Above all powers
00:00:28.42\00:00:32.63
Above all kings
00:00:32.66\00:00:36.47
Above all nature
00:00:36.50\00:00:39.35
And all created things
00:00:39.38\00:00:44.60
Above all wisdom
00:00:44.63\00:00:47.24
And all the ways of man
00:00:47.27\00:00:53.44
You were here
before the world began
00:00:53.47\00:00:59.88
Above all
kingdoms, above all thrones
00:00:59.91\00:01:07.52
Above all wonders
the world has ever known
00:01:07.55\00:01:14.01
Above all wealth
00:01:14.04\00:01:17.88
And treasures of the earth
00:01:17.91\00:01:23.92
There's no way to
measure what you're worth
00:01:23.95\00:01:29.00
Crucified.
00:01:29.03\00:01:31.31
Crucified, laid behind a stone
00:01:31.34\00:01:38.65
You lived to die,
rejected and alone
00:01:38.68\00:01:45.29
Like a rose,
trampled on the ground
00:01:45.32\00:01:52.38
You took the
fall and thought of me
00:01:52.41\00:02:00.26
Above all
00:02:00.29\00:02:04.74
We'll sing it
again, above all powers
00:02:04.77\00:02:07.54
Above all
powers, above all kings
00:02:07.57\00:02:13.66
Above all nature.
00:02:13.69\00:02:14.96
Above all nature
and all created things
00:02:14.99\00:02:22.10
Above all wisdom
00:02:22.13\00:02:24.71
And all the ways of man
00:02:24.74\00:02:30.70
You were here
before the world began
00:02:30.73\00:02:36.73
Above all
kingdoms, above all thrones
00:02:36.76\00:02:44.17
Above all wonders
the world has ever known
00:02:44.20\00:02:51.45
Above all wealth
00:02:51.48\00:02:53.94
And treasures of the earth
00:02:53.97\00:02:59.80
There's no way to
measure what You're worth
00:02:59.83\00:03:04.87
Crucified.
00:03:04.90\00:03:06.90
Crucified, laid behind a stone
00:03:06.93\00:03:13.73
You lived to die,
rejected and alone
00:03:13.76\00:03:20.37
Like a rose,
trampled on the ground
00:03:20.40\00:03:27.13
You took the
fall and thought of me
00:03:27.16\00:03:34.74
Above all
00:03:34.77\00:03:37.21
Crucified.
00:03:37.24\00:03:39.33
Crucified, laid behind a stone
00:03:39.36\00:03:46.54
You lived to die,
rejected and alone
00:03:46.57\00:03:53.21
Like a rose,
trampled on the ground
00:03:53.24\00:04:00.06
You took the
fall and thought of me
00:04:00.09\00:04:07.83
Above all
00:04:07.86\00:04:10.04
Like a rose.
00:04:10.07\00:04:11.72
Like a rose,
trampled on the ground
00:04:11.75\00:04:18.62
You took the fall
00:04:18.65\00:04:22.73
And thought of me
00:04:22.76\00:04:27.15
Above all
00:04:27.18\00:04:34.73
Thank you Jesus.
00:04:34.76\00:04:37.25
Well, hello boys and girls.
00:04:37.28\00:04:40.62
I've got good news
and bad news for you.
00:04:40.65\00:04:45.16
Bad news is we're not
having a children story today.
00:04:45.19\00:04:49.80
Good news is I
changed my mind, all right?
00:04:49.83\00:04:53.17
So, but don't do
this to me next week.
00:04:53.20\00:04:57.64
Come to first church,
get your mom and dad up
00:04:57.67\00:05:00.78
just a little
earlier on Sabbath morning
00:05:00.81\00:05:03.42
and we will, we'll have--
00:05:03.45\00:05:05.18
we always have
something special, first church.
00:05:05.21\00:05:07.34
So today you get to hear
what they had at first church.
00:05:07.37\00:05:10.54
And when you come
the first church we'll--
00:05:10.57\00:05:13.19
we promise that we will
do something special for you.
00:05:13.22\00:05:15.41
Nice to have you
all of here though.
00:05:15.44\00:05:18.10
Can't believe the new
year's about to begin,
00:05:18.13\00:05:19.78
Ruth Marnok-does Ruth
Marnok begin on Monday, yes.
00:05:19.81\00:05:24.37
How many of you will
be in school on Monday,
00:05:24.40\00:05:25.43
put your hand up if
you begin school on Monday.
00:05:25.46\00:05:27.75
Oh, that's a bunch of you,
rest of you aren't in school yet
00:05:27.78\00:05:30.60
but that day is coming.
00:05:30.63\00:05:32.90
Nice to have you here.
00:05:32.93\00:05:34.21
Now I want to
talk about an animal
00:05:34.24\00:05:36.62
because I'm gonna
show you a little clip
00:05:36.65\00:05:38.24
from Youtube in
just a moment, okay?
00:05:38.27\00:05:41.26
But I need your
attention right now.
00:05:41.29\00:05:44.28
How many when I say
can you picture a sheep,
00:05:44.31\00:05:48.46
can picture a sheep?
00:05:48.49\00:05:49.57
How many of you
have seen a sheep?
00:05:49.60\00:05:50.86
Ever seen a sheep in your life?
00:05:50.89\00:05:52.94
You know, curly,
curly wool, baa, baa.
00:05:52.97\00:05:59.89
You've seen those sheep.
00:05:59.92\00:06:01.68
This is about a sheep but shh.
00:06:01.71\00:06:07.17
This is not any kind of sheep.
00:06:07.20\00:06:09.67
This is a very
special kind of sheep
00:06:09.70\00:06:13.66
that lives in the mountains,
00:06:13.69\00:06:15.90
I'm rounding a
little two part series today
00:06:15.93\00:06:17.66
on mountain climbing.
00:06:17.69\00:06:18.80
So we want to
talk about this sheep.
00:06:18.83\00:06:22.45
It's called a bighorn sheep.
00:06:22.48\00:06:28.63
Have you ever seen a
picture of a bighorn sheep?
00:06:28.66\00:06:31.60
Bighorn, you see-- you
know what I'm picturing?
00:06:31.63\00:06:34.37
Both the males and
the females have horns
00:06:34.40\00:06:37.81
but the males
have these big curly.
00:06:37.84\00:06:40.94
Have you-- have
you seen it, Jonathan?
00:06:40.97\00:06:42.15
Yeah, curly horn.
00:06:42.18\00:06:43.50
Let's put a
picture of a bighorn sheep
00:06:43.53\00:06:45.61
on the screen for us.
00:06:45.64\00:06:46.75
Oh, there it is, oh, oh,
that's a beautiful sheep.
00:06:46.78\00:06:51.26
That, that, that sheep
is between 3 to 6 feet long
00:06:51.29\00:06:55.51
about 3 feet
high at the shoulder,
00:06:55.54\00:06:58.16
can weigh, up this is
with the horn like this,
00:06:58.19\00:07:01.02
that's a ram,
that's a boy sheep,
00:07:01.05\00:07:04.82
they call them rams.
00:07:04.85\00:07:05.96
Now the females have horns
00:07:05.99\00:07:07.26
but their horns
are little shorter
00:07:07.29\00:07:08.41
and they just go
puike, like that.
00:07:08.44\00:07:10.03
But the males grow
these big round horns.
00:07:10.06\00:07:14.23
Guess how much
those horns weigh?
00:07:14.26\00:07:16.41
30 pounds.
00:07:16.44\00:07:18.55
How it's like to
balance 30 pounds on your head
00:07:18.58\00:07:21.32
and walk through
the world at 30 pounds.
00:07:21.35\00:07:24.07
That's more than a
motorcycle, you know.
00:07:24.10\00:07:26.21
30 pounds, that's more
than all the bones in the body
00:07:26.24\00:07:29.41
of a male ram,
male bighorn sheep.
00:07:29.44\00:07:33.60
That weighs more
than all the bones.
00:07:33.63\00:07:35.32
That's pretty heavy,
00:07:35.35\00:07:36.50
what do you think
they use those horns for?
00:07:36.53\00:07:38.82
Oh, protection and you're right,
00:07:38.85\00:07:42.35
once in a while they
get into a little scraps.
00:07:42.38\00:07:44.89
But let's get a
bigger picture of,
00:07:44.92\00:07:46.86
oh, there is a close
up of the bighorn sheep.
00:07:46.89\00:07:50.52
Now, do you see this ram,
look, look, look, look here
00:07:50.55\00:07:54.04
at the edge of
the-- of the horns.
00:07:54.07\00:07:56.07
You see, sometimes
nature grows those horns so long
00:07:56.10\00:08:01.41
that they actually
block the view of the ram,
00:08:01.44\00:08:05.89
and the ram says I
can't see to the side.
00:08:05.92\00:08:07.79
And so what he does
is he takes that horn
00:08:07.82\00:08:10.33
and it gets up right
next to a mountain rock
00:08:10.36\00:08:12.79
and he itches his horn,
he just rubs it on that rock
00:08:12.82\00:08:16.82
and it gets all worn
down so that he can see.
00:08:16.85\00:08:19.67
Because let me
tell you something,
00:08:19.70\00:08:21.37
bighorn sheep
have very good eyes,
00:08:21.40\00:08:26.50
you can't go walking into that--
00:08:26.53\00:08:28.07
they're way up
there in the rocks.
00:08:28.10\00:08:29.50
You can't walk into that, psst,
00:08:29.53\00:08:32.16
well, they see
you, they see you.
00:08:32.19\00:08:34.23
And by the way,
they travel as a family,
00:08:34.26\00:08:38.47
the children always
follow mother and father.
00:08:38.50\00:08:42.27
But that's a, oh--
00:08:42.30\00:08:43.33
that's a good lesson
right there, isn't it?
00:08:43.36\00:08:44.83
The children always
follow, who do they follow?
00:08:44.86\00:08:48.20
Mother and father.
00:08:48.23\00:08:50.36
Infact, scientists were a
little concerned about that
00:08:50.39\00:08:52.30
because they can't
get the bighorn ram
00:08:52.33\00:08:54.50
to go to new feeding fields,
00:08:54.53\00:08:55.85
they just keep
going the same old track,
00:08:55.88\00:08:57.90
same old track as it's the track
00:08:57.93\00:08:59.60
we've always gone but
they follow the leader,
00:08:59.63\00:09:02.52
they follow the right leader.
00:09:02.55\00:09:04.04
Okay, so my executive assistant
Sherry Davis found this.
00:09:04.07\00:09:08.75
Let's have one more
shot of the bighorn.
00:09:08.78\00:09:11.27
Yeah, there it is right
there, sleeping in the forest.
00:09:11.30\00:09:14.14
By the way, you will never
find one of these in Michigan,
00:09:14.17\00:09:19.15
no, no, no, The
Rocky Mountains in west,
00:09:19.18\00:09:21.70
that's where these bighorn,
00:09:21.73\00:09:23.13
that's where
these bighorn sheep are.
00:09:23.16\00:09:25.24
So my executive
assistant Sherry Davis
00:09:25.27\00:09:27.67
found the picture,
now, here is the setting.
00:09:27.70\00:09:31.55
Hey guys, whoo, yeah.
00:09:31.58\00:09:35.29
Psst, psst, as
my dad used to do.
00:09:35.32\00:09:39.18
Psst.
00:09:39.21\00:09:41.13
All right, this bighorn sheep
00:09:41.16\00:09:45.00
has come down
into a national park,
00:09:45.03\00:09:47.43
he's come all the way
down to the national park.
00:09:47.46\00:09:49.84
And he is-- when the picture
00:09:49.87\00:09:51.05
you're gonna see
it on the screen,
00:09:51.08\00:09:52.41
he's in a
parking lot, all right?
00:09:52.44\00:09:55.22
He's come down from the mountain
00:09:55.25\00:09:56.85
and he's in a parking lot
but he seems to be confused.
00:09:56.88\00:10:02.40
Let's take a look
at the bighorn sheep
00:10:02.43\00:10:03.90
from Youtube on the screen.
00:10:03.93\00:10:06.48
Oh, there he is.
00:10:06.51\00:10:09.12
Whoa, can you see
the bighorn sheep?
00:10:09.15\00:10:12.28
Can you see him? Oh, oh.
00:10:12.31\00:10:17.48
I thought he was gonna
bump us for a moment there.
00:10:17.51\00:10:20.23
Okay honey, put the
car in reverse, will you?
00:10:20.26\00:10:22.12
Let's just
backup just a little bit
00:10:22.15\00:10:23.71
'cause I don't think we
should be around these sheep.
00:10:23.74\00:10:25.70
Can you just
backup just a-- good.
00:10:25.73\00:10:27.49
Let's just keep
backing up, oh, oh, no.
00:10:27.52\00:10:31.29
Now honey, I think you have
to back up just a little faster,
00:10:31.32\00:10:34.44
let's go, just a little faster
00:10:34.47\00:10:36.37
and I think we'll
leave him right there
00:10:36.40\00:10:37.70
and he'll go running
up into the mountain--
00:10:37.73\00:10:39.12
oh, watch out for that.
00:10:39.15\00:10:40.37
Oh, if I put it
reverse, there we go,
00:10:40.40\00:10:42.58
all right, good bye--
00:10:42.61\00:10:44.68
What good bye,
oh, no, stop that.
00:10:44.71\00:10:48.73
What--
00:10:48.76\00:10:50.29
you know what's
happening boys and girls?
00:10:50.32\00:10:52.44
There's a huge problem here.
00:10:52.47\00:10:55.74
The bighorn sheep thinks the car
00:10:55.77\00:10:58.82
is another bighorn sheep.
00:10:58.85\00:11:01.54
Now honey, let's just go, go,
go a little bit further back.
00:11:01.57\00:11:04.03
I think we're gonna
loose him right about now.
00:11:04.06\00:11:07.55
Oh, no says bighorn sheep,
I've learned how to follow
00:11:07.58\00:11:11.51
and I'm following oh,
oh, please honey, let's go.
00:11:11.54\00:11:15.99
So put it in--
by they go and see,
00:11:16.02\00:11:18.61
oh, you scared me.
00:11:18.64\00:11:22.69
Can you believe
that, boys and girls?
00:11:22.72\00:11:24.20
Look at the sheep, he
does not know what to do,
00:11:24.23\00:11:27.69
he's never seen a
big, bighorn sheep.
00:11:27.72\00:11:30.52
Oh, that hurt oh, stop,
good bye, bighorn sheep.
00:11:30.55\00:11:37.27
Good bye, let's
leave it right there,
00:11:37.30\00:11:38.58
oh, please good bye.
00:11:38.61\00:11:40.71
Oh, my, hey, can you believe--
hey kids, you got to know,
00:11:40.74\00:11:45.74
you got to follow the right one.
00:11:45.77\00:11:47.99
There's a bighorn sheep
following the wrong one,
00:11:48.02\00:11:51.13
you're not
supposed to follow that one,
00:11:51.16\00:11:52.78
you're supposed
to follow the leader.
00:11:52.81\00:11:55.25
Oh, it makes all the
difference in the world
00:11:55.28\00:11:58.03
as we're getting
ready to go into new year,
00:11:58.06\00:11:59.66
you have to climb the mountain
following the right one.
00:11:59.69\00:12:04.39
Who do you
think the right one is
00:12:04.42\00:12:05.58
to follow into this new year?
00:12:05.61\00:12:07.51
Who would be the
right one to follow?
00:12:07.54\00:12:09.87
How many says Jesus?
00:12:09.90\00:12:10.95
Put your hand up if you
want to say it's Jesus, huh?
00:12:10.98\00:12:13.46
Oh, we got to
follow Jesus everyday,
00:12:13.49\00:12:16.72
follow the right leader.
00:12:16.75\00:12:18.83
Let's pray together.
00:12:18.86\00:12:20.31
Oh, dear Jesus,
00:12:20.34\00:12:21.60
we don't want to be
like that poor bighorn sheep
00:12:21.63\00:12:24.35
confused about who
we're supposed to follow.
00:12:24.38\00:12:26.73
We want to follow You.
00:12:26.76\00:12:29.96
Bless these boys and girls
00:12:29.99\00:12:31.38
and their
mommies and daddies too.
00:12:31.41\00:12:32.91
May we all follow
You into this new year.
00:12:32.94\00:12:37.74
We pray in Your name. Amen.
00:12:37.77\00:12:42.52
What a song to set us up
00:12:42.55\00:12:45.08
for new year
journey just about to begin.
00:12:45.11\00:12:48.19
Thank you, Julia
Lindsey. Right on, King Jesus.
00:12:48.22\00:12:54.03
Did I follow Him this year?
00:12:54.06\00:12:56.59
You can say where
this journey is going,
00:12:56.62\00:13:01.20
but if he will ride
on, we'll be behind.
00:13:01.23\00:13:05.29
Oh, God, that's our prayer.
00:13:05.32\00:13:09.07
You lead, we will follow.
00:13:09.10\00:13:12.83
We're poised on the
cusp, this is the brink.
00:13:12.86\00:13:15.19
New year hasn't began yet,
00:13:15.22\00:13:16.55
but on this last Sabbath
before the new year begins,
00:13:16.58\00:13:19.32
give us
something in Holy Scripture
00:13:19.35\00:13:21.07
to energize our
souls to compel our lives.
00:13:21.10\00:13:26.34
With hope and courage
for whatever awaits us.
00:13:26.37\00:13:30.05
In Jesus' name. Amen.
00:13:30.08\00:13:33.63
I want to share with
you three pictures today
00:13:33.66\00:13:35.31
that I did not
share with you last week.
00:13:35.34\00:13:38.39
Two of them are black and white.
00:13:38.42\00:13:39.59
I scanned them out of
00:13:39.62\00:13:41.10
Heinrich Harrer's gripping
book, 'The White Spider.'
00:13:41.13\00:13:44.43
I'll get to those two pictures.
00:13:44.46\00:13:46.43
The other is a very dramatic
color photograph off of the web.
00:13:46.46\00:13:52.14
But all three
pictures are of igor,
00:13:52.17\00:13:55.76
that's German for ogre.
00:13:55.79\00:13:58.81
And this mountain, it is not
the tallest mountain in Europe
00:13:58.84\00:14:01.21
but it is the most
treacherous mountain,
00:14:01.24\00:14:03.08
it is been a deadly ogre
00:14:03.11\00:14:05.01
ever since men have
attempted to climb it,
00:14:05.04\00:14:10.34
a century and half ago.
00:14:10.37\00:14:12.72
It's been
nicknamed the white spider
00:14:12.75\00:14:13.98
and the reason it's
called the white spider
00:14:14.01\00:14:15.24
is because a little
spider like death patch
00:14:15.27\00:14:18.81
up near the summit where you,
00:14:18.84\00:14:20.72
you must
traverse this ice and snow
00:14:20.75\00:14:22.80
if you would reach the summit.
00:14:22.83\00:14:23.86
So it's called the white spider.
00:14:23.89\00:14:25.97
Karen and I-- as I
mentioned last week
00:14:26.00\00:14:28.69
had the privilege of standing
00:14:28.72\00:14:29.84
at the feet of this
13,042 foot mountain
00:14:29.87\00:14:33.24
and when you're in Switzerland
00:14:33.27\00:14:35.34
we had followed
the-- we had joined
00:14:35.37\00:14:37.81
with the school of architecture
students in North-west Italy
00:14:37.84\00:14:40.50
with Kathy Dempsky on
the world dancing tour.
00:14:40.53\00:14:42.64
Right after that, we
shot up into Switzerland
00:14:42.67\00:14:45.94
to celebrate
our 35th anniversary
00:14:45.97\00:14:47.45
and when you're--
00:14:47.48\00:14:48.51
little village
called Grindelwald
00:14:48.54\00:14:49.65
and when you're in the alps,
00:14:49.68\00:14:51.30
trust me, there
are picture view--
00:14:51.33\00:14:52.81
your camera is going a
thousand miles an hour,
00:14:52.84\00:14:54.93
let me put just
a little collage,
00:14:54.96\00:14:56.39
that's in just
one little village
00:14:56.42\00:14:58.15
surrounded entirely
by the-- the Swiss alps.
00:14:58.18\00:15:02.71
But one mountain in
particular stands out
00:15:02.74\00:15:05.31
and I want to give
you a close up of it,
00:15:05.34\00:15:07.68
it's Igor, the ogre.
00:15:07.71\00:15:09.42
Next picture you'll see,
00:15:09.45\00:15:10.87
we climbed up to
about 7,000 feet,
00:15:10.90\00:15:12.65
we got that next
picture and there it is.
00:15:12.68\00:15:15.91
Now I put that
camera in one more notch
00:15:15.94\00:15:18.44
and I want you to take
a look at the north face
00:15:18.47\00:15:20.48
because this has
been the treacherous face
00:15:20.51\00:15:23.38
that has defied human ascent.
00:15:23.41\00:15:27.63
The white spider, you see
the little patch up near the top
00:15:27.66\00:15:30.65
that's-- that's spider patch.
00:15:30.68\00:15:33.20
Now 6,000 feet
vertical drop, sheer rock,
00:15:33.23\00:15:38.66
you can understand
the immense challenge
00:15:38.69\00:15:40.88
to scale at those heights.
00:15:40.91\00:15:42.36
Here comes the two
black and white pictures now.
00:15:42.39\00:15:45.31
This is from his book,
before the picture goes up,
00:15:45.34\00:15:48.24
well, now that it's
up, look for an airplane,
00:15:48.27\00:15:50.63
can you see an airplane
against that sheer rock face.
00:15:50.66\00:15:54.82
You see a Swiss airplane,
00:15:54.85\00:15:56.58
little Swiss flag on
the back of the tail.
00:15:56.61\00:15:59.05
That plane is
flying at thousands of feet
00:15:59.08\00:16:01.35
and it's flying
right across the face.
00:16:01.38\00:16:03.97
We are talking straight down.
00:16:04.00\00:16:06.51
Next photograph,
black and white, 1952.
00:16:06.54\00:16:08.93
Now that's look like a man
00:16:08.96\00:16:09.99
just kneeling on a
flat patch of snow.
00:16:10.02\00:16:12.04
That picture is straight down.
00:16:12.07\00:16:13.83
You see in the valley
00:16:13.86\00:16:14.89
the shadow of the
north face over the valley
00:16:14.92\00:16:17.45
and at the top of the
black and white picture,
00:16:17.48\00:16:18.96
you see a little
clump, that's a whole forest.
00:16:18.99\00:16:21.98
That's 5,000 feet
up, it is straight down.
00:16:22.01\00:16:26.05
And the reason
it's so treacherous
00:16:26.08\00:16:27.55
is because you would
never climb it in the winter,
00:16:27.58\00:16:29.53
you're gonna
climb it in the summer.
00:16:29.56\00:16:30.92
Even in the
summer as the snow melt
00:16:30.95\00:16:33.27
and the ice is
loosing like projectiles.
00:16:33.30\00:16:37.33
That's like little missiles.
00:16:37.36\00:16:39.44
Hence over 50 people have died,
00:16:39.47\00:16:41.09
perished trying
to climb that face.
00:16:41.12\00:16:43.45
First successful
climb July 21-24, 1938.
00:16:43.48\00:16:48.14
But, if you make
it to the summit,
00:16:48.17\00:16:49.96
get a lot of this,
00:16:49.99\00:16:51.02
I found this on
the web this last week.
00:16:51.05\00:16:52.51
Here's a picture of the summit.
00:16:52.54\00:16:55.76
Can you believe it?
00:16:55.79\00:16:57.33
I was like, could tell you
00:16:57.36\00:16:58.43
I had the courage to be
the one to take that picture,
00:16:58.46\00:17:00.46
no way, you would never
get me on that sheer drop off,
00:17:00.49\00:17:04.99
both sides, the white spider.
00:17:05.02\00:17:08.05
Why go to the white spider at
all in this eve of a new year,
00:17:08.08\00:17:10.33
I'll tell you why,
because we all have
00:17:10.36\00:17:14.12
our white spiders, that's why.
00:17:14.15\00:17:17.85
Little two part mini series,
lessons from the white spider.
00:17:17.88\00:17:21.21
These towering obstacles,
mountain faces between us,
00:17:21.24\00:17:27.51
realized dream,
fulfillment of a promise,
00:17:27.54\00:17:32.58
some of you today are
facing this massive north face.
00:17:32.61\00:17:39.79
A financial white spider,
00:17:39.82\00:17:42.03
there is no way you
have the money to move on.
00:17:42.06\00:17:45.94
Some of you are
facing a physical,
00:17:45.97\00:17:47.88
a health deterioration summit,
you can't seem to get over.
00:17:47.91\00:17:52.09
We all have our white spiders.
00:17:52.12\00:17:56.32
Emotional summits, social peaks,
marital, marital mountain tops
00:17:56.35\00:18:02.75
that I just can't
seem to get up to.
00:18:02.78\00:18:07.55
Hanging, by the
way, suspended half way
00:18:07.58\00:18:09.76
too afraid to climb
up, too scared to go down,
00:18:09.79\00:18:13.70
lessons from the white spider.
00:18:13.73\00:18:15.89
Two ancient stories
00:18:15.92\00:18:16.95
from the dusty heart
of the Old Testament.
00:18:16.98\00:18:18.63
To inject a
fresh sense of courage
00:18:18.66\00:18:21.46
and faith into us on
the eve of a new journey.
00:18:21.49\00:18:24.75
Open your Bible to the second
mountain climbing stories.
00:18:24.78\00:18:27.48
These are both
mountains climbing stories,
00:18:27.51\00:18:28.67
last week and this week.
00:18:28.70\00:18:29.93
It's the shortest you
can ever have in mini series,
00:18:29.96\00:18:32.24
just two this week, 1 Samuel 14.
00:18:32.27\00:18:37.35
1 Samuel 14 another
mountain climbing story,
00:18:37.38\00:18:40.64
right out of the dusty
heart of the Old Testament.
00:18:40.67\00:18:43.74
Last week, I hear he was 85 old,
00:18:43.77\00:18:46.37
when he ascended this summit,
00:18:46.40\00:18:47.90
give me this
mountain, he cried out.
00:18:47.93\00:18:49.63
This week, I'm gonna put
the age of these two heroes
00:18:49.66\00:18:52.40
'cause there are two of them.
00:18:52.43\00:18:53.46
They're both young adults,
I put them in their early 20s.
00:18:53.49\00:18:56.86
All right, you're gonna identify
with that age, early 20s,
00:18:56.89\00:18:59.86
they are gonna have to climb
the north face of a sheer cliff.
00:18:59.89\00:19:05.20
Mountain story number 2 lesson,
00:19:05.23\00:19:07.21
lessons from 'The
white spider' part 2,
00:19:07.24\00:19:09.60
two young men who will
scale the vertical face.
00:19:09.63\00:19:12.81
You'll find in 1 Samuel 14.
00:19:12.84\00:19:15.47
By the way, if you
didn't bring your Bible,
00:19:15.50\00:19:16.92
grab the pew
Bible in front of you,
00:19:16.95\00:19:18.21
you have got to follow along,
this is one phenomenal story.
00:19:18.24\00:19:22.98
Power packed
lessons tucked away in it.
00:19:23.01\00:19:25.67
1 Samuel 14, in fact to
get a feel for this ascent,
00:19:25.70\00:19:30.56
we need to start
00:19:30.59\00:19:31.62
with the last
verse of chapter 13.
00:19:31.65\00:19:33.85
By the way take your pew
Bible, it would be page 196.
00:19:33.88\00:19:37.50
I'm gonna be in the
New International Version.
00:19:37.53\00:19:39.29
I think I want to be in
the NIV all through this fall.
00:19:39.32\00:19:42.03
I kind of got reacquainted
with this translation
00:19:42.06\00:19:45.53
and I do like it.
00:19:45.56\00:19:46.59
But let's pick it
up before chapter 14,
00:19:46.62\00:19:48.09
the last verse of chapter
13, it would be verse 23.
00:19:48.12\00:19:51.40
"Now a detachment," all right.
00:19:51.43\00:19:54.08
This is war time in Israel.
00:19:54.11\00:19:56.20
"Now a
detachment of Philistines,"
00:19:56.23\00:19:58.50
that would be enemy,
00:19:58.53\00:19:59.65
they have been the nemesis,
they have been the thorn
00:19:59.68\00:20:01.99
in the sight of
Israel from the get go,
00:20:02.02\00:20:04.22
"Now a detachment of Philistines
had gone out to the pass,"
00:20:04.25\00:20:07.94
we got a mountain pass going,
00:20:07.97\00:20:09.11
this is gonna be a
mountain story now,
00:20:09.14\00:20:10.84
a white spider story.
00:20:10.87\00:20:12.55
"Now a detachment of Philistines
00:20:12.58\00:20:14.05
had gone out to
the pass at Micmash."
00:20:14.08\00:20:17.10
So they are on top
of one of those passes.
00:20:17.13\00:20:20.10
The story begins
verse 1 chapter 14.
00:20:20.13\00:20:22.30
"One day Jonathan son of Saul,"
00:20:22.33\00:20:25.23
now that would be the
first king of Israel, king Saul.
00:20:25.26\00:20:29.09
And Jonathan was his oldest boy
00:20:29.12\00:20:30.34
that would make him
crown prince Jonathan.
00:20:30.37\00:20:33.46
"One day Jonathan," by
the way how old is Jonathan?
00:20:33.49\00:20:35.37
We don't know his age but
by the age of his companion,
00:20:35.40\00:20:38.34
you can guess,
they're both young.
00:20:38.37\00:20:40.52
"One day Jonathan, son of Saul
00:20:40.55\00:20:42.46
said to the young
man," twice in the story.
00:20:42.49\00:20:45.28
The armor bearer's
identified as young,
00:20:45.31\00:20:47.55
so it's key, it's a key,
they're young, both of them.
00:20:47.58\00:20:52.11
"One day Jonathan, son of Saul
00:20:52.14\00:20:54.02
said to the young man
bearing his armor, come on,
00:20:54.05\00:20:56.17
let's go over to the Philistine
outpost on the other side.
00:20:56.20\00:20:59.29
But he did not tell," shh,
00:20:59.32\00:21:02.17
"he did not tell
his father, king Saul."
00:21:02.20\00:21:06.09
God's pick, God
can pick leaders.
00:21:06.12\00:21:09.33
A leader doesn't have
to choose to stay with God.
00:21:09.36\00:21:11.64
King Saul has
already begun this,
00:21:11.67\00:21:13.47
this emotional meltdown
that becomes a moral meltdown.
00:21:13.50\00:21:18.03
He is so flighty even now.
00:21:18.06\00:21:21.92
That Jonathan dare, he
dares not tell his dad.
00:21:21.95\00:21:25.42
So in verse 4,
00:21:25.45\00:21:26.66
here's the description
of that mountain pass.
00:21:26.69\00:21:27.73
"On each side of the pass
00:21:27.76\00:21:28.79
that Jonathan
intended to cross to reach
00:21:28.82\00:21:30.98
the enemy outpost was a cliff,
00:21:31.01\00:21:33.94
one was called Bozez,
and the other was Seneh."
00:21:33.97\00:21:36.30
Verse 5:1, "One cliff stood
to the north toward Micmash,"
00:21:36.33\00:21:39.07
that would be the north
face they're gonna climb,
00:21:39.10\00:21:41.16
"And the other to
the south toward Geba."
00:21:41.19\00:21:44.42
Now verse 6, "Jonathan
said to his young armor-bearer,
00:21:44.45\00:21:50.20
'Come, let's go,
let's go over to the outpost
00:21:50.23\00:21:53.44
of those uncircumcised re-pagan,
to those pagan fellows.
00:21:53.47\00:21:56.99
Perhaps the Lord
will act in our behalf.
00:21:57.02\00:21:59.31
Nothing can hinder
the Lord from saving,
00:21:59.34\00:22:00.86
whether by many or by few.'
00:22:00.89\00:22:03.08
Ladies and gentlemen,
seven short punchy lessons
00:22:03.11\00:22:06.14
tucked away in this
white spider and there it is,
00:22:06.17\00:22:07.81
lesson number one, God
doesn't need the numbers.
00:22:07.84\00:22:11.63
Grab your study guide,
00:22:11.66\00:22:12.69
let's scribble down
these seven short lessons
00:22:12.72\00:22:15.91
as we climb this
mountain together.
00:22:15.94\00:22:18.45
Lesson number one,
you got your study guide?
00:22:18.48\00:22:20.39
It should be in
your worship bulletin.
00:22:20.42\00:22:21.60
If you didn't get
a worship bulletin
00:22:21.63\00:22:22.92
when you came in,
just hold your hand up,
00:22:22.95\00:22:24.12
we've got our ushers
who are gonna be eager
00:22:24.15\00:22:26.34
to make sure you
get these seven lessons.
00:22:26.37\00:22:28.05
You don't want
to miss these seven.
00:22:28.08\00:22:29.59
Hold your hand up,
00:22:29.62\00:22:30.91
if several of you
came in with one bulletin,
00:22:30.94\00:22:33.02
ask for a study guide, please.
00:22:33.05\00:22:35.33
If you're an
overflow, ask for a study guide,
00:22:35.36\00:22:37.29
if you're up in the
balcony, ask for study guides.
00:22:37.32\00:22:40.11
Seven short punchy
letters, lessons rather.
00:22:40.14\00:22:45.59
And by the way, while our ushers
00:22:45.62\00:22:46.65
are getting the
study guides out,
00:22:46.68\00:22:47.71
I need to say to those of you
00:22:47.74\00:22:48.77
who are watching on television,
00:22:48.80\00:22:49.83
we are delighted to have you.
00:22:49.86\00:22:51.41
This is one more mountain story.
00:22:51.44\00:22:54.51
Lessons from 'The white spider,'
00:22:54.54\00:22:55.61
I'll put the website
on the screen for you,
00:22:55.64\00:22:57.40
so that you can get
the same study guide,
00:22:57.43\00:22:58.77
there you see it on the screen.
00:22:58.80\00:22:59.89
Pmchurch.tv.
00:22:59.92\00:23:02.63
Lessons from The
White Spider part 2,
00:23:02.66\00:23:04.29
if you didn't get part 1,
it's already on the website,
00:23:04.32\00:23:06.08
you can get the podcast,
00:23:06.11\00:23:07.39
you got to get
both mountain stories.
00:23:07.42\00:23:09.37
The hero in the
first story was 85,
00:23:09.40\00:23:11.05
these guys are
in their early 20s.
00:23:11.08\00:23:13.15
You can have heroes at both ends
00:23:13.18\00:23:15.19
of the age spectrum,
that's the good news.
00:23:15.22\00:23:17.58
All right.
00:23:17.61\00:23:18.67
So you're looking for part 2
00:23:18.70\00:23:19.84
and then when it says
study guide, click on there
00:23:19.87\00:23:22.07
and you'll get the same guide.
00:23:22.10\00:23:23.18
By the way, let
me just alert you,
00:23:23.21\00:23:27.88
next week same
time, same station,
00:23:27.91\00:23:30.56
one week from right now,
00:23:30.59\00:23:32.78
we are plunging into what maybe
00:23:32.81\00:23:35.66
the most challenging series
00:23:35.69\00:23:36.90
you and I have ever
worked through together.
00:23:36.93\00:23:39.40
It's called The
Temple, The Temple.
00:23:39.43\00:23:43.46
Something is going on up there
00:23:43.49\00:23:46.88
that is crucial to
what's going on down here.
00:23:46.91\00:23:51.06
Begins next week, exactly a week
from this moment, The Temple.
00:23:51.09\00:23:55.39
Bring a friend with you.
00:23:55.42\00:23:57.20
They will never be the same
for getting into the temple,
00:23:57.23\00:24:00.33
through a crack in the
door, that would be, pardon me,
00:24:00.36\00:24:02.65
that would be
our opening teaching.
00:24:02.68\00:24:04.47
All right, so you
have your study guide,
00:24:04.50\00:24:05.76
jot it down
please, lesson number one.
00:24:05.79\00:24:07.42
God is not dependent on numbers,
that is a critical lesson,
00:24:07.45\00:24:11.68
it's a good news lesson.
00:24:11.71\00:24:12.86
God is not dependent on numbers.
00:24:12.89\00:24:16.63
Once upon a time,
there was a man name Gideon
00:24:16.66\00:24:18.46
who had 10,000 soldiers
who would soon fight the enemy.
00:24:18.49\00:24:21.29
God looked down from His
throne and said you know what?
00:24:21.32\00:24:23.33
He got way too many
soldiers, whittle that army down
00:24:23.36\00:24:26.76
and God wouldn't stop
00:24:26.79\00:24:28.13
until Gideon got
the number down to 3--
00:24:28.16\00:24:30.59
you're not gonna believe this,
00:24:30.62\00:24:31.65
300 and the enemy was
described as numbering
00:24:31.68\00:24:35.36
as the sands of the sea.
00:24:35.39\00:24:38.15
Why, because God
isn't dependent on numbers.
00:24:38.18\00:24:41.62
Once upon another time,
00:24:41.65\00:24:43.55
there was this
very same king Saul
00:24:43.58\00:24:45.75
with a massive
army of Israelites
00:24:45.78\00:24:48.45
and they were
all chicken livers.
00:24:48.48\00:24:50.81
Quivering before
the thundering tyrant
00:24:50.84\00:24:53.52
of one lone giant named Goliath.
00:24:53.55\00:24:57.49
And along came a
young man name David.
00:24:57.52\00:24:59.57
And by the way that
David and this Jonathan
00:24:59.60\00:25:01.34
become the best of friends
for the rest of their lives
00:25:01.37\00:25:03.83
until Jonathan is killed.
00:25:03.86\00:25:05.48
Same David, same
Jonathan, David comes along
00:25:05.51\00:25:09.02
and with just one
stone and one boy,
00:25:09.05\00:25:12.29
God routs entire enemy.
00:25:12.32\00:25:15.35
Why because God is
not dependent on numbers,
00:25:15.38\00:25:17.95
you may be all
alone the day like David,
00:25:17.98\00:25:19.57
you don't know
anybody in the school.
00:25:19.60\00:25:20.90
I came all alone and I'm
here, no, you're not alone.
00:25:20.93\00:25:25.06
You're not alone at all.
00:25:25.09\00:25:26.12
God isn't dependent on numbers,
you maybe just like Jonathan,
00:25:26.15\00:25:28.40
just two of you
in this whole school,
00:25:28.43\00:25:30.02
who cares the numbers.
00:25:30.05\00:25:31.92
Whatever the
crisis you're facing,
00:25:31.95\00:25:33.36
whatever the
challenge this mountain
00:25:33.39\00:25:35.45
that looms in
front of you today.
00:25:35.48\00:25:37.63
Whatever it is, the good news is
God is not dependent on numbers.
00:25:37.66\00:25:44.71
Jonathan is absolutely
right, it doesn't matter
00:25:44.74\00:25:47.31
how you put it
here in the verse 6,
00:25:47.34\00:25:48.61
"Nothing can handle
the Lord from saving
00:25:48.64\00:25:50.85
whether by many or by few."
00:25:50.88\00:25:54.14
In fact God
himself makes that promise,
00:25:54.17\00:25:55.60
see in your study guide
00:25:55.63\00:25:56.66
but take a look at
this verse, Luke chapter--
00:25:56.69\00:25:58.17
this would be Leviticus
rather chapter 26 verse 8.
00:25:58.20\00:26:01.49
God says, let me
give you my arithmetic,
00:26:01.52\00:26:03.40
this is strange
arithmetic by the way,
00:26:03.43\00:26:04.95
look at this arithmetic.
00:26:04.98\00:26:06.02
God says, "Five of
you will chase a hundred,"
00:26:06.05\00:26:10.25
five of you will
make a hundred flee,
00:26:10.28\00:26:12.48
now look at it,
let's do the arithmetic.
00:26:12.51\00:26:13.78
If we had 20 times five,
00:26:13.81\00:26:15.80
let's say we could
have a hundred of us
00:26:15.83\00:26:17.68
to attack the enemy
00:26:17.71\00:26:19.29
then you'd have to do 20 times
a 100 and that would be 2,000,
00:26:19.32\00:26:22.79
a 100 of you can
put 2,000 to fly.
00:26:22.82\00:26:24.95
But notice God's
arithmetic, it's one of these--
00:26:24.98\00:26:27.82
it's one of these exponential
curves they go just like this.
00:26:27.85\00:26:31.45
"Five of you
will chase a hundred,
00:26:31.48\00:26:33.35
and a hundred of you
will chase," how many?
00:26:33.38\00:26:36.23
"Ten thousand."
00:26:36.26\00:26:38.58
They're gonna be
times in this journey
00:26:38.61\00:26:39.76
when you think you're
all alone on this campus,
00:26:39.79\00:26:41.44
nobody else, nobody
else understands life
00:26:41.47\00:26:44.45
and my deep convictions.
00:26:44.48\00:26:45.70
I want to tell you something,
don't you worry about that,
00:26:45.73\00:26:48.00
God is not
dependent on the number,
00:26:48.03\00:26:50.38
just a handful of
you, just a handful of you
00:26:50.41\00:26:54.59
can overturn the strategy
of darkness, just a handful,
00:26:54.62\00:26:59.28
don't you let anybody come along
00:26:59.31\00:27:00.38
and say, "Ah, forget it,
they're not enough of us."
00:27:00.41\00:27:03.63
God isn't dependent on numbers,
00:27:03.66\00:27:04.89
lesson number
one, lesson number two,
00:27:04.92\00:27:06.65
and by the way, you
really want to integrate
00:27:06.68\00:27:08.92
lesson number
one into your life.
00:27:08.95\00:27:10.23
You've got to get
lesson seven, it's the key.
00:27:10.26\00:27:12.96
All right, let's go
to the lesson number two.
00:27:12.99\00:27:15.44
Lesson number two,
let's read verse 6 again,
00:27:15.47\00:27:17.87
"Jonathan said to
his young armor-bearer,
00:27:17.90\00:27:19.69
come come, come
on, let's go over
00:27:19.72\00:27:22.20
to the outpost of
those uncircumcised fellows.
00:27:22.23\00:27:24.61
Perhaps the Lord
will act in our behalf.
00:27:24.64\00:27:27.05
Nothing can hinder
the Lord from saving,
00:27:27.08\00:27:29.01
whether by few, whether
by many rather or by few."
00:27:29.04\00:27:32.50
And then I love this verse 7,
00:27:32.53\00:27:33.92
his armor-bearer
shoots back to him,
00:27:33.95\00:27:35.71
"Do all that you have in
mind, his armor-bearer said.
00:27:35.74\00:27:39.21
Go ahead, I am with
you heart and soul."
00:27:39.24\00:27:43.50
Lesson number two,
courage is contagious,
00:27:43.53\00:27:47.05
write that down,
courage is contagious.
00:27:47.08\00:27:51.50
In 1910,
president Theodore Roosevelt
00:27:51.53\00:27:55.86
who grew up a sickly lad
00:27:55.89\00:27:57.44
but over came that
weakness of his health
00:27:57.47\00:27:59.19
to become the
swash buckling image
00:27:59.22\00:28:01.68
of masculinity and bravo.
00:28:01.71\00:28:05.96
He uttered some words in 1910
00:28:05.99\00:28:07.52
that had been logged
into the annals of courage.
00:28:07.55\00:28:10.26
Wherever you read a book
00:28:10.29\00:28:11.32
and they wanted
to deal with courage,
00:28:11.35\00:28:12.72
they'll go to Teddy Roosevelt.
00:28:12.75\00:28:14.13
I'll put the words
on the screen for you,
00:28:14.16\00:28:15.65
there are in your study
guide, he spoke these words.
00:28:15.68\00:28:18.59
"It is not the
critic who counts,
00:28:18.62\00:28:21.83
not the man who
points out how strong,
00:28:21.86\00:28:24.14
how the strong man stumbles,
00:28:24.17\00:28:26.00
or where the doer of deeds
could have done them better.
00:28:26.03\00:28:28.88
The credit belongs to the man
who is actually in the arena,
00:28:28.91\00:28:33.55
whose face is marred by
dust and sweat and blood,
00:28:33.58\00:28:36.94
who strives valiantly, who errs,
who comes short again and again,
00:28:36.97\00:28:42.12
because there is no effort
without error and shortcoming,
00:28:42.15\00:28:45.47
but who does actually
strive to do the deeds,
00:28:45.50\00:28:48.88
who knows great enthusiasms,
the great devotions,
00:28:48.91\00:28:52.15
who spends
himself in a worthy cause,
00:28:52.18\00:28:54.50
who at the best knows in the end
the triumph of high achievement,
00:28:54.53\00:28:57.89
and who at the
worst, if he fails,
00:28:57.92\00:29:01.22
at least fails
while daring greatly,
00:29:01.25\00:29:03.96
so that his place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls
00:29:03.99\00:29:08.03
who neither know
victory nor defeat."
00:29:08.06\00:29:11.93
Wow.
00:29:11.96\00:29:13.12
Wouldn't you like to
follow somebody like that?
00:29:13.15\00:29:16.11
Courage is contagious.
00:29:16.14\00:29:18.26
Jonathan cries out,
"Let's go, God can do it."
00:29:18.29\00:29:21.25
And the armor-bearer says,
"I'm with you heart and soul."
00:29:21.28\00:29:25.76
Because you know
what, courageous people
00:29:25.79\00:29:30.45
are not only
contagious, they are magnetic.
00:29:30.48\00:29:36.98
Nobody wants to
follow a whiner or a wimp.
00:29:37.01\00:29:42.65
All it takes is
for a courageous man,
00:29:42.68\00:29:45.01
all it takes is
for a brave woman
00:29:45.04\00:29:47.38
who can rally all
the-- let's be it a roommate,
00:29:47.41\00:29:49.96
be it a classroom or work team
or department or organization,
00:29:49.99\00:29:52.21
it doesn't matter
just one with courage,
00:29:52.24\00:29:55.41
just like a magnet,
you draw the others.
00:29:55.44\00:29:57.99
Lesson number two,
courage, courage is contagious.
00:29:58.02\00:30:00.80
How can you
integrate that into your life.
00:30:00.83\00:30:02.33
Don't miss lesson number seven.
00:30:02.36\00:30:04.11
But let's get
lesson three first.
00:30:04.14\00:30:06.20
Pick it up in verse 8.
00:30:06.23\00:30:08.86
So now, their
heart and soul together.
00:30:08.89\00:30:10.94
Here's the plan,
watch this, verse 8.
00:30:10.97\00:30:13.82
"Jonathan said,
okay 'Come, come,
00:30:13.85\00:30:16.93
we will cross
over toward the men.'
00:30:16.96\00:30:18.86
That would be the enemy
at the top of that mount.
00:30:18.89\00:30:20.51
'And we will let them see us.'"
00:30:20.54\00:30:22.27
Verse 9 "If they say to us,
00:30:22.30\00:30:24.49
'Wait there
until we come to you,'
00:30:24.52\00:30:27.77
we will stay right where
we are and not go up to them."
00:30:27.80\00:30:30.00
But he's saying to armor-bearer.
00:30:30.03\00:30:32.06
"If they say, come up to us,'
00:30:32.09\00:30:36.52
we will climb up,
because that will be our sign
00:30:36.55\00:30:38.95
that the Lord has
given them into our hands."
00:30:38.98\00:30:43.02
Isn't that amazing?
00:30:43.05\00:30:45.40
I mean Jonathan is crouched
00:30:45.43\00:30:47.07
at the foot of
this massive cliff.
00:30:47.10\00:30:49.09
The enemy's on top
00:30:49.12\00:30:50.97
and he is saying I
don't want to wait,
00:30:51.00\00:30:54.17
I want to come on up.
00:30:54.20\00:30:57.89
Lesson number
three, write it down.
00:30:57.92\00:31:00.03
With God, you much climb
00:31:00.06\00:31:02.16
with an "advance mentality."
00:31:02.19\00:31:08.19
I like that.
00:31:08.22\00:31:09.61
With God, you must climb
with an advance mentality.
00:31:09.64\00:31:13.28
Not sitting there waiting,
well, I'm gonna wait here,
00:31:13.31\00:31:14.78
I'm just wait,
wait, wait, wait, no, no,
00:31:14.81\00:31:16.27
if the call has just come,
not wishing secretly for a wait,
00:31:16.30\00:31:19.35
if the call has
just come, I'll come.
00:31:19.38\00:31:22.30
Where did I get those
two words advance mentality?
00:31:22.33\00:31:26.28
Erwin Raphael McManus is leader
00:31:26.31\00:31:28.60
of an urban
movement in Los angels,
00:31:28.63\00:31:30.19
city of angels, called Mosaic.
00:31:30.22\00:31:33.29
He's written a dynamite book
00:31:33.32\00:31:34.35
I wish you can get
a hold of this book,
00:31:34.38\00:31:35.48
title of the book
'Seizing Your Divine Moment.'
00:31:35.51\00:31:38.79
Every time I need
to get stirred up,
00:31:38.82\00:31:40.07
I just pull McManus out,
00:31:40.10\00:31:41.13
that particular
book is incredible.
00:31:41.16\00:31:43.17
Anyway, in one
place in the book,
00:31:43.20\00:31:44.99
he is actually
commenting on the story
00:31:45.02\00:31:46.31
that we're reading right now.
00:31:46.34\00:31:47.47
And you see the quotation
there in your study guide.
00:31:47.50\00:31:49.07
I put it on the screen for you.
00:31:49.10\00:31:50.24
"Somehow Jonathan understood
00:31:50.27\00:31:52.81
that when
you're moving with God,
00:31:52.84\00:31:54.90
you must move with an advance,"
00:31:54.93\00:31:57.40
here they are,
'Advance mentality.'
00:31:57.43\00:32:01.03
"You move forward
unless God tells you to stop.
00:32:01.06\00:32:03.46
You advance unless
God tells you to wait.
00:32:03.49\00:32:05.74
There are certain things
00:32:05.77\00:32:06.99
that you do not
need permission to do.
00:32:07.02\00:32:09.83
You've already been
commissioned to do them."
00:32:09.86\00:32:12.35
Now I put that in
there what would that be?
00:32:12.38\00:32:14.99
What do you know that God has
already commissioned you to do
00:32:15.02\00:32:18.63
and you don't have to ask,
oh, God, is this your will?
00:32:18.66\00:32:22.21
What do you suppose
one of those would be?
00:32:22.24\00:32:24.48
The word commission, how
about the great commission?
00:32:24.51\00:32:28.18
You never have to
ask, God is it your will
00:32:28.21\00:32:30.93
that I share
Jesus with my roommate.
00:32:30.96\00:32:33.03
You will never have to
ask Him, that's a no brainier.
00:32:33.06\00:32:36.99
Jesus says I want you to share
me with everybody you meet.
00:32:37.02\00:32:39.98
Now, He's not being ridiculous,
00:32:40.01\00:32:41.36
He's not sending when you're
pumping gas at the gas station,
00:32:41.39\00:32:43.42
you ask the guy beside
you, have you been safe?
00:32:43.45\00:32:45.19
He's not talking about
that, but everybody you know,
00:32:45.22\00:32:48.46
everybody in your
circle of friends,
00:32:48.49\00:32:49.93
people in to
share, share me with them.
00:32:49.96\00:32:51.51
Everybody in
your circle of work,
00:32:51.54\00:32:53.08
everybody in your
circle of intellectual journey,
00:32:53.11\00:32:57.78
be willing to
tell them about me.
00:32:57.81\00:33:02.13
You don't need God
to come along and say,
00:33:02.16\00:33:03.71
by the way, I think
I need you to do that.
00:33:03.74\00:33:05.70
You already know,
you don't have to ask.
00:33:05.73\00:33:09.60
Well, do I like
that McManus spot on.
00:33:09.63\00:33:11.98
We read that again.
00:33:12.01\00:33:13.04
"There are certain things
00:33:13.07\00:33:14.10
that you do not
need permission to do.
00:33:14.13\00:33:15.97
You've already been
commissioned to do them."
00:33:16.00\00:33:18.62
One more line.
00:33:18.65\00:33:19.80
"There are certain things
00:33:19.83\00:33:20.92
you do not need
a calling to do."
00:33:20.95\00:33:23.27
I'm not a
seminary on this campus,
00:33:23.30\00:33:25.06
so I don't have to do it.
00:33:25.09\00:33:26.13
I'm not a theology major,
00:33:26.16\00:33:27.51
you don't need a calling,
this isn't about calling.
00:33:27.54\00:33:30.29
I'm not a pastor,
I'm no evangelist,
00:33:30.32\00:33:33.04
you don't need a
calling for this.
00:33:33.07\00:33:36.16
How does that last line go.
00:33:36.19\00:33:37.57
"You've already been
commanded to do them."
00:33:37.60\00:33:40.69
Lesson number three,
with God you must climb
00:33:43.92\00:33:48.75
with an advance mentality.
00:33:48.78\00:33:51.50
Now wait, wait, wait hold back,
00:33:51.53\00:33:52.60
hold back, no, forward, advance.
00:33:52.63\00:33:55.13
Lesson number four, verse 11.
00:33:55.16\00:33:59.37
So now they are showing
up, they are showing up.
00:33:59.40\00:34:02.71
Walking across that valley floor
00:34:02.74\00:34:04.56
and guess what,
perfect, the outpost spots them.
00:34:04.59\00:34:09.03
All right verse
11 "So both of them
00:34:09.06\00:34:10.58
showed themselves to
the Philistine outpost.
00:34:10.61\00:34:12.95
'Look!' said the Philistines.
00:34:12.98\00:34:14.40
'The Hebrews are
crawling out of the holes
00:34:14.43\00:34:16.76
they were hiding in.'
00:34:16.79\00:34:18.95
And the men of the
outpost shouted down
00:34:18.98\00:34:20.97
to Jonathan and
his armor-bearer,"
00:34:21.00\00:34:22.60
'hey boys, "Come on up to us
and we'll teach you a lesson.'"
00:34:22.63\00:34:27.34
We'll show you
boys a thing or two.
00:34:27.37\00:34:30.07
Boom. Oh, boy.
00:34:30.10\00:34:36.21
Lesson number four,
you better get this one.
00:34:36.24\00:34:38.40
This may be the next most
significant lesson of the seven.
00:34:38.43\00:34:41.84
Get this one straight.
00:34:41.87\00:34:43.61
"For some mountaintops
the greatest challenge
00:34:43.64\00:34:47.49
is the arrival, not the ascent."
00:34:47.52\00:34:52.09
Get that down
"For some mountaintops
00:34:52.12\00:34:55.59
the greatest challenge is
the arrival, not the ascent."
00:34:55.62\00:34:59.44
For Jonathan and
his armor-bearer,
00:34:59.47\00:35:00.50
getting up the mountain
00:35:00.53\00:35:01.56
will not be their
greatest challenge,
00:35:01.59\00:35:03.24
it is what is waiting for them
00:35:03.27\00:35:04.75
at the mountaintop
that will test their mettle.
00:35:04.78\00:35:09.94
The times when the
enemy will be waiting for you
00:35:09.97\00:35:12.62
on top of your mountain
00:35:12.65\00:35:15.26
and therein is a
cautionary tale for all us,
00:35:15.29\00:35:18.66
because some of
you today halleluiah
00:35:18.69\00:35:21.35
have at last reached a
major mountaintop in your life.
00:35:21.38\00:35:27.07
You have worked so hard
to get to this mountaintop,
00:35:27.10\00:35:31.68
you're finally
here on this campus,
00:35:31.71\00:35:34.51
you finally married,
you finally had a baby.
00:35:34.54\00:35:38.14
Congratulations
Justin and Rebecca.
00:35:38.17\00:35:44.65
I've seen the baby, fortunately,
00:35:44.68\00:35:46.03
he favors his mother
which is encouraging.
00:35:46.06\00:35:51.50
You finally, professionally,
00:35:51.53\00:35:54.17
I'm at the place
in my career now,
00:35:54.20\00:35:56.12
yes I've been
dreaming about this day.
00:35:56.15\00:35:58.26
Hey listen. Listen, now
listen, listen, listen please.
00:35:58.29\00:36:02.17
For some mountains, the
challenge is not the ascent,
00:36:02.20\00:36:07.74
it's the arrival, it's what's
waiting for you at the top.
00:36:07.77\00:36:12.90
It doesn't matter
what you are right now.
00:36:18.32\00:36:19.78
Oh right now I'm on the top.
00:36:19.81\00:36:21.56
It doesn't matter for
you what your right now is.
00:36:21.59\00:36:24.81
The lesson of the story
is your arrival may turn out
00:36:24.84\00:36:27.64
to be more
dangerous than your ascent.
00:36:27.67\00:36:30.74
So here is the deal,
beware, here is the point,
00:36:30.77\00:36:33.23
be advised, there are times
00:36:33.26\00:36:35.45
when the mountaintop injects
a brand new crisis in your life
00:36:35.48\00:36:39.64
and the enemy's there, ha,
you walk straight into a trap.
00:36:39.67\00:36:45.89
Elijah, you ever heard of him?
00:36:45.92\00:36:48.53
Elijah enjoyed one of
the greatest mountaintop
00:36:48.56\00:36:53.02
conquests in the
history of sacred literature.
00:36:53.05\00:36:56.07
Elijah who calls
down fire from heaven
00:36:56.10\00:36:58.88
and nukes the
summit of Mount Carmel.
00:36:58.91\00:37:01.24
Elijah who personally
defeats and slaughters
00:37:01.27\00:37:04.85
850 pagans priests of Baal.
00:37:04.88\00:37:09.60
Elijah who just hours
later hears the threat
00:37:09.63\00:37:15.20
of a furious
queen and he crumbles.
00:37:15.23\00:37:22.17
Depression,
despair, I want to die.
00:37:22.20\00:37:27.87
A hero broke at the mountaintop.
00:37:27.90\00:37:33.94
Lesson, beware the
mountaintop you celebrate today.
00:37:33.97\00:37:39.63
I'm not trying to scare you,
00:37:39.66\00:37:40.74
there is some
wonderful mountaintops
00:37:40.77\00:37:42.00
where that's just did,
give me another one now.
00:37:42.03\00:37:44.89
But they are some
where the enemy awaits.
00:37:44.92\00:37:48.73
Beware, be advised.
00:37:48.76\00:37:51.59
Why does it work this way,
00:37:51.62\00:37:52.65
a century ago these
words were written up.
00:37:52.68\00:37:53.91
They are in the study
guide, you have to fill it out.
00:37:53.94\00:37:55.70
"In the valley of humiliation,
00:37:55.73\00:37:57.22
where men and
women depend on God
00:37:57.25\00:37:59.08
to teach them and to
guide their every step,
00:37:59.11\00:38:01.43
there is comparative safety."
00:38:01.46\00:38:02.49
Hey man, this is
great, I'm just down here
00:38:02.52\00:38:04.41
in the valley, life is fine.
00:38:04.44\00:38:06.43
Oh, but watch out.
00:38:06.46\00:38:09.12
"But the men
and women who stand,
00:38:09.15\00:38:11.19
as it were, on a lofty
pinnacle read mountain,
00:38:11.22\00:38:15.91
these are in gravest peril.
00:38:15.94\00:38:19.02
Unless such people
make God their dependence,
00:38:19.05\00:38:22.12
they will surely fall."
00:38:22.15\00:38:24.02
Write in that word dependence.
00:38:24.05\00:38:25.74
"Unless you make
God your dependence,
00:38:25.77\00:38:28.17
that mountaintop like Elijah
will become not a mountaintop
00:38:28.20\00:38:32.07
but your waterloo,
it will be the defeat.
00:38:32.10\00:38:36.57
You got to make God,
00:38:36.60\00:38:38.33
unless they make
God their dependence.
00:38:38.36\00:38:40.46
Oh boy, how can
you avoid a meltdown
00:38:40.49\00:38:42.51
at this summit
moment in your life,
00:38:42.54\00:38:43.62
I mean just to be here
00:38:43.65\00:38:44.68
at Andrew
University hallelujah Jesus.
00:38:44.71\00:38:50.74
You got to learn lesson seven.
00:38:50.77\00:38:52.28
The way to get this one
into you is lesson seven.
00:38:52.31\00:38:55.21
Let's go to lesson five.
00:38:55.24\00:38:58.57
So they yell,
they yell, come on up.
00:38:58.60\00:39:05.68
And Jonathan-- this is
the tailend of verse 12.
00:39:05.71\00:39:07.67
So Jonathan, I love this.
00:39:07.70\00:39:09.59
"So Jonathan said
to his armor-bearer,
00:39:09.62\00:39:11.87
'Climb up after me,
00:39:11.90\00:39:13.21
the Lord has given them
into the hand of Israel.'"
00:39:13.24\00:39:17.40
Did you catch that? He
said, "Climb up after me."
00:39:17.43\00:39:22.14
He could have said,
climb up ahead of me.
00:39:22.17\00:39:25.22
But lesson number five
is one we cannot forget,
00:39:25.25\00:39:27.57
"Leaders must
lead." "Leaders must lead."
00:39:27.60\00:39:31.97
Whether you are the
leader of a school club,
00:39:32.00\00:39:34.09
whether you are the
leader of a dormitory room,
00:39:34.12\00:39:36.50
whether you are the
leader of a family or marriage,
00:39:36.53\00:39:38.80
it doesn't
matter, leaders must lead.
00:39:38.83\00:39:42.38
You say hey
Dwight, I have to tell you,
00:39:42.41\00:39:44.74
I'm not a leader,
I'm just not a leader.
00:39:44.77\00:39:48.44
My friend, I beg
to differ with you.
00:39:48.47\00:39:50.40
If John Maxwell, the guru
00:39:50.43\00:39:52.35
on leadership is
right, you're a leader.
00:39:52.38\00:39:55.05
Watch this, what does
Maxwell define leadership as.
00:39:55.08\00:39:56.98
Jot it down.
00:39:57.01\00:39:58.04
"Leadership is influence,
nothing more, nothing less."
00:39:58.07\00:40:03.15
Influence nothing
more, nothing less.
00:40:03.18\00:40:07.07
Do you have
influence on anybody?
00:40:07.10\00:40:09.96
Oh yes, you do.
00:40:09.99\00:40:11.95
If you influence
anybody you are a leader.
00:40:11.98\00:40:17.41
You're a leader.
00:40:17.44\00:40:20.02
I'll beg off and
say please not me.
00:40:20.05\00:40:22.34
No you.
00:40:22.37\00:40:24.51
How do you lead?
How do you influence?
00:40:24.54\00:40:26.65
You influence by your example.
00:40:26.68\00:40:27.98
Now I'm gonna say something
here please don't quote me,
00:40:28.01\00:40:30.32
don't tell a
freshman I said this.
00:40:30.35\00:40:32.93
They're all off
campus right now.
00:40:32.96\00:40:36.12
Karen and I go in this afternoon
00:40:36.15\00:40:37.18
and meet with
the freshman girls,
00:40:37.21\00:40:38.24
we got to give free lectures
up there to them together.
00:40:38.27\00:40:41.85
But I want to say
this about the freshmen
00:40:41.88\00:40:43.14
who are not here.
00:40:43.17\00:40:44.30
Bunch of them were
in church last Sabbath.
00:40:44.33\00:40:46.78
Let me tell you something,
00:40:46.81\00:40:48.38
if you're older than a
freshman, you are a leader,
00:40:48.41\00:40:53.91
'cause you have influence.
00:40:53.94\00:40:56.07
The way you, the
way you swagger down
00:40:56.10\00:41:00.58
that dormitory hall
or that's how sophomores,
00:41:00.61\00:41:05.39
that's how university
is, I didn't know that.
00:41:05.42\00:41:11.62
The way you hang in
front of lamps and--
00:41:11.65\00:41:14.90
Oh that's what you do.
00:41:14.93\00:41:17.85
They don't know,
they're brand new.
00:41:17.88\00:41:20.90
Now my appeal to them is,
00:41:20.93\00:41:22.02
hey you don't need
anybody to lead you.
00:41:22.05\00:41:23.48
You become a leader on your own.
00:41:23.51\00:41:25.43
But I'm telling you
there are a whole lot of them
00:41:25.46\00:41:26.96
that are wanting to be followers
00:41:26.99\00:41:28.17
and anonymous
followers for a long time.
00:41:28.20\00:41:31.18
They may see you
in class, a chapel,
00:41:31.21\00:41:34.81
in the
cafeteria, worshiping here.
00:41:34.84\00:41:37.50
Every time you show
up with God, by the way.
00:41:37.53\00:41:41.82
Oh he goes to
church. Oh I need to go.
00:41:41.85\00:41:47.33
You're a leader,
you got influence.
00:41:47.36\00:41:50.65
Infact, here's the
credo for spiritual leaders,
00:41:50.68\00:41:52.88
'cause you all
spiritual leaders,
00:41:52.91\00:41:53.94
you wouldn't be here if
you weren't a spiritual leader,
00:41:53.97\00:41:55.66
you'd be going somewhere else.
00:41:55.69\00:41:57.46
Here is the credo
for spiritual leaders.
00:41:57.49\00:41:59.00
Put it on the
screen. Fill it in.
00:41:59.03\00:42:00.27
1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul
says "Follow my example,
00:42:00.30\00:42:04.88
as I follow the
example of Christ."
00:42:04.91\00:42:09.04
You're a leader.
00:42:09.07\00:42:10.32
You know sometimes
husbands. Here's the deal.
00:42:10.35\00:42:12.10
Sometimes husbands
say in this marriage
00:42:12.13\00:42:14.11
my wife is a spiritual leader.
00:42:14.14\00:42:15.98
I mean, we're gonna have kids,
00:42:16.01\00:42:17.09
it's gonna be her job
to take care of those kids
00:42:17.12\00:42:19.36
and make sure they get a nice
00:42:19.39\00:42:20.42
spiritual
influence and environment.
00:42:20.45\00:42:22.46
My friend, you have
abdicated your leadership.
00:42:22.49\00:42:25.54
Leaders must lead.
00:42:25.57\00:42:27.45
You can't say
hey woman you do it,
00:42:27.48\00:42:29.19
you can't say hey boy you do it,
00:42:29.22\00:42:30.84
you be the leader.
00:42:30.87\00:42:33.32
Follow me as I follow
the example of Christ.
00:42:33.35\00:42:37.78
That's what leaders do.
00:42:37.81\00:42:39.14
Climb up after me as
I climb up after Him.
00:42:39.17\00:42:44.00
Lesson number
five, lesson number six.
00:42:44.03\00:42:45.60
Jot it down.
00:42:45.63\00:42:47.98
I got to go back
to those same words
00:42:48.01\00:42:49.40
there, they are at
the tailend of verse 12.
00:42:49.43\00:42:50.61
I just love these lines.
00:42:50.64\00:42:51.72
"So Jonathan said
to his armor-bearer,
00:42:51.75\00:42:53.13
'Climb up after me,
00:42:53.16\00:42:54.78
the Lord has given them
into the hand of Israel.'"
00:42:54.81\00:42:59.09
Ladies and gentlemen, may I
ask you a very simple question.
00:42:59.12\00:43:01.66
Did you notice the tense?
00:43:01.69\00:43:05.97
Did you notice
the tense of the word?
00:43:06.00\00:43:08.44
Come on look back you
remember what verbs are.
00:43:08.47\00:43:10.92
You better remember.
00:43:10.95\00:43:13.23
Did you notice
that tense of the verb.
00:43:13.26\00:43:15.24
Jonathan does not explain
00:43:15.27\00:43:16.75
the Lord will give them
into the hand of Israel.
00:43:16.78\00:43:20.11
What does he cry out?
00:43:20.14\00:43:21.59
The Lord has, present,
right now, we got them.
00:43:21.62\00:43:25.82
Hey Jonathan, you haven't
even climbed this mountain yet.
00:43:25.85\00:43:31.30
You haven't even
engaged the battle.
00:43:31.33\00:43:34.16
Lesson number
six, write it down.
00:43:34.19\00:43:35.88
"Speak faith into your battle."
00:43:35.91\00:43:38.49
Speak faith into your
climb, speak faith just say it,
00:43:38.52\00:43:44.09
speak it into your life story.
00:43:44.12\00:43:47.18
Some of you have been
speaking doubt for so long,
00:43:47.21\00:43:49.65
you are as weak as you can be.
00:43:49.68\00:43:53.29
I got good news for you.
00:43:53.32\00:43:54.43
All you need is faith
the size of mustard seed
00:43:54.46\00:43:57.95
and you can become
man and woman of faith.
00:43:57.98\00:44:04.13
Speak faith into your
climb and into your battle.
00:44:04.16\00:44:07.06
Now I got to tell you something.
00:44:07.09\00:44:08.12
It's really easy for me
00:44:08.15\00:44:09.57
to be up here
pontificating about this.
00:44:09.60\00:44:11.63
I'm gonna be
very honest with you.
00:44:11.66\00:44:12.85
This is a
lesson I struggle with,
00:44:12.88\00:44:14.68
I still struggle with this one.
00:44:14.71\00:44:17.85
It's difficult for me
to be honest with you.
00:44:17.88\00:44:20.42
It's difficult for me to
speak faith into something
00:44:20.45\00:44:22.60
that is yet
future, a major project,
00:44:22.63\00:44:26.16
a huge risk, a critical battle.
00:44:26.19\00:44:29.80
And here's kind of the thought
process that I go through.
00:44:29.83\00:44:31.67
I tell myself, now listen Dwight
you don't want get really,
00:44:31.70\00:44:34.23
you don't want to get
too far out on the limb,
00:44:34.26\00:44:35.70
because if you get
too far out on the limb,
00:44:35.73\00:44:37.56
you're gonna make God
look bad when he fails.
00:44:37.59\00:44:42.01
Which of course is code language
00:44:42.04\00:44:44.19
for you're gonna
look bad when you fail.
00:44:44.22\00:44:47.72
But I wrap it all up with this,
00:44:47.75\00:44:48.92
well, you know, may be I
know that's a big challenge,
00:44:48.95\00:44:51.39
I don't know if we
should go into this, you know,
00:44:51.42\00:44:52.85
maybe God, maybe
it's not God's will,
00:44:52.88\00:44:55.80
may be God doesn't desire this,
00:44:55.83\00:44:58.52
may be this, you know--
00:44:58.55\00:44:59.80
may be God doesn't need
this to be real big right now.
00:44:59.83\00:45:03.22
Rubbish.
00:45:03.25\00:45:05.73
Name me one spiritual victory
00:45:05.76\00:45:08.06
that God wants you to do
halfhearted with puny results.
00:45:08.09\00:45:13.82
Name me one. He is
the God of the universe.
00:45:13.85\00:45:19.58
Speak faith.
00:45:19.61\00:45:20.68
What's the
mountain in front of you,
00:45:20.71\00:45:21.74
you got some
financial mountains here.
00:45:21.77\00:45:23.09
Whoa, huge financial mountains.
00:45:23.12\00:45:25.25
Speak faith into
your financial mountain.
00:45:25.28\00:45:29.69
You got some
career mountains here.
00:45:29.72\00:45:30.96
Speak faith into
that career mountain.
00:45:30.99\00:45:33.72
I believe that
by the power of God,
00:45:33.75\00:45:36.01
you're saying but
Dwight I need some promises.
00:45:36.04\00:45:37.66
Oh I am glad you asked because
I want to share with you now
00:45:37.69\00:45:39.95
four dynamite promises that
you can speak faith through.
00:45:39.98\00:45:43.82
Get your pen out,
scribble these down
00:45:43.85\00:45:45.31
right under lesson number six.
00:45:45.34\00:45:46.73
Isn't this
great Exodus 14:13, 14
00:45:46.76\00:45:49.78
"Do not be afraid.
Stand firm. The Lord will."
00:45:49.81\00:45:53.05
Say that out loud with
me. "The Lord will fight.
00:45:53.08\00:45:56.68
The Lord will fight for
you, you need only stand still."
00:45:56.71\00:46:02.88
Who's gonna do the fighting?
He said, I'll do it, I'll do it.
00:46:02.91\00:46:10.40
Oh, here I love this
one, 2 Chronicles 20:15.
00:46:10.43\00:46:13.38
"Do not be
afraid or discouraged.
00:46:13.41\00:46:15.16
For the battle is not yours."
00:46:15.19\00:46:17.70
But hallelujah the
battle already belongs to God.
00:46:17.73\00:46:20.26
You don't have to
speak future tense
00:46:20.29\00:46:21.63
you speak present tense.
00:46:21.66\00:46:22.91
He's already given them,
00:46:22.94\00:46:23.97
He's already
given me that mountain.
00:46:24.00\00:46:25.58
I know it's gonna
be a tough work ahead,
00:46:25.61\00:46:27.20
but I believe He's
already given me this mountain.
00:46:27.23\00:46:29.74
Well, look at this
one, 2 Chronicles 32:7, 8,
00:46:29.77\00:46:32.94
"With us is the Lord our God
00:46:32.97\00:46:35.53
to help us and to
fight our battles."
00:46:35.56\00:46:38.75
Both words one promise.
He will fight our battles.
00:46:38.78\00:46:43.69
And finally from
the New Testament
00:46:43.72\00:46:44.82
here the end, 1 John 5:4.
00:46:44.85\00:46:47.33
"This is the
victory that has overcome
00:46:47.36\00:46:49.87
the world, even our faith."
00:46:49.90\00:46:53.30
Speak faith into your mountain.
00:46:53.33\00:46:55.58
Oh by the way,
keep your pen moving.
00:46:55.61\00:46:57.29
Almighty power
is not in our faith,
00:46:57.32\00:47:00.45
our faith is in the
power of the Almighty.
00:47:00.48\00:47:04.30
And that's the key point,
00:47:04.33\00:47:05.36
Almighty power
is not in our faith,
00:47:05.39\00:47:07.33
our faith is in the
power of the Almighty.
00:47:07.36\00:47:11.64
For that reason
and only that reason
00:47:11.67\00:47:13.74
Jonathan can speak
faith into a battle
00:47:13.77\00:47:16.22
that hasn't even commenced,
00:47:16.25\00:47:18.21
they haven't even
climbed the mountain yet,
00:47:18.24\00:47:20.94
God has given them
to us, let's go, mercy.
00:47:20.97\00:47:28.25
Speak faith.
00:47:28.28\00:47:29.82
Final lesson number seven.
00:47:29.85\00:47:33.89
I want to read that
last line one more time
00:47:33.92\00:47:35.80
the tailend of verse 12
00:47:35.83\00:47:37.23
before we move to
the wrap up the story.
00:47:37.26\00:47:39.65
"So Jonathan said
to his armor-bearer"
00:47:39.68\00:47:42.32
Climb up, come
on, climb up after me,
00:47:42.35\00:47:45.20
"The Lord has given them
into the hand of Israel."
00:47:45.23\00:47:48.68
Now verse 13 Jonathan
"And so Jonathan climbed up,
00:47:48.71\00:47:52.46
using his hands and feet,
00:47:52.49\00:47:54.87
with his
armor-bearer right behind him."
00:47:54.90\00:47:57.93
Oh, hit the pause
button right there, oh, please.
00:47:57.96\00:48:01.20
I mean, come on
writer of 1 Samuel
00:48:01.23\00:48:03.50
what did you just
think he was gonna use
00:48:03.53\00:48:05.03
to climb that mountain
besides his hands and feet.
00:48:05.06\00:48:07.16
Some kind of celestial elevator
to whisk him to the top.
00:48:07.19\00:48:11.30
Why did you even bother
to put that point in unless,
00:48:11.33\00:48:17.33
unless the
writer of Samuel inserts
00:48:17.36\00:48:20.06
to using his hands and feet
intentionally into the story
00:48:20.09\00:48:24.84
to remind you and
me that even though
00:48:24.87\00:48:26.94
God already has
the victory in hand,
00:48:26.97\00:48:29.12
it's still going to
take us fighting with Him.
00:48:29.15\00:48:34.69
In fact, I loved it
in the New King James.
00:48:34.72\00:48:37.32
Doesn't your
New King James Bible
00:48:37.35\00:48:38.70
read on his hands and knees?
00:48:38.73\00:48:41.31
Isn't that what it reads
in the New King James Bible?
00:48:41.34\00:48:43.34
On his hands and knees.
00:48:43.37\00:48:45.05
Can you think of a more
effective and powerful way
00:48:45.08\00:48:47.94
to climb the mountain
than on your hands and knees?
00:48:47.97\00:48:50.78
See that little banner
at the front of this church.
00:48:50.81\00:48:53.20
What's it read,
'Forward on our knees.'
00:48:53.23\00:48:58.24
Because that's what
we believe around here.
00:48:58.27\00:49:00.86
You know what
that means, don't you?
00:49:00.89\00:49:03.35
Nobody said the
climb was gonna be easy.
00:49:03.38\00:49:06.17
In fact, I'm gonna
quote a verse to you
00:49:06.20\00:49:07.27
that nobody has
ever quoted to you before
00:49:07.30\00:49:08.77
and I hope you don't get
mad at me for quoting this,
00:49:08.80\00:49:11.14
because Jesus in fact said,
00:49:11.17\00:49:12.32
it's a very
opposite, its not easy at all.
00:49:12.35\00:49:14.39
But since He said it in
the sermon on the mountain
00:49:14.42\00:49:16.38
who, what is there not to like
00:49:16.41\00:49:17.96
about the
sermon on the mountain.
00:49:17.99\00:49:19.36
Let me share these
words of warning from Christ.
00:49:19.39\00:49:22.06
Matthew Chapter
7, this will be from
00:49:22.09\00:49:24.05
the new revised
standard version Jesus speaking,
00:49:24.08\00:49:26.14
"Enter through the narrow gate."
00:49:26.17\00:49:29.63
Because let me tell
you about this other gate.
00:49:29.66\00:49:31.43
"The gate is wide
and the road is easy
00:49:31.46\00:49:35.52
that leads to destruction,
and there are many who take it."
00:49:35.55\00:49:38.38
But not the gate
you are looking for,
00:49:38.41\00:49:39.88
"the gate is narrow
and the road is hard,
00:49:39.91\00:49:45.98
the road is hard
that leads to life,
00:49:46.01\00:49:48.57
and there are few who find it."
00:49:48.60\00:49:52.02
If you thought
climbing the mountain
00:49:52.05\00:49:53.45
that's in front of us right
now is gonna be a piece a cake,
00:49:53.48\00:49:55.81
let me disabuse
you at that notion,
00:49:55.84\00:49:57.59
it's a tough climb.
00:49:57.62\00:50:02.46
And how can anybody
have any hope at all,
00:50:02.49\00:50:04.58
it's because the
way the story ends.
00:50:04.61\00:50:06.80
I love this,
look at this verse 13.
00:50:06.83\00:50:08.65
"Jonathan climbed up,
using his hands and feet,
00:50:08.68\00:50:10.70
on his hands and knees,
00:50:10.73\00:50:11.76
with his
armor-bearer right behind him.
00:50:11.79\00:50:14.27
And the enemy
fell before Jonathan
00:50:14.30\00:50:16.13
and his armor-bearer followed
and killed behind them."
00:50:16.16\00:50:18.45
Verse 14 "In that first attack
00:50:18.48\00:50:19.94
Jonathan and his
armor-bearer killed
00:50:19.97\00:50:21.38
some twenty men in an
area of about half an acre."
00:50:21.41\00:50:24.27
And then watch this, verse 15.
00:50:24.30\00:50:25.96
"Then panic struck
the whole enemy army--
00:50:25.99\00:50:29.69
those in the camp and the field,
00:50:29.72\00:50:31.13
and those in the
outposts and raiding parties--
00:50:31.16\00:50:33.01
and the ground shook."
00:50:33.04\00:50:34.60
You know what's
happened there right now?
00:50:34.63\00:50:35.84
All four of those
promises that we just wrote
00:50:35.87\00:50:37.71
are now coming to pass,
00:50:37.74\00:50:39.09
something
supernatural is happening
00:50:39.12\00:50:40.78
and the earth itself is now
beginning, it's an earthquake.
00:50:40.81\00:50:45.08
And panic "It was
a panic sent by God."
00:50:45.11\00:50:49.63
Look at verse 23.
00:50:49.66\00:50:50.83
"So the Lord rescued" hallelujah
00:50:50.86\00:50:53.66
"Rescued Israel that day,
00:50:53.69\00:50:56.42
and the battle moved
on beyond Beth Aven."
00:50:56.45\00:50:58.55
Because you know what,
after one battle is over
00:50:58.58\00:51:01.88
you still got
another and another,
00:51:01.91\00:51:04.50
and another until Jesus comes.
00:51:04.53\00:51:07.80
That's okay. Did
you catch the secret?
00:51:07.83\00:51:10.86
Did you catch
lesson number seven?
00:51:10.89\00:51:13.18
If you get lesson
seven, you got all other six,
00:51:13.21\00:51:16.13
they will be integrated
straight into your life,
00:51:16.16\00:51:18.63
you have to get number seven.
00:51:18.66\00:51:22.14
I like those
words that we just read.
00:51:22.17\00:51:23.45
Put it on the screen for you.
00:51:23.48\00:51:24.51
"Jonathan climbed up with his
armor-bearer right behind him."
00:51:24.54\00:51:29.56
Here it goes
lesson number seven.
00:51:29.59\00:51:31.38
"Stay behind
your divine Jonathan."
00:51:31.41\00:51:38.24
Fill that in, stay
lesson number seven.
00:51:38.27\00:51:40.32
You've learned this,
you got all the rest.
00:51:40.35\00:51:43.01
"Stay behind
your divine Jonathan."
00:51:43.04\00:51:47.70
You know what
Jonathan name means or meant?
00:51:47.73\00:51:50.52
A bunch of you are
named Jonathan here.
00:51:50.55\00:51:52.43
Do you know what the name means?
00:51:52.46\00:51:53.64
It means the Lord
Yahweh. The Lord has given.
00:51:53.67\00:51:58.07
Do you understand? Now
listen to me carefully.
00:51:58.10\00:51:59.96
Do you understand
that Jonathan in this story
00:51:59.99\00:52:02.72
is a type, he is a
model of Jesus Christ.
00:52:02.75\00:52:07.38
Or who else did God
give to the human race
00:52:07.41\00:52:09.10
to lead us up the
mountain of salvation?
00:52:09.13\00:52:11.53
If not the divine
Jonathan the Lord Jesus Himself.
00:52:11.56\00:52:14.22
And by the way,
notice the similarities
00:52:14.25\00:52:15.81
when they come to
their own mountains.
00:52:15.84\00:52:17.43
Just like Jonathan,
Jesus is crawling on
00:52:17.46\00:52:19.94
hands and feet clawing his way
00:52:19.97\00:52:22.24
to the summit of
Calvary just like Jonathan.
00:52:22.27\00:52:27.21
Jesus will have the enemy
waiting for Him on that peak.
00:52:27.24\00:52:31.64
And just like the Philistines,
00:52:31.67\00:52:33.63
Satan standing
at the head of this,
00:52:33.66\00:52:35.76
the legions of hell will turn,
00:52:35.79\00:52:37.76
come on up here boy,
daddy's boy come up here
00:52:37.79\00:52:42.54
and we will teach you a lesson
or two just like Jonathan.
00:52:42.57\00:52:49.48
A leader has to lead and
Jesus has the entire universe
00:52:49.51\00:52:54.58
on His shoulders as He
claws His way to the summit.
00:52:54.61\00:53:01.27
And what does He do,
the moment they hoist Him
00:53:01.30\00:53:03.99
and suspend Him
between heaven and earth
00:53:04.02\00:53:05.77
with this faltering
voice, the leader now must lead
00:53:05.80\00:53:09.64
and he speaks
faith into the darkness.
00:53:09.67\00:53:14.02
Speaks faith.
00:53:14.05\00:53:16.15
It is finished faith.
00:53:16.18\00:53:23.66
It looked like he
was finished for Jesus,
00:53:23.69\00:53:27.17
but He speaks it as faith.
00:53:27.20\00:53:28.93
The battle is
one injecting faith
00:53:28.96\00:53:36.69
into the darkness.
00:53:36.72\00:53:38.33
The only difference
with the Jesus story
00:53:38.36\00:53:39.69
and the Jonathan story is that
00:53:39.72\00:53:40.76
Jesus climbs to the mountaintop,
00:53:40.79\00:53:42.40
the enemy is prepared
00:53:42.43\00:53:43.71
and they slaughter Him on
that peak, they slaughter Him.
00:53:43.74\00:53:47.74
But in slaughtering Him, He won.
00:53:47.77\00:53:50.94
And guess what, the earth shook
00:53:50.97\00:53:53.51
beneath Him just like
Jonathan, the earth shook.
00:53:53.54\00:53:57.39
Guess what, the enemy fled
just like Jonathan when he won.
00:53:57.42\00:54:03.28
Ladies and gentlemen,
00:54:03.31\00:54:05.72
lesson seven is
absolutely clear.
00:54:05.75\00:54:10.78
"Stay behind
your divine Jonathan."
00:54:10.81\00:54:15.52
That's the secret,
00:54:15.55\00:54:16.76
it's the secret
of the armor-bearer.
00:54:16.79\00:54:18.64
He stayed right behind him,
every morning in this new year
00:54:18.67\00:54:22.63
that is about to begin,
every morning in this new year
00:54:22.66\00:54:26.53
that is about to
begin, you pray this prayer.
00:54:26.56\00:54:29.82
Good morning, Jesus.
00:54:29.85\00:54:34.16
What mountain will
you be climbing today?
00:54:34.19\00:54:38.44
'Cause I'm staying right
behind you the whole way.
00:54:38.47\00:54:42.83
Every morning
you pray this prayer.
00:54:42.86\00:54:47.07
Good morning God.
00:54:47.10\00:54:50.49
What mountain will
you be climbing today?
00:54:50.52\00:54:55.81
'Cause I by your
grace will be behind you,
00:54:55.84\00:54:59.25
right behind you all the way.
00:54:59.28\00:55:05.47
You climb mount
Calvary everyday.
00:55:05.50\00:55:08.62
I told you last week and
I'm gonna repeat it today.
00:55:08.65\00:55:10.95
Matthew 27: 24-54
00:55:10.98\00:55:13.78
read the story of
the cross everyday.
00:55:13.81\00:55:16.63
The mountain He
conquered for you and me,
00:55:16.66\00:55:18.78
get it in His
step right behind him.
00:55:18.81\00:55:21.47
Read Calvary
everyday and pray that prayer.
00:55:21.50\00:55:24.96
I'm ready, what mountain
00:55:24.99\00:55:26.72
will you be
climbing today, mister?
00:55:26.75\00:55:31.90
And you know what he says.
00:55:31.93\00:55:33.90
He says from mount Calvary
the very words of Jonathan
00:55:33.93\00:55:36.84
to his armor-bearer.
00:55:36.87\00:55:38.95
You climb up after me,
boy, girl, you climb after me.
00:55:38.98\00:55:44.06
I go first, I'm the leader,
00:55:44.09\00:55:46.99
you are the
follower, you understand that.
00:55:47.02\00:55:48.69
You don't go up any
mountain on your own.
00:55:48.72\00:55:51.04
You follow me, I
will go, you follow.
00:55:51.07\00:55:55.70
I'll lead, you
follow, I lead, you follow.
00:55:55.73\00:56:01.23
"I will follow thee, my Savior,
00:56:01.26\00:56:04.50
wheresoe'er my lot may be.
00:56:04.53\00:56:08.62
Where thou goest I will follow,
00:56:08.65\00:56:12.58
Yes my Lord, I
will follow thee."
00:56:12.61\00:56:19.74
Halleluiah.
00:56:19.77\00:56:22.55
I'd like to take a moment here
00:56:22.58\00:56:23.65
at the end of the
service to tell you about
00:56:23.68\00:56:25.23
one of the most
important groups of people
00:56:25.26\00:56:27.11
that make this
ministry possible.
00:56:27.14\00:56:30.14
They are a team of
people, they are not afraid
00:56:30.17\00:56:32.19
to get down into the
thick of life itself,
00:56:32.22\00:56:35.19
which is why
you're gonna find them,
00:56:35.22\00:56:36.48
you will find them
moving forward on their knees.
00:56:36.51\00:56:39.86
There are prayer partners.
00:56:39.89\00:56:41.61
A group of men and
women and young adults
00:56:41.64\00:56:44.66
who believe that this
humble television ministry
00:56:44.69\00:56:47.57
has been raised up by
God for such a time as this.
00:56:47.60\00:56:50.01
And so they pray
earnestly that God would use
00:56:50.04\00:56:51.78
the preacher,
the God would use me,
00:56:51.81\00:56:54.18
the God would use the
countless other volunteers
00:56:54.21\00:56:56.79
to spread the everlasting gospel
00:56:56.82\00:56:59.24
and the word of God in ways
00:56:59.27\00:57:00.30
we could never
have imagined before.
00:57:00.33\00:57:02.33
They are the
ones who are praying
00:57:02.36\00:57:03.87
that God is gonna open
up the hearts of people,
00:57:03.90\00:57:07.03
open up the hearts of
viewers around the world
00:57:07.06\00:57:09.95
for the message,
the critical message
00:57:09.98\00:57:12.13
for this end time generation.
00:57:12.16\00:57:14.95
And what I'd
like to do is ask you,
00:57:14.98\00:57:17.00
would you be willing to
be a prayer partner with us?
00:57:17.03\00:57:19.73
A prayer partner
with New Perceptions.
00:57:19.76\00:57:21.42
You don't have to
call a toll free number,
00:57:21.45\00:57:23.13
you don't have to
go online to register.
00:57:23.16\00:57:25.12
All I need to know
is that you'd be willing
00:57:25.15\00:57:27.49
to lift this little ministry
up day after day after day.
00:57:27.52\00:57:33.45
Pray that somehow
through radio and television
00:57:33.48\00:57:36.88
and the web, God
will open up new doors,
00:57:36.91\00:57:39.24
new, new regions on earth
00:57:39.27\00:57:41.87
where the everlasting
gospel can be proclaimed.
00:57:41.90\00:57:44.43
There is no
question, the power of prayer
00:57:44.46\00:57:47.23
has the potential
to take this ministry
00:57:47.26\00:57:48.77
to places we could
never have imagined before.
00:57:48.80\00:57:52.21
So that's it, would
you please be willing
00:57:52.24\00:57:55.25
to partner with me in prayer.
00:57:55.28\00:57:56.86
The times are
urgent, the need is critical
00:57:56.89\00:58:00.33
and I hope you say yes.
00:58:00.36\00:58:02.32
Till we're together next time
00:58:02.35\00:58:04.49
may the prayer answering God
00:58:04.52\00:58:06.40
accompany you
every step of the way.
00:58:06.43\00:58:09.80