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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
you're joining us today.
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We are on a journey
through the book of John,
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looking at many
of the great themes
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in the Gospel of John.
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Thirteen lessons, we
are on lesson number 11.
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Right now we're looking at
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"The Father, the
Son, and the Spirit,"
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an interesting
study coming right up.
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But let's start with prayer.
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Father, we ask that
You'll bless our time together
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as we look at one
of the most significant
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and interesting subjects
in the Bible, and that is,
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well, really, You.
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So we ask that You
would bless our time together
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and help us to gain a
greater understanding of You.
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We thank You in Jesus' name,
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[both] amen.
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Well, we're happy to
have with us once again
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one of the
co-authors of this quarter's
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"Sabbath School"
lesson, Dr. Tom Shepherd.
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He is the senior research
professor of New Testament
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at the Theological
Seminary, Andrews University.
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And, Tom, we're
grateful to have you,
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but as I
mentioned, you're a co-author.
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Tell us a little something
about the other co-author.
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>>Thomas Shepherd: All
right, the other co-author
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of this lesson is Edwin Zinke.
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And Ed Zinke is an
old friend of mine.
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He was for a time one
of the associate directors
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of the Biblical
Research Institute.
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Now, if you don't
know what that is,
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the General Conference
has a set of biblical scholars
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and theological
scholars who are resident there
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in the General Conference,
and they help to resolve
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and study issues of theology
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and biblical interpretation
for the church worldwide.
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So it's an
important role that they play,
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and I'm glad that they have
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this Biblical
Research Institute.
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They also have a committee
that goes along with it
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of all kinds of scholars
who come together twice a year.
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So, Ed was, as I said,
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sometime in that
position and studied theology
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at the University of America,
I think, in Washington area.
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And he and his wife have
also-- are now philanthropists
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and are doing good work
helping a number of people.
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So, just a shout-out
to Ed, thank you so much
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for being part of this
writing of this lesson study.
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>>Eric: Well, we thank
you, Tom, for being with us.
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And, Ed, we are very,
very grateful for all the time
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and effort that you put
into bringing this all together,
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so very, very grateful.
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We're looking here
at "The Father, the Son,
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and the [Holy] Spirit."
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Let me just ask this question.
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You've got three persons
of the Godhead, if you will.
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Let's talk about
the Father first.
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What does John have to say
about the role of the Father
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in his gospel?
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>>Tom: Okay, so
what we're gonna do here
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in this study is
look at each member
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of what theologians and
Christians for many years
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have called the Trinity.
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That term doesn't
appear in the Bible,
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but that doesn't mean that
the doctrine is not taught there
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of the Father, the
Son, the Holy Spirit
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and how we have three in one.
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They are three persons
in one God who helps us
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and is the Creator and the
Lord over the whole universe.
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So let's talk and
see what John has to say.
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We want to understand
what the Bible teaches
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and follow what
the Bible teaches.
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So we read John 1:1-3.
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"In the beginning was the Word,
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"and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.
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"He was in the
beginning with God.
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"All things were
made through Him,
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and without Him was not
any thing made that was made."
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Now, this passage
specifically refers to the Word,
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and we know down in verse 14,
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"The Word became
flesh and dwelt among us,
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and we have seen His
glory, glory as of the only Son
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from the Father,
full of grace and truth."
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So we know that the Word
refers to Jesus, the Son of God,
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but the verse,
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the very first verses
there relate Him to the Father.
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And you saw in
verse 14, the Son,
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"the only Son
from the Father," okay?
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So I sometimes ask people,
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how many individuals
do you have in verse 1?
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And you have this
"with the Word," okay,
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and then you have
"the Word was with God"--
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that sounds like two--
and "the Word was God."
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That last verse
kind of confuses people.
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That last part they kind of say,
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"Well, how can you
be with God and be God?"
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Well, in Greek it's more clear.
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In Greek it's clear
that the Word was with God--
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there's two
individuals, all right?
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So the "Word" is
Jesus, and "God" here
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is referring to God the Father.
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"And the Word
was God" doesn't mean
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that He's the same
individual as the Father,
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but that He has the
divine characteristics,
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the same divine
characteristics as the Father.
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So what we hear from this
is the Father and the Son,
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both are divine,
and They are together.
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And the Word,
Jesus, the Son of God,
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was the one who
created the world.
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So, you know, that's
what we hear in these verses.
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But there's some other
verses we should look at.
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We should look at John 3:16-17.
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We've read those
before in this passage.
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But now we're kind of asking
a little bit different question.
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We have--we're asking
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the question of
theology, all right?
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Now, theology proper
is the study of who God,
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God the Father, is.
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Christology is the study
of who Jesus the Christ is.
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Pnuemanology--
isn't that a good word?--
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"pnuemanology" means
that's the study of the Spirit.
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Who is the Spirit? So,
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we're looking at theology,
Christology, and pnuemanology.
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But right now, we're
focusing on theology.
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So we want to
mine from this text,
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what can we know
about God the Father? Okay.
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>>Eric: "For God so
loved the world that He gave
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"His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him
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"should not perish
but have everlasting life.
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"For God did not send His Son
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"into the world
to condemn the world,
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but that the world
through Him might be saved."
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>>Tom: Okay, so it's very clear.
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It's a
beautiful verse, isn't it?
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God loved the world.
"God so loved the world."
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He loved the world in
this way. What did He do?
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"He sent His Son, that
whoever believes in Him
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should not perish
but have eternal life."
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He didn't send the
Son to condemn the world.
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He sent His Son
to save the world.
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So God the Father is the sender.
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Now, They are co-equal,
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but One member
of the Godhead said,
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"I will go as the Redeemer
to the world to save them."
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And One sends,
and we'll find out
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what the Spirit does as
well, but God loved the world.
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Of course,
Jesus loved the world.
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He loved the disciples.
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So They all have
the same goals in mind,
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but They have, like,
different functions, okay?
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So we should also look now
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over at chapter 5, verses 19-23,
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where Jesus is defending
Himself against the charge
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that He's been
breaking the Sabbath.
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And we'll see what He
says about the Father here.
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>>Eric: "Then Jesus
answered and said to them,
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"'Most assuredly, I say to you,
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"'the Son can do
nothing of Himself,
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"'but what He
sees the Father do;
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"'for whatever He does,
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"'the Son also
does in like manner.
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"'For the Father loves the Son,
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"'and shows Him all
things that He Himself does;
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"'and He will show Him
greater works than these,
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"'that you may marvel.
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"'For as the Father raises
the dead and gives life to them,
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"'even so the Son
gives life to whom He will.
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"'For the Father judges no one,
but has committed all judgment
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"'to the Son, that
all should honor the Son
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"'just as they honor the Father.
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"'He who does not honor the Son
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does not honor the
Father who sent Him.'"
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>>Tom: Okay, so very much
again, Father, Son, Father, Son,
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very combined in Their
purpose and Their goals,
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They have a
somewhat different function,
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but They're both doing
the same thing to save people,
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to be a blessing to them.
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The Father loves the Son,
and the Father raises the dead,
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and so also the
Son does the same.
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So there's a very
clear familial-, friend-,
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goal-oriented relationship
between Father and Son.
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So that brings us
then to ask the question:
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Well, what about Jesus?
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What is the relationship
between God the Father
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and Jesus the Son of God?
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We've seen some of that already,
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but let's turn over to
John 10, verses 22 to 30,
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and we can get a picture
there about Their relationship.
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>>Eric: "Now it was
the Feast of Dedication
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"in Jerusalem,
and it was winter.
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"And Jesus walked in the
temple, in Solomon's porch.
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"Then the Jews
surrounded Him and said to Him,
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"'How long do
You keep us in doubt?
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"If You are the
Christ, tell us plainly.'
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"Jesus answered them,
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"'I told you, and
you do not believe.
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"'The works that I
do in my Father's name,
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"'they bear witness of me.
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"'But you do not believe,
because you are not of my sheep,
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"'as I said to you.
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"'My sheep hear my
voice, and I know them,
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"'and they follow me.
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"'And I give them eternal life,
and they shall never perish;
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"'neither shall anyone
snatch them out of my hand.
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"'My Father, who
has given them to me,
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"'is greater than
all; and no one is able
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"'to snatch them
out of my Father's hand.
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I and my Father are one.'"
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>>Tom: Okay, so here you have
again the Son and the Father.
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Their motives are the same.
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Their function, Their
work, is a bit different.
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The Father sent
the Son, but He says,
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"The works that I
do in my Father's name
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bear witness about me,
but you don't believe me."
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You know, now, He had
given earlier a demonstration
00:10:00.63\00:10:03.60
or a metaphor about
being the Good Shepherd
00:10:03.63\00:10:08.17
and that His
sheep hear His voice.
00:10:08.20\00:10:10.54
He says, "I give
them eternal life....
00:10:10.57\00:10:13.21
"My Father, who
has given them to me,
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"is greater than all, and
no one is able to snatch them
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out of the Father's hand.
I and [my] Father are one."
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So you'll see then that
"the Jews pick up stones again
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to stone Him," and He says,
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"'I have shown you many
good works from the Father;
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"for which of them are you going
to stone me?' ...Jews answered,
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"'It is not for a good work
that we are going to stone You
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"'but for
blasphemy, because You,
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being a man,
make Yourself God.'"
00:10:38.53\00:10:40.00
So they clearly
understood what He was saying,
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that He was God.
00:10:42.24\00:10:44.27
All right, just one more
passage we can sneak in here,
00:10:44.31\00:10:47.88
John 14:8-11.
00:10:47.91\00:10:51.01
>>Eric: "Philip said to
Him, 'Lord, show us the Father,
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"and it is sufficient for us.'
00:10:54.08\00:10:55.78
"Jesus said to him,
'Have I been with you so long,
00:10:55.82\00:10:58.62
"'and yet you have
not known me, Philip?
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"'He who has seen
me has seen the Father;
00:11:00.66\00:11:02.92
"'so how can you
say, "Show us the Father"?
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"'Do you not believe
that I am in the Father,
00:11:05.16\00:11:07.56
"'and the Father in me?
00:11:07.60\00:11:08.93
"'The [works]
that I speak to you
00:11:08.96\00:11:10.30
"'I do not speak
on my own authority;
00:11:10.33\00:11:12.33
"'but the Father who
dwells in me does the works.
00:11:12.37\00:11:15.17
"'Believe me that
I am in the Father
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"'and the Father in me,
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or else believe me for the
sake of the works themselves.'"
00:11:18.84\00:11:21.94
>>Tom: Again, the
same kind of idea,
00:11:21.98\00:11:23.95
Father and Son,
same kind of direction,
00:11:23.98\00:11:26.45
same kind of motive.
00:11:26.48\00:11:27.78
"If you've seen me,
you've seen the Father;
00:11:27.82\00:11:30.02
me and my Father are one."
00:11:30.05\00:11:31.52
Now, He's not saying
we're the same individual.
00:11:31.55\00:11:35.19
That was clear from
the beginning of the book.
00:11:35.22\00:11:37.63
"In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God."
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All right, so, He is divine,
but He's not the same individual
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as the Father. There's
two different individuals,
00:11:46.13\00:11:48.90
but They have very, very--
00:11:48.94\00:11:50.97
Their goals, Their
purposes are the same.
00:11:51.01\00:11:54.08
And the Father sent the Son
as the Redeemer into the world.
00:11:54.11\00:11:58.08
>>Eric: Now, this
is a subject that,
00:11:58.11\00:11:59.88
not surprisingly, has
confounded a number of people.
00:11:59.91\00:12:03.62
And it's a subject that we can
and should dig more deeply into.
00:12:03.65\00:12:07.49
One way that we can do
that is with the companion book
00:12:07.52\00:12:10.43
to this quarter's lesson. Share
with us a little bit about that.
00:12:10.46\00:12:13.43
>>Tom: All right, so
the companion book is
00:12:13.46\00:12:14.93
a wonderful resource.
00:12:14.96\00:12:16.80
It's geared with the
"Sabbath School" lesson.
00:12:16.83\00:12:19.10
It has 13 chapters,
just like the lesson.
00:12:19.13\00:12:21.70
Each chapter has the
same name as the lesson,
00:12:21.74\00:12:24.44
so you can't miss it.
00:12:24.47\00:12:25.81
And it provides you
additional information
00:12:25.84\00:12:27.74
beyond the lesson quarterly,
00:12:27.78\00:12:29.18
beyond the teacher's quarterly.
00:12:29.21\00:12:30.71
And it's helpful for
you to be able to have
00:12:30.75\00:12:34.38
a better understanding
of what we're studying.
00:12:34.42\00:12:36.48
Some of these topics
might be a little challenging,
00:12:36.52\00:12:38.65
but that is information
to help you do a better job
00:12:38.69\00:12:42.02
as a teacher or
to be better informed
00:12:42.06\00:12:45.06
for being involved in the
"Sabbath School" discussion.
00:12:45.09\00:12:48.36
>>Eric: So if you
would like to dig more deeply
00:12:48.40\00:12:50.20
into this subject of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
00:12:50.23\00:12:53.37
or the Holy Ghost, as
He's sometimes referred,
00:12:53.40\00:12:56.10
this is an
opportunity for you to do that.
00:12:56.14\00:12:58.31
You can pick that book up
very easily at itiswritten.shop.
00:12:58.34\00:13:02.24
Again, itiswritten.shop.
00:13:02.28\00:13:05.08
Just look for the companion book
00:13:05.11\00:13:06.61
to the "Sabbath
School" lesson study,
00:13:06.65\00:13:09.48
and you'll be
blessed if you pick that up
00:13:09.52\00:13:11.49
and dig into it.
00:13:11.52\00:13:13.12
We're going to be back in
just a moment as we continue
00:13:13.15\00:13:15.26
looking at the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:13:15.29\00:13:18.49
How do They work together?
00:13:18.53\00:13:20.30
How are They
together? How are They separate?
00:13:20.33\00:13:22.93
We're going to be digging
into that in greater detail here
00:13:22.96\00:13:25.77
in just a moment when we
come back on "Sabbath School,"
00:13:25.80\00:13:28.44
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:13:28.47\00:13:30.44
¤¤¤
00:13:30.47\00:13:33.31
>>John Bradshaw: You
know that at It Is Written,
00:13:35.31\00:13:37.28
we are serious about the
study of the Word of God,
00:13:37.31\00:13:40.62
and we encourage you to be
serious about God's Word also.
00:13:40.65\00:13:44.79
Well, I want to
share with you another way
00:13:44.82\00:13:46.92
that you can dig
deeper into the Word of God.
00:13:46.96\00:13:49.79
And here it is:
itiswritten.study.
00:13:49.82\00:13:54.76
Go online to itiswritten.study,
and you can access
00:13:54.83\00:13:59.03
the It Is Written
Bible Study Guides,
00:13:59.07\00:14:01.94
25 in-depth Bible studies
00:14:01.97\00:14:04.51
that will walk
you through the Bible.
00:14:04.54\00:14:06.91
It's going to be good for
you, and it's the sort of thing
00:14:06.94\00:14:10.01
that you will want to
tell somebody else about
00:14:10.05\00:14:13.15
so that they can dig
deeper into the Word of God
00:14:13.18\00:14:16.02
and come to know the
things of the Bible intimately.
00:14:16.05\00:14:19.89
As you get into
the It Is Written
00:14:19.92\00:14:21.22
online Bible study guides,
00:14:21.26\00:14:23.22
you'll understand the
prophecies of the Bible,
00:14:23.26\00:14:25.29
the plan of salvation, and more.
00:14:25.33\00:14:27.40
So don't forget:
itiswritten.study,
00:14:27.46\00:14:30.47
itiswritten.study.
00:14:30.50\00:14:32.50
¤¤¤
00:14:34.80\00:14:39.27
>>Eric: Welcome
back to "Sabbath School,"
00:14:39.31\00:14:40.74
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:14:40.78\00:14:43.28
We are taking a look at
00:14:43.31\00:14:44.61
"The Father, the Son,
and the [Holy] Spirit"
00:14:44.65\00:14:47.05
here in lesson number 11
of our "Sabbath School" study.
00:14:47.08\00:14:52.29
Tom, let's go back now.
We've talked about the Father.
00:14:52.32\00:14:55.12
We've talked about
the Son a little bit.
00:14:55.16\00:14:57.43
Let's take a look
at the Holy Spirit.
00:14:57.46\00:15:00.10
What role does the Holy
Spirit play in our salvation?
00:15:00.13\00:15:03.97
>>Tom: Okay, so it's interesting
00:15:04.00\00:15:05.87
that most
references to the Holy Spirit
00:15:05.90\00:15:07.84
are in the last
half of the book.
00:15:07.87\00:15:10.07
Now, the reason for that
is that Jesus is leaving then
00:15:10.11\00:15:15.28
and going to the Father,
00:15:15.31\00:15:16.71
and He's going
to send the Spirit.
00:15:16.75\00:15:18.58
So what we want
to do, though, is see
00:15:18.61\00:15:21.82
in the first part of the book,
00:15:21.85\00:15:23.62
there's a valuable kind of
discussion about the Spirit,
00:15:23.65\00:15:28.29
and it appears
in that discussion
00:15:28.32\00:15:30.26
that Jesus had with Nicodemus,
where He said to Nicodemus
00:15:30.29\00:15:34.96
that he had to be born
"from above" or born "anew."
00:15:35.00\00:15:39.73
And Nicodemus,
you remember, he said,
00:15:39.77\00:15:42.34
"How can a man be
born when he is old?
00:15:42.37\00:15:44.61
"He can't go into his
mother's womb a second time
00:15:44.64\00:15:46.74
and be born again, can he?"
00:15:46.78\00:15:48.74
He took it kind of literally,
it's a misunderstanding,
00:15:48.78\00:15:52.25
but maybe
misunderstanding with an edge
00:15:52.28\00:15:55.08
because he didn't like
the way Jesus was talking.
00:15:55.12\00:15:57.75
And the word "again" can
actually mean "from above."
00:15:57.79\00:16:01.99
So that may make
more sense of it:
00:16:02.02\00:16:03.99
"Truly I say to you,
unless one is born [from above],
00:16:04.03\00:16:07.50
he cannot see
the kingdom of God."
00:16:07.56\00:16:09.26
Well, then Jesus unpacks
this in verses 5 through 8.
00:16:09.30\00:16:15.77
He describes this
more, and lo and behold,
00:16:15.80\00:16:17.94
the Holy Spirit
shows up there, so.
00:16:17.97\00:16:20.04
>>Eric: "Jesus answered,
'Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:16:20.08\00:16:22.84
"'unless one is born
of water and the Spirit,
00:16:22.88\00:16:25.91
"'he cannot enter
the kingdom of God.
00:16:25.95\00:16:28.18
"'That which is born
of the flesh is flesh,
00:16:28.22\00:16:30.42
"'and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit.
00:16:30.45\00:16:32.95
"'Do not marvel
that I said to you,
00:16:32.99\00:16:34.79
"'"You must be born
again." The wind blows
00:16:34.82\00:16:37.79
"'where it wishes, and
you hear the sound of it,
00:16:37.83\00:16:40.03
"'but cannot tell where it
comes from and where it goes.
00:16:40.06\00:16:43.13
So is everyone who
is born of the Spirit.'"
00:16:43.16\00:16:45.93
>>Tom: Okay, so
He says that the way
00:16:45.97\00:16:50.21
that you're born again, or born
from above, is in two steps:
00:16:50.24\00:16:56.41
born of water and the Spirit.
He's talking about baptism.
00:16:56.44\00:17:02.45
I sometimes ask students,
00:17:02.48\00:17:04.19
"Do you have to be
baptized in order to be saved?"
00:17:04.22\00:17:07.96
And they quite
commonly would say no, [laughs[
00:17:07.99\00:17:10.69
you don't need to be
baptized in order to be saved.
00:17:10.73\00:17:13.73
Well, that's true enough if
you don't have an opportunity
00:17:13.76\00:17:16.90
to be baptized, okay?
00:17:16.93\00:17:19.60
But if you could just go read
1 Peter, chapter 3, verse 19,
00:17:19.63\00:17:24.87
you'll find it says
baptism now saves you.
00:17:24.91\00:17:27.64
Now, Peter goes
right ahead and says,
00:17:27.68\00:17:30.31
It's not the removal
of dirt from the body,
00:17:30.35\00:17:33.35
but it's the
appeal of a conscience,
00:17:33.38\00:17:35.05
a clean conscience to God.
00:17:35.08\00:17:37.12
So baptism is necessary
because it's a confession
00:17:37.15\00:17:40.12
of our faith to God,
that we believe in Him.
00:17:40.16\00:17:43.56
And it's a witness to
the rest of the community
00:17:43.59\00:17:46.80
that we have given
our hearts to the Lord.
00:17:46.83\00:17:49.46
Now, born of water, all
right, that's water baptism.
00:17:49.50\00:17:52.57
Born of the Spirit is
when the Holy Spirit comes
00:17:52.60\00:17:54.90
into your life.
00:17:54.94\00:17:56.30
And that happens
when you turn to Him
00:17:56.34\00:17:59.14
and open your heart to
Him, and He works on your life.
00:17:59.17\00:18:02.64
Actually, conversion is the work
of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
00:18:02.68\00:18:06.18
Now, He says, "That which
is born of the flesh is flesh,
00:18:06.21\00:18:09.52
and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit."
00:18:09.55\00:18:11.79
And then He says,
00:18:11.82\00:18:13.15
"The wind blows
where it wishes."
00:18:13.19\00:18:14.76
Now, the word "wind"
is actually the same word
00:18:14.79\00:18:18.16
as the word "spirit."
00:18:18.19\00:18:20.10
So He's playing on the words.
00:18:20.13\00:18:21.80
He says, "The wind
blows where it wishes,
00:18:21.83\00:18:24.30
"and you hear its sound,
00:18:24.33\00:18:25.93
"but you do not know where
it comes from or where it goes.
00:18:25.97\00:18:29.80
So it is with everyone
who is born of the Spirit."
00:18:29.84\00:18:33.61
Now, this is both
interesting and scary
00:18:33.64\00:18:37.01
because it means that
we are not in control.
00:18:37.05\00:18:41.85
The Holy Spirit
moves upon our hearts
00:18:41.88\00:18:44.22
and moves us to do something.
00:18:44.25\00:18:46.42
And if we're
sensitive to the Spirit's voice,
00:18:46.45\00:18:48.82
as the book of Proverbs says,
00:18:48.86\00:18:51.16
you'll hear a voice behind you,
00:18:51.19\00:18:52.53
saying, "This is
the way; walk in it,"
00:18:52.56\00:18:54.93
then we will do
what the Spirit says.
00:18:54.93\00:18:57.60
In John, chapter 12,
00:18:57.63\00:18:59.33
when Mary came and anointed
Jesus with the precious perfume,
00:18:59.37\00:19:04.37
she was following the
prompting of the Holy Spirit.
00:19:04.41\00:19:07.08
She couldn't explain
necessarily why she did this,
00:19:07.11\00:19:11.68
but Jesus
affirmed what she did, see?
00:19:11.71\00:19:14.28
So she was doing what the
Spirit was showing to her.
00:19:14.32\00:19:17.89
So, the Spirit moves upon
people, and we must be cautious
00:19:17.92\00:19:22.96
not to put people
down when they feel moved
00:19:22.99\00:19:27.56
to do something by God's Spirit.
00:19:27.60\00:19:30.33
Of course, there are spirits
that are not God's Spirit,
00:19:30.37\00:19:33.27
but if it's in
accord with the Scripture,
00:19:33.30\00:19:36.04
we should be very careful.
00:19:36.07\00:19:37.27
In fact, we should always
be careful about describing
00:19:37.31\00:19:40.38
any work of spiritual
things as the work of the devil,
00:19:40.41\00:19:45.48
because the work, if you
call the work of the Holy Spirit
00:19:45.51\00:19:48.78
the work of the devil,
that's the unpardonable sin.
00:19:48.82\00:19:50.85
Not that the Spirit
doesn't want to work with you,
00:19:50.89\00:19:53.46
but if you think it's the
devil, you won't listen anymore,
00:19:53.49\00:19:57.63
all right? So that's one of the
aspects of what John teaches us
00:19:57.66\00:20:01.43
about the Spirit.
There's another--like I said,
00:20:01.46\00:20:03.43
most of these appear in
the second half of the book
00:20:03.47\00:20:07.07
because Jesus is
going back to the Father.
00:20:07.10\00:20:08.74
So let's read John 16:7-11.
00:20:08.77\00:20:12.91
>>Eric: "Nevertheless
I tell you the truth.
00:20:12.94\00:20:15.08
"It is to your
advantage that I go away;
00:20:15.11\00:20:17.61
"for if I do not go away,
the Helper will not come to you;
00:20:17.65\00:20:20.95
"but if I depart, I
will send Him to you.
00:20:20.98\00:20:23.52
"And when He has come,
00:20:23.55\00:20:24.99
"He will convict
the world of sin,
00:20:25.02\00:20:26.96
"and of
righteousness, and of judgment:
00:20:26.99\00:20:29.12
"of sin, because
they do not believe in me;
00:20:29.16\00:20:31.59
"of righteousness,
because I go to my Father
00:20:31.63\00:20:34.10
"and you see me no more;
00:20:34.10\00:20:35.93
of judgment, because the
ruler of this world is judged."
00:20:35.96\00:20:39.97
>>Tom: All right, so
this very clearly lines out
00:20:40.00\00:20:42.40
the work of the Holy Spirit.
00:20:42.44\00:20:44.11
Jesus is going away, He says,
00:20:44.14\00:20:46.91
and He actually
says to the disciples,
00:20:46.94\00:20:48.64
"It's to your
advantage that I go away."
00:20:48.68\00:20:50.65
Now, I think most
disciples would say,
00:20:50.68\00:20:53.11
"I don't know about that.
I'd rather be with Jesus."
00:20:53.15\00:20:56.02
But Jesus could
only be in one place
00:20:56.05\00:20:58.52
because of His
becoming a human being.
00:20:58.55\00:21:01.46
The Spirit can be everywhere,
right? And so He says
00:21:01.49\00:21:04.46
it's really to your advantage
because then the Helper--
00:21:04.49\00:21:07.96
this term sometimes is
called the "paraclete."
00:21:08.00\00:21:11.93
He is the one who comes
by our side to help us out
00:21:11.97\00:21:16.81
and to give us what we need,
00:21:16.84\00:21:18.31
the help that we need at
different times in our life
00:21:18.34\00:21:21.71
and all through our
Christian experience.
00:21:21.74\00:21:23.61
And He says, when He
comes, He's going to do
00:21:23.65\00:21:25.28
three things in
convicting the world.
00:21:25.31\00:21:28.25
Now, that's not
necessarily the Christians.
00:21:28.28\00:21:30.32
He's going to convict those
who are not of His fold yet.
00:21:30.35\00:21:35.46
And He says He's going to
convict them of three things:
00:21:35.49\00:21:38.06
of sin,
righteousness, and judgment.
00:21:38.09\00:21:40.40
All right. And then He says,
00:21:40.43\00:21:41.93
"Sin, because they
do not believe in me."
00:21:41.96\00:21:43.60
So it's a sin not
to believe in Jesus.
00:21:43.63\00:21:47.14
And the Spirit,
when Jesus went away,
00:21:47.17\00:21:49.74
now the Spirit is the one that
brings conviction about that.
00:21:49.77\00:21:52.64
He says,
"Concerning righteousness,
00:21:52.67\00:21:54.68
because I go to the Father,
and you will see me no longer."
00:21:54.71\00:21:57.68
So Jesus is the
embodiment of righteousness,
00:21:57.71\00:22:01.88
just as He and the Father
are one in Their purpose, right?
00:22:01.92\00:22:06.25
So without Jesus here,
00:22:06.29\00:22:07.76
we need the
Spirit to convince us
00:22:07.79\00:22:10.09
about righteousness,
what it's like, Jesus is like,
00:22:10.13\00:22:14.60
and then concerning judgment,
00:22:14.63\00:22:16.16
"because the ruler of
this world is judged."
00:22:16.20\00:22:18.63
He's going down, and the
world needs to know that;
00:22:18.67\00:22:22.54
Satan is not
going to win this war.
00:22:22.57\00:22:24.41
God is going to win this war,
and the Spirit is all wrapped up
00:22:24.44\00:22:28.08
in that great purpose.
00:22:28.11\00:22:30.38
>>Eric: So I'm going to
read one other verse here
00:22:30.41\00:22:32.81
about the Spirit, back just
a chapter in John 15, verse 26.
00:22:32.85\00:22:38.05
It says, "But
when the Helper comes,
00:22:38.09\00:22:40.22
"whom I shall send
to you from the Father,
00:22:40.26\00:22:42.69
"the Spirit of truth who
proceeds from the Father,
00:22:42.72\00:22:45.63
He will testify of me."
00:22:45.66\00:22:48.60
So here we see all three of
Them kind of wrapped together.
00:22:48.63\00:22:51.93
Help us unpack
that. >>Tom: Yeah,
00:22:51.97\00:22:53.27
so He says that
when the Helper comes,
00:22:53.30\00:22:56.77
"whom I will send," all
right, so "I and the Spirit"
00:22:56.81\00:23:01.21
are two different
individuals, all right?
00:23:01.24\00:23:03.04
"The Spirit whom I will send
from the Father," all right?
00:23:03.08\00:23:06.01
So the Father is separate;
the Spirit is separate;
00:23:06.05\00:23:08.72
Jesus is separate; there
we have the three, all right?
00:23:08.75\00:23:11.72
It's all in this one verse.
00:23:11.75\00:23:13.62
"He who
proceeds from the Father,
00:23:13.66\00:23:15.99
He will bear witness about me."
00:23:16.02\00:23:17.96
So He comes from the
Father; He talks about Jesus.
00:23:17.99\00:23:20.96
This is an interesting thing.
00:23:20.96\00:23:22.70
As you study the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
00:23:22.73\00:23:25.53
you find that They tend
to talk about each other.
00:23:25.57\00:23:28.94
The Father says,
00:23:28.97\00:23:30.27
"You are my beloved Son
in whom I am well pleased."
00:23:30.31\00:23:33.74
The Spirit points to Jesus.
00:23:33.78\00:23:36.54
Jesus points to the Father.
00:23:36.58\00:23:38.65
They're all
pointing at each other
00:23:38.68\00:23:40.48
because They're
all about service.
00:23:40.52\00:23:42.78
God is the God of
love, the God who serves,
00:23:42.82\00:23:45.39
the God who
creates, the God of joy,
00:23:45.42\00:23:47.69
the God of
happiness, the God of peace.
00:23:47.72\00:23:50.09
And it's all His desire that
00:23:50.13\00:23:52.73
that's what will
happen in our life.
00:23:52.76\00:23:54.93
Now, if you turn
your life over to God,
00:23:54.96\00:23:57.70
that's what's going
to happen in your life.
00:23:57.73\00:23:59.83
You're going to have
peace, you're going to have joy,
00:23:59.87\00:24:02.37
you're going to have patience.
00:24:02.40\00:24:03.94
These things is
what God works in us
00:24:03.97\00:24:06.68
as we turn our life over to Him.
00:24:06.71\00:24:08.91
The Spirit is the one
who brings that conviction
00:24:08.94\00:24:10.95
that you and I need that,
see? And then we trust in Jesus,
00:24:10.98\00:24:15.18
and we receive from
the Father His blessing.
00:24:15.22\00:24:18.69
>>Eric: Now, we've been
focusing much of our time,
00:24:18.72\00:24:21.22
almost all of our
time, in the book of John.
00:24:21.26\00:24:23.53
Let's expand it
just a little bit more.
00:24:23.56\00:24:25.96
We're talking
about a big subject here,
00:24:25.99\00:24:27.36
the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:24:27.40\00:24:29.20
How frequently do
we find the Father,
00:24:29.23\00:24:31.47
the Son, and the Holy Spirit
together in the New Testament?
00:24:31.50\00:24:34.94
>>Tom: Okay, some
years ago--I'm the pastor
00:24:34.97\00:24:37.61
of the Eau Claire and
Dowagiac churches in Michigan--
00:24:37.64\00:24:42.34
and some time ago, I
was, before I was pastor,
00:24:42.38\00:24:45.51
I was head elder. We
did a series of sermons
00:24:45.55\00:24:48.32
on the 28 fundamental
beliefs of the Adventist church.
00:24:48.35\00:24:51.69
And we gave it to our different
elders and the pastor and I,
00:24:51.72\00:24:54.12
and, you know, we
were teaching these.
00:24:54.16\00:24:56.49
And when I was
looking over, okay,
00:24:56.52\00:24:58.46
so who will be assigned to these
different preaching on this?
00:24:58.49\00:25:03.40
When it came to the
doctrine of the Trinity, I said,
00:25:03.43\00:25:06.03
"You know, I
better teach this one,"
00:25:06.07\00:25:08.17
because I didn't
want some young person
00:25:08.20\00:25:09.84
that was from the seminary to,
you know, step into something
00:25:09.87\00:25:13.07
and mess himself
up by saying something
00:25:13.11\00:25:14.91
that, you know,
wasn't quite straight.
00:25:14.94\00:25:17.28
So I said, "Well, I better--
I should talk about that."
00:25:17.31\00:25:19.11
Now, so being a
scholar, I said to myself,
00:25:19.15\00:25:20.95
"Well, I should see
how often the Father, Son,
00:25:20.98\00:25:23.65
and Holy Spirit, the Trinity,
shows up in the New Testament."
00:25:23.69\00:25:26.86
So the easiest way to do
that-- you can do this at home--
00:25:26.89\00:25:30.23
the easiest way to do that
is to look up all the references
00:25:30.26\00:25:32.79
to the Spirit, right?
Because the Spirit is the one
00:25:32.83\00:25:35.63
that's referred to the
least in the New Testament.
00:25:35.66\00:25:37.80
So I went and
then I looked and said,
00:25:37.83\00:25:40.34
"All right, so in
this passage nearby,
00:25:40.37\00:25:42.67
"is there any
reference to the Father or God
00:25:42.70\00:25:46.34
or Jesus or the
Lord, and the Spirit?"
00:25:46.37\00:25:51.48
And I was surprised.
00:25:51.51\00:25:53.95
I found more than 40
passages, more than 40 passages
00:25:53.98\00:25:57.89
in the New Testament
that have a reference to God,
00:25:57.92\00:26:01.06
to the Lord, to the Spirit,
00:26:01.09\00:26:02.82
or to Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit,
00:26:02.86\00:26:04.93
more than 40 references.
00:26:04.96\00:26:06.36
This is not a small
doctrine of the New Testament.
00:26:06.39\00:26:10.13
This is an important biblical
doctrine, and it's clear there.
00:26:10.17\00:26:13.27
Now, it's not in
all of the expansions
00:26:13.30\00:26:16.04
that Christians later did
and different things they said.
00:26:16.07\00:26:19.34
But the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit,
00:26:19.37\00:26:21.44
the doctrine of the Trinity,
is a clear biblical doctrine.
00:26:21.48\00:26:25.81
And we should not
be confused about this.
00:26:25.85\00:26:29.05
>>Eric: And somebody may say,
00:26:29.08\00:26:30.85
"Okay, sure, but what
does this mean to me today?
00:26:30.89\00:26:35.46
"Here I am living many
years beyond Bible times.
00:26:35.49\00:26:39.39
"How critical is it that
I understand the triune God,
00:26:39.43\00:26:43.13
"the Godhead, the Trinity?
00:26:43.16\00:26:44.77
What difference does this make
to me in my day-to-day life?"
00:26:44.80\00:26:47.44
>>Tom: Well, it really
is an important difference
00:26:47.47\00:26:49.60
because when you
understand the Trinity,
00:26:49.64\00:26:52.17
you understand that
the Father is the one--
00:26:52.21\00:26:56.11
"God so loved the world
that He gave His only Son."
00:26:56.14\00:26:58.61
You understand
Jesus, you understand
00:26:58.65\00:27:00.45
that you have a Savior who came
to this world, died, rose again,
00:27:00.48\00:27:04.12
is now at the right hand
of God, and is coming again.
00:27:04.15\00:27:07.32
And They're in heaven,
but you have the Holy Spirit
00:27:07.36\00:27:11.79
who comes to be with you,
to encourage you and help you.
00:27:11.83\00:27:14.56
My friends, remember
that God is on your side.
00:27:14.60\00:27:19.20
God wants you to be saved.
00:27:19.23\00:27:21.27
The Father, the
Son, the Holy Spirit,
00:27:21.30\00:27:23.71
are all working
for our salvation.
00:27:23.74\00:27:26.68
And it's actually
a beautiful doctrine.
00:27:26.71\00:27:29.18
It's a beautiful teaching,
00:27:29.21\00:27:30.58
and it's a very
biblical teaching.
00:27:30.61\00:27:33.05
>>Eric: A very biblical
one, and it shows us again
00:27:33.08\00:27:35.22
just how much the statement
is true that God is love.
00:27:35.25\00:27:39.59
He cares enough
about you to save you.
00:27:39.62\00:27:41.96
He wants to open the
gates of heaven for you.
00:27:41.99\00:27:45.29
And we trust and pray that
00:27:45.33\00:27:46.63
during our study
of the book of John,
00:27:46.66\00:27:48.43
you have sensed
those hinges opening.
00:27:48.46\00:27:51.20
We're going to be back again
next week as we continue looking
00:27:51.23\00:27:53.54
at these great
themes in the book of John.
00:27:53.57\00:27:56.10
We invite you to join us
here on "Sabbath School,"
00:27:56.14\00:27:58.57
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:27:58.61\00:28:00.94
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