From the campus of
Andrews University,
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this is New Perceptions
with Dr. Dwight K. Nelson.
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Praise God from
whom all blessings flow
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Praise Him all
creatures here below
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Praise Him
above ye heavenly host
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Praise Father,
Son and Holy Ghost
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Amen
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Holy Father, so here we are
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all the good
natured protesting aside
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we can't halt the
onward march of time,
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we can't at a single
date of this waiting summer
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that alone our hearing lives.
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And so, we've gathered
from across this campus
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and this
community and this nation
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as new students as
long time residents.
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We're hearing
the sanctuary of time
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this Seventh-day gift from You.
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Here's our desire in our prayer
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in this Your Sabbath presence,
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may the staccato beat of
our heart in our breaths low
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to the gentile rhythm of
your grace and your love.
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We've come seeking Jesus.
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If He's the one who
will lead us in the New Year
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that is not quite
here then all is well.
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If Christ shall rain
and our king shall lead us,
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all will be well.
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Through Christ Jesus
we worship You now, amen.
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It was this last month
that 14 of our high school
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and college freshmen age
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young people flew down to Panama
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for a-- an evangelist trip.
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Fourteen of our
young people teamed up
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with about 12 from
Avon Park, Florida.
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And together these
young people did 24,
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I'm not making the story up,
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24 evangelistic series
across the city of Panama
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in the country of Panama, amen.
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So, check this
up, Pastor Dwight,
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19 sermons in 16 days, amen.
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The last Sabbath
by the last Sabbath
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conference there in Panama,
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zipped us a report 136 baptisms
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from the preaching
of our young people.
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I had the
privilege of being there.
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I want you to turn
your attention to the screen
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because you are
going to have the privilege
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of listening to them first
hand, tell you what it was like.
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Preaching, actually at
first I was really nervous.
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I was really
nervous. It was stressful.
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Nerve-racking. Nerve-racking.
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At first, it
was very hard for me
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because English is not my
first language nor Spanish.
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Preaching now that something
new and especially in Spanish
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which is not my first language.
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This was the foreign country
I'm not in America anymore.
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Honestly, I didn't
really want to preach
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but I kind of it
kind of grew on to me.
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And as the chipper rest,
I actually was comfortable
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after putting my own
testimony in one of the sermons.
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I can't even put in
words what it was like for me.
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Having myself the
empty and have god filled
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in order for me to send
out the words to the people,
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that was what
preaching was like for me.
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My first sermon
was not really the best
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because like it
was just something
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very new and everything.
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So, I have lot of like pauses
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in my sermon
like awkward silences.
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Like I'd stuttered
really bad then I would pray
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and I was like,
Lord, speak through me.
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It came to the part
when I had to make the appeal
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and so I made the
appeal but no one came up.
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Sometimes you don't
know how they would respond,
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so you wouldn't
want to make a call
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'cause you don't
want-- no one to come up.
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So, you'll be like, oh,
maybe I shouldn't make a call.
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The pastor of the
church he comes up
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and he said
something in Spanish.
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And then eight people came
up and gave their heart to God.
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Well, I remember the first
time I gave a baptismal call
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and no one came up
and I was super excited
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I wasn't worried about
it all and I was like, God,
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I'm gonna do this call for You.
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So, I was really disappointed.
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And I stood there like,
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so this is what
the pastor feels like,
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if he makes an altar
call nobody comes up.
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Five minutes no one came up,
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ten minutes one,
one small kid came up.
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I found out after
I got off the stage
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that there was this one day
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who just-- she was
too shame to come up
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because she
wanted to be re-baptized.
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And I found
that kind of powerful
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because I was re-baptized.
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I kept going and going
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and finally the
first day five people,
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next day eight more people,
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the next week about 25 baptized
or going to be baptized.
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There was an elder who brought
along a bunch of street kids,
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there was some
young eager children
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and then there was
some tougher gangster boys
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that came in and
one of the first night
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when I made the
appeal I was a little nervous
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whose gonna
respond to God's call.
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But it was the little
children that came up.
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If you jut believe that
God will work on that not me
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then they will-- it will
actually test their hearts
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and it will make
them brave enough
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to not care about
what other people think
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but to just make
decisions in front of God.
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The seeing of baptized
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it kind of reminded me of
my decision to be baptized,
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it was-- it was
like a new start.
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Being on the side and
just watching the baptisms,
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it was amazing.
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Four people ended
up being baptized.
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Seventeen people got baptized
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and watching
them go into the water
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and coming back out it
was such a blessing to me.
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I thought I was going to
Panama to bring others to God
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and I did bring people to God.
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But I realized that
my church, you know,
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that sponsor
brought me to God to.
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It just showed me
that God is much bigger
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than what I thought He was.
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She had a mission for all of us.
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Coming to Panama,
it was a good thing.
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It was totally just God
working miracles through me.
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I think I found a new
hobby soul winning for Jesus.
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That last Sabbath as
we're outstanding there
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they have them all
hold hands in a big circle
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and I told them this is
what heaven will be like.
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This is what
God's work is all about
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when He calls us
to the missionaries.
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If anybody has an opportunity
to go to a mission trip,
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they should really
take the opportunity
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because it will change you.
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And there was a
line that we all said
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while we there in
Panama, it Panama para Cristo.
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Panama para Cristo.
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Panama para Cristo.
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Panama para Cristo.
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Panama para Cristo.
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Panama para Cristo.
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Panama para Cristo.
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Panama para Cristo.
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Panama para Cristo.
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Panama para Cristo.
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Panama para Cristo.
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It's true, Panama is for Christ.
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We want to thank you all
so very much for the donations
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and prayers that you gave
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that made this trip to
Panama possible for us.
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Many lives were changed
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and many souls
were won for Christ.
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We were on a
mission to change Panama
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but in the end
Panama also changed us.
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So we were truly blessed
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and words can't
describe how much you,
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this church has really
helped us and sponsored us.
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So thank you so much for your
financial gifts and support.
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And thank you, God bless.
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Say, I promised I wanted
to you show you something,
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I have it right
here in my pocket.
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Oh, no, this is not a camera.
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This is I want to see
if you recognize this.
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This-- I heard it right there.
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I heard it right there.
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I have a what is
this? Gold medal.
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This is a gold medal.
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So where do you
think I have been?
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Panama.
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Did you see me on TV? No.
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They had me doing
when the stadium was empty.
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But here is a
real, I've gold medal.
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Now this is really not mine.
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My friend Don Wilson
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who was a member here
and a CPA he said, Dwight,
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If you want to do
anything about the Olympics
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when you come back
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from your
sabbatical here's a gold medal.
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So, I have a gold medal.
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Anybody want to
wear this by the way?
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Me.
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Oh, I'm sorry that you
can't but I just wanted to know.
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So I have this gold medal.
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Now I want to tell you story
that came out of the Olympics
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because look-- the problem
about putting this gold medal
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on is that everybody thinks
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you got to have a
gold medal to be special.
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People think, oh, boy,
if you don't get a gold
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what's the other medal? Silver.
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And if you don't get a silver
then maybe you get a-- bronze.
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And then after that
people think you lose.
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But that's not true at
all. That's not true at all.
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And I want to share
a story we do that--
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oh, this is something else.
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Let me get this gold medal off
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and let's put a
picture on the screen
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please, up in that
corner. Can you see him?
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Young man put on the
big screen too, there he is.
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This is the world
champion Norwegian breaststroke
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that's a certain kind of stroke
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that you do when you're swimming
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that it's the most
natural human stroke.
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If somebody throws a
human being in the water,
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this is what he start doing,
this is what she starts doing
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immediately to keep them afloat.
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He is the world champion,
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the fastest
breaststroke swimmer.
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Holds the world
record from Norway.
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His name is Alexander Oen. Oen.
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Alexander Oen.
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Now because he
goes to the swim meets
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he made a friend with
a young man from Hungary.
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Let's put the young man
from Hungary on the screen.
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There is the
young man from Hungary,
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his name is Daniel Gyurta.
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All right, Daniel Gyurta.
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So, you have
Alexander and Daniel.
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And guess what?
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They became the best of friends
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and they knew that
they were gonna have to swim
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to see which one of them
could get the shiny gold medal.
00:11:03.35\00:11:07.67
Now the Norwegian swimmer is
already a world record holder.
00:11:07.70\00:11:12.05
The Hungarian swimmer
Daniel says, I'm gonna try hard.
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I'm gonna give you
a run for your money.
00:11:16.17\00:11:17.53
So they were
practicing together.
00:11:17.56\00:11:19.97
They were at meets together.
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And in fact, this Norwegian
swimmer came over to Arizona
00:11:21.83\00:11:25.78
and last May he was
swimming in training in Arizona
00:11:25.81\00:11:29.30
when suddenly, Oh,
I'm sorry to report this.
00:11:29.33\00:11:32.35
Suddenly, his heart stop beating
and they could not save him.
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Something was wrong in his
heart that he didn't know about,
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26-years-old the world record
holder for the breaststroke.
00:11:40.50\00:11:47.56
Oh, now Daniel
is without friend.
00:11:47.59\00:11:51.14
He goes to the Olympics
and Daniel says, all right,
00:11:51.17\00:11:53.93
I'm gonna race the very best
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that my God given
strength will allow.
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I'm gonna swim as
hard and as fast as I can.
00:11:58.31\00:12:00.73
And wouldn't you know it,
the 200 meter breaststroke
00:12:00.76\00:12:04.14
Daniel from Hungary not a
lot of people from Hungary
00:12:04.17\00:12:06.82
at the Olympics,
Daniel from Hungary,
00:12:06.85\00:12:09.62
he received this
beautiful gold medal.
00:12:09.65\00:12:14.96
He received the gold medal.
00:12:14.99\00:12:17.00
But the story didn't end there
because here's what so special.
00:12:17.03\00:12:21.30
You know what
Daniel told the reporters
00:12:21.33\00:12:22.71
who all came up afterwards.
00:12:22.74\00:12:23.77
Oh, hey, Daniel, how does
it feel to-- how does it feel
00:12:23.80\00:12:26.25
to have the god
medal around your neck?
00:12:26.28\00:12:28.76
You really did swim that fast.
00:12:28.79\00:12:32.08
How does it feel, Daniel?
00:12:32.11\00:12:33.41
Daniel says, let
me tell you something.
00:12:33.44\00:12:37.41
I know that if my
friend Alexander had been here,
00:12:37.44\00:12:42.06
he would have
won the gold medal.
00:12:42.09\00:12:44.53
So as soon as I
get back to Hungary
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I'm gonna take this
medal to a goldsmith
00:12:46.88\00:12:49.66
and I'm gonna have the goldsmith
00:12:49.69\00:12:51.25
make an exact
copy and exact replica
00:12:51.28\00:12:55.10
and then I'm going to
take it to Alexander's family.
00:12:55.13\00:13:00.83
He would have won the
medal had he'd been here.
00:13:00.86\00:13:06.31
And the whole world were,
oh, my isn't that wonderful.
00:13:06.34\00:13:12.50
He could have
said I'm the best now.
00:13:12.53\00:13:14.42
No, he said if my
friend had been here
00:13:14.45\00:13:17.04
he would have had this medal.
00:13:17.07\00:13:18.52
And he had a gold
medal perfectly reproduced.
00:13:18.55\00:13:24.75
Oh, boys, but you know what
the problem with the Olympics.
00:13:24.78\00:13:26.23
Come on, guys.
00:13:26.26\00:13:27.29
The problem with
Olympics is we think that
00:13:27.32\00:13:28.81
if we don't get
a medal, we don't--
00:13:28.84\00:13:31.03
we're not somebody special.
00:13:31.06\00:13:32.77
But the-- listen,
hold on the Bible says,
00:13:32.80\00:13:35.68
that if you're
in the race of life
00:13:35.71\00:13:38.67
guess how many
people who crossed
00:13:38.70\00:13:40.63
the finished line with Jesus.
00:13:40.66\00:13:42.20
Guess how many will
get not a gold medal
00:13:42.23\00:13:45.75
but a gold, what?
00:13:45.78\00:13:47.92
Gold crown.
00:13:47.95\00:13:49.07
Guess how many
will get a gold crown
00:13:49.10\00:13:50.67
if you stay in the race
to the very end with Jesus.
00:13:50.70\00:13:53.89
How many will get a gold crown?
00:13:53.92\00:13:56.26
Every single one.
00:13:56.29\00:13:57.74
Hey, do you see this cross here?
00:13:57.77\00:13:59.06
Do you see the
cross in the platform?
00:13:59.09\00:14:00.58
You see it look
down on the floor.
00:14:00.61\00:14:02.12
Yeah, the cross is in the floor.
00:14:02.15\00:14:04.42
When Jesus died, get these guys,
00:14:04.45\00:14:07.18
when Jesus die, He won the gold,
00:14:07.21\00:14:10.29
He won the gold medal
for the whole human race
00:14:10.32\00:14:13.74
and everybody who
runs the race with Him.
00:14:13.77\00:14:16.58
Look at that?
00:14:16.61\00:14:17.71
Everybody gets the gold crown.
00:14:17.74\00:14:20.19
How many are thankful,
number one that Jesus died
00:14:20.22\00:14:22.77
and won the gold medal for us.
00:14:22.80\00:14:24.62
And how many want to say Jesus,
00:14:24.65\00:14:26.48
"I want to stay close to You
00:14:26.51\00:14:27.91
and cross the
finished line with You
00:14:27.94\00:14:29.86
and receive that gold crown
00:14:29.89\00:14:33.45
with You forever and ever."
00:14:33.48\00:14:38.26
Hey, listen, let
me tell you this--
00:14:38.29\00:14:40.68
hey, guys, I got an idea.
00:14:40.71\00:14:42.44
I got an idea
00:14:42.47\00:14:44.07
when we did the
survey last spring
00:14:44.10\00:14:46.37
some of the
worshippers said Dwight,
00:14:46.40\00:14:48.52
instead of having the same
00:14:48.55\00:14:50.76
little junior
pastor have the prayer
00:14:50.79\00:14:52.47
at the end of the children story
00:14:52.50\00:14:53.82
why don't you thrown
it open and let anybody
00:14:53.85\00:14:55.79
who wants to pray
from Sabbath, the Sabbath.
00:14:55.82\00:14:59.26
So, I'm gonna get a
microphone right here
00:14:59.29\00:15:01.70
and here's the question.
00:15:01.73\00:15:02.91
Who would like to thank Jesus
00:15:02.94\00:15:04.68
for winning the
gold medal for us?
00:15:04.71\00:15:07.79
Sissy, I want to go
with you right here.
00:15:07.82\00:15:10.07
Would you come and pray
and would you thank Jesus
00:15:10.10\00:15:12.76
for winning the
gold medal for us, okay?
00:15:12.79\00:15:16.02
Dear, Jesus, hope
we'll have a good day today,
00:15:16.05\00:15:19.28
bless their food and
bless their bodies now.
00:15:19.31\00:15:22.34
Gold medal.
00:15:22.37\00:15:23.40
And gold medal
to His name, amen.
00:15:23.43\00:15:26.00
Amen.
00:15:26.03\00:15:27.43
All right. Thank you, Sissy.
00:15:27.46\00:15:29.73
As you go quietly and
reverently back to your seats,
00:15:29.76\00:15:32.23
you can be saying
that in your hearts.
00:15:32.26\00:15:34.31
Thank you, Jesus.
00:15:34.34\00:15:35.53
Thank you, Jesus for
winning the gold for all of us.
00:15:35.56\00:15:39.26
Happy Sabbath.
00:15:39.29\00:15:40.32
When the trumpet of
the Lord shall sound
00:16:22.69\00:16:25.52
And time shall be no more
00:16:25.55\00:16:27.71
When the morning breaks
eternal, bright and fair
00:16:27.74\00:16:33.01
When the saved of earth shall
gather over on the other shore
00:16:33.04\00:16:38.15
And the roll is called up yonder
00:16:38.18\00:16:40.97
I'll be there
00:16:41.00\00:16:43.29
When the roll
is called up yonder
00:16:43.32\00:16:48.88
When the roll
is called up yonder
00:16:48.91\00:16:53.75
When the roll
is called up yonder
00:16:53.78\00:17:00.26
When the roll is
called up yonder,
00:17:00.29\00:17:03.28
I'll be there
00:17:03.31\00:17:06.85
On that bright
and cloudless morning
00:17:06.88\00:17:10.10
When the dead in
Christ shall rise
00:17:10.13\00:17:12.71
And the glory of
His resurrection share
00:17:12.74\00:17:17.86
When His chosen
ones shall gather
00:17:17.89\00:17:20.90
to their home beyond the skies
00:17:20.93\00:17:23.31
And the roll is called up yonder
00:17:23.34\00:17:25.99
I'll be there
00:17:26.02\00:17:28.32
When the roll
is called up yonder
00:17:28.35\00:17:33.99
When the roll
is called up yonder
00:17:34.02\00:17:38.84
When the roll
is called up yonder
00:17:38.87\00:17:45.65
When the roll is
called up yonder,
00:17:45.68\00:17:50.50
I'll be there
00:17:50.53\00:17:53.14
Let us labor for the Master
from the dawn till setting sun
00:17:53.17\00:17:58.22
Let us talk about His
wondrous love and care
00:17:58.25\00:18:03.81
Then when all of life is over
and our work on earth is done
00:18:03.84\00:18:09.09
And the roll is called up yonder
00:18:09.12\00:18:11.95
I'll be there
00:18:11.98\00:18:14.61
When the roll
is called up yonder
00:18:14.64\00:18:20.14
When the roll
is called up yonder
00:18:20.17\00:18:25.11
When the roll
is called up yonder
00:18:25.14\00:18:32.34
When the roll is
called up yonder,
00:18:32.37\00:18:35.73
I'll be there
00:18:35.76\00:18:39.74
Oh, God, when the
roll is called up yonder,
00:18:39.77\00:18:41.76
please, please,
please I'll be there,
00:18:41.79\00:18:45.08
will be there by the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:18:45.11\00:18:49.07
On the cusp of a New
Year, what's the teaching
00:18:49.10\00:18:51.80
that You would have for us.
00:18:51.83\00:18:53.34
Jesus will speak
in today's scriptures
00:18:53.37\00:18:55.10
so may we hear His
voice loud and clear hide mine
00:18:55.13\00:18:59.28
and all the others to
make sure that happens.
00:18:59.31\00:19:02.15
We pray in His name, amen.
00:19:02.18\00:19:06.04
I'm gonna put a picture on
the screen for you right now.
00:19:06.07\00:19:09.20
When you see it,
I'm gonna ask you,
00:19:09.23\00:19:10.35
do you know who this is?
00:19:10.38\00:19:12.82
This is from our recent
news see if you recognize.
00:19:12.85\00:19:17.10
I apologize for the
picture being out of focus,
00:19:17.13\00:19:19.46
let's put it on the screen.
00:19:19.49\00:19:22.09
It's out of focus
because the cameraman
00:19:22.12\00:19:23.43
can't keep up with him.
00:19:23.46\00:19:24.49
Do you know who that is?
00:19:24.52\00:19:26.62
Do you-- you
don't know who that is.
00:19:26.65\00:19:29.43
I give you one more picture.
This should be a help to you.
00:19:29.46\00:19:35.29
That's my man, Usain
Bolt. Take and look at him.
00:19:35.32\00:19:39.65
You are looking
at-- you are looking
00:19:39.68\00:19:41.35
at the world's fastest
human being alive today.
00:19:41.38\00:19:45.23
When he ran the
100 meters sprint
00:19:45.26\00:19:48.25
and won that
sprint with the gold.
00:19:48.28\00:19:50.99
He ran it in 9.63 seconds.
00:19:51.02\00:19:55.40
I figure that how fast that is.
00:19:55.43\00:19:56.50
That is moving at 34
feet per second, 34 feet.
00:19:56.53\00:20:02.01
That's moving at
37.38 kilometers per hour
00:20:02.04\00:20:07.02
or 23.02 miles per hour
00:20:07.05\00:20:10.52
which is fast
enough to get you a ticket
00:20:10.55\00:20:12.49
on this campus
from campus security.
00:20:12.52\00:20:14.58
That's how fast he moves.
00:20:14.61\00:20:17.78
That's how fast.
00:20:17.81\00:20:19.52
Usain Bolt, the lightening bolt.
00:20:19.55\00:20:22.59
And get this, he was even faster
00:20:22.62\00:20:24.80
when he partnered with
his three Jamaican buddies
00:20:24.83\00:20:27.93
in that-- excuse me,
00:20:27.96\00:20:29.03
in that final 4x100 relay.
00:20:29.06\00:20:32.92
In fact, they
figured out the average time
00:20:32.95\00:20:34.50
that all four ran
for each of their 100s,
00:20:34.53\00:20:36.73
9.21 seconds.
00:20:36.76\00:20:40.28
Now you
understand with the relay,
00:20:40.31\00:20:42.03
you get to start running before
you get the baton or the batten
00:20:42.06\00:20:47.18
whichever way you
prefer to call it.
00:20:47.21\00:20:48.80
So, you, you're not
starting from scratch,
00:20:48.83\00:20:51.83
so, it's a little faster.
00:20:51.86\00:20:53.86
But the deal with the relay,
00:20:53.89\00:20:55.83
the deal with
the relay as you know
00:20:55.86\00:20:58.18
you're gonna be the fastest,
00:20:58.21\00:20:59.35
you're gonna be the fastest
human being on this earth
00:20:59.38\00:21:01.82
but if you do not
connect, if you do not connect--
00:21:01.85\00:21:06.13
let's put the
picture the American team up,
00:21:06.16\00:21:07.96
they were right behind
just a few hundreds behind are
00:21:07.99\00:21:11.82
friends the Jamaican's.
00:21:11.85\00:21:13.66
But the deal on relay is
00:21:13.69\00:21:15.02
if you do not
connect the race is over.
00:21:15.05\00:21:18.14
You have to connect,
00:21:18.17\00:21:20.39
the secret to the
race is the connect.
00:21:20.42\00:21:24.38
You know what, that's a
truth about this life, isn't it?
00:21:24.41\00:21:26.83
The secret of
life is the connect.
00:21:26.86\00:21:29.69
No connect. No finish.
00:21:29.72\00:21:33.10
The secret is the connect.
00:21:33.13\00:21:35.34
Now you're
saying what in the world
00:21:35.37\00:21:36.40
are you talking about, Dwight?
00:21:36.43\00:21:37.46
I'm talking about
what Jesus is talking about
00:21:37.49\00:21:39.57
in a very peculiar parable.
00:21:39.60\00:21:41.74
Open your Bible,
please open your Bible
00:21:41.77\00:21:43.87
to the gospel
of Luke Chapter 14.
00:21:43.90\00:21:46.13
Luke Chapter 14
00:21:46.16\00:21:47.23
and while
you're finding Luke 14,
00:21:47.26\00:21:48.38
we're gonna put the
title slide on the screen
00:21:48.41\00:21:49.99
because there are two little--
there are two part series,
00:21:50.02\00:21:52.43
mini series let's put
it up right now, bless you.
00:21:52.46\00:21:55.18
This little mini
series is entitled
00:21:55.21\00:21:56.81
"Simple Church
for unSimple times."
00:21:56.84\00:21:59.84
The dark night is rising.
00:21:59.87\00:22:01.38
These are unsimple times.
00:22:01.41\00:22:02.84
So, today and next week
simple church runs simple times
00:22:02.87\00:22:05.75
then two weeks in a
day the dark night rises.
00:22:05.78\00:22:09.91
Luke Chapter 14,
00:22:09.94\00:22:13.11
I'm in the New
King James version,
00:22:13.14\00:22:15.11
in fact, I've been in
my Andrews Study Bible,
00:22:15.14\00:22:16.77
New King James
version and I'm saying that
00:22:16.80\00:22:18.45
because here who
are new students here
00:22:18.48\00:22:20.39
that's one of the gifts
that you're gonna receive.
00:22:20.42\00:22:22.17
You're gonna get you
really on Andrews Study Bible
00:22:22.20\00:22:25.08
and you're gonna
be blessed by it.
00:22:25.11\00:22:26.47
So I preach out of.
00:22:26.50\00:22:28.23
So we're here at--
we're here at Luke 14.
00:22:28.26\00:22:30.62
You didn't bring
a Bible you got--
00:22:30.65\00:22:31.68
this is peculiar
parable you got to track it.
00:22:31.71\00:22:33.72
Here is the page
number for the parable 703
00:22:33.75\00:22:35.79
in your pew Bible,
pull that pew Bible out.
00:22:35.82\00:22:37.37
Let's go 703.
00:22:37.40\00:22:39.14
All right.
00:22:41.56\00:22:42.65
Any translation you
bring is fine by me by the way,
00:22:42.68\00:22:44.89
it doesn't matter at all.
00:22:44.92\00:22:45.95
Let's begin in verse 15.
00:22:45.98\00:22:47.58
"Now when one of those who
sat at the table with Jesus,
00:22:47.61\00:22:50.78
heard these things,"
00:22:50.81\00:22:52.01
oh, hit the pause
button right here.
00:22:52.04\00:22:55.78
Because what has happened
00:22:55.81\00:22:57.75
is that Jesus has just
dropped a little bombshell
00:22:57.78\00:23:03.05
in the polite
company of a Sabbath dinner.
00:23:03.08\00:23:04.75
The host is a ruling Pharisee.
00:23:04.78\00:23:07.34
The hoity toady of the
Pharisees of that town,
00:23:07.37\00:23:09.90
they're all
reclining around the table.
00:23:09.93\00:23:12.93
Bad timing, Jesus
00:23:12.96\00:23:16.60
because what happened was but--
00:23:16.63\00:23:18.66
the wealthy
would have their feast
00:23:18.69\00:23:19.93
even on Sabbath
and the poor would come
00:23:19.96\00:23:21.77
because sometimes
they were handouts
00:23:21.80\00:23:23.44
and Jesus spots
in the periphery,
00:23:23.47\00:23:26.81
a man who drops
his swollen portion,
00:23:26.84\00:23:28.85
abnormal swelling of his body.
00:23:28.88\00:23:30.40
And Jesus decides, He's gonna
heal the man on the Sabbath
00:23:30.43\00:23:33.82
and He heels them.
00:23:33.85\00:23:35.20
Not a good way to begin
dinner with the Pharisee
00:23:35.23\00:23:37.52
on the Sabbath.
00:23:37.55\00:23:41.18
More over after He
does that Jesus has,
00:23:41.21\00:23:45.17
this is a rather
blunt word to his host.
00:23:45.20\00:23:47.06
Just turn back at verse 12.
00:23:47.09\00:23:48.45
"Then Jesus said to
him who had invited Him,"
00:23:48.48\00:23:50.36
you're talking to your host now.
00:23:50.39\00:23:51.92
You haven't
even start eating yet
00:23:51.95\00:23:53.17
and you're talking to your host.
00:23:53.20\00:23:55.08
And Jesus said to him,
00:23:55.11\00:23:56.51
"When you give a
dinner or a supper,
00:23:56.54\00:23:59.13
do not ask your friends,
00:23:59.16\00:24:00.65
your brothers and
sisters, your relatives,
00:24:00.68\00:24:03.06
nor your rich neighbors,
00:24:03.09\00:24:04.47
lest they also invite
you back, and you be repaid."
00:24:04.50\00:24:08.23
No, no, no, no.
00:24:08.26\00:24:09.29
"When you give a
feast, invite the poor,
00:24:09.32\00:24:13.60
the maimed, the
lame, and the blind."
00:24:13.63\00:24:18.91
Now, ladies and gentlemen,
Jesus certainly is not against
00:24:18.94\00:24:21.54
having your friends
over for a Sabbath dinner.
00:24:21.57\00:24:23.55
Jesus loved
eating with His friends,
00:24:23.58\00:24:26.02
Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
00:24:26.05\00:24:27.78
He loved those moments.
00:24:27.81\00:24:29.31
What Jesus was saying
is much deeper than that.
00:24:29.34\00:24:31.74
In fact, the
Greek reads this way.
00:24:31.77\00:24:33.34
Here's the Greek.
00:24:33.37\00:24:35.04
Do not be in the habit of
inviting only your friends.
00:24:35.07\00:24:42.29
I mean, come
on, what's the point
00:24:42.32\00:24:43.81
of only inviting people
who can invite you back?
00:24:43.84\00:24:47.63
It's if Jesus is
saying, hey, guys,
00:24:47.66\00:24:50.05
the next time you put your
Sabbath dinner lists together
00:24:50.08\00:24:52.32
I wish your
hospitality list would be driven
00:24:52.35\00:24:56.59
by the needs of your
fellow men and women, the needy.
00:24:56.62\00:25:02.20
I wish you would leave
your friends and invite--
00:25:02.23\00:25:05.40
like this man I just
healed, invite some of them
00:25:05.43\00:25:08.69
to your Sabbath dinner.
00:25:08.72\00:25:13.06
In fact, why don't
you invite the poor,
00:25:13.09\00:25:15.23
the marginalize,
the disenfranchised
00:25:15.26\00:25:17.85
why don't you invite the
alienated to your dinner?
00:25:17.88\00:25:21.61
Oh, they'll never
be able to repay you
00:25:21.64\00:25:24.06
but you will have made--
00:25:24.09\00:25:25.57
you will have made a forever
difference by that invitation.
00:25:25.60\00:25:31.58
Silence, awkward silence.
00:25:31.61\00:25:36.21
And one of the
Pharisees in an effort
00:25:36.24\00:25:38.73
to get the attention off of them
00:25:38.76\00:25:40.15
and it kind of break
this uncomfortable pause.
00:25:40.18\00:25:44.18
He burst out in a
pain of pious blether.
00:25:44.21\00:25:47.86
It only make sense, oh,
blessed the ones who gets
00:25:47.89\00:25:50.04
invited to eat bread
in the kingdom of God.
00:25:50.07\00:25:51.85
What?
00:25:51.88\00:25:52.93
What I'm gonna talk about eating
bread in the kingdom of God.
00:25:52.96\00:25:55.18
But he was so nervous he
had to slip something in.
00:25:55.21\00:25:58.33
Jesus says, "oh, really."
00:25:58.36\00:26:00.04
You're planned to
be there, are you?
00:26:00.07\00:26:01.94
Let me tell you a
story and here we go.
00:26:01.97\00:26:03.52
Now here comes a
peculiar story, verse 16.
00:26:03.55\00:26:05.70
When Jesus said,
"Then Jesus said to him,"
00:26:05.73\00:26:07.73
the man with
this pious platitude,
00:26:07.76\00:26:09.38
"Then Jesus said
to him, 'A certain man
00:26:09.41\00:26:12.51
gave a great
supper and invited many."
00:26:12.54\00:26:15.74
' Now you're gonna be
thinking about a certain man
00:26:15.77\00:26:17.76
but you and I already
know that between the lines
00:26:17.79\00:26:20.92
this certain man is representing
a very certain God, you watch.
00:26:20.95\00:26:25.66
So, "A certain man
gave a great supper
00:26:25.69\00:26:27.81
and invited many, " verse 17,
00:26:27.84\00:26:29.10
"and sent His
servant at supper time
00:26:29.13\00:26:31.43
to say to those
who were invited."
00:26:31.46\00:26:33.07
Notice this
ladies and gentlemen,
00:26:33.10\00:26:34.21
they've already been invited.
00:26:34.24\00:26:36.36
They've already been invited.
00:26:36.39\00:26:38.16
Now this is just a
little confirmation.
00:26:38.19\00:26:39.91
"He sent His
servant to them to say,
00:26:39.94\00:26:42.62
'Come, for all things."
00:26:42.65\00:26:45.19
' You all come now
'cause everything is ready.
00:26:45.22\00:26:49.10
Do you get these little
save the date postcards?
00:26:49.13\00:26:54.72
This is a whole new-- whole
new thing in society, I guess.
00:26:54.75\00:26:57.74
You send on a
postcards, saying hey,
00:26:57.77\00:26:59.19
we're gonna have this big event
00:26:59.22\00:27:00.46
in two months,
three months whatever.
00:27:00.49\00:27:02.79
We'll send a more official
and formal invitation later
00:27:02.82\00:27:06.09
but save the date.
00:27:06.12\00:27:08.25
We do that now, don't we?
00:27:08.28\00:27:09.61
Well, it was dated
in the time of Christ.
00:27:09.64\00:27:11.29
Invitation went out people
marked it out I'll be there,
00:27:11.32\00:27:13.42
he already or else repeat.
00:27:13.45\00:27:14.65
Now comes, now comes
the personal invitation.
00:27:14.68\00:27:18.40
Come for all
things are now ready.
00:27:18.43\00:27:21.69
Now watch this.
00:27:21.72\00:27:23.73
Verse 18, but they all---
00:27:23.76\00:27:27.50
obviously this man was put
00:27:27.53\00:27:29.00
this man has put together a
list of his closest friends,
00:27:29.03\00:27:31.67
these are friends.
00:27:31.70\00:27:32.88
These are people that he
loves hanging around with
00:27:32.91\00:27:36.66
but they all.
00:27:36.69\00:27:37.72
Can you believe this?
00:27:37.75\00:27:38.78
"But they all one
accord began to make excuses."
00:27:38.81\00:27:41.50
The first-- it's
almost like this is not
00:27:41.53\00:27:43.56
some kind of
collusion going on here.
00:27:43.59\00:27:45.62
"The first said to the servant,
00:27:45.65\00:27:48.71
'I have bought
a piece of ground,
00:27:48.74\00:27:50.96
and I must go and see it.
00:27:50.99\00:27:52.48
I ask you to have me excused."
00:27:52.51\00:27:55.83
' Are you serious?
00:27:55.86\00:27:56.89
That is the
flimsiest of excuses.
00:27:56.92\00:27:59.60
Nobody buys a piece of
real estate site unseen,
00:27:59.63\00:28:02.50
do you?
00:28:02.53\00:28:03.58
Now you can, you
walk it off you examine.
00:28:03.61\00:28:05.18
No, I like this.
00:28:05.21\00:28:06.31
And you say, I bought some
and I need to go check it out.
00:28:06.34\00:28:08.88
Flimsy, flimsy.
00:28:08.91\00:28:11.36
And then the servant
goes to another verse 19,
00:28:11.39\00:28:13.38
"And another said, 'I
have bought five yoke of oxen,
00:28:13.41\00:28:16.82
and I am going to test them.
00:28:16.85\00:28:18.08
I ask you to have me excused."
00:28:18.11\00:28:20.58
' Flimsy, flimsy.
00:28:20.61\00:28:22.08
I'll tell you
something the first automobile
00:28:22.11\00:28:24.14
I ever bought was
on old 1961, VW Beetle.
00:28:24.17\00:28:28.89
You remember those VW Beetles?
00:28:28.92\00:28:30.03
Yes, you do. Six volt.
00:28:30.06\00:28:33.21
I bought it from an
owner in Downtown Chattanooga
00:28:33.24\00:28:36.37
and I made the-- I
made the first mistake
00:28:36.40\00:28:38.51
in my auto
purchasing experience.
00:28:38.54\00:28:41.11
I bought the car in the dark.
00:28:41.14\00:28:42.58
Now wise,
00:28:45.48\00:28:47.43
you got to see this thing--
it was under a street lamp.
00:28:47.46\00:28:50.32
I'm taking this guys
word for-- this is beautiful.
00:28:50.35\00:28:55.62
I learned my lesson.
00:28:55.65\00:28:57.62
Nobody makes a
purchase of five yoke of oxen
00:28:57.65\00:29:00.17
and not having checked, hey,
00:29:00.20\00:29:02.75
okay, I think
you'll be fine, right.
00:29:02.78\00:29:05.99
Flimsy excuse.
00:29:06.02\00:29:07.57
It's like they're trying to
come up with something whack
00:29:07.60\00:29:09.40
I don't want to
be with you tonight,
00:29:09.43\00:29:10.87
I have something more important.
00:29:10.90\00:29:13.17
That wouldn't be you,
that wouldn't be me of course
00:29:13.20\00:29:15.08
but I'm, you know,
it's in the parable.
00:29:15.11\00:29:17.28
So, he goes to a third.
00:29:17.31\00:29:18.34
Where is the third?
00:29:18.37\00:29:19.91
"Still another said," verse 20.
00:29:19.94\00:29:20.99
"Still another
said to the servant,
00:29:21.02\00:29:22.90
'I have married a wife,
and therefore I cannot come."
00:29:22.93\00:29:25.92
' Has a
henpecked husband if ever.
00:29:29.33\00:29:32.28
I have married you,
truth of the matter is,
00:29:32.31\00:29:36.27
truth what the matter
is that in the ancient code
00:29:36.30\00:29:40.40
newly weds were given a year off
from civil and military service.
00:29:40.43\00:29:45.04
This is just one night
with your host, friend.
00:29:45.07\00:29:48.35
What do you mean you
can't give a night with him.
00:29:48.38\00:29:52.20
And by the way this, this guy,
00:29:52.23\00:29:53.55
this young newly
wed is so in your face
00:29:53.58\00:29:56.59
and he just
said, "I'm not coming."
00:29:56.62\00:29:58.13
The other two said,
oh, please have me excused.
00:29:58.16\00:30:00.49
I ask to be excuse please.
00:30:00.52\00:30:02.46
Not this guy to just out.
00:30:02.49\00:30:07.10
How it's like to be the servant?
00:30:07.13\00:30:08.68
You gone through
their whole invitation list,
00:30:08.71\00:30:10.93
the closest friends to the host.
00:30:10.96\00:30:13.49
I'd like to be the servant
00:30:13.52\00:30:14.56
I have to go back
and tell your master,
00:30:14.59\00:30:15.76
oh, by the way
nobody has time for you.
00:30:15.79\00:30:18.11
I mean, this next moment
is a very embarrassing moment
00:30:18.14\00:30:20.92
because he has to
go back and he has to--
00:30:20.95\00:30:25.07
so, what did you find
out? How many are coming?
00:30:25.10\00:30:26.40
You got the list.
00:30:26.43\00:30:30.26
And he asked to announce
00:30:30.29\00:30:32.51
then not a single
soul of the closest
00:30:32.54\00:30:34.72
in a circle of the
host has time for the host.
00:30:34.75\00:30:38.79
Now, I tell you what in
the oriental culture in which
00:30:38.82\00:30:40.78
Jesus is telling the story
the refusal of the invitation
00:30:40.81\00:30:45.48
was the refusal
of the friendship.
00:30:45.51\00:30:50.38
I don't want to come.
00:30:50.41\00:30:53.19
I don't want to come.
00:30:53.22\00:30:54.97
I'm too busy. I got stuff.
00:30:55.00\00:30:57.87
I mean, come on
you're not coming up
00:30:57.90\00:30:58.93
with excuses like that.
00:30:58.96\00:31:00.41
Am I?
00:31:00.44\00:31:03.12
And the poor
master, the poor host,
00:31:03.15\00:31:04.58
what's he gonna do?
00:31:04.61\00:31:05.64
He has labored for
hours to prepare this feast.
00:31:05.67\00:31:09.40
Hours, major expenses
invested in this banquet
00:31:09.43\00:31:15.77
and now nobody's coming.
00:31:15.80\00:31:18.79
Would you be upset?
00:31:18.82\00:31:19.88
Yes or no.
00:31:19.91\00:31:22.51
I'll ask the women here.
00:31:22.54\00:31:23.57
Would you be upset if you plan
00:31:23.60\00:31:25.46
for a whole day a
dinner and nobody came?
00:31:25.49\00:31:27.44
Would you be upset?
Ladies, let me hear.
00:31:27.47\00:31:29.69
All right.
00:31:29.72\00:31:32.01
The question would be he'd
be terribly upset and offended.
00:31:32.04\00:31:35.41
Let me come on,
these are my friends.
00:31:35.44\00:31:37.89
But if plan "A" doesn't work
00:31:37.92\00:31:40.30
the host who
reminds us of somebody else
00:31:40.33\00:31:42.99
the host moves
from plan A to plan B.
00:31:43.02\00:31:46.00
And the host turns
he said, okay, okay.
00:31:46.03\00:31:47.79
Let's do this, where is this.
00:31:47.82\00:31:49.02
Verse 21,
00:31:49.05\00:31:50.08
"So that servant
came and reported
00:31:50.11\00:31:51.14
these things to his master.
00:31:51.17\00:31:52.20
Then the master of
the house, being angry,
00:31:52.23\00:31:53.41
said to his
servant," okay, "Go out quickly
00:31:53.44\00:31:55.77
into the streets
and lanes of the city,
00:31:55.80\00:31:57.38
and I want you to
bring in here the poor
00:31:57.41\00:31:58.78
and the maimed and
the lame and the blind."
00:31:58.81\00:32:00.29
The very categories by the way
00:32:00.32\00:32:01.82
Jesus has just said,
be really nice of you,
00:32:01.85\00:32:03.73
you brought these
kind of people home.
00:32:03.76\00:32:05.05
The host does it, plan
B, bring in the riff-raff,
00:32:05.08\00:32:09.20
bringing the marginalized.
00:32:09.23\00:32:11.52
I have you gone
all these trouble
00:32:11.55\00:32:12.81
and not be able to give my
food to somebody in this house?
00:32:12.84\00:32:17.26
And the servant goes
out, he really as he goes out
00:32:17.29\00:32:19.80
and then he comes back
I'm not hour too later.
00:32:19.83\00:32:22.34
He comes back what
is this in verse 22,
00:32:22.37\00:32:24.46
"And the servant comes
back and says, 'Master,
00:32:24.49\00:32:26.05
it is done as you commanded,
and still we still got room."
00:32:26.08\00:32:30.14
' So the master who first says,
00:32:30.17\00:32:31.56
"Go to the street and lanes
that's inside the city walls."
00:32:31.59\00:32:34.37
Now he says listen, we
saturated the city, okay.
00:32:34.40\00:32:36.45
I'm asking you to
now go to the highways
00:32:36.48\00:32:38.55
and byways out to the
hedges, go as far as you can go.
00:32:38.58\00:32:42.68
Anybody who is breathing
give him the invitation,
00:32:42.71\00:32:46.57
bring them, bring
them into my house.
00:32:46.60\00:32:49.51
Because now notice--
and this is the punch line
00:32:49.54\00:32:51.64
I want you to get it.
00:32:51.67\00:32:52.77
"Then the master" verse
23, "said to the servant,
00:32:52.80\00:32:54.54
'Go out into the
highways and hedges,
00:32:54.57\00:32:56.09
and compel them to come in,
that my house may be,"' what?
00:32:56.12\00:33:01.12
I'm gonna say
that loud with you.
00:33:01.15\00:33:02.88
"That my house may be," what?
00:33:02.91\00:33:05.35
"May be filled."
00:33:05.38\00:33:06.68
Let's say that again.
00:33:06.71\00:33:07.75
"That My House may be filled."
00:33:07.78\00:33:10.68
There it is.
00:33:10.71\00:33:11.74
That's the whole punch
line to today's teaching.
00:33:11.77\00:33:14.35
"That my house may be filled."
00:33:14.38\00:33:19.14
What's going on here?
00:33:19.17\00:33:20.89
You've got a host.
00:33:20.92\00:33:22.97
Let's close friends,
00:33:23.00\00:33:24.06
we don't have
timeframe apparently,
00:33:24.09\00:33:26.41
you go along saying
oh, I'm a friend of his,
00:33:26.44\00:33:28.26
oh, I'm a friend of
his have no timeframe.
00:33:28.29\00:33:31.49
And the host says, no one
we're not having an empty party.
00:33:31.52\00:33:35.15
I'll take anybody.
00:33:35.18\00:33:36.98
Anybody?
00:33:37.01\00:33:38.46
Connect, connect,
connect with anybody.
00:33:38.49\00:33:43.86
Bring them in to my house.
00:33:43.89\00:33:46.24
Wow, remember that
remember that old gospel hymn,
00:33:46.27\00:33:49.46
bring them in, bring them in.
00:33:49.49\00:33:52.46
Bring the
wandering ones to Jesus.
00:33:52.49\00:33:54.90
Remember that to Jesus.
00:33:54.93\00:33:55.99
That's what they're
doing. Just bring them in.
00:33:56.02\00:33:57.05
Hey, hey, oh, come here.
00:33:57.08\00:33:58.46
Come here, come here,
come here and come here.
00:33:58.49\00:34:01.04
My house must be filled.
00:34:01.07\00:34:05.16
It's the God with filled house.
00:34:05.19\00:34:07.92
He's just like you.
00:34:07.95\00:34:10.01
He hates empty
places around his table.
00:34:10.04\00:34:12.53
You know, it's
embarrassing some times
00:34:12.56\00:34:13.59
we go to somebody's house
00:34:13.62\00:34:14.65
and then they'll say,
we're so glad you came.
00:34:14.68\00:34:16.17
And there are all these
empty places around the table.
00:34:16.20\00:34:19.63
Like maybe I don't
know something here.
00:34:19.66\00:34:23.53
Maybe this isn't
the home to go to.
00:34:23.56\00:34:26.96
Don't you think a host
feels little embarrassed
00:34:26.99\00:34:28.30
all these empty places.
00:34:28.33\00:34:30.20
Find anybody you can.
00:34:30.23\00:34:32.66
You know what God
is a God of a house
00:34:32.69\00:34:34.54
above that will be filled.
00:34:34.57\00:34:36.42
I was with the Koreans a
few Sabbaths ago preaching--
00:34:36.45\00:34:39.25
1,200 Koreans
came on to our campus
00:34:39.28\00:34:41.38
for their camp
meeting from the east,
00:34:41.41\00:34:42.73
the eastern half
of the United States.
00:34:42.76\00:34:45.34
And I had the
privilege of working with them
00:34:45.37\00:34:47.27
doing a satellite
series the end of September
00:34:47.30\00:34:49.19
with the Korean
translator beside me
00:34:49.22\00:34:50.64
from Baltimore to
every Korean church
00:34:50.67\00:34:53.03
in North America,
1,50,000 Adventists.
00:34:53.06\00:34:55.24
There are 2.5 million
Koreans belief or no belief
00:34:55.27\00:34:59.37
in America and
Canada, US and Canada.
00:34:59.40\00:35:02.51
So, I chose it's
our text, this text
00:35:02.54\00:35:04.94
and I want you to see
the picture of the God
00:35:04.97\00:35:06.80
who wants a house filled.
00:35:06.83\00:35:08.48
This is John and
he's given those snapshot
00:35:08.51\00:35:09.94
of what's gonna be
00:35:09.97\00:35:11.17
when Jesus takes all
the saved back to heaven.
00:35:11.20\00:35:12.82
"After these things I looked,
00:35:12.85\00:35:14.51
and behold, a great multitude
00:35:14.54\00:35:16.45
which no one could
number, " arithmesai.
00:35:16.48\00:35:19.33
Nobody could do
the arithmetic on this
00:35:19.36\00:35:21.54
"of all nations, and tribes,
and peoples, and tongues."
00:35:21.57\00:35:24.21
By the way John has done
the numbers on the angels
00:35:24.24\00:35:26.58
10, 000 times 10,000
and 1,000s of 1,000s.
00:35:26.61\00:35:29.02
He's come up with the
hundred million plus angels
00:35:29.05\00:35:30.67
but when he tries to
count the saved humans
00:35:30.70\00:35:33.09
he runs out of fingers.
00:35:33.12\00:35:34.34
He cannot count them, amazing.
00:35:34.37\00:35:37.76
Apparently God really
goes out into the hedges
00:35:37.79\00:35:40.34
and the highways
and gets anybody.
00:35:40.37\00:35:44.07
Okay, what's the next slide?
00:35:44.10\00:35:45.63
There were all these
unaccountable innumerable throne
00:35:45.66\00:35:49.68
there they are,
"standing before the throne
00:35:49.71\00:35:50.81
and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes,
00:35:50.84\00:35:53.16
with palm
branches in their hands,
00:35:53.19\00:35:55.46
and they're
crying with a loud voice,
00:35:55.49\00:35:56.67
" megaphone in the
Greek like a megaphone shout.
00:35:56.70\00:36:00.23
They're singing,
"It belongs to our God
00:36:00.26\00:36:02.68
who sits on the
throne, and to the Lamb!"
00:36:02.71\00:36:06.95
When God throws a party
at the end of human history,
00:36:06.98\00:36:09.69
trust me His house will be full.
00:36:09.72\00:36:13.54
The people he
wanted may not be there
00:36:13.57\00:36:17.06
but He still have a full house.
00:36:17.09\00:36:19.66
He's not going into eternity
00:36:19.69\00:36:20.85
with half of the
place settings empty.
00:36:20.88\00:36:24.25
Everybody who wants
to cross the finish line
00:36:24.28\00:36:28.84
with Him will be there.
00:36:28.87\00:36:31.70
He's the God of the full house.
00:36:31.73\00:36:33.32
I love that. My
house will be filled.
00:36:33.35\00:36:36.31
God is huge, isn't
He ladies and gentlemen,
00:36:36.34\00:36:37.72
God is huge on
connecting with lost people.
00:36:37.75\00:36:39.90
And clearly Jesus
story suggests that even
00:36:39.93\00:36:42.84
so we must be huge on
connecting with lost people.
00:36:42.87\00:36:48.35
Big on
connecting with lost people.
00:36:48.38\00:36:50.74
I'm gonna put a line on
the screen for you right now.
00:36:50.77\00:36:53.88
Over the last few
months you've seen some,
00:36:53.91\00:36:56.53
some frame statements.
00:36:56.56\00:36:59.29
It's planned its
mission in a single line
00:36:59.32\00:37:01.21
"Transforming This Generation."
00:37:01.24\00:37:02.27
We're all about this generation,
00:37:02.30\00:37:03.33
we're not about
to one that come,
00:37:03.36\00:37:04.39
we're not about to one is left.
00:37:04.42\00:37:05.47
We're about this one
00:37:05.50\00:37:06.53
because we're on
a university campus.
00:37:06.56\00:37:08.03
"Transforming This Generation"
00:37:08.06\00:37:09.09
and our mission is
one line long, watch this.
00:37:09.12\00:37:11.81
Our mission begins with connect.
00:37:11.84\00:37:14.99
Then our mission goes to grow.
00:37:15.02\00:37:17.23
Just four words in
our mission statement.
00:37:17.26\00:37:19.01
Connect, Grow,
Serve is the next line.
00:37:19.04\00:37:24.01
Go is the last word. Four words.
00:37:24.04\00:37:28.10
Connect, Grow, Serve, Go.
00:37:28.13\00:37:30.62
But for this morning, I
want to take that connect.
00:37:30.65\00:37:32.32
Let's drop that connect down
00:37:32.35\00:37:33.87
and I want to
spend a few moments
00:37:33.90\00:37:35.99
just brooding over
what it means to Connect.
00:37:36.02\00:37:38.60
Connecting with people and
connecting people with God.
00:37:38.63\00:37:44.29
Let me think about.
00:37:44.32\00:37:45.35
Isn't that what
cavalry was all about
00:37:45.38\00:37:46.66
connecting people with God.
00:37:46.69\00:37:49.57
Panama para Cristo,
00:37:49.60\00:37:52.39
that's the whole you
connecting people with God.
00:37:52.42\00:37:56.09
El Mundo para Cristo,
00:37:56.12\00:37:58.29
the whole world we've
got to connect with God.
00:37:58.32\00:38:01.49
You know, that's
what Calvary is about.
00:38:01.52\00:38:03.08
By the way that's
the passion of Calvary
00:38:03.11\00:38:05.08
it surely would be the passion
of the church of Calvary,
00:38:05.11\00:38:07.38
wouldn't it.
00:38:07.41\00:38:08.45
They would-- that
would have to be our passion.
00:38:08.48\00:38:10.60
Young and aged in between,
red and yellow, black and white
00:38:10.63\00:38:14.07
what's God passion?
00:38:14.10\00:38:15.24
Put it on the screen please.
00:38:15.27\00:38:16.43
"That My House may be filled."
00:38:16.46\00:38:19.55
That's all I want
just fill my house
00:38:19.58\00:38:21.66
which is why God's house-- I
want you to think about this.
00:38:25.04\00:38:28.01
God's house is the
perfect opportunity to connect.
00:38:28.04\00:38:32.09
Notice house up there
00:38:32.12\00:38:33.15
I'm thinking about
His house right here.
00:38:33.18\00:38:34.74
I'm thinking about how
God is here in this house
00:38:34.77\00:38:40.54
in a sense in which He is in
nether house in this community.
00:38:40.57\00:38:43.19
I'm thinking
about how God is here
00:38:43.22\00:38:44.60
in this day of the Sabbath
00:38:44.63\00:38:46.24
in which He is no
other day of the week.
00:38:46.27\00:38:50.26
So, you get Sabbath His
day and church His house.
00:38:50.29\00:38:54.68
This is the perfect place
to connect for that reason.
00:38:54.71\00:38:59.69
In your worship bulletin today
00:38:59.72\00:39:01.59
is a little tiny
card that looks like this.
00:39:01.62\00:39:03.23
Would you pull it
out for a moment please?
00:39:03.26\00:39:05.30
This is what we
call the connect card.
00:39:05.33\00:39:07.55
The connect card.
00:39:07.58\00:39:08.99
What's it about? It's
about connecting people.
00:39:09.02\00:39:11.83
It's about
connecting people with God.
00:39:11.86\00:39:15.44
I want you to take a look at it.
00:39:15.47\00:39:18.15
This sort of-- this
simple little card by the way
00:39:18.18\00:39:21.49
every Sabbath we've had it
in the bulletin since March.
00:39:21.52\00:39:25.26
This little card
is for you and me.
00:39:25.29\00:39:27.56
Are you a guest here?
00:39:27.59\00:39:29.10
Are you a member
here? It doesn't matter.
00:39:29.13\00:39:30.85
Are you a young or you aged?
00:39:30.88\00:39:31.95
It doesn't matter.
00:39:31.98\00:39:33.46
Are you saved, are you lost?
00:39:33.49\00:39:34.94
It doesn't matter.
This is for all of us.
00:39:34.97\00:39:36.50
This is the connect card
00:39:36.53\00:39:38.23
because you can't come
to an end of a teaching
00:39:38.26\00:39:40.41
as we have here every Sabbath.
00:39:40.44\00:39:42.43
You can't come to
the end of a teaching
00:39:42.46\00:39:43.49
and not take the next step,
there's has to be something.
00:39:43.52\00:39:45.29
I got to-- I got
to reconnect with God.
00:39:45.32\00:39:47.41
And by the way the
preacher has to reconnect.
00:39:47.44\00:39:49.58
I fill these cards out
because I'm preaching to myself
00:39:49.61\00:39:52.83
even as we're
sharing a Bible teaching.
00:39:52.86\00:39:54.73
I have to make a next step.
00:39:54.76\00:39:56.47
So, on the-- let's put that
in front of the card up please.
00:39:56.50\00:40:00.02
On the front of the card
you have the sailing information
00:40:00.05\00:40:02.63
that will enable us
to send you something.
00:40:02.66\00:40:04.54
If you put an
email address there
00:40:04.57\00:40:06.32
sometimes we
offer material bingo,
00:40:06.35\00:40:07.98
you get that
material within 48 hours,
00:40:08.01\00:40:09.93
that's our pledge to
get it to you the material.
00:40:09.96\00:40:13.98
You want to put your
name of course, email.
00:40:14.01\00:40:16.93
This is your first
time, I'm glad to have you.
00:40:16.96\00:40:19.29
So, I'm not-- not
gonna reach through that.
00:40:19.32\00:40:20.89
You want to put your demographic
information that you may.
00:40:20.92\00:40:23.56
Nobody's come--
nobody's coming to your door
00:40:23.59\00:40:25.73
with this information.
00:40:25.76\00:40:26.91
But you give an email
address we'll get it to you.
00:40:26.94\00:40:29.51
So this is about yourself
but at the end of every teaching
00:40:29.54\00:40:31.95
here's what happens.
00:40:31.98\00:40:33.01
The connect card now
becomes the next step.
00:40:33.04\00:40:34.72
Let's put the next step up.
00:40:34.75\00:40:36.13
Let's turn the card around.
00:40:36.16\00:40:37.42
This is the-- we
call this the next step
00:40:37.45\00:40:39.20
beside of the card.
00:40:39.23\00:40:40.35
And how does the next step work?
00:40:40.38\00:40:41.94
Works like this.
00:40:41.97\00:40:43.33
Every teaching has some
practical specific ways.
00:40:43.36\00:40:48.18
I can take the next step.
00:40:48.21\00:40:49.30
I don't want just hear
this and go out and forget it.
00:40:49.33\00:40:50.95
I wanted to do
something about it.
00:40:50.98\00:40:52.46
I want to act and
what the Holy Spirit
00:40:52.49\00:40:54.22
is impressing me to do.
00:40:54.25\00:40:55.28
So that's why
the back of your card
00:40:55.31\00:40:57.90
says my next step today is
and then we'll list something,
00:40:57.93\00:41:01.37
something practical,
something you can do.
00:41:01.40\00:41:03.98
I try to make sure
I get at least two,
00:41:04.01\00:41:06.58
two out of those
usually there are three.
00:41:06.61\00:41:10.44
But now I want to
draw your attention
00:41:10.47\00:41:12.36
to the right side of the card
00:41:12.39\00:41:14.01
that little box
I'm interested in.
00:41:14.04\00:41:16.41
Listen carefully
for some worshippers
00:41:16.44\00:41:18.71
this second box
00:41:18.74\00:41:21.15
is what becomes
the life changing box.
00:41:21.18\00:41:24.65
We've seen it happened in
00:41:24.68\00:41:25.84
just the few weeks
we've been doing it.
00:41:25.87\00:41:27.56
Look at this--
look at the little box.
00:41:27.59\00:41:30.95
I'm interested in beginning
a relationship with Jesus,
00:41:30.98\00:41:34.79
right university campus.
00:41:34.82\00:41:36.42
Come on we got,
we got students from
00:41:36.45\00:41:38.16
almost 100 different nations.
00:41:38.19\00:41:40.56
It is possible that
in a campus this large
00:41:40.59\00:41:42.73
there are many who have
yet to connect with Christ.
00:41:42.76\00:41:46.30
We may have some new students
who were sitting right here.
00:41:46.33\00:41:49.03
But I want to tell
you something, Dwight,
00:41:49.06\00:41:50.15
I got a collection of
butterflies in my stomach,
00:41:50.18\00:41:53.05
I can't believe I'm doing
this, our whole new chapter.
00:41:53.08\00:41:56.09
I'm scared, spindles.
00:41:56.12\00:41:58.50
We may have some freshmen here
00:41:58.53\00:42:01.64
who need to take the next
step and begin a full fledge
00:42:01.67\00:42:05.91
not because I'm
under mommy and daddy.
00:42:05.94\00:42:07.87
No, I'm on my own now.
00:42:07.90\00:42:09.80
A full fledge next step
relationship with Jesus.
00:42:09.83\00:42:13.33
If you put a check
mark there, 48 hours,
00:42:13.36\00:42:16.34
you give us an
email address, 48 hours
00:42:16.37\00:42:18.34
we'll send you a material
00:42:18.37\00:42:19.45
to begin to grow a
friendship with Jesus.
00:42:19.48\00:42:21.93
We'll send you a little video.
00:42:21.96\00:42:22.99
We'll send it all to you.
00:42:23.02\00:42:24.19
We're not coming to
your home or dorm room.
00:42:24.22\00:42:27.30
We have to make this
connect opportunity available.
00:42:27.33\00:42:30.66
Look at the next one,
information on baptism.
00:42:30.69\00:42:33.77
This one is blown
us out of the water
00:42:33.80\00:42:35.10
it will be-- be
very candid with you.
00:42:35.13\00:42:36.92
Our baptisms in this
universe congregation
00:42:36.95\00:42:39.15
have gone just like this.
00:42:39.18\00:42:40.21
Why?
00:42:40.24\00:42:41.27
Because every single Sabbath
00:42:41.30\00:42:42.67
the Holy Spirit
has an opportunity
00:42:42.70\00:42:44.11
to speak to somebody.
00:42:44.14\00:42:45.17
You've been here
five weeks in a row
00:42:45.20\00:42:46.37
and you said, I'm not into that.
00:42:46.40\00:42:47.43
I'm not into that.
00:42:47.46\00:42:48.49
Week number six,
you were sitting here
00:42:48.52\00:42:50.08
and Holy Spirit
says, "by the way,
00:42:50.11\00:42:51.80
I have been thinking
about you with this number two.
00:42:51.83\00:42:54.40
Could you-- do you want
to follow Jesus in baptism?"
00:42:54.43\00:42:57.02
Nobody gets baptized on the spot
00:42:57.05\00:42:59.05
but everybody gets
an opportunity to decide
00:42:59.08\00:43:02.49
that maybe you,
you've never been baptized.
00:43:02.52\00:43:04.99
You've been waiting.
00:43:05.02\00:43:06.10
What are you waiting
for? This is perfect.
00:43:06.13\00:43:08.23
You're here now
at Andrew University
00:43:08.26\00:43:10.27
your new opportunity to
begin a brand new chapter
00:43:10.30\00:43:14.03
just you and Jesus.
00:43:14.06\00:43:15.59
I thank God for your parents
00:43:15.62\00:43:17.12
who invested a lot
of money to get you here
00:43:17.15\00:43:19.28
and have invested their lives
00:43:19.31\00:43:20.95
to protect you
till you've gotten here
00:43:20.98\00:43:22.53
but you're on your own now.
00:43:22.56\00:43:24.80
We're here to journey with you.
00:43:24.83\00:43:26.05
We're not-- hey, mom and dad
00:43:26.08\00:43:27.52
I see you and
turn to each other.
00:43:27.55\00:43:28.81
We're-- you're not
dumping with them off
00:43:28.84\00:43:29.91
we'll stay with them.
00:43:29.94\00:43:30.97
We'll stay with them.
00:43:31.00\00:43:32.18
But madam, young
madam, young sir,
00:43:32.21\00:43:35.00
you're on your own now.
00:43:35.03\00:43:37.08
It's not family and
Jesus. It's you and Jesus.
00:43:37.11\00:43:41.37
Haven't been baptized
put a check mark there.
00:43:41.40\00:43:43.09
Number three,
what's number three?
00:43:43.12\00:43:44.48
Information on
church membership.
00:43:44.51\00:43:46.75
We have a visitor
from all over Michiana
00:43:46.78\00:43:48.69
who coming into this
church all over the world.
00:43:48.72\00:43:52.70
We need to make that available.
00:43:52.73\00:43:53.98
We have number four,
00:43:54.01\00:43:55.05
I want to sign up
for a ministry team.
00:43:55.08\00:43:56.54
I want-- I don't want to
just be here and lump and log
00:43:56.57\00:43:58.42
I want to be involved.
00:43:58.45\00:43:59.49
You check number four,
00:43:59.52\00:44:01.02
we'll send you
a 12-14 ministries
00:44:01.05\00:44:02.44
that right now can take you.
00:44:02.47\00:44:03.78
We'll tell you
how to get in touch
00:44:03.81\00:44:04.85
with that ministry later.
00:44:04.88\00:44:06.05
It's to make the
next step possible,
00:44:06.08\00:44:08.54
it's to connect, to connect.
00:44:08.57\00:44:12.00
So we call it the connect card.
00:44:12.03\00:44:13.74
And what's the big deal about it
00:44:13.77\00:44:14.97
put it up on the
screen again please.
00:44:15.00\00:44:16.62
"That My House may be filled."
00:44:16.65\00:44:22.33
God has a passion.
00:44:22.36\00:44:23.46
Listen, I can't get my
friends go on the streets.
00:44:23.49\00:44:25.49
I can't get
those in the streets,
00:44:25.52\00:44:26.70
go out in the
highways and hedges, get Me,
00:44:26.73\00:44:28.62
bring, bring My run
away earth children to Me.
00:44:28.65\00:44:31.92
Come to Me.
Come, come, come, come.
00:44:31.95\00:44:34.50
It's God's passion.
00:44:34.53\00:44:35.66
It must be our passion too.
00:44:35.69\00:44:37.51
All right, all of
this is leading out for me
00:44:37.54\00:44:39.14
to make a big announcement
now to our Pioneer family.
00:44:39.17\00:44:41.57
We are
announcing today right now
00:44:41.60\00:44:43.52
a brand new worship paradigm
00:44:43.55\00:44:45.45
for this
university congregation.
00:44:45.48\00:44:48.04
We want on-- on a
retreat this summer
00:44:48.07\00:44:49.59
I've seen a
leadership team back in June
00:44:49.62\00:44:52.12
and we
prayerfully wrestle with okay,
00:44:52.15\00:44:53.71
if God is big if
God has a passion
00:44:53.74\00:44:55.92
to connect with lost people
00:44:55.95\00:44:57.54
are we making this
golden Sabbath morning
00:44:57.57\00:45:01.50
opportunity really accessible.
00:45:01.53\00:45:04.38
Are we making it easy to
go to or are we kind of like,
00:45:04.41\00:45:07.84
you know, this is
a little difficult
00:45:07.87\00:45:08.90
but if you really
get up early and come
00:45:08.93\00:45:11.44
where will be able
to do this with you.
00:45:11.47\00:45:15.97
We've run this by
our leadership team.
00:45:16.00\00:45:17.90
We've run this by
our elected leadership.
00:45:17.93\00:45:23.39
It's no secret that
here at Andrews University
00:45:23.42\00:45:26.64
we have a
significant number of students
00:45:26.67\00:45:28.05
who either sleep to the
morning in their residences
00:45:28.08\00:45:30.07
or simply are disconnected
00:45:30.10\00:45:32.24
with any notion of
church, worship and God.
00:45:32.27\00:45:34.86
What could we do if you
could be a friend of one of them
00:45:34.89\00:45:38.04
could bring him here,
00:45:38.07\00:45:39.10
how could we make this as
easily accessible as possible?
00:45:39.13\00:45:42.22
I want to put a
sentence on the screen for you.
00:45:46.36\00:45:48.14
Therefore, because--
00:45:48.17\00:45:49.96
I just want you to
see the whole sentence.
00:45:49.99\00:45:51.73
"Because Sabbath morning
is the most opportune time
00:45:51.76\00:45:54.92
to connect people with God,"
burn on there's no other time
00:45:54.95\00:45:57.69
as opportunists.
00:45:57.72\00:45:59.25
"Because Sabbath morning
is the most opportune time
00:45:59.28\00:46:01.29
to connect people with God,"
here's the rest of the sentence.
00:46:01.32\00:46:03.87
"We need to make Sabbath morning
00:46:03.90\00:46:05.75
the most accessible time
for people to connect with God."
00:46:05.78\00:46:09.34
This has to be just as
easy as we can possibly make it
00:46:09.37\00:46:13.34
for your friends and
you to connect with God.
00:46:13.37\00:46:18.42
And so we are
recommending two actions
00:46:18.45\00:46:19.94
and these will
begin on September 11.
00:46:19.97\00:46:21.87
Two weeks from
today the dark night rises
00:46:21.90\00:46:24.51
that's when we
begin the new time,
00:46:24.54\00:46:26.77
our new paradigm.
00:46:26.80\00:46:27.93
Two actions.
00:46:27.96\00:46:28.99
Action number one,
00:46:29.02\00:46:30.09
we're gonna shorten
each worship service
00:46:30.12\00:46:31.96
by 15 minutes shortening it.
00:46:31.99\00:46:35.09
We had a member come
up afterwards and say,
00:46:35.12\00:46:37.10
first service to
say, come on pastor,
00:46:37.13\00:46:39.86
it's like I
really-- I look all week
00:46:39.89\00:46:41.98
I'm looking forward to
this and you're cutting it down.
00:46:42.01\00:46:44.32
Oh, don't, don't jump
that to that conclusion.
00:46:44.35\00:46:47.07
Step two is grow.
00:46:47.10\00:46:48.18
I'll say more about
grow later not today.
00:46:48.21\00:46:50.15
Grow is gonna bring some
of the elements that you think
00:46:50.18\00:46:52.50
you're missing
by a shorter service
00:46:52.53\00:46:54.17
you're gonna get it in the grow.
00:46:54.20\00:46:56.35
Connect grow serve go.
00:46:56.38\00:46:59.19
Now we're gonna cut it down.
00:46:59.22\00:47:01.01
We're gonna cut it down.
00:47:01.04\00:47:02.98
Action number two,
00:47:03.01\00:47:04.04
we're gonna take
those saved minutes
00:47:04.07\00:47:06.02
and put together a new
Sabbath morning schedule.
00:47:06.05\00:47:11.28
That God's house maybe filled.
00:47:11.31\00:47:13.20
All right, let's go,
let's put it on the screen
00:47:13.23\00:47:14.86
I want to show you.
00:47:14.89\00:47:16.43
First celebration 9
o'clock in the morning.
00:47:16.46\00:47:20.16
We've been having first
celebration at 9, at 8:20.
00:47:20.19\00:47:24.27
Forty minutes later
we're gonna start first church.
00:47:24.30\00:47:27.74
It'll be a shorter service.
00:47:27.77\00:47:29.62
Nine o'clock in the
morning-- by the way students,
00:47:29.65\00:47:33.57
freshmen who are kind of--
00:47:33.60\00:47:34.63
you're gonna just check
it out these first few weeks.
00:47:34.66\00:47:37.50
By the way, is a very
fresh kind of service, I mean,
00:47:37.53\00:47:41.50
it's the first
thing in the morning
00:47:41.53\00:47:42.90
but it's not so hard now.
00:47:42.93\00:47:44.16
It's not 8:20, its 9 o'clock.
00:47:44.19\00:47:47.26
Young parents who were saying,
00:47:47.29\00:47:48.32
"man, I love to get
my kids to first service
00:47:48.35\00:47:50.32
'cause they're
always the most attentive,
00:47:50.35\00:47:52.08
there's a children
story always in first.
00:47:52.11\00:47:53.48
There won't be a children
straight come September 1 and 2.
00:47:53.51\00:47:56.01
I'd like to get
it but 8:20 towards
00:47:56.04\00:47:57.90
I can't get my kids ready.
00:47:57.93\00:47:58.96
Hey, mom, 9
o'clock now, perfect,
00:47:58.99\00:48:02.91
9 to 10:15, 75 minutes long.
00:48:02.94\00:48:05.26
This worship of
service has been cut down,
00:48:05.29\00:48:06.85
15 minutes cut
off, 75 minutes long.
00:48:06.88\00:48:09.32
Okay, so, then
Sabbath school will now be
00:48:09.35\00:48:10.67
let's see the next line,
00:48:10.70\00:48:11.73
Sabbath school be
after 15 minutes break,
00:48:11.76\00:48:13.56
you get 15 minute break.
00:48:13.59\00:48:15.09
Then Sabbath school
will be from 10:30 to 11:30.
00:48:15.12\00:48:17.62
I thought it'd have
been an hour long downstairs.
00:48:17.65\00:48:19.29
Some of our
satellite Sabbath schools
00:48:19.32\00:48:21.23
are gonna cut back 10 minutes,
00:48:21.26\00:48:22.83
for the children
it's already been an hour.
00:48:22.86\00:48:24.44
Now this will
cut back 10 minuets,
00:48:24.47\00:48:25.84
Sabbath school from
10:30, 10:30 to 11:30.
00:48:25.87\00:48:30.75
we'll have a 15 minute break
then we go to second celebration
00:48:30.78\00:48:33.63
and that will be
at 11:45 to 1:00.
00:48:33.66\00:48:36.72
Notice this old timers 1:00
00:48:36.75\00:48:39.80
that the ending
time is still the same.
00:48:39.83\00:48:42.38
We didn't push
anything later than 1 o'clock,
00:48:42.41\00:48:43.96
it's still the same, we
just cut it down 15 minutes.
00:48:43.99\00:48:47.04
First
celebration Sabbath school,
00:48:47.07\00:48:48.47
second celebration.
00:48:48.50\00:48:49.73
Now look we
understand, we understand
00:48:49.76\00:48:55.01
that in order to pull this off
00:48:55.04\00:48:56.38
it will necessitate
careful planning and execution.
00:48:56.41\00:49:00.24
The sermons will have to
be shorter hold your applause.
00:49:00.27\00:49:02.96
The sermons will
have to be shorter,
00:49:06.59\00:49:08.32
so the stats are
all right, Dwight,
00:49:08.35\00:49:09.38
you got to get it down to 30
00:49:09.41\00:49:10.73
but then we'll
give you 10 minutes Q&A,
00:49:10.76\00:49:13.12
live Q&A live microphone Q&A.
00:49:13.15\00:49:15.81
Oh, I could do that. All right.
00:49:15.84\00:49:21.09
Sermons will have to be shorter,
a more streamline flow music
00:49:21.12\00:49:24.12
we can't have
organizations coming here
00:49:24.15\00:49:25.46
and say, we want to
play three numbers today.
00:49:25.49\00:49:27.00
We're gonna fill upon,
nope, sorry you can't do it.
00:49:27.03\00:49:30.90
Music live to
be more streamline,
00:49:30.93\00:49:32.53
they need to be a creative
blending a special features
00:49:32.56\00:49:34.36
with the changing
template from Sabbath to Sabbath
00:49:34.39\00:49:36.53
particularly in
our second celebration.
00:49:36.56\00:49:38.50
You're not gonna get
a better music director
00:49:38.53\00:49:40.39
than Josh will
have a whole team,
00:49:40.42\00:49:41.76
praise team up
here in next Sabbath,
00:49:41.79\00:49:43.00
they're ready to go 75 minutes,
00:49:43.03\00:49:46.75
it's gonna be tight.
00:49:46.78\00:49:49.71
But it's now accessible.
00:49:49.74\00:49:51.71
We love to see some--
00:49:51.74\00:49:53.10
who are coming to
second now say, hey,
00:49:53.13\00:49:54.68
I could do the 9 o'clock
00:49:54.71\00:49:55.74
that open a more room
here then we can get more.
00:49:55.77\00:49:57.72
The whole point is
that his house maybe filled.
00:49:57.75\00:49:59.90
We have to fill
the house of God,
00:49:59.93\00:50:01.91
people connecting with Him.
00:50:01.94\00:50:03.25
"That My House may be filled."
00:50:03.28\00:50:07.71
For that reason all
three worship communities
00:50:07.74\00:50:09.29
that Pioneer sponsors new life,
00:50:09.32\00:50:11.95
one place and
Pioneer one and two,
00:50:11.98\00:50:14.12
all of these
will officially launch
00:50:14.15\00:50:15.75
this new schedule September 1.
00:50:15.78\00:50:18.13
Everybody is on
it come September 1.
00:50:18.16\00:50:20.84
Two weeks because if
its-- it is not enough for us
00:50:20.87\00:50:24.98
to maintain the
stat score around here,
00:50:25.01\00:50:26.91
if God is passionate
about connecting with people
00:50:26.94\00:50:32.10
and having His house filled
00:50:32.13\00:50:33.31
and we must do whatever
it takes to reach people
00:50:33.34\00:50:35.29
on a Sabbath morning,
it's the most opportune time.
00:50:35.32\00:50:38.68
Now we put it one more
time on the screen for you.
00:50:38.71\00:50:40.99
What's the big deal?
00:50:41.02\00:50:42.49
The punch line of Jesus parable,
"That My House may be filled."
00:50:42.52\00:50:47.23
Which is why I want to
end with the story now.
00:50:47.26\00:50:50.16
The short story just
learned about this Kathy
00:50:50.19\00:50:52.44
and comrade
Demsky are active members
00:50:52.47\00:50:55.38
in our congregation right here.
00:50:55.41\00:50:56.85
Kathy by the way is the school
of architectural librarian,
00:50:56.88\00:50:59.37
she is a-- an expert
00:50:59.40\00:51:01.13
in Waldensian
history quite a scholar.
00:51:01.16\00:51:04.28
Anyway they
invited last Sabbath,
00:51:04.31\00:51:06.26
so this is the very fresh story.
00:51:06.29\00:51:07.50
Last Sabbath they invited
some friends to come to church--
00:51:07.53\00:51:10.60
hey, come to church with us
00:51:10.63\00:51:11.81
'cause that's what all this
is about just come to church.
00:51:11.84\00:51:14.98
They've invited some friends
and lo and behold the friends
00:51:15.01\00:51:17.36
show up and they
brought their pastor.
00:51:17.39\00:51:19.50
And so the friends
and the pastor are here
00:51:19.53\00:51:21.24
last Sabbath
heard a great sermon
00:51:21.27\00:51:22.75
with Pastor Michael
preaching last Sabbath.
00:51:22.78\00:51:24.51
He had a chance to
meet them afterwards.
00:51:24.54\00:51:25.99
They say, we're
gonna come again.
00:51:26.02\00:51:28.94
Ladies and gentlemen, that's it.
00:51:28.97\00:51:32.32
That's what I need to be doing.
00:51:32.35\00:51:34.10
That's what you can be doing.
00:51:34.13\00:51:35.96
It's just coming up to
somebody and saying, hey,
00:51:35.99\00:51:38.19
once you come to-- once
you come to worship with me.
00:51:38.22\00:51:40.56
You know, you'll
never be embarrassed here.
00:51:40.59\00:51:43.08
You will never
be embarrassed here.
00:51:43.11\00:51:45.16
You can bring anybody
you want, any religion,
00:51:45.19\00:51:48.12
any persuasion, no
religion, bring them.
00:51:48.15\00:51:52.58
Listen, if you
will get your neighbor
00:51:52.61\00:51:55.24
your colleague, your roommate,
00:51:55.27\00:51:58.54
the guy across
the hall in the dorm
00:51:58.57\00:52:00.35
if you will get
your friend here,
00:52:00.38\00:52:03.94
the Holy Spirit
will take it from here.
00:52:03.97\00:52:07.02
You just get him here.
00:52:07.05\00:52:08.36
We'll do-- the Holy
Spirit will do the rest.
00:52:08.39\00:52:10.02
We'll try to help,
corporate with the spirit
00:52:10.05\00:52:12.46
and when that connect card comes
00:52:12.49\00:52:14.15
as it will come
every single week
00:52:14.18\00:52:16.69
the Holy Spirit says good,
00:52:16.72\00:52:18.31
I have some
private conversations,
00:52:18.34\00:52:20.71
I need to quickly do here.
00:52:20.74\00:52:23.91
That my house may be filled.
00:52:23.94\00:52:25.42
The most opportune
time in the Pioneers' life,
00:52:25.45\00:52:29.41
life of this
university congregation,
00:52:29.44\00:52:30.88
the most
opportune moment to connect
00:52:30.91\00:52:32.64
with God is
always Sabbath morning.
00:52:32.67\00:52:34.38
We're not
bringing in the higher guns
00:52:34.41\00:52:35.67
in every three years have
them try to find lost people.
00:52:35.70\00:52:38.19
We're gonna do it
here every single week.
00:52:38.22\00:52:42.84
Bring your
friend. You got a friend.
00:52:42.87\00:52:45.42
Bring, bring a
colleague. Bring your classmate.
00:52:45.45\00:52:50.61
You bring them here
00:52:50.64\00:52:51.67
the Holy Spirit
will take it from here.
00:52:51.70\00:52:54.03
All you have to do is say, come.
00:52:54.06\00:52:55.09
So if I were gonna
tweet this bottom line
00:52:55.12\00:52:58.24
to this teaching today.
00:52:58.27\00:52:59.60
Here is my tweeted line today,
because I have a-- an account
00:52:59.63\00:53:02.65
on Twitter as most of you know.
00:53:02.68\00:53:05.02
Here is the bottom line today.
00:53:05.05\00:53:06.48
"It only takes 1
'Come' 2 'Connect.'"
00:53:06.51\00:53:11.80
That's the truth.
00:53:11.83\00:53:13.09
It only takes
one come to connect.
00:53:13.12\00:53:17.93
You have the come,
God will do the connect.
00:53:17.96\00:53:22.06
Do the come,
He'll do the connect
00:53:22.09\00:53:25.55
and His house
gets filled one by one.
00:53:25.58\00:53:31.33
What do you say to
that? Amen and amen.
00:53:31.36\00:53:35.04
Would you take your card now,
00:53:35.07\00:53:36.94
we're at the end of our service.
00:53:36.97\00:53:38.42
Take your card.
00:53:38.45\00:53:39.73
I want to go through these
three with you just these three.
00:53:39.76\00:53:43.07
My next step
today, okay, Dwight,
00:53:43.10\00:53:44.19
what's my next
step on the teaching
00:53:44.22\00:53:45.31
that you have just shared.
00:53:45.34\00:53:46.66
Number one, I'm
gonna put a check on these,
00:53:46.69\00:53:49.84
like I already had
mine marked up here.
00:53:49.87\00:53:51.80
Here is the one
I have marked up.
00:53:51.83\00:53:53.54
So I'll put a check here
00:53:53.57\00:53:54.60
I want to
connect people with God.
00:53:54.63\00:53:56.08
Is there anybody
here who doesn't want
00:53:56.11\00:53:57.55
to connect
people with living God,
00:53:57.58\00:53:59.35
the Creator, the Savior,
00:53:59.38\00:54:01.03
the forever
friend of the universe?
00:54:01.06\00:54:02.28
Anybody here don't want
to connect anybody with God?
00:54:02.31\00:54:03.62
No.
00:54:03.65\00:54:04.68
We all can put a
check mark right there.
00:54:04.71\00:54:06.14
You've been a
member here for 20 years,
00:54:06.17\00:54:08.33
put a check mark there.
00:54:08.36\00:54:09.39
You are brand new
today I want to help.
00:54:09.42\00:54:12.85
I don't even know God,
your box is number two,
00:54:12.88\00:54:16.98
put a check mark there
we'll in touch with you email.
00:54:17.01\00:54:20.47
Okay, number one, I
want to connect with God.
00:54:20.50\00:54:21.79
Number two, I will
ask God to show me people
00:54:21.82\00:54:24.21
I know who are
ready to connect with Him.
00:54:24.24\00:54:27.02
That's not a bad deal,
God I never know who is ready.
00:54:27.05\00:54:30.06
Just impress me,
impress me, impress me,
00:54:30.09\00:54:32.44
am I working around somebody
00:54:32.47\00:54:33.75
and am I playing
golf with somebody,
00:54:33.78\00:54:36.05
am I shooting
hoops with somebody
00:54:36.08\00:54:39.19
who is ready to come.
00:54:39.22\00:54:41.25
Impress me, that's number two.
00:54:41.28\00:54:43.03
So I'll put a check mark there.
00:54:43.06\00:54:44.09
Now, here is the third option
00:54:44.12\00:54:46.25
because it only
takes one come to connect
00:54:46.28\00:54:49.77
I will seek to
invite someone to come
00:54:49.80\00:54:52.23
to this worship
celebration next week
00:54:52.26\00:54:55.80
or some Sabbath service.
00:54:55.83\00:54:56.94
So you are not in a pressure
00:54:56.97\00:54:58.00
you have to do
this by next week,
00:54:58.03\00:54:59.65
some Sabbath soon just
bring somebody with you,
00:54:59.68\00:55:02.64
we'll never embarrass you.
00:55:02.67\00:55:04.54
And the Holy Spirit will
be right here ready to go.
00:55:04.57\00:55:10.42
It only takes
one come to connect.
00:55:10.45\00:55:14.18
After you put those
check marks long time member,
00:55:14.21\00:55:17.86
you're offering the plate
is coming by just a moment,
00:55:17.89\00:55:21.46
just drop it in
the offering plate,
00:55:21.49\00:55:23.27
just drop it in
the offering plate.
00:55:23.30\00:55:24.51
Visitor for the first
time glad you are here,
00:55:24.54\00:55:26.42
guest just drop it
in the offering plate,
00:55:26.45\00:55:29.90
honor to have you.
00:55:29.93\00:55:32.28
Our morning
tithes and offerings now
00:55:32.31\00:55:33.60
we will also be returned
00:55:33.63\00:55:34.66
that's why we have
to do this at the end.
00:55:34.69\00:55:36.11
Now, you know, we
have to do this at the end,
00:55:36.14\00:55:37.92
can't be done anywhere else
in the service but right now.
00:55:37.95\00:55:42.17
Our morning
tithes and offerings,
00:55:42.20\00:55:43.27
you know, Jesus said
freely you receive, freely give,
00:55:43.30\00:55:46.38
this is our chance to
worship with our giving.
00:55:46.41\00:55:49.55
You have something
to give to God today
00:55:49.58\00:55:52.08
and give a decision to Him,
00:55:52.11\00:55:53.22
you can give our grower kingdom.
00:55:53.25\00:55:56.33
I want to pray a
prayer dedication
00:55:56.36\00:55:58.73
for these cards right now.
00:55:58.76\00:55:59.91
Dear God, you are huge
on connecting with people
00:55:59.94\00:56:05.39
lost people, aren't You?
00:56:05.42\00:56:07.77
Your friends won't come
00:56:07.80\00:56:08.83
You go to those
little further away
00:56:08.86\00:56:11.33
if they won't come You'll go,
00:56:11.36\00:56:12.39
You go to the
ends with the earth.
00:56:12.42\00:56:14.74
Calvary has taught us
00:56:14.77\00:56:16.86
to save last men,
women, teenagers and children.
00:56:16.89\00:56:19.97
Oh, God, we're trying to
do, we're trying to be like You.
00:56:20.00\00:56:24.06
We want to connect
lost people to You,
00:56:24.09\00:56:26.31
not to us to You.
00:56:26.34\00:56:28.44
And so take this humble
beginning and grow Your house,
00:56:28.47\00:56:31.96
fill Your house
for Your glory alone.
00:56:31.99\00:56:35.61
Our tithes and
offerings we cheerfully return.
00:56:35.64\00:56:38.98
Take our humble
gifts and multiply them
00:56:39.01\00:56:41.39
for Your glory anywhere on earth
00:56:41.42\00:56:43.84
in Jesus name we pray, amen.
00:56:43.87\00:56:50.17
Before you go I'd like to take
a moment and talk to you about
00:56:50.20\00:56:53.00
your relationship with Jesus.
00:56:53.03\00:56:54.75
So often we go to church
we're listening to a sermon
00:56:54.78\00:56:56.78
about the things that Jesus said
00:56:56.81\00:56:58.37
or that which Jesus did.
00:56:58.40\00:57:00.13
We learned all
these facts about Him.
00:57:00.16\00:57:01.76
Yeah, when it comes down to it
00:57:01.79\00:57:02.82
we sometimes
realize we haven't actually
00:57:02.85\00:57:05.12
come to know Him
personally ourselves
00:57:05.15\00:57:07.66
or perhaps you've only recently
discovered the love of Christ
00:57:07.69\00:57:10.52
and you're wondering
where you go from here.
00:57:10.55\00:57:12.24
That's why I'd
like to invite you
00:57:12.27\00:57:13.30
to take advance of
this free book offer
00:57:13.33\00:57:15.19
the little
classics Steps to Christ.
00:57:15.22\00:57:17.37
Since this book was
first penned a century ago,
00:57:17.40\00:57:20.08
it sold over 50 million copies,
00:57:20.11\00:57:21.75
its been translated
into 135 different languages.
00:57:21.78\00:57:25.39
You know what the good
news of the gospel is so direct
00:57:25.42\00:57:28.09
and so sublimely simple that
we often look right past it.
00:57:28.12\00:57:31.46
So, what this book does is,
00:57:31.49\00:57:32.52
it will help you
see the good news
00:57:32.55\00:57:34.08
and all its glory
and all its beauty.
00:57:34.11\00:57:36.39
What you're gonna discover here
00:57:36.42\00:57:37.94
are clear simple steps to
help you enter into the most
00:57:37.97\00:57:41.08
important
friendship of your life.
00:57:41.11\00:57:43.36
So, please give us a call.
00:57:43.39\00:57:45.11
Toll free number you
see it on your screen 877
00:57:45.14\00:57:47.45
and then the two words
His-Will, 877-His-Will.
00:57:47.48\00:57:50.96
Ask one of our
friendly operators
00:57:50.99\00:57:52.30
for your free copy
of "Steps to Christ."
00:57:52.33\00:57:55.12
By the way, years ago
this book led me to Christ
00:57:55.15\00:57:58.13
and I pray that it will
lead you to Him as well.
00:57:58.16\00:58:00.37
So, give us a call.
00:58:00.40\00:58:01.89
And in the mean time, God be
with you every step of the way
00:58:01.92\00:58:04.38
until we're
here again next time.
00:58:04.41\00:58:06.39