¤ ¤
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The Splendor of the King
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Okay we're going to split you
guys up all the way down. This
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side you guys are my side. This
side over here you're Debbie and
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Heidi's side. You guys are going
to just keep singing Live above
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all names, that part. And
then you guys, because we have a
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better memory over here you're
going to sing with us, How great
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is our God, sing with me how
great is our God, All will sing
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how great, how great is out God.
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Are you guys ready.
Let's try it. Ready?
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(Pipe organ comes in)
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Shall kneel as we pray. (Organ
plays softly in the background)
00:14:04.31\00:14:06.91
Our Father and our God.
How indeed great thou art, how
00:14:27.13\00:14:31.93
indeed great is your
faithfulness, your mercy, your
00:14:31.97\00:14:36.71
love and your compassion.
We come before you this morning
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as unique individuals and as
a family, the body of Christ. We
00:14:42.38\00:14:47.75
are a diverse family and yet
with the one voice we count it
00:14:47.78\00:14:53.15
a privilege that we have
been able to respond to your
00:14:53.19\00:14:55.69
faithfulness today with songs
of praise, with reading of your
00:14:55.72\00:15:00.50
word, with giving and with
affirming and encouraging each
00:15:00.53\00:15:05.00
other in fellowship. You
have promised that those who are
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weary and burdened may come to
you and you will give rest and
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so we have come. Today we wait
at your feet, our bruises, our
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scars, our remorse, our hurts.
As we review this week we know
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that we have allowed selfishness
to rule our lives. We have
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grieved you, we have hurt others
and we have hurt ourselves and
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so Father we ask for your
forgiveness, for your help in
00:15:40.27\00:15:44.17
getting our priorities straight,
in choosing eternal life instead
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of living for the here and the
now. We pray for your cleansing
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today and for the power to
overcome. We also pray for a
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forgiving spirit for we know
that you cannot forgive us if we
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have not forgiven others.
We thank you, our Lord, for the
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protection and safe return of
our students from spring break,
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from the seminarians, the
university, the academy, the
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elementary students. We ask for
all of them a special blessing
00:16:18.84\00:16:22.98
as they complete this school
year. They are precious in your
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sight and they also are precious
in our sight. Some have asked us
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to pray today for specific needs
financial, help for classes,
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important decisions regarding
their futures. Please, Father,
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honor these requests according
to your will. In the last few
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days our spirits have been
renewed by the signs of spring,
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the warming sunshine, the
greening grass and the tiny
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yellow purple flowers peeping
through the softening soil.
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Thank you, Father, for all these
evidences of your love. We are
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indeed privileged to live in a
beautiful world and yet it is a
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frightening world, a world where
war is a daily headline, a world
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where sickness and death rob
us of the companionship of our
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friends and family. Today we
pray for strength and healing
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according to your will. In this
large congregation and in our
00:17:25.11\00:17:29.44
viewing and listening audiences
we realize there are many needs
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some that have been shared,
others that are hidden in the
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secret places of our hearts and
so we lay these before you now
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as we pause for a
moment of silent prayer.
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What a privilege we have today
to hear a message from your word
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We ask for the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit on Pastor Dwight as
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he serves as your spokesperson
and as we listen may we
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recognize your special message
for each one of us. When we
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leave this place may it be with
a desire to serve you completely
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This is our prayer in the name
of Jesus our Savior who taught
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us to pray Our Father, which art
in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
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Thy kingdom come, thy will
be done on earth as it is in
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heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread and forgive us our
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debts as we forgive our debtors
and lead us not into temptation
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but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom and the
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power and the
glory forever, Amen.
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(Orchestra response)
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As we continue worshipping today
our choir is going to sing an
00:19:09.14\00:19:13.82
anthem based on a traditional
medley from Kenya. The Swahili
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words translate as follows:
00:19:18.49\00:19:21.72
¤ ¤
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(Applause).
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Let's pray together. Holy Father
in the thick of worship as we
00:22:30.68\00:22:35.18
are right now we have one simple
and humble request: Through Holy
00:22:35.22\00:22:39.62
Scripture would you teach us?
Make the teaching clear for the
00:22:39.65\00:22:44.03
glory and honor of Jesus.
We pray in his name, Amen.
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So here's the question: Will
we speak Chinese in heaven? Huh?
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We just returned from preaching
in China, for me at least, that
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is a fair and reasonable query.
For example, did you know that
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one out of every five
inhabitants of this earth
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lives in China? Did you know
that? One point three billion
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human beings speak Chinese. Now
take a look at these pictures.
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China... and these are not
professionals, professionally
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shot. Karen and I put our little
slides together here. But it is
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a land of incredible contrast.
I mean, you have these massive
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towering sky scrapers and then
on the street you have a fruit
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vender. Let us see the next...
You see the great wall there?
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I tell you what, I could spend
an hour on that great wall.
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It is everything you've heard.
And, by the way, it's 5,000 km
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long, the longest human
construction on earth. There's
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Hong Kong at night. There's
a Buddhist temple in China. Now
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take a look, look at this. Up
in the right corner. Can you see
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a Starbuck's shop beneath a
pagoda? That is the stunning
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contrast of China. Oh, by
the way, down in the bottom left
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corner we're looking out our
hotel window. One point three
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billion people crowded into that
nation. Let's go to the next one
00:24:12.98\00:24:17.55
Up in the upper left hand corner
is a hospital. Have you ever
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heard of the China doctor, Dr.
Harry Miller? I met him as a kid
00:24:21.42\00:24:24.73
when we lived in Japan. That's
the hospital he raised. I saw
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the cornerstone. January 1927
that cornerstone was laid. My
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mother, at the age of 10, 11 and
12 used to go to that hospital.
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She went to school in Shanghai,
that's in Shanghai. People,
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people, people everywhere in
China, 1.3 billion. So I came
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back from China and I've learned
some Chinese. In fact, in
00:24:43.81\00:24:47.42
Mandarin this is how you say
thank you. You say shesh sha.
00:24:47.45\00:24:50.42
Say that with me, shesh sha.
That's a beautiful word isn't
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it? Shesh sha. In fact, I was
telling the staff on Monday I've
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learned how to sing a song in
Chinese and I'm going to sing it
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for you right now. If you
know you can sing it with me.
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Shesh sha Lord for saving me
soul. Sing it with me. Shesh sha
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Lord for making me whole. Shesh
sha Lord for giving to me, your
00:25:11.67\00:25:21.18
great salvation so rich and
free Hallelujah. I tell you what
00:25:21.22\00:25:27.72
ladies and gentlemen, if God
saves China, we will be speaking
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Chinese in heaven one day
because there are more Chinese
00:25:34.30\00:25:37.17
on this planet than anybody else
But, and here's the question:
00:25:37.20\00:25:42.50
Will God save China? I found
a verse in the Bible that may
00:25:42.54\00:25:47.74
surprise you with an answer and
I'd like us to read it together.
00:25:47.81\00:25:50.21
Take your Bible out right now
with me and we've got to cut to
00:25:50.25\00:25:52.51
the chase because this is live
television and you can't go a
00:25:52.55\00:25:55.88
second beyond. So find your
Bible. Open it to the Bible's
00:25:55.92\00:25:59.29
last book the Apocalypse,
Revelation chapter 7. I'm going
00:25:59.32\00:26:02.62
be in the New King James Version
today and if you didn't bring a
00:26:02.69\00:26:05.99
Bible you've got to see
this picture. It's a snapshot
00:26:06.03\00:26:08.16
straight out of heaven, so grab
the pew Bible in front of you.
00:26:08.20\00:26:11.07
We'll be in the same translation
and if you grab that Bible it
00:26:11.10\00:26:15.37
will be page 827. Revelation
chapter 7 verse 9: Old man John
00:26:15.40\00:26:19.64
incarcerated on that penal rocky
outcropping called Patmos in the
00:26:19.67\00:26:24.41
Aegean Sea. He's
writing here, This is verse 9.
00:26:24.45\00:26:27.55
Ladies and gentlemen, did you
catch that? A great multitude
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which no one could number.
So here's the question: How many
00:26:50.44\00:26:54.74
is that? I want to crunch the
numbers with you. I realize it
00:26:54.78\00:26:58.85
says nobody can do it but I want
to do the arithmetic with some
00:26:58.88\00:27:02.48
numbers and let's see if we can
find out. In fact, I wish you'd
00:27:02.52\00:27:06.12
jot these numbers down. Grab
the study guide that's in your
00:27:06.15\00:27:09.76
worship bulletin
today, will you Pull it out.
00:27:09.79\00:27:11.39
Write these numbers down. Thank
00:27:11.43\00:27:13.70
you ushers. Right now hold
your hand up if you don't have a
00:27:13.73\00:27:16.06
study guide. Just hold it up.
All the way to the back in the
00:27:16.10\00:27:18.53
balcony. We'll make sure you get
it and while you're getting it
00:27:18.57\00:27:21.74
I want to say to those of you
who are watching on television
00:27:21.77\00:27:24.91
you can get this study
guide right now if you go to our
00:27:24.94\00:27:27.91
website. Let me put a web
address on the screen for you.
00:27:27.94\00:27:30.88
See it right there. That's the
Pioneer Memorial Church. That's
00:27:30.91\00:27:36.75
our website. Click onto
this present series of teachings
00:27:36.79\00:27:39.39
called Eternity's Edge: We're
living at the edge of eternity.
00:27:39.42\00:27:43.06
And then you want to click
on to the teaching Will We Speak
00:27:43.12\00:27:47.20
Chinese in Heaven? When you
do that you'll see a little logo
00:27:47.23\00:27:50.83
study guide. Click that study
guide logo and you'll have the
00:27:50.87\00:27:54.34
identical piece that we have
here. By the way if I go too
00:27:54.37\00:27:57.27
fast at times, because
I'm kicking up into high gear,
00:27:57.31\00:28:00.18
and you miss an
00:28:00.21\00:28:01.54
answer, at the bottom of our
web study guides you'll have all
00:28:01.58\00:28:05.38
those answers posted there.
Okay. Number 1: Fill it in
00:28:05.41\00:28:08.68
please. I saw a great multitude
which no one could, write it in,
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no one could number. Write it
in please. Nobody could number.
00:28:12.95\00:28:17.09
Actually the word that
the elderly John uses here to
00:28:17.13\00:28:20.96
describe that numbering: There
it is in the Greek: Arithmesai.
00:28:21.00\00:28:25.57
Folks it doesn't take a huge
stretch of the imagination to
00:28:25.60\00:28:29.24
picture an English word. Look
at that Greek word. Now try to
00:28:29.27\00:28:32.77
picture an English word that
comes out of it. What's the word
00:28:32.81\00:28:36.04
Call it out. Arithmetic. You got
it right. So would you write it
00:28:36.08\00:28:39.28
down please the Greek for
arithmesai actually means to do
00:28:39.31\00:28:44.52
the arithmetic; i. e. John
writes I was shown a vision of
00:28:44.55\00:28:49.62
heaven one day and I saw a great
multitude from earth, a huge
00:28:49.66\00:28:52.23
crowd so large that nobody could
do the arithmetic on the number.
00:28:52.29\00:28:57.53
Wow! So how many is that. Well
it certainly would have to be
00:28:57.57\00:29:01.17
more than the biggest number
John has come up with in the
00:29:01.20\00:29:05.04
apocalypse. And you know what
the biggest number is? It is a
00:29:05.07\00:29:08.78
humongous number. Keep you
pen moving. Take a look at this.
00:29:08.81\00:29:12.41
Turn back one page or two
pages depending on your Bible to
00:29:12.45\00:29:15.92
Revelation chapter 5. This is
the biggest number in the whole
00:29:15.95\00:29:19.95
Bible and John's already given
it. He's done the arithmetic on
00:29:19.99\00:29:23.99
this one.
Revelation chapter 5 verse 11:
00:29:24.03\00:29:27.23
Okay we got a lot
of mathematicians here.
00:29:41.44\00:29:43.14
So how big a number is
that. Let's put the first little
00:29:43.18\00:29:46.58
equation up there,
10,000 times 10,000. What's that
00:29:46.61\00:29:50.35
number? Now did your mother
teach you that when you're
00:29:50.39\00:29:54.02
multiplying with multiples of 10
you just do what? You count the
00:29:54.06\00:29:57.53
zeroes. How many zeroes are up
there? There are eight zeroes.
00:29:57.56\00:30:01.03
So that Number would be one with
eight zeroes, write it down,
00:30:01.06\00:30:06.10
one hundred million. That a
hundred million. Oh plus he said
00:30:06.13\00:30:10.81
plus thousands of thousands.
So let's put that little formula
00:30:10.84\00:30:15.18
up and there's the answer. That
would be millions. So you could
00:30:15.21\00:30:19.51
total number of angels as
John would record it would be a
00:30:19.55\00:30:22.98
hundred million plus millions
more which is the biggest
00:30:23.02\00:30:26.39
number John can think of and by
the way, Daniel, when he counts
00:30:26.42\00:30:30.83
the angels comes up with the
identical number. So what's all
00:30:30.89\00:30:35.26
this mean. Come on now, think.
When John is granted a vision of
00:30:35.30\00:30:38.63
the saved of the human race at
the end of time he writes that
00:30:38.67\00:30:41.94
the number is so great that you
can't even do the arithmetic.
00:30:41.97\00:30:45.07
I can do the arithmetic on the
number of angels, but I cannot
00:30:45.11\00:30:48.34
do the arithmetic on the number
of the saved because it is,
00:30:48.38\00:30:52.45
write it down, this number
is even greater than the number
00:30:52.48\00:30:56.45
of angels. He just writes and I
saw a picture of heaven. It was
00:30:56.48\00:31:01.66
filled with so many people I
couldn't even count them. Now
00:31:01.69\00:31:04.49
what do you say to that? I
couldn't even count them. That's
00:31:04.53\00:31:07.60
why, verse 9, turn back, of
chapter 7 reads the way it does
00:31:07.63\00:31:10.67
What's the point? Write it down
when God does salvation, this is
00:31:25.35\00:31:29.28
the key, folks, the key word
there is salvation. When God
00:31:29.32\00:31:34.12
does salvation arithmetic
you can't even count, you can't
00:31:34.16\00:31:38.89
even count his numbers, write
it down. That's how many sinners
00:31:38.93\00:31:43.57
God plans on saving. What do you
say to that? No wonder the saved
00:31:43.60\00:31:50.34
sinners are set on singing the
same song, same song right here.
00:31:50.37\00:31:57.08
Look at verse 10. No wonder
saved sinners sing this song.
00:31:57.11\00:31:58.45
Loot at verse 10. And
they, this innumerable throng...
00:31:58.48\00:31:59.81
By the way in the Greek
loud voice is megalephone,
00:31:59.85\00:32:06.32
Pastor John isn't that right?
That's megalephone from whence
00:32:06.35\00:32:08.29
comes our English word megaphone
So this is no whimper here. This
00:32:08.32\00:32:12.39
is a shout. They cry out.
What do they cry out? Verse 10:
00:32:12.43\00:32:16.03
Salvation belongs to our God.
Danny, I want you to get this
00:32:16.06\00:32:19.93
clear. Salvation does not belong
to satellites. It doesn't does
00:32:19.97\00:32:23.44
it? Salvation does not belong to
congregations, it doesn't belong
00:32:23.47\00:32:26.88
to universities, it
doesn't belong to denominations,
00:32:26.91\00:32:29.94
salvation belongs to our God,
our God who sits on the throne,
00:32:29.98\00:32:35.55
and to the, to the Lamb. Code
word. The victor of Calvary.
00:32:35.58\00:32:39.55
That's where salvation comes
from. No question in heaven
00:32:39.62\00:32:42.99
where it's all come from and
there's no question down here.
00:32:43.02\00:32:47.50
I know. So. The question is;
here's the question: Will they
00:32:47.53\00:32:51.93
be singing those words in
Chinese one day. The Bible
00:32:51.97\00:32:55.24
doesn't say. Is God big enough
to save 1.3 billion Chinese.
00:32:55.30\00:33:00.34
you do the arithmetic for
yourself. Years ago an English
00:33:00.38\00:33:05.41
author wrote a
book with this title...
00:33:05.45\00:33:13.29
J. B. Philips. I read that book
as a teenager. Do you suppose
00:33:13.32\00:33:17.89
that's our problem as well? Do
you suppose our God is too small
00:33:17.93\00:33:22.13
to handle big numbers. In fact,
we're not comfortable with him
00:33:22.16\00:33:25.93
handling big numbers. By the
way, that was Jonah's problem,
00:33:25.97\00:33:29.67
wasn't it? Jonah had a hard time
with big numbers. Have you ever
00:33:29.70\00:33:34.21
crunched the numbers on Nineveh?
Just a few weeks ago, remember,
00:33:34.28\00:33:38.75
we were studying the book of
Jonah and we discovered it is
00:33:38.78\00:33:41.75
a book of questions, 13
questions all the way through
00:33:41.78\00:33:44.45
Jonah and the book ends with
question number 13, the very
00:33:44.49\00:33:48.76
last line of the book and that
question is raised by God. I
00:33:48.79\00:33:53.06
I want to put that verse
right up here on the screen.
00:33:53.09\00:33:54.83
Now this is God
speaking. This is the last line.
00:33:54.86\00:33:59.30
Shouldn't I be concerned.
A hundred and twenty thousand
00:34:15.65\00:34:20.19
people who can't tell their
right hand from their left hand.
00:34:20.26\00:34:23.36
Some scholars believe that in
fact is what God is describing
00:34:23.39\00:34:26.49
there are the children of
Nineveh. Have you ever walked
00:34:26.53\00:34:29.70
up to a two year old, ever
walked up to a two year old and
00:34:29.76\00:34:33.84
said honey show me your hands.
Show me your left hand? Do we
00:34:33.87\00:34:36.60
have a two year old sitting
anywhere near the front here?
00:34:36.64\00:34:41.38
Anybody here two? When you walk
up to a two year old... That
00:34:41.41\00:34:44.98
little boy is two? Okay. We're
going to try this out folks.
00:34:45.01\00:34:48.52
Let's just try this to see if
it's true. Now we probably got
00:34:48.55\00:34:52.12
a child prodigy here so be ready
I know Grandpa Skip thinks we
00:34:52.15\00:34:57.13
do. All right, what's your name
young man? Yep, that's a great
00:34:57.16\00:35:01.46
name. What is it Grandpa.
Ashton. Ashton show me your left
00:35:01.53\00:35:05.77
hand. Can you put your left hand
out? Can you put your left hand
00:35:05.83\00:35:11.97
out? Is that something defective
with Ashton? Not at all. A child
00:35:12.01\00:35:16.81
Thank you Ashton. You're going
to be a preacher one day. There
00:35:16.85\00:35:21.12
is nothing wrong with a child
of two years of age because a
00:35:21.15\00:35:24.62
child of two years of age says
left hand right hand here are my
00:35:24.65\00:35:28.06
two hands. And that's what
God is saying. I have 120,000
00:35:28.09\00:35:31.43
children under two in Nineveh.
Now you got to add the children
00:35:31.49\00:35:35.26
up to 10 and then you've got to
add young adults and then you've
00:35:35.30\00:35:39.03
got to add moms and dads
and grandmas and grandpas and
00:35:39.07\00:35:41.17
everybody else and so
some scholars, write this down
00:35:41.20\00:35:44.31
please, some scholars
have concluded that in fact the
00:35:44.34\00:35:47.44
population of Nineveh was
somewhere between 600,000 and
00:35:47.48\00:35:50.51
2,000,000 human beings. Should
I not be concerned about that
00:35:50.55\00:35:57.29
great city asked the God who
24/7 is looking for an excuse to
00:35:57.32\00:36:05.29
save anyone. And in one glorious
instant he saves 2,000,000 at
00:36:05.33\00:36:10.50
one time. I know you're going
to say, ah come one Dwight, he
00:36:10.53\00:36:15.60
didn't save them, he just spared
them. Ah picky, picky, picky.
00:36:15.64\00:36:21.04
If you spare somebody you save
somebody. Point: When God does
00:36:21.08\00:36:27.72
salvation arithmetic you can't
even count the numbers. That's
00:36:27.78\00:36:32.95
what Revelation 7 is trying
to tell us. After these things I
00:36:32.99\00:36:38.13
looked and...
00:36:38.16\00:36:52.54
Question: Will we speak Chinese
in heaven? It reminds me of the
00:36:52.57\00:36:57.75
story Jesus told once upon
a time about an employer who
00:36:57.78\00:36:59.78
was hiring illegal
00:36:59.81\00:37:01.15
aliens. Have you been following
the news lately coming out of
00:37:01.18\00:37:04.55
the congress. I mean, folks,
let me tell you right now the
00:37:04.59\00:37:08.22
hottest political issue in the
United States is what do we do
00:37:08.26\00:37:12.33
with illegal immigrants? What
shall we do? There are some who
00:37:12.36\00:37:16.33
say well we ought to declare
them all felons, deport them,
00:37:16.36\00:37:19.40
build a wall so huge like the
wall of China. They'll never be
00:37:19.43\00:37:23.00
able to get in again. Then there
are others that say, hey, wait a
00:37:23.04\00:37:26.54
minute. We ought to find a way
to slowly integrate them into
00:37:26.57\00:37:29.28
eventual citizenship in
this nation or the solutions are
00:37:29.31\00:37:32.88
somewhere in between. I'm
not wanting to simplify a very
00:37:32.91\00:37:36.05
complex answer, but this much
I know. I was talking with an
00:37:36.08\00:37:40.06
illegal alien this week who
may be right here right now. Her
00:37:40.12\00:37:44.89
visa has expired. She's supposed
to be deported. I talked this
00:37:44.96\00:37:49.00
week with her attorney in
Washington, the nation's capital
00:37:49.03\00:37:53.00
This much I know, I'm going to
do everything I can to help that
00:37:53.03\00:37:56.60
woman stay right here. They want
to make it a felony, make it a
00:37:56.64\00:38:00.71
felony. Churches ought to be a
safe place. Churches ought to be
00:38:00.78\00:38:04.81
a refuge for people. Anyway
Jesus tells this story about a
00:38:04.85\00:38:11.72
farmer who
00:38:11.75\00:38:13.09
needed day laborers to help him
harvest this sprawling vineyard.
00:38:13.12\00:38:17.93
Today's the day. I've got
to have them today. So he jumps
00:38:17.96\00:38:21.33
into that rusty old bucket of
bolts, his pickup and he drives
00:38:21.36\00:38:24.47
down to the corner in his town
just like in Virginia, just like
00:38:24.53\00:38:27.60
in Michigan, just like in
California. You can do it today.
00:38:27.64\00:38:29.94
There are all migrant workers
hoping somebody will hire them.
00:38:29.97\00:38:32.27
Say hey fellows, you want
to work today. I'll pay you
00:38:32.31\00:38:34.78
minimum wage. I'll take good
care of you. I need you for 12
00:38:34.84\00:38:38.28
hours. Jump in and boy that
pickup fills up, cloud of dust
00:38:38.31\00:38:41.78
back to the old vineyard and
they go to work in the heat of
00:38:41.82\00:38:45.25
the day. Three hours later
the farmers doing the mental
00:38:45.29\00:38:48.62
arithmetic and crunching numbers
and he said there's no way we
00:38:48.69\00:38:51.66
can do this with this kind of
help. I've got to get more. He
00:38:51.69\00:38:54.66
drives back into town. Hey
fellows. Another pickup load
00:38:54.70\00:38:57.53
full back to the vineyard.
Three hours later he does the
00:38:57.57\00:39:00.64
arithmetic again. I can't do
this. We'll never get it done.
00:39:00.67\00:39:04.17
Back into town. Another pickup
load full. Finally at 5 o'clock
00:39:04.21\00:39:08.08
I've got one hour left, one hour
of daylight and we've got to get
00:39:08.11\00:39:11.95
the grapes in. I need more.
Back to town and there are still
00:39:11.98\00:39:15.88
migrant workers hanging around
because nobody has hired them.
00:39:15.92\00:39:19.82
I'll tell you what, I'll pay you
what's fair. Get in this pickup.
00:39:19.85\00:39:23.73
Let's go. Boom and in one hour
they finish the harvest. The
00:39:23.76\00:39:28.86
landowner instructs his
accountant: Start with the
00:39:28.90\00:39:32.80
fellows who came last and you
can see their eyes about pop out
00:39:32.83\00:39:38.21
when they receive 12 hours'
worth of pay for the one little
00:39:38.27\00:39:43.61
hour they put into work. And the
migrants who came first, Whoa
00:39:43.65\00:39:47.08
they're crunching numbers. Can
you imagine what we're going to
00:39:47.12\00:39:50.95
get paid when it's our turn and
when they get up to the cash box
00:39:50.99\00:39:56.29
they get the same amount and
the place erupts in angry voices
00:39:56.32\00:40:00.73
and let's let Jesus pick up the
story right here, the gospel of
00:40:00.80\00:40:05.17
St. Matthew chapter
20: Matthew chapter 20...
00:40:05.20\00:40:15.91
And the landowner speaks back...
00:40:23.28\00:40:46.14
Write that down. God
asks the question of us...
00:40:46.17\00:40:55.12
Is that our problem. Come to
me God says in the last hour of
00:40:55.18\00:40:59.49
life and I'll give you the same
gift that I give to the people
00:40:59.55\00:41:03.83
who have walked with me all
their lives. Pastor John, you
00:41:03.86\00:41:06.66
were telling the story about
your dad last night, a moving
00:41:06.70\00:41:09.23
story. Your dad was a jazz
trumpet. He played with the
00:41:09.26\00:41:11.73
greats in jazz music in New York
You prayed for your dad all your
00:41:11.77\00:41:17.97
life but you have no idea,
he just died a week ago. Did dad
00:41:18.01\00:41:20.61
die saved. I want to tell you
something, Pastor John. God is
00:41:20.64\00:41:23.68
like a divine auctioneer.
He just needs one little finger
00:41:23.71\00:41:26.55
just one little raise of the
brow. I'll take it, I'll take it
00:41:26.58\00:41:30.59
Boom he says sold. You get it,
you get it, boy, you get it from
00:41:30.62\00:41:34.62
me. You get my whole kingdom.
I saw your finger move. I'll
00:41:34.66\00:41:38.19
tell you what the problem
is some of us have a God, I'm
00:41:38.23\00:41:41.66
embarrassed with the God we
have We don't have a God who's
00:41:41.70\00:41:45.20
looking 24/7 for an excuse
to save anybody. We have a God
00:41:45.23\00:41:48.47
who's looking 24/7 for an excuse
to lose another one. Let me
00:41:48.50\00:41:50.81
condemn that one. Let me lose
that whole group over there.
00:41:50.84\00:41:53.48
Gone, good riddance of bad
rubbish. Isn't it sad. Isn't it
00:41:53.51\00:41:57.85
sad. I like to think of when
your dad in his heart just a
00:41:57.88\00:42:01.55
little flicker of his finger.
I'll take the Lord of my Son.
00:42:01.58\00:42:05.82
Boom, sold. You can have it,
you can have it. Write it down
00:42:05.85\00:42:10.06
folks...
00:42:10.09\00:42:14.76
And by the way, he keeps going
back. Is anybody else left?
00:42:14.80\00:42:18.37
Anybody else. Anybody. He keeps
going back looking for lost
00:42:18.40\00:42:21.97
people, which is why I repeat...
00:42:22.00\00:42:29.08
Oh, so shall we pout and grump
like Jonah and the first-of-the-
00:42:29.14\00:42:33.18
day laborers and wave our
little spiritual fists in God's
00:42:33.21\00:42:37.59
face, not fair, not fair. You
can't do that. I tell you what.
00:42:37.62\00:42:40.69
Let me just say this because
we're running out of time. I'm
00:42:40.76\00:42:43.93
going to just say this: I don't
understand Adventists, I don't
00:42:43.96\00:42:47.10
understand Christians who pray
this prayer, Oh Jesus come right
00:42:47.13\00:42:49.63
now. I don't care if it's just
me and the kids saved, Jesus,
00:42:49.66\00:42:52.80
but you have to come right now.
That has to be the most selfish
00:42:52.83\00:42:56.00
prayer in the universe. You know
why, you know what you're saying
00:42:56.07\00:42:59.41
Forget the 1.3 billion in China.
Just save my wife and me and our
00:42:59.47\00:43:03.11
kids, will you. That'll be good
enough. Just the four of us in
00:43:03.14\00:43:05.91
heaven. I'm going to tell you
something. If that's the prayer
00:43:05.95\00:43:08.52
you're praying, Oh Jesus come
soon, please, please come soon.
00:43:08.55\00:43:11.12
If you're praying that prayer
and not lifting a little pinky
00:43:11.15\00:43:14.29
to help God increase the
population of heaven, you don't
00:43:14.32\00:43:17.26
have the heart of a father
and you won't be going anyway.
00:43:17.29\00:43:20.20
You won't be going. He's only
bringing people who are like him
00:43:20.23\00:43:24.60
home who have his heart. Maybe
our God really is too small. Do
00:43:24.63\00:43:28.00
you suppose that's it. Our God
is too small. He can't handle
00:43:28.07\00:43:31.41
big numbers...
00:43:31.44\00:43:47.26
There it is ladies and gentlemen
I leave it with you the portrait
00:43:47.29\00:43:50.63
of a very, very, very generous
God who as he generously saved
00:43:50.66\00:43:54.90
2,000,000 Ninevites could just
as generously save 1.3 billion
00:43:54.93\00:43:59.03
Chinese if he wants to. Or
to put it another way, would it
00:43:59.07\00:44:03.14
bother you if he did?...
00:44:03.17\00:44:13.92
Red and yellow, black and white,
all are precious, Hallelujah,
00:44:13.95\00:44:20.52
all are precious in his site.
Jesus loves the little children
00:44:20.56\00:44:25.49
of the world, which by the
way, which surely include Benton
00:44:25.53\00:44:30.50
Harbor, that inner city 12 miles
up the road from where we're
00:44:30.53\00:44:35.87
worshipping right now. I got an
e- mail this last week from one
00:44:35.90\00:44:41.21
of our Andrews University
students, I've got to read this
00:44:41.24\00:44:45.78
to you, in, of all places,
Moscow, Russia. So she's writing
00:44:45.81\00:44:49.22
Dear Pastor Nelson, I had the
privilege of listening to your
00:44:49.25\00:44:52.42
sermon, When God's Last Question
Becomes Our First, that was the
00:44:52.45\00:44:55.62
study on Jonah, I listened today
on the internet. Even though I
00:44:55.66\00:44:58.76
live right next door to
the church I normally attend I
00:44:58.79\00:45:01.86
felt like listening to some
English sermons instead. That's
00:45:01.90\00:45:05.07
why our website is 24/7 around
the world. Now she says, I live
00:45:05.13\00:45:08.94
in Moscow at the moment. I was
a freshman at Andrews last year.
00:45:09.00\00:45:12.84
You made a call for evangelism
and missionary work one Sabbath.
00:45:12.87\00:45:16.71
Now listen. Last year I
was on the verge of giving up
00:45:16.75\00:45:22.38
Christianity. I felt like I was
being a half-way Christian and I
00:45:22.42\00:45:27.46
would rather be all nonChristian
than a hypocritical Christian.
00:45:27.49\00:45:33.76
And so I came to church. God had
other plans for her life. I've
00:45:33.80\00:45:40.04
been in Moscow for almost
a year. You were talking of
00:45:40.07\00:45:42.17
reaching the cities and I smiled
as you said, we don't have to go
00:45:42.20\00:45:45.51
to Moscow. Remember we did say
that didn't we. Or some other
00:45:45.54\00:45:50.61
place. We can start in
the states. Sometimes it's
00:45:50.65\00:45:51.98
frustrating and difficult to
work with people and meet their
00:45:52.01\00:45:54.42
needs. For one, I don't know
Russian fluently so I don't know
00:45:54.45\00:45:57.39
how to talk to them, but your
sermon reminded me that I can
00:45:57.42\00:45:59.95
still do more. Thank you for
taking the time to reach out to
00:45:59.99\00:46:02.62
remind people that we need
to care like Christ cares. Okay,
00:46:02.66\00:46:05.36
now here's the ending to the e-
mail, now listen to this. Have
00:46:05.39\00:46:08.56
a wonderful and blessed Sabbath.
I hope to return to Andrews next
00:46:08.63\00:46:11.77
fall and hopefully start
attending the Benton Harbor
00:46:11.80\00:46:15.27
church. I guess I'll have to
listen to your sermons online
00:46:15.30\00:46:18.77
after that. God bless. Sincerely
Nadine Dewick. Isn't that great?
00:46:18.81\00:46:23.58
Look, if all this number
crunching is true and God is
00:46:23.61\00:46:30.72
really very big on
saving sinners, then does it not
00:46:30.75\00:46:37.79
follow that the children of God
like you and me and Nadine, does
00:46:37.83\00:46:42.23
it not follow that we would
be just as big on saving sinners
00:46:42.26\00:46:48.60
as he is. Huh? Bruce Wilkinson
of the mega best seller, Prayer
00:46:48.64\00:46:53.31
of Jabez fame wrote a follow-up
book which I have in my library
00:46:53.34\00:46:57.68
as well. It's called Beyond
Jabez and in this book he refers
00:46:57.71\00:47:01.28
to this moment in Revelation
7 verse 9. Take a look at your
00:47:01.32\00:47:05.15
study guide, you have the
quotation right there, I tell
00:47:05.19\00:47:08.52
you what. I've written these
words into the margin of my
00:47:08.56\00:47:11.79
Bible because they've really cut
me to the heart... And here are
00:47:11.86\00:47:21.50
questions that hold me like
a white knuckled grip around my
00:47:21.54\00:47:28.78
throat. Here are two questions
he asks... Oh just save me and
00:47:28.84\00:47:34.05
my children. What part of that
throng will be there because of
00:47:34.08\00:47:39.25
you and here's the follow-up...
00:47:39.29\00:47:45.49
Look at this guys. Watch these
two hands. You have a destiny
00:47:45.53\00:47:49.76
God has a dream. The great
object of life is to align our
00:47:49.80\00:47:53.97
destinies with God's dream. It
doesn't matter what major you're
00:47:54.04\00:48:01.08
pursuing here at Andrews.
It doesn't matter what career
00:48:01.11\00:48:02.94
you're looking forward to or
what occupation you've already
00:48:02.98\00:48:05.41
chosen or mine. What matters is
we have a destiny, every one of
00:48:05.48\00:48:08.42
us and the object of life it to
align our destinies with God's
00:48:08.45\00:48:12.12
dream. And by the way, what
do you suppose God's dream is?
00:48:12.15\00:48:15.76
To save every human being he can
possibly save. Wilkinson goes on
00:48:15.79\00:48:25.63
I like this...
00:48:25.67\00:48:36.54
You want a prayer to start
praying. Circle these words,
00:48:36.58\00:48:39.68
take it back to your dormitory
room, back to your house in the
00:48:39.71\00:48:43.12
community. Imaging what would
happen if you started to pray
00:48:43.15\00:48:46.82
let me accomplish more for
you. That's not a self-centered
00:48:46.86\00:48:49.62
prayer. That's the most
unselfish prayer you can pray.
00:48:49.66\00:48:52.49
Just let me do more for you
Jesus, please just let me do
00:48:52.53\00:48:56.06
more for you. Whatever it is,
help me. And then I love this
00:48:56.10\00:48:59.60
closer. With His...
00:48:59.63\00:49:08.38
You can end up as an Andrews
University student in the heart
00:49:08.44\00:49:11.31
of Moscow and not speak a word
of Russian and be building the
00:49:11.35\00:49:14.95
kingdom of Christ over there.
Man, he can do anything with
00:49:14.98\00:49:19.62
your availability. You say,
ah come on. That's just a best
00:49:19.65\00:49:23.39
selling author writing.
Okay. Take a look at these words
00:49:23.43\00:49:31.73
written a century ago, put
them on the screen please...
00:49:31.77\00:49:39.97
Now are you satisfied. Let's
close with a quiz, two-question
00:49:40.01\00:49:45.55
quiz. You answer. It's
right there in your study guide.
00:49:45.58\00:49:47.95
Question number one...
00:49:47.98\00:49:53.46
Put a check mark by the
yes. Of course you do. Is there
00:49:53.49\00:49:55.62
anybody here who doesn't want
to go to heaven. Not on your
00:49:55.66\00:49:58.36
life. Anybody watching? Nobody.
Nobody. Okay question number
00:49:58.39\00:50:01.06
two. Please
answer this as well...
00:50:01.10\00:50:08.44
What's your answer? Put a check
by the yes. Can you imagine
00:50:08.47\00:50:11.54
somebody here saying No, I don't
want to help. I don't want to
00:50:11.57\00:50:19.01
help, I just want to get there
myself. Are you crazy? As we
00:50:19.05\00:50:24.65
traveled in mainland China,
our host the Hong Kong pastor,
00:50:24.69\00:50:30.26
Doug Martin, a great
00:50:30.29\00:50:31.79
great guy. Doug was our
host and gave each of us two
00:50:31.83\00:50:37.77
Chinese Bibles to put in our
luggage. The reason you've got
00:50:37.80\00:50:39.63
to do that is because you can't
take a whole suitcase, even from
00:50:39.67\00:50:42.50
Hong Kong, which is communist
China, across the border into
00:50:42.54\00:50:45.64
mainland China with a suitcase
of Bibles, you're out of here.
00:50:45.67\00:50:48.64
So he divided out Bibles up so
we each are carrying two in our
00:50:48.68\00:50:51.51
luggage. Then when we got in and
Doug was with us, he was leading
00:50:51.55\00:50:54.62
our group of about seven of us,
we went to Beijing and Shanghai
00:50:54.65\00:50:57.92
and Shenzhen. Doug would keep
pulling Bibles out and finding
00:50:57.95\00:51:01.52
people that he felt were
open to receiving the Bible. One
00:51:01.56\00:51:04.33
night we were checking
into a hotel and Doug arranged
00:51:04.36\00:51:07.13
with the desk
00:51:07.16\00:51:08.50
clerk to get a Bible to
our driver who had taken us all
00:51:08.53\00:51:10.43
through the city. Then he looked
at her and he said, in Chinese,
00:51:10.47\00:51:16.34
as he handed her this book,
he said and I also have one of
00:51:16.37\00:51:20.28
these for you. And she said no,
no, no, no, no because it just
00:51:20.34\00:51:24.21
looked like a regular book. She
says no, no, no, no. Then she
00:51:24.25\00:51:28.15
opened the cover and realized
she was holding a Bible and I
00:51:28.18\00:51:32.15
tell you the truth, her face
lighted up as she clutched that
00:51:32.19\00:51:36.06
book to her heart and she said
may I really keep this? Hey guys
00:51:36.09\00:51:40.50
we're not talking heroics here.
We're talking one Bible at a
00:51:40.53\00:51:45.77
time. Just one Bible at a time.
Three weeks from today, Danny,
00:51:45.80\00:51:51.01
we're running buses to take
this little book, actually a
00:51:51.04\00:51:55.41
condensation of this little book
right here. You helped write
00:51:55.44\00:51:59.15
this book. The 10 Commandments
Twice Removed. For the first
00:51:59.18\00:52:04.29
time in American history this
nation is celebrating, in a few
00:52:04.32\00:52:08.26
weeks, is celebrating the 10
commandments. I don't know about
00:52:08.29\00:52:11.66
you but my feeling is we
ought to be at the front of that
00:52:11.69\00:52:14.83
celebration. Huh? We ought to
be at the front. So we're going
00:52:14.86\00:52:17.87
to take this book, thousands
of them, and we're going to hand
00:52:17.90\00:52:21.24
one out to every house in Benton
Harbor. And we're going to take
00:52:21.27\00:52:24.34
buses aren't we, Pastor Pat.
We're going up to Holland. We're
00:52:24.37\00:52:26.84
going to take left over students
and we're going up to Holland.
00:52:26.88\00:52:30.05
So faculty, students, community
members. Why? Because God needs
00:52:30.08\00:52:33.18
all the help he can get and
we want to go out. It's a no
00:52:33.21\00:52:40.62
brainer. 3ABN, 3ABN exists for
one solitary passion and that is
00:52:40.66\00:52:45.86
to grow the number of that
throng in heaven. I want to tell
00:52:45.89\00:52:49.80
you something, Danny. Andrews
University exists for one
00:52:49.86\00:52:53.70
solitary passion and that is to
grow the number of that throng
00:52:53.74\00:52:57.74
in heaven, sending out our
brightest and best young adults
00:52:57.77\00:53:01.41
into every strata of society,
into every nation of earth.
00:53:01.44\00:53:05.05
We're in partnership together.
You're among friends here. We're
00:53:05.08\00:53:10.09
in partnership together to reach
China and Russia and Kenya and
00:53:10.12\00:53:15.09
America, Benton Harbor. How did
Wilkinson put it? By the way,
00:53:15.19\00:53:20.56
let me see you three Sabbaths
from today, that's when it's
00:53:20.60\00:53:25.93
going to be, three Sabbaths from
today. Mark it on your calendar.
00:53:25.97\00:53:28.97
We've got to be together three
Sabbaths from today. We'll take
00:53:29.00\00:53:31.97
the whole campus up
there. What's that closer from
00:53:32.01\00:53:36.51
Wilkinson? I've got it here
somewhere. Oh here it is. Put
00:53:36.54\00:53:39.11
in on the screen...
00:53:39.15\00:53:49.42
All he needs is our willing
availability. Let's pray.
00:53:49.46\00:53:54.83
Oh God, oh my. We see the dream.
You shot a snapshot of the
00:53:54.86\00:54:01.30
future. You have put it in
Revelation. There's no way to do
00:54:01.34\00:54:07.01
your numbers, so we can't count
them. But knowing your dream,
00:54:07.04\00:54:11.51
Holy Father, you've got to know
our hearts. Two things: One we
00:54:11.55\00:54:16.02
want to be there. Please. You
see our picture in that snapshot
00:54:16.05\00:54:19.52
don't you? We're there aren't
we? By the grace of the Lord
00:54:19.55\00:54:23.26
Jesus, God, we're there. But oh
God we don't want to go alone.
00:54:23.29\00:54:28.23
No, we cannot, 1.3 billion
in China, nearly 300,000 in this
00:54:28.26\00:54:32.83
nation. We have got to go to
these others. So please, dear
00:54:32.87\00:54:37.47
God, do whatever it takes,
but equip us into modern day
00:54:37.51\00:54:42.01
missionaries like the Lord Jesus
and grow the numbers, grow that
00:54:42.04\00:54:48.85
throng because we share your
dream. In Jesus' name we pray,
00:54:48.88\00:54:55.49
Amen. I want you to stand to
your feet with me and sing just
00:54:55.52\00:55:01.63
this great Adventist hymn - We
Have This Hope. Sing it with all
00:55:01.66\00:55:07.77
your heart as
this service concludes.
00:55:07.80\00:55:13.17
Now unto Him who is able to
do immeasurably abundantly more
00:56:43.60\00:56:48.97
than all you can ask or imagine,
Unto God through Jesus Christ
00:56:49.00\00:56:54.68
our Lord, be dominion and power,
majesty and honor, both now and
00:56:54.71\00:57:00.35
forever, Amen.
00:57:00.38\00:57:04.12
I wanted to take an extra moment
and let you know how grateful I
00:57:04.19\00:57:07.49
am you joined us in worship
today. I hear from viewers like
00:57:07.52\00:57:10.63
you all across this nation and
literally around the world and
00:57:10.66\00:57:13.50
I'm thankful. If you'd like
to explore further what we just
00:57:13.53\00:57:16.56
shared, I hope you'll visit our
website. It's easy to remember.
00:57:16.60\00:57:20.27
www. pmchurch, we're the Pioneer
Memorial Church here on the
00:57:20.30\00:57:24.61
campus of Andrews University.
www.pmchurch.tv. Click onto that
00:57:24.64\00:57:28.91
website and you'll be able
to listen to a pod cast of this
00:57:28.94\00:57:31.38
material or download my
presentation for your MP3
00:57:31.41\00:57:34.32
player, or print out the study
guide for further study. You may
00:57:34.35\00:57:37.75
have a special prayer need
that you wish to share with our
00:57:37.79\00:57:39.92
prayer partners. You may have
an observation you wish to write
00:57:39.95\00:57:42.02
to me. Or you may want
to partner with us through a
00:57:42.06\00:57:44.26
personal donation to help us
reach this generation with the
00:57:44.29\00:57:47.03
everlasting gospel. Let me hear
from you. You can write to me at
00:57:47.06\00:57:50.27
www. pmchurch. tv or if you'd
rather talk with someone, call
00:57:50.30\00:57:55.24
one of our friendly operators at
1-877-HIS-WILL. In the meantime
00:57:55.27\00:58:00.44
may the grace and peace of Jesus
be yours every step of the way.
00:58:00.48\00:58:05.61