What do you remember?
00:00:20.72\00:00:24.42
Where were you when
you first heard about it?
00:00:24.45\00:00:28.02
I was in between classes.
00:00:28.06\00:00:31.26
That morning we had Chapel.
00:00:31.29\00:00:32.63
And I was just getting
ready with some final elements.
00:00:32.66\00:00:36.23
I remember Matthew
Gambel was going to speak.
00:00:36.26\00:00:37.90
And I was walking
through Griggs Hall.
00:00:37.93\00:00:40.14
Some of you remember
what that building was like.
00:00:40.17\00:00:42.14
And Nadine Nelson, my
good friend came and said,
00:00:42.17\00:00:45.81
Did you hear? Did
you hear about the tower?
00:00:45.84\00:00:48.01
And it didn't mean
much to me in the moment.
00:00:48.04\00:00:54.55
I said, No. She said,
Like there's been a an attack,
00:00:54.58\00:00:58.32
or a crash, or something.
00:00:58.35\00:01:00.39
And in that moment what
I remembered was, you know,
00:01:00.42\00:01:05.19
it seemed like over the last
several years there had been
00:01:05.23\00:01:07.70
some kind of bombing
at the World Trade Center,
00:01:07.73\00:01:11.67
but it didn't, it wasn't huge.
00:01:11.70\00:01:13.74
It was, I mean it was
significant, but it wasn't huge.
00:01:13.77\00:01:16.27
And so I kind of carried
that with me in that moment,
00:01:16.30\00:01:18.77
and I didn't think much of it.
00:01:18.81\00:01:20.14
And then I went and
somebody turned on the TV
00:01:20.18\00:01:23.95
in one of the offices, and I
saw, I saw what was happening.
00:01:23.98\00:01:29.65
And I remember
getting goose bumps.
00:01:29.68\00:01:32.69
I remember being frozen and
wondering what in the world?
00:01:32.72\00:01:37.49
What has just,
what has just happened?
00:01:37.53\00:01:41.86
Do you remember where you were
September 11 when the news broke
00:01:41.90\00:01:49.94
of that great
calamity that just happened?
00:01:49.97\00:01:53.81
Do you remember? And
what do you remember?
00:01:53.84\00:01:57.85
I want to remember
them today for just a few
00:01:57.88\00:02:04.59
moments this morning.
00:02:04.62\00:02:05.95
So join me in reading
the following responsely.
00:02:05.99\00:02:09.36
We will put it up on
the screen here for you.
00:02:09.39\00:02:11.46
Let's take a moment of silence
to remember those who suffered
00:03:30.57\00:03:34.81
that day and ever since.
00:03:34.84\00:03:37.55
We now look to God,
our help in ages past,
00:03:50.46\00:03:53.73
and our hope for years to come.
00:03:53.76\00:03:56.80
Join me in singing hymn 103.
00:03:56.83\00:03:59.53
Pray with me. Our
God, our help in ages past,
00:06:19.34\00:06:25.98
and our hope for years to come.
00:06:26.01\00:06:27.65
Our sustainer, our
comforter, our protector.
00:06:27.68\00:06:33.96
We submit our hearts and
our selves to You this morning.
00:06:33.99\00:06:39.03
And may we bask in
Your everlasting love.
00:06:39.06\00:06:43.53
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
00:06:43.57\00:06:47.40
Please stand.
00:06:51.47\00:07:10.63
Maybe you brought that
injustice with you today.
00:11:50.37\00:11:53.61
Maybe you brought that pain.
00:11:53.64\00:11:55.58
Maybe you brought
that hurt with you.
00:11:55.61\00:12:00.08
I want to invite you,
if you have that with you,
00:12:00.12\00:12:04.09
if you have some
other burden in your hearts,
00:12:04.12\00:12:06.09
bring it with you up front,
and lay it at the feet of Jesus,
00:12:06.12\00:12:10.99
as we have our prayer.
00:12:11.03\00:12:12.39
Don't carry that
with you anymore.
00:12:12.43\00:12:14.80
Allow yourself rather than
be overcome by pain, and anger,
00:12:14.83\00:12:19.43
and hurt, to be drowning
in the love of Jesus Christ.
00:12:19.47\00:12:22.90
So come, come
and give that to Him.
00:12:22.94\00:12:26.41
Let us pray. Lord have mercy.
00:18:13.12\00:18:19.83
Christ have mercy.
00:18:19.86\00:18:27.27
God of Abraham have
mercy upon Your children.
00:18:27.30\00:18:34.61
Don't let us destroy ourselves.
00:18:34.64\00:18:41.52
Have mercy on us, Oh Lord,
and teach us to have this aim,
00:18:46.76\00:19:00.04
through Jesus
Christ our Lord, Amen.
00:19:00.07\00:19:06.54
Less than a month after
September 11, ten years ago,
00:19:11.55\00:19:17.52
less than a month
later, a busload of us from
00:19:17.55\00:19:23.83
Andrews University,
mostly students, some faculty,
00:19:23.86\00:19:29.96
and one pastor, drove through
the night so that we might stand
00:19:30.00\00:19:39.27
in that cordoned off
edge of where this world
00:19:39.31\00:19:50.49
was changed forever.
00:19:50.52\00:19:52.25
There's not a one of us here
that cannot instantly recall
00:19:52.35\00:20:00.40
that slow motion disintegration
of those towers, one and two,
00:20:00.43\00:20:08.80
that mushroom cloud
of death, dust, debris.
00:20:08.84\00:20:16.38
It was a sunny Friday,
the 1st of October 2001.
00:20:16.41\00:20:25.75
We stood on the
gaping edge of ground zero.
00:20:25.79\00:20:31.99
A woman was there.
00:20:32.03\00:20:33.63
You were there.
A woman was there.
00:20:36.70\00:20:39.70
She was crying. And
so as students, faculty,
00:20:39.73\00:20:47.78
we surrounded her.
00:20:47.81\00:20:50.08
And she told us, she pointed,
It was right over there.
00:20:50.11\00:20:55.08
She said, I was
standing here, right over there.
00:20:55.12\00:20:57.72
The wheel of an
airplane landed on the street.
00:20:57.75\00:21:05.83
Then, she said, a
child's toy fell to the ground.
00:21:05.86\00:21:11.57
This is almost a month
later, and she's still weeping,
00:21:11.60\00:21:16.00
returning to that sacred site.
00:21:16.04\00:21:19.67
I took pictures that day.
00:21:19.71\00:21:23.88
I want to share those
pictures with you right now.
00:21:23.91\00:21:27.48
Those nine fire fighters
you saw, Engine Company 22,
00:22:26.34\00:22:30.45
were lost in those two towers.
00:22:30.48\00:22:34.25
And what shall we
remember today, ten years later?
00:22:34.28\00:22:38.69
What if we could remember the
lesson of Ground Zero through
00:22:38.72\00:22:44.56
the eyes of the
prologue of the fourth gospel?
00:22:44.59\00:22:49.13
Open your Bible with me, please,
as we continue our New Year's
00:22:49.16\00:22:53.23
series, The Last
Word, The Fourth Gospel for
00:22:53.27\00:22:57.97
a Final Generation.
00:22:58.01\00:22:59.34
Open to the prologue; our
last time in the prologue,
00:22:59.37\00:23:02.24
Number 3 time in the prologue.
00:23:02.28\00:23:05.48
We plunge next week
into the drama of John.
00:23:05.51\00:23:08.68
But one last time in
the prologue. we cannot miss
00:23:08.72\00:23:11.35
We cannot miss
its pinnacle ending.
00:23:11.39\00:23:15.79
If you didn't bring a
Bible, pull out the pew
00:23:15.82\00:23:18.89
Bible in front of you.
00:23:18.93\00:23:20.26
You're going to want
to track this short line.
00:23:20.30\00:23:22.36
It's page 714 in our pew Bible.
00:23:22.40\00:23:24.10
I'm in the New
King James Version.
00:23:24.13\00:23:25.77
Any translation you
have is perfect right now.
00:23:25.80\00:23:28.70
The gospel of John
1, let's read verse 16.
00:23:28.74\00:23:35.68
Who's this His?
That's the Word made flesh.
00:23:37.88\00:23:40.68
Craig Keener in his 2
Volume Commentary on John,
00:23:49.09\00:23:53.70
spends an entire page trying
to unpack what that Greek phrase
00:23:53.73\00:23:57.07
could possibly mean.
00:23:57.10\00:23:58.43
In the Greek it
literally reads like this:
00:23:58.47\00:24:00.04
Grace instead of grace.
00:24:00.07\00:24:01.87
What's up with that?
00:24:01.90\00:24:03.27
Grace instead of grace?
00:24:03.30\00:24:05.11
Keener runs through a host of
possibilities, but he concludes
00:24:05.14\00:24:10.98
that whatever the translation,
what we have embedded here
00:24:11.01\00:24:15.35
is the profound assurance
that in the Word made flesh,
00:24:15.38\00:24:19.35
get this, in the Word made
flesh, we have an inexhaustible
00:24:19.39\00:24:24.49
supply of blessing.
00:24:24.53\00:24:26.29
That's the point. The Christ who
becomes flesh, the eternal God
00:24:26.33\00:24:31.67
who becomes one with
us, unleashes for us an
00:24:31.70\00:24:34.50
inexhaustible
supply of blessing.
00:24:34.54\00:24:38.17
That point is so critical.
00:24:38.21\00:24:39.71
We're moving to our reflex ions
on September 11 in a moment,
00:24:39.74\00:24:42.68
but we need to lock
that point in right now.
00:24:42.71\00:24:44.71
Pull out your study
guide, please, real quick.
00:24:44.75\00:24:46.35
Pull out your study guide.
00:24:46.38\00:24:47.72
Let's lock that in.
00:24:47.75\00:24:49.08
Your study guide is in
your worship bulletin today.
00:24:49.12\00:24:50.95
Choir, you have
your study guides? Good.
00:24:50.99\00:24:53.12
You've got your
worship bulletin's.
00:24:53.15\00:24:54.66
If you didn't get a
worship bulletin as you came in,
00:24:54.69\00:24:57.39
ushers are going to come by your
way right now, up in the balcony
00:24:57.43\00:25:01.46
here and overflow
in the Youth Chapel.
00:25:01.50\00:25:04.67
You need a study guide.
00:25:04.70\00:25:06.84
Keep your hand
up. We'll spot you.
00:25:06.87\00:25:08.30
Those of you
watching on television,
00:25:08.34\00:25:10.37
we're delighted that you're here
on this Anniversary weekend.
00:25:10.41\00:25:14.34
This is Part 3 of our
brand new series, The Last Word.
00:25:14.38\00:25:17.55
Let me give you our
website, and you can
00:25:17.58\00:25:19.61
get the same study guide.
00:25:19.65\00:25:21.18
We'll put in on the
screen for you right now.
00:25:21.22\00:25:22.88
There it is. The website is:
00:25:22.92\00:25:26.02
You're looking for the series,
The Last Word, this is Part 3.
00:25:29.29\00:25:32.53
The title of this
series, Presentation 3 today:
00:25:32.56\00:25:36.56
If you see that just click onto
study guide and you'll have it.
00:25:43.30\00:25:46.78
So you get the same study guide.
00:25:46.81\00:25:48.31
Those of you watching live
streaming now, you can get that
00:25:48.34\00:25:50.45
study guide as live
streaming is taking place.
00:25:50.48\00:25:53.25
That way you'll be
right up to speed with us.
00:25:53.28\00:25:57.32
By the way, I trust that
this study guide is a keeper.
00:25:57.35\00:26:00.36
So hang on to this study guide.
00:26:00.39\00:26:01.72
If you didn't get a
study guide, hold your hand up.
00:26:01.76\00:26:03.09
They're still coming your way.
00:26:03.12\00:26:04.46
But we need to go,
so let's fill it in.
00:26:04.49\00:26:05.83
Craig Keener. I want
to lock in that phrase.
00:26:05.86\00:26:07.60
What's, what's, what's
verse 16 talking about?
00:26:07.63\00:26:10.57
Grace, instead of grace.
00:26:12.23\00:26:13.67
Key point. When the Word,
who was God, stepped out of His
00:26:16.81\00:26:20.48
eternity with God, and He
enters into our human family,
00:26:20.51\00:26:22.94
becomes God with
us, He unleashes this...
00:26:22.98\00:26:25.65
It reminds me of a
line from Desire of Ages.
00:26:27.88\00:26:29.68
Keep your pen moving.
00:26:29.72\00:26:31.05
Classic line, Desire of Ages.
00:26:31.09\00:26:32.42
You'll have to fill it in.
00:26:32.45\00:26:33.79
And write this in.
00:26:55.91\00:26:57.25
Not just the riches of
heaven, but the whole universe.
00:27:05.15\00:27:07.39
End quote. Read that
verse again, Verse 16.
00:27:28.34\00:27:34.32
And of His fullness, the words
fullness, we've all received
00:27:34.35\00:27:38.45
grace for grace. Verse 17.
00:27:38.49\00:27:40.76
Bosom! Do you know what
the word bosom means? Huh?
00:27:54.40\00:27:59.81
Is that too old of an
English word for you? bosom.
00:27:59.84\00:28:03.98
One of my most favorite
people in all this life,
00:28:04.01\00:28:07.68
as a kid growing up
especially, was my Great Aunt.
00:28:07.72\00:28:10.19
We called her Auntie Fern.
00:28:10.22\00:28:11.92
A wonderful
lady, my mother's Aunt.
00:28:11.95\00:28:14.92
She was a Watt. She
married Clayton Forr.
00:28:14.96\00:28:17.26
She, and they, were career
missionaries in the Far East.
00:28:17.29\00:28:20.83
And then they came back
and he ended up his career,
00:28:20.86\00:28:22.96
a Agshire Director for
the General Conference.
00:28:23.00\00:28:24.97
Anyway, Auntie Fern.
00:28:25.00\00:28:26.33
Auntie Fern was a
short lady, but a wide lady,
00:28:26.37\00:28:31.81
with a low center of gravity.
00:28:31.84\00:28:33.34
So you can now
picture it. Alright?
00:28:33.38\00:28:36.31
And she was a lover.
00:28:36.34\00:28:37.78
She just loved
people, I'm telling you.
00:28:37.81\00:28:39.65
She was just
one wonderful woman.
00:28:39.68\00:28:43.49
She was a lover, which
meant that whenever you greeted
00:28:43.52\00:28:46.76
Auntie Fern you would step
into her wide open embrace.
00:28:46.79\00:28:51.46
Alright? Those
little arms would go out.
00:28:51.49\00:28:53.13
You'd step into her wide open
embrace, and she greeted you
00:28:53.16\00:28:55.50
with a nickname that
she had just for you.
00:28:55.53\00:28:57.67
And then she'd
pulled, she folded you into
00:28:57.70\00:29:01.10
this expansive hug.
00:29:01.14\00:29:02.70
What I mean is that
when Auntie Fern hugs you,
00:29:02.74\00:29:06.37
you knew two things:
You knew 1. You were loved.
00:29:06.41\00:29:11.28
And you knew
you were surrounded.
00:29:11.31\00:29:15.82
Because when she pulled
your head into her bosom,
00:29:15.85\00:29:18.82
it was all bosom. Ha ha ha ha!
00:29:18.85\00:29:23.66
Is that okay? Ha ha ha ha ha!
00:29:23.69\00:29:27.13
So you got the picture!
00:29:27.16\00:29:29.93
I didn't know if you knew
the word bosom. Ha, ha, ha, ha.
00:29:29.96\00:29:36.07
But it was all love; it was all
genuine love from Auntie Fern.
00:29:36.10\00:29:39.87
That is John's point.
00:29:39.91\00:29:41.24
That's what he's
trying to describe here.
00:29:41.28\00:29:42.61
The word he uses for bosom,
called bust, is the identical
00:29:42.64\00:29:46.72
word he inserts into the
last supper upper room account
00:29:46.75\00:29:50.99
when he describes,
you remember this moment,
00:29:51.02\00:29:52.79
he describes the disciple
that Jesus kept on loving.
00:29:52.82\00:29:55.42
You remember that code
phrase, that humble phrase?
00:29:55.46\00:29:57.29
I'm the one that
Jesus kept on loving.
00:29:57.33\00:29:59.23
He describes himself at the
upper room table, reclining.
00:29:59.26\00:30:04.37
They didn't sit at the tables,
you remember, they reclined.
00:30:04.40\00:30:06.53
And so he has his elbow here.
00:30:06.57\00:30:08.67
He's eating with his left
hand, and he has his elbow here.
00:30:08.70\00:30:10.94
And right beside him,
he's sitting next to Jesus.
00:30:10.97\00:30:13.78
Right behind him is Jesus.
00:30:13.81\00:30:15.21
And you remember, Peter is
going, Ask Him who betrays Him.
00:30:15.24\00:30:19.68
So John, all he has to do,
because he says, The disciple
00:30:19.71\00:30:23.08
that Jesus loved was
leaning on His bosom.
00:30:23.12\00:30:24.72
All he has to do is just look
up into Jesus' face like that,
00:30:24.75\00:30:28.39
and he asked the question.
00:30:28.42\00:30:30.43
The word bosom in
the Greek, it's a tender,
00:30:30.46\00:30:35.30
it's a tender term.
00:30:35.33\00:30:36.67
It's what a Daddy does
with his child on his lap.
00:30:36.70\00:30:39.13
It's what a husband and wife do.
00:30:39.17\00:30:41.84
It's what dear friends do.
00:30:41.87\00:30:43.20
It's what John does
with the Word made flesh.
00:30:43.24\00:30:45.07
And it's what the Word
made flesh does with the Father.
00:30:45.11\00:30:50.85
Say, that's the point.
00:30:50.88\00:30:52.31
With the Father, like this!
00:30:52.35\00:30:55.55
Robert Smith, boy if you can
ever get his Commentary on John.
00:30:55.58\00:31:01.06
It's entitled, Wounded Lord.
00:31:01.09\00:31:03.39
It's just a short commentary.
00:31:03.43\00:31:05.43
Robert Smith
translates Verse 18.
00:31:05.46\00:31:07.90
It's in our study
guide. Fill it out.
00:31:07.93\00:31:09.26
Okay, this is how
Verse 18 reads. He says:
00:31:09.30\00:31:11.97
Boy, I tell you what, now
I got the picture, you see.
00:31:18.31\00:31:22.48
Craig Keener comes back
with Verse 18, and he says,
00:31:27.32\00:31:31.15
Here's what it means.
00:31:31.19\00:31:32.52
Fill it in. It is describing
00:31:34.02\00:31:36.16
Which is why the New NIV,
and I'm reading it through
00:31:41.73\00:31:45.23
right now, and I'm loving it.
00:31:45.27\00:31:46.60
And I'm going to bring it in.
00:31:46.63\00:31:47.97
I'll begin
preaching from it for awhile.
00:31:48.00\00:31:49.50
The New NIV, the
2011 edition of the NIV,
00:31:49.54\00:31:53.58
just released this spring.
00:31:53.61\00:31:56.18
They dropped the
word bosom completely out,
00:31:56.21\00:31:58.21
and here's how they put it.
00:31:58.25\00:31:59.58
Next slide, please. The Son,
00:31:59.61\00:32:01.82
See, the word bosom's gone.
00:32:06.69\00:32:08.02
Because they said, Nobody
knows what the word bosom means.
00:32:08.06\00:32:10.39
But He's in the closest
relationship with the Father.
00:32:10.43\00:32:15.06
That's what it means.
00:32:15.10\00:32:16.50
In the bosom of the Father.
00:32:16.53\00:32:17.87
You can't get
any closer than that.
00:32:17.90\00:32:20.27
So, Ladies and Gentlemen, what
does that mean for you and me?
00:32:20.30\00:32:23.17
Robert Smith again.
00:32:23.20\00:32:25.94
Put the words on the screen.
00:32:25.97\00:32:27.31
And this is provocative.
00:32:27.34\00:32:28.68
Wait until you
get to his punch line.
00:32:28.71\00:32:30.15
Robert Smith, it's in
your study guide, he's writing.
00:32:30.18\00:32:33.08
And he's right, isn't he?
00:32:34.05\00:32:35.68
We don't know God!
00:32:50.03\00:32:51.53
Here it comes.
00:33:09.08\00:33:10.42
Key point: God is like Jesus.
00:33:14.86\00:33:18.39
It's not Jesus is like God.
00:33:18.43\00:33:19.76
Oh, no, no, he
reminds me of God.
00:33:19.79\00:33:22.00
No, no, no, it's
the other way around.
00:33:22.03\00:33:23.37
God is like Jesus.
00:33:23.40\00:33:26.77
The only portrait of God we
will ever be given this side
00:33:26.80\00:33:30.31
of eternity, is
the picture of Jesus.
00:33:30.34\00:33:32.37
He is not like
God, God is like Him.
00:33:32.41\00:33:36.18
Anyone who has seen Me...
00:33:36.21\00:33:38.61
What does He say in John 14?
00:33:38.65\00:33:40.02
Anyone who has seen
Me has seen the Father.
00:33:40.05\00:33:43.28
This climax to the prologue
declares that the only portrait
00:33:43.32\00:33:48.86
of God we will ever gaze upon,
this, this side of eternity,
00:33:48.89\00:33:53.70
is the portrait, is
the picture of Jesus.
00:33:53.73\00:33:56.16
There is no one
closer than He to God.
00:33:56.20\00:34:00.57
So, hold on, hold on, hold on.
00:34:00.60\00:34:02.04
If you want to get to know God,
you must get to know Christ.
00:34:02.07\00:34:10.15
That's the only way you will
ever know God, ever, ever, ever.
00:34:10.18\00:34:15.78
Which, by the way,
is the point Steps to
00:34:20.39\00:34:21.72
Christ powerfully makes.
00:34:21.76\00:34:23.09
Put it on the screen.
00:34:23.12\00:34:24.73
It's in your study guide.
00:34:24.76\00:34:26.09
You need to fill it out.
00:34:26.13\00:34:27.46
This little
classic, Steps to Christ.
00:34:27.50\00:34:29.36
See, there's the prologue line.
00:34:39.04\00:34:40.68
Which only He who was
in the bosom of the Father
00:34:40.71\00:34:42.34
could declare Him.
00:34:42.38\00:34:43.71
Only He. Fill that in, please.
00:34:43.75\00:34:45.08
End quote. Those who
hunger; and I hope you
00:34:58.83\00:35:03.26
hunger to know God.
00:35:03.30\00:35:04.70
I join you in that hunger.
00:35:04.73\00:35:06.53
Those who hunger to
know God must know Christ.
00:35:06.57\00:35:11.71
How did Jesus put it?
00:35:11.74\00:35:13.98
No one comes to the
Father but through Me.
00:35:14.01\00:35:18.51
Say, Ah, come on Dwight, great
point, but what's all this have
00:35:18.55\00:35:22.68
to do with September 11?
00:35:22.72\00:35:24.05
Um, well, let's see if
we can get there from here.
00:35:24.09\00:35:30.03
In the parable of the
rich man and Lazarus...
00:35:32.36\00:35:34.46
Do you remember that
parable that Jesus told about
00:35:34.50\00:35:36.16
the rich man and Lazarus?
00:35:36.20\00:35:37.53
Jesus describes
heaven with the Jewish idiom.
00:35:37.57\00:35:41.17
Fill this in. He describes
heaven with the Jewish idiom,
00:35:41.20\00:35:43.61
in the bosom of whom? in
the bosom of Abraham. Yep.
00:35:43.64\00:35:48.81
So let's move from the
bosom of the Father to the bosom
00:35:49.54\00:35:52.75
of Abraham for a moment.
00:35:52.78\00:35:54.12
The Talmud describes
Abraham's lap as the place
00:35:54.15\00:35:56.55
of the blessed dead.
00:35:56.58\00:35:57.92
In fact you hear it today.
00:35:57.95\00:35:59.35
You hear people say, Hey, did
you hear about the man who died
00:35:59.39\00:36:01.19
and went to heaven, and
Saint Peter met him at the gate?
00:36:01.22\00:36:02.76
Do you remember that? Yep.
00:36:02.79\00:36:04.13
We do that all the time.
00:36:04.16\00:36:05.49
For the Jews it was Abraham.
00:36:05.53\00:36:06.86
You're going to paradise?
00:36:06.90\00:36:08.23
You're going through?
00:36:08.26\00:36:09.60
Abraham will
meet you at the gate.
00:36:09.63\00:36:10.97
Jesus seizes this bit
of popular lore and weaves
00:36:11.00\00:36:13.84
it into His parable.
00:36:13.87\00:36:15.20
In fact, listen to this,
Jesus has the rich man in Hades
00:36:15.24\00:36:18.21
crying out across the
gulf to Father Abraham, Yoh!
00:36:18.24\00:36:23.18
Father Abraham! Reminds
us of that children's song
00:36:23.21\00:36:28.55
not too long ago,
Father Abraham had many sons,
00:36:28.58\00:36:33.69
many sons had Father Abraham.
Cut! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
00:36:33.72\00:36:40.06
That thing goes forever! Ha, ha!
00:36:40.10\00:36:42.36
I'm not letting you go!
00:36:42.40\00:36:43.80
Alright, Father Abraham,
because the truth be told,
00:36:43.83\00:36:47.37
Father Abraham really does
have many sons and daughters.
00:36:47.40\00:36:50.51
Listen to this. He's the father
of the children of Israel.
00:36:50.54\00:36:52.97
He's the father of
the children of Ishmael.
00:36:53.01\00:36:55.94
And he's the father of
the children of Christ.
00:36:55.98\00:36:57.81
Jot this down, will you, please?
00:36:57.85\00:36:59.71
Jot that down.
All three of them.
00:37:06.35\00:37:10.76
You don't believe me?
00:37:10.79\00:37:12.39
Let me run the
evidence by you right now.
00:37:12.43\00:37:14.50
Genesis 16:15. Fill it in.
00:37:14.53\00:37:17.77
Please note, Ishmael is
the eldest son of Abraham.
00:37:25.47\00:37:30.88
No question.
00:37:30.91\00:37:32.31
He was a baby son
preserved by divine miracle.
00:37:32.35\00:37:35.48
Fill that word in.
00:37:35.52\00:37:36.85
He's a baby son
preserved by divine miracle.
00:37:36.89\00:37:38.52
Because when pregnant mother
Hagar, the Egyptian handmaiden,
00:37:38.55\00:37:42.26
she's driven out of that house.
00:37:42.29\00:37:44.03
She will have a
miscarriage unless God steps in.
00:37:44.06\00:37:47.30
And He does through
the angel of the Lord.
00:37:47.33\00:37:49.76
Three great: first in the Bible.
00:37:49.80\00:37:51.23
The first time the angel of the
Lord ever appears in Scripture.
00:37:51.27\00:37:53.67
The first time
God ever names a baby.
00:37:53.70\00:37:55.84
First time anybody ever says,
I've seen God face to face.
00:37:55.87\00:37:58.64
And it was all for an Egyptian
handmaiden, servant girl.
00:37:58.67\00:38:03.58
She must have been
pretty important to God.
00:38:03.61\00:38:06.01
That baby must have
been important to God.
00:38:06.05\00:38:09.05
So, write it down. Next line.
00:38:11.69\00:38:14.32
In fact, I was given a Koran
by a visiting Imam from Detroit,
00:38:18.53\00:38:22.33
and in that holy book for
the Muslims, did you know this?
00:38:22.36\00:38:24.93
They tell the story of
Abraham on Mount Moriah?
00:38:24.97\00:38:27.34
And guess who Abraham is
offering to God? Ishmael.
00:38:27.37\00:38:31.87
In the Koran it's Ishmael.
00:38:31.91\00:38:33.48
That's why they have the Dome
of the Rock on top the ruins
00:38:33.51\00:38:37.38
of Jerusalem's temple.
00:38:37.41\00:38:38.75
Why? Because that's holy ground.
00:38:38.78\00:38:40.12
Muslims say, We are
the children of Abraham.
00:38:40.15\00:38:41.98
They are! But the Jews say
the same, and they're right.
00:38:42.02\00:38:46.42
Look at this. Jot it down.
00:38:46.45\00:38:47.79
Isaac was Abraham's
only son through Sarah.
00:38:55.56\00:39:01.94
He was a baby son
born by divine miracle.
00:39:01.97\00:39:05.17
Ishmael was a baby son
preserved by divine miracle.
00:39:05.21\00:39:09.14
Isaac is a baby son
born by divine miracle.
00:39:09.18\00:39:12.11
A year before Isaac was born the
Lord shows up in Abraham's tent.
00:39:12.15\00:39:16.02
You remember that?
00:39:16.05\00:39:17.39
He said, You're
going to have a baby.
00:39:17.42\00:39:18.75
No, I'm not, Yes, you are.
00:39:18.79\00:39:20.12
Quit laughing,
you are, and so on.
00:39:20.16\00:39:21.49
You remember the story.
00:39:21.52\00:39:22.86
Alright. So, jot this down.
00:39:22.89\00:39:24.23
Isaac was the father
of the children of Israel.
00:39:24.26\00:39:26.23
That's exactly
what Exodus 3:15 says.
00:39:26.26\00:39:28.40
That means he's the father of
the children of Judaism today.
00:39:28.43\00:39:32.10
And the Jews, of course,
today believe that when Abraham
00:39:32.13\00:39:35.40
sacrificed his son atop Mount
Moriah, it was his son Isaac.
00:39:35.44\00:39:39.01
Right? But of course!
00:39:39.04\00:39:41.18
And the Jews consider
themselves, therefore,
00:39:41.21\00:39:43.91
the children of Abraham.
00:39:43.95\00:39:45.28
And they are. But guess what?
00:39:45.31\00:39:46.65
They're not alone.
00:39:46.68\00:39:48.02
The Christians
consider themselves
00:39:48.05\00:39:49.38
the children of Abraham.
00:39:49.42\00:39:50.75
Jot this down:
Galatians 3, Paul writing.
00:39:50.79\00:39:52.89
If you accept Jesus
as your Lord and Savior.
00:39:54.06\00:39:56.39
Isn't that
something? Keep writing.
00:40:02.66\00:40:05.13
Who are these
Christian children? They are:
00:40:05.17\00:40:08.07
There's a miracle for every
first child out of that clan.
00:40:11.94\00:40:16.14
A miracle for
Ishmael, a miracle for Isaac,
00:40:16.18\00:40:18.88
and miracle for the children
of Abraham through Christ. Wow!
00:40:18.91\00:40:23.99
By virtue of His Lordship,
the followers of Christ are
00:40:24.02\00:40:27.39
inheritors of every
promise made to Abraham.
00:40:27.42\00:40:29.89
There you have it,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
00:40:29.92\00:40:31.26
All three monotheistic religions
honored today rightfully claim
00:40:31.29\00:40:36.80
Abraham as our father.
00:40:36.83\00:40:39.97
He's our father as well,
which means... Now hold on!
00:40:40.00\00:40:45.37
...which means September
11's tragedy ten years ago
00:40:45.41\00:40:49.98
was a tragedy for all three
families of Abraham, was it not?
00:40:50.01\00:40:54.85
Come on, wasn't it?
00:40:54.88\00:40:57.02
That crime against humanity,
perpetrated by a band of
00:40:57.05\00:41:02.32
extremists, sucked all three
monotheistic clans of believers
00:41:02.36\00:41:06.96
into the same vortex.
00:41:07.00\00:41:09.43
So here's the question:
then shall all three branches of
00:41:12.50\00:41:16.34
Father Abraham
remain hostile, fractured,
00:41:16.37\00:41:20.68
and alienated from one another?
00:41:20.71\00:41:23.14
Could it be that the Father
of Father Abraham still seeks
00:41:23.18\00:41:28.78
reconciliation that might yet
unite the children of Abraham?
00:41:28.82\00:41:33.52
Would you be surprised?
00:41:33.56\00:41:36.39
Hey, just tell me, would
you be surprised to learn
00:41:36.42\00:41:40.16
that there is... God has raised
up, let me put it that way,
00:41:40.20\00:41:45.17
God has raised up a branch
from within one of the three
00:41:45.20\00:41:48.47
Abrahamic family clans.
00:41:48.50\00:41:51.11
He's raised up a branch from one
of those three to lead all three
00:41:51.14\00:41:58.81
to the bosom of the Father.
00:41:58.85\00:42:00.85
Would that surprise you?
00:42:00.88\00:42:02.98
There is a branch of
the Christian family clan
00:42:03.02\00:42:06.55
that shares more common ground
with the Muslim family clan,
00:42:06.62\00:42:10.16
and the Jewish family clan
than any other community within
00:42:10.23\00:42:13.73
the Christian family.
00:42:13.80\00:42:15.13
No Christian body on earth is as
close to both Jews and Muslims
00:42:15.16\00:42:20.24
as this particular
Christian community.
00:42:20.27\00:42:22.87
I wonder who that
community could be?
00:42:22.90\00:42:25.41
Let me show you how
it works with the Jews.
00:42:25.44\00:42:27.78
With the Jews this
Christian branch shares...
00:42:27.81\00:42:29.58
And I'll put this
on the screen for you.
00:42:29.61\00:42:31.35
With the Jews it shares...
00:42:31.38\00:42:32.81
This branch shares
all of that with Judaism.
00:42:58.87\00:43:03.75
The fact is that had Israel
embraced the Messiah when He
00:43:03.81\00:43:08.18
came to them there never would
have been the need for this
00:43:08.22\00:43:12.69
branch of the Christian family
to have been raised up at all.
00:43:12.72\00:43:17.16
But the record in the
prologue of the fourth
00:43:17.19\00:43:20.26
gospel is bitterly sad.
00:43:20.30\00:43:21.83
I remind you, these
words are in the prologue.
00:43:21.86\00:43:24.17
Verse 11. He, the Word,
00:43:24.20\00:43:27.24
Now I want you to think with me.
00:43:36.18\00:43:37.71
Had the community of
Israel, with her leadership,
00:43:37.75\00:43:41.48
united in accepting Christ,
there would have been no need
00:43:41.52\00:43:45.22
for any further
remnant community.
00:43:45.25\00:43:48.36
Israel would have
carried God's truth to the end.
00:43:48.39\00:43:51.43
In fact, there would have
been no need for the two other
00:43:51.46\00:43:54.23
monotheistic religions
that came after Judaism.
00:43:54.26\00:43:59.20
Christianity and Islam
would never have been born.
00:43:59.23\00:44:04.17
The truth is that the Jews have
no closer spiritual cousins,
00:44:05.77\00:44:09.78
or family, than this divinely
raised up apocalyptic community
00:44:09.81\00:44:13.82
within the Christian family.
00:44:13.85\00:44:15.38
Furthermore, the family of Islam
has no closer spiritual cousin,
00:44:15.42\00:44:18.99
or family within the Christian
community than this same
00:44:19.02\00:44:21.89
apocalyptic branch that we've
just noted is close to Judaism.
00:44:21.92\00:44:24.89
Let me show you that with
the Muslims this same Christian
00:44:24.93\00:44:27.86
branch shares these
major common grounds.
00:44:27.90\00:44:30.93
Put it on the screen for you.
00:44:30.97\00:44:32.30
Different holy books, but still
reverence for the holy book.
00:44:37.51\00:44:40.28
Within the Christian community
to share these seven tenants
00:44:59.43\00:45:05.37
of faith is indeed a
most significant common ground
00:45:05.40\00:45:08.74
with Muslims, isn't it?
00:45:08.80\00:45:10.21
So who is this branch within
the Christian community that has
00:45:10.24\00:45:14.58
been raised up to bridge to
all three monotheistic religions
00:45:14.61\00:45:18.95
at this time in history?
00:45:18.98\00:45:20.32
I believe that the
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:45:20.35\00:45:24.85
is that community.
00:45:24.89\00:45:26.62
A community of Christians
closer to Jews and Muslims
00:45:26.65\00:45:31.03
than any other Christian body.
00:45:31.06\00:45:34.83
But that closeness now, that
closeness does not denigrate
00:45:34.86\00:45:38.93
its distinctive Christian
witness within this community
00:45:38.97\00:45:42.34
of faith, for like all
other Christian communities,
00:45:42.37\00:45:45.71
in contradistinction
to Islam and Judaism,
00:45:45.74\00:45:49.18
the Seventh-day Adventist
church accepts the testimony
00:45:49.21\00:45:51.91
of the Jewish writer of the
fourth gospel, the apostle John,
00:45:51.95\00:45:55.72
who himself was
a Jewish Christian.
00:45:55.75\00:45:58.39
And that is the
shining truth of the prologue,
00:45:58.42\00:46:00.99
and his entire
gospel, that Jesus was,
00:46:01.02\00:46:04.83
and is the incarnation of
one who shares both deity and
00:46:04.86\00:46:09.50
eternity with almighty God.
00:46:09.56\00:46:11.37
But who came down to the
human race becoming one with us,
00:46:11.40\00:46:14.44
so that He might
die for the human race.
00:46:14.50\00:46:16.74
And on the third day He
rose again to become our Lord
00:46:16.77\00:46:20.68
forever and ever, Amen.
00:46:20.71\00:46:22.91
Which is why, by the way, the
Word made flesh in the fourth
00:46:27.62\00:46:30.99
gospel, John goes to extra
lengths to make certain the
00:46:31.02\00:46:34.89
reader is clear the Word
made flesh is greater than both
00:46:34.92\00:46:38.76
Moses, who's mentioned
twelve times in this gospel,
00:46:38.79\00:46:41.13
or Abraham, who's mentioned
eleven times in this gospel.
00:46:41.16\00:46:44.20
Let me give you two
sample verses where John is
00:46:44.23\00:46:46.50
driving this point home.
00:46:46.53\00:46:47.87
First about Moses.
00:46:47.90\00:46:49.24
The greater proceeds
the lesser, of course.
00:46:54.34\00:46:56.91
John's point clear.
00:46:56.95\00:46:58.78
What does he say about Abraham?
00:46:58.81\00:47:00.15
Jesus speaking
to a group of Jews.
00:47:01.48\00:47:03.55
I AM. The children of Abraham
and Moses, of Ishmael and Isaac,
00:47:07.16\00:47:16.40
are the very children the
heavenly Father longs to draw
00:47:16.43\00:47:20.47
into His eternal heart,
which is why He sent His Son.
00:47:20.50\00:47:25.41
And which is why,...
00:47:27.64\00:47:28.98
And now I need
you to be listening
00:47:29.01\00:47:30.35
very carefully, please.
00:47:30.38\00:47:31.71
Which is why you and I, as
Seventh-day Adventists must
00:47:31.91\00:47:35.35
come to the place
where we find it painful.
00:47:35.38\00:47:37.65
You say, Find
what painful, Dwight?
00:47:37.69\00:47:39.52
Listen, you and I as Seventh-day
Adventists must come to the
00:47:39.55\00:47:42.59
place where we find it painful.
00:47:42.62\00:47:44.59
And I'm speaking
about the false charactures,
00:47:46.56\00:47:49.50
and misrepresentations that You
Tube, and Cyberspace perpetrate
00:47:49.53\00:47:54.97
against both of these
monotheistic communities.
00:47:55.00\00:47:58.64
If it is a mission of the
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:47:58.67\00:48:03.61
to build bridges to our
Muslim and Jewish friends
00:48:03.65\00:48:05.55
and neighbors, than of
all people on earth we should
00:48:05.58\00:48:08.65
reject the impulse to forward
any e-mail, or any video clip
00:48:08.68\00:48:14.36
that belittles, or attacks
the sincere faith of these
00:48:14.39\00:48:17.43
children of Abraham.
00:48:17.46\00:48:18.79
I got a letter two weeks
ago from one of our listeners.
00:48:18.83\00:48:25.10
And the listener said, You,
obviously don't know the Koran,
00:48:27.50\00:48:30.67
and outlined for me all the
commands that reflect violence.
00:48:32.81\00:48:37.71
He just wrote it up in
a three page typed letter.
00:48:37.75\00:48:40.38
You're right.
Those are all there.
00:48:42.08\00:48:44.69
But have you read
the Old Testament lately?
00:48:44.75\00:48:47.66
Do you know how long a
list I could put together
00:48:49.42\00:48:51.79
from Deuteronomy,
Joshua, and Judges?
00:48:51.83\00:48:54.73
How would you feel if somebody
pulled all those references out
00:48:54.76\00:48:58.73
and left them all by themselves,
no context, no nothing but just
00:48:58.77\00:49:02.70
the gut line, and then
disseminated that line and said,
00:49:02.74\00:49:07.08
This is the
Bible she believes in.
00:49:07.11\00:49:08.94
This is the
Bible he believes in.
00:49:08.98\00:49:11.35
What kind of a
religion do they have?
00:49:11.38\00:49:13.68
Ladies and Gentlemen, the golden
rule taught to us by the Word
00:49:13.72\00:49:17.62
made flesh is you treat
others the same way you want
00:49:17.65\00:49:22.42
to be treated yourself.
00:49:22.46\00:49:23.89
If we, as the
children of Abraham ourselves,
00:49:27.06\00:49:29.43
seek to destroy the integrity
and reputation of Godly Muslim's
00:49:29.46\00:49:32.60
and Jews, we engage in
what is called fratricide.
00:49:32.63\00:49:35.94
Do you know what fratricide is?
00:49:35.97\00:49:37.54
It is the mortal attack
of children upon their own
00:49:37.57\00:49:40.58
siblings. It's children killing
their brothers and sisters.
00:49:40.61\00:49:42.94
Look, agreed, September 11
was an act of tragic fratricide
00:49:42.98\00:49:49.02
committed by Muslim
extremists, we all agree.
00:49:49.05\00:49:51.85
But our collective response
as Adventists, as Christians,
00:49:51.89\00:49:55.82
cannot be to
reciprocate in a more subtle,
00:49:55.89\00:49:58.49
but nonetheless destructive
manner, using the dissemination
00:49:58.53\00:50:01.66
of falsehoods in
order to destroy a people,
00:50:01.70\00:50:04.67
no matter how pure
our motives might be.
00:50:04.70\00:50:07.60
We can't do it. If
our motivation is to seek,
00:50:07.64\00:50:13.31
and save the lost like Jesus,
then there is only one response
00:50:13.34\00:50:17.51
we can make to attempts
to harm rather than save.
00:50:17.55\00:50:20.98
We must categorically reject
those fear mongering YouTube
00:50:21.02\00:50:25.32
clips, and forwarded e-mails.
00:50:25.35\00:50:27.36
No, that will never get past me.
00:50:27.39\00:50:29.32
That will never go past me.
00:50:29.39\00:50:31.29
It ended right here, right here.
00:50:31.33\00:50:34.73
And we must, in the
name of the Word made flesh,
00:50:36.77\00:50:38.90
so that He could save us
all, we must seek to build faith
00:50:38.93\00:50:41.87
bridges to the very
ones others are rejecting.
00:50:41.90\00:50:45.27
That's the whole point.
00:50:45.31\00:50:46.78
The world may reject, but this
is God's opportunity to build
00:50:46.81\00:50:51.61
a bridge where
others have torn it down.
00:50:51.65\00:50:54.58
That's the point. And for that
reason I wish to take this tenth
00:50:54.62\00:51:01.02
Anniversary opportunity of
September 11, to recommit my
00:51:01.09\00:51:06.03
life to drawing nearer,
and nearer to the One who is in
00:51:06.06\00:51:10.97
the bosom of the Father.
00:51:11.03\00:51:12.70
Because if Jesus is in closest
relationship to the Father,
00:51:12.73\00:51:18.64
then I wish to come into
closest relationship with Jesus.
00:51:18.67\00:51:24.38
That's what I want, because
surely, when I am near to Him,
00:51:24.41\00:51:30.19
it will be clear to me that
I must be near to them, too.
00:51:30.25\00:51:35.99
All the rest of the
children of Abraham.
00:51:36.02\00:51:40.33
I want to be that
for Jesus, don't you?
00:51:40.36\00:51:44.57
Yeah, I do. There's a great hymn
I want us to sing in closing.
00:51:44.60\00:51:52.81
Pull your hymnal out.
00:51:55.04\00:51:56.38
It's hymn 301 in your hymnal.
00:51:56.41\00:51:57.75
But there's one stanza
that links us with this verse
00:51:57.78\00:52:01.25
in the prologue, and I want
to put the words on the screen.
00:52:01.28\00:52:04.45
Because this is a prayer of
my heart, and I know it's the
00:52:04.49\00:52:06.45
prayer of your heart.
00:52:06.49\00:52:07.82
I just want to
get nearer and nearer.
00:52:07.86\00:52:09.19
Can we put the words
on the screen, please?
00:52:09.22\00:52:11.99
Remember this old
hymn? this old gospel hymn?
00:52:12.06\00:52:14.90
I want to show you this line
straight out of the prologue.
00:52:14.93\00:52:17.67
Look at the words on
the screen for a moment.
00:52:17.70\00:52:19.13
It's hymn 301, by the way.
00:52:19.17\00:52:20.50
You're finding it in your
hymnal, but look at the screen.
00:52:20.54\00:52:22.70
Now watch this.
00:52:32.11\00:52:33.45
We have sung
that stanza for years.
00:52:38.09\00:52:40.66
Now you know where it came from.
00:52:40.69\00:52:43.12
It's the One who is
in the breast of God
00:52:43.16\00:52:46.49
that we are praying to.
00:52:46.53\00:52:48.06
May I be drawn
close to Your breast?
00:52:48.10\00:52:50.63
I want to go nearer,
and nearer, and nearer
00:53:00.31\00:53:03.41
to Him until He comes.
00:53:03.45\00:53:05.68
Stand with me. Let's
sing this beautiful prayer.
00:53:05.71\00:53:09.18
It is our prayer, hymn 301.
00:53:09.22\00:53:11.75
Holy Father, please answer
the prayer we have just sung.
00:57:19.07\00:57:24.17
Nearer, and
nearer, and nearer we pray,
00:57:24.21\00:57:31.25
so that we might be bridges
from Your heart to theirs.
00:57:31.28\00:57:35.45
And now may the love of
God, and the grace of His Son,
00:57:39.75\00:57:45.39
and the communion of the Holy
Spirit abide with you and me
00:57:45.46\00:57:51.07
as we go to them, Amen.
00:57:51.10\00:57:55.80