Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP110307
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00:28 I'm want to share in this last song,
00:31 it was introduced last week 00:32 and it simply says, "Worthy is the Lamb." 00:36 "Worthy is the Lamb." 00:48 Thank you for the Cross. 00:51 Thank you for the cross Lord 00:58 Thank you for the price You paid 01:03 See how beautiful. 01:04 Bearing all my sin and shame 01:09 In love You came 01:12 And gave amazing grace 01:17 Thank you for the love, Lord 01:24 Thank you for the nail-pierced hands 01:30 Washed me in Your cleansing flow 01:35 Now all I know 01:38 Your forgiveness and embrace 01:45 Worthy is the Lamb 01:51 Seated on the throne 01:58 Crown You now with many crowns 02:04 You reign victorious 02:11 High and lifted up 02:17 Jesus, Son of God 02:24 The Darling of Heaven crucified 02:34 Worthy is the Lamb 02:40 Worthy is the Lamb 02:47 Thank you for the cross, Lord 02:53 Thank you for the price You paid 03:00 Bearing all my sin and shame 03:04 In love You came 03:07 And gave amazing grace 03:13 Thank you for the love, Lord 03:19 Thank you for the nail-pierced hands 03:25 Washed me in Your cleansing flow 03:30 Now all I know 03:33 Your forgiveness and embrace 03:40 Worthy is the Lamb 03:46 Seated on the throne 03:52 Crown You now with many crowns 03:58 You reign victorious 04:05 High and lifted up 04:11 Jesus, Son of God 04:17 The Darling of Heaven crucified 04:27 Worthy is the Lamb 04:33 Worthy is the Lamb 04:39 Worthy is the Lamb 04:46 Worthy is the Lamb 04:54 Worthy is the Lamb 05:00 Seated on the throne 05:06 Crown You now with many crowns 05:13 You reign victorious 05:20 High and lifted up 05:24 Jesus, Son of God 05:32 The Darling of Heaven crucified 05:42 Worthy is the Lamb 05:48 Worthy is the Lamb 05:55 Worthy is the Lamb 06:02 Worthy is the Lamb 06:16 Amen. 09:39 I'm finding myself 09:44 At a loss for words 09:48 And the funny thing is, it's okay 09:54 The last thing I need 09:59 Is to be heard 10:03 But to hear 10:07 What You would say 10:10 Word of God, speak 10:13 Would You pour down like rain 10:17 Washing my eyes to see 10:22 Your majesty 10:24 To be still and know 10:28 That You're in this place 10:32 Please let me stay and rest 10:37 In Your holiness 10:40 Word of God, speak 10:56 I'm finding myself 11:00 In the midst of You 11:03 Beyond the music, beyond the noise 11:10 All that I need 11:14 Is to be with You 11:18 And in the quiet 11:22 hear Your voice 11:25 Word of God, speak 11:28 Would You pour down like rain 11:32 Washing my eyes to see 11:37 Your majesty 11:39 To be still and know 11:43 That You're in this place 11:46 Please let me stay and rest 11:51 In Your holiness 11:54 Word of God, speak 11:57 Would You pour down like rain 12:01 Washing my eyes to see 12:05 Your majesty 12:07 To be still and know 12:11 That You're in this place 12:15 Please let me stay and rest 12:19 In Your holiness 12:27 I'm finding myself 12:31 At a loss for words 12:36 So word of God, speak 12:55 Holy Father, what Michaela 12:56 has just sung that is our prayer, 12:59 may the Word of God, Speak. 13:02 Give us ears to hear... 13:06 And a heart and a mind to heed 13:09 for the glory of Christ Jesus, we pray in his name, amen. 13:14 What does it mean to live biblically? 13:18 That very question perplexed 13:21 the agonistic editor-at-large of Esquire Magazine, 13:25 and so he decided he would set out 13:26 for 12 months and live biblically. 13:28 I'm gonna follow every rule in the Old Testament. 13:31 I went to his website, 13:34 out of the 12 months journey he's written a book, 13:37 Simon and Schuster is just releasing the book 13:40 and there on the screen 13:41 you'll see the title of the book, 13:42 "The Year of Living Biblically." 13:44 So I'm at his website 13:45 and he's describing this project. 13:47 Let me read it to you. 13:48 "'The Year of Living Biblically' is about my quest 13:51 to live the ultimate biblical life, 13:53 to follow every single rule in the Bible 13:55 as literally as possible. 13:57 I obey the famous ones The Ten Commandments, 13:59 'Love thy neighbor; 14:00 Be fruitful and multiply.' 14:02 But also the... 14:04 But also the hundreds of oft-ignored ones, 14:08 do not wear clothes of mixed fibers, 14:10 do not shave your beard, stone adulterers, why? 14:14 Well, I grew up in a very secular home. 14:16 I'm officially Jewish, but I'm Jewish 14:18 in the same way the Olive Garden 14:19 is an Italian Restaurant." 14:22 I thought that was pretty good. 14:25 Actually not too bad, huh. 14:28 A. J. Jacobs is his name. 14:31 "I'd always assume religion would just wither away 14:33 and we live in a neo-enlightenment world. 14:35 I was of course spectacularly wrong. 14:37 So was I missing something essential 14:39 to being a human or was half the world deluded? 14:41 I decided to dive in head first" 14:43 and he does and the book is the result. 14:46 "The Year of Living Biblically." 14:50 How to live biblically of course 14:51 is a great premise for this series 14:53 that you and I are in the thick off right now. 14:56 The series called "The Chosen." 14:59 And we come in to this kind of the gut of this series 15:04 with four controversial questions 15:06 that we're examining together. 15:08 You raised the questions, 15:09 in our spring pulpit series I went over that this summer, 15:12 I saw those and I said, 15:13 we're gonna have to address them. 15:15 Questions about the prophet of the chosen, done it. 15:20 Questions about the diet or alcohol of the chosen. 15:22 Done it. 15:23 Questions about the dress of the chosen, 15:25 gonna do it today. 15:27 And questions finally about the sexuality of the chosen, 15:30 that will be next Sabbath. 15:31 And only in second service, 15:34 are we ending these four 15:36 presentations with live Q and A. 15:38 So you will have an opportunity in a just a moment. 15:40 I was surprised how many stepped 15:41 to the mic last week. 15:42 No planted questions, which is, we ride into it if you wish. 15:49 So how do we live biblically, 15:50 especially in the context of this story 15:52 we're about to share. 15:53 Once upon a time there was a chosen people 15:55 called the children who went through 15:57 a moral meltdown and through it found out, 16:02 how much of naked is acceptable. 16:04 Open your Bible with me please 16:05 to the second book of the Bible, 16:06 that would be the Book of Exodus. 16:08 If you didn't bring your Bible, 16:10 you've got to grab that pew Bible 16:11 right in front of you, pull it out. 16:13 Exodus 32. 16:15 If you're using the pew Bible, 16:16 that would be page 61 in the pew Bible. 16:19 It's the same translation of as-- 16:22 When I'm reading out of here, 16:23 which will be the New King James Version. 16:25 Once you read the story you will never forget it. 16:27 All right, Exodus 32: 1. 16:30 Right at the top of Exodus 32:1. 16:33 "Now when the people saw that 16:34 Moses delayed coming down from the mountain" 16:38 Oh, I love to just shoot, 16:39 chase a little rabbit right there 16:40 because it's, whenever we think there's a delay going on, 16:43 that we get in trouble. 16:44 We change our behavior, we adapt our lifestyle 16:48 because there's a delay. 16:49 They think there's a delay, right? 16:51 But we'll leave that one alone. 16:52 "Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down 16:54 from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron", 16:57 that would be second-in-command. 16:59 Kid brother Moses is at the top of the mountain, 17:01 Aaron, older brother, they come to him 17:04 and they say to him, 17:05 "Come, make us gods that shall go before us, 17:08 as for this Moses, 17:10 the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, 17:12 we do not know what has become of him." 17:14 Give me a break, guys. 17:16 You know exactly what's become of him. 17:18 Don't you give me this because you think about it. 17:21 The very last people story, 17:25 people story in Exodus is right after the Ten Commandments. 17:29 Watch this, keep your finger right here 17:30 'cause we're gonna come back. 17:31 But just turn back to Exodus 20. 17:33 Everybody knows the Ten Commandments chapter, 17:35 Exodus 20. 17:38 Don't you tell me you don't know 17:39 what happened to him. 17:40 You watch this. Okay. 17:42 Ten Commandments are given 17:43 at the end of verse 17, the end. 17:46 Now verse 18, Exodus 20:18, 17:48 "Now all the people" See everybody saw it. 17:50 "All the people witnessed the thunderings, 17:52 and the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, 17:54 and the mountain smoking and when the people saw it, 17:57 they trembled and stood afar off." 17:58 Verse 19. "Then they said to Moses, 18:00 'You speak with us, and we will hear, 18:03 but let not God speak with us, lest we die.' 18:06 And Moses said to the people, 18:07 'Do not fear, for God has come to test you, 18:10 and that His fear may be before you, 18:12 so that you may not sin.'" 18:13 So verse 21, "The people stood afar off, 18:15 but Moses drew 18:16 near the thick darkness where God was." 18:18 They saw Moses climb that mountain. 18:21 Don't you tell me you don't know 18:22 where he is, he's on top with God, 18:24 you know that, you know that. 18:28 Okay. 18:29 Go back to your finger there at Exodus 32, 18:31 we'll pick it up in verse 2. 18:33 So the people come to Aaron and Aaron, verse 2. 18:35 "Aaron said to them, 'Break off the golden earrings 18:39 which are in the ears of your wives, 18:42 your sons, and your daughters, 18:44 and bring them to me.'" 18:45 So verse 3, "All the people broke off 18:47 the golden earrings which were in their ears, 18:50 and brought them to Aaron." 18:52 Where did they get the earrings? 18:54 Last night, when they are fleeing Egypt, 18:57 those neighbors in Egypt are so fed up. 19:00 They are so worried that 19:01 the entire nation is gonna be destroyed, 19:02 that they heap them, 19:03 the Egyptian neighbors heap their gold, 19:05 their jewels and their jewelry 19:07 on top of the children of Israel 19:09 and said just get out of here before we're all dead. 19:11 God intended that. He said I'm gonna use that. 19:14 We'll melted down 19:15 and I'll built a sanctuary out of it. 19:17 Okay? So that's what they got. 19:20 And now notice verse 4. 19:22 "And he, Aaron, received the gold from their hand, 19:25 and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, 19:27 and made a molded calf. 19:29 Then they said, 'This is your god, 19:31 O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!' 19:33 So when Aaron saw he built an alter before it 19:36 and Aaron made a proclamation 19:38 and said, tomorrow is the feast of the Lord.'" 19:41 Poor Aaron, second-in-command. 19:46 If only this leader had held the line. 19:51 If only this leader had stood up for principle, 19:54 if only he had refused to compromise, 19:57 the story would have been vastly different. 20:02 And how easy it is for those of us 20:04 who lead, to give the children 20:06 what they want 20:09 and not what they need. 20:14 Early the next morning, verse 6. 20:17 I mean these guys can not wait, 20:18 they can not wait and so verse 6. 20:21 "They rose early on the next day, 20:24 they offered burnt offerings, 20:25 and they brought peace offerings, 20:26 and the people sat down to eat and drink, 20:28 and rose up to play." 20:30 It is party time, dude. 20:32 And they did. 20:34 The Hebrew word for party right here, 20:36 is not party, actually the Hebrew word 20:37 for rose up is-- 20:43 It's the same word Mrs. Potiphar uses 20:45 when she's pressing sexual 20:47 advancement charges against Joseph. 20:49 This boy came in here to -- me. 20:51 It's the same word in Genesis that 20:53 describes the Lord of the Philistines 20:56 looking out of his window 20:57 and seeing Isaac and Rebecca caressing. 21:00 The King James says, they were-- 21:03 and he say, wait a minute. 21:04 He told me that was his sister. 21:06 You never do that to a sister. 21:09 Same word, point being, ladies and gentlemen, 21:12 this is no church social 21:14 they're having early in the morning. 21:17 This is sexual play. 21:19 Where do they get it from, huh. 21:21 What do you think they got it from? 21:22 They got it from Egypt. 21:24 You probably already figured this out, haven't you? 21:26 The chosen have always been tempted 21:29 to make the fallen culture around them, 21:32 their default position in practice. 21:35 And so the record reads, "And they rose up to play." 21:42 Meanwhile, back on the top of the mountain, 21:46 there is a heart broken God 21:49 and a devastated crestfallen leader, our Moses. 21:55 A voice speaks 21:56 out of the shadowy glory Moses, Moses. 21:59 I can't believe it. I just counted them. 22:01 They have broken all ten of my Ten Commandments. 22:07 It's over Moses, I'm telling you, it's over. 22:10 So what I invite you to do is just stand back 22:13 because I'm gonna nuke them right now. 22:16 And then boy, it will be you and me. 22:19 I'll make a great nation out of the two of us, 22:21 what do you say? 22:25 It's one of those heart stopping scenes 22:29 in all the scripture and sacred history, 22:32 when in response Moses falls to his face 22:36 and begins to intercede, 22:38 begins to pour his heart out pleading 22:41 for the forgiveness of this people 22:43 who just days earlier, by the way, chapter 17, 22:45 they are threatening to stone their leader to death, 22:48 he is begging God, you can't kill him, 22:50 you just can't destroy them, please, I beg you. 22:54 It's the most profound illustration 22:56 in human experience, in all literature, 22:58 this is the most profound reflection 23:03 of the intercessory ministry of Christ in human form. 23:08 Now Jesus there on that center cross, 23:14 prays to the Father. 23:15 Father forgive them, 23:18 they don't know what they are doing. 23:20 Moses is Christ in this scene 23:22 and then there's another scene as you turn the page, 23:24 near the end of the chapter. 23:27 And the heart of God as Moses sobs 23:29 and pleads for Israel. 23:30 The heart of God is strangely moved 23:32 and he'd had a suspicion that divine love 23:35 was going to be reflected through this human instrument. 23:40 And so verse 14 reads, 23:41 "And the Lord relented from the harm 23:44 which He said He would do to His people." 23:46 He changed His mind. He talk me out of it, Moses. 23:49 Now Moses turns around. Oh, boy, trouble coming. 23:52 In verse 15, "And Moses turned 23:53 and went down from the mountain, 23:54 and they were two tablets of the Testimony" 23:56 This is verse 15 "In his hand, 23:57 the tablets were written on both sides, 23:59 on the one side 24:00 and on the other they were written." 24:01 Verse 16, " Now the tablets were the work of God, 24:03 and the writing was the writing of God" 24:05 The handwriting of God engraved 24:07 on those two stoned tablets. 24:09 And as their making 24:10 their way down that shaky slope, 24:12 they can't see the valley yet, 24:13 but Joshua now hears the sound, 24:16 the sounds coming from the base of Mount Sinai. 24:21 And because he can't see, in alarm, he exclaims to Moses. 24:24 He says, My Lord 24:25 there is war going on in that camp. 24:28 And Moses said, no, no, no, no, no. 24:31 This is verse 18, 24:32 "It is not the noise of the shout of victory, 24:35 nor the noise of the cry of defeat, 24:36 But I hear the sound of singing." 24:42 They're having worship at the foot of the mountain 24:47 and they are singing at the top of their lungs. 24:51 Anything wrong with singing at the top of your lungs, 24:53 of course not, we do it here, but watch. 24:57 And so it was, verse 19, 24:59 that "As soon as he came near the camp, 25:00 that he saw the calf and the dancing." 25:03 They're not just singing, they are dancing in the aisles, 25:08 and it is a ruckus, cacophony. 25:12 "And so Moses' anger became hot, 25:13 and he cast the tablets out of his hands 25:15 and broke them at the foot of the mountain." 25:16 And then the next verse he comes up 25:17 to that golden calf 25:18 and obviously verse 20 takes hours 25:21 because he has to knock the calf down, 25:23 he has to melt the calf and then grind up the dust. 25:27 He pours it into the stream that 25:28 flows from Mount Sinai through the dessert floor 25:31 and then he commands the people, 25:32 now you drink this water because I want to make a point. 25:35 You are now drinking your God. 25:36 You God is gold flakes inside of you, 25:38 so you worship that. 25:41 And once they have drunk that polluted water, 25:45 and here's a leadership moment, 25:46 if they are any leaders here, this is it. 25:50 Moses comes to Aaron verse 21. 25:51 "And Moses said to Aaron, 25:53 'What did this people do to you that 25:56 you have brought so great a sin upon them?'" 26:00 They influenced you and you have made them sin. 26:03 What's up? 26:04 And now watch this, the very next verse. 26:05 A dramatic leadership contrasts 26:08 because just moments ago, a top the mountain, 26:11 Moses is begging for his people, 26:15 but now Aaron, in a moment of leadership cave-in, 26:20 he doesn't beg for the people, 26:21 he blames the people instead. 26:24 Can you believe it? 26:26 You're a leader and it was their fault, 26:28 it is their, it was their idea. 26:33 Oh, my Lord, Aaron says to his younger brother. 26:36 "Do not let the anger of my Lord become hot." 26:38 I mean, you know the people. 26:39 They're set on evil. 26:40 What I did was, I threw this gold into the fire 26:42 and you see at the end of 24, and this calf came out, 26:44 I don't know how it happened, 26:45 but it just, this calf came out. 26:47 Please, Moses, don't be mad at me. 26:50 Moses tell us in Deuteronomy Chapter 9, 26:52 our theme book for this series. 26:53 Deuteronomy 9:20, 26:55 that God would have destroyed Aaron 26:59 if Moses hadn't interceded for him. 27:02 He begged for Aaron's life, God says, okay. 27:05 You can have your brother. 27:09 And then Moses, what is this? 27:10 Verse 26, no, no, verse 25 27:12 "Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained 27:15 for Aaron had not restrained them, 27:16 to their shame among their enemies." 27:18 By the way the Hebrew for unrestrained here Parah. 27:21 It can be translated unclosed or uncontrolled. 27:25 They were half naked. 27:27 They've gone into this wild orgy 27:29 to the shame of the enemies that surround them. 27:33 Moses cried out in verse 26. 27:35 "He stood in the entrance of the camp, 27:37 and he said, 'Whoever is on the Lord's side come to me!'" 27:44 Because in this battle between good and evil, 27:46 there is not third side, there is no middle ground. 27:48 How long will you limp between two opinions 27:50 if God is God you worship God 27:51 and Satan is Satan, 27:52 if Satan is God you worship him, 27:54 you can't limp back and forth. 27:56 You got to take a stand at some point. 27:59 You have to and they do. 28:02 Early the next morning, heartbroken, 28:06 Moses climbs back up that shaley slope 28:10 to the smokey summit where God is awaiting. 28:12 This is verse 31. 28:15 Then Moses returned to the Lord and he said, 28:18 "Oh, these people have committed a great sin," 28:21 You were right. 28:22 They have made for themselves a god of gold! 28:24 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin, 28:29 and until we get to eternity and we personally ask Moses, 28:33 how were you going to finish that sentence? 28:35 We do not know how that sentence ends 28:36 because the sentence is cut off. 28:38 If you will forgive their sins 28:39 then I will, then they will, then you-- 28:41 He doesn't say, he's just cut off. 28:44 It isn't a stretch of an imagination 28:48 to sense that sob that just chokes 28:50 his sentence, in mid-sentence. 28:54 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin" 28:56 stop, choke, but if not, I pray, 29:01 blot me out of their book which You have written." 29:07 I don't understand leadership like that, do you? 29:09 That you're willing to substitute yourself 29:12 for the sake of your people? 29:15 Come on. 29:17 The author of the Bible Commentary poignantly observes. 29:21 It is not easy to estimate the measure of love 29:23 in such man is Moses and by the way, 29:25 Paul did it in Romans Chapter 9, 29:26 he said, "If only I could be a cursed lost forever, 29:30 so the God could save the Jews." 29:32 Both Moses and Paul. 29:33 It is not easy to estimate the measure of love 29:34 in such men as Moses and Paul, 29:36 for limited powers of reason 29:38 do not comprehended anymore 29:40 than a little child is able to comprehend 29:42 the courage of heroes, 29:44 have no understanding of the courage of heroes. 29:46 I can not comprehend that selfless love. 29:50 It is the profound reflection of Christ the intercessory 29:56 for the human race. 30:01 Blot me out. God we, waves aside. 30:03 Now come on, He said, you know, the only people 30:05 I blot out are the people of the sin, forget that idea. 30:07 He said, in fact, Moses, and I've been thinking about it 30:08 you know what? 30:09 I'm gonna send my angel with you. 30:11 I'm gonna send my angel, 30:12 you will go to the Promise Land, 30:13 but listen to me, 30:14 I am not gonna go with you, do you understand? 30:15 I am not gonna go with your people. 30:18 I'll send my angel and you go instead 30:20 and when the people hear it 30:21 and now we're coming to the punch line. 30:22 When the people hear it, chapter 33, look at this. 30:25 "When they God's decision, verse 4." 30:27 When the people heard this bad news, 30:30 they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments." 30:34 Verse 5, "For the Lord had said to Moses, 30:36 'Say to the children of Israel, 30:37 "You are a stiff-necked people. 30:38 I could come up into your midst in one moment 30:41 and consume you. 30:42 Now therefore, take off your ornaments, 30:44 that I may know what to do with you.'" 30:46 So verse 6. 30:49 "The children of Israel stripped themselves 30:50 of their ornaments by Mount Horeb" the end. 30:56 That's it. 30:59 Once upon a time, there was a people 31:02 who were the chosen and they suffered 31:04 through a terrible moral meltdown, 31:07 but out of their crises, 31:09 they were taught two critical lessons, 31:10 two vital lessons for the chosen 31:13 who live today to learn. 31:16 Not over, not a year of living biblically, 31:18 but a lifetime of living biblically. 31:20 I want you to jot these two lessons down 31:22 and so would you reach into your worship bulletin please 31:24 and pull out today's study guide. 31:26 Take it out, two lessons, jot them down. 31:29 Ushers, let's get study guides please to any who need. 31:32 A study guide you came in, 31:33 a bunch of you with just one bulletin hold you hand up, 31:35 our ushers in the balcony, here at the front, 31:37 in the back, let's move this quickly. 31:39 Gentlemen, thank you and those of you 31:41 who are watching on television, 31:42 let me put a website on the screen for you, 31:44 you see it there. 31:45 www.pmchruch.tv that's our website. 31:51 www.Pmchurch.tv Go to that website. 31:53 This series is called "The Chosen. 31:55 You go the chosen and today's teaching, 31:57 "How Much of Naked Is Acceptable?" 31:59 You will see right beside that title the words study guide, 32:02 click that little box on your screen, 32:05 you will have the identical study guide as we have it. 32:08 I like you to jot these two lessons down please. 32:11 Everybody have one? 32:12 All right, keep your hand up, 32:14 ushers are slowly making their way to the back, 32:16 they will get to you, but I'm gonna keep moving. 32:18 Lesson number one, write it down please. 32:20 "A revival of morality leads to a revival of modesty." 32:26 Did you get that? 32:27 "A revival of morality leads to a revival of modesty." 32:31 So how much of naked is acceptable? 32:34 Come on, it's a story that we've just read, 32:37 portrays, you can't talk about modesty 32:38 without talking about sexuality, 32:40 so write this down. 32:41 When the children of Israel became unclothed, 32:44 they became uncontrolled. 32:46 It's the same word in the Hebrew, 32:47 unclothed and uncontrolled. 32:49 Keep your pen moving. 32:50 Because modesty is a protective wall 32:53 for sexuality. 32:55 The two are divinely intended to go hand in hand. 33:00 A friend of mine loan me this book this week. 33:04 I would never have bought this book 33:06 in a hundred years 33:07 and I have not read it all the way through. 33:11 I will show you the cover of the book. 33:13 It's called, "Sexy Girls." 33:18 How hot is too hot? All right. 33:24 Don't get too close. 33:28 How hot is too hot? 33:29 It's written by Hayley DiMarco. 33:33 Since there's no way, there is no way 33:35 that I would be able to say any of this without blushing. 33:39 I'm gonna let a woman say it, 33:40 'cause she already wrote it. 33:42 Let me just tell you what the book is about. 33:44 You get it from the, 33:46 you know the little page write behind the title page. 33:48 They are quoting an anonymous youth pastor 33:50 and I can see why it's anonymous. 33:51 Confessions of a youth pastor, 33:53 one line, this is a whole page, one line. 33:55 "It's hard to speak to your hearts 33:57 when all I see is your parts." 34:03 You got the point of the book? 34:04 Yeah, let me just read something to you. 34:10 I had to really edit this in first church. 34:17 I don't want any health crisis. 34:21 All right. 34:22 So, so I'm looking at this book. 34:25 Here's a little headline. 34:26 Listen, ladies and gentlemen, 34:28 by the way, guys, listen up. 34:32 "Remembering the under in underwear," 34:36 that's a thought. 34:38 Okay, here it goes. 34:39 "Ever think it's a cute and sexy little trick 34:42 to lift the top of your underwear 34:43 ever so slightly above your waistband? 34:48 Or what if your undies just happened to show 34:49 when you sit down. 34:50 That isn't so bad, is it? 34:51 I mean, come on it's not sexual, is it? 34:53 Hey, look at it from the guys perspective. 34:56 When you show off your underwear, 34:58 the first thing a guy thinks about is, 34:59 what's you look like with just your undies on 35:01 and the second thing he thinks is, 35:02 that if you're so willing to show him part 35:03 or your underwear than you're 35:04 probably willing to show all of your underwear. 35:06 In his mind, you immediately become, well, sexual 35:10 and he will treat you accordingly, 35:11 which means, he will show you attention 35:13 but it is purely sexual. 35:15 That's not to mention, all the guys 35:17 that you don't even know are using you 35:19 as their own personal peep show. 35:24 Basing your image on your relationships 35:25 on pure sexuality is a recipe for disaster. 35:29 Guys, don't take sexual girls seriously, 35:30 they just don't. 35:31 They think about using them until their next conquest. 35:33 They are so clouded by your body parts that 35:35 they won't see you for the amazing girl 35:37 that you are, so be careful 35:39 when you play around with an image that 35:40 is free enough to expose all your delicates, 35:43 besides, you probably didn't buy them 35:45 at Victoria's public knowledge." 35:49 Have you ever heard of that store, 35:50 Victoria's public knowledge, because there's no secret. 35:55 You finally got it. 36:00 It's not wise to use your freedom 36:02 or shall I say flaunt your freedom in front of guys. 36:04 "It might seem like a cheap thrill, 36:05 but in the spiritual scheme of things, 36:07 it's a trip down a messy road 36:08 that can lead a spiritual, physical, 36:10 and emotional destruction." 36:13 Come on. 36:15 By the way, guys, 36:18 they're the only ones showing underwear. 36:21 Some of your guys your crotch is so low, 36:22 it's dragging on the sidewalk 36:24 and you can see everything up your back. 36:27 What's up with that? 36:30 You probably think it's attractive. 36:33 See me afterwards. 36:37 Okay, here's just one more, I got to go. 36:39 "The eyes have it. 36:40 Trust me when I say, that guys are visual creatures. 36:43 They are turned on by what they see." 36:46 See here, I heard one yes. 36:48 The rest of the guys are all saying amen in their hearts. 36:52 You show them a bit of your 36:53 and she names a piece of anatomy I'll leave out, 36:55 or some of that long leg of yours 36:57 and bam Testosterone City. 36:59 They are instantly dreaming of what they saw. 37:01 It might seem gross, juvenile, 37:02 or impossible that a guy would want to touch you 37:05 just because he can see a part of you, 37:07 but trust me, it's true. 37:08 I've talked to hundreds of guys about girls 37:10 and it's the same whatever state, 37:11 country or province I'm in, 37:13 they are turned on by your flesh. 37:17 We girls-- "This was insight for me. 37:19 "We girls are so used to our flesh that 37:20 we don't think anything about it. 37:22 We undress in front of each other." 37:23 You do? 37:26 Huh? "We undress-- 37:30 We undress in front of each other, 37:31 we share a dress room, 37:32 we sleep together in our T-shirts 37:34 and we think nothing of sexual stuff 37:36 and so it can seems strange to us 37:37 that guy see a little flesh 37:38 and they go sexual on us, but it's true. 37:40 That's why guys are more likely not to share a bed, 37:43 king size or not with another guy 37:46 when crashing at a friends house 37:47 or on a road trip. 37:48 I will not sleep in that bed. 37:50 I am sleeping on the floor, do you understand? 37:53 I am not going in that bed with you, dude. 37:58 That's just the way we are because it's too suggestive. 38:03 You get her point, don't you? 38:06 That's why it's way too visual for them. 38:08 They aren't casual about our bodies like 38:10 we are any hint of flesh they see 38:11 and it's daydream city for better or for worse. 38:14 So I'm gonna say one word here 38:16 that I would not do among others in first church. 38:18 So if you're showing 38:20 the very tippy-top of your cleavage 38:21 because you think, who cares, 38:25 it's not like they can see the rest of me. 38:27 Funny thing, no they don't actually see, 38:30 she puts the rest of you, 38:31 but they do start to imagining what it looks like. 38:38 I'm glad summer is over 38:39 and we're dealing with this in a chilly fall. 38:45 We were sitting together 38:46 in our last spiritual life committee in the conversation, 38:49 bunch of us turned to MySpace and Facebook 38:52 and somebody made the comment 38:54 and I'm gonna pass it on to you. 38:55 Do you, do you realize 38:56 how much you're exposing yourself 38:58 to the world by the pictures that you post in MySpace? 39:01 Do you understand? The world sees. 39:04 Oh, no, it's just my friends. No, no, the world sees. 39:09 Are you sure you want that pose to all your visitors? 39:14 Bill Shoptaw in charge of our medical students 39:17 who go on to medicine told me after first church. 39:19 He said, Dwight, I want to tell you some. 39:20 I was in meetings this week up at the university Michigan. 39:24 The Director of admissions for a medical school 39:26 in the State of Michigan says, you know what? 39:28 When students apply to our medical school, 39:31 we require that they give us their, 39:33 their MySpace and Facebook addresses. 39:36 If they refuse, we will refuse to consider their application. 39:40 Employers now are searching the web to find out 39:43 what about you is out there 39:45 that the rest of t world knows 39:46 and that you're not telling them. 39:49 You think about it, sis or bro. 39:53 You want that picture of you? 39:56 So what's-- 39:57 Let's put this in spiritual perspective. 39:58 Back to your study guide. 39:59 Jesus said, sermon on the mountain, 40:02 "Whoever looks at a woman to lust 40:03 for her has already committed adultery 40:06 with her in his heart" That's Matthew 5:28. 40:08 Listen lady, "If you're dressing for his eyes, 40:11 you maybe dabbling with his fall." 40:15 Come on. We're just that way. 40:21 So of course modesty 40:22 in how you and I dress is a moral issue. 40:24 It is a moral-- I know, I know, 40:25 guys ought to be stronger, but we are not 40:28 and by the way you're not so strong yourself. 40:32 That's why Paul writes here in, what is this? 40:34 1 Corinthians 8:9, fill it in. 40:35 "Beware lest somehow this liberty of yours 40:37 becomes a stumbling block to those who are weak." 40:41 Trust me men are weak, 40:42 so are women and so Paul says, 40:44 If I have a liberty, 40:45 I'm not gonna font my liberty in front of you. 40:47 It doesn't bother me, 40:48 but I'm not gonna do it in front of you 40:50 because if it leads to you sin I'm responsible. 40:52 I won't do it. 40:55 So how much of naked is acceptable? 40:58 Israel undressed at the foot of Mount Sinai 41:00 and it was all downhill from there 41:03 and it took a meltdown to bring a revival. 41:06 Lesson number one, 41:07 a revival of morality leads a revival of modesty. 41:09 Write it down. 41:10 Lesson number two, final lesson. 41:12 Lesson number two, "A revival of spirituality 41:15 leads to a revival of simplicity." 41:18 Get to those two words, spirituality, 41:21 A revival of spirituality leads to a revival of simplicity." 41:23 Because by the way, what happened 41:25 at the foot of Mount Sinai was not an isolated incident. 41:30 Long before Mount Sinai, Jacob 41:31 who was given the name Israel, 41:34 he called for a spiritual revival in his tribe, 41:38 they went through revival and notice what happened. 41:41 We'll put this on the screen. Genesis 35. 41:44 "Then God said unto Jacob, Arise, 41:46 go up to Bethel, house of God 41:48 where I gave You that dream years ago. 41:50 I want you to go there and dwell. 41:51 Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you 41:53 when you fled from the face of Esau your brother. 41:55 And Jacob then says, 41:56 he turns to his tribe about 70 people to all go with him, 41:59 pulled away the foreign gods that are among you, 42:01 purify yourselves and change your garments. 42:04 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel 42:07 and I will make an altar there to God, 42:08 who answered me in the day of my distress 42:11 and has halleluiah been with me in the way 42:13 which I have gone. 42:14 Now notice, "So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods 42:18 which were in their hands, 42:19 and the earrings which were in their ears, 42:21 and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree 42:25 which was by Shechem." 42:28 Spiritual revival breaks out 42:30 in the community of the faithful 42:31 and they bury their earrings. 42:36 This is not a female thing. 42:37 This is not a male thing, this is an everybody thing. 42:40 They all buried their ornaments. 42:43 So what's going on? 42:45 Very interestingly, scholars believe that 42:49 the second revival at the foot 42:50 of Mount Sinai resulted in a lasting. 42:53 Listen now, a lasting abandonment 42:55 of ornamental jewelry by the children of Israel. 43:01 Are we still there? Yeah. 43:02 Exodus 33, it's right in front of you. 43:03 So drop down to verse 6. Exodus 33:6. 43:06 "So the children of Israel stripped themselves 43:08 of their ornaments by the mount Horeb." 43:11 Now the preposition by in the English 43:14 is translating the Hebrew preposition mean 43:16 and mean is almost always translated from. 43:21 Leading some scholars 43:22 and the new American standard Bible 43:23 to render this verse, 43:24 jot it down in your study guide. 43:25 So Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments 43:28 from mount Horeb onward." 43:31 That was it, from then on. 43:34 Amazingly, archeological excavations 43:36 in early Israelite sites with rare exceptions, 43:39 uncover very little jewelry 43:43 and only a poor quality at that. 43:45 So you're saying, okay, Dwight. 43:46 Pastor, what does that mean? 43:47 You won't jewelry in the Bible? 43:48 Oh, no, you will find jewelry in the Bible. 43:51 The most comprehensive treatment 43:52 of Jewelry in the Bible has been written 43:55 in my opinion by Angel Rodriguez. 43:57 It's his book, "Jewelry in the Bible." 43:59 In which he makes three observations 44:01 that I am still ruminating on and it's number three. 44:05 But I'll share all three with you. 44:06 Jot them down please in your study guide. 44:07 Number one, Rodriguez. 44:09 The Bible recognizes diverse functions, 44:13 diverse functions for jewelry. 44:15 Yeah, there's jewelry for status, 44:17 that would called a crown, a king wear it. 44:19 Ezekiel 16 by the way. 44:22 It shows, God finding Israel by the side of the road, 44:24 it's just a little waif, a little baby, 44:27 he washes her, wraps her in swaddling clothes, 44:30 she grows up into a, into a lovely young woman 44:33 and then he says, I'm gonna marry. 44:35 I'm the king of the universe, you will become my bride, 44:37 Queen Israel and he decks 44:40 in glorious clothing and jewelry. 44:42 The jewelry that he decks with, 44:44 bedecks her with is status jewelry. 44:49 I'm queen. So there different functions. 44:51 Number one, status number two, there's authority, 44:54 that's a royal or family signet ring, 44:56 you know, derives, Daniel in the lions den, 44:58 he puts his ring down, seals that lions den. 44:59 Jesus in the parable of prodigal son, 45:01 the boy comes and they are so excited, 45:03 they put the ring back on the boy, 45:04 that's a family, that's a simple of authority. 45:07 Number three, for spiritual leadership. 45:10 You want to talk about the high priest of Israel? 45:12 He had this massive, 45:14 this 12 semi-precious stones arranged on his chest, 45:18 and what's called ifad, the only person 45:21 in the entire community that could wear that, 45:22 glorious gems 45:25 and finally the Bible does recognize that 45:27 some wear jewelry for ornamentation. 45:30 Can you see the references there? 45:32 So the three observations. I'm ruminating on this. 45:34 Here's observation number two from Rodriguez. 45:36 Number two, "The Bible recognizes that 45:38 jewelry is not intrinsically evil." 45:41 Come on, the New Jerusalem, 45:42 the streets are gonna be pad in gold 45:44 and the 12 foundations 45:45 to the walls are 12 semi-precious stones. 45:48 God created every gem on earth. 45:50 He has a right to those gems. 45:53 The point is, minerals are not moral agents. 45:57 The danger of jewelry is located 45:58 in the heart of the wearer, 46:00 not simply in the object itself, 46:02 which leaves to number three. 46:03 Finally number three. 46:05 The Bible portrays ornamental jewelry 46:08 as incompatible with the personal adornment 46:11 of the people of God. 46:12 In Rodriguez's words, 46:14 the Bible regards jewelry with a quote, 46:16 "General pejorative attitude." 46:20 For that reason, when spiritual revival 46:21 breaks out in the tribe of Jacob, 46:23 the ornaments come off. 46:24 It is a moral issue. 46:25 For that reason, when spiritual revival 46:27 again breaks out with the children of Israel 46:29 at the foot of Mount Sinai the ornaments 46:30 come off at God's commands, it is a moral issue. 46:36 And by the way, from that point on, 46:38 no more ornamental jewelry, 46:40 until centuries later they apostatize watch this. 46:43 And has to Isaiah. 46:45 Isaiah 3, "God's calling for a revival. 46:47 Isaiah 3:18, "In that day the Lord 46:49 will take away the finery, 46:50 the jingling anklets, the scarves 46:52 and the crescents and the pendants, 46:54 and the bracelets and the veils. 46:56 The headdresses, the leg ornaments, 46:57 and the headbands. 46:58 The perfume boxes, the charms, 47:00 and the rings, the nose jewels, 47:02 the festal apparel and the mantles, 47:04 the outer garments, the purses, and the mirrors. 47:06 The fine linen, the turbans and the robes." 47:09 Revival time again for the chosen. 47:14 And then along come Jesus. 47:17 The incarnate God of the univers 47:19 who could have worn rightfully worn every gem in the universe 47:22 and every crown pilled on top of His head. 47:25 And how does Jesus come? 47:26 He comes to show us the divine value of simplicity. 47:30 He has one robe to his life and they will gamble for it, 47:35 at the foot of His cross. 47:36 No coins, no jewels, 47:40 no house, nothing. 47:45 But the divine principle of modest simplicity. 47:49 And then he has the gall to look at you and me 47:52 and say, hey, guys, follow me. 47:56 The New Testament church did 47:57 which is why they embrace that 47:58 same principle of modest simplicity. 48:02 The same principle of Jesus 48:03 and so you will read this New Testament. 48:05 This is 1 Peter 3:3. 48:07 "Do not let your adornment be merely outward, 48:10 arranging the hair, wearing gold 48:11 or putting on fine apparel, 48:13 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, 48:15 with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, 48:18 which is very precious in the sight of God." 48:22 Write it down. 48:23 You see, in both the Old and New Testaments guys, 48:26 the principle is the same. 48:28 Human value the outward appearance, 48:31 but God values the heart. 48:35 That's what counts. 48:37 Rodriguez goes on to point that, 48:38 in fact, the final, the final appearance 48:44 of women in the Bible is in the Book of Revelation. 48:46 Two women, one woman representing 48:49 the people of God, 48:50 not a single piece of jewelry upon her body, 48:53 the other woman representing 48:54 the antagonist to the people of God 48:55 and her body is covered with gold and germs and pearls. 48:58 God is making a point, it is a moral issue. 49:01 It is a moral issue. 49:04 So what's the point? Write it down. 49:06 God calls the chosen to a life of modest simplicity. 49:10 That's the point. 49:11 I understand very well that it is a countercultural life 49:14 to which he's calling all of us, 49:15 but to follow Jesus has always been 49:17 countercultural, has it not? 49:18 Come on. 49:19 The Mennonite author Donald Kraybill, 49:21 in describing Christ kingdom calls 49:23 it an upside down kingdom. 49:24 It's the exact opposite of the world. 49:27 And that's why 1 John 2:15, 49:29 "Love not the world, neither the things 49:31 that are in the world" is God's plea. 49:33 Guys, it's not like it is, 49:34 it's not like it is here, not in my kingdom. 49:37 So here's my question for you. 49:39 Answer this for me please. 49:40 Why should we allow the executives 49:43 and designers of the fashion industry 49:44 to set the parameters 49:46 for our own walk with God, huh? 49:49 Why should Britney Spears? 49:52 By the way, just yesterday, 49:53 they released Britney Spears monthly expenditures $49,000 49:57 on a mortgage every month. 49:59 And get this, I heard this and I scribbled it down. 50:01 $15,000 a month on clothes 50:04 and accessories, 15,000 a month. 50:08 And she's the goddess of a whole lot of girls, 50:13 a little bit younger than you. 50:15 So why should Britney Spears and Paris Hilton 50:17 and Soulja Boy dictate how we dress? 50:25 Who says we have to wear that to look good, huh? 50:28 Who says we have to put that on to look dressed up? 50:30 Who says we have to spend that much money 50:33 on clothing and accessories? 50:34 I am not talking about 50:35 the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 50:36 I'm not talking about Christianity, period. 50:40 If you push this back on to me 50:46 because and would you write this down, 50:47 modest simplicity is both a moral value 50:50 and a moral issue. 50:53 Now come on pastor. 50:55 Come on, Dwight, are you suggesting 50:56 that this is a matter of personal salvation, 50:57 that I won't get, that I won't get saved 50:59 unless I embrace modest simplicity? 51:02 No, I am not. 51:03 You won't get saved unless you embrace Jesus, 51:05 that's the gospel. 51:07 You embrace Jesus, you'll just fine, thank you. 51:10 However, when you embrace Jesus as Savior, 51:13 you must also embrace Him as Lord 51:16 and when He says, hey, boy, hey girl, 51:18 come, follow Me, that includes 51:21 his moral value of modest simplicity, 51:24 which, by the way, equal time now. 51:27 Which, by the way, means that the principle 51:32 of modest simplicity addresses both those $20 studs 51:36 in the young adults ears as well as the $40,000 car 51:41 or the $80,000 motor home in your driveway. 51:45 Modest simplicity cuts both ways. 51:49 Won't you give me this? 51:50 We have too many legalist adults 51:52 walking around complaining about the $5 stud in the ear, 51:55 when they got a $50,000 car in their driveway. 51:59 Won't you talk to these kids about 52:01 modes simplicity living like that? 52:06 Modest simplicity cuts both ways. 52:09 And so you don't want the diamond up here? 52:12 You don't want the diamond up here? 52:14 Trust me, dropping it six inches 52:16 does not baptize it. 52:23 If you don't want the diamond up here, 52:25 you better not wear the diamond here. 52:28 Huh. 52:31 And while we're at it, it is incongruous. 52:35 I can not image a God in this universe 52:38 who would consistently call us 52:39 to abandoned external ornamentation 52:41 and not have a word to say about houses 52:45 that are vastly above our economic stationed 52:47 or are vastly above our personal need, 52:50 modest simplicity cuts both ways. 52:57 Which is why nobody can judge nobody. 53:00 Oh, great, oh, then that means 53:02 the university has no right 53:03 to print in its student hand book 53:05 these words and I'll quote. 53:06 "Ornamental rings and bracelets, 53:08 necklace, necklaces and chains, ear, tongue, nose 53:10 and eyebrow rings are not appropriate 53:12 at Andrews University." 53:14 After all, Dwight, you just said nobody can judge. 53:17 Oh, my friend you're absolutely right. 53:19 But a community of faith can chose. 53:24 And the Seventh-day Adventist Church has chosen, 53:25 that is a simple of our embrace 53:27 of Jesus standard of modest simplicity. 53:29 We chose like Israel of old, not to wear ornamental jewelry. 53:36 Why? 53:37 Because the chosen have always been 53:41 a counter cultural movement, that's why. 53:46 Jesus' life of modest simplicity is our example. 53:49 He says, come, follow me. 53:50 By the way, so is His death. 53:54 You do know how Jesus died, don't you? 53:56 You know how he did. He died naked. 53:59 There isn't any artist in the world 54:00 that would realistically portray the crucifixion. 54:03 Christ with no clothes on. 54:05 He died naked to redeem us from our own moral nakedness. 54:10 So the question, how much of naked is acceptable? 54:14 Why don't you ask hat of the God 54:16 who became naked? 54:21 So that He might cover our nakedness 54:24 with the spotless robe 54:26 of his perfect modest simplicity. 54:33 Let's pray. 54:35 Oh, God, we see Jesus 54:40 hanging naked on Calvary. 54:46 And all we can say is thank you 54:50 from the depths of our hearts. 54:55 Our God came and for us, He died. 55:02 Holy Father, grant to us as a community of faith, 55:07 the courage now 55:11 to follow after Jesus. 55:16 We pray in his name, amen. 55:23 Before you go, I wanted to take one more moment 55:25 and let you know how glad 55:26 I am to share this hour of worship 55:28 and Bible teaching with us. 55:30 This is the Pioneer Memorial Church 55:32 and we're on the campus of Andrews University 55:33 and the series is "The Chosen." 55:36 This is the series that has been growing 55:38 and it's burned on my heart and over the last few weeks, 55:42 before this new season began 55:44 and some, some concentrated prayer time, 55:46 I believe the spirit of God led me to the series 55:49 out of the Book of Deuteronomy 55:50 for this generation, within our community of faith 55:53 and outside this community of faith. 55:55 I believe both, both communities 55:58 need to hear the compelling Bible truth 56:03 captured in the series called "The Chosen." 56:04 So thank you for joining me and all of us 56:07 as we continue our journey deeper 56:09 and deeper into the heart of this theme. 56:11 Living as you and I do 56:13 and I'm, I know I'm preaching to the choir now. 56:16 Living as we do on the edge of a civilization 56:19 that is surviving through constant upheaval and change. 56:23 I am so grateful and I know you are 56:25 for the bedrock hope we have in Jesus. 56:29 I'm thankful that you and I have been given 56:31 the privilege by God to partner, 56:33 to reach this generation 56:34 the world over through the satellite telecast. 56:37 I don't know how it works. 56:38 I just know that those satellites drops the signals 56:41 and those footprints all over the planet 56:43 are helping disseminate this divine call 56:46 to become a part of the chosen, God's last generation on earth. 56:50 So, please, here's what I wanted you to know. 56:52 I thank God for you, the generous way 56:54 you have partnered with us in the past in making 56:57 New Perceptions possible globally. 57:00 Your tax deductible gifts 57:01 are being multiplied all across the earth, 57:04 I believe, for such a time as this. 57:06 Look, if you would like 57:07 to order copy of today's teaching. 57:10 You can order DVD, 57:11 you get all the PowerPoint, everything is there. 57:13 You can share with your friends, 57:14 share with your family. 57:15 I want to just insert this here. 57:17 If you go to our website 57:18 and we've been advertising our website all long the way 57:20 and I'm gonna insert it right here, 57:21 www.pmchurch.tv go to that website, 57:25 you get a podcast of this. 57:27 We have people now subscribing to podcast the world over. 57:31 It's time for this message to get out. 57:33 Thank you for your partnership and helping us do that. 57:36 Call one of our friendly operators, 57:37 it's a toll free number, it won't cost you a penny. 57:39 Here in North America 877-HIS-WILL, 57:42 you call that number. 57:43 I promise you, every penny that you share, 57:46 we will invest your generosity 57:49 in God's mission to reach this final generation now 57:53 Thank you very, very much. 57:54 And be assured, I'm looking forward 57:56 to seeing you here, right here again, next time, 57:59 as we continue our fascinating journey into "The Chosen." 58:04 God bless you. |
Revised 2015-07-13