¤¤
00:00:00.20\00:00:07.17
>> Father God, we just want to
thank You so much for giving us
breath in our lungs, for giving
00:00:10.47\00:00:16.71
us life and a new day with a new
chance to just seek You and get
00:00:16.71\00:00:22.28
to know You. And, Lord, we just
-- we want to praise You this
morning. So, this morning, Lord,
00:00:22.28\00:00:26.72
as we get into the spirit of
praise, just send your Holy
Spirit, send your angels to sit
00:00:26.72\00:00:31.96
next to us, to wiggle us out of
our comfort zone so that we can
just be worshiping You, be in
00:00:31.96\00:00:37.37
response to how great You are.
We love You, Father, and your
son Jesus' precious, holy, and
00:00:37.37\00:00:41.80
powerful name. We pray. Amen.
00:00:41.80\00:00:45.17
Would you stand with me?
This morning, we are going to
00:00:45.34\00:00:48.91
bless the Lord. And
sometimes, as things can
00:00:48.91\00:00:52.35
feel dark and uncomfortable,
when the week can be rough for
00:00:52.35\00:00:57.12
you, you just got to bless
Him. He says, "praise Me in all
00:00:57.12\00:00:59.69
things, both the
good and the bad."
00:00:59.69\00:01:01.76
So we are gonna bless His Holy
Name this morning. [ "Bless the
00:01:01.92\00:01:07.23
Lord" plays ] This is a
new song, so follow us. It's
00:01:07.23\00:01:12.33
call-and-response. You'll
learn it. Very easy. Here we go.
00:01:12.33\00:01:17.44
I sing, "I will bless."
00:01:17.61\00:01:19.21
>> "Oh, my soul."
00:01:24.45\00:01:25.58
We're gonna try that
again. "I will bless the Lord."
00:01:41.46\00:01:45.80
"He has done great
things." Let's sing it.
00:02:09.99\00:02:15.03
¤ He has done
great things for me ¤
00:02:20.84\00:02:22.74
One more try.
Let's try it again.
00:02:43.66\00:02:45.99
"He has done great things."
00:02:45.99\00:02:49.06
Now I'm gonna sing
"hallelujah." Here we go.
00:03:18.39\00:03:22.33
This is how it sounds.
00:03:22.33\00:03:23.53
¤¤
00:03:28.97\00:03:31.01
¤¤
00:03:32.61\00:03:34.98
One more time.
00:03:36.51\00:03:38.61
¤¤
00:03:40.48\00:03:42.88
"Lord, You're worthy ¤
00:03:44.79\00:03:46.59
Your turn.
00:03:53.96\00:03:54.56
Your turn.
00:04:09.38\00:04:10.51
"Oh, my soul."
00:04:20.72\00:04:21.62
"And all."
00:04:23.83\00:04:25.06
Glad You're mine.
Praise the Lord, bless Him.
00:04:38.67\00:04:41.88
¤ Oh, my soul ¤
00:04:47.08\00:04:48.55
"And all."
00:04:50.15\00:04:51.62
Praise God, praise God.
00:05:07.54\00:05:09.60
[ "Blessed Be the Name" plays
] This is an old one, and I know
00:05:09.77\00:05:13.31
you know it. ¤¤
00:05:13.31\00:05:18.01
Sing out to your God for all the
wonderful things that he's done
00:05:18.01\00:05:21.58
for you. "Blessed Be the Name."
00:05:21.58\00:05:24.29
Here we go. ¤¤
00:05:24.45\00:05:27.66
"So blessed be the name."
00:06:33.76\00:06:36.32
"And blessed be Your name."
00:07:24.61\00:07:27.51
Everyone sing.
00:07:41.29\00:07:42.96
Again.
00:08:14.29\00:08:15.16
¤¤
00:08:33.27\00:08:39.68
"Your name."
00:09:10.51\00:09:11.45
"Blessed be Your name."
00:09:45.31\00:09:47.42
¤¤ Isn't our God good?
00:10:09.47\00:10:17.51
[ "Breathe" plays ]
00:10:17.51\00:10:20.62
¤¤
00:10:24.25\00:10:28.12
¤¤
00:10:32.19\00:10:34.00
¤¤
00:10:46.54\00:10:50.15
¤¤
00:10:55.85\00:10:57.89
¤¤
00:11:02.36\00:11:03.96
"And I."
00:11:15.94\00:11:17.31
"I'm desperate."
00:11:22.61\00:11:23.75
"I'm lost."
00:11:30.25\00:11:32.12
¤ Jesus ¤ "This is the air."
00:11:42.90\00:11:48.57
¤¤
00:11:54.24\00:11:56.54
¤¤
00:12:00.08\00:12:02.35
And He is our daily bread.
00:12:14.50\00:12:17.40
¤¤
00:12:22.80\00:12:25.07
Tell Him, "Lord,
we're desperate."
00:12:42.42\00:12:44.66
¤ Lord ¤ ¤¤
00:13:09.38\00:13:13.82
This is the time now, as we are
in a state of understanding that
we need to surrender our all to
00:13:13.99\00:13:21.33
the Lord, to bring your burdens
or to bring a petition or to
make intercession for
00:13:21.33\00:13:28.34
someone that needs the Lord to
come forward and lay those
burdens before the throne.
00:13:28.34\00:13:34.28
This week, that's what I had to
do. I found myself, like I said,
00:13:34.28\00:13:38.11
on my knees over and over,
singing praises and
understanding that, outside of
00:13:38.11\00:13:44.42
Christ, I have nothing, I am
nothing, I can do nothing. But
in Him, the sky is the
00:13:44.42\00:13:50.79
limit. So come forward and trust
that, in the Name of Jesus, all
00:13:50.79\00:13:57.33
things are made new, all things
are "yea" and "amen." Sing with
me, "This is the air."
00:13:57.33\00:14:03.07
¤¤
00:14:03.24\00:14:07.08
¤ Jesus ¤
00:14:17.99\00:14:20.99
"And I'm desperate."
00:14:47.45\00:14:49.22
[ Music fades ]
00:15:18.68\00:15:22.38
>> Nice to see you.
I've missed seeing you,
00:15:25.52\00:15:27.46
actually. I've
missed you the last couple
00:15:27.46\00:15:29.32
Sabbaths over in Croatia.
I'll talk to your moms and dads.
00:15:29.32\00:15:33.29
I'll show some pictures to your
mom and dad in just a moment.
00:15:33.29\00:15:35.80
But nice to see you. And
when I came, because I got
00:15:35.80\00:15:39.53
in Tuesday night, when I drove
to the office, to the church
00:15:39.53\00:15:42.34
Wednesday morning,
I said, "Whoa, whoa!
00:15:42.34\00:15:45.24
Where did all the trees go?"
00:15:45.24\00:15:47.81
[ Chuckles ] I
guess if -- I guess we all
00:15:47.98\00:15:50.61
knew they were gonna go, because
there's gonna be a beautiful
00:15:50.61\00:15:52.91
building that will fill
that space so wonderfully.
00:15:52.91\00:15:56.32
But that just got me by
surprise. But no surprise to see
00:15:56.48\00:16:00.39
you. You're looking great today.
Say, my friend Merle Poirier,
with "Adventist Review," has
00:16:00.39\00:16:04.73
written this little story, and I
want to share it with you. A
little boy named Martin -- any
00:16:04.73\00:16:09.73
boy here named Martin?
Martin, Martin. No, no.
00:16:09.73\00:16:12.70
Are you Martin? Give
me a high five. You go.
00:16:12.70\00:16:16.07
We got one Martin in this group.
A little boy your name -- Martin
-- oh! -- grew up in a
00:16:16.07\00:16:21.71
little village where his daddy
was a miner and a metalworker.
But they didn't have much of a
00:16:21.71\00:16:27.02
school in the little village of
Mansfield. "So you're gonna have
00:16:27.02\00:16:31.05
to go to Eisenbach. Yes, you
are, my young man. You're gonna
00:16:31.05\00:16:34.62
have to go. We're gonna miss
you. [ Smooching ] They have a
00:16:34.62\00:16:38.56
school. We've talked to the
teacher. He'll take you. They
have a little room for you.
00:16:38.56\00:16:41.90
Please don't forget us.
We love you. [ Smooches ]
00:16:41.90\00:16:45.00
Bye, Martin, bye." Martin went
off to another town. It wasn't
00:16:45.00\00:16:49.24
anything like his hometown, and
he's terribly lonely, but there
was a nice teacher.
00:16:49.24\00:16:52.71
And the nice teacher said,
"You may stay in this room right
00:16:52.71\00:16:56.68
here. One little problem --
we don't have food." >> Uh-oh.
00:16:56.68\00:17:00.55
>> "We don't have food. So
you're gonna need to sing from
door-to-door with the other
00:17:00.55\00:17:05.39
students, and people will give
you food, and you'll be just
00:17:05.39\00:17:10.19
fine." Some of us would starve
if we had to do that, wouldn't
we? Would you sing door-to-door?
00:17:10.19\00:17:15.13
>> Yeah. >> For
your food? >> Yeah.
00:17:15.13\00:17:17.40
>> Well, try today for
dinner. Come on by. All right?
00:17:17.40\00:17:20.14
So, that's what little
Martin had to do with his little
00:17:20.14\00:17:23.87
friends. "Yes, we must sing. ¤
La la" ¤ And I tell you what --
00:17:23.87\00:17:26.88
the music that we were singing
this morning, oh, that was so
00:17:26.88\00:17:29.38
beautiful. Martin had a
beautiful voice, too, by the
way. And one day, they're going
00:17:29.38\00:17:32.98
door-to-door, "Oh, thank you for
that. Oh, thank you for that.
00:17:32.98\00:17:36.25
Oh, now we have supper." One
day, a lady named Mrs. Cotta,
00:17:36.25\00:17:44.76
she said, "Martin, you have been
gifted with a beautiful voice. I
hope you'll come back and sing
00:17:44.76\00:17:49.10
for me again." And he did.
He came back the next day, and
00:17:49.10\00:17:51.87
he sang. And she
said, "Children, come here.
00:17:51.87\00:17:54.00
Listen to Martin. Isn't he --
What a beautiful voice he has.
00:17:54.00\00:17:56.74
Martin, I hope you'll
come back again." And he did.
00:17:56.74\00:17:59.21
And finally, one day --
true story. One day, Mrs. Cotta
00:17:59.21\00:18:02.34
looked at Martin, and she says,
"You know, Martin...I think you
need to move into our little
00:18:02.34\00:18:09.35
house. I think you need to move
into our house. And you won't
00:18:09.35\00:18:16.39
have to go begging for food
anymore." Martin's eyes were
wide-open. We got a picture of
00:18:16.39\00:18:21.86
it! Not a photograph. We
have a picture of it right here.
00:18:21.86\00:18:24.77
There he is. There is Mrs. Cotta
with her arm on his shoulder,
00:18:24.77\00:18:29.94
and she's saying, "Boys and
girls, we're gonna have a new
brother here while he's in
00:18:29.94\00:18:35.08
school. And he'll sleep with
you." And Martin moved in, never
00:18:35.08\00:18:41.78
hungry again. The warmth of a
family that loved him. And you
know, I look at that
00:18:41.78\00:18:45.12
picture, boys and girls, and I
think to myself, "Mrs. Cotta,
thank you for putting your arm
00:18:45.12\00:18:49.99
on Martin's little shoulder. Do
you understand that that boy is
going to change the whole
00:18:49.99\00:18:56.83
world one day? Do you know he's
going to become the most famous
00:18:56.83\00:19:02.60
person of your age? Do you
know?" No. All she saw was a
00:19:02.60\00:19:06.31
little boy who could sing
beautifully. But I've wondered,
as I look at that picture, "What
00:19:06.31\00:19:11.68
if she had not been kind to
Martin Luther? What if she said,
'Go sing somewhere else?'
00:19:11.68\00:19:15.58
What if he had had to drop out
of school? What if he had had to
00:19:15.58\00:19:19.35
go back home? What if?"
But a lady who showed the love
00:19:19.35\00:19:24.69
of Jesus took that little beggar
boy in. And the rest of the
00:19:24.69\00:19:29.80
story is what we're gonna
celebrate, these few days left
in October. Oh, I'm so glad Mrs.
00:19:29.80\00:19:35.57
Cotta. When I meet you one day,
I'm gonna say, "Thank you for
showing such love and kindness
00:19:35.57\00:19:41.14
to little Martin. Because
of little Martin, I'm in the
00:19:41.14\00:19:47.02
Kingdom now, too." Wow! Be kind
to strangers. Be kind to boys
00:19:47.02\00:19:53.72
and girls you don't know.
You never know. Some have even
00:19:53.72\00:19:58.39
entertained angels, the Bible
says. SO, who would like to
thank Jesus for working through
00:19:58.39\00:20:03.33
dear Mrs. Cotta and keeping an
eye out, just like he's going to
keep an eye out on your every
00:20:03.33\00:20:08.54
day of your life? Young man,
you come right here, please.
00:20:08.54\00:20:11.41
All right, let me get a
microphone for you. What's your
00:20:11.41\00:20:14.71
name? >> Ebisac. >>
What? >> [ Whispering ] Ebisac.
00:20:14.71\00:20:16.98
>> What? >> Ebisac. >> Ebisac?
00:20:16.98\00:20:20.75
Here, just say it here. What's
your name? >> [ Normal voice ]
00:20:20.75\00:20:24.09
Ebisac. >> Okay, good. [ Light
laughter ] It's a beautiful
00:20:24.09\00:20:27.19
name. Okay, boys and girls,
close your eyes. Fold your hands
00:20:27.19\00:20:31.19
with Ebisac, 'cause he's gonna
pray right now, "Thank you,
Jesus." >> Dear Jesus, thank you
00:20:31.19\00:20:35.53
for this day. Thank you
that we had a nice time.
00:20:35.53\00:20:39.43
Help us to have another day
tomorrow. Make sure all of us
00:20:39.43\00:20:46.37
are safe. And pray for those
people that are in the
hurricane, earthquakes, and the
00:20:46.37\00:20:52.05
fire. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
>> Amen. Ebisac, that was a
00:20:52.05\00:20:55.52
beautiful prayer. All right,
now, as you go quietly and
00:20:55.52\00:20:58.35
reverently back to your seats, I
got to go up there and talk to
your moms and dads. But go
00:20:58.35\00:21:02.06
quietly, please. They're waiting
for you. And I'll see you next
00:21:02.06\00:21:04.93
Sabbath. [ Orchestra solemnly
plays "Battle Hymn of the
00:21:09.40\00:21:24.01
Republic" ] ¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:21:24.01\00:21:54.01
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:21:54.01\00:22:24.07
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:22:24.07\00:22:54.07
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:22:54.07\00:23:24.13
[ Music intensifies ] ¤¤ ¤¤
00:23:24.13\00:23:47.16
¤¤ [ Finale plays ] ¤¤
00:23:47.16\00:24:04.51
>> ¤ Amen ¤ [ Applause ]
00:24:04.51\00:24:07.08
>> God, a mighty
fortress You are. But 500 years?
00:24:10.35\00:24:17.69
What's up with that? And here we
are, a third millennium, all of
00:24:17.69\00:24:22.39
us. What's up withus? Speak to
us, these moments in the Word.
00:24:22.39\00:24:26.96
We humbly pray,
in Jesus' Name. Amen.
00:24:26.96\00:24:30.13
It's a sultry
afternoon in July 1505.
00:24:30.30\00:24:36.77
A lone traveler trudging up
the parks road that leads to
00:24:36.77\00:24:41.94
a little Saxon
village called Stutterheim.
00:24:41.94\00:24:48.15
It's obviously a young
man, sturdy. He's dressed like a
00:24:48.32\00:24:54.32
university student. And as
in Michigan, out of nowhere --
00:24:54.32\00:25:01.16
pihhh! -- sky dark,
heavens open up, deluged.
00:25:01.16\00:25:10.71
The man, with one split of
lightning, is thrown into the
00:25:10.71\00:25:17.11
mud. He pushes himself up with
a scream, "Saint Ann, help me! I
00:25:17.11\00:25:26.25
will be a monk!" His most
popular biographer puts it this
00:25:26.25\00:25:31.89
way. I'll put Roland Bainton's
words on the screen for you.
00:25:31.89\00:25:35.00
"The man who thus called upon a
saint was later to repudiate the
00:25:35.00\00:25:38.07
cult of the saints. He
who vowed to become a monk
00:25:38.07\00:25:41.40
was later to
renounce monasticism.
00:25:41.40\00:25:43.91
A loyal son of the
Catholic Church, he was later to
00:25:43.91\00:25:46.11
shatter the structure
of medieval Catholicism.
00:25:46.11\00:25:48.54
A devoted servant of the pope,
he was later to identify the
00:25:48.71\00:25:51.58
popes with Antichrist.
For this young man was
00:25:51.58\00:25:54.85
Martin Luther."
00:25:54.85\00:25:56.82
So, here we are, 500
years later. I mean, please.
00:25:56.99\00:26:02.32
"Protestant Reformation?
Who cares? 500 years?
00:26:02.32\00:26:07.66
What difference does it make
now? In fact, if we could bring
00:26:07.66\00:26:10.67
somebody back from the dead, if
we had two dead men to choose
over -- and let's put them on
00:26:10.67\00:26:14.07
the screen -- we know which one
we'd bring back just like that.
Why? Because we live in a time
00:26:14.07\00:26:19.94
of nanosecond quantum change.
There's too much yet to be done.
We don't need dusty, old
00:26:19.94\00:26:26.78
long-ago thinking." Hmm.
00:26:26.78\00:26:33.15
And yet, could it be
that this boy from Germany,
00:26:36.49\00:26:44.00
who flipped the world
upside down, could it be,
00:26:44.00\00:26:49.40
embedded in what he raised
up are the seeds of one more
00:26:49.40\00:27:00.18
Reformation --
the new Reformation?
00:27:00.18\00:27:02.78
And not wanting to look back
and become nostalgic about the
00:27:02.95\00:27:05.62
past, and wanting,
like you, to push forward
00:27:05.62\00:27:08.39
with a dream to dream,
I say, "Let's go. Come on.
00:27:08.39\00:27:12.83
The rest of the world is
thinking about it. Why shouldn't
00:27:12.99\00:27:15.56
we?" Now, we're gonna do things
backwards, because, normally,
here's what you do.
00:27:15.56\00:27:19.00
You share the story, you think
about it, and you say, "Out of
this story, what can we draw?
00:27:19.00\00:27:22.30
Are there any lessons
we can draw?" Forget it.
00:27:22.30\00:27:24.17
We're not gonna do that. We're
gonna turn it upside down. Let's
start with the lessons and
00:27:24.17\00:27:27.61
think about the story later. I
want to share them with you --
four takeaways, four legacies
00:27:27.61\00:27:33.58
from that 500-year-old
Reformation, that we can take
with us into thenewReformation
00:27:33.58\00:27:40.46
that is about to begin. Four of
them -- count them. But, first,
00:27:40.46\00:27:45.59
I want to go to a passage that
is so Martin Luther-esque that
it's worth our contemplating.
00:27:45.59\00:27:51.50
Little book of 1 Corinthians.
1 Corinthians. Open your Bible
00:27:51.50\00:27:55.04
with me, please. 1
Corinthians 2. 1 Corinthians 2.
00:27:55.04\00:28:00.14
Verse 1. "And so it
was with me, brothers
00:28:02.38\00:28:06.35
and sisters. When I came to you,
00:28:06.35\00:28:08.58
I did not come with eloquence or
human wisdom as I proclaimed to
00:28:08.58\00:28:11.89
you the testimony about God.
For I resolved to know nothing
00:28:11.89\00:28:15.22
while I was with you except
Jesus Christ and him crucified.
00:28:15.22\00:28:17.89
I came to you in weakness
with great fear and trembling.
00:28:17.89\00:28:20.43
My message and my preaching were
not with wise and persuasive
00:28:20.43\00:28:22.90
words, but with a demonstration
of the Spirit's power, so that
00:28:22.90\00:28:25.83
your faith might not rest
on human wisdom, but on God's
00:28:25.83\00:28:28.94
power."
00:28:28.94\00:28:29.94
Four takeaways, all embedded in
that passage, as well. Grab your
00:28:30.11\00:28:33.98
study guide. Let's go. It's in
your worship bulletin. Pull it
00:28:33.98\00:28:35.98
out. You didn't get a study
guide? We've got friendly ushers
here. They're gonna jump up
00:28:35.98\00:28:40.15
right now, wherever they're
seated, and they're gonna help
00:28:40.15\00:28:43.35
you. All right? And while
they're getting ready to be
friendly and jump up, I want to
00:28:43.35\00:28:47.46
talk to those of you who are
watching online right now. We're
glad to have you. Brand-new
00:28:47.46\00:28:51.06
series beginning right now.
00:28:51.06\00:28:52.06
The title of the series
-- "Martin Luther and the new
00:28:52.23\00:28:54.50
Reformation."
Title of this particular
00:28:54.50\00:28:57.03
teaching, "I, a Poor,
Stinking Bag of Dung," quoting
00:28:57.03\00:29:01.04
Luther himself.
We're going to get to that.
00:29:01.04\00:29:03.94
But do you see "Study
Guide" there with Part 1.
00:29:03.94\00:29:06.41
Click on to "Study Guide."
You'll be able to join us
00:29:06.41\00:29:09.11
as we move into this study.
00:29:09.11\00:29:12.58
All right? Let's go. Jot
it down. Number 1 -- Four
00:29:12.75\00:29:16.89
takeaways. Takeaway number 1 --
Only Jesus. Only Jesus. Put 1
Corinthians 2 on the
00:29:16.89\00:29:22.19
screen for us again, please.
1 Corinthians 2:2 -- how does it
00:29:22.19\00:29:25.36
read? "But I resolved to know
nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ and Him
00:29:25.36\00:29:31.30
crucified." Only Jesus. True to
his storm-panicked vow, young
Martin, the university
00:29:31.30\00:29:36.27
student, presents himself to the
Black Cloister in the little
city of Erfurt, to join the
00:29:36.27\00:29:40.78
Augustinian order of monks. Once
accepted into the order, he has
-- he has his head shaved.
00:29:40.78\00:29:46.78
Do you remember the tonsure?
Looks like a bald head with a
Hula-Hoop on it -- the tonsure.
00:29:46.78\00:29:51.29
But it was a big deal back then.
You had the tonsure, that was a
00:29:51.29\00:29:54.62
sign of respect. It's also
protection. "Don't touch the
00:29:54.62\00:29:57.36
bald-headed man. He's a priest."
Martin Luther -- young novice,
rigorous spiritual discipline.
00:29:57.36\00:30:03.50
Guess what? Now he's being
awakened every morning, 2:00.
00:30:03.50\00:30:07.04
Every morning, 2:00. "Out of
bed, out of bed, out of bed,
down to worship, down to
00:30:07.04\00:30:10.67
worship." That would be the
first of seven worship services
00:30:10.67\00:30:14.31
through the day. Prayer,
confession, penance, prayer,
confession, penance,
00:30:14.31\00:30:20.25
worship, worship, worship.
Martin Luther would later write
-- put Luther's words on
00:30:20.25\00:30:24.72
the screen -- "I was a good
monk, and I kept the rule of my
order so strictly that I may say
00:30:24.72\00:30:30.96
that if ever a monk got to
Heaven by his monkery, it was I.
00:30:30.96\00:30:35.63
All my brothers in the monastery
who knew me will bear me out.
00:30:35.80\00:30:39.07
If I had kept on any longer,
I should have killed myself with
00:30:39.07\00:30:42.24
vigils, prayers,
reading, and other work."
00:30:42.24\00:30:44.91
Ah, but young Martin. God bless
him, young Martin. Such a
conscientious young man
00:30:45.07\00:30:51.48
is driven -- driven -- to
do more, to do more. "I'm gonna
00:30:51.48\00:30:56.62
win. I'm gonna win this game.
I will win the affection of
00:30:56.62\00:31:01.89
Heaven." Martin again
on the screen -- Luther.
00:31:02.06\00:31:03.76
"When I was a monk, I was
unwilling to omit any of the
00:31:03.76\00:31:06.33
prayers, but...I often
accumulated my appointed
00:31:06.33\00:31:09.13
prayers for a whole week --"
it's supposed to be done at a
00:31:09.13\00:31:11.17
certain time, certain day --
"I accumulated them for week or
00:31:11.17\00:31:14.37
even two or three weeks.
Then --" here's what I would
00:31:14.37\00:31:16.81
do -- "I would take a Saturday
off, or shut myself in for as
00:31:16.81\00:31:19.44
long as three days without food
or drink, until I had said all
00:31:19.44\00:31:24.28
the prayers I had missed.
This made my head split and as a
00:31:24.28\00:31:27.32
consequence, I couldn't close my
eyes for five nights, I lay sick
00:31:27.32\00:31:30.52
unto death, and I
went out of my senses.
00:31:30.52\00:31:32.29
Even after I quickly recovered
and I tried again to read,
00:31:32.29\00:31:35.26
my head went 'round and
'round." Driven, driven to win
00:31:35.26\00:31:40.23
the affection of an angry
God. James Kittelson, one of his
00:31:40.23\00:31:47.10
biographers --"Anfechtung--"
Luther coined that word --
00:31:47.10\00:31:51.64
"Anfechtungwas what Luther
later called this grinding sense
00:31:51.64\00:31:54.84
of being utterly lost. By
it, he intended the idea of
00:31:54.84\00:31:58.15
swarming attacks of doubt.
that could convince people that
00:31:58.15\00:32:00.88
God's love was not for them.
Later he considered this sense
00:32:00.88\00:32:03.72
of being irredeemably
evil to be the work of Satan,
00:32:03.72\00:32:07.06
who sought to make a Christian's
sins, doubts, and anxieties too
00:32:07.06\00:32:10.09
much even for the grace of
God. At such moments, just the
00:32:10.09\00:32:14.00
rustling of dried leaves in a
forest sounded like the legions
00:32:14.00\00:32:17.60
of hell coming to
seize one's soul."
00:32:17.60\00:32:21.77
The guy is struggling.
And we might as well be candid
00:32:21.77\00:32:24.47
right here at the beginning.
It's not just a spiritual issue.
00:32:24.47\00:32:29.38
Derek Wilson, the English
biographer -- put his words
00:32:29.38\00:32:31.81
on the screen.
"Certainly Luther went through
00:32:31.81\00:32:33.78
periods of black depression when
he retreated into himself and
00:32:33.78\00:32:38.49
spoke to no one. He
never fully shrugged off this
00:32:38.49\00:32:42.19
particular demon and to the end
of his days would retire into a
00:32:42.19\00:32:45.69
room by himself when problems
weighed heavily upon him."
00:32:45.69\00:32:49.40
"Pause" button right
there. Come on, come on, guys.
00:32:49.40\00:32:52.23
No clucking of the tongues,
please. Let us be reminded that
00:32:52.40\00:32:56.34
in sacred history, some of the
greatest, some of the giants,
were plagued with depression.
00:32:56.34\00:33:02.18
It's not a sin to be depressed.
It's notwrongto be depressed.
Elijah -- depressed.
00:33:02.18\00:33:08.85
John the Baptist -- depressed.
Jesus in Gethsemane --
00:33:08.85\00:33:14.16
depressed. Martin Luther --
depressed. Charles Spurgeon, the
great prince of preachers in the
00:33:14.16\00:33:19.49
19th century, called depression
his black dog that would come to
him every now and then.
00:33:19.49\00:33:25.30
It's not a sin. Some of you are
struggling with depression right
00:33:25.30\00:33:28.24
now. You're on medication.
That's what it's for. That's why
00:33:28.24\00:33:31.37
you take it. It's to help you.
It's okay. God is not angry at
00:33:31.37\00:33:34.71
you. Depression is just a part
of life, and you got it. Don't
you ever feel guilty for
00:33:34.71\00:33:40.85
that depression. That's Luther.
It would take 10 years for him
00:33:40.85\00:33:45.19
to finally break through -- just
break through somehow. What's
00:33:45.19\00:33:48.76
bothering him?
Put it on the screen.
00:33:48.76\00:33:49.99
Luther again -- "I greatly
longed to understand Paul's
00:33:50.16\00:33:52.26
Epistles to the Romans, and
nothing stood in the way but
00:33:52.26\00:33:54.56
that one expression,
'the justice of God,'
00:33:54.56\00:33:57.17
because I took it to mean
that justice whereby God is just
00:33:57.17\00:34:00.87
and deals justly in punishing
the unjust -- that would be me.
00:34:00.87\00:34:04.24
My situation was that,
although an impeccable monk,
00:34:04.24\00:34:08.11
I stood before God as a sinner
troubled in conscience, and I
00:34:08.11\00:34:11.78
had no confidence that my
merit would assuage Him --"
00:34:11.78\00:34:14.32
that it would please Him,
that it would gratify Him --
00:34:14.32\00:34:16.35
"Therefore I did not love a just
and angry God, but rather hated
00:34:16.35\00:34:20.26
and murmured against Him."
00:34:20.26\00:34:22.39
Days and nights. Daysand nights.
Some of you know the meaning of
00:34:28.46\00:34:33.10
this. Some of you know this
desperate struggle to somehow
00:34:33.10\00:34:38.14
get God to love you in the end.
Days and nights. [ Snaps fingers
00:34:38.14\00:34:43.21
] And then there's a
breakthrough. Oh, it didn't come
just with a snap of a finger.
00:34:43.21\00:34:47.15
It's been accumulating slowly.
God's timetable is not ours.
Slowly God says, "Now, come on,
00:34:47.15\00:34:52.85
Martin. Martin,
think, think, think with me."
00:34:52.85\00:34:55.06
Here comes the breakthrough.
He writes about it here.
00:34:55.06\00:34:57.09
Luther again on the
screen. "Then one day, I grasped
00:34:57.26\00:35:00.53
that the justice of God is
that righteousness by which,
00:35:00.53\00:35:02.96
through grace and sheer mercy,
God justifiesusthrough faith.
00:35:02.96\00:35:08.37
Thereupon I felt myself to be
reborn and to have gone through
00:35:08.37\00:35:11.34
open doors into paradise."
It's just like the ceiling over
00:35:11.34\00:35:15.31
us just opens,
and there is paradise.
00:35:15.31\00:35:17.68
And up we go.
00:35:17.68\00:35:19.01
That's what happened to him.
There was a breakthrough.
There's nothing wrong
00:35:19.18\00:35:22.82
with a breakthrough. Don't
give up -- that's the point.
00:35:22.82\00:35:26.22
Don't quit. It took
years for him. Don't quit.
00:35:26.22\00:35:30.33
The God of this universe is
drawing you to that moment when
those doors will open
00:35:30.33\00:35:34.93
emotionally, when they will open
spiritually, and you will see
what you never saw before.
00:35:34.93\00:35:39.90
Don't give up. Pihhh.
Martin Luther, who would
00:35:39.90\00:35:45.57
describe himself once with these
words, "I, a poor stinking bag
of dung," finally found peace
00:35:45.57\00:35:51.18
with his savior, Jesus.
Ah. What a grand takeaway
00:35:51.18\00:35:56.85
from thatoldReformation.
OnlyJesus. How did Paul put it,
00:35:56.85\00:36:01.26
a moment ago? It was this verse
2 -- "For I determined to know
00:36:01.26\00:36:03.66
nothing among you except Jesus
Christ and him crucified."
That's all I need to know.
00:36:03.66\00:36:08.20
"I, a poor, stinking bag of
dung." Look at this -- 1 Timothy
00:36:08.20\00:36:13.17
1:15. That was Paul
is saying, right here.
00:36:13.34\00:36:15.07
1:15 on the screen.
"Here is a trustworthy saying
00:36:15.07\00:36:17.24
that deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world
00:36:17.24\00:36:19.97
to save sinners --
of whom I am the worst."
00:36:19.97\00:36:22.88
"A stinking bag of dung."
"I'm the worst of the worst."
00:36:22.88\00:36:27.25
¤ We've heard the joyful sound ¤
¤ Jesus saves, Jesus saves ¤ ¤
Spread the glad news
00:36:30.75\00:36:38.99
all around ¤ ¤ Jesus saves,
Jesus saves ¤ Ladies and
gentlemen, it's the
00:36:38.99\00:36:46.10
Gospel. It's the great
takeaway -- "Only Jesus."
00:36:46.10\00:36:49.57
Someone came to H.M.S. Richards,
the great Bible preacher. Ah.
00:36:49.57\00:36:56.01
When I grow up, I
want to be like him.
00:36:56.01\00:36:57.98
He once declared -- jot
this down in your study guide,
00:36:58.15\00:37:00.25
'cause it's in your study guide.
"I have only one doctrine."
00:37:00.25\00:37:04.29
Okay? "I have only one doctrine.
00:37:04.29\00:37:06.09
I am a great sinner,
but I have a great savior."
00:37:06.09\00:37:11.49
And then, when he was
asked, "Hey, Pastor Richards,
00:37:11.49\00:37:14.56
what is the Adventist message?"
he replied, "Jesus only."
00:37:14.56\00:37:18.47
Jesus only. That's it.
00:37:18.47\00:37:22.24
Jesus only.
00:37:22.24\00:37:25.47
Takeaway number 1. Oh, God, that
we would be known as a Jesus
00:37:25.64\00:37:30.81
people, that we would be known
in our little village and our
little county, our little world
00:37:30.81\00:37:36.85
that we would be known as the
Jesus people, where "Jesusonly"
is what feeds and drives
00:37:36.85\00:37:46.09
their souls. There are four
takeaways. Takeaway number 1 --
00:37:46.09\00:37:49.46
Jesus only. Takeaway number 2 --
only the Cross. Come on, we just
00:37:49.46\00:37:54.77
read it. Verse 2 again -- "for I
determined to know nothing among
you except Jesus Christ and
00:37:54.77\00:37:59.24
Him crucified." Yep, Calvary,
the Cross. On one occasion --
00:37:59.24\00:38:05.31
this is before the Gospel light
broke in -- oh, poor Luther --
he is with his mentor, who
00:38:05.31\00:38:09.72
happens to be the vicar -- the
vicar of the Augustinian order,
where Luther was monk and
00:38:09.72\00:38:14.29
priest. His name is Johann von
Staupitz. He is pouring out his
00:38:14.29\00:38:19.73
heart. Pouring out his heart. By
the way, let me tell you about
00:38:19.73\00:38:22.56
von Staupitz. Those were dear
friends. Staupitz, when he dies,
00:38:22.56\00:38:26.37
said of Luther, "His love to me
was greater than a woman's."
There was nothing going between
00:38:26.37\00:38:29.94
them. That's onlythisgeneration
that would read that.
00:38:29.94\00:38:33.61
He was like a father to Luther.
And while they had to part ways
00:38:33.61\00:38:42.08
theologically... they were
one. Pouredout his heart to von
00:38:42.08\00:38:46.25
Staupitz. Finally, he cuts him
off, "Martin, God is not angry
00:38:46.25\00:38:50.79
at you! Do you understand
this?! You are angry atHim!
00:38:50.79\00:38:55.16
The Cross, Martin, the
Cross. Look at the Cross!"
00:38:55.33\00:38:59.60
Hey... not bad from a vicar
00:38:59.60\00:39:05.37
of an Augustinian order
of the Roman Catholic faith.
00:39:05.37\00:39:10.78
He saidexactlywhat God's
man needed to hear. Exactly.
00:39:10.95\00:39:17.35
It was the Gospel. Ah.
One of the great Reformation
00:39:17.35\00:39:23.53
paintings is by a friend of
Luther's, who was also a
parishioner of his, named
00:39:23.53\00:39:26.16
Lucas Cranach. Now put the
-- I've seen this painting.
00:39:26.16\00:39:29.23
I've been to Wittenberg. Oh,
my. And it's the Town Church.
00:39:29.23\00:39:31.43
That's the name of the church in
Wittenberg. This is there behind
00:39:31.43\00:39:35.67
the altar there in the Lutheran
church. There is it. This is the
00:39:35.67\00:39:39.27
preaching of Paul. This is the
preaching of Paul. That's the
way Lucas wanted to depict it.
00:39:39.27\00:39:44.08
"I determine to know nothing
among you except Jesus Christ
and Him crucified."
00:39:44.08\00:39:49.25
That's the way Luther preached.
It's the way Paul preached. In
fact, Luther -- let me put
00:39:49.25\00:39:54.96
Luther's words on
the screen for you.
00:39:54.96\00:39:56.86
"The wounds of Jesus --"
oh, I love this -- "The wounds
00:39:57.03\00:39:59.76
of Jesus are
safe enough for us."
00:39:59.76\00:40:02.16
>> Amen! >> [
Chuckles ] "Safe enough."
00:40:02.16\00:40:04.13
Whatever is going on in your
life, get your finger into those
wounds like Thomas.
00:40:04.30\00:40:08.60
Let thewoundsheal you. "By his
wounds we are healed" -- Isaiah
00:40:08.60\00:40:15.31
53. Thewoundsof
Jesus are safe enough.
00:40:15.31\00:40:17.71
In a letter to a friend of his,
"Therefore, my sweet brother --"
00:40:17.88\00:40:20.42
this is beautiful.
"Therefore, my sweet brother,
00:40:20.42\00:40:23.12
learn Christ and Him crucified;
despairing of yourself, learn to
00:40:23.12\00:40:27.09
pray to Him, saying,
'You, Lord Jesus, are my
00:40:27.09\00:40:29.16
righteousness, but I am your
sin; you have taken on yourself
00:40:29.16\00:40:32.43
what you were not and
have given me what I was not.'"
00:40:32.43\00:40:36.70
And I went to that little 5'3"
American writer and spiritual
00:40:36.87\00:40:42.07
leader. Boy, that was a takeaway
she grabbed from the
Reformation. Listen to her on
00:40:42.07\00:40:46.31
the Cross. Her words on the
screen. By the way, your study
guide has all of these in it.
00:40:46.31\00:40:49.48
"The lower --" She's writing.
00:40:49.48\00:40:50.78
"The lower you lie at the
foot of the Cross --" this is
00:40:50.95\00:40:53.15
beautiful. "The
lower you lie at the foot
00:40:53.15\00:40:54.68
of the Cross, the dearer
and more exalted will be your
00:40:54.68\00:40:58.02
conception of your Redeemer."
Just lie low at the foot of the
00:40:58.02\00:41:02.16
Cross. Here's one more.
00:41:02.16\00:41:03.32
"The theme that attracts the
heart of the sinner is Christ
00:41:03.32\00:41:05.63
and Him crucified. On
the Cross of Calvary, Jesus
00:41:05.63\00:41:08.53
stands revealed to the
world in unparalleled love."
00:41:08.53\00:41:13.30
It's the pinnacle of all truth.
00:41:13.47\00:41:15.80
And anybody who comes and tells
you, "Yeah, but it's not quite,"
00:41:15.80\00:41:20.04
don't listen to
them. Don't listen to them.
00:41:20.04\00:41:23.08
Itisthe summation
of God's revelation.
00:41:23.08\00:41:30.69
For third millennials like you
and me, what takeaway is there
00:41:30.69\00:41:33.72
in a story 500 years
old -- dusty and moldy?
00:41:33.72\00:41:37.29
Ah, takeaway
number 1 -- only Jesus.
00:41:37.29\00:41:40.86
Takeaway number 2
-- only the Cross.
00:41:40.86\00:41:43.06
And, oh, God, would you make
us a people who gatherlowat the
00:41:43.06\00:41:47.40
foot of the Cross. We
won't be haughty then.
00:41:47.40\00:41:50.41
We won't be judgmental then.
We will not tear each other
00:41:50.41\00:41:53.27
down then. We will
be what you need us to
00:41:53.27\00:41:56.71
be at the foot of the
Cross -- sinners, all of us.
00:41:56.71\00:42:00.48
We pray. Ah,
but there's takeaway
00:42:00.48\00:42:03.42
number 3. Jot it down.
00:42:03.42\00:42:04.79
Only the Bible. And
Paul talks about that.
00:42:04.79\00:42:07.19
This is verse 1.
"And so it was with me,
00:42:07.19\00:42:09.16
brothers and sisters.
00:42:09.16\00:42:10.33
When I came to you, I did
not come with eloquence or human
00:42:10.49\00:42:13.19
wisdom as I proclaimed to
you the testimony about God."
00:42:13.19\00:42:16.06
When I came walking into town, I
had one thing. I had the Word of
00:42:16.23\00:42:19.50
God, and that's what I brought
to you. It'sallI brought to you
00:42:19.50\00:42:25.14
-- onlythe Bible. Many
historians conclude, by the way,
that Martin Luther's greatest
00:42:25.14\00:42:33.58
contribution, the single most
influential act that affected
human history -- yea, even
00:42:33.58\00:42:41.16
changed the history of the
Western world -- was his
translation of the Bible into
00:42:41.16\00:42:45.19
the vernacular of his people --
into German. Derek Wilson, the
00:42:45.19\00:42:49.93
Englishman, again. Put it on the
screen for you. "Within decades
of Luther's death... all Europe
00:42:49.93\00:42:53.97
was awash with Bibles
in contemporary languages.
00:42:53.97\00:42:56.00
This was the richest part
of Martin Luther's legacy.
00:42:56.00\00:42:59.07
He bequeathed to the peoples
of the world a collection of
00:42:59.07\00:43:01.84
religious writings
and invested them with
00:43:01.84\00:43:03.75
supreme authority (or, as he
would have said, recognized the
00:43:03.75\00:43:06.92
supreme authority they
manifestly possessed)." "Sola
00:43:06.92\00:43:11.32
Scriptura,"as the reformers
would proclaim -- the Bible
only. In fact, Luther himself
00:43:11.32\00:43:16.99
once gloried in the Bible. This
is beautiful. On the screen.
00:43:16.99\00:43:19.56
Luther -- "God's Word cannot
be without God's people, and
00:43:19.73\00:43:23.77
God's people cannot
be without God's Word...
00:43:23.77\00:43:26.87
For it is the Word of God
which builds the Church...
00:43:26.87\00:43:29.64
Where that Word is heard,
where baptism, the sacrament of
00:43:29.64\00:43:33.11
the altar --" that would
be the Lord's Supper -- "where
00:43:33.11\00:43:34.81
the forgiveness of sins are
administered, there hold fast
00:43:34.81\00:43:37.71
and conclude most certainly
that there --" here -- "is the
00:43:37.71\00:43:41.18
house of God and there --"
here -- "is the gate to Heaven."
00:43:41.18\00:43:44.72
The Church exists because of the
Word, and only the Word. Onlythe
00:43:44.89\00:43:52.16
Word -- Sola Scriptura. Huge
takeaway. Man, they were -- Did
00:43:52.16\00:43:58.27
they drill this into us, as
kids? I mean, did they drill it.
I'm just gonna find out how
00:43:58.27\00:44:01.84
it got drilled into you. ¤ The
B-I-B-L-E ¤ ¤ Yes, that's the
00:44:01.84\00:44:10.35
book for me ¤ ¤ I stand
alone on the Word of God ¤ ¤ The
00:44:10.35\00:44:18.99
B-I-B-L-E ¤ You must have
had the Sabbath-school teacher I
00:44:18.99\00:44:21.89
had. [ Laughter ] Boy, she was
relentless. [ Laughter ] Thank
God for our Sabbath-school
00:44:21.89\00:44:25.36
teachers here -- godly men and
women. The little kids get it.
00:44:25.36\00:44:29.33
And wemustget it.
It's the Bible. The Bible.
00:44:29.33\00:44:34.34
Takeaway number 1 -- only
the Savior. Takeaway number 2 --
00:44:34.34\00:44:36.77
only the Cross. Takeaway
number 3 -- only the Bible.
00:44:36.77\00:44:39.71
Oh, God, if the day could come
when, like the pioneers for whom
this church is a memorial, like
00:44:39.71\00:44:44.65
the pioneers of this little
movement, who were immersed and
awash in Scripture, if only
00:44:44.65\00:44:49.55
we could become again the people
of the Word -- the Bible people.
00:44:49.55\00:44:59.59
Aw. Ellen White. Boy, she --
did she want to have this prayer
00:44:59.59\00:45:04.20
answered, or what? This is
"Great Controversy." Let me put
it on the screen for you,
00:45:04.20\00:45:08.30
describing Luther's legacy. "But
God will have a people upon the
00:45:08.30\00:45:12.41
earth to maintain the Bible, and
the Bible only, as the standard
00:45:12.41\00:45:16.54
of all doctrines and the basis
of all reforms." Now, listen.
00:45:16.54\00:45:19.08
"The opinions of learned men
--" we have a seminary on this
00:45:19.08\00:45:21.42
campus -- "The opinions of
learned men, the deductions of
00:45:21.42\00:45:23.82
science --" we have a science
building --" the creeds or
00:45:23.82\00:45:26.09
decisions of ecclesiastical
councils, as numerous and
00:45:26.09\00:45:28.79
discordant as are the churches
which they represent, the voice
00:45:28.79\00:45:31.93
of the majority -- not one nor
all of these should be regarded
00:45:31.93\00:45:36.20
as evidence for or against
any point of religious faith.
00:45:36.20\00:45:39.27
Before accepting any doctrine
or precept, we should demand a
00:45:39.43\00:45:43.47
plain --" and what's that last
phrase? -- "we should demand
00:45:43.47\00:45:45.47
a plain --" what's that
last phrase? -- 'Thus says
00:45:45.47\00:45:48.91
the Lord.'"
00:45:48.91\00:45:50.15
Right here. You show
me here. You show me here,
00:45:50.31\00:45:54.45
I'll accept it. You
have to show me here, though.
00:45:54.45\00:45:58.52
You show me here. "Plain 'Thus
saith the Lord.'" Ah, only the
00:45:58.52\00:46:04.56
Savior, only the Cross. Only
four of these. Only the Bible.
00:46:04.56\00:46:07.60
One more. Only the Holy
Spirit. Write that down, please.
00:46:07.60\00:46:10.13
Only the Holy Spirit, because
that's what Paul is talking
00:46:10.13\00:46:14.44
about, right here. Look at verse
3. "I came to you in weakness
with great fear and
00:46:14.44\00:46:19.51
trembling. My message and
my preaching were not with wise
00:46:19.51\00:46:22.78
and persuasive words, but with
a demonstration of the Spirit's
00:46:22.78\00:46:27.12
power, so that your faith might
not rest on human wisdom, but on
00:46:27.12\00:46:33.62
God's power." Holy Spirit. The
truth is -- and you know this --
00:46:33.62\00:46:38.39
ideas infused by the Holy Spirit
change the world. I mean, we got
00:46:38.39\00:46:46.33
a generation now that's into
change. "Let's change this
world." Guess what, guys?
00:46:46.33\00:46:50.01
You want to change this world?
You won't be able to do it
without Him, not if you're gonna
00:46:50.01\00:46:54.21
change it forever. And that's
the only kind of change I want
00:46:54.21\00:46:58.41
is forever change. I'm not into
one lifetime or one generation
or two months' change.
00:46:58.41\00:47:02.92
Forever change. And the only
way that forever change comes is
00:47:02.92\00:47:06.32
through the mighty third person
of the Godhead. He is the fire.
00:47:06.32\00:47:08.72
He is the catalyst. He is the
ignition of every movement that
00:47:08.72\00:47:13.16
God sends to this planet. It
always comes through Him. And I
love the way King Solomon
00:47:13.16\00:47:16.83
describes what is the truth
about our Reformation that we
inherit today as we start a
00:47:16.83\00:47:23.84
new Reformation going that way.
But look at Proverbs 4:18. Can
00:47:23.84\00:47:29.21
you believe this? This is --
This is it. "The path of the
righteous is like the morning
00:47:29.21\00:47:35.18
sun, shining ever brighter and
brighter and brighter and
brighter and brighter till the
00:47:35.18\00:47:40.79
full light of day." You ever
go walking before -- You ever go
00:47:40.79\00:47:44.23
walking before the sun is up,
go running, like I do before the
00:47:44.23\00:47:46.73
sun is up? And you're just
walking along or running along,
00:47:46.90\00:47:49.50
jogging along, and you watch --
the watching the eastern arise,
00:47:49.50\00:47:51.27
and you get those little shafts
of orange, and then yellow.
00:47:51.27\00:47:53.77
They just shooh, shooh, shooh.
And you just keep your eye
00:47:53.77\00:47:56.27
on it. Just keep your eye.
00:47:56.27\00:47:57.17
Doesn't seem like there's any
change, but there just seems to
00:47:57.17\00:47:59.01
be more of these things
coming up, little by little by
00:47:59.01\00:48:00.71
little.
00:48:00.71\00:48:01.74
And eventually, if you're still
out walking, that old -- that
glorious old, golden face rises
00:48:01.91\00:48:10.12
above the foothills. That's
Reformation. It doesn't stop
00:48:10.12\00:48:17.89
here. It gets brighter and
brighter and brighter. The
closer we get, the brighter
00:48:17.89\00:48:20.70
it gets. The closer we
get, the brighter it gets.
00:48:20.70\00:48:23.30
It'ssupposedto get brighter. I
need you to get that. It's
supposed to get brighter.
00:48:23.30\00:48:28.57
The trouble with modern
Protestantism -- we build a
fence around our favorite
00:48:28.57\00:48:33.34
reformer, and we haven'tbudged
since. The problem with modern
00:48:33.34\00:48:38.15
evangelists... even within
our faith community? We build a
00:48:38.15\00:48:49.42
fence around -- what was her
name, again? We build a fence
around her, say, "That's it."
00:48:49.42\00:48:54.83
We don't go any further.
Ohh. That can't be right.
00:48:54.83\00:49:03.07
Put Ellen White on the screen,
please. "Great Controversy"
00:49:03.07\00:49:05.84
again. "The Reformation did
not, as many suppose, end with
00:49:05.84\00:49:08.94
Luther." No, no, no, no, no, no,
no. "It is to be continued to
00:49:08.94\00:49:11.88
the close --" C-L-O-S-E --
"to the close of this world's
00:49:11.88\00:49:15.68
history. Luther had a great work
to do in reflecting to others
00:49:15.85\00:49:18.15
the light which God permitted to
shine upon him; yet he did not
00:49:18.15\00:49:21.12
receive all the light which
was to be given to the world.
00:49:21.12\00:49:23.32
From that time to this,new
light has been continually
00:49:23.32\00:49:26.46
shining upon the Scriptures,
andnewtruths have been
00:49:26.46\00:49:29.60
constantly unfolding."
00:49:29.60\00:49:31.77
Guess what? Martin Luther
did not receive all the light.
00:49:31.93\00:49:35.50
Step a few years closer. John
Calvin did not receive all the
00:49:35.50\00:49:39.91
light. Step a few years closer.
Ellen White did not receive all
00:49:39.91\00:49:43.95
the light. It's humanly
impossible, ladies and
gentlemen, for one human being
00:49:43.95\00:49:48.78
to be the receptacle of all
truth. If you were the
receptacle of all truth, you'd
00:49:48.78\00:49:53.02
be Almighty God, and you can't
be, 'cause I know you. It keeps
00:49:53.02\00:50:02.73
shining brighter and brighter.
The closer and closer we get,
the brighter and brighter
00:50:02.73\00:50:06.20
itgets. It keeps shining, until
one day that whole planet will
00:50:06.20\00:50:09.57
be lighted with the glory of
Revelation 18:1, and the sun
will rise in the sky one last
00:50:09.57\00:50:14.58
time for the salvation of
the human race. Brighter and
00:50:14.58\00:50:19.95
brighter. Only the Holy Spirit.
Ideas infused by the Holy
Spirit, that's what changes
00:50:19.95\00:50:24.19
the world. Do you want to change
the world? Then maybe what we
00:50:24.19\00:50:28.09
were onto, the last time we were
together, in September, maybe
what we were onto is what we
00:50:28.09\00:50:33.33
need to stay onto -- the baptism
of the Holy Spirit. Remember
00:50:33.33\00:50:36.90
that? The baptism of the Holy
Spirit? Maybe we ought to keep
asking and not a hint with,
00:50:36.90\00:50:42.04
"Okay, what's the new soup
du jour? What's the new flavor
00:50:42.04\00:50:47.24
today?" No. What did
Jesus say -- Luke 11:13?
00:50:47.24\00:50:49.61
"If you who are evil know
how to give good gifts to your
00:50:49.78\00:50:52.05
children, how much more will
your Father in Heaven give the
00:50:52.05\00:50:54.22
Holy Spirit to those who --"
as the Greek adds -- "those who
00:50:54.22\00:50:56.95
continually, day after day after
day, plea for the Holy Spirit."
00:50:56.95\00:51:02.79
Pleafor the Holy Spirit.
You know what I'm praying
00:51:02.79\00:51:04.73
around here? Because
you thought we'd just
00:51:04.73\00:51:06.36
forget it, after September.
"Dwight will come back, and
00:51:06.36\00:51:08.16
we'll be into Martin Luther,
and just won't be into this."
00:51:08.16\00:51:09.90
No, wrong. You know
what I'm praying for?
00:51:09.90\00:51:12.87
99 other pleaders. 99
other pleaders who, every
00:51:12.87\00:51:18.71
day, before they go out into the
world, will be on their knees,
00:51:18.71\00:51:22.54
supplicating the God of this
universe, "You got to baptize me
00:51:22.54\00:51:25.48
all over again today.
00:51:25.48\00:51:27.28
I need what Jesus had. Morning
by morning, Jesus asked You for
00:51:27.45\00:51:30.99
this baptism. Morning by
morning, I'm asking you." Give
00:51:30.99\00:51:36.06
me 99 others. 99 others, and
this world willneverbe the same
00:51:36.06\00:51:41.06
again. 99...plus one.
00:51:41.06\00:51:43.47
Why not? No wonder Jesus, on the
eve of his death, having His eye
00:51:45.57\00:51:52.14
on the new Reformation to come
-- we're gonna, please, turn to
this. Don't read it on the
00:51:52.14\00:51:56.21
screen. John -- This is our
last text -- John 16. No wonder.
00:51:56.21\00:52:00.68
John 16. No wonder
Jesus made this promise.
00:52:00.68\00:52:03.92
Beginning of verse 12, because
we got to get verse 12 in order
to know verse 13 --
00:52:03.92\00:52:07.96
the value of verse 13. So,
here's verse 12. Red letters in
00:52:07.96\00:52:11.09
my Bible. John 16:12 -- "'I have
much --'" this is on the eve --
he'll be dead in 24 hours --
00:52:11.09\00:52:15.56
dead -- "'I have much more
to say to you, more than you can
00:52:15.56\00:52:20.34
bear now.'" Because it's humanly
impossible for any mind to
absorb all the truth of the
00:52:20.34\00:52:24.81
universe. "I have more to say.
I'll be back to you." How are
you gonna come back,
00:52:24.81\00:52:29.68
Lord? How are
you gonna come back?
00:52:29.68\00:52:31.05
He ways -- verse 13 -- Ah.
"But when he, the Spirit of
00:52:31.21\00:52:35.15
truth, comes, He will
guide you into all the truth.
00:52:35.15\00:52:37.85
He will not speak on His own; He
will speak only what He hears,
00:52:37.85\00:52:40.02
and He will tell you
what is yet to come."
00:52:40.02\00:52:42.62
Jot it down in your
mind, not your study guide.
00:52:42.62\00:52:44.96
There are two missions for the
Holy Spirit -- He will guide us
into all truth -- that means
00:52:45.13\00:52:48.83
brighter and brighter, the
closer and closer we get -- and
He will show us what is yet
00:52:48.83\00:52:52.60
to come. Next Sabbath --
whoa, it's gonna be touchy, next
00:52:52.60\00:52:55.64
Sabbath. If you can't be here,
that would be okay, 'cause that
will be rather controversial
00:52:55.64\00:52:59.47
next Sabbath, so just maybe
stay at home and do something. [
00:52:59.47\00:53:04.58
Light laughter ] It's gonna be
touchy. But we have to deal with
it. We only have three Sabbaths.
00:53:04.58\00:53:08.92
You got to deal with everything
in three Sabbaths. >> Yeah.
00:53:08.92\00:53:13.19
>> That's the mission of the
Holy Spirit. He will not only
00:53:13.19\00:53:15.99
guide us into all truth, he's
gonna say, "Heads up.
Something's about to break.
00:53:15.99\00:53:19.43
Listen to me, listen to me.
Something is about to break.
00:53:19.43\00:53:24.77
Watch... listen... and pray.
Do we get it a day in advance,
00:53:24.77\00:53:29.37
a year in advance, a month
in advance, an hour in advance?
00:53:29.37\00:53:32.27
I have no idea. Hewill
tell you what is yet to come.
00:53:32.27\00:53:38.11
Hmm.
00:53:38.11\00:53:40.12
Of course, it means -- I repeat,
at the risk of repeating myself
00:53:44.45\00:53:50.73
-- that the closer we get to the
return of Jesus, the brighter
and brighter the light will be.
00:53:50.73\00:53:56.67
Brighter and brighter as we go
get closer and closer. Ellen
White's declaration --
00:53:56.67\00:54:03.74
now, listen to me carefully. I
need you to really hear this.
Ellen White's declaration that
00:54:03.74\00:54:07.18
the Reformation must go on means
that new light -- those are her
words, those are her
00:54:07.18\00:54:11.41
words -- new light must be
continually shining upon the
Scriptures, and new truths --
00:54:11.41\00:54:15.98
her words again -- must const--
must -- must -- is it
"constantly"? -- yeah,
00:54:15.98\00:54:20.76
"constantly" -- the word is
"constantly" -- and new truths
must constantly be unfolding.
00:54:20.76\00:54:25.19
Could it be... that the
discussions this last week at
the Annual Council of
00:54:25.19\00:54:32.87
the General Conference cannot
be just about the unity of the
00:54:32.87\00:54:37.64
Church. Could it be they are
also about the unity of truth?
Could it be that someday
00:54:37.64\00:54:44.88
Joel 2's end-time prophecy that
"your sons and your daughters
will prophesy," for, "Even on my
00:54:44.88\00:54:51.12
servants, both men and women, I
will pour out my Spirit in those
days," could it be that
00:54:51.12\00:54:56.42
new light and new truths
heretofore unrecognized or
accepted by this faith community
00:54:56.42\00:55:02.23
could break through with
light yet to come, tothisfaith
00:55:02.23\00:55:08.17
community? Could it be? Could it
be? Didn't Jesus promise, when
00:55:08.17\00:55:14.58
He comes, the Spirit of truth,
He will guide you into all
truth? He will guide you.
00:55:14.58\00:55:20.02
Stay close to Him.
He's the best gift you have.
00:55:20.18\00:55:24.05
Baptize us, God.
Baptize us with the Holy Spirit,
00:55:24.05\00:55:28.52
I pray.
00:55:28.52\00:55:29.99
Four legacies from the
Reformation that we must embrace
00:55:30.16\00:55:33.93
and take with us. The old is
gone. We're gonna start a new
00:55:33.93\00:55:37.57
Reformation. It starts right
now, but we must not throw the
old away. There are four
00:55:37.57\00:55:41.84
precious legacies. Only Jesus,
only the Cross, only the Bible,
00:55:41.84\00:55:45.71
and only the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps all four are summarized
by a note they found in
00:55:45.71\00:55:51.81
Martin Luther's coat after he
died. He died at the age of 62.
00:55:51.81\00:56:00.59
Those who were dearest on earth
to him were undressing the body.
And as they pulled the coat off,
00:56:05.09\00:56:11.00
they found folded a little piece
of paper stuck in a pocket.
00:56:11.00\00:56:16.40
They pulled it out, they
unfolded it, and they read. It's
written in both German and
00:56:16.40\00:56:20.51
Latin. Here it
is. It simply read,
00:56:20.51\00:56:26.68
"Hoc est verum" -- "This is
true" -- "Wir sind alle Bettler"
00:56:26.68\00:56:32.62
-- "We are all beggars."
Because, ladies and gentlemen,
it is true about you and me.
00:56:32.62\00:56:39.06
We have nothing.
Zero. Nada,nothing.
00:56:39.06\00:56:46.33
Only Jesus. We are all
beggars... just like Luther.
00:56:46.33\00:56:54.48
Beggars. But we have
Jesus. But we have Jesus.
00:56:54.48\00:56:59.65
>> Amen. >> We have Jesus. Amen.
00:56:59.65\00:57:03.92
>> Amen. >> Amen.
00:57:03.92\00:57:06.92
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:02.41\00:58:27.37