Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP090906
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00:27 I would like to ask you, is God your best friend?
00:32 That's one the, the question that 00:33 we learnt to answer first in our lives. 00:35 Who is your friend? 00:37 Well, the right answer is Jesus. 00:39 But is that true? 00:41 If you haven't tried it out, I'll invite you. 00:43 Really, He'll be your best friend. 00:46 He is never late. He is never early. 00:48 He is fun and He will even play princess with you. 00:51 Jesus, if you let Him, will be your best friend. 00:55 Sing with us. 01:02 What a friend we have in Jesus 01:09 All our sins and grief's to bear 01:15 What a privilege to carry 01:22 Everything to God in prayer 01:29 O what peace we often forfeit 01:36 O what needless pain we bear 01:43 All because we do not carry 01:50 Ev'rything to God in prayer 01:57 Have we trails or temptations 02:05 Is there trouble anywhere? 02:12 We should never be discouraged 02:19 Take it to the Lord in prayer 02:25 Can we find a friend so faithful? 02:32 Who will all our sorrow share? 02:39 Jesus knows our ev'ry weakness 02:46 Take it to the Lord in prayer 02:56 I would like to invite you, to join us at the front, 02:58 as we approach God our best friend in prayer. 03:03 So join us at the front as we pray. 03:05 And join us also as we sing the last verse. 03:25 Are we weak and heavy laden 03:32 Cumbered with a load of care? 03:39 Precious Savior still our Refuge 03:47 Take it to the Lord in prayer 03:54 Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? 04:01 Take it to the Lord in prayer 04:08 In His arms He'll take and shield thee 04:16 Thou wilt find a solace there 04:25 Let us kneel for prayer. 04:44 The Lord declares. 04:48 The Lord who created you, the Lord who forms you, 04:53 He declares, "Fear not, I have redeemed you. 04:58 I have called you by name. You're mine." 05:06 He called by name, 05:08 called by name, called by name. 05:16 It's good to know in this world, 05:20 haggard by sin and death 05:22 and discouragement and despair that, 05:25 there is someone who knows, who understands, 05:29 who is called us by name. 05:33 That's why we can stand firm, because Jesus knows. 05:40 In a world where things go wrong, 05:43 in a world where there is death and terror, 05:47 Jesus stands and He calls us by name. 05:55 And Lord, recall us 05:59 of what's going on in our lives. 06:01 We know that we can come to You. 06:03 We know that we can lift up our voice. 06:07 And Lord, we pray that You might speak to us today. 06:10 Lord, as we enter into worship today, 06:12 we want to hear a word from on high. 06:14 And so we pray for our pastor, make him a transparent vessel, 06:18 so that You can use him to speak to our heart, 06:21 to pierce through the callus and the covered over. 06:26 We pray that we might hear 06:28 a transforming word today. 06:34 We rejoice Lord, 06:37 in the power and the promise 06:39 that though we pass through the waters, 06:41 You'll be with us. 06:43 And as we go over the rivers, they won't overflow us. 06:48 And in the inferno of the fire, 06:53 will be cool and we won't be burnt, 06:57 because our God reigns. 06:59 And He's able to take us through the tough times, 07:02 the difficult times, the times that 07:04 we live in this world here on the edge of eternity, 07:09 we look to Jesus. 07:11 We thank You. 07:13 We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. 07:45 My faithful Father 07:52 Enduring Friend 07:56 Your tender mercy's 07:59 Like a river with no end 08:05 It overwhelms me 08:12 Covers my sin 08:16 Each time I come into Your presence 08:22 I stand in wonder once again 08:30 Your grace still amazes me 08:37 Your love is still a mystery 08:44 Each day 08:47 I fall on my knees 08:52 'Cause Your grace still amazes me 09:20 Oh, patient Savior 09:27 You make me whole 09:31 You are the Author 09:34 And the Healer of my soul 09:40 What can I give You 09:46 Lord, what can I say 09:51 I know there's no way to repay You 09:57 Only to offer You my praise 10:05 Your grace still amazes me 10:12 Your love is still a mystery 10:18 Each day I fall on my knees 10:26 'Cause Your grace still amazes me 10:33 Your grace still amazes me 10:39 It's deeper, it's wider 10:45 It's stronger, it's higher 10:51 It's deeper, it's wider 10:58 It's stronger, it's higher 11:03 Than anything my eyes can see 11:09 Your grace still amazes me 11:16 Your love is still a mystery 11:23 Each day 11:26 I fall on my knees 11:31 'Cause Your grace still amazes me 11:38 Your grace still amazes me 12:09 I want to move in to the Word with you, 12:12 because of God's grace 12:13 we're here to even get into the Word together. 12:18 God has a teaching for us this morning. 12:20 All I pray that it will be clear. 12:22 I-- I join with you in, earnestly asking God, 12:27 please shine through Holy Scripture. 12:31 Please shine through. 12:37 I want to pray with you before we begin. 12:41 O God, what can we say, 12:45 Your grace, Your grace, still amazes us. 12:51 May we, breathe, our hearts beat 12:55 gifts of that grace. 12:57 You sustain us, You provide for us, 13:03 not always as miraculously as You did to Erika, 13:06 we understand that. 13:08 But when these little stories of grace happen, 13:10 we join together in applauding You. 13:15 Your eyes are on the sparrow, 13:17 it's on every one of us as Your earth's children. 13:20 And so we are worshiping You. 13:22 Nothing is changed, in this little transition. 13:25 Now as we turn to Holy Scripture, 13:28 O God, draw from our hearts, not only a response, 13:32 a worship toward You 13:35 but draw from our minds a response, 13:39 to this life in which You've called us to. 13:41 In the name of Jesus, please, keep speaking to us. 13:46 Amen. 13:48 A century ago, these words were written, 13:52 "The coming of Christ, 13:54 will take place in the darkest period 13:58 of this earth's history." 14:02 So here's the question, does it seem to you 14:09 that it's been getting darker, lately? 14:14 Scientists believe that it is. 14:17 I know you heard of moonshine, 14:18 but have you ever heard of earthshine? 14:21 Scientists use that word earthshine to describe, 14:23 what they call the "albedo" 14:25 or the reflectance of the earth onto the, onto the moon. 14:30 In other words, when the sun shines down on the earth, 14:32 we absorb most of that solar energy, 14:35 but there is a little bit we give up 14:36 and that goes over to our nearest neighbor, 14:38 the moon, thus dimly lighting the moon, 14:41 even when it's not being directly hit by the sun. 14:45 In fact, I want to show a picture to you right now. 14:46 NASA took this picture. 14:48 What you are about to see is only possible 14:51 because of earthshine. 14:53 Take a look at this shot. 14:56 You recognize of course planet earth. 14:57 We all love our home. 14:59 The satellite is coming up 15:01 over the round curvature of the moon 15:04 and the only reason we see the moon, 15:05 the sun is not shining on the moon. 15:07 The only reason we see the moon is because of earthshine, 15:10 reflecting from earth over to moon. 15:14 The debate among of the astronomers 15:17 and scientists is this, is the earth growing dimmer? 15:22 Because there are some that believe that in fact, 15:24 because of the methane gas and the CO2, 15:25 they were capturing inside our atmosphere, 15:27 global warming, the greenhouse effect, 15:29 that solar energy is being kept in. 15:31 And so the earth is actually growing dimmer. 15:33 There are others who, who believe that in fact, 15:35 it's the other way around that the earth is growing brighter 15:37 and there are studies that confirm both conclusions. 15:41 I've got to tell you, I'm not a scientist, 15:42 but this much I do know. 15:44 There is a single line in the apocalypse that declares 15:48 that this earth is going to explode one last time 15:53 with a moment of brilliant earthshine. 15:57 At the darkest hour of earth's history 16:00 an explosion of light, earthshine at the last sunrise. 16:04 Take a look at this picture. 16:06 Not on the screen, but in your Bible. 16:08 Open your Bible please. 16:11 Open your Bible please 16:12 to the Bible's last book, the Apocalypse. 16:14 I want to go to Revelation Chapter 18 with you. 16:17 Fascinating, fascinating prophesy. 16:21 Earthshine coming. 16:23 Revelation Chapter 18, I'll in New King James Version. 16:26 Again as I shared with you last week, 16:27 when we began this teaching series 16:28 I am going to stick to the NKJV. 16:31 You stick to whatever Bible 16:33 that is your favorite study Bible, 16:34 its fine with me, whatever the translation. 16:35 If you didn't bring a Bible, 16:37 please get into the Word with us today, 16:38 because we are not read off the screen, 16:40 we are going to be in the Word 16:41 and there is a pew Bible, right in front of you. 16:43 Pull that pew Bible out, it also happens to be the NKJV. 16:47 My friend, Pastor Doug, 16:48 who Friday night is going to be staying in right here, 16:51 Pastor Doug, is going to be using the NKJV as well. 16:54 So, if you want to hang on 16:56 through that translation that's fine. 16:58 But whatever, let me give the page number here, 17:00 page 832, in the, in the pew Bible. 17:03 Revelation Chapter 18, just one verse right now, 17:07 Revelation 18:1, "After these things I," 17:10 that is the elderly, elderly John now the Patmos, 17:14 "After these things I saw another angel 17:17 coming down from heaven, having great authority," 17:20 and notice this, "and the earth was illuminated by his glory." 17:25 Earthshine, earthshine one last time, on this planet. 17:30 But here's the question, 17:31 from whence cometh that explosion of glory? 17:35 Now I know that your Bible and mine, 17:37 that our Bibles read an angel came down. 17:39 But you cannot, come on guys; 17:40 you cannot tell me that 17:41 an angel is going to fill this world with glory 17:45 Impossible. You know, why I know? 17:48 Because angels are created beings, 17:49 just like you and I are. 17:51 And there is no created being on earth 17:53 that has a shred of glory emanating from him or her. 17:57 In fact, angels and humans are just like the moon. 18:00 Let me put a picture of moon up. 18:02 We are just like that moon. 18:04 If you turn the sun off, 18:07 how much of the moon could you possibly see? 18:10 Zero. Nothing. 18:12 The moon is entirely dependent 18:15 on an external source of power to bring light to itself. 18:19 And that's the gospel truth about 18:20 angels and human beings. 18:21 If there is anything good about you sister, 18:23 if there is anything good about you brother, or me, 18:25 it's because there is, there is an external source 18:28 that is bringing its light into us. 18:31 So, it cannot be. 18:33 It cannot be this Revelation 18:1, angel, 18:35 that's lighting up the earth. 18:37 So from whence cometh, this glory, 18:39 just before the return of Christ? 18:42 You say, hey wait a minute. 18:43 Come on Dwight, what's this about, 18:44 "just before the return of the Christ." 18:45 How do we know it's at the end of the world? 18:48 I'll tell you how we know, we know it 18:49 because of the context. 18:50 Look at the context. 18:51 Revelation 18:1, we'll read it again. 18:54 "After these things I saw another angel 18:56 coming down from heaven, having great authority, 18:58 and the earth was illuminated with his glory." 19:01 And verse 2, "He cried mightily with a loud voice," 19:04 this is the loud cry, 19:06 "he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, 19:08 Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, 19:11 and has become a dwelling place of demons, 19:13 a prison for every foul spirit, 19:15 and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!'" 19:18 Verse 3 " 19:20 For all the nations have drunk of the wine 19:22 of the wrath of her fornication, 19:24 the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, 19:27 and the merchants of the earth 19:28 have become rich through the abundance of her luxury." 19:31 Finally verse 4 19:32 "And I heard another voice from heaven," 19:34 can't be the angel now. 19:35 The angel's loud cry was-- 19:39 is what's describing to verses 2 and 3 19:43 but now verse 4 says, "And I heard another voice," 19:45 John says, "I heard another voice from heaven saying, 19:48 'Come out of her,'" this is the divine voice. 19:50 "Come out of her my people, lest you share in her sins, 19:54 and lest you receive of her" what? 19:57 "Of her plagues." 19:59 Anybody who knows anything about the Bible knows that 20:02 the Bible speaks of the seven last plagues 20:04 before the end of earth's history. 20:05 True or false? 20:06 But of course, so this is just before the plagues. 20:10 Revelation 18:1 happens just before the plagues. 20:13 There will be a burst of earthshine, 20:18 on this blue, green terrestrial ball. 20:21 So what's happening here? 20:26 Over my sabbatical, they were four week sabbatical I took. 20:31 Getting ready for this series 20:32 I came across a fascinating piece of discovery 20:35 that I must share with you. 20:36 And by the way, I need to say this 20:37 because we did not share this last Sabbath. 20:39 This series is the direct result of your responses 20:43 to an open ended survey. 20:45 You remember that for the end of last semester, 20:47 we took a survey. 20:48 Put down anything you wish, whatever you want the preacher 20:51 in this Church to preach about, you just write it down. 20:53 And we got hundreds, and hundreds, 20:55 and hundreds of responses. 20:57 And it nearly blew me out of the water. 21:00 Hands down. 21:02 Any way you want to categorize it 21:04 the vast majorities of your responses 21:07 were for doctrine and prophesy please. 21:11 Anyway you categorize it, 21:13 please spend time in doctrine and prophesy. 21:16 Student, faculty and community. 21:19 So you need to know that this new pulpit series 21:24 is a prayerful response to your responses. 21:27 So anyway, I'm studying over that, 21:29 that little sabbatical. 21:30 And in my study, I came across a New Testament scholar, 21:33 who observed that nearly every word 21:36 and phrase, in the Book of Revelation 21:38 is directly borrowed from the Old Testament. 21:42 That was brand new to me. Every word and phrase. 21:48 Which means that if we examine the Old Testament linkage, 21:51 we're gonna discover the strategic keys 21:53 that can unlock these apocalyptic prophecies 21:55 which by the way proves the great Protestant principle, 21:58 "The Bible must be interpreted by itself." 22:04 In fact, that principle is so key for you and me, 22:06 as the third millennium of journeyers. 22:09 I wish you pull your study guide out right now, 22:10 and would you jot that Protestant principle down. 22:14 Great Protestant principle. Take your study guide. 22:16 It's in your worship bulletin today. 22:18 If several of you came in 22:20 and you just grabbed one worship bulletin, 22:22 I've got the best ushers in the world 22:24 who are gonna now put a study guide 22:26 because you got to get the study guide. 22:27 There are some lists here that you have to have. 22:30 So hold your hand up, all the way to the back, 22:32 to the back of the balcony, 22:33 we'll make sure that you, you get the study guide. 22:35 And those of you watching on TV, 22:37 let me take you to our website. 22:38 Let me put it on the screen for you. 22:39 You get the same study guide, 22:41 there it is on the screen right now, 22:42 www.pmchurch.tv. 22:46 That's our website. 22:48 You click on this new teaching series, 22:49 it's called "Rumors From The East." 22:52 This is part two, so this is "Rumors From The East 2". 22:55 It's entitled, "The Last Sonrise." 22:57 You click on to The Last Sonrise, 22:59 where it says study guide 23:01 and you will have the identical study guide. 23:03 You can journey with us, all right. 23:06 Okay so you've got the study guide, 23:07 you are watching the DVD, 23:08 you've hit the pause, you've got the study guide. 23:10 Now, now we are glad to have you back. 23:12 Let's move to these first lines in the study guide. 23:15 Fill it up. 23:17 Hope you have a pen there to do that. 23:18 Number one, Revelation 18:1, 23:22 an apocalyptic snapshot of earthshine. 23:25 Write it down, earthshine. 23:27 One last burst of earthshine in sacred history. 23:31 Keep your pen moving. 23:32 But, see because we are following up on a question. 23:35 Whose glory, write in the word glory. 23:37 Whose glory By the way, 23:39 the Greek word for glory is "doxa" 23:41 from which comes our word, "doxology." 23:44 Might be a clue here. 23:45 Whose glory, whose glory is this that fills the earth 23:49 just before the return of Christ? 23:51 Keep you pen, keep your pen moving. 23:53 Remember now, nearly every word 23:56 and phrase in the book of Revelation 23:58 is directly borrowed from the Old Testament. 24:01 Do not forget the great Protestant principle of study, 24:05 jot it down, "The Bible is its own best interpreter." 24:11 Don't take anybody else's word for Holy Scripture. 24:15 Not your professor, not your pastor, 24:17 not a-- not, not nobody. 24:21 You go in, you take that Word. 24:24 So God entrusted the Word to you. 24:26 No community of faith tells you, 24:28 you take the Word yourself. 24:30 The Bible interprets itself best. 24:32 It is its own best interpreter. 24:34 By the way, there are people in trouble today, 24:36 because they've forgotten this principle. 24:38 There're some crazy notions out there. 24:40 I am beginning to hear them 24:41 even within our community of faith, 24:45 crazy notions about Israel and Iran and Iraq and Islam. 24:51 You're in trouble, you're in trouble 24:53 the moment you move away from this principle. 24:55 Let the Bible interpret itself. 24:58 Okay so, if nearly every phrase, 25:00 every word in the apocalypse 25:02 is derived from the Old Testament, 25:04 what's the key that can unlock our understanding 25:08 of Revelation 18:1? 25:10 Hands down here it is. 25:11 Go back to the Old Testament, the Book of Ezekiel. 25:14 Ezekiel. 25:16 Boy, when was the last time we ever read 25:18 from that dusty Old Testament prophet Ezekiel? 25:21 Ezekiel Chapter 43. 25:25 Ezekiel 43, oh, this is page 590. 25:30 Hard to find Ezekiel in the Old Testament, 25:32 but its there, it's a big book. 25:35 Ezekiel Chapter 43. Take a look at this. 25:37 The first two verses of Ezekiel 43. 25:41 Ezekiel 43:1, "Afterward he," God, okay. 25:46 So this is Ezekiel. 25:47 By the way Ezekiel is in Babylon. 25:49 He is an exile prophet. 25:51 He is been shown back to Jerusalem. 25:53 Watch this. 25:54 "Afterward he" God "brought me to the gate, 25:57 the gate that faces toward the" what? 26:00 "Toward the East." 26:01 Keyword, we are going to come back 26:02 to that word, east, east, east. 26:03 Watch this now verse 2, "And behold, 26:06 the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. 26:13 His voice was like the sound of many waters 26:15 and the earth shone with His glory." 26:19 Ladies and gentlemen, where have you just heard 26:22 and read those words before? 26:24 Where did you read them? It's no brainier. 26:27 Revelation 18:1. 26:28 In fact, let me show you, 26:29 we'll put a split screen up here for you 26:31 so you can see the two verses side by side. 26:35 Almost identical in phraseology 26:37 and I want you to notice the punch line to both verses. 26:40 Ezekiel 43:2, the punch line is, 26:42 "And the earth shone with His glory." 26:44 The God of Israel's glory. 26:46 Punch line of Revelation 18:1, 26:47 "And the earth was illuminated with his glory." 26:51 When we go to the Old Testament, key, 26:54 and we let the Bible-- here is the key, 26:56 we let the Bible interpret itself. 26:58 Nobody comes along and says, "I think that angel 27:00 in Revelation 18:1 means phew," forget it. 27:03 What does God think? What's in the book? 27:06 When we let the Old Testament key work, 27:08 two clues, jot this clues down. 27:09 We now have two clues 27:12 to an identity of the event in Revelation 18:1. 27:14 Clue number one, put it on the screen please. 27:17 Clue number one, the glory that fills the earth 27:19 is the glory of God himself. 27:23 It's not the angel. 27:24 We already figured that one out. 27:25 But now we know who that angel represents. 27:28 Whom that angel represents? It is the glory of God himself. 27:30 And clue number two, 27:31 the glory that fills the earth comes from the east. 27:37 And east is the keyword in this new teaching series, 27:41 "Rumors From The East." 27:42 Do you know why? Keep writing. 27:44 "East" is the mysterious clue 27:47 found in the climax of the longest 27:49 and most comprehensive prophecy in all the Bible. 27:53 Now last Sabbath you and I 27:54 were in the introduction to that prophecy. 27:56 There is no longer prophecy anywhere in Holy Scripture 27:59 because Daniel 10 begins the prophecy 28:02 then it's whoa, major, big time in Daniel 11 28:05 and Daniel 12 continues it. 28:07 Now when they wrote, when Daniel wrote in-- 28:10 didn't his chapter and verse all that has been added. 28:13 Suppose to go straight from 10 all the way through the 12. 28:18 East, critical key. 28:21 And I need you to see right now, 28:23 how strategic east is in the stunning climax 28:27 to earth's darkest hour. 28:29 It doesn't get any darker than this, 28:30 as it's described in Daniel. 28:31 Now, there is gonna have to come a Sabbath, 28:33 when you and I and we will wait 28:34 till Doug Batchelor is through 28:36 and then we are gonna plunge into to Daniel 11. 28:38 But I am gonna give you a sneak preview 28:40 of why east is absolutely critical to our understanding. 28:44 So let's go to Daniel 11. 28:45 Let me just, just a smattering 28:47 of verses right near the climax. 28:49 How dark is dark at the end of time? 28:53 This is how dark, dark is, all right. 28:56 Daniel Chapter 11. 28:59 We were in Daniel 10 last week, now go to 11. 29:02 We are gonna move to that climax. 29:03 Can't read it all. 29:04 Some of you are gonna become drawn into this, 29:08 even by just this brief encounter. 29:12 And you are gonna start doing some study 29:13 and that is fine with me. 29:14 Be my guest. Plunge into it. 29:17 Daniel 11, drop down to the end to verse 40. 29:24 It's a huge chapter. 29:26 Look here, I'm not gonna unpack a single symbol here, 29:28 but you'll see why, why we're going to this. 29:30 Daniel 11:40, "At the time of the end," 29:34 all right, that's a little clue for us. 29:37 "At the time of the end," verse 40, 29:40 "the king of the South shall attack him" 29:42 that would be the king of the north, 29:44 "and the king of the North shall come against him," 29:45 the king of the south, "like a whirlwind with chariots 29:49 and horsemen and with many ships 29:51 and he shall enter the countries, 29:53 overwhelm them, and pass through." 29:56 Now drop down to verse 43, 29:58 "He shall have power" this king of the north 30:01 "over the treasures of gold and silver, 30:03 and over all the precious things of Egypt 30:05 also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels." 30:08 And now verse 44, "But news from the east" 30:13 hold it right there, those of you 30:14 that have the New American Standard Version 30:17 it reads "But rumors from the east," 30:21 that's where this teaching series title came from. 30:24 "But rumors from the east 30:28 and the north shall trouble him," 30:30 this dark king "therefore he shall go out 30:33 with great fury to destroy and annihilate many." 30:36 And verse 45 "And he shall plant the tents of his palace 30:39 between the seas and the glorious holy mountain, 30:42 yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him." 30:47 And you think it stops there, 30:48 no Daniel didn't even know anything about chapter 12, 30:50 he just kept writing. 30:51 So we got to go to the chapter 12, verse 1, 30:53 How dark will dark gets before Christ comes. 30:57 "And at that time" Daniel 12:1 30:58 "Michael" in last week found out who Michael was. 31:02 Who is Michael refresh memory? 31:04 Who is Michael? He is Christ Himself. 31:07 Those of you watching for the first time 31:08 and say, well, you can't prove that. 31:10 Oh, yes, we can and we did it last week. 31:12 Get the study guide, go to the website 31:13 download that first study, the study guide would be there. 31:16 You will discover what Philipp Melanchthon 31:18 the great Protestant reformer discovered 31:21 that indeed Michael is an apocalyptic symbol 31:24 for Christ Himself. 31:25 "At that time" this is Daniel 12:1 31:27 "Michael shall stand up, 31:28 the great prince who stands watch 31:30 over the sons of your people" 31:32 and now watch "and there shall be a time of trouble, 31:35 such as never was since there was a nation, 31:37 even to that time." 31:39 But hallelujah 31:40 "At that time your people shall be delivered," 31:42 what do you say to that? 31:45 Nothing to fear. 31:46 I'm telling you what, these rumors from the east 31:48 they are good news rumors. 31:51 They are good news rumors. You know why? 31:53 Because clearly whatever these rumors are 31:56 they bring to an end the dark reign of this destroying power 32:00 and they bring the delivery to God's people. 32:02 Whoever this dark and evil king of the north is 32:09 these rumors enrage him, 32:11 that means it's good news for us. 32:12 They enrage him and he turned pivots to destroy 32:17 what threatens his existence. 32:19 I'm telling you guys, 32:21 its good news, rumors from the east. 32:24 So what we're gonna do in this teaching series is, 32:26 we are gonna look up every single reference 32:28 to east in apocalyptic prophecy. 32:31 You say, oh, great, 32:32 now we are gonna be here for two year. 32:34 Good news, they're only three of them. 32:38 This is a short series, they're only three. 32:40 Today is number one. 32:42 In fact, I want you to write it down please, 32:43 rumor number one, 32:49 we know this is the rumor from the east, 32:52 we've just shown the Old Testament unlocks it 32:55 and indeed it's from the east. 32:56 And so the question is that begged to be asked 32:58 at this juncture is, what is the significance 33:01 of this first rumor from the east? 33:04 I'm telling you what guys, 33:06 the answer is beautifully simply. 33:09 In fact, you can-- 33:11 you can answer the question with a question. 33:14 Question, what happens in the east every morning 33:19 and has happened every morning 33:22 since the beginning of the time? 33:23 What happens in the east? 33:25 Answer, the sun comes up, hallelujah. 33:28 Unless you are flying to Australia, no sunrise. 33:32 It's true, I got to go to Australia 33:33 in just three or four weeks, 33:35 I'll leave, I'll leave L.A. at 10'o clock at night, 33:38 I get to Sydney, Australia Tuesday morning early, 33:41 there will never be Monday sunrise, 33:43 gone forever in human history. 33:45 How tragic? 33:47 You fly to Australia, you lose time. 33:49 Again of course coming back. 33:52 No sunrise either if you live in the polar latitudes, 33:56 as you know in the winter sun don't come up. 33:59 But we don't worry about those exceptions. 34:00 Jot it down please, the good news about the east 34:03 is that it's where the sun comes up. 34:07 Write it down, in fact, the Hebrew word for east 34:12 "Mizrah" we just read in Daniel 11:44 34:15 the rumors from the east. 34:16 The word literally means the place of sunrise. 34:19 And what so good about this, 34:20 what so good news about the sunrise? 34:23 One more text we got to look up together. 34:25 Go to the end of the Old Testament, 34:27 not the end of the Bible, the end of the Old Testament, 34:29 the little book of Malachi, 34:30 the last page of the Old Testament, 34:33 this would be the page 646. 34:36 Take a look at it, here's why the sunrise, 34:39 predicted at the end of time 34:40 there's earthshine is so critical. 34:43 Malachi 4:2 God is speaking, do you have it yet? 34:48 This is the last page of the Old Testament, 34:51 just before Mathew, Malachi 4:2 God speaking, 34:55 "But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness 35:01 shall arise with healing in His wings." 35:05 Isn't that beautiful? Fill it in please. 35:07 Make sure you get it in your study guide. 35:09 "The Sun of Righteousness 35:12 shall arise with healing in His wings." 35:16 And by the way, you need to note this 35:18 in verse 1 and verse 5 it is very clear 35:20 that this event the rising of the Sun of Righteousness 35:23 will transpire at the end of the earth's history 35:25 because verse, verse 5 describes 35:27 the great and dreadful day of the Lord, 35:29 and that means the end, 35:30 the finish of human civilization. 35:33 So just before then "the Sun of righteousness 35:36 will arise with healing in His wings." 35:39 So ladies and gentlemen, who is capital "S" 35:43 Sun of Righteousness who has reviving power 35:47 in his outstretched arms, who is it? 35:49 It is not rocket science, you don't need NASA for this. 35:54 You know who it is? 35:55 Jot these, jot it down real quick. 35:57 There's a sequence of verses, 36:00 you just jot down the missing words. 36:03 In the Gospel 36:06 and again 9:5 of John, Jesus is quoted 36:09 "I am the" write it in please, I am the capital L "Light," 36:15 "I am the Light of the world." 36:16 Jesus' bold claim in the Gospel of John. 36:21 Paul comes along couple decades later, 36:24 and Paul scribbles down 2 Corinthians 4:6. 36:27 Keep your pen moving. I'm quoting here. 36:29 "God has shone in our hearts to give the light" 36:32 little "l" light "of the knowledge 36:35 of the glory to God in the face of Jesus Christ." 36:38 When the earth is filled with the glory of God 36:41 where is that glory gonna come from? 36:42 It has to come from the face of Jesus Christ. 36:46 Somehow Jesus is critical to Revelation 18:1 fulfillment. 36:53 One more text, Revelation Chapter 1, 36:56 last week we noted this, didn't we? 36:59 Old man John in island of Patmos 37:02 worshiping on the Sabbath, 37:04 and in the middle of his worship, 37:06 there is this thunderous explosion 37:08 and John who'll pass out as dead 37:10 before he passes out catches a glimpse of Christ 37:14 who has personally come down to be with His friend, 37:16 he catches a glimpse of, of the ascended Christ face 37:20 and John writes, fill this in please. 37:21 "And I saw His countenance and His countenance was like 37:24 the sun S-U-N shining in its strength." 37:28 By the way the Greek word strength there is "dunamis" 37:31 from whence comes our word "dynamite," 37:33 nuclear, nuclear power in the sun 37:36 that's what scientist tell us. 37:37 The power of the sun, 37:39 I saw His face shining like the sun. 37:41 So who is this Sun of Righteousness 37:43 that will shine upon the earth 37:44 with reviving, healing, life-giving power 37:46 just before the end of time? 37:48 Answer, fill it in. The Sun is the Son. 37:53 The Sun is the Son. 37:57 Make sure you spell them differently. 38:00 According to Revelation-- keep writing, 38:01 according to Revelation 18:1 and Ezekiel 43:2, 38:04 "It will be the last Sonrise of God's glory in Christ Jesus 38:10 that will flood the earth even 'as the waters cover the sea.'" 38:13 Habakkuk 2:14. What's the point? 38:15 The point ladies and gentlemen, Revelation 18:1, 38:18 is in controvertibly predicting a global revival 38:21 just before the end of the time, 38:26 centered in Christ Jesus Himself. 38:31 Now can I be a little bit more personal 38:32 and colloquial with you right now? 38:37 Not quite 120 years ago, 38:42 two young American men, 38:45 one a physician named E. J. Waggoner 38:48 and the other a writer named A.T. Jones, 38:51 discovered in their Bibles 38:52 the glory of the everlasting gospel. 38:57 Let me share with you, seven succinct points, 39:00 the glory of the everlasting gospel, 39:02 you need to keep your pen moving now. 39:04 Point number one, what's the everlasting gospel, 39:06 come on Dwight, pastor what is it? 39:08 Here you go, number one, 39:10 Even the "best" of us lives with polluted motives, 39:14 self-centered bias and personal righteousness 39:16 like "filthy rags" Isaiah 64:6. 39:21 The best of us, 39:22 the best we can come up with is as filthy rags. 39:26 Therefore number two, 39:27 We all "fall short of the glory of God." 39:31 None of us has that glory. None, none, none, none. 39:33 We all fall short, Romans 3:23. 39:36 And number three, 39:37 We all deserve to die eternally, Romans 6:23. 39:42 The wages sin is eternal death. 39:46 But number four, Because "God so Loved the world" 39:49 of lost sinners, He sent His only Son to save us. 39:52 Of course you recognize John 3:16, 39:54 and oh boy do I love, 1 Timothy 1:15, 39:57 "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, 40:00 of whom I'm the worst," 40:02 writes the greatest saint who ever lived. 40:04 So if you ever meet the saint who thinks he is a saint, 40:08 trust me he ain't a saint, okay. 40:16 And so number five, Because God love the world, 40:19 so Jesus, the personification of the glory of God's 40:22 relentless love among us, took up the cross 40:26 and there suffered the death that was ours 40:30 that we might receive the life that was His. 40:33 Two verse Isaiah 53:6 40:36 and of course, 2 Corinthians 5:21. 40:40 So number six, That by trusting in Christ 40:43 alone, alone, alone, alone, 40:46 we might exchange our filthy rags for His spotless robe 40:50 of perfect righteousness, Romans 4:3 and Isaiah 61:10. 40:55 Finally number seven, Thus "covered with His life" 41:00 we might humbly walk with God in this life 41:03 and joyfully dwell with God in the life to come, 41:06 Revelation 3:20 and 21:3. 41:09 Isn't that amazing? 41:11 His grace still amazes me, amazing grace. 41:16 It's the everlasting gospel. 41:19 And by the way not quite 120 years ago a woman, 41:25 who was a Bible student and Spirit inspired theologian, 41:31 heard the summation of those two American boys 41:37 and she was moved nearly to tears 41:41 and she would later write, 41:43 I put the word on the screen for you. 41:45 "The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message 41:51 to His people through Waggoner and Jones. 41:54 This message was to bring more prominently 41:56 before the world the uplifted Savior, 41:59 the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. 42:02 It presented justification," what is justification? 42:04 I inserted here "God drops all charges against human race. 42:07 He drops the charges that's justification." 42:09 "It presented justification, through faith in the Surety" 42:13 capital "S" in the one 42:14 we can have confidence that will be Christ. 42:16 "It invited the people to receive 42:18 the righteousness of Christ, 42:20 which is made manifest in obedience 42:22 to all the commandments of God. 42:25 Many had lost sight of Jesus. 42:27 They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person, 42:30 His merits, and His changeless love for the human family." 42:36 Ladies and gentlemen, the glory of the everlasting gospel, 42:39 I need to tell you that is the most 42:40 Christ centered message 42:42 ever entrusted to a community of faith in history 42:46 and that's the gospel truth. 42:48 That's the gospel truth. 42:52 In fact, the same writer 42:55 made this stunning observation, watch this. 42:57 Now you have this in your study guide. 43:01 "This is the message that 43:02 God commanded to be given to the world. 43:06 It is the third angel's message, 43:07 which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, 43:10 that's a direct quotation of Revelation 18:2 43:14 "The Angel that comes down" in Revelation 18 43:17 that is what happening here, the writer writes. 43:21 It is the third angel's message, 43:23 which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, 43:25 and attended with the outpouring 43:27 of His Spirit in a large measure." 43:32 Keep your pen moving. 43:33 In other words, this message of salvation 43:35 and righteousness through faith in Christ alone 43:39 proclaimed by those two earnest young men in 1888 43:41 was that 'most precious message sent by God specifically 43:45 to ignite the final Christ-centered global revival. 43:50 Write it down "revival." 43:55 Prophesied in Revelation 18:1. 44:00 That's what was to trigger, 44:04 the fulfillment of Revelation 18:1, 44:06 which being interpreted, ladies and gentlemen, 44:07 means that the most significant 44:08 and world changing message ever committed 44:11 to any community of faith in history, 44:13 has got to be this one because it is the most 44:15 Christ-centered message in the history of earth. 44:23 But have we lost that Christ-centeredness. 44:27 Where come on, where, 44:32 where is our passion for Jesus anymore? 44:36 Where is that passion? 44:38 Sometime I'm afraid we don't even get it, 44:40 we don't, we don't get it. 44:43 I want to share a story with you, 44:46 that I shared with little family 44:48 that was gathering to celebrating grandmother 44:49 Heise's 100th birthday, few weeks ago. 44:51 She's a member in our congregation. 44:54 It's a story about Roy Whetstine, 44:57 professional jeweler, gemologist, all right. 45:01 So Whetstine is living down with his Tucson, Arizona. 45:04 And they are having this big rock-hound show. 45:06 You know what a rock-hound is, don't you? 45:08 An amateur rock collector. 45:10 So the professional is walking through the convention centre, 45:13 he's going, by table, by table 45:15 and he comes a rock-hound from Idaho. 45:17 Little card table upfront and on that card table 45:20 is a Tupperware bowl, 45:21 a little piece of masking tape on the outside 45:23 of the Tupperware bowl says $15. 45:26 So Whetstine the gemologist dips his trained fingers 45:33 into all that dust and rock 45:35 and feels something a bit strange and he pulls it out. 45:39 He holds it up in the air, 45:40 it's about the size of a potato, 45:43 it's kind of gray with little hew of lavender to it. 45:46 And he turns it before his trained eye 45:50 and then he lowers it and he looks into the face 45:52 of the rock-hound 45:53 and he says "You want $15 for this?" 45:58 Rock-hound grabbed that rock, looked at it for a movement, 46:03 said, "no, no, no, no, no, no not this one. 46:07 This one has been here for a long time 46:08 you could have it for 10." 46:11 And Whetstine reached into his wallet 46:12 dropped a crumple of a $10 bill and walked away, 46:16 with world's largest star sapphire ever found, 46:20 1,095 carets. 46:24 The previous record holder 700 carets less, 46:26 the Black Star from Queensland, 46:28 1948 estimated value of Whetstine's 46:31 $10 purchase, $ 2.5 million. 46:36 I should have gone in a rock collecting. 46:44 Ladies and gentlemen, are we any different 46:51 than that poor ignorant rock-hound from Idaho 46:55 who had the fortune of the universe 46:58 in his Tupperware bowl, 47:00 but is living like a pauper when he is worth a prince? 47:07 I know about this community of faith that I love. 47:11 I know how we became so enamored 47:14 over our distinctive theological uniqueness, 47:18 but I am afraid that in that enamoring 47:21 we have relegated the star sapphire 47:24 of the Lord Jesus Christ to the bottom 47:27 of a dusty bowl of 28 fundamentals, 47:31 it's in the bottom somewhere. 47:32 It's got to be here somewhere. 47:39 It is no wonder, pardon me for getting excited over this. 47:44 It is no wonder we languish for the lack of revival. 47:51 For 120 years we've been entrusted 47:55 with the star sapphire of all truth, 48:01 but I fear like the Jews, 48:02 who had the Messiah in their midst 48:05 we're going around our sacred business, 48:10 without the star sapphire, and what a tragic mistake. 48:18 Andrew's University and the Pioneer Memorial Church 48:22 ought to be the most Christ-centered, 48:24 intellectual and academic community on earth. 48:30 But, that we might not be, 48:35 would be enough to break any prophet's heart. 48:46 "After these things I saw another angel 48:49 coming down from heaven, having great authority, 48:53 and the earth was illuminated with his glory." 48:59 My dear friends, is it not high time 49:01 for the revival of the last sunrise on earth? 49:08 Is it not high time for the revival of you and me, 49:14 everyone new sunrise, making certain that 49:19 we might be alone with the Sun of Righteousness 49:22 for the quite little corner, every single day 49:26 the hunger and thirst for the Lord Jesus? 49:31 I know what you do important. 49:32 I know what you are studying is second to none. 49:36 But come no guys, if don't have the star sapphire 49:41 we're zero, we've nothing, 49:44 just a dusty old Tupperware 49:46 bowl of 28 stones. 49:53 I was washing our car yesterday, late afternoon 50:00 before the ministry fair the last night 50:02 and just thinking to myself this is all written by then 50:05 and just kind of brooding over it 50:10 and realizing, come no, I know, 50:13 there is nothing a preacher can say 50:17 to awaken a passion for Jesus in your heart. 50:19 I mean, it is the foolishness of what gets preached 50:21 and you know what, it's a-- I know its nothing. 50:27 No preacher can do that to me, 50:28 how could any preacher do it to you? 50:32 So I'm washing the fender and just saying God, 50:36 what You are gonna then? 50:38 What will happen to our little community of faith 50:42 that will create in us a hunger for Jesus again? 50:49 Pick up that star sapphire 50:51 and realize what it is, who He is? 51:04 In the John, by the way the John 51:06 who wrote Revelation 18 is the same John 51:09 who quoted Jesus in John 12, the Gospel of John Chapter 12 51:13 when Jesus said "And I, if I be lifted up, 51:19 I will draw all peoples to Myself." 51:22 You know what folks, that's our only hope, 51:27 that is our only hope. 51:29 Not for what happens here on a Sabbath morning, 51:31 come on don't you put all the eggs in this basket, 51:33 we're dead if you do. 51:36 It has to be what happens every morning of your life. 51:40 If I am lifted up in your life boy, 51:43 if I'm lifted up I'll do the drawing, 51:45 I'll draw you to me first. 51:47 You and I'll be friends like Abraham and I were. 51:50 I'll draw you to me. Let me be lifted up. 51:56 You say oh, come on Dwight, what can I do? 51:57 What can I do, I'm not theology major, 51:59 I just can't get into this? 52:00 You don't have to get into it. 52:01 Here's all you have to do, listen very carefully, 52:03 piece of cake one story a day, 52:07 one story from the gospels of the Lord Jesus Christ, 52:10 Mathew, Mark, Luke and John, one story a day 52:13 and you meditate on that story, you just brood over it, 52:15 you read it and reread it and reread it 52:17 and reread it and let that story. 52:19 You'll be looking for the picture of Jesus 52:21 what is this tell me about Jesus, 52:22 because He said if I am lifted up 52:24 in your heart boy, I'll draw you to me, 52:28 and the earthshine from your life 52:33 will light up this world. 52:36 Come on guys, is that too hard, one story a day 52:41 from Mathew, Mark, Luke and John that's it. 52:44 Just one and you meditate on it. 52:47 I'm talking of professors right now 52:49 who even teach these subjects 52:52 and some struggle to find even time daily to worship. 52:58 One story a day just one on Jesus 53:04 and if I be lifted up, I'll draw all people to Me. 53:09 I'm the Sun of Righteousness, 53:10 when I rise I have healing in My outstretched arms. 53:15 Do you need healing today? 53:17 You got something deep inside of you that needs get healed? 53:21 Lift Me up, lift Me up, 53:25 lift Me up, hallelujah. 53:28 Well, I don't have unique little way to bind this off. 53:33 I just want to tell you before praying with you 53:36 that I wish with all my heart that my community of faith 53:40 that I belong to and perhaps 53:43 it's the same one you belong to, 53:44 I wish with all my heart that the sunrise of Christ 53:50 might take place again in our midst. 53:55 And the last sunrise 53:58 can set this earth, ablaze with Christ. 54:04 Oh Jesus, 54:12 You do what you got to do, 54:15 speak to that boy, speak to that girl, 54:20 speak to that senior citizen, 54:23 speak to that adult, speak to me. 54:26 Oh Christ, 54:29 what You want? 54:37 And give him and her and me the grace, 54:43 the grace to have the courage 54:49 to give to you the time to grow a friendship. 54:54 Three little first graders up 54:57 front teaching us about friendship, 55:01 spending time with the one that is Your friend. 55:06 Oh Jesus, please, 55:09 have Your way in all our lives. 55:14 While your head is still bowed 55:16 would you sing it as a prayer with me? 55:18 Let's sing twice "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus." 55:33 "Turn your eyes upon Jesus 55:42 Look full in His wonderful face 55:52 And the things of earth 55:57 Will grow strangely dim 56:04 In the light 56:07 Of His glory and grace 56:19 Turn your eyes upon Jesus 56:29 Look full in His wonderful face 56:39 And the things of earth 56:44 Will grow strangely dim 56:52 In the light 56:55 Of His glory and grace 57:07 Before you go I wanted to take one more moment 57:09 and let you know how glad I am you shared 57:11 this hour of worship and Bible teachings with us. 57:14 Living in the world that we do now, 57:15 a civilization surviving on the edge 57:17 of constant upheaval and change I'm grateful 57:20 that we have the bedrock hope of Jesus, aren't you? 57:23 And I'm thankful that you and I can partner together 57:25 to reach this generation the world over 57:28 through the satellite telecast. 57:29 So please know that I thank God 57:31 and you for the generous way you partner with us. 57:35 Your tax-deductible gifts are being multiplied 57:37 all across the earth for such a time as this. 57:40 If you would like to order a DVD 57:41 or a video tape copy of this teaching today 57:44 or make a donation on your credit card 57:46 please call our friendly operators 57:47 at the number on your screen. 57:48 There it is 877-HIS-WILL, 57:50 just the two words 877-HIS-WILL 57:54 and I promise you, we will invest every penny 57:56 of your generosity in God's mission 57:58 to reach this final generation now. 58:01 Thank you for that partnership 58:03 and I'll see you here again next time. |
Revised 2015-05-11