Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP110610
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00:44 A mighty fortress is our God
00:50 A bulwark never failing 00:56 Our helper He, amid the flood 01:02 Of mortal ills prevailing 01:08 For still our ancient foe 01:14 Doth seek to work us woe 01:18 His craft and power are great 01:24 And armed with cruel hate 01:28 On earth is not his equal 01:36 Did we in our own strength confide 01:42 Our striving would be losing 01:48 Were not the right man on our side 01:54 The man of God's own choosing 02:00 Dost ask who that may be? 02:05 Christ Jesus, it is He 02:10 Lord Sabaoth His name 02:15 From age to age the same 02:20 And He must win the battle 02:30 And though this world, with devils filled 02:35 Should threaten to undo us 02:41 We will not fear, for God hath willed 02:48 His truth to triumph through us 02:54 The prince of darkness grim 02:59 We tremble not for him 03:04 His rage we can endure 03:09 For lo, his doom is sure 03:14 One little word shall fell him 03:22 That word above all earthly powers 03:28 No thanks to them, abideth 03:34 The Spirit and the gifts are ours 03:41 Through Him who with us sideth 03:47 Let goods and kindred go 03:52 This mortal life also 03:56 The body they may kill 04:01 God's truth abideth still 04:07 His kingdom is forever 04:25 In the secret, in the quiet place 04:32 In the stillness, You are there 04:38 In the secret, in the quiet hour 04:42 I wait only for You, 'cause I want to know You more 04:52 I want to know You, I want to hear Your voice 04:58 I want to know You more 05:05 I want to touch You 05:08 I want to see Your face 05:11 I want to know You more 05:18 I am reaching for the highest goal 05:24 That I might receive the prize 05:31 Pressing onward, pushing every hindrance aside 05:35 Out of my way, 'cause I want to know You more 05:44 I want to know You, I want to hear Your voice 05:50 I want to know You more 05:57 I want to touch You, I want to see Your face 06:03 I want to know You more 06:10 I want to know You, I want to hear Your voice 06:17 I want to know You more 06:23 I want to touch You, I want to see Your face 06:30 I want to know You more 11:03 Let's pray together. Oh, God, just the melody 11:09 of what we heard, sweeping us heavenward. 11:18 Kim's testimony just before this. 11:24 You are one awesome God 11:28 we are worshipping today. 11:30 If You're able to do that in the life of a skeptic, 11:35 turn her heart into a believer, 11:38 what can You do with all of us? 11:41 Be eternal now. Let Your power be manifested 11:47 in Holy Scripture as we plunge into this teaching. 11:51 We pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen. 11:57 Could it be that God is calling you and me to become 12:04 involved in the greatest revival 12:06 in the history of the human race? 12:13 493 years ago Sunday past, 12:19 a young German monk strode 12:23 through the red and yellow leaf-strewn village square 12:30 in his hometown perched on the side of the Elbe river. 12:36 In his eye a steely glint of determination, 12:42 clutched in his hand a freshly crafted, 12:46 by his own hand, document. 12:51 He strode to the bulletin board of the university 12:54 where he taught. It happened to be the door 12:59 to the campus church. And with hammer in hand, 13:05 he affixed into that wood his 95 theses, 13:12 95 challenges to the ruling 13:14 theology and church of the Dark and Middle Ages. 13:22 Little did he know that with every hammer blow, 13:28 he was igniting the spark 13:32 that would set ablaze the inferno 13:35 of what we still remember as the Protestant Reformation. 13:41 Few moments ago, we sang what became 13:44 the battle hymn of the Reformation. 13:47 Luther's own composition, "A mighty fortress is our God, 13:53 a bulwark never failing, our helper He amidst the flood 13:59 of mortal ills prevailing." 14:02 493 years ago, 14:07 a 130 years ago, a little woman, 14:13 5'2" tall was brooding one day 14:19 over the life ministry of this Martin Luther 14:23 and clutching a pen she began to spread 14:25 and inscribe in ink words 14:28 upon a manuscript that would eventually 14:31 become a part of that apocalyptic classic 14:34 "The Great Controversy." 14:36 Let me put the words on the screen for you. 14:39 "Precious was the message which Luther bore 14:41 to the eager crowds that hung upon his words. 14:46 Never before had such teachings fallen upon their ears. 14:50 The glad tidings of a Savior's love, 14:53 the assurance of pardon and peace through 14:55 His atoning blood, 14:56 rejoiced their hearts and inspired 14:58 within them an immortal hope. 15:00 At Wittenberg a light was kindled whose rays 15:03 should extend to the uttermost parts of the earth, 15:06 and which was this light to increase in brightness 15:08 to the close of time." 15:14 Could it be that the prophetic ministry 15:18 of that little woman named Ellen White 15:22 was raised up by God to play a pivotal role 15:26 in this Reformation that would extend 15:29 to the end of time and the return of Christ? 15:31 Could it be you and I have been called to have a part 15:37 in the greatest revival in the history of this planet. 15:42 Open your Bible with me, please, to some broad 15:45 stroked depictions of that revival. The Bible's last book, 15:51 the Book of Revelation. 15:52 You've got to see this for yourself. 15:54 Open your Bible, please. 15:55 Revelation Chapter 12. You didn't bring a Bible? 15:58 Grab that pew Bible in front of you. 16:00 You need to follow this. 16:02 Take a look at this painting 16:06 in the campus of the apocalypse. 16:07 Revelation Chapter 12. 16:10 If you grab the pew Bible, it will be page 829. 16:15 Those of you who're sitting up here, 16:16 glad to have you. 16:17 Look at the screens above and below, 16:19 you'll be able to follow along. 16:20 All right. 16:22 Revelation Chapter 12, 16:23 let's drop to the right bottom of that chapter. 16:25 Chapter 12:17. By the way, 16:28 I'm in the New King James Version, 16:29 which is the same translation as the pew Bible today. 16:33 Revelation 12:17, 16:34 "And the dragon was enraged with the woman." 16:37 Hit the pause button right there. Dragon, 16:39 who's this dragon? 16:40 Come on, you read the chapter, 16:43 you just drop back to verse 9 and you discover 16:44 that the great dragon was cast out of heaven 16:46 once upon a time, that serpent of old 16:48 called the devil and Satan. 16:50 It's the fallen rebel angel Lucifer. 16:53 Apocalyptic symbol, the dragon 16:55 and the dragon, read it again, verse 17, 16:57 "And the dragon was enraged with the woman." 17:01 Hit the pause button again. Who's this woman? 17:04 I'll tell you what, you spend a little time 17:05 in Revelation Chapter 12 17:06 and it becomes crystal clear the woman 17:09 represents the faithful of God 17:13 post Calvary in the history of Christianity. 17:16 That's who she is. 17:19 "And the dragon was enraged with the woman 17:21 and he went to make war 17:23 with the rest of her offspring," 17:24 moving to the very end of time. 17:28 The old King James calls it, "and the remnant." 17:30 I proceed. 17:32 "The dragon was enraged with the woman 17:34 and he went to make war 17:35 with the rest of her offspring." 17:36 Who are they? "Who keep," 17:37 number one, "the commandments of God" 17:40 and number two, 17:41 "who have the testimony of Jesus Christ." 17:45 Revelation Chapter 12 and stunning 17:47 apocalyptic symbolism describes the history 17:50 of Christianity post Calvary 17:52 all the way through to the end of time. 17:54 There will be a community at the end of time 17:57 that will be noted for its twin passions, 18:00 radical passion number one, obedience to the law of God, 18:03 His commandments, it would include the ten. 18:05 It would include the fourth commandment. 18:06 It will be, therefore, a Sabbatarian community. 18:09 Whatever community this is, twin passions. 18:12 Passion for radical obedience 18:13 to God's commandments and a passion for allegiance 18:17 to the testimony of Jesus Christ. 18:21 So what's this testimony of Jesus Christ business? 18:24 The phrase is used six times in the apocalypse. 18:28 What does it mean? 18:29 John doesn't leave us in the dark, 18:30 turn just a page, just a little page 18:32 farther to chapter 19. Chapter 19. 18:37 He's not gonna leave-- 18:38 He's not gonna leave us in the dark. 18:39 Chapter 19, drop down to verse 10. 18:42 There's been an angel messenger 18:43 that has been bringing to John the visions of the apocalypse. 18:49 He's been talking to that angel in these visions. 18:52 He now is so overwhelmed by this angelic being 18:55 that he responds by worshipping it. 18:58 Notice the response of the angel, 18:59 this should be verse 10. 19:00 "And I fell at his feet to worship him. 19:05 And he said to me-- But he said to me, 19:07 'See that you do not do that!'" 19:08 Oh, woah, we are both created beings, 19:11 we don't receive worship from each other. No, no no. 19:14 "See that you do not do that. 19:15 I am your fellow servant, and of your brothers 19:18 who have the testimony of Jesus." 19:20 Oh, there's that word. 19:21 "Worship God!" If you want to worship. 19:23 "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 19:29 That point is so critical, I wish you'd grab your 19:31 study guide that's in your worship bulletin today 19:34 and let's jot it down before we get past it. 19:36 Grab your study guide, 19:38 you have it in front of you there 19:39 in your worship bulletin. 19:41 You didn't get a study guide? Our ushers are coming your way. 19:44 All the way up in the balcony, 19:45 please, ushers. And those of you 19:46 in overflow just put your hand up, 19:48 we'll make sure we get a study guide to you as well. 19:52 By the way, I want to say to those of you 19:53 who are watching on television, we're delighted to have you. 19:56 You can have the same study guide. 19:57 Here's what you do. Go to our website, 19:59 I'll put it on the screen for you. 20:01 There it is, you see at the bottom of the screen 20:03 www.pmchurch.tv. 20:06 That's our website. 20:07 You're looking for the series entitled "The Gift." 20:10 All this semester we have been examining the gift. 20:12 The gift of prophecy from the gates 20:14 of the garden of Eden 20:15 all the way down, woven through Scripture, 20:16 to the very-- to the very end of time. 20:18 You're looking for "The Gift." This is part 7. By the way, 20:21 if you've missed any of the previous parts 20:23 right there at that website, you can get the podcast, 20:25 the videocast, everything's there waiting for you, 20:27 but you're looking for today's teaching 20:29 and it's entitled "Ellen White: How Did It Really Work." 20:33 Last week, in the midst of this series, 20:36 we plunged into a critical examination 20:38 of the life ministry of Ellen White. 20:39 We're going deeper today. 20:41 You've got to get the study guide, 20:42 you're gonna want this. Where you see study guide 20:45 underneath today's teaching, 20:48 click on there and you'll have the identical study guides. 20:50 So let's go. All right, everybody have it? 20:54 Hold your hand up, ushers still coming your way, 20:55 but we got to move. 20:57 Study guide. 20:58 The apocalypse declares, Revelation 12:17, 21:00 here it goes, 21:01 "The final community of God's faithful will be--" 21:03 Jot it down, please. Number one, 21:05 radically obedient, "radically obedient 21:08 to the commandments of God that would include 21:10 the fourth commandment about the seventh-day Sabbath." 21:13 You'd expect that in the community at the end of time. 21:17 And number two, radically loyal, 21:20 radically obedient to God's commands. 21:21 Number two, "Radically loyal to the testimony of Jesus." 21:26 So what's the testimony of Jesus? 21:27 We just looked at it in Revelation 19:10, 21:29 keep your pen moving. 21:30 "The testimony of Jesus' is 'the spirit of prophecy' 21:34 or the prophetic gift." 21:36 All right? 21:37 "Spirit of prophecy," write that in. 21:39 Whatever this testimony of Jesus is, 21:41 it is the spirit of prophecy or the prophetic gift. 21:43 You say, Dwight, I'm not sure about the prophetic gift part. 21:45 Let me assure you, 21:47 that's a correct interpretation. 21:48 In fact watch this, just turn, turn one more page, 21:51 maybe two pages in your translation 21:52 to the end of the Bible. 21:53 that would be Revelation:22, Poor John, 21:57 he is so enraptured by this celestial being, an angel, 22:04 that he repeats, he repeats what he was warned 22:07 not to do in chapter 19. 22:08 He falls down again to worship the angel 22:10 and the angel has to repeat what he told John in 19. 22:13 John's forgotten it already by chapter 22. 22:16 This would be in verse 9. 22:18 Then the angel, "Then he said to me," 22:21 here comes the repetition, 22:22 almost identical wording, except a slight change 22:25 and it's the slight change 22:26 that's a clue we're looking for. 22:28 And he, the angel, said to me, "See that you do not do that 22:31 for I am your fellow servant." 22:35 Now in 19, it said, I'm your fellow servant 22:37 of those who have the testimony of Jesus. 22:39 Now notice what he says, "I am your fellow servant 22:43 of your brothers the prophets, 22:46 and of those who keep the words this book. 22:48 Worship God." 22:49 See what's going on here? Over here, chapter 19, 22:52 he says, "Hey, listen, I'm of your fellow servants, 22:53 your brothers who had the testimony of Jesus." 22:56 Over here, he says, "I'm of your fellow servants, 22:58 your brothers, the prophets." 23:02 Absolutely clear that the testimony of Jesus 23:06 is linked to the ministry of a prophet. 23:09 In fact would you jot 23:10 that down, please, in your study guide? 23:11 Revelation 22:9 "The spirit of prophecy is manifested 23:16 through the ministry of a prophet." 23:18 Write that down. 23:19 How's this testimony of Jesus, 23:21 the spirit of prophecy thing work? 23:23 It works through a prophet, 23:24 through the ministry of a prophet. 23:25 Keep your pen moving, "Clearly, therefore, 23:28 God's final community of faithful on earth 23:32 will have the ministry of a prophet in their midst." 23:38 Jot that down. You say, "Okay, okay, Dwight, okay, 23:40 look, okay, so that's fine. Fact of the matter is 23:44 there are spiritual communities all over this planet 23:46 who boast the presence of a prophet in their midst. 23:48 So how in the world are you supposed to figure it out? 23:50 I mean, come on, some of these, 23:52 some of these manifestations 23:53 are in blatant contradiction to each other. 23:55 How could it possibly work?" 23:57 Yeah, it's a bright question, good question. 24:00 So how's a thinking mind to determine? 24:06 No wonder God makes this very unusual command. 24:10 You probably haven't read it before, 24:12 but he makes this command in the New Testament. 24:14 I need you to see this for yourself. 24:15 Don't just read it on the screen. 24:16 Let's just go back to the little book, 24:18 1 Thessalonians. 24:21 Because it's gonna take you so long 24:22 to find 1Thessalonians, you're gonna want to 24:23 read it off the screen, but don't do it. 24:25 Just force yourself to find it. You can do it. 24:28 You can do it. By the way, the page number-- 24:31 Now you wish you had the pew Bible, 24:33 it's page 796. All right, 24:36 1 Thessalonians, just a little tiny book. 24:38 Chapter 5, three in pair, it's just boom, 24:41 boom, boom, one-liners. Watch this. 24:44 Paul, the brilliant and mighty apostle writing here. 24:47 1 Thessalonians 5:19. 24:51 Paul writing, says, hey, Christians, 24:55 "Do not quench the Spirit." 24:58 Okay? The Spirit is gonna be at work, 25:00 moving among the community of faith, 25:02 don't throw water. You know, you try to put a fire out, 25:04 you throw water on it to quench it. 25:05 Don't throw water on what the Spirit is doing. 25:08 Let it go, watch the Spirit. 25:10 Verse 19. Here comes verse 20. 25:12 "Do not despise prophecies." 25:15 Don't despise them. Someone says, 25:18 if he were writing to us third millennials, 25:20 don't despise prophecies. 25:22 Finally, verse 21, "Test all things, 25:24 hold fast what is good." 25:29 Paul is saying, "Hey you, you third millennials, 25:33 watch out for your third millennial needs, 25:35 your skepticism that dismisses 25:37 all manifestations of the supernatural 25:40 as anti-intellectual or pseudo metaphysics. 25:43 No, don't you do that. 25:45 Test the manifestations, check them out, 25:48 see if they are right or wrong, and then follow your mind 25:52 and your heart holding on to what is good." 25:56 Yeah, but how am I supposed to know? 25:58 Come on, how am I supposed to know? 26:00 Did you know that there are four tests, 26:02 at least four tests given in Holy Scripture, 26:05 whereby we might determine the veracity, 26:08 or the lack thereof, of the gift of prophecy, 26:11 four tests. Because let's face it, 26:13 we're living in a time when there are a lot of quacks 26:15 and fakes out there. 26:17 Every time I go to Wal-Mart with Karen, 26:19 I love to get up to the checkout line 26:21 where she's doing the business transaction, 26:23 so I'm falling behind, because I want to check out, 26:26 you know, these supermarket tabloids. 26:29 The first thing I do is I make sure 26:30 none of you is nearby. 26:33 Once I'm sure 26:34 that you're not shopping in Wal-Mart today, 26:37 I pick that little thing, and I got to read this, 26:39 whoa, predictions for 2011, you got to be kidding me. 26:45 The world is filled with quacks and fakes. 26:49 We have to know. so there are four tests. 26:53 Here we go, fasten your seatbelt, 26:55 four tests that will separate 26:57 the authentic from the counterfeit, four tests. 27:01 Jot them down, let's go. Test number one, Isaiah 8:20, 27:04 "The word of the true prophet is in agreement 27:06 with the word of God." 27:11 In agreement. 27:13 The true prophet, the word will be 27:15 in agreement with the word of God. 27:16 Let's put it up on the screen. 27:17 I'm not gonna read the rest of the verses 27:18 out of Scripture, we've got to fly. 27:20 Let's put Isaiah 8:20 on the screen. 27:21 "To the law and to the testimony." 27:23 Now the law is the Torah, 27:26 people tend to think of this as the writings of Moses, 27:28 the testimony, technical word, 27:29 refers to the writings of the prophets, okay? 27:32 So "To the law and to the testimony. 27:34 If they do not speak according to this word, 27:37 it is because there is no light in them." 27:41 Gerhard Pfandl. 27:44 Put his words on the screen for you. 27:45 He wrote the book "Prophetic Gift." 27:47 You see his words there? 27:48 "Every true prophet," I like this. 27:50 "Every true prophet has made the writings of 27:52 previous prophets the benchmark." 27:54 I like that. "Every true prophet 27:56 makes the previous prophets the benchmark 27:58 for his or her own ministry." 28:02 The teaching of anybody who claims the gift of prophecy 28:05 must be judged by the objective standard 28:07 of the word of God. 28:08 You check it out right here. 28:10 If they do not agree here, there's no light in them. 28:14 You've got to match. 28:16 You got to be in agreement and harmony 28:18 with the objective standard of the word of God. 28:20 All right, that's test number one. 28:22 Here comes test number two, Jeremiah 28:8, 9 28:25 "The prediction of the true prophet comes true." 28:29 This is the one you and I are most familiar with. 28:31 Hey, did what he said come true? 28:33 Did what she say come true? 28:35 Immediately, that's how we determine 28:37 the authenticity of the gift. 28:40 In fact, let's put it on the screen, 28:41 Jeremiah Chapter 28, where God gives this test, 28:44 "The prophets who have been before me," 28:45 this is Jeremiah speaking, "and before you of old, 28:49 these prophets prophesied against many countries 28:51 and great kingdoms of war and disaster and pestilence." 28:55 But watch this, "As for the prophet 28:57 who prophesies of peace, 29:00 when the word of the prophet comes to pass, 29:02 the prophet will be known 29:04 as one whom the Lord has truly sent." 29:07 Yeah, we're familiar with that test, 29:09 but I have to tell you, 29:10 this test is a bit more complicated 29:13 than it first appears. 29:15 For example, Nostradamus, you ever heard of that 29:18 Parisian, that French physician? 29:22 Died in 1566. 29:24 Nostradamus supposedly predicted 29:27 the great fire of London in 1666 with his quatrain, 29:32 that's a little four line rhyme, a century earlier. 29:35 Let me read the quatrain to you. 29:37 "The blood of the just will be demanded of London 29:40 burnt by the fire in the year '66." 29:45 So does that make Nostradamus a prophet of God? 29:50 How about the Irish seer Cheiro? 29:53 Cheiro twice warned the journalist W.T.Stead 29:56 in 1894 and again in 1911 29:59 that he would drown in April 1912. 30:02 Twice he warned him. 30:04 W.T.Stead drowned in April 1912 30:08 for he was a passenger on the Titanic. 30:11 Does that make Cheiro a true prophet then? 30:15 How about Jeane Dixon, you ever heard of her? 30:17 Our own home-grown Jeane Dixon, 1956, 30:20 she predicted the election of a Democrat 30:22 as president of the United States in 1960, 30:25 but that he would be assassinated in office. 30:26 Guess what? 30:27 John Kennedy was elected president, a Democrat, 30:30 and was assassinated in office. 30:32 Does that make Jeane Dixon a true prophet of God? 30:36 No, God says to Moses in Deuteronomy, 30:38 no, no, no, no, hold on. 30:40 We're not gonna look this up, 30:41 but you need to write this down. 30:42 Deuteronomy 13:1-4, you check it out later, 30:45 declares, you see this in the study guide, 30:47 that test number two, 30:49 making a correct prediction 30:50 is only valid if test number one is true 30:54 that the prophet is speaking in harmony, 30:56 total agreement with the word of God. 30:58 In other words, here's where you fill it in, 31:00 "Fulfilled predictions must be matched 31:02 by the prophet's genuine harmony." 31:06 Harmony with God's word. All right? 31:10 Look, the devil himself can make predictions 31:12 and he can make his predictions come true, can't he? 31:15 Yeah, so you don't want to just make predictions, 31:17 kind of your benchmark line for interpreting 31:19 the gift of prophecy. 31:21 All right, test number three, let's go, 1 John 4:1, 2 31:24 "The focus of the true prophet 31:26 is on the truth about Jesus Christ." 31:29 Would you write that down, please? 31:31 The truth of Jesus Christ. 31:34 If this prophet is genuine, the prophet will be focusing 31:37 on the truth of Christ. Is that really in the Bible? 31:39 Sure it is. Just put it up, 1 John 4:1 31:42 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, 31:45 but test," here it goes, Paul tells us to test. 31:48 John comes along and says you got to test it, 31:50 use your brains, you got a bright IQ, use it. 31:53 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit 31:54 but test the spirits, whether they are of God, 31:57 because many false prophets," 31:59 that's the big deal, "false prophets 32:01 have gone out into the world." Now watch this. 32:03 "By this you know the Spirit of God: 32:06 Every spirit that confesses 32:08 that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God." 32:15 Keep your pen moving, 32:16 "no wonder revelation defines the endtime manifestation 32:20 of the 'spirit of prophecy' as the 'testimony of Jesus.'" 32:24 It's got to be. Any genuine gift of the end of time 32:27 has to be saturated with Jesus Christ. 32:30 In fact that's the next one, 32:31 jot it down, "A genuine prophet at the end of time 32:33 will be saturated," write in the word "saturated". 32:36 "Will be saturated with the truth about Jesus 32:38 that He is the incarnated God, 32:40 that He is the atoning Savior, 32:42 that He is the mediating High Priest, 32:44 that He is the divine Judge, 32:45 and that He is the soon coming Deliverer." 32:48 Four tests, four tests and you got to put 32:51 all four up. Here comes number 4, the last one. 32:54 Matthew 7: 15-20. We spent some time 32:58 with this last week actually. 33:00 By the way if you weren't here for last week's teaching, 33:02 you've got to get it. It's just a series of stories, 33:05 get a hold of last week's podcast, videocast. 33:08 All right. 33:10 Fill this one out. Here's test number four. 33:11 "The life and influence of the true prophet 33:13 demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit of Jesus." 33:19 They call this the orchard test. 33:21 I like that. 33:22 The orchard test. What kind of fruit 33:24 is growing on this tree? 33:26 Somebody just make that up? No, are you kidding? 33:28 From the sermon on the mountain. 33:29 Jesus himself made it up. 33:30 Jesus himself calls us to exercise test number four, 33:35 these are the words of jesus in sermon on the mountain, 33:37 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you 33:40 in sheep's clothing but inwardly 33:41 they are ravenous wolves. 33:44 You will know them by their fruit." 33:46 Jesus goes on, "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit 33:49 nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 33:52 Therefore, by their fruits you will know them." 33:58 Would you jot it down, please? A prophetic ministry 34:00 that bears the fruits of the Spirit demonstrates 34:03 its divine authority 34:05 and corroborates its divine calling, 34:09 has God's fingerprints all over it. 34:11 If it's bearing the fruits of the Spirit, 34:13 divine fingerprints all over it. 34:15 How did Jesus put it? 34:16 "Therefore by their fruits you shall know them." 34:20 Okay, so Ellen White, let's talk about her now. 34:24 How does she measure up 34:27 this 19th and early 20th century wife, 34:31 who was a mother, who was a homemaker, 34:33 who was a visionary, who was a church leader, 34:36 who was a public speaker, who was an intrepid traveler, 34:38 who was an institutional builder, 34:40 who was a best-selling 34:41 and most translated American author in history, 34:43 how does her prophetic life ministry stand up 34:46 to these four compelling tests 34:49 of the genuine gift of prophecy? 34:54 Let's find out. But before we do, 34:56 I need to share something fascinating. 34:58 This is gonna-- You're gonna say "Wow." 35:02 Watch this, George Barna, 35:06 have you ever heard of George Barna? 35:08 The celebrated Christian demographer? 35:10 I think most everybody knows George Barna. 35:12 So I subscribed to his newsletter. 35:14 So I'm reading his newsletter, and I'm reading, 35:17 he's conducting a survey in this newsletter 35:19 because he's big on surveys. 35:21 It's a survey of American clergy to determine 35:23 what pastors considered the most influential authors 35:26 and the most helpful books they had read. 35:29 So he's going through all of this, 35:30 I'm reading the newsletter. 35:32 And then Barna shares his discovery, 35:35 that for pastors, now listen to this, 35:37 pastors underthe age of 40, 35:39 that would be most of you, you're not pastors 35:41 but under the age of 40, 35:43 for pastors under the age of 40, 35:47 he found out what they were reading. 35:48 This will catch you by surprise. I'll put-- 35:50 I don't want you to take my words for it, 35:51 we'll put it on the screen. And in your study guide 35:53 you have the website address, 35:55 you can check it out for yourself. 35:56 "The under-40 pastors championed," 36:00 isn't this is interesting? 36:01 "Championed several authors who are not ranked highly 36:05 by older church leaders. Those authors included 36:08 business consultant James Collins." 36:10 You've heard of Jim Collins, good to great, all right. 36:14 "Seminary professor Thom Rainer, 36:16 19th century Seventh-day Adventist icon Ellen White, 36:22 and Pastor John Ortberg." 36:24 Isn't that amazing? 36:27 A national survey of all denominations, 36:30 a national survey of pastors under the age of 40 discovers 36:35 that this little 5'2" woman's life ministry 36:40 is continuing to bear fruits in the third millennium. 36:47 Isn't that amazing? 36:52 But as we apply these four tests, 36:54 I wish you'd keep in mind 36:56 that Ellen White never called herself a prophet. 37:01 Put it on the screen for you, you need to fill this in. 37:03 She's writing here, "Others," she writes, 37:05 "have called me a prophetess, 37:07 but I have never assumed that title. 37:09 I have not felt that it was my duty 37:11 thus to designate myself. 37:13 I regard myself as a messenger," write that in. 37:17 "I regard myself as a messenger 37:19 entrusted by the Lord with messages for His people." 37:24 Ladies and gentlemen, she did not seek 37:25 the prophetic office. You can't find one prophet, 37:28 genuine prophet whoever sought the job. 37:31 If you knew what went into the job, 37:32 you would never ask for the job. 37:35 She never flaunted her spiritual gift, 37:37 she never boasted of her calling. 37:40 Quite the contrary. 37:41 Listen to this, 17, she's just days into being 17 37:47 and she is wrestling with this overwhelming 37:50 sense of inadequacy, 37:52 sensing God's call to prophetic ministry 37:54 and she is pleading with God, "Release me from this ministry, 37:58 please. You can't be-- You can't be serious." 38:00 These are her words. 38:01 Put it on the screen for you, "In my second vision, 38:05 about a week after the first," 38:09 she's just 17 by 3 weeks old, 38:11 she's 17 plus 3 weeks. 38:14 "In my second vision about a week after the first, 38:16 the Lord gave me a view of the trials 38:19 through which I must pass, 38:20 and told me that I must go and relate to others 38:22 what He had revealed to me. 38:24 It was shown me that my labors would meet 38:27 with great opposition." If she only knew. 38:32 "And that my heart would be rent with anguish, 38:37 but that the grace of God 38:38 would be sufficient to sustain me through all, 38:40 for several days, and far into the night, 38:43 I prayed that this burden might be removed from me 38:45 and laid upon someone more capable of bearing it. 38:48 But the light of duty did not change, 38:50 and the words of the angel sounded continually in my ears, 38:54 'Make known to others what I have revealed to you.'" 39:01 And so this 17-year-old girl resolves 39:04 that by the grace of God, 39:06 she would be faithful to His life calling 39:07 for the rest of her life, a 70-year life ministry, 39:12 from the age of 17 to 87. 39:18 So does Ellen White pass the four tests 39:21 of a genuine prophet? 39:22 Let's find out, all right? Test number one, 39:25 what's test number one? 39:26 Remember, Isaiah 8:20, "The word of the true prophet 39:28 is in agreement with the word of God." 39:31 Let's find out. So I brought a couple of her classics 39:35 into the pulpit with me. 39:37 I want to-- I want to show you the Scripture index 39:41 that appears in the back of most of her books. 39:44 This first one, and I want a camera 39:46 to come on up here, please. 39:47 This, this first book is the classic, classic for me, 39:50 the greatest book I've ever read on the life of Christ. 39:53 I've read numerous books on the life of Jesus, 39:55 but this is the "Desire of Ages." 39:56 All right? So what I want to show you 39:58 and I want you to watch the screen, don't watch me, 39:59 watch the screen. I'm gonna take you 40:01 to the Scripture index, 40:02 these appear-- I don't know how many times 40:04 I've read this book. 40:05 It's just a powerful, powerful book, but I'm gonna 40:07 take you all the way to the back. Okay, 40:10 here it is, here it is, watch this, okay. 40:12 Can you see this? 40:13 Can you see the word 40:14 "scriptural index," can see that? 40:16 All right, look, what follows are all quoted 40:20 references to Holy Scripture, 40:22 these are not allusions. That number would be, 40:26 who knows? These are just direct quotes. 40:29 So I decided, okay, I'm gonna count them. And so I went, 40:32 I said, okay, here and here and here, all right. Whoa, 40:35 here, here, here, here. Then I counted 40:38 this column right here, I said, okay, 40:39 let me just take an average column, 40:40 let's just say I got 40 in this. 40:42 I multiplied the columns, 40:44 960 scriptural quotations in this single book. 40:52 I'm gonna show you another book, 40:53 this book is this classic this apocalyptic classic, 40:57 "The Great Controversy." I want to show you 40:59 whereas in here-- I want to show you the same. 41:03 All right, so you've got the Scripture index right here. 41:05 By the way, I want to say much more about this book, 41:08 this one next week when we look at the critics. 41:11 Next week, this one, all right. 41:13 So here they are, here we go, here we go, here we go, 41:15 they're here, here, here, here, 41:16 and you see my scribbling's up here, 41:18 there's something on the back, but I said, 41:19 okay, 15 times 40, 600 plus 90 on the back, 41:21 690 Scripture quotations in these 2 classics. 41:28 What's test number one? 41:32 That the true prophet will speak in harmony 41:34 with the word of God. 41:36 This is from "The Great Controversy." 41:38 Thank you very much. 41:39 This is from "The Great Controversy," 41:40 the introduction to "The Great Controversy" 41:45 and I'll put it on the screen for you, 41:46 she wrote these words. 41:47 "The Spirit was not given," you see that on the screen? 41:49 "The Spirit was not given, nor can it ever be bestowed 41:54 to supersede the Bible, for the Scriptures 41:59 explicitly state that the word of God 42:02 is the standard by which 42:03 all teaching and experience must be tested." 42:07 You always go to the word, the bedrock, 42:10 bottomline standard by which everything-- 42:12 By the way, every spiritual gift, 42:13 not just the gift of prophecy, 42:14 every spiritual gift, speaking in tongues, 42:17 healing, everything, it has to be tested 42:20 by the holy word of God. 42:22 I tell you what, there is no false prophet 42:24 in the history of the world 42:25 who would subordinate his teaching 42:26 or his writings to the absolute authority 42:28 of the word of God. 42:29 Like that statement just does. 42:32 Everything, every, everything subliminally, 42:36 subordinated rather to Holy Scripture. 42:38 All right, that's test number one. 42:40 Test number two, what's test number two? 42:42 Jeremiah 28:8, 9 42:43 "The prediction of the prophet comes true." 42:48 All right, September, September 1, 1902, 42:51 Ellen White wrote these words. 42:52 I'll put it on the screen for you. 42:55 September 1, 1902, 42:58 "Well equipped tent meetings should be held 43:00 in the large cities, such as San Francisco, 43:03 for not long hence these cities will suffer 43:05 under the judgments of God. 43:07 San Francisco and Oakland are becoming 43:11 as Sodom and Gomorrah, 43:12 and the Lord will visit them in wrath." 43:17 All right? 4 years later, 4 years later, 43:20 on April 16, 1906, she received a vision, 43:24 here's her description of the vision, 43:26 put it on the screen. 43:27 "While at Loma Linda, California," 43:28 perhaps you've heard of that place. 43:31 "While at Loma Linda, California," 43:32 where our medical university is, 43:35 "April 16, 1906, there passed before me 43:39 a most distressing representation. 43:41 During a vision of the night, 43:42 I stood on an eminence," 43:44 okay, some kind of outcropping upon a hill. 43:47 "I stood on an eminence from which I could see 43:49 houses shaking like a reed in the wind. 43:52 Buildings great and small were falling to the ground. 43:54 Pleasure resorts, theaters, hotels, 43:56 and the homes of the wealthy were shaken and shattered. 43:58 Many lives were blotted out of existence, 44:00 and the air was filled with the shrieks 44:02 of the injured and the terrified." 44:05 2 days later, at 5:12 in the morning April 18, 1906, 44:11 a 270 mile section of the San Andreas Fault slipped, 44:15 generating a massive 7.7 to 7.9 magnitude earthquake 44:20 that destroyed the mighty sea port of San Francisco. 44:25 I'll put a picture. Can you believe they have 44:27 black and white pictures? That's the city right there, 44:30 went to Google and got that picture. 44:33 While that picture's up, I need to tell you, 44:34 property loss was measured 44:35 at a rate of one million dollars 44:37 every 10 minutes and this is a century ago. 44:40 One million dollar losses every 10 minutes, 44:43 for greater far than the earthquake devastation 44:45 were the raging fires that swept the city. 44:48 The loss of human life was numbing, 44:51 telegraph lines went wild 44:52 and the rumors began to spread 'Chicago is in flames. 44:55 New York City has been destroyed by a tidal wave." 44:57 It was the panic of doomsday. 45:07 Let me share another prediction with you. 1890, 45:12 some of you historians know this to be true, 45:14 in 1890s here in the United States, 45:16 there was a prevailing "millennial fever," 45:20 kind of a self-confident, collective spirit 45:24 that our nation and that our world were 45:26 on the eve of a millennial age 45:28 of peace and prosperity, 1890. 45:34 In an utterly counter-cultural 45:37 and counter-social way, Ellen White picked up a pen 45:43 and wrote one of her most sobering predictions, 45:45 these words appeared in 45:46 "Signs of the Times" magazine, April 21, 1890, 45:49 put it on the screen for you. 45:51 "The tempest is coming, and we must get ready 45:55 for its fury by having repentance toward God 45:57 and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 46:00 The Lord will arise to shake terribly the earth. 46:02 We shall see troubles on all sides. 46:04 Thousands of ships will be hurled 46:06 into the depths of the sea. 46:07 Navies will go down, 46:09 and human lives will be sacrificed by millions. 46:12 Fires will break out unexpectedly, 46:15 and no human effort will be able to quench them. 46:18 The palaces of earth will be swept away 46:20 in the fury of the flames. 46:21 Disasters by rail will become more and more frequent. 46:24 Confusion, collision and death 46:27 without a moment's warning will occur 46:28 on the great lines of travel. 46:31 The end is near, probation is closing. 46:33 Oh, let us seek God while he may be found, 46:35 call upon Him while He is near." 46:38 And of course nobody had a clue, an inkling 46:42 that the facade of impending millennial peace 46:44 would be shattered by World War I in 20 years. 46:48 And after World War I, 30 years later, World War 2, 46:52 entire Navies were sunk, 46:55 millions upon millions perished, 46:57 death on the great lines of travel. 46:59 Who'd have thought that automobile deaths 47:02 would number eventually half a million a year? 47:06 Well, it's true that the dominant work of a prophet 47:10 is not foretelling, but it is rather forth telling. 47:15 Prophets don't spend their time 47:16 trying to come up with predictions. 47:17 No. 47:18 The dominant work is not foretelling, 47:19 it's forth telling, it's giving nurture, 47:22 it's giving guidance, it's giving warning, 47:23 it's giving exhortation, leadership. 47:26 While it's true that forth telling 47:29 is the dominant work, 47:30 the fact of the matter is that nothing grabs 47:33 the human attention more powerfully 47:36 than a prediction come true. 47:39 And it could be that the prophet speaks about God 47:43 and what the prophet speaks I should be obeying. 47:50 Test number three, 1 John 4: 1-2 47:52 "The focus of the true prophet 47:54 is on the truth about Jesus Christ." 47:57 I testified last week that of all the authors 48:00 I've read in my lifetime, 48:01 none has been more Christocentric, 48:03 more Jesus focused than Ellen White. 48:06 But then, we probably ought not to be surprised 48:08 since the apocalypse describes the gift of prophesy 48:10 at the end of time as the testimony of Jesus Christ. 48:13 No surprise. My friend Merlin Burt 48:17 who is the director here on campus at Andrews University, 48:20 Director of the Center for Adventist Research, 48:23 has been a tremendous help. 48:25 As I've been doing my researching and reading, 48:28 I've had conversations with him 48:29 and he shared with me a paper 48:31 that he read this July in Europe. 48:34 I want to read a line, 48:35 I'll put it up on the screen for you. 48:37 Merlin Burt, "If it is true that Jesus 48:40 gave His own testimony through the prophetic gift 48:43 as explained by John in Revelation, 48:46 then it is imperative that we listen. 48:51 The 'testimony of Jesus,' as revelation calls it, 48:54 "'the testimony of Jesus' brings us redemption 48:57 and by His loving guidance in a world broken by sin 49:02 and suffering." 49:04 It brings redemption, it brings loving guidance 49:06 in this dysfunctional and broken world 49:09 in which we live. 49:13 Merlin shared with me, as he calls it 49:15 one of Ellen White's most touching 49:17 and spiritually compelling letters, 49:18 it was written to her twin sister. 49:20 We learned about her twin last week. 49:21 Her name is Elizabeth, they called her Lizzy. 49:24 Most of her adult life she was not even a Christian. 49:27 She's dying, this is the year that she dies. 49:30 Ellen writes to Lizzy, the letter was-- 49:34 the letter was never published 49:35 and it was intended to be personal. 49:39 I'm gonna read a line or two from that letter. 49:41 Put it on the screen for you. 49:42 "Dear Lizzie," and then a few lines go by, 49:44 let's pick it up. 49:45 "I love to speak of Jesus and His matchless love 49:50 and my whole soul is in this work. 49:53 I have not one doubt of the love God and His care 49:56 and His mercy and ability to save to the utmost all 50:00 who come to Him. 50:02 Don't you believe in Jesus, Lizzy? 50:04 Do you not believe He is your Savior? 50:07 That He has evidenced His love for you 50:09 in giving His own precious life that you might be saved? 50:12 I pray most earnestly that the Lord Jesus 50:15 shall reveal Himself to you and Reuben. 50:17 Dear sister, it is no wonderful thing 50:20 that you have to do," 50:21 some spectacular act that you have to perform. 50:23 No, no, no, no. "But there is One who died 50:27 that you might live through eternal ages. 50:29 Just believe that Jesus will hear your confession, 50:32 receive your penitence, and forgive every sin 50:35 and make you children of God. 50:37 I long to take you in my arms and lay you 50:41 on the bosom of Jesus Christ. 50:46 With Jesus as your blessed friend 50:49 you need not fear to die, for it will be to you like 50:52 closing your eyes here and opening them in heaven. 50:55 Then we shall meet never more to part." 51:04 Test number four, Mathew 7:15-20, 51:08 "The life and influence of the true prophet 51:10 demonstrates the fruits of the Spirit of Jesus." 51:14 Okay, look, here's the question. 51:16 Was Ellen White perfect? Was she flawless? 51:19 Was she sinless? Hardly. 51:23 She made mistakes, she had character weaknesses, 51:27 she was fallible and we're going to examine 51:28 that fallibility in a special way next week. 51:32 But the trend of her life was such that upon her death, 51:36 a newspaper, okay, this is not a church paper, 51:38 this is a city newspaper commenting on her death, 51:42 The "St. Helena Star" near where she died, 51:45 the "St. Helena Star" carried the story entitled 51:47 "Called to her reward" on July 23, 1915. 51:50 I'll put the words on the screen for you. 51:52 "The life of Mrs. White is an example worthy 51:57 of emulation by all. 52:00 She was a humble, devout disciple of Christ 52:02 and ever went about doing good. 52:04 Her death marks the calling of another noted 52:06 leader of religious thought 52:08 and one who is almost 90 years 52:10 were full to overflowing with good deeds, 52:14 kind words and earnest prayers for all mankind." 52:19 How did Jesus put it? 52:20 "By their fruits you will know them." 52:27 493 years ago today, the Protestant Reformation 52:32 was ignited by Martin Luther. Nearly 500 years later, 52:37 the Reformation still goes on. 52:39 In her apocalyptic classic "Great Controversy," 52:42 she writes, "The Reformation did not 52:45 as many suppose end with Luther. 52:47 It is to be continued to the close 52:48 of this world's history. 52:50 Luther had a great work to do in reflecting to others 52:52 the light which God had permitted to shine upon him, 52:55 yet he did not receive all the light 52:57 which was to be given to the world. 52:59 From that time to this, new light has been continually 53:02 shining upon the Scriptures, 53:03 and new truths have been constantly unfolding." 53:07 Thus it is that the apocalypse predicts 53:09 that at the end of time 53:10 God would raise up a community of faithful, 53:14 whose mission would be to take that truth 53:18 to an entire generation 53:20 just before the return of Christ. 53:22 And the same apocalypse, by the way, predicts 53:24 that to assist in that mission there would be raised up 53:28 within that community someone with the prophetic gift 53:34 to point the church 53:36 and the world to Jesus Christ Himself. 53:39 I believe that Ellen White was that messenger of God 53:45 and I believe that her life ministry fulfils 53:48 the four biblical tests for the authenticity 53:52 of the gift of prophecy. 53:54 You say, "Ah, but, Dwight, what about those who-- 53:55 what about those who don't believe?" 53:59 I'm aware. Next week we'll deal with the critics. 54:03 Don't miss next week, please. 54:06 But right now, it's just you and me, 54:08 all I can ask of you is that you taste the fruits 54:12 of her ministry for yourself. 54:15 Read her writings, and I believe... 54:23 that if you do, you will believe as well. 54:31 Stand with me. Let's sing that chorus. 54:36 Turn your eyes upon Jesus, 54:39 look full in His wonderful face, 54:42 and the things of earth will grow strangely dim 54:46 in the light of His glory and grace. 54:58 Turn your eyes upon Jesus 55:07 Look full in His wonderful face 55:16 And the things of earth 55:20 Will grow strangely dim 55:27 In the light of His glory and grace 55:39 Let's sing it one more time even quiter. 55:41 Turn your eyes upon Jesus 55:52 Look full in His wonderful face 56:03 And the things of earth 56:09 Will grow strangely dim 56:16 In the light of His glory and grace 56:30 Holy Father, that's why You gave 56:33 the testimony of Jesus Christ 56:37 so that in reading we might turn our eyes upon Jesus. 56:42 Holy God, please in this hour of earth's history, 56:48 lift our gaze higher and higher and higher 56:52 and lock us on the face of our Savior 56:58 in whose name we pray. 57:01 Amen. 57:17 This little classic was a God-sent to me 57:19 when I hit rock bottom spiritually 57:21 as a graduate student on this campus years ago. 57:24 The title became a self- fulfilling prophecy, 57:26 "Steps to Christ," 57:28 because that's precisely what I discovered 57:30 in the short but inspiring, and for me, life changing book. 57:34 And I'd love for you to experience the same, 57:36 which is why we're setting aside a few of these books 57:38 for our viewing friends. 57:39 If you'd like your own copy of "Steps to Christ," 57:42 call our toll free number 877-His-Will. 57:45 Just punch those two words, His-Will on your keyboard, 57:47 877-His-Will, and ask for the book. 57:50 If you want it in Spanish, ask for it. 57:52 It's one of the most translated books in the world. 57:54 Our friendly operators are standing by 24x7 57:57 to assist you and will get the book to you 57:58 as soon as possible, straight to your address. 58:01 So why not go to the phone right now, 58:02 and see if your walk with Jesus 58:04 isn't deepened by this spiritual classic. 58:06 It's our gift to you. 58:08 Until I see you again next time, 58:10 may you sense the living Christ 58:12 walking beside you every step of the way. |
Revised 2014-12-17