And today we're
dealing with this incredible
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and it is absolutely incredible
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the confusion that we
find in the Christian world.
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I told you last night and
I want to repeat it tonight
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there are in this world tonight,
1,200 different denominations.
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And I didn't just make that up,
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I've got a list of them on file.
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In the United
States alone there are 300
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I'm talking about 1,200
worldwide which is incredible.
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The confusion is
that, so many of us
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just in a state
of the wilderment,
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in a state of as
I said confusion.
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How in the world did the
Christian church come to this?
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So, you know, so fragmented.
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Was this God's purpose?
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Did God have a
purpose in this or not?
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And then again the question,
how do you sort it all out?
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Let me tell you the
church that Jesus established
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2,000 years ago was a
church that was united.
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And my friend, it's clear
that, it was God's purpose
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that the church
will remain united
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but that's not what happened
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and that's what we're
going to study tonight.
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We're gonna find out impart
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what happen to the
church that Jesus established.
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But let's get a sense of what
was happening in that church
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as we turned to Acts 2,
the New Testament page 93.
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Page 93, Acts 2 and
beginning with verse 37.
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I'm taking you to
the Day of Pentecost
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as recorded here
in Acts chapter 2.
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The apostles.
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Jesus is resurrected,
He's ascended to heaven,
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the Holy Spirit, as he's
promise as he ascended upon them
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in the powerful and mighty way.
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And on the Day of Pentecost,
they are in the temple
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and they are proclaiming boldly,
Jesus is Lord and Savior.
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Crucified? Yes.
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Died? Yes.
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But resurrected.
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And I want you to
notice how powerfully
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the Holy Spirit was
working on that occasion
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as indicated in verse 37.
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For it says, "Now
when they heard this,"
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the multitude that was there.
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"When they heard this,
they were pierced to the heart."
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That means they were
under deep conviction.
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Pierced to the heart.
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"And they said to peter
and the rest of the apostles,
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brethren, what shall we do?"
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I like that, don't you?
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You see my friend, the gospel
is not pastern, it's active.
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We would use the term proactive.
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The gospel, when our
hearts begin to understand
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and comprehend the
depths of God's love
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involved in our salvation
it demands of us a response.
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And what is the answer to
the question what shell we do?
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Well, we find in the verse 38,
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where Peter said
to them, "Repent."
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That's the first
thing we're to do.
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We're to repent.
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That's the acknowledgement
that we are sinners.
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That we fallen
short of the glory of God.
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Repent.
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And then the second thing
and each of you be baptized
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in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins
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and you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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So we're to repent,
we are to be baptized
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and the promise
is we will receive
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the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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Again, it's not that the
spirit is not been at work,
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because we wouldn't be
at the point of repentance
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and embracing
Jesus as Lord and Savior
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in the waters of baptism.
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But there's a special
infilling of the Holy Spirit,
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that's what we are to do repent
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and we're to be baptize.
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And now as we drop on down
to verses 41 and through 43.
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Notice, what was going
on in the early church.
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It says, "So then
those who received his word."
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What did they do?
"They were baptized."
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Those who received
the word, the testimony,
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the word of truth.
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"They were
baptized and that they--
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there were added
about three thousand souls.
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They were continually."
Notice what was happening.
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They were devoting themselves
to the apostles teaching
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and to fellowship.
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Teaching, fellowship,
those are important things
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in our Christian growth, right?
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Teaching and
fellowship, we need both.
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We need the church and
we need the right church,
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the church that's
teaching the truth.
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I know there's a lot of truth
out there and fragrance of truth
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but you know, we want to
put it together as fully as we--
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We want to don't we
and our love for Jesus
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get as close to the truth
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when it comes to
matter of fellowship
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as close as we possibly can.
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It's not that we're exclusive,
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it's not that
we can't fellowship
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and don't fellowship
with other Christians
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we're always free to do that.
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So to fellowship
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and they devoted
themselves to eating.
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Yes, when it talks
about breaking bread
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it's not
talking about communion,
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because the cup
is not mentioned.
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And when the cup's not mentioned
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it's talking about
taking a fellowship meal.
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They loved eating together.
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And now notice
this about this church.
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Every Sabbath after the service
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there is a meal over
there in the fellowship hall.
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And for the more they
devoted themselves to prayer.
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All good, wonderful
things that will help us
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in our spiritual growth, right?
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Verse 43, says, "Everyone
kept feeling a sense of awe,
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and many wonders and
signs were taking place
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among the apostles."
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I mean, that was what was
going on in the early church.
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But take a look at Jude 3,
the New Testament page 188.
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188, this is a one chapter
book by the Book of Revelation
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just as assuredly it is
inspired as any of the books
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of the New Testament or
the Old Testament of the Bible.
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And notice what we find
a prophecy embedded here
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about what would
happen to this church
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that Jesus established.
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We're indeed going to be
looking at four prophecies
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in the New Testament
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that indicated what
would happen to the church.
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That will set
the church up for--
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it eventually is
division and its fragmentation.
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And so here we are Jude
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and we're looking
at verses 3 and 4.
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"Beloved, while I was
making every effort to write you
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about our common salvation,
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I felt the
necessity to write to you
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appealing that
you contend earnestly
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for the faith which
was once for--" a few,
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for some, the faith
which was once for Adventists.
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No, no, no, it's
not there, is it?
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No.
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It says, "The faith
which was once for all
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handed down to the saints."
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To all of God's people.
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You know, there are
certain aspects of the message
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that as Adventist,
certainly we--you know,
00:07:30.95\00:07:32.84
we're preaching and teaching
because in the word of God,
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things like the Sabbath.
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Of course, we would.
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Because, you know, we
really do believe in the book
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and preaching all of it.
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You know,
that's-- I have to say this
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that's one of
the marvelous things
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about being a minister
in the Adventist church,
00:07:48.52\00:07:52.45
because there's
a lot of content,
00:07:52.48\00:07:55.27
there's a lot of
biblicalness in the message.
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And I believe God
is entrusted to us,
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but it's up for all peoples.
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I love being a
preacher in this church.
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I never have to see, am
I allowed to preach this?
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Am I allowed to
preach from that text?
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I wonder let me
just check over here
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and see if it's all right.
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I never have to do that.
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I feel absolute
freedom to preach anything
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that is in God's word.
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And that's the way it should be.
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Amen. Right?
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So we should-- you
know, contain earnestly
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for the faith which was once
for all delivered to the saints.
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Now for some of us, what
we've been sharing at times
00:08:31.59\00:08:35.13
is something new.
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But let me tell you,
though it maybe new to us,
00:08:36.22\00:08:39.96
as I mentioned ago, a
moment ago like the Sabbath,
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though maybe new to us
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my friend, it is a
part of that body of truth,
00:08:44.80\00:08:48.94
that body of faith
that God has given us
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from the very beginnings
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and I'm talking of
the Christian church now.
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It's always been there.
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We just have
been ignorant of it.
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And it's because we
haven't had a chance to study,
00:08:59.80\00:09:01.92
but notice verse 4.
00:09:01.95\00:09:03.43
It says, "For certain persons
have crept in unnoticed."
00:09:03.46\00:09:06.75
Crept in where?
That is into the church.
00:09:06.78\00:09:09.55
"Crept in unnoticed.
00:09:09.58\00:09:10.76
Those who were long
before hand marked out
00:09:10.79\00:09:13.24
for this
condemnation, ungodly persons
00:09:13.27\00:09:16.34
who turn the grace of
our God into licentiousness
00:09:16.37\00:09:19.52
and deny our only
Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."
00:09:19.55\00:09:23.73
And the relevant term
here is these individuals,
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ungodly individuals.
00:09:26.56\00:09:29.35
The relevant term is here--
is they crept into the church.
00:09:29.38\00:09:34.75
They kind of snuck
into the church door
00:09:34.78\00:09:38.96
and they just fermented.
00:09:38.99\00:09:41.97
And my friend, it is
prophecy that indicated a change
00:09:42.00\00:09:46.09
as a result would
take place in the church
00:09:46.12\00:09:48.42
that Jesus had established.
00:09:48.45\00:09:50.94
But we are-- clearly here
we are to content earnestly
00:09:50.97\00:09:54.81
for that primitive truth,
00:09:54.84\00:09:57.92
that primitiveness as God
has given to us as His people.
00:09:57.95\00:10:01.41
But let me take you
onto another prophecy
00:10:01.44\00:10:04.36
in the New Testament
which found in Acts 20:28.
00:10:04.39\00:10:09.06
And Paul is speaking
now. He's in conversation
00:10:09.09\00:10:12.44
with the leadership
of the church in Ephesus.
00:10:12.47\00:10:15.30
The elders of Ephesus.
00:10:15.33\00:10:17.60
When he says, "Take heed
therefore unto yourselves,
00:10:17.63\00:10:20.64
and to all the flock to
feed the church of God."
00:10:20.67\00:10:25.92
Notice first of all, he
says, "Take heed to yourself."
00:10:25.95\00:10:29.37
And my friend, if anybody
is in spiritual leadership,
00:10:29.40\00:10:33.07
they better heed that council.
00:10:33.10\00:10:36.43
Less self interject
itself into the ministry
00:10:36.46\00:10:40.85
or into the
leadership of the church.
00:10:40.88\00:10:43.81
And my friend, whenever
self is interjecting yourself
00:10:43.84\00:10:46.74
into a spiritual process
it creates problems, right?
00:10:46.77\00:10:52.84
It absolutely create problems.
00:10:52.87\00:10:56.51
And I have been clear about this
00:10:56.54\00:10:57.63
for a very long
time in my thinking.
00:10:57.66\00:10:59.74
I never want my
ministry and my teaching
00:10:59.77\00:11:03.43
and while I'm teaching I never
wanted to be an issue about me.
00:11:03.46\00:11:08.32
Because if it
becomes the issue about me
00:11:08.35\00:11:11.56
then somehow
we've gotten off track.
00:11:11.59\00:11:15.12
Because it's not
about me, it is about Him.
00:11:15.15\00:11:20.61
How many problems
that we had in the church
00:11:20.64\00:11:22.51
when it becomes
an issue about me?
00:11:22.54\00:11:27.55
Pride, yeah, lots of problems.
00:11:27.58\00:11:29.92
And to me that's
one of the challenges
00:11:29.95\00:11:32.27
of the mega church phenomena,
00:11:32.30\00:11:33.79
because it's all
personality centered
00:11:33.82\00:11:35.87
and so personality driven.
00:11:35.90\00:11:38.52
And the only personality
I want to see driving
00:11:38.55\00:11:41.20
the process in the church
00:11:41.23\00:11:42.85
is a
personality of Jesus Christ.
00:11:42.88\00:11:45.81
And it says, "And to
feed the church of God."
00:11:45.84\00:11:48.16
What is that we ought to
be feeding the church of God?
00:11:48.19\00:11:51.06
Manmade traditions,
00:11:51.09\00:11:53.54
the teachings
of church councils,
00:11:53.57\00:11:56.60
fine sounding philosophizing.
00:11:56.63\00:12:01.05
What is that,
that we really want?
00:12:01.08\00:12:05.04
What are we to
feed the church of God?
00:12:05.07\00:12:06.64
It's right here, my
friend. It is the word of God.
00:12:06.67\00:12:10.39
And this ought to
be the focal point.
00:12:10.42\00:12:13.30
This ought to be the foundation
00:12:13.33\00:12:15.74
of the teaching
and the preaching
00:12:15.77\00:12:18.07
that is going on
within the church.
00:12:18.10\00:12:21.54
My friend this is what
the power is, it's right here.
00:12:21.57\00:12:24.36
When the Holy Spirit is at work
00:12:24.39\00:12:25.89
and when hearts are soften
00:12:25.92\00:12:27.69
in the love of Jesus
to receive the truth.
00:12:27.72\00:12:32.36
And my friend,
apart from all of that,
00:12:32.39\00:12:34.69
we're just-- we could be
playing games as a people,
00:12:34.72\00:12:38.73
playing games as a church.
00:12:38.76\00:12:40.97
And you know what?
00:12:41.00\00:12:42.03
I'm not
interested in playing games.
00:12:42.06\00:12:45.30
I'm not
interested in that, are you?
00:12:45.33\00:12:47.87
No.
00:12:47.90\00:12:49.40
I-- I really-- I
really-- This is vital to me.
00:12:49.43\00:12:53.00
This is vital in
my own personal faith.
00:12:53.03\00:12:55.40
I want something that's real.
I want something that's genuine.
00:12:55.43\00:12:58.07
I want something
that's spiritual.
00:12:58.10\00:12:59.50
I want something
that's quiet centered
00:12:59.53\00:13:00.90
and I want
something that's biblical.
00:13:00.93\00:13:05.71
All of those things
are important to me.
00:13:05.74\00:13:07.60
And I don't feel
like, I have been fed
00:13:07.63\00:13:10.47
on those occasions
that I'm allowed to sit
00:13:10.50\00:13:12.78
where you are sitting.
00:13:12.81\00:13:13.84
I don't feel fed unless
those things are present
00:13:13.87\00:13:17.71
to feed the church of God.
00:13:17.74\00:13:19.09
He goes on to
say, "For I know this,
00:13:19.12\00:13:21.58
that after my departing."
00:13:21.61\00:13:23.58
Paul speaking here
again "after my departing
00:13:23.61\00:13:25.86
shall grievous
wolves enter in among you
00:13:25.89\00:13:30.76
not sparing the flock."
00:13:30.79\00:13:33.72
Not sparing the church.
00:13:33.75\00:13:35.65
He says further,
"Also of your own selves,"
00:13:35.68\00:13:38.12
speaking of the spiritual
leadership of the church.
00:13:38.15\00:13:40.10
"Of your own
selves shall men arise,
00:13:40.13\00:13:42.49
speaking perverse things."
00:13:42.52\00:13:44.24
Speaking what? Not the truth.
00:13:44.27\00:13:47.63
But speaking perverse
things. And for what purpose?
00:13:47.66\00:13:52.74
"To draw away the
disciples after them."
00:13:52.77\00:13:56.67
It's--you know,
it's really about me.
00:13:56.70\00:13:58.90
You know this thing
could be really subtle.
00:13:58.93\00:14:02.23
It can be really subtle.
00:14:02.26\00:14:03.77
And often times it could be
even more than that, can't it?
00:14:03.80\00:14:09.05
But my friend, it
is not-- it's not about
00:14:09.08\00:14:11.90
drawing disciples
to any one individual
00:14:11.93\00:14:15.49
apart form
Jesus, but it predicted.
00:14:15.52\00:14:19.35
Again, they would arise
speaking perverse things
00:14:19.38\00:14:22.98
in the leadership of the church.
00:14:23.01\00:14:24.34
We're gonna trace
this in just a few moments
00:14:24.37\00:14:26.28
historically
exactly how that happen.
00:14:26.31\00:14:28.32
That is a warning
against spiritual leadership.
00:14:28.35\00:14:31.80
And my friend, listen,
must be honest about this.
00:14:31.83\00:14:35.37
Those of us who are
in ministry, you know,
00:14:35.40\00:14:38.31
I do want people
to respect the office.
00:14:38.34\00:14:41.24
But my friend,
we are human beings.
00:14:41.27\00:14:45.14
We are fallible human beings.
00:14:45.17\00:14:48.40
Sometimes we have our foibles.
00:14:48.43\00:14:50.73
And sometimes we
have our failures.
00:14:50.76\00:14:53.77
And we have our own challenges
00:14:53.80\00:14:55.67
let me tell you as a ministry.
00:14:55.70\00:14:57.63
And we are human,
believe it or not, we are human.
00:14:57.66\00:15:01.51
And sometimes, we make
mistakes and we have weaknesses.
00:15:01.54\00:15:07.63
And we too have to
get out on our knees
00:15:07.66\00:15:09.26
at the end of the day, often
to confess that we fallen short.
00:15:09.29\00:15:14.23
Don't you ever forget that?
00:15:14.26\00:15:15.87
Don't you ever put those of us,
00:15:15.90\00:15:17.39
who are in ministry on pedestal?
00:15:17.42\00:15:19.43
Don't do that.
00:15:19.46\00:15:20.55
Didn't get one amen out of that
00:15:24.66\00:15:26.18
and I thought that
was such a good point,
00:15:26.21\00:15:28.22
because I believe it.
00:15:28.25\00:15:31.00
It's becomes
problematic when we do that.
00:15:31.03\00:15:34.42
It becomes problematic
for those who are doing that
00:15:34.45\00:15:36.92
and becomes problematic for
those of us who are in ministry.
00:15:36.95\00:15:40.15
Don't put us on a pedestal.
00:15:40.18\00:15:43.08
I take you to another prophecy
00:15:43.11\00:15:44.43
as we find it in
II Timothy 4:3, 4.
00:15:44.46\00:15:48.00
Where Paul says,
"For the time will come,"
00:15:48.03\00:15:50.59
speaking of the
people of God now.
00:15:50.62\00:15:52.02
"For the time will come
when they will not endure
00:15:52.05\00:15:54.35
sound doctrine"
or sound teaching,
00:15:54.38\00:15:56.97
"but wanting to
have their ears tickled,
00:15:57.00\00:15:59.46
they will
accumulate for themselves,
00:15:59.49\00:16:01.94
teachers in
accordance to their own desire,
00:16:01.97\00:16:05.79
and will turn away
their ears from the truth,
00:16:05.82\00:16:08.42
and will turn aside to myths."
00:16:08.45\00:16:12.48
And my friend, whenever
we turned away from the truth
00:16:12.51\00:16:15.21
that's exactly
what we have left myths.
00:16:15.24\00:16:18.65
Man-made ideas,
practices and traditions
00:16:18.68\00:16:24.16
and that's exactly
what happens to the church
00:16:24.19\00:16:26.05
that Jesus established.
00:16:26.08\00:16:27.27
We have one more
prophecy in the New Testament,
00:16:27.30\00:16:29.45
II Thessalonians Chapter 2.
00:16:29.48\00:16:31.89
The New Testament page 162, 162.
00:16:31.92\00:16:36.54
II Thessalonians 2:3.
00:16:36.57\00:16:40.46
Remember this one,
Paul again is the writer
00:16:40.49\00:16:43.70
who is writing to the
believers in Thessalonica
00:16:43.73\00:16:47.09
and this is what he tells them.
00:16:47.12\00:16:48.70
II Thessalonians 2:3.
00:16:48.73\00:16:51.15
He says, "Let no one," no
one "in any way deceive you,
00:16:51.18\00:16:54.93
for it will not come."
00:16:54.96\00:16:56.75
Speaking of the coming of Jesus.
00:16:56.78\00:16:58.30
"It will not come,
unless the apostasy come first."
00:16:58.33\00:17:03.31
And remember we've
talked about this apostasy.
00:17:03.34\00:17:05.56
What is apostasy?
00:17:05.59\00:17:07.23
Literally, it
means falling away,
00:17:07.26\00:17:10.03
spiritually falling
away, away from God,
00:17:10.06\00:17:15.50
away from faithfulness to Jesus,
falling away from the truth.
00:17:15.53\00:17:21.11
Again, it is not talking
about the wicked, the ungodly.
00:17:21.14\00:17:25.54
They can't fall away,
because they never were
00:17:25.57\00:17:29.13
in a right relationship to fall
away from in the first place.
00:17:29.16\00:17:34.33
So it predicts that
apostasy would grip the church
00:17:34.36\00:17:38.99
that Jesus established.
00:17:39.02\00:17:41.01
And then it goes on to
say, "And the man of lawlessness
00:17:41.04\00:17:43.63
is revealed, the
son of destruction,
00:17:43.66\00:17:45.55
who opposes and exalt himself
above every so called God,
00:17:45.58\00:17:48.78
or object of worshipped,
00:17:48.81\00:17:49.90
so that he takes his
sit in the temple of God,
00:17:49.93\00:17:52.17
displaying
himself as being God."
00:17:52.20\00:17:53.81
And clearly that is
speaking of the antichrist.
00:17:53.84\00:17:57.45
And that makes a
definite and a cleared link
00:17:57.48\00:18:00.69
between the fall of the church,
the apostasy of the church
00:18:00.72\00:18:04.71
and the emergence
of the antichrist.
00:18:04.74\00:18:08.28
That was the end
result of what happened
00:18:08.31\00:18:10.42
to the church
that Jesus established.
00:18:10.45\00:18:12.89
As we now looked at
these four prophecies
00:18:12.92\00:18:15.27
as they turn away
from sound doctrine,
00:18:15.30\00:18:17.62
from sound teaching,
as men begin to arise
00:18:17.65\00:18:20.66
speaking perverse things to draw
away disciples after themselves.
00:18:20.69\00:18:24.23
The end product of it
was that it brought forth
00:18:24.26\00:18:28.89
the antichrist, that
church that Jesus established.
00:18:28.92\00:18:33.96
Absolutely
astounding, when you consider it
00:18:33.99\00:18:36.57
and notice down
in verse 7 Paul says,
00:18:36.60\00:18:39.01
"For the
mystery of lawlessness."
00:18:39.04\00:18:42.23
And my friend this is at
the heart of the apostasy,
00:18:42.26\00:18:44.60
it does relate to
this matter of the law,
00:18:44.63\00:18:46.80
the commandments of God.
00:18:46.83\00:18:48.73
When he says then, "For
the mystery of lawlessness
00:18:48.76\00:18:52.04
is already at
work in the church."
00:18:52.07\00:18:58.05
Already at the work
in the church in Jesus,
00:18:58.08\00:19:01.08
in the time of the apostles.
00:19:01.11\00:19:03.53
It is astounding how
early this process began
00:19:03.56\00:19:07.51
in the Christian church.
00:19:07.54\00:19:09.94
And we can trace it
historically as we will do so.
00:19:09.97\00:19:15.24
I take it to Magsburg Centuries.
00:19:15.27\00:19:18.91
It's written by
Jena in 1560, page 2,
00:19:18.94\00:19:22.54
where this
historical observation is made.
00:19:22.57\00:19:25.62
It says, "The
apostles had hardly died
00:19:25.65\00:19:27.78
ere the spirit of deception
00:19:27.81\00:19:29.50
thought it could easily
break into the churches.
00:19:29.53\00:19:32.56
It may be conceived
that in this second century
00:19:32.59\00:19:35.30
originate
nearly all the heresies
00:19:35.33\00:19:37.37
which afterward
raged in the church."
00:19:37.40\00:19:41.57
How early
second century already,
00:19:41.60\00:19:45.11
heresies, false teachings?
00:19:45.14\00:19:47.98
And how could that happened?
00:19:48.01\00:19:50.25
Because my friend there
was a process taking place
00:19:50.28\00:19:52.99
that was leading
the people of God
00:19:53.02\00:19:54.91
away from the
centrality of the word of God.
00:19:54.94\00:19:59.36
And my friend, that is
why it is absolutely necessary
00:19:59.39\00:20:04.14
that the church
keep the focal point
00:20:04.17\00:20:06.84
upon the Revelation
that has been given us
00:20:06.87\00:20:09.40
by God in His love and mercy.
00:20:09.43\00:20:11.49
The Revelation that we
have, the privilege of studying
00:20:11.52\00:20:14.67
from God's word,
it is foundational.
00:20:14.70\00:20:19.73
And anything else
that has put in His place
00:20:19.76\00:20:22.80
as a substitute
is a poor substitute.
00:20:22.83\00:20:27.11
Oh, yeah.
00:20:27.14\00:20:29.31
Truth is foundational. Yeah.
00:20:29.34\00:20:31.41
Reminds me of the
parable of Jesus told
00:20:34.13\00:20:35.82
that the two builders.
00:20:35.85\00:20:38.24
One building their
house upon the rock
00:20:38.27\00:20:40.28
and the other building
their house upon the sand.
00:20:40.31\00:20:43.59
And Jesus said the
storm-- there's storm coming.
00:20:43.62\00:20:46.33
Jesus said in the
parable, there's a storm coming,
00:20:46.36\00:20:48.56
there's a storm coming.
00:20:48.59\00:20:50.31
And when the
storm came, you know,
00:20:50.34\00:20:52.99
the house build on
the sand felt flat,
00:20:53.02\00:20:56.21
but the house that
was built upon the rock
00:20:56.24\00:20:58.75
stood firm in that foundation.
00:20:58.78\00:21:02.43
And we must have foundations.
00:21:02.46\00:21:04.59
And do you remember
what Jesus said is the rock.
00:21:04.62\00:21:07.06
They'll say that is Jesus,
because that's not what He said.
00:21:07.09\00:21:10.66
It is his saints.
00:21:10.69\00:21:14.01
The one who keeps my
saints, Jesus said is the one
00:21:14.04\00:21:17.65
that builds his
house on the rock.
00:21:17.68\00:21:19.60
Look at it, that's what it says.
00:21:19.63\00:21:22.60
And so that-- when we talk
about building up the church,
00:21:22.63\00:21:25.93
truth is pretty vital in it
00:21:25.96\00:21:28.39
and it is certainly
relevant to our relationship.
00:21:28.42\00:21:31.11
In the Book Ancient
Church pages 6 and 7, it says,
00:21:31.14\00:21:34.25
"In the interval
between the days of the apostles
00:21:34.28\00:21:37.12
and the
conversion of Constantine"
00:21:37.15\00:21:38.80
which was in the 4th century.
00:21:38.83\00:21:41.54
"Rites and ceremonies,
of which, Paul nor Peter
00:21:41.57\00:21:44.99
ever heard, crept
silently into use."
00:21:45.02\00:21:48.24
Notice how
insidious this process was?
00:21:48.27\00:21:52.58
It wasn't blatant.
00:21:52.61\00:21:53.64
It wasn't in your
face, kind of a process.
00:21:53.67\00:21:56.14
It was
happening kind of quietly.
00:21:56.17\00:21:59.49
And you know, when you
look at the phenomena of cults
00:21:59.52\00:22:02.28
that is often how the
cultic or cultic experiences
00:22:02.31\00:22:06.50
often develop, gradually
like the Jim Jones experience,
00:22:06.53\00:22:11.65
he was very gradual.
00:22:11.68\00:22:12.83
You hear the
testimony of some of the members
00:22:12.86\00:22:15.40
of the people's temple there
in San Francisco it was gradual.
00:22:15.43\00:22:20.79
It was gradual.
00:22:20.82\00:22:22.05
And I remember one of
the members talking about,
00:22:22.08\00:22:23.96
it was only, if
you look back over time
00:22:23.99\00:22:26.43
that you realize how far
and time one had really come
00:22:26.46\00:22:30.60
under the
influence of Jim Jones.
00:22:30.63\00:22:33.90
So it was
gradual. It was gradual.
00:22:33.93\00:22:36.22
Yeah.
00:22:36.25\00:22:37.44
"So they crept
silently into use,
00:22:37.47\00:22:39.61
rites and
ceremonies, practices."
00:22:39.64\00:22:43.49
And Constantine had
the tremendous effect
00:22:43.52\00:22:45.75
upon the church in
the 4th century AD.
00:22:45.78\00:22:48.64
He had himself declared the
foremost of all of apostles.
00:22:48.67\00:22:54.80
Constantine, after
his death was declared
00:22:54.83\00:22:57.81
to be one of the
saints of the church.
00:22:57.84\00:23:00.76
Constantine.
00:23:00.79\00:23:02.38
Constantine was the
one who called forth
00:23:02.41\00:23:04.92
the church counsels in his day.
00:23:04.95\00:23:07.16
Constantine was the
one who set the agendas.
00:23:07.19\00:23:10.55
Constantine is the one
who often put the decisions
00:23:10.58\00:23:15.70
of the church
councils into imperial decree.
00:23:15.73\00:23:21.47
Constantine not only
had tremendous influence
00:23:21.50\00:23:25.00
upon the church but shares
a tremendous responsibility
00:23:25.03\00:23:28.96
to what the church
became particularly
00:23:28.99\00:23:31.41
during the
medieval period of time.
00:23:31.44\00:23:34.51
Constantine.
00:23:34.54\00:23:35.57
It was Constantine
that first time ordered
00:23:35.60\00:23:38.17
to proclaim himself a Christian.
00:23:38.20\00:23:40.94
And it was
Constantine who in 313 AD
00:23:40.97\00:23:44.27
declared his
empire a Christian empire.
00:23:44.30\00:23:49.63
Oh, you would think
that, that would have been
00:23:49.66\00:23:51.29
a wonderful and
great thing for the church.
00:23:51.32\00:23:55.45
But the problem was, you
see, it became the popular thing
00:23:55.48\00:23:59.03
to do to become a Christian,
00:23:59.06\00:24:00.93
because even the
emperor himself proclaimed
00:24:00.96\00:24:04.17
to be a
Christian and politically
00:24:04.20\00:24:06.84
if you wanted to
get a head, you know,
00:24:06.87\00:24:11.00
wouldn't hurt, you know,
that take that name, you know.
00:24:11.03\00:24:17.51
Declare yourself
to be a Christian,
00:24:17.54\00:24:20.24
of course in the
political process in our own day
00:24:20.27\00:24:22.47
and age and our country
00:24:22.50\00:24:24.49
that certainly
wouldn't happen, you know.
00:24:24.52\00:24:28.84
Would it?
00:24:28.87\00:24:29.98
Our politicians
weren't stupid that, 313 AD,
00:24:30.01\00:24:34.19
declared his empire
to be a Christian empire.
00:24:34.22\00:24:37.00
And that what you
thought would have furthered
00:24:37.03\00:24:39.82
the prosperity of the church
have the very opposite effect,
00:24:39.85\00:24:42.82
because people were embracing
the faith not of a conviction
00:24:42.85\00:24:45.71
not because they were converted,
00:24:45.74\00:24:47.32
not because they have
accepted Jesus Christ,
00:24:47.35\00:24:49.38
but it can because it was
00:24:49.41\00:24:51.77
the popular
convenient thing to do.
00:24:51.80\00:24:54.58
And he further the
process of the apostasy
00:24:54.61\00:24:56.97
the downfall of the
church as we see indicated here
00:24:57.00\00:24:59.93
from Wharey's
Church History page 54.
00:24:59.96\00:25:03.08
"Christianity had
now become popular,
00:25:03.11\00:25:05.86
and a large proportion,
perhaps a large majority
00:25:05.89\00:25:09.36
of those who embraced
it, only assumed the name.
00:25:09.39\00:25:14.67
They are as much
heathen," it says, further on,
00:25:14.70\00:25:17.29
"as they were before."
00:25:17.32\00:25:19.68
They haven't been transformed
to the love and grace of Jesus.
00:25:19.71\00:25:23.18
They still were pagans
at heart is what its saying.
00:25:23.21\00:25:26.35
"Error and corruption now came
00:25:26.38\00:25:28.85
in upon the
church like a flood."
00:25:28.88\00:25:32.09
In the spirit of time.
00:25:32.12\00:25:33.54
And in the
Centuries of Christianity,
00:25:33.57\00:25:35.21
A Concise
History, Page 58, it adds,
00:25:35.24\00:25:38.28
"The new Christians
were, as far as thinking
00:25:38.31\00:25:41.04
and habits went,
the same old pagans.
00:25:41.07\00:25:44.49
Their surge into the churches
did not wipe out paganism.
00:25:44.52\00:25:47.55
On the contrary,
hordes of baptized pagans
00:25:47.58\00:25:51.23
meant that paganism had
diluted the moral energies
00:25:51.26\00:25:55.34
of organized Christianity
to the point of impotence."
00:25:55.37\00:26:00.68
And my friend, that's
exactly what happened.
00:26:00.71\00:26:03.32
Just as Paul said
in II Thessalonians 2,
00:26:03.35\00:26:07.09
apostasy that take
place in the church
00:26:07.12\00:26:11.94
that Jesus had established,
troubling to be sure,
00:26:11.97\00:26:15.55
but that's
exactly what happened.
00:26:15.58\00:26:18.01
And paganism coming in,
00:26:18.04\00:26:20.64
accommodation
with pagan teaching
00:26:20.67\00:26:23.58
and pagan practices took
place in the word compromise
00:26:23.61\00:26:29.04
that's what was taking place.
00:26:29.07\00:26:30.92
We have another word
theologically for this
00:26:30.95\00:26:33.13
we called it syncretism.
00:26:33.16\00:26:35.53
That is the combination
of Christian teaching
00:26:35.56\00:26:37.86
and practice to pagan
teachings and practices.
00:26:37.89\00:26:43.69
And that's exactly what happened
during this time of apostasy.
00:26:43.72\00:26:46.95
Illustrated by this, this is
from a quote from the History
00:26:46.98\00:26:49.47
of the Eastern Church, page 184.
00:26:49.50\00:26:51.95
It's talking about
Constantine's coins,
00:26:51.98\00:26:53.67
which is an illustration
00:26:53.70\00:26:55.04
of what I'm sharing
with you at this point.
00:26:55.07\00:26:57.03
It says, "His (Constantine's)
coins bore on the one side
00:26:57.06\00:27:01.07
the letters of the
name of Christ, " Christos,"
00:27:01.10\00:27:04.17
and on the other,
the figure of the sun-god
00:27:04.20\00:27:07.74
as if he could not
dare to re-linguish
00:27:07.77\00:27:10.82
the patron-age of
the bright luminary."
00:27:10.85\00:27:13.06
So you see the
syncretism that was going on,
00:27:13.09\00:27:15.18
the assimilation of
paganism and Christianity.
00:27:15.21\00:27:18.74
On one side where
the word for Christ
00:27:18.77\00:27:23.05
and on the other was
the symbol of the sun-god.
00:27:23.08\00:27:27.73
In fact as they have
excavated under Saint Peters
00:27:27.76\00:27:30.65
guess what they
have found underground,
00:27:30.68\00:27:33.78
I believe it's under the
main alter in Saint Peters.
00:27:33.81\00:27:36.94
They found a statue of Jesus
00:27:36.97\00:27:39.76
riding in the
distinctive characteristics
00:27:39.79\00:27:42.94
of the chariot of the sun-god.
00:27:42.97\00:27:46.41
Amen.
00:27:46.44\00:27:48.33
And simulation was
taking place on paganism.
00:27:48.36\00:27:53.75
And this is from the Development
of Christian Doctrine Page 372.
00:27:53.78\00:27:57.27
It says "We are
told by Eusebius."
00:27:57.30\00:27:58.98
Eusebius was a
bishop that was very closely
00:27:59.01\00:28:01.89
with Constantine in
that period of time.
00:28:01.92\00:28:04.27
"We are told by
Eusebius, that Constantine,
00:28:04.30\00:28:06.75
in order to recommend the
new religion to the heathen,
00:28:06.78\00:28:09.99
transferred into it
the Christian faith,
00:28:10.02\00:28:13.49
the outward ornaments."
00:28:13.52\00:28:16.00
Interesting language, isn't it?
00:28:16.03\00:28:17.39
"Ornaments to which they had
been accustomed in their own."
00:28:17.42\00:28:21.29
It's a simulation of
paganism into Christianity,
00:28:21.32\00:28:26.36
troubling but that's
exactly what happened.
00:28:26.39\00:28:28.96
And it was during
this time of apostasy
00:28:28.99\00:28:32.56
that the Sabbath was
changed from Saturday to Sunday
00:28:32.59\00:28:37.99
that is the day of the sun-god.
00:28:38.02\00:28:42.97
Yes, it was in this
context that this is happened.
00:28:43.00\00:28:46.55
And it's been transmitted
down through the centuries
00:28:46.58\00:28:49.05
through the various
churches to our own day.
00:28:49.08\00:28:52.10
Interesting how old
and how really pagan
00:28:52.13\00:28:56.85
this whole thing of Sunday
really is and its origins.
00:28:56.88\00:29:00.93
And after it was at the
council of Nicaea 321 AD
00:29:00.96\00:29:06.23
it was at that point that we
have the Edict of Constantine
00:29:06.26\00:29:11.21
in which he declared, "On
the venerable Day of the Sun
00:29:11.24\00:29:14.66
let the magistrates and people
residing in the cities rest,
00:29:14.69\00:29:19.07
and let all
workshops be closed."
00:29:19.10\00:29:21.54
The first Sunday
closing blue law,
00:29:21.57\00:29:24.36
we would call it, isn't it?
00:29:24.39\00:29:27.30
It was initiated by Constantine
as he made it an edict.
00:29:27.33\00:29:31.50
But one other
statement about this matter,
00:29:31.53\00:29:33.58
the change of the
Sabbath and the incorporation
00:29:33.61\00:29:37.83
and the assimilation of
the pagan day of the sun.
00:29:37.86\00:29:43.01
This is from the History of the
Eastern Church again page 184.
00:29:43.04\00:29:47.39
"The retention of the
old pagan name 'Dies Solos,'
00:29:47.42\00:29:50.40
or Sunday is, in great measure,
owing to the union of pagan
00:29:50.43\00:29:54.98
and Christian sentiment by
which the first day of the week
00:29:55.01\00:29:58.03
was recommended by
Constantine to his subjects,
00:29:58.06\00:30:00.44
pagan and Christian alike,
00:30:00.47\00:30:02.20
as the
'Venerable Day of the Sun.'"
00:30:02.23\00:30:05.19
Let see there was a lot--
00:30:05.22\00:30:07.11
there was a lot of politics
involved in this whole matter.
00:30:07.14\00:30:11.61
This whole thing
of the simulation
00:30:11.64\00:30:13.25
on paganism and Christianity
under the reign of Constantine.
00:30:13.28\00:30:18.57
A lot of politics was going on,
00:30:18.60\00:30:20.91
it was
Constantine that had reunited
00:30:20.94\00:30:24.15
the various parts
of the Roman Empire,
00:30:24.18\00:30:26.21
reunited, and united it.
00:30:26.24\00:30:29.14
And he had a
tremendous political pressure
00:30:29.17\00:30:32.34
of trying to find a mechanism
00:30:32.37\00:30:34.70
that would help him to
keep the empire united.
00:30:34.73\00:30:39.14
And he fell upon
this genius of an idea
00:30:39.17\00:30:43.71
that he could use the vitality
00:30:43.74\00:30:47.18
and the parent spiritual power
00:30:47.21\00:30:49.86
that was
present among Christians
00:30:49.89\00:30:51.82
in the church for
a political purpose.
00:30:51.85\00:30:55.40
He thought to bring
them into harmony together
00:30:55.43\00:30:59.61
on this issue of
the Christian faith.
00:30:59.64\00:31:04.93
This is from The
Papacy page 12 where it says,
00:31:04.96\00:31:07.34
"There is palpably
present in Popery the polytheism
00:31:07.37\00:31:10.83
of ancient Rome in
the gods and goddesses
00:31:10.86\00:31:13.40
which under the title of saints,
00:31:13.43\00:31:15.53
fill up the calendar
00:31:15.56\00:31:16.59
and crowd the temple
of the Romish Church."
00:31:16.62\00:31:19.07
I don't like some
of this terminology,
00:31:19.10\00:31:20.45
but that's what it says here.
00:31:20.48\00:31:22.08
"Here then, all the old
idolatries live over again.
00:31:22.11\00:31:25.62
There is nothing new about
them but the organization."
00:31:25.65\00:31:29.36
As people were
fighting into the church
00:31:29.39\00:31:32.07
they had a simple--
it was a systemic problem
00:31:32.10\00:31:36.36
where would
they're gonna house them
00:31:36.39\00:31:38.06
and here where
all of these temples.
00:31:38.09\00:31:41.00
This was familiar ground.
00:31:41.03\00:31:42.51
And so they took
over many of these temples
00:31:42.54\00:31:45.30
and they made them
into Christian churches.
00:31:45.33\00:31:49.58
In fact, what you're
seeing here is the pantheon.
00:31:49.61\00:31:52.83
The pantheon
devoted to the gods of Rome.
00:31:52.86\00:31:58.27
And the pantheon was in 609 AD
00:31:58.30\00:32:02.27
dedicated and
made a catholic church.
00:32:02.30\00:32:07.21
They give you some
idea of what was going on.
00:32:07.24\00:32:09.41
And when they
went into these temples
00:32:09.44\00:32:11.12
again it was familiar ground,
00:32:11.15\00:32:12.39
there were all these beautiful
statues that were present.
00:32:12.42\00:32:15.58
And who wanted to get rid
of these beautiful statues
00:32:15.61\00:32:19.41
in these now churches.
00:32:19.44\00:32:21.95
And so they just decided,
there's a little bit simplcity,
00:32:21.98\00:32:24.79
but they sprinkle a
little holy water here
00:32:24.82\00:32:26.63
and they
consecrated this went to Paul
00:32:26.66\00:32:28.81
and they
consecrated this went Peter
00:32:28.84\00:32:30.67
and the rest of the apostles
00:32:30.70\00:32:32.17
and then they began
to working on the saints.
00:32:32.20\00:32:35.00
That's how images came
into the Christian church.
00:32:35.03\00:32:41.27
That's exactly how they came in.
00:32:41.30\00:32:43.77
And by 377 AD, it was fairly
well established in the church,
00:32:43.80\00:32:49.31
the use of
images, adoration images,
00:32:49.34\00:32:53.67
burning candles before
them, praying before them, okay.
00:32:53.70\00:33:00.17
This is what
happened to the church again
00:33:00.20\00:33:02.09
that Jesus established.
00:33:02.12\00:33:03.92
And then there was an
introduction an introduction
00:33:03.95\00:33:07.56
an introduction
of the priesthood.
00:33:07.59\00:33:11.09
They came, you know,
00:33:11.12\00:33:12.41
a few centuries after
the founding of Jesus Christ
00:33:12.44\00:33:16.14
and certainly by
the 13th century,
00:33:16.17\00:33:20.31
not only was the
priesthood well established,
00:33:20.34\00:33:22.97
more than well established,
but with it the confessional
00:33:23.00\00:33:26.84
was established
within the church.
00:33:26.87\00:33:31.08
And I could share a little bit
with you where that came from.
00:33:31.11\00:33:33.62
I think I did that
one night with you.
00:33:33.65\00:33:36.11
And so we have the intercessory
function of the priest
00:33:36.14\00:33:39.33
that supplanted the
intercessory function of Jesus.
00:33:39.36\00:33:43.44
And this is what it says
00:33:43.47\00:33:44.59
from the Missionary
Review of the World,
00:33:44.62\00:33:46.21
"Few of us have ever
grasped the full significance
00:33:46.24\00:33:48.33
of sacerdotalism
as a papal device.
00:33:48.36\00:33:51.00
It puts the priest
between the soul and all else,
00:33:51.03\00:33:53.84
even God, at every
stage of development."
00:33:53.87\00:33:57.94
And that's exactly what it does.
00:33:57.97\00:33:59.53
But remember it
says in 1 Timothy 2:5,
00:33:59.56\00:34:02.54
"For there is one
God, and one mediator also
00:34:02.57\00:34:05.41
between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus.
00:34:05.44\00:34:09.17
We have direct
access to God through Jesus.
00:34:09.20\00:34:11.83
But we have a system,
00:34:11.86\00:34:12.98
we have the
intercession of the priest.
00:34:13.01\00:34:16.23
Then you have the
intercession of the saints.
00:34:16.26\00:34:19.30
Then you have the
intercession of Mary.
00:34:19.33\00:34:22.20
And then if you
kind of work through
00:34:22.23\00:34:24.50
quite a system to reach God.
00:34:24.53\00:34:29.92
This is true in
orthodoxy as well.
00:34:29.95\00:34:32.73
When I was in Romania in
the ancient capital of Iasi.
00:34:32.76\00:34:37.63
And King Stephen, the best known
00:34:37.66\00:34:39.43
of all of the kings of
Romania for he who's the one
00:34:39.46\00:34:42.91
to stop the incursion of
the Ottoman Turkish Empire
00:34:42.94\00:34:47.90
in a epic battle that
took place about an hours drive
00:34:47.93\00:34:53.47
from the city of Iasi.
00:34:53.50\00:34:56.83
He has chapel.
00:34:56.86\00:34:58.04
King Stephen
Chapel Stile was there
00:34:58.07\00:35:01.04
and was fascinating
to go into this chapel.
00:35:01.07\00:35:03.08
This orthodox chapel.
00:35:03.11\00:35:04.72
And you saw
painted all over the walls.
00:35:04.75\00:35:07.13
You had Patriarchs,
00:35:07.16\00:35:09.90
well known men of faith
within the orthodox system
00:35:09.93\00:35:14.42
and then you would have
another layer of saints.
00:35:14.45\00:35:19.01
And I thought man, this really--
00:35:19.04\00:35:20.80
I couldn't get a
good picture of it.
00:35:20.83\00:35:23.04
I would have loved to
get a picture that would--
00:35:23.07\00:35:25.52
that you could clearly see this.
00:35:25.55\00:35:27.36
It was just pretty-- pretty big.
00:35:27.39\00:35:30.16
And then over main
altar way up there in the dome
00:35:30.19\00:35:35.25
was Jesus looking
down, looking down.
00:35:35.28\00:35:39.29
And I thought, here's
one layer after another,
00:35:39.32\00:35:41.25
if you worked up high enough,
00:35:41.28\00:35:42.33
there He is, there
He is way up there.
00:35:42.36\00:35:45.36
That's what the system did,
interjected all these layers
00:35:45.39\00:35:50.37
between the
individual and Christ.
00:35:50.40\00:35:54.21
And then even
the position of Mary
00:35:54.24\00:35:57.97
under this apostasy
went through an alteration.
00:35:58.00\00:36:01.27
This is from the book Glories.
The Glories of Mary, page 67.
00:36:01.30\00:36:05.00
It says, "God will not save us
00:36:05.03\00:36:07.18
without the
intercession of Mary.
00:36:07.21\00:36:09.21
He has placed the
whole price of redemption
00:36:09.24\00:36:11.02
in the hands of Mary that
she may dispense it at will."
00:36:11.05\00:36:15.36
And in fact the
church, the Church of Rome
00:36:15.39\00:36:18.71
just within recent
years has declared Mary
00:36:18.74\00:36:23.03
as a co- redemptorist of Christ.
00:36:23.06\00:36:28.04
A co- redemptorist of Christ.
00:36:28.07\00:36:30.73
Even arise by which one
was initiated into the faith,
00:36:30.76\00:36:34.74
you know, went
through alteration.
00:36:34.77\00:36:36.70
Even the practice of communion
00:36:36.73\00:36:39.08
was altered during
this period of time.
00:36:39.11\00:36:41.51
Communion, the cup and the bread
00:36:41.54\00:36:43.86
which we
understand to be symbolic
00:36:43.89\00:36:47.20
became an
actuality at the consecration
00:36:47.23\00:36:50.55
of it by the priest, the
blood and the body of Jesus.
00:36:50.58\00:36:55.37
This is from the Catechism
of the Council of Trent.
00:36:55.40\00:36:57.58
It says, "The
sacrifice of the mass
00:36:57.61\00:36:59.56
is and ought to be considered
00:36:59.59\00:37:02.02
one and the same
as that of the cross,
00:37:02.05\00:37:05.86
and the victim
is one and the same,
00:37:05.89\00:37:08.56
namely Christ our Lord."
00:37:08.59\00:37:11.21
Now those of us from
a protestant background
00:37:11.24\00:37:13.11
this is kind of
strange to our thinking.
00:37:13.14\00:37:15.20
Because we think of it
as symbolism, don't we?
00:37:15.23\00:37:18.69
But in the
thinking of the church,
00:37:18.72\00:37:20.26
it becomes
actually, the blood becomes
00:37:20.29\00:37:22.74
the actual book of body of Jesus
00:37:22.77\00:37:24.93
and those are re-sacrificing
00:37:24.96\00:37:26.93
that takes
place within the mass.
00:37:26.96\00:37:30.31
The Roman 6:10 says,
"For the death that He died,
00:37:30.34\00:37:33.11
He died to sin, once for all."
00:37:33.14\00:37:36.90
Once, no need of re-sacrificing.
00:37:36.93\00:37:40.55
And then even
views of the after life
00:37:40.58\00:37:43.30
went through an alteration.
00:37:43.33\00:37:45.46
And it was
absorption of pagan teaching.
00:37:45.49\00:37:48.17
I'm talking about purgatory.
00:37:48.20\00:37:49.39
Now listen from Faith of
Our Fathers where it says,
00:37:49.42\00:37:52.25
"There exists in the next life
00:37:52.28\00:37:54.11
a middle state of
temporary punishment,
00:37:54.14\00:37:56.41
allotted for those who have
not satisfied the justice of God
00:37:56.44\00:38:00.50
for sins already forgiven."
00:38:00.53\00:38:04.01
Are you catching this?
00:38:04.04\00:38:05.43
Oh, yes, you've been
forgiven of your sins,
00:38:05.46\00:38:08.39
but when you die
00:38:08.42\00:38:10.32
you're gonna have to
spent a little bit of time
00:38:10.35\00:38:11.99
suffering in
purgatory to satisfy the justice
00:38:12.02\00:38:16.84
required of God
for your sins forgiven
00:38:16.87\00:38:21.78
but you got to
suffer a little bit.
00:38:21.81\00:38:23.94
It's that--It's that
what the Bible teaches.
00:38:23.97\00:38:27.97
Oh, my friend,
there is sufferings
00:38:28.00\00:38:29.87
of only one that will satisfy,
00:38:29.90\00:38:32.27
it is the sufferings
of Jesus that satisfies.
00:38:32.30\00:38:35.15
Our sufferings
will atone for nothing.
00:38:35.18\00:38:38.29
The bible does
not teach purgatory.
00:38:38.32\00:38:40.22
It is a pagan
teaching that is what we find.
00:38:40.25\00:38:44.84
And as I said a moment ago
00:38:44.87\00:38:46.64
even the rise of
baptisms were altered
00:38:46.67\00:38:48.77
that the Council of
Mela 416 AD it began
00:38:48.80\00:38:53.11
the practice of sprinkling
was practice by the church.
00:38:53.14\00:38:57.06
And then the
baptizing of babies,
00:38:57.09\00:38:59.44
all began to become
the establish practice.
00:38:59.47\00:39:04.69
It was a departure
from the clear teachings
00:39:04.72\00:39:06.22
of the world of God.
00:39:06.25\00:39:07.28
In fact, in this
process of apostasy,
00:39:07.31\00:39:09.32
the church went so far
down the road of apostasy
00:39:09.35\00:39:12.61
that departing from the
truth that in the year 1299,
00:39:12.64\00:39:18.26
the Bible was banned, 1299.
00:39:18.29\00:39:24.15
How could the
church get away with it?
00:39:24.18\00:39:27.15
I'll tell you exactly
how they got away with it.
00:39:27.18\00:39:30.18
Because they said,
how can the holy writings
00:39:30.21\00:39:34.29
of the scripture be entrusted
00:39:34.32\00:39:36.04
in the hands of
the common people
00:39:36.07\00:39:38.17
who are largely uneducated,
given over to superstition.
00:39:38.20\00:39:43.35
Of course that can be.
00:39:43.38\00:39:46.29
And so the people were taught
00:39:46.32\00:39:48.36
if you want to know
what you have to believe
00:39:48.39\00:39:50.30
and what you are to
practice, go to your priest.
00:39:50.33\00:39:53.34
He's been
educated. He's been trained.
00:39:53.37\00:39:55.43
He's been to seminary.
00:39:55.46\00:39:56.76
He has been
consecrated for this purpose,
00:39:56.79\00:40:00.13
that's how they
got away with it.
00:40:00.16\00:40:02.46
Of course that couldn't get--
that couldn't happen today,
00:40:02.49\00:40:05.41
not in this
modern era, could it?
00:40:05.44\00:40:08.75
Or could it?
00:40:08.78\00:40:10.54
You get somebody that seems
well educated, well spoken.
00:40:10.57\00:40:15.24
And my friend, it's so
easy to sit back and say,
00:40:15.27\00:40:17.33
"Well, he sounds articulate."
00:40:17.36\00:40:19.34
It must be true.
00:40:19.37\00:40:21.66
He's got an education.
00:40:21.69\00:40:23.68
It sounds-- it
sounds reasonable.
00:40:23.71\00:40:26.67
But my friend, don't
ever get into that at all.
00:40:26.70\00:40:30.32
Check it out.
00:40:30.35\00:40:32.79
All right, those normal bereans,
00:40:32.82\00:40:34.66
who checked out the apostle
Paul and they checked it out,
00:40:34.69\00:40:37.87
because they study
the scriptures daily
00:40:37.90\00:40:39.88
to find out whether
those things were so.
00:40:39.91\00:40:43.60
In Matthew 15:9, Jesus said,
00:40:43.63\00:40:47.45
other religious
leaders of his day.
00:40:47.48\00:40:49.34
"And in they worship
Me, teaching as doctrines
00:40:49.37\00:40:52.75
the commandments of men."
00:40:52.78\00:40:55.10
And my friend, that's
what the truth I come to, okay.
00:40:55.13\00:40:59.30
In Daniel 8:12, prophetically
talking about this process
00:40:59.33\00:41:03.06
and the
development of the antichrist.
00:41:03.09\00:41:05.25
It said, "And it will
fling truth to the ground
00:41:05.28\00:41:07.79
and perform its
will and prosper."
00:41:07.82\00:41:10.08
It will fling
truth to the ground.
00:41:10.11\00:41:12.57
There was--I mean the church
that Jesus has established
00:41:12.60\00:41:15.39
was in and awful state.
00:41:15.42\00:41:18.22
And so what was God going to do.
00:41:18.25\00:41:20.78
Well, take a look at
a prophecy in Isaiah 58,
00:41:20.81\00:41:23.53
the Old Testament page 528.
00:41:23.56\00:41:26.29
528, Isaiah 58 and we're gonna
look specifically at verse 12.
00:41:26.32\00:41:32.23
And this will have a ring.
00:41:32.26\00:41:33.51
This will remind you
of the statement of Paul
00:41:33.54\00:41:36.01
as we saw it in the Book of Acts
00:41:36.04\00:41:38.25
where he's
speaking to the elders
00:41:38.28\00:41:41.34
of the church in Ephesus.
00:41:41.37\00:41:43.04
Where he's warning them
that from among your own selves,
00:41:43.07\00:41:46.87
your own selves
shall individuals arise
00:41:46.90\00:41:50.63
speaking perverse things.
00:41:50.66\00:41:52.52
So notice here,
Isaiah 58:12 where it says,
00:41:52.55\00:41:58.21
"Those from among you
will rebuild the ancient ruins.
00:41:58.24\00:42:04.19
You will raise up
the age-old foundations,
00:42:04.22\00:42:06.33
and you will be called
the repairer of the breach,
00:42:06.36\00:42:08.59
the restorer of the
streets in which to dwell."
00:42:08.62\00:42:11.70
What is this talking about
urban renewal in the end time?
00:42:11.73\00:42:15.34
No.
00:42:15.37\00:42:16.88
But it talks about the--
rebuilding the ancient ruins.
00:42:16.91\00:42:19.44
It's talking about rebuilding
the ancient ruins of faith.
00:42:19.47\00:42:23.29
It talks about raising
up the age-old foundations,
00:42:23.32\00:42:25.89
its speaking of raising up
the old foundations of truth.
00:42:25.92\00:42:29.78
Where It talks
about you will be called
00:42:29.81\00:42:31.54
the repairer of the breach.
00:42:31.57\00:42:34.97
It's talking about the breach
that was made in the law of God.
00:42:35.00\00:42:39.84
That's what it's talking about.
00:42:39.87\00:42:42.14
My friend, it was predicting
00:42:42.17\00:42:44.06
what we know
historically as the reformation.
00:42:44.09\00:42:47.82
There was an attempt--
00:42:47.85\00:42:51.24
There was an
attempt to reform the church
00:42:51.27\00:42:56.13
and reform it in light
of what the Bibletaught.
00:42:56.16\00:42:59.04
This is where the
reformation comes in.
00:42:59.07\00:43:01.55
Now don't forget
what our subject is,
00:43:01.58\00:43:03.61
because this is all relevant.
00:43:03.64\00:43:05.39
And one reformer after another,
00:43:05.42\00:43:07.05
we think primarily
Martin Luther there in Germany
00:43:07.08\00:43:10.24
and he certainly was
00:43:10.27\00:43:11.51
in the forefront
of the reformation,
00:43:11.54\00:43:12.96
but he certainly
was the only one.
00:43:12.99\00:43:15.43
Mark Luther in Germany,
in Scotland we had John Knox
00:43:15.46\00:43:19.89
and we can go
through quite of list.
00:43:19.92\00:43:21.53
And I will take you
to a little bit of list.
00:43:21.56\00:43:23.37
In England there was
John and Charles Wesley.
00:43:23.40\00:43:26.57
And in France and in
Switzerland, John Calvin
00:43:26.60\00:43:30.37
and from these
movements, from these attempts
00:43:30.40\00:43:33.59
that we formed a church
00:43:33.62\00:43:34.65
and the church
would not be reformed.
00:43:34.68\00:43:37.85
Eventually
developed what we called
00:43:37.88\00:43:40.65
the mainline
protestant churches.
00:43:40.68\00:43:44.45
From Martin Luther,
we have the Lutherans.
00:43:44.48\00:43:48.70
And they began to cluster around
these leading individuals,
00:43:48.73\00:43:53.01
these
instruments of reformation.
00:43:53.04\00:43:56.12
And in the end time
they began to collapse
00:43:56.15\00:43:58.21
and in the end my
friend, it met a fragmentation
00:43:58.24\00:44:02.43
began to take
place in the church.
00:44:02.46\00:44:05.00
This was never God's
intension, but it happened.
00:44:05.03\00:44:08.14
Now fragmentation of the
church developed all of this.
00:44:08.17\00:44:11.68
And the followers of
these different individuals
00:44:11.71\00:44:15.78
as churches were formed came
to the point where they were,
00:44:15.81\00:44:19.24
you know, the cluster
around certain points and truths
00:44:19.27\00:44:22.49
and then it began to solidify
00:44:22.52\00:44:24.23
but they were not
willing to advance any further.
00:44:24.26\00:44:28.64
And they left the church again
00:44:28.67\00:44:30.57
in the state of
divisiveness and confusion.
00:44:30.60\00:44:33.52
Notice this from the
History of the Puritans
00:44:33.55\00:44:35.55
Volume 1 page 269.
00:44:35.58\00:44:38.82
It's an
observation what happened
00:44:38.85\00:44:39.94
to the reformation churches.
00:44:39.97\00:44:41.42
It says, "I cannot
sufficiently bewail
00:44:41.45\00:44:44.30
the condition of
the reformed churches
00:44:44.33\00:44:46.13
who will go at
present no farther
00:44:46.16\00:44:48.30
than the instruments
of their reformation.
00:44:48.33\00:44:51.03
The Lutherans cannot be drawn
to go beyond what Luther saw
00:44:51.06\00:44:54.38
the Calvinists, you see,
00:44:54.41\00:44:55.65
stick fast where they were
left by that great man of God,
00:44:55.68\00:44:58.94
who saw yet not all things.
00:44:58.97\00:45:01.32
Though they were burning and
shining lights in their time,
00:45:01.35\00:45:04.27
yet they penetrated not
into the whole council of God,
00:45:04.30\00:45:08.02
but were they now living
would be as willing to embrace
00:45:08.05\00:45:11.42
further light as that
which they first received."
00:45:11.45\00:45:15.41
And my friend
they came to the point
00:45:15.44\00:45:16.70
where they weren't
willing to move forward
00:45:16.73\00:45:18.99
in the process of reformation.
00:45:19.02\00:45:21.13
They began to say things like,
00:45:21.16\00:45:22.48
"Well, Martin
Luther didn't teach that,
00:45:22.51\00:45:24.70
we're not gonna accept it.
00:45:24.73\00:45:26.44
John Calvin didn't
teach it that way."
00:45:26.47\00:45:29.90
And my friend, that
really if you think about it
00:45:29.93\00:45:32.11
is the state of the church
today, the churches today.
00:45:32.14\00:45:36.22
I'm an Adventist.
00:45:36.25\00:45:38.20
You know, I'm not willing.
00:45:38.23\00:45:39.79
I'm a Methodist or I'm a
Baptist or I'm a Pentecostal.
00:45:39.82\00:45:45.34
And it impedes the willingness
00:45:45.37\00:45:48.41
to progress in matters of faith.
00:45:48.44\00:45:51.79
The churches have become
an obstacle and you know that.
00:45:51.82\00:45:56.27
The churches had
actually become an obstacle.
00:45:56.30\00:45:59.72
That's not what
my church teaches,
00:45:59.75\00:46:03.72
that's the problem
with the denominationalism.
00:46:03.75\00:46:07.19
I just say, even though I know
00:46:07.22\00:46:09.32
Gods people scattered throughout
the various denominations,
00:46:09.35\00:46:11.94
I do not at heart
believe in denominationalism.
00:46:11.97\00:46:16.85
I do not believe
in the fragmentation
00:46:16.88\00:46:18.85
of the Christian church.
00:46:18.88\00:46:21.12
I don't believe in
it, I don't accept it,
00:46:21.15\00:46:23.24
because the Bible says God
is not the author of confusion
00:46:23.27\00:46:27.23
1Corinthians 14, "He is
not the author of confusion."
00:46:27.26\00:46:30.48
But that's exactly what we're
finding in the Christian world.
00:46:30.51\00:46:33.18
We're not all speak
in the same language.
00:46:33.21\00:46:35.01
We're not all
speak in the same tongue.
00:46:35.04\00:46:38.73
So what has happened?
00:46:38.76\00:46:40.19
Let me take you to Malachi
4:5, the Old Testament page 678.
00:46:40.22\00:46:46.62
So we find the church
fragmented as a result.
00:46:46.65\00:46:50.67
And my friend the
purpose of the reformation
00:46:50.70\00:46:52.92
has not reached its conclusion.
00:46:52.95\00:46:56.34
This is my last prophecy, I'm
gonna share with you tonight.
00:46:56.37\00:46:59.80
And in it we find an
answer to the problem.
00:46:59.83\00:47:02.79
In Malachi 4:5,
it says, "Behold."
00:47:02.82\00:47:05.64
God is speaking, "Behold,
00:47:05.67\00:47:06.90
I am going to send
you Elijah the prophet
00:47:06.93\00:47:09.54
before the coming of the great
and terrible day of the Lord."
00:47:09.57\00:47:12.62
That is a
reference to the coming
00:47:12.65\00:47:14.22
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:47:14.25\00:47:15.82
"I'm gonna send you
the prophet Elijah."
00:47:15.85\00:47:20.07
Literally or symbolic?
00:47:20.10\00:47:21.89
That's the
question, one of the questions
00:47:21.92\00:47:23.08
that we want to settle.
00:47:23.11\00:47:24.53
And it's interesting
that the Jews of Jesus day
00:47:24.56\00:47:27.17
were certainly
acquainted with this prophecy
00:47:27.20\00:47:29.34
and it came up in a discussion
00:47:29.37\00:47:32.02
that the
disciples have with Jesus.
00:47:32.05\00:47:34.28
And would you like to know
how Jesus handles this matter
00:47:34.31\00:47:36.62
of this prophecy
and what it meant?
00:47:36.65\00:47:39.05
Well, whether you wanted
or not, you're gonna get it.
00:47:39.08\00:47:41.47
And it's Mathew 17:10.
00:47:41.50\00:47:44.14
And you'll discover as
Jesus addresses this issue
00:47:44.17\00:47:47.04
He makes it dual
application of this prophecy.
00:47:47.07\00:47:51.49
You see, He'll make a future,
00:47:51.52\00:47:54.09
a future
application of the prophecy
00:47:54.12\00:47:56.08
and then He makes
a past application.
00:47:56.11\00:47:58.69
Here it is, "And His
disciples asked Him saying,
00:47:58.72\00:48:00.79
'Why then do the scribes say
that Elijah must come first?'
00:48:00.82\00:48:04.32
And He answered and
said, 'Elijah is coming.'"
00:48:04.35\00:48:08.14
Future tense.
And what will he do?
00:48:08.17\00:48:12.14
"And will restore all things."
00:48:12.17\00:48:16.32
Remember, the
age-old foundations
00:48:16.35\00:48:19.04
would be restored of truth.
00:48:19.07\00:48:21.51
"He will restore all things."
00:48:21.54\00:48:23.59
Then He goes on to say,
00:48:23.62\00:48:24.66
"But I say to you,
that Elijah already came."
00:48:24.69\00:48:27.86
That's past tense.
00:48:27.89\00:48:29.16
"And they did not recognize him,
00:48:29.19\00:48:30.64
but did to him
whatever they wished.
00:48:30.67\00:48:32.63
So also the Son of Man is
going to suffer at their hands."
00:48:32.66\00:48:36.53
And so what He
was talking about?
00:48:36.56\00:48:38.96
Well, the disciples
picked up on this as we see.
00:48:38.99\00:48:41.94
It says, "Then the
disciples understood
00:48:41.97\00:48:43.63
that He had spoken to
them about John the Baptist."
00:48:43.66\00:48:46.20
It was not
talking in literal terms
00:48:46.23\00:48:48.99
that somehow Elijah will return
00:48:49.02\00:48:51.52
to this earth to
pick up His ministry, no.
00:48:51.55\00:48:55.35
It's talking that it work
00:48:55.38\00:48:56.98
similar to that which
the prophet Elijah did
00:48:57.01\00:48:58.98
among his
people would take place
00:48:59.01\00:49:01.42
and John the Baptist was a
partial fulfillment of this.
00:49:01.45\00:49:04.75
John the Baptist,
remember the setting,
00:49:04.78\00:49:07.27
again what was the
condition of God's people.
00:49:07.30\00:49:11.17
They were in a
state of apostasy.
00:49:11.20\00:49:14.29
They ended up
involved in this conspiracy
00:49:14.32\00:49:17.64
to eliminate the Messiah.
00:49:17.67\00:49:21.85
A perceived, a perceive threat
00:49:21.88\00:49:24.55
to their position
and to their authority.
00:49:24.58\00:49:27.68
And so who is John
the Baptist ministry to?
00:49:27.71\00:49:32.24
He wasn't sent
to ungodly to the,
00:49:32.27\00:49:34.50
you know, to the heathen.
00:49:34.53\00:49:36.15
He was sent to
the people of God.
00:49:36.18\00:49:37.85
And what was his message to
the people of God in a word?
00:49:37.88\00:49:41.22
The message was one of
repent and be baptized, right?
00:49:41.25\00:49:46.44
Okay, that's clear.
00:49:46.47\00:49:47.93
Now we'll see how this
applies in the end time.
00:49:47.96\00:49:50.32
In Luke 1:17, it says, "And
it is he" speaking of Elijah
00:49:50.35\00:49:54.88
"who will go as a forerunner
before Him in the spirit
00:49:54.91\00:49:58.96
and the power of Elijah,
00:49:58.99\00:50:00.99
to turn the
hearts of the fathers
00:50:01.02\00:50:02.65
back to the
children, and the disobedient
00:50:02.68\00:50:05.14
to the attitude
of the righteous,
00:50:05.17\00:50:06.73
so as to make ready a
people prepared for the Lord."
00:50:06.76\00:50:11.10
So one of the functions of
John the Baptist in the spirit
00:50:11.13\00:50:15.41
and the power of
Elijah was to prepare a people
00:50:15.44\00:50:18.22
for the coming of Jesus.
00:50:18.25\00:50:20.76
And when Jesus talked
about a future application
00:50:20.79\00:50:23.91
in which all
things will be restored.
00:50:23.94\00:50:27.36
My friend, we see a parallel
00:50:27.39\00:50:30.33
that it will come
to prepare a people
00:50:30.36\00:50:32.77
for the coming of our Lord,
00:50:32.80\00:50:34.99
His second coming is
what we're talking about.
00:50:35.02\00:50:38.12
Now let's pick up a little
bit more of what was going on
00:50:38.15\00:50:40.56
with the prophet
Elijah back in 1 Kings 18.
00:50:40.59\00:50:42.82
I just have two
or three more texts.
00:50:42.85\00:50:45.05
So let's take a look at them.
00:50:45.08\00:50:46.58
1 Kings 18, this
will make it relevant
00:50:46.61\00:50:50.60
to some of the issues
we've been looking at.
00:50:50.63\00:50:54.59
1 Kings 18, after three
and half years of drought,
00:50:54.62\00:50:59.56
there's a meeting
between Elijah and Ahab
00:50:59.59\00:51:03.02
out there in the wilderness.
00:51:03.05\00:51:04.15
Ahab's looking for water.
00:51:04.18\00:51:05.32
They're so desperate for water.
00:51:05.35\00:51:07.24
And notice this change
that takes place between them.
00:51:07.27\00:51:09.91
It says, "When Ahab saw
Elijah, Ahab said to him,
00:51:09.94\00:51:12.57
'Is this you, you
troubler of Israel?'
00:51:12.60\00:51:16.04
And he said, 'I
have not troubled Israel,
00:51:16.07\00:51:18.16
but you and your
father's house have,
00:51:18.19\00:51:20.65
because you have forsaken
the commandments of the Lord
00:51:20.68\00:51:23.46
and you have
followed the Baals."
00:51:23.49\00:51:26.28
They have forsaken
the commandments of God
00:51:26.31\00:51:28.13
to follow Baal, the sun god.
00:51:28.16\00:51:33.51
And Guess what Baal,
the sun god had a day
00:51:33.54\00:51:37.31
that was consecrated to his
service and that day was Sunday.
00:51:37.34\00:51:44.34
They have
forsaken the commandments
00:51:44.37\00:51:47.70
to worship Baal the sun god.
00:51:47.73\00:51:52.54
And what has happened?
00:51:52.57\00:51:53.76
What is the
condition of the church today?
00:51:53.79\00:51:55.89
The teachings of antinomians
00:51:55.92\00:51:57.84
the commandments
have been done away with.
00:51:57.87\00:52:00.44
The Sabbath has
been done away with
00:52:00.47\00:52:02.99
and the church
has come down well,
00:52:03.02\00:52:05.70
through the
centuries by tradition
00:52:05.73\00:52:08.89
has embraced the day of the sun.
00:52:08.92\00:52:14.26
I know, that's pretty
straight out there, isn't it?
00:52:14.29\00:52:18.38
You all see the Elijah
message in Revelation 18,
00:52:18.41\00:52:20.88
the New Testament page 198.
00:52:20.91\00:52:23.56
Let's take a look at it as
we wind up our study tonight.
00:52:23.59\00:52:27.74
Revelation 18, and here it is.
00:52:27.77\00:52:30.96
In the Book of
Revelation, the Elijah message,
00:52:30.99\00:52:34.39
where it says, verse
1, "After these things
00:52:34.42\00:52:36.79
I saw another angel
coming down from heaven,
00:52:36.82\00:52:39.24
having great authority,
00:52:39.27\00:52:41.08
and the earth was
illumined with his glory.
00:52:41.11\00:52:46.00
Verse 2, "And he cried out
with a mighty voice, saying,
00:52:46.03\00:52:48.58
'Fallen, fallen is
Babylon the great!'"
00:52:48.61\00:52:51.98
Babylon comes.
00:52:52.01\00:52:54.87
That word-- that term
comes from the word Babel.
00:52:54.90\00:52:57.60
It was at the Tower of Babel
00:52:57.63\00:52:58.68
that God confuse
their languages, right?
00:52:58.71\00:53:01.79
And that's come into
the English language,
00:53:01.82\00:53:04.06
Babel of sound. It's
a confusion of sound.
00:53:04.09\00:53:07.82
And Babylon in the
Bible represents the confusion
00:53:07.85\00:53:13.12
that envelopes
the Christian church.
00:53:13.15\00:53:16.75
It represents the
confusion that is there.
00:53:16.78\00:53:19.19
Let me show you in verse
4, it makes us so very clear.
00:53:19.22\00:53:21.56
Verse 4, "And I heard
another voice from heaven,
00:53:21.59\00:53:24.11
saying, 'Come out of
her,'" that is out of Babylon,
00:53:24.14\00:53:27.42
"'come out of her my people,
00:53:27.45\00:53:30.06
so that you may not
participate in her sins
00:53:30.09\00:53:32.27
and receive of her plagues.'"
00:53:32.30\00:53:35.33
Come out of what? Confusion.
00:53:35.36\00:53:39.25
It's one of God's
last messages to the world.
00:53:39.28\00:53:42.53
Come out of confusion.
00:53:42.56\00:53:44.91
And my friend,
that ought to settle it
00:53:44.94\00:53:46.89
for where are the
people of God up to this point.
00:53:46.92\00:53:51.03
They're scattered
through the various divisions
00:53:51.06\00:53:55.91
and the
confusion that represents
00:53:55.94\00:53:57.69
the Christian church today.
00:53:57.72\00:53:59.22
But just before
the coming of Jesus,
00:53:59.25\00:54:01.33
there is a message that
goes out to all of His people,
00:54:01.36\00:54:04.40
"Come out of her."
00:54:04.43\00:54:07.27
Come out of Babylon.
Come out of confusion.
00:54:07.30\00:54:10.11
I was hold in the series
years ago in McMinnville, Oregon
00:54:10.14\00:54:13.27
down the road, up the road.
00:54:13.30\00:54:15.72
Not knowing that I
had a pastor and his wife
00:54:15.75\00:54:19.99
and two couples from the church
00:54:20.02\00:54:21.56
that we're attending,
night after night after night.
00:54:21.59\00:54:23.58
I didn't know this until
probably month into this series.
00:54:23.61\00:54:27.43
They always sat down here.
00:54:27.46\00:54:29.24
I know they tend
to raise their hands
00:54:29.27\00:54:31.07
as they were singing the songs.
00:54:31.10\00:54:33.43
And I found out that David Hayes
00:54:33.46\00:54:36.26
and his wife
Cathy was attending.
00:54:36.29\00:54:38.83
And he was a-- he
was a Pentecostal pastor.
00:54:38.86\00:54:44.66
And having come,
night after night
00:54:44.69\00:54:47.20
they were coming all the
way from Salem into McMinnville.
00:54:47.23\00:54:50.21
He had a church in McMinnville.
00:54:50.24\00:54:53.25
And another
student of the scriptures
00:54:53.28\00:54:57.54
and he was convicted.
00:54:57.57\00:55:00.64
And let me tell you, his
decision cost him something,
00:55:00.67\00:55:04.12
because he made a decision
that he was going to become
00:55:04.15\00:55:07.29
a Sabbath keeping Christian.
00:55:07.32\00:55:10.10
And that cost him his position
00:55:10.13\00:55:11.78
as a pastor in the
Pentecostal Church.
00:55:11.81\00:55:14.09
He lost his church.
00:55:14.12\00:55:15.81
And he shared with me when
he sat down with his supervisor
00:55:15.84\00:55:19.75
to explain to him his decision
00:55:19.78\00:55:21.98
that he fell compelled
to follow the path of truth.
00:55:22.01\00:55:27.47
And his
supervisor knowing him said,
00:55:27.50\00:55:29.72
"I'm not gonna
argue with you, David."
00:55:29.75\00:55:32.22
He knew him to be an honest man,
00:55:32.25\00:55:34.09
but he lost his
credentials to preach.
00:55:34.12\00:55:37.33
He lost his church.
00:55:37.36\00:55:40.17
How valuable?
00:55:40.20\00:55:41.64
How valuable this truth to us?
00:55:41.67\00:55:44.50
What's more important the
church to us, the fellowship?
00:55:44.53\00:55:48.44
And fellowship's important,
the social connections
00:55:48.47\00:55:52.62
or is our commitment to Jesus
00:55:52.65\00:55:55.33
and our commitment to
the truth more important?
00:55:55.36\00:55:58.17
And as you can see
on the picture here,
00:55:58.20\00:55:59.65
David and his wife
chosen to be re-baptized
00:55:59.68\00:56:03.50
and they're now members of the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:56:03.53\00:56:07.42
Does it take a
lot of commitment?
00:56:07.45\00:56:09.57
It does.
00:56:09.60\00:56:11.34
That does not come easily.
00:56:11.37\00:56:15.07
And the one does
not do that lightly.
00:56:15.10\00:56:18.06
And some of us we face
with similar decisions.
00:56:18.09\00:56:23.17
My friend, the church
must not be a hindrance
00:56:23.20\00:56:27.38
from our following
the pathway of truth.
00:56:27.41\00:56:32.58
It must not be
allowed to do that.
00:56:32.61\00:56:35.99
We must feel free in our love
00:56:36.02\00:56:37.65
for Jesus to
follow all the truth.
00:56:37.68\00:56:40.85
And if you know you're not
gonna be free in your church
00:56:40.88\00:56:43.62
to believe and
shares some of the things
00:56:43.65\00:56:45.80
you've been hearing
here from the word of God
00:56:45.83\00:56:49.37
then my friend, you know
you'll be put in the position
00:56:49.40\00:56:54.96
of having to
make a tough decision.
00:56:54.99\00:56:57.52
But I want to tell you
God will bless you in it.
00:56:57.55\00:57:00.41
He will.
00:57:00.44\00:57:01.79