Hello, friends, grab
your Bible and a friend
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and sit back as
we explore God's word
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together on this
edition of House calls.
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Welcome to another
edition of House calls,
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and you guessed it.
That's John. I'm John.
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And this-- this is the program.
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If you have a
Bible, this is the program
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that you should be
watching every time it comes on.
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This is the book and
thank you for tuning into
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what we believe is one
of the best Bible programs,
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I made a mistake,
the best Bible program
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on the television right now.
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That's why you're watching it.
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Thank you for tuning
into 3ABN and my name is John
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and you are also
John. Is that correct?
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That's right-- that's right.
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And we have come to
bring to you what God wants
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to share with you
today from His words.
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So get your Bible, get
your pens, get your friends,
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hit record if
you want to do that.
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Because we're
gonna continue our topic
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on faith,
something everyone needs.
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Before we do that
though, we always take
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your questions, your
comments, and we'll tell you
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how to send those
to us in just a moment
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but before we go any
further, we need to pray.
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John, would you
have prayer for us today.
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Let's pray. Father in heaven,
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we are so thankful for
an opportunity from week
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to week to study Your
word, to open up Your truth.
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And Lord, we're
talking about faith,
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we need faith and part of
why we are getting together
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here in these few programs is to
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strengthen our faith
and our trust in You.
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So, Lord, as we
exercise that faith today,
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we pray for your Holy
Spirit to come dwell here,
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within us, and to lead us
to where You want us to go
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as we look in faith to
Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
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We thank You for
His presence here today.
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In Jesus name, amen. Amen.
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And as you know, those
of you who sent questions,
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you know where to send them.
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But for those of you
who haven't, you can send
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those questions to
housecalls@3abn.org.
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That's housecalls@3abn.org.
That's our website.
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But if you like
sending letters like these,
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don't send huge
letters with very small print
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and pages written
back and front with oh,
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we get some
letters, don't we, John?
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I mean, we get
some bold, underlined.
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But if you have a
question, send them.
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Try to make it
as small as you can
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probably not as
big as this envelope.
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And we will try to answer
those questions on the air.
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Send them to PO Box 220,
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West Frankfort, Illinois, 62896.
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And then, send them attention
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House calls, and I'll get them.
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But, John, we have
some questions today,
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and I like this part
of the program because
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this is where the
people say, hey, answer me.
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Yeah. Tell me what
the Bible says about this.
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Where do they send
their questions into?
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They send it to
housecalls@3abn.org.
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They send to you actually. Yeah.
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Well, I mean, they
send them in by email.
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They send them in--you
can actually call them too.
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You can. That's our call center
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handles fields
calls or questions.
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That's right. We'll
give that phone number later.
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But we thank you for
being a part of our program
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as John is saying and
I want to share with you
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here a first
question that came in.
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All right. And the question is,
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"Was Jesus brought into
the God head?" Okay. Wow.
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Good question. I
thank God for your program.
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Thank you very much.
He's saying, he looked
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at Colossians 1:16,
Hebrews 1, Proverbs 8:22-30.
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I believe in the Holy
trinity and Holiness of Jesus.
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However, was Jesus
brought into the God
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head at some
point in eternity past?
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And so the question
is, you know, and I think
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we feel other types of this
question which is, you know,
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"Was Jesus' created
by God, by the Father?
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You know, in fact,
sometimes the begotten--
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the word begotten is turned into
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the creation of Jesus
at some point in time.
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We'll look at that
here in just a minute
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but let's read first of all,
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Colossians 1
verses 15 through 17.
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We'll pick up both
verses on either side of 16.
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It says, "He is the
image of the invisible God,
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the firstborn over all creation.
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For by Him all things
were created that are in heaven
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and that are on
earth, visible and invisible,
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whether thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers,
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all things were created
through Him and for Him.
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And He is before all
things." He's before what?
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All things. All things
and in Him all things consist.
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All right, so a couple
of things in here and it's
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important to read these things
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in their proper context.
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What this passage
is saying is that,
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Jesus is the
firstborn over all creation.
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Now some would say,
okay, that means He was born.
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You know, you have to
understand that firstborn
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doesn't mean born or created.
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Firstborn means, first
in line, in other words
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the one that is over
all, in charge of all.
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That's the idea of the
first born in the Old Testament.
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The first born was always
the one that received what?
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The inheritance.
Right? That's right.
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He was in charge of everything.
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He was given
charge over everything.
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And so in that
context, Jesus is the one
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that did all the creating.
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He's the one that holds things
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together in which they consist.
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He's also the one that is
in charge over all creation.
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I think another verse, in fact,
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maybe you can
find this one, John.
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It says that, He's
first born and that
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He's preeminent
over all creation.
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It's speaking of His preeminence
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not that he was actually born.
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But in another verse
that I think gives some
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real help here in this
topic is to whether or not
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Jesus was created at
some point or brought into
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the eternity and
given His Godness,
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which we do not believe
the Bible describes too.
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No. Is John Chapter 1?
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And so we'll turn here
quickly to John Chapter 1
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and I'll just read a
couple of verses here for you.
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Verse--verses 1 and
actually let's do 1 through 3.
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Okay. In the
beginning was the Word,
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now the Word is
capitalized there
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denoting that
it's speaking of Jesus.
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So it's the name
Word not the written word
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but the name Word,
and the Word was with God,
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and the Word was God.
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He was in the
beginning with whom?
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God. With God. All
things were made through Him
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and without Him
nothing was made that was made.
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So another words,
there's two things
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we can gather from this.
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He was in the very
beginning with God.
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In other words, there
was no time that He was
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brought into the God head. Okay?
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Pretty, pretty
clear on that one, John?
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Oh, I'm very clear on that.
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He was in the
beginning with God.
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In other words as the
God had comprised as three,
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three beings or
individual personalities of God,
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yet, is comprising
one God in purpose.
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Jesus from the
very beginning was part
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of that a triune
God, that God head that
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existed from the beginning.
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But secondly
notice it says here that,
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nothing was made that was made,
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that didn't come through Him.
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In other words
before anything was created
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in the universe,
what happened? Nothing.
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So God, Jesus was
there in the God head
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from the very
beginning, you know, it's hard--
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it's a hard concept
to grasp for us who are
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created beings
that anything would have
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an eternal
existence into the past.
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But this is exactly
what has--what the Bible
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is telling us that God
has always existed and Jesus
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is clearly identified in
this passage as being with
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the God head that
has always existed.
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So I can't find
anyway around that but to say
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God and Jesus in no way
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was created at
any point in time.
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Now this idea kind of
came back, if you want to
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kind of put it to a
point in time came through
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the Arianism
kind of a perspective
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where Jesus was a created being.
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And so I recognized that some
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denominations
actually hold to that.
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I won't name them out of
respect, but it is important
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to understand that
in Christian orthodoxy,
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in the standard of Christianity,
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as we understand
it, Jesus was not
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a created being
nor has He ever been
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a created
being, He is God fully.
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Right. And, you know, the
problem with that concept,
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John, is or the problem
as I speak to our audience is
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if He's not the
creator, He is the created.
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He can't be both. That's right.
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I can't be the--
I cannot be the--
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if a mother gives a
baby life, the mother
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can't also be the
baby. Follow me carefully.
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Yes. The mother procreates.
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In the context of Jesus,
the Bible says in that text,
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I was gonna stop you
there for a brief moment
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because it reads so
powerfully when we just
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consider what it
says in First John,
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sorry in John 1 and verse 3.
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It says, all things
were made through Him.
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King James says,
by Him and without Him
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nothing was made that was made.
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What was made before Him?
What was made without Him?
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Nothing. Nothing.
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That means not even
any other created being.
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So if all things
were made by Him.
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It means, He wasn't made
and then other things were made.
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It says, all
things were made by Him.
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The mystery of
the God head is this.
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All powerful, all
knowing, ever present but also
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always existing
and that is something
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that men have tried
to put into a bottle.
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We've tried to
find a way to, okay,
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but we know that they had
to have a start somewhere.
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Well, surely we know
that but you have to come
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to grips that
John 1 goes further
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back than Genesis Chapter 1.
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Hebrews 1 goes back
farther than Genesis Chapter 1.
00:10:18.89\00:10:23.13
These are books
telling you how was
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even before the
world was created.
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So in the
beginning was the Word,
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the Word was with
God, the Word was God.
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That's just how it is, simply.
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And for us to try
to determine, well,
00:10:31.75\00:10:33.73
some where along the
way Jesus had to come in.
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What John was
saying a moment ago
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is when the phrase,
the first begotten of God
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is in the same context as
the Bible used about David.
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Now David wasn't,
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David wasn't the
first born at all.
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He was the youngest
of all of his brothers.
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Yet, he was referred
to as the first born. Why?
00:10:48.88\00:10:52.52
Because of the
position that God put him in.
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David, he was the
youngest, but he was
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referred to as the first born.
00:10:59.44\00:11:01.06
How could the
youngest be the first born?
00:11:01.07\00:11:02.82
The oldest is the first born.
00:11:02.83\00:11:04.26
But in the same
context, preeminence.
00:11:04.27\00:11:05.80
That's what you're
talking about preeminence.
00:11:05.81\00:11:07.21
God put him in a
position to inherit all things
00:11:07.22\00:11:09.63
that the Father
passed down to him.
00:11:09.64\00:11:11.53
So that's the context
that Jesus has spoken of.
00:11:11.54\00:11:13.79
And in Colossians, when
he's speaking about Jesus,
00:11:13.80\00:11:15.66
he's speaking about
Jesus in his earthly context.
00:11:15.67\00:11:19.17
Firstborn over all creation.
He is the preeminent one.
00:11:19.18\00:11:21.61
He is the one that
created all things.
00:11:21.62\00:11:23.78
So He comes to
redeem His creation.
00:11:23.79\00:11:25.98
You don't send--
you don't send another--
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I want to try to make
this as human as I can
00:11:30.02\00:11:31.79
and as easiest as I
can, but the problem is
00:11:31.80\00:11:33.43
you kind of break divinity down.
00:11:33.44\00:11:34.93
I have a couple of more texts
00:11:34.94\00:11:35.91
I'm gonna share with you.
00:11:35.92\00:11:37.04
But unless
there's something wrong,
00:11:37.05\00:11:41.82
this is probably
not the best example
00:11:41.83\00:11:42.86
so bear with me.
00:11:42.87\00:11:43.87
A mother has the most
joy of being the first one
00:11:48.27\00:11:51.93
to hold her
baby, unless you decide
00:11:51.94\00:11:54.46
to give that child
up to another woman.
00:11:54.47\00:11:56.92
It is often said and
I've-- you know, I'm a guy,
00:11:56.93\00:11:59.39
I don't know this is
true or not, but it is said
00:11:59.40\00:12:01.99
the first bond that is made is
00:12:02.00\00:12:03.39
when a mother
holds her child. Okay?
00:12:03.40\00:12:06.32
In the very same
context, the creator,
00:12:06.33\00:12:09.80
the greatest bond
is the one who brings
00:12:09.81\00:12:12.64
the creation into existence.
00:12:12.65\00:12:14.79
Jesus the
procreate-- Jesus the creator
00:12:14.80\00:12:17.58
brings us into existence.
00:12:17.59\00:12:19.09
So there's no other
person between us and He.
00:12:19.10\00:12:21.73
There's only
one--that's it. That's Him.
00:12:21.74\00:12:24.17
But if you think
about his preexistence,
00:12:24.18\00:12:26.95
He even addressed that
question in John Chapter 17.
00:12:26.96\00:12:30.86
Jesus said,
speaking to His Father,
00:12:30.87\00:12:34.08
and now, O,
Father, glorify Me together
00:12:34.09\00:12:37.65
with Yourself, with the glory,
00:12:37.66\00:12:39.81
which I had with You
before the world was.
00:12:39.82\00:12:44.36
And somebody may say, well,
I know that's what it says,
00:12:44.37\00:12:46.04
but then maybe He was
created before the world.
00:12:46.05\00:12:48.57
Undoubtedly Jesus
existed before the world.
00:12:48.58\00:12:51.07
But there's another
text here in Isaiah,
00:12:51.08\00:12:54.93
'cause Isaiah speaks of
the preexistence of God.
00:12:54.94\00:12:57.31
You know,
sometimes people think that,
00:12:57.32\00:12:58.94
sorry the preexistence
of Jesus, who in fact,
00:12:58.95\00:13:00.90
is God, had He not been so,
00:13:00.91\00:13:03.30
the Jews would've been,
in fact telling the truth.
00:13:03.31\00:13:06.22
When they said, you being
a man, consider yourself God.
00:13:06.23\00:13:10.65
That's blasphemy. Well,
Jesus made it very clear.
00:13:10.66\00:13:13.08
Well, if I'm not
God, you're in trouble.
00:13:13.09\00:13:15.55
Right. He didn't say
it that way. That's right.
00:13:15.56\00:13:18.13
Let me go ahead
and make this point
00:13:18.14\00:13:19.47
here in Isaiah 44 and verse 6,
00:13:19.48\00:13:23.01
and I'm reading from
the new King James Version.
00:13:23.02\00:13:24.92
And the Bible
speaks of the Father
00:13:24.93\00:13:28.58
and the Son in this wise.
00:13:28.59\00:13:30.95
Thus says the
Lord, the King of Israel
00:13:30.96\00:13:35.78
and His redeemer
the Lord of hosts.
00:13:35.79\00:13:41.01
Who's saying? Both
of them are saying.
00:13:41.02\00:13:42.62
The Lord, the King of
Israel, and his redeemer,
00:13:42.63\00:13:45.82
the Lord of hosts, I'm
the first, and I'm the last,
00:13:45.83\00:13:50.11
besides me there
is no God, singular.
00:13:50.12\00:13:54.32
So the Father and the Son
are spoken of here as one.
00:13:54.33\00:13:58.49
And you find clearly
when Genesis brings them
00:13:58.50\00:14:01.23
into different categories.
00:14:01.24\00:14:02.44
When Genesis
began to understand,
00:14:02.45\00:14:04.20
help us understand
that, yes they are one,
00:14:04.21\00:14:07.25
but they are
three at the same time.
00:14:07.26\00:14:09.56
And this mystery has
been one that men have
00:14:09.57\00:14:11.83
with futility
tried to make clear.
00:14:11.84\00:14:14.70
So what we do is just
go as far as the Bible
00:14:14.71\00:14:17.73
allows us to go and
simply say, this is a mystery
00:14:17.74\00:14:20.50
that we will
understand even more clearly,
00:14:20.51\00:14:23.14
when we are before the
Father and before the Son.
00:14:23.15\00:14:25.69
Bottom line for me
is, He is my redeemer.
00:14:25.70\00:14:29.21
He is my Lord. He is my savior.
00:14:29.22\00:14:30.85
He created all things,
00:14:30.86\00:14:32.67
and He recreates
us into His image.
00:14:32.68\00:14:35.73
That's the most
important thing to me.
00:14:35.74\00:14:37.46
And to suggest
that God, the Father
00:14:37.47\00:14:41.22
would have
created Jesus and then
00:14:41.23\00:14:43.75
at some point
given him his Godness--
00:14:43.76\00:14:46.53
Right. Is, is simply speculation
00:14:46.54\00:14:50.45
and far reaching
speculation with that because
00:14:50.46\00:14:53.29
to suggest that,
the very element of God
00:14:53.30\00:14:56.62
and who He is,
is His eternalness.
00:14:56.63\00:14:58.76
Okay. We can't have
deity without eternity.
00:14:58.77\00:15:02.94
So you can't give
Christ, He's God standing.
00:15:02.95\00:15:08.82
Either He's God
and He's always existed
00:15:08.83\00:15:11.57
or He's not God, and
there's only two ways about.
00:15:11.58\00:15:15.05
And to suggest that
there's this somehow
00:15:15.06\00:15:17.26
He receives his
Godness or He's brought into,
00:15:17.27\00:15:19.54
you know, the God
head at some point is just
00:15:19.55\00:15:22.64
not even from--is beyond
the realm of possibility.
00:15:22.65\00:15:25.24
Nor does-- and
the Bible say anything
00:15:25.25\00:15:27.61
or suggest anything about that.
00:15:27.62\00:15:29.42
The other thing to is kind
of-- just I'll add to this.
00:15:29.43\00:15:33.01
I know it's not part
of the question, John,
00:15:33.02\00:15:34.41
is that it's only
most who deal in or believe
00:15:34.42\00:15:40.47
in this respect
about Christ that somehow
00:15:40.48\00:15:42.76
He was created at some
point or given his Godness
00:15:42.77\00:15:45.23
or something happened
there also believe that
00:15:45.24\00:15:49.68
the Holy Spirit is not
a person of the God head.
00:15:49.69\00:15:52.13
Right. These are
package deals here
00:15:52.14\00:15:55.05
and there're
different veins or roads kind of
00:15:55.06\00:15:59.30
and conclusions
that people go on.
00:15:59.31\00:16:01.10
But a lot of times, it's
a reaction to not wanting
00:16:01.11\00:16:05.63
to accept the
Godhead as three in one
00:16:05.64\00:16:09.92
or the trinity so to speak.
00:16:09.93\00:16:11.93
And I would say the
trinity because there's
00:16:11.94\00:16:13.68
this baggage that
comes with it, well.
00:16:13.69\00:16:15.60
Somehow that's a concept
of the Roman Catholic Church,
00:16:15.61\00:16:20.48
the papacy, so we need
to stay away from that.
00:16:20.49\00:16:22.10
That's their thing, the trinity.
00:16:22.11\00:16:23.63
But now actually if
you look back at how
00:16:23.64\00:16:26.33
that whole thing came
into being, it was very much
00:16:26.34\00:16:29.28
as a result of
scripture reading,
00:16:29.29\00:16:31.65
and an established truth
the churches have accepted
00:16:31.66\00:16:34.24
as orthodoxy for
many, many years,
00:16:34.25\00:16:36.25
not only Rome but the reformers.
00:16:36.26\00:16:39.82
So you have to be very
careful when you tread on
00:16:39.83\00:16:42.17
this ground
especially when it comes to God.
00:16:42.18\00:16:44.07
Because it is something
that is not easily understood
00:16:44.08\00:16:47.45
and I like what
you're saying John,
00:16:47.46\00:16:48.80
there when you
say, we can only go
00:16:48.81\00:16:50.15
as far as the
Bible will tell us.
00:16:50.16\00:16:51.74
Right. To make
speculation beyond that point,
00:16:51.75\00:16:54.56
I believe frankly, is
kind of dangerous ground.
00:16:54.57\00:16:56.83
So-- Yeah. It is.
00:16:56.84\00:16:58.65
I'm not sure we can
spend a lot of time on that.
00:16:58.66\00:17:00.20
I can see our
time is slipping away
00:17:00.21\00:17:01.59
fairly quickly as far
as our question time but--
00:17:01.60\00:17:03.69
The last one. Go ahead.
00:17:03.70\00:17:04.72
The last point of
this Hebrews 1 because you
00:17:04.73\00:17:06.80
mentioned this and it brought,
00:17:06.81\00:17:07.78
it brought this
thought to my mind.
00:17:07.79\00:17:09.37
Yeah. I've got it
here with verse 8.
00:17:09.38\00:17:11.18
Okay. Why don't you read that?
00:17:11.19\00:17:14.09
But to the son,
He, that is the Father,
00:17:14.10\00:17:16.54
God says, your throne,
O God is forever and ever.
00:17:16.55\00:17:22.32
So he refers to Jesus
as God and immediately,
00:17:22.33\00:17:25.75
like we said
deity without eternity,
00:17:25.76\00:17:27.51
that's an impossibility.
00:17:27.52\00:17:28.99
He ascribes God that is
Jesus to a eternity past.
00:17:29.00\00:17:34.58
Right. Point very
well, very well, made.
00:17:34.59\00:17:39.48
Now I have a question
here, from a gentleman.
00:17:39.49\00:17:43.57
I like his name,
sounds like he's from France.
00:17:43.58\00:17:47.28
Jean Pierre that name
is so common. I mentioned--
00:17:47.29\00:17:51.15
I don't usually
mention full names,
00:17:51.16\00:17:52.75
but I just had to get
the roll, Jean Pierre.
00:17:52.76\00:17:56.43
You, I like the way
he spelled you, Y-U.
00:17:56.44\00:17:59.88
Yeah, I agree with that.
Why waste another letter?
00:17:59.89\00:18:02.76
Y-U. Y-U are my favorite
preachers with Pentecost.
00:18:02.77\00:18:08.46
I'm Jean Pierre.
Wow. From Cairo, Egypt.
00:18:08.47\00:18:14.28
Yeah. Praise the
Lord. Welcome Egypt.
00:18:14.29\00:18:18.12
And wow. That's great.
00:18:18.13\00:18:22.94
On one hand, some
preachers taught--
00:18:22.95\00:18:27.50
this is the question he had.
00:18:27.51\00:18:28.60
Who are the five king--five
kingdoms that had fallen?
00:18:28.61\00:18:32.62
On one hand, some
preachers taught that those
00:18:32.63\00:18:35.08
kingdoms are the
empires that opposed the Lord.
00:18:35.09\00:18:38.40
So they stopped back
at the time of Egypt,
00:18:38.41\00:18:42.04
Assyria, Babylon,
Medo-Persia, Greece,
00:18:42.05\00:18:44.33
Pagan Rome and Papal Rome.
00:18:44.34\00:18:46.11
On the other hand,
some preachers taught
00:18:46.12\00:18:48.45
from Babylon going down
to Pagan Rome and Papal Rome.
00:18:48.46\00:18:51.46
If you can send me a small
text because I'm in Lebanon
00:18:51.47\00:18:57.89
now where there is no
3ABN live in my sister's house.
00:18:57.90\00:19:02.24
We gotta change that.
We got to get 3ABN Lebanon.
00:19:02.25\00:19:05.11
That's right. Okay. I
will surely appreciate it.
00:19:05.12\00:19:07.67
Well, I hope you're
watching the program today.
00:19:07.68\00:19:09.84
We'll try to go ahead
and respond by email too.
00:19:09.85\00:19:12.05
But I have--you
know, John, because
00:19:12.06\00:19:14.34
this is an unfolding
prophecy here, meaning
00:19:14.35\00:19:17.09
this is not one
that you'll lock down
00:19:17.10\00:19:19.53
and just say okay it
has no other meanings.
00:19:19.54\00:19:21.28
Instead of going to kingdoms,
00:19:21.29\00:19:23.45
I actually-- the
five have fallen.
00:19:23.46\00:19:26.15
The one is, the
other has not yet come.
00:19:26.16\00:19:28.23
When he comes, he must
continue a short space.
00:19:28.24\00:19:30.28
I actually go to systems,
00:19:30.29\00:19:33.01
which applies to
all these kingdoms.
00:19:33.02\00:19:34.73
Which apply-- it
could apply to Egypt,
00:19:34.74\00:19:36.83
Babylon, Medo-Persia,
Greece, Rome, the papacy.
00:19:36.84\00:19:39.81
You could apply
all the way across,
00:19:39.82\00:19:41.14
because what I see--
and let's go to Revelation.
00:19:41.15\00:19:44.47
Just to add really
quick here--not just ruining
00:19:44.48\00:19:47.32
your thought here,
but the suggestion there
00:19:47.33\00:19:51.02
that it would be a
system is not out--
00:19:51.03\00:19:52.84
necessarily out of the
context in Revelation 17.
00:19:52.85\00:19:55.03
No, not at all. We're
talking about Babylon here.
00:19:55.04\00:19:56.47
Right. So Babylon is described
00:19:56.48\00:19:59.19
as a false system of worship.
00:19:59.20\00:20:01.83
A system of worship.
00:20:01.84\00:20:03.47
So it's not out of the
context here of this passage
00:20:03.48\00:20:07.98
to suggest that these that are
00:20:07.99\00:20:10.62
risen and fallen are systems.
00:20:10.63\00:20:12.32
And the point that
is really important is,
00:20:12.33\00:20:15.13
we have to keep in
mind when John mentions
00:20:15.14\00:20:16.90
five are fallen, John
is on the island of Patmos.
00:20:16.91\00:20:19.26
So by his time, five of
those systems that comprise
00:20:19.27\00:20:24.55
the seven and then
the eighth comes later on.
00:20:24.56\00:20:26.70
You can't miss out
the prophecy because
00:20:26.71\00:20:28.09
the prophecy
actually talks about eight.
00:20:28.10\00:20:30.00
Five are fallen,
and one is not yet come.
00:20:30.01\00:20:31.90
When he comes, he
must continue short space.
00:20:31.91\00:20:33.91
And then it says,
there's also an eighth,
00:20:33.92\00:20:35.98
who is of the
seven, but he is coming
00:20:35.99\00:20:37.37
out of the bottomless pit.
00:20:37.38\00:20:39.37
So we know clearly
whenever the Bible talks about
00:20:39.38\00:20:41.27
the bottomless pit, it is
referring to Satan himself,
00:20:41.28\00:20:43.22
satanic activity,
the one that comes
00:20:43.23\00:20:45.78
and joins them altogether.
00:20:45.79\00:20:47.19
My approach to this
whole prophecy was this,
00:20:47.20\00:20:50.69
all throughout, ever
since the entrance of sin,
00:20:50.70\00:20:53.26
Satan has had systems
through which he has worked.
00:20:53.27\00:20:57.75
Introducing them
as time has gone on.
00:20:57.76\00:21:00.38
And when we get to the
end time, all of these systems
00:21:00.39\00:21:04.68
will now coalesce
together in the final push
00:21:04.69\00:21:08.41
against the forces of
light and the forces of truth.
00:21:08.42\00:21:12.27
Thus Babylon
finally coalesces together.
00:21:12.28\00:21:15.36
The word coalesce simply
means, they're all in unity.
00:21:15.37\00:21:20.29
They're all in harmony,
they're ready now to put
00:21:20.30\00:21:23.45
all their forces of
darkness finally against
00:21:23.46\00:21:26.12
the people of God,
and then, what happens
00:21:26.13\00:21:28.53
is they all are fallen because
00:21:28.54\00:21:30.82
the topic is Babylon
is fallen, is fallen.
00:21:30.83\00:21:35.58
So what happens now by the
time John gets this picture,
00:21:35.59\00:21:39.62
remember now, this is a
study altogether by itself.
00:21:39.63\00:21:42.79
When John begins to
write on the island of Patmos
00:21:42.80\00:21:46.26
up until that
point, five of the systems
00:21:46.27\00:21:48.81
of Babylon have already fallen.
00:21:48.82\00:21:50.54
He says five are fallen.
00:21:50.55\00:21:51.91
But it was not
completely fallen yet.
00:21:51.92\00:21:54.31
So what I'm saying
is when John wrote this
00:21:54.32\00:21:57.93
five are fallen, but
Babylon was not yet completed.
00:21:57.94\00:22:00.53
That's why this is the
message that's repeated
00:22:00.54\00:22:02.87
in Revelation 18,
because it had to be
00:22:02.88\00:22:05.16
complete in its
scope, all seven systems
00:22:05.17\00:22:08.31
before it would
fall completely together.
00:22:08.32\00:22:11.15
You follow me carefully?
So five by John's time
00:22:11.16\00:22:14.05
was fallen
meaning they were exposed
00:22:14.06\00:22:16.32
for what they really are.
00:22:16.33\00:22:17.69
So understand this,
the first system that I
00:22:17.70\00:22:21.33
suggest was
introduced, which could fit
00:22:21.34\00:22:22.80
into anyone of these nations.
00:22:22.81\00:22:24.29
So it's not even
getting rid of Babylon,
00:22:24.30\00:22:26.16
Medo-Persia, Egypt,
Greece, Libya, Lydia.
00:22:26.17\00:22:28.17
It's not getting rid
of any of those because
00:22:28.18\00:22:30.06
these systems, the
first one that was introduced
00:22:30.07\00:22:32.06
at the entrance of sin was
what, in the Garden of Eden?
00:22:32.07\00:22:34.95
What's the first lie
told? You shall not--
00:22:34.96\00:22:37.58
Surely, die, yeah. Okay.
00:22:37.59\00:22:38.99
What was that
introduced? Spiritualism.
00:22:39.00\00:22:42.13
The first thing
introduced that has been working
00:22:42.14\00:22:44.92
ever since the Garden
of Eden is spiritualism.
00:22:44.93\00:22:48.28
That has-- that system has been
00:22:48.29\00:22:50.67
operating for the longest.
00:22:50.68\00:22:53.74
And so by the time
John writes this prophecy,
00:22:53.75\00:22:57.61
he is in essence
saying because of
00:22:57.62\00:22:59.61
the coming of Jesus,
that system has been exposed.
00:22:59.62\00:23:02.60
Spiritualism has been exposed.
00:23:02.61\00:23:03.93
As a matter of
fact, the way that Jesus
00:23:03.94\00:23:05.21
exposed
spiritualism in his own life,
00:23:05.22\00:23:07.54
was he completely obliterated--
00:23:07.55\00:23:09.89
by raising Lazarus,
he completely obliterated
00:23:09.90\00:23:13.19
the idea that
men don't really die.
00:23:13.20\00:23:17.14
Because he said to
Mary, Lazarus is dead.
00:23:17.15\00:23:19.51
That's why he stayed
away four days because
00:23:19.52\00:23:21.28
this whole
teaching of Neo-Platonism
00:23:21.29\00:23:26.60
affected the Greek Church.
00:23:26.61\00:23:28.28
The Jews were affected by this.
00:23:28.29\00:23:29.90
And they believed that
the soul took three days
00:23:29.91\00:23:33.16
to attempt to get back
into the body and after
00:23:33.17\00:23:35.61
three days if it
was not successful,
00:23:35.62\00:23:37.69
then he was really dead.
00:23:37.70\00:23:39.51
Jesus stayed away four
days and he said this to Mary,
00:23:39.52\00:23:42.45
I'm the resurrection and
the life killing spiritualism
00:23:42.46\00:23:46.87
right there
because according to what
00:23:46.88\00:23:48.99
Satan says, you
shall not surely die.
00:23:49.00\00:23:51.08
Jesus said to
Mary, Lazarus is dead.
00:23:51.09\00:23:53.98
He said it to the
disciples Lazarus is dead.
00:23:53.99\00:23:57.24
He made it clear I've
come that the glory of God
00:23:57.25\00:24:00.02
may be revealed through
this act of raising Lazarus.
00:24:00.03\00:24:03.00
Okay, so
spiritualism was the first one.
00:24:03.01\00:24:04.89
And then you have, what
happened not too long after--
00:24:04.90\00:24:08.80
well, it doesn't
actually say how long,
00:24:08.81\00:24:10.56
but the first
major event to impact
00:24:10.57\00:24:12.34
our world was the flood.
00:24:12.35\00:24:14.38
What was the
predominant existing system
00:24:14.39\00:24:19.01
that Satan used
then? Heathenism.
00:24:19.02\00:24:22.81
I mean you look at Genesis,
it talked about the thoughts
00:24:22.82\00:24:25.27
of men's hearts will
only evil continually.
00:24:25.28\00:24:27.70
Matthew, Mark, and
Luke contributes to that.
00:24:27.71\00:24:29.91
You wanna say
something to this point?
00:24:29.92\00:24:30.97
I don't want to keep
from-- No. Keep going.
00:24:30.98\00:24:32.68
Okay. Matthew, Mark--
see you have spiritualism,
00:24:32.69\00:24:34.63
then you have heathenism,
00:24:34.64\00:24:35.91
strong and rampant in the earth.
00:24:35.92\00:24:38.85
But then after that, you
find at the tower of Babel.
00:24:38.86\00:24:43.59
There was another
system introduced.
00:24:43.60\00:24:45.31
This is after the flood,
which today we can commonly
00:24:45.32\00:24:48.60
refer to this system
as the post flood system,
00:24:48.61\00:24:51.36
which today, I believe,
00:24:51.37\00:24:52.59
is the
foundation of all atheism.
00:24:52.60\00:24:54.69
This distrust in
God. We cannot trust God.
00:24:54.70\00:24:57.45
Atheism introduced there
God confused the languages.
00:24:57.46\00:25:01.88
Because by the
time God called Abraham,
00:25:01.89\00:25:04.59
we know that the
knowledge of God was almost
00:25:04.60\00:25:06.92
obliterated from
the face of the earth.
00:25:06.93\00:25:09.05
So you have
spiritualism. You've heathenism.
00:25:09.06\00:25:11.39
You've atheism. But
then you've something else.
00:25:11.40\00:25:15.14
Then God called
that entire nation
00:25:15.15\00:25:18.12
and that nation
eventually rejected Him.
00:25:18.13\00:25:20.28
Then you have Judaism.
What did they leave out?
00:25:20.29\00:25:22.96
They rejected the
Christ, so the Judaism today
00:25:22.97\00:25:25.35
is the system
that rejects Christ.
00:25:25.36\00:25:27.26
Every one of these
systems rejects Christ.
00:25:27.27\00:25:29.62
Every one of these
systems put divinity
00:25:29.63\00:25:31.71
outside of that system.
00:25:31.72\00:25:33.11
Judaism accepts God,
but they don't accept Jesus.
00:25:33.12\00:25:36.21
You believe in
God, believe also in me.
00:25:36.22\00:25:38.19
Spiritualism,
heathenism which today
00:25:38.20\00:25:40.92
is embodied in
secularism. You've atheism.
00:25:40.93\00:25:43.87
You've Judaism.
You've these four systems.
00:25:43.88\00:25:46.85
Then John is existing
during the time of Rome.
00:25:46.86\00:25:50.20
How's Rome embody today?
00:25:50.21\00:25:53.32
How does Rome exist
today? Under what system?
00:25:53.33\00:25:55.72
Papal. Papal Rome exists today.
00:25:55.73\00:25:59.26
So, John, Jesus
also exposed that system.
00:25:59.27\00:26:02.78
He exposed the powers of Rome.
00:26:02.79\00:26:05.16
He made it very, very
clear, I'm not connected.
00:26:05.17\00:26:07.31
My kingdom is not of this world.
00:26:07.32\00:26:09.39
So today we call that
system of Rome Catholicism.
00:26:09.40\00:26:12.28
So get this,
spiritualism, heathenism,
00:26:12.29\00:26:14.81
atheism, Romanism, by the
time John was writing this,
00:26:14.82\00:26:17.86
those five
systems have been exposed.
00:26:17.87\00:26:19.71
They have fallen
already. Judaism as well.
00:26:19.72\00:26:21.81
Yeah, Judaism.
But you also have,
00:26:21.82\00:26:24.87
oh, this one, I left out.
00:26:24.88\00:26:26.89
This one I left
out here, which I'll--
00:26:26.90\00:26:28.18
I'll include in
just a moment here.
00:26:28.19\00:26:29.81
You've Islam also
included in that. Okay.
00:26:29.82\00:26:32.77
So then you
have two more coming.
00:26:32.78\00:26:35.28
You've--that are not yet here.
00:26:35.29\00:26:39.07
What came during the dark ages?
00:26:39.08\00:26:40.50
God brought back to
the surface Protestantism.
00:26:40.51\00:26:43.13
We are
Protestants, are we not? Okay.
00:26:43.14\00:26:45.50
But what will happen
to-- what will happen to
00:26:45.51\00:26:47.45
Protestantism
eventually? It will become what?
00:26:47.46\00:26:50.88
Apostate Protestantism
and if you go throughout
00:26:50.89\00:26:53.59
all history--
all of human history,
00:26:53.60\00:26:55.42
you find that
Protestantism--how will
00:26:55.43\00:26:58.32
Protestantism become
apostate Protestantism?
00:26:58.33\00:27:01.89
Yeah. Rejects the
law of God and the whole
00:27:01.90\00:27:06.54
system that He's
established of truth.
00:27:06.55\00:27:08.38
As has--as had
every other system,
00:27:08.39\00:27:11.19
they reject the
truth about Jesus.
00:27:11.20\00:27:15.96
The truth about Jesus is
rejected and then you final--
00:27:15.97\00:27:18.88
the last one that
comes, the eighth,
00:27:18.89\00:27:21.21
who comes to pull
all these false systems-
00:27:21.22\00:27:23.34
spiritualism,
atheism, Judaism, Islam,
00:27:23.35\00:27:28.04
Catholicism,
apostate Protestantism,
00:27:28.05\00:27:30.94
who comes to
put them altogether?
00:27:30.95\00:27:32.76
Revelation 17 look at
that very quickly as we segue.
00:27:32.77\00:27:35.73
Revelation 17, as we segue,
00:27:35.74\00:27:40.06
all right and it
says down in verse 11.
00:27:40.07\00:27:45.56
Okay, we'll start with verse 10.
00:27:45.57\00:27:47.70
These--they are
also seven kings now.
00:27:47.71\00:27:50.73
Five have fallen, one
is, when John was existing,
00:27:50.74\00:27:54.46
Rome was in power, one is,
the other has not yet come,
00:27:54.47\00:27:58.70
Protestantism is yet
to come to the surface,
00:27:58.71\00:28:02.35
when he comes, he must
continue a short space.
00:28:02.36\00:28:04.68
Out of all the
systems that existed,
00:28:04.69\00:28:06.43
Protestantism is the youngest.
00:28:06.44\00:28:09.48
Finally and the
beast verse 11, that was,
00:28:09.49\00:28:14.56
and is not, is
himself also the eighth,
00:28:14.57\00:28:17.05
and is of the seven,
and is going to perdition
00:28:17.06\00:28:20.47
and then you find
that what's going to happen
00:28:20.48\00:28:22.79
with all these systems,
these will have one mind.
00:28:22.80\00:28:25.14
They'll have one
mind because they will all
00:28:25.15\00:28:27.45
ultimately reject
the truth about Christ
00:28:27.46\00:28:29.48
and they will all join
together to fight against
00:28:29.49\00:28:31.88
those who embrace
the truth about Christ.
00:28:31.89\00:28:34.74
Now you can apply
that to Babylon, Egypt,
00:28:34.75\00:28:37.04
Libya, Persia,
Rome the papal system,
00:28:37.05\00:28:40.47
you can apply that all
the way across the board.
00:28:40.48\00:28:43.29
So I have a little
different approach to that.
00:28:43.30\00:28:44.85
It's just my
thoughts, this is not solid
00:28:44.86\00:28:47.94
doctrinal based but
these are my thoughts
00:28:47.95\00:28:50.97
showing that Babylon
is a complete system from
00:28:50.98\00:28:53.19
the very
beginning to the very end
00:28:53.20\00:28:54.77
and so the king of all of that.
00:28:54.78\00:28:56.13
Yeah, because we don't
really know definitively--
00:28:56.14\00:28:58.32
Right. Exactly. Definitively.
00:28:58.33\00:28:59.46
This is prophecy and
it's still not fully revealed
00:28:59.47\00:29:02.27
but very interesting
points and I appreciate that.
00:29:02.28\00:29:05.55
It's--I think
sometimes we don't think about
00:29:05.56\00:29:08.97
the entire structure of
the enemy and how he's put
00:29:08.98\00:29:12.28
this thing
together so beautifully
00:29:12.29\00:29:15.32
from his
perspective to deceive the world
00:29:15.33\00:29:17.38
at the end of time
and just having that
00:29:17.39\00:29:19.47
explain the view I
think is very important.
00:29:19.48\00:29:21.47
That's a very good
point, John, and on that note
00:29:21.48\00:29:24.01
we wanna say that one of
the reasons why it's important
00:29:24.02\00:29:26.10
to look at the
larger picture is because
00:29:26.11\00:29:29.01
individual nations
rise and fall but the system
00:29:29.02\00:29:33.31
of Babylon as it
will present itself from
00:29:33.32\00:29:35.38
the end time
against the people of God
00:29:35.39\00:29:37.18
will be a collision
that finally pulls together
00:29:37.19\00:29:41.82
all of its forces and
then Babylon is fallen,
00:29:41.83\00:29:45.67
is fallen, one in
the eyes of God already.
00:29:45.68\00:29:48.34
Finally, it'll
fall on the eyes of man.
00:29:48.35\00:29:51.80
Well, thank you for your
00:29:51.81\00:29:52.78
questions and comments today.
00:29:52.79\00:29:54.01
We took a little bit
of time on that because
00:29:54.02\00:29:55.59
that was a very rich question.
00:29:55.60\00:29:57.43
Thank you so much for that.
00:29:57.44\00:29:58.41
But if you've
any more questions,
00:29:58.42\00:29:59.39
you can send those questions
to housecalls@3abn.org.
00:29:59.40\00:30:03.48
That's housecalls@3abn.org
and we'll try
00:30:03.49\00:30:07.71
our best to get
to those questions.
00:30:07.72\00:30:09.29
But thank you for your
faithfulness, your prayers,
00:30:09.30\00:30:11.30
your financial
support of this program,
00:30:11.31\00:30:13.76
and also this network.
00:30:13.77\00:30:16.63
Now John, why don't you
lead us into our topic today?
00:30:16.64\00:30:20.08
We started on the topic
of faith, but I'll go ahead
00:30:20.09\00:30:25.59
and let you get us
back into that topic,
00:30:25.60\00:30:28.01
very widely important topic.
00:30:28.02\00:30:29.27
Yeah, we've been
talking about different aspects
00:30:29.28\00:30:31.33
of faith and how
important it is to exercise,
00:30:31.34\00:30:34.12
to practice that
faith in an active way,
00:30:34.13\00:30:37.58
not a passive way,
a passive way would be
00:30:37.59\00:30:40.75
just a mental
ascent to God's existence.
00:30:40.76\00:30:44.06
Right. You know, He is there.
00:30:44.07\00:30:45.50
An active faith is
the day by day walk in,
00:30:45.51\00:30:48.82
in putting your trust
in-- your faith in God
00:30:48.83\00:30:52.49
and holding onto Him to provide,
00:30:52.50\00:30:54.40
where you know, you
can't provide for yourself--
00:30:54.41\00:30:56.62
That's right. And your family.
00:30:56.63\00:30:57.96
And so we're gonna start looking
00:30:57.97\00:30:58.97
at the
different nuances of that.
00:30:58.98\00:31:00.37
We've already kind of
started with that in trouble.
00:31:00.38\00:31:03.04
You know, we saw that God
00:31:03.05\00:31:04.46
will avenge His people speedily.
00:31:04.47\00:31:06.05
We can have confidence in that.
00:31:06.06\00:31:07.64
We learnt that in the Book
of Revelation it talks about
00:31:07.65\00:31:10.81
those that have
faith in Jesus in response
00:31:10.82\00:31:13.56
to that question, will
there be faith in the world?
00:31:13.57\00:31:15.88
The people will have faith
in Jesus and they will keep
00:31:15.89\00:31:18.21
the commandments of God
in conjunction with that.
00:31:18.22\00:31:20.01
So there's an obedience
element to that as well.
00:31:20.02\00:31:22.08
Faith and
obedience go hand in hand.
00:31:22.09\00:31:23.46
They go hand in hand. Okay.
00:31:23.47\00:31:24.74
And so now the question we
kind of wanna dive into is,
00:31:24.75\00:31:29.13
under what circumstances,
00:31:29.14\00:31:31.97
will faith help us to endure?
00:31:31.98\00:31:33.91
In other words
what kind of environment
00:31:33.92\00:31:35.97
are we right now
in, in this world.
00:31:35.98\00:31:38.75
And, I mean, John we
look around this world today
00:31:38.76\00:31:40.97
and we see
tornadoes devastating,
00:31:40.98\00:31:45.12
you know, the mid west.
00:31:45.13\00:31:46.85
We see climate
change and the heat
00:31:46.86\00:31:49.91
is changing a situation there.
00:31:49.92\00:31:51.42
The world seems to be
falling apart in kayos.
00:31:51.43\00:31:54.87
You know, the middle
of-- the Middle East crisis
00:31:54.88\00:31:56.86
and terrorism is
rampant and all these things
00:31:56.87\00:32:00.82
that are happening that
weren't there 10 years ago.
00:32:00.83\00:32:04.08
True. So the world has changed
00:32:04.09\00:32:06.36
significantly
over the last 10 years.
00:32:06.37\00:32:09.01
We as Seventh Day
Adventist pastors and Adventists
00:32:09.02\00:32:12.24
in general believe
that this is a sign
00:32:12.25\00:32:14.21
that the end is imminent.
00:32:14.22\00:32:15.77
Right. And so we're looking
for what's happening here.
00:32:15.78\00:32:19.51
We're very careful as,
I love the words of Jesus,
00:32:19.52\00:32:22.81
He says, you know,
hymn, watch and pray.
00:32:22.82\00:32:26.37
So we're watching the
signs and what's happening,
00:32:26.38\00:32:28.93
but we're praying
and that's a parfait.
00:32:28.94\00:32:31.68
And so although the
signs are happening,
00:32:31.69\00:32:34.47
being fulfilled around
us that's the environment,
00:32:34.48\00:32:36.74
you know, prayer is how we link
00:32:36.75\00:32:40.64
and trust and hope that God.
00:32:40.65\00:32:42.59
And a faith that God
will deliver us and so
00:32:42.60\00:32:45.86
that's kind of what
we want to dive into now.
00:32:45.87\00:32:48.12
And we'll start
with Revelation 13,
00:32:48.13\00:32:50.03
I think verse 10. Okay.
00:32:50.04\00:32:52.17
It's a good place to
kind of segue. All right.
00:32:52.18\00:32:56.74
And so Revelation 13
verse 10 I'll read that.
00:32:56.75\00:33:00.16
And he who leads
into captivity shall go
00:33:04.52\00:33:07.35
into captivity,
but who--he who kills
00:33:07.36\00:33:10.83
with the sword must
be killed with the sword.
00:33:10.84\00:33:12.98
Here is the patience
and the faith of the saints.
00:33:12.99\00:33:17.00
So as Revelation,
the Book of Revelation
00:33:17.01\00:33:19.90
is revealing this
time of trouble where
00:33:19.91\00:33:24.17
the saints are keeping
the commandments of God.
00:33:24.18\00:33:26.56
They're holding
fast to Him and they're
00:33:26.57\00:33:28.19
keeping the faith of
Jesus. Jesus, their redeemer,
00:33:28.20\00:33:31.72
the one is gonna
avenge them and deliver them.
00:33:31.73\00:33:33.90
What we find is
they're doing that in the midst
00:33:33.91\00:33:36.42
of persecution, trouble,
in the form of even death
00:33:36.43\00:33:44.91
is what they are facing
and while we're not there now,
00:33:44.92\00:33:48.35
although I would
suggest some Christians are
00:33:48.36\00:33:50.10
in parts of the
world are being persecuted.
00:33:50.11\00:33:52.00
Faith is the only
thing we have and so I think
00:33:52.01\00:33:57.62
as these things--times
come, it's gonna reveal
00:33:57.63\00:33:59.78
whether or not,
we've been strengthening
00:33:59.79\00:34:01.51
our faith prior
or in advance of this
00:34:01.52\00:34:03.95
and are ready for
that time of trouble.
00:34:03.96\00:34:06.54
I'm glad you brought
that up because our faith
00:34:06.55\00:34:08.20
is the faith that we have
00:34:08.21\00:34:11.64
is in fact what God has imparted
00:34:11.65\00:34:14.86
to us to get us ready
for that difficult time.
00:34:14.87\00:34:17.21
We think about
the faith chapter.
00:34:17.22\00:34:20.08
We think of Hebrews 11.
00:34:20.09\00:34:21.48
But if this is not
new to you bear with us,
00:34:21.49\00:34:25.04
but there is a
faith book in the Bible.
00:34:25.05\00:34:28.37
The faith book is
the Book of James.
00:34:28.38\00:34:31.02
All through the Book of
James, James is actually
00:34:31.03\00:34:34.09
broken down into capsules
of expressions of Gods--
00:34:34.10\00:34:39.21
of the faith that
we must have in Christ
00:34:39.22\00:34:41.03
and so when I think
about this time that's coming,
00:34:41.04\00:34:46.14
I want to say
this it is not enough
00:34:46.15\00:34:47.73
to just say, we trust God.
00:34:47.74\00:34:50.85
It is not enough to just
say we have faith in God.
00:34:50.86\00:34:55.02
So the Lord allows
difficulties in trials
00:34:55.03\00:34:57.38
to come to test the
fabric of our faith.
00:34:57.39\00:35:00.73
How strong is your faith?
00:35:00.74\00:35:02.41
What can your faith do for you?
00:35:02.42\00:35:04.12
Can your faith
really cause you to endure
00:35:04.13\00:35:06.50
and so if our faith
is going to be the means
00:35:06.51\00:35:11.39
through which we
endure faith and Jesus
00:35:11.40\00:35:13.63
we're gonna be the
means by which we endure.
00:35:13.64\00:35:15.29
How do we know our
faith is being developed today
00:35:15.30\00:35:18.10
is the question I
would like to lead into.
00:35:18.11\00:35:19.92
And for the answer I'd
like to go to James Chapter 2.
00:35:19.93\00:35:22.86
How do we know that our
faith is being developed
00:35:22.87\00:35:26.57
to the place where we
could endure when the time come.
00:35:26.58\00:35:29.77
When that time of
trouble comes and here it says,
00:35:29.78\00:35:31.79
we're going then to
James. Here's what I wanna say.
00:35:31.80\00:35:34.79
The devil knows
that faith will endure,
00:35:34.80\00:35:37.46
will keep us in the time
of trouble, but he also knows
00:35:37.47\00:35:41.50
that the lack of
strengthening our faith
00:35:41.51\00:35:44.14
now in preparation
for that time is going to
00:35:44.15\00:35:47.79
bring people down and
this is why the secret rapture
00:35:47.80\00:35:53.35
and the teaching of a
second chance is so deadly.
00:35:53.36\00:35:56.16
Right. Because around
the world there're Christians
00:35:56.17\00:35:58.68
today almost goes back to
that apostate Protestantism
00:35:58.69\00:36:02.30
we talked about
in that one question.
00:36:02.31\00:36:04.52
The present world today
has embraced this futuristic--
00:36:04.53\00:36:08.39
the futurist
approach to interpreting
00:36:08.40\00:36:11.37
the second coming of Jesus,
which is a secret appearing,
00:36:11.38\00:36:14.88
a rapturing out of the church
00:36:14.89\00:36:16.28
prior to the time
of trouble. Right.
00:36:16.29\00:36:18.17
And Christians are going
around today with this false
00:36:18.18\00:36:21.19
sense of security
that they will not be here
00:36:21.20\00:36:23.20
when trouble comes.
00:36:23.21\00:36:25.53
Yet throughout the
Bible, we find no where,
00:36:25.54\00:36:28.02
any evidence of God
taking somebody away
00:36:28.03\00:36:30.90
from trouble not
to experience it.
00:36:30.91\00:36:32.55
He instead allows
them to go through trouble
00:36:32.56\00:36:35.63
and He keeps them
through that time of trouble.
00:36:35.64\00:36:38.68
So I know we
don't-- this is in a subject
00:36:38.69\00:36:40.88
on the secret
rapture, but I do wanna say
00:36:40.89\00:36:43.25
that this we see this
here at House calls, John, and
00:36:43.26\00:36:46.61
we've talked about this
and taught on this many times.
00:36:46.62\00:36:48.44
We see the secret
rapture as absolutely deadly
00:36:48.45\00:36:52.30
for Christians today
because they are not aware
00:36:52.31\00:36:55.44
nor are they're watching for
00:36:55.45\00:36:57.07
the time of
trouble soon to come.
00:36:57.08\00:36:58.56
And they'll be--
they will find themselves
00:36:58.57\00:36:59.95
in the middle of
trouble without a faith
00:36:59.96\00:37:02.20
strong enough to stand.
00:37:02.21\00:37:04.63
We want to see your
faith strong enough to stand.
00:37:04.64\00:37:07.10
So that's why we have
programs such as this.
00:37:07.11\00:37:10.76
So back to that initial
question, how do we know
00:37:12.21\00:37:15.50
our faith is
growing in preparation
00:37:15.51\00:37:17.58
for the time that's ahead of us?
00:37:17.59\00:37:19.37
James 2. Look at
this. And by the way,
00:37:19.38\00:37:22.62
very powerful example
here in the life of Abraham.
00:37:28.22\00:37:35.37
First of all I
wanna begin with verse 18.
00:37:35.38\00:37:39.42
But someone will say,
00:37:41.98\00:37:44.48
"You have faith
and I have works."
00:37:44.49\00:37:48.60
Show me your faith
without your works,
00:37:48.61\00:37:51.76
and I will show you
my faith by my works.
00:37:51.77\00:37:56.28
You believe that there
is one God. You do well.
00:37:56.29\00:37:59.49
Even the demons
believe and tremble.
00:37:59.50\00:38:03.90
But to you-- but
do you want to know,
00:38:03.91\00:38:07.86
oh, foolish man that
faith without works is dead?
00:38:07.87\00:38:11.42
Was not Abraham our
father justified by works,
00:38:11.43\00:38:14.76
when he offered
Isaac his son on the altar?
00:38:14.77\00:38:17.89
Do you see that
faith was working together
00:38:17.90\00:38:21.44
with his works and by
works faith was made perfect
00:38:21.45\00:38:25.42
or made complete and
the scripture was fulfilled,
00:38:25.43\00:38:28.26
which says Abraham
believed God and was
00:38:28.27\00:38:30.15
accounted to him
for righteousness
00:38:30.16\00:38:31.84
and he was called
the friend of God.
00:38:31.85\00:38:34.45
You see then a man
is justified by works
00:38:34.46\00:38:37.10
and not by faith alone.
00:38:37.11\00:38:40.28
Likewise was also Rahab
the harlot justified by works,
00:38:40.29\00:38:42.96
when she
received the messengers,
00:38:42.97\00:38:44.21
and sent them out another way.
00:38:44.22\00:38:46.58
So as the body
without the spirit is dead,
00:38:46.59\00:38:48.61
so faith without
works is dead also.
00:38:48.62\00:38:51.12
So what the Bible in essence
saying here is your faith
00:38:51.13\00:38:54.18
has to be
substantiated by the way
00:38:54.19\00:38:56.33
that your life is
lived, and the reason,
00:38:56.34\00:38:58.07
I say works is a lot
of people think well, okay
00:38:58.08\00:39:00.79
what work does the
Bible call me to do?
00:39:00.80\00:39:02.84
The Bible doesn't
call you to do a work,
00:39:02.85\00:39:05.30
but the Bible
calls you for a work.
00:39:05.31\00:39:08.39
There's altogether different.
00:39:08.40\00:39:10.05
It doesn't call you to
do a work but it calls you
00:39:10.06\00:39:12.90
in preparation for a work.
00:39:12.91\00:39:15.38
You're not saved by your work,
00:39:15.39\00:39:17.23
but you're saved for work.
00:39:17.24\00:39:20.62
Well, you almost
have to go to Ephesians 2.
00:39:20.63\00:39:23.12
Okay. All right.
That's the segment--
00:39:23.13\00:39:25.27
that's the segment
as you-- or the segue
00:39:25.28\00:39:27.41
that the growing progression
of what faith really does.
00:39:27.42\00:39:31.38
See faith isn't
something you receive
00:39:31.39\00:39:33.66
at one point in time
and then you're good.
00:39:33.67\00:39:37.21
There's a false
conception of faith.
00:39:37.22\00:39:38.67
The faith is
something that you receive
00:39:38.68\00:39:41.79
as a mustard
seed. It's small. Okay.
00:39:41.80\00:39:44.62
But Jesus talks about
how that mustard seed grows
00:39:44.63\00:39:46.87
into this mustard tree so
to speak and it bears fruit.
00:39:46.88\00:39:54.43
Something happens--
things happen as a result
00:39:54.44\00:39:57.71
of that faith and so you
know--and Paul speaks off
00:39:57.72\00:40:01.15
when you first
come into the faith
00:40:01.16\00:40:02.90
that you're baby. That's right.
00:40:02.91\00:40:04.51
Babies got to
grow up. So a lot of us
00:40:04.52\00:40:07.08
aren't growing up,
increasing our faith
00:40:07.09\00:40:10.33
that's part of growing
up. You're right there.
00:40:10.34\00:40:13.08
Yes, matter of
fact, the apostle said
00:40:13.09\00:40:15.04
as you go to Ephesians, you want
00:40:15.05\00:40:17.08
Ephesians 2 verse 8,
9, 10. Okay, the apostles
00:40:17.09\00:40:20.78
and leading into that ask Jesus,
00:40:20.79\00:40:23.54
they said to the
Lord in Luke 17:5,
00:40:23.55\00:40:26.33
Lord, increase our faith,
see. So faith is not static.
00:40:26.34\00:40:32.13
It is ever growing,
ever being nurtured. Okay,
00:40:32.14\00:40:35.88
take us to that Ephesians
2 verse 8-10, John, go ahead.
00:40:35.89\00:40:40.99
All right. Verse 8, for by grace
00:40:41.00\00:40:45.01
you have been
saved through faith,
00:40:45.02\00:40:47.54
and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God,
00:40:47.55\00:40:51.37
not of works lest
anyone should bow.
00:40:51.38\00:40:53.49
So we can pause
there and we can say
00:40:53.50\00:40:55.45
there is no
possible way to be saved
00:40:55.46\00:40:57.65
except through faith
in Jesus by His grace.
00:40:57.66\00:41:02.13
It is a gift. It is
free. You cannot earn it.
00:41:02.14\00:41:04.26
You cannot work to get
it. There's nothing you can do
00:41:04.27\00:41:08.00
that would allow
yourself to be seen as worthy
00:41:08.01\00:41:10.38
to be saved for God.
00:41:10.39\00:41:12.24
God does it all
through Jesus Christ.
00:41:12.25\00:41:14.52
That's right and
I'm glad you said that
00:41:14.53\00:41:16.03
before we go to
verse 10. I mean,
00:41:16.04\00:41:18.02
you just said a moment
ago, just as you tailed off
00:41:18.03\00:41:20.60
that statement
very, very powerful
00:41:20.61\00:41:21.93
because a lot of
times you read this text
00:41:21.94\00:41:23.36
and you say we're
saved by grace through faith.
00:41:23.37\00:41:25.75
No we're not.
We're saved by Jesus.
00:41:26.54\00:41:28.60
Yes. His grace.
Through our faith in Him
00:41:28.71\00:41:32.49
is what brings
that salvation to us.
00:41:32.96\00:41:34.75
For the grace of God,
that bringeth salvation
00:41:34.88\00:41:36.83
has appeared to all men
Paul says in the Book of Titus.
00:41:36.84\00:41:39.28
So when I say by
grace through faith,
00:41:39.60\00:41:40.96
grace which we
don't, we have no claims to.
00:41:41.36\00:41:45.32
By our faith in the
Christ that we don't see,
00:41:46.00\00:41:48.09
connects us to
the God who does exist
00:41:49.01\00:41:51.36
and He is the one that saves us.
00:41:51.64\00:41:53.49
So how we're saved?
We're saved by Christ.
00:41:53.72\00:41:55.51
Grace we don't merit.
Faith gives us the eyes
00:41:55.83\00:41:59.46
to see the one who
extends to us salvation.
00:41:59.47\00:42:02.01
Very important point.
You know, and before I read
00:42:02.19\00:42:04.43
this too can I
inject something real quick
00:42:04.44\00:42:06.02
here on grace? I think you can.
00:42:06.03\00:42:07.33
I have your
permission. You know, grace--
00:42:09.01\00:42:12.10
I think is very
misunderstood today. It is.
00:42:12.93\00:42:15.35
Grace is some ethereal
kind of God is so good grace.
00:42:15.36\00:42:18.44
Yes, but that's not the
full grace in its power.
00:42:18.80\00:42:23.09
That's right.
You know, we define--
00:42:23.23\00:42:26.95
or the definition of
grace is unmerited favor.
00:42:26.99\00:42:30.09
I don't use that even anymore.
00:42:31.07\00:42:32.70
It's correct but I
don't use it anymore
00:42:33.75\00:42:35.80
because it's just too brief.
And here's how I explain it.
00:42:35.81\00:42:39.69
Just in my
ministry as it evolves,
00:42:40.04\00:42:43.07
I've transitioned
to this definition.
00:42:43.15\00:42:44.72
Okay. So I'll give to
you. Anytime God reaches out
00:42:44.73\00:42:49.36
and down to do
anything for us that's grace.
00:42:49.37\00:42:52.95
That's right. Very, very--
00:42:53.52\00:42:54.84
Anytime He reaches down to save
00:42:55.19\00:42:57.59
that which is unsavable
by any other means, grace.
00:42:57.60\00:43:00.80
That's right. When you're weak
00:43:00.81\00:43:02.80
and you need strength
and He gives you strength,
00:43:03.55\00:43:05.98
He just gave you grace.
00:43:05.99\00:43:07.22
His grace is efficient.
00:43:07.23\00:43:08.55
Grace is power. Grace is favor.
00:43:08.59\00:43:12.17
Grace is
anything God does for us
00:43:12.18\00:43:14.96
that we can't do for ourselves.
00:43:15.26\00:43:16.69
Uh, beautiful, I like
that. That's grace. Right.
00:43:16.70\00:43:18.86
So we can't save
ourselves only God can do it.
00:43:19.16\00:43:22.11
That's grace and
the way you connect.
00:43:22.12\00:43:23.88
I got this word
from a friend of ours,
00:43:24.67\00:43:26.59
Andy, who works in soy business.
00:43:26.60\00:43:29.15
You know, who I'm
talking about. Yeah.
00:43:29.16\00:43:30.60
The stuff that he's working on,
00:43:31.11\00:43:32.83
they've been looking for
what makes soy so healthy
00:43:32.84\00:43:35.80
and they've kind of
boiled it down to this thing
00:43:36.47\00:43:38.96
that seems to
activate, the healthiness
00:43:39.31\00:43:41.89
of the soybean, you know,
this--this agent within it,
00:43:41.90\00:43:45.25
that's causing
it to be so healthy.
00:43:45.26\00:43:46.73
Soy agent. Well, yeah,
00:43:46.74\00:43:48.58
but I love what
he uses, what he--
00:43:48.59\00:43:50.53
the term they use.
It's the activating agent.
00:43:50.54\00:43:53.59
Faith is the activating
agent for God's grace. Amen.
00:43:55.92\00:44:01.41
When you exercise your faith,
00:44:01.42\00:44:03.14
it activates a
response from God to stoop down,
00:44:03.15\00:44:06.25
to come down and do it for you
00:44:06.26\00:44:07.86
what you can't do for yourself.
00:44:07.87\00:44:09.28
In essence that's an
every area of our walk.
00:44:09.29\00:44:11.70
No matter, yeah,
whether it's when you
00:44:11.71\00:44:13.25
first believe or
when you need faith
00:44:13.26\00:44:15.55
and strength to move on.
00:44:15.56\00:44:17.66
That's God's grace
and it's activated.
00:44:17.67\00:44:19.29
It's an activated
agent by, the agent is faith.
00:44:19.30\00:44:22.45
So exercising faith
boom, God moves, that's grace.
00:44:23.41\00:44:26.76
So this text has
become so powerful--
00:44:26.77\00:44:29.38
I've a whole sermon
series on just this text.
00:44:29.39\00:44:32.24
You sound excited about it.
00:44:32.25\00:44:33.22
Oh, I am--I love it
because it's done so much
00:44:33.23\00:44:35.46
for my life in
developing this understanding
00:44:35.47\00:44:37.81
and I just, I praised God,
so now as we transition now.
00:44:37.82\00:44:40.93
But you-- I've to respond.
00:44:40.94\00:44:42.23
Go ahead. Go for it. I'll
be excited. Okay? Go, go, go.
00:44:42.24\00:44:44.20
Because truly when
you think about that
00:44:44.21\00:44:45.94
and I wanna emphasize
what you just pointed out
00:44:45.95\00:44:48.13
but a different way.
00:44:48.14\00:44:49.16
God really
doesn't owe us anything.
00:44:49.17\00:44:51.04
I mean He
doesn't owe us a thing.
00:44:51.05\00:44:52.43
He doesn't have to
do anything for us.
00:44:52.44\00:44:53.90
As a matter of fact, as I
pointed out one of my studies
00:44:53.91\00:44:56.01
if the Lord did
any, if the Lord decided
00:44:56.02\00:44:58.65
He wants to destroy us,
00:44:58.66\00:44:59.83
Hewould be just in wiping out
00:44:59.84\00:45:01.77
every human being
that is ever sent.
00:45:01.78\00:45:03.35
But He is, is grace the
song we sing that I once said
00:45:04.41\00:45:09.76
if I hear that
song, "Amazing Grace"
00:45:09.77\00:45:11.17
one more time, I'm
gonna just lose it.
00:45:11.18\00:45:13.39
But you know I'm
beginning to appreciate
00:45:13.40\00:45:15.08
because it is amazing,
00:45:15.09\00:45:16.66
it's amazing that
God would even want
00:45:16.88\00:45:19.03
to do something for us. Yeah.
00:45:19.04\00:45:20.83
But that goes back
to for God so loved us
00:45:20.84\00:45:24.24
Yeah, that His love
is-- His love is accented
00:45:24.25\00:45:29.23
through the grace
and then He helps us
00:45:29.24\00:45:32.70
through grace when we're weak.
00:45:32.71\00:45:33.68
He comes to our
side through grace
00:45:33.69\00:45:35.57
when our faith is waning.
00:45:35.58\00:45:36.70
His grace keeps us.
His grace guides us.
00:45:36.71\00:45:39.36
Yeah. Gracious. You
see that phrase, gracious.
00:45:39.37\00:45:42.39
So I'm working on
another sermon now
00:45:42.42\00:45:45.46
you just gave it to
me. Powerful, powerful.
00:45:45.47\00:45:47.02
But I'll let you preach it.
00:45:47.03\00:45:48.47
So what does grace do? I mean
00:45:48.48\00:45:50.02
now that we've
activated that grace by faith
00:45:50.03\00:45:52.57
because that's our
subject today. Right.
00:45:52.58\00:45:54.36
Then we read in verse 10 here,
00:45:54.37\00:45:56.31
for we are His workmanship.
We're not our workmanship.
00:45:56.32\00:46:01.04
He is the work--
He is the master.
00:46:01.05\00:46:03.19
He is the one working on
us where His workmanship--
00:46:03.20\00:46:05.54
Created in Christ
Jesus for good works,
00:46:05.55\00:46:09.90
which God prepared beforehand,
00:46:09.91\00:46:11.47
that we should walk in them.
00:46:11.48\00:46:13.31
If someone
comes to you and says,
00:46:13.32\00:46:15.38
you know, works
aren't the issue.
00:46:15.39\00:46:17.79
When it comes to being
saved, it's all about faith.
00:46:17.80\00:46:20.49
Let me tell you,
faith without works
00:46:20.53\00:46:23.27
we've already is
dead. That's right.
00:46:23.28\00:46:25.13
James clearly tells us that.
00:46:25.14\00:46:27.06
It's a misunderstanding of faith
00:46:27.07\00:46:29.43
being this namby pamby. Kind of,
00:46:29.44\00:46:33.36
I mean, what else do I
say? How do you describe it?
00:46:33.37\00:46:36.36
This, well, God's
grace and we just kinda--
00:46:36.37\00:46:38.45
it goes off as if it
doesn't do anything for me
00:46:38.46\00:46:40.56
except it just makes sure
that I'm gonna be in heaven.
00:46:40.57\00:46:42.59
You know, God's
grace transforms.
00:46:42.63\00:46:45.40
It takes what you
don't have and gives you
00:46:45.41\00:46:47.54
what you can
have through Christ,
00:46:47.55\00:46:49.20
bringing Christ into the life
00:46:49.21\00:46:50.96
and then generating good works.
00:46:50.97\00:46:53.68
So if there're no good works,
00:46:54.95\00:46:56.51
if you don't see the
Christians life changed,
00:46:56.52\00:46:59.15
then you know that
faith hasn't taken.
00:46:59.16\00:47:02.07
Faith isn't the
faith that activates
00:47:02.10\00:47:04.61
the grace of God and is allowed
00:47:04.62\00:47:06.25
to transform the life. Right.
00:47:06.26\00:47:07.88
We want to encourage our viewers
00:47:07.89\00:47:10.55
and our listeners out there
00:47:10.56\00:47:11.74
to exercise their faith in a way
00:47:11.75\00:47:16.06
that transforms their life
00:47:16.07\00:47:19.16
and that means
that it generates works.
00:47:19.17\00:47:22.45
I've gotta add
something here to this.
00:47:22.46\00:47:24.25
I'm not advocating you say now,
00:47:24.26\00:47:26.42
okay now I gotta quit my lesson,
00:47:26.43\00:47:27.71
go out and do my works. Exactly.
00:47:27.72\00:47:29.98
Because we know
Philippians 2. Okay.
00:47:29.99\00:47:34.21
Right? You know where
I'm going, Philippians 2:13,
00:47:34.22\00:47:38.49
for it is God who works in you
00:47:38.50\00:47:41.62
remember we are His workmanship.
00:47:41.63\00:47:43.50
It's His workmanship.
It's God who works in you
00:47:43.51\00:47:47.03
both to will that is
to cause you to want to
00:47:47.04\00:47:49.91
and to do, to
actually help you do it--
00:47:49.92\00:47:52.78
Of His good
pleasure. Of His good pleasure.
00:47:52.79\00:47:54.77
That's right. So you--
00:47:54.78\00:47:56.97
all you can do is
choose to be used by God.
00:47:56.98\00:47:59.54
You can't choose to
do the works of God.
00:47:59.55\00:48:01.83
You can choose to be used by God
00:48:01.84\00:48:03.64
and that's what
God's grace is all about.
00:48:03.65\00:48:05.66
That's what faith
can generate or cause
00:48:05.67\00:48:08.41
to happen in the
life of the Christians.
00:48:08.42\00:48:09.94
So that's what
Paul the apostle means
00:48:09.95\00:48:11.42
when he says for
God will finish the work
00:48:11.43\00:48:14.89
and cut it short
in righteousness.
00:48:14.90\00:48:16.85
He's doing the work. Oh, wow,
00:48:16.86\00:48:19.02
you know, boy, that's powerful.
00:48:19.03\00:48:20.71
It just got me. Ah,
man, okay, my shoulder,
00:48:20.72\00:48:26.46
this completely puts
a whole different spin
00:48:26.47\00:48:29.35
on the works that
we say we're doing.
00:48:29.36\00:48:31.09
It's-- we don't
do the work anymore
00:48:31.13\00:48:33.61
than the extension cord
makes our computer work.
00:48:33.62\00:48:36.37
That's right. The
extension cord in fact
00:48:37.52\00:48:40.22
would be representative
to me of our faith
00:48:40.23\00:48:44.29
that connects us
to a source that,
00:48:44.30\00:48:46.38
that sends through us the power
00:48:46.39\00:48:48.37
to activate in our
lives those things--
00:48:48.38\00:48:50.91
You want to hold there, Alan?
00:48:50.92\00:48:52.00
Why did Jacob
dream about a ladder?
00:48:52.01\00:48:53.55
Wow. That's right. The ladder
that faith that reaches up--
00:48:53.56\00:48:58.10
The power cord
that reaches up to God.
00:48:58.11\00:48:59.96
You know, so we're like power--
00:48:59.97\00:49:01.35
we're like extent--no, we--
00:49:01.36\00:49:02.41
we're more than
extension cords but in fact
00:49:02.42\00:49:04.37
God works through
us, He works through us--
00:49:04.38\00:49:07.09
Through the
extension cord of Christ to us
00:49:07.12\00:49:09.24
to activate the computer. Wow.
00:49:09.25\00:49:11.18
The work that He's doing in us
00:49:11.19\00:49:12.89
and so we don't
have any claim to that.
00:49:12.90\00:49:14.18
We can't even say
well thank you Lord,
00:49:14.19\00:49:15.66
thank you Lord, now I
need my reward for my work.
00:49:15.67\00:49:18.07
He said no although
and that's you know,
00:49:18.11\00:49:19.87
I've mentioned
that what's so powerful
00:49:19.88\00:49:21.36
about the work
that God does in us
00:49:21.37\00:49:22.65
and we always want the
topic of grace and faith,
00:49:22.66\00:49:24.69
what's so powerful
about that is when time rolls,
00:49:24.70\00:49:28.12
when eternity rolls, and we
are not standing before God,
00:49:28.13\00:49:31.11
this is the beauty of God.
00:49:31.12\00:49:32.78
He says I will
now give to every man
00:49:32.79\00:49:34.97
according as his work shall be.
00:49:34.98\00:49:36.53
And in that, it's
Him who's doing the work
00:49:36.54\00:49:39.16
through us but
we're simply vessels
00:49:39.17\00:49:40.55
making ourselves
available to God. Wow.
00:49:40.56\00:49:44.06
That shows you that
salvation is a very, very--
00:49:44.10\00:49:47.21
salvation
brings you to the place
00:49:47.22\00:49:49.18
where God says
okay, now are you--
00:49:49.19\00:49:51.29
I've just saved
you, are you willing
00:49:51.30\00:49:53.30
to let me work in your life now.
00:49:53.31\00:49:54.97
Uh, yeah, it's so powerful.
I mean this is the elements.
00:49:55.01\00:49:58.95
This is the
eliminate principles of,
00:49:58.96\00:50:01.13
of, of Christianity. Right.
00:50:01.14\00:50:03.91
This is where it's got to start
00:50:03.92\00:50:05.08
and I don't think
we're understanding this
00:50:05.09\00:50:06.80
to the degree that we should.
00:50:06.81\00:50:07.90
I wanna read a verse here. Sure.
00:50:07.91\00:50:09.48
Because, you know,
we're talking about--
00:50:09.49\00:50:11.50
I'm John 14 now. So I--
00:50:11.51\00:50:14.07
you know, we've got this,
00:50:14.08\00:50:15.44
I love the term
you use extension cord
00:50:15.48\00:50:17.86
because the power is
in heaven. That's right.
00:50:17.87\00:50:20.52
The powerless is on the earth
00:50:20.53\00:50:22.69
and the only way to
get the power from heaven
00:50:22.70\00:50:24.92
to earth is through
the conduit of Christ
00:50:24.93\00:50:27.29
who is the
representation of this ladder.
00:50:27.30\00:50:30.83
What Jacob was dreaming
about was, the ladder was Christ
00:50:30.84\00:50:35.01
and angels are
going down back and forth
00:50:35.04\00:50:37.71
on Christ which
is, are His merits
00:50:37.72\00:50:39.85
giving and ministering to those
00:50:39.86\00:50:42.29
who need the power down here.
00:50:42.30\00:50:43.76
So now here's the
other element to this.
00:50:44.78\00:50:47.18
Here's the
other element to this.
00:50:47.21\00:50:48.90
Slow down. I love it.Okay.
00:50:48.91\00:50:50.96
John 14. Look at verse
16 through18. All right.
00:50:50.97\00:50:54.02
And I would pray the Father,
00:50:54.03\00:50:56.49
and he will give
you another helper
00:50:56.50\00:50:59.45
that he may
abide with you forever;
00:50:59.46\00:51:01.32
the Spirit of truth;
whom the world cannot receive,
00:51:01.33\00:51:03.89
because it neither
sees him nor knows him,
00:51:03.90\00:51:05.73
but you know him;
for he dwells with you,
00:51:05.77\00:51:08.28
and will be in you. Number one
00:51:08.29\00:51:11.34
the Holy Spirit
can dwell with you.
00:51:11.35\00:51:14.09
Another words he can
work on you from the outside.
00:51:14.13\00:51:16.57
He can work on your
mind. He can consciously--
00:51:16.60\00:51:20.72
he can be your conscience.
He can work as much as
00:51:20.73\00:51:22.92
he can with
you, but God notice--
00:51:22.93\00:51:25.63
but Jesus wants him to
be in you. That's right.
00:51:25.64\00:51:28.70
So he's telling
disciples he will be with you
00:51:28.71\00:51:31.98
and in you. We
want the Holy Spirit
00:51:33.02\00:51:36.29
with us and in us.
00:51:36.30\00:51:37.63
We don't want him just with us.
00:51:37.67\00:51:38.92
With us is conviction,
00:51:38.93\00:51:40.84
those things that
draws us to Christ
00:51:40.85\00:51:42.58
In us, is the power.
00:51:42.59\00:51:44.24
Okay, Now look at verse 18.
00:51:44.25\00:51:48.13
I will not, this is Jesus now,
00:51:48.14\00:51:50.34
I will not leave you orphans;
00:51:50.35\00:51:51.91
I will come to
you. That's right.
00:51:51.92\00:51:55.14
Jesus is coming into
you through the Holy Spirit,
00:51:55.15\00:51:59.60
which was once only outside
of you at work. Okay, exactly.
00:51:59.63\00:52:03.61
So the power cord
has been plugged in,
00:52:03.62\00:52:05.60
the Holy Spirit's coming
in, Christ has taken his throne
00:52:05.61\00:52:09.48
on upon your heart
through the Holy Spirit.
00:52:09.49\00:52:11.79
And what we have today now
00:52:11.80\00:52:13.25
are a contrast in Christianity,
00:52:13.26\00:52:16.49
one with the power
and one without the power.
00:52:16.50\00:52:19.40
Problem for us pastors
is they're both sitting
00:52:19.43\00:52:22.19
in the pews. We want
you all to be powered,
00:52:22.20\00:52:27.56
empowered spirit
filled Christians.
00:52:27.57\00:52:29.55
Right. That's what, yeah.
00:52:29.58\00:52:31.10
You know, and when
you think about this,
00:52:31.11\00:52:32.65
it comes down to
the whole picture here,
00:52:32.66\00:52:34.18
Christ in you the hope of glory.
00:52:34.19\00:52:36.60
But now with
that very foundation
00:52:36.61\00:52:39.43
you laid in John
14, John 15 comes now
00:52:39.44\00:52:42.30
and says okay, I am
the vine, the power cord,
00:52:42.31\00:52:45.81
you are the
branches, the extension cords.
00:52:45.82\00:52:48.53
And that's why
Jesus when He left
00:52:48.54\00:52:50.21
and, you know, this is a
very remedial earthly term
00:52:50.22\00:52:53.75
when we use the
phrase extension cord
00:52:53.76\00:52:55.27
and connect it to Jesus Christ.
00:52:55.28\00:52:56.29
There's so much more
power there than extension cord.
00:52:56.30\00:52:58.56
Right. But we just wanna use
00:52:58.57\00:53:00.44
a kinda an object lesson here.
00:53:00.45\00:53:02.59
He said I'm one
extension cord while I'm here,
00:53:02.60\00:53:05.57
but when I leave, I'm
gonna turn my whole church
00:53:05.58\00:53:08.55
into extension cords.
00:53:08.56\00:53:09.94
That's why He says more
works than these will you do.
00:53:09.95\00:53:13.71
Can you imagine
unplugging one extension cord
00:53:13.72\00:53:16.48
and plugging it
again? I'm plugging it,
00:53:16.49\00:53:17.79
and unplugging it again.
The Lord says wait a minute.
00:53:17.80\00:53:20.20
Let me just give you 28 million
00:53:20.21\00:53:23.85
extension cords and we could
do a lot more, a lot faster.
00:53:23.86\00:53:26.48
And does that
through the Holy Spirit.
00:53:26.49\00:53:27.83
It does that Holy
Spirit activates our lives,
00:53:27.86\00:53:29.96
extends us to the
world and so when we read
00:53:29.97\00:53:32.64
Ephesians 2:10
where we come to the--
00:53:32.65\00:53:35.42
for you are his workmanship.
00:53:35.43\00:53:37.39
It is not ending
at verse 8 and 9,
00:53:37.40\00:53:39.40
save by grace or
faith. It's going to verse 10
00:53:39.41\00:53:41.90
and say okay, yes Christ
wants to work in my life.
00:53:41.91\00:53:45.76
He does it by me
accepting him by faith
00:53:45.77\00:53:48.03
but now He
activates me. Thank you, John.
00:53:48.04\00:53:50.56
He activates me now to
be a moving active agent
00:53:50.57\00:53:54.53
of His power all
through the earth.
00:53:54.54\00:53:57.63
And it doesn't
take away the will,
00:53:57.64\00:53:59.22
the power to
choose and our choice,
00:53:59.23\00:54:02.20
the only--the choice
we have to make day by day
00:54:02.21\00:54:04.87
is to exercise our faith.
00:54:04.88\00:54:06.33
That's why it
comes down to faith.
00:54:06.34\00:54:07.79
If we're not continually
exercising that faith
00:54:07.80\00:54:10.95
that we've been
given, even though
00:54:10.96\00:54:12.55
it was very small at first,
00:54:12.56\00:54:13.65
it can't get
stronger and not only that,
00:54:13.66\00:54:17.62
the Holy Spirit and
here's where you got
00:54:17.63\00:54:20.13
this one's saved
always thing comes into play.
00:54:20.14\00:54:22.07
The Holy
Spirit-- you can actually
00:54:22.11\00:54:24.70
quench the Holy
Spirit. How do you quench?
00:54:24.71\00:54:27.28
A PCB equipment from
working, how do you stop it?
00:54:28.83\00:54:32.69
You'll pull the
power cord out. Right.
00:54:32.70\00:54:35.62
So what happens
here is when Paul says,
00:54:35.63\00:54:38.99
do not quench the spirit,
00:54:39.00\00:54:40.71
what He's saying is
don't turn the lifeline,
00:54:40.72\00:54:44.00
your Christian experience off.
00:54:44.01\00:54:46.00
Right, don't disconnect.
00:54:46.01\00:54:47.12
Don't allow
yourself to become lost
00:54:47.13\00:54:50.63
when you've already been saved
00:54:50.64\00:54:52.71
by such a
wonderful grace and power
00:54:52.72\00:54:55.47
the God has given to you. Wow.
00:54:55.48\00:54:57.64
So we continue to
exercise our faith
00:54:57.65\00:54:59.68
which is keep that power source
00:54:59.69\00:55:01.65
from God running through to us
00:55:02.68\00:55:04.57
and in us and God is asking us
00:55:04.61\00:55:07.73
and has given us that
faith, that ability to do that
00:55:07.74\00:55:10.80
and He's saying
don't ever give up.
00:55:10.81\00:55:13.19
There's one message we can give
00:55:13.23\00:55:14.59
to all of our congregations.
It would be never give up.
00:55:14.60\00:55:17.27
That's right. Never give
up even we you're failed.
00:55:17.30\00:55:19.72
The devils weren't telling you,
00:55:19.73\00:55:20.91
you can't get on
your knees again.
00:55:20.92\00:55:22.33
That's right. Get on
your knees immediately
00:55:22.36\00:55:24.40
when you fail and
say Lord I'm sorry.
00:55:24.41\00:55:25.82
I put my faith
and trust in you again
00:55:25.83\00:55:27.57
that your blood
will blot that sin out.
00:55:27.58\00:55:30.86
Anyway that's another subject.
00:55:31.87\00:55:33.35
But now so the
person who says okay, well,
00:55:33.36\00:55:37.16
I love the
Lord, but I don't have
00:55:37.17\00:55:39.88
as much faith as I
think I could have.
00:55:39.89\00:55:42.39
Uh, Romans 10 verse
17. Faith comes by hearing,
00:55:42.42\00:55:48.02
hearing by the word of God.
00:55:48.03\00:55:50.73
Boom you wanna hear what God--
00:55:50.74\00:55:52.73
you want that constant
flow on a constant divine power,
00:55:52.74\00:55:55.57
I've come to the conclusion
00:55:55.58\00:55:57.21
that this is not
just a Book of Books.
00:55:57.25\00:56:00.51
It's not just a--this is the
only living book on the earth.
00:56:00.52\00:56:05.68
Well, it's the word
of God which suggests
00:56:05.69\00:56:08.82
an element of audibility
or at least at a transference
00:56:08.83\00:56:13.39
of a message from God to
you. That's the way He does it.
00:56:13.40\00:56:15.87
A living word. Jesus
we know is the living word
00:56:15.88\00:56:18.85
but he transfers
the power into His word
00:56:18.86\00:56:21.76
and as Paul says in Ephesians,
00:56:21.77\00:56:23.10
it effectively
works in you who believe.
00:56:23.11\00:56:27.22
So if you need to
increase your faith,
00:56:27.25\00:56:28.75
which is what we
just talked about here,
00:56:28.76\00:56:30.15
ever increasing
faith John-- Luke 17:7,
00:56:30.16\00:56:33.21
increase our faith.
00:56:33.22\00:56:34.25
You got to do by the constant
study of the word of God.
00:56:34.26\00:56:36.50
Which Paul also says
is able to save our souls.
00:56:36.53\00:56:40.26
Uh, that's right.
00:56:40.27\00:56:41.64
So the word of God
brought into the life maintains
00:56:41.65\00:56:46.53
that connection first of
all but also allows God to speak
00:56:46.54\00:56:51.37
His will to give to put
His will in place of our will.
00:56:51.38\00:56:54.88
To the point where you know,
00:56:54.89\00:56:56.59
Paul says I die daily that I--
00:56:56.60\00:56:59.93
that is I die to my will daily.
00:56:59.94\00:57:01.90
It's no longer Christ
who lives in me, right?
00:57:01.91\00:57:05.61
It's no longer, I who--
00:57:05.62\00:57:06.98
I'm sorry, I who live,
but Christ who lives in me
00:57:06.99\00:57:09.21
Right. And that
continued relationship,
00:57:09.22\00:57:12.19
that continued allowing
Christ to live, that's--
00:57:12.20\00:57:15.10
that's what we
want to have by faith.
00:57:15.11\00:57:16.94
That's right and faith is
so widely important friends.
00:57:16.98\00:57:19.20
You know we
believe here in House calls
00:57:19.21\00:57:20.68
that faith is available
but you have to reach out
00:57:20.69\00:57:22.73
by God's power and
take hold of the faith
00:57:22.74\00:57:26.92
that He wants to extend to you.
00:57:26.93\00:57:28.09
Give your life to
Christ. Try His word
00:57:28.10\00:57:30.40
and your faith
will always increase.
00:57:30.41\00:57:32.34
God bless you
till we see you again.
00:57:32.35\00:57:34.33