Shall we bow our
heads for prayer.
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Father in heaven, thank
You so much for the privilege
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of being in Your house.
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We thank You for
Your holy Sabbath.
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We thank You for the
message which You have given
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to Your church.
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We ask, Father, that as we
open Your holy Word this morning
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that You will help us to
handle it with reverence.
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Open our minds and our hearts so
that we might discern Your will,
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and give us the power to
make it a part of our lives.
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And we thank You,
Father, for hearing our prayer.
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For we ask it in
the precious name
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of Your beloved
Son, Jesus, amen.
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The Bible mentions
two great mysteries.
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And the subject of
our study for today is
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the mystery of godliness
and the mystery of iniquity,
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and the principles
which are involved in each one
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of these mysteries.
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Let's take a look
at the first mystery;
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the mystery of godliness.
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We find this mystery
described in 1 Timothy chapter 3
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and verse 16.
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So I invite you to go
with me to 1 Timothy chapter 3
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and verse 16.
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And I want you to
notice in this passage
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that you have a
clear distinction between
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downward mobility
and upward mobility.
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You're going to see in
a moment what I mean by
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downward mobility
and upward mobility.
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1 Timothy 3 and verse 16.
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There's a clear sequence
of events in this specific
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verse of Scripture.
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The apostle Paul says this...
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You see the
downward mobility there?
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"God was
manifested in the flesh."
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In other words, God came down.
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And then you have the
process of upward mobility.
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He came down, and
then notice the sequence.
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That's a reference to
the resurrection of Jesus.
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If you notice 1 Peter
chapter 3 and verse 18,
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He was made alive in the Spirit.
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So you have the
incarnation of Jesus,
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"Justified in the
Spirit" is His resurrection.
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"Seen by angels" is a
reference to His ascension.
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"Preached among the Gentiles."
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That's acts of the apostles.
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"Believed on in the world."
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That's the result of
the apostolic preaching.
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And then the last phrase
says, "Received up in glory."
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Or as most modern versions
say, "Taken up in glory."
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And I believe that's referring
to the final glorification
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of Jesus in heaven when He
is crowned as King of kings
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and Lord of lords
upon His return to heaven
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after His second coming.
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So you have this downward
mobility and upward mobility.
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God was manifested in
flesh, then He resurrected
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justified in the
Spirit, seen by angels, ascends.
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And meanwhile, the gospel is
preached in all of the world.
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And then Jesus is
taken up in glory.
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He's glorified.
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He came down
and then He went up.
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The mystery of iniquity
is the other great mystery
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which is mentioned in Scripture.
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This mystery works in
the opposite direction.
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It is a mystery
which works from down up.
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In other words, you have
first of all upward mobility
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and then you have
downward mobility.
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Notice this mystery as it's
described in 2 Thessalonians
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chapter 2 and verses 3 and 4.
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2 Thessalonians
chapter 2 and verses 3 and 4.
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Here, the apostle
Paul is speaking about the
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spirit of the antichrist.
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Which is the opposite of
the mystery of godliness.
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And it says there...
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"That Day" is the Day
of the coming of Jesus.
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So you have the man of
sin who "exalts himself
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above all that is called
God or that is worshiped..."
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So you have this mere
man who actually has this
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upward mobility.
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In other words,
he wants to move up.
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He exalts
himself, according to this.
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And by the way, this is
called a mystery because
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a little later on in
this chapter, we find
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the expression, "For
the mystery of lawlessness
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is already at work."
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So you have one mystery
where God, who is up here,
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comes down and becomes flesh.
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And then He moves up
and He is finally glorified.
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In this second mystery,
you have one who is down here
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who has upward mobility
and wants to exalt himself
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to the point of
sitting in the temple of God.
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And 2 Thessalonians chapter 2
says that he will be destroyed
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by the breath of the mouth
of God and by the brightness
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of the coming of Jesus.
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In other words,
he will be cast down.
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So you have these
two mysteries that are
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mentioned in holy Scripture.
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The mystery of
godliness where God comes down
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and then He is
exalted, He goes up.
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You have on the other
hand the mystery of iniquity
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where one who is down
here wants to move and occupy
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the high position,
and then he is thrown down
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and destroyed by the brightness
of the coming of Jesus.
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The whole world is characterized
mainly by the mystery
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of iniquity.
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There are very few
individuals in this world
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who have experienced in
their lives the principles
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of the mystery of godliness.
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I'd like us to go
back to the times of Jesus.
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Please turn with me in your
Bibles to Matthew chapter 23
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and we're going to
read verses 1 through 12.
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You see, this
mystery of iniquity
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and this mystery of godliness
are actually contagious.
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And everyone in this
world is grasped by either one
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or the other of these mysteries.
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And what I would like us to look
at now is a group of individuals
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in the days of Jesus who were
controlled by the principles
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of the mystery of iniquity.
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Jesus here is presenting
His woes against the scribes
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and the Pharisees.
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Verse 1...
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That sounds very
similar to 2 Thessalonians 2.
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For it says that he would
"sit in the temple of God."
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By the way, Moses' seat was
a sign of position, of power,
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of prestige, of authority.
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The Pharisees thought that
this gave them authorization
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to control the people
and to dictate what the
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people should believe.
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Notice verse 3, "Therefore
whatever they tell you
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to observe, that
observe and do..."
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In other words, they
want everybody to serve them,
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but they want to serve no one.
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But it gets worse.
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Notice what we find in verse 5.
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Phylacteries were kind of little
boxes with pieces of parchment
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with Scripture.
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And they would actually
paste these to their foreheads
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to show how pious they were.
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And so it says, "They
make their phylacteries broad
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and enlarge the
borders of their garments..."
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Do you see the
upward mobility here?
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And then Jesus
says to His disciples...
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It doesn't mean
that we can't call our
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earthly fathers, "father,"
and our teachers, "teacher."
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What Jesus is saying is
that we should not do this
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in a prideful way.
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That's the context.
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"Oh, I'm a
teacher." "I'm a Rabbi."
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"I'm a doctor."
"I'm your father."
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What principle
governed the minds of the
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scribes and the Pharisees?
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It was the principle of
the mystery of iniquity.
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In fact, notice
what we find in verse 11.
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Jesus is reaching
the conclusion of the
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first portion of His argument.
00:12:00.48\00:12:02.15
He says...
00:12:02.18\00:12:03.21
"God was manifested in flesh."
00:12:08.70\00:12:10.83
He's not asking for something
that He didn't do before.
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And then notice the
conclusion in verse 12.
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It says there...
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Who does the exalting?
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I do.
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Who does the humbling?
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I do the exalting.
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Somebody else does the
humbling because it's passive.
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"...will be humbled..."
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So if I exalt myself,
someone else is going to what?
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Humble me.
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But then there's the
other side of the equation.
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The equation says, "...and
he who humbles himself..."
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Whose task is it to humble?
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Ours.
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Whoever humbles himself.
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If you choose
to humble yourself,
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what's going to happen?
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"...will be exalted."
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Somebody else does the exalting.
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Did you catch what
Jesus is saying in this verse?
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If I choose to
exalt myself, someone else
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is going to humble me.
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If I choose to humble myself,
someone else is going to what?
00:13:23.84\00:13:28.74
Is going to exalt me.
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The two principles, the two
mysteries that are spoken of
00:13:32.40\00:13:36.32
in Scripture are contained
in this one short verse.
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In fact, Ellen White
tells us in Desire Of Ages that
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the essence of the teachings of
Jesus is, being emptied of self.
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Now where did this idea of
upward mobility take place?
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Where was it
established originally?
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Go with me to Isaiah
14 verses 12 through 15.
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I want you to remember the
upward and downward mobility.
00:14:04.36\00:14:07.07
He who exalts
himself will be humbled.
00:14:07.10\00:14:08.96
He who humbles
himself will be exalted.
00:14:08.99\00:14:11.01
Now notice Isaiah 14
and verses 12 through 15.
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This is speaking about the
original rebel who established
00:14:16.41\00:14:20.82
the mystery of iniquity.
00:14:20.85\00:14:22.28
And I want you to notice
the movement in these verses.
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It says here...
00:14:26.91\00:14:28.10
What kind of mobility is that?
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That's downward mobility, yes.
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But was there upward mobility
before the downward mobility?
00:14:36.51\00:14:39.42
Let's continue reading.
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Did he fall from
heaven on his own
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like a ripe fruit from a tree?
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No.
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Was he cast out?
00:14:50.31\00:14:51.51
He sure was.
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What kind of mobility is that?
00:14:59.25\00:15:00.98
"Cut down," downward movement.
00:15:01.46\00:15:03.64
Now why did this happen?
00:15:08.07\00:15:09.37
Now we're going to talk
about the upward mobility
00:15:13.40\00:15:15.28
that came before
the downward mobility.
00:15:15.31\00:15:17.16
What mobility is that? Upward.
00:15:24.98\00:15:27.62
North is up.
00:15:51.12\00:15:52.15
In other words, the
highest point in heaven.
00:15:52.18\00:15:54.44
Do you see the upward mobility,
the language that's used here?
00:15:59.43\00:16:02.17
I think this
individual had a serious problem
00:16:14.63\00:16:17.32
with upward mobility.
00:16:17.35\00:16:18.96
I think his big problem was
he had an eye disease, Earl.
00:16:20.70\00:16:25.26
It's called myopia.
00:16:27.10\00:16:28.89
He was nearsighted.
00:16:29.45\00:16:30.98
He could only see himself.
00:16:31.45\00:16:33.37
He wanted to go up.
00:16:34.86\00:16:36.25
And so God says, "Because you
want to go up, you're fallen.
00:16:36.28\00:16:39.67
I cut you down."
00:16:39.70\00:16:40.93
He who exalts himself
will be what? Humbled.
00:16:40.96\00:16:44.16
Notice the last
part of this passage.
00:16:44.19\00:16:46.83
"Yet you shall be
brought down to sheol."
00:16:48.08\00:16:55.98
That's the grave, by the way.
00:16:56.01\00:16:57.40
To the lowest depths of the pit.
00:16:57.43\00:17:00.91
"You wanted to occupy
the highest place in heaven?
00:17:00.94\00:17:03.16
You're going to go to
the lowest place in the pit."
00:17:03.19\00:17:06.22
He who exalts
himself will be humbled.
00:17:06.98\00:17:12.86
Another description of
this we find in Ezekiel 28.
00:17:13.85\00:17:16.42
The same being, he's
called the covering cherub there
00:17:16.45\00:17:19.36
in Ezekiel chapter 28.
00:17:19.39\00:17:21.10
Let's go and read there verses
14 through 20 of Ezekiel 28.
00:17:21.13\00:17:27.83
You tell me if we
have this same phenomenon
00:17:28.75\00:17:30.97
of the mystery of iniquity,
one who wanted upward mobility.
00:17:31.00\00:17:34.65
And as a result
had downward mobility.
00:17:34.68\00:17:37.58
It says there...
00:17:38.97\00:17:40.20
Your heart was what?
00:17:47.26\00:17:48.69
Lifted up.
00:17:49.24\00:17:51.36
What kind of mobility is that?
00:17:51.57\00:17:53.34
Upward.
00:17:53.79\00:17:54.86
Later on in this series, I'm
going to preach a sermon titled,
00:17:59.14\00:18:01.76
The Four Sins of Pride.
00:18:02.53\00:18:04.78
Beauty is one of those dangers.
00:18:06.01\00:18:08.35
But because he was
lifted up, notice what God says.
00:18:16.02\00:18:19.31
What kind of mobility is that?
00:18:24.88\00:18:26.82
Downward mobility.
00:18:26.85\00:18:28.12
What kind of mobility is that?
00:18:43.87\00:18:45.58
Definitely downward.
00:18:46.78\00:18:48.51
He became dust, he's going
to become dust, in other words.
00:18:48.54\00:18:51.34
What does the
mystery of iniquity do?
00:19:03.30\00:19:05.73
It destroys.
00:19:05.76\00:19:07.26
It ultimately disintegrates.
00:19:08.91\00:19:12.89
On the other hand, we
have the other mystery.
00:19:15.63\00:19:17.64
The mystery of godliness.
00:19:18.50\00:19:19.99
Let's go to
Philippians chapter 2
00:19:21.44\00:19:23.43
and verses 5 through 11.
00:19:23.53\00:19:25.06
And I want you to notice
once again the upward and the
00:19:25.09\00:19:27.20
downward
mobility in this passage.
00:19:27.23\00:19:29.26
Philippians chapter 2
and verses 5 through 11.
00:19:29.96\00:19:33.56
This is a very
well known passage.
00:19:33.59\00:19:35.41
Many of you might
have it almost memorized.
00:19:35.44\00:19:37.73
It says here...
00:19:38.31\00:19:39.38
What kind of mind
do we need to have?
00:19:47.97\00:19:49.66
The mind of Lucifer
or the mind of Jesus?
00:19:50.22\00:19:52.47
The mind of Jesus.
00:19:53.07\00:19:54.20
Now what was the mind of Jesus?
00:19:54.23\00:19:55.93
Notice...
00:19:55.96\00:19:56.99
Where was Jesus?
00:19:59.65\00:20:00.84
Way up there in the form of God.
00:20:01.51\00:20:05.13
And the New King James says,
"Did not consider it robbery
00:20:08.23\00:20:11.26
to be equal with God."
00:20:11.29\00:20:12.42
The modern versions have a
much better rendering of this,
00:20:12.80\00:20:15.62
"Did not consider equality with
God as something to be grasped."
00:20:16.02\00:20:21.27
Or, "as something
to be hung on to."
00:20:22.72\00:20:25.44
In other words, Jesus,
even though He was God,
00:20:26.17\00:20:27.99
He did not hang on
to His rights as God.
00:20:28.02\00:20:31.00
He did not demand
His rights as God.
00:20:31.03\00:20:33.31
What did He do instead?
00:20:34.92\00:20:36.72
It says there, "But
made," now notice this,
00:20:38.63\00:20:41.35
"made Himself..."
00:20:41.38\00:20:44.35
Who did it?
00:20:44.52\00:20:45.55
Did God say, "Jesus, You go down
there and redeem those people."
00:20:45.96\00:20:50.73
No.
00:20:51.35\00:20:52.41
Even though Jesus
could have stayed in heaven,
00:20:52.63\00:20:54.55
He could have
demanded His rights,
00:20:54.58\00:20:56.32
the passage tells us
that He made Himself.
00:20:56.93\00:21:00.09
This was a choice of His own.
00:21:00.12\00:21:02.40
"He made himself
of no reputation."
00:21:02.43\00:21:06.66
Actually, a better translation
is, "He emptied Himself."
00:21:06.69\00:21:10.41
"Not I but My Father."
00:21:12.47\00:21:15.98
"He emptied himself..."
00:21:16.54\00:21:18.09
Now notice His descent.
00:21:18.12\00:21:19.93
From God to what?
00:21:23.57\00:21:25.19
To a bondservant.
00:21:25.81\00:21:26.84
He's coming down.
00:21:26.87\00:21:28.11
The great God has
come down. Now He's a man.
00:21:31.37\00:21:33.42
But He's going to
go even further down.
00:21:33.45\00:21:35.38
Is this related to what we
read in Matthew 23 verse 12?
00:21:43.95\00:21:46.84
"He who humbles himself..."
00:21:47.62\00:21:49.97
Absolutely.
00:21:50.00\00:21:51.35
"He humbled Himself..."
00:21:51.55\00:21:53.13
He did it Himself.
00:21:53.16\00:21:54.41
In other words, Jesus
went down, down, down.
00:21:59.18\00:22:02.70
But he who humbles
himself is going to be what?
00:22:05.10\00:22:07.72
Exalted.
00:22:07.90\00:22:08.94
Now notice the
rest of this passage.
00:22:08.97\00:22:10.84
What does that word,
"therefore," indicate?
00:22:12.69\00:22:14.72
Because He did this other,
because He humbled Himself.
00:22:15.71\00:22:19.44
Who did the exalting?
00:22:31.05\00:22:32.43
God.
00:22:34.21\00:22:35.55
"He who humbles
himself will be exalted."
00:22:35.75\00:22:39.13
Jesus humbled Himself.
00:22:39.16\00:22:41.11
Did somebody else exalt Him?
00:22:41.14\00:22:42.99
Yes, absolutely.
00:22:43.34\00:22:45.10
Or did Jesus come
back to heaven and say,
00:22:45.66\00:22:48.21
"I gained the victory.
00:22:49.17\00:22:50.40
I want My throne back.
00:22:51.62\00:22:53.27
And I want a name;
the name of a conqueror,
00:22:54.07\00:22:56.51
the name of the victor.
00:22:56.54\00:22:57.88
I want the reverence of
the angels for what I've done."
00:22:59.05\00:23:01.77
Jesus doesn't do that.
00:23:01.80\00:23:03.23
He humbles Himself and He let's
His Father do the exalting.
00:23:03.77\00:23:08.25
And notice what
it continues saying.
00:23:09.45\00:23:11.74
"God also has
highly exalted Him..."
00:23:12.52\00:23:17.46
Notice the upward mobility.
00:23:17.49\00:23:18.92
"...highly exalted Him and given
Him the name which is above..."
00:23:18.95\00:23:25.20
See, "above;" there you
have the upward mobility.
00:23:25.23\00:23:27.30
"...above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
00:23:27.33\00:23:31.01
every knee should
bow, of those in heaven..."
00:23:31.04\00:23:35.14
Lucifer said, "I'm going up."
00:23:45.65\00:23:47.84
God says, "No,
you're going down."
00:23:47.87\00:23:49.55
Jesus says, "I'm going down."
00:23:50.10\00:23:51.97
The Father says,
"No, You're going up."
00:23:52.00\00:23:53.58
This is the difference
between the mystery of godliness
00:23:54.88\00:23:57.61
and the mystery of iniquity.
00:23:57.64\00:23:59.28
The mystery of iniquity
is when a mere human being
00:23:59.66\00:24:02.22
wants to ascend to the heights.
00:24:02.25\00:24:05.03
It wants to be recognized.
00:24:05.06\00:24:06.70
It wants a position of power.
00:24:06.73\00:24:08.74
It wants a position of rank.
00:24:10.05\00:24:11.69
It wants to be recognized.
00:24:11.89\00:24:13.80
The mystery of
godliness, on the other hand,
00:24:15.26\00:24:17.73
is a person who occupies
the position that God has
00:24:17.83\00:24:22.13
for him or her
willingly and joyfully.
00:24:22.16\00:24:25.80
You know, it's
interesting that all nature
00:24:28.22\00:24:31.36
teaches this great lesson.
00:24:32.57\00:24:36.63
The coming down and
giving is the principle of life.
00:24:36.83\00:24:41.17
Right outside these windows,
which you can't see through,
00:24:43.37\00:24:48.13
we have the
majestic Sierra Nevada.
00:24:49.61\00:24:52.04
Most of the time,
you can't even see the
00:24:54.21\00:24:55.98
Sierra Nevada from outside.
00:24:56.01\00:24:57.93
But you know, we have
a great lesson to learn
00:25:00.74\00:25:03.73
from the Sierra Nevada.
00:25:03.76\00:25:04.91
You say, what is the lesson?
00:25:04.94\00:25:06.29
The fact is, folks, that
the fluffy beautiful clouds
00:25:07.62\00:25:10.79
in the winter time give
their snow to the mountains.
00:25:11.68\00:25:16.81
In the spring time, the
mountains give their snow
00:25:18.03\00:25:23.76
in the form of
water to the brooks.
00:25:24.41\00:25:28.33
And the brooks give
their water to the streams.
00:25:28.36\00:25:31.07
And the streams give
their water to the rivers.
00:25:31.38\00:25:34.47
And the rivers give
their water to the ocean.
00:25:34.70\00:25:37.54
And then the ocean
once again gives its waters
00:25:38.38\00:25:42.86
to the clouds.
00:25:42.89\00:25:44.53
It's called, the cycle of water.
00:25:44.99\00:25:47.06
Give, give, give.
00:25:47.56\00:25:50.73
What if the clouds at
some point should say,
00:25:51.89\00:25:54.19
if I can personalize the
clouds for a few moments,
00:25:54.22\00:25:56.67
what if they should say,
"Oh, we're so beautiful and
00:25:56.70\00:25:59.77
fluffy up here.
00:25:59.80\00:26:01.47
Everybody enjoys seeing these
beautiful and fluffy clouds.
00:26:01.94\00:26:05.58
We're not going to
give anything to anyone.
00:26:05.61\00:26:07.97
We're going to
keep our fluffiness."
00:26:08.00\00:26:10.68
Everything in the San
Joaquin Valley would die.
00:26:11.02\00:26:14.03
What if the mountains,
once they got the snow,
00:26:15.39\00:26:18.07
said, "Oh, everybody admires us.
00:26:18.10\00:26:20.30
Everybody loves to
come and ski on us.
00:26:20.33\00:26:23.43
And we're not going to
give our snow to anyone.
00:26:24.99\00:26:27.93
Because if we do, we're
going to look jagged and ugly.
00:26:27.96\00:26:30.87
So we're going to
hang on to our snow."
00:26:31.80\00:26:34.19
Everything in the San
Joaquin Valley would die.
00:26:34.46\00:26:39.22
Because the principle of life,
the principle of the mystery
00:26:40.50\00:26:44.83
of godliness, is to
come down and give and serve.
00:26:44.86\00:26:50.66
You see, it's interesting
that the water that comes down
00:26:52.12\00:26:55.02
goes up again.
00:26:56.07\00:26:57.52
Have you ever noticed that?
00:26:59.04\00:27:00.25
The water comes
down from the clouds
00:27:01.14\00:27:02.68
and goes up to the clouds.
00:27:02.71\00:27:03.89
Comes down, goes up.
00:27:03.92\00:27:05.31
If it didn't come
down, it couldn't go up.
00:27:05.34\00:27:07.24
There you have the
principle of the mystery
00:27:08.40\00:27:10.38
of godliness illustrated.
00:27:10.41\00:27:11.85
You come down to go up.
00:27:11.88\00:27:14.06
And God will place
you at the heights.
00:27:14.98\00:27:17.81
The secret of life is giving.
00:27:18.52\00:27:20.47
The secret of death is hording.
00:27:20.50\00:27:23.91
I've had the privilege
of visiting Israel once
00:27:26.60\00:27:30.56
and visiting also the country
of Jordon several years ago
00:27:31.82\00:27:35.98
with Sarkis
Kinablein and Al Brown.
00:27:36.44\00:27:40.25
And you know, the Dead
Sea has greatly fascinated me.
00:27:41.49\00:27:45.94
I've had the privilege
of swimming in the Dead Sea
00:27:45.97\00:27:48.52
on both sides; on the Jordanian
side and on the Israeli side.
00:27:48.55\00:27:52.26
I don't know whether
you're aware, but the Dead Sea
00:27:53.54\00:27:56.85
actually originates way
up in the northern sector
00:27:56.88\00:28:00.60
beyond the borders of Israel.
00:28:00.63\00:28:02.64
Actually, the Dead Sea
originates on Mount Herman
00:28:04.04\00:28:09.29
which is snowcapped a
good share of the year.
00:28:10.31\00:28:12.82
And what happens in the spring,
the snow on Mount Herman melts.
00:28:13.70\00:28:17.97
And the snow becomes water and
it rushes down like a torrent,
00:28:18.99\00:28:24.08
it rushes down the
side of the mountain.
00:28:24.11\00:28:26.05
In fact, the name
Jordan means, the descender.
00:28:26.08\00:28:30.22
And that's where the
Jordan River originates.
00:28:32.13\00:28:34.33
The water comes down
like a rushing torrent from
00:28:34.36\00:28:37.64
Mount Herman and it forms the
riverbed of the Jordan River.
00:28:37.67\00:28:43.94
And interestingly
enough, the Jordan River then
00:28:45.85\00:28:48.94
serpentines its
way, it flows south.
00:28:48.97\00:28:52.20
And on the northern side,
it enters the Sea of Galilee.
00:28:52.23\00:28:55.69
I've been to the Sea of Galilee.
00:28:57.29\00:28:58.87
It's bubbling with life.
00:28:59.82\00:29:01.16
In fact, we stayed at Tiberius
when we were there in Israel.
00:29:01.19\00:29:05.50
The lake, because it's really
a lake, the sea is full of fish.
00:29:07.08\00:29:11.79
All around the
lake, you have greenery.
00:29:12.71\00:29:15.88
You know, on the
northern edge near Capernaum
00:29:16.68\00:29:19.29
is where Jesus
gave the beatitudes.
00:29:19.32\00:29:21.76
Beautiful setting, according
to the spirit of prophecy
00:29:22.19\00:29:24.61
where Jesus gave the beatitudes.
00:29:24.64\00:29:25.93
He actually pointed to the lily.
00:29:25.96\00:29:27.45
Many of the things He mentioned
in the sermon on the mount
00:29:27.48\00:29:29.62
He was actually
pointing to live as He was
00:29:29.65\00:29:32.08
speaking to the multitudes.
00:29:32.11\00:29:33.95
Lots of birds in the air.
00:29:35.60\00:29:37.77
Bubbling with life.
00:29:38.34\00:29:40.42
But then what happens is
that from the southern tip
00:29:42.49\00:29:46.12
of the Sea of Galilee
the water continues moving
00:29:46.99\00:29:50.50
south in the Jordan River.
00:29:50.53\00:29:51.82
Because the Jordan
enters on the north and the
00:29:51.85\00:29:53.76
Jordan exits on the south.
00:29:53.79\00:29:55.50
The water
continues flowing south.
00:29:56.67\00:29:58.99
And it finally
ends up in the Dead Sea.
00:30:00.09\00:30:05.04
You see, the Sea of
Galilee receives water to give.
00:30:06.28\00:30:09.10
It's bubbling with life
because it receives to give.
00:30:10.60\00:30:13.65
The Dead Sea gives
its water to nobody.
00:30:14.60\00:30:17.53
And that's the reason
why it's called the Dead Sea.
00:30:18.71\00:30:21.42
Because that's
exactly what it is.
00:30:21.45\00:30:23.19
It is dead.
00:30:23.22\00:30:24.79
Listen, there are no
fish in the Dead Sea.
00:30:26.15\00:30:29.01
I can guarantee it.
00:30:29.04\00:30:30.17
No risk that you're
going to be eaten by a shark.
00:30:30.37\00:30:32.58
But sharks don't
live in lakes anyway.
00:30:32.61\00:30:34.20
But there's no risk that any
animal is going to eat you up.
00:30:35.26\00:30:37.99
Any marine creature.
00:30:38.59\00:30:40.01
Because everything is dead.
00:30:40.78\00:30:41.90
There are not even micro
organisms in the Dead Sea.
00:30:41.93\00:30:44.93
In fact, there's no birds.
00:30:46.29\00:30:48.23
Everything is dry and arid.
00:30:48.69\00:30:51.47
In fact, there's so
much mineral content in the
00:30:52.33\00:30:55.78
Dead Sea that you couldn't
even drown if you tried to.
00:30:55.81\00:30:59.47
You actually float.
00:31:01.63\00:31:03.49
And beware about shaving
in the morning before you go
00:31:04.64\00:31:08.11
to swim in the Dead Sea.
00:31:08.14\00:31:09.37
Because your face is
going to burn like crazy.
00:31:10.06\00:31:13.35
It's dead.
00:31:15.75\00:31:16.79
It receives, and
it does not give.
00:31:18.12\00:31:22.07
That's the principle of
the mystery of iniquity.
00:31:24.06\00:31:26.37
Wanting to ascent,
wanting to be served,
00:31:26.80\00:31:30.53
wanting to be at the top.
00:31:30.73\00:31:32.77
And not being willing
to come down and serve
00:31:33.01\00:31:36.37
and help others in their need.
00:31:36.40\00:31:40.81
Dare I say that we
live in a world today
00:31:43.26\00:31:45.83
where the mystery of
iniquity greatly predominates?
00:31:46.95\00:31:51.15
Just look at Wall Street.
00:31:52.58\00:31:54.30
The survival of the fittest.
00:31:55.07\00:31:57.49
The desire to accumulate.
00:31:58.88\00:32:01.22
And in the process, you
have to trample on other people.
00:32:01.50\00:32:04.87
There's no idea about using
the money to benefit and help
00:32:06.38\00:32:10.29
those in need.
00:32:10.32\00:32:11.53
I think, for example, of
the great oil conglomerates
00:32:11.56\00:32:15.22
in the United States.
00:32:15.25\00:32:16.87
Making billions and
billions of dollars.
00:32:17.77\00:32:21.93
And always wanting more.
00:32:22.51\00:32:24.17
And people in
the world starving.
00:32:25.43\00:32:27.44
Very sad.
00:32:29.32\00:32:30.55
But we don't have to
go outside the church.
00:32:31.98\00:32:33.53
We can come right
inside the church.
00:32:33.56\00:32:35.45
Allow me to address
one little touchy issue.
00:32:37.49\00:32:40.02
The issue of Women's Ordination.
00:32:41.93\00:32:43.70
And I'm not going to
take a position right now.
00:32:46.44\00:32:48.29
You know what my position is.
00:32:48.32\00:32:49.72
But I'd just like to
throw out a question.
00:32:49.75\00:32:52.05
Do we want to ordain
women because they will render
00:32:52.77\00:32:56.56
greater and more
effective service in the church?
00:32:56.59\00:33:00.42
Because they will be more
efficient in helping others
00:33:01.91\00:33:08.41
and working for others?
00:33:08.44\00:33:10.17
Or is it a matter of
power, position, and rights?
00:33:10.83\00:33:16.19
Remember that the
first individual to want to
00:33:19.31\00:33:21.71
occupy a position because of
recognition, power, position,
00:33:21.74\00:33:25.51
rank, and rights was the
one who established originally
00:33:25.54\00:33:29.80
the mystery of iniquity.
00:33:29.83\00:33:32.54
And then I'd like to think
about the time when we're in
00:33:34.01\00:33:36.05
nominating committee.
00:33:36.08\00:33:37.50
See, we have two problems
at nominating committee time.
00:33:38.69\00:33:41.56
The first problem is with people
who are not elected to the
00:33:43.35\00:33:47.89
position they feel
they should be elected to
00:33:47.92\00:33:50.16
and somebody else is elected.
00:33:51.65\00:33:53.54
"How does he rate?"
00:33:53.91\00:33:55.50
"How does she rate?"
00:33:55.65\00:33:56.68
"I can do that job
as well or better."
00:33:56.71\00:33:59.51
"That position is
mine by divine right."
00:34:00.52\00:34:03.27
That's one side of the problem.
00:34:04.58\00:34:05.95
The other side of the
problem is getting anyone
00:34:05.98\00:34:09.37
to occupy a position.
00:34:09.40\00:34:10.93
Like the
position of Head Deacon.
00:34:14.30\00:34:15.84
It's been very difficult.
00:34:16.05\00:34:17.08
We're in the
nominating process now.
00:34:17.11\00:34:18.79
It should not be so.
00:34:19.36\00:34:20.78
Church should be
our first priority.
00:34:21.92\00:34:24.16
The kingdom of God
should be our first priority.
00:34:24.84\00:34:26.91
When we're called and asked
to do something in the church,
00:34:26.94\00:34:29.27
if we feel the Lord
has qualified us to do this
00:34:29.30\00:34:33.87
and He calls us to
do it, is to say yes.
00:34:34.07\00:34:36.57
We can't say, "I
don't have time."
00:34:37.43\00:34:39.02
That's a terrible
indictment against ourselves
00:34:41.02\00:34:43.83
to say, "I don't have time."
00:34:44.03\00:34:45.06
You don't have time
for the things of God?
00:34:45.09\00:34:47.81
Wow, that's a self indictment.
00:34:49.67\00:34:51.66
You're condemning yourself.
00:34:51.69\00:34:52.92
In other words, when we
get to the heavenly throne
00:34:53.24\00:34:55.33
and we have to give
an account for our lives,
00:34:55.36\00:34:57.76
and God says, "I called
you to serve My cause at
00:34:57.96\00:35:02.22
Fresno Central
Church as Head Deacon.
00:35:02.25\00:35:05.33
What was your
reason for saying no?"
00:35:06.55\00:35:09.00
"Well Lord, I
didn't have the time."
00:35:09.03\00:35:11.65
Talk about self
incrimination in a court of law.
00:35:13.85\00:35:17.25
Maybe I'm waxing a
little bit too bold.
00:35:19.09\00:35:21.24
But I feel, folks, that we
need to dedicate our talents
00:35:22.95\00:35:25.52
and our gifts to the
service of God in the church.
00:35:25.55\00:35:29.94
You know, folks, we need
to occupy the position that
00:35:33.47\00:35:35.82
God gives us, not
aspire to positions that He has
00:35:35.85\00:35:38.02
not given us.
00:35:38.05\00:35:39.12
You know, there's this verse
that we read a little while ago
00:35:41.61\00:35:44.93
with which I would like
to bring our study today
00:35:44.96\00:35:47.52
to a conclusion.
00:35:47.55\00:35:48.85
Philippians 2, we
read the whole passage
00:35:50.09\00:35:52.23
where it speaks about
that even though Jesus was
00:35:53.09\00:35:55.30
in the position of God,
He didn't hang on to that.
00:35:55.33\00:35:58.87
He didn't demand His rights.
00:35:58.97\00:36:00.41
He came down, He made
Himself of no reputation,
00:36:01.27\00:36:04.09
He emptied Himself, and
He became a bondservant.
00:36:04.12\00:36:08.74
Then He descended even
more; death of the cross.
00:36:09.31\00:36:12.41
And therefore, God
has highly exalted Jesus.
00:36:13.20\00:36:15.73
Do you know that there are
very few passages in Scripture
00:36:15.93\00:36:19.41
that have caused a
greater debate among theologians
00:36:19.44\00:36:24.35
than this passage.
00:36:24.38\00:36:25.74
You ought to see the
fights that theologians
00:36:26.97\00:36:28.82
get in over this passage.
00:36:28.85\00:36:30.30
"What did Jesus leave in heaven?
00:36:30.40\00:36:32.45
What did He empty Himself of?
00:36:33.09\00:36:35.13
Did He empty
Himself of His divinity?
00:36:35.16\00:36:37.30
Did He empty Himself
of some of His attributes?
00:36:37.33\00:36:40.79
You know, what did
He empty Himself of?"
00:36:40.82\00:36:42.93
And so they debate and
they argue about this passage.
00:36:42.96\00:36:45.96
But the purpose of the passage
is not to debate what Jesus
00:36:47.80\00:36:51.86
emptied Himself of.
00:36:51.89\00:36:53.16
The purpose of the passage,
folks, is simply to inspire us
00:36:53.92\00:36:59.52
to follow the example of Jesus.
00:37:00.23\00:37:02.06
Notice
Philippians 2 and verse 5.
00:37:03.09\00:37:05.85
At the very beginning
of this passage, we find
00:37:05.88\00:37:09.04
this statement.
00:37:10.24\00:37:11.64
Is the apostle Paul
waxing very practically?
00:37:24.70\00:37:29.36
He most certainly is.
00:37:29.97\00:37:31.51
Saying, "Don't argue
about what the kenosis is,
00:37:31.81\00:37:36.00
what the emptying is."
00:37:36.03\00:37:37.28
He says, "What I want
you to do is, I want you to
00:37:37.31\00:37:39.60
follow the example of Jesus.
00:37:39.63\00:37:41.27
If you're up here, come
down to help and to serve.
00:37:41.30\00:37:45.03
And then God eventually
will glorify you and exalt you."
00:37:46.73\00:37:50.84
Notice James
chapter 4 and verse 10.
00:37:52.95\00:37:55.62
This is the counsel
that God gives us, as we draw
00:37:57.80\00:38:01.11
our study to a
close this morning.
00:38:01.14\00:38:03.00
Listen to this.
00:38:04.75\00:38:06.14
"Humble yourselves..."
00:38:06.51\00:38:10.26
"Humble yourselves..."
00:38:11.53\00:38:13.89
Who's suppose
to do the humbling?
00:38:13.92\00:38:15.30
We are.
00:38:17.06\00:38:18.09
"Humble yourselves in
the sight of the Lord,
00:38:18.66\00:38:23.30
and He will lift you up."
00:38:24.81\00:38:30.64
Is that powerful?
00:38:32.08\00:38:33.31
That's the mystery of
godliness in a nutshell.
00:38:34.49\00:38:38.21
And the mystery of
iniquity is just the opposite.
00:38:39.14\00:38:42.62
I'd like to conclude
by reminding you about the
00:38:43.84\00:38:46.03
story of Nebuchadnezzar.
00:38:46.06\00:38:47.18
He goes out one day on
the balcony of the palace
00:38:47.28\00:38:51.51
and he says, "Isn't this
great Babylon that I made
00:38:51.54\00:38:55.05
with my great
power and my great wisdom
00:38:55.08\00:38:58.16
and my great ability."
00:38:58.19\00:38:59.78
And God is there,
He says, "Oh yeah?
00:39:01.14\00:39:03.64
How much would you
do if I didn't give you
00:39:04.68\00:39:06.93
the pearl of reason?"
00:39:06.96\00:39:09.02
And so God says
to Nebuchadnezzar,
00:39:10.60\00:39:12.49
"You're going to go out and I'm
going to make you a vegetarian
00:39:13.52\00:39:17.01
for seven years."
00:39:17.04\00:39:18.52
And he goes out and he
behaves like an animal.
00:39:20.52\00:39:22.91
He exalted himself,
and what did God do?
00:39:22.94\00:39:25.33
God humbled him.
00:39:25.36\00:39:26.91
And after seven years God
returns the pearl of wisdom,
00:39:27.95\00:39:32.01
the pearl of
reason, to Nebuchadnezzar.
00:39:32.88\00:39:36.07
And you can read at the
end of Daniel chapter 4,
00:39:36.68\00:39:39.06
Nebuchadnezzar says,
"Now I exalt and glorify
00:39:39.47\00:39:43.87
the God of heaven.
00:39:43.90\00:39:45.12
Because He is able
to humble those who are
00:39:45.61\00:39:49.82
filled with pride."
00:39:49.85\00:39:52.11
So he learned that whoever
exalts himself would be humbled.
00:39:52.97\00:39:56.46
And he also learned that
now he should humble himself,
00:39:56.49\00:39:59.79
and God would exalt him.
00:40:00.09\00:40:02.74
And that's exactly what
God did with Nebuchadnezzar.
00:40:02.77\00:40:06.98
I pray to God that we
will learn this lesson today.
00:40:08.44\00:40:11.69
That what we've studied
today will remain with us
00:40:12.10\00:40:14.36
throughout the course of
this week and throughout the
00:40:14.39\00:40:16.07
course of our lives.
00:40:16.10\00:40:17.32
The highest position
that we can aspire to
00:40:17.73\00:40:20.36
is the position which
God gives us; to serve others
00:40:20.83\00:40:25.03
and reach others with the love
and service of Jesus Christ.
00:40:25.36\00:40:31.84