Participants: Pr. Dwight Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP091209
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00:27 The word of God declares, listen closely Psalm 59:13,
00:32 starting at verse 16, 59:16. 00:35 "But I will sing of Your power, 00:38 yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning, 00:41 for You have been my defense a refuge in the day of trouble. 00:45 To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises, 00:50 for God is my defense, my God of mercy." 00:55 And our God of mercy today is mighty the Savior 00:58 who save us from our sins, from our struggles 01:03 and to redeem, redeem us to Himself. 01:07 Let's sing together, 01:08 "Everyone needs compassion," all together. 01:14 Everyone needs compassion 01:18 And love that's never failing 01:21 Let mercy. 01:22 Let mercy fall on me 01:25 You sound wonderful. Everyone needs. 01:28 Everyone needs forgiveness 01:30 The kindness. 01:31 The kindness of a Savior 01:35 Hope of nations. 01:36 The hope of nations 01:43 You all sing this chorus together, Savior. 01:46 Savior, He can move the mountains 01:51 My God is mighty to save 01:56 He is mighty to save 01:59 Forever, Author of salvation 02:05 He rose and conquered the grave 02:10 Jesus conquered the grave 02:14 So take me. 02:15 So take me as You find me 02:18 All my fears. 02:19 All my fears and failures 02:22 Fill my life again. 02:24 Fill my life again 02:26 That's my prayer today. I give my life to follow. 02:29 I give my life to follow 02:31 Everything that I believe in 02:36 Now I surrender. 02:37 Now I surrender 02:44 Let's sing it, Savior. 02:47 Savior, He can move the mountains 02:53 My God is mighty to save 02:57 He is mighty to save 03:00 Forever. 03:01 Forever, Author of salvation 03:06 He rose and conquered the grave 03:10 Jesus conquered the grave 03:13 Shine your light. 03:15 Shine your light, and let the whole world see 03:19 We're singing for the glory 03:23 Of the risen King 03:26 Shine your light 03:28 Shine your light, and let the whole world see 03:33 We're singing for the glory 03:36 Of the risen King 03:39 Savior. 03:41 Savior, He can move the mountains 03:47 My God is mighty to save 03:50 He is mighty to save 03:53 Would you sing that chorus out? 03:54 Forever, Author of salvation 04:00 He rose and conquered the grave 04:04 Jesus conquered the grave 04:07 Shine your light. 04:08 Shine your light, and let the whole world see 04:13 We're singing for the glory 04:16 Of the risen King 04:20 Jesus, shine your light, and let the whole world see 04:26 We're singing for the glory 04:29 of the risen King 04:33 Savior. 04:34 Savior, He can move the mountains 04:40 My God is mighty to save 04:43 He is mighty to save 04:46 Forever. 04:47 Forever, Author of salvation 04:53 He rose and conquered the grave 04:57 Jesus conquered the grave 04:58 Let's sing it out again, Savior. 05:01 Savior, He can move the mountains 05:05 Come on, ring it out. 05:07 My God is mighty to save 05:10 He is mighty to save 05:13 Forever. 05:15 Forever, Author of salvation 05:20 He rose and conquered the grave 05:24 Jesus conquered the grave 06:15 What wondrous love is this 06:22 What wondrous love is this 06:27 O my soul 06:42 What wondrous love is this 06:47 O my soul, O my soul! 06:51 What wondrous love is this 06:56 O my soul 07:00 What wondrous love 07:05 That caused the Lord of bliss 07:09 To bear the dreadful curse 07:13 for my soul, for my soul 07:24 What wondrous love 07:28 What wondrous love 07:33 O my soul 07:37 What wondrous love 07:41 What wondrous love 07:45 What wondrous love 07:50 What wondrous love 07:54 What wondrous love 08:21 What wondrous love is this 08:29 What wondrous love is this 08:34 O my soul, O my soul! 08:39 What wondrous love is this 08:44 O my soul 08:48 What wondrous love 08:54 That caused the lord of life 08:58 Christ laid aside His crown 09:01 For my soul, for my soul 09:06 Christ laid aside His crown for my soul 09:13 What wondrous love 09:17 What wondrous love 09:22 O my soul, O my soul! 09:26 What wondrous love 09:30 What wondrous love 09:34 What wondrous love is this 09:38 O my soul, O my soul! 09:43 What wondrous love 09:51 What wondrous love 09:57 What wondrous love 10:00 What wondrous love 10:04 What wondrous love 10:10 What wondrous... 10:19 Love... 10:34 I want to plunge into today's teaching-- 10:40 We'll get to that bag. This is a critical teaching. 10:44 Oh, God, give us ears to hear and minds to comprehend 10:49 what the Bible is saying. 10:50 Let's pray together. 10:51 Holy Father, what wondrous love is this, 10:54 o my, o my soul, o my soul. 11:02 We've been swept up to Your throne room 11:03 in Your heavenly temple today over and over and over again. 11:07 Don't let us down now. 11:10 Let Holy Scripture have its way in our midst 11:16 and let today's teaching be crystal clear 11:20 for Christ glory and honor we pray in His name, amen. 11:29 I have here in this paper bag two vials of blood. 11:34 It's real blood. 11:38 This is real blood, it is goat's blood 11:45 and I'm very grateful to my friend Kathy Koudele 11:48 who is in the agriculture department 11:51 here at Andrews University 11:52 for procuring this blood from a goat. 11:57 The goat is still alive. 12:01 If she had taken all the blood, the goat would be dead. 12:04 Just two little vials 10cc's each. 12:08 This is sort of like a biohazard so you-- 12:11 you know, it probably isn't 12:12 but you just have to do this sometimes. 12:16 I want to take some of this blood 12:19 and I want to ask you is it possible that this blood, 12:26 this is goat blood. 12:29 Is it possible for this blood to cleanse? 12:35 I mean, my reaction is 12:40 when you have this you get goat's blood on you. 12:47 To me, now to be honest, 12:49 to me that doesn't look like a cleanse, 12:52 that looks like it stains which is why I got to tell you 12:58 I am amazed with the dramatic story 13:03 in Leviticus 16 13:06 that says, no, no, no, no, no, 13:09 the blood cleans not stains 13:17 and I want to go into the heart 13:18 of that drama with you right now. 13:20 So while I'm cleaning up, 13:23 would you open your Bible please, 13:24 to the third book of the Bible, the Book of Leviticus? 13:27 We don't go to Leviticus hardly ever, ever, ever. 13:31 The third book of the Bible, Leviticus. 13:35 We're gonna plunge into the middle of the drama. 13:37 I'm telling you what nobody sleeping through this one, 13:41 not if you are in the camp of Israel. 13:43 This is the day of purgation. 13:47 Leviticus Chapter 16, if you didn't bring 13:50 your own Bible you have to track this drama. 13:53 Grab the pew Bible right in front of you, 13:54 I'll give you the page number in just a moment. 13:57 Trying to do this carefully. 13:59 All right, Leviticus Chapter 16, 14:03 page 80 in the pew Bible. 14:06 Yom Hakkipurim that's what it is in the Hebrew 14:09 we know today as the Day of Atonement 14:10 or Yom Kippur as it is popularly known. 14:13 Plunge right into the heart of that day. 14:16 Leviticus 16, page 80 in the pew Bible, 14:20 I'll be in the New International Version, 14:22 whatever translation you have I'm glad you have one. 14:24 Let's pick it up in verse 15, 14:26 "He" this is a high priest named Aaron, all right. 14:30 "He then shall slaughter the goat 14:36 for the sin offering for the people 14:39 and take its blood..." 14:41 You just saw real live goat's blood, all right. 14:45 "And shall take its blood behind the curtain 14:48 and do with it as he did with the bull's blood. 14:51 He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover 14:54 and in front of it." 14:56 I doubt personally whether Aaron 14:58 the high priest slept a wink the night before. 15:02 I mean, you think about it. 15:03 He is now being asked to God 15:05 what has been forbidden under the penalty of death 15:08 to be done 364 days of the year 15:11 but suddenly everything is changed. 15:13 Now you go in. 15:15 I remind you this is father Aaron 15:19 who just days ago buried two boys 15:24 who in there inebriated DUI drunkenness 15:30 stumbled carelessly 15:34 into the most holy space of that little earthly tent 15:39 and incinerated just like that. 15:43 He's buried them. 15:45 In fact, look at the first two verses 15:49 of Chapter 16. 15:50 Obviously, this is on his mind. 15:52 "The Lord spoke to Moses 15:54 after the death of the two sons of Aaron 15:56 who died when they approached the Lord." 15:58 Verse 2 " And the Lord said to Moses, 16:00 ' You tell your brother Aaron not to come 16:02 whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place 16:05 behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover 16:07 on the ark, or else he will die, 16:09 because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.'" 16:15 Got it? 16:17 Aaron would not have slept a wink the night before. 16:22 How could you sleep knowing that every man 16:26 and woman and child in the nation 16:29 will at that very moment be on their faces 16:32 in the sand praying their hearts out to almighty God? 16:37 And while they are praying you all alone in that tent 16:41 will move to this ornate thick veil 16:45 and with hands that were surely trembling violently, 16:48 you will grab that veil pulling it aside 16:51 to what human eyes were never to see 16:54 and human hands were never to touch. 16:56 You would pull the veil aside and in that perfect cube 17:00 a single piece of golden furniture. 17:03 Let me just-- let your imagination 17:05 put some color to it by putting on the screen 17:07 an artist portrayal of that ark. 17:11 That's all that's in that perfect cube 17:13 called the most holy place. 17:16 Solid gold cherubim, those are two angels 17:19 representing the angels that stand 17:21 beside the throne of the eternal God, 17:23 their wings touch. 17:24 They are carved out of a single, 17:26 beaten out of a single sheet of gold. 17:29 And over that solid gold block called the mercy seat, 17:34 there is a physical presence 17:36 so blinding and so fiery in its glory 17:40 that a human being cannot gaze upon it and live. 17:43 It is the presence of God himself. 17:45 You don't think Aaron is sleeping 17:49 the night before, do you? 17:52 How could you sleep? 17:56 Let's read it again, verse 15. 17:59 "He" Aaron " shall then slaughter the goat 18:03 for the sin offering for the people 18:06 and take its blood behind the curtain 18:08 and do with it as he did with the bull's blood. 18:10 He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover 18:12 and in front of it. 18:13 In this way" verse 16 " he will make atonement 18:16 for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness 18:20 and rebellion of the Israelites, 18:22 whatever their sins have been." 18:23 Through the previous year. 18:27 "He is to do the same in the Tent of Meeting," 18:29 that would be the other compartment 18:31 called the holy place "which is among them 18:33 in the midst of their uncleanness." 18:35 Verse 17, "No one is to be in the Tent of Meeting 18:38 from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement 18:40 in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, 18:42 having made atonement for himself, 18:45 for his household 18:46 and the whole community of Israel." 18:47 Now verse 30, add verse 30. 18:50 "Because on this day atonement will be made for you, 18:54 to cleanse you. 18:56 Then, before the Lord, 18:57 you will be clean from all your sins." 19:01 Did you catch that? 19:02 The blood of a goat mysteriously, metaphysically 19:08 brings about achieves a cleansing 19:12 of the entire community. 19:14 What's up with that? 19:17 What is up? 19:23 There are two realities to this Day of Atonement, 19:26 the most somber, 19:27 the most sacred of celebrations. 19:34 Two realities, that contrary to our 19:38 first impression are essential for us to understand 19:42 in the third millennium, two realities. 19:44 I wish you jot them down right now. 19:45 Grab the study guide please, it's in your worship bulletin. 19:48 If you didn't get a study guide, 19:49 hold your hand up, we've got out 19:50 friendly ushers ready to go. 19:52 They have today two pieces for you. 19:53 They have piece number one, 19:55 the study guide that you will need, 19:56 they have a card. 19:57 You will need the card. 19:58 Ask for the card and the piece, 20:00 they are gonna give them both to you. 20:02 You came in three of you with one bulletin, 20:03 then you need your own study guide. 20:05 No sense in sharing. You get to have your own. 20:07 Grab a study guide and I'll make sure, 20:11 we'll make sure that all the way up to the balcony 20:13 and the overflow as well that the study guides 20:17 are for all those who need one. 20:19 And by the way, those of you 20:20 who are watching on television right now 20:21 we are delighted to have you. 20:22 You can have the same study guide. 20:23 Let me put our website on the screen for you. 20:26 Go to that website you see it right there www.pmchurch.tv. 20:31 You are looking for a brand new series called "The Temple." 20:33 This is only part three. 20:34 If you've missed the first two parts that's okay. 20:37 The podcast are there, 20:38 you can get it all right at that site. 20:40 But you are looking for part three 20:41 which is called today, "The Cleansing." 20:44 You're looking for the Cleansing. 20:45 And when it says study guide there, 20:48 click on the study guide. 20:49 You have the identical study guide we have. 20:52 Let's go, let's jot them out, 20:53 two realities critical for us living in the third millennium. 20:57 Reality number one, the Day of Atonement symbolize 21:00 the final judicial cleansing, 21:03 judicial cleansing of God's sanctuary. 21:06 Write in the word sanctuary. 21:08 Sums going on judicially and so reality number one 21:11 the Day of Atonement symbolize 21:13 the final judicial cleansing of God's sanctuary. 21:15 And then jot it down reality number two, 21:17 the Day of Atonement symbolize 21:19 the final moral cleansing of God's people. 21:24 Cleansing of God's sanctuary judicially, 21:27 cleansing of God's people morally. 21:29 Let me explain. 21:30 If we've taken the time today 21:31 to read the Chapters 3 and 4 of Leviticus 21:34 we would have been reminded 21:35 that when the children of Israel sinned, 21:37 they brought little animals. 21:38 Do you remember that? 21:39 They brought little animals to the sanctuary 21:41 where those animals were sacrificed. 21:43 You knew that, didn't you? We've all known that. 21:45 We've grown up with those stories. 21:47 Something interesting about those, 21:49 little animals that are brought, 21:50 they will take one, 21:51 the worshipper will take one hand, 21:53 place that hand, that single hand 21:54 on the head of the animal 21:55 not confessing his sins or her sins. 21:57 The confession was already done 21:58 back at the point of infraction. 22:00 You've already talked to God, 22:01 you've already confessed your sins 22:03 but there is something else taking place right here. 22:06 The hand goes on that animal, 22:08 the sacrificial animal is slain. 22:11 And then on special occasions, 22:13 specified occasions the blood of that slain animal 22:16 was dubbed on to the horns of the altar of sacrifice 22:19 and then taken into the most holy place, 22:21 into the holy place rather before the curtain 22:23 to the most holy place and the ark of incense 22:25 and it was sprinkled right here, 22:27 just sprinkled on the sandy floor of the desert. 22:31 Every time the priest came in to sprinkle, 22:33 he would sprinkle it right there 22:35 in front of the altar of incense. 22:38 Now the sprinkling of the blood of the sacrifice 22:41 inside the tabernacle powerfully symbolize, get this, 22:44 the transference of the sinner sin to God 22:47 and its temple and its sanctuary. 22:50 So I need you to read, it's there in your study guide. 22:53 My friend Roy Gane who teaches Old Testament here 22:55 at the theological seminary. 22:56 If you want to buy a book 22:59 that will unlock for you the deep symbolism, 23:02 the rich mystery of the sanctuary system 23:06 get his book, it's in both bookstores here in town. 23:08 The title of the book is "Altar Call." 23:10 You can go on Amazon.com and you can get Altar Call 23:13 by Roy Gane, all right. 23:14 I put a few lines from Roy on the screen here describing 23:17 what's taking place here with those sacrifices. 23:20 Roy writing, "By transferring a sacrificial animal to God, 23:24 an Israelite transferred sin or ritual impurity from him, 23:28 from herself to God at His sanctuary. 23:31 The person was freed from the problem 23:32 because God took it. 23:33 It was now in God's 'ball park,' 23:35 that is, His sanctuary. 23:36 When an Israelite laid one hand on the head 23:38 of an animal in a sin offering 23:40 this gesture played an important role 23:42 in the transfer of evil to the sanctuary." 23:47 Through the high drama of the Day of Atonement 23:49 and you need to jot this down. 23:51 "Through the high drama of the Day of Atonement, 23:52 God taught his people 23:54 that the evil of human rebellion and sin 23:57 would not forever stain this universe, 23:59 but that a day of reckoning was coming, 24:01 a day of judgment." 24:03 It is clear it was a day of judgment. 24:05 Write in that word, judgment. 24:06 "A day of purgation, 24:08 when the judicial records of sin would be cleansed 24:11 from God's sanctuary and purged from his universe." 24:15 And so jot this down. 24:17 The divine purging is described in Leviticus 16 24:19 as cleansing, cleansing the sanctuary, all right. 24:25 Cleansing the sanctuary. 24:29 You'll say come on, 24:32 Dwight, this is just Old Testament stuff, 24:36 I'm a New Testament Christian. I'm beyond all of this. 24:39 Oh, are you really? 24:40 Well, you certainly out beyond the New Testament 24:42 because the New Testament confirms 24:44 and affirms that cleansing. 24:46 In fact, let's turn to that next text, 24:48 Hebrews Chapter 9 take a look at this, 24:50 amazing in the-- 24:51 And by the way, you know, the Book of Hebrews 24:54 in the New Testament is a twin almost 24:57 to the Book of Leviticus in the Old Testament. 24:58 These two books are twin books dealing with the same theme. 25:02 We'll go to the New Testament. 25:06 In that wilderness tabernacle 25:08 the cleansing on the Day of Atonement. 25:10 You know, how the cleansing happened? 25:12 When the blood of the goat 25:14 was brought to where the other sprinklings 25:16 had been made all year long 25:18 the symbolic cleansing took place 25:20 when the high priest spilled goat's blood on top 25:24 of the other stains. 25:26 Cleansing the sanctuary 25:28 is that just an Old Testament motive. 25:30 Where are you? Hebrews Chapter 9. 25:31 Let's take a look at that. 25:33 Hebrews Chapter 9, 25:35 let's pick it up here in verse 22. 25:38 "In fact," the writer of Hebrews 25:40 pointing out here, 25:41 "In fact, the law requires 25:44 that nearly everything be" what? 25:47 Be cleansed. 25:48 "Nearly everything be cleansed with blood," 25:50 excuse me. 25:51 By the way, that Greek word 25:53 for cleansed here is the very same word 25:56 in the Greek Old Testament called the Septuagint 25:58 in the Day of Atonement. 25:59 Identical word, identical word. 26:02 Now the law is clear that everything 26:03 be cleansed with blood 26:05 "and without the shedding of blood 26:07 there is no forgiveness." 26:08 Verse 23, "So it was necessary, then, 26:11 for the copies of the heavenly things" 26:13 that would be the earthly sanctuary 26:14 "to be purified with these sacrifices, 26:16 but the heavenly things themselves 26:19 are gonna be purified and cleansed." 26:20 By the way, the word purified is identical with cleanse, 26:22 for some reason NIV 26:23 chooses to render it separately. 26:27 "So it is that the heavenly things themselves 26:28 will be cleansed with better sacrifices than these. 26:31 For" verse 24, 26:32 "Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary 26:35 that was only a copy of the true one in heaven, 26:37 he entered heaven itself, 26:39 now to appear for us in God's presence." 26:41 Verse 25, "Nor did he enter heaven 26:43 to offer himself again and again, 26:44 the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place 26:46 every year with blood that is not his own." 26:48 Verse 26, 26:49 "Then Christ would have had to suffer many times 26:52 since the creation of the world." 26:53 No, no, no, no, no. 26:54 "But now he has appeared 26:55 once for all at the end of the ages 26:58 to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself." 27:03 Ladies and gentlemen, 27:04 clearly this is Day of Atonement language. 27:07 There's only one day in the liturgical year 27:10 when a sacrifice cleansed the sanctuary. 27:14 What's the writer of Hebrew is trying to tell us. 27:16 Jot it down, will you? 27:17 "If God's sandbox illustration of the plan of salvation, 27:22 if the earthly sanctuary had to be cleansed 27:25 and it represented the great reality in heaven 27:27 then should we not conclude, 27:29 the writer of Hebrews is asking, 27:30 that the heavenly sanctuary would also be cleansed" 27:34 write it in "that the heavenly sanctuary 27:36 would also be cleansed 27:38 but with the greatest sacrifice of all?" 27:40 Not with the blood of goat 27:43 but with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. 27:47 Wow, don't you tell me 27:48 that's an Old Testament teaching, 27:50 that's Old and New Testament. 27:54 The heavenly sanctuary must be cleansed. 27:58 So here's the question, when? 28:01 When should the sanctuary be cleansed? 28:02 Tell you what, the two apocalyptic books 28:04 Daniel and Revelation leave us not guessing another moment. 28:07 Just three passages, let me just fly these by you, 28:09 you notice when. 28:10 Let's go to back to the Old Testament. 28:13 You say, Dwight, 28:14 can I just read it off the screen? 28:15 Of course, you can read it off the screen 28:16 but I would love for you to see this in your own Bible. 28:17 By the way, we've been to this Daniel 7, 28:20 every time we've been in this series. 28:21 So, you're familiar with this. 28:23 Let's go back to Daniel 7, go back, 28:26 it's page 602 in your pew Bible. 28:31 Let's read those same two verses again, 28:32 Daniel 7:9 and then verse 10. 28:35 Daniel's in vision, 28:37 Daniel 7:9 "As I looked, 28:40 thrones were set in place, 28:42 and the Ancient of Days took his seat." 28:44 Something is being convened right now. 28:47 "His clothing was as white as snow, 28:49 the hair of his head was white like wool. 28:51 His throne was flaming with fire, 28:52 and its wheels were all ablaze." 28:53 Verse 10, "A river of fire was flowing, 28:55 coming out from before him. 28:57 Thousands upon thousands attended him, 28:59 ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. 29:02 The court was seated, and the books were opened." 29:07 Remember from our study last week 29:08 the three obvious lies, obviously number one, 29:11 this is a court scene. 29:13 Come on, we know it's a court, it says it's a court scene. 29:15 Obviously number two, 29:16 the court is convened in God's temple 29:17 because the throne is there, 29:19 His throne is always in His palace or temple 29:21 and finally obviously number three, 29:22 the court is convened before the end of the world. 29:25 Daniel 7 is clear. 29:26 After the court, boom, the world ends 29:29 and God's kingdom is set up. 29:31 So what we know? 29:33 We know from Daniel 7 that the day of reckoning, 29:35 this day of judgment, 29:37 this judicial review of the records 29:39 that is so powerfully foreshadowed 29:41 by the Day of Atonement 29:42 will indeed transpire in the heavenly sanctuary, 29:45 in the very throne room of God just before the end of time. 29:49 And get this, Daniel 7 has a twin chapter, Daniel 8. 29:54 The two chapters go together. They have the same theme. 29:58 And notice how Daniel 8 30:00 describes this very same moment. 30:03 Just turn to page Daniel 8, you're already there. 30:05 Daniel 8, just turn your page to Daniel 8:14, 30:11 "And he said to me, 30:13 'For two thousand three hundred days, 30:16 then the sanctuary shall be cleansed." 30:21 There is it, there is it ladies and gentlemen, 30:23 the cleansing of the sanctuary. 30:26 The précised metaphor and language 30:30 of the Day of Atonement itself straight-- 30:33 play straight into the heart of the final judgment. 30:37 It comes at the same point in the passage of time 30:41 prophesied in both Daniel 7 and Daniel 8. 30:43 Because-- so here's what's up, guys, 30:45 because of their close parallel what Daniel 7 describes 30:48 as a courtroom convened with records Daniel 8 portrays 30:52 as the cleansing of the sanctuary. 30:54 Two metaphors to describe the same event, 30:57 the divine judgment in the heavenly temple 30:59 just before the end of the world. 31:02 And wouldn't you know it, Revelation comes along 31:05 also in apocalyptic book and says exactly true. 31:09 One more passage we look up, Revelation 11, 31:12 last book of your Bible Revelation Chapter 11. 31:15 Isn't this amazing, 31:17 both apocalyptic books pinpointing 31:20 when this Day of the Atonement judgment 31:24 would take place in human history. 31:26 Can't miss it here, Revelation 11, 31:31 let's pick it up in verse 18. 31:34 Revelation 11:18, 31:35 this is just before the return of Christ. 31:37 Now notice this, "The nations were angry, 31:40 and your wrath O God has come." 31:41 Now watch this, 31:43 "The time has come for judging the dead," 31:50 judging the dead. 31:53 "And for rewarding your servants the prophets 31:55 and your saints 31:57 and those who reverence your name, 31:58 both small and great 31:59 and for destroying those who destroy the earth." 32:00 Now hold on, here comes verse 19, 32:02 the moment the judgment of the dead is discussed 32:04 notice the very next scene verse 19. 32:07 Then I saw through a crack in the door 32:10 John says, through a crack in the door, 32:13 "God's temple in heaven was opened, 32:14 and within his temple 32:16 was seen the ark of his covenant. 32:19 And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, 32:21 peals of thunder, an earthquake 32:22 and a great hailstorm." 32:24 Isn't that amazing, ladies and gentlemen? 32:26 When the crack in the door is opened 32:29 into the temple having just described 32:32 we are now entering the time of judging the dead 32:35 what is it that, 32:36 what is that the elderly John is granted to see? 32:41 The ark, the Ark of the Covenant, 32:43 let me put that picture back up on the screen. 32:47 Question, what one day of the year 32:50 was this piece of furniture so prominently central 32:56 that it foreshadowed an end time judgment? 32:59 What one day of the year 33:02 was the Ark of the Covenant featured? 33:04 Answer, the day, the Day of Atonement. 33:10 John has shown in vision the final judgment 33:11 of the Day of Atonement transpiring in heaven 33:14 before the end of time. 33:15 So what does that mean? 33:16 Let's put it all together. Jot this down please. 33:18 What can we conclude from these three apocalyptic predictions? 33:21 Write it down what Daniel 7 33:22 and by the way, just use abbreviations here. 33:25 "What Daniel 7 describes 33:27 as an end time celestial court convened with records, 33:30 what Daniel 8 portrays 33:32 as the end time cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, 33:35 what Revelation 11 depicts as the end time 33:39 Most Holy Place judgment of the dead 33:41 are all bound together by the single dramatic 33:44 cleansing metaphor of the Day of Atonement." 33:49 Write that down, all of it bound, 33:52 one metaphor the Day of Atonement. 33:54 And please note by the way, all three prophecies, 33:56 all lead immediately to the end of the world. 34:01 So what's the point? 34:02 Here's the point. 34:04 For that reason in Revelation 14 34:07 just before Jesus returns, 34:09 His picture returning in verse 14, 34:10 the message to go to the world just before Christ returns, 34:13 jot it down, Revelation 14:7, 34:15 "The hour of his judgment has come." 34:21 The hour of His judgment has come. 34:23 Ladies and gentlemen, 34:24 we are in the judgment right now, 34:29 that's the point. 34:30 Now you and I are sitting here talking to each other 34:32 it's going on in heaven. 34:34 There is a cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, 34:37 a judicial cleansing of the heavenly records 34:39 while we are sitting right here. 34:45 And it's not a great leap of logic to then conclude. 34:49 At some point the heavenly courtroom 34:52 will finish with the records of the dead 34:55 and will move, because there's no choice. 34:58 You just logically-- okay now, 34:59 it's everybody who is alive. 35:02 You say, oh, listen, Dwight, 35:04 I will know, there will be a sign 35:06 and I will know when that day comes. 35:08 You're right. 35:09 You think you will? 35:10 Did the antediluvians know was there some kind of a sign 35:14 and they knew it's really important 35:15 how to make a decision? 35:16 Was there some sign? 35:17 Did Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah know, 35:20 was there some sign given? 35:22 Not a thing. 35:23 They kept merrying, they kept party, 35:26 they kept living and it came. 35:30 The point, guess what, it's cleansing time. 35:36 Judicial cleansing in the records up there, 35:37 but you know what, 35:38 there's nothing I can do about that. 35:40 There is nothing I can do about that up there. 35:42 Moral cleansing of the hearts down here 35:46 and that's where you and I are called to sit up. 35:55 It's time to get serious. 35:56 Here's the point, 35:58 it is time to get serious about our moral cleansing. 36:03 That's the point. You can't laugh it off. 36:06 You can't say well, manana. 36:09 Manana, who gets manana around here? 36:13 Nobody does. 36:15 It's time, it's cleansing time. 36:18 You say, come on, Dwight, 36:20 I mean I thought look, look, look, 36:21 I thought that when I confess my sins to God 36:23 I was immediately cleansed just like that. 36:27 You know what, my friend, you were and I'm 36:30 that great gold standard Bible promises, 36:35 just put it on the screen here, 36:36 1 John 1:9, 36:37 in fact, let's do this one out loud together. 36:39 You know it so well. 36:40 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful 36:43 and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us" 36:48 write that down "and to cleanse us 36:50 from all unrighteousness." 36:53 I'm telling you what, that is tried 36:55 and true this divine promise the moment 36:57 I confess my sins to God, 36:58 He forgives me and immediately cleanses me 37:01 from the guilty stain of my moral meltdown. 37:03 Boom, cleansed. 37:08 But I need to remind you 37:13 that the God who forgives us all along the way 37:18 is the same God who gives us all along the way, 37:22 the freedom to reverse ourselves at anytime 37:26 and take all those sins back. 37:33 Once upon a time 37:35 it's where Jesus told the story. 37:36 You remember the story. 37:37 Once upon a time there was a servant 37:41 who owed the king 37:42 an astronomically humongous debt. 37:48 According to calculations 37:49 he owed 200,000 years of back wages. 37:55 Now when the king did the auditing of the books 37:58 going through the records when the king did it, 38:00 he found out this debt he summoned the servant. 38:02 He said, I'm sorry, 38:04 but it's over for you, it's curtains. 38:05 Adios to jail you go 38:06 and the servant fell on his face. 38:07 You remember the story? 38:08 And wept before the king, I beg of you. 38:11 Just give me sometime. 38:12 I'll get this, I'll come up with 200,000 years of wages 38:15 if you just give me time. 38:18 It was ridiculous, the proposition. 38:21 But the king took pity on the weeping servant 38:24 and you know what the king did? 38:25 Get this guys, fully and freely forgave 38:28 the entire astronomically humongous debt 38:33 just like that, out of the records. 38:34 It's not even on the records, it's gone, it's over. 38:37 When that servant ecstatic goes out of that palace 38:40 riding on cloud number nine, 38:41 he is thrilled 38:43 until he bumps into a fellow servant. 38:44 You remember the story, 38:45 and he find this is the guy that owes me 100 bucks. 38:48 He grabs the guy around the throat, 38:49 he says hey, listen, pay off you owe me 100 bucks. 38:51 The guy says, please, just give me some time, 38:52 a 100 bucks. 38:53 I'll come with the 100 bucks, please. 38:56 I'm not giving you anytime, 38:57 you are in jail and he threw him in jail. 38:58 When the word comes back, now hold on, 39:00 when the word comes back to the king 39:02 the king re-summons the forgiven servant. 39:09 And the punch line of Jesus story is so astounding 39:13 because people don't think God is this way. 39:17 But the king in re-summoning the servant 39:21 who has refused to live out the grace 39:23 that he had received from the king, 39:24 the king reinstates the servant's freely, 39:28 fully forgiven debt and it is replaced, 39:32 it is rewritten on the record and the king throws him in jail 39:37 and throws away the key for ever and ever, amen. 39:40 And Jesus says, 39:41 that's how it will be with your heavenly Father. 39:46 So nobody is making this up about at anytime along the way. 39:50 If you want to have it back, 39:52 you want that debt that 39:53 you and I have wept to God take it away from me. 39:56 If you want to have it back 39:58 you're free to have it all back. 40:02 Hence the review at the end of time. 40:08 Are you sure you want this? 40:11 In fact, will you jot it down please. 40:13 This is the point of Jesus parable, 40:14 "The debt that has been fully and freely removed 40:19 can be fully and freely reinstated," 40:22 that's the point. 40:23 It can be removed of course, but it can be reinstated, 40:26 "if we who have been cleansed by God 40:27 quit living the life of the cleansed for God." 40:31 I'm gonna repeat that. 40:33 "The debt that has been fully and freely removed 40:34 can be fully and freely reinstated, 40:36 if we who have been cleansed by God 40:38 quit living the life of the cleansed for God." 40:42 Some people mistakenly conclude that 40:44 what the Christian life 40:45 is all about is only the beginning. 40:46 I got to get saved at the beginning 40:48 and then I got it. 40:49 Oh, no my friends, the Day of Atonement reminds us 40:53 that the end of the journey is just as critical 40:57 as the beginning of the journey. 41:00 Now you have, look at, it's Jesus from stand to stand, 41:02 don't you be alarmed at all. 41:05 My God, this is Philippians 1:6 and I love this. 41:08 "My God, who has begun a good work in you 41:10 will bring it to completion by the end of time. 41:14 You stay with God. You stay with God. 41:16 You have nothing, no worries, 41:19 you stay with Him. 41:22 So, Brother Dwight, please, 41:25 this takes all the assurance away. 41:27 All the security that I have in Christ, 41:29 now if I have to worry how the journey is gonna end. 41:31 Man, you've taken it all away. 41:32 Are you kidding? Are you serious? 41:35 You can't be. 41:37 I married Karen 35 years ago, hallelujah 41:44 and I'm not worried. 41:46 Do you think I sit around 41:48 worried about how the story is going to end? 41:49 Are you kidding? 41:50 Because we are friends for life. 41:52 I'm a happily married man. 41:53 Do you know why I'm happy married man? 41:55 Because everyday when I leave the house 41:57 Karen stands me up against the door 41:58 and says repeat after me, I'm a happily married man. 42:01 I repeat it. I'm happily married. 42:04 I know I'm happily married. 42:08 When you are in love, when you are in love, 42:12 when you're growing a deepening relationship 42:14 with someone you never have to worry about 42:17 how the story is gonna end 42:18 because you already know how it's gonna end. 42:21 It's gonna end the same way you begin. 42:22 You begin in love, it will end in love. 42:26 You got nothing, nothing to worry about. 42:29 No assurance has been taken away from you. 42:31 There is no bad news here. 42:34 Give me a break. 42:39 Do you think-- listen, think, 42:42 do you think God's friends are threatened 42:45 with the Bible teaching 42:46 that He will convene a judicial review at the end of time 42:49 for the purpose as we carefully noted last week 42:51 of rejecting Satan's dark charges against this, friends. 42:55 And God says, okay, let's look at the records. 42:56 I'm proving to you they are really my friends. 42:59 Do you think God's friends are upset about 43:02 a judicial review that vindicates them? 43:05 Please. 43:06 Do you think God's friends 43:07 would find it threatening to know 43:08 that while He is judicially cleansing His sanctuary above, 43:11 He simultaneously wants to be 43:12 morally cleansing this heart below? 43:15 Do you think that bothers, that bothers God friends? 43:18 Shouldn't. 43:20 Is moral cleansing a threat? 43:23 Is moral cleansing a threat? 43:27 Why would that bother you unless, 43:30 unless of course you didn't want to be 43:33 morally cleansed in every area of your life. 43:38 Do you suppose that's it? 43:40 Could there be why some have so viciously ranted 43:43 and raved against the Bible teaching 43:45 of the cleansing of the sanctuary 43:47 because embracing it would compel them 43:49 to surrender something 43:51 that they are hanging on for dear life. 43:52 And so rather than attack what they are hanging on to, 43:55 they attack the teaching. 43:58 Such vitriol can we have, 44:02 can we have a civil conversation here? 44:04 Can we look at the evidence? 44:06 Why all this venom unless the teaching touches 44:13 where it hurts and rather than dealing 44:16 with where it hurts 44:18 you destroy the teaching instead. 44:21 Please, when it turns out 44:25 that this teaching neither weakens our assurance 44:28 and security in Christ 44:29 nor threatens our friendship with God 44:31 but in fact, does the very opposite 44:33 and strengthens our bond with the judge of the universe. 44:37 Why would you be...? 44:39 Why would you be so upset with the teaching? 44:46 Good news, bound to that judge for ever and ever. 44:53 But the life for me, I don't understand this. 45:00 You see the secret of the investigative judgment, 45:03 here's the secret is to remember 45:05 how God promises it will end for His friends. 45:07 So let's end with this. 45:09 All right, you are in Revelation, 45:10 I'm in Revelation. 45:11 Go to Revelation 3, isn't this beautiful? 45:12 Can you believe this text is in the Bible? 45:16 Revelation Chapter 3 and verse 5 of Revelation 3 45:18 is filled with the nomenclature 45:21 of a courtroom of a judgment scene. 45:24 I love this. 45:25 Look at this Revelation 3:5 Jesus is speaking. 45:29 You have a Red Letter Bible this should be bright red. 45:32 Jesus speaking, "He who overcomes" 45:35 she who overcomes 45:36 "will, like them, be dressed in white. 45:41 I will never blot out his name" 45:44 her name "from the book of life, 45:46 but will acknowledge" him, will acknowledge her " name 45:49 before my Father and his angels." 45:52 Hold on, hold on, there he is ancient of days 45:55 convening the judgment. 45:56 The Father is on the throne, 45:57 the celestial observers the jury is all there 46:00 and what does Jesus say the hero of heaven, 46:02 what does He say? 46:04 Not to worry, I will acknowledge you, 46:09 you live My overcoming life. 46:10 You let me overcome through you, 46:12 I'll acknowledge you to the entire universe. 46:15 You are gonna wear white, it's the color of victory. 46:17 Your name will never be expunged 46:20 from the books brought 46:23 to the courtroom the book of life, 46:26 you secured me. 46:28 I've never. 46:29 See, that's what if friends of Jesus, 46:30 this teaching affirms, affirms their trust 46:37 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 46:39 So where you get these white robes on? 46:41 We started with blood, let's end with blood. 46:42 Where do you get these white robes? 46:43 How do you get robes that are white? 46:46 While since you are there just turn the page 46:47 to Revelation 7 last line. 46:51 How do I get these robes that are white? 46:54 Here it is ladies and gentlemen, 46:55 verse 13, Revelation 7:13, 46:58 "Then one of the elders asked me," 47:00 hey, John, 47:02 "'These in white robes who are they, 47:04 and where did they come from?' 47:06 And I answered," verse 14, "Sir, you know.' 47:09 And he said, 47:11 'These are they who have come out 47:13 of the great tribulation...'" 47:14 Now watch this, ladies and gentlemen. 47:16 "They have washed their robes 47:19 and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." 47:25 Hallelujah, it always comes back to the blood. 47:28 Not the blood of the goat, 47:29 no, no, no, no, no, the blood of a lamb. 47:31 Behold the lamb of God 47:32 who takes away the sin of the world. 47:37 Blood, that's why our series 47:40 it's cleansing time right now, right now. 47:45 It's going on right now. It's cleansing time. 47:50 Is there something in your life 47:52 that needs to get cleansed 47:54 right out of your heart this is the time. 47:58 Well, I'll do it later, Dwight, I'll do it, 48:00 you know, when a convenient time comes. 48:01 There is no convenient time, it's right now. 48:05 Is there something that needs to get cleansed 48:08 right out of your life it's now, 48:14 not tomorrow, not next year, 48:18 it's right now, it's cleansing time, 48:21 right now. 48:25 I don't know how long this judgment 48:26 is gonna last in heaven, 48:28 I just know that today right now 48:29 would be a very good time 48:31 to turn to Jesus for His cleansing, 48:34 that's what I know. 48:35 And that's why today in your bulletin was this card, 48:41 you were handed it just a moment ago, 48:42 pull the card out now, will you please? 48:44 So that I can take a closing moment 48:45 and think about what this card represents 48:47 for you and for me. 48:49 Pull the card out. 48:51 You didn't get a card, 48:54 we can give one to you if you hold your hand up. 48:56 I want to draw your attention to this card. 48:58 This will be used in on this campus 49:00 this entire year. 49:03 We get to use it today. 49:06 Excuse me. 49:10 There are list of responses here 49:11 but I only want to draw your attention 49:13 to three of them with your permission. 49:15 You see the one, the second one down, 49:17 I would like to commit my life to Jesus for the first time. 49:21 There are some of you here today 49:23 who have never given your life to Jesus. 49:26 You know, you are waiting for a very special kind of day. 49:29 My friend, there is no special kind of day. 49:32 The only special day is the day called today. 49:36 Give your life to Jesus. 49:37 You say, Dwight, what's that mean? 49:38 Just put your case, say, Jesus, 49:39 you take my case to that judgment. 49:43 You take me to the courtroom, 49:45 I place my life in your hands. 49:47 I'll do, I'll follow you Jesus, I don't even know that means. 49:51 I'll follow You, I'll give You my life. 49:54 I'll put my case in a nail scared hands. 49:56 You put a check mark right there. 49:58 We'll get some literature to you. 49:59 What is it mean to follow Jesus? 50:01 It's not rocket science, hallelujah, 50:03 it's the simplest friendship you can grow on this planet 50:07 and God says you can have it. 50:09 Why would you want to go another day 50:10 and say well, I've not really secured 50:11 the judgment up there but I'll wait? 50:12 Don't you wait, 50:13 just put a check mark right now, please. 50:16 You are not making any commitment to me, 50:17 you understand that. 50:19 You're making a commitment to Jesus. 50:21 Put a check mark there, 50:22 I want to commit my life to Jesus for the first time. 50:27 How about the next one? 50:28 It's about four down to-- I would like to receive 50:31 Bible studies to prepare for baptism. 50:34 You never been baptized 50:36 for whatever reason it just never came. 50:38 I want to tell you something, 50:39 no one is gonna be baptized next Sabbath. 50:42 But if you would like to begin to think, 50:46 say, do I have to be a college student to do this? 50:48 You're kidding, this is for all of us. 50:50 If you have not been baptized 50:51 and you would like to begin 50:54 to prepare your life to follow Jesus 50:56 in radical discipleship, 50:57 would you put check mark right there. 50:58 I just want to, I just want to be baptized some day. 51:00 Don't baptize me tomorrow, 51:01 I just want to be baptized some day. 51:03 Just put a check mark there. 51:06 And there is that blank, 51:08 this what you can put on the bland, 51:09 pray for me. 51:12 I want to tell you that everyone of these cards 51:13 will be prayed over 51:15 and if there ever were time in the human journey 51:18 when we needed people praying for us, 51:21 this would be it. 51:22 You don't have to put down 51:23 what it is that need to have somebody pray over, 51:25 just say pray for me. 51:27 I've got my name here, I got my phone number, 51:29 just pray for me and you will be prayed over. 51:34 Even God that cleansing, 51:36 what is this thing that 51:37 God wants to cleanse out of your life? 51:39 What is it He wants to cleanse out of my life? 51:41 You know, I know, ask Him 51:44 and have somebody praying for you. 51:49 I want to take a moment right now 51:50 for you to fill that up. 51:51 Would you? 51:52 Would you just put a check mark there? 51:54 Your email address will be very helpful, 51:55 telephone number. 51:56 I want the singers please to come up 51:57 and I want them to sing for us 51:59 this beautiful old gospel hymn 52:02 "Just as I am, without one plea, 52:05 But that Thy blood was shed for me." 52:08 And while they are singing that stanza, 52:10 would you just fill it in and then in just a moment 52:12 we'll just turn it, hand them into the centre isle. 52:16 We'll receive those back. 52:24 Just as I am 52:30 Without one plea 52:36 But that Thy blood 52:41 Was shed for me 52:47 And that Thou bid'st me 52:54 Come to Thee 52:59 O Lamb of God 53:04 I come, I come. 53:17 And I'm gonna work heart out 53:20 as just somehow think about it. 53:23 You may of course be there, 53:25 some of you have been thinking about this decision 53:27 for a very long time and the spirit of Jesus 53:31 is speaking to your heart right now 53:33 and He is saying, hey, 53:34 this is the day, let's do it today. 53:38 If he is speaking to your heart, 53:40 something stirring up inside 53:42 would you put a check mark on that. 53:43 Just put a check mark down. 53:46 It would never be simpler than today. 53:48 Nobody is being asked to come to the front, 53:50 you do this all anonymously but you'll be prayed over. 53:55 They are gonna sing one stanza 53:57 if you haven't filled it out yet, 53:58 fill it out in this last stanza. 54:05 Just as I am 54:08 And waiting not 54:15 To rid my soul 54:20 Of one dark blot 54:26 To Thee whose blood 54:30 Can cleanse each spot 54:36 O Lamb of God 54:42 I come, I come. 54:51 You bring your card in please toward the center isle. 54:54 The ushers are coming, and while they are doing that 54:56 let's stand now, let's stand together 54:58 and sing that old favorite. 55:01 Just as I am 55:05 Without one plea 55:10 But that Thy blood 55:15 Was shed for me 55:20 And that Thou bid'st me 55:26 Come to Thee 55:31 O Lamb of God 55:36 I come, I come. 55:46 And so holy lamb of God, 55:47 we have sung to you that we come. 55:50 We come just as we are, 55:51 there is no way we can cleanse ourselves. 55:54 The stain is too deep. We've tried too long. 55:59 Only your blood, only the sacrifice of Calvary 56:04 can make the victorious difference for us. 56:10 And so we come, know our hearts, 56:15 know that we will trust you in this cleansing time, 56:19 in this judgment hour we will trust You 56:22 by Your grace every step of the way 56:26 until Lord Jesus, you come. 56:32 And now to Him who loves us 56:35 and has freed us from our sins by His blood 56:40 and has made us to be a kingdom 56:42 and priest to serve His God and Father, 56:46 to Him be glory and power 56:49 for ever and ever, amen. 56:57 Let me take one more moment 56:58 as we close out our worship time together 56:59 and tell you about our weekly sermon podcast. 57:03 Each week around here we got a very special group 57:06 of technically savvy volunteers from our media department 57:09 and gather together to publish a podcast 57:11 of the sermon messages like the one you heard today. 57:15 These messages by the way, automatically downloaded 57:17 to your computer via iTunes 57:19 everything set up and ready to go. 57:21 All you have to do 57:22 to receive this free podcast subscription 57:24 just go to our website. 57:25 Let me give you the address www.pmchurch.tv. 57:29 And while there you'll see podcast 57:31 just click on the podcast, 57:32 then you're gonna be given some easy to understand directions 57:35 that will guide you through the set of process 57:37 it's that simple. 57:39 Once again our website www.pmchurch.tv. 57:43 And by the way, while you are there 57:44 you can also download the study guides 57:46 to follow along with each week's teaching. 57:48 I hope you join the thousands of others, 57:50 enjoy that podcast each week and share it with your friends 57:54 that's what it's for, 57:55 to bless you and then pass it on. 57:58 In the mean time, God bless you 58:00 and keep you as you journey on 58:02 and I'm looking forward to seeing you again right here 58:04 as we continue to share God's 58:06 holy scriptures together. |
Revised 2015-01-08