Participants: Pr. Dwight Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP100111
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00:05 From the campus of Andrews University
00:08 this is New Perceptions with Dr. Dwight K. Nelson. 00:43 In Christ alone, who took on flesh 00:49 Fullness of God in helpless babe 00:53 This gift of love and righteousness 00:59 Scorned by the ones He came to save 01:04 Till on that cross as Jesus died 01:09 The wrath of God was satisfied 01:14 For every sin on Him was laid 01:20 Here in the death of Christ I live 01:47 There in the ground His body lay 01:53 Light of the world by darkness slain 01:58 Then bursting forth in glorious Day 02:04 Up from the grave He rose again 02:09 And as He stands in victory 02:14 Sin's curse has lost its grip on me 02:20 For I am His and He is mine 02:25 Bought with the precious blood of Christ 02:33 On Christ, the solid rock, I stand 02:39 All other ground is sinking sand 02:44 All other ground is sinking sand 02:52 On Christ the solid rock I stand, 02:58 All other ground is sinking sand 03:04 All other ground is sinking sand 03:11 No guilt in life, no fear in death 03:17 This is the power of Christ in me 03:22 From a life's first cry to final breath 03:27 Jesus commands my destiny 03:32 No power of hell, no scheme of man 03:37 Could ever pluck me from His hand 03:43 Till He returns and calls me home 03:49 Here in the power of Christ I'll stand 04:21 I would like to call in audible right now 04:22 it's not in the worship program 04:26 but I want to invite Jeffery Sajdak to come up. 04:30 He is one of our alumni and Jeffery 04:32 you were just honored a few moments ago. 04:35 Congratulations, welcome back by the way, 04:37 what's this 20th reunion. Twenty years. 04:39 You graduated in 1991? That's correct. 04:42 Mercy, and your wife, you both now you and Betsy met here? 04:46 Yes, we did. Yeah. 04:47 Actually you knew each other before you even came here. 04:49 We met each other at Wisconsin academy. 04:51 Yeah, that's right the Wisconsin academy. 04:53 Jeff, you drop by the office yesterday, 04:55 that's why I'm doing this. 04:56 Now, you just found about this about three minutes ago. 04:59 Yes. 05:00 So I'm putting you on the spot 05:01 but Jeff, I have been 05:02 just brooding over our conversation and your testimony. 05:07 So let me just pick it up, Dr. Henderson did a nice job 05:10 in introducing what you do but some people have slept in 05:13 since you are with the Homeland, 05:15 the Department of Homeland Security. 05:17 That's correct. 05:18 Down in Indianapolis. That's correct. 05:19 You are an attorney. I am. 05:21 I have your card. 05:22 Supervisory attorney, Office of Assistant Chief Council. 05:26 That is correct. That's very impressive. 05:29 So God has put you in that office. 05:31 No doubt. Yeah. 05:33 So how could a guy walk up in your position station in life 05:39 walk up to an ice cream truck driver and engage him. 05:44 What would lead a man like you are professional 05:47 like you to do that? 05:50 How much time do I have? 05:51 You got about three minutes. 05:52 Okay, as I talked about it yesterday 05:56 when I have been impressed with its about relationship, 06:00 its about surrendering your life to Christ 06:03 and its about just believing in the journey 06:06 having trust in God and over last couple of years 06:10 I have just worked hard on my relation with God 06:13 and I told you that I was put my relationship 06:16 at the end of the day and often times I would forget. 06:18 And I changed that and 06:22 I make Him a priority every morning and it's been a journey. 06:25 God's impressed me that I needed to surrender 06:28 and what that truly meant was 06:32 I accept Him on His terms not my terms. 06:36 I like that. 06:37 And that let me to question as far as you know, 06:40 who's am I and you know the answer that is God. 06:44 You know, we give me our tithes but reality is 06:47 everything we own belongs to Him 06:50 and the Cicero church in Indiana has decided 06:55 that it is going to do a day in revelation 06:57 seminar we are doing that 06:59 and the lay members are doing that. 07:01 You handed this to me, Jeff in the office yesterday 07:04 so I'm looking at this "The Final Days, 07:05 an intelligent look into Bible Prophecy." 07:08 I'm thinking wow, wait a minute. 07:10 We got Ron Clouzet who is a member of our congregation 07:12 just opened up last night. 07:13 By the way did a powerful job I was so, 07:17 we are all so blessed packed out here. 07:20 And he is going again tonight for those 07:21 who are sitting out there and he will be right here 07:23 in this church live via satellite. 07:25 So I'm looking at this and I think well this is like 07:27 prophecy decoded but I turn it over 07:31 and I realize wait a minute 07:32 these are the books, these are speakers 07:35 I see you there you are, you school law grad, 07:38 you have got a physician on here, 07:39 you got a dentist on here, you have a genitor on here, 07:42 you have an engineer on here 07:44 what do we all one, two, three, four 07:46 what do all seven of you men have in common? 07:49 What's up? 07:50 I think we have just all surrounded our life to Christ 07:53 for we were following His leading. 07:55 And what are you going to do about it? 07:56 Why is this broacher printed? 07:59 We are all starting Sunday, it gonna start tomorrow night 08:04 meetings I have opened up my house 08:07 invited work, coworkers went around the neighborhood, 08:11 the ice cream truck driver 08:13 we will see what happens and you know, 08:16 I guess the burden I have on my heart is 08:19 God has just emblazed us all here incredibly. 08:22 I mean the education in this sanctuary. 08:25 The alumni you know, it is time as we talked about yesterday, 08:30 the end of time is near it is so near 08:33 and if we are gonna get this message out 08:35 it can't be just the pastors 08:37 and I think this decoding is an awesome opportunity 08:40 if you don't comfort about that message 08:42 go to the decoding get a comfort level 08:45 and open up your houses, open up to the meeting rooms. 08:48 I mean let's get this message out, 08:50 Christ is coming soon why are we waiting? 08:52 Amen, amen. 08:54 So what you are doing is you are opening up your home, 08:57 you are going for ten nights I look at the list of subjects 09:01 then everything from these various venues 09:04 will transfer over to the local churches that 09:06 each of these men belongs to and the series will continue. 09:10 That's correct. 09:11 Yeah, Jeff, I'm so proud of you. 09:13 I'm thinking-- Glory to God. 09:15 Yeah, absolutely, you graduated from here 09:18 you knew, Jesus but along the way 09:21 you opened up yourself to Him 09:24 at another level to a deeper dimension. 09:28 We are just listening to Jessica a moment ago, 09:29 and that was a great interview. 09:31 Jose and Jessica, so she is saying, 09:33 look not everybody can do everything 09:36 but you are telling us that a man or woman 09:40 passionate about Jesus can step out of his or her comfort zone 09:43 and actually publicly in a comfortable house setting 09:47 communicate the everlasting gospel. 09:51 I believe that 100 % you know I'm not an expert 09:55 but I do believe that the Holy Spirit is gonna be there 09:57 Sunday night and every night that we open up our house 10:00 and if I don't have the words I'm gonna be listening 10:03 and that's the faith part, the trust part. 10:06 Amen. And -- 10:08 How many want to say listen Jeff, we will pray for you 10:10 we can't imagine what it will be to move about our comfort zone 10:12 but we will pray for you. 10:13 And I'm proud of you Jeff, and may your try 10:16 among alumni and students at Andrews University increase. 10:19 God bless you, Thank you. 10:20 Thank you. Thank you. 10:27 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us 10:34 and because He did we are here. 10:39 What shall He teach us today from His word? 10:46 Soren Kierkegaard, 10:47 the Danish Christian philosopher once wrote, 10:51 "Whereas Christ turned the water into wine, 10:55 the Church has succeeded in doing something more difficult, 10:59 it has turned wine into water." 11:05 Has a church done that today? 11:08 Is that what's up with the church? 11:10 I'm talking about our church. 11:13 I'm talking about the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 11:16 Have we turn the wine back into water. 11:21 And if we have 11:23 what's the hope for this generation. 11:29 Let's pray, oh, God, 11:34 on this home coming Sabbath we wonder 11:38 have we turned the wine back into water. 11:43 Dear Father, please reverse our reversal 11:51 and say this through Jesus Christ our Lord. 11:54 Amen. 11:57 I had the joy this last weekend of being in Paris, 12:01 with the European young Seventh-day Adventist 12:04 from all over the continent. 12:07 We are talking an organization called, AMICUS, 12:10 Adventist Ministry to College and University Students. 12:14 I have turned on bunch of young Disciples of Christ 12:21 at a wonderful weekend but on Sunday 12:23 some of us decided to visit what I learned subsequently 12:27 is the most visited museum in all the world. 12:31 I'm talking about the fame of French museum the Louvre, 12:38 got Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. 12:40 Got to see Mona Lisa. 12:41 You got Hammurabi's code, 12:45 chiseled in a form in that black rock. 12:49 You got thousands of art and artifacts collections. 12:53 Wow, it's a huge museum one of the largest. 12:56 Any way so we are walking into this massive long exhibit hall 13:01 and I turn around and discover, 13:05 a painting so big like it's the largest 13:08 next to the largest painting in the museum 13:13 towering up to the ceiling and as soon as I recognized 13:16 what the painting is I said I got to pull my camera out 13:18 because this is our teaching for next Sabbath, 13:20 and on that Sabbath this will be a-- 13:22 so I'm gonna share with you some snaps of that painting. 13:25 Put it on the screen I'm standing back always, 13:28 always, always everybody is in front though 13:31 they are holding their cameras up 13:32 they are taking the pictures of that painting. 13:36 Let me just tell you before I tell you what the painting 13:37 is, that painting is so huge in non metric terms 13:40 its 21 and two thirds feet tall 13:43 and thirty two and half feet long. 13:46 So let me give another shot, 13:47 I got to close so you could just see how-- 13:49 let's go to the next picture please, 13:50 how tall that stretches up in that exhibit hall. 13:57 What is that painting that's the 1563 work 14:04 of Italian painter, Paolo Veronese 14:09 and it's the Wedding at Cana. 14:12 Beautiful, beautiful painting. 14:13 Now look, you can't get it-- let me show you one more. 14:15 I snap this picture but you know the lighting you keep trying 14:18 oh, I got to move for the light -- you can't do it. 14:20 So we went online here is the -- 14:22 here is the digital picture of that painting, 14:25 you get the full effect of it. 14:27 Let me tell you about that paint take a careful look at it 14:29 do you know how many human figure are in that painting? 14:33 Over a 130. 14:37 Paolo was not content unless he had multiple, 14:41 multiple people in any painting he did. 14:44 Now, there is only one person looking straight at the artist 14:46 that's our Lord Jesus. 14:48 So let's zoom in on the Lord Jesus there He is. 14:52 Mother Mary is sitting beside Him. 14:56 Let's take another shot now over the bride and the groom. 15:00 There they are right at the edge of the painting 15:03 you can tell which one is the bride 15:04 and which one is the groom 15:05 and there is something very interesting about this paint 15:07 and I have to tell you over a 130 people 15:10 and not a single one of them is talking 15:13 because the painting was commissioned 15:15 by a Benedict team monitory 15:17 where silence is the rule. 15:19 So when he painted it all 130 15:23 no talking that painting hung for 235 years in that monitory 15:29 until Napoleon plundered it 1797 15:32 cut it in half shifted to France 15:35 where they stitch it back and where it still hangs today. 15:39 Wow, let's take the original down, 15:41 let's take to the original story. 15:43 Everybody knows and loves the story of the Wedding at Cana 15:47 why, because everybody loves the wedding of course, 15:51 except perhaps the father of the bride 15:53 who is not only losing his little girl 15:56 but he is having the pain to lose her. 15:58 What is up with that be there and done that. 16:02 How many times have we stood 16:05 in the shadows of that little Cana kitchen? 16:08 We are there we are not to gonna interrupt 16:10 the banquet servants scoring in and out, 16:12 their sandals slapping up dust into the air 16:14 dust its captured by that shaft of sunlight 16:17 streaking through that loan kitchen portal 16:20 turning that shaft into gold because of the dust fragrance, 16:23 we stand there and the plot always thickens doesn't it? 16:28 When they are desperate servant comes flying into the kitchen 16:32 in a panic in the other, we are out of wine. 16:34 We ran out of wine too soon. 16:36 The party is over this is been ruined 16:39 what are we gonna do and everybody is ringing hands 16:44 and then we always remind our self 16:46 when that servant comes in we remind ourselves 16:48 oh, that's right the weddings were longer back 16:50 then seven days and beyond 16:52 and it would be a terrible affront to the guests 16:54 that you have invited 16:55 if you run out of food and wine they are in a trouble. 16:59 And then somebody call it, call the coordinator. 17:04 And a few moments later there she is Mother Mary. 17:06 Now, Desire of Ages tells us that Mary 17:08 was related to both parties in that-- in that wedding. 17:14 This is bad news. 17:17 I mean for the sake of the young couple and the family, 17:20 please Mary plunders what are the options are 17:24 then her face was standing in the kitchen in the corner 17:27 we see her face just beams, her boy. 17:31 You see, her boy is gone for two months 17:33 came back emaciated and think, hallow cheeks. 17:37 Like only a mother would notice you haven't been eating 17:41 but he came back with a band of young man 17:43 who with reverential admiration 17:46 hanging on nearly every word he speaks. 17:49 Mary believes the prophecies, she believes her baby 17:53 is the Messiah promised from God. 17:56 So this is just perfect. 17:58 This is His movement 18:01 and John minces no words in his narrative, 18:03 I want you to see this please the Gospel of John. 18:06 Open your Bible to the Gospel of John Chapter 2, 18:09 you didn't bring your Bible pull the pew Bible 18:10 out in front of page 714 in that pew Bible. 18:13 Take a look at this John Chapter 2 18:15 now in alumni I need to tell you 18:19 that this is the first time in history 18:20 all the way back to Battle Creek. 18:21 I don't know if we have any from the class 18:23 in Battle Creek who are here. 18:26 But this is the first time in history Battle Creek 18:28 alumni missionary calls Andrew University. 18:30 I just bet it's the first time that this institution 18:33 with its grand lengthy heritage is setting aside an entire year. 18:38 Listen to this carefully, every public venue for worship, 18:41 dorm worships, coed worships, co-circular worships, chapels, 18:46 house of prayer, prayer meetings, 18:47 Sabbath morning at pioneer, 18:49 every public venue is examining one of the four gospels 18:54 or the Book of Acts an entire year devoted. 18:59 In fact today, we begin one chapter of Sabbath 19:02 we spent four in the previous chapter 19:04 but now we begin one chapter Sabbath 19:06 and when we get to the last chapter 19:07 it'll be the last Sabbath of the school year. 19:11 So we are glad you are here alumni. 19:12 Open up to John Chapter 2, title of this series 19:16 is the last word the fourth gospel for a final generation. 19:19 John Chapter 2 take a look of this, 19:21 everybody knows this story verse one. 19:23 But we want to find out how Mother Mary deals with it. 19:25 Watch this verse 1, John Chapter 2, 19:28 "And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, 19:31 and the mother of Jesus was there." 19:32 John will never call her Mary in the entire book, 19:35 she is always only the mother of Jesus. 19:38 "And the mother of Jesus was there." 19:39 Now, verse 2, "Now both Jesus and His disciples 19:41 were invited to the wedding." 19:43 And verse 3, "When they ran out of wine, 19:45 the mother of Jesus said to Him, 'They have no wine.' 19:51 Now look ladies and gentlemen, 19:53 when mothers make declaratory statements 19:55 are they simply statements or facts? 20:01 Your room is a mess. 20:04 Well, mother, very observant you are, bless you. 20:09 Is she making a statement of fact? 20:12 No, we learned very early in life did we not 20:15 that a maternal observation was usually a maternal command. 20:21 Do something about it now, right. 20:24 They have no more wine. 20:29 Is that a maternal observation 20:32 or is it an implicit maternal command? 20:35 Please son, do something about it right now. 20:40 That Jesus heard it that way 20:42 because He is a boy who grew up with that woman. 20:46 There's proof in His response. 20:51 Take a look at His response. 20:52 Verse 4, "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, 20:57 what does your concern have to do with Me? 20:59 My hour has not yet come.'" 21:02 Code phrase, over now all the way 21:05 through the fourth gospel my hour, the hour, 21:07 my hour, the hour code for Calvary, 21:10 code for atoning sacrifice this is not my time, woman. 21:19 But it is clear that mother's eyes win over son's protest. 21:26 You remember how your mother looked at you? 21:33 She didn't have to say a word, she looked at you. 21:36 Apparently Mary does that 21:38 because He says, it's not my time 21:40 but she turns around, she turns around to the servants 21:42 and she says, Verse 5, 21:44 "His mother said to the servants, 21:45 'Whatever He says to you, do it.' 21:49 " What this may not be His hour but I'm still His mother. 21:54 Do it whatever He says. 21:57 Craig Keener, calls it her holy chutzpah 22:00 her chutzpah of faith. 22:01 I like that. 22:03 So everybody in the kitchen just staring, 22:06 all right whatever He says she said, we do. 22:10 What do you say? 22:13 Jesus is standing there 22:16 a loving son obeying to His mother 22:17 He is just let her know, 22:19 He is no longer her boy, 22:21 just the boy that obedient to His mother 22:24 and obedient to His heavenly Father 22:26 He makes the decision, one command. 22:29 Here He goes, verse 6, "Now there were set there 22:32 six water pots of stone, 22:34 according to the manner of purification of the Jews" 22:37 ritual watching before you eat, 22:38 okay, where they all lie. 22:40 Now, stones-- those pots contain 20 or 30 gallons apiece? 22:45 Now, here comes verse 7, "Jesus said to them, 22:47 'Fill the water pots with water.' 22:49 And they filled them up to the brim." 22:54 Verse 8 "And He said to them," now, 22:55 "'Draw some out take it to the master of the feast 22:58 and they took it" verse 9, when the master of the feast 23:03 "when the master of the feast had tasted the water 23:05 that was made wine, and did not know where it came from 23:08 but the servants who had drawn the water knew, 23:10 the master of the feast called the bridegroom." 23:12 Yo, he said come over here. 23:14 Verse 10, "And he said to him, " look 23:15 "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, 23:17 and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. 23:20 Nobody you have kept the good wine until now!" 23:27 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, 23:31 and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him." 23:36 Question is, do we, do we, do we believe in Him? 23:42 Now remember, remember 23:44 if we are not going to this story 23:46 to review the turning of water into the wine 23:50 we are going to this story to discover 23:54 the turning of wine back into water. 23:58 And some of you when you came in and then 23:59 you got the little worship bulletin said, all right, 24:01 this is alumni Sabbath, great oh, 24:03 look at that look at the sermon. 24:04 What an original title turning water into wine. 24:07 And you looked at the picture 24:09 in fact we will put it on screen for you 24:10 this is the graphic on your bulletin cover. 24:12 This is our -- our title for today's teaching 24:15 but notice it's not turning water into 24:16 wine its turning wine into water. 24:18 And I want you to note 24:19 what are young adult graphics designer 24:23 Rochelle Thompson who gets married a week from tomorrow 24:27 that's why she did so well on this. 24:29 Take a look at that. 24:30 She is marrying Breton often back 24:34 who grew up right here in our community. 24:35 Any way, look at you though that was water 24:37 turning into a cup and then it becomes wine. 24:39 No, no look carefully what is it? 24:40 Its wine going into a cup that suddenly 24:42 as it hit the bottom of the cup becomes water. 24:45 See that, that's our point today. 24:49 I mean how did Soren Kierkegaard put it, 24:51 let's put it back up on the screen please. 24:53 "Whereas Christ turned the water into wine, 24:55 the church has succeeded in doing something more difficult, 24:58 it has turned wine into water." 25:02 So here is the question, how does a church do that? 25:07 How is a church that you belong to and I belong to 25:09 how have we been doing that? 25:11 How have we been turning the wine back into water? 25:14 You know, you have some ideas right now, 25:16 that popping into your head. 25:17 How is it that we turn wine back into water? 25:20 Here is the deal I want to hear from you, 25:22 pull out your cell phone, let's go, 25:24 pull out your cell phone, we'll do this. 25:27 You got your cell phone here don't fake like 25:28 you don't have it here, you have it. 25:30 So, pull your cell phone out I'm gonna put in just a moment 25:35 I'm gonna put the question up on the screen 25:37 and then the text number will be there 25:38 and would you text that number with your response. 25:40 Now, this is not gonna be just some little quickly 25:41 oh well, no I want you to think. 25:44 You can take a little time its embedded right into 25:47 the sermon time that you ponder for a moment. 25:49 Let's put the question up now, there it is. 25:52 In what way has the church-- what is some of the ways 25:55 its not just one, what are some of the ways 25:57 that the church has turned the wine back into water? 26:00 Let's find out. 26:02 You see that text number there? 26:03 You punch in that text number and then with your over active 26:07 on steroid thumbs you just punch that sentence up. 26:11 You don't need two or three sentences you just put it down, 26:14 I quit talking for a moment so that you can do it. 26:17 What is some of the ways, you know, I'm gonna read them 26:20 I have my-- I have my wife's iPad 26:23 in the pulpit with me, so get this on. 26:26 There we go, okay. 26:29 So, you are gonna be texting to me 26:31 and I'm gonna get them right here. 26:37 All right, please, you are thinking good, 26:42 you are in the choir and you have a cell phone, try it. 26:48 Those of you by the way watching live streaming 26:50 almost forgot about you, we are delighted to 26:51 have you on this home coming Sabbath. 26:53 You are watching live streaming right now, you can do it. 26:55 Well, anywhere you are in the United States and like 26:57 anywhere in the world you want to pay the toll 27:00 you can punch that number in 27:01 and you can send a message and we get it right here. 27:04 Oh, boy, oh mercy here they come. 27:08 All right, boy, we are climbing fast. 27:12 We had 520 last time you and I did this. 27:16 Somebody's cell phones are coming to church. 27:19 But I'm glad you are bring them bring them all this far away 27:21 bring them all the school year, 27:23 glad you are having. 27:24 Alumni by the way, you can join us live streaming 27:26 anytime you want, 11:30 eastern time, 27:28 11:30 eastern time and our website www.pmchruch.tv 27:32 you can join us if you are sick at home can't go to church 27:34 you can worship right here in your old home church. 27:37 We are live, no matter who is preaching it will be live 27:39 every Sabbath to the world. 27:42 All right, okay, what are some of the ways, 27:45 oh, two that appeared. 27:49 Listen to this, lack of Bible study. 27:50 Okay, what are some of the ways 27:51 the church is turning the wine -- wine into water. 27:53 Lack of Bible study, 27:55 TV and internet takes too much of our time. 27:59 We are using the internet we shouldn't probably but we are. 28:03 TV and internet takes too much of our time. 28:04 Common we are techno society 28:06 but the person is obviously making a point. 28:10 All right, what are some of the ways 28:13 that church has turned the wine back into water? 28:15 Bureaucracy. 28:19 Have you ever become so tough heavy now, 28:20 that everything is institutionalized 28:22 the wine is gone the succulent taste of the living Christ 28:26 has been over come by bureaucratic operation. 28:42 Not all say that they are Christians. 28:46 No, not that all Adventists say that they are Adventist 28:48 and they act or act like Adventist, hypocrites. 28:51 Ouch. 28:57 We made what is sacred coming. 29:02 Lost of the sense of the holy. 29:12 We focus more on rules than Jesus love. 29:15 Is that happened to us? 29:18 How you turn the wine-- how can you turn the wine 29:20 back into-- back into water? 29:24 A substituting Christ doctrine for man's tradition 29:26 wine is turned to water. 29:31 It means by substitution man's tradition 29:33 for Christ doctrine, its turned into water. 29:41 Fail the trust and follow Christ, 29:43 fail to weight on Him, the lack of reverence. 29:50 What is it we do that turns the wine back into water? 29:57 It goes through all 398 responses right here, 30:00 please keep coming. 30:02 I won't take that off the screen, now. 30:04 What is it we do that turns the wine back in the water? 30:09 Kierkegaard is right, we have done something more difficult 30:12 to turn the wine back into water. 30:13 You say common Dwight, you can't do that. 30:15 You just read, you just can't take a little story like this 30:18 and turn it into a little parable about the church. 30:21 Oh, yeah. 30:24 I just found out this week listen to this fascinating 30:26 I just discovered this week 30:29 that there is something embedded in the story 30:30 that allows us to do just that. 30:32 Let's go back to 2:1. 30:34 Chapter 2 this John 2 "On the third day" 30:37 there was a wedding in Cana. 30:38 I want you to hold on to that third day, 30:40 Craig keener, in his magisterial two volume commentary of John 30:43 which I brought for this series powerful, 30:45 he points outs that what we have here is actually 30:47 a literally device called, listen to this 30:49 its called an inclusio. 30:52 Latin word what's an inclusio? 30:54 When an author inserts and inclusio 30:56 it's like he essentially places two matching bookends 31:00 on either side of a passage that he wants to treat as a whole. 31:03 It can be a few verses, it can be a series of chapter 31:07 but when he inserts an inclusio the author is saying 31:10 hey, these are not these not separate unrelated components 31:15 they all are to make a single point. 31:19 And guess what we find an inclusio right here 31:23 in John Chapter 2, let's put it on the screen here. 31:25 Inclusio number one, "on the third day." 31:28 Now if you drop down to verses 19 and 20 31:31 Jesus says, destroy this temple and in three days 31:33 I will arise it again and the Jews repeat him. 31:36 On the third day, and in three days the inclusio. 31:40 John is saying there is a driving point guys, 31:43 there is a driving point for these stories 31:44 being locked together by those two bookends. 31:47 What's the driving point? 31:49 We better find out that by another story. 31:51 We can't talk about the church may be. 31:53 Let's read the second inclusio story. 31:55 Second inclusio story begins in verse 13, 31:59 "Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, 32:01 and Jesus went up to Jerusalem." 32:03 Hit the pause button right there. 32:04 Isn't it amazing that John inserts 32:06 the pass over of the Jews. 32:10 If he were writing to only a Jewish Christian 32:12 audience he would have said now, the pass over came 32:14 and Jesus goes to Jerusalem. 32:16 But no he inserts the Passover of the Jews. 32:20 John obviously intends gentile readers like you and me 32:24 to be reading this so that we understand this is a high day 32:28 in the life of the Jewish community. 32:31 And by the way, when you say Passover to Jewish Christian 32:35 even in first century and this is 70 years after the story. 32:39 When you say Passover to Jewish Christian 32:41 you say pass over to a gentile Christian 32:43 in that immediate hearing or reading 32:45 there is this boom flashback. 32:49 And the listener the reader suddenly sees 32:52 a midnight door pose glistening with uncoagulated 32:56 lamb's blood shining in the dark. 33:01 That Passover means the death angel passed over 33:06 the homes of the Hebrew slaves 33:09 that believed in the redeemer 33:11 and splashed with hyssop branches blood-- 33:14 lamb's blood on the door post of their little slave 33:19 that's the grand supernatural deliverance of God's people. 33:24 That's what's happening when you say pass over. 33:27 By the way, John is the only one of the four gospels 33:31 that notes every pass over. 33:32 We know from John Jesus had four pass over 33:34 which means His ministry was three and half years long. 33:37 He will die on the fourth Passover, 33:41 that's what the clue is, Calvary is coming, 33:44 Calvary is coming. 33:45 All right, verse 13 "Now a Passover of the Jews 33:49 was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem." 33:51 Now oh, boy, the plot really thickens now here we go 33:54 verse 14, "And He" Jesus "found in the temple 33:57 those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, 34:01 and the money changers doing business." 34:05 I want you to picture the scene. 34:06 Here comes this young rabbi 34:10 entourage of at least five that we know of. 34:15 He comes straightly for the first time and as an adult 34:18 that we know of into the mighty 34:22 the magisterial architectural feet of Herod the great, 34:27 Jerusalem's temple burnish gold over laid, 34:32 quite ivory in laid. 34:34 They say that when the afternoon sun shined on Herod's temple 34:39 it was set a blaze like a fire. 34:43 One of the great wonders of the world, 34:47 he comes walking in and what is the sense 34:50 that greats his young eyes as he steps into that courtyards 34:54 and drinks it all in. 34:59 Remember, this is the Oedipus of which God once said. 35:04 "Let them make me a sanctuary, 35:06 that I might dwell among them." 35:10 This is the building where God show kind of glory 35:14 behind that inner wall but none the last divine glory 35:17 God is in this building. 35:19 And what greets the dark and fire eyes of this stranger 35:24 this young rabbi as he walks in. 35:29 Lowing and cattle, bleating of sheep, 35:35 the cooing of doves, the clink of money changers 35:40 something has gone desperately wrong with the church. 35:47 It wasn't a pretty scene. 35:49 You see, God told Moses in Exodus 30 35:53 when you come to My temple bring an offering. 35:55 A half shekel was required a year 35:59 but now this is the perfect opportunity 36:01 if you want to get a little scam going. 36:06 They had a temple shekel 36:11 we couldn't bring your foreign homeland currency 36:15 you had to exchange your currency to get that shekel 36:18 and there in lay the angry bothering come on 36:22 you can't tell me a shekel is worth that. 36:26 There in lay the under the table bakshish. 36:34 Jesus steps in and by the way 36:37 in that raucous cacophony of Babylon 36:42 there are actually worshippers from all over the world 36:44 who have spent, who knows a life saving 36:47 to stand in Jerusalem's temple today and worship. 36:49 They are trying to talk to the most high God in prayer 36:52 and this horrendous noise. 36:55 I mean, it's like a use-- it's like a used car lot. 36:57 The animals are parked like cars on a used car lot. 37:00 It's just mayhem and they are trying to worship Him. 37:07 And the young Messiah steps in 37:11 and with those eyes takes it all in. 37:17 Wow, verse 14 "And He found in the temple 37:23 those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, 37:27 and the money changers doing business." 37:33 Read on verse 15, he makes up his mind quickly, 37:37 "And when He had made" verse 15, 37:39 "When He had made a whip of cords, 37:42 He drove them all out of the temple, 37:45 with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money 37:48 and he overtook those tables just with one hand." 37:50 He is a carpenter remember? 37:53 Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle. 37:57 Money everywhere, it was not a pretty scene. 38:02 I remind you that animals when they are startled 38:05 have a physiological relation 38:07 with either their bladder or the or the bowels 38:10 I remind you that moneychangers 38:13 when their money is taken from them having physical relation 38:18 and so you have animals, 38:20 you have this young man with a scourge 38:23 in his hand never used it. 38:25 He had animals and moneychangers 38:27 slipping and sliding on what is been now deposited 38:30 on that marble floor, trying to get away from him. 38:39 It was not a pretty sense, verse 16, 38:42 "And he said to those who sold the doves, 38:44 'Take these things away!" 38:46 I like it in the NIV. 38:48 "Get this out of here. 38:52 Voice heard to the fathers edges" and the courtyards, 38:58 "Take these things away! 39:00 Do not make my Father's house a house of merchandise!" 39:05 Three and half, three years later he will cleanse the temple 39:08 one more time then it will not be his father's house. 39:11 Do you what he will say, my house 39:14 and when He walks out of it, it will be your house. 39:17 It's not ours any more you may have it. 39:21 You made my fathers house place a merchandise. 39:30 Verse 18, -- verse 17 "The disciples remembered Psalm 69:9 39:34 "Then his disciples remembered that it was written, 39:36 'Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up." 39:38 Consumed fiery passion, wow. 39:44 And so verse 18, the Jews 39:46 I want to hit the pause button right there, 39:48 because you need to know this is not the Jewish people 39:52 when John uses that code the Jews 39:54 He always refers to the religious hierarchy, 39:58 the spiritual-- the intended spiritual leaders 40:01 of the community of faith. 40:02 The Jews are not the people they are the prods. 40:05 They are not the people they are the priests 40:08 and there will rely the conflict all through the Passovers. 40:14 That they knew what this young stranger 40:18 was doing is clear. 40:23 They heard Him loud and clear, 40:27 He is assuming the right to administer 40:30 the affairs of the temple they got it. 40:34 He is announcing His mission as Messiah, they got it. 40:38 That they got it is shown by their response. 40:41 They could have just laugh say how fool is this guy. 40:43 No, they shoot back at Him, verse 18, 40:46 "So the Jews answered and said to Him, 40:48 'What sign do you show to us, since you do these things?' 40:51 And Jesus answered and said to them, 40:53 the leaders 'destroy this temple, 40:55 and in three days'" here is that inclusio 40:58 "'And in three days, I will raise it up.' 41:01 And the Jews said to Him," verse 20, 41:04 "'Its taken forty-six years for her to build this temple, 41:07 and will you raise it in three days?' 41:09 " But verse 21, " Jesus was speaking 41:11 of the temple of His body. 41:12 Therefore" verse 22 "when He had risen from the dead, 41:16 His disciples remembered that He had said this to them 41:19 and they believed the Church 41:20 and the word which Jesus had said." 41:25 Ladies and gentlemen, there is no question John intends 41:28 for the story of the church 41:30 and the story of the wine and the water 41:32 to be bound together in a single driving point. 41:35 What's the driving point? 41:38 Soren Kierkegaard put his words up again, 41:41 the Danish philosopher "Whereas Christ turned 41:43 the water into wine" it is about the church. 41:47 The two stories make sure we know it's about the church. 41:50 "Whereas Christ turned the water into wine, 41:52 the church has succeeded 41:53 in doing something more difficult, 41:55 it has turned wine into water." 42:00 Question have we become 42:02 like the leaders of Jerusalem's temple? 42:05 Have we over the years since you graduated even perhaps, 42:10 have we been accumulating 42:12 our own unique, our own pet traditions 42:16 and the traditions mounting and mounting 42:18 cluttering our courtyards 42:19 until we are chuck a block with this collection. 42:26 All the wild the one who is the reason death ray 42:30 of the temple in our case the truth 42:33 because we are not big on the temple 42:35 we are big on truths. 42:36 If we have the truths that's all we need 42:39 we will make it just like them. 42:42 If we have the temple that's all we need we will make it. 42:45 Could it be that the reason for the truth 42:49 is what's gotten short shift, shifted in the church today 42:56 and we have taken the wine 42:58 and we have turned it back into water? 43:04 Wow, how do we do it you just acknowledged 43:11 hundreds of ways that we do. 43:15 Let me ask you something, where is the wine today? 43:19 Where is the passion of Adventism today? 43:23 Where is the fire, when is the last time 43:24 you are really excited 43:26 about being a Seventh-day Adventist Christian? 43:28 When is the last time your congregation 43:29 in worship active like it was excited 43:31 being a Seventh-day Adventist Christian? 43:33 Where is the fire today? 43:36 Where is the passion today? 43:38 The wine is gone, the succulent wine is gone 43:42 and we are left with tepid water instead. 43:50 Well, I know-- I know that our church administration 43:54 is been crisscrossing the globe reminding us all that is time 43:57 for rival and reformation 43:59 and I'll be the first to jump up and second hand motion. 44:03 But I have got to tell you serving this campus 44:05 to a generation of young third millennia's 44:08 as well as the generation of jaded baby boomers 44:11 that code phrase, revival and reformation can come across 44:14 as hackneyed and far too programmatic 44:17 and hieratically oriented and legislated. 44:21 You heard all our lives so what does it mean? 44:25 Who knows what it means anymore? 44:28 Simply preaching about it and talking about it 44:31 and voting about it 44:33 and I added my share sermons to the collection. 44:40 Simply writing about it hasn't brought it, has it? 44:45 Could it be that the church has turned 44:48 the wine back into water 44:49 and that what the church needs today 44:51 is not the miracle of rival and reformation 44:53 we need the miracle worker of rival and reformation. 44:58 That's what we need. 45:01 We need the person of Christ not the program of Christ. 45:06 We majored in the program, but we need the person, 45:11 we need the wine again. 45:17 Inclusio story number two, 45:19 the church desperately needs a miracle. 45:23 Inclusio story number one, Jesus is the miracle. 45:30 Jesus is all the miracle. 45:38 Our church that is managed to turn the wine back into water 45:41 Jesus is the only miracle left. 45:46 Our truths will not save us 45:49 anymore than the temple can save us. 45:52 Jesus saves, Jesus saves, 45:58 heard a joyful sound somewhere 46:01 Jesus saves, Jesus saves. 46:16 The Calvary is embedded in this miracle 46:18 that we desperately need is clear from this inclusio, 46:21 you think about it. 46:22 Well, they are just huge teller typing hints 46:26 but this is about Calvary. 46:27 For example, Jesus address of His mother 46:31 with this strange vocative of woman heard in Cana 46:35 will be heard only one other time 46:37 on the cross woman behold your Son. 46:44 The water and wine that float in the village of Cana 46:46 fore shattered and water and blood 46:48 that flow from the cross of Calvary. 46:51 Connect the Passover Lamb of God that cries out 46:55 take these things away will be the Passover Lamb of God 47:00 who died to take away the sin of the world. 47:03 Calvary is embedded in this inclusio. 47:07 That means if we want the miracle 47:09 we must have the miracle worker of Calvary 47:14 where the church that is managed 47:15 to turn the wine back into water 47:18 Jesus is the only miracle left. 47:26 There is nothing else, we can wait until alumni classes 47:31 come and go by the centuries there is nothing else. 47:37 If we seek to find it somewhere else, 47:41 we will having these reunions 47:44 for a long, long time. 47:50 So, will you let Jesus? 47:54 Will you let Jesus turn your water back into wine? 47:57 For get about the church, 48:00 we don't need to think about the church anymore, 48:01 you, me we are the church anyway? 48:04 So how is it with you? 48:06 When was your class again 20 years ago? 48:09 How was it with you, when the wine was rich and young, 48:15 and you and Jesus were 48:18 and today still wine still wine in your life. 48:25 What's happening? 48:27 Have we just settled down for a long winter's night 48:29 on this planet and one day I'll die 48:32 and then the blessed hope. 48:35 Please won't there come a generation that says, 48:39 we have waited long enough. 48:43 Let's go home, let's have a home coming again. 48:51 I happened to believe 48:54 that Jesus is returning soon to this planet 48:57 I have joined with Jeff in that conviction. 49:00 Loya believes it, preacher believes it, two of us. 49:06 I'll tell you what a president said this 49:09 in his opening convocation this year, 49:12 its not rocket science anymore 49:14 to know that the world is on the edge of eternity. 49:18 When you got people who don't believe in anything 49:20 who were saying we are on the edge. 49:22 I was over in Europe a few days ago, 49:25 keep your eye on Europe. 49:28 If Europe goes we all go, 49:32 it's a largest economy in the world. 49:35 We are number two. 49:38 European Union is number one. 49:40 The brightest minds on this planet have not been able 49:44 to calculate an adequate response. 49:47 What's up? 49:49 We are out of time, that's what's up. 49:50 We are out of time. 49:52 I'm not gonna let you, 49:53 I'm not gonna let you just do business as usual. 49:56 So here is the question, okay, forget everything, 49:58 here is the question. 50:00 If Jesus came tonight would you be ready? 50:02 If Jesus came tonight would you be ready? 50:05 Would you? 50:07 He comes tonight, will you be ready? 50:10 Tonight, would you be ready? 50:13 That's the defining question forget all of the rest 50:16 don't worry about Europe or the US, 50:18 if He would have come tonight would you be ready? 50:20 Would I be ready tonight, 50:22 to meet my Lord and go home with Him? 50:24 The home coming we have been living for 50:26 would you be ready if Jesus came tonight? 50:29 Only you know the answer to that. 50:32 So let me ask another question because that's a downer, 50:36 would you like to be ready if Jesus came tonight? 50:39 Would you want to be ready? 50:41 Of course you would, of course I'll. 50:44 And ladies and gentlemen, 50:45 its time to pray for the miracle worker, 50:48 the miracle that we need is the miracle worker himself. 50:52 You say Dwight, I don't have to pray for that. 50:54 Piece of cake here it is, Jesus, 50:56 look at my life I'm water, I'm water spiritually 51:01 I'm water do you understand, I need wine. 51:05 I don't know how to get that wine. 51:07 You are the only one who can turn water back in the wine. 51:10 I'm asking you take the water of my life 51:13 and turn me back into wine I beg of you. 51:17 Just ask Him, ask Him to turn them back into wine. 51:28 I'm gonna put the number on the screen up one more time. 51:33 If you will text us your email address 51:37 I will send you seven steps 51:39 to turn the water back into wine. 51:44 If you will text us at that number, 51:48 live streaming you are watching text us at that number 51:53 I'll send you seven steps 51:54 to turning the water back into wine. 51:59 If you have never accepted Jesus before in your life 52:04 but you dropped in on this weekend 52:07 and you are hear at this moment 52:10 and you would like-- you would like somebody 52:14 to help you to accept Jesus 52:18 would you write on this not just your email address 52:21 but write the words, first time. 52:26 I don't know what you are sending first time 52:32 over the next couple of days, 52:36 I get it to you. 52:39 Seven simple steps to turn the water 52:44 to let Jesus turn the water back into wine. 52:46 Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, 52:50 we are at the edge, come on let's go. 52:56 Like what Jeff said, 52:57 you know, you have come under this conviction 52:59 and you got to tell somebody you can't just sit on it, 53:03 you don't have to be a graduate with the seminar 53:05 to tell somebody you will be a genitor, 53:06 you can be a dentist, you can be a lawyer, 53:08 you can be a engineer, you can be anybody. 53:10 A housewife you can be God's instrument. 53:19 It's time for the passion and the wine to come back. 53:25 I want that wine in my life. 53:26 I was praying last night, praying this morning God, 53:30 I want that wine, I want that more than anything, 53:33 I want the wine of Christ please, please as never before. 53:40 I want to sing one stanza of an old spiritual 53:45 "In the morning, when I rise. In the morning, when I rise." 53:50 I'll send you those seven steps. 53:51 "In the morning, when I rise. 53:53 Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus. 53:55 You may have all this world, but give me Jesus." 53:59 Stand your feet with me please. 54:01 And let's sing that commitment together. 54:16 In the morning when I rise 54:22 In the morning when I rise 54:28 In the morning when I rise 54:34 Give me Jesus 54:40 Give me Jesus 54:46 Give me Jesus 54:53 You can have all this world 55:00 Just give me Jesus 55:08 Let's sing it quietly like a prayer. 55:10 In the morning when I rise 55:17 In the morning when I rise 55:24 In the morning when I rise 55:32 Give me Jesus 55:39 Give me Jesus 55:47 Give me Jesus 55:55 You can have all this world 56:03 Give me Jesus 56:13 So God, we pray in a church 56:20 the wine that has been turned back to water in too many ways. 56:26 You lift your own hearts, oh, please give us Jesus, 56:33 restore the passion, 56:37 restore the wine, 56:41 give us the miracle worker. 56:44 He come soon in Him 56:50 this prayer secures us. 56:55 If you are to come tonight oh God, with Jesus 57:00 we know the answer we are safe 57:05 so give us Jesus today and today 57:11 and today until Jesus comes. 57:17 Amen. 57:32 I would like to take one more moment with you 57:35 if you would like to have the same materials 57:36 that individuals were texting for in this service 57:39 would you please call our toll free number 57:41 that's 877 and then the two words HIS WILL 57:44 and ask one of our friendly operators 57:45 to send you the seven steps 57:48 and if you're coming to Jesus 57:49 for the first time I'm so grateful. 57:51 Would you also mention that to the operator? 57:54 I believe that for all of us 57:55 this teaching from John 2 can mark a fresh new beginning. 57:59 That's what I'm praying for you and for me. 58:02 So God go with you and I'm looking forward 58:05 to seeing you again next time right here. 58:07 God Bless you. |
Revised 2014-12-17