¤¤
00:00:00.20\00:00:07.90
[ "In Christ Alone" begins ]
00:00:10.87\00:00:13.78
[ "Oh Draw Me Lord" begins ]
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>> Well, good morning, boys and
girls. Nice to see you on this
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beautiful last Sabbath of
September. And, oh, my, has
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autumn come. Beautiful.
Beautiful. Hey, hey, hey. Did
you enjoy coming to church
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on a brand-new road in
front of the church? Ohhhh!
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Was that super-duper or what?
And we just learned a few hours
ago that that new building's
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going to be called the Andreasen
Wellness Center. I can't think
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of a finer couple to have that
named after -- Dr. and Mrs.
Andreasen. I'm glad you came.
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And I've got a story for
you from my friend Darius
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Jankiewicz. He got this from
Australia, but it happened in
Ohio. How do you like that?
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A few weeks ago, in North
Ridgeville, Ohio, a man gets off
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the train. He's on the Amtrak
train, and he gets off the
train, and it's 5:36 in the
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morning. Ooh! It's still dark
in the morning. He's gonna walk
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from the train station to his
house, and you know what? When
you're walking in the dark
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to your house, you're just kind
of like, "Ooh! What's happening
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around me?" And all of a sudden
-- all of a sudden -- he heard
footsteps behind him.
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[ Imitating footsteps ] "Oh,
somebody's behind me." [
Imitates footsteps ]
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He said, "I'll just walk a
little faster. That's not a
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problem. I can outwalk whoever
this is. Little faster." The
footsteps started getting
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faster. He said,
"I'll go to a little trot."
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He went to a trot. The footsteps
went into at trot. He said, "I
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am in trouble. Somebody's after
me!" He pulled out his phone and
dialed what numbers?
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>> 911. >> 911. The
lady at the North Ridgeville
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Police Department answered. "911
center. How may I help you?"
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"Excuse me, ma'am. I-I'm walking
home from the train station, and
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I'm telling you, somebody is
following me." "Sir, can you
give me an I.D.? Can you give me
00:09:11.01\00:09:15.58
a description of the person
who's behind you?" "No, I can't.
It's dark. I just know that the
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footsteps are right there."
"Sir, you need to --" "I can't.
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Could you just -- Could you just
send a car, please? I need the
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police." [ Imitates cellphone
disconnecting ] The lady looked.
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Two of her officers were in the
room. She said, "Hey, guys, I
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need one of you, a couple of
you, to go in that squad car. We
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got it down on Maddock Street.
I want you to see. There's a man
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that just called in. He said
he's being followed." So the
police jumped in their
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car. They're not gonna put any
sirens on -- no, no lights, no
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nothing, just the headlights.
And they're driving, okay? They
got the spotlight on him.
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Tch, tch, tch! They're
getting down to Maddock Street.
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Yep, there it is. Spotlight.
Tch, tch. "I see the man! I see
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him! He's just getting to the
corner of Center Avenue! Quick,
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quick, quick!" They hurry up,
and, sure enough... the man's
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being followed. Shh! He's being
followed. They said, "No, it
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can't be. That's impossible. Get
up closer! Come on, Sarge! Get
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up closer! Put the light really
bright!" They put the light
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really bright. He was being
followed. They saw it
themselves. "We're gonna have to
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arrest this man. We're
gonna arrest him!" And they did.
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They arrested him and put him in
the back of the car. Let's look
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at it. Let's see the picture.
They arrested him and put him in
the back of the car.
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"Ohh! Are you
serious?! That was a pig?!
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That was a pig following this
man -- a pet pig?! And he called
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911?" "I was scared." That's
a real pig in a police car.
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Isn't that something? The piggy
just wanted -- It was a pet pig.
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Still is. The piggy just wanted
to get up, and the piggy touched
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the man in the dark -- Ooh! --
because the piggy was just
wanting the man to pick him up.
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She -- Her name's Zoe. She just
wanted pet. "Just hold me close,
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Mister. Ahhh." Piggy wanted to
walk with him, but the man did
00:11:06.96\00:11:11.13
not want the piggy walking with
him. There's a verse in the
Bible that says, "Can two people
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walk together, unless they are
agreed?" Oh, I want to tell you
00:11:16.14\00:11:19.84
something. There's somebody in
this universe that wants to walk
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with you and He wants you to
walk with Him, and I'd like to
know what is His name who wants
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to walk with us,
please? Call it out. >> God.
00:11:31.29\00:11:35.39
>> Jesus. It's God. You are
absolutely right. Sometimes we
00:11:35.39\00:11:41.16
think, "Oh, I-I can't do that.
I'm not gonna walk with Him. No,
no, no, no, no, no."
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You're walking with your friend.
You don't have be afraid in
nighttime or daytime.
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He's always with you, and you're
always with Him. Ah. I want to
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thank Jesus for wanting to walk
with us. Would you like to thank
Jesus for walking with us?
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Yes, sir. I'm gonna
call on you. Come on up.
00:12:04.19\00:12:08.16
What's your name? >>
Artimore. >> Artimore?
00:12:08.16\00:12:11.29
>> Yeah. >> All right,
Artimore. I like that name.
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Let's close our eyes together
with Artimore. Let's fold our
00:12:13.63\00:12:18.07
hands as he thanks Jesus for
us. >> Dear Jesus, thank you for
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this day. And please help us to
be good students and please help
us to behave, as we always do.
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And please help us to be nice
and make good choices. In Jesus'
name, I pray. Amen.
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>> Amen. Thank you, Artimore.
You even got a line in for your
00:12:49.46\00:12:53.17
parents. Thank you, Jesus. Walk
with us, and we will walk with
00:12:53.17\00:12:59.14
You. God bless you
all. Happy Sabbath to you.
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[ "Battle Hymn of
the Republic" begins]
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>> ¤ Mine eyes have seen the
glory of the coming of the Lord
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¤ ¤ He is trampling out
the vintage where the grapes of
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wrath are stored ¤ ¤ He hath
loosed the fateful lightning of
His terrible swift sword ¤
00:13:51.16\00:13:59.80
¤ His truth is marching on ¤ >>
¤ Gloria! ¤ >> ¤ Glory, Glory,
00:13:59.80\00:14:13.92
hallelujah! ¤ >> ¤ Gloria!¤ >> ¤
Glory, glory, hallelujah! ¤ >> ¤
00:14:13.92\00:14:25.39
Gloria! Gloria! ¤ >> ¤ Glory,
glory, hallelujah! ¤ >> ¤
Gloria! ¤ >> ¤ His truth is
00:14:25.39\00:14:39.91
marching on ¤ ¤ I have seen Him
in the watch-fires of a hundred
00:14:45.51\00:14:53.05
circling camps ¤ ¤ They have
builded Him an altar in the
evening dews and damps ¤ ¤ I can
00:14:53.05\00:15:04.50
read His righteous sentence in
the dim and flaring lamps ¤ ¤
His day is marching on ¤
00:15:04.50\00:15:11.11
>> ¤ Is marching, is marching ¤
¤ Is marching, is marching ¤ >>
¤ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ¤
00:15:11.11\00:15:22.48
¤ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ¤ ¤
Glory, glory, hallelujah! ¤ ¤
His truth is marching on ¤
00:15:22.48\00:15:34.60
¤ In the beauty of the lilies
Christ was born across the sea ¤
¤ With a glory in His bosom that
00:16:04.33\00:16:25.91
transfigures you and me ¤ ¤ As
He died to make men holy, let us
die to make men free ¤
00:16:25.91\00:16:43.53
¤ While God is marching on ¤ ¤
Glory, glory, hallelujah! ¤ ¤
Glory, glory, hallelujah! ¤
00:16:43.53\00:17:00.85
¤ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ¤ ¤
His truth is marching on ¤ ¤
Glory, glory, hallelujah! ¤
00:17:00.85\00:17:17.67
¤ Glory, glory, hallelujah! ¤ ¤
Glory, glory, hallelujah! ¤ ¤
His truth is marching on ¤
00:17:17.67\00:17:34.98
¤ Amen ¤ ¤ Amen ¤ ¤ Amen ¤
00:17:34.98\00:17:51.07
>> Oh, God, Your truth is
marching on. It really is.
00:17:54.17\00:17:58.14
Sometimes it feels like
nothing's happening... and then
all hell breaks loose
00:17:58.14\00:18:04.31
on this planet. And there is
Your truth, in the midst of it
00:18:04.31\00:18:10.75
all. So, engage our minds now
in the few minutes we have left.
00:18:10.75\00:18:18.46
Press our hearts. We want to
take it away, what You have for
us, right now. We pray in Jesus'
00:18:18.46\00:18:26.80
name. Amen. I put a
picture on the screen for you.
00:18:26.80\00:18:31.11
Do you recognize who this is
on the screen? As far as we can
00:18:31.11\00:18:36.01
tell, not an alum from Andrews
University or Emmanuel
Missionary College or even
00:18:36.01\00:18:41.92
Battle Creek College --
about the same vintage as Battle
00:18:41.92\00:18:44.85
Creek. Do you recognize his
face? That is Karl Marx -- yep
00:18:45.02\00:18:49.39
-- the intellectual
father of Communism.
00:18:49.39\00:18:52.19
With his friend
Friedrich Engles, they crafted
00:18:52.19\00:18:56.43
together that little pamphlet,
"The Communist Manifesto" and
00:18:56.43\00:18:58.97
changed the planet, changed the
history of this Earth, forever
00:18:58.97\00:19:01.70
and ever. They did it.
00:19:01.70\00:19:04.04
Political atheism,
tour de force, took over
00:19:04.04\00:19:06.81
economics and...
society and culture.
00:19:06.81\00:19:11.68
So you can imagine my shock --
Okay. So, atheist Karl Marx. You
can imagine my shock when I
00:19:11.85\00:19:16.65
come across a tiny little
footnote -- I tell you the truth
-- small font, tucked away
00:19:16.65\00:19:22.36
at the end of a chapter in F.F.
Bruce's commentary on the Gospel
00:19:22.36\00:19:25.96
of John. Footnote number 2, page
316. I could not believe my
eyes. I'm gonna put it exactly
00:19:25.96\00:19:30.67
as it appears in that book on
the screen. "It is a matter of
00:19:30.67\00:19:35.34
historical interest that one of
the earliest literary works of
Karl Marx" -- listen -- "was a
00:19:35.34\00:19:41.78
graduation essay written at the
age of seventeen" -- now here
comes the title -- "on 'The
00:19:41.78\00:19:48.58
union of believers with Christ
according to John 15:1-14,
showing its basis and essence,
00:19:48.58\00:19:55.16
its absolute necessity, and its
effects." [Chuckling] Can you
00:19:55.16\00:20:01.00
believe that? 17 years old,
he writes a paper to prove the
00:20:01.00\00:20:05.97
absolute necessity of this union
with Christ found in John
15:1-14. Unbelievable.
00:20:05.97\00:20:13.34
And, by the way, his professor
marked the paper with these
words -- "A thoughtful, copious,
00:20:13.34\00:20:19.15
and powerful presentation
on the theme." [Chuckling]
00:20:19.15\00:20:25.69
Unbelievable! Can you imagine
what human history would be like
right now if he had believed
00:20:25.69\00:20:31.69
later in life what he wrote in
that graduation essay? I want to
00:20:31.69\00:20:37.90
take a look. Come on, alums.
Join us. I want to take a look
00:20:37.90\00:20:41.30
-- John 15. Something attracted
young Karl Marx... to this
00:20:41.30\00:20:47.64
chapter. I want to find out what
it is. Open your Bible with me,
please, to John chapter 15.
00:20:47.64\00:20:51.38
While you're finding that in
your Bible, let me tell you a
00:20:51.38\00:20:53.82
story. Once upon a time, there
was a man who was wildly popular
and politically hated.
00:20:53.82\00:20:58.65
It's late at night now. He and
his 11 followers are hurrying
out in the sleeping
00:20:58.65\00:21:02.76
city, down to that dark gorge
called the Kidron Valley, their
destination, the slope on the
00:21:02.76\00:21:11.17
other side, a slope bathed
tonight, because it's Passover,
with the full light of a full
00:21:11.17\00:21:18.07
moon. As they're hurrying
up that slope to their favorite
00:21:18.07\00:21:22.38
haunt, the garden called
Gethsemane, the leader, Jesus,
notices they're passing a
00:21:22.38\00:21:29.82
vineyard. He stops, steps off
the pathway in the silver light,
stands by the trellis, and says,
00:21:29.82\00:21:35.52
"Guys, come here. I have
something to tell you right
00:21:35.52\00:21:39.96
now." They huddle around
him. Little Karl Marx read these
00:21:39.96\00:21:48.10
words. I want to look at them
with you. The Gospel of John,
chapter 17, red-letter words in
00:21:48.10\00:21:52.84
my Bible. Chapter 15, rather.
Chapter 15. John chapter 15,
00:21:52.84\00:21:57.91
Jesus speaking. I got to tell
you something. I got to meet --
No kidding. I got to meet a
00:22:03.89\00:22:09.92
real, live vineyard gardener the
other day. His name is José.
He's a delightful human being.
00:22:09.92\00:22:16.46
I met him in a vineyard 5 miles
up the road, a vineyard we're
calling God's Vineyard.
00:22:16.46\00:22:22.17
We took our camera crew up to
that vineyard, shot a bunch of
conversations in the vineyard on
00:22:22.17\00:22:26.51
site. Alums, since you're
here, I want to run one of those
00:22:26.51\00:22:31.28
conversations for you. Just
take a look on the screen. ¤¤
00:22:31.28\00:22:41.62
¤¤ We are standing in what has
to be one of the most beautiful
00:22:41.62\00:22:50.33
spots here in Southwestern
Michigan. I'm standing here with
00:22:50.33\00:22:54.07
my friends Robin and José. And,
gentlemen, we are in the midst
00:22:54.07\00:22:59.14
of a vineyard. This is a real,
live vineyard. >> That's right.
>> Most of us have never lived
00:22:59.14\00:23:03.08
near a vineyard. And every year,
the university harvests this.
00:23:03.08\00:23:06.45
>> Right. >> And who picks
up the grapes? >> Well, the
00:23:06.45\00:23:10.29
university harvests, and all the
grapes go to Welch's, so... >>
You're talking about Welch's,
00:23:10.29\00:23:14.99
the juice company. >> The juice
company that was actually
started by a pastor to
00:23:14.99\00:23:19.26
create juice for communion. >>
So, Welch's gets all of this. >>
00:23:19.26\00:23:23.73
Mm-hmm. >> Andrews University's
vineyard. Really, this is God's
00:23:23.73\00:23:27.44
vineyard, right? >> It is, it
is. >> This is God's vineyard,
00:23:27.44\00:23:29.44
because the produce all
goes for God's mission. >> Amen.
00:23:29.44\00:23:31.81
>> Now, we're standing by a
vine, José. >> Right here, yeah.
00:23:31.81\00:23:34.61
>> Yeah. And you just told me
the age. I couldn't believe it.
00:23:34.61\00:23:37.68
How old is that vine? >> This
portion is like 60 years old.
00:23:37.68\00:23:41.25
>> We have a gnarly old vine.
This is not really an attractive
00:23:41.25\00:23:44.59
picture. >> No, no, it's not. >>
Show us where the branches come
00:23:44.59\00:23:47.82
out of the vine. >> Like, right
here. >> That's a branch. >>
Yeah, it's a branch, you
00:23:47.82\00:23:50.59
know? >> Oh, this is a
branch up here, as well.
00:23:50.59\00:23:52.53
Okay. And what are these?
>> Well, this is a runner.
00:23:52.53\00:23:55.43
So, we look for the good runner
just to leave with the unit for
00:23:55.43\00:23:59.37
next year. Prune it, and
produces good fruit. >> So, in
this juncture, we've
00:23:59.37\00:24:04.41
got branches coming together.
But the vine -- how essential is
00:24:04.41\00:24:09.81
that vine? >> It's very
essential. >> A branch can
survive on its own?
00:24:09.81\00:24:13.28
>> No, if we cut it open the
ground, this, for sure, is gonna
00:24:13.28\00:24:17.49
die. Needs to be connected with
the plant just to survive. >>
That's amazing to me that God
00:24:17.49\00:24:23.69
takes this -- this plant, and
He makes the points all the way
00:24:23.69\00:24:32.60
through Scripture. Vine, branch,
vineyard, and fruit. >> There's
also we have to stay
00:24:32.60\00:24:38.61
connected with that. >> Ooh,
I like that. >> Otherwise, we
00:24:38.61\00:24:42.18
cannot make it. Spiritual
things, you know? Needs to be
connected with that. Otherwise,
00:24:42.18\00:24:46.61
we cannot make it here. >>
Yeah, amen. Thank you, José.
00:24:46.61\00:24:48.68
>> Yeah. >> You're not
only a gardener, you're a good
00:24:48.68\00:24:51.25
preacher. >> Oh, man. ¤¤
00:24:51.25\00:24:59.26
>> That's what Jesus is talking
about. But He puzzles me, does
00:25:02.00\00:25:05.93
Jesus. I would have gone from
verse 1 immediately to verse 5.
"No, no, no, no, no," He says,
00:25:05.93\00:25:10.67
"I want to talk about something
else instead." Let me go back.
00:25:10.67\00:25:14.64
Read verse 1 with me, and we'll
plunge into verse 2. Jesus
speaking there in the
00:25:14.64\00:25:18.31
silver light.
00:25:18.31\00:25:19.21
You know, I don't understand
this, Jesus. Please, please,
00:25:31.46\00:25:35.30
please. You're making a point.
You're the vine. The Father's
00:25:35.30\00:25:38.50
the gardener. Why don't you tell
us who we are? Why don't you
00:25:38.50\00:25:40.60
just go to verse 5? "Hey,
you guys are the branches. You
00:25:40.60\00:25:43.10
invited me, and I invited
you. Wow! You're gonna bear much
00:25:43.10\00:25:45.57
fruit!" But, oh, no. You spoiled
a perfect moment. You start
talking about human
00:25:45.57\00:25:49.08
suffering, because what is
pruning? Pruning is the knife in
00:25:49.08\00:25:52.85
the hand of the gardener. Ouch!
It hurts! You're talking about
00:25:52.85\00:25:57.59
pain, and we want to talk about
fruit. I've never -- This little
00:25:57.59\00:26:04.96
4-week series that we've been
working through, it has always
puzzled me until just this week,
00:26:04.96\00:26:10.70
it hit me... why Jesus starts
talking about suffering. The
second word out of His mouth
00:26:10.70\00:26:14.77
is "pain"... because in less
than 24 hours, he'll be hanging
00:26:14.77\00:26:19.81
on a Roman cross by direct
command of the governor, the
procurator. He will have been
00:26:19.81\00:26:26.48
scourged at least twice, some
think maybe three times. His
back is shredded now.
00:26:26.48\00:26:32.02
The flesh hangs in strips. It is
bleeding profusely. He is nailed
00:26:32.02\00:26:37.59
-- He is nailed in a position
that brings on asphyxiation. You
strangulate to death through
00:26:37.59\00:26:41.66
crucifixion. The Latins coined a
word, "excruciatus," which means
00:26:41.66\00:26:45.83
"from out of the cross," and
when you say, "I have an
excruciating headache," "my pain
00:26:45.83\00:26:51.37
is from out of the cross." "No,
no, no, no, no, no! I'm gonna
talk about suffering
00:26:51.37\00:26:56.08
right now. My Father's gonna
take a knife, and in His hand,
00:26:56.08\00:27:04.19
that knife will be wield. You'll
feel pain. It will hurt. But
it's for the sake of fruit."
00:27:04.19\00:27:12.89
I have a friend we were visiting
just this week, right now going
through intense, immense
00:27:12.89\00:27:18.50
suffering. To even talk about
suffering, his face immediately
00:27:18.50\00:27:22.47
pops in my mind. I have multiple
faces of friends, people I love,
00:27:22.47\00:27:26.14
suffering right now. Wow.
Excruciatus. Went to God. "Come
00:27:26.14\00:27:37.05
on. Somebody try to talk God
out of this, huh? Isn't there
00:27:37.05\00:27:39.72
another way we can get fruit? Do
we have to go, 'Tss, tss, tss,
00:27:39.72\00:27:43.16
tss'?" Apparently not. A friend
of mine... who's a part of our
00:27:43.16\00:27:50.37
university family, Ante
Jeroncic, was reading the other
day. Came across a quotation.
00:27:50.37\00:27:55.50
I'd never seen it before
in my life. Sent it to me.
00:27:55.50\00:27:58.94
I'm gonna share it with you now.
Take a look at this. Written by
the American author
00:27:58.94\00:28:03.78
Ellen White a little over
a century ago. Words on the
00:28:03.78\00:28:07.32
screen. This is before the
quotation, but it's actually on
00:28:07.32\00:28:10.35
the same page. So, she tells
a little story to set up the
00:28:10.52\00:28:13.15
quotation. Here's her story.
00:28:13.15\00:28:15.06
Then after relating this
incident about a pomegranate
tree, she, as writers can do,
00:28:53.06\00:28:57.77
pivots on her heel and
immediately starts talking about
00:28:57.77\00:29:02.97
the vineyard. "But, Dwight, why
even bother with this?" I'll
tell you why -- because
00:29:02.97\00:29:06.17
we're having this glorious
homecoming, and everybody has
their most well-manicured faces
00:29:06.17\00:29:10.25
on, and when we see each other,
"Fine, thank you," and "How've
00:29:10.25\00:29:13.35
you been?" "Fine, thank you, and
you?" "Oh, great!' And there are
00:29:13.35\00:29:19.49
some of you here that are broken
internally. Your hearts have
been -- The stab wound is deep
00:29:19.49\00:29:26.63
through your heart. You are
suffering, and nobody here knows
00:29:26.63\00:29:31.43
it. I need you to go home
knowing there is somebody who
knows it, and that somebody has
00:29:31.43\00:29:39.51
His arms around you in the midst
of the pain. Now, the little
00:29:39.51\00:29:47.05
American writer,
words on the screen.
00:29:47.05\00:29:49.08
"Let's be thankful that through
painful pruning" -- Ouch, ouch,
ouch! -- "we may retain a
00:30:20.98\00:30:26.42
connection with the living Vine;
for if we suffer with Christ, we
shall one day also reign with
00:30:26.42\00:30:32.89
Him" -- Romans 8.
00:30:32.89\00:30:33.93
Guess what. When you're pruned
-- and some of us are being
00:30:42.24\00:30:46.01
pruned right now. When you
are pruned, your faith will be
00:30:46.01\00:30:51.31
tested to its max. You will have
to choose, "Shall I believe in a
God who allows this to happen to
00:30:51.31\00:30:56.48
me?" It will be an assault
against your faith, and you will
determine, "Will I hang on to
00:30:56.48\00:31:02.09
Him or not?" She's right.
00:31:02.09\00:31:06.19
My God, my God, why
have You forsaken me? Oooh.
00:31:18.74\00:31:23.65
Even God in human flesh felt
the knife in the hand of the
00:31:23.65\00:31:33.86
gardener. "What are you doing,
Dwight? You trying to rosy up
00:31:33.86\00:31:37.66
human suffering?" No, I'm not
trying to rosy up anything. But
I want you to know, those of
00:31:37.66\00:31:41.66
you who are suffering right now
and you're watching somewhere
right now, you're listening
00:31:41.66\00:31:46.37
somewhere right now, I need you
to know that the God of the
universe, who loves you with all
00:31:46.37\00:31:53.98
His heart, is holding on to you
and watching every step you and
He now make together.
00:31:53.98\00:32:02.78
He wins. He will get fruit.
And the two of you will spend
00:32:02.78\00:32:09.52
eternity enjoying that fruit
with each other forever and
00:32:09.52\00:32:16.53
ever. Amen. That's why Jesus
throws it in. Number 2 out of
00:32:16.53\00:32:21.57
his mouth -- "You're gonna get
pruned. Take heart." Now let's
00:32:21.57\00:32:27.94
keep reading. Verse 5,
verse 4. "Remain in me" --
00:32:28.11\00:32:30.65
the old King James, "Abide
in me, as I also abide in you."
00:32:30.65\00:32:34.48
"No branch can bear fruit by
itself; it must remain in the
00:32:34.48\00:32:37.45
vine. Neither can you bear fruit
00:32:37.45\00:32:39.25
unless you remain in,"
"unless you abide in," "me."
00:32:39.25\00:32:41.92
Oh, here it comes now, finally.
00:32:41.92\00:32:43.43
Zero, nada, nothing! "You
can do nothing apart from me...
00:32:52.47\00:32:57.51
just to let you know. Abide in
me. Remain in me. Let me remain
00:32:57.51\00:33:04.18
in you." You saw that just a
moment ago in that conversation
with Robin, the master of the
00:33:04.18\00:33:09.05
vineyard, and José, the master
gardener of the vineyard. You
saw where we brought the
00:33:09.05\00:33:12.79
camera right in so that we could
see how close is the connect
between the branch and the vine.
00:33:12.79\00:33:19.29
How close is it? Zoom in.
[ Chuckles ] It was close.
00:33:19.29\00:33:24.37
You heard about that Facebook
study, didn't you, that they did
00:33:24.53\00:33:27.37
with the University of Milan?
That would be over in Italy.
00:33:27.37\00:33:30.07
Their scientists collaborated
together, and they took --
00:33:30.07\00:33:33.54
they took 721 million Facebook
users as a sample and reported
00:33:33.54\00:33:39.65
that the average number of
acquaintances separating any two
00:33:39.65\00:33:42.68
people in the world was not six.
We used to hang around when this
00:33:42.68\00:33:46.05
idea of six degrees of
separation -- you remember that?
00:33:46.05\00:33:48.49
That's from some obscure writer
named Karinthy, in 1929, a short
00:33:48.49\00:33:52.43
story, "Chains," in which he
suggested no one is more than a
00:33:52.43\00:33:56.33
string of six friends
away from any other person --
00:33:56.33\00:33:59.00
separation of six.
00:33:59.00\00:34:01.44
But they crunched the numbers.
For Facebook users -- you have
to be on Facebook for this --
00:34:01.60\00:34:06.11
and they discovered that, in
fact, Facebook users enjoy a
4.74 degrees of separation.
00:34:06.11\00:34:14.15
By the way, it's even closer in
the United States, where
everybody 13 years and older --
00:34:14.15\00:34:18.79
Half, half, of America 13 years
and older is on Facebook, and
the degree of separation for the
00:34:18.79\00:34:26.26
U.S. is 4.37. Now, how close
is that? So they gave us this
00:34:26.26\00:34:30.33
little illustration. Let
me share it with you. "Take a
00:34:30.33\00:34:33.34
jungle dweller in Papua New
Guinea and a tundra dweller in
Siberia" -- and they both have
00:34:33.34\00:34:37.77
to be Facebook users. You have
to be a Facebook user. "That
means that a friend of your
00:34:37.77\00:34:44.91
friend probably knows a friend
of their friend." "Wow, Dwight!
We really are a close society."
00:34:44.91\00:34:50.82
Yeah, we sure are. Now that
Facebook has redefined the
definition of "friend," you
00:34:50.82\00:34:55.19
can have a million friends and
not be close to a single one of
00:34:55.19\00:34:58.66
them. >> Oh, no. Oh, no. >> "No,
no, no, no," Jesus says. "I'm
00:34:58.66\00:35:06.40
not talking 4.37. I'm not
talking two. I'm not talking
one. I'm talking zero degree.
00:35:06.40\00:35:10.71
Read my lips. There will be
zero-degree separation because
00:35:10.71\00:35:14.61
I'm gonna abide in you and
you're gonna abide in me, and
we'll be this tight."
00:35:14.61\00:35:18.35
You let anything more than zero
come in between you and Jesus,
you will sap and bleed to death.
00:35:18.35\00:35:23.82
You cannot live. Tight --
that zero-degree separation.
00:35:23.82\00:35:30.89
"That's what I'm talking about,"
Jesus says. "I'm the vine.
00:35:30.89\00:35:33.73
You're the branches. If you
abide in me and I in you, our
zero degree of separation
00:35:33.73\00:35:38.27
means that you will bear
much fruit." So, it's a very big
00:35:38.27\00:35:43.20
deal. Hey, listen, alum friend,
you may have gone all these
years since you graduated from
00:35:43.20\00:35:47.28
Andrews University, and, you
know, the notion may have
crossed your mind somewhere
00:35:47.28\00:35:50.68
along the way, "You know, it's
not that big a deal. I know it
was a big deal when I
00:35:50.68\00:35:54.32
was at Andrews University. I'm
telling you it's not a big deal.
00:35:54.32\00:35:57.45
You can pretty much cut it
professionally. You can pretty
00:35:57.45\00:36:00.92
much cut it financially. You
don't have to worry about this
zero-separation stuff."
00:36:00.92\00:36:06.19
I'm telling you, you are dead
wrong. And I don't know how old
00:36:06.19\00:36:13.00
you are and I don't know what
honored class you aren't... but
you're here, and I'm telling
00:36:13.00\00:36:18.97
you... that Jesus is saying
[Snapping fingers] "Let's go.
00:36:18.97\00:36:26.11
I want what we used to have.
I want what we used to have,
00:36:26.11\00:36:34.29
please. Abide in me. Let me
abide in you. Don't worry about
00:36:34.29\00:36:40.06
the pruning. We'll be tight.
As you go through it, we'll be
00:36:40.06\00:36:45.57
tight." There's a little prayer
that we've been learning around
here, and, alums, I want to
00:36:45.57\00:36:49.27
share it with you, as well. You
pray this prayer three times a
day, you'll be -- you'll --
00:36:49.27\00:36:53.07
you'll be -- you'll be zero
separation. You pray this prayer
00:36:53.07\00:36:56.04
three times a day -- and mean
it, sorry -- and mean it --
simple little prayer.
00:36:56.04\00:36:59.71
Put it on the screen for you.
00:36:59.71\00:37:00.65
Now, it can't get any simpler
than that, can it? "Lord Jesus,
00:37:09.16\00:37:13.73
please abide in me... and
let me abide in You." That's it.
00:37:13.73\00:37:18.70
Pray that three times a
day, morning, noon, and night --
00:37:18.70\00:37:22.50
three times a day. Let's do it
out loud. Just see how it feels.
00:37:22.50\00:37:25.31
Does it feel okay? Is it too
long a prayer? Let's try it out
loud together. Read it off the
00:37:25.31\00:37:28.71
screen. >> "Lord Jesus, please
abide in me, and let me abide in
You." Hey, you say that in the
00:37:28.71\00:37:35.45
morning. You say that at noon.
You're eating in the cafeteria.
00:37:35.45\00:37:37.89
You're eating in some elegant
restaurant because of who you
are in the business world.
00:37:37.89\00:37:42.29
Doesn't matter to me. Nighttime,
you're crawling into bed.
00:37:42.29\00:37:45.26
Three times a day -- "Lord
Jesus, please abide in me, and
let me abide in you."
00:37:45.26\00:37:53.23
Wow. It's a big deal. Zero
degree of separation is a big
00:37:53.23\00:38:00.68
deal. Verse 6. We're moving
to the punch line now -- a verse
00:38:00.68\00:38:04.41
we've not read once.
00:38:04.41\00:38:05.31
Verse 6 -- "If you do not
remain in me," or "abide in me,"
00:38:05.48\00:38:07.98
"you are like a branch
that's thrown away and withers."
00:38:07.98\00:38:10.02
Why would they keep the branch?
Why would the vineyard gardener
00:38:10.02\00:38:12.29
keep that branch?
There's no fruit on it.
00:38:12.29\00:38:13.89
Throw it away. "Such
branches are picked up,
00:38:13.89\00:38:15.69
thrown into the
fire and burned."
00:38:15.69\00:38:17.56
But -- verse 7 -- "If you remain
in me and my words remain in
you, ask whatever you wish, and
00:38:17.73\00:38:22.50
it will be done for you. "This
is to my Father's glory, that
you bear much fruit,
00:38:22.50\00:38:26.50
showing yourselves to be my
disciples." Now hold on, because
00:38:26.50\00:38:30.24
here comes the
grand climax -- verse 9.
00:38:30.24\00:38:32.51
That's it. "As the Father has
loved me, so I have loved you --
00:38:39.78\00:38:46.62
now remain in My love." You know
what that means? Come on. Come
00:38:46.62\00:38:50.89
on. That means if we can somehow
fathom the love between the
Father and the Son, whatever
00:38:50.89\00:38:54.36
names they used before they were
Father and Son -- who cares? But
the love between those two
00:38:54.36\00:38:59.13
divine beings -- if we can
fathom how close they were and
are, Jesus says, "That's exactly
00:38:59.13\00:39:04.17
how I love you. That's exactly
what it's gonna be between you
00:39:04.17\00:39:07.68
and me -- the same thing." So,
how close were the Father and
00:39:07.68\00:39:12.28
Son? Who knows for sure? Andrew
Murray, the great spiritual
writer from Africa,
00:39:12.28\00:39:16.95
the continent of Africa, back in
the 19th century, grappled with
how to describe the love of the
00:39:16.95\00:39:21.76
Father and the love of the Son.
This is from his marvelous book
"Abiding in Christ," which, by
00:39:21.76\00:39:26.03
the way, is online. You can get
it absolutely free in five
different forms of PDFs.
00:39:26.03\00:39:30.13
Okay. On the
screen, Andrew Murray.
00:39:30.13\00:39:32.03
"Love needs an object to
whom it can give itself away."
00:39:32.20\00:39:36.34
You know, when you were on this
campus, you fell in love, alums.
00:39:36.34\00:39:39.81
Students who are
here, they fall in love.
00:39:39.81\00:39:42.04
I watch it every -- We
go through the ritual every
00:39:42.04\00:39:43.98
year. When love
happens, here's what
00:39:43.98\00:39:47.75
happens. "Love
needs an object to whom it
00:39:47.75\00:39:49.88
can give itself away, in
whom it can lose itself."
00:39:49.88\00:39:52.19
When you fall in love with
somebody, you lose yourself.
00:39:52.19\00:39:53.96
You say, "Listen, I'm
yours, and you're mine."
00:39:53.96\00:39:57.13
What's the other line?
"With whom it can make itself
00:39:57.13\00:39:59.03
one." Murray
said, "Wait a minute.
00:39:59.03\00:40:01.03
Wait a minute."
"Because God is love," He is
00:40:01.03\00:40:03.37
that, "there must
be a Father and a Son."
00:40:03.37\00:40:05.83
There just had to be.
You can't be single, one, and
00:40:05.83\00:40:09.04
have nobody around
you and not have love.
00:40:09.04\00:40:11.67
You can't -- It's not
love when it's only you.
00:40:11.67\00:40:14.61
You have to have an
object for that love.
00:40:14.61\00:40:18.68
Give freely. "The
love of the Father to the
00:40:18.68\00:40:20.18
Son is that divine passion"
-- "pasión," as you say -- "the
00:40:20.18\00:40:22.58
divine passion with which He
delights in the Son, and hence
00:40:22.58\00:40:25.42
declares, 'This is My
beloved Son, in whom I am well
00:40:25.42\00:40:27.92
pleased.'" Now hold on.
00:40:27.92\00:40:29.26
"The divine love" --
and this -- this is hot.
00:40:29.26\00:40:31.56
"The divine love is as a burning
fire; in all its intensity and
00:40:31.56\00:40:36.63
infinity it has but one object
and but one joy, and that is in
00:40:36.63\00:40:41.67
the Other."
We're talking hot love.
00:40:41.67\00:40:44.27
You ever heard of the book the
Song of Solomon? It's a great
00:40:44.44\00:40:49.04
book. When you try to read it in
public, you got to edit it like
crazy because there are just
00:40:49.04\00:40:52.55
some, you know, anatomical
features that are mentioned
there that you don't read in
00:40:52.55\00:40:56.55
church. But it's a love song.
She sings, he sings, she sings,
00:40:56.55\00:41:01.29
he sings, all the way through.
And the scholars believe, of
course, it's between Solomon and
00:41:01.29\00:41:05.29
a young -- a young, perhaps,
even an Egyptian princess --
00:41:05.29\00:41:12.23
girl. Anyway, yeah, it gets
really -- it gets really...thick
and gooey as you go through it.
00:41:12.23\00:41:18.47
[ Laughter ] But what would
happen? And, you know, scholars
00:41:18.47\00:41:21.61
say, "Well, it could be that
this is a description of God and
00:41:21.61\00:41:24.38
His love for us." Well, okay.
But what if, in fact, it were a
description of God with His love
00:41:24.38\00:41:29.22
for each other in the Trinity?
What if they're singing this
song to each other?
00:41:29.22\00:41:33.72
I mean, do you remember it?
What is this song in the Song of
00:41:33.72\00:41:37.29
Solomon? ¤ I am my beloved, and
He is mine ¤ ¤ His banner over
00:41:37.29\00:41:42.36
me is love ¤ ¤ I am my beloved,
and He is ¤ I'm the only guy
that knows this, apparently.
00:41:42.36\00:41:47.14
¤ I am my beloved, and He is
mine ¤ ¤ His banner over me is
00:41:47.14\00:41:52.81
love ¤ >> ¤ I am my beloved, and
He is mine ¤ ¤ His banner over
00:41:52.81\00:41:58.45
me is love ¤ ¤ His
banner ¤ ¤ Over me ¤ ¤ Is love ¤
00:41:58.45\00:42:03.25
>> Would that bother you if God
was singing it to each other?
00:42:03.25\00:42:08.46
Would that -- Would that bother
you? It's kind of like when
you're young with your parents.
00:42:08.46\00:42:11.16
You remember when your parents
kissed each other in front of
00:42:11.16\00:42:14.20
you? When you were a kid,
you loved it. "Yay! More, more,
00:42:14.20\00:42:17.23
more!" But by the time you got
to be a teenager and then they
kissed each other, it's like,
00:42:17.23\00:42:20.97
"Oh, Dad, please stop! What
are you doing? Do that somewhere
00:42:20.97\00:42:25.87
else!" [ Laughter ] When you
get older, you get a little more
00:42:25.87\00:42:28.68
sensitive to this stuff. "I
mean, God, I mean, you're
singing to -- Stop!"
00:42:28.68\00:42:32.35
God says, "Hey, I am love. You
didn't think I wouldn't have a
red-hot passion for Him,
00:42:32.35\00:42:40.32
did you?" What did Jesus
say? Verse 9. "As the Father has
00:42:40.32\00:42:47.66
loved Me, so have I loved you --
now remain" -- you, boy, you,
girl -- "remain in that love."
00:42:47.66\00:42:53.44
Can you believe it? As the
Father loves Christ and Christ
loves the Father, Jesus
00:42:53.44\00:42:56.50
said, "That's the way I'm gonna
love you. I'm gonna be that
00:42:56.50\00:42:59.14
close -- zero-degree separation,
you and me." "Yuck! No!"
00:42:59.14\00:43:02.78
"You're gonna love it. You and
me." Now, Murray has to struggle
00:43:02.78\00:43:10.55
a little with Christ loving us
-- not as much -- and then he
makes a point you have never in
00:43:10.55\00:43:17.79
your life read before. I have
never read it before. This will
blow you out of the
00:43:17.79\00:43:21.70
water. Let's
take a look at this.
00:43:21.70\00:43:25.07
Put it on the screen for you.
By the way, you have a study
00:43:25.23\00:43:27.97
guide with all
these quotes in it.
00:43:27.97\00:43:29.74
You can take it home.
00:43:29.74\00:43:31.64
He's following you. He's
tracking you down. Every
morning, He's on your
00:43:46.72\00:43:51.49
path. He's just hoping, "This
will be the day she, this will
00:43:51.49\00:43:55.66
be the day he, says yes to
me." And then comes this line.
00:43:55.66\00:44:02.64
"What? Are you serious?"
Is that a crazy thought? If...
00:44:10.68\00:44:19.75
a second death... if the
hell of calvary one more time...
00:44:19.75\00:44:26.49
could bring him, could bring
you, could bring me to Him...
the line suggests...
00:44:26.49\00:44:33.87
He'd be willing to go through
that hell again. [ Scoffs ]
"Can't believe it."
00:44:33.87\00:44:42.08
You're loved that much!
00:44:42.08\00:44:44.71
So, that's it. "As the Father
has loved me, so I have loved
00:45:02.13\00:45:08.40
you -- now remain... in my
love." You know, if I really
00:45:08.40\00:45:16.85
understood the depth of God's
love for me, if you really could
comprehend the depth of His love
00:45:16.85\00:45:24.15
for you, you know what? There
would be no mountain we would
00:45:24.15\00:45:27.36
not climb. There would be no sea
we would not cross. There would
00:45:27.36\00:45:31.33
be no suffering we could not
endure if we knew that He loved
us all the way through to the
00:45:31.33\00:45:39.17
end. "Do whatever You want
with my life. All I want is You.
00:45:39.17\00:45:44.51
All I want is You. Do with me
whatever you wish! All I want,
00:45:44.51\00:45:50.05
Jesus -- all I want --
is You, please. Por favor."
00:45:50.05\00:45:54.38
I can't figure it all out, but
this much I know. There's a new
00:45:59.75\00:46:06.73
prayer I'm praying. There's
a writer or a psalmist named
00:46:06.73\00:46:15.80
Asaph, who, in the Bible -- I
don't know if it's a song he
wrote or a prayer he composed,
00:46:15.80\00:46:23.41
but he wrote a line. It's a
profound line. I'm leaving you
00:46:23.41\00:46:27.28
with it right now. Psalm 73:25.
00:46:27.28\00:46:29.35
Wow. Are you serious?
00:46:58.11\00:47:02.92
You'd throw everything else
away if you could just have Him?
00:47:02.92\00:47:06.76
Apparently so. "Whom
have I in heaven but you?
00:47:06.76\00:47:10.36
Nothing on this earth
that I desire besides You."
00:47:10.36\00:47:14.93
It's when you've gone through
a lot of pruning that you get to
00:47:14.93\00:47:18.23
that stage. It is a stage.
00:47:18.23\00:47:22.77
You get to it.
You don't choose it.
00:47:22.77\00:47:27.51
It chooses you.
00:47:27.51\00:47:30.01
Tommy Tenney, my friend...
Vincent Dehm -- boy, was that a
great week of prayer we had last
00:47:30.18\00:47:36.15
week or what? Vincent, Pastor
Vincent. Man, if you can find
00:47:36.15\00:47:39.85
that, get copies of those
messages. Incredible. Watered my
own soul. His opening lecture,
00:47:39.85\00:47:44.13
he mentions Tommy Tenney. I
said, "Man, I thought I was the
only guy in the world that
00:47:44.13\00:47:46.86
knew about the writer Tommy
Tenney." So, last week, I pulled
00:47:46.86\00:47:50.07
the book out -- Tommy Tenney's
book "The God Chasers." I read
the book through again.
00:47:50.07\00:47:54.94
Tommy Tenney makes one line. I'm
putting it on the screen. You
have it in the study guide.
00:47:54.94\00:47:58.67
You can take it
home. Here's the line.
00:47:58.67\00:48:01.28
Isn't that something? "Who
want the Blesser more than the
00:48:12.25\00:48:17.93
blessings." My prayers usually
are, "Gimme, gimme, gimme,
gimme, gimme. I want that, I
00:48:17.93\00:48:21.90
want that, I want that, I want
that." No. You'll come the place
someday, maybe when the pruning
00:48:21.90\00:48:25.97
is ouchy enough... to when you
realize it's not the blessings
00:48:25.97\00:48:34.04
that matter. "It's the Blesser I
want." So I wrote a little
prayer, and I try to pray it
00:48:34.04\00:48:40.92
through the day, for what it's
worth. Totally uninspired
prayer. I understand.
00:48:40.92\00:48:47.79
I'll put it on the screen
for you. It's in your little
00:48:47.79\00:48:50.36
take-home. Amen. That's it.
00:49:14.68\00:49:19.25
You'll come to the place. You'll
come to the place where what
matters in the end...
00:49:19.42\00:49:27.30
will be only He... only He.
00:49:27.30\00:49:32.20
I need to make an invitation
right now. I'm not gonna ask you
00:49:50.15\00:49:55.76
to come forward. But I'm
gonna ask you to do something.
00:49:55.76\00:50:06.80
If you would like to move your
relationship with Jesus to the
next level, wherever you are
00:50:06.80\00:50:12.17
right now to the next level...
campus community, alums... if
you would like to move your
00:50:12.17\00:50:22.18
relationship to the next
level... and you're willing to
00:50:22.18\00:50:31.06
say... "You got the pruning
shears. They're in your hand. I
00:50:31.06\00:50:39.43
want You. No matter what
happens, I want You"... I invite
you to stand on your
00:50:39.43\00:50:46.84
feet. You're not
moving out into the aisle.
00:50:46.84\00:50:49.28
You're not doing anything. But,
hey, hey, hey, don't just jump
up,'cause this is not the
00:50:49.28\00:50:54.88
closing prayer. This is not the
closing prayer, so I'm not just
00:50:54.88\00:50:58.95
asking you to stand because,
well, let's pray. I'm asking you
to intelligently make a decision
00:50:58.95\00:51:05.43
right now. And you're saying by
this decision -- You're not
saying a thing to me.
00:51:05.43\00:51:10.10
But if you're standing right
now, so help you, God, you are
saying to Him, "The pruning
00:51:10.10\00:51:17.17
shears are in your hands. Do
whatever it takes. I want to
come to where You are
00:51:17.17\00:51:26.75
all that matters to me." The God
of Heaven... who has stuck with
00:51:26.75\00:51:37.73
you and me through thick and
thin... His arm goes around you.
The spirit of God grabs your
00:51:37.73\00:51:46.07
heart and draws it to His. He'll
know. He accepts the decision.
00:51:46.07\00:51:54.71
The best -- Listen to me. The
best is yet to come. Forget the
00:51:54.71\00:52:03.85
pruning shears. The best is yet
to come. You will never regret
what is ahead because you prayed
00:52:03.85\00:52:16.00
this decision.
00:52:16.00\00:52:17.90
I want to invite the rest of you
to stand to your feet, as well,
00:52:25.57\00:52:30.48
please, right now. We will have
the closing prayer right now.
00:52:30.48\00:52:34.22
Oh, God... here -- here we
are... little Andrews University
00:52:38.79\00:52:47.30
family in a very big world. For
a few moments... eternal spirit
00:52:47.30\00:52:58.21
has... injected Himself into
our consciousness. And we want
00:52:58.21\00:53:06.92
Jesus. More than the blessings,
we want the Blesser... please.
00:53:06.92\00:53:13.36
And so we stand. Pruning
shears... they're in Your hand.
00:53:13.36\00:53:21.96
Master gardener, whatever
you decide... we want Jesus.
00:53:21.96\00:53:34.98
In His name, we pray.
Amen. You may be seated.
00:53:34.98\00:53:45.55
[ "I'd Rather
Have Jesus" begins ]
00:53:45.55\00:53:49.46
[ Congregation sings ]
00:54:00.57\00:54:03.47
And now may the grace of the
Father... and the love of Christ
00:56:31.69\00:56:38.13
Jesus... and the fellowship of
the Holy Spirit be with you all.
00:56:38.13\00:56:45.13
Amen. [ Organ plays ]
00:56:45.13\00:56:48.07
>> One of the hot debates
on this planet today is this
00:56:59.35\00:57:02.15
collective conversation
about Creation versus evolution.
00:57:02.15\00:57:05.99
While there are a
thousand voices offering their
00:57:05.99\00:57:07.76
perspectives, the truth is that
in God's word, there are some
00:57:07.76\00:57:10.93
pretty definitive statements.
In fact, I examine those
00:57:10.93\00:57:14.30
statements and the evidence
for Creation in a little book I
00:57:14.30\00:57:17.33
wrote, "Creation and Evolution:
A Thoughtful Look at the
00:57:17.33\00:57:20.27
Evidence That a Master Designed
and Created Our Planet."
00:57:20.27\00:57:23.24
I'd love for you to join the
conversation and check out the
00:57:23.24\00:57:26.47
evidence for yourself.
In fact, if you call our
00:57:26.47\00:57:29.64
toll-free number, 877-HIS-WILL,
the two words "His Will," I'll
00:57:29.64\00:57:33.11
make sure one of these books,
at no charge to you, is in the
00:57:33.11\00:57:36.22
mail. The number again --
00:57:36.22\00:57:37.65
877-HIS-WILL.
Let the operator know
00:57:37.65\00:57:40.52
you want the book
"Creation and Evolution."
00:57:40.52\00:57:42.82
And we'll get it in the
mail to you as soon as possible.
00:57:42.82\00:57:46.76
Until we're together again right
here on "New Perceptions" next
00:57:46.76\00:57:49.60
week, may the grace, the peace,
and the hope of a Creator abide
00:57:49.60\00:57:56.00
with you.
00:57:56.00\00:57:57.07
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:00.34\00:58:18.93
¤¤
00:58:18.93\00:58:28.07