¤¤
00:00:00.20\00:00:07.30
>> Will you stand with me
and sing "Moving Forward"?
00:00:10.11\00:00:14.61
[ "Moving Forward" begins ]
00:00:14.61\00:00:17.61
Now, I want to challenge you all
this morning as we sing "Lord
00:03:46.29\00:03:50.46
Most High." Ladies, we want you
to sing first with us, and then
gentlemen, you echo, and I want
00:03:50.46\00:03:55.10
to hear the gentlemen strong,
okay? So, I know you know this
00:03:55.10\00:03:58.97
song. Sing it out because our
God is most high, is he not?
Okay, ladies, let me hear you
00:03:58.97\00:04:04.61
when we sing it, okay? Join us.
00:04:04.61\00:04:08.58
Here we go.
00:04:09.24\00:04:11.61
Together.
00:04:23.06\00:04:24.69
Let's try it one more time.
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Yes!
00:05:33.80\00:05:35.33
Here we go -- throughout.
00:06:13.87\00:06:17.17
Throughout.
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Exalted.
00:06:40.26\00:06:41.73
Magnify him.
Sing, "Be magnified."
00:06:53.74\00:06:56.34
Be magnified.
00:06:58.61\00:07:00.25
Oh, Lord, we magnify.
00:07:02.18\00:07:04.45
[ "Your Grace
is Enough" begins ]
00:07:10.13\00:07:14.00
So remember.
00:08:44.65\00:08:46.09
So remember.
00:09:30.67\00:09:32.67
Why? Because, sing!
00:09:44.21\00:09:46.31
You know, every year that I get
older, I recognize how wonderful
God is even more so, and even in
00:10:33.53\00:10:41.77
the little things. And I
recognize that while I'm busy
trying to figure out
00:10:41.77\00:10:47.78
everything on my own, He's
already made a plan. He already
00:10:47.78\00:10:52.61
has a way. And it's such a
simple thing, and I think that's
the hard part for us.
00:10:52.61\00:10:55.98
It's too simple that we want
to figure out the more complex
00:10:55.98\00:11:01.26
aspects of it. But all you
really have to do is come to the
altar. If you go to the altar
00:11:01.26\00:11:06.29
and you ask God to "give me the
path, give me the way, show me
what it is that I need to do,"
00:11:06.29\00:11:11.17
He'll show you. And so this
morning, with you, I want to
00:11:11.17\00:11:15.34
sing "Come to the Altar,"
because that's where the arms of
the Father are waiting for you.
00:11:15.34\00:11:20.68
He wants to enfold you and He
wants you to hear the whispers
00:11:20.68\00:11:27.28
of His love. [ "Come
to the Altar" begins ]
00:11:27.45\00:11:29.35
Leave behind.
00:12:27.31\00:12:29.64
And I love that you're all
already here, down here where
00:13:41.58\00:13:44.42
the altar is, so I just want to
encourage you to take a friend
00:13:44.42\00:13:49.42
and pray with them. Turn
to your neighbor as we sing
00:13:49.42\00:13:53.96
this next part.
Oh, what a savior.
00:13:53.96\00:13:58.50
He's our savior.
00:14:40.51\00:14:41.98
He is!
00:14:45.78\00:14:46.85
So let's sing!
00:14:49.42\00:14:50.99
Bow down.
00:14:58.03\00:15:00.16
[ Organ plays ]
00:17:00.58\00:17:03.62
¤¤
00:17:03.79\00:17:11.16
>> Together: ¤ O Love, that wilt
not let me go ¤ ¤ I rest my
weary soul in Thee ¤
00:17:11.33\00:17:28.58
¤ I give Thee back the life
I owe ¤ ¤ That in Thine ocean
00:17:28.58\00:17:42.99
depths its flow ¤ ¤ May richer,
fuller be ¤ ¤ O Love, that wilt
00:17:42.99\00:17:58.57
not let me go ¤ ¤ O Joy,
that seekest me through pain ¤
00:17:58.57\00:18:08.85
¤ I will not close my heart
to Thee ¤ ¤ I trace the rainbow
00:18:08.85\00:18:21.73
through the rain ¤ ¤ And
feel the promise is not vain ¤
00:18:21.73\00:18:32.64
¤ That morn shall tearless be ¤
¤ Morn shall tearless be ¤ ¤ O
Love, that wilt not let me
00:18:32.64\00:18:46.62
go ¤ ¤ O Cross,
that liftest up my head ¤
00:18:46.62\00:18:57.27
¤ I dare not ask to fly from
Thee ¤ ¤ I lay in dust life's
00:18:57.27\00:19:11.81
glory dead ¤ ¤ And from
the ground there blossoms red ¤
00:19:11.81\00:19:24.16
¤ Life that shall endless ¤
00:19:24.16\00:19:33.23
¤ Be ¤ ¤ O Love,
that wilt not let me go ¤
00:19:34.90\00:19:44.35
¤ O Love, that wilt not let me ¤
00:19:44.35\00:19:54.22
¤ Go ¤
00:20:00.40\00:20:09.04
>> Amen.
00:20:09.80\00:20:12.41
>> I don't know about you, but
this may fit into the TMI
category -- too much
00:20:18.31\00:20:25.92
information. 'Cause I get home
and Karen will let me know if it
00:20:25.92\00:20:30.33
was TMI or not.
00:20:30.33\00:20:32.66
But for me, I must tell you, so
I can only speak for me that of
00:20:32.83\00:20:36.13
all the human biological
functions -- diarrhea, fever,
00:20:36.13\00:20:44.57
shivers -- hands down,
the worst of all is vomiting.
00:20:44.57\00:20:51.61
Puking. Barfing.
00:20:51.61\00:20:55.75
Or as the people in the medical
community call it, emesis.
00:20:55.75\00:21:02.62
Do you remember when you had
a tummy ache and you called out
00:21:02.62\00:21:06.63
for your mother to help?
00:21:06.63\00:21:08.60
Sure, you do. I remember.
"Mommy, my tummy is hurting."
00:21:08.76\00:21:16.37
Footsteps down the hallway to
the kitchen here, cupboard door
open, slammed shut, she's
00:21:16.37\00:21:20.88
running back, and she
places right beside your head a
00:21:20.88\00:21:26.21
Tupperware bowl. [ Laughter ]
When mother puts the Tupperware
bowl there, you know the awful
00:21:26.21\00:21:30.52
drill. There's no getting out
now. I don't know what there is
00:21:30.52\00:21:36.02
about vomiting. When every
single muscle in your upper
00:21:36.02\00:21:44.40
torso synchronizes together
autonomically in a desperate,
simultaneous, subterranean choke
00:21:44.40\00:21:52.14
hold. And I'm telling you, when
I'm vomiting, I think I'm dying.
"I am dying, I am dying.
00:21:52.14\00:21:56.71
This is it." Don't you --
Do you feel that way, too?
00:21:56.71\00:22:01.42
Oh, and whatever it is that is
down there begins that hurried
journey to the only exit it has.
00:22:01.42\00:22:09.92
And those projectiles go
everywhere over that bowl.
Tupperware bowl, toilet bowl, it
00:22:09.92\00:22:18.00
doesn't matter. It's
bad. Can you believe it?
00:22:18.00\00:22:23.87
This is really one of those
believe it or not realities. In
the last letter written by
00:22:23.87\00:22:29.34
the last disciple for the last
church on Earth in the last book
of the Bible, the Apocalypse,
00:22:29.34\00:22:35.58
the last of seven letters.
John boy, turned old man John,
00:22:35.58\00:22:42.02
dictates. He sees, from Jesus, a
dictated letter to the last
church on Earth, and it has
00:22:42.02\00:22:49.90
vomit embedded in it. Open your
Bible with me, please, to that
00:22:49.90\00:22:53.44
letter once again. Turn to
Revelations 3:14. If you weren't
here last week, that's a
00:22:53.44\00:22:57.91
critical piece. We can't make up
for last week. It's just there
online. But today, Vomit -- Last
00:22:57.91\00:23:04.61
Letter for Adventists.
Revelation 3:14. I'm in the New
00:23:04.61\00:23:11.25
King James version. Whatever you
have on this snowy, snowy day.
00:23:11.25\00:23:15.89
By the way, a bunch of you
at home right now, pull out your
00:23:15.89\00:23:19.06
Bible, as well. Don't skip
that part. Pull your Bible out.
00:23:19.06\00:23:22.96
Revelation 3:14. Red letters in
my Bible, "And to the angel of
00:23:23.13\00:23:26.57
the church of the Laodiceans
write, 'These things says the
00:23:26.57\00:23:29.77
Amen, the Faithful and True
Witness, the beginning'" -- or
00:23:29.77\00:23:33.38
the origin or the source
-- "'of the creation of God.'"
00:23:33.38\00:23:36.24
Verse 15 -- "I know your works,
that you are neither cold nor
00:23:36.24\00:23:40.18
hot. I could
wish you were cold or
00:23:40.18\00:23:42.85
hot. So then, because you are
00:23:42.85\00:23:45.45
lukewarm and neither cold nor
hot, I will vomit you out of My
00:23:45.45\00:23:50.16
mouth."
00:23:50.16\00:23:51.63
There it is -- vomit. Greek word
is "emesi," from whence comes
00:23:51.79\00:23:57.77
that medical term "emesis." By
the way, when he speaks that
word into this dictated letter
00:23:57.77\00:24:04.67
and the Laodiceans read
it, there's not a ripple in the
00:24:04.67\00:24:08.58
congregation. Everybody gets it
-- immediately gets it. You know
00:24:08.58\00:24:11.55
why? Because they're living in a
city whose natural wonder is
this waterfall over which the
00:24:11.55\00:24:18.59
stream from Hierapolis, about
six miles away -- the hot
springs of Hierapolis.
00:24:18.59\00:24:24.33
The waters from those hot
springs flow over that stream
and plunge into Laodicea.
00:24:24.33\00:24:31.10
Ever gone to Yellowstone? Me,
too. You know one thing about
00:24:31.10\00:24:37.61
hot springs -- bubbling,
bubbling, bubbling to the
surface. Two realities.
00:24:37.61\00:24:41.61
Number one -- the water's very
hot. And number two -- the smell
00:24:41.61\00:24:45.18
of sulfur is very bad. [ Scoffs
] Smells like rotten eggs.
00:24:45.18\00:24:51.12
Guess what -- Laodicea has no
natural water supply. That is
their drinking water.
00:24:51.12\00:24:58.09
Ah! Once very hot, but
now tepid, now sulfurous, and
00:24:58.09\00:25:04.17
nauseatingly lukewarm. Lukewarm
-- so when the risen and
ascended, and for us,
00:25:04.17\00:25:08.14
soon-coming Christ speaks the
words "You're lukewarm," [snaps
fingers] they get it
00:25:08.14\00:25:14.24
immediately.
00:25:14.24\00:25:15.28
Read them again. Verse 15.
00:25:15.44\00:25:17.38
They got it loud and clear,
because you can't be red hot and
ice cold at the same time.
00:25:27.49\00:25:33.40
Not physically, not morally, not
spiritually. You can't serve, as
00:25:33.40\00:25:39.47
Jesus -- the same Jesus, also in
red letters in the Sermon on the
Mount, but no one, no man can
00:25:39.47\00:25:45.11
serve two masters, and neither
can a woman. You either love the
00:25:45.11\00:25:47.61
one and hate the other or hate
the one and love the other. No
man can serve god and mammon.
00:25:47.61\00:25:50.88
You cannot do it,
because everybody is a slave to
00:25:50.88\00:25:56.12
somebody. Every one of us is a
slave. It's just that you can't
be a slave to both.
00:25:56.12\00:26:01.39
You can't be a slave to purity
and impurity. You can't be a
00:26:01.39\00:26:05.66
slave to honesty and dishonesty.
You can't be a slave to Jesus
and say -- It's impossible.
00:26:05.66\00:26:09.66
You cannot do it. The glaring
problem with Laodicea, however,
00:26:09.66\00:26:14.40
is that they are attempting to
be a slave to both. Red hot with
00:26:14.40\00:26:18.17
Jesus, ice cold with Satan, and
their half and half attempt is
nauseating to the savior of the
00:26:18.17\00:26:23.11
world. Vomit! When you remember
that there's not only Jesus in
00:26:23.11\00:26:32.25
these seven letters, there's his
nemesis, the enemy, and not
surprisingly, if you take a look
00:26:32.25\00:26:42.70
at the seven letters -- and by
the way, Ranko Stefanovic, I
hope you read this week's lesson
00:26:42.70\00:26:48.30
on the seven churches. Anyway,
here's a church in Smyrna --
00:26:48.30\00:26:54.71
second letter. He cries out to
there, "Hey, look out, guys. You
must contend with," as he
00:26:54.71\00:26:58.68
puts it, "the Synagogue of
Satan." And to the church in
00:26:58.68\00:27:02.32
Pergamon, he warns, "You are
facing the throne of Satan." And
to Thyatira, "Be careful,
00:27:02.32\00:27:07.86
church. You are battling
the deep things of Satan."
00:27:07.86\00:27:10.69
Even to the good church in
Philadelphia, Brotherly Love,
Christ warns of attacks by the
00:27:10.69\00:27:15.86
Synagogue of Satan. And yet not
a word, not a hint about Satan
00:27:15.86\00:27:23.51
in the last letter at all.
00:27:23.51\00:27:25.24
Sigve Tonstad, the
New Testament scholar from
00:27:25.41\00:27:28.08
Loma Linda University wrote a
blog very recently, and thanks
00:27:28.08\00:27:31.51
to my friend Melchi
Ponniah, I've read that blog.
00:27:31.51\00:27:34.12
I want to put the
words on the screen for you.
00:27:34.12\00:27:36.55
Sigve Tonstad.
"Just as the believing
00:27:36.55\00:27:38.69
communities" -- the seven
churches -- "are commissioned to
00:27:38.69\00:27:41.79
carry out heaven's business
on earth" -- he calls them seven
00:27:41.79\00:27:44.99
points of light in a
dark world. I love that.
00:27:44.99\00:27:47.50
Seven churches, seven
points of light in a dark world.
00:27:47.50\00:27:49.90
Just as they are called to carry
out heaven's business on earth,
00:27:49.90\00:27:52.60
"'the Synagogue of Satan'
represents the opposing side in
00:27:52.60\00:27:56.50
the cosmic conflict.
Fiercely competing interests are
00:27:56.50\00:27:59.51
in view. This
cosmic and theological
00:27:59.51\00:28:01.74
element has not received
the attention it deserves in the
00:28:01.74\00:28:04.95
messages to the
seven communities.
00:28:04.95\00:28:07.05
Awareness of conflict changes
the way we construe victory and
00:28:07.05\00:28:11.02
defeat. While
Jesus makes promises" --
00:28:11.02\00:28:13.25
and every letter ends with this
little formula -- "to everyone
00:28:13.25\00:28:16.49
who conquers'" -- Tonstad goes
on -- "...the tenor of conflict
00:28:16.49\00:28:20.23
is better preserved if we
translate it 'to everyone who
00:28:20.23\00:28:24.03
overcomes in the
war.'" End quote.
00:28:24.03\00:28:26.80
What war are you talking about?
I'm talking about the great war
00:28:26.80\00:28:29.40
in Revelations
12:7 on the screen.
00:28:29.40\00:28:32.14
What's Revelation talking about?
"And war broke out in heaven.
00:28:32.14\00:28:35.41
Michael and His angels fought
against the dragon and his
00:28:35.41\00:28:38.01
angels, and the dragon
and his angels fought back."
00:28:38.01\00:28:40.38
And that great war in heaven
spilled out to become the great
00:28:40.38\00:28:43.25
war on Earth.
What's that all about?
00:28:43.25\00:28:44.95
Look at the last
verse of that same chapter.
00:28:44.95\00:28:46.82
"And the dragon was
enraged with the woman..."
00:28:46.82\00:28:49.32
By the way, the woman is
all seven churches, including
00:28:49.32\00:28:52.16
Laodicea. "The
dragon was enraged with the
00:28:52.16\00:28:55.23
woman [the seven churches],
and he went to make war with the
00:28:55.23\00:28:58.03
rest of her offspring..."
That would have to be the last
00:28:58.03\00:29:00.70
church. And what
is this last church
00:29:00.70\00:29:02.50
like? These are
they "who keep the
00:29:02.50\00:29:04.21
commandments of God and
have the testimony of Jesus."
00:29:04.21\00:29:06.64
The last war.
00:29:06.64\00:29:08.98
The great war. Or in
nomenclature you may be familiar
00:29:09.14\00:29:14.22
with, the great controversy
between Christ and Satan. That's
the war, and every one of
00:29:14.22\00:29:19.09
these seven letters, including
the letter to Laodicea, assumes
you know the great war is in
00:29:19.09\00:29:25.63
progress. Laodicea's desperate
downfall -- get this -- is that
00:29:25.63\00:29:35.00
she's trying to fight on both
sides. Go figure. It is more
than clear from the
00:29:35.00\00:29:42.88
last letter that one of the
enemy's most insidious and
destructive tactics for the last
00:29:42.88\00:29:47.78
generation on Earth is the
deadly temptation to compromise,
to blend, to go half and half --
00:29:47.78\00:29:56.93
half in, half out, half up, half
down, half yes, half no, half
for, half against, half hot,
00:29:56.93\00:30:06.17
half cold, half heaven,
half hell. Half and half.
00:30:06.17\00:30:13.24
The generation of half and half,
lukewarm, hot and cold, vomit,
00:30:13.24\00:30:22.65
war. But whose side are we
on? Good question. Apparently,
00:30:22.65\00:30:29.39
Laodicea doesn't have a clue,
and it makes you wonder, doesn't
00:30:29.39\00:30:34.86
it? Do we? Come on, do we? One
of the challenges of stepping
out of the confines of
00:30:34.86\00:30:41.87
generalities when it comes to
lifestyle and morality and
spirituality is risking coming
00:30:41.87\00:30:47.58
across as condemning when
you want to challenge the status
00:30:47.58\00:30:54.15
quo. And by the way, a highly
convictional faith community
like this one, most behavioral
00:30:54.15\00:31:01.66
challenges are immediately
dismissed as, "Ah, judgmental.
00:31:01.66\00:31:06.93
Holy moly. Trying to be my
conscience for me. Don't need
00:31:06.93\00:31:10.60
you. Bye-bye." But it all
depends, doesn't it, on the
heart of the one who asks
00:31:10.60\00:31:19.17
the questions. A few days ago,
I received a letter from a young
00:31:19.17\00:31:25.88
coed who's begging me in e-mail
to do something about what she
perceives, along with her
00:31:25.88\00:31:31.69
friends, she says, as an
epidemic of pornography in this
00:31:31.69\00:31:40.10
generation. I could feel her
tears. In fact, she said -- she
described them, and I got it.
00:31:40.10\00:31:46.37
And through those tears, I read
her heart of deep concern for
00:31:46.37\00:31:51.91
her peers. There was -- I didn't
sense any judgmentalness. I
didn't sense harsh or critical
00:31:51.91\00:31:56.41
spirit in her because it all
depends on the heart of the one
who asks the questions and
00:31:56.41\00:32:04.89
raises the concerns. And if I
might share with you my own for
the next few moments.
00:32:04.89\00:32:13.29
I must be honest. As your
pastor, and as one who has
served the people of God all
00:32:13.29\00:32:24.71
his life, deeply loves them, I
fear that Laodicea, the last
church, the last generation, is
00:32:24.71\00:32:40.29
being seduced by the enemy's
neutralizing temptation to live
a compromised life -- half in,
00:32:40.29\00:32:49.50
half out, half hot, half cold,
half heaven, half hell. Because
it's the pathology of
00:32:49.50\00:33:01.31
compromise to lull us into a
deadly lethargy that masquerades
as neutrality but manifests
00:33:01.31\00:33:10.72
itself in the ensuing death of
the heart and the soul. Let me
00:33:10.72\00:33:19.06
explain. Let me explain by
asking a series of lifestyle
questions that begin with the
00:33:19.06\00:33:23.77
words "what's so wrong with,"
all right? What's so wrong with
00:33:23.77\00:33:28.60
-- I mean, after all,
everybody's doing it, right?
What was once taught to us by
00:33:28.60\00:33:33.84
this person whose spiritual
gifts clearly evidenced her
divine calling to bring the
00:33:33.84\00:33:38.11
light of heaven into our lives
and faith community. Look, we
don't feel that way
00:33:38.11\00:33:42.68
anymore. That was our
great-grandparents' standard.
00:33:42.68\00:33:46.29
It's not ours. So, what's
so wrong? Everybody's doing it.
00:33:46.29\00:33:54.63
So why can't we? Well, first of
all, let me disabuse you of the
00:33:54.63\00:34:00.34
notion that everybody's doing
it. They are not. They are not.
00:34:00.34\00:34:06.74
That's a flimsy piece of logic
that won't hold up trying to
00:34:06.74\00:34:15.32
slip out of this. Now, let me go
on. Go ahead and ask a few
"what's so wrong with it"
00:34:15.32\00:34:22.79
questions, if it's okay
with you. What's so wrong with
00:34:22.79\00:34:30.20
drinking coffee? I mean, it's
kind of cool to have a Starbucks
in your hand. It's kind of like
00:34:30.20\00:34:35.60
the culture's supreme I.D. And
this [scoffs] -- this fussiness
00:34:35.60\00:34:44.65
about caffeine and caffeine
addiction. Nobody cares. So,
what's so wrong with it?
00:34:44.65\00:34:52.42
Oh, I know my grandma and
grandpa. I know the stand they
00:34:52.42\00:34:55.59
took, and I know my parents and
the stand they took. But I'm me.
00:34:55.59\00:35:01.53
What's so wrong with it? What's
so wrong with sipping a little
00:35:01.53\00:35:06.84
wine now and then? I know it has
alcohol in it. You got a problem
with alcohol or something?
00:35:06.84\00:35:10.14
A little alcohol is good for
the soul. What's so wrong for
00:35:10.14\00:35:16.44
drinking that, whatever the
"that" is? Yo, and Dwight,
what's so wrong about
00:35:16.44\00:35:23.59
over-indulging appetite? I mean,
come on, give me a break. A
woman has to have some sort of
00:35:23.59\00:35:27.26
comfort. Eating when I don't
need to be eating, eating what I
00:35:27.26\00:35:32.93
don't need to be eating. What's
so wrong with that? And oh, by
00:35:32.93\00:35:38.23
the way, what's so wrong with
watching soft porn? So it's
rated R. So there's nudity in
00:35:38.23\00:35:42.77
it. This is entertainment,
buddy. What are you thinking of?
You got a problem with that?
00:35:42.77\00:35:48.88
No, are you serious? What's so
wrong with hard porn? I only do
00:35:48.88\00:35:57.22
it by myself. I'm
not bugging anybody else.
00:35:57.22\00:36:00.92
And by the way, if you're
struggling with hard porn or
00:36:01.09\00:36:03.49
you'd like to help somebody who
is struggling with hard porn,
00:36:03.49\00:36:06.13
4:00 this afternoon in
Buller Hall -- Conquer Series.
00:36:06.13\00:36:11.30
Listen up. Yo,
Dwight, what's so wrong with
00:36:11.30\00:36:16.40
gambling? I mean,
I'm not spending my
00:36:16.40\00:36:18.57
life's savings. Just
a little bit here and a
00:36:18.57\00:36:20.31
little bit there,
but it's just a release.
00:36:20.31\00:36:23.75
And while we're at it, talking
about finances, what's so wrong
00:36:23.75\00:36:27.32
with not tithing? Is
that a big deal or something?
00:36:27.32\00:36:30.35
I worked hard for this
money. This is my money.
00:36:30.35\00:36:34.02
I'm good to God. He's good
to go. Got a problem with that?
00:36:34.19\00:36:41.43
And by the way, what's so wrong
with becoming a fashionista and
looking like Lady Gaga every
00:36:41.43\00:36:48.17
time you step out of your room?
What's so wrong with that, huh?
You got a problem with that?
00:36:48.17\00:36:55.14
[ Scoffs ] And what's so wrong
with "Dancing with the Stars"?
00:36:55.14\00:36:59.08
I mean, they're stars. And
they're all dancing. [ Snaps
00:36:59.08\00:37:04.39
fingers ] Yo! So, what's so
wrong? You got a problem with
00:37:04.39\00:37:10.93
that? And what's so wrong with
copulating with your friends?
That means having sex with your
00:37:10.93\00:37:18.07
friends. She's okay,
I'm okay. Aren't you okay?
00:37:18.07\00:37:25.21
And what's so wrong with amusing
ourselves to death, being
00:37:25.21\00:37:33.05
Netflix junkies? Please. You
got a problem with that, boy?
00:37:33.05\00:37:36.92
And what's so wrong, by the way,
with my Sabbath days that are
two hours long at the most?
00:37:36.92\00:37:46.56
That's how long my Sabbath is.
But he got it. You ought to be
00:37:46.56\00:37:51.20
thankful. You got two hours
of my busy life. Yeah, what's so
00:37:51.20\00:37:56.54
wrong? I mean, can you believe
that? Look what's happened to
the Sabbath in the Laodicean
00:37:56.54\00:38:01.71
community today. Here we are,
supposed to be telling the world
00:38:01.71\00:38:06.75
about getting to know the Lord
of the Sabbath, but for us, it's
just another one-in-seven 'cause
00:38:06.75\00:38:12.19
we go out to eat and we fill up
with gas and we play and we
work, and hey, I gave you two
00:38:12.19\00:38:17.26
hours. You want more than that?
What's so wrong with video
gaming through the long night?
00:38:17.26\00:38:23.97
I'm working with somebody on the
other side of the world. But I
got to have this caffeine
00:38:23.97\00:38:27.90
fix just to keep awake to
do what I got to do. What's so
00:38:27.90\00:38:34.24
wrong with that? What's so wrong
with a shop till you drop
because I can't stop addiction
00:38:34.24\00:38:39.15
and I keep just ordering and
ordering and ordering? Please,
00:38:39.15\00:38:43.45
you got a problem? Got to have a
release. And what's so wrong
with the Super Bowl coming up?
00:38:43.45\00:38:49.59
Being a sports fan 24/7 for
my hero, for my team. Go, team!
00:38:49.59\00:38:56.63
Yeah! What's so wrong with that?
Well, you know what they do?
00:38:56.63\00:39:01.57
They call you a fan in
the sports world when you go
00:39:01.57\00:39:06.37
overboard. But if you get
excited about God and faith and
eternity, the same world calls
00:39:06.37\00:39:14.08
you a fanatic. Go figure. Guys,
forget the list. Here's the
00:39:14.08\00:39:22.09
concern. The pathology of
compromise -- listen, please --
is such that there are -- that
00:39:22.09\00:39:30.30
one violation of the conscience,
one seemingly insignificant
disobedience to what I have
00:39:30.30\00:39:36.64
known for a long time might be
God's will for me, just one
precipitates an eventual cascade
00:39:36.64\00:39:42.64
of small disobedience until they
end up in a total moral
meltdown. That's what's wrong.
00:39:42.64\00:39:49.18
Just ask Eve. "Hey, Adam,
stay right there. I'll be back.
00:39:49.18\00:39:52.75
Don't you worry about me. I
know my way around this garden."
00:39:52.75\00:39:56.06
Just one. David. "Yo,
David, how do you like
00:39:56.06\00:40:00.10
walking on the roof?" "I love
walking on the roof." Ooh, wow.
00:40:00.10\00:40:04.40
Just one leads to another
and another. By the way, you can
00:40:04.40\00:40:11.81
flip this coin over. You can be
Daniel and his four buddies, who
when the word comes
00:40:11.81\00:40:17.21
down "You will drink the king's
wine and you will eat the king's
rich fare," they say, "No, we
00:40:17.21\00:40:24.55
won't." If you pass a little
test, you do a lot better when
00:40:24.55\00:40:31.09
the tests get big. Fail the
little tests, when the big test
00:40:31.09\00:40:39.90
comes, adios. That's the deal.
The point is not the specificity
00:40:39.90\00:40:45.24
of the list. This point is the
compromise that we have
enculturated into our very DNA
00:40:45.24\00:40:53.82
as a generation
in the church. Ah.
00:40:53.82\00:40:56.58
Verse 14, Revelation 3.
00:40:56.75\00:40:59.19
Listen, when you're in a war,
compromise with the enemy is
00:41:17.24\00:41:26.05
absolutely fatal. Do you ask
that? "Yeah, but are you sure
00:41:26.05\00:41:31.62
it's the enemy?" [ Chuckles ]
Did you ask that of yourself, or
did someone else ask that for
00:41:31.62\00:41:35.42
you?
00:41:35.42\00:41:36.73
Are you sure it's the
enemy? You already know.
00:41:36.89\00:41:41.16
1 John 2:15-17 on the
screen. Let's read it.
00:41:41.16\00:41:45.43
"Do not love the world" --
this anti-kingdom force that is
00:41:45.43\00:41:51.31
exclusively designed to
destroy the kingdom on Earth.
00:41:51.31\00:41:54.51
"Do not love the world
or the things in the world.
00:41:54.51\00:41:56.61
If anyone loves the world,
the love of the Father is not in
00:41:56.61\00:41:59.05
her." Keep reading.
00:41:59.05\00:42:00.25
"For all that is in the world --
the lust of the flesh, the lust
00:42:00.25\00:42:03.28
of the eyes, and the pride of
life -- is not of the Father but
00:42:03.28\00:42:06.25
is of the world. And
the world is passing away,
00:42:06.25\00:42:09.09
and the lust of it; but he/she
who does the will of God abides
00:42:09.09\00:42:13.06
forever."
00:42:13.06\00:42:14.10
That's the deal. Jesus is coming
soon. So, whose side am I on?
00:42:14.30\00:42:20.27
Yo, Dwight, whose side are you
on? Half cold and half hot, hot
00:42:20.27\00:42:26.81
that you are.
00:42:26.81\00:42:30.18
Paul had a dear friend named
Demas, who was one of his close
00:42:30.35\00:42:32.71
disciples. Put it
on the screen, please.
00:42:32.71\00:42:34.38
2 Timothy 4:10.
00:42:34.38\00:42:35.92
Adios, Seņor Paul. I'm out
of here. Can you believe that?
00:42:41.26\00:42:48.60
Disciple of the greatest
Christian after Christ. And the
00:42:48.60\00:42:57.31
world took him. [ Scoffs ] In
1903, that little American lady
writer Ellen White penned
00:42:57.31\00:43:01.71
these words in a
letter referring to Laodicea.
00:43:01.71\00:43:04.61
Put them on the screen, please.
00:43:04.78\00:43:06.61
What an honor. What a privilege.
I'm talking to some of you who
00:43:30.57\00:43:36.85
are a little bit older here than
a college-age student, because
these college-aged eyes, trust
00:43:36.85\00:43:44.15
me, watch you like a hawk. They
listen to everything you say in
00:43:44.15\00:43:49.62
your classroom. They listen to
every experience you relate.
They hear what you didn't think
00:43:49.62\00:43:55.73
they could hear. And
they draw their cue from you.
00:43:55.73\00:44:05.01
"I'll do what he does. He's a
hero of mine. I'll do what she
00:44:05.01\00:44:11.05
does. She's a hero of mine. What
matters to her matters to me.
00:44:11.05\00:44:15.48
What doesn't matter to
him doesn't matter to me."
00:44:15.48\00:44:21.02
Half-hearted. You're
not red hot, you're not
00:44:21.19\00:44:25.09
ice cold. You're lukewarm.
00:44:25.09\00:44:28.86
Man, this is pretty depressing
stuff, this Laodicean penchant
00:44:28.86\00:44:32.17
for lukewarm, half in and half
out kind of living, isn't it?
00:44:32.17\00:44:35.44
And it would be if it were not
for the stunning portrayal of
00:44:35.44\00:44:39.41
Jesus right here, and I hope
you'll never forget the picture
00:44:39.41\00:44:43.38
I want to share
with you in closing.
00:44:43.38\00:44:44.81
This is the picture of
Jesus in the last letter.
00:44:44.81\00:44:48.22
Watch this. He is
the Lord who vomits.
00:44:48.22\00:44:53.19
Now, he hasn't
vomited yet. You notice that?
00:44:53.19\00:44:56.16
He hasn't -- He said, "I will."
He is the Lord who vomits.
00:44:56.16\00:45:00.20
You think about it. Why does
a person vomit? When you vomit,
00:45:00.36\00:45:04.40
why are you vomiting? Because
you're sick, you're nauseated.
00:45:04.40\00:45:07.30
Something got into you that is
churning you up inside. You feel
so bad you can't keep
00:45:07.30\00:45:11.94
it down. The vomit comes up.
So, what could be in the heart
00:45:11.94\00:45:15.14
of Jesus when he is dictating
this letter? It can't be some
00:45:15.14\00:45:18.58
food he ate in heaven. So, this
is not a biological response.
00:45:18.58\00:45:22.45
There is something deeply
emotional that's happening, and
00:45:22.45\00:45:26.12
guess what. Scientists now say,
"Yep, that's exactly what
happens," because scientists now
00:45:26.12\00:45:31.09
tell us we have two brains. Yep.
We have this brain, and we have
00:45:31.09\00:45:37.30
this brain. This is called --
The gut is called the second
brain. The neurons -- A thin
00:45:37.30\00:45:44.74
sheath of neurons strapped
across the stomach connected
instantly with the cognitive
00:45:44.74\00:45:53.01
thinking process. I was over at
Village Church for the 10 Days
of Prayer, saw some of you
00:45:53.01\00:45:56.22
there. Bless you for coming out.
Had a wonderful time. Anyway,
Evelyn Kissinger, one of
00:45:56.22\00:46:00.06
our own -- they had a little
health nugget every night, a
15-minute whatever.
00:46:00.06\00:46:04.39
I heard Evelyn Kissinger point
out that this field of study
called microbiome -- studying
00:46:04.39\00:46:12.00
the second brain, the
microbiome, studying what's in
the gut -- is a runaway new
00:46:12.00\00:46:18.64
science.
00:46:18.64\00:46:19.64
I went to the Harvard website,
Harvard Health, and I put it on
00:46:19.81\00:46:22.84
the screen for
you. Harvard University.
00:46:22.84\00:46:25.35
These words, you see it
there. "Have you ever had a
00:46:25.35\00:46:28.85
'gut-wrenching' experience?"
We talk about gut wrenching.
00:46:28.85\00:46:33.49
What is that? It's
deeply emotional, is it not?
00:46:33.66\00:46:38.26
"Have you ever had a
'gut-wrenching' experience? Do
certain situations" -- and
00:46:38.26\00:46:41.76
they use the illustration just
before a public presentation --
"make you feel nauseous?"
00:46:41.76\00:46:45.67
How many of us have been down
that road? "Oh, let me out of
00:46:45.67\00:46:49.64
here." Keep
reading. "Have you ever felt
00:46:49.80\00:46:51.91
'butterflies' in your
stomach?" We all have.
00:46:51.91\00:46:54.58
"We use these
expressions for a reason.
00:46:54.58\00:46:56.75
The gastrointestinal
tract is sensitive to emotion.
00:46:56.75\00:46:59.48
Anger, anxiety, sadness,
elation -- all of these feelings
00:46:59.48\00:47:03.69
(and others) can
trigger symptoms in the gut."
00:47:03.69\00:47:07.12
Including vomiting.
00:47:07.12\00:47:10.49
The last letter in it, Jesus'
heart is being torn up to the
place he is about to vomit.
00:47:10.66\00:47:19.93
What's going on with him?
Something intensely emotional.
The only time I've seen Jesus
00:47:19.93\00:47:28.01
like this before, besides the
cross, is that day six days
before his crucifixion in his
00:47:28.01\00:47:34.45
triumphal entry into Jerusalem
when he pauses on the brow and
stares upon the holy city.
00:47:34.45\00:47:42.22
You remember that moment.
00:47:42.22\00:47:44.06
Desire of Ages, with the most
pathos, captures it, and I'm
00:47:44.23\00:47:48.63
gonna put Desire
of Ages on the screen.
00:47:48.63\00:47:51.40
"Jesus gazes upon the scene, and
the vast multitude hush their
00:47:51.40\00:47:55.90
shouts, spellbound by the
sudden vision of beauty," of the
00:47:55.90\00:48:00.24
temple. "All eyes
turn upon the Saviour,
00:48:00.24\00:48:02.98
and they are surprised and
disappointed to see His eyes
00:48:02.98\00:48:06.41
fill with tears, and His
body rock to and fro like a tree
00:48:06.41\00:48:12.49
before the tempest, while a
wail of anguish bursts from His
00:48:12.49\00:48:16.32
quivering lips, as if from
the depths of a broken heart.
00:48:16.32\00:48:20.40
What a sight was this for angels
to behold! their loved Commander
00:48:20.40\00:48:23.67
in an agony of tears...tears and
groans of insuppressible agony."
00:48:23.67\00:48:28.87
What's going on? And here we
thought that Jesus' crude
expression of vomit was
00:48:29.04\00:48:39.51
simply his way of displaying his
intense anger with Laodicea.
Turns out it's not anger at all.
00:48:39.51\00:48:47.26
Insuppressible agony. "I feel
like I might vomit." Have you
ever known somebody
00:48:47.26\00:48:56.16
who's cried so hard, he
vomited? She vomited? I have.
00:48:56.16\00:49:11.58
Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem. Oh,
Laodicea, Laodicea. There's no
00:49:11.58\00:49:24.59
anger. This is a heart broken,
because if you don't change,
I've lost number seven.
00:49:24.59\00:49:38.57
"I die for you, but here you
are, drifting from me." What's
00:49:38.57\00:49:47.52
going on here? Answer this
question and you will
immediately know it. Here's the
00:49:47.52\00:49:50.99
question. Why did the waters
of Laodicea become lukewarm? You
00:49:50.99\00:49:55.32
tell me. Why did the waters of
Laodicea become lukewarm? Answer
-- they got too far from
00:49:55.32\00:50:03.33
the source. And that's the
point. The cure for half in and
00:50:03.33\00:50:10.57
half out, half heaven and half
hell. The cure is getting too
far from the source.
00:50:10.57\00:50:20.75
It'll kill you. Too far from
the source. Half yes, half no.
00:50:20.75\00:50:33.70
We just don't see it, do we?
00:50:33.70\00:50:37.40
And yet, every one of the seven
letters ends, even as Laodicea
00:50:37.57\00:50:41.54
does, last line here, verse 22
of Revelation 3 on the screen.
00:50:41.54\00:50:45.41
What's the spirit saying to
Laodicea right now? Here it is.
00:50:54.72\00:50:59.25
"Why don't you let it go?"
I mean, come on. Why would you
00:50:59.25\00:51:04.66
hang onto this? It really is
such a little thing. If you're
too proud to let it
00:51:04.66\00:51:10.80
go, is it worth it cascading
into eventual moral collapse?
Give me the little thing.
00:51:10.80\00:51:21.04
Let me have it. I'm not taking
this away from you because I'm a
00:51:21.04\00:51:27.08
party pooper. I'm asking you to
be all me -- hot. I need you to
00:51:27.08\00:51:35.62
be hot. We're running out of
time. I'm coming soon. Don't put
off to tomorrow what
00:51:35.62\00:51:44.23
has to be done right now.
Decide. You don't need the choir
00:51:44.23\00:51:51.11
singing. You don't need
Dwight appealing to you.
00:51:51.11\00:51:55.41
You have all that you need
already in your mind. Act on
what I just told you.
00:51:55.41\00:52:04.82
Let it go. Let it
go. I want to sing.
00:52:04.82\00:52:18.27
I want to sing what I want
my response to be. And I want to
00:52:18.27\00:52:24.57
sing what I pray your response
will be. And that is "All to
Jesus." All to Jesus, I give it
00:52:24.57\00:52:35.68
to Him. [ "All
to Jesus" begins ]
00:52:35.68\00:52:38.69
Now, let's sing
that chorus again.
00:54:47.38\00:54:49.05
We're gonna sing it
quieter now. This is our prayer.
00:54:49.05\00:54:51.39
We're praying
this prayer together.
00:54:51.39\00:54:53.09
Sing that chorus
again. "I surrender all."
00:54:53.09\00:54:56.36
Oh, Father, please know our
hearts. We really mean that when
00:55:29.36\00:55:33.50
we sing. It's not just a closing
hymn. It's an earnest prayer.
00:55:33.50\00:55:40.40
You may have all of me. That's
what we're saying. Not half.
00:55:40.40\00:55:47.98
You may have all of me. All
of us. All of this university.
00:55:47.98\00:55:57.75
All of this church. Oh,
God, please. Let the spirit that
00:55:57.75\00:56:09.33
speaks to the churches give us
the grace and the courage we
need now to obey what he just
00:56:09.33\00:56:19.14
told us a moment ago. Through
Christ, Jesus, whose grace is
sufficient, to save us
00:56:19.14\00:56:26.38
all. And now, to Him who was
able to keep you from stumbling,
00:56:26.38\00:56:34.89
to present you faultless before
the presence of His glory with
exceeding joy, to God, our
00:56:34.89\00:56:41.60
Saviour, who alone is wise, be
glory and majesty, dominion, and
power, both now and forever.
00:56:41.60\00:56:50.41
Amen. >> All:
Amen. [ Organ plays ]
00:56:50.41\00:56:57.61
>> Think of the last time
someone said, "I'm praying for
00:57:08.19\00:57:11.33
you." Didn't it
give you a sense of
00:57:11.33\00:57:13.53
peace and reassurance
that somebody cares for me?
00:57:13.53\00:57:15.80
I know how I feel when I get an
e-mail from one of our viewers
00:57:15.80\00:57:18.50
saying, "Yo, Dwight.
I've been praying for you
00:57:18.50\00:57:20.60
lately." There's
nothing like knowing
00:57:20.60\00:57:22.24
someone is praying for
you. So I want to offer you an
00:57:22.24\00:57:24.34
opportunity to partner -- let
me, let us partner with you in
00:57:24.34\00:57:27.94
prayer. If you
have a special prayer
00:57:27.94\00:57:29.91
request or a praise of
thanksgiving you'd like to share
00:57:29.91\00:57:32.41
with us, I'm inviting you
to contact one of our friendly
00:57:32.41\00:57:34.88
chaplains. It's simple to do.
00:57:34.88\00:57:36.69
You can call our toll-free
number -- 877 -- the two words,
00:57:36.69\00:57:39.69
HIS WILL. 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:39.69\00:57:42.92
That friendly voice that
answers, you tell him, you tell
00:57:42.92\00:57:45.89
her what your prayer need
is, we'll join with you in that
00:57:45.89\00:57:48.90
petition. May the
God who answers prayer
00:57:48.90\00:57:51.57
journey with you these next few
days until we're right back here
00:57:51.57\00:57:54.44
together again next time.
00:57:54.44\00:57:56.57
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:00.84\00:58:19.06
¤¤
00:58:19.06\00:58:27.90