Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP101307
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00:31 God of wonders beyond our galaxy
00:36 You are holy, holy 00:43 The universe declares Your majesty 00:49 You are holy, holy 00:56 God of wonders beyond our galaxy 01:02 You are holy, holy 01:09 The universe declares Your majesty 01:15 You are holy, holy 01:23 Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth 01:29 Lord of heaven and earth 01:49 From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea 01:58 Creation's revealing Your majesty 02:06 From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring 02:14 Every creature unique in the song that it sings 02:21 All exclaiming 02:23 Indescribable, uncontainable 02:27 You placed the stars in the sky 02:30 And You know them by name. 02:34 You are amazing, God 02:40 All powerful, untamable, 02:44 Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim 02:51 You are amazing, God 03:02 Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go 03:10 Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow 03:19 Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light 03:27 Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night 03:33 None can fathom 03:36 Indescribable, uncontainable 03:39 You placed the stars in the sky 03:42 And You know them by name 03:46 You are amazing, God 03:52 All powerful, untamable 03:56 Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim 04:03 You are amazing, God 04:11 You are amazing, God 04:20 You are amazing, God 04:35 Sing with us I love You, Lord. 04:37 I love You, Lord 04:44 And I lift my voice 04:52 To worship You 05:00 O my soul, rejoice 05:09 Take joy, my King 05:16 In what You hear 05:23 May it be a sweet, sweet sound 05:32 In Your ear 05:37 I invite you to be seated as we sing the second verse. 05:41 I love You, Lord 05:48 And I lift my voice 05:56 To worship You 06:03 O my soul, rejoice 06:12 Take joy, my King 06:20 In what You hear 06:28 May it be a sweet, sweet sound 06:37 In Your ear 06:58 Our Lord reigns, let all the earth rejoice 07:02 Let the islands of the sea be glad 07:04 Come people, lift their voice 07:07 Righteousness and judgment shall remain 07:10 The heavens declare His glory for our Lord reigns 07:15 Our Lord reigns, let all the earth rejoice 07:19 Let the islands of the sea be glad 07:21 Come people, lift their voice 07:23 Righteousness and judgment shall remain 07:27 The heavens declare His glory for our Lord reigns 07:32 A fire goes before Him 07:34 Burning unbelief 07:36 All idols fall before Him 07:38 Slain by heaven's heat 07:40 For you, O Lord, are worthy 07:42 Before you all shall bow 07:45 And worship you forever as King of glory now 07:51 Our Lord reigns, let all the earth rejoice 07:55 Let the islands of the sea be glad 07:57 Come people, lift their voice 07:59 Righteousness and judgment shall remain 08:03 The heavens declare His glory for our Lord reigns 08:07 Our Lord reigns, let all the earth rejoice 08:11 Let the islands of the sea be glad 08:13 Come people, lift their voice 08:17 Righteousness and judgment shall remain 08:20 The heavens declare His glory for our Lord reigns 08:30 Our Lord reigns 08:44 Over the years that I've had the privilege of pastoring 08:48 in this university parish 08:53 my heart has sensed a growing burden 08:56 for revival at Andrews University. 09:03 There is no question in my mind 09:05 that this institution was raised up by God 09:11 for a legacy of leadership 09:13 for our global community of faith. 09:20 As the years go by I wonder, 09:22 I wonder about myself, I wonder about us. 09:29 Are we drifting 09:32 from our divine destiny? 09:37 Preoccupied with our financial and institutional survival, 09:46 distracted by the siren songs of a morally 09:51 fallen culture and society. 09:56 I just keep asking myself, 10:02 am I being lulled to sleep? 10:06 Are we being lulled to sleep when in fact 10:10 the times are calling for what could be, 10:14 what should be our finest hour. 10:21 As I search my own heart, 10:27 I've been earnestly praying of late 10:28 that the spirit of God 10:33 would awaken within me, would awaken within us 10:36 corporately this hunger for Him. 10:43 He would somehow revive our flagging spirits, 10:48 restore our moral vision, 10:53 re-ignite our spiritual mission. 10:57 I know I'm not alone in those prayers. 11:01 Our pastoral staff has been 11:02 on our knees recently, earnestly praying. 11:06 I know there are men, women and young adults 11:08 on this campus and about this community 11:12 who also are praying. 11:15 Beginning of the school year 11:16 three young freshmen men came into my office. 11:19 Their young hearts burdened 11:22 for the spiritual revival of this institution. 11:26 After opening convocation at Andrews University, 11:29 a graduate student came into my office and he said, 11:32 "Pastor, what are we gonna do? 11:34 What is it going to take?" 11:40 It is in this context of a deep seeking after God, 11:46 seeking for revival, seeking for reformation 11:49 on this campus that this series, 11:52 "The Chosen" is being shared, you and I together. 11:58 So that none might be lost, 12:00 so that all might sense God's calling to the chosen. 12:04 And now in this series we come 12:06 to four communal realties about life and its institution. 12:15 These presentations are gonna be controversial, 12:18 I understand that. 12:20 But you asked the questions, 12:24 students, faculty, and community members alike, 12:27 when we surveyed this congregation 12:28 this last spring, you raised the questions 12:32 and now we are going to explore for the answers. 12:38 Four of them tucked inside the series of "The Chosen." 12:42 And in the second service only, 12:45 we will end each presentation as we will today with live Q&A. 12:52 Question number one, 12:54 what about the spirit of prophecy 12:55 at Andrews University? 12:57 Today's presentation "How to stone the prophet." 13:01 Question number two, what about drinking and diet at Andrews? 13:05 Presentation "How to eat, drink, 13:07 and be merry without getting stoned." 13:13 I'm glad you got it. 13:16 Question number three what about dress and jewelry 13:20 at Andrews University? 13:23 How much of naked is acceptable? 13:26 And finally question number four, 13:29 what about sex and sexuality at Andrews? 13:32 How to live without sex for a while? 13:39 I hope you'll join me 13:40 for all four of these aspects of communal life 13:43 that I believe are part and parcel of any reformation 13:47 and revival that we are waiting for, 13:49 that we are praying for at Andrews University. 13:53 Let's pray. 13:55 O God, hear our prayers 13:56 and revive our soul as a university, 14:01 as a congregation, as a denomination, 14:03 as a civilization. 14:07 May the glory the living God illumine our minds, 14:11 may the spirit of the living Christ possess our lives 14:14 as never before for the honor of Your kingdom 14:17 and for the sake of Your glory. 14:20 We humbly pray in Jesus' name, amen. 14:26 Why anybody in his right mind would ever want 14:29 to be a leader is beyond me. 14:32 Huh? 14:33 I mean I pulled out a piece of paper this last week, 14:36 and I decided to write down all the leadership crises 14:39 that Moses went through, 14:42 leading that pack of the children of Israel 14:45 across those hot desert sands for 40 years. 14:48 I started writing them down. 14:49 When I got through, I could not believe my eyes, 14:52 12 of them, 12 major leadership crises that Moses, 15:00 12 showdowns in the desert that Moses had to encounter. 15:02 Number one, before they've even crossed 15:04 the Red Sea, they're out. 15:05 Ten supernatural plagues have liberated 15:08 the children of Israel. 15:09 They're coming to the Red Sea. 15:10 The Egyptians are behind and the people cry out, 15:13 "Were there not enough graves in Egypt 15:15 that you had to bring us out here that we might be buried?" 15:18 Leadership crisis number 1. 15:20 Crisis number 2, after supernaturally 15:22 the Red Sea is parted, they get on the other side, no food. 15:27 What is the-- If only we could be back 15:30 by the flesh pots of Egypt. 15:32 God says, "All right, I'll give you manna." 15:34 Crisis number 3, they run out of water. 15:37 Now God has prepared the way for them every step of the way. 15:40 But now again the crisis, 15:43 and this time they threatened to stone Moses. 15:47 Crisis number 4, where is He? 15:51 40 days and we haven't seen hide nor tail of Him. 15:54 Tell you what, Aaron, give us a God, 15:56 give us something gold 15:57 and give us something to follow. 15:59 Crisis number 4, the meltdown of the community of faith 16:02 after the Ten Commandments have been verbally, 16:05 personally spoken by God Himself. 16:07 Crisis number 5, this is incredible. 16:13 This crisis number 5 of leadership got so bad. 16:17 You'll find it in Numbers 11, Moses goes to God and he says, 16:20 "Kill me, kill me, just kill me now. 16:22 Let's get it over with." 16:23 That's how bad it was. 16:24 Crisis number 6, crisis number 6, 16:29 ooh, they wanted meat. 16:31 We're tired of this manna, give us meat. 16:34 Crisis number 7, his own flesh and blood. 16:36 Crisis number 8, this is the major, 16:39 major meltdown, 12 spies come back. 16:41 We can't do it, we can't go in. 16:44 They want to stone him again. 16:46 Crisis number 9, Korah, Dathan, 16:48 Abiram challenges leadership, earth swallows them. 16:51 The very next day crisis number 10, the people say, 16:53 "You, Moses, you killed those guys." 16:56 Crisis number 11, the reader himself melts down. 17:03 Cast a disrepute upon the name of God 17:05 and forfeits the promised land. 17:07 Crisis number 12, the people again no food, 17:11 no water and serpents come into the community. 17:15 12 of them, 12 showdowns in the desert. 17:19 Why for the life of me anybody would want to be 17:21 a spiritual leader is beyond me. 17:24 But you know what the answer is? 17:26 The answer is, ah, 17:27 because when you've been called by God to be a prophet, 17:29 you have to be willing to pay 17:31 the price of that divine calling. 17:33 Of course, they're gonna reject you. 17:34 Of course, they'll spit in your face. 17:36 But when you're called, you're called. 17:38 You got to do what you got to do. 17:41 Open your Bible with me to crisis number 7, 17:43 crisis number 7, Numbers 12, 17:50 fourth book of the Pentateuch, Numbers 12. 17:53 What's the page number for those of you 17:54 that are grabbing a pew Bible, 17:55 'cause you got to follow the story. 17:56 We're gonna stick to this story, 17:57 Number 12, it will be page 102 in your pew Bible, 18:02 same translation that I'll be reading here, 18:04 the New King James version. 18:05 Take a look at this story, crisis number 7. 18:10 Numbers 12:1 "Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses 18:15 because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; 18:19 for he had married an Ethiopian woman." 18:23 From the Hebrew it is clear 18:24 that Miriam is the instigator of this crisis. 18:26 She is listed first and the verb 18:28 is both feminine and singular. 18:31 Both older brother and older sister, 18:32 Moses' older brother and sister, are involved, 18:34 but Miriam leads the way. 18:36 Moses' wife Zipporah, let me just remind you 18:39 is the daughter of Jethro the Midianite. 18:41 They are direct descendants of father Abraham, 18:45 but apparently her skin is darker than the Hebrew skin. 18:51 And so she's referred to here as a Cushite or an Ethiopian. 18:55 Miriam uses that little-- that little visible difference 18:59 as a pretext for her jealousy for her kid brother's high 19:06 and uplifted row of leadership. 19:09 Obviously Miriam is jealous of Moses. 19:11 Verse 2, "So they," that would be Aaron and Miriam, 19:15 "And so they said, 19:16 'Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? 19:20 Has He not spoken through us also?' 19:22 And the Lord heard it." 19:24 Aren't we pretty important, too? 19:28 Huh? 19:30 And the Lord heard it. 19:31 I want you to catch that last line. 19:32 And the Lord heard it 19:34 because private criticism of a leader 19:36 is very public to God. 19:41 You may have thought 19:42 that your backroom conversations 19:44 and private emails against 19:45 that leader were hidden from ear and eye, 19:48 but there is the watcher of Israel 19:50 for whom such criticism is very public indeed. 19:55 I have chosen in my brief sojourn on this earth 19:59 to abide by David's policy with King Saul. 20:02 Rotten, fallen king, but David said, 20:05 "I will not put forth my hand against the Lord's anointed." 20:13 So backroom scuttlebutt 20:15 and underground campaigns against any leader, 20:17 I will not participate in such duplicitous action. 20:21 And I encourage you to do the same. 20:26 Verse 3, now-- Oh, by the way, 20:30 verse 3 says, oh, by the way, 20:32 "Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men 20:37 who were on the face of the earth." 20:39 Let me remind you that Moses was not naturally humble, 20:42 he was not naturally meek, 20:43 as his murder of the Egyptian task master 20:45 40 years earlier certainly proves. 20:47 It took 40 long years in the wilderness for God 20:50 to instill in this future leader 20:52 the critical virtue of humility and meekness. 20:56 You can't lead without it. 20:57 Oh, you can throw your weight around without it, 21:00 but nobody will really follow you in the end. 21:03 It's only a meekman, 21:04 it's only a meek woman that we will follow. 21:08 One commentator put it this way, 21:10 "Only a meek or humble man knows 21:12 how to be submissive to God and to his subordinates 21:14 and at the same time to be 21:15 a courageous and dynamic leader." 21:19 " All right, and now comes God's woodshed. 21:20 You ready for this? 21:21 They're going to the woodshed. 21:23 Verse 4, "Suddenly," 21:27 I wouldn't want to have been there, 21:28 I wouldn't want to have been there, 21:29 "Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, 21:33 Aaron, and Miriam, 21:35 'Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!' 21:39 So the three came out." 21:43 Verse 5, "Then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud 21:47 and stood in the door of the tabernacle, 21:48 and called Aaron and Miriam." 21:50 You two, you come forward. 21:52 "And they both went forward." 21:54 And then verse 6, "He said, 'Hear now My words: 21:58 If there is a prophet among you, 22:00 I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; 22:04 I speak to him in a dream.'" 22:06 Let me just tell you 22:07 something Miriam and Aaron about spiritual leadership. 22:10 The pre-incarnate Christ is speaking. 22:12 By the way 1 Corinthians 10 is clear. 22:13 This is the pre-incarnate Jesus Himself speaking. 22:16 Let me just tell you, tell you something, 22:18 you do not call yourself to be a prophet. 22:21 I do the calling. 22:22 It may be through a dream, it may be through a vision, 22:24 but it will only come through Me. 22:27 Ladies and gentlemen, that point is so critical, 22:29 I wish you'd scribble it down right now in the study guide 22:32 that you have in your worship bulletin. 22:34 Will you pull your study guide out please right now? 22:37 Jot that point down. 22:39 Ushers, thank you for going through one more time 22:41 because people may not have known 22:42 what you were going through a moment ago for. 22:44 Hold your hand up. 22:45 This is a study guide 22:46 you're gonna want to ruminate on long past this day. 22:49 Hold your hand up. 22:50 I see hands all the way to the back. 22:52 Thank you, ushers. 22:53 Make sure that everybody gets a study guide. 22:55 And those of you watching on television 22:57 let me put our website on the screen for you. 22:59 And you can go to that website and get the study guide. 23:01 There it is on the screen, www.pmchurch.tv, 23:04 go to that website. 23:05 You're looking for the series 23:06 that we're in the midst of called "The Chosen." 23:09 Title of this teaching today, "How to stone the prophet." 23:11 When you click, click and you get that, 23:13 it says study guide, you click there, 23:15 you will have the identical study guide. 23:19 And you can fill it in with us. 23:20 Ushers, thank you, come right back through. 23:22 Yep, all the way in the balcony. 23:23 Thank you, keep your hand up, 23:24 you will want to have this particular study guide 23:28 I do believe. 23:29 All right, let's fill it out, right at the top. 23:32 Here's the critical point. 23:33 You don't call yourself to be a prophet, 23:35 God does the calling. 23:37 And I'm gonna insert here, and not the church. 23:40 The community of faith does not call anybody to be a prophet. 23:43 God does the calling. 23:44 You don't call yourself, God does the calling. 23:46 Keep your pen moving. 23:47 In Numbers 12:6 it says if Jesus Christ were saying, 23:50 "It may be through a dream, it may be through a vision, 23:53 but it will only be through Me." 23:55 Only Christ calls to that 24:00 role of spiritual leadership to being a prophet. 24:02 Which by the way, was precisely Peters point 24:03 and in his mighty day of Pentecost servant. 24:06 Keep your pen moving, Acts 2 which is quoting Joel 2. 24:10 Acts 2, please note, Peter preaching, 24:12 "And it shall come to past in the Last days, says God, 24:15 that I" Now this word's coming from that 24:18 "I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, 24:20 and your sons and your daughters" 24:23 women too can receive the gift of prophecy, 24:26 please note that, 24:27 "your sons and your daughters shall prophesy 24:30 and your young men shall see visions, 24:31 your old men shall dream dreams. 24:33 And on My menservants also on My maidservants 24:36 I will pour out My Spirit in those days." 24:39 Write it down, it is God how calls men and women 24:43 to the prophetic office, let us be clear. 24:45 God is the one who does the calling, 24:47 not the church, not you, not me, 24:49 not nobody but God himself. 24:51 All right, read it again verse 6, 24:54 "Then God said, "Hear now My words, 24:57 if there is a prophet among you, 24:58 I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision, 25:00 I speak to him in a dream." 25:02 Verse 7, "Not so with My servant Moses, 25:05 he is faithful in all My house. 25:07 I speak with him face to face, even plainly, 25:10 and not in dark sayings, 25:11 And he sees the form of the Lord. 25:13 Why then were you not afraid to speak 25:16 against My servant Moses?" 25:19 Whoa, did you catch that write it down, 25:20 God calls His prophet "My servant." 25:25 He did that of Abraham. He did of Job. 25:27 He does it of Moses, 25:28 in other words keep your pen moving, 25:30 a prophet is under the personal employ 25:33 of the Almighty God. 25:35 Nobody else may understand 25:37 and everybody else may criticize, 25:39 but the prophet answers directly to God himself. 25:42 In fact, jot this down, Numbers 12:8 25:46 in the Hebrew reads literally, 25:47 "I speak with him, mouth to mouth." 25:51 I know the Bible says face the face 25:53 but the Hebrew is literally mouth to mouth. 25:56 Keep writing, in other words, for a prophet, 25:58 God communicates "mouth to mouth," 26:00 whereas for you and me he communes "heart to heart." 26:05 You see, a prophet experiences through a vision, 26:08 through a dream, through some internal expression. 26:11 The prophet experiences direct 26:13 and specific communication from God. 26:16 And you say, hey, but pastor, I do too. 26:18 I get impressions from God. Yep, you're right. 26:20 You and I do. 26:21 God may impress us, hey, 26:22 I'm just getting ready to pick that up 26:24 but it belongs to my neighbor and the spirit says hey, 26:26 that belongs to somebody else. 26:28 Don't you dare take it. 26:29 I get impressions from God and so do you, 26:31 but the difference between you and me 26:32 and a prophet is God comes along to the prophet 26:34 and the prophet says, 26:35 I not only know what you were going to do 26:37 I know what you took and I know what you took. 26:42 So that when Ananias and Sapphira 26:44 are standing in front of Peter. 26:46 He says, hey, guys, this is wonderful. 26:48 What a wonderful, generous gift to the church, 26:52 is this everything? 26:53 Oh, yes, it is. Is this everything? 26:55 Oh, but of course it is. 26:56 You're giving everything to God? 26:58 But of course we have. 27:00 Peter than looks into their faces, 27:01 how long will you lie to the Holy Spirit? 27:05 The feet of the men that just buried your husband 27:08 are at the doors of Sapphira 27:09 and they're gonna bury you now, boom, she goes down. 27:13 I don't have that gift. 27:15 I'd like to have it when I drive to traffic 27:17 in Barrin Springs 27:18 but I do not have that gift and neither do you. 27:22 Well, because we-- 27:23 this is a heart to heart community 27:24 with the Holy Spirit. 27:25 It's "mouth to mouth" 27:27 direct communication. 27:34 Moses in his farewell address, the book of Deuteronomy, 27:37 which happens to be our theme book for this series. 27:40 Go back to-- keep your finger right here 27:41 'cause we got to finish the story. 27:42 But in Deuteronomy 18, 27:44 I wish you'd take a look at this, 27:46 just go over one more book. 27:48 Deuteronomy 18 what's the page number 27:50 in the pew Bible, page 136. 27:53 All right, Deuteronomy 18, drop down to verse 15. 27:57 Moses in our theme book, 28:00 makes some very significant observations 28:03 about those who are called to be a prophet. 28:04 Take a look at this, drop down to verse 15, 28:06 Deuteronomy 18, 28:08 "The Lord your God 28:09 will raise up for you a Prophet" 28:11 now in my translation that prophet is a capital P 28:14 "a Prophet like me from your midst, 28:17 from your brothers. 28:18 Him you shall hear," 28:19 and in the New Testament it is clear 28:21 that people knew this statement in Deuteronomy 28:23 and believe that the Messiah himself 28:25 would be the capital P, the ultimate prophet. 28:29 And so they said, where-- is this the prophet, 28:31 John 6, is this the prophet? 28:34 Moses says, "Gods gonna do it." 28:35 Now drop down to verse 18, God is now speaking, 28:37 Moses is quoting God, 28:38 "I will raise up for them a Prophet like you, 28:41 Moses, from among their brethren, 28:43 and will put My words in His mouth, 28:45 and He shall speak to them all that I command Him." 28:47 Verse 19 "And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, 28:51 which He speaks in My name," 28:53 please notice, it's very direct. 28:54 What he saying is for me, directly for me. 28:57 "Whoever will not hear My words, 28:59 which He speaks in My name, 29:00 I will require it of him..." 29:01 Verse 20, "But the prophet 29:03 who presumes to speak a word in My name, 29:05 which I have not commanded him to speak, 29:08 or who speaks in the name of other gods, 29:09 that prophet shall die." 29:12 Verse 21, "And if you say in your heart," 29:14 hey, how am I gonna know 29:15 whether this word is from the Lord or not? 29:17 Here's Moses responds verse 22, 29:20 "When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, 29:22 if the thing does not happen or come to pass, 29:25 that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; 29:27 the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, 29:29 you shall not be afraid of him." 29:32 i.e., write the point down please, 29:33 Moses' point is crystal clear-- 29:36 God communicates directly to and through his prophets. 29:41 To and through, couldn't be more clear could he? 29:46 His very thoughts, 29:47 His very words communicated through to the prophet. 29:51 Now there's one other statement, 29:52 just turn a few pages back to chapter 13. 29:54 One other critical piece we got to put in here 29:56 and then we'll wrap the story. 29:59 three verses here, 30:02 take a look at this. 30:03 So Moses is talking about prophets again. 30:06 A bit earlier, verse 1 of chapter 13 Deuteronomy, 30:09 "If there arises among you a prophet 30:12 or a dreamer of dreams, 30:15 and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 30:18 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass," 30:20 he makes a supernatural prediction 30:22 and it comes to pass, 30:24 "of which he spoke to you, and then he says, 30:27 'Let us go after other gods' which you have not known 30:30 'and let us serve them," here's the point verse 3, 30:32 "you shall not listen to the words of that prophet 30:35 or that dreamer of dreams, 30:36 for the Lord your God is testing you 30:38 to know whether you love the Lord your God 30:40 with all your heart and with all your soul." 30:44 Ladies and gentlemen, in the Christian community today, 30:46 this is a no brainer. 30:47 There are men and women 30:48 who are claiming to be prophets. 30:50 If you watch your religious television 30:51 you will see them on television. 30:52 You this-- you read the tabloids, 30:54 you'll read them even in national news 30:56 once in a while, 30:57 you'll run into somebody that says, 30:59 I am a prophet of the Lord. 31:01 Moses is clear here, 31:02 and I need you to jot this down. 31:04 If a prophet displays supernatural powers 31:07 but teaches contrary, write in the word "contrary." 31:10 Teaches contrary to the word of God, 31:14 we are to reject that prophet as false. 31:18 By the way, prophets are not to be judged 31:20 by predictions at all. 31:23 Do you know that Moses and John the Baptist, 31:25 the two greatest prophets 31:26 in the entire corpus of sacred history. 31:28 Neither one made a prediction, 31:30 so it isn't a prediction that makes you a prophet. 31:33 Prophets are not to be judgeed by prediction, 31:35 they ought to be judge by faithfulness. 31:38 Faithfulness to the word of God. 31:40 Oh, and by the way, speaking of the word of God. 31:42 You don't have to write a book in the word of God 31:45 to be a great prophet. 31:46 In fact, Jesus said, of John the baptize-- 31:48 John the Baptist to the baptizer, 31:50 this is the greatest prophet who has ever lived-- 31:53 and he never wrote a book that made it into the Canaan. 31:57 You don't have to write a book in the Bible to be a prophet. 32:02 But the point is faithfulness, 32:04 faithfulness to the word of God. 32:07 How does the story end? Very quickly. 32:10 Take a look at the end. 32:12 Go back to where you were holding your finger, 32:14 go back to at verse 9 of Numbers 12. 32:17 So God makes this, makes this statement about 32:19 being a prophet then verse 9, 32:20 "So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, 32:24 and He departed." 32:25 Verse 10, "And when the cloud departed 32:27 from above the tabernacle, 32:29 suddenly Miriam became leprous, 32:32 as white as snow. 32:33 Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, 32:35 and there she was, a leper." 32:39 Jot it down, write it down. 32:42 Miriam's fundamental error was disrespect for 32:46 and rebellion against 32:48 God's lawfully constituted authority in his prophet. 32:53 That was the issue, 32:56 she rejected the prophets authority for her life. 33:01 And oh, my, Aaron suddenly gets it 33:04 and he gets it fast. 33:05 Verse 11 and so Aaron said to Moses, 33:07 by the way remember these are two. 33:09 This is Moses' older brother 33:11 and Miriam is older is his oldest sister. 33:12 These are the two they said, 33:13 hey, come on, can't we lead just like our kid brother? 33:16 But now notice the reformation in Aaron's heart 33:19 when he comes to Moses in verse 11 33:21 and he says to Moses. 33:22 Oh, my Lord, he's talking about his kid brother here, 33:26 "Oh, my lord." 33:29 You got the point, 33:31 "Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin on us, 33:34 in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned." 33:38 Would you please note it as you write it down. 33:40 It is both foolish and a sin to reject the prophet of God. 33:48 Write it down, we've done foolishly. 33:50 We have sinned, 33:52 which is why Gods query bears repeating 33:54 again there in verse 8, jot it down. 33:56 "Why then were you not afraid to speak 34:00 against my servant?" 34:06 Well, Moses cries out to God on behalf of his 34:09 older sister Miriam and in seven day, 34:11 she was healed of her leprosy, hallelujah, the end. 34:17 Story number two, 34:19 story number two once upon a time, 34:22 there was a second great movement 34:24 just like the children of Israel 34:25 that was raised up by God 34:27 to lead his people into the promise land. 34:31 They too were the chosen, 34:33 not for there significance 34:35 they were the most in significant 34:36 of all religious body. 34:37 They were chosen by God for this sake 34:40 of his passionate mission 34:42 to save a final generation on earth 34:44 and lead it back to him and His truth. 34:48 And because they were the chosen, 34:50 they too were sent a prophet, 34:55 who did not call herself a prophet 34:58 for her divine mission entailed much more than a prophet. 35:01 Who instead referred to herself as the messenger of the Lord. 35:07 Can you get there from here? 35:08 Can you build a biblical case 35:11 for that prophetic gift today, absolutely. 35:15 Keep that pen moving, let's go. 35:16 We're not gonna not gonna look these verses up. 35:17 They're all there their in your study guide. 35:18 Amos 3 we'll put it on the screen for you, 35:20 Amos 3:7 "Surely the Lord does nothing," 35:23 write it in "Surely the Lord does nothing, 35:25 unless He reveals His secret to His servants, the prophets" 35:30 " keep your pen moving, 35:31 "in every major epoch of sacred history," 35:36 help me check this out 35:37 "in every major epoch of sacred history, 35:39 God has raised up a prophet to prepare his people 35:42 for what is impending." 35:44 Write in the word impending. 35:46 Now I need you to help me here, so something's coming. 35:48 When the flood was coming, who did God raise up? 35:51 Whom did God raise up? 35:53 No one, when God was gonna raise up a chosen people. 35:56 Who was the father of Israel? Whom that God raise up? 35:59 Father Abraham, he was a prophet. 36:00 When them exodus came, whom did God raise up? 36:03 Moses. 36:04 When the monarchy came to Israel, 36:07 whom did God raise up? 36:08 Samuel, when the exile came for that kingdom, 36:12 both kingdoms, whom did God raise up? 36:14 A handful of them, Jeremiah, Isaiah and on and on. 36:19 When the Messiah was coming the first time, 36:21 whom did God raise up? 36:22 John the baptizer. 36:24 When the gospel was to go to the Gentiles 36:27 and all the world whom did God raise up? 36:29 Paul. 36:31 When the messiah is coming the second time 36:34 whom will God raise up? 36:36 Question? 36:37 Would it not be logical to conclude 36:41 that even as he as has raised up 36:43 the prophetic gift over and over and over again. 36:46 The most glorious of that in human history. 36:49 Would he leave it? Would he leave it? 36:52 Without that prophetic gift manifested 36:55 at the end of time. 36:57 The book of revelation comes along and says, 36:59 no he would not, it's no brainer. 37:02 You can conclude it without Revelation 37:04 now let me show it you in Revelation, 37:05 keep your moving, Revelation 12:17, 37:08 the apocalypse declares 37:09 "And the dragon, that would be satan, 37:11 was enraged with a women that's the community of God 37:14 and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring 37:16 at the end to time, 37:18 who keeps the commandments of God 37:19 and have the testimony." 37:22 Write that word "testimony of Jesus." 37:25 Testimony of Jesus Christ. 37:26 So we ask the question, 37:27 what does the testimony of Jesus Christ 37:29 mean in the apocalypse. 37:30 We let the book of Revelation interpret itself, 37:32 keep your pen moving chapter 19 and Revelation 10. 37:35 "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 37:40 Write it in, "spirit of prophecy." 37:43 By the way Revelation 22: 9 links the testimony of Jesus 37:47 to the presence of a prophet in the community of faith. 37:50 So it's the presence of a prophet, 37:53 a testimony of Jesus, 37:55 i.e., now you fill this in, 37:57 one of the identifying marks 37:58 of God's community of faith and truth 38:00 at the end of time will be presence 38:02 of his prophetic gift in their midst. 38:07 I mean come on, folks, is it not utterly consistent 38:10 with the divine modus operandi for God 38:12 to raised up a messenger to prepare, 38:14 to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 38:17 Wouldn't it make sense? 38:20 But of course, having graciously given 38:22 the prophetic gift for ever 38:24 other major epic and sacred history, 38:26 why would not the same God bestow 38:29 that same gift for the most crucial time 38:31 in human history. 38:33 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, 38:35 today and forever. 38:39 Amos 3:7 "Surely the Lord does nothing, 38:43 without revealing his secret 38:45 to his servants, the prophets." 38:52 Her name was Ellen White. 38:57 She was a woman of remarkable spiritual gifts 38:59 who lived most of her life in 19th century. 39:03 Yet through her writings and public ministry, 39:06 she has made a revolutionary impact 39:09 on millions of people right into the 21st century. 39:15 From the age of 17 until she died 70 years later 39:19 Ellen White received nearly 2,000 visions 39:22 and dreams from a few moments, varying in length, 39:26 to nearly four hours. 39:28 It was those revelations that resulted 39:30 in her prodigious literary output that includes today, 39:34 100 books available in English titles. 39:38 55, 000 pages of manual script, 5,000 periodical articles. 39:43 One of her book, 39:45 her life changing masterpiece on the Christian life 39:48 "Steps to Christ." 39:50 When I was a graduate student here in Andrews University, 39:52 I got a hold of that book and reading that book 39:56 was a catalyst for a re-conversion in my life 39:59 to the Lord Jesus. 40:02 If you don't have that little books 40:03 step to Christ, right afterwards, 40:05 after our Q and A you get one. 40:08 I'll have one for you here right in front. 40:10 This little book alone has been translated 40:13 into 135 different languages on earth. 40:19 Prodigious she was, in fact, 40:21 she may well be the most translated women writer 40:24 in literature and the most translated 40:26 American author of either gender. 40:30 As a further consequence of the prophetic gift, 40:33 she helped raised up a Christian movement today 40:35 that offers the largest protestant educational system 40:38 including Andrews University. 40:41 As a result of that gift, 40:44 this Christian movement today 40:46 offers the most extensive protestant heath system 40:48 on earth including Loma Linda University 40:51 and hospital. 40:52 National Geographic Magazine two years ago 40:55 carried a cover story extolling the health benefits 40:57 of the health message 40:58 Ellen White received 40:59 an championed during her lifetime. 41:01 A message by the way far ahead of the medical 41:04 and nutritional knowledge of her day 41:06 but validated in our generation 41:08 by extensive scientific research and study. 41:14 A result of her visionary leadership, 41:16 the Seventh-day Adventist church 41:18 which she helped found, 41:21 is in more nations on earth 41:23 than any of their protestant denomination. 41:27 Ladies and gentlemen, 41:28 I do not believe there is a human explanation 41:32 for so prolific and fruitful 41:35 a life in ministry. 41:41 Do her writings then take the place of the Bible 41:43 in my life in my church, absolutely not. 41:46 You know me better than that, in fact, you know what, 41:49 you know how she referred to her writing? 41:50 She described her writings as a lesser light 41:52 that points to the-- to the greater light. 41:54 Like the moon keeps reflecting back 41:57 to the glory of the sun. 41:59 I can personally testify though, 42:01 that her writings constantly point the reader 42:04 to Jesus and his word. 42:07 I have not read a more passionately 42:10 Christ centered author in my life 42:12 and I have read hundreds and hundreds of authors. 42:20 Her love for Jesus and her passion 42:22 for pointing lost people to her savior, 42:25 have deeply influenced my walk with God. 42:30 Two friends of mine, 42:31 Roger Dudley and Des Cummings Jr. 42:36 undertook a study some years ago. 42:38 Where they surveyed more than 8,200 members 42:40 of 193 Seventh-day churches here in North America, 42:44 20 different categorizers of spiritual life 42:47 were being measured in this survey 42:48 including one question that went like this. 42:50 Have you read the writings of Ellen White or not? 42:54 Do you read them or not? The results are stunning. 42:58 I want you to jot that numbers down 42:59 and you can go home and concentrate on this. 43:01 Jot the numbers down in your study guide. 43:03 82% write that in, 43:05 82% of the regular readers of Ellen White's writings 43:08 assessed their relationship with Jesus as intimate. 43:12 The figure was only 56% for the non readers 43:16 of Ellen White in our community of faith. 43:18 Ladies and gentlemen, that is a 26% difference. 43:23 Number two, write it down, 43:24 82% of the regular readers of Ellen White 43:26 indicated a high degree of assurance 43:28 of being right with God, 43:29 compared to 59% of the non-readers. 43:32 Number three, readers of Ellen White were 24% more 43:36 involved in Christian outreach 43:37 and service activities than were the non-readers. 43:40 And finally number four, 43:41 82% of those who read Ellen White regularly 43:44 also have daily personal Bible study 43:47 as compared 47% for the non- readers, 43:51 exactly the opposite effect which false prophets 43:54 tend to have upon their followers. 43:56 False prophets draw you away from Holy Scripture. 43:59 Follow me, follow my teaching, the very opposite. 44:03 Within this community of faith, 44:05 those who read her have a deeper relationship 44:08 in Holy Scripture with the living God. 44:11 Leading to this conclusion. 44:13 Jot it down, in every one 44:15 of the 20 spiritual life categories surveyed, 44:17 the regular readers of Ellen White scored 44:19 higher than the non-readers. 44:23 Dudley and Cummings, in their conclusion wrote, 44:26 and I'll put their words on the screen for you. 44:28 "Seldom does a research study 44:29 find the evidence so heavily weighted toward one conclusion 44:33 in the church growth survey, 44:35 on every single item that deals with personal attitudes 44:38 or practices of spiritual life, 44:40 the member who regularly studies Ellen White's books 44:43 tends to rank higher than does the member who reads them 44:46 only occasionally or never." 44:50 Now listen to me carefully, if I were the enemy of Christ, 44:57 if I were the enemy of the chosen, 45:01 you can be certain. 45:03 I would do everything in my power to destroy 45:07 anything that would lead a person 45:10 closer to my archenemies. 45:13 Christ of the kingdom of heaven. 45:18 I would do everything to destroy 45:22 that which would draw people closer to him. 45:27 And by the way, if I were the enemy, 45:30 I would be particularly furious at this gift 45:33 because of the devastating way it repeatedly exposes 45:37 my diabolical modus operandi. 45:40 I would in particular, 45:42 I would in particular set my sights on a little book 45:46 called "Great Controversy" 45:47 because of its searing revelation 45:50 of my end time strategies. 45:53 It's a no brainer. 45:56 I would work hard, 24/7 to stone the prophet 46:02 and destroy the prophet's influence. 46:08 And that community, I'd do it with an innuendo, 46:14 I'd do it with a flippant remark. 46:18 I'd do it with email. 46:21 I'd do it with as many websites I could diabolically raise up. 46:27 I'd it in a private conversation. 46:30 I'd do it with a snicker. I'd do it with a laugh. 46:36 I would make certain that anybody enquiring, 46:41 any young mind still open 46:44 to the possibility of influence, 46:47 I would make certain. 46:49 The door has shut in that young adults mind. 46:54 I would, if I were the enemy. 46:59 A century ago, these words were written. 47:01 There are in your study guide, you need to fill it out. 47:04 The devils M.O. exposed, listen to this, 47:06 "The very last deception of Satan 47:08 will be to make of none, zero, nada, 47:12 effect the testimony of the spirit of God." 47:16 And going on beyond your study guide on the screen 47:19 "where there is no vision" continues to "people perish" 47:21 that's Proverbs 29:19. 47:23 Satan will work ingeniously in different ways 47:25 and through difference agencies, 47:26 to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people 47:29 in the true testimony." 47:31 Let me tell you a story right now, 47:33 in a previous parish where I served, 47:37 there was a man who got swept up 47:38 in a new teaching that had come discarding the Bible truth 47:46 about divine cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. 47:48 He swept up, we were friends. 47:50 He got swept up in this and eventually in response 47:54 he through out Ellen White and the church, all of it. 47:58 No more I've had. 48:02 Two decades go by and all of the sudden, 48:05 out of the blue, just a few months ago, 48:08 I get a packet from this very individual. 48:13 Turns out he's been watching TV. 48:16 So as some of our presentations on creationism, 48:19 and said, "Dwight, I thought you might like to know 48:21 that there is a whole lot of evidence out here 48:24 that proves that there is no creation. 48:26 And in fact, that proves that there is no creator 48:28 and there is no God at all" and I was dumb founded. 48:34 This man prayed fervently when I knew him. 48:38 No God, nothing and then I remembered, 48:44 a century ago this very regression-- 48:49 regression was predicted. 48:51 And these words are so important 48:53 that there're in your study guide, 48:54 the last quotation you had. 48:57 It is Satan's plan, 48:58 the very pattern to regression being exposed here. 49:00 "It is Satan's plan to weaken the faith of Gods people 49:03 in the testimonies." 49:06 All right, now here's the key word, 49:07 "Next," once you do that, 49:10 there's a next step watch the steps now. 49:11 "Next follows skepticism in regard 49:15 to the vital points of our faith, 49:16 the pillars of our position then" 49:18 please notice this is regression now, 49:20 there's another step 49:21 "then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures," 49:25 and then there's another step, 49:26 "then the downward march to perdition." 49:33 I've heard that word perdition before. 49:36 I heard it on the lips of Jesus. 49:37 Do you know when Jesus, 49:38 when he was praying in his high priestly prayer in John 17, 49:42 he referred to Judas as the son of what? 49:45 The son of perdition. Isn't that amazing? 49:48 The son of perdition. 49:51 Judas who was called to be a part 49:52 of the inner circle of Christ, 49:53 but who began to doubt the testimony of Jesus. 49:56 He said, oh, come on, it can't be. 49:59 And then the doubting of the testimony 50:00 let to the doubting, you know may the mission, 50:02 maybe his mission is really not that big 50:04 and then the doubting to mission let to-- 50:06 may be he's not who he says he is 50:08 and after that there is now a tumble, no God, 50:11 no life and he hangs himself. 50:14 And it all begins, isn't that amazing, 50:17 it all being with the rejection of the testimony of Jesus. 50:23 There are two reasons why Judas 50:25 did not want the testimony of Jesus. 50:27 I wonder if these two reasons 50:28 are applicable today, two reasons. 50:30 Reason number one, 50:31 the testimony of Jesus cut across Judas' private life. 50:36 And I've wondered at times, 50:37 when I hear those who are making 50:39 a rather big show about their personal convictions. 50:44 I've wondered to myself, what is there? 50:48 Could there be something that has cut across, I hate it. 50:53 When you tell me not to do something, 50:55 I'll just take you out of my picture, 50:58 I don't have to deal with you anymore. 51:00 That was what let Judas, it cut it his greed. 51:03 Jesus never in public exposed him, 51:05 just little stories and then he'd look at Judas 51:08 like I know your hand is in the tier boy. 51:12 It cut across his personal, private practice. 51:15 And number two, it challenged Judas' theological paradigm, 51:20 the paradigm doesn't fit with what I believe 51:22 then Messiah should be. 51:23 Therefore I reject it. 51:24 I wonder again, if because I have already formed 51:28 theological paradigm whether I too am quick to that 51:32 reject the prophetic gift 51:35 as challenging my precious paradigm. 51:41 Son of perdition, the downward march, 51:45 you know what, ladies and gentlemen, 51:47 it is no wonder that II Chronicle 20:20 51:50 reads the way it does "Believe in the Lord your God, 51:56 and you shall be established believe His prophets, 52:01 and you shall prosper." 52:05 Listen to me closely, my last words, 52:08 please listen closely. 52:11 The writings of the messenger either now C.S. Lewis did this, 52:16 the writings of the messenger 52:17 either bare the signet of God or the signet of Satan. 52:21 You can't say, oh, little of both. 52:23 Foolish. 52:26 They cannot be both, 52:28 a good tree cannot bring forth corrupt fruit, can it? 52:34 So here's the point. 52:35 Maybe it is time for you to quit taking 52:41 somebody else's word for it 52:44 and taste the fruit yourself. 52:48 Don't take my word for it, don't you take my word for it. 52:51 You taste the fruit yourself. 52:54 This little book, "Steps to Christ," 52:58 you don't have the book? 53:00 You see me right after the Q and A. 53:02 You ask for this I'll give you one. 53:04 You go home and see if this little books title 53:08 will not become a self fulfilling prophecy 53:11 in your life and you will find new steps, 53:13 deeper steps, 53:16 to a growing friendship with the Lord Jesus. 53:18 And by the way, 53:19 if you're watching on television right now, 53:20 you go that phone number you'll see at the end. 53:22 You called that number and I'll make sure 53:23 you'll get one of these books too. 53:25 Taste it for yourself, forget other peoples opinions, 53:30 taste the fruit for yourself. 53:32 I have and I believe. 53:39 Let us pray. 53:41 Oh, God, Holy Father, please, 53:47 we cannot let others make 53:51 the decisions for us. 53:57 Not a statement, 53:59 not a quotation, not a website. 54:06 We must taste ourselves and so, 54:11 dear God, this humble prayer 54:13 for this little community of faith. 54:16 Please, like that old cornflakes commercial said, 54:21 taste them again for first time. 54:25 Come back, taste the fruit, is it good fruit? 54:32 From a good tree and oh, 54:34 God, I am confident that every man, woman, 54:38 young adult and teenager's mind is opened 54:42 more to sprit of Jesus, 54:44 will know whether the testimony of Jesus 54:48 is true of not, make it clear. 54:52 The times are urgent. We need a revival. 54:56 Do your work in our midst, I humbly pray. 55:03 And now may the Father who gave the Son 55:09 and the Son who gave the Holy Spirit. 55:13 And the Holy Spirit who gave the prophets, 55:17 guide you and me 55:20 in the pathway of eternity, amen. 55:27 Before you go, 55:28 I wanted to take one more moment 55:29 to let you know, 55:30 how glad I am you shared this hour of worship 55:32 and Bible teachings with us. 55:34 This is the Pioneer Memorial Church, 55:36 we're on the campus of Andrews University 55:37 and the series is The Chosen. 55:40 This is the series that has been growing 55:42 and it's burned on my heart and over the last few weeks 55:46 before this new season began. 55:48 And some concentrated prayer time, 55:50 I believe the spirit of God led me 55:52 to the series out of book of Deuteronomy 55:54 for this generation within our community of faith 55:57 and outside this community of faith. 55:59 I believe both-- 56:01 both communities need to hear the compelling bible truth 56:07 captured in the series called the chosen. 56:08 So thank you for joining, 56:09 joining me and all of us as we continue our journey 56:12 deeper and deeper into the heart of-- 56:14 of this scene. 56:15 Living as you and I do and I'm-- 56:18 I'm-- I know I'm preaching to the choir now, 56:20 living as we do on the edge of the civilization 56:23 that is surviving through constant of people in change. 56:27 I'm so grateful 56:28 and I know you are for the bed rock hope 56:30 we have in Jesus. 56:33 I'm thankful that you and I been given the-- 56:35 privilege by God to partner to reach this generation 56:38 the world over through the satellite telecast. 56:40 I don't know how it works, 56:41 I just know that those satellites drop the signals 56:45 and those foot prints all over the planet 56:47 are helping disseminate this divine 56:50 called to become a part of the chosen. 56:52 Gods last generation on earth. 56:54 So please, here's what I wanted you to know, 56:56 I thank God for you and the generous way 56:58 you have partnered with us in the past, 57:00 in making New perceptions possible globally. 57:04 Your tax deductible gifts are being multiplied 57:06 all across the earth. 57:08 I believe for such a time is this. 57:09 Look, would you like to order copy of today's teaching 57:14 you can order DVD, 57:15 you get all the PowerPoint everything is there. 57:17 You can share it with your friends. 57:18 Share it with your family. 57:19 I want to just insert this here, 57:21 if you go to our website 57:23 and we've been advertising our website 57:24 all along the way and I'm gonna insert it right here, 57:25 www.pmchurch.tv go to that website. 57:29 You'll get a podcast of this, 57:31 we have people now subscribing to podcasts the world over. 57:34 It's time for this message to get out. 57:36 Thank you for your partnership and helping us do that. 57:39 Call one of our friendly operators. 57:41 It's a toll free number, won't cost you a penny. 57:43 Here in North America 877-HIS-WILL, 57:46 you call that number I promise you 57:48 every penny that you share we will invest 57:51 your generosity in God's mission 57:54 to reach this final generation now. 57:57 Thank you very, very much and be assured, 57:59 I'm looking forward to seeing you here, 58:01 right here again next time as we continue 58:05 our fascinating journey into the Chosen. 58:08 God bless you. |
Revised 2015-06-22