(bright music)
00:00:00.53\00:00:05.37
>>Welcome to "Sabbath School,"
00:00:16.81\00:00:17.91
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:00:17.91\00:00:19.88
We're glad to have
you back once again
00:00:19.88\00:00:21.52
as we continue our journey
through the book of Revelation
00:00:21.52\00:00:24.29
and especially
looking at the three angels
00:00:24.29\00:00:27.46
in Revelation, chapter 14
00:00:27.46\00:00:28.89
and the messages
that they have for us.
00:00:28.89\00:00:31.33
This is lesson number three.
00:00:31.33\00:00:32.93
We are looking at
"The Everlasting Gospel."
00:00:32.93\00:00:35.60
What is it? Who is it given
to? How does it apply to us?
00:00:35.60\00:00:38.67
We're gonna be delving
into all of that today.
00:00:38.67\00:00:40.80
And with us, just
like the last two weeks,
00:00:40.80\00:00:43.14
and just like the
remaining weeks this quarter,
00:00:43.14\00:00:45.07
is our special guest,
00:00:45.07\00:00:46.54
the author of this
quarter's Sabbath School lesson,
00:00:46.54\00:00:49.91
international speaker and
evangelist Pastor Mark Finley.
00:00:49.91\00:00:52.81
But before we meet
him again this week,
00:00:52.81\00:00:55.05
we are going to have
prayer, so let's pray.
00:00:55.05\00:00:57.79
Father, we wanna thank You for
being with us again this week
00:00:57.79\00:01:00.66
as we continue our journey
00:01:00.66\00:01:02.02
through this
important book for our time,
00:01:02.02\00:01:04.66
the book of Revelation,
00:01:04.66\00:01:05.76
and these important
messages for our time,
00:01:05.76\00:01:08.43
the three angels' messages.
00:01:08.43\00:01:09.96
We ask that You'll
bless our time together
00:01:09.96\00:01:11.70
as we explore the
everlasting gospel.
00:01:11.70\00:01:13.50
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:01:13.50\00:01:15.77
Pastor Mark, welcome back.
00:01:15.77\00:01:16.94
>>I'm glad to be back.
00:01:16.94\00:01:17.97
I've been enjoying
these last couple weeks.
00:01:17.97\00:01:19.57
>>These are fantastic studies,
00:01:19.57\00:01:21.58
it's a wonderful
subject, a wonderful topic,
00:01:21.58\00:01:23.91
and though there are many
things that you can look at
00:01:23.91\00:01:25.98
in the book of Revelation
00:01:25.98\00:01:27.08
and in the three
angels' messages,
00:01:27.08\00:01:28.98
the everlasting
gospel is a significant one.
00:01:28.98\00:01:32.59
Share a little bit about
where we're going this week
00:01:32.59\00:01:35.06
with the everlasting gospel.
00:01:35.06\00:01:36.39
>>Well, you know, when you
start the book of Revelation,
00:01:36.39\00:01:37.99
many people think
about mystic symbols,
00:01:37.99\00:01:40.10
they think about these
cryptic beasts, strange numbers,
00:01:40.10\00:01:44.17
but yet, when you look
at Revelation 1, verse 1,
00:01:44.17\00:01:47.34
it says, "The
Revelation of Jesus Christ,
00:01:47.34\00:01:50.34
"which God gave Him
to show His servants--
00:01:50.34\00:01:54.14
"things which must
shortly take place.
00:01:54.14\00:01:56.08
"And He sent and
signified it by His angel
00:01:56.08\00:01:59.01
to His servant John."
00:01:59.01\00:02:00.68
When I take the book of
Revelation in my hands, Pastor
00:02:00.68\00:02:03.32
Eric, and I think about the fact
it's the revelation of Jesus.
00:02:03.32\00:02:05.62
Where did He get
it? God gave it to Him.
00:02:05.62\00:02:07.62
What did He do with it?
00:02:07.62\00:02:08.96
He gave it to His
angel, who gave it to John.
00:02:08.96\00:02:12.13
You and I can take this
book in our hands and say
00:02:12.13\00:02:16.00
it comes directly
from the heart of God,
00:02:16.00\00:02:18.10
sent by Jesus to
an angel to John,
00:02:18.10\00:02:21.84
who 2,000 years ago
on the island of Patmos
00:02:21.84\00:02:25.01
is exiled there,
and he writes it down.
00:02:25.01\00:02:26.91
So it's an
incredibly thrilling book.
00:02:26.91\00:02:30.48
When you come
to the third verse,
00:02:30.48\00:02:35.18
it says,
"Blessed is he who reads
00:02:35.18\00:02:38.02
"and those who hear
the words of this prophecy,
00:02:38.02\00:02:40.52
and keep [the]
things [therein]."
00:02:40.52\00:02:41.72
So there's a triple blessing,
00:02:41.72\00:02:43.89
to the one that reads it,
00:02:43.89\00:02:45.56
to the ones who
hear or understand it,
00:02:45.56\00:02:48.76
and to the ones that keep it.
00:02:48.76\00:02:50.13
So the purpose of
the book of Revelation
00:02:50.13\00:02:51.93
is to lead people into action.
00:02:51.93\00:02:53.74
And then it talks
about the living Christ
00:02:53.74\00:02:55.90
down here in verses 4, 5, 6.
00:02:57.37\00:03:01.51
It talks about
Jesus and it says,
00:03:01.51\00:03:03.48
"To Him who loved us
and washed us from our sins
00:03:03.48\00:03:06.48
"in His own blood,
00:03:06.48\00:03:07.58
...[He's] made us
kings and priests to...God."
00:03:07.58\00:03:10.02
So there are three verbs,
He loved us, He washed us,
00:03:10.02\00:03:13.56
and in addition to that,
00:03:13.56\00:03:15.82
He made us kings
and priests to God.
00:03:15.82\00:03:17.36
So when we study
the book of Revelation,
00:03:17.36\00:03:18.63
we're studying about
the One who loves us,
00:03:18.63\00:03:20.30
the One who wants us saved,
00:03:20.30\00:03:22.10
the One who
washes us from our sins
00:03:22.10\00:03:24.77
through the blood of the cross,
00:03:24.77\00:03:26.94
and the One who transforms us
00:03:26.94\00:03:30.07
and makes us kings
and priests to God.
00:03:30.07\00:03:31.71
There's nothing higher
in the political world,
00:03:31.71\00:03:33.51
in the ancient
world, than a king,
00:03:33.51\00:03:35.28
nothing higher than a
priest in the religious world.
00:03:35.28\00:03:37.85
What's God saying here?
00:03:37.85\00:03:39.21
He's saying, "I have
a destiny for your life.
00:03:39.21\00:03:41.48
"You're gonna be like
kings and priests to God.
00:03:41.48\00:03:43.99
"I have a purpose for your life
00:03:43.99\00:03:45.45
that's far beyond
what you can imagine."
00:03:45.45\00:03:47.26
>>So it's not intended to be
00:03:47.26\00:03:49.72
the scary book that some
people make it out to be.
00:03:49.72\00:03:51.93
It's not the
revelation of the beast
00:03:51.93\00:03:53.70
or the
revelation of the antichrist
00:03:53.70\00:03:55.26
or the revelation of
the seven last plagues,
00:03:55.26\00:03:57.43
and certainly the
book of Revelation
00:03:57.43\00:03:59.40
talks about those
things, but really at its heart,
00:03:59.40\00:04:02.97
it is the
revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:04:02.97\00:04:05.71
It shows us who He is.
00:04:05.71\00:04:07.11
It shows us how the
story ends, as it were,
00:04:07.11\00:04:09.91
and what role we
can play in that story.
00:04:09.91\00:04:11.58
>>Exactly. >>Yep.
00:04:11.58\00:04:12.88
So, we're looking at
the three angels' messages
00:04:12.88\00:04:15.42
specifically in
this quarter's lesson.
00:04:15.42\00:04:18.35
How does what we've just
learned about Revelation,
00:04:18.35\00:04:20.92
how it begins,
Revelation, chapter 1,
00:04:20.92\00:04:23.19
how does that connect
with what we're studying
00:04:23.19\00:04:26.03
in Revelation, chapter 14,
the three angels' messages?
00:04:26.03\00:04:28.86
>>Well, in chapter 14, verse 6,
00:04:28.86\00:04:32.37
you have the
introduction of the gospel.
00:04:32.37\00:04:34.30
We talked about, in
Revelation 1 it talks about
00:04:34.30\00:04:36.87
the Christ who loved us,
00:04:36.87\00:04:39.51
the Christ who
washed us from our sins,
00:04:39.51\00:04:42.11
the Christ who makes us
kings and priests to God
00:04:42.11\00:04:46.11
and is coming again for us.
00:04:46.11\00:04:47.48
In Revelation
14, verse 6 it says,
00:04:47.48\00:04:49.32
"Then I saw another angel flying
in the [middle] of heaven."
00:04:49.32\00:04:51.72
He just is rapid, quick.
00:04:51.72\00:04:53.86
"Having the everlasting gospel
00:04:53.86\00:04:55.96
"to preach to those
[that] dwell on the earth--
00:04:55.96\00:04:57.89
to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:04:57.89\00:05:00.86
So here it says, it talks
about the everlasting gospel.
00:05:00.86\00:05:04.80
So that would lead
us to the question,
00:05:04.80\00:05:06.00
what is the gospel?
00:05:06.00\00:05:07.37
And I think the Bible gives
us some very good definitions,
00:05:07.37\00:05:10.11
and then why is it everlasting?
00:05:10.11\00:05:11.51
We'll look at
both of those things.
00:05:11.51\00:05:13.41
Let's go over to 1
Corinthians, chapter 15,
00:05:13.41\00:05:17.31
and maybe you can
read, Pastor Eric,
00:05:17.31\00:05:19.41
verses 1 and 2 for us in
1 Corinthians, chapter 15.
00:05:19.41\00:05:24.05
I think this helps us
to understand the gospel,
00:05:24.05\00:05:27.36
as is the book of Romans,
we'll look at that as well,
00:05:27.36\00:05:30.03
1 Corinthians, chapter 15,
00:05:30.03\00:05:32.56
and if you'll just
read verse 1 and 2.
00:05:32.56\00:05:35.80
>>Verse 1 says,
"Moreover, brethren,
00:05:35.80\00:05:37.60
"I declare to you the
gospel which I preached to you,
00:05:37.60\00:05:40.80
"which also you
received and in which you stand,
00:05:40.80\00:05:44.31
"by which also you are saved,
00:05:44.31\00:05:46.44
"if you hold fast that
word which I preached to you--
00:05:46.44\00:05:49.78
unless you believed in vain."
00:05:49.78\00:05:51.51
>>So Paul is
preaching to them the gospel,
00:05:51.51\00:05:53.92
then he defines
the gospel in verse 3,
00:05:53.92\00:05:56.62
so go ahead and
continue to read verse 3 and 4.
00:05:56.62\00:05:59.25
>>Verse 3 says, "For I
delivered to you first of all
00:05:59.25\00:06:02.22
"that which I also received:
00:06:02.22\00:06:04.03
"that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures,
00:06:04.03\00:06:07.50
"and that He was buried,
00:06:07.50\00:06:08.83
"and that He rose
again the third day
00:06:08.83\00:06:10.70
according to the Scriptures."
00:06:10.70\00:06:12.03
>>So, what is the gospel?
00:06:12.03\00:06:13.74
Christ died, was
buried, and was resurrected.
00:06:13.74\00:06:17.34
So the gospel is that through
the life and death of Christ
00:06:17.34\00:06:22.41
we can have eternal life.
00:06:23.21\00:06:25.05
He faced Satan's
temptations head on.
00:06:25.05\00:06:29.02
Where Adam
failed, Jesus succeeded.
00:06:29.02\00:06:32.32
Through Adam there is death;
through Christ there is life.
00:06:32.32\00:06:36.16
So the first thing we
notice about the gospel
00:06:36.16\00:06:38.33
is that because
of sin, you know,
00:06:38.33\00:06:40.80
Romans, chapter 3, verse 23,
00:06:40.80\00:06:43.00
"All have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God."
00:06:43.00\00:06:46.03
Romans, chapter 6, "The
wages of sin [are] death."
00:06:46.03\00:06:50.01
So, we deserve to die.
00:06:50.01\00:06:52.34
We deserve to go into
the grave and never come out.
00:06:52.34\00:06:55.84
We deserve to be eternally
lost because sin is deadly,
00:06:55.84\00:06:59.71
sin is fatal.
But yet Christ came,
00:06:59.71\00:07:03.72
lived the life we
should have lived,
00:07:03.72\00:07:05.65
was victorious over
every temptation of Satan.
00:07:05.65\00:07:09.19
Accepting Christ
means we accept His life
00:07:09.19\00:07:13.16
in place of our sinful life,
00:07:13.16\00:07:15.96
His sinless life in
place of our sinful life.
00:07:15.96\00:07:19.27
It means we accept
His death on the cross
00:07:19.27\00:07:21.74
in place of our death.
00:07:21.74\00:07:22.80
Christ died not
simply a physical death,
00:07:22.80\00:07:25.74
but when He
said, "My God, my God,
00:07:25.74\00:07:27.11
why [have] Thou forsaken
me?" He felt God forsaken,
00:07:27.11\00:07:30.58
He didn't see Himself
coming through the tomb.
00:07:30.58\00:07:32.91
He was taking on the sin,
the guilt, the condemnation
00:07:32.91\00:07:36.32
of all humanity's sins.
00:07:36.32\00:07:38.62
And so, in Christ we find One
00:07:38.62\00:07:42.52
who was
victorious over temptation,
00:07:42.52\00:07:44.63
One who died in our place,
00:07:44.63\00:07:46.23
but then He was
resurrected from the dead,
00:07:46.23\00:07:48.43
hallelujah,
resurrected from the dead
00:07:48.43\00:07:51.00
and is our living High Priest.
00:07:51.00\00:07:53.77
When we come to Jesus,
He accepts us as we are,
00:07:53.77\00:07:57.27
but we don't stay as we are.
00:07:57.27\00:07:58.77
He begins a work
in us to change us.
00:07:58.77\00:08:01.11
That's what the
gospel is all about.
00:08:01.11\00:08:03.31
The living, the dying of Christ,
00:08:03.31\00:08:05.61
the priestly ministry of Christ,
00:08:05.61\00:08:07.45
the coming again of
Christ, that's gospel.
00:08:07.45\00:08:10.02
>>You mentioned a
moment ago Romans 6:23,
00:08:10.02\00:08:12.22
that "the wages
of sin is death,"
00:08:12.22\00:08:13.69
and of course
you and I both know
00:08:13.69\00:08:14.79
that's not where the verse ends.
00:08:14.79\00:08:15.89
If it did, that would
be a discouraging verse.
00:08:15.89\00:08:18.16
But it says,
"But the gift of God
00:08:18.16\00:08:19.53
is eternal life [through]
Christ Jesus our Lord,"
00:08:19.53\00:08:21.56
and that's where that,
00:08:21.56\00:08:22.96
the happy part of
the gospel comes in,
00:08:24.07\00:08:25.70
that victorious
part of the gospel.
00:08:25.70\00:08:27.87
Now, we've probably
both run into people who say,
00:08:27.87\00:08:30.74
"Okay, I
understand who Jesus is,
00:08:30.74\00:08:33.01
"I see who He is, I
understand what He offers,
00:08:33.01\00:08:35.68
"but I'm not good
enough to be saved.
00:08:37.15\00:08:39.31
"The stuff I've
done, the things I've done,
00:08:40.45\00:08:42.35
the people I've hurt,"
00:08:42.35\00:08:43.69
you know, fill in the
blank. The list goes on and on.
00:08:43.69\00:08:46.25
And they feel
hopeless. >>Mm-hmm.
00:08:46.25\00:08:48.69
>>How does the
gospel give them hope?
00:08:50.13\00:08:53.03
How should the
gospel give them hope?
00:08:53.03\00:08:54.83
>>The Bible
says, "All have sinned,
00:08:54.83\00:08:56.36
and come short of
the glory of God."
00:08:56.36\00:08:58.03
So all of us, if we
were looking at ourselves,
00:08:58.03\00:09:01.27
would not see
any way to be saved.
00:09:01.27\00:09:03.14
I think the
gospel gives them hope
00:09:03.14\00:09:05.04
because sin is part of the
universal nature of mankind.
00:09:05.04\00:09:09.78
Sin is part of who we are;
00:09:09.78\00:09:12.28
it's part of every nerve
and tissue of our bodies.
00:09:12.28\00:09:15.28
So salvation is not
dependent on who we are
00:09:15.28\00:09:18.22
but who Christ is,
00:09:18.22\00:09:19.72
and that's what
Ephesians 2 is all about.
00:09:19.72\00:09:22.02
You know, verse 8,
00:09:22.02\00:09:23.26
"For by grace [are]
you...saved through faith, ...
00:09:23.26\00:09:25.53
"it is the gift of God,
00:09:25.53\00:09:28.06
not of works,
...[anybody] should boast."
00:09:28.06\00:09:29.60
So, salvation is
offered in Christ through grace.
00:09:29.60\00:09:34.67
We receive it by faith.
00:09:35.34\00:09:37.24
>>And that's encouraging.
00:09:37.24\00:09:38.54
So if you are
discouraged, if you are worried,
00:09:38.54\00:09:41.84
if you are concerned
that you're not good enough
00:09:41.84\00:09:44.68
to be saved,
00:09:44.68\00:09:45.78
that Jesus couldn't
possibly forgive you,
00:09:45.78\00:09:48.62
trust that perhaps
you're not the greatest sinner
00:09:49.98\00:09:52.69
who ever lived.
And even if you were,
00:09:52.69\00:09:56.06
Jesus is the greatest
Savior who has ever lived,
00:09:56.06\00:09:59.33
and so you need not concern
yourself with your own sins.
00:09:59.33\00:10:03.16
What you ought to
concern yourself with
00:10:03.16\00:10:05.50
is simply giving
them over to Him,
00:10:05.50\00:10:07.54
confessing your sins,
00:10:07.54\00:10:08.90
'cause He promises if we
confess, He will forgive.
00:10:08.90\00:10:12.34
>>Exactly, and that's
the incredible good news.
00:10:12.34\00:10:15.24
You know, I love what
it says in John, chapter 6.
00:10:15.24\00:10:19.08
It is a promise to
us in John 6, verse 37.
00:10:19.08\00:10:24.15
This is a promise,
00:10:24.82\00:10:26.32
and maybe somebody is
struggling today and thinking,
00:10:26.32\00:10:29.69
"I am just not good
enough to be saved,"
00:10:29.69\00:10:32.06
and this promise
is given to us by God.
00:10:32.06\00:10:36.90
John 6, verse 37
and 38 puts it this way:
00:10:36.90\00:10:41.87
"All that the Father
gives me will come to me,
00:10:43.27\00:10:45.74
and...one who comes to me
I will by no means cast out."
00:10:45.74\00:10:49.68
This is an incredible promise.
00:10:49.68\00:10:52.65
You may be struggling
and saying, "You know what?
00:10:52.65\00:10:55.08
"I'm just too bad to be saved.
00:10:55.08\00:10:57.72
I've failed too much,
and I'm a lost human being."
00:10:57.72\00:11:02.52
But Jesus says,
"Him that comes to me,
00:11:02.52\00:11:04.59
I will in no wise cast out."
00:11:04.59\00:11:06.96
That's a promise that
Christ gives to you, my friend.
00:11:06.96\00:11:09.96
He will never cast you out.
00:11:09.96\00:11:12.30
Jesus says, "Come unto me,
00:11:12.30\00:11:14.20
"all [you] that [are
burdened] and...heavy laden,
00:11:14.20\00:11:16.81
"and I will give you rest.
00:11:16.81\00:11:18.47
"Take my yoke upon
you, and learn of me;
00:11:18.47\00:11:20.48
"for I am meek
and lowly in heart:
00:11:20.48\00:11:22.68
and [you] shall find
rest [for] your souls."
00:11:22.68\00:11:25.01
Romans 8, verse 1, it says,
00:11:25.01\00:11:26.25
"There is...no condemnation
00:11:26.25\00:11:27.95
"to [those that]
are in Christ Jesus,
00:11:27.95\00:11:29.85
who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit."
00:11:29.85\00:11:32.12
So put these three
things together, first, John 6,
00:11:32.12\00:11:34.99
"He that comes to me,
I'll never cast him out."
00:11:34.99\00:11:36.96
He promises you that. Second,
"The one that comes to me,
00:11:36.96\00:11:40.26
"I'll take the
burden off your shoulders.
00:11:40.26\00:11:41.70
I'll give you rest."
00:11:41.70\00:11:43.26
Third, "The one that comes to
me, there is no condemnation."
00:11:43.26\00:11:45.70
The good news is
those promises are for you.
00:11:45.70\00:11:49.07
Eric? >>Pastor Mark,
00:11:49.07\00:11:50.44
that's an
incredible encapsulation
00:11:50.44\00:11:53.01
of what the
everlasting gospel is.
00:11:53.01\00:11:55.18
Now, we're gonna
look in just a moment
00:11:55.18\00:11:56.61
about why it's called
the everlasting gospel.
00:11:56.61\00:11:59.61
But before we do
that, I wanna remind you.
00:11:59.61\00:12:02.35
We have a wonderful complement
00:12:02.35\00:12:05.12
to this quarter's
Sabbath School lesson,
00:12:05.12\00:12:07.36
and that is a book
called "Three Cosmic Messages,"
00:12:07.36\00:12:10.63
authored by Pastor Mark
Finley. You wanna pick this up
00:12:10.63\00:12:13.66
because it's going
to help you understand
00:12:13.66\00:12:15.56
even more deeply, even
more clearly, even more broadly
00:12:15.56\00:12:19.40
the subject that we
are studying this quarter.
00:12:19.40\00:12:21.97
"Three Cosmic
Messages" by Pastor Mark Finley,
00:12:21.97\00:12:24.61
and you can find
this at itiswritten.shop.
00:12:24.61\00:12:27.78
Again, that's itiswritten.shop.
00:12:27.78\00:12:30.98
We're gonna come
back in just a moment
00:12:30.98\00:12:32.61
as we continue looking
at "The Everlasting Gospel."
00:12:32.61\00:12:36.02
We'll see you in just a moment.
00:12:36.02\00:12:38.09
(bright, gentle music)
00:12:38.09\00:12:40.39
>>It's one of most
fascinating books in the Bible,
00:12:41.79\00:12:44.56
written with signs and
symbols in almost a code,
00:12:44.56\00:12:49.16
written by John, who was under
house arrest when he wrote it
00:12:49.16\00:12:53.07
on the island of Patmos
in the beautiful Aegean Sea.
00:12:53.07\00:12:57.17
Don't miss "Great
Chapters of the Bible:
00:12:57.17\00:13:00.54
Revelation [chapter] 14,"
00:13:00.54\00:13:02.74
where we investigate
a chapter of the Bible
00:13:02.74\00:13:04.55
that contains what
the Bible refers to as
00:13:04.55\00:13:06.95
"the everlasting gospel,"
00:13:06.95\00:13:09.45
God's final message of
warning and mercy for the world.
00:13:09.45\00:13:14.52
Revelation, chapter 14
00:13:15.19\00:13:16.19
introduces us to the 144,000.
00:13:16.19\00:13:20.46
Who are the 144,000,
00:13:20.46\00:13:22.96
and can you be in that group?
00:13:22.96\00:13:25.67
And then three
messages from angels
00:13:25.67\00:13:27.90
that fly in the midst of heaven,
00:13:27.90\00:13:29.77
proclaiming their God-given
message with a loud voice.
00:13:29.77\00:13:33.31
Don't miss
00:13:33.31\00:13:34.61
"Great Chapters of the
Bible: Revelation [chapter] 14"
00:13:34.61\00:13:38.25
on It Is Written TV.
00:13:38.25\00:13:40.52
You know that at It Is Written
00:13:42.62\00:13:44.45
we are serious about the
study of the Word of God,
00:13:44.45\00:13:47.69
and we encourage you to be
serious about God's Word also.
00:13:47.69\00:13:51.96
Well, I wanna share
with you another way
00:13:51.96\00:13:54.13
that you can dig
deeper into the Word of God,
00:13:54.13\00:13:56.90
and here it is,
00:13:56.90\00:13:58.10
itiswritten.study.
00:13:58.10\00:14:01.90
Go online to itiswritten.study,
00:14:01.90\00:14:04.41
and you can access the It
Is Written Bible Study Guides,
00:14:04.41\00:14:09.08
25 in-depth Bible studies
00:14:09.08\00:14:11.58
that will walk
you through the Bible.
00:14:11.58\00:14:14.12
It's gonna be good for you,
00:14:14.12\00:14:15.95
and it's the sort of thing
00:14:15.95\00:14:17.05
that you will want to
tell somebody else about
00:14:17.05\00:14:20.36
so that they can dig
deeper into the Word of God
00:14:20.36\00:14:23.32
and come to know the
things of the Bible intimately.
00:14:23.32\00:14:26.93
As you get into the It Is
Written online Bible study
00:14:26.93\00:14:30.20
guides, you'll understand
the prophecies of the Bible,
00:14:30.20\00:14:32.23
the plan of salvation, and more.
00:14:32.23\00:14:34.44
So don't forget
itiswritten.study,
00:14:34.44\00:14:37.34
itiswritten.study.
00:14:37.34\00:14:39.87
(bright music)
00:14:42.24\00:14:47.08
>>Welcome back
to "Sabbath School,"
00:14:47.08\00:14:48.42
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:14:48.42\00:14:50.05
We're looking today, this week,
00:14:50.05\00:14:52.35
at "The Everlasting Gospel."
00:14:52.35\00:14:54.89
So, Pastor Mark,
00:14:54.89\00:14:55.99
we've looked at what
the everlasting gospel is.
00:14:55.99\00:14:58.66
It's that good
news that Jesus died,
00:14:58.66\00:15:01.00
was buried, raised
again, and is today up in glory
00:15:01.00\00:15:05.20
preparing mansions
for us, as it were.
00:15:05.20\00:15:08.54
Why is this everlasting gospel--
00:15:08.54\00:15:10.24
or why is this gospel
called the everlasting gospel?
00:15:10.24\00:15:13.27
What makes it everlasting?
00:15:13.27\00:15:15.44
The word "everlasting,"
to most people who hear it,
00:15:15.44\00:15:19.31
existed forever, exists
now, will exist forever.
00:15:19.31\00:15:22.12
How is this gospel everlasting?
00:15:22.12\00:15:24.15
>>Great question,
Eric, thanks so much.
00:15:24.15\00:15:26.32
You know, there's a
couple passages in the Bible
00:15:26.32\00:15:28.42
that help us to understand this.
00:15:28.42\00:15:29.89
Revelation,
chapter 13 and verse 8,
00:15:29.89\00:15:34.10
it says, it's
talking about the beast power
00:15:34.10\00:15:36.80
that rises up out of the sea,
talking about the last days.
00:15:36.80\00:15:40.94
And verse 8 of
Revelation 13 says,
00:15:40.94\00:15:42.84
"All who dwell on the
earth will worship him,"
00:15:42.84\00:15:44.97
that is the beast,
00:15:44.97\00:15:46.11
"whose names have
not been written,"
00:15:46.11\00:15:48.08
now here is the thing,
00:15:48.08\00:15:48.88
"in the Book of Life of the Lamb
00:15:48.88\00:15:52.41
slain from the
foundation of the world."
00:15:52.41\00:15:55.25
So this talks about
Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God,
00:15:55.25\00:15:58.52
"slain from the
foundation of the world."
00:15:58.52\00:16:00.42
I thought He was
slain on Calvary.
00:16:00.42\00:16:02.46
What do you mean "from
the foundation of the world"?
00:16:02.46\00:16:04.13
But we go back even further
00:16:04.13\00:16:05.93
because in Peter, in 1 Peter,
chapter 1, verse 18 and 19,
00:16:05.93\00:16:10.87
it talks about
something else about Jesus,
00:16:10.87\00:16:15.50
1 Peter, chapter 1,
and we're looking there
00:16:15.50\00:16:19.57
at verse 18 and 19.
00:16:19.57\00:16:23.48
You wanna pick up those for us?
00:16:23.48\00:16:24.78
>>Sure, verse 18 says,
00:16:24.78\00:16:26.28
"Knowing that you were
not redeemed with corruptible
00:16:26.28\00:16:29.92
things, "like silver or gold,
00:16:29.92\00:16:31.25
"from your aimless
conduct received by tradition
00:16:31.25\00:16:33.82
"from your fathers,
00:16:33.82\00:16:35.09
"but with the
precious blood of Christ,
00:16:35.09\00:16:37.26
"as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot.
00:16:37.26\00:16:40.53
"He indeed was foreordained
00:16:40.53\00:16:42.50
"before the
foundation of the world,
00:16:42.50\00:16:44.70
but was manifest in
these last times for you."
00:16:44.70\00:16:48.50
>>So that is quite
an amazing passage.
00:16:48.50\00:16:50.77
We read that in Revelation 13:8,
00:16:50.77\00:16:52.67
He's the Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world.
00:16:52.67\00:16:54.64
Here we read that before
the foundation of the world,
00:16:54.64\00:16:58.85
He "was foreordained before
the foundation of the world."
00:16:58.85\00:17:02.32
What does this mean? Why
is the gospel everlasting?
00:17:02.32\00:17:05.32
When God created the human race,
00:17:05.32\00:17:07.52
He recognized that giving
the human race freedom of choice
00:17:07.52\00:17:11.33
necessitated that they
could make poor choices,
00:17:11.33\00:17:13.83
and God knew that.
00:17:13.83\00:17:14.93
What is the gospel?
00:17:15.80\00:17:17.93
In one word, it's
love, the love of God.
00:17:17.93\00:17:21.44
So the reason the
gospel is everlasting
00:17:21.44\00:17:23.37
is because love flowed
from the heart of God eternally.
00:17:23.37\00:17:27.98
And when God knew that He
was creating the human race,
00:17:27.98\00:17:31.81
He knew the potentiality
and that they would fall.
00:17:31.81\00:17:34.52
He had a plan.
00:17:35.52\00:17:37.65
The foundation of
Scripture indicates
00:17:37.65\00:17:42.56
that the plan of salvation
was not an afterthought for God;
00:17:42.56\00:17:45.39
it was not something
that He thought after sin.
00:17:45.39\00:17:49.40
There's a wonderful,
wonderful statement here
00:17:49.40\00:17:53.74
that I think is really helpful.
00:17:53.74\00:17:56.91
It's on Tuesday's
lesson on April 11,
00:17:56.91\00:18:00.91
and it's on page 25,
00:18:00.91\00:18:03.85
and let me just read it.
00:18:03.85\00:18:05.61
It's right at the
bottom of the page, it says,
00:18:05.61\00:18:07.15
"The plan for our redemption,"
00:18:07.15\00:18:08.88
and this is from Ellen White
in "Desire of Ages," page 22.
00:18:08.88\00:18:12.22
"The plan for our redemption
was not an afterthought,
00:18:12.22\00:18:14.86
"a plan formulated
after the fall of Adam.
00:18:14.86\00:18:17.23
"It was a
revelation of 'the mystery
00:18:17.23\00:18:19.46
"which hath been kept in
silence through times eternal.'
00:18:19.46\00:18:23.23
"Romans 6:25.
00:18:23.23\00:18:24.83
"It was [the]
unfolding of the principles
00:18:24.83\00:18:26.70
"that from eternal ages
have been the foundation
00:18:26.70\00:18:28.70
of God's throne."
00:18:28.70\00:18:29.74
So, what are the principles
00:18:29.74\00:18:31.27
that have been the
foundation of God's throne?
00:18:31.27\00:18:33.14
Love, unselfishness, sacrifice.
00:18:33.14\00:18:37.55
So, the gospel is everlasting
00:18:37.55\00:18:40.48
because it dwelt in the
heart of God before Creation.
00:18:40.48\00:18:45.45
It's everlasting because it
presently reaches out to us,
00:18:45.45\00:18:50.06
wherever we are,
00:18:51.06\00:18:52.63
whatever our sins or weaknesses,
our mistakes, our faults,
00:18:52.63\00:18:56.40
the gospel reaches us,
00:18:56.40\00:18:58.00
and it's everlasting
because the love of God
00:18:58.00\00:19:00.14
will never stop.
00:19:00.14\00:19:01.44
It'll flow through the
ceaseless ages of eternity.
00:19:01.44\00:19:04.01
>>So, a much
better understanding
00:19:04.01\00:19:06.57
of what the
everlasting gospel is,
00:19:06.57\00:19:08.58
now that we've dealt
into it a little bit,
00:19:08.58\00:19:11.68
and I think it becomes even
more real as we experience it,
00:19:11.68\00:19:15.45
not just intellectually,
00:19:15.45\00:19:16.82
assenting to the fact
that that gospel has existed,
00:19:16.82\00:19:19.72
love has existed, it
exists now and in the future,
00:19:19.72\00:19:22.16
but when we can
receive it into our hearts,
00:19:22.16\00:19:23.73
that's when it really
makes a huge difference.
00:19:23.73\00:19:25.73
>>It makes all the
difference in the world
00:19:25.73\00:19:27.50
to know Christ experientially,
00:19:27.50\00:19:29.63
to know that the
One who knows me best
00:19:29.63\00:19:31.73
loves me most. >>Absolutely.
00:19:31.73\00:19:34.30
When we take a look over here
00:19:34.30\00:19:35.90
in Revelation,
chapter 14, verse number 6,
00:19:35.90\00:19:38.51
we're talking about
the everlasting gospel.
00:19:38.51\00:19:41.58
In Revelation
14, verse number 6,
00:19:41.58\00:19:43.88
the last part of this verse
00:19:43.88\00:19:47.48
talks about where
the gospel is going.
00:19:47.48\00:19:50.52
"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:19:50.52\00:19:53.12
having the everlasting gospel,"
00:19:53.12\00:19:55.19
and then it says,
00:19:55.19\00:19:56.26
"to preach to those
who dwell on the earth--
00:19:56.26\00:19:57.83
to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:19:57.83\00:20:01.70
Explain that last
part of verse number 6,
00:20:01.70\00:20:04.40
who the gospel's going
to, how far it's going,
00:20:04.40\00:20:07.10
when that's gonna happen.
00:20:07.10\00:20:08.54
>>You know,
remember what Jesus said,
00:20:08.54\00:20:10.14
and we'll come
back to Revelation 14,
00:20:10.14\00:20:12.14
but in Matthew 24, verse 14,
00:20:12.14\00:20:15.91
Jesus makes this
remarkable statement.
00:20:15.91\00:20:18.71
Matthew 24 of course
talks about the end-time events:
00:20:18.71\00:20:23.39
war, rumors of war,
nation rising against nation,
00:20:23.39\00:20:27.22
conflict, strife,
famines, earthquakes,
00:20:27.22\00:20:30.26
fires, floods, lawlessness.
00:20:30.26\00:20:32.69
It was part of an
answer to a question
00:20:32.69\00:20:34.96
that Jesus was
answering for His disciples
00:20:34.96\00:20:37.47
when He talked about the
destruction of Jerusalem,
00:20:37.47\00:20:40.10
and they said, "What
shall be the sign of Thy coming?
00:20:40.10\00:20:43.20
"When shall these things be?
00:20:43.20\00:20:45.21
"What should be
the sign of Your coming
00:20:45.21\00:20:46.68
in the end of the world?"
00:20:46.68\00:20:47.98
They thought an
event as cataclysmic
00:20:47.98\00:20:49.98
as the destruction of Jerusalem
00:20:49.98\00:20:51.25
must be the end of the world,
00:20:51.25\00:20:52.41
and Jesus
masterfully blended events
00:20:52.41\00:20:54.48
that would lead up to
the destruction of Jerusalem
00:20:54.48\00:20:56.12
and then the end of the world.
00:20:56.12\00:20:58.35
But after Jesus gave
all those various signs,
00:20:58.35\00:21:00.69
He gives the final sign
in Matthew 24, verse 14,
00:21:00.69\00:21:04.43
where He says, "And
this gospel of the kingdom
00:21:04.43\00:21:06.70
"will be
preached in all the world
00:21:06.70\00:21:08.53
"as a witness
to all the nations,
00:21:08.53\00:21:10.53
...then the end will come."
00:21:10.53\00:21:12.77
Here we have very
clearly outlined by Jesus
00:21:12.77\00:21:15.87
the fact that the gospel will
go to the ends of the earth.
00:21:15.87\00:21:18.47
Just like it says in Revelation,
chapter 14 and verse 6,
00:21:18.47\00:21:23.55
"Having the everlasting gospel
00:21:24.35\00:21:25.41
"to preach to those
who dwell on the earth,
00:21:25.41\00:21:26.68
...to every nation, ...kindred,
...[tribe], and people."
00:21:26.68\00:21:29.32
So the prediction is
00:21:29.32\00:21:30.82
that the message of
Christ in the gospel,
00:21:30.82\00:21:33.52
in the truth of God's Word,
00:21:33.52\00:21:34.52
will leap across
geographical boundaries,
00:21:34.52\00:21:37.43
it will span oceans,
00:21:37.43\00:21:39.33
it will bridge language groups.
00:21:39.33\00:21:41.76
God's Word is not gonna flicker
00:21:41.76\00:21:43.83
like some candle in the breeze
00:21:43.83\00:21:45.60
and go out,
00:21:45.60\00:21:47.10
but the earth will be
ablaze with the glory of God,
00:21:47.10\00:21:50.94
and this message of Christ
00:21:50.94\00:21:53.14
in His love and
grace, in His power,
00:21:53.14\00:21:56.61
His intercession in
heaven, His soon coming,
00:21:56.61\00:21:59.61
will go to the
ends of the earth.
00:21:59.61\00:22:01.88
One of the things that
I noted in the quarterly
00:22:01.88\00:22:05.79
about this idea of the
gospel going to every nation,
00:22:07.16\00:22:11.26
kindred, tongue, and people,
00:22:11.26\00:22:14.00
is a quote that I
found extremely fascinating.
00:22:14.00\00:22:18.83
It's found on page 26
under Wednesday's lesson.
00:22:18.83\00:22:23.27
It is a quote from a book called
00:22:23.27\00:22:25.61
"A Quest for More:
00:22:25.61\00:22:26.71
Living for Something
Bigger Than Yourself"
00:22:26.71\00:22:28.71
by Paul David Tripp,
00:22:28.71\00:22:31.15
and I was really
impressed with that.
00:22:31.15\00:22:32.71
Do you have it there,
can you read it, Eric?
00:22:32.71\00:22:34.05
>>I do, here's what he writes.
00:22:34.05\00:22:35.75
He says, "Human
beings were created
00:22:35.75\00:22:37.59
"to be part of something
bigger than their own lives.
00:22:37.59\00:22:40.72
"Sin causes us
to shrink our lives
00:22:40.72\00:22:43.16
"down to the size of our lives.
00:22:43.16\00:22:45.46
"The grace of Christ
is given to rescue us
00:22:45.46\00:22:48.00
"from the
claustrophobic confines
00:22:48.00\00:22:50.07
"of our own little
self-focused kingdom
00:22:50.07\00:22:52.90
"and frees us to live
for the eternal purposes
00:22:52.90\00:22:56.04
and satisfying
delights of the kingdom of God."
00:22:56.04\00:22:58.97
>>Isn't that
amazing? >>That's powerful.
00:22:58.97\00:23:00.48
>>Yeah, you know, it's the idea
00:23:00.48\00:23:01.81
of living for
something bigger than yourself,
00:23:01.81\00:23:04.11
living for something
larger than yourself.
00:23:04.11\00:23:07.12
A number of years ago,
00:23:07.12\00:23:08.32
John F. Kennedy
developed what he called
00:23:08.32\00:23:09.88
the peace movement,
00:23:09.88\00:23:10.92
and he sent young
people around the world
00:23:10.92\00:23:13.15
in the Peace Corps.
00:23:13.15\00:23:14.49
They would go out to the
far reaches, of say, Brazil
00:23:14.49\00:23:17.86
and work in little
primitive villages,
00:23:17.86\00:23:19.79
help for people to have water
that didn't have water supply,
00:23:19.79\00:23:23.03
help them to grow crops,
00:23:23.03\00:23:24.80
they would work as
medical missionaries
00:23:24.80\00:23:27.64
around the world.
00:23:27.64\00:23:28.90
And young
people rallied to that,
00:23:28.90\00:23:30.81
it was something
larger, bigger than themself.
00:23:30.81\00:23:33.48
There's nothing as big, nothing
as great, nothing as grand
00:23:33.48\00:23:37.28
as sensing that you're a part
of a movement raised up by God
00:23:37.28\00:23:41.45
to prepare a world for
the second coming of Christ.
00:23:41.45\00:23:44.12
You know, I've been
preaching the Word of God now,
00:23:44.12\00:23:47.09
Pastor Eric, for over 56 years.
00:23:47.09\00:23:49.39
I've stood on the
great platforms of the world
00:23:49.39\00:23:51.53
and everything
from Africa to Asia,
00:23:51.53\00:23:54.10
to South and Inter-America,
00:23:54.10\00:23:55.73
to the former Soviet
Union, Kremlin Auditorium.
00:23:55.73\00:23:59.33
People ask me, they say,
00:23:59.33\00:24:00.87
"How can we hold
our young people?
00:24:00.87\00:24:03.30
Why is it that a lot of
young people leave our church?"
00:24:03.30\00:24:06.47
If we dumb down the message,
00:24:06.47\00:24:08.68
and if Adventists become
just another denomination
00:24:08.68\00:24:12.38
on the landscape
of denominations,
00:24:12.38\00:24:14.55
it's gonna be
difficult to hold young people.
00:24:14.55\00:24:16.79
But if young people see
00:24:16.79\00:24:17.82
that there's
something bigger, grander,
00:24:17.82\00:24:20.12
that God has outlined the
message of the three angels,
00:24:20.12\00:24:23.22
a message that's so
big, so broad, so great
00:24:23.22\00:24:26.53
that it calls out their best,
00:24:26.53\00:24:28.43
why is it that we have
sent our missionaries overseas,
00:24:28.43\00:24:32.60
the brightest and the best?
00:24:32.60\00:24:33.80
You know, in 1874,
00:24:33.80\00:24:35.74
when we sent our
first missionary overseas,
00:24:35.74\00:24:38.44
J. N. Andrews,
00:24:38.44\00:24:39.97
his wife had died, Mary.
00:24:39.97\00:24:42.94
He went with his daughter,
00:24:42.94\00:24:45.28
who was about 15 at the time,
00:24:45.28\00:24:47.28
and his son.
00:24:47.28\00:24:48.85
And Ellen White said
00:24:48.85\00:24:50.22
that he is "the ablest
and best man in our ranks."
00:24:50.22\00:24:52.75
He knew seven languages,
00:24:52.75\00:24:54.69
he had memorized
the New Testament,
00:24:54.69\00:24:56.39
he had known much
of the Old Testament.
00:24:56.39\00:24:58.33
Why send your
brightest and best?
00:24:58.33\00:25:00.33
For one reason:
00:25:00.33\00:25:01.23
"This gospel of the kingdom
00:25:02.36\00:25:03.47
"must be
preached in all the world
00:25:03.47\00:25:04.60
"as a witness to all nations,
00:25:04.60\00:25:05.77
then the end shall come."
00:25:05.77\00:25:07.60
I remember going
out to Solusi College
00:25:07.60\00:25:11.87
and I wanted to be by myself
00:25:12.81\00:25:14.18
and I walked out among the
cemetery that they had there
00:25:14.18\00:25:17.75
for the pioneer missionaries
who came out, you know,
00:25:17.75\00:25:20.02
in the late 19th
century, early 20th century,
00:25:20.02\00:25:23.95
people like W. H. Anderson.
00:25:23.95\00:25:26.02
And I saw the graves of a
number of these missionaries
00:25:26.02\00:25:30.19
who were buried there.
00:25:30.19\00:25:31.29
They went out
and never came back.
00:25:31.29\00:25:32.83
Why did they do that?
00:25:32.83\00:25:34.56
Why did
missionaries go out today?
00:25:35.60\00:25:37.13
Why do they leave their country?
00:25:37.13\00:25:38.27
For one reason,
00:25:38.27\00:25:39.77
they believe in the
message of Revelation 14.
00:25:39.77\00:25:42.64
They believe that there's
an angel flying in mid-heaven
00:25:42.64\00:25:44.91
that has the everlasting gospel
00:25:44.91\00:25:46.27
to preach to every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people.
00:25:46.27\00:25:49.11
It calls out your best.
00:25:49.11\00:25:50.75
Why do I, at 77
years old, keep preaching
00:25:50.75\00:25:53.55
and not go sit and put my
feet in some swimming pool,
00:25:53.55\00:25:56.92
sit in some jacuzzi?
00:25:56.92\00:25:58.02
That's not too bad
sometimes, but why?
00:25:58.02\00:26:00.62
Because I profoundly believe
00:26:00.62\00:26:02.62
that God has a
message for this time
00:26:02.62\00:26:04.13
to prepare the world
for the coming of Jesus.
00:26:04.13\00:26:05.63
>>That is
something worth living for,
00:26:05.63\00:26:08.46
something worth dying for.
00:26:08.46\00:26:10.80
And if you are
watching this program
00:26:10.80\00:26:12.70
or listening to it on the radio,
00:26:12.70\00:26:15.17
God doesn't just want
Pastor Mark doing that,
00:26:15.17\00:26:17.74
He doesn't just want me,
00:26:17.74\00:26:19.04
He doesn't just want evangelists
and pastors and preachers
00:26:19.04\00:26:22.14
sharing this great message.
00:26:22.14\00:26:24.21
He wants to use
00:26:24.21\00:26:25.98
every type and
stripe of humanity,
00:26:25.98\00:26:28.55
every single person,
00:26:28.55\00:26:29.55
young, old,
educated, less educated.
00:26:29.55\00:26:33.76
It doesn't matter
where you've been,
00:26:33.76\00:26:35.49
what matters is
where you wanna go,
00:26:35.49\00:26:37.43
and that you wanna take
some other people with you.
00:26:37.43\00:26:40.43
So I want to encourage you,
00:26:40.43\00:26:42.80
let first the everlasting
gospel touch your heart,
00:26:42.80\00:26:46.10
if it hasn't.
00:26:46.10\00:26:47.14
You may know who Jesus is,
00:26:47.14\00:26:50.14
but if you don't know Him,
00:26:50.14\00:26:51.54
or you may know
about who Jesus is
00:26:51.54\00:26:53.38
or intellectually
know that He exists,
00:26:53.38\00:26:55.08
but if you don't
know Him personally,
00:26:55.08\00:26:56.85
I wanna encourage you to
get to know Him personally,
00:26:56.85\00:27:00.28
and as He does, as you do,
00:27:00.28\00:27:02.25
He will touch your
heart and mold and shape you
00:27:02.25\00:27:05.35
into the person
that He knows you can be,
00:27:05.35\00:27:08.69
even better than you
know you can be that person.
00:27:08.69\00:27:12.09
And that gospel will go
to all the world through you.
00:27:12.09\00:27:16.73
So be encouraged God is at work.
00:27:16.73\00:27:20.00
He's at work in your life
00:27:20.00\00:27:21.37
and He's at work in the
lives of many, many others
00:27:21.37\00:27:24.77
around the world.
00:27:24.77\00:27:26.14
This gospel of the
kingdom will go to all the world
00:27:26.14\00:27:29.61
and God wants to use
you to help that happen.
00:27:29.61\00:27:33.08
So be
encouraged, God is with you,
00:27:33.08\00:27:36.22
God will guide you,
God will strengthen you,
00:27:36.22\00:27:38.49
God will keep you,
00:27:38.49\00:27:40.29
and God will prepare
you for that wonderful day
00:27:40.29\00:27:42.76
when Jesus comes back.
00:27:42.76\00:27:44.09
Pastor Mark, thanks
again for joining us today.
00:27:44.09\00:27:46.43
>>Thank you. >>And
we're looking forward
00:27:46.43\00:27:47.60
to having you next week.
00:27:47.60\00:27:48.83
And we're also looking
forward to having you with us
00:27:48.83\00:27:51.03
again next week
00:27:51.03\00:27:52.43
and we pray that God will
bless you until that time.
00:27:52.43\00:27:54.97
(bright gentle music)
00:27:56.07\00:28:01.08