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>>Eric Flickinger:
Welcome to "Sabbath School,"
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brought to you by It Is Written.
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We're glad that you
could join us again this week.
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This week, we're
looking at lesson number 6,
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"Motivation and
Preparation for Mission."
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What can we do to get motivated,
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and what can we
do to get prepared?
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That's what we're
looking at this week.
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Let's begin with prayer.
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Father, we thank You
for being with us today,
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as You inspire and encourage
us to be involved in the sharing
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of Your message of hope
and love with the world,
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and we ask that today
You would help us to learn
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how we can get ready
to do that very thing.
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We thank You, in
Jesus' name, amen.
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Well, we're grateful
to be able to welcome back
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on the program
again Greg Whitsett.
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He is the planning
director at Adventist Mission.
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Greg, welcome back again.
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>>Greg Whitsett: Thank you.
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>>Eric: So we're
looking at something that is,
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I know, near and
dear to your heart,
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"Motivation and
Preparation for Mission."
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And there are many
different ways that we could go,
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many different
directions that we could take
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to look at this subject,
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but we want to
kind of narrow it down.
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So, get us headed
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in the right
direction, if you would.
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>>Greg: Oh, absolutely.
Again, I start with story,
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because there's
so much in a story,
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and I love that exegetical
digging out of a story.
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What's the message for us?
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So, we're going to be looking
at Luke 24 and Acts 1 and 2
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as the main
passages for this lesson.
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>>Eric: All
right, get us started.
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>>Greg: Yeah, what we
have here is very interesting.
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You know, why is it
that God needs us, right?
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He's much more
eloquent than we are.
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He could do it
much better than we do.
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But and yet God does call us.
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You know, even
the rocks can cry out,
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right, to do this work.
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Balaam's donkey even kind
of had instructions for Balaam,
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to warn him of his potential
rebellion from God's will.
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So, why does He need us?
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Well, the reality is,
is that we are transformed
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when we allow God
to use us in mission.
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And so if we're
interested in our own salvation,
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if we're interested
in being transformed
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into Christ's character,
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then we'd better be
also interested in mission
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because that's God's heart.
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Jesus came to
seek and save the lost.
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That's His whole focus.
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You know, the
whole heaven erupts
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in praises and celebration
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when one soul turns to Christ.
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So, this is the
whole focus of heaven,
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so I would hope that it
would be our focus, too.
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And what's interesting is at
the beginning of this lesson,
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there's a passage in
Philippians, chapter 1,
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and it probably wouldn't hurt
us to take a quick look at that.
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Philippians, chapter 1,
which we remember is a letter
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that Paul wrote while he
was in chains, he was in prison,
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but in verses 15
to 18, Paul points out
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that "Some indeed
preach Christ"--how?--
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"even from envy and strife,
and some also from goodwill:
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"the former preach
Christ from selfish ambition,
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"not sincerely, supposing
to add affliction to my chains;
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"but the latter out of love,
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"knowing that I am appointed
for the defense of the gospel.
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"What then?
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"Only that in every way,
whether in pretense or in truth,
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"Christ is preached;
and in this I rejoice,
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yes, and [I] will rejoice."
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We often are
motivated by numbers,
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or we're motivated by this
and by that and everything else.
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Well, Paul's
making it very clear:
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the most important thing
is that Christ is preached.
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But motivation does matter.
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We obviously want to
be preaching in sincerity,
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to serving and blessing
people out of a sense of love
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because that's where Christ
and where God is working from.
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But there's actually six
things that I want to look at
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in Luke 24 and Acts 1 and 2.
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I just want to say it up
front because it's not explicit
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in the way the lesson
is written, but it's there.
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And these are key elements
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for our
motivation and preparation.
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The first one is it all begins
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with what our experience
is with Jesus Himself.
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We have to have a
personal experience
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for it to be a genuine
love that we are motivated by.
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Second is the
grounding in the prophecy
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and in the Word of God.
Mission starts from there.
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The third one is united
prayer with the body of faith,
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the body of Christ.
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Third is the organization
and readiness for mission.
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Then, of course, the outpouring,
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the infilling
of the Holy Spirit.
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And last is our relationship
with the unbelievers,
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with the community. So,
these are the six things
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we're going to
take a quick look at.
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>>Eric: All right, so let's
go to Luke, chapter 24 now.
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And as we take a
look at this story,
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you're focusing
on discouragement
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and doubts that
turn into joy and belief.
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How does this
transformation take place?
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What do we see
happening here in Luke 24?
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>>Greg: you know,
the physician Luke,
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who wrote Luke/Acts,
his whole theme is joy
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and how people's
lives are turned upside down
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by who Jesus is
and what He is doing.
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Luke 24 starts with
the darkest of moments,
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you know, just
despair, everything, all hope,
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all plans, everything has ended,
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and Jesus is in the tomb.
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The women go out
to embalm Jesus' body
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because they couldn't finish
before the Sabbath had begun.
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So they're going back
to finish up that work.
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And as they come to
the tomb, of course,
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Jesus is not there.
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And instead, there's an
angel who speaks to them:
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"Who are you looking for?"
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And he reminds
them of Jesus' words,
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that He would
rise on the third day,
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and the women remembered.
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A very powerful
verse, verse 8 of Luke 24:
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"And they remembered
His words," Jesus' words.
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Remembering is
another theme in Scripture
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that when we forget,
it gets us in trouble.
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So, they remember His words,
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but then they do
what anyone would do.
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They go and
share good news, right?
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So you see that missionary
task already beginning,
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but their audience,
the rest of the disciples,
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the men who weren't a
part of this embalming process,
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they hear, and their response
is very interesting as well.
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And, in fact, let's
look at it in verse 11:
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"And their words seemed
to them like idle tales,
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and they did not believe them."
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The phrase "idle
tales," I think of, you know,
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old wives' tales that
are, you know, just gossip.
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But, you know, these people,
they're thinking these women,
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they're just, you know,
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emotionally
overwhelmed by everything,
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and they're starting to see
apparitions that aren't real,
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you know, figments
of their imagination.
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But Peter runs to
see, and when he looks,
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he just--the text
says there in verse 12,
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he marvels "to
himself... what had happened,"
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which is the word "he wonders."
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He's, like, he's perplexed,
because he, at this point,
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did not remember
what had happened.
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What's interesting
is that he does not have
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that remembrance experience.
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And so everybody's upset.
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So then we go on,
and there's, of course,
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the road to Emmaus,
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and the
disciples's eyes are opened,
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but I want to
skip ahead to verse 36.
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Could you read verse 36 and 37?
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>>Eric: Sure, it says,
"Now as they said these things,
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"Jesus Himself stood
in the midst of them,
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"and said to
them, 'Peace to you.'
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"But they were
terrified and frightened,
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and supposed they
had seen a spirit."
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>>Greg: Okay,
they've seen a ghost.
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What in the world happened?
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But, you know,
"shalom aleichem,"
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you know, Jesus gives
that traditional greeting,
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and they are terrified.
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And we remember,
you know, most of us,
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we've read this many times.
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We understand how
the story unfolds.
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He says, okay, you
know, "Why are you afraid?
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Don't be afraid.
Give me something to eat."
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You know, and
so they, of course,
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give Him something to eat.
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But look at--read verse
41. What is the response?
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Well, first of all,
actually, I misspoke.
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He shows them the wounds.
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Then their response is verse 41.
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Read that.
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>>Eric: "But while they
still did not believe for joy,
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and marveled, He said to
them, 'Have you any food here?'"
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Okay, so, but
that response there
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is that they're
so filled with joy,
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but they still wondered.
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They're still perplexed.
They're still marveling.
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So, it's like it's too
good to believe their own eyes.
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So, they don't
believe the women first,
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and then they
don't believe themselves.
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I mean, even the men
on the road to Emmaus
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has already given them reports.
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So, they've had
reports from women and men
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who've had these
experiences, they don't believe,
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and then He asks for
the food, He eats it,
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and then, I guess, they
just want to understand.
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"What's going on?
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We don't understand. Great
news, but what's going on?"
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And that's where we see
the next thing happening
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that's unfolding here.
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In verse 44, Jesus says to them,
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"'These are the
words which I spoke to you
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"'while I was still with you,
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"'that all
things must be fulfilled
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"'which [are]
written in the Law of Moses
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"'and the Prophets and
the Psalms concerning me.
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"And He opened
their understanding,
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that they might
comprehend the Scriptures."
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What's interesting here
is that Jesus is talking
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about the Old Testament;
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the Hebrews call it the Tanakh.
00:09:16.65\00:09:18.85
So, they have the
Torah, the Nevi'im,
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and the Ketuvim:
the Law of Moses,
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the Prophets, and the Psalms,
which includes all the writings,
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not just the Psalms, you know,
Ruth and Esther and Proverbs,
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Ecclesiastes;
all these are here.
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So, He opens to
their understanding
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all of these Scriptures.
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So, this is the
underlying motivation,
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where it all has to begin
for mission for all of us.
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If we're going to
get involved in mission,
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there's two things we need.
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One, we need a
personal experience.
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And second, we need to
understand that experience
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through the light of Scripture.
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What is God doing,
and what is my experience
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based on what He is doing,
in terms of the whole world,
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right, and how I fall into that?
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But let's go a
little bit further.
00:10:03.77\00:10:05.43
Let's go ahead and
read verse 46, 47, and 48.
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>>Eric: "Then He said to
them, 'Thus it is written,
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"'and thus it was necessary
for the Christ to suffer
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"'and to rise from
the dead the third day,
00:10:14.54\00:10:16.81
"'and that
repentance and remission of sins
00:10:16.85\00:10:19.65
"'should be preached in
His name to all nations,
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"'beginning at Jerusalem.
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And you are
witnesses of these things."
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>>Greg: That's the key.
You know, to be a witness
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means that we
have an experience.
00:10:29.36\00:10:31.49
We have seen it
with our own eyes.
00:10:31.53\00:10:33.33
You would never ask it
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for a testimony of
someone to verify truth
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who had not ever been there,
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and all they had
done is, you know,
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looked at social
media, and, "Oh yeah, I know
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something about
what I saw here."
00:10:41.74\00:10:45.04
But it's their own experience.
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So, it's that
combination of my experience
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explained through Scripture.
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All of us have assumptions
about how the world works.
00:10:51.81\00:10:55.55
We all have
assumptions about what is real.
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Where did we come from?
00:10:58.72\00:11:00.36
You know, God created
the world in six days,
00:11:00.39\00:11:02.36
and He rested on the seventh.
00:11:02.39\00:11:03.86
What is God's
plan for the future?
00:11:03.89\00:11:07.03
Why do bad things happen to
us? And all of these things.
00:11:07.03\00:11:11.40
So, these are
worldview assumptions.
00:11:11.43\00:11:14.77
The way worldviews are formed
00:11:14.80\00:11:17.34
are through a
combination of life experience,
00:11:17.37\00:11:20.41
living in a society
where there are explanations
00:11:20.44\00:11:24.15
about why things
happen and how they happen,
00:11:24.18\00:11:27.65
so that I interpret the world
00:11:27.68\00:11:29.05
based on that
definition of what I get,
00:11:29.08\00:11:30.92
and we get it from mom and dad.
00:11:30.95\00:11:32.25
We're in our family, right?
00:11:32.29\00:11:33.62
The way worldviews shift,
00:11:33.66\00:11:36.32
which is exactly
what the disciples needed
00:11:36.36\00:11:38.93
because they thought
Christ was coming for a purpose,
00:11:38.96\00:11:41.36
which was to set
up an earthly kingdom,
00:11:41.40\00:11:43.63
a political nation
that would be great again,
00:11:43.67\00:11:46.74
bring back like
the days of Solomon.
00:11:46.77\00:11:49.34
But when Christ
died, their worldview,
00:11:49.37\00:11:51.81
everything fell apart.
It was a complete loss.
00:11:51.84\00:11:54.34
Meanwhile, it was the
greatest victory ever.
00:11:54.38\00:11:57.35
And so God had to actually help
them go through an experience,
00:11:57.38\00:12:01.65
have new explanations to
go with those experiences
00:12:01.68\00:12:04.99
so that their worldview could
be shifted, and then there,
00:12:05.02\00:12:07.92
of course, it says in
verse 52, "They worshiped Him,
00:12:07.96\00:12:11.99
and returned to
Jerusalem with great joy."
00:12:12.03\00:12:13.96
This is at His ascension.
00:12:14.00\00:12:15.26
So, we see that
great joy has returned
00:12:15.30\00:12:17.03
to replace that
great discouragement.
00:12:17.07\00:12:19.53
>>Eric: So, a huge shift
from discouragement to joy,
00:12:19.57\00:12:22.97
from misunderstanding
or lack of understanding
00:12:23.00\00:12:25.97
to an understanding
that brought that passion
00:12:26.01\00:12:30.15
and the desire to
share it with others.
00:12:30.18\00:12:32.15
We're looking this week at
00:12:32.18\00:12:33.48
"Motivation and
Preparation for Mission,"
00:12:33.52\00:12:36.52
and we're going to
continue looking at that,
00:12:36.55\00:12:38.79
but I want to remind
you of a wonderful resource
00:12:38.82\00:12:41.79
that you have that you can use
00:12:41.82\00:12:43.49
to help motivate you
and prepare you for mission,
00:12:43.53\00:12:46.19
and that is the companion book
00:12:46.23\00:12:47.76
to this quarter's
Sabbath school study.
00:12:47.83\00:12:49.76
It's called "God's
Mission My Mission."
00:12:49.80\00:12:52.47
Pick it up at itiswritten.shop,
and it will add
00:12:52.50\00:12:56.07
a great deal more to your study,
00:12:56.10\00:12:59.21
itiswritten.shop.
00:12:59.24\00:13:00.71
Look for "God's
Mission My Mission."
00:13:00.74\00:13:03.14
I'm going to come back
here with Greg in just a moment,
00:13:03.18\00:13:05.58
as we continue looking at
00:13:05.61\00:13:07.25
"Motivation and
Preparation for Mission."
00:13:07.28\00:13:09.85
We'll be right back.
00:13:09.88\00:13:11.19
[music]
00:13:11.22\00:13:14.16
>>John Bradshaw: The
Bible is filled with stories
00:13:16.32\00:13:18.46
of flawed human beings
00:13:18.49\00:13:20.23
God called to serve
Him in incredible ways.
00:13:20.26\00:13:23.77
He took a violent,
impulsive, racist fisherman
00:13:23.80\00:13:27.10
and transformed him into
one of Jesus' closest disciples
00:13:27.14\00:13:31.04
and one of the
most influential leaders
00:13:31.07\00:13:32.91
of the early church.
00:13:32.94\00:13:34.61
Join me for another
episode of our series
00:13:34.64\00:13:36.81
"Great Characters of the Bible"
as we look at the life of Peter.
00:13:36.85\00:13:41.58
Peter was far from perfect.
00:13:41.62\00:13:43.42
He was overly confident, he
made promises he didn't keep,
00:13:43.45\00:13:47.39
but his experience
is an encouragement
00:13:47.42\00:13:49.42
to anyone who knows
the feeling of messing up
00:13:49.46\00:13:52.46
as a follower of
Jesus, of falling short,
00:13:52.49\00:13:55.63
and wondering if
you'll ever get it right.
00:13:55.66\00:13:58.67
God stuck with
Peter and helped him grow.
00:13:58.70\00:14:01.77
And if you'll let Him,
He'll do the same for you.
00:14:01.80\00:14:05.01
"Great Characters
of the Bible: Peter,"
00:14:05.77\00:14:09.18
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:14:09.21\00:14:12.15
[music]
00:14:12.18\00:14:14.18
>>John: You know
that at It Is Written,
00:14:16.12\00:14:17.45
we are serious about
studying the Word of God,
00:14:17.49\00:14:19.95
and we encourage you
to be serious as well.
00:14:19.99\00:14:22.59
Well, here's what you do
00:14:22.62\00:14:23.93
if you want to dig
deeper into God's Word.
00:14:23.96\00:14:25.83
Go to itiswritten.study
00:14:25.86\00:14:28.00
for the It Is Written
Bible study guides online,
00:14:28.03\00:14:30.93
25 in-depth Bible studies
that will take you through
00:14:30.97\00:14:33.57
the major
teachings of the Bible.
00:14:33.60\00:14:35.64
You'll be blessed,
00:14:35.67\00:14:36.91
and it's something you'll want
to tell others about as well:
00:14:36.94\00:14:39.44
itiswritten.study.
00:14:39.47\00:14:41.11
Go further: itiswritten.study.
00:14:41.14\00:14:43.55
[music]
00:14:45.81\00:14:50.62
>>Eric: Welcome
back to "Sabbath School,"
00:14:50.65\00:14:52.22
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:14:52.25\00:14:54.22
We're here talking
with Greg Whitsett.
00:14:54.26\00:14:56.02
And, Greg, we're looking at
00:14:56.06\00:14:57.36
"Motivation and
Preparation for Mission."
00:14:57.39\00:14:59.73
After looking at Luke
24, we go to Acts, chapter 1,
00:14:59.76\00:15:03.73
and in Acts, chapter 1,
00:15:03.77\00:15:05.30
you emphasize this
element of waiting.
00:15:05.33\00:15:08.90
What's the
significance of waiting?
00:15:08.94\00:15:10.94
We don't usually think of,
00:15:10.97\00:15:12.27
"Oh, I'm supposed
to be a missionary.
00:15:12.31\00:15:13.61
I'm supposed to
share my faith but wait."
00:15:13.64\00:15:15.41
How do we reconcile this,
00:15:15.44\00:15:17.51
and what's the
significance of that?
00:15:17.55\00:15:19.31
>>Greg: Well, it's interesting.
Let's just go right to it.
00:15:19.35\00:15:21.48
Jesus is actually
telling them in verse 5,
00:15:21.52\00:15:25.15
"For John truly
baptized with water,
00:15:25.19\00:15:27.06
"but you shall...[baptize]
with the Holy Spirit
00:15:27.09\00:15:28.99
not many days from now."
00:15:29.02\00:15:30.53
And they say, "Well,
okay, when will the restoration
00:15:30.56\00:15:32.93
of the kingdom of Israel come?"
00:15:32.96\00:15:34.23
They're still
thinking this earth,
00:15:34.30\00:15:36.10
and He says, okay,
"It is not for you to know
00:15:36.13\00:15:38.37
[the] times and seasons,"
and all this, but, verse 8:
00:15:38.40\00:15:40.84
"But you shall receive power
00:15:40.87\00:15:42.24
"when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you;
00:15:42.27\00:15:43.84
"and you shall be
witnesses to me in Jerusalem,
00:15:43.87\00:15:46.37
...in all Judea...Samaria,
and to the end of the earth."
00:15:46.41\00:15:49.31
And, actually, in Luke, it talks
about waiting there as well,
00:15:49.34\00:15:51.55
but the whole idea of waiting,
00:15:51.58\00:15:53.82
you have to think
about it this way:
00:15:53.85\00:15:55.52
any time you see
God saying something,
00:15:55.55\00:15:57.62
the question is, well, why?
00:15:57.65\00:15:59.25
Not a rebellious why,
but an inquisitive why.
00:15:59.29\00:16:02.19
Why is this important?
00:16:02.22\00:16:04.39
And if you look at any
person who has first received
00:16:04.43\00:16:09.13
God's abundant blessing,
experienced His love for them,
00:16:09.16\00:16:13.47
the experience
that you want to have,
00:16:13.50\00:16:15.47
that naturally
bubbles up from inside,
00:16:15.50\00:16:18.24
is that you want to
tell people, you want to go,
00:16:18.27\00:16:20.84
and think of all the
times that Jesus said,
00:16:20.88\00:16:22.18
"Don't tell anyone," you
know, when He healed somebody.
00:16:22.21\00:16:24.61
And here they're now excited,
they're ready to preach,
00:16:24.65\00:16:26.61
and Jesus says, "Don't go. Wait.
00:16:26.65\00:16:31.02
You will go, but wait."
00:16:31.05\00:16:32.92
And so, He tells us the things
00:16:32.95\00:16:35.49
that we're not
prone to do naturally,
00:16:35.52\00:16:38.43
because a lot of
times I think we think
00:16:38.46\00:16:40.33
that when it comes to
mission, I just need to go.
00:16:40.36\00:16:44.40
And going is important,
00:16:44.43\00:16:46.84
but the waiting
is also important
00:16:46.87\00:16:49.14
because of the need to receive
power from the Holy Spirit.
00:16:49.17\00:16:53.68
There's a couple of things here
00:16:53.71\00:16:55.01
I'd like to take a
look at in this section,
00:16:55.04\00:16:58.35
and that is
actually in Acts, chapter 1.
00:16:58.38\00:17:02.68
We find a little bit further
down that they're praying.
00:17:02.72\00:17:06.19
Of course, we know that
this is an important thing
00:17:06.22\00:17:08.09
that they're praying
together in a united way,
00:17:08.12\00:17:10.29
but then something happens.
00:17:10.33\00:17:12.03
Peter gets up and
starts to talk about the fact
00:17:12.06\00:17:15.80
that "We're
missing a disciple"--Judas,
00:17:15.83\00:17:19.57
in his great offense
of betraying the Messiah,
00:17:19.60\00:17:24.54
his friend and
rabbi, Jesus, Christ, right?
00:17:24.57\00:17:29.31
He ends up committing
suicide over his despair.
00:17:29.34\00:17:32.01
And so they realize, "We
need someone to take his place."
00:17:32.05\00:17:35.02
If we could, let's look
at verse 21 and 22 there.
00:17:35.05\00:17:39.19
>>Eric: "Therefore, of these
men who have accompanied us
00:17:39.22\00:17:41.62
"all the time that the Lord
Jesus went in and out among us,
00:17:41.66\00:17:45.49
"beginning from
the baptism of John
00:17:45.53\00:17:47.30
"to that day when He
was taken up from us,
00:17:47.30\00:17:49.76
"one of these must become
00:17:49.80\00:17:51.37
a witness with us
of His resurrection."
00:17:51.40\00:17:54.14
>>Greg: Okay, so
Peter has this idea
00:17:54.17\00:17:56.30
that we need to
replace this. Interesting idea.
00:17:56.34\00:17:59.94
There was no explicit
instructions from Jesus.
00:18:00.04\00:18:02.74
It was just, "Wait."
00:18:02.78\00:18:04.11
But while they're praying,
this idea comes to mind,
00:18:04.15\00:18:06.72
which must've been
00:18:06.75\00:18:08.05
the influence
of the Holy Spirit:
00:18:08.08\00:18:11.09
"We need to be doing
this." And then how did they--
00:18:11.12\00:18:15.66
you know, they're actually
going through the process,
00:18:15.69\00:18:17.63
but there's more goes on.
00:18:17.66\00:18:19.16
You know, in
verse 23, they come up
00:18:19.19\00:18:20.50
with the names of
Joseph and Matthias,
00:18:20.53\00:18:23.83
and then they pray in verse 24,
00:18:23.87\00:18:26.63
and then in verse 26, it
says that they cast their lots.
00:18:26.67\00:18:30.64
Now, I don't know about
you, but that's an unusual way
00:18:30.67\00:18:33.44
to make a really important
decision: to cast lots.
00:18:33.48\00:18:36.44
And I think that
there's several things
00:18:36.48\00:18:38.11
that we need to think about,
because should I just, you know,
00:18:38.15\00:18:41.62
eenie, meenie, miny, mo,
and then that's God's will?
00:18:41.65\00:18:45.55
How is it that they
can get to this point
00:18:45.59\00:18:48.09
where they were casting
lots and made the decision,
00:18:48.12\00:18:50.23
okay, well, then
this is God's will?
00:18:50.26\00:18:53.60
Was it presumption?
Was it superstition?
00:18:53.63\00:18:56.46
Is it something
we should do today?
00:18:56.50\00:18:57.80
Is that how we
should elect our leaders?
00:18:57.83\00:18:59.70
You know, these are
really troubling questions
00:18:59.73\00:19:01.40
that I'm sure,
as you discuss this
00:19:01.44\00:19:04.47
in your own Bible study groups,
00:19:04.51\00:19:06.64
that that could be a very
interesting thing to pursue,
00:19:06.68\00:19:08.78
but I'd like to point
out three suggestions here
00:19:08.81\00:19:12.48
as we look at this.
00:19:12.51\00:19:13.82
The first one is, if you back
up a little bit before verse 21,
00:19:13.85\00:19:19.85
Peter is talking, and he
actually quotes in verse 20,
00:19:19.89\00:19:23.63
it says, "For it is
written in the Book of Psalms:
00:19:23.66\00:19:26.96
"'Let his
dwelling place be desolate,
00:19:27.00\00:19:29.16
and let no one live in it.'"
00:19:29.20\00:19:31.73
And then he quotes
another passage from Psalms:
00:19:31.77\00:19:35.00
"Let another take his office."
00:19:35.04\00:19:37.37
What he's actually referring to,
00:19:37.41\00:19:39.94
it's a song of David, Psalm 109,
00:19:39.97\00:19:42.91
where there is this
betrayal, this great betrayal,
00:19:42.94\00:19:46.28
which is partially
David's experience with Saul,
00:19:46.31\00:19:50.39
because he's done so
much to help the kingdom
00:19:50.42\00:19:52.55
and serve Saul as a
faithful soldier, a servant.
00:19:52.59\00:19:57.89
And then, of course,
Saul is pursuing him.
00:19:57.93\00:20:01.06
But then on the other hand,
00:20:01.10\00:20:03.00
not only is this a psalm or
a song of David's experience.
00:20:03.03\00:20:06.84
It's also prophetic, and
here Peter is applying it,
00:20:06.87\00:20:10.27
through the Holy Spirit, to say,
00:20:10.31\00:20:12.01
"This is our experience
with what's happened with Judas.
00:20:12.04\00:20:15.41
We need to replace
Judas with someone else."
00:20:15.44\00:20:20.05
So, he's basing
this on Scripture.
00:20:20.08\00:20:22.42
Now, that's a
good principle, right?
00:20:22.45\00:20:23.75
Any decision we make
00:20:23.79\00:20:25.09
should be based on Scripture.
00:20:25.12\00:20:26.42
>>Eric: Right.
00:20:26.45\00:20:27.76
>>Greg: But then the
second thing, which we read,
00:20:27.79\00:20:29.26
was in verses 21 to 23,
00:20:29.29\00:20:32.49
where they said, "Okay,
how should we choose someone?"
00:20:32.53\00:20:34.56
And they discussed this,
00:20:34.56\00:20:35.86
and they agreed that
they would select somebody
00:20:35.90\00:20:38.93
who had been
faithful, who had been present,
00:20:38.97\00:20:41.40
who had been a part of
their experience all along.
00:20:41.44\00:20:44.04
It wasn't one of
the 12, but it was one
00:20:44.07\00:20:45.91
that was a part of them
00:20:45.94\00:20:47.24
from the baptism
of Christ with John,
00:20:47.28\00:20:50.78
you know, all the
way through everything,
00:20:50.81\00:20:52.85
and they came up with two names
that they felt were qualified,
00:20:52.88\00:20:56.28
that had been a
part of that whole thing.
00:20:56.32\00:20:58.22
So, again, first,
they went to Scripture
00:20:58.25\00:21:01.42
and felt like this was what
Scripture would have them to do.
00:21:01.46\00:21:04.09
Then, two, they thought through
and came to unity in discussion
00:21:04.13\00:21:07.93
that these were two names,
00:21:07.96\00:21:10.00
but they decided
not to choose someone.
00:21:10.03\00:21:12.93
They decided, "Let's
pray, and then let's cast lots,"
00:21:12.97\00:21:16.91
which was an actual
process of a couple of--
00:21:16.94\00:21:19.41
maybe it could be a
couple of pieces of pottery
00:21:19.44\00:21:21.38
or chips of wood or stones,
00:21:21.41\00:21:22.91
but then the one that
was to be for Matthias
00:21:22.94\00:21:25.01
and the one that was
supposed to be for Joseph,
00:21:25.05\00:21:26.65
whichever one fell
out when they shook it,
00:21:26.68\00:21:28.92
then that must
be God's blessing.
00:21:28.95\00:21:30.92
The reality is
either of these two men
00:21:30.95\00:21:32.52
could've done a great job
00:21:32.55\00:21:34.12
because they had
done the work beforehand,
00:21:34.16\00:21:35.89
but they didn't want
to choose themselves,
00:21:35.92\00:21:37.46
perhaps because
they didn't want to make
00:21:37.49\00:21:39.96
the one they
didn't choose feel badly.
00:21:40.00\00:21:41.70
"Let's let God decide the one."
00:21:41.73\00:21:43.47
And so that's
how that came about.
00:21:43.50\00:21:44.80
Is that the best explanation?
00:21:44.83\00:21:46.50
I don't know, but I think that
this is an important process
00:21:46.53\00:21:49.87
that we see in the preparation
for mission; they're praying,
00:21:49.90\00:21:54.31
which we often
focus on that part,
00:21:54.34\00:21:55.88
but the second part is, how do
we make decisions to organize?
00:21:55.91\00:21:59.45
As a planning
director for Adventist Mission,
00:21:59.48\00:22:01.55
I do a lot of
work with strategy,
00:22:01.58\00:22:03.82
and sometimes people feel like,
00:22:03.85\00:22:05.15
"Oh, maybe just let
the Holy Spirit lead.
00:22:05.19\00:22:07.16
"We don't need to
organize; we don't need to plan;
00:22:07.19\00:22:08.96
"we don't need to
have strategies or goals
00:22:08.99\00:22:10.53
or these types of things."
00:22:10.56\00:22:11.86
But, clearly, we
see that happening
00:22:11.89\00:22:14.03
at the very beginning
of the Christian mission,
00:22:14.10\00:22:16.93
where there was a
lot of organization
00:22:16.97\00:22:18.93
and strategy happening.
00:22:18.97\00:22:20.27
>>Eric: So, a lot less
what we might call "chance"
00:22:20.30\00:22:23.14
going on right
there-- >>Greg: Right.
00:22:23.17\00:22:24.77
>>Eric: ...and a
whole lot more behind it.
00:22:24.81\00:22:26.11
Those three observations,
I think, are very helpful
00:22:26.14\00:22:29.18
in understanding
what's going on there.
00:22:29.21\00:22:31.41
In the study, you next
take us to Acts, chapter 2,
00:22:31.45\00:22:35.68
and Acts, chapter 2 is one
that is frequently looked at
00:22:35.72\00:22:38.92
as the moving of the
Holy Spirit, and powerfully.
00:22:38.95\00:22:42.52
What are some things that
we can learn about motivation
00:22:42.56\00:22:44.86
and preparation for
mission from Acts, chapter 2?
00:22:44.89\00:22:48.56
>>Greg: Well, I'd just
like to point out two things,
00:22:48.60\00:22:51.63
one before Peter's sermon
00:22:51.67\00:22:53.23
and then the other one at
the very end of chapter 2.
00:22:53.27\00:22:55.70
And I'd like us to
actually read verse 4.
00:22:55.74\00:23:01.44
Would you read that?
00:23:01.48\00:23:02.78
>>Eric: "And they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit
00:23:02.81\00:23:04.68
"and began to
speak with other tongues,
00:23:04.71\00:23:06.82
as the Spirit
gave them utterance."
00:23:06.85\00:23:09.02
>>Greg: I think that
there's a lot of theology
00:23:09.05\00:23:10.75
in that smallest word "as."
00:23:10.79\00:23:13.76
They "began to
speak with other tongues,
00:23:13.79\00:23:15.92
as the Spirit
gave them utterance."
00:23:15.96\00:23:18.26
And I think there's
two important things here.
00:23:18.29\00:23:19.86
This is a little preposition,
which a prepositional phrase
00:23:19.89\00:23:22.83
is going to modify the
meaning of something else,
00:23:22.86\00:23:25.80
and in this case it's
acting like an adverb to modify
00:23:25.83\00:23:28.50
how that they spoke in tongues.
00:23:28.54\00:23:30.77
They did it, as the Holy
Spirit gave them utterance.
00:23:30.81\00:23:35.14
On the one hand, it's
talking about time, I believe.
00:23:35.18\00:23:38.18
When the Holy
Spirit empowered them,
00:23:38.21\00:23:40.82
they immediately
began to use that gift.
00:23:40.85\00:23:43.79
It wasn't like, "Okay,
well, I have this gift.
00:23:43.82\00:23:45.45
"Maybe next week,
I could use that gift
00:23:45.49\00:23:49.99
at a certain opportune moment."
00:23:50.03\00:23:52.56
And a lot of times, we
see that we have gifts,
00:23:52.59\00:23:54.30
but we're hesitant to
actually go and use it,
00:23:54.36\00:23:56.06
and I think this is
important, understanding here
00:23:56.10\00:23:58.23
that as soon as they received
the power of the Holy Spirit,
00:23:58.27\00:24:01.14
this gift to
speak in other tongues,
00:24:01.17\00:24:02.87
they went out and used it.
00:24:02.90\00:24:04.21
But the other
meaning that this word "as"
00:24:04.24\00:24:06.37
could be
focusing on is the manner.
00:24:06.41\00:24:10.05
They spoke in the language
00:24:10.08\00:24:12.28
that the Holy Spirit
gave them to speak in.
00:24:12.31\00:24:14.85
It wasn't that
they were coveting--
00:24:14.88\00:24:16.18
"Oh, man, you got
Egyptian? Ah! I got Syrian."
00:24:16.22\00:24:20.19
You know, "Oh, you got Italian?
00:24:20.22\00:24:22.02
I got Phoenician,"
or whatever it was,
00:24:22.06\00:24:24.49
the languages
that were going on.
00:24:24.53\00:24:25.83
They weren't
bickering over which language,
00:24:25.86\00:24:27.86
or they weren't
saying, "Oh, I need to add
00:24:27.86\00:24:29.16
another language
or a third language."
00:24:29.20\00:24:30.87
They just used the
gifts that God had given them.
00:24:30.90\00:24:33.27
I think that's an
important lesson for us.
00:24:33.30\00:24:35.90
Moses was told,
00:24:35.94\00:24:37.64
"What is it you have in
your hand, Moses?" Right?
00:24:37.67\00:24:39.87
And he said,
"Well, it's a staff."
00:24:39.91\00:24:41.61
And God used what he had to help
with the deliverance of Israel,
00:24:41.64\00:24:46.98
and I think
that's exactly our focus.
00:24:47.02\00:24:49.92
>>Eric: Greg,
let me ask you this
00:24:49.95\00:24:51.25
in the moments
that we have left.
00:24:51.29\00:24:52.79
How does chapter 2 end,
00:24:52.82\00:24:54.12
and what kind of a
challenge does that give us
00:24:54.16\00:24:56.79
in our motivation and mission
for sharing Jesus with others?
00:24:56.83\00:25:00.53
>>Greg: Well, it
ends beautifully.
00:25:00.56\00:25:02.40
Of course, we have to, for the
sake of time, we're focusing in
00:25:02.43\00:25:05.03
on some of the
passages maybe that we wouldn't.
00:25:05.07\00:25:07.07
You know, there's a
sermon, and there's a baptism,
00:25:07.10\00:25:09.04
but let's focus down
00:25:09.07\00:25:10.67
at verse 46 and
47, specifically.
00:25:10.71\00:25:15.21
It says, "So continuing daily
with one accord in the temple,
00:25:15.24\00:25:18.58
"and breaking bread
from house to house,
00:25:18.61\00:25:20.95
"they ate their
food with gladness
00:25:20.98\00:25:24.12
"and simplicity of heart,
00:25:24.15\00:25:25.59
"praising God and having
favor with all the people.
00:25:25.62\00:25:28.79
"And the Lord
added to the church daily
00:25:28.82\00:25:31.39
those who were being saved."
00:25:31.43\00:25:33.06
Part of our
preparation for mission
00:25:33.09\00:25:35.83
is how we live as
missionaries, right?
00:25:35.86\00:25:39.10
So what we see is
that there was gladness.
00:25:39.13\00:25:42.50
That theme of great joy is
continuing with Luke in Acts,
00:25:42.54\00:25:46.64
but with "simplicity of heart,"
00:25:46.68\00:25:48.31
which I understand that to
mean there weren't cliques.
00:25:48.34\00:25:52.31
There weren't politics.
There was just a mutuality,
00:25:52.35\00:25:55.22
a community that
was not stratified,
00:25:55.25\00:25:58.92
according to those in leadership
and those who are not.
00:25:58.95\00:26:02.16
There's a unity there,
but they were praising God
00:26:02.19\00:26:05.99
and having favor
with other people.
00:26:06.03\00:26:07.30
So, like, Jesus grew
up "in wisdom and stature"
00:26:07.36\00:26:11.30
and "favor of God and
man," this idea of having favor
00:26:11.33\00:26:14.70
is one where
people are drawn in.
00:26:14.74\00:26:18.04
A lot of times in
mission, we go chasing after.
00:26:18.07\00:26:20.08
We focus on the going,
00:26:20.11\00:26:21.68
forgetting that we need to
be winsome and be a magnet.
00:26:21.71\00:26:24.95
If we lift Christ up, He
said, "If [you lift me up],
00:26:24.98\00:26:27.38
[I] will draw all men unto me."
00:26:27.42\00:26:29.45
So, this
lifestyle is so important.
00:26:29.48\00:26:33.72
I'd like to also
share a powerful quote here
00:26:33.76\00:26:39.33
from "Christ's Object Lessons."
00:26:39.36\00:26:41.53
It says there, "There can
be no growth or fruitfulness
00:26:41.56\00:26:45.90
"in the life that
is centered in self.
00:26:45.93\00:26:48.50
"If you have accepted
Christ as a personal Saviour,
00:26:48.54\00:26:50.37
"you are to forget
yourself and try to help others.
00:26:50.41\00:26:52.91
"Talk of the love of
Christ, tell of His goodness.
00:26:52.94\00:26:55.81
"Do every duty
that presents itself.
00:26:55.84\00:26:57.81
"Carry the burden of
souls upon your heart,
00:26:57.85\00:26:59.51
"and by every
means in your power
00:26:59.55\00:27:01.78
seek to save the lost."
00:27:01.82\00:27:03.59
And then it ends
with this thought:
00:27:03.62\00:27:05.75
"As you receive
the Spirit of Christ--
00:27:05.79\00:27:08.59
"the Spirit of unselfish
love and labor for others--
00:27:08.62\00:27:11.53
"you will grow
and bring forth fruit.
00:27:11.56\00:27:14.03
"The graces of the Spirit
will ripen in your character.
00:27:14.10\00:27:16.90
"Your faith will increase,
your convictions deepen,
00:27:16.93\00:27:20.34
and your love be made perfect."
00:27:20.37\00:27:22.44
That's the motivation.
00:27:22.47\00:27:23.77
We started with
Philippians, chapter 1.
00:27:23.81\00:27:25.67
Some are proclaiming Christ
out of their own vainglory.
00:27:25.71\00:27:30.01
You know, they're
trying to build themselves up,
00:27:30.05\00:27:31.45
but others out of love,
and it's actually participating
00:27:31.48\00:27:34.95
in that missionary experience,
00:27:34.98\00:27:36.95
of sharing God's
love with others,
00:27:36.99\00:27:38.29
that love is
perfected in my heart,
00:27:38.32\00:27:40.39
and that's what
God wants to do in us.
00:27:40.42\00:27:42.59
>>Eric: I
think, as He does that,
00:27:42.62\00:27:43.93
we become more
effective missionaries
00:27:43.96\00:27:46.33
and brighter
lights to shine for Him.
00:27:46.36\00:27:48.40
>>Greg: Exactly.
00:27:48.43\00:27:49.73
>>Eric: Greg, thank you
for joining us this week.
00:27:49.76\00:27:51.67
And thank you for joining us.
00:27:51.70\00:27:53.13
We're going to be
back again next week
00:27:53.17\00:27:54.77
as we continue our
journey through understanding
00:27:54.80\00:27:57.54
God's mission and my mission.
00:27:57.57\00:27:59.94
God bless you,
we'll see you next week
00:28:00.04\00:28:01.68
here on "Sabbath School,"
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