[ "Speak, O Lord" plays ]
00:00:08.64\00:00:11.54
>> ¤ Speak, O Lord, as we come
to You ¤ ¤ To receive the food
00:00:37.27\00:00:48.54
of Your holy word ¤ ¤ Take Your
truth ¤ ¤ Plant it deep in us ¤
00:00:48.54\00:00:58.05
¤ Shape and fashion us in Your
likeness ¤ ¤ That the light of
00:00:58.05\00:01:11.27
Christ might be seen today ¤
¤ In our acts of love and our
00:01:11.27\00:01:23.85
deeds of faith ¤ ¤ Speak, O
Lord, and fulfill in us ¤ ¤ All
Your purposes for Your
00:01:23.85\00:01:34.66
glory ¤
00:01:34.66\00:01:39.83
>> I invite you to stand
for us to pray this morning.
00:01:40.00\00:01:44.37
Holy God, we recognize you as
the supreme being of all of the
00:01:54.81\00:02:04.19
universe. If there's anyone who
by virtue of their essence, by
virtue of character, authority
00:02:04.19\00:02:14.00
and power, can speak into our
lives, it's You. You are the
light of the world.
00:02:14.00\00:02:19.63
You are the author of love. You
are the master storyteller. And
so we come to You this
00:02:19.63\00:02:32.11
morning, Father, to receive the
truth that you have for us, the
truth that will change us.
00:02:32.11\00:02:39.19
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
I'm so excited. This is a
Sabbath of many new
00:02:39.19\00:02:48.00
things. We have new freshmen.
We have new graduate students.
00:02:48.00\00:02:53.03
We have new transfer students. I
bet you we have new faculty and
00:02:53.03\00:02:57.61
new staff. We probably have some
new neighbors here, and I want
you to take a moment and just
00:02:57.61\00:03:02.21
welcome them. Give them a hearty
PMC welcome, everyone that's
00:03:02.21\00:03:06.85
beside you, and say, "Welcome to
Sabbath. Welcome to being with
00:03:06.85\00:03:10.92
one another." ¤¤
00:03:10.92\00:03:13.32
Isn't it good to be home? For
all of those of you who are
coming back and here early, we
00:03:29.44\00:03:34.91
welcome you home. We're excited
that you are here and get to
worship with us this
00:03:34.91\00:03:41.82
morning. Our opening song this
morning, our opening anthem, is
00:03:41.82\00:03:46.82
"Days of Elijah." You know the
song really well. And what it
00:03:46.82\00:03:51.93
says there is very true. These
are a different kind of days.
00:03:51.93\00:03:56.36
And if you listen, right in the
middle of the song, there's a
00:03:56.36\00:04:01.64
bridge. And it says, "There's no
God like Jehovah." You're
familiar with it --
00:04:01.64\00:04:06.61
"There's no God like Jehovah."
And here's the picture that I
00:04:06.61\00:04:10.85
want you to paint. Here's what I
want you to envision when you
think of, "There's no God like
00:04:10.85\00:04:15.22
Jehovah." Think that we're an
army, right? We're a happy,
noisy army -- we're glad to be
00:04:15.22\00:04:21.99
here -- whose general is the
king of the universe, our God.
And here's what we're doing.
00:04:21.99\00:04:28.26
We're coming after the enemy
because we're gonna strike a
00:04:28.26\00:04:32.30
deathly blow. We have Jesus,
Michael, the archangel, with us.
And we're coming from a
00:04:32.30\00:04:37.24
distance, so it's gonna start
off real low -- "There's no God
00:04:37.24\00:04:40.58
like Jehovah." But as we're
getting closer and closer and
closer, it gets louder and
00:04:40.58\00:04:44.88
louder and louder. I'm gonna let
you know in the song when that
part happens because we are in
00:04:44.88\00:04:50.92
an army that's here to serve the
direction of the Lord. And we
are gonna take out the
00:04:50.92\00:04:54.26
enemy, and we want him to know
we're coming for him. [ "Days of
00:04:54.26\00:04:59.63
Elijah" playing ] [
Congregation sings ]
00:05:13.71\00:05:16.61
You got to tell
people Jesus is coming.
00:06:04.96\00:06:08.16
¤¤
00:06:08.16\00:06:10.07
Here it is. Here it is.
Real quiet at first, real quiet
00:07:01.22\00:07:03.42
at first. Here we go.
00:07:03.42\00:07:06.09
Now dig deep.
00:07:24.37\00:07:26.94
Cry it out!
00:07:33.58\00:07:36.15
[ Rhythmic clapping ]
00:08:00.81\00:08:03.38
[ "You Are Holy" plays ]
00:08:28.27\00:08:31.17
[ Congregation sings ]
00:08:34.71\00:08:37.61
That's what she said today.
She says, "I will live for you."
00:09:46.92\00:09:51.09
[ "There Is None
Like You" plays ]
00:11:16.60\00:11:21.34
[ Congregation sings ]
00:11:28.42\00:11:31.32
We could spend an eternity
looking in other places. But why
00:13:11.52\00:13:20.50
not decide today? I'm reminded
of the story of the woman at the
well who's searching and looking
00:13:20.50\00:13:26.63
and looking in all the wrong
places, and then she encounters
00:13:26.63\00:13:33.94
this carpenter. She encounters
this messiah, this one that the
Scriptures spoke of.
00:13:33.94\00:13:38.08
And this is what he said to her.
He says, "Everyone who drinks
this water will be thirsty
00:13:38.08\00:13:43.25
again." He's talking about
those places that don't really
00:13:43.25\00:13:48.16
satisfy. He says, "But whoever
drinks the water I give them
00:13:48.16\00:13:53.56
will never thirst. Indeed, the
water I give them will become in
them a spring of water, welling
00:13:53.56\00:14:00.04
up to eternal life." Don't
you want that kind of water, the
00:14:00.04\00:14:05.77
kind that you will never thirst
again? Let's not waste another
moment. Let's invite Him in and
00:14:05.77\00:14:14.25
tell Him to speak to us. We're
back to that opening intro.
00:14:14.25\00:14:18.39
And I'm gonna invite you to
stand because we're making a
petition before God right now to
00:14:18.39\00:14:24.26
speak to us, Lord. [
"Speak, O Lord" plays ]
00:14:24.26\00:14:27.86
[ Congregation sings ]
00:14:32.57\00:14:35.47
You may listen, but you
need to act, as well. ¤¤
00:15:36.36\00:15:43.24
Some of you are here this
morning, and you have several
00:16:51.17\00:16:55.34
things unresolved. You're not
financially cleared. You aren't
done with registering for your
00:16:55.34\00:16:59.91
classes. Some of you are here
this morning, and you have aches
and pains and burdens that have
00:16:59.91\00:17:06.09
been pressing on you all week.
But here's what I want to tell
you -- that our God is special
00:17:06.09\00:17:13.40
and unique and unlike any other
god because He says, "Ask, and I
will give it to you."
00:17:13.40\00:17:20.04
He says, "Seek, and you will
find. Knock, and the door will
00:17:20.04\00:17:25.61
be opened." If you have that
kind of courage, to ask a high
00:17:25.61\00:17:32.75
request of the king of the
universe, I want you to come
forward right now for our prayer
00:17:32.75\00:17:37.35
time this morning and get as
close to the cross -- don't be
shy -- get as close to the cross
00:17:37.35\00:17:42.19
as possible. We're gonna sing
this verse and come and make
your petition known before our
00:17:42.19\00:17:47.36
Lord God as Pastor Rodlie
prays for us. Come forward. ¤¤
00:17:47.36\00:17:52.80
[ Congregation sings ]
00:17:56.44\00:17:59.01
>> ¤ Arise, my soul, arise
¤ ¤ Stretch forth to things
00:19:35.10\00:19:39.94
eternal ¤
00:19:39.94\00:19:42.18
¤ And haste thee to the feet of
thy Redeemer God ¤ ¤ Though hid
00:19:42.34\00:19:50.75
from mortal eyes, He dwells in
light supernal ¤ ¤ Yet worship
Him in humbleness and own Him
00:19:50.75\00:20:00.76
Lord ¤ ¤ His banquet of love
awaits thee above ¤ ¤ Behold,
the marriage festal of
00:20:00.76\00:20:09.64
the Lamb is come ¤ ¤ Rejoice, my
soul, rejoice ¤ ¤ To heaven lift
00:20:09.64\00:20:18.35
up thy voice ¤ >> ¤ Alleluia ¤
>> ¤ Alleluia ¤ >> ¤ Alleluia ¤
00:20:18.35\00:20:20.68
>> ¤ Alleluia ¤ >> ¤ Alleluia ¤
¤ List to the harps of heaven ¤
00:20:20.68\00:20:30.49
¤ Hark to the song victorious ¤
¤ The never-ending anthem
sounding through the sky ¤
00:20:30.49\00:20:40.37
¤ To mortals is not given ¤ ¤ To
chant its strains all-glorious ¤
00:20:40.37\00:20:47.71
¤ Yet sing, my soul, the praise
of Him who reigns on high ¤ ¤
Who bought with his blood
00:20:47.71\00:21:00.26
the ransomed of God ¤ ¤ To Him
be everlasting power and victory
00:21:00.26\00:21:22.11
¤ ¤ And let the great Amen
resound through heaven again ¤ ¤
00:21:22.11\00:21:29.52
Alleluia ¤ ¤ Alleluia ¤ ¤
Alleluia-a-a ¤ [ Song ends ]
00:21:29.52\00:21:38.76
>> Amen! [ Applause ]
00:21:38.76\00:21:42.20
>> Thank you, gentlemen. Just
what we needed for today --
singing about the cross, blood
00:21:48.54\00:21:54.01
bought. Rejoice,
rejoice. Hallelujah.
00:21:54.01\00:21:59.08
He has bought us with his blood.
And if you will direct your
attention to that board high
00:21:59.08\00:22:07.32
overhead, every name on that
board is on that board because
she, he, they made a decision
00:22:07.32\00:22:14.76
last night to become moral
leaders, to put their lives, put
their names on the line for
00:22:14.76\00:22:22.54
moral leadership on this campus.
God knows we need moral
leadership in this nation, as
00:22:22.54\00:22:27.71
the presidential-election
campaign is showing us. We need
leaders in America.
00:22:27.71\00:22:33.88
And I am so grateful to God
for those names. Praise God.
00:22:33.88\00:22:39.19
By the time you come next
Sabbath -- In fact, you come to
opening convocation, that canvas
00:22:39.19\00:22:46.66
will be hanging there for all
the world to see. Four years in
00:22:46.66\00:22:51.53
a row now -- that's who all
these names are, individuals who
have said, "I'm putting my name
00:22:51.53\00:22:57.84
on the line for Christ."
Good for you. Let's pray.
00:22:57.84\00:23:03.48
Oh, God, rejoice, rejoice,
hallelujah, as the men just
00:23:03.48\00:23:11.45
sang. We've been in worship from
the moment we walked in. Nothing
00:23:11.45\00:23:19.16
stopped. We're bending our ear.
We're hoping to hear from You
00:23:19.16\00:23:23.16
through Your word. Don't
disappoint us, please. Don't let
this frail voice get in the way
00:23:23.16\00:23:31.34
of Yours. Speak to us. In Christ
we pray. In his name, amen.
00:23:31.34\00:23:35.74
Once every four years, the whole
world catches this Olympic bug,
00:23:35.91\00:23:41.12
this quadrennial celebration
of youth, where the young of the
00:23:41.12\00:23:47.82
world, on a stage
of Earth, perform.
00:23:47.82\00:23:51.39
And everybody who's old wishes I
could be young again, just like
00:23:51.39\00:23:55.30
them. Even the august
00:23:55.30\00:23:57.77
Wall Street Journal has to get
in on the act this last week.
00:23:57.77\00:24:02.77
I'm gonna share an op-ed
piece written by the rabbi and
00:24:02.94\00:24:07.64
minister of Congregation
Shearith Israel in Manhattan. I
can share this because my
00:24:07.64\00:24:12.38
friend Don Wilson tore it out
of his Wall Street Journal and
00:24:12.38\00:24:17.75
shared it with me. The story is
straight out of the Summer
Olympics -- not the Olympics in
00:24:17.75\00:24:24.73
Rio, but the summer games in
Paris, 1924. Two British
runners, okay? So we got two
00:24:24.73\00:24:31.70
more runners on the scene. Two
British runners -- a Jew named
Harold Abrahams and a Scot
00:24:31.70\00:24:39.61
named Eric Liddell, a devout
Christian. The whole world knows
00:24:39.61\00:24:47.18
their story because 35 years ago
this very year, that story was
immortalized in the great
00:24:47.18\00:24:52.32
"Chariots of Fire." You
remember that? ¤ Dun, dun, dun,
00:24:52.32\00:24:57.13
dun-dun-dun ¤ All right, well,
there they are. [ Laughter ]
I'll spare you the soundtrack.
00:24:57.13\00:25:01.66
There they are. The world knows
their story. So, the rabbi takes
00:25:01.66\00:25:07.00
that story, and he opines. He
comments on it. I just want to
00:25:07.00\00:25:10.97
read a line or two from his
op-ed piece. "Abrahams, as
depicted in the film, feels
00:25:10.97\00:25:17.21
stung by the latent
anti-Semitism he encounters in
elite English society. Seeing
00:25:17.21\00:25:22.95
his Jewishness as a social
handicap, he runs competitively
to gain acceptance."
00:25:22.95\00:25:26.49
Yet from a Jewish perspective,
Abrahams's life remains tragic.
As a rabbi --" a fellow Jew --
00:25:26.49\00:25:33.06
"As a rabbi, I actually draw
inspiration from the life of
Eric Liddell, a devout
00:25:33.06\00:25:39.37
Christian. The Scottish
runner's religious identity also
00:25:39.37\00:25:45.27
motivates his athletics, though
in a very different way. In the
film, Liddell's father, a
00:25:45.27\00:25:49.38
missionary --" by the way, a
missionary to China. And Eric
00:25:49.38\00:25:58.02
was born in China. In the film,
the father tells his son -- I'm
quoting -- "You're the proud
00:25:58.02\00:26:01.82
possessor of many gifts, and
it's your sacred duty to put
them to good use." The father's
00:26:01.82\00:26:07.66
point is that people of faith
should sanctify the world, the
rabbi says, sanctify the world,
00:26:07.66\00:26:11.67
don't reject it. "Liddell's
explanation for why he runs is
00:26:11.67\00:26:15.54
the most memorable quote from
film --" and you will recall it
-- "'I believe God made me for a
00:26:15.54\00:26:21.34
purpose, but He also made me
fast, and when I run, I feel His
pleasure.'" Now the story that
00:26:21.34\00:26:33.22
we all know. "While Americans
rightly exult in the
achievements of U.S. medalists,
00:26:33.22\00:26:37.96
'Chariots of Fire' also serves
as a reminder that athletics and
even patriotism only mean so
00:26:37.96\00:26:43.33
much. When Liddell is informed
that a qualifying heat takes
place on Sunday, his Sabbath --"
00:26:43.33\00:26:49.97
this Jew writing says, "Well,
that's his Sabbath" -- "he
chooses not to compete in that
00:26:49.97\00:26:59.18
race." And by the way, it was
that decision to miss the
100-meter dash, for which he was
00:26:59.18\00:27:06.49
considered a certain gold
medalist, instead to try to run
the 400-meter race, where
00:27:06.49\00:27:13.13
everybody's saying, "He's not
gonna be able to do it." It was
00:27:13.13\00:27:18.43
that decision that catapulted
him to global fame. In the end,
Eric Liddell won the gold on the
00:27:18.43\00:27:29.98
400-meter race. Returned to
China, now himself a missionary,
and 21 years later, after
00:27:29.98\00:27:37.32
winning the gold medal, died in
China in a Japanese
prisoner-of-war concentration
00:27:37.32\00:27:42.89
camp just months before World
War II ended. I love this poster
that they produced for the life
00:27:42.89\00:27:49.80
testimony of this young man and
this athlete -- put it on the
screen, please -- this athlete
00:27:49.80\00:27:54.10
who became a missionary. You see
it there. Can you read the words
00:27:54.10\00:27:58.37
there? "Not for crowds...not for
country...not for fame...not for
00:27:58.37\00:28:04.15
glory. He ran for God."
But that's the way to live your
00:28:04.15\00:28:09.02
life. You knew starting out
here. That's the way to live
your life -- run for God.
00:28:09.02\00:28:13.69
Whatever it is you do, run for
Him. There's something in the
00:28:13.69\00:28:19.19
heart of even a secular world,
as the world has become today.
There is a deep admiration.
00:28:19.19\00:28:25.17
There is something that the man
of the world, the woman of the
world finds extremely appealing
00:28:25.17\00:28:32.61
to see a human being go deep
inside of him, deep inside of
her for the sake of conviction.
00:28:32.61\00:28:40.52
The world rises up in awe, as
we'll see, speaking of deep
conviction, in today's story.
00:28:40.52\00:28:49.06
The title of today's story --
"The Well Digger: How to Live
Deeply in a Sun-Scorched Land."
00:28:49.06\00:28:52.89
It's a rather obscure story. I
daresay nobody here has really
spent any time on it.
00:28:52.89\00:28:57.10
But perhaps in this forgotten
piece of narrative, there is a
secret embedded for us
00:28:57.10\00:29:02.00
third-millennials that we need
to get. So, without any further
00:29:02.00\00:29:05.77
ado, open your Bible with me to
the book of beginnings, Genesis
00:29:05.77\00:29:09.34
chapter 26. Let's go. Genesis
26. Bring your Bible. New
students, every Sabbath, I
00:29:09.34\00:29:15.42
guarantee you we will use it.
Genesis chapter 26. I'm in the
00:29:15.42\00:29:20.22
New International version.
Whatever translation you have is
00:29:20.22\00:29:23.16
fine by me. You got a device,
that's okay. You didn't bring
anything, there's a pew Bible.
00:29:23.16\00:29:26.80
Grab it. We're gonna stay here.
So, you want to track the story.
00:29:26.80\00:29:29.73
Genesis 26:1 -- "Now there was
a famine in the land -- besides
00:29:29.90\00:29:35.34
the previous famine in Abraham's
time -- and Isaac --" that's the
00:29:35.34\00:29:39.47
boy of Abraham -- "went
to Abimelek, king of the
00:29:39.47\00:29:42.68
Philistines, in Gerar."
Now, hit the pause button right
00:29:42.68\00:29:46.75
there. Hold it! Time out!
00:29:46.75\00:29:49.22
Something sounds very
familiar here, and that's what's
00:29:49.38\00:29:53.32
happening. The writer of
Genesis, who happened to have
been Moses, has embedded in the
00:29:53.32\00:29:59.46
opening salvo to this story key
words that will remind the
reader, who's reading
00:29:59.46\00:30:04.80
consecutively through Genesis,
"Wait a minute. I read a story
just like this a moment ago."
00:30:04.80\00:30:07.77
Yes, you did -- in Genesis 20,
as a matter of fact. Let me show
00:30:07.77\00:30:12.37
you six parallels between
Genesis 20 and 26, where we are.
Parallel number one -- same
00:30:12.37\00:30:16.78
family tribe. We've got Abraham.
We got Isaac. Same tribe.
00:30:16.78\00:30:20.62
Parallel number two -- same
land, in the dry Negev region of
south Palestine, desert-y, arid.
00:30:20.62\00:30:27.49
Parallel number three -- same
city of Gerar, which is the seat
of the Philistine fiefdom.
00:30:27.49\00:30:34.76
Parallel number four -- same
king, Abimelek, although
scholars have finally concluded,
00:30:34.76\00:30:40.50
based on these two stories, "You
know what? Abimelek can't be his
00:30:40.50\00:30:43.44
personal name." The stories are
way -- You can't have the same
00:30:43.44\00:30:46.54
king in the same story -- in two
stories, rather. It's like
"pharaoh." It just means "king."
00:30:46.54\00:30:49.91
So, we have the -- we have the
king of the Philistines.
Parallel number five -- same God
00:30:49.91\00:30:54.58
shows up in the story. Parallel
number six -- and so does the
00:30:54.58\00:30:58.45
same sin. Uh-oh. Yep.
Keep reading -- verse 2.
00:30:58.45\00:31:03.02
Hit the pause button again.
00:31:14.14\00:31:16.04
I want you to know that with
every command of "Go" from God,
there is a command to stay.
00:31:16.20\00:31:22.88
You see, some people spend their
whole life chasing after a dream
somewhere else, usually over the
00:31:22.88\00:31:30.22
rainbow. But here's a story
to remind us that happy are they
00:31:30.22\00:31:39.16
who realize that a dream isn't
what you pursue somewhere else.
00:31:39.16\00:31:43.06
A dream is what you
become where you are.
00:31:43.23\00:31:47.84
Mm. Stay where you are, Isaac.
00:31:47.84\00:31:55.18
And so those of you who are new
students here, I'm gonna make a
00:31:55.18\00:31:58.28
little prophecy.
00:31:58.28\00:31:59.85
There will be some moments in
your journey at Andrews
University when you're
00:32:00.08\00:32:03.35
gonna say, "I'm outta here." I
hope in those moments, you will
hear the quiet voice of God
00:32:03.35\00:32:12.26
whisper to you what He whispered
to Isaac. Verse 3 again.
00:32:12.26\00:32:20.27
"Stay in this land of learning
because you're gonna learn.
00:32:32.28\00:32:35.12
You're gonna learn outside
of textbooks. You're gonna learn
00:32:35.28\00:32:38.75
outside of laboratories. You're
gonna learn life. And the only
00:32:38.75\00:32:42.06
way Isaac will learn the lesson
he needs to learn is to stay
right there. There are lessons
00:32:42.06\00:32:47.00
you will learn far away from the
academics, but will take place
right here. Stay in the land.
00:32:47.00\00:32:52.47
Learn with me."
00:32:52.47\00:32:54.37
Verse 4 -- "'I will make your
descendants as numerous as the
00:32:54.54\00:32:57.37
stars in the sky -- like I told
your daddy, so I'm promising
00:32:57.37\00:33:00.24
you -- and I will give them all
these lands, and through your
00:33:00.24\00:33:03.11
offspring, all nations of earth
will be blessed because --'"
00:33:03.11\00:33:06.28
verse 5 -- "'Abraham obeyed
me -- talking about your papa --
00:33:06.28\00:33:09.48
he did everything I required of
him, keeping my commandments, my
00:33:09.48\00:33:12.85
decrees, and my instructions.'
So Isaac stayed in Gerar."
00:33:12.85\00:33:20.40
And if the story ended right
there, whoa, we got a
beautifully profound promise
00:33:20.56\00:33:24.77
that we can take to the bank.
But unfortunately, there is more
00:33:24.77\00:33:31.64
to the story. Dr. James Dobson
-- you ever heard that name? Dr.
Dobson, James Dobson --
00:33:31.64\00:33:35.21
still alive, but no longer
around, really. The famed child
00:33:35.21\00:33:39.88
psychologist of last century,
family counselor, used to love
to tell a story about a young
00:33:39.88\00:33:44.49
dad who's driving down the road
-- okay, young dad driving down
the road, his boy right here
00:33:44.49\00:33:48.12
beside him, his little boy right
here beside him. And then the
00:33:48.12\00:33:51.33
dad does something that men do,
and men cannot explain this. We
do not know why we do this,
00:33:51.33\00:33:55.33
but the dad hits the button, and
he drops the window down. And
then he expectorates.
00:33:55.33\00:34:02.77
You have to get to be a senior
at Andrews University to know
that "expectorate" means "spit."
00:34:02.77\00:34:07.34
[ Laughter ] So, he -- [
Imitates spitting ] Out the
00:34:07.34\00:34:13.55
window. He's bringing his eyes
back to continue driving when he
hears the gurgling sound, the
00:34:13.55\00:34:18.89
same sound, coming from a little
throat beside him. And before
the father can react,
00:34:18.89\00:34:23.39
the boy went [imitates spitting]
all over dad. [ Laughter ]
00:34:23.39\00:34:28.20
Now, Dr. Dobson's point is, like
father, like son. That's exactly
00:34:28.20\00:34:34.77
what we have here in Genesis
26. You can't believe it. Yep.
00:34:34.77\00:34:38.21
Verse 6 again -- "So
Isaac stayed in Gerar.
00:34:38.37\00:34:43.01
And when the men of that place
asked him about his wife --"
00:34:43.01\00:34:47.15
uh-oh -- "he said,
'She is my sister.'"
00:34:47.15\00:34:53.86
Now, the reader of
Genesis knows this -- "Again?!"
00:34:53.86\00:34:57.86
This has already happened twice
with father Abraham, once when
he went down to Egypt -- "Yo,
00:34:58.03\00:35:01.63
she's my -- she's my sis."
Almost lost his life. He did it
again in Gerar, same
00:35:01.63\00:35:07.27
place, with Abimelek -- lost his
reputation. It's possible that
00:35:07.27\00:35:13.54
Abraham was just too shamed to
even tell Isaac about it, but
whether Isaac ever heard from
00:35:13.54\00:35:19.15
his dad or not, he follows
in his dad's footsteps. Verse 7
00:35:19.15\00:35:25.65
again. Well, there is a seventh
parallel that we could add to
00:35:38.97\00:35:41.14
these two stories because
both men -- father and son --
00:35:41.14\00:35:43.34
married, as I've had the good
fortune of doing -- a beautiful
00:35:43.34\00:35:47.84
woman.
00:35:47.84\00:35:48.74
[ Laughter ] And both of them
were scared stiff that the men
00:35:48.91\00:35:56.22
of the community would stiff
them in order to run off with
00:35:56.22\00:36:03.06
their girls. So, they both lied
about their wives -- "Yo, she's
my sister." "Really?"
00:36:03.06\00:36:07.10
"Yep." "Wow. Pretty
good-looking sister."
00:36:07.10\00:36:09.73
"Yeah. You should
have seen our mother."
00:36:09.73\00:36:11.70
[ Laughter ] The truth is, it's
never smart or clever or cute to
00:36:11.70\00:36:18.57
lie. The price is too high. And
the even sadder truth -- Now,
00:36:18.57\00:36:23.21
listen up. If you're ever gonna
be a parent one day or you're
already a parent, the even
00:36:23.21\00:36:28.78
sadder truth is that the sins --
and I wince when I say this --
the sins of the parents are
00:36:28.78\00:36:34.12
often perpetuated in their
children, not by divine decree,
but by frail modeling.
00:36:34.12\00:36:41.90
There's a hard disk, Daddy,
Mommy. There's a hard disk that
00:36:41.90\00:36:46.07
is watching everything you do
and recording every word you
say. It's on the hard disk.
00:36:46.07\00:36:58.28
Oh, my. That's a rather somber
reminder. The price is too high
00:36:58.28\00:37:07.29
to lie. And so Isaac
tears a page out of his father's
00:37:07.46\00:37:10.66
playbook, and he lies.
And the Jacob, who's born
00:37:10.66\00:37:14.66
here -- he's already alive.
00:37:14.66\00:37:16.23
Jacob tears a page out of his
daddy Isaac's playbook and he
lies to his daddy when his daddy
00:37:16.40\00:37:21.37
is old and he cheats him out of
that birthright. And then when
00:37:21.37\00:37:25.74
Jacob has boys, they all know
the story and they tear a page
out of daddy's playbook and they
00:37:25.74\00:37:30.45
lie to daddy -- "You know, some
animal did this, must have
killed your boy Joseph" -- when
00:37:30.45\00:37:35.62
they sold him as a slave. Lying
embeds itself deeply within our
00:37:35.62\00:37:41.29
fallen hearts. You are still
young. Don't tear a page out of
Genesis' playbook, please.
00:37:41.29\00:37:46.96
Just leave the page there. And
yet -- And this is the glory.
00:37:46.96\00:37:53.13
And yet, what a God in
this story. Do you remember?
00:37:53.13\00:37:57.17
Do you remember how God
described Abraham to Abraham's
00:37:57.17\00:38:00.98
boy Isaac? I want you to go back
and look at these words. We just
blew through them here.
00:38:00.98\00:38:05.18
Verse 5 -- God is speaking to
Isaac, and He says, "Yo, Isaac,
00:38:05.35\00:38:08.18
let me tell you about your
dad. Abraham obeyed me and did
00:38:08.18\00:38:11.82
everything I required of him,
keeping my commandments --" you
00:38:11.82\00:38:15.89
talk about the eighth
commandments, "Thou shalt not
00:38:15.89\00:38:18.59
bear false witness" -- "keeping
my commandments, my decrees, and
00:38:18.59\00:38:21.83
my instructions." No
matter how severe the
00:38:21.83\00:38:25.43
meltdown you have been through,
for the God of the universe, all
00:38:25.43\00:38:29.54
it takes is one
confession, and that is washed.
00:38:29.54\00:38:33.21
There's some celestial book
in heaven that has recorded that
00:38:33.38\00:38:37.71
meltdown. It is washed from the
divine record. What do you say
00:38:37.71\00:38:43.05
to that? Amen. Come on, guys.
This is clearly the glorious
gospel, the everlasting gospel
00:38:43.05\00:38:49.26
that begins in Genesis and goes
all the way through Revelation.
You have nothing to fear from
00:38:49.26\00:38:54.96
this God who loves you. And He
will start over just like that,
00:38:54.96\00:39:01.14
wash the record. I mean, that's
the gospel prophet Isaiah. Isn't
00:39:01.14\00:39:03.94
that what he said? Isaiah 1:18
-- "Though your sins be as like
scarlet, they shall be...
00:39:03.94\00:39:06.84
>> "White as snow." >> Yeah.
We're gonna have that reminder
00:39:06.84\00:39:10.28
in just five months -- white
as snow. Same gospel prophet --
00:39:10.28\00:39:15.35
chapter 43, verse 25 -- "I will
remember your transgressions no
00:39:15.35\00:39:22.12
more." No more. Same gospel
prophet -- Isaiah 44:22 -- "I
will banish your sins like the
00:39:22.12\00:39:29.30
morning mist." I've been out
running every morning before the
sun comes up. And I'm telling
00:39:29.30\00:39:33.87
you, these last few weeks have
been so muggy, so humid. 75
degrees we're talking about
00:39:33.87\00:39:38.97
in the dark, that there are just
-- there's these low-lying
sheets of mist that you run
00:39:38.97\00:39:46.08
through and sweat even more. God
says, "Like the sun that --"
[blows] -- "vanishes the mist,
00:39:46.08\00:39:52.35
that's what I'll do with
your sin, the record." It's the
00:39:52.35\00:39:56.19
gospel. Paul says, "Here is the
gospel. Here is a faithful and
trustworthy saying --
00:39:56.19\00:40:02.60
'Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners, of whom I
am the worst,'" 1 Timothy 1:15.
00:40:02.60\00:40:10.41
What a great note, by the way,
to begin a new year. Don't you
00:40:10.41\00:40:13.78
think? Good news for you and me.
Okay, verse 8. He's lied. Here
00:40:13.78\00:40:17.88
it comes. Now verse 8 --
00:40:18.05\00:40:19.95
We are not told what was
happening during that caressing.
00:40:28.79\00:40:32.09
All we know is that it would
never happen between a brother
00:40:32.09\00:40:35.43
and a sister.
00:40:35.43\00:40:37.33
So, verse 9 --
00:40:41.47\00:40:43.37
After public deceit and public
exposure, God is still willing
00:41:22.88\00:41:28.25
to do business with His man,
that man, that husband, that
00:41:28.25\00:41:33.32
father, that
patriarch of the tribe.
00:41:33.32\00:41:36.26
God keeps His
promises. He keeps His promises.
00:41:36.26\00:41:41.70
"I will bless you."
And by the way, don't you
00:41:41.70\00:41:44.27
dare -- Oh, you
can't miss next week.
00:41:44.27\00:41:46.43
Next week we're gonna begin
a series, and the title of this
00:41:46.43\00:41:49.34
series is "#RxF4Now." That
series begins next Sabbath,
00:41:49.34\00:41:56.54
and next Sabbath I will share
with you a secret shared with me
00:41:56.54\00:42:01.02
by three individuals, a
secret I have found and begun
00:42:01.02\00:42:04.85
incorporating this summer.
00:42:04.85\00:42:06.42
And it has already changed my
life. Next Sabbath, the secret
00:42:06.59\00:42:10.89
that will change your life
forever. God keeps His promises
and blesses Isaac beyond
00:42:10.89\00:42:21.64
imagining. The very same God, by
the way, who this new year will
bless you in this place.
00:42:21.64\00:42:33.58
He's promised.
00:42:33.58\00:42:37.15
Put the promise
on the screen for me.
00:42:37.32\00:42:38.72
I love this promise.
00:42:38.72\00:42:40.62
You know what,
ladies and gentlemen?
00:42:48.80\00:42:50.77
It's very okay -- It's very
okay to ask God to bless you
00:42:50.77\00:42:56.07
intellectually, to ask
God to bless you academically.
00:42:56.07\00:43:01.68
It's okay. In fact,
there's a prayer I pray
00:43:01.68\00:43:05.01
a lot, and imagine my surprise
when I hear Pastor Rodlie
00:43:05.01\00:43:07.62
incorporate that prayer into
his morning pastoral prayer.
00:43:07.62\00:43:12.25
You heard it just a moment ago.
00:43:12.25\00:43:13.25
It's the prayer of Jabez. You
know what? I was praying that
00:43:13.42\00:43:18.23
prayer over and over yesterday.
I'm saying, "God, we're gonna be
in this sanctuary together.
00:43:18.23\00:43:23.13
God, expand your territory.
Don't worry about mine. Expand
00:43:23.13\00:43:27.67
your territory. We need a whole
new generation of young, moral
leaders." And I stand here today
00:43:27.67\00:43:34.18
humbly to inform you that, in
answer to that prayer, you see
that in front of you.
00:43:34.18\00:43:39.71
What's that prayer? Come
on. I want to pray it to you.
00:43:39.71\00:43:41.82
1 Chronicles 4:10 --
00:43:41.82\00:43:43.82
And Jabez prayed.
Here's the little prayer of
00:43:43.99\00:43:45.92
Jabez -- "Oh, God, that You
would bless me indeed and expand
00:43:45.92\00:43:52.03
my territory, that Your hand
would be upon me so that You
00:43:52.03\00:43:56.46
keep me from evil so
that I may not cause pain."
00:43:56.46\00:44:00.37
And the record reads,
God said, "You got it, boy.
00:44:00.37\00:44:04.57
You got it." Pray the prayer.
00:44:04.57\00:44:07.61
It's okay to ask -- It's very
okay to ask God to bless you
00:44:07.61\00:44:11.41
intellectually,
academically while you're here.
00:44:11.41\00:44:15.18
John Henry Newman, one of the
great Christian thinkers of all
00:44:15.18\00:44:18.55
time, wrote these words. I
put it on the screen for you.
00:44:18.55\00:44:21.92
"That perfection of the
intellect, which is the result
00:44:21.92\00:44:25.19
of Education --" that's why
you're here -- to perfect the
00:44:25.19\00:44:28.56
intellect -- "and its beau --"
that's an Old English word that
00:44:28.56\00:44:34.17
means "attractive" -- "and its
attractive ideal, to be imparted
00:44:34.17\00:44:38.04
to individuals in their
respective measures -- that
00:44:38.04\00:44:41.24
perfection of the intellect is
the clear, calm, accurate vision
00:44:41.24\00:44:45.11
and comprehension of all things,
as far as the finite mind can
00:44:45.11\00:44:48.92
embrace them." Wow.
00:44:48.92\00:44:52.45
That's the goal -- comprehend
as much as the finite mind can
00:44:52.62\00:44:57.23
embrace. By the way, another
great Christian thinker living
at the very same time as
00:44:57.23\00:45:02.23
John Henry Newman also wrote the
same point. Her name is Ellen
00:45:02.23\00:45:07.54
White. This is in her classic
"Christ's Object Lessons," page
00:45:07.54\00:45:11.24
333. Look at that on the screen.
00:45:11.41\00:45:13.64
Here comes the stinger.
00:45:41.67\00:45:43.91
It's very okay to ask God
to bless you intellectually.
00:45:54.05\00:46:01.16
And God will
bless you to the max.
00:46:01.16\00:46:03.83
And when he does,
look out. Look out.
00:46:03.83\00:46:08.80
Look what
happens here -- verse 13.
00:46:08.80\00:46:13.90
"And the man Isaac became rich,
and his wealth continued to grow
00:46:13.90\00:46:16.50
until he became very wealthy."
00:46:16.50\00:46:18.41
You see, when people
envy you and God blesses you
00:46:34.19\00:46:39.53
intellectually -- when people
envy you, do you know what they
00:46:39.53\00:46:42.46
do?
00:46:42.46\00:46:43.37
They plug up your well. That's
exactly what they do. Truth is,
there will always be
00:46:43.53\00:46:49.30
"well pliggers" -- well pluggers
-- yeah, those others, too --
well pluggers around you
00:46:49.30\00:46:54.68
wherever you are. There's always
gonna be somebody to throw rocks
00:46:54.68\00:46:59.85
in there. It's probably your
deep convictions, all right, you
00:46:59.85\00:47:03.82
know, like Eric. Deep
convictions -- you're willing to
stand up and say yes. You're
00:47:03.82\00:47:08.16
willing to stand up and say no,
like Joseph, Daniel, and Esther
00:47:08.16\00:47:11.13
did. Come on. Somebody like
Haman is gonna be around to plug
up that well. They'll throw
00:47:11.13\00:47:16.56
rocks and sand. They'll go after
you with nails. I'm talking
about well-meaning people.
00:47:16.56\00:47:20.34
We're talking about roommates
and classmates, friends and
colleagues who can't stand to
00:47:20.34\00:47:26.21
see somebody advancing under the
anointing blessing of God. There
will always be well
00:47:26.21\00:47:32.11
pluggers in your life. Take
a page out of Isaac's playbook
00:47:32.11\00:47:36.38
here. What happens if they plug
your well? Move and dig another
00:47:36.38\00:47:38.99
one. They get you over there,
move and dig another well. I'm
telling you what -- if you
00:47:38.99\00:47:43.79
will move and dig, if you'll
move and dig, unplug and dig,
unplug and dig, you will never
00:47:43.79\00:47:49.36
be out of water -- ever.
And that's that point. When you
00:47:49.36\00:47:55.37
follow the Lord of Isaac, you
will never be out of water. And
it doesn't get any better
00:47:55.37\00:48:02.14
than that. In a dry and barren
culture and society, where
00:48:02.14\00:48:08.15
people are panting, trying
everything to swallow, hoping,
"This will bring satisfaction,"
00:48:08.15\00:48:15.32
and they get no satisfaction --
in a society like ours, there
will be people -- young, moral
00:48:15.32\00:48:23.06
leaders -- who will drink deeply
of a well that will never run
00:48:23.06\00:48:31.87
dry. I mean, what did Jesus --
Pastor José read this a moment
00:48:31.87\00:48:34.24
ago. What did Jesus say to the
woman at the well? Come on. Put
00:48:34.24\00:48:37.05
it on the screen.
What did he say to her?
00:48:37.05\00:48:38.28
"Jesus answered, 'Everyone who
drinks this water,' he tells the
00:48:38.45\00:48:42.45
woman, 'Everyone who drinks this
water will be thirsty again --"
00:48:42.45\00:48:45.12
keep reading -- "but whoever
drinks I give them will never
00:48:45.12\00:48:47.86
thirst. Indeed,
the water I give them
00:48:47.86\00:48:49.92
will become in them a spring
of water welling up to eternal
00:48:49.92\00:48:52.99
life.'" Do you
know what he's saying?
00:48:52.99\00:48:54.86
With Jesus, the water will
never run out, ever, ever, ever.
00:48:54.86\00:49:01.60
What did he say
to his disciples?
00:49:01.60\00:49:02.97
Look at this -- all
in the book of John.
00:49:02.97\00:49:04.54
Here's John chapter
6. What did he say to his
00:49:04.54\00:49:06.37
disciples? Then
Jesus declared, "I am the
00:49:06.37\00:49:08.14
bread of life.
Whoever comes to me will never
00:49:08.14\00:49:10.05
go hungry, and whoever believes
in me will never be thirsty,'"
00:49:10.05\00:49:12.55
because with Jesus, the
water will never run out.
00:49:12.55\00:49:15.02
What did he say to
the crowd in John 7?
00:49:15.02\00:49:16.95
Take a look at this. "On
the last and greatest day of
00:49:16.95\00:49:19.62
the festival, Jesus stood
and said in a loud voice, 'Let
00:49:19.62\00:49:22.42
anyone who is
thirsty come to me and drink.
00:49:22.42\00:49:24.66
Whoever believes in me, as
Scripture has said, rivers of
00:49:24.66\00:49:28.23
living water will
flow from within them.'"
00:49:28.23\00:49:31.07
What's the point? With
Jesus, the water will never
00:49:31.07\00:49:34.27
run out. What does
he say to the whole
00:49:34.27\00:49:36.71
world to end the
book of Revelation?
00:49:36.71\00:49:38.97
22:17 -- here it is --
00:49:38.97\00:49:41.31
What's the big point, Dwight?
With Jesus, the water will never
00:49:50.05\00:49:52.85
run out, not while you're here
at Andrews University, not while
00:49:52.85\00:49:55.62
you're on this planet.
00:49:55.62\00:49:57.53
The water will never run out.
They'll plug your wells. You'll
00:49:57.69\00:50:01.30
move. They'll plug your wells.
You'll dig, dig hard, work deep,
go beneath the surface.
00:50:01.30\00:50:07.47
Don't ever be satisfied
with surface work. Go deep, and
00:50:07.47\00:50:15.31
you'll never, ever run out of
water -- ever. You say, "Dwight,
how do I get this water?"
00:50:15.31\00:50:22.15
60 seconds. I'll give to you
in 60 seconds. Start the watch.
00:50:22.15\00:50:25.92
How do you get the water?
00:50:25.92\00:50:27.49
They've put them on the screen.
Just memorize them in your head.
00:50:27.66\00:50:30.26
You'll get it down.
You want water from Jesus?
00:50:30.26\00:50:32.19
One gospel -- you pick the
gospel, but stick with that
00:50:32.19\00:50:34.36
gospel till it's over -- one
story per day, one story a day,
00:50:34.36\00:50:37.83
in your dorm room, in the
community, faculty, staff,
00:50:37.83\00:50:40.10
student -- doesn't matter.
Number 2 -- reread the story to
00:50:40.10\00:50:43.27
relive it. Just go back over it.
00:50:43.27\00:50:44.94
Let the story come
alive in your mind.
00:50:44.94\00:50:46.41
Number 3 -- what fresh
water can I drink from Jesus?
00:50:46.41\00:50:49.24
Ask yourself, "Where's
this water in this story?
00:50:49.24\00:50:51.88
It's Jesus' life.
There's water here.
00:50:51.88\00:50:53.72
Holy Spirit, show
me where the water is."
00:50:53.72\00:50:55.42
Once you find water,
write an e-mail to Jesus.
00:50:55.42\00:50:57.79
Number 4 -- you
write him an e-mail.
00:50:57.79\00:50:59.75
You just sit down,
and you scribble it out.
00:50:59.75\00:51:01.42
You write it out. You
just write it and respond to
00:51:01.42\00:51:04.86
the gift of water that you
just sensed from that reading.
00:51:04.86\00:51:07.96
And finally, number 5, you then
kneel down before the maker and
00:51:07.96\00:51:11.47
creator of universe, who is your
personal friend and you offer
00:51:11.47\00:51:14.90
your life for that new day
to him and then you're gone.
00:51:14.90\00:51:18.01
Every day, fresh
water with Jesus.
00:51:18.01\00:51:19.64
It doesn't get any
better than that, does it?
00:51:19.64\00:51:21.71
Because I remind you that, with
Jesus, the water never stops.
00:51:21.71\00:51:26.38
Even when they kill
him -- phoom! -- water.
00:51:26.38\00:51:32.69
Even when they kill
him, he never runs out.
00:51:32.69\00:51:36.96
With Jesus, the
water never runs out.
00:51:36.96\00:51:40.50
He's thirsty on the cross so
that we would never be thirsty
00:51:40.50\00:51:45.17
again.
00:51:45.17\00:51:46.43
With Jesus, the water never runs
out. Everybody who says that's
00:51:46.60\00:51:53.24
good news, say "Amen"
with me. >> Amen! >> And Amen.
00:51:53.24\00:51:56.85
All right, I want you to stand.
We're gonna sing a beautiful
gospel -- gospel song.
00:51:56.85\00:52:01.02
I want to sing this gospel song
-- 493. "Like the woman at the
00:52:01.02\00:52:06.22
well, I was seeking for things
that do not satisfy." Let's sing
it together -- three
00:52:06.22\00:52:13.60
stanzas. [ "Fill
My Cup, Lord" plays ]
00:52:13.60\00:52:16.77
[ Congregation sings ]
00:52:27.21\00:52:29.94
We'll sing the last stanza. When
we get to that chorus about
"fill my cup," don't be
00:54:40.68\00:54:45.51
embarrassed that this will feel
like junior one Sabbath school.
But let's put our hands
00:54:45.51\00:54:50.39
together, shall we, just
symbolically, when we get to
that chorus -- "Fill my cup,
00:54:50.39\00:54:53.76
Lord. I lift it
up." And just lift it up.
00:54:53.76\00:54:55.69
You don't have to raise it way
over your head, but just
symbolically, let's tell the
00:54:55.69\00:54:59.16
Lord we're serious. "You fill
this, fill us with your water,"
00:54:59.16\00:55:02.26
all right? We'll do
that on the last chorus, hmm?
00:55:02.26\00:55:04.73
[ Congregation sings ]
00:55:04.90\00:55:08.17
Oh, God, that is our prayer. We
lift our empty hearts and humbly
pray today and today and
00:56:19.37\00:56:29.48
today, fill this cup with the
life-giving water of Christ
Jesus our Savior and our
00:56:29.48\00:56:40.36
friend. And now, may the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ and the
00:56:40.36\00:56:49.44
love of God and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with you
00:56:49.44\00:56:56.75
all." Amen. >> May I take an
extra moment with you and let
you know how grateful I am that
00:57:00.18\00:57:03.85
you joined us in worship today?
I hear from viewers like you
across the nation, and literally
00:57:03.85\00:57:07.52
around the world, and I'm
thankful. If you'd like to
00:57:07.52\00:57:11.16
explore further what we have
just shared, I hope you'll visit
00:57:11.16\00:57:13.80
us at our website. It's
an easy one to remember --
00:57:13.96\00:57:19.00
www.pmchurch.tv. We're the
Pioneer Memorial Church here on
00:57:19.00\00:57:21.90
the campus of Andrews
University. So, that's
00:57:21.90\00:57:26.81
www.pmchurch.tv. Click onto that
website, and you'll be able to
00:57:26.81\00:57:29.24
listen to a podcast of this
material. You can download the
00:57:29.24\00:57:31.25
presentation. You
can print off the study
00:57:31.25\00:57:33.08
guide. You may
have a special prayer
00:57:33.08\00:57:34.82
need that you wish to share with
our prayer partners, or you may
00:57:34.82\00:57:37.65
wish to partner with us through
a personal donation to help
00:57:37.65\00:57:40.29
reach this generation with the
everlasting good news of Christ.
00:57:40.29\00:57:44.09
If you'd rather talk
with someone, call one of our
00:57:44.09\00:57:46.16
friendly operators.
Here's the toll-free number --
00:57:46.16\00:57:49.06
877, and then the
two words "His will."
00:57:49.06\00:57:51.33
877-HIS-WILL. In the
meantime, may the grace
00:57:51.33\00:57:55.70
and peace of Jesus be yours
every step of this adventurous
00:57:55.70\00:57:59.37
way. ¤¤
00:57:59.37\00:58:04.71