¤¤
00:00:00.16\00:00:03.03
[ "Love Divine, All
Loves Excelling" plays ]
00:00:08.50\00:00:12.87
[ Congregation sings ]
00:00:27.22\00:00:30.13
>> You may be seated.
00:02:36.28\00:02:38.02
[ "He Is Exalted" plays ]
00:02:39.09\00:02:41.99
[ Congregation sings ]
00:02:47.20\00:02:50.07
[ "Agnus Dei" plays ]
00:04:58.93\00:05:01.86
Sing with us. Alleluia.
00:05:17.91\00:05:20.32
[ Congregation sings ]
00:05:20.48\00:05:23.39
[ "I Could Sing Of
Your Love Forever" plays ]
00:08:39.88\00:08:44.45
"Over the mountains."
00:08:51.53\00:08:53.93
[ Congregation sings ]
00:08:54.46\00:08:57.33
>> Well, good morning, boys and
girls. Nice to see you on this
00:09:58.83\00:10:02.50
springtime Sabbath. The snow all
melted yesterday with those warm
00:10:02.50\00:10:06.60
winds. Wasn't that wonderful? >>
It's still winter. >> Well, yes,
00:10:06.60\00:10:10.54
it is. It's still winter. So
keep that thought in mind. But
nice to see you on this
00:10:10.54\00:10:15.14
beautiful day. You look as
happy as you feel. I can tell.
00:10:15.14\00:10:19.25
So, has this ever happened
to you? Has anybody ever accused
00:10:19.25\00:10:22.48
you of doing something
you didn't do? "Mommy! Mommy!
00:10:22.48\00:10:26.62
He ate my cookie!" "I
did not." "He did too!"
00:10:26.62\00:10:29.52
"I did not." "He
did too!" "I did not."
00:10:29.52\00:10:33.63
Has that ever happened to you?
Let me tell you. If it's little
00:10:33.63\00:10:36.90
sister calling to Mama, you've
lost already. Well, it happened
to Ray -- Ray Hinton.
00:10:36.90\00:10:44.01
Early one morning, the police
came to his house door.
Birmingham, Alabama.
00:10:44.01\00:10:48.78
[ Raps pew ] "Yo. You
Ray Hinton? We got you.
00:10:48.78\00:10:53.28
You're going -- You did
it." "I did not." "You did too."
00:10:53.28\00:10:57.19
"I did not." "You
did too." "I did not."
00:10:57.19\00:10:58.95
"You did too. We know
it. You're going to the judge
00:10:58.95\00:11:01.42
right now, and we're gonna
put you in jail, and then we're
00:11:01.42\00:11:04.03
gonna take care of you once and
for all," and down to the jail
they drove. The judge had a
00:11:04.03\00:11:09.36
hearing. The judge said, "You
did it." "I did not." "You did
00:11:09.36\00:11:12.13
too." "I did not."
"Too bad. You lose.
00:11:12.13\00:11:17.44
Two men are no longer alive
because of you. Yep, yep, yep.
00:11:17.44\00:11:20.18
Bye-bye." And that's
exactly what they did.
00:11:20.18\00:11:24.35
They put him in jail -- not
just jail. They put him in the
00:11:24.35\00:11:26.58
prison. They put him on death
row. 29 years old, and they put
00:11:26.58\00:11:32.12
him on death row. Let me see a
picture of Ray Hinton. And
there's the death-row unit.
00:11:32.12\00:11:36.12
You see the prison bars? Most of
the time they put him in
solitary confinement.
00:11:36.12\00:11:40.93
You know what that means? Nobody
can talk to you. You can't
interact with anybody.
00:11:40.93\00:11:43.83
"No, no, no. You
did it." "I did not."
00:11:43.83\00:11:46.33
"You did too." "I
did not." "Too bad.
00:11:46.33\00:11:49.20
You're here." Boom!
A few weeks went by,
00:11:49.20\00:11:54.28
a few months went by, a few
years went by, and then last
00:11:54.28\00:12:01.35
year, a judge called Ray Hinton
to stand in front of his
high-and-lifted-up seat.
00:12:01.35\00:12:09.12
The judge looked down at Ray
Hinton and said, "You didn't do
00:12:09.12\00:12:14.60
it. You didn't do it." "I've
been telling you I didn't do
00:12:14.60\00:12:18.00
it." "Well, we now know you
did not do it," and they let Ray
00:12:18.00\00:12:22.44
Hinton out. I want to see a
picture of Ray Hinton getting
out. Oh, he's gotten old in
00:12:22.44\00:12:28.01
prison. My, my, my.
He's getting old. Yep.
00:12:28.01\00:12:32.78
Do you know how long they
kept him in prison? 30 years.
00:12:32.78\00:12:35.88
30 years. "I did
not." "You did too."
00:12:35.88\00:12:37.92
"I did not." For 30 years kept
in jail. Let me see that last
00:12:37.92\00:12:43.46
picture of him, please. Oh, it's
an emotional moment. Wouldn't
00:12:43.46\00:12:47.30
you be filled with tears? I
would, too. For 30 years my life
00:12:47.30\00:12:52.53
is gone, and I didn't do it.
There's another judge in this
00:12:52.53\00:12:57.64
universe. Everybody comes up in
front of His court, and guess
what. He can say you did it,
00:12:57.64\00:13:02.21
and there's no excuse.
We did do it. He knows.
00:13:02.21\00:13:06.51
But I want to tell you about
this judge. This judge looks at
00:13:06.51\00:13:08.78
you, and he says, "You know
what? I'm throwing the charges
out." Just like the judge
00:13:08.78\00:13:12.25
did with Ray Hinton. "I'm
throwing the charges out. You're
00:13:12.25\00:13:16.52
innocent." [ Chuckles ] "I
pardon you." Oh, boys and girls,
00:13:16.52\00:13:24.40
there is someone who died on a
tree once upon a time so that we
could all be pardoned
00:13:24.40\00:13:29.34
right now. Who's that
someone? Who's that someone?
00:13:29.34\00:13:32.57
What's His name? What's
His name, Sissy? >> Jesus.
00:13:32.57\00:13:34.94
>> His name is Jesus. Jesus has
thrown the charges out because
he died in our place.
00:13:34.94\00:13:40.52
He was on death row, not us. How
many want to say, "Oh, Jesus,
Thank you for going to
00:13:40.52\00:13:45.45
death row and actually dying for
me so that I can be pardoned and
the charges will all be
00:13:45.45\00:13:50.33
thrown out"? Oh, let's thank
Jesus, shall we? Who would like
00:13:50.33\00:13:54.36
to thank Jesus for me? I need a
young boy this time. I got a
girl in first service.
00:13:54.36\00:13:57.87
Is there a young boy who
would like to pray? Yes, sir.
00:13:57.87\00:14:00.64
Come on up. Let's pray. Let's
fold our hands together. What's
00:14:00.64\00:14:05.27
your first name? >>
Caden. >> What? >> Caden.
00:14:05.27\00:14:07.94
>> Caden. Come here, Caden.
Come on. Let's fold our hands
00:14:07.94\00:14:11.85
and close our eyes as
Caden prays. >> Dear Jesus.
00:14:11.85\00:14:16.08
Thank you for this day. Thank
you for waking us up in this
00:14:16.08\00:14:22.46
lovely morning, and please keep
us safe, and please don't let
Satan harm us or tempt
00:14:22.46\00:14:27.60
us to do the wrong thing and
please don't let him actually
00:14:27.60\00:14:32.60
let anything happen. In Jesus'
name, we pray. Amen. >> Amen.
00:14:32.60\00:14:37.24
Caden, what a beautiful prayer.
Thank you, Caden. God bless you.
00:14:37.24\00:14:40.24
And, boys and girls, as you go
back to your seats, you be
saying that to Jesus --
00:14:40.24\00:14:43.28
"Thank you, Jesus. You
have thrown the charges out."
00:14:43.28\00:14:48.22
>> ¤ I'm gonna sing
when the Spirit says sing ¤
00:14:51.65\00:14:55.86
¤ I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing ¤
00:14:55.86\00:15:00.30
¤ I'm gonna sing when
the Spirit says sing ¤
00:15:00.30\00:15:04.63
¤ And obey the Spirit of the
Lord ¤ ¤ I'm gonna sing when the
00:15:04.80\00:15:10.97
Spirit says sing ¤ ¤ I'm gonna
sing when the Spirit says sing ¤
00:15:10.97\00:15:16.95
¤ I'm gonna sing when the Spirit
says sing ¤ ¤ And obey the
00:15:16.95\00:15:23.95
Spirit of the Lord ¤ >> ¤ Obey,
obey, obey, obey ¤ I'm gonna
pray when the Spirit
00:15:23.95\00:15:30.03
says pray ¤ ¤ I'm gonna
pray when the Spirit says pray ¤
00:15:30.03\00:15:35.90
¤ I'm gonna pray when the Spirit
says pray ¤ ¤ And obey the
00:15:35.90\00:15:43.30
Spirit of the Lord ¤ ¤ I'm gonna
shout when the Spirit says shout
00:15:43.30\00:15:49.04
¤ ¤ I'm gonna shout when the
Spirit says shout ¤ I'm gonna
shout when the Spirit
00:15:49.04\00:15:55.55
says shout ¤ ¤ And obey
the spirit of the Lord ¤
00:15:55.55\00:16:00.92
>> ¤ I'm gonna sing >> ¤ I'm
gonna sing >> ¤ When the Spirit
00:16:00.92\00:16:06.06
says sing >> ¤ I'm gonna sing >>
¤ When the Spirit says sing >> ¤
00:16:06.06\00:16:11.70
I'm gonna sing >> ¤ When the
Spirit says sing ¤ And obey the
Spirit of the Lord ¤
00:16:11.70\00:16:32.29
>> Amen.
00:16:32.29\00:16:34.56
¤¤
00:16:39.66\00:16:42.53
¤¤
00:16:54.44\00:16:57.35
¤¤
00:17:08.12\00:17:11.03
¤¤
00:17:22.90\00:17:25.81
>> Oh, God, we could sing. We
could shout. If what we're about
00:17:38.92\00:17:46.66
to encounter is true, we can be
set free. Bless these few
moments we have. Energize us in
00:17:46.66\00:17:57.27
our minds. Engage us with
our hearts. We pray in Christ's
00:17:57.27\00:18:02.51
name. Amen. Reynolds Price,
the American author and poet,
00:18:02.68\00:18:07.62
observed once there is one
sentence people turn to more
00:18:07.62\00:18:14.86
than any other sentence -- when
they turn to a story, one
sentence they crave
00:18:14.86\00:18:20.60
in a story they
read, just one sentence.
00:18:20.60\00:18:24.47
Here it is -- "The maker of all
things loves and wants me." One
00:18:24.63\00:18:35.21
sentence people crave when they
pick up a book. Well, this be
true in this one. "The maker of
00:18:35.21\00:18:44.39
all things loves and wants
me." Let's face it. We live in a
00:18:44.39\00:18:48.09
world where this longing to be
loved, this longing to be wanted
is surely a universal desire,
00:18:48.09\00:18:56.40
though not hardly a universal
experience. This last November,
00:18:56.40\00:19:01.54
the British young diva and
singer phenom Adele -- much
00:19:01.54\00:19:11.31
anticipated, she releases her
newest album, "25." On that
album is a single called
00:19:11.31\00:19:17.79
"Hello." [ Light laughter
] You didn't think I'd know,
00:19:17.79\00:19:23.32
did you? [ Laughter ]
That's why you're laughing.
00:19:23.32\00:19:28.83
I'm kind of laughing, too. Yeah,
he singer Adele with "Hello,"
and that song, that one
00:19:28.83\00:19:36.91
song, tapped into this latent
longing to be loved, to be
wanted, and it just sold off the
00:19:36.91\00:19:46.95
charts. Forbesmagazine a
few days after the album was
00:19:46.95\00:19:51.02
release announced that in the
first week -- Listen to this. In
the first week, she sold
00:19:51.02\00:19:54.96
1.71 million
physical albums or CDs. Wow.
00:19:54.96\00:20:01.53
People are buying CDs still? In
that same first week -- Listen.
00:20:01.53\00:20:05.80
She sold 1.64 million downloaded
copies, and then she broke all
00:20:05.80\00:20:12.27
the record books when in one day
she sold 1.49 million copies.
That's 62,000 copies in an hour.
00:20:12.27\00:20:23.42
That's about 1,000 copies
a minute. She's selling them.
00:20:23.42\00:20:28.49
¤ Hello [ Laughter ] I
know you're dying for me to
00:20:28.49\00:20:34.00
sing it. Forget it. [ Laughter ]
00:20:34.00\00:20:37.10
Maybe the choir. I don't know.
[ Chuckles ] Okay, so here's
00:20:37.10\00:20:42.67
one of the sets of lyrics.
"Hello from the other side. I
00:20:42.67\00:20:48.01
must have called a thousand
times to tell you I'm sorry for
everything that I've done.
00:20:48.01\00:20:52.35
But when I call, you never seem
to be home." We live in a world
00:20:52.35\00:20:57.85
that longs to be loved and
wanted. The maker of all things
00:20:57.85\00:21:06.76
loves and wants me. Maybe
-- Maybe Reynolds Price is
00:21:06.76\00:21:14.30
absolutely right. What if we
tapped into that for a moment?
What if in a string of stories,
00:21:14.30\00:21:19.24
we could come to grips with the
mystery of this notion the maker
00:21:19.24\00:21:23.81
of all things loves and wants
me? Open your Bible with me.
00:21:23.81\00:21:27.22
Story number one. Open your
Bible with me to John, the
Fourth Gospel -- John chapter
00:21:27.22\00:21:31.05
13. Let's go. Chapter 13, verse
1. You didn't bring a Bible --
00:21:31.05\00:21:34.29
Oh, you got to track this. Pull
the pew Bible out. There you go.
00:21:34.29\00:21:36.89
Page 725 in the pew Bible.
John chapter 13. I'm in the
00:21:36.89\00:21:43.13
New International Version. Just
one line. Here we go. John 13:1.
00:21:43.13\00:21:48.27
Isn't that something? Hey, have
you ever been loved to the end?
00:22:05.99\00:22:10.09
You say, "The end of what?" I'm
talking about the end of life.
00:22:10.09\00:22:14.36
Is there -- Has there been
anybody on this planet who has
loved you till the end
00:22:14.36\00:22:19.40
of her life, to the end of his
life? Most of us would think of
00:22:19.40\00:22:25.37
mother. Many of us
would think of father.
00:22:25.37\00:22:30.25
Some of us would think of lover
or friend or spouse, and some of
00:22:30.25\00:22:36.89
us would say, "Nobody except
Jesus." Let me read that again.
00:22:36.89\00:22:43.63
John Peckham, in his marvelous
book -- I tell you what. If I
could give this book
00:22:56.44\00:23:01.18
to everybody here today,
I'd do it. One of our seminary
00:23:01.18\00:23:05.08
professors here at Andrews
University, acclaimed. John
Peckham's book, "The Love
00:23:05.08\00:23:11.42
of God: A Canonical Model."
In that book a single line --
00:23:11.42\00:23:14.12
Put it on the screen for
you. Peckham writing, "Profound
00:23:14.29\00:23:16.69
love" -- speaking of
this phrase we just read.
00:23:16.69\00:23:20.70
I want you to grab those
two nouns that are embedded in
00:23:29.10\00:23:31.91
profound love.
00:23:31.91\00:23:33.14
Grab those two nouns right now
and scribble them down on your
00:23:33.31\00:23:36.34
study guide. You got a study
guide in your worship bulletin?
Pull that study guide out,
00:23:36.34\00:23:41.58
and now our favorite ushers
are coming your way. Two ladies
00:23:41.58\00:23:45.55
today. Hold your hand up if you
need -- Well, we have a
gentleman in the balcony.
00:23:45.55\00:23:49.36
If you need a study guide, just
put your hand up. You don't want
00:23:49.36\00:23:53.76
to miss this one. Pull it out
and let me just take a moment
while they're handing this out.
00:23:53.76\00:24:00.34
Be patient. They'll get you in
the back. I want to say to those
00:24:00.34\00:24:02.74
of you watching online right
now, those of you who are
live-streaming, you can get the
00:24:02.74\00:24:05.94
same study guide. I'd
love for you to have it.
00:24:05.94\00:24:08.78
Title of the little series
-- put it on the screen for you.
00:24:08.94\00:24:11.25
The title of the series --
"Charmed into Righteousness."
00:24:11.25\00:24:13.72
By the way, this is
next-to-the-last piece.
00:24:13.72\00:24:15.88
We end it all next week just
before spring break, all right?
00:24:15.88\00:24:18.79
"Charmed into Righteousness."
Today's teaching -- "The Most
00:24:18.79\00:24:21.36
Loving God." You go
to that on the website,
00:24:21.36\00:24:22.99
click on "Study Guide," you
have it, and you're with us.
00:24:22.99\00:24:26.06
I want you to get this
John Peckham quote -- two nouns
00:24:26.06\00:24:28.93
embedded in profound
love. Keep your hands up.
00:24:28.93\00:24:32.07
They're coming. But let's go.
Put it on the screen, please,
00:24:32.07\00:24:34.67
again.
"Profound love" -- Peckham
00:24:34.67\00:24:36.17
writing, "Profound love is
connoted by the expression 'to
00:24:36.17\00:24:39.27
the end,' likely connoting both
intensity" -- Okay, guys, what's
00:24:39.27\00:24:43.98
intensity? What's intensity?
00:24:43.98\00:24:45.55
When something is
intense, it is what?
00:24:45.55\00:24:47.78
Very strong. If I
have an intense hunger,
00:24:47.78\00:24:50.45
if I have an
intense thirst, it's strong.
00:24:50.45\00:24:52.32
It's just hanging on.
Intensity -- write that in --
00:24:52.32\00:24:56.39
and second word, "endurance."
"Endurance." What's endurance?
00:24:56.39\00:25:00.26
I'm holding on. I'm
never gonna let you go.
00:25:00.26\00:25:02.76
Endurance to the very
end. "Profound love connoted by
00:25:02.76\00:25:10.91
both intensity and endurance."
But the quotation goes on.
00:25:10.91\00:25:13.81
He's quoting Herman
N. Ridderbos, renders
00:25:13.81\00:25:16.88
this phrase -- and I love
this -- "Love to the last breath
00:25:16.88\00:25:21.28
and love in the
highest intensity.
00:25:21.28\00:25:24.25
Further, Christ's love is here
described as 'for his own.'"
00:25:24.25\00:25:28.22
It's a term of endearment.
So, when it talks about he loves
00:25:28.22\00:25:31.79
them, he loves his own unto
the end, these are his friends.
00:25:31.79\00:25:34.46
These are those that his
heart just longs to embrace.
00:25:34.46\00:25:37.27
It's a term of endearment as
found in ancient Near Eastern
00:25:37.43\00:25:42.74
literature. So, here's this
stunning opening line. Less than
24 hours, and Jesus
00:25:42.74\00:25:48.48
will be dead at Calvary, and it
declares, leading us into the
Passion of the Christ,
00:25:48.48\00:25:53.58
"He loves His own to the very
last breath." I want you to just
00:25:53.58\00:26:00.56
brood on that for a moment. Come
on. Just let it ferment, foment
00:26:00.56\00:26:05.93
in your mind. Who we talking
about here? We're talking about
00:26:05.93\00:26:10.60
the incarnated God of the
Universe. John describes Him.
"In the beginning was the Word,
00:26:10.60\00:26:14.97
and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God." By Him, all
00:26:14.97\00:26:19.81
things, animate and inanimate,
have been created. This God --
00:26:19.81\00:26:23.11
"the Word became flesh, and we
beheld a glory, the glories of
the only begotten of the
00:26:23.11\00:26:27.88
Father." This God loved them to
the last breath. Because we have
00:26:27.88\00:26:35.82
a love story here, and every
love story takes you to the
final breath, the last breath of
00:26:35.82\00:26:43.40
that love. One of my favorite
love stories, by the way -- I've
read this one again and again.
00:26:43.40\00:26:49.97
It's a true story about a young
man named Sheldon and a girl
00:26:49.97\00:26:58.95
named Davy. One Christmas they
fell madly in love over in New
Jersey. They both were hopeless
00:26:58.95\00:27:04.59
romantics. They would read and
write poetry to each other late
00:27:04.59\00:27:08.29
into the night. You got
the feel. Both are agnostics.
00:27:08.29\00:27:11.33
They grew up in wealthy homes,
but they're agnostics. Within a
00:27:11.33\00:27:17.03
year, tie the knot, they're
married. Then it's off to Oxford
University, where Sheldon
00:27:17.03\00:27:20.84
wants to pursue his degree in
English literature. While there,
00:27:20.84\00:27:25.81
they meet a professor -- C.S.
Lewis. You've heard of him. C.S.
Lewis takes a shine to this
00:27:25.81\00:27:31.35
rather attractive American
couple, and they become friends.
And through his friendship --
00:27:31.35\00:27:35.42
Listen to this. Through his
friendship, he leads them both
00:27:35.42\00:27:39.79
to Christ. They go back to the
states Christians now, and
Sheldon finds a little
00:27:39.79\00:27:45.49
private college in Virginia
where he's gonna teach English
00:27:45.49\00:27:49.30
literature, and I'm telling you
what. The story is bright with
00:27:49.30\00:27:54.07
wonder and love. They couldn't
be happier. Life could not be
grander -- until tragedy
00:27:54.07\00:28:00.41
strikes. Davy contracts a mortal
disease that cuts her life
short. So, I've read this time
00:28:00.41\00:28:08.52
and again, and I just go into
tears every time. This is the
00:28:08.52\00:28:13.96
death scene, all right? I'm
gonna read it to you. This is
00:28:13.96\00:28:16.46
the death scene. This is the
last breath, as Jesus loves to
00:28:16.46\00:28:21.23
the last breath. Oh, by
the way, Sheldon Vanauken.
00:28:21.40\00:28:23.26
This is a bestseller, title
of the book "A Severe Mercy."
00:28:23.26\00:28:27.04
It's a first-person account
of love and grief and healing,
00:28:27.04\00:28:30.01
and he and Lewis remain friends
through all of this tragedy.
00:28:30.01\00:28:34.31
Anyway, here we are at the
end. She's in the hospital.
00:28:34.31\00:28:36.78
He's holding her hand.
"Then she stirred," I read.
00:28:36.78\00:28:41.28
"There was no change at all in
her half-parted lips or eyes or
00:28:41.45\00:28:46.89
the hand I held, but then her
other hand and arm came slowly
up from her side. I could not
00:28:46.89\00:28:51.49
think of what she was doing. The
hand moved slowly across her.
00:28:51.49\00:28:54.76
It found my face. She touched my
brow and hair and then each eye
00:28:54.76\00:29:01.40
in turn and then my mouth. Her
fingers moved to each corner of
00:29:01.40\00:29:06.27
my mouth as we had always done,
and I gave her fingers little
corner-of-the-mouth
00:29:06.27\00:29:10.45
kisses as we had always done.
Then her arm fell slowly back.
00:29:10.45\00:29:16.02
Past seeing and past speaking,
with the last of her failing
00:29:16.02\00:29:21.79
strength, she had said goodbye.
In one of her earliest letters
when we were first in love,
00:29:21.79\00:29:25.39
she had spoken of 'the gentle,
awkward yearning I feel for you
just to touch your face,'
00:29:25.39\00:29:32.00
and touching my face in the
old way was her last act in this
00:29:32.00\00:29:41.78
world." The last
breath. How does it read?
00:29:41.78\00:29:48.18
And having loved his own
who were in the world, He loved
00:29:56.36\00:30:01.63
them. He loved them to the very
last breath. Wow. It's a love
00:30:01.63\00:30:09.94
story. It has its own death
scene where the love ends, and,
as we know, in fact,
00:30:14.48\00:30:20.32
really begins. I want to go to
that death scene here in John.
00:30:20.32\00:30:23.69
It's over in chapter 19.
Find it. It's Friday afternoon.
00:30:23.69\00:30:27.79
Less than 24 hours after
the Upper Room. Jesus hangs
00:30:27.79\00:30:32.86
suspended between heaven and
earth. John chapter 19. We'll
pick it up in verse 28.
00:30:32.86\00:30:37.93
Verse 28.
00:30:37.93\00:30:40.07
John is absolutely set and
intent on making certain that we
00:31:15.44\00:31:22.08
understand that the lover of
this love story is in control to
the very last breath.
00:31:22.08\00:31:29.78
He's inserted three actions the
Synoptics do not discuss. For
John, Jesus is the only one
00:31:29.78\00:31:37.43
to carry the cross. There is no
Simon of Cyrene. Jesus carries
00:31:37.43\00:31:41.43
the cross himself. He's in
control. For John, Jesus chooses
00:31:41.43\00:31:45.73
his last words. He's in control.
And for John, Jesus chooses the
00:31:45.73\00:31:49.77
moment of death -- not like Davy
in that death scene just a
moment ago where her hand
00:31:49.77\00:31:54.74
drops and that's it. I mean, if
that were the case, then John
would have had Jesus
00:31:54.74\00:32:02.22
breathe his last, and then
his head would fall, collapse
00:32:02.22\00:32:05.29
to his chest, but, oh, no, no.
John says it was exact opposite.
He put his head down.
00:32:05.29\00:32:10.06
It is now time. He put his
head down and ceased breathing.
00:32:10.06\00:32:13.53
The lover in this story is in
control to the very last breath.
00:32:13.53\00:32:18.20
Why? Because we must know
that the maker of all things
00:32:18.20\00:32:22.30
loves and wants us. That's
why. He loves and wants us.
00:32:22.30\00:32:30.15
I think of this picture that
Rachelle, our graphics artist --
00:32:30.15\00:32:33.31
She does such a great job, but
this week, boy, she -- above and
00:32:33.31\00:32:37.59
beyond. I think the picture she
put on the cover of our bulletin
-- Take all the copy off of it.
00:32:37.59\00:32:42.79
I want you to see the picture
now. I need you you to just
00:32:42.79\00:32:45.29
look at that picture. Don't
look at me. Look at the screen.
00:32:45.29\00:32:48.40
Look at that picture. Graphic,
detailed, artistic. The hands of
00:32:48.40\00:32:59.34
a lover who to his very last
breath loved the likes of you
00:32:59.34\00:33:08.32
and me. Wow. Turns out that
the sentence that Reynolds Price
00:33:08.32\00:33:13.19
once observed is what people
crave more than any other
sentence in a story -- "The
00:33:13.19\00:33:18.23
maker of all things loves and
wants me." Turns out this
sentence is cryptically embedded
00:33:18.23\00:33:22.23
in every story from the
beginning to the end of this
book, and I want to show you
00:33:22.23\00:33:26.23
that. Watch this. Old Testament
of all places. A lover in the
00:33:26.23\00:33:30.17
Old Testament? You got it.
Go back with me to the book of
00:33:30.17\00:33:32.81
Jeremiah. Come on, let's go.
Jeremiah chapter 31, okay? So
just go back into the
00:33:32.81\00:33:39.15
Old Testament. You'll
hit Jeremiah. Jeremiah 31.
00:33:39.15\00:33:42.78
Look at this. God is speaking.
The pre-incarnate Christ. This
is Jeremiah 31:3 --
00:33:42.78\00:33:50.76
"And the Lord appeared
to us in the past." Notice.
00:33:50.76\00:33:52.79
Whatever he's gonna say now,
this has happened long ago. This
message has been around
00:33:52.79\00:33:56.56
from the beginning. "And the
Lord appeared to us in the past,
saying" -- Here we go.
00:33:56.56\00:34:01.47
Let's put it on
the screen, please.
00:34:01.64\00:34:05.07
"I have loved
-- I have loved you
00:34:05.07\00:34:08.88
with an everlasting
love; I have drawn you
00:34:08.88\00:34:11.35
with unfailing kindness."
I want you to grab your study
00:34:11.35\00:34:15.58
guide, and I want you to just
get this down because there are
00:34:15.58\00:34:19.05
three different words
that God, who inspired
00:34:19.05\00:34:22.76
this book, makes sure
gets used. And you watch.
00:34:22.76\00:34:25.63
They'll show up again.
So these three words --
00:34:25.63\00:34:27.76
jot it down in your study guide.
Leave that screen up, please.
00:34:27.76\00:34:30.03
Bless you. "I have
loved" -- and that's the
00:34:30.03\00:34:32.03
Hebrew word "aheb." "I
have loved you, my people,
00:34:32.03\00:34:35.27
with an
everlasting love" -- "ahabah."
00:34:35.27\00:34:37.87
"With unfailing
love" -- "chesed" --
00:34:37.87\00:34:40.24
"I have drawn you to
myself." All right, God.
00:34:40.24\00:34:43.85
Three Hebrew words. What
are you trying to tell us?
00:34:43.85\00:34:46.58
What kind of love do
you really have for us?
00:34:46.58\00:34:49.58
He said, "I'll show
you." Three stories.
00:34:49.58\00:34:52.19
Let's go back.
Let's go back to the
00:34:52.19\00:34:53.69
Book of Genesis. We
don't have time to turn
00:34:53.69\00:34:55.49
there. We'll do
it on the screen.
00:34:55.49\00:34:57.36
Put it on the
screen, please. Genesis 22.
00:34:57.36\00:34:59.56
You remember these words
-- "Some time later" -- middle
00:34:59.56\00:35:02.40
of the night --
"God tested Abraham,
00:35:02.40\00:35:05.00
and he said to him,
'Abraham!'" Abraham wakes up.
00:35:05.00\00:35:08.77
"'Here I am,' he replied.
Then God said, 'Take your son,
00:35:08.77\00:35:13.07
your only son,
Isaac, whom you love'" --
00:35:13.07\00:35:16.48
"aheb" -- the very word we
just read in Jeremiah 31 --
00:35:16.48\00:35:19.81
"'and go to the
region of Moriah.'"
00:35:19.81\00:35:21.05
"What am I to do
there, God?" "Sacrifice him.
00:35:21.05\00:35:23.45
That's what I'm
asking you to do."
00:35:23.45\00:35:25.25
"'Sacrifice him there as a burnt
offering on one of the mountains
00:35:25.25\00:35:28.19
I will tell you about.'"
This tale of a father and a son
00:35:28.19\00:35:36.13
who come to the
moment of death together.
00:35:36.13\00:35:38.27
The story line of Abraham and
Isaac -- of course, embedded in
it is the shadowy story of
00:35:38.43\00:35:46.27
another father and another son
who will make the same trip to
that same Mount Moriah,
00:35:46.27\00:35:52.81
now known as Calvary. How much
do you love us, God? Just like
00:35:52.81\00:35:58.35
that. Like father and son. Both
of us are in this love for you.
00:35:58.35\00:36:05.39
How deep is their love? Watch
this. Turn a few pages over.
00:36:05.39\00:36:07.66
You come to Genesis 29.
Everybody knows this love story.
00:36:07.66\00:36:10.43
Put it in the screen,
please. This is Jacob.
00:36:10.60\00:36:12.30
Jacob has run away from home.
He's just done his brother bad,
00:36:12.30\00:36:16.94
and he's run away.
He's in the home of Laban,
00:36:16.94\00:36:20.01
his uncle, and Laban
has two girls, and, oh, boy,
00:36:20.01\00:36:22.94
Jacob is smitten
with the younger one.
00:36:22.94\00:36:25.21
Jot it down.
"Jacob was in love."
00:36:25.21\00:36:27.18
There's the same
word again -- "aheb."
00:36:27.18\00:36:29.08
"Jacob was in love with
Rachel, and he said to her papa,
00:36:29.08\00:36:32.72
'I'll work for you
seven years in return for
00:36:32.72\00:36:35.39
your younger daughter Rachel.'
So Jacob served seven years
00:36:35.39\00:36:38.69
to get Rachel, but they
seem like only a few days
00:36:38.69\00:36:41.10
to him because of
his love" -- "ahabah."
00:36:41.10\00:36:43.87
There they are, both words.
"Because of his love for her."
00:36:43.87\00:36:47.04
Get this. Keep writing.
00:36:47.04\00:36:48.14
"God seizes the
language of two lovers,
00:36:48.14\00:36:50.41
and he declares -- this
is how much I love you --
00:36:50.41\00:36:53.31
with the passion of a Lover."
That's how much I love you.
00:36:53.31\00:36:58.11
John Peckham again -- his words
on the screen -- fill it in --
00:36:58.11\00:37:00.65
"Scripture consistently displays
God's intensely passionate --
00:37:00.65\00:37:06.29
passionate and profoundly
emotional love for his people."
00:37:06.29\00:37:11.36
Guess what. The
maker of all things loves
00:37:11.36\00:37:14.93
and wants me.
Every story -- embedded.
00:37:14.93\00:37:21.84
Oh, here's the third story.
The words will appear here,
00:37:21.84\00:37:24.37
as well. Oh,
this is a love story.
00:37:24.37\00:37:27.18
David and Jonathan were soul
mates, kindred spirits, like
00:37:27.18\00:37:30.98
this. And Jonathan is cut down
00:37:30.98\00:37:33.65
with his maniac father
leading the charge into battle.
00:37:33.65\00:37:36.82
He and his father
perish in that battle.
00:37:36.82\00:37:39.05
When the word comes to young
David, who will be the next
00:37:39.05\00:37:41.69
king, David sobs. Put
the words on the screen,
00:37:41.69\00:37:46.73
please.
00:37:46.73\00:37:48.40
Get this -- "God
seizes" -- Jot it down.
00:37:58.84\00:38:01.94
By the way, here's a divine
assurance to those who do not
00:38:09.15\00:38:14.09
experience married love, an
assurance that their experience
00:38:14.09\00:38:17.09
of friendship love is just
as genuinely depicting the love
00:38:17.09\00:38:20.26
of God as does married love.
00:38:20.26\00:38:21.80
You don't have to be married
to know this love. You have a
00:38:21.96\00:38:24.83
friend, you know the love of
God. "You are mine. I've loved
00:38:24.83\00:38:31.51
you with an everlasting love."
The maker of all things loves
00:38:31.51\00:38:36.51
and wants me. But the tragedy
is, not everybody wants to be
00:38:36.51\00:38:43.42
loved by Him. That's the sad
truth, even in the third
millennium. Go back to, while
00:38:43.42\00:38:49.02
you have it still open, Jeremiah
31. Drop down now to verse 20.
00:38:49.02\00:38:54.46
How does God react when
not everybody loves him back?
00:38:54.46\00:38:57.70
Ah, look at this --
Jeremiah 31:20, God speaking --
00:38:57.87\00:39:01.60
Jot it down in your
study guide. Fill in that word.
00:39:15.38\00:39:18.19
There's a fourth
word inserted here.
00:39:18.19\00:39:22.02
You see it on the screen?
"Is not Ephraim my dear son,
00:39:22.02\00:39:23.93
the child in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against
00:39:23.93\00:39:26.26
him, I still remember
him. Therefore my heart yearns.
00:39:26.26\00:39:30.33
I yearn for him; I
have great compassion" --
00:39:30.33\00:39:33.23
"racham." Write that in.
00:39:33.23\00:39:34.54
Compassion. "'I
have great compassion
00:39:34.54\00:39:38.37
for him,' declares the
Lord." By the way, one scholar
00:39:38.37\00:39:41.24
declares "racham" as
the strongest word for love
00:39:41.24\00:39:45.38
in all Biblical language.
You've just hit the jackpot
00:39:45.38\00:39:50.69
in "racham." And
when you combine it
00:39:50.69\00:39:53.56
with yearning, you
have an explosive love.
00:39:53.56\00:39:56.99
Watch this. Peckham
on the screen again.
00:39:56.99\00:40:03.20
"This language" --
Watch this. "This language
00:40:03.20\00:40:05.77
depicts profoundly
passible --" Now "passible"
00:40:05.77\00:40:09.34
means capable of feeling
-- because, you see, in some
00:40:09.34\00:40:11.87
circles -- can you believe
this? -- there's some circles
00:40:11.87\00:40:14.54
who say God is impassible.
He is as unmoved as a crystal.
00:40:14.54\00:40:20.82
There's no
variation in his emotion.
00:40:20.82\00:40:22.35
He's not affected
by human emotions.
00:40:22.35\00:40:24.22
He is God, and
he's unchangeable.
00:40:24.22\00:40:26.62
They have missed the
wealth. Most of us believe, "Oh,
00:40:26.62\00:40:31.26
no, God is
passible." Keep reading.
00:40:31.26\00:40:33.50
"This language
depicts profoundly passible
00:40:33.50\00:40:36.87
[capable of feeling]
and intense emotionality,
00:40:36.87\00:40:40.24
evidenced by the Hebrew
idiom which literally refers
00:40:40.24\00:40:43.67
to turbulent or roaring
internal organs and here
00:40:43.67\00:40:46.81
'depicts'" -- jot it down --
"'God's stomach being churned up
00:40:46.81\00:40:50.95
with longing for His Son.'"
I want to ask you a question.
00:40:50.95\00:40:54.52
Have you ever cried
so hard that you got sick
00:40:54.52\00:40:57.95
to your stomach? Oh, you have.
00:40:57.95\00:41:01.02
And if you haven't, you will.
You can't get through this life
without crying that hard.
00:41:01.19\00:41:07.93
Your stomach is just
twisted in agony. That's God.
00:41:07.93\00:41:15.30
Like a mother over her child.
Like a father over his runaway.
Like a spouse for a lover
00:41:15.30\00:41:24.08
who has turned away for another.
That stomach twisting-churning
00:41:24.08\00:41:32.72
agony. Ah, jot this down -- "We
have but a faint and dim concept
00:41:32.89\00:41:36.62
of how deep -- how deep
is the love of God for us."
00:41:36.62\00:41:42.10
It's like the story
line of David, who with
00:41:42.10\00:41:44.27
stomach-churning
sobs, weeps out the cry.
00:41:44.27\00:41:47.20
Let me put this on the screen.
You remember his boy Absalom.
00:41:47.20\00:41:49.90
Oh, he loved Absalom. Absalom
00:41:49.90\00:41:51.37
has rebelled against his
daddy. He wants to kill him.
00:41:51.37\00:41:53.58
He's already usurped the
throne, but in battle, Absalom
00:41:53.58\00:41:56.85
is killed, and when
the news comes to David,
00:41:56.85\00:41:58.65
here it goes right
here -- 2 Samuel 18:33 --
00:41:58.65\00:42:01.52
"And the king was shaken.
David went up to the room
00:42:01.52\00:42:04.45
over the gateway and he
wept. And as he went, he said:
00:42:04.45\00:42:08.32
'O my son
Absalom! My son Absalom!
00:42:08.32\00:42:13.76
My son. If only
00:42:13.76\00:42:15.66
I had died instead of
you. O Absalom, my son,
00:42:15.66\00:42:19.87
my son!'" Do you
think God is gonna
00:42:19.87\00:42:24.17
septically say, "Hey, listen,
you can't win them all, boy.
00:42:24.17\00:42:26.54
I sure miss her. I sure
miss him." Are you kidding?
00:42:26.71\00:42:28.98
With stomach-churning agony,
you say no to him. You have the
00:42:28.98\00:42:34.82
right. You are perfectly free to
say no to God because love can't
00:42:34.82\00:42:38.45
be love unless you can say yes
to it and no to it. You may say
00:42:38.45\00:42:42.02
no to God, but when you say no
to him, you will rip his guts
out. Look at David.
00:42:42.02\00:42:48.53
If it's true about a father, how
about the father of us all? Oh,
here's another story line.
00:42:48.53\00:42:53.77
The same stomach-churning
weeping -- it's Jesus this time.
00:42:53.94\00:42:57.47
Words on the screen.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem --
00:42:57.47\00:43:02.04
how often I have
longed to gather your children
00:43:02.04\00:43:04.08
together, as a hen --"
like a mother -- "gathers
00:43:04.08\00:43:07.02
her chicks under her wings,
and you were not willing."
00:43:07.02\00:43:11.29
We have but a faint
concept of how deep God's pain
00:43:11.29\00:43:14.49
over unrequited love truly is.
00:43:14.49\00:43:17.29
Hey, listen, guys. Come on.
Where do you think we get the
00:43:17.46\00:43:20.60
pain of rejection, huh? You know
how it feels when somebody says
00:43:20.60\00:43:23.16
no to you? Where do you think we
got that pain of unrequited,
unreciprocated, unreturned?
00:43:23.16\00:43:28.20
Where do we get that? We got
it from Him. Our Creator, our
00:43:28.20\00:43:34.04
Savior, our God. He's
that way. It kills him
00:43:34.04\00:43:39.98
when one he loves says no.
No. I reject it. I reject you.
00:43:39.98\00:43:47.42
How many times has he wept over
Jerusalem, has he wept over you,
00:43:48.92\00:43:56.73
has he wept over
me? It's no wonder
00:43:56.73\00:44:01.07
God can't sleep at night.
00:44:01.07\00:44:02.80
Do you know how many people on
Earth -- I'm talking about men,
women, and children.
00:44:02.97\00:44:05.64
Do you know how many people on
earth go to bed every single
night not knowing the story of
00:44:05.64\00:44:08.98
this truth about God? They have
no clue. They hope to find it in
00:44:08.98\00:44:13.82
a book, "the maker of all things
loves and wants me." They have
00:44:13.82\00:44:17.89
no clue it's true. It's not
fiction. It's not just a great
00:44:17.89\00:44:20.66
story line. It's a lifeline, but
they won't grab the lifeline
until somebody tells them the
00:44:20.66\00:44:29.06
story. If only they could
existentially discover the story
00:44:29.06\00:44:33.67
line of this book. Ah, I got
to share this with you. Consider
00:44:33.67\00:44:35.87
this sampling. This is only a
sampling. I'm gonna run them by,
seven of them, seven of them.
00:44:35.87\00:44:39.61
You're gonna get writer's cramp,
but keep writing. There'll be
00:44:39.61\00:44:43.51
one word you will write over
and over again. Let's go. 1 John
00:44:43.51\00:44:47.88
4:8, 16. "God is"
what? "God is love."
00:44:47.88\00:44:51.35
Let's read this
one out loud together.
00:45:17.15\00:45:20.08
Romans 8:35 and 38 and 39.
00:45:28.52\00:45:32.13
Number seven --
00:45:51.11\00:45:53.01
Do you understand
what we just read?
00:46:01.79\00:46:05.29
Put that picture, please, back
up on the screen. Look at this
00:46:05.46\00:46:10.17
picture. This is the love story.
He is the lover, and you are His
00:46:10.17\00:46:20.81
longing. Wow. As a result,
because of that picture, you
know what you and I
00:46:20.81\00:46:26.08
can be saying about ourselves? I
am loved and I am wanted. I say
00:46:26.08\00:46:33.05
that on a week that ends the
Andrews University campaign "I
AM NOT." You been following the
00:46:33.05\00:46:37.63
campaign this week? I AM NOT.
I am not defined -- I am not
00:46:37.63\00:46:40.83
defined by my habits. I am not
defined by my behavior. Then
what are you defined by,
00:46:40.83\00:46:47.04
sir? I'll tell you
what you're defined by.
00:46:47.04\00:46:48.87
You're defined by the God of
the universe who says, "You are
00:46:48.87\00:46:54.48
loved, and you are
wanted." I am. I am valuable.
00:46:54.48\00:47:00.55
I am.
00:47:00.55\00:47:02.68
Perhaps this world could know
the love of God if they could
00:47:06.79\00:47:10.96
only read the story of the love
of God all around them. Ernest
00:47:10.96\00:47:16.36
Gordon found God in a Japanese
prisoner-of-war work camp in
Thailand during World War II.
00:47:16.36\00:47:21.27
He only barely survived. Found
God in the camp, by the way.
00:47:21.27\00:47:27.88
When he got out of the war -- He
was a Scotsman. When he got out
00:47:27.88\00:47:32.25
of the war -- this is just a
side note -- he ended up as Dean
00:47:32.25\00:47:34.82
of the Chapel at Princeton
University. He was the pastor of
00:47:34.82\00:47:37.85
that university. He wrote a book
much later, the title of the
book, "Miracle --" I got it
00:47:37.85\00:47:43.36
right here. I want
to read a story from it.
00:47:43.36\00:47:45.89
"Miracle on the River Kwai."
A story was going around while
00:47:46.06\00:47:51.87
they were in
camp, this work camp.
00:47:51.87\00:47:54.30
And, boy, they are all down to
skin and bones. And so he picks
00:47:54.47\00:47:59.37
it up here. "One story that went
the rounds soon after concerned
00:47:59.37\00:48:03.04
another Argyll." Okay, so he's
an Argyll. That's what the Scots
call themselves at.
00:48:03.04\00:48:07.18
That's a Scottish warrior in the
British Army, so they're called
Argylls, all right?
00:48:07.18\00:48:11.12
So, this went around about a
Scottish soldier "who was in a
work detail on the railway."
00:48:11.12\00:48:16.56
Now, listen. "The day's work
had ended. The tools were being
00:48:16.56\00:48:20.33
counted as usual. As the
party was about to be dismissed,
00:48:20.33\00:48:24.07
the Japanese guard shouted
that a shovel was missing. He
00:48:24.07\00:48:28.34
insisted that someone had stolen
it to sell to the Thais.
Striding up and down
00:48:28.34\00:48:31.87
before the men, he ranted
and denounced them for their
00:48:31.87\00:48:34.71
wickedness and, most
unforgivable of all, their
ingratitude to the Emperor.
00:48:34.71\00:48:39.58
As he raved, he worked himself
into a paranoid fury. Screaming
00:48:39.58\00:48:45.19
in broken English, he demanded
that the guilty one step forward
to take his punishment.
00:48:45.19\00:48:49.62
Nobody moved. The guard's rage
reached new heights of violence.
00:48:49.62\00:48:53.50
'All die! All die!' he shrieked.
And to show that he meant what
00:48:53.50\00:48:57.53
he said, he cocked his rifle,
put it to his shoulder, and
looked down the sights ready
00:48:57.53\00:49:01.24
to fire at the first man on
the other end. At that moment,
00:49:01.24\00:49:08.11
the Argyll stepped forward,
stood stiffly to attention, and
calmly said, 'I did, sir.'
00:49:08.11\00:49:16.48
The guard unleashed all his
whipped-up hate. He kicked the
00:49:16.48\00:49:20.29
helpless prisoner and beat him
with his fists. Still the Argyll
stood rigidly to attention with
00:49:20.29\00:49:24.39
the blood streaming down his
face. His silence goaded the
guard to an excess of rage.
00:49:24.39\00:49:28.60
Seizing his rifle by the barrel,
he lifted it high over his head,
and, with a final howl, brought
00:49:28.60\00:49:33.74
it down on the skull of the
Argyll, who sank limply to the
ground and did not move.
00:49:33.74\00:49:39.11
Although it was perfectly clear
that he was dead, the guard
continued to beat him
00:49:39.11\00:49:43.28
and stopped only when exhausted.
The men of the work detail
picked up their comrade's body,
00:49:43.28\00:49:52.42
shouldered their tools, and
marched back to camp. When the
00:49:52.42\00:49:56.83
tools were counted again at the
guardhouse, no shovel was
missing." "Greater love
00:49:56.83\00:50:04.93
hath no man than this: to lay
down his life for his friends."
00:50:04.93\00:50:13.48
Makes you wonder how often that
story is being played out all
00:50:13.48\00:50:18.01
around us in this postmodern
millennial society, where if
00:50:18.01\00:50:22.42
they only could know the story
line, they would find Him. The
maker of all things loves
00:50:22.42\00:50:32.23
and wants me. Reminds me of this
compelling sentence from the
00:50:32.23\00:50:37.73
American writer Ellen White.
00:50:37.73\00:50:39.30
I'll put it on
the screen for you.
00:50:39.47\00:50:40.80
It's from her classic
"Christ's Object Lessons."
00:50:40.80\00:50:44.67
"The last rays of merciful
light, the last message of mercy
00:50:44.67\00:50:49.21
to be given to the
world, is a revelation of God's
00:50:49.21\00:50:52.15
character --" of what? Of what?
00:50:52.15\00:50:56.65
Oh, go ahead and
call it out. Of what?
00:50:56.65\00:50:59.42
Of love, the last
word to go to this planet.
00:50:59.42\00:51:02.32
This is the last word. So,
what shall we do as a campus
00:51:02.32\00:51:05.36
congregation -- come
on -- situated right here?
00:51:05.36\00:51:08.83
What shall we do to take this
last message of God's love to a
00:51:09.00\00:51:15.90
dying world? I want to read
a letter to you from one of our
00:51:15.90\00:51:23.11
viewers from Iran. You know
the country of Iran, don't you?
00:51:23.11\00:51:26.95
Listen to this. "Dear Dr.
Nelson, my name is" -- He writes
his name. "I'm a Muslim-born,
00:51:26.95\00:51:31.22
non-religious man. Now I'm
27 years old" -- about your age.
00:51:31.22\00:51:35.89
"I study" -- and he tells
the discipline he's studying --
00:51:35.89\00:51:39.46
"at this university" -- and he
names it -- "in this city," and
00:51:39.46\00:51:42.83
he names it. "I've been
listening to your podcast since
00:51:42.83\00:51:48.60
last autumn. Almost last year
for the second time in my life,
I experienced a terrible shock.
00:51:48.60\00:51:53.68
It was somehow a romantic one,
and I lost the girl I loved."
00:51:53.68\00:52:00.75
The whole world longing for
love. "I lost her. Before that,
00:52:00.75\00:52:05.55
I used to be a pious person,
someone who prays five times a
day, doesn't drink alcohol,
00:52:05.55\00:52:09.59
not interested in sex out of
marriage, but after that shock,
I changed dramatically.
00:52:09.59\00:52:13.56
Maybe it was the voice of
the evil or what that I lost my
00:52:13.56\00:52:17.40
beliefs -- not a Muslim anymore,
not a pious anymore. I began
drinking, smoking weed,
00:52:17.40\00:52:21.80
and just taking care of the
moment -- a carefree life. I've
00:52:21.80\00:52:25.34
been questioning the existence
of God many times. My only
answer was, He exists and He
00:52:25.34\00:52:31.81
created all." The maker of all
things. It's the longing in
every heart to believe
00:52:31.81\00:52:36.89
there is that Creator. What
did he say? "He exists and He
00:52:36.89\00:52:42.36
created all." "There are other
questions that I don't have the
answers, like my own life.
00:52:42.36\00:52:46.13
If I die, nothing different will
happen to the world. Nobody even
00:52:46.13\00:52:54.20
hears." Hmm. "You see,
as an individual, my life is
00:52:54.20\00:52:58.74
pointless. Since the time I've
been listening to you -- I'm not
claiming that I became a
00:52:58.74\00:53:01.58
true believer. On the other
hand, I understand that
sometimes we shouldn't live
00:53:01.58\00:53:04.31
for our own sake, but for the
others. I've been donating my
00:53:04.31\00:53:06.88
blood as I listen to your
"Sermons of Addiction Series."
It is good to listen to you.
00:53:06.88\00:53:10.49
I've got to say that some of the
verses you read from the Bible
00:53:10.49\00:53:13.39
are the same in the Qur'an." And
there are those who are trying
to stir up a controversy
00:53:13.39\00:53:17.93
by saying, "Oh, no, the holy
books do not agree in critical
00:53:17.93\00:53:22.96
places." Here's a Muslim saying,
"I find that they're very
alike." "I'm working on a
00:53:22.96\00:53:29.40
Western novel and may be
published in quite a while. I
00:53:29.40\00:53:32.17
teach English. I try to live not
for myself, to help others. Even
00:53:32.17\00:53:35.18
that help would be listening to
my friends or the people's
complaints about life. Teach me
00:53:35.18\00:53:39.41
more, Dr. Nelson. Preach me. I'm
all ears." How many are in the
world, how many in this
00:53:39.41\00:53:48.59
postmodern, millennial society
are there who say, "The maker of
00:53:48.59\00:53:55.76
all things loves and wants me"?
I wish it were true. I really
00:53:55.76\00:54:04.51
wish it were true. Oh, God.
People turn to books. They crave
00:54:04.51\00:54:10.41
the thought, "The maker of all
things loves and wants me." They
don't know there's a maker.
00:54:10.41\00:54:17.85
It's just something inside
of them that wells up and -- Oh,
00:54:17.85\00:54:22.72
Father, we have to tell them the
truth. We've got to get to them
soon. We can't wait.
00:54:22.72\00:54:27.93
And so we humbly pray that like
this young man in Iran, whatever
00:54:27.93\00:54:34.10
country on Earth they're in now,
just hold them, keep them,
preserve them, and when the word
00:54:34.10\00:54:40.34
goes out, that hope trending is
coming, you -- It's for you. You
raise up a generation
00:54:40.34\00:54:46.48
within this generation of people
who know now for sure the maker
00:54:46.48\00:54:52.62
of all things loves me and wants
me, and I will give my life to
Him and I will serve Him
00:54:52.62\00:54:56.16
until He comes. May that be
true of our hearts. Take these
00:54:56.16\00:55:01.40
volunteer decisions, these
prayer lists. Take it all. Seal
it and set us loose
00:55:01.40\00:55:10.04
for this mission Christ has
called us to. We pray in Jesus'
00:55:10.04\00:55:14.04
name. [ "The
Love of God" plays ]
00:55:14.04\00:55:16.14
[ Congregation sings ]
00:55:27.49\00:55:29.69
And now may the grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ and the love
of God and the fellowship of the
00:56:44.27\00:56:51.61
Holy Spirit be
with you all. Amen.
00:56:51.61\00:56:55.38
>> May I take an extra moment
with you and let you know how
grateful I am that you
00:56:58.65\00:57:01.65
joined us in worship today?
I hear from viewers like you
00:57:01.65\00:57:05.65
across the nation and literally
around the world, and I'm
thankful. If you'd like to
00:57:05.65\00:57:09.56
explore further what we have
just shared, I hope you'll visit
00:57:09.56\00:57:12.23
us at our website. It's
an easy one to remember --
00:57:12.39\00:57:17.73
www.pmchurch.tv. We're the
Pioneer Memorial Church here on
00:57:17.73\00:57:19.83
the campus of
Andrews University.
00:57:19.83\00:57:21.57
So, that's www.pmchurch.tv.
Click onto that website, and
00:57:21.57\00:57:26.44
you'll be able to listen
to a podcast of this material.
00:57:26.44\00:57:28.94
You can download the
presentation. You can print off
00:57:29.11\00:57:31.65
the study guide. You may have
a special prayer need that you
00:57:31.65\00:57:34.28
wish to share with our prayer
partners, or you may wish to
partner with us through a
00:57:34.28\00:57:38.25
personal donation to help reach
this generation with the
everlasting good news of Christ.
00:57:38.25\00:57:42.62
If you'd rather talk
with someone, call one of our
00:57:42.79\00:57:44.89
friendly operators.
Here's the toll-free number --
00:57:44.89\00:57:47.50
877 -- and then the
two words -- HIS-WILL.
00:57:47.50\00:57:50.13
877-HIS-WILL. In the
meantime, may the grace
00:57:50.13\00:57:54.14
and peace of Jesus
be yours every step
00:57:54.14\00:57:57.11
of this adventurous way. ¤¤
00:57:57.11\00:58:03.24