Participants: Pr. Dwight K Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP030108
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00:35 Stand with us as we sing "To God be the glory."
00:47 To God be the glory 00:50 Great things He hath done 00:53 So loved He the world that He gave us His Son 01:00 Who yielded His life an atonement for sin 01:06 And opened the life gate that all may go in 01:13 Praise the Lord 01:15 Praise the Lord 01:16 Let the earth hear His voice 01:20 Praise the Lord 01:21 Praise the Lord 01:23 Let the people rejoice 01:26 O come to the Father 01:29 Through Jesus the Son 01:32 And give Him the glory 01:36 Great things He hath done 01:41 Great things He hath taught us 01:44 great things He hath done 01:47 And great our rejoicing thru Jesus the Son 01:54 But purer and higher 01:57 And greater will be 02:00 Our wonder, our transport, 02:04 when Jesus we see 02:07 Praise the Lord 02:09 Praise the Lord 02:10 Let the earth hear His voice 02:14 Praise the Lord 02:15 Praise the Lord 02:17 Let the people rejoice 02:20 O come to the Father 02:24 Through Jesus the Son 02:27 And give Him the glory 02:30 Great things He hath done. 02:39 Amen, you may be seated. 02:45 The Psalm says 02:46 I will sing the Lord's unfailing love forever. 02:50 Young and old will hear here of Your faithfulness. 02:54 Your unfailing love will last forever. 02:57 Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens. 03:01 As we sing this morning may you be transported 03:05 into the presence of our Holy King and Savior, Jesus. 03:12 Open the eyes of my heart, Lord 03:17 Open the eyes of my heart 03:20 I want to see You 03:24 I want to see You 03:29 Open the eyes 03:30 Open the eyes of my heart, Lord 03:34 Open the eyes of my heart 03:38 I want to see You 03:42 I want to see You 03:45 To see You high and lifted up 03:47 To see You high and lifted up 03:52 Shining in the light of Your glory 03:57 Pour out Your power and love 04:00 As we sing holy, holy, holy 04:06 High and lifted up 04:10 Shining in the light of Your glory 04:15 Pour out Your power and love 04:18 As we sing holy, holy, holy 04:26 Holy, holy, holy 04:30 Holy, holy, holy 04:35 Holy, holy, holy 04:38 I want to see you. 04:44 Holy, holy, holy 04:49 Holy, holy, holy 04:53 Holy, holy, holy 04:57 I want to see you. 05:13 Sing with us "Light of the World." 05:18 Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness 05:25 Opened my eyes, let me see 05:31 Beauty that made this heart adore You 05:38 Hope of my life spent with You. 05:46 Here I am to worship 05:50 Here I am to bow down 05:53 Here I am to say that 05:56 You're my God. 05:59 You're altogether lovely 06:03 Altogether worthy 06:06 Altogether wonderful to me 06:15 King of all days 06:17 King of all days 06:19 Oh, so highly exalted 06:23 Glorious in heaven above 06:30 Humbly, You came to the earth You created 06:36 All for love's sake became poor 06:45 Here I am to worship 06:48 Here I am to bow down 06:51 Here I am to say that 06:55 You're my God 06:58 You're altogether lovely 07:01 Altogether worthy 07:05 Altogether wonderful to me 07:15 And I'll never know how much it cost 07:22 To see my sin upon that cross 07:29 I'll never know how much it cost 07:35 To see my sin upon that cross 07:42 I'll never know how much it cost 07:48 To see my sin upon that cross 07:55 I'll never know how much it cost 08:01 To see my sin upon that cross 08:14 Here I am to worship 08:18 Here I am to bow down 08:21 Here I am to say that 08:25 You're my God 08:27 You're altogether lovely 08:31 Altogether worthy 08:34 Altogether wonderful to me 08:40 Here I am to worship. 08:41 Here I am to worship 08:44 Here I am to bow down 08:48 Here I am to say that 08:51 You're my God 08:54 You're altogether lovely 08:58 Altogether worthy 09:01 Altogether wonderful to me 09:10 Let sing, "I'll Never Know." 09:12 I'll never know 09:15 How much it cost 09:19 To see my sin upon that cross 09:26 I'll never know 09:29 How much it cost 09:33 To see my sin upon that cross 09:44 To Father in heaven, Lord, 09:47 and we have sensed 09:48 Your presence here already in a mighty way. 09:52 And Lord, we can never know, 09:56 how much it cost You to sacrifice Your life for us, 10:02 but we accept it willingly, we'll take it 10:07 and we praise you for that sacrifice that you made. 10:10 Lord give us eyes and hearts to receive 10:14 that abundance of grace that You have for us. 10:18 Amen. 10:47 Be Thou my Vision 10:51 O Lord of my heart 10:57 Naught be all else to me 11:03 Save that Thou art 11:08 Thou my best thought 11:12 By day or by night 11:19 Waking or sleeping 11:23 Thy presence my light 11:33 Be Thou my Wisdom. 11:37 Be Thou my Wisdom 11:41 Be Thou my true Word 11:47 I ever with Thee 11:52 Thou with me, Lord 11:57 Thou my great Father 12:03 I Thy true son 12:08 Thou in me dwelling 12:12 And I with Thee one 12:25 Riches, I heed not 12:30 Nor man's empty praise 12:36 Thou my inheritance 12:41 Now and always 12:46 Thou and Thou only 12:51 First in my heart 12:56 High King of Heaven 13:00 My Treasure Thou art 13:14 High King of Heaven 13:19 When victory is won 13:24 May I reach Heaven's joys 13:29 O bright Heaven's Sun 13:35 Heart of my own heart 13:39 Whatever befall 13:45 Still be my vision 13:50 O ruler of all 13:57 Still be my vision 14:02 O ruler of all 14:20 We tried this song last week and well, 14:23 we would like to try it again 14:24 so we can kind of get into our memory. 14:26 It talks about how God is a God 14:30 who deserves our quietness, our stillness 14:35 and sometimes we just need to be still 14:37 and know that He is God. 14:46 Sing with us, "Hide me now." 14:49 Hide me now 14:55 Under your wings 15:03 Cover me 15:09 Within your mighty hand 15:16 Struggle in it 15:17 Hide me now 15:24 Under your wings 15:32 Cover me 15:38 Within your mighty hand 15:44 When the oceans rise and thunders roar 15:51 I will soar with you above the storm 15:58 Father, You are King over the flood 16:05 I will be still 16:08 Know You are God 16:20 Find rest my soul in Christ alone. 16:24 Find rest my soul 16:31 In Christ alone 16:38 Know His power 16:44 In quietness and trust 16:50 When the oceans rise and thunders roar 16:57 I will soar with you above the storm 17:04 Father, You are King over the flood 17:11 I will be still 17:14 Know You are God 17:18 When the oceans rise and thunders roar 17:25 I will soar with you above the storm 17:31 Father, You are King over the flood 17:38 I will be still 17:41 Know You are God 17:46 I will be still 17:48 Know You are God 18:32 Gloria, Gloria 18:37 Gloria, Gloria 18:41 In excelsis Deo 18:49 In excelsis Deo 18:57 Gloria, Gloria 19:01 Gloria, Gloria 19:06 In Excelsis Deo 19:17 Gloria, Gloria 19:22 In excelsis 19:39 Deo 19:43 Gloria in excelsis Deo 19:48 Gloria in excelsis 19:52 Deo 19:56 Gloria in excelsis 19:59 Deo 20:11 In Excelsis 20:17 Deo 20:22 Gloria in excelsis Deo 20:40 Holy Father, we want to sing that in our souls 20:43 even as the choir has sung it for us. 20:49 Glory to You in highest. 20:54 I cannot imagine what it would be like 20:57 when this Holy Scripture says, 20:58 from one Sabbath to the next, 21:02 and the earth made new we shall gather at Your feet 21:06 and with the thousands times than ten thousands 21:12 and thousands of thousands 21:16 we lift up our voices together, what? 21:19 What? 21:20 A moment that will be, we sing by faith, glory to you. 21:27 We wait by faith on You now that Holy Scripture 21:29 might not only engage our minds 21:32 but that it might address our hearts 21:33 that we might know, how to follow Jesus? 21:38 We pray in his name. 21:40 Amen. 21:43 The case of Dr. Eck... 21:47 I wish we could put the face of Dr. Eck 21:50 on the screen for you today. 21:54 I know if at least three sketches and paintings of him 21:58 and they are all contrary to each other, 22:00 so there are no help at all. 22:01 Fortunately, however we an eyewitness, 22:04 we have an eyewitness description of Dr. Eck, 22:08 on that June 27th day, 1519 at the University of Leipzig. 22:15 Actually, not only an eyewitness 22:17 of description of Dr. Eck, 22:18 he also-- this eyewitness describes the protagonist 22:22 in that 18-day debate, 22:25 a fellow German Martin Luther 22:27 and his sidekick Andreas Karlstadt. 22:31 So here is-- as I was reading 22:33 this eyewitness description of these three main players 22:39 in that memorable debate. 22:42 I kept thinking who am I thinking 22:44 of when this description 22:47 is applied to our congregation here. 22:49 You may think of somebody 22:50 that would fit these three descriptions, 22:52 now the eyewitness starts off with the Luther, 22:54 Martin he goes, "Martin is a middle height," 23:00 500 years ago people were shorter obviously 23:01 then they are today, so if this is a kind of average 23:05 then middle would be right here, 23:07 obviously not a very tall man, 23:08 "Martin is a middle height initiative from Karen Study 23:12 so that you can almost count his bones through his skin." 23:16 Seen anybody around you, like that? 23:18 "Almost count his bones through his skin. 23:20 He is in the vigor manhood 23:21 and has a clear penetrating voice, 23:24 he is affable and friendly 23:25 and in no sense dower or arrogant." 23:29 Kind of sounds like a friendly person to get to know 23:31 so that's Martin, that's Martin Luther. 23:34 Now here his sidekick Andreas Karlstadt, 23:37 "Karlstadt is smaller than Luther 23:39 with a complexion of smoke haring." 23:43 You know, I am not sure, is that a complement? 23:44 Smoke hairy, huh? 23:46 Anybody here you see? 23:48 No, smoked haring, mercy. 23:52 "Karlstadt is smaller than Luther 23:53 with a complexion of smoke haring, 23:54 his voice is thick and unpleasant, 23:56 he is slower of memory and quicker in anger." 23:59 All right that's two of the three, 24:01 now, Dr. Eck, here we go Eck. 24:06 "Eck is a heavy square set fellow 24:08 with a full German voice supported by a hefty chest," 24:13 you can picture can't you? 24:15 "He would make a tragedian that would be"-- 24:18 that is an actor in a great tragedies 24:20 that so that's a guy-- no PA is backed in 24:22 so he bellowing the lines out from the stage. 24:25 "He would make a tragedian or a town crier 24:28 but his voice is rather rough then clear," 24:30 so it's kind of a gravelling 24:31 you know gravelly kind of voice. 24:34 "His eyes and mouth and his whole face remind 24:37 one more of a butcher than a theologian." 24:40 And you are already picturing somebody. 24:43 But don't let the robust physique of Dr. Eck fool you. 24:48 One biographer describe him this way, 24:50 "despite his butchers face and bull's voice, 24:53 he was a man prodigious memory, 24:55 torrential fluency, and uncanny acumen, 24:59 a professional disputant or debater." 25:02 This is a guy that loves to get that microphone 25:06 and plunge into a debate. 25:08 And now the fame debate between, 25:09 Dr. Eck and Martin Luther, 25:10 the summer of 1519 at the University of Leipzig. 25:14 Now you remember two years earlier October, 31, 1517, 25:18 that young German Mark in his early to mid 30s unwittingly, 25:25 you remember ignited, 25:27 the mighty Protestant Reformation when he nailed up 25:30 on the University Cathedrals wooden doors. 25:32 He nailed up his 95 challenges to Rome sale of indulgences. 25:37 Now indulgences back then were, if you pay a little money, 25:40 you could shorten your time in purgatory, 25:42 you could shorten your mother's time or father's time 25:44 or were some loved one, all right. 25:47 So when Eck, your honest Eck, 25:49 when he finally gets a hold of these 95 theses, 25:52 these 95 challenges, he is a loyal son of the church 25:56 and he is a debater to the core and he says, 25:58 "bring on, that fellow German monk" 26:02 and Luther agrees actually, Eck went for Karlstadt first, 26:05 but he said-- his I was on Luther, 26:07 Luther agreed and the University of Leipzig 26:09 also agreed that they would host a debate. 26:12 So everything is set now 26:15 for this brilliant piece of logic that, 26:18 Eck has reserved for unsuspecting, Luther. 26:20 Luther has no idea it is gonna come. 26:23 And Luther the way faithful Roman Catholic himself 26:25 a Roman Catholic pastor and professor, 26:27 he has more and more off late been taking an anti Rome stance 26:31 in his teaching and preaching. 26:33 And now seven days into the debate, 26:35 can you imagine going for 18 days? 26:37 One week into that debate, Luther finally challenges, 26:42 he says, "look-- he challenges 26:44 the pope's divine right to primacy" 26:46 and he says, "look, whether you got one pope 26:48 or ten pope or a thousand pope's, 26:50 it doesn't matter we still got unity in the church" 26:53 to which, Eck fires back, 26:56 "I am marveled, that the reverend father 26:59 should forget the everlasting dissension 27:01 of the English and the French. 27:02 What do you mean we got unity in the church? 27:03 You got the French and the English, 27:05 the inviter hatred of the French for the Spaniards 27:09 "as for me I confess one faith, 27:14 one Lord Jesus Christ, 27:16 and I venerate the Roman pontiff as Christ Vicar." 27:23 In fact, Eck went on to hone his argument for the kill. 27:26 He said, "you know what, Martin? 27:28 You obviously are disciple of the Bohemian, Jan Huss." 27:33 And if you defend his writings then you are heretical, 27:36 erroneous, blasphemous, presumptuous, seditious, 27:38 and offensive to pious ears respectively. 27:42 Tell us how you really fell, Dr. Eck? 27:45 To which Luther fires back, 27:47 cries out word now hear the word, 27:49 here we go-- here is where we're going for this line. 27:51 He's throwing down the gantlet now. 27:53 Luther cries out "let me talk in German." 27:55 Apparently they're debating in Latin. 27:57 He said, let me-- let me-- because there is this gallery. 28:00 Let me speak the language to the people, 28:02 I'm being misunderstood by the people. 28:03 I assert, Luther declared that a church council 28:06 has sometimes heard and may sometimes are, 28:09 a council cannot make divine 28:11 right out of that which by nature is not divine right. 28:13 Councils have contradicted each other 28:15 a simple laymen here, he goes, 28:17 a simple laymen armed with scriptures to be-- 28:20 be believed above a pope or a council without it, 28:23 and asked for the pope's decretal on indulgences, 28:26 I say that "neither the church nor the pope 28:28 can establish articles of faith. 28:31 These must come from scripture" 28:33 and now here is his thrust "for the sake of scripture 28:36 we should reject pope and councils." 28:43 And there it was Luther's ringing challenge 28:46 to the Church of Rome. 28:47 All truth, all truth, must come sola scriptura, 28:54 Holy Scriptures only, 28:55 for that how do you put it here for the sake of scripture 28:58 we should reject pope and councils 29:00 and so it was ladies and gentlemen 29:01 that sola scriptura became our battle cry 29:07 of the mighty Protestant Reformation 29:09 and it becomes the first line by the way 29:10 that we want to scribble down in our study guide this morning 29:13 and so would you take your study out 29:14 in your worship bulletin. 29:16 Pull it out first line, get it down, 29:18 if you didn't get a study guide, 29:19 ushers, thank you right now. 29:21 Hold your hands up there's some quotations here 29:23 that you want to-- 29:25 you want to make sure to add to your-- your collection, 29:27 so make sure you get the study guide, 29:29 all the way up in the balcony those of you in the orchestra 29:32 and choir we put study guides on your chairs 29:34 grab that study guide right now, 29:36 and while the ushers are getting the study guides out, 29:38 let me say it to those of you 29:39 who are joining us on television, 29:41 we're honored to have you. 29:42 I hope this teaching will stir you up, 29:44 you get the same study guide we have, 29:46 let me put the website on the screen for you 29:48 go to this website www.pmchurch.tv. 29:53 You're looking for our series, The Sabbath. 29:54 This is the next to the last piece in The Sabbath 29:57 that all concludes next weekend. 29:59 You're looking for The Sabbath 30:00 title this teaching "The Case of Dr. Eck." 30:04 And when it's-- when it says study guide beside 30:06 "The Case of Dr. Eck" you click there, 30:07 you have the identical study guide and by the way, 30:09 those of you who are getting it off the web 30:12 the answer is in very small print are on the bottom. 30:14 So don't feel bad, if you miss something along the way, 30:16 you'll be able to double check yourself 30:19 at the end of that study guide. 30:20 All right, let's write it down, 30:21 line number one study guide all the way 30:23 that balcony you've got them up there? 30:25 Be patient, the ushers are coming to you, 30:27 but we need to go line number one, 30:29 the heart of the Leipzig debate July 1519 30:33 between Johannes Eck and Martin Luther 30:35 was over sola scriptura "only Holy Scripture," 30:40 as the great Protestant principal in premise, 30:44 only Holy Scripture. 30:46 Now, Eck has a position. 30:47 Jot it down, Eck championed the authority and primacy 30:50 of the church through councils and popes, 30:53 these are his words, we heard a moment ago, 30:55 "I venerate the Roman pontiff as Christ's vicar." 30:58 All right, that's exposition and here comes 31:01 Luke's-- Luther's rather. 31:02 Luther defended the authority and primacy of the scriptures 31:06 through study and prayer for the sake of scripture. 31:10 Luther, write out we should reject pope and councils. 31:14 One more line, "Thus the die was cast 31:16 and the gauntlet thrown down 31:17 sola scriptura versus church tradition." 31:21 That's the key, that's this big debate. 31:24 Scriptures only or scriptures plus church tradition. 31:28 That's-- that's the-- that's the nub, 31:31 which one carries a greater authority, 31:32 who won that debate? 31:33 It all depends on who you rooting for. 31:36 But it was in the on going written debate, 31:38 now listen to this guys, 31:39 in the ongoing written debate beyond Leipzig that, 31:42 Dr. Eck score perhaps is most-- 31:44 his most telling logical thrust at Luther. 31:48 As far as I know, we do not have a response from, 31:52 Luther on this one and I'm not surprised 31:54 there is no adequate logical response to Eck's thrust. 32:00 Now, Eck actually include this in a, 32:02 in a book he published it's entitled-- 32:06 you have it right there in your study guide. 32:08 Stunning rebuttal to sola scriptura, 32:11 fill it in, this is Eck writing now, 32:13 "If however the church," 32:15 the Roman Church "has had power to change 32:19 the Sabbath of the Bible into Sunday 32:23 and to command Sunday keeping 32:24 why should it not have this power 32:26 concerning other holy days?" 32:28 Because the reformers saying "hey, wait a minute no more-- 32:29 no more holy feast, we don't have those anymore" 32:32 and, Eck said, "hey, wait a minute, 32:33 come on guy's, please, 32:35 we change that Sabbath to Sunday, 32:37 why should we be able to have the powerful holy days. 32:39 Now notice the logic, "if you omit the latter, 32:42 you don't want the liturgical holy days 32:45 and you turn from the church to the scriptures alone, 32:48 sola scriptura, then you must keep the Sabbath with the Jews, 32:53 which has been kept from the be beginning of the world." 32:57 Cha-Chaing, huh? 33:02 Do you get that one? 33:05 Mercy, in other words, 33:11 you Protestants cannot have your cake, 33:14 I need it too, can't do it. 33:18 You say, you believe, Dr. Eck challenges, 33:20 you say, you believe in sola scriptura, 33:22 the Holy Scriptures only but if you really believe 33:24 that you would be worshipping 33:26 on the Seventh-day Sabbath, why? 33:27 Because everybody knows that 33:28 that is the only day postulated in Holy Scripture. 33:33 So I repeat, Dr. Eck just drives that thrust home, 33:37 I repeat if sola scriptura, jot this down will you? 33:44 "If sola scriptura is your reformation cry, 33:47 you must return to the Bible Sabbath or" 33:50 and his logic is searing here, 33:52 "or you must reject sola scriptura 33:55 and accept Rome's claim to determine divine truth, 33:58 evidenced by her power to change the Sabbath to Sunday." 34:03 You got two choices boys, which will it be? 34:09 Because even in the time of Luther and Eck, 34:11 everybody knew that Rome claimed 34:13 to have change the day of worship 34:14 from Sabbath to Sunday. 34:16 I'll tell you what ladies and gentlemen, 34:17 it was brilliant. 34:19 It was a double bind, double thrust piece of logic 34:24 for which neither Luther nor any Protestant today 34:28 has offered an adequate response. 34:34 In other words, Eck was right. 34:37 You can have your cake and eat it too. 34:38 You must either accept the Seventh-day Sabbath 34:40 of the Bible or you must accept the authority 34:42 of the Church of Rome, 34:43 which claims to have changed the day 34:44 of worship to the day of the Sun, 34:45 the venerated day in the Sun. 34:49 There's no other authoritative stance 34:52 or reason for keeping Sunday, save the authority of Rome. 34:57 That is Eck's logic, in "The Case of Dr. Eck." 35:06 And by the way if Eck is right, 35:08 then you might as well throw the Protestant principal 35:10 of sola scriptura out the window, 35:13 it will not hold water. 35:17 There is one another bit of fascinating history 35:18 that I never knew before. 35:21 A few weeks ago, the first time I ever heard of this one, 35:24 you remember that in response to the Protestant Reformation, 35:27 the Church of Rome convened a major church council. 35:31 Well, this isn't a surprise, 35:32 everybody knows about that the Council of Trent, 35:35 it was convened in March of 1545 35:38 and preceded with interruptions until 1564 almost 20 years. 35:43 Now here's the part, it was a surprise to me 35:45 and this may be a surprise to you as well, 35:47 it turns out that in the debate of the Council of Trent 35:50 and they're wondering how shall we meet the challenge 35:52 of the Protestant Reformation? 35:54 It turns out that in that debate 35:56 there was a large group of influential churchmen 35:59 at the council who began to advocate 36:01 that the Church of Rome ought to abandon this idea 36:04 of tradition plus scripture 36:06 and in fact embraced the Reformation's 36:09 premise sola scriptura. 36:12 They are championing it within the Church of Rome, 36:15 to the place they finally the papal legates 36:18 write back to the Vatican and they say, 36:19 "we are gridlocked, 36:20 and it looks like they're going to carry the day." 36:25 Sixteen sessions of the Council of Trent have ended 36:31 and it is clear now that they are still at loggerheads 36:34 on this question when on the beginning 36:36 of the 17th session held on January 18th, 1552, 36:39 the Archbishop of Reggio Gaspar del Fosso 36:44 stood up and made a speech that ended up carrying the day 36:48 and here's his speech, 36:49 in fact you have a portion of his speech 36:51 in your study guide, I want you to-- 36:52 I want you to hang onto this little speech, 36:54 you hang on to it. 36:56 The Archbishop of Reggio 36:58 stood before the assembled Council 37:00 and he made this statement, 37:03 such-- you see there in the study guide? 37:05 "Such is the condition of the heretics." 37:07 He is talking about the Protestant Reformance, 37:09 "such is the condition of the heretics today 37:11 that they appeal to no other matter 37:13 more than that they under the pretense 37:15 of the Word of God, 37:16 overthrow the Roman Church" what he's saying is innocent, 37:19 you know what they're doing they're saying, 37:20 "it's the Bible and the Bible alone." 37:22 That's how they throughout this whole church thing. 37:24 But I want to tell you, 37:25 he goes on now, now look notice. 37:27 "Yet the authority of the Church 37:29 is most gloriously set forth by the scriptures 37:32 for a while on the one hand the church 37:36 she recommends them the scriptures" 37:38 now watch this "on the other hand 37:40 the legal precepts of the Lord contained in them 37:44 that would be the law. 37:45 Those precepts have ceased 37:47 by virtue of the same authority. 37:49 We declare that it no longer 37:51 holds the legal precepts of God." 37:54 Now gentleman, and he's making his point, 37:56 let me give you a case in point. 37:58 "The Sabbath" jot that in please 38:00 "the Sabbath" now here's his illustration 38:03 "the Sabbath, the most glorious day in the law 38:05 has been changed to the Lord's Day 38:08 by virtue of the authority of the Church. 38:10 Should this authority cease 38:11 which will surely please heretics, 38:13 who would then witness for truth 38:15 and confound the obstinacy of the heretics? 38:19 Now do you get what he's saying? 38:20 Let me run it by you one more time, 38:22 you have it there, it'll take awhile its old English, 38:24 you'll-- you'll have to kind a brood over later. 38:27 Let me run it by you one more time, 38:29 i.e., -- here is what del Fosso is saying, 38:32 "i.e., if we as a church choose sola scriptura, 38:37 we will lose our authority as the ruling church. 38:42 Therefore, we must reject sola scriptura 38:44 in favor of tradition that grants us our authority, 38:48 authority proven by the way by the fact 38:50 that we change the Sabbath to Sunday." 38:52 We can't go down that road gentleman, 38:55 and the speech carried the day. 39:01 And he did it brilliantly just as, 39:03 Dr. Eck had done earlier by appealing 39:06 to Rome's change of the Sabbath to Sunday as the reason 39:08 why the tradition of the Church Council imposed, 39:11 couldn't be and should be elevated above Holy Scripture. 39:14 Ladies and gentlemen, some of you are into law, 39:16 we have some lawyers here it's called circular reasoning. 39:19 And it goes like this, 39:21 the proof that we have the power 39:23 and authority to change the scripture 39:25 is that we change the scripture. 39:31 You can argue that forever, its circular reasoning. 39:35 But it carried the day, jot it down, 39:36 "at the council of Trent sola scriptura 39:39 was finally and officially 39:40 superseded by church tradition." 39:45 Because there's no other authoritative reason 39:47 for keeping Sunday except 39:48 for the authority of the Roman Church, 39:49 that you-- you can go anywhere. 39:51 You said, what about the New Testament. 39:53 Let me tell you something, jot this down, 39:54 there are eight references in the New Testament 39:56 to the first day the week. 39:57 Only eight of them, six of those references, 39:59 jot it down please, "six of those references 40:02 have to do with a glorious resurrection of the Lord, 40:04 Jesus Christ on the first day of the week." 40:06 No contest there, everybody knew that. 40:08 One of them, Acts 20:7 has to do, 40:11 and jot this down please, 40:12 it actually is "describing a Saturday night meeting 40:15 because Saturday night 40:17 is a dark part in the first day," 40:18 which would be Sunday. 40:19 "A Saturday night gathering 40:20 of Christians with Paul in Troas." 40:22 In fact, the New English Bible comes along 40:23 and translates Acts 20:7, as Saturday night. 40:27 No, no contest there, that leaves only one, 40:30 the final of the eight, 40:32 it's when Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 16:1 40:35 he writes to the Christians in court 40:36 and then he says, "hey, listen guys, 40:38 I want to take financial stock every first day of the new week 40:41 in order to set money aside at home," 40:44 put it by you at home, it doesn't go to church, 40:46 it says, "put it by you at home 40:47 for famine relief aid for Christians in Jerusalem," 40:51 keep your pen moving, 40:52 "not one of these eight even remotely suggests 40:55 God changed his mind and his Seventh-day Sabbath," 40:58 it's just not there. 41:00 Let it be repeated, the only remaining reason 41:03 for keeping Sunday instead of Sabbath 41:05 is to accept the authority claimed by the Roman Church. 41:10 That was the case of Dr. Eck, and the rest is history. 41:18 A history that Jesus surely was not unmindful of, 41:22 when He uttered the sternest renunciation 41:25 and condemnation of tradition 41:27 anywhere in the sacred literature. 41:30 Now, we open the Bible, I want you to take a look at 41:32 the gospel of Saint Mark, take a look at this, 41:37 it is almost as if Jesus spoke these words 41:39 after the Council of Trent decision. 41:42 The gospel of Mark, Mark 7, if you didn't bring the Bible, 41:45 grab the pew Bible in front of you, 41:46 it will be page 678, in that pew Bible Mark 7. 41:51 I'm gonna read the first three verses here, 41:53 Mark 7, Mark 7:1 "Then the Pharisees 41:59 and some of the scribes came together" 42:01 these are the religiously, all right. 42:03 These are the professionals, "some of those Pharisees 42:08 and some of the scribes came together 42:09 to Jesus, having come from Jerusalem." 42:11 He was up in Galilee. 42:12 Now verse 2, "When they saw 42:14 some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, 42:16 that is, unwashed hands," "they found fault." 42:22 Verse 3 "For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat 42:26 unless they wash their hands in a special way, 42:30 holding the tradition of the elders." 42:34 Now put a quotation in your study guide 42:36 from the Bible Commentary, take a look at this, 42:38 so don't take my word for it, here's a reputable commentary. 42:42 Let me just read that quotation with you, 42:43 "The washing here referred to was strictly ritualistic" 42:46 write it down "not sanitary," this is not the kind of washing 42:49 when you were a kid and you came in at supper time 42:51 and your mom says, "show me your hands. 42:52 Did you wash your hand?" "I wash my hands." 42:53 "Show me your hands, let me see. 42:55 Because you didn't wash-- did you use soap?" 42:57 "No." 42:58 "Did you use water?" "No." 42:59 "What did you do?" "Wipe it on a towel?" 43:00 "Yep." "Go back." 43:02 Come on, you remember your Mom doing that? 43:04 "Let me see those hands again boy." 43:07 This is not sanitary watch-- washing, 43:09 the washing here referred 43:10 to a strictly ritualistic, not sanitary. 43:13 Now watch this, "this right is said 43:16 to have consisted of pouring a small amount of-- 43:19 small quantity of water up on the fingers 43:22 and palm of first one hand and then the other hand tilted 43:27 so that the water ran from the Palm 43:29 to the wrist but no further." 43:31 So you get just as little bit of water 43:33 and you get a movement in your hand, 43:34 so it's kind of clumsy 43:36 and you roll it up to your wrists. 43:37 You can't let it go down your arm, 43:39 you have to stop it, and you cannot, 43:41 as a quotation goes on to say, 43:42 you cannot let it go back into the palm 43:44 because that ruins the whole ritual. 43:45 So you have to get that water just bounce it up on your wrist 43:48 and then quickly turn your palms over 43:49 and wipe your hands 43:50 and then you have ritually washed. 43:54 How much water should we use? 43:56 Well, that's a great question, 43:57 read on here "the minimum amount of water 43:59 prescribed was that which would be contained 44:01 in one and a half egg shells." 44:04 That's how much water to use. 44:06 "It seems however I thought this was"-- 44:08 listen to this "it seems, however, 44:10 that where water was not available 44:12 a dry ablution was permitted 44:15 in which a person would simply go through 44:17 the motions of washing his hands 44:18 in the prescribed manner." 44:20 There's no water here, what are you doing? 44:22 I don't know, I'm just doing it, 44:23 there is no water-- what do you think I washed? 44:24 Yes, I'm. I'm doing this. 44:26 What's going on ladies and gentlemen? 44:27 You know what's going on? 44:28 This little ritual has been created 44:30 so that those who imbibe in it are declared 44:33 all those who are watching-- washing, I-- 44:36 I have found a measure of holiness in my life. 44:40 No water at all, no, I'm just pretending, 44:44 but, but I have the motions. 44:51 Is there a place in Holy Scripture 44:53 where God prescribes washing like that? 44:56 Absolutely not. What's happened? 44:58 It's the oral tradition of the elders. 45:01 In massive body oral rabbinical regulations 45:03 that have grown up around the Tara, 45:04 in some cases the oral tradition 45:06 came to be regarded as more sacred than the law itself. 45:11 And Christ is with fury, 45:15 attacking the traditions of that religious community. 45:22 And so the Pharisees come to him 45:23 and look drop to verse 5 45:24 "Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, 45:26 "Why do Your disciples not walk 45:28 according to the tradition of the elders, 45:29 but eat bread with unwashed hands?'" 45:31 and here it come Jesus answered 45:33 the sternest words He has spoken about 45:34 tradition in all scripture He answered and said to them, 45:38 "Well, did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, 45:41 as it is written, This people honors Me 45:43 with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 45:46 And in vain they worship Me, 45:48 Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." 45:51 Almost as if He were speaking the words, 45:53 after the Council of Trent verse 8 45:55 "For laying aside the commandment of God, 45:58 you hold the tradition of men 45:59 the washing of pitchers and cups, 46:00 and many other such things that you do." 46:03 He said, verse 9 "He said to them, 46:05 'All too well you reject the commandment of God, 46:09 that you may keep your tradition.' 46:14 " Jot it down, ladies and gentlemen, 46:15 shades of "The Case of Dr. Eck." 46:18 Write it down "you reject the command," 46:20 I inserted the word fourth 46:22 "you reject the fourth commandment of God 46:24 that you may keep your tradition." 46:27 Thus Jesus says, keep writing, "in vain you worship Me, 46:30 teaching as doctrines the commandments of man." 46:33 You know what, it is almost as if Jesus were addressing, 46:37 Dr. Eck, the archbishop, the tradition of Rome 46:41 and Protestants today you have made the word of God 46:44 of no effect through your tradition. 46:47 It's a direct quote from verse 13, 46:49 "you've made it have no effect 46:51 through your tradition which you have handed down." 46:56 There it is ladies and gentlemen, 46:57 sola scriptura or church tradition. 47:00 How do we choose? How shall we respond? 47:03 Fact to the matter is for every Roman Catholic 47:08 faithful today for every faithful Protestant, 47:10 you know, what, for all of us as Christians, 47:11 for all of us as Christians, 47:14 when it comes to the day of worship, 47:17 there are only two possible responses. 47:24 Response number one, 47:26 embrace the Seventh-day Sabbath, 47:28 the Holy Scripture the gift of the creative 47:30 the human race, that's response number one. 47:31 Response number two, 47:34 we can accept Rome's veneration of Sunday 47:38 and acknowledge her 47:40 to be the ultimate orbiter of divine truth. 47:44 There is no third choice, there-- 47:45 there just is no other option. 47:50 Which is why I should-- should not have been stern 47:54 when I learned this last May of the resignation 48:00 of Dr. Frank Beckwith, former President 48:03 of the Evangelical Theological Society, 48:06 one of the most prestigious 48:08 theological societies in the world. 48:12 After his resignation, the Executive Committee 48:14 of the Evangelical Theological Society 48:18 released this statement to the press 48:20 and I have a copy of it right here. 48:23 It was released on May, 8th of this last year, all right. 48:26 I'm reading now "on May 5 last year, 48:30 Dr. Frank Beckwith resigned 48:31 as President of the Evangelical Theological Society, 48:35 this resignation has come as a result of his decision 48:38 to be received into full communion 48:39 in the Roman Catholic Church, which he did on April 29, 48:44 Dr. Beckwith has informed executive committee 48:46 that this was a decision he came to after "much prayer, 48:51 council, and consideration, 48:54 the members of the executive committee wish, 48:56 Dr. Beckwith well in his ongoing professional work, 48:59 we've come to appreciate him as a scholar 49:02 and as a friend, and so we thank, 49:03 Dr. Beckwith for his service to the society. 49:07 The work of the Evangelical Theological Society 49:09 as a scholarly form precedes on the basis 49:12 that the Bible alone-- in the Bible in its entirety 49:18 is the word of God written. 49:21 Where as the Roman Catholic Church 49:23 posits a larger canon of scripture, 49:26 then that recognized by Evangelical Protestants 49:28 including its canon several writings from the Apocrypha. 49:31 It also extends the quality of infallibility 49:33 to certain expressions of Church Dogma 49:35 issued by the magisterium, 49:37 the teaching office of the Roman Catholic Church 49:39 as well as certain pronouncements of the pope, 49:41 which are delivered ex cathedra 49:43 such as doctrines about the Immaculate Conception 49:46 and bodily assumption of Mary." 49:50 Ladies and gentlemen, "The Case of Dr. Eck," 49:53 and the decision of Dr. Beckwith 49:56 are entirely logical and laudable. 50:02 If sola scriptura is not the defining premise, 50:08 if however you embrace sola scripture 50:15 then you must choose to live your life 50:19 in obedience to Jesus Christ and His Holy Scriptures, 50:22 and the day of worship will be defined 50:25 by the example of Christ Himself. 50:30 You say, "hey, listen Dwight come on please, please, please 50:33 what's a big deal, what's the matter? 50:36 I think he know, some, for some its this way, 50:39 for some it's that way, long as-- 50:40 as long as our hearts are faithful to God." 50:46 I want to share with you the final piece next Sabbath. 50:50 Next week in the final piece, 50:51 I want to share with you a dramatic-- 50:54 a dramatic segment out of apocalyptic prophecy. 51:01 The teaching next week, our last teaching 51:03 I hope you're here for that one, 51:04 the teaching next week 51:05 "A Test Very Simply and Highly Visible" 51:12 because of apocalyptic prophecy is true, 51:15 it will come down to a final exam. 51:18 Very simple, highly visible 51:21 and the answer to the question, what does it matter? 51:24 Becomes crystal clear. 51:27 I've stood on that hallow peace of earth, 51:30 where in the grass is embedded a plaque, 51:34 announcing that here on April 18, 1521, 51:37 Martin Luther stood and defended his faith 51:43 before the Imperial Council of Diet of Worms. 51:48 Scholars are not sure, how Luther's speech ended, 51:52 nobody wrote it down, its is amazing 51:54 because it-- his entire remarks were transcribed 51:57 but some scholars were suggesting that 51:59 the audience was so moved by Luther's final words 52:04 that it was just silence and nobody scribbled it down. 52:07 Some months later, the final words 52:09 were rendered in writing and they are these, 52:13 "Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise, God help me. 52:20 Amen." 52:23 Now it's true, Martin Luther did not live long enough 52:27 to recover all the Bible truth 52:28 that had become buried by church tradition. 52:30 During a long dark and middle ages, 52:32 that's absolutely true. 52:34 Martin Luther in his one short lifetime 52:36 spent his energies focusing the church 52:38 and the world on Jesus as Lord of salvation. 52:41 No time for any exploration about 52:45 Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath. 52:47 But the fact is ladies and gentlemen, 52:49 today the bright light of divine truth 52:52 is surely raising up another generation 52:57 of young reformers. 53:00 It seems today that the light is bright enough 53:06 and the time is right enough. 53:10 For generation of men, women, and young adults 53:14 to stand up in the same way 53:17 and in standing declare that 53:21 they will embrace the creator salvation 53:26 and the creator Sabbath 53:30 with a courage born of conviction 53:34 that this is the only stand 53:38 I can logically and biblically take. 53:44 Here I to stand, I can do no other, 53:51 so help me God. 53:52 Amen. 53:55 We do you think about that? 53:57 That's a really gutsy stance, isn't it? 53:59 But you know, what I believe 54:00 God is raising up a generation of young reformers, 54:05 I want to make an invitation, if you 30 or younger, 54:08 if you're 30 or younger right now, and you be willing, 54:15 even if you stood all alone to take that 54:17 same stand so help me God, I will stand on sola scriptura, 54:24 I will stand on this book to the heavens fall. 54:27 If you're 30 or younger 54:29 and you're willing to take that stand, 54:30 I wish you'd stand right now. 54:32 Thirty or younger, 30 or younger, 54:44 I'm willing to stand, so help me God 54:48 if I stand alone-- here I stand, hallelujah. 54:54 How about this, if you're 30 or older, 54:59 a pretty much would bring the rest of us here, 55:01 and if you're 30 or older and my heart, 55:04 you know, I've been studying this I've been going over this 55:06 and I'm saying, "oh, Jesus, please, I don't know. 55:10 I can't read the future all I'm telling you Jesus is 55:13 in the present I want to have that guts, 55:16 I want to have the courage to stand 55:19 even if I have to stand alone, 55:21 I want to stand for the Holy Scriptures 55:25 and the Holy Scriptures only." 55:28 If you're 30 or older and you want to make that 55:29 same stance you stand to your feet as well please. 55:33 God bless you, and why not, why not, why not? 55:40 Holy Father, Holy Father, 55:44 we stand it's not a huge deal, 55:49 we do it in comfort, we do it in security, 55:53 it's not one man against the council, 55:55 it's not one woman against the community, 55:58 it's-- we're together 56:01 but still we stand. 56:03 Oh, Jesus, please, the fires ignited, 56:09 five centuries ago in the recovery of truth buried 56:13 to the dark ages keep those fires burning brightly 56:17 and in the men and women in the young adults 56:19 who have stood today raise up, 56:24 new reformers for this third millennium. 56:30 Do whatever it takes in her life, 56:31 do whatever it takes in his life, 56:33 stand beside him as he stands for You, 56:37 as she stands up for Jesus. 56:39 Seal this moment, someday, may we remember 56:45 that we made this decision on this day for the glory 56:51 and honor of our Savior, 56:53 here we stand so help us God. 56:58 Amen. 57:00 Have a blessed Sabbath. 57:03 I wanted to take one more moment here 57:05 at the end of the telecast, 57:06 to let you know how grateful I am for your journey with us, 57:10 with our New Perceptions Ministry. 57:12 You may think that New Perceptions 57:13 is only about television but I need to tell you, 57:16 we do have a website which is more than 57:18 just the study guide. 57:19 I know we go to the study guide every week 57:21 but if you go to our website, let me put the address 57:23 on the screen again, www.pmchurch.tv. 57:28 You'll find at that website, a blog I write every Wednesday, 57:31 I sit down on my laptop and write up a blog 57:32 something as commenting on world events 57:35 something local, something national, 57:36 you get the blog. 57:38 You want to archive previous teachings 57:40 from here in the Pioneer Pulpit, 57:41 you go to that annotated archive, 57:44 you can pick out a message, it will be sent to you. 57:46 You want to get into a podcast business, 57:50 I'm not a real high-techie on this 57:52 but if you click podcast, 57:53 you'll be able to connect instantly 57:55 with every new teaching that comes from the Pioneer Pulpit. 57:57 The point is, we're trying to connect 57:59 with the generation on the move, on the go. 58:02 Thanks for being a part of it. 58:03 Thanks for you prayer partnership. 58:04 We've got to connect with this generation 58:07 at this time in earth's history, 58:09 and I'm grateful you and I are sharing the mission. 58:11 God bless you until next time. |
Revised 2015-05-06