Hello, my name
is Frank Fournier.
00:00:01.10\00:00:03.54
I'm here to welcome you
to Heaven's Point of View.
00:00:03.57\00:00:06.67
Today we're gonna study
or we're gonna begin a study
00:00:06.70\00:00:08.79
on the Parable
of the Prodigal Son.
00:00:08.82\00:00:11.30
Get your Bible,
come and join us,
00:00:11.33\00:00:14.00
we're waiting for you.
00:00:14.03\00:00:15.15
I'd like to invite
you to get your Bibles,
00:00:44.30\00:00:46.12
turn with me to Luke Chapter 15.
00:00:46.15\00:00:48.45
We're going to start
reading with verse 11.
00:00:48.48\00:00:51.00
Now verse 11 is very short,
00:00:51.03\00:00:53.22
but I want you to notice,
00:00:53.25\00:00:54.94
in spite of the
fact that is very sure.
00:00:54.97\00:00:56.68
There are many things
that we can learn from there.
00:00:56.71\00:00:59.08
So in Luke Chapter 15 now
00:00:59.11\00:01:01.41
we're starting with
verse 11 and it says this.
00:01:01.44\00:01:04.57
Jesus is speaking, "And He says,
a certain man had two sons."
00:01:04.60\00:01:09.83
Now what can we learn from that?
00:01:09.86\00:01:12.11
Well, let's
start with a question.
00:01:12.14\00:01:14.71
Who is the certain
man in the parable?
00:01:14.74\00:01:17.90
As far as I can
tell, as far as I know,
00:01:17.93\00:01:19.92
Jesus wanted to introduce
His father to this people
00:01:19.95\00:01:23.07
that He was
talking to at that time.
00:01:23.10\00:01:24.49
He wanted us to know
00:01:24.52\00:01:26.52
how His father
relates to the human race
00:01:26.55\00:01:29.96
as it is divided into sons.
00:01:29.99\00:01:32.02
And so we think
of the two sons here.
00:01:32.05\00:01:34.12
Who are they anyway?
00:01:34.15\00:01:35.84
Now it's possible that
Jesus was dividing the two sons
00:01:35.87\00:01:39.80
that, you know, symbolically
00:01:39.83\00:01:41.95
thinking of the Jewish
people as the elder brother,
00:01:41.98\00:01:45.40
thinking of the gentile
people as the younger brother.
00:01:45.43\00:01:49.59
Also, it is very close parallel
00:01:49.62\00:01:52.33
to the story of
Cannibal in Genesis Chapter 4.
00:01:52.36\00:01:56.20
But far benefit today,
00:01:56.23\00:01:57.41
we're just going to
look at the two sons
00:01:57.44\00:01:59.23
as representing the human race.
00:01:59.26\00:02:01.00
And I have a question for you.
00:02:01.03\00:02:02.73
Which of the two sons was good
00:02:02.76\00:02:04.63
and which of the
two sons was bad?
00:02:04.66\00:02:08.42
Now most people would
like to answer that question
00:02:08.45\00:02:11.41
if they can by saying,
00:02:11.44\00:02:13.92
"Well, they're both
good or they're both bad."
00:02:13.95\00:02:16.85
But that is insult.
00:02:16.88\00:02:18.14
I'd like to invite
you to turn with me
00:02:18.17\00:02:20.56
to Mathew Chapter 19.
00:02:20.59\00:02:22.19
You can hold your
fingers here in Luke Chapter 15.
00:02:22.22\00:02:25.43
Go with me to Mathew Chapter 19,
00:02:25.46\00:02:29.16
and I want you to see something.
00:02:29.19\00:02:31.06
There is a rich young ruler
00:02:31.09\00:02:32.90
who comes to Jesus
in Mathew Chapter 19
00:02:32.93\00:02:36.27
and he has a very
question to ask of the Lord.
00:02:36.30\00:02:39.69
He says, "What must I
do to have eternal life?"
00:02:39.72\00:02:42.40
Now I don't know that
00:02:42.43\00:02:43.46
there is a more
important question
00:02:43.49\00:02:44.82
that needs to be asked.
00:02:44.85\00:02:45.88
You and I need to
ask that question.
00:02:45.91\00:02:49.16
What must I do to
have eternal life?
00:02:49.19\00:02:51.47
That's in verse 16,
00:02:51.50\00:02:53.02
but I want you
to notice the answer
00:02:53.05\00:02:55.29
that Jesus gives the
rich young ruler, verse 17.
00:02:55.32\00:03:00.35
And he said to him,
"Why do you call me good?
00:03:00.38\00:03:04.05
There is none good,
but one, that is God."
00:03:04.08\00:03:07.97
Now who is it that
saying this? Why is Jesus?
00:03:08.00\00:03:11.44
Just Jesus know
what he's talking about?
00:03:11.47\00:03:13.67
Did you notice what he said?
00:03:13.70\00:03:15.43
No one is good, but God.
00:03:15.46\00:03:18.20
Even Revelation
3:10, and excuse me,
00:03:18.23\00:03:22.65
this is Romans 2,
3:10, and Romans 3:12 says,
00:03:22.68\00:03:29.18
"There is none
rightness no not one,
00:03:29.21\00:03:32.50
there is none that do with good.
00:03:32.53\00:03:33.89
So we need to establish
this thing first of all.
00:03:33.92\00:03:37.94
There is none
good, not you, not I,
00:03:37.97\00:03:42.10
this is the basis of
the Plan of Salvation.
00:03:42.13\00:03:44.85
We need to understand
00:03:44.88\00:03:46.01
that we are sinners
in need of God's help.
00:03:46.04\00:03:50.61
So the younger son
was lost in the world
00:03:50.64\00:03:55.18
and he didn't
care, he wanted to sin
00:03:55.21\00:03:58.06
and he didn't care who knew it,
00:03:58.09\00:03:59.24
he was going to go out and sin.
00:03:59.27\00:04:01.45
But the elder brother
had a different problem.
00:04:01.48\00:04:03.64
The elder brother
was in the church.
00:04:03.67\00:04:05.66
The elder brother
hadn't left his father
00:04:05.69\00:04:07.53
and his father in the
parable represents God.
00:04:07.56\00:04:10.18
So in our way of thinking,
00:04:10.21\00:04:11.88
we may decide that
the elder brother was
00:04:11.91\00:04:14.52
in the employee of God,
00:04:14.55\00:04:17.48
but there's
something more conclusive.
00:04:17.51\00:04:19.37
If you'll turn with me to
Luke Chapter 15 one more time
00:04:19.40\00:04:22.85
and let's go to verse 29.
00:04:22.88\00:04:24.85
In verse 29, in Luke Chapter 15,
00:04:24.88\00:04:28.34
this is after the younger
brother have come back home,
00:04:28.37\00:04:30.92
the father has a feast for him,
00:04:30.95\00:04:32.89
the elder brother
refuses to go to the feast,
00:04:32.92\00:04:35.66
the father goes
out to entreat him.
00:04:35.69\00:04:38.21
Now I want you to see
00:04:38.24\00:04:39.27
what the elder
brother has to say.
00:04:39.30\00:04:41.27
This is Luke Chapter 15
and we're looking at verse 29.
00:04:41.30\00:04:46.56
In Luke Chapter
15, watch what he says.
00:04:46.59\00:04:50.40
"And he answering
said to his father look,
00:04:50.43\00:04:53.49
these many
years do I serve thee,
00:04:53.52\00:04:55.79
neither transgressed I at
any time thy commandments."
00:04:55.82\00:05:00.51
Can you imagine saying that?
00:05:00.54\00:05:02.40
Are you able to
say that at no time
00:05:02.43\00:05:04.33
you ever transgressed
the commandments of God?
00:05:04.36\00:05:06.81
Is there anyone that you know
00:05:06.84\00:05:08.89
that has not transgressed
the commandments of God?
00:05:08.92\00:05:11.50
Why no?
00:05:11.53\00:05:12.56
The Bible says, "All have sinned
00:05:12.59\00:05:14.03
then come short
of the glory of God.
00:05:14.06\00:05:15.70
And sin is the
transgression of the law
00:05:15.73\00:05:17.96
but this young
man was so religious
00:05:17.99\00:05:20.02
and he was so
confident in his religion
00:05:20.05\00:05:23.08
that he felt like.
00:05:23.11\00:05:24.87
He had never transgressed
the commandments of God.
00:05:24.90\00:05:29.42
That's amazing. Really it is.
00:05:29.45\00:05:32.48
And yet, there is
something terribly wrong
00:05:32.51\00:05:34.54
with this young
man's experience.
00:05:34.57\00:05:37.01
If you look at verse 23,
00:05:37.04\00:05:39.31
it says there,
"And he was angry."
00:05:39.34\00:05:43.35
Why was he angry?
00:05:43.38\00:05:45.48
I mean, if your younger brother
had thrown away his salvation,
00:05:45.51\00:05:49.07
if your younger
brother had gone out
00:05:49.10\00:05:51.02
to disappear way his
life and he comes home,
00:05:51.05\00:05:54.72
I mean after
you've sent him a Bible
00:05:54.75\00:05:56.59
and after you've
sent him some tracks
00:05:56.62\00:05:58.49
and you invite him back home
00:05:58.52\00:05:59.68
and he comes home,
are you going to be angry?
00:05:59.71\00:06:01.84
Something's wrong with the
elder brother's experience.
00:06:01.87\00:06:07.52
But there is
something more conclusive here
00:06:07.55\00:06:10.97
that we can look.
00:06:11.00\00:06:12.03
If you look again at
verse 29, you can see
00:06:12.06\00:06:14.66
after he says I've never
transgressed the commandments.
00:06:14.69\00:06:17.20
Notice what he says.
00:06:17.23\00:06:19.02
"And yet you have
never given me a kid
00:06:19.05\00:06:22.41
that I might make
merry with my friends.
00:06:22.44\00:06:27.18
Is that right?
00:06:27.21\00:06:28.24
Now what does the kid represents
symbolically in the Bible?
00:06:28.27\00:06:31.57
What does the lamb represent
or a goat or a bullock?
00:06:31.60\00:06:34.47
In the Bible,
the kid or the lamb
00:06:34.50\00:06:36.23
always represents Jesus
and His atoning sacrifice.
00:06:36.26\00:06:40.17
What this young
man is actually saying
00:06:40.20\00:06:42.64
is "I've never broken
the commandments of God
00:06:42.67\00:06:46.46
and the merits of the atoning
sacrifice of Jesus Christ
00:06:46.49\00:06:49.44
have never been applied to me."
00:06:49.47\00:06:51.04
Now is that possible?
00:06:51.07\00:06:52.48
Is it possible that a
person could be keeping
00:06:52.51\00:06:55.26
all the
commandments and still be lost?
00:06:55.29\00:06:58.75
This is the condition in
which we find to this young man.
00:06:58.78\00:07:03.19
Now he didn't
understand of course
00:07:03.22\00:07:05.66
that his type of
religion does not save.
00:07:05.69\00:07:10.24
Do you understand it?
00:07:10.27\00:07:11.62
Do you know that
there are three passages,
00:07:11.65\00:07:13.51
oh there maybe more than
three passages in the scriptures
00:07:13.54\00:07:16.17
but I can point you to
three passages in the scriptures
00:07:16.20\00:07:19.02
that says, "It isn't
enough to be religious,
00:07:19.05\00:07:21.85
it isn't enough to
belong to the church."
00:07:21.88\00:07:23.76
We need to have a
personal relationship
00:07:23.79\00:07:25.83
with Jesus Christ.
00:07:25.86\00:07:26.93
We need to walk
hand-in-hand, arm-in-arm,
00:07:26.96\00:07:29.28
shoulder-to-shoulder,
heart-to-heart with Jesus Christ
00:07:29.31\00:07:31.87
if we can even begin to think
00:07:31.90\00:07:34.52
that we have
salvation in our hearts.
00:07:34.55\00:07:37.20
So I'd like to invite you now
00:07:37.23\00:07:38.52
to turn with me
to James Chapter 1.
00:07:38.55\00:07:42.35
Okay, let's read
verse 26 James Chapter 1.
00:07:42.38\00:07:45.81
"If any man among
you seem to be religious,
00:07:45.84\00:07:48.91
and bridles not his tongue,
00:07:48.94\00:07:51.00
but deceives his own heart,
this man's religion is vain."
00:07:51.03\00:07:56.20
And this was the
condition of the elder brother
00:07:56.23\00:08:00.35
in the Parable
of the Prodigal Son.
00:08:00.38\00:08:02.23
He had all the
trappings of religion
00:08:02.26\00:08:04.94
and yet in his heart
when his brother comes home,
00:08:04.97\00:08:07.77
he should've
been filled with joy,
00:08:07.80\00:08:09.50
but instead it says
there that he was angry.
00:08:09.53\00:08:14.30
Jesus said in Mathew Chapter 12,
00:08:14.33\00:08:16.71
"Out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaks."
00:08:16.74\00:08:20.72
And so this is what we find
00:08:20.75\00:08:21.99
coming out of
this young man's heart,
00:08:22.02\00:08:24.67
coming out of his mouth.
00:08:24.70\00:08:25.96
Now how is it with you
when the words you speak,
00:08:25.99\00:08:28.98
do they reflect that
Jesus is in your heart
00:08:29.01\00:08:31.43
or do they
reflect the carnal nature?
00:08:31.46\00:08:35.77
I would like to
have you turn with me
00:08:35.80\00:08:37.22
to Second Timothy Chapter 3.
00:08:37.25\00:08:40.22
In Second Timothy Chapter 3,
00:08:40.25\00:08:42.08
we find
ourselves in the last days.
00:08:42.11\00:08:45.08
This is what Paul is want
us, wants us to notice here.
00:08:45.11\00:08:49.69
We're in Second Timothy,
we're in Chapter 3 in verse 1.
00:08:49.72\00:08:54.40
Second Timothy
3:1, "This know also,
00:08:54.43\00:08:58.94
that in the last days
perilous times shall come."
00:08:58.97\00:09:02.14
And then he
goes about to show us
00:09:02.17\00:09:04.92
what people will be
like in the last days.
00:09:04.95\00:09:07.91
Look at verse 2,
00:09:07.94\00:09:09.30
"For men shall be
lovers of their own selves,
00:09:09.33\00:09:11.73
they will be covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers,
00:09:11.76\00:09:15.46
disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy."
00:09:15.49\00:09:18.34
And it goes on and on and on
00:09:18.37\00:09:20.12
to describe what
people will be like
00:09:20.15\00:09:21.91
in the day in which
we are living right now,
00:09:21.94\00:09:24.15
but I want you
to notice verse 5.
00:09:24.18\00:09:26.63
We're in Second Timothy
3, we're looking at verse 5.
00:09:26.66\00:09:30.66
It says that "The
people in the last days
00:09:30.69\00:09:32.57
will have a form of godliness,
00:09:32.60\00:09:35.47
but denying the power
thereof, from such turn away."
00:09:35.50\00:09:39.24
Friends, the power
of God is in His word,
00:09:39.27\00:09:42.09
but there is a lot of
people who are Christians today,
00:09:42.12\00:09:44.58
they have the rituals,
they have the ceremonies,
00:09:44.61\00:09:47.43
they go to church, they
have a form of godliness,
00:09:47.46\00:09:50.55
but they have no power
00:09:50.58\00:09:52.14
because they do not receive
the word of God in their hearts,
00:09:52.17\00:09:56.88
in their
lifestyles if you please.
00:09:56.91\00:09:59.69
And so here again
we have a condition
00:09:59.72\00:10:02.20
of the young man in the parable.
00:10:02.23\00:10:05.43
He had all the trappings
like, I say of religion,
00:10:05.46\00:10:08.38
but he had no power.
00:10:08.41\00:10:10.01
And so when his
brother shows up,
00:10:10.04\00:10:11.92
he can't reveal the power of God
00:10:11.95\00:10:14.30
because it is driven
by his carnal nature.
00:10:14.33\00:10:19.32
Again, I'd like to have you
turn to the Book of Revelation.
00:10:19.35\00:10:22.96
We're in the
Book of Revelation 3.
00:10:22.99\00:10:26.19
As you know, the
Book of Revelation
00:10:26.22\00:10:28.28
is a book of prophecy
00:10:28.31\00:10:30.70
and it's mostly
written in symbol.
00:10:30.73\00:10:33.37
If I was to say today
that number 7 is a symbol.
00:10:33.40\00:10:39.52
What would you
know that it means
00:10:39.55\00:10:41.35
or someone could tell us
that it means perfection,
00:10:41.38\00:10:44.15
it means
completeness, it means a whole.
00:10:44.18\00:10:46.83
And in the Book of
Revelation, of course,
00:10:46.86\00:10:48.53
there is all kinds of number 7,
00:10:48.56\00:10:50.66
7 stars, 7 plagues, 7
churches, 7 candlestick,
00:10:50.69\00:10:55.68
7 spirits, 7 eyes
and on and on it goes
00:10:55.71\00:10:58.92
always depicting
the full picture.
00:10:58.95\00:11:01.70
Well, when I
turn to the 7 churches
00:11:01.73\00:11:03.90
of Revelation 2 and 3
00:11:03.93\00:11:06.15
then we know we're looking
at Christianity as a whole,
00:11:06.18\00:11:09.43
if I turn to the last era
to the last church of the 7
00:11:09.46\00:11:13.40
then I know we're
looking at the last days.
00:11:13.43\00:11:15.70
We're looking at
Christianity in the last days.
00:11:15.73\00:11:18.74
And I'll have you
look with me at verse 15,
00:11:18.77\00:11:22.23
we'll start right there.
00:11:22.26\00:11:23.56
Jesus says, "I know your works,
00:11:23.59\00:11:26.99
that you're
neither cold nor hot."
00:11:27.02\00:11:28.89
I wish you're cold or hot.
00:11:28.92\00:11:32.09
So then because you're lukewarm
and neither cold nor hot,
00:11:32.12\00:11:34.77
I will spue
thee out of my mouth.
00:11:34.80\00:11:36.37
I will warm at
you out of my mouth."
00:11:36.40\00:11:38.99
This is what Jesus is saying.
00:11:39.02\00:11:41.74
Now, what does He mean,
00:11:41.77\00:11:45.19
what's wrong with
Christianity in the last days?
00:11:45.22\00:11:47.75
Well, if you look at verse 17,
00:11:47.78\00:11:49.76
we get a picture
of what is wrong here.
00:11:49.79\00:11:53.41
Look at verse
17, "Because you say,
00:11:53.44\00:11:56.68
I am rich, spiritually rich,
00:11:56.71\00:11:59.89
and increased with
goods, and have need of nothing,
00:11:59.92\00:12:02.66
you don't know
that you are wretched,
00:12:02.69\00:12:05.60
and miserable
and spiritually poor,
00:12:05.63\00:12:08.29
and spiritually blind,
and spiritually naked."
00:12:08.32\00:12:12.97
What in the world is
Jesus talking about today?
00:12:13.00\00:12:17.09
Well, friends,
this is another picture
00:12:17.12\00:12:18.63
of course of the elder brother
00:12:18.66\00:12:20.99
in the Parable
of the Prodigal Son.
00:12:21.02\00:12:23.40
The elder because he
had never left the church,
00:12:23.43\00:12:25.82
because he had never
left his father's employee,
00:12:25.85\00:12:28.52
because he thought he kept
all the commandments of God,
00:12:28.55\00:12:31.50
he thought he was in, he
thought he was all right,
00:12:31.53\00:12:34.86
he thought himself
spiritually rich didn't realize
00:12:34.89\00:12:37.89
that he was spiritually
poor, blind and naked.
00:12:37.92\00:12:42.51
Now I have a question for you.
00:12:42.54\00:12:46.43
Are you spiritually rich
00:12:46.46\00:12:48.51
or you spiritually
poor, blind and naked?
00:12:48.54\00:12:52.32
If you were to take a
walk Downtown, America
00:12:52.35\00:12:55.50
and you were met there
00:12:55.53\00:12:56.56
by a fine southern
Baptists on a street corner
00:12:56.59\00:12:59.56
who would stop you, he
would ask you a question.
00:12:59.59\00:13:01.73
Do you realize what
question he would ask you?
00:13:01.76\00:13:04.02
He would say, "Are you save?"
00:13:04.05\00:13:06.47
Is that a good question?
00:13:06.50\00:13:07.89
Friends, it's a
fantastic question,
00:13:07.92\00:13:09.39
and I hope you can
answer it to the positive.
00:13:09.42\00:13:11.78
We have a salvational
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:13:11.81\00:13:15.49
Yes, I am save.
Well, here is the question.
00:13:15.52\00:13:18.02
If you are saved.
00:13:18.05\00:13:20.38
Are you spiritually rich
00:13:20.41\00:13:21.99
or are you spiritually
poor, blind and naked?
00:13:22.02\00:13:26.02
Well, don't
answer that question.
00:13:26.05\00:13:28.41
It's a trick question.
00:13:28.44\00:13:30.00
Do you know why?
00:13:30.03\00:13:31.30
Because we have the idea
00:13:31.33\00:13:33.29
that the verse
we've just read says
00:13:33.32\00:13:35.39
that those who
are spiritually poor,
00:13:35.42\00:13:37.02
blind and naked are lost.
00:13:37.05\00:13:38.94
And that those who
are spiritually rich
00:13:38.97\00:13:41.90
these people are saved.
00:13:41.93\00:13:43.40
But it isn't so.
00:13:43.43\00:13:45.69
You see, if you look at
the verse very carefully
00:13:45.72\00:13:48.42
you'll see that
the Bible is saying
00:13:48.45\00:13:51.27
that those who
are lost do not know
00:13:51.30\00:13:54.59
that they are spiritually
poor, blind and naked.
00:13:54.62\00:13:57.84
They do not know
their spiritual condition.
00:13:57.87\00:14:01.57
But the saved because
they've come closed to Jesus,
00:14:01.60\00:14:04.88
they happened to know
00:14:04.91\00:14:06.41
their need of His
help all the time.
00:14:06.44\00:14:10.06
Did you see it?
00:14:10.09\00:14:11.74
We are spiritually poor.
00:14:11.77\00:14:13.75
We are spiritually blind.
00:14:13.78\00:14:15.40
We are spiritually need naked
00:14:15.43\00:14:17.64
and because we are relay
hold upon Jesus all the more.
00:14:17.67\00:14:21.66
There's a little book
called "Steps to Christ"
00:14:21.69\00:14:23.52
in page 64 it says this,
00:14:23.55\00:14:25.25
"The closure we come to Jesus
00:14:25.28\00:14:26.90
the more faulty we
appear in our own eyes."
00:14:26.93\00:14:30.11
Do you know why
we appear so faulty
00:14:30.14\00:14:32.22
when we come close to Jesus?
00:14:32.25\00:14:33.85
Because the contrast is just so.
00:14:33.88\00:14:36.30
How is it when you
come close to perfection?
00:14:36.33\00:14:38.55
Your imperfections are
placed in the light of course
00:14:38.58\00:14:43.50
and we see ourselves
for what we really are.
00:14:43.53\00:14:45.93
This is what it
means to be a Christian.
00:14:45.96\00:14:48.29
So if today you are satisfied
with your Christian experience,
00:14:48.32\00:14:51.88
can I tell you something?
00:14:51.91\00:14:53.66
You are in danger
00:14:53.69\00:14:56.12
because you and I are
sinners in need of Jesus Christ.
00:14:56.15\00:15:00.13
I'd like to look at
this word poor for a minute.
00:15:01.75\00:15:04.45
Turn with me to Mathew 3.
00:15:04.48\00:15:08.13
I've got my Bible here.
00:15:08.16\00:15:09.28
We're going to go to Mathew 3.
00:15:09.31\00:15:11.59
This is where
the beatitudes start.
00:15:11.62\00:15:13.36
The great, great
sermon that Jesus preached
00:15:13.39\00:15:16.34
on the Mount of Blessing
00:15:16.37\00:15:18.68
and we're gonna start--
00:15:18.71\00:15:20.00
Excuse me, I said Mathew 3.
00:15:20.03\00:15:21.36
I want you to turn to
verse-- to Chapter 5 rather.
00:15:21.39\00:15:24.20
We're gonna look at verse 3.
00:15:24.23\00:15:25.73
This is Mathew 5.
We're looking at verse 3.
00:15:25.76\00:15:28.62
It's the very first beatitude.
00:15:28.65\00:15:30.97
Look at to that with me.
00:15:31.00\00:15:32.54
This is Mathew 5:3.
00:15:32.57\00:15:35.49
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
00:15:35.52\00:15:38.64
for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
00:15:38.67\00:15:41.74
You know,
friends, it took me forever
00:15:41.77\00:15:44.65
to understand this verse.
00:15:44.68\00:15:46.43
I grew up in a
certain denomination.
00:15:46.46\00:15:49.30
We were poor folk up there
00:15:49.33\00:15:50.82
in Northern Canada and Ontario,
00:15:50.85\00:15:53.42
and my father as far as I know
00:15:53.45\00:15:55.35
only knew one verse in the Bible
00:15:55.38\00:15:58.06
and it was this verse
only he used recite it
00:15:58.09\00:16:00.69
out of the Book of Luke.
00:16:00.72\00:16:01.98
You understand?
00:16:02.01\00:16:03.04
And into Book of Luke it says,
00:16:03.07\00:16:04.76
"Blessed are the poor for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven."
00:16:04.79\00:16:08.07
Wonderful. Because we were poor.
00:16:08.10\00:16:10.03
My father had the
very verse that he needed.
00:16:10.06\00:16:12.46
"Blessed out the poor for
theirs is a kingdom of heaven."
00:16:12.49\00:16:15.26
But there is
something about that
00:16:15.29\00:16:16.71
that I didn't understand.
00:16:16.74\00:16:18.63
I knew a lot of poor people
00:16:18.66\00:16:20.45
who were not very Christ like
00:16:20.48\00:16:22.94
and it just
didn't make sense to me.
00:16:22.97\00:16:25.35
And there is another
thing that didn't make sense.
00:16:25.38\00:16:30.29
Do you know that if Jesus is God
00:16:30.32\00:16:33.46
and Jesus comes down from
heaven down into this world--
00:16:33.49\00:16:36.83
It would seem to me in any case
00:16:36.86\00:16:38.64
that He would
scan the whole world
00:16:38.67\00:16:40.33
looking for someone
who is spiritually rich?
00:16:40.36\00:16:43.50
And as soon as He
would find someone
00:16:43.53\00:16:45.21
who is
spiritually rich He would say,
00:16:45.24\00:16:47.18
"Blessed are
the spiritually rich
00:16:47.21\00:16:49.44
for theirs is
the kingdom of God."
00:16:49.47\00:16:51.41
But Jesus never said that.
00:16:51.44\00:16:54.40
Do you know why?
00:16:54.43\00:16:56.02
Because there is
no one in this world
00:16:56.05\00:16:59.22
that is spiritually rich.
00:16:59.25\00:17:00.67
There is none good, no, not one.
00:17:00.70\00:17:03.77
There is none that
doing that does righteously,
00:17:03.80\00:17:06.22
there is none that do
with good, no, not one.
00:17:06.25\00:17:11.50
Can you begin to see
00:17:11.53\00:17:12.96
what Jesus is
trying to teach us here?
00:17:12.99\00:17:15.42
Blessed are they who
feel their spiritual poverty
00:17:15.45\00:17:19.20
for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
00:17:19.23\00:17:21.35
In the book Desire of
Ages page 300 it says,
00:17:21.38\00:17:23.92
"From the soul that feels
his need nothing is withheld."
00:17:23.95\00:17:28.57
Do you know that
our need is everything?
00:17:28.60\00:17:31.20
Our need is everything.
00:17:31.23\00:17:32.87
And this is
what God response to.
00:17:32.90\00:17:35.29
He doesn't
respond to our perfection
00:17:35.32\00:17:37.49
because there is no perfection.
00:17:37.52\00:17:39.20
He doest response to
the gift that we bring
00:17:39.23\00:17:41.56
because everything that
we bring has been given to us
00:17:41.59\00:17:44.79
first of all by
God to begin with.
00:17:44.82\00:17:46.74
He response to our need
00:17:46.77\00:17:49.02
and we have a great need
greater than we understand
00:17:49.05\00:17:51.58
and I would hope
through these lessons
00:17:51.61\00:17:53.02
that we might
come to the place where
00:17:53.05\00:17:54.79
we begin to
understand what our needs are.
00:17:54.82\00:17:59.61
If you'll turn with
me to the Book of John
00:17:59.64\00:18:02.04
we're going to go to
the Book of John Chapter 9.
00:18:02.07\00:18:05.68
Now in John Chapter 9,
00:18:05.71\00:18:07.30
we're gonna look
at the word blind
00:18:07.33\00:18:08.62
we've just look
that the word poor
00:18:08.65\00:18:10.52
and we begin to understand
00:18:10.55\00:18:12.28
that is more blessed
to be poor than to be rich
00:18:12.31\00:18:15.10
because that's
exactly what we are.
00:18:15.13\00:18:17.60
We are spiritually
poor in need Jesus Christ.
00:18:17.63\00:18:20.66
Well, now let's
look at the word blind.
00:18:20.69\00:18:23.50
Together we're
looking at John Chapter 9
00:18:23.53\00:18:26.61
starting with verse 39.
00:18:26.64\00:18:29.33
And Jesus said, "For judgment
I am come into this world
00:18:29.36\00:18:33.76
that they which
see not might see,
00:18:33.79\00:18:36.76
and that they which
see might be made blind."
00:18:36.79\00:18:39.98
Now tell me which one are you?
00:18:40.01\00:18:42.86
Are you of them that
see or are you blind?
00:18:42.89\00:18:46.69
Well, friends,
you'd better be blind
00:18:46.72\00:18:48.24
because Jesus
came for the blind,
00:18:48.27\00:18:50.30
He did not come for the seeing.
00:18:50.33\00:18:54.66
Now when He said this,
00:18:54.69\00:18:57.46
there were
Pharisees standing around.
00:18:57.49\00:18:59.76
And do you know
that they were insulted
00:18:59.79\00:19:02.11
when He said that?
00:19:02.14\00:19:03.45
Oh, they were.
00:19:03.48\00:19:04.65
You see, they
had gone to seminary.
00:19:04.68\00:19:06.88
He'd been through
Rabbinical Schools.
00:19:06.91\00:19:08.78
They had been through
the schools of the prophet,
00:19:08.81\00:19:10.99
they had become
the pastors of the day
00:19:11.02\00:19:13.27
and they understood the Bible,
00:19:13.30\00:19:14.93
they had studied it
with all their hearts
00:19:14.96\00:19:16.94
and now they
considered themselves
00:19:16.97\00:19:18.43
the guide to the
blinds to the blind people
00:19:18.46\00:19:21.31
and Jesus is now telling
them that it is the blind
00:19:21.34\00:19:25.07
that He came for,
00:19:25.10\00:19:26.40
and not those who
thought they could see.
00:19:26.43\00:19:28.97
They were insulted.
Look with me at verse 40 now.
00:19:29.00\00:19:32.47
We're in John 9,
we're looking at verse 40.
00:19:32.50\00:19:36.58
And some of the Pharisees
00:19:36.61\00:19:37.94
which were with
Him heard these words
00:19:37.97\00:19:40.05
and said to him, "Are you
saying that we are blind?"
00:19:40.08\00:19:44.34
They were incredulous,
they couldn't believe it.
00:19:44.37\00:19:47.00
No way, we are educated.
00:19:47.03\00:19:49.58
Isn't that amazing to you?
00:19:49.61\00:19:51.96
You know, there are
dangers in being educated
00:19:51.99\00:19:54.11
and now I wouldn't stop
a man from being educated.
00:19:54.14\00:19:56.48
I wish for sure that I had
00:19:56.51\00:19:58.02
far more
education than I have today.
00:19:58.05\00:20:00.75
Nevertheless there is a danger
00:20:00.78\00:20:03.12
because when we're educated
we seem to think that we know
00:20:03.15\00:20:06.90
when the Bible says,
"The man knows nothing
00:20:06.93\00:20:09.25
as he ought to know it."
00:20:09.28\00:20:10.63
That's in First Corinthians 8:2,
if you were interested to know.
00:20:10.66\00:20:15.55
Now these men were insulted.
00:20:15.58\00:20:21.36
They didn't know
how to relate to it
00:20:21.39\00:20:23.08
and Jesus decides
to give one more punch
00:20:23.11\00:20:26.62
to His little sermon here.
00:20:26.65\00:20:28.34
We're looking at verse 41.
00:20:28.37\00:20:30.75
Jesus said to them,
00:20:30.78\00:20:32.99
"If you were blind
you should have no sin.
00:20:33.02\00:20:37.96
But now you say we see,
00:20:37.99\00:20:40.51
therefore here the sin remains."
00:20:40.54\00:20:46.72
All that Jesus is
trying to say here
00:20:46.75\00:20:49.58
is that we need guidance.
00:20:49.61\00:20:53.84
Jeremiah 10:23 says,
00:20:53.87\00:20:56.42
"It is not in man that
walketh to direct his steps."
00:20:56.45\00:21:00.06
Oh, there is the way
that seems right to a man,
00:21:00.09\00:21:02.39
Proverbs 14:12,
but it says there
00:21:02.42\00:21:04.88
that the end thereof
is the ways of death.
00:21:04.91\00:21:07.93
God expects us to
acknowledge Him in all our ways,
00:21:07.96\00:21:11.41
do not lean on
our own understanding.
00:21:11.44\00:21:13.62
And so this is what Jesus
was saying to these people
00:21:13.65\00:21:16.43
and this is what was
wrong with the elder brother
00:21:16.46\00:21:19.68
in the Parable
of the Prodigal Son.
00:21:19.71\00:21:21.67
He had full confidence
in his Christian experience,
00:21:21.70\00:21:24.65
not realizing that his
type of religion does not same.
00:21:24.68\00:21:31.56
Now that's the question.
00:21:31.59\00:21:33.62
What about your
type of religion?
00:21:33.65\00:21:35.71
Does it save?
00:21:35.74\00:21:37.67
You know, when
I was 30 years old
00:21:37.70\00:21:40.49
I was asked, but
actually I was elected
00:21:40.52\00:21:42.60
to become the
president of a small institution
00:21:42.63\00:21:45.16
in Northern Ontario in
Canada, they made me president.
00:21:45.19\00:21:49.06
I was only three
years old, as a Christian
00:21:49.09\00:21:50.97
I hardly knew
anything of Christianity
00:21:51.00\00:21:52.58
much less that I know
anything about leadership,
00:21:52.61\00:21:56.08
but this is what I was given,
I was given that position.
00:21:56.11\00:21:59.31
Well, the man
who was responsible
00:21:59.34\00:22:01.88
for putting me in that
position felt responsible.
00:22:01.91\00:22:04.83
He felt like, he needed to
do something to nurture me,
00:22:04.86\00:22:07.59
but the man lived in
Chattanooga, Tennessee.
00:22:07.62\00:22:10.35
Now you might realize
there is a long, a long way
00:22:10.38\00:22:14.14
between Chattanooga, Tennessee
and Northern Ontario and Canada
00:22:14.17\00:22:18.00
and in those days, by the
way there were no cell phones.
00:22:18.03\00:22:21.78
Now and there was no internet
00:22:21.81\00:22:23.56
and there was no communication
00:22:23.59\00:22:24.91
unless you got onto telephone
00:22:24.94\00:22:26.60
and made a long distance
phone call, you understand?
00:22:26.63\00:22:28.90
And those things were
expensive in those days.
00:22:28.93\00:22:30.86
And so he
didn't call very often.
00:22:30.89\00:22:33.02
But he had a method.
00:22:33.05\00:22:34.63
And so he would
call me up on the phone
00:22:34.66\00:22:36.26
and he would say, "Listen,
00:22:36.29\00:22:37.35
there is going to
be a little convention
00:22:37.38\00:22:39.11
over here in New Hampshire
over there in Massachusetts
00:22:39.14\00:22:42.39
or wherever it might be
00:22:42.42\00:22:43.60
and he'd say I want you
to make your way down there
00:22:43.63\00:22:46.68
because I've
already organized for you
00:22:46.71\00:22:48.45
to preach the word
of God to these people
00:22:48.48\00:22:50.80
and then after the convention
00:22:50.83\00:22:52.37
they're going to
have a board meeting,
00:22:52.40\00:22:53.84
they're going to invite you
00:22:53.87\00:22:55.09
and through this
you're going to begin
00:22:55.12\00:22:56.51
to get a little training,
00:22:56.54\00:22:57.75
you want leadership
looks like in the type of work
00:22:57.78\00:23:00.16
that you're doing.
00:23:00.19\00:23:01.22
And so I would do this.
00:23:01.25\00:23:02.40
I would follow through
00:23:02.43\00:23:03.53
and he would guide me to
this place and to that place
00:23:03.56\00:23:06.61
and this was his
way of nurturing me.
00:23:06.64\00:23:09.09
Well, now we come to 1980.
00:23:09.12\00:23:12.50
In 1980, he calls
me up and he says,
00:23:12.53\00:23:14.90
"There is going to
be a little convention
00:23:14.93\00:23:17.22
in a place called Eden
Valley in Northern Colorado,
00:23:17.25\00:23:21.15
and I want you to
make your way over there.
00:23:21.18\00:23:22.36
I've already organized for you
to preach the word of God there
00:23:22.39\00:23:25.37
and I thought
to myself, no way."
00:23:25.40\00:23:29.95
Northern Colorado?
00:23:29.98\00:23:32.11
Do you know how far that
is from Northern Ontario?
00:23:32.14\00:23:36.09
That is a long way.
00:23:36.12\00:23:37.44
And I wasn't used to traveling
00:23:37.47\00:23:38.89
and now I was going
to go by myself by car
00:23:38.92\00:23:41.16
all the way down there.
00:23:41.19\00:23:42.22
It just seemed formidable.
00:23:42.25\00:23:43.61
I didn't want to do it,
00:23:43.64\00:23:44.97
but he convinced me
that I should, and so I did.
00:23:45.00\00:23:48.63
On the very first
night, on the very first day
00:23:48.66\00:23:50.62
that I took off, I
traveled for 14 hours.
00:23:50.65\00:23:54.74
I ended up in Southern Michigan
00:23:54.77\00:23:57.01
in a little place
called Oak Heaven.
00:23:57.04\00:24:00.64
Now some of you might
know where Oak Haven is.
00:24:00.67\00:24:02.88
I don't know.
00:24:02.91\00:24:03.94
In any case, they
gave me a room to sleep
00:24:03.97\00:24:05.97
and I slept all night,
everything was wonderful.
00:24:06.00\00:24:08.29
I woke up to singing.
00:24:08.32\00:24:10.73
People, apparently
00:24:10.76\00:24:11.86
I had been given a
room above a little chapel
00:24:11.89\00:24:14.89
and in the morning
they were having worship
00:24:14.92\00:24:16.98
and this young man, a
young black man was speaking,
00:24:17.01\00:24:19.27
I don't remember
what he had to say,
00:24:19.30\00:24:20.60
but he said this one thing.
00:24:20.63\00:24:22.03
He said, "Seventh-day
Adventists are self-righteous."
00:24:22.06\00:24:26.06
And I went like,
00:24:26.09\00:24:27.58
what in the world
is this guy is saying?
00:24:27.61\00:24:29.89
Why is he saying that?
00:24:29.92\00:24:31.79
Oh, by the way,
00:24:31.82\00:24:33.08
Seventh-day
Adventists are self-righteous.
00:24:33.11\00:24:35.52
Oh, yes, we are.
00:24:35.55\00:24:36.67
As a mater of fact,
everyone is self-righteous.
00:24:36.70\00:24:39.08
This is the sin of the aid.
00:24:39.11\00:24:40.53
Self-righteousness
sinfully means
00:24:40.56\00:24:42.41
that we put
confidence in ourselves
00:24:42.44\00:24:44.31
when we ought to be
putting faith in God.
00:24:44.34\00:24:46.93
This is the battle
that every man has to fight.
00:24:46.96\00:24:49.15
And so it's no, it's no surprise
00:24:49.18\00:24:51.75
that a Seventh-day Adventist
would be self-righteous.
00:24:51.78\00:24:54.31
As a matter of fact
everyone else in the world
00:24:54.34\00:24:56.07
is self-righteous.
00:24:56.10\00:24:57.13
This is our battle, but
I didn't understand that.
00:24:57.16\00:24:59.56
I'm sitting there and
I'm thinking to myself,
00:24:59.59\00:25:02.59
that can't be, that can't be.
00:25:02.62\00:25:05.34
Well, I send up a prayer to God.
00:25:05.37\00:25:07.26
I don't know if
you've ever done that.
00:25:07.29\00:25:08.38
I mean, in the
middle of a congregation
00:25:08.41\00:25:09.92
and I say to the Lord,
"Lord, am I self-righteous?
00:25:09.95\00:25:13.45
And do you know
that God was spotted.
00:25:13.48\00:25:16.71
He said, "Yes, you
are self-righteous."
00:25:16.74\00:25:18.44
I don't know how God responds,
but He gave me a thought.
00:25:18.47\00:25:21.13
I didn't originate
and He was telling me
00:25:21.16\00:25:23.68
that I was self-righteous.
00:25:23.71\00:25:26.54
And so I continued to ask,
00:25:26.57\00:25:27.91
how can that
be, how can that be?
00:25:27.94\00:25:29.61
And He said to me,
He asked me a question.
00:25:29.64\00:25:31.56
"What is it that you
complained the most about?"
00:25:31.59\00:25:33.66
And I said,
00:25:33.69\00:25:35.26
"I don't have enough
time for my devotions,
00:25:35.29\00:25:36.95
I don't have
enough time for my Bible,
00:25:36.98\00:25:38.49
I don't have enough
time for my prayer time."
00:25:38.52\00:25:44.04
And He said to me, "Listen,
00:25:44.07\00:25:46.12
if for one minute
00:25:46.15\00:25:49.62
you could feel the
weight of the responsibilities
00:25:49.65\00:25:51.90
that I've put on your shoulders,
00:25:51.93\00:25:53.44
if for one minute you could feel
the weight of the responsibility
00:25:53.47\00:25:56.80
of being the husband of a wife,
00:25:56.83\00:25:58.65
of being a father
of three children,
00:25:58.68\00:26:00.16
of being the
leader of an institution,
00:26:00.19\00:26:01.63
of being the head
elder in the church,
00:26:01.66\00:26:04.09
a witness in the community.
00:26:04.12\00:26:05.42
For one minute, you could feel
any of those responsibilities.
00:26:05.45\00:26:08.94
You could do nothing, but pray.
00:26:08.97\00:26:10.34
Don't tell me, you
don't have time to pray.
00:26:10.37\00:26:13.53
The only reason you don't is
00:26:13.56\00:26:14.96
because you go off
in your own strength
00:26:14.99\00:26:16.91
to meet your responsibilities.
00:26:16.94\00:26:18.81
You are self-righteous.
00:26:18.84\00:26:23.97
So now tell me,
friends, are you self-righteous?
00:26:24.00\00:26:27.50
Do you ever complained
00:26:27.53\00:26:28.60
that you don't have
enough time for your Bible,
00:26:28.63\00:26:30.92
that you don't have
enough time for your devotions,
00:26:30.95\00:26:33.58
that you don't have
enough time for God?
00:26:33.61\00:26:37.02