From the campus of
Andrews University,
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this is New Perceptions
with Dr. Dwight K. Nelson.
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Everyone needs compassion
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A love that's never failing
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Let mercy fall on me
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Everyone needs forgiveness
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The kindness of a Savior
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The hope of nations
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The hope of nations
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Savior
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He can move the mountains
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My God is mighty to save
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He is mighty to save
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Forever
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Author of salvation
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He rose and conquered the grave
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Jesus conquered the grave
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So take me as You find me
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All my fears and failures
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Fill my life again
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I give my life to follow
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Everything I believe in
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Now I surrender
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Now I surrender
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Savior
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He can move the mountains
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My God is mighty to save
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He is mighty to save
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Forever
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Author of salvation
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He rose and conquered the grave
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Jesus conquered the grave
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Shine your light
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And let the whole world see
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We're singing for the
glory of the risen King, Jesus
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Shine your light
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And let the whole world see
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We're singing for the
glory of the risen King
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Savior
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He can move the mountains
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My God is mighty to save
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He is mighty to save
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Forever
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Author of salvation
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He rose and conquered the grave
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Jesus conquered the grave
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Shine your light
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And let the whole world see
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We're singing for the
glory of the risen King, Jesus
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Shine your light
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And let the whole world see
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We're singing for the
glory of the risen King
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Savior
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He can move the mountains
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My God is mighty to save
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He is mighty to save
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Forever
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Author of Salvation
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He rose and conquered the grave
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Jesus conquered the grave
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God sent His son
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They called Him, Jesus
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He came to love
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Heal and forgive
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He bled and died
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To buy my pardon
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An empty grave is there to prove
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My Savior lives
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Because He lives
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I can face tomorrow
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Because He lives
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All fear is gone
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Because I know
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He holds the future
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And life is worth the living
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Just because He lives
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How sweet to hold
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A newborn baby
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And feel the pride
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And joy he gives
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But greater still
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The calm assurance
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This child can
face uncertain days
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Because He Lives
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Because He lives
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I can face tomorrow
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Because He lives
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All fear is gone
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Because I know
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He holds the future
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And life is worth the living
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Just because He lives
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Oh, God, it is
well with our soul.
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You're on the
throne of the universe.
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We are here, Lord of heaven
is in our mist, it is well.
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Now we go to Holy Scripture.
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A word to third
millennium goes like this,
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that today's teaching be clear
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this next of the last
Sabbath of this series.
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We want to see the risen Christ,
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we want to sense Him here
in His name, we pray, amen.
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Remember the little rhyme.
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Mary, Mary, quite contrary
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How does your garden grow
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With silver
bells and cockle shells
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And pretty maids all in a row
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Poor Mary.
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She's wild with grief.
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Hasn't slept a wink tonight.
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Too short the night.
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She drags herself out
of bed against the stubble
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through the dark shadows
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made silver by the
still full Passover moon.
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Finally she's all alone,
all alone in front of the tomb,
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no guards, no
soldiers to call, ho.
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No sound.
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Say this silence of an
empty now ominously empty tomb.
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They've stolen
her master's corpse,
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still wild the tears.
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She runs back through
the same silver shadows.
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Now the city gate ajar.
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She's quick in up a dark alley,
up the staircase, sobbing aloud.
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Now she's pounding
on that wooden door,
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barred and shattered.
Somebody find the stirs.
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The door slowly,
cautiously cracks open.
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A slice of orange light
like a CAT scan down her face.
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We've grown up with the story.
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But today we go back to
it, because we're in the story.
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Open your Bible to 4th Gospel,
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this next to the last
Sabbath in the Gospel of John.
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I can't believe the
school year is almost over.
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Find the Gospel
of John, Chapter 20.
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You've got to
relive this narrative.
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If you didn't bring your Bible,
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grab the pew
Bible in front of you.
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Track it with me,
please, New King James Version.
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What's the page number 731?
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Put the title
slide on the screen.
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Those of you are
watching on live streaming,
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we're delighted to
have you right now.
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Those of you are
watching on Television as well.
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Coming to the end of
this year long series,
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this half of the
series called "The Last Days."
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The last days of Christ.
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Today's
teaching, "Mary and Thomas,
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Patron Saints of
Higher Education."
00:14:23.00\00:14:25.23
Let's go.
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By the way those
of you are watching,
00:14:26.56\00:14:27.80
you see that
website www.pmchurch.tv
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You go there and
all of these teachings
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are archived at your pleasure.
00:14:33.46\00:14:35.92
You may review them.
00:14:35.95\00:14:38.62
So I'm not looking
it up while I'm talking.
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John 20, let's go.
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John 20, let's
pick it up in verse 1,
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"Now on the
first day of the week
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Mary Magdalene went to the tomb
early, while it was still dark,
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and saw that the stone had
been taken away from the tomb.
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Then she ran," verse 2
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"and came to Simon Peter,
and to the other disciple,"
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that would be John boy,
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"whom Jesus
loved, and said to them.
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'They have taken away
the Lord out of the tomb,
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and we do not know
where they have laid Him.'"
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So verse 3 "Peter
therefore went out,
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and the other disciple,
and were going to the tomb."
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Verse 4 "So they
both ran together,
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and the other
disciple outran Peter
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and came to the tomb first."
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What would you expect?
00:15:18.33\00:15:21.17
Of course, the boy is gonna win.
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You go John boy.
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Some of us got
older this last week.
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And we who run know that
when you run with younger soles
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that would be S-O-L-E-S.
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It's a given, they're gonna win.
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Got a big race
tomorrow, you know,
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the youngest are gonna win.
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So what's the
big deal about that?
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I think we ought to be proud
that Peter even ran it all.
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You go, Pete.
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You go Pete, I tell you.
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You know what,
there's a little--
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I sense just a
little bit of hubris
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and John putting in
that Hebrews there first.
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We didn't need to know that.
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Okay, Verse 4 "So
they both ran together,
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and the other
disciple outran Peter
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and came to the tomb first."
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And he," John boy,
"stooping down and looking in,
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saw the linen cloths lying
there, yet he did not go in.
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Then Simon Peter came--
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Then Simon Peter
came, following him."
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One thing you can say about age.
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We're not timid when we get old.
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Peter straight into
that, head into that sepulcher.
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"And Peter following
him, and went into the tomb,
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and he saw the
linen cloths lying there,
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and the handkerchief
that had been around His head,
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not lying with the linen cloths,
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but folded together
in a place by itself."
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Can have grave robbers now?
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No grave robbers
gonna snatch a body
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and fold all the linen
before leaving can't possible.
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"Then the other disciple,
who came to the tomb first,"
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he's not gonna let us forget,
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"went in also, and he saw--"
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And get this, the
first human being to believe
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in the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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"And he believed."
00:17:10.92\00:17:13.83
Verse 9 "For as yet they
did not know the Scripture,
00:17:13.86\00:17:16.32
that He must rise
again from the dead.
00:17:16.35\00:17:17.85
Then the disciples went
away again to their own homes."
00:17:17.88\00:17:22.26
But not Mary.
00:17:22.29\00:17:24.58
Perhaps the two
have already left
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by the time she arrives
through those same shadows.
00:17:26.64\00:17:30.01
Now a dawn,
quietly growing lighter.
00:17:30.04\00:17:33.39
And hour later she
returns to that spot
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and now weeping.
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She peers into the sepulcher.
00:17:41.82\00:17:44.24
Verse 11, "But Mary stood
outside by the tomb weeping,
00:17:44.27\00:17:50.29
and as she wept she stooped down
and she looked into the tomb."
00:17:50.32\00:17:55.82
Verse 12 "And she saw
two angels in white sitting,
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one at the head and
the other at the feet,
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where the body
of Jesus had lain."
00:18:02.83\00:18:04.63
So I'm brooding on
this passage this last week
00:18:04.66\00:18:06.66
and I come across the
writer named Robert Smith.
00:18:06.69\00:18:09.28
And I discover a point
00:18:09.31\00:18:10.74
and observation I have
never heard in all my life.
00:18:10.77\00:18:12.96
And I'll predict
you haven't heard it--
00:18:12.99\00:18:14.26
You haven't heard it either.
00:18:14.29\00:18:15.47
This is Robert Smith
in his delightful book,
00:18:15.50\00:18:17.26
"Wounded Lord: Reading John
Through the Eyes of Thomas."
00:18:17.29\00:18:21.46
In that book, Smith
asks the question, okay.
00:18:21.49\00:18:23.70
He says, "Hey, reader,
00:18:23.73\00:18:24.95
what Old Testament scene
immediately comes to your mind
00:18:24.98\00:18:28.38
when you see what
Mary has just seen?"
00:18:28.41\00:18:30.44
You have an angel here
and then you have a slab
00:18:30.47\00:18:33.07
and you have an angel here.
00:18:33.10\00:18:34.99
What scene comes to your mind?
00:18:35.02\00:18:37.18
Of course, "The
Ark of the Covenant
00:18:37.21\00:18:39.37
in the Most Holy Place."
00:18:39.40\00:18:40.55
How come I
never saw that before?
00:18:40.58\00:18:44.04
He says, "You have it
right there in that sepulcher."
00:18:44.07\00:18:46.56
And then Smith observes.
00:18:46.59\00:18:47.90
Let's put Robert Smith's
words on the screen, please.
00:18:47.93\00:18:50.79
Jesus' tomb, I love this.
00:18:50.82\00:18:52.61
"Jesus' tomb is
the new inner sanctum,
00:18:52.64\00:18:55.79
source not of contamination,
but of new and eternal life.
00:18:55.82\00:18:59.40
By telling the
story the way he has,
00:18:59.43\00:19:01.65
John is declaring
that the crucified
00:19:01.68\00:19:03.94
and resurrected Jesus is himself
00:19:03.97\00:19:05.95
the place of most intimate
and gracious meeting with God.
00:19:05.98\00:19:10.36
He is the place
where heaven and earth meet
00:19:10.39\00:19:13.48
in holy and creative communion."
00:19:13.51\00:19:17.10
Isn't that beautiful?
00:19:17.13\00:19:18.19
The risen Christ is
the new meeting place
00:19:18.22\00:19:20.80
of heaven and earth.
00:19:20.83\00:19:22.15
God and man, Savior and sinner.
00:19:22.18\00:19:25.36
It's all there now in
the resurrected Christ.
00:19:25.39\00:19:30.33
Ah, verse 13 Then they--
Those two angels right there.
00:19:30.36\00:19:34.62
Then those
angels, "They said to her,
00:19:34.65\00:19:37.16
'Woman, why are you weeping?'"
00:19:37.19\00:19:40.52
They rather tongue-tied
in the fourth gospel.
00:19:40.55\00:19:42.40
They do a lot of
talking in the other three.
00:19:42.43\00:19:44.58
But here they're just
three words in the Greek,
00:19:44.61\00:19:46.18
why are you weeping?
00:19:46.21\00:19:48.48
"And she said to
them," keep reading,
00:19:48.51\00:19:50.14
"'Because they
have taken away my Lord,
00:19:50.17\00:19:52.83
and I do not know
where they have laid Him.'"
00:19:52.86\00:19:55.64
Now, keep reading.
00:19:55.67\00:19:56.70
Verse 14 "Now
when she had said this,
00:19:56.73\00:19:58.26
she turned around and
she saw Jesus standing there,
00:19:58.29\00:20:01.41
and did not know
that it was Jesus."
00:20:01.44\00:20:03.27
May be because the sun
has just coming up behind him
00:20:03.30\00:20:07.25
and so she can't quite see.
00:20:07.28\00:20:08.57
Maybe it's the tears she--
00:20:08.60\00:20:10.27
all she knows is there is
this man standing behind her.
00:20:10.30\00:20:13.36
And she--
00:20:20.08\00:20:23.19
not knowing who he was.
00:20:23.22\00:20:25.86
Looks-- Now verse 15, "Jesus
said to her," I like this.
00:20:25.89\00:20:30.48
"Jesus said to her,
'Woman, why are you weeping?
00:20:30.51\00:20:34.70
Whom are you seeking?'"
00:20:34.73\00:20:36.64
Now hit the pause
button right there.
00:20:36.67\00:20:38.13
Because in the
beginning of the fourth gospel,
00:20:38.16\00:20:40.34
the very first spoken
words of Jesus are these,
00:20:40.37\00:20:44.24
"What are you seeking?"
00:20:44.27\00:20:46.72
The gospel
opens, His first words,
00:20:46.75\00:20:48.48
"What are you seeking?"
00:20:48.51\00:20:49.58
And the gospel close
closes with His words,
00:20:49.61\00:20:51.99
"Whom are you seeking."
00:20:52.02\00:20:53.73
A little mini
inclusio, two little book ends.
00:20:53.76\00:20:56.35
As if John would
have us know that what--
00:20:56.38\00:20:59.68
when life's
quest begins with the,
00:20:59.71\00:21:01.60
what that goal always is to
move from the, what to the, who.
00:21:01.63\00:21:06.90
The human race clamoring
for the meaning of life,
00:21:06.93\00:21:09.44
what are you seeking?
00:21:09.47\00:21:10.91
The human race that must
be led to the urging question,
00:21:10.94\00:21:14.42
whom are you seeking?
00:21:14.45\00:21:16.71
Isn't that great?
00:21:16.74\00:21:18.81
Woman, why are you weeping?
00:21:18.84\00:21:21.58
Whom are you seeking?
00:21:21.61\00:21:24.69
And she-- Keep reading.
00:21:24.72\00:21:25.88
"She supposing Him to be
the gardener, said to Him,
00:21:25.91\00:21:28.71
'Sir, if You
have carried Him away,
00:21:28.74\00:21:32.38
tell me where You have laid Him,
00:21:32.41\00:21:33.96
and I will take Him away.'"
00:21:33.99\00:21:36.41
Now by the way this is the same
language John has already used
00:21:36.44\00:21:39.43
when John the
Baptist looked at Jesus
00:21:39.46\00:21:40.84
and he said
"Behold the Lamb of God
00:21:40.87\00:21:42.65
who takes away
the sin of the world."
00:21:42.68\00:21:44.55
That word takes
away, she now uses it.
00:21:44.58\00:21:47.35
John has her using it.
00:21:47.38\00:21:49.07
The savior who has
taken away her guilt
00:21:49.10\00:21:51.65
and she has a guilty past.
00:21:51.68\00:21:53.99
The savior who has
taken away her guilt.
00:21:54.02\00:21:56.53
She says-- She is so devoted.
00:21:56.56\00:21:58.82
She said "Just give me
his body, I'll take him away."
00:21:58.85\00:22:02.97
And Jesus said to her
00:22:09.22\00:22:13.24
as if He was gonna prove the
claim that he made in John 10.
00:22:13.27\00:22:16.20
Remember in John 10, Jesus said,
00:22:16.23\00:22:17.63
"My sheep know my
voice and I call them by name
00:22:17.66\00:22:22.84
to prove that
that in fact is true.
00:22:22.87\00:22:24.89
"And Jesus said to her, 'Mary!
00:22:24.92\00:22:29.17
Mary. And she turned.'"
00:22:29.20\00:22:34.92
And she cries out--
00:22:34.95\00:22:35.98
I mean you can just see
this moment as if it were a DVD.
00:22:36.01\00:22:38.21
"And she cries
out to Him, 'Rabboni!'
00:22:38.24\00:22:40.27
(which is to say, Teacher).
00:22:40.30\00:22:41.33
Jesus said--" Oh, verse
17, "'Do not cling to Me.'"
00:22:41.36\00:22:43.91
Because she's holding onto him.
00:22:43.94\00:22:44.97
She just naturally
flew at Him and grabbed Him,
00:22:45.00\00:22:47.57
maybe around the
kneels but she's got Him
00:22:47.60\00:22:49.44
and He says, "'Oh,
don't, don't cling to Me,
00:22:49.47\00:22:51.97
for I have not yet
ascended to My Father,
00:22:52.00\00:22:55.38
but go to My
brethren and say to them,
00:22:55.41\00:22:57.32
I am ascending to My Father now
00:22:57.35\00:22:58.96
and your Father, and
to My God and your God.'"
00:22:58.99\00:23:01.09
So verse 18 "Mary Magdalene
came and told the disciples
00:23:01.12\00:23:04.32
that she had seen the Lord,
00:23:04.35\00:23:06.37
and that He had
spoken these things to her."
00:23:06.40\00:23:10.38
I tell you what, every
time I relive this story,
00:23:10.41\00:23:12.51
every single time I
find it utterly stunning
00:23:12.54\00:23:15.99
that the godly
universe, the creator Himself.
00:23:16.02\00:23:19.79
Fernando, what's
-- Last name Ortya?
00:23:19.82\00:23:25.26
Yeah, Ortega.
00:23:25.29\00:23:26.69
Fernando Ortega, I
love that song of his,
00:23:26.72\00:23:28.64
Jesus, King of Angels.
00:23:28.67\00:23:31.43
That is a beautiful song.
00:23:31.46\00:23:33.24
The king of Angels,
00:23:33.27\00:23:34.94
who after this
victorious resurrection
00:23:34.97\00:23:38.46
wants to hurry to His father
with Whom He has spent eternity
00:23:38.49\00:23:42.02
and say "Is it a done deal?"
00:23:42.05\00:23:45.00
Instead of
hurrying to His father,
00:23:45.03\00:23:46.71
He wakes for this devoted,
this dear friend of His.
00:23:46.74\00:23:51.18
He stands in the
shadows of that dawning morning,
00:23:51.21\00:23:56.33
wakes to see Mary.
00:23:56.36\00:23:57.90
I found it absolutely stunning.
00:23:57.93\00:24:01.95
He wakes to meet with her.
00:24:01.98\00:24:03.91
I tell you why I
find it so stunning,
00:24:03.94\00:24:05.50
because scholars, some
scholars and desire of ages.
00:24:05.53\00:24:09.98
I want you to
listen carefully here.
00:24:10.01\00:24:11.71
Have drawn the
rightful, I believe,
00:24:11.74\00:24:13.34
the rightful conclusion
that this Mary of Magdalene.
00:24:13.37\00:24:16.42
Now listen some of
you had a little problem
00:24:16.45\00:24:18.66
this last time around.
00:24:18.69\00:24:19.72
But I'm gonna show you Mary--
00:24:19.75\00:24:21.99
this Mary Magdalene is Mary the
sister of Lazarus and Martha?
00:24:22.02\00:24:28.24
Mary Magdalene, whenever that
name is used in the four gospels
00:24:28.27\00:24:33.89
it is a cryptic
link to her sullied
00:24:33.92\00:24:36.98
and stained sexual past.
00:24:37.01\00:24:40.53
Desire of Ages tells us
that she was let into sin
00:24:43.57\00:24:47.14
by her uncle Simon the Pharisee
for whom they had this big--
00:24:47.17\00:24:51.53
For whom the feast was provided.
00:24:51.56\00:24:57.02
An insatious
advance by her uncle
00:24:57.05\00:25:03.20
has driven Mary into
shame she has fled Bethany.
00:25:03.23\00:25:07.43
She has found a
little village of Magdala
00:25:07.46\00:25:10.61
and there because she
has been led into sin.
00:25:10.64\00:25:13.17
She sinks deeper
and deeper into sin
00:25:13.20\00:25:17.00
and guilt and further shame.
00:25:17.03\00:25:20.56
Until one day, a
young itinerant preacher
00:25:20.59\00:25:24.06
and teacher and healer,
they're calling Messiah,
00:25:24.09\00:25:27.24
came by her way and she
found her savior at last.
00:25:27.27\00:25:35.08
I want to put Desire of
Ages on the screen for you,
00:25:35.11\00:25:36.85
look at this.
00:25:36.88\00:25:38.49
"Mary had been looked
upon as a great sinner,
00:25:38.52\00:25:42.49
but Christ knew
the circumstances
00:25:42.52\00:25:44.77
that had shaped her life.
00:25:44.80\00:25:46.10
He might have extinguished
00:25:46.13\00:25:47.41
every spark of hope in
her soul, but He did not."
00:25:47.44\00:25:49.41
Listen girl, you should
be going to this church,
00:25:49.44\00:25:51.22
find another church.
00:25:51.25\00:25:52.28
Don't come and please
don't you know who we are.
00:25:52.31\00:25:55.84
He could've done that he didn't.
00:25:55.87\00:25:58.43
"It was He who had lifted
her from despair and ruin.
00:25:58.46\00:26:02.44
Seven times she had
heard His rebuke of the demons
00:26:02.47\00:26:05.93
that controlled
her heart and mind."
00:26:05.96\00:26:07.44
The synoptics tell us that
her name is Mary Magdalene.
00:26:07.47\00:26:10.71
And I'm quoting
now the synoptics
00:26:10.74\00:26:13.23
out of whom he
had cast seven demons.
00:26:13.26\00:26:17.47
The demon of gratification
has held her a slave.
00:26:17.50\00:26:21.31
"Seven times--" Keep reading.
00:26:21.34\00:26:23.46
"Seven times she
had heard strong cries
00:26:23.49\00:26:25.50
to the Father in her behalf.
00:26:25.53\00:26:26.61
She knew how offensive is
sin to His unsullied purity,
00:26:26.64\00:26:29.36
and in His
strength she had overcome."
00:26:29.39\00:26:32.55
Mary Magdalene is the
code language for her past.
00:26:32.58\00:26:36.78
When that gospel writers
want to talk about her present,
00:26:36.81\00:26:39.36
it's Mary the sister
of Martha and Lazarus,
00:26:39.39\00:26:42.68
same woman, same savior.
00:26:42.71\00:26:45.94
What a savior Jesus is.
00:26:45.97\00:26:49.89
I mean can you believe it.
00:26:49.92\00:26:51.53
And He's waiting in the shadows.
00:26:51.56\00:26:53.70
He's waiting in the shadows.
00:26:53.73\00:26:55.05
He could go to heaven
00:26:55.08\00:26:56.11
but He's waiting for
this forgiven one to come
00:26:56.14\00:26:58.51
so that He might speak to her,
00:26:58.54\00:27:00.56
the first human to
hear the resurrected one.
00:27:00.59\00:27:07.01
Wow. Amazing.
00:27:07.04\00:27:09.73
Amazing grace,
how sweet the sound.
00:27:09.76\00:27:11.93
It saved a wretch like me.
00:27:11.96\00:27:14.51
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
00:27:14.54\00:27:16.88
I was blind but now I see.
00:27:16.91\00:27:19.48
What a God, we
worship right now.
00:27:19.51\00:27:23.17
Ah, but there's more to Sunday.
00:27:23.20\00:27:25.20
Keep reading, verse 19,
00:27:25.23\00:27:26.44
"Then, the same day at evening,
being the first day of the week,
00:27:26.47\00:27:30.08
when the doors were shut where
the disciples were assembled,"
00:27:30.11\00:27:32.60
now notice this,
"for fear of the Jews."
00:27:32.63\00:27:34.58
Because some people say,
00:27:34.61\00:27:35.80
"Oh, they're already having
Sunday night prayer services."
00:27:35.83\00:27:38.78
Are you crazy?
00:27:38.81\00:27:40.15
There is no prayer is going on.
00:27:40.18\00:27:41.75
There is only
sweat and adrenaline.
00:27:41.78\00:27:44.04
They are in the bared
and shattered upper room
00:27:44.07\00:27:47.45
for fear of the Jews.
00:27:47.48\00:27:49.10
They're scared
spit less. Trust me.
00:27:49.13\00:27:51.92
Nobody is having
a worship service.
00:27:51.95\00:27:56.94
And all of a
sudden, keep reading.
00:27:56.97\00:27:58.23
And all of a sudden, "Jesus
came and stood in the midst,
00:27:58.26\00:28:02.76
and He said to them,
'Peace be with you.'"
00:28:02.79\00:28:09.56
Several years ago my
friend, Melchizedek Ponniah
00:28:09.59\00:28:11.49
with the
communication department
00:28:11.52\00:28:12.69
here at Andrew's University.
00:28:12.72\00:28:13.75
Sent me a Reuters news
agency story about a man.
00:28:13.78\00:28:16.71
Listen to this. A man
in Nicaragua lived down--
00:28:16.74\00:28:18.78
The outskirts of Managua.
00:28:18.81\00:28:20.90
Who suddenly turned up missing,
00:28:20.93\00:28:22.32
his wife goes frantic.
00:28:22.35\00:28:23.52
He's been
missing for three days.
00:28:23.55\00:28:25.02
Something terrible
has happened to him.
00:28:25.05\00:28:26.15
They go to the city morgue--
00:28:26.18\00:28:27.52
There he is. They got the body.
00:28:27.55\00:28:29.25
Brought the body
back in a cascade
00:28:29.28\00:28:31.74
and while they were having the
actual funeral service itself,
00:28:31.77\00:28:35.66
the victim comes
walking through that door.
00:28:35.69\00:28:38.67
The place goes bananas.
00:28:38.70\00:28:43.34
It's a ghost.
00:28:43.37\00:28:46.02
Turns out the man had left town
00:28:46.05\00:28:47.65
to check on some
property in the country--
00:28:47.68\00:28:50.04
have forgotten to tell his wife.
00:28:50.07\00:28:52.58
Who now is about
to bury the wrong man
00:28:55.87\00:29:00.26
but is surely attempted
to burry the right man.
00:29:00.29\00:29:05.38
I mean, you can only imagine the
pandemonium went suddenly shock.
00:29:05.41\00:29:08.72
There he is,
he's bigger than life.
00:29:08.75\00:29:11.84
The dead one, the risen Christ.
00:29:11.87\00:29:15.66
Luke says, they
actually convince themselves,
00:29:15.69\00:29:18.52
this is a ghost.
00:29:18.55\00:29:19.74
And Jesus comes to them,
where is this in verse 20.
00:29:19.77\00:29:22.50
"When He had said this,
He showed them His hands
00:29:22.53\00:29:24.43
and His side and
then the disciples,"
00:29:24.46\00:29:26.15
then they say, oh.
00:29:26.18\00:29:27.68
"Then the disciples are glad
when they finally see the Lord."
00:29:27.71\00:29:34.55
Verse 22 "And
when He had said this,
00:29:34.58\00:29:37.70
He breathed on
them, and said to them,
00:29:37.73\00:29:40.97
'Receive the Holy Spirit.'"
00:29:41.00\00:29:43.91
Oh, I love this.
00:29:43.94\00:29:45.14
You know I have. That old hymn.
00:29:45.17\00:29:46.88
Somebody don't know
that old hymn but I do.
00:29:46.91\00:29:49.53
And I have the words
written right here, right--
00:29:49.56\00:29:51.36
all around the white space
00:29:51.39\00:29:52.59
I can find in Andrew study
Bible for this first stanza.
00:29:52.62\00:29:55.20
Breathe on me, Breath of God
00:29:55.23\00:29:58.08
Fill me with life anew
00:29:58.11\00:30:00.71
That I may love
what Thou dost love
00:30:00.74\00:30:04.19
And do what Thou wouldst do
00:30:04.22\00:30:08.10
What a prayer?
00:30:08.13\00:30:09.16
Every morning when you
go to your prayer closet
00:30:09.19\00:30:10.93
that little
corner in your dome room,
00:30:10.96\00:30:12.66
that little corner
in your family room,
00:30:12.69\00:30:15.17
that corner in your study.
00:30:15.20\00:30:16.55
When you go to your
prayer closet, you can say,
00:30:16.58\00:30:18.57
"Oh, Jesus would
you breathe on me today?
00:30:18.60\00:30:21.41
Fill me with the Holy Spirit."
00:30:21.44\00:30:23.56
I mean, look what Jesus promise.
00:30:23.59\00:30:24.71
Luke 11:13, Jesus said
look at, "If you who are evil,
00:30:24.74\00:30:27.99
know how to give good
gifts to your children,
00:30:28.02\00:30:29.95
how much more will
your Father in Heaven
00:30:29.98\00:30:31.74
give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask."
00:30:31.77\00:30:34.01
You got to ask.
00:30:34.04\00:30:35.36
Tomorrow morning, when
you go to have your prayer,
00:30:35.39\00:30:37.10
worship, just say,
"Jesus, breathe on me, please.
00:30:37.13\00:30:39.91
Breathe on me."
00:30:39.94\00:30:40.97
And He breathes on them.
00:30:41.00\00:30:43.79
Breathe the Holy
Spirit upon them.
00:30:43.82\00:30:45.62
Ah.
00:30:45.65\00:30:47.70
All right, verse 24, "Now
Thomas," oh, oh, plot thickens.
00:30:47.73\00:30:52.28
Now Thomas, called the
Twin, one of the twelve."
00:30:52.31\00:30:55.07
By the way, they're 11,
now one committed suicide.
00:30:55.10\00:30:59.23
But they will be remembered
00:30:59.26\00:31:00.29
as 12 for the
rest of their lives.
00:31:00.32\00:31:02.12
That's their moniker,
now they're called the 12.
00:31:02.15\00:31:04.93
"Now Thomas, called the
Twin, one of the twelve,
00:31:04.96\00:31:07.01
was not with
them when Jesus came."
00:31:07.04\00:31:09.46
Maybe he stepped
off for some fresh air,
00:31:09.49\00:31:10.85
sweaty bodies that are nervous,
00:31:10.88\00:31:12.58
really feel a room anyway.
00:31:12.61\00:31:14.79
Maybe it was for a few hours,
00:31:14.82\00:31:15.88
maybe it was over night, we
don't know but he wasn't there.
00:31:15.91\00:31:18.37
And the other disciples,
now when he comes back,
00:31:18.40\00:31:22.03
next morning,
next day, who knows.
00:31:22.06\00:31:23.68
The other
disciples when he comes back
00:31:23.71\00:31:26.07
they are
clapping him on the back
00:31:26.10\00:31:27.64
and squeezing his beard to cheek
00:31:27.67\00:31:29.44
and saying, Thomas,
you're not gonna believe this,
00:31:29.47\00:31:31.43
but "we have seen
the Lord. He's alive."
00:31:31.46\00:31:35.75
And Thomas said, "Huh?"
00:31:35.78\00:31:38.83
Do you know why, he said, "Huh?"
00:31:38.86\00:31:41.53
Because he is a graduate
of a university, that's why.
00:31:41.56\00:31:45.99
That's exactly why.
00:31:46.02\00:31:48.06
Higher education,
what is it train us to do.
00:31:48.09\00:31:50.26
Those of us enmeshed in the life
00:31:50.29\00:31:52.86
of higher education
in this little perish.
00:31:52.89\00:31:55.24
What is higher
education train us to do?
00:31:55.27\00:31:57.99
You have to thank for yourself.
00:31:58.02\00:32:00.08
You don't take
nobody-- Excuse me.
00:32:00.11\00:32:02.74
You don't take
anybody's word for it.
00:32:02.77\00:32:07.01
You have to have
empirical evidence.
00:32:07.04\00:32:12.45
Do you know what
empirical evidence is?
00:32:12.48\00:32:15.63
I'm sure you do.
00:32:15.66\00:32:16.69
Empirical evidence is
what you do in a laboratory
00:32:16.72\00:32:17.75
for four hours on
a Wednesday night.
00:32:17.78\00:32:21.08
Empirical evidence is what you
spend days doing in a library,
00:32:21.11\00:32:24.64
it's how you
come to conclusions,
00:32:24.67\00:32:26.45
it's after you've examined
all the evidence that you say,
00:32:26.48\00:32:31.28
"Aha, this must be true."
00:32:31.31\00:32:34.02
Thomas has gone to
university, a graduate.
00:32:34.05\00:32:36.44
And he's been trained
that whenever somebody
00:32:36.47\00:32:38.33
lays an audacious claim
upon you, "Huh" is the response.
00:32:38.36\00:32:43.15
And that's exactly what he does.
00:32:43.18\00:32:45.61
Verse 25, now the
disciples therefore said to him,
00:32:45.64\00:32:49.62
"Hey, Thomas, 'We
have seen the Lord.'"
00:32:49.65\00:32:51.83
"And he said to them,
00:32:51.86\00:32:53.37
'No, unless I see in
His hands the print,"
00:32:53.40\00:32:57.29
empirical evidence number one,
00:32:57.32\00:32:59.09
the print of the nails.'"
00:32:59.12\00:33:00.15
And by the way this is the
only place in all four gospels
00:33:00.18\00:33:02.68
that nails are
mentioned leading us
00:33:02.71\00:33:04.09
to know Jesus was
crucified by nails.
00:33:04.12\00:33:06.84
You read it into the others
because it's in your mind,
00:33:06.87\00:33:09.67
only because of
Thomas' word do we know?
00:33:09.70\00:33:13.26
He said empirical
evidence number one,
00:33:13.29\00:33:15.19
"I must see in His
hands the print of the nails."
00:33:15.22\00:33:16.98
Empirical evidence number two,
00:33:17.01\00:33:18.35
"I want to put my finger
in those print of the nails."
00:33:18.38\00:33:20.13
And empirical
evidence number three,
00:33:20.16\00:33:21.42
"I want to put my
hand into His side,
00:33:21.45\00:33:22.68
I will not believe until I do."
00:33:22.71\00:33:28.40
Is it wrong to insist
on empirical evidence?
00:33:28.43\00:33:35.17
And is empirical evidence
00:33:35.20\00:33:36.48
antithetical to
faith in religion?
00:33:36.51\00:33:40.25
Some think so.
00:33:40.28\00:33:41.97
George Marsden in his
delightful little book,
00:33:42.00\00:33:44.62
"The Outrageous Idea
of Christian Scholarship."
00:33:44.65\00:33:47.52
Listen to him.
00:33:47.55\00:33:48.87
I put his words on
the screen for you.
00:33:48.90\00:33:50.65
"It is very common...
00:33:50.68\00:33:52.03
for academics to dismiss
religion as simply non-empirical
00:33:52.06\00:33:56.42
and therefore the idea relevance
of religious perspectives
00:33:56.45\00:33:59.82
to respectable
scholarship as absurd."
00:33:59.85\00:34:03.01
Keep reading.
00:34:03.04\00:34:04.64
In the Chronicle
of Higher Education
00:34:04.67\00:34:06.07
and the faculty
here know what that is.
00:34:06.10\00:34:07.92
A leading American
intellectual historian
00:34:07.95\00:34:10.41
responded that "the
notion that scholars' beliefs
00:34:10.44\00:34:13.75
are compatible with their
academic interests is loony
00:34:13.78\00:34:17.55
and reflects a
self-indulgent professoriate."
00:34:17.58\00:34:23.33
And somebody else wrote in
00:34:23.36\00:34:24.62
"Went even further, asserting
that matter of religion are
00:34:24.65\00:34:27.50
'by definition not
amenable to logic.'"
00:34:27.53\00:34:33.33
Clearly, ladies and gentlemen
00:34:33.36\00:34:34.51
in the realm of
higher education.
00:34:34.54\00:34:35.84
There are those who
reject the compatibility
00:34:35.87\00:34:38.22
of personal faith prospectus
with serious, logical,
00:34:38.25\00:34:42.29
empirical scholarship,
they just don't work.
00:34:42.32\00:34:45.44
But just as clearly in
what we are about to witness
00:34:45.47\00:34:51.29
we would see the
evidence that personal faith
00:34:51.32\00:34:55.81
and empirical evidence
are not antithetical at all.
00:34:55.84\00:35:01.97
Read on, verse 26,
"And after eight days,"
00:35:02.00\00:35:06.72
okay, so it's next week now.
00:35:06.75\00:35:08.66
"His disciples
were again inside,
00:35:08.69\00:35:11.53
and Thomas with them."
00:35:11.56\00:35:15.11
And then it happens
again, Jesus-- there it is.
00:35:15.14\00:35:17.92
"Jesus came, the
doors being shut,
00:35:17.95\00:35:19.98
and stood in the
midst, and He said again,
00:35:20.01\00:35:21.97
'Shalom to you!'
00:35:22.00\00:35:23.62
" Verse 27, and then He turns,
00:35:23.65\00:35:25.56
where are you--
00:35:25.59\00:35:26.62
And then He turns and
looks straight to Thomas.
00:35:26.65\00:35:30.49
One little piece and
now He's going for Thomas.
00:35:30.52\00:35:34.01
And He looks straight to Thomas.
00:35:34.04\00:35:35.14
"And He says
'Reach your finger here,
00:35:35.17\00:35:37.22
and look at My hands,
and reach your hand here,
00:35:37.25\00:35:39.87
and put it into My side.
00:35:39.90\00:35:41.31
Do not be
unbelieving, but believing.'
00:35:41.34\00:35:46.66
And Thomas
answered and said to Him,
00:35:46.69\00:35:49.86
'My Lord and my God!'"
00:35:49.89\00:35:55.27
That's a major
Christological Christ.
00:35:55.30\00:35:57.72
That's a major
Christ book in-or inclusio.
00:35:57.75\00:36:00.97
The book opens
declaring Christ is divine,
00:36:01.00\00:36:03.52
the book closes again
confessing Christ is divine.
00:36:03.55\00:36:07.19
Intention, my Lord, and my God.
00:36:07.22\00:36:11.68
Jesus goes on.
00:36:11.71\00:36:12.74
"Jesus said to him, 'Thomas,
because you have seen Me,
00:36:12.77\00:36:16.42
you have believed.
00:36:16.45\00:36:17.49
But blessed are those who have
not seen and yet have believed."
00:36:17.52\00:36:23.98
If you please.
00:36:24.01\00:36:25.71
Let's consider Thomas and Mary,
00:36:25.74\00:36:27.19
the patron saints
of higher education,
00:36:27.22\00:36:28.95
particularly
Christian higher education,
00:36:28.98\00:36:31.45
even more particularly
00:36:31.48\00:36:32.78
Seventh-day
Adventist higher education.
00:36:32.81\00:36:35.21
You know I say
patron saints, of course,
00:36:35.24\00:36:36.99
we know that they are sleeping
in the dust of the earth
00:36:37.02\00:36:39.73
and they await
the glorious return
00:36:39.76\00:36:41.49
and resurrection,
the return of Christ.
00:36:41.52\00:36:43.91
But let's just for imagine--
00:36:43.94\00:36:45.73
Let's say that Thomas and Mary
00:36:45.76\00:36:48.28
are the gospel
representatives of all of us,
00:36:48.31\00:36:50.60
who are enmeshed in
higher education today, okay.
00:36:50.63\00:36:54.19
Why them? I tell you, why.
00:36:54.22\00:36:55.89
Because they like us
operate out of an empirical bias
00:36:55.92\00:37:00.16
and empirical bias I
have to have that to believe.
00:37:00.19\00:37:04.22
Mary has to see,
Thomas has to touch,
00:37:04.25\00:37:08.66
but what is so
amazing, listen to this.
00:37:08.69\00:37:10.69
What is so amazing is that
00:37:10.72\00:37:12.44
Jesus rebukes neither one of
them for that empirical bias.
00:37:12.47\00:37:16.07
Not a word, not a scolding word.
00:37:16.10\00:37:19.91
He accepts it.
00:37:19.94\00:37:22.00
In fact He acquiesces
to their empirical bias
00:37:22.03\00:37:24.68
and offers each of them what
would be most convincing to them
00:37:24.71\00:37:27.20
for Mary, it's a
sound of His voice
00:37:27.23\00:37:30.11
and that bring
forth the confession.
00:37:30.14\00:37:31.56
For Thomas, it is the touch and
that bring forth the confession.
00:37:31.59\00:37:35.90
Why?
00:37:35.93\00:37:36.96
Because our creator
knows that He made us
00:37:36.99\00:37:39.64
for the very quest that higher
education thrives on today.
00:37:39.67\00:37:44.62
He made us that way.
00:37:44.65\00:37:45.91
Intellectually
we've been created
00:37:45.94\00:37:47.23
to exercise the
highest powers of our minds
00:37:47.26\00:37:49.78
to grapple with the most
empirical of all evidences.
00:37:49.81\00:37:53.29
We've been made
that way which means,
00:37:53.32\00:37:55.51
it's okay to ask
for empirical evidence.
00:37:55.54\00:37:59.62
Empirical evidence
is not countered to God,
00:37:59.65\00:38:02.29
it's what God is,
and it's what God does.
00:38:02.32\00:38:08.66
One of the seminarians in my
preaching class, Nestor Soriano.
00:38:08.69\00:38:13.19
I told the class on Wednesday
00:38:13.22\00:38:14.25
what I'm gonna be
preaching on today.
00:38:14.28\00:38:15.96
And he found
something yesterday,
00:38:15.99\00:38:18.02
he sent me an email and he said,
00:38:18.05\00:38:19.08
"Hey, Dwight, did
you see this latest--
00:38:19.11\00:38:21.08
in that latest issue
of the Adventist Review,
00:38:21.11\00:38:23.23
a story written
by Addison Hudgins.
00:38:23.26\00:38:26.77
Title of the
article, "Lost sheep?
00:38:26.80\00:38:29.51
Discovering Why Young
People Choose to Leave Church."
00:38:29.54\00:38:32.52
So we just slipped this in,
00:38:32.55\00:38:33.89
I want you to see
this, look up here.
00:38:33.92\00:38:36.10
"As one young adult expressed,"
00:38:36.13\00:38:38.58
this is Hudgins writing, this
is the young adult speaking.
00:38:38.61\00:38:41.51
"I always felt very guilty
00:38:41.54\00:38:44.11
when I had
questions I wanted to ask."
00:38:44.14\00:38:47.15
Because apparently
there are some communities
00:38:47.18\00:38:49.59
within the community of faith
00:38:49.62\00:38:51.26
where it is
verboten to ask questions.
00:38:51.29\00:38:53.68
What are you asking that for?
00:38:53.71\00:38:54.74
You ought to believe,
it says it right here,
00:38:54.77\00:38:56.55
just take it girl, come on boy.
00:38:56.58\00:38:59.51
Apparently there
are some communities
00:38:59.54\00:39:01.24
where asking questions
is a sign of loss of faith
00:39:01.27\00:39:06.12
or heresy or off the beam.
00:39:06.15\00:39:10.57
One young adult says,
"I always felt very guilty
00:39:10.60\00:39:12.46
whenever I had
questions I wanted to ask."
00:39:12.49\00:39:14.57
Now Hudgins goes on,
00:39:14.60\00:39:16.41
"We need to cultivate
critical thinking skills
00:39:16.44\00:39:19.45
and not discourage
young adults from questioning.
00:39:19.48\00:39:22.04
When we avoid
challenging Bible passages
00:39:22.07\00:39:24.81
or brush off
difficult questions,
00:39:24.84\00:39:26.95
we do the
questioner a disservice,"
00:39:26.98\00:39:29.44
but I thought
this was insight full
00:39:29.47\00:39:31.19
"and we do God a disservice.
00:39:31.22\00:39:36.69
God is the one
searching for us--
00:39:36.72\00:39:38.75
which means He is big enough
00:39:38.78\00:39:40.84
to handle our doubts
and discouragements."
00:39:40.87\00:39:43.39
"Let Him. Let
the questions come.
00:39:43.42\00:39:45.92
Ask Me. Ask Me
anything you wish.
00:39:45.95\00:39:49.51
Let me help you
find the answer."
00:39:49.54\00:39:51.36
We ought to not be
cutting off questions, please.
00:39:51.39\00:39:55.19
It's okay to
ask God for evidence
00:39:55.22\00:39:58.51
to dispel our doubts
but we need to do so.
00:39:58.54\00:40:01.92
Listen seriously.
00:40:01.95\00:40:02.98
We need to do so
remembering the limits.
00:40:03.01\00:40:06.52
Remembering that
there is something beyond
00:40:06.55\00:40:09.52
where empirical evidence goes,
00:40:09.55\00:40:11.29
reason goes to the
end of empirical evidence
00:40:11.32\00:40:13.84
but then faith has
to keep traversing,
00:40:13.87\00:40:16.26
faith can't stop,
it has to keep going.
00:40:16.29\00:40:18.75
Richard Rice, I
have his book in--
00:40:18.78\00:40:22.53
I want to share a
line from his book.
00:40:22.56\00:40:23.95
The title of the book "Reason
& the Contours of Faith."
00:40:23.98\00:40:26.26
And I'm gonna hang this sentence
00:40:26.29\00:40:27.74
on the screen
for you for a moment
00:40:27.77\00:40:29.67
and if I were tweeting the one
line from this Bible teaching
00:40:29.70\00:40:32.92
this will be the line I
would tweet, this is it.
00:40:32.95\00:40:35.44
Richard Rice,
"Faith always affirms
00:40:35.47\00:40:39.09
more than reason can support."
00:40:39.12\00:40:42.85
Just look at that for a moment.
00:40:42.88\00:40:44.10
"Faith always affirms
more than reason can support."
00:40:44.13\00:40:48.20
Reason gets down to here,
00:40:48.23\00:40:49.26
empirical evidence stops
right here, faith keeps going.
00:40:49.29\00:40:51.81
Faith said, I'm not
stopping there, I keep going.
00:40:51.84\00:40:53.96
Faith always affirms
more than reason can support."
00:40:53.99\00:41:01.70
Which is why Jesus, He
does not rebuke Thomas.
00:41:01.73\00:41:04.88
But Jesus
pronounces this benediction.
00:41:04.91\00:41:08.16
Read that again in verse 29.
00:41:08.19\00:41:09.70
"Jesus said to
him, 'Thomas, please,
00:41:09.73\00:41:11.51
because you have seen
Me, you have believed.'"
00:41:11.54\00:41:13.06
That's okay, that's okay.
00:41:13.09\00:41:14.81
"But blessed are those who have
not seen and yet have believed."
00:41:14.84\00:41:19.98
How does that line go
00:41:20.01\00:41:21.06
"Faith always affirms
more than reason can support."
00:41:21.09\00:41:26.37
I mean you think about it.
00:41:26.40\00:41:28.18
First generation,
okay, so here is Jesus
00:41:28.21\00:41:30.04
and here is that all that first
generation crowd of believers.
00:41:30.07\00:41:35.04
The fact of matter
is ladies and gentlemen,
00:41:35.07\00:41:36.90
they're gonna
die. And they did die.
00:41:36.93\00:41:39.53
In fact John boy
is now John the Elder,
00:41:39.56\00:41:42.37
they are dying off.
00:41:42.40\00:41:44.20
We are now in the
second generation.
00:41:44.23\00:41:45.52
We're possibly
into third generation.
00:41:45.55\00:41:47.79
And guess what for
second generationers
00:41:47.82\00:41:49.80
and third generationers,
00:41:49.83\00:41:50.89
there is no empirical evidence.
00:41:50.92\00:41:52.82
It's gone where I
couldn't touch him.
00:41:52.85\00:41:54.55
1 John 1, what we
saw, what we handed,
00:41:54.58\00:41:57.44
what we touched,
we don't have it.
00:41:57.47\00:42:01.18
Still for us 3rd
millennium as what,
00:42:01.21\00:42:03.00
we have no empirical
evidence which means.
00:42:03.03\00:42:05.53
Now hold on, which means
00:42:05.56\00:42:07.75
that the only
empirical evidence we can handle
00:42:07.78\00:42:11.48
is the actual testimony
of those who were here,
00:42:11.51\00:42:17.16
when the resurrection happened.
00:42:17.19\00:42:19.26
I say, come on,
I don't like that.
00:42:19.29\00:42:21.59
I'm not gonna just do that
kind of really nearly going back
00:42:21.62\00:42:24.34
and taking
somebody else's word for it.
00:42:24.37\00:42:26.19
What do you mean
you're not gonna do that?
00:42:26.22\00:42:27.46
You do it all the time.
00:42:27.49\00:42:28.52
You study history at all?
Do you study history at all?
00:42:28.55\00:42:31.94
Ever heard of the
declaration of the independence?
00:42:31.97\00:42:34.13
Of course, you
have. It's a forgery.
00:42:34.16\00:42:36.69
I'm telling you, it's a forgery.
00:42:36.72\00:42:38.46
That signature at
the end of that document,
00:42:38.49\00:42:40.69
what is it, Thomas Jefferson?
00:42:40.72\00:42:42.67
Oh, that's a forgery I can tell.
00:42:42.70\00:42:45.71
You say, Dwight
it's not a forgery.
00:42:45.74\00:42:47.11
I've been to the
National Archives
00:42:47.14\00:42:48.25
and I have actually
looked at the document.
00:42:48.28\00:42:49.78
Guess what, so have I?
00:42:49.81\00:42:50.93
But who is to tell
us that isn't a forgery.
00:42:50.96\00:42:52.83
Who is to tell us that this
thing gets slipped in one night?
00:42:52.86\00:42:55.61
And we're all now believing that
a declaration of independence
00:42:55.64\00:42:57.53
that was never made,
00:42:57.56\00:42:58.59
there never was
a Thomas Jefferson.
00:42:58.62\00:43:00.75
No. We don't do
that with history.
00:43:00.78\00:43:02.46
We believe if somebody
who knew Thomas Jefferson
00:43:02.49\00:43:05.21
told somebody else
about knowing Thomas Jefferson
00:43:05.24\00:43:07.46
who told somebody
else, who told somebody else,
00:43:07.49\00:43:08.90
who told somebody
else, and we're down here
00:43:08.93\00:43:10.63
and guess what without a
question we accept by faith
00:43:10.66\00:43:15.06
there once was
a Thomas Jefferson
00:43:15.09\00:43:17.14
and he really did sign the
declaration of independence.
00:43:17.17\00:43:19.60
How do you like that?
00:43:19.63\00:43:20.76
But the moment we
talk about the Bible
00:43:20.79\00:43:23.42
and history from
the story of Christ.
00:43:23.45\00:43:25.96
Oh, I can't, I
can't believe that
00:43:25.99\00:43:27.24
there's just bunch of
tales that were written.
00:43:27.27\00:43:29.54
You have no more way of knowing
the Bible is a bunch of tales
00:43:29.57\00:43:33.57
than you do American
history is a bunch of tales.
00:43:33.60\00:43:37.88
We got a crazy logic don't we?
00:43:37.91\00:43:39.79
When it comes to God,
00:43:39.82\00:43:40.85
oh, suddenly picky,
picky, picky, picky.
00:43:40.88\00:43:43.80
When it comes to our
own history, oh, yeah.
00:43:43.83\00:43:45.25
Yo, Tom. Nice to see you.
00:43:45.28\00:43:48.97
What's up with that?
00:43:49.00\00:43:50.16
We've split. We
have split ourselves.
00:43:50.19\00:43:53.49
And we do not use the same modus
operandi with both stories.
00:43:53.52\00:43:56.89
We're hard on the
resurrection story.
00:43:56.92\00:43:59.42
People who saw him and wrote
it down, we're hard on them.
00:43:59.45\00:44:04.60
But we take Thomas
Jefferson for granted.
00:44:04.63\00:44:09.72
That's why, "Faith has to affirm
more than reason can support."
00:44:09.75\00:44:15.97
Let me read verse 30 to you.
00:44:16.00\00:44:18.19
And John-- This
is the formal ending,
00:44:18.22\00:44:20.04
there will be one more story,
the last one next Sabbath.
00:44:20.07\00:44:22.17
"And truly," John writes,
00:44:22.20\00:44:24.38
"And truly Jesus
did many other signs."
00:44:24.41\00:44:27.21
See there they
are, the signs are--
00:44:27.24\00:44:29.32
We-- Hey guys, we saw it all,
and you haven't seen anything.
00:44:29.35\00:44:32.61
But I've written
some of these signs down.
00:44:32.64\00:44:34.14
Why?
00:44:34.17\00:44:35.20
So that you may-- where are we,
00:44:35.23\00:44:36.87
"And truly Jesus
did many other signs
00:44:36.90\00:44:38.41
in the presence
of His disciples,
00:44:38.44\00:44:39.59
which are not
written in this book."
00:44:39.62\00:44:40.80
Verse 31, "But the ones that
I did write down are written
00:44:40.83\00:44:44.27
so that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ,
00:44:44.30\00:44:47.02
the Son of God,
and that believing
00:44:47.05\00:44:49.05
you may have life in His name."
00:44:49.08\00:44:51.09
I'm giving you
empirical evidence,
00:44:51.12\00:44:52.97
first person testimony.
00:44:53.00\00:44:54.78
I'm giving you
first person testimony.
00:44:54.81\00:44:57.56
You have to
believe what I tell you.
00:44:57.59\00:45:00.97
You believe Thomas Jefferson.
00:45:01.00\00:45:02.60
Why don't you believe Thomas?
00:45:02.63\00:45:05.67
Believe, when he
says my Lord and my God.
00:45:05.70\00:45:12.78
I'm giving you these signs
00:45:12.81\00:45:14.72
so that you too like all history
00:45:14.75\00:45:18.83
will come to believe
the veracity of our story.
00:45:18.86\00:45:23.44
Isn't that amazing?
00:45:23.47\00:45:26.23
Wow.
00:45:26.26\00:45:28.85
"Faith always affirms
more than reason can support."
00:45:28.88\00:45:35.45
And by the way
that is precisely why
00:45:35.48\00:45:36.97
Adventist higher
education exists today.
00:45:37.00\00:45:39.73
That's why it flourishes today,
00:45:39.76\00:45:41.85
because faith must affirms
more than reason can support.
00:45:41.88\00:45:44.91
The states school system get
you down to the end of reason
00:45:44.94\00:45:47.92
and it has to stop right here.
00:45:47.95\00:45:49.67
But faith, the
faith school system
00:45:49.70\00:45:52.45
moves beyond that terminus.
00:45:52.48\00:45:56.20
And says there is more.
00:45:56.23\00:45:57.80
"Faith always affirms
more than reason can support."
00:45:57.83\00:46:02.45
Hence the reason for the
existence of Andrews University
00:46:02.48\00:46:05.56
and all of our
sister universities,
00:46:05.59\00:46:07.57
we exist because
faith always affirms
00:46:07.60\00:46:12.00
more than reason can support.
00:46:12.03\00:46:15.25
So around here unabashedly
we mix them together.
00:46:15.28\00:46:19.61
In the end, I am
telling you about a young man
00:46:23.46\00:46:25.83
I met on the
plane two weeks ago.
00:46:25.86\00:46:27.46
I'm flying over
to Mannheim, Germany.
00:46:27.49\00:46:30.20
For a big youth convention,
these are young adults,
00:46:30.23\00:46:34.35
1,200 plus German young adults.
00:46:34.38\00:46:36.51
It was an incredible experience.
00:46:36.54\00:46:38.68
So anyway I'm flying
over. This is like a Wednesday,
00:46:38.71\00:46:40.87
I got to fly all night to
start preaching on Thursday.
00:46:40.90\00:46:43.64
I got on the
plane in the South Bend
00:46:43.67\00:46:46.45
and here comes
this guy down the--
00:46:46.48\00:46:48.64
And I'm looking him over,
this is gonna be my seatmate.
00:46:48.67\00:46:50.92
He is I guess
about 29 years old,
00:46:50.95\00:46:53.27
three-day growth
of beard, you know,
00:46:53.30\00:46:55.33
how these guys do it now.
00:46:55.36\00:46:56.63
And he has his Jeans on
00:46:56.66\00:46:58.21
and he just plops
into the seat beside me.
00:46:58.24\00:47:01.06
So I'm reading a book
and I looked over to him.
00:47:01.09\00:47:04.55
And I never start a
conversation right way.
00:47:04.58\00:47:06.67
So I notice he has an
academic paper in his hand.
00:47:06.70\00:47:09.74
Well, that's intriguing for
me. So I'm looking to the title,
00:47:09.77\00:47:12.46
Heidegger, Schleiermacher, Kant.
Oh! This guy's into philosophy.
00:47:12.49\00:47:17.45
So after we took off, I
leaned over to him and said,
00:47:17.48\00:47:20.15
"Hey, is this is a
paper you are writing
00:47:20.18\00:47:22.66
or is it a paper
you are reading?"
00:47:22.69\00:47:24.74
Turns out he's a Notre
Dame PHD almost graduate,
00:47:24.77\00:47:28.19
in two weeks he'll be
a graduate philosophy.
00:47:28.22\00:47:30.52
And he's going to the American
Philosophical Association, APA.
00:47:30.55\00:47:34.05
And he is gonna--
00:47:34.08\00:47:35.24
This is one of the
papers that's being read.
00:47:35.27\00:47:36.66
And so he's
studying it in advance.
00:47:36.69\00:47:38.78
He says, "What do you do?"
00:47:38.81\00:47:39.84
I said, "I'm at a little school
00:47:39.87\00:47:41.39
just up the road from
you, Andrews University.
00:47:41.42\00:47:43.96
And pastor at the
university church.
00:47:43.99\00:47:47.27
Oh, yeah.
00:47:47.30\00:47:51.58
I always get some.
That's okay. They get over it.
00:47:51.61\00:47:55.57
And so this is
the perfect entree now
00:47:55.60\00:47:57.34
because he's brought it up.
00:47:57.37\00:47:58.61
So I saw and look at him
00:47:58.64\00:47:59.67
and I said by the way
what church did you grow up in?
00:47:59.70\00:48:04.91
If you want to ask
somebody about their faith,
00:48:04.94\00:48:06.32
just ask the question like that.
00:48:06.35\00:48:07.75
Watch you're
not saying anything,
00:48:07.78\00:48:09.15
you just-- what
church did you grow up in?
00:48:09.18\00:48:11.42
Oh, I'm an agnostic.
00:48:11.45\00:48:12.70
I grow up in a Lutheran
church but I'm an agnostic.
00:48:12.73\00:48:15.22
You know, I said, "Well,
why are you an agnostic?"
00:48:15.25\00:48:17.89
He said, "Well, because
look I've done all the studying
00:48:17.92\00:48:19.81
and I'm finding out
that there are questions
00:48:19.84\00:48:21.53
that just do not have answers.
00:48:21.56\00:48:23.23
I'm not saying there is no God.
00:48:23.26\00:48:24.87
I'm just saying I don't
know from the evidences here.
00:48:24.90\00:48:28.57
And so I'm an agnostic.
00:48:28.60\00:48:32.97
Why do you believe?
00:48:33.00\00:48:34.91
Oh, good question.
00:48:34.94\00:48:37.65
And so flying
over late Michigan.
00:48:37.68\00:48:39.71
We only have like 25 minutes.
00:48:39.74\00:48:41.47
Flying over late Michigan.
00:48:41.50\00:48:43.17
We're in this conversation.
00:48:43.20\00:48:44.75
We're talking about
theodicy, good God, evil world.
00:48:44.78\00:48:47.44
We're talking
about how can you believe
00:48:47.47\00:48:51.40
and when we're
landing I'm thinking,
00:48:51.43\00:48:52.97
you know, I got to
keep in touch with him.
00:48:53.00\00:48:55.27
And so I said to him, hey,
give me your email address,
00:48:55.30\00:48:58.23
I want to give you --
00:48:58.26\00:48:59.29
I want to give
you C.S. Lewis's book
00:48:59.32\00:49:01.28
Mere Christianity, brilliant.
00:49:01.31\00:49:02.90
By the way he was
an agnostic/atheist
00:49:02.93\00:49:05.83
and became a believer in Christ.
00:49:05.86\00:49:07.97
I want to send you
this book Mere Christianity.
00:49:08.00\00:49:09.57
He said, "I think I
read that back in --"
00:49:09.60\00:49:11.24
I said, "You probably did
but let me send it to you.
00:49:11.27\00:49:12.87
Give me your e-mail,
when I get back to Germany,
00:49:12.90\00:49:14.70
I'll e-mail you,
give you address.
00:49:14.73\00:49:16.61
Because it is a safe
way, there's a two step way."
00:49:16.64\00:49:18.97
So he said, "Sure."
00:49:19.00\00:49:20.61
I said, "I will send
you another book too."
00:49:20.64\00:49:24.87
No, I told him
what the book was,
00:49:24.90\00:49:26.12
little book I've written
called "Outrageous Grace"
00:49:26.15\00:49:27.97
which deals
with how can you have
00:49:28.00\00:49:29.06
a good God in the evil world
00:49:29.09\00:49:30.15
so it's a
little bit of theodicy.
00:49:30.18\00:49:31.21
And I said, "I send
you my book as well."
00:49:31.24\00:49:33.32
So I get back,
email him, shoots me.
00:49:33.35\00:49:36.12
I want that book.
00:49:36.15\00:49:37.18
Hey, I found I found CS Lewis.
00:49:37.21\00:49:38.48
So don't bother
to sending me that
00:49:38.51\00:49:39.54
I'm gonna read
that like you suggested.
00:49:39.57\00:49:41.26
Because CS
Lewis, here is the deal.
00:49:41.29\00:49:42.74
CS Lewis defends
the Christian faith
00:49:42.77\00:49:45.68
philosophically without
quoting a single Bible text.
00:49:45.71\00:49:50.60
Good for somebody who
doesn't want to hear the Bible
00:49:50.63\00:49:52.55
but it is open to think.
00:49:52.58\00:49:54.43
So anyways I got the
book so don't send it to me.
00:49:54.46\00:49:56.29
But I want your book,
so I sent him that book
00:49:56.32\00:49:59.56
and I threw in another
book, two for the price of one.
00:49:59.59\00:50:03.29
I threw in a book
called the Great Controversy,
00:50:03.32\00:50:05.70
I don't know if
you've heard about it.
00:50:05.73\00:50:08.18
But I wrote, I
script it in the cover,
00:50:08.21\00:50:09.58
I script it in the cover.
00:50:09.61\00:50:10.64
Listen you grew up a Luther,
00:50:10.67\00:50:11.78
here are the three
chapters that really moved me
00:50:11.81\00:50:13.53
when I'm feeling down and out
00:50:13.56\00:50:14.93
I go to these three
chapters and I read them,
00:50:14.96\00:50:16.33
I hope they bless you too,
00:50:16.36\00:50:17.39
it's a history of
Christianity blessings.
00:50:17.42\00:50:22.00
That short visit
across late Michigan
00:50:22.03\00:50:24.69
with a young agnostic in my
way of thinking proves it true.
00:50:24.72\00:50:29.48
This bottom line that
00:50:29.51\00:50:31.15
"Faith always affirms
more than reason can support."
00:50:31.18\00:50:36.41
Get your reasons going.
00:50:36.44\00:50:38.14
You say, "Dwight, I'm
not a believer here either."
00:50:38.17\00:50:40.09
Well, I'm glad you
identified yourself.
00:50:40.12\00:50:43.25
Get your reasons going.
00:50:43.28\00:50:44.74
You can-- You can take
the first step of reason.
00:50:44.77\00:50:48.39
And what's the
first step of reason?
00:50:48.42\00:50:49.77
Be just like Thomas.
00:50:49.80\00:50:50.96
He say, "Hey, I have to
have empirical evidence.
00:50:50.99\00:50:54.22
That's the way I'm
wired, my mind works that way.
00:50:54.25\00:50:56.85
Go ahead be my guest.
00:50:56.88\00:50:58.46
Ask him for empirical evidence."
00:50:58.49\00:51:02.55
Who is to say that
the same living Christ
00:51:02.58\00:51:04.49
will not show up one night
in your room stand before you
00:51:04.52\00:51:08.89
and He'll say put your
finger out and touch me I am.
00:51:08.92\00:51:13.28
Could a young philosopher,
00:51:18.18\00:51:19.83
professor to be open himself
00:51:19.86\00:51:22.39
up to the possibility
of empirical evidence
00:51:22.42\00:51:24.63
that would be convincing to him?
00:51:24.66\00:51:26.06
Why not?
00:51:26.09\00:51:27.41
"Faith always affirms
more than reason can support."
00:51:27.44\00:51:31.05
So you take the first
step, declare like Thomas.
00:51:31.08\00:51:34.77
I must have empirical evidence
00:51:34.80\00:51:37.33
and see that Christ
will not open for you
00:51:37.36\00:51:39.89
the windows of heaven
00:51:39.92\00:51:41.27
and give you reason to believe.
00:51:41.30\00:51:43.17
What did He say?
00:51:43.20\00:51:44.23
Blessed are those who have
not seen and yet have believed.
00:51:44.26\00:51:49.40
Reach out like Thomas.
00:51:49.43\00:51:50.90
And I believe.
00:51:50.93\00:51:52.54
I believe you may believe too.
00:51:52.57\00:51:59.75
Why not?
00:51:59.78\00:52:00.93
Bright mind that you are,
what have you got to lose?
00:52:00.96\00:52:05.76
Reach out and ask
for empirical evidence.
00:52:05.79\00:52:09.19
See what He does?
00:52:09.22\00:52:10.73
There's a little card in
your worship bulletin today
00:52:15.90\00:52:21.13
because life is
about taking the next step.
00:52:21.16\00:52:23.95
Would you pull the card out?
00:52:23.98\00:52:25.87
Ushers are gonna
come in just a moment
00:52:25.90\00:52:27.33
receive these
cards from all of us.
00:52:27.36\00:52:29.01
But this is a card you
have already put your name,
00:52:29.04\00:52:31.97
put your email address here,
00:52:32.00\00:52:33.03
because I'm gonna send
you something if you ask for,
00:52:33.06\00:52:34.83
only if you ask for.
00:52:34.86\00:52:36.02
I'm gonna send you something
00:52:36.05\00:52:37.08
I think you're gonna
you be appreciative of it.
00:52:37.11\00:52:39.38
Turn the card over where
it says my next step today is
00:52:39.41\00:52:43.43
--Could you put
a check mark here,
00:52:43.46\00:52:44.51
I choose to exercise
a daily faith in Christ
00:52:44.54\00:52:47.75
beyond empirical
evidence that reason supports.
00:52:47.78\00:52:50.87
I choose to exercise
a daily faith in Christ.
00:52:50.90\00:52:54.72
I want to put a
check mark there,
00:52:54.75\00:52:56.21
but now here is the offer.
00:52:56.24\00:52:57.69
Here is offer, box number two,
00:52:57.72\00:52:59.76
next week I would like to read,
00:52:59.79\00:53:02.15
CS Lewis's Mere
Christianity section.
00:53:02.18\00:53:04.66
Don't read the whole book.
00:53:04.69\00:53:06.00
I don't think the whole
book is all that great really.
00:53:06.03\00:53:07.95
But book two within the book
00:53:07.98\00:53:10.55
I'm gonna send you a link
00:53:10.58\00:53:12.67
when you click on to that link
00:53:12.70\00:53:13.92
you will go
immediately to book 2.
00:53:13.95\00:53:16.91
Read, book 2, I think
there are four chapters
00:53:16.94\00:53:18.75
where he gives an
apology for the Christian faith.
00:53:18.78\00:53:21.27
Next week I'd like to read it,
00:53:21.30\00:53:22.43
would you please
send me that section.
00:53:22.46\00:53:24.25
I'll send you a link.
00:53:24.28\00:53:25.31
You can read it in your
only leisure on your laptop,
00:53:25.34\00:53:30.55
your ipad, your
smart phone or whatever.
00:53:30.58\00:53:32.43
But put a check mark there
00:53:32.46\00:53:34.02
and within 48 hours we'll get,
00:53:34.05\00:53:35.59
but we have to
have your email address,
00:53:35.62\00:53:36.83
don't give it to
us with no address.
00:53:36.86\00:53:38.51
If you have your email address,
00:53:38.54\00:53:39.90
we'll get this to
you within 48 hours.
00:53:39.93\00:53:42.63
This Sabbath, you know, Dwight,
00:53:42.66\00:53:43.69
I'm just kind of thinking
about this thing with Jesus,
00:53:43.72\00:53:45.87
Thomas, that young
agnostic, I mean what about me?
00:53:45.90\00:53:49.45
If you are open to considering
00:53:49.48\00:53:52.11
a new relationship with Jesus,
00:53:52.14\00:53:54.11
beginning a new
relationship with Jesus,
00:53:54.14\00:53:55.80
would you put a
check mark right there
00:53:55.83\00:53:57.51
in another little box,
I'm interested in beginning
00:53:57.54\00:53:59.77
a relationship with Jesus?
00:53:59.80\00:54:01.12
We'll send
other material to you,
00:54:01.15\00:54:03.08
we're not gonna come
knocking at your door.
00:54:03.11\00:54:05.70
We'll send it to you.
00:54:05.73\00:54:07.75
Somebody was
saying you know what?
00:54:07.78\00:54:09.22
Watching that baptism,
00:54:09.25\00:54:11.58
I'm not 16, I'm a
little older than 16.
00:54:11.61\00:54:13.49
But you know what I
need to make that same step.
00:54:13.52\00:54:18.50
It's as easy as
making the decision,
00:54:18.53\00:54:20.80
put a check mark there.
00:54:20.83\00:54:21.96
I like information about
baptism we'll get it to you.
00:54:21.99\00:54:24.11
We'll get that
information to you.
00:54:24.14\00:54:27.49
I want to sing a chorus,
00:54:27.52\00:54:28.55
Jose thank you for
leading us in that--
00:54:28.58\00:54:30.74
Let's just sing the chorus of--
00:54:30.77\00:54:32.82
Because He Lives,
you know that part.
00:54:32.85\00:54:34.84
Let's just sing that part.
00:54:34.87\00:54:35.90
We'll put the words
on the screen for you
00:54:35.93\00:54:37.14
and then the
ushers are gonna come.
00:54:37.17\00:54:38.20
I want to have a prayer
and then the ushers would come.
00:54:38.23\00:54:39.67
Because He lives
00:54:42.25\00:54:46.64
I can face tomorrow
00:54:46.67\00:54:52.10
Because He lives
00:54:52.13\00:54:57.27
All fear is gone
00:54:57.30\00:55:02.48
Because I know
00:55:02.51\00:55:08.05
He holds the future
00:55:08.08\00:55:13.33
And life is worth the living
00:55:13.36\00:55:18.31
Just because He lives
00:55:18.34\00:55:23.81
Oh, God we are the
product of higher education.
00:55:26.61\00:55:29.08
We need that empirical evidence.
00:55:29.11\00:55:31.99
You were so gracious.
00:55:32.02\00:55:33.64
Jesus was with Thomas and Mary.
00:55:33.67\00:55:36.77
What will you do for us?
00:55:36.80\00:55:38.54
We're not being presumptuous.
00:55:38.57\00:55:39.74
We're not demanding.
00:55:39.77\00:55:41.66
We're humbly
asking, grow our faith.
00:55:41.69\00:55:44.47
We recognize in faith we'll
one day have to move beyond
00:55:44.50\00:55:48.05
what reason supports,
00:55:48.08\00:55:50.17
but when that faith comes
00:55:50.20\00:55:53.49
take it deep into
our minds and our hearts.
00:55:53.52\00:55:57.83
To believe in Him,
whom to know life eternal,
00:55:57.86\00:56:01.28
what could be better than that?
00:56:01.31\00:56:03.16
Do father what You must do,
00:56:03.19\00:56:05.53
replace our
little cards in the--
00:56:05.56\00:56:09.23
the offering
prayers come by now.
00:56:09.26\00:56:11.15
Replace our morning
tithes and offerings.
00:56:11.18\00:56:13.04
The tithes are yours,
the offerings are ours
00:56:13.07\00:56:15.06
and we're grateful
and so we return to You
00:56:15.09\00:56:18.03
and we give to You.
00:56:18.06\00:56:19.09
Please take all of this as
we worship this last moment
00:56:19.12\00:56:23.96
in giving in
Christ name we pray, amen.
00:56:23.99\00:56:31.29
I like to take a moment
here at the end of the service
00:56:31.32\00:56:33.19
to tell you
about one of the most
00:56:33.22\00:56:34.25
important groups of people
00:56:34.28\00:56:35.71
that make this
ministry possible.
00:56:35.74\00:56:38.49
There are teams of people,
00:56:38.52\00:56:40.12
they're not afraid to get down
into the thick of life itself
00:56:40.15\00:56:43.78
which is why
you're gonna find them,
00:56:43.81\00:56:44.94
you will find them
moving forwards on their knees.
00:56:44.97\00:56:48.37
There are prayer partners,
a group of men and woman
00:56:48.40\00:56:51.07
and young adults who believe
00:56:51.10\00:56:53.92
that this humble
television ministry
00:56:53.95\00:56:56.02
has been raised up by
God for such a time as this.
00:56:56.05\00:56:58.57
And so they pray
honestly that God will use
00:56:58.60\00:57:00.51
the preacher
that God will use me,
00:57:00.54\00:57:02.70
and that God would use
the countless other volunteers
00:57:02.73\00:57:05.43
to spread the everlasting
gospel and the word of God
00:57:05.46\00:57:08.40
in ways we could
never have imagined before.
00:57:08.43\00:57:10.93
They're the once who are
praying that God is gonna
00:57:10.96\00:57:13.96
open up the
hearts of the people,
00:57:13.99\00:57:15.74
open up the hearts of
viewers around the world,
00:57:15.77\00:57:18.46
for the message,
the critical message
00:57:18.49\00:57:20.82
for this end time generation.
00:57:20.85\00:57:23.42
And what I would
like to do is ask you,
00:57:23.45\00:57:25.62
would you be willing to
be a prayer partner with us?
00:57:25.65\00:57:28.34
A prayer partner
with New Perceptions.
00:57:28.37\00:57:29.94
You don't have to
call a toll free number.
00:57:29.97\00:57:31.56
You don't have to
go online to register.
00:57:31.59\00:57:33.74
All I need to know is that
00:57:33.77\00:57:35.08
you'd be willing to
lift this little ministry up.
00:57:35.11\00:57:40.06
Day after day after day.
00:57:40.09\00:57:42.11
Pray that somehow
through radio and television
00:57:42.14\00:57:45.50
and the web God
will open up new doors,
00:57:45.53\00:57:48.59
new regions on earth
00:57:48.62\00:57:50.57
where the everlasting
gospel can be proclaimed.
00:57:50.60\00:57:53.06
There is no
question the power of prayer
00:57:53.09\00:57:55.73
has potentially to
takes this ministry
00:57:55.76\00:57:57.34
to places that we could
never have imagined before.
00:57:57.37\00:58:00.88
So that's it would
you please be willing
00:58:00.91\00:58:03.87
to partner with me in prayer?
00:58:03.90\00:58:05.49
The times are urgent,
00:58:05.52\00:58:07.32
the need is critical
and I hope you will say yes.
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Till we're together next time.
00:58:11.09\00:58:13.23
May the prayer answering God
00:58:13.26\00:58:15.30
accompany you
every step of a way.
00:58:15.33\00:58:18.15