Love divine, all loves excelling
00:00:27.56\00:00:32.06
Joy of heaven,
to earth come down
00:00:32.09\00:00:36.67
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling
00:00:36.70\00:00:41.47
All Thy faithful mercies crown
00:00:41.50\00:00:46.81
Jesus, Thou art all compassion
00:00:46.84\00:00:51.25
Pure, unbounded love Thou art
00:00:51.28\00:00:55.82
Visit us with Thy salvation
00:00:55.85\00:01:00.72
Enter every trembling heart
00:01:00.76\00:01:08.40
Come, Almighty to deliver
00:01:08.43\00:01:13.03
Let us all Thy grace receive
00:01:13.07\00:01:17.54
Suddenly return, and never
00:01:17.57\00:01:22.34
Nevermore Thy temples leave
00:01:22.38\00:01:27.88
Thee we would be always blessing
00:01:27.92\00:01:32.29
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above
00:01:32.32\00:01:37.29
Pray, and praise
Thee without ceasing
00:01:37.33\00:01:42.36
Glory in Thy perfect love
00:01:42.40\00:01:50.14
Finish, then, Thy new creation
00:01:50.17\00:01:55.01
Pure and spotless let us be
00:01:55.04\00:01:59.88
Let us see Thy great salvation
00:01:59.91\00:02:04.82
Perfectly restored in Thee
00:02:04.85\00:02:10.33
Changed from glory into glory
00:02:10.36\00:02:15.00
Till in heaven we take our place
00:02:15.03\00:02:20.14
Till we cast our
crowns before Thee
00:02:20.17\00:02:25.71
Lost in wonder, love and praise.
00:02:25.74\00:02:32.65
You may be seated.
00:02:36.65\00:02:37.99
He is exalted the
King is exalted on High
00:02:47.73\00:02:53.60
I will praise Him
00:02:53.64\00:02:55.97
He is exalted, forever exalted
00:02:56.00\00:02:59.81
And I will praise
00:02:59.84\00:03:03.35
His name
00:03:03.38\00:03:08.15
He is the Lord
00:03:08.18\00:03:11.95
Forever His truth shall reign
00:03:11.99\00:03:16.42
Heaven and Earth
00:03:16.46\00:03:20.20
Rejoice in His holy name
00:03:20.23\00:03:24.40
He is exalted, the
King is exalted on high
00:03:24.43\00:03:29.64
He is exalted, the
King is exalted on High
00:03:32.57\00:03:38.18
I will praise Him
00:03:38.21\00:03:40.58
He is exalted, forever exalted
00:03:40.62\00:03:44.35
And I will praise
00:03:44.39\00:03:47.72
His name
00:03:47.76\00:03:52.56
He is the Lord
00:03:52.59\00:03:56.16
Forever His truth shall reign
00:03:56.20\00:04:00.54
Heaven and Earth
00:04:00.57\00:04:04.21
Rejoice in His holy name
00:04:04.24\00:04:08.48
He is exalted, the
King is exalted on high
00:04:08.51\00:04:13.58
He is the Lord
00:04:16.58\00:04:20.16
Forever His truth shall reign
00:04:20.19\00:04:24.63
Heaven and Earth
00:04:24.66\00:04:28.40
Rejoice in His holy name
00:04:28.43\00:04:32.93
He is exalted, the
King is exalted on high
00:04:32.97\00:04:40.94
He is exalted, the
King is exalted on high
00:04:40.98\00:04:46.01
He is exalted,
the King is exalted
00:04:49.02\00:04:53.76
on high.
00:04:53.79\00:04:57.23
Sing with us, Alleluia.
00:05:18.31\00:05:21.45
Alleluia
00:05:21.48\00:05:28.12
Alleluia
00:05:28.16\00:05:33.29
For the Lord God Almighty reigns
00:05:33.33\00:05:39.43
Alleluia
00:05:43.57\00:05:50.11
Alleluia
00:05:50.15\00:05:55.35
For the Lord God Almighty reigns
00:05:55.38\00:06:00.96
Alleluia
00:06:05.16\00:06:10.67
Holy
00:06:10.70\00:06:15.27
Holy
00:06:15.30\00:06:18.94
Are You Lord God Almighty
00:06:18.97\00:06:26.08
Worthy is the Lamb
00:06:26.11\00:06:29.75
Worthy is the Lamb,
00:06:29.78\00:06:32.65
Amen
00:06:32.69\00:06:36.32
Alleluia
00:06:41.80\00:06:47.90
Alleluia
00:06:47.94\00:06:52.74
For the Lord God Almighty reigns
00:06:52.77\00:06:58.58
Alleluia
00:07:02.18\00:07:08.22
Alleluia
00:07:08.26\00:07:12.99
For the Lord God Almighty reigns
00:07:13.03\00:07:19.20
Alleluia
00:07:22.67\00:07:27.81
Holy
00:07:27.84\00:07:32.05
Holy
00:07:32.08\00:07:35.65
Are You Lord God Almighty
00:07:35.68\00:07:42.62
Worthy is the Lamb
00:07:42.66\00:07:45.96
Worthy is the Lamb
00:07:45.99\00:07:48.83
You are Holy
00:07:48.86\00:07:52.90
Holy
00:07:52.93\00:07:56.50
Are you Lord God Almighty
00:07:56.54\00:08:03.21
Worthy is the Lamb
00:08:03.24\00:08:06.68
Worthy is the Lamb
00:08:06.72\00:08:09.45
You are Holy
00:08:09.48\00:08:13.59
Holy
00:08:13.62\00:08:17.13
Are you Lord God Almighty
00:08:17.16\00:08:24.13
Worthy is the Lamb
00:08:24.17\00:08:27.57
Worthy is the Lamb
00:08:27.60\00:08:30.47
Amen.
00:08:30.51\00:08:35.58
Over the mountains...
00:08:52.29\00:08:54.76
Over the mountains and the sea
00:08:54.80\00:08:57.83
Your river runs with love for me
00:08:57.87\00:09:01.20
And I will open up my heart
00:09:01.24\00:09:04.34
And let the healer set me free
00:09:04.37\00:09:07.34
I'm happy to be in the truth
00:09:07.38\00:09:10.45
And I will daily lift my hands
00:09:10.48\00:09:13.68
For I will always sing
00:09:13.72\00:09:15.88
Of when Your love came down
00:09:15.92\00:09:20.16
I could sing of
Your love forever
00:09:20.19\00:09:26.53
I could sing of
Your love forever
00:09:26.56\00:09:32.83
I could sing of
Your love forever
00:09:32.87\00:09:39.21
I could sing of
Your love forever.
00:09:39.24\00:09:44.95
Well, good
morning, boys and girls,
00:09:58.89\00:10:00.26
nice to see you on
this spring time Sabbath.
00:10:00.30\00:10:03.97
The snow all melted yesterday,
with those warm winds.
00:10:04.00\00:10:07.37
Wasn't that wonderful?
00:10:07.40\00:10:08.74
It's still
winter. Well, yes, it is.
00:10:08.77\00:10:10.87
It's still winter, so
keep that thought in mind.
00:10:10.91\00:10:13.81
But nice to see you
on this beautiful day.
00:10:13.84\00:10:16.75
You look as happy as
you feel, I can tell.
00:10:16.78\00:10:20.05
So as this ever happen to you,
00:10:20.08\00:10:21.42
as anybody ever
accused you of doing something,
00:10:21.45\00:10:23.72
you didn't do.
00:10:23.75\00:10:25.35
Mummy, Mummy! He ate my cookie!
00:10:25.39\00:10:28.29
I did not. He
did too. I did not.
00:10:28.32\00:10:30.59
He did too. I did not.
00:10:30.63\00:10:34.03
Has that ever happen to you?
00:10:34.06\00:10:35.60
Let me tell you, if it's a
little sister calling to mom,
00:10:35.63\00:10:37.63
you've lost already.
00:10:37.67\00:10:40.80
Well, it happened to Ray.
00:10:40.84\00:10:42.27
Ray Hinton, early one morning
the police came to his door,
00:10:42.30\00:10:46.11
his house door,
Birmingham, Alabama,
00:10:46.14\00:10:50.25
"Yo! You Ray Hinton?
00:10:50.28\00:10:52.75
We got you, you
going, you did it.
00:10:52.78\00:10:55.12
No, I did not. You
did too. I did not.
00:10:55.15\00:10:58.05
You did too. I
did not. You did too.
00:10:58.09\00:11:00.26
We know it, you're
going to the judge right now.
00:11:00.29\00:11:02.22
And we're gonna put you in jail.
00:11:02.26\00:11:03.59
And then we're
gonna take care of you
00:11:03.63\00:11:04.96
once and for all
and down to the prison.
00:11:04.99\00:11:07.26
Down to the jail they
drove. The judge had a hearing.
00:11:07.30\00:11:09.70
The judge said, "You
did it." "I did not."
00:11:09.73\00:11:11.57
"You did too," "I did not."
00:11:11.60\00:11:15.00
"Too bad, you lose.
00:11:15.04\00:11:17.67
Two men are no
longer alive because of you.
00:11:17.71\00:11:19.71
Yup! Yup! Yup! Bye-bye!"
00:11:19.74\00:11:22.44
And that's
exactly what they did.
00:11:22.48\00:11:24.65
They put him in
jail, not just jail,
00:11:24.68\00:11:26.01
they put him in the prison.
00:11:26.05\00:11:27.38
They put him on
death row, 29 years old,
00:11:27.42\00:11:30.79
and they put him on death row.
00:11:30.82\00:11:32.55
Let me see a
picture of Ray Hinton,
00:11:32.59\00:11:34.56
and there's the death row unit.
00:11:34.59\00:11:36.52
You see the prison bars?
00:11:36.56\00:11:38.99
Most of the time they put
him in solitary confinement.
00:11:39.03\00:11:40.96
You know, what that means?
00:11:41.00\00:11:42.33
Nobody could talk to you,
00:11:42.36\00:11:43.70
you can't interact with anybody.
00:11:43.73\00:11:45.07
No, no, no. "You
did it." I did not."
00:11:45.10\00:11:46.70
"You did too." "I did
not." "Too bad you're here."
00:11:46.74\00:11:52.14
A few weeks went by.
00:11:52.17\00:11:54.64
A few months went
by. A few years went by.
00:11:54.68\00:11:59.05
And then last year the
judge called, Ray Hinton,
00:11:59.08\00:12:03.18
to stand in front of
his high and lifted up seat.
00:12:03.22\00:12:09.49
The judge looked down
at Ray Hinton, and said,
00:12:09.52\00:12:12.26
"You didn't do it.
00:12:12.29\00:12:15.03
You didn't do it."
00:12:15.06\00:12:16.70
"I've been telling
you, I didn't do it."
00:12:16.73\00:12:18.37
"Well, we now know
you did not do it."
00:12:18.40\00:12:20.50
And they let Ray Hinton out.
00:12:20.54\00:12:22.80
I want to see a picture
of Ray Hinton, getting out.
00:12:22.84\00:12:25.57
Oh! He's gotten old in prison.
00:12:25.61\00:12:28.64
My, my, my, he's
getting old. Yep.
00:12:28.68\00:12:33.05
Do you know how long
they kept him in prison?
00:12:33.08\00:12:34.75
30 years, 30 years.
00:12:34.78\00:12:37.05
"I did not" "You
did too." "I did not."
00:12:37.09\00:12:39.85
For 30 years, kept in jail.
00:12:39.89\00:12:42.76
Let me see that last
picture of him please.
00:12:42.79\00:12:45.63
It's an emotional moment,
00:12:45.66\00:12:47.00
wouldn't you be
filled with tears.
00:12:47.03\00:12:48.36
I would do, for 30
years my life is gone.
00:12:48.40\00:12:52.93
And I didn't do it.
00:12:52.97\00:12:55.67
There's another
judge in this universe.
00:12:55.70\00:12:57.97
Everybody comes up
in front of his court.
00:12:58.01\00:13:00.34
And guess what? He
can say, "You did it."
00:13:00.38\00:13:02.51
And there's no
excuse. "We did do it."
00:13:02.54\00:13:05.65
He knows, but I want to
tell you about this judge,
00:13:05.68\00:13:08.45
this judge looks at you
and says, "You know what?
00:13:08.48\00:13:10.09
I'm throwing the charges out."
00:13:10.12\00:13:11.99
Just like the judge
did with Ray Hinton.
00:13:12.02\00:13:13.42
"I'm throwing the charges out.
00:13:13.46\00:13:15.69
You're innocent.
00:13:15.72\00:13:19.13
I pardon you."
00:13:19.16\00:13:22.90
Oh, boys and girls,
00:13:22.93\00:13:24.80
there is someone who died
on a tree once upon a time,
00:13:24.83\00:13:27.40
so that we could all
be pardoned right now.
00:13:27.44\00:13:30.54
Who is that
someone? Who's that someone?
00:13:30.57\00:13:32.84
What's his name?
What's his name Suzie?
00:13:32.87\00:13:35.24
His name is Jesus.
00:13:35.28\00:13:37.15
Jesus has thrown the charges out
00:13:37.18\00:13:39.08
because he died in our place,
he was on death row, not us.
00:13:39.11\00:13:42.92
I mean, you want
to say, "Oh Jesus
00:13:42.95\00:13:44.32
thank you for going to death row
00:13:44.35\00:13:45.69
and actually dying for
me, so that I can be pardoned.
00:13:45.72\00:13:48.99
And the charges
will all be thrown out."
00:13:49.02\00:13:52.59
Let's thank Jesus, shall we?
00:13:52.63\00:13:54.40
Who would like
to thank Jesus for?
00:13:54.43\00:13:55.76
I need a young boy this time.
I got a girl in first service.
00:13:55.80\00:13:58.23
Has there a young boy
who would like to pray?
00:13:58.27\00:14:00.34
Yes sir, come on up.
00:14:00.37\00:14:02.14
Let's pray, let's
fold our hands together.
00:14:02.17\00:14:04.17
What's your first name?
00:14:04.21\00:14:06.78
What? Kaden.
00:14:06.81\00:14:08.24
Kaden, come here, Kaden.
00:14:08.28\00:14:10.08
Come on, let's,
let's, let's fold our hands
00:14:10.11\00:14:12.21
and close our
eyes as Kaden prays.
00:14:12.25\00:14:15.12
Dear Jesus,
thank you for this day.
00:14:15.15\00:14:18.39
Thank you for waking us
up in this lovely morning,
00:14:18.42\00:14:22.79
and please keep us safe
00:14:22.82\00:14:24.56
and please don't
let Satan harm us,
00:14:24.59\00:14:27.30
or tempt us to
do the wrong thing.
00:14:27.33\00:14:29.70
And please don't let him,
actually let anything happen,
00:14:29.73\00:14:35.30
in Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:14:35.34\00:14:37.07
Amen, Kaden, what
a beautiful prayer.
00:14:37.11\00:14:39.14
Thank you, Kaden, God bless you.
00:14:39.17\00:14:40.61
And, boys and girls, you
should go back to your seats,
00:14:40.64\00:14:42.34
you be saying that to
Jesus, thank you Jesus.
00:14:42.38\00:14:45.75
You have thrown the charges out.
00:14:45.78\00:14:48.48
I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing
00:14:52.12\00:14:56.32
I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing
00:14:56.36\00:15:00.53
I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing
00:15:00.56\00:15:04.97
And obey the Spirit of the Lord
00:15:05.00\00:15:08.97
I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing
00:15:09.00\00:15:13.11
I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing
00:15:13.14\00:15:17.18
I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing
00:15:17.21\00:15:21.75
And obey the Spirit of the Lord
00:15:21.78\00:15:25.02
Obey, obey obey, obey
00:15:25.05\00:15:27.92
I'm gonna pray when
the Spirit says pray
00:15:27.96\00:15:32.16
I'm gonna pray when
the Spirit says pray
00:15:32.19\00:15:36.40
I'm gonna pray when
the Spirit says pray
00:15:36.43\00:15:40.84
And obey the Sprit of the Lord
00:15:40.87\00:15:45.11
I'm gonna shout when
the Spirit says shout
00:15:45.14\00:15:49.44
I'm gonna shout when
the Spirit says shout
00:15:49.48\00:15:53.72
I'm gonna shout when
the Spirit says shout
00:15:53.75\00:15:58.25
And obey the Spirit of the Lord
00:15:58.29\00:16:01.16
I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing
00:16:01.19\00:16:06.36
I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing
00:16:06.39\00:16:10.67
I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing
00:16:10.70\00:16:17.14
And obey
00:16:17.17\00:16:20.88
The Spirit
00:16:20.91\00:16:23.75
Of the Lord.
00:16:23.78\00:16:28.25
Amen.
00:16:32.65\00:16:33.99
Oh, God, we could
sing, we could shout.
00:17:39.49\00:17:44.69
If what we're about
to encounter is true.
00:17:44.73\00:17:49.76
We can be set free.
Blessed few moments we have.
00:17:49.80\00:17:53.87
Energize us in our minds,
engage us with our hearts,
00:17:53.90\00:17:59.37
we pray in Christ's name, amen.
00:17:59.41\00:18:02.98
Reynolds Price, the
American author and poet
00:18:03.01\00:18:06.18
observed once,
00:18:06.21\00:18:08.25
there is one sentence,
00:18:08.28\00:18:13.32
people turn to more than
any other sentence when they--
00:18:13.36\00:18:16.56
when they turn to a story,
00:18:16.59\00:18:18.49
one sentence they
crave in a story they read.
00:18:18.53\00:18:22.53
Just one sentence.
00:18:22.56\00:18:25.03
Here it is,
00:18:25.07\00:18:27.57
"The Maker of all
things loves and wants me."
00:18:27.60\00:18:33.91
One sentence people
crave, when they pick up a book.
00:18:33.94\00:18:38.08
Will this be true in this one?
00:18:38.11\00:18:39.71
"The Maker of all
things loves and wants me."
00:18:39.75\00:18:46.35
Let's face it,
we live in a world
00:18:46.39\00:18:48.42
where this longing to be loved,
00:18:48.46\00:18:50.83
this longing to be wanted
is surely a universal desire.
00:18:50.86\00:18:56.70
Though not hardly a
universal experience.
00:18:56.73\00:19:00.40
This last November,
00:19:00.44\00:19:01.77
the British young diva
00:19:01.80\00:19:05.17
and singer phenom Adele.
00:19:05.21\00:19:09.71
Much anticipated,
00:19:09.74\00:19:11.61
she releases her
newest album, "25".
00:19:11.65\00:19:15.78
On that album is a
sing-off called "Hello."
00:19:15.82\00:19:22.72
You didn't think
I'd know, did you?
00:19:22.76\00:19:25.69
That's why you're laughing.
I'm kind of laughing too.
00:19:25.73\00:19:32.17
Yeah, the singer
Adele with "Hello."
00:19:32.20\00:19:35.64
And that song, that one song
00:19:35.67\00:19:37.91
tapped into this
latent longing to be loved,
00:19:37.94\00:19:42.81
to be wanted.
00:19:42.84\00:19:44.65
And it, it just
sold off the charts.
00:19:44.68\00:19:47.72
Forbes Magazine a few days
after the album was released
00:19:47.75\00:19:51.75
announced that
in the first week,
00:19:51.79\00:19:53.12
listen to this.
00:19:53.15\00:19:54.49
In the first week, she sold
1.71 million physical albums
00:19:54.52\00:19:58.89
or CDs.
00:19:58.93\00:20:00.60
Wow! People buying CDs still.
00:20:00.63\00:20:04.13
In that same first week, listen,
00:20:04.17\00:20:06.27
she sold 1.64
million downloaded copies.
00:20:06.30\00:20:10.87
And then, she broke
all the record books
00:20:10.91\00:20:12.67
when in one day
00:20:12.71\00:20:14.81
she sold 1.49 million copies.
00:20:14.84\00:20:20.72
That's 62,000 copies in an hour,
00:20:20.75\00:20:23.82
that's about a
1000 copies a minute,
00:20:23.85\00:20:27.49
she's selling them.
00:20:27.52\00:20:28.92
"Hello."
00:20:28.96\00:20:30.29
I know you're
dying for me to sing it,
00:20:33.09\00:20:35.00
forget it.
00:20:35.03\00:20:37.53
Maybe the choir, I don't know.
00:20:37.57\00:20:39.30
Okay, so here, here's
one of the sets the lyrics,
00:20:41.50\00:20:44.34
"Hello from the other side.
00:20:44.37\00:20:47.54
I must have
called a thousand times
00:20:47.58\00:20:49.78
to tell you I'm
sorry for everything
00:20:49.81\00:20:51.98
that I've done but when I call,
you never seem to be home."
00:20:52.01\00:20:56.55
We live in a world
00:20:56.58\00:20:58.19
that longs to be
loved and wanted.
00:20:58.22\00:21:03.49
The Maker of all
things loves and wants me.
00:21:03.53\00:21:08.86
Maybe Reynolds
Price is absolutely right.
00:21:08.90\00:21:14.54
What if we tapped
into that for a moment?
00:21:14.57\00:21:16.81
What if in a string of
stories, we could come to grips
00:21:16.84\00:21:21.08
with the mystery of this notion,
00:21:21.11\00:21:22.81
the Maker of all
things loves and wants me.
00:21:22.84\00:21:25.35
Open your Bible with
me. Story number one.
00:21:25.38\00:21:27.75
Open your Bible with me to John,
00:21:27.78\00:21:29.28
fourth gospel John Chapter 13.
00:21:29.32\00:21:31.32
Let's go.
00:21:31.35\00:21:32.69
Chapter 13:1 you
didn't bring a Bible,
00:21:32.72\00:21:34.86
you got to track this,
pull the pew Bible out,
00:21:34.89\00:21:36.76
there you go, page
725 in the pew Bible.
00:21:36.79\00:21:39.46
John Chapter 13,
00:21:39.49\00:21:43.06
I'm in the New
International Version.
00:21:43.10\00:21:45.97
Just one line,
here we go, John 13:1,
00:21:46.00\00:21:49.34
And, "It was just
before the Passover Festival.
00:21:49.37\00:21:52.87
Jesus knew that the
hour had come for him
00:21:52.91\00:21:54.74
to leave this world
and go to the Father.
00:21:54.78\00:21:57.01
Having loved his own
who were in the world,
00:21:57.05\00:22:00.78
he loved them, he
loved them to the end."
00:22:00.82\00:22:06.42
Isn't that something?
00:22:06.45\00:22:07.79
Hey, have you ever
been loved to the end?
00:22:07.82\00:22:10.36
You say, "Yeah,
Dwight, at the end of what?"
00:22:10.39\00:22:11.93
I'm talking
about the end of life.
00:22:11.96\00:22:14.46
Is there?
00:22:14.50\00:22:15.83
Has there been
anybody on this planet
00:22:15.86\00:22:18.33
who has loved you
to the end of her life,
00:22:18.37\00:22:21.60
to the end of his life.
00:22:21.64\00:22:24.81
Most of us
would think of mother.
00:22:24.84\00:22:27.44
Many of us
would think of father.
00:22:27.48\00:22:30.55
Some of us would think of
lover or friend or spouse.
00:22:30.58\00:22:35.42
And some of us would say,
00:22:35.45\00:22:37.22
"Nobody, except Jesus."
00:22:37.25\00:22:42.69
Let me read that again,
00:22:42.72\00:22:44.33
"It was just before
the Passover Festival.
00:22:44.36\00:22:46.06
Jesus knew that the
hour had come for him
00:22:46.09\00:22:47.53
to leave this world
and go to the Father.
00:22:47.56\00:22:49.76
And having loved his
own who were in the world,
00:22:49.80\00:22:52.13
he loved them.
00:22:52.17\00:22:53.57
He loved them to the end."
00:22:53.60\00:22:56.87
John Peckham in
his marvelous book.
00:22:56.91\00:23:00.24
I tell you what, if
I could give this book
00:23:00.28\00:23:01.61
to everybody
here today, I'd do it.
00:23:01.64\00:23:04.21
And our seminary professors
here at Andrews University
00:23:04.25\00:23:07.88
acclaimed John Peckham's book,
00:23:07.92\00:23:11.42
The Love of God:
A Canonical Model.
00:23:11.45\00:23:13.09
In that book a single line.
00:23:13.12\00:23:14.56
Put it on the screen
for you, Peckham writing,
00:23:14.59\00:23:16.99
"Profound love," speaking
of this phrase we just read.
00:23:17.03\00:23:19.93
"Profound love is connoted
by the expression "to the end,"
00:23:19.96\00:23:23.97
likely connoting both
intensity and endurance."
00:23:24.00\00:23:29.70
I want you to
grab those two nouns
00:23:29.74\00:23:31.97
that are
embedded in profound love.
00:23:32.01\00:23:33.41
Grab those two nouns right now
00:23:33.44\00:23:34.84
and scribble them
down on your study guide.
00:23:34.88\00:23:37.05
You got a study guide
in your worship bulletin.
00:23:37.08\00:23:40.15
Pull that study guide out.
00:23:40.18\00:23:41.88
And now, our favorite
ushers are coming your way,
00:23:41.92\00:23:45.05
two ladies
today, hold your hand up
00:23:45.09\00:23:46.49
if you need, if you need.
00:23:46.52\00:23:48.16
Well, we have a
gentleman in the balcony.
00:23:48.19\00:23:49.69
If you need a study
guide, just put your hand up.
00:23:49.72\00:23:51.83
You don't want to miss this one.
00:23:51.86\00:23:54.10
Pull it out
00:23:54.13\00:23:55.96
and let me just take a moment
while they're handing this out.
00:23:56.00\00:24:00.57
Be patient they'll
get you in the back.
00:24:00.60\00:24:02.30
I want to say to those of
you watching online right now,
00:24:02.34\00:24:04.21
those of you who
are live streaming,
00:24:04.24\00:24:05.57
you get the
same, same study guide.
00:24:05.61\00:24:07.68
I'd love for you to have it.
00:24:07.71\00:24:09.14
The title of this little series,
00:24:09.18\00:24:10.51
put it on the screen for you,
00:24:10.55\00:24:11.88
title of the series
"Charmed into Righteousness."
00:24:11.91\00:24:14.18
By the way, this is
next to the last piece.
00:24:14.22\00:24:15.85
We end it all next week
just before spring break.
00:24:15.88\00:24:17.99
All right.
00:24:18.02\00:24:19.35
"Charmed into Righteousness"
00:24:19.39\00:24:20.72
today's teaching,
"The Most Loving God."
00:24:20.76\00:24:22.19
You go to that on the
website, click on study guide,
00:24:22.22\00:24:24.39
you have it and you're with us.
00:24:24.43\00:24:26.76
Want you to get
this John Peckham quote.
00:24:26.80\00:24:28.46
Two nouns
imbedded in profound love.
00:24:28.50\00:24:31.50
Keep your hands up.
They're coming, but let's go.
00:24:31.53\00:24:33.90
Let's put it on the
screen please again.
00:24:33.94\00:24:35.57
"Profound love" Peckham writing,
00:24:35.60\00:24:37.27
"Profound love is connoted
by the expression "to the end,"
00:24:37.31\00:24:41.21
likely
connoting both intensity."
00:24:41.24\00:24:43.61
Okay guys what's
intensity? What's intensity?
00:24:43.65\00:24:45.91
When something is
intense, it is what?
00:24:45.95\00:24:48.12
Very strong. If I
have an intense hunger.
00:24:48.15\00:24:50.85
If I have an intense
thirst, it's that strong,
00:24:50.89\00:24:52.69
I just hang it on.
00:24:52.72\00:24:54.52
Intensity, write that in.
00:24:54.56\00:24:56.66
And second word "endurance"
endurance, what's endurance?
00:24:56.69\00:25:00.53
I'm holding on, I'm
never going to let you go,
00:25:00.56\00:25:03.00
endurance to the very end.
00:25:03.03\00:25:07.17
"Profound love connoted by
both intensity and endurance."
00:25:07.20\00:25:12.71
But the quotation goes on.
00:25:12.74\00:25:14.41
He's quoting Herman N. Ridderbos
00:25:14.44\00:25:16.54
renders this
phrase, and I love this.
00:25:16.58\00:25:18.58
"Love to the last breath.
00:25:18.61\00:25:21.62
And love in the
highest intensity.
00:25:21.65\00:25:24.55
Further, Christ's
love is here described
00:25:24.59\00:25:27.32
as 'for his own,'
it's a term of endearment."
00:25:27.36\00:25:30.59
So when he talks
about He loves them.
00:25:30.63\00:25:32.09
He loves his own unto the end.
00:25:32.13\00:25:33.46
These are his,
these are his friends,
00:25:33.50\00:25:34.83
these are those that his
heart just longs to embrace,
00:25:34.86\00:25:37.80
it's a term of endearment
00:25:37.83\00:25:39.17
as found in ancient
Near Eastern Literature.
00:25:39.20\00:25:43.04
So here's this
stunning opening line.
00:25:43.07\00:25:45.94
Less than 24 hours and
Jesus will be dead at Calvary
00:25:45.97\00:25:50.38
and it declares, leading us
into the passion of the Christ.
00:25:50.41\00:25:53.85
He loves his own to
the very last breath.
00:25:53.88\00:25:59.99
I want you to just
brooding on that for a moment,
00:26:00.02\00:26:01.59
come on just let it,
let it ferment in your mind.
00:26:01.62\00:26:08.56
Who we're talking about here?
00:26:08.60\00:26:10.27
We're talking
about the incarnated God
00:26:10.30\00:26:11.63
of the universe.
00:26:11.67\00:26:13.23
John describes him, "In
the beginning was the word
00:26:13.27\00:26:15.34
and the word was
God, was with God
00:26:15.37\00:26:17.04
and the word was God,
by Him all things animate
00:26:17.07\00:26:20.34
and inanimate
have been created.'
00:26:20.38\00:26:21.94
This God, the word became flesh.
00:26:21.98\00:26:24.35
And we beheld the
glory, the glories
00:26:24.38\00:26:26.08
of the only
begotten of the Father.
00:26:26.11\00:26:28.25
This God love them
to the last breath.
00:26:28.28\00:26:35.02
Because we have
a love story here.
00:26:35.06\00:26:37.99
And every love story
takes you to the final breath,
00:26:38.03\00:26:41.40
the last breath of that love.
00:26:41.43\00:26:43.73
One of my favorite
love stories by the way.
00:26:43.77\00:26:48.34
I read this one again and again.
00:26:48.37\00:26:50.74
It's true story
00:26:50.77\00:26:52.11
about a young man named
Sheldon and a girl named Davey.
00:26:52.14\00:26:55.74
One Christmas they fell
madly in love over New Jersey.
00:26:59.31\00:27:03.79
They both were
hopeless romantics,
00:27:03.82\00:27:05.35
they would read and write poetry
00:27:05.39\00:27:07.42
to each other
late into the night,
00:27:07.46\00:27:09.42
you got to feel.
00:27:09.46\00:27:10.79
Both are agnostics, they
grew up in wealthy homes,
00:27:10.83\00:27:13.09
but they're agnostics.
00:27:13.13\00:27:15.76
Within an year, tie
the knot, they're married.
00:27:15.80\00:27:18.87
Then he's off to
Oxford University
00:27:18.90\00:27:20.40
where Sheldon wants
to pursue his degree
00:27:20.44\00:27:23.44
in English literature.
00:27:23.47\00:27:24.87
While there, they meet
a professor C.S. Lewis.
00:27:24.91\00:27:28.01
You've heard of him.
00:27:28.04\00:27:30.25
C.S Lewis takes a shine to this
00:27:30.28\00:27:31.78
rather
attractive American couple
00:27:31.81\00:27:33.62
and they become friends,
00:27:33.65\00:27:34.98
and through his
friendship, listen to this.
00:27:35.02\00:27:36.48
Through his friendship,
he leads them both to Christ.
00:27:36.52\00:27:40.12
They go back to the
States Christians now.
00:27:40.16\00:27:44.23
And Sheldon finds a little
private college in Virginia
00:27:44.26\00:27:47.53
where he's going to
teach English literature.
00:27:47.56\00:27:49.63
And I'm telling you
what the story is bright
00:27:49.66\00:27:52.57
with wondering love.
00:27:52.60\00:27:54.17
It couldn't be happier.
00:27:54.20\00:27:55.54
Life could not be
grander until tragedy strikes.
00:27:55.57\00:28:00.98
Davey contracts a mortal disease
00:28:01.01\00:28:04.31
that cuts your life short.
00:28:04.35\00:28:07.38
So I read this time again
00:28:07.42\00:28:09.22
and I just go
into tears every time.
00:28:09.25\00:28:12.89
This is the
death scene. All right.
00:28:12.92\00:28:14.59
I'm gonna read it to
you. This is the death scene.
00:28:14.62\00:28:16.83
This is the last breath,
00:28:16.86\00:28:18.23
as Jesus loves
to the last breath.
00:28:18.26\00:28:21.80
Oh, by the way
Sheldon Van Auken.
00:28:21.83\00:28:23.37
This is a best seller,
00:28:23.40\00:28:24.87
title of the
book "A Severe Mercy."
00:28:24.90\00:28:27.64
It's a first
person account of love,
00:28:27.67\00:28:29.24
and grief, and healing,
00:28:29.27\00:28:30.61
and he and Lewis remain friends
through all of this tragedy.
00:28:30.64\00:28:34.58
Anyway here we are at the
end. She's in the hospital.
00:28:34.61\00:28:37.18
He's holding her
hand and then she stirred,
00:28:37.21\00:28:40.62
I read, "There
was no change at all
00:28:40.65\00:28:42.98
in her half-parted lips
or eyes or the hand I held.
00:28:43.02\00:28:47.12
But then her other hand
00:28:47.16\00:28:48.49
and arm came
slowly up from her side.
00:28:48.52\00:28:51.36
I could not think
of what she was doing.
00:28:51.39\00:28:53.13
The hand moved
slowly across her.
00:28:53.16\00:28:55.43
It found my face.
00:28:55.46\00:28:57.63
She touched my brow and
hair and then each eye in turn.
00:28:57.67\00:29:03.00
And then my mouth.
00:29:03.04\00:29:04.37
Her fingers moved to
each corner of my mouth
00:29:04.41\00:29:06.47
as we had always done
and I gave her fingers
00:29:06.51\00:29:09.34
little corner
of the mouth kisses
00:29:09.38\00:29:11.55
as we had always done.
00:29:11.58\00:29:13.58
Then her arm fell slowly back.
00:29:13.62\00:29:16.38
Past seeing and past speaking,
00:29:16.42\00:29:19.29
with the last of
her failing strength,
00:29:19.32\00:29:22.16
she had said goodbye.
00:29:22.19\00:29:23.53
In one of her earliest letters,
when we were first in love,
00:29:23.56\00:29:25.66
she had spoken of 'the gentle
awkward earning I feel for you,
00:29:25.69\00:29:29.80
just to touch your face'.
00:29:29.83\00:29:32.33
And touching my
face, in the old way,
00:29:32.37\00:29:35.37
was her last act in this world."
00:29:35.40\00:29:39.04
The last breath.
00:29:42.08\00:29:43.45
As it read, "It was just
before the Passover Festival.
00:29:46.61\00:29:51.25
Jesus knew that the
hour had come for him
00:29:51.29\00:29:53.19
to leave this world
and go to the Father.
00:29:53.22\00:29:56.79
And having loved his
own who were in the world,
00:29:56.83\00:30:00.23
he loved them,
00:30:00.26\00:30:02.13
he loved them to
the very last breath."
00:30:02.16\00:30:07.80
Wow, it's a love story.
00:30:07.84\00:30:10.04
It has its own death
scene, where the love ends
00:30:14.74\00:30:18.81
and as we know in
fact really begins.
00:30:18.85\00:30:21.92
I want to go to
that death scene.
00:30:21.95\00:30:23.28
Here in John, it's
over in Chapter 19 find it.
00:30:23.32\00:30:27.22
It's Friday
afternoon, less than 24 hours
00:30:27.26\00:30:29.19
after the upper room.
00:30:29.22\00:30:31.69
"Jesus hang suspended
between Heaven and Earth"
00:30:31.73\00:30:34.16
John Chapter 19, we
picked up in verse 28,
00:30:34.20\00:30:38.40
verse 28.
00:30:38.43\00:30:39.77
"Later, knowing that
everything had now finished,
00:30:42.17\00:30:45.67
and so that
Scripture would be fulfilled,
00:30:45.71\00:30:47.34
Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.'
00:30:47.38\00:30:52.18
A jar of wine vinegar was there,
00:30:52.21\00:30:53.78
so they soaked a sponge in it,
00:30:53.82\00:30:55.15
put the sponge on a
stalk of the hyssop plant,
00:30:55.18\00:30:57.85
and lifted it to Jesus' lips.
00:30:57.89\00:31:00.46
When he had received the drink,
00:31:00.49\00:31:03.06
Jesus said, 'It is finished.'
00:31:03.09\00:31:08.50
And with that, he bowed his head
00:31:08.53\00:31:11.37
and gave up his spirit."
00:31:11.40\00:31:15.77
John is absolutely set
and intent on making certain
00:31:15.80\00:31:20.88
that we understand that
the lover of this love story
00:31:20.91\00:31:24.95
is in control to
the very last breath.
00:31:24.98\00:31:29.22
He's done three,
00:31:29.25\00:31:30.59
he's inserted three actions
the Synoptics do not discuss.
00:31:30.62\00:31:35.42
For John, Jesus is the
only one to carry the cross,
00:31:35.46\00:31:38.56
there is no Simon of Cyrene,
00:31:38.59\00:31:40.06
Jesus carries the cross Himself.
00:31:40.10\00:31:41.90
He's in control.
00:31:41.93\00:31:43.26
For John, Jesus
chooses His Last words.
00:31:43.30\00:31:46.17
He's in control.
00:31:46.20\00:31:47.54
And for John, Jesus
chooses the moment of death.
00:31:47.57\00:31:51.64
Not like Davey
in that death scene
00:31:51.67\00:31:53.78
just a moment ago,
where her hand drops
00:31:53.81\00:31:55.88
and that's it.
00:31:55.91\00:31:59.55
I mean if that were the case
00:31:59.58\00:32:00.92
then John would have
had Jesus breathed his last,
00:32:00.95\00:32:03.89
and then his head would
fall collapse to his chest,
00:32:03.92\00:32:06.19
but no, no John says,
"It was the exact opposite.
00:32:06.22\00:32:09.36
He put his head
down." It is now time.
00:32:09.39\00:32:11.06
He put his head down
and ceased breathing.
00:32:11.09\00:32:13.83
The lover in this
story is in control
00:32:13.86\00:32:15.86
to the very last breath.
00:32:15.90\00:32:17.97
Why?
00:32:18.00\00:32:19.33
Because we must know
that the maker of all things
00:32:19.37\00:32:22.64
loves and wants us, that's why.
00:32:22.67\00:32:25.57
He loves and wants us.
00:32:25.61\00:32:30.48
I think of this
picture that Rochelle,
00:32:30.51\00:32:31.98
our graphics artist.
00:32:32.01\00:32:33.72
And she does such a great job
00:32:33.75\00:32:35.08
but this week, boy,
she's above and beyond.
00:32:35.12\00:32:37.92
I think of the picture she put
on the cover of our bulletin.
00:32:37.95\00:32:41.86
Take all the copy off of it,
00:32:41.89\00:32:43.22
I want you to see the
picture now, it's just.
00:32:43.26\00:32:44.96
I need you to just
look at that picture,
00:32:44.99\00:32:46.43
don't look at me,
look at the screen.
00:32:46.46\00:32:48.76
Look at that picture.
00:32:48.80\00:32:52.17
Graphic, detail, artistic,
00:32:52.20\00:32:57.81
the hands of a lover,
00:32:57.84\00:33:00.81
who to his very last breath,
00:33:00.84\00:33:03.51
love the likes of you and me.
00:33:03.55\00:33:07.35
Wow!
00:33:07.38\00:33:08.72
Turns out that the
sentence that Reynolds Price
00:33:08.75\00:33:12.42
once observed is
what people crave
00:33:12.45\00:33:14.56
more than any of
the sentence in a story,
00:33:14.59\00:33:18.06
"The Maker of all
things loves and wants me."
00:33:18.09\00:33:20.00
Turns out, this
sentence is cryptically imbedded
00:33:20.03\00:33:22.30
in every story
00:33:22.33\00:33:23.67
from the beginning
to the end of this book.
00:33:23.70\00:33:25.47
And I want to show
you that. Watch this.
00:33:25.50\00:33:27.24
Old Testament of all places.
00:33:27.27\00:33:29.14
A lover in the Old
Testament, you got it.
00:33:29.17\00:33:31.37
Go back with me to
the Book of Jeremiah.
00:33:31.41\00:33:33.11
Come on, let's go.
Jeremiah Chapter 31, okay.
00:33:33.14\00:33:38.48
So just go back
into the Old Testament,
00:33:38.51\00:33:39.91
you'll hit
Jeremiah, Jeremiah 31.
00:33:39.95\00:33:43.15
Look at this. God is speaking,
the pre-incarnate Christ.
00:33:43.18\00:33:48.29
This is Jeremiah 31:3,
00:33:48.32\00:33:51.13
"And the Lord
appeared to us in the past..."
00:33:51.16\00:33:52.79
Notice, whatever
he's going to say now
00:33:52.83\00:33:54.26
this has happened long ago.
00:33:54.30\00:33:55.83
This message has been
around from the beginning.
00:33:55.86\00:33:59.03
"And the Lord appeared
to us in the past saying..."
00:33:59.07\00:34:01.37
Here we go, let's put
it on the screen please.
00:34:01.40\00:34:05.41
"I have loved.
00:34:05.44\00:34:08.21
I have loved you
with an everlasting love,
00:34:08.24\00:34:10.81
I have drawn you
with unfailing kindness."
00:34:10.85\00:34:14.95
I want you to
grab your study guide.
00:34:14.98\00:34:17.45
And I want to just get this down
00:34:17.49\00:34:18.82
because there are
three different words
00:34:18.85\00:34:21.49
that God who inspired
this book make sure get used,
00:34:21.52\00:34:24.99
and you watch,
they'll show up again.
00:34:25.03\00:34:27.10
So these three were,
00:34:27.13\00:34:28.46
jot it down in your study guide.
00:34:28.50\00:34:29.83
Need that screen
up, please, bless you.
00:34:29.86\00:34:31.20
"I have loved" and
that's the Hebrew word 'aheb'.
00:34:31.23\00:34:34.10
I have loved you my
people with an everlasting love
00:34:34.14\00:34:36.97
'ahabah' with
unfailing love "chesed"
00:34:37.01\00:34:40.58
I have drawn you to myself."
00:34:40.61\00:34:43.61
All right God,
three Hebrew words,
00:34:43.65\00:34:45.68
what are you trying to tell us?
00:34:45.71\00:34:47.05
What kind of love do
you really have for us?
00:34:47.08\00:34:49.98
He says, "I'll show you.
00:34:50.02\00:34:51.82
Three stories, let's go back,
00:34:51.85\00:34:53.19
let's go back to
the Book of Genesis.
00:34:53.22\00:34:55.06
We don't have
time to turn there.
00:34:55.09\00:34:56.42
We'll do it on the screen.
00:34:56.46\00:34:57.79
Put it on the screen
please, Genesis Chapter 22,
00:34:57.83\00:34:59.89
you remember these words,
00:34:59.93\00:35:01.26
"Some time later
middle of the night
00:35:01.30\00:35:04.07
God tested
Abraham, and he said to him,
00:35:04.10\00:35:06.03
'Abraham!'
00:35:06.07\00:35:08.40
Abraham wakes up,
'Here I am,' he replied.
00:35:08.44\00:35:11.77
Then God said, 'Take your
son, your only son, Isaac,
00:35:11.81\00:35:14.91
whom you love 'Aheb'
00:35:14.94\00:35:18.05
the very word we
just read in Jeremiah 31.
00:35:18.08\00:35:20.15
And go to the region of Moriah."
00:35:20.18\00:35:21.52
What am I to do there God.
00:35:21.55\00:35:22.88
"Sacrifice him that's
what I'm asking you to do.
00:35:22.92\00:35:25.75
"Sacrifice him
there as a burnt offering
00:35:25.79\00:35:27.62
on one of the mountains
I will tell you about."
00:35:27.66\00:35:29.72
This tale of a father and a son
00:35:32.79\00:35:36.56
who come to the
moment of death together.
00:35:36.60\00:35:38.73
The storyline of
Abraham and Isaac,
00:35:38.77\00:35:40.90
of course, embedded it is,
00:35:40.94\00:35:42.60
embedded in it
is the shadowy story
00:35:42.64\00:35:46.54
of another
father and another son,
00:35:46.57\00:35:49.54
who will make the same
trip to that same Mt Moriah,
00:35:49.58\00:35:53.15
now known as Calvary.
00:35:53.18\00:35:55.78
How much do you love us God,
00:35:55.82\00:35:57.42
just like that,
like father and son?
00:35:57.45\00:36:00.66
Both of us are in
this love for you.
00:36:00.69\00:36:05.66
How deep is the love?
00:36:05.69\00:36:07.03
Watch this, turn a
few pages over here,
00:36:07.06\00:36:08.40
you come to Genesis 29.
00:36:08.43\00:36:09.76
Everybody knows this love story.
00:36:09.80\00:36:11.13
Put it on the screen please.
00:36:11.17\00:36:12.50
This is Jacob, Jacob
has run away from home,
00:36:12.53\00:36:14.50
he's just done his
brother bad, and he's run away.
00:36:14.54\00:36:19.51
He's in the home
of Laban, his uncle.
00:36:19.54\00:36:21.34
And Laban has two
girls and, oh boy,
00:36:21.38\00:36:23.51
Jacob is smitten
with the younger one.
00:36:23.55\00:36:25.78
Jot it down,
"Jacob was in love..."
00:36:25.81\00:36:27.48
There is the same
word again 'aheb'.
00:36:27.52\00:36:29.35
Jacob was in love with
Rachel and he said to her papa.
00:36:29.38\00:36:32.99
I'll work for you
seven years in return
00:36:33.02\00:36:35.56
for your
younger daughter Rachel.
00:36:35.59\00:36:37.16
"So Jacob served
seven years to get Rachel,
00:36:37.19\00:36:39.59
but they seem like
only a few days to him
00:36:39.63\00:36:42.06
because of his love 'ahabah'
there they are both words.
00:36:42.10\00:36:45.57
Because of his love for her."
00:36:45.60\00:36:47.37
Get this, keep writing.
00:36:47.40\00:36:48.74
"God seizes the
language of two lovers
00:36:48.77\00:36:50.81
and he declares, this
is how much I love you
00:36:50.84\00:36:53.68
with the passion of a Lover."
00:36:53.71\00:36:56.28
That's how much I love you.
00:36:56.31\00:36:58.48
John Peckham again,
his words on the screen,
00:36:58.51\00:37:00.42
fill it in,
"Scripture consistently displays
00:37:00.45\00:37:03.59
God's intensely passionate,
00:37:03.62\00:37:06.45
passionate and
profoundly emotional love
00:37:06.49\00:37:09.46
for his people."
00:37:09.49\00:37:11.26
Guess what?
00:37:11.29\00:37:12.63
The Maker of all
things loves and wants me.
00:37:12.66\00:37:18.23
Every story embedded.
00:37:18.27\00:37:22.17
Oh, here's the third story.
00:37:22.20\00:37:23.77
The words will
appear here as well.
00:37:23.81\00:37:25.77
Oh, this is a love story.
00:37:25.81\00:37:27.51
David and
Jonathan were soul mates,
00:37:27.54\00:37:29.64
kindred spirits.
00:37:29.68\00:37:31.01
Like this, then
Jonathan is cut down,
00:37:31.05\00:37:33.98
with his maniac father
leading the charge into battle.
00:37:34.02\00:37:37.52
He and his father
perished in that battle
00:37:37.55\00:37:39.42
when the word
comes to young David
00:37:39.45\00:37:41.16
who will be the next king.
00:37:41.19\00:37:42.99
David sobs.
00:37:43.02\00:37:45.89
Put the words on
the screen please,
00:37:45.93\00:37:47.50
"I grieve for you
Jonathan my brother,
00:37:47.53\00:37:50.90
you were very dear to me.
00:37:50.93\00:37:52.73
Your love 'ahabah', Your
love for me was wonderful,
00:37:52.77\00:37:56.04
more wonderful
than that of women."'
00:37:56.07\00:37:59.41
Get this, God
seizes, jot it down.
00:37:59.44\00:38:01.04
"God seizes the language
of two friends and declares,
00:38:01.08\00:38:04.08
this is how much I love you
with a deep love of a friend."
00:38:04.11\00:38:09.48
And by the way, here
is a divine assurance
00:38:09.52\00:38:13.29
to those who do not
experience married love.
00:38:13.32\00:38:15.92
And assurance that their
experience of friendship love
00:38:15.96\00:38:18.56
is just as genuinely
depicting the love of God
00:38:18.59\00:38:21.16
as does married love.
00:38:21.20\00:38:22.53
You don't have to be
married to know this love.
00:38:22.56\00:38:24.33
You have a friend,
you know the love of God.
00:38:24.37\00:38:27.34
You are mine.
00:38:27.37\00:38:31.01
I love you with
an everlasting love.
00:38:31.04\00:38:33.41
The Maker of all
things loves and wants me.
00:38:33.44\00:38:36.91
But the tragedy is,
00:38:36.95\00:38:38.85
not everybody
wants to be loved by him.
00:38:38.88\00:38:43.72
That's the sad truth,
even in the third millennium.
00:38:43.75\00:38:47.82
Go back to, wait,
we have it still open.
00:38:47.86\00:38:50.66
Jeremiah 31, drop
down now to verse 20.
00:38:50.69\00:38:53.63
How does God react
00:38:53.66\00:38:55.00
when not
everybody loves him back?
00:38:55.03\00:38:58.60
Look at this
Jeremiah. Jeremiah 31:20.
00:38:58.63\00:39:01.50
God speaking, "Is
not Ephraim my dear son,
00:39:01.54\00:39:04.01
the child in whom I delight?
00:39:04.04\00:39:06.27
Though I often
speak against him,
00:39:06.31\00:39:08.41
I still remember him.
00:39:08.44\00:39:10.11
Therefore my
heart yearns for him,
00:39:10.15\00:39:13.21
I have great
compassion for him."
00:39:13.25\00:39:15.72
Jot it down, in
your study guide.
00:39:15.75\00:39:17.72
Fill in that word there's a,
00:39:17.75\00:39:19.09
there's a fourth
word inserted here.
00:39:19.12\00:39:22.32
You see it on the screen,
"Is not Ephraim my dear son,
00:39:22.36\00:39:24.23
the child in whom I delight?
00:39:24.26\00:39:25.59
Though I often
speak against him,
00:39:25.63\00:39:26.96
I still remember him.
00:39:27.00\00:39:28.33
Therefore my heart
yearns, I yearn for him,
00:39:28.36\00:39:32.07
I have great compassion 'racham'
00:39:32.10\00:39:34.30
write that in, compassion.
00:39:34.34\00:39:36.81
"I have great compassion
for him declares the Lord."
00:39:36.84\00:39:40.14
By the way, one
scholar declares racham
00:39:40.18\00:39:43.51
as the strongest word for
love in all Biblical language.
00:39:43.55\00:39:48.18
You just hit the
jackpot in racham.
00:39:48.22\00:39:52.59
And when you
combine it with yearning,
00:39:52.62\00:39:54.99
you have an
explosive love, watch this.
00:39:55.02\00:40:01.33
Peckham on the screen again.
00:40:01.36\00:40:03.60
This language, watch this,
00:40:03.63\00:40:05.53
"This language depicts
profoundly passable..."
00:40:05.57\00:40:09.07
Now passable means,
00:40:09.10\00:40:10.71
means capable of feeling,
00:40:10.74\00:40:12.14
because you see
there in some circles,
00:40:12.17\00:40:13.51
can you believe that?
00:40:13.54\00:40:14.88
There are some circles
who say God is impassable.
00:40:14.91\00:40:16.38
He is, He is, He is
as unmoved as a crystal.
00:40:16.41\00:40:21.15
There's no
variation in His emotion,
00:40:21.18\00:40:22.68
He's not affected
by human emotions,
00:40:22.72\00:40:24.65
He is God and He's unchangeable.
00:40:24.69\00:40:27.02
They have a missed the wealth.
00:40:27.06\00:40:30.56
Most of us believe,
oh no, God is passable.
00:40:30.59\00:40:33.13
Keep reading,
00:40:33.16\00:40:34.50
"This language
depicts profoundly passible,
00:40:34.53\00:40:37.27
capable of feeling,
and intense, emotionality,
00:40:37.30\00:40:40.64
evidence by the Hebrew idiom
00:40:40.67\00:40:42.50
which literally
refers to turbulent
00:40:42.54\00:40:44.77
or roaring internal
organs and here 'depicts..."
00:40:44.81\00:40:47.91
Jot it down.
00:40:47.94\00:40:49.28
"God's stomach being churned up
00:40:49.31\00:40:51.31
with longing for his son."'
00:40:51.35\00:40:53.62
I want to ask you a question.
00:40:53.65\00:40:54.98
Have you ever cried so hard
00:40:55.02\00:40:57.22
that you got
sick to your stomach?
00:40:57.25\00:41:00.06
Oh you have.
00:41:00.09\00:41:01.46
And if you have it, you will.
00:41:01.49\00:41:03.12
You can't get through this life
00:41:03.16\00:41:04.49
without crying that hard.
00:41:04.53\00:41:08.50
Your stomach is
just twisted in agony.
00:41:08.53\00:41:12.13
That's God.
00:41:12.17\00:41:15.74
Like a mother over her child.
00:41:15.77\00:41:19.87
Like a father over his runaway.
00:41:19.91\00:41:23.21
Like a spouse for a lover
00:41:23.24\00:41:24.58
who is turned away for another.
00:41:24.61\00:41:28.25
That's stomach
twisting, churning agony.
00:41:28.28\00:41:33.56
Jot this down,
00:41:33.59\00:41:34.92
"We have but a faint
and dim concept of how deep,
00:41:34.96\00:41:38.43
how deep is the
love of God for us."
00:41:38.46\00:41:42.53
I mean it's like
the storyline of David,
00:41:42.56\00:41:44.00
who would stomach churning
sobs weaves out the cry.
00:41:44.03\00:41:47.70
Let me put this on the screen.
00:41:47.74\00:41:49.07
You remember his boy Absalom.
00:41:49.10\00:41:50.44
Oh, he loved Absalom.
00:41:50.47\00:41:51.81
Absalom has
rebelled against his daddy.
00:41:51.84\00:41:53.17
He wants to kill him.
00:41:53.21\00:41:54.54
He's already usurped the throne.
00:41:54.58\00:41:56.01
But in battle Absalom is killed,
00:41:56.04\00:41:57.65
and when the
news comes to David,
00:41:57.68\00:41:59.15
here it goes right
here, 2 Samuel 18:33
00:41:59.18\00:42:01.88
and "The king was shaken.
00:42:01.92\00:42:03.69
David went up to the
room over the gateway
00:42:03.72\00:42:05.65
and he wept.
00:42:05.69\00:42:07.02
And as he went he said,
00:42:07.06\00:42:08.82
" O my son Absalom!
00:42:08.86\00:42:11.89
My son Absalom my son.
00:42:11.93\00:42:15.30
If only I had
died instead of you
00:42:15.33\00:42:17.77
O Absalom, my son, my son!"'
00:42:17.80\00:42:22.30
Do you think God is
going to skeptically say,
00:42:22.34\00:42:25.44
"Hey, listen, you
can't win them all, boy,
00:42:25.47\00:42:26.81
I sure miss her,
00:42:26.84\00:42:28.18
I sure miss him,
are you kidding."
00:42:28.21\00:42:29.54
With stomach churning agony,
00:42:29.58\00:42:33.31
you say no to him,
00:42:33.35\00:42:34.68
you have the right,
00:42:34.72\00:42:36.05
you are perfectly
free to say no to God,
00:42:36.08\00:42:37.49
because love can't be love,
00:42:37.52\00:42:38.85
unless you can say
yes to it and no to it.
00:42:38.89\00:42:40.96
You may say no to God,
00:42:40.99\00:42:42.42
but when you say no to Him,
00:42:42.46\00:42:43.86
you will rip his guts out.
00:42:43.89\00:42:47.96
Look at David,
that's true about a father,
00:42:48.00\00:42:50.83
about the father of us all.
00:42:50.87\00:42:52.90
Oh, here's another storyline.
00:42:52.93\00:42:54.37
The same stomach
churning weeping,
00:42:54.40\00:42:56.77
it's Jesus this time.
00:42:56.81\00:42:58.14
Words on the screen.
00:42:58.17\00:42:59.51
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem-
00:42:59.54\00:43:02.51
how often I
have longed to gather
00:43:02.54\00:43:03.95
your children together, as a hen
00:43:03.98\00:43:05.61
like a mother gathers
her chicks under her wings,
00:43:05.65\00:43:08.98
and you were not willing."
00:43:09.02\00:43:11.59
We have but a faint
concept of how deep God's pain
00:43:11.62\00:43:14.92
over unrequited love truly is.
00:43:14.96\00:43:18.09
Hey, listen, guys, come on.
00:43:18.13\00:43:19.46
Where do you think, we
get the pain of rejection.
00:43:19.49\00:43:22.00
You know, how it feels
when somebody says no to you.
00:43:22.03\00:43:23.63
Where do you think
we've got that pain
00:43:23.67\00:43:25.03
of unrequited,
unreciprocated, unreturned.
00:43:25.07\00:43:28.67
Where do we get that?
00:43:28.70\00:43:30.31
We got it from Him.
00:43:30.34\00:43:32.51
It's our Creator,
our Savior, our God,
00:43:32.54\00:43:35.14
He's that way.
00:43:35.18\00:43:36.98
It kills Him when
one He loves says no.
00:43:37.01\00:43:44.09
No, I reject it, I reject you.
00:43:44.12\00:43:49.59
How many times has
He wept over Jerusalem,
00:43:49.62\00:43:53.43
has He wept over
you, as He wept over me.
00:43:53.46\00:44:00.97
It's no wonder guy,
I can't sleep at night.
00:44:01.00\00:44:03.14
Do you know how
many people on earth,
00:44:03.17\00:44:04.51
I'm talking about
men, women, and children.
00:44:04.54\00:44:05.87
Do you know how
many people on earth
00:44:05.91\00:44:07.24
go to bed every
single night not knowing
00:44:07.28\00:44:08.61
the story of
this truth about God?
00:44:08.64\00:44:10.75
They have no clue.
00:44:10.78\00:44:12.95
They hope to find it in a book,
00:44:12.98\00:44:14.32
the Maker of all
things loves and wants me.
00:44:14.35\00:44:16.48
They have no clue, it's true.
00:44:16.52\00:44:18.15
It's not fiction.
00:44:18.19\00:44:19.52
It's not just a great storyline,
00:44:19.55\00:44:20.89
it's a lifeline,
00:44:20.92\00:44:22.26
but they won't grab the lifeline
00:44:22.29\00:44:24.79
until somebody
tells them the story.
00:44:24.83\00:44:29.46
If only they could
existentially discover
00:44:29.50\00:44:32.13
the storyline of this book.
00:44:32.17\00:44:34.17
I got to share this with you.
00:44:34.20\00:44:35.54
Consider this sampling,
this is only a sampling,
00:44:35.57\00:44:37.67
I'm gonna run them by,
seven of them, seven of them.
00:44:37.71\00:44:40.04
You're going to
get writer's cramp,
00:44:40.08\00:44:41.48
but keep writing.
00:44:41.51\00:44:42.84
There will be
one word you'll write
00:44:42.88\00:44:44.21
over and over again.
00:44:44.25\00:44:45.58
Let's go 1 John 4:8
and 16, God is what?
00:44:45.61\00:44:50.35
"God is love."
00:44:50.39\00:44:52.32
Romans Chapter 5:8,
00:44:52.35\00:44:53.69
"But God demonstrates
His own love for us in this:
00:44:53.72\00:44:57.03
While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us."
00:44:57.06\00:45:01.06
1 John 3:1,
00:45:01.10\00:45:02.43
"See what great love the
Father has lavished on us,
00:45:02.46\00:45:05.83
that we should be
called the children of God."
00:45:05.87\00:45:08.54
1 John 4:10, "This is
love: not that we loved God,
00:45:08.57\00:45:11.97
but that he loved
us and sent his Son
00:45:12.01\00:45:14.48
as an atoning
sacrifice for our sins."
00:45:14.51\00:45:16.71
John 3:16, let's read
this one out loud together.
00:45:16.75\00:45:19.41
"For God so loved the world
00:45:19.45\00:45:21.72
that he gave his
one and only Son,
00:45:21.75\00:45:24.15
that whoever believes in him
00:45:24.19\00:45:26.29
shall not perish
but have eternal life."
00:45:26.32\00:45:28.99
Romans Chapter
8:35 and 38 and 39.
00:45:29.02\00:45:33.06
"Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ?
00:45:33.09\00:45:36.97
For I am persuaded
that neither death nor life,
00:45:38.23\00:45:40.44
neither angels, nor demons,
00:45:40.47\00:45:41.84
neither the
present nor the future,
00:45:41.87\00:45:43.61
nor any powers,
neither height in our depth,
00:45:43.64\00:45:45.64
nor anything
else in all creation,
00:45:45.67\00:45:47.38
will be able to
separate us from the love of God
00:45:47.41\00:45:49.71
that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:45:49.74\00:45:51.78
Number seven, John 15:13
00:45:51.81\00:45:54.25
"Greater love
has no one then this:
00:45:54.28\00:45:57.32
to lay down one's
life for his friends."
00:45:57.35\00:46:02.16
Do you understand
what we just read?
00:46:02.19\00:46:06.70
Put that picture
please back up on the screen.
00:46:06.73\00:46:08.93
Look at this picture.
00:46:08.96\00:46:10.60
This is the love story.
00:46:10.63\00:46:13.40
He is the lover.
00:46:13.44\00:46:16.10
And you are His longing.
00:46:16.14\00:46:21.14
Wow. As a result,
because of that picture,
00:46:21.18\00:46:25.81
you know, you and I could
be saying about ourselves.
00:46:25.85\00:46:28.42
I am loved, and I am wanted.
00:46:28.45\00:46:32.42
I say that on a week that ends
00:46:32.45\00:46:33.79
the Andrews University campaign,
00:46:33.82\00:46:35.66
I am not.
00:46:35.69\00:46:37.19
You've been following
the campaign this week?
00:46:37.23\00:46:38.59
I'm not.
00:46:38.63\00:46:39.96
I'm not defined,
00:46:40.00\00:46:41.33
I'm not defined by my habits.
00:46:41.36\00:46:42.70
I'm not defined by my behavior.
00:46:42.73\00:46:46.17
Then what do you define by, sir?
00:46:46.20\00:46:47.84
I'll tell you
what you're defined by.
00:46:47.87\00:46:49.24
You're defined by
the God of the universe
00:46:49.27\00:46:51.31
who says you are loved,
00:46:51.34\00:46:53.51
and you are wanted, I am.
00:46:53.54\00:46:58.55
I am valuable, I am.
00:46:58.58\00:47:03.15
Perhaps this world
could know the love of God,
00:47:07.06\00:47:09.42
if they could
only read the story of
00:47:09.46\00:47:11.99
the love of God all around them.
00:47:12.03\00:47:14.66
Ernest Gordon found God
in a Japanese prisoner of war
00:47:14.70\00:47:18.90
work camp in
Thailand, during World War II.
00:47:18.93\00:47:21.90
He only barely survived,
00:47:21.94\00:47:24.87
found God in
the camp by the way.
00:47:24.91\00:47:28.28
When he got out of
the war, he's a Scotsman.
00:47:28.31\00:47:30.81
When he got out of the
war, this is just a side note.
00:47:30.85\00:47:33.18
He ended up as
00:47:33.21\00:47:34.55
dean of the chapel
of Princeton University,
00:47:34.58\00:47:36.15
was the pastor
of that university.
00:47:36.18\00:47:38.29
He wrote a book much later,
00:47:38.32\00:47:40.72
title of the book, ''Miracle''.
00:47:40.76\00:47:42.92
Got it right here,
00:47:42.96\00:47:44.29
I want to read a story from it.
00:47:44.33\00:47:46.43
"Miracle on the River Kwai."
00:47:46.46\00:47:47.90
A story was going around,
00:47:51.10\00:47:52.43
while they were in
camp that this work camp
00:47:52.47\00:47:54.70
and boy they are all
down to skin and bones.
00:47:54.74\00:47:58.67
And so, so he picks it up here.
00:47:58.71\00:48:00.04
One story that went the round
00:48:00.08\00:48:01.41
soon after
concerned another Argyll.
00:48:01.44\00:48:03.35
Okay, so he's an Argyll,
00:48:03.38\00:48:04.75
that's what the
Scots call themselves that.
00:48:04.78\00:48:07.45
That's a Scottish
warrior in the British army.
00:48:07.48\00:48:09.95
So that they are
called Argylls, all right.
00:48:09.98\00:48:11.85
So this one around
about a Scottish soldier,
00:48:11.89\00:48:13.86
who was, who was in a
work detail on the railway.
00:48:13.89\00:48:16.89
Now listen, "The
day's work had ended.
00:48:16.93\00:48:18.93
The tools are being counted
00:48:18.96\00:48:20.30
as usual as the party
was about to be discussed,
00:48:20.33\00:48:23.26
dismissed rather,
00:48:23.30\00:48:24.63
the Japanese guard shouted
that a shovel was missing.
00:48:24.67\00:48:28.17
He insisted that
someone had stolen it
00:48:28.20\00:48:29.74
to sell to the Thais.
00:48:29.77\00:48:31.11
Striding up and
down before the men,
00:48:31.14\00:48:32.74
he ranted and denounced
them for their wickedness
00:48:32.77\00:48:35.14
and most unforgivable of all,
00:48:35.18\00:48:36.95
their
ingratitude to the emperor.
00:48:36.98\00:48:39.75
As he raved,
00:48:39.78\00:48:41.12
he worked himself
into a paranoid fury.
00:48:41.15\00:48:43.35
Screaming in broken English,
00:48:43.39\00:48:45.59
he demanded that the guilty one
00:48:45.62\00:48:47.49
step forward to
take his punishment.
00:48:47.52\00:48:49.96
Nobody moved,
00:48:49.99\00:48:51.33
the guard's rage
reached new heights of violence.
00:48:51.36\00:48:53.83
"All die, all die."
00:48:53.86\00:48:55.36
He shrieked, and to show
that he meant what he said,
00:48:55.40\00:48:57.90
he cocked his rifle,
put it to his shoulder
00:48:57.93\00:49:00.17
and looked down the
sights ready to fire
00:49:00.20\00:49:02.07
at the first man
on the other end.
00:49:02.10\00:49:07.04
At that moment,
00:49:07.08\00:49:08.51
the Argyll step forward
stood stiffly to attention
00:49:08.54\00:49:12.68
and calmly said, "I did sir."
00:49:12.71\00:49:16.79
The guard unleashed
all is whipped-up hate.
00:49:16.82\00:49:19.39
He kicked the helpless prisoner
00:49:19.42\00:49:20.76
and beat him with his fist.
00:49:20.79\00:49:22.12
Still the Argyll
stood rigidly to attention
00:49:22.16\00:49:24.13
with the blood
streaming down his face.
00:49:24.16\00:49:26.19
His silence goaded the
guard to an excess of rage.
00:49:26.23\00:49:29.16
Seizing his rifle by the barrel,
00:49:29.20\00:49:30.77
he lifted it high over his head
00:49:30.80\00:49:32.43
and with a final
howl brought it down
00:49:32.47\00:49:34.17
on the scull of the Argyll,
00:49:34.20\00:49:35.84
who sank limply to the
ground and did not move.
00:49:35.87\00:49:39.51
Although it was perfectly
clear that he was dead,
00:49:39.54\00:49:42.21
the guard continued to beat him
00:49:42.24\00:49:43.61
and stopped only when exhausted.
00:49:43.65\00:49:48.18
The men of the work detail
00:49:48.22\00:49:50.39
picked up their comrade's body,
00:49:50.42\00:49:52.79
shouldered their tools
and marched back to camp.
00:49:52.82\00:49:56.12
When the tools were
counted again at the guardhouse,
00:49:56.16\00:49:58.56
no shovel was missing.
00:49:58.59\00:50:03.53
Greater love
hath no man than this,
00:50:03.57\00:50:08.04
and to lay down his
life for his friends."
00:50:08.07\00:50:13.78
Makes you wonder, how often
00:50:13.81\00:50:15.21
that story is being played,
played out all around us,
00:50:15.24\00:50:18.28
in this postmodern
men, millennial society,
00:50:18.31\00:50:21.48
where if they only
could know the storyline,
00:50:21.52\00:50:26.49
they would find him.
00:50:26.52\00:50:28.42
The Maker of all
things loves and wants me.
00:50:28.46\00:50:35.53
Reminds me of this
compelling sentence
00:50:35.56\00:50:37.07
from the American
writer Ellen White,
00:50:37.10\00:50:39.90
I put it on the screen for you,
00:50:39.93\00:50:41.27
it's from her classic
Christ Object Lessons.
00:50:41.30\00:50:45.41
"The last rays
of merciful light,
00:50:45.44\00:50:47.94
the last message of
mercy to be given to the world,
00:50:47.98\00:50:51.31
is a revelation of
God's character..."
00:50:51.35\00:50:54.08
of what? Of what?
00:50:54.12\00:50:57.29
Go, go, go ahead
and call it out of what?
00:50:57.32\00:50:59.32
"Of love."
00:50:59.35\00:51:00.69
The last word to
go to this planet.
00:51:00.72\00:51:02.62
This is the last word.
00:51:02.66\00:51:04.56
So what should we do
as a campus congregation,
00:51:04.59\00:51:06.39
come on, situated right here.
00:51:06.43\00:51:09.26
What shall we do to
take this last message
00:51:09.30\00:51:11.87
of God's love to a dying world.
00:51:11.90\00:51:16.17
I want to read a letter to you
00:51:16.20\00:51:18.91
from one of our
viewers from Iran.
00:51:18.94\00:51:23.55
You know the
country Iran, don't you?
00:51:23.58\00:51:25.48
Listen to this,
00:51:25.51\00:51:27.35
"Dear, Dr. Nelson my name is..."
00:51:27.38\00:51:29.68
He writes his name,
00:51:29.72\00:51:31.05
"I'm a Muslim
born non religious man.
00:51:31.09\00:51:32.55
Now, I'm 27 years
old about your age.
00:51:32.59\00:51:36.12
I study..."
00:51:36.16\00:51:37.49
And he tell the
discipline he is studying.
00:51:37.53\00:51:39.86
At this university he names it,
00:51:39.89\00:51:41.63
in this city and he names it.
00:51:41.66\00:51:43.23
"I've been
listening to your podcast
00:51:43.26\00:51:45.20
since last autumn.
00:51:45.23\00:51:49.04
Almost last year for
the second time in my life,
00:51:49.07\00:51:51.34
I experienced a terrible shock.
00:51:51.37\00:51:54.11
It was somehow a romantic one
and I lost the girl I loved."
00:51:54.14\00:51:59.05
The whole world
longing for love.
00:51:59.08\00:52:03.52
"I lost her.
00:52:03.55\00:52:05.35
Before that I used
to be a pious person.
00:52:05.39\00:52:07.39
Someone who
prays five times a day,
00:52:07.42\00:52:08.99
doesn't drink alcohol,
00:52:09.02\00:52:10.36
not interested in
sex out of marriage,
00:52:10.39\00:52:11.73
but after that shock,
I changed dramatically.
00:52:11.76\00:52:14.00
Maybe it was the
voice of the evil or what,
00:52:14.03\00:52:16.70
that I lost my
belief, not a Muslim anymore,
00:52:16.73\00:52:18.87
not a pious anymore,
00:52:18.90\00:52:20.47
I began drinking, smoking weed,
00:52:20.50\00:52:22.17
and just taking
care of the moments,
00:52:22.20\00:52:23.54
a carefree life.
00:52:23.57\00:52:24.91
I have been questioning
00:52:24.94\00:52:26.27
the existence of God many times.
00:52:26.31\00:52:27.64
My only answer was
00:52:27.68\00:52:29.01
he exists and he created all."
00:52:29.04\00:52:32.25
The Maker of all things
is the longing in every heart
00:52:32.28\00:52:35.88
to believe
there is that creator.
00:52:35.92\00:52:40.12
What did he say,
00:52:40.16\00:52:41.49
"He exists and he created all.
00:52:41.52\00:52:42.86
There are other questions
00:52:42.89\00:52:44.23
that I don't have the
answers like my own life.
00:52:44.26\00:52:46.49
If I die nothing different
will happen to the world.
00:52:46.53\00:52:50.70
Nobody, even hears.
00:52:50.73\00:52:52.53
You see as an individual,
my life is pointless.
00:52:56.47\00:52:59.27
Since the time I've
been listening to you,
00:52:59.31\00:53:00.64
I'm not claiming that
I became a true believer.
00:53:00.68\00:53:02.41
On the other
hand, I understand that
00:53:02.44\00:53:03.78
sometimes we
shouldn't live for our own sake,
00:53:03.81\00:53:05.15
but for the others.
00:53:05.18\00:53:06.51
I've been donating my blood,
00:53:06.55\00:53:07.88
as I listen to your
sermons of addiction series.
00:53:07.92\00:53:09.68
It is good to listen to you.
00:53:09.72\00:53:11.05
I got to say that
some of the verses
00:53:11.09\00:53:12.42
you read from the Bible
are the same in the Quran."
00:53:12.45\00:53:15.49
And there are those
who are trying to stir up
00:53:15.52\00:53:17.53
a controversy by saying,
00:53:17.56\00:53:18.89
"Oh, no, the Holy
Books do not agree."
00:53:18.93\00:53:22.13
In critical places,
here's a Muslim saying,
00:53:22.16\00:53:24.37
"I find it they're very alike.
00:53:24.40\00:53:27.44
I'm working on a western novel
00:53:27.47\00:53:29.70
and may be
published in quite a while.
00:53:29.74\00:53:31.61
I teach English,
00:53:31.64\00:53:32.97
I try to live not for
myself, to help others,
00:53:33.01\00:53:34.34
even that help would
be listening to my friends
00:53:34.38\00:53:36.41
with the people's
complaints about life.
00:53:36.44\00:53:38.21
Teach me more Dr. Nelson,
preach me, I'm all ears."
00:53:38.25\00:53:44.05
How many are in the world.
00:53:44.09\00:53:45.89
How many in this
postmodern millennial society
00:53:45.92\00:53:50.26
are there who say,
00:53:50.29\00:53:54.83
"The Maker of all
things loves and wants me."
00:53:54.86\00:53:57.90
I wish it were true.
00:53:57.93\00:53:59.97
I really wish it were true.
00:54:00.00\00:54:04.91
Oh God, people turn to books.
00:54:04.94\00:54:08.98
They crave the thought,
00:54:09.01\00:54:10.78
the Maker of all
things loves and wants me.
00:54:10.81\00:54:15.02
They don't
know, there's a maker,
00:54:15.05\00:54:18.22
it's just something inside
of them that wells up and--
00:54:18.25\00:54:22.42
Oh, Father, we have
to tell them the truth,
00:54:22.46\00:54:24.39
we've got to get to them soon.
00:54:24.43\00:54:25.93
We can't wait,
00:54:25.96\00:54:28.20
and so we humbly pray
like this young man in Iran,
00:54:28.23\00:54:33.37
whatever country on
earth they're in now,
00:54:33.40\00:54:35.24
just hold them,
keep them, preserve them,
00:54:35.27\00:54:37.64
and when the word goes out,
that hope trending is coming.
00:54:37.67\00:54:43.11
You, it's for you.
00:54:43.14\00:54:44.71
You raise up a generation
within this generation
00:54:44.75\00:54:49.25
of people who know now for sure,
00:54:49.28\00:54:51.32
the Maker of all
things loves me and wants me.
00:54:51.35\00:54:54.22
And I will give my life to Him,
00:54:54.26\00:54:55.59
and I will serve Him
00:54:55.62\00:54:56.96
until He comes.
00:54:56.99\00:54:58.33
May that be true of our hearts.
00:54:58.36\00:54:59.73
Take these, these
volunteer decisions,
00:54:59.76\00:55:02.36
this prayer list, take it all.
00:55:02.40\00:55:05.37
Seal it and set us loose.
00:55:05.40\00:55:10.54
For this mission
Christ has called us too,
00:55:10.57\00:55:12.51
we pray in Jesus' name.
00:55:12.54\00:55:14.34
The love of God is greater far
00:55:28.16\00:55:33.70
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
00:55:33.73\00:55:39.53
It goes beyond the highest star
00:55:39.57\00:55:45.17
And reaches to the lowest hell
00:55:45.21\00:55:50.91
The guilty pair,
bowed down with care
00:55:50.95\00:55:57.42
God gave His Son to win
00:55:57.45\00:56:02.86
His erring child He reconciled
00:56:02.89\00:56:09.10
And pardoned from his sin
00:56:09.13\00:56:14.97
O love of God,
how rich and pure!
00:56:15.00\00:56:21.34
How measureless and strong!
00:56:21.38\00:56:26.95
It shall forevermore endure
00:56:26.98\00:56:33.62
The saints' and angels' song
00:56:33.66\00:56:39.03
And now may the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:56:44.93\00:56:48.64
and the love of God,
00:56:48.67\00:56:51.04
and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit
00:56:51.07\00:56:52.74
be with you all.
00:56:52.77\00:56:55.21
Amen.
00:56:55.24\00:56:56.75
May I take an
extra moment with you
00:56:58.81\00:57:00.15
and let you know
how grateful I am
00:57:00.18\00:57:01.68
that you joined us
and worshiped today.
00:57:01.72\00:57:03.85
I have some viewers
like you across the nation
00:57:03.89\00:57:05.95
and literally around the world
00:57:05.99\00:57:07.49
and I'm thankful.
00:57:07.52\00:57:08.86
If you would like
to explore further
00:57:08.89\00:57:10.23
what we've just shared,
00:57:10.26\00:57:11.59
I hope you will
visit us at our website.
00:57:11.63\00:57:12.96
It's an easy one to remember
00:57:12.99\00:57:14.33
www.pmchurch.tv.
00:57:14.36\00:57:18.17
We are the
Pioneer Memorial Church
00:57:18.20\00:57:20.17
here on the campus
of Andrews University.
00:57:20.20\00:57:21.97
So that's www.pmchurch.tv.
00:57:22.00\00:57:25.81
Click on to that website
00:57:25.84\00:57:27.18
and you will be
able to listen to
00:57:27.21\00:57:28.54
a podcast of this material,
00:57:28.58\00:57:29.91
you can download
the presentation,
00:57:29.94\00:57:31.28
you can print
off the study guide,
00:57:31.31\00:57:32.65
you may have a special
prayer need that you wish
00:57:32.68\00:57:34.18
to share with
our prayer partners
00:57:34.22\00:57:36.08
or you may wish
to partner with us
00:57:36.12\00:57:37.45
through a personal donation
to help reach this generation
00:57:37.49\00:57:40.39
with the
everlasting good news of Christ.
00:57:40.42\00:57:43.09
If you rather talk with someone,
00:57:43.12\00:57:44.59
call one of our
friendly operators.
00:57:44.63\00:57:46.46
Here's the toll free number 877
00:57:46.49\00:57:48.73
and then the two words
HIS-WILL, 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:48.76\00:57:52.90
In the meantime,
00:57:52.93\00:57:54.27
may the grace and peace of Jesus
00:57:54.30\00:57:55.64
be yours every step
of this adventurous way.
00:57:55.67\00:57:59.17