Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIWR
Program Code: IIWR000009A
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01:30 ♪[Music]♪
01:40 ♪[Music]♪ 01:49 >>John: This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 01:52 Thanks for joining me for 500, our series on the Reformation. 01:58 The Reformation Finished. 02:00 That's what we'll be talking about tonight, 02:02 and I'm glad to be able to welcome to this program 02:05 the President of the World Church 02:06 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 02:08 Elder Ted Wilson. 02:09 Elder Wilson, thanks for joining me. 02:11 >>Ted: Thank you, John. 02:12 >>John: Let me ask you, we're talking about the Reformation. 02:14 How much work is left to be done 02:15 before we can say the Reformation is complete? 02:18 >>Ted: Well, I'll tell you. 02:19 There's plenty of work to be done, 02:21 not only outside of our own circle 02:24 but even in our own hearts. 02:26 The Reformation is really to start with us 02:28 and our relationship with Christ, 02:30 and then it is to go on till the end of time, 02:33 so there's plenty of work to do by God's grace. 02:36 >>John: We've covered a lot of ground during 500, 02:38 and I'd like to tell you a little bit about 02:40 what motivated me to do so. 02:43 You know, I wasn't raised with a Bible in my hand. 02:46 When you study the Reformation, 02:47 you come face to face with the central theme 02:50 of the Reformation which is the Word of God. 02:54 The Word of God set people free during Reformation times; 02:58 people who were in spiritual slavery, spiritual bondage. 03:02 The Word of God did exactly the same for me. 03:06 I've given my life to sharing the Word of God with others 03:09 knowing that the Word of God, 03:10 the Bible, the Holy Scriptures 03:12 can do for others what they did for me. 03:15 The Bible will open up your eyes. 03:17 As a matter of fact, 03:19 when I wore a younger man's clothes, 03:21 I was presented by the Holy Spirit with a choice. 03:24 And the choice for me was my church or the Bible 03:29 which boiled down to my church or Jesus. 03:34 I knew I couldn't have both, and it had to be one or the other. 03:39 What a question or what a choice to put towards 03:42 a young man in his early 20s. 03:43 What was I going to do? 03:45 You know, I wrestled with that, I did. 03:47 I knew which direction God was leading me, 03:49 I never thought at any time about going back. 03:52 But here's what spurred me on. 03:55 As a young man attending a parochial school, 03:57 the nuns, my teachers, taught me, 04:00 taught us a certain verse of the Bible. 04:02 It's not that we learned a lot, 04:04 and I don't know why they covered this one with us, 04:07 but here it is. 04:07 The Bible says, 04:09 "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world 04:14 and yet loses his own soul?" 04:17 I had a choice. 04:19 I couldn't have both because the church I was raised in 04:22 and the Bible absolutely were in conflict with each other. 04:26 You see, what I believe is that God 04:27 gives everybody a choice. 04:28 He wants everyone to have a choice. 04:30 And He certainly wants everybody 04:32 to choose Jesus as Lord and Savior. 04:35 So during 500, we've traced this, this conflict, 04:38 the conflict between tradition and the Bible, 04:40 a conflict between man and God. 04:43 Some of us refer to this as the Great Controversy. 04:47 So where have we been? 04:49 Our first program called 500 reviewed the Reformation. 04:54 We took a big picture look, nothing too terribly specific, 04:57 but we looked at the, the overall flow of the Reformation. 05:02 In that program, we speak to Dr. Gerard Damsteegt, 05:04 recently retired from Andrews University. 05:07 Second program, we looked at a pre-Reformation figure, 05:10 Patrick of England, 05:12 known better as Patrick of Ireland. 05:14 Patrick who taught the Word of God 05:17 and educated pagans to become Christians, 05:21 he spoke to druids and proclaimed the Bible to them, 05:24 and they converted to Christianity. 05:28 Patrick was a missionary. 05:29 His converts went to what we now call Scotland, 05:32 and from there, 05:34 took Christianity back to England 05:36 which had recently fallen into pagan hands 05:39 and had a colossal impact. 05:41 What they were doing was sharing the Word of God. 05:46 Our third program in 500 was a Lamp to My Feet. 05:48 We looked at the forgotten reformer, 05:50 the English Bible translator William Tyndale. 05:53 And you see what this did is it focused 05:55 on the key of the Reformation, 05:56 it was getting the Bible into the hands of the people. 05:59 In that program, I spoke to Dr. Dedrick Blue 06:02 from Oakwood University. 06:03 We looked at the power of the Word of God 06:05 and that's where the power is. 06:07 I realized that in my own experience it's not tradition, 06:10 it's truth that matters. 06:11 It's not man, it's God that matters. 06:13 The ability to understand the Bible and make life decisions 06:17 based on the Word of God. 06:19 Tyndale was persecuted relentlessly; 06:21 translating the Bible cost him his life. 06:25 We went together to Belgium where he died, 06:27 to England where he ministered. 06:29 And we were reminded that God's will for all of us is to accept 06:33 Jesus Christ the Living Word in the Word of God, 06:37 the Sacred Scriptures, 06:39 and it's a blessing to be able to do so. 06:41 Program number four in 500, Rome and the Reformation. 06:45 We took you to the Vatican City. 06:46 You know something? 06:48 If I'd gone to the Vatican City years ago, 06:51 I would have gone there as a, uh, 06:53 as a grandchild visiting his grandparents, 06:56 as a wanderer who'd returned home. 06:58 I would have been thrilled to be there and venerate statues 07:02 and kneel before idols. 07:03 I'd have been walking up Pilate's staircase on my knees. 07:08 But God introduced me to His Word, 07:12 to the liberating power of the gospel, 07:15 and the great Reformation truths of justification by faith 07:20 or sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus. 07:27 Christ alone. 07:28 That great Reformation truth. 07:30 Not penance, 07:32 not purgatory, 07:34 not confession, 07:35 Christ, salvation in Jesus and through Jesus. 07:40 So I visited Rome looking at Rome through interested eyes 07:47 as somebody who had been liberated by the great truths 07:51 of the Word of God. 07:53 Then the next program was Here I Stand. 07:55 Here I Stand, we focused on the life, 07:57 the ministry of Martin Luther. 07:59 Had the privilege of speaking to Dr. Leslie Pollard, 08:02 the President of Oakwood University. 08:03 Luther wasn't the only one, 08:06 he was one of many Reformers, 08:08 there were Reformers before Luther. 08:10 But Luther was the big one. 08:12 And it was Luther's ministry 08:13 that brought to life the Reformation, 08:16 and as we know now, it was October 31, 1517, 08:20 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door 08:24 of the famous Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, 08:28 and history would be forever changed. 08:32 However, when you rattle the church's cage, 08:35 the church doesn't remain silent, 08:37 and following the Reformation or concurrent with the Reformation 08:40 for a time was something called the Counter-Reformation. 08:45 Together, we journeyed to northern Spain, 08:48 the birthplace of Ignatius Loyola. 08:51 We went to Rome and to the Vatican City 08:54 where the Counter-Reformation was launched, 08:57 and that impacted history in a significant way. 08:59 I had the privilege of talking with Dr. Gerard Damsteegt again, 09:03 this time about the Counter-Reformation. 09:06 Then, we discussed the pilgrim fathers, 09:11 A Wall of Separation. 09:13 I spoke with Pastor Lincoln Steed, 09:15 we looked at religious liberty, religious freedom. 09:18 We studied Roger Williams, that great man of faith 09:22 who named the city of Providence in Rhode Island 09:24 and founded the Rhode Island Colony, 09:26 and whether we realized it or not, 09:28 he changed our lives entirely. 09:31 Our second to last program 09:33 took us to another part of New England, 09:36 we particularly went to the farm of one, 09:38 William Miller, who in the middle part of the 19th century 09:44 caused a firestorm in Christianity with his belief 09:49 that Jesus Christ was coming back to this earth. 09:53 He was counter cultural, 09:54 particularly in terms of religious faith. 09:57 He shared a gospel that was rather different, 10:00 not so much the science of salvation 10:03 but a prophetic message that was different 10:05 to what had been proclaimed in the world. 10:07 You know, I believe what William Miller believed, 10:10 not that Jesus was coming back in the 1800s, 10:12 but that Jesus is coming back soon, 10:16 and that belief spurs me as a minister of the gospel 10:18 to share Jesus with others. 10:20 As you look around, you know that there are millions, 10:22 billions of people without faith in the God of Heaven, 10:26 and if we can reach just one more and let another one 10:29 know that there's hope in Jesus Christ, 10:30 that there's power in the Word of God, 10:33 then we've done something that's valuable 10:36 in the life of that person and undoubtedly many others besides. 10:40 Then, Finishing the Reformation. 10:43 What a blessing to be able to speak with Pastor Wilson, 10:46 and discuss the role of God's church in these last days 10:51 to get the job finished. 10:53 To finish the work 10:54 of proclaiming the everlasting gospel. 10:56 You would refer to them perhaps as the three angels' 10:59 messages to let people know that there is hope, 11:02 hope in Jesus that He is enough, 11:07 that we can lay hold on His promises by grace 11:10 through faith in His word. 11:13 So tonight, our subject, our program is 11:16 "Finishing the Reformation." 11:18 I hope you've been blessed by 500. 11:19 We're not done yet, almost, but not quite. 11:23 In just a moment, 11:24 back with this program filmed on location, 11:28 "Finishing the Reformation." 11:29 Don't go away. 11:30 ♪[Music]♪ 11:38 Jesus said, "Upon this Rock, I will build My church." 11:41 He said He would have a church, 11:44 but what would this church look like? 11:46 How would it carry itself? 11:47 What would it teach? 11:49 Where can it be found? 11:51 I'd like you to receive In Search of the Church. 11:55 Call us on 800-253-3000 11:58 or visit us online at itiswritten.com, 12:01 or you can write to the address on your screen. 12:04 In Search of the Church, it's yours completely free. 12:09 This is It Is Written. 12:10 I'm John Bradshaw, thanks for joining me. 12:12 Now, imagine it if you can. 12:15 You'd been reading your Bible, 12:17 and you're now convinced that Jesus is coming back soon, 12:22 really coming back, literally. 12:24 You believe that you're gonna see Jesus 12:26 and the angels on a certain day. 12:30 October days in Eastern New York state 12:32 near the Vermont border can be cool. 12:35 Life in the middle of the 19th century could be difficult, 12:38 and having peculiar religious views 12:40 doesn't ordinarily buy you popularity, 12:43 and when you're a Millerite, 12:44 a follower of the Baptist preacher William Miller, 12:47 you're out there on the fringes. 12:49 Now you're not alone, 12:51 Miller has tens of thousands of followers, 12:53 but still you, well, really, 12:56 none of that matters because you're gonna see Jesus. 12:58 He's coming back in just a few weeks, 13:01 He's coming back in just a few days. 13:03 He's coming back tomorrow. 13:05 You'll see Jesus in just a few hours. 13:09 Can you imagine? 13:12 So as October 22nd got closer, 13:14 the Millerites, 13:15 the Adventists, were more than excited. 13:18 These were regular hard working people, 13:20 faithful Christians, 13:21 and Jesus was returning? 13:24 Tomorrow? 13:26 William Miller had predicted that Jesus would return in 1843. 13:29 But that didn't happen. 13:31 But then he recalculated and said 13:33 the Second Coming would happen in the spring of 1844. 13:37 That didn't happen either. 13:38 The Millerites were perplexed until a man named 13:42 Samuel Snow calculated that Jesus would return 13:46 on October 22nd, 1844, of course. 13:52 William Miller was a rational man. 13:55 He was not a fanatic, he was a deep Bible student, 13:58 but he was wrong. 14:01 He was right about an awful lot, 14:03 but you don't have to be wrong about much 14:05 to botch a prediction about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 14:08 As he was studying the Bible, 14:11 he came to Daniel 8:14, which says, 14:15 "Unto two thousand three hundred days, 14:17 then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." 14:19 Miller was convinced he was looking at a prophesy 14:22 about the Second Coming of Jesus. 14:25 Based on the prevailing idea that the sanctuary 14:27 represented the earth. 14:29 He figured the earth would be cleansed 14:32 when Jesus returned the second time. 14:34 What else could that possibly mean? 14:37 Looking at the scriptures, he determined that a day represents 14:41 a year in Bible prophesy. 14:43 He was right about that. 14:45 That's a symbol just like a beast represents a nation 14:49 and a woman represents the church. 14:51 Miller figured that Jesus would return 14:53 at the end of 2,300 years. 14:56 If only he could know when that period began, 14:59 then he could know when it ended. 15:02 But then Miller found his starting point. 15:04 Daniel chapter nine spoke of a decree of the going forth 15:10 of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. 15:13 Miller found that decree in Ezra chapter seven. 15:17 It was issued in 457 B.C. by the Medo-Persian Emperor Artaxerxes, 15:23 so that was that then. 15:25 Start in 457 B.C., add 2,300 days or 2,300 years, 15:33 and you get to 1843. 15:36 You correct that because you forgot 15:37 that there's no year zero, and you get to 1844. 15:43 Miller's opponents couldn't argue with his logic. 15:46 Now, of course, 15:47 the Bible does say that no one knows the day or the hour 15:50 of Jesus' appearing, 15:51 but Miller never set a date. 15:54 It was Samuel Snow who set the date. 15:56 He did that in August of 1844. 15:59 Miller never accepted that interpretation 16:02 until October 6th. 16:05 He spent October 22nd in this very room. 16:08 Looking out this window, 16:10 waiting for Jesus to come in the eastern sky. 16:17 So imagine how it felt on October 23rd, 1844. 16:23 You weren't even expecting to be here, 16:25 but now you have to face people. 16:26 You have to go back to your occupation. 16:28 You have to admit that the movement was wrong, 16:31 that you've made a big mistake. 16:35 Where was God in all of this? 16:37 And what about the Bible? 16:39 How do you relate to the Bible now? 16:42 Well, some people simply chose not to, 16:43 and they gave up on their hope in God altogether. 16:46 Most people simply went back to the churches 16:49 from which they'd come, 16:50 but that wasn't an option for everyone. 16:53 William and Lucy Miller and their children were 16:55 kicked out of the Baptist church that they'd been 16:57 attending because they continued to hang 16:59 on to the belief that Jesus was still coming back soon. 17:05 And then there were others who tried to figure out 17:07 how God was leading now. 17:10 But what became known as the Great Disappointment of 1844 17:14 became to the heirs of the Millerite movement what the 17:18 Great Disappointment of Calvary 17:19 became to the followers of Jesus. 17:23 Jesus' disciples were sure that their master would set up an 17:26 earthly kingdom and drive the heathen Romans 17:29 from the covenant land. 17:31 On the road to Emmaus, two disciples poured out 17:33 their despondency to Jesus himself saying, 17:37 "But we were hoping that it was 17:38 He who was going to redeem Israel." 17:41 Luke 24:21. 17:43 But the disciples' hopes had been based on a false view 17:46 of the Messiah's mission. 17:49 They weren't wrong in recognizing 17:50 Jesus as the promised Savior, 17:52 but they were wrong in their understanding of his work. 17:57 The same was true with the disappointed followers 17:59 of William Miller in 1844. 18:02 They were correct in their timing, 18:04 but they were wrong about the event. 18:07 But God wouldn't leave His faithful followers 18:09 in the dark for long. 18:10 After an all night vigil weary and heartbroken, 18:14 two men decided to visit some of their fellow believers 18:17 who'd been through the same disappointment. 18:19 One of them was Hiram Edson. 18:22 Here's how he explained the events that followed. 18:25 "We started, and while passing through a large field, 18:29 I was stopped about midway of the field. 18:32 Heaven seemed open to my view, 18:35 and I saw distinctly and clearly that instead of our High Priest 18:39 coming out of the Most Holy of the heavenly sanctuary, 18:42 to come to this earth on the tenth day of the seventh month, 18:45 at the end of the 2,300 days, 18:47 He for the first time entered on that day the second apartment 18:52 of that sanctuary; 18:54 and that He had a work to perform in the Most Holy 18:58 before coming to this earth." 19:00 With this dramatic insight, 19:01 the movement birthed by William Miller 19:03 gave rise to yet another movement, 19:06 the one predicted by the angel spoken of by John 19:09 in the 10th of the chapter of the book of Revelation. 19:12 "Thou must prophesy again before many peoples 19:15 and nations and tongues and kings." 19:19 Revelation 10:11. 19:21 A movement was born, and with this new movement, 19:24 God set in place a global initiative 19:27 to complete the Protestant Reformation. 19:30 I'll have more in just a moment. 19:31 ♪[Music]♪ 19:39 I'm John Bradshaw from It Is Written, 19:41 inviting you to join me for 500. 19:45 Nine programs produced by It Is Written, 19:47 taking you deep into the Reformation. 19:50 This is the 500th anniversary of the beginning 19:53 of the Reformation when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses 19:57 to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. 20:00 We'll take you to Wittenberg and to Belgium, 20:02 to England, 20:03 to Ireland, 20:04 to Rome, 20:05 to the Vatican City, 20:06 and introduce you to the people who created the Reformation, 20:09 who pushed the Reformation forward. 20:11 We'll take you to sites all throughout Europe 20:13 where the Reformers lived and in some cases died. 20:16 We'll bring you back to the United States 20:18 and take you to a little farm in Upstate New York 20:21 and show you how God spread the Reformation here. 20:24 Don't miss 500. 20:26 You can own the 500 series on DVD. 20:29 Call us on 888-664-5573 20:33 or visit us online at itiswritten.shop. 20:41 This is It Is Written, I'm John Bradshaw. 20:43 Thanks for joining me. 20:45 William Miller became the figurehead for a movement 20:47 after studying his Bible and then sharing what he found. 20:51 He and others believed that Jesus was coming back 20:54 to the earth in the year 1844. 20:57 And they believed this based on a prophesy which said that 21:00 the sanctuary would be cleansed. 21:03 But Jesus didn't come back in 1844. So where was the error? 21:09 Miller believed like virtually everybody else, 21:11 that the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14 was the earth. 21:14 But look into the Bible and you see that that sanctuary 21:18 could really only be the portable sanctuary 21:21 that went with Israel throughout the wilderness 21:24 or the temple or the great sanctuary of God in Heaven. 21:29 In Old Testament times, 21:30 the cleansing of the sanctuary took place once a year 21:34 on the Day of Atonement. 21:36 It was a day of judgment. 21:39 So some of these Millerite believers went to the Bible 21:41 and studied, and their eyes were opened. 21:47 Hebrews 8:1 and 2 says, 21:49 "We have such a high priest, who is seated at the 21:53 right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens. 21:56 A minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, 22:00 which the Lord erected and not man." 22:04 The book of Hebrews describes this sanctuary again 22:06 in the following chapter. 22:07 "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, 22:12 with the greater and more perfect tabernacle 22:15 not made with hands, that is, not of this creation." 22:19 That's Hebrews 9:11. 22:22 These believers found that on the day of atonement, 22:24 a new sacrifice was offered by which the record of sin 22:28 in the sanctuary was taken away or cleansed. 22:31 On that day, God's people would afflict their souls 22:35 and search their hearts to be sure that no unconfessed 22:39 or unforsaken sin remained in their lives. 22:44 Once the record of sin was expunged from the sanctuary, 22:48 the sins were transferred again to a scapegoat. 22:52 That goat would then be led into the wilderness to carry 22:55 the sins of the people into oblivion and to die there. 23:00 But the ultimate purpose of the service was not only 23:02 to remove the record of sin, 23:03 but to remove sin itself from the hearts and lives 23:07 of the worshipers. 23:08 Leviticus, 16:30 says, 23:10 "For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, 23:14 to cleanse you, 23:15 that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord." 23:19 And like the sanctuary on earth, 23:21 the book of Hebrews is clear that the sanctuary 23:24 in heaven must also be cleansed. 23:27 "Therefore, it was necessary that the copies of the things 23:30 in the heavens should be purified with these, 23:34 but the heavenly things themselves 23:36 with better sacrifices than these." 23:39 The judgment hour message hadn't ever been proclaimed. 23:42 It was a message that would lead people to the Bible. 23:45 Bibles people now had thanks to the Reformers. 23:49 These were people who were free to think for themselves 23:52 thanks to Roger Williams, and it was a message that 23:55 would prepare people for the Second Coming of Jesus, 23:58 a teaching now known, thanks to the ministry of William Miller. 24:03 It's interesting that Martin Luther said this. 24:05 "I persuade myself verily, 24:08 that the day of judgment will not be absent full 300 years. 24:13 God will not, cannot, suffer this wicked world much longer!" 24:17 In the 1500s, Martin Luther said that the judgment 24:22 would take place 300 years into the future 24:25 in the middle of the 1800s. 24:26 So what would God do? 24:29 2,000 years before John wrote in the book of Revelation 24:33 that the judgment hour message would go to the world, 24:36 but there was much more which by the time of William Miller 24:40 still had not been proclaimed. 24:43 This is Revelation 14:6 and 7. 24:45 John wrote, "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven 24:50 having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them 24:52 that dwell on the earth, 24:54 and to every nation, 24:55 and kindred, 24:56 and tongue, 24:57 and people, 24:58 saying with a loud voice, 24:59 Fear God, and give glory to him, 25:02 for the hour of his judgement is come. 25:04 And worship him that made heaven and earth 25:07 and the sea and the fountains of waters." 25:10 John wrote that there would come a time when God's people 25:14 would be called to live lives of complete surrender 25:17 to Jesus in the time of earth's final judgement. 25:20 And there's something else in that passage. 25:24 "Worship him that made heaven and earth 25:26 and the sea and the fountains of waters." 25:29 That's a direct quote from the fourth commandment, 25:33 the Sabbath commandment. 25:35 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 25:37 Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, 25:40 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." 25:44 It goes onto say, 25:45 "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, 25:49 the sea, and all that in them is and rested the seventh day. 25:54 Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." 25:58 It's about as clear as it could be. 26:01 In earth's last days, 26:03 God would call His people to surrender, 26:06 to obedience to His word rather than obedience 26:10 to the teachings of men or of churches. 26:11 Up until this time, very few people 26:14 were keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. 26:16 Sunday was the day acknowledged to be the holy day. 26:20 It just stands to reason that Jesus 26:22 would want the people He's going to return 26:24 for to be surrendered, 26:26 to be living in obedience because as He has said, 26:30 surrender demonstrates love. 26:33 John 14:15 says, 26:35 "If you love me, keep my commandments." 26:39 So who are these people who'd been keeping 26:41 the commandments of God? 26:44 I'll tell you in just a moment. 26:45 ♪[Music]♪ 26:53 >>Announcer: In Matthew 4:4, the Word of God says, 26:56 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 26:59 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 27:03 "Every Word" 27:04 is a one-minute Bible based daily devotional 27:06 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw 27:08 and designed especially for busy people like you. 27:11 Look for Every Word on selected networks 27:14 or watch it online every day on our website, 27:16 itiswritten.com. 27:19 Receive a daily spiritual boost, 27:21 watch Every Word, 27:22 you'll be glad you did. 27:24 Here's a sample. 27:32 >>John: As you look back at the Reformation 27:34 which began 500 years ago on October 31st, 1517, 27:38 there are several major events that are pretty well forgotten. 27:41 In August of 1572, King Charles IX of France 27:44 ordered the killing of a group of French Huguenots, 27:46 Protestants. 27:47 By the time the St. Bartholomew's Day 27:49 massacre was over, as many as 30,000 people had been killed. 27:53 Protestants were ruthlessly persecuted, 27:55 and it was not until the French Revolution 27:56 that they gained equal right in France. 27:59 What kind of person or people perpetrate 28:01 that kind of utter wickedness? 28:03 Jeremiah 17:9 says, 28:05 "The heart is deceitful above all things, 28:07 and desperately wicked, who can know it?" 28:09 What kind of person? 28:11 Anyone at all. 28:12 The heart can be extremely wicked 28:14 when God's fear and love have been removed. 28:16 Human nature follows just one selfish direction, 28:19 but Christ in your heart creates a new you, 28:21 gives you a new heart. 28:23 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 28:24 Let's live today by Every Word. 28:28 ♪[Music]♪ 28:31 Thanks for joining me on It Is Written. 28:34 Rachel Oakes lived here in Washington, 28:36 New Hampshire in 1844. 28:39 Her daughter, Delight, was a local school teacher. 28:42 This was almost 70 years after this town became the first 28:46 to be named after George Washington. 28:49 Then as now, Washington, New Hampshire 28:52 was just a tiny little slice of the New England landscape. 28:55 But what happened here in Washington in 1844 28:59 went on to make a major impact in the entire world. 29:06 She attended this church pastored by a man 29:09 named Frederick Wheeler. 29:11 Wheeler had accepted the teachings of William Miller 29:14 and was active in preaching the doctrine of the second advent. 29:17 While preaching during a communion service 29:21 in this church building, 29:23 Wheeler made the comment that only those who keep 29:26 all of the Ten Commandments should participate. 29:29 Well, Sister Oaks, 29:30 a Seventh-Day Baptist, challenged him. 29:32 And she told him after the service that he wasn't keeping 29:36 all of the Ten Commandments 29:37 because he did not keep the seventh-day Sabbath. 29:41 Wheeler went to his Bible and he studied the matter for himself, 29:43 and he came to the conclusion that Rachel Oaks was right. 29:47 And he became the first Sabbath keeping Adventist minister. 29:51 And this church building became the first Sabbath keeping 29:55 Adventist church in the world. 29:58 In March of 1844, he preached his first sermon 30:02 on the subject of the Sabbath. 30:05 A number of families here in Washington 30:06 became Sabbath keepers. 30:09 A man named Thomas Motherwell Preble learned of the Sabbath 30:12 from Wheeler, and he wrote a tract on the subject called 30:16 Tract showing that the seventh day should be observed 30:19 as the Sabbath. 30:21 Somehow a retired sea captain named Joseph Bates 30:24 who lived in Fairhaven, Massachusetts 30:26 got hold of that tract. 30:28 And he was so moved by it that he traveled from his home 30:31 60 miles south of Boston to meet with Frederick Wheeler 30:35 here in Washington, New Hampshire. 30:37 A distance of at least 160 miles. 30:40 The men studied all night long, 30:43 and by the time they were finished, 30:45 Joseph Bates was a Sabbath keeping Adventist. 30:50 And he was committed. 30:51 While heading back from Washington, New Hampshire, 30:53 to his home in Fairhaven, Massachusettes, 30:56 Bates was crossing a bridge near his home when a man named 30:59 James Madison Monroe Hall called out to him. 31:02 He said, "What's the news, Captain Bates?" 31:05 Bates replied by saying, 31:06 "The news is the seventh day 31:08 is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." 31:10 Hall began keeping the Sabbath, and so a movement began. 31:14 The truth began to spread, 31:15 and this was truth God wanted the world to know. 31:18 The messages of the Three Angels in Revelation 14 31:23 are called by God the everlasting gospel 31:26 or the final gospel message. 31:28 The final good news message to go to the world. 31:32 And that final message contains a call to worship the Creator 31:36 by keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, 31:38 a day set aside at creation so all of God's children 31:42 could rest, 31:43 worship, 31:44 and commune with Him in a special way. 31:48 The most basic principle of the Protestant Reformation 31:50 was the supreme authority of the Bible, 31:54 supreme over church councils and church tradition. 31:58 This new movement God raised up from the ashes of the 32:01 Great Disappointment of 1844 32:03 would focus in a special way on testing all Christian beliefs 32:08 and practices by the Holy Scriptures. 32:12 Even though, many Reformers taught things that didn't quite 32:14 measure up with the Bible, 32:16 they all appealed to the Bible as their ultimate authority. 32:20 Martin Luther had theological challenges, 32:22 John Calvin taught predestination in spite 32:25 of the fact that the best known verse in the Bible says that, 32:29 "God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, 32:32 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish 32:37 but have everlasting life." 32:39 And down through the years, 32:40 the Reformers had a blind spot about the law of God. 32:45 Something so fundamental and yet, 32:47 they were missing something essential. 32:49 But rather than castigate them, 32:51 we remember that the likes of Calvin and Zwingli 32:54 and Luther came to the Bible from out of complete darkness. 32:58 Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic priest. 33:01 They came pre-programmed by tradition. 33:05 The fact that they were able to shake off so much 33:07 of that tradition is remarkable. 33:08 And it's important to remember that truth is progressive. 33:12 It grows down through time. 33:14 Knowledge of agriculture, 33:16 of science, 33:17 of mathematics, 33:18 of physical wellness, well, that grows. 33:20 The same is true of knowledge of the Bible. 33:24 But the sad truth is that many people simply don't grow. 33:29 They accept what they were taught as children, 33:31 and then spend the rest of their lives 33:32 defending that instead of asking God 33:35 if there is more that they could learn. 33:38 All the way to about the time of William Miller, 33:40 Christians, with some exceptions, 33:42 believed in not the Ten Commandments 33:45 but in the nine commandments. 33:46 And when those Adventists saw the truth of God's word 33:50 and understood that all of the Ten Commandments 33:52 should be kept, 33:53 it was the dawning of a new day. 33:55 Sunday had come into Christianity as a tradition 33:58 of the Roman Catholic church. 34:01 Rome had absorbed Sunday worship from paganism. 34:04 It didn't come from the Bible. 34:07 So you would think then that Christians who were 34:09 conscientious about separating from tradition 34:12 would be open to embracing the seventh-day Sabbath. 34:15 That's certainly what God was hoping. 34:17 And that's why the message of the Sabbath 34:19 was included into the final gospel message 34:22 to go to the world. 34:24 As the movement grew, 34:25 it eventually became the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 34:29 identified in the Bible as a 34:31 "Remnant which keep the commandments of God 34:34 and the testimony of Jesus." 34:36 That's Revelation 12:17. 34:38 This group would proclaim the everlasting gospel, 34:41 the judgment hour message. 34:43 A message of cleansing and preparation pointing 34:47 to Jesus as high priest and the believers' only hope. 34:51 The seventh-day Sabbath, 34:52 total surrender to the indwelling of Jesus, 34:55 resulting in willing obedience to God's law and not man's law. 35:01 The call out of Babylon, 35:02 out of false worship and into true worship. 35:06 A call to the world to worship not the beast but the lamb, 35:11 Jesus and to receive the seal of God 35:14 rather than the mark of the beast. 35:17 And the relationship with Jesus so strong, 35:19 a dependence on Jesus so complete 35:23 that they're characterized by Revelation 14:12, which says, 35:26 "Here is the patience of the saints. 35:30 Here are they that keep the commandments of God 35:34 and the faith of Jesus." 35:36 This final company of the faithful and the sacred story 35:40 will share one last message of mercy with the world. 35:43 Jesus was clear, he told Peter in Matthew 16:18 35:48 that he would build his church. 35:50 The early Christian church was led by people such as Peter 35:53 and James and John and Paul and others like them 35:57 who presented Jesus to the world as the sinner's only hope. 36:02 But that early church lost its way, 36:04 it became corrupted by traditions, 36:06 many of which came into the church from paganism. 36:10 And then the church was hijacked by a system 36:13 that neglected the Bible, 36:15 that departed from the Bible. 36:18 That obscured the Bible 36:20 and then kept the Bible from the people. 36:22 But Wycliffe and Tyndale and Luther 36:25 and others like them put the Bible back in the hands 36:28 of God's children. 36:30 Hearts were touched by the power of God's Word, 36:33 and the broken system was reformed. 36:36 But that reformation didn't go all the way, 36:38 so God raised up others across the ocean from Europe, 36:42 beyond the reach of a pope to go back to the Bible, 36:45 to discover neglected teachings, 36:48 and to deliver the final gospel message to the world. 36:52 Organized in 1863, and now numbering 36:56 in the tens of millions of members, 36:58 the Seventh-day Adventist Church exists to complete 37:01 the work of the Reformers, 37:03 to take the message of justification by faith, 37:06 the message of salvation, 37:07 to reveal the character of God to the world. 37:11 And will that work be finished? 37:13 Yes, it will. 37:14 God has promised. 37:16 The everlasting gospel will go to every nation, 37:19 kindred, 37:20 tongue, 37:21 and people. 37:29 Jesus said, "Upon this Rock, I will build My church." 37:33 He said he would have a church, 37:35 but what would this church look like? 37:37 How would it carry itself? 37:38 What would it teach? 37:41 Where can it be found? 37:42 I'd like you to receive In Search of the Church. 37:46 Call us on 800-253-3000 37:49 or visit us online at itiswritten.com, 37:53 or you can write to the address on your screen. 37:55 In Search of the Church, 37:57 it's yours completely free. 37:59 And thank you for remembering that It Is Written 38:02 exists due to the gracious support of people like you. 38:07 It's your support that makes it possible for It Is Written 38:09 to share Christ and the hope of the Bible around the world. 38:13 You can send your tax-deductible gift 38:14 to the address on your screen or you can support It Is Written 38:17 through our website, 38:18 itiswritten.com. 38:21 Thanks for your generous support. 38:23 Our number is 800-253-3000, 38:26 and our web address is itiswritten.com. 38:30 >>John: Welcome back to 500 brought to you by It Is Written. 38:32 My guest is Pastor Ted Wilson, 38:35 the President of the World Seventh-day Adventist Church. 38:38 Pastor Wilson, thanks very much for joining me. 38:40 >>Ted: Thank you so much. 38:41 Great to be here. 38:42 >>John: And, and we, I'll tell you what. 38:44 We're just thrilled to be able to talk with you, 38:46 I think, about an, an incredibly important subject. 38:49 We look back to the Reformation that began 500 years ago. 38:53 There's a little bit of work to be done. 38:54 Now, let's talk in the very positive. 38:57 What were the great victories or successes 38:59 of the Reformation do you think? 39:01 >>Ted: Well, first of all, the Bible itself 39:04 was so critical and crucial to the Protestant Reformation. 39:08 You know, so many people were not able to access the Bible, 39:13 and it was just a powerful thing that Martin Luther 39:18 took about, uh, 11 weeks or so, 39:21 translated the Bible into a recognizable German 39:27 that became really the lingua franca 39:29 of that region and for the future. 39:32 And the Bible became something so positive in people's lives 39:37 that it, it changed their whole perspective on life. 39:42 And, you know, the Protestant Reformation 39:43 had as its great pillars, uh, sola Scriptura, only the Bible. 39:49 Uh, then the aspect of sola fide, 39:52 only by faith can we have this relationship with the Lord. 39:57 And then sola gratia, only by grace are we saved. 40:01 >>John: I'm convinced, and I, 40:03 I'd like to think this is changing, 40:04 but I'm convinced that still not enough people understand 40:08 the concept of righteousness by faith 40:11 by allowing the power of God's word through the power 40:13 of the Holy Spirit to work in a person's life. 40:17 Speak to me about how that truth has impacted you when, 40:19 when, whenever it was your eyes were opened to the fact that, 40:23 that what we are called to do is yield 40:25 so God can work through us. 40:28 Explain that to me. 40:29 Let, let's hear that in terms 40:31 that are gonna make it real to us. 40:32 God at work in a person's life. 40:33 >>Ted: You know, it takes a while for everyone to 40:37 really make it your own. 40:39 I, I remember when I was in my early 20s, 40:43 uh, someone, you know, mentioned some questions to me and, 40:47 and posed these questions. 40:48 I, uh, what if Jesus were to come tonight, 40:51 would you be ready? 40:52 Well, you know, maybe, I think so, 40:54 I mean, I'm trying to be a good Chris-, 40:56 but to really understand this relationship, 40:59 you have to understand that this is a gift of God, 41:03 salvation is not something we purchase, 41:06 it's not by works, 41:07 it is a wonderful gift provided to you, 41:12 and you can either accept or reject a gift. 41:16 And this marvelous gift of salvation 41:19 has a number of parts to it. 41:22 Essentially two. 41:24 Uh, one is that you accept Christ, 41:26 and then, of course, you are accepting his righteousness. 41:30 Christ covers you with his robe of righteousness, 41:33 and it, it, it becomes your robe because He's covering 41:38 you and you are appearing as if you are perfect. 41:42 When in reality, it's his righteousness. 41:45 Well, that's being justified. 41:47 Sanctification, once you accept Christ, 41:51 sanctification is also a gift, 41:53 but it starts working in your life so you become 41:56 more and more like Christ 41:58 through the power of the Holy Spirit. 42:01 Righteousness by faith is a complete package, 42:04 it's God's great gift to us, 42:06 but we have to exercise faith in Him 42:09 and an acceptance of relying completely on the Lord. 42:14 It's not our own works, 42:16 it is the works and the beauty of Christ working in us. 42:21 The righteousness of Christ is the focus, 42:24 the center of the plan of salvation and certainly, 42:28 in the book of Revelation chapter 14, 42:31 it talks about the three angels' messages, 42:35 the very heart and core of those messages 42:38 is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 42:41 >>John: It seems that God has given a special message 42:45 to be proclaimed in the end of time, 42:47 the everlasting gospel, 42:48 the eternal gospel, 42:50 the final gospel message to go to the world. 42:53 We find it in Revelation chapter 14 starting in verse six, 42:57 really wrapping up in about verse 12. 43:01 >>Ted: Mm-hmm. 43:02 >>John: Let's walk through this together. 43:03 These, these few verses of the Bible and identify what God 43:07 might be saying to His people down here in the end of time. 43:09 In Revelation 14:6, we read where the Bible says, 43:14 "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven 43:18 having the everlasting gospel to preach to them 43:20 that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred 43:23 and tongue and people." 43:25 Luther certainly wasn't capable of proclaiming to the, 43:28 the world as we know it. 43:31 Now we're down here in the end of the time God 43:33 has given a global mission to His people. 43:38 Talk about that for me for a moment. 43:39 >>Ted: You know, in, uh, the, uh, interesting text of, 43:43 uh, Acts 1:8, it says that 43:46 "we would receive power when 43:48 the Holy Sprit was come upon you." 43:51 That's talking about the early apostles. 43:54 And then there are gonna be "witnesses in Jerusalem, 43:56 Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth." 44:00 I mean, we're talking about now the gospel going to 44:04 every corner of this vast globe. 44:07 This is a phenomenal thing when, 44:10 uh, when the church perhaps began thinking about mission 44:14 and reaching out, 44:15 it was perhaps just across the street or to the next town 44:20 or maybe another part of the country. 44:23 But in reality, it is to every part of the entire world. 44:28 And Seventh-day Adventists are in about 215 countries 44:32 of the world using multiple languages, 44:36 uh, helping people who haven't even understood 44:39 the name of Christ before, 44:41 understanding that God wants to use His people 44:45 in a powerful way locally and globally. 44:49 But I want to tell you something. 44:50 It is impossible to do that 44:52 without the power of the Holy Spirit. 44:55 We can do all kinds of programs, all kinds of activities, 44:59 but if we don't have the power of the Holy Spirit, 45:02 everything will come to nothing. 45:05 Praise God for His spirit in our lives 45:08 as we tell people about Him. 45:10 >>John: There's gonna be a great work done. 45:13 >>Ted: Absolutely. 45:15 >>John: As you look at these populations and you know that, 45:17 that we can't get it done by ourselves, 45:19 what does this suggest to you about what God 45:21 is gonna do down here in the close of time? 45:23 >>Ted: Well, it's so exciting because in the book of Joel, 45:27 in the book of Acts, 45:28 it tells us something's going to happen at the end of time, 45:31 and that is the Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit. 45:35 In fact, we're to pray for the Latter Rain, 45:36 we're to ask God to empower us with this incredible 45:41 outpouring of the Latter Rain. 45:42 Of course, that involves a right relationship with the Lord, 45:47 that revival and reformation, 45:49 all of us turning to the Lord and humbling ourselves in a, 45:53 in a very special way. 45:55 You see, as we look at the conditions of the world 45:58 and the natural disasters that are happening, the, 46:01 the violence that is taking place 46:03 and you can hardly escape, uh, 46:06 one day without hearing about some horrible thing 46:10 that's been happening, 46:11 all these things tell us that we are coming 46:13 to the very end of time. 46:15 I believe with all my heart that Jesus is coming very soon. 46:19 >>John: Amen. 46:20 >>Ted: And that gives me a real sense of urgency 46:23 to understand that the Lord is coming very soon, 46:26 and by the power of the Holy Spirit, 46:30 we will be able to proclaim this message through revival 46:34 and reformation, 46:35 our lives will be changed so that we can take part 46:39 in this amazing ability to tell people 46:42 about Christ's righteousness, 46:45 His plan of salvation and His soon coming. 46:48 I'm so glad to be a part of it. 46:50 >>John: I suggested to you that God is gonna do a, 46:53 a remarkable work. 46:54 Now, what I don't want to do is leave the wrong impression 46:57 as though we sit on our hands and watch God do His thing. 47:00 God has a plan to get people involved, 47:02 and we'll talk about that. 47:04 Perhaps, what you and I can do to share Christ 47:07 with a dying world in just a moment. 47:11 ♪[Music]♪ 47:17 I'm John Bradshaw from It Is Written, 47:19 inviting you to join me for 500. 47:23 Nine programs produced by It Is Written, 47:25 taking you deep into the Reformation. 47:29 This is the 500th anniversary of the beginning 47:32 of the Reformation when Martin Luther nailed his 47:34 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church 47:36 in Wittenberg, Germany. 47:38 We'll take you to Wittenberg and to Belgium, 47:40 to England, 47:41 to Ireland, 47:43 to Rome, 47:43 to the Vatican City 47:45 and introduce you to the people who created the Reformation, 47:48 who pushed the Reformation forward. 47:50 We'll take you to sites all throughout Europe 47:52 where the Reformers lived and in some cases died. 47:55 We'll bring you back to the United States 47:56 and take you to a little farm in Upstate New York 47:59 and show you how God spread the Reformation here. 48:02 Don't miss 500. 48:04 You can own the 500 series on DVD. 48:07 Call us on 888-664-5573 48:12 or visit us online at itiswritten.shop. 48:18 Welcome back, this is 500, brought to you by It Is Written. 48:22 I'm John Bradshaw, and my guest is Pastor Ted Wilson, 48:24 the President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 48:28 Pastor Wilson, a couple of moments ago, 48:29 I was talking with you about how God is going to do a great 48:32 work to see the everlasting gospel go to earth's remotest 48:35 bounds, and we believe, 48:37 both of us, that it's gonna take a mighty outpouring 48:40 of the Holy Spirit, 48:41 the Latter Rain is gonna take place. 48:43 Yet, it's possible then that we could say, 48:46 the work is just too big for us, God will get it done. 48:50 I don't see that in the Bible. 48:51 I see God commissioning His people, 48:53 and you referred us earlier to Acts 1. 48:57 What can we do? 48:59 We're church members, 49:00 we sit in our pews in our little churches or our big churches. 49:03 Our circle of influence is only so great. 49:06 Maybe it's tempting to leave it all to somebody else. 49:10 What would God have us as church members do or pray 49:15 for about the finishing of this work? 49:18 >>Ted: Wow, that's really a, an interesting question 49:21 because I think we have to look back at the pioneer days 49:23 of our church and understand that at the very beginning, 49:26 everybody was animated for mission. 49:29 They were full of the, 49:31 the spirit to share in a very simple way, 49:35 the marvelous aspects of their relationship with the Lord. 49:39 And in those pioneer days, 49:42 pastors were not necessarily settled pastors over churches, 49:48 they were itinerant preachers and evangelists. 49:51 And what happened was they would be there for a while, 49:53 they would train church members, 49:55 the church members then would say, 49:57 "Pastor, go. 49:58 Open up new fields. 49:59 Uh, teach these things to other people. 50:02 We'll take care of the church, it's okay." 50:04 Now, of course, many times people simply expect that 50:07 a pastor's going to be there every, 50:10 every week, gonna be preaching every week, 50:13 and there's this mentality that we can kind of sit 50:16 and watch but not necessarily be part of the incredible process. 50:21 >>John: Sure. 50:22 >>Ted: I believe that we're gonna see a return 50:24 to those pioneer days when pastors and church members are 50:30 gonna be so involved in the proclamation of, 50:33 of the message that you won't have time 50:36 to simply look at yourselves, 50:38 but you're gonna be outward focused. 50:40 There's a wonderful quotation in the Spirit of Prophesy 50:44 that indicates to us that 50:46 "The work will never be finished on this earth 50:49 until the men and women comprising our membership 50:53 rally to the work, 50:55 and cooperate and work in cooperation 50:57 with pastors and church leaders." 51:00 Everybody working together. 51:03 Total member involvement. 51:05 Everybody doing something for Jesus. 51:08 >>John: So there's work for everybody to do when, 51:10 when, when Christ fills our hearts, 51:13 He says you're the light of the world, 51:14 we become the light of the world, 51:16 and then we see God's church do great things. 51:18 >>Ted: Absolutely. 51:19 >>John: When you look at these three messages 51:22 and you boil 'em down, 51:23 you consider the scholarship of people of great wisdom. 51:27 What's our message through this to take to the world? 51:29 >>Ted: We have to understand that really we're trying to turn 51:32 people back to the true worship of God and understanding 51:36 that the, the Lord, uh, wants to have a personal relationship, 51:39 helping people to, 51:41 to understand that He has a very meaningful purpose 51:45 for their lives. 51:46 And, and you can place yourself in the hands of God, 51:50 that you align yourself with a God who, 51:53 who loves and cares for you and also One who's gonna save you. 51:58 I mean, the Lord is our all in all. 52:01 Uh, there's a really distinct difference between salvation 52:08 by works and salvation by grace. 52:11 Uh, salvation by works makes you an unhappy person 52:14 because you simply can't do enough good things in order 52:17 to get into heaven or to bring your relationship with 52:20 the Lord up to the level that it should. 52:23 When you are saved by grace and you understand that, 52:26 you're filled with a power, 52:28 you're filled with an understanding that the Lord 52:31 will work in your life to make you a new creature 52:35 and that you can then give Him glory because 52:38 He's actively working in your life. 52:41 And this becomes a powerful message 52:44 that you can share with everyone. 52:46 >>John: So we're living down here in the end of time where, 52:48 we're at the very tips of the toes in Daniel 2, 52:51 we look back to the Reformation, 52:53 we've been doing 52:54 that over these past several programs. 52:57 What are the key lessons you'd like to see people 53:01 take from the Reformation as we go forward 53:06 into the final days of earth's history? 53:08 What's the lesson or what are the lessons for us 53:12 as we look back and now we go forward to take this gospel 53:16 to earth's remotest bounds? 53:17 >>Ted: A really important thing is that the gospel 53:20 is a personal message. 53:22 It is not to be interpreted by religious leaders 53:26 without you understanding what the word of God says yourself. 53:30 Uh, you're responsible for your own salvation, 53:33 you can't depend upon other people or groups, 53:38 uh, although, we are part of a church 53:40 and a wonderful advent movement. 53:43 Uh, this is a marvelous thing, 53:44 but we're not saved by groups or by connections 53:48 with other people, 53:49 we're saved by connection with Jesus Christ. 53:51 And so that's why it has to be a very personal wonderful 53:55 relationship with, with the Lord. 53:57 And this gives real meaning, 54:00 uh, to what it means to be part of the Protestant Reformation. 54:06 I mean, the Protestant Reformation 54:08 made things personal, 54:09 so it wasn't a detached kind of situation. 54:12 You were in connection with the God of heaven 54:16 who actually created you and now gives you life 54:20 and empowers you to tell somebody else about it. 54:23 So the simplicity of God's plan is an amazing thing. 54:27 It, it, it helps us to understand how 54:30 He wanted us to relate to Him, 54:32 and then to be able to relate to other people. 54:35 And when you think of those foundational aspects of, 54:39 of the, uh, the Protestant Reformation, 54:41 sola scriptura, 54:42 uh, sola fide, 54:45 sola gratia, 54:46 solus Christus, 54:48 only by Christ's mediation can we truly find salvation, 54:55 you understand that the, 54:56 that the Protestant Reformation was really helping people 55:00 to understand their personal relationship with Him, 55:04 and that He would not forsake them, 55:06 He would be with them to the very end of time. 55:09 I get so excited when I think about it. 55:12 >>John: It's true, isn't it that the church God 55:17 has raised up down here in the close of time 55:20 is a church with a specific mission. 55:23 Address that with me. 55:24 >>Ted: Well, you know, there's a lot of confusion 55:27 in the religious world. 55:28 Uh, people have misunderstandings 55:31 about biblical things, 55:32 about why they're here and how they're supposed 55:35 to involve themselves in, 55:37 in activities whether they are religious 55:39 or social or whatever it is. 55:41 But really, you're brought back to the question 55:44 why am I here and where am I going? 55:47 Where did I come from? 55:49 And really, the gospel answers those questions perfectly. 55:53 Uh, the gospel gives us a, 55:55 a full understanding of our purpose for life and why God 55:59 has intended for us to be part of the proclamation 56:02 at the very end of time. 56:04 Uh, you know, the mission of the church is, 56:07 is not only to just live a happy life 56:10 of relationship with the Lord, 56:12 it is an expression to other people as to what God 56:17 can really do in your life. 56:19 And you go back to the Bible because the Bible 56:22 is the Word of God. 56:24 It is that which gives you life and meaning and understanding. 56:27 It helps you to understand your place in history 56:31 and why God is working in your life right now. 56:34 And you go to every doctrine that we believe in. 56:37 Every doctrine must have at the core, and it does, 56:42 Jesus, the center of everything we do because 56:46 every good thing comes from the Lord. 56:50 And then the Lord asks us to share that with others, 56:54 not in some legalistic way, 56:56 beating people over the head with scripture but explaining 56:59 to people the powerful effect that a relationship with Christ 57:04 and accepting His righteousness can really have in our own lives 57:09 in the way we live and the way we treat people 57:12 and the invitation to have somebody else 57:16 be part of that incredible heaven ordained process 57:20 of leading someone to the foot of the cross. 57:23 >>John: Pastor Wilson, thanks very much 57:25 for taking this time, 57:27 I really appreciate you making time in your schedule 57:29 and sharing with us. 57:30 Thanks. 57:31 >>Ted: Great to be with you. 57:32 >>John: And thank you for joining us. 57:34 We customarily close with prayer at about this time. 57:38 Pastor Wilson, would you be willing to pray for us? 57:40 >>Ted: Let's pray. 57:42 Our father in heaven, 57:42 we thank You for this great privilege 57:45 of focusing upon the Word of God, 57:48 upon Christ the Living Word, 57:51 of understanding our place in history 57:54 and the incredible opportunity that You have given to us 57:59 to tell somebody else about our relationship with You. 58:03 Lord, thank you for salvation through Christ, 58:07 thank You for the faith that You can instill in our lives, 58:10 thank You for the grace that has been provided to us. 58:13 Thank You for Christ our mediator 58:16 and that You are the one to be worshiped. 58:18 Help us Lord as we walk through life to recognize 58:23 that You are leading us and that 58:25 You've given us a purpose in life, 58:28 and that is to share you with others. 58:31 Now, Lord in a special way, 58:32 bless every viewer, 58:34 each individual in their own respect 58:37 and all of their needs, 58:39 bless their families, and Lord, 58:41 help them to be in contact with You day by day 58:44 through the reading of Your Word, 58:46 through prayer, 58:47 and through telling somebody else 58:50 about their relationship with You. 58:52 We thank You for the promise of Your soon Second Coming, 58:55 and we ask all of this in the powerful 58:58 and wonderful name of our Creator, 59:01 our Redeemer, 59:02 our Lord, 59:03 our High Priest, 59:04 our coming King, 59:06 and our best friend, 59:07 Jesus Christ, 59:09 Amen. 59:09 >>John: Amen. 59:10 And thank you again. 59:11 And thank you. 59:13 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 59:16 Until then, remember, 59:17 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 59:21 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 59:25 ♪[Music]♪ |
Revised 2017-10-27