Hello, friends, grab your Bible
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and a friend and sit back
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as we explore
God's word together
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on this edition
of "House Calls."
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Welcome to "House Calls" again.
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If you've tuned in before
that again applies to you,
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but if you've
never tuned in before,
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welcome to "House Calls."
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This is the place where
you can trust the word of God
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and that's the only book that
we use actually for the program.
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My name is John, but
it's not a unique name,
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because he has the same name.
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How are you doing, John?
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Good to be here.
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Man, I tell you we
have been doing this program
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for a good bit of time together.
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Eight years.
Eight years, all right?
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Eight years, yeah.
Wow, wow. That's wonderful.
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Well, I'm glad if
you've chosen to tune in today.
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If this is your first
time, welcome to a program
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that has been marinating
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under the
direction of the Holy Spirit.
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We are excited
about using the Bible.
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So get your
Bibles and get your pens.
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And for the next hour,
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so sit down with
us and walk through.
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If you don't know the
format of the program,
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first half is Bible questions,
second half is our Bible topic.
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And today we're
gonna be talking about
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"The Church, a Biblical View."
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What does the Bible
say about the church?
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Not so much the
diversity of the church,
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we're gonna talk
about it in various aspects.
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But we're also are
gonna cover your questions
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and we'll let you know a
little bit more about that
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right after we have prayer.
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So, John. Let's have prayer.
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Father in Heaven, we
thank you for this day of life
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and for the blessings that
You bring to each one of us.
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And as we open Your word today,
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we just pray that You'd
pour out Your spirit upon us,
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may You guide and
direct our thoughts
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are hearts toward
You, toward heaven,
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toward spiritual things
that are spiritually discerned.
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We pray in
Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
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You know, many of
you tune into the program
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and some of you
send Bible questions.
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We get those,
anytime you send them,
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they come to our website.
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But for those of you that
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want to send some
more questions or comments,
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here is the
information that you need.
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You can send them
to housecalls@3abn.org.
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That's housecalls@3abn.org.
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And we download those. We
also still accept snail mail.
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If you want to send
it via the post office,
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PO Box 220, West
Frankfort, Illinois, 62896.
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Obviously, put 3ABN-House Calls.
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Well, John, what do
you have for us today?
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Well, I got a question here
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from Lucky and
comes from South Africa.
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Actually, a
couple of questions here
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and they're both very good.
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I think we'll probably take
both of them here if we can.
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But the first one
says, "What was the lesson
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that Jesus wanted to teach
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the 72 disciples
in Luke 10:18 and 19,
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when He told them
about the fall of Satan?
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What lesson did Jesus want
to teach the 72 disciples?"
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Let's go to Luke Chapter 10
and we'll read verses 17 and 18.
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In fact, we need to
read through verse 20
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to really understand the lesson
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that Jesus is trying
to teach His disciples.
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So I'm gonna read
beginning with verse 17.
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It says, "Then the 70 returned
with joy, saying, 'Lord,
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even the demons are
subject to us in Your name.'
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And He said to them,"
that is, Jesus replied,
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"'I saw Satan fall
like lightning from heaven.
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Behold, I give you the authority
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to trample on
serpents and scorpions,
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and over all the
power of the enemy,
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and nothing shall
by any means hurt you.
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Nevertheless do
not rejoice in this,
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that the spirits
are subject to you,
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but rather rejoice because your
names are written in heaven.'"
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Okay.
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You know, it has to
be an amazing thought
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for these disciples to
see that the power of Christ,
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the one they have
followed as their master
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had been
transitioning now into them,
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as they used His
name and seeing that
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demons were subject to them
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and the power of God that
worked through their lives,
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they must have
been somewhat surprised.
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Not shocked, in that, they
didn't think it would happen,
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but just this is an
amazing, a very affirming thing.
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Our master has this
kind of power. Right.
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But I think to a degree,
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there also were some
elements here of pride,
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'cause we know
through the disciples,
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the 12 that were around Him.
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There were a lot
of prideful moments
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that Christ had to kind of work
around and bring them through
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and help to teach
them lessons out of.
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And the same thing is happening
I believe here with the 70
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and that they're
coming back and reporting
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that all these things
are happening in Your name,
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that the demons
fled at Your name
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and they were just
amazed by this whole thing.
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The response that Christ
brings to their statement here
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seems to indicate
what the lesson was
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that He was
trying to teach them.
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And really what-- in essence
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if I were to use
the shortest term
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possible here in His lesson,
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it would be that I
am--it's by My authority,
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it's because of Me, it's
because of My Father in Heaven,
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His Spirit that these miracles
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are happening,
not because of you.
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It is all about the Son of God.
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Because He is saying
here in His response,
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"I saw lightning--Satan fall
like lightning from heaven."
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I was there when Satan fell.
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So I know about
how demons are subject
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to My Father in Heaven
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and to the
authority of the Godhead.
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That's right.
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And then He
goes, He transitions on
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to that by saying, "I
give you this authority."
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In other words, it's
My authority given to you,
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so that you can trample
on serpents and scorpions
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and over all the
power of the enemy,
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that nothing can happen
to you or anything hurt you.
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But the lesson then is
drawn in verse 20 which is,
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"Nevertheless," in other words,
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now although I give
you all this authority,
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remember this, "Don't rejoice
just because you got power,
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but rather rejoice that your
names are written in heaven."
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In other words, I'm the
one that gives you the power.
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I'm the one that
gives you the strength.
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My Father is the one
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that is performing
these miracles for you.
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Don't get too heady about this,
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because the rejoicing
you should have is that
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God has saved
you, He's redeemed you,
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and He has written your
names in the Book of Life.
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Okay. And so I think
there's a little bit of a--
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trying to bring them back
to a position of humility here
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rather than being
headstrong or prideful about
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what's happening with the power
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they now had in Christ.
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So this person's
initial question was what--
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What was the lesson
Jesus was trying to teach
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by saying, "I saw Satan fall
like lightning from heaven?"
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So they're pretty much
saying that all the authority
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to evict Satan in
essence is in God's hand.
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Comes from God,
not what they're doing.
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Not in the hands of man.
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You know, I don't really
have a whole lot to add to that.
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I think it's a good
lesson for us, too, right?
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I mean, we need to remember
that God's on the throne,
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through Christ
we have everything
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that we need
and it is His power.
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And I think we
need to be very careful,
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because we can get
into this trap, too, John.
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We've heard, you know,
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if you just speak Jesus'
name and rebuke in Jesus' name,
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it's almost like this power that
they--that we innately have,
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because we believe in
Jesus to fight demons.
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But I think that
can get us in trouble.
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Even Jesus said when contending
for the body of Moses,
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"The Lord rebuke you."
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Right? Right.
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Even when Satan
came to tempt Him,
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He said, "It is written."
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So He didn't say
in His authority.
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He was referring to
the word that had power,
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the authority of His
Father that had power,
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the Godhead who
provides the power here.
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And we need to remember
that, we are dependent upon God
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every moment of every
day to fight the enemy.
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So that's anyway, that's a
good lesson for us to know.
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So thank you for that question.
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Okay. Now this one--
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this is a question from Audrey,
and they ask this question.
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"I am a bit
confused with where exactly
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the golden altar of
incense stood in the sanctuary.
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In Exodus 30:6, the Bible says
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that it was
placed in the Holy Place.
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However, when we read the
Bible, in Hebrews 9:3 and 4,
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it seems that the
golden altar of incense
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was placed in
the Most Holy Place.
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Which is which, the Holy
Place or the Most Holy Place?"
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So I said, Audrey--Aubrey--
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well, the answer to
that, Aubrey, is really clear.
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The altar of incense
was in the Holy Place,
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right before the curtain
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that separated the
Holy from the Most Holy,
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because the incense
from the golden altar
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was to rise and enter
into the Most Holy Place.
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So the apparent contradiction
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in the language
that you find in Hebrews
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is not intended to remove
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the original position
of the altar of incense.
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It was never in
the Most Holy Place.
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It was right before the
curtain of the Most Holy Place.
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It was always the
last piece of furniture
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before you get into
the Most Holy Place,
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right in front of the curtain.
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And the rising of the incense,
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in fact, the sweet
smelling incense represented
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the rising of the
prayers of the saints.
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So as you look at that and
let me just go ahead and read
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Hebrews 9 just to go it
and give both of the views
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that are spoken of here.
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It says in Hebrews 9,
I'll begin with verse 1.
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"Then indeed,
even the first covenant
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had ordinances of divine service
and the earthly sanctuary.
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For a tabernacle was prepared,
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the first part, in
which was the lampstand,
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the table, and the showbread,
which is called the sanctuary.
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And behind the second
veil, the part of the tabernacle
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which is called
the holiest of all,
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which had the
golden altar of incense
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and the ark of the covenant
overlaid on all sides with gold,
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in which were the
golden pot that had manna,
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Aaron's rod that budded,
00:10:08.63\00:10:10.62
and the tablets
of the covenants,
00:10:10.65\00:10:12.43
and above it were
the cherubim of glory
00:10:12.46\00:10:14.39
overshadowing the mercy seat.
00:10:14.42\00:10:16.20
Of these things we
cannot now speak in detail."
00:10:16.23\00:10:19.26
When you go to
the Book of Leviticus
00:10:19.29\00:10:22.52
and you go to Exodus
where the actual instructions
00:10:22.55\00:10:25.44
are given as to
where to place it,
00:10:25.47\00:10:27.23
you find the reference
you gave earlier perfectly
00:10:27.26\00:10:31.03
determines
where that is located.
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What we find in Hebrews here
00:10:33.18\00:10:34.84
is the summary
of the old covenant,
00:10:34.87\00:10:38.68
not so much that
the actual placement
00:10:38.71\00:10:41.23
of all the
articles of furniture.
00:10:41.26\00:10:43.33
And as he said here,
00:10:43.36\00:10:45.09
"The details of which I
cannot now speak in detail."
00:10:45.12\00:10:48.82
But look at the first
five Books of the Bible,
00:10:48.85\00:10:51.34
and those are where
the specific instructions
00:10:51.37\00:10:53.80
are given as to where
these articles are to be placed.
00:10:53.83\00:10:57.03
And in summary, it's
right before the curtain,
00:10:57.06\00:10:59.62
before you get into
the Most Holy Place.
00:10:59.65\00:11:02.85
I did some study on
this not too long ago.
00:11:02.88\00:11:05.80
This specific question
because I had the same question.
00:11:05.83\00:11:09.27
And you're absolutely right.
00:11:09.30\00:11:11.03
Hebrews 9 is more of a
summary of the service,
00:11:11.06\00:11:14.66
not where the
articles were actually placed,
00:11:14.69\00:11:18.49
although it's part of
that. It's included here.
00:11:18.52\00:11:21.27
But what I found is--I
read some commentary on this
00:11:21.30\00:11:24.11
from other
theologians and things.
00:11:24.14\00:11:26.77
In the Book of Hebrews Chapter 9
00:11:26.80\00:11:28.69
he's specifically
talking about the ministry
00:11:28.72\00:11:30.78
that occurs
before God's presence.
00:11:30.81\00:11:33.59
Right.
00:11:33.62\00:11:34.99
And you have a ministry
delineated by the priest
00:11:35.02\00:11:39.07
who would come in and
you had the candlestick
00:11:39.10\00:11:41.89
and you had the altar,
00:11:41.92\00:11:43.29
I mean, the table
with the showbread on it,
00:11:43.32\00:11:45.90
but then you move forward
toward the Most Holy Place.
00:11:45.93\00:11:49.51
Even though you don't
go into the Most Holy,
00:11:49.54\00:11:51.42
you move toward the Most Holy
00:11:51.45\00:11:53.20
as you arrive at
the altar of incense.
00:11:53.23\00:11:55.78
And the priest
viewed the ministry there
00:11:55.81\00:11:58.59
of the burning of incense as
connected with God's presence,
00:11:58.62\00:12:02.93
because what they
were burning on there,
00:12:02.96\00:12:06.72
the incense, was
mixed and then burned
00:12:06.75\00:12:09.73
and float into, as a
sweet smelling aroma,
00:12:09.76\00:12:12.77
into the Most Holy Place.
00:12:12.80\00:12:14.17
Right.
00:12:14.20\00:12:15.57
So their view of the ministry
00:12:15.60\00:12:16.97
connected with
the altar of incense
00:12:17.00\00:12:18.37
was very much
connected to the Most Holy.
00:12:18.40\00:12:21.11
Exactly. And so
this individual--
00:12:21.14\00:12:23.92
this is a specific statement
here by the writer of Hebrews,
00:12:23.95\00:12:26.78
he's really
talking about the ministry
00:12:26.81\00:12:28.85
and walking
through the sanctuary
00:12:28.88\00:12:30.46
and how the ministry
that takes place there,
00:12:30.49\00:12:32.39
even though it
was on a daily basis
00:12:32.42\00:12:34.48
at the altar of incense,
00:12:34.51\00:12:36.29
it really was
connected with God's presence
00:12:36.32\00:12:38.25
and what was
happening in the Most Holy.
00:12:38.28\00:12:40.76
They couldn't go there,
00:12:40.79\00:12:42.16
but the prayers of the saints
00:12:42.19\00:12:43.56
mixed with the
righteousness of Christ
00:12:43.59\00:12:45.75
would appear before
the Father in Heaven.
00:12:45.78\00:12:48.45
That's right. And so
that's what we're seeing here.
00:12:48.48\00:12:50.30
So don't take it
in a literal sense,
00:12:50.33\00:12:51.87
take it more as a perspective
00:12:51.90\00:12:54.21
on the ministry of
the sanctuary services.
00:12:54.24\00:12:56.58
Okay, thank you. What
else do you have for us?
00:12:56.61\00:13:00.57
"Who does Psalms 8:4 and 5
and Hebrews 2:5-7 apply to?
00:13:00.60\00:13:08.40
Does it apply to Jesus
Christ or mortal mankind?
00:13:08.43\00:13:12.09
I've heard so
many interpretations
00:13:12.12\00:13:13.57
surrounding these verses."
00:13:13.60\00:13:15.65
John, you have Psalms 8:4 and 5?
00:13:15.68\00:13:18.29
Okay. Read that
one if you could.
00:13:18.32\00:13:22.40
They're both
actually, Hebrews 2:5-7
00:13:22.43\00:13:25.60
is quoting from
Psalms 8:4 and 5.
00:13:25.63\00:13:29.30
So I have you
read Psalms 8:4 and 5
00:13:29.33\00:13:31.06
and then I'll elaborate on.
00:13:31.09\00:13:32.46
Okay, Psalm 8:4 and 5.
00:13:32.49\00:13:35.25
"What is man that
You are mindful of him,
00:13:35.28\00:13:38.65
and the Son of Man
that You visit him?
00:13:38.68\00:13:41.95
For You have made him a
little lower than the angels,
00:13:41.98\00:13:45.05
and You have crowned
him with glory and honor."
00:13:45.08\00:13:49.21
All right? Now you
read that and you can--
00:13:49.24\00:13:51.48
at first, it might appear
00:13:51.51\00:13:53.47
that the writer is
talking about mankind.
00:13:53.50\00:13:56.70
Right.
00:13:56.73\00:13:58.10
But if you go to
the Book of Hebrews
00:13:58.13\00:13:59.89
and Hebrews connects them
directly with Psalms 8:4 and 5.
00:13:59.92\00:14:05.99
You find in the Book of Hebrews,
00:14:06.02\00:14:07.60
it's specifically
connected to Christ
00:14:07.63\00:14:10.09
and what He as the
representative of mankind
00:14:10.12\00:14:14.40
was sent to this earth to do.
00:14:14.43\00:14:16.08
And so I'm reading here
now again from Hebrews 2,
00:14:16.11\00:14:19.97
I'll start with verse 5,
but I'll read on beyond that,
00:14:20.00\00:14:22.33
so you'll see the context here.
00:14:22.36\00:14:24.40
"For He," that is capital H,
00:14:24.43\00:14:26.71
"has not put the world to come,
00:14:26.74\00:14:29.82
of which we speak,
in subjection to angels.
00:14:29.85\00:14:32.12
But one testified in
a certain place, saying,
00:14:32.15\00:14:35.44
'What is man that
You are mindful of him,
00:14:35.47\00:14:37.58
or the Son of Man
that You take care of him?
00:14:37.61\00:14:40.67
You have made him a
little lower than the angels.
00:14:40.70\00:14:42.50
You have crowned him
with glory and honor,
00:14:42.53\00:14:44.30
and set him over
the works of Your hands.
00:14:44.33\00:14:46.13
You have put all things in
subjection under his feet.'
00:14:46.16\00:14:49.72
For in that He put all
in subjection under him.
00:14:49.75\00:14:54.82
He left nothing that
is not put under him.
00:14:54.85\00:14:57.50
But now we do not yet
see all things put under him.
00:14:57.53\00:15:01.84
But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels."
00:15:01.87\00:15:05.58
Definition right there. Right.
00:15:05.61\00:15:07.15
We know by this statement here
00:15:07.18\00:15:08.89
that Psalms is actually
referring to Christ Himself,
00:15:08.92\00:15:12.95
the Son of God.
00:15:12.98\00:15:15.10
And in the broader
sense or in an exploded sense
00:15:15.13\00:15:19.39
when we refer to
Jesus as the Son of Man,
00:15:19.42\00:15:22.73
He takes the
very position as man.
00:15:22.76\00:15:24.63
That's right, as man.
00:15:24.66\00:15:26.03
So the definition that
you find here in Psalms
00:15:26.06\00:15:29.31
applies to Him now because
in this context being made
00:15:29.34\00:15:32.02
a little lower than the angels,
00:15:32.05\00:15:33.76
you're speaking about
Him as the Son of Man.
00:15:33.79\00:15:36.48
Right. This is not speaking
about Him in His preexistence.
00:15:36.51\00:15:39.82
This is speaking about Him
00:15:39.85\00:15:41.22
as He condescended
and came to the earth
00:15:41.25\00:15:43.21
to be involved in
the earthly ministry.
00:15:43.24\00:15:44.94
So it fits
perfectly into the context.
00:15:44.97\00:15:46.87
Man made lower than the angels.
00:15:46.90\00:15:48.44
Jesus becoming man,
lower than the angels.
00:15:48.47\00:15:50.69
And in respect to Psalms Chapter
8, it also refers to mankind.
00:15:50.72\00:15:56.43
Exactly. So it's
not exclusively Christ,
00:15:56.46\00:15:58.57
although Hebrews uses
it in the context of Christ
00:15:58.60\00:16:01.43
who was the Son of
Man as our representative.
00:16:01.46\00:16:03.94
So hopefully that provides
00:16:03.97\00:16:06.59
a little
clarification on that text.
00:16:06.62\00:16:09.59
And, you know, when we think
about the position of Christ,
00:16:09.62\00:16:15.59
you find if you go
to Hebrews Chapter 1,
00:16:15.62\00:16:18.35
this outlines it
really well here.
00:16:18.38\00:16:20.59
And what I'd like to
read in Hebrews Chapter 1,
00:16:20.62\00:16:24.13
is it's showing you clearly--
00:16:24.16\00:16:28.06
well, let's just go and read it.
00:16:28.09\00:16:29.46
I'm trying not to say it,
00:16:29.49\00:16:31.25
but I'm gonna go
ahead and read it
00:16:31.28\00:16:32.65
so that the Bible will be
the voice of its own content.
00:16:32.68\00:16:38.08
It says in verse 1,
"God, who at various times
00:16:38.11\00:16:40.88
and in different
ways spoke in time past
00:16:40.91\00:16:44.51
to the fathers by the prophet,
00:16:44.54\00:16:46.66
has in these last days
spoken to us by His Son,
00:16:46.69\00:16:50.38
whom He had
appointed heir of all things,
00:16:50.41\00:16:52.60
through whom He
also made the worlds.
00:16:52.63\00:16:55.47
Who being the
brightness of His glory."
00:16:55.50\00:16:57.77
Remember the word glory
00:16:57.80\00:16:59.35
that was talked about
here in Hebrews Chapter 2,
00:16:59.38\00:17:04.53
it talks about "You crowned
him with glory and honor."
00:17:04.56\00:17:07.44
And verse 1--
verse 3 of Chapter 1.
00:17:07.47\00:17:10.07
"Who being the
brightness of His glory,
00:17:10.10\00:17:12.02
and the express
image of His person,
00:17:12.05\00:17:14.41
and upholding all things
by the word of His power,
00:17:14.44\00:17:17.76
when He had by
Himself purged our sins,
00:17:17.79\00:17:21.69
sat down at the right
hand of Majesty on high."
00:17:21.72\00:17:25.38
Now this, get
this, look at this.
00:17:25.41\00:17:27.57
"Having become so much
better than the angels,
00:17:27.60\00:17:31.49
as He by inheritance
00:17:31.52\00:17:33.55
obtained a more
excellent name than they."
00:17:33.58\00:17:36.05
So you find here in
the condescended sense,
00:17:36.08\00:17:39.76
lower than the angels.
00:17:39.79\00:17:41.53
In the glorified
sense, as He conquered sin
00:17:41.56\00:17:44.91
then He has become
better than the angels.
00:17:44.94\00:17:47.88
And that's what the
term 'ark angel' means,
00:17:47.91\00:17:50.94
higher than the angels.
00:17:50.97\00:17:52.34
So when you see that term
in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4,
00:17:52.37\00:17:55.75
for the ark angel, for
the voice of the ark angel,
00:17:55.78\00:17:58.79
the one who is
above the ark angel,
00:17:58.82\00:18:00.76
the one who is above the angels.
00:18:00.79\00:18:02.63
And so you see two
pictures being presented here,
00:18:02.66\00:18:05.22
Hebrews Chapter 2 in
the condescended sense,
00:18:05.25\00:18:07.97
Hebrews Chapter 1
in the exalted sense.
00:18:08.00\00:18:10.65
After He purged our sins,
00:18:10.68\00:18:12.48
He was now exalted
to be the commander,
00:18:12.51\00:18:15.27
to be where He was before.
00:18:15.30\00:18:17.03
Because remember
this battle that's--
00:18:17.06\00:18:18.78
that had gone on in heaven
00:18:18.81\00:18:20.39
was between Michael and Satan.
00:18:20.42\00:18:23.38
And who is Michael?
00:18:23.41\00:18:24.78
The one who is above the
angels, that is in fact Christ.
00:18:24.81\00:18:28.18
So you clearly see
here, but let me continue.
00:18:28.21\00:18:31.62
"For of which
angel," verse 5 of Hebrews 1.
00:18:31.65\00:18:34.39
"For of which of the angels
did he ever say 'You are my Son,
00:18:34.42\00:18:38.81
today I have begotten you'?
00:18:38.84\00:18:40.43
And again 'I will
be to Him a Father
00:18:40.46\00:18:42.91
and He shall be to Me a Son'?
00:18:42.94\00:18:45.66
But when He again brings
the firstborn into the world,
00:18:45.69\00:18:48.99
He says, 'Let all the
angels of God worship Him,'
00:18:49.02\00:18:52.95
and of the angels he says,
'Who makes His angels spirits,
00:18:52.98\00:18:56.48
and His ministers
a flame of fire.'"
00:18:56.51\00:19:00.67
Verse 8.
00:19:00.70\00:19:02.08
"But to the Son He says,
00:19:02.11\00:19:03.48
'Your throne, O
God, is forever and ever.
00:19:03.51\00:19:07.31
A scepter of righteousness
is the scepter of Your kingdom.
00:19:07.34\00:19:10.43
You have loved righteousness
and hated lawlessness.
00:19:10.46\00:19:13.07
Therefore God, Your God,
00:19:13.10\00:19:14.59
has anointed You
with the oil of gladness
00:19:14.62\00:19:16.76
more than Your companions.'"
00:19:16.79\00:19:18.89
And so you look at
the position in Hebrews 2,
00:19:18.92\00:19:24.09
condescended to
be the set of man.
00:19:24.12\00:19:26.89
But after he conquered sin,
00:19:26.92\00:19:28.60
once again exalted
back to be the Son of God,
00:19:28.63\00:19:33.38
the One who is above the angels.
00:19:33.41\00:19:35.45
Never the two were separated,
but in two particular functions
00:19:35.48\00:19:40.01
you find the
terminologies being applied.
00:19:40.04\00:19:42.05
So that's why
Psalms 8 and Hebrews 2
00:19:42.08\00:19:45.40
are not in
conflict with each other.
00:19:45.43\00:19:48.15
Very good. Okay.
00:19:48.18\00:19:49.55
Very good. I
think that's--I think--
00:19:49.58\00:19:53.02
Yeah, let's
segue into our topic.
00:19:53.05\00:19:54.42
Because we've given more
time to our Bible questions
00:19:54.45\00:19:56.28
on a fewer programs
or earlier programs.
00:19:56.31\00:19:59.57
Well, we went through our
questions pretty fast today.
00:19:59.60\00:20:02.48
Yeah. So thank you
for those quick questions.
00:20:02.51\00:20:04.44
And I should
say, praise the Lord
00:20:04.47\00:20:06.67
we gave you quicker answers.
00:20:06.70\00:20:08.51
Hopefully we were
able to make some sense
00:20:08.54\00:20:10.29
out of what we
talked about here today.
00:20:10.32\00:20:12.14
But if you have
any Bible comments
00:20:12.17\00:20:13.78
or questions you'd
like to send to us,
00:20:13.81\00:20:15.50
send those to
housecalls@3abn.org.
00:20:15.53\00:20:19.37
That's housecalls@3abn.org.
00:20:19.40\00:20:23.46
And we thank you so much
for all you do, for your prayers
00:20:23.49\00:20:26.53
and your financial
support of this network.
00:20:26.56\00:20:30.05
John, we're talking
about the church today,
00:20:30.08\00:20:31.61
lay some foundation for us.
00:20:31.64\00:20:33.47
Yeah, it's about time we--
00:20:33.50\00:20:35.75
I don't think we've ever
covered this topic really,
00:20:35.78\00:20:37.71
the church and the
Biblical view of the church.
00:20:37.74\00:20:42.28
Today, I think, at times
I am convinced as a pastor
00:20:42.31\00:20:47.24
that there is too much
emphasis and dependence
00:20:47.27\00:20:51.35
upon the leader of the church.
00:20:51.38\00:20:54.24
I'm talking about
church on a local level. Right.
00:20:54.27\00:20:57.59
You know, he is the
one that does the preaching
00:20:57.62\00:20:59.27
and he is the one
that does the teaching,
00:20:59.30\00:21:00.67
he is the one that
does Bible studies,
00:21:00.70\00:21:02.11
he is the one that
does this and that.
00:21:02.14\00:21:04.12
And we sit there
00:21:04.15\00:21:05.60
as members of that
church, as an audience,
00:21:05.63\00:21:10.53
almost as
spectators of what happens.
00:21:10.56\00:21:12.83
And we clap and we
rejoice in what we see going on.
00:21:12.86\00:21:16.71
A spectacle. And
it's very much like that.
00:21:16.74\00:21:19.92
You know, we always
use this analogy and,
00:21:19.95\00:21:22.04
you know, even people
have been upset at us for it,
00:21:22.07\00:21:24.50
but you know the sports team,
00:21:24.53\00:21:27.48
you know, we're the
spectators in the stands.
00:21:27.51\00:21:29.97
We're not actually
getting on the field
00:21:30.00\00:21:32.41
to engage in the game.
00:21:32.44\00:21:33.96
Right.
00:21:33.99\00:21:35.36
But the issue we have
to ask or address here is,
00:21:35.39\00:21:38.60
is this the Biblical view?
00:21:38.63\00:21:40.00
Is this what the
Bible had in mind? No.
00:21:40.03\00:21:43.20
Is this what Jesus had
in mind through His word
00:21:43.23\00:21:46.46
when He gave the charge
to the disciples to go out
00:21:46.49\00:21:50.51
and which is
where we're gonna start
00:21:50.54\00:21:51.91
with, the Great
Commission here in Matthew 28,
00:21:51.94\00:21:53.81
to go out and make
disciples of all nations.
00:21:53.84\00:21:57.42
There clearly is
this picture of the church
00:21:57.45\00:22:00.74
and the charge
given to the apostles
00:22:00.77\00:22:03.12
to grow God's kingdom on
earth through His church.
00:22:03.15\00:22:06.63
And that it would--the message
would go out to all the world.
00:22:06.66\00:22:10.64
Matthew 24 talks about,
00:22:10.67\00:22:12.92
and this gospel will be
preached to all the world
00:22:12.95\00:22:16.76
and then the end would come.
00:22:16.79\00:22:18.16
So there's even
purpose wrapped up
00:22:18.19\00:22:19.86
in that prophecy of Matthew 24,
00:22:19.89\00:22:22.14
that the message
given to the church
00:22:22.17\00:22:24.18
to take to the world
would one day go to the world
00:22:24.21\00:22:26.18
and the world would then end.
00:22:26.21\00:22:28.36
So we're gonna talk about
00:22:28.39\00:22:30.54
some different aspects
today about the church.
00:22:30.57\00:22:32.93
And I want to
have each one of you
00:22:32.96\00:22:34.59
just kind of
consider in your own mind,
00:22:34.62\00:22:36.17
is this the picture of my
church that I am in today?
00:22:36.20\00:22:40.83
Is this--are we
following the Biblical view,
00:22:40.86\00:22:43.70
perspective of the church
00:22:43.73\00:22:45.68
and what Christ has
in mind for His church?
00:22:45.71\00:22:48.27
Okay. So we'll
look at several passages
00:22:48.30\00:22:50.90
and we even get back
even to the Old Testament
00:22:50.93\00:22:52.79
and see that the church
was actually planted way,
00:22:52.82\00:22:54.69
way back when, intended by
God Himself and exciting stuff.
00:22:54.72\00:23:00.28
Let's turn to
Matthew Chapter 28.
00:23:00.31\00:23:02.06
Okay. Matthew 28, a
good place to start.
00:23:02.09\00:23:06.80
Wow.
00:23:06.83\00:23:10.93
All right, verse 18,
00:23:10.96\00:23:13.74
known as the Great Commission.
00:23:13.77\00:23:17.93
It says, "And Jesus
came and spoke to them,"
00:23:17.96\00:23:20.11
that is the 12 disciples,
00:23:20.14\00:23:22.33
"All authority has been given
to Me in heaven and on earth.
00:23:22.36\00:23:27.71
Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations,
00:23:27.74\00:23:31.23
baptizing them in
the name of the Father
00:23:31.26\00:23:33.61
and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit,
00:23:33.64\00:23:35.54
teaching them to
observe all things
00:23:35.57\00:23:37.60
that I have commanded you,
00:23:37.63\00:23:39.14
and lo, I am with
you always, even to,"
00:23:39.17\00:23:42.01
How far? The end of the age.
00:23:42.04\00:23:43.82
"The end of the age
or the end of the world"
00:23:43.85\00:23:46.24
as some translations say.
00:23:46.27\00:23:47.83
So this
commission began with Jesus'
00:23:47.86\00:23:51.23
words to the disciples
and continues on how long.
00:23:51.26\00:23:53.91
To the very end. To the
very end, which includes today.
00:23:53.94\00:23:58.05
This great
commission is as much for us
00:23:58.08\00:24:01.29
as members of the church
as it was for the disciples.
00:24:01.32\00:24:05.50
And I want to emphasize that,
00:24:05.53\00:24:06.90
because what you
find in this commission
00:24:06.93\00:24:08.61
isn't a call to
come, it's a call to go.
00:24:08.64\00:24:13.69
Remember our good
friend, Kopanang Giamani.
00:24:13.72\00:24:16.97
Oh, Kopanang Giamani.
00:24:17.00\00:24:20.49
He would stand up there
00:24:20.52\00:24:21.89
as a personal
ministry director of our church
00:24:21.92\00:24:23.70
and he would say repeatedly,
because I remember distinctly.
00:24:23.73\00:24:27.60
He would say, "Church,
00:24:27.63\00:24:30.84
God said, go. He said, go.
00:24:30.87\00:24:34.80
Where did you go this week?"
00:24:34.83\00:24:38.36
And it was his
way of causing people,
00:24:38.39\00:24:41.34
the church members to
think in terms of going
00:24:41.37\00:24:44.44
and being the
disciples God wants us to be.
00:24:44.47\00:24:46.92
Right.
00:24:46.95\00:24:48.32
And being from that
personal ministry's perspective,
00:24:48.35\00:24:50.60
I know what he was
trying to accomplish here.
00:24:50.63\00:24:52.08
He was trying to say,
00:24:52.11\00:24:53.48
it's not about
just inviting people
00:24:53.51\00:24:54.88
to come and hear a message.
00:24:54.91\00:24:56.63
It's about going
and sharing Christ
00:24:56.66\00:24:58.45
with the world through
our words, through our deeds,
00:24:58.48\00:25:01.63
through everything we do.
00:25:01.66\00:25:03.62
And this is
something to a great degree,
00:25:03.65\00:25:06.19
I think, within the church today
00:25:06.22\00:25:09.31
that we're not seeing
as much of as we should.
00:25:09.34\00:25:11.58
We're starting to get to
a model of "come and see",
00:25:11.61\00:25:14.18
and I know the
words of Christ are--
00:25:14.21\00:25:18.45
He did make that statement,
00:25:18.48\00:25:19.85
but that wasn't in
this context of evangelism.
00:25:19.88\00:25:23.10
It's not about come and see,
00:25:23.13\00:25:24.89
listen to me so I can
persuade you of the truth
00:25:24.92\00:25:27.18
and then maybe you'll
accept it and follow Christ.
00:25:27.21\00:25:29.04
It's about going
and bringing the gospel
00:25:29.07\00:25:32.26
to the people where they are.
00:25:32.29\00:25:33.94
Right. Because
there are many today,
00:25:33.97\00:25:35.82
especially within
the United States,
00:25:35.85\00:25:37.62
America and other countries,
00:25:37.65\00:25:39.45
I know we're not alone in this.
00:25:39.48\00:25:41.11
The society today does not
want to step into a church,
00:25:41.14\00:25:44.30
most of them.
00:25:44.33\00:25:45.83
So the gospel's
got to go to them,
00:25:45.86\00:25:47.49
and that's what Jesus
was saying when He said, go.
00:25:47.52\00:25:49.75
Wow.
00:25:49.78\00:25:51.15
And so when you
look-- when you look at this,
00:25:51.18\00:25:53.47
I think of the
commission and He is saying,
00:25:53.50\00:25:56.24
"All authority is--
has been give unto me
00:25:56.27\00:25:59.73
in heaven and in earth."
00:25:59.76\00:26:01.28
One of the things
that I like to begin
00:26:01.31\00:26:03.01
by talking about is the church,
00:26:03.04\00:26:05.09
the foundation of the church.
00:26:05.12\00:26:07.08
Now we know the foundation
of the church is Christ.
00:26:07.11\00:26:10.46
He is the cornerstone.
00:26:10.49\00:26:12.57
He is the rock upon
which the church is built.
00:26:12.60\00:26:15.67
And I want to reiterate
that by reading Matthew 16
00:26:15.70\00:26:19.78
because here's a passage
that's often times misunderstood
00:26:19.81\00:26:23.42
and I want to put it
in the proper context
00:26:23.45\00:26:27.62
in which it is presented.
00:26:27.65\00:26:30.34
All right, Matthew Chapter
16, beginning with verse 17.
00:26:30.37\00:26:37.41
And the Bible says,
"Jesus answered and said to him,
00:26:37.44\00:26:42.55
'Blessed are
you, Simon Bar-Jonah,
00:26:42.58\00:26:46.30
for flesh and blood has
not revealed this to you.'"
00:26:46.33\00:26:49.71
That is when Peter responded,
"You are the Son of God.
00:26:49.74\00:26:53.26
You are the Christ,
the Son of the living God."
00:26:53.29\00:26:57.04
"Flesh and blood has
not revealed this to you,
00:26:57.07\00:26:59.01
but My Father who is in Heaven.
00:26:59.04\00:27:01.39
And I also say to
you that you are Peter,
00:27:01.42\00:27:05.16
and on this rock I
will build My church,
00:27:05.19\00:27:07.90
and the gates of hell or Hades
shall not prevail against it.
00:27:07.93\00:27:11.89
And I will give you the
keys of the Kingdom of Heaven
00:27:11.92\00:27:14.77
and whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven,
00:27:14.80\00:27:17.48
and whatever you loose on
earth will be loosed in heaven."
00:27:17.51\00:27:22.03
When you look at the
context of this text,
00:27:22.06\00:27:25.90
people come away with the idea
00:27:25.93\00:27:27.30
that Christ was
building the church on Peter.
00:27:27.33\00:27:31.14
But you find clearly,
now we go to 1 Corinthians.
00:27:31.17\00:27:35.86
Let's go there. And I'd like
you to read that for me, John.
00:27:35.89\00:27:38.61
I want to look for another text.
00:27:38.64\00:27:40.11
We'll go to 1
Corinthians Chapter 10.
00:27:40.14\00:27:43.82
Here I am now. 1
Corinthians Chapter 10.
00:27:43.85\00:27:48.74
And I'd like you to read
verses 1 down to verse 4.
00:27:48.77\00:27:53.89
All right.
00:27:53.92\00:27:55.29
"Moreover, brethren, I do
not want you to be unaware
00:27:55.32\00:27:58.26
that all our fathers
were under the cloud,
00:27:58.29\00:28:01.23
all passed through the sea,
00:28:01.26\00:28:03.29
all were baptized into Moses
in the cloud and in the sea,
00:28:03.32\00:28:07.60
all ate the same spiritual food,
00:28:07.63\00:28:09.79
and all drank the
same spiritual drink.
00:28:09.82\00:28:12.23
For they drank of
that spiritual Rock
00:28:12.26\00:28:15.17
that followed them,
and that Rock was Christ."
00:28:15.20\00:28:18.91
Okay. So the
Rock, you're talking--
00:28:18.94\00:28:20.97
the Rock here and
putting the text into context,
00:28:21.00\00:28:26.43
when Jesus made the statement,
00:28:26.46\00:28:27.87
Peter wasn't even yet converted.
00:28:27.90\00:28:32.11
He wasn't even converted yet.
00:28:32.14\00:28:33.59
He had made a declaration
even after that statement.
00:28:33.62\00:28:37.80
So the authority that was given
00:28:37.83\00:28:39.85
and this is something that
we have to come to grips on.
00:28:39.88\00:28:42.65
The church is built on Christ,
00:28:42.68\00:28:44.42
but the church
does have an authority.
00:28:44.45\00:28:46.78
And one of the things
that we have to look at today
00:28:46.81\00:28:48.98
and understand the
context of the church,
00:28:49.01\00:28:50.86
and I know we're gonna go
00:28:50.89\00:28:52.26
in a little different
direction here in just a moment,
00:28:52.29\00:28:53.66
but I want to establish
that what we're talking about.
00:28:53.69\00:28:55.59
The reason why the church
has the authority to prepare
00:28:55.62\00:28:59.40
its members for the
fulfillment of the commission
00:28:59.43\00:29:02.63
is because God gave
them that authority,
00:29:02.66\00:29:05.22
but the foundation is Christ.
00:29:05.25\00:29:07.90
1 Corinthians 3:11.
00:29:07.93\00:29:09.84
"For no other
foundation can anyone lay
00:29:09.87\00:29:13.09
than that which is
laid, which is Jesus Christ."
00:29:13.12\00:29:16.73
1 Corinthians 3:11.
00:29:16.76\00:29:18.72
So when you think
about the foundation,
00:29:18.75\00:29:20.58
you could truly sing the song,
00:29:20.61\00:29:22.31
"On Christ, the
solid Rock, I stand."
00:29:22.34\00:29:25.41
Now if Peter were the
foundation of the church,
00:29:25.44\00:29:28.45
then the church would
have passed off the scene
00:29:28.48\00:29:31.19
when Peter died
or the foundation
00:29:31.22\00:29:33.53
would've failed
when Peter failed,
00:29:33.56\00:29:35.68
but the foundation never failed,
00:29:35.71\00:29:37.22
because no other
foundation can be laid
00:29:37.25\00:29:40.08
than that which is
laid, which is Christ Jesus.
00:29:40.11\00:29:43.39
'Cause I just want
to make that very clear,
00:29:43.42\00:29:44.79
'cause a lot of times people
say, well--they ask questions.
00:29:44.82\00:29:48.18
And people have
asked this to us today,
00:29:48.21\00:29:49.64
because there's a misconception
about how our church began.
00:29:49.67\00:29:52.43
Some people say, "Well,
00:29:52.46\00:29:53.83
did Ellen White
begin your church?"
00:29:53.86\00:29:55.97
No. We said, "No, our
church is built on the Bible.
00:29:56.00\00:29:59.57
Our church is built on Christ.
00:29:59.60\00:30:01.47
He is the Rock of the church."
00:30:01.50\00:30:03.01
And of course
you have people say,
00:30:03.04\00:30:04.41
"Well, you know, Martin
Luther began this movement
00:30:04.44\00:30:06.71
and this one came
out of that person
00:30:06.74\00:30:08.81
and this one came
out of that person."
00:30:08.84\00:30:10.79
And we give titles to
humans that start movements.
00:30:10.82\00:30:15.30
But in reality, the foundation
of the church is Christ.
00:30:15.33\00:30:20.62
No other
foundation can anybody lay.
00:30:20.65\00:30:22.84
But now taking it
to the next level,
00:30:22.87\00:30:24.24
John, we're gonna talk about
00:30:24.27\00:30:25.64
some of this
commission here today,
00:30:25.67\00:30:27.04
because the church is
still with individuals
00:30:27.07\00:30:29.40
that to a large
degree the church in America,
00:30:29.43\00:30:31.82
in particular, and other
parts of the world has become--
00:30:31.85\00:30:35.66
church going has become a
spectator sport rather than--
00:30:35.69\00:30:41.82
what's another
phrase I could use?
00:30:41.85\00:30:43.93
Church members come more to see
00:30:43.96\00:30:46.14
what the pastor's gonna
say than come to prepare to go.
00:30:46.17\00:30:51.30
But that's not what the Lord
has intended for them to do.
00:30:51.33\00:30:54.53
And I think you had a text
00:30:54.56\00:30:55.93
in Ephesians Chapter
4 that talks about that.
00:30:55.96\00:30:58.35
Yeah, Ephesians Chapter 4,
we'll begin with verse 11 here.
00:30:58.38\00:31:02.01
And it really begins to expand
00:31:02.04\00:31:04.19
the role of every
member in the church.
00:31:04.22\00:31:06.46
We know--and we're
not gonna cover all these,
00:31:06.49\00:31:08.46
but we know that the church
00:31:08.49\00:31:09.86
is made up of Christ as the head
00:31:09.89\00:31:12.30
and then the
members as the body.
00:31:12.33\00:31:16.04
You know, some are feet,
some are legs, some are hands,
00:31:16.07\00:31:18.38
some are arms, you know,
00:31:18.41\00:31:19.99
all these different
things that make up the church
00:31:20.02\00:31:22.65
and we're
dependent upon all of them.
00:31:22.68\00:31:24.20
Right. So the
question is, does that--
00:31:24.23\00:31:27.92
is that indicative
of a body of believers
00:31:27.95\00:31:30.78
that is a-- that are spectators
00:31:30.81\00:31:32.93
or is that indicative
of a body of believers
00:31:32.96\00:31:35.15
that are all
active in doing something?
00:31:35.18\00:31:36.92
Okay. And so
beginning with verse 11
00:31:36.95\00:31:39.60
in Ephesians Chapter 4
providing this picture of Paul
00:31:39.63\00:31:42.95
gives us of the church.
00:31:42.98\00:31:45.14
It says, "He
Himself," that is Jesus,
00:31:45.17\00:31:47.66
"gave some to be apostles,
00:31:47.69\00:31:50.21
some prophets, some evangelists,
00:31:50.24\00:31:53.30
and some pastors and teachers,
00:31:53.33\00:31:55.68
for the equipping of
the saints for the work of,"
00:31:55.71\00:31:58.89
what's that word?
00:31:58.92\00:32:00.29
"Ministry." "Ministry." Okay.
00:32:00.32\00:32:01.69
Let's stop there
for just a second.
00:32:01.72\00:32:03.57
According to what we've
just read, who does ministry?
00:32:03.60\00:32:07.97
The members. The members do.
00:32:08.00\00:32:09.83
Right. Absolutely.
00:32:09.86\00:32:12.05
There are leaders of the church
00:32:12.08\00:32:13.75
that God ordains for the purpose
00:32:13.78\00:32:16.28
of edifying that church,
00:32:16.31\00:32:18.02
but their role, which includes
00:32:18.05\00:32:19.73
pastors, are to equip
the members for ministry.
00:32:19.76\00:32:23.86
Ministry.
00:32:23.89\00:32:25.26
So in some respects the minister
isn't the only ministry.
00:32:25.29\00:32:28.60
They're the one that
does ministry. Right.
00:32:28.63\00:32:30.25
Everybody does ministry.
00:32:30.28\00:32:32.45
The pastor is the one that takes
00:32:32.48\00:32:34.12
that leadership role
in equipping the members
00:32:34.15\00:32:36.63
for their work, to
find their spiritual gift,
00:32:36.66\00:32:40.24
to find some way to
engage in service for Christ.
00:32:40.27\00:32:43.88
"And it's all for the
edifying of the body of Christ
00:32:43.91\00:32:46.47
till we all come to
the unity of the faith
00:32:46.50\00:32:49.46
and of the
knowledge of the Son of God
00:32:49.49\00:32:50.88
to a perfect man to the measure
00:32:50.91\00:32:52.82
of the stature of
the fullness of Christ."
00:32:52.85\00:32:55.07
That is the rest of verse 13.
00:32:55.10\00:32:58.10
So according to this verse,
there's lots of things here,
00:32:58.13\00:33:00.00
but the one thing I
wanted to bring up here is that,
00:33:00.03\00:33:03.35
this is the one place, as far as
00:33:03.38\00:33:07.59
the King James
Version of the Bible,
00:33:07.62\00:33:09.78
where the word pastor appears.
00:33:09.81\00:33:11.62
Okay. It doesn't
appear anywhere else.
00:33:11.65\00:33:14.47
This is the verse for pastors.
00:33:14.50\00:33:17.21
Now the interesting
thing what you'll find here is
00:33:17.24\00:33:19.12
if you read this
verse carefully, it says,
00:33:19.15\00:33:21.50
some apostles, some
prophets, some evangelists,
00:33:21.53\00:33:26.13
all with different
functions, by the way.
00:33:26.16\00:33:28.15
That's true. And
some pastors and teachers.
00:33:28.18\00:33:31.35
Notice, what word occurs
before teachers. Pastors.
00:33:31.38\00:33:37.41
There is no
word, some, is there?
00:33:37.44\00:33:41.56
Some apostles, some prophets,
00:33:41.59\00:33:44.57
some evangelists,
some pastors and teachers.
00:33:44.60\00:33:47.34
Right.
00:33:47.37\00:33:48.74
Teachers is not
an afterthought here
00:33:48.77\00:33:50.14
and it's not a
separate category either.
00:33:50.17\00:33:51.58
If you read this Greek,
00:33:51.61\00:33:52.98
you'll find that
most theologians agree,
00:33:53.01\00:33:56.19
the reading is some
pastors as teachers.
00:33:56.22\00:33:59.76
Okay.
00:33:59.79\00:34:01.18
The pastors are for teaching,
00:34:01.21\00:34:04.86
for equipping, for training,
00:34:04.89\00:34:07.52
for helping the
saints find their ministry.
00:34:07.55\00:34:11.55
And it's beautiful in that,
00:34:11.58\00:34:12.95
because we shouldn't
be looking at the pastor
00:34:12.98\00:34:14.96
to do all these
different things.
00:34:14.99\00:34:17.06
His role is
primarily to help me find out
00:34:17.09\00:34:19.97
what I can do for Jesus
00:34:20.00\00:34:22.35
within the context of the church
00:34:22.38\00:34:23.95
and within the context
of my personal ministry,
00:34:23.98\00:34:26.59
individual ministry with
those around me in my community.
00:34:26.62\00:34:30.81
And that's why in context
00:34:30.84\00:34:32.74
with that I'd like to
go to Romans Chapter 12.
00:34:32.77\00:34:35.64
We often read Romans 12:1-2.
00:34:35.67\00:34:38.52
When the Lord talked
about reasonable service
00:34:38.55\00:34:40.36
presenting your body
as a living sacrifice--
00:34:40.39\00:34:42.30
And we're gonna end up
coming back to this one, too.
00:34:42.33\00:34:43.79
Well, let's go and
get there and we'll--
00:34:43.82\00:34:45.53
Okay. We'll read here, but--
00:34:45.56\00:34:46.93
All right, all right. Go for it.
00:34:46.96\00:34:48.82
I want to go to verse 4,
00:34:48.85\00:34:50.36
because many people have
read verse 1 and 2. Oh, yes.
00:34:50.39\00:34:53.80
It says, "For as we have
many members in one body,
00:34:53.83\00:35:00.19
but all the members do
not have the same function."
00:35:00.22\00:35:03.73
All right.
00:35:03.76\00:35:05.13
"So we, being many,
are one body in Christ,
00:35:05.16\00:35:09.22
and individually
members of one another."
00:35:09.25\00:35:12.50
Notice, we're
one body in Christ.
00:35:12.53\00:35:14.18
Once again emphasizing
that Christ is the head.
00:35:14.21\00:35:16.38
Yeah. He didn't
make Peter the head.
00:35:16.41\00:35:19.48
And I say that in the context
of this major focus right now
00:35:19.51\00:35:22.91
of the shifting of
Popes around the world.
00:35:22.94\00:35:25.36
People are so, who's
gonna be the-- who's gonna be--
00:35:25.39\00:35:27.65
you know, as long
as Christ is there,
00:35:27.68\00:35:29.20
that's all it really matters.
00:35:29.23\00:35:30.86
Their earthly
power is not the focus,
00:35:30.89\00:35:32.98
it is the heavenly
power that is the focus.
00:35:33.01\00:35:35.56
In verse 6, "Having
then gifts differing
00:35:35.59\00:35:40.26
according to the
grace that is given to us,
00:35:40.29\00:35:43.58
let us use them."
00:35:43.61\00:35:45.70
And now notice, "If prophecy,
00:35:45.73\00:35:47.72
let us prophesy in proportion
to our faith or ministry,
00:35:47.75\00:35:52.84
let us use it
in our ministering.
00:35:52.87\00:35:55.61
He who teaches, in teaching,
00:35:55.64\00:35:57.89
he who exhorts, in exhortation,
00:35:57.92\00:36:00.31
he who gives, with liberality."
00:36:00.34\00:36:03.32
It's amazing how they
use giving as a ministry,
00:36:03.35\00:36:06.05
because there are some
people that are great givers.
00:36:06.08\00:36:08.16
"God loves a cheerful
giver," the Bible says.
00:36:08.19\00:36:11.22
"He who gives, with liberality,
he who leads, with diligence,
00:36:11.25\00:36:14.83
he who shows
mercy, with cheerfulness.
00:36:14.86\00:36:19.24
Let love be without
hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil,
00:36:19.27\00:36:22.42
cling to what is good."
00:36:22.45\00:36:23.82
And these are all the
parameters of the church.
00:36:23.85\00:36:26.18
"Be kindly affectionate one
to another with brotherly love,
00:36:26.21\00:36:30.15
and honor giving
preference to one another.
00:36:30.18\00:36:32.98
Not lagging in
diligence, fervent in spirit,
00:36:33.01\00:36:36.16
serving the Lord,
rejoicing in hope,
00:36:36.19\00:36:39.15
patient in tribulation,
00:36:39.18\00:36:40.60
continuing steadfast in prayer,
00:36:40.63\00:36:43.54
distributing to the
needs of the saints,
00:36:43.57\00:36:45.77
given to hospitality.
00:36:45.80\00:36:48.57
Bless those who persecute you,
00:36:48.60\00:36:50.71
and bless and do not curse.
00:36:50.74\00:36:54.04
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
00:36:54.07\00:36:55.83
and weep with those who weep.
00:36:55.86\00:36:57.70
Be of the same
mind toward one another.
00:36:57.73\00:37:00.36
Do not set your
mind on high things,
00:37:00.39\00:37:04.54
but associate with the humble.
00:37:04.57\00:37:06.77
Do not be wise
in your own opinion.
00:37:06.80\00:37:09.06
Repay no one evil for evil.
00:37:09.09\00:37:11.54
Have regard for good
things in the sight of all men.
00:37:11.57\00:37:15.34
If it is possible, as
much as depends on you,
00:37:15.37\00:37:18.39
live peaceably with all men."
00:37:18.42\00:37:21.24
And finally it winds up.
00:37:21.27\00:37:23.40
"Beloved, do not
avenge yourselves,
00:37:23.43\00:37:25.11
but rather give place to wrath.
00:37:25.14\00:37:27.94
For it is written,
'Vengeance is Mine,
00:37:27.97\00:37:29.69
I will repay,' says the Lord."
00:37:29.72\00:37:31.23
And so it goes on
and we know the one--
00:37:31.26\00:37:33.48
It's a beautiful model
of the Christian, isn't it?
00:37:33.51\00:37:36.31
You know, if you look
at the church and say,
00:37:36.34\00:37:37.71
"Okay, here's the kind of church
00:37:37.74\00:37:39.11
we're gonna have," boom,
00:37:39.14\00:37:40.51
you outlined it
with all this capacity.
00:37:40.54\00:37:41.91
This is what we want to have
00:37:41.94\00:37:43.31
as far as our
fellowship is concerned.
00:37:43.34\00:37:44.85
We don't want
person. We don't want--
00:37:44.88\00:37:46.81
we need to have--
this is what we need to do.
00:37:46.84\00:37:48.83
This is how you need to do it.
00:37:48.86\00:37:50.23
It's a wonderful
specific model. That's right.
00:37:50.26\00:37:52.83
So you say, "Well,
what do you believe?"
00:37:52.86\00:37:54.23
Well, here's our beliefs.
00:37:54.26\00:37:55.63
But how does
your church function?
00:37:55.66\00:37:57.29
Romans 12, this is what we want
00:37:57.32\00:37:59.52
as far as our
model is concerned.
00:37:59.55\00:38:01.15
And it clearly
is the use of gifts,
00:38:01.18\00:38:03.21
spiritual gifts
given by the Holy Spirit.
00:38:03.24\00:38:05.64
I had a gentleman
come up to me one time
00:38:05.67\00:38:07.54
from my
congregation and he said to me.
00:38:07.57\00:38:11.15
"Pastor, I'm a
little confused about
00:38:11.18\00:38:12.96
what you're talking about
00:38:12.99\00:38:14.36
and little uncomfortable
with what you're saying here,
00:38:14.39\00:38:15.79
because my witness at
work with people around me,
00:38:15.82\00:38:19.92
my family, my
friends is who Christ--
00:38:19.95\00:38:23.78
how Christ has changed
me, who He has made me.
00:38:23.81\00:38:26.79
And so I'm
loving, I'm more kind,
00:38:26.82\00:38:29.43
I'm more happy, I'm joyful,
00:38:29.46\00:38:31.83
I'm just a different
person and they can see that."
00:38:31.86\00:38:35.40
And I said, "Praise the Lord."
00:38:35.43\00:38:37.23
I said, "We all
should be Christians
00:38:37.26\00:38:38.89
of that kind of
character to be Christlike."
00:38:38.92\00:38:42.42
But what he was not--
what he was saying was that
00:38:42.45\00:38:46.90
I don't have to preach.
00:38:46.93\00:38:49.49
I don't have to
necessarily get out there
00:38:49.52\00:38:51.06
and say something about Christ.
00:38:51.09\00:38:52.67
My witness is who I am.
00:38:52.70\00:38:55.47
And I beg to differ
on this point with him,
00:38:55.50\00:38:58.49
because Jesus
when He left this world
00:38:58.52\00:39:03.01
He promised to
give the Holy Spirit
00:39:03.04\00:39:04.51
to the church, which He did.
00:39:04.54\00:39:06.26
The Holy Spirit
brings two things
00:39:06.29\00:39:08.22
to us as church members.
00:39:08.25\00:39:10.65
He gives us fruit,
love, joy, peace, patience,
00:39:10.68\00:39:14.30
goodness, kindness, meekness,
00:39:14.33\00:39:16.47
temperance,
which is self-control.
00:39:16.50\00:39:19.61
So all those things He
gave to us as church members.
00:39:19.64\00:39:24.11
What is the
purpose of that fruit?
00:39:24.14\00:39:26.86
To change us from within. Right.
00:39:26.89\00:39:29.60
To make us Christlike.
00:39:29.63\00:39:31.98
But He didn't
stop with fruit. Right.
00:39:32.01\00:39:34.06
He gave gifts. That's true.
00:39:34.09\00:39:35.91
And the gifts aren't for
the edifying of the body,
00:39:35.94\00:39:39.42
the changing of the character,
gifts are for ministry,
00:39:39.45\00:39:43.26
for the edifying
of the church body
00:39:43.29\00:39:45.85
and expanding of the
church and the delivering
00:39:45.88\00:39:48.91
of the everlasting
gospel to the world.
00:39:48.94\00:39:51.09
You will not find the gospel
being delivered through fruit.
00:39:51.12\00:39:57.01
No. The New
Testament, it is not there.
00:39:57.04\00:40:00.11
The gospel comes
through the use of gifts
00:40:00.14\00:40:02.29
imparted to believers.
00:40:02.32\00:40:03.84
The proclaimed gospel
comes through the gifts.
00:40:03.87\00:40:06.33
Always. The, the--
00:40:06.36\00:40:08.34
The living. The
living gospel comes
00:40:08.37\00:40:10.40
through the fruits.
00:40:10.43\00:40:11.96
And so it's wonderful
00:40:11.99\00:40:13.70
how the Lord
gives the fruits first.
00:40:13.73\00:40:16.31
And this is really important.
00:40:16.34\00:40:17.71
A very good
point you brought up,
00:40:17.74\00:40:19.11
because a lot of
times people are saying,
00:40:19.14\00:40:20.72
"By their gifts
you will know them."
00:40:20.75\00:40:22.30
Well, the Bible says,
00:40:22.33\00:40:23.70
"By their fruits
you will know them."
00:40:23.73\00:40:25.43
See, the fruits come first.
00:40:25.46\00:40:27.54
The fruits are evidence
00:40:27.57\00:40:28.94
that we are connected
to the vine, you know.
00:40:28.97\00:40:30.34
They have to come first.
00:40:30.37\00:40:31.74
Imagine, if the
gifts came first.
00:40:31.77\00:40:33.14
Oh. Chaos.
00:40:33.17\00:40:34.54
Somebody says,
"I want to preach.
00:40:35.44\00:40:36.87
I'm a very angry
person. I don't want to preach."
00:40:36.90\00:40:39.15
You're not
loving, you're not kind,
00:40:39.18\00:40:41.20
you're not patient.
00:40:41.23\00:40:42.64
Well, get me up there.
Exactly, well, get me--
00:40:42.67\00:40:44.79
So the whole key is the
fruit is evident that--evidence
00:40:44.82\00:40:48.33
that you're
connected to the living vine.
00:40:48.36\00:40:49.98
That's right. It produces that.
00:40:50.01\00:40:51.85
And by the way, I want
to just make this clear.
00:40:51.88\00:40:54.04
The fruit of the Spirit
00:40:54.07\00:40:57.88
is one fruit-- That
was smorgasbord. Right.
00:40:57.91\00:41:00.92
And so probably you'd
say, what fruit do you have?
00:41:00.95\00:41:03.23
I only have one fruit.
00:41:03.26\00:41:04.64
So when you think
about it in that context,
00:41:04.67\00:41:06.94
which is the way
the Bible says it,
00:41:06.97\00:41:09.24
the fruit of the Spirit.
00:41:09.27\00:41:11.78
But when it talks
about the fleshy--
00:41:11.81\00:41:14.29
the carnal world, it says
00:41:14.32\00:41:15.69
the works of the flesh
are these, but the fruit.
00:41:15.72\00:41:19.30
So if somebody can say,
00:41:19.33\00:41:20.70
"Well, the fruit
that I have is love,
00:41:20.73\00:41:22.97
but I don't have joy and peace."
00:41:23.00\00:41:25.13
You know, in that one
fruit all of these ingredient--
00:41:25.16\00:41:27.33
all the ingredients--
00:41:27.36\00:41:28.73
You can't select
which ones you have.
00:41:28.76\00:41:30.13
You can say, "Well,
I'm working on patience,
00:41:31.03\00:41:33.23
but I have a lot of joy.
00:41:33.26\00:41:34.63
I'm looking at love,
00:41:34.66\00:41:36.26
but I don't have
that other one yet."
00:41:36.29\00:41:38.10
It's a fruit, a single fruit.
00:41:38.13\00:41:39.50
It's nourished with
all those capacities.
00:41:39.53\00:41:42.05
And so going now to 1
Corinthians Chapter 12,
00:41:42.08\00:41:44.61
this is beautiful, John,
00:41:44.64\00:41:46.01
because what we're
talking about right now
00:41:46.04\00:41:47.41
is how God has
equipped the church.
00:41:47.44\00:41:49.54
And why would He give
us all these equipments
00:41:49.57\00:41:51.23
if He intends for us
to do nothing with it.
00:41:51.26\00:41:53.84
He really wouldn't.
00:41:53.87\00:41:55.24
He wouldn't give
us all these things
00:41:55.27\00:41:57.06
and say, "Well, now that
you have all these equipment,
00:41:57.09\00:42:00.37
you got lawnmowers,
you got tree cutters,
00:42:00.40\00:42:02.10
you have
pruners, you have shovels,
00:42:02.13\00:42:03.86
you have rakes, you
have bags of seed. Sit down."
00:42:03.89\00:42:08.97
No, absolutely not.
Here's what He says here.
00:42:09.00\00:42:12.09
Romans Chapter 12-- I'm
sorry, 1 Corinthians Chapter 12.
00:42:12.12\00:42:14.70
Isn't it funny,
00:42:14.73\00:42:16.10
Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12?
00:42:16.13\00:42:18.06
It's really the way
that it's sectioned out.
00:42:18.09\00:42:21.16
Verse 1, "Now concerning
spiritual gifts, brethren,
00:42:21.19\00:42:24.24
I do not want
you to be ignorant.
00:42:24.27\00:42:26.19
You know that you were Gentiles,
00:42:26.22\00:42:28.60
carried away to these dumb
idols, however you were led.
00:42:28.63\00:42:33.55
Therefore I make
known to you that
00:42:33.58\00:42:35.68
no one speaking
by the Spirit of God
00:42:35.71\00:42:37.63
calls Jesus accursed."
00:42:37.66\00:42:39.45
That's anathema.
00:42:39.48\00:42:40.88
"And no one can
say that Jesus is Lord
00:42:40.91\00:42:43.17
except by the Holy Spirit."
00:42:43.20\00:42:46.10
So we know the Spirit
of God is leading you,
00:42:46.13\00:42:48.35
because you say that
Jesus is Lord. That's wonderful.
00:42:48.38\00:42:51.49
But what about what
God has called you to do.
00:42:51.52\00:42:53.54
You want to start
with verse 4, John?
00:42:53.57\00:42:55.87
"There are diversities of
gifts, but the same Spirit.
00:42:55.90\00:43:00.20
There are
diversities of ministries,
00:43:00.23\00:43:01.79
but the same Lord.
00:43:01.82\00:43:03.19
And there are
diversities of activities,
00:43:03.22\00:43:04.84
but it is the same
God who works all in all.
00:43:04.87\00:43:08.84
But the
manifestation of the Spirit
00:43:08.87\00:43:10.43
is given to each one
for the profit of all.
00:43:10.46\00:43:13.33
For to one"--
00:43:13.36\00:43:14.73
Yeah, anyway he goes on
00:43:14.76\00:43:16.13
and talks about
the different gifts.
00:43:16.16\00:43:17.53
Well, no, no. I want you to
stop on verse 7 real quickly.
00:43:17.56\00:43:19.20
"But the
manifestation of the Spirit
00:43:19.23\00:43:21.04
is given to each one
for the profit of all."
00:43:21.07\00:43:24.45
That's what you were
talking about a moment ago.
00:43:24.48\00:43:26.20
So when he said the body,
00:43:26.23\00:43:27.66
these gifts are not
given for this body,
00:43:27.69\00:43:30.34
the gifts are given
for the church body,
00:43:30.37\00:43:33.10
so everybody
could profit from it.
00:43:33.13\00:43:34.97
So let's gives some examples
00:43:35.00\00:43:36.37
before we read the
list here, verse 8-10.
00:43:36.40\00:43:39.51
What are some of the--
what are some of the examples
00:43:39.54\00:43:41.52
of a gift that profits everyone?
00:43:41.55\00:43:44.73
The gift of encouragement. Okay.
00:43:44.76\00:43:48.30
Why is that a profit to
everyone else in the church?
00:43:48.33\00:43:51.37
Well, we've already--
we've always been around those
00:43:51.40\00:43:53.42
who have the gift of criticism,
00:43:53.45\00:43:56.26
not given by the
Spirit by any means,
00:43:56.29\00:43:59.05
and how much that destroys
and tears down the church.
00:43:59.08\00:44:01.46
But the gift of encouragement--
00:44:01.49\00:44:03.05
I tell you there's nothing
like walking into a church
00:44:03.08\00:44:05.39
that is full of
hope and encouragement
00:44:05.42\00:44:07.01
and joy and just
things that help to lift it up
00:44:07.04\00:44:10.56
and edify it and to grow it,
00:44:10.59\00:44:13.01
but that's just one
and there's several others.
00:44:13.04\00:44:14.82
And as we look at
the list here in verse 8,
00:44:14.85\00:44:16.82
starting with verse 8.
00:44:16.85\00:44:18.22
"For to one is
given the word of wisdom
00:44:18.25\00:44:20.54
through the Spirit."
00:44:20.57\00:44:21.94
I want to emphasize that.
00:44:21.97\00:44:23.34
"Through the Spirit, to
another the word of knowledge
00:44:23.37\00:44:25.84
through the same Spirit,
00:44:25.87\00:44:28.05
to another faith
by the same Spirit,
00:44:28.08\00:44:30.97
to another gifts of
healing by the same Spirit,
00:44:31.00\00:44:34.99
another the working of
miracles, to another prophesy,
00:44:35.02\00:44:39.56
to another
discerning of spirits,
00:44:39.59\00:44:41.96
to another
different kinds of tongues,
00:44:41.99\00:44:44.51
to another the
interpretation of tongues.
00:44:44.54\00:44:47.69
But one and the same
Spirit works all these things,
00:44:47.72\00:44:51.62
distributing to each one
individually as He wills."
00:44:51.65\00:44:57.08
And then verse 12 says,
00:44:57.11\00:44:58.48
"For as the body is
one and has many members,
00:44:58.51\00:45:02.30
but all members of
that one body being many,
00:45:02.33\00:45:05.01
are one body,
so also is Christ."
00:45:05.04\00:45:08.96
So who is the head? Christ.
00:45:08.99\00:45:11.77
So we have the
arms of the church.
00:45:11.80\00:45:13.53
And when you go down,
00:45:13.56\00:45:15.54
there's the another passage
I'll share in just a moment.
00:45:15.57\00:45:17.39
The eye, a lot of people say,
00:45:17.42\00:45:19.75
"Well, how significant
are the parts of the church?"
00:45:19.78\00:45:22.94
Well, the other
question will be,
00:45:22.97\00:45:24.42
how significant are
the parts of the body?
00:45:24.45\00:45:26.63
The eye and a hand.
00:45:26.66\00:45:28.03
Say the eye and a hand
have a-- say the eye have a--
00:45:28.06\00:45:30.94
has an argument with the feet.
00:45:30.97\00:45:34.44
And the eye said, "I'm tired.
00:45:34.47\00:45:37.06
I'm gonna just stay closed."
Will the feet know where to go?
00:45:37.09\00:45:40.70
Absolutely not.
00:45:40.73\00:45:42.10
And you'll have this
discombobulated body.
00:45:42.13\00:45:45.12
You'll have a body that
is in conflict with itself.
00:45:45.15\00:45:48.06
So when the
functions that God has outlined
00:45:48.09\00:45:50.24
doesn't operate in the church
00:45:50.27\00:45:51.64
the way He
intended for it to operate,
00:45:51.67\00:45:53.83
then the church
is discombobulated.
00:45:53.86\00:45:55.54
It's like a body that's atrophy.
00:45:55.57\00:45:57.55
It's a dysfunctional body.
00:45:57.58\00:45:58.95
It can't complete the
mission that God has given it.
00:45:58.98\00:46:00.87
Can't complete
the mission. Yeah.
00:46:00.90\00:46:03.70
So as far as the picture
that we're seeing of the church,
00:46:03.73\00:46:08.03
this isn't a study
of spiritual gifts,
00:46:08.06\00:46:09.87
but we know that
each member has a ministry
00:46:09.90\00:46:13.87
that he or even she can bring
00:46:13.90\00:46:16.43
to the
edification of the church,
00:46:16.46\00:46:18.29
for the growing
of the church for--
00:46:18.32\00:46:20.27
for not only spiritual growth,
00:46:20.30\00:46:22.19
but numerical growth
of the church on earth.
00:46:22.22\00:46:25.72
But as we make that statement,
00:46:25.75\00:46:29.15
people would say,
"Well, I agree with that."
00:46:29.18\00:46:32.13
But we need to put a
little more meat on this,
00:46:32.16\00:46:34.10
because this is the plan that
God had from the very beginning
00:46:34.13\00:46:38.37
for His people on this earth.
00:46:38.40\00:46:40.89
And we're gonna go back
now to Exodus Chapter 19.
00:46:40.92\00:46:44.62
Okay.
00:46:44.65\00:46:46.02
And start laying the foundation
00:46:46.05\00:46:47.42
for the model that
God has for His body,
00:46:47.45\00:46:53.17
His people here on this earth.
00:46:53.20\00:46:55.57
Exodus 19, it's
situated right before
00:46:55.60\00:46:59.38
God speaks the Ten Commandments
00:46:59.41\00:47:01.68
from the top of Mount Sinai on--
00:47:01.71\00:47:04.95
on Mount Sinai in
Chapter 20. All right.
00:47:04.98\00:47:07.58
So here Moses is
talking with the Lord
00:47:07.61\00:47:11.15
and we find in verse
5 and 6, these words,
00:47:11.18\00:47:15.82
"Now therefore,
if you will indeed
00:47:15.85\00:47:17.50
obey My voice
and keep My covenant,
00:47:17.53\00:47:20.45
then you shall be a
special treasure to Me
00:47:20.48\00:47:23.39
above all people, for
all the earth is Mine.
00:47:23.42\00:47:26.72
And you shall be
to Me a kingdom of,"
00:47:26.75\00:47:29.45
what's the word there? Priests.
00:47:29.48\00:47:31.09
"Priests and a holy nation.
00:47:31.12\00:47:34.22
These are the words
00:47:34.25\00:47:35.97
which you shall speak
to the children of Israel."
00:47:36.00\00:47:37.86
Which is what He told Moses
00:47:37.89\00:47:39.40
who then brought it to
the children of Israel.
00:47:39.43\00:47:42.10
"You shall be a kingdom
of priest and a holy nation."
00:47:42.13\00:47:46.32
Now notice this,
John, as we unpack this,
00:47:46.35\00:47:48.93
lights are gonna start going on,
00:47:48.96\00:47:50.33
'cause they certainly do with me
00:47:50.36\00:47:52.43
as I delve into this
very, very important topic.
00:47:52.46\00:47:56.57
God's original
design. And this is Christ,
00:47:56.60\00:48:00.19
the I Am speaking with Moses.
00:48:00.22\00:48:03.06
Only is not Christ revealed
00:48:03.09\00:48:05.19
that we see on earth
from the New Testament.
00:48:05.22\00:48:07.46
He's still Christ,
the I Am. All right.
00:48:07.49\00:48:09.60
He's talking to
Moses and He says,
00:48:09.63\00:48:11.00
"You'll be a
kingdom of priests."
00:48:11.03\00:48:13.19
Is there an
exclusion there of anyone?
00:48:13.22\00:48:16.85
No. None.
00:48:16.88\00:48:18.79
The whole kingdom are
to engage in the priesthood
00:48:18.82\00:48:23.80
as a holy nation.
00:48:23.83\00:48:26.03
This was God's
original design. Right.
00:48:26.06\00:48:29.65
Now the interesting thing is,
00:48:29.68\00:48:32.33
that as the people heard
Moses, these words from God,
00:48:32.36\00:48:35.00
especially after Mount Sinai
experience with God thundering--
00:48:35.03\00:48:39.42
can you imagine just
00:48:39.45\00:48:40.82
the thundering
voice from Mount Sinai
00:48:40.85\00:48:42.50
and delivering
the Ten Commandments--
00:48:42.53\00:48:43.92
the response of the people,
00:48:43.95\00:48:45.32
if you read this,
I wish we had time
00:48:45.35\00:48:46.72
to get to the details here,
but if you read all of this,
00:48:46.75\00:48:50.00
the response of
the people to God was,
00:48:50.03\00:48:51.95
"Moses, you go talk to
God. We're gonna stay back here.
00:48:51.98\00:48:55.21
Hey, everything
He said, we'll do it,
00:48:55.24\00:48:57.04
but you go talk with God."
00:48:57.07\00:48:58.91
They were sending
a message back to God
00:48:58.94\00:49:00.72
that they did not want to
be the kingdom of priests.
00:49:00.75\00:49:04.43
But they wanted someone
else to intercede for them.
00:49:04.46\00:49:07.74
Who did they send? Moses.
00:49:07.77\00:49:10.05
"Moses, you go talk to God,
00:49:10.08\00:49:11.72
because we're gonna die
if we get anywhere close."
00:49:11.75\00:49:14.23
And as you go on
through this story,
00:49:14.26\00:49:16.18
you'll find a continual
rejection of God's call
00:49:16.21\00:49:19.13
to have all of them
become a kingdom of priests
00:49:19.16\00:49:21.83
and a holy nation to Him. True.
00:49:21.86\00:49:24.17
Then Moses comes down
after a few chapters later,
00:49:24.20\00:49:27.31
his experience on the mountain,
00:49:27.34\00:49:28.71
receiving the tables of stone,
00:49:28.74\00:49:30.45
and what does he
find the Israelites doing?
00:49:30.48\00:49:33.25
Worshiping a golden calf.
00:49:33.28\00:49:35.92
And so he says, "Okay."
Lord goes, "Okay, plan B."
00:49:35.95\00:49:41.38
All of you have rejected
this kingdom of priest notion.
00:49:41.41\00:49:44.51
I am going to select
the ones that didn't rebel.
00:49:44.54\00:49:46.96
I'm selecting who?
00:49:46.99\00:49:48.39
The Levitical priesthood. Right.
00:49:48.42\00:49:50.74
He chose the tribe of Levi.
00:49:50.77\00:49:52.82
And that tribe then
became the kingdom of priests
00:49:52.85\00:49:55.51
and then Aaron
and his descendants
00:49:55.54\00:49:57.20
were selected for
the role of high priest,
00:49:57.23\00:50:00.11
overseeing the priesthood that
was of all the Levites there
00:50:00.14\00:50:04.68
or the family of Aaron.
00:50:04.71\00:50:08.09
So only one acting
high priest at a time,
00:50:08.12\00:50:10.98
but the priesthood and
those assisting the priesthood
00:50:11.01\00:50:13.07
were often the Levites. Right.
00:50:13.10\00:50:15.05
And I'm glad you mentioned that
00:50:15.08\00:50:16.45
because when you read
the statement in 1 Peter 2:9,
00:50:16.48\00:50:19.13
"But you are a holy
generation, a royal priesthood--
00:50:19.16\00:50:22.76
But you are a chosen generation,
00:50:22.79\00:50:24.40
a royal
priesthood, a holy nation.
00:50:24.43\00:50:26.75
His own special
people, that you may proclaim
00:50:26.78\00:50:28.81
the praises of Him who
called you out of darkness
00:50:28.84\00:50:30.71
into this marvelous light
or into His marvelous light,"
00:50:30.74\00:50:33.59
when you read that,
the Lord is saying okay,
00:50:33.62\00:50:35.98
what I intended from
the very beginning is
00:50:36.01\00:50:37.55
what I want my church to be."
00:50:37.58\00:50:40.05
And so when you
read this passage here,
00:50:40.08\00:50:43.00
God intended for
all of the people
00:50:43.03\00:50:45.50
to be involved in
proclaiming the message.
00:50:45.53\00:50:48.79
So how fast would
the message have gone--
00:50:48.82\00:50:52.20
If all of them
accepted that role.
00:50:52.23\00:50:54.68
But they rejected
that role. They really did.
00:50:54.71\00:50:56.86
And then it narrowed
down to a select group.
00:50:56.89\00:51:00.70
Now here's the
exciting thing about it.
00:51:00.73\00:51:03.87
Revelation 1:5-6
00:51:03.90\00:51:06.30
is using the very
language from Exodus Chapter 19.
00:51:06.33\00:51:12.22
And Revelation 1:5-6
says, "To Him," that is Jesus,
00:51:12.25\00:51:15.13
"who loved us and washed us
from our sins in His own blood,
00:51:15.16\00:51:18.21
and has made us."
00:51:18.24\00:51:19.61
Who is He speaking about?
00:51:19.64\00:51:21.01
The church. The church.
00:51:21.04\00:51:22.41
"Made us kings and
priests to His God and Father,
00:51:22.44\00:51:26.14
to Him be glory and
dominion forever and ever."
00:51:26.17\00:51:28.83
In the church, God has
come back to His original plan,
00:51:28.86\00:51:33.21
which was there
will be a nation,
00:51:33.24\00:51:35.36
a people of kings
and priests to me.
00:51:35.39\00:51:39.54
And so this is why
Peter uses that language
00:51:39.57\00:51:42.68
that you just spoke of here.
00:51:42.71\00:51:44.08
Right, holy nation.
00:51:44.11\00:51:45.48
Read that verse
again, 1 Peter 2:9.
00:51:45.51\00:51:47.07
"But you are a
chosen generation,
00:51:47.10\00:51:49.30
a royal
priesthood, a holy nation
00:51:49.33\00:51:53.73
His own special people
00:51:53.76\00:51:56.52
that you may
proclaim the praises of Him
00:51:56.55\00:51:58.61
who called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light."
00:51:58.64\00:52:03.40
So when Jesus
established His church,
00:52:03.43\00:52:06.30
He was
accomplishing what He wanted
00:52:06.33\00:52:09.14
to accomplish back
with the Israelites.
00:52:09.17\00:52:12.53
And I said this
statement several times before
00:52:12.56\00:52:14.29
and I know that some have
00:52:14.32\00:52:16.24
maybe even been a
little uncomfortable with it,
00:52:16.27\00:52:17.92
but it is absolutely true.
00:52:17.95\00:52:20.10
Had the nation of
Israel fulfilled their role
00:52:20.13\00:52:22.79
that God had given
them from the beginning
00:52:22.82\00:52:24.47
and had they accepted
Christ as their Messiah,
00:52:24.50\00:52:27.68
there would have been no
church as we know it today.
00:52:27.71\00:52:31.78
The Gentiles would
have received the message
00:52:31.81\00:52:34.26
through Israel, the nation
00:52:34.29\00:52:36.93
and it would have been a
combined ushering forward
00:52:36.96\00:52:40.39
of God's truth through a
greater number of people,
00:52:40.42\00:52:43.32
now with the Gentiles included,
00:52:43.35\00:52:44.96
to finish and proclaim
the everlasting gospel.
00:52:44.99\00:52:46.88
Wow.
00:52:46.91\00:52:48.28
But instead, Paul, as he
says in the Book of Acts,
00:52:48.31\00:52:50.78
because you rejected this,
thus we turned to the Gentiles.
00:52:50.81\00:52:55.81
And the church was established
00:52:55.84\00:52:57.83
based on this foundation
of Christ as the living stone
00:52:57.86\00:53:00.96
and it was established
as a kingdom of priests,
00:53:00.99\00:53:04.40
a royal priesthood, Peter says,
00:53:04.43\00:53:07.42
then to give
sacrifices back to God.
00:53:07.45\00:53:10.23
And in fact, if you
back up a little bit
00:53:10.26\00:53:12.21
in 1 Peter 2:4-5, it says,
00:53:12.24\00:53:14.98
"Coming to Him as
to a living stone,
00:53:15.01\00:53:18.26
rejected indeed by men,
but chosen by God and precious,
00:53:18.29\00:53:22.03
you also," speaking to
the church, "as living stones,
00:53:22.06\00:53:26.00
are being built
up a spiritual house,
00:53:26.03\00:53:28.72
a holy priesthood,
to offer up," what?
00:53:28.75\00:53:31.16
Spiritual sacrifices.
00:53:31.19\00:53:32.70
"Spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God
00:53:32.73\00:53:35.83
through Jesus Christ."
00:53:35.86\00:53:37.23
The question is,
00:53:37.26\00:53:38.63
do we as a church, as
members of the priesthood,
00:53:38.66\00:53:40.58
do we have
sacrifices to offer still?
00:53:40.61\00:53:43.01
Our lives are living sacrifice.
00:53:43.04\00:53:46.06
A living sacrifice, absolutely.
00:53:46.09\00:53:48.33
There are spiritual sacrifices,
00:53:48.36\00:53:49.81
there aren't the blood
of bulls and goats again,
00:53:49.84\00:53:51.75
but that doesn't mean we have
sacrifices that we can offer.
00:53:51.78\00:53:55.13
That's right. Present your
body as a living sacrifice.
00:53:55.16\00:53:57.89
And there is where we get
back to Romans Chapter 12.
00:53:57.92\00:54:00.91
That's why you were saying
00:54:00.94\00:54:02.31
you want to go back
to Romans Chapter 12.
00:54:02.34\00:54:03.89
Yeah. Now we're not
gonna get done with this,
00:54:03.92\00:54:06.58
I think in one program. Okay.
00:54:06.61\00:54:08.27
But let's transition
this to then Romans 12:1,
00:54:08.30\00:54:11.16
let's go ahead and
end with Romans 12:1 here.
00:54:11.19\00:54:15.67
Taking this idea of
spiritual sacrifices
00:54:15.70\00:54:18.30
offered by the
priesthood, the church today,
00:54:18.33\00:54:21.41
Paul says these words,
00:54:21.44\00:54:22.81
"I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:54:22.84\00:54:24.21
by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies
00:54:24.24\00:54:27.77
a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable to God,
00:54:27.80\00:54:32.16
which is your
reasonable service."
00:54:32.19\00:54:35.30
NIV says, "your
spiritual act of"--
00:54:35.33\00:54:38.05
Worship. "Worship."
00:54:38.08\00:54:39.45
That's right.
00:54:39.48\00:54:40.85
So to say as a
church member in the pews
00:54:40.88\00:54:43.75
I don't have something to offer
to God, is simply not biblical.
00:54:43.78\00:54:47.77
Right, because you have to.
00:54:47.80\00:54:49.73
You've been given a
gift and we return that gift.
00:54:49.76\00:54:52.35
In fact it even
brings more light
00:54:52.38\00:54:54.32
to the parable of the talents
where God had given gifts.
00:54:54.35\00:54:58.70
And what did the
one that received
00:54:58.73\00:55:00.46
only the one gift do with it?
00:55:00.49\00:55:01.86
Buried it. He buried it.
00:55:01.89\00:55:03.30
And when the master came back
and he heard that he buried it
00:55:03.33\00:55:07.90
and didn't use it,
what was the response?
00:55:07.93\00:55:10.53
He took it-- You wicked servant.
00:55:10.56\00:55:12.49
That's right. He took it
from and gave it to somebody
00:55:12.52\00:55:15.20
who used the
gift he'd given. Yeah.
00:55:15.23\00:55:16.98
And the expanded
picture then of that is that,
00:55:17.01\00:55:20.21
are we given gifts
that we're not using
00:55:20.24\00:55:22.56
and that's not honoring God?
00:55:22.59\00:55:25.30
I think in every respect when
we're looking at this topic,
00:55:25.33\00:55:29.18
we need to be serious about
00:55:29.21\00:55:30.71
offering the spiritual
sacrifices of ourselves
00:55:30.74\00:55:33.16
back to God in
whatever way He has given us
00:55:33.19\00:55:35.76
to further and
advance the gospel.
00:55:35.79\00:55:37.61
When earlier we
read a text he brought us
00:55:37.64\00:55:39.67
out of darkness
into His marvelous light,
00:55:39.70\00:55:42.07
this marvelous light
is a part of the gospel.
00:55:42.10\00:55:44.22
The marvelous light is not
just the gospel that's lived,
00:55:44.25\00:55:48.05
but also the gospel that's
proclaimed the glory of God.
00:55:48.08\00:55:51.81
You know, fear God
and give glory to Him
00:55:51.84\00:55:54.47
for the hour of
His judgment has come.
00:55:54.50\00:55:56.23
We're living in
that judgment hour.
00:55:56.26\00:55:57.82
And so God wants the glory
that He has entrusted to us
00:55:57.85\00:56:01.05
through the proclaiming
and the living gospel
00:56:01.08\00:56:02.99
to be seen and
present it to the world.
00:56:03.02\00:56:05.05
Isaiah 60 is a part of that
00:56:05.08\00:56:08.13
where we speak about the
effect of allowing the God
00:56:08.16\00:56:11.38
that we have
chosen to work through us.
00:56:11.41\00:56:13.58
It says, "Arise and
shine, for your light has come,
00:56:13.61\00:56:16.51
and the glory of the
Lord has risen upon you.
00:56:16.54\00:56:19.19
For behold, darkness
shall cover the earth,
00:56:19.22\00:56:22.21
and deep darkness or
gross darkness the people.
00:56:22.24\00:56:24.91
But the Lord will arise over you
00:56:24.94\00:56:27.02
and His glory
will be seen upon you.
00:56:27.05\00:56:29.78
The Gentiles shall
come to your light,
00:56:29.81\00:56:32.61
and the kings to the
brightness of your rising.
00:56:32.64\00:56:35.67
Lift up your eyes
all around, and see,
00:56:35.70\00:56:37.87
they all gather
together, they come to you."
00:56:37.90\00:56:40.32
And so it talks about
00:56:40.35\00:56:41.72
this light that God has
given to everyone of us.
00:56:41.75\00:56:44.22
Let your light so shine.
00:56:44.25\00:56:45.78
This is the end
result of allowing the gift
00:56:45.81\00:56:48.00
that God has given to
us to be seen in the active
00:56:48.03\00:56:52.16
and witnessing function
of the chosen believer. Wow.
00:56:52.19\00:56:57.93
And not only
that, the Book of Acts
00:56:57.96\00:56:59.36
when Peter is giving that sermon
00:56:59.39\00:57:01.66
in Acts Chapter 2,
00:57:01.69\00:57:03.25
he references that
passage, in another words says,
00:57:03.28\00:57:05.98
you'll be light--you'll
be a light to the Gentiles
00:57:06.01\00:57:09.26
for salvation to
the ends of the earth.
00:57:09.29\00:57:11.11
And he speaks of that in
the context of the church
00:57:11.14\00:57:13.71
borrowing from the Old
Testament model of Israel.
00:57:13.74\00:57:17.40
God--God never intends
for the church to sit still.
00:57:17.43\00:57:19.80
And so, friends, if
you're thinking about
00:57:19.83\00:57:21.20
what your function is,
00:57:21.23\00:57:22.77
the Lord has not
called you to stay,
00:57:22.80\00:57:24.59
He's called you
to go. You responded.
00:57:24.62\00:57:27.04
Now today is the day
to begin following Christ.
00:57:27.07\00:57:29.71
And so follow Christ
today and He will bless you.
00:57:29.74\00:57:32.82
Have a great day in Him.
00:57:32.85\00:57:34.22