It has stood the test of time.
00:00:07.33\00:00:11.66
God's book.
00:00:11.66\00:00:13.53
The Bible.
00:00:13.53\00:00:17.20
Still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:00:17.20\00:00:22.03
It is written sharing
hope around the globe.
00:00:22.03\00:00:50.63
Kim Philby was destined to
make his mark in the world.
00:00:50.63\00:00:53.73
The son of a rather brilliant
father, he was educated at
00:00:53.73\00:00:56.13
the best schools in England,
including Trinity College in
00:00:56.13\00:00:58.66
Cambridge.
00:00:58.66\00:01:00.86
For 30 years Philby
worked for British intelligence,
00:01:00.86\00:01:04.16
rising to a very high
rank in the British Secret
00:01:04.16\00:01:07.50
Intelligence Service,
M.I.6: he ran its entire
00:01:07.50\00:01:10.70
counterespionage programme
- that is, he was in charge of
00:01:10.70\00:01:14.36
stopping spies collecting
information on Britain - and
00:01:14.36\00:01:18.00
he set up the section
that spied on the Soviet Union.
00:01:18.00\00:01:33.53
But what nobody knew was
that while Kim Philby was in
00:01:33.53\00:01:36.60
charge of an important
part of Great Britain's spy
00:01:36.60\00:01:39.90
programme, he himself was
in fact a DOUBLE AGENT: while
00:01:39.90\00:01:46.63
supposedly protecting Britain
from spies, Philby was a spy
00:01:46.63\00:01:50.30
himself, working
for the Soviet Union.
00:01:50.30\00:01:54.73
He provided a lot of
information to the Soviets
00:01:54.73\00:01:57.16
that led to the deaths of
a large number of agents, and
00:01:57.16\00:02:00.70
he inflicted real damage
to both American and British
00:02:00.70\00:02:03.20
intelligence.
00:02:03.20\00:02:18.36
Kim Philby died
in Moscow in 1988.
00:02:18.36\00:02:21.73
A brilliant man, a
capable man, but a double agent.
00:02:21.73\00:02:27.93
Nobody really knew
just whose side he was on.
00:02:27.93\00:02:35.56
I've wondered often just
how many people know whose side
00:02:35.56\00:02:37.20
GOD is on.
00:02:37.20\00:02:39.10
I'm not suggesting for a
second that God is a double
00:02:39.10\00:02:41.06
agent, but that many
people aren't entirely sure just
00:02:41.06\00:02:43.96
whose side He is on, as
life plays out here on Planet
00:02:43.96\00:02:47.50
Earth.
00:02:47.50\00:02:48.56
God gets blamed for
an enormous amount of bad
00:02:48.56\00:02:52.70
things: in 2005, not long
after Hurricane Katrina, Time
00:02:52.70\00:02:55.86
Magazine featured an
article titled, "Where Was God?"
00:02:55.86\00:02:59.50
It investigated the myriad
responses from people about
00:02:59.50\00:03:03.60
the cause of the calamity -
masses felt that it was God's
00:03:03.60\00:03:06.93
judgment for
just about everything.
00:03:06.93\00:03:10.00
After the Asian tsunami,
the Archbishop of Canterbury
00:03:10.00\00:03:13.23
said, "Of course, this
makes us doubt God's existence."
00:03:13.23\00:03:16.03
So very often when personal
tragedy strikes, the question
00:03:16.03\00:03:21.13
asked is "Why
did God allow this?"
00:03:21.13\00:03:24.63
Now that's not always a
bad question you know - even
00:03:24.63\00:03:27.23
Jesus cried out, My God, My
God, Why hast thou forsaken me?
00:03:27.23\00:03:32.10
But all too often
present in the question is the
00:03:32.10\00:03:34.40
suggestion that
God is the villain.
00:03:34.40\00:03:37.93
And the question gets
murky for some when we start to
00:03:37.93\00:03:41.06
wrestle with matters of
personal sin - "Does God
00:03:41.06\00:03:44.20
still care for me, does
God still love me, is God still
00:03:44.20\00:03:47.60
with me after what I've done?"
00:03:47.60\00:03:50.10
How far does the love and
patience and acceptance of
00:03:50.10\00:03:53.26
God stretch in the case
of sinners committing sin?
00:03:53.26\00:03:57.56
Serious questions.
00:03:57.56\00:03:59.53
And the Bible provides
us with serious answers.
00:03:59.53\00:04:03.13
You don't really have to
go too far in the Bible to
00:04:03.13\00:04:05.46
figure this out.
00:04:05.46\00:04:06.70
John Ch. 8
describes how Jesus handled
00:04:06.70\00:04:09.80
a broken life.
00:04:09.80\00:04:11.93
We find Jesus in the temple
where you'd expect it to be
00:04:11.93\00:04:15.83
very reverent, very
quiet, when something strange
00:04:15.83\00:04:19.73
happens.
00:04:19.73\00:04:21.10
A group of apparently
upstanding men bring to Jesus
00:04:21.10\00:04:24.20
a women who had just
been caught in an act of
00:04:24.20\00:04:27.10
immorality.
00:04:27.10\00:04:28.73
Angry men, a cowering,
perhaps a weeping woman,
00:04:28.73\00:04:33.26
there is tension in the air
as justice is being demanded.
00:04:33.26\00:04:37.43
Here's how John
describes the scene.
00:04:37.43\00:04:39.50
John, Ch. 8:
Then the scribes and
00:04:39.50\00:04:43.36
Pharisees brought to Him
a woman caught in adultery.
00:04:43.36\00:04:47.70
And when they had set her
in the midst, they said to Him,
00:04:47.70\00:04:50.83
"Teacher, this woman was
caught in adultery, in the
00:04:50.83\00:04:52.93
very act.
00:04:52.93\00:04:55.06
"Now Moses, in the law,
commanded us that such should
00:04:55.06\00:04:57.66
be stoned.
00:04:57.66\00:04:59.66
But what do You say?"
00:04:59.66\00:05:01.96
(John 8:3-5)
Well, what could He say?
00:05:01.96\00:05:04.56
If she's guilty, she's guilty.
00:05:04.56\00:05:06.43
Really, that settles it.
00:05:06.43\00:05:08.23
But aren't you glad that
doesn't actually settle it in
00:05:08.23\00:05:11.90
the mind of God?
00:05:11.90\00:05:13.13
Not right away.
00:05:13.13\00:05:14.43
If guilt "settled it", our
collective goose would have
00:05:14.43\00:05:17.63
been well and truly
cooked a long time ago.
00:05:17.63\00:05:20.53
And according to the
Bible, we're all in the same
00:05:20.53\00:05:22.60
situation.
00:05:22.60\00:05:23.86
Romans 3:23 says For all have
sinned and fall short of the
00:05:23.86\00:05:28.50
glory of God.
(Romans 3:23) If our misdeeds
00:05:28.50\00:05:32.03
settled it, if our sins
settled it, none of us would
00:05:32.03\00:05:36.36
ever have the slightest
hope of going to heaven.
00:05:36.36\00:05:39.46
We'd be done!
00:05:39.46\00:05:41.10
So how did Jesus respond?
00:05:41.10\00:05:41.83
John 8.
00:05:41.83\00:05:44.70
We pick it up in verse 6.
00:05:44.70\00:05:46.33
John 8:6, 7 But Jesus stooped
down and wrote on the ground
00:05:46.33\00:05:49.33
with His finger, as
though He did not hear.
00:05:49.33\00:05:52.00
So when they continued asking
Him, He raised Himself up and
00:05:52.00\00:05:56.13
said to them, "He who is
without sin among you, let
00:05:56.13\00:06:01.06
him throw a stone at her first."
00:06:01.06\00:06:05.00
Now, they were right.
00:06:05.00\00:06:07.23
She was a sinful
woman, and she had done wrong.
00:06:07.23\00:06:11.50
But Jesus challenges those
individuals and tells them to
00:06:11.50\00:06:15.96
go right ahead and stone this
poor creature as long as they
00:06:15.96\00:06:20.23
themselves were without sin.
00:06:20.23\00:06:23.83
You know, when that woman
heard what Jesus had said,
00:06:23.83\00:06:26.16
she no doubt
thought she was dead.
00:06:26.16\00:06:28.76
These holy,
righteous men, she thought.
00:06:28.76\00:06:32.23
They come off as being so
holy they'll probably all be
00:06:32.23\00:06:35.10
throwing rocks at me.
00:06:35.10\00:06:36.53
It'll be a blizzard!
00:06:36.53\00:06:38.46
But instead they drop their
rocks and walk away, leaving
00:06:38.46\00:06:43.60
Jesus, the perfect, holy,
righteous Son of God - God in
00:06:43.60\00:06:48.36
the flesh - alone with
this miserable, wicked, corrupt
00:06:48.36\00:06:54.06
individual, who really
did deserve to have the book
00:06:54.06\00:06:57.00
thrown at her.
00:06:57.00\00:06:58.80
Now let's see
how this story ends.
00:06:58.80\00:07:00.60
John 8:10-11 When Jesus had
raised Himself up and saw no
00:07:00.60\00:07:05.66
one but the woman, He said
to her, "Woman, where are those
00:07:05.66\00:07:09.93
accusers of yours?
00:07:09.93\00:07:11.63
Has no one condemned you?"
00:07:11.63\00:07:13.96
She said, "No one, Lord."
00:07:13.96\00:07:16.80
And Jesus said to her,
"Neither do I condemn you; go
00:07:16.80\00:07:21.16
and sin no more."
00:07:21.16\00:07:24.93
Can you imagine how she felt?!
00:07:24.93\00:07:26.93
You know how good you
feel when you got pulled up for
00:07:26.93\00:07:29.60
speeding and the police
officer let you off with just
00:07:29.60\00:07:31.56
a warning, right?
00:07:31.56\00:07:33.10
And all you
avoided was a $100 fine.
00:07:33.10\00:07:35.60
This woman
escaped with her life.
00:07:35.60\00:07:38.86
Now why did Jesus do that?
00:07:38.86\00:07:39.96
Because that's
whose side Jesus is on.
00:07:39.96\00:07:45.66
We remember the famous verse
in John 3:16 but what about
00:07:45.66\00:07:48.26
John 3:17?
00:07:48.26\00:07:49.63
It says this: "For God
did not send His Son into the
00:07:49.63\00:07:54.50
world to condemn the world,
but that the world through
00:07:54.50\00:08:00.43
Him might be saved."
00:08:00.43\00:08:02.33
God is in the
business of SAVING people.
00:08:02.33\00:08:05.50
In fact, God gives us an
incredible illustration to
00:08:05.50\00:08:09.06
help us understand just
whose side He is on today.
00:08:09.06\00:08:12.86
God had Israel build Him a
dwelling place, a sanctuary.
00:08:12.86\00:08:18.20
In Exodus 25:8 the Bible says
this: And let them make me a
00:08:18.20\00:08:23.23
sanctuary, that I
may dwell among them.
00:08:23.23\00:08:28.96
God wanted to spend
time with His people.
00:08:28.96\00:08:33.00
Now this sanctuary was
mobile - it traveled with the
00:08:33.00\00:08:36.43
Israelites
through the wilderness.
00:08:36.43\00:08:39.13
And it was magnificent - gold
plated boards set in sockets
00:08:39.13\00:08:42.70
of silver, fine linen,
beautiful curtains, golden
00:08:42.70\00:08:47.63
candlesticks with seven lamps
giving light day and night,
00:08:47.63\00:08:51.10
gold-plated furniture
and items of pure gold.
00:08:51.10\00:09:03.00
And most magnificently of
all, the Shekinah Glory was
00:09:03.00\00:09:07.13
in there - the
presence of God Himself.
00:09:07.13\00:09:11.83
Of course, in time the mobile
sanctuary was superceded by
00:09:11.83\00:09:17.20
the temple.
00:09:17.20\00:09:18.20
Yet you'll remember that
when Jesus died the veil in the
00:09:18.20\00:09:20.20
temple was torn in
two by an act of God.
00:09:20.20\00:09:25.43
God was signifying that
the temple services were now
00:09:25.43\00:09:29.10
obsolete - the True
Lamb had come and died.
00:09:29.10\00:09:32.43
As such, it was redundant
for God's people to offer animal
00:09:32.43\00:09:34.43
sacrifices anymore.
00:09:34.43\00:09:36.43
In fact, you could say it
was offensive - to have faith in
00:09:36.43\00:09:39.43
a lamb sacrifice would be
to fail to recognize the True
00:09:39.43\00:09:43.36
Lamb had died.
00:09:43.36\00:09:45.03
The temple had
really served its purpose.
00:09:45.03\00:09:48.20
So what is the Bible talking
about when it talks about a
00:09:48.20\00:09:50.76
sanctuary that is
still important to us today?
00:09:50.76\00:09:54.03
In the book of Hebrews
we discover a sanctuary in
00:09:54.03\00:09:57.96
heaven.
00:09:57.96\00:09:59.63
And according the book of
Exodus, Moses was told by God
00:09:59.63\00:10:02.86
to build the earthly
sanctuary and pattern it
00:10:02.86\00:10:06.80
after the heavenly.
00:10:06.80\00:10:08.53
Now why is that important?
00:10:08.53\00:10:09.76
The simple existence of
the building itself isn't the
00:10:09.76\00:10:15.10
item of most major importance.
00:10:15.10\00:10:18.10
What is most important
is what is going on in that
00:10:18.10\00:10:20.96
sanctuary.
00:10:20.96\00:10:22.96
What is going on there
shows us where God's mind is
00:10:22.96\00:10:27.33
towards the
sinners of this world.
00:10:27.33\00:10:29.63
I'll tell you in a moment
where Jesus is and what he is
00:10:29.63\00:10:32.36
doing.
00:10:32.36\00:10:33.63
And the answer will
bless you incredible.
00:10:33.63\00:10:38.03
Today's Bible Question:
I heard a preacher say that
00:10:38.03\00:10:57.36
hell is not a real place and
that God is so loving that in
00:10:57.36\00:10:59.66
the end everyone will be
saved, since they are all his
00:10:59.66\00:11:03.20
children and a loving God
wouldn't kill any of them.
00:11:03.20\00:11:06.23
Do you agree with that?
00:11:06.23\00:11:07.93
Let me tell you this.
00:11:07.93\00:11:09.06
Jesus certainly
believed in hell.
00:11:09.06\00:11:11.33
In Matthew 10:28 Jesus said,
"And fear not them which kill
00:11:11.33\00:11:14.20
the body, but are not able
to kill the soul: but rather
00:11:14.20\00:11:17.23
fear him which is able to
destroy both soul and body in
00:11:17.23\00:11:20.23
hell."
00:11:20.23\00:11:22.63
It isn't a pleasant thought
at all, but the truth is that
00:11:22.63\00:11:25.33
the wages of sin is
death, according to the Bible,
00:11:25.33\00:11:29.33
sinners ultimately will be
destroyed in a lake of fire.
00:11:29.33\00:11:32.63
You read that in
the book of Revelation.
00:11:32.63\00:11:35.43
Yes, God is loving.
00:11:35.43\00:11:37.13
Yes, God wants
everyone to come to repentance.
00:11:37.13\00:11:40.86
But for those who do not,
God isn't going to drag them
00:11:40.86\00:11:44.23
kicking and
screaming into heaven.
00:11:44.23\00:11:46.73
If someone really doesn't
want to go there, God is not
00:11:46.73\00:11:49.26
going to drag them there.
00:11:49.26\00:11:51.66
I'd like to prod
your thinking a bit.
00:11:51.66\00:11:54.03
Hell has been a
favourite for some preachers.
00:11:54.03\00:11:57.46
They'll preach up the hottest
hell and then almost scare
00:11:57.46\00:12:00.50
people into accepting
Jesus just so they can avoid the
00:12:00.50\00:12:04.00
fires of hell.
00:12:04.00\00:12:05.70
That's what we might
call, Fire Escape Religion - the
00:12:05.70\00:12:09.00
idea of getting religion
just to escape the fire.
00:12:09.00\00:12:12.40
Now, I do believe
that hell ought to act as a
00:12:12.40\00:12:16.20
disincentive to sinful
living, that's for sure.
00:12:16.20\00:12:18.93
But it isn't even nearly
the best disincentive to sinful
00:12:18.93\00:12:21.20
living.
00:12:21.20\00:12:22.30
The best inducement to draw
a sinner away from sin and to
00:12:22.30\00:12:24.90
the heart of Jesus
is the love of God.
00:12:24.90\00:12:28.20
And you know something?
00:12:28.20\00:12:29.33
Even hell-fire, when you
understand it correctly, is a
00:12:29.33\00:12:32.13
manifestation
of the love of God.
00:12:32.13\00:12:34.70
There is a hell, and it
is hot, but I think it is
00:12:34.70\00:12:39.00
important to try to
really accurately understand
00:12:39.00\00:12:41.83
hell-fire, and see that
all God does is a reflection of
00:12:41.83\00:12:45.33
His character and a
revelation of what he is
00:12:45.33\00:12:48.33
really like.
00:12:48.33\00:12:50.00
I'd love you to read an
article I've written about
00:12:50.00\00:12:52.33
hell.
00:12:52.33\00:12:53.33
You can download it from
our website, ItIsWritten.com And
00:12:53.33\00:12:56.43
if you have a question you
would like answered, you can
00:12:56.43\00:12:59.93
go to that same website
ItIsWritten.com, click on the
00:12:59.93\00:13:02.53
questions tab and
submit your question.
00:13:02.53\00:13:05.36
And I would love to do
my very best to answer your
00:13:05.36\00:13:08.30
Bible question.
00:13:08.30\00:13:11.23
If you have a Bible question
for pastor John Bradshaw,
00:13:11.23\00:13:13.76
please write to It Is
Written, Box O, Thousand
00:13:13.76\00:13:16.43
Oaks, California
91359 or visit our website
00:13:16.43\00:13:20.60
itiswritten.com and send
us your questions on-line.
00:13:20.60\00:13:25.60
After Jesus died on
the cross, we know where
00:13:25.60\00:13:27.76
he went to.
00:13:27.76\00:13:29.00
He went to the grave.
00:13:29.00\00:13:30.00
I know it says that in
the Apostles' Creed - "He
00:13:30.00\00:13:32.00
descended into hell, on
the third day He rose again..."
00:13:32.00\00:13:34.66
- but that's true in the
Biblical sense where the word
00:13:34.66\00:13:37.26
'hell' is often
used to mean the grave.
00:13:37.26\00:13:40.23
Jesus descended into the grave.
00:13:40.23\00:13:42.00
When he died, He didn't go
to some hot place in the centre
00:13:42.00\00:13:44.10
of the earth.
00:13:44.10\00:13:45.43
That's just fantasy,
with no Biblical basis at all.
00:13:45.43\00:13:48.50
The wonderful news is,
though, that the grave could
00:13:48.50\00:13:51.33
not hold Jesus!
00:13:51.33\00:13:52.93
He came forth
triumphant - then where'd He go?
00:13:52.93\00:13:56.26
He went to heaven.
00:13:56.26\00:13:57.80
And what did He
go to heaven for?
00:13:57.80\00:13:59.90
Was it just to bide
His time as He waited for
00:13:59.90\00:14:02.43
the Second Coming?
00:14:02.43\00:14:03.36
No, Jesus went to heaven
to do far more than that.
00:14:03.36\00:14:07.30
According to the book of
Hebrews, Jesus is performing
00:14:07.30\00:14:11.43
a specific role in heaven.
00:14:11.43\00:14:13.30
Hebrews 4:14 says,
Seeing then that we have a great
00:14:13.30\00:14:18.53
high priest, that is passed
into the heavens, Jesus the
00:14:18.53\00:14:21.43
Son of God, let us
hold fast our profession.
00:14:21.43\00:14:26.43
Jesus went to heaven
to be our High Priest.
00:14:26.43\00:14:29.43
Now let's look at
Hebrews 8, verses 1 and 2.
00:14:29.43\00:14:35.10
We have such an high priest,
who is set on the right hand
00:14:35.10\00:14:39.06
of the throne of the
Majesty in the heavens.
00:14:39.06\00:14:42.16
A minister of the sanctuary,
and of the true tabernacle,
00:14:42.16\00:14:47.06
which the Lord
pitched, and not man.
00:14:47.06\00:14:51.20
Jesus has gone to heaven,
to the heavenly sanctuary that
00:14:51.20\00:14:55.00
God made, so that He
can be our High Priest.
00:14:55.00\00:14:58.43
Now think about
what that means for us.
00:14:58.43\00:15:01.30
The old sanctuary service
was essentially the gospel in
00:15:01.30\00:15:04.60
types and shadows.
00:15:04.60\00:15:06.53
How could God help Israel
understand what the plan of
00:15:06.53\00:15:08.96
salvation was really all about?
00:15:08.96\00:15:12.03
He taught them -
it's like this, He said.
00:15:12.03\00:15:14.60
Sin causes death.
00:15:14.60\00:15:16.46
I want to show you how it
will cause the death of my
00:15:16.46\00:15:19.40
Son, so I'll put that in
the figure of the death of a
00:15:19.40\00:15:21.96
lamb.
00:15:21.96\00:15:23.06
Because of your
sin the lamb dies.
00:15:23.06\00:15:26.13
Here's what they'd do.
00:15:26.13\00:15:27.46
The sinner would take
a lamb to this sanctuary.
00:15:27.46\00:15:30.16
He'd confess his sins over
the lamb, and his sins would
00:15:30.16\00:15:33.60
be transferred -
figuratively, obviously - to
00:15:33.60\00:15:36.76
the lamb.
00:15:36.76\00:15:38.23
The Lamb would be killed,
and the blood would be taken
00:15:38.23\00:15:42.06
inside the
sanctuary (some of the blood).
00:15:42.06\00:15:45.23
In that way, the sin
was transferred into the
00:15:45.23\00:15:48.13
sanctuary.
00:15:48.13\00:15:50.50
At the end of the year
the entire sin record would be
00:15:50.50\00:15:53.00
dealt with, on
the Day of Atonement.
00:15:53.00\00:15:56.33
The sanctuary would be
cleansed, and the people
00:15:56.33\00:15:59.50
would rejoice that they
stood before God absolutely pure
00:15:59.50\00:16:04.00
and clean.
00:16:04.00\00:16:05.93
Does this relate to
our salvation today?
00:16:05.93\00:16:08.90
You bet it does.
00:16:08.90\00:16:09.93
When we need cleansing
from sin, we come to Jesus.
00:16:09.93\00:16:12.10
The Holy Spirit convicts us
of our sin, and then prompts
00:16:12.10\00:16:14.50
us to come to God.
00:16:14.50\00:16:15.96
We come - we are
drawn to Him by God Himself.
00:16:15.96\00:16:19.56
We confess our sins.
00:16:19.56\00:16:21.26
Who takes our sins?
00:16:21.26\00:16:22.50
Jesus, the Lamb.
00:16:22.50\00:16:24.03
He died on the cross to pay
the penalty for our sins once
00:16:24.03\00:16:26.50
and for all.
00:16:26.50\00:16:27.80
So we come to Christ,
we profess faith in the
00:16:27.80\00:16:31.63
sacrifice of the Lamb when
Jesus died on the cross, and
00:16:31.63\00:16:35.53
God takes our sins away.
00:16:35.53\00:16:37.26
Now, back in the OT time,
when the sinner confessed,
00:16:37.26\00:16:40.46
there was a middle man -
a priest, or a high priest.
00:16:40.46\00:16:43.70
Today, there's a Middle
Man - our High Priest, Jesus.
00:16:43.70\00:16:49.66
Look at what we read in 1
John 2:1 - the Bible says: My
00:16:49.66\00:16:59.90
little children, I write
these things to you that you
00:16:59.90\00:17:05.30
sin not.
00:17:05.30\00:17:06.76
But if any man sin, we have
an Advocate with the Father,
00:17:06.76\00:17:09.36
Jesus Christ the righteous.
00:17:09.36\00:17:11.13
As our High Priest in
heaven, Jesus intercedes for us.
00:17:11.13\00:17:14.96
We come to Him with
our sins, repentant.
00:17:14.96\00:17:17.50
He takes our sins from us,
appeals to God in our behalf,
00:17:17.50\00:17:21.80
and gives His own perfect
righteousness in place of our
00:17:21.80\00:17:26.06
sins.
00:17:26.06\00:17:27.30
What this tells us is that
in heaven there is a Savior who
00:17:27.30\00:17:31.60
invites us to come to Him,
just as we are, knowing that
00:17:31.60\00:17:35.63
He will have mercy on us.
00:17:35.63\00:17:38.56
Remember what it
said back in Hebrews?
00:17:38.56\00:17:40.70
Hebrews 4:14?
00:17:40.70\00:17:43.46
"Seeing then that we have
a great High Priest that is
00:17:43.46\00:17:46.53
passed into the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God, let us
00:17:46.53\00:17:51.10
hold fast our profession."
00:17:51.10\00:17:54.36
If you're a sinner who has
faith in Jesus and you've got
00:17:54.36\00:17:57.06
your struggles, the
answer is not to let go!
00:17:57.06\00:18:01.53
The knowledge that a holy,
righteous Jesus is your High
00:18:01.53\00:18:04.10
Priest in heaven absolutely
must inspire you to hang on
00:18:04.10\00:18:07.83
tight!
00:18:07.83\00:18:09.36
The Greek word that is
translated into "hold fast"
00:18:09.36\00:18:12.60
means "to cling to tenaciously."
00:18:12.60\00:18:16.16
That's like a barnacle
clinging to the side of a
00:18:16.16\00:18:18.23
ship.
00:18:18.23\00:18:19.40
You can hardly
pry those things off!
00:18:19.40\00:18:22.30
And when you know that
Jesus is on your side in heaven,
00:18:22.30\00:18:25.23
that ought to give you
confidence to live on in such
00:18:25.23\00:18:28.50
a way that
nothing can pry you off.
00:18:28.50\00:18:32.83
Continuing in Heb 4:16 "Let
us therefore come boldly unto
00:18:32.83\00:18:41.93
the throne of grace, that
we may obtain mercy, and find
00:18:41.93\00:18:46.03
grace to help in time of need."
00:18:46.03\00:18:49.60
We are to come with
confidence, because Jesus is
00:18:49.60\00:18:52.66
our High Priest,
and our intercessor.
00:18:52.66\00:18:55.80
I spoke to someone recently
who said to me, I hope I'm
00:18:55.80\00:18:58.90
good enough to go to heaven.
00:18:58.90\00:19:00.96
And you know what
I told this person?
00:19:00.96\00:19:02.83
I said, You'll
never be good enough.
00:19:02.83\00:19:04.93
That's why we need Jesus!
00:19:04.93\00:19:06.56
And in fact, if you're hoping
to ever be good enough for
00:19:06.56\00:19:09.93
God to save you, you need
to stop hoping that right now.
00:19:09.93\00:19:13.33
Now, if what you mean is that
you hope to be ready, or you
00:19:13.33\00:19:16.06
hope to see
Jesus, well that's fine.
00:19:16.06\00:19:19.96
But if you're hoping to be
good enough to go to heaven,
00:19:19.96\00:19:22.46
you've got another thing coming.
00:19:22.46\00:19:24.56
Now this might surprise
you, but I've taught my children
00:19:24.56\00:19:27.66
to never pray that God
will help them to be good.
00:19:27.66\00:19:31.83
Now why would I say that?
00:19:31.83\00:19:33.33
I'll tell you why in a moment.
00:19:33.33\00:19:43.46
It Is Written is sharing
the gospel around the world.
00:19:43.46\00:19:48.36
Part of our mission is to
bring the Word of God to some
00:19:48.36\00:19:50.23
of the most
remote places on earth.
00:19:50.23\00:19:53.36
Right now we are providing
audio Bibles to the people of
00:19:53.36\00:19:55.93
Papua New Guinea.
00:19:55.93\00:19:57.53
We call this
audio Bible the Godpod.
00:19:57.53\00:20:00.73
Through this solar powered
mp3 player, people can hear
00:20:00.73\00:20:03.90
God's word in
their own language.
00:20:03.90\00:20:09.06
If you'd like to help It Is
Written share the Word of God
00:20:09.06\00:20:11.80
by providing solar-powered
Godpod Bibles, please call
00:20:11.80\00:20:14.63
our toll-free
number 1 800 253 3000.
00:20:14.63\00:20:18.96
Call right now.
00:20:18.96\00:20:20.30
Just tell the operator you
would like to help with the
00:20:20.30\00:20:22.33
Godpod project.
00:20:22.33\00:20:24.53
You can also participate
by sending your gift to It is
00:20:24.53\00:20:27.46
Written, Box O,
Thousand Oaks, California 91359.
00:20:27.46\00:20:31.36
And for your convenience
you can also make a gift on line
00:20:31.36\00:20:34.36
at itiswritten.com.
00:20:34.36\00:20:38.13
This ministry uses every
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00:20:38.13\00:20:41.20
projects as described.
00:20:41.20\00:20:42.33
Should the project become
fully funded or should the
00:20:42.33\00:20:45.23
nature of the project
change due to unexpected
00:20:45.23\00:20:47.40
circumstances, funds will
be directed toward similar,
00:20:47.40\00:20:50.30
worthy projects.
00:20:50.30\00:20:51.80
Our toll-free number 1 800
253 3000 and our web address
00:20:51.80\00:20:57.36
is itiswritten.com I have taught
00:20:57.36\00:21:03.10
my children to
never pray to be good.
00:21:03.10\00:21:06.20
I remember my little boy
praying that - "Dear Jesus,
00:21:06.20\00:21:09.63
help me to be good."
00:21:09.63\00:21:10.76
And I said, No, we are
not going to pray that way.
00:21:10.76\00:21:13.76
Not that I want my
children to pray to be bad, you
00:21:13.76\00:21:15.93
understand!
00:21:15.93\00:21:17.33
But what happens if
you pray to be good?
00:21:17.33\00:21:20.00
You're doomed to fail.
00:21:20.00\00:21:22.46
In Romans chapter 3, Paul
is quoting the Psalms when he
00:21:22.46\00:21:25.03
writes these words:
(Romans 3:10) As it is written:
00:21:25.03\00:21:29.90
"There is none
righteous, no, not one."
00:21:29.90\00:21:33.73
And then verse 12 adds.
00:21:33.73\00:21:35.63
There is none that
doeth good, no, not one.
00:21:35.63\00:21:39.16
(Romans 3:12) So you're going
to try to be good, or pray to
00:21:39.16\00:21:42.46
be good?
00:21:42.46\00:21:43.80
All you can do is FAIL!
00:21:43.80\00:21:45.60
The person who prays to be
good is sooner or later going
00:21:45.60\00:21:48.26
to figure out that such
an approach cannot work, and
00:21:48.26\00:21:51.46
before long one of a couple
of things is going to happen:
00:21:51.46\00:21:54.76
they're either going to
give up on God, or just as bad,
00:21:54.76\00:21:58.06
they're going to stay in
the church and be miserable and
00:21:58.06\00:22:00.70
feel condemned.
00:22:00.70\00:22:02.30
But God didn't
ever ask us to be good.
00:22:02.30\00:22:04.93
He asked us to be HOLY!
00:22:04.93\00:22:07.53
And where are you
going to get holiness from?
00:22:07.53\00:22:09.70
Not from
yourself, that's for sure!
00:22:09.70\00:22:12.06
I've encouraged my children
to pray instead that Christ
00:22:12.06\00:22:16.10
will live in their hearts;
that God would forgive them
00:22:16.10\00:22:19.73
and give them new hearts.
00:22:19.73\00:22:21.10
See, if you are praying
to be good, it'll never work.
00:22:21.10\00:22:24.10
If you pray for Jesus to
live in your heart, it'll never
00:22:24.10\00:22:26.93
fail!
00:22:26.93\00:22:28.13
When Jesus comes into your
life He brings His goodness,
00:22:28.13\00:22:31.73
His righteousness, His
power and His holiness.
00:22:31.73\00:22:34.83
And that's what we need.
00:22:34.83\00:22:36.43
And we can get
that - sinners like us!
00:22:36.43\00:22:40.03
We can receive Christ's
holiness freely when we come
00:22:40.03\00:22:43.43
confidently to
the throne of grace.
00:22:43.43\00:22:47.03
So what's the worst thing
that can happen if you admit
00:22:47.03\00:22:49.43
to God that you are a sinner?
00:22:49.43\00:22:50.63
Do you think God is going
to be shocked to find that out?
00:22:50.63\00:22:53.33
I don't think so!
00:22:53.33\00:22:54.76
When Jesus said in Matthew
11:28, "Come to me all ye
00:22:54.76\00:22:58.30
that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you
00:22:58.30\00:23:00.43
rest," He wasn't referring
to just the holy folks!
00:23:00.43\00:23:03.60
If you are burdened, if you
are weary, if you are feeling
00:23:03.60\00:23:08.00
crushed by the weight of
the mess in your life, Come to
00:23:08.00\00:23:11.20
Jesus, just as you are!!!
00:23:11.20\00:23:14.60
Hebrews 9:24 is a powerful text.
00:23:14.60\00:23:17.90
It tells us that Jesus has
gone "into heaven itself, now
00:23:17.90\00:23:27.30
to appear in the
presence of God for us."
00:23:27.30\00:23:32.80
Now I'm not attempting to
minimize the seriousness of
00:23:32.80\00:23:34.63
the spiritual mess we find
ourselves in, but I'm telling
00:23:34.63\00:23:37.76
you it is impossible to
overstate the importance of
00:23:37.76\00:23:41.66
the wonderful truth that
Jesus is in heaven, as our
00:23:41.66\00:23:46.36
High Priest, FOR US!
00:23:46.36\00:23:49.00
Not against us, but FOR us!
00:23:49.00\00:23:53.60
That means He will
give you spiritual help.
00:23:53.60\00:23:56.40
He will provide emotional help.
00:23:56.40\00:23:58.90
He will not cast you off
the moment you make a mess.
00:23:58.90\00:24:02.70
Hebrews 7:25 says this:
Wherefore He is also able to
00:24:02.70\00:24:08.93
save to the uttermost those
who come to God through Him,
00:24:08.93\00:24:13.33
since He always lives to
make intercession for them.
00:24:13.33\00:24:17.33
Jesus lives "to make
intercession" for us.
00:24:17.33\00:24:20.36
You can know where
Jesus is -He is in heaven.
00:24:20.36\00:24:23.76
You can know what He is doing
- He is acting as your High
00:24:23.76\00:24:25.96
Priest.
00:24:25.96\00:24:27.20
And you can know that He is
for you, and not against you.
00:24:27.20\00:24:31.66
And that's good news.
00:24:31.66\00:24:34.33
I want to thank
him for that right now.
00:24:34.33\00:24:37.03
And why don't, as we pray,
we commit ourselves to accepting
00:24:37.03\00:24:41.86
Christ, His ministry as our
High Priest, and whenever we
00:24:41.86\00:24:46.36
ask God for help, to
trust that Jesus through His
00:24:46.36\00:24:49.60
ministry will do in our
lives everything he wants to do.
00:24:49.60\00:24:53.46
Let's pray together.
00:24:53.46\00:24:54.90
Our Father in heaven, we
thank you today that we have
00:24:54.90\00:24:56.80
a High Priest in heaven.
00:24:56.80\00:24:58.00
Jesus isn't
AWOL, He isn't missing.
00:24:58.00\00:25:01.73
We know where He is.
00:25:01.73\00:25:02.96
In heaven's temple.
00:25:02.96\00:25:05.03
Heaven's sanctuary.
00:25:05.03\00:25:06.60
And we know what He is doing.
00:25:06.60\00:25:07.80
He is not sitting around on
a fluffy cloud eating grapes,
00:25:07.80\00:25:10.53
hanging out with angels
just waiting to return to this
00:25:10.53\00:25:13.93
earth.
00:25:13.93\00:25:14.93
No.
00:25:14.93\00:25:16.00
He is actively
engaged in our salvation.
00:25:16.00\00:25:18.30
Interceding for
us in your presence.
00:25:18.30\00:25:20.96
And so we thank you.
00:25:20.96\00:25:22.50
We thank you for his
blood shed that we might be
00:25:22.50\00:25:25.20
cleansed from all of our sins.
00:25:25.20\00:25:28.46
Lord, give us grace
to have faith in you.
00:25:28.46\00:25:31.00
Give us confidence knowing
Jesus is in heaven for us and
00:25:31.00\00:25:37.43
not against us.
00:25:37.43\00:25:39.63
And we pray with
thanks today in Jesus' name.
00:25:39.63\00:25:42.13
Amen.
00:25:42.13\00:26:07.76
Perhaps our program today
has touched your heart and
00:26:07.76\00:26:11.76
impressed you with a personal
need for deeper Bible study.
00:26:11.76\00:26:14.76
If you desire to listen
to God and follow where he
00:26:14.76\00:26:17.80
leads, we've got a wonderful
resource that can help you do
00:26:17.80\00:26:20.30
that in a systemic way,
the Discover Bible Guides.
00:26:20.30\00:26:24.93
These study guides will
take you through the essential
00:26:24.93\00:26:27.06
truths taught in Scripture.
00:26:27.06\00:26:28.80
They give you the big
picture showing how it all fits
00:26:28.80\00:26:31.26
together.
00:26:31.26\00:26:32.80
The Discover Bible Guides
are a wonderful way for you to
00:26:32.80\00:26:35.26
become grounded in the
Word of God and to see how Jesus
00:26:35.26\00:26:38.60
Christ relates to all
the areas of our lives.
00:26:38.60\00:26:41.50
Please call or write us
and the Discover Bible Guides
00:26:41.50\00:26:45.33
will be on their way to you.
00:26:45.33\00:26:46.93
If you live in North America,
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00:26:46.93\00:26:49.46
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00:26:49.46\00:26:50.93
Or for even easier
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00:26:50.93\00:26:53.50
anywhere around the world,
you can get these wonderful
00:26:53.50\00:26:55.50
Bible lessons on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:26:55.50\00:27:00.73
Request the Discover
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00:27:00.73\00:27:04.00
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00:27:04.00\00:27:06.03
Call right now and tell
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00:27:18.93\00:27:22.36
Written, Box O,
Thousand Oaks, CA 91359.
00:27:22.36\00:27:27.53
Thank you for your
letters and for your continued
00:27:27.53\00:27:30.23
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00:27:30.23\00:27:31.40
Our toll free
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00:27:31.40\00:27:34.56
and our web
address is itiswritten.com
00:27:34.56\00:27:41.50
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:41.50\00:27:42.43
Look forward to
seeing you next time.
00:27:42.43\00:27:45.46
And until then, remember -
It Is Written: man shall not
00:27:45.46\00:27:50.23
live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceeds from
00:27:50.23\00:27:55.43
the mouth of God.
00:27:55.43\00:27:58.03