[ "Majesty" plays ] >> Sing
"Majesty" with us today, please.
00:00:08.40\00:00:17.45
Jesus, who died. Now
glorified, King of all kings.
00:00:20.38\00:00:25.39
Sing with us now.
00:00:25.39\00:00:27.36
[ Congregation sings ]
00:00:32.09\00:00:34.56
Let's sing that
again. [ Congregation sings ]
00:01:52.61\00:01:57.41
Won't that be an amazing moment?
We've just sung our first hymn
00:03:28.50\00:03:32.34
in heaven. We've
just lift our voices
00:03:32.34\00:03:34.78
and joined with the billions
of others praising our --
00:03:34.78\00:03:38.41
praising our Jesus.
00:03:38.41\00:03:39.81
We've joined our voices with
those of the angels as we stand,
00:03:39.98\00:03:45.92
sit, kneel, bow around the
throne of God. How great is our
God? [ "How Great Is Our God"
00:03:45.92\00:03:52.73
plays ] [ Congregation sings ]
00:03:56.60\00:03:59.00
Please stand with us now.
00:07:09.72\00:07:11.53
[ "We Fall Down" plays ]
00:10:11.07\00:10:13.38
[ Congregation sings ]
00:10:24.25\00:10:27.06
One more time, sing
with us, "We Fall Down."
00:11:15.64\00:11:21.11
[ Congregation sings ]
00:11:21.11\00:11:23.71
>> Well, good morning, boys and
girls. Happy Labor Day Sabbath
00:12:45.26\00:12:50.10
to you, the last summer break
before fall begins. Nice to see
00:12:50.10\00:12:55.80
all of you. You're looking just
great. So okay, let's have a
little summertime show-and-tell
00:12:55.80\00:13:00.54
because this is the last, uh,
official Sabbath of summer. I
want to show you a picture.
00:13:00.54\00:13:04.81
All right? Put a picture on the
screen of a very beautiful tree.
00:13:04.81\00:13:09.58
Oh, that tree, 65 feet tall. The
little birdies would sit in its
00:13:09.58\00:13:15.22
branches and tweet, tweet,
tweet. Little squirrels race up
and down, up and down,
00:13:15.22\00:13:18.99
up and down. Even the man would
come and sit under that tree and
00:13:18.99\00:13:23.80
read a book on a Sunday
afternoon. When children came
along, children played under
00:13:23.80\00:13:29.24
that tree with the woman and the
man. Years, happy years went by.
Until one day, un--
00:13:29.24\00:13:35.61
Nobody knew this was happening.
But one day, it happened. Let me
show you the picture
00:13:35.61\00:13:40.32
right on that screen. You
see that penny? Do you see two
00:13:40.32\00:13:44.62
little beetles on that
penny? Those are the emerald ash
00:13:44.62\00:13:51.13
borers, smaller than a penny,
tiny, teeny. But they landed
00:13:51.13\00:13:56.06
on that ash tree. And they say,
"Hmm. [Munching]" And they began
00:13:56.06\00:14:01.34
to dig. And they went in. And
the mamas went in. And the mama
00:14:01.34\00:14:04.04
said, "Let's have babies."
Mm, boop. The eggs came out.
00:14:04.04\00:14:07.34
Next picture, and the eggs
became larvae. That's a larva.
00:14:07.34\00:14:12.15
The larva is [Munching] eating
all the wood where the water and
the nutrition for the tree,
00:14:12.15\00:14:19.89
the vascular system, where
it passes to the tips of the
00:14:19.89\00:14:24.63
branches. [ Munching ] And then,
the larvae began to multiply and
00:14:24.63\00:14:29.26
multiply and multiply until
eventually, the tree was filled.
The man and the woman
00:14:29.26\00:14:33.97
and the children didn't know
the tree was filled with these
00:14:33.97\00:14:39.74
borers. In fact, when the borers
would crawl out, they could fly
00:14:39.74\00:14:42.61
up to a half a mile to another
ash tree. An ash tree cannot
survive ever, ever, ever if
00:14:42.61\00:14:50.25
they're there. And so it was
a sad day when the man went out,
00:14:50.25\00:14:53.86
stood in the yard, and looked up
at his tree and noticed
something under the bark.
00:14:53.86\00:14:58.56
Look at the next picture. He
noticed, "[ Gasps ] What's
happening to the bark?"
00:14:58.56\00:15:02.70
Do you see those little squiggly
trails? Those are the --
00:15:02.70\00:15:06.63
Those are the larvae
just [Munching] Next picture.
00:15:06.63\00:15:10.14
You can see it a little closer.
Oh, they're carving everything
00:15:10.14\00:15:13.98
under the bark. You couldn't
tell from the outside. But the
00:15:13.98\00:15:18.68
tree is dying. And on that day
when the man came out and looked
00:15:18.68\00:15:21.65
up at the tree, here's a picture
of that tree. Not a leaf -- Not
00:15:21.65\00:15:29.52
a leaf in sight. That means only
one thing. If you don't want
that tree to come crashing down
00:15:29.52\00:15:32.76
on your house, you better take
it down. "Hello, Mr. Lumberjacks
00:15:32.76\00:15:36.67
of Bering Springs. John Hansen,
is this you?" "Yes, it is."
00:15:36.67\00:15:39.50
"Will you come take down our
three ash trees?" Bingo, let's
00:15:39.50\00:15:43.34
put him on the screen. There
is brave John Hansen moving up
00:15:43.34\00:15:48.21
into the trees with a -- with a
saw, branch by branch. Pew! Pew!
00:15:48.21\00:15:54.88
Pew! Let's see the next picture.
Aw, the tree is coming down.
00:15:54.88\00:15:59.65
It's dead. It can't live.
We waited three years hoping it
00:15:59.65\00:16:02.86
might come back. It's dead. It's
gone. Next picture. Oh, that
beautiful 65-foot tree,
00:16:02.86\00:16:09.73
bye-bye. It
died. One more picture.
00:16:09.73\00:16:13.97
All it's good for now is
firewood. If you want some, come
00:16:13.97\00:16:17.11
by. Do you know what, guys? You
know what killed the tree?
Something so small,
00:16:20.21\00:16:23.65
nobody saw it -- the little
emerald ash borer. Reminds me of
00:16:23.65\00:16:28.72
sin, something so small. Nobody
can see a sin. When it gets in
00:16:28.72\00:16:31.65
your heart, that little sin gets
in your heart. I'll be a little
00:16:31.65\00:16:34.29
sassy to mommy. I'll be -- I'll
disobey. I'll hurt her. I'll get
00:16:34.29\00:16:37.96
her. I'll get him. [ Munching
] And if that sin is left in the
00:16:37.96\00:16:42.23
heart [Munching] And sin can eat
the whole heart up. So once upon
00:16:42.23\00:16:46.70
a time, God planted a tree.
Let me see God's tree. Ah, God
00:16:46.70\00:16:52.07
planted a tree to save us from
our sins. And that's why --
that's why Jesus died.
00:16:52.07\00:16:58.28
He died so that He could
get those sins out of our hearts
00:16:58.28\00:17:02.78
with our help, get those sins
out of our hearts so that we
won't die, but live forever.
00:17:02.78\00:17:09.39
Oh, who is thankful that Jesus
came to die to save us from our
00:17:09.39\00:17:16.56
little borer sins? And who wants
to say, "Jesus, if there's some
ash borers in my heart, those
00:17:16.56\00:17:21.37
little sins, help me get them
out now." Who would like to
thank Jesus for being that kind
00:17:21.37\00:17:28.04
of Savior? Somebody here? Sissy,
come on up here. What's your
00:17:28.04\00:17:31.01
name? >> Cassie. >> Cassie?
You go, Cassie. All right.
00:17:31.01\00:17:33.78
Let's close our eyes and fold
our hands as Cassie thanks Jesus
for being our Savior.
00:17:33.78\00:17:39.12
Cassie? >> Dear Heavenly
Father, thank You for this day.
00:17:39.12\00:17:42.56
Thank You for everything that
You give us. Thank You that we
00:17:42.56\00:17:45.79
got to go to our Sabbath Schools
today and come here to listen to
the, um, the preacher, um,
00:17:45.79\00:17:53.20
preach to the little kids and
to the grown-ups. Dear Jesus,
00:17:53.20\00:17:57.11
thank You for everything that
You gave us this -- this week as
00:17:57.11\00:18:00.61
we are going back to school
in three days. Dear Jesus, thank
00:18:00.61\00:18:05.58
You. Amen. >> Amen. Thank you,
Cassie. And, boys and girls,
00:18:05.58\00:18:07.78
as you go back to your seats,
you say what Cassie said, "Thank
00:18:07.78\00:18:11.32
You, Jesus." Thank You for being
our Savior. Thank you, Cassie.
00:18:11.32\00:18:15.39
Well done. >> ¤ Within these
walls ¤ ¤ The sound of praises ¤
¤ Radiant hallelujahs rise ¤
00:18:33.38\00:18:45.92
¤ Ceaseless prayer and hymn
ascending ¤ ¤ Sweet as incense
00:18:45.92\00:18:56.23
to the skies ¤ ¤ Holy,
holy ¤ ¤ Holy God all glory ¤
00:18:56.23\00:19:13.55
¤ Saints on Earth and saints
above ¤ ¤ Join to bless the Lord
00:19:13.55\00:19:24.13
of love ¤
00:19:24.13\00:19:28.73
¤ Within these walls a meal for
sharing ¤ ¤ Tender hallelujahs
00:19:38.57\00:19:51.99
rise ¤ ¤ Bread and wine for
celebration ¤ ¤ Hymns to praise
00:19:51.99\00:20:00.46
the Crucified ¤ ¤ Holy,
holy ¤ ¤ Holy God all glory ¤
00:20:00.46\00:20:21.12
¤ Saints on Earth and saints
above ¤ ¤ Join to share this
00:20:21.12\00:20:32.79
feast of love ¤ ¤ Within these
walls ¤ ¤ A faith confessing ¤
00:20:32.79\00:20:43.00
¤ Joyous alleluias rise ¤ ¤
Songs of hope and revelation ¤ ¤
God's own Word and sign
00:20:43.00\00:20:58.32
inspire ¤ ¤ Holy, holy
¤ ¤ Holy God all glory ¤
00:20:58.32\00:21:16.77
>> ¤ Saints on Earth and saints
above ¤ ¤ Speak of promise ¤
00:21:21.64\00:21:33.42
¤ Sing of love ¤
00:21:33.42\00:21:41.93
>> ¤ Within these walls ¤ ¤
Yet far beyond all ¤ ¤ Wondrous
00:22:35.12\00:22:49.00
hallelujahs rise ¤ ¤ Word and
song and all creation ¤ ¤ Praise
00:22:49.00\00:22:58.41
the Son of God most high ¤
¤ Holy, holy ¤ ¤ Holy God all
00:22:58.41\00:23:17.26
glory ¤ ¤ Saints on Earth and
saints above ¤ ¤ Join to bless
00:23:17.26\00:23:34.48
the Lord of love ¤
00:23:34.48\00:23:39.58
>> Amen.
00:24:07.14\00:24:09.84
>> Thank you, Steve. That
was just beautiful. Thank you,
00:24:17.32\00:24:21.26
choir. Good to have you back.
00:24:21.26\00:24:23.73
Let's pray. Oh, God, You have
conspired this morning from the
00:24:30.30\00:24:40.68
holy, holy, holy we sang before
the service began to the Sanctus
that our singers brought to us
00:24:40.68\00:24:52.49
as we invoked Your blessing as
worship formally began. The
music, the praying.
00:24:52.49\00:25:07.84
We are in the presence of a holy
God who rules this universe and
yet has hit the pause button
00:25:07.84\00:25:18.58
everywhere else so that You can
be wholly engaged with our minds
00:25:18.58\00:25:24.12
right here at Andrews University
in the Pioneer Memorial Church.
00:25:24.12\00:25:31.13
God, You have something for us
today. It is very clear. Let it
00:25:31.13\00:25:36.16
be clear, I pray
in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:25:36.16\00:25:40.54
Have you ever met
anybody who was partly pregnant?
00:25:40.70\00:25:47.98
"Yo, girl, you
pregnant?" "Partly."
00:25:47.98\00:25:53.11
"Which part?" Have
you ever met anybody
00:25:53.11\00:25:57.19
who was partly a sinner?
"Yo, dude, you a sinner?"
00:25:57.19\00:26:03.83
"Partly." It's
impossible. You can't be partly.
00:26:03.99\00:26:08.10
You either are or you aren't.
I can understand why as -- as
00:26:08.10\00:26:12.53
humans, we have this longing to
-- to -- to come on -- kind of
push me into the corner.
00:26:12.53\00:26:16.04
I'm part sinner instead of full
sinner. Who wants to be full
00:26:16.04\00:26:21.34
sinner when you've got the moral
portrait that Scripture paints
00:26:21.34\00:26:25.91
for us with words like "stinky"
and "sick"? I want you to write
those two texts down.
00:26:25.91\00:26:31.45
You don't believe that's in
the Bible. Grab your study guide
00:26:31.45\00:26:33.82
right now. It's in your worship
bulletin. Pull it out. You
didn't get a worship
00:26:33.82\00:26:36.42
bulletin, you didn't get a
study guide? We got some great,
00:26:36.42\00:26:39.29
young ushers. Well, sort of
young and... I was looking at
00:26:39.29\00:26:45.67
these boys right over here.
That's all right. Everybody's
00:26:45.67\00:26:48.07
young here. This is a college
church. So we're -- We got the,
00:26:48.07\00:26:52.04
uh -- We've got the study guides
for you. Hold your hand up.
They're coming your way on this,
00:26:52.04\00:26:54.68
uh, Labor Day Sabbath. You
didn't get a study guide. You're
00:26:54.68\00:27:00.32
watching on the air right now.
00:27:00.32\00:27:01.55
Let's put the website on
your screen so you can see it.
00:27:01.72\00:27:05.75
Watching on television,
www.newperceptions.tv.
00:27:05.75\00:27:09.89
That's what you're looking for.
You're looking for a new series
00:27:09.89\00:27:12.29
that -- whose title
is this -- #RxF4Now.
00:27:12.29\00:27:18.90
That's the title of the
series. You have to look at that
00:27:18.90\00:27:21.34
on a piece of
paper to get it straight.
00:27:21.34\00:27:23.14
But some of you are already
using it with your tweeting.
00:27:23.14\00:27:25.54
And that is how we can
track it. And we got people
00:27:25.54\00:27:28.71
that are monitoring
your tweets. All right?
00:27:28.71\00:27:31.35
So what you're
looking for on that website,
00:27:31.35\00:27:32.88
by the way, is you're
looking for today's teaching,
00:27:32.88\00:27:34.55
which is "Dead Man Walking."
If you missed last week -- It's
00:27:34.55\00:27:36.95
possible you did.
00:27:36.95\00:27:38.19
It's entitled "Believe!" with
an exclamation mark. Now what we
00:27:38.35\00:27:42.66
shared last week and what we're
gonna share today may seem a bit
disparate. But next week is the
00:27:42.66\00:27:47.23
key. We pull the two together.
And then, we keep journeying
right into this, uh, fall.
00:27:47.23\00:27:51.50
And so "Dead Man Walking."
What's that all about? Come on.
00:27:51.50\00:27:55.74
Let's jot the text down. We just
-- We just talked about this --
00:27:55.74\00:27:58.87
Psalm 38:5, New
Living Translation.
00:27:58.87\00:28:00.68
I told you it's not a very
pretty picture. It certainly
00:28:07.98\00:28:10.65
won't end up -- end up on the
cover of "People" magazine. I
stink because of my sins.
00:28:10.65\00:28:15.12
How about Isaiah 1:6, also
the New Living? The God of the
00:28:15.12\00:28:19.69
universe is giving a moral
diagnosis of Israel. And he says
00:28:19.69\00:28:24.70
to them... Period. Stinky
and sick, not a very attractive
00:28:32.11\00:28:38.68
portrait for sure of the sinner.
Martin Luther reminds me of what
00:28:38.68\00:28:43.69
he -- He described our fallen
human nature, Martin Luther,
00:28:43.69\00:28:47.69
this way. Very graphic for the
times in which he was living,
but we'll put 'em on the screen
00:28:47.69\00:28:50.69
there, these words.
00:28:50.69\00:28:52.09
Get over on that side,
push him back up, back and forth
00:28:58.43\00:29:02.57
because he's drunk. That's
our fallen human nature. And you
00:29:02.57\00:29:06.01
say, "Well, I beg to differ with
you because that's not me. I
happen to be an exception.
00:29:06.01\00:29:13.98
I am different." That's what
he thought, the great saint and
00:29:13.98\00:29:19.29
apostle Paul -- "I'm different.
"In fact, let me just give you,"
he says, "a little insight
00:29:19.29\00:29:26.43
into how I grew up." And, by
the way, this is a piece of very
00:29:26.43\00:29:30.23
interesting self-disclosure.
Jot it down. It's in your study
00:29:30.23\00:29:34.57
guide. Put it on the screen.
Philippians. By the way, he
00:29:34.57\00:29:37.34
wrote this in -- in jail, in
prison in Rome. Paul writing,
00:29:37.34\00:29:42.18
you want to talk. "If someone
else thinks they have reasons to
00:29:42.18\00:29:44.35
put confidence in the flesh --"
that's human nature, the drunk
00:29:44.35\00:29:46.35
in the saddle -- "I have
more." "Let me just run by
00:29:46.35\00:29:48.55
my credentials.
"I was circumcised
00:29:48.55\00:29:51.02
on the eighth day, Jew
of Jew, Hebrew of Hebrew,
00:29:51.02\00:29:54.06
tribe of
Benjamin." He keeps going on.
00:29:54.06\00:29:56.12
"And in regard to the law, a
Pharisee. As for righteousness,
00:29:56.12\00:29:59.96
based on the law --" write
it down. "I was faultless."
00:29:59.96\00:30:04.50
That's what he's saying,
faultless. "I kept the Ten
00:30:04.50\00:30:08.47
Commandments from the day I was
born from top to bottom. I kept
them faultlessly, always
00:30:08.47\00:30:13.07
honored the Seventh Day Sabbath,
lived a morally pure life.
00:30:13.07\00:30:17.75
Upstanding? Why, I was
outstanding." Kind of reminds us
of the Pharisee Jesus depicted
00:30:17.75\00:30:23.72
in his biting parable, the
Pharisee who stands up front in
00:30:23.72\00:30:27.66
worship. And he lifts up
his eyes to heaven, "Oh, God, I
00:30:27.66\00:30:30.99
thank You. I am not like that
moral wretch on the last row. I
00:30:30.99\00:30:39.00
fast twice a week. I give a
tenth of all I get." Yeah.
Sounds like some people I know.
00:30:39.00\00:30:46.94
Paul, the Pharisee, convinced
their obedience to the law would
00:30:46.94\00:30:50.75
get them into God's good graces
and His heavenly home someday.
But something very dramatic --
00:30:50.75\00:30:56.32
You'll see this. Something very
dramatic happens to Paul that
00:30:56.32\00:31:02.22
forever changes his mind about
God's law. Watch this. This is
00:31:02.22\00:31:07.03
dynamite. You got to go to it
in your Bible. Now, here's where
00:31:07.03\00:31:09.53
we're gonna stay, Romans chapter
7. Open up your Bible, please,
to Romans chapter 7,
00:31:09.53\00:31:12.77
provocative testimony. Paul,
Romans chapter 7. I'll be in the
00:31:12.77\00:31:17.51
New International version. You
didn't bring a Bible, grab that
00:31:17.51\00:31:19.37
pew Bible in front of you. You
got to track this. You got to
00:31:19.37\00:31:22.28
see it written in front of
your eyes. Romans chapter 7, pew
00:31:22.28\00:31:26.88
Bible page 761. Romans 7. Let's
begin in verse 7. Provocative
00:31:26.88\00:31:30.45
testimony. Here it comes.
00:31:30.45\00:31:31.99
What law says, "You shall
not covet"? Call it out to me.
00:31:50.74\00:31:53.44
What law is that? That would be
the Ten Commandments, of course.
00:31:53.44\00:31:57.78
What in the world changed Paul's
mind about the law? He just told
00:31:57.78\00:32:01.92
us that, "Man, growing up as a
young adult, I was faultless
before the Ten Commandments."
00:32:01.92\00:32:08.62
It can't be that the -- the
10th commandment got added. He
00:32:08.62\00:32:12.23
memorized the 10th commandment
when he was a kid. It's the last
00:32:12.23\00:32:15.70
of the 10. So what has
changed? Aha. Paul met somebody.
00:32:15.70\00:32:21.67
And once he met this somebody,
the law could never be the same
00:32:21.67\00:32:27.58
again because -- excuse me --
because, you see, in the Sermon
00:32:27.58\00:32:34.12
on the Mount, Sermon on the
Mount, Jesus, the law giver, the
00:32:34.12\00:32:36.82
incarnated law giver, who, by
the way, with His own finger
carved the 10 commands
00:32:36.82\00:32:40.99
into granite Himself. In
the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
00:32:40.99\00:32:45.96
treats the 10th commandment like
we have never seen it treated
00:32:45.96\00:32:51.10
before. Watch this. Matthew
chapter 5. In your study guide,
00:32:51.10\00:32:55.14
verses 21 and 22 and then on to
27 and 28 -- Let's go,
Red-letter words in anybody's
00:32:55.14\00:32:58.91
Bible. "You have
heard --" Jesus speaking.
00:32:58.91\00:33:01.51
"You have heard that it was said
to the people long ago, 'You
shall not murder.'"
00:33:01.51\00:33:05.85
That would be the sixth
commandment, by the way, of the
00:33:05.85\00:33:09.25
Ten Commandments. "You shall not
murder. But I tell you that
anyone who is angry --" write
00:33:09.25\00:33:14.49
that down. "Anyone who is
angry with a brother or sister
00:33:14.49\00:33:17.86
will be subject to judgment."
And then a few breaths later,
00:33:17.86\00:33:22.50
Jesus goes on, "You have also
heard that it was said, 'Do not
00:33:22.50\00:33:26.20
commit adultery.'" That would be
the seventh commandment of the
00:33:26.20\00:33:29.70
Ten Commandments. "But I tell
you that anyone who looks at a
woman lustfully --" or a man --
00:33:29.70\00:33:35.44
"has already committed adultery
with her in his heart." Write in
00:33:35.44\00:33:40.95
that word "heart." The
10th commandment, "you shall not
00:33:41.12\00:33:45.75
covet," radically shifts
our focus from the law of God,
00:33:45.75\00:33:48.22
our focus on the
Ten Commandments.
00:33:48.22\00:33:49.99
Jot this down. It shifts us
00:33:49.99\00:33:51.83
from external
compliance. This is huge.
00:33:51.83\00:33:55.63
It shifts us from
external compliance
00:33:55.63\00:33:57.97
to internal
obedience. And that is what
00:33:57.97\00:34:03.20
Paul is talking about.
Paul says, "Look, Jesus,
00:34:03.20\00:34:05.47
in the Sermon on the
Mount, reveals to us why He,
00:34:05.47\00:34:08.81
the divine law giver,
included the 10th commandment
00:34:08.81\00:34:12.25
in the first place."
Because the 10th commandment
00:34:12.25\00:34:15.95
deals with the
mind. You shall not covet.
00:34:15.95\00:34:18.95
In other words, you
shall not sin in your mind.
00:34:18.95\00:34:21.99
You shall not sin in your
thoughts. "And the moment I
00:34:22.16\00:34:27.73
realized," Paul is writing,
"that that's what the 10th
commandment is doing,
00:34:27.73\00:34:32.53
I threw my hands up. I am lost.
Why? Because I know my mind.
00:34:32.53\00:34:39.27
I know my secret thoughts. I
know my darling sins. I thought
00:34:39.27\00:34:44.01
the commandments were about one
to nine, you know, external
behavior. And then throw in the
00:34:44.01\00:34:46.95
covet just to cover everything,
not realizing that the 10th
00:34:46.95\00:34:51.22
commandment was inserted so that
I could get nailed, proud of my
external compliance,
00:34:51.22\00:34:59.49
nailed regarding my
internal obedience." Wow.
00:34:59.49\00:35:06.23
Nailed, by the way.
00:35:06.23\00:35:08.20
Nailed by the law. And
I know what you're saying.
00:35:08.37\00:35:10.71
You're saying, "Oh, yo, Dwight,
if the law is this dangerous,
00:35:10.71\00:35:14.18
if it's okay with
you, I'm just staying away
00:35:14.18\00:35:15.88
from those 10. Please,
00:35:15.88\00:35:16.91
do not bring me into those 10."
00:35:16.91\00:35:18.95
Come on. Come on. Come on. Why
would we do that? That doesn't
00:35:19.11\00:35:22.58
make any sense when, in fact,
the Ten Commandments, the divine
law, is a portrait,
00:35:22.58\00:35:27.02
a transcript of the beautiful
law giver who God is. Listen to
00:35:27.02\00:35:34.36
how David sings. David devotes
an entire song, the longest
chapter in the whole Bible,
00:35:34.36\00:35:40.04
Psalm 119 -- He devotes it to
the law. He's singing about the
law. Jot these down, will you?
00:35:40.04\00:35:43.34
Run 'em by you,
verse 97, Psalm 119.
00:35:43.34\00:35:45.91
Keep writing, 172, verse 172.
00:35:50.31\00:35:53.08
Keep writing, verse 127.
00:35:58.12\00:36:00.36
That's why he opens up
the song with verse 18.
00:36:04.66\00:36:07.03
I tell you what, if you were to
walk up to David and declare,
"You know that law of God,
00:36:12.93\00:36:15.64
those 10 Commandments? Man,
what a bummer. What a downer."
00:36:15.64\00:36:18.57
You know what David
would respond? "Are you crazy?
00:36:18.57\00:36:21.14
Don't you understand? The law
reveals the God of love who
rules this universe."
00:36:21.14\00:36:25.95
That's why he throws in verse
64 -- Fill it in. "The earth, O
00:36:25.95\00:36:29.62
God, is filled with Your
love. Teach me your decrees," a
00:36:29.62\00:36:35.76
synonym for laws, a synonym for
commandments. Teach them to me.
They are filled with Your love.
00:36:35.76\00:36:40.50
The whole universe is. There's
nothing defective or bad news
00:36:40.50\00:36:44.57
about the law of God. In fact,
Paul is about to make that very
00:36:44.57\00:36:49.17
point. Let's read verse 7 again
just to get a run into this.
00:36:49.17\00:36:53.14
Verse 7... "For I would not have
known what coveting really was
if the law had not said,
00:37:00.28\00:37:03.28
'You shall not
covet.'" Now, go on, verse 8.
00:37:03.28\00:37:05.59
Now I'm suddenly aware of my
thoughts. I'm aware that, oh,
00:37:12.09\00:37:14.83
wow. I wouldn't want anybody
knowing what I'm thinking right
00:37:14.83\00:37:18.83
now. "I never realized the depth
of the 10th commandment," Paul's
00:37:29.54\00:37:32.65
telling us. "I didn't know. I
thought I was faultless. And now
I realize everything,
00:37:32.65\00:37:37.09
like X-ray, is exposed to the
God of the universe." Verse 10.
00:37:37.09\00:37:45.16
"Because, suddenly, now I stand
guilty before the bar of justice
00:37:52.07\00:37:56.84
and judgment in the law." As
Jesus put it in the Sermon on
00:37:56.84\00:38:01.01
the Mount -- This is what Paul
is saying in between the lines.
00:38:01.01\00:38:04.65
"As Jesus taught, even if I
think it, I'm nailed. Even if I
don't do it but only think it,
00:38:04.65\00:38:12.62
I'm nailed." The law, guilty,
guilty, guilty. "There's nothing
wrong with the law, reader,"
00:38:12.62\00:38:21.03
he tells us. "Nothing wrong with
the law. It's wrong with me."
00:38:21.03\00:38:27.34
Jot it down, verse 12. "So then,
the law," Paul writes, "is holy,
and the commandment
00:38:27.34\00:38:33.21
is holy, righteous and good."
There's nothing wrong with the
00:38:33.21\00:38:42.55
law. Pick it up in verse 14 now.
"We know that the law is
spiritual --" yes, we do --
00:38:42.55\00:38:47.76
"but I am unspiritual." See?
I'm the one that's defective.
00:38:47.76\00:38:50.89
"Sold as a slave to sin. I
do not understand what I do. For
00:38:50.89\00:38:55.86
what I want to do I do not do,
but what I hate I do. "And if I
00:38:55.86\00:38:59.13
do," verse 16, "what I do not
want to do, I agree that the law
00:38:59.13\00:39:02.07
is good. Verse 24...
00:39:23.09\00:39:24.46
Wow.
00:39:35.00\00:39:36.71
Remember John Bunyan? The
Englishman John Bunyan, remember
00:39:40.78\00:39:44.18
him? "Pilgrim's Progress," the
classic. He wrote another book
00:39:44.18\00:39:47.65
in which he tells -- he relates
his conversion experience. The
title of that book,
00:39:47.65\00:39:51.72
"Grace Abounding to the Chief
of Sinners." And in that book,
00:39:51.72\00:39:54.96
he describes this, "Oh, wretched
man that I am," experience that
00:39:54.96\00:40:00.80
he went through. I'll put
his words on the screen. You can
00:40:00.80\00:40:02.40
take 'em home there in your
study guide. "I --" John Bunyan
00:40:02.40\00:40:05.10
writing... "Yo, let me have your
heart. Mine is worse. I promise
00:40:25.25\00:40:28.26
it's worse. Give me your heart."
00:40:28.26\00:40:30.36
"I thought none but the devil
himself could equalize --" or
00:40:31.96\00:40:35.63
equal -- "me for inward
wickedness and pollution of
00:40:35.63\00:40:38.50
mind. I fell, therefore,
00:40:38.50\00:40:40.37
at the sign of my own
vileness, deeply into despair."
00:40:40.37\00:40:46.78
End quote.
00:40:46.78\00:40:48.84
"Oh, wretched man that I
am." When John Bunyan, when the
00:40:49.01\00:41:00.92
Apostle Paul, when you, when I
see in the perfect mirror or
reflection of the law of God,
00:41:00.92\00:41:07.30
when we gaze into that
reflection, staring unblinkingly
00:41:07.30\00:41:12.87
back at us, when our consciences
are confronted with the total
00:41:12.87\00:41:17.34
depravity that exists inside of
us, it is truly a, "Oh, wretched
00:41:17.34\00:41:26.78
woman." It is truly a,
"Oh, wretched man that I am,"
00:41:26.78\00:41:32.85
experience... ...for
anyone. When I met Christ as a
00:41:39.26\00:41:47.14
22-year-old here at Andrews
University, it was through this
same, "Oh, wretched me,"
00:41:47.14\00:41:53.61
experience that God led me. And
you know what? A few years have
00:41:53.61\00:41:56.91
gone since that day, and
I've come in the course of my
00:41:56.91\00:42:02.28
ministry to men, women, young
adults, teenagers, and children
-- I have come to realize
00:42:02.28\00:42:07.06
that this dark pathway is one
that all must trod. For only a
conscience made aware
00:42:07.06\00:42:18.60
of the perfection of God's law
and the holiness of His
character and realizing
00:42:18.60\00:42:23.44
how wretched is the comparison
with my guilty heart, only that
00:42:23.44\00:42:29.14
guilty heart can be
driven to truly seek relief from
00:42:29.14\00:42:38.19
salvation. That was the
experience, by the way, of
Jacob, with his midnight --
00:42:44.53\00:42:47.60
Do you remember Jacob and the
midnight assailant? That was the
00:42:47.60\00:42:51.23
experience when Isaiah comes
into this glorious worship
service. Suddenly the walls --
00:42:51.23\00:42:54.30
He was talking about, in these
four walls, the walls fall away.
00:42:54.30\00:42:57.67
And now he's -- he's standing
before the throne of almighty
00:42:57.67\00:43:01.54
God. "Woe is me, for I am
undone. I'm a man of unclean
lips. And I live in the midst
00:43:01.54\00:43:05.71
of a people of unclean lips."
"Holy, holy," they sang as he
00:43:05.71\00:43:10.85
watched. And he fell to his
face. It's what happens to you.
It's what happens to you
00:43:10.85\00:43:15.39
when you realize that it is a
guilty heart you bring into the
00:43:15.39\00:43:20.03
presence of almighty God. It's
what happened to Peter, slimy,
silvery fish dancing
00:43:20.03\00:43:26.80
in the bottom of that fishing
skiff. And Peter is down on his
00:43:26.80\00:43:30.17
face, grabbing Jesus' ankles.
And he's saying, "Depart from
00:43:30.17\00:43:33.48
me, for I am a sinner, oh, God."
It's what happens. It would be
00:43:33.48\00:43:41.15
the experience of all who come
to God. At some point, it has to
happen, or you haven't looked
00:43:41.15\00:43:50.23
in the mirror yet. When my
professor told us in class --
00:43:50.23\00:43:55.36
By the way, he told us, we
needed to ask God to reveal to
us our true sinfulness.
00:43:55.36\00:43:59.27
I wrote it down thinking it
might be on a test. Then one
00:43:59.27\00:44:04.74
dark night, just a few weeks
later, I prayed that prayer,
kind of on the -- on the spur.
00:44:04.74\00:44:10.91
I mean, no thought. Just,
"Okay, God, show me my true
00:44:10.91\00:44:16.32
sinfulness." And I now realize
what happened when God heard
that prayer. He leaned over to
00:44:16.32\00:44:19.75
Gabriel. He said, "Hey, Gabriel,
you hear that boy? I'm rolling
00:44:19.75\00:44:23.46
up my sleeves because we're
gonna have a field day right
now." And I was so overcome
00:44:23.46\00:44:29.86
with personal guilt, I thought I
was losing my mind. "Oh,
wretched man that I am.
00:44:29.86\00:44:41.48
Who will deliver me from this
body of death?" Which is Paul's
00:44:41.48\00:44:54.06
very point. Look at that again,
24. Come on, look at it in your
00:44:54.06\00:44:57.06
own Bible. Keep
reading, verse 25...
00:45:00.70\00:45:02.16
Verse 1 of chapter 8...
00:45:07.04\00:45:08.47
No condemnation. Something
happens. Something happens to
00:45:12.64\00:45:18.65
that guilt when you look into
the law and it says, "Guilty,
guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty,
00:45:18.65\00:45:24.12
guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty."
Something happens when you say,
00:45:24.12\00:45:32.43
"I need help. My God,
help me." Thanks be to God.
00:45:32.43\00:45:38.13
Purpose and point of the
law -- Jot this down, please.
00:45:41.40\00:45:43.77
Yep. That's what it is.
Galatians 3:24, jot this down.
00:45:46.68\00:45:50.35
My translation reads -- renders
it guardian. "The law was our
00:45:52.08\00:45:55.12
guardian to bring us to
Christ." Keep writing...
00:45:55.12\00:45:59.82
Don't ever throw the Ten
Commandments out. They're to get
00:46:10.20\00:46:15.50
you to Jesus. It is to deliver
us from this body of death that
the law giver lovingly
00:46:15.50\00:46:21.11
gave us the law in our fallen
state so that we might dri--
00:46:21.11\00:46:27.85
be driven to him who is
our redeemer and our friend.
00:46:27.85\00:46:34.09
Come on, God. God, who loves you
with all His heart, mind, body
00:46:34.09\00:46:39.33
and soul. And God, who loves His
neighbor as Himself. God is the
00:46:39.33\00:46:43.53
embodiment of the Ten
Commandments. They are all about
00:46:43.53\00:46:47.30
Him. Christ's object
lessons, page 315. Jot it down.
00:46:50.37\00:46:55.04
Now, I want you to listen
to my new, never-met-him friend
00:47:09.82\00:47:13.96
named Cameron Schofield, a
kiwi -- that means he's from New
00:47:13.96\00:47:17.77
Zealand, a writer. Got a book
this summer sent by a physician
00:47:17.77\00:47:22.94
across the lake, as I told you
last week. The title of the
book, "Heralding the Loud Cry."
00:47:22.94\00:47:27.51
Cameron, who asks this question
-- Now, these are Cameron's
00:47:27.51\00:47:30.45
words that go on the
screen. You'll see them.
00:47:30.45\00:47:32.71
It can't be satisfied because
your right-doing --" and, by the
00:47:41.26\00:47:44.59
way, as we learned last week,
right-doing is the gut core
level definition of
00:47:44.59\00:47:49.66
righteousness -- "It can't be
satisfied because your
right-doing is not what the law
00:47:49.66\00:47:54.07
wants." Hit the pause button
right there. Last night as I was
00:47:54.07\00:47:58.44
reflecting on this teaching, I'm
saying, "My God, how -- how --
how -- Is there anything else
00:47:58.44\00:48:04.25
that should be added?" So this
didn't make it into the study
00:48:04.25\00:48:09.38
guide. But I want you to jot
it down. We put a slide together
00:48:09.38\00:48:12.79
this morning. I want you to
write this verse down, please.
00:48:12.79\00:48:15.72
Galatians 3:10. This is a
stunning -- This is absolutely
stunning. You'll need to take a
00:48:15.72\00:48:20.03
few little notes in the margin.
That's okay. You can do it.
00:48:20.03\00:48:24.43
Galatians 3:10. I'll read it on
the screen as you have it there.
00:48:24.43\00:48:28.30
"For all who rely on the works
of the law are under a curse,
00:48:28.47\00:48:32.34
as it is written
--" now he's quoting
00:48:32.34\00:48:34.14
from Deuteronomy --
"'Cursed is everyone who
00:48:34.14\00:48:36.78
does not continue
--" does that look like
00:48:36.78\00:48:38.91
it's blue on the screen
to you? Yeah, it's supposed
00:48:38.91\00:48:41.08
to stand out.
"Cursed is everyone
00:48:41.08\00:48:43.05
who does not
continue to do everything
00:48:43.05\00:48:45.09
written in the Book of the Law."
00:48:45.09\00:48:46.99
Now, listen, listen, here's what
Paul is saying. "If you want to
00:48:47.16\00:48:51.36
be saved by the law, okay, be my
guest. You want the law? You
don't need a Savior.
00:48:51.36\00:48:54.00
You can do it yourself. You want
to go to the law and be saved,
00:48:54.00\00:48:57.00
fine. Here's what you need to
do. You need to keep the law
continually from the day
00:48:57.00\00:49:02.30
you were born until the day
you die. Okay? You need to keep
00:49:02.30\00:49:05.31
the law continually. And you
need to keep the law entirely.
00:49:05.31\00:49:09.34
Every piece of the law you need
to keep. So if you can do it
00:49:09.34\00:49:14.15
continually and if you can do
it entirely, my boy, you do not
00:49:14.15\00:49:18.55
need a Savior. Welcome home,
children." From birth. Uh-oh,
00:49:18.55\00:49:25.66
too late. Too late. Jot these
two words down before you go
00:49:28.90\00:49:32.40
back to -- to Cameron.
Two words. You have to keep it
00:49:32.40\00:49:36.27
continually. Write in the word
"continually." And you have to
00:49:36.27\00:49:40.14
keep it entirely. That's the
only way you can satisfy the
demands of the law, continually
00:49:40.14\00:49:44.21
and entirely. If you can't keep
it continually and if you cannot
00:49:44.21\00:49:46.82
keep it entirely, then you're
out. You better find another way
to heaven, 'cause it won't be
00:49:46.82\00:49:50.32
through the law, buddy. That's
the point. Let's pick Cameron
00:49:50.32\00:49:57.36
back up. "What the law wants --"
oh, this is good -- "is God's
00:49:57.36\00:50:01.20
--" this is his emphasis -- "is
God's right-doing, God's perfect
00:50:01.20\00:50:05.07
life -- and we, in ourselves, do
we have to offer it? We don't.
00:50:05.07\00:50:08.20
Is there any room in you -- any
room for you in this picture?"
00:50:08.20\00:50:11.14
There isn't. "Can you satisfy
the law? Can you?" You can't.
00:50:11.14\00:50:13.88
"Have you in your life attained
unto the very perfection
00:50:14.04\00:50:16.41
of God?" You have not.
"To do that, you would have
00:50:16.41\00:50:18.78
to be God yourself. Are
you God? You are not God!"
00:50:18.78\00:50:22.72
You are not God. Then
you better find another way
00:50:22.72\00:50:28.36
because all that law keeping
will never get you to heaven.
00:50:28.36\00:50:32.43
Now, the law is
holy, just, and good.
00:50:32.43\00:50:33.93
Let's not get all
twitterpated here.
00:50:33.93\00:50:36.67
It's holy, just, and good.
Cameron goes on, "We can not."
00:50:36.67\00:50:42.00
We cannot save ourselves.
"We can do nothing to effect
00:50:42.00\00:50:45.84
our own salvation. And
it's a frightful realization
00:50:45.84\00:50:49.21
when we meet the
law as it is really is.
00:50:49.21\00:50:51.41
We are dead men
walking." End quote.
00:50:51.41\00:50:56.69
Nailed. Paul
says, "I was doing fine.
00:50:56.69\00:50:59.32
I was doing
fine. One through nine,
00:50:59.32\00:51:00.72
I have 'em all
faultless, faultless.
00:51:00.72\00:51:02.86
External
compliance, I got it, external.
00:51:02.86\00:51:04.96
But then, I suddenly
realize, thanks to the Lord,
00:51:04.96\00:51:08.23
what number 10 is
saying -- internal obedience.
00:51:08.23\00:51:12.13
And I was nailed.
Who will deliver me
00:51:12.13\00:51:16.94
from this body of
death?" Dead man walking.
00:51:16.94\00:51:22.54
By the way, that's a
nomenclature, prison talk.
00:51:22.54\00:51:26.21
Prisons that can perform
executions, because when the man
is taken out of his cell
00:51:26.38\00:51:30.19
and he's marched down to
the chamber of death, the guards
00:51:30.19\00:51:35.82
shout out, "Dead man walking!
Sit up. This is the last time
you'll see this boy."
00:51:35.82\00:51:41.86
Dead man walking. The truth of
the Gospel is, we are all dead
00:51:41.86\00:51:46.84
men and dead women walking.
Doomed to our deaths unless
00:51:46.84\00:51:53.74
something -- unless someone
comes along and puts a stay on
00:51:53.74\00:52:01.05
the execution. Thanks be to
God, who delivers us by our Lord
00:52:01.05\00:52:09.66
Jesus Christ. By the way, the
only perfect law giver -- law --
law keeper in the history
00:52:09.66\00:52:15.43
of the human race, who from
birth to death continually kept
00:52:15.43\00:52:22.10
the law, kept the entire law.
In fact, the great messianic
00:52:22.10\00:52:26.88
promise -- uh, prophesy tucked
away in Psalm 40:8 -- "I delight
00:52:26.88\00:52:32.95
to do your will, O God. Your
law is within my heart." Wow.
00:52:32.95\00:52:38.45
Only one person has perfectly
kept what the law demands --
perfect compliance,
00:52:38.45\00:52:43.56
continually, entirely. And
because He has, anybody, anybody
00:52:43.56\00:52:51.53
who comes to God through
Him gets it, too. Anybody.
00:52:51.53\00:52:58.81
Cameron asks the question
-- "The question is --" I like
00:52:58.97\00:53:03.95
this. Well done, Cameron.
00:53:03.95\00:53:06.51
You'll come to church. You will
come to church. But you won't
00:53:18.46\00:53:23.30
come to Christ. You will sit in
that pew Sabbath after Sabbath.
But you haven't given your heart
00:53:23.30\00:53:26.63
to Christ. You are still
your own God. You are still
00:53:26.63\00:53:31.84
taking His name in vain by
living practically as an atheist
00:53:31.84\00:53:37.88
without Him. You can come to
church. But that isn't coming to
00:53:37.88\00:53:46.82
Christ. You must. Dead man
walking. Dead woman walking. You
00:53:46.82\00:53:52.83
must. When I went back to my
professor, by the way -- >> [
Speaks indistinctly ]
00:53:55.83\00:54:00.50
>> Thank you. That's two of us
now, at least. When I went back
00:54:00.50\00:54:05.61
to my professor, overwhelmed
with the guilt. "Who will
00:54:05.61\00:54:10.01
deliver me from this body of
death?" His response to me was,
"Boy, go read 'Steps to
00:54:10.01\00:54:15.25
Christ.'" And I did.
And that's how God saved me.
00:54:15.25\00:54:21.89
That's how He saved me. I want
to end with this, page 31 from
00:54:21.89\00:54:26.56
"Steps to Christ." You
have it in your study guide.
00:54:26.56\00:54:28.10
We must come to
Christ --" How's it end?
00:54:55.99\00:55:01.50
Let's read that whole sentence,
that last sentence, together.
00:55:01.50\00:55:03.77
"We must come to
Christ just as we are."
00:55:03.77\00:55:09.14
Question, are you bad
enough to come to Christ?
00:55:09.14\00:55:12.87
Are you bad enough... just
as you are? Just as bad as John
00:55:13.04\00:55:19.21
Bunyan, just as bad as Paul,
just as bad as Jacob, as bad as
00:55:19.21\00:55:24.99
Isaiah and Peter and Mary
Magdalene. Are you bad enough to
00:55:24.99\00:55:30.33
come to Christ? Good news -- He
is good enough to come to you
and save you, just like that if
00:55:30.33\00:55:43.74
you ask Him. Oh, God, what are
we thinking? What are we
thinking? That we could somehow,
00:55:51.01\00:56:02.02
by hard work and
behavioral strictness...
00:56:02.02\00:56:08.76
...work our way straight
through the law into heaven? No.
00:56:13.30\00:56:19.27
We're the opposite, Father. Most
of us think, "It doesn't matter.
00:56:19.27\00:56:26.41
I don't need a law. I just
do it my way." And, oh, God,
00:56:26.41\00:56:33.59
it doesn't take much to realize
we're doomed if we go that
00:56:33.59\00:56:39.13
pathway. There's only one way.
And we hear Jesus calling us
00:56:39.13\00:56:44.57
now, "Come to Me, the Savior,
the law giver, your friend. Come
to the Father, your friend.
00:56:44.57\00:56:54.21
Come and I will save you."
Father, grant that for us today
and today and today.
00:56:54.21\00:57:06.99
I pray in Jesus'
name. Amen. Amen.
00:57:06.99\00:57:10.89
>> I want to take an extra
moment to thank you for joining
us in worship today.
00:57:13.16\00:57:16.53
It's by the continued support
from viewers like you that we're
00:57:16.53\00:57:19.03
able to bring this telecast.
Today, I want to invite you,
though, to share with us
00:57:19.03\00:57:23.47
how this ministry has blessed
you. Truth is, I get inspiring
00:57:23.47\00:57:27.61
notes, e-mails, letters from
viewers literally all over the
world sharing with us
00:57:27.61\00:57:32.25
how God has blessed them through
this program. And I'd love to
00:57:32.25\00:57:35.22
hear from you, as well.
00:57:35.22\00:57:36.28
It's not that
hard. Simple, really.
00:57:36.45\00:57:37.95
Just visit our
website, newperceptions.tv.
00:57:37.95\00:57:40.89
It's one word.
Newperceptions.tv.
00:57:40.89\00:57:44.43
And click on the contact
link at the top of the page,
00:57:44.43\00:57:46.86
shoot me that
e-mail. Once again,
00:57:46.86\00:57:49.46
thank you for being with
us. Thank you, by the way,
00:57:49.46\00:57:51.73
for your own support.
That support is what keeps this
00:57:51.73\00:57:54.50
telecast week after
week, reaching America,
00:57:54.50\00:57:57.41
reaching North America,
and reaching the planet.
00:57:57.41\00:58:01.34
That kind of generosity
that you share is a huge boost
00:58:01.34\00:58:05.21
and blessing to us.
And I hope you'll join us
00:58:05.21\00:58:07.65
right here next time
'cause we'll be here.
00:58:07.65\00:58:10.19
In the meantime, God be with
you and bless you real good.
00:58:10.19\00:58:15.66
¤¤
00:58:15.66\00:58:17.63