¤¤
00:00:00.20\00:00:07.07
>> ¤ I want to walk
as a child of the light ¤
00:00:12.07\00:00:18.25
¤ I want to follow Jesus ¤
00:00:18.25\00:00:25.15
¤ God set the stars to give
light to the world ¤ ¤ The star
of my life is Jesus ¤
00:00:25.32\00:00:39.80
¤ In him there is no darkness
at all ¤ ¤ The night and the day
00:00:39.80\00:00:49.21
are both alike ¤ ¤ The Lamb is
the light of the city of God ¤
00:00:49.21\00:01:01.49
¤ Shine in my heart, Lord
Jesus ¤ >> ¤ I want to see
00:01:01.49\00:01:13.50
the brightness of God ¤
00:01:13.50\00:01:17.77
¤ I want to look at Jesus ¤
00:01:17.94\00:01:25.91
¤ Clear Sun of righteousness,
shine on my path ¤ ¤ And show me
00:01:26.08\00:01:36.46
the way to the Father ¤ >> ¤ In
him there is no darkness at all
00:01:36.46\00:01:46.43
¤ ¤ The night and the day are
both alike ¤ ¤ The Lamb is the
00:01:46.43\00:01:54.68
light of the city of God ¤ ¤
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus ¤
00:01:54.68\00:02:09.46
¤ I'm looking for the coming
of Christ ¤ ¤ I want to be with
00:02:09.46\00:02:22.30
Jesus ¤ ¤ When we have run with
patience the race ¤ ¤ We shall
00:02:22.30\00:02:30.95
know the joy of Jesus ¤ ¤ In him
there is no darkness at all ¤
00:02:30.95\00:02:42.56
¤ The night and the day are both
alike ¤ ¤ The Lamb is the light
00:02:42.56\00:02:52.73
of the city of God ¤ ¤
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus ¤
00:02:52.73\00:03:15.09
[ "Your Love Oh Lord" plays ] ¤¤
00:03:19.53\00:03:29.74
¤¤ >> God of wonders.
00:04:47.82\00:04:52.92
I want you to take a
moment and look around.
00:05:39.37\00:05:44.01
I see so many different people
here, so many different cultures
00:05:44.01\00:05:47.21
represented, so many different
generations represented.
00:05:47.21\00:05:50.31
We all come from different
places, and we have different
00:05:50.48\00:05:54.85
backgrounds. But that also means
we hold a lot of different
opinions, and we hold a lot of
00:05:54.85\00:05:59.45
different standards, and
sometimes, we let that get in
the way of everything.
00:05:59.45\00:06:04.26
But we have one thing in common.
And that's we were all made in
00:06:04.26\00:06:13.10
the image of God. And God is a
God that is ours, and He's never
gonna leave us, and He's never
00:06:13.10\00:06:18.71
gonna forsake us. So this next
song is a song that's actually
originally in Portuguese.
00:06:18.71\00:06:24.71
But even though it's in a
different language and it's from
a different culture, it speaks
00:06:24.71\00:06:29.12
of the same thing. God is our
God. The first verse, I'm gonna
00:06:29.12\00:06:37.46
sing in Portuguese, and if you
know it, please join and sing
00:06:37.46\00:06:40.83
with me. But the rest of the
song has been translated so that
we can all sing it together.
00:06:40.83\00:06:44.83
¤¤ ¤¤
00:06:44.83\00:06:59.08
Please join in singing
the next few verses. ¤¤
00:07:32.08\00:07:41.36
¤¤ Now is a time that I invite
you to come before the Lord to
00:10:21.32\00:10:29.82
bring all of your petitions, to
bring your burdens, and to bring
your praises, as well.
00:10:29.82\00:10:35.26
Please come to the
front and join us. ¤¤
00:10:35.26\00:10:39.87
>> Good morning, boys and girls.
Nice to see you out on this --
Is this really the first day of
00:12:47.86\00:12:52.60
September? Yep.
Labor Day weekend.
00:12:52.60\00:12:56.00
And on God's great non-Labor
Day Sabbath. Thank you, Deacon
00:12:56.00\00:13:03.35
Jones. And nice to see all of
you. Have you gotten off to a
good start in school?
00:13:03.35\00:13:07.62
Things kind of going okay? Good.
00:13:07.62\00:13:10.45
I got the perfect school
-- perfect story, rather, for
00:13:10.62\00:13:14.12
school's beginning from my
friend Sherry Davis, who spotted
00:13:14.12\00:13:17.76
this story from Omaha, Nebraska.
Hey, guys, have a seat.
00:13:17.76\00:13:23.50
Nice to have you. There you
go. So, I want you to see the
00:13:23.67\00:13:26.77
picture. We're gonna start with
the picture, 'cause here's the
00:13:26.77\00:13:29.64
picture on the screen. I need
you to guess, what are those on
00:13:29.64\00:13:34.51
the tree? What are those? >>
Squirrels! >> You can recognize
00:13:34.51\00:13:38.38
a squirrel? Okay, let's count
them together. How many
squirrels are there? 1, 2, 3, 4,
00:13:38.38\00:13:48.92
5, 6. Six little baby squirrels,
just eight weeks old. And look
00:13:48.92\00:13:54.10
at them. They're just hanging
together. They must about --
They must all be brothers and
00:13:54.10\00:13:57.10
sisters. Isn't that brothers and
sisters do, just kind of stick
00:13:57.10\00:14:01.30
together? Look at them. Although
something very interesting that
00:14:01.30\00:14:05.54
we can't see in this picture --
keep the picture up, please. We
can't see this, but their
00:14:05.54\00:14:09.61
tails -- their tails are all
knotted with each other's tails.
Can you believe that?
00:14:09.61\00:14:18.62
Their tails all got knotted.
You know why? Because the tree
00:14:18.62\00:14:22.92
they're playing in has sticky
sap on it. And as they were
running around on the tree
00:14:22.92\00:14:29.63
together, they dragged their
tails in the sap, and when their
tails touched, it's just like
00:14:29.63\00:14:33.37
magnets, just chkk, chkk, chkk!
Unbelievable. Craig Luttman, in
00:14:33.37\00:14:39.07
whose yard this tree grows, when
he saw that, he thought they
were just having fun, but then
00:14:39.07\00:14:44.11
he noticed, everyone's pulling a
different direction but nobody
moves. Isn't that sad?
00:14:44.11\00:14:49.68
So he calls the Nebraska
Humane Society, they send some
00:14:49.68\00:14:55.59
veterinarians out, they put a
towel over the squirrels, they
put the squirrels to sleep, and
00:14:55.59\00:14:59.93
it took about an hour -- snip,
snip, snip, cut, cut, cut, ooh,
00:14:59.93\00:15:03.60
ooh, ooh! Just like a ball of
rope. They were all stuck. And
were they happy when they
00:15:03.60\00:15:10.17
were unstuck? Oh, my. The
good news is, they are doing
00:15:10.17\00:15:13.58
just fine. What a way to
begin life, stuck together.
00:15:13.58\00:15:18.35
What a way to begin a new year,
stuck to someone you don't want
to be stuck with -- stuck to
00:15:18.35\00:15:23.12
something you don't want
to be stuck with. I'm think--
00:15:23.12\00:15:26.59
Can you spell this word?
Can you read this word? S-I-N.
00:15:26.59\00:15:32.56
>> Sin. >> Sin -- you got
it. Go to the head of the class.
00:15:32.56\00:15:35.40
I'm thinking about little sins
that get stuck to us, like kind
00:15:35.40\00:15:40.34
of sassing mommy. "No, Mommy,
I'm not gonna do that! No, I
00:15:40.34\00:15:43.07
will not!" Or borrowing your
little friend's toy next door
and never returning it.
00:15:43.07\00:15:47.78
That would be stealing. Or
telling teacher -- "Did you just
00:15:47.78\00:15:51.68
do that?" "No, I didn't do that,
teacher." And that would be
lying. Those little sins that
00:15:51.68\00:15:57.42
stick to us -- oh, we don't
begin a new year with that.
Jesus said, "If the Son sets you
00:15:57.42\00:16:02.56
free, you are free, indeed." And
guess who can cut us free from
everything that sticks to
00:16:02.56\00:16:07.66
us. Who do you
think could cut us free?
00:16:07.66\00:16:09.66
The Lord Jesus himself. Snip,
snip -- oh, there goes that.
00:16:09.66\00:16:13.44
Snip, snip. The secret is --
shh, shh, shh! The secret is,
00:16:13.44\00:16:20.31
you have to pray this prayer.
Can I teach you a prayer? It
00:16:20.31\00:16:23.85
goes like this. Lord Jesus, I
want you to live with me, and I
want to live with you.
00:16:23.85\00:16:31.92
Ooh! That's a great prayer. Can
you pray it out loud with me?
00:16:31.92\00:16:34.66
Lord Jesus, I want you to live
with me... No, I need to hear
00:16:34.66\00:16:40.53
you now. Let's do it again. "I
want you to live with me" -- Let
me hear you say it.
00:16:40.53\00:16:43.90
>> "I want you to live with
me." >> "And I want to live with
00:16:43.90\00:16:48.20
you." Let me hear you say it. >>
"And I want to live with you."
00:16:48.20\00:16:52.21
>> Lord Jesus... live with
me, and let me live with you.
00:16:52.21\00:16:56.85
Then, we connect with the right
person, and all the rest of the
00:16:56.85\00:17:01.92
stuck is gone. Hallelujah.
Anybody want to thank Jesus for
00:17:01.92\00:17:07.22
cutting us free? Young man,
you come right here. Come on up.
00:17:07.22\00:17:11.36
Cutting us free. Let's thank
Jesus for being the one who just
cuts us free and is the one we
00:17:11.36\00:17:16.36
want to stick with all this new
year. Come on up. Let me grab a
00:17:16.36\00:17:18.97
microphone. What's your
name? >> Haseo. >> Haseo.
00:17:18.97\00:17:21.50
Okay, guys, let's -- let's --
let's close our eyes and fold
our hands as Haseo thanks Jesus.
00:17:21.50\00:17:28.04
>> Dear Jesus, thank you for
this beautiful day, and help us
to learn more all about you, and
00:17:28.04\00:17:35.05
we can thank you for doing
everything for us and preparing
00:17:35.05\00:17:40.96
us things. Amen. >>
Amen. Thank God, Haseo.
00:17:40.96\00:17:43.02
Beautiful prayer. As you go
quietly and reverently back to
your seats, it's what
00:17:43.02\00:17:46.49
Haseo prayed. Thank you, Jesus,
for being my savior and cutting
00:17:46.49\00:17:53.40
me free. ¤¤ ¤ When I am gone ¤
00:17:57.17\00:18:04.08
¤ Don't you cry for me ¤ ¤
Don't you pity my sorry soul ¤
00:18:04.08\00:18:23.00
¤ What pain there might
have been ¤ ¤ Will all be past ¤
00:18:23.16\00:18:33.61
¤ Soon my spirit will be made
whole ¤ ¤ I'll be on my way ¤
00:18:33.61\00:18:54.30
¤ I'll be on my way ¤ ¤ God will
lift my feet of clay from off
00:18:54.30\00:19:14.35
the ground ¤ ¤ I will be
glory-bound ¤ ¤ I'll be on my
00:19:14.35\00:19:32.63
way ¤ ¤¤ ¤ When I am gone ¤ ¤
Don't you cry for me ¤ ¤ Don't
you pity my sorry soul ¤
00:19:32.63\00:19:41.51
¤ What pain there might
have been ¤ ¤ Will all be past ¤
00:19:41.51\00:19:46.18
¤ Soon my spirit will be made
whole ¤ ¤ I'll be on my way ¤
00:19:46.18\00:19:54.59
¤ I'll be on my way ¤ ¤ God will
lift my feet of clay from off
00:19:54.59\00:20:04.63
the ground ¤ ¤ I will be
glory-bound ¤ ¤ I'll be on my
00:20:04.63\00:20:13.81
way ¤ ¤¤ >> ¤ When I am gone ¤ ¤
Please forgive the wrongs ¤ ¤
That I might have done to
00:20:13.81\00:20:20.82
you ¤ ¤ There'll be no
room for regrets up there ¤
00:20:20.82\00:20:27.52
¤ High above, way beyond the
blue ¤ >> ¤ I'll be on my way ¤
00:20:27.52\00:20:33.76
>> ¤ I'll be on my way ¤ >> ¤
I'll be on my way ¤ >> ¤ I'll be
00:20:33.76\00:20:41.27
on my way ¤ >> ¤ I'll have laid
my frown ¤ ¤ And all my burdens
down ¤ ¤ I'll be puttin' on my
00:20:41.27\00:20:48.61
crown ¤ ¤ I'll be on my way ¤ >>
¤ When I am gone, don't you look
00:20:48.61\00:20:57.15
for me ¤ ¤ In the places I have
been ¤ ¤ Oh, someday soon, I'll
00:20:57.15\00:21:07.03
be alive ¤ ¤ I'll be on my way
again ¤ >> ¤ I'll be on my way ¤
>> ¤ I'll be on my way ¤
00:21:07.03\00:21:18.14
>> ¤ I'll be on my way ¤ >>
¤ I'll be on my way ¤ ¤ I will
00:21:18.14\00:21:26.01
lift my wings ¤ ¤ And soar into
the air ¤ ¤ There'll be glory
everywhere ¤ ¤ I'll be on my way
00:21:26.01\00:21:33.12
¤ >> ¤ I'll be on my way ¤ >> ¤
I'll be on my way ¤ >> ¤ I'll be
00:21:33.12\00:21:40.70
on my way ¤ >> ¤ I'll be on my
way ¤ >> ¤ I'll have laid my
frown ¤ ¤ And all my burdens
00:21:40.70\00:21:48.10
down ¤ ¤ I'll be puttin' on my
crown ¤ ¤ I'll be on my way ¤ ¤
God will lift my feet
00:21:48.10\00:21:55.78
of clay from off the ground ¤
¤ I will be glory-bound ¤ ¤ I'll
00:21:55.78\00:22:11.03
be on my way ¤ [ Applause ]
>> Amen. Oh, thank you, Joshua.
00:22:11.03\00:22:23.47
Thank you, Stephen. Thank you,
University singers. We needed
that for this opening
00:22:23.47\00:22:28.71
moment. I'll be on my
way. That's the good news.
00:22:28.71\00:22:34.75
That's the good news. We're not
stuck here. You may look for me.
00:22:34.75\00:22:40.79
I may look for you. Can't find
us. One day, we'll be on our
00:22:40.79\00:22:51.73
way. Oh, God. That's the
lift of the everlasting gospel.
00:22:51.73\00:22:59.81
It's not over. There's a
place... a destination at the
00:22:59.81\00:23:08.12
end of this journey. But here
we are at the beginning of a new
00:23:08.12\00:23:10.19
year. We're ready to go. God, do
whatever it takes this new year.
00:23:10.19\00:23:16.46
The best year we've ever lived
on this planet. That's what
we're humbly asking.
00:23:16.46\00:23:21.60
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:23:21.60\00:23:24.87
Like to introduce to you a
friend of mine that I have been
00:23:25.03\00:23:27.87
carrying in the wallet of
my mind since I was a kid.
00:23:27.87\00:23:32.61
It's a picture. First time I saw
this picture, I said, "That's
00:23:32.77\00:23:37.31
it. That is our man, Noah." Look
at him. Don't you just love that
00:23:37.31\00:23:42.12
picture? Beard 3 feet long, his
hands tense, his fingers curled.
00:23:42.12\00:23:50.39
And notice the reaction he's
getting from everybody around
00:23:50.39\00:23:53.70
him. Yeah, everybody's just
laughing, just mocking him. You
00:23:53.70\00:24:01.27
know why? Because for 120 years,
he's been preaching to everybody
that the end of the world is
00:24:01.27\00:24:06.51
coming. "Get up. You see the
sunshine? You think we have a
00:24:06.51\00:24:11.95
hundred years of sunshine left?
You don't have a hundred years
00:24:11.95\00:24:15.25
of sunshine left. This baby's
comin' to an end. Don't be
foolish. Don't be a fool.
00:24:15.25\00:24:21.49
God has told me to tell you
we're near the end. I'll be on
my way one of these
00:24:21.49\00:24:28.03
days, and you must be, too.
00:24:28.03\00:24:33.13
Why would a kid choose
Noah to be a childhood hero?
00:24:33.30\00:24:37.31
Well, I suppose, it's just
the chutzpah of the moment.
00:24:37.31\00:24:40.64
The guy that has guts.
Doesn't care who you are or what
00:24:40.64\00:24:46.08
you stand for, he's
gonna tell it like it is.
00:24:46.08\00:24:49.88
Unafraid of a message entrusted
to him. "The world's coming to
00:24:50.05\00:24:56.76
an end. Get ready." It's the
Noah generation. And I've been
00:24:56.76\00:25:03.57
thinking, "How many Noahs do we
have?" I sat behind the
President. Boy, did she do a
00:25:03.57\00:25:07.64
great job this last Thursday,
opening convocation. And I
looked out over this sea
00:25:07.64\00:25:13.07
of young faces -- handsome
faces, beautiful faces. And I
wondered to myself, "Are
00:25:13.07\00:25:18.65
there any Noahs in this
generation?" You know what?
00:25:18.65\00:25:26.35
Please, let's be honest.
Countercultural. Hoo, way
00:25:26.35\00:25:30.13
countercultural. Doom and gloom.
"Ew! Who wants to be a part of
00:25:30.13\00:25:33.50
that?" And yet somebody --
somebody -- has to tell the
world, "I'll be on my way soon."
00:25:33.50\00:25:40.84
And you can be, too. Noah.
Ah, we all know the story of
00:25:40.84\00:25:46.44
Noah and how it begins. Few of
us know how the story ends, and
so here's what we're
00:25:46.44\00:25:50.21
gonna do. We're gonna push --
We're gonna get the bookends of
00:25:50.21\00:25:53.08
his life, we're gonna push them
right up smack dab against each
00:25:53.08\00:25:56.38
other. Take one line from the
beginning, one line from the
ending, there will be a sweet,
00:25:56.38\00:26:00.66
short, but stunning truth
that emerges. Check it out for
00:26:00.66\00:26:04.46
yourself. Open your Bible with
me, please. Genesis 6. Book of
Beginnings, Genesis 6.
00:26:04.46\00:26:10.70
Let's go. Just one
line from the beginning.
00:26:10.70\00:26:13.07
We'll pull another line out
of the ending. Let's ask the
00:26:13.07\00:26:16.60
question. Then what does this
mean? Genesis 6. If you didn't
00:26:16.60\00:26:20.51
bring a Bible, grab the pew
Bible in front of you. You know
where Genesis is, and
00:26:20.51\00:26:22.91
you can find 6. Now, I'm gonna
be in the NIV, so that's what's
00:26:22.91\00:26:27.08
gonna be on the screen. Genesis
6, the beginning. Just one line
00:26:27.08\00:26:31.42
will do. Verse 8.
00:26:31.42\00:26:33.32
The old King James reads, "Noah
found grace in the eyes of the
00:26:37.93\00:26:41.70
Lord." You ever hear that
spiritual? Have you guys sung
00:26:41.70\00:26:44.77
that spiritual? ¤ Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord ¤
¤ Noah found grace in the eyes
00:26:44.77\00:26:47.94
of the Lord ¤ ¤ Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord ¤
00:26:47.94\00:26:50.37
¤ And he landed high and
dry ¤ You know that one? Good.
00:26:50.37\00:26:55.61
[ Laughter ] No-- No-- Noah
found grace in the eyes of the
00:26:55.61\00:27:01.15
Lord. You know what? It's a
good thing that line is at the
00:27:01.15\00:27:04.22
beginning. If there's gonna be
any hope for Noah in the ending,
it's gonna be that line.
00:27:04.22\00:27:07.79
Put it up one more time
on the screen for us, please.
00:27:07.79\00:27:10.96
Now let's go to the ending. Come
on. I said two bookends, short
00:27:14.73\00:27:17.37
and sweet and stunning. Here
comes the end bookend. Just a
00:27:17.37\00:27:21.44
line from that. Just turn a
page. Now you're in Genesis 9.
00:27:21.44\00:27:24.74
Good. Genesis 9:20.
00:27:24.74\00:27:29.28
You say, "Dwight, what's the big
deal about that? Is there
something wrong with
00:27:38.22\00:27:42.69
planting a vineyard?" No,
there's nothing wrong at all.
00:27:42.69\00:27:45.13
God invented vineyards. In fact,
if you live here in Southwestern
Michigan, as we all
00:27:45.13\00:27:51.20
do right now, there's no more
glorious place on Earth than
this little swath of rich,
00:27:51.20\00:27:57.91
succulent -- ahh -- vineyards.
You know the story. But we need
obviously more than
00:27:57.91\00:28:05.71
that one line, so let's add one
more line to it. Okay, let me
00:28:05.71\00:28:08.48
read verse 20 again.
00:28:08.48\00:28:10.39
Go figure. Uncovered
-- euphemism for naked.
00:28:21.26\00:28:26.84
Drunk. Soused. Because
that's precisely what's
00:28:26.84\00:28:33.44
going on here. And by the way,
yes, this is the great man of
God who found grace
00:28:33.44\00:28:38.35
in the eyes of the Lord and was
raised up by God to save the
human race by preserving just,
00:28:38.35\00:28:43.95
please, a sample of them,
because the universal flood will
destroy this entire planet, and
00:28:43.95\00:28:48.66
we're gonna begin this whole
experiment all over again, and
00:28:48.66\00:28:53.09
you're my man. This is the same
Noah. Naked and drunk in a tent.
The last line of his life.
00:28:53.09\00:29:01.60
This is it. There's no
other story to him. This is it.
00:29:01.60\00:29:06.94
Man. Victim of alcohol
consumption. The first victim in
00:29:06.94\00:29:11.05
the Bible of alcoholic
inebriation. In other words, the
Bible's first drunk.
00:29:11.05\00:29:16.48
And he ends up -- get this -- he
ends up in the Bible Hall of
Faith, Hall of Fame,
00:29:16.48\00:29:20.39
Walk of Fame, whatever you want
to call it. He has a star in it.
00:29:20.39\00:29:24.03
Hebrews, chapter 11. In fact,
Hebrews 11, here's the line.
00:29:24.03\00:29:26.83
Put it on the screen here.
00:29:26.83\00:29:28.70
Keep reading.
00:29:35.47\00:29:37.37
This same Noah, the drunk in
the tent. Peter comes along and
00:29:46.35\00:29:54.02
immortalizes him with a
description there in 2 Peter 2.
00:29:54.02\00:29:59.76
"Noah, preacher of
righteousness." Can you believe
that? Naked and drunk in his
00:29:59.76\00:30:07.17
tent. Now, listen, before we
jump too hastily to conclusions
-- and, by the way, that's the
00:30:07.17\00:30:13.58
only exercise some people get,
jumping to conclusions. But
before we do, we need to go
00:30:13.58\00:30:19.31
deeper into this vineyard, okay?
Let's dig a little deeper.
Jacques Doukhan, our friend,
00:30:19.31\00:30:26.96
professor, seminary, in his new
commentary on the Book of
Genesis, makes a point I had
00:30:26.96\00:30:31.16
never seen before. I'm gonna
flip it up on the screen for you
00:30:31.16\00:30:34.50
'cause I want you to see it,
as well. Noah's first act -- get
00:30:34.50\00:30:37.23
this. "Noah's first act outside
the ark connects him to Adam."
00:30:37.40\00:30:41.30
Well, he had the altar, but
after the altar, just a normal
00:30:41.30\00:30:44.07
day of life, he
plants a vineyard.
00:30:44.07\00:30:45.84
That's his first
act. Now keep reading.
00:30:45.84\00:30:47.98
"For Noah's story of planting
a vineyard contains numerous
00:30:47.98\00:30:51.95
parallels with the story of
Adam in the Garden of Eden."
00:30:51.95\00:30:54.22
Watch this. I put
the little numbers in.
00:30:54.22\00:30:56.12
Here comes parallel number one.
"Like Adam, Noah eats of the
00:30:56.12\00:30:59.19
fruit." True or false?
00:30:59.19\00:31:01.12
True. Okay, here
comes number two.
00:31:01.12\00:31:02.99
"And as a result of his actions,
Noah's nakedness, of which he is
00:31:02.99\00:31:06.59
not aware, is revealed."
Was Adam naked and then he found
00:31:06.59\00:31:09.80
out he was naked? Yep, okay.
00:31:09.80\00:31:11.60
Parallel number three.
"And a covering is provided."
00:31:11.60\00:31:14.97
Oh, yep. We had
that in both stories.
00:31:14.97\00:31:16.71
And, finally, number 4, "Both
stories end the same way, with a
00:31:16.71\00:31:19.67
curse and a
blessing." Isn't that something?
00:31:19.67\00:31:23.04
Adam and Noah.
The point is profound.
00:31:23.04\00:31:26.78
Moses, the writer of Genesis, is
carefully constructing Noah's
fall into drunkenness to
00:31:26.95\00:31:32.55
parallel Adam's fall into sin.
Which is a huge hint how God
regards Noah's alcoholic
00:31:32.55\00:31:41.66
consumption. S-I-N --
the kids can spell it -- sin.
00:31:41.66\00:31:46.63
Jacques Doukhan
again, on the screen.
00:31:46.63\00:31:49.64
And guess what, so is the second
drinking in the Bible, because
00:32:07.06\00:32:10.79
there we had the two daughters
of Lot, who get him drunk with
00:32:10.79\00:32:13.66
wine.
00:32:13.66\00:32:14.56
They get him drunk with wine so
that the girls can sleep with
their daddy one at a time and
00:32:14.73\00:32:20.74
both, through incest, give birth
to two little boys. And it all
00:32:20.74\00:32:27.28
started with drinking. That's
the second drinking in the
00:32:27.28\00:32:31.28
Bible. Stuff happens when your
mind is under the influence.
00:32:31.28\00:32:37.49
Listen carefully. Statistics
show that most date rapes happen
under the influence.
00:32:37.49\00:32:45.13
And wouldn't you know it, just
this week, the famed British
medical journal, The Lancet,
00:32:45.13\00:32:51.53
comes out with a study that
stuns the world. I'll put the
00:32:51.53\00:32:56.14
BBC headline for
this study on the screen.
00:32:56.14\00:32:58.04
BBC headline -- "No alcohol
safe to drink, global study
00:32:58.21\00:33:02.28
confirms." And then,
here's the subtitle --
00:33:02.28\00:33:05.18
"Bad news for those who enjoy
what they think is a healthy
00:33:05.18\00:33:08.95
glass of wine a day." [ Scoffs ]
00:33:08.95\00:33:13.05
On the screen
again, take a look.
00:33:13.05\00:33:15.32
"A large new
--" This is BBC now.
00:33:15.32\00:33:16.86
"A large new global study --"
It's called the Global Burden of
00:33:16.86\00:33:19.39
Disease Study, "published in the
Lancet has confirmed previous
00:33:19.39\00:33:22.73
research which has shown
that there is no safe level for
00:33:22.73\00:33:27.50
alcohol consumption. The
researchers admit moderate
00:33:27.50\00:33:31.37
drinking may protect against
heart disease, but they found
00:33:31.37\00:33:34.74
that the risk of cancer and
other diseases outweighs these
00:33:34.74\00:33:38.18
protections. A study
author said its findings
00:33:38.18\00:33:40.72
were the most significant
to date because of the range of
00:33:40.72\00:33:44.02
factors considered."
The Global Burden of Disease
00:33:44.02\00:33:47.49
study. Started in the U.K., the
00:33:47.49\00:33:49.96
United Kingdom. They
studied 195 different
00:33:49.96\00:33:52.86
nations between 1990 and
2016. They analyzed data from
00:33:52.86\00:33:58.57
15-year-olds to 95-year-olds,
and then the researchers
00:33:58.57\00:34:02.70
compared people who did not
drink at all with those who had
00:34:02.70\00:34:05.74
one alcoholic
drink a day." Amazing.
00:34:05.74\00:34:11.11
Conclusion -- no amount
of alcohol is a safe amount.
00:34:11.11\00:34:17.35
Lest we make an unwarranted
conclusion, this new series
would begin right now, "Tales
00:34:24.73\00:34:30.73
from a Vineyard," is hardly
advocating that we all make the
tragic mistake Noah did of
00:34:30.73\00:34:34.94
drinking fermented grape juice.
But, apparently, one of Noah's
boys found it rather funny to
00:34:34.94\00:34:44.01
see his daddy there, lying,
sprawled, drunk, and naked, and
with a sneer, went and found his
00:34:44.01\00:34:51.02
two older brothers -- that would
be Ham looking for Shem and
Japheth -- and telling them.
00:34:51.02\00:34:57.16
I want you to read that story.
Because it's right here -- verse
00:34:57.16\00:35:00.93
21. We'll read it again.
00:35:00.93\00:35:01.80
"And when he, Noah, drank some
of its wine, he became drunk,
00:35:01.96\00:35:04.50
and he lay
uncovered inside the tent."
00:35:04.50\00:35:06.23
Now verse 22 -- "Ham, the father
of Canaan, saw his father naked
00:35:06.23\00:35:10.67
and told his two
brothers outside.
00:35:10.67\00:35:12.97
But," verse 23, "Shem and
Japheth took a garment and laid
00:35:12.97\00:35:15.88
it across their shoulders.
Then they walked in backward and
00:35:15.88\00:35:19.25
covered their
father's naked body.
00:35:19.25\00:35:21.72
Their faces turned the other way
so that they would not see their
00:35:21.72\00:35:24.79
father naked." Verse
24 -- "But when Noah awoke
00:35:24.79\00:35:28.76
from his wine and found out what
his youngest son had done, he
00:35:28.76\00:35:32.09
said, 'Cursed be Canaan!
The lowest of slaves will he be
00:35:32.09\00:35:36.80
to his brothers!'" We
cannot let this moment --
00:35:36.80\00:35:39.43
This is as close as we'll ever
get, and we cannot let it slip
without correcting a tragic
00:35:39.60\00:35:44.47
misunderstanding of Noah's
curse after he awakens from his
00:35:44.47\00:35:50.11
stupor. Through centuries,
Christians have seized this very
passage to justify the slave
00:35:50.11\00:35:55.88
trade in Africa, who are
descendants of Ham. Most of them
00:35:55.88\00:35:59.35
will migrate. Or the practices
of apartheid in South Africa.
But there is not a shred of
00:35:59.35\00:36:05.39
biblical support for such racist
views. In fact, let me show you
00:36:05.39\00:36:09.63
what's going on here. You'll --
You'll see it in a split second.
00:36:09.63\00:36:12.77
Jacques Doukhan on the screen
again. "Our failure to honor the
00:36:12.77\00:36:17.11
past that produced us..." You
see, he didn't honor his father.
00:36:17.11\00:36:21.71
He did not honor his father. He
mocked his father. Don't you
ever mock your mother.
00:36:21.71\00:36:28.02
Don't you ever mock your father.
I don't care how they treated
00:36:28.02\00:36:31.79
you. Honor your father and
mother. It's one of the eternal
Ten. Ham broke the law.
00:36:31.79\00:36:42.90
"Our failure to honor the past
that produced us --" oh, this is
dynamite -- "affects the future
00:36:42.90\00:36:49.00
that we shall produce." In other
words, Ham dishonored his
father, and Noah awakens,
00:36:49.00\00:36:57.25
and, prophetically, like all the
patriarchs can do, Noah peers
into the future, and he sees
00:36:57.25\00:37:02.72
that Ham's son, Canaan, would
repeat the sin of his father and
would have dishonor until,
00:37:02.72\00:37:12.66
finally, Canaan, in
spades, throws the eternal law
00:37:12.66\00:37:20.64
completely out. Some of the
worst practices of the
then-known world came out of the
00:37:20.64\00:37:27.34
land of Canaan. And the writer
of -- the writer of Genesis is
wanting the reader to know,
00:37:27.34\00:37:32.58
"Lookit, this is where it
starts." But the curse is on
Canaan. And he stayed in
00:37:32.58\00:37:40.79
Palestine. Now,
Jacques Doukhan, one more line.
00:37:40.79\00:37:43.29
Just read the Book of
Genesis beyond Genesis 9.
00:38:03.95\00:38:07.02
You'll see exactly what's up.
00:38:07.02\00:38:11.75
Terrible injustice in the name
of a total misunderstanding of a
00:38:11.92\00:38:21.03
biblical passage. That's the
life of Noah. We took the
bookend from the beginning, we
00:38:21.03\00:38:25.60
slid it up close to the bookend
at the end. What's the bookend
00:38:25.60\00:38:28.27
at the beginning? Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord.
What's the bookend at the end?
00:38:28.27\00:38:31.81
And he became drunk and lay
uncovered inside his tent. So,
here's the question -- how
00:38:31.81\00:38:36.88
shall we resolve this
contradiction? Could it be that
00:38:36.88\00:38:44.09
the answer is found in the
vineyard Noah planted? Noah, who
loved the feeling --
00:38:44.09\00:38:48.99
the chalky feeling of dirt
beneath his fingernails. You're
00:38:48.99\00:38:52.69
a city slicker. You have
absolutely no concept of that.
00:38:52.69\00:38:56.16
Neither do I. Noah, who planted
this vineyard and then strolled
the aisles. City slickers, as we
00:38:56.16\00:39:02.54
are, who here's walked down an
aisle, rolling aisle of a
vineyard? I have never been
00:39:02.54\00:39:07.44
close to a vineyard until we
moved to this beautiful corner
of Southwestern Michigan.
00:39:07.44\00:39:12.31
And then, I had the joy of
walking up and down these
aisles, and I'm telling you
00:39:12.31\00:39:15.55
what, guys, we're just days away
from rolling down your car
window and smelling it all over
00:39:15.55\00:39:19.82
Berrien County. It will be the
smell of Concord grapes who have
00:39:19.82\00:39:24.29
hit their peak. There's nothing
like it in the world. We took
our cameras and our crew
00:39:24.29\00:39:28.56
to one of the vineyards here
in Berrien County. 88 acres of
00:39:28.56\00:39:34.30
vineyard, I might add. And
there, we met my friends Robin
and Maryann, who live
00:39:34.30\00:39:38.47
nearby, and here's a portion of
our conversation with Jose, the
master gardener of the vineyard,
00:39:38.47\00:39:46.88
and Robin. We'll roll it on
the screen for you right now.
00:39:46.88\00:39:52.25
you right now. ¤¤ ¤¤
00:39:52.25\00:40:04.23
We are standing in what has to
be one of the most beautiful
spots here in Southwestern
00:40:04.23\00:40:08.70
Michigan. I'm standing here
with my friends Robin and Jose.
00:40:08.70\00:40:12.64
And, gentlemen, we are in the
midst of a vineyard. This is a
real, live vineyard.
00:40:12.64\00:40:17.61
>> That's right. >> Most
of us have never lived near a
00:40:17.61\00:40:20.88
vineyard. and every year,
the university harvests this. >>
00:40:20.88\00:40:23.99
Right. >> And who picks up the
grapes? >> Well, the university
harvests, and all the grapes go
00:40:23.99\00:40:29.16
to Welch's, so... >> You're
talking about Welch's, the juice
00:40:29.16\00:40:32.63
company. >> The juice company
that was actually started by a
pastor to create juice for
00:40:32.63\00:40:38.10
communion. >> So, Welch's gets
all of this. >> Mm-hmm. >>
Andrews University's
00:40:38.10\00:40:42.34
vineyard. Really, this
is God's vineyard, right?
00:40:42.34\00:40:44.67
>> It is, it is. >> This is
God's vineyard, because the
produce all goes for
00:40:44.67\00:40:47.54
God's mission. >> Amen.
>> Now, we're standing by a
00:40:47.54\00:40:49.88
vine, Jose. >> Right here, yeah.
>> Yeah. And you just told me
00:40:49.88\00:40:53.11
the age. I couldn't believe
it. How old is that vine?
00:40:53.11\00:40:55.75
>> This portion is like 60 years
old. >> We have a gnarly old
00:40:55.75\00:40:59.55
vine. This is not really an
attractive picture. >> No, no,
00:40:59.55\00:41:02.52
it's not. >> Show us where the
branches come out of the vine.
>> Like, right here.
00:41:02.52\00:41:05.63
>> That's a branch. >>
Yeah, it's a branch, you know?
00:41:05.63\00:41:07.86
>> Oh, this is a
branch up here, as well. Okay.
00:41:07.86\00:41:09.93
And what are these? >> Well,
this is a runner. So, we look
for the good runner
00:41:09.93\00:41:13.97
just to leave with the unit
for next year. Prune it, and
00:41:13.97\00:41:18.24
produces good fruit. >> So, in
this juncture, we've got
branches coming together.
00:41:18.24\00:41:23.68
But the vine -- how essential
is that vine? >> It's very
00:41:23.68\00:41:28.05
essential. >> A branch can
survive on its own? >> No, if we
00:41:28.05\00:41:31.92
cut it open the ground, this,
for sure, is gonna die. Needs to
be connected with the
00:41:31.92\00:41:36.36
plant just to survive. >> That's
amazing to me that God takes
this -- this plant, and He
00:41:36.36\00:41:45.03
makes the points all the way
through scripture. Vine, branch,
00:41:45.03\00:41:53.21
vineyard, and fruit. >> There's
also we have to stay connected
00:41:53.21\00:41:56.44
with that. >> Ooh, I like that.
>> Otherwise, we cannot make it.
Spiritual things, you know?
00:41:56.44\00:42:00.55
Needs to be connected with that.
Otherwise, we cannot make it
00:42:00.55\00:42:04.02
here. >> Yeah, amen.
Thank you, Jose. >> Yeah.
00:42:04.02\00:42:06.19
>> You're not only a gardener.
You're a good preacher. >> Oh,
00:42:06.19\00:42:10.23
man. ¤¤
00:42:10.23\00:42:13.93
>> I want you to show -- I want
to show you what he's referring
00:42:18.83\00:42:21.44
to. We'll go to the New
Testament now. I want you to
00:42:21.44\00:42:24.87
find John 15, 'cause he's gone
straight to John 15. John 15,
00:42:24.87\00:42:30.05
red letters in my red-letter
Bible. In less than 24 hours --
When Jesus speaks these words
00:42:30.05\00:42:33.48
found in John 15, when he speaks
these words, in less than 24
hours, he's dead and gone.
00:42:33.48\00:42:37.65
"I'll be on my way." He's gone,
he's dead. He slipped out of
00:42:37.65\00:42:43.02
Jerusalem with 11 disciples that
are left, and it's always full
moon at Passover, so in the
00:42:43.02\00:42:47.66
light of that silver moon, he
stops by a trellis, and he says,
"Hey, guys, look at this."
00:42:47.66\00:42:52.03
And his hand reaches over, and
in the light of the full moon,
00:42:52.03\00:42:56.67
they get it. So, this
is John 15. John 15:1.
00:42:56.67\00:43:03.85
Lookit, guys. I'm this.
That gnarly vine, that's me, and
00:43:08.35\00:43:12.29
my father is Jose. "Yeah,
but where are we in this story?"
00:43:12.29\00:43:16.06
I'll drop down to verse 5.
00:43:16.06\00:43:17.96
"I am the vine." Put that on the
screen, please. "I am the vine,
00:43:27.97\00:43:34.08
and you are the branches." And
that was the point Jose the
gardener was making.
00:43:34.08\00:43:38.35
The only way for a branch to
fulfill its destiny is to stay
connected to the vine.
00:43:38.35\00:43:42.58
The only way for a branch to
produce this luscious, juicy
fruit is to remain connected
00:43:42.58\00:43:48.89
with the vine. I'm the
vine. You're the branches.
00:43:48.89\00:43:52.19
If you abide in me and I in you,
guess what -- we got it, man. We
00:43:52.19\00:43:56.87
got it, girl. We got fruit. And
that's the whole purpose of a
00:43:56.87\00:44:00.47
vineyard. You got to have fruit.
"I promise you," Jesus says to
00:44:00.47\00:44:07.38
us. "Yo, Dwight, question,
okay?" What? "Well, Noah.
00:44:07.38\00:44:11.98
Was Noah connected to
the vine?" Answer. Of course.
00:44:11.98\00:44:16.28
Noah found grace in the eyes of
the Lord. "Yeah, but question.
00:44:16.28\00:44:20.49
Question, question, question.
Can there be grace when you have
fallen in a drunken stupor like
00:44:20.49\00:44:26.33
Noah did?" Answer -- yes.
"Question -- can you prove it?"
00:44:26.33\00:44:30.30
Answer -- yes, I can. Put it
on the screen for you, Romans 5.
00:44:30.30\00:44:34.67
Look at this, verse 20. Oh,
that's a great line. In fact, I
wish we'd read this
00:44:34.67\00:44:39.47
out loud together. Come
on, Romans 5:20. "But where sin
00:44:39.47\00:44:45.41
increased, grace increased all
the more." Where there's sin,
00:44:45.41\00:44:49.32
there's grace. Now lookit in the
King James. "Where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound."
00:44:49.32\00:44:56.16
"Oh, good, Dwight. Question.
Then we can just -- we can just
00:44:56.16\00:44:59.26
go on drinking and sinning all
we want, can't we?" Answer --
00:44:59.26\00:45:03.77
no. Look at the very
next line, Romans 6:1.
00:45:03.77\00:45:07.24
"Yeah, but, Dwight, question
again, please. Then why did Noah
00:45:13.94\00:45:18.71
fall if he's connected to the
vine?" Answer -- because he
allowed himself to become
00:45:18.71\00:45:25.09
disconnected to the vine. That's
the only way you fall. You see,
Noah, in you and I, we
00:45:25.09\00:45:34.83
have a mutual enemy. His name is
Satan, and he is 24/7, with all
00:45:34.83\00:45:41.67
his hellish fury, trying to find
a way -- severe, cut, cut, cut,
cut, cut, dis-, dis-, dis-,
00:45:41.67\00:45:46.41
disconnect, disconnect,
disconnect. That's all he wants.
He spends his whole life trying
00:45:46.41\00:45:50.78
to disconnect a friend of
Jesus from the vine. Pfft.
00:45:50.78\00:45:56.28
That's why Paul, in fact, admits
as much -- you can never go on
vacation from Jesus, even for a
00:45:56.28\00:46:01.69
night, even for a weekend.
You can say, "Okay, Jesus, I'm
00:46:01.69\00:46:06.56
disconnecting." You can't
disconnect and live. Listen to
Paul. That's his point right
00:46:06.56\00:46:13.77
here. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27. He
takes the sports metaphor.
"Therefore," he says, "I do not
00:46:13.77\00:46:20.08
run like somebody running
aimlessly," in the Olympics. "I
00:46:20.08\00:46:24.48
do not fight. I do not box like
a man beating the air. No, I
discipline my body and I
00:46:24.48\00:46:29.38
make it my slave so that after I
have preached to others, I
myself will not be disqualified
00:46:29.38\00:46:36.36
for the prize." Isn't that
amazing? The greatest Christian
00:46:36.36\00:46:39.86
who ever lived says, "No, man,
it's full-court press the whole
way. I can never back out.
00:46:39.86\00:46:44.83
I can never let down." You're
never on vacation from Jesus.
00:46:44.83\00:46:49.34
Disconnect is death. Connect
is life. Now I'm gonna make a
00:46:49.34\00:46:56.54
point. Some of you are a little
bit older in this room, and I
want you to get it, please.
00:46:56.54\00:47:02.68
Noah, near the end of his life,
down. Moses, right near the end
00:47:02.68\00:47:08.42
of his life, down. Elijah, near
the end of his ministry, down.
00:47:08.42\00:47:14.46
John the Baptist, near his
beheading, down. What's going
00:47:14.46\00:47:19.23
on? Somebody, 24/7, is waiting
for you to step out with nothing
on, just naked you, pssh!
00:47:19.23\00:47:27.54
"Gotcha!" And Noah, that
day, was naked, spiritually.
00:47:27.54\00:47:34.18
No armor. No protection. I
want to say to those of you
00:47:34.18\00:47:40.22
who have earned the right to
have white hair or a bald head,
just because you followed Jesus
00:47:40.22\00:47:47.86
all these years doesn't mean now
you could become careless in
your pursuit of holiness, now
00:47:47.86\00:47:54.20
you can become careless in your
connection with Jesus. Are you
00:47:54.20\00:47:57.37
kidding? The closer you get to
what Joshua just sang a moment
ago -- Josh, didn't you sing it?
00:47:57.37\00:48:01.74
"Well, I'm on my way"? I'll be
on my way. The closer you get to
00:48:01.74\00:48:05.65
being on your way, the tighter
you need to be. I'm telling you
00:48:05.65\00:48:09.12
the truth. The tighter you have
to be with Jesus. He's not gonna
00:48:09.12\00:48:13.32
force you into some kind of
half-nelson lock. It'll be free
choice. You'll choose to stay
00:48:13.32\00:48:21.10
connected with him. You can
never take a vacation. "Oh,
Dwight, this is such --
00:48:21.10\00:48:28.10
this is such rotten news." It's
not rotten. It's the facts of
00:48:28.10\00:48:34.34
life, guys. You just can't take
a vacation. You got a problem
with that? Actually, it's the
00:48:34.34\00:48:39.21
very best news you can imagine.
The very goodest news that Jesus
could give us is found right
00:48:39.21\00:48:43.92
here. Put the word on --
Put the line on the screen again
00:48:43.92\00:48:46.76
from Noah's beginning.
00:48:46.76\00:48:48.66
One blotch, one blotch, one
letting your guard down, and
that stays with your story.
00:48:53.13\00:48:59.40
I understand that. Noah's
ending. Nobody papered over it.
00:48:59.40\00:49:04.44
And, by the way, if you want to
know the authenticity of the
word of God, it's because it
00:49:04.44\00:49:08.18
does that. No whitewashing in
this book. It always exposes the
00:49:08.18\00:49:15.18
reality. But the very good news,
in spite of that blotch, Noah
found grace in the eyes of the
00:49:15.18\00:49:19.89
Lord. You know why? Because
if you look at the vine --
00:49:19.89\00:49:21.96
Did you notice that a moment
ago? We were looking at the
00:49:21.96\00:49:24.16
vine. I always thought these
vines -- Seriously, I thought
they were just these nice little
00:49:24.16\00:49:27.40
rolling... You know, you
weave it into a little bit of
00:49:27.40\00:49:31.00
tapestry, and the grapes grow.
No, no, no. Did you notice how
00:49:31.00\00:49:34.20
gnarly, how ugly that wood was?
It's dry. 60 years that vine has
00:49:34.20\00:49:38.54
been growing.
00:49:38.54\00:49:39.84
Nothing pretty about that wood.
But that wood produces a red
00:49:40.01\00:49:46.95
liquid, and the red
liquid is what everybody wants.
00:49:46.95\00:49:53.36
Jesus stops in that silver
light, and he says, "Hey, guys,
00:49:53.36\00:49:57.99
I'm the vine.
You're the branches.
00:49:57.99\00:50:01.50
You'll see the red tomorrow.
She who abides in me, he who
00:50:01.50\00:50:07.07
abides in me -- I don't care
what your life has been -- I
00:50:07.07\00:50:11.51
promise you
fresh, new beginning.
00:50:11.51\00:50:16.91
Scars forever."
00:50:16.91\00:50:20.15
It's the gospel. It's
Calvary. That's this vine.
00:50:20.32\00:50:24.85
Jose the gardener is absolutely
right. We must remain --
00:50:24.85\00:50:28.26
His last words -- "We must
remain connected to Jesus." We
must remain connected to the
00:50:28.26\00:50:33.73
vine. And so that the Savior,
your Savior right now, with nail
00:50:33.73\00:50:37.70
scars in his hands, stands
in front of you -- Pretend like
00:50:37.70\00:50:41.37
there's nobody sitting in front
of you. It's just the Savior
00:50:41.37\00:50:43.57
standing there. He stands with
his nail-scarred hands
outstretched in front of you,
00:50:43.57\00:50:47.48
and you know what he's saying?
He's speaking the truth of the
vine -- "I am the vine.
00:50:47.48\00:50:52.75
You are the branch. You
abide in me, and I abide in you.
00:50:52.75\00:50:59.05
And you will bring forth much
fruit." So, the question to be
00:50:59.05\00:51:06.19
asked on this launching of
the new year is this. Are you
00:51:06.19\00:51:11.70
connected? Are you connected to
the vine? Are you connected to
Jesus? Some of you have never
00:51:11.70\00:51:16.37
been connected to him, not in
any sort of official, "I'm
telling myself I'm connected to
00:51:16.37\00:51:20.48
Jesus" sort of way. Some of
you, it's been an up-and-down,
00:51:20.48\00:51:24.98
up-and-down, in-and-out,
off-again, on-again... Would you
00:51:24.98\00:51:31.99
like to just stay? Would you
just -- Would you like to just
00:51:31.99\00:51:35.52
stay connected? I'm gonna give
you a way, and then I'll sit
down. It's a simple way.
00:51:35.52\00:51:40.23
You'll first brush it off as,
"Ah, too simple." No, it's not
00:51:40.23\00:51:44.90
too simple. Here's the -- Here's
the way. Every day, every
morning, when you start the day,
00:51:44.90\00:51:50.01
every morning, a simple prayer.
I'm gonna put the prayer on the
00:51:50.01\00:51:56.41
screen for you. Isn't that
simple? I'm gonna invite you to
say it out loud with me, will
00:52:05.22\00:52:09.09
you, please? Let's do it out
loud. Lord Jesus, I want you to
00:52:09.09\00:52:13.83
abide in my, and I want to abide
in you." It's such a simple
00:52:13.83\00:52:19.47
prayer. You pray in the morning,
pray it at noon -- when you're
at the cafeteria, pray it at
00:52:19.47\00:52:22.97
noon, eating at a restaurant,
eating at home, not eating at
all, at noon, pray the same
00:52:22.97\00:52:27.84
prayer. Lord Jesus, I want you
to abide in me, and I want to
abide in you, please.
00:52:27.84\00:52:34.72
Three times a day -- morning,
noon, and then, at night, before
going to bed, no matter how the
00:52:34.72\00:52:38.65
day has gone -- Lord Jesus, you
abide in me, and I abide in you.
That's what I want.
00:52:38.65\00:52:47.50
Every day. Do you know what?
When you pray that prayer --
00:52:47.50\00:52:51.53
Listen, when you pray that
prayer, you are asking for the
baptism of the Holy Spirit on
00:52:51.53\00:52:58.11
the spot. Because that's
the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
00:52:58.11\00:53:01.01
When he shows up, do you think
he talks about himself? Are you
00:53:01.01\00:53:04.01
kidding? When he shows up in
your heart and your mind, the
immediate sense you have is that
00:53:04.01\00:53:08.82
Jesus is connected. "Jesus
has just connected with me.
00:53:08.82\00:53:11.29
I am connected to Jesus right
now." Holy Spirit never says,
00:53:11.29\00:53:14.76
"Look at me." He always
says, "Keep your eyes on Jesus.
00:53:14.76\00:53:18.43
Just keep your eyes on Jesus."
Lord Jesus, I want you to abide
in me, and I want to abide in
00:53:18.43\00:53:27.70
you. You pray that prayer daily,
you will experience the daily
00:53:27.70\00:53:30.97
baptism of the Holy
Spirit. Daily. It's that simple.
00:53:30.97\00:53:35.68
It's the gospel truth. It's this
simple. So, this new year, why
00:53:35.68\00:53:45.22
not pray that prayer? ¤¤
00:53:45.22\00:53:53.80
¤¤ ¤¤
00:55:07.14\00:55:19.55
¤¤
00:56:52.24\00:57:02.08
>> Think of the last time
someone said, "I'm praying for
00:57:08.52\00:57:11.53
you." Didn't it
give you a sense of
00:57:11.53\00:57:13.56
peace and reassurance
that, "Somebody cares for me"?
00:57:13.56\00:57:16.60
I know how I feel when I get an
e-mail from one of our viewers
saying, "Yo, Dwight, I've been
00:57:16.77\00:57:20.74
praying for you lately." There's
nothing like knowing someone is
praying for you, so I
00:57:20.74\00:57:24.44
want to offer you an opportunity
to partner -- let me, let us,
partner with you in prayer.
00:57:24.44\00:57:28.81
If you have a special
prayer request or a praise of
00:57:28.98\00:57:31.45
thanksgiving you'd like to share
with us, I'm inviting you to
00:57:31.45\00:57:34.35
contact one of our
friendly chaplains.
00:57:34.35\00:57:36.28
It's simple to do.
You can call our toll-free
00:57:36.28\00:57:38.52
number -- 877-- the
two words -- HIS-WILL.
00:57:38.52\00:57:40.82
877-HIS-WILL. That
friendly voice that
00:57:40.82\00:57:44.56
answers, you tell him, you tell
her what your prayer need is,
00:57:44.56\00:57:47.73
and we'll join with
you in that petition.
00:57:47.73\00:57:49.96
And may the God who answers
prayer journey with you these
00:57:49.96\00:57:52.93
next few days until we're right
back here together again next
00:57:52.93\00:57:56.10
time.
00:57:56.10\00:57:57.07
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:01.18\00:58:18.99
¤¤
00:58:18.99\00:58:27.74