Participants: Pr. Dwight K Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP011908
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01:13 Sing together "Father, we love you."
01:16 Father, we love You 01:21 We worship and adore You 01:27 Glorify Thy name 01:30 In all the earth 01:37 Glorify Thy name 01:42 Glorify Thy name 01:47 Glorify Thy name in all the earth 02:02 Jesus, we love You 02:06 We worship and adore You 02:12 Glorify Thy name 02:15 in all the earth 02:21 Glorify Thy name 02:26 Glorify Thy name 02:31 Glorify Thy name in all the earth 02:51 Spirit, we love You 02:55 We worship and adore You 03:01 Glorify Thy name 03:04 in all the earth 03:10 Glorify Thy name 03:15 Glorify Thy name 03:20 Glorify Thy name 03:23 In all the earth 03:29 Glorify Thy name 03:33 In all the earth 03:42 Amen. 04:06 Give thanks to the Lord 04:07 Our God and King 04:10 His love endures forever 04:14 For He is good He is above all things 04:18 His love endures forever 04:22 Sing praise, sing praise 04:30 Sing praise, sing praise 04:38 Forever God is faithful 04:43 Forever God is strong 04:47 Forever God is with us 04:51 Forever and ever 04:56 From the rising to the setting sun 04:59 His love endures forever 05:03 And by the grace of God we will carry on 05:08 His love endures forever 05:12 Sing praise, sing praise 05:20 Sing praise, sing Praise 05:28 Forever God is faithful 05:32 Forever God is strong 05:36 Forever God is with us 05:40 Forever and ever 05:44 Forever God is faithful 05:48 Forever God is strong 05:52 Forever God is with us 05:56 Forever and ever 06:38 Amen. 06:40 How many of you are just glad 06:41 to be the house for worship today? 06:43 To come and have prayers 06:44 you see friends and our loved ones 06:46 who had a long week 06:48 and God brings us back Sabbath to Sabbath fellowship. 06:52 And so we have a new song we want to teach you 06:54 it's about the Sabbath 06:56 its called "This Is Your Day." 07:00 God declared it so this is your day 07:02 we are gonna teach you too at this time. 07:04 We sing the verse and the chorus for you. 07:09 it's very easy so when you catch it join in. 07:18 It says, "A time, set aside for worship" 07:20 A time, set aside for worship 07:27 Sanctified and perfect. 07:28 Sanctified and perfect 07:31 Purified and ture. 07:33 Purified and ture 07:35 That's the same level you sing that with us "A time." 07:38 A time 07:39 For every tribe and nation. 07:41 For every tribe and nation 07:44 For all of your creation. 07:45 For all of your creation 07:48 To come and honor You. 07:49 To come and honor You 07:52 And the chorus, "You are my Creator." 07:54 You are my creator, Lord over Heaven and Earth 08:01 I hear you you're my sustainer. 08:03 You are my sustainer, 08:05 My soul You redeemed from the curse 08:11 And as I delight in you 08:14 You cause me to ride on the high places of the earth 08:20 My king, my God, 08:24 This is Your day 08:28 Just simple enough, let's try it again all together 08:31 "A time, set a side for worship." 08:33 A time, set aside for worship 08:41 Sanctified and perfect 08:44 Purified and ture. 08:45 Purified and ture 08:50 A time, for every tribe and nation 08:57 For all of your creation 09:00 To come and honor You. 09:02 To come and honor You 09:05 You are my creator. 09:06 You are my creator, Lord over Heaven and Earth. 09:13 My sustainer. 09:15 You are my sustainer 09:18 My soul You redeemed from the curse 09:23 And as I delight in You 09:26 You cause me to ride on the high places of the earth 09:32 My king, my God, 09:36 This is Your day 09:40 My king, my God, 09:44 This is Your day 09:52 How great is our God. 09:56 This picture heavenly seen, 10:08 together the splendor. 10:11 The splendor of the King 10:18 Clothed in majesty 10:22 Let all the earth rejoice 10:25 Let all the earth rejoice 10:30 He wraps Himself in light 10:36 And darkness tries to hide 10:41 And trembles at His voice 10:45 And trembles at His voice 10:49 How great is our God, sing with me 10:55 How great is our God, and all will see 11:02 How great, how great is our God 11:14 Age to age, He stands 11:20 And time is in His hands 11:25 Beginning and the End 11:28 Beginning and the End 11:32 The Godhead Three in One 11:39 Father, Spirit, Son 11:43 The Lion and the Lamb 11:46 The Lion and the Lamb 11:50 How great is our God, sing with me 11:57 How great is our God, and all will see 12:03 How great, how great is our God 12:15 Name above all names, 12:19 You are worthy of all praise 12:27 And my heart will sing 12:29 How great is our God 12:37 Name above all names. 12:39 Name above all names 12:44 You are worthy of our praise 12:50 And my heart will sing 12:52 How great is our God 13:01 How great is our God, sing with me 13:08 How great is our God, and all will see 13:14 How great, how great is our God 13:55 Come unto Him 14:00 all ye that labor 14:06 Come unto Him 14:11 that are heavy laden 14:18 And He will give you rest 14:30 Come unto Him 14:37 all ye that labor 14:43 Come unto Him 14:49 that are heavy laden 14:55 And He will give you rest 15:08 Take His yoke upon you, 15:13 and learn of Him 15:19 For He is meek 15:25 and lowly of heart 15:31 And ye shall find rest 15:37 And ye shall find rest 15:44 unto your souls 15:56 Take His yoke upon you, 16:02 and learn of Him 16:08 For He is meek 16:15 and lowly of heart 16:21 And He shall find rest 16:27 And ye shall find rest 16:33 unto your souls 17:13 Let's pray together. 17:15 Oh Father, what when an appropriate prayer 17:19 on a day like today. 17:22 The words of our Lord and Savior come to me 17:26 they are weary heavy laden 17:27 I will give you rest come to Me and so we have. 17:33 A few moments remain in this house of Yours 17:40 engage our minds and communicate with our hearts. 17:46 We pray in Jesus name, amen. 17:52 This last week I received an email 17:59 from a student somewhere who had been listening 18:02 last weekend on the radio 18:05 as we began this series. 18:08 I want to read to you a portion of that email. 18:14 Dr. Nelson, I listen to your presentation 18:16 on the refreshing delusion today via radio. 18:23 I'm coming to consider myself a closet atheist 18:28 which makes your confrontational Dawkins, 18:30 that would be Richard Dawkins we looked at his book 18:32 The God Delusion last week 18:34 which makes your confrontation of Dawkins 18:36 a particular significance at this point in my search. 18:40 And then he describes the family 18:42 he grew up in a very Christian family, obviously 18:45 and as a result my bookshelf is lined 18:48 with titles by Josh McDowell, 18:50 Michael Behe and Alister McGrath. 18:52 Those are all Christian writers, scientists and theologians. 18:56 But those books they've been steadily losing ground 18:59 as the scales tip in favor of Richard Dawkins, 19:03 Daniel Dennett, Michael Shermer all atheist authors 19:09 and the deafening voice of the academic community 19:12 at large, all right. 19:16 I have to admit that despite my attempts 19:18 to be an objective learner 19:19 my worldview is essentially a leaf swaying in the winds off 19:23 cognitive dissonance and peer pressure. 19:28 I gather from the website that there will be a second part 19:30 to the refreshing delusion next week? 19:33 Actually there are six parts we are now in-- in part two. 19:36 I look forward to it. 19:38 My challenge to you would be this. 19:41 Wow. Impress me. 19:47 I want to tell you I have such a hard time impressing my wife 19:51 how could I possibly impress you? 19:56 At this rate it probably won't be long 19:59 before I begin losing ties with the church. 20:05 And the outside voices will be all I can hear. 20:09 Your voice is one of the voices 20:12 that has a chance to make a cogent impact on a paradigm 20:15 that I and others like me share 20:17 before we get sucked into the skeptic machine. 20:22 Thank you again for your openness in the pulpit 20:25 and he signs his name. 20:30 I want to respond to my young friend. 20:32 I don't know if he's here, 20:33 I don't know if he's listening on the radio, 20:35 I don't if he is watching on television right now. 20:39 I got your word, 20:42 it's a bit intimidating its bit about impress me 20:46 but I want to respond to you 20:47 and I want to respond to your friends. 20:50 As we noted last time there are only two worldviews-- 20:52 regarding human origins only two worldviews. 20:54 One is called naturalism where nature reigns supreme 21:00 and my -- and the young writers absolutely right, 21:03 this worldview is the deafening voice 21:04 to the academic community at large. 21:07 No question. 21:08 The other worldview 21:09 it's the older worldview super naturalism. 21:13 Above and beyond nature there is a divine creator. 21:19 There is no third option. 21:21 There is no middle ground 21:23 when it comes to human origin. 21:24 Only those two worldviews 21:27 which is why I take very seriously 21:29 the challenge of this young writer impress me. 21:34 And while there's no way I can impress you, no way. 21:37 Nevertheless I want to invite you to join me 21:40 all of us join together and ponder a bit longer 21:42 the last day of creation in the biblical account 21:45 recorded here in Holy Scripture. 21:48 Open your Bible with me please, 21:50 to the Bible's first book Bresheit. 21:53 The first word in Hebrew 21:54 is the title in Hebrew of the book in the beginning. 21:58 Genesis 1 was where we were last week. 22:02 We moved into Genesis 2, I want to return to Genesis 2. 22:05 If you didn't bring a Bible 22:06 please grab the few Bible right in front of you, 22:08 you need to track this today. 22:09 Especially today it will be page 2 22:12 in your pew Bible Genesis 2, 22:15 New King James Version, there in a pew Genesis 2 22:22 so that I have right here. 22:25 Genesis 2:1 here we go, "Thus" 22:29 the six days are described there in Genesis 1. 22:32 Six days of creation. 22:33 "Thus the heavens and the earth, 22:34 and all the host to them were finished." 22:35 Verse 2 "And on the seventh day 22:37 God ended His work which He had done 22:40 and He rested on the seventh day 22:41 from all His work which He had done." 22:43 Now verse 3 "Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified 22:48 because in it He rested from all His work 22:50 which God had created and made." 22:53 I got to ask you something have you ever wondered 22:55 why there is a little bit of cognitive dissonance 22:57 in what we just read. 22:59 I mean, it says, how is this possible? 23:02 It says the God ended His work on the seventh day. 23:05 He did two things He ended his work any also rested, 23:08 it doesn't seem logical at all to me. 23:09 It ought to read 23:10 and on the sixth day He ended His work 23:11 and on the seventh day He rested. 23:14 But ladies and gentlemen, that is not what we just read. 23:18 I came across the work of a Danish writer. 23:23 I've been impressed 23:25 with his careful logical philosophical thinking. 23:30 And his writing is bit of reasoning 23:33 as help clear up any confusion 23:35 and so I want to share top of your study guide, 23:40 top of your study guide I want to share that quotation. 23:42 Take your study guide out please 23:44 it should be right there in your worship bulletin. 23:46 Pull your study guide out, thank you. 23:47 Ushers are making sure that everybody here all the way 23:49 to the back of the balcony 23:50 and by the way that includes overflow in the youth chapel. 23:54 Make sure that everybody gets a study guide today 23:59 and while they're doing that I want to thank you 24:01 who are watching us on television right now. 24:02 I'm delighted that you're here. 24:05 Get the same study guide. 24:06 You can do it got our website there it is on the screen 24:08 www.pmchurch.tv 24:11 and you are looking for a series 24:12 called "The Sabbath" two word series, 24:15 The Sabbath today's teaching 24:17 the Three Act Play, the Three Act Play. 24:21 You look for that one its part two in the series. 24:23 It will say study guide there, 24:25 you click and you'll have the same study guide we have. 24:28 Let's begin with the words of this Danish writer's. 24:30 His name M. L. Andreasen, 24:32 all right first quotation at the top of your study guide 24:37 "The heavens and the earth were indeed finished" 24:38 we just read that Genesis 2:1 24:40 "but God's work was not ended. 24:42 He had yet to make the Sabbath, 24:44 and this He could do only on the Sabbath. 24:47 And so God made the Sabbath on the Sabbath, 24:50 and He made it by resting" write that in. 24:52 "He made it by resting. That resting ended His work. 24:58 The Sabbath was the finishing touch. 25:00 Only when God had made the Sabbath was His work done. 25:05 Whoever believes in a finished creation 25:07 must of necessity believe in the Sabbath." 25:12 What's-- what's his point? 25:14 It's a point that Genesis 2 what Moses is making. 25:16 Look, God's work was not ended on a sixth day. 25:19 There was more work to be done 25:20 and so God gave the finishing touch to His work 25:23 by resting on the seventh day. 25:27 If God had ended His work on a sixth day 25:29 somewhat conclude you know the Sabbath 25:31 really is not that essential to God's original design, 25:33 you know, you don't have to have it. 25:36 No way a Genesis two cries out no, no, no 25:39 He was not finished on a sixth day. 25:43 In fat jot this down 25:44 "God ended His work on the seventh day, 25:46 which means that in some significant way 25:48 the seventh day is utterly is essential 25:52 to both the divine Creator and the human race." 25:57 To reinforce the high premium 25:59 that the divine Creator places on the seventh day Genesis 26:02 two describe three divine acts three acts, 26:06 a three act play here it goes, three acts. 26:10 Let's read it again this will be verse three 26:12 "Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it 26:16 because in it He rested from all His work 26:18 which God had created and made." 26:22 What are those three divine acts jot them down. 26:25 Let's go, number one. 26:26 Divine act number one in His three act play 26:28 God blessed the seventh day. 26:33 Do you know that when God blesses 26:34 and the Hebrew word here is Barach. 26:36 When God blesses something or someone 26:38 His posture assumes a very intentional stance. 26:42 Watch this, this is fascinating. 26:44 Let's go to remember Moses and Aaron they were brothers, 26:50 Aaron was a leader of the worship community 26:51 and Moses instructed Aaron he said hey, 26:53 listen, when we are done worship, 26:55 I want you to come out every time and raise your hands 26:58 and give what we now call the Aaronic blessing 27:00 it's in Numbers 6. 27:01 Notice what happens in Numbers 6, 27:03 let's put it on the screen. 27:04 Numbers 6:24, 25 "The Lord bless you" 27:08 okay, so that's what's going to happen now. 27:10 "The Lord bless you and keep you, 27:12 the Lord make His face to shine upon you, 27:18 and be gracious to you, 27:20 the Lord" here comes the face again. 27:21 "The Lord lift up His countenance upon you 27:24 and give you peace." 27:25 That's the Aaronic blessing. 27:26 Is that isolated in that blessing? 27:27 No it is not. 27:28 Take a look at this Psalm 67:1 27:30 It's a prayer to God, 27:31 "God be merciful to us and bless us 27:34 and cause His face" 27:37 When you bless us here's what's gonna happen 27:38 you are gonna "cause your face to shine upon us." 27:42 Write it down please, 27:43 "When God blesses something or someone, 27:46 He turns His face toward it to give it His full attention." 27:52 Hey come on guys, you and I are the same way aren't we? 27:54 We are the same way. 27:56 I remember the very first car I ever bought it was in college. 27:58 It was a brand new 11 year old Volkswagen Bug. 28:03 Oh, I love that car look at flaky green paint job, 28:06 oversized rear tires rested and holy muffler 28:10 but I could not take my eyes off of that car. 28:15 Every time I came out of the door I'm telling for sure 28:17 I look over in the parking lot is it still there? 28:18 Oh, yes, lovely, lovely. 28:21 All right, because when something 28:23 is of great value to you, 28:25 you put your face, full face 28:27 and you hold your eyes and you lock on. 28:31 The scripture say that when God blesses us 28:33 He turns His smiling 28:35 and beaming face full on straight into our face. 28:40 That's a means to get a blessing from God. 28:43 Karen and I were at some holiday gathering 28:46 the other evening and I gazed across the room 28:48 it was one of those moments 28:49 that husbands and wives know about 28:51 even if you've been married for nearly 34 years. 28:55 She turned and it was an epiphany of beauty. 28:59 I could not get my eyes off at that girl. 29:04 Why? 29:05 Because when something is of great value to you, 29:07 you'll lock your eyes on it. 29:09 When God blesses, how does that line go 29:12 and God blessed the seventh day, 29:16 God did something to the seventh day, 29:18 He does not do to the first day 29:19 or the second day or the third day 29:20 or fourth, fifth and sixth only to the seventh. 29:23 Does got turn His face and with that beaming smile 29:28 He locks His eyes on that seventh day 29:32 because when something is of great value 29:34 to you keep turning your face toward 29:36 and the seventh day is the only day 29:39 that God Has blessed. 29:41 Which is why by the way for the life of me 29:43 I'm little slow but I cannot imagine 29:46 how anybody could come along and announce 29:48 that the blessing of God 29:49 has been removed from the seventh day 29:52 and transferred to another day 29:53 especially since there is not a solitary hint 29:56 of such a removal and transfer in all of Holy Scripture. 30:02 What so big deal about the seventh day 30:05 we will find it now keep going. 30:06 Let's read the verse 3 again 30:08 "Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it 30:12 because in it He rested from all His work 30:15 which God had created and made." 30:18 Okay here comes Act number two in the divine play, 30:21 act number two, jot it down. 30:22 "God sanctified the seventh day." 30:26 Now the Hebrew word for sanctified is qadash. 30:29 It's a verb form of the word Holy. 30:31 So essentially what Genesis two is saying 30:32 is God holyized the seventh day. 30:38 Eugene Peterson in that marvelous 30:40 paraphrase of his called "The Message" 30:42 nailed it, he nailed it. 30:44 Jot this down, here is how he translated it. 30:46 This is Genesis 2:3, the message reads. 30:48 "He" God "made it a Holy." 30:51 Capital H, makes sure you get the capital. 30:53 "He made it a Holy Day." 30:57 And God made the seventh day a Holy Day. 31:02 Hey listen, you know what makes something holy? 31:04 What makes something holy? 31:06 I you remember that story the old 31:07 middle age shepherd attending his father-in-law 31:10 sheep out in the middle of nowhere 31:13 minding his own business. 31:14 When one day he sees this towering sheet, 31:19 you remember that, towering sheet of orange flame 31:24 and inside that sheet is a green bush 31:29 that is not being consumed and he's never seen 31:32 anything like it in his whole life. 31:33 So Moses tells the sheep to stay right there 31:35 and Moses is walking up to the bush and he has a stick 31:38 and he's gonna poke it at the flames 31:40 when this voice comes booming out, 31:44 take off your shoes you are on holy ground. 31:48 Question what made that ground and that bush holy? 31:51 Answer, the very presence and glory of God Almighty. 31:57 Isn't that right? 31:58 I mean a few months later Moses and the children of Israel 32:01 God has deliver them from Egypt 32:02 they are on their way to the Promised Land 32:04 and they built this little, they built this little 32:05 lean to church made out of tapestry walls. 32:09 They called it the sanctuary and on that day 32:11 they opened it for the first time 32:12 you look at Exodus 40 32:14 right there at the end there is this 32:16 you remember the pillar of cloud that lead them every day 32:19 where they went you remember that? 32:20 It just comes descending and turns into fire 32:22 there is so much glory in the place not one priest, 32:26 not even Moses himself would dare to enter 32:29 it's become holy ground. 32:32 Question what turned that sanctuary into holy ground? 32:36 Answer, the very presence and glory of God Almighty. 32:42 So when the same Moses speaks of this same God 32:45 and He describes God turning a day, 32:48 turning a day into holy sanctifying a day. 32:54 Question, what is it that makes, the seventh day holy? 32:59 Answer, the very presence 33:02 and glory of almighty God. 33:07 Keep your pen moving. 33:09 God is present in now this is-- this is very important. 33:12 The point is God is present in not on. 33:17 That's not as some we forgot in there 33:18 that supposed to be there. 33:19 God is present in not on the seventh day, 33:22 the seventh day Sabbath 33:23 which is why keep your pen moving. 33:24 Abraham Heschel, the great mystic 33:26 and theologian could write, 33:27 "The seventh day is like a palace in time 33:30 with a kingdom for all." 33:33 Look, God not only turns his face isn't this incredible. 33:36 God not only turns his face toward the seventh day 33:39 He actually infuses it 33:40 so that it becomes He becomes it. 33:44 Which by the way ladies and gentlemen, 33:46 is why and this is critical on the seventh day. 33:49 I used to get this backwards on the seventh day 33:53 God invites the human race to enter His day 33:56 we do not invite God to enter our space. 33:59 I mean we've tended to think well, 34:01 the Sabbath is when you say God, come on in 34:02 coming into our little house, 34:03 come into my dormitory room spend the day with me. 34:05 God says, you got a timeout. 34:07 You just walk into My space 34:09 it's My palace in time welcome child, 34:13 nice to have you here today. 34:15 See there's a difference. Jot it down. 34:19 "For it is God's very presence in the seventh day 34:21 that makes it both holy and wholly his." 34:24 Make sure you spell the holies different. 34:26 To different holies, The seventh day makes it holy 34:28 because God's presence 34:29 is infused into the very seventh day 34:31 and by the way it's not only that holy 34:32 it's the W-H O-L-L-Y wholly as well. 34:35 This is exclusively it is all mine. 34:39 I used to think that well this day 34:40 is mine He gave it to me. 34:41 No, no I didn't give it to you to posses 34:45 I gave it to you as a gift to spend with Me. 34:47 It's My day. 34:49 Wow, which is why for the life for me, 34:54 I cannot imagine how anybody could come along and announce 34:57 that God's holy presence is somehow been removed 34:59 from that from His palace and time 35:01 which has been removed and transfer to some other day. 35:04 Come on, who in the world 35:06 would have the authority to do that 35:11 especially when there's not a solitary hint 35:13 of such a removal and transfer in all Holy Scripture. 35:15 I'm telling you as you-- as you university students say 35:18 God is all over the seventh day, 35:20 He's all over its His day. 35:24 It must be a-- it must be a huge day to God. 35:31 Why is it so special? 35:33 That's what we are trying to find out. 35:34 Let's read it again verse 3, Genesis 2:3 35:37 "Then God blessed the seventh day and He sanctified it, 35:41 because in it He rested from all His work 35:43 which God had created and made." 35:47 Its-- a three act divine play 35:48 here comes act number three, jot it down. 35:50 Act number one, God blessed the seventh day, 35:52 act number two, God sanctify the seventh day 35:54 and act number three got rested on the seventh today. 35:59 But I got to ask you come on, just in all candor 36:01 why would had God please you tell me-- 36:03 why do God who is infinite? 36:04 You know what infinite means it means I'm above all time, 36:06 I'm not affected by time. 36:07 Why would have God who is both infinite and amputation? 36:10 Do you know what it means to be amputation? 36:11 It means you have all power. 36:12 You can do anything 36:13 just like, just moving your figure it happens. 36:16 How could a God like that need time for rest? 36:20 He need to rest. 36:23 In fact, look at this, this is amazing. 36:25 This verse is in your Bible. 36:27 This will be Isaiah Chapter 40, fill this in please. 36:29 "The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator" 36:31 notice intentionally the wording there 36:34 "The Creator of the ends of the earth, 36:36 neither faints nor is weary." 36:40 The Bible make sure that we know 36:42 that whatever's happening on the seventh day 36:44 with Almighty God has nothing to do with physical rest. 36:48 He never gets weary. 36:49 Why would I need to rest out of tiredness? 36:52 No it can't be. 36:55 Remember the Hebrew word for rest is shabbos, 36:59 from which comes the word Shabbat or Sabbath. 37:02 Why would God need a Sabbath rest? 37:05 Clearly something more 37:06 got to be more than physical rest. 37:08 I mean, you think about it. 37:09 To whom did God give the first seventh day Sabbath? 37:11 To whom did God give it? 37:13 First to human beings man and woman. 37:14 Of course Adam and Eve. 37:16 I want to ask you something, are they worn out already? 37:19 Are they tired? 37:21 How could it be, they just got made yesterday. 37:25 You can't get tired if you are made yesterday, 37:28 can you? 37:29 Now, Sakae Kubo in his book "God Meets Man" 37:35 makes the obvious point that we so easily overlook 37:38 and I want to have there in your study guide 37:39 so there it is, Thus I'm quoting Kubo, 37:41 "Thus fittingly the Sabbath for Adam and Eve 37:44 was the first full day after their creation. 37:48 It was not because they had labored for a week 37:50 and needed rest that God invited them to celebrate it." 37:52 No. 37:53 "God met them on their first day." 37:55 And I like this. 37:56 "Man's history with God thus begins on the Sabbath," 38:01 human history begins on the Sabbath 38:04 "the seventh day of the Creation week, 38:06 not on the first day." 38:10 Come on guys, this is not rocket science. 38:12 Our first day as a newly created race 38:15 was God's seventh day 38:16 thus, jot this down will you please. 38:18 The Sabbath has ever been 38:20 the first day of the rest of our lives. 38:25 It will double entendre there. 38:27 The first day of the rest of our lives. 38:35 And what is it that brings rest to our lives? 38:38 Oh, come on, what could rest us and refresh us more 38:40 than a personal friendship with our Creator? 38:43 I mean what would be more resting, refreshing. 38:46 John Kellman he is a Scottish writer 38:49 mid nineteenth century 38:51 describes why God created this seventh day. 38:53 I like this, now jot it down. 38:54 "Every time the Sabbath came round, 38:56 while it would of necessity 38:58 bring before the minds of humanity 39:00 the glory of God's wisdom, and power, and goodness, 39:02 as manifested in His works of creation." 39:04 But there's more he is saying, 39:05 there's more than just reminding us 39:07 that God is the Creator. 39:08 "It would bring still more prominently before our minds, 39:12 and present in special splendour" 39:14 he is writing as an Englishman 39:15 "and attractiveness, the crowning glory of His love, 39:20 manifested in His coming so very near to us in friendship 39:23 as man's glorious Friend." 39:30 Oh, I like that. 39:32 But Kellman is saying us hey, hey look 39:34 the Sabbath is not-- is not just about reminding us 39:36 that we have a Creator and that there is a creation. 39:38 I mean, that's, that's wonderful 39:40 but an even higher calling of the Sabbath 39:43 is not just that God is our Creator 39:44 He is also our companion. 39:46 The God of the universe 39:48 is your companion in the journey. 39:52 The three act divine play on the Sabbath 39:54 makes it utterly clear 39:56 the gift of the Sabbath is the friendship of God. 40:00 Nathan Greene a-- 40:01 an internationally celebrated artist 40:03 live just a few mile from us 40:05 right now painted that painting and I love it. 40:07 Isn't that great? I just love it. 40:09 "The gift of the Sabbath is the friendship of God." 40:16 And that is why ladies and gentlemen, 40:17 in the very middle of the Ten Commandments 40:19 which by the way were written by the Creator 40:21 with His own finger into stone 40:23 in the very centre of the Decalogue 40:25 is inscribed the fourth commandment, 40:28 the fourth commandment. 40:29 I want to end with this, this will be our last text. 40:31 Exodus Chapter 20, we are gonna look this one up, 40:34 20 so you just go to the second book of the Bible. 40:37 If you have a pew Bible that would be page 52. 40:41 Exodus Chapter 20, we're only gonna look 40:44 at the fourth commandment that begins in verse 8. 40:46 Exodus 20:8 all right, 40:53 Exodus 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day, 40:57 to keep it holy." 40:59 Verse 9 "Six days you shall labor 41:01 and do all your work." 41:02 Ten "But the seventh day 41:04 is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. 41:06 In it you shall do no work. 41:07 You, nor your son, nor your daughter, 41:08 nor your male servant, nor you are female servant, 41:10 nor your cattle, nor your stranger 41:12 who is with in your gates. Why? 41:13 Verse 11, "For in six days the Lord made the heavens 41:16 and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them 41:18 and rested on the seventh day. 41:21 Therefore the Lord blessed 41:22 the Sabbath day and hallowed it." 41:26 Isn't that amazing? 41:27 This is the only command 41:28 that begin with the word remember. 41:30 It's the only one in the ten that appeals-- 41:32 that appeals to human memory, why? 41:36 Jot it down 41:37 because it is the one commandment 41:39 the human race has known 41:41 from the beginning of time, that's why. 41:44 You've always known remember, remember 41:50 from day seven of creation 41:51 the divine gift of the seventh day Sabbath 41:53 has been in play in human history. 41:55 You know, come on 41:56 why we remember the Sabbath to keep it holy? 41:58 Its stated the finger of the Creator carved 42:01 He says, this is, look at verse 11 42:03 "For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, 42:05 the sea in all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. 42:08 Therefore the Lord blessed 42:10 the Sabbath day and hallowed it." 42:13 Did you notice that there we have it again 42:14 three act divine play. 42:15 That's it all three acts are there. 42:18 God blessed the seventh day, 42:21 in other words on the Sabbath God turns His face 42:24 full beaming smile straight into the children 42:30 He has invited to join Him on that day. 42:31 God blessed the seventh day, God sanctified the seventh day. 42:35 He infuses His time, 42:37 His very self into the time those 24 hours. 42:42 And third act, God rested on the seventh day, i.e., 42:45 the seventh day is the gift day 42:47 of His friendship for the rest our lives. 42:55 No wonder, He placed 42:57 the fourth commandment in the center. 42:59 And by the way, if you count the words 43:00 of the Ten Commandments in the Hebrew 43:01 and you start at the end and you start at the beginning 43:03 you will come right to the middle word 43:06 fourth commandment center. 43:10 Let me quote that Danish writer again 43:13 who in this context makes a point 43:15 I had never noted before. 43:17 M. L. Andreasen it's in your study guide. 43:19 "The Sabbath command is the only commandment 43:21 in the observance of which God could join man." 43:27 You know, I never thought about that 43:29 but it's got to be true. 43:30 I mean-- how is He, how is God gonna join us in 43:31 you shall have no other Gods before me. 43:33 Do they make sense? 43:35 How is He gonna join us and keep 43:36 you should-- you should not take 43:37 the name of the Lord your God in vain, please. 43:40 He can't join us and honor your father and your mother. 43:43 He doesn't have any parents, 43:44 He is the one that made parents. 43:46 How does He join us and don't steal 43:47 or don't commit adultery? 43:48 He cannot join us. 43:50 It's the one commandment of all ten it's the one. 43:53 "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," 43:55 where this great friendship day He comes down 43:58 and we join together in that one commandment. 44:02 Andreasen goes on here, 44:03 "There is one commandment in the observance 44:05 of which God could join man, the Sabbath commandment. 44:09 Man can keep it, God can keep it. 44:12 thus the Sabbath is the meeting place." 44:16 I like that, it's the only one, only one in a ten. 44:20 "The Sabbath is the meeting place of God and man." 44:26 Which is why I repeat this, for the life of me. 44:30 I cannot imagine how anyone 44:33 not even any church could come along and announce 44:38 the God's fourth commandment 44:40 has been chiseled out of the Decalogue 44:45 an another day now has been substituted. 44:47 It just-- it just 44:50 especially since there's not a solitary hint 44:53 of such a removal and transfer in all Holy Scripture. 44:57 I mean, here's the-- here's the question? 45:00 Why would anybody ever want 45:04 to get rid of the seventh day Sabbath? 45:12 Now, I know they are those who say 45:15 hey, listen Dwight, come on timeout, 45:16 timeout don't you know boy, 45:18 that the Sabbath was made for the Jews. 45:21 And then they make-- they make a correct observation. 45:23 They say after all 45:24 there is no biblical record of Sabbath keeping 45:27 or explicit divine command for Sabbath keeping 45:29 until Mount Sinai and the children of Israel. 45:31 So it's for Israelites not for the rest of us. 45:35 I want to respond to that, 45:38 I want to give you six challenges 45:40 to that kind of thinking. 45:41 Let me run them by, you jot them down. 45:43 All right challenge number one, 45:44 this is-- this is kind of the obvious 45:46 no rocket science here. 45:48 Number one, "When God gave the Sabbath to humanity, 45:51 Jews were not even in existence just the human race." 45:56 So that have a pretty much end it right there 45:58 but I want to give you five more-- five more. 46:01 Number two, "In a perfect world 46:05 wouldn't the example of the Creator 46:07 be command enough?" 46:11 His very example, Samuele Bacchiocchi 46:17 asked just five question that's what I'm gonna do. 46:19 I'm just gonna quote these five questions 46:20 you have them in your study guide 46:22 this is from His book Divine Rest for Human Restlessness. 46:25 Five rhetorical questions you think of the answers. 46:27 Question number one, "What is it that makes 46:29 any divine precepts moral 46:31 and universal in the first place? 46:35 Would have to be example of God. 46:38 Number two, "Do we not regard a law more 46:41 when it reflects God's nature?" 46:44 Number three could God had given a stronger revelation 46:47 of moral nature of the Sabbath 46:48 than by making it a rule of His divine conduct?" 46:52 Number four, "Is a principle established by divine example 46:55 less binding than one enunciated by divine command." 46:59 And finally number five, 47:00 "Do not actions speak louder than words". 47:05 If you've ever been a parent 47:06 or if you ever gonna become a parent 47:07 you're gonna find out just like that 47:09 that you sometimes never have to say a word to your kids 47:13 you just go through the motions and they will be right behind 47:16 you doing the very same thing. 47:19 It's just the way it is when you are parent. 47:21 Children love to follow the model 47:26 of a father or mother. 47:30 If you have to make a command just follow me. 47:35 Okay, that's number two here is number three 47:37 this is interesting seven times-- 47:38 jot this down please 47:39 seven times in the Book of Genesis 47:41 it refers to the seven day week 47:43 and there the references are all there. 47:45 Now, guys let's just do little bit of thinking here 47:47 if a week a seven days long 47:49 would you pretty much have the seventh day. 47:54 Seven times in the Book of Genesis 47:56 the week is referred to. 47:57 If you've got a week 47:58 you're gonna have to have the seventh day. 48:02 Number four, oh, this is this is an interesting one. 48:06 "The divine provision of the manna," 48:08 write it in manna. 48:09 Remember that little white frosting substance on the ground 48:12 that the people ate for forty years. 48:13 "The divine provision manna clearly presupposes 48:17 the people's knowledge of the sanctity 48:19 of the seventh day." 48:20 Read Exodus 16 it's all there. 48:23 And by the way, this is before Mount Sinai 48:24 the Ten Commandments aren't given until Exodus 20. 48:27 So before there ever were the ten. 48:30 There's a story remember on Sunday, 48:32 Monday and every day of the week 48:34 there was this white stuff on the ground 48:35 and by the way the word went out from God 48:38 don't you-- you thinking asleep in on Tuesday 48:40 so you get a double portion 48:41 and Monday so you can sleep in Tuesday forget it. 48:43 It will turn rotten overnight. 48:45 Some people don't believe it they took a little extra 48:47 so they could sleep in it was rotten the next morning. 48:50 Divine miracle. 48:51 You're not going-- you just get enough for today 48:53 but when you come to the sixth day 48:56 listen to me carefully God says on this day 48:58 you go ahead and take a double portion 49:00 because you're gonna wake up tomorrow morning 49:01 and there will not be up blade of grass 49:04 with anything white on it 49:06 because that's my Sabbath. 49:08 By divine miracle every seventh day 49:12 before Mount Sinai before Mount Sinai 49:17 and then you look at Exodus 16 God says, Listen 49:19 because some people went out on a Sabbath 49:20 and said I'm hungry I forgot to get extra yesterday. 49:24 Too late, nothing there. 49:26 God says how long, how long are you gonna forget My command. 49:31 This command has been around from the very beginning. 49:34 All right we got to go, number five. 49:36 The very language of the fourth commandment 49:37 presupposes a knowledge at the Sabbath. 49:39 It says "Remember" if they had known it 49:41 God should have said "Thou shall keep the seventh day holy" 49:43 I got something new I'm gonna tell you today 49:45 keep the seven-day holy. 49:46 Just no-- just remember you've been with this 49:48 you've been following father for all these centuries 49:53 and then finally to me this is a clincher, number six. 49:56 None write it in, "None of the other Ten Commandments 50:00 is commanded in Genesis 50:02 either does that mean they were not applicable 50:04 to humanity and unknown until Sinai? 50:06 Because that's a big point. 50:07 Nobody knew about the Sabbath until Sinai 50:09 what about the other nine. 50:11 Look at did Cain when Cain killed his brother 50:13 did you feel bad? He felt awful. 50:16 Did he know you're not supposed to kill 50:17 why didn't you say to God? 50:18 I never knew you can't kill people. 50:21 I thought you could do this. 50:24 No, he knew 50:26 when Abraham is lying about his wife being a sister 50:29 don't you think he knows 50:30 he's breaking the don't bear false witness command. 50:33 Of course he knows he's feeling guilty as sin 50:37 and when Joseph comes to Mrs. Potiphar 50:39 or let's reverse the story 50:41 when Mr. Potiphar comes to Joseph 50:42 why didn't Joseph just say hey listen 50:44 you want to sleep with me, 50:45 let's go to bed. 50:47 There's no commandment yet. 50:49 We are this site on Mount Sinai, hallelujah. 50:53 No, there's none of that ladies and gentlemen, 50:55 Joseph knew the command you shall not commit adultery. 50:58 And he said woman, I can't sin against God and do this. 51:01 Where do these boys and girls get all this? 51:04 They got it from a Father 51:06 who's been telling them from the very beginning 51:08 you don't have to write it when you're a parent. 51:12 You just model it. 51:15 There they are ladies and gentlemen, 51:16 six proves that the Sabbath has been God's gift 51:19 to the human race from the very beginning of time. 51:22 Why? 51:23 For the gift of the Sabbath is the friendship of God. 51:28 That's why-- that's why, 51:31 but why would anybody-- why would anybody 51:33 want to get rid of the seventh day Sabbath 51:37 I want to tell you. 51:39 Our next teaching don't miss it, 51:41 it's entitled "Legacy of the Bastard Science." 51:44 That's not strong language by the way 51:46 that's technical dictionary language 51:48 and I'm quoting somebody else 51:50 and it's descriptive got your attention, 51:55 that's the point the legacy 51:58 of the illegitimate science next time. 52:03 Think of the heartache, come on guys, 52:04 think of the heartache that could have been spared 52:05 the human race had we always remember 52:07 God is our Creator and our capital 'F' Friend. 52:11 The only way I can figure it out, 52:12 I'm not real smart 52:13 but the only way I can figure it out is there must be some body 52:17 who does not want the human race to remember. 52:22 There must be somebody who is working awfully hard. 52:29 And so let me end with the word to my young friend 52:32 who wrote the email challenged to me impress me. 52:37 My friend, you know 52:39 by now that I have taken your email seriously. 52:42 It's clear to me you are serious about the possibility 52:44 of adopting atheism as your worldview. 52:51 Now, I need you to take me seriously. 52:55 I've taking you seriously you take me seriously now. 52:58 Listen, if you are intellectually honest 53:03 and everything you write indicates that you are 53:07 if you are then you need-- you need to experiment 53:13 for a bit longer. 53:15 You need to experience this gift to the seventh day 53:21 and what you think is hey, come on, come on 53:22 I don't have time for this. 53:25 You have time, it's taken you months 53:27 to come to your convictions now. 53:30 You need, you intellectually honest 53:32 you need to give yourself this time. 53:35 And here is what I want to invite you to do, 53:37 can't required of you, can't check up with you, 53:40 I'm asking you, you owe it to yourself in honesty 53:45 is what I'm asking you to do over the next few Sabbaths. 53:49 Say how many? 53:50 More than just two or three over the next few Sabbaths 53:53 here is the prayer that I'd like to ask you to pray. 53:58 You don't have to write it down 53:59 I'm have a feeling it'll stick in your mind. 54:02 I put it on the screen though, in case you watching. 54:05 Here is the prayer. 54:07 "Okay God. If there really is you. 54:13 And you really are my Creator. 54:17 And the seventh day really is your day with me. 54:19 Then I'm asking you" okay this is the deal. 54:22 I'm bright your bright God? Let's do this. 54:25 "Then I'm asking You to please reveal Yourself to me. 54:33 Impress me. 54:37 Because if You do exist, and You are a Friend, 54:41 then I'd be a fool to walk away from You. 54:45 Amen." 54:48 You remember the prayer, I know you will. 54:51 I want you to pray it over the next few seventh days. 54:55 Do it on a day where God is infused Himself into time. 55:00 You pray the prayer 55:03 because on the authority of this word right here 55:07 it's clear to me 55:08 that the gift to the Sabbath is the friendship God. 55:13 And if that's true 55:16 then you open your mind to Him on this day 55:18 and I promise you that in his own way 55:22 He will speak to you. 55:26 He wants your friendship that much 55:33 and I will be praying for you. 55:36 Let's stand as we pray together. 55:46 And so here we are Holy Father, 55:47 we are on this vast and wide spectrum of life 55:52 and one hand an email wrestling with a worldview 55:57 far down the spectrum and aged senior citizen 56:04 who has found You faithful every day of her life 56:11 and who worships You with all her heart. 56:14 In between these two we're all spread out. 56:19 Oh, God, please we pray the same prayer. 56:22 Impress us with all the sincerity 56:26 we can muster we ask that in Your graciousness 56:30 You might reveal Yourself to us on the seventh day 56:35 as both our Creator and our Friend 56:40 because if it's true that You are both 56:43 why would we ever walk away. 56:49 In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 56:56 I wanted to take one more moment here 56:58 at the end of the telecast to let you know 56:59 how grateful I am for your journey with us, 57:02 with our New Perceptions Ministry. 57:04 You may think that New Perceptions 57:05 is only about television 57:07 but I need to tell you, we do have a website 57:10 which is more than just the study guide. 57:12 I know you go to the study guide every week 57:13 but if you go to our website, 57:14 let me put the address on the screen again, 57:16 www.pmchurch.tv. 57:20 You'll find at that website a blog. 57:22 I write every Wednesday. 57:23 I sit down with my laptop and write up a blog, 57:25 something as commenting on world events, 57:27 something local, something national. 57:29 You get the blog. 57:30 You want archive, previous teachings 57:32 from here in the Pioneer pulpit, 57:34 you go to that annotated archive. 57:36 You can pick out a message, it will be sent to you. 57:39 You want to get into the podcast business, 57:42 I am not real high-techie on this 57:44 but if you click podcast, 57:46 you'll be able to connect instantly 57:47 with every new teaching 57:48 that comes from the Pioneer pulpit. 57:50 The point is we're trying to connect 57:51 with a generation on the move, on the go. 57:54 Thanks for being a part of it. 57:55 Thanks for your prayer partnership. 57:57 We have got to connect 57:58 with this generation at this time in earth's history 58:01 and I'm grateful you and I are sharing the mission. 58:04 God bless you until next time. |
Revised 2014-12-17