Holy Father, in a world
where good and evil are at war.
00:00:29.39\00:00:33.86
And where the good die
young and the evil live on.
00:00:33.90\00:00:38.13
And where the evil occasionally
come to justice and die,
00:00:38.17\00:00:41.64
but we are not sure
whether to celebrate or mourn.
00:00:41.67\00:00:45.67
Oh, God, in
such a world as this,
00:00:45.71\00:00:48.04
there is still worship
00:00:48.08\00:00:50.31
and people still come
seeking solace in Your company
00:00:50.35\00:00:54.05
and peace in Your presence.
00:00:54.08\00:00:56.55
We too have come
00:00:56.58\00:00:59.42
because though evil may
rule and the good may languish,
00:00:59.45\00:01:02.69
Jesus still reigns.
00:01:02.72\00:01:04.66
The throne of
God is still secure.
00:01:04.69\00:01:07.23
Goodness will yet triumph
00:01:07.26\00:01:09.53
and we shall yet
overcome with Him.
00:01:09.56\00:01:12.63
And so with gratitude,
00:01:12.67\00:01:14.60
we worship You
through Christ Jesus
00:01:14.64\00:01:17.91
who shall reign
forever and ever, amen.
00:01:17.94\00:01:22.64
Jesus shall
reign where're the sun
00:01:59.61\00:02:07.22
Does its successive journeys run
00:02:07.26\00:02:14.43
His kingdom
stretch from shore to shore
00:02:14.46\00:02:21.64
Till moons shall wax
00:02:21.67\00:02:24.71
And wane no more
00:02:24.74\00:02:31.15
People and
realms of every tongue
00:02:31.18\00:02:38.55
Dwell on His love
with sweetest song
00:02:38.59\00:02:45.79
And infant voices shall proclaim
00:02:45.83\00:02:53.54
Their earthly blessings
00:02:53.57\00:02:57.47
On His name
00:02:57.51\00:03:04.08
Blessing abound
where're He reigns
00:03:04.11\00:03:11.32
The prisoners leap
to lose their chains
00:03:11.35\00:03:18.93
The weary find eternal rest
00:03:18.96\00:03:26.60
And all who
suffer want are blest
00:03:26.63\00:03:33.98
Let every
creature rise and bring
00:03:51.89\00:03:59.67
Honors peculiar to our King
00:03:59.70\00:04:07.04
Angels descend with songs again
00:04:07.08\00:04:14.85
And earth repeat
00:04:14.88\00:04:18.79
The loud amen.
00:04:18.82\00:04:24.73
Okay, so here is a story.
00:04:29.36\00:04:30.70
Wait a minute,
I need to tell you
00:04:30.73\00:04:32.07
before I tell you the
story, what the story is about.
00:04:32.10\00:04:34.77
I want to
describe the animal to you
00:04:34.80\00:04:36.60
and you tell me
what animal it is.
00:04:36.64\00:04:38.24
It has a little head.
00:04:38.27\00:04:41.08
We have them in
Berrien Springs by the way,
00:04:41.11\00:04:43.24
has a little head,
00:04:43.28\00:04:45.65
a body that's
so kind of average,
00:04:45.68\00:04:48.92
little feet with
a long tail on it
00:04:48.95\00:04:53.52
and the tail is fuzzy and furry.
00:04:53.56\00:04:57.76
What animal is that? Rabbit.
00:04:57.79\00:04:59.59
Squirrel, you're
absolutely right.
00:04:59.63\00:05:01.13
Rabbit was close
00:05:01.16\00:05:02.50
but the rabbit has a small tail.
00:05:02.53\00:05:03.97
So there's a long tail.
00:05:04.00\00:05:06.23
Somebody came up to me after--
00:05:06.27\00:05:07.77
Can you picture a
squirrel in your mind?
00:05:07.80\00:05:09.34
Can you see the squirrel?
00:05:09.37\00:05:10.91
Because I don't have a
picture, I have another picture
00:05:10.94\00:05:12.37
I'm gonna show
you in just a minute,
00:05:12.41\00:05:13.74
but I don't have a
picture of a squirrel.
00:05:13.78\00:05:15.11
Can you picture it?
Can you see the squirrel?
00:05:15.14\00:05:17.11
They go, did
they go up the trees?
00:05:17.15\00:05:19.48
Did they come back down?
Did they run across the lawn?
00:05:19.51\00:05:22.12
Yeah, you've seen squirrels.
00:05:22.15\00:05:23.79
Somebody came up to me
after first church they say,
00:05:23.82\00:05:25.62
"You know what a squirrel is.
00:05:25.65\00:05:26.99
It's a rat with hair on it."
00:05:27.02\00:05:28.56
And I had never
thought about that before,
00:05:28.59\00:05:30.69
but apparently it really is,
00:05:30.73\00:05:32.23
it's just a rat
with hair on its tail.
00:05:32.26\00:05:34.66
So anyway squirrels,
00:05:34.70\00:05:36.67
and as this
happened just last Sunday
00:05:36.70\00:05:38.93
down in Memphis, Tennessee.
00:05:38.97\00:05:41.34
Anybody know where
Memphis is? Tennessee?
00:05:41.37\00:05:43.57
Have you heard of Tennessee?
00:05:43.61\00:05:44.94
Yeah, that's to the south of us.
00:05:44.97\00:05:47.68
Last Sunday,
00:05:47.71\00:05:49.68
when Anthony
Hawks, awakened he said,
00:05:49.71\00:05:52.75
"Oh, this is the perfect
day for what I love to do."
00:05:52.78\00:05:59.12
You see Anthony Hawks.
00:05:59.15\00:06:00.62
Oh, he just was looking
forward to having today,
00:06:00.66\00:06:05.79
a squirrel hunt.
00:06:05.83\00:06:08.16
You know what that
means? You hunt squirrels.
00:06:08.20\00:06:10.97
I'm sure he just caught
them and then kept them alive.
00:06:11.00\00:06:14.24
That's the way we
would like to leave it
00:06:14.27\00:06:15.60
for the story sake, all right.
00:06:15.64\00:06:16.97
So he just caught the squirrels
00:06:17.01\00:06:18.34
and just added
them to his collection.
00:06:18.37\00:06:19.74
Some people collect squirrels.
00:06:19.77\00:06:21.48
So he said, "Today is the
day I'm going squirrel hunting."
00:06:21.51\00:06:28.12
Oh, I want to
catch some squirrel.
00:06:28.15\00:06:30.45
Have you ever tried
to catch a squirrel?
00:06:30.49\00:06:31.89
No. We can't.
00:06:31.92\00:06:33.25
Oh, is it easy to
catch the squirrel?
00:06:33.29\00:06:35.52
No. No, it is not easy.
00:06:35.56\00:06:37.96
So it's going to be a
tough day for Anthony Hawks,
00:06:37.99\00:06:40.70
50 years old.
00:06:40.73\00:06:42.56
You may think that's
ancient but it really isn't,
00:06:42.60\00:06:45.13
Anthony Hawks is
saying, "I can do this."
00:06:45.17\00:06:48.47
And so he went out, he went out.
00:06:48.50\00:06:51.64
He's in the--
00:06:51.67\00:06:53.01
He's in the woods.
00:06:53.04\00:06:54.54
Ah! Wait, wait, shh! Shh! Up.
00:06:54.58\00:06:56.71
There's one up in
the tree, boo, I got him.
00:06:56.75\00:07:00.52
He went a little
farther into the woods.
00:07:00.55\00:07:03.28
What's he
looking for? Squirrels.
00:07:03.32\00:07:05.09
I'm hunting squirrels,
00:07:05.12\00:07:06.45
he went little
further into the woods.
00:07:06.49\00:07:09.72
Oh, there's one, boo, I got him.
00:07:09.76\00:07:12.19
I got him.
00:07:12.23\00:07:13.60
So he was hunting
squirrels all Sunday,
00:07:13.63\00:07:16.50
and then a little
squirrel got away from him.
00:07:16.53\00:07:19.63
The squirrel ran down
toward the Loosahatchie River,
00:07:19.67\00:07:23.94
which is outside of Memphis.
00:07:23.97\00:07:25.31
The squirrel ran down
towards the Loosahatchie River,
00:07:25.34\00:07:28.41
and here went Anthony Hawks,
00:07:28.44\00:07:30.21
"I'm going to
catch that squirrel.
00:07:30.25\00:07:32.15
Yes, I am."
00:07:32.18\00:07:33.52
But when he got
down to the riverbank,
00:07:33.55\00:07:36.32
all of a sudden
he stopped, what?
00:07:36.35\00:07:40.72
Why is he stopping?
00:07:40.76\00:07:42.26
You're supposed
to get the squirrel
00:07:42.29\00:07:45.13
but he stopped,
that is funny isn't it?
00:07:45.16\00:07:49.33
But he stopped,
and he couldn't move.
00:07:49.36\00:07:54.44
He said, "What's going on here,
00:07:54.47\00:07:59.47
let me see.
00:07:59.51\00:08:01.78
What, what? I
can't get that foot out.
00:08:01.81\00:08:04.25
Let me try this one."
00:08:04.28\00:08:08.38
He was stuck in mud, mud.
00:08:08.42\00:08:13.32
You know what mud
looks like, don't you?
00:08:13.36\00:08:14.89
You love playing in it,
but this wasn't the same kind.
00:08:14.92\00:08:17.46
This was, and when he tried to--
00:08:17.49\00:08:21.73
Have you ever
seen them pour cement,
00:08:21.76\00:08:24.33
pour to make a road,
00:08:24.37\00:08:25.70
and can you
imagine what it would be
00:08:25.73\00:08:27.07
like to step into that cement
00:08:27.10\00:08:28.44
and then it
gets hard around you.
00:08:28.47\00:08:30.24
That's what
happened to Anthony Hawks,
00:08:30.27\00:08:32.84
he couldn't and every
time he tried to move his foot,
00:08:32.87\00:08:36.64
his foot went deeper.
00:08:36.68\00:08:40.32
This isn't
quicksand, it's just mud.
00:08:40.35\00:08:42.95
And it--
00:08:42.98\00:08:45.72
and he went and now
it's up to his shins.
00:08:45.75\00:08:47.49
Now it's up to his knees.
00:08:47.52\00:08:49.49
Would you be getting
worried right about now?
00:08:49.52\00:08:52.56
And what do you think he did?
00:08:52.59\00:08:54.06
Pray. Pray.
00:08:54.10\00:08:55.43
Well, he didn't
think about praying,
00:08:55.46\00:08:56.83
he should have,
maybe did, good for you.
00:08:56.87\00:09:00.94
You know, maybe
that's what he did,
00:09:00.97\00:09:02.47
but you know what else he did?
00:09:02.50\00:09:04.17
Help!
00:09:04.21\00:09:08.01
And he yelled and he
yelled and nobody heard him.
00:09:08.04\00:09:11.08
That was Sunday afternoon.
00:09:11.11\00:09:12.88
Nobody heard and he kept
going just a little deeper
00:09:12.91\00:09:15.45
and every time he moved, I
better, I better quit moving,
00:09:15.48\00:09:18.72
further down, help.
00:09:18.75\00:09:21.99
The sunset, help.
00:09:22.02\00:09:24.83
The moon came out,
help. The moon went down help.
00:09:24.86\00:09:30.83
The sun came up, help.
00:09:30.87\00:09:33.37
He couldn't even say it anymore.
00:09:33.40\00:09:36.27
Nobody came.
00:09:36.30\00:09:38.41
And then all of a sudden
down the Loosahatchie River--
00:09:38.44\00:09:40.71
here came a little fishing.
00:09:45.71\00:09:47.05
And the fisherman
would throw his hook out.
00:09:50.65\00:09:54.59
And all of a sudden,
he heard the bank talking,
00:09:54.62\00:09:58.16
the riverbank is talking.
00:09:58.19\00:10:00.26
He looked through
the early morning light.
00:10:00.30\00:10:03.00
There is a man inside
that mud and he is going down.
00:10:03.03\00:10:07.27
He raced to the shore,
he got up to a telephone
00:10:10.47\00:10:12.97
and what number do
you think he called?
00:10:13.01\00:10:14.58
911. 911.
00:10:14.61\00:10:17.81
He said, "We got
a man in the river."
00:10:17.85\00:10:21.25
And they came and the ambulances
00:10:21.28\00:10:23.82
and the big old
emergency rescuers came in,
00:10:23.85\00:10:27.39
the firemen came in
00:10:27.42\00:10:28.86
and now they're in the
mud and they're trying hard.
00:10:28.89\00:10:31.56
And I'm going to
show you his picture
00:10:31.59\00:10:33.26
right on the screen.
00:10:33.29\00:10:34.63
Take a look at that.
00:10:34.66\00:10:36.00
He is the man
right here in the middle
00:10:36.03\00:10:37.77
with the bald head.
00:10:37.80\00:10:39.93
He is in the mud all night
00:10:39.97\00:10:43.84
and all over a day in the mud.
00:10:43.87\00:10:48.68
Oh, I bet his mom was mad
00:10:48.71\00:10:50.11
when he came home and
showed her his clothes.
00:10:50.15\00:10:53.15
Oh, my!
00:10:53.18\00:10:55.12
Can you imagine
that? Stuck in the mud.
00:10:55.15\00:10:57.75
Could he get
himself out? Quiz time.
00:10:57.79\00:11:00.06
Could he get himself out? No.
00:11:00.09\00:11:01.62
Could he help himself? No.
00:11:01.66\00:11:03.32
What did he need? Help.
00:11:03.36\00:11:04.99
He needed somebody
to come and help him.
00:11:05.03\00:11:06.96
Oh, it's just like us
00:11:07.00\00:11:08.33
when we're stuck
in the mud of sin.
00:11:08.36\00:11:10.23
Can we get
ourselves out? No. No.
00:11:10.27\00:11:12.63
Can we--
00:11:12.67\00:11:14.00
Can we save ourselves? No.
00:11:14.04\00:11:15.94
Who do we need? Who do we need?
00:11:15.97\00:11:18.47
Call his name
out? Who do we need?
00:11:18.51\00:11:20.61
Oh, we need Jesus. Oh, yeah.
00:11:20.64\00:11:23.75
He's the only one that can
save us from the mud of sin.
00:11:23.78\00:11:25.55
But wait, one more picture.
00:11:25.58\00:11:26.92
One more time at this
picture, not just us sinners,
00:11:26.95\00:11:30.25
but there are
people who live around us,
00:11:30.29\00:11:33.29
who are stuck not for
any fault of their own,
00:11:33.32\00:11:36.99
sometimes they're just
stuck and they can't get out,
00:11:37.03\00:11:40.60
they need somebody to
come along and help them.
00:11:40.63\00:11:46.90
Final quiz before we
pray. Question number one.
00:11:46.94\00:11:49.67
How many are thankful,
Jesus came into the mud
00:11:49.70\00:11:52.57
to get us unstuck from our sins?
00:11:52.61\00:11:54.21
Hold your hand up if
you're thankful for Jesus.
00:11:54.24\00:11:56.44
Okay, quiz question number two.
00:11:56.48\00:11:58.38
How many want to help Jesus
00:11:58.41\00:12:00.62
get other people
unstuck who need help?
00:12:00.65\00:12:04.19
Hold both hands up, will you?
00:12:04.22\00:12:06.35
Oh, I know you put
both up, let's pray.
00:12:06.39\00:12:08.79
Oh, dear Jesus,
we want to help You,
00:12:08.82\00:12:11.63
help others get unstuck,
00:12:11.66\00:12:13.76
people who need
help all around us.
00:12:13.80\00:12:15.93
We've raised both hands.
00:12:15.96\00:12:17.30
Thank you for
helping us through us,
00:12:17.33\00:12:20.24
help others we
pray in your name, amen.
00:12:20.27\00:12:25.57
As you go quietly and reverently
00:12:25.61\00:12:27.41
back to your seats.
00:12:27.44\00:12:28.78
I want you to remember
Anthony Hawks and you say,
00:12:28.81\00:12:30.85
"Oh, Jesus, thank you
for getting me unstuck.
00:12:30.88\00:12:34.48
May I help you help others?"
00:12:34.52\00:12:37.85
This little light of mine
00:12:56.67\00:13:02.21
I'm going to let it shine
00:13:02.24\00:13:07.25
This little light of mine
00:13:07.28\00:13:12.32
I'm going to let it shine
00:13:12.35\00:13:17.96
This little light of mine
00:13:17.99\00:13:23.33
I'm going to let it shine
00:13:23.37\00:13:27.47
Let it shine, let it shine
00:13:27.50\00:13:32.71
Let it shine
00:13:32.74\00:13:37.11
Everywhere I go
00:13:47.56\00:13:52.69
I'm going to let it shine
00:13:52.73\00:13:58.23
Everywhere I go
00:13:58.27\00:14:03.67
I'm going to let it shine
00:14:03.71\00:14:09.48
Everywhere I go
00:14:09.51\00:14:15.18
I'm going to let it shine
00:14:15.22\00:14:19.22
Let it shine, let it shine
00:14:19.25\00:14:25.99
Let it shine
00:14:26.03\00:14:33.44
Let it shine till Jesus comes
00:14:33.47\00:14:39.27
I'm going to let it shine
00:14:39.31\00:14:44.78
Let it shine till Jesus comes
00:14:44.81\00:14:50.95
I'm going to let it shine
00:14:50.99\00:14:56.79
Let it shine till Jesus comes
00:14:56.83\00:15:02.90
I'm going to let it shine
00:15:02.93\00:15:07.40
Let it shine
00:15:07.44\00:15:13.07
Let it shine
00:15:13.11\00:15:18.88
Let it shine
00:15:18.91\00:15:24.29
Let it shine.
00:15:27.29\00:15:33.66
I am Amante Gonzalez,
00:16:01.42\00:16:03.29
I'm in the seventh
grade in East Maddock,
00:16:03.32\00:16:04.99
and this is my
dad Alvin Gonzales.
00:16:05.03\00:16:07.30
And we are going to
be reading the word.
00:16:07.33\00:16:10.97
Please turn in your bulletins
00:16:11.00\00:16:13.00
to responsive scripture reading.
00:16:13.03\00:16:18.94
Please read responsively.
00:16:18.97\00:16:21.11
"Peter fairly
exploded with the good news:
00:16:21.14\00:16:24.11
it's God's own truth,
nothing could be plainer:
00:16:24.15\00:16:27.08
God plays no favorites!
00:16:27.12\00:16:29.08
It makes no difference
00:16:29.12\00:16:30.45
who you are or
where you're from,
00:16:30.49\00:16:32.29
if you want God
00:16:32.32\00:16:33.66
and you are
ready to do as he says,
00:16:33.69\00:16:35.02
the door is open.
00:16:35.06\00:16:36.89
The message he sent
the children of Israel
00:16:36.93\00:16:40.40
through Jesus Christ everything
is put together again.
00:16:40.43\00:16:45.73
Well, he's doing it
everywhere, among everyone.
00:16:45.77\00:16:50.61
You know the story of
what happened in Judea.
00:16:50.64\00:16:52.94
It began in Galilee
00:16:52.97\00:16:54.31
after John preached
a total life change.
00:16:54.34\00:16:57.95
Then Jesus
arrived from Nazareth,
00:16:57.98\00:17:00.65
anointed by God
with the Holy Spirit,
00:17:00.68\00:17:04.19
ready for action.
00:17:04.22\00:17:06.05
He went through the country
00:17:06.09\00:17:07.96
helping people
and healing everyone
00:17:07.99\00:17:10.93
who was beaten
down by the Devil.
00:17:10.96\00:17:13.96
He was able to do all
this because God was with him."
00:17:14.00\00:17:18.83
When the church of Jesus
00:17:56.47\00:18:01.21
Shuts its outer door
00:18:01.24\00:18:05.55
Lest the roar of traffic
00:18:05.58\00:18:10.35
Drown the voice of prayer
00:18:10.39\00:18:15.09
May our prayers, Lord,
00:18:15.12\00:18:17.46
Make us ten times more aware
00:18:17.49\00:18:24.40
That the world we banish
00:18:24.43\00:18:28.60
Is our Christian care
00:18:28.64\00:18:36.48
If our hearts are lifted
00:18:36.51\00:18:41.08
Where devotion soars
00:18:41.12\00:18:45.49
High above this hungry
00:18:45.52\00:18:49.92
Suffering world of ours
00:18:49.96\00:18:54.63
Lest our hymns should drug us
00:18:54.66\00:18:59.23
To forget its needs
00:18:59.27\00:19:03.84
Forge our Christian worship
00:19:03.87\00:19:07.68
Into Christian deeds
00:19:07.71\00:19:15.32
Lest the gifts we offer
00:19:15.35\00:19:19.85
Money, talents, time
00:19:19.89\00:19:24.36
Serve to salve our conscience
00:19:24.39\00:19:29.13
To our secret shame
00:19:29.16\00:19:33.84
Lord, reprove, inspire us
00:19:33.87\00:19:38.41
By the way You give
00:19:38.44\00:19:43.21
Teach us, dying Savior
00:19:43.24\00:19:47.55
How true Christians live.
00:19:47.58\00:19:53.56
Holy Father,
that's quite a prayer
00:19:58.79\00:20:00.23
we sing to You.
00:20:00.26\00:20:03.20
Teach us, how
true Christians live,
00:20:03.23\00:20:06.87
lest our hymns drug us
when we shut the outer door.
00:20:06.90\00:20:11.11
Oh, God, let the teaching
00:20:11.14\00:20:12.47
that Holy
Scripture brings to us today.
00:20:12.51\00:20:16.48
Let it not only
enter into our minds
00:20:16.51\00:20:19.71
but please
00:20:19.75\00:20:21.78
through this
teaching change our lives,
00:20:21.82\00:20:23.69
change the way we live
00:20:23.72\00:20:25.39
for the glory
and honor of Jesus.
00:20:25.42\00:20:27.72
We pray in His name, amen.
00:20:27.76\00:20:30.46
Is there anything worse in life
00:20:33.60\00:20:36.60
than having to
go through the day
00:20:36.63\00:20:38.33
with everything out of focus,
00:20:38.37\00:20:42.47
like that screen that
you're looking at right now?
00:20:42.50\00:20:46.31
I mean, that would
not just drive you crazy.
00:20:46.34\00:20:49.78
Now those of us who wear glasses
00:20:49.81\00:20:52.15
and contact lenses
00:20:52.18\00:20:53.68
know the craziness
of a world out of focus.
00:20:53.72\00:20:57.72
And by the way Mr.
Cameraman, please take it,
00:20:57.75\00:20:59.72
please put us back in focus
as we continue this teaching.
00:20:59.75\00:21:02.29
Bless you, thank you.
00:21:02.32\00:21:03.66
One of the toughest
lessons for the church
00:21:03.69\00:21:05.03
in the Old Testament to learn
00:21:05.06\00:21:08.73
was the danger of myopia.
00:21:08.76\00:21:12.77
Do you know what that
pathological condition
00:21:12.80\00:21:14.70
is myopia?
00:21:14.74\00:21:16.07
You know what that is?
00:21:16.10\00:21:17.51
Look, I'm not
an ophthalmologist,
00:21:17.54\00:21:20.08
and you can be thankful.
00:21:20.11\00:21:21.44
But let me just for a moment
pretend that I'm an eye doctor
00:21:21.48\00:21:24.01
and let me give you
a lesson about eyes.
00:21:24.05\00:21:25.75
Let me put something on
the screen for you here.
00:21:25.78\00:21:28.12
You see two eyeballs there.
00:21:28.15\00:21:29.55
Let's look at the
eyeball at the top,
00:21:29.58\00:21:30.99
that's a normal eyeball.
00:21:31.02\00:21:32.35
It sees an
object in front of it,
00:21:32.39\00:21:33.72
the light passes through,
00:21:33.76\00:21:35.82
the eyeball
receives that image of light,
00:21:35.86\00:21:38.89
the lens turns it upside down
00:21:38.93\00:21:40.43
just like a
camera does by the way.
00:21:40.46\00:21:42.36
And then focuses that image
on the back wall of the eyeball
00:21:42.40\00:21:46.74
that is called the retina.
00:21:46.77\00:21:49.67
The eyeball beneath
it however is suffering
00:21:49.70\00:21:52.44
from that pathological
condition called myopia.
00:21:52.47\00:21:55.94
And what happens in
myopia, you look at that.
00:21:55.98\00:21:58.11
It's a visual defect in
which images are focused
00:21:58.15\00:22:00.58
not on the retina
but in front of it.
00:22:00.62\00:22:03.45
You see that, it
comes to focus too early.
00:22:03.49\00:22:07.49
That's why for
people with myopia,
00:22:07.52\00:22:09.42
if the objects are seen clearly
only when up close to the eyes
00:22:09.46\00:22:13.93
which is why they have
coined the synonym for myopia
00:22:13.96\00:22:17.70
nearsightedness, nearsighted.
00:22:17.73\00:22:23.00
The church in the Old
Testament was suffering
00:22:23.04\00:22:25.31
from the pathological
condition of nearsightedness.
00:22:25.34\00:22:31.38
And oh, boy, I tell you what?
00:22:31.41\00:22:32.78
You want something that
arouses the indignation of God,
00:22:32.81\00:22:35.18
we have found it here.
00:22:35.22\00:22:36.55
Tell us God how You
really feel and He does.
00:22:36.58\00:22:39.69
I want you to open your
Bible, take a look at this.
00:22:39.72\00:22:41.72
Go back to that
ancient prophet Isaiah.
00:22:41.76\00:22:45.06
Open your Bible
please to Isaiah,
00:22:45.09\00:22:46.43
two classic textbook depictions,
00:22:46.46\00:22:49.76
textbook definitions of myopia,
00:22:49.80\00:22:51.60
spiritual nearsightedness,
ecclesiastical myopia.
00:22:51.63\00:22:55.60
Hold on now.
00:22:55.64\00:22:56.97
Find Isaiah and I hope we can do
00:22:57.01\00:22:58.54
a little bit of
multitasking right here.
00:22:58.57\00:23:00.41
Now, you know
what multitasking is.
00:23:00.44\00:23:01.91
Our college kids
are gone for the summer
00:23:01.94\00:23:03.28
but you know what they can do.
00:23:03.31\00:23:04.65
They can do three
things simultaneously,
00:23:04.68\00:23:06.18
they can watch TV
and listen to the stereo
00:23:06.21\00:23:07.92
and do their research
and study at the same time.
00:23:07.95\00:23:10.82
Let's do some multitasking.
00:23:10.85\00:23:12.22
While you're finding Isaiah,
00:23:12.25\00:23:14.59
would you also pull out of
your worship bulletin please
00:23:14.62\00:23:16.73
the study guide for today?
00:23:16.76\00:23:18.09
You have a brand
new study guide today.
00:23:18.13\00:23:19.96
I want to jot these
definitions down for myopia
00:23:20.00\00:23:22.43
before we get into
these textbook depictions,
00:23:22.46\00:23:27.17
so pull the study guide.
00:23:27.20\00:23:29.00
Thank you
ushers. Thank you ushers.
00:23:29.04\00:23:30.74
Hold your hand up if you
don't have a study guide.
00:23:30.77\00:23:32.57
I want to make
sure that everyone here
00:23:32.61\00:23:33.94
who would like a
study guide receives one.
00:23:33.98\00:23:36.18
And those of you who
are watching on television,
00:23:36.21\00:23:38.45
let me give you our website,
00:23:38.48\00:23:39.95
it's put on the
screen right now.
00:23:39.98\00:23:41.32
There it is www.pmchurch.tv.
00:23:41.35\00:23:44.55
If you go to our website,
00:23:44.59\00:23:46.92
this particular
teaching is called,
00:23:46.96\00:23:48.29
"The Externally Focused Church:
Prescription for Myopia."
00:23:48.32\00:23:52.53
When you see that, click
on where it says study guide,
00:23:52.56\00:23:55.70
you'll have the
identical study guide
00:23:55.73\00:23:58.33
and you can fill it out with us.
00:23:58.37\00:23:59.70
I want to get
this definition down
00:23:59.73\00:24:01.07
before we go to the
textbook depictions of myopia,
00:24:01.10\00:24:04.11
so jot it down.
00:24:04.14\00:24:05.47
Myopia, a visual defects,
grab a pen, a visual defect
00:24:05.51\00:24:10.91
in which images are
focused not on the retina
00:24:10.95\00:24:13.31
but in front of it,
00:24:13.35\00:24:14.68
so that objects
are seen clearly.
00:24:14.72\00:24:16.55
Write that in.
00:24:16.58\00:24:17.92
Objects are seen clearly
only when close to the eye.
00:24:17.95\00:24:22.36
All right. Synonym for myopia.
00:24:22.39\00:24:24.69
What's a synonym for myopia?
00:24:24.73\00:24:26.46
Nearsightedness,
scribble that in please.
00:24:26.49\00:24:28.20
Nearsightedness,
so that keep writing,
00:24:28.23\00:24:30.37
"People with myopia can see
objects that are near clearly,
00:24:30.40\00:24:34.44
but objects that
are far out of focus."
00:24:34.47\00:24:38.14
All right, hang on to
those definitions myopia.
00:24:38.17\00:24:41.18
Two classic
textbook depictions, Isaiah,
00:24:41.21\00:24:44.65
here I'm doing all the talking
and haven't found Isaiah 1 yet.
00:24:44.68\00:24:47.32
Oh, I didn't even
tell you Isaiah 1, did I?
00:24:47.35\00:24:48.85
I'm sorry, Isaiah 1.
00:24:48.88\00:24:50.22
Let's go to Isaiah 1,
the first chapter of Isaiah.
00:24:50.25\00:24:54.16
Isaiah 1, I'll be in the
New International Version.
00:24:54.19\00:24:57.03
You may follow along
whatever translation you have.
00:24:57.06\00:24:59.46
If you didn't bring a Bible,
00:24:59.49\00:25:00.83
please check it
out for yourself.
00:25:00.86\00:25:02.20
There's a pew Bible
right in front of you.
00:25:02.23\00:25:03.60
It's the New King James
00:25:03.63\00:25:04.97
and the page
number there is page 460.
00:25:05.00\00:25:09.24
Oh boy, God tell us
how you really feel.
00:25:09.27\00:25:11.37
Here he goes, this is Isaiah 1.
00:25:11.41\00:25:13.21
Let's begin in verse 11.
00:25:13.24\00:25:14.58
God is speaking to
the ancient prophet.
00:25:14.61\00:25:17.01
"The multitude
of your sacrifices
00:25:17.05\00:25:20.65
what are they to me?'
00:25:20.68\00:25:22.05
says the Lord.
00:25:22.08\00:25:23.42
'I have more than
enough of burnt offerings,
00:25:23.45\00:25:26.32
of rams and the fat
of fattened animals,
00:25:26.35\00:25:28.09
I have no pleasure
00:25:28.12\00:25:29.46
in the blood of
bulls and lambs and goats."
00:25:29.49\00:25:31.09
Look at verse 12.
00:25:31.13\00:25:32.46
"When you come to
appear before me--"
00:25:32.49\00:25:33.83
That's a Hebrew
code, phrase, meaning
00:25:33.86\00:25:35.83
when you come for these
high days in the temple.
00:25:35.86\00:25:38.87
"Who asked this of you,
this trampling of my courts?"
00:25:38.90\00:25:41.67
Verse 13, "Stop
bringing meaningless offerings!
00:25:41.70\00:25:44.67
Your incense is
detestable to me.
00:25:44.71\00:25:47.28
New Moons and
Sabbaths and convocations
00:25:47.31\00:25:49.28
I cannot bear
your evil assemblies."
00:25:49.31\00:25:52.71
Verse 14, "Your
New Moon festivals
00:25:52.75\00:25:54.92
and your appointed
feast my soul hates.
00:25:54.95\00:25:57.89
They become a burden to
me, I am weary of bearing them.
00:25:57.92\00:26:01.06
Verse 15, "When you
spread your hands out in prayer,
00:26:01.09\00:26:04.79
I will hide my eyes from you,
even if you offer many prayers,
00:26:04.83\00:26:08.93
I will not listen."
00:26:08.96\00:26:11.53
Oh mercy, tell us
how you really feel God
00:26:11.57\00:26:14.90
and He does.
00:26:14.94\00:26:16.27
In fact, it's not just here,
00:26:16.30\00:26:17.64
I need you to see
a parallel passage
00:26:17.67\00:26:19.01
same book Chapter 58.
00:26:19.04\00:26:20.81
So just turn a few pages
into Isaiah to Chapter 58,
00:26:20.84\00:26:24.25
that'd be page 499, if
you have our pew Bible.
00:26:24.28\00:26:28.28
Isaiah 58.
00:26:28.32\00:26:30.15
Same God,
00:26:30.19\00:26:31.99
same passionate
response to myopia.
00:26:32.02\00:26:34.19
Take a look at this.
00:26:34.22\00:26:36.52
Chapter 58:1
00:26:36.56\00:26:37.89
God speaking, Shout
it aloud, he is steamed.
00:26:37.93\00:26:43.43
"Shout it aloud,
do not hold back.
00:26:43.47\00:26:47.04
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
00:26:47.07\00:26:49.20
Declare to my
people their rebellion
00:26:49.24\00:26:50.84
and to the house
are Jacob their sins.
00:26:50.87\00:26:52.57
For day after
day they seek me out,
00:26:52.61\00:26:54.58
they seem eager to know my ways,
00:26:54.61\00:26:56.08
as if they were a
nation that does what is right
00:26:56.11\00:26:57.88
and has not forsaken
the commands of its God.
00:26:57.91\00:27:01.02
They ask me for just decisions
00:27:01.05\00:27:03.12
and seem eager for
God to come near them."
00:27:03.15\00:27:04.92
Now look at his verse 3
and hear the people talking,
00:27:04.95\00:27:07.22
"Why have we fasted,' they
say, 'and you have not seen it?
00:27:07.26\00:27:10.23
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?"
00:27:10.26\00:27:13.29
What's a problem with you
God, Drop down to verse 5,
00:27:13.33\00:27:15.76
God responds,
wait a minute, verse 5,
00:27:15.80\00:27:18.30
"Is this the kind
of fast I have chosen,
00:27:18.33\00:27:21.17
only a day for a
man to humble himself?
00:27:21.20\00:27:23.51
Is it only for bowing
one's head like a reed
00:27:23.54\00:27:26.41
for lying on
sackcloth and ashes?
00:27:26.44\00:27:28.51
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?"
00:27:28.54\00:27:32.38
Give me a break.
00:27:32.41\00:27:34.58
God cries out, why
are you so consumed
00:27:34.62\00:27:38.42
with your nearsightedness?
00:27:38.45\00:27:40.22
And you know how we respond.
00:27:40.26\00:27:41.59
We say, God what is--
00:27:41.62\00:27:43.46
Time-out. What
is your problem God?
00:27:43.49\00:27:49.06
I mean what--
00:27:49.10\00:27:50.43
Do you think it's wrong
00:27:50.47\00:27:51.93
somehow coming to
church, write this down.
00:27:51.97\00:27:53.60
Somehow coming to
church week after week,
00:27:53.64\00:27:55.50
what's so
nearsighted about that.
00:27:55.54\00:27:59.37
And what your problem
here in Isaiah 1 and Isaiah 58.
00:27:59.41\00:28:02.48
"What's so myopic
00:28:02.51\00:28:03.85
about bringing to You
our tithes and our offerings
00:28:03.88\00:28:05.51
week after week?"
00:28:05.55\00:28:06.88
You ought to be thankful.
00:28:06.92\00:28:08.55
I mean, what's so nearsighted
about praying to you.
00:28:08.58\00:28:10.52
You say, "Stop
praying," what's the problem.
00:28:10.55\00:28:14.22
What's so nearsighted
about fasting now and then
00:28:14.26\00:28:16.93
proving that
we're really serious
00:28:16.96\00:28:18.49
about wanting revival and
reformation in the church?
00:28:18.53\00:28:22.46
I can't believe you God,
such a tempest in a teapot.
00:28:22.50\00:28:25.63
And obviously God
feels passionately
00:28:29.54\00:28:31.94
because he fires
back through Isaiah.
00:28:31.97\00:28:35.94
I'm not making,
00:28:35.98\00:28:37.31
I'm not making a
mountain out of molehill.
00:28:37.35\00:28:38.81
You're as blind as a mole.
00:28:38.85\00:28:40.18
You're digging the
grave of your own demise.
00:28:40.22\00:28:41.75
Shout it aloud as
he put it in verse 1,
00:28:41.78\00:28:43.72
"Shout it aloud,
do not hold back.
00:28:43.75\00:28:45.12
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
00:28:45.15\00:28:46.49
Declare to my
people their rebellion
00:28:46.52\00:28:48.09
and to the house
of Jacob their sins."
00:28:48.12\00:28:50.59
My Lord, whatever this
is, you are steamed, why?
00:28:50.63\00:28:56.77
You want to know what
God so passionate about?
00:29:00.87\00:29:02.94
I tell you what.
00:29:02.97\00:29:04.31
It doesn't take, it
doesn't take a brain surgeon
00:29:04.34\00:29:06.78
to read the mind
of God on this one.
00:29:06.81\00:29:08.24
All you have to do is
read the verses we left out.
00:29:08.28\00:29:12.28
We left some verses out.
00:29:12.31\00:29:13.65
I want you to go back.
00:29:13.68\00:29:15.05
We'll be right back to 58,
00:29:15.08\00:29:16.75
but go back to
chapter 1 just for a moment,
00:29:16.79\00:29:18.25
would you please.
00:29:18.29\00:29:19.62
Look at the verses we left out.
00:29:19.65\00:29:22.49
We'll pick it up
where the last verse we read
00:29:22.52\00:29:24.96
when we were in Chapter
1, that would be verse 15.
00:29:24.99\00:29:27.20
Go back to Isaiah 1 please.
00:29:27.23\00:29:31.47
Let's pick it up in verse
15, God said, hey look it,
00:29:31.50\00:29:33.77
"When you spread out
your hands in prayer,
00:29:33.80\00:29:35.54
I will hide my eyes from you,
00:29:35.57\00:29:36.91
even if you offer many
prayers, I will not listen.
00:29:36.94\00:29:39.07
Your hands are full of blood."
00:29:39.11\00:29:40.44
Look at verse 16, "Wash
and make yourselves clean.
00:29:40.48\00:29:42.81
Take your evil
deeds out of my sight!
00:29:42.84\00:29:44.61
Stop doing wrong,
learn to do right."
00:29:44.65\00:29:46.85
But God what are
you talking about?
00:29:46.88\00:29:48.22
What do you mean do right?
00:29:48.25\00:29:49.95
And then he explains
himself, "Seek justice,
00:29:49.98\00:29:53.46
encourage the oppressed.
00:29:53.49\00:29:55.49
Defend the cause
of the fatherless,
00:29:55.52\00:29:57.73
plead the case of the widows."
00:29:57.76\00:29:59.53
i.e., embrace,
jot this down please,
00:29:59.56\00:30:01.93
"Embrace a life
devoted to helping the helpless
00:30:01.96\00:30:05.60
and befriending the friendless,
in other words those in need."
00:30:05.63\00:30:10.14
Do something for me please.
00:30:10.17\00:30:14.94
By the way did you know
00:30:14.98\00:30:16.91
that they're
almost, jot this down.
00:30:16.95\00:30:18.75
"There are almost 400
passages in the scripture
00:30:18.78\00:30:22.88
that depict God's
passionate concern
00:30:22.92\00:30:26.35
for orphans, for widows,
for prisoners, for aliens,
00:30:26.39\00:30:30.19
by the way legal
or illegal aliens,
00:30:30.23\00:30:32.69
he doesn't make a
distinction for the homeless,
00:30:32.73\00:30:36.30
for the poor, the hungry,
the sick and the disabled?
00:30:36.33\00:30:39.23
God is passionate.
00:30:39.27\00:30:40.80
By the way, it's
the identical point
00:30:40.84\00:30:43.61
in Chapter 58.
00:30:43.64\00:30:44.97
Now, will end up there
at 58. Go back to 58 please.
00:30:45.01\00:30:49.41
Same point, we'll pick
up the last verse we read
00:30:49.44\00:30:52.75
when we were
reading the opening salvo,
00:30:52.78\00:30:54.22
go back to Isaiah 58,
let's pick it up in verse 5.
00:30:54.25\00:30:57.69
God speaking, verse 5,
God would say, come on guys.
00:30:57.72\00:31:03.36
"Is this a kind of
fasting I have chosen,
00:31:03.39\00:31:07.26
only a day for a
man to humble himself?
00:31:07.30\00:31:09.36
Is it only for bowing
one's head like a reed
00:31:09.40\00:31:11.73
and for lying on
sackcloth and ashes?
00:31:11.77\00:31:13.64
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?"
00:31:13.67\00:31:16.71
I want to tell you what?
00:31:16.74\00:31:18.07
You want to
have passion like me,
00:31:18.11\00:31:19.44
you want to get
into it to the max.
00:31:19.47\00:31:21.58
Let me show you what
lights my fire verse 6,
00:31:21.61\00:31:24.65
"Is not this the kind
of fasting I have chosen:
00:31:24.68\00:31:28.45
to loose the chains of injustice
00:31:28.48\00:31:31.22
and untie the cords of the yoke,
00:31:31.25\00:31:33.46
to set the oppressed
free and break every yoke?
00:31:33.49\00:31:36.09
Verse 7, "Is it not to
share your food with the hungry
00:31:36.12\00:31:39.46
and to provide the
poor wanderer with shelter,
00:31:39.49\00:31:42.03
when you see the
naked, to clothe her,
00:31:42.06\00:31:44.43
and not to turn away from
your own flesh and blood?"
00:31:44.47\00:31:48.60
God is crying
out, write this down,
00:31:48.64\00:31:50.17
"My people have
become so myopic,
00:31:50.21\00:31:51.84
so spiritually nearsighted
00:31:51.87\00:31:54.54
and
ecclesiastically self-focused,
00:31:54.58\00:31:57.58
that they have
become blind to the world
00:31:57.61\00:31:59.38
outside the church."
00:31:59.41\00:32:03.95
The compelling
teaching, ladies and gentlemen,
00:32:03.99\00:32:05.55
of Isaiah 1 and
Isaiah 58 cannot be missed.
00:32:05.59\00:32:10.49
Jot this down.
00:32:10.53\00:32:11.86
"It is the passion of God
00:32:11.89\00:32:13.26
to embrace a life
externally focused,
00:32:13.29\00:32:16.50
and not internally obsessed."
00:32:16.53\00:32:19.47
You see the church
in the Old Testament,
00:32:22.50\00:32:23.84
you know what they did?
00:32:23.87\00:32:25.21
They reduce religion
00:32:25.24\00:32:26.57
to what happens in
between these four walls.
00:32:26.61\00:32:28.41
That's what religion
is, for what we do here.
00:32:28.44\00:32:33.31
And in that fatal reduction
00:32:33.35\00:32:39.19
they call down upon themselves
red hot invictus from God,
00:32:39.22\00:32:42.22
I mean you read
the language of God
00:32:42.26\00:32:44.36
and we tempered it, didn't we?
00:32:44.39\00:32:48.93
And God had
finally by the way said,
00:32:48.96\00:32:50.57
"Okay, I'm going to have to come
00:32:50.60\00:32:52.47
and I'll show you myself."
00:32:52.50\00:32:54.40
And let me ask you this.
00:32:54.44\00:32:55.77
If you could write
your own obituary now.
00:32:55.80\00:32:59.51
If you could write
your own obituary now.
00:32:59.54\00:33:01.84
I was in a graduate class,
00:33:01.88\00:33:03.21
I can't remember
what the class was
00:33:03.24\00:33:04.58
but the professor
said, "All right, guys
00:33:04.61\00:33:05.95
take out the
couple pieces of paper
00:33:05.98\00:33:07.32
and a pen and start writing.
00:33:07.35\00:33:08.92
I want you to
write your obituary."
00:33:08.95\00:33:13.19
If you could
write your obituary--
00:33:13.22\00:33:14.56
By the way, you know
what, if we would all write up
00:33:14.59\00:33:15.96
our obituaries before we
die, they wouldn't be as long
00:33:15.99\00:33:19.73
as they end up
being at our funerals.
00:33:19.76\00:33:22.73
If you could
write your obituary,
00:33:22.76\00:33:24.10
how would you sum up your life?
00:33:24.13\00:33:26.13
Would it take even two pages?
00:33:26.17\00:33:28.47
I don't think
there's a person here
00:33:28.50\00:33:29.84
who would not covet
to have this one line
00:33:29.87\00:33:32.27
if I could have
my obituary written
00:33:32.31\00:33:34.18
would it please
have this one line.
00:33:34.21\00:33:36.08
I want to show
that one line with you.
00:33:36.11\00:33:37.85
Now it's not exactly
the obituary of Jesus,
00:33:37.88\00:33:40.52
but Peter is describing,
summarizing the life of Christ
00:33:40.55\00:33:43.89
here in Acts Chapter
10, and I want you to,
00:33:43.92\00:33:45.62
this will be our
last passage to look up.
00:33:45.65\00:33:46.99
Acts 10 is our
scripture reading that Amante
00:33:47.02\00:33:49.82
and his father
read just a moment ago.
00:33:49.86\00:33:51.93
I want you to go to Acts 10.
00:33:51.96\00:33:53.29
Peter is in
conversation with a gentile,
00:33:53.33\00:33:55.16
a Roman
centurion named Cornelius.
00:33:55.20\00:33:58.33
He's kind of, He's
summarizing the life
00:33:58.37\00:34:00.34
of this Jesus of
Nazareth, and I love this.
00:34:00.37\00:34:03.41
One line if you could covet
one line for your own obituary,
00:34:03.44\00:34:07.11
let it be this
one, Acts Chapter 10.
00:34:07.14\00:34:09.44
Let's just pick up
00:34:09.48\00:34:10.81
in the middle of the
conversation verse 38.
00:34:10.85\00:34:12.38
See he is telling,
he is telling Cornelius
00:34:12.41\00:34:15.72
about Jesus of Nazareth and how.
00:34:15.75\00:34:17.75
Here we go verse 38 and,
00:34:17.79\00:34:19.12
"How God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth
00:34:19.15\00:34:21.09
with the Holy
Spirit and with power,
00:34:21.12\00:34:23.63
and how he went
around doing good."
00:34:23.66\00:34:27.80
Would you scribble that in
your study guide right now?
00:34:27.83\00:34:29.86
"He went about, he
went around doing good."
00:34:29.90\00:34:36.71
What a one liner
obituary to covet.
00:34:36.74\00:34:39.37
I mean, divine ophthalmologist
00:34:39.41\00:34:40.74
comes down so, so
intensely passionate
00:34:40.78\00:34:44.21
over the nearsightedness
of his community of faith
00:34:44.25\00:34:46.08
in Isaiah 1 and 58,
00:34:46.11\00:34:47.45
He comes down Himself and
when you summarize His life
00:34:47.48\00:34:50.09
says, "He went
about doing good."
00:34:50.12\00:34:51.69
I love how the message
we read just a moment ago,
00:34:51.72\00:34:53.62
he went through the country
00:34:53.66\00:34:55.42
helping people
externally focused.
00:34:55.46\00:34:59.09
He went to the
country helping people.
00:34:59.13\00:35:01.30
What is an externally
focused life look like?
00:35:01.33\00:35:03.30
It looks just like
Jesus, she goes about.
00:35:03.33\00:35:06.07
Wherever that woman goes,
00:35:06.10\00:35:07.44
I'm telling you
somebody gets helped.
00:35:07.47\00:35:10.14
He went about doing good.
00:35:10.17\00:35:12.24
Tell you one day when they
write the obituary of pioneer
00:35:12.27\00:35:14.58
and one day they
will if time last long,
00:35:14.61\00:35:16.04
and if you gonna have to
write the obituary of the church
00:35:16.08\00:35:17.65
because the world will end.
00:35:17.68\00:35:19.01
But when the obituary of this
congregation gets written up,
00:35:19.05\00:35:21.38
I hope to God
00:35:21.42\00:35:23.18
that somewhere in
that little summation
00:35:23.22\00:35:25.22
there will be this line.
00:35:25.25\00:35:26.59
They went about--
00:35:26.62\00:35:27.96
They went about doing good.
00:35:27.99\00:35:30.43
I tell you why I'm
so, so stirred up by this.
00:35:30.46\00:35:35.30
Our senior leadership
team here at the church
00:35:35.33\00:35:37.07
has spent this entire year
from January until last week
00:35:37.10\00:35:41.07
reading a book
00:35:41.10\00:35:42.74
every Monday for
our staff meetings
00:35:42.77\00:35:44.34
we've come back to
this book as we worship.
00:35:44.37\00:35:46.44
I'm gonna put
the book on the cover
00:35:46.47\00:35:48.31
rather put the cover of the book
00:35:48.34\00:35:49.68
on the screen for you,
00:35:49.71\00:35:51.05
it would be a wonderful
book if you ever come across it.
00:35:51.08\00:35:53.08
It's in your study
guide, the information you need,
00:35:53.11\00:35:55.15
"The Externally Focused Church,"
00:35:55.18\00:35:56.58
written by two authors
Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson.
00:35:56.62\00:36:01.42
And it's been this
book, ladies and gentlemen,
00:36:01.46\00:36:04.39
that has focused us to answer
to, to answer this question.
00:36:04.43\00:36:07.63
Is the Pioneer Memorial Church
00:36:07.66\00:36:09.06
on the campus of
Andrews University all right?
00:36:09.10\00:36:10.73
Hallelujah.
00:36:10.77\00:36:12.10
This is where
God has put us all.
00:36:12.13\00:36:13.47
Is the Pioneer Memorial Church
an externally focused church?
00:36:13.50\00:36:17.64
Are we?
00:36:17.67\00:36:19.01
Oh, you say, but of course,
00:36:19.04\00:36:20.38
I mean we planted a church
in Benton Harbor, hallelujah.
00:36:20.41\00:36:23.11
We have a street
ministry where students go up
00:36:23.14\00:36:25.31
every weekend of the year
00:36:25.35\00:36:27.42
and walk the streets of
that inner city, praise God.
00:36:27.45\00:36:30.15
Yep, we have a global and radio
and web television ministry
00:36:30.19\00:36:33.92
and we praise
00:36:33.96\00:36:35.29
and we're big
believers in public evangelism.
00:36:35.32\00:36:37.33
And that's why we're bringing
Doug Batchelor in by the way
00:36:37.36\00:36:39.29
in September, you're not
going to want to miss that.
00:36:39.33\00:36:41.36
We have a great campus
with a worldwide university
00:36:41.40\00:36:44.27
and a reach as far
but here's the question.
00:36:44.30\00:36:48.00
Are we truly when you think
00:36:48.04\00:36:49.37
about this little
congregation here,
00:36:49.40\00:36:52.14
are we truly an
externally focused church
00:36:52.17\00:36:56.91
right here in Berrien Springs.
00:36:56.95\00:36:59.18
Let me share with
you their two definitions
00:36:59.21\00:37:01.42
before we answer that question.
00:37:01.45\00:37:02.78
Definition number
one, internally focused.
00:37:02.82\00:37:04.35
Do you have this
in your study guide?
00:37:04.39\00:37:05.85
It's there, you
have to fill in a word.
00:37:05.89\00:37:07.82
These are two definitions
00:37:07.86\00:37:09.62
and internally
first and then externally.
00:37:09.66\00:37:11.86
"Internally focused churches
00:37:11.89\00:37:13.73
concentrate on
getting people into the church
00:37:13.76\00:37:16.80
and generating activity there.
00:37:16.83\00:37:19.53
These churches may create
powerful worship experiences."
00:37:19.57\00:37:23.30
Hallelujah.
00:37:23.34\00:37:24.67
Isn't that what we want
to hear Sabbath after Sabbath
00:37:24.71\00:37:26.57
and by the way were you
blessed by this music or what.
00:37:26.61\00:37:30.48
I mean that's what internally
focused churches want,
00:37:30.51\00:37:32.85
get everybody
into this building,
00:37:32.88\00:37:34.82
powerful worship.
00:37:34.85\00:37:36.99
What else, "They
excel in teaching."
00:37:37.02\00:37:39.05
Well, we want to, don't we?
00:37:39.09\00:37:41.09
They offer
thriving youth programs,
00:37:41.12\00:37:42.76
they have vibrant small groups.
00:37:42.79\00:37:44.13
But here's the catch.
00:37:44.16\00:37:45.86
But at the end of the
day, I tell it's mine.
00:37:45.89\00:37:48.33
What is measured is
the number of people
00:37:48.36\00:37:50.87
and activities
within the church.
00:37:50.90\00:37:54.77
These are good churches
filled with good people,
00:37:54.80\00:37:57.11
the quotation goes on.
00:37:57.14\00:37:58.47
"And what they do is vital
00:37:58.51\00:37:59.84
but not sufficient
for a healthy church."
00:37:59.87\00:38:02.98
Okay, that's internally focused.
00:38:03.01\00:38:04.35
Now let's flip the coin.
00:38:04.38\00:38:05.71
Let's look at their definition
00:38:05.75\00:38:07.08
of the
externally focused church.
00:38:07.12\00:38:08.78
"Externally focused
churches, I'm quoting now,
00:38:08.82\00:38:10.92
are internally strong
00:38:10.95\00:38:12.85
but they're oriented externally.
00:38:12.89\00:38:15.32
These churches look for ways
00:38:15.36\00:38:16.76
to be useful to
their communities,
00:38:16.79\00:38:18.56
to be a part of
their hopes and dreams.
00:38:18.59\00:38:21.10
They build bridges
to their communities
00:38:21.13\00:38:23.06
instead of walls
around themselves.
00:38:23.10\00:38:25.03
They don't shout, I like this,
00:38:25.07\00:38:26.90
they don't shout
at the dirty stream,
00:38:26.94\00:38:29.04
they get in the water
and begin cleaning it up."
00:38:29.07\00:38:31.21
Now you're here,
that tell us again
00:38:34.78\00:38:37.35
we added these,
"Externally focused churches
00:38:37.38\00:38:39.91
measure not only
what we can be counted
00:38:39.95\00:38:43.49
but also what matters
most, the impact they are having
00:38:43.52\00:38:47.56
outside the
walls of the church."
00:38:47.59\00:38:51.66
So ladies and
gentlemen, are we an internally
00:38:51.69\00:38:53.36
or an extremely focused church?
00:38:53.40\00:38:55.10
Some of you are
from other congregations.
00:38:55.13\00:38:56.60
Let me ask you, you're watching
on television right now.
00:38:56.63\00:38:58.47
Is your
congregation internally focused
00:38:58.50\00:39:01.64
or are you extremely focused?
00:39:01.67\00:39:04.34
I tell you what?
00:39:04.37\00:39:05.71
This is the question
that nailed me to the wall,
00:39:05.74\00:39:08.21
and I think it affected
our entire leadership team,
00:39:08.24\00:39:11.35
when we came
across this question,
00:39:11.38\00:39:12.81
and the question is right there
00:39:12.85\00:39:14.38
in your study guide, fill it in.
00:39:14.42\00:39:15.75
If this church, all
right, if your home church,
00:39:15.78\00:39:18.59
if Pioneer Memorial Church
00:39:18.62\00:39:20.06
disappeared off
the face of the map,
00:39:20.09\00:39:22.26
would this community
miss this congregation?
00:39:22.29\00:39:25.99
Write in the word miss.
00:39:26.03\00:39:28.16
Would this
community miss this church?
00:39:28.20\00:39:31.97
Would this church be missed?
00:39:32.00\00:39:34.90
Now please, please
do not misunderstand me,
00:39:34.94\00:39:40.04
I praise God for
this, Pioneer is filled
00:39:40.08\00:39:41.81
with many of you
community minded people
00:39:41.84\00:39:43.71
who would truly be missed
00:39:43.75\00:39:45.75
or you just
simply pack up and leave,
00:39:45.78\00:39:48.92
but would Pioneer be missed?
00:39:48.95\00:39:50.85
Would our home,
00:39:50.89\00:39:52.22
would this
congregation were it to vanish.
00:39:52.25\00:39:54.12
Would the people of
Berrien Springs, say,
00:39:54.16\00:39:55.49
"You know what, I really
miss having Pioneer around."
00:39:55.52\00:39:59.79
Would they even
know we were gone?
00:39:59.83\00:40:03.97
You know we can go
up the road. Hallelujah.
00:40:04.00\00:40:06.03
We can serve an inner
city 12 miles up the road,
00:40:06.07\00:40:07.80
we can go all over the
world through satellite.
00:40:07.84\00:40:09.50
Praise God,
00:40:09.54\00:40:10.87
but what are we
doing right here at home?
00:40:10.91\00:40:14.31
If we disappeared,
would we be missed?
00:40:14.34\00:40:17.71
When they asked that
question, I mean it was like...
00:40:17.75\00:40:19.48
Because that
question had that effect on me
00:40:28.72\00:40:32.59
and our senior leadership team.
00:40:32.63\00:40:34.80
We begin today a
new summer series
00:40:34.83\00:40:38.10
that our
leadership team of pastors
00:40:38.13\00:40:39.47
will be preaching in
June, July, and August,
00:40:39.50\00:40:41.74
pondering and praying
00:40:41.77\00:40:43.10
over how we might
better be a church
00:40:43.14\00:40:45.44
that demonstrates its love
00:40:45.47\00:40:46.81
for the community
in which it lives.
00:40:46.84\00:40:49.74
In fact, the whole series,
00:40:49.78\00:40:51.11
I've taken liberty
on behalf of the staff
00:40:51.15\00:40:52.68
to summarize the
whole series in one sentence
00:40:52.71\00:40:55.48
over in the preaching
we call it The Big Idea.
00:40:55.52\00:40:58.02
Here's the big idea
for the whole series.
00:40:58.05\00:41:00.26
You've got to keep coming
00:41:00.29\00:41:01.62
because there will be all kinds
of other pictures to share,
00:41:01.66\00:41:03.73
but would you jot
this one down please.
00:41:03.76\00:41:05.36
Here it is, "The
cure for nearsightedness
00:41:05.39\00:41:10.93
is "outsidedness"
i.e. outside the church."
00:41:10.97\00:41:17.81
You want to cure myopia?
00:41:17.84\00:41:19.87
You want to cure a
nearsighted church?
00:41:19.91\00:41:21.58
The cure is to go outside.
00:41:21.61\00:41:23.85
An externally focused church
goes outside of its four walls
00:41:23.88\00:41:28.12
and there it becomes passionate
00:41:28.15\00:41:30.52
for doing the ministry of Christ
00:41:30.55\00:41:32.02
to go about doing good.
00:41:32.05\00:41:34.42
The cure for
nearsightedness is outsidedness.
00:41:34.46\00:41:38.69
We have to get out.
00:41:38.73\00:41:40.13
Some of us think
just like the church
00:41:40.16\00:41:41.66
in the Old Testament.
00:41:41.70\00:41:43.03
This is religion.
00:41:43.06\00:41:44.40
What I do here on the
seventh day of the week
00:41:44.43\00:41:45.77
and at least I'm clear
00:41:45.80\00:41:47.14
about which day of
the week is the Sabbath.
00:41:47.17\00:41:48.50
What I do here on the
seventh day of the week
00:41:48.54\00:41:50.54
is all that
counts and God is saying,
00:41:50.57\00:41:52.94
"What's the matter with you?
00:41:52.97\00:41:55.94
You are blind.
You're focusing only here.
00:41:55.98\00:42:00.92
There's a whole world
that you've lost the focus to."
00:42:00.95\00:42:04.72
Whoa, a century ago
these words were written.
00:42:04.75\00:42:10.33
Write it down please.
00:42:10.36\00:42:11.99
You have to fill it
in, "Christ's method alone,
00:42:12.03\00:42:14.33
I love this,
Christ's method alone
00:42:14.36\00:42:16.60
will give true success
in reaching the people.
00:42:16.63\00:42:19.67
The Savior mingled,
that's the key word,
00:42:19.70\00:42:22.27
the Savior mingled with people
as one who desired their good."
00:42:22.30\00:42:27.84
Do you know what
that word mingle means?
00:42:27.88\00:42:32.05
I love potato salad.
00:42:32.08\00:42:33.75
How many here love potato salad?
00:42:33.78\00:42:35.12
Be bold and brave
and raise your hand
00:42:35.15\00:42:36.48
if you love potato salad.
00:42:36.52\00:42:37.85
Oh, my, this is summertime.
00:42:37.89\00:42:39.22
This is a season
for potato salad.
00:42:39.25\00:42:40.59
For me it's all four seasons,
00:42:40.62\00:42:42.32
it's always the right
season for potato salad.
00:42:42.36\00:42:45.46
And by the way if
I'm coming to your house
00:42:45.49\00:42:47.16
and we're having
a little potluck.
00:42:47.20\00:42:48.96
Please you can't have a
potluck without potato salad.
00:42:49.00\00:42:52.90
Didn't anybody tell you?
Okay, so I love potato salad.
00:42:52.93\00:42:56.50
You got that
point. But you know what?
00:42:56.54\00:42:57.91
It would be awful
to come to your house
00:42:57.94\00:42:59.44
and I come to your
house and you say, "Oh Pastor,
00:42:59.47\00:43:01.31
we're so glad to
have you and we heard,
00:43:01.34\00:43:03.18
we heard you love potato salad
00:43:03.21\00:43:04.95
and we also know
you love onions."
00:43:04.98\00:43:06.31
And you do love
onions, don't you?
00:43:06.35\00:43:07.88
Oh, I love onions
in my potato salad,
00:43:07.92\00:43:09.38
it's not potato
salad without onions.
00:43:09.42\00:43:10.99
But if you came, if
I came to your house
00:43:11.02\00:43:12.99
and you put this big
bowl of potato salad out
00:43:13.02\00:43:14.62
and then in a little tiny
ball off by itself you said,
00:43:14.66\00:43:17.06
"Here are some
chopped up onions.
00:43:17.09\00:43:18.46
You may sprinkle
these in as you need them."
00:43:18.49\00:43:21.50
Do you know what?
00:43:21.53\00:43:22.86
That will destroy
that bowl of potato salad.
00:43:22.90\00:43:27.37
I mean when you come.
00:43:27.40\00:43:28.74
Can you imagine you have to
00:43:28.77\00:43:30.11
every now and
then reach over here,
00:43:30.14\00:43:31.47
get a few onions, drib it in.
00:43:31.51\00:43:34.64
Some of us think that in
fact, that's what God has put us
00:43:34.68\00:43:38.18
as the world's onion off in
a little corner by ourselves
00:43:38.21\00:43:40.58
and by the way
00:43:40.62\00:43:41.95
that's because we're
always hanging around ourselves
00:43:41.98\00:43:43.32
as onion that people cry
00:43:43.35\00:43:44.69
whenever they
come in our presence.
00:43:44.72\00:43:46.05
That's the reason right there.
00:43:46.09\00:43:47.42
We think we're onions,
00:43:47.46\00:43:48.79
we're supposed to be
kept off to the side.
00:43:48.82\00:43:50.16
Come on, the word
mingled is the key word
00:43:50.19\00:43:51.73
in that
definition that we just read.
00:43:51.76\00:43:53.36
You spread and mix the onions
all through that potato salad,
00:43:53.40\00:43:58.73
it's no good.
00:43:58.77\00:44:00.90
If you have to
add it on your own,
00:44:00.94\00:44:03.10
it's mingled, not
for special occasions,
00:44:03.14\00:44:06.11
it's always in potato salad.
00:44:06.14\00:44:10.18
That's Jesus, what
did we just read here,
00:44:10.21\00:44:12.51
"The Savior mingle with people
as one who desired their good."
00:44:12.55\00:44:16.58
Hey, we're having
a barbecue in this.
00:44:16.62\00:44:18.35
Are we having a
barbecue in this neighborhood?
00:44:18.39\00:44:20.16
I'm there.
00:44:20.19\00:44:22.49
You need volunteers
down at the public school?
00:44:22.52\00:44:24.63
You need people
to help? I'm there.
00:44:24.66\00:44:27.50
Are you having a big cleanup day
00:44:27.53\00:44:28.86
out at the park
in Berrien Springs,
00:44:28.90\00:44:30.57
I am there,
00:44:30.60\00:44:31.93
wherever Jesus
sensed there was need,
00:44:31.97\00:44:35.17
He just went about helping.
00:44:35.20\00:44:37.04
He didn't go about preaching.
00:44:37.07\00:44:38.91
He went about
helping, "I'm there."
00:44:38.94\00:44:41.74
Oh, we're going to
a little block party.
00:44:41.78\00:44:43.11
I know some families
when they have a block party.
00:44:43.14\00:44:46.25
"I don't know what
they're going to serve
00:44:46.28\00:44:47.62
at that block party,
00:44:47.65\00:44:48.98
we better say
that we can't come."
00:44:49.02\00:44:50.35
Are you crazy?
"I'm there," Jesus says.
00:44:50.39\00:44:55.49
You're having a
graduation party.
00:44:55.52\00:44:57.69
"I'm there."
Wherever there are people.
00:44:57.73\00:45:01.56
I'm showing up the Savior,
00:45:01.60\00:45:07.17
"Christ method alone
will give true success
00:45:07.20\00:45:08.97
in reaching the people.
00:45:09.00\00:45:10.34
The Savior mingled with people
as one who desired their good.
00:45:10.37\00:45:12.97
He showed His sympathy for them.
00:45:13.01\00:45:14.48
He ministered to
their needs. Write that in.
00:45:14.51\00:45:17.15
See, needs, needs, needs,
00:45:17.18\00:45:18.65
and then he won
their confidence and then--
00:45:18.68\00:45:21.25
Now, here's the key
word then, then he bade them,
00:45:21.28\00:45:25.22
"Follow me."
00:45:25.25\00:45:26.65
Because ladies and gentlemen,
00:45:26.69\00:45:28.02
there is no point in
asking people to follow you
00:45:28.06\00:45:30.36
until you spend time
with the people loving them.
00:45:30.39\00:45:34.33
If somebody came along
to me and said, "Hey, boy,
00:45:34.36\00:45:36.80
I want you to come and join us.
00:45:36.83\00:45:38.40
Who wants to
follow or join someone
00:45:38.43\00:45:40.34
who doesn't really care for me?
00:45:40.37\00:45:41.70
If that guy doesn't care for me,
00:45:41.74\00:45:43.07
I don't want to join
whatever he is a part of.
00:45:43.10\00:45:46.07
I mean, who wants to be
a part of an organization
00:45:46.11\00:45:48.04
that insists I come to them
before they will come to me.
00:45:48.08\00:45:51.68
I don't want to be a part
of any organization like that.
00:45:51.71\00:45:54.32
You want me, you come to me.
00:45:54.35\00:45:56.45
Postmodern secularists today
00:45:56.48\00:45:58.09
want to belong
before they believe.
00:45:58.12\00:46:01.76
They don't want
to believe first,
00:46:01.79\00:46:03.43
they said, "Let me belong."
00:46:03.46\00:46:04.79
You get alongside of me.
00:46:04.83\00:46:06.76
You walked away with me,
00:46:06.80\00:46:08.16
then I'll get to know you.
00:46:08.20\00:46:11.60
I'll determine then in fact
00:46:11.63\00:46:12.97
you're a real
guy, you're genuine,
00:46:13.00\00:46:16.50
then you can say
something about follow us
00:46:16.54\00:46:19.34
and I'll weigh it.
00:46:19.37\00:46:21.41
But you've got to
mingle, you've got to mingle.
00:46:21.44\00:46:26.38
We're here to help.
00:46:26.41\00:46:28.55
What can I do?
00:46:28.58\00:46:30.99
Jesus went about doing good
00:46:31.02\00:46:32.35
the Bible says, "He
went about doing good."
00:46:32.39\00:46:35.36
And that's the whole
point of Isaiah 1 and Isaiah 58.
00:46:35.39\00:46:38.83
"I am sick and
tired of your being
00:46:38.86\00:46:41.70
and internally
obsessed and focused community."
00:46:41.73\00:46:45.73
Get out of here, get a life
00:46:45.77\00:46:49.17
and get out of these four walls,
00:46:49.20\00:46:51.41
get out there for me
and love that world to me,
00:46:51.44\00:46:55.14
let my outsidedness
cure your nearsightedness.
00:46:55.18\00:46:59.41
And by the way that
some of you are getting
00:46:59.45\00:47:00.78
really rancid right now,
00:47:00.82\00:47:02.78
because you're saying,
00:47:02.82\00:47:04.89
"What are we
supposed to do pastor?
00:47:04.92\00:47:06.35
I have to choose
between worship and prayer
00:47:06.39\00:47:07.96
and fasting and revival
00:47:07.99\00:47:09.32
and did not herein
mixing it up in the mud
00:47:09.36\00:47:12.06
with people who are stuck."
00:47:12.09\00:47:15.73
No, it's not an
either or choice.
00:47:15.76\00:47:17.13
God isn't asking for an either
00:47:17.17\00:47:18.50
or he's not making an either
or proposition he's saying,
00:47:18.53\00:47:20.87
"You've got to do both
00:47:20.90\00:47:22.24
but you are so
stuck on yourselves.
00:47:22.27\00:47:24.67
I got to get you out
of that nearsightedness
00:47:24.71\00:47:27.74
into outsidedness for me."
00:47:27.78\00:47:31.68
You got to do both.
00:47:31.71\00:47:33.95
Let me close by sharing with you
00:47:33.98\00:47:38.12
that after
spending a couple of days
00:47:41.46\00:47:43.43
with Doug
Batchelor in Sacramento
00:47:43.46\00:47:45.23
this last week
taping a television program.
00:47:45.26\00:47:48.36
I drove over to San
Francisco to spend some time
00:47:48.40\00:47:51.13
with my brother
Greg and his new wife.
00:47:51.17\00:47:56.00
This is the first time,
00:47:56.04\00:47:57.77
I've been with Greg
since his remarriage
00:47:57.81\00:48:01.64
and we needed to have
that time together, all right.
00:48:01.68\00:48:07.02
Because the fact
of the matter is,
00:48:07.05\00:48:08.98
ladies and gentlemen,
00:48:09.02\00:48:10.85
there comes a time
when in order to get
00:48:10.89\00:48:12.82
your external focused correct,
00:48:12.85\00:48:15.56
you've got to
change your internal focus.
00:48:15.59\00:48:21.23
Jesus went about
doing good to all people
00:48:21.26\00:48:25.53
but especially
those He was close to.
00:48:25.57\00:48:29.44
And so life goes on,
00:48:32.67\00:48:34.68
that's a big
lesson in life by the way.
00:48:34.71\00:48:37.75
Read my lips.
00:48:37.78\00:48:39.58
Life goes on.
00:48:39.61\00:48:42.75
You can be stuck in the
mud trying to solve something
00:48:42.78\00:48:46.52
that is beyond you to ever solve
00:48:46.55\00:48:48.56
or you can get on with it.
00:48:48.59\00:48:50.09
Jesus gets on with
life, because He loves people.
00:48:50.13\00:48:54.56
You and I need that
internal correction,
00:48:54.60\00:48:57.33
focus correction
sometimes, don't we?
00:48:57.37\00:49:00.57
So anyway, I went
over to San Francisco,
00:49:00.60\00:49:02.24
spent some time
with Greg and Shasta
00:49:02.27\00:49:04.14
who are planting a
church in the city by the bay.
00:49:04.17\00:49:09.84
They took me to their
church. They have a core group.
00:49:09.88\00:49:12.51
They have more that come
but they have a core group
00:49:12.55\00:49:14.15
now of 20
people, brand new church,
00:49:14.18\00:49:16.69
only been
meeting since November.
00:49:16.72\00:49:18.55
There're 20 people,
00:49:18.59\00:49:20.06
an inner core
group of Adventists
00:49:20.09\00:49:22.32
who are providing the leadership
00:49:22.36\00:49:23.69
but then an extended
core of atheists and seculars
00:49:23.73\00:49:27.03
and the people
that are out there,
00:49:27.06\00:49:30.83
and I must tell you what?
00:49:30.87\00:49:32.53
I'm proud of them.
00:49:32.57\00:49:34.27
I'm talking about my
brother and his wife.
00:49:34.30\00:49:36.24
I'm proud of them
for that external focus,
00:49:36.27\00:49:37.97
because sometimes you can have
everything else down to a tee,
00:49:38.01\00:49:43.08
but when you can't see
a dying world around you,
00:49:43.11\00:49:46.65
it makes God sick
as we just found out.
00:49:46.68\00:49:52.69
So anyway,
00:49:52.72\00:49:54.06
this why I wanted
to tell you this story,
00:49:54.09\00:49:55.46
Greg had...
00:49:55.49\00:49:56.83
have some laser surgery
in his eye the other day.
00:49:56.86\00:50:00.16
So here's the ophthalmologist
comes in, does a radical thing.
00:50:00.20\00:50:02.53
Listen to this.
00:50:02.56\00:50:03.90
The ophthalmologist
comes walking into Greg
00:50:03.93\00:50:05.27
in the examining room, he says,
00:50:05.30\00:50:06.63
"Hey, you know
what I'm going to do?
00:50:06.67\00:50:08.00
I'm going to take
those glasses away from you,
00:50:08.04\00:50:09.37
you'll never have
to wear glasses again,
00:50:09.40\00:50:10.74
but I'm only going
to do laser on one eye.
00:50:10.77\00:50:15.18
You've got an eye
that can see up close
00:50:15.21\00:50:19.31
but I'm gonna fix the other
eye so that it can see far away.
00:50:19.35\00:50:24.39
Don't you
worry, don't you worry,
00:50:24.42\00:50:25.75
the brain will begin to
get both of those signals
00:50:25.79\00:50:28.49
and for a while
the brain will wonder
00:50:28.52\00:50:29.86
what in the world is going on,
00:50:29.89\00:50:31.23
but eventually the brain
will train itself that in fact,
00:50:31.26\00:50:32.83
both up close and
far away are in focus.
00:50:32.86\00:50:37.47
Because you know what?
00:50:37.50\00:50:38.83
It takes both up
close and far away
00:50:38.87\00:50:44.24
which must be why the
divine ophthalmologist himself
00:50:44.27\00:50:46.64
came down and died on
that tree we call Calvary.
00:50:46.68\00:50:49.18
So then in the light
that streams from the cross
00:50:49.21\00:50:51.71
you and I see a glory
that helps us to see up close
00:50:51.75\00:50:54.82
and how
desperately I am a sinner too.
00:50:54.85\00:50:58.79
And I need that grace.
00:50:58.82\00:51:00.39
I need that cleansing.
00:51:00.42\00:51:02.06
I need that forgiveness,
00:51:02.09\00:51:04.03
but the light is not
only to help me see up close.
00:51:04.06\00:51:06.43
The glory that
streams from the cross
00:51:06.46\00:51:08.20
also opens up my
eyes now to see a world
00:51:08.23\00:51:11.77
that is loved
passionately by God.
00:51:11.80\00:51:14.34
It's that world that
I need to see clearly.
00:51:14.37\00:51:17.31
And Jesus went about doing good.
00:51:17.34\00:51:19.91
The Pioneer Memorial Church
00:51:19.94\00:51:21.28
and Andrews
University can follow Jesus.
00:51:21.31\00:51:23.45
Oh, yes, we can.
00:51:23.48\00:51:24.81
We can get that focus straight.
00:51:24.85\00:51:27.38
We can have him give
us his heart and his eyes,
00:51:27.42\00:51:32.15
so that we might see and serve
00:51:32.19\00:51:35.49
just like Jesus.
00:51:35.52\00:51:40.46
Amen and amen. Let's pray.
00:51:40.50\00:51:43.67
Oh, God, amen to that.
00:51:43.70\00:51:46.84
There isn't a one of us here
00:51:46.87\00:51:48.60
who wouldn't want our obituary
to include that little phrase
00:51:48.64\00:51:52.91
she went about doing
good, he went about doing good,
00:51:52.94\00:51:56.21
we all want it.
00:51:56.24\00:51:57.71
We don't want to just
for our private lives,
00:51:57.75\00:51:59.61
we want it for our
corporate life as well,
00:51:59.65\00:52:02.28
our community of faith life.
00:52:02.32\00:52:04.75
If we disappeared
today, would we even be missed?
00:52:04.79\00:52:09.69
It's not about
people missing us, Father,
00:52:09.72\00:52:11.39
but that does
remind us that we're here
00:52:11.43\00:52:13.70
to reach the world immediately
outside these four walls.
00:52:13.73\00:52:18.50
And so I join with my
brothers and sisters in Christ
00:52:18.53\00:52:20.94
and earnestly pray,
00:52:20.97\00:52:23.34
that the Savior might
not only give us His heart
00:52:23.37\00:52:25.57
but that He might
also give us His eyes,
00:52:25.61\00:52:27.61
divine ophthalmologist
take away our myopia,
00:52:27.64\00:52:32.31
grant us eyes that can
focus up close and far away
00:52:32.35\00:52:37.05
that we might reach this world
00:52:37.09\00:52:38.99
in this generation and
love this world to You,
00:52:39.02\00:52:43.96
we pray in Christ's name, amen.
00:52:43.99\00:52:46.73
There's a Spirit in the air
00:53:12.49\00:53:17.26
Telling Christians everywhere
00:53:17.29\00:53:22.40
'Praise the love
that Christ revealed
00:53:22.43\00:53:27.34
Living, working in our world'
00:53:27.37\00:53:32.64
Living, working in our world'
00:53:32.67\00:53:39.45
Lose your
shyness, find your tongue
00:53:39.48\00:53:45.09
Tell the world what God has done
00:53:45.12\00:53:50.13
God in Christ has come to stay
00:53:50.16\00:53:55.33
We can see His power today
00:53:55.36\00:54:00.30
We can see His power today
00:54:00.34\00:54:05.81
When believers break the bread
00:54:08.74\00:54:13.95
When a hungry child is fed
00:54:13.98\00:54:19.29
Praise the love
that Christ revealed
00:54:19.32\00:54:24.83
Living, working in our world
00:54:24.86\00:54:30.10
Living, working in our world
00:54:30.13\00:54:34.90
Still His spirit leads the fight
00:54:37.51\00:54:42.24
Seeing wrong and setting right
00:54:42.28\00:54:47.35
God in Christ has come to stay
00:54:47.38\00:54:52.52
We can see His power today
00:54:52.55\00:54:57.83
We can see His power today
00:54:57.86\00:55:02.80
When a stranger's not alone
00:55:05.37\00:55:10.27
Where the homeless find a home
00:55:10.31\00:55:15.44
Praise the love
that Christ revealed
00:55:15.48\00:55:20.88
Living, working in our world
00:55:20.92\00:55:26.09
Living, working in our world
00:55:26.12\00:55:31.03
May His Spirit fill our praise
00:55:34.16\00:55:39.03
Guide our thoughts
and change our ways
00:55:39.07\00:55:44.37
God in Christ has come to stay
00:55:44.41\00:55:49.91
We can see His power today
00:55:49.94\00:55:55.42
We can see His power today
00:55:55.45\00:56:01.22
There's a Spirit in the air
00:56:04.13\00:56:08.76
Calling people everywhere
00:56:08.80\00:56:13.80
Praise the love
that Christ revealed
00:56:13.84\00:56:18.97
Living, working in our world
00:56:19.01\00:56:24.01
Living, working in our world
00:56:24.05\00:56:29.38
And now to Him who is able to do
00:56:34.92\00:56:36.59
immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine.
00:56:36.62\00:56:40.16
According to his power
that is at work within us,
00:56:40.20\00:56:43.10
to Him be glory in the
church and in Christ Jesus
00:56:43.13\00:56:47.50
throughout all generations
00:56:47.54\00:56:49.57
forever and ever, amen.
00:56:49.60\00:56:54.78
I wanted to take an extra moment
00:56:54.81\00:56:56.14
and let you know
how grateful I am,
00:56:56.18\00:56:57.51
you joined us in worship today.
00:56:57.55\00:56:58.88
I hear from viewers
like you across the nation
00:56:58.91\00:57:00.68
and literally from around
the world and I'm thankful.
00:57:00.72\00:57:03.69
If you'd like to explore further
00:57:03.72\00:57:05.05
what we've just shared,
00:57:05.09\00:57:06.99
I hope you will
visit us at our website.
00:57:07.02\00:57:08.36
It's an easy one to remember,
let me put it on the screen,
00:57:08.39\00:57:09.82
www.pmchurch.
00:57:09.86\00:57:12.49
We are the
Pioneer Memorial Church
00:57:12.53\00:57:14.10
here on the campus
of Andrews University.
00:57:14.13\00:57:16.16
www.pmchurch.tv.
00:57:16.20\00:57:18.83
Click on to that website.
00:57:18.87\00:57:20.20
You will be able to listen
to a podcast of this material,
00:57:20.24\00:57:22.30
or download my
presentation for you mp3 player
00:57:22.34\00:57:25.37
or simply print
off the study guide
00:57:25.41\00:57:26.91
for further reflection.
00:57:26.94\00:57:28.41
You may have a
special prayer need that
00:57:28.44\00:57:29.78
you wish to share
with our prayer partners.
00:57:29.81\00:57:31.75
You have an observation
00:57:31.78\00:57:33.11
you wish to simply share with me
00:57:33.15\00:57:34.48
or you may want to
partner with us financially
00:57:34.52\00:57:36.89
in our mission to
reach this generation
00:57:36.92\00:57:38.95
with the everlasting gospel.
00:57:38.99\00:57:41.12
Anyway you wish,
let me hear from you.
00:57:41.16\00:57:43.46
You can write to
me at www.pmchurch.tv.
00:57:43.49\00:57:47.43
Or if you rather
talk with someone,
00:57:47.46\00:57:49.06
call one of our
friendly operators at 877,
00:57:49.10\00:57:51.37
two words HIS-WILL.
00:57:51.40\00:57:53.70
You can use your
credit card at that time
00:57:53.74\00:57:55.37
to make that donation.
00:57:55.40\00:57:56.87
In the meantime
00:57:56.91\00:57:58.24
May the grace and
the peace of Jesus
00:57:58.27\00:57:59.87
be yours every step of the way.
00:57:59.91\00:58:02.64
Thank you.
00:58:02.68\00:58:04.65