い
00:00:00.20\00:00:04.97
[ "To God Be the Glory" begins ]
00:00:09.60\00:00:11.91
い い
00:00:15.88\00:00:35.86
い い
00:00:35.86\00:00:55.88
い い
00:00:55.88\00:01:15.94
い い
00:01:15.94\00:01:35.96
い い
00:01:35.96\00:01:55.94
い い
00:01:55.94\00:02:16.00
い い
00:02:16.00\00:02:36.02
い い
00:02:36.02\00:02:56.00
い い
00:02:56.00\00:03:16.09
い い
00:03:16.09\00:03:28.64
[ Song ends ] >>
Amen. Hallelujah.
00:03:28.64\00:03:30.71
You know, when Adam and Eve woke
up from that sleep that God had
00:03:30.71\00:03:34.71
put them in, He woke them
up, and what's amazing is they
00:03:34.71\00:03:38.58
walked into -- they were
breathed into a story, and the
00:03:38.58\00:03:41.65
story was this, that there was a
God in the universe who saw this
00:03:41.65\00:03:45.19
dark, chaotic, messy place, and
He says "I'm not afraid of that.
00:03:45.19\00:03:49.19
I'm gonna draw near to that
darkness, I'm gonna draw near to
that chaos, and I'm gonna create
00:03:49.36\00:03:55.03
something beautiful." And here's
the thing. Most of us are here
00:03:55.03\00:03:59.80
this morning because we have a
story already of God doing that
very thing. He saw the darkness
00:03:59.80\00:04:05.64
in our life, He stepped in, and
He created something beautiful.
And then there are others of us
00:04:05.64\00:04:10.71
here this morning who are
looking for God to come near to
our darkness, to our chaos, and
00:04:10.71\00:04:16.12
you want Him to create something
beautiful. So while you are
00:04:16.12\00:04:20.92
waiting for Him to do that,
we're gonna reach into our
family songbook this morning,
00:04:20.92\00:04:26.66
and we're gonna give God praise
because He has done it, he is
doing it, and he will continue
00:04:26.66\00:04:32.00
to do that. So
let's sing together.
00:04:32.00\00:04:33.57
[ "Family of God" begins ]
00:04:33.74\00:04:35.37
い い
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い い
00:04:57.49\00:05:17.55
い い
00:05:17.55\00:05:37.53
い い
00:05:37.53\00:05:57.55
い い
00:05:57.55\00:06:17.61
い い
00:06:17.61\00:06:31.85
>> So let's give Him praise for
the good that He's done through
00:06:31.85\00:06:35.36
Jesus this morning. [
"Lord I Lift Your Name on
00:06:35.36\00:06:38.86
High" begins ] い
00:06:38.86\00:06:50.24
い い
00:06:50.24\00:07:10.33
い い
00:07:10.33\00:07:30.31
い い
00:07:30.31\00:07:50.30
い [ "There Is None Like You"
00:07:50.30\00:07:55.64
begins ]
00:07:55.64\00:07:56.57
い い
00:08:00.78\00:08:20.80
い い
00:08:20.80\00:08:40.78
い い
00:08:40.78\00:09:00.84
い い
00:09:00.84\00:09:20.86
い い
00:09:20.86\00:09:40.48
い
00:09:40.48\00:09:42.21
[ "One Day" begins ] What God
wants to do is come into our
life and do something
00:09:42.38\00:09:48.98
we've never seen or experienced
before. One of my favorite
00:09:48.98\00:09:58.13
longings, one of my greatest
hopes, is that He's coming again
and that, one day, I'll get to
00:09:58.13\00:10:07.77
see Jesus face to face.
Let's hang on to that hope.
00:10:07.77\00:10:10.87
い い
00:10:11.04\00:10:31.06
い い
00:10:31.06\00:10:51.05
い い
00:10:51.05\00:11:11.10
い い
00:11:11.10\00:11:31.12
い い
00:11:31.12\00:11:51.11
い い
00:11:51.11\00:12:11.19
い い
00:12:11.19\00:12:31.18
い い
00:12:31.18\00:12:51.17
い い
00:12:51.17\00:13:11.25
い い
00:13:11.25\00:13:23.20
In Isaiah 40:31, it says, "For
those who wait on the Lord, for
those who hope in the Lord, He
00:13:23.37\00:13:31.61
shall renew their strength." And
that seems profound to us
because the thing that He's
00:13:31.61\00:13:38.41
asking us to do for our strength
to be renewed is to wait for Him
00:13:38.41\00:13:45.52
to act, right? We got to let
some of these things go. We got
to wait on God and let
00:13:45.52\00:13:51.89
Him show up. That's
where we get our strength.
00:13:51.89\00:13:57.30
It's in our waiting on Him that
we get our strength. We get our
strength to fly, we
00:13:57.30\00:14:03.24
get our strength to run, we
get our strength to walk when we
00:14:03.24\00:14:09.88
wait on Him. Some of you are
looking at some darkness. Some
of you are facing some
00:14:09.88\00:14:15.48
chaos. And right now, in your
story, what you need is just to
00:14:15.48\00:14:21.06
wait on the Lord. He will give
you the strength that you need
00:14:21.06\00:14:25.56
to keep going. So, this morning,
we want to give you the
opportunity to ask Him for that.
00:14:25.56\00:14:30.10
Come forward. We're gonna keep
singing. Come forward, right
00:14:30.10\00:14:34.64
here near the foot of the Cross,
and ask Him -- ask Him to give
you what it takes to wait on
00:14:34.64\00:14:41.04
Him, and with it, comes
the strength. So come forward.
00:14:41.04\00:14:45.98
い い
00:14:46.15\00:15:06.20
い い
00:15:06.20\00:15:26.22
い い
00:15:26.22\00:15:46.21
い い
00:15:46.21\00:16:06.29
い い
00:16:06.29\00:16:26.28
い
00:16:26.28\00:16:36.12
い い [ Song ends ]
00:16:36.29\00:16:58.75
>> Good morning, boys and girls.
Nice to see you on this -- Is
this the last Sabbath of August?
00:17:02.02\00:17:08.89
Whoo! [ Chuckles ] It's all
gone, and the new year is here
00:17:08.89\00:17:14.30
almost, and it's so nice to have
you here. So, what'd you do this
summer? Oh, I wish we could go
00:17:14.30\00:17:18.20
around the circle and say, "Did
anybody do any traveling this
summer?" How many did traveling
00:17:18.20\00:17:21.47
this summer?
00:17:21.47\00:17:22.37
Let me see the hands of those
who traveled somewhere this
00:17:22.54\00:17:25.34
summer besides staying at home.
Okay, one, two -- Oh, a bunch of
00:17:25.34\00:17:28.41
you traveled. We went
to a place -- Have you
00:17:28.41\00:17:30.71
ever heard of this city before?
00:17:30.71\00:17:33.05
The city's name is Hong Kong.
Anybody heard of Hong Kong? Ha!
00:17:33.21\00:17:39.72
One of the great cities in the
world, and our friends Bob and
Audrey Folkenberg said, "Come on
00:17:39.72\00:17:44.49
over here and spend a week," and
so we did, did a little bit of
preaching, but I want to tell
00:17:44.49\00:17:49.20
you about Hong Kong. It is a
city of steel and glass. Let's
see a picture of Hong Kong
00:17:49.20\00:17:53.54
when we're up in a higher
building, looking down at the
00:17:53.54\00:17:56.77
others. Can we see that picture
on the front screen, too? There
00:17:56.77\00:18:00.04
we go. Whoa! Look at that! Do
you know what? Listen to this.
00:18:00.04\00:18:03.68
There are more skyscrapers in
Hong Kong than any other city on
Earth -- three times the number
00:18:03.68\00:18:07.75
of skyscrapers in Manhattan,
New York. Ohh! Lookit.
00:18:07.75\00:18:10.42
Everybody lives in a skyscraper
in Hong Kong. Let's see the next
00:18:10.42\00:18:15.02
picture. Ohh! There's a very
thin series of condominiums.
00:18:15.02\00:18:20.56
Wow. Nearby, there's a hospital.
Let's see the -- Oh, there's the
00:18:20.56\00:18:24.50
Adventist Hospital
in Hong Kong. Whoa!
00:18:24.50\00:18:28.17
Steel and glass. I told you.
Hey, let's see a night picture
of Hon-- Oh, there is Hong Kong.
00:18:28.17\00:18:36.64
We're on the Kowloon side,
looking back at the big city.
00:18:36.64\00:18:41.52
Wow! Hey, you know what
our friends said? "Hey, Dwight,
00:18:41.52\00:18:46.19
Karen, come on. We're gonna show
you a big light show." A big
light show. Now, lookit.
00:18:46.19\00:18:50.66
I have it right here in my
pocket. [ Exhaling sharply ]
00:18:50.66\00:18:53.03
Where is it? It is
here. Have you ever seen...
00:18:53.03\00:18:57.30
a laser? >> Yes! >>
Have you seen a laser?
00:18:57.30\00:18:59.17
All right. Watch this. Watch
this right here on the floor.
00:18:59.17\00:19:01.60
I can't point it at you. Oh,
oh, oh. Can you catch the little
00:19:01.60\00:19:04.31
green thing? Can you
catch it, can you catch it?
00:19:04.31\00:19:06.17
[ Vocalizing ] How
about over here? Okay.
00:19:06.17\00:19:10.15
So, this is a laser. I can't
shine this in your eyes, because
it would ruin your eyes,
00:19:10.15\00:19:14.32
but this is a laser. But in Hong
Kong, you know what they do?
00:19:14.32\00:19:17.22
They put big lasers on top of
those skyscrapers, and at the
night, when we're all gathered
00:19:17.22\00:19:24.69
and everybody's crowding -- the
tourists and the regulars,
everybody's there -- symphonic
00:19:24.69\00:19:29.46
music begins to play behind
us, and across the harbor, the
00:19:29.46\00:19:33.47
lasers start. Let's see a
picture of a little bit of laser
00:19:33.47\00:19:36.94
activity. Ohh! You see those
streaks shining right up into
the low clouds? Those are
00:19:36.94\00:19:42.08
lasers. Can you believe that? In
a dark, dark night, a laser just
stands out with its
00:19:42.08\00:19:47.88
beautiful light. How about
another one? Oh, there's another
00:19:47.88\00:19:51.75
one piercing into the heavens,
big -- Oh, I'm sure glad they
didn't point it at us on this
00:19:51.75\00:19:56.29
side, no. And everybody's
cheering, and everybody's going
"Ooh," and the music is playing.
00:19:56.29\00:20:00.50
Let's see
another one. Whoa! >> Oh!
00:20:00.50\00:20:03.57
>> [ Laughing ] Wow. That's a
time-lapse picture that I didn't
take, but that's too
00:20:03.57\00:20:09.04
pretty to miss. Isn't that
something? Look at all those
00:20:09.04\00:20:13.07
lasers. [ Exhales sharply ]
Into a dark world. You know what
00:20:13.07\00:20:18.38
Jesus says? Jesus says, "I am
the laser of the world." Well,
He actually said, "I'm the
00:20:18.38\00:20:22.68
light of the world." He shines
in the darkness, and you know
00:20:22.68\00:20:26.96
what he says? "If you'll please
go for me to your friends and
neighbors and the new friends
00:20:26.96\00:20:32.19
you're making at school, if
you'll please go for me, I'll
shine my laser through you.
00:20:32.19\00:20:36.13
Let your light so shine
before all," He says. Oh, my.
00:20:36.13\00:20:42.14
Do you want to be a light for
Jesus this new year? Would you
00:20:42.14\00:20:46.24
like to be? Be a light for
Jesus. Shine everywhere you go.
He'll shine right out of your
00:20:46.24\00:20:50.55
smile. He'll shine
right out of your life.
00:20:50.55\00:20:53.18
Who wants to thank Jesus for
being the light and then for
letting His light shine through
00:20:53.18\00:21:01.72
us? Well, I think I saw
this young man right there.
00:21:01.72\00:21:07.50
Come on up. Come on up. What's
your first name? >> Kipyegon.
00:21:07.50\00:21:13.27
>> What? >>
Kipyegon. >> Kipyegon.
00:21:13.27\00:21:16.10
Let's fold our hands and close
our eyes with Kipyegon, who is
going to thank Jesus for being
00:21:16.10\00:21:22.18
the light. Okay, shh!
Kipyegon's gonna pray.
00:21:22.18\00:21:26.15
>> Oh, Lord, thank You of your
good things. Thank You that You
00:21:26.15\00:21:30.02
bless this day. Thank You that
everyone had a good day today.
00:21:30.02\00:21:32.89
In Jesus' name, we pray.
>> Amen. Thank you, Kipyegon.
00:21:32.89\00:21:36.59
>> Wish you could've been here
last night when, boy, we had
00:21:39.03\00:21:44.17
more new students than I've ever
seen come up to this platform,
00:21:44.17\00:21:49.00
step up to that "renovate"
banner high overhead, and add
00:21:49.00\00:21:53.11
their signatures to the faculty,
staff, and administration who
00:21:53.11\00:21:57.58
first put their signatures up --
only in red, the faculty, staff,
00:21:57.58\00:22:02.32
and administration
in red -- last Sabbath.
00:22:02.32\00:22:05.49
Last night, these
new students came.
00:22:05.49\00:22:08.66
I don't know about you,
but every time I witness that,
00:22:08.66\00:22:13.13
there's just
something that stirs up in me.
00:22:13.13\00:22:16.77
God. Every name
up there -- "I will
00:22:16.77\00:22:20.14
take a stand for Jesus this
year as a moral leader on this
00:22:20.14\00:22:22.97
campus." Every name up there.
00:22:22.97\00:22:24.94
We wondered if we could get them
all on, but you know what? Good
00:22:25.11\00:22:31.08
job. And that will hang where
that cross is coming down. These
are a cycle of four.
00:22:31.08\00:22:34.98
We're on our second cycle now.
It'll hang right there, and
every time you come, new
00:22:34.98\00:22:39.09
student, to this place to
worship and you look up there,
and you know exactly where your
00:22:39.09\00:22:43.46
name is, and it will never be
moved. It will always be there.
00:22:43.46\00:22:47.13
And it will remind you, "I made
a stand. Christ has called me to
00:22:47.13\00:22:52.03
be a moral leader," as a faculty
member, as an administrator, as
00:22:52.03\00:22:57.31
a staff member. We've all been
called to moral leadership --
community, campus alike.
00:22:57.31\00:23:02.14
"Be not afraid." God is on
the throne. Let's pray together.
00:23:02.14\00:23:08.08
God, we do thank You. We're
not afraid. Because of You, what
00:23:08.08\00:23:13.89
shall we fear? What can anyone
do to us? Not even the enemy.
00:23:13.89\00:23:17.73
We're asking You to stand by us
now and make this eve of the
new-year moment all that You
00:23:17.73\00:23:27.80
need it to be. We pray in Jesus'
name. Amen. We learned a Latin
00:23:27.80\00:23:33.88
word last week -- renovare.
Renovare. It means "to make new
00:23:33.88\00:23:38.18
again," from whence comes our
English word "renovate." Hence
00:23:38.18\00:23:45.62
the banner above. Today, we're
gonna learn another word. It is
00:23:45.62\00:23:49.72
not Latin. It's an unusual word.
I'll put it up on the screen for
00:23:49.72\00:23:55.60
you. Etavoner. Etavoner. To
be candid with you, scholars
00:23:55.60\00:24:03.10
are not quite sure what the word
means. As near as anybody can
00:24:03.10\00:24:08.91
tell, etavoner is the word
"renovate" spelled backwards. [
00:24:08.91\00:24:19.02
Laughter ] You came to college
to learn this? Yeah, I guess it
00:24:19.02\00:24:24.96
is. Because you know what?
That's the whole point.
Sometimes life just turns out
00:24:24.96\00:24:28.96
backwards. It just turns out
backwards... until the moment
00:24:28.96\00:24:37.14
comes, and it's gonna come for
you. Once upon a time, there was
a little boy whose mother was a
00:24:37.14\00:24:43.81
prostitute. Mm-hmm. He
was conceived because his
00:24:43.81\00:24:49.38
father was sleeping around.
It happens. He grew up in a home
00:24:49.38\00:24:58.83
with the sons of the legitimate
wife, half-brothers... until
that day, when, in a
00:24:58.83\00:25:07.67
moment of sibling rivalry, those
half-brothers said, "You know
00:25:07.67\00:25:12.81
what? You're out of here. You're
not sharing our inheritance.
00:25:12.81\00:25:16.51
Do you understand?" And the
little boy, grown up, ran away.
00:25:16.51\00:25:22.55
It happens. Maybe it's you who's
the little boy running away.
00:25:22.55\00:25:28.52
Maybe that's your life, at least
what you feel about your life --
nothing more than a
00:25:28.52\00:25:34.66
castaway, a throwaway, a
do-away, or, worse yet, a
do-over, because you can't do it
00:25:34.66\00:25:41.24
over. You're chained to your
past, handcuffed to the life
00:25:41.24\00:25:46.47
you've already lived, it
seems... until, one day, your
day comes. And I promise you, it
00:25:46.47\00:25:56.75
will come. It could be today.
Because it came for him. Open
your Bible with me to a
00:25:56.75\00:26:02.22
story that nobody -- and read my
lips, nobody -- talks about in
00:26:02.22\00:26:05.96
public. Open your Bible, please,
to the Book of Judges. We were
in Judges last week with
00:26:05.96\00:26:10.07
Gideon. We're going
back to Judges one more time.
00:26:10.07\00:26:12.83
Don't miss the new series,
beginning next week, "Tales from
00:26:12.83\00:26:18.11
a Vineyard." Oho! Some of the
great vineyard stories in the
00:26:18.11\00:26:20.91
Bible, but that's next week. So,
the Book of Judges. You're going
00:26:20.91\00:26:23.35
to the Book of Judges. Judges
chapter 11. Judges chapter 11.
00:26:23.35\00:26:27.98
I'm in the New International
Version. Whatever translation
00:26:27.98\00:26:31.25
you brought today, I'm glad you
brought it. Don't have one, pull
the pew Bible out in front of
00:26:31.25\00:26:35.19
you. You can track along. What's
the page number? Page 176.
00:26:35.19\00:26:40.36
Here comes the story now.
Judges 11:1. "And Jephthah the
00:26:40.36\00:26:45.97
Gileadite was a mighty warrior."
Great warrior. Who is he?
00:26:45.97\00:26:50.04
Well, "His father was Gilead;
his mother was a prostitute."
00:26:50.04\00:26:56.38
Uh-oh. [ Laughs mockingly ]
00:27:07.36\00:27:09.49
The Contemporary English
Bible says, "And they became his
00:27:20.67\00:27:25.64
posse." Bunch of discontents.
00:27:25.64\00:27:27.74
"Some time later --" verse
four -- "when the Ammonites --"
00:27:29.31\00:27:32.58
ooh, the enemy -- "were fighting
against Israel, the elders of
00:27:32.58\00:27:36.02
Gilead went to get
Jephthah from the land of Tob.
00:27:36.02\00:27:38.85
How did they know he
was in the land of Tob?
00:27:38.85\00:27:41.22
You know why?
Because these elders are his
00:27:41.22\00:27:43.53
half-brothers. [ Chuckles ]
00:27:43.53\00:27:45.09
"The elders went to get
Jephthah from the land of Tob."
00:27:45.09\00:27:48.10
Can you believe that? These
half-brothers have all become
civic leaders in their
00:27:53.64\00:27:59.07
region, and now they're having
to eat crow, humble pie, and
say, "You know what?
00:27:59.07\00:28:05.55
We really need you, mighty
warrior, half-brother." This
story has all the makings
00:28:05.55\00:28:13.62
of the story of Joseph and his
half-brothers bowing in front of
him, begging him to save their
00:28:13.62\00:28:20.50
families, not knowing that he's
their half-brother. [ Chuckling
] Jephthah looks at
00:28:20.50\00:28:27.84
them. He says, "You
got to be kidding me.
00:28:27.84\00:28:30.04
Time out. Come on, come on, come
on. Let me ask you a question."
00:28:30.04\00:28:33.78
Verse seven. Jephthah
then said to them, "Hey
00:28:36.34\00:28:40.05
aren't you the
guys that hated me?
00:28:40.05\00:28:42.18
Aren't you the guys that
drove me from my father's house?
00:28:42.18\00:28:47.06
Why do you come to me
now when you're in trouble?
00:28:47.06\00:28:50.43
Hmm?" And the
elders of Gilead, his
00:28:50.43\00:28:53.53
half-brothers, said to him,
"Nevertheless -- Yep, yep, yep,
00:28:53.53\00:28:56.30
yep, yep, you're right, you're
right, but, nevertheless, we are
00:28:56.30\00:28:59.27
turning to you now; come with us
to fight the Ammonites, and you
00:28:59.27\00:29:02.70
will be head over all
of us who live in Gilead."
00:29:02.70\00:29:05.61
Come on. "Jephthah answered --"
00:29:05.61\00:29:07.88
verse 9 -- "'Suppose you take me
back to fight the Ammonites and
00:29:07.88\00:29:10.88
the Lord gives them to me --
will I really be your head?'"
00:29:10.88\00:29:16.25
The son of the prostitute that
you kicked out of the family?
And they answer him.
00:29:16.42\00:29:22.59
[ Chuckles ]
00:29:22.59\00:29:23.49
They answer, "The Lord is our
witness --" verse 10 -- "we will
00:29:23.66\00:29:28.56
certainly do as you say." So
Jephthah went with the elders
00:29:28.56\00:29:32.77
of Gilead, and the people
made him head and commander over
00:29:32.77\00:29:35.80
them. And --"
Oh, I love this line
00:29:35.80\00:29:37.74
now, the very tail end of 11.
"And he repeated all his words
00:29:37.74\00:29:42.71
before the Lord in Mizpah."
Because sometimes you just need
00:29:42.71\00:29:47.98
to tell God
everything all over again.
00:29:47.98\00:29:51.39
You got to tell Him.
00:29:51.39\00:29:54.52
Because you have to choose all
over again who your Lord really
00:29:54.69\00:29:59.46
is. Doesn't matter who your
mommy is. Doesn't matter who
00:29:59.46\00:30:02.46
your daddy is. Doesn't matter
what you decided yesterday.
00:30:02.46\00:30:04.83
The question is, today, what
are you gonna -- What will you
00:30:04.83\00:30:08.30
decide today? "Choose you this
day whom you will serve. As for
me and my house --" How's
00:30:08.30\00:30:12.84
it go? "As for me
and my house, we will..."
00:30:12.84\00:30:15.78
>> Serve! >> "...serve
the Lord." >> Amen. Amen.
00:30:15.78\00:30:20.12
>> Last Sabbath, a whole lot of
you came forward, put your names
on that banner overhead.
00:30:20.12\00:30:24.12
That was a decision you were
making. Last night, a whole lot
00:30:24.12\00:30:27.26
of you came forward, put your
names on that banner overhead.
That's the decision you were
00:30:27.26\00:30:30.96
making. "I will take my stand
and be a moral leader for God on
00:30:30.96\00:30:34.10
this campus. I have chosen this
day." But the deal about choices
00:30:34.10\00:30:39.37
is you got to make them today
and today and today. It can't
00:30:39.37\00:30:46.91
just be long ago. I have chosen
this day, and I praise God that
you chose. I'm so proud of you.
00:30:46.91\00:30:52.55
Good for you. Jephthah
made the same rededication.
00:30:52.55\00:30:55.72
Renovare, to make new again,
renovate. "I choose this day."
00:30:55.72\00:31:02.36
And he did. But as it so often
happens, when you make a
decision like that,
00:31:02.36\00:31:09.43
war will break out in your life.
War. Because there's somebody
00:31:09.43\00:31:15.07
that hates the thought of you
giving your best energies to his
00:31:15.07\00:31:20.14
archrival. So
that's what happens here.
00:31:20.14\00:31:22.38
Verse 12.
00:31:22.54\00:31:24.45
"And the king of the Ammonites,"
in verse 13, "answered
00:31:32.72\00:31:35.69
Jephthah's messengers.
'Look, when Israel came up out
00:31:35.69\00:31:38.59
of Egypt, they took away my land
from the Arnon to the Jabbok,
00:31:38.59\00:31:41.86
all the way to the Jordan.
Now, my friend, give it back
00:31:41.86\00:31:44.83
peaceably.'"
00:31:44.83\00:31:47.60
Turns out that Jephthah is a
rather skilled diplomat and
negotiator, because he now will
00:31:47.77\00:31:54.38
send messengers back, and they
recite the entire history of
Israel, Israel coming out of
00:31:54.38\00:31:58.15
Egypt, and Jephthah will point
out that, "We never put a single
finger on Ammonite territory.
00:31:58.15\00:32:03.42
What are you talking about?" And
right in the middle of that
message back to the pagan king,
00:32:03.42\00:32:08.86
Jephthah speaks a line -- oh,
this line is so rich. We can't
00:32:08.86\00:32:13.13
miss it. It's at the end of
verse 24, in the middle of his
message. The last line of verse
00:32:13.13\00:32:17.30
24. I'll put it on the screen
for you. "Whatever the Lord our
00:32:17.30\00:32:21.10
God has given us -- Hey, mister
king. Mister enemy king.
Whatever the Lord our God has
00:32:21.10\00:32:27.04
given to us, we will
possess it." Ooh! I like that.
00:32:27.04\00:32:31.05
"Whatever the Lord our God
has given to us, we will possess
00:32:31.05\00:32:35.25
it." We're on the verge of a new
year. Aw, there'll be a war, but
00:32:35.25\00:32:40.62
never mind. God is on our side.
We're on the verge of a new
00:32:40.62\00:32:45.13
year, and it is important for us
to be reminded that whatever the
Lord God has given to us this
00:32:45.13\00:32:51.00
new year, we will possess it.
Because he gave it to me -- not
00:32:51.00\00:32:55.90
to, you, enemy. He gave it to
me. We will possess it. I wonder
what it is that's in
00:32:55.90\00:32:59.94
your life right now, sitting
right there on the doorstep,
ready for you to open the door
00:32:59.94\00:33:03.91
and say, "I will possess this
because it has come to me from
00:33:03.91\00:33:06.95
God." What is it? Let's put
-- May I give a few suggestions
00:33:06.95\00:33:09.52
here? I'll put them on the
screen for you. What has God
00:33:09.52\00:33:12.09
given you to possess? Number
one, he's given you His gifts.
00:33:12.09\00:33:14.12
Any gift you want to mention,
He's already given that gift to
00:33:14.12\00:33:17.43
you. Watch this. Matthew 7:7,
00:33:17.59\00:33:19.33
Sermon on the
Mount. Jesus speaking.
00:33:19.33\00:33:22.03
Good things! He says,
"I'll give you good things.
00:33:28.17\00:33:30.44
Would you like good things this
new year?" "Yeah, I'd like good
00:33:30.44\00:33:33.51
things." "What would be good
things?" "I'd like some
forgiveness. Good things.
00:33:33.51\00:33:36.51
I'd like some peace." "Would
you like peace? I'll give you my
00:33:36.51\00:33:40.75
peace." "I need money!" "I know.
I can handle that department, as
00:33:40.75\00:33:44.42
well. Good
things. What do you need?"
00:33:44.42\00:33:49.29
What does God give -- How's that
line go? "Whatever the Lord our
00:33:49.29\00:33:53.06
God has given us, we will
possess." Ooh, I like it. What
about -- Here's the second
00:33:53.06\00:33:56.63
gift. His Spirit. In
fact, Luke takes the same
00:33:56.63\00:33:58.77
verse you just saw in Matthew.
Luke puts another ending to it.
00:33:58.77\00:34:02.24
Watch this. Luke 11:13. "If
you then, who are evil, know
00:34:02.40\00:34:05.07
how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will
00:34:05.07\00:34:07.34
your Father in heaven give the
Holy Spirit to those who --" in
00:34:07.34\00:34:09.71
the Greek tense,
it's "continually."
00:34:09.71\00:34:11.21
Day after day, ask
for the Holy Spirit.
00:34:11.21\00:34:15.68
Not only will you get good
things, but you will get the
00:34:15.85\00:34:19.45
Holy Spirit. Now, listen to
this. I think it was last year
because last year the emphasis
00:34:19.45\00:34:23.76
was on the daily baptism of the
Holy Spirit. I think there was a
00:34:23.76\00:34:27.23
line that we quoted somewhere
last year that said, when you
ask for the gift of the Spirit,
00:34:27.23\00:34:31.50
when you ask for the blessing of
the Holy Spirit, you get -- with
the coming of the Holy Spirit,
00:34:31.50\00:34:35.30
you get every other blessing
in the universe with that gift.
00:34:35.30\00:34:39.41
Come on. Why wouldn't you ask
for the Holy Spirit on the
threshold of a new year?
00:34:39.41\00:34:43.48
Of course. Daily. Every day, you
wake up, and you say, "Jesus,
00:34:43.48\00:34:48.62
today, I need you to send to me
the Holy Spirit. May He bring
Your consciousness to mine.
00:34:48.62\00:34:52.65
May He bring your life into me.
Today let me live my life as it
were yours, through the
00:34:52.65\00:34:57.39
Holy Spirit." Just
every day. "Baptize me today."
00:34:57.39\00:35:00.36
I do it every morning myself.
"Baptize me today." What's wrong
00:35:00.36\00:35:05.13
with that? What did Jephthah
tell the enemy king? "Whatever
the Lord our God has
00:35:05.13\00:35:08.87
given us, we will possess." It's
to quit whimping and whining
around, saying, "Poor
00:35:08.87\00:35:15.48
me. I just don't
have anything." Time-out.
00:35:15.48\00:35:18.58
I just read two promises that
tell you you have every good
gift that God has, and,
00:35:18.58\00:35:23.59
moreover, He will give you His
Holy Spirit every day if you'll
ask Him, and that brings every
00:35:23.59\00:35:29.19
other gift in the treasury.
What's not to like? One more.
00:35:29.19\00:35:35.53
What is it that God would give
to u-- Oh, I'm gonna put
"Christ's Object Lessons" on the
00:35:35.53\00:35:38.97
screen for you.
00:35:38.97\00:35:40.37
I love this. Just
found this this last week.
00:35:40.54\00:35:43.10
Ooh. Demand and reception. Why?
00:35:45.91\00:35:48.14
Because whatever the Lord our
God given us, we will possess.
We will take it today, right
00:35:48.31\00:35:52.65
now, Lord. I receive Your
Spirit. Don't go running out of
00:35:52.65\00:35:55.88
your dormitory room or your
house in the community thinking,
"I don't feel any different."
00:35:55.88\00:36:00.36
It's not about feeling. If
you've asked, you got the gift.
00:36:00.36\00:36:05.76
Just ask every day. There's
one more category. What is it?
00:36:05.76\00:36:08.23
Number 3, on the screen. What
does God want you to possess
00:36:08.23\00:36:11.50
this year? His promises.
Come on, the book is filled with
00:36:11.50\00:36:14.74
promises. Let me just share this
with you before we continue the
00:36:14.90\00:36:17.44
story. 2 Peter chapter 1.
"His --" God's -- "divine power
00:36:17.44\00:36:22.04
has given us everything
we need for a godly life.
00:36:22.04\00:36:26.58
Through these He --" God --
"has given us His very great and
00:36:26.58\00:36:31.45
precious
promises." You got 'em all.
00:36:31.45\00:36:33.36
Just go through your Bible
from Genesis to Revelation.
00:36:33.36\00:36:35.99
Read a little bit every morning.
You'll run into a promise.
00:36:35.99\00:36:38.83
Put your finger on that promise
and say, "Lord God of Israel,
00:36:38.83\00:36:41.73
I'm asking please." We
will possess everything the
00:36:41.73\00:36:49.70
Lord our God has
given us to possess.
00:36:49.70\00:36:54.28
Wow. So Jephthah
sends that message.
00:36:54.28\00:36:58.71
Oh, it really warmed the cockles
of the enemy king's heart --
00:36:58.88\00:37:03.65
not. Verse 28. When the enemy
king gets that message -- verse
00:37:03.65\00:37:06.65
28. Read it. "The king of Ammon,
however, paid no attention to
00:37:06.65\00:37:10.03
--" this idea of you possessing
everything that the Lord has
00:37:10.03\00:37:13.29
given you. The devil won't pay
any attention either. He knows
that you're supposed to
00:37:13.29\00:37:16.40
possess this. He knows
this gift was given to you.
00:37:16.40\00:37:18.53
The devil's strategy is to get
you to forget about the gift so
that you quit asking, and if you
00:37:18.53\00:37:23.37
quit asking, why would God give
you what you don't want? The
enemy king paid no attention
00:37:23.37\00:37:29.08
to the message
Jephthah sent him.
00:37:29.08\00:37:31.08
Oh, here it
comes now -- verse 29.
00:37:31.25\00:37:32.91
"Then the Spirit of the
Lord," the Holy Spirit, "came on
00:37:32.91\00:37:35.42
Jephthah. He
crossed Gilead and Manasseh,
00:37:35.42\00:37:37.35
passed through Mizpah of Gilead,
and from there he advanced
00:37:37.35\00:37:39.99
against the Ammonites."
00:37:39.99\00:37:41.39
Verse 30. "And Jephthah --"
Aw, Jephthah. Did you have to do
00:37:41.56\00:37:45.33
this? Did you have to do this?
"And Jephthah made a vow to the
Lord, 'If you give me the
00:37:45.33\00:37:51.80
Ammonites into my hands --" hit
the pause button right there. He
00:37:51.80\00:37:58.31
makes a vow. [ Clicks tongue,
sighs ] Listen, Jephthah, what's
00:37:58.31\00:38:03.75
the problem here? Haven't you
already committed your life and
mission to Him? Hasn't He
00:38:03.75\00:38:07.28
already assured you that He will
be with you always, even to the
end of the world? Why are you
00:38:07.28\00:38:10.75
mucking up a perfectly good
story with a hasty, ill-thought
vow? Why are you doing this?
00:38:10.75\00:38:15.02
I'll tell you why. He has three
good reasons why he does it,
because, number one, it
00:38:15.02\00:38:20.46
was the custom of the times to
make vows to the Lord. Everybody
00:38:20.46\00:38:23.77
does it. Number two, he was
under pressure to deliver. He's
the son of a prostitute.
00:38:23.77\00:38:27.20
Will this boy deliver, mighty
warrior or not? So there's a lot
00:38:27.20\00:38:30.97
of pressure on him. And, number
three, there's nothing like a
00:38:30.97\00:38:34.48
little quid pro quo to help God
hold up His end of the bargain,
you know what I mean?
00:38:34.48\00:38:38.28
Like, "God, if You'll do this
for me, I'll do this for You."
"If then," quid pro quo.
00:38:38.28\00:38:45.22
That's what Jacob did to God.
"If You bless me, I'll return
00:38:45.22\00:38:49.52
tithe." God says, "Don't come to
me with this quid pro quo stuff.
00:38:49.52\00:38:55.26
Just trust me." But, no, that's
what he's doing. [ Sighs ] By
the way, when it comes to
00:38:55.26\00:38:59.93
making vows, don't make them
-- except when you're getting
00:38:59.93\00:39:04.87
married. [ Laughter ] That's the
one time when those vows are
very appropriate, and
00:39:04.87\00:39:11.08
we clergy hold you to that vow.
All right. Ecclesiastes 5:5.
00:39:11.08\00:39:14.62
Solomon warns about
vows. On the screen.
00:39:14.62\00:39:17.45
I like the way Jesus put it in
the Sermon on the Mount. "Let
your yes be yes and your no
00:39:20.06\00:39:24.13
be no, and none of this oath and
vow stuff. Just lay off. Trust
00:39:24.13\00:39:27.36
me. Either it's yes or no."
Well, sad to say, Jephthah made
00:39:27.36\00:39:34.27
the vow. All
right. Verse 30 again.
00:39:34.27\00:39:36.71
Then -- verse 31.
00:39:42.41\00:39:44.71
"Yes, Lord! Amen!"
00:39:54.96\00:39:58.06
It's out of his mouth. Can't
pull it back. [ Scoffs ]
Jephthah, no doubt,
00:39:58.23\00:40:03.37
was convinced that some little
innocent barnyard critter would
come topsy out of the farm and
00:40:03.37\00:40:10.97
be the first to meet him
returning. "And I'm gonna offer
00:40:10.97\00:40:14.11
that as a sacrifice
to God." But guess what.
00:40:14.11\00:40:16.48
It wasn't a creature, not a
barnyard one. God gives Jephthah
00:40:20.32\00:40:26.15
this massive victory over the
Ammonites, and he returns home a
triumphant conqueror, son of a
00:40:26.15\00:40:32.49
prostitute -- a triumphant
conqueror, and everybody is
calling him their leader.
00:40:32.49\00:40:38.77
What's not to like about that?
00:40:38.77\00:40:41.07
Except the story
didn't go that way, quite.
00:40:41.24\00:40:44.57
Verse 34.
00:40:44.57\00:40:45.97
And tambourines!
00:40:53.58\00:40:54.98
"And when he saw her --"
[Exhales sharply] -- "he tore
00:40:58.75\00:41:01.42
his clothes and he
cried, 'Oh, no, my daughter!
00:41:01.42\00:41:04.89
You have brought me
down and I am devastated.
00:41:04.89\00:41:07.60
I have made a vow to the
Lord that I cannot break."
00:41:07.60\00:41:13.00
Of course you can, Jephthah.
Time-out again. Stop the story.
00:41:13.17\00:41:17.14
You don't have to keep this. God
knew the intent of your heart.
00:41:17.14\00:41:20.28
The intent of your heart was,
"I'll give You something from my
flock or something from my
00:41:20.28\00:41:24.48
herd, and that'll be a big gift
for You, God, if You'll give me
00:41:24.48\00:41:28.08
victory." God gave you the
victory. Give Him what you
wanted to give Him.
00:41:28.08\00:41:31.29
But, oh, no. Jephthah's
understanding of God is a rather
rigid and unpliable
00:41:31.29\00:41:39.69
portrait. [ Clicking tongue ]
God would never hold somebody to
00:41:39.69\00:41:46.50
so rash a vow, but it's his
little girl. She comes racing
00:41:46.50\00:41:52.21
out the door because she's an
only child. This is her daddy.
00:41:52.21\00:41:55.41
She is so proud. You know little
kids -- [Chuckles] and
not-so-little kids -- they are
00:41:55.41\00:41:59.31
so proud of their daddies. "My
daddy is the greatest." And he's
the mighty conqueror,
00:41:59.31\00:42:04.42
and she's dancing and singing,
comes twirling out of that house
to greet him, and he is
00:42:04.42\00:42:10.73
absolutely shattered. Now, I
want you to watch what the
writer of Judges skillfully
00:42:10.73\00:42:15.96
does when he continues to lower
the level of emotional depth to
00:42:15.96\00:42:20.47
the story. I'm gonna run 12
levels by you. Watch this.
Because he didn't just say the
00:42:20.47\00:42:24.57
girl came out and --
"Oh, what am I gonna do?" No.
00:42:24.57\00:42:27.31
Here's how the writer of Judges
does it. First, level number
00:42:27.31\00:42:30.88
one, the daughter comes out with
tambourines and dancing. It's a
picture of such pure and
00:42:30.88\00:42:34.92
innocent joy. Is there a father
alive whose heartstrings
wouldn't be already
00:42:34.92\00:42:38.79
plucking right now? But of
course. Level number two -- she
00:42:38.79\00:42:42.76
is his only child. In other
words, all his hopes, all his
dreams, all his joys
00:42:42.76\00:42:47.86
revolve around her. She is his
one and only. Level number three
00:42:47.86\00:42:52.40
-- little lower. To reinforce
that, the writer writes, "Except
00:42:52.40\00:42:59.04
for her." Except for her. But we
already got this. She's an only
00:42:59.04\00:43:02.58
child. No, except for her. In
other words, she's not only his
pride and joy and love.
00:43:02.58\00:43:06.75
She is his future. If she
disappears, his lineage is gone.
00:43:06.75\00:43:10.02
There is no lineage. There's no
family tree. [ Exhales sharply ]
00:43:10.02\00:43:16.86
Cut. Gone. Level number five.
No, no, level number four. "He
had neither --" Lookit, we
00:43:16.86\00:43:21.86
already got this, writer. We
already got this. He had neither
00:43:21.86\00:43:25.83
son nor daughter. But that's the
point. He has nothing now. Level
number five -- when he saw
00:43:25.83\00:43:29.60
her. Because when he sees her --
I mean, all the way home, he's
00:43:29.60\00:43:32.61
been dreaming about, you know,
"When that sacrifice comes, me
and my little girl, we're gonna
00:43:32.61\00:43:36.71
walk out to that altar, and
we're gonna sacrifice this altar
in gratitude to the God who gave
00:43:36.71\00:43:40.82
us triumph." There's no
walking hand in hand now.
00:43:40.82\00:43:44.79
Level number six -- he tears
his clothes, just -- [ Exhales
00:43:44.79\00:43:48.92
sharply ] Level number seven --
"Oh, no, my daughter!" Just the
words, "my daughter."
00:43:48.92\00:43:53.43
The anguish. Level number eight
-- "You have brought me to my
00:43:53.43\00:43:56.46
knees." Down -- He must be
sobbing by now. "I'm
devastated." Number nine.
00:43:56.46\00:44:02.77
"You are my agony." And then,
number 10 -- "I cannot break it.
00:44:02.77\00:44:08.04
I cannot break this vow."
Two more levels come in the
00:44:08.04\00:44:12.71
daughter's reply. Let's get her
reply. Verse 36. "Oh, my
father." And in the Hebrew, it's
00:44:12.71\00:44:17.79
abi. It's "daddy." "Oh, my
daddy. Oh, abi." [ Scoffs ]
00:44:17.79\00:44:24.23
Just like a knife
-- [ Exhaling sharply ]
00:44:24.39\00:44:27.73
"Oh, my father..."
00:44:27.73\00:44:29.26
Verse 37.
00:44:36.00\00:44:37.41
[ Exhaling sharply ] Her little
girlhood dreams are all over.
00:44:43.21\00:44:47.98
Just the stab, slicing through
that father's heart. That's what
00:44:47.98\00:44:54.62
happened. Verse 39.
00:44:54.62\00:44:56.02
Scholars are nearly unanimous
that Jephthah did to his
daughter what God would not
00:45:05.43\00:45:11.31
allow Abraham to do to his boy,
Isaac. Jephthah sacrificed his
00:45:11.31\00:45:16.51
daughter as a burnt offering to
God -- slayed her, burned her.
00:45:16.51\00:45:21.02
And, yeah, get this -- when the
prophet Samuel is summarizing
the whole history of the judges
00:45:25.59\00:45:30.56
and he looks back over the
judges, guess whose name he
pulls out as evidence of the
00:45:30.56\00:45:36.06
Lord God stepping in at critical
moments and delivering his
00:45:36.06\00:45:39.20
people. Yeah, you got it --
Jephthah. He remembers Jephthah.
And, yeah, get this -- when the
00:45:39.20\00:45:44.84
Bible's walk-of-fame, Hall of
Fame, hall-of-faith chapter is
00:45:44.84\00:45:48.94
written in Hebrews chapter 11,
guess who is listed among the
great men and women of faith
00:45:48.94\00:45:53.85
throughout sacred history. You
got it -- Jephthah. Apparently,
the fact that your mother is a
00:45:53.85\00:46:05.09
prostitute does not mean God
cannot do major kingdom business
through you. Apparently, being
00:46:05.09\00:46:15.64
so wrong about God's character,
that you end up sacrificing your
own flesh and blood, does not
00:46:15.64\00:46:22.28
halt or diminish the love of God
-- mistakes and warts and all
that you possess. I mean, how
00:46:22.28\00:46:31.49
else are we gonna explain how a
nobody, a castaway, a reject
ends up the hero of his people
00:46:31.49\00:46:38.39
and a star embedded in the
Bible's walk of fame? Jephthah.
00:46:38.39\00:46:44.93
God, why did You put this story
-- This is barbaric. This is
00:46:44.93\00:46:51.51
terrible. I don't know why God
put it in. I'm thinking out loud
with you, just wondering if
00:46:51.51\00:46:57.48
maybe -- maybe the reason God
preserved the story of Jephthah
is because this narrative of a
00:46:57.48\00:47:05.85
father who had to sacrifice his
one and only child would become
a faint shadow of another father
00:47:05.85\00:47:15.56
who would have to sacrifice
his one and only child one day.
00:47:15.56\00:47:21.67
Repeat the words
with me on the screen.
00:47:21.84\00:47:23.87
You know them by heart.
"For God so loved the world..."
00:47:23.87\00:47:30.01
We'll put them on the screen.
"...whosoever believes in Him
00:47:30.01\00:47:35.98
shall not perish but
have everlasting life."
00:47:35.98\00:47:39.85
Two fathers, two only childs,
two tragic deaths, but the truth
00:47:40.02\00:47:46.80
is, you know what? When we're
thinking about Calvary -- come
on, let's be honest -- most of
00:47:46.80\00:47:52.83
our thinking is about Jesus,
what Jesus went through, what
Jesus suffered, what happened to
00:47:52.83\00:48:01.48
our Lord, the sacrifice He
made." And we can't help it.
It's just the sacrifice of the
00:48:01.48\00:48:08.05
Father is just quietly pushed to
the perimeter of the narrative.
The story of Jephthah, with the
00:48:08.05\00:48:16.52
12 levels of emotional depth,
reminds us that the Father, with
a heart broken into a thousand
00:48:16.52\00:48:26.00
shards, suffers in
the sacrifice. Yeah.
00:48:26.00\00:48:34.91
I was listening to WBBM
Newsradio out of Chicago, and I
heard a story I'll never
00:48:34.91\00:48:40.02
forget as long as I live. It was
a story about a little 10- or
11-year-old girl who had
00:48:40.02\00:48:44.92
invited a friend of hers over to
the house for a sleepover. You
see, her parents were gonna
00:48:44.92\00:48:48.89
go out for dinner that night. I
don't know if it was an
anniversary or birthday they
00:48:48.89\00:48:52.56
were celebrating. But the
parents didn't want their
only-child daughter to be
00:48:52.56\00:48:56.03
alone in the house, and so they
said, "Bring a friend of yours
over, and you girls just have a
00:48:56.03\00:49:00.34
sleepover. We'll be back
late tonight. You go to bed.
00:49:00.34\00:49:02.97
Don't you stay up."
00:49:02.97\00:49:04.71
Well, do you know what happened
to the two little girls?
00:49:04.87\00:49:09.61
They had fun. They
had fun all through the
00:49:09.61\00:49:11.21
evening. In fact,
they stayed up later
00:49:11.21\00:49:12.68
than they should, actually.
00:49:12.68\00:49:14.42
Finally went to bed, but then
the little daughter of the
parents sat up and said, "You
00:49:14.58\00:49:17.99
know what? [
Whispering ] There's a surprise.
00:49:17.99\00:49:19.95
Let's surprise my parents.
Okay? [ Exhaling sharply ]
00:49:19.95\00:49:22.49
[ Normal voice ] So they go down
to the entryway. They get in the
00:49:22.49\00:49:26.36
closet. They get in the closet.
They're waiting for Mom and Dad
00:49:26.36\00:49:29.80
to come. Takes forever. "Where
are Mom and Dad?" They don't
00:49:29.80\00:49:33.07
come. Finally, there is a key in
the door, and they hear the door
00:49:33.07\00:49:38.34
click open. And when the door
slowly opened, the little girl
00:49:38.51\00:49:43.48
and her friend leaped out of the
closet in the dark and yelled,
00:49:43.48\00:49:50.59
"Boo!" And the father, thinking
it was an intruder, reached into
00:49:50.59\00:49:56.66
his side, pulled out a handgun,
and shot the intruder in the
00:49:56.66\00:50:00.93
dark. When they turned the
lights on, it was his daughter.
She died in his arms.
00:50:01.06\00:50:06.40
And the last words she whispered
to him were, "Daddy, I love
00:50:06.40\00:50:15.01
you." When I heard that story, I
had to pull over to the side of
the road just to recover.
00:50:15.01\00:50:18.78
There was just no way I could
keep driving. I mean, how could
00:50:18.78\00:50:25.35
Jephthah ever sleep at night
again peacefully? How could this
father in Chicago ever sleep at
00:50:25.35\00:50:30.73
night again peacefully? How
could the Father of this
universe, who sacrificed
00:50:30.73\00:50:34.73
everything He had in the gift of
His one and only child, how
could He ever sleep again
00:50:34.73\00:50:39.83
peacefully? Except for the
way the story ended for Him.
00:50:39.83\00:50:45.37
We forget the Father, don't we?
00:50:45.37\00:50:48.64
"Steps to Christ," that little
classic -- let me put the words
00:50:48.81\00:50:51.31
on the screen for you.
"...this great sacrifice --" at
00:50:51.31\00:50:54.02
Calvary, "Steps to Christ" --
"was not made in order to create
00:50:54.02\00:50:57.49
in the Father's heart a love for
us men and women, not to make
00:50:57.49\00:51:00.99
Him willing to save us. No, no!"
00:51:00.99\00:51:02.99
Exclamation mark.
00:51:02.99\00:51:04.59
"Christ was the medium through
which the Father could pour out
00:51:13.57\00:51:17.51
His infinite love
upon a fallen world.
00:51:17.51\00:51:20.11
'God was in
Christ.'" 2 Corinthians.
00:51:20.11\00:51:22.61
"God suffered with
His Son." Here it comes.
00:51:22.61\00:51:25.91
End quote.
00:51:34.52\00:51:35.92
And because of that infinite
love in a father's heart, you
have nothing to fear on the eve
00:51:36.09\00:51:41.76
of this new year. I don't care
what's happened in your past,
00:51:41.76\00:51:46.30
who your mommy is, daddy -- it
doesn't matter a hoot now. It's
you and infinite love.
00:51:46.30\00:51:53.94
The once-heartbroken Father
says, "Hey, let me be your
00:51:53.94\00:52:02.28
Savior. Let me be your Lord. Let
me be your God. And in the death
00:52:02.28\00:52:08.49
of my one and only, let me
secure your salvation forever
and ever -- if you'll receive
00:52:08.49\00:52:15.90
it, please." Gone the past,
washed. Prostitute's son --
washed away. How does that line
00:52:15.90\00:52:25.57
go in 2 Corinthians
5:17? On the screen, please.
00:52:25.57\00:52:28.94
What do you say to that? "The
new is here!" The heartbroken
00:52:36.82\00:52:46.29
Father, the one and only child
have covenanted together to save
only you if you're the only one
00:52:46.29\00:52:54.90
-- to save only you, if you're
the only one. "We'll do it.
00:52:54.90\00:52:59.07
We did it. You're covered
forever." Aw, [Chuckles] man,
00:52:59.07\00:53:06.75
wouldn't you like to have a
fresh new beginning, not just
because you're a freshman or a
00:53:06.75\00:53:10.52
new student, but just because
you're you? Wouldn't you like to
00:53:10.52\00:53:14.22
have a new beginning? You can --
right now. Possess what the Lord
00:53:14.22\00:53:22.66
our God has given us to possess.
The salvation is yours. Take it.
00:53:22.66\00:53:28.34
As I pray, take it
in your heart. Father.
00:53:28.34\00:53:33.34
Oh, Father above, we have pushed
You out of the story so many
times, not because we intended
00:53:33.34\00:53:40.08
to. It's just --
You know how it goes.
00:53:40.08\00:53:43.35
But one obscure story reminds
us the Father's heart was
00:53:43.35\00:53:52.23
shattered. The good news is You
love us. You have drawn us to
the threshold of a new year, and
00:53:52.23\00:53:57.77
here we are as a worshiping
community. Now, Father, every
00:53:57.77\00:54:02.70
heart bowed before You now, in
this quiet moment, every heart
asking You, please, for that new
00:54:02.70\00:54:09.01
beginning, the fresh creation --
renovare, to make new again --
please receive our humble
00:54:09.01\00:54:15.55
prayers in this
silent moment, I pray.
00:54:15.55\00:54:18.05
In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen. [ "Give Me Jesus" begins ]
00:54:23.79\00:54:30.30
い い い
00:54:33.20\00:55:03.26
い い い
00:55:03.26\00:55:33.29
い い い
00:55:33.29\00:56:03.36
い い [ Song ends ]
00:56:03.36\00:56:23.24
And so, Father, that's our
prayer. Just give us Jesus.
00:56:23.24\00:56:28.48
With Him, the Holy Spirit, and
You, there's nothing we cannot
face this new year, and we go
00:56:28.48\00:56:34.86
forward with courage right now.
And so now may the grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ, and the love
00:56:34.86\00:56:45.60
of God, and the fellowship of
the Holy Spirit be with you all.
00:56:45.60\00:56:53.84
Amen. い
00:56:53.84\00:57:03.59
>> We've been really blessed by
the financial support that comes
00:57:07.52\00:57:09.56
from our viewers, and we've
made a conscious decision not to
00:57:09.56\00:57:12.89
continually appeal
to you for that support.
00:57:12.89\00:57:15.93
The fact is, as everyone in the
industry will tell you, we're
00:57:15.93\00:57:19.10
needing to make constant
upgrades to our technology.
00:57:19.10\00:57:21.84
So if God has blessed you and
you'd like to further the work
00:57:21.84\00:57:24.54
of this ministry, we
invite you to partner with us.
00:57:24.54\00:57:26.88
Not a single penny of
your donation will go to me.
00:57:26.88\00:57:29.88
Every bit of your gift goes
to the mission of blessing your
00:57:29.88\00:57:33.35
community and our world.
You can donate on our website,
00:57:33.35\00:57:36.38
newperceptions.tv.
Or call the number.
00:57:36.38\00:57:39.49
You know the
number -- 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:39.49\00:57:41.92
Again, that number is 877
-- the two words "HIS-WILL."
00:57:41.92\00:57:46.26
And may the God who has blessed
you continue to pour into your
00:57:46.26\00:57:48.83
life the gifts of
His joy and His hope.
00:57:48.83\00:57:52.27
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:52.27\00:57:54.07
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:54.07\00:57:57.41
い い
00:58:01.18\00:58:21.16
い
00:58:21.16\00:58:26.74