Participants: Dwight K Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP160102A
|
00:08 Good morning, church.
00:10 Good morning. 00:11 And it gives me great joy to wish you 00:14 of course a happy Sabbath and also a happy New Year 00:17 on this first Sabbath of 2016, I've been practicing. 00:22 I'm gonna invite you to join me 00:24 in reading responsively the call to worship, 00:27 found on page 8 of your bulletin. 00:31 So we'll begin, "Gather us into this New Year, 00:35 oh, God of the ages. 00:38 The scattered, the lonely, 00:40 the lost look to you for your need. 00:44 Bring us together from far and from near. 00:48 Let us hear the voice of our Christ 00:50 and we will rejoice and be satisfied." 00:56 Let's stand for a prayer. 01:04 Holy Father, on the cusp of this New Year 01:06 in an uncharted voyage just hours old. 01:10 We gather from across, 01:12 a chilly landscape to worship You. 01:16 In this time I sustain You as the best certainty 01:19 such confusing uncertainty. 01:22 Our souls are hungry for hope, for security, for assurance. 01:28 That's why we sing to You now the words of that ancient hymn, 01:32 Oh, God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, 01:37 our shelter from the stormy blast 01:39 and our eternal home. 01:42 Hear our prayer, 01:43 receive our worship through Christ our Savior 01:46 in whom we are hidden and in whose cross 01:49 we find our hiding place. 01:52 In the name of Jesus we pray, amen. 02:30 Lift high the cross 02:33 The love of Christ proclaim 02:38 Till all the world adore 02:43 His sacred name 02:47 Come, Christians, follow 02:51 Where our Captain trod 02:54 Our King victorious 02:59 Christ, the Son of God 03:04 Lift high the cross 03:08 The love of Christ proclaim 03:12 Till all the world adore 03:17 His sacred name 03:22 Led on their way by this triumphant sign 03:30 The hosts of God 03:33 In conqu'ring ranks combine 03:39 Lift high the cross 03:43 The love of Christ proclaim 03:48 Till all the world adore 03:53 His sacred name 03:58 All newborn soldiers 04:02 Of the Crucified 04:05 Bear on their brows 04:10 The seal of Him who died 04:16 Lift high the cross 04:20 The love of Christ proclaim 04:24 Till all the world adore 04:30 His sacred name 04:34 O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree 04:42 As Thou has promised 04:48 Draw us all to Thee 04:53 Lift high the cross 04:57 The love of Christ proclaim 05:01 Till all the world adore 05:07 His sacred name 05:11 So shall our song 05:15 Of triumph ever be 05:20 Praise to the Crucified 05:26 For victory! 05:30 Lift high the cross 05:34 The love of Christ proclaim 05:39 Till all the world adore 05:45 His sacred name 06:12 In the morning 06:15 When I rise in the morning 06:21 When I rise in the morning 06:27 When I rise 06:30 Give me Jesus 06:38 I'd rather have Jesus 06:43 Than silver or gold 06:48 I'd rather be His 06:52 Than have riches untold 06:58 I'd rather have Jesus 07:03 Than houses or land 07:08 I'd rather be led 07:13 By His nail pierced hand 07:20 Give me Jesus 07:27 Give me Jesus 07:34 You can have all this world 07:41 Give me 07:43 Jesus 07:50 Just about the break of day 07:57 Just about the break of day 08:04 Just about the break of day 08:12 Give me Jesus 08:20 He's fairer than lilies 08:25 Of rarest bloom 08:30 He's sweeter than honey 08:35 From out the comb 08:40 He's all that my 08:43 Hungering spirit needs 08:50 I'd rather have Jesus 08:55 And let Him lead 09:01 Than to be the king 09:06 Of a vast domain 09:11 Or be held 09:14 In sin's dread sway 09:22 I'd rather have Jesus 09:27 Than anything 09:33 This world affords 09:39 Today 09:45 You can have 09:49 All this world 09:54 Just give me 09:57 Jesus 10:11 Thank you, Ryan. 10:14 Oh, thank you Ryan Clough. 10:18 What a beautiful New Year's prayer, 10:20 "Give me Jesus, I'd rather have Jesus". 10:24 Just the prayer to be praying as we begin a new year. 10:27 Can you believe this, boys and girls, 10:28 the New Year is here 10:30 but I have a hard time remembering New Years, 10:32 the number. 10:34 Does anybody know the number of this New Year? 10:36 Because it's kind of hard to remember. 10:38 What would the number be? 10:40 2016. 10:42 That's it, you got it. 10:44 Thanks for the reminder, 2016 already. 10:48 And I got the perfect story for us from my friend, 10:52 oh, we have to be quiet, we have to be quiet 10:55 and not wave at each other during the children story. 10:59 My friend Milke send me the story. 11:01 This happened just a few days ago. 11:03 Yup. 11:04 Britain was so excited, the United Kingdom, 11:07 they finally... 11:08 Oh, what a joyful moment, 11:10 they were sending an astronaut just last month in December, 11:13 they sent an astronaut into outer space 11:16 on a Russian rocket from Kazakhstan. 11:20 His name, Timothy Peake. 11:24 And it was perfectly timed 11:25 because right as the rocket reached the height, 11:28 it made contact with the International Space Station, 11:32 ISS where scientists are living in that space station 11:37 and they are doing research and test. 11:39 Oh, and he was so excited, 11:41 let's see a picture of Timothy Peake, 11:42 42 years old. 11:43 Come on, let's see that famous... 11:45 Oh, there he is. Doesn't he look happy? 11:47 Look at, he's floating, 11:48 he's just floating in outer space. 11:52 And you know what he was, you know, 11:53 I really had him excited though was that he on Christmas Eve 11:56 just a few days ago, he said, 11:58 "I'm going to call home to my family and surprise them, 12:01 they don't know this. 12:03 I'm going to call them on Christmas Eve 12:04 from outer space." 12:05 In that picture he's traveling five miles a second. 12:08 Every 90 minutes he goes around the earth 12:10 in that International Space Station. 12:13 So he said, "Okay." 12:15 Christmas Eve, were you here for Christmas Eve? 12:17 Were you here in Berrien Springs? 12:19 You went somewhere, okay, wherever you were, 12:20 he was farther. 12:22 So he's there, Christmas Eve, he said, "Okay, 12:24 give me that big space phone." 12:25 So they gave him the space phone, 12:27 he picked it up, 12:29 he said, "All right, now I got to dial my home phone." 12:34 I don't know if there's extra area codes 12:36 when you dial from outer space but... 12:39 Tuck the number in, ring, ring. 12:42 Who is it? This gonna be it, they're gonna be so surprised. 12:45 "Hello." It was a woman's voice. 12:49 "Hello." 12:52 He said, "Wait a minute, that's not my wife." 12:55 "Hello." 12:57 He said, "That's not my mother. That's not my mother-in-law. 13:01 Who is that?" 13:03 He was so flustered at that moment. 13:06 He said, the first thing that came to his mind, he said, 13:09 "Hello, is this planet earth?" 13:16 It was. 13:18 It was a little 79 year old lady in England 13:20 named Beverly Barker, 13:23 who thought, you know what, this is my neighbors again. 13:25 They've been in the pub. 13:27 They're pulling a little Christmas Eve trick on me. 13:29 What does he want to know, is this planet earth? 13:30 I got the right answer for him so she said to him, 13:32 "No, it is not." 13:36 And then she hung up the phone. 13:40 Poor, embarrassed Timothy Peake. 13:42 He quickly went to his Twitter 13:44 and he said, "I'm gonna tweet this message to Earth 13:46 and so let's put a picture of it on the screen 13:48 he tweeted to earth." 13:50 I'd like to apologize to the lady 13:51 I just called by mistake saying, 13:53 "Hello, is this planet Earth?" 13:55 That was not a prank call, just a wrong number." 14:00 Hey, listen, if you guys ever going to space, 14:02 if time should last long enough and you become an astronaut, 14:04 here's a rule about calling from space, 14:05 just get this in your mind, 14:07 always remember your home phone number 14:09 and dial the right one. 14:13 Hey somebody else lives in outer space. 14:14 Who lives in outer space? 14:15 What's His name? 14:17 Jesus and how do we call Jesus? 14:18 Does anybody have His number? 14:20 I got it for you right here, 14:21 J-E-S-U-S 14:28 and what does that spell? 14:29 Jesus. 14:30 Jesus, when you... 14:32 I have good news for you, you can get the spelling wrong. 14:34 You can get the number wrong, but every time you call Jesus. 14:37 Guess, who answers the phone? 14:38 Jesus answers the phone. 14:40 He will never this New Year hang up on you 14:42 ever, ever, ever. 14:44 What a wonderful, wonderful Savior. 14:47 Oh, you got to call Jesus every day, 14:49 call Him every single day, 14:50 He can hardly wait for you to call. 14:52 He's in outer space, and you're here 14:53 and He'll hear you just perfect. 14:56 Who would like to thank Jesus for being that Lord, 14:59 I need somebody near the front. 15:00 Who would like to thank Jesus for being that Lord 15:02 who can hear us from outer space any time? 15:04 Cissy, you got picked. 15:06 Let's fold our... 15:07 What's your first name? 15:09 Chrissie. 15:10 Ah, Chrissie, that's my little girl's name. 15:13 Let's fold our hands and close our eyes 15:16 as Chrissie thanks Jesus for being our Savior, Chrissie? 15:18 Dear Jesus, thank You for today, 15:21 thank You for your wonderful world, amen. 15:23 Amen. Thank you, Chrissie, the perfect prayer. 15:26 As you go back to your seats, you say that to Jesus, 15:29 thank You, thank You, thank You. 15:31 J-E-S-U-S, Happy New Year to you. 15:46 God bless our children. 15:48 I think they're wonderful bunch. 15:49 I thought this is a holiday week and nobody be here 15:51 but look at them, here they are. 15:53 Thanks for coming with them today. 15:55 Oh yes, Jesus loves us. 15:58 Chrissie just pray for us, so let's go. 16:00 Open your Bible with me please. 16:02 I want to connect to the story just as quickly as I can. 16:04 Open your Bible to 1 John 4. 16:07 1 John 4. 16:12 It may be familiar to you, maybe not, 16:14 so familiar 1 John 4, I'm in the NIV, 16:17 The New International Version, works from on earth. 16:23 If you have your Bible, find 1 John 4, 16:26 if you don't have your Bible, it's a New King James, 16:28 it's a pew Bible in front of you and you. 16:30 You can go to page 820 in that Bible, 16:33 not gonna put the words on the screen for you. 16:35 Just want to read these words out loud, 16:38 with you following along, 1 John 4:9, 16:42 "This is how God showed His love among us. 16:46 He sent His one and only Son into the world 16:49 that we might live through Him." 16:51 Now hold on, hold on, here comes verse 10. 16:53 "This is love." Okay, His love. 16:58 Here comes, "This is love: not that we love God, 17:03 but that He loved us and sent His Son 17:05 as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 17:08 Thinking of Timothy Peake, the astronaut, 17:10 I'm just wondering, do you suppose God ever regrets... 17:17 creating this planet. 17:19 I mean, please, look at it today. 17:22 This, today, second day of the New Year, 17:24 look at the mess we're in. 17:26 Do you suppose God ever said, "Hello, hello, 17:30 is this planet earth? 17:32 The planet earth that we created, 17:34 is this the same place? 17:40 The whole world, to be honest, 17:42 a whole world breathe a sigh of relief just a few hours ago, 17:45 when we bade farewell 17:46 adios to 2015. 17:52 Truth of the matter is the whole world knows 17:54 that we're just like, 17:55 we're just like the tarmac in the O'Hare Airport, 17:58 the planes are all lined up, 17:59 the crisis in the 2016 are already lined up. 18:02 They're getting ready to take off, 18:04 and they're all coming in our direction 18:05 just one right after the other, the whole world knows it. 18:09 So today, we begin a new series 18:11 perhaps to distract us from the headlines 18:13 for a few moments every Sabbath this winter. 18:18 But maybe better yet 18:20 to prepare us for the headlines. 18:24 The title of this series, I put it on the screen 18:25 for it's beginning right now, "Charmed into Righteousness", 18:31 "Charmed into Righteousness", 18:32 those who are watching live streaming, 18:34 that that's what will be here Sabbath after Sabbath 18:36 through this winter. 18:38 Charmed into Righteousness, and I must tell you, 18:39 I love that little phrase. 18:41 I can say that because I didn't come up with it. 18:43 I've been reading Reinhold Niebuhr, 18:45 who in the 20th century 18:47 was recognized by Time Magazine, 18:48 cover picture, 18:49 America's theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. 18:54 I've been reading for the second time, 18:56 his little book, 18:58 "Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic." 19:01 Reinhold Niebuhr was for 13 years a pastor 19:03 in the Motor City, Detroit, Michigan. 19:08 So he writes to pastors, it's a good little book, 19:10 I'm second time through. 19:11 These are his words, I put it on the screen for you. 19:13 Reinhold Niebuhr, "On the whole..." 19:15 He's writing, "People do not achieve great moral heights 19:18 out of a sense of duty. 19:20 You may be able to compel them 19:21 to maintain certain minimum standards by stressing duty, 19:25 but the highest moral and spiritual achievements 19:28 depend not upon a push but upon a pull." 19:32 I like that. 19:33 Now here comes, here comes. 19:36 "People must be charmed into righteousness." 19:41 Isn't that good? 19:42 "People must be charmed into righteousness. 19:44 The language of aspiration rather than that of criticism 19:47 and command is the proper pulpit language." 19:50 He writes, Charmed into Righteousness. 19:56 The very word charm is a charming word, isn't it? 20:00 But I find it charming because it also triggers 20:02 a memory of its use by a writer a 100 years 20:07 before, Reinhold Niebuhr, Her name Ellen White. 20:10 I put her charmed on the screen for you right now, 20:12 "You cannot..." 20:14 She writes a century ago, 20:15 "You cannot 20:17 but be charmed with the matchless attractions 20:21 of the Son of God." 20:24 Isn't that good? 20:25 Charm with the matchless attractions of the Son of God. 20:30 Wow! Charmed. 20:36 Read it again. 20:37 Put the words on the screen for you now, 1 John 4:9, 20:40 "This is how God showed His love among us: 20:43 He sent us his one and only Son into the world 20:45 that we might live through him. 20:47 This is love..." 20:48 Come on, you want to know, this is it. 20:50 "This is love: not that we love God, 20:53 but that he loved us 20:55 and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice 20:59 for our sins." 21:02 I wish we had the DVD or the YouTube clip 21:05 of that dream that Joseph dreamed 21:07 on that night of troubled sleep. 21:10 I mean look at, his fiance, young married teenage girl, 21:13 she just announced to him that she is pregnant. 21:17 And when somebody tells you, "I'm pregnant, 21:19 because the Holy Spirit did it." 21:20 You're going to believe that? 21:24 So he decided, listen proper thing to do, 21:26 I just was going to quietly... 21:28 We're engaged, the wedding is not quite yet, 21:30 but I'm gonna, I'm gonna pursue as they did in those days, 21:33 an act of divorce, just sever this relationship. 21:37 That night the angel shows up, 21:41 here it is, Matthew 1, 21:44 keep your finger, stay right here in 1 John 4. 21:46 But we'll put Matthew 1 in the screen here, 21:47 Matthew 1:20, 21:49 "But after Joseph he considered this, 21:51 an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said..." 21:54 Now hold on. 21:56 "Joseph son of David, 21:59 do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, 22:02 because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 22:05 And she will give birth to a son, 22:08 and you are to give him the name Jesus, 22:10 because he will save his people from their sins."' 22:15 You are to name the baby J-E-S-U-S, we'd say in English. 22:24 Just before heading down, flying down to Argentina 22:26 for eight sermons in that wonderful country. 22:31 Sunday, left on Monday but Sunday, 22:33 Pioneer had the joy of hosting, first time in history 22:36 hosting a Messiah Sing Along, 22:38 thanks to our choir leader Jeannie Pedersen-Smith 22:42 in the Sanctuary choir. 22:43 This place was packed. 22:47 And dominantly guests and visitors 22:51 from the community. 22:53 Man said, "I've been listening on the radio South Bend, 22:57 brought my whole family up here 22:58 Roman Catholics, okay, we can come?" 23:00 Of course, it's okay. 23:02 For me, on every level it was a moving experience. 23:07 And in that great oratorio, here you have, 23:09 you have the name Messiah. 23:12 Messiah being announced, and of course the angels say, 23:14 "Hey, listen, this is the Messiah. 23:16 You're going to give Him a name. 23:18 You're going to call Him J-E-S-U-S, 23:21 for He will save His people from their sins." 23:25 The 19th century, the great preacher Charles Spurgeon, 23:29 put an exclamation mark 23:31 after the name of Jesus with this quotation. 23:33 And I want to put it on the screen for you out, 23:35 this is something. 23:36 Jesus, Spurgeon now, "Jesus is a song in one word... 23:41 a matchless oratorio in two syllables... 23:44 and all the hallelujahs of eternity in five letters." 23:49 How do you spell it? 23:50 J-E-S-U-S. 23:56 You cannot but be charmed 23:59 with the matchless attractions of the Son of God. 24:04 And so, I had one prayer for you this New Year. 24:06 University students, I mean, you're already back, 24:10 community member, faculty staff, 24:12 Livestreamer right now. 24:13 If I had one prayer for you, 24:16 that would be that every new dawning, 24:19 every new morning this New Year, 24:22 we find you alone for just a few minutes you, 24:25 you alone with this Jesus and you take the gospel, 24:29 you pick the gospel. 24:31 You begin reading it consecutively 24:32 one story at a time. 24:35 And you let your heart be charmed 24:39 with the matchless attractions of this Son of God. 24:42 That's what I wish for you. 24:46 Charles Wesley, century before Charles Spurgeon, 24:51 west of the great composer of Methodist hymns. 24:54 Wesley once wrote to him, 24:55 and I don't want to sing it with you right now, 24:57 I want to, I want to... 24:58 I want to read it with you, so grab your hymn notes, 25:00 250 in your hymn note. 25:02 Come on, I'm not putting it on the screen, 25:03 so grab the hymn note, 250. 25:05 He captures the life of Jesus and you will... 25:10 We will read the word charm embedded in his hymn, 25:14 this beautiful hymn, you love it, I love it too. 25:16 Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, 25:19 my great Redeemer's praise. 25:22 So let's just read it, come on, 25:23 when was the last time you read it in your hymnal? 25:26 Stanza one, "Oh, for a thousand tongues 25:28 to sing my great Redeemer's praise, 25:30 the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace." 25:34 All the way through it's just J-E-S-U-S. 25:37 The charm, here's stanza number two, 25:40 "My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim, 25:46 to spread through all the earth abroad this new year, 25:49 the honors of thy name." 25:51 Now here comes, here comes the word verse 3, Jesus! 25:56 Was Spurgeon's exclamation mark, "Jesus! 25:59 the name that charms our fears." 26:03 Isn't that beautiful. 26:04 "The name that charms our fears, 26:07 that bids our sorrows cease, 26:09 'Tis music in the sinner's ears, 26:11 'Tis life and health and peace. 26:13 He breaks the power of canceled sin, 26:15 He sets the prisoner free, 26:17 His blood can make the foulest clean, 26:19 His blood availed for me, it covered me." 26:23 Number five. 26:24 "He speaks and listening to his voice, 26:26 new life the dead receive the mournful, 26:29 broken hearts rejoice the humble poor believe Jesus. 26:34 Hear Him, ye deaf, His praise, 26:36 ye dumb, Your loosened tongues employ, 26:38 Ye blind, behold your Savior come, 26:41 And leap, ye lame, for joy." 26:45 I mean, it talk about the matchless attractions 26:47 of Christ is imbedded in that old, old gospel hymn. 26:50 But the third stanza, put it on the screen for you. 26:52 "Jesus! the name that charms our fears." 26:56 That's the name. 26:58 What's the name I dial 26:59 when I'm in trouble this New Year? 27:00 What's the name I want to contact every, 27:02 every morning first thing? 27:04 J-E-S-U-S. 27:05 You'll never get a hang up on it. 27:07 You will never dial the wrong number. 27:10 Jesus. 27:12 So if I had a New Year's prayer for you, 27:13 it would be that every morning, 27:15 every single morning, 27:17 you alone with a matchless charm 27:20 is an attraction of Jesus. 27:22 You pick the gospel you, 27:24 you read it at your leisure but every morning. 27:29 Oh, what's our harmony text here, 27:31 1 John 4:9, 27:33 "This is how God showed His love among us: 27:34 He sent his one and only Son into the world 27:37 that we might live through him." 27:40 Verse 10, "This is love: not that we found God, 27:43 but that he," 27:44 that there is rather not that we love God, 27:47 "But that he loved us and he sent his Son 27:50 as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 27:54 Wow! 27:58 I came across a powerful depiction 28:01 of the death of God suffering love 28:04 in a brand new book 28:06 written by one of our own faculty 28:07 at the Theological Seminary. 28:08 Wow. John Peacham is his name. 28:11 He's a philosopher and a theologian, 28:12 teaches both philosophy and theology 28:14 at our seminary here on campus. 28:16 He just wrote the book, 28:17 " The Love of God: A Canonical Model." 28:20 And I've been reading through it, 28:21 and I'm going to tell you as God is my witness, 28:23 it is a most exhaustive 28:24 and scholarly study of God's love, 28:26 I have ever read in my short life. 28:31 And by the way I just learned this couple weeks ago. 28:36 He's being published, 28:38 I knew this by InterVarsity Press, 28:40 no small press for a professor 28:43 in this little seminary to get published it. 28:45 InterVarsity Press Academic, which means up here, 28:48 and guess what? 28:49 Just a few weeks ago, he was voted Reader's Choice, 28:53 the number one book for 2015 in IVP. 28:55 Number one book, Reader's Choice. 28:58 You need to read the book, that's my point. 28:59 I'll be quoting from it in this series. 29:02 Anyway, he captures 29:04 the depths of God's suffering love. 29:06 This one line, these words are in his book. 29:08 Put it on the screen, 29:09 "The God who is love must be able to suffer 29:13 and does suffer beyond all limits 29:17 in the giving up 29:19 of what is most authentically his..." 29:22 Say, what is His love? 29:24 "He gives up what is most authentically 29:26 his for the sake of mortal man and woman." 29:31 That's what love is. 29:32 He gives up that, that's me, 29:34 that's my son that's we are one, 29:37 He gives up what is most authentically His. 29:39 I mean John says, "Look at, 29:41 this is love: this is love not that we love God, 29:43 but that he loved us and sent his Son 29:44 as a sacrifice, atoning sacrifice for our sins." 29:47 Wow, it doesn't get any better than that. 29:49 It does not get any better than that. 29:53 Calvary, Bethlehem, book ends to the narrative of this God 29:57 who entered into the depths 29:58 of our mortal human suffering to save us. 30:03 That's a God who says, 30:05 "I want to meet with you tomorrow morning, 30:06 we'd be there. 30:07 You got my number?" "I got it, I got it." 30:09 Just call me, I'll be there." 30:14 For that reason scripture is absolutely unequivocal 30:16 in declaring 30:17 the gospel is exactly as John just declared it. 30:20 The angel declared it, John is our harmony text, 30:22 he is declaring it. 30:24 And Paul comes along and says, "Both are right." 30:27 Put this verse on the screen, keep your finger in 1 John 4, 30:30 here it is, 1 Timothy 1:15, 30:32 it doesn't get any more succinct than this, 30:33 "Here is a trustworthy saying..." 30:35 Paul scribbling, 30:36 "That deserves full acceptance..." 30:38 Here it comes, 30:39 "Christ Jesus came into the world 30:41 to save sinners of whom I am the worst." 30:43 No question, I'm the worst, that's a gospel. 30:49 The angel says, you should His call name Jesus, 30:51 He'll save His people from their sins. 30:53 Well, who are His people? The whole world. 30:54 Christ Jesus came into the world 30:56 to save sinners of whom I am the worst. 30:59 You know what? 31:00 For an academic community, that's not so bad for us 31:02 to just hit the pause button and hold that, 31:05 keep that on the screen for a moment. 31:09 There is no question 31:11 that the greatest intellect Christianity 31:13 has ever burst is the mind, 31:18 heart and soul of the Apostle Paul. 31:22 He's the one who declares, 31:24 I am the worst, he's not playacting, 31:27 not little slide of hands 31:28 so you won't' really make you think I'm a sinner. 31:30 He knows he's the worst. 31:34 Christ Jesus came in the world to save sinners 31:37 whom I'm the worst, it's called the gospel. 31:41 Over this Christmas break. 31:42 I've been reading 31:44 from this little classic chapter a day, 31:46 Steps to Christ. 31:47 All you can do a lot worse this new year 31:50 and going back to this little book 31:51 and just reading a chapter a day for a while, 31:54 so sure you get through it in a couple of weeks. 31:57 I want to share with you a line that comes from this book, 32:00 I put the words on the screen, 32:01 and I'm gonna read 32:03 from my little marked up copy here. 32:05 Steps to Christ, page 35, 32:08 speaking of an intellectual community 32:10 as we are, listen, 32:12 "Many accept an intellectual religion." 32:15 All right we got it all figured out, 32:16 we got it up here, we got it. 32:18 "Many accept an intellectual religion, 32:20 a form of godliness, when the heart is not cleansed. 32:25 Let it be your prayer, 32:26 this new year create in me a clean heart, 32:28 O God, and renew a right spirit within me." 32:31 Boy at the foot of the cross what... 32:33 Could there be a greater day 32:34 than today to pray this prayer together 32:36 at the foot of Calvary as we will in just a moment. 32:39 Create in me a clean heart. 32:41 God, I don't want to think about 2015, 32:43 I don't want to remember, cleanse my memory, 32:45 scrub my soul, God, 32:48 I have to start this new year clean. 32:50 I can't carry that baggage 32:52 into 2016. 32:57 Why not? 32:59 It's gospel, wash me, I'll start over. 33:04 Ellen White goes on, 33:05 "Deal truly with your own soul." 33:08 Don't play games, 33:09 you know the truth and so does God. 33:11 So talk to Him honestly, 33:13 don't put on this happy face to God, 33:15 here I am again, 33:17 your perfect little boy or girl. 33:18 No, you're not, and God knows it and so you. 33:21 "Deal truly with your own soul. 33:23 Be as earnest, as persistent, 33:25 as you would be 33:26 if your mortal life were at stake. 33:28 This is a matter to be settled between God and your own soul, 33:31 settled for eternity. 33:34 A supposed hope, 33:35 and nothing more, will prove your ruin." 33:40 You say, hey, Dwight, oh, time out. 33:42 Wow, you said, 33:43 there's gonna be charmed by his matchless attractions." 33:46 This is sounding very negative to me. 33:48 No, time out for you, time out, time out. 33:52 How can the good news possibly be good news, 33:55 if I don't know the bad news first, 33:57 if I don't admit the bad news first? 33:59 Until I say, "I am the worst sinner 34:01 on this planet and mean it." 34:04 Jesus Christ came into the world 34:06 to save sinner, so. 34:08 I don't need that. 34:10 You have to need it, to plead it. 34:14 And when you plead it, you get it. 34:18 That's the way it works. 34:21 Paul for the rest of his life pled for God to cover his past. 34:24 Because his past was a shaming past, 34:28 forgetting those things which are behind. 34:30 He kept saying, "I got to forget what's behind, 34:32 but I'm the worst sinner and he couldn't forget." 34:38 Wow. 34:42 Reminds me of that sentence by the way, 34:44 on page 30, same chapter. 34:46 I put it on the screen for you here. 34:49 The drunkard, okay, 34:51 this is the person hooked on prescription drugs, all right. 34:54 So that she keeps going to the doctor 34:55 getting more and more prescriptions, 34:57 she doesn't have to have this much, 34:58 but she's hooked now. 35:01 Okay, so the drug addict. 35:02 This could be the junkie in the inner city, 35:04 or could be the respectable, you know, 35:06 middle class drug addict 35:07 because of prescription medicine 35:08 or could be an alcoholic. 35:10 "The drunkard is despised..." 35:11 Yeah, around here... 35:13 "And is told that her sin, his sin will exclude him, 35:16 will exclude her from heaven..." 35:18 All the while, watch this, whoa, brother, "Pride, 35:22 selfishness, and covetousness too often go unrebuked." 35:26 Not a word, I don't, I'm not sorry for those, 35:29 because you know thank God, I'm not like her. 35:33 Too often they go unrebuked but keep going, keep reading, 35:37 "These are sins that are especially..." 35:39 Did you get the word especially? 35:41 "Especially offensive to God, for pride, 35:44 covetousness and selfishness 35:46 are contrary to the benevolence of His character, 35:48 to that unselfish love 35:50 which is the very atmosphere of heaven." 35:54 I'm telling you what? 35:55 Just began with one of those three 35:57 I really have a struggle with. 35:59 Probably with all three that I don't even know about, 36:01 but at least two of those three. 36:04 No, maybe three. 36:07 What were the three again by the way? 36:12 Pride, covetousness, selfishness, 36:14 the selfishness thing, I really struggled with it. 36:17 I'm a selfish person by nature. 36:19 I found that the Lord reminded me again this week. 36:30 So we were flying, we were flying home, 36:32 we had a wonderful time, that week in Argentina, 36:35 then a week in Southern California, 36:37 reunion with my mother, and the whole tribe, 36:39 the Nelson tribe, we did had a glorious time. 36:41 So Karen and I got up 3:30 in the morning. 36:44 Left 4:45 raced to L.A.X. 36:46 when the traffic was survivable. 36:49 We had an 8:50 flight, got right up there to check in, 36:52 and it said canceled. 36:55 It's Wednesday. 36:56 Oh, man. 36:59 Go to the service counter, have a long line, 37:02 we're halfway back. 37:04 Come to find out when we got to the front of the line, 37:06 hallelujah, they provided another plane, 37:08 the Dreamliner 787, to fly the people 37:11 that were stranded by this canceled flight. 37:14 And so anyway we have a five hour wait now. 37:18 So we're just sitting around reading, 37:19 and grab a bite to eat, 37:21 and then I saw on the monitor, Wow! 37:24 I got upgraded to business first class. 37:29 Then I said, "No, no, you know I arrange this trip 37:32 so I fly with Karen, I'll sit with her." 37:37 I was hoping that would be kind of... 37:40 because I was going to enjoy just that brief moment. 37:44 Seriously, so I said, I'm not gonna worry about, 37:46 somebody else can take my seat. 37:48 I will stick in the one I'm assigned 22A. 37:49 So we go on to the plane. 37:51 There's this shriveled up little lady sitting in 22A, 37:54 I say, "Hey, let me see your, let me see your boarding pass, 37:57 it's 22A." 37:58 I said, "How could that be?" 38:00 So Karen looks at me, and she says, "You know what? 38:03 Why don't you take the seat in first class? 38:06 I'll sit back here." Yes. 38:09 Okay, I'll check it out. 38:11 Anyway I went up there, 38:12 the Dreamliner's the reclining seat, 38:15 I'll take it. 38:18 Now here's where the Lord got me. 38:21 So when the flight is over, Karen and I now in O'Hare 38:23 racing to catch this South Bend flight. 38:25 She says, "You know, that little lady 38:27 that sat on the plane?" 38:29 She got to the airport at 5:30 in the morning, 38:31 her family dropped her off. 38:33 She comes and finds out that it's been canceled, 38:36 she has no money, not a dollar bill to her name." 38:39 I'm thinking what family would send 38:41 a little mother without a dollar bill. 38:44 So she, Karen said, I offered to buy the woman lunch 38:46 and she said, "No, no, I don't want, 38:48 I'm okay, I'm okay." 38:50 But when we landed she said, "You're gonna have some money, 38:52 " and my wife, the most unselfish person 38:53 I know on this planet gives cash to her 38:56 and says, "Buy yourself supper." 38:59 And right then, I said, 39:02 "You, if you had offered 39:07 that woman your seat. 39:09 She would have gotten a meal 39:11 with china and silver for free." 39:16 Said you little pig you ate it. 39:22 I'm telling you guys, I'm not a drunkard, hey, 39:25 I'm not hooked on prescription drugs. 39:27 I don't even drink wine. I'm not an alcoholic. 39:32 Yeah, I know God says, "It's pride, covetousness, 39:34 and selfishness that I'm worried about with you." 39:37 You see the point. 39:39 An intellectual community still needs Calvary. 39:41 That's the point. We need the cross. 39:45 I need the cross. 39:47 I am the worst sinner, Paul says, 39:48 "Christ Jesus came in the world to save sinners 39:50 of whom I'm the worst." 39:51 But there's good news for intellectual sinners. 39:53 Keep reading. 39:54 "As you see the enormity..." 39:56 Get my place here. 39:58 "As you see the enormity of sin, 39:59 as you see yourself as you really are..." 40:01 Oh, boy, those moments come. 40:03 "Do not give up to despair. 40:05 It was sinners that Christ Jesus came to save. 40:07 We have not to reconcile God to us, 40:09 but wondrous, O wondrous love!" 40:12 This is so beautiful. 40:13 "God in Christ is 'reconciling the world unto Himself.' 40:16 He is wooing by His tender love the hearts 40:18 of His erring children. 40:19 No earthly parent could be as patient 40:22 with the faults and mistakes of his children, 40:24 as is God with those He seeks to save. 40:26 No one could plead more tenderly with a transgressor. 40:29 No human lips ever poured out more tender entreaties 40:32 to the wanderer than does He." 40:37 My mother, God bless her, 87 years of age, 40:40 in this family and had the cousins there, 40:43 the siblings, the spouses 40:45 and my momma just sitting here drinking it all and smiling, 40:48 she is bright mind, interject now and then. 40:53 Sounds like a mother to me. 40:56 A mother who took me aside before I left Tuesday night, 40:59 said, "Dwight, I need to say little something, 41:00 I noticed about you." 41:02 Apparently even at 87 mothers can do this. 41:05 There ought to be a cutoff 41:06 where they just, just be thankful, I mean. 41:11 No, I receive that, 41:12 I receive that in my heart is the gift of love. 41:17 And that's God, He says, it's me. 41:19 I'm not mother of yours. 41:21 I'm not daddy of yours you never had. 41:23 I'm the father you always longed to have 41:25 but he gave up on you, 41:27 I have never given up on you, you are my girl, 41:29 you are my boy. 41:31 I'm pleading with you come to me this new year, 41:34 I'm begging you, I'm wooing your heart. 41:37 Look at these scars, J-E-S-U-S, 41:40 come be charmed, come to me. 41:44 What a God that we've come to worship 41:48 the second day of the new year, and He's here, 41:52 He's speaking to your heart right now, 41:53 like you speak into mine 41:55 surprising me even in my own notes. 41:58 That's the way He is. 42:02 Oh, the last line of this, of this paragraph, 42:05 I put it on the screen, just one line. 42:07 "All His promises, His warnings, 42:09 are but the breathing of unutterable love." 42:13 Don't get any better than unutterable love, 42:15 that's how much He loves you. 42:17 You say, "Dwight, you don't know what I did in 2015?" 42:19 I don't care to know, I already know what I did. 42:20 I'm the worst of sinners. 42:22 So we'll enjoy this company together. 42:23 The point is an unutterable love says, 42:26 "I wipe that off, and I'll start afresh with you, 42:29 but you've got to come to me, don't run from me, come to me." 42:35 "When Satan comes..." 42:37 Oh, here's the good news now, I'll end with this. 42:38 "When Satan comes to tell you that you are a great sinner, 42:42 which we are, 42:44 look up to you're Redeemer" as we will... 42:45 At Lord's table we're going to be looking straight up 42:47 in the face of Jesus. 42:49 "Look up to your Redeemer and talk of His merits." 42:52 That's who counts, 42:54 "That which will help you to look 42:55 is to look to His light. 42:56 Acknowledge your sin, at the foot of the cross, 42:59 but tell the enemy..." 43:00 Hey, Yo! 43:01 Devil, you're not telling me anything new, 43:04 I already knew all that. 43:06 You didn't know I know. 43:07 You think I am a fool. 43:09 I know what you're saying, but you tell to your enemy. 43:12 "Tell the enemy that 43:13 'Christ Jesus came into the world 43:14 to save sinners' and that you may be saved 43:17 by His matchless love."' 43:20 Wow. Wow. 43:23 Wow. I'm gonna end the quote right there. 43:28 Saved about His matchless love. 43:31 That's why we're here, ladies and gentlemen, 43:32 brothers and sisters of the family of God. 43:36 We have come today 43:38 on the second day of this New Year 43:41 to be saved afresh by His matchless love. 43:47 It doesn't get any better than this, it just doesn't. 43:50 When you take the bread as you will in a moment, 43:51 when you take the cup as you will in a moment, 43:53 when you take the towel as you will in a moment. 43:55 Jesus said, "All three of these are 43:57 to remind you of My matchless, 43:59 My unutterable love, My matchless attractions. 44:02 I want you to be charmed in the righteousness. 44:04 I want you to be charmed to Me, 44:06 charmed into My nail scarred open embrace. 44:08 Charm, come on, come on, come on. 44:12 Let me love you like you've never been loved before." 44:17 You can't make Me love you more than I already do. 44:20 You can't make Me love you less than I already do. 44:23 Come, come to me. 44:26 Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing 44:29 my great Redeemer's praise, 44:32 Jesus, the name that charms 44:36 our fears away. 44:40 Let's pray. 44:41 Oh God, charmed and dear out, 44:46 stretched wide open embrace. 44:48 charm to the one who says with unutterable love 44:54 and infinite sacrifice, I have loved you. 44:56 Charmed to you. 45:00 What better way to begin a new year 45:04 than with each other at the foot of Your cross. 45:07 It doesn't get any better than this 45:11 for which we thank You, 45:13 in the name that is above every name, 45:15 the only Savior on earth, 45:17 our Lord Jesus, 45:19 and all the people say amen and amen. 45:27 This is love: not that we love God 45:30 but that he loved us 45:33 and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice 45:35 for our sins." 45:37 That last quotation from Steps to Christ 45:41 ends with the words 45:43 that our hearts might be melted with tenderness and contrition 45:47 and that's what I've been praying, 45:49 God just take this moment it's a... 45:52 We're family now, melt our hearts, 45:55 do something inside of us, 45:58 as we gather here at the foot of the cross. 46:00 Madeline is going to... 46:02 Madeline Johnston is going to read 46:04 Matthew sacred account of that night, 46:07 and then her husband Bob, 46:08 will lead us in our prayer. 46:19 "While they were eating, Jesus took bread 46:22 and when he had given thanks. 46:24 He broke it and gave it to His disciples saying, 46:28 "Take and eat, this is my body, 46:32 then he took a cup and when he had given thanks. 46:36 He gave it to them saying, "Drink from it all of you. 46:42 This is my blood of the covenant, 46:45 which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 46:48 I tell you, I will not drink 46:51 from this fruit as a vine from now on 46:54 until that day when I drink it new 46:57 with you in my Father's kingdom." 47:01 Let us kneel, as my husband Bob offers prayer. 47:06 Thank you. 47:17 We thank thee Father for the bread 47:20 that we're about to receive 47:23 because it represents the body of thy Son Jesus, 47:27 our Savior which was given for us. 47:34 And Father, we thank thee for the wine 47:36 that we are about to drink, 47:39 because it represents the blood of Jesus, 47:43 which was shed for us. 47:47 We thank thee for His presence among us. 47:52 And also, for the life that He gives us. 47:58 But we remember His words 48:02 that He will not partake of the fruit of the wine again 48:05 until He drinks it new with us in the kingdom. 48:09 Lord, we pray 48:11 that thou will hasten that day. 48:17 We bless the name of the Father, 48:20 and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 48:23 Amen. 49:22 Oh, how sweet to trust 49:29 In Jesus 49:35 Just to trust 49:39 His cleansing blood 50:00 Trust in simple faith 50:07 To plunge me 50:12 'Neath the healing, 50:17 Cleansing flood! 50:40 Yes, 'tis sweet 50:44 to trust in Jesus 50:55 Just from sin and self 51:03 To cease 51:11 Just from Jesus 51:16 Simply taking 51:24 Life and rest 51:28 And joy and peace 53:01 So that we would never forget the matchless charms 53:06 of His unutterable love, 53:08 Jesus to us also says, 53:11 "Take this bread and eat it. 53:13 This is My body broken for you. 53:15 Do this in remembrance of me." 53:48 So that we might be charmed into His righteousness, 53:51 He also says to us, 53:52 "Take this cup all of you and drink from it, 53:55 for this is My blood that has been shed for you, 53:58 do this in remembrance of me." 54:24 I love this 407, let's sing it together, 54:26 it's just, it's my favorite, 54:28 sent forth by God's blessings 54:30 into the new year in the new world 54:31 that awaits us. 54:33 Hymn 407, we'll sing it as we stand together. 54:56 Sent forth by God's blessing 55:00 Our true faith confessing 55:03 The people of God from His dwelling take leave 55:10 The supper is ended 55:13 Oh, now be extended 55:16 The fruits of this service in all who believe 55:23 The seed of His teaching 55:26 Receptive souls reaching 55:29 Shall blossom in action for God and for all 55:36 His grace did invited us 55:40 His love shall unite us 55:43 To work for God's kingdom 55:46 And answer His call 55:51 With praise and thanksgiving to God ever living 55:58 The tasks of our everyday life we will face 56:05 Our faith ever sharing, in love ever caring 56:11 Embracing His children of each tribe and race 56:18 With Your feast You feed us 56:21 With Your light now lead us 56:24 Unite us as one in this life that we share 56:31 Then may all the living 56:35 With praise and thanksgiving 56:38 Give honor to Christ 56:41 And His name that we bear 56:51 And now to Him who is able to keep you 56:53 from stumbling and to present you 56:54 before His glorious presence without fault, 56:58 and with great joy to the only God, 57:01 our Savior be glory, 57:03 majesty power and authority through Jesus Christ, 57:07 our Lord before all ages now and forever more. 57:13 Amen. 57:16 I want to take an extra moment to let you know 57:18 how grateful I am, you joined us today. 57:20 I hear from viewers and listeners like you, 57:22 all across this nation and literally around the world, 57:25 and I'm thankful. 57:26 Because it's through the generosity 57:27 of the members of this congregation 57:29 and people like you 57:30 that we're able to bring you this program. 57:32 So what we shared today has touched your heart, 57:34 I like to invite you to become a financial partner with us. 57:36 Just give us a call, 57:38 toll free number 877 the two words, 57:40 HIS WILL, 877 HIS WILL, 57:43 or if you'd rather go to our website 57:45 www.pmchurch.tv 57:48 Either way, your generosity will bless a new generation 57:51 in cyberspace all over this planet. 57:54 So thank you. 57:55 Thank you very much for your partnership. |
Revised 2024-04-23