Participants: Bill Santos (Host), Antonio Bueno
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC201009
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00:01 >>BILL: GROUCHO MARX ONCE SAID, "EACH MORNING WHEN
00:02 I OPEN MY EYES I SAY TO MYSELF, I, NOT EVENTS, 00:05 HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE ME HAPPY OR UNHAPPY TODAY. I 00:10 CAN CHOOSE WHICH IT SHALL BE. YESTERDAY IS DEAD; 00:12 TOMORROW HASN'T ARRIVED YET AND I HAVE JUST ONE 00:17 DAY, TODAY, AND I'M GOING TO BE HAPPY IN IT". YOU 00:23 KNOW, THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED 'BLESSED' IS AN 00:24 ADJECTIVE MEANING 'HAPPY' OR 'BLISSFUL'. THE WORD IS 00:29 'MAKARIOS'. IT COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD 'MAKAR' 00:34 WHICH SPEAKS OF BEING HAPPY IN A WAY THAT 00:35 IS NOT DEPENDENT UPON CIRCUMSTANCES. THEIR 00:38 HAPPINESS WAS THOUGHT TO BE UNAFFECTED BY THE 00:43 POVERTY, THE PROBLEMS AND DEATH FACED BY MAN. SO, IT 00:44 IS DESCRIBED BY A STATE OF CONTENTMENT AND BLISS 00:49 THAT IS UNAFFECTED BY CIRCUMSTANCES. THAT'S THE 00:55 IDEA EXPRESSED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT BY THE WORD 00:56 'BLESSED'. JESUS CAME TO EARTH TO BRING 01:00 MEN HAPPINESS. 01:06 (MUSIC) 01:15 >>ANNOUNCER: IT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME 01:17 GOD'S BOOK, THE BIBLE 01:21 STILL RELEVANT IN TODAY'S COMPLEX WORLD 01:25 IT IS WRITTEN . . . 01:28 SHARING MESSAGES OF HOPE AROUND THE WORLD. 01:33 (MUSIC) 01:44 THE KEY TO EXPERIENCING THE HAPPINESS OR 01:45 BLESSEDNESS SPOKEN OF IN THE BEATITUDES IS IN 01:49 FOLLOWING A NEW STANDARD OF LIVING. THAT STANDARD 01:53 IS SETFORTH IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. OUR LORD 01:55 DIDN'T TELL PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE STEP BY STEP BUT BY 01:59 THE KINDS OF ATTITUDES THAT WOULD BRING ABOUT 02:03 PROPER BEHAVIOUR. 02:04 HE SHOWED THAT A PERSON'S INNER LIFE WAS THE KEY TO 02:07 TRUE HAPPINESS. SOME HAVE SAID THAT THE SERMON ON 02:09 THE MOUNT SETS A STANDARD THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE 02:13 TO APPLY. THEY POINT SPECIFICALLY TO MATTHEW 02:18 CHAPTER 5 AND VERSE 48 WHICH SAYS, "BE YE 02:19 PERFECT, THEREFORE, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN 02:23 HEAVEN, IS PERFECT". THEY SAY THAT THAT STANDARD 02:28 OBVIOUSLY CAN'T APPLY TODAY. BUT JESUS NEVER 02:30 SAID THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT WAS INTENDED TO 02:34 APPLY TO THE FUTURE AGE EVERY PRINCIPLE FROM THE 02:37 SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THE 02:38 NEW TESTAMENT. CHRIST'S MESSAGE IS FOR US NOW. 02:43 SEE, HE EXPECTS YOU AND I TO APPLY HIS STANDARD OF 02:48 LIVING RIGHT NOW. AND ONLY THAT KIND OF OBEDIENCE 02:49 WILL RESULT IN TRUE HAPPINESS. YOU KNOW, TODAY 02:53 WE EMBARK ON A JOURNEY IN THE STUDY OF BEATITUDES 02:59 AND WE HAVE THE PRIVILEDGE OF HAVING WITH US A GUEST, 03:01 A VERY IMPORTANT GUEST, PASTOR TONY BUENO. PASTOR 03:07 TONY, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND, MAYBE 03:16 BEFORE THAT, LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS IN 03:17 ACCEPTING OUR INVITATION TO BE, SORT OF, OUR 03:21 SPIRITUAL LEADER THROUGH THIS JOURNEY THROUGH THE 03:25 BEATITUDES. >>PASTOR TONY: THANK YOU, BILL. IT'S A 03:26 PRIVILEDGE TO BE HERE WITH YOU AND TO LEAD OUT IN 03:29 THIS MARVELLOUS STUDY IN SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF 03:35 CHRIST'S TEACHING. I AM PRESENTLY PASTORING 03:36 BOWMANVILLE ADVENTIST CHURCH AND BOMANVILLE 03:42 IS JUST EAST OF OSHAWA. 03:43 SO, THE CHURCH IS AT THE CORNER OF HWY 2 AND LAMBS 03:47 ROAD AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY AND WONDERFUL 03:51 PEOPLE WORSHIP THERE EVERY SATURDAY MORNING. AT 9:30 03:52 AM WE HAVE A BIBLE STUDY AND THEN AT 11:00 AM, THE 03:58 WORSHIP SERVICE. AND SO, ANYONE WHO WISHES TO COME 04:02 AND CELEBRATE THE GOODNESS OF GOD WITH US IS WELCOME 04:03 >>BILL: WONDERFUL. WELL, THANK YOU, PASTOR. PASTOR, 04:07 YOU WERE BORN WHERE >>PASTOR TONY: I WAS BORN 04:09 IN SPAIN, IN BARCELONA. 04:10 >>BILL: AND YOU LIVED IN SWITZERLAND, YOU LIVED IN 04:13 FRANCE.>>PASTOR TONY: MANY PLACES. GOD HAS TAKEN US 04:15 TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND CONTINENTS AND NOW, WELL, 04:20 WE MOVED TO CANADA IN THE MID-70'S AND ARE DELIGHTED 04:27 TO BE SERVING HIM HERE. 04:28 >>BILL: WONDERFUL. WELL, WE'RE DELIGHTED THAT YOU 04:32 ACCEPTED OUR INVITATION AND THIS CHALLENGE, IN A 04:33 WAY, RIGHT, TO LEAD THIS STUDY. WE EMBARK TODAY ON 04:37 THIS, ON THIS NEW JOURNEY WHERE JESUS, SORT OF, 04:44 OUTLINES THESE ATTITUDES, THE CHARACTERISTICS, 04:45 I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, OF THOSE THAT ONE DAY WILL 04:50 INHABIT HIS KINGDOM. AND AS I READ THOUGH THOSE AND 04:56 AS I WAS, YOU KNOW PART OF MY PREPARATION FOR THIS I 04:57 HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT WHAT I READ HERE AND WHEN I 05:02 LOOK AT CHRISTIANS TODAY, INCLUDING MYSELF, I'M 05:10 DOING A SELF-ANALYSIS HERE. I'M NOT - BOY 05:11 OH BOY, I THINK WE'VE DEVIATED A WAY FROM 05:14 THIS, FROM THIS STANDARD >>PASTOR TONY: CHRIST SET 05:19 THE BAR VERY HIGH AND AS HIGH AS HE CONSIDERED 05:20 IT NECESSARY. AND FOR CHRISTIANS OF ALL AGES, 05:26 WHETHER IT WAS IN HIS TIME OR IN OUR TIME TODAY THE 05:33 CHALLENGE HAS BEEN THERE TO MEASURE UP TO THE 05:34 STANDARD OF JESUS. HE PRESENTS TO US IN THE 05:39 CONTEXT OF THE BEGINNING OF HIS TEACHINGS IN PUBLIC 05:46 MINISTRY. >>BILL: RIGHT, OKAY. >>PASTOR TONY: HE 05:47 HAD JUST BEGAN PREACHING HIS FIRST SERMON IN THE 05:50 SYNAGOGUE IN NAZARETH AND HE PRESENTED HIMSELF AS A 05:59 PREACHER OF GOOD NEWS. IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE, IN A 06:00 PASSAGE THAT PRECEEDS THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, IN 06:06 LUKE CHAPTER 4 AND VERSE 43, CHRIST SAYS, "I MUST 06:15 PREACH THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO THE 06:16 OTHER TOWNS BECAUSE THAT IS WHY I WAS SENT". SO 06:23 HE UNDERSTANDS HIS MISSION OF THAT AS THE PREACHER OF 06:30 GOOD NEWS. AND SO WHEN HE STARTS PREACHING, FIRST OF 06:32 ALL, HE SAYS, "REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT 06:38 HAND". AND THEN HE'S GOING TO DISCRIBE WHAT GOOD NEWS 06:42 HE HAS FOR PEOPLE WHO DECIDE TO FOLLOW HIS 06:43 INSTRUCTION AND HIS PRINCIPLES. SO, THE 06:49 SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS THE LARGEST AND THE MOST 06:53 DETAILED EXPOSITION OF CHRIST'S PRINCIPLES FOR 06:54 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. AND WE HAVE IN IT BEAUTIFUL 06:59 PASSAGES LIKE THE LORD'S PRAYER; LIKE INSTRUCTIONS 07:04 ABOUT LOVING THE ENEMIES; ADMONISIONS PERTAINING TO 07:05 TRUSTING GOD, NOT TO WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW BECAUSE 07:13 HE'S IN CHARGE OF TOMORROW AND HE LOVES US. BUT AT 07:18 THE VERY BEGINNING HE PLACED NINE BLESSINGS. AND 07:19 AS YOU WELL DESCRIBED, THE TERM REFERS TO A HAPPY 07:26 STATE, IN FACT, SOME BIBLE TRANSLATIONS PUT IT THIS 07:30 WAY, 'HOW HAPPY ARE THE PEACEMAKERS'. BUT IT ALSO 07:31 HAS THE CONOTATION OF 'HOW BLESSED'. IN OTHER WORDS, 07:39 IT'S NOT 'YOU DO THIS AND SOMEHOW IT EXHILERATES 07:44 YOU' AND YOU FEEL GOOD. 07:45 IT'S NOT THAT FEEL GOOD PROGRAM. >>BILL: OKAY. 07:50 >>PASTOR TONY: THERE IS ANOTHER PARTNER OUTSIDE 07:51 WHICH IS GOD WHO SAYS, 'WHEN YOU DO THIS, I WILL 07:55 BLESS YOU'. AND IT'S THAT INTERACTION BETWEEN JESUS 08:01 AND US IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE 08:02 THAT BRINGS ABOUT THE JOY AND BLESSEDNESS OF BEING 08:07 A CHRISTIAN. >>BILL: NOW, MOST OF THESE STAND IN 08:13 SOME PRETTY STARK CONTRAST TO WHAT THE WORLD TELLS US 08:14 IS THE PATH TO HAPPINESS OR BLESSEDNESS. WAS 08:19 IT, WAS THE CONTRAST THAT VIVID TO THE FIRST CENTURY 08:28 AUDIENCE THAT WOULD HAVE SAT THERE AND HEARD JESUS 08:29 SAY THIS? >>PASTOR TONY: THERE WERE.>>BILL: WOULD 08:36 IT HAVE BEEN AS SHOCKING TO THEM AS IT IS TO US 08:39 TODAY? >>PASTOR TONY: PROBABLY NOT AS 08:40 MUCH BECAUSE LIFE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY SIMPLIER 08:43 BACK THEN. AND THIS, BY ALL STANDARDS, IS A VERY 08:50 SIMPLE GOSPEL. IT'S NOT ONE THAT REQUIRES PEOPLE 08:51 TO ACQUIRE A UNIVERSITY EDUCATION TO UNDERSTAND 08:56 IT. IT'S NOT ADDRESSING THE SOPHISTICATED BUT THE 09:00 COMMON FOLK, THE EVERYDAY PERSON AND MAYBE THOSE 09:01 WERE NOT, WHO'S MIND WAS NOT SO INFLUENCED BY 09:09 TECHNOLOGY LIKE OURS IS, WAS MORE ABLE TO RELATE TO 09:13 THE SIMPLICITY OF THE GOSPEL AS CHRIST PRESENTED 09:14 IT. IN THIS PASSAGE WE HAVE NINE BEATITUDES, NINE 09:19 BLESSINGS. INTERESTINGLY, IN THE PARALLEL PASSAGE IN 09:25 THE GOSPEL OF LUKE YOU HAVE ONLY FOUR BLESSINGS 09:26 WHICH ARE COUNTERPARTED BY FOUR WOES. THE FOUR 09:31 BLESSINGS AND THE FOUR WOES WHICH NUMBER EIGHT, 09:38 BY THE WAY, IN SOME WAYS PARALLEL THE BLESSINGS 09:39 HERE. NOW, MATTHEW HAS SOME BLESSINGS THAT ARE 09:44 NOT INCLUDED IN LUKE >>BILL: OKAY. >>PASTOR 09:47 TONY: AND SCHOLARS PERCEIVED, PERHAPS, THAT 09:48 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW, HAD EXPERIENCED 09:53 MORE REFLECTION ON THE PART OF THE AUTHOR, 09:58 MATTHEW AND IT WAS THE THOUGHT OF THAT 09:59 THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION THAT PRODUCED A MORE 10:04 ELABORATE PRESENTATION OF THE SERMON. >>BILL: I SEE. 10:07 >>PASTOR TONY: BUT IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE 10:08 THE CONTRAST AND THE SYNCRONISM BETWEEN THE 10:12 ACCOUNT OF MATTHEW AND OF LUKE. WHAT JESUS IS DOING 10:20 HERE IS PRESENTING A VERY PARADOXICAL FORM 10:21 OF TEACHING IN WHICH HE ADDRESSES SITUATIONS 10:30 IN LIFE WHERE NORMALLY A PERSON WOULD FEEL 10:36 UNFORTUNATE SUCH AS FACING DEATH OR FACING POVERTY OR 10:37 FACING REJECTION OR EVEN PERSECUTION. AND CHRIST 10:44 TURNS IT AROUND AND HE SAYS, 'LOOK AT IT THIS 10:52 WAY'. 'PUT ON MY GLASSES', SAYS JESUS. WHEN YOU LOOK 10:53 AT YOUR REALITY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I'LL SHOW YOU 10:59 THAT THERE IS A BLESSING IN IT. AND THAT IS THE 11:05 ESSENCE OF MY TEACHING. 11:06 >>BILL: THERE'S ALMOST LIKE AN IMPLIED, YOU HAVE 11:09 HEARD IT SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, BLESSED ARE THE RICH 11:10 BUT I TELL YOU BLESSED ARE THE POOR, RIGHT? I MEAN, 11:14 IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN IMPLIED, THIS CONTRAST 11:19 HERE. >>PASTOR TONY: VERY TRUE. WHAT CHRIST IS 11:20 DOING, IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THAT HIS FUNCTION AT 11:25 THIS POINT PARALLELS THAT, IN MANY WAYS, OF MOSES ON 11:30 MOUNT SINAI. MOSES, THE TEACHER OF THE LAW, WHICH 11:31 HE RECEIVED FROM GOD. THE PEOPLE WOULD NOT LISTEN TO 11:37 THE VOICE OF GOD BECAUSE IT WAS TOO TERRIFYING AND 11:41 THEY SAID 'NO, YOU SPEAK TO US'. AND SO, MOSES 11:42 IS THE PRESENTER AND THE PROCLAIMER OF GOD'S LOVE. 11:46 CHRIST HERE, ALSO ON A MOUNT, NOT MOUNT SINAI BUT 11:53 THE MOUNT OF THE BEATITUDES, HE FULFILLS 11:55 THAT ROLE OF PROCLAIMER AND INTERPRETER OF THE 12:00 LAW. AND HE'S GOING TO INTERPRET IT IN A 12:04 DIFFERENT CONTEXT FROM THE ONE THAT THE PEOPLE WERE 12:05 USED TO HEARING IT, AS YOU POINTED OUT. BECAUSE 12:09 OVER THE CENTURIES, THE UNDERSTANDING OF GOD'S 12:11 WILL HAD BEEN SOMEWHAT DISTORTED BY LEGALISM AND 12:12 BY OTHER FORMS OF ABUSE. 12:19 NOW CHRIST IS SAYING, 'LOOK, YOU HAVE HEARD BUT 12:20 LET ME TELL YOU', AND HE SPEAKS WITH SUCH 12:24 A TREMENDOUS DEGREE OF AUTHORITY. SUCH THAT THE 12:28 PEOPLE CANNOT HELP BUT COMPARE HIS TEACHING STYLE 12:29 , AS A RABBI, AND THE TEACHING STYLE OF 12:37 A RABBI IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND THEY SAY, 'THERE IS A 12:39 DIFFERENCE'. AND THE DIFFERENCE WAS BASICALLY 12:40 THIS: THE RABBI'S, THEY TAUGHT BY QUOTING PRIOR 12:46 RABBI'S. >>BILL: OKAY. 12:47 >>PASTOR TONY: THEIR AUTHORITY WAS BASED 12:51 ON THE STATEMENTS AND PRONOUNCEMENTS OF PRIOR 12:54 RABBI'S. RABBI SO-AND-SO SAID, AND SO-AND-SO SAID 12:56 CHRIST SAYS, YOU HAVE HEARD ALL THAT BUT 13:01 LET ME TELL YOU. SO, HIS AUTHORITY SUPERCEEDS THE 13:08 AUTHORITY OF ANY OTHER INTERPRETER OF THE LAW AND 13:09 IT IS WITH THAT APPROACH THAT HE PROPOSES HIS 13:15 SIMPLE GOSPEL. >>BILL: WHICH MUST HAVE PROMPTED 13:18 ALL KINDS OF, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS FROM THESE 13:19 RELIGIOUS LEADERS SAYING 'WHO'S THIS UPSTART, 13:23 ITINEROUS, PENNILESS PREACHER HERE? ON WHOSE 13:26 AUTHORITY DO YOU SPEAK'? 13:27 >>PASTOR TONY: YES. AND THEY QUESTIONED HIM ON 13:30 THAT ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. CHRIST 13:31 CONFRONTED THAT CRITICISM. 13:36 I WOULD GO AS FAR AS TO SAY THAT EVERY ONE WHO 13:37 PROCLAIMS THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST WILL CONFRONT 13:42 CRITICISM. BECAUSE IT IS A RADICAL GOSPEL. IT IS ONE 13:50 THAT IS PULLS PEOPLE TO A CHANGE, A PARADIGM CHANGE 13:51 IN THEIR LIVES. THAT YOU CANNOT CONTINUE TO LIVE 13:57 ACCORDING TO THE IDEAS AND CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES 14:02 THAT USED TO FUNCTION IN YOUR LIFE, CHRIST IS 14:03 CALLING YOU TO A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. AND SO, THAT 14:06 PROMPTS IN OTHERS EITHER A FROWN OR A QUESTION MARK 14:13 OR WHAT ARE YOU DOING? 14:14 >>BILL: YOU KNOW HE STARTS RIGHT OFF, I MEAN, HITS 14:18 THEM RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES RIGHT OFF THE BAT 14:19 WITH, "BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT FOR THEIRS 14:22 IS THE KINGDOM IN HEAVEN" >>PASTOR TONY: YEAH. 14:28 >>BILL: WOW. RIGHT OFF THE BAT, I'M SURE, THERE'S 14:29 EARS PERKED UP BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY THE 14:32 OPPOSITE OF WHAT PEOPLE HAD HEARD. >>PASTOR TONY: 14:36 YES. PEOPLE WERE USED TO BELIEVE THAT IF YOU WERE 14:37 WEALTHY IT WAS BECAUSE GOD HAD BLESSED YOU. I MEAN, 14:41 YOU READ THE STORIES OF THE PATRIARCHS AND THEY 14:45 HAD SO MANY FLOCKS AND SO MANY LANDS AND SO MANY 14:46 SERVANTS AND THAT WAS A SIGN OF DIVINE BLESSING. 14:51 SO, IF YOU ARE POOR, DEFINITELY, GOD DOESN'T 14:55 LIKE YOU. >>BILL: YES. 14:56 >>PASTOR TONY: AND THERE SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN MANY 14:59 PEOPLE THAT GOD DIDN'T LIKE ACCORDING TO THE 15:00 LEADERS OF THE CHURCH AT THE TIME BECAUSE POVERTY 15:03 WAS PREVALENT AT THE TIME OF CHRIST. THE CONTRAST 15:09 BETWEEN THE RICH WERE VERY FEW. AND THE POOR, 15:10 WHO WERE SO MANY, WAS SO PRONOUNCED THEN THAN IT 15:16 IS TODAY IN COUNTRIES LIKE CANADA. HOWEVER, YOU CAN 15:21 GO, EVEN TODAY IN THE 21ST CENTURY, TO SOME COUNTRIES 15:23 AROUND THE WORLD WHERE YOU STILL SEE SUCH A DISPARITY 15:26 IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH BETWEEN THE FEW WHO 15:32 ARE VERY RICH AND THE MANY WHO ARE VERY POOR. >>BILL: 15:33 YES. >>PASTOR TONY: SO, IT'S NOT A POPULAR THING 15:37 TO SAY TO A POOR PERSON, 'OH, YOU'RE LUCKY'. WHAT 15:39 ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU CAN BE HAPPY. THEY'LL SAY 15:40 I KNOW I COULD BE HAPPY IF I HAD WHAT YOU HAD OR WHAT 15:48 OTHERS HAVE. BUT TO TELL ME THAT I AM HAPPY BECAUSE 15:52 I AM POOR, THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. IT PROMPTS 15:53 A QUESTION. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? >>BILL: YEAH. WHAT 15:59 IS HE TALKING ABOUT? 16:00 >>PASTOR TONY: YES. WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND TO 16:04 TELL ME THAT MY BEING POOR IS A SIGN OF GOOD FORTUNE, 16:11 OF HAPPINESS AND OF BLESSEDNESS. AND THAT WAS 16:12 THE BEGINNING OF CHRIST'S PRESENTATION OF THE 16:18 GOSPEL. INTERESTINGLY, IF WE GO BACK A COUPLE OF 16:26 DAYS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY, IN LUKE 16:27 CHAPTER 4, THAT IS JUST BEFORE THE SERMON ON 16:38 THE MOUNT, CHRIST IS IN NAZARETH.>>BILL: OKAY. 16:41 >>PASTOR TONY:.AND HE IS, FOR THE FIRST TIME, 16:43 PREACHING IN HIS OWN TOWN IN THE SYNAGOGUE. IN LUKE 16:47 4 AND VERSE 16, AND THEN IN VERSE 18 HE SAYS, "THE 16:55 SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS ON ME BECAUSE HE HAS 16:56 ANNOINTED ME TO PREACH GOOD NEWS", NOW, NOTICE 17:01 WHAT IS THE NEXT SENTENCE, "TO THE POOR". >>BILL: 17:08 WOW. >>PASTOR TONY: HE DOESN'T SAY TO PREACH GOOD 17:09 NEWS TO THE PEACEMAKERS OR TO THOSE WHO ARE 17:11 PERSECUTED. HE COULD HAVE SAID THAT BUT HE STARTS BY 17:16 SAYING "TO THE POOR". 17:17 YOU MAY SAY, WELL, HE WAS QUOTING ISIAH. YES, HE 17:21 WAS, INTENTIONALLY. 17:22 BUT HE CHOSE A TEXT THAT ADDRESSED THE CONDITION OF 17:27 THE POOR. IN CHRIST'S HEART, THERE WAS A 17:28 TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COMPASSION FOR THE POOR. 17:37 AFTER ALL, WASN'T HE POOR? 17:38 >>BILL: YES. >>PASTOR TONY: WHEN THE DISCIPLES 17:40 ASKED HIM, WHERE DO YOU LIVE? HE SAYS I DON'T HAVE 17:46 ANYWHERE TO RECLINE MY HEAD. HE DIDN'T OWN A 17:47 HOUSE; HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MATERIAL POSSESSIONS. HE 17:52 LIVED OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF SOME WOMEN WHO WERE 17:59 WELL-TO-DO, WHO FINANCED HIS MINISTRY. IN THAT 18:00 SENSE, I WISH TO SAY THAT CHRIST'S MINISTRY AND 18:09 THE MINISTRY OF "IT IS WRITTEN" RESEMBLE EACH 18:12 OTHER IN SOME WAYS BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF THE 18:13 GENEROUSITY OF.>>BILL: ABSOLUTELY. >>PASTOR 18:17 TONY:.PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN GOD'S WORD IN "IT IS 18:20 WRITTEN" THAT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ARE PRESENTED 18:21 TO THE WORLD. >>BILL: YES. 18:26 >>PASTOR TONY: AND IT WAS OUT OF THE GENEROSITY OF 18:27 THOSE WOMEN THAT CHRIST WAS ABLE TO GO WITH HIS 18:29 DISCIPLES AND PREACH THE GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR. 18:36 >>BILL: OUR TIME IS ZIPPING BY. WE'VE GOT 18:37 ABOUT 5 MINUTES LEFT. WHY MUST, YOU KNOW, IF YOU 18:41 WERE A VIEWER WATCHING HERE TODAY, WHY DO THEY 18:47 HAVE TO BE POOR? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO THEM TODAY 18:49 WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO US TODAY? BECAUSE IN 18:50 OUR SOCIETY, WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING THAT HAS ANYTHING 18:52 TO DO WITH POOR. >>PASTOR TONY: YEAH, WELL, THE MOST 18:54 POPULAR GOSPEL TODAY IS THE GOSPEL OF WEALTH. 18:58 >>BILL: YES, ABSOLUTELY. 18:59 >>PASTOR TONY: IT'S SAYING TO PEOPLE, GOD IS GOING TO 19:02 BLESS YOU, YOU WILL HAVE AS MANY MATERIAL GOODS AS 19:07 YOU CHOOSE TO, AND THAT WILL BE THE SIGN THAT YOU 19:08 ARE REALLY LEADING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. SO, 19:12 A MESSAGE OF POVERTY IS NEVER A POPULAR MESSAGE. 19:17 BUT, CHRIST HERE IS NOT ONLY ADDRESSING THE 19:18 POVERTY THAT WE EXPERIENCE IN LACK OF MATERIAL GOODS 19:25 BUT HE SAYS, "BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT". HE 19:30 SAYS THAT IN MATTHEW. 19:31 LUKE DOESN'T HAVE THAT BUT MATTHEW HAS IT, "THE POOR 19:33 IN SPIRIT". WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? >>BILL: YES. 19:34 >>PASTOR TONY: SOME PEOPLE SAY I KNOW WHAT IT 19:38 MEANS, IT MEANS THE I.Q. 19:39 CHALLENGED. IT MEANS THOSE WHO'S MIND IS NOT VERY 19:46 BRIGHT ARE POOR IN SPIRIT WELL, PERHAPS THAT WAS NOT 19:53 EXACTLY WHAT CHRIST WAS REFERRING TO. I BELIEVE 19:54 THAT HE WAS MAKING A CONTRAST BETWEEN THE 20:00 PHAROSY'S WHO HAD THE SPIRITUAL WEALTH OF 20:06 KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY KEPT TO THEMSELVES, DEPRIVING 20:07 THE PEOPLE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH. 20:14 >>BILL: RIGHT. >>PASTOR TONY: JESUS SAID, "MY 20:18 PEOPLE DIE FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE". AND SO, IT IS 20:19 THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD THAT 20:25 PEOPLE LACKED. AND HE SAID TO THEM, 'YOU KNOW WHAT, 20:30 YOU ARE BLESSED BECAUSE I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU THAT 20:31 WEALTH. THEY WERE HOLDING IT FROM YOU. I AM HERE 20:37 TO REVEAL IT". I'M HERE TO GIVE IT TO YOU IN ITS 20:41 COMPLETE ABUNDANCE. 20:42 >>BILL: ABUNDANCE. 20:44 >>PASTOR TONY: AND SO, YOU WILL BE WEALTHY IN SPIRIT 20:45 BECAUSE THE TRUTH WILL BE FULLY REVEALED TO YOU. 20:51 >>BILL: IT'S INTERESTING THAT SOMETIMES SPIRITUAL 20:52 KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING OF GOD'S WORD DOES 20:58 TRANSLATE INTO SPIRITUAL ARROGANCE. >>PASTOR TONY: 21:03 UNFORTUNATELY. AND THAT WAS WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO 21:04 THE PEOPLE IN THE TIME OF CHRIST. HE HAD TO REBUKE 21:08 THE PHAROSY'S AND THE SCRIBES, THE TEACHERS OF 21:12 THE LAW AT THE TIME BECAUSE YOU DON'T GO INTO 21:14 THE KINGDOM AND YOU DON'T ALLOW OTHERS TO 21:19 COME IN. IT IS AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU AND 21:23 ME, AS PASTORS, AS PROCLAIMERS OF GOD'S 21:24 WORD.>>BILL: YES. >>PASTOR TONY:.NOT TO HOLD BACK THE 21:29 TRUTH, THAT IS IN GOD'S WORD, FROM HIS PEOPLE. OUR 21:33 TASK IS TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE. >>BILL: YES. 21:34 >>PASTOR TONY: TO PRESENT IT IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, 21:38 IN THE MOST PERSUASIVE WAY SO THAT WHEN THEY SEE IT 21:42 THEY WILL REJOICE LIKE ONE WHO'S HUNGRY AND SEES A 21:43 TABLE THAT IS WELL SET AND FULLY COVERED WITH 21:50 DELICIOUS FOOD. THEY WILL SALIVATE. AND OUR TASK IS 21:54 TO MAKE PEOPLE SALIVATE BECAUSE OF THE GOODNESS OF 21:56 GOD'S WORD. >>BILL: YES. 22:00 >>PASTOR TONY:.THAT WE PRESENT FOR THEIR 22:01 CONSUMPTION. >>BILL: YES. 22:02 I HEARD A PASTOR, TWO PASTORS, ONCE TALKING AND 22:03 ONE SAID, WELL, MY JOB AS THE PASTOR IS TO LEAD THE 22:06 HORSE TO THE WATER. THAT'S ALL I CAN DO IS LEAD HIM 22:10 TO THE WATER. THE OTHER PASTOR SAID, NO, YOUR 22:11 JOB IS TO MAKE THE HORSE THIRSTY. >>PASTOR TONY: 22:13 THAT IS TRUE. THAT IS TRUE. WHEN WE PRESENT THE 22:18 WATER OF LIFE THAT GENERATES A TREMENDOUS 22:19 THIRST. YOU REMEMBER THE WOMAN AT THE WELL.>>BILL: 22:26 YES. >>PASTOR TONY:.THE MOMENT CHRIST PRESENTED 22:28 HER THE WATER OF LIFE, SHE DIDN'T THINK OF THAT 22:29 WELL ANYMORE. >>BILL: ABSOLUTELY. >>PASTOR 22:34 TONY: SUDDENLY, SHE HAD A TREMENDOUS DESIRE FOR THE 22:36 WATER THAT CHRIST COULD OFFER. SO, IF WE COULD 22:38 PRESENT THE GOSPEL IN SUCH AN ATTRACTIVE WAY I 22:41 BELIEVE THE PEOPLE WOULD FLOCK TO RECEIVE THE 22:46 BLESSING THAT CHRIST HAS ENCLOSED IN IT. >>BILL: 22:47 WELL, PASTOR, I LOOK FORWARD TO SPENDING THIS 22:50 IMPORTANT TIME WITH YOU ON THE NEXT EIGHT PROGRAMS. 22:55 >>PASTOR TONY: THANK YOU. 22:56 I LOOK FORWARD TO IT TOO. 22:57 >>BILL: THANK YOU, PASTOR, FOR BEING HERE. 22:58 IF YOU WANT TO KNOW TRUE HAPPINESS, THE BIBLE SAYS, 23:02 YOU MUST BE POOR IN SPIRIT; YOU MUST 23:03 UNDERSTAND THAT WITHOUT JESUS YOU ARE SPIRITUALLY 23:06 HELPLESS. IF YOU RECOGNIZE YOUR SPIRITUAL POVERTY, 23:13 YOU WILL POSSESS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN 23:14 AUGUSTUS TOPLADY SUMMED IT ALL UP THAT IN HIM, THE 23:20 ROCK OF AGES, WHERE HE SAID, "NOTHING IN MY HAND 23:22 I BRING. SIMPLY TO THE CROSS I CLING". WHEN YOU 23:23 ARE POOR IN SPIRIT, YOU WILL PRAISE GOD AND THANK 23:30 HIS GRACE IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT EVERYTHING YOU HAVE 23:34 IS A GIFT FROM HIM. THE APOSTLE PAUL DISPLAYED 23:35 THAT ATTITUDE IN 1TIMOTHY 1:14, "THE GRACE OF OUR 23:40 LORD WAS EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANT. THOSE WHO ARE 23:45 POOR IN SPIRIT ARE FILLED WITH THANKS. WHEN A PERSON 23:46 UNDERSTANDS WHO THEY ARE IN LIGHT OF WHO GOD 23:51 IS ONLY HUMILITY TO GOD CAN RESULT". THAT'S WHAT 23:56 STARTS THE WALK OF HOLINESS. DOES THAT SPIRIT 23:57 OF HUMILITY MARK YOUR LIFE? DO YOU LOVE THE 24:01 LORD, JESUS CHRIST? LOVE FOR CHRIST REQUIRES A 24:07 HUMILITY THAT WILL SERVE HIM. YOU KNOW, THOMAS 24:08 WATSON ONCE WROTE, "LOVE IS A HUMBLE GRACE. IT DOES 24:10 NOT WALK ABROAD IN STATE, IT WILL CREEP UPON ITS 24:15 HANDS, IT WILL STOOP AND SUBMIT TO ANYTHING WHEREBY 24:17 IT MAY SERVICEABLE TO CHRIST". BY HIS DEATH ON 24:21 THE CROSS, CHRIST STOOPED FAR LOWER THAN ANY HUMAN 24:27 COULD EVER STOOP. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION BEFORE 24:28 WE LEAVE. HOW LOW HAS YOUR LOVE FOR CHRIST ENABLED 24:34 YOU TO STOOP FOR HIM PASTOR, WOULD YOU PRAY 24:42 WITH OUR VIEWERS. >>PASTOR TONY: I WOULD BE HAPPY TO. 24:44 FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHAT A JOY IT IS TO SPEND TIME 24:49 LISTENING TO THE WORDS OF JESUS RECORDED IN THE 24:55 GOSPEL. WE THANK YOU FOR THE BEAUTY OF THIS SERMON 24:56 ON THE MOUNT WHEN HE, ASSUMING HIS RIGHTFUL 25:02 ROLE AS THE TEACHER OF TRUTH, EXPOUNDED ON THE 25:10 SIMPLICITY AND THE BEAUTY OF HIS GOSPEL. LORD, 25:11 THANK YOU, BECAUSE IT WAS PRESERVED FOR US TO 25:16 RECEIVE IT TODAY. MAY WE ACCEPT THIS TEACHING AND 25:22 PRACTICE IT IN OUR LIVES. 25:23 MOREOVER, MAY WE TRULY FOLLOW CHRIST AS OUR 25:28 TEACHER AND MASTER AND FRIEND. FOR THAT IS OUR 25:29 PRAYER IN HIS HOLY NAME. 25:35 AMEN. >>BILL: AMEN. 25:38 (MUSIC) 25:53 >>BILL: I KNOW MANY OF YOU WATCHING ARE ASKING HOW 25:54 DO I GET TO LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT GOD'S WORD AND 25:57 THE TRUTHS CONTAINED IN SCRIPTURE. WELL, I'LL TELL 26:01 YOU, ONE OF THE EASY WAYS TO DO THAT IS TO ENROLL 26:02 TODAY IN THE DISCOVER BIBLE SCHOOL PUT OUT BY 26:07 "IT IS WRITTEN" CANADA YOU CAN DO THAT, WE WILL 26:10 SEND YOU LESSONS BY MAIL, THERE'S NO OBLIGATION 26:11 ON YOUR PART, THERE'S NO COST. WHAT YOU GET IS 26:14 A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF GOD'S WORD AND A BLESSING 26:19 IN YOUR LIFE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO BEGIN TODAY HERE'S 26:20 THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO GET YOUR FIRST LESSON. 27:28 >>BILL: WELL, PASTOR TONY, WE STARTED THIS JOURNEY 27:29 AND I KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO BECOME A FAN FAVOURITE 27:32 OF OUR VIEWERS WITH ALL YOUR WONDERFUL INSIGHTS. 27:36 THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. >>PASTOR 27:37 TONY: THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVITATION. >>BILL: THANK 27:39 YOU. AND OUR VIEWERS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE 27:41 FAITHFULLY WEEK AFTER WEEK. I HOPE YOU'LL BE 27:42 BACK WITH US NEXT TIME. 27:45 REMEMBER THE WEBSITE, ITISWRITTENCANADA.CA. YOU 27:46 CAN SEND YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS PROGRAM, YOU CAN SEND 27:50 YOUR PRAYER REQUEST, IF YOU FEEL SO MOVED YOU CAN 27:54 EVEN SEND A DONATION. 27:55 I HOPE WE'LL GET A CHANCE TO BE BACK NEXT WEEK. THAT 27:59 WILL BE OUR PRAYER. 28:00 REMEMBER, IT IS WRITTEN; MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY 28:05 BREAD ALONE BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS 28:06 FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD. 28:12 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17