Hello friends,
grab your Bible and
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a friend and sit
back as we explore God's
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word together on this
edition of House Calls.
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Hello friends,
welcome to another
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House Calls
program. So glad that you've
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chosen to tune in today.
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I'm John Lomacang,
you probably already
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know that. And to my
right is my good friend,
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C.A Murray. Good to
have you here today C.A.
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It's good to be
here as always Rabbi and
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I apologize for
calling you Rabbi.
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We've know each
other 30 years. Okay.
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We have these
affection in names. Yeah.
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If you slip off and
hear me call him Rabbi,
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its okay, we're old friends.
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So I call him rabbi, and
he'll slip up and call me
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Bishop, that's
quite alright. Okay.
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They will think
that we're Jewish. Yeah.
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We have departed from the faith.
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But, we are excited that
we can sit here together,
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have a connection
that we do as well as have
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a connection with the
Lord to go into his word.
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And we're gonna be
continuing our discussion
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today on the subject of money.
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It's very
important topic, money.
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Very much so. You know,
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people don't like to
talk about money because
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they think that
you can have access to
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everything that I have
access to except my money.
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Keep your hands
out of my pocket. Aha.
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But the Lord said
wherever your money is,
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that's where your heart is,
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wherever your heart
is that's where your
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money is, that's
where your treasure is.
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And treasure sometimes
extends beyond just the,
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the legal tender.
But we have a lot of
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questions today that
we're gonna cover and
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we're excited about the
topic that we hope to wrap
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up today. We're
gonna cover quite a bit.
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But we wanna do
something first and that
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is to ask the Lord
to be with us and so
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why don't you have
a prayer for us C.A?
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It would be my pleasure. Okay.
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Father God, we just
praise you and thank you
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for another opportunity
to lift up the mighty
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name of Jesus. We know Lord,
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that your word is a
lamp unto your feet,
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a light that shines
on the pathway before us.
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And we just ask
dear Lord that that light
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might shine into
our hearts as we become
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hearers of the
word. But more importantly
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as we become doers of the word,
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so that we may be like
Jesus and be used of Him,
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to call men and
women to his precious,
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believe inside. We love you;
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we praise you and
we thank you for this
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opportunity, in
Jesus name, amen, amen.
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Friends, keep
sending your questions.
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We're excited about
that. You know, I want to say
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this that some of
you got pretty irate,
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I would say. We're on
the subject of Christmas,
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on the subject of
the Christmas tree.
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I wanna encourage
you and I'm thankful for
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those who have done
a lot of their homework
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and their research. We do know,
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and I'm gonna ask a
question here in just
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a moment; just to
get back on the topic
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of the Christmas
season. The word Christmas,
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where it came
from, what do we do with
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the very idea of Christmas.
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How do we handle that,
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what about the Christmas tree?
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All those things that
are really paramount in
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the minds of some who
are deep Bible students
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and students of
history. And we talked about
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that briefly last
week about what do we do
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with that. And, but
I want to encourage you
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to ask the
questions rather than come to
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conclusion that for
some reason we don't
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understand the topic.
We understand the topic
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extremely well. But
we wanna make sure that
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the things that we
talk about in reference to
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whether or not it's
a holy day, holiday.
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There are some people
that get the two mixed
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up or there are
some people that say,
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well what's the
difference between a holy day
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and a holiday? So I'm
gonna start up because
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this question may
take a few minutes.
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But I will mention
the person's name and
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the subject is
Christ's mass which you combine
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them together you get Christmas.
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House Calls, you failed
to mention that Tammuz's
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birthday was on December 25th.
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I could almost
guarantee you that most of the
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people watching
this program never heard
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the name Tammuz
before. And having heard it;
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still don't know what it means.
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Still don't know,
exactly know what it is.
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Yeah, yeah. So as I
read the question I'm gonna
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stop along the way
and qualify who this,
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who this name
is associated with?
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But I'll go and
read the question first.
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You failed to
mention that Tammuz' birthday
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was on December
25th and it had been
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celebrated for 100s
of years before our Lord
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and Savior was
born. How did it become a
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Christian celebration?
And then it gives the
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answer. It became a
Christian celebration when
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the Roman Catholic
Christened it and many other
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holidays including
Sunday. And then he goes
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into the
judgmental part, rest of it.
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So I'm gonna go ahead
instead of going all to,
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all of the rest of
stuff and then getting so far
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as saying, do you
really love the truth?
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We love the truth.
Oh! Yes. But I'm gonna
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ask the question
which I have done in another
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words, let me see if
there are anymore questions
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in this. I think you
asked the question and
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answered it yourself.
But the question I would
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pull out of this C.A
we could start with is,
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what should our attitude
toward December 25th be?
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I mean it's the day
that the entire world,
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most of the world I'm gonna say,
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recognized that
Jesus was born but not on
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that day. You know,
before we do that John,
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I'm thinking we
need to ask the question
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what ought to our
attitude be to those who
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don't who believe
as we believe? Right.
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Who do not see as we see?
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My Bible says and
they'll know we are Christians
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by our love. Right. I
think one of the tests
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of Christianity is
how do you treat those who
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do not believe
precisely as you believe?
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There are some
issues that are worth lying
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down and dying for.
Right. I remember that
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Tiananmen Square in
China many years ago,
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the fellow laid down
in front of the tank.
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You know he was ready
to just give his life,
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he's gonna lay down in front of,
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because he felt
freedom was worth the price
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of blood. Right.
There are other issues
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that I think we can
have sanctified Christian
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disagreement on.
That we can both walk
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the road to glory
together and not be
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perfectly aligned. Right.
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Because there are
not some of these issues.
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I tend to think
we're heading into one of
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those now. But more
than even the issue of
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Christmas, I'm looking
at the tone of the letter.
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Right. And I think
that Christians ought to be
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able to disagree
and be agreeable. Right.
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I think they ought be
able to disagree and not
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be judgmental.
And I think they ought
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to be able to disagree
and still carry the Christ
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light graces in
everything that they do.
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Now, do we love the truth?
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Of course we love the truth,
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that's why we're
here. Because we're trying
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to disseminate
truth, we're trying to
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highlight truth,
we're trying to red-flag
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truth, we're
trying to hold up truths.
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In so doing, do we
sometimes disagree?
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Yes we do. We don't
line up perfectly on
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everything and it's
not necessary that we do.
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Right. As long as
we love one another,
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we respect one
another, we can walk one
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another and share
one another's burdens,
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with one another and
share one another's burdens.
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That's what
Christ calls us to do.
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And so I would
encourage all of our viewers
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those who write,
let's maintain that
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Christian spirit in
all that we do and say.
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Because ultimately,
all we've got is each other
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and Jesus, and we
need to hold on to that.
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You know I'm glad
you've pointed out that now,
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I wanna just even
add to that friends
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the reality of it is.
If there is something we
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disagree on, the
disagreement is there,
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not because we
disbelieve the truth.
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We would not say,
okay, we don't have to
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agree on an issue when
it's a salvation issue.
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Precisely. That's
the point you made.
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And I wanna make that clear.
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When it is an issue
of salvation we don't say
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well we could
disagree on it or like,
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almost like directions in a car.
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If we got together in
a train of cars to go to
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a specific
location and we disagreed on
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the directions and
we all went different
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directions altogether,
all expecting to get to
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the same place,
that's a very serious issue.
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But if we decided
that the color of the car
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we didn't agree on
that, we were driving in
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that's not a
salvation issue. Precisely.
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This issue of, this is
the issue of the identity
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and I also read a
statement for those of you
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who are and I could
see based on this letter
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that this person does
read Ellen White's writings.
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Because he
mentioned her name in here.
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But I also encourage
you if that in fact is
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the case you should
also read her position
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on the issue of Christmas.
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And how the issue of
Christmas is something
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that, it's not hinged
on whether or not Jesus
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was born on December 25th.
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I would challenge
anybody to figure out what
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day He was born on,
there are no records as
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to when He was born.
We know it was not in
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the winter time
anymore than Presidents Day
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is February 16th
because that's when all of our
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presidents were born. Okay.
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Anymore than thanks
giving being the last
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Thursday of
every, of every November.
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That was chosen.
That was chosen to
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celebrate the freedom that was,
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had through the
pilgrims coming to America.
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So when we start
nailing down dates,
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the only date the
Bible nails down for sure.
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For sure that the
Lord says, remember is
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the Sabbath. Yeah.
That's one of the dates,
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He nails down in stone. Oh, yes.
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That remember this
one to keep it holy and
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we do that. We have
espouse the Sabbath,
00:08:42.99\00:08:44.78
we teach the Sabbath,
we believe the Sabbath,
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we uphold the Sabbath.
It is firmly scriptural.
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Identifying now,
things that are associated,
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have become
associated with Christ.
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It's a different
story altogether.
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The world doesn't
know when Jesus was born.
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December 25th was not
only a day that another
00:08:59.79\00:09:02.95
Pagan god
Mithra but also Tammuz.
00:09:02.96\00:09:05.13
And there are number of others,
00:09:05.53\00:09:06.54
there are Phoenician
Gods that were associated
00:09:06.55\00:09:09.24
with the day also.
Each culture had its day.
00:09:09.25\00:09:11.88
Yeah. The Christians
said we don't worship Tammuz.
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We don't worship
Mithra. We don't worship
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these strange Gods
that have no power at all.
00:09:18.46\00:09:20.76
Give the day the
significance that it
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should have. And
so in honoring that
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day came because
early and I mentioned this
00:09:25.55\00:09:28.07
last week on the
program April was the time
00:09:28.08\00:09:30.68
that they thought that
John the Baptist was born
00:09:30.69\00:09:32.27
on April 23rd, there
by putting June 24th,
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six months later
believing early in early history
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that that's
when Christ was born.
00:09:39.48\00:09:40.50
They try to
associate that because Christ
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and the John the
Baptist are six months apart.
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Are six months
apart? But then later the
00:09:43.90\00:09:45.37
churches of Western
Europe went to June 24th
00:09:45.38\00:09:47.96
there by there by
putting six months later
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December 25th.
There by those of the ways
00:09:50.00\00:09:52.57
that are came about,
not saying you know what?
00:09:52.58\00:09:54.98
Let's go ahead and
honor it for Tammuz or
00:09:56.24\00:09:59.23
for Mithra. Yeah,
yeah. They never made that
00:09:59.24\00:10:01.50
acquisition. They
never made that decision.
00:10:02.39\00:10:04.60
And then they didn't
say well, since we're
00:10:05.23\00:10:07.87
all under Catholic influence,
00:10:07.88\00:10:10.83
let's go ahead and
make this a holy day.
00:10:11.27\00:10:13.15
I wanna also emphasize that.
00:10:13.43\00:10:14.82
We don't look at
December 25th as a holy
00:10:15.25\00:10:17.60
day. No, we do not. You know,
00:10:17.61\00:10:19.40
I wanna say, two
things popped in my mind.
00:10:19.41\00:10:20.75
One, I'm thankful
that Holy Spirit lead you
00:10:21.04\00:10:23.28
not to read that name. Right.
00:10:23.29\00:10:24.50
Because I don't
want this guy to think
00:10:24.51\00:10:25.76
that we're
thumping on you, we're not.
00:10:25.77\00:10:27.33
Right. We're
dealing with the mindset and
00:10:27.34\00:10:30.14
with an issue. And
so we're addressing this
00:10:30.15\00:10:32.34
issue hard, because
there is passion involved.
00:10:32.35\00:10:34.21
So I don't want, I
don't want this viewer to
00:10:34.79\00:10:36.40
think okay, there are
sort of riding my case
00:10:36.41\00:10:38.17
here because
we're not doing that.
00:10:38.18\00:10:39.52
I wanna do that.
But we also want to make
00:10:39.53\00:10:41.14
a separation
between those things which
00:10:41.15\00:10:43.25
the Lord says are,
we don't equivocate on,
00:10:43.26\00:10:45.94
we don't back down
from, that the Lord has
00:10:46.09\00:10:47.62
put His stamp on. And
then those other kinds
00:10:47.63\00:10:49.83
of things which are
part of our Christian growth,
00:10:49.84\00:10:51.73
Christian
experience, Christian life,
00:10:51.92\00:10:53.44
but not necessarily
and issue of salvation.
00:10:53.71\00:10:56.75
I've done a
seminar, when I did a
00:10:57.17\00:10:59.11
Revelation seminar,
well I've done a many
00:10:59.12\00:11:01.53
Revelation
seminars, when I do a full
00:11:01.54\00:11:03.06
Revelation seminar, I
have a particular topic
00:11:03.07\00:11:05.46
I call Babylon. And in
that particular presentation
00:11:05.47\00:11:08.92
I show all the
inceptions of things,
00:11:08.93\00:11:12.07
practices that are
now assimilated into
00:11:12.25\00:11:14.36
Christianity, that have
had its origin in either
00:11:14.37\00:11:18.29
Egyptian worship or
Babylonian worship or
00:11:18.84\00:11:21.14
Phoenician worship, or
some other culture that
00:11:21.15\00:11:24.19
had significant
Pagan ritual to it.
00:11:24.20\00:11:28.24
And even these symbols
of fertility as associated
00:11:28.85\00:11:34.10
with Easter. I did
the same thing when I was
00:11:34.11\00:11:36.07
pastoring, each major
holiday we did a research
00:11:36.08\00:11:39.77
sheet. Brought
the Church together,
00:11:39.78\00:11:41.26
we sat on and we
went over point by point
00:11:41.27\00:11:42.77
by point. Particularly
those holidays that had
00:11:42.78\00:11:44.80
murky paths, or that had
their origins in paganism.
00:11:45.77\00:11:48.57
And I found that
the vast majority of my
00:11:49.59\00:11:51.30
members neither
knew about those pagan
00:11:51.31\00:11:52.84
origins or cared,
right. They were much more
00:11:52.85\00:11:56.77
into sharing Jesus
and celebrating Jesus.
00:11:56.78\00:11:58.95
A lot of them
was new information,
00:11:59.89\00:12:01.82
they took it, they
received it, they put it,
00:12:02.12\00:12:03.53
they folded it away,
they said praise the Lord
00:12:03.54\00:12:04.96
and they pressed on.
Right. It wasn't something
00:12:04.97\00:12:06.86
that stopped them
and I think that's one of
00:12:06.87\00:12:08.10
things that we ought to
throw into the mix here.
00:12:08.11\00:12:09.84
It is a good
time to lift up Jesus.
00:12:10.16\00:12:11.94
And we were out
yesterday and there were,
00:12:11.95\00:12:13.21
people were talking about Jesus,
00:12:13.38\00:12:14.62
people were more
open and receptive to the
00:12:14.70\00:12:18.25
whole Jesus mindset
than they are at any other
00:12:18.26\00:12:21.40
time during the
year. And to lose this
00:12:21.41\00:12:23.18
opportunity I think it
would be sad and wasteful
00:12:23.19\00:12:26.28
indeed to lose an
opportunity to lift up
00:12:26.29\00:12:28.38
the name of
Jesus. When so much of
00:12:28.39\00:12:30.18
the world is trying to
erase Jesus from the minds
00:12:30.19\00:12:32.89
and consciousness of the people,
00:12:32.90\00:12:35.38
you know in society. Right.
00:12:35.99\00:12:37.26
And once again I
think, to wind up on this
00:12:37.53\00:12:39.59
particular issue
because I know the information,
00:12:39.60\00:12:41.47
I mean thank you for
the doctoral dissertations
00:12:41.48\00:12:44.04
and for the 15 page
emails. I appreciate all that.
00:12:44.05\00:12:46.51
I know the
information very, very well.
00:12:47.11\00:12:48.98
Are we eliminating
honesty and true worship
00:12:49.27\00:12:51.84
to Jesus Christ by
saying Merry Christmas?
00:12:51.85\00:12:53.62
Absolutely not. I think not.
00:12:53.98\00:12:55.31
It's a holiday
phrase. It is not in fact a
00:12:55.82\00:12:58.52
holy day by any
means. Now let me show you
00:12:58.61\00:13:00.52
the difference between the two.
00:13:00.53\00:13:01.52
In some religious
faiths, there are and I could
00:13:01.78\00:13:05.45
be very tended about
this because my family,
00:13:05.46\00:13:07.45
most of my family
is Catholic anyhow.
00:13:07.46\00:13:09.00
There were two days of
the year that they are,
00:13:09.60\00:13:10.97
that you just
absolutely don't miss.
00:13:11.24\00:13:12.86
You don't miss Easter,
you don't miss Christmas.
00:13:13.37\00:13:14.92
So it was considered very, very.
00:13:14.93\00:13:16.51
I don't wanna use
the phrase mortal sins.
00:13:16.80\00:13:18.40
But I think that
somewhere along the line
00:13:18.41\00:13:20.08
associated with
that, as to a terrible sin,
00:13:20.09\00:13:22.91
if you don't
celebrate the mass of Christmas
00:13:23.20\00:13:26.53
or the mass of the
resurrection of Christ.
00:13:26.54\00:13:28.46
And these are not
the possessions that
00:13:29.77\00:13:32.01
the Seventh-day
Adventist Church has.
00:13:32.02\00:13:33.40
Yeah. And I don't
think that many Christian
00:13:33.41\00:13:35.10
churches have that
possession either that if
00:13:35.11\00:13:36.75
you miss this,
oh, it's a mortal sin.
00:13:36.76\00:13:38.86
Nowhere can you find
any association scripturally
00:13:39.29\00:13:42.20
or otherwise. Well, let
me just say scripturally,
00:13:42.21\00:13:44.86
that says if you miss
honoring December 25th
00:13:45.32\00:13:49.08
as a holy day it's a mortal sin.
00:13:49.09\00:13:51.60
That's a total
edict from a church.
00:13:52.14\00:13:53.87
Nowhere in the Bible
do you find that if you
00:13:54.47\00:13:56.52
miss honoring the
resurrection of Christ,
00:13:56.53\00:13:58.79
a day, honoring the
resurrection of Christ
00:13:59.77\00:14:01.48
that's a mortal sin,
that's not in the scriptures.
00:14:01.49\00:14:03.55
Now the question is
and I think we wind it down
00:14:04.05\00:14:05.85
to this. Was Jesus
born? Praise God he was.
00:14:05.86\00:14:10.55
If He wasn't, we
would be in trouble.
00:14:11.56\00:14:13.21
We would be in
trouble. We would be in trouble
00:14:13.22\00:14:14.75
indeed. Did Jesus
die? Was He buried,
00:14:14.76\00:14:17.88
was He resurrected?
Praise the Lord He was
00:14:18.14\00:14:20.37
resurrected.
Not praise the Lord,
00:14:20.38\00:14:21.88
He died and that He
was buried but praise
00:14:21.89\00:14:23.55
the Lord He was
resurrected. Oh! Yes.
00:14:23.56\00:14:24.95
And so yes, they are
symbols established by
00:14:25.19\00:14:29.04
Christians, that we
honor the resurrection
00:14:29.05\00:14:31.38
of Christ; we honor
the birth of Christ.
00:14:31.39\00:14:33.47
Now to be born again
is to honor the birth
00:14:33.74\00:14:37.03
of Christ realistically.
His birth made a new
00:14:37.04\00:14:40.18
birth for us. His
resurrection made a
00:14:40.19\00:14:42.72
new life for us.
As Romans 6 says,
00:14:42.73\00:14:45.51
now we walk in the
newness of life. Yeah.
00:14:45.98\00:14:48.15
And baptism
really honors His death,
00:14:48.32\00:14:50.47
burial and resurrection.
That's the true symbol
00:14:50.66\00:14:52.97
in the Bible of his
death, burial and resurrection.
00:14:52.98\00:14:54.99
Was He raised? Praise the Lord.
00:14:55.48\00:14:57.04
And on the first day
of the week he was raised
00:14:57.40\00:14:59.35
and I praise God for
that. Now do we honor
00:14:59.78\00:15:01.53
the first day of
the week because of His
00:15:01.54\00:15:02.76
resurrection.
Many Christians say
00:15:02.77\00:15:04.61
we should. But do we? We do not.
00:15:04.62\00:15:07.87
We do not. Because it's
not a biblical injunction,
00:15:08.25\00:15:11.70
it's not a thus saith
the Lord. Winding it up,
00:15:11.99\00:15:14.99
remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy,
00:15:15.58\00:15:17.17
that's the thing
we must remember.
00:15:17.52\00:15:19.12
Because that is,
according to the Bible a
00:15:19.39\00:15:22.26
sign between the Lord
and us that he is the one
00:15:22.27\00:15:24.60
that sanctifies us.
Outside of that the other
00:15:24.61\00:15:27.21
things like you said
are non-salvific issues.
00:15:27.22\00:15:30.56
Saying Merry
Christmas or happy holidays or
00:15:31.45\00:15:33.77
seasons greetings on
December 25th will not
00:15:33.78\00:15:36.57
cause you to be lost.
Find a reference somewhere.
00:15:36.96\00:15:40.36
Now if you bow
onto a tree and start
00:15:40.79\00:15:42.21
worshiping it,
you're in trouble.
00:15:42.22\00:15:43.43
You're in trouble.
Yeah. You're in trouble.
00:15:43.44\00:15:45.28
Because we shouldn't
worship nothing except
00:15:45.29\00:15:46.38
the Lord. That is
pedigree, you're in trouble.
00:15:46.39\00:15:47.58
You start bowing
down and worshiping those
00:15:48.16\00:15:49.35
glittering lights on
your tree and those different
00:15:50.08\00:15:51.96
color balls on the
tree, we're in trouble.
00:15:51.97\00:15:53.84
But we don't do
that. Those are holiday
00:15:54.77\00:15:57.21
symbols for those
who want to make it
00:15:57.22\00:15:58.95
anymore than that,
well I pray that you will
00:15:58.96\00:16:00.91
find the light in
seeing that there nothing more
00:16:00.92\00:16:03.00
than that. Yeah. We
have another question here.
00:16:03.01\00:16:05.46
I hope I've covered
quite a bit of that but I'm
00:16:05.47\00:16:07.80
not getting any
question on that.
00:16:07.81\00:16:08.85
That's alright.
We appreciate your
00:16:09.04\00:16:10.46
questions. If you
have a further comment on
00:16:10.47\00:16:12.68
this topic, something
maybe I haven't seen yet.
00:16:12.69\00:16:15.05
Send that to
housecalls@3abn.org,
00:16:15.45\00:16:17.68
that's housecalls@3abn.org.
00:16:17.69\00:16:19.94
Here's another question C.A.
00:16:20.29\00:16:21.40
In your last
presentation on House Calls you,
00:16:24.83\00:16:26.85
the question was,
when did Christ's death
00:16:27.23\00:16:29.72
occur on Wednesday or Friday?
00:16:29.73\00:16:31.97
You fully explain and
answered the question.
00:16:32.42\00:16:34.45
Thank you. However you
also made the statement
00:16:34.56\00:16:36.84
that all calendars
show that the first day of
00:16:36.85\00:16:39.92
the week is Sunday.
This is correct in America,
00:16:39.93\00:16:43.94
but not in Europe. On
their calendars Monday
00:16:44.27\00:16:46.83
is shown as the
first day of the week.
00:16:46.84\00:16:48.44
This is just a
reminder and is no way intended
00:16:49.06\00:16:51.87
to be critical of
your wonderful work.
00:16:51.88\00:16:53.82
Praise the Lord,
isn't that a wonderful
00:16:54.09\00:16:55.13
spirit? Yeah. To
difference altogether,
00:16:55.14\00:16:56.58
information. What
do you say about that,
00:16:56.83\00:16:58.81
Sunday being shown as
the first day of the week?
00:16:58.87\00:17:01.23
We are having
trouble, so many are,
00:17:01.46\00:17:02.60
I've seen
calendars and there are some
00:17:02.98\00:17:04.63
calendars even here
in the States. Right.
00:17:04.64\00:17:06.64
That was kind of
popular for a while,
00:17:06.65\00:17:07.88
where Monday was the
first day of the week.
00:17:08.27\00:17:10.57
But of course those
are calendars that were
00:17:11.72\00:17:13.29
pretty much skewed to
the business population.
00:17:13.30\00:17:15.94
Monday was the first
business day of the week
00:17:16.68\00:17:18.16
and is still the first
business day of the week.
00:17:18.17\00:17:20.63
That is in the
official world even though
00:17:20.93\00:17:22.70
we know that
it's Sunday. Correct.
00:17:22.71\00:17:24.10
You know, we don't
mind cleaning out the church
00:17:24.11\00:17:25.49
attic on Sunday.
Very true. Right.
00:17:25.50\00:17:28.29
But if you go
back to the dictionary,
00:17:28.32\00:17:30.53
if you go to all
of those characters,
00:17:30.54\00:17:33.93
calendars rather
that existed before we
00:17:34.41\00:17:36.76
began to play with
things and make some a
00:17:36.77\00:17:38.25
little bit more convenient.
You find that Saturday
00:17:38.26\00:17:41.38
is the Seventh,
Sunday is the first.
00:17:41.39\00:17:43.93
We call them both
the weekend but that's
00:17:44.39\00:17:46.28
just a term we
sort of thrown in there,
00:17:46.29\00:17:47.61
it is not
technically true for Sunday is,
00:17:47.92\00:17:50.34
has always been and
will be the first day of
00:17:50.35\00:17:52.30
the week. And if
you go to the Bible,
00:17:52.31\00:17:53.45
Matthew, Mark and
Luke all says that it began
00:17:56.24\00:17:58.24
to dawn towards the
first day of the week.
00:17:58.25\00:18:00.29
That's right. Kim
Mary and the others to
00:18:00.45\00:18:02.38
the sebaceous. So
the Bible reinforces that
00:18:02.39\00:18:04.30
fact that Sunday
is day number one.
00:18:04.31\00:18:07.06
Matter of fact, I'm
glad you mentioned that
00:18:07.51\00:18:08.55
because I think it's
important friends that
00:18:08.56\00:18:09.90
we include some Bible
here, Luke Chapter 23,
00:18:09.91\00:18:14.22
go with us to Luke
Chapter 23 and look at
00:18:14.54\00:18:16.49
the story. You will
find that in the Bible there
00:18:16.50\00:18:19.88
are no names such
as Sunday, Monday,
00:18:19.89\00:18:25.62
Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
00:18:25.80\00:18:28.01
nor Saturday. But
you find first day,
00:18:28.27\00:18:32.12
seventh day, preparation day.
00:18:32.36\00:18:34.44
You find those
words. And in the account of
00:18:34.45\00:18:36.75
the resurrection,
death, burial and resurrection
00:18:36.76\00:18:38.44
of Christ you find
those words all used
00:18:38.45\00:18:40.37
together in that
very one context.
00:18:40.38\00:18:43.31
In that one
context about the death,
00:18:43.57\00:18:45.46
burial and
resurrection of Christ.
00:18:46.10\00:18:47.64
And here it is
in Luke Chapter 23,
00:18:47.65\00:18:49.85
beginning with
verse 54. Speaking about
00:18:50.87\00:18:54.35
the day that Jesus'
body was taken down off
00:18:54.36\00:18:56.42
the cross in verse
53. It says in verse 54
00:18:56.43\00:18:59.59
that day was the preparation
00:19:00.08\00:19:02.31
and the Sabbath
drew near or the Sabbath
00:19:02.64\00:19:05.32
drew on. In other
words the Sabbath was about
00:19:05.47\00:19:07.49
to start. And one
of the reasons why they
00:19:07.50\00:19:09.25
wanted this body
of the cross C.A is.
00:19:09.26\00:19:11.21
They didn't want the
body on the cross during
00:19:11.78\00:19:13.17
the Sabbath hours.
Right. They wanted the Sabbath,
00:19:13.18\00:19:15.94
this is amazing to
me. Yeah. It always,
00:19:16.16\00:19:18.60
it always kind of,
I can't even say funny
00:19:18.76\00:19:21.73
but it's just
ridiculous, ridiculous yeah.
00:19:21.74\00:19:24.20
We're gonna kill you,
but you better die before
00:19:24.37\00:19:26.68
the Sabbath. Yeah.
We got to have that body
00:19:26.69\00:19:28.15
down so that we don't
pollute anything. Yeah.
00:19:28.16\00:19:30.24
We don't realize
that we're polluted,
00:19:30.59\00:19:31.88
we're wided sebaceous,
we're walking in death,
00:19:31.89\00:19:34.04
we're gonna kill you
and take you down before
00:19:34.21\00:19:35.55
the Sabbath. So we can
go to synagogue on time.
00:19:35.56\00:19:38.29
Verse 54 says, that
there was the preparation
00:19:39.47\00:19:41.49
and the Sabbath
drew on. Notice two days
00:19:41.72\00:19:43.35
already, preparation
and Sabbath, one following
00:19:43.36\00:19:47.89
the other, Sabbath
following preparation.
00:19:47.90\00:19:50.21
And verse 54, and
the women who came with
00:19:50.64\00:19:53.97
him from Galilee
followed after and they observed
00:19:53.98\00:19:56.92
the tomb and how
his body was laid.
00:19:56.93\00:19:59.16
Verse 56 now, Luke
24, Then they returned and
00:20:00.11\00:20:04.36
prepared spices
and fragrant oils,
00:20:04.37\00:20:06.68
or as the King James
Version says ointments.
00:20:06.69\00:20:08.58
And they rested on
the Sabbath according
00:20:10.22\00:20:13.18
to the commandment. There it is.
00:20:13.30\00:20:14.72
So you find right away friends,
00:20:15.09\00:20:16.35
you find the
preparation day, you find the
00:20:16.36\00:20:19.65
Sabbath day. Now,
so far you may say well
00:20:19.66\00:20:24.16
you haven't
established what day is which,
00:20:24.17\00:20:25.80
what order they come
in? But the Bible continues.
00:20:25.81\00:20:28.76
Luke 24 and verse 1.
Now on the first day of the
00:20:28.79\00:20:34.38
week, very early in
the morning, they and
00:20:34.39\00:20:37.35
certain of the women
with them came to the
00:20:37.36\00:20:39.26
tomb, bringing the
spices they had prepared.
00:20:39.27\00:20:43.34
But they found the
stone rolled away from the
00:20:44.04\00:20:46.47
tomb, they went in
and did not find the body
00:20:46.48\00:20:50.22
of the Lord. And then
now notice the context
00:20:50.28\00:20:53.93
of this you will find
one more reference to time.
00:20:53.94\00:20:56.04
You will see verse 7
of Luke 24, verse 23,
00:20:56.74\00:21:02.55
He is not here, but is risen.
00:21:03.08\00:21:05.15
Remember how he
spoke to you when he was
00:21:05.16\00:21:08.77
still in Galilee
saying the son of man must be
00:21:08.78\00:21:12.22
delivered into the
hands of sinful men and be
00:21:12.23\00:21:15.29
crucified and the
third day rise again.
00:21:15.30\00:21:19.01
What day did he arise?
He arised the third day.
00:21:19.33\00:21:21.62
Some people say after
the third day but the Bible,
00:21:21.83\00:21:24.28
quoting what Jesus
says after the third day
00:21:24.56\00:21:27.24
and it says in verse
8 and they remembered
00:21:27.25\00:21:29.49
his words. So
now C.A, Pastor C.A.
00:21:29.50\00:21:32.92
You find the preparation day,
00:21:35.05\00:21:36.78
you find the Sabbath
day, you find the first day.
00:21:37.21\00:21:40.53
Now today, let's look
at the first reference.
00:21:40.76\00:21:43.80
You have an entire
nation, millions of Jews today.
00:21:43.92\00:21:48.39
That still honor
the Sabbath. Yeah.
00:21:49.25\00:21:51.38
It is no doubt in their
mind when the Sabbath is?
00:21:52.08\00:21:54.48
When the sunsets on,
Friday, the Sabbath begins.
00:21:55.04\00:21:59.63
According to the record
that's totally in harmony
00:22:00.58\00:22:02.71
with scripture. There
was no doubt as to when
00:22:02.72\00:22:06.74
Sabbath begins. When
the sunsets on Friday.
00:22:07.72\00:22:10.73
Now why do they
called the preparation?
00:22:10.95\00:22:12.75
Shed some light on
that, now I'll go ahead and,
00:22:13.83\00:22:15.32
preparing for the
Sabbath. They preparing
00:22:15.33\00:22:17.27
themselves for the
Sabbath, there were certain
00:22:17.28\00:22:18.90
things that they
were encouraged to do on
00:22:18.91\00:22:21.11
Sabbath, certain
things they did not do on the
00:22:21.12\00:22:23.09
Sabbath. So Friday was a day,
00:22:23.10\00:22:25.25
spent in preparation.
The meal was prepared,
00:22:26.70\00:22:29.54
other things were
gotten ready for Sabbath
00:22:29.55\00:22:32.10
attendance, for Sabbath worship.
00:22:32.11\00:22:34.09
So it was the preparation day,
00:22:34.25\00:22:35.49
it was the day when
all of the busy work was
00:22:35.50\00:22:37.01
done. So that
Sabbath could be a day when
00:22:37.02\00:22:38.85
they
concentrate, what's the word,
00:22:38.86\00:22:40.93
concentrated, right,
solely on their relationship
00:22:41.01\00:22:44.68
with their God.
Right. Unhindered,
00:22:44.69\00:22:46.62
yes, in other words
I'm not palm piloting,
00:22:46.72\00:22:48.51
I'm not reading
newspaper, I'm not watching,
00:22:48.52\00:22:50.46
you know, worldwide
sports, I'm not letting
00:22:50.82\00:22:53.00
the world filter in.
These things in and of
00:22:53.01\00:22:55.12
themselves are
not bad, but when they
00:22:55.13\00:22:57.14
hinder the
relationship can you imagine,
00:22:57.15\00:22:58.80
you know I'm gonna
go back to the story
00:22:58.94\00:23:00.16
in a minute but. You're married,
00:23:00.17\00:23:02.12
I'm married, can
you imagine on your
00:23:02.13\00:23:03.41
anniversary you
say to your wife,
00:23:03.42\00:23:04.54
honey, I would love to go out.
00:23:04.55\00:23:06.03
But today is the Super Bowl.
00:23:07.26\00:23:09.44
And the Super Bowl comes first.
00:23:10.21\00:23:11.56
Now there are some
people that are watching
00:23:12.37\00:23:13.66
this program that
have said, that may say,
00:23:13.67\00:23:16.36
we already made contract.
00:23:16.37\00:23:17.72
If the Super Bowl
falls on our anniversary.
00:23:17.73\00:23:19.64
Super Bowl is a
football thing here in America.
00:23:20.25\00:23:22.09
Yeah. Or of the world
cup as the world looks
00:23:22.10\00:23:25.92
at the soccer match
falls on our anniversary,
00:23:25.93\00:23:28.68
honey, we're gonna
spend our anniversary in
00:23:28.69\00:23:30.03
the world cup
stadium. You see friends your
00:23:30.04\00:23:32.74
wife will be very
offended by that. Yeah.
00:23:32.75\00:23:34.40
Mine would.
Yeah, mine would too.
00:23:35.17\00:23:36.82
You know, or you say well honey,
00:23:36.91\00:23:38.13
you know today is
the league championships
00:23:38.41\00:23:40.37
for all the boys,
we're going to bowl.
00:23:40.42\00:23:42.65
And then after that
we're gonna celebrate our
00:23:42.96\00:23:44.35
anniversary.
Now who comes first?
00:23:44.36\00:23:46.04
Who are you married
to? Yeah. So the Lord
00:23:46.05\00:23:47.99
established these three days.
00:23:48.00\00:23:49.32
Preparation, which is
in fact now we know as
00:23:49.78\00:23:52.16
Friday, the last
opportunity of preparation.
00:23:52.17\00:23:55.29
They didn't begin
their preparation of Friday
00:23:55.60\00:23:57.15
that was a last
opportunity of preparation.
00:23:57.16\00:23:58.85
They began
midweek. And they looked at
00:23:59.18\00:24:00.71
midweek from
Wednesday. They enjoyed
00:24:00.72\00:24:02.49
the blessing of the
Sabbath all the way up to
00:24:02.50\00:24:03.82
Wednesday. Then on
Wednesday down they
00:24:03.83\00:24:05.27
began their
preparation. And they ended
00:24:05.28\00:24:07.09
that time by the Sabbath.
00:24:07.10\00:24:09.72
Yeah. Two things pop into mind,
00:24:09.73\00:24:11.10
because when you
talked about Sabbath,
00:24:11.50\00:24:12.91
you went immediately to Luke.
00:24:12.92\00:24:14.58
I went immediately to Mark.
00:24:14.90\00:24:16.17
And we can both do
so because all for the
00:24:16.63\00:24:18.49
gospel say pretty
much the same thing.
00:24:18.50\00:24:20.01
I'm gonna just read one verse.
00:24:20.02\00:24:20.99
Go right ahead. Well
the first, Mark 16:1.
00:24:21.00\00:24:23.32
Now when the Sabbath was past,
00:24:23.67\00:24:24.88
Mary Magdalene,
Mary the mother of James,
00:24:24.94\00:24:26.96
Salome bought spices,
that they might come and
00:24:27.25\00:24:30.08
anoint Him. Very
early in the morning on the
00:24:30.09\00:24:32.81
first day of the
week, they came to the tomb
00:24:32.82\00:24:35.36
when the son had
risen. And they said among
00:24:36.87\00:24:39.01
themselves, who will
roll away the stone from
00:24:39.02\00:24:43.37
the door of the tomb?
But when they looked up,
00:24:43.38\00:24:46.32
they saw that the
stone was rolled away,
00:24:46.33\00:24:47.68
for it was very
large. So again Mark,
00:24:47.69\00:24:50.21
sort of adds
his log to the fire.
00:24:50.61\00:24:52.27
Reinforcing what
Matthew will say,
00:24:53.06\00:24:54.90
what Mark says, what Luke says,
00:24:54.91\00:24:56.66
what John says? They
identified the Sabbath
00:24:56.67\00:24:59.12
and the day immediately
following as the first
00:24:59.24\00:25:01.22
day of the week
the day we call Sunday.
00:25:01.23\00:25:02.79
I don't know the
Jewish terms but I do know
00:25:03.09\00:25:05.39
this that, when you
looked at how the Jewish
00:25:05.40\00:25:08.28
calendar was reined.
Sunday was called first
00:25:08.29\00:25:11.81
unto the Sabbath.
Monday second unto the
00:25:12.09\00:25:14.79
Sabbath. Tuesday
third unto the Sabbath.
00:25:14.80\00:25:17.09
Wednesday fourth
unto the Sabbath.
00:25:17.39\00:25:18.87
And the days marked
down of course their way
00:25:20.46\00:25:22.70
to the Sabbath.
Okay. So they based their
00:25:22.89\00:25:25.65
entire week on
Sabbath and each day was
00:25:25.66\00:25:28.66
just a prelude to
Sabbath, and was recorded
00:25:28.67\00:25:31.69
in reference to the
Sabbath. So it's pretty
00:25:31.76\00:25:35.73
clear from the Bible
from antiquity which day
00:25:35.74\00:25:37.69
is Saturday,
which day is Sunday,
00:25:37.93\00:25:39.59
which is seven, which is one.
00:25:39.71\00:25:41.21
And the Jewish
calendar marked it every
00:25:41.48\00:25:44.78
single day, so there
was no doubt as to what
00:25:44.79\00:25:46.58
the day was, and how
the day is related each
00:25:46.59\00:25:48.47
to the other. You know
as a matter fact friend,
00:25:48.48\00:25:51.25
I have here in my
Bible the Jewish calendar,
00:25:51.26\00:25:55.45
the civil calendar and
the sacred calendar from
00:25:55.46\00:25:58.55
which the
festivals were celebrated.
00:25:58.56\00:26:00.16
And you find that
depending on which one
00:26:00.63\00:26:03.10
it is, for example
in the civil calendar,
00:26:03.11\00:26:06.11
the first month
was called a Tishri.
00:26:07.12\00:26:09.93
But in the
sacred calendar that was
00:26:10.75\00:26:12.61
the Seventh month.
So it depends on what
00:26:12.62\00:26:15.46
they were observing
and how and their day
00:26:15.47\00:26:18.44
was broken up in
eight parts. We call them
00:26:18.45\00:26:21.04
the watches of
the day. Four watches
00:26:21.05\00:26:22.66
in the morning, four
watches in the evening.
00:26:22.67\00:26:24.43
That's why you get the
phrase morning watch from.
00:26:24.69\00:26:26.42
Really. Morning
watch, early in the morning
00:26:28.09\00:26:29.95
between 3 and 6
was the morning watch.
00:26:29.96\00:26:32.71
And Jesus rose
during the morning watch.
00:26:33.28\00:26:37.15
He rose during
the morning watch.
00:26:38.21\00:26:39.87
When the sun was
beginning to set and that
00:26:40.10\00:26:42.36
was from the
darkest to the beginning
00:26:42.37\00:26:44.81
of the sun. And that's
why there are songwriters
00:26:44.85\00:26:47.47
in Christendom that
have the songs like it
00:26:47.48\00:26:49.85
must be the breaking of the day.
00:26:49.86\00:26:51.12
Must be the breaking of the day.
00:26:51.17\00:26:52.14
Peter uses the
phrase the night is almost,
00:26:52.47\00:26:54.08
the night is far
spent. Yes. That was always
00:26:54.09\00:26:56.67
right between the 3
and 6 O'clock hour in
00:26:56.68\00:26:58.71
the morning, when they knew that
00:26:58.72\00:26:59.93
the sun was gonna
begin to rise or as
00:26:59.94\00:27:02.16
Mark said had
risen, so depending on when
00:27:02.17\00:27:04.28
you went they
considered that fourth watch
00:27:04.29\00:27:08.00
of the night, 3 AM to 6 AM,
00:27:08.01\00:27:10.35
the time that would
be considered the morning
00:27:10.58\00:27:14.02
beginning, the
last watch of the night,
00:27:14.03\00:27:16.39
the first watch of the morning.
00:27:16.40\00:27:17.45
But they winded
friends, nowhere in the
00:27:17.88\00:27:20.05
scripture do you
find that, that the Lord
00:27:20.06\00:27:22.81
is saying to us now
Monday is the new first day
00:27:23.63\00:27:27.00
of the week, yeah.
It's a civil thing,
00:27:27.01\00:27:28.74
it's not what any
encyclopedia, any Britannica,
00:27:28.82\00:27:33.45
any dictionary, any
kind of source you've
00:27:34.04\00:27:36.51
historically that
could lead you through it,
00:27:36.52\00:27:38.29
you'll find unequivocally
that Sunday is the first
00:27:38.62\00:27:41.26
day of the week no
matter how many people
00:27:41.27\00:27:43.60
honor it. It's the
first day of the week.
00:27:43.61\00:27:45.37
It's an honoring that
is totally traditional,
00:27:45.77\00:27:47.86
not something
based on scripture.
00:27:48.18\00:27:49.62
And those who honor
it will say we honor
00:27:49.88\00:27:51.63
the resurrection of the Christ,
00:27:51.64\00:27:52.79
that is where you
fall into a dangerous spot.
00:27:53.15\00:27:56.36
We talked about
Christmas a moment ago.
00:27:56.89\00:27:58.37
When you honor
something that Christ,
00:27:59.58\00:28:01.58
that replaces what
Christ said to honor,
00:28:02.26\00:28:04.63
He said remember the
Sabbath to keep it holy.
00:28:04.79\00:28:06.41
But then you start
calling Sunday the Sabbath.
00:28:07.27\00:28:09.14
Nowhere in scripture,
precisely, you start saying
00:28:09.43\00:28:12.01
Sunday is the holy
day, nowhere in scripture.
00:28:12.02\00:28:14.58
And you start saying
this is the day we're gonna
00:28:15.69\00:28:17.33
honor in spite of
what you said, nowhere in
00:28:17.34\00:28:19.69
scripture, yeah,
that's the danger right there.
00:28:19.70\00:28:21.58
Very true. So, I
think we, but I don't think
00:28:22.21\00:28:25.39
we have enough
time for that one.
00:28:25.40\00:28:26.51
And we thanked the
writer for that information
00:28:26.52\00:28:29.75
about what goes on in Europe.
00:28:29.76\00:28:30.73
But a man can play
with the days in a calendar,
00:28:31.65\00:28:34.20
of dates and times,
those kind of things, but,
00:28:34.21\00:28:36.06
God's word is eternal
and we stand on word of God.
00:28:36.31\00:28:38.83
That's right, and let
me also add this point,
00:28:38.97\00:28:41.82
in our family,
we have traditions.
00:28:42.46\00:28:44.23
I think every
family has a tradition.
00:28:44.94\00:28:46.21
When your
tradition, when your tradition,
00:28:46.83\00:28:50.17
the practice of
your tradition begins to
00:28:50.18\00:28:52.82
annihilate or violate
a principle or a teaching
00:28:53.29\00:29:00.17
that Jesus has
established you're teaching,
00:29:00.18\00:29:02.51
your principles
needs to be surrendered,
00:29:02.79\00:29:04.17
your tradition needs
to be surrendered when
00:29:04.42\00:29:06.50
it violates what the Lord says,
00:29:06.51\00:29:08.32
you shall do or shall not do.
00:29:08.87\00:29:10.84
You know if we have
a tradition and then
00:29:11.03\00:29:12.44
I want to say
this is terrible thing.
00:29:12.45\00:29:13.72
But if we had a
tradition as a family to steal.
00:29:14.01\00:29:16.76
And we say, well it's
the family tradition every,
00:29:17.94\00:29:19.75
you know every
February 5th we steal.
00:29:20.03\00:29:22.25
Now that's
ridiculous, but it may not be
00:29:23.83\00:29:26.24
ridiculous, I'm
thinking about all these thieves
00:29:26.25\00:29:28.33
in the world, somebody's
got a family tradition
00:29:28.34\00:29:29.95
of stealing.
Somebody may say this is
00:29:29.96\00:29:32.68
our tradition, we
don't hurt anybody we give
00:29:32.69\00:29:34.50
it back on February 6th.
Friends, anything that's,
00:29:34.51\00:29:37.69
and I use an
example that's you know
00:29:37.70\00:29:39.22
ludicrous off
the top of my head.
00:29:39.23\00:29:40.56
But it serves
to say simply this,
00:29:41.42\00:29:43.69
when the Lord
says remember something
00:29:43.90\00:29:45.86
to keep it holy, we
can't change it and say,
00:29:45.87\00:29:48.08
we're going to
establish our own.
00:29:48.26\00:29:49.62
But if He has
given no counsel as to,
00:29:50.07\00:29:52.20
to the establishment of
something that is either
00:29:52.77\00:29:55.72
in His honor, or
well that is in His honor,
00:29:55.73\00:29:59.17
He doesn't look at
that as a salvific issue,
00:29:59.86\00:30:02.58
unless we specifically
say, I'm honoring Mithra,
00:30:02.59\00:30:05.69
Tammuz and all the other Gods,
00:30:06.01\00:30:07.83
I'm bowing down to
the tree, I'm worshiping
00:30:07.84\00:30:09.89
the glittering lights,
I'm worshiping the wreath
00:30:10.93\00:30:13.22
on my window. I must
definitely so I don't sin
00:30:13.23\00:30:16.90
make this day a holy
day, those are things
00:30:17.28\00:30:19.03
that are not
scriptural. And that's where the
00:30:19.04\00:30:20.72
dangerous line becomes
one that we don't cross.
00:30:20.73\00:30:22.74
Precisely. I remember years ago,
00:30:22.75\00:30:23.90
someone told me,
well I keep everyday holy?
00:30:23.91\00:30:25.61
And I took issue with
that statement because
00:30:25.83\00:30:27.21
we are not by
nature holy beings,
00:30:27.22\00:30:28.72
we are being sanctified
by grace through faith.
00:30:28.73\00:30:31.82
And that is not of ourselves,
00:30:32.43\00:30:33.97
it is a gift of
God. We don't have
00:30:34.12\00:30:35.84
the power to keep
anything holy or make
00:30:35.85\00:30:38.18
anything holy. That's right.
00:30:38.19\00:30:39.16
God made the Sabbath holy,
00:30:39.17\00:30:40.72
that is the only holy day,
00:30:40.97\00:30:42.42
because only a
holy God can make a
00:30:42.43\00:30:44.29
day holy. That's
right. He didn't make
00:30:44.30\00:30:45.88
Sunday holy, so we
can't keep Sunday holy,
00:30:45.89\00:30:47.77
'cause it's not a
holy day, it's not in us to
00:30:48.01\00:30:49.74
make anything
holy. That's right.
00:30:49.75\00:30:50.98
So God does call it
holy, it is not holy.
00:30:50.99\00:30:53.34
The only reason we
are holy because God
00:30:53.59\00:30:55.22
makes us holy. We're
not holy in ourselves,
00:30:55.23\00:30:58.07
the one day that is
holy is the Sabbath.
00:30:58.52\00:31:00.36
Sunday is not the
holy day, Christmas is not
00:31:00.47\00:31:02.41
a holy day. That's right.
00:31:02.42\00:31:03.39
Because God did
not make them holy.
00:31:03.40\00:31:04.58
And we cannot do that.
00:31:04.59\00:31:05.64
Easter is not a holy day.
00:31:05.84\00:31:06.89
Easter not a holy
day. The Lord who rose on
00:31:06.90\00:31:08.76
Easter is holy.
Amen. The Lord who is
00:31:08.77\00:31:11.24
born as we say and
celebrate on our Christmas,
00:31:11.25\00:31:13.54
the Lord is holy
but the day is not.
00:31:13.65\00:31:15.82
So let's not strain it
and add and swallow a camel.
00:31:16.19\00:31:19.84
Because the same
people that sometimes
00:31:20.23\00:31:22.07
fighting on this
issue are some folk that
00:31:22.16\00:31:24.27
does some
non-traditional things,
00:31:25.77\00:31:27.27
they're finding,
trying to find some biblical
00:31:27.69\00:31:29.39
to quote for it.
Anyway, I've gone to
00:31:29.40\00:31:32.66
churches where they
have Super Bowl Sundays.
00:31:32.67\00:31:34.32
Yeah. And after the service,
00:31:34.65\00:31:35.86
they go to the
fellowship hall and watch
00:31:36.10\00:31:37.63
the Super Bowl. I
thought to myself,
00:31:37.64\00:31:39.55
we wouldn't do
it on the Sabbath,
00:31:41.06\00:31:42.08
the day is Lord's all
of it, 24 hours a day.
00:31:42.74\00:31:44.79
Well friends,
questions, any thing that comes
00:31:45.76\00:31:47.99
to your mind about
any topic we have covered
00:31:48.00\00:31:49.91
or haven't covered,
send those questions to
00:31:49.92\00:31:52.88
housecalls@3abn.org
And we'll make sure
00:31:52.89\00:31:55.57
and get to that.
Questions are great,
00:31:55.58\00:31:56.97
it's good. Questions are great.
00:31:57.60\00:31:58.57
Those are great.
Get them back to money,
00:31:58.58\00:32:00.10
would you like to
lend me some money?
00:32:00.96\00:32:02.15
That's not our topic today.
00:32:03.46\00:32:04.67
Friends, you know this
is a topic that so many
00:32:05.51\00:32:07.36
people have issues
with because some people.
00:32:07.37\00:32:10.06
I remember one person saying,
00:32:10.81\00:32:11.85
you know the
reason I'm going to church
00:32:11.86\00:32:13.30
is the same
reason I shouldn't go to
00:32:13.31\00:32:15.08
the baseball again.
When I go they always
00:32:15.09\00:32:17.87
ask me for money.
Oh boy! Now you're
00:32:17.88\00:32:21.22
not going to get into
a baseball game unless
00:32:21.23\00:32:22.77
you pay. Unless it's
a little league game.
00:32:22.78\00:32:25.18
But you know, you
don't pay to get into
00:32:25.46\00:32:26.67
the church.
Salvation is free, money,
00:32:26.68\00:32:29.88
the Lord has
established that as a test as
00:32:30.41\00:32:33.34
to where our heart is.
But you know what friends?
00:32:33.35\00:32:35.81
The Lord doesn't
need our money to keep his
00:32:35.88\00:32:37.66
lights on. We need
His money to keep our
00:32:37.67\00:32:41.03
lights on, the Lord
doesn't need our money
00:32:41.04\00:32:43.11
to keep His car
going. He is not limited by
00:32:43.12\00:32:46.00
space and time, He
doesn't need a vehicle.
00:32:46.01\00:32:48.27
But we need His
blessing to keep our vehicles
00:32:48.60\00:32:50.92
going. We're gonna
look at this and point out
00:32:50.93\00:32:54.43
a few things, we talked
about the different types
00:32:54.44\00:32:56.36
of money in scripture.
You know the Shilling,
00:32:56.37\00:32:58.10
the Shekel, oh not the
Shilling but the Shekel,
00:32:58.53\00:33:01.16
the talent and all
the different symbols that
00:33:01.17\00:33:04.96
the Bible uses to
identify various types of
00:33:04.97\00:33:10.05
monetary values.
And we concluded that if
00:33:10.06\00:33:12.68
we want it any
type of monetary value
00:33:12.69\00:33:14.37
in the scriptures,
we'd like a talent.
00:33:14.38\00:33:16.29
Yes, yes. Because
talent is extremely high
00:33:16.45\00:33:21.31
valued. But I want
to point us to now a few
00:33:21.32\00:33:25.54
texts in the
scripture to see that the Lord
00:33:25.55\00:33:28.61
is really specific
about how we handle money.
00:33:29.49\00:33:34.51
And I want to start
first off with an example
00:33:34.52\00:33:37.23
in Matthew 17,
verse 24 to verse 27.
00:33:37.24\00:33:42.71
Because this was a
scripture in Bible where
00:33:42.91\00:33:47.22
the issue of customs,
and how Jesus response
00:33:47.23\00:33:51.54
to customs about
financial matters,
00:33:51.55\00:33:54.04
we talked about
it in Matthew 17,
00:33:54.40\00:33:55.90
so if have your Bibles,
go with us to Matthew 17.
00:33:55.91\00:33:58.61
I might have you Pastor C.A.,
00:33:58.62\00:34:01.63
read Matthew 17
beginning with verse 24.
00:34:02.14\00:34:05.32
24 and we would
be glad to do so,
00:34:05.33\00:34:07.55
"When they had
come to Capernaum,
00:34:08.06\00:34:09.77
those who received
the temple tax came to
00:34:10.55\00:34:13.53
Peter and said,
does your teacher not pay
00:34:13.54\00:34:16.50
the temple tax? He said, Yes.
00:34:16.51\00:34:19.14
And when he was
come into the house,
00:34:19.49\00:34:21.10
Jesus anticipated him, saying,
00:34:21.12\00:34:22.99
What do you think, Simon?
00:34:23.55\00:34:24.93
From whom do the
Kings of the earth take
00:34:25.44\00:34:29.01
customs or taxes
from their sons or
00:34:29.12\00:34:31.86
from strangers?
Peter said to him,
00:34:31.87\00:34:34.36
from strangers.
Jesus said to him,
00:34:34.88\00:34:37.25
then the sons are
free. Never the less,
00:34:37.79\00:34:40.74
lest we offend
them, go to the sea,
00:34:41.27\00:34:43.92
cast in a boat, and
take a fish that comes up
00:34:44.24\00:34:47.16
first; and when you
have opened its mouth,
00:34:47.17\00:34:50.30
you will find a piece of money,
00:34:50.61\00:34:52.58
take that and give
to them for me and you."
00:34:53.27\00:34:56.91
Okay. You've heard the
phrase render to Caesar
00:34:57.21\00:35:00.96
what is Caesars and
into God what is God's.
00:35:00.97\00:35:02.93
This is a phrase that
came up in this story,
00:35:03.24\00:35:05.15
this narrative and
I'd like you to go with us
00:35:05.16\00:35:06.74
to Exodus Chapter 30 to see,
00:35:06.75\00:35:08.64
the phrase the temple tax,
00:35:09.09\00:35:10.98
there was also a census tax.
00:35:12.95\00:35:15.14
And what amazes me
C.A., is that taxing was
00:35:15.62\00:35:20.16
not supposed to
be around forever.
00:35:20.17\00:35:21.78
But now we see there
are two things that are
00:35:22.66\00:35:24.29
certain for
sure, death and taxes.
00:35:24.30\00:35:26.25
Death and taxes.
And, but I want to you
00:35:26.26\00:35:28.72
to see in Exodus Chapter 30.
00:35:28.73\00:35:30.15
And if you could read
for us verse 13 to verse 15.
00:35:30.50\00:35:33.78
Exodus 30, 13 to 15.
00:35:34.85\00:35:38.16
Talking about
the temple tax here.
00:35:39.12\00:35:40.37
"This they what
every one among them those
00:35:42.11\00:35:43.93
who are numbered shall give,
00:35:43.94\00:35:45.60
half a shekel
according to the shekel of
00:35:46.04\00:35:48.34
the sanctuary: a
shekel is twenty gerahs,
00:35:48.35\00:35:51.11
the half shekel shall
be an offering to the LORD.
00:35:51.67\00:35:54.56
Fourteen, Every one
included among those who
00:35:54.88\00:35:57.49
are numbered, from
twenty years old and above,
00:35:57.50\00:35:59.80
shall give an offering to
the LORD. And in verse 15.
00:36:00.25\00:36:02.75
The rich shall not
give more and the poor,
00:36:02.76\00:36:07.86
shall not give
less than half a shekel,
00:36:07.87\00:36:11.12
when you give an
offering to the LORD,
00:36:12.40\00:36:14.32
to make an
atonement for yourselves.
00:36:14.51\00:36:16.41
Okay. And let's
just include verse 16.
00:36:16.43\00:36:19.62
And you shall take
the atonement money of
00:36:20.30\00:36:22.89
the children of Israel,
and shall appoint it for
00:36:22.90\00:36:25.79
the service of the
tabernacle of the meeting;
00:36:25.80\00:36:28.11
that it may be a
memorial for the children of
00:36:28.41\00:36:30.74
Israel before the LORD,
00:36:30.75\00:36:31.93
to make an
atonement for yourselves."
00:36:32.24\00:36:34.15
This friend was the
illustrated point of
00:36:34.74\00:36:37.68
the temple tax.
Notice it pointed out
00:36:37.69\00:36:40.77
twenty years and
older. So if you are under
00:36:41.11\00:36:43.60
twenty, but it
also pointed out that,
00:36:43.61\00:36:45.33
the Lord was not
concerned as to whether
00:36:48.07\00:36:49.83
you're poor or
whether you're rich,
00:36:49.84\00:36:51.59
the temple tax
was same for both.
00:36:51.60\00:36:53.37
And so the issue
that came about in
00:36:53.76\00:36:55.21
The New Testament
was whether or not while
00:36:55.22\00:36:58.01
they were under
the reign of Rome,
00:36:58.02\00:36:59.78
should we still
pay this temple tax?
00:37:00.08\00:37:02.04
Should we still give
this temple tax now that
00:37:02.69\00:37:04.51
Rome is really
breathing down our necks?
00:37:04.52\00:37:07.55
And they were hoping
that Jesus would say no.
00:37:07.94\00:37:11.27
Now they were
under the reign of Caesar
00:37:11.48\00:37:13.54
don't give any temple tax,
00:37:14.24\00:37:15.44
because it's all
about giving money to him.
00:37:15.49\00:37:17.58
But now let's go to
Matthew 22 verse 19 to 21
00:37:17.97\00:37:22.19
and see what Jesus'
attitude was about this
00:37:22.69\00:37:24.54
temple tax? The Jews
sought to free themselves
00:37:24.55\00:37:28.03
from many of the
bondages that were placed
00:37:28.14\00:37:30.30
on them by
agreements made between
00:37:30.31\00:37:34.40
the Pharisees and
Scribes and Sadducees
00:37:34.41\00:37:36.51
and the Jews. One of
the reasons why Jesus
00:37:36.52\00:37:39.69
was crucified is
because Pilate wanted to
00:37:39.70\00:37:43.56
remain in favor with the Jews.
00:37:43.57\00:37:45.05
One of the reasons
why the Jews waxed Pilate
00:37:45.58\00:37:47.81
so much is so that
they could remain in favor
00:37:47.82\00:37:49.80
with him. It was more
about favoritism with each
00:37:49.81\00:37:52.15
other than
loyalty to Jesus Christ.
00:37:52.16\00:37:54.29
Very much sir. But when
it came to loyalty C. A.
00:37:54.33\00:37:57.06
where does Jesus
stand on the issue because
00:37:57.46\00:37:59.09
He could be easily
said, you know I instituted
00:37:59.10\00:38:01.66
the temple tax, now I
am going to get rid of
00:38:01.67\00:38:03.45
it because you're
under Caesar's Rome
00:38:03.46\00:38:04.75
but notice his attitude friends.
00:38:04.76\00:38:06.12
And this is the principle
that we can apply today
00:38:06.54\00:38:08.67
in whatever
government you are in because
00:38:08.95\00:38:10.35
you may say, I live
in an unjust government.
00:38:10.36\00:38:12.63
But I'm to go a step further,
00:38:13.19\00:38:14.34
they maybe those who
are watching the program
00:38:15.16\00:38:16.61
and say, I don't like
the way our church handles
00:38:16.62\00:38:18.60
the tithe. You get
that? People may say,
00:38:18.61\00:38:23.41
I don't like the way
that our church handles
00:38:23.42\00:38:25.00
the tithe. So I'm not
going to give it anymore.
00:38:25.01\00:38:27.78
Well you know the
reason I still give the tithe
00:38:28.67\00:38:30.53
is because you're
gonna have to answer for your
00:38:30.54\00:38:32.65
mishandling of it.
Yes. But I'm gonna have to
00:38:32.66\00:38:35.03
answer for my not giving it.
00:38:35.04\00:38:36.49
And notice what the
Lord said in refer to this,
00:38:37.25\00:38:39.12
Matthew 22 verse 19
to 21 read that for us.
00:38:39.32\00:38:41.79
Okay. We're in Matthew 22:19.
00:38:42.03\00:38:44.96
Show me the tax money.
00:38:45.83\00:38:48.09
So they brought him a denarius.
00:38:48.42\00:38:49.84
Verse 20, And he said to them,
00:38:51.45\00:38:52.81
whose image and
inscription is this?
00:38:53.21\00:38:55.77
Verse 21. They
said to him, Caesar's.
00:38:56.52\00:38:58.71
And said them,
render therefore to Caesar
00:38:59.16\00:39:01.32
the things that are
Caesar's; and to God
00:39:01.62\00:39:04.85
the things that are God's.
00:39:04.86\00:39:06.47
Okay, so in another
words, He said well,
00:39:06.76\00:39:10.26
since the inscription
on this coin is Caesar's.
00:39:11.79\00:39:14.72
Caesar made it very, very clear.
00:39:15.45\00:39:16.91
In America we have on
our dollar bill and many
00:39:16.98\00:39:19.78
of our legal tender
notes, in God we trust.
00:39:19.79\00:39:22.52
I think it's
even on the quarter,
00:39:22.53\00:39:23.68
and you can see it
pretty easily on the quarter,
00:39:23.69\00:39:25.05
it's hard to see it on the dime.
00:39:25.06\00:39:27.17
But on, I think on all
of our money right now,
00:39:27.87\00:39:30.27
there is in God we trust. Yes.
00:39:30.71\00:39:32.91
The inference of that
is simply we're recognizing
00:39:33.47\00:39:35.72
that the Lord is the
giver of every perfect gift.
00:39:35.73\00:39:38.08
Yes, and of course
there's a moment to take
00:39:38.09\00:39:39.46
that off, to take,
in God we trust off,
00:39:39.47\00:39:41.73
of the money. And
so what is our attitude
00:39:41.83\00:39:46.07
toward that, the
Lord is first saying,
00:39:46.08\00:39:48.38
if you're living in the
United States or in Canada
00:39:48.88\00:39:51.92
or wherever it
maybe. And I think that we
00:39:52.08\00:39:55.95
complain a lot about
the goods and services
00:39:55.96\00:39:57.74
that we get here.
But we have to admit that
00:39:57.75\00:40:01.16
whatever these
funds are used for,
00:40:01.77\00:40:03.38
some people say
well I am a Republican,
00:40:03.63\00:40:04.97
some people say I am Democrat,
00:40:04.98\00:40:06.04
some people say I'm Independent,
00:40:06.05\00:40:07.12
I don't like the
present administration.
00:40:07.13\00:40:09.09
Friends, settle all
those issues in your own heart.
00:40:09.61\00:40:11.65
But the fact of the
matter is whether you are
00:40:11.66\00:40:13.06
a Republican or a
democratic or independent,
00:40:13.07\00:40:14.98
you don't pay taxes.
You gonna be really be
00:40:15.55\00:40:17.69
independent. You're
gonna be in trouble.
00:40:17.70\00:40:19.11
You're gonna be on your own.
00:40:19.89\00:40:20.86
And so the issue is
here is not so much Jesus
00:40:21.17\00:40:23.26
saying that
support any specific party,
00:40:23.27\00:40:24.96
he wasn't saying
to the Jews support
00:40:25.30\00:40:27.05
the Romans. He was
saying if it there's
00:40:27.06\00:40:30.11
it belongs to them. It
it's God it belong to His.
00:40:30.56\00:40:34.11
Now taxes belongs to Uncle Sam,
00:40:34.67\00:40:36.43
a fictitious
character, I never met the guy.
00:40:36.88\00:40:38.63
Totally like a Santa
Claus. There is no such
00:40:40.11\00:40:42.28
thing as Santa Claus,
there is no such thing
00:40:42.29\00:40:44.45
as Uncle Sam, fictitious
name, to give somebody
00:40:44.46\00:40:47.66
to look toward.
Uncle Sam wants you,
00:40:47.67\00:40:49.70
he wants your money also. Yeah.
00:40:49.71\00:40:51.06
But the Lord is
saying, if Rome brought this
00:40:52.03\00:40:56.03
about they have the
right to require of your tax.
00:40:56.04\00:40:59.07
When it comes to
serving the Lord, yeah,
00:41:00.11\00:41:01.81
He has a right to
require of you tithe,
00:41:02.24\00:41:04.56
it's His. And
that's why we don't,
00:41:04.95\00:41:07.09
even though we may not
like a particular policy
00:41:07.21\00:41:09.06
of the church, you're
paying it to the church,
00:41:09.07\00:41:11.39
yes. But in a greater
way you are fulfilling a
00:41:12.55\00:41:15.30
covenant that you
have made with God.
00:41:15.31\00:41:16.92
That's right. So if
the church is mishandling,
00:41:17.04\00:41:19.90
well then the Lord
will take care of that,
00:41:19.91\00:41:20.98
He is still God. But
that does not change your
00:41:20.99\00:41:23.70
covenant with God.
Once I have covenanted
00:41:23.71\00:41:25.69
with God to do this
than regardless of what
00:41:25.70\00:41:28.39
they do, my
covenant says, I must,
00:41:28.40\00:41:30.74
I must do this.
And we don't want to,
00:41:30.75\00:41:32.16
to violate that at all
that's something between
00:41:32.39\00:41:34.99
me and my God. And
you know what friends?
00:41:35.00\00:41:37.64
The question you
must ask yourself is,
00:41:37.65\00:41:38.95
when you wake up in
the morning to go to work,
00:41:39.06\00:41:40.27
if you work from
home, if you're one of those
00:41:40.28\00:41:41.73
people that could
do that. Some people,
00:41:41.83\00:41:43.52
you know they are
those individuals that they
00:41:44.03\00:41:45.73
call in California
they are telecommuters,
00:41:45.74\00:41:49.18
they work in
traffic. They make all
00:41:49.25\00:41:51.42
these connections
phones, cell phones, laptops,
00:41:51.43\00:41:53.48
wireless signals
all over the city. Sure.
00:41:54.01\00:41:55.93
But if you're blessed anyhow,
00:41:56.74\00:41:58.44
if money comes to
your life anyway it does,
00:41:58.52\00:42:00.79
I want you to
remember this principle,
00:42:01.18\00:42:02.58
go with us to
Deuteronomy Chapter 8 and
00:42:02.65\00:42:04.63
verse 18. This
narrative, C.A. is just an
00:42:04.64\00:42:08.72
amazing narrative,
because there's some selfish
00:42:08.73\00:42:10.74
people around the
world. And I know that to
00:42:10.75\00:42:12.74
be a fact that, I
mean the human heart,
00:42:12.75\00:42:17.80
I like the comment
you made earlier in
00:42:18.28\00:42:19.61
the program, you said
we don't tend to award
00:42:19.62\00:42:22.34
holy things period.
You know we don't think
00:42:22.35\00:42:25.08
about making things
holy. We're not crazy
00:42:25.09\00:42:29.26
about the things that are holy.
00:42:29.27\00:42:30.97
So we're not just
stressing out over the fact
00:42:32.03\00:42:33.76
that this is holy or
that is holy or the other
00:42:33.77\00:42:36.95
is holy.
Deuteronomy 8, while I am in
00:42:36.96\00:42:40.23
Deuteronomy 18.
Here in Deuteronomy 8.
00:42:40.24\00:42:42.94
I got 8, Let's start
with, let me see what
00:42:42.95\00:42:45.74
part of the passage
I like to begin with.
00:42:45.75\00:42:47.19
Oh, yeah, okay,
start with verse 10.
00:42:47.94\00:42:51.94
Start with verse 10
and read down to verse 18,
00:42:52.77\00:42:54.75
you got to follow along friends,
00:42:55.03\00:42:56.22
this is a very
powerful principle.
00:42:56.23\00:42:57.61
For those of you
think that you got it all
00:42:57.62\00:43:00.15
you know what, all
it takes is for the Lord
00:43:00.57\00:43:03.47
to remove His
hand of help from you.
00:43:03.48\00:43:05.58
Oh, yes. And you
won't have any money.
00:43:05.59\00:43:07.36
You can have the
best retirement plan,
00:43:07.76\00:43:09.67
it could all go up in smoke.
00:43:09.92\00:43:11.26
It can mean absolutely
nothing if you are all
00:43:11.27\00:43:13.35
of a sudden, if
your health is impacted,
00:43:13.36\00:43:15.81
if you lose your
job, you could forget it.
00:43:16.66\00:43:19.08
One good illness or
one bad illness can reduce
00:43:19.62\00:43:22.35
a fairly solvent
account to shambles,
00:43:22.72\00:43:26.42
that's right, it's
something in this country.
00:43:26.43\00:43:27.94
So in Deuteronomy
Chapter 8 and beginning
00:43:28.19\00:43:30.18
from verse 10.
Start from the verse 10:
00:43:30.19\00:43:31.26
When you are eaten and are full,
00:43:31.27\00:43:33.79
then you shall
bless the Lord your God,
00:43:34.49\00:43:36.50
for the good land
which he has given you.
00:43:37.00\00:43:39.03
Okay, first of all,
when you have eaten and
00:43:39.04\00:43:41.94
you are full. You
bless the Lord for the good
00:43:41.95\00:43:45.38
land that He has given to you.
00:43:45.39\00:43:46.47
And you can translate
that into your real estate,
00:43:46.74\00:43:49.04
sitting in your
house. When you eat at your
00:43:49.22\00:43:52.17
table and you are
full, you could look around
00:43:52.18\00:43:53.75
and say, praise the
Lord for this wonderful home.
00:43:53.76\00:43:55.93
When you have that
closing and they finally put
00:43:55.94\00:43:57.44
those keys in your
hand. You know what it's like?
00:43:57.45\00:43:59.55
Yeah. Do you
know what it's like?
00:43:59.56\00:44:01.01
You are the owner
now, bless the Lord,
00:44:01.02\00:44:03.32
don't forget. They
say, I got my own spot
00:44:03.33\00:44:05.35
on the planet.
Yes. It's a blessing,
00:44:05.36\00:44:07.05
keep going. Of verse,
beware that you do not
00:44:07.38\00:44:10.88
forget the Lord my
God, by not keeping his
00:44:10.89\00:44:14.76
commandments, His judgments,
00:44:14.77\00:44:16.62
and his statutes,
which I command you today.
00:44:16.72\00:44:19.44
Lest when you've
eaten and are full,
00:44:20.20\00:44:22.42
and have built beautiful houses,
00:44:22.91\00:44:24.65
and dwell in them.
And when your herds and
00:44:25.03\00:44:27.68
your flocks multiply,
and your silver and your
00:44:27.69\00:44:30.54
gold are multiplied,
and all that you have is
00:44:30.55\00:44:34.56
multiplied. When
your heart is lifted up,
00:44:34.57\00:44:37.17
and you forget
the Lord your God,
00:44:37.51\00:44:39.92
who brought you out
of the land of Egypt,
00:44:39.97\00:44:41.64
from the house of bondage.
00:44:42.04\00:44:44.30
Verse 15, And led you
through that great and
00:44:45.64\00:44:48.81
terrible
wilderness, in which were fiery
00:44:48.82\00:44:51.00
serpents, and
scorpions, and thirsty land,
00:44:51.01\00:44:54.25
where there was no water.
00:44:54.56\00:44:55.68
Who brought the
water for you out of
00:44:55.92\00:44:57.79
the flinty rock.
And the verse 16,
00:44:57.80\00:45:00.96
let me tell you the
reason why we are going
00:45:02.19\00:45:03.56
to this because the
Lord reminds us how terrible
00:45:03.57\00:45:05.44
it used to be. So
we could appreciate how
00:45:05.45\00:45:07.51
good it is. How good
it is. And these verses
00:45:07.52\00:45:09.55
when you go from
verse 15 down to verse 17,
00:45:09.83\00:45:12.64
the Lord is reminding
them how terrible it used
00:45:13.08\00:45:15.68
to be. You're sitting back now,
00:45:15.69\00:45:17.15
your investments
are coming through.
00:45:17.38\00:45:18.93
Your portfolio is
providing a wonderful secure
00:45:19.30\00:45:22.92
future. The stock
market is finally stable,
00:45:22.93\00:45:25.30
at least it
appears to be that way.
00:45:25.61\00:45:27.27
And you are sitting
down like a fat cat at
00:45:27.79\00:45:29.52
your table, enjoying all of you,
00:45:29.53\00:45:30.93
all your food and
everything is working
00:45:31.19\00:45:32.87
for you. And all
of a sudden you think,
00:45:32.88\00:45:35.16
look at what I have done?
00:45:35.98\00:45:36.95
Yeah, That's why
the Lord is saying now
00:45:36.96\00:45:38.71
remember, I have
found you, I have found
00:45:38.72\00:45:41.01
you in the wilderness,
in a terrible wilderness.
00:45:41.02\00:45:43.51
Where the devil
was all around you,
00:45:44.67\00:45:45.85
fiery serpents and scorpions.
00:45:45.86\00:45:47.62
You were thirsty, you
couldn't make ends meet,
00:45:48.44\00:45:50.01
you didn't even have any water.
00:45:50.02\00:45:51.13
I had to bring water
out of a flinty rock.
00:45:51.14\00:45:52.90
Oh yes. Verse
16, who, I fed you in
00:45:52.91\00:45:56.07
the wilderness, when
you were not yet where
00:45:56.08\00:45:58.13
you are, who kept you going?
00:45:58.14\00:45:59.92
When you were in that
one bed room apartment
00:46:00.25\00:46:01.89
the Lord is in essence saying.
00:46:01.90\00:46:03.01
And you could even
keep the lights on,
00:46:03.38\00:46:04.87
you had a hot
plate, who kept you going?
00:46:04.88\00:46:07.03
The Lord says, I have
set you in the wilderness of
00:46:07.55\00:46:09.62
your days, I gave
you Manna everyday.
00:46:09.63\00:46:12.00
He says and here
the reason for verse 16,
00:46:12.90\00:46:14.71
that He might humble
you and He might test
00:46:15.52\00:46:19.81
you to do you good in the end.
00:46:19.82\00:46:23.26
See, the Lord
doesn't want to do us bad,
00:46:23.86\00:46:25.18
but now read the
verse 18 now or verse 17.
00:46:25.19\00:46:28.53
And then you say in your heart,
00:46:29.35\00:46:30.49
My power and the
might of my hand have
00:46:31.09\00:46:34.63
gained me this
wealth. We call that
00:46:34.64\00:46:36.00
Nebuchadnezzar disease. Exactly.
00:46:36.01\00:46:38.04
Is this not Great
Babylon that I have built,
00:46:38.41\00:46:40.06
my car in the
driveway, you know,
00:46:40.37\00:46:41.92
my refrigerator full of food.
00:46:42.27\00:46:43.34
Then you got to shine
that car and all the Lord
00:46:43.58\00:46:45.26
has to do is take
the air out of it.
00:46:45.27\00:46:46.31
It's His air in
the tires by the way.
00:46:46.69\00:46:48.84
Verse 18: And you
shall remember the Lord
00:46:49.68\00:46:52.49
your God: for it is He
who gives you the power
00:46:52.50\00:46:55.83
to get wealth, that
He may establish his
00:46:55.84\00:46:58.59
covenant which he
swore to your fathers,
00:46:58.60\00:47:00.95
as it is this day.
And l like verse 19 I must
00:47:01.44\00:47:05.91
add verse 19 friends
because it's an abnegation
00:47:05.92\00:47:08.28
to be careful. Then
if shall be if you by
00:47:08.29\00:47:11.88
any means forget the Lord,
00:47:12.09\00:47:14.35
and follow other
Gods, and serve them and
00:47:15.51\00:47:18.37
worship them, I
testify against you this day
00:47:18.38\00:47:22.38
that you shall surely
perish. Some people have
00:47:22.74\00:47:25.41
lost everything, lost
their house, their car,
00:47:25.42\00:47:27.54
their bank account,
oh yes, lost every thing
00:47:27.55\00:47:29.82
because they forgot
God, hey got to the place,
00:47:30.15\00:47:32.19
I won't mention the
name but you know them
00:47:32.37\00:47:33.57
very well, I don't
want to mention that,
00:47:33.58\00:47:35.87
because he could be
watching the program,
00:47:35.88\00:47:37.06
but I'll tell you
after the program is off.
00:47:37.07\00:47:38.31
Good friend of ours,
used to play basketball
00:47:38.49\00:47:39.89
with us on our team
at Bethel, New York.
00:47:39.90\00:47:41.95
And brother got
good job, left New York,
00:47:42.56\00:47:45.87
I won't say where he lived,
00:47:46.04\00:47:47.01
because I don't
want to get too pointed.
00:47:47.02\00:47:47.99
And got to the place
where he made so much
00:47:48.65\00:47:51.65
money when he sold
his house where it was to
00:47:51.66\00:47:54.66
buy another house
where he was going,
00:47:54.67\00:47:56.12
see I'm vague.
Made so much money,
00:47:56.22\00:48:01.32
I mean the house just really,
00:48:01.73\00:48:03.00
real estates in the
large cities like New York,
00:48:03.39\00:48:05.17
Los Angeles, all
these big cities real estate
00:48:05.18\00:48:06.95
really comes
through, when he sold it.
00:48:06.96\00:48:08.57
Got all this
money. And you know what,
00:48:09.11\00:48:11.03
okay let's just say he
made a million dollars.
00:48:11.79\00:48:13.59
I mean a million
dollars is a lot of money to
00:48:13.67\00:48:15.22
the pauper, but a
million dollars is nothing to
00:48:15.23\00:48:17.51
the Lord. A million
dollars wouldn't carry you
00:48:17.52\00:48:20.77
but almost a month here at 3ABN.
00:48:20.78\00:48:22.97
But it appears to
be a lot when you come
00:48:23.98\00:48:25.51
out of something
when you paid $30,000
00:48:25.52\00:48:27.28
for and you sell it
for $700,000, you did
00:48:27.29\00:48:29.25
really well. Came out all that,
00:48:29.56\00:48:31.63
he really made it,
moved out of the city,
00:48:31.81\00:48:34.11
went to the place
where there are hurricanes.
00:48:34.31\00:48:35.92
And left the church, and
a hurricane came through,
00:48:37.07\00:48:42.77
won't say which
city it was, yeah,
00:48:43.00\00:48:44.25
demolished his
house. Oh, my goodness.
00:48:45.33\00:48:47.52
And it reminded me of verse 19.
00:48:48.98\00:48:50.96
You know it's funny
because how your mind
00:48:51.07\00:48:52.66
works, because we
played on that same
00:48:52.67\00:48:53.84
basketball team together,
00:48:53.85\00:48:54.86
that was thirty
years ago, we were a lot
00:48:55.11\00:48:56.53
younger then. Oh
yeah, and I suspect a lot
00:48:56.54\00:48:58.34
better looking. But I
wonder who that person is,
00:48:58.35\00:49:01.11
I think I know who
that is, but I think your
00:49:01.12\00:49:02.58
point is well
taken. The Lord blesses you
00:49:02.59\00:49:05.08
and you, you sit back
and say well, this is,
00:49:05.67\00:49:08.29
I did this, this
is my work, my genius,
00:49:08.35\00:49:11.00
my investment that came through.
00:49:11.11\00:49:12.54
I set the price.
And the same Lord
00:49:12.61\00:49:14.12
who can built it up,
can blow on it and it's
00:49:14.13\00:49:16.46
gone just that
fast. That's right.
00:49:16.47\00:49:18.55
So it encourages us,
it demands our humility,
00:49:18.56\00:49:21.94
you know to God,
who is the author of
00:49:22.36\00:49:24.31
the strength that we
have to get to get well.
00:49:24.32\00:49:26.24
It's a very vital
text. Oh this is powerful,
00:49:26.48\00:49:28.65
we don't have to use
this text but the Lord
00:49:28.66\00:49:30.03
is in essence saying,
don't get to the place
00:49:30.04\00:49:31.84
where you're so
hardy, and so puffed up that
00:49:31.85\00:49:34.25
you think that it
all belongs to you.
00:49:34.26\00:49:35.62
It doesn't belong to
us, we're stewards of it.
00:49:35.78\00:49:37.97
Matter of fact, go
with us to Psalms 24:1,
00:49:38.21\00:49:40.61
you've read this
before, but I think,
00:49:41.29\00:49:42.28
it's worth repeating right now.
00:49:44.10\00:49:45.53
Today is tongue
twister day, isn't it?
00:49:46.10\00:49:47.41
Yeah. I thought so.
Yeah, we're both having
00:49:47.59\00:49:49.98
trouble. Friends,
pray for us, today is the
00:49:49.99\00:49:52.73
tongue twister day,
we didn't know that,
00:49:52.74\00:49:54.06
we're gonna establish a new day.
00:49:54.92\00:49:55.91
December 15, Tongue Twister day.
00:49:56.82\00:49:58.54
Or December 14th
whatever day it is.
00:49:58.87\00:50:00.36
Listen to this,
Psalms 24 verse 1,
00:50:01.50\00:50:03.73
The earth is the Lord's,
and the fullness thereof;
00:50:05.11\00:50:10.72
the world, and
those who dwell therein.
00:50:10.86\00:50:13.70
Okay, CA, let me
out you a question,
00:50:14.23\00:50:15.70
what do you own?
Nothing, the truth is
00:50:15.97\00:50:19.89
nothing. And if you
think you own your house,
00:50:19.90\00:50:21.87
stop paying taxes
and the government will
00:50:22.30\00:50:24.35
show you who owns your house?
00:50:24.97\00:50:26.17
You think you own your land,
00:50:26.34\00:50:27.53
just decide not
to pay, it's my land,
00:50:27.95\00:50:29.98
you're gonna be
fighting the rest of your life
00:50:30.68\00:50:32.05
for that. You know it's funny,
00:50:32.06\00:50:33.09
just last week my
wife and I got up in the
00:50:33.10\00:50:34.99
morning, Monday morning we said,
00:50:35.00\00:50:36.05
something is
different in our front yard?
00:50:36.30\00:50:37.68
And there was more
light coming in, in the
00:50:38.80\00:50:40.91
window. And we had
noticed that the city had
00:50:40.92\00:50:43.16
come by and cut
our trees. Because they
00:50:43.17\00:50:45.34
were growing up too
close to the parallel lines.
00:50:45.35\00:50:47.10
Yeah. So they
just came and cut them.
00:50:47.29\00:50:48.62
We said, what's all of
the light coming through
00:50:50.24\00:50:51.71
the bedroom window.
They cut down our trees
00:50:51.72\00:50:54.30
on our land. That's
right. They said, they're
00:50:54.31\00:50:55.82
too close to our
wires, so they cut them.
00:50:55.83\00:50:57.62
And they put a
little note under the door,
00:50:58.07\00:50:59.20
oh by the way we cut your trees.
00:50:59.21\00:51:00.40
So you know, you
think, you say my house
00:51:00.90\00:51:02.86
that I own, we own
nothing, you know we
00:51:02.87\00:51:05.21
own really, really
nothing. It all belongs to God.
00:51:05.22\00:51:07.35
The only thing we
really own is our reputation,
00:51:07.36\00:51:09.40
our character and
even that is forged through
00:51:09.69\00:51:12.02
trial by a God of
love. So we own nothing.
00:51:12.03\00:51:14.70
My mother-in-law
says, when a baby is born
00:51:14.87\00:51:17.90
open his hand and
see what's in there.
00:51:19.11\00:51:21.20
And let him keep it
because that's all he has.
00:51:22.41\00:51:25.72
There's nothing in
there when he's born,
00:51:26.82\00:51:28.22
and when he's dying,
open his hand and look
00:51:28.52\00:51:31.94
and see what's in
there. He's always gonna
00:51:31.95\00:51:33.73
take out of the world with it.
00:51:33.74\00:51:34.85
That's it friends,
we don't have anything.
00:51:35.25\00:51:36.57
That's why when you
get to the number of
00:51:37.10\00:51:38.90
things in
scripture, I want to jump to,
00:51:38.91\00:51:40.27
I wanna jump to a
particular few texts here
00:51:41.40\00:51:43.55
that are very
important in reference to this
00:51:43.56\00:51:44.88
topic. Proverbs 3 in verse 9.
00:51:44.89\00:51:49.20
Talking about principles here,
00:51:49.51\00:51:50.48
we could talk about the tithe,
00:51:50.49\00:51:51.57
and we know the
tithe is important.
00:51:52.34\00:51:53.88
But I want to
establish some principles here.
00:51:54.41\00:51:56.37
Some principles that
will bless you in your life
00:51:56.38\00:51:59.46
whether you are a
very wealthy person or
00:51:59.60\00:52:02.73
whether you're
not a wealthy person.
00:52:03.10\00:52:04.54
By the way I
consider wealth good health.
00:52:05.45\00:52:07.60
Oh yes. If you have
health, you have wealth.
00:52:08.08\00:52:10.43
If you have wealth and
bad health you're poor,
00:52:11.01\00:52:12.91
because your health is
not purchased by wealth.
00:52:13.63\00:52:16.46
Proverbs 3 and verse
9. A matter of fact start
00:52:17.44\00:52:22.27
with verse 7 and then
go to verse 9 and that's
00:52:22.28\00:52:24.49
really a powerful
one. Do not be wise in your
00:52:24.50\00:52:27.19
own eyes, fear the
Lord and depart from evil.
00:52:27.20\00:52:30.54
It will be health to
your flesh and strength
00:52:31.68\00:52:35.62
to your bones. And
verse 9. Honor the Lord
00:52:35.77\00:52:38.81
with your
possessions, some Bibles say
00:52:38.82\00:52:41.06
substance, right. And
the first fruits of all
00:52:41.07\00:52:44.39
your increase. Verse
10. So your barns will be
00:52:44.40\00:52:47.29
filled with plenty and
your vats will overflow
00:52:47.30\00:52:50.50
with new wine.
There you go. So the Lord
00:52:50.51\00:52:53.22
is in essence saying,
when you honor me with
00:52:53.23\00:52:55.20
your substance
first. When you give me what
00:52:55.21\00:52:57.92
belongs to me. And
you know there are those
00:52:58.15\00:53:00.72
who say, I pay
tithe, well no, tithe is not
00:53:00.73\00:53:07.14
something you pay,
it's something you return.
00:53:07.49\00:53:10.46
So you know we don't,
we don't get a bill on
00:53:11.30\00:53:15.38
the monthly basis from
the Lord and stack that
00:53:15.39\00:53:17.57
in our bill. Matter
of fact we return to God
00:53:17.58\00:53:20.31
what belongs to Him.
And so when we do that
00:53:20.32\00:53:22.31
He blesses what we
have. And if you think
00:53:22.91\00:53:25.74
that in fact is
something is not the case,
00:53:25.75\00:53:29.31
just go ahead and
withhold from the Lord
00:53:29.73\00:53:32.45
that which belongs
to Him. And we'll begin
00:53:33.69\00:53:35.72
to see the
difference between blessing and
00:53:35.73\00:53:38.79
not being blessed.
Now what, the opposite
00:53:38.80\00:53:40.43
of blessing is a
curse, but the Lord doesn't
00:53:40.44\00:53:42.34
walk around looking
for people to curse.
00:53:42.35\00:53:43.70
He just knows that
once you step out from
00:53:44.17\00:53:45.67
under His umbrella,
you're gonna get wet.
00:53:45.68\00:53:47.45
Yes. To the bottom,
you know, it's raining all
00:53:47.69\00:53:50.13
around you. Yeah.
He's the one that is our,
00:53:50.14\00:53:52.13
He's our shelter
in the time of storm.
00:53:52.26\00:53:53.81
Oh yes. And all these
principles are a shelter
00:53:53.82\00:53:56.64
to us in the time of
storm. You wanna point
00:53:56.65\00:53:59.05
something out here.
Now I was just thinking,
00:53:59.06\00:54:00.76
you know, if you
know, if you can't find God
00:54:01.15\00:54:02.79
well who move? God
is the same yesterday,
00:54:02.80\00:54:06.26
today He didn't
move, you did. So if you're
00:54:06.27\00:54:09.44
struggling
financially and you're trying to
00:54:09.45\00:54:12.16
make ends meet, give
God what belongs to Him.
00:54:12.17\00:54:15.44
And then God's on
the line to work you know
00:54:15.83\00:54:17.98
that texts in
Malachi where He says:
00:54:18.87\00:54:20.39
Prove me now herewith,
saith the Lord of hosts,
00:54:20.61\00:54:22.89
if I will not open unto
you the windows of heaven.
00:54:23.13\00:54:25.12
But that is predicate
on the pack, that on the
00:54:25.13\00:54:27.58
fact rather that
you're returning tithe and
00:54:27.59\00:54:29.36
you're faithful to
what you've covenant to
00:54:29.37\00:54:33.72
the Lord. So, if
you're doing your job then
00:54:33.73\00:54:36.59
God's on a line
because He said that if you
00:54:36.60\00:54:39.17
do this, I will do this, right.
00:54:39.18\00:54:41.19
And if this is not
happening then maybe
00:54:41.25\00:54:43.09
you're not doing
your job. But do your job
00:54:43.10\00:54:44.83
and then you put
God on the line and God
00:54:45.09\00:54:46.68
has proven. He's
true to His trust.
00:54:46.69\00:54:48.86
If He says He will
indeed He will. He will.
00:54:48.87\00:54:51.42
Try Him and find out
how good God really is.
00:54:51.43\00:54:54.50
There is a blessing
that we often overlook.
00:54:55.06\00:54:58.67
And I want just to
look at point 10 on our
00:54:59.30\00:55:01.16
sheet as we wind
up our program here.
00:55:01.17\00:55:02.79
On this issue of money.
00:55:03.75\00:55:04.96
And you know
friends we haven't by any
00:55:05.40\00:55:07.42
means have exhausted this,
00:55:07.43\00:55:08.59
there are many texts,
you know the fool in the
00:55:08.99\00:55:11.41
Bible were he had
his barns filled. Oh yes.
00:55:11.42\00:55:13.76
And he thought, he
made it all made and
00:55:14.14\00:55:15.59
the Lord says tonight
your soul will be required
00:55:15.60\00:55:18.18
of you. For whom
shall all these things that
00:55:18.19\00:55:20.56
you've laid up
before. Well the Lord makes
00:55:20.57\00:55:23.00
it clear that
unless we remember Him then
00:55:23.01\00:55:26.04
the blessing is
something that will elude us,
00:55:26.05\00:55:29.31
something that will
pass us by. Malachi 3 and
00:55:29.32\00:55:33.95
verse 10 and down to verse 11,
00:55:35.38\00:55:38.32
He says, bring all the
tithe into the store house,
00:55:39.28\00:55:43.01
this what we owe God. Oh yes.
00:55:43.02\00:55:44.70
That there maybe
food in my house.
00:55:45.17\00:55:46.87
And try me now, in
this says the Lord of
00:55:47.61\00:55:50.69
hopes, if I will not
open for you the windows
00:55:50.70\00:55:53.41
of heaven and pour
you out of blessing that
00:55:53.42\00:55:55.86
there shall not be,
what CA? Room enough
00:55:55.87\00:55:58.13
to receive it. In another words,
00:55:58.14\00:55:59.31
you wanna be really blessed,
00:55:59.32\00:56:00.52
you give God
what belongs to Him.
00:56:01.00\00:56:02.67
And it's like a child
saying, it's like a parent
00:56:03.36\00:56:05.94
saying to the child,
now give me that nickel.
00:56:05.95\00:56:07.82
And I'll go ahead and
pay what the difference
00:56:08.78\00:56:10.51
is on your sneakers.
You know, we know that
00:56:10.52\00:56:12.80
you go the counter
your mother won't have
00:56:12.81\00:56:14.10
the rest of the
money. And your sneakers
00:56:14.11\00:56:15.91
costs $95.90 and
all she has is $95.85,
00:56:15.92\00:56:21.26
give her that
nickel. Now you're not buying
00:56:22.43\00:56:24.32
the sneakers. I'll
help her buy today,
00:56:24.33\00:56:26.68
but how much do
you put? A nickel.
00:56:26.69\00:56:28.33
And I put $90.85
and it was $90.90.
00:56:28.45\00:56:32.38
You gave a nickel,
all of a sudden you're
00:56:32.75\00:56:33.85
boasting now that
you bought yourself some
00:56:33.86\00:56:35.00
sneakers. Yeah.
Friends, here it is,
00:56:35.01\00:56:36.53
the Lord says, I will
rebuke the devourer for
00:56:36.54\00:56:40.49
your sakes, and he
will not destroy the fruit
00:56:40.50\00:56:43.56
of your ground; nor
shall the vine fail to bear
00:56:43.57\00:56:45.99
the fruit in your
field, says the Lord of hosts.
00:56:46.00\00:56:48.49
And all nations
shall call you blessed:
00:56:48.88\00:56:50.71
for you will be
a delightful land,
00:56:51.04\00:56:52.83
says the Lord of hosts. Yeah.
00:56:52.94\00:56:54.34
Friends, you want to
be a delightful person.
00:56:54.73\00:56:56.19
You want to be a
person who is a fountain of
00:56:56.63\00:56:58.78
blessings, as we
say here at 3 ABN,
00:56:58.79\00:57:00.87
the blessing comes as
we are desiring to bless
00:57:01.39\00:57:04.99
others is that
alright? Very much so.
00:57:05.00\00:57:06.55
So friends, until
you think about that,
00:57:06.83\00:57:08.97
think about that.
Put your money down,
00:57:09.24\00:57:11.31
look at your bills,
look at your finances,
00:57:11.76\00:57:13.78
look at how you
give and what you give.
00:57:13.95\00:57:14.92
And we encourage
you here at 3ABN,
00:57:14.93\00:57:18.42
we are supported by
giving and the Lord will
00:57:18.43\00:57:20.72
bless whatever you put forth.
00:57:20.73\00:57:21.89
But until we see
you again friends,
00:57:21.93\00:57:23.39
may you not forget
that Jesus Christ is the
00:57:23.80\00:57:27.39
source of your
blessings, everything you have
00:57:27.40\00:57:29.40
came from Him. Have
a great day in Christ
00:57:29.75\00:57:32.01
and may that day begin today.
00:57:32.02\00:57:34.61