¤¤
00:00:00.20\00:00:07.30
>> Father God, we come humbly
bowed at the foot of the throne.
We just want to thank you for
00:00:11.11\00:00:15.01
who you are, how you move in
our lives. And, Lord, as we step
00:00:15.01\00:00:19.85
into the second month of this
year, 2018, Lord, we just ask
that you rain down even more of
00:00:19.85\00:00:24.69
your Holy Spirit, Lord, that we
may be vessels for you, that we
may be an instrument for you,
00:00:24.69\00:00:29.36
Lord. So, as we sing your
praises this morning and as we
go for the rest of our week,
00:00:29.36\00:00:34.36
Lord, we just ask that you be a
part of us, that you guide us,
that you go before us, that you
00:00:34.36\00:00:38.83
stand beside us, and that you
walk behind us, Lord. We love
you and we praise you
00:00:38.83\00:00:42.27
and your Son Jesus' precious,
holy, and powerful name. We do
00:00:42.27\00:00:47.24
pray. Amen. Would you stand with
me as we sing hymn number 422,
00:00:47.41\00:00:50.75
"Marching to Zion"?
00:00:50.75\00:00:53.62
[ Congregation sings ]
00:01:01.89\00:01:03.89
[ Instrumental music plays ]
00:03:01.98\00:03:03.98
[ Congregation sings ]
00:03:13.46\00:03:15.46
Amen. Praise God. We're
going to sing a new song
00:03:54.23\00:03:58.97
for you, and it is -- it's a
spiritual medley, so it's really
00:03:58.97\00:04:02.70
not a new song, so you know it.
So I want to hear you sing out
00:04:02.70\00:04:05.44
because this is us praising
our God, who we know and love.
00:04:05.44\00:04:09.28
So let's act like we know Him
and let's act like we love Him.
00:04:09.28\00:04:12.21
[ Chuckles ] One,
two. One, two, three...
00:04:12.21\00:04:17.15
[ Instrumental music plays ]
You know I'm going to lay down
00:04:17.15\00:04:22.19
my burden, so sing it
with me. [ Congregation sings ]
00:04:22.19\00:04:29.83
Amen! [ Congregation sings ]
00:04:32.37\00:04:35.14
So, why? [ Congregation sings ]
00:05:16.98\00:05:20.02
What is it? [
Congregation sings ]
00:05:26.92\00:05:30.03
Sing "by and by." [
Congregation sings ]
00:07:23.51\00:07:26.78
Isn't God good? [ Guitar plays ]
00:08:38.75\00:08:41.25
It's so easy to get discouraged,
but when you put a song in your
00:08:41.25\00:08:44.75
heart and you call on the name
of the Lord, He will not forget
00:08:44.75\00:08:48.22
you. He will not pass you by.
00:08:48.22\00:08:50.06
He will not forget
that you are His child.
00:08:50.06\00:08:52.53
He says not one... not
one bird is forgotten, not
00:08:52.53\00:09:00.94
one creature of His. We
all belong to Him, so do not
00:09:00.94\00:09:05.24
forget in your weakest hours to
call on the Lord and say, "Do no
00:09:05.24\00:09:08.44
pass me by, God. I need you."
00:09:08.44\00:09:10.15
So, sing this song with us,
"Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior."
00:09:10.15\00:09:14.02
[ Congregation sings ]
00:09:19.89\00:09:21.89
Sing "Savior." [
Congregation sings ]
00:10:21.42\00:10:25.22
It's that time now where you
can come forward and cry out to
00:11:58.38\00:12:02.28
your Savior and ask Him,
"Lord, these are my burdens.
00:12:02.28\00:12:05.05
This is what I need you to
know. I know that you're already
00:12:05.05\00:12:08.26
aware, but I'm putting
it to you again, Lord."
00:12:08.26\00:12:10.93
Please, come before the throne
of God and let us finish singing
00:12:10.93\00:12:18.87
"Pass Me Not," but come and
lay down your burdens before the
00:12:18.87\00:12:22.34
throne. Now is the time.
00:12:22.34\00:12:26.11
[ Congregation sings ]
00:12:30.45\00:12:32.45
[ Organ music plays ] >>
¤ With a voice of singing ¤
00:13:44.15\00:13:52.13
¤ Declare ye this ¤
¤ And let it be heard ¤
00:13:52.13\00:13:56.87
¤ Alleluia ¤ ¤ Declare ye
this ¤ ¤ And let it be heard ¤
00:13:57.03\00:14:04.27
¤ Declare ye this ¤ ¤ Declare ye
this ¤ ¤ And let it be heard ¤
00:14:04.27\00:14:11.51
¤ Alleluia ¤ ¤ Utter it even
unto the ends ¤ ¤ Of the Earth ¤
00:14:11.51\00:14:27.83
¤ The Lord hath delivereth
His people ¤ ¤ Alleluia ¤
00:14:27.83\00:14:39.87
¤ The Lord hath delivereth
His people ¤ ¤ Alleluia ¤
00:14:39.87\00:14:47.08
¤ Alleluia ¤ ¤
Alleluia ¤ [ Organ plays ]
00:14:47.08\00:14:56.22
¤ O be joyful in God ¤ ¤ All
ye lands ¤ ¤ O sing praises ¤
00:14:59.73\00:15:10.91
¤ To the honor of His name
¤ ¤ Make His praise ¤ ¤ To be
00:15:10.91\00:15:25.62
glorious ¤ [ Organ plays ]
00:15:25.62\00:15:27.76
¤ With a voice of singing ¤ ¤
Declare ye this ¤ ¤ And let it
00:15:33.09\00:15:42.27
be heard ¤ ¤ Alleluia ¤ ¤
Declare ye this ¤ ¤ Declare ye
00:15:42.27\00:15:51.61
this ¤ ¤ Declare ye this ¤ ¤ And
let it be heard ¤ ¤ And let it
00:15:51.61\00:15:57.25
be heard ¤ ¤
Alleluia ¤ [ Organ plays ]
00:15:57.25\00:16:03.36
¤ Alleluia ¤ ¤ Declare ye
this ¤ ¤ And let it be heard ¤
00:16:07.93\00:16:21.38
¤ Alleluia ¤
00:16:21.38\00:16:33.22
>> Thank you, Sanctuary Choir.
Marguerite Samuel, that was
00:16:44.17\00:16:47.14
beautiful. Let it be declared.
The whole world under His
00:16:47.14\00:16:58.01
praise. On the Sabbath,
when this university campus is
00:16:58.18\00:17:03.35
setting aside these 24 hours,
beginning last night, as you
00:17:03.35\00:17:09.39
heard, and in every worship
community on this campus right
00:17:09.39\00:17:15.86
now, setting aside this Sabbath
so that we can collectively come
00:17:15.86\00:17:21.60
again the wall of racial
separation. On the Sabbath.
00:17:21.60\00:17:26.21
Consider the words of the great
American poet Robert Frost.
00:17:26.21\00:17:30.18
He wrote the
poem "Mending Wall."
00:17:30.18\00:17:32.51
These are just eight
lines from this poem.
00:17:32.51\00:17:34.78
"Something there is that doesn't
love a wall, that sends the
00:17:34.78\00:17:39.22
frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in
00:17:39.22\00:17:42.92
the sun; And makes
gaps even two can pass
00:17:42.92\00:17:45.73
abreast.
00:17:45.73\00:17:46.63
'Before I built a wall I'd ask
to know what was I walling in or
walling out, and to whom I was
00:17:46.80\00:17:56.94
like to give offence. Something
there is that doesn't love a
00:17:56.94\00:18:06.25
wall that wants it down.'" My
name is Dwight Nelson, and I am
against the wall --
00:18:06.25\00:18:16.26
of racial separation. Let's
pray. O God, the poet is right.
00:18:16.26\00:18:24.00
Something there is that doesn't
love a wall that wants it down
for so many reasons.
00:18:24.00\00:18:31.67
For so many people. So, what
should we do now? Help us, I
pray, in Jesus' name.
00:18:31.67\00:18:43.72
Amen. Danny Gokey, that
overnight sensation with
00:18:43.72\00:18:48.69
"American Idol" -- you might
remember that name, Danny Gokey
-- wrote a hit song
00:18:48.69\00:18:54.50
based on the story he heard from
a pastor in Ohio. No kidding.
00:18:54.50\00:19:00.40
True story. I shared this story
at Hope Trending. It's been a
00:19:00.40\00:19:03.27
while. I've never shared it
here, and I want to share it
here today." The pastor in Ohio
00:19:03.27\00:19:08.11
had a heart surgeon in his
congregation, and one day, he
went to the heart surgeon, he
00:19:08.11\00:19:12.31
said, "Yo, you know what? I
would love to observe an
open-heart surgery.
00:19:12.31\00:19:17.59
Would it be okay?" "Well," the
surgeon said, "Let me check with
00:19:17.59\00:19:21.56
one of my patients." He had a
woman patient coming up in just
a few day whose heart
00:19:21.56\00:19:26.33
needed repairing. He asked her,
she says, "Sure. Just keep him
00:19:26.33\00:19:30.50
out of my business, but let him
watch." And so, a few days
later, sure enough, there it all
00:19:30.50\00:19:38.01
was in the surgical theater. The
surgery began. The cardiac
surgeon opened wide
00:19:38.01\00:19:43.01
the chest, reached inside and
grabbed that defective organ and
pulled it out, and began
00:19:43.01\00:19:49.95
this intricate work of repairing
this woman's heart. Hours go by,
00:19:49.95\00:19:57.46
but when he's through, he puts
it right back, fortunately,
where he found it. [ Laughter ]
00:19:57.46\00:20:06.70
And then, he says, "Alright,
let's get the heart going." They
disconnect from the machine
00:20:06.70\00:20:14.11
that was beating the heart...
and it wouldn't start. "Come on,
00:20:14.11\00:20:21.18
do it again. On and off again.
Again." The heart doesn't start.
Again, it doesn't start.
00:20:21.18\00:20:28.19
And then, in one of those
moments, far outside the
playbook, the surgeon kneels
00:20:28.19\00:20:35.60
down beside the woman and speaks
into her ear, "Mrs. Johnson,
this is your doctor speaking.
00:20:35.60\00:20:46.81
We've repaired your heart.
There's nothing wrong with it.
Mrs. Johnson, if you can hear
00:20:46.81\00:20:52.25
me, I need you to tell your
heart to beat again." And in
front of this dumbfounded
00:20:52.25\00:21:00.76
pastor, suddenly... [ Imitating
heartbeat ] Danny Gokey took
00:21:00.76\00:21:09.83
that story, turned it into his
hit song "Tell Your Heart to
Beat Again." I just checked it
00:21:09.83\00:21:16.20
on Thursday -- over 23 million
people have watched that
YouTube. I've watched it a few
00:21:16.20\00:21:22.44
times. In fact, I'd sing it for
you right now, but I need you to
hear the rest of this sermon and
00:21:22.44\00:21:26.55
not leave, and so I'm just going
to leave that song out. Because
I happen to believe that
00:21:26.55\00:21:30.49
this story -- no kidding -- that
this story is a message from God
to His people, to His church.
00:21:30.49\00:21:37.96
"Church!" [ Inhales deeply ]
"This is your Savior speaking.
00:21:37.96\00:21:42.83
I have died for your heart. We
have repaired your heart. There
is nothing wrong with your
00:21:42.83\00:21:49.17
heart now. So, please,
church..." [ Inhales deeply ]
00:21:49.17\00:21:53.41
"...tell your heart to beat
again. Open your Bible with me,
00:21:53.41\00:21:59.38
please, to the apocalypse,
the Bible's last book. Come on.
00:21:59.38\00:22:01.92
Check it out. Revelation.
Revelation. You got to see this.
You know, a lot of people, when
00:22:01.92\00:22:07.06
we go to these seven red letter
letters come from Jesus to seven
different churches located there
00:22:07.06\00:22:13.63
in Asia Minor. Most of us living
at this time look at the last
00:22:13.63\00:22:17.10
letter and say, "Aha! The letter
to the church of "later, see ya,
00:22:17.10\00:22:20.24
that's for us." But I have a
feeling we're supposed to give
some attention to the first
00:22:20.24\00:22:24.97
letter, the letter to the church
of Ephesus. Open your Bible to
Revelation, chapter 2.
00:22:24.97\00:22:30.21
You didn't bring a Bible, grab
the pew Bible in front of you.
00:22:30.21\00:22:33.45
Check it out. Red letters in my
Bible and the pew Bible. Jesus
00:22:33.45\00:22:37.32
speaking here, Revelation,
chapter 2, I'm in the NIV, page
824 in your pew Bible.
00:22:37.32\00:22:42.56
So, Jesus is
dictating this letter to John.
00:22:46.16\00:22:49.46
The stars are the leaders. The
lampstands are the churches.
I'll hold you in my hand.
00:22:56.17\00:22:59.67
verse 2.
00:22:59.67\00:23:01.58
Yet, but hold. Stop, stop.
Listen to me carefully now.
00:23:14.32\00:23:18.63
Your church will be gone. [
Laughing ] Wow! New King James
00:23:35.51\00:23:43.62
raised, "Nevertheless, I have
this against you that you have
left your first love."
00:23:43.62\00:23:49.72
I love the way Eugene Peterson
renders it in his Message
00:23:49.72\00:23:52.66
translation. Put it on the
screen, please. That's what you
00:23:52.66\00:23:56.97
did. In fact, I wish you'd jot
that line down right now, just
00:24:00.50\00:24:02.54
the way it is in the message.
Go to the website you see right
00:24:02.54\00:24:04.51
there. There's a
little series we're
00:24:04.51\00:24:05.84
doing. The first
part was "Bring Your
00:24:05.84\00:24:07.21
Heart to Life," and now here's
part 2, "Tell Your Heart to
00:24:07.21\00:24:09.98
Beat Again." All
these are going to have a
00:24:09.98\00:24:11.21
heart in it. Go to
the number two one, you'll
00:24:11.21\00:24:13.88
see a study guide there.
You're watching on a television
00:24:13.88\00:24:16.28
somewhere, go to our
website, www.newperceptions.tv.
00:24:16.28\00:24:20.62
Go to that website and you'll
get the same study guide. Let's
00:24:20.79\00:24:23.69
jot it down. Revelation 2:4,
from the Message translation,
00:24:23.69\00:24:29.06
Jesus speaking. "You have
forsaken the love you had at
first." I was visiting with a
00:24:33.47\00:24:36.50
heartbroken man the other day,
a husband. His wife has lost her
00:24:36.50\00:24:42.64
first love. Oh, sure, they're
still married. They still have a
00:24:42.64\00:24:48.92
family. They still live in the
same house. But you know what,
00:24:48.92\00:24:52.75
when you've lost your first
love, you know what you are? You
are married singles.
00:24:52.75\00:24:57.93
And that's what they've become.
Jesus is saying, "Please,
00:24:57.93\00:25:01.43
please. Your love is gone. Your
heart has grown cold. Tell your
heart -- please, tell
00:25:01.43\00:25:05.70
your heart to beat again."
Although, I suppose we ought not
to be surprised that a church
00:25:05.70\00:25:11.41
living near the end of time
might have a problem with love
grown cold when you recall how
00:25:11.41\00:25:16.28
Jesus describes a civilization,
society, just before he returns.
Take a look at this --
00:25:16.28\00:25:21.62
Matthew, chapter 24. Just stay
in your study guide here for a
moment, and we'll put
00:25:21.62\00:25:25.92
Matthew 24:12 on the screen.
00:25:25.92\00:25:28.62
Just before I come.
00:25:31.73\00:25:33.40
Jot that down in your
study guide, as well, will you?
00:25:36.36\00:25:38.87
I have this against you. You
have left your first love. The
passion has died out.
00:25:43.00\00:25:47.88
Like the rest of the world, your
love has grown cold. Tell your
heart, please, tell
00:25:47.88\00:25:52.31
your heart to beat again. I
mean, have you noticed that it's
a pretty predictable
00:25:52.31\00:25:58.45
pattern for formalized religion
that eventually, you abandon the
passion and devotion you have
00:25:58.45\00:26:05.49
for God. Formalized religion,
churches that have been around
00:26:05.49\00:26:08.66
for a long time, you abandon the
love you originally had for God.
You even abandon your passion
00:26:08.66\00:26:12.50
and devotion to each other. You
just become just this business
00:26:12.50\00:26:18.27
of, essentially, regressing into
a bureaucratic maintenance of
the institution itself.
00:26:18.27\00:26:21.54
"We just got to keep
this place going. Come on.
00:26:21.54\00:26:23.88
Just keep it going. That ought
to be good enough." No, it's not
00:26:23.88\00:26:27.72
good enough. You lost your first
love. Tell your heart to beat
again. Which is why, by the way,
00:26:27.72\00:26:34.22
Jesus had an ax to grind -- huge
ax to grind -- with the
leadership of the religious
00:26:34.22\00:26:42.03
hierarchy and bureaucracy of his
day. And not just of leadership,
but even with the membership.
00:26:42.03\00:26:45.97
In fact, Jesus now knows, He
knows, "There's no way I'm going
to prevent my execution."
00:26:45.97\00:26:53.11
Fait accompli. And so Jesus
utters those scathing seven
00:26:53.11\00:26:57.75
woes. You remember those woes in
Matthew 23? Watch woe number 4.
00:26:57.75\00:27:01.58
Take a look at woe number 4.
Fill it in on your study guide.
Put it on the screen.
00:27:01.58\00:27:05.85
And by the way, Luke 11's there
because Luke has a tweak on it
that is important for us.
00:27:05.85\00:27:11.33
So, Jesus is speaking.
00:27:11.33\00:27:12.73
Okay, so, what's important
about the Ten Commandments?
00:27:20.70\00:27:22.37
What's so
important about the law?
00:27:22.37\00:27:23.47
Jesus says, "Let me tell you."
You have neglected justice.
00:27:23.47\00:27:26.37
Oh, boy, did we spend time with
justice last night against the
00:27:26.37\00:27:29.34
wall of racial
separation. Justice.
00:27:29.34\00:27:32.68
You have neglected justice.
And in Matthew, he says you've
00:27:32.68\00:27:35.48
neglected mercy, but Luke comes
along and said, "'Scuse me!
00:27:35.48\00:27:38.35
'Scuse me! 'Scuse me! The
word -- I want the word to
00:27:38.35\00:27:40.36
be 'love,'" and
it's "love" in Luke.
00:27:40.36\00:27:43.19
So, that's why in that bracket,
would you stick in the word
00:27:43.19\00:27:44.86
"love," please? You've
neglected justice, you've
00:27:44.86\00:27:48.00
neglected mercy,
you've neglected love, and
00:27:48.00\00:27:50.50
faithfulness."
00:27:50.50\00:27:51.97
Jesus said, "Hey, time out! Time
out, scholars. Time out, profs.
00:27:56.57\00:28:03.18
You who are with great
exactitude pronouncing grand
theological positions.
00:28:03.18\00:28:08.08
You who are defending intricate
ecclesiastical orthodoxies. And
all the while, you are
00:28:08.08\00:28:12.35
abandoning the profound
orthopraxes -- the orthopraxes,
00:28:12.35\00:28:16.86
the right practice -- of love
and mercy and justice and
faithfulness. What's up?
00:28:16.86\00:28:22.66
You need to have the other,
but you shouldn't have left this
00:28:22.66\00:28:26.77
part out. [ Exhales deeply ]
Tell your heart, "Come on." Tell
your heart to beat again.
00:28:26.77\00:28:37.75
The truth is, it was precisely
because of that severe neglect
and gaping emptiness of love and
00:28:37.75\00:28:42.18
compassion among the religious
leaders, that the people flock
00:28:42.18\00:28:46.25
to Jesus. It's like a magnet.
Jot this down. This is very
00:28:46.25\00:28:49.72
interesting. Only Luke records
these words of Jesus. Luke,
chapter 7, it's in your
00:28:49.72\00:28:52.76
study guides, so just keep
going. Jesus speaking about
00:28:52.76\00:28:56.33
Himself. Look, look, look.
"I"... And you know what you
00:28:56.33\00:29:01.50
said? Now, wouldn't you love to
have that as a dis? Just a slap
00:29:08.11\00:29:12.95
at you. You know the problem
with that woman? You know the
00:29:12.95\00:29:15.95
problem with that guy? He's
a friend of tax collectors and
00:29:15.95\00:29:19.75
sinners. Pfft. In fact, a
few days later, keep going in
00:29:19.75\00:29:23.93
Luke... Pfft. I know some
churches that welcome sinners
and eat them. [ Laughter ]
00:29:33.07\00:29:37.04
And that's not what Jesus
is talking about. Friend -- a
00:29:37.04\00:29:42.64
friend of tax collectors who
welcome sinners. Hey, listen,
come on, come on, come on, time
00:29:42.64\00:29:47.02
out, time out. Could it happen
to us? "I'm thinking of applying
here. I'm thinking about
00:29:47.02\00:29:51.19
Andrews University." Could it
happen to us that we could
become the same as Jesus?
00:29:51.19\00:29:58.26
Our staff's reading a book right
now -- dy-no-mite. Author of the
00:29:58.26\00:30:02.23
book -- Jerry Cook. Title of the
book -- "Love, Acceptance and
00:30:02.23\00:30:04.80
Forgiveness: Equipping the
Church to be Truly Christian in
a Non-Christian World."
00:30:04.80\00:30:07.90
In that book, Jerry tells a
story that I want to read to
00:30:07.90\00:30:13.17
you. Would that be alright? Just
read a short little story here.
00:30:13.17\00:30:15.28
"A pastor in our town, whom I
knew only slightly, became
involved in adultery."
00:30:15.28\00:30:20.45
Adultery is a sad reality for
any human being because you
break the sacred bonds.
00:30:20.45\00:30:25.82
But when it happens between a
spiritual leader and someone
else, it's just a double whammy.
00:30:25.82\00:30:31.79
[ Clicks tongue ] "I knew him
slightly. He had become involved
00:30:31.79\00:30:36.73
in adultery. As a result, his
marriage went on the rocks and
00:30:36.73\00:30:39.43
his ministry was destroyed. And
since he was a strong Christian
leader in our area,
00:30:39.43\00:30:42.10
this brother's fall came with
a resounding crash. His church
00:30:42.10\00:30:46.01
splintered into a dozen
fragments, and hurt and confused
people were scattered all over
00:30:46.01\00:30:50.61
that city. A year and a half
after all that happened, I
received a phone call one Sunday
00:30:50.61\00:30:55.65
morning, 7:30," alright? So, he
gets this phone call. It was
this former pastor.
00:30:55.65\00:31:00.09
"He said, 'Hey, would you mind
if my wife and I came to church
00:31:00.09\00:31:04.79
this morning?' I said, 'Why
would you even call and ask that
question? Of course we wouldn't
00:31:04.79\00:31:09.83
mind.' 'Well, well,' he said,
'You know, this is my second
00:31:09.83\00:31:14.04
wife, don't you? You know I'm
divorced from the first. Are you
00:31:14.04\00:31:17.91
aware of this?' I said, 'Sure,
I'm aware of it.' 'Well,' he
said, 'I'll tell you, Jerry,
00:31:17.91\00:31:22.81
we've been trying for eight
months now to find a place of
worship. The last time we tried
00:31:22.81\00:31:25.81
was a month ago. That morning,
we were asked from the pulpit to
00:31:25.81\00:31:32.85
leave. We've been met at the
door of other churches by
pastors who heard that my wife
00:31:32.85\00:31:36.26
and I were coming. They asked us
not to come in -- said we would
00:31:36.26\00:31:38.93
cause too much trouble. Still
others have heard that we might
show up and called in
00:31:38.93\00:31:41.60
advance to ask us, "Please don't
come."' He said, 'Frankly, I
00:31:41.60\00:31:46.60
don't think we could handle it
again if we were to come and be
an embarrassment to you and be
00:31:46.60\00:31:50.21
asked to leave. I just
don't know what would happen.
00:31:50.21\00:31:52.51
My wife is close to a nervous
breakdown.' By now, he was
00:31:52.51\00:31:56.85
weeping on the phone. 'I know
that you have a video for
overflow crowds,' he said.
00:31:56.85\00:32:02.25
'If you want, you can put us in
a room where no one will see us
and just let us watch the
00:32:02.25\00:32:06.42
service.' I said, 'Listen,
listen. You be there, and I will
00:32:06.42\00:32:11.36
welcome you at the door.' And so
he came with his wife and their
00:32:11.36\00:32:14.66
little baby. They came late and
sat in the back. The compounding
00:32:14.66\00:32:18.43
thing was that many of the
people who had been hurt through
his fall were now a part of our
00:32:18.43\00:32:22.10
congregation. Nevertheless, we
extended fellowship to that man,
and the Lord did a cleansing and
00:32:22.10\00:32:25.47
a healing. We shed so many tears
together, I never will forget
00:32:25.47\00:32:29.81
how he grabbed me and buried his
head on my shoulder, a man 15 to
20 years my senior.
00:32:29.81\00:32:34.25
He wept like a baby and held to
me like a drowning man. He said,
'Jerry, can you love
00:32:34.25\00:32:38.42
me? I spent my life loving
people, but I need someone to
00:32:38.42\00:32:41.69
love me now.'" "Can you love me?
I need someone to love me now."
00:32:41.69\00:32:50.90
I'll finish the story in just a
moment. Christ's Object Lessons
00:32:55.77\00:33:00.58
concurs, by the way. Look at
this on the screen. You got it
in your study guide.
00:33:00.58\00:33:03.31
Fill it in.
00:33:03.31\00:33:04.21
Ellen White writes...
00:33:06.25\00:33:08.02
Would you jot that in?
00:33:10.49\00:33:12.32
When you realize there ain't no
difference between you and me,
except the grace I've received,
00:33:22.73\00:33:31.37
you will have pitying love for
the sinner who says, "Could I
come and join you?"
00:33:31.37\00:33:42.12
From whence comes a love like
this, only one place, only one
00:33:46.32\00:33:50.59
place. Turn to the theme verse
for this little series we'll do
together. Go to Romans. Come on.
00:33:50.59\00:33:56.50
You got to see this in your
Bible, not on the screen. Pull
your Bible out -- Romans,
00:33:56.50\00:34:00.64
chapter 5. Look at this.
Unbelievable, but it's here in
00:34:00.64\00:34:05.27
our Bibles -- Romans 5:5.
00:34:05.27\00:34:08.38
You don't have to be ashamed.
Hope won't put you to shame.
00:34:11.48\00:34:14.48
Keep reading.
00:34:14.48\00:34:15.78
Isn't that something?
00:34:23.12\00:34:24.76
God's love has been poured
out through the Holy Spirit, has
00:34:24.93\00:34:27.56
been given to us. I like it in
the New Living Translation. In
fact, it's in your study
00:34:27.56\00:34:29.83
guide. Fill it in.
00:34:29.83\00:34:31.50
Hey, listen, folks, when you are
baptized daily, with a fresh
baptism of the Holy Spirit, when
00:34:38.27\00:34:42.24
every day, you begin the day and
you say, "Lord Jesus, my Father
in Heaven, I need the
00:34:42.24\00:34:49.32
Holy Spirit all over again in
my life." When you ask for the
00:34:49.32\00:34:52.79
Holy Spirit and ask to be
baptized every day of your life,
every day you ask, you are
00:34:52.79\00:34:59.39
filled with the love of God just
poured out into you. You're
filled with the love of
00:34:59.39\00:35:05.93
God. Ask, and you'll
receive. Seek, and you'll find.
00:35:05.93\00:35:09.90
Knock and it
will be opened to you.
00:35:10.07\00:35:12.34
'Just ask me. Ask
me. Every day, ask me."
00:35:12.34\00:35:15.78
>> Amen! >> I mean,
how could you help it
00:35:15.78\00:35:21.35
when he pours in the
love of God inside of you?
00:35:21.35\00:35:24.12
How could you help it when
as soon as you walk out of that
00:35:24.12\00:35:26.49
door and you start interacting
with human beings -- I don't
00:35:26.49\00:35:28.86
care who the human beings are
-- that love is just going to
00:35:28.86\00:35:31.49
splash out of you
over whomever you meet.
00:35:31.49\00:35:36.23
Huh. Put that
verse up again. Please.
00:35:36.40\00:35:40.27
Romans 5:5, from the New Living.
00:35:40.27\00:35:42.57
A singular, simple, little line
to declare a singular, simple,
00:35:50.95\00:35:57.35
little truth. And here's the
truth. Jot it down, will you,
00:35:57.35\00:36:00.29
please? You can't be filled with
the Spirit of God and not be
00:36:05.96\00:36:08.23
filled with the love of God.
Or that wasn't the Spirit of God
00:36:08.23\00:36:11.27
that filled you.
00:36:11.27\00:36:12.83
And keep going.
00:36:17.27\00:36:18.64
They may be rejected in that
church. They may be rejected in
00:36:25.91\00:36:28.85
that church. They may be
rejected in that church over
00:36:28.85\00:36:32.05
there. But when you're filled
with the love of God, you love
people that others reject.
00:36:32.05\00:36:37.79
>> Amen! >> You love
people that others reject.
00:36:37.79\00:36:43.43
William Blake, the English poet,
put his words on the screen.
00:36:43.43\00:36:47.74
That's why you were borned.
You're borned for a reason -- to
live out the love of God to
00:36:55.68\00:37:05.19
people that have been
rejected by everybody else. Hmm.
00:37:05.19\00:37:11.63
Thus, three convictions. I have
three convictions. I'm going to
00:37:11.63\00:37:14.93
share these three with you and
sit down. Three convictions. I
pray to God that they might
00:37:14.93\00:37:18.60
become your convictions, too.
Conviction #1 -- jot it down.
00:37:18.60\00:37:21.67
That's just a no-brainer, but
you got to start with that. You
have to believe that.
00:37:27.54\00:37:32.58
Pray this little prayer every
morning. It's a simple little
00:37:38.15\00:37:41.39
prayer. "Pour your love into me
today, O God." "Pour your love
00:37:41.39\00:37:45.49
into me today, O God."
Steps to Christ -- I love this.
00:37:45.49\00:37:47.76
Page 94. Look at
this -- that classic.
00:37:47.76\00:37:49.76
On the screen, one sentence.
00:37:49.76\00:37:51.73
Every morning, just, Lord, pour
your love upon me. Now, you have
00:37:59.57\00:38:03.48
to have one more prayer before
you leave your little prayer
corner, wherever it is you have
00:38:03.48\00:38:06.61
your morning worships. One more
prayer. So, the first prayer is
00:38:06.61\00:38:09.38
"Pour your love into me," and
the last prayer is "Pour your
love out of me now."
00:38:09.38\00:38:12.65
I'm outta here. "Pour your love
out of me now, today, I humbly
00:38:12.65\00:38:18.76
pray." Conviction #1 -- that's
it. Here comes conviction #2.
00:38:18.76\00:38:21.53
Now, we spent six wonderful
hours this last Tuesday -- wish
you could have been there -- we
00:38:33.51\00:38:37.78
were crowded into the
Lincoln Room. Who's there?
00:38:37.78\00:38:40.28
A bunch of university students
from grad school, undergrad, a
bunch of spiritual life leaders
00:38:40.28\00:38:46.82
on the campus, some
administrators. We were in that
00:38:46.82\00:38:50.43
room together. And do you know
what we were doing? We were
brainstorming over the
00:38:50.43\00:38:53.13
top two -- the top two needs
that the student body at Andrews
00:38:53.13\00:38:58.70
University has identified for
itself are its two top needs.
And top need #1 -- can you
00:38:58.70\00:39:03.84
imagine what -- the big survey
this last fall -- can you
imagine what the #1 need of
00:39:03.84\00:39:09.18
Andrews University students
is? Do you know what it is? I'm
00:39:09.18\00:39:14.62
going to tell you. It's the need
to belong. Just to belong.
That's pretty simple.
00:39:14.62\00:39:22.56
That's what they're saying -- "I
long to belong." So, when Pastor
00:39:26.46\00:39:29.73
Sabine says, "Hey, let's adopt
some students and let's bring
them into our homes," that's
00:39:29.73\00:39:33.57
exactly what they're wanting.
"I long to belong." Sign me up!
00:39:33.57\00:39:39.47
They're wanting it. It's their
numero uno need. And by the way,
00:39:39.47\00:39:46.61
let's not let the students
think, "Wow, we got a little
niche that we've carved for
00:39:46.61\00:39:49.42
ourselves." Are you kidding?
That's the #1 need of the entire
00:39:49.42\00:39:52.35
human race. Take a survey
anywhere on this planet today,
and the #1 need will be "I want
00:39:52.35\00:39:57.29
to be loved." "I want to belong.
Let me belong. This is who I am.
00:39:57.29\00:40:03.83
Love me. Let me be a part of
your journey and your life and
00:40:03.83\00:40:10.34
your heart." Tell your heart...
Sh! Tell your heart to beat
00:40:10.34\00:40:14.48
again. That's the need. Why was
this adulterous pastor weeping
in the story a moment
00:40:14.48\00:40:19.58
ago? He's sobbing
over his need to belong.
00:40:19.58\00:40:22.75
He has felt that his sin so
awful that it has severed him
00:40:22.75\00:40:27.36
from God. "Will anybody love
me?" Back to God again. How
many, on this campus and in
00:40:27.36\00:40:35.63
this community, all around this
campus, are in that very same
category, longing to belong,
00:40:35.63\00:40:44.14
"but nobody cares about me"?
00:40:44.14\00:40:47.98
I want to finish this story that
Jerry Cook started for us. "In
the weeks and months that
00:40:50.71\00:40:54.82
followed, he -- this adulterous
pastor -- he met with our elders
regularly and wept his way back
00:40:54.82\00:40:59.52
to God through a most intense,
sometimes utterly tearing
00:40:59.52\00:41:03.83
repentance. If ever in my entire
life I'd seen godly sorrow for
sin, I saw it in that man.
00:41:03.83\00:41:07.96
He literally fell on the floor
before our elders, grabbed their
feet, and implored them,
00:41:07.96\00:41:12.53
'Brothers, can you ever forgive
me'? God healed that man and
00:41:12.53\00:41:16.44
restored him to wholeness, and
today he's back in the ministry.
Now I say to you"...
00:41:16.44\00:41:20.78
And he goes on. And you have
this now in the study guide.
00:41:20.78\00:41:23.65
Go to the study guide right now.
"I say to you"... I'll put it on
00:41:23.65\00:41:26.78
the screen for you.
00:41:26.78\00:41:27.32
Jot it down.
00:41:34.96\00:41:36.42
And how should we discover and
embrace such a love, this kind
of acceptance, this kind of
00:42:06.49\00:42:12.26
forgiveness? I'll tell you
how we'll not. I can't go to me.
00:42:12.26\00:42:16.93
I can't go to me to find
that love, acceptance, and
00:42:16.93\00:42:21.67
forgiveness. I'm telling
you what -- I know my heart. I
00:42:21.67\00:42:25.71
cannot go to me. It will have to
be external. The source will
have to be external.
00:42:25.71\00:42:29.51
If we're gonna have it,
it'll have to come from somebody
00:42:29.51\00:42:33.65
outside of me. Simply because
-- you know why? I have my own
00:42:33.65\00:42:41.26
biases. Sh. I have my own
prejudices. I have my own
insecurities, that tend to shut
00:42:41.26\00:42:49.70
out the very people that remind
me of my own moral fallenness
and weaknesses. So I don't want
00:42:49.70\00:42:55.84
people like that around. Because
when they're around, they remind
00:42:55.84\00:43:02.68
me of that insecurity, and then
I'd have to admit that I'm just
like them, though I never want
00:43:02.68\00:43:07.35
anybody to know that. I'd
have to admit my insecurities.
00:43:07.35\00:43:14.89
Instead, I become party to a
line of thinking that says,
"Just keep them out.
00:43:14.89\00:43:20.33
You'll never feel insecure.
In fact, you'll feel superior."
00:43:20.33\00:43:25.07
Here we are this week, against
the wall of racial separation.
You know what, racial prejudice
00:43:31.34\00:43:37.21
behaves in the very same way.
The only reason I need people to
feel inferior to me is because I
00:43:37.21\00:43:47.36
have an inferiority
complex myself. No kidding.
00:43:47.36\00:43:55.70
Which is why I try to push
you down -- so that I can pull
00:43:55.70\00:43:59.90
myself up. Which is why is why I
try to push you out -- so that I
can pull myself into an inner
00:43:59.90\00:44:03.20
circle I don't even feel I even
belong to. And if I admit...
00:44:03.20\00:44:09.54
Listen, listen, listen. If I
admit that you have worth
identical to mine in the eyes of
00:44:09.54\00:44:14.18
God, that He loves you just as
much as He loves me, then my
subconscious effort to be
00:44:14.18\00:44:18.75
morally or racially superior
to you... And by the way, that's
00:44:18.75\00:44:22.19
what was happening with the
Pharisees. They felt morally
superior to all sinners and
00:44:22.19\00:44:25.66
racially superior to all
gentiles. ...then I begin to
scramble, so that I can push
00:44:25.66\00:44:31.30
down this inferiority complex
and lift up a sense that I
really am somebody.
00:44:31.30\00:44:36.47
But I need you to be pushed down
in order that I can be pulled up
00:44:36.47\00:44:43.58
in my own mind. It's tragic. It
is twisted, circular thinking,
and you can't break
00:44:47.82\00:44:52.99
out of it. I'm sorry.
You can't break out of it.
00:44:52.99\00:44:57.66
Someone external to your mind,
and inferiority complex, has to
00:44:57.66\00:45:05.53
step in. And you know what He
does? He says, "I need you to
know... Try, try, try, try.
00:45:05.53\00:45:09.34
Look at me, look at me.
Listen to me. It's okay.
00:45:09.34\00:45:15.11
You're not inferior. No child
of mine is inferior. I'm your
00:45:15.11\00:45:21.85
father. You're my child. You're
my son. You're my daughter.
00:45:21.85\00:45:25.99
You're not inferior! Get
over it! Tear the wall down.
00:45:25.99\00:45:32.49
Tear that wall down. It's time.
I need a people without walls.
00:45:32.49\00:45:42.54
If I don't have a people without
walls, nobody will come to you.
I promise, nobody will come to
00:45:42.54\00:45:48.54
you. Get rid of
that wall! You're okay!
00:45:48.54\00:45:55.45
I love you with all my heart!
And I need you now to be an
agent for that love with every
00:45:55.45\00:46:00.52
human being I
bring into your space."
00:46:00.52\00:46:05.16
How do I know I'm loved and
accepted by God? [ Chuckles ]
00:46:09.23\00:46:12.70
That's the whole point. 5 is
just the introduction to this
00:46:12.70\00:46:18.67
stunning, stunning mountaintop
in Romans. Let's read 5 again
and get a run onto verse 6.
00:46:18.67\00:46:23.65
"Where does that love come from?
I need that love. How am I gonna
00:46:28.75\00:46:31.99
visualize that love?"
Oh, just keep reading.
00:46:31.99\00:46:33.79
But finally, verse 8... "God
demonstrates His own love" for
00:46:44.90\00:46:51.81
you, Dwight... "God demonstrates
His own love for us in this --
While we were still sinners,
00:46:51.81\00:47:01.68
Christ died for us." [ Singing
] At the cross, at the cross,
00:47:01.68\00:47:08.46
where I first saw the light, and
the burden of my heart rolled
00:47:08.46\00:47:15.53
away. It was then I knew that He
loves me too, and now I am happy
00:47:15.53\00:47:26.51
all the day. [ Normal voice ]
It's the cross! You got to go to
the cross. You can't get it
00:47:26.51\00:47:31.71
without going to the cross.
That's where the love of God is
poured out of the Holy Spirit
00:47:31.71\00:47:35.15
when He comes into you, because
you asked to be baptized today.
It just washes your soul
00:47:35.15\00:47:40.49
with the love of Calvary. Isn't
that great? It's the cross!
00:47:40.49\00:47:47.76
Apologies to Isaac Watts and
that great hymn. Calvary makes
00:47:47.76\00:47:51.67
all the difference in the world
for a church, for a
congregation, for a campus, for
00:47:51.67\00:47:56.44
a soul that longs to live out
the love of Jesus for all
people. Listen, black and white?
00:47:56.44\00:47:59.54
It doesn't matter.
Straight and gay? Rich and poor?
00:47:59.54\00:48:08.92
Which one of these halves is
right, Dwight? Don't worry about
00:48:08.92\00:48:14.69
it. Rich and poor? Women and
men? Democrats and Republicans?
00:48:14.69\00:48:20.20
East and west? Conservative
and liberal? Saved and lost?
00:48:20.20\00:48:27.07
Saints and sinners? Atheists
and believer? It doesn't matter.
00:48:27.07\00:48:34.84
The love outpoured at
Calvary is to bind... bind...
00:48:34.84\00:48:41.32
our hearts to His. All people
bound up in the love and heart
00:48:41.32\00:48:47.96
of God. Three convictions.
Let me share this final one and
00:48:47.96\00:48:50.13
I'll sit down.
#3. Conviction #3.
00:48:50.13\00:48:52.46
Write down that word "loving,"
please. "To become the most
00:49:03.74\00:49:07.41
loving, the most caring, the
most friendly church around."
Now Jerry Cook drives it home.
00:49:07.41\00:49:11.71
I'll put his words on
the screen. Final quote.
00:49:11.71\00:49:14.65
All right? So here's the bottom
line, the minimum guarantee...
00:49:17.19\00:49:20.09
"Well, I can't love him." No,
no. You'd never be here if it
00:49:27.20\00:49:31.57
weren't that God loved you. No,
the minimal guarantee is that
they will be loved, always,
00:49:31.57\00:49:36.91
under every circumstance, with
no exceptions. Here comes the
00:49:36.91\00:49:41.41
second guarantee. Accepted.
00:49:46.41\00:49:47.42
And I know what you're thinking
right now. I'm reading it.
00:50:13.88\00:50:16.68
It is so plain on your face. You
can't even hide the question.
00:50:16.68\00:50:19.65
You're saying, "Hey, Dwight. Yo,
yo... That kind of loving, what
00:50:19.65\00:50:24.09
you're talking about? That
breeds -- let me tell you
something, boy -- that breeds
00:50:24.09\00:50:29.59
license for sin. That's what
it does. It just gives people an
00:50:29.59\00:50:34.00
excuse. 'I'll go out sinning.'
There's no accountability now.
00:50:34.00\00:50:37.60
That's namby-- 'Cheat
grace!'" Fair point. Touché.
00:50:37.60\00:50:45.61
But that's precisely the point.
That's why... Come on, come on.
00:50:45.61\00:50:49.31
That's why Jesus was such a
threat to the religious
hierarchy of His day, who
00:50:49.31\00:50:53.75
thought the same way as you just
did. They hated him because the
00:50:53.75\00:50:57.42
love-starved public couldn't
seem to get enough of the
00:50:57.42\00:51:05.13
Messiah -- this friend of
sinners, who even ate with them.
How else can you explain why
00:51:05.13\00:51:08.76
prostitutes were drawn to
this man? Not for a shred of
00:51:08.76\00:51:14.14
impurity, but something holy and
pure about him. Offered hope.
00:51:14.14\00:51:19.87
Why was it that pagan
outsiders... We're talking about
00:51:19.87\00:51:23.11
Samaritans, we're talking about
gentiles, we're talking about
the racially inferior --
00:51:23.11\00:51:27.72
so-called. Why were they drawn
to Jesus? Because He loved them,
He accepted them, and He forgave
00:51:27.72\00:51:32.25
them. That's why. Jerry
Cook didn't invent this.
00:51:32.25\00:51:39.29
Jesus Christ did -- in our
midst, while we watched. It
eventually killed him.
00:51:39.29\00:51:46.07
He was such a thorn in our
collective conscience. So
shouldn't the church that
00:51:46.07\00:51:54.31
follows Jesus love the way
that Jesus loved? But of course.
00:51:54.31\00:52:01.68
Gregory Boyle, in his inspiring
book "Tattoos on the Heart,"
remembers the time when he and
00:52:01.68\00:52:06.52
his five sisters and two
brothers... That's right, eight
00:52:06.52\00:52:10.16
children. When they were growing
up, they were told by their
mother never to go into the
00:52:10.16\00:52:15.83
attic. "Do you hear me,
children?" As Boyle writes,
"Which was all we needed to
00:52:15.83\00:52:22.87
hear. Before long, we were
selling tickets to the attic."
Mom says no? Let's go.
00:52:22.87\00:52:30.91
"Up in all that dark and dust,
the children stumbled"... Listen
00:52:30.91\00:52:34.08
to this. They stumbled upon and
old, worn record album with
their mother's face and name
00:52:34.08\00:52:40.99
upon it. Apparently, before she
had eight children, she could
sing. If you have eight, your
00:52:40.99\00:52:46.80
singing career is over. They
found it. I'll put Boyle on the
00:52:46.80\00:52:52.07
screen for you here.
00:52:52.07\00:52:53.13
You'll recognize it. [ Singing
] Long lay the world in sin and
00:53:03.01\00:53:10.42
error pining -- till He
appeared. [ Normal voice ] Now
notice this next line.
00:53:10.42\00:53:13.46
Till He appeared, and what?
And what? And the soul felt its
00:53:13.46\00:53:20.40
worth. Isn't that something?
He came here for the soul to
00:53:20.56\00:53:23.23
feel its worth, not its
condemnation, not its absolute
00:53:23.23\00:53:26.40
rubbish and worthlessness.
He came for it to feel its
00:53:26.40\00:53:30.61
worth.
00:53:30.61\00:53:32.77
Until He appeared and the soul
felt its worth. Boyle goes on.
00:53:32.94\00:53:38.05
That's the
mission of the Church.
00:53:52.16\00:53:55.00
That's what
Jesus came to tell you.
00:53:55.00\00:54:00.77
You are not a reject.
You are not a failure.
00:54:00.77\00:54:07.68
You are not scum.
00:54:07.68\00:54:11.25
"There is no wall between my
heart and yours. You are a child
00:54:11.41\00:54:18.29
of my father -- which makes us
brothers and sisters. What was
00:54:18.29\00:54:27.20
that Christ Object
Lessons line again?
00:54:27.20\00:54:28.86
Just like Jesus.
00:54:38.41\00:54:40.94
"Church, church, church... This
is your savior speaking. I have
died for your heart.
00:55:14.74\00:55:25.52
I have repaired your heart.
There's noting wrong with it
00:55:25.52\00:55:32.83
now. So please, for me, and for
you, tell your heart to beat
again. Please, tell your heart
00:55:32.83\00:55:45.47
to beat again." Amen. Oh, God...
00:55:45.47\00:55:51.91
what a world. The #1 need in
the world? Don't you know it, it
00:55:51.91\00:55:57.29
showed up on the survey of this
university -- the #1 need on
00:55:57.29\00:56:02.26
campus. "I just need to belong.
I need to be loved. I need some
00:56:02.26\00:56:08.43
sort of human network that lets
me come to You." So Father, I
00:56:08.43\00:56:16.14
pray -- love, acceptance, and
forgiveness -- that this might
become new humble DNA in a
00:56:16.14\00:56:24.58
pioneer's journey to the Second
Coming. Because how can we talk
about being baptized by the
00:56:24.58\00:56:30.52
Spirit then not talk about being
filled with the love of God? And
how can we be filled with
00:56:30.52\00:56:33.99
the love of God and not let that
love splash over everybody? But
we have to be intentional.
00:56:33.99\00:56:38.53
It doesn't just... We
have to offer our lives to You.
00:56:38.53\00:56:41.86
Pour it in, dear God, and then
pour it out. So take our humble,
00:56:41.86\00:56:48.40
quiet decisions. Seal them,
make us a people where love,
00:56:48.40\00:56:53.78
acceptance, and forgiveness,
just like Jesus, becomes our
way, too. We pray in Jesus name.
00:56:53.78\00:57:02.92
Amen.
00:57:02.92\00:57:04.09
We've been really blessed by
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00:57:08.92\00:57:12.26
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00:57:12.26\00:57:15.30
The fact is, as everyone in the
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Every bit of your gift goes
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Or call the number.
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00:57:38.85\00:57:41.29
Again, that number is
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00:57:41.29\00:57:45.63
And may the God who has blessed
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life the gifts of
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00:57:48.20\00:57:51.10
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:51.10\00:57:53.44
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:53.44\00:57:57.37
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