Participants: Pr. Dwight K Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP060708
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00:27 Every son like You
00:40 "For God so loved the world 00:42 that He gave His only begotten Son, 00:45 that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, 00:50 but has everlasting life." 00:53 It's for this reason 00:54 that we give thanks this morning. 01:01 I think you know this one, 01:02 "Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart." 01:05 Give thanks, with a grateful heart 01:10 Give thanks to the Holy One 01:15 Give thanks, 01:17 because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son 01:25 Give thanks, with a grateful heart 01:30 Give thanks to the Holy On 01:35 Give thanks, 01:37 because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son 01:45 And now, let the weak say, I am strong 01:52 Let the poor say, I am rich 01:57 Because of what the Lord has done for us 02:05 Give thanks 02:12 Try that again, give thanks. 02:15 Give thanks, with a grateful heart 02:20 Give thanks to the Holy One 02:25 Give thanks, 02:27 because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son 02:35 Give thanks, with a grateful heart 02:40 Give thanks to the Holy One 02:45 Give thanks, 02:47 because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son 02:55 And now, let the weak say, I am strong 03:03 Let the poor say, I am rich 03:08 Because of what the Lord has done for us 03:16 And now, let the weak say, I am strong 03:23 Let the poor say, I am rich 03:28 Because of what the Lord has done for us 03:36 Give thanks, give thanks, 03:46 give thanks 03:53 My soul Doth, 03:59 Magnifies the Lord 04:08 And my spirit 04:15 I've rejoiced 04:21 in God my Savior 04:36 For He has regarded 04:42 the lowly state of His maidservant 04:52 For behold, from henceforth 04:57 all generations 05:01 shall call me blessed 05:18 For He who is mighty 05:22 has done great things for me 05:38 And holy is His name 05:52 And His mercy 06:05 is on those who fear Him 06:12 From generation 06:22 to generation 06:38 He has shown strength with His arm 06:44 He has scattered the proud 06:48 in the thoughts of their hearts 06:58 He has put down the mighty from their thrones 07:08 And exalted 07:16 the lowly 07:26 He has filled the hungry with good things 07:35 And the rich He has sent empty away 07:48 He has helped His servant Israel 07:54 In remembrance of His mercy 08:08 As He spoke to our fathers 08:22 To Abraham 08:38 and to his seed forever 09:37 Amen 09:53 The challenge is to take 09:58 the story that Julia just sang, 10:01 so movingly. 10:06 Couple it with another short story 10:09 and we've haveth them both single sharp truth. 10:15 But the two stories go together as clear 10:20 from who they are. 10:24 One is the son of David and the other 10:29 is the mother of the son of David. 10:32 And yet she is not his mother, 10:34 because he preceded her by 1,000 years. 10:39 How can that be? 10:40 Today's teaching, we'll find out. 10:44 We continue our mini series, 10:48 "Not I but Christ, Tales of Humility." 10:51 Title of the teaching today, 10:54 "Two Halves to One truth." 10:59 Let's pray together. 11:02 Holy Father, we must get both halves right. 11:07 Just one half is not enough. 11:09 Give us both halves in this single truth 11:16 and may one of the halves become true of us, 11:22 we pray in Jesus name, amen. 11:27 Once up on a time there was a father 11:33 and his son, 11:35 and as it is with fathers and sons, they were close. 11:42 Perhaps a bit too close. 11:44 Given the fact that the life of the father, 11:47 moral words and all 11:51 became replicated in the life of his sons. 11:56 And actually the two sad endings played out 11:59 on the stage of sacred history, it's the two of them together. 12:05 In controvertible proof of lifes law, 12:09 whatsoever a man sows that shall he also has to go. 12:16 That shall he also reap. What you sow, you reap. 12:20 No matter how merciful and gracious God is, 12:23 it is the law of life far too many times. 12:29 And so King David, 12:31 sowed his moral oaths 12:38 and his sons reaped the bay of a harvest. 12:41 I understand it doesn't seem fair. 12:44 But be reminded, children are never punished 12:49 for their parent sins, 12:54 but children too often follow their parents examples. 13:04 Open your bible with me please, 13:05 to tragic tale of humility, number one. 13:08 Second Samuel, find second Samuel in the Old Testament. 13:12 If you didn't bring a Bible, it would be in the pew Bible, 13:15 page 219, 2 Samuel, Chapter 13. 13:18 Tragic, right of the bad and out of the shoot, 13:24 simply because it comes on the king's adultery 13:28 and murder to secure the life of his neighbor Bathsheba. 13:33 Everything that follows for the rest of second Samuel 13:37 is the baleful harvest being reaped by his kids. 13:41 2 Samuel 13:1. 13:45 I'd be in the New King James Version. 13:47 Whatever translation you have follow along please. 13:50 "And after this Absalom" that's David's third boy. 13:55 "Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, 13:59 whose name was Tamar." 14:01 Beautiful girl. 14:03 "And Amnon" that's David's first boy. 14:07 He's the crown prince. 14:09 "And Amnon" by another mother, 14:11 by the way than Absalom, so they're step brothers. 14:14 "And Amnon, the son of David loved her." 14:21 And seduced her and raped her and then discarded her 14:27 as man who use woman for pleasure alone, 14:30 so often do. 14:33 And Absalom, her older brother 14:37 is livid, rage. 14:41 But vengeance is both sweet and patient. 14:48 And so he waited two long years for the perfect moment 14:52 and then Absalom slewed 14:55 the crown prince of Israel Amnon 14:58 and fled in self imposed exile. 15:02 Go to the end of chapter 13 15:03 "So Absalom fled and went to Geshur" 15:08 that's the home of his grandfather, 15:10 who was King of Geshur. 15:12 "And was there three years. 15:13 And King David longed to go to Absalom. 15:17 For he had been comforted concerning Amnon, 15:19 because he was dead." 15:21 Oh, come on. 15:22 What does this doting father find in his third boy? 15:28 What is there about the prince 15:30 that is so magnetic for even dad? 15:33 Turn the page to chapter 14, let's find out. 15:37 Chapter 14 and verse 25. 15:39 "Now in all Israel there was no one 15:42 who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. 15:46 From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head 15:48 there was no blemish in him." 15:54 Every take a gander at GQ magazine? 15:56 You ladies don't know what GQ magazine is, 15:58 but we men do, its Gentlemen's Quarterly. 16:00 It's just a fashion magazine for men. 16:03 Some of the world's most stunning male models 16:08 are demonstrating blazers and watches and-- 16:12 have you been able to figure this out, 16:13 why is it that whenever they're advertising cologne 16:15 they have to grow three days worth of stubble 16:17 and then get their pictures taken? 16:20 What's up with that? 16:25 That's beyond us, gentlemen. 16:27 Ladies aren't listening right now. 16:28 There are some guys who are so good looking 16:31 it's enough to make you sick. 16:35 The only thing worse than a man that handsome 16:41 is a man that knows it. 16:45 And Absalom knew it. 16:50 Verse 25 again "Now in all Israel 16:53 there was no one who was praised 16:54 as much as Absalom for his good looks. 16:56 From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head 16:58 there was no blemish in him." 16:59 Verse 26, "And when he cut the hair of his head 17:01 at the end of every year he cut it 17:03 because it was heavy on him, when he cut it, 17:06 he weighed the hair of his head 17:08 at two hundred shekels according the king's standard." 17:14 By some estimates, that's close to five pounds. 17:20 It was the head or hair to be sure. 17:22 And obviously all of Israel gloried 17:27 in the man and physique 17:31 of Prince Absalom, 17:34 whose hair truly went to his head. 17:41 Vanity, vanity, vanity, 17:47 all his vanity, vanity, the male weakness. 17:53 Vanity, the female weakness. 17:57 Vanity, the weakness and downfall of Absalom. 18:05 And thus it was with all the adulation of Israel 18:08 puffing up his vanity and enlarging his head size. 18:12 Absalom, begins to pine 18:17 for more power. 18:19 I need another position, I need, I need more. 18:24 Drop down to chapter 15, look at verse 4. 18:26 "Moreover Absalom would say," oh, oh, 15:4. 18:30 "'Oh, that I were made judge" 18:32 read leader "in the land, and everyone 18:35 who has any suit or cause would come to me 18:37 then I would give him justice.'" 18:38 And verse five. 18:40 "And so it was, whenever anyone came near 18:41 to bow down to Absalom, 18:43 that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. 18:48 And In this manner," verse 6 "Absalom acted 18:50 toward all Israel who came to the king" 18:52 unsuspecting Father David "for judgment. 18:55 So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel." 19:00 It was an inside job. 19:01 But doting father knew absolutely nothing 19:04 about what was taking place. 19:07 Second inline to the throne, 19:09 the young prince quietly stole the hearts of the kingdom. 19:17 Reminds me of another prince, 19:18 second inline to the throne perhaps 19:21 who just as quietly stole the hearts of the kingdom. 19:28 Would you think Absalom got this invented it himself 19:32 the conceit in the pride? 19:35 For a moment, let's be reminded of the original sin. 19:38 Keep your finger right here, we'll come back. 19:40 But Ezekiel, you got to see this. 19:43 They're twins. Lucifer and Absalom. 19:46 Watch this, Ezekiel Chapter 28, 19:48 that's page 578 in your pew Bible. 19:51 Ezekiel Chapter 28, lets pick it up in, 19:55 we'll pick it up in verse 11. 19:57 Ezekiel 28:11. 20:00 Where did Absalom get all this, 20:05 the vanity and insanity of pride? 20:08 Here's where he got them. Okay, chapter 28, verse 11. 20:11 "Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, 20:14 saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation 20:17 for the king of Tyre, and say to him, 20:20 'Thus says the Lord God.'" 20:21 Now it feels like we're gonna be talking 20:23 about a king who's alive at the time of Ezekiel, 20:26 but the moment two lines into this we know immediately, 20:29 this is no king living in the time of Ezekiel, 20:32 you'll see. 20:34 "Thus says the Lord GOD," verse 12 continuing 20:36 "'You were the seal of perfection, 20:39 full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.'" 20:46 Who's this? "You were in Eden". 20:48 Oh, it can't be anybody in the life of Ezekiel. 20:50 "You were in Eden, the garden of God." 20:52 Now, wait a minute, was it-- could it be Adam? 20:54 No. 20:55 Could it be Eve? No. 20:56 Somebody else was in Eden. 20:57 I wonder who that might be. 20:59 "You were in Eden, the garden of God, 21:02 every precious stone was your covering: 21:04 the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, 21:06 and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and emerald with gold. 21:08 The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes 21:10 was prepared for you on the day you were created." 21:13 So this can't be God, this isn't talking about 21:15 an uncreated being, 21:17 it's a being who's been created, 21:18 who was in the garden of Eden and he's not human. 21:20 Who would this being be? Verse 14. 21:22 "You were the anointed cherub who covers," 21:27 code language, 21:29 for this single highest creaturely position 21:32 in the universe, 21:34 stationed beside the throne of Almighty God, 21:37 standing next to God himself 21:39 yet to be the highest of the high 21:41 to have that position, that's who you are. 21:43 "You were the anointed cherub who covers, 21:45 I established you, 21:47 you were on the holy mountain of God, 21:48 you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones." 21:51 Code language for the physical presence of God. 21:54 Yeah, you were there, verse 15 and guess what, 21:56 "You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, 22:00 till iniquity," the mystery, the iniquity 22:04 "was found in you." 22:05 Drop down to verse 17, here is the Achilles heel, 22:09 of Absalom and this being. 22:12 "Your heart was lifted up because of your," what? 22:16 What does it read? 22:17 "Because of your beauty, 22:19 you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor, 22:22 I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, 22:24 that they might gaze up on you." 22:26 Lucifer, Absalom, two princes, two immense tragedies, 22:30 brought down by the vanity and insanity of pride. 22:36 How did it God put it here? 22:38 They corrupted their wisdom for the sake of their splendor. 22:45 Because mark it down, ladies and gentlemen, self-- 22:47 the self delusion of self love is self destructive. 22:50 Destroys both the mind, destroys the mind and the soul. 22:56 Narcissus, ever heard of Narcissus? 23:02 Greek mythology told a tale about a young man, 23:08 a young man, who cause the death of goddess Echo 23:11 by spurning her love, 23:15 killed her by ignoring her. 23:19 So that the God Nemesis and you hear 23:20 we use the phrase, the word Nemesis. 23:22 The God Nemesis caused the young man to fall in love 23:24 with his own image reflected and mirrored 23:28 in the pool of a forest one day. 23:31 Put the picture on the screen. 23:32 He was taking a walk and he came across 23:34 the pool and he looked down-- 23:36 hey, who might that be? 23:39 And he fell in love 23:41 with the image reflected in the water. 23:45 So in love was Narcissus, with his own image 23:47 that he pined away beside that pond, until he died. 23:53 And because of that little myth, 23:54 we have a word in English called narcissism. 23:57 Let's put it on the screen, narcissism. 23:59 How does the dictionary define it? 24:01 "Excessive admiration for, or fascination with oneself, 24:07 self-love, the infantile stage of development 24:10 in which the self is the object of one's erotic interest, also, 24:13 the persistence of this stage into later years." 24:17 Vanity, narcissism, Absalom, Lucifer. 24:24 You and me doesn't matter self-love is self deluding 24:28 and it is always self destroying. 24:30 Always, it destroys us. 24:32 Because in the kingdom of God, 24:33 hasn't it ever been proven true, 24:35 pride goeth before a fall. 24:38 He who exhorts himself will be humble. 24:43 There is a fall Lucifer and Absalom, 24:45 the fall of you, the fall of me, 24:47 has so tragically and painfully confirmed 24:49 pride always goes before a fall. 24:54 Self love, self destroys by over reaching self. 25:00 And so there was war in heaven and there was war in Israel. 25:03 Absalom and his loyal troops, now march on Jerusalem, 25:07 just like Lucifer did, marching on his father in Jerusalem 25:10 where Lucifer father was. 25:11 They marched on Jerusalem. 25:14 David and his royal entourage flee 25:15 just before the rebel arrives. 25:18 And then get a note of this, this is awful. 25:20 To prove that depths of no shame 25:23 that self love boasts. 25:25 Absalom brings his fathers concubines 25:28 and in plain view of a gasping public, 25:31 he sleeps with all of them on the roof of the palace. 25:34 Now, there's nothing left of dad in my kingdom 25:38 that I do not possess. 25:41 So stupid is ego that he immediately gathers 25:47 his forces and pursuits King David. 25:55 Go back to where you had your finger a moment ago. 26:00 Chapter 18, David has fled to the East of Jerusalem. 26:04 They've crossed the Jordan, they're east of Jordan 26:06 and in that day, the forested woods were thick. 26:12 Not today, no, not today. 26:15 In fact read this, 26:16 this is chapter 18 pick it up in verse 18. 26:20 The two forces, father and son are battling. 26:22 "For the battle there was scattered 26:23 over the face of the whole countryside," 26:26 chapter 18 verse 8, 2 Samuel. 26:28 "For the battle there was scattered 26:29 over the face of the whole countryside, 26:31 and the woods devoured more people 26:32 that day than the sword devoured." 26:34 Isn't that something? They just suck them up. 26:37 Obviously the tide of the battle has turned 26:40 and Absalom is fleeing. 26:41 Verse 9, notice what happens here. 26:45 "Then Absalom met the servants of David." 26:48 An advance guard, 26:49 an advance patsy is moving its way through the forest. 26:52 Absalom sees them, turn around 180 degrees and he flees. 26:58 "Then Absalom met the servants of David. 27:00 Now Absalom rode on a mule" 27:02 the symbol of royalty, I'm the king now. 27:05 Big mistake. 27:08 "Absalom rode on a mule and the mule galloped 27:12 under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, 27:14 and his head caught in the terebinth, 27:17 so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. 27:19 And the mule which was under him 27:21 just kept on running." 27:24 It's what they call poetic justice. 27:27 When your flouted strength becomes your fatal weakness. 27:32 The hair that Absalom worshipped, hung him. 27:37 Joab comes on the scene, verse 14. 27:40 "Then Joab said, 'I cannot linger with you.' 27:43 And he took three spears and thrust them 27:46 through Absalom's heart, 27:47 while he was still alive 27:49 in the midst of the terebinth tree. 27:50 And ten young men 27:51 who bore Joab's armor surrounded Absalom, 27:53 and struck and killed him. 27:54 So Joab blew the trumpet, 27:55 and the people returned from pursuing Israel. 27:57 For Joab held back the people." 27:59 No sense in fighting a day longer. 28:01 "And they took Absalom" verse 17 " 28:03 and cast him into a very large pit in the woods, 28:06 and laid a very large heap of stones over him. 28:08 Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent." 28:10 Those would be the-- 28:11 that would be the army of Absalom. 28:13 Now, notice verse 18. 28:15 "Absalom in his lifetime had taken 28:18 and set up a pillar for himself, 28:22 which is in the King's Valley. 28:23 For he said, 'I have no son 28:25 to keep my name in remembrance.' 28:26 And he called the pillar after his own name. 28:30 And to this day it is called Absalom's Monument." 28:35 You want to know what the genuine monument 28:36 is to that vain prince? 28:38 The genuine monument is a broken mirror, 28:41 and there is no worse bad luck than a broken mirror. 28:49 Tale of humility number two. Absalom was the son of David. 28:55 She was the mother of the son of David 28:59 and that is all, that is all that they had in common. 29:02 For all that he was, she was not, 29:03 for all that he was not, she was. 29:07 Turn your bible to the Gospel of St Luke. 29:09 Find Luke, will you? The gospel, chapter 1. 29:14 Luke 1, tale of humility number 2. 29:19 Back to back, what a stunning contrast. 29:23 Luke 1:26, in the pew Bible this would be page 688. 29:28 "Now in the sixth month," Sixth month of what? 29:30 Elizabeth, Elizabeth is pregnant. 29:34 Elizabeth the aged lady married to an even older man. 29:37 Couldn't have kids, angels said, you're gonna have kids. 29:39 She's six months in to her pregnancy now. 29:42 "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel" 29:44 by the way, talking about poetic justice, 29:48 Gabriel stepped in to a vacated position 29:52 in the kingdom of heaven. 29:54 Guess who'd been in the position before him? 29:58 The fallen Lucifer. 30:02 "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent 30:04 by God to a city of " little backwoods, 30:06 backwater village, "named Nazareth," 30:09 Verse 27 "to a virgin betrothed" 30:11 even more formal than our engagement. 30:12 "Betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, 30:15 of the house of David. 30:16 And the virgin's name was Mary. 30:18 And having come in," she's in a house somewhere, 30:21 we're not told where, he's coming in. 30:23 "And having come in, the angel said to her, 30:26 'Rejoice'" hail, greeting, some translation. 30:29 In the Latin it reads ave. 30:32 From hence comes our word ave. 30:34 The phrase Ave Maria, that's not a sacred phrase 30:37 that just means, greets Maria ave. 30:41 Hey, "Rejoice, highly favored one, 30:43 the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women!" 30:49 Hey I've got to ask you a question. 30:50 What was it that would possibly make this teenage virgin girl 30:56 so attractive to the God of the universe 30:58 that when He looks on the planet 31:00 and He says, I got to pick a mother, 31:01 I have to pick My own mother, He picks her. 31:04 What is there about her? 31:07 Just I've little clues 31:08 in what Gabriel has announced to her. 31:13 It says, oh highly favored one, 31:16 the young girl is called highly favored. 31:17 In fact, look at this Psalm 5:12, 31:20 when God favors somebody, 31:21 what does it say about that somebody? 31:22 Psalm 5:12, "For You, 31:24 O Lord, will bless the righteous, 31:26 with favor You will surround her 31:29 as with a shield." 31:31 She must've been a righteous young woman. 31:34 Gabriel calls her highly favored and the only people 31:36 who got highly favors are those who are righteous. 31:39 You ask, is there such a thing 31:40 as a righteous teenager today? 31:44 Glad you asked. Yes, there is. 31:48 Oh, I've met them. Yes, there are. 31:52 And I'd like to say 31:53 to all the teenagers listening right now, 31:56 don't you ever let anyone insinuate to you 32:02 that in order to be normal, you can't be a virgin. 32:09 Oh, yes, you can. Oh, yes, you can. 32:14 Remain what God has called you to be, 32:18 highly favorite one. 32:22 Righteous teenager that you are. 32:25 Don't you worry, about the drum beat 32:30 of the fallen society around us. 32:35 Gabriel says, how highly favored 32:37 and then he says the Lord is with you. 32:38 Can you imagine? 32:39 God had to find somebody to spend His time with, 32:41 and before He's even impregnated her, 32:43 God has been hanging around the girl. 32:46 What kind of a girl is this, 32:47 that the God just loved being with? 32:49 And by the way, 32:50 who'd you rather have with you than God himself? 32:53 She had him. 32:54 Unbeknownst to her, she's just living 32:55 a normal life as a teenager. 32:57 She doesn't know that the God 32:58 of the Universe is been tracking her. 33:01 Highly favored one, the Lord is with you, 33:03 blessed are you among all woman. 33:05 Hey, by the way, He's not saying, 33:07 now you win the beauty pageant. 33:10 He's not saying, I find you at the top of the dean's list. 33:13 He's not saying, 33:15 you have the checking account that beats them all. 33:17 No, no, no, no, He's talking about 33:18 a moral quality here in this young little girl. 33:23 And He says, blessed are you. 33:25 Oh, don't get to thinking, she isn't bright, 33:28 as we note in a moment, from her response that Gabriel, 33:30 she has a deep intellect. 33:35 But blessed are you because of you moral character 33:40 you've been chosen, girl. 33:48 We went down to Huntsville, Alabama, few weeks ago. 33:51 Pastor Oliver got married, hallelujah. 33:52 I'm here to tell you, 33:53 the wedding went without a hitch. 33:56 Praise God. 33:58 We're gonna introduce them to you, 34:00 just about four weeks from now. 34:01 They're down in the islands, honeymooning for a while. 34:04 Anyway, it was a lovely wedding. 34:07 We had another day, so we wanted to see, 34:10 what's known in Huntsville, as US Space and Rocket Center. 34:13 And I'm telling you, we too were there. 34:14 We were blown away by the immense complexity 34:17 of the technology behind the Apollo rockets 34:20 and the Space shuttle. 34:21 Listen, ladies and gentlemen, 34:23 you can be sure that nobody comes walking off the street 34:26 and said, hey, I'm gonna be a part of this mission, 34:28 can I go tomorrow? 34:29 Are you kidding? 34:30 For a mission, that complex, 34:34 you have to vetted and screened 34:38 and trained and coached for months and years 34:43 and then we'll take you on. 34:45 You know why? 34:46 'Cause we can't afford to lose this mission. 34:48 We can't put this mission in hands of someone 34:52 who will let us down at the end. 34:56 When they picked Mary, the virgin of Nazareth, 35:00 she has been vetted and screened and coached 35:05 and trained for the highest maternal mission 35:09 in the history of the human race, 35:12 become the mother that God picks 35:17 through whom to be born. 35:19 Mercy. 35:22 Blessed are you, you've been chosen. 35:28 Verse 29, "But when she saw him" 35:30 now get this, watch this. 35:32 "But when she saw him" Gabriel, 35:33 "she was troubled at his saying, 35:34 and considered what manner of greeting this was." 35:36 Isn't this amazing? 35:37 She doesn't fall on her face, 35:38 she doesn't panic and run from the room, 35:40 she's thinking she's thinking it through. 35:41 She's evaluating everything he said so far. 35:44 And he hasn't said much. Now, comes the bombshell. 35:48 "Then the angel said to her," 35:49 verse 30 "Do not be afraid, Mary, 35:51 for you have found favor with God. 35:53 And behold, you will conceive in your womb 35:55 and you will bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 35:58 He will be great, and will be called 36:00 the Son of the Highest, 36:01 and the Lord God will give Him 36:02 the throne of His father David." 36:03 The real Son of David is coming straight through you, girl. 36:08 Verse 33 "'And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever 36:11 and ever and of His kingdom there will be no end.' 36:13 And then Mary said to the angel, 36:15 'How can this be, since I do not know a man?'" 36:18 Something, time-out. 36:19 She has thought through this, 36:21 she has tracked Gabriel's announcement 36:23 line by line and she says, pause, please. 36:27 Can't do it, I've never slept with a man. 36:31 She says how? 36:32 By the way, Zachariah, in the preceding story, 36:35 he also says how, but his how is a, huh! 36:39 You haven't seen my wife, you don't know how old she is. 36:45 Both raise the question how, but his was a huh! 36:48 Hers was a how, I've never slept with anybody? 36:55 You go, Mary. 36:57 Verse 35 "And the angel answered and said to her, 36:59 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, 37:01 and the power of the Highest will overshadow you, 37:02 therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born'" 37:06 in your tummy "'will be called the Son of God.'" 37:08 Verse 36, In fact, "Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative" 37:12 your cousin "has also conceived a son in her old age 37:15 and this is now the sixth month for her 37:17 who was called barren." 37:19 For remember this Mary, 37:20 "with God nothing will be impossible." 37:22 And now comes the clincher. 37:25 These are the seeds of Mary's greatness. 37:27 Verse 38 "Then Mary said, 37:31 'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! 37:35 Let it be to me according to your word.'" 37:37 And the angel is gone. 37:40 She said, yes, mission accomplished, Gabriel's gone. 37:42 No need hanging around now. The girl said, yes. 37:47 Let me tell you what she said in the Greek. 37:50 In the Greek she said, here I am, 37:54 a female slave of God. 37:58 Ladies and gentlemen, the only person 37:59 who would ever call herself or himself 38:01 a slave 38:06 is a person of humility. 38:09 The rest of us spent our lives proven, we are not that. 38:13 She begins her life with a mission, 38:15 I'm nothing but a female slave for Almighty God, 38:19 for Almighty God. 38:28 And so when Mary burst into song that Julia-- 38:31 and by the way you didn't know this, 38:33 but Julia was singing the Magnificat, 38:35 you might have picked up that. 38:37 She sang it word for word, from the King James. 38:41 Beautifully-- beautiful rendition, 38:44 never heard that rendition of the Magnificat. 38:46 Mary breaks in to the song, 38:48 and I want you to know that the song is really 38:50 and ode to humility. 38:53 It's a hymn, a hymn of humility. 38:55 Drop down to verse 46. 38:56 "And Mary said," Mary sang, "Oh, my soul magnifies." 39:00 Magnificat, comes from that word. 39:01 "My soul magnifies the Lord, 39:03 and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, 39:05 for He has regarded the lowly state" 39:08 I'm nothing but a female slave. 39:10 "He has regarded the lowly state 39:12 of His maidservant, for behold, 39:14 henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 39:16 For He who is mighty has done great things for me" 39:19 notice who the focus is on. 39:20 It's all on external, externally focused. 39:25 "For He who is mighty has done great things for me, 39:27 and holy is His name. 39:28 And His mercy is on those who fear Him" 39:30 Verse 50 "from generation to generation. 39:32 He has shown strength with His arm, 39:33 He has scattered the proud." 39:35 See the contrast here "He has scattered the proud 39:37 in the imagination of their hearts." 39:39 And verse 52 "'He has put down the mighty from their thrones, 39:43 and exalted the lowly.'" 39:45 Little old me, in the hands of Almighty God, 39:49 the Magnificat is an ode to humility. 39:57 And wouldn't you know it, 39:59 the very words that Mary sings in this song, 40:03 when her boy grows up he will weave her words 40:06 into the most quoted line in all the gospels. 40:09 More than any other line Christ will use, these words. 40:14 Single line that tells the truth 40:16 about two tales of humility. 40:17 In the first half of the line, we find the tale of Absalom. 40:20 In the second half of the line, we find the tale of Mary. 40:25 That line is in Luke, so just turn over to 14:11, 40:28 one line used more times than any other line 40:32 in the teachings of Christ. 40:34 By the way, in its various forms 40:36 this line is used 26 times in the scripture. 40:41 What's the big deal about this line? 40:42 I'll tell you what the big deal is, 40:43 it's because of original sin. 40:45 God's response to original sin, unoriginal vanity, 40:48 unoriginal insanity of pride, God's response to original sin, 40:52 here it is. 40:53 Jesus, red letters in your Bible, perhaps, 40:56 chapter 14 verse 11 40:57 "For whoever exalts himself will be" what? 41:01 "And whoever humbles himself will be" what? 41:03 Call it out to me. "Will be exalted." 41:07 Take your study guide and fill it in please, 41:09 the one line Jesus taught more than any other line, 41:14 fill it in, please. 41:16 "He who exalts himself will be humbled" 41:18 And then write the name Absalom, 41:19 write the name Absalom, will you? 41:21 "And she who humbles herself will be exalted." 41:25 Write in the name Mary. 41:26 Lucifer and Absalom set out to exalt themselves, 41:28 they're tragically humbled. 41:30 Mary and Jesus set out to humble themselves 41:31 and they are gloriously exalted. 41:34 There you have it, a moral play. 41:39 Two stories, one truth. 41:43 So what does it mean to humble ourselves? 41:45 I mean, how can I be more like Mary 41:47 and less like Absalom? 41:49 How can I be more like Jesus and less like Satan? 41:51 Is there a secret to humbling ourselves? 41:58 Two strategies, the twin strategy in Luke, 42:00 I'll give these two to you and then I'll sit down. 42:01 Write them down, strategy number 1, jot it down, please. 42:04 "Humble yourself before others and show it." 42:07 What does it mean to humble myself? 42:08 Here's what you do. 42:09 Humble yourselves before others and show it. 42:13 In fact this comes right at the tail end of the story 42:15 that Jesus has all ready told-- by the way its good counsel. 42:18 This is the month of weddings, isn't it? 42:20 So here's the counsel from Jesus. 42:21 When you go to a wedding reception, 42:22 never get up close to the head table. 42:24 Don't you dare sit up or you want to be right there 42:26 where the action is, when the cake is cut. 42:27 Forget it, Jesus says, because once you sit down 42:29 and you get the goblet dirty from drinking, 42:32 the Mater Dei will come along and say, 42:33 didn't you read the little name tag there, 42:34 that's not your place, you're way back there in the back. 42:37 Jesus says that's humiliating. 42:39 He said, when you go to a wedding reception, 42:40 always sit in the back. 42:42 If you're supposed to be up closer, 42:44 they'll come and get you. 42:45 There's nothing like going up than the worse than going down. 42:49 And then Jesus makes the point. 42:51 "For whoever" humbles himself will be humbled. 42:53 "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, 42:55 and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 42:57 So here's the question Jesus, what do You mean? 42:59 What are You trying to tell me to do? 43:00 What does it mean to humble myself? 43:02 It means whenever you're given a choice, 43:05 okay, here he go, whenever you're given a choice, 43:07 take the lowest seat. 43:09 Take the lowest seat. 43:11 You say, Dwight, I doesn't know what that means, 43:12 take the lowest seat. 43:13 Okay let me put it other language. 43:15 Whenever you're given a choice, take the smallest piece. 43:20 Your favorite pie is out-- I don't know what-- 43:22 about you, but when something 43:23 that I really enjoy is brought to the table, 43:26 I like a hawk watch 43:28 the dissemination of those pieces. 43:33 Don't you do the same, come on, 43:34 don't you act like you're holier than me. 43:38 Although I know, you are. Take the smallest piece. 43:42 You say, what's happening there? 43:43 You're forcing yourself, you're humbling yourself, 43:45 you'll automatically say, 43:46 I'll take that little one, right there. 43:48 Probably healthier for you any way, 43:49 take the smallest piece. 43:52 Take the last place, take the smallest piece, 43:55 wash the dirtiest feet. 44:00 Volunteer for the most menial of tasks, the worst of chores. 44:05 Hey, listen guy, we don't have a janitor around here. 44:07 I hate to do this, but would one of you, 44:09 who here would be willing to clean the toilets? 44:11 You be the first hand to go up, I'll do it. 44:13 You know, nobody wants to do it. 44:15 Go ahead and do it. 44:17 To humble yourself means, to take the action, 44:20 take the action first. 44:22 Here's a concept, vote for your opponent. 44:26 Can you imagine, 44:27 what American politics would be today, 44:29 if we voted for our opponents? 44:31 I mean come on, how civil the campaigns would be. 44:36 I didn't know, by the way, 44:37 that you could vote for yourself, 44:38 when I went the academy for the first time. 44:40 So I ran for an election in the student association 44:43 and I voted for the other guy and I found out, 44:44 I lost by two votes, his and mine. 44:50 I didn't know you are supposed to vote for yourself, 44:52 I thought you're supposed to vote for somebody else. 44:53 Now I know, oh, I don't lose now. 44:59 See humbling myself-- humbling yourself means, 45:03 you go out of the way to do it counter cultural, 45:06 do the opposite of what's expected. 45:10 Build up your competitor, every chance you get. 45:15 You're in business, 45:17 you got a guy down the street outselling you? 45:18 Celebrate it. 45:20 Are you in an institution, 45:22 you got a guy down the street outselling you? 45:24 Celebrate it. I'm making a point. 45:28 Sometimes we're so preoccupied in building ourselves up 45:33 and making sure we have 45:36 the top position in the ranking. 45:41 Did we get humbled? 45:44 Because he who exalts himself, will always gets humbled. 45:48 But she who humbles herself, will be exalted. 45:54 Build up your competitor, better yet, 45:56 quit having a competitor, quit keeping score. 46:00 I'm gonna tell you something that 46:01 I never told anybody, till last service. 46:09 The Lord was dealing with me one day 46:11 and He says you know what boy, you got a problem with envy. 46:13 I said, get out of here, I don't have envy. 46:16 I'm not jealous of anybody. He said, oh, yes, you are. 46:20 How can I be jealous of anybody? 46:21 He says, because look at your heart, 46:22 every time that name is mentioned, 46:23 every single time you freeze up. 46:27 Why you freezing up? 46:29 'Cause you're jealous. 46:32 You know, God can humble you very privately, 46:34 fortunately, but it is humbling to realize, 46:38 it was humbling for me, I'm ashamed to tell you, 46:40 but there's been somebody that I've been jealous of. 46:43 Why is he always so good? And why am I not so good? 46:49 We do crazy thinking when we're envious. 46:53 Then one day, God finally said to me, 46:54 you know what boy, 46:55 here's how you gonna deal with it. 46:57 You're gonna force yourself 46:58 every time that name comes up to say, 47:00 to be the first to jump up and say, 47:01 man have you ever seen somebody who can do it like that? 47:04 I'm so impressed. 47:06 Hey guys, I'm no paragon of virtue, 47:11 but I found that worked. 47:13 Now whenever the name comes up, 47:14 I'm first to-- hey, how can-- 47:16 and you know what, it just kind of dissipated, it's just gone. 47:18 I mean, who cares? 47:20 Let me be on the bandwagon 47:22 to cheer him on, professionally. 47:28 Build up your competitor, quit having a competitor. 47:30 Don't keep score. 47:32 Angie and Chris who'd gave me 47:33 a delightful little book called "The Go-Giver." 47:35 It's a morality play about how to succeed in business. 47:37 They gave it to me just about four weeks ago. 47:38 And in one scene, an old sage, 47:40 passes along to the young upstart in the business, 47:42 this piece of wise council, listen to this. 47:45 Stop keeping score, don't keep track, 47:49 watch out for the other guy, watch out for his interests, 47:51 forget about 50-50 son, 47:53 the only winning proposition is 100 percent. 47:56 Just give yourself to the other guy. 47:58 Who cares who he is, let him win. 48:01 Quit keeping score and how do you win now? 48:02 There's no score. 48:05 See, if we keep the score up here. 48:07 Give up your place in the line. 48:10 Give up your day off for service. 48:12 Give up your life for somebody else. 48:14 Ladies and Gentlemen, 48:15 the whole point that Jesus is making here is that 48:17 we have to do something, we have to act, 48:19 we have to humble ourselves. 48:21 Never pray this prayer, 48:22 you will not find it in the Bible. 48:23 Never pray this prayer, oh God, humble me. 48:27 You regret the day you did. 48:30 He all ready is keeping close track to you, trust me. 48:34 He knows when a little extra nudge is exactly 48:36 what you need, you can count on that, trust me as well. 48:40 Never pray the prayer, humble me. 48:41 Instead pray the prayer, oh God, 48:45 let me humble myself, before you. 48:48 That prayer is laced to scripture. 48:51 Humble yourself. Take the action. 48:53 Do the work. Don't ask God to do it. 48:56 Don't you dare? 48:58 Just take a deep breath, humble yourself. 49:02 All right, there are two steps then I'll sit down. 49:03 Step number one is, 49:04 "Humble yourself before others and show it." 49:06 Step number two is, 49:07 "Humble yourself before God and mean it." 49:10 And the key word there is, "mean it." 49:12 The other place that this line appears in Luke, 49:14 is chapter 18, 49:15 so just go four pages over it, Luke Chapter 18. 49:18 And this is the story about the two worshippers 49:20 and the guy that walks at the front of the church 49:22 for worship that Sabbath, 49:23 stands up and he prays to himself. 49:26 That's the way Jesus tells the story. 49:27 Oh God, I thank You, that I'm not like 49:30 the other reprobates in this little village of mine. 49:35 I tithe, I'm great in stewardship, 49:38 I fast, I watch my diet, I worship on the right day. 49:42 Thank you, oh God, for who I am. 49:44 And Jesus said in back of that same church, 49:46 that very same Sabbath there was a man 49:49 who so shattered by his guilt, that he could only sob 49:52 into the sleeve of his sports jacket. 49:55 Oh God, be merciful to me, for I'm a sinner. 50:00 Then the point, here it is verse 14, Luke 18. 50:03 "I tell you, this man " in the back of the church 50:06 "went down to his house justified" 50:08 declared righteous by God 50:09 "rather than the other for everyone 50:11 who exalts himself will be humbled, 50:13 and he who humbles himself" quoting His mothers song 50:17 "He who humbles himself will be exalted." 50:21 What does it mean to humble ourselves 50:22 before our God and mean it? 50:24 I'll leave you with these quotations 50:25 in your study guide. 50:26 These are so choice you have them, 50:28 you don't have to fill a single blank in, 50:29 just keep the quotations. 50:31 Christ's Object Lessons, comments on this parable, 50:33 with these words. 50:34 Take a look in your study guide. 50:35 "The lips may express" I thought this was prescient. 50:38 "The lips may express a poverty of soul 50:41 that the heart does not acknowledge." 50:43 We're good up here. We're terrible down here. 50:47 So I may be saying oh, I'm so humble. 50:48 Yes, of course, I am of course. 50:50 "While speaking to God of poverty of spirit, 50:53 the heart may be swelling 50:54 with the conceit of its own superior humility 50:58 and exalted righteousness." 51:01 See you can't fool God. 51:03 You can fool everybody else in your own home, 51:05 but you can't fool God. 51:08 "In one way only can a true knowledge of self be obtained." 51:11 Circle it, "We must behold Christ." 51:14 Track Jesus. 51:15 "It is ignorance of Him that makes men and women 51:18 so uplifted in their own righteousness. 51:19 When we contemplate His purity and excellence, 51:21 we shall see our own" hopeless 51:23 "we to see our own weakness and poverty 51:25 and defects as they really are. 51:27 We shall see ourselves lost and hopeless, 51:29 clad in garments of self-righteousness, 51:31 like every other sinner. 51:32 We shall see that if we are ever saved, 51:35 it will not be through our own goodness, 51:37 but through God's infinite grace." 51:40 What do you say to that? 51:43 Self-- now this is choice. 51:44 "Self to the publican appeared nothing but shame. 51:49 Thus it must be seen by all who seek God." 51:52 I'm ashamed self. 51:55 "By faith-- 51:56 faith that renounces all self-trust-- 51:58 the needy suppliant is to lay hold upon infinite power." 52:02 Isn't that something? Isn't that something? 52:05 And now here's what I want to send home with you. 52:07 There's a little prayer, 52:08 just a few sentences later that follows. 52:10 This is the prayer, 52:11 you want to pray this prayer with me every day, you can. 52:13 Here's the prayer, listen to this. 52:15 It's in that next quotation. 52:17 "No outward observances 52:18 can take the place of simple faith 52:20 and entire renunciation of self. 52:22 But no man can empty himself of self." 52:23 How can-- self-- 52:25 hey self, cast self out. 52:27 Can I pick myself up and throw myself out? 52:28 You can't do it, its impossible. 52:31 That's true. 52:32 "No man or woman can empty himself of self. 52:34 We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work. 52:39 Then" now here comes the prayer. 52:41 Oh, boy, this would be great to memorize, wouldn't it? 52:43 "Then the language of the soul will be, 52:45 Lord, take my heart, for I cannot give it. 52:50 It is Thy property. 52:52 Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. 52:56 Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. 53:02 Mold me, fashion me, 53:04 raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, 53:07 where the rich current of Thy love 53:09 can flow through my soul." 53:14 Isn't that some? How did Jesus put it? 53:16 "He who exalts himself, will be humbled 53:18 and she who humbles herself, will be exalted." 53:22 Once upon a time, 53:24 there was a prince and a woman and a God. 53:30 The prince exalted himself and he was humbled. 53:36 The teenage virgin, humbled herself and she was exalted. 53:41 And the God, the God was also the Son of David, 53:47 but the God, humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, 53:53 even the death of the cross, 53:55 wherefore God have highly exalted him 53:59 and given him a name above every name 54:02 under the heaven and on earth and under the earth. 54:07 So why on earth would we not just like Mary, 54:12 just like Jesus, why would we not humble ourselves 54:18 in the site of the Lord? 54:27 I want you to sing it with me. If you know it, just join me. 54:33 Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord 54:40 Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord 54:46 And He shall raise you up 54:54 Higher and higher 54:56 And He shall raise you up 55:03 Sing it again. 55:04 Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord 55:10 Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord 55:15 And He shall raise you up 55:22 Higher and higher 55:24 And He shall raise you up 55:32 Because our God is an awesome God 55:35 He reigns from heaven above 55:40 With wisdom, power, and love 55:43 Our God is an awesome God 55:47 Our God is an awesome God 55:51 He reigns from heaven above 55:56 With wisdom, power, and love 56:00 Our God is an awesome God 56:04 So humble thyself in the sight of the Lord 56:13 Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord 56:20 And He shall raise you up 56:28 Higher and higher 56:30 And He shall raise you up 56:39 Oh God, teaches us how, that's all we ask. 56:45 We just pray to You, teach us how, 56:51 to be like Mary and like Jesus. 56:58 Amen. 57:01 I wanted to take one more moment here 57:03 at the end of the telecast to let you know 57:05 how grateful I'm for your journey with us, 57:08 with our New Perceptions ministry. 57:10 You may think that New Perceptions 57:11 is only about television but I need to tell you 57:14 we do have a website 57:15 which is more than just a study guide. 57:17 I know we go to the study guide every week 57:19 but if you go to our website let me put the address 57:21 on the screen again, www.pmchurch.tv. 57:26 You will find at that website a blog. 57:28 Every Wednesday I sit down on my laptop 57:29 and write up a blog something as commenting 57:31 on world events, something local, 57:33 something national, you get the blog. 57:36 You want to archive previous teachings 57:38 from here the Pioneer pulpit you go to that 57:40 annotated archive you can pick out a message 57:43 it will be sent to you. 57:44 You want to get into the podcast business 57:48 I'm not real hi-techie on this, but if you click podcast 57:51 you will be able to connect instantly 57:53 with every new teaching 57:54 that comes from the Pioneer pulpit. 57:55 The point is we're trying to connect 57:57 with the generation on the move, on the go. 58:00 Thanks for being a part of it. 58:01 Thanks for your prayer partnership. 58:02 We've got to connect with this generation 58:05 at this time in earth's history 58:07 and I'm grateful you and I are sharing the mission. 58:09 God bless you, until next time. |
Revised 2015-07-19