[uplifting music]
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[uplifting music]
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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 are taking a journey
through an incredible subject,
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"The Great Controversy,"
and this week we are looking
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at lesson number three,
"Light Shines in the Darkness,"
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a very important bit of
history for Christianity.
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Let's begin with prayer.
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Father, we want to
thank you for blessing us
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with an opportunity to
study this incredible theme.
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And as we look at this subject
this week, we ask that You
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would open our hearts and our
minds to a significant element
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of the history of Christianity
that can give us hope for today
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and tomorrow, and we
thank You in Jesus' name, amen.
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Well, as we take a look at
this week's lesson, we will have
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with us once again the
author of this quarter's
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Adult Sabbath School Bible
Study Guide, Pastor Mark Finley.
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He is an international
speaker, evangelist, author.
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Pastor Mark, we're
glad to have you back again.
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>>Mark Finley: Thank you,
Eric, it's always great to work
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with my friends at It
Is Written television.
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>>Eric: Well, this week, as I
mentioned, we're taking a look
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at "Light Shines
in the Darkness,"
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and this week's memory
verse is a significant one.
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I'd like to read it and
then give you an opportunity
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to reflect a little bit on it.
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It is found in
John 12, verse 35.
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It says, "Then
Jesus said to them,
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"'A little while
longer the light is with you.
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"'Walk while you have the light,
lest darkness overtake you;
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he who walks in darkness does
not know where he is going.'"
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What's the
significance of this text?
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>>Mark: Throughout the
Bible, you have this contrast
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between light and darkness.
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Light reveals
God's way, God's truth.
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In fact, Jesus in
John, chapter 8 said,
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"I am the light of the world."
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So, walking in the
light is walking with Jesus.
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Walking in the darkness,
Satan is the author of darkness,
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that is, spiritual darkness.
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He wants people confused and not
understanding the Word of God.
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So, when Jesus says,
"Walk while you have the light,"
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just before that, He talked
about His crucifixion, and what
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He was saying is, I'm here now;
I'm revealing truth to you now;
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walk in the truth you have.
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The spiritual lesson of that to
each of us is that at some time
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in every life, God
reveals His light and truth,
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and He invites us to walk in it.
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In fact, not only some time,
but every day God is revealing
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to us facets of light and
truth, and He's encouraging us
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to create an appetite,
a desire, the will to do
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whatever He asks us to do and
walk in the light of His Word.
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>>Eric: So there is in
this world, in this life,
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light and darkness,
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and there are many Bible
verses that draw this out.
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I'd like to read a couple
of more Bible verses here,
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Pastor Mark, John
14:6 and John 8, verse 44,
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and give you the opportunity
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to compare and to
contrast those two.
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I'll start with John
14 and verse number 6.
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In John 14, verse
number 6, Jesus says, or,
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"Jesus said to him, 'I am the
way, the truth, and the life.
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No one comes to the
Father except through me.'"
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And then we're
going to contrast that
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with John 8, verse
44, where Jesus says,
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"You are of your
father the devil,
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"and the desires of
your father you want to do.
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"He was a murderer
from the beginning,
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"and does not
stand in the truth,
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"because there
is no truth in him.
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"When he speaks a lie,
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"he speaks from
his own resources,
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for he is a liar
and the father of it."
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So, one of these verses
is clearly describing Jesus,
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and the other is clearly
describing the adversary.
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Help us to draw some
things out of these verses.
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>>Mark: Well, Jesus
is the author of truth,
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and all truth resides in Christ,
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and so Jesus reveals
the truth of His Word
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to lead us on the
pathway of eternal life.
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Truth can only take one form.
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For example, if I say
one plus one equals two,
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or three plus two equals five,
or five times six equals 30,
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how many right answers
are five times six equal 30?
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It's not 31; it's not
28. It's one right answer.
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So, truth can take one
form; error can take many.
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So, here Satan is
the father of lies.
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He will do everything he can to
confuse the mind, to lie to us.
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There's another aspect of
that, too, when Jesus says,
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"I am the way, the
truth, and the life."
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When Christ
reveals the truth to us,
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He reveals the
truth about salvation,
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the truth about His Word,
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the truth about the fact
that we are children of God,
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the truth about the fact
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that He's doing
everything He can to save us.
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The devil reveals
lies to us; he speaks lies.
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He says, "You're
unworthy; you cannot be saved."
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He says, "Your sins are too
great; you cannot be saved."
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He says that you have no
self-worth or self-esteem.
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In Christ we find
the truth about Jesus,
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but we also find the
truth about ourselves.
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We find the truth
about the plan of salvation.
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Satan wants to distort all
that and confuse our thinking.
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>>Eric: Pastor Mark,
when we talk about truth,
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years ago, I think,
many people accepted
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that there is a
truth, there is one truth.
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Today it's become more and
more popular to believe that
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I have my truth, and you
have your truth, and we all have
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our own truths, and they don't
necessarily have to agree--
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which, if you stop
and think about it,
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doesn't make a
whole lot of sense,
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but that doesn't stop
it from being popular.
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In this lesson you talk
about the source of truth.
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What is the source of truth,
and why is it so important
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for us to understand that?
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>>Mark: You know, it's
really kind of amusing to me,
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Pastor Eric, when people
say, "Oh, I have my truth,
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you have your truth,
and truth is relative."
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Well, would you say
that to your employer?
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"You have your truth.
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"I'm supposed to be here at
eight o'clock in the morning,
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but I got my truth. I wanna
sleep in till 10:00." [laughs]
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You know, I don't think
the employer would accept that.
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There are certain principles.
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What about the law of gravity?
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You know, I've got my
truth, and I'm going to step off
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the Grand Canyon because
I think I'm going to go up.
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That's not
truth; that's delusion.
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You know, the law of
inertia, bodies in motion
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remain in motion unless they're
stopped by some outside force.
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That's why I can't drive down
the highway in the wrong lane
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and hit a trailer truck
and think I'm going to survive,
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you see? So, there
are objective truths
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in the area of
anatomy and physiology.
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There are objective truths.
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You can say, "I've got my
truth; you've got your truth;
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you can smoke all you want." No.
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A high-fat diet
predisposes me to heart disease.
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There are objective truths.
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So, in the Word of God we
find in John 17, verse 17,
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Jesus saying to us, "Sanctify
them through Thy [word]:
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Thy word is truth."
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So, truth is not a matter
of my definition, truth is not
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a matter of what I think, it's
not a matter of what I guess.
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Biblical truth, the truth of
morality, the truth of ethics,
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is found in the Word of God,
and just like scientific truth,
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just like truth about
anatomy and physiology,
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it's very objective, very clear.
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>>Eric: Truth is important
for us to understand, to grasp,
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to accept if we want to function
in this world in preparation
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for heaven.
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Paul kind of
keeps this idea going.
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I'd like to read something that
Paul writes--or describes Paul--
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in Acts 20,
verses 27 through 32.
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I'll take a
moment to read that here.
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Acts 20, beginning
in verse number 27.
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It says, "For I have not
shunned to declare to you
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"the whole counsel of God.
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"Therefore take heed to
yourselves and to all the flock,
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"among which the Holy
Spirit has made you overseers,
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"to shepherd the church of God
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"which He
purchased with His own blood.
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"For I know this, that
after my departure savage wolves
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"will come in among
you, not sparing the flock.
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"Also from among
yourselves men will rise up,
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"speaking perverse things,
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"to draw away the
disciples after themselves.
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"Therefore watch, and remember
that for three years I did
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"not cease to warn everyone
night and day with tears.
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"So now, brethren, I commend
you to God and to the word
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"of His grace, which is able
to build you up and give you
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an inheritance among all
those who are sanctified."
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What idea is he
trying to get across here?
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And then I want to read another
passage from 2 Thessalonians.
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>>Mark: Well, Paul, Pastor Eric,
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is meeting with
the elders at Ephesus.
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He's at a place called Miletus.
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I visited that place,
great preserved ruins there.
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And so, the elders know
that Paul is going by ship;
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the ship is going
to stop at Miletus.
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They hasten from
Ephesus to meet him.
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He pours his soul out to them.
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He says in verse 27, "I
have not shunned to declare
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the whole counsel of God."
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In other words, Paul says, I'm
not resisting sharing with you
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the truths of God's Word
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because I'm afraid
you won't accept them.
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This is God's counsel,
and by the Holy Spirit,
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as church leaders, share
this counsel with the church.
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Then he says, "Take
heed to yourselves."
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In other words, be
careful; watch out; be on guard.
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"Take heed to
yourselves and to all the flock,
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which the Holy Spirit
has made you overseers."
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Then, "I know this,
after my [departing]
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savage wolves will come in."
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So, there will be
persecution from without.
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The early Christian church faced
Roman persecution from without.
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Many were burned at the stake,
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others were
killed with the sword,
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some were imprisoned, and
some even thrown to lions,
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savage wolves,
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and Paul was saying it's only
the counsel of the Word of God,
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only the truth of God's
Word that can preserve you.
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But then he makes
this amazing statement.
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Verse 30: "Also among
yourselves men will rise up"--
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from where, from
where?-- "among yourselves,"
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right in the midst
of the Christian church.
00:10:37.80\00:10:40.47
They'll speak "perverse"--
or crooked--"things....
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Watch, and remember."
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And then he says, verse 32,
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"I commend you" the Word of God
that's "able to build you up...
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give you an inheritance
among...[the] sanctified."
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What Paul is actually
saying is beware of two things.
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First, persecution from without,
the persecution that comes
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from what he calls savage
wolves that want to destroy you.
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But second, and even
more deadly, there'll be those
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that rise among you
within the Christian church
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that will teach error for truth,
they'll bring in compromise,
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and Paul says there's
only one way to avoid that:
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"I commend [to] you" the Word
of God that can "build you up."
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>>Eric: And Paul gives us
this warning in several places,
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actually, quite a few places.
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I'm thinking of 2
Thessalonians here, chapter, 2;
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I'll read a few verses.
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This is chapter, 2,
verses 7 through 12.
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He says, "For the mystery of
lawlessness is already at work;
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"only He who now
restrains will do so
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"until He is
taken out of the way.
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"And then the lawless one
will be revealed, whom the Lord
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"will consume with the
breath of His mouth and destroy
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"with the
brightness of His coming.
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"The coming of the lawless
one is according to the working
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"of Satan, with all
power, signs, and lying wonders,
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"and with all
unrighteous deception
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"among those who perish,
because they did not receive
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"the love of the truth,
that they might be saved.
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"And for this reason God
will send them strong delusion,
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"that they
should believe the lie,
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"that they all may be condemned
who did not believe the truth
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but had pleasure
in unrighteousness."
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It sounds here like
truth is really important.
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>>Mark: It is
incredibly important.
00:12:22.17\00:12:23.97
There'll be a day when
the Holy Spirit is withdrawn.
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There'll be a day that
church and state unite.
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There'll be a day
that the antichrist reigns
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upon the throne of this world.
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But, Paul says, why
are people deceived?
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Because they received
not the love of the truth,
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so they believe a lie.
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So you can never know a lie,
you can only know the truth,
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but you can believe a lie.
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And so, Paul is saying
is the truth of God's Word,
00:12:49.90\00:12:53.90
the Scriptures,
are the safeguard
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against the lies of
Satan in the last days.
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>>Eric: And that's really why
we're studying this quarter's
00:13:00.61\00:13:03.24
lesson, is to be able to discern
truth from error, understand
00:13:03.28\00:13:06.75
the light and the darkness,
the right and the wrong,
00:13:06.78\00:13:09.02
black and white, and
all the mixture in between
00:13:09.05\00:13:15.69
that sometimes we
can get confused about.
00:13:15.72\00:13:18.06
Pastor Mark,
there is a supplement,
00:13:18.09\00:13:21.20
a complement to this quarter's
study guide; it is another book
00:13:21.23\00:13:24.87
that is called "The
War Between Good and Evil."
00:13:24.90\00:13:27.77
Tell us a little
bit about that book
00:13:27.80\00:13:29.77
and why we might
want to pick that up.
00:13:29.80\00:13:32.11
>>Mark: "The War Between
Good and Evil" takes the themes
00:13:32.14\00:13:35.41
that we have been studying each
week in our "Sabbath School"
00:13:35.44\00:13:38.18
lessons and expands upon them.
00:13:38.21\00:13:40.65
We go into stories of Christian
history, Christian martyrs
00:13:40.68\00:13:45.75
who stood firm for Christ.
00:13:45.79\00:13:47.92
We reveal their
dedication and their commitment.
00:13:47.96\00:13:51.56
We look at early
Adventist history and talk about
00:13:51.59\00:13:55.70
the faithfulness of
early Adventist believers.
00:13:55.73\00:13:59.37
But then the book, the
last four or five chapters,
00:13:59.40\00:14:02.87
focuses on
end-time, last-day events
00:14:02.90\00:14:06.24
and really illuminates
what's coming in the future.
00:14:06.27\00:14:10.51
I know it would be a great
blessing to your viewers, Eric.
00:14:10.55\00:14:13.75
>>Eric: So that
book, once again, is called
00:14:13.78\00:14:15.62
"The War Between Good and Evil."
00:14:15.65\00:14:17.79
The author is Pastor
Mark Finley, and you can find
00:14:17.82\00:14:20.99
that book very easily by
going to itiswritten.shop.
00:14:21.02\00:14:26.19
Again, that's itiswritten.shop.
00:14:26.23\00:14:29.43
We're going to be
coming back in just a moment
00:14:29.46\00:14:31.00
as we continue looking at
light shining in the darkness,
00:14:31.03\00:14:34.84
so that we can understand
the significance of this subject
00:14:34.87\00:14:38.34
and prepare for the days
ahead. We'll be right back.
00:14:38.37\00:14:41.24
[uplifting music]
00:14:41.28\00:14:43.28
>>Male announcer: If you'd like
to deepen your understanding
00:14:45.78\00:14:47.52
of the powerful themes
brought out in this program,
00:14:47.55\00:14:49.95
we invite you
to explore the book
00:14:49.98\00:14:51.75
"The Great Controversy."
00:14:51.79\00:14:53.49
For more information, simply
text the code "GC24" to 71392.
00:14:53.52\00:14:58.59
This book delves into
critical end-time themes,
00:14:58.63\00:15:01.23
offering profound
insights into historical events,
00:15:01.26\00:15:04.30
Bible prophecy, and
spiritual preparation
00:15:04.33\00:15:06.90
essential for
today's unique challenges.
00:15:06.94\00:15:09.50
Discover how "The
Great Controversy"
00:15:09.54\00:15:11.51
can illuminate your path
in these uncertain times.
00:15:11.54\00:15:14.51
>>John Bradshaw: You
know that at It Is Written
00:15:15.91\00:15:17.58
we are serious about
studying the Word of God,
00:15:17.61\00:15:19.78
and we encourage you
to be serious as well.
00:15:19.81\00:15:22.52
Well, here's what you do
if you want to dig deeper
00:15:22.55\00:15:24.85
into God's Word: go
to itiswritten.study
00:15:24.89\00:15:27.82
for the It Is Written
Bible Study Guides online,
00:15:27.86\00:15:30.73
25 in-depth Bible
studies that will take you
00:15:30.76\00:15:33.40
through the major
teachings of the Bible.
00:15:33.43\00:15:35.70
You'll be
blessed, and it's something
00:15:35.73\00:15:37.50
you'll want to tell
others about as well:
00:15:37.53\00:15:39.17
itiswritten.study.
00:15:39.20\00:15:40.90
Go further: itiswritten.study.
00:15:40.94\00:15:43.61
>>John: Welcome
to "Line Upon Line,"
00:15:45.74\00:15:47.08
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:15:47.11\00:15:49.41
[upbeat music]
00:15:49.44\00:15:52.05
"If the atonement was
complete at the cross,
00:15:52.08\00:15:55.45
"then what is Christ
doing in the most holy place
00:15:55.48\00:15:59.19
of the heavenly sanctuary?"
00:15:59.22\00:16:01.29
[upbeat music continues]
00:16:01.32\00:16:03.12
"Does the soul leave the body
00:16:03.16\00:16:05.76
once the heart
stops beating or before?"
00:16:05.79\00:16:10.27
[music continues]
00:16:10.30\00:16:12.43
>>Wes Peppers: Yeah, it's
very simply the combination
00:16:12.47\00:16:15.44
of the body and
the breath of life.
00:16:15.47\00:16:17.44
>>John: How do
you know it does not?
00:16:17.47\00:16:18.77
Because it sounds like it
does. >>Wes: It sounds like it.
00:16:18.81\00:16:20.71
Sometimes the Bible will say
certain things, and it sounds
00:16:20.74\00:16:23.85
like it's saying something,
but when you compare that
00:16:23.88\00:16:26.25
to the rest of the Bible, you
find it's really not doing that.
00:16:26.28\00:16:29.35
>>John: And, you know, it's
good to have curious questions
00:16:29.38\00:16:31.75
about some of these things, but
at times we're just not told.
00:16:31.79\00:16:34.66
More "Line Upon Line"
in a moment, brought to you
00:16:34.69\00:16:37.26
by It Is Written.
00:16:37.29\00:16:39.26
[upbeat music]
00:16:39.29\00:16:43.26
[uplifting music]
00:16:45.97\00:16:50.34
>>Eric: Welcome
back to "Sabbath School,"
00:16:50.37\00:16:51.94
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:16:51.97\00:16:53.61
We are looking at light
shining in the darkness,
00:16:53.64\00:16:57.01
and, Pastor Mark, I'm
going to read another couple
00:16:57.05\00:16:59.18
of Bible verses here, and we've
been looking at truth and error,
00:16:59.21\00:17:03.08
right and wrong,
light and darkness,
00:17:03.12\00:17:05.09
and we see this
theme over and over again.
00:17:05.12\00:17:07.62
This is John 17,
verses 15 through 17.
00:17:07.66\00:17:11.99
In John 17,
verse 15, Jesus says,
00:17:12.03\00:17:14.63
"I do not pray that You should
take them out of the world,
00:17:14.66\00:17:18.33
"but that You should
keep them from the evil one.
00:17:18.37\00:17:21.40
They are not of the world,
just as I am not of the world."
00:17:21.44\00:17:25.21
Then in verse 17, he says,
"Sanctify them by Your truth.
00:17:25.24\00:17:28.91
Your word is truth."
00:17:28.94\00:17:31.88
And over in the book of Acts,
chapter 20, in verse number 32
00:17:31.91\00:17:35.52
we find these words written:
00:17:35.55\00:17:37.49
"So now, brethren, I commend
you to God and to the word
00:17:37.52\00:17:41.16
"of His grace, which is able
to build you up and give you
00:17:41.19\00:17:44.93
an inheritance among all
those who are sanctified."
00:17:44.96\00:17:48.40
So, we read that verse
just a little while ago,
00:17:48.43\00:17:50.27
but we're comparing
that over here to John 17.
00:17:50.30\00:17:53.07
How does the Word of God
help us to not be deceived
00:17:53.10\00:17:58.01
if we are willing to
read it and understand it
00:17:58.04\00:18:01.08
and believe it and put it
into practice in our lives?
00:18:01.11\00:18:04.28
>>Mark: The Word of God
reveals the truth of God
00:18:04.31\00:18:08.15
for the people of God to prepare
them for the coming of God
00:18:08.18\00:18:13.25
or the coming of Jesus Christ.
00:18:13.29\00:18:15.02
So, the Word is God's
objective statement of reality.
00:18:15.06\00:18:20.56
It's a roadmap
from earth to heaven.
00:18:20.60\00:18:23.50
And so, when the Bible says,
"Sanctify them through Thy word:
00:18:23.53\00:18:28.14
Thy word is truth,"
notice the word "sanctify."
00:18:28.17\00:18:34.31
The word "sanctify"
means "set them apart."
00:18:34.34\00:18:37.88
It means "to cleanse
them, make them holy."
00:18:37.91\00:18:41.12
The Word of God
is the living Word.
00:18:41.15\00:18:44.39
When the seed of the
Word is planted in the soil
00:18:44.42\00:18:48.56
of our minds, it transforms
and changes our lives.
00:18:48.59\00:18:53.93
God moves
powerfully through His Word.
00:18:53.96\00:18:59.20
Jesus is exalted
through the living Word of God
00:18:59.23\00:19:05.61
to reveal to us His truth.
00:19:05.64\00:19:08.58
>>Eric: And as you mentioned,
that truth is objective.
00:19:08.61\00:19:12.05
It doesn't matter whether we
believe it or not, it remains
00:19:12.08\00:19:15.05
the truth, and there's
some significant consequences
00:19:15.08\00:19:17.95
both ways if we believe
it and walk in it or not.
00:19:17.99\00:19:21.59
Pastor Mark, on Tuesday's lesson
there are a couple of paragraphs
00:19:21.62\00:19:25.39
that I think are very powerful,
the last two paragraphs
00:19:25.43\00:19:28.30
on Tuesday's lesson.
00:19:28.33\00:19:30.53
I'd like to give you an
opportunity to read those
00:19:30.57\00:19:33.77
and to also just elaborate
on them a little bit and share
00:19:33.80\00:19:38.41
why you think those are so
important, why those words were
00:19:38.44\00:19:42.98
penned by you and incorporated
into this quarter's lesson.
00:19:43.01\00:19:46.38
>>Mark: Sure, you
know, as I was thinking about
00:19:46.41\00:19:48.38
the truth of God's
Word, I was thinking about
00:19:48.42\00:19:51.29
what would you know about Jesus
if you didn't have the Bible?
00:19:51.32\00:19:54.06
I mean, what would you
know about the plan of salvation
00:19:54.09\00:19:56.12
if you didn't have the Bible?
00:19:56.16\00:19:57.23
So, I wrote these words;
this is Tuesday's lesson:
00:19:57.26\00:20:00.93
"After all, what would we
know about the plan of salvation
00:20:00.96\00:20:04.53
"[if we didn't have] the Bible?
00:20:04.57\00:20:06.63
"How much, if anything, would
we understand about the birth,
00:20:06.67\00:20:09.40
"life, teachings,
and ministry of Jesus?
00:20:09.44\00:20:12.07
"Without the Scriptures, would
we even begin to comprehend
00:20:12.11\00:20:14.61
"the depth of
Christ's sacrifice,
00:20:14.64\00:20:16.41
"the glory of His resurrection,
00:20:16.44\00:20:17.98
the power of His intercession,
and the majesty of His return?"
00:20:18.01\00:20:21.88
I mean, I think the
answer to the question,
00:20:21.92\00:20:23.49
Pastor Eric, is obvious.
00:20:23.52\00:20:25.32
If we did not have the
Bible, we would be ignorant
00:20:25.35\00:20:29.22
of the great plan of salvation.
00:20:29.26\00:20:32.49
And then I go on to
write, "All these crucial truths
00:20:32.53\00:20:35.90
"are revealed, taught, and
emphasized in the Word of God.
00:20:35.93\00:20:39.40
"It, and it alone, must be
the final and ultimate standard
00:20:39.43\00:20:43.61
"for understanding all...truth.
00:20:43.64\00:20:45.94
"Hence, we must fight
against any and all attempts
00:20:45.97\00:20:49.11
"to undermine its
authority or inspiration,
00:20:49.14\00:20:51.71
"even from those who,
while professing great love
00:20:51.75\00:20:54.88
"of the Bible, bring
doubts about it, even subtly.
00:20:54.92\00:20:58.25
"Tragically, especially through
the inroads of modern thinking,
00:20:58.29\00:21:02.06
"many theologians and Christians
focus so much on the human side
00:21:02.09\00:21:05.33
"of Scripture that the
Bible becomes the word of man
00:21:05.36\00:21:08.20
[rather than] the Word of God."
00:21:08.23\00:21:10.57
And then the last
paragraph, I take a little shot
00:21:10.60\00:21:15.07
at some of those who
are criticizing the Bible,
00:21:15.10\00:21:18.14
and I say, "Really, now?"
00:21:18.17\00:21:20.01
If the Bible is of no
relevance, "Really, now?
00:21:20.04\00:21:22.28
"If this were true,
why should we, living today
00:21:22.31\00:21:24.88
"in the twenty-first
century, really care about
00:21:24.91\00:21:27.72
what these people thought"--
that is, the Bible writers,
00:21:27.75\00:21:30.25
if they're just human writers--
00:21:30.29\00:21:32.49
"much less...what they
thought about the foundation
00:21:32.52\00:21:35.42
[of] our hope [for] eternity?"
00:21:35.46\00:21:37.19
In other words, if the Bible
is simply culturally shaped--
00:21:37.23\00:21:41.40
now, we do not deny that
there are cultural influences
00:21:41.43\00:21:44.80
in the Bible, but the
inspiration of the Bible,
00:21:44.83\00:21:48.50
God works through human
agents to pen His divine Word.
00:21:48.54\00:21:54.78
Sure, they are a
product of their culture,
00:21:54.81\00:21:56.85
but what God reveals to them
and how they write that down
00:21:56.88\00:22:01.82
is the living Word
of God inspired by God.
00:22:01.85\00:22:05.99
That's why 2 Timothy 3:16 says,
00:22:06.02\00:22:08.32
"All scripture is
given by inspiration of God."
00:22:08.36\00:22:10.76
So, we don't deny that these
men were part of their culture.
00:22:10.79\00:22:14.00
What we do say is that
culture does not shape,
00:22:14.00\00:22:17.73
does not overshadow,
does not become superior
00:22:17.77\00:22:23.17
to the revelation of
God, which is divine truth.
00:22:23.20\00:22:27.11
Over 3,000 times in the Bible,
it says God revealed truth.
00:22:27.14\00:22:32.81
God said, God
said, God revealed truth.
00:22:32.85\00:22:36.05
So, I can take the
Bible in my hands and know
00:22:36.08\00:22:38.69
that it is the
living Word of God.
00:22:38.72\00:22:41.46
>>Eric: And in a world today
where truth, as you mentioned,
00:22:41.49\00:22:45.69
seems relative,
it's nice to know
00:22:45.73\00:22:48.56
that we can
hold on to something.
00:22:48.60\00:22:50.67
On Wednesday's lesson
you tell a story about
00:22:50.70\00:22:52.93
being lost in the woods.
00:22:52.97\00:22:54.54
Share that story with
us and why that's important
00:22:54.57\00:22:57.01
to our discussion.
00:22:57.04\00:22:58.61
>>Mark: Well, my
wife and I were flying,
00:22:58.64\00:23:00.54
I think it was to
the Middle East, it was,
00:23:00.58\00:23:02.21
and we stopped over in
Switzerland, we had a night
00:23:02.24\00:23:04.88
because our plane flew
from the United States,
00:23:04.91\00:23:08.08
got to Switzerland mid to
late afternoon, and then we were
00:23:08.12\00:23:12.42
to go the next day to
fly to the Middle East.
00:23:12.45\00:23:14.86
So, sundown probably
wasn't until 7:30 or 8 o'clock,
00:23:14.89\00:23:18.96
so we had some time.
00:23:18.99\00:23:20.30
We were staying in a
hotel not far from the mountains
00:23:20.33\00:23:22.80
with some forest, and I said to
my wife, "Look, this is amazing.
00:23:22.83\00:23:26.87
We've stopped in
Switzerland; let's go hiking."
00:23:26.90\00:23:29.17
So, we begin to hike,
00:23:29.20\00:23:30.44
and she said, "Are you
sure you know the way?"
00:23:30.47\00:23:31.94
I said, "No problem,
dear, I know the way."
00:23:31.97\00:23:34.14
Kept hiking
further into the forest--
00:23:34.18\00:23:35.48
"Are you sure you
know how to get back?"
00:23:35.51\00:23:36.81
"Oh, yeah, we're just gonna
turn around on this trail."
00:23:36.85\00:23:38.81
And then I took a
right, and I took a left,
00:23:38.85\00:23:40.52
and I took another right.
00:23:40.55\00:23:42.92
I hated to admit it, Pastor,
but I got so hopelessly lost
00:23:42.95\00:23:47.52
in the forest that I didn't know
where I was going, not at all.
00:23:47.56\00:23:51.79
The sun was setting; it
was beginning to get semi-dark.
00:23:51.83\00:23:56.97
You know, I didn't
know where I was going.
00:23:57.00\00:23:59.03
We were hopelessly lost, four or
five miles from our destination,
00:23:59.07\00:24:03.64
way out in the forest, and oh,
man, not only was I embarrassed;
00:24:03.67\00:24:08.74
I was concerned.
00:24:08.78\00:24:10.28
But then I saw some people
walking down the trail who knew
00:24:10.31\00:24:12.95
where to go, and I said
to them, "Hey, we're staying
00:24:12.98\00:24:17.02
in this hotel, and
we're kind of lost."
00:24:17.05\00:24:19.35
They said,
"Look, you're five miles
00:24:19.39\00:24:21.49
"from where you ought to be.
00:24:21.52\00:24:23.16
"Look, we've got our car
parked by the road out here.
00:24:23.19\00:24:26.19
If you come with us, we'll give
you a ride back to your hotel."
00:24:26.23\00:24:29.16
What did I need when I
was lost? I needed a guide.
00:24:29.20\00:24:33.27
I needed
somebody who knew the way.
00:24:33.30\00:24:35.94
So, the Bible is God's guide.
00:24:35.97\00:24:39.24
It reveals to us, "Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet,
00:24:39.27\00:24:44.58
and a light unto my
path." Psalm 119:105.
00:24:44.61\00:24:48.45
So, God's Word is
the objective revelation
00:24:48.48\00:24:51.69
of His will that
provides a guide for us
00:24:51.72\00:24:54.99
in these critical
times of earth's history.
00:24:55.02\00:24:59.03
>>Eric: Pastor Mark, as we're
kind of getting ready to tie off
00:24:59.06\00:25:01.93
this week's lesson, we're in
a great controversy right now,
00:25:01.96\00:25:05.30
and Satan has a
primary focus in this battle.
00:25:05.33\00:25:09.74
What is his primary focus, and
how can we guard against that?
00:25:09.77\00:25:14.44
>>Mark: Satan's
primary focus is deception.
00:25:14.48\00:25:17.91
As we read in John 8, verse 44,
00:25:17.95\00:25:20.48
he is a liar and
the father of lies.
00:25:20.52\00:25:23.02
The book of Revelation
reveals a system of religion,
00:25:23.05\00:25:29.12
a false system called Babylon,
and it says Babylon is fallen.
00:25:29.16\00:25:33.63
The word
"Babylon" means "confusion."
00:25:33.66\00:25:35.80
So, the devil's prime goal
is to confuse us, to deceive us,
00:25:35.83\00:25:40.30
to get us to think that
the Word of God is irrelevant
00:25:40.34\00:25:44.64
in this generation, to lead
us to our own human reasoning
00:25:44.67\00:25:49.58
and human thinking, as it
says in Isaiah 53, verse 5,
00:25:49.61\00:25:54.28
everyone went his own
way; as it says in Judges 5,
00:25:54.32\00:25:58.25
that they did what was
right in their own eyes.
00:25:58.29\00:26:00.59
So, the devil's goal
is to get us to live lives
00:26:00.62\00:26:03.63
separate from God and to
trust our own human reasoning.
00:26:03.66\00:26:08.23
As the Bible says, there's a way
that seems right unto the man,
00:26:08.26\00:26:11.73
Proverbs 14:12;
it ends in death.
00:26:11.77\00:26:14.07
God's plan is to lead
us to Jesus and to lead us
00:26:14.10\00:26:17.54
to desire to do Jesus' will,
00:26:17.57\00:26:19.74
to lead us to follow
Jesus' word, and by the power
00:26:19.77\00:26:23.01
of the living Christ,
to walk in the way of truth
00:26:23.04\00:26:26.51
and not in the way of error.
00:26:26.55\00:26:28.75
>>Eric: So, we want
to go to God's Word.
00:26:28.78\00:26:31.29
We want to find truth there.
00:26:31.32\00:26:33.42
How can we keep
from misinterpreting it?
00:26:33.46\00:26:36.59
Because there are many
interpretations of Scripture
00:26:36.62\00:26:39.93
out there, what's the safest way
00:26:39.96\00:26:41.26
that we can keep
heading in the right direction?
00:26:41.30\00:26:43.23
>>Mark: We keep from
misinterpreting truth
00:26:43.26\00:26:46.13
by having an honest heart.
00:26:46.17\00:26:48.10
Understanding truth is as
much a matter of the heart
00:26:48.14\00:26:51.77
as it is the mind.
00:26:51.81\00:26:53.74
In fact, Jesus says in
John 7, verse 17, "If any man
00:26:53.78\00:26:57.41
will do His will, he
shall know the doctrine."
00:26:57.45\00:27:01.62
So, the desire is to
know the will of God.
00:27:01.65\00:27:05.12
As we get on our knees and play
fair with God, we say, "God,
00:27:05.15\00:27:08.19
all I want to know is
Your will; reveal it to me."
00:27:08.22\00:27:10.33
So, first we come
with an honest heart,
00:27:10.36\00:27:12.79
then we come
with an informed mind.
00:27:12.83\00:27:14.76
We come with an honest heart
telling God, "I'll do whatever
00:27:14.83\00:27:17.80
You want me to do," and then
we come with an informed mind
00:27:17.83\00:27:20.94
asking God to
direct us through His Word.
00:27:20.97\00:27:24.71
>>Eric: And, Pastor Mark,
if we do that, we can expect
00:27:24.74\00:27:27.21
that He is indeed
going to answer that prayer.
00:27:27.24\00:27:30.28
I want to thank you once again,
Pastor Mark, for guiding us
00:27:30.31\00:27:33.05
through this week's lesson, and
I want to thank you for joining
00:27:33.08\00:27:36.62
us again this week as we
take this incredible journey
00:27:36.65\00:27:40.29
through "The Great Controversy,"
discerning truth and error,
00:27:40.32\00:27:45.06
and choosing to
follow Jesus all the way.
00:27:45.09\00:27:48.06
We look forward to having
you join us again next week
00:27:48.10\00:27:50.90
as we continue our study
here on "Sabbath School,"
00:27:50.93\00:27:53.90
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:27:53.94\00:27:56.24
[uplifting music]
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[uplifting music]
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[Captions provided by Aberdeen
Captioning www.abercap.com]
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