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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 this week
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as we continue looking
at "The Great Controversy,"
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an amazing theme that
stretches through the Bible.
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This week, we're going to be
looking at study number eight,
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"Light From the Sanctuary."
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Let's begin with prayer.
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Father, we ask that
You'll bless us this week
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as You have in the past
and help us to understand
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where we are in the
light of history and especially
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how the sanctuary
helps us to understand
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our place and time.
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We ask that You'll
bless our time together,
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and we thank You
in Jesus' name, amen.
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Well, we're grateful this
week once again to have with us
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the author of this quarter's
"Sabbath School" lesson,
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Pastor Mark Finley.
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He is an international
speaker, evangelist, and author.
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Pastor Mark, welcome back again.
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>>Mark Finley: I am
delighted to be here.
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And you know, this
subject on the sanctuary
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is one of the central
subjects of the Bible.
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Many Christians don't
understand it or don't study it,
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but it is Christ,
Christ, and more of Jesus.
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>>Eric: And as we delve
into this week's lesson,
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it's going to become
more and more evident.
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Let's start with this.
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It's called "Light
from the Sanctuary."
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When we look at this
week's lesson study title,
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"Light from the
Sanctuary," which sanctuary?
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The Bible indicates that there
are at least two sanctuaries.
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What are these sanctuaries?
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And why are they
important for us to understand?
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>>Mark: When God let Israel
out of Egypt, he said to Moses
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in Exodus 25 and verse 8,
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"Let them make me a sanctuary,
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that I [might]
dwell among them."
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The Old Testament sanctuary
was one in which there were
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two basic services,
the service of a dying lamb
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and the service
of a living priest.
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Every day sacrifices
were offered in the court.
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Every day the priest
took the blood of the animal
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or ate part of the animal
and entered into the sanctuary.
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Sin was transferred from
the sinner to the substitute
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on into the
sanctuary via the blood.
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Once a year on
the Day of Atonement,
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the high priest went
in to do what was called
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the cleansing of the sanctuary.
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So that was the
earthly sanctuary.
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Everything done in that pointed
forward to Christ's ministry.
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The court represented
Christ's death on the cross.
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But then Jesus'
ascension in ministry
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in the heavenly sanctuary--
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so two sanctuaries,
an earthly sanctuary,
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that--as we read here:
"Let them make me a sanctuary,
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that I [might]
dwell among them."
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Verse 9: "According to
all that I show you,...
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"the pattern of
the tabernacle...
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the pattern
of...its furnishings."
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So the earthly
sanctuary is a pattern,
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a scale model of the
great heavenly sanctuary
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to teach us something
about the plan of salvation.
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>>Eric: So two different
sanctuaries, one earthly
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built on the heavenly sanctuary,
but you also mentioned
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that there are a
couple of different services.
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Explain those two services
to us just a little bit more
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so we can better
understand those.
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>>Mark: In the daily
service, when a sinner sinned,
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he brought his
sacrifice to the sanctuary.
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Coming to the court,
the sinner held his hands
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over the head of the sacrifice.
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It was there that
he confessed his sin
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over the head of the sacrifice.
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The sin was transferred from
the sinner to the sacrifice.
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Sacrifice was then offered.
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The sinner had to
slay the sacrifice,
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indicating that
his sin actually had,
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had brought death, that
the wage of sin was death.
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Sacrifice then was either burned
on the altar in the court,
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some of it may be eaten,
and via the priest brought into,
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with the blood, into the
holy place of the sanctuary.
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This is called
the daily service,
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sins confessed,
blood brought in,
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sprinkled before the
veil, before the law of God
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that was broken in the
most holy place beyond the veil.
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Once a year, the high priest
entered into the sanctuary
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with blood that was not
sin-tinged blood but pure,
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and--because no sin was offered
over the head of the sacrifice--
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then that blood was
sprinkled before the mercy seat,
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cleansing, and then
taken out of the sanctuary.
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Through the priest,
sin was brought out,
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confessed over the
head of the scapegoat.
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The scapegoat then was separated
from the camp of Israel.
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But now during all this
time, Israel gathered around
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on the Day of Atonement
and prayed and sought God
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and repented of their sin.
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So in these two services
represent Christ's work for us
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as sacrifice and priest in
that daily service every day.
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But then there's that special
day called the Day of Atonement,
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the Day of Judgment
that we're living in now
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that we pointed
out in the last lesson
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where all Israel
gathered around the camp.
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So this is the Day of
Atonement, time of the end,
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a time for God's people to
be serious about their faith,
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serious about their religion,
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a time for God's people to
be in confession, repentance,
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seeking God,
opening their hearts to God,
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and asking Him to cleanse them.
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>>Eric: So we have now a
general idea and understanding
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of the daily service
and the yearly service
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on the Day of Atonement.
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And you mentioned when we began
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that the sanctuary
service is all about Jesus,
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that you find Jesus
permeating this service.
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So we hear about the
priest bringing the lamb
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and slaying it and bringing
the blood in and so forth.
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Where do we find
Jesus in all of this?
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How does He, how does
He percolate to the top,
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if we rightly
understand these services?
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>>Mark: First, the sinner could
not forgive their own sins.
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They had to come with this lamb.
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We come with the Lamb of God.
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John the Baptist
in John 1, verse 29,
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speaking about Jesus, said,
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"Behold! The Lamb of
God [that] takes away
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the sin of the world!"
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So first we see
Jesus in the dying lamb
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or the dying sacrifice.
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There are multiple
kinds of sacrifices.
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As the priest
enters into the sanctuary,
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there's the table of showbread.
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We see there
Jesus, the bread of life.
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There is the candlestick.
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We see Jesus as
the light of our life.
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There is the incense.
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We see Jesus mingling
His prayers with ours.
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When you enter into the most
holy place of the sanctuary,
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we see Jesus
between the cherubim
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with the Father on the throne
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as the Shekinah
glory manifests itself.
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Jesus is the
priest. Jesus is the lamb.
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He's the dying lamb,
He's the living priest,
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and we find this
illusion throughout
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the book of
Hebrews, particularly.
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In the book of Hebrews,
which is the New Testament book
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on the sanctuary, we
see Jesus' sacrifices
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better than earthly sacrifices.
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Jesus' priesthood is better
than the earthly priesthood.
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Jesus' sanctuary
in heaven is better
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than the earthly sanctuary.
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So it's all about Jesus.
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>>Eric: So the book of
Hebrews, some great chapters,
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Hebrews 8, Hebrews 9--
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I mean, they're
all great chapters,
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but in Hebrews 8 and
Hebrews 9 we see clearly
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the sanctuary message,
the sanctuary picture there.
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When we talk about the
cleansing of the sanctuary,
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the Day of Atonement,
bring that together for us
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with the pre-Advent judgment.
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How does--when Jesus is
coming back, He needs to know
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what rewards to
give different people.
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So it would make sense
that there would have to be
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some sort of a judgment
that takes place prior to that.
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How does that all
fit together for us?
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>>Mark: The purpose of
the pre-Advent judgment
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or the investigative judgment
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is not to tell God
who's saved or lost.
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He already knows that.
[chuckling] He knows everything.
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But it's to reveal to the entire
universe that God has done
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everything He could to
save every human being.
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You know, in
Revelation, chapter 14, verse 7,
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in that great message called
the three angels' messages,
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Revelation 14, verse 7, says,
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"Fear God and give glory to Him,
for the hour of His judgment
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"has come; and worship Him
[that] made heaven...earth,
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the sea and [the
fountains] of waters."
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Now, notice the hour of
God's judgment has come.
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The whole universe looks
in on the judgment scene.
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That's what Daniel 7 says:
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Thousands times ten
thousand came before Him;
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"The judgment was
set,... the books were opened."
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So there in the cosmic judgment,
God reveals that there's
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nothing else He could
have done to save humanity.
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He sent His Son to come to die.
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He sent the Holy
Spirit to impress our hearts.
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He revealed Himself
through the providences of life.
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Christ has done
everything He could to save us.
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And it says the hour of
God's judgment has come.
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So Revelation says
the judgment hour is here.
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You know, Jesus in
Matthew 12, verse 36, says that,
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"Every idle
word...men shall speak,
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they shall give account...
in the day of judgment."
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The apostle Paul says
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every one of us will give
account of himself before God.
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So Jesus and Paul point
forward to a future judgment.
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But Revelation says the
hour of God's judgment has come.
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Why? Revelation,
chapter 22 puts it this way.
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Revelation, chapter
22, verse 11 and then 12,
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could you read
those for us, Eric?
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>>Eric: "He who is unjust, let
him be unjust still; he who is
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"filthy, let him be filthy
still; he who is righteous,
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"let him be righteous still;
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"he who is holy,
let him be holy still.
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"And behold, I am
coming quickly, and my reward
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is with me, to give to every
one according to his work."
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>>Mark: So Jesus is
coming to give out the rewards.
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Before He comes, the decree goes
forth that every human being
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has fixed their
character by their choices.
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So God has worked in every
life to save every human being.
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There's nothing more that
God could have done to save us
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than He hasn't done.
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The decree goes
forth-- he that is righteous,
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let him be righteous still;
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he that is holy,
let him be holy still;
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he that is unrighteous,
let him be unrighteous still,
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and he that is unholy,
let him be unholy still.
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Every person has made
their final irrevocable choice.
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And the judgment in
heaven acknowledges the choices
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that people have made
for or against Christ.
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So the judgment reveals
God's love, and it reveals
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that those who are not
saved, those that are lost
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are saved
because of their choices,
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not because of some arbitrary
act on the part of God.
00:11:20.61\00:11:23.08
>>Eric: So some people get this
idea that God's up there looking
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for reasons to condemn
people, to shoot the proverbial
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lightning bolt from
His fingertips, as it were.
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That's not the picture
that we get here of all, at all.
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It's a picture of a
loving God. >>Mark: It is.
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And you know, one of
the passages that really has
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impacted my life recently--you
know, I've read it many times--
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is Daniel, chapter 7.
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And it talks about what
happens in the judgment.
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Daniel 7, verse 21 and
22, Daniel 7, verse 21 and 22:
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"I was watching; and the same
horn"--that's the little horn,
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the medieval church, the papal
power revived in the last days--
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"was making war against
the saints, and prevailing
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"against them, until
the Ancient of Days came,
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"and a judgment was made in
favor of the saints of [God],
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and the time came for the
saints to possess the kingdom."
00:12:15.80\00:12:18.83
So what this text is saying is
that all evil will be destroyed.
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And judgment is placed in
favor of the people of God.
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So why is the
judgment good news?
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Because wickedness,
evil destroyed forever.
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God's people with Christ receive
the eternal everlasting kingdom
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to live and reign
with Jesus forever.
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>>Eric: Now, if somebody is
studying this, learning about it
00:12:42.22\00:12:45.16
and wants to
understand the judgment better,
00:12:45.19\00:12:47.93
we have a companion
book for this quarter's
00:12:47.96\00:12:50.00
"Sabbath School" lesson.
00:12:50.03\00:12:51.33
Tell us a little bit about it.
00:12:51.37\00:12:52.67
>>Mark: We do. "The
War Between Good and Evil."
00:12:52.70\00:12:55.27
In the chapter on
this week's lesson,
00:12:55.30\00:12:58.31
"Light From the Sanctuary,"
we go into very specific detail
00:12:58.34\00:13:03.68
about how Jesus is the
center of the judgment,
00:13:03.71\00:13:09.48
and the Father, the
Son, the Holy Spirit
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are on trial before
the universe and how Christ
00:13:11.95\00:13:14.62
Himself vindicates
His people and is honored
00:13:14.66\00:13:20.53
before the entire universe
because of His love and grace.
00:13:20.56\00:13:24.47
>>Eric: Thank you, Pastor Mark.
00:13:24.50\00:13:26.00
And if you want
to pick that book up,
00:13:26.03\00:13:27.34
I will highly recommend it.
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Pick it up, and it
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00:13:37.61\00:13:39.51
We're going to be back in
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00:13:39.55\00:13:41.85
taking a look at
"Light From the Sanctuary"
00:13:41.88\00:13:44.05
here on "Sabbath
School," brought to you
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>>Announcer: If you'd like
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00:14:22.39\00:14:23.79
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00:14:53.12\00:14:56.69
>>Eric: Welcome
back to "Sabbath School,"
00:14:56.73\00:14:58.43
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:14:58.46\00:15:00.36
We're taking a look at
"Light From the Sanctuary"
00:15:00.40\00:15:03.67
in this week's lesson.
00:15:03.70\00:15:05.43
Pastor Mark, you've spoken
at least a little bit on Jesus
00:15:05.47\00:15:08.64
and where we see Him.
00:15:08.67\00:15:10.11
But expound to us or expand
on His role just a little bit,
00:15:10.14\00:15:13.91
where we find
Him in the judgment.
00:15:13.94\00:15:16.54
>>Mark: You know, in-- if
this were an earthly court
00:15:16.58\00:15:20.25
in the judgment,
00:15:20.28\00:15:21.85
we would say Jesus has
a conflict of interest.
00:15:21.88\00:15:25.29
Here's why: Jesus, in talking
about the judgment, said,
00:15:25.32\00:15:29.89
"The Father judges no [man],
00:15:29.92\00:15:31.76
but [commits] all
judgment to the Son"--
00:15:31.79\00:15:33.96
in the Gospel of
John. So Jesus is the judge.
00:15:34.00\00:15:36.93
But then if you look at 1 John--
00:15:36.97\00:15:39.60
let's go over to 1 John.
Jesus is not only the judge,
00:15:39.63\00:15:45.04
but here, 1 John, chapter 2,
00:15:45.07\00:15:50.41
verse 1 and 2--so,
Pastor Eric, go ahead.
00:15:50.45\00:15:54.92
>>Eric: "My little children,
these things I write to you,
00:15:54.95\00:15:57.92
"so that you may not sin.
00:15:57.95\00:15:59.62
"And if anyone
sins, we have an Advocate
00:15:59.65\00:16:01.99
"with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous.
00:16:02.02\00:16:04.69
"And He Himself is the
propitiation for our sins,
00:16:04.73\00:16:08.13
and not for ours only but
also for the whole world."
00:16:08.16\00:16:11.40
>>Mark: So Jesus is our
advocate and Jesus is our judge.
00:16:11.43\00:16:15.80
So if you had that in the
court of law, if the judge
00:16:15.84\00:16:19.31
was the defense
attorney for the one condemned,
00:16:19.34\00:16:24.05
that would be a conflict
of interest, wouldn't it?
00:16:24.08\00:16:26.61
But here's the good
news of the judgment.
00:16:26.65\00:16:29.35
The One who judges us is the One
00:16:29.38\00:16:31.85
who's doing
everything He can to save us.
00:16:31.89\00:16:34.56
>>Eric: So we've got a beautiful
picture here of Jesus, His role.
00:16:34.59\00:16:37.63
He's our, He's our
judge, He's our advocate,
00:16:37.66\00:16:40.13
our defense attorney,
00:16:40.16\00:16:41.43
I heard someone else say
He should also be our friend,
00:16:41.46\00:16:45.40
and if Jesus is your judge and
your attorney and your friend,
00:16:45.43\00:16:48.57
there's really no
reason for a sincere believer
00:16:48.60\00:16:52.24
to fear the
judgment. >>Mark: Exactly.
00:16:52.27\00:16:54.41
>>Eric: But if you're
not a sincere believer,
00:16:54.44\00:16:56.44
well, there may be some concern.
00:16:56.48\00:16:58.45
But by the grace of
God, if you love Jesus
00:16:58.48\00:17:01.02
and you've turned
your life over to Him,
00:17:01.05\00:17:03.28
then there's no
reason to fear it whatsoever.
00:17:03.32\00:17:05.35
>>Mark: Exactly. You know,
we have these wonderful passages
00:17:05.39\00:17:08.02
in the book of Hebrews.
00:17:08.06\00:17:09.49
I've outlined them
here in the lesson.
00:17:09.52\00:17:12.73
For example, in
Wednesday's lesson,
00:17:12.76\00:17:14.60
"The Good News of
the Most Holy Place,"
00:17:14.63\00:17:16.63
let's take a
look at two passages.
00:17:16.67\00:17:18.60
Hebrews, chapter
4, verse 14 to 16,
00:17:18.63\00:17:22.37
this is on Wednesday's lesson,
Hebrews 4, verse 14 to 16,
00:17:22.40\00:17:27.61
and maybe you can read those.
00:17:27.64\00:17:29.48
>>Eric: "Seeing then that
we have a great High Priest
00:17:29.51\00:17:32.15
"who has passed
through the heavens,
00:17:32.18\00:17:33.85
"Jesus the Son of God, let
us hold fast our confession.
00:17:33.88\00:17:38.05
"For we do not
have a High Priest
00:17:38.09\00:17:39.85
"who cannot sympathize
00:17:39.89\00:17:41.22
"with our weaknesses,
but was in all points tempted
00:17:41.26\00:17:44.49
"as we are, yet without sin.
00:17:44.53\00:17:47.66
"Let us therefore come
boldly to the throne of grace,
00:17:47.66\00:17:51.27
"that we may obtain
mercy and find grace
00:17:51.30\00:17:54.20
to help in time of need."
00:17:54.24\00:17:56.44
>>Mark: Christ died for us.
00:17:56.47\00:17:58.07
Christ ascended
to heaven for us.
00:17:58.11\00:18:00.58
Christ is our High
Priest in verse 14:
00:18:00.61\00:18:03.31
"Seeing then [because] we
have a great High Priest,"
00:18:03.35\00:18:07.25
He's "passed into the heavens."
00:18:07.28\00:18:09.15
Let's "hold
fast our confession."
00:18:09.18\00:18:11.72
We don't have a High
Priest who can't "sympathize
00:18:11.75\00:18:13.79
with our weaknesses."
00:18:13.82\00:18:15.02
Notice it says He was tempted
"in all points" like we are.
00:18:15.06\00:18:17.96
You know, sometimes
people ask the question,
00:18:17.99\00:18:20.93
how could Jesus be tempted
in all points like we are?
00:18:20.96\00:18:23.80
Jesus was not a
woman who ever went through
00:18:23.83\00:18:26.33
the process of a divorce.
00:18:26.37\00:18:28.04
How could be a--how could
He feel the grief, the sorrow,
00:18:28.07\00:18:30.31
the heartache of a woman
whose husband has left her
00:18:30.34\00:18:33.07
for somebody else?
00:18:33.11\00:18:34.58
Jesus never had cancer,
00:18:34.61\00:18:37.01
didn't go through the
agony of chemotherapy.
00:18:37.05\00:18:40.22
How can He ever help
me with my discouragement
00:18:40.25\00:18:43.18
when I go through
those kind of things?
00:18:43.22\00:18:44.75
Jesus was not a
drug addict, you know;
00:18:44.79\00:18:47.06
how can He help a
person going through drugs?
00:18:47.09\00:18:50.59
And the way I think one
needs to see this is this
00:18:50.63\00:18:53.40
when it says He's tempted
in all points like we are.
00:18:53.43\00:18:57.47
First, Jesus never
went through a divorce,
00:18:57.50\00:19:02.54
but His closest
friends left Him.
00:19:02.57\00:19:07.04
When He hung on the
cross, He hung there alone.
00:19:07.08\00:19:09.74
Since Christ's
capacity to love is greater
00:19:09.78\00:19:13.58
than any of our
capacities to love,
00:19:13.62\00:19:16.79
when Judas betrayed
Him, it caused greater pain
00:19:16.82\00:19:21.92
in Christ's
heart than any betrayal
00:19:21.96\00:19:24.59
we could possibly imagine.
00:19:24.63\00:19:26.83
When all the disciples forsook
Him, it caused greater pain.
00:19:26.86\00:19:30.67
So Christ knows
the pain of betrayal.
00:19:30.70\00:19:34.60
You take the example of
chemotherapy or physical pain.
00:19:34.64\00:19:39.34
When Jesus hung
on Calvary's cross,
00:19:39.37\00:19:41.41
it was greater physical pain
than you could possibly imagine.
00:19:41.44\00:19:44.61
So He knows physical pain.
00:19:44.65\00:19:46.65
But what about
this drug business?
00:19:46.68\00:19:49.02
When Jesus was
in the wilderness,
00:19:49.05\00:19:50.35
He fasted for 40 days.
During that period of time,
00:19:50.39\00:19:55.09
the cravings
that He had for food
00:19:55.12\00:19:57.69
were greater than the
cravings of any drug addict,
00:19:57.73\00:20:02.03
any alcoholic,
00:20:02.06\00:20:03.57
any person that's
trying to give up tobacco.
00:20:03.60\00:20:05.80
So the physical
cravings that you may have,
00:20:05.83\00:20:09.90
the loneliness
that you may experience,
00:20:09.94\00:20:12.54
the pain that
you may experience.
00:20:12.57\00:20:14.71
Whatever it is, on that
point, Jesus understands
00:20:14.74\00:20:19.48
because He took
upon Himself human flesh,
00:20:19.51\00:20:22.68
and He experienced
the degree of suffering,
00:20:22.72\00:20:27.96
the degree of pain,
mental, physical, emotional,
00:20:27.99\00:20:31.59
that's greater than any
mental, physical, emotional pain
00:20:31.63\00:20:34.56
that we could ever experience.
00:20:34.60\00:20:36.30
And notice what it
says here, verse 16:
00:20:36.33\00:20:39.20
"Let us therefore come boldly"--
00:20:39.23\00:20:41.10
that's confidently--
"to the throne of grace,
00:20:41.14\00:20:43.57
that we may obtain mercy...find
grace to help in time of need."
00:20:43.61\00:20:48.01
So here you have the appeal that
we can come confidently. Why?
00:20:48.04\00:20:51.95
Because we serve a
Jesus that understands us,
00:20:51.98\00:20:55.15
a Jesus that knows heartache,
a Jesus that knows pain,
00:20:55.18\00:20:58.89
and a Jesus who's
going to be there with us.
00:20:58.92\00:21:01.99
We find this also
in Hebrews, chapter 10.
00:21:02.02\00:21:04.83
And, Pastor Eric,
let's go to Hebrews 10.
00:21:04.86\00:21:06.96
We find that in
our lesson as well.
00:21:07.00\00:21:09.10
And we'll take a look
at verse 19 and onward.
00:21:09.13\00:21:12.50
>>Eric: "Therefore, brethren,
having boldness to enter
00:21:12.53\00:21:14.97
"the Holiest by
the blood of Jesus,
00:21:15.00\00:21:17.31
"by a new and living way
which He consecrated for us
00:21:17.34\00:21:21.04
"through the veil,
that is, His flesh,
00:21:21.08\00:21:23.55
"and having a High
Priest over the house of God,
00:21:23.58\00:21:26.01
"let us draw
near with a true heart
00:21:26.05\00:21:28.35
"in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled
00:21:28.38\00:21:32.05
"from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed
00:21:32.09\00:21:34.89
"with pure water.
00:21:34.92\00:21:36.56
"Let us hold fast the confession
of our hope without wavering,
00:21:36.59\00:21:40.26
"for He who
promised is faithful.
00:21:40.30\00:21:42.96
"And let us consider one another
00:21:43.00\00:21:44.93
"in order to stir up
love and and good works,
00:21:44.97\00:21:48.20
"not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together,
00:21:48.24\00:21:50.54
"as...the manner of some,
but exhorting one another,
00:21:50.57\00:21:53.21
and so much the more as
you see the Day approaching."
00:21:53.24\00:21:56.71
>>Mark: Notice a couple
of things about this passage.
00:21:56.75\00:21:58.91
First, verse 19, "Having
boldness"-- that's confidence--
00:21:58.95\00:22:03.12
"to enter into the
Holiest by the blood of Jesus."
00:22:03.15\00:22:06.15
This was revolutionary
for ancient Israel.
00:22:06.19\00:22:09.72
Only the high priest
could enter the holiest
00:22:09.76\00:22:13.53
of the heavenly sanctuary--
of the earthly sanctuary,
00:22:13.56\00:22:15.96
only the high priest.
00:22:16.00\00:22:17.70
Here, this passage says
through Jesus we can enter
00:22:17.73\00:22:21.37
into the most holy place.
00:22:21.40\00:22:24.04
And notice what it tells us
in verse 22: "Let us draw near
00:22:24.07\00:22:28.78
with a true heart
full of assurance."
00:22:28.81\00:22:31.91
Verse 23: "Let us hold
fast the confession of our hope
00:22:31.95\00:22:35.08
without wavering, for He
who promised is faithful."
00:22:35.12\00:22:38.49
The incredible good
news of the sanctuary
00:22:38.52\00:22:40.92
is that we can draw near Jesus.
00:22:40.96\00:22:42.92
We can come right
into the presence of God,
00:22:42.96\00:22:45.13
into the Shekinah
glory of His presence
00:22:45.16\00:22:47.60
and allow His
presence to fill our lives,
00:22:47.60\00:22:50.07
to transform us, to
make us more in His image.
00:22:50.10\00:22:53.90
This is the good
news of the sanctuary.
00:22:53.94\00:22:56.87
The door of the
sanctuary is open, not shut.
00:22:56.91\00:23:00.61
And through the open door of the
sanctuary, Christ beckons you,
00:23:00.64\00:23:05.25
and He beckons me to enter in to
the most holy place experience,
00:23:05.28\00:23:09.55
where we draw
near to Him, where He--
00:23:09.58\00:23:12.49
our heart beats with His heart;
our mind beats with His mind.
00:23:12.52\00:23:16.36
We are one with Him.
00:23:16.39\00:23:18.23
That's the incredible
good news of the sanctuary.
00:23:18.26\00:23:21.46
>>Eric: So now we see Jesus
in the sanctuary more clearly.
00:23:21.50\00:23:25.27
As we face the
judgment, we need to have hope.
00:23:25.30\00:23:28.17
Why do we or where can we--how
do we see that hope in Jesus?
00:23:28.20\00:23:32.17
Why is it necessary for Him to
be there, for us to have hope?
00:23:32.21\00:23:38.31
>>Mark: Because without Jesus,
we stand before a holy God
00:23:38.35\00:23:43.92
condemned by the
law that we have broken.
00:23:43.95\00:23:48.39
In Jesus, we stand before a
holy God condemned by the law
00:23:48.42\00:23:53.56
that we've broken, but we
stand in Christ's righteousness,
00:23:53.60\00:23:58.17
in Christ's perfection,
in Christ's goodness.
00:23:58.20\00:24:01.74
And because we stand
there that way in Christ,
00:24:01.77\00:24:06.51
the Father accepts us
00:24:06.54\00:24:09.18
as He would
accept His own Son Jesus.
00:24:09.21\00:24:11.78
But it even gets
better than that--
00:24:11.81\00:24:13.62
if it could get
better than that.
00:24:13.65\00:24:15.95
Not only by faith
right now do we stand
00:24:15.98\00:24:19.22
in the most holy place, accepted
in the beloved by Christ,
00:24:19.25\00:24:24.23
but we stand in
the most holy place
00:24:24.26\00:24:26.83
transformed by the grace of God.
00:24:26.86\00:24:29.70
We come to Jesus just as we are.
00:24:29.73\00:24:33.34
But we come, and He changes
us, and we don't stay as we are.
00:24:33.37\00:24:37.91
I love what it says in 1 John 3:
00:24:37.94\00:24:41.58
"Beloved, now are
we the sons of God,
00:24:41.61\00:24:44.51
"[yet] it doth not yet
appear what we shall be:
00:24:44.55\00:24:47.35
"[because] we
know...when He [doth] appear,
00:24:47.38\00:24:49.68
we shall be like Him"--
transformed by His grace.
00:24:49.72\00:24:53.86
>>Eric: So a beautiful
picture of Jesus and His role
00:24:53.89\00:24:57.29
in the
sanctuary, giving us hope.
00:24:57.33\00:25:00.90
In the couple of minutes
that we have left, Pastor Mark,
00:25:00.93\00:25:03.60
if somebody is grappling
with this and still lacks faith
00:25:03.63\00:25:10.37
that they are in--
00:25:10.41\00:25:12.21
that they can be in a
saving relationship with Jesus,
00:25:12.24\00:25:14.88
maybe they're
looking at themselves
00:25:14.91\00:25:16.64
and seeing how far from
Jesus' character they are.
00:25:16.68\00:25:20.35
What words of encouragement
would you give them to help them
00:25:20.38\00:25:23.35
to understand what God is doing
00:25:23.39\00:25:25.82
through the
sanctuary and through Christ,
00:25:25.85\00:25:27.82
that they might have
that gift of salvation?
00:25:27.86\00:25:30.79
>>Mark: You know, in
Hebrews, chapter 7 and verse 25,
00:25:30.83\00:25:35.80
I think, Pastor Eric, the
Bible answers that question.
00:25:35.83\00:25:40.00
Hebrews 7, verse 25,
"Therefore, He is able."
00:25:40.04\00:25:45.61
Wherever you are
today, God is able.
00:25:45.64\00:25:48.78
Whatever rung of the
spiritual ladder you are on
00:25:48.81\00:25:53.92
on this journey to heaven,
00:25:53.95\00:25:55.25
wherever you are
on this mountain path
00:25:55.28\00:25:57.72
on the way to
heaven, Jesus is able.
00:25:57.75\00:26:00.99
Whatever your past failures
are, whatever the mistakes
00:26:01.02\00:26:03.73
you've made are, whatever
the sins you've committed,
00:26:03.76\00:26:06.09
He is able--to do what?--
00:26:06.13\00:26:08.40
"to save to the uttermost those
who come to God through Him,
00:26:08.43\00:26:13.50
since He [ever] lives to
make intercession for them."
00:26:13.54\00:26:17.47
Jesus is able. Jesus is capable.
00:26:17.51\00:26:22.04
Jesus saves from the
gutter-most to the uttermost.
00:26:22.08\00:26:28.18
Jesus Christ has the power.
00:26:28.22\00:26:31.75
As we come to Him to transform
our lives, to forgive our past,
00:26:31.79\00:26:38.66
to free us from guilt,
and to give us the grace,
00:26:38.69\00:26:44.07
the strength to
live a new life in Jesus.
00:26:44.10\00:26:47.77
He is "able to
save to the uttermost."
00:26:47.80\00:26:52.11
What I would say to you is
this: Believe that promise.
00:26:52.14\00:26:55.88
Say to yourself:
Jesus can save even me.
00:26:55.91\00:26:59.75
Jesus can save even me.
00:26:59.78\00:27:03.02
And you will find the peace
that passes all understanding.
00:27:03.05\00:27:07.72
>>Eric: Thank you, Pastor Mark.
00:27:07.76\00:27:09.49
And we hope that you
have found that peace
00:27:09.52\00:27:12.16
that passes all understanding.
00:27:12.19\00:27:13.56
And if you haven't yet,
now you know how you can do it.
00:27:13.60\00:27:17.07
We are continuing
this incredible journey
00:27:17.10\00:27:19.10
through the theme of
"The Great Controversy"
00:27:19.13\00:27:21.84
as we study week by
week and lesson by lesson.
00:27:21.87\00:27:25.07
And hopefully, by the grace
of God, you are being encouraged
00:27:25.11\00:27:28.78
and emboldened on
your walk with Him.
00:27:28.81\00:27:32.11
We look forward to seeing
you again with us next week
00:27:32.15\00:27:35.18
as we continue our journey
through "The Great Controversy."
00:27:35.22\00:27:37.95
Until then, may God bless you.
00:27:37.99\00:27:39.95
And we'll see you
again on "Sabbath School,"
00:27:39.99\00:27:41.76
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:27:41.79\00:27:44.39
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¤¤¤
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[Captions provided by Aberdeen
Captioning www.abercap.com]
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