Participants:
Series Code: LI
Program Code: LI200457B
|
00:01 Welcome back.
00:02 Before the break, I was talking or sharing from Spurgeon, 00:06 the Prince of Preachers as he was called. 00:09 Talking about how different Christians should be 00:12 from non-prophesying people of faith. 00:16 And, you know, this is a program 00:18 for religious liberty, 00:20 I'm not excluding other faiths from religious liberty. 00:24 We as Christians should defend everybody's right 00:28 to be wrong. 00:30 I think that's a good way to put it. 00:33 We're all creatures of a Creator. 00:35 And He gave us the power of choice 00:37 and who are we 00:39 to block that off from someone else 00:41 or if they make what we think is a wrong choice, 00:44 we can communicate to them, 00:46 but it's before between them and God. 00:49 But certainly as a Christian lives in this world, 00:52 we need to see that there is a difference 00:54 if we are truly born again, 00:57 dedicated Christians who are convinced 01:02 that the kingdom of God is coming. 01:04 And that whatever kingdoms exist here, 01:06 they're secondary because we're moving toward 01:08 that great and eternal kingdom of God. 01:12 I did quote a statement 01:13 by Ellen White to early Adventist 01:15 that far too many are inclined to think 01:17 too positively or too well of this present time. 01:23 With religious liberty, 01:24 we're talking often about persecution. 01:26 It troubled me a little bit, 01:28 very often we defined it in the negative 01:30 looking at the problems. 01:32 The restrictions in one country and another 01:35 and even in the United States, 01:36 which has a constitutional guarantee of... 01:41 Well, it doesn't say religious freedom 01:43 but a mechanism in the first amendment 01:44 that would clearly give a hands-off approach 01:48 from any government 01:49 and full freedom to practice your faith. 01:52 But we have some problems, 01:55 some legal problems in the workplace, 01:57 some assumptions of government control, 02:01 some blurring 02:02 of the distinction between church and state 02:05 through state monies and state control. 02:08 But we generally don't have overt persecution. 02:13 But think about this, unless... 02:16 In the case of Christian, unless you are a dedicated, 02:20 born again, fixated on eternity Christian, 02:25 you're not likely to have persecution. 02:27 Because if there's not much distinction 02:29 between you and the run of the mills, 02:33 secular individuals living within any system, 02:35 particularly in a democracy, why would there be a conflict? 02:39 So by definition, persecution in its truest, 02:44 most direct form can only exist 02:48 where there is spiritual activity, 02:51 spiritual dedication. 02:53 And this has troubled me a lot. 02:55 And I think it's one of the reasons 02:57 why in the western countries, 02:59 where there is clear social frown 03:02 over what a biblical Christian should be 03:06 that in these countries 03:07 we seem not to have persecution. 03:09 But I've become quite convinced 03:11 that if there were to be an upsurge 03:13 in what Ellen White speaking to early Adventist 03:16 used to call primitive godliness. 03:19 In other words, really active gap Christianity 03:23 and constant public witness on behalf of Jesus 03:28 and His coming kingdom. 03:30 If that was the case, there would be persecution. 03:33 It's one of the few promises that Jesus gave. 03:37 People remember some other very good ones, 03:41 you know, let not your hearts be troubled, 03:42 overcome the world, 03:43 you know, and come to me 03:45 all you that are weary and heavy laden, 03:48 and I'll give you rest. 03:49 You know, these are true. 03:50 But Jesus said, 03:52 "All who live a godly life will suffer persecution." 03:56 All, He didn't say most people or you may, All. 04:01 And it's worth remembering 04:04 that even in so called 04:08 free or liberal democracies 04:12 that we can easily have effectively 04:15 have persecution in response to, 04:18 you know, uncomfortable, 04:20 unwelcome religiosity or spiritual activity. 04:25 Countries in the US and Australia, 04:27 where I came from, England, Canada, 04:30 these countries are not used to it. 04:33 And certainly in other countries 04:34 where there's a dominant non-Christian religion, 04:37 there will be conflict. 04:39 It's inevitable. 04:41 Very often Christians or in a Christian country, 04:45 we can have, you know, Buddhists or whatever, 04:48 people in those situations 04:50 can sort of go quiet and nothing will happen. 04:53 But when you're active about your religion, 04:55 you get a bounce back. 04:57 I want to share a poem 04:58 that my father used once in a sermon. 05:02 I remember, I think I was still a teenager, 05:05 and I heard him preach once. 05:06 And he used an old poem 05:08 that maybe some of the viewers know that it's very telling. 05:13 It's called the Church Walking With The World. 05:17 In fact, even as I say it, 05:19 it has a little echo 05:20 of a Lewis Carroll poem 05:25 about the Walrus on the beach with the oysters. 05:29 But that aside, 05:31 the Church Working With The World. 05:34 It says, "The Church and the World 05:36 walked far apart." 05:38 Separation of church and state, 05:40 they walked far apart on the changing shores of time. 05:44 "The World was singing a giddy song, 05:47 and the church a hymn sublime." 05:50 They're very different. 05:52 "'Come, give me your hand,' said the merry World, 05:55 'And walk with me this way!' 05:57 But the good Church hid her snowy hands 06:01 and solemnly and said, 06:02 'No, I will not give you my hand at all, 06:05 and I will not walk with you. 06:07 Your way is the way that leads to death. 06:09 Your words are all untrue.' 06:13 'No, walk with me but a little space, 06:15 ' said the World with a kindly air. 06:18 'The road I walk is a pleasant road, 06:21 and the sun shines always there. 06:24 Your path is thorny and rough and rude, 06:28 but mine is broad and plain. 06:30 My way is paved with flowers and dews, 06:33 and yours with tears and pain. 06:37 The sky to me is always blue, no want, no toil I know. 06:41 The sky above you is always dark. 06:44 Your lot is a lot of woe. 06:47 There's room enough for you and me 06:48 to travel side by side.' 06:51 Half shyly the Church approached the World 06:54 and gave him her hand of snow. 06:57 And the old World grasped it, 06:59 and walked along saying in accents low. 07:02 'Your dress is too simple to please my taste. 07:06 I will give you pearls to wear, 07:08 rich velvets and silks for your graceful form. 07:13 And diamonds to deck your hair.' 07:15 The Church looked down at her plain, white robes, 07:19 and then at the dazzling World, 07:22 and blushed as she saw his handsome lip 07:24 with a smile contemptuous curled. 07:28 'I will change my dress for a costlier one,' 07:30 said the Church with a smile of grace. 07:33 Then her pure white garments drifted away 07:37 and the World gave in their place, 07:39 beautiful satins and shining silks, 07:42 roses and gems and costly pearls. 07:45 While over her forehead, 07:46 her bright hair fell crisped in thousand curls. 07:52 'Your house is too plain,' said the proud old World. 07:56 'I'll build you one like mine with walls of marble 08:01 and towers of gold and furniture ever so fine.' 08:05 So he built her a costly and beautiful house. 08:09 Most splendid it was to behold. 08:11 Her sons and her beautiful daughters 08:13 dwelt there, 08:14 gleaming in purple and gold. 08:17 Rich fairs and shows in the halls were held, 08:20 and the World and his children were there. 08:22 Laughter and music and feasts were heard in a place 08:25 that was meant for prayers. 08:28 There were cushioned seats for the rich and the great 08:31 to sit in there pomp and pride, 08:33 but the poor who were clad in shabby array, 08:35 sat meekly down outside. 08:38 'You give too much to the poor,' said the World. 08:41 'Far more than you ought to do. 08:44 If they are in need of shelter and food, 08:47 why need it trouble you? 08:49 Go, take your money and buy rich robes, 08:52 buy horses and carriages fine, 08:56 buy pearls and jewels and dainty food, 08:58 buy the rarest and costliest wine. 09:02 My children, they dote on all these things. 09:07 And if you their love would win, 09:09 you must do as they do, 09:10 and walk in the ways that they are walking in.' 09:15 So the poor would turned from her door in scorn, 09:18 and she heard not the orphan's cry. 09:21 But she drew her beautiful robes aside, 09:23 as the widows went weeping by. 09:27 Then the sons of the World and the sons of the Church 09:30 walked closely hand in hand. 09:34 And only the Master, who knoweth all, 09:36 could tell the two apart. 09:39 Then the Church sat down at her ease, and said, 09:42 'I am rich and my goods increase. 09:45 I have need of nothing, or ought to do, 09:47 but to laugh, and dance, and feast.' 09:50 The sly World heard, 09:52 and he laughed in his sleeve and mockingly said aside, 09:57 'The Church is fallen, that beautiful Church, 09:59 and her shame is her boast and her pride.' 10:02 The angel drew near to the mercy seat, 10:04 and whispered in sighs her name. 10:07 Then the loud anthems of rapture were hushed, 10:09 and heads were covered with shame. 10:12 And a voice was heard at last by the Church. 10:15 From Him who sat on the throne. 10:17 'I know thy works, and how thou hast said, 10:20 'I am rich and hast not known. 10:22 That thou art naked and poor and blind, 10:25 and wretched before my face.' 10:27 Therefore from my presence cast I thee out, 10:31 and blot thy name from its place.'" 10:34 You know, that's the message delay at the seat 10:36 that I know as the Seventh-day Adventist, 10:38 we've often had shared from the pulpit. 10:43 It's not the only message in Revelation, 10:46 you know, the promises he that overcomes 10:49 will sit with the Lord in heaven, 10:51 but it's a warning to a Church 10:54 that doesn't know the distinction 10:56 between Church and State, 10:58 doesn't know the distinction 11:00 between the holy and the profane, 11:02 to a church that is presently occupied 11:08 with the here and now building if not barns, 11:11 then maybe great edifices, great cathedrals, 11:14 great missionary centres, 11:16 even as we don't go out 11:18 to the poor in our neighbourhoods. 11:19 That's the challenge that's always been before. 11:23 Those are faith. 11:24 And it's the risk that we're hesitating now 11:27 in this time of great technological advance, 11:32 many great deceptions and diversions, 11:35 but a time has ever before 11:37 when church and state are melding 11:39 and spirituality is declining. 11:43 I'll be back after a short break. |
Revised 2020-04-23