Participants: Pr. Dwight Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP082512
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00:06 From the campus of Andrews University,
00:08 this is New Perceptions with Dr. Dwight K. Nelson. 00:26 Oh, Lord my God When I in awesome wonder 00:33 Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made 00:40 I see the stars I hear the rolling thunder 00:47 Thy power throughout The universe displayed. 00:52 Then sings my soul. 00:55 Then sings my soul 00:57 My Savior God to Thee 01:02 How great Thou art How great Thou art 01:10 Then sings my soul 01:12 My Savior God to Thee 01:17 How great Thou art How great Thou art 01:25 And when I think That God, 01:29 His son not sparing Sent Him to die 01:35 I scarce can take it in 01:40 That on the cross My burden gladly bearing 01:47 He bled and died To take away my sin 01:54 Then sings my soul My Savior God to Thee 02:02 How great Thou art How great Thou art 02:10 Then sings my soul My Savior God to Thee 02:17 How great Thou art How great Thou art 02:25 When Christ shall come With shout of acclamation 02:32 And take me home What joy shall fill my heart 02:40 Then I shall bow In humble adoration 02:47 And there proclaim 02:50 My God how great Thou art 02:55 Then sings my soul My Savior God to Thee 03:03 How great Thou art How great Thou art 03:11 Then sings my soul My Savior God to Thee 03:19 How great Thou art How great Thou art 03:26 Then sings my soul. 03:28 Then sings my soul My Savior God to Thee 03:37 How great Thou art 03:41 How great Thou art 03:45 Then sings my soul My Savior God to Thee 03:54 How great Thou art 04:00 How great Thou art 04:11 Join us as we sing. 04:13 I will sing of my redeemer. 04:20 I will sing. 04:21 I will sing of my Redeemer 04:25 He who took the nails from me 04:29 I've been purchased I've been pardoned 04:33 Bound to Him I'm truly free 04:38 I will sing of my Redeemer 04:42 Lift my voice to praise my Lord 04:46 Ransomed by His Blood and mercy 04:50 I am His forevermore 05:00 I will sing. 05:02 I will sing of my Redeemer 05:06 How He sought me while a slave 05:10 Loosed me from the curse of sin 05:13 And from the power of the grave 05:18 I will sing of my Redeemer 05:23 Lift my voice to praise my Lord 05:26 Ransomed by His Blood and mercy 05:30 I am His forevermore 05:42 I will sing of my Redeemer 05:46 He who bore my cross, my curse 05:50 Came a servant, chose to suffer 05:54 Lifted up and cast from earth 05:58 I will sing of my Redeemer 06:02 Lift my voice to praise my Lord 06:06 Ransomed by His Blood and mercy 06:10 I am His forevermore 06:22 I will sing of my Redeemer 06:26 Tell about the grace I've known 06:30 Here on earth with those forgiven 06:34 And one day around His throne 06:39 I will sing of my Redeemer 06:43 Lift my voice to praise my Lord 06:47 Ransomed by His Blood and mercy 06:51 I am His forevermore 06:57 Ransomed by... 06:59 Ransomed by His Blood and mercy 07:03 I am His forevermore 07:11 Amen. Hallelujah. 07:14 All right, show-and-tell time, 07:16 show-and-tell time, 07:17 I have my little summer show-and-tell. 07:20 I want to show you what's inside this bag 07:22 because this summer we went out to Lake Tahoe. 07:25 Anybody know where Lake Tahoe is? 07:28 It's in America, it's in a state 07:31 all the way out on the west 07:32 and it's the state of California. 07:35 You nailed it today hadn't they class. 07:37 So we went out to Lake Tahoe because we, 07:39 my brother and sister and our spouses 07:42 we wanted to celebrate my mother with her husband Berg 07:45 and so we brought mom up to Lake Tahoe in a cabin 07:49 and we had just four wonderful days together. 07:51 Now along the way, 07:54 I'm just outside minding my own business 07:56 when all of a sudden, I see one of these, 08:00 I say, wait a minute have you ever seen 08:03 anything that size before. 08:06 Is it safe to pick it up? 08:08 I reached down and I said 08:09 I'm going to try and I grabbed it. 08:14 Set it in my suitcase, my carry on suitcase, 08:17 passed TSA all the way back to Berrien Springs 08:20 and here it is. 08:21 Look what... 08:23 Have you ever seen one as big as this? 08:27 Wow! 08:28 Wow! 08:29 Anybody know what this is? 08:33 What is it? 08:35 A pine cone straight from... 08:39 Wow, it hurts. Ooh, ouch! 08:42 Straight from Lake Tahoe, California. 08:45 Let me show you about this pine cone. 08:48 This is the largest pine cone I've seen. 08:51 So I said I'm bringing it home, 08:52 I'm going to put it right here in my office 08:54 so anytime you come to visit, 08:55 you'll be able to look at it, touch it. 08:57 This is a pine cone and guess what, 08:59 I started doing study on pine cones 09:01 and I found out this is a girl pine cone. 09:04 What? 09:06 That's why I got stuck. 09:10 This is a girl pine cone. 09:12 They have boy pine cones and girl pine cones. 09:16 This little pine cone and you say 09:19 ''Pastor, but how do you know the difference.' 09:21 ' I had to read up on it but here is how it works. 09:24 Jesus the creator who made us all, 09:27 when He designed pine cones, now this is going to be way... 09:30 This is going to be something else. 09:32 When He designed pine cones, He designed them 09:36 mathematically perfect and here is how we know 09:39 it's mathematically perfect. 09:42 Fibonacci, the Fibonacci numbers, 09:45 listen to this guys... 09:47 Have you ever seen a Fibonacci? 09:48 You're looking at one. 09:49 The Fibonacci numbers go like this, the next... 09:52 They always begins 01 09:54 the next number is always 09:56 the combination of the two before 09:58 and you just keep adding them 09:59 and they get huge and they form a spiral. 10:02 God, when Jesus created pine cones 10:04 He made them to fit 10:06 what's called the golden spiral, 10:08 the Fibonacci numbers. 10:11 A mathematician obviously created this world. 10:15 The scientists now are amazed 10:17 that they are finding the golden spiral in shells, 10:20 sea shells, pine cones, it's everywhere. 10:23 The secret formula 10:25 we discovered somebody designed this. 10:27 So when God designed the girl pine cone, 10:31 He made this little, these look like petals, 10:34 they're wooden petals. 10:36 You know what a pine cone is. 10:37 He made these petals so that the very back of the petals 10:41 there is a little ovule, that little, 10:43 there are two of them at the back 10:45 of every one of these petals. 10:47 And when the weather gets warm in the pine cone, 10:51 the little girl pine cone is growing up, 10:53 when the weather gets warm, 10:54 she begins to spread her little wooden petals. 10:59 She spreads them out, the weather is warmer 11:02 and it's drier, and she does that for a reason 11:05 because the male, 11:06 the boy pine cones, they are tiny. 11:09 The boy pine cones put out a little pollen, 11:13 just a little pollen. 11:15 It gets in the air and the warm air breezes 11:18 when the girl pine cone has spread her petals, 11:22 the pollen from the boy pine cones goes inside, 11:25 gets lands on that little tiny, 11:29 those little tiny spots at the back. 11:31 The pine cone then as it gets cooler shuts down 11:34 between 6 months and 24 months the pine cone, 11:38 the little girl pine cone is fertilizing 11:41 and growing that seed 24 months maximum later 11:45 she then it's summer time again, 11:47 she opens up her petals and there they go, 11:51 now the fertilized seed now goes, 11:56 opens up so that the wind can carry it 11:58 as far as it can go. 11:59 Look at that. Look at this pine cone. 12:02 This little pine cone has all of that in it and guess what? 12:07 This pine cone is a reminder 12:09 that you can't be good just by yourself. 12:12 You were designed by the creator, 12:15 you need others. 12:17 Pine cones can't live all alone, 12:18 they need others. 12:20 Animals need others. 12:21 Plants and flowers and honeybees need others. 12:24 People need others. 12:25 Children in the church of Jesus need others. 12:30 We can't just go alone. 12:32 We were made to be together. 12:35 Let me hear you say that word. 12:37 We were made to be, what's the word? 12:40 Oh, it's little stronger on this side, let me try. 12:42 We were made to be? Together. 12:45 Oh, now I think this side has it. 12:46 We were made to be? Together! 12:49 Let's do it all together. 12:51 We were made to be together. 12:55 How many of you thank for Jesus 12:57 with such beautiful mathematical 12:59 precision has made us, 13:00 and how many want to say, Jesus, 13:02 please I want to be together with your friends 13:07 until You come. 13:08 Ah! 13:10 We started this last Sabbath and it went so well, 13:11 I'm going to do it again this Sabbath, 13:13 instead of having a junior pastor this year 13:15 because we took a survey and people say, 13:16 why don't you try this? 13:18 I'm going to ask is there a volunteer for prayer. 13:22 Now last Sabbath there was a young lady, 13:24 so I'm going to look for a young man. 13:26 Yes, I want to see that young man right on the back. 13:29 Come on up here. 13:31 Aden, come on up 13:33 and we're going to close our eyes 13:35 and fold our hands as Aden thanks Jesus for making us 13:39 with such beautiful precision to be together. 13:44 Just hold that real close. 13:45 Dear, Jesus, I just thank you for this wonderful day 13:47 and thank you that we're all here today and just, 13:51 I think please help us to all have a fun time 13:53 the rest of the day we have today, 13:55 in the name we pray, amen. 13:56 Amen. That works for me. 13:57 Thank you, Aden. 13:59 And thank you boys and girls as you go quietly 14:01 and reverently back to your seats. 14:03 You could be saying thank you to Jesus in your heart. 14:05 Thank you for making us so that we could be together. 14:09 God bless you. Happy Sabbath. 14:23 Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace 14:37 Where there is hatred, let me sow love 14:44 Where there is injury, pardon 14:51 Where there is doubt, faith 14:58 Where there is despair, hope 15:05 Where there is darkness, light 15:11 Where there is sadness, joy 15:20 O Divine Master Grant that 15:26 I may not so much seek 15:34 To be consoled as to console 15:41 To be understood as to understand 15:47 To be loved as to love 15:55 For it is in giving 16:02 that we receive 16:08 It is in pardoning 16:15 that we are pardoned 16:21 It is in dying 16:31 that we are born 16:38 to eternal life 17:03 Thank you, Charles Reid. 17:06 Let's pray together. 17:08 Oh, God make us instruments of Your peace. 17:14 That's what your friends are for 17:16 on this planet dark night, 17:18 bright day, it doesn't mater, 17:21 make us instruments of Your peace 17:24 and in this teaching call us, 17:26 call us to the journey 17:31 that is led by the Lord Jesus Himself, 17:33 in His name we pray, amen. 17:36 Did you hear about apple this week? 17:39 Apple, can you believe it. Wow! 17:41 I'm talking about Apple, the company. 17:43 Everybody knows the logo of Apple, 17:46 the maker of the iPhone, the iPad, the iPod, 17:51 the Mac computer system Apple. 17:56 This week became the most valuable. 18:00 We're talking about market capitalization here, 18:03 the most valuable company on earth. 18:05 The value determined this week 18:07 as those stocks continue to sale 18:09 and they're expensive stocks 18:11 $623 billion, Apple Company. 18:14 The closest competitor is ExxonMobil at $405 billon, 18:20 that's number two. 18:21 Microsoft the arch rival of Apple 18:25 weighs in at $273 billion. 18:28 In fact, now Apple is worth more than 18:30 Microsoft and Google combined. 18:34 In fact, in fact, two in facts, 18:37 Apple at its valuation of $623 billion 18:40 is now higher than the GDP, 18:43 the gross domestic product of Switzerland 18:47 or Venezuela or Saudi Arabia. 18:51 Wow! 18:53 What's the big deal about Apple? 18:55 Ah! 18:56 Apple has mastered the simple. 19:00 Apple simple, you just have one big old dial 19:03 on the front, 19:04 all you have to do is just know where to touch that dial 19:07 and you have music. 19:08 You have what's embedded in that piece of genius. 19:12 Apple does life simply. 19:15 Wouldn't it be wonderful if the church would do life 19:18 just as simply as Apple, maybe she does, 19:21 connect, grow, surf, go, 19:27 may be it really is that's simple do in church. 19:31 Put the title slide for the number two, 19:33 this is only a little parter we began at last week, 19:35 we end it today. 19:36 Simple Church for unSimple Times 19:38 and oh, mine, the times are extremely unsimple. 19:41 Connect, grow, serve, go. 19:42 Thank you Charles Reid for reminding us of that line. 19:47 Today we want to get to the grow. 19:49 We want to get to the grow 19:50 and then we'll drop this for a while. 19:54 But is the church really that simple. 19:56 If you thought last week's parable was peculiar, 19:58 wait till you take a look at this one. 20:00 Two back to back parables. 20:01 Jesus is going to sound like He is repeating Himself, 20:05 but at the moment we plunge deeper, 20:07 you're going to see this is radically different. 20:09 Let's go to the second parable. 20:11 Feels and sounds like where we were last week, 20:13 but now we are in the Gospel of Mathew. 20:14 Open your Bible please to the Gospel of Mathew. 20:17 This one is down right provocative, 20:19 Mathew Chapter 22. 20:20 I'm in the New King James Version. 20:22 You can grab the pew Bible... 20:24 Listen, if you didn't bring your Bible, 20:25 grab the pew Bible in front of you. 20:26 You gonna want to track this unusual, unusual parable. 20:30 This is Mathew 22. 20:32 Jesus will be dead in just a few days now. 20:35 Some things on His heart and mind 20:36 and He saves it till now. 20:38 Mathew 22 will pick it up in the first verse. 20:41 In the pew Bible it will be page 665. 20:45 Here we go, Mathew 22:1, 20:47 "And Jesus answered and spoke to them 20:49 again by parables and said:" Verse 2, 20:51 "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king 20:53 who arranged a marriage for his son." 20:55 Verse 3, "And he sent out his servants to call 20:58 those who were invited to the wedding, 20:59 and they were not willing to come." 21:01 You say, Wow, Dwight, I told you this is same. 21:03 Sounds familiar not the same, don't get excited. 21:07 Last week in Luke 14 it was a host 21:09 who was having his closest friends over. 21:12 This is now a key. 21:13 We are not dealing with the host here, 21:15 we're dealing with the majestic king 21:16 who is throwing a lavish banquet 21:19 for the marriage of his son. 21:21 I mean come on, not unlike Queen Elizabeth, 21:26 God bless her. 21:27 When she threw that massive, majestic, 21:31 lavish banquet for our favorite royals, 21:35 put them on the screen please, 21:36 Prince William and his lovely Kate. 21:39 Everybody knows, the world knows 21:40 who those two are. 21:41 The whole world saw this. 21:43 Now look at it in the next picture, 21:44 the whole world, 21:45 the kiss scene around the world, 21:47 heard around the world. 21:49 So what do we have? 21:50 We have a royal wedding just like that. 21:51 The king has invited his friends to attend, 21:53 and can you believe this without any excuses, 21:56 last week they had excuses, this week no excuses, 21:58 they just say ''No, I'm not coming.' 22:01 ' But it gets even worse, watch this. 22:04 Verse 3 again, "So the king sent out his servants 22:07 to call those who were invited to the wedding, 22:09 and they were not willing to come." 22:12 Verse 4, "Again, the king sent out 22:14 other servants..." 22:15 They didn't get it, now you go and he said them, 22:18 ''Tell those who are invited, 22:20 "See, I have prepared my dinner, 22:22 my oxen and fatted cattle are killed..." 22:25 Okay, so the king is not really in the story 22:28 into a low class drama, 22:29 we are not going to hold that against the king, 22:31 okay, so that's their dinner. 22:33 See he says, "My fatted cattle and the oxen are killed, 22:39 and all things are ready. 22:41 Come, come, come to the wedding." 22:45 Verse 5, "But they, the ones receiving 22:47 the re-invitation made light of it 22:49 and went on their way, one to his own farm, 22:50 another to his business." 22:52 Verse 6, Kenny, I told you it gets worse. 22:54 Verse 6, "And the rest seized his servants, 22:56 treated them spitefully, and killed them." 22:59 Can you believe it? 23:01 Is this the way you respond to a servant of the king? 23:04 Commentators and scholars were clear. 23:06 Ladies and gentlemen, that Jesus is skillfully here 23:08 telling the story of the Jewish leaders 23:11 and their nation without mentioning any names. 23:18 The tale of the Old Testament. 23:19 It's a story of a heartbroken God over and over, 23:21 prophet after prophet pleading with his people, 23:24 come back to me, come back to me. 23:27 And now the son of the king is standing in their very midst 23:31 and they're going to kill him in a matter of hours. 23:37 Verse 7, "But when the king heard about it, 23:41 he was furious. 23:43 And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, 23:46 and burned up their city." 23:48 In that single cryptic line, Jesus is announcing 23:52 the impending fate of Jerusalem. 23:54 Forty years from right now, 23:55 I'm telling you the story today. 23:57 Forty years from now 70 AD, the Roman General Titus 24:01 will erased the city in second and burn it to the ground 24:05 70 AD, 40 years. 24:09 Cryptic announcement. 24:11 Yeah, but you say, listen, 24:13 what kind of a mean king is this? 24:16 You don't come to my party, I'm going to kill you. 24:19 David Redding in his provocative book 24:20 the parables he told. 24:22 He responds to that. 24:23 Let me put the words on the screen for you, 24:25 this is David Redding, 24:26 "Now look God is no petulant child 24:29 getting back at those who hurt His feelings. 24:31 The parable is suggesting, I like this, 24:33 the parable is suggesting that mortality is our chance." 24:38 Mortality means this life right now, 24:40 you are alive, this is your chance. 24:41 "The parable is suggesting the mortality is our chance 24:44 that there is something conclusive 24:45 about our life here. 24:46 Our death signals the end, not of an inning, 24:49 but of a game. 24:50 It's over, listen, we are not going into extra innings, 24:53 it's over. 24:55 All God's mercy, reading on... 24:57 "All God's mercy cannot erase the final score." 25:00 The score you are tabulating today 25:02 makes the difference, 25:04 that's the point, You can't just turn down 25:05 the invitation right and left say, 25:07 well, I'm not into this. 25:08 Yes, you are going to get the score you made. 25:13 All God's mercy, Redding writing, 25:15 cannot erase the final score and when we lose this life, 25:18 oh my, we will lose an advantage 25:21 that belonged to it alone... 25:24 What we are respecting here 25:26 is the guest's awesome privilege to refuse." 25:30 Isn't that something? 25:33 It may be our awesome privilege to refuse, 25:34 ladies and gentlemen, 25:36 but who but a fool would exercise that privilege. 25:41 Not if you really, not if she, 25:43 not if he really knew the king, 25:45 why would you say no to an invitation like this. 25:52 Verse 8, "Then he said to his servants, okay, 25:57 plan B 'The wedding is ready, 26:00 but those who were invited were not worthy." 26:02 Verse 9, "Therefore go into the highways 26:05 and as many as you find, invite to the wedding." 26:09 Can you believe that? 26:10 I mean, can you imagine we go into the mail box, 26:11 opening the mail box 26:13 and here with the British stamp cancel on it, 26:16 Buckingham Palace in the return address, 26:18 I have an invitation from Queen Elizabeth, 26:24 her majesty, to come to the banquet 26:27 of William and Kate. 26:29 Would you go if you got the invitation? 26:31 I know you would row the Atlantic to go 26:34 if that's what it took. 26:35 I'm not as hopelessly romantic as you. 26:38 I mean who would turn down the invitation, 26:41 if the Queen herself said, 26:43 come to my party for my grandson's wedding, 26:47 and that's what's happening here. 26:49 Very few people 26:51 get an invitation to so exclusive an event as that 26:54 which makes the king's command so outstanding, 26:56 and I like it in the NIV. 26:57 Look at this in the NIV. 26:59 The king tells his servants, "Invite anyone you can find." 27:02 Anybody, if he is breathing, if she is breathing, 27:05 extend the invitation, bring them 27:07 to this big and lavish event. 27:14 Do you know why the king issues that command? 27:16 I'll tell you why? 27:17 Because God is huge 27:23 on connecting with lost people. 27:25 That's why He is just big 27:30 on saving lost people. 27:34 We noted that in that other parable, 27:36 the matching parable last week. 27:37 In fact, the key line last week was this one. 27:40 Remember God says "That My house may be filled." 27:42 That's what I want, just fill this house up, 27:44 fill this house up. 27:46 I want my house full. 27:47 This week how does he put it? 27:49 He says "Invite anyone you find." 27:50 So those two phrases can actually be combined 27:51 to a single passionate command. 27:54 "Invite anyone you find that my house may be filled." 27:58 Because God is huge on connecting with lost people, 28:03 right? 28:04 Now look at, it I know what occurs to you. 28:06 Okay, Dwight, understand, yep, God is that way. 28:08 I know that the corollary conclusion 28:11 you already know it. 28:12 I mean look at it, 28:13 if God is so big on connecting with lost people, 28:17 the church ought to be big, 28:20 pretty big on connecting with lost people shouldn't we? 28:25 Of course which is why the simple mission 28:29 of the Pioneer Memorial Church 28:32 is the simple line that begins with a simple word. 28:36 Let's put it on the screen. 28:38 It begins with the word Connect. 28:41 That's a simple mission. 28:44 Can it be as simple as Apple? 28:46 Why not? 28:47 Connect, connect, 28:49 which is why by the way in every worship service 28:52 where you come to this church at the end of the teaching, 28:55 we'll end with something called the connect card. 28:57 It's in your bulletin right now. 28:59 In fact you want to reach and say, 29:00 Dwight, does my bulletin really have one. 29:01 It has one. 29:03 A connect card, what's the connect card about? 29:05 It gives a special opportunity to every worshiper, 29:07 guest or member, young or aged or in between, 29:11 red or yellow, black and white, 29:12 it doesn't matter saved or lost, 29:13 it doesn't matter. 29:15 This little connect card 29:16 is coming up in just a moment 29:18 and it would be an opportunity for you and me 29:19 to connect with God. 29:20 Reconnect if necessary but connect, 29:24 because God is huge on connecting. 29:27 We're not gonna over the card, we did that last week. 29:29 But I'm gonna play for you right now a video clip of why. 29:32 Now, listen to this. 29:33 A video clip of why I am so sold out 29:37 on this connect cards. 29:38 Watch this, this happened in February, 29:41 the last Sabbath of this of the last semester. 29:44 I sat on that row and I watched this testimony. 29:47 Let's go, Chris Sovey. 29:50 My name is Chris Sovey. 29:52 I grew up in Central Michigan and originally I was a nurse 29:56 and I moved out here to continue 29:58 my education actually as a physical therapist 30:00 for a change of careers, 30:02 and during that time 30:03 I found that I was seeking some answers 30:07 to some pretty tough spiritual questions 30:10 and I read a lot of different books 30:11 and try to find the answers in another places 30:14 but I could not find them, 30:15 so one time when I was actually here for service at PMC, 30:20 I happened to be listening pretty closely and filled out 30:23 one of connect cards and hopes that might help 30:27 find some answers so. 30:30 I immediately got response back from Bradley 30:32 and soon after I started the baptismal classes 30:35 which led me down the path 30:37 of trying to built a stronger relationship 30:39 with the Lord. 30:41 I think during my undergraduate studies, 30:42 I had kind of fallen out of that 30:44 but this has given me an opportunity on to, 30:47 to get back on track with that, 30:48 and so the Baptist, the baptism 30:50 itself means a lot to me 30:52 as a symbol to strengthen that relationship 30:55 and to just press on, 30:56 so I can find the answers to those questions. 31:00 Is that cool or what? 31:02 I sat in the first row 31:04 last Sabbath of the school year, 31:06 saw that tape played and I said, 31:08 oh, thank you Jesus. 31:09 That's why that connect card is so vital 31:14 to the mission of anybody that calls itself 31:17 the community of Christ. 31:18 You know, we can put on an inspiring service, 31:21 pull all the whistles and bells, 31:22 but if you in and there is no opportunity for connect, 31:26 what have you done? 31:27 What have we done? 31:29 We've missed the golden moment, an opportunity. 31:34 Thank you Chris for that testimony. 31:36 God is huge on connecting with those children. 31:39 Let's put that line again on the screen. 31:41 "Invite anyone you find, 31:43 anyone you find that my house may be filled." 31:46 Two parables, one passion, Connect. 31:49 It's God's passion, it must be our passion. 31:51 Which is why beginning next Sabbath, 31:53 we launch our brand new worship paradigm. 31:55 Should have gotten a letter 31:56 if you're member of this congregation. 31:58 Should have got a letter yesterday from me. 31:59 Let me just run it by you one more time. 32:02 What's the reason for this shift of paradigm? 32:04 Let's put the sentence on the screen again please, 32:07 "Because Sabbath morning is the most opportune time 32:10 to connect people with God." 32:12 It's not Wednesday night, it's not Friday night. 32:15 It was a joy last night by the way, 32:16 400 plus freshmen crowded into the front. 32:19 They put up this beautiful cloth of wall, 32:22 so everybody is crowded up here and I got to preach to them. 32:25 I'm telling we got a great new class that's moving in. 32:28 And I'm praying that they will take over. 32:31 Friday night's great, my young friend, 32:33 Evan Knott's gonna be doing university vespers 32:36 every Friday night now and I've seen his line up, 32:39 it's gonna be an incredible experience, 32:40 you gonna want him. 32:41 It's not just for students by the way, Evan is very clear, 32:44 faculty staff and community invited. 32:46 When you see some of the speakers, 32:47 you will be here. 32:49 But Friday night is not the most 32:50 significant time to connect, 32:52 Sabbath morning is, not Monday, not Tuesday, 32:55 not Sunday, Sabbath morning 32:58 "because Sabbath morning is the most opportune time 33:01 to connect people with God." 33:02 Now the sentence finishes. 33:03 "We need to make Sabbath morning the most accessible 33:05 time for people to connect with God." 33:08 That's what it's about. 33:09 Making it user friendly. 33:11 It's no secret that we have a significant number 33:13 of students on this campus 33:15 who either sleep through the morning in their residences 33:17 or are simply disconnected with God, church, worship 33:22 which means that if we are to take seriously 33:26 our commission to connect, we have to make 33:29 whatever it is as user friendly as possible. 33:33 So what we decided to do 33:35 as whack the worship services down. 33:36 This is the last of the 90 minute service, 33:38 starting next week 75 minutes long. 33:41 We've whacked them, mow down 15 minutes each. 33:43 We've take another 10 minutes 33:44 and now with that extra 40 minutes 33:46 we're starting everything later. 33:48 Let's put the time, the new paradigm 33:49 on the screen please. 33:50 First Celebration: 9 o'clock in the morning. 33:53 I tell you what, no more children stories 33:54 in second service, so if children you want to come. 33:57 You want a children story, just give mom and dad, 33:59 look it, they got longer to sleep in now, 34:04 9 o'clock in the morning. 34:05 9 to 10:15, 15 minutes break, then we'll have Sabbath school 34:08 across campus just one hour long. 34:10 Children's divisions have always been 34:12 only one hour long. 34:13 Second Celebration after 15 minutes break, 34:15 next Sabbath 11:45, 75 fast minutes packed, 34:23 but our commandment is the same, 34:24 everything ends at one, 34:26 everything ends at one. 34:28 We think if we can make this services user friendly, 34:31 some of you will switch to first service 34:33 for your children they will be their freshest 34:35 and the quietest. 34:38 Some of you will come, 34:40 some others will come by your invitation to second. 34:44 Look it. 34:46 How did the King put it? 34:48 He said, I want you to go out there 34:49 and invite everybody you can that my house may be filled. 34:52 So here's the deal. 34:54 You invite your friend. Here's the deal. 34:56 You invite your friend here 34:58 and the Holy Spirit will take it from here. 35:02 You just bring your friend here, 35:04 he will take it from there. 35:07 Just like that video clip, we saw a moment ago 35:08 that young man sits down in church, the card's there, 35:11 he makes the decision. 35:13 Immediately somebody contacts him within 48 hours. 35:16 Let's put it on one more time. 35:17 "Invite anyone you find that My House may be filled." 35:21 But now I need you to notice please 35:23 the provocative punch line to this radically now. 35:25 Here goes the digression from any similarities 35:28 with last week. 35:29 Let's pick it up in verse 9. 35:31 "'Therefore, the king's instructions to the servants, 35:34 go into the highways, and as many as you find, 35:36 invite to the wedding.' 35:38 ' Verse 10, "So those servants went out into the highways 35:41 and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. 35:47 Oh, isn't that something, both bad and good, 35:51 and the wedding hall was filled with guests." 35:55 Verse 11, "But when the king came in to see the guests..." 35:58 Oh, oh. 35:59 "He saw a man there 36:01 who did not have a wedding garment." 36:05 I mean that would be like Queen Elizabeth, of course, 36:07 we already got to this. 36:08 Yes, I rode, I get there, 36:09 so you're at Buckingham Palace now. 36:12 The man by the way did not show up naked. 36:14 Isn't it some kind of inappropriate? 36:15 It's just a street dress. 36:17 It's okay, it's okay to show up to God in your street dress. 36:20 But if you went to Buckingham Palace 36:22 for this big wedding banquet 36:23 you have a tall English butler to meet you at the door. 36:28 And he would announce to you 36:30 that you gonna take those clothes off 36:34 and we will provide for you the Queen's tuxedo. 36:37 Now wouldn't you take it? 36:39 You say, oh, I got to keep these jeans on. 36:40 No. 36:41 They say we gonna give you a tuxedo. 36:43 You put the tuxedo on. 36:44 They did that in the time of Christ. 36:46 Why the man refused the wedding robe is beyond me? 36:51 I don't understand it. 36:54 Verse 11 again, "But when the king came in 36:56 to see the guests, he saw a man there 36:58 who did not have on a wedding garment. 37:01 So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here, 37:07 how did you get in here without a wedding garment?" 37:11 I love what the king calls the man, 37:14 that the king has made sure 37:15 would be at that wedding banquet. 37:16 Don't you love that, he calls him friend. 37:18 Not you, you, no clothes? 37:25 He comes to him, he gets up to him, 37:26 he says, hey, friend. 37:28 What's up? 37:29 Where's your tux? 37:34 That we're friend. 37:35 I'm not surprised that it only appears in Matthew. 37:38 In fact, it appears in Matthew three times. 37:41 It's always on the lips of God. 37:43 You see Matthew, Matthew was that tax collector, 37:47 the hated scum. 37:50 Whenever they talked about tax collectors, 37:52 they always clump them together with sinners, 37:55 tax collectors and sinners. 37:56 And for as long as he would live, 37:59 Matthew would never forget that golden afternoon 38:04 when a young Rabbi walked up to his toll booth, 38:08 his tax booth, 38:09 and he looked into his dark eyes, and he said, 38:12 I want you to come and follow me. 38:16 Matthew's heart was won by the friendship 38:20 of the incarnate God, so it's Matthew, 38:23 it's only in Matthew 38:24 where Jesus standing in the orange flicker 38:27 of Gethsemane at that early morning hour. 38:29 Jesus looks into the haunted face 38:31 of his betrayer. 38:33 And only in Matthew does Jesus call Judas friend. 38:38 What are you doing? 38:40 Only in Matthew the two parables 38:42 that both of the protagonist representing God himself, 38:45 the generous employer and the surprised king, 38:49 only in Matthew. 38:51 Do the God figures calls the individual, 38:54 the antagonist friend? 38:56 Three times in Matthew, three times on the lips of God. 39:00 Matthew is moved by the friendship 39:02 that Jesus has offered him. 39:03 You know what, friendship apparently that Jesus offers 39:06 even when you have messed out, burned out and melted down. 39:14 Apparently Jesus calling Judas friend means, 39:19 no matter what your past has been, 39:22 no matter what you're doing right now. 39:25 If you'll give me a chance, I offer you my friendship. 39:32 How could you say no to a God who calls you friend? 39:41 Verse 12, "So he said to him, 'Friend, 39:45 how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' 39:48 And he was speechless." 39:52 Because what can you say, 39:53 when God has not only given you a personal invitation 39:55 at the greatest event in the history 39:56 of the universe and you have, 39:58 the invitation is written in your name. 40:00 When God has given you that invitation 40:02 and has made every provision for you to stay 40:04 in that party for the rest of eternity. 40:06 What do you gonna say? 40:07 You would be speechless. 40:10 What am I gonna do? 40:12 Come here for some numb numb and then leave, how crass. 40:21 That's all he came for, he came for to eat, 40:23 he came for the job and he is speechless, 40:27 what can you say? 40:29 How much simpler for me to admit 40:31 my deep need and accept his spotless robe. 40:35 When I mow our lawn, spring, summer and autumn. 40:39 I put the same clothes on week after week, 40:42 and I wash them every three months 40:44 whether they needed or not. 40:49 We are talking stinky, we're talking sweat, 40:53 we're talking smelly. 40:56 The Bible tells me, Dwight, 40:58 put your best on in front of God 41:00 and the moral best I have is that stinky 41:05 grass mowing garments. 41:08 Isaiah 64 comes along, he says, you know what, Dwight, 41:11 filthy rags, that you're wearing, 41:13 filthy rags, but hallelujah before Isaiah 64 got written, 41:16 Isaiah 61 got written and I love this, 41:18 Isaiah crying out to God, 41:20 "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, 41:21 My soul shall be joyful in my God, 41:23 for He has clothed me, 41:25 wow, with the garments of salvation." 41:26 Keep reading. 41:27 "He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, 41:30 as a bridegroom decks himself..." 41:32 Oh, this is a wedding robe. 41:33 "As a bridegroom decks himself with ornament, 41:36 and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." 41:38 I am covered with the new robe from God Himself. 41:43 Wow, Christ's Object Lessons describe the robe this way. 41:47 I put it on the screen for you. 41:49 "This robe, woven in the loom..." 41:52 That's how you make textile, you need a loom. 41:54 "This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, 41:56 has in it not one thread of human devising." 41:58 Not a single stitch, hey, this is the Dwight stitch, 42:00 God got to have just a little bit me. 42:02 Here's my Dwight stitch. 42:03 No, not in the robe God gives. 42:04 Not a single Dwight stitch in that garment. 42:07 Not a single thread of human devising. 42:10 Keep reading. 42:11 "Christ in His humanity wrought out 42:13 a perfect character..." 42:14 You can read perfect life if you wish. 42:16 "And this character, this life He offers to impart to us." 42:21 Take my life, I'll take your, oh, 42:22 I'll take your filthy rags 42:24 and you put on my spotless robe. 42:27 "It is the righteousness of Christ, 42:28 His own unblemished character that through faith is imparted 42:31 to all who receive Him as their personal Savior." 42:35 Ladies and gentlemen, that is how we grow, 42:38 we connect with Christ. 42:40 We receive Him as our personal Savior 42:42 and immediately grow kicks in. 42:45 We immediately, 42:47 because He says take the rags off, 42:49 wear this, it's spotless, immediately grow, 42:54 we begin to grow. 42:56 In fact, let's put that graphic up. 42:58 Connect, we see Him as our personal Savior 43:01 and just boom just like that, grow kicks in. 43:05 And here what's so amazing, 43:07 I needed you to catch this point, please. 43:09 We do not grow alone. 43:13 You cannot grow alone. 43:15 You can only grow in community. 43:18 Did you think the wedding hall was empty? 43:20 Are you kidding, it's packed. 43:22 We grow in community. 43:24 The community of others just like us. 43:26 Reminds me of this familiar words, 43:27 you remember these words 43:29 from the Book of Hebrews Chapter 10. 43:30 "And let us consider one another..." 43:32 Talking about growing together in community. 43:35 "Let's consider one another in order to stir up love 43:37 and good works, keep reading, not forsaking, 43:39 not forsaking of the assembling of ourselves together." 43:42 We got to reconnect again and again. 43:44 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, 43:46 as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, 43:49 and so much the more as you see the capital Day, 43:54 the D day of Jesus' returns 43:56 as you see that Day approaching." 43:57 We grow in community 44:00 which is a provocative point Jesus' 44:02 parable is making. 44:04 Look at, but I love this, look at verse 10. 44:07 "And so those servants went out into the highways 44:08 and gathered together, see that's the bringing together, 44:11 gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. 44:17 And the wedding hall was filled with guests." 44:20 They gathered together, both the bad and the good, 44:24 together that means in community, 44:26 but did you catch that both the bad and the good. 44:32 I love that picture of the church, don't you? 44:35 Because we're all filled with both the bad and the good. 44:41 Some people think the mission of the church 44:43 is to get the bad out, get them out, out, out, whoa. 44:46 Are we all good now? Is everybody in here good? 44:48 No. 44:49 If everybody in here is good, we have no longer church, 44:51 we are a museum of something that's never been done before. 45:00 We don't do the sorting out. 45:01 God says, you bring 'em all bad and good, 45:03 I'll take care of that at the end. 45:06 I love that picture of the church. 45:08 Apparently God intends for all of us to be together, 45:12 the alcoholic and sexually addicted 45:15 are to share the same space 45:17 with the proud and the self righteous. 45:19 Everybody's here together, why? 45:22 Because the good, when they hang around, 45:24 the bad develop a new sensitivity 45:26 and sympathy to have morally difficult 45:28 some people experience this life. 45:31 And the bad as they hang around with the good discover 45:34 how very possible the morally upright life really is. 45:39 We only grow when we're all together, bad and good. 45:46 We grow in Christ together like the children story, 45:50 together, that's the key. 45:53 Which is why this new school year, 45:55 come this winter in particular, 45:56 you gonna hear a lot more about grow, 45:59 because what's the bottom-line to grow? 46:02 What's the bottom-line of the grow line? 46:05 Together, together, to grow together, 46:08 that's the bottom-line. 46:09 If I were tweeting, 46:10 and I'm always amazed how many people 46:12 will take this line and immediately tweet it 46:13 because I am on Twitter as well. 46:15 If I were tweeting this line, I would do this way, 46:18 2gather 2gether 2grow 2gether. 46:22 That's what the grow line is all about, 46:24 2gather 2gether 2grow 2gether. 46:28 That's Pioneer's simple mission. 46:30 We can be simple as Apple, 46:31 2gather 2gether 2grow 2gether, 46:35 that's how we connect. 46:37 That's how we grow together, together. 46:43 All right take out your connect card 46:45 while we're together. 46:46 Would you take out your connect card, please? 46:48 Pastor sharing a moment ago, 46:49 talked about filling in the front. 46:51 Other way we have some visitors guests with us today, 46:54 delighted you're here. 46:56 I am really curious on that bottom-line, 46:57 if you're guests, how did hear about us? 46:59 Did you find this on Google? 47:02 Did a friend invite you? 47:04 Did you see it on television? 47:06 How did you hear about us? 47:08 That's very helpful for us to know. 47:10 What you put on here by the way members, 47:14 guests, it doesn't matter, we all fill this card, 47:15 I like to write my card in as well. 47:17 What you put on here is much information 47:19 as you think will be helpful. 47:20 Now, when I turn the card over, 47:22 there may be something you gonna need. 47:23 So I always say your email address 47:25 would be most helpful. 47:27 We'll send that material to you within 48 hours. 47:29 Did you hear Chris Sovey say, immediately I was contacted, 47:32 that's how it works? 47:34 It doesn't matter how many fill out the cards, 47:35 we have a whole team that will make sure 47:37 that you get the response. 47:39 Okay, so let's turn the card over. 47:41 Let's talk about my next step today, 47:42 because no teaching should end 47:44 without somebody tell me listen, 47:45 what do I do now? 47:47 I want to take the next step. 47:48 I don't want to just go home and say, oh, I was inspired, 47:50 let's have dinner now. 47:51 No, I want to take next step. 47:52 I want to grow in Christ. 47:54 What's the next step? 47:56 How about this one? 47:57 I want to connect people with God and so I will seek 47:59 to invite someone to come to this worship celebration 48:02 next week or some Sabbath soon. 48:06 I was talking to one of our members last week 48:10 and the member would just say, 48:11 man, you're not gonna believe it 48:12 but in the course of the conversation, 48:14 it was just like it suddenly came up. 48:16 Would you like to come to Pioneer with me? 48:20 That happens time and time again. 48:22 Would you like to come to Pioneer with me? 48:29 And the guest came, the guest came. 48:33 It's your invitation that makes the difference. 48:35 The come makes the connect possible. 48:38 I'd like to, I want to put the check right here, 48:40 I want to connect people with God, 48:42 I want to take advantage of this moment. 48:46 But here is the other one. 48:47 I want to gather together to grow together 48:49 and so I would look for opportunities 48:52 to be together. 48:55 I want to grow in the context, 48:57 in the fellowship of other people. 48:59 I want to grow. 49:01 Let me put a slide on the screen for you. 49:04 We're trying something we have never tried before, 49:06 hope it works. 49:08 We're gonna move House of Prayer 49:09 down in the Commons, 49:11 put a bunch of round cafe tables up, serve drinks. 49:13 And for 45 minutes, we're gonna connect. 49:16 Round tables, Book of Acts, starting this Wednesday night. 49:21 Love to have you come. 49:22 Growth takes place always never as a lone range 49:25 but in the circle of somebody else. 49:27 Hope you can come. 49:28 That's page of the worship bulletin, 49:30 you need to remind yourself, tear it off, 49:31 put it on the refrigerator. 49:32 Come and join us, put it on your closet door in the doom, 49:35 come and join us. 49:39 I want to gather together to grow together 49:41 and so I'll look for opportunities to be together. 49:43 Put a check mark there. 49:45 Our ushers gonna receive this in just a moment, 49:46 but I wanted it, because Chris was here, 49:48 Chris was here and somebody took the time 49:50 to go to the other box. 49:52 There're some here who would put a check mark. 49:54 I am interested in beginning a relationship with Jesus. 49:56 He's calling you friend. 49:57 Can you believe that? 49:59 He is calling you friend. 50:00 He is offering His friendship. 50:02 It's a simple as that to receive Him. 50:05 If you put a check mark there, I'd like begin a friendship 50:07 with Jesus, guess what? 50:08 You put an email, I need an email address 50:10 on the other side. 50:11 We will send you in 48 hours, within 48 hours 50:14 we will send you material 50:15 to how you can grow your friendship with Jesus. 50:17 We're not gonna come knocking on your door. 50:19 We're gonna respect your privacy, 50:21 but we're gonna begin to give you the tools 50:23 to grow in relationship with Jesus. 50:25 Oh, I'm interested in the information on baptism. 50:27 Chris obviously see checked that one 50:29 because that's the contact 50:30 and he didn't get baptized the next day, 50:33 but began to study the Bible, and when he was ready, 50:35 he was baptized. 50:37 It was a beautiful baptism. 50:38 Oh, I'm interested on information on the church. 50:39 Put a check mark there. 50:41 We'll send you that information, 50:42 we need your email address. 50:44 I want to join a ministry team. 50:45 Put it there, I want to receive Bible studies, 50:47 put a check mark there. 50:49 We'll take care of the rest. 50:51 It's a next step for you. 50:52 if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you right now. 50:54 You say, hey come on, it's time, 50:57 let's get this friendship going. 50:58 Put a check mark. 51:00 We'll do everything, we can to help you. 51:02 This maybe and you gonna have to do two things at once 51:04 because you gonna need to put that card in, 51:07 but I'm gonna draw your attention 51:08 and show you four pictures in just one moment. 51:12 This probably is one of the most heartbreaking stories 51:15 to come out of the recent London 2012 Olympics. 51:19 Don't fool me. 51:20 You watched those Olympics, I watched them 51:22 and I was blessed. 51:23 I mean, come on, it's just a little bit 51:25 of the young of the world, 10,500 of them actually. 51:31 But one of the heartbreaking stories 51:33 concerns one of our own, 51:34 she lives right down in Plymouth, Indiana. 51:36 Do you know where that is? 51:37 That's south of South Bend. 51:39 So that's in Michiana. 51:40 Her name Morgan Uceny, 51:42 Morgan has been training since she was a little girl, 51:45 half her life, she has been training. 51:48 She had one dream. 51:49 I want to run in the 1500 meter race. 51:52 She in 2011, 51:53 she was the world's number one women 51:56 1500 meter race runner. 51:59 So now, she gets to go to the Olympics. 52:01 The whole town of Plymouth shows up in that auditorium. 52:05 They're cheering their hometown girl on. 52:07 Morgan's now 27 years old graduated from Plymouth High, 52:12 went to Cornwell University. 52:13 So she knows a little bit about studying as well. 52:16 But she just has been training, 52:17 and training and the race is on, 52:19 the gun goes off and Morgan for 1400 meters is on her, 52:25 on top of her game. 52:27 She's going now, I'm sorry for 1100 meters 52:29 she is on the top of her game. 52:30 She is going for the fourth, the last 400 meters, 52:33 when this tragic moment happens. 52:35 And you see Morgan there on left, 52:37 the heel of another runner caught her on the knee 52:41 and boy, she is down. 52:43 Did you see that's our little Plymouth girl? 52:46 She is our own. 52:47 She went down and she fell apart. 52:50 God bless her. Next picture please. 52:52 She fell apart, she just, she just collapsed in tears. 52:55 I mean there is no way you can recover that race. 52:58 It's over. I spent half a lifetime. 53:00 Listen to David, David Woods, Indianapolis star, 53:03 he put it this way, 53:04 "This is the other side of Olympic glory. 53:06 Half a lifetime of preparation 53:08 of dreaming shattered in an instant. 53:11 Pull the camera back a little bit. 53:13 Just take another look at her on the track. 53:15 She would later write on her Facebook page these words, 53:18 I have never experienced such a heartbreaking moment. 53:23 I mean doesn't your heart just go out to her, 53:25 don't you want to hug her and just say, that's okay, 53:27 we were so proud of you anyway. 53:30 But now that said to me, 53:32 to me the saddest picture of all is number four 53:35 and I put it on the screen. 53:38 She is down on her knees, the race is over, 53:42 her colleagues are congratulating each other 53:45 celebrating the finish. 53:47 And as David Woods put it, 53:49 "Oddly none of the other runners 53:51 acknowledged Uceny or came to her aid 53:55 after the race." 53:56 She walked off of that track alone. 54:00 Ladies and gentlemen, they may do alone out there. 54:04 We cannot do alone in here. 54:08 We cannot do alone in here. 54:11 Together is our word, together, one cries, I cry, 54:16 One laughs I laugh, together is 54:20 what this congregation must be about, 54:25 everyday, every week and every month 54:31 and that's what this little hymn 54:33 that we're gonna sing right now, 54:34 oh, this is, this is our favorite. 54:35 Stand to your feet, we're gonna sing hymn 315, 54:38 Blest be the tie that binds together, together, together. 54:43 Stand and let's sing this together. 54:58 Blest be the tie that binds 55:05 Our hearts in Christian love 55:10 The fellowship of kindred minds 55:17 Is like to that above 55:25 Before our Father's throne 55:32 We pour our ardent prayers 55:37 Our fears, our hopes Our aims are one 55:44 Our comforts, and our cares 55:53 When we asunder part 55:59 It gives us inward pain 56:05 But we shall still be joined in Heart, 56:13 and hope to meet again 56:24 And now the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, 56:28 and the Love of God, 56:30 and the community of the Holy Spirit 56:32 be with you all. 56:34 Amen. 56:44 Before you go, I like to take a moment and talk to you 56:47 about your relationship with Jesus. 56:49 So often we go to church, we listen to a sermon 56:51 about the things that Jesus said or that which Jesus did. 56:54 We learn all these facts about Him. 56:56 Yet when it comes down to it, we sometimes realize, 56:58 we haven't actually come to know Him 57:00 personally ourselves. 57:02 Or perhaps you've recently discovered the love of Christ, 57:05 and you're wondering where you go from here. 57:07 That's why I like to invite you to take advantage 57:08 of this free book offer, 57:10 the little classic Steps to Christ. 57:12 Since this book was first penned a century ago, 57:14 it sold over 50 million copies. 57:16 It's been translated into 135 different languages. 57:19 You know what? 57:21 The good news of the gospel is so direct and so sublime 57:24 and simple that we often look right past it. 57:26 So what this book does is it will help you see 57:28 the good news in all its glory, in all its beauty. 57:31 What you gonna discover here are clear, 57:33 simple steps to help you enter 57:35 into the most important friendship of your life. 57:38 So please give us a call. 57:39 Toll free number, you see it on your screen 877 and then 57:42 the two words, His-Will, 877-His-Will. 57:45 Ask one of our friendly operators 57:47 for your free copy of Steps to Christ. 57:50 By the way, years ago this book led me to Christ. 57:53 And I pray that it will lead you to Him as well, 57:55 so give us a call. 57:56 And in the mean time God be with you every step of the way 57:59 until we're here again next time. |
Revised 2016-06-23