00:43:52.64
And that's in
Second Corinthians 5:18-20
00:43:52.65\00:43:56.10
you want to read
that one as well for us?
00:43:56.11\00:43:57.66
Here we go,
00:43:57.67\00:43:58.64
"Now all things are of God,
00:43:58.65\00:44:00.30
who has reconciled us to
Himself through Jesus Christ,
00:44:00.31\00:44:05.43
and has given us the
ministry of reconciliation.
00:44:05.44\00:44:09.62
That is, that God was in Christ
00:44:09.63\00:44:12.91
reconciling the
world to Himself,
00:44:12.92\00:44:15.58
not imputing their
trespasses to them,
00:44:15.59\00:44:19.46
and has committed to us
the word of reconciliation. "
00:44:19.47\00:44:24.21
And 20, "Now then, we
are ambassadors for Christ,
00:44:24.22\00:44:28.20
as though God were
pleading through us,
00:44:28.21\00:44:31.63
to implore you
on Christ's behalf,
00:44:31.64\00:44:34.61
to be reconciled to God. "
00:44:34.62\00:44:37.12
Again things just
coming alive here,
00:44:38.61\00:44:40.85
the basic ministry of a priest
is be a mediator agent. Yes.
00:44:40.86\00:44:46.74
An agent to bring together
00:44:46.75\00:44:48.93
something that is
apart, right? Yes.
00:44:48.94\00:44:52.26
And that's what
reconciliation is all about.
00:44:52.27\00:44:54.48
To bring people to
God and God to people
00:44:54.49\00:44:57.40
and this is a two way street.
00:44:57.41\00:44:58.77
The priest didn't just help
00:44:59.17\00:45:00.94
to bring the
sacrifices of the people
00:45:00.95\00:45:03.25
and their
offerings and things to God,
00:45:03.26\00:45:07.13
they were an example of Christ
the high priest to the people.
00:45:07.14\00:45:12.34
So the ministry
they did was Christ like,
00:45:12.35\00:45:15.58
high priest like of old,
00:45:15.59\00:45:18.28
Christ like in the
new covenant, the church.
00:45:18.29\00:45:21.00
And so our ministry
is priest is two ways,
00:45:21.01\00:45:24.08
we bring to God, people
00:45:24.09\00:45:27.18
and we bring people or
God to the people. Yes.
00:45:27.19\00:45:30.19
It's a mediatory
thing going on here.
00:45:30.20\00:45:32.34
Yes, yes, this text
is, there is so much here,
00:45:32.35\00:45:35.18
when you do the background work
00:45:35.19\00:45:37.05
as you've said
rightly as we've done.
00:45:37.06\00:45:38.75
God was in Christ
reconciling us to himself.
00:45:39.60\00:45:42.65
Now as ambassadors and
that is a representative
00:45:42.66\00:45:45.49
of the highest level.
00:45:45.50\00:45:46.95
For Christ, our job is
to pass that reconciliation
00:45:46.96\00:45:53.47
on to others, first
to inform them of it.
00:45:53.48\00:45:55.43
And to show them how
they can participate in it
00:45:55.44\00:45:58.22
and get the benefits from it.
00:45:58.23\00:46:00.00
There is this a far off
and it wasn't God's fault,
00:46:00.01\00:46:03.04
God always wanted to be near,
00:46:03.05\00:46:04.30
from the time
Adam and Eve sinned,
00:46:04.31\00:46:07.37
who came looking for them?
00:46:07.38\00:46:08.72
God came looking for them,
00:46:08.73\00:46:10.03
so God always wanted to be near.
00:46:10.04\00:46:11.48
The people doing the
running always been us,
00:46:11.49\00:46:14.25
they went and hid
themselves. Right.
00:46:14.26\00:46:16.43
Because they were
naked and God said,
00:46:16.44\00:46:17.75
well, who told you were naked?
00:46:17.76\00:46:18.75
Why are you hiding from me?
00:46:18.76\00:46:19.78
And we've been
hiding ever since.
00:46:19.79\00:46:21.41
The Jewish community,
00:46:21.42\00:46:23.17
the Bible says,
stood to far off.
00:46:23.18\00:46:24.80
So here comes God looking again,
00:46:24.81\00:46:26.19
so now He is
reconciling through Christ,
00:46:26.20\00:46:28.95
he's bringing His
spirit to us and He's saying
00:46:28.96\00:46:31.11
please now take this to
a world that needs to know,
00:46:31.12\00:46:34.49
I'm here, I haven't run away,
00:46:34.50\00:46:36.05
in fact I'm seeking for
you, I'm searching for you.
00:46:36.06\00:46:38.85
If you'll just stop running
00:46:38.86\00:46:40.49
we can have a
glorious eternal relationship.
00:46:40.50\00:46:43.02
But you gotta sort of
let me catch you. Yeah.
00:46:43.03\00:46:45.70
And hold on to
you and put my arms...
00:46:45.71\00:46:47.26
That's our part, stop
running. Stop running.
00:46:47.27\00:46:50.70
Stop running, very good.
00:46:50.71\00:46:52.98
Revelation 1
verses 5 and 6. It says,
00:46:52.99\00:46:56.51
"To Him who loved us,
00:46:56.52\00:46:58.26
and washed us from
our sins in His own blood.
00:46:58.27\00:47:01.07
And has made us
kings and priests
00:47:01.08\00:47:04.72
to His God and father,
00:47:04.73\00:47:06.53
to Him be glory and
dominion for ever and ever. "
00:47:06.54\00:47:10.28
He's made us what?
00:47:10.29\00:47:11.50
Kings and priests to His God
00:47:11.51\00:47:14.25
and that is, the
Father to Christ God,
00:47:14.26\00:47:17.57
who is our
mediator, the high priest,
00:47:17.58\00:47:20.33
He is made us
co-laborers with him.
00:47:20.34\00:47:23.47
You know, this
is one of the things
00:47:24.14\00:47:25.74
that we miss in the imagery
00:47:25.75\00:47:27.91
if we don't have
the Old Testament,
00:47:27.92\00:47:28.99
we miss the completeness
of what God is saying here.
00:47:29.00\00:47:31.80
Yes, yes.
00:47:31.81\00:47:32.80
Because in the Old Testament,
00:47:32.81\00:47:34.17
we find that the priest
united with our high priest
00:47:34.18\00:47:37.57
and they labored
together for the people.
00:47:37.58\00:47:40.12
The high priest we
know points to Christ.
00:47:40.81\00:47:43.18
But we as priests in
the church are ministering
00:47:43.75\00:47:47.72
for Christ, the high
priest in heaven today.
00:47:47.73\00:47:49.94
In the heavenly sanctuary,
00:47:49.95\00:47:51.71
so as we see their
ministry we also understand
00:47:51.72\00:47:54.14
that we have a
joint ministry with Him.
00:47:54.15\00:47:56.20
I mean, we can't deny
00:47:57.46\00:47:59.38
that there is a ministry
for every one of us to do.
00:47:59.39\00:48:01.58
For every single
one, very, very true.
00:48:01.59\00:48:03.50
And again, if we
stop running and cooperate
00:48:03.51\00:48:06.31
with the Lord, you know,
things are so much better,
00:48:06.32\00:48:10.73
there are so much
you know, as children
00:48:10.74\00:48:12.41
we used to get in trouble,
00:48:12.42\00:48:13.60
my parents would
says, "don't run. "
00:48:13.61\00:48:15.03
You know, don't
make me come after you.
00:48:15.04\00:48:16.95
You know,
consequences are really worse
00:48:16.96\00:48:19.55
when you really run, standstill.
00:48:19.56\00:48:21.18
It's the same way with
the Lord if you standstill
00:48:21.19\00:48:23.73
and walk in His love
and abide in His love,
00:48:23.74\00:48:27.29
you will become
this well spring,
00:48:27.30\00:48:29.53
this fountain
for others, you know,
00:48:29.54\00:48:32.42
it's all about
sharing His life with others.
00:48:32.43\00:48:35.80
Ultimately, God
wants to save the world
00:48:35.81\00:48:37.67
and He will use anybody
now who will come to Him.
00:48:37.68\00:48:40.91
In love and in faith,
00:48:42.10\00:48:43.18
He will make that
person a king, a priest,
00:48:43.19\00:48:46.44
an ambassador for Him to
share His love with the world.
00:48:46.45\00:48:49.42
One thing I've
done in this study,
00:48:49.76\00:48:52.19
I actually have an
entire list of all the things
00:48:52.20\00:48:54.03
that priests used to do.
00:48:54.04\00:48:55.16
So we don't have
time to do all this,
00:48:55.84\00:48:57.39
but it carries
right on to what the
00:48:57.40\00:48:59.14
priesthood of believers
does within the church.
00:48:59.15\00:49:01.57
And it's just powerful,
00:49:02.22\00:49:03.35
everything from
teaching to ministering
00:49:03.36\00:49:06.30
as far as words of encouragement
00:49:06.31\00:49:07.88
to a lot of others things.
00:49:07.89\00:49:09.18
We can talk about a
couple of them here coming up.
00:49:09.19\00:49:11.63
But I want to
read this passage here
00:49:11.96\00:49:14.63
because as part of our
work as the priesthood unto God,
00:49:14.64\00:49:20.19
there is a text that
is directly on point.
00:49:20.20\00:49:22.13
And we got to go back
to First Peter Chapter 2,
00:49:22.14\00:49:24.92
for this passage.
00:49:24.93\00:49:25.90
And we'll back up a little bit
00:49:26.10\00:49:27.41
from the royal priesthood
text to verse 4 and 5.
00:49:27.42\00:49:30.56
It says, "Coming to
Him as to a living stone,
00:49:31.14\00:49:33.97
rejected indeed by men,
but chosen by God and precious.
00:49:33.98\00:49:36.83
You also, as living stones,
00:49:37.50\00:49:39.32
are being built
up a spiritual house,
00:49:39.33\00:49:41.68
a holy priesthood," to do what?
00:49:42.46\00:49:45.11
"To offer up
spiritual sacrifices acceptable
00:49:45.55\00:49:49.46
to God through Jesus Christ. "
00:49:49.47\00:49:51.51
There are
sacrifices that the priesthood
00:49:51.52\00:49:54.08
today in the
church still must offer.
00:49:54.09\00:49:56.85
Where before it was
the sacrifices of the lambs
00:49:58.77\00:50:01.67
brought, of the
offerings brought, of the -
00:50:01.68\00:50:06.90
The multiple
things that priests did,
00:50:06.91\00:50:08.84
I wish we had a time to
go through the entire list.
00:50:08.85\00:50:10.93
But all these things
that priesthood did then
00:50:10.94\00:50:12.80
are examples of the things
we ought to do now spiritually.
00:50:12.81\00:50:16.05
Yes. For the people as
ambassadors for Christ.
00:50:16.06\00:50:19.39
For Christ, yes, yes.
00:50:19.40\00:50:20.44
We do well to study the
Ancient Sanctuary Services.
00:50:20.71\00:50:24.24
And the role of priests then
00:50:24.25\00:50:25.93
because it so closely parallels
00:50:25.94\00:50:28.28
to the role of
believer priests now
00:50:28.29\00:50:30.55
and those things that they
were asked and called to do,
00:50:30.56\00:50:33.40
we need to replicate even
in these latter days. Amen.
00:50:33.41\00:50:36.36
Could you read for us Matthew,
00:50:37.71\00:50:39.47
excuse me Malachi
2 verses 4 through 7.
00:50:39.48\00:50:42.41
Malachi has very, very
much an end time slant to it.
00:50:42.42\00:50:48.03
It's a prophecy about
the end time, the last days.
00:50:48.04\00:50:51.04
And it brings in
the priesthood here
00:50:51.44\00:50:54.10
and especially
the covenant language.
00:50:54.11\00:50:56.10
Yeah. "Then you shall know
00:50:56.11\00:50:58.37
that I have sent
this commandment to you,
00:50:58.38\00:51:00.95
that my covenant
with Levi may continue,
00:51:00.96\00:51:04.73
says the Lord of hosts.
00:51:04.74\00:51:06.31
My covenant was with
him one of life and peace,
00:51:06.32\00:51:11.06
and I gave them to
him that he might fear me,
00:51:11.07\00:51:14.91
so he feared me and was
reverent before my name.
00:51:14.92\00:51:18.24
The law of
truth was in his mouth
00:51:18.63\00:51:21.32
and injustice was
not found on his lips,
00:51:21.33\00:51:24.27
he walked with me
in peace and acuity
00:51:24.28\00:51:27.27
and turned many
away from iniquity.
00:51:27.28\00:51:29.82
For the lips of a
priest should keep knowledge,
00:51:29.83\00:51:33.49
and the people should
seek the law from his mouth,
00:51:33.50\00:51:36.77
for He is the messenger
of the Lord of hosts. "
00:51:36.78\00:51:40.52
Contextually this passage
is last day remnant language.
00:51:41.21\00:51:46.98
This Levi, the covenant
with Levi expressed here
00:51:47.63\00:51:50.75
is remnant of the last
of, at the end of time.
00:51:50.76\00:51:54.05
Yes, yes.
00:51:54.06\00:51:55.19
And of course we
know that the message is
00:51:55.20\00:51:57.33
one of fearing God,
giving glory to Him,
00:51:57.34\00:52:00.00
of speaking about His
law, keeping His commandments.
00:52:00.01\00:52:03.14
All the language is still here
00:52:03.15\00:52:05.33
that we find in the
three angels messages.
00:52:05.34\00:52:07.01
Yes, yes, yes.
00:52:07.02\00:52:08.31
And so God really in
every sense of the words
00:52:08.32\00:52:10.93
still sees His
people on this earth,
00:52:10.94\00:52:13.33
that are faithful to
Him as His priesthood.
00:52:13.34\00:52:15.77
Yes, that has never
changed, that has never changed.
00:52:15.78\00:52:18.65
The way one goes about it,
00:52:18.83\00:52:20.33
now it's been altered
because of the reality
00:52:20.34\00:52:22.60
of the time and the situation,
00:52:22.61\00:52:23.96
and what Christ
is doing in heaven
00:52:23.97\00:52:25.46
but the goal has never changed.
00:52:25.47\00:52:27.65
God still wants
His special people
00:52:27.66\00:52:29.25
to be priests and
ambassadors for Him.
00:52:29.26\00:52:31.25
And I'm gonna finish up
with Malachi 3, verses 2 and 3,
00:52:31.50\00:52:35.62
"But who can endure
the day of His coming?
00:52:35.63\00:52:37.98
So we know this is
last day language. Yes.
00:52:37.99\00:52:39.98
"And who can
stand when He appears?
00:52:39.99\00:52:41.56
For He's like a refiner's
fire and like launderers' soap,
00:52:41.57\00:52:44.44
He will sit as a refiner
and a purifier of silver,
00:52:44.45\00:52:47.58
he will purify the sons of Levi,
00:52:47.59\00:52:50.82
and purge them
as gold and silver,
00:52:50.83\00:52:53.02
that they may offer
to the Lord an offering,
00:52:53.03\00:52:55.48
a spiritual
sacrifice an offering,
00:52:55.49\00:52:57.58
in righteousness. " Yes.
00:52:57.59\00:52:59.77
So we have here
almost similar language
00:52:59.78\00:53:02.54
to the Church of Laodicea,
00:53:02.55\00:53:04.56
that means purifying the
trying of gold in the fire.
00:53:04.57\00:53:09.11
So that we may offer to God
00:53:09.12\00:53:11.59
spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to Him.
00:53:11.60\00:53:14.33
To him, yes, yes,
powerful, powerful.
00:53:14.34\00:53:17.22
Let's just finish by
talking a couple of things
00:53:17.23\00:53:21.31
that I think have
been sorely neglected
00:53:21.32\00:53:25.45
within the church
as the priesthood.
00:53:25.46\00:53:27.54
One of them is obviously
the love for one and another.
00:53:29.50\00:53:32.89
I think over and over
again we see Paul the same one
00:53:32.90\00:53:35.66
who wrote about the
priesthood of believers.
00:53:35.67\00:53:37.51
As the church admonished
the disciples repeatedly,
00:53:38.45\00:53:42.04
love each other,
pour out your love
00:53:42.05\00:53:44.58
and of course that
love translates to service,
00:53:44.59\00:53:46.69
but love is something
that the priesthood of old
00:53:46.70\00:53:48.99
was called to do as a family,
00:53:49.00\00:53:50.69
they frequently got
together to encourage support,
00:53:50.70\00:53:52.91
love each other. Yes.
00:53:52.92\00:53:54.02
We need to be
doing that as a church.
00:53:54.03\00:53:55.31
Very true, very
true loving service,
00:53:55.32\00:53:57.03
not only is it a love,
00:53:57.04\00:53:58.98
it's an emblem of
your being in Christ
00:53:58.99\00:54:01.30
to distribute that
love that He has given you
00:54:01.31\00:54:04.97
to world that
sorely needs that love.
00:54:04.98\00:54:07.77
Yeah, I had said to one person,
00:54:07.78\00:54:09.53
they were, some -
there was an issue
00:54:09.54\00:54:12.19
where their focus was on these,
00:54:12.20\00:54:13.77
what I thought were miniscule
more, more tedious things,
00:54:13.78\00:54:17.81
they didn't matter as much.
00:54:17.82\00:54:19.10
And I made the
comment I said, you know,
00:54:19.59\00:54:21.66
God has called us to love
each other above everything.
00:54:21.67\00:54:23.71
Yeah.
00:54:23.72\00:54:24.78
And I said, that may
sound like I'm saying
00:54:24.79\00:54:26.16
love is more
important than the other things.
00:54:26.17\00:54:28.34
Oh I am?
00:54:28.54\00:54:29.78
And it kind of sets them back
00:54:31.12\00:54:33.24
but even Paul says
as much, says, you know,
00:54:33.25\00:54:36.64
if you have all of these things,
00:54:36.65\00:54:37.92
you have prophecy,
you can speak eloquently,
00:54:37.93\00:54:39.90
you can do all these
things, if you have not love.
00:54:39.91\00:54:41.33
Yeah.
00:54:41.34\00:54:42.31
They're like this clay symbol,
00:54:42.32\00:54:43.62
this brassy thing that's
just not appreciable at all.
00:54:43.63\00:54:48.52
You know, I think
in another way to say
00:54:48.53\00:54:50.47
for those who may get a
little squeamish is that,
00:54:50.48\00:54:53.10
it is at the foundation
of all those other things.
00:54:53.11\00:54:55.50
It's got to come first.
00:54:55.51\00:54:57.33
It's got to come
first, it must be preeminent
00:54:57.34\00:54:59.49
because if you have those things
00:54:59.50\00:55:00.77
and they're build
on a shaky foundation
00:55:00.78\00:55:02.47
then they're not gonna
last, they're not gonna endure.
00:55:02.48\00:55:04.46
So love has got to be
the first brick in the wall.
00:55:04.47\00:55:07.14
It's gotta be the cornerstone,
then you begin to build.
00:55:07.15\00:55:09.82
And if you don't
have that cornerstone
00:55:09.83\00:55:11.32
if you don't have
that good solid foundation,
00:55:11.33\00:55:13.56
those other things
will come crumbling down.
00:55:13.57\00:55:15.22
Absolutely. Love, not
love without these things.
00:55:15.23\00:55:18.10
But love may gives these things,
00:55:18.11\00:55:20.61
that real meaning. Very true.
00:55:20.62\00:55:23.21
The last thing is, I
think one of the most important
00:55:23.22\00:55:26.12
and I just get on a
soapbox here for me.
00:55:26.13\00:55:29.47
And I need to help, I need,
00:55:29.48\00:55:30.48
I'm just preaching
to myself here. Yes.
00:55:30.49\00:55:32.44
But one of the major things
00:55:32.45\00:55:33.78
the priesthood did is
that they were intercessors.
00:55:33.79\00:55:36.58
Remember we talked
about a mediatory agent,
00:55:37.38\00:55:39.23
they are intercessors
and they brought the prayers
00:55:39.24\00:55:42.29
of the people
before God. Yes, yes.
00:55:42.30\00:55:45.61
The high priest as well
was involved in this work.
00:55:45.62\00:55:48.17
And so when you see the priests
00:55:48.18\00:55:49.98
bring in the
prayers of the people
00:55:49.99\00:55:51.17
to the high priest
Jesus in their own prayers,
00:55:51.18\00:55:54.66
picturing, you
know, a picture of Christ
00:55:54.67\00:55:57.29
who we know is our righteousness
00:55:57.30\00:55:59.24
mixed with our prayer.
00:55:59.25\00:56:00.26
What I believe God
is saying and asking
00:56:00.27\00:56:02.73
the priesthood of believers
to do is to engage in warfare
00:56:02.74\00:56:06.29
in behalf of others
through intercessory prayer.
00:56:06.30\00:56:08.86
We pray for ourselves,
we pray for our needs,
00:56:09.39\00:56:11.80
we pray for our family members
00:56:11.81\00:56:13.32
and we pray for things
that are important to us,
00:56:13.33\00:56:15.10
but rarely do we have
a prayer list of people
00:56:15.11\00:56:20.55
we are going to fight
for on our needs. Yes.
00:56:20.56\00:56:23.86
And I appreciated
at one point years back
00:56:23.87\00:56:25.56
you talked about your
prayer list that you pull out
00:56:25.57\00:56:27.32
and you had people on
that prayer list and I,
00:56:27.33\00:56:28.98
and I'm not elevating you,
00:56:28.99\00:56:31.50
I'm just saying
that's an example
00:56:31.51\00:56:32.83
of what we all need to be doing
00:56:32.84\00:56:34.25
which is having a prayer
list to engage in warfare
00:56:34.26\00:56:38.06
as a priest unto God
00:56:38.07\00:56:39.31
to cooperate
with Him for others.
00:56:39.32\00:56:41.04
Very true, very true.
00:56:41.05\00:56:42.43
You know, our
time is slipping away
00:56:42.44\00:56:43.78
but I think that idea
of one of the chief roles
00:56:43.79\00:56:48.03
of the ancient priesthood
and of us as modern priests
00:56:48.04\00:56:51.59
is to intercede for our fellows.
00:56:51.60\00:56:53.86
We have the
privilege of doing that,
00:56:54.16\00:56:55.91
there is a wonderful statement
in the book Testimonies,
00:56:55.92\00:56:59.95
where we are told,
God accepts our faith
00:56:59.96\00:57:02.52
in behalf of other individuals.
00:57:02.53\00:57:04.00
Now thus He hears your prayers
00:57:04.01\00:57:05.57
on behalf of other individuals
00:57:05.58\00:57:07.05
and it's a key
part of our ministry.
00:57:07.06\00:57:08.93
Amen. Yes.
00:57:08.94\00:57:10.08
Well, friends, it's the end
of another House Calls Program
00:57:10.09\00:57:13.80
and sadly that is the case,
00:57:13.81\00:57:15.32
but we do want to encourage you
00:57:15.33\00:57:17.28
as you've learned about
the priesthood of all believers
00:57:17.29\00:57:20.31
and your
involved with the church,
00:57:20.32\00:57:22.26
that you engage in
that priestly ministry
00:57:22.27\00:57:24.74
that you co-labor with Christ,
00:57:24.75\00:57:26.09
make Him a part of your life.
00:57:26.10\00:57:27.62
And to love each other,
00:57:27.82\00:57:29.42
pray for others
and encourage them
00:57:29.43\00:57:31.68
to also become
a priest with God.
00:57:31.69\00:57:34.04
God bless you.
00:57:34.05\00:57:35.02