He became sin who knew no sin
00:00:32.32\00:00:38.20
That we might
become His righteousness
00:00:38.23\00:00:44.26
He humbled Himself
and He carried the cross
00:00:44.29\00:00:52.16
Love so amazing
00:00:52.19\00:00:58.58
Love so amazing
00:00:58.61\00:01:04.86
Jesus, Messiah
00:01:04.89\00:01:10.88
Name above all names
00:01:10.91\00:01:16.94
Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel
00:01:16.97\00:01:24.94
The Rescue for sinner
00:01:28.45\00:01:34.64
The Ransom from heaven
00:01:34.67\00:01:40.94
Jesus, Messiah
00:01:40.97\00:01:46.72
Lord of all
00:01:46.75\00:01:53.62
All our hope is in You
00:01:53.65\00:01:59.06
All our hope ins is in You
00:01:59.09\00:02:05.15
All the glory to You, God
00:02:05.18\00:02:13.15
The Light for the world
00:02:13.18\00:02:19.61
Jesus, Messiah
00:02:19.64\00:02:26.34
Name above all names
00:02:26.37\00:02:32.63
Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel
00:02:32.66\00:02:40.63
The Rescue for sinners
00:02:45.02\00:02:51.00
The Ransom from heaven
00:02:51.03\00:02:57.64
Jesus, Messiah
00:02:57.67\00:03:04.31
Lord of all
00:03:04.34\00:03:08.45
Amen.
00:03:14.30\00:03:15.58
You're the
promise of our strength
00:03:19.37\00:03:22.92
You're our
guide as we seek truth
00:03:22.95\00:03:26.94
You give the courage
to make it through the day
00:03:26.97\00:03:31.91
Let's repeat that.
00:03:31.94\00:03:35.75
You're the
promise of our strength
00:03:35.78\00:03:39.10
You're our
guide as we seek truth
00:03:39.13\00:03:42.93
You give the courage
to make it through the day
00:03:42.96\00:03:48.54
You're the comfort.
00:03:48.57\00:03:51.37
You're the comfort in our trials
00:03:51.40\00:03:54.86
The conviction that compels us
00:03:54.89\00:03:58.75
You speak the words
when we cannot alone
00:03:58.78\00:04:05.57
So fill our lives
with Your presence
00:04:05.60\00:04:09.38
Teach our minds and purify us
00:04:09.41\00:04:13.02
Give the joy that
filled the Father's Son
00:04:13.05\00:04:18.61
Holy Sprit, come,
meld our hearts as one
00:04:18.64\00:04:25.70
Holy Sprit, come
00:04:25.73\00:04:31.63
Sing that again,
you're the promise.
00:04:31.66\00:04:35.53
You're the
promise of our strength
00:04:35.56\00:04:39.17
You're our
guide as we seek truth
00:04:39.20\00:04:42.94
You give the courage
to make it through the day
00:04:42.97\00:04:50.94
You're the comfort in our trials
00:04:50.97\00:04:54.97
That conviction that compels us
00:04:55.00\00:04:58.77
You speak the words
when we cannot alone
00:04:58.80\00:05:05.46
So fill our lives
with Your presence
00:05:05.49\00:05:09.14
Teach our minds and purify us
00:05:09.17\00:05:12.54
Give the joy that
filled the Father's Son
00:05:12.57\00:05:17.11
So fill our lives.
00:05:17.14\00:05:19.19
So fill our lives
with Your presence
00:05:19.22\00:05:22.96
Teach our minds and purify us
00:05:22.99\00:05:26.35
Give the joy that
filled the Father's Son
00:05:26.38\00:05:31.97
Holy Sprit, come,
meld our hearts as one
00:05:32.00\00:05:38.98
Holy Sprit, come,
meld our hearts as one
00:05:39.01\00:05:44.80
One more time, Holy Sprit.
00:05:44.83\00:05:45.99
Holy Sprit, come,
meld our hearts as one
00:05:46.02\00:05:52.91
Holy Sprit, come
00:05:52.94\00:05:57.24
Alleluia, Alleluia
00:06:10.16\00:06:13.61
Alleluia
00:06:13.64\00:06:16.87
Alleluia, Alleluia
00:06:16.90\00:06:20.83
Alleluia
00:06:20.86\00:06:24.19
Alleluia, Alleluia
00:06:24.22\00:06:28.14
Alleluia
00:06:28.17\00:06:32.25
Alleluia, Alleluia
00:06:32.28\00:06:36.20
Alleluia
00:06:36.23\00:06:38.38
Alle, Alle, Alle, Alle
00:06:43.84\00:06:46.94
Alleluia
00:06:46.97\00:06:49.93
Alle, Alle, Alle, Alle
00:06:49.96\00:06:53.06
Alleluia
00:06:53.09\00:06:56.18
Alleluia, Alleluia
00:06:56.21\00:07:00.24
Alleluia
00:07:00.27\00:07:04.33
Alleluia, Alleluia
00:07:04.36\00:07:08.25
Alleluia
00:07:08.28\00:07:11.58
Alleluia, Alleluia
00:07:11.61\00:07:15.52
Alleluia
00:07:15.55\00:07:19.45
Alleluia, Alleluia
00:07:19.48\00:07:23.39
Alle, Alle, Alle, Alle
00:07:23.42\00:07:27.03
Alleluia
00:07:27.06\00:07:30.50
Alleluia, Alleluia
00:07:30.53\00:07:38.48
Alleluia
00:07:38.51\00:07:40.39
Alleluia, Alle, Alle,
00:07:40.42\00:07:44.22
Alleluia
00:07:44.25\00:07:47.22
Alleluia
00:07:47.25\00:07:50.27
Alleluia
00:07:50.30\00:07:55.84
Late last night I
was reading an account
00:08:00.94\00:08:02.92
sent to me by a friend
written by Beatrice Neall
00:08:02.95\00:08:07.34
some you know
that name she used to,
00:08:07.37\00:08:11.15
she used to be in
this community, scholar.
00:08:11.18\00:08:14.68
She's written an
historical account
00:08:14.71\00:08:17.90
of the revival that swept
through the United States,
00:08:17.93\00:08:23.60
particularly on
campuses back in 1970.
00:08:23.63\00:08:28.12
Started in Asbury
College down in Kentucky,
00:08:28.15\00:08:31.23
Methodist institution.
00:08:31.26\00:08:34.19
Sprang to Andrews
University fascinating story,
00:08:34.22\00:08:39.06
I debated about just taking
00:08:39.09\00:08:40.69
a few moments right
here and reading it to you,
00:08:40.72\00:08:42.50
but I'm gonna read
it Wednesday night.
00:08:42.53\00:08:45.63
I'm gonna read the
entire account Wednesday night.
00:08:45.66\00:08:48.01
I need you to hear
what a revival feels like
00:08:48.04\00:08:53.00
when the Holy Spirit ignites
a campus and touches a people.
00:08:53.03\00:09:00.57
It's a moving story.
00:09:00.60\00:09:02.20
I'll start with
Asbury so that you can see
00:09:02.23\00:09:05.46
God works across the spectrum.
00:09:05.49\00:09:11.08
And then also Wednesday night
00:09:11.11\00:09:12.34
we're gonna have a
prayer for healing.
00:09:12.37\00:09:14.28
We did it this last Wednesday
night without announcing.
00:09:14.31\00:09:18.50
And when I saw how
many people came forward
00:09:18.53\00:09:21.41
healing for yourself
or for someone you love
00:09:21.44\00:09:23.42
those were the instructions.
00:09:23.45\00:09:24.49
Healing for yourself
or for someone you love
00:09:24.52\00:09:26.34
would you like
intercessory prayer?
00:09:26.37\00:09:30.20
I could not-- I was surprised.
00:09:30.23\00:09:35.22
We're gonna do it
again this Wednesday night.
00:09:35.25\00:09:37.03
If there's somebody that
needs healing in your life
00:09:37.06\00:09:39.10
and you know about that person
it may be you nobody will know.
00:09:39.13\00:09:43.77
But you would
like God to heal you
00:09:43.80\00:09:46.97
come Wednesday night.
00:09:47.00\00:09:48.63
The story the revival
00:09:48.66\00:09:49.89
and then we'll that
very special prayer.
00:09:49.92\00:09:52.80
Let's pray right now.
00:09:52.83\00:09:54.09
Dear God, the candle flickers
00:09:54.12\00:09:57.43
reminder the mighty
third person of the God had
00:09:57.46\00:09:59.49
who hovers over this
worshiping community.
00:09:59.52\00:10:02.51
And the children of
God cry out hallelujah,
00:10:02.54\00:10:04.88
hallelujah, praise to
Yahweh, praise to the Lord.
00:10:04.91\00:10:11.11
It is a cry elicited by
the moving of the spirit.
00:10:11.14\00:10:14.32
So our hearts are already moved.
00:10:14.35\00:10:16.18
It's a moving a Bible teaching
let it be clear dear God,
00:10:16.21\00:10:18.78
we must get this
straight in Jesus name, amen.
00:10:18.81\00:10:23.88
So here's a question for you,
00:10:23.91\00:10:26.93
how would you
like to have a prophet
00:10:26.96\00:10:28.23
living next door to you?
00:10:28.26\00:10:31.94
You said, well,
Dwight, it just depends on
00:10:31.97\00:10:33.56
which prophet
you're talking about?
00:10:33.59\00:10:34.98
All right, let
me run one by you.
00:10:35.01\00:10:36.55
How about
Jeremiah? Say, wait a minute.
00:10:36.58\00:10:40.05
I mean, you're
talking about Jeremiah
00:10:40.08\00:10:41.74
is that the one they
call the weeping prophet?
00:10:41.77\00:10:44.42
Listen I sleep with
my windows open to night
00:10:44.45\00:10:46.80
I couldn't handle
and now I'm hearing
00:10:46.83\00:10:48.39
a sobbing of a
man next door, no way.
00:10:48.42\00:10:51.29
All right, how
about John the Baptist?
00:10:51.32\00:10:56.03
You're talking
about the guy that--
00:10:56.06\00:10:57.83
Yeah no, we can't have
somebody running around--
00:10:57.86\00:11:00.63
running around our neighbourhood
00:11:00.66\00:11:01.82
dressed in camel
hair and munchen on locus,
00:11:01.85\00:11:04.86
we've got social
decor where we live.
00:11:04.89\00:11:06.99
Forget it. All
right how about Jonah?
00:11:07.02\00:11:11.63
See the prophet that ran away?
00:11:11.66\00:11:12.88
Yep, well he'll be fine,
because he never be home.
00:11:12.91\00:11:14.93
You got that
one. How about Isaiah?
00:11:14.96\00:11:18.63
Hey, wait a
minute, wasn't Isaiah
00:11:18.66\00:11:19.90
the prophet that
God commanded to walk
00:11:19.93\00:11:23.40
buck naked through Jerusalem
to make a theological point?
00:11:23.43\00:11:28.90
We got ordinances
around here in this village,
00:11:28.93\00:11:31.28
no streaking in our block.
00:11:31.31\00:11:34.04
All right, how about Deborah?
00:11:34.07\00:11:37.47
Oh you're talking about
Deborah the prophetess, right?
00:11:37.50\00:11:39.70
Yep, Deborah the prophetess.
00:11:39.73\00:11:41.93
Hey, you know what she'll
be a fine woman have next door
00:11:41.96\00:11:43.94
but I tell you what
I'm not really big on women
00:11:43.97\00:11:45.86
to wear the
pants in the family so.
00:11:45.89\00:11:49.37
How about Noah?
00:11:49.40\00:11:51.35
You're taking
about Noah the Ark, Noah?
00:11:51.38\00:11:52.71
Yeah, Noah, the Ark Noah.
00:11:52.74\00:11:53.98
To be kind with you,
hanging around somebody
00:11:57.68\00:12:00.25
who hangs around
that many animals
00:12:00.28\00:12:02.62
and keeps preaching
the end of the time,
00:12:02.65\00:12:04.32
we don't need an end times
zoo around our place not Noah.
00:12:04.35\00:12:07.38
Okay, how about Jesus?
00:12:07.41\00:12:09.87
Oh, now there is a
capital "P" Prophet
00:12:09.90\00:12:14.03
I would love to have next door.
00:12:14.06\00:12:17.18
If you can just quit
hanging around those riff-raff
00:12:17.21\00:12:18.82
and the porn, those out of
town prostitutes and Fishman
00:12:18.85\00:12:21.39
who keep parking on my lawn.
00:12:21.42\00:12:24.25
Ladies and gentlemen, the
question already is clear.
00:12:24.28\00:12:30.34
I'd like have an
prophet living next door
00:12:30.37\00:12:32.01
nobody wants a prophet
next door, you know why?
00:12:32.04\00:12:35.14
Because this strange.
00:12:35.17\00:12:37.42
We got enough
crazies around here as it is,
00:12:37.45\00:12:40.27
that's the way
Israel felt about prophets.
00:12:40.30\00:12:43.24
Let me put a line on
screen, don't look it up,
00:12:43.27\00:12:44.87
I put it from the book
Hosea 9:7 on the screen, NIV.
00:12:44.90\00:12:48.71
God speaking, "The days
of punishment are coming,
00:12:48.74\00:12:51.06
the days of
reckoning are at hand.
00:12:51.09\00:12:52.57
Let Israel know this.
00:12:52.60\00:12:54.23
Because your sins are so many
and your hostility so great,
00:12:54.26\00:12:57.67
the prophet is
considered a fool,
00:12:57.70\00:13:00.79
and the inspired man a maniac."
00:13:00.82\00:13:04.98
Title of today's
teaching "Of Maniacs And Fools
00:13:05.01\00:13:09.60
And Other Such Gifts."
00:13:09.63\00:13:12.01
Because nobody ever
dreams of growing up
00:13:12.04\00:13:15.31
to be a prophet someday.
00:13:15.34\00:13:18.16
Open your Bible with me please
00:13:18.19\00:13:19.36
to the writing of
a very human prophet.
00:13:19.39\00:13:23.41
Take a look at this,
open your Bible please
00:13:23.44\00:13:25.46
to the Book of Jeremiah.
00:13:25.49\00:13:27.81
We're gonna do some brooding
you and I over seven stages
00:13:27.84\00:13:30.62
in the lifecycle of a prophet.
00:13:30.65\00:13:32.77
Let's go to the Prophet Jeremiah
00:13:32.80\00:13:35.14
the one you didn't want to live
next door to you that Jeremiah.
00:13:35.17\00:13:38.64
Jeremiah Chapter
1 we'll pick it up.
00:13:38.67\00:13:40.59
By the way you did bring
a, you didn't bring a Bible
00:13:40.62\00:13:42.36
grab the pew
Bible in front of you.
00:13:42.39\00:13:43.86
You need to track this
in Jeremiah the seven stages
00:13:43.89\00:13:46.74
it will be page
506 in your Bible.
00:13:46.77\00:13:50.99
Seven stages, stage
number one trust me in advance
00:13:51.02\00:13:53.92
you don't want to
be one, not a prophet.
00:13:53.95\00:13:57.00
Jeremiah, I'm gonna be here
in the New King James Version.
00:13:57.03\00:14:00.64
Jeremiah Chapter 1
will pick it up in verse 4.
00:14:00.67\00:14:04.10
"Then the word of the
Lord came to me, saying,
00:14:04.13\00:14:08.15
'Before I formed you
in the womb I knew you,
00:14:08.18\00:14:12.90
Before you were
born I sanctified you,
00:14:12.93\00:14:16.54
I ordained you a
prophet to the nations.'"
00:14:16.57\00:14:20.34
Hit the pause
button right there.
00:14:20.37\00:14:22.36
You need to know
by the way my friend,
00:14:22.39\00:14:25.18
that even though you
weren't born to be a prophet
00:14:25.21\00:14:27.63
this line is
just as true for you.
00:14:27.66\00:14:29.90
Do you know what
God looked down the day
00:14:29.93\00:14:31.21
you've got conceived
in your mother's tummy
00:14:31.24\00:14:33.66
and He said, I got
a dream for that man.
00:14:33.69\00:14:35.71
I have a dream for
that eventual woman.
00:14:35.74\00:14:39.89
So here is the question,
00:14:39.92\00:14:41.56
are you living out
your dream right now
00:14:41.59\00:14:43.24
are you living out God's dream?
00:14:43.27\00:14:46.67
The whole goal of life
00:14:46.70\00:14:48.10
is to align your
dream with God's destiny.
00:14:48.13\00:14:51.41
When you get those aligned
that's called the sweet spot.
00:14:51.44\00:14:55.06
That's the crosshairs.
00:14:55.09\00:14:57.00
I want to tell you this
00:14:57.03\00:14:58.37
you can about go
through anything in this life
00:14:58.40\00:15:01.59
if you know you are doing
what God raised you up to do.
00:15:01.62\00:15:08.38
We read that again, verse 4,
00:15:08.41\00:15:10.58
"Then the word of the
Lord came to me, saying."
00:15:10.61\00:15:12.36
Verse 5 "Before I
formed you in the womb
00:15:12.39\00:15:16.02
I knew you, Before you were born
00:15:16.05\00:15:18.55
I sanctified you, I ordained you
00:15:18.58\00:15:20.72
a prophet to the nations."
00:15:20.75\00:15:22.36
There it is
ladies and gentlemen,
00:15:22.39\00:15:23.78
stage number one,
take out your study guide
00:15:23.81\00:15:25.38
just write it down, let's jot
down all seven of these stages.
00:15:25.41\00:15:28.57
Study guide please,
00:15:28.60\00:15:30.62
it's in your worship
bulletin pull it out.
00:15:30.65\00:15:32.51
If you didn't get a study guide
00:15:32.54\00:15:33.77
here come our ushers
happy to give you one.
00:15:33.80\00:15:35.92
Hold your hand up that goes
00:15:35.95\00:15:37.40
for up in the balcony
as well, put your hand up.
00:15:37.43\00:15:39.58
That goes for
overflow those of you watching
00:15:39.61\00:15:41.31
in overflow right
now glad you are here.
00:15:41.34\00:15:43.41
Hold your hand up, will
get a study guide to you.
00:15:43.44\00:15:45.22
Everybody gets a
study guide today.
00:15:45.25\00:15:46.72
You're gonna want the seven
stages a prophets lifecycle.
00:15:46.75\00:15:50.34
And those of you are joining
us right now on television
00:15:50.37\00:15:52.75
we're delighted to have you.
00:15:52.78\00:15:54.89
I hope this teaching
today will bless you as well.
00:15:54.92\00:15:57.60
You can get the
same study guide.
00:15:57.63\00:15:58.73
In fact, let me put
our website on the screen
00:15:58.76\00:16:00.88
and when you go to that website
00:16:00.91\00:16:02.22
there it is you
see it on the screen
00:16:02.25\00:16:03.74
www.pmchurch.tv go
to that website please.
00:16:03.77\00:16:09.43
You're looking for
the series "The Gift."
00:16:09.46\00:16:12.30
This is "The Gift" part 3.
00:16:12.33\00:16:13.64
You didn't hear
part 2 and part 1
00:16:13.67\00:16:15.44
they're all there already
at the website waiting for you.
00:16:15.47\00:16:17.67
The Podcast, the
Videocast you can download it
00:16:17.70\00:16:20.15
watch it your leisure,
but the teaching for part 3,
00:16:20.18\00:16:23.72
the teaching is of
00:16:23.75\00:16:24.98
"Of Maniacs And Fools
And Other Such Gifts."
00:16:25.01\00:16:28.04
When you see that title
it says study guide click
00:16:28.07\00:16:30.39
you have the same
study guide as we do.
00:16:30.42\00:16:31.95
Okay, let's go seven stages
of the lifecycle of a prophet.
00:16:31.98\00:16:35.33
Stage number one,
write it down please.
00:16:35.36\00:16:37.28
God calls a man or a woman
00:16:37.31\00:16:39.97
to deliver a divine
message to His people.
00:16:40.00\00:16:43.81
All right, you
write a man or a woman
00:16:43.84\00:16:46.51
God calls a man or a woman
00:16:46.54\00:16:48.36
to deliver a divine
message to His people.
00:16:48.39\00:16:50.87
Do you remember our
teaching from last week?
00:16:50.90\00:16:52.51
Let me put the verse up
again, don't look it up.
00:16:52.54\00:16:54.25
Amos 3:7, "Surely the
Lord God does nothing,
00:16:54.28\00:16:58.73
Unless He reveals His secret
to His servants the prophets."
00:16:58.76\00:17:03.79
Every major chapter
in salvation history
00:17:03.82\00:17:06.85
is preceded by God
raising up a prophet
00:17:06.88\00:17:10.15
to prepare the people
for the impending event.
00:17:10.18\00:17:12.69
Noah, the flood.
Moses, the exodus.
00:17:12.72\00:17:15.97
Jeremiah, the exile.
00:17:16.00\00:17:19.44
God does nothing without telling
00:17:19.47\00:17:20.51
the secrets to the prophets
00:17:20.54\00:17:21.63
and then pass it
on to the rest of us.
00:17:21.66\00:17:24.02
But what comes as a surprise
to some people get this,
00:17:24.05\00:17:26.34
is a discovery that
the gift of prophecy
00:17:26.37\00:17:29.31
God's prophetic office
is not limited by gender,
00:17:29.34\00:17:34.87
its transgender.
00:17:34.90\00:17:37.75
In fact, women serve
00:17:37.78\00:17:40.05
and the Bible
that called prophetess.
00:17:40.08\00:17:41.68
Get you pen
moving, let just run a few.
00:17:41.71\00:17:43.41
These are not all of
them, but let me run a few
00:17:43.44\00:17:45.12
by some famous women prophetess.
00:17:45.15\00:17:47.07
We put that on screen please.
00:17:47.10\00:17:49.08
Women whom God called,
00:17:49.11\00:17:50.16
here we go number
one Deborah, write down.
00:17:50.19\00:17:53.05
No number one is
a Miriam, excuse me,
00:17:53.08\00:17:55.10
this is the
older sister of Moses.
00:17:55.13\00:17:56.26
We get to Deborah in a moment.
00:17:56.29\00:17:57.40
But Miriam was a prophetess.
00:17:57.43\00:17:58.71
Every text behind the name
calls the woman a prophetess.
00:17:58.74\00:18:02.22
All right, number one is Miriam.
00:18:02.25\00:18:03.52
Number two is Deborah.
Number three is Huldah.
00:18:03.55\00:18:07.09
She was a prophetess
00:18:07.12\00:18:08.17
during the reign of
King Josiah and Judah.
00:18:08.20\00:18:10.63
Number four is Anna.
Remember the Christmas story?
00:18:10.66\00:18:13.81
Oh, ladies, what was
80 some year old Anna
00:18:13.84\00:18:16.67
she was a prophetess
recognize the Christ child.
00:18:16.70\00:18:19.19
And even in the Book of
Acts, the Daughters of Philip.
00:18:19.22\00:18:22.63
Acts 21 says, they
had the gifts of prophesy.
00:18:22.66\00:18:27.40
So stage number one
what we're looking at?
00:18:27.43\00:18:29.02
We're looking at the life
cycle stages of a prophet.
00:18:29.05\00:18:30.96
Number one God calls a
man or He calls a woman
00:18:30.99\00:18:34.02
to deliver a divine
message to God's people.
00:18:34.05\00:18:37.87
The German
scholar Gerhard von Rad
00:18:37.90\00:18:42.55
back in the 20th century
got two books in my library
00:18:42.58\00:18:45.31
of his Old Testament Theology
in this two volume series
00:18:45.34\00:18:48.56
he describes the implications
of a prophets divine calling.
00:18:48.59\00:18:52.43
You got this in
your study guide,
00:18:52.46\00:18:53.64
you have to fill it in fact.
00:18:53.67\00:18:54.92
Let's read, this is
von Rad writing here,
00:18:54.95\00:18:57.32
"The picture we see
00:18:57.35\00:19:00.10
is of a man appointed
to hear the word of God.
00:19:00.13\00:19:03.62
As a result of this divine call
00:19:03.65\00:19:05.10
he surrenders
much of his freedom."
00:19:05.13\00:19:06.88
I'm telling you,
you don't wanna grow up
00:19:06.91\00:19:08.71
and be a
prophet, don't ask for it.
00:19:08.74\00:19:10.84
He surrenders
much of his freedom.
00:19:10.87\00:19:12.61
"Occasionally he's
completely overwhelmed
00:19:12.64\00:19:15.39
by an external compulsion,
00:19:15.42\00:19:17.62
but paradoxically, just because
he has received this call
00:19:17.65\00:19:22.01
he is able to enjoy an
entirely new kind of freedom."
00:19:22.04\00:19:25.32
This is something.
00:19:25.35\00:19:26.43
"Drawn into ever more and
more close converse with God,
00:19:26.46\00:19:30.73
the prophet is privy
to the divine purposes
00:19:30.76\00:19:33.73
and is thereby
given the authority
00:19:33.76\00:19:35.56
to enter into a
unique kind of converse
00:19:35.59\00:19:38.13
with men and women."
00:19:38.16\00:19:39.54
Look there's no one
the divine calling like it.
00:19:39.57\00:19:41.60
Not the calling to preach,
not the calling to teach,
00:19:41.63\00:19:43.79
not the calling to
lead to be a ruler.
00:19:43.82\00:19:45.59
No this is a unique narrow slice
00:19:45.62\00:19:50.06
of the community of faith.
00:19:50.09\00:19:51.22
Very narrow.
00:19:51.25\00:19:53.52
The reception of
the gift of prophecy,
00:19:53.55\00:19:55.72
the divine calling
to the office of prophet
00:19:55.75\00:19:58.43
or prophetess
drew the called one
00:19:58.46\00:20:01.11
as we just read into an
intense converse with God
00:20:01.14\00:20:04.77
enjoyed by no
other human beings.
00:20:04.80\00:20:08.06
And by the way that's true.
00:20:08.09\00:20:09.63
Even while the
prophet or the prophetess
00:20:09.66\00:20:12.05
is filled with
very human foibles,
00:20:12.08\00:20:16.91
failures and works
totally utterly human.
00:20:16.94\00:20:21.86
God still draws that
human into a relationship
00:20:21.89\00:20:25.30
enjoyed by no
other human beings.
00:20:25.33\00:20:27.76
All right, stage number two
00:20:27.79\00:20:28.82
let's go that's stage
one, stage number two,
00:20:28.85\00:20:30.83
you have your Bible
still open Jeremiah 1:14,
00:20:30.86\00:20:34.40
Jeremiah 1:14 this is stage two.
00:20:34.43\00:20:36.40
"Then the Lord said to me
00:20:36.43\00:20:37.49
'Out of the north
calamity shall break forth
00:20:37.52\00:20:40.51
On all the
inhabitants of the land.'"
00:20:40.54\00:20:42.34
Verse 15 "'For
behold, I am calling
00:20:42.37\00:20:44.19
All the families of the kingdoms
00:20:44.22\00:20:45.64
of the north,' says the Lord;
00:20:45.67\00:20:46.90
'They shall come and
each one setup his throne
00:20:46.93\00:20:50.26
At the entrance of
the gates of Jerusalem,'"
00:20:50.29\00:20:51.74
that's not good.
00:20:51.77\00:20:52.80
You don't want kings setting up
their thrones, that's bad news.
00:20:52.83\00:20:56.16
"'Against all
its walls all around,
00:20:56.19\00:20:57.80
And against all
the cities of Judah.'"
00:20:57.83\00:20:59.20
Why are you doing this God?
00:20:59.23\00:21:00.29
Verse 16 "For I will
utter My judgments Against them
00:21:00.32\00:21:04.30
Judah, against them
concerning all their wickedness,
00:21:04.33\00:21:07.35
Because they have forsaken Me,
00:21:07.38\00:21:09.27
They've burned
incense to other Gods,
00:21:09.30\00:21:11.08
and they've worshiped the
works of their own hands."
00:21:11.11\00:21:14.71
Stage number two, write it down
00:21:14.74\00:21:16.38
it was usually
this message interested
00:21:16.41\00:21:18.78
was usually a
message of urgency.
00:21:18.81\00:21:22.75
I mean, for Noah,
it's the impending flood.
00:21:22.78\00:21:25.40
Wake up, be ready.
00:21:25.43\00:21:27.19
The Moses
impending Exodus come on,
00:21:27.22\00:21:29.22
come on God, we
got to go, go, go, go.
00:21:29.25\00:21:32.71
Jeremiah, I'm sorry
00:21:32.74\00:21:35.48
the whole place is
going down the exile,
00:21:35.51\00:21:39.62
urgent be ready its
coming He is coming.
00:21:39.65\00:21:42.51
How do we know
the prophets messages?
00:21:42.54\00:21:44.05
Come on Dwight, how
do we know that really
00:21:44.08\00:21:45.71
we're generally urgent
meaning generally time related,
00:21:45.74\00:21:48.14
how do we know that?
00:21:48.17\00:21:49.20
I tell you why.
00:21:49.23\00:21:50.61
Because you see
this book right here
00:21:50.64\00:21:52.47
this is a collection of
the messages of the prophets.
00:21:52.50\00:21:57.63
We are right here,
don't have to guess,
00:21:57.66\00:21:59.25
don't have to wonder,
well, what kind of a message
00:21:59.28\00:22:00.54
do they send, oops, right here.
00:22:00.57\00:22:02.45
This book is
written by prophets.
00:22:02.48\00:22:04.29
How did it happen?
00:22:09.05\00:22:10.35
I'll tell you what God didn't
send them a letter, no emails.
00:22:10.38\00:22:14.72
You want to
know how it happened?
00:22:14.75\00:22:16.42
God is very clear.
00:22:16.45\00:22:18.17
Put this on the screen for you,
00:22:18.20\00:22:19.31
The divine messages were
generally delivered by visions,
00:22:19.34\00:22:24.40
jot this down by visions,
by dreams or by divine voice.
00:22:24.43\00:22:30.47
Well, take a look
that Numbers 12 in a moment
00:22:30.50\00:22:32.52
I want to give you
time to get that down.
00:22:32.55\00:22:33.88
What are the ways visions
or dreams or by divine voice.
00:22:33.91\00:22:39.53
Watch this Number Chapter
12 let's put it on the screen.
00:22:39.56\00:22:42.38
God speaking, "Then He said,
00:22:42.41\00:22:44.13
'Hear now My words, If
there is a prophet among you,
00:22:44.16\00:22:48.08
I, the Lord, will make
Myself known to him in a vision.
00:22:48.11\00:22:52.35
I will speak to him in a dream.
00:22:52.38\00:22:55.03
But not so'"
here's an other prophet.
00:22:55.06\00:22:56.82
"Not so My servant Moses,
He is faithful in all My house.
00:22:56.85\00:23:00.49
I speak with him face to
face," there is the voice
00:23:00.52\00:23:03.20
"I speak to him face
to face Even plainly,
00:23:03.23\00:23:05.50
and not in dark sayings,
00:23:05.53\00:23:06.90
And he sees the
form of the Lord."
00:23:06.93\00:23:08.54
So God says listen
"Why where then you afraid
00:23:08.57\00:23:11.12
To speak against
my servant Moses?"
00:23:11.15\00:23:15.93
This book is a collection
of 40 prophets messages,
00:23:15.96\00:23:20.28
40 of them written over a
prey get this, 1,500 years.
00:23:20.31\00:23:24.90
How do we know
what the messages where,
00:23:24.93\00:23:26.00
we got it right
here, they're here.
00:23:26.03\00:23:30.33
The formula I
would love to with you
00:23:30.36\00:23:32.29
just draw the veil aside.
00:23:32.32\00:23:33.92
Just pull this veil
aside, take a little peak
00:23:33.95\00:23:36.70
into how the
process really worked.
00:23:36.73\00:23:39.05
This is absolutely fascinating.
00:23:39.08\00:23:41.03
Some of you have never
read this chapter in your life.
00:23:41.06\00:23:43.19
Stay right here in Jeremiah,
00:23:43.22\00:23:44.45
go to chapter 36 this
is an incredible story.
00:23:44.48\00:23:47.81
Open the Bible just go
00:23:47.84\00:23:48.98
a few chapters
further to Jeremiah 36.
00:23:49.01\00:23:52.07
Watch what happens here.
This is gonna open your eyes.
00:23:52.10\00:23:56.42
Jeremiah 36:1 all
right watch this story,
00:23:56.45\00:24:04.42
Jeremiah 36:1
"Now it came to pass
00:24:04.45\00:24:08.92
in the fourth year of Jehoiakim"
00:24:08.95\00:24:12.05
evil king "the son of
Josiah, king of Judah,
00:24:12.08\00:24:14.69
that this word came to
Jeremiah from the Lord saying"
00:24:14.72\00:24:17.23
okay here comes now verse 2
00:24:17.26\00:24:18.66
"Take a scroll,"
take some parchments,
00:24:18.69\00:24:21.07
we need the
parchments are rolled up,
00:24:21.10\00:24:22.81
rolled up says why
they call them scrolls
00:24:22.84\00:24:24.45
"Take a scroll of a book
and write on it all the words
00:24:24.48\00:24:29.90
that I have spoken to you
against Israel, against Judah,
00:24:29.93\00:24:33.41
and against all the nations,
from the day I spoke to you
00:24:33.44\00:24:36.11
from the days of
Josiah even to this day."
00:24:36.14\00:24:40.17
You got that Jeremiah,
remember we call the messages
00:24:40.20\00:24:43.47
I have been sending through you
00:24:43.50\00:24:44.63
I want you to now
write them all down
00:24:44.66\00:24:46.46
from the very
beginning until this day.
00:24:46.49\00:24:48.61
So what happens now
drop down to verse 4
00:24:48.64\00:24:50.72
"Then Jeremiah called
Baruch the son of Neriah,
00:24:50.75\00:24:55.80
and Baruch wrote
on a scroll of a book,
00:24:55.83\00:24:58.95
at the instruction or
dictation of Jeremiah,
00:24:58.98\00:25:01.95
all the words of the Lord
00:25:01.98\00:25:03.44
which He had spoken to Jeremiah.
00:25:03.47\00:25:05.12
And Jeremiah commanded
Baruch, saying," hey listen.
00:25:05.15\00:25:07.52
"'I am confined,'" I
am under house arrest.
00:25:07.55\00:25:10.33
"'I am confined, I cannot
go to the house of Lord.'"
00:25:10.36\00:25:11.95
I can't go to the temple.
00:25:11.98\00:25:13.04
Verse 6 "Therefore you go,
and you read from the scroll
00:25:13.07\00:25:16.72
which you have
written at my instruction,
00:25:16.75\00:25:18.49
the words of the Lord,
in the hearing of the people
00:25:18.52\00:25:21.12
in the Lord's house
on the day of fasting.
00:25:21.15\00:25:23.30
And you shall also read
them in the hearing of all Judah
00:25:23.33\00:25:25.64
who come from their cities."
00:25:25.67\00:25:27.24
So Jeremiah remains in hiding
and Baruch takes that scroll
00:25:27.27\00:25:30.46
because remember it
Jeremiah has dictated the words
00:25:30.49\00:25:32.65
that he from the
messages he recall from God
00:25:32.68\00:25:35.76
and Baruch has it
he goes to the temple,
00:25:35.79\00:25:37.54
he unrolls the scroll
00:25:37.57\00:25:38.89
and he starts reading the
pronounce judgments of God.
00:25:38.92\00:25:42.67
Some of the
princes of Judah hear him
00:25:42.70\00:25:44.79
and they come to him and
say my man give me that scroll,
00:25:44.82\00:25:49.06
this is treasons you
will be-- they will kill you.
00:25:49.09\00:25:51.48
Go into hiding quick
00:25:51.51\00:25:53.07
and the loyal princes take
the scroll to the evil king
00:25:53.10\00:25:58.42
and he says you need to
hear these messages from God.
00:25:58.45\00:26:02.06
So here is what's
happening now verse 23.
00:26:02.09\00:26:07.58
So the king now is listening,
00:26:07.61\00:26:09.29
verse 23 "And it
happen, when Jehudi"
00:26:09.32\00:26:12.09
that's the reader of the
scroll that was appointed,
00:26:12.12\00:26:14.38
"when Jehudi had read
three or four columns,
00:26:14.41\00:26:17.46
that the king cut it
with the scribe's knife
00:26:17.49\00:26:20.09
and cast it into the
fire that was on the hearth,
00:26:20.12\00:26:22.35
until all the scrolls
was consumed in the fire
00:26:22.38\00:26:24.12
that was on the hearth."
00:26:24.15\00:26:25.19
Read me some more so,
that he dutifully reads
00:26:25.22\00:26:27.31
and the king reaches over
with his pen knife he would go,
00:26:27.34\00:26:30.52
takes it puts
right in the fire, gone.
00:26:30.55\00:26:32.63
All right, read me some more.
00:26:32.66\00:26:33.75
Here is a few more gone, gone.
00:26:33.78\00:26:38.30
Goes to the entire
scroll tell us all ashes
00:26:38.33\00:26:42.85
that's what I think
about the Word of God
00:26:42.88\00:26:44.20
come with you boys.
00:26:44.23\00:26:47.52
Now what he is he
just burn the Bible up.
00:26:47.55\00:26:51.64
What happens now
watch this verse 27
00:26:51.67\00:26:54.65
"Now after the king
had burned the scroll
00:26:54.68\00:26:57.41
with the words
which Baruch had written
00:26:57.44\00:26:59.21
at the instruction of Jeremiah,
00:26:59.24\00:27:00.90
the word of the Lord
came back to Jeremiah,"
00:27:00.93\00:27:04.34
watch this "saying" verse
28 "Take yet another scroll,
00:27:04.37\00:27:09.17
and write on it
all the former words
00:27:09.20\00:27:11.75
that were in the first scroll
00:27:11.78\00:27:12.96
which Jehoiakim the
king of Judah has burned."
00:27:12.99\00:27:18.25
So Jeremiah due to
flee, look at verse 32 now
00:27:18.28\00:27:20.84
"Then Jeremiah
took another scroll
00:27:20.87\00:27:23.46
and he gave it to Baruch
the scribe, the son of Neriah,
00:27:23.49\00:27:26.58
who wrote on it at the
instruction of Jeremiah"
00:27:26.61\00:27:28.90
now hold on you see "at
the instruction of Jeremiah
00:27:28.93\00:27:31.49
all the words of the book
00:27:31.52\00:27:33.54
which Jehoiakim king of
Judah had burned in the fire."
00:27:33.57\00:27:36.41
Now here comes the clincher.
00:27:36.44\00:27:37.68
"And besides, there were added
to them many similar words."
00:27:37.71\00:27:43.95
Isn't that
something when Jeremiah has--
00:27:43.98\00:27:46.42
he has to do it all over again.
00:27:46.45\00:27:47.94
He is got to dictate--
everything he can recall
00:27:47.97\00:27:50.06
from every message
God has ever given him
00:27:50.09\00:27:51.73
since the
beginning of his ministry.
00:27:51.76\00:27:52.81
He says, I got to
start over, Baruch.
00:27:52.84\00:27:54.51
But as he goes he is picking up
00:27:54.54\00:27:57.52
oh, I forgot that
let's include that this time.
00:27:57.55\00:28:02.02
The reason we need
to see this is because
00:28:02.05\00:28:04.03
we need to be reminded.
00:28:04.06\00:28:05.82
Whatever is going on here
this process of inspiration,
00:28:05.85\00:28:08.09
in revelation is a
very human process as well.
00:28:08.12\00:28:11.16
Everybody is clear to divine
00:28:11.19\00:28:12.72
but its also human, very human,
00:28:12.75\00:28:15.94
dependant on the jog
memory of the profit himself.
00:28:15.97\00:28:21.14
In fact, I got
to read this to you.
00:28:21.17\00:28:22.40
This is at the bottom,
this is the little note
00:28:22.43\00:28:25.34
in the this new Andrew's
study Bible for verse 32
00:28:25.37\00:28:28.92
and he added many similar words,
00:28:28.95\00:28:30.42
the record of Gods' word
grows instead of diminishing.
00:28:30.45\00:28:34.87
It grows that
scroll gets bigger.
00:28:34.90\00:28:37.64
What's the point?
00:28:37.67\00:28:38.85
God's word can do
a very human memory.
00:28:38.88\00:28:41.36
Oh, I forgot all about
that he wants good thing
00:28:41.39\00:28:43.81
right this over
Baruch, get this one down,
00:28:43.84\00:28:46.25
well the spirit more.
00:28:46.28\00:28:48.45
Look it I know
God is able to handle,
00:28:48.48\00:28:50.61
we call Him what He
needs to have recalled
00:28:50.64\00:28:52.48
but He is
dependant on the human mind
00:28:52.51\00:28:54.88
being able to recall it.
00:28:54.91\00:28:55.95
A very human process this
business called inspiration.
00:28:58.97\00:29:04.00
In fact, would you
write this down please?
00:29:04.03\00:29:07.20
Divine revelation this
is in your study guide now,
00:29:07.23\00:29:09.35
"Divine revelation
inspired a prophet's thoughts,
00:29:09.38\00:29:12.72
which he then shaped into words
00:29:12.75\00:29:14.90
that either he or an
assistant then transcribed
00:29:14.93\00:29:17.66
into the written word of God."
00:29:17.69\00:29:20.04
Say that's our words,
00:29:20.07\00:29:21.15
divine inspiration inspires
the thoughts, keep writing.
00:29:21.18\00:29:23.37
The Bible prophets who
wrote were not Gods pen,
00:29:23.40\00:29:27.49
God didn't make the
prophecies to a giant big pen.
00:29:27.52\00:29:30.01
All right, now let me
just hold you straight.
00:29:30.04\00:29:31.89
Okay go-- good. No, the
Bible didn't work that way.
00:29:31.92\00:29:37.27
When God inspired
the Book of Genesis
00:29:37.30\00:29:39.61
it didn't go like this.
00:29:39.64\00:29:41.58
All right Moses,
let's go. You're ready?
00:29:41.61\00:29:43.59
Ready, in, in, the,
the, beginning, beginning,
00:29:43.62\00:29:50.91
I God, God, created, created.
00:29:50.94\00:29:54.74
It didn't work that way.
00:29:54.77\00:29:57.08
God says let me
give your picture.
00:29:57.11\00:30:01.42
Now out of that write it
down what I've just shown you.
00:30:01.45\00:30:06.55
"The Bible prophets who
wrote were not Gods pen,
00:30:06.58\00:30:08.77
they were rather Gods penmen."
00:30:08.80\00:30:11.35
Big difference.
00:30:11.38\00:30:12.50
"Thus" keep it pen moving
00:30:12.53\00:30:13.81
"it is not the words of
the Bible that are inspired,
00:30:13.84\00:30:16.64
but rather than
writers of the Bible."
00:30:16.67\00:30:20.97
Are you getting this?
00:30:21.00\00:30:22.17
Just nod your head
if you're getting this.
00:30:22.20\00:30:23.89
Look this is
your critical point.
00:30:23.92\00:30:25.97
There are some people
running around the world
00:30:26.00\00:30:28.00
who are holding up
the Bible and saying,
00:30:28.03\00:30:29.74
every single word
God put it right here.
00:30:29.77\00:30:32.09
My friend, that's
not what happened.
00:30:32.12\00:30:35.19
God didn't dictate the words.
00:30:35.22\00:30:37.64
Look how He did it with--
00:30:37.67\00:30:38.84
look how He did it with
Jeremiah you tell your friend,
00:30:38.87\00:30:41.31
here write it down
and then you read it.
00:30:41.34\00:30:44.33
God says I'm very
dependent on this human process.
00:30:44.36\00:30:46.91
I'm not just gonna
over power and take it over.
00:30:46.94\00:30:49.23
No, we're gonna have
be in partnership here
00:30:49.26\00:30:51.59
and I need your
mind to be very alert.
00:30:51.62\00:30:53.19
Well, then you know what happen
is that inspiration works?
00:30:58.19\00:31:00.47
Yeah.
00:31:00.50\00:31:01.56
Okay then does that
mean that when I get up
00:31:01.59\00:31:05.46
and I feel
impressed by the Spirit of God
00:31:05.49\00:31:07.73
to say something
that, that inspiration?
00:31:07.76\00:31:11.41
No, that's not the
inspiration that's inspiring.
00:31:11.44\00:31:15.11
But that is not inspiration,
00:31:15.14\00:31:16.65
not that inspiration
of the prophet of God.
00:31:16.68\00:31:19.05
It's a different process.
00:31:19.08\00:31:21.27
If the music of choir
whoever wrote that piece
00:31:21.30\00:31:25.50
I got the word down
that you where singing.
00:31:25.53\00:31:29.32
Whoever wrote
that, that beautiful,
00:31:29.35\00:31:32.94
the music and the
melody but I was inspired.
00:31:32.97\00:31:36.51
Was it inspired?
No, like the prophets.
00:31:36.54\00:31:39.49
How about you Dwight,
00:31:39.52\00:31:40.60
when you get up and
preach are you inspired?
00:31:40.63\00:31:44.37
You can just talk
to Karen and ask her
00:31:44.40\00:31:46.16
how much of my word
around the house is canonical.
00:31:46.19\00:31:50.84
Be very clear.
No, I'm not inspired.
00:31:50.87\00:31:54.21
Here's how it works on me, okay,
00:31:54.24\00:31:55.32
since you brought it out,
here is how works with me.
00:31:55.35\00:31:59.08
With me God comes
along He says, hey boy,
00:31:59.11\00:32:03.72
you need to be concentrating
on that passage right there
00:32:03.75\00:32:05.89
that's what I think
would be very appropriate
00:32:05.92\00:32:07.49
for the little
community that you are part of.
00:32:07.52\00:32:10.61
What He does to me
00:32:10.64\00:32:11.72
as He gets me back
to the inspired writings
00:32:11.75\00:32:14.82
and then He helps me pick where
00:32:14.85\00:32:16.45
in the inspired collection
do we concentrate on this week.
00:32:16.48\00:32:20.91
So the Holy Spirit, you know,
00:32:20.94\00:32:22.29
there is little fire
that flickers in you and me
00:32:22.32\00:32:24.27
the might third
person the God had is at work
00:32:24.30\00:32:26.14
but we are not,
we are not inspired
00:32:26.17\00:32:27.66
like the prophets of all.
00:32:27.69\00:32:28.75
Oh no, no, no.
00:32:28.78\00:32:30.09
In fact in the Christmas story
00:32:30.12\00:32:31.83
I love this line
in the Christmas story
00:32:31.86\00:32:33.16
and the word was made,
00:32:33.19\00:32:35.56
Word was made
flesh, that's the truth.
00:32:35.59\00:32:39.44
That's not only the
truth about incarnation
00:32:39.47\00:32:43.33
that's a truth
about inspiration.
00:32:43.36\00:32:46.22
Totally, totally
divine, totally human
00:32:46.25\00:32:51.25
and its blended into
a divine human process
00:32:51.28\00:32:54.18
so that Gods
"W" Word is composed
00:32:54.21\00:32:59.17
of little "w" word human words.
00:32:59.20\00:33:04.47
That's how it
works. Isn't that amazing?
00:33:04.50\00:33:07.47
So this is why this text
that we looked at last week
00:33:07.50\00:33:09.08
it makes much more sense.
00:33:09.11\00:33:10.20
By the way from the
New International Verse
00:33:10.23\00:33:12.46
this will be II Peter 1:21,
fill it in your study guide
00:33:12.49\00:33:16.49
"Men spoke from God as
they were carried along"
00:33:16.52\00:33:19.55
I like that the
Bible that we read
00:33:19.58\00:33:21.22
out of last week said moved
00:33:21.25\00:33:22.72
but I like this
better they are carried along
00:33:22.75\00:33:24.72
why because it's a very
much its very much a process.
00:33:24.75\00:33:27.94
How is your
memory today Jeremiah,
00:33:27.97\00:33:29.52
because I would like you recall
that which I've spoken to you.
00:33:29.55\00:33:31.62
I'm gonna jog your memory
00:33:31.65\00:33:33.16
but you're gonna find
out that you won't remember
00:33:33.19\00:33:34.81
everything and you
have to come back to it.
00:33:34.84\00:33:36.60
God limits Himself
00:33:36.63\00:33:38.31
to the human's
ability to communicate.
00:33:38.34\00:33:42.13
I'm telling you what
guys, doesn't this say something
00:33:42.16\00:33:45.38
about the God of the universe
00:33:45.41\00:33:46.60
who is willing to
take that kind of a risk.
00:33:46.63\00:33:50.92
And let us mess it up sometimes.
00:33:50.95\00:33:56.76
All right stage one,
God calls a man or a woman
00:33:56.79\00:34:01.71
to deliver a divine
message to His people.
00:34:01.74\00:34:03.28
Stage two, it's
usually a message of urgency.
00:34:03.31\00:34:05.77
And by the way as a great
Prophet Elijah reminds us,
00:34:05.80\00:34:09.58
having a divine
message doesn't mean you
00:34:09.61\00:34:12.07
end up in the book
with writings of your own.
00:34:12.10\00:34:15.67
Was Elijah a great prophet?
00:34:15.70\00:34:17.95
You bet he was taken to
heaven without seeing death.
00:34:17.98\00:34:20.07
A great prophet
but not a single word
00:34:20.10\00:34:22.90
of his ended up in this book.
00:34:22.93\00:34:26.82
John the Baptist,
Jesus said John the Baptist
00:34:26.85\00:34:28.82
was the greatest prophet ever
born out of a woman's tummy.
00:34:28.85\00:34:33.69
Did He had did He
write one word in this book?
00:34:33.72\00:34:35.43
Not a single word.
00:34:35.46\00:34:37.07
So here is the point in fact,
I wish you jot it down please.
00:34:37.10\00:34:40.66
"Just because it
didn't get written down
00:34:40.69\00:34:43.20
in the canon of Holy scripture
00:34:43.23\00:34:45.42
doesn't negate
the divine authority
00:34:45.45\00:34:49.00
and source of the
prophet's message."
00:34:49.03\00:34:52.11
Never forget that line
you may recall it one day
00:34:52.14\00:34:57.94
just because I
didn't get in that book
00:34:57.97\00:35:00.59
doesn't mean I Elijah
did not have divine authority
00:35:00.62\00:35:05.28
and a divine source
for the words I spoke.
00:35:05.31\00:35:09.26
Elijah, John the
Baptist, Nathan, Noah, Abraham
00:35:09.29\00:35:15.45
and a host of other prophets
never make it into the book
00:35:15.48\00:35:17.97
but they have
would anybody challenge
00:35:18.00\00:35:19.76
their divine
credentials and authority?
00:35:19.79\00:35:21.36
Not a solo
speaker word against them.
00:35:21.39\00:35:22.67
Why?
00:35:22.70\00:35:23.79
Because we know it has
the ring of authenticity.
00:35:23.82\00:35:27.06
All right, stage
number three, jot it down.
00:35:27.09\00:35:28.75
"The prophet responds by either
protesting or acquiescing."
00:35:28.78\00:35:34.68
Nobody wants the job.
00:35:34.71\00:35:36.60
When God comes to Jeremiah--
00:35:36.63\00:35:37.74
go back you kept
your finger in Jeremiah 1,
00:35:37.77\00:35:39.86
when God comes to
Jeremiah and says,
00:35:39.89\00:35:41.18
hey, I saw you in
your mother's stomach.
00:35:41.21\00:35:43.10
I'm ready for you now.
00:35:43.13\00:35:44.20
Then look at
verse 6 "Then said I,"
00:35:44.23\00:35:46.94
Jeremiah 1:6 "Ah, Lord God!
00:35:46.97\00:35:50.13
Behold, I cannot
speak, for I am a youth."
00:35:50.16\00:35:55.48
Sound familiar?
00:35:55.51\00:35:57.25
Have you ever
given that speech to God?
00:35:57.28\00:36:00.02
God, there must be
some terrible mistake.
00:36:00.05\00:36:01.90
I'm getting this impression
that I should be doing this,
00:36:01.93\00:36:03.89
there God do you
understand who I am?
00:36:03.92\00:36:06.71
You can't mean me.
I'm not gonna do it.
00:36:06.74\00:36:09.69
I cannot do it.
00:36:09.72\00:36:10.88
Its by the way was precisely,
00:36:13.91\00:36:15.13
Moses reaction
that the burning bush.
00:36:15.16\00:36:17.08
Me, send anybody
just don't send me.
00:36:17.11\00:36:20.75
Which by the way in around
00:36:20.78\00:36:21.99
about sort of way
was Isaiah's reaction.
00:36:22.02\00:36:23.79
When He gets to
divine call, whoa, it's me.
00:36:23.82\00:36:26.07
For I'm undone,
I'm man of unclean lips
00:36:26.10\00:36:28.14
and I live in the midst of
a people of un-cleaned lips,
00:36:28.17\00:36:30.33
you don't mean me
for this mission do you?
00:36:30.36\00:36:32.59
No, I mean, you
very human foible,
00:36:32.62\00:36:35.84
failing, Isaiah, I mean you.
00:36:35.87\00:36:40.09
So, Jeremiah is no
exception. Nobody wants the job.
00:36:40.12\00:36:43.27
Abraham has show the great
Rabbi scholar the 20th century,
00:36:43.30\00:36:46.45
we quoted from him last week.
00:36:46.48\00:36:47.58
I want to come back to his
two book series the Prophets.
00:36:47.61\00:36:50.42
Put this on the screen you'll
need to fill it up, fill it in.
00:36:50.45\00:36:54.15
"Over the life of a
prophet" this is good,
00:36:54.18\00:36:57.74
"Over the life of a
prophet are invisibly inscribed"
00:36:57.77\00:37:03.68
these words are
invisibly inscribed
00:37:03.71\00:37:05.72
"All flattery
abandon, ye who enter here."
00:37:05.75\00:37:11.37
You don't want the job,
00:37:11.40\00:37:14.05
you're not going to get
flattered in this job trust me,
00:37:14.08\00:37:17.65
they're gonna rip you apart.
00:37:17.68\00:37:20.30
Heschel is right, "All flattery
abandon, ye who enter here."
00:37:20.33\00:37:23.60
Keep reading "To be a prophet
00:37:23.63\00:37:24.81
is both a
distinction and an affliction.
00:37:24.84\00:37:28.02
The mission the prophet
performs is distasteful to him
00:37:28.05\00:37:31.47
and repugnant to others,
no reward is promised him
00:37:31.50\00:37:34.20
and no reward could
temper its bitterness.
00:37:34.23\00:37:36.47
The prophet bear
scorn and reproach" get this
00:37:36.50\00:37:39.61
"He is stigmatized as a
madman by his contemporaries,
00:37:39.64\00:37:43.91
and, by some modern
scholars, as abnormal."
00:37:43.94\00:37:48.73
I hear it even today.
00:37:48.76\00:37:51.46
Let me tell you a
little bit about this
00:37:54.73\00:37:55.98
the psychosis going on here.
00:37:56.01\00:37:59.06
You got really messed up
mind that's what's happened.
00:37:59.09\00:38:02.55
Modern scholarship has
written the prophets off.
00:38:02.58\00:38:08.60
Haschel is
right, don't you succumb
00:38:08.63\00:38:11.63
to that siren song
about the gift of prophecy.
00:38:11.66\00:38:16.15
Cause they look like crazies.
00:38:16.18\00:38:19.93
Look what they went
through to communicate
00:38:19.96\00:38:24.08
Gods word to the
lives of you and me.
00:38:24.11\00:38:26.19
How tough is the job
00:38:29.87\00:38:31.79
and Jeremiah tells
how tough this job is.
00:38:31.82\00:38:33.89
Jeremiah Chapter
9 tells you here,
00:38:33.92\00:38:35.74
Jeremi, how tough is this job?
00:38:35.77\00:38:38.15
"Oh that my head were waters,
00:38:38.18\00:38:40.98
And my eyes a fountain of tears,
00:38:41.01\00:38:43.03
That I might weep day and night
00:38:43.06\00:38:44.35
For the slain of the
daughter of my people!
00:38:44.38\00:38:47.73
Oh, that I had in the wilderness
00:38:47.76\00:38:49.48
A lodging place for travellers,
00:38:49.51\00:38:51.39
where I could run away to
That I might leave my people,
00:38:51.42\00:38:54.36
For they are all adulterers,
00:38:54.39\00:38:56.02
An assembly of treacherous men."
00:38:56.05\00:38:59.11
The weeping prophet sobs through
00:38:59.14\00:39:01.23
this 40 years of ministry.
00:39:01.26\00:39:03.25
Oh, how about a-- how
painful was it Jeremiah
00:39:03.28\00:39:06.09
let's go to chapter 10 verse 19.
00:39:06.12\00:39:09.36
"Woe is me for my
hurt! My wound is severe.
00:39:09.39\00:39:14.65
But I say, 'Truly
this is an infirmity,
00:39:14.68\00:39:17.35
And I must bear it.'"
00:39:17.38\00:39:20.89
Nobody wanted the job.
Stage five, write it down.
00:39:20.92\00:39:26.05
The popular response
generally is one of rejection.
00:39:26.08\00:39:29.58
Is that an
understatement or what?
00:39:29.61\00:39:33.42
The popular
response to the message
00:39:33.45\00:39:35.15
interested to the prophet
is generally one of rejection.
00:39:35.18\00:39:39.12
Listen to this
heartbreaking appeal
00:39:39.15\00:39:42.54
that the Lord
Jesus Christ issues
00:39:42.57\00:39:45.77
just before His execution.
00:39:45.80\00:39:48.76
He is bearing His
heart now the gloves are off,
00:39:48.79\00:39:51.12
He knows its curtains He's dead.
00:39:51.15\00:39:53.44
Mathew 23 is He's preaching now
00:39:53.47\00:39:55.99
straight to the
religious hierarchy
00:39:56.02\00:39:57.85
of His land and His people.
00:39:57.88\00:39:59.48
Look at this Mathew 23
00:39:59.51\00:40:01.16
Jesus reminds
them of their history.
00:40:01.19\00:40:03.97
"Therefore you
Scribes and Pharisees
00:40:04.00\00:40:06.35
are witnesses against yourselves
00:40:06.38\00:40:08.04
that you are the sons of
those who murdered the prophets.
00:40:08.07\00:40:12.21
Therefore, indeed, I'm
gonna keep sending you prophets,
00:40:12.24\00:40:15.37
I'll send you wise
men, I'll send you scribes.
00:40:15.40\00:40:17.85
Some of them you're
gonna kill and crucify,
00:40:17.88\00:40:19.73
some of them you
scourge in your synagogues
00:40:19.76\00:40:22.10
and persecute from city to city.
00:40:22.13\00:40:24.27
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
the one who kills the prophets
00:40:24.30\00:40:29.84
and stones those
who are sent to her!
00:40:29.87\00:40:32.76
How often I wanted to
gather your children together,
00:40:32.79\00:40:36.04
as a hen gathers her
chicks under her wings,
00:40:36.07\00:40:39.21
but you were
not" ready "willing!"
00:40:39.24\00:40:44.28
The mortality rate
of a prophet is 100%,
00:40:47.74\00:40:53.16
they all died except
for Elijah and Enoch.
00:40:53.19\00:40:58.88
But the martyrdom
rate for the saint prophets
00:40:58.91\00:41:01.55
is nearly as high
as the mortality rate.
00:41:01.58\00:41:06.82
You killed, you killed
them the prophet I sent to you.
00:41:06.85\00:41:13.39
Listen, of maniacs and
fools and other such gifts
00:41:13.42\00:41:16.55
the next time
your feeling rejected
00:41:16.58\00:41:19.03
because of your stand
for Christ if your roommates,
00:41:19.06\00:41:23.46
she is making this
little snide remarks,
00:41:23.49\00:41:28.43
your
officemates, your classmates,
00:41:28.46\00:41:34.18
your family rejecting you
00:41:34.21\00:41:35.53
because of your
stand for Christ Jesus.
00:41:35.56\00:41:37.99
The next time you feel rejected,
00:41:38.02\00:41:40.02
remember the words of
Christ in the beatitude
00:41:40.05\00:41:42.54
"Rejoice than and
be exceedingly glad,
00:41:42.57\00:41:45.32
for so
persecuted they the prophets
00:41:45.35\00:41:48.25
who where before you."
00:41:48.28\00:41:50.11
You're in good company,
00:41:50.14\00:41:54.09
when you're rejected for
standing alone for Christ.
00:41:54.12\00:41:57.47
Stage number six, write it down.
00:42:01.87\00:42:03.82
Only one more after this.
00:42:03.85\00:42:05.11
Stage number six,
the prophet struggles.
00:42:05.14\00:42:07.53
Oh my, the prophet struggles
with his mission and message.
00:42:07.56\00:42:14.09
Does that happen or what?
00:42:14.12\00:42:15.43
You want to talk
about the great prophet?
00:42:15.46\00:42:16.85
Probably the
greatest outside of Christ.
00:42:16.88\00:42:18.50
Many consider Moses,
discourage Moses struggling
00:42:21.89\00:42:26.20
with his divine mission.
00:42:26.23\00:42:27.56
What's the matter for you, God?
00:42:27.59\00:42:29.07
And this is a
direct quote from Numbers.
00:42:29.10\00:42:31.03
What's the matter for you, God?
00:42:31.06\00:42:32.26
Why have You
afflicted me with these people?
00:42:32.29\00:42:34.15
Did I conceive
them? Did I bear them?
00:42:34.18\00:42:36.16
Why you've mad me a nurse made
to them kill me, kill me now.
00:42:36.19\00:42:41.86
I'm ready to go. Exact quote.
00:42:41.89\00:42:47.42
Here's another one, come here,
00:42:47.45\00:42:51.88
grabs the bars of his cell.
00:42:51.91\00:42:53.60
Come here, you man,
00:42:53.63\00:42:58.17
I want you to go to
this Jesus of Nazareth
00:42:58.20\00:43:01.39
and ask Him to question,
are you the one to come
00:43:01.42\00:43:07.01
or I'll wait to be
looking for someone else.
00:43:07.04\00:43:10.70
Discouraged John the
Baptist with his divine mission.
00:43:10.73\00:43:14.44
Discourage Jeremiah
with his divine mission.
00:43:14.47\00:43:18.72
This is one of the
most pathos filled pieces
00:43:18.75\00:43:21.16
of sacred literature
anywhere in the Holy Scripture.
00:43:21.19\00:43:23.38
Now, I want you to
read in your own Bible,
00:43:23.41\00:43:24.80
I'm not putting on the screen
00:43:24.83\00:43:26.32
so you have to read
it out of your Bible
00:43:26.35\00:43:27.91
to get the impact of it.
00:43:27.94\00:43:29.33
Jeremiah Chapter 20,
you'll find anything,
00:43:29.36\00:43:33.50
you won't find a
piece of literature
00:43:33.53\00:43:35.79
more pathos written than this.
00:43:35.82\00:43:40.44
Jeremiah 30:7 "O
Lord, You induced me,"
00:43:40.47\00:43:47.66
by the way Hebrew
word for induced here
00:43:47.69\00:43:49.97
is what you do when
you seduce a little girl.
00:43:50.00\00:43:54.59
Oh Lord, you're
treating me like a little girl,
00:43:54.62\00:43:58.20
you seduce me, you
induce me and I was persuaded.
00:43:58.23\00:44:03.84
You are stronger than
I and you were prevailed.
00:44:03.87\00:44:06.77
We're having arm wrestling
00:44:06.80\00:44:07.92
of course You
when You're stronger.
00:44:07.95\00:44:10.18
I'm in derision
daily everyone knocks me.
00:44:10.21\00:44:12.76
Verse 8, "For when
I spoke, I cried out,
00:44:12.79\00:44:15.01
and I shout,
'Violence and plunder!'"
00:44:15.04\00:44:17.00
Does it happen?
No nothing happens.
00:44:17.03\00:44:18.72
"Because the word of
the Lord was made to me
00:44:18.75\00:44:20.38
A reproach and
a derision daily."
00:44:20.41\00:44:21.88
Verse 9 and so "Then I said,
00:44:21.91\00:44:23.43
'I will not make mention of Him,
00:44:23.46\00:44:25.07
Nor speak anymore in His name.'
00:44:25.10\00:44:27.25
But His word was in my
heart like a burning fire
00:44:27.28\00:44:29.78
Shut up in my bones
00:44:29.81\00:44:31.26
and I was weary of holding
it back, And I could not."
00:44:31.29\00:44:33.46
You have tricked me. I
can't get out of this thing.
00:44:33.49\00:44:37.70
The moment I quit
preaching the end of the world
00:44:37.73\00:44:40.89
Jesus is not coming soon folks,
00:44:40.92\00:44:42.43
I've changed my
mind it's not happening.
00:44:42.46\00:44:45.01
The moment I decide
I'll never preach sermon
00:44:45.04\00:44:47.53
like that again in my
life in that moment God,
00:44:47.56\00:44:50.78
you're ignite a fire
burning ambers in my bones
00:44:50.81\00:44:53.94
and then I can't,
I can't shut it in.
00:44:53.97\00:44:57.42
You seduce me.
00:44:57.45\00:44:59.14
Here something, verse 10,
00:44:59.17\00:45:03.15
"For I heard many
mocking, 'Fear on every side!'
00:45:03.18\00:45:06.90
'Report,' they say
'and we will report it!'
00:45:06.93\00:45:09.35
All my acquaintances
watched for my stumbling,
00:45:09.38\00:45:11.51
saying, 'Perhaps
he can be induced,
00:45:11.54\00:45:13.13
then we will
prevail against him,
00:45:13.16\00:45:14.57
and we will take
our revenge on him.'"
00:45:14.60\00:45:16.53
Verse 11, "But the Lord,"
00:45:16.56\00:45:18.13
oh, boy, Jeremiah is getting
little more strength now.
00:45:18.16\00:45:19.91
"But the Lord is with me
as a mighty, awesome One.
00:45:19.94\00:45:22.25
Therefore my persecutors will
stumble, and will not prevail.
00:45:22.28\00:45:25.12
They will be greatly ashamed,
for they will not prosper.
00:45:25.15\00:45:27.33
Their everlasting confusion
will never be forgotten."
00:45:27.36\00:45:29.55
Verse 12, "But, O Lord of hosts,
00:45:29.58\00:45:31.63
You who test the righteous,
and see the mind and heart,
00:45:31.66\00:45:34.22
Let me see Your
vengeance on them,
00:45:34.25\00:45:35.90
For I have pleaded
my cause before You.
00:45:35.93\00:45:38.34
Sing to the Lord!"
00:45:38.37\00:45:39.45
hallelujah, here come
the very word hallelujah.
00:45:39.48\00:45:41.45
Praise the Lord!
00:45:41.48\00:45:42.64
For He has
delivered the life of the poor
00:45:42.67\00:45:44.68
and the hand of evildoers."
00:45:44.71\00:45:46.34
But Jeremiah almost as
if he is manic depressive,
00:45:46.37\00:45:51.34
build his way back up
to that soaring height
00:45:51.37\00:45:54.30
and then the very next words
00:45:54.33\00:45:56.12
he plunges into the
darkest of human valleys.
00:45:56.15\00:45:59.14
Look at this cursed verse 14,
00:45:59.17\00:46:01.38
"Cursed be the day
in which I was born!
00:46:01.41\00:46:03.78
Let the day not be blessed
in which my mother bore me!
00:46:03.81\00:46:06.33
Let the man be cursed Who
brought news to my father,
00:46:06.36\00:46:09.48
saying, 'A male child
has been born to you!'
00:46:09.51\00:46:11.75
Making him very glad.
00:46:11.78\00:46:12.83
And let that man
be like the cities
00:46:12.86\00:46:14.97
Which the Lord
overthrew, and did not relent,
00:46:15.00\00:46:17.25
Let him hear the
cry in the morning
00:46:17.28\00:46:18.89
and the shouting at noon,
00:46:18.92\00:46:19.95
because" verse 17, "He
did not kill me from the womb,
00:46:19.98\00:46:23.51
that my mother
might have been my grave,
00:46:23.54\00:46:25.47
and her womb
always enlarged with me."
00:46:25.50\00:46:27.98
If only I had died as a
fetus in my mother's uterus
00:46:28.01\00:46:31.01
and remained inside of
her for the rest of her life
00:46:31.04\00:46:33.59
that would have
been sufficient for me.
00:46:33.62\00:46:35.51
That's pretty bad.
00:46:38.69\00:46:41.76
Verse 18, "Why did I
come forth from the womb
00:46:41.79\00:46:45.21
to see labor and sorrow,
00:46:45.24\00:46:47.87
that my days should
be consumed with shame?"
00:46:47.90\00:46:54.90
Wow.
00:46:54.93\00:46:57.75
John Goldingay,
Old Testament professor
00:46:57.78\00:47:00.97
of Fuller Theological Seminary,
00:47:01.00\00:47:02.88
I'm reading his
powerful little book
00:47:02.91\00:47:04.42
Gods Prophet, Gods Servant.
00:47:04.45\00:47:06.08
Put this on the screen for you.
00:47:06.11\00:47:07.64
Goldingay
questions, "Who is this man
00:47:07.67\00:47:11.86
who proclaims that God is judge,
00:47:11.89\00:47:13.97
and that God commits
violence and outrage.
00:47:14.00\00:47:16.99
Who declares God's praise,
and curses the day he was born,
00:47:17.02\00:47:20.91
who is as hard
as a rock outside,
00:47:20.94\00:47:22.86
but torn apart inside?"
00:47:22.89\00:47:24.97
Who is he?
00:47:25.00\00:47:26.45
"The most extraordinary thing
00:47:26.48\00:47:28.19
is that the chapter
ends on that note of despair.
00:47:28.22\00:47:33.00
But even more
remarkable is the fact
00:47:33.03\00:47:35.13
that Jeremiah's agonizing
finds a place in God's book.
00:47:35.16\00:47:37.95
God, in other words,
00:47:37.98\00:47:39.23
accepted Jeremiah's
complaints and protests
00:47:39.26\00:47:41.83
and prayers for
vengeance on his enemies."
00:47:41.86\00:47:45.35
Final line and boy,
this is like gets me
00:47:45.38\00:47:47.84
"God let Jeremiah
batter him on the chest,
00:47:47.87\00:47:51.31
and implicitly encourages us
to follow Jeremiah's example."
00:47:51.34\00:47:55.72
Had you ever seen a little child
00:47:55.75\00:47:57.40
may be in the supermarket
throwing a temper tantrum
00:47:57.43\00:47:59.40
as little children can
do and the mother comes up
00:47:59.43\00:48:01.04
because the child
has been denied something
00:48:01.07\00:48:02.44
and the mother
scoops that child up
00:48:02.47\00:48:03.84
and the child is
just howling and sobbing
00:48:03.87\00:48:05.78
and pushes back
from mother's chest
00:48:05.81\00:48:07.76
and begins to
pound on the mother.
00:48:07.79\00:48:11.64
Furious, you don't
understand me, mother.
00:48:11.67\00:48:14.66
You don't know what I've
just gone through pounding.
00:48:14.69\00:48:18.07
God, batter my chest,
00:48:18.10\00:48:22.50
batter my chest, Jeremiah.
00:48:22.53\00:48:26.32
Pound on me,
00:48:26.35\00:48:28.64
I'm leaving you a story
unedited for the world to see.
00:48:28.67\00:48:35.61
I tell you what
ladies and gentlemen,
00:48:35.64\00:48:37.85
it's okay to be
furious with God.
00:48:37.88\00:48:43.58
If you let Him hold you
while you batter His chest.
00:48:43.61\00:48:50.74
Some of you are
going through stuff
00:48:50.77\00:48:53.26
that ought to make you furious.
00:48:53.29\00:48:56.42
It's okay. It's okay.
00:48:56.45\00:49:00.83
The God of Calvary,
whose best to you been there.
00:49:00.86\00:49:07.76
Batter Him on the chest,
00:49:07.79\00:49:11.97
you don't understand
what I'm going through God,
00:49:12.00\00:49:14.47
you have no clue
what my life is like.
00:49:14.50\00:49:18.22
Batter Him it's okay.
00:49:18.25\00:49:21.65
Isn't that amazing
00:49:21.68\00:49:23.46
seven stages in this
lifecycle of a prophet and God
00:49:23.49\00:49:26.47
make sure stage
number six gets there
00:49:26.50\00:49:29.98
for the likes of you and me?
00:49:30.01\00:49:31.23
Final stage number
seven, write it down
00:49:31.26\00:49:33.08
"The prophet's
mission and message
00:49:33.11\00:49:34.49
are eventually
divinely vindicated,"
00:49:34.52\00:49:37.44
are eventually
divinely vindicated,
00:49:42.03\00:49:44.35
"though by then the
prophet is either martyred
00:49:44.38\00:49:47.75
or had
disappeared into obscurity."
00:49:47.78\00:49:50.89
Isn't that's sad?
00:49:50.92\00:49:53.12
The last
picture-- look at this guys,
00:49:53.15\00:49:54.67
the last picture
we have of Jeremiah,
00:49:54.70\00:49:56.72
Goldingay points this out,
00:49:56.75\00:49:58.59
the last picture we
have of Jeremiah in his book
00:49:58.62\00:50:01.18
is of his back, his back.
00:50:01.21\00:50:06.59
Turn from the stage of
this narrative and walks away
00:50:06.62\00:50:09.04
conscripted by a
band of survivors
00:50:09.07\00:50:10.84
after Jerusalem's
heart wrenching, sacking
00:50:10.87\00:50:13.53
Jeremiah is lead by them
00:50:13.56\00:50:15.26
southward into the
gathering gloom of Egypt.
00:50:15.29\00:50:18.67
And in Egypt tradition tells us
he will be murdered, murdered.
00:50:18.70\00:50:24.51
Forty years as a prophet pastor
00:50:24.54\00:50:27.40
in one perish never took a
call anywhere out stayed there
00:50:27.43\00:50:31.38
and in the end that
ends in a obscured martyrdom.
00:50:31.41\00:50:36.84
Reading von Rad--
00:50:36.87\00:50:38.39
Gerhard von Rad to
reflect this is good
00:50:38.42\00:50:41.96
"It is still Jeremiah's secret
00:50:41.99\00:50:45.72
how, in the face
of growing skepticism
00:50:45.75\00:50:48.04
about his own office,
00:50:48.07\00:50:49.49
he was yet able to give
00:50:49.52\00:50:50.63
an almost
superhuman obedience to God,
00:50:50.66\00:50:53.55
and, bearing the
immense strains of his calling,
00:50:53.58\00:50:56.24
was yet able to follow a road
00:50:56.27\00:50:57.93
which ultimately
led to abandonment."
00:50:57.96\00:51:00.53
Ladies and gentlemen,
some of you are on a road
00:51:00.56\00:51:02.59
that will lead to
eventual abandonment.
00:51:02.62\00:51:04.85
You're not gonna go up
to a mountain top and be--
00:51:04.88\00:51:07.66
and be
transported into eternity.
00:51:07.69\00:51:13.39
You're gonna end in a valley,
00:51:13.42\00:51:15.64
dark abundant, its okay.
00:51:15.67\00:51:23.46
"Never for a moment
did it occur to Jeremiah
00:51:23.49\00:51:26.22
that this mediatorial suffering
00:51:26.25\00:51:27.96
might have meaning
in the sight of God."
00:51:27.99\00:51:30.25
What you're going through
00:51:30.28\00:51:31.42
I know it doesn't
occur to you now my friend,
00:51:31.45\00:51:33.26
but it may be
moving the heart of God
00:51:33.29\00:51:36.45
in ways you cannot
understand until eternity comes.
00:51:36.48\00:51:38.78
Didn't occur to Jeremiah.
00:51:38.81\00:51:42.18
"Again, if God brought
00:51:42.21\00:51:43.65
the life of the most
faithful of his ambassadors
00:51:43.68\00:51:46.12
into so terrible and
utterly uncomprehended a night
00:51:46.15\00:51:49.80
and there to all
appearances allowed him
00:51:49.83\00:51:52.26
to come to utter grief,
this remains God's secret."
00:51:52.29\00:51:58.98
We will never know until heaven
00:51:59.01\00:52:03.81
and that may be true
about your life as well.
00:52:03.84\00:52:07.99
The divine secret by the way
00:52:08.02\00:52:10.63
fully unfolded in
the life of Jesus himself
00:52:10.66\00:52:14.40
talking about a
compliment after you are dead,
00:52:14.43\00:52:16.65
talking about a
compliment after you are dead.
00:52:16.68\00:52:18.86
Jesus turns to His
disciples He said, hey guys,
00:52:18.89\00:52:21.18
tell me, tell me who
are they saying I am.
00:52:21.21\00:52:23.69
And well one puts up his hand
00:52:23.72\00:52:24.86
they say you are
Jeremiah, come back to life.
00:52:24.89\00:52:29.24
What a compliment
that the God the universe
00:52:29.27\00:52:32.48
would be mistaken for
Jeremiah, for you, for me.
00:52:32.51\00:52:38.72
You know what
ladies and gentlemen,
00:52:38.75\00:52:42.83
that may have been
the life of a prophet
00:52:42.86\00:52:48.65
but if that's true then
it surely is reason enough
00:52:48.68\00:52:53.01
wouldn't you say for you and me
00:52:53.04\00:52:56.13
to take seriously the messages
00:52:56.16\00:52:58.61
of every prophet God raises up.
00:52:58.64\00:53:05.35
I remember reading
somewhere in the Bible
00:53:05.38\00:53:08.16
a line that goes like this
"Believe in the Lord your God,
00:53:08.19\00:53:13.71
and so shall you be established,
00:53:13.74\00:53:16.92
believe His prophets,
00:53:16.95\00:53:20.09
and so shall you prosper."
00:53:20.12\00:53:25.88
Believe.
00:53:25.91\00:53:28.75
Believe.
00:53:28.78\00:53:30.51
Believe.
00:53:33.67\00:53:36.15
Stand with me I
want to sing this
00:53:36.18\00:53:39.01
we never have sung this
hymn before in our lives
00:53:39.04\00:53:40.97
413 God has
spoken by His prophets.
00:53:41.00\00:53:44.66
Sing your heart
out three short stanzas
00:53:44.69\00:53:46.83
of this profound, Bible
truth we've discovered today.
00:53:46.86\00:53:51.98
God has spoken by His prophets
00:54:06.29\00:54:12.52
Spoken His unchanging Word
00:54:12.55\00:54:18.70
Each from age to age proclaiming
00:54:18.73\00:54:24.77
God, the one, the righteous Lord
00:54:24.80\00:54:30.90
Mid the world's
despair and turmoil
00:54:30.93\00:54:36.85
One firm anchor holding fast
00:54:36.88\00:54:43.01
God is King, His throne eternal
00:54:43.04\00:54:48.87
God the first, and God the last
00:54:48.90\00:54:56.87
God yet speaks by His own spirit
00:54:56.90\00:55:03.45
Speaking to the hearts of men
00:55:03.48\00:55:09.77
In the age-long Word expounding
00:55:09.80\00:55:15.85
God's own message now as then
00:55:15.88\00:55:22.06
Through the rise
and fall of nations
00:55:22.09\00:55:28.21
One sure faith yet standing fast
00:55:28.24\00:55:34.13
God is King, His Word unchanging
00:55:34.16\00:55:40.41
God the first, and God the last
00:55:40.44\00:55:48.41
And so Holy Father,
00:55:52.01\00:55:53.06
we pray that
through the grace of Christ,
00:55:53.09\00:55:57.78
the courage of the Sprit
00:55:57.81\00:56:00.48
we too might
believe the prophets
00:56:00.51\00:56:06.71
that we too might
spiritually prosper.
00:56:06.74\00:56:14.60
And now may the God of all grace
00:56:14.63\00:56:18.96
and the Christ of divine love
00:56:22.36\00:56:29.07
and the Holy Spirit
00:56:29.10\00:56:32.96
of continual
fellowship be with you and me.
00:56:32.99\00:56:38.85
Amen.
00:56:38.88\00:56:42.10
It's been a pleasure to be
able to worship with you today.
00:56:42.13\00:56:44.81
I hope that the Spirit of Jesus
00:56:44.84\00:56:46.30
has blessed your
time with us right here
00:56:46.33\00:56:48.46
in the Pioneer Memorial Church
00:56:48.49\00:56:49.56
on the campus of
Andrews University.
00:56:49.59\00:56:51.66
Do you know
that around the world
00:56:51.69\00:56:52.85
people join us every
week for this hour of worship?
00:56:52.88\00:56:55.20
We're always
looking as a consequence
00:56:55.23\00:56:57.14
for new ways to bridge some
how to connect with this people
00:56:57.17\00:57:00.49
who come here to
worship via the telecast.
00:57:00.52\00:57:03.36
One of the areas
00:57:03.39\00:57:04.49
that is quickly
growing for us is our website.
00:57:04.52\00:57:06.66
We had more than
140,000 visitors last year.
00:57:06.69\00:57:10.59
It's an incredible opportunity
00:57:10.62\00:57:12.47
that God has given us
to expand His kingdom.
00:57:12.50\00:57:15.53
If you'd like to
help partner with us
00:57:15.56\00:57:17.47
as we seek to spread
the everlasting gospel
00:57:17.50\00:57:20.11
I would love to have you
call our toll free number.
00:57:20.14\00:57:22.79
We've got very
friendly operator standing by
00:57:22.82\00:57:25.34
here is the number 877-His-Will.
00:57:25.37\00:57:28.34
877 and then the
two words His-Will,
00:57:28.37\00:57:30.63
one of the operators will be
happy to give you the details
00:57:30.66\00:57:33.96
of how you can partner
with this global ministry.
00:57:33.99\00:57:36.80
If you prefer listen,
you could do it all online
00:57:36.83\00:57:39.00
go to our website
please www.pmchurch.tv.
00:57:39.03\00:57:43.30
I'd be honoured
to have the privilege
00:57:43.33\00:57:44.95
of partnering with you
00:57:44.98\00:57:46.02
as we seek to spread the truth
about God for this generation.
00:57:46.05\00:57:49.38
We are living in urgent times,
00:57:49.41\00:57:52.50
now more than ever
we've got to go to the world
00:57:52.53\00:57:55.94
with the good
news entrusted to us.
00:57:55.97\00:57:57.54
So once again here is that
toll free number 877-His-Will.
00:57:57.57\00:58:01.85
Thank you in
advance for your generosity
00:58:01.88\00:58:04.45
that blesses me and
you grow this ministry.
00:58:04.48\00:58:07.57
I pray that the Spirit of
Christ will abide with you
00:58:07.60\00:58:10.26
every step of the way
00:58:10.29\00:58:11.59
and I hope you'll come
back again next time right here
00:58:11.62\00:58:14.53
as we continue our
worship journey together.
00:58:14.56\00:58:17.54