¤¤
00:00:00.20\00:00:05.90
>> ¤ Majesty ¤ ¤
Worship His majesty ¤
00:00:10.34\00:00:18.65
¤ Jesus who died
¤ ¤ Now glorified ¤
00:00:18.65\00:00:23.18
¤ King of all
kings ¤ ¤ Majesty ¤
00:00:23.18\00:00:31.49
¤ Worship His majesty ¤
¤ Unto Jesus be all glory,
00:00:31.49\00:00:39.73
honor, and praise ¤ ¤ Majesty ¤
00:00:39.73\00:00:47.78
¤ Kingdom authority ¤
¤ Flow from His throne ¤
00:00:47.78\00:00:54.18
¤ Unto His own ¤
¤ His anthem raise ¤
00:00:54.18\00:00:58.62
>> "So exalt." >> ¤
So exalt, lift up on high
00:00:58.62\00:01:04.26
the name of Jesus ¤
¤ Magnify, come glorify
00:01:04.26\00:01:12.20
Christ Jesus the
King ¤ ¤ Majesty ¤
00:01:12.20\00:01:20.28
¤ Worship His
majesty ¤ ¤ Jesus who died,
00:01:20.28\00:01:26.55
now glorified ¤ ¤
King of all kings ¤
00:01:26.55\00:01:33.05
¤ Majesty ¤ ¤
Worship his majesty ¤
00:01:33.05\00:01:41.43
¤ Unto Jesus be all
glory, honor, and praise ¤
00:01:41.43\00:01:51.64
¤ Majesty ¤ ¤
Kingdom authority ¤
00:01:51.64\00:02:00.18
¤ Flow from His
throne ¤ ¤ Unto his own ¤
00:02:00.18\00:02:04.89
¤ His anthem raise ¤ ¤
So exalt, lift up on high
00:02:04.89\00:02:14.10
the name of Jesus ¤
¤ Magnify, come glorify
00:02:14.10\00:02:23.34
Christ Jesus the
King ¤ ¤ Majesty ¤
00:02:23.34\00:02:32.85
¤ Worship His
majesty ¤ ¤ Jesus who died ¤
00:02:32.85\00:02:39.85
¤ Now glorified ¤
¤ King of all kings ¤
00:02:39.85\00:02:47.13
¤ Jesus who died
¤ ¤ Now glorified ¤
00:02:47.13\00:02:52.90
¤ King of all
ki-i-ngs ¤ [ Music stops ]
00:02:52.90\00:03:03.61
[ "To God Be the
Glory" plays ] ¤¤
00:03:06.55\00:03:19.56
¤¤ >> "To God be the glory."
00:03:19.56\00:03:31.74
¤ To God be the glory,
great things He hath done ¤
00:03:31.74\00:03:37.85
¤ So loved He the world
that He gave us His Son ¤
00:03:37.85\00:03:43.45
¤ Who yielded His
life, an atonement for sin ¤
00:03:43.45\00:03:49.16
¤ And opened the life
gate that all may go in ¤
00:03:49.16\00:03:54.96
¤ Praise the
Lord, praise the Lord ¤
00:03:54.96\00:03:57.80
¤ Let the earth hear His
voice ¤ ¤ Praise the Lord,
00:03:57.80\00:04:02.37
praise the Lord ¤ ¤
Let the people rejoice ¤
00:04:02.37\00:04:06.64
¤ O, come to the
Father, through Jesus the Son ¤
00:04:06.64\00:04:12.11
¤ And give Him the glory,
great things He hath done ¤
00:04:12.11\00:04:19.59
¤ O, perfect redemption,
the purchase of blood ¤
00:04:19.59\00:04:25.93
¤ To every believer
the promise of God ¤
00:04:25.93\00:04:32.07
¤ The vilest
offender who truly believes ¤
00:04:32.07\00:04:38.37
¤ That moment from
Jesus a pardon receives ¤
00:04:38.37\00:04:44.85
¤ Praise the
Lord, praise the Lord ¤
00:04:44.85\00:04:48.02
¤ Let the earth hear His
voice ¤ ¤ Praise the Lord,
00:04:48.02\00:04:52.82
praise the Lord ¤ ¤
Let the people rejoice ¤
00:04:52.82\00:04:57.39
¤ O, come to the
Father, through Jesus the Son ¤
00:04:57.39\00:05:03.63
¤ And give Him the glory,
great things He hath done ¤
00:05:03.63\00:05:11.84
¤ Great things
He hath taught us ¤
00:05:11.84\00:05:15.21
¤ Great things He hath
done ¤ ¤ And great our rejoicing
00:05:15.21\00:05:21.12
through Jesus the Son ¤
¤ But purer, and higher,
00:05:21.12\00:05:27.02
and greater will be ¤ ¤
Our wonder, our transport
00:05:27.02\00:05:33.03
when Jesus we see
¤ ¤ Praise the Lord,
00:05:33.03\00:05:37.67
praise the Lord ¤ ¤ Let
the earth hear His voice ¤
00:05:37.67\00:05:42.07
¤ Praise the
Lord, praise the Lord ¤
00:05:42.07\00:05:45.11
¤ Let the people rejoice
¤ ¤ O, come to the Father,
00:05:45.11\00:05:51.11
through Jesus the Son ¤
¤ And give Him the glory,
00:05:51.11\00:05:57.49
great things He hath
do-o-ne ¤ >> Ah, amen, amen.
00:05:57.49\00:06:06.49
God has been so good,
hasn't he? Praise the Lord.
00:06:06.49\00:06:09.83
Let the earth hear
our voice, hear our song.
00:06:09.83\00:06:13.17
And today we rejoice because of
the Lamb who is worthy. The Lamb
that came to this earth
00:06:13.34\00:06:19.71
to die in our place, to take on
our sinfulness so that we could
take onHisrighteousness.
00:06:19.71\00:06:27.38
And worthy is that Lamb, worthy
is He to be praised. Sing with
00:06:27.38\00:06:32.49
us this morning, "Worthy is the
Lamb." [ "Worthy is the Lamb"
00:06:32.49\00:06:37.39
plays ] ¤¤ ¤
Thank you for the cross,
00:06:37.56\00:06:48.84
Lord ¤ ¤ Thank you for the price
00:06:48.84\00:06:54.74
You paid ¤ ¤ Bearing
all my sin and shame ¤
00:06:54.74\00:07:02.08
¤ In love You came ¤ ¤
And gave amazing grace ¤
00:07:02.08\00:07:10.29
¤ Thank you for
this love, Lord ¤
00:07:10.29\00:07:16.36
¤ Thank you for the
nail-pierced hands ¤
00:07:16.36\00:07:22.74
¤ Wash me in
Your cleansing flow ¤
00:07:22.74\00:07:27.01
¤ Now all I know ¤ ¤
Your forgiveness and embrace ¤
00:07:27.01\00:07:36.35
¤ Worthy is the Lamb ¤
¤ Seated on the throne ¤
00:07:36.35\00:07:48.40
¤ Crown You now
with many crowns ¤
00:07:48.40\00:07:54.47
¤ You reign victorious
¤ ¤ High and lifted up ¤
00:07:54.47\00:08:06.65
¤ Jesus, Son of God ¤
¤ The darling of Heaven,
00:08:06.65\00:08:15.52
crucified ¤ ¤
Worthy is the Lamb ¤
00:08:15.52\00:08:26.47
¤ Worthy is the Lamb ¤
¤ Thank you for this love,
00:08:26.47\00:08:36.21
Lord ¤ ¤ Thank you
for the nail-pierced
00:08:36.21\00:08:43.85
hands ¤ ¤ Wash
me in Your cleansing
00:08:43.85\00:08:48.32
flow ¤ ¤ Now all I know ¤
00:08:48.32\00:08:52.53
¤ Your forgiveness and
embrace ¤ ¤ Worthy is the Lamb ¤
00:08:52.53\00:09:05.67
¤ Seated on the
throne ¤ ¤ Crown You now
00:09:05.67\00:09:14.35
with many crowns ¤ ¤
You reign victorious ¤
00:09:14.35\00:09:23.49
¤ High and lifted up
¤ ¤ Jesus, Son of God ¤
00:09:23.49\00:09:34.84
¤ The darling of
Heaven, crucified ¤
00:09:34.84\00:09:42.41
¤ Worthy is the Lamb
¤ ¤ Worthy is the Lamb ¤
00:09:42.41\00:09:54.96
¤ Worthy is the Lamb
¤ ¤ Worthy is the Lamb ¤
00:09:54.96\00:10:07.84
¤¤ [ "Oh, Draw Me, Lord" plays ]
00:10:07.84\00:10:16.98
¤ Oh, draw me, Lord
¤ ¤ Oh, draw me, Lord ¤
00:10:16.98\00:10:30.13
¤ Oh, draw me, Lord ¤ ¤
And I'll run after You ¤
00:10:30.13\00:10:43.87
¤ Oh, draw me, Lord
¤ ¤ Oh, draw me, Lord ¤
00:10:43.87\00:10:57.32
¤ Oh, draw me, Lord ¤ ¤
And I'll run after You ¤
00:10:57.32\00:11:12.20
¤ Oh, draw me, Lord
¤ ¤ Oh, draw me, Lord ¤
00:11:12.20\00:11:25.98
¤ Oh, draw me, Lord ¤ ¤
And I'll run after You ¤
00:11:25.98\00:11:41.23
¤ Oh, draw me, Lord
¤ ¤ Oh, draw me, Lord ¤
00:11:41.23\00:11:55.61
¤ Oh, draw me, Lord ¤ ¤
And I'll run after You-ou-ou ¤
00:11:55.61\00:12:15.73
[ "Amazing Love" plays ] ¤¤
00:12:21.14\00:12:34.15
¤¤ ¤¤
00:12:34.15\00:12:47.66
¤ And can it be
that I should gain ¤
00:12:47.86\00:12:54.27
¤ An interest in
the Savior's blood? ¤
00:12:54.27\00:13:00.88
¤ Died He for me,
who caused His pain? ¤
00:13:00.88\00:13:08.05
¤ For me, who Him
to death pursued? ¤
00:13:08.05\00:13:14.56
¤ Amazing love ¤
¤ How can it be ¤
00:13:14.56\00:13:21.10
¤ That Thou, my God,
shouldst die for me? ¤
00:13:21.10\00:13:28.64
¤ Amazing love ¤
>> ¤ Amazing love ¤
00:13:28.64\00:13:31.94
>> How can it be
¤ >> How can it be ¤
00:13:31.94\00:13:35.34
>> ¤ That Thou, my
God, shouldst die for me? ¤
00:13:35.34\00:13:43.92
¤¤ >> ¤ He left His Father's
00:13:43.92\00:13:51.16
throne above ¤ ¤
So free, so infinite
00:13:51.16\00:13:57.27
His grace ¤ ¤
Emptied Himself of all
00:13:57.27\00:14:05.91
but love ¤ ¤ And bled for Adam's
00:14:05.91\00:14:10.78
helpless race ¤
>> ¤ 'Tis mercy all,
00:14:10.78\00:14:16.85
immense and free ¤
>> ¤ For, O my God ¤
00:14:16.85\00:14:24.06
>> ¤ It found out me
¤ >> ¤ It found out me ¤
00:14:24.06\00:14:29.06
>> ¤ Amazing love
¤ >> ¤ Amazing love ¤
00:14:29.06\00:14:33.17
¤ How can it be ¤ ¤
That Thou, my God, shouldst
00:14:33.17\00:14:39.27
die for me? ¤ ¤¤
00:14:39.27\00:14:54.96
¤¤ ¤¤
00:14:54.96\00:15:15.01
>> ¤ Long my
imprisoned spirit lay ¤
00:15:15.01\00:15:20.52
¤ Fast bound in sin
and nature's night ¤
00:15:20.52\00:15:25.69
>> ¤ Thine eye
diffused a quickening ray ¤
00:15:25.69\00:15:31.86
¤ I woke, the
dungeon flamed with light ¤
00:15:31.86\00:15:37.90
¤ My chains fell
off, my heart was free ¤
00:15:37.90\00:15:43.61
¤ I rose, went
forth, and followed Thee ¤
00:15:43.61\00:15:58.89
¤¤ ¤¤
00:15:58.89\00:16:14.84
¤¤ ¤ No
condemnation now I dread ¤
00:16:14.84\00:16:27.45
¤ Jesus, and all
in Him, is mine ¤
00:16:27.45\00:16:34.29
¤ Alive in Him, my
living Head ¤ ¤ And clothed in
00:16:34.29\00:16:43.33
righteousness
divine ¤ ¤ Bold I approach
00:16:43.33\00:16:50.47
the eternal throne ¤
¤ And claim the crown,
00:16:50.47\00:16:57.58
through Christ my own ¤ ¤¤
00:16:57.58\00:17:05.45
¤ Amazing love ¤
>> ¤ Amazing love ¤
00:17:05.45\00:17:09.06
>> ¤ How can it be
¤ >> ¤ How can it be ¤
00:17:09.06\00:17:12.53
¤ That Thou, my God,
shouldst die for me? ¤
00:17:12.53\00:17:20.47
¤¤ >> ¤ That Thou ¤
00:17:20.47\00:17:25.24
>> ¤ That Thou, my God,
shouldst die for me-e-e-e-e? ¤
00:17:25.24\00:17:45.73
[ Music stops ]
00:17:45.73\00:17:47.96
>> Oh, thank you, Steve.
Beautiful. Thank you, choir.
00:17:57.07\00:18:00.88
Thank you, Professor Zork.
"Amazing love, how can it be
00:18:00.88\00:18:05.21
that Thou, my God,
shouldst die for me?"
00:18:05.21\00:18:08.05
Perfect. That's what we need.
00:18:08.05\00:18:11.29
We need a vision of
that love. Let's pray.
00:18:11.29\00:18:14.59
Oh, God, as the choir has just
sung, amazing, amazing love,
00:18:14.59\00:18:20.66
You, who are our
God, shouldst die for us.
00:18:20.66\00:18:23.83
Why? Why? And then
that You should bid us
00:18:23.83\00:18:28.47
follow you. Show us how.
00:18:28.47\00:18:30.91
These few moments
we have, show us how.
00:18:30.91\00:18:33.58
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:18:33.58\00:18:36.44
Do you remember, when you were
a kid in Sabbath school, and the
00:18:36.61\00:18:38.88
teacher just stood up in front
of you and she said, "All right,
00:18:38.88\00:18:41.12
boys and girls --" usually a
she, can be a he -- stood up in
00:18:41.12\00:18:43.28
front of you and said, "All
right, boys and girls, watch my
00:18:43.28\00:18:45.42
hands." Everybody's watching the
00:18:45.42\00:18:47.42
teacher's hands. And
she took her fingers and she
00:18:47.42\00:18:50.26
went like this. Remember that?
00:18:50.26\00:18:52.16
She went like this, and then she
closed her hand into kind of a
00:18:52.16\00:18:56.36
double-sized fist. And
she said to you, "Here is
00:18:56.36\00:19:01.44
the church, here is the steeple.
Open the doors-- Oh! -- where
00:19:01.44\00:19:10.25
are all the people?
00:19:10.25\00:19:12.21
Oh, and the little boy and his
little girl, he said, "Boy, that
is something what my teacher
00:19:12.38\00:19:16.75
can do." And then she said,
"Watch this, boys and girls.
00:19:16.75\00:19:18.75
Just watch this." And we didn't
know, but she's putting her
00:19:18.75\00:19:22.42
hands together differently. And
she says, "All right, we'll make
00:19:22.42\00:19:25.86
that church again. Here we go.
Here is the church, here is the
00:19:25.86\00:19:33.23
steeple, open the doors,
look at all the people! Wow!"
00:19:33.23\00:19:38.51
And the whole place just
goes electric. [ Laughter ]
00:19:38.51\00:19:41.54
Does it still bless your
soul? Yeah. You know what?
00:19:41.54\00:19:45.18
Don't you wish that the truth
about the Church could be that
00:19:45.18\00:19:49.65
simple? But as it turns out,
there are two competing theories
00:19:49.65\00:19:56.59
for the Church. And they have
all to do with where the
teacher's fingers are. Two
00:19:56.59\00:20:01.46
competing theories. I want to
run them by you. Check that out.
00:20:01.46\00:20:04.30
See if you agree. Let's call the
first theory, theory number one,
00:20:04.47\00:20:07.90
The Church As a Field.
Put it on the screen, please.
00:20:07.90\00:20:11.64
The Church as a Field.
Now, do you notice the direction
00:20:11.64\00:20:14.04
the arrows are
pointing in theory number one?
00:20:14.04\00:20:16.14
Yeah, which
direction are they pointing?
00:20:16.14\00:20:17.81
They're all pointing
in -- in, in, in, in.
00:20:17.81\00:20:20.15
Everything is inside the Church.
Here is the church, here's the
00:20:20.15\00:20:22.65
steeple.
00:20:22.65\00:20:23.55
Open the doors -- whoo! -- there
are all the people. See, that's
00:20:23.72\00:20:28.09
that theory -- the Church as a
field. Suggesting that if you
get enough people inside these
00:20:28.09\00:20:32.93
four walls, the Kingdom of
Heaven can really -- can really
go into -- go into high-drive
00:20:32.93\00:20:40.44
mission. I mean, this is the
Church, The Church As a Field
theory that makes having the
00:20:40.44\00:20:47.21
very best choir on earth, as we
had today, your choir. Having
the coolest preacher,
00:20:47.21\00:20:53.38
having the hottest youth group,
having the funnest Sabbath
school classes, because you got
00:20:53.38\00:20:58.02
to get everybody in. You have
to get them in. The Church As a
00:20:58.02\00:21:03.29
Field looks to the Church within
these walls as a dramatic stage
for the Kingdom's salvation
00:21:03.29\00:21:11.07
mission. Hey, listen, don't get
me wrong. There's nothing wrong
with having -- There's nothing
00:21:11.07\00:21:14.90
wrong at all with having a
wonderful choir. There's nothing
00:21:14.90\00:21:17.67
wrong with having a thoughtful
preacher. There's nothing wrong
with having a youth group that's
00:21:17.67\00:21:21.08
really gung ho, or Sabbath
schools that are fun. But...
00:21:21.08\00:21:27.18
well, there's a second theory.
Let me share it with you. So,
this is the first theory --
00:21:27.18\00:21:30.85
The Church As a Field. Here's
the second theory. Put it on the
00:21:30.85\00:21:34.12
screen for you. The
contradistinction is immediately
clear to you by the
00:21:34.29\00:21:36.66
direction of the
arrows. Have you noticed?
00:21:36.66\00:21:38.53
The arrows in the Field,
everything is coming here.
00:21:38.53\00:21:41.00
Where do the arrows go
now? Everything is out.
00:21:41.00\00:21:45.73
The Church as a Force.
And what's the point of
00:21:45.73\00:21:49.17
The Church As a Force?
You're moving away from the
00:21:49.17\00:21:51.61
Church. This
theory suggests that the
00:21:51.61\00:21:53.61
real life and mission of the
Church is not built around the
00:21:53.61\00:21:56.58
one hour, two hours, maybe three
hours, max, that you may spend
00:21:56.58\00:21:59.71
within the four
walls of the church.
00:21:59.71\00:22:01.38
No, no, no, no, no. The
Church As a Force is the
00:22:01.38\00:22:04.42
theory that suggests it's what
happens when weleavethis place
00:22:04.42\00:22:08.82
for plus-six days.
00:22:08.82\00:22:10.89
That's the Kingdom mission,
that's the Kingdom business, and
that's how God advances His
00:22:11.06\00:22:17.00
cause on earth. Now, don't get
me -- Don't get me wrong, again.
00:22:17.00\00:22:21.97
There's nothing wrong with the
choir in The Church As a Force.
There's nothing wrong with the
00:22:21.97\00:22:28.01
preaching or the youth group or
the Sabbath school, but the
emphasis is not here, it's out
00:22:28.01\00:22:33.08
there. In fact, The Church As
a Force theory declares that the
00:22:33.08\00:22:38.29
Church is not the field and
that, in fact, theworldis the
field, which is precisely the
00:22:38.29\00:22:44.06
point Jesus is making on that
unforgettable outdoor church,
because you couldn't find a
00:22:44.06\00:22:47.66
church big enough to hold
the crowds when Jesus got up to
00:22:47.66\00:22:51.17
teach and preach. So, he's
sitting in a little boat, and
he's bobbing up and down.
00:22:51.17\00:22:54.27
It's one of those, "Can you hear
me now?!" without a P.A.
moments, as the crowd lines up
00:22:54.27\00:23:00.28
along the rocky shore of the
Sea of Galilee. And I want to go
00:23:00.28\00:23:04.01
there with you. Open your Bible
with me, please, to Matthew 13.
Picture is set up here in
00:23:04.01\00:23:07.48
chapter 13. You didn't bring
a Bible, you got your smartphone
00:23:07.48\00:23:12.35
with you? You have it there.
Grab a pew Bible if you don't
00:23:12.35\00:23:16.06
have a Bible. I'd love for you
to see this right in front of
you here. Matthew 13 -- I'm
00:23:16.06\00:23:20.06
going to be in the New
International Version. And I see
some ushers coming through the
00:23:20.06\00:23:23.90
line there, saying, "Hey, would
you like a study guide?" You
want a study guide because
00:23:23.90\00:23:26.70
it has some cool quotes in it.
But there's nothing to fill in
00:23:26.70\00:23:29.64
today. No "fill in the blanks"
today, so don't feel bad if you
don't see a blank up there.
00:23:29.64\00:23:33.11
Matthew 13:1 -- "That same day
Jesus went out of the house and
he sat by the lake.
00:23:33.11\00:23:38.85
Such large crowds gathered
around him that he got into a
boat and he sat in it, while all
00:23:38.85\00:23:44.75
the people stood on the shore.
And then he told them many
things in parables."
00:23:44.75\00:23:50.09
So, this outdoor church, he
starts telling stories. Now,
we're going to skip the
00:23:50.09\00:23:53.90
first story because everybody
knows it. But the stunning and
00:23:53.90\00:23:57.23
dramatic second story, we're
not going to skip. Drop down to
00:23:57.23\00:24:00.67
verse 24. "And then Jesus told
them another parable." Here we
00:24:00.67\00:24:04.71
go, now. "'The kingdom of heaven
is like a man who sowed good
seed in his field.'"
00:24:04.71\00:24:08.54
We're talking about a farmer
here, folks. We're talking about
00:24:08.54\00:24:11.91
a very wise and good farmer, and
he sows good seed in his field.
"'But --' verse 25 -- "'while
00:24:11.91\00:24:18.35
everyone was sleeping, his enemy
--'" ooh, it has to be a jealous
00:24:18.35\00:24:23.02
farmer. It has to be some
envious farmer nearby that
doesn't like the way that this
00:24:23.02\00:24:27.50
farmer is so good at growing his
crops. And in the middle of the
night, while Farmer Brown is
00:24:27.50\00:24:31.47
sound asleep and all his hired
hands, an enemy comes and
sowsweeds among the wheat and
00:24:31.47\00:24:36.87
then -- ch-ch-ch
ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch ch-ch-ch-ch --
the enemy goes away.
00:24:36.87\00:24:39.47
Verse 26 -- "'And when the wheat
sprouted --'" hey, wait a
minute, that can't be tomorrow.
00:24:39.47\00:24:42.84
No, that can't be next week. No,
this is probably a month or two
00:24:42.84\00:24:45.85
later. When the wheat finally
sprouts and there's a little
growth at the head, the servants
00:24:45.85\00:24:50.49
come racing into the farmhouse
one day -- "[Panting] Master,
you're not gonna believe
00:24:50.49\00:24:55.36
this, but your field has weeds
in it." You know, what's the big
00:24:55.36\00:24:59.06
deal about weeds? We always have
weeds. We could try a little
00:24:59.06\00:25:01.56
collection of weeds somewhere.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, Master.
00:25:01.56\00:25:04.67
No, everywhere. It's as if --
It's as if it was just evenly
spread out the entire field."
00:25:04.67\00:25:08.87
"You can't be serious." "I am."
"Bah. I know who did this" --
00:25:08.87\00:25:14.74
verse 28. "'An enemy
did this,' he replied.'"
00:25:14.74\00:25:18.38
The servants said, "Okay, we'll
help you. We'll go out, we'll
00:25:18.38\00:25:22.42
pull up all the weeds, all the
tears, all the -- Darn it, we'll
just pull them all up."
00:25:22.42\00:25:26.52
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
You're not gonna pull them up.
Lookit, if you pull the weeds
00:25:26.52\00:25:30.63
up, you're gonna pull the wheat
up. I can't afford to lose one
00:25:30.63\00:25:33.16
sprout of wheat." So,
here's the deal -- verse 29.
00:25:33.16\00:25:38.80
No, verse 30 -- let's
drive down to verse 30.
00:25:38.97\00:25:40.47
"'Let both the wheat and the
weeds grow together until the
00:25:40.47\00:25:44.94
harvest. And at
that time I will tell
00:25:44.94\00:25:46.57
the harvesters: First collect
the weeds and tie them in
00:25:46.57\00:25:48.84
bundles to be burned; and then
gather the wheat and bring it
00:25:48.84\00:25:51.31
into my barn.'"
00:25:51.31\00:25:52.75
Now, that was such -- That was
such a dramatic story, and the
disciples are so puzzled by it,
00:25:52.91\00:25:57.69
that the moment Jesus gets out
of the boat and goes back into
town -- turn the page -- they
00:25:57.69\00:26:02.42
come straight to him. This is
verse 36. The disciples come up
00:26:02.42\00:26:05.43
to him, and they say, "Lord,
Lord, Lord -- what is this, 36?
-- "And he left the crowd and he
00:26:05.43\00:26:08.30
went into the house. And his
disciples came to him and said,
'Please explain to us
00:26:08.30\00:26:12.10
the parable of the weeds in the
field.'" "What in the world were
00:26:12.10\00:26:16.44
you trying to say?" Jesus says,
"Hey, simple. Listen, guys. Here
00:26:16.44\00:26:20.98
it is. Verse 37 -- "'The one who
sowed the good seed is the Son
00:26:20.98\00:26:26.05
of Man.'" That's Jesus' favorite
title for Himself -- the only
one he uses -- "Son of Man."
00:26:26.05\00:26:30.05
"That's me, sowing the
good seed." And the field is the
00:26:30.05\00:26:35.62
what? The field is the world.
It's not the Church. No, no, no,
00:26:35.62\00:26:41.23
no, no, no. The field is the
world. Jesus agrees, the Church
00:26:41.23\00:26:45.70
As a Force. "'The field is the
world, and the good seed stands
for the people of the kingdom.
00:26:45.70\00:26:50.41
And the weeds are the people of
the evil one, and the enemy --'"
you probably already guessed
00:26:50.41\00:26:54.94
this, Jesus said to the
disciples -- the enemy who sows
them who sows them is guess who?
00:26:54.94\00:26:58.15
It's the devil, of course.
"Evil" with a "D." It's the
00:26:58.15\00:27:02.88
devil. "'The harvest is the end
of the age, and the harvesters
00:27:02.88\00:27:07.76
are angels. And as the weeds are
pulled up and burned in the
fire, so it will be at the end
00:27:07.76\00:27:14.50
of the age.'" Wow. What's
the point of this parable?
00:27:14.50\00:27:18.47
What's the point of this
parable? Do I -- I'll tell you
00:27:18.47\00:27:21.57
what the point of the parable
is. Jesus does the weeding. Did
you notice, it doesn't
00:27:21.57\00:27:27.21
happen till the end of the age.
And it's His angels that go out
00:27:27.21\00:27:30.51
and do it. Isn't that right?
Jesus does the weeding. Leave
the weeding of the field
00:27:30.51\00:27:35.82
to Him. Let me put it another
way. It is not the mission of
00:27:35.82\00:27:40.29
the Church to weed the field. He
says, "No, no, no, no, my
angels, they'll take care of it.
00:27:40.29\00:27:45.03
Don't worry about it." Why?
Because it's not the mission of
00:27:45.03\00:27:50.17
the Church to weed the field.
It's the mission of the Church
00:27:50.17\00:27:54.87
tolovethe field. That's our
mission. Let me put it -- Let me
00:27:54.87\00:27:57.84
repeat it, please. The mission
of the Church is to love
peopletoJesus, not to weed
00:27:57.84\00:28:04.85
peoplefromJesus. Come on, think,
think, think. You got to leave
the weeding, then you got to
00:28:04.85\00:28:07.72
leave it to the Kingdom. Let the
people that run the Kingdom take
00:28:07.72\00:28:09.48
care of it. That's not your job.
In fact, Jesus, to make the
point clearer, he says, "Let me
00:28:09.48\00:28:14.29
just re-emphasize that point,
because you guys are not getting
00:28:14.29\00:28:16.66
it." And you drop down, he tells
another story -- verse 47. "'And
once again, the kingdom of
00:28:16.66\00:28:20.26
heaven is like a net that was
let down into the lake and
caught all kinds of fish.
00:28:20.26\00:28:24.87
And when it was full, the
fishermen pulled it up on the
00:28:24.87\00:28:27.60
shore. And then they sat down
and collected the good fish in
baskets and threw the bad away.
00:28:27.60\00:28:30.37
This is how it will be --'" here
comes the punch line all over
again -- "'This is how it will
00:28:30.37\00:28:34.31
be at the end of the age. The
angels will come down,'" and
they'll do the separating --
00:28:34.31\00:28:38.85
"Good fish, bad fish, bad fish,
good fish, good fish, good fish,
good fish, bad fish."
00:28:38.85\00:28:42.68
They'll do the separating.
So far, are we together? Yeah.
00:28:42.68\00:28:48.92
And what's the point of the
parable if the good and the bad
00:28:48.92\00:28:50.79
fish? What's the point of the
parable of the weeds and wheat?
Leave the weeding of the field,
00:28:50.79\00:28:56.93
leaving the sorting of the fish
to Jesus. Leave it all to Him.
00:28:56.93\00:29:03.37
And have you noticed when the
weeding and the sorting comes,
00:29:03.37\00:29:06.27
by the way? When does the
weeding and the sorting come, in
both of them? When does it come?
00:29:06.27\00:29:09.51
At the end of the age. That's
the return of Christ. That's the
end of human history
00:29:09.51\00:29:13.48
as we know it. So, by the way,
that means that if you
considerate it your job,
00:29:13.48\00:29:17.35
in the Church, your personal
mission -- self-called, of
course -- is to identify people
00:29:17.35\00:29:21.62
that need to be outside the
Church, not inside the Church --
that means that you have to wait
00:29:21.62\00:29:25.13
till the last second of human
history and do it then. You
00:29:25.13\00:29:29.50
can't do it now... either way.
The weeding is His. The sorting
00:29:29.50\00:29:34.00
-- The sorting is His mission.
Why? Because you and I may make
a very sad mistake.
00:29:34.00\00:29:37.91
That's why we may throw a fish
out that was ready to be a good
fish, and it just looked like a
00:29:37.91\00:29:42.41
bad fish. We may pull up a plant
that turns out it was a wheat.
00:29:42.41\00:29:45.48
It was not weed. We'd have
messed up. I want to read a
00:29:45.48\00:29:55.59
dynamite little line. I
put it on the screen for you.
00:29:55.59\00:29:57.23
It's from the classic
"Christ's Object Lessons."
00:29:57.23\00:29:58.49
It's kind of commenting on this
parable -- the wheat and the
00:29:58.49\00:30:00.76
weed. Put that line up, please.
00:30:00.76\00:30:02.43
Christ "has not committed to
us the work of judging character
00:30:02.43\00:30:05.57
and motive."
Isn't that something?
00:30:05.57\00:30:09.54
I was having Bible studies once
with a young man. He ran with a
00:30:09.54\00:30:15.44
fast crowd. In fact, he was
living with his girlfriend. We
were having Bible studies,
00:30:15.44\00:30:19.01
and he started coming to church.
And then, one day, the electric
company turned off his
00:30:19.01\00:30:23.32
electric -- turned off his
electricity. "Failure to pay."
00:30:23.32\00:30:27.26
It can happen. A few days went
by, and finally, that young man
00:30:27.26\00:30:32.06
said, "You know, this is crazy.
I need that electricity." He
climbed up the -- He climbed
00:30:32.06\00:30:34.73
up the pole and said, "I'll put
it back together." [ Imitates
00:30:34.73\00:30:37.60
electric crackle ] He grabbed
the wrong wire. [ Snaps fingers
00:30:37.60\00:30:40.04
] Electrocuted. His family came
to me and said, "Pastor, would
you conduct his funeral?"
00:30:40.04\00:30:44.71
I have no idea what that young
man was thinking that day when
he tried to reconnect his house.
00:30:44.71\00:30:50.01
All I know is that God loved
him, and I'm going to love him
in life and I'm going to love
00:30:50.01\00:30:54.92
him in death. Go back to
that "Christ's Object Lessons."
00:30:54.92\00:31:00.32
Keep reading. Christ "has
not committed to us the work of
00:31:00.32\00:31:03.79
judging character and motive.
He knows our nature too well to
00:31:03.79\00:31:06.86
entrust this work" to you and
me. "Should we try to uproot
from the Church those whom we
00:31:06.86\00:31:10.73
suppose to be spurious --" that
means "fake." There's been a lot
00:31:10.73\00:31:15.44
of "fake" in the public
conversation of America these
days. "This isfakeChristians."
00:31:15.44\00:31:21.11
These are fake Christians. The
Church says, "We're going to --
We -- They've got to be
00:31:21.11\00:31:24.68
fake Christians. Throw them
out." "We would be sure --" she
00:31:24.68\00:31:27.15
goes on -- "We would be sure
to make mistakes." Keep reading.
00:31:27.15\00:31:29.62
Oh, this is something.
00:31:29.62\00:31:30.89
"Often we regard as hopeless
subjects the very ones whom
00:31:31.05\00:31:35.36
Christ is drawing to
Himself." Did you not know?
00:31:35.36\00:31:41.00
What were you thinking?
00:31:41.00\00:31:43.13
Hey, time-out. Who are
the people that you think are
00:31:43.30\00:31:46.57
hopeless? Who are the people you
think are hopeless? Would it be
00:31:46.57\00:31:51.31
an alcoholic? I mean, we're
talking alcoholic to the very
DNA of his bones. Would it be
00:31:51.31\00:31:57.05
somebody -- this opioid
addiction that is kind of the
number-one health crisis in the
00:31:57.05\00:32:01.35
United States right now? And by
the way, "Time" magazine just
last week came out with
00:32:01.35\00:32:05.19
something I've never seen in all
its history, and that is a
black-and-white issue.
00:32:05.19\00:32:09.16
Black-and-white photographs of
one photographer who chronicles
with his camera the drug, the
00:32:09.16\00:32:14.56
opioid epidemic in America. Not
a single ad in that entire --
not a single ad. That's how
00:32:14.56\00:32:20.90
serious it is. Maybe it's one of
those opioid addicts. "Oh,
you're not gonna --
00:32:20.90\00:32:25.64
You know? T-That's hopeless,
trust me." Hopeless subjects.
00:32:25.64\00:32:29.84
How about those addicted to sex?
Sex in any form you wish. Call
00:32:29.84\00:32:34.72
it up. We don't have enough time
to call up the different forms.
Any form of sex -- sex that's
00:32:34.72\00:32:39.02
deviant. It's what you consider
to be blatantly immoral.
00:32:39.02\00:32:43.39
Those kinds of people obviously
are hopeless subjects, right?
00:32:43.39\00:32:49.76
Pedophile. How about a
pedophile? How about an abuser?
We've been hearing a lot of talk
00:32:49.76\00:32:53.87
lately about abusers? How about
an abuser? A hopeless subject.
00:32:53.87\00:32:57.34
The man with his fourth wife?
The wife with her fifth husband?
You see, the reality is, we
00:32:57.34\00:33:06.35
morally marginalize people in
our minds. And when we
marginalize them, we
00:33:06.35\00:33:12.79
also ostracize them. Not
in here. Not in here, do you
00:33:12.79\00:33:18.26
understand? And isn't that
something? All the while we are
cutting them off, Christ is
00:33:18.26\00:33:23.57
trying to draw them in. All the
while we are pushing them out,
he said, "Come on."
00:33:23.57\00:33:27.30
He's trying to drag them, pull
them in. Put that line up again,
00:33:27.30\00:33:33.51
please. "Often we regard as
hopeless subjects the very ones
whom Christ is drawing to
00:33:33.51\00:33:39.71
Himself." "Listen, listen,
Pastor. Dwight, listen. We can't
00:33:39.71\00:33:42.55
love people. I mean, you just
can't have people like that in
here. What are they gonna think
00:33:42.55\00:33:45.99
about this Church? They're gonna
make some conclusions about us,
00:33:45.99\00:33:49.36
and it's not right. No, they've
had all the chances they need.
00:33:49.36\00:33:53.53
Those kind of people do not
belong in here." I've got to
00:33:53.53\00:33:57.97
tell you, that's why I've been
moved by the compelling thrust
of Jerry Cook's book, "Love,
00:33:57.97\00:34:03.00
Acceptance and Forgiveness."
to the place I'm dreaming now.
00:34:03.00\00:34:08.41
No, I'm praying now
that the Church I belong to
00:34:08.58\00:34:12.35
might one day become known
far and wide as a people who are
00:34:12.35\00:34:15.72
like Jesus -- a people who love,
a people who accept, a people
00:34:15.72\00:34:18.42
who forgive, no matter who,
no matter what, no matter where,
00:34:18.42\00:34:21.09
no matter why. They
just love, accept, and
00:34:21.09\00:34:23.46
forgive. I keep
dreaming and praying
00:34:23.46\00:34:26.46
that the Church one day -- this
Church -- might become a safe
00:34:26.46\00:34:30.23
haven for other
sinners like you and me.
00:34:30.23\00:34:34.37
Or maybe not so
much like you and me.
00:34:34.37\00:34:36.67
Sinners that Jesus loved out of
their pain, loved out of their
00:34:36.67\00:34:40.24
guilt. Boy, look at Jesus.
00:34:40.24\00:34:42.51
I mean, please. What
was that line we just read?
00:34:42.51\00:34:45.01
"Often we regard as hopeless
subjects the very ones whom
00:34:45.01\00:34:47.85
Christ is drawing to Himself."
And you want to talk about
00:34:47.85\00:34:51.19
Zacchaeus the cheat,
the public embezzler?
00:34:51.19\00:34:54.26
"Come on in." You want to talk
about Mary Magdalene, the whore
00:34:54.42\00:34:58.53
-- seven times, so deep that
addiction -- seven times, demons
are cast out of her.
00:34:58.53\00:35:02.36
You want to talk about the thief
on the cross? "Come on in."
00:35:02.36\00:35:04.93
You want to talk about -- Who do
you want to talk about? You want
00:35:04.93\00:35:08.47
to talk about the secret abuser,
because those are usually the --
that's usually the case for
00:35:08.47\00:35:12.41
abusers. They do it secretly.
You want to talk about the
guilty Pharisee named Simon, who
00:35:12.41\00:35:17.98
was an abuser, and Jesus knew.
You want to talk about the
loud-mouthed braggadocio
00:35:17.98\00:35:24.52
Peter the Denier? You want
to talk about the cool executive
00:35:24.52\00:35:29.09
Judas? Takes them all. And do
you know what the common bond is
between all these names
00:35:29.09\00:35:33.73
I've just mentioned? Here's
the common bond. To a man, to a
00:35:33.73\00:35:38.40
woman, to a person, they were
loved, accepted, and forgiven by
Jesus. Even when they didn't ask
00:35:38.40\00:35:46.71
for it, they were forgiven. My,
oh, my. They couldfeelthe love.
00:35:46.71\00:35:54.72
Isn't it amazing how Jesus loved
the people we normally
marginalize and ostracize?
00:35:54.72\00:36:01.82
If you feel like you're one of
these sinners right now, I want
you -- I got some good news
00:36:01.82\00:36:05.63
for you. Just look at
the way Jesus treats sinners.
00:36:05.63\00:36:08.73
I'm sorry about the way the
Church treats sinners sometimes,
but I want you to look at Jesus
00:36:08.73\00:36:13.77
right now and notice
how he treats sinners. Love,
00:36:13.77\00:36:19.34
acceptance, and forgiveness. "I
offer that to you. Come follow
00:36:19.34\00:36:23.78
me. Come on. Let's go. I got
a Church big enough for you."
00:36:23.78\00:36:29.02
Wow. Even Judas.
"Desire of Ages" says that on
00:36:29.02\00:36:33.76
that fateful night, just hours
before Jesus would be executed
because Judas will betray Him in
00:36:33.76\00:36:38.13
a few, couple, three hours --
"Desire of Ages" tells us that
when the callous but gentle
00:36:38.13\00:36:44.50
hands of the Master reached down
to scrub the dusty feet of
Judas, His heartthrilled.
00:36:44.50\00:36:52.11
He could feel the love. He is
known in this -- He knows, in
this nefarious, dark moment
00:36:52.11\00:36:57.41
that's about to unfold, that he
is still being loved by the
Jesus he's going tosellfor
00:36:57.41\00:37:02.28
30 pieces of silver. He felt
the love. Can you feel the love
00:37:02.28\00:37:09.69
around here withyou... and
with me? Can you feel the love?
00:37:09.69\00:37:16.30
The truth is, the Church of
Jesus Christ back then was
filled with moral wrecks like
00:37:16.30\00:37:22.14
you and me, and it still
is because of you and me. Keep
00:37:22.14\00:37:27.24
reading. On the screen again.
Christ "has not committed to us
the work of judging character
00:37:27.24\00:37:30.51
and motive. He knows our nature
too well to entrust this work"
00:37:30.51\00:37:33.92
to you and me. "Should we try
to uproot from the Church those
00:37:33.92\00:37:37.99
whom we suppose to be spurious
--" or fake -- "Christians, we
should be sure to make mistakes.
00:37:37.99\00:37:41.29
Often we regard as hopeless
subjects the very ones whom
Christ is drawing to Himself."
00:37:41.29\00:37:45.29
Now she goes on. Here we
go. "Were we to deal with these
00:37:45.29\00:37:49.70
souls according to our imperfect
judgment, it would perhaps
extinguish their last hope."
00:37:49.70\00:37:56.40
The fact that they are here
is the last hope God has. And
00:37:56.40\00:38:02.28
you're going to extinguish it?
[ Blows sharply ] At what price?
00:38:02.28\00:38:07.85
For what cause? The purity of
the Church? The moment you join
00:38:07.85\00:38:13.89
the Church, it was no longer
pure. And that's true for me,
00:38:13.89\00:38:19.03
too. "Many --" she goes on --
Ellen White -- "Many who think
00:38:23.80\00:38:26.43
themselves Christians
will at last be found wanting.
00:38:26.43\00:38:29.07
And many will be in heaven who
their neighbors supposed would
00:38:29.07\00:38:32.07
never enter there."
Why? Because we judge "from
00:38:32.07\00:38:34.28
appearance, but
God judges the heart."
00:38:34.28\00:38:38.35
Someone has said that when
you get to heaven, there will be
00:38:38.35\00:38:40.02
three surprises.
Surprise number one -- there
00:38:40.02\00:38:41.75
will be people there you
never thought would be there.
00:38:41.75\00:38:44.39
Surprise number two -- there
will be people missing that you
thought for sure would be there.
00:38:44.55\00:38:47.56
And surprise number three
-- you're there. [ Laughter ]
00:38:47.56\00:38:52.76
[ Sighs ] "Often we regard as
hopeless subjects the very ones
00:38:55.80\00:39:01.50
whom Christ is drawing to
Himself," which is precisely it
is not the mission of the Church
00:39:01.50\00:39:07.74
toweed the field. It's
the mission of the Church
00:39:07.74\00:39:11.58
tolovefield. We've not been
called to weed people out. We've
00:39:11.58\00:39:13.78
been called to love peoplein...
six days, seven days a week. If
only we could be that kind of
00:39:13.78\00:39:22.42
people. If only we could be a
people that would make the three
00:39:22.42\00:39:26.23
minimal guarantees. [ Clicks
tongue ] I'm thinking Jerry Cook
00:39:26.23\00:39:30.13
again. I'll put his words one
more time on the screen for you.
00:39:30.13\00:39:32.93
"The minimal guarantee we must
make to people --" in or out
00:39:32.93\00:39:36.27
of the Church -- "is that
they will be loved -- always,
00:39:36.27\00:39:39.74
under every
circumstance, with no exception.
00:39:39.74\00:39:41.88
The second guarantee is that
they will be totally accepted,
without reservation.
00:39:41.88\00:39:45.55
The third thing we must
guarantee is that no matter how
miserably they fail or how
00:39:45.55\00:39:49.02
blatantly they sin, unreserved
forgiveness is theirs for the
asking with no bitter taste left
00:39:49.02\00:39:54.32
in anybody's mouth."
00:39:54.32\00:39:56.19
And finally, "A church that can
make that commitment to every
00:39:56.36\00:40:00.10
person is a church that's
learning to love and a church
00:40:00.10\00:40:02.53
that will be a force for God."
There it is -- what Jerry Cook
00:40:02.53\00:40:07.84
calls the theory of
The Church as a Force.
00:40:07.84\00:40:11.64
A force for what? A
force for good, a force for
00:40:11.64\00:40:14.14
God, a force for grace, a
force for love, acceptance,
00:40:14.14\00:40:17.21
and forgiveness.
00:40:17.21\00:40:18.21
Do you understand that the
Church is the most powerful
institution on this planet,
00:40:18.38\00:40:24.15
bar none, to live out the love
of God? It is divine love that
00:40:24.15\00:40:29.72
makes the Church the most
significant and influential body
of human beings anywhere on the
00:40:29.72\00:40:35.03
planet. Not a university. Not
a hospital. The most powerful
00:40:35.03\00:40:40.47
force on this planet is the
local Church. You're the Church.
00:40:40.47\00:40:47.58
I'm the Church. When we go
through these doors, in just a
few moments, there goes the
00:40:47.58\00:40:52.51
Church. Three hours, an hour
here, [Snaps fingers] six-plus
00:40:52.51\00:40:57.15
days out there. There goes
the Church. Here they come. Look
00:40:57.15\00:41:00.86
out, world. That's the Church
as a Force theory. But I'll make
00:41:00.86\00:41:08.06
the guarantee to you -- this is
my minimal guarantee to you --
that if you walk through these
00:41:08.06\00:41:11.40
doors -- if you walk through
these doors, I guarantee you
that I will love you without
00:41:11.40\00:41:17.77
reservation, I will accept you
without conditions, and I will
00:41:17.77\00:41:24.31
forgive you. You want to be
forgiven? I will forgive you, no
00:41:24.31\00:41:27.58
matter what. You walk through
this -- You walk through these
doors, that's our minimum
00:41:27.58\00:41:32.29
guarantee to you as a people.
The moment I walk out these
doors, by the way, any human
00:41:32.29\00:41:36.36
being I meet, tomorrow morning
at 9:00... up to our knees in
00:41:36.36\00:41:42.63
mud, together, the guarantee
is I love you. I accept you.
00:41:42.63\00:41:50.27
I don't care what you've done,
I forgive you. Some people think
00:41:50.27\00:41:55.18
this is cheap grace and you're
just trying to kind of let
people off the hook too easy.
00:41:55.18\00:41:59.15
The problem is, we've been
keepingonthe hook for so long,
they don't know what to do with
00:41:59.15\00:42:03.18
the Church. It's time
to let them off the hook.
00:42:03.18\00:42:07.52
We're not hook-fishing. We're
loving as a force. We're loving
00:42:07.52\00:42:16.60
as a force. Love,
acceptance, and forgiveness.
00:42:16.60\00:42:19.97
Put it on the screen. The
Church has been raised up to
00:42:20.14\00:42:22.77
be the greatest force for divine
love anywhere on this planet.
00:42:22.77\00:42:25.74
The question is, can you
feel the love around here?
00:42:25.74\00:42:27.88
That's the question.
00:42:27.88\00:42:30.61
I was praying this last
Wednesday morning. Woke up early
00:42:30.78\00:42:34.65
-- way too early. [ Scoffs ]
[ Sighs ] Couldn't go back to
00:42:34.65\00:42:38.42
sleep, and that's what I'm doing
now. If I can't get back to
sleep, I say, "Okay, I'm not
00:42:38.42\00:42:41.96
gonna sit here and count sheep.
I'll talk to God." So I go down
00:42:41.96\00:42:47.40
there in the dark. And you know
what? It's just, all of a
sudden, man, just like there's
00:42:47.40\00:42:49.96
just -- pbht! -- this burden on
my heart. And I'm wrestling with
00:42:49.96\00:42:53.70
God over, "What's it gonna take?
What's it gonna take? What it's
gonna take for this
00:42:53.70\00:42:57.27
Church, this congregation?
What's it gonna take for this
00:42:57.27\00:43:01.24
university? What it is it going
to take?" Because the truth of
the matter is -- I'll be really
00:43:01.24\00:43:05.15
honest with you -- I'm not
naive. I know that the preacher
can't preach nothing,
00:43:05.15\00:43:10.59
diddly-squat into you. He can't
even preach it into himself.
00:43:10.59\00:43:13.72
So all this call about loving
our neighbors and all this call
about being baptized daily by
00:43:13.72\00:43:17.56
the Holy Spirit, I understand
that. I'm preaching till I'm
00:43:17.56\00:43:20.50
blue in the face, but it doesn't
matter. The preacher can't pull
it off. And every preacher will
00:43:20.50\00:43:27.00
eventually learn that lesson --
you can't. You have to have --
00:43:27.00\00:43:32.77
You have to have intervention.
"What kind of intervention you
talking about, Dwight?"
00:43:32.77\00:43:38.01
I'm talking about the
intervention that happens
00:43:38.01\00:43:42.65
[Sighs] when a personal
representative of Jesus Christ
himself shows up -- shows up --
00:43:42.65\00:43:51.23
shows up wherever it is you
pray. I hope you have a same
00:43:51.23\00:43:55.90
place you go to. Don't just be
doing, "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe"
00:43:55.90\00:43:59.10
every day. Terribly confusing
for your mind, because it always
00:43:59.10\00:44:02.54
is trying to understand, "What's
the setting we're in now?" You
need to go back to the same
00:44:02.54\00:44:07.01
place. If it's a dormitory
room, it's the same place.
00:44:07.01\00:44:10.05
If it's a trailer park, it's the
same place. If it's an
apartment, it's the
00:44:10.05\00:44:13.75
same place. Go back to the same
place. And when you're there
00:44:13.75\00:44:16.92
without distraction, alone with
God, that's where the personal
representative of Christ Himself
00:44:16.92\00:44:21.49
shows up. He's called the
-- He's called the Comforter.
00:44:21.49\00:44:26.13
He's not your enemy. Eugene
Peterson calls Him "your
friend," "the friend."
00:44:26.13\00:44:30.20
He's the advocate. He's your
defender. He is on your side to
00:44:30.20\00:44:36.77
the max. When He shows up,
here's all you do. You just say,
00:44:36.77\00:44:41.01
"Hey, Holy Spirit, you got to
fill me. I can't fill myself.
Okay, I understand all of this,
00:44:41.01\00:44:47.15
but I just can't fill myself."
That's it. I wish there was some
00:44:47.15\00:44:52.15
kind of cool secret. I wish
there was some kind of rocket
science that we could
00:44:52.15\00:44:55.46
tap into here. It's not.
It's just plain, it's simple.
00:44:55.46\00:44:57.93
"You ask me. Let me fill you
today." The whole point is to
00:44:57.93\00:45:03.43
come back tomorrow and ask
again, and come back tomorrow
and ask again. Today, today,
00:45:03.43\00:45:06.84
today just keep getting filled.
That's the point. You know what?
00:45:06.84\00:45:09.97
At some point, this thing has to
turn -- this thing has to turn
00:45:09.97\00:45:13.21
practical. And what I mean by
"practical" is, you got to be
able to walk out of wherever it
00:45:13.21\00:45:18.18
is you have prayer, walk back
into the world, and start
looking for a chance to do
00:45:18.18\00:45:22.15
something to show that you care
for somebody. I don't care who
the somebody is, you just walk
00:45:22.15\00:45:25.99
out of your dormitory room and
back onto the campus, and, "I'm
going to find somebody today
00:45:25.99\00:45:30.63
that I can care for." That's
it. It's just no big deal.
00:45:30.63\00:45:32.99
"Holy Spirit, waken me, let
me know." And by the way, the
00:45:32.99\00:45:37.20
opportunities come in just
innocuous, very subtle ways.
Somebody may come up to you and
00:45:37.20\00:45:41.44
say, "Hey, can you spot me 5?"
"What are you talking about?" "I
00:45:41.44\00:45:46.21
need 5 bucks." There will be an
instant flash within you that
says, "Okay, you got $5.
00:45:46.21\00:45:50.25
You happen to have $5 today?
Give it to him." I have a friend
00:45:50.25\00:45:55.48
who said, "Dwight, you need to
get a book." So I went and got
00:45:55.48\00:45:58.29
the book, because he read it. He
said, "It really blessed me." So
I went and got the book.
00:45:58.29\00:46:01.26
It's written by -- It's written
by a businessman in Grand
00:46:01.26\00:46:06.06
Rapids, Michigan, of all places
-- just up the interstate. His
name is Clare De Graaf --
00:46:06.06\00:46:09.83
good Dutch name for Grand
Rapids. And this very successful
00:46:09.83\00:46:13.64
businessman has written a book
-- I'll put the -- It's in your
00:46:13.64\00:46:17.04
study guide. The title of the
book is "The 10-Second Rule." Do
you want to know what the
00:46:17.04\00:46:20.21
10-second rule is? Here it is,
reduced to a single sentence.
00:46:20.21\00:46:23.18
The 10-second rule -- "Just do
the next thing you're reasonably
00:46:23.35\00:46:26.82
certain Jesus wants you to do
-- and do it within the next 10
00:46:26.82\00:46:29.98
seconds." That's it.
00:46:29.98\00:46:31.72
Because you are bright enough to
know -- and so am I -- that if I
take a little time to say, "Uh,
00:46:31.89\00:46:36.59
I don't know." The guy is
standing on the corner of the
00:46:36.59\00:46:40.80
street and he's saying, "Need
food, have children. Can you
00:46:40.80\00:46:43.40
help?" I see that. This guy's a
pro. I'm telling you, he's a
pro. These guys do this for a
00:46:43.40\00:46:47.97
living. They're rich. They're
wealthier than me. Why would I
00:46:47.97\00:46:51.67
want to give money to feedhisbad
habits? You give yourself more
than 10 seconds, and it's over,
00:46:51.67\00:46:55.98
because your bright mind will
tell you all the logical reasons
why you should not be unselfish
00:46:55.98\00:47:00.75
right now. "You should not help
anybody. Take care of what you
00:47:00.75\00:47:04.32
got. Hang on to it, boy." You
can't -- You can't let it go.
00:47:04.32\00:47:07.99
That's his point. Just
respond, "Okay, I'll do it."
00:47:07.99\00:47:13.23
10 seconds, or your mind will
talk itself out. You see, the
00:47:13.23\00:47:18.23
problem with the human race...
is selfishness. So, I'm studying
00:47:18.23\00:47:23.87
-- Anybody study the Sabbath
school lesson anymore? So, my
friend John Matthews has
00:47:23.87\00:47:26.61
written a Sabbath school lesson
for this quarter. It's dynamite
00:47:26.61\00:47:29.28
stuff. I ripped this out. Look,
this week. What is this? This is
00:47:29.28\00:47:32.38
Wednesday. Oh, boy, did he get
it right, here. Listen to this.
00:47:32.38\00:47:34.78
"Whatever your motive for giving
may be, it is on a continuum
that ranges from ego to
00:47:34.78\00:47:41.16
altruism." You're either giving
to be seen or you're really the
00:47:41.16\00:47:45.73
little widow down here and just
giving it because Jesus said,
"Give me everything you have,"
00:47:45.73\00:47:49.63
and you're giving. So, somewhere
you're -- Isn't that right?
00:47:49.63\00:47:51.80
Come on, it's for all of us.
"The fight on this continuum
between selfishness and giving
00:47:51.80\00:47:56.81
is fought more frequently than
any other spiritual fight on
00:47:56.81\00:48:02.74
earth." That's our biggest
battle. I'm telling you, you
could be 13, 14, you can be 17,
00:48:02.74\00:48:07.58
18, it doesn't matter. It's
the same battle. It's the same
00:48:07.58\00:48:11.32
struggle, "Shall I let it go, or
shall I hang on to it? Somebody
00:48:11.32\00:48:15.79
needs me now, but shall I give?"
The whole human race -- this is
thenumero-unobattle on earth.
00:48:15.79\00:48:23.20
It's the battle for selfishness.
Isn't that something? And what
00:48:23.20\00:48:28.84
did he put here? Oh, "The bottom
line comes down to one word,
'love.'" You go, John.
00:48:28.84\00:48:33.11
"Love. And love cannot be
manifested without self-denial,
00:48:33.11\00:48:36.04
a willingness to give of one's
self, even sacrificially, for
the good of others."
00:48:36.04\00:48:39.81
That's how you do it. You
just do it. You just do it.
00:48:39.81\00:48:42.25
The Holy Spirit says, "Do it,"
and you do it. And every time
00:48:42.25\00:48:47.96
you do it, that unselfish muscle
gets stronger and stronger, and
finally, in an arm wrestle,
00:48:47.96\00:48:53.76
it can put the selfish muscle
down just like that. And I can
tell you, people that
00:48:53.76\00:48:58.77
I know and love, in this very
space, who have now a very
strong unselfish muscle.
00:48:58.77\00:49:03.24
Doesn't matter what the cause,
there they are, and they're not
00:49:03.24\00:49:08.61
wealthy. They're unselfish.
Love, acceptance, and
forgiveness through the
00:49:08.61\00:49:13.01
Holy Spirit. Oh, by the way,
I need to say this before I sit
00:49:13.01\00:49:16.69
down. Love, acceptance, and
forgiveness -- Do you know what,
00:49:16.69\00:49:20.16
moms and dads?. Let me talk to
the moms and dads here for a
moment. It applies to your
00:49:20.16\00:49:24.56
children -- love, acceptance,
and forgiveness. Even when
you're going through
00:49:24.56\00:49:27.10
hell with that child, it
applies, so that you will love
that child, you will accept that
00:49:27.10\00:49:35.34
child, you will forgive that
child no matter what the child
00:49:35.34\00:49:41.58
has done. You can't control the
child. Have you finally figured
00:49:41.58\00:49:45.21
that out? [ Congregation murmurs
] It's over. But you love that
00:49:45.21\00:49:50.95
child, you accept that child,
and you forgive that child. Only
the Holy Spirit can give
00:49:50.95\00:49:55.79
you that. Some of you parents
have been through -- been
00:49:55.79\00:49:58.99
through nightmares. I was
talking with a fellow dad the
other day, and he's saying,
00:49:58.99\00:50:03.03
"Aw, you can't believe it." I
said, "No, I can believe it.
Been there and done that."
00:50:03.03\00:50:08.87
Oh, by the way, are you a
child? Are you a child? You have
00:50:08.87\00:50:11.94
parents? You can flip it around.
You can treat your parents in
the same way -- love,
00:50:11.94\00:50:15.34
acceptance, and forgiveness
for your parents. Doesn't matter
00:50:15.34\00:50:18.68
what your daddy has done to
you... what your mother has done
00:50:18.68\00:50:23.89
or not done. You love that
parent, you accept that parent,
you forgive that parent, no
00:50:23.89\00:50:28.52
matter what. "Dwight, are you
saying that this abuse that I've
been suffering, I somehow must
00:50:28.52\00:50:32.93
remain in that abuse? Are
you kidding?" Forgiveness is not
00:50:32.93\00:50:37.70
being complicit. Forgiveness
is not giving permission.
00:50:37.70\00:50:42.77
But forgiveness can be a tough
love that stands up and says,
00:50:42.77\00:50:46.04
"Enough of this." And you talk
to somebody, girl. You talk to
somebody, boy. You talk to
00:50:46.04\00:50:50.18
somebody you respect and trust,
and you get help. I'm not
telling you to stay there and be
00:50:50.18\00:50:55.12
ruined. Do you understand? But I
am saying you must love your --
00:50:55.12\00:50:58.92
you must love your father and
mother, you must accept your
father and mother, you must
00:50:58.92\00:51:02.89
forgive your father and mother,
andGodwill take care of you. But
it's all through the
00:51:02.89\00:51:06.23
Holy Spirit.
00:51:06.23\00:51:07.30
Only the Holy
Spirit, I'm telling you.
00:51:07.46\00:51:08.90
That's it. That's
all I'm going to say.
00:51:08.90\00:51:10.37
It's the Holy Spirit
that can pull this off.
00:51:10.37\00:51:12.13
The pledge we are about to
take -- No, the pledge I'm about
00:51:12.13\00:51:14.77
toinviteyou to take -- go to
the bottom of your study guide,
00:51:14.77\00:51:17.51
please, and look
at it, the pledge.
00:51:17.51\00:51:18.94
I'm going to read that pledge
to you right now, and then I'll
00:51:18.94\00:51:21.21
sit down. The pledge.
00:51:21.21\00:51:24.41
Only through the power of the
Holy Spirit can we make a pledge
00:51:24.41\00:51:27.02
like this. I'm
praying that you would be
00:51:27.02\00:51:28.72
willing to make the
pledge. I am making the pledge,
00:51:28.72\00:51:31.15
I'm telling you, with
you. Let's look at the pledge.
00:51:31.15\00:51:33.56
You see it there.
We'll put it up on the screen
00:51:33.56\00:51:34.96
for you. "The Pledge.
00:51:34.96\00:51:36.59
I make this commitment to
you --" and then there is a
00:51:36.59\00:51:39.06
fill-in-the-blank -- you can put
anybody in that blank you wish.
00:51:39.06\00:51:41.96
Every day, it
may be somebody else.
00:51:41.96\00:51:43.37
It may be your roommate, it may
be your parent, it may be your
00:51:43.37\00:51:45.67
spouse, it may be your child,
it may be the stranger you just
00:51:45.67\00:51:48.10
met, it may be the visitor that
walks into your church, it may
00:51:48.10\00:51:50.57
be your office colleagues,
it may be your enemy.
00:51:50.57\00:51:52.97
You put your
enemy's name in that spot.
00:51:52.97\00:51:55.51
Somebody deserves
this pledge from you.
00:51:55.51\00:51:58.78
Okay, let's read. You
see the pledge on the screen
00:51:58.78\00:52:02.35
here. I make this commitment to
00:52:02.35\00:52:04.52
you --" blank. "I
will love you -- always,
00:52:04.52\00:52:07.36
under every
circumstance, with no exception.
00:52:07.36\00:52:10.76
I will accept you --
totally and without reservation.
00:52:10.76\00:52:12.99
And no matter how miserably you
fail or how blatantly you sin,
00:52:12.99\00:52:15.76
I offer unreserved forgiveness
to you for the asking.
00:52:15.76\00:52:19.17
I choose to love
you as Jesus loves me."
00:52:19.17\00:52:22.64
And then you sign
it. And you keep it.
00:52:22.64\00:52:25.04
You're not turning
this in. You keep it.
00:52:25.04\00:52:27.24
You keep it. Let's read it out
loud together. You read off the
00:52:27.41\00:52:32.18
screen or your study guide, and
I'll read it right here in my
notes. Out loud together,
00:52:32.18\00:52:35.78
everybody reading. "I make this
commitment to you. I will love
you -- always, under
00:52:35.78\00:52:43.46
every circumstance, with no
exception. I will accept you --
00:52:43.46\00:52:48.76
totally and without reservation.
And no matter how miserably you
fail or how blatantly you sin,
00:52:48.76\00:52:55.40
I offer unreserved forgiveness
to you for the asking. I choose
to love you as Jesus
00:52:55.40\00:53:03.58
loves me." Signature.
"The Pledge" -- it's time.
00:53:03.58\00:53:09.78
It is time for this Church
to turn a corner. It is time for
00:53:09.78\00:53:15.06
this people to become a force on
this planet. And the only force
that wins in this battle is the
00:53:15.06\00:53:20.30
force of divine love. That's the
only force that wins. I want to
invite the ushers to
00:53:20.30\00:53:26.33
stand. I want to pray with you
in just a moment, but I want to
00:53:26.33\00:53:28.87
sing this -- some profound words
to a very familiar tune. And so,
00:53:28.87\00:53:33.58
ushers, let's go. Let's receive
the morning tithes and
offerings. We don't want to be
00:53:33.58\00:53:36.51
selfish. So if God has freely
blessed you, then freely you've
received, freely give.
00:53:36.51\00:53:39.65
Let the Lord have what you have,
and be happy. But let's sing
00:53:39.65\00:53:45.12
this hymn -- "Lord, Whose Love
In Humble Service," to the
wonderful Beethoven tune.
00:53:45.12\00:53:49.32
We'll sing it, and we'll stand
on the third stanza. Okay, let's
00:53:49.32\00:53:52.39
go, ushers. Thank you. [ Organ
plays Beethoven's "Joyful,
Joyful We Adore Thee" ]
00:53:52.39\00:53:58.13
¤¤ ¤¤
00:53:58.30\00:54:10.98
>> ¤ Lord, whose
love in humble service ¤
00:54:10.98\00:54:15.75
¤ Bore the
weight of human need ¤
00:54:15.75\00:54:20.12
¤ Who upon the Cross, forsaken
¤ ¤ Worked Your mercy's perfect
00:54:20.12\00:54:27.66
deed ¤ ¤ We, Your servants,
00:54:27.66\00:54:30.87
bring the worship ¤
¤ Not of voice alone,
00:54:30.87\00:54:35.87
but heart ¤ ¤
Consecrating to Your purpose ¤
00:54:35.87\00:54:41.88
¤ Every gift which You impart
¤ ¤ Still Your children wander
00:54:41.88\00:54:51.05
homeless ¤ ¤
Still the hungry cry
00:54:51.05\00:54:55.19
for bread ¤ ¤ Still the captives
00:54:55.19\00:54:59.06
long for freedom ¤ ¤
Still in grief we mourn
00:54:59.06\00:55:04.43
our dead ¤ ¤ As You, Lord,
00:55:04.43\00:55:08.27
in deep compassion ¤ ¤
Healed the sick and freed
00:55:08.27\00:55:13.48
the soul ¤ ¤ By Your Spirit
00:55:13.48\00:55:17.61
send Your power ¤ ¤
To our world to make it
00:55:17.61\00:55:22.08
whole ¤ ¤ As we
worship, grant us
00:55:22.08\00:55:31.06
vision ¤ ¤ Till
Your love's revealing
00:55:31.06\00:55:35.40
light ¤ ¤ In
its height and depth
00:55:35.40\00:55:39.33
and greatness ¤ ¤
Dawns upon our quickened
00:55:39.33\00:55:44.54
sight ¤ ¤ Making known the needs
00:55:44.54\00:55:48.41
and burdens ¤ ¤
Your compassion bids us
00:55:48.41\00:55:53.11
bear ¤ ¤ Stirring us to ardent
00:55:53.11\00:55:57.42
service ¤ ¤ Your
abundant life to share ¤
00:55:57.42\00:56:06.03
¤¤
00:56:06.03\00:56:07.30
>> Oh, Father, oh, Son, oh, Holy
Spirit, it is Your abundant life
00:56:07.50\00:56:13.97
that flows with eternal love. It
is that...which we need. And so
we stand before you in
00:56:13.97\00:56:21.94
this moment before we move as a
force back out into the world.
Oh, God, every morning, call us
00:56:21.94\00:56:30.39
to ask and then give. Pour into
us the love, acceptance, and
00:56:30.39\00:56:37.59
forgiveness of Jesus. And then
pour it out of us. And may the
00:56:37.59\00:56:43.00
world be a better place because
You are our God and we are Your
children. In Jesus' name we
00:56:43.00\00:56:50.97
pray. Amen. [ Organ plays ]
00:56:50.97\00:57:01.75
>> We've been really blessed by
the financial support that comes
00:57:06.02\00:57:08.06
from our viewers, and we've
made a conscious decision not to
00:57:08.06\00:57:11.39
continually appeal
to you for that support.
00:57:11.39\00:57:14.46
The fact is, as everyone in the
industry will tell you, we're
00:57:14.46\00:57:17.60
needing to make constant
upgrades to our technology.
00:57:17.60\00:57:20.34
So if God has blessed you and
you'd like to further the work
00:57:20.34\00:57:23.04
of this ministry, we
invite you to partner with us.
00:57:23.04\00:57:25.37
Not a single penny of
your donation will go to me.
00:57:25.37\00:57:28.38
Every bit of your gift goes
to the mission of blessing your
00:57:28.38\00:57:31.85
community and our world.
You can donate on our website,
00:57:31.85\00:57:34.88
newperceptions.tv.
Or call the number.
00:57:34.88\00:57:37.99
You know the
number -- 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:37.99\00:57:40.42
Again, that number is 877
-- the two words "HIS-WILL."
00:57:40.42\00:57:44.76
And may the God who has blessed
you continue to pour into your
00:57:44.76\00:57:47.36
life the gifts of
His joy and His hope.
00:57:47.36\00:57:50.40
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:50.40\00:57:52.57
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:52.57\00:57:55.57
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:59.61\00:58:19.69
¤¤
00:58:19.69\00:58:27.74