¤¤ [ "Mighty to Save" begins ]
00:00:00.20\00:00:12.44
¤¤ ¤¤
00:00:12.44\00:00:28.89
¤¤
00:00:28.89\00:00:34.73
¤¤ >> I invite
everybody to stand
00:03:18.33\00:03:23.93
up for our next
song. [ "My Hope is Built
00:03:23.93\00:03:26.10
on Nothing Less" begins ] ¤¤
00:03:26.10\00:03:35.14
¤¤
00:03:35.14\00:03:40.92
¤¤ [ "In Christ Alone" begins ]
00:06:57.88\00:07:09.09
¤¤ ¤¤
00:07:09.09\00:07:24.44
¤¤
00:08:50.53\00:08:58.90
¤¤
00:09:40.41\00:09:46.25
>> Well, good morning, boys and
girls. Nice to see you on this
00:09:49.18\00:09:51.89
-- the sun's coming out --
Sabbath. Thank you, Deacon
Milan. What a beautiful first --
00:09:51.89\00:09:56.66
Is this the first Sabbath
in November? Whew. Tsk-tsk-tsk.
00:09:56.66\00:10:00.30
Next thing you
know, it'll be Christmas.
00:10:00.46\00:10:03.06
[ Chuckles ] Nice to have you.
00:10:03.06\00:10:05.07
Everybody, have a
seat. Good, good, good.
00:10:05.07\00:10:07.40
Today's story comes from a young
preacher/writer named Nelson
00:10:07.57\00:10:12.51
Searcy. He's over in New York.
He's telling a story about going
to a baseball game with his
00:10:12.51\00:10:17.75
8-year-old nephew. Anybody here
8 years old? I just have to be
00:10:17.75\00:10:21.62
able to picture this 8-year-old.
Okay, your age, your age, your
age, your age, your age.
00:10:21.62\00:10:26.22
His name is Timmy. So, Uncle
Nelson is taking Timmy to the
ballgame -- the baseball
00:10:26.22\00:10:32.16
game. And, oh, they're having a
good time, and Timmy's standing
00:10:32.16\00:10:35.00
up and cheering. And about the
fourth inning -- all right? --
00:10:35.00\00:10:38.30
the fourth inning -- Timmy stops
and he looks up into Uncle
Nelson's face and he says,
00:10:38.30\00:10:44.27
"Uncle Nelson, can I have some
Skittles?" Do you know what
Skittles are? >> Yes!
00:10:44.27\00:10:50.15
>> Okay. "Can I have
some Skittles?" And, oh, Uncle
00:10:50.15\00:10:54.95
Nelson's heart was just moved.
How could you say no to a
smiling face like that?
00:10:54.95\00:10:59.05
He said, "Of course,
Timmy, you may. Lookit, lookit.
00:10:59.05\00:11:02.36
Here are a couple dollars. I
want you to take that over to
the concession stand over there,
00:11:02.36\00:11:05.99
give this to the man, ask for a
Skittles, and you'll get them."
And Timmy's eager hands grabbed
00:11:05.99\00:11:10.30
Uncle Nelson's $2, and he said,
"I'm going straight over here to
get that -- those Skittles."
00:11:10.30\00:11:15.57
And he hands the $2 up to the
concession stand, and the man
reaches out and he says, "Okay,
00:11:15.57\00:11:20.54
son, here you go." And Timmy had
his own Skittles. In fact,
before he even gets
00:11:20.54\00:11:27.28
back -- wshooh. [
Inhales raspily ] [ Munching ]
00:11:27.28\00:11:32.49
[ Coughs ] [ Munching ]
He had eaten them all the way
00:11:32.49\00:11:36.39
back. He sits right
down beside Uncle Nelson.
00:11:36.39\00:11:38.86
[ Inhales raspily ] [ Munching
] Wiping red and green and blue
00:11:38.86\00:11:42.70
all over his sleeve. "Oh! These
are good. Oh!" [ Munching ]
00:11:42.70\00:11:47.10
And Uncle Nelson, watching Timmy
eat the Skittles, begins to
develop a little hunger pain in
00:11:47.10\00:11:53.84
his own stomach. And he says,
"Hey, Timmy, may I have a few
00:11:53.84\00:12:00.35
Skittles?" [ Inhales raspily ]
[ Munching ] "Uncle Nelson, no."
00:12:00.35\00:12:04.99
[ Laughter ] "There are
not many left." "What?!"
00:12:04.99\00:12:13.06
And Uncle Nelson's looking at
him, and you can just see the
steam rising in his body.
00:12:13.06\00:12:19.13
He wants to say to him, "You
brat. Who do you think gave you
00:12:19.13\00:12:25.81
that money to buy those Skittles
in the first place, huh?! You
want to take this outside
00:12:25.81\00:12:30.41
and figure it out?!" [ Light
laughter ] But he didn't say it.
00:12:30.41\00:12:34.95
No, he just sat there, stewing.
"Oh, I'm hungry for Skittles.
00:12:34.95\00:12:41.72
Ohh." And then, all of a sudden,
it came to Uncle Nelson's mind,
00:12:41.72\00:12:44.96
"Wait a minute. That's exactly
what I do to God. God gives me
some money, I go out and buy
00:12:44.96\00:12:51.07
something and I bring it back,
and God says, 'Yo, Nelson, could
I have a little bit, please?'
00:12:51.07\00:12:55.40
And I say, 'No, there aren't
many left now.'" [Sighing] Ohh.
00:12:55.40\00:13:03.41
Now, wait a minute, wait a
minute, wait a minute, wait a
00:13:03.41\00:13:07.05
minute. Did -- Hey, hey,
hey -- Did Jesus die to give us
00:13:07.05\00:13:13.02
Skittles? >> No. >> No? No,
Jesus died to give us all of
00:13:13.02\00:13:20.50
Heaven. He gave us all these
little moneys -- Where is it? He
gave us all these little
00:13:20.50\00:13:25.77
moneys so that when the time
comes, He's say, "Could I --
Could I have just a little bit
00:13:25.77\00:13:30.67
of that for My work?" [ Inhaling
raspily ] "No, Jesus, I don't
00:13:30.67\00:13:35.41
have much left.
Thank you." What?!
00:13:35.41\00:13:39.41
Hey, how does that Bible --
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa, you just
00:13:39.41\00:13:43.49
about got those Skittles. [
Laughter ] How did -- How did
00:13:43.49\00:13:48.22
that Bible verse go -- John
3:16? Can anybody here -- I'm
looking at a bright bunch -- Can
00:13:48.22\00:13:54.36
anybody here repeat John 3:16?
Let me see the hand of somebody
who can repeat John 3:16.
00:13:54.36\00:13:58.70
Sissy, can you do that? >> "For
God so loved the world, that He
00:13:58.70\00:14:03.87
gave His only Son, Jesus, for
whosoever shall believe in Him
shall not perish, but have
00:14:03.87\00:14:09.88
everlasting life." >> Amen!
Sissy, come right here and stand
00:14:09.88\00:14:12.31
with me. Come right here and
stand with me. What's your name?
00:14:12.31\00:14:13.98
>> My name is Ava. >> Ava.
That was so well done, Ava.
00:14:13.98\00:14:17.12
Stay right here. Okay, "God so
loved the world." That's why the
00:14:17.12\00:14:21.89
Cross. That's why He came. Not
just to give us Skittles but to
give us all of eternity.
00:14:21.89\00:14:26.16
"Can I have a little of that to
help Me with My work?" Jesus,
you can have it all.
00:14:26.16\00:14:32.40
Oh. Who would like to thank
Jesus for being the one who has
00:14:32.40\00:14:39.67
given His all to us? Jonathan,
your hand up? Come on up here.
00:14:39.67\00:14:48.48
Come on up here. Ava and
Jonathan. Hey, let me get a
00:14:48.48\00:14:52.45
microphone. Here we go. All
right, Jonathan. Would you
please pray for us? Bless your
00:14:52.45\00:14:56.52
heart. Let's pray. Let's close
our eyes and fold our hands.
00:14:56.52\00:15:00.23
>> "Dear Jesus, please help us
to -- hmm -- give Your -- Your
work -- give all our hearts back
00:15:00.23\00:15:12.77
to You... >> Mm-hmm. >>
...so we can follow You.
00:15:12.77\00:15:16.01
>> Mm-hmm. >> And, um... Amen.
00:15:16.01\00:15:23.28
We love you,
Jesus. Amen. >> Amen.
00:15:23.28\00:15:27.69
Beautiful prayer, Jonathan. Hey,
hey, Ava, Jonathan, stay right
00:15:27.69\00:15:30.73
here. Jonathan, thank you,
because anybody that gets up,
you deserve a bag of Skittles.
00:15:30.73\00:15:34.60
And, Ava, because you did
so well with John 3:16, you get
00:15:34.60\00:15:37.63
one, too. All right, the rest
of you, go on back, and thank
00:15:37.63\00:15:40.74
Jesus. ¤¤ ¤¤
00:15:44.01\00:15:58.52
>> ¤ And can it be ¤ ¤ And
can it be ¤ >> ¤ Amazing love,
00:15:58.69\00:16:08.66
how can it be? ¤ >> ¤ And
can it be that I should gain ¤
00:16:08.66\00:16:19.51
¤ An interest in the Savior's
blood? ¤ ¤ Died He for me,
00:16:19.51\00:16:28.02
who caused His pain ¤ ¤ For
me, who Him to death pursued? ¤
00:16:28.02\00:16:38.49
>> ¤ Amazing love ¤ ¤ How can
it be ¤ ¤ That Thou, my God ¤
00:16:38.49\00:16:58.08
>> ¤ Shouldst
die for me? ¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:16:58.08\00:17:17.10
>> ¤ He left His Father's throne
above ¤ ¤ So free, so infinite
00:17:17.10\00:17:26.91
His grace ¤ ¤ Emptied
Himself of all but love ¤
00:17:26.91\00:17:36.52
¤ And bled for Adam's helpless
race ¤ ¤ 'Tis mercy all ¤
00:17:36.52\00:17:48.23
¤ Immense and free ¤ ¤ For
O my God, it found out me ¤
00:17:48.23\00:18:06.48
>> ¤ And can it be? ¤ >> ¤ And
can it be? ¤ ¤ Amazing love ¤
00:18:06.48\00:18:15.32
¤ How can it be ¤ ¤ No
condemnation now I dread ¤ ¤
Jesus, and all in Him,
00:18:15.32\00:18:29.14
is mine ¤ ¤ Alive in Him, my
living Head ¤ ¤ And clothed in
00:18:29.14\00:18:41.92
righteousness divine ¤ ¤ Bold
I approach the eternal throne ¤
00:18:41.92\00:18:59.30
¤ And claim the crown, through
Christ my own ¤ ¤ Amazing love ¤
00:18:59.30\00:19:17.89
¤ How can it be ¤ ¤
That Thou, my God ¤ ¤¤
00:19:17.89\00:19:35.87
¤ Shouldst die for me? ¤ >> ¤
Amazing love ¤ ¤ How can it be?
00:19:35.87\00:19:53.36
¤ >> ¤ A-maz-ing ¤
¤ Lo-o-ve ¤ >> Amen.
00:19:53.36\00:20:13.71
>> Well, God, we're here, in the
midst of worship. A few minutes
00:20:13.71\00:20:20.68
left for Holy Scripture. Speak
to us. Don't let us be the same,
00:20:20.68\00:20:26.82
for what you say, deep within
us. In Christ's name, we pray.
00:20:26.82\00:20:32.26
Amen. Once upon a
time, there was a Jew.
00:20:32.43\00:20:36.90
And when his eager parents
gazed into that tiny little
00:20:36.90\00:20:43.27
face, they named
him "the Lord comforts."
00:20:43.27\00:20:50.85
A rather appropriate name
to give to a little Jewish boy
00:20:50.85\00:20:58.45
born in exile -- "God comforts."
00:20:58.45\00:21:05.16
And God surely knows that Jews,
young and aged, then and today,
00:21:05.33\00:21:12.93
have needed his comfort again
and again and again. [ Clicks
00:21:12.93\00:21:21.71
tongue ] The massacre on Sabbath
day, seven days -- who could
forget? The whole nation is
00:21:21.71\00:21:27.28
still remembering. At this very
time when we were in worship, a
00:21:27.28\00:21:33.89
week ago, on the Sabbath day, a
massacre in the Temple of Life
-- Tree of Life temple --
00:21:33.89\00:21:44.40
that was it... The name
is such an irony, by the way.
00:21:44.40\00:21:48.17
11 worshipers go to their refuge
in the Tree of Life, and it
becomes a place of death.
00:21:48.17\00:21:53.61
They're gone. Squirrel
Hill, Pittsburgh, America.
00:21:53.61\00:22:01.28
America.
00:22:01.28\00:22:03.42
That tragedy is a painful
reminder that the Jews, as a
people, have suffered at the
00:22:08.96\00:22:15.50
hands of dark and cruel hatred
for millennia. Comfort? Are you
00:22:15.50\00:22:23.14
kidding? How do you comfort a
people who were maligned and
murdered simply for their
00:22:23.14\00:22:30.05
biological, spiritual heritage?
Go figure. In fact, Pastor
00:22:30.05\00:22:39.65
Rodlie crafted a letter. We sent
it to the leaders of that
synagogue in St. Joseph,
00:22:39.65\00:22:46.63
in Benton Harbor. And just
yesterday, I got a letter back
00:22:46.63\00:22:50.67
from an attorney in St. Joseph.
"Dear Pastor Nelson, It was good
to receive and read
00:22:50.67\00:22:57.17
your thoughts in the letter
sent earlier this week to Temple
00:22:57.17\00:23:01.78
B'Nai Shalom. You're absolutely
right when you point out that an
attack on one faith is an attack
00:23:01.78\00:23:07.42
on all faiths." And
he signs it. [ Chuckles ]
00:23:07.42\00:23:14.49
That we, as Seventh-Day
Adventists, are fellow
00:23:14.49\00:23:19.93
Sabbatarians with our Jewish
friends and neighbors, has
created a most unusual bond
00:23:19.93\00:23:25.93
between two people groups. I
mean, here we are, all of us,
Adventists and Jew alike,
00:23:25.93\00:23:34.28
knowing that the countercultural
contradistinction that we have
to live with, in a society that
00:23:34.28\00:23:40.15
values conformity to the
majority, which in this case, is
00:23:40.15\00:23:46.02
worship on Sunday. Worship on
Saturday? Who would possibly
worship on the Bible Sabbath?
00:23:46.02\00:23:54.36
Nobody does that anymore...
except the Jews and the
Seventh-Day Adventists.
00:23:54.36\00:24:03.44
There is a bond that we must
nurture as a faith community.
00:24:03.44\00:24:09.84
And so I hope you'll be able to
go a little later in the evening
than we had thought.
00:24:09.84\00:24:13.52
It's moved back to 8:00, Monday
evening. It's to be a part of
00:24:13.52\00:24:18.45
that interfaith worshiping
together. Why not? "By the
rivers of Babylon,"
00:24:18.45\00:24:29.26
the Psalm laments, "there we
sat down, yea, we wept, when we
00:24:29.26\00:24:36.44
remembered Zion." He was
born in Babylon as an exile.
00:24:36.44\00:24:43.61
And for -- for a Sabbatarian
today, guess what? The truth is,
00:24:43.61\00:24:50.55
Babylon will rise one more time
for Sabbatarians. One more time.
The bond will deepen.
00:24:50.55\00:25:04.40
So, this Jewish Sabbatarian
stands in front of his king, his
employer, as the story picks up.
00:25:04.40\00:25:11.01
Open your Bible, please, to the
little Book of Nehemiah. You got
to go back past the
00:25:11.01\00:25:15.21
Psalms, going back to Genesis.
A little past the Psalms.
00:25:15.21\00:25:18.75
Nehemiah. You didn't bring a
Bible, grab the pew Bible in
front of you. It's page 330 in
00:25:18.75\00:25:23.32
the pew Bible. Nehemiah 2.
Nehemiah. His name means, "the
00:25:23.32\00:25:32.29
Lord Yahweh comforts." And, oh,
my, is comfort the order of the
00:25:32.29\00:25:37.57
day today here in chapter 2.
00:25:37.57\00:25:38.73
Nehemiah 2:1 -- and, "In the
month of Nisan, in the 20th year
00:25:38.90\00:25:43.10
of King Artaxerxes, when wine
was brought for him, I took the
00:25:43.10\00:25:47.48
wine --" The last line of
chapter 1 says, "I was cupbearer
00:25:47.48\00:25:50.15
to the king" -- about the
third highest position in the
00:25:50.15\00:25:52.71
government. It's
a sacred position.
00:25:52.71\00:25:55.62
"I took the wine and
I gave it to the king.
00:25:55.62\00:25:58.49
I had not been sad in his
presence before, so the king
00:25:58.49\00:26:01.99
asked me, 'Why does your face
look so sad when you are not
00:26:01.99\00:26:05.69
ill? This must be
nothing but sadness
00:26:05.69\00:26:08.60
of the heart.' And I
was very much afraid, but
00:26:08.60\00:26:10.93
I said to the king,
'May the king live forever!
00:26:10.93\00:26:13.44
Why should my face not look sad
when the city where my ancestors
00:26:13.44\00:26:16.30
are buried lies in ruins, and
its gate have been destroyed by
00:26:16.30\00:26:19.04
fire?'"
00:26:19.04\00:26:20.28
How could his heart not weep?
He's never lived in that city in
his life, but he was told,
00:26:20.44\00:26:26.58
from father to son, to father to
son, to father to son, that that
00:26:26.58\00:26:31.79
city is his city. And it lies
crumbled. 90 years older, a
little intrepid band led by
00:26:31.79\00:26:37.76
Haggai -- we were with Haggai
last week, weren't we? -- they
00:26:37.76\00:26:42.36
went to that city. They started
to erect the temple, as the Jews
call their worship places.
00:26:42.36\00:26:48.34
But for some inexplicable
reason, nobody has touched the
walls, much to the delight of
00:26:48.34\00:26:55.51
the enemies who live around
them. Everybody knows that more
00:26:55.51\00:27:03.55
than an army -- more than a
strong army -- what a city needs
00:27:03.55\00:27:09.92
are strong walls. You have to
have the walls. Why wouldn't his
heart break? Ah, verse 3 again.
00:27:09.92\00:27:17.37
"But I said to the king,
'May the king live forever!
00:27:17.53\00:27:19.70
Why should my face not look sad
when the city where my ancestors
00:27:19.70\00:27:22.27
are buried lies in ruins, and
its gates have been destroyed by
00:27:22.27\00:27:24.81
fire?'
00:27:24.81\00:27:25.74
And the king said to me, 'Yo,
what is it you want?' Then I
prayed to the God of
00:27:25.91\00:27:32.15
Heaven." Wshooh.
Talking about split second.
00:27:32.15\00:27:36.08
That's it. You know, I
never realized this before.
00:27:36.08\00:27:40.69
You know, two months ago, one of
the fathers of our students here
at Andrews University gave me a
00:27:40.69\00:27:44.49
book. He said, "Hey,
listen. I wrote this book.
00:27:44.49\00:27:46.46
It's on Nehemiah. It's on
the leadership principles of
00:27:46.46\00:27:48.86
Nehemiah." So, he gave the book
to me two months ago. I read the
00:27:48.86\00:27:52.60
book. You know what? I never
knew this. I never knew that
00:27:52.60\00:27:56.10
prayer is such a book deal in
the Book of Nehemiah. It opens
with Nehemiah praying,
00:27:56.10\00:28:00.04
the book closes with Nehemiah
praying, and in between, he's
praying all the time.
00:28:00.04\00:28:04.45
In fact, in chapter 1, you know
what's happening in 1? He's
fasting and praying.
00:28:04.45\00:28:08.48
The entire chapter long, he's
fasting and praying, which
reminds me to remind you
00:28:08.48\00:28:13.02
about your Board of Elders and
Bryan and Becky von Dorpowski's
decision to designate the first
00:28:13.02\00:28:18.33
Tuesday of every month,
beginning in three days, as a
day of prayer and fasting in the
00:28:18.33\00:28:23.20
Pioneer Memorial Church. [
Chuckles ] You can't believe
00:28:23.20\00:28:26.80
this, but at the same time the
Board of Elders was making that
decision, unbeknownst to
00:28:26.80\00:28:30.54
her, the president of our
university, Andrea Luxton, is
thinking to herself, "We need a
00:28:30.54\00:28:34.84
day of fasting and prayer
around here." Talking about the
00:28:34.84\00:28:39.78
synchronicity of the Holy
Spirit. Boom. And so she just
00:28:39.78\00:28:43.99
sent a letter out, on Thursday,
to all faculty, all staff, and
all the student body, saying,
00:28:43.99\00:28:48.92
"Starting this Tuesday, for a
year, the first Tuesdays will be
days of prayer and fasting."
00:28:48.92\00:28:55.06
The Board of Elders has sent out
a memo to all the elders, "Hey,
guys, don't forget, it's this
00:28:55.06\00:28:59.17
Tuesday." Wow.
Nehemiah was a man of prayer.
00:28:59.17\00:29:06.34
By the way, there are 406 verses
in his little book. 46 of those
00:29:06.34\00:29:10.98
verses are dealing with him
praying. 11% of the history this
leader recounts is about him
00:29:10.98\00:29:15.98
praying. He was always praying.
I'm quoting Gladwin Matthews
00:29:15.98\00:29:18.82
now. "This is the strongest
characteristic of Nehemiah,
evident in the book that bears
00:29:18.82\00:29:23.06
his name." And Artaxerxes, whose
temper could be volatile, hears
00:29:23.06\00:29:28.00
this sad-faced Jew telling him,
"Why shouldn't I be weeping?"
And instinctively, apparently,
00:29:28.00\00:29:36.84
when you fast and pray, the
seriousness of your intent is
taken by Heaven, and Heaven
00:29:36.84\00:29:46.21
responds in the most appropriate
way to your passion, revealed in
00:29:46.21\00:29:52.52
prayer. Why would the king --
The first words out of the
king's mouth, "So, what do you
00:29:52.52\00:29:57.46
want me to do about it? What
do you need?" A shout put in.
00:29:57.46\00:30:01.76
Wshooh-chooh. Open mouth. And he
starts speaking. Where is this?
00:30:01.76\00:30:06.94
Let me read verse 4 again.
00:30:06.94\00:30:08.70
"And the king said to
me, 'What is it you want?'
00:30:08.87\00:30:10.41
Then I prayed to the God of
Heaven, and --" here it comes
00:30:10.41\00:30:12.74
now -- "and I answered the king,
'If it pleases the king and if
00:30:12.74\00:30:15.91
your servant has found favor
in his sight, let him send me to
00:30:15.91\00:30:18.95
the city in Judah where my
ancestors are buried so that I
00:30:18.95\00:30:21.55
can rebuild it.'" The
rest of the book is the
00:30:21.55\00:30:24.62
supernatural answer to the
day of fasting and prayer of a
00:30:24.62\00:30:29.86
little Jew in a faraway kingdom
called Medo-Persia at the time.
00:30:29.86\00:30:35.93
And, oh, by the way, [Chuckles]
not only -- not only does
Nehemiah receive permission to
00:30:36.10\00:30:47.81
leave, he goes on to say, "Okay,
but I also need money, I need
soldiers, I need access to the
00:30:47.81\00:30:52.81
royal forest for lumber, and of
course, your permission to leave
your employ here for a while."
00:30:52.81\00:30:56.85
Not only does Nehemiah get all
he asks for, but the king says,
00:30:56.85\00:31:00.12
"Guess what? You're the new
governor of that province. And
I'm gonna send a cavalry of
00:31:00.12\00:31:04.53
officers with you to protect
you the whole time." Wow.
00:31:04.53\00:31:09.30
God says, "Why don't you ask me?
Why don't you ask me for help?"
00:31:09.30\00:31:15.74
[ Snaps fingers ] He gets it. On
the heels of a Tuesday, maybe.
00:31:15.74\00:31:18.67
Maybe he was praying on
a Tuesday. I don't know.
00:31:18.67\00:31:22.61
Nehemiah arrives Doesn't
tell anybody what he's doing.
00:31:27.05\00:31:31.79
The middle of the night, gets
a reconnoitering team together,
00:31:31.79\00:31:35.99
and they begin to examine,
inspect the collapsed walls. "I
can't believe it, I can't
00:31:35.99\00:31:39.23
believe it, I can't believe it."
Next morning, he summons the
entire band of remnant exiles.
00:31:39.23\00:31:45.63
And I want you to read this.
Just turn the page to -- this is
chapter 2 -- Drop down to
00:31:45.63\00:31:50.77
verse 17. He gathers the group
together. "Then I said to them
00:31:50.77\00:31:54.71
--" verse 17 -- "'You see the
trouble we are in: Jerusalem
lies in ruins, and its gates
00:31:54.71\00:31:58.61
have been burned with fire.
Come, let's rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem, that we will
00:31:58.61\00:32:03.62
no longer be in disgrace.'
00:32:03.62\00:32:05.52
And then I also told them --"
verse 18 -- "about the gracious
00:32:05.69\00:32:08.92
hand of my God on me and
what the king had said to me."
00:32:08.92\00:32:13.23
And I love the way
the people respond.
00:32:13.23\00:32:15.03
"They replied, 'Let
us start rebuilding.'"
00:32:15.03\00:32:17.33
The New King James reads,
"'Let's rise up right now and
00:32:17.33\00:32:21.57
do the work.' And
so they began this good
00:32:21.57\00:32:25.74
work."
00:32:25.74\00:32:27.08
Isn't that something? [
Chuckles ] "We're with you.
00:32:27.24\00:32:30.91
Come on, come on, let's go."
But you know what? Pull off a
00:32:30.91\00:32:38.92
renovation project like that,
you're bound to get somebody
ticked. Just somebody's gonna be
00:32:38.92\00:32:43.89
ticked. And they
were. Watch this.
00:32:43.89\00:32:45.93
The enemy -- verse 19.
"But when Sanballat the
00:32:46.09\00:32:49.20
Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite
official and Geshem the Arab,
00:32:49.20\00:32:53.07
when they heard about it,
they mocked and ridiculed us.
00:32:53.07\00:32:56.00
'What is this you
are doing?' they asked.
00:32:56.00\00:32:57.74
'Are you
rebelling against the king?'
00:32:57.74\00:32:59.31
And I answered them --"
verse 20 -- "I answered them by
00:32:59.31\00:33:02.14
saying, 'The God of
Heaven will give us success.'"
00:33:02.14\00:33:05.01
Can I hear an
"amen" to that? >> Amen.
00:33:05.01\00:33:06.95
>> The God of Heaven, in this
renovation project, "will give
00:33:06.95\00:33:10.49
us success." >> Amen.
00:33:10.49\00:33:12.69
>> "'The God of Heaven will give
us success, and we His servants
00:33:12.69\00:33:15.66
will start rebuilding, but
as for you, enemies, you have no
00:33:15.66\00:33:18.39
share in Jerusalem or any
claim or historic right to it.'"
00:33:18.39\00:33:21.56
My, my, my, my, my. "The God of
Heaven." Yes, can do because He
00:33:21.73\00:33:27.40
can do. He'll give us success --
all the success we need. And so
here's what Nehemiah
00:33:27.40\00:33:31.01
does. He institutes the buddy
system -- two by two by two by
00:33:31.01\00:33:34.54
two by two. "Okay, you're
holding the sword, you're
holding the shovel.
00:33:34.54\00:33:37.81
Let's go! Start digging." Why?
Because of the threat of the
00:33:37.81\00:33:41.72
enemy to attack. One guy
standing there with a sword,
just in case. The other has the
00:33:41.72\00:33:45.09
shovel. Half a day goes by, they
switch. Now I have the sword and
you have the shovel.
00:33:45.09\00:33:49.29
Night and day. And get this. In
52 days, they rebuilt the entire
walls of Jerusalem.
00:33:49.29\00:33:57.23
I mean, can you believe
that? Wow. Well, just turn a few
00:33:57.23\00:34:07.24
pages. You got to see this for
yourself. This is chapter 6 now.
00:34:07.24\00:34:10.05
Drop down to verse 15. Chapter
6, verse 15 -- "So the wall was
00:34:10.05\00:34:14.82
completed on the 25th of Elul,
in 52 days." Unheard-of. We're
gonna take 12 weeks.
00:34:14.82\00:34:21.76
A little more than 52 days. But
they worked night and day. Oh,
but keep reading, verse 16.
00:34:21.76\00:34:27.83
"And when all of our enemies
heard about this, all the
surrounding nations were afraid
00:34:27.83\00:34:32.27
and they lost their
self-confidence because they
realized that this work had been
00:34:32.27\00:34:35.57
done with the help of our God."
00:34:35.57\00:34:37.47
Would you put those two
lines on the screen, please?
00:34:37.64\00:34:39.84
Can you believe that?
Here's out takeaway from the
00:34:39.84\00:34:41.91
Book of Nehemiah. "The
God of Heaven will give us
00:34:41.91\00:34:44.48
success!" "And
they realized that this
00:34:44.48\00:34:46.92
work had been done
with the help of our God."
00:34:46.92\00:34:50.15
"God, you got to help
us. We cannot do this alone."
00:34:50.15\00:34:56.49
And last week, God, in response
to that, through Haggai -- you
00:34:56.49\00:34:59.09
remember? -- he said, "Hey, by
the way, yo, the silver is mine
00:34:59.09\00:35:01.76
and the gold is mine." In
other words, don't you worry
00:35:01.76\00:35:04.07
about resources.
00:35:04.07\00:35:05.17
I have you covered. I'll make
sure this renovate project is
00:35:05.33\00:35:09.60
completed to my glory."
00:35:09.60\00:35:10.64
And then, today, through
Nehemiah, what does he say
00:35:10.81\00:35:12.71
to us? "Hey, I'm
gonna give you the
00:35:12.71\00:35:14.74
success. You will
do it with the help of
00:35:14.74\00:35:17.21
God," which simply means, "Don't
worry about the resources.
00:35:17.21\00:35:20.95
I have everything you need
to finish this project for My
00:35:20.95\00:35:25.69
house.
00:35:25.69\00:35:26.65
You're not doing this for you.
You're doing this for Me." My,
so, seize the moment.
00:35:26.82\00:35:31.86
That's what Nehemiah did.
Wshooh. Prayer to Heaven. "We're
going," and he went.
00:35:31.86\00:35:36.53
And the rest is history. Wow.
Now, I realize -- come on --
00:35:36.53\00:35:44.11
I'm not reading your mind, but
there are some people here who
are saying this -- "Yeah,
00:35:44.11\00:35:49.94
do I... Cool. $2
million. Do you know what, boy?
00:35:49.94\00:35:54.32
That is an awful lot of money.
Jesus is coming soon. We should
be spending the money
00:35:54.32\00:36:01.06
to evangelize the world." To
which I reply, "Amen and amen."
00:36:01.06\00:36:06.80
I totally agree with you. I'm
-- I'm with you. Take a look at
00:36:06.80\00:36:15.10
this little brochure. Did you
see this brochure? They gave it
-- This is the last
00:36:15.10\00:36:17.74
time you get this at the
door again. Take a look at this
00:36:17.74\00:36:20.51
beautiful brochure. This is the
architect's vision of the
Building Committee's
00:36:20.51\00:36:25.71
planning that will result in a
extreme makeover for the house
of God on the campus of
00:36:25.71\00:36:31.05
Andrews University. Take a look
at this brochure for a moment.
00:36:31.05\00:36:33.79
It's okay. You can look at this
in church. Just thumb through
00:36:33.79\00:36:36.06
it. Maybe you've already thumbed
through it. You know what this
00:36:36.06\00:36:38.39
brochure is all about? This
brochure is about Jesus coming
soon and our mission to
00:36:38.39\00:36:44.03
reach the world for Him now.
That's what this brochure is
00:36:44.03\00:36:49.10
about. In fact, I'm gonna give
you right now -- and then I'll
sit down -- I'm gonna give you
00:36:49.10\00:36:53.01
four reasons why I agree with
you. Four reasons why "Renovate
00:36:53.01\00:36:56.98
Heart & House" is all about
reaching our world for Jesus.
Reason number 1 -- I'll put them
00:36:56.98\00:37:01.08
on the screen for you. Reason
number 1 -- we need a dry home
00:37:01.08\00:37:06.05
base from which to reach this
world. >> Amen. >> Huh? I mean,
00:37:06.05\00:37:10.76
you can't have a leaking roof on
your home base. The only water
we want to see spilling on
00:37:10.76\00:37:16.53
people in our Pioneer Memorial
Church is the water of our
baptistery. That's it.
00:37:16.53\00:37:20.67
Or maybe the daily baptism
of the Holy Spirit. It's like
00:37:20.67\00:37:24.64
water. Somebody came to Dwight
L. Moody, the great American
evangelist, and they
00:37:24.64\00:37:27.84
said, "Yo, Moody, are you filled
with the Holy Spirit?" And he
said, "Yep, but I leak."
00:37:27.84\00:37:34.42
[ Light laughter ] That's
the only kind of leaking allowed
00:37:34.42\00:37:38.52
around here. We're all agreed.
[ Chuckling ] Come on. This is a
00:37:38.52\00:37:42.69
no-brainer. We have to fix this
roof to go to the world. That's
00:37:42.69\00:37:46.80
reason number 1. "Come on, give
me number 2, Dwight." Okay,
reason number 2 -- we need
00:37:46.80\00:37:49.73
a dressed-up home base from
which to reach the world. "What
are you talking about
00:37:49.73\00:37:54.00
there?" Let me explain.
Pioneer -- you didn't know
00:37:54.00\00:37:57.27
this -- many of you don't know
this -- but Pioneer was raised
00:37:57.27\00:38:02.81
up by God, in the beginning, to
go to the world electronically.
It was the first -- It was the
00:38:02.81\00:38:08.95
first church around, through
radio, going to the community
00:38:08.95\00:38:12.99
every single week. And then --
can you believe this? -- you're
not gonna believe this -- we, of
00:38:12.99\00:38:17.43
all congregations, we get
chosen. ABC television says,
"Would you take our Christmas
00:38:17.43\00:38:24.67
Eve service to the entire
nation?" 24 years ago. And from
this very place, with
00:38:24.67\00:38:31.24
the most majestic music, that
Andrews University is known to
have, we went to the entire
00:38:31.24\00:38:38.95
50 states of America through
ABC television. "A New Noel."
00:38:38.95\00:38:42.75
Some of you might be old enough
to even remember that. And then,
00:38:42.75\00:38:48.12
four years later, 20 years ago,
the denomination came and said,
"Hey, Pioneer Memorial Church,
00:38:48.12\00:38:51.89
would you mind taking the
everlasting Gospel of Jesus to
the entire world, to
00:38:51.89\00:38:56.03
100 nations, in 40 languages?
Would you be willing to do it?"
And we said, "Well, we did this
00:38:56.03\00:39:01.67
with ABC. Maybe God
could help us do this."
00:39:01.67\00:39:04.67
And we said yes, and we did it.
It was called "NET '98." You go
to the North American
00:39:04.67\00:39:10.11
website, and you'll see a
story reporting on the 20th
00:39:10.11\00:39:14.05
anniversary of the Pioneer
Memorial Church and "NET '98."
And since that time, by the
00:39:14.05\00:39:18.15
way -- it's not over -- since
that time, "New Perceptions"
telecast now has been going and
00:39:18.15\00:39:22.82
now goes weekly from this
sanctuary to the nation, to this
continent, and to the
00:39:22.82\00:39:27.76
entire world, every single week.
Every single week. That's what
00:39:27.76\00:39:35.14
all... We got the greatest media
volunteer team in the world. You
know, we have 40 volunteers
00:39:35.14\00:39:39.31
here. They're not
getting paid to do any of this.
00:39:39.31\00:39:41.34
They're just giving their time.
Why? Because God called Pioneer
to do it, and we believe it, and
00:39:41.34\00:39:46.08
so we're obeying. That's
all. Isn't that something?
00:39:46.08\00:39:50.45
By the way, I didn't pull that
off. And by the way, you didn't,
00:39:50.45\00:39:53.32
either. God pulled that off.
God had a calling in His heart
00:39:53.32\00:39:56.89
before Pioneer was every built,
60 years ago. He had a calling
00:39:56.89\00:40:00.63
in His heart. "That congregation
is going to be My congregation
00:40:00.63\00:40:04.47
live-streaming, to go to go the
world in to the world on the
Web, to go to the world in
00:40:04.47\00:40:08.57
television and satellite." And
because it's His vision, what
are we supposed to say, "No,
00:40:08.57\00:40:14.21
we're not going to go?" I meet
people all over this globe who
tell me, "Yo, do you know what?
00:40:14.21\00:40:17.51
Pioneer is my home church." I
said, "You're kidding me. You're
00:40:17.51\00:40:21.12
living here." "Yeah, I know, but
different time zones. We go to
Pioneer every single
00:40:21.12\00:40:24.79
week." The organ -- the
whole world knows the organ.
00:40:24.79\00:40:28.76
The musicians. Why?
Because it's the home church
00:40:28.76\00:40:34.30
of our faith community. That's
nothing great about you.
Certainly nothing great
00:40:34.30\00:40:38.77
about me. It's a great God who
says, "I think you kids could do
00:40:38.77\00:40:41.87
this with a little help."
00:40:41.87\00:40:43.94
"So, Dwight, why are you telling
us all about this?" Well, I'll
00:40:47.34\00:40:51.41
tell you why. Because we have
people coming to our house every
single week -- God's house --
00:40:51.41\00:40:55.78
and it's really embarrassing to
have a leaking roof and buckets
behind. It's really embarrassing
00:40:55.78\00:41:02.52
when the camera zooms in. "Oh,
don't show that shag carpet that
was never intended to be
00:41:02.52\00:41:06.33
a shag carpet, but it's now
a shag. Don't show that part.
00:41:06.33\00:41:10.40
Don't show these beat-up pews
that have been here for 60 years
-- hard wooden pews.
00:41:10.40\00:41:14.87
Can't you do something? Can't
you put padding on it?" Yeah,
00:41:14.87\00:41:19.87
we're going to. And what about
this house -- this sound system?
This is a reverb chamber that
00:41:19.87\00:41:24.11
just bounces around. It's one
second too long. The audio
engineers who we hired
00:41:24.11\00:41:28.18
said, "Man, this is way
too much. No wonder your people
00:41:28.18\00:41:31.12
can't hear." Boom, boom, boom,
boom, boom. So, we're gonna put
00:41:31.12\00:41:35.99
up panels that go, "Ehhhn."
They'll go up for music. Ehhhn.
00:41:35.99\00:41:39.16
They come down for talking. They
go -- ehhhn -- up. And they'll
00:41:39.16\00:41:42.86
be quiet, by the way. [
Laughter ] Not like the Howard.
00:41:42.86\00:41:46.67
Kkkkkkkkkkh. No, it's quiet.
Put them up, all these blank
00:41:46.67\00:41:52.61
spots here. Why?
Because this is the world's --
00:41:52.61\00:41:56.04
this is the -- this is their
church, out there. And we want
God's church to look
00:41:56.04\00:42:01.15
as beautiful as it humanly
can for them and for God. Wow.
00:42:01.15\00:42:09.06
So, I totally agree with you.
[ Chuckles ] There's too many
00:42:09.06\00:42:12.56
analogies. It's all about
reaching the world for Jesus'
soon coming. You got that
00:42:12.56\00:42:16.23
absolutely right. Reason number
3. Let's see, reason number 1
was, "We need a dry home base."
00:42:16.23\00:42:19.40
Reason number 2 is, "We need a
dressed-up home base." And now
reason number 3 -- We
00:42:19.40\00:42:24.34
need a discipled home base
through whom to reach the world.
Listen, you need to know this.
00:42:24.34\00:42:29.64
Pioneer's discipling strategy is
now moving to the next level
with special focus on our
00:42:29.64\00:42:35.25
children. Listen. Do
you look at the children's
00:42:35.25\00:42:38.85
stories here in second service?
Do you look at them? We have
more children now with
00:42:38.85\00:42:43.56
us than we've ever had in
our history. What's going on?
00:42:43.56\00:42:47.20
I'll tell you what's going on.
There are a lot of young moms
and dads coming to this campus,
00:42:47.20\00:42:50.90
because the newest growing
demographic at Andrews
University -- I'll just
00:42:50.90\00:42:54.27
plain tell you -- it's the
graduate students. That's the
00:42:54.27\00:42:57.94
demographic that's growing. And
they're coming -- young parents
with their little kids.
00:42:57.94\00:43:01.94
They want the best Sabbath
schools they can find, and I'm
telling you, the world over,
00:43:01.94\00:43:07.15
you won't find more dedicated
Sabbath school teachers and
programs designed, crafted with
00:43:07.15\00:43:11.72
skill, to reach these tiny
little minds for Jesus. We got a
couple leaders now that
00:43:11.72\00:43:14.69
have come aboard and said,
"Listen, we need to be doing
something not just for the
00:43:14.69\00:43:17.63
children but for their parents."
Laurence Burn, Glynis Bradfield,
the two superintendents for the
00:43:17.63\00:43:23.03
entire children's Sabbath
schools -- they said, "Listen,
00:43:23.03\00:43:27.70
what we need is a
family-targeted discipling
ministry that will equip the
00:43:27.70\00:43:32.21
youngest children and families
among us with lifelong
discipling gifts and skills."
00:43:32.21\00:43:37.31
So, Laurence and Glynis are
helping us move toward a vision
-- a full-orbed vision. We're
00:43:37.31\00:43:44.02
changing the pastoral staff.
I'll give you more information
in a few days, but we're
00:43:44.02\00:43:47.76
rearranging the staff to reflect
this shift in focus. And I'm
gonna be introducing to
00:43:47.76\00:43:52.43
you a new pastoral position to
help Pioneer children,
Sabbath-school leaders, and
00:43:52.43\00:43:56.67
families in shaping young
spiritual champions by the age
00:43:56.67\00:44:00.94
of 12. That's what researchers
tell us. That's the last time
you're gonna get an easy choice
00:44:00.94\00:44:04.41
for Jesus. After that,
you're fighting the whole way.
00:44:04.41\00:44:08.71
We need to get them now. Moms
and dads and boys and girls.
00:44:08.71\00:44:13.85
[ Chuckles ] Wow. So,
we need to -- We need -- We
00:44:13.85\00:44:18.42
need a discipled home base.
That's the point -- we need a
discipled home base.
00:44:18.42\00:44:25.59
Renovate's $2 million campaign
is all about reaching this world
for the soon-coming Christ.
00:44:25.59\00:44:33.74
That's the point. It's not only
-- It's not only the roof, it's
00:44:33.74\00:44:38.61
what happens under the roof.
Pastor José is in charge of a
new series of articles that
00:44:38.61\00:44:41.98
start next week, entitled,
"Under the Roof: What's
Happening in Pioneer?"
00:44:41.98\00:44:45.38
Do you notice, the motto is
"Renovate heart and house." You
can get the house looking
00:44:45.38\00:44:53.52
glorious, but if the heart isn't
ready for a house that's been
prepared, God says, "I need the
00:44:53.52\00:44:58.66
hearts. I need -- I need
your hearts." Discipleship.
00:44:58.66\00:45:03.77
All right, put them on the
screen. Reason number 1 -- we
00:45:03.77\00:45:06.37
need a dry home base. Reason
number 2 -- we need a dressed-up
00:45:06.37\00:45:08.90
home base. Reason number 3 --
we need a discipled home base.
00:45:08.90\00:45:11.07
And reason number 4 -- we
need a dedicated home base.
00:45:11.24\00:45:14.14
"What are you talking
about?" I'm gonna be really
00:45:14.14\00:45:17.01
honest with you now.
00:45:17.01\00:45:21.38
When I found out what this
building committee was --
[Imitating adding machine] --
00:45:21.55\00:45:27.32
tallying up, I could not believe
my ears. "A million dollars to
00:45:27.32\00:45:33.23
replace a roof?" "Yeah, Dwight,
there's no venting in it.
00:45:33.23\00:45:35.76
That's why your shingles keep
giving up 10 years at a time.
00:45:35.76\00:45:39.90
That's wrong." [ Sighs ] And
then another million dollars to
00:45:39.90\00:45:44.54
do the extreme makeover in here
so that at least it looks nice,
it's a home that you're happy to
00:45:44.54\00:45:49.61
invite people to come to. When I
heard the bottom line, you know
00:45:49.61\00:45:53.31
what I did? I went to God and I
said, "You must be kidding. You
got to be kidding me.
00:45:53.31\00:45:59.25
$2 million? We're living on
the cusp of a nation and a globe
00:45:59.25\00:46:04.13
right now that are in tremendous
flux and change, potential
upheaval. If there ever were an
00:46:04.13\00:46:10.40
hour we need to be getting
out there, God, this is it. $2
00:46:10.40\00:46:14.40
million in here? I cannot figure
you out." And I'm being honest
with you. And you know what God
00:46:14.40\00:46:21.08
said to me in the dark, in my
little study, at home? He said,
00:46:21.08\00:46:27.88
"Dwight, yo, yeah, you got good
ears. That's exactly what I'm
00:46:27.88\00:46:30.32
calling for. I'm calling for
your people to give $2 million
out of their pockets, for my
00:46:30.32\00:46:36.66
house and my mission. Hey,
Dwight, Dwight, Dwight, Dwight,
come on, it's dark.
00:46:36.66\00:46:40.60
But you know what you taped to
the wall? You know that little
00:46:40.60\00:46:44.03
verse that you taped to the
wall, and I keep reminding you
that's the mission of your life,
00:46:44.03\00:46:48.04
this is what you're supposed to
do? Think of what it says." Let
me put the little mission
00:46:48.04\00:46:52.14
on the wall of the screen right
here. "Luke 1:17 -- Your mission
00:46:52.14\00:46:57.31
is, should you choose to accept
it, is 'to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord.'
00:46:57.31\00:47:02.75
That's it. Dwight, how am
I gonna get through to your
00:47:02.75\00:47:08.49
selfish heart? You got a selfish
heart. Your wife is the
unselfish one. How am I gonna
00:47:08.49\00:47:13.70
get through to your unselfish
heart if I don't get you to
reach into what you have begun
00:47:13.70\00:47:19.70
to collect, and take
from it and return it to Me?"
00:47:19.70\00:47:22.00
"This isn't about repairing a
roof. This is about repairing a
00:47:24.84\00:47:33.62
heart. Your heart, boy. Your
heart." And, oh, by the way,
00:47:33.62\00:47:38.92
everybody's nodding their head,
saying, "Yeah, Dwight, you are a
00:47:38.92\00:47:41.36
selfish one. We've noticed that
before. Don't you just be
nodding your head at me.
00:47:41.36\00:47:44.69
You're just as selfish as I am.
You know what? Somewhere I read
00:47:44.69\00:47:51.17
that the apostle Paul battled
self until his last breath.
That's the last frontier, folks.
00:47:51.17\00:47:57.14
It's where the ultimate battle
will be fought -- selfishness.
"Don't you talk about repairing
00:47:57.14\00:48:04.71
My house, Dwight, until
you get your heart repaired."
00:48:04.71\00:48:07.85
Ellen White, a century ago,
on the screen -- take a look
00:48:08.02\00:48:11.22
at this. "Constant, self-denying
00:48:11.22\00:48:13.25
benevolence is God's remedy for
the cankering cancerous sins of
00:48:13.25\00:48:16.83
selfishness and covetousness."
That's the only thing we can do.
00:48:16.83\00:48:20.16
We're going to
give it out of you.
00:48:20.16\00:48:21.93
Read that last line.
"Continual giving starves
00:48:21.93\00:48:25.53
covetousness to death."
00:48:25.53\00:48:29.50
"I need to break
your heart, Dwight.
00:48:29.67\00:48:31.87
I need you to let go.
You don't need the security.
00:48:31.87\00:48:38.51
Oh, you need some.
I'm not asking you to give
00:48:38.51\00:48:41.38
everything you have. I
understand," God says, "about
00:48:41.38\00:48:44.35
not equal giving
but equal sacrifice.
00:48:44.35\00:48:46.65
That's all I'm
asking of you, Dwight.
00:48:46.65\00:48:48.42
Doesn't mean everybody's
gifts are the same amount.
00:48:48.42\00:48:51.33
That's impossible. It's
everybody's sacrifice is
00:48:51.33\00:48:54.13
the same amount." You
say, "Dwight, how do you
00:48:54.13\00:48:56.73
define 'sacrifice'?"
Sacrifice is what you have left
00:48:56.73\00:49:00.07
over after you've given.
The little widow had nothing
00:49:00.07\00:49:03.51
left over, and Jesus says,
"Guys, she was the biggest give
00:49:03.51\00:49:06.94
today," because everybody had
all kinds of stuff left over,
00:49:06.94\00:49:10.45
and it was no big deal what they
dropped, with great fanfare,
00:49:10.45\00:49:14.28
into that offering container.
Sacrifice means you have less
00:49:14.28\00:49:19.02
left over, and you know
it. And it may push and pinch,
00:49:19.02\00:49:26.70
but you make it
anyway. That's sacrifice.
00:49:26.70\00:49:33.40
¤ All to Jesus I surrender
¤ ¤ All to him I freely give ¤
00:49:33.40\00:49:38.74
Man, how many times have I
-- They sang that in Japan, in
00:49:38.74\00:49:41.14
Tokyo, when I was baptized.
That was the song they sang.
00:49:41.14\00:49:43.88
¤ All to Jesus I surrender
¤ We sing it all the time.
00:49:43.88\00:49:49.75
"Yo, boy, you got any
of those Skittles left?
00:49:49.75\00:49:52.65
I'd sure like
some." [ Munching ]
00:49:52.65\00:49:56.26
"No, I don't have
much left. Sorry."
00:49:56.26\00:49:59.79
"I got to work on
your heart, Dwight.
00:50:04.10\00:50:05.93
That's the point." Four reasons.
00:50:05.93\00:50:09.54
Because He needs a dedicated
people, 'cause somebody's gonna
00:50:09.54\00:50:12.61
have to go to this Earth, and
it'll be you and it'll be me.
00:50:12.61\00:50:16.78
It's why Jesus came, by the
way -- to renovate the heart
00:50:16.78\00:50:22.65
so that we could
renovate the house.
00:50:22.65\00:50:25.22
Calvary. What is Calvary?
00:50:25.22\00:50:27.36
"And Can It Be?"
-- ah, that was a song
00:50:27.52\00:50:31.46
to sing today.
"That Thou, my God,
00:50:31.46\00:50:34.23
shouldst die for me?"
00:50:34.23\00:50:37.20
Wow. You couldn't have
picked one. "And Can It Be?"
00:50:37.37\00:50:43.27
"Amazing love." You know, I was
sitting here watching the camera
00:50:43.27\00:50:49.78
pan that little choir,
the silhouettes as they were
00:50:49.78\00:50:52.38
singing. I'll tell you,
tears just sprang into my eyes.
00:50:52.55\00:50:54.58
I saw that camera pull in on
these young faces, and I said to
00:50:54.58\00:50:57.92
myself, "God, I pray you
will save every boy and girl and
00:50:57.92\00:51:04.36
teen on that screen.
Don't lose one of them.
00:51:04.36\00:51:08.60
That's what this church is
for. Don't lose one of them."
00:51:08.76\00:51:13.30
John 3:16 -- let's repeat
it out loud together. Come on.
00:51:18.14\00:51:21.51
The little girl
-- she nailed it.
00:51:21.51\00:51:23.81
Is it on the
screen for us? Yeah.
00:51:23.98\00:51:26.68
"For God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten
00:51:26.68\00:51:30.99
Son, that whosoever...
>> "...believeth in Him..."
00:51:30.99\00:51:34.66
>> "...should not perish,
but have everlasting life."
00:51:34.66\00:51:38.69
Amen. "All to Jesus I surrender.
00:51:38.69\00:51:43.00
All to him."
00:51:43.00\00:51:44.50
Boy, Lord, I can't believe You
let us do this. "All to Him I
00:51:44.67\00:51:51.51
freely give." God will bless you
to the max for your
unselfishness with Him. He will
00:51:51.51\00:51:59.01
bless you. Trust me, He will
take care of you. Thank you in
00:51:59.01\00:52:05.65
advance for this little pledge
card. Where is it? Is it at the
00:52:05.65\00:52:08.49
back of my Bible? Here it is.
Thank you for this little pledge
00:52:08.49\00:52:10.79
card that... A bunch of you have
come today because we talked
about this last week, and you're
00:52:10.79\00:52:14.20
ready to put this in the
offering plate today, God bless
00:52:14.20\00:52:17.03
you. Pull it out. Some of you
said, "Dwight, I wasn't even
here last Sabbath, so I'm just
00:52:17.03\00:52:19.97
kind of catching up on all
this." That's okay. Pull out...
It's in the worship bulletin.
00:52:19.97\00:52:23.27
Just pull it out. It's a
little pledge card. It's simple.
00:52:23.27\00:52:27.08
In fact, we'll
put it on the screen.
00:52:27.08\00:52:28.84
We'll put it on the screen.
"By the grace of God, I/we want
00:52:29.01\00:52:33.48
to participate in making
a sacrificial offering to
00:52:33.48\00:52:36.25
Pioneer's 'Renovate:
Heart and House' campaign."
00:52:36.25\00:52:38.69
And by the way, the key
words on that pledge statement
00:52:38.69\00:52:42.96
are the first five
words, "By the grace of God."
00:52:42.96\00:52:47.96
This is not a vow.
Somebody e-mailed me and said,
00:52:48.10\00:52:50.00
"Hey, Dwight, I
don't believe in vows."
00:52:50.00\00:52:51.57
This is not a vow.
This is a covenant.
00:52:51.57\00:52:54.27
This is, "Look, God, if you
keep blessing me the way you're
00:52:54.27\00:52:57.01
blessing me right
now, there is no problem.
00:52:57.01\00:52:59.11
I will be able to
be generous with you."
00:52:59.11\00:53:01.08
That's what it's saying.
If you should be in a terrible
00:53:01.08\00:53:04.08
car accident and your income is
gone, you think he's gonna say,
00:53:04.08\00:53:07.08
"Well, I'm holding you --
Lookit, you put it down here"?
00:53:07.08\00:53:08.78
This is not a vow.
This is a pledge -- "By the
00:53:08.78\00:53:11.95
grace of God, I'll do my best.
And here's the amount I want to
00:53:11.95\00:53:16.02
put down." And you
write that amount down.
00:53:16.02\00:53:17.89
It's over three
years. Did you notice that?
00:53:17.89\00:53:19.56
It's over three years. So
nobody's having to write a
00:53:19.56\00:53:21.23
check tomorrow.
"By the grace of God."
00:53:21.23\00:53:28.57
Equal giving? No. Equal
sacrifice? But of course.
00:53:28.57\00:53:32.51
Before I sit down, let me
just remind you that we have the
00:53:32.67\00:53:35.41
brand-new -- it just came out --
the Adventist Giving online app.
00:53:35.41\00:53:38.85
If you'll download that
from your app store, that baby
00:53:38.85\00:53:41.95
is on your phone.
You go to it and click
00:53:41.95\00:53:43.82
"Pioneer," because it'll
know where you are, and it will
00:53:43.82\00:53:46.32
give you Pioneer as a choice.
00:53:46.32\00:53:47.99
You click "Pioneer," and
"Renovate" is the third line
00:53:48.16\00:53:51.13
down. If you want to do
recurring giving -- you say,
"Dwight, I don't have much, but
00:53:51.13\00:53:54.56
I can give $10 a month" -- if
you gave $10 a month, that would
be $480 -- that would be...
00:53:54.56\00:53:58.83
No, no, $10 a month would be --
I meant $10 a week -- sorry. [
00:53:58.83\00:54:04.41
Laughter ] I did not major in
math. If you give $10 a week,
that's $40 a month, $480.
00:54:04.41\00:54:08.94
In the end of three years,
$1,440. "Wow. How'd you do
00:54:08.94\00:54:13.92
that?" $10 recurring gift. You
can sign up. You got a little
00:54:13.92\00:54:17.05
debit card that
your parents gave you?
00:54:17.05\00:54:19.12
That's -- There's a website. Can
you go to the website, please?
00:54:22.36\00:54:26.16
Yeah, pmchurch.org/renovate. You
just go to the website. You want
00:54:26.16\00:54:30.37
to do it online? Okay, on your
laptop, there it is. Those of
00:54:30.37\00:54:32.53
you who are live-streaming right
now, everything you need,
including this brochure, is all
00:54:32.53\00:54:35.70
there. You get it all. All
right, let's go to the website.
00:54:35.70\00:54:38.67
As of today -- on the
screen, please -- there it is.
00:54:38.67\00:54:42.28
We got a $2 million
goal. And look at this.
00:54:42.28\00:54:45.31
Cash on hand -- $342,111.
Plus, last week, the last seven
00:54:45.31\00:54:50.35
days, $206,616 have been
pledged. I mean, I thought I'd
00:54:50.35\00:54:59.49
get a loud amen to
that... >> Amen! >> Amen!
00:54:59.49\00:55:01.33
>> ...because we were -- a bunch
of you stuck your card in last
week, and we're waiting for this
00:55:01.33\00:55:04.90
week. But praise God. $206,616.
00:55:04.90\00:55:11.01
Oh, the God of Heaven will give
us success. Just shut out that
00:55:13.78\00:55:19.11
naysayer named the Enemy, who's
saying, "You don't want to do
00:55:19.11\00:55:22.35
this, buddy. You don't want to
do... Make them all think you're
00:55:22.35\00:55:25.29
doing it." That's like Ananias
and Sapphira. "Make them all
00:55:25.29\00:55:28.79
think you're doing it." No,
do it... for the glory of God.
00:55:28.79\00:55:34.56
"All to Jesus I surrender. All
to him I freely give." You want
00:55:34.56\00:55:39.10
to use a tithe envelope? Of
course, you pull the tithe
envelope now, you'll see at the
00:55:39.10\00:55:41.97
bottom in red "Renovate." I want
to pray with you. Here's what I
00:55:41.97\00:55:48.54
want to do. I want to pray.
Enough talking. Let's just pray.
00:55:48.54\00:55:53.65
Let's talk to God. Oh, Father,
thank you for the example of
Nehemiah. We want to be men and
00:55:53.65\00:56:02.79
women of prayer. We want
to believe, just as Nehemiah
00:56:02.79\00:56:07.86
declared, "Yes, can do because
he can do. God will give us
success." We want to believe the
00:56:07.86\00:56:14.94
words last week that all the
silver and all the gold is
yours, including what's in our
00:56:14.94\00:56:22.14
pockets. Father, you have all
the money you need. $2 million?
00:56:22.14\00:56:24.75
This is nothing to you. But it's
a big deal to us. So I humbly
00:56:24.75\00:56:30.32
pray that you will take the
pledges that are turned in today
and that were turned in last
00:56:30.32\00:56:34.52
week and that will come along
the way -- take the pledges, o
God. We put or hands on them,
00:56:34.52\00:56:40.93
as it were, and we give
them to you. Seed money...
00:56:40.93\00:56:46.90
blessed for Your glory so that
not only Your house gets
repaired, our hearts
00:56:46.90\00:56:55.44
get repaired. And that would
be the greatest gift of all.
00:56:55.44\00:57:00.18
In Jesus' name, let all
the people say "Amen and amen."
00:57:00.18\00:57:04.42
>> We've been really blessed by
the financial support that comes
00:57:07.52\00:57:09.56
from our viewers, and we've
made a conscious decision not to
00:57:09.56\00:57:12.89
continually appeal
to you for that support.
00:57:12.89\00:57:15.93
The fact is, as everyone in the
industry will tell you, we're
00:57:15.93\00:57:19.10
needing to make constant
upgrades to our technology.
00:57:19.10\00:57:21.84
So if God has blessed you and
you'd like to further the work
00:57:21.84\00:57:24.54
of this ministry, we
invite you to partner with us.
00:57:24.54\00:57:26.88
Not a single penny of
your donation will go to me.
00:57:26.88\00:57:29.88
Every bit of your gift goes
to the mission of blessing your
00:57:29.88\00:57:33.35
community and our world.
You can donate on our website,
00:57:33.35\00:57:36.38
newperceptions.tv.
Or call the number.
00:57:36.38\00:57:39.49
You know the
number -- 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:39.49\00:57:41.92
Again, that number is 877
-- the two words "HIS-WILL."
00:57:41.92\00:57:46.26
And may the God who has blessed
you continue to pour into your
00:57:46.26\00:57:48.83
life the gifts of
His joy and His hope.
00:57:48.83\00:57:51.90
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:51.90\00:57:54.07
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:54.07\00:57:57.07
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:00.51\00:58:19.19
¤¤
00:58:19.19\00:58:27.40