Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP012007
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00:26 O, when shall I see Jesus and reign with Him above
00:30 And shall hear the trumpet sound in that morning? 00:35 And from the flowing fountain drink everlasting love 00:40 And shall hear the trumpet sound in that morning. 00:45 O, shout, glory! 00:47 For I shall mount above the skies 00:50 When I hear the trumpet sound in that morning 00:57 Gird on the gospel armor of faith and hope and love 01:02 And you'll hear the trumpet sound in that morning 01:07 And when the combat's ended 01:10 He'll carry you above 01:12 And you'll hear the trumpet sound in that morning 01:17 O, shout, glory! 01:20 For I shall mount above the skies 01:22 When I hear the trumpet sound in that morning 01:29 Our ears shall hear with transport 01:32 the host of heaven sing 01:34 And shall hear the trumpet sound in that morning 01:39 Our tongues shall chant the glories of our immortal King 01:44 And shall hear the trumpet sound in that morning 01:50 O, shout, glory! 01:52 For I shall mount above the skies 01:55 When I hear the trumpet sound in that morning 02:59 Lo, what a glorious sight appears 03:03 To our believing eyes! 03:07 The earth and seas are passed away 03:10 And the old rolling skies 03:14 And the old rolling skies 03:18 And the old rolling skies 03:21 The earth and seas are passed away 03:25 And the old rolling skies 03:29 O, that will be joyful, joyful, joyful! 03:37 O, that will be joyful 03:40 When we meet to part no more! 03:44 When we meet to part no more 03:48 On Canaan's happy shore 03:51 'Tis there we'll meet at Jesus' feet 03:55 When we meet to part no more! 04:00 Attending angels shout for joy 04:04 And the bright armies sing- 04:07 Mortals! Behold the sacred seat 04:11 Of your descending King 04:14 Of your descending King 04:18 Of your descending King 04:22 Mortals! Behold the sacred seat 04:25 Of your descending King 04:29 O, that will be joyful, joyful, joyful! 04:37 O, that will be joyful 04:40 When we meet to part no more! 04:44 When we meet to part no more 04:47 On Canaan's happy shore 04:51 'Tis there we'll meet at Jesus' feet 04:55 When we meet to part no more! 05:00 His own soft hand shall wipe the tears 05:03 From every weeping eye 05:07 And pains, and groans, and griefs, and fears, 05:10 And death itself shall die! 05:14 And death itself shall die And death itself shall die 05:21 And pains, and groans, and griefs, and fears, 05:25 And death itself shall die 05:29 O, that will be joyful, joyful, joyful! 05:36 O, that will be joyful 05:40 When we meet to part no more! 05:43 When we meet to part no more 05:47 On Canaan's happy shore 05:51 'Tis there we'll meet at Jesus' feet 05:55 When we meet to part no more! 06:15 How long, dear Savior! 06:18 Oh, how long Shall this bright hour delay? 06:24 Fly swifter round, ye wheels of time! 06:28 And bring the welcome day 06:32 And bring the welcome day 06:36 And bring the welcome day 06:39 Fly swifter round Ye wheels of time! 06:43 And bring the welcome day 06:47 O, that will be joyful, joyful, joyful! 06:55 O, that will be joyful 06:59 When we meet to part no more! 07:02 When we meet to part no more 07:06 On Canaan's happy shore 07:10 'Tis there we'll meet at Jesus' feet 07:14 When we meet to part no more! 07:24 Little Lamb 07:27 who made thee 07:31 Dost thou know 07:34 who made thee 07:39 Gave thee life and bid thee feed 07:44 By the stream 07:47 and o'er the mead 07:50 Gave thee clothing of delight 07:57 Softest clothing 08:01 wooly bright 08:08 Gave thee such a tender voice 08:14 Making all the vales rejoice 08:23 Little Lamb who made thee 08:28 Dost thou know 08:34 who made thee 08:40 Little Lamb I'll tell thee 08:48 Little Lamb I'll tell thee 08:55 He is called by thy name 09:00 For he calls himself a Lamb 09:03 He is meek and he is mild 09:07 He became a little child 09:16 I a child and thou a lamb 09:22 We are called by his name. 09:36 Little Lamb God bless thee 09:43 Little Lamb 09:49 God bless thee 10:17 Let's pray. 10:19 Oh, Lamb of God, 10:22 we are your little lambs. 10:26 It's all we are. 10:31 Please hear our prayer 10:36 to be more like you, 10:39 Lamb of God. Amen. 10:45 Because this is Heritage Sabbath, 10:47 I want to share with you a story 10:48 that comes straight out of our own faith community. 10:53 It was March 1935, 10:59 a 77-year-old man laid dying of cancer 11:01 in Glendale Hospital in Los Angeles. 11:07 He's a weary, worn warhorse, 11:11 that's what he was, a warrior of the faith. 11:14 Our sir, Grosvenor Daniells. 11:18 Century ago, president of our community of faith, 11:21 the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 11:23 But his heart was troubled because as he lay there, 11:27 he knew there had come over an estrangement. 11:32 An estrangement between him 11:34 and another veteran warrior of this movement. 11:39 And so the dying man sent a message and asked please 11:46 if that veteran would come to the hospital to see him. 11:51 As it was that 80-year-old William C. White 11:57 better know in history remembered as Willie White, 12:01 the son of Ellen and James White, 12:06 director of the White Estate, as it was that Willie White 12:10 was soon seated at the bedside of A. G. Daniells. 12:15 This portion of the ensuing conversation 12:18 was written up by Bert Haloviak, 12:20 from the General Conference 12:21 Office of Statistics and Archives. 12:24 Willie White spoke first, 'I long for the time 12:29 when we can sit down together as we used to do 12:32 and talk over the progress of God's work.' 12:37 But Daniells was on a mission, he had not long to live. 12:41 Brother White. 12:42 He replied, give me your hand, 12:46 those two old warhorses clasp their wrinkled hands. 12:51 'Brother White. Let me have your hand. 12:56 I have not rendered you very good service.' 13:01 To which White replied, 'Oh, don't think of that. 13:04 Think of what we have done when we were working together.' 13:07 'Yes, Daniells lean back, 13:10 we have worked out some immortal principles, 13:12 sitting on the deck of that old steamer and then he paused. 13:18 I wanted my hand to clasp your hand 13:21 as one of my truest friends on earth.' 13:26 And then in a heart to heart 13:28 last meeting Daniells admitted to his colleague 13:31 that he had made mistakes in his leadership. 13:36 But his face brighten as he confess that, 13:37 and these are his words, he had been 'bound up 13:39 with the greatest character' 13:41 to have lived in the modern era, 13:44 Willie White's mother. 13:48 With that prayer the two men parted 13:52 and two days later Daniells died. 13:56 But not hallelujah, 13:58 not before mercy came a running. 14:03 My, oh, my ladies and gentlemen 14:04 how far can a little bit of mercy go. 14:09 Apparently even to the threshold of death. 14:13 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. 14:20 Did you know that there are nine beatitudes 14:22 in Matthew's rendition of The Sermon on the Mount 14:24 and would you like to guess 14:26 which beatitudes is in the very middle of the nine 14:29 as the shining centerpiece of those words of Jesus? 14:32 Want to guess? 14:35 Let's go to the Sermon on the Mount together. 14:36 We will read the Beatitudes together 14:38 in this part two of Mercy Came a Running. 14:40 Go to the Book of Matthew, 14:42 this is the first overt appearance of the word, 14:45 appearance of the word mercy in the Gospel of Matthew. 14:48 And Matthew, as you know, 14:50 those of you who began the journey last week. 14:52 Matthew is our text book for this entire journey, 14:54 so open your Bible please to Matthew's rendition 14:56 of The Sermon on the Mount. 14:57 Matthew 5, Matthew 5 if you didn't bring your Bible, 15:02 you are going to want to be in Matthew 5 today. 15:04 Trust me, get into that word with me, 15:06 so pull out the Bible in front of you in the pew rack. 15:09 It's page, page 651 in our pew Bible. 15:12 Same translation as mine, the New King James. 15:15 I tell you what let's do. 15:17 Once you find it in your Bible, 15:18 we are going to read the beatitudes together. 15:20 We will read them out loud together. 15:21 Let me read the little preamble verse 1 and verse 2 15:24 and then you can just read if off the screen 15:26 or we will read it out loud. 15:30 The fame and blessed, blessed Beatitudes. 15:33 All right, Mathew 5:1 "And seeing the multitudes, 15:35 He Jesus went up on a mountain, 15:37 and when He was seated His disciples came to Him." 15:40 So, He is talking of people that say, 15:42 I'm a follower of the Lord Jesus, like you and me. 15:44 Then verse 2, "He opened His mouth 15:46 and He taught them, saying," let's say it out loud together. 15:49 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, 15:52 For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 15:55 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 16:00 Blessed are the meek, 16:01 For they shall inherit the earth. 16:04 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 16:08 For they shall be filled. 16:10 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 16:14 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 16:19 Blessed are the peacemakers, 16:22 For they shall be called sons of God. 16:25 Blessed are those who are persecuted 16:28 for righteousness' sake, 16:29 For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 16:32 And blessed are you 16:34 when they revile and persecute you, 16:37 and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 16:41 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, 16:44 for great is your reward in heaven, 16:47 for so they persecuted the prophets 16:50 who were before you.''' 16:52 There they are ladies and gentlemen, 16:54 nine glittering diadems in the crown 16:57 worn by every disciples of Jesus. 17:00 Nine crown jewels and which one, 17:02 you do arithmetic count there are only nine. 17:04 It would have to be number 5 17:05 for on either side which one is middle one? 17:08 Verse 7 "Blessed are the merciful, 17:13 For they shall obtain mercy." 17:16 Because whether you are on your deathbed 17:18 or on your daily walk what matter most 17:22 is that mercy comes running. 17:23 So you can imagine my surprise to discover 17:26 I'm worshiping through the Sermon on the Mount 17:27 a few months ago 17:28 and I discovered that the centerpiece beatitude 17:31 is the defining paradigm, 17:32 get this for the rest of Jesus' teaching 17:35 in Chapter 5 of Matthew. 17:38 I mean in fact, what Jesus does 17:40 is He puts mercy on the big screen. 17:42 And I got to tell you, 17:43 for me the bigger the screen the better. 17:45 Won't you just love a big screen? 17:47 IMAX rules, it got to have the big screen. 17:50 And so it takes this big screen live in color, 17:53 live action and He says 17:55 I want to show you seven video clips. 17:58 I'm going to show you seven video clips 18:00 of very every day, very average kind of living. 18:05 He says, I want to warn you now, 18:07 this is going to get messy. 18:09 It's not always pretty 18:11 but let me flash these seven clips 18:13 on a big screen of your life. 18:15 And let me show you 18:16 how mercy can come running 18:17 through you, through me. 18:21 All right, seven-- and the surprise by the way, 18:24 the surprise hands down 18:26 is number seven. You watch this. 18:28 Gentlemen I want you to get all seven please. 18:29 Please take out of your worship bulletin today. 18:32 A brand new worship study guide, 18:34 our study guide for part two of this series. 18:36 Thank you ushers right now, 18:38 for being so fast in getting these study guides. 18:41 Hold your hand up if you, five of you came in 18:43 with one bulletin you have to have today. 18:46 Dine on my quotation 18:47 that you will take home with the study guide 18:49 and while they are passing it out here, 18:50 let me tell you those of you 18:51 who are watching on television right now, 18:53 see that website on the screen, please go to that screen 18:57 I would love to have you follow along with the same study guide. 18:59 You can get it. 19:00 Our website is www.pmchurch.tv. 19:06 Brand new series called "Mercy Came a Runnin'" 19:09 Click on to that series and you want part two. 19:11 Part two is entitled "The End of Perfection." 19:15 When it says study guide right there click study guide. 19:18 You will have the identical piece of paper 19:20 almost that we have here. 19:23 You will have it all right there, 19:24 only you will have the answers at the very bottom 19:25 and by the way leave that website up 19:26 for little bit longer 19:28 because if you miss last week's teaching, 19:32 it is absolutely critical to an ongoing understanding 19:36 of this whole thing that we are focusing on 19:38 in this new season. 19:39 So, you see last weeks teaching 19:41 it's called "When Mercy Grew on Trees." 19:44 Download it for your iPod, 19:45 download it for your laptop, download it for your computer. 19:47 It doesn't matter to me just get it 19:48 and sometime in your leisure with the study guide 19:51 you will be able to go through it as well. 19:52 Fascinating story, seven surprise entrees 19:56 into Jesus' family tree. 19:58 All right, so you got that, 20:00 but let's go, let's take that first line 20:02 in today's new study guide. 20:04 There it is, there are nine beatitudes 20:05 in Matthew's Sermon on the Mount 20:06 and guess what the shining center-piece is, 20:09 write it down "Blessed are the merciful, 20:13 for they shall obtain mercy." Keep your pen moving. 20:18 Mercy is the defining paradigm for the rest of Matthew 5, 20:22 as these seven big screen video clips, 20:25 we are going to take a look at right now. 20:26 Video clip number 1, let's go. 20:28 Verse 21, Matthew 5:21 real life big screen living. 20:32 Here it goes verse 21, 20:34 "You have heard that it was said," 20:36 by the way if these words are not in red, 20:38 take your Bible back, 20:39 this is everything we read today is in red, 20:41 they are the words of Jesus. 20:42 All right, Matthew 5:21 20:44 "You have heard that it was said, 20:47 to those of old, 'You shall not murder 20:49 and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'' 20:51 But verse 22 "But I say to you says Jesus, 20:55 that whoever is angry with his brother or sister 20:57 without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. 21:00 And whoever says to his brother, 21:02 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. 21:04 And whoever says, 'You fool!' 21:06 shall be in danger of hell fire." 21:08 Now, watch this, here it becomes radical. 21:10 Verse 23 "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar," 21:14 you go to church all right, you are going to church 21:17 when you come to church with your gift 21:20 "and there remember, 21:21 verse 23 that your brother or sister 21:23 has something against you, 21:25 leave your gift there before the altar, 21:28 and go your way. 21:29 First be reconciled to your brother, 21:31 and then come and offer your gift." 21:35 Once you have done that, you can go ahead and die, 21:38 just like A.G. Daniells, because you have done it. 21:41 I tell you what ladies and gentlemen, 21:43 how much bad blood and heartache could be spared 21:48 if we took Jesus appeal for mercy here seriously. 21:51 Because you know what, it's a surprise, 21:53 Jesus does not say-- May I just remind you, 21:55 He is not saying here now when you got to church 21:58 and you are worshipping and suddenly you remember 22:00 you did something wrong to somebody else. 22:03 Go quickly find that somebody else 22:04 whether it's a man or a woman your roommate, 22:06 your spouse, your neighbor, 22:07 a friend, a stranger or colleague 22:08 doesn't matter and you tell them, 22:10 you did wrong. Jesus does not say that. 22:13 No, no, no, He says, when you come to worship 22:16 and you remember there is somebody nearby 22:19 who has something against you, he is ticked off. 22:21 She is mad and angry at you. 22:25 This is the radical nature of it. 22:27 You the innocent one, you go and you make sure 22:34 that it gets all put back together again. 22:36 Wow, that is radical. 22:40 You be mercy that comes running. 22:43 I was talking this last week with a friend of mine, 22:45 who is president of a corporation, 22:47 large corporation. 22:49 And he was telling me, he said hey, Dwight, 22:51 interesting story he said you know, 22:52 I don't even know all my employees 22:54 I have a small group, 22:55 we meet with the small group every week 22:57 and you know, Spiritual Journey small group. 23:00 One of my employees is in that group. 23:02 I had no idea what had happened to him. 23:05 Somebody came to me two weeks ago in church 23:06 and said hey, did you know, that so and so 23:09 has quit working for you. He is ticked. 23:12 And I said, yeah, I have been meeting with him 23:13 week after week I had no idea. 23:16 And so my friend and his wife 23:18 going home from church 23:20 decide to stop by that now former employee. 23:24 It was not a comfortable meeting. 23:26 Now, that he knows what he knows. 23:33 But, Jesus isn't saying 23:34 if it's not painful go and do it. 23:35 Jesus point is no matter 23:36 how painful initiating visits like that might be, 23:39 mercy in order to have healing 23:41 has to come running and you are it. 23:43 Jot it down, please real life clip number one 23:45 Mercy for the angry. 23:47 Those are the people in our relationships, 23:50 mercy for the angry, 23:51 the people in our relationship is only, 23:53 the only way anger in a relationship can be defuses 23:56 is you are the one that takes the first step. 23:57 Jot this down please and so write it down. 23:59 Jesus' radical brand of mercy 24:01 declares the innocent must be the initiator. 24:06 The innocent must be the initiator 24:08 of that reconciliation. Blessed are the merciful. 24:12 Wow, for they shall obtain mercy. 24:15 All right, real life clip number 2. 24:17 Pick it up in verse 27, 24:19 "You have heard Jesus still speaking, 24:21 that it was said to those of old 24:22 'You shall not commit adultery.'" 24:25 Everybody knows the seventh commandment. 24:27 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman 24:31 to lust for her has already committed adultery 24:34 with her in his heart." 24:35 And I just want you ladies to know 24:36 that the Sermon on the Mount is an equal opportunity employer 24:40 and you are included as well. 24:42 You look at a man with lust in your heart, 24:44 you are a part of that. 24:45 Don't you just push it off on us men, all right? 24:50 Write it down please, talking about lust. 24:53 Lust is the opposite of mercy. 24:56 Watch this, Mercy lives to preserve, 24:59 but lust lives to consume. 25:03 Lust is like I got to have it, 25:04 I got to have it, I got to have it. 25:07 The opposite of mercy. 25:08 Jesus exposes here the sin of the heart that nobody knows, 25:11 nobody sees it of course except for God Himself. 25:15 So for mercy to come running to the man, 25:16 to the woman who is struggling 25:18 with the temptation to lust after another. 25:20 Jesus does not describe third party intervention. 25:25 In fact, you know, what else 25:26 I'm very glad to tell you this, Jesus does not say 25:28 that the cure for this is going to be painful 25:30 because I want you to get up 25:31 and tell everybody that you know, 25:32 that you have lust in your heart. 25:34 You don't have to do that, don't have to do that at all. 25:36 Jimmy Carter did it once you don't have to. 25:41 Jesus says, no, no, 25:43 it's in your heart just between you and me. 25:46 What I want you to do, cut it out, cut it out. 25:51 Take a look at that verse 29, 25:53 Jesus says, if your right eyes is offending you, 25:55 what you are watching, cut it out, just take it out. 25:58 I would rather go to heaven with one eye missing 26:00 and be saved than to go to hell with two eyes good. 26:02 That's Jesus point, 26:03 and what does He say in the next verse? 26:05 Verse 30, "If your right hand is offending you, 26:07 prune, cut it off, 26:08 I would rather go to heaven with one arm 26:09 and be saved than go to hell with two good arms. 26:12 Cut it out, cut it off. 26:15 It's the most merciful way that God can think of 26:17 to stop our lust. 26:19 Confess it to me, cut if out. 26:21 And by the way, if you do not, the life of lust, 26:24 the life of lust is a life of heartache. 26:28 I received a letter from a viewer, 26:31 out of state, this week 26:34 who was struggling with pornography. 26:39 And my heartache for the depth of this man's struggle, 26:41 we now fear he is going to prison. 26:45 I share this with you man in particular, 26:47 man, man, man. 26:49 I share it with you and me 26:52 because of the horrific enslavement 26:54 that internet pornography is now exerting on males. 27:03 Jesus' thirds command to cut it out, 27:06 does not be literally, immensity of lust addiction 27:09 at the heart you are healing my friend, 27:10 there must be the sacrificial death of Christ 27:12 for all our sins, 27:13 every single one of them and by the way 27:16 and this is why it is critical that you hear 27:17 what we shared last week, if you have not heard it. 27:20 If God can forgive, 27:21 if God can put into the family tree of the Messiah, 27:24 If He can put Tamar and Rahab and Ruth 27:29 and David and Bathsheba and Manasseh, 27:31 whom we noted last week 27:32 all were involved with sexual sin. 27:36 If God can put them in the family tree 27:38 of the Messiah, there is no addiction 27:40 that can keep you out, no addiction. 27:43 Hallelujah, so Jesus says, 27:44 cut it out, with that cut it out comes His forgiveness. 27:48 But it's not just the cut it out of forgiveness 27:50 that we need, we need Calvary offers victory as well. 27:55 I can keep it cut out aspect of the cross. 27:58 As I wrote to this now friend, 28:04 in this country I said you know what, 28:07 you are taking the right steps 28:08 but my friend in order for this to be complete, 28:11 you have got to go to somebody. 28:13 This is assisted living movement now, 28:15 you can't do this on your own. 28:18 Go to a spiritual council or somebody you trust. 28:20 You know we are living in a day and age 28:21 everything goes on American television 28:23 so, you can talk you don't have to tell everybody 28:25 but tell somebody, tell somebody that you need help. 28:28 Trust that person, find that help 28:32 and then cut it out and keep it out. 28:34 Mercy comes a running, mercy-- 28:39 Don't live with that secret any longer. 28:42 Mercy is running to you my friend 28:43 and it will lead you to help. 28:44 You see, mercy for our private lives, 28:46 mercy for our private lives, 28:47 would you write this down please. 28:49 Real Life Clip Number 2, Mercy for the lustful. 28:55 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. 29:00 Real Life Clip Number 3, write it down. 29:02 Mercy for the married. 29:04 This is where it gets a little unpretty now, 29:06 this isn't real pretty. 29:07 All right, mercy for the married that's verse 31, 29:10 "Furthermore Jesus said, it has been said, 29:12 'Whoever divorces his wife, 29:14 let him give her a certificate of divorce.'" 29:16 Be gone with you. 29:17 Verse 32, "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife 29:21 for any reason except sexual immorality 29:25 causes her to commit adultery and whoever marries a woman 29:28 who is divorced commits adultery." 29:31 I told you some of these big screen clips 29:33 are not going to be pretty. 29:35 And a broken marriage threatened with divorce is never pretty, 29:40 but mercy doesn't have to be a stranger 29:43 with the broken heart or the unfaithful either. 29:46 On the basis of Matthew 5, 29:47 guess what some people are going around and said, 29:49 on the basis of Matthew 5, 29:50 you can say, adultery is the grounds for divorce 29:55 but because Matthew 5 is really about mercy 29:57 here is how I ought to read 29:58 and you have to write this down please. 30:00 Adultery is the ground for forgiveness, forgiveness. 30:10 Again I do not wish to belittle the fracturedness 30:12 of some marriages I understand that, 30:14 I have been a pastor for just a few years 30:17 but surely mercy came a running could also be 30:20 true for the most hopeless of marriages if, 30:22 if, if both parties are willing. 30:27 Both parties are willing to let mercy 30:29 run straight in their hearts and home. 30:33 Blessed are the merciful. Mercy for our marriages. 30:36 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. 30:40 Real life Clip, write it down number 4. 30:42 Mercy for the rash. R-A-S-H, rash. 30:47 What are you talking about? 30:48 That's what Jesus is talking about 30:50 and here it goes verse 33 30:51 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 30:53 'You shall not swear falsely, 30:55 but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' 30:57 But I say to you, do not swear at all, 31:00 neither by heaven, for it is God's throne.''' 31:02 In fact, what I want to say to you 31:03 He says it in verse 37, "Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' 31:07 and your 'No,' be 'No.' 31:09 For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." 31:13 How much harder could we spare ourselves 31:15 if only we cut away our rash and hasty passionate invectives, 31:19 in the heat of anger, in the heat of passion 31:22 of argument we, rather I 31:24 dig myself sometimes into a very deep hole 31:27 by letting my mouth keep running. 31:32 Mercy comes a running 31:35 and says cut the bull and keep quiet. 31:41 Shhh... 31:43 write it down you want to say something, 31:44 "Let your Yes be Yes and let your No be No." 31:48 Keep learning with your mouth. 31:52 Mercy for our public testimony, 31:55 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" 31:57 Real life Clip number 5, here we go 31:58 but the big surprise is number 7, 32:00 you watch Real life Clip number 5. 32:02 Mercy for the other cheek. 32:05 Now, we are moving into familiar territory. 32:08 Remember these words, where is this, verse 38, 32:12 "You have heard Jesus says, that it was said, 32:14 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 32:17 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. 32:20 But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, 32:22 turn to him the other also. 32:24 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, 32:28 let her have your cloak also, 32:30 and whoever compels you to go one mile, 32:32 go with him two. 32:33 Give to her who asks you, 32:35 and from him who wants to borrow from you 32:37 do not turn away." 32:39 Write it down please, 32:40 "The community of the extra milers 32:43 and the other cheekers 32:44 that is the community of capital M, Mercy. 32:48 That's where mercy lives on this planet in that community. 32:52 I want you to watch Jesus in Caiaphas's courtroom early, 32:57 early Friday morning, 32:59 some sorry wretch steps out of that rabble 33:02 and walks up to the Savior's face 33:05 and spews all the sputum he can gurgitate. 33:12 Do you know what that's like? 33:15 I was driving down the highway once minding my own business 33:17 when the driver in front of me, rolled down his window 33:19 and just spit and it landed 33:23 all over the driver side of my windshield. 33:26 Trust me, it is not a very pretty sight. 33:30 And if the glass had not been there. 33:37 So that wretch did. 33:41 You watch that night 33:42 the guard who is so infuriated 33:44 by Jesus obeying His very words here 33:46 let your yes be yes and let your no be no. 33:48 So that He makes no small talk, no big talk with His accusers. 33:52 He just keeps quite. 33:54 That guard is incensed with rage, 33:56 the burly guard reaches back and holds off 34:01 and slaps Jesus head 34:02 until it bounces on His shoulder 34:05 and when He gains his equilibrium 34:07 and the head comes back up, 34:09 the face more swollen now than a second before. 34:13 When Jesus looks with those eyes 34:15 into the man who has slapped Him, 34:18 there is nothing but mercy in those eyes. Wow. 34:26 Mercy came a running that night and because it did, 34:28 it can still come running today through you 34:30 and even me when we turn our cheeks to go that extra mile. 34:32 Mercy for our antagonist. 34:35 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." 34:39 Real Life Clip number 6 write it down, 34:41 Mercy for your enemies. 34:43 I suppose this is the most familiar 34:45 segment of the whole chapter 5. 34:49 Mercy for your enemies, pick it up in verse 43, 34:54 "You have heard that it was said, 34:55 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 34:57 But I say to you, love your enemies, 35:01 bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, 35:04 and pray for those 35:05 who spitefully use you and persecute you." 35:08 Would you write them down please, 35:09 four proactive verbs, 35:12 by which you are to treat your enemies. 35:14 Write them down four of them. 35:15 Number 1, love your enemy. 35:18 Number 2, bless those who curse you. 35:21 Number 3, do good to those who hate you. 35:25 Number 4, pray for those who spitefully use you. 35:31 Isn't that something? 35:33 Could someone ever remain our enemy, 35:36 where we had to live that way. 35:37 Would you ever have an enemy? 35:39 Did Jesus have an enemy? 35:43 Not in His heart 35:45 and there's the whole world watched, 35:50 I know you have been on the web 35:52 and you went down, you went to those sites 35:54 that normally you wouldn't go to. 35:55 I know you saw it, the world watched with horror. 35:59 That shaky footage taken on a cell phone 36:03 as Saddam Hussein was hanged. 36:07 Unknown bystanders are cursing him, 36:10 cursing him and just before that trapdoor opens 36:13 the Satan turn to them and curses them right back 36:16 and boom he meets his maker. 36:20 The whole world watched it in dumbfounded amazement 36:23 as Jesus Christ was executed. 36:27 They cursed at Him, spitted Him, jeered at Him, 36:30 but as they were nailing Him to His cross 36:32 on that shaky video footage in the gospels, 36:36 you can still hear the anguished voice 36:38 of the prisoner pleading, 36:39 Father I beg of you, forgive them do not hold it, 36:44 hold this against them, 36:45 they don't know what they are doing. 36:48 Mercy came a running Friday afternoon, fateful Friday. 36:54 Some of you here do have an enemy. 36:58 Somebody who has been trying hard to get you gone. 37:09 You have heard it said, 37:10 love your neighbor and hate your enemy, 37:12 but I say to you love your enemies. 37:17 Bless those who curse you. 37:19 Do good to those who hate you. 37:22 Pray for those who spitefully use you. 37:27 If you will love your enemy the way Jesus loved His, 37:30 I promise my friend, 37:31 I promise mercy will come a running and get this. 37:34 Hallelujah, mercy always wins in the end always. 37:42 You live mercy, you win, you win. 37:47 You watch, you win. 37:51 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 37:57 Jesus is now ready for His final clip 37:59 and this is the one that's a surprise. 38:01 Watch this, pick it up in verse 45, 38:05 He has just said, love your enemies, 38:06 verse 45, "That you may be sons 38:08 and daughters of your Father in heaven 38:10 for He makes His sun rise 38:12 on the evil and on the good." 38:13 Do you think God, do you think God says, 38:15 you know what, today, sun shine only on my friends, 38:18 storms for everybody else. 38:19 Rain only on the farmers that trust Me, 38:21 drought for all the farmers. Are you kidding. 38:24 The sun shines on the whole human race, 38:27 some have spit in God's face. 38:29 I told you about last week, 38:30 YouTube, those kids on YouTube were saying, 38:33 if you exist strike me to head and send me to hell. 38:37 God says, let the sun shine on that boy. 38:40 We can change his mind someday. 38:43 I'm not going to strike you dead. Yeah. 38:51 "He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good" 38:53 That's what mercy is all about, 38:55 "He sends rain on the just and on the unjust." 38:56 Look at this verse 46, "For if you love 38:58 those who love you" big deal, 39:00 I mean all the sinners and tax collectors do that, 39:02 verse 47, "If you greet your brothers and sister only, 39:04 those are the only people you have over for Sabbath dinner, 39:06 are your close friends pass you, 39:08 that's what everybody does. 39:12 Verse 48, "Therefore you shall be perfect, 39:16 just as your Father in heaven is perfect." 39:22 You say, hey Dwight, what's so surprising 39:24 about video clip number 7, 39:25 I will tell you what's surprising. 39:29 Contrary to the opinion of many, 39:32 it is not a portrait of us at all. 39:37 Hold on to your seat now. 39:39 Sadly, very sadly, 39:40 too many have read these words as a divine command, 39:44 come, hurry up, be perfect, no more sin, 39:47 no more mistakes, you understand, get over it. 39:51 Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not in favor of sin. 39:55 Read my lips and neither am I championing imperfection. 40:02 But I, there are some people 40:03 who hear Jesus saying right here 40:06 you would better be perfect by the time I come, 40:09 do you understand me? 40:11 There are some who hear the voice of Christ commanding 40:15 if you want to be accepted by God, 40:17 you have to be perfect like God. 40:22 And there are some who have grown up 40:23 within my own faith community, 40:28 even today who are desperately struggling 40:32 for that moral, for that sinless perfection 40:35 it seems to elude them all the way through life. 40:37 You know, what. 40:38 it's a part of our Adventist heritage 40:39 that will never convene a meeting for and talk about. 40:42 Nobody would tell you those stories. 40:43 I'm talking about the fanatical fringe of our faith community 40:47 who says, you have got to be perfect 40:49 even if it kills you and it's killing them. 40:53 I got a book two weeks ago, I went in the next, 40:54 I got the book on a Friday, I looked at the book 40:56 "These are people championing truth" 40:59 I went into my staff on the next Monday 41:00 and I said I cannot believe it, 41:01 I just-- I looked to this book with heartache. 41:06 The subpart is quick, you be perfect 41:09 and then the way the book shreds 41:12 everybody who disagrees with the author. 41:16 I said, what, what, where's the mercy here? 41:25 What is so tragic and so sad is that 41:27 the perfectionistic reading of Mathew 5:48 41:30 totally misreads and consequently misunderstands 41:33 the intentional positioning of these words as a caboose, 41:37 to mercy strength. 41:38 Do you know what a caboose is, help me out here. 41:41 Does a caboose go, Does acaboose go 41:44 at the front of the train or at the back of the train, 41:47 you tell me? 41:48 Where does the caboose normally go? 41:49 Normally? It's in the back. 41:53 Matthew 5:48 is a caboose to mercy, strength, 41:56 it's not the engine. 41:57 Too many people treat that over, 41:59 well, that's the big engine, 42:00 just drive your lives by that one. 42:02 You are crazy it's the caboose. 42:06 It's the last piece, it's the seventh clip. 42:11 That's tragic. 42:13 The final, listen, this is the surprise, 42:15 the Final Real Life clip that we just-- 42:17 that we are staring at right now, 42:19 is not about us at all, 42:20 it's about our Father in heaven. 42:21 How do you like that? 42:22 We will read it again, verse 48, 42:23 "Therefore you shall be perfect, 42:25 just as your Father in heaven is perfect." 42:29 Did you see that word therefore. 42:30 Do you know what therefore means? 42:31 Therefore means, having said all that I have said to you. 42:35 Okay, Jesus what did you just say to us, 42:37 Jesus replies, well, I have just taken you through six 42:40 real life's sometimes messy often times painful 42:43 big screen experiences we all have, 42:45 and I have shown you my friend in everyone of them 42:48 the perfect opportunity for mercy to come running. 42:52 I have been teaching you about mercy. 42:56 Just like your Father in heaven 42:57 and that's a surprise in clip number seven. 43:00 Would you write it down please, 43:01 Real life Clip number 7, the mercy that comes a running 43:03 is your Father it's your Father in heaven. 43:07 In fact, in the words of David and this is so good, 43:10 I put it in the study guide. 43:11 And I hope you will someday go back to Psalm 103:8 43:14 and write in, Eugene Peterson 43:16 the message rendition do you see it, 43:18 put on the screen for you, look at this, 43:19 isn't this great Psalm 103:8 from the Message, 43:21 "God is sheer mercy and grace." 43:26 Isn't that great, this afternoon, 43:28 put that little rendition by Psalm 103:8. 43:31 In fact, would you write this down please, 43:33 "Therefore if you really want to be perfect like God, 43:37 be merciful like God." 43:42 You say, come on pastor you are just making that one up. 43:44 Oh, to the contrary one could so conclude word 43:48 not for the fact that Dr. Luke believed 43:50 that is exactly what Jesus meant 43:52 when He spoke the words of Mathew 5:48, 43:55 because you see when Luke writes up 43:57 his version of the Sermon on the Mount 44:00 and he comes to the words that Mathew uses, 44:03 Luke renders them this way 44:05 and you got to see this to believe it. 44:06 Isn't this a incredible Luke 6:36 44:09 "Therefore be merciful," be merciful. 44:16 "as your Father in heaven is merciful." 44:21 Isn't that beautiful? 44:23 Come on tell me, is that beautiful or what? 44:25 I mean could it be any clearer? 44:27 Could it. 44:30 Write it down, "Be perfect like your Father in heaven" 44:33 Matthew 5:48 simply means 44:35 "Be merciful like your Father in heaven." 44:38 Luke 6:36. 44:40 And is there anybody here who does not want to be 44:42 like our Father in heaven. 44:43 Anybody here, you don't want to be like our Father. 44:47 But of course not, a hundred years ago, 44:49 in this classic on the Sermon on the Mount, 44:53 little book called "Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing." 44:56 These words, this is the quotation, 44:59 this is something else and you get to keep it. 45:02 Let me read it and you are hearing, 45:04 I will put on the screen for those of you watching, 45:05 "God is Himself the source of-- what's the next word, 45:09 all, all, all any mercy at all comes out of his heart. 45:13 God is Himself the source of all mercy. 45:15 His name is merciful and gracious, 45:16 as Exodus 34 declares. 45:18 And then I love this, 45:19 put a circle around these words please. 45:21 He does not treat us according to our desert. 45:24 And that's old English for according to what we deserve. 45:26 Ladies and gentlemen, that is a classic definition of mercy. 45:30 When you treat somebody not the way she deserves, 45:33 it's not the way he deserves but you treat Him that way 45:36 any way that's called mercy, mercy. 45:41 He does not treat us according to what we deserve. 45:42 Listen to this. 45:44 He does not ask if we are worthy of His love, 45:46 but He pours upon us the riches of His love, 45:49 to make us worthy. Isn't that great. 45:51 He said, I will make you worthy, 45:54 He is not vindictive. 45:55 He does not -- He seeks not to punish, but to redeem. 45:58 Even the severity which He manifests 46:00 through His providences is manifested 46:02 for the salvation of the wayward. 46:04 He yearns, I love this, 46:06 He yearns with intense desire 46:08 to relieve the woes of men and women 46:10 and to apply His medicine, 46:12 his balsam, his medicine to their wounds. 46:15 Final line, this is, this is the stinger right here, 46:18 It is true, because some people say, 46:19 hey come on, Dwight, in the Bible doesn't it say, 46:21 God will not clear the guilty. 46:24 Watch this I love this. 46:25 It is true that God will by no means clear the guilty, 46:28 but He would take away the guilt. Hallelujah. 46:34 I gave you Calvary, I gave you the cross. 46:38 You don't have to live guilty anymore. 46:41 Isn't that something, I take your guilty away. 46:45 You have nothing to fear from Me. 46:48 Listen ladies and gentlemen, 46:50 if it the heart of God is mercy then does it not follow, 46:54 is this not in fact what Jesus is trying to tell us 46:56 that in the heart of his children on earth, 46:58 there will also be mercy. 47:02 They're very harder beatitudes that's it. 47:06 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 47:12 Hallelujah. 47:16 Let me end with one more story 47:17 from our Adventists Heritage. 47:18 This is a sad story, I'm sorry. 47:23 A tale of mercy neglected. 47:28 In 1860s she was a missionary to Africa, 47:33 the denomination she belong to does not matter, 47:36 but while serving her Lord in Africa, 47:40 she open up a book written by the man 47:44 for whom this university is named, J.N Andrews, 47:49 it's his book History of the Sabbath. 47:51 She opens it up and there she discovered with her 47:55 Bible, Jesus is not only Lord of salvation but also 47:58 Lord of the Sabbath. 48:00 She continued to work in Liberia as superintendent 48:03 of an orphanage until she was terminated. 48:07 In 1866, listen, she returns to America, 48:12 her homeland eager to share her gifts, 48:15 her missionary gifts with her new community of faith. 48:17 She hoped to find employment in Battle Creek, Michigan. 48:21 But when she arrived, it seemed nobody 48:25 had interest or time for a nearly 60 year old 48:28 spinster missionary from Africa. 48:35 She was heart broken. 48:38 She could hardly wait to come and now, 48:43 she hoped to be welcomed into new faith. 48:47 Homeless, get this and nearly penniless. 48:52 Hannah Moore, it's her name. 48:55 She turned to a former missionary friend of hers 48:58 from a previous denomination and she asked, 49:00 if she might live with them? 49:04 He said come Hannah, North West Michigan. 49:08 And in a drafty, poorly, ventilated attic room 49:12 Hannah Moore, the new convert 49:14 to the Seventh-day Adventist Church 49:15 took up residence and worked for a dollar fifty 49:19 a week for that family. 49:25 Ellen and James White who were absent from Battle Creek, 49:29 when Hannah Moore was turned away 49:31 began to correspond to Hannah. 49:35 They invited her to come and live with them in Battle Creek 49:37 but the winter had set in 49:39 and there was no way she could reach them now. 49:42 And besides the drafty and the chill and the smoke 49:45 from that poorly ventilated chimney went to her lungs. 49:50 And after several pitiful, pitiable letters 49:55 that she wrote to the White's, 49:56 Hannah Moore succumb to pneumonia. 50:01 I don't need to tell you, and when the White's 50:05 returned to Battle Creek. 50:07 41 year old Ellen was nearly livid with that congregation. 50:14 I said nearly livid. 50:19 What was on her heart, she made sure 50:23 we would know as well 50:24 in little collection of nine volumes 50:27 and volume one of that collection, 50:29 here are her words. 50:31 "From what we have since learned of the cold, 50:34 indifferent treatment which Sister Moore met with 50:37 at Battle Creek, it is evident that in stating 50:42 that no one in particular was worthy of censure in her case. 50:45 I just love this, because you see her husband 50:48 had written a little piece in the Review and Herald 50:51 and in that piece he said, you know, 50:53 I understand nobody in particular 50:55 is to blame for this. 50:56 Now, listen how she handles him or it. 51:00 It is evident that in stating that no one in particular 51:04 was worthy of censure in her case. 51:06 My husband took altogether 51:08 a too charitable view of the matter. 51:12 Polite way for saying he was dead wrong. 51:17 It's wrong, listen to that 51:20 41 year old woman go on, 51:23 When all the facts are known, 51:24 no Christian could but blame all the members 51:30 of that church who knew her circumstances and did not 51:33 individually interest themselves in her behalf. 51:36 Everybody is to blame. 51:42 She records some of the letters the last letter 51:44 Hannah Moore wrote, it ends because she couldn't 51:48 celebrate her Sabbath in the home. 51:50 She had to they said you could celebrate it 51:51 up there in your room. 51:53 And the room did I tell you, 51:56 smoky and chilled and so the very end of her last letter, 52:00 "I had another wakeful season last night, 52:02 how can you sleep in that, and feel poorly today. 52:05 Pray that whatever is God's will may be accomplished 52:08 in and through me, whether it be 52:09 by my life or death. 52:11 "Yours in hope of eternal life, Hannah Moore, PS. 52:15 "If you know of any way which I can reach you sooner, 52:19 please inform me. H. M." 52:21 she died. 52:26 Now, the 41 year old pen picks up, 52:32 She being dead yet speaketh. 52:37 Her letters, which I have given, 52:39 will be read with deep interest by those who have 52:41 read her obituary in a recent number of the Review. 52:44 She might have been a blessing to any 52:46 Sabbath keeping family who could appreciate her worth, 52:50 but she sleeps. 52:52 Our brothers and sisters at Battle Creek and in this 52:54 vicinity could have made more than 52:56 a welcome home for Jesus. 53:00 You could have had Jesus, you could have had Him, 53:03 you sent Him away. 53:08 Our brothers and sisters at Battle Creek could have 53:10 made more than a welcome home for Jesus, 53:11 in the person of this godly woman. 53:13 But the opportunity is past. It was not convenient. 53:16 They were not acquainted with her. 53:18 She was advanced in years and might be a burden. 53:20 Feelings of this kind barred her from 53:22 the homes of the professed friends of Jesus, 53:25 who are looking for His near advent. 53:28 Ah, seeing those early advent hymns, 53:29 ah, tell me Jesus is coming we thrilled with, 53:33 they thrilled to those hymns, 53:36 they were no more ready for Jesus to come 53:38 than the man across the street. 53:41 Bring it on Jesus oh, we love these old hymns. 53:44 Let's have another heritage weekend and celebrate 53:47 Jesus is coming soon. 53:52 "Feelings of this kind barred her from the homes 53:54 of the professed friends of Jesus, 53:56 who are looking for His near advent, 53:57 and drove her away from those she loved, 54:00 to those who opposed her faith, to northern Michigan, 54:03 in the colder winter to be chilled to death. 54:05 She died a martyr to the selfishness and covetousness 54:08 of professed commandment keepers." 54:13 God help us, God help us 54:19 not to repeat the story of Hannah Moore today. 54:28 Somebody that says all I want to do is worship in your chruch. 54:34 I have to cross your campus to get to your church. 54:38 Can't you let me come here to ban, 54:44 to ban such a one from coming to us? 54:53 God help us. 54:56 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy, 55:01 therefore be merciful 55:06 as your Father in heaven is merciful. 55:13 Let us stand for the benediction. 55:25 Oh, God, we love to live it ancient history, 55:30 it's not about us, Holy Father what is that history 55:36 if it not to inform the present 55:39 and guide us into the future 55:42 and so on this Heritage Sabbath 55:44 have mercy on us dear God, 55:47 do not let Andrew's University 55:55 or their homes or my home 55:58 live without mercy. 56:03 Holy Father, we know the truth 56:05 mercy must come running quick right now to us, 56:08 assure us of a new start and a fresh beginning 56:14 and then promise us that 56:17 if we will walk with the Christ of the Sermon on the Mount. 56:21 Mercy His mercy shall come a running through us 56:26 to this world right now, in this generation, we pray. 56:35 And now may the God of all mercy is the father 56:42 and the son who came to live before us 56:46 that radical mercy and the Holy Spirit 56:50 who would teach us how to live, be with you and me 56:55 as in the name of mercy we too go running. 57:02 Amen. 57:05 Before you go I wanted to take 57:06 one more moment to let you know. 57:08 How glad I am you share this hour worship 57:09 and bible teachings with us. 57:12 Living in the world that we do now, 57:13 a civilization surviving 57:14 on the edge of constant of prevalent change. 57:17 I'm grateful that we have the bedrock hope of Jesus, 57:20 aren't you? 57:21 And I'm thankful that you and I can partner together 57:23 to reach this generation the world over 57:25 through the satellite telecast. 57:27 So please know that I thank God and you for the generous 57:30 way you partnered with us. 57:32 Your tax deductible gifts are been multiplied 57:35 all across the earth for such a time as this. 57:38 If you'd like to order a DVD or a video tape copy 57:40 of this teaching today or make a donation on your credit card, 57:43 please call our friendly operators 57:45 at the number on your screen. 57:46 There it is 877-HIS-WILL, just the two words 57:49 877-HIS-WILL. 57:52 And I promise you, we will invest every penny 57:54 of your generosity in God's mission to reach 57:56 this final generation now. 57:58 Thank you for that partnership. 58:00 And I'll see you here again next time. |
Revised 2014-12-17