¤¤
00:00:01.06\00:00:06.43
[ Organ plays ]
00:00:10.74\00:00:13.04
¤¤ ¤¤ >> Let's bow
our heads and pray.
00:00:17.55\00:00:32.03
Dear heavenly Father, we just
want to thank You for all that
You've done for us, for this
00:00:32.03\00:00:37.07
wonderful Sabbath day. We just
ask that You be with us as we
sing our praises to You,
00:00:37.07\00:00:42.00
and we ask that You open our
hearts as we hear the message
that has been prepared for us.
00:00:42.00\00:00:47.14
In Jesus' name, amen. >>
Amen. >> Good morning, and happy
00:00:47.14\00:00:50.58
Sabbath. >> Good
morning. >> Happy Sabbath.
00:00:50.58\00:00:53.72
In Psalms 29:1-2, it says,
"Ascribe to the Lord, all mighty
00:00:53.75\00:00:59.12
ones, ascribe to the
Lord glory and strength.
00:00:59.12\00:01:02.96
Ascribe to the Lord the glory
due His name; worship the Lord
in the beauty and the splendor
00:01:02.99\00:01:09.16
of His holiness." And that's
what we're about to do this
morning as we sing our
00:01:09.16\00:01:14.40
praises to Him. Some of the
songs may be unfamiliar to you
00:01:14.40\00:01:19.21
or you've sung them many, many
times, but, this morning, as we
sing, I just invite you to let
00:01:19.21\00:01:25.15
the songs, let the joys, let the
praises of our Lord rise among
us. So I just invite you to
00:01:25.15\00:01:30.62
stand as we sing. [
"Let It Rise" begins ]
00:01:30.62\00:01:35.76
¤¤ Sing with us.
00:01:40.46\00:01:51.57
¤¤ ¤¤
00:01:51.57\00:02:11.66
¤¤ ¤¤
00:02:11.66\00:02:31.65
¤¤ ¤¤
00:02:31.65\00:02:51.63
¤¤ ¤¤
00:02:51.63\00:03:11.72
¤¤ ¤¤
00:03:11.72\00:03:31.71
¤¤ ¤¤
00:03:31.71\00:03:51.59
Amen. You may be seated.
[ "Yes and Amen" begins ]
00:03:51.59\00:03:57.33
¤¤ ¤¤
00:04:00.67\00:04:20.69
¤¤ ¤¤
00:04:20.69\00:04:40.68
¤¤ ¤¤
00:04:40.68\00:05:00.76
¤¤ ¤¤
00:05:00.76\00:05:20.75
¤¤ ¤¤
00:05:20.75\00:05:40.74
¤¤ ¤¤
00:05:40.74\00:06:00.82
¤¤ ¤¤
00:06:00.82\00:06:20.81
¤¤ ¤¤
00:06:20.81\00:06:40.83
¤¤ ¤¤
00:06:40.83\00:07:00.88
¤¤ ¤¤
00:07:00.88\00:07:20.87
¤¤ ¤¤
00:07:20.87\00:07:40.89
¤¤ ¤¤
00:07:40.89\00:08:00.94
¤¤ ¤¤
00:08:00.94\00:08:20.96
¤¤
00:08:20.96\00:08:22.70
Amen. As the song just
said, faithful God is, faithful
00:08:22.73\00:08:28.90
forever He will be, and all His
promises are "yes" and "amen,"
including the one in 1 John 1:9,
00:08:28.90\00:08:40.55
which says, "If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to
cleanse us from all
00:08:40.55\00:08:45.95
unrighteousness." So if, this
week, you feel like you need to
confess some sins to God or
00:08:45.95\00:08:51.59
maybe you've carried a burden
and just need to say, "Lord, I
need You, and there's nothing
00:08:51.59\00:08:56.80
else that I can do without You,"
I just invite you to stand as we
sing this song, telling God that
00:08:56.80\00:09:04.37
we need Him every hour. So stand
with us as we sing. [ begins ]
00:09:04.37\00:09:12.08
¤¤
00:09:12.08\00:09:21.92
¤¤ ¤¤
00:09:21.96\00:09:41.91
¤¤ ¤¤
00:09:41.91\00:10:01.90
¤¤ ¤¤
00:10:01.90\00:10:21.92
¤¤ ¤¤
00:10:21.92\00:10:41.90
¤¤ ¤¤
00:10:41.90\00:11:01.99
¤¤ ¤¤
00:11:01.99\00:11:21.98
¤¤ ¤¤
00:11:21.98\00:11:41.96
¤¤ ¤¤
00:11:41.96\00:12:02.05
¤¤ ¤¤
00:12:02.05\00:12:22.04
¤¤ ¤¤
00:12:22.04\00:12:42.06
¤¤ ¤¤
00:12:42.06\00:13:02.11
¤¤ ¤¤
00:13:02.11\00:13:22.10
[ "I Need Thee
Every Hour" begins ]
00:13:22.10\00:13:24.83
¤¤ ¤¤
00:13:24.83\00:13:44.85
¤¤ ¤¤
00:13:44.85\00:14:04.91
¤¤ ¤¤
00:14:04.91\00:14:24.93
¤¤ ¤¤
00:14:24.93\00:14:44.91
¤¤ [ Song ends ]
00:14:44.91\00:14:48.82
>> Alright, boys and
girls. Nice to see you.
00:14:53.22\00:14:55.19
Now, I hadn't planned to just
keep sitting here, but little
00:14:55.19\00:14:57.73
sissy came and sat on my lap,
and so I'm just gonna let her
00:14:57.73\00:15:00.33
stay right here, is that okay?
00:15:00.33\00:15:02.36
Can you still hear me? Can
you hear me over there? >> Yes.
00:15:02.40\00:15:05.00
>> Alright. Because I got some
stuff I want to share with you.
00:15:05.00\00:15:07.80
This is from Pastor Darius, the
story that he found. Happened in
00:15:07.80\00:15:13.04
Denver, Colorado. So, these two
college girls are living
together, Megan and Samantha,
00:15:13.04\00:15:18.51
and Samantha has a little girl
named Hannah. Hannah is about 2
or 3 years of age, okay?
00:15:18.51\00:15:22.98
So, Samantha has Megan watch
Hannah when Samantha goes to
00:15:22.98\00:15:29.16
college. So, it's in the
morning. Samantha says, "Okay,
00:15:29.16\00:15:32.59
bye, Megan. Bye, Hannah. Mwah,
mwah, mwah, mwah! See you later!
00:15:32.59\00:15:37.47
Bye!" But Megan also has a
beautiful Quaker parrot. Have
you ever seen a Quaker?
00:15:37.47\00:15:44.57
I didn't know they had religion
among Quakers. Have you ever
00:15:44.57\00:15:47.74
seen a Quaker parrot? Let's see
it on the screen. Take a look at
00:15:47.74\00:15:50.65
that big screen. Can you see the
-- Or you can see it on that
screen. Can you see that?
00:15:50.65\00:15:53.65
>> Aww! >> The Quaker parrot
is a very intelligent parrot.
00:15:53.65\00:15:57.62
Ohh, this parrot -- His name is
Willie. This parrot, he can say
00:15:57.62\00:16:04.79
words. He can whistle tunes.
"The Andy Griffith Show," the
iconic tune, he can whistle the
00:16:04.79\00:16:10.87
whole tune. He's just a very
smart parrot named Willie, okay?
00:16:10.87\00:16:15.74
So, Mama's gone. Megan says,
"Okay, Hannah, sit right here
because I'm gonna get
00:16:15.74\00:16:20.74
one of your favorite Pop-Tarts."
You ever eat a Pop-Tart? >> Oh,
00:16:20.74\00:16:25.05
I know a Pop-Tart. >> You know a
Pop-Tart? Okay. >> I know a
Pop-Tart! >> You know one, too?
00:16:25.05\00:16:29.18
>> I know a Pop-Tart. >>
Yeah, we're talking about one of
00:16:29.18\00:16:32.32
those. She got the Pop-Tart, she
put it in the toaster. Don't you
have to put it in the
00:16:32.32\00:16:36.02
toaster, get a little warm? So,
she put it in the toaster. It's
00:16:36.02\00:16:39.53
warming up. It pops out -- bing!
She puts it on a plate. She goes
out to where Hannah's
00:16:39.53\00:16:43.67
sitting at the table. She goes,
"Hannah, this is a little hot
00:16:43.67\00:16:46.60
now. I'm gonna leave it right
here. I have to slip away." She
had to go to the bathroom.
00:16:46.60\00:16:50.14
"I have to slip away. I'll be
right back." And while she was
00:16:50.14\00:16:53.68
gone -- She was only gone for 30
seconds or something like that.
All of a sudden, Willie --
00:16:53.68\00:16:58.05
Willie is screaming, Willie is
screaming. He's squawking, he's
00:16:58.05\00:17:02.22
screaming, he's squawking! She's
saying, "What is Willie doing?"
00:17:02.22\00:17:05.39
And then he starts yelling this
word -- "Mama! Mama! Mama! Mama!
00:17:05.39\00:17:09.39
Mama!" "Mama, Mama, Mama? What's
he talking about?" And then he
puts another word to
00:17:09.39\00:17:13.70
it. He goes, "Mama,
baby! Mama, baby! Mama, baby!
00:17:13.70\00:17:16.60
Mama, baby!" >> [ Giggles ]
>> And, suddenly, Megan says,
00:17:16.60\00:17:20.07
"Good night -- there's something
happening to the baby!" She goes
00:17:20.07\00:17:24.77
racing down. Sure enough,
there's Hannah at the table. Her
head is down on the table,
00:17:24.77\00:17:29.11
and Hannah's face is blue. She
can't breathe. When you can't
00:17:29.11\00:17:33.65
get oxygen in, your face turns
blue. Megan said, "Oh, no, what
00:17:33.65\00:17:39.45
am I gonna do?!" And Willie's
saying, "Mama, baby! Mama,
00:17:39.45\00:17:42.29
baby!" And so Megan did what she
was trained to do. She reached
00:17:42.29\00:17:46.39
around Hannah just like this,
she put her hands behind, she
put her hands in a cup just like
00:17:46.39\00:17:50.93
this, under the ribs of little
Hannah, and then she just went,
"Unh!" and she pulled in tight
00:17:50.93\00:17:55.80
towards herself, and she
kept pulling. It's called the
00:17:55.80\00:17:59.01
Heimlich maneuver. And all of a
sudden -- blah! -- there went
the Pop-Tart that had been stuck
00:17:59.01\00:18:05.75
in Hannah's throat! [ Gasps,
exhales deeply ] Hannah's
breathing. [ Inhales deeply ]
00:18:05.75\00:18:10.65
Willie's quiet. Megan is
starting to breathe. [ Breathes
00:18:10.65\00:18:14.82
deeply ] And when Mother came
home and heard the story, guess
who's the hero of the story.
00:18:14.82\00:18:19.76
You guessed it -- Willie. Ohh,
Samantha couldn't say enough
good things about Willie.
00:18:19.76\00:18:25.57
"You saved my little girl by
calling, 'Mama, baby!'" They had
never in their lives
00:18:25.57\00:18:31.17
heard that parrot call, "Mama,
baby!" ever before. And guess
00:18:31.17\00:18:35.84
what. After that moment, the
parrot has never put those two
words together again, never
00:18:35.84\00:18:41.82
"Mama, baby." I think little
Hannah's guardian angel said,
00:18:41.82\00:18:45.95
"Hey, Willie, you look like a
smart Quaker parrot. I'm gonna
teach you two words fast.
00:18:45.95\00:18:49.92
Say them now -- "Mama, baby."
"Mama, baby! Mama, baby! Mama,
00:18:49.92\00:18:53.83
baby!" And that got Megan
out just in time to save little
00:18:53.83\00:18:58.13
Hannah's life. Hey, do you know
how to talk? >> Yeah. >> Oh,
00:18:58.13\00:19:02.00
yes, you do. I could just tell.
You know how to talk. Just like
Willie, you can talk.
00:19:02.00\00:19:06.07
Hey, is it hard to talk? No,
it's not. I wanted to see if you
00:19:06.07\00:19:10.05
can say this, "Oh, how I love
Jesus." Say it after me. >> All:
Oh, how I love Jesus.
00:19:10.05\00:19:14.85
>> You know what? If you said
that to somebody, you just gave
00:19:14.85\00:19:18.39
them your testimony. "Oh, how I
love Jesus." And if they come to
00:19:18.39\00:19:21.72
you and say, "Oh, why do you
love Jesus?" You say, "Because
he first loved me."
00:19:21.72\00:19:26.80
That's called testimony. It's as
simple as saying. You know how
00:19:26.80\00:19:32.20
to talk. So don't keep silent.
Jesus says, "I taught you how to
00:19:32.20\00:19:36.20
talk. You tell people about me."
"Oh, how I love Jesus." And why
00:19:36.20\00:19:42.41
-- why do you love Jesus?
"Because He first loved me." >>
00:19:42.41\00:19:45.48
That's a song. >> That's a
beautiful song. Who wants to
thank Jesus for giving us a
00:19:45.48\00:19:50.19
testimony just like that? Sissy,
I saw your hand go up. And I
have no idea where the
00:19:50.19\00:19:53.76
microphone is. Oh, there
it is. Here comes Uncle Dan.
00:19:53.76\00:19:57.13
Uncle Dan is bringing the
microphone right here, right
00:19:57.13\00:20:01.23
now. And, Sissy, who raised
your hand? Where are you, Sissy?
00:20:01.23\00:20:05.13
There you are, come on. Alright,
Sissy, you pray right in that
00:20:05.13\00:20:09.60
mic. What's your first name? >>
[ Speaks indistinctly ] >> Dear
Jesus, thank You for
00:20:09.60\00:20:14.61
this day. Thank You
that You made us to talk.
00:20:14.61\00:20:18.88
Please help us when we
need help. In Jesus' name, amen.
00:20:18.88\00:20:25.45
>> Amen. Alright, boys
and girls. Thank you, Sissy.
00:20:25.45\00:20:28.26
As you go quietly and reverently
back to your seats, let's sing
00:20:28.26\00:20:32.83
the song together. >> So let's
pray. Oh, God, that is our
prayer, what Katia just sang.
00:20:36.20\00:20:41.44
Make us instruments. Exiles as
we are, make us instruments of
00:20:41.44\00:20:48.58
your peace on Earth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
00:20:48.58\00:20:52.81
Amen. Everybody
knows the ancient
00:20:52.85\00:20:56.79
proverb, don't you? "The
enemy of my enemy is my..."
00:20:56.79\00:21:03.89
>> Friend. >> "...friend."
00:21:03.89\00:21:05.26
We all know it, the whole world
knows it, and we all think it
00:21:05.26\00:21:08.03
came from the Arabs. Not so.
00:21:08.03\00:21:09.50
Fourth century B.C., India, the
Sanskrit military strategy book
00:21:09.50\00:21:15.47
carries it. "The
enemy of my enemy is my
00:21:15.47\00:21:20.54
friend."
00:21:20.54\00:21:22.31
Two parties with a mutual enemy
do well to join together in
opposition to that enemy.
00:21:22.34\00:21:29.22
That's what it means. Actually
come to find out it's not fourth
00:21:29.22\00:21:34.46
century B.C. It's way back to
ancient Israel, ancient Israel
with a nemesis neighbor named
00:21:34.46\00:21:42.40
Syria. Israel and Syria
-- nothing's changed, has it?
00:21:42.40\00:21:51.84
Israel and Syria. And out of
that moment -- a stunning
portrayal of God that you may
00:21:51.84\00:21:59.65
never have seen before in your
life. So I'm inviting you right
now to open your Bible to 2
00:21:59.65\00:22:03.02
Kings chapter 5.
Let's go. Syria and Israel.
00:22:03.02\00:22:06.09
So, what's new? Ah, a picture
of God. A picture of God.
00:22:06.09\00:22:09.79
2 Kings chapter 5. 2
Kings chapter 5. I'll be in the
00:22:09.79\00:22:13.33
New International Version today.
Whatever translation you have on
that phone or in your Bible,
00:22:13.33\00:22:19.17
that works.
00:22:19.17\00:22:20.57
2 Kings 5:1. "Now
Naaman was commander of the
00:22:20.60\00:22:24.17
army of the king of Aram."
We're just gonna change that
00:22:24.17\00:22:27.71
always to Syria
because it's present day Syria.
00:22:27.71\00:22:30.85
"He was a great man --"
Here comes some credentials now.
00:22:30.85\00:22:34.38
"He was a great man in the
sight of his master and highly
00:22:34.38\00:22:38.02
regarded..." Hit
the pause button right
00:22:38.02\00:22:40.02
there. What do we
know about Naaman?
00:22:40.02\00:22:41.52
He was commander
of the Syrian armies.
00:22:41.52\00:22:43.93
Was he a five-star general like
General Dwight D. Eisenhower,
whom we all remembered this last
00:22:43.96\00:22:50.67
week as we celebrated the
75th anniversary of the Normandy
00:22:50.67\00:22:55.77
invasion? Was he a five-star
general? We don't know. Highly
respected, great man,
00:22:55.77\00:23:02.54
outstanding citizen in his
country, but the story
immediately becomes conflicted,
00:23:02.54\00:23:07.02
because I want you to catch
the next line. Look at this.
00:23:07.02\00:23:10.32
So, he's all of that. "He was
a great man in the sight of his
00:23:10.32\00:23:15.39
master and highly regarded,
because through him --" that
would be this thoroughly
00:23:15.39\00:23:21.70
thoroughbred five-star pagan
general named Naaman -- "through
him the Lord --" and that would
00:23:21.70\00:23:28.27
be the Lord God Yahweh, the
covenant-creator God, the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
00:23:28.27\00:23:34.11
Through the pagan, the God
of Israel did what? Had given
00:23:34.11\00:23:42.58
victory to Syria. [ Chuckles
] "The enemy of my enemy is my
00:23:42.58\00:23:48.12
friend." And that's what's going
on here. And we're kind of
saying, "Oh, well, good.
00:23:48.12\00:23:51.99
Syria took care of all the
other threatening enemies around
00:23:51.99\00:23:55.50
Israel." Oh, the question really
becomes conflicted and very
touchy when we ask the question,
00:23:55.50\00:24:00.30
"Did Syria take care of Israel?"
And, yes, it did. Sometimes,
00:24:00.30\00:24:05.54
"The enemy of my enemy is my
friend" means that God will take
His people who are living in a
00:24:05.54\00:24:11.58
morally corrupt culture and who
have unwittingly turned to the
gods and goddesses of that
00:24:11.58\00:24:18.05
culture, He'll have to take an
enemy to get their attention and
draw them back from the downward
00:24:18.05\00:24:23.86
spiral they are on spiritually.
That's what's going on here.
Hey, listen, with ancient
00:24:23.86\00:24:29.80
Babylon, did God use Babylon to
kind of turn Israel around? Oh,
00:24:29.80\00:24:34.14
yes, He did. Question -- will
God use modern Babylon -- and
everybody knows who the modern
00:24:34.14\00:24:39.24
Babylon is -- will God use
modern Babylon to do the same,
to withdraw his people from a
00:24:39.24\00:24:44.28
morally bankrupt culture that
they have gotten sucked into and
have forgotten they are exiles
00:24:44.28\00:24:48.98
of the Most High God?
Will God do it again? Hmm.
00:24:48.98\00:24:53.92
2 Kings 5:1, again. "Now
Naaman was commander of the
00:24:53.96\00:24:57.83
army of the king of Syria.
He was a great man in the sight
00:24:57.83\00:25:01.13
of his master and highly
regarded, because through him
00:25:01.13\00:25:04.17
the Lord had
given victory to Syria.
00:25:04.17\00:25:06.87
He was a valiant
soldier, but he had leprosy."
00:25:06.87\00:25:12.31
Ohh, no. The dreaded scourge of
the Middle East, the incurable
00:25:12.34\00:25:18.35
scourge of Naaman's generation.
That five-star general, with all
the credentials in the world,
00:25:18.35\00:25:25.75
can't stop leprosy from
conquering him, and he's got it.
And the plot thickens because,
00:25:25.75\00:25:31.73
as it turns out, that Naaman, in
one of his terrorist attacks on
Israel, had a guerilla band that
00:25:31.73\00:25:38.87
pounced on a hapless Israelite
village, grabbing a bunch of the
00:25:38.87\00:25:45.01
kids. They disappear into the
night. And Naaman gets first
pick. So he takes that little
00:25:45.01\00:25:50.91
girl right there from that
village -- "And she will be the
slave of my lovely wife."
00:25:50.91\00:25:58.52
What is Naaman's wife's
name? Mrs. Naaman. [ Laughter ]
00:25:58.52\00:26:03.99
Mrs. Naaman gets
the little girl. Oh, my.
00:26:03.99\00:26:10.50
Who is this little girl? We
don't know. Where's she from?
00:26:10.50\00:26:12.87
We don't know. Who were
her parents? We don't know.
00:26:12.87\00:26:15.04
How far was she in school?
We don't know. How old is she?
00:26:15.04\00:26:17.44
We do not know. All we know is
this -- that she is now the
captive slave of the
00:26:17.44\00:26:23.58
hated [Spits] Syrian general and
his wife. That's what we know.
00:26:23.58\00:26:29.68
She has every right to sabotage
her mistress and master whenever
00:26:29.68\00:26:33.96
she can. "Some sort of odious
assignment is being given to me,
00:26:33.96\00:26:38.06
a child of God?" She could've
just thrown a tizzy fit and
said, "I won't do it." But God
00:26:38.06\00:26:44.83
bless her parents, whoever they
were, because they did not raise
an urchin. My folks threatened
00:26:44.83\00:26:49.70
that I was becoming fast an
urchin. You don't know what an
urchin is, but, back then, they
00:26:49.70\00:26:55.91
did. She was a courteous girl.
She was a polite girl. She was
an obedient girl who
00:26:55.91\00:27:02.68
knew well the religion of her
family and knew the God of her
00:27:02.68\00:27:10.79
family religion. Oh, my. Let's
put these words from "Prophets
00:27:10.79\00:27:13.80
and Kings" on the screen. This
is something else. Take a look
00:27:13.80\00:27:16.67
at -- Any young parents here?
Any young parents here? Any
00:27:16.67\00:27:21.77
young fathers? Hey, Dad, listen.
Read this. On the screen...
00:27:21.80\00:27:25.47
Keep reading. Boy,
this is dynamite...
00:27:38.15\00:27:40.46
So, here's the big question
that's begging to be asked. Were
your children or my
00:27:52.40\00:27:56.84
grandchildren carried off into
captivity today -- today -- to
an exiled home, an enemy home,
00:27:56.84\00:28:04.31
how would our children...behave?
Would our children, like this
little Jewish maiden, be loyal,
00:28:04.31\00:28:15.22
remain loyal to the God of their
father and mother? You say,
"Dwight, I wish you
00:28:15.22\00:28:22.13
really hadn't put it that way,
because I'm not sure it's that
00:28:22.13\00:28:26.84
good an answer." No, I'm just
saying. And if you're not sure
that you could say yes -- "Oh, I
00:28:26.84\00:28:33.74
know she'd stay true, I know
he'd stay true --" if you're not
sure, then here's a question for
00:28:33.74\00:28:38.71
you, Mama. Then what are
we gonna do? We who have the
00:28:38.71\00:28:42.85
ability, we who have the
responsibility, what are we
gonna do for this child that
00:28:42.85\00:28:48.22
you're concerned about, this
grandchild that I'm concerned
about? What shall we do?
00:28:48.22\00:28:51.99
[ Chuckles, sighs ] Well, I
would say -- you say to me,
"I'll take advantage of
00:28:51.99\00:28:57.03
Sabbath school. I'd be sending
my kids to Sabbath school."
00:28:57.03\00:29:00.80
Well, that's a great -- that's
a beautiful strategy. Good for
00:29:00.80\00:29:06.21
you. Beautiful idea. But what
are you gonna do for the other
six days of the week?
00:29:06.21\00:29:09.78
"Well, my kids are gonna get old
enough to go to church-school,
and I will send my kids.
00:29:09.78\00:29:13.78
I'll send my grandkids to
church-school. I'll make sure
00:29:13.78\00:29:17.19
that they go to a
church-school." Well, that's
good, too. That's a great
00:29:17.19\00:29:23.32
strategy. We have a little store
right across the street up here
called the ABC Christian
00:29:23.32\00:29:30.43
bookstore. There are shelves of
books for children that you can
go, Papa, and take some of your
00:29:30.43\00:29:34.50
hard-earned money, and you put
it down, and you say, "I want
that book, that book, that book,
00:29:34.50\00:29:37.94
and that book." Why?
Because you're gonna read these
00:29:37.94\00:29:40.08
stories to your children every
night when they go to bed.
You're putting something in
00:29:40.08\00:29:43.28
their minds every night. This
little maiden, I don't know what
her parents did with her,
00:29:43.28\00:29:48.28
but she is unflinching in her
loyalty to the God of her father
00:29:48.28\00:29:54.46
and mother. Mm. Verse 2. Come
on. "Now bands of raiders from
00:29:54.49\00:29:57.99
Syria had gone out and had
taken captive a young girl from
00:29:57.99\00:30:00.60
Israel, and she
served Naaman's wife.
00:30:00.60\00:30:02.53
And she said to her mistress,
'Aw, if only my master would see
00:30:02.53\00:30:06.90
the prophet who is in Samaria!
He would cure him of leprosy.'"
00:30:06.90\00:30:12.77
There it is, the little
girl's very sure testimony.
00:30:12.77\00:30:17.48
"I wish you knew my God and the
prophet that works for my God,
because if you did, your husband
00:30:17.51\00:30:23.75
would be healed of leprosy."
That was it. [ Scoffs ]
00:30:23.75\00:30:30.19
Instead of wishing her master
ill, she wishes him well. And it
touches the heart of
00:30:30.19\00:30:36.67
Mrs. Naaman. I mean, the little
girl could've prayed that her
00:30:36.67\00:30:42.50
God would curse
this general, kill him.
00:30:42.50\00:30:45.57
But, instead, she tears a page
from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
00:30:45.61\00:30:48.71
800 years before
Jesus even spoke the words.
00:30:48.71\00:30:51.05
On the screen, from the
Sermon on the Mount -- "But I
00:30:51.05\00:30:54.08
tell you --" Jesus says -- "love
your enemies and pray for those
00:30:54.08\00:30:57.65
who persecute you, that you may
be children of your Father in
00:30:57.65\00:31:01.12
heaven." Keep going.
00:31:01.12\00:31:02.56
"Your Father causes His sun to
rise on the evil and the good,
00:31:02.56\00:31:05.96
and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous."
00:31:05.96\00:31:09.83
God is no respecter of persons.
Nope. His love is poured out
00:31:09.86\00:31:18.51
both on the evil and the good,
the righteous and the
unrighteous. Today in your
00:31:18.51\00:31:22.81
neighborhood -- Come on, just
think of your neighborhood right
now. It doesn't matter how
00:31:22.81\00:31:26.51
godless your neighbors are, it
doesn't matter how godless your
colleagues on the job are -- it
00:31:26.51\00:31:30.39
doesn't matter. Sometimes I sit
on a plane by somebody I don't
00:31:30.39\00:31:34.66
know, but by what he's reading,
by what he's watching, by what
he's drinking, I'm saying, "This
00:31:34.66\00:31:39.39
is a waste of my time. I'm
not gonna witness to this guy.
00:31:39.39\00:31:41.80
He's gone." Who am I to
make that judgment? If God is no
00:31:41.80\00:31:48.00
respecter of persons, why would
I suddenly become a respecter of
persons? That's crazy.
00:31:48.00\00:31:56.58
She's in a pagan home with a
polytheistic, heathen master and
00:31:56.58\00:32:06.05
mistress. And the little girl
raises her hand and says, "Ooh.
[ Breathes shakily ] I wish you
00:32:06.05\00:32:11.93
knew my God." She's in
exile. Hey, guess what, folks.
00:32:11.93\00:32:16.67
Guess what. By very definition
-- Do you know what the word
00:32:16.67\00:32:20.64
"exile" means? It means you
live in the land of the captor.
00:32:20.64\00:32:23.81
You're not at home. We are not
at home. We are living right now
00:32:23.81\00:32:28.51
in the land of the captor. The
prince of evil, the prince of
the world, self-styled,
00:32:28.51\00:32:32.61
declares, "This is my place."
We're in his place right now.
We're exiles, all of us.
00:32:32.61\00:32:42.02
Just like that little maiden, I
guess we just say a word. "Oh, I
wish you knew my God, who
00:32:42.02\00:32:48.43
could help you, who could heal
you. I wish you knew Him, who
00:32:48.43\00:32:53.67
loves you like I do." Verse
4. So, the little girl gives a
00:32:53.67\00:33:02.21
testimony to Mrs. Naaman, Mrs.
Naaman gives it to Mr. Naaman,
00:33:02.21\00:33:06.82
and Mr. Naaman -- verse 4 --
"went to his master and told him
what the girl from Israel had
00:33:06.82\00:33:11.89
said." Now, hold on. Do
you understand what's happening
00:33:11.89\00:33:14.72
here? Because this is what
happens to simple testimonies.
They simply get passed on.
00:33:14.72\00:33:20.00
The world is so faithless today,
this godless, faithless culture
that we live in is hungry for
00:33:20.00\00:33:26.23
faith, it is hungry for God, and
if somebody raises her hand and
said, "Excuse me, can I say
00:33:26.23\00:33:35.08
something?" just like a parched
desert, the world would drink it
up, and that little testimony
00:33:35.08\00:33:42.42
would get passed on from person
to person to person. You have no
00:33:42.42\00:33:46.39
idea where your testimony is
going. Once it's out of your
lips, don't worry about it.
00:33:46.39\00:33:51.89
But Naaman goes to the
king. [ Inhales deeply ] Ohh.
00:33:51.89\00:33:57.23
Unbelievable. Listen, you'll
never know where your testimony
ends up, but I'll make this
00:33:57.23\00:34:01.80
promise to you right now in
front of everybody. I'll tell
you where it ends up if you
00:34:01.80\00:34:05.77
don't share it -- nowhere.
Nowhere. Because you didn't open
00:34:05.77\00:34:10.01
your mouth. You got to share
it. Guess what. Never forget.
00:34:10.01\00:34:14.38
Never forget this. Let's go to
boxing now. Come on, everybody
00:34:14.38\00:34:17.65
knows boxing. One-two
punch. One, two! Okay?
00:34:17.65\00:34:19.42
So it could be a right-left, or
it could be a left-right. Isn't
that what they call it?
00:34:19.42\00:34:23.29
A one-two punch. You are the
one-two punch, but you're the
00:34:23.29\00:34:27.46
one. Your testimony is the first
punch, and, right behind you
comes the Holy Spirit with his
00:34:27.46\00:34:33.60
convicting, convincing power. He
could do it Himself, but He
needs the first punch.
00:34:33.60\00:34:40.61
One-two! Sorry to make this into
martial arts, but anybody want
00:34:40.61\00:34:45.45
to come up here?
Let's try this. [ Laughter ]
00:34:45.45\00:34:48.78
One-two! See? You're one.
Don't say, "God, you be one, and
00:34:48.78\00:34:54.09
I'll go two. Let's switch." No.
00:34:54.09\00:34:55.89
He said, "You got to open this
door, buddy. Open the door. I'm
00:34:55.89\00:35:00.16
right there." One-two! Hmm.
And even when it appears that
00:35:00.16\00:35:06.60
your testimony has fallen on
deaf ears and you're being blown
off or ignored, never forget the
00:35:06.60\00:35:13.17
words of Sidlow Baxter. Aw, I
wish you could scribble this
down fast enough and have
00:35:13.17\00:35:16.61
it in your Bible like I have it
in my Bible. I carry this with
00:35:16.61\00:35:19.75
me in all my Bibles.
00:35:19.75\00:35:20.82
I'll put it on
the screen for you.
00:35:20.85\00:35:22.08
Sidlow Baxter...
00:35:22.08\00:35:23.69
>> Amen.
00:35:38.07\00:35:39.50
>> You share that "one!" and
then you pray. You just pray.
00:35:39.53\00:35:46.78
They can spurn you and blow you
out of the water and just say,
00:35:46.78\00:35:51.25
"Psh!" But they can't resist
what you unleash through your
00:35:51.25\00:35:58.09
praying. Ah, my. The power of an
exile's prayer to back up the
power of an exile's testimony.
00:35:58.09\00:36:02.59
Don't you think that little
Israelite maiden is praying for
General Naaman every single day
00:36:02.59\00:36:07.76
to the God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob? Of course she is.
00:36:07.76\00:36:11.27
Because when people go through
flux, when people go through
radical change, suddenly now
00:36:11.27\00:36:16.94
they're wide open. You go
through a divorce -- Your friend
goes through a divorce,
00:36:16.94\00:36:21.61
that friend right now is wide
open to God, to anything. You
get canned from your job.
00:36:21.61\00:36:31.35
That friend who's just been let
go is wide open right now. You
contract a disease.
00:36:31.35\00:36:40.13
That friend right now -- wide
open. The paradigm has shifted.
00:36:40.13\00:36:45.47
You got thrown out of school.
Right now that friend of yours
00:36:45.47\00:36:52.64
is wide open. Flux is what God
majors in. Now, listen very
carefully. God does not cause
00:36:52.64\00:36:58.08
these radical fluxes or changes.
God didn't cause you to get the
disease, He didn't cause you to
00:36:58.08\00:37:02.75
get fired, but you know what?
God never misses an golden
opportunity, and He takes every
00:37:02.75\00:37:07.66
flux, and He takes every change,
and He says, "I'll use that,
thank you," and God moves in.
00:37:07.66\00:37:14.20
Your testimonies in a time of
flux -- Naaman is open where he
never would have been open four
00:37:14.20\00:37:20.90
months ago. He's wide open now.
[ Chuckles ] Wow. What a God.
00:37:20.90\00:37:26.07
So it bears repeating --
God really does business with
00:37:26.07\00:37:29.91
pagans. He just loves doing
business with pagans. That's
what's happening here.
00:37:29.91\00:37:34.05
Drop down to verse 4 again. So,
"Naaman went to his master and
told him about what the
00:37:34.05\00:37:39.59
little girl from
Israel had said."
00:37:39.59\00:37:42.26
And now here
comes King Ben-Hadad.
00:37:42.29\00:37:44.39
"'By all means, go,'
the king of Syria replied.
00:37:44.39\00:37:47.20
'I will send a letter
to the king of Israel.'"
00:37:47.20\00:37:49.93
I just love this. "So
Naaman left, taking with him
00:37:49.93\00:37:52.70
ten talents of silver, six
thousand shekels of gold --"
00:37:52.70\00:37:55.57
this is a lot of money --
"and ten sets of clothing.
00:37:55.57\00:37:58.34
And the letter from Ben-Hadad
that he took with him to the
00:37:58.34\00:38:01.41
king of Israel read: 'With this
letter, I am sending my servant
00:38:01.41\00:38:04.65
Naaman to you so that you
may cure him of his leprosy.'"
00:38:04.65\00:38:09.92
"You cure him, or I'll kill ya."
[ Laughter ] That's how the king
00:38:09.95\00:38:14.82
-- Because some believers aren't
really believers. They're only
00:38:14.82\00:38:18.39
believers in name. They show up
in church, but they don't
believe for six days of the
00:38:18.39\00:38:21.93
week. They just -- No, they're
practical atheists. And that's
the king of Israel.
00:38:21.93\00:38:26.70
He's just -- [ Scoffs ]
He starts hyperventilating.
00:38:26.70\00:38:31.71
"What have they done to me?!"
00:38:31.71\00:38:34.34
Wow.
00:38:36.54\00:38:37.81
Let's read what the -- [
Chuckles ] This poor king.
00:38:37.85\00:38:41.52
He was some dude. Verse 7.
00:38:41.52\00:38:44.52
"As soon as the king of Israel
read the letter, he tears his
00:38:44.52\00:38:50.16
robes and he
says, 'Yo, am I God?'"
00:38:50.16\00:38:54.73
He thinks it's all
about him. "Am I God?
00:38:54.73\00:38:57.23
Can I kill and
bring back to life?
00:38:57.23\00:38:59.47
Why does this fellow send
someone to me to be cured of his
00:38:59.47\00:39:03.00
leprosy? I know what he's doing!
00:39:03.00\00:39:05.14
He is trying to
pick a quarrel with me!"
00:39:05.14\00:39:09.48
Sounds like Colonel
Klink on "Hogan's Heroes."
00:39:09.48\00:39:12.48
[ Laughter ] "[ As
Colonel Klink ] You trying
00:39:12.48\00:39:14.85
to pick a fight with me?"
00:39:14.85\00:39:17.15
[ Normal voice ] Oh, my.
Unbelievable. Somehow -- I don't
00:39:19.15\00:39:22.96
know how -- Elisha gets
[Chuckles] word of the message
from the Syrian king, and Elisha
00:39:22.96\00:39:29.90
sends a message to the king of
Israel -- "Hey, listen, take a
chill pill. Cool. Relax!
00:39:29.90\00:39:33.20
If you don't know what to do
with this pagan, send him to me.
I'll tell him about the God of
00:39:33.20\00:39:37.37
Israel, and I'll make sure
he gets healed by the God of
00:39:37.37\00:39:40.98
Israel." And so Naaman goes with
his chariot and his attending
00:39:41.01\00:39:44.41
warriors. The whole
band of them show up
00:39:44.41\00:39:47.15
in the little driveway of the
prophet's tiny little house, and
00:39:47.15\00:39:51.09
they're all impatiently stamping
around, those stallions, and,
00:39:51.09\00:39:54.82
you know, Elisha
is not on a head trip.
00:39:54.82\00:39:58.23
Because if he were on a head
trip -- "I want to hang around
00:39:58.26\00:40:00.63
important people." He would've
showed up himself. No, he says,
"Hey, servant, go see General
00:40:00.63\00:40:06.53
Naaman, please." So, the servant
comes. He says, "Come, I have a
00:40:06.53\00:40:09.87
message for you. Glad to see
you. You see that river over
there? It's called the Jordan
00:40:09.87\00:40:13.78
River. You will go in that
river, and you will wash
yourself seven times, and then
00:40:13.78\00:40:18.01
you'll be healed.
Goodbye." And he left.
00:40:18.01\00:40:19.88
[ Laughter ] [ Laughs ]
And Naaman, who was so schooled
00:40:19.88\00:40:23.82
in military protocol, explodes.
Talk about anger-management
00:40:23.82\00:40:30.69
issues. He's got a huge problem
here. He explodes! There's
nobody around but his
00:40:30.69\00:40:34.36
attendants, and he's saying,
"I can't believe this, I can't
00:40:34.36\00:40:37.23
believe this. Lookit, we have
clear water in Damascus -- every
river! And so I come over here,
00:40:37.23\00:40:40.60
and I'm thinking the man of God
is gonna come out and he's gonna
rub his little hand all over my
00:40:40.60\00:40:44.21
white spots and he's gonna
say 'gone!' and they're gonna be
00:40:44.21\00:40:46.47
gone. Instead, no, what does
he tell me? I got to go to that
00:40:46.47\00:40:49.81
murky, muddy Jordan River and I
got to take a bath seven times.
I'm not gonna do it!"
00:40:49.81\00:40:53.35
And the last line of verse 12 --
I'll put it on the screen for
you, the last line of verse 12.
00:40:53.35\00:40:59.09
Maybe I'm not gonna put it on
the screen for you. Is it on the
00:41:04.23\00:41:07.76
screen? [ Laughter ] Yeah.
Mm-hmm. Anyway, the last line
00:41:07.76\00:41:16.74
reads... Well, I don't even know
what it reads. I might as well
00:41:16.74\00:41:19.44
look in verse 12. The last line
in verse 12. Oh! Yeah, here it
00:41:19.44\00:41:22.31
is. "So he turned --" [ Chuckles
] There it is. "So he turned and
00:41:22.31\00:41:29.45
he went off in a rage." Anger
management issues for sure.
00:41:29.45\00:41:34.09
Some human beings have that
weakness, and they do need
healing, and the good news is
00:41:34.09\00:41:39.03
that the God of Israel can heal
that plague of anger management.
Takes a little work,
00:41:39.03\00:41:43.97
cooperation. Now we get to
verse 13. So here comes now the
00:41:43.97\00:41:50.57
servants. We've had the
explosive bombshell, and now
00:41:50.61\00:41:54.41
Naaman's servants -- verse
13 -- "went to him and said, 'My
00:41:54.41\00:41:58.01
father, if the prophet had
told you to do some great thing,
00:41:58.01\00:42:01.58
would you not have done it?
How much then, when he tells
00:42:01.58\00:42:03.82
you, 'Wash and be cleansed!'"
So they convinced Naaman --
00:42:03.82\00:42:07.59
verse 14 -- "and he went down
and dipped himself in the Jordan
00:42:07.59\00:42:12.23
seven times, as the
man of God had told him."
00:42:12.23\00:42:16.03
Seven times. Now, my dad
was a children's storyteller.
00:42:16.06\00:42:18.47
I mean, every night, we'd ask
for a different Bible story, and
he would tell -- either about
00:42:18.47\00:42:22.30
himself as a boy or Bible
stories. And how many times have
00:42:22.30\00:42:25.21
we asked him to tell the story
of Naaman? And my dad would just
really dramatize it, just right
00:42:25.21\00:42:29.11
down to the last second. So if
there's seven times, it's gonna
take five minutes to tell
00:42:29.11\00:42:32.48
you about the seven times down,
because every time Naaman comes
00:42:32.48\00:42:35.48
up -- [ Breathing raspily ] "I
told you, I told you. Aw, the
spots are still there."
00:42:35.48\00:42:38.95
And the servants are all
on the shore -- [ Whispering
00:42:38.95\00:42:42.02
breathlessly ] Seven. Seven."
[ Laughter ] Seven. Down.
00:42:42.02\00:42:46.70
Oh." [ Exhales sharply ] [
Normal voice ] He comes up.
00:42:46.70\00:42:49.76
He's looking -- "Aw! I told you.
This rotten river." Anyway, Dad
00:42:49.76\00:42:55.27
would go through that until the
seventh time, the seventh time.
And of course we're all on the
00:42:55.27\00:42:59.01
edge of our beds now because the
seventh time Naaman goes down
and he goes under that muddy
00:42:59.01\00:43:03.38
water -- [ Gurgling ]
And when he comes up, there's
00:43:03.38\00:43:09.32
water pouring all down him. And
when Naaman looks down on his
00:43:09.32\00:43:17.83
arms... Did you catch that line?
Where is it? Let's put that one
00:43:17.83\00:43:21.43
on the screen. "His flesh was
restored and became clean like
00:43:21.43\00:43:25.23
that of a --" what? See those
two little boys right there?
00:43:25.23\00:43:27.14
He had flesh like those two
little boys -- just clean, soft,
"suppulent" -- young again!
00:43:27.14\00:43:34.68
[ Breathes deeply ] Oh, he
must've been whooping and
hollering in Syrian, just
00:43:34.68\00:43:39.58
thrilled with what the
God of Israel has done. Mm.
00:43:39.58\00:43:45.79
[ Sighs ] He comes up out
of that water. Boy, is that the
00:43:45.79\00:43:50.39
Gospel message or what? He comes
up out of that water, and he is
00:43:50.39\00:43:53.56
clean. He is clean. Do you know
that, when you come to Jesus and
00:43:53.56\00:43:57.57
you go under the water and His
righteousness, His love that
just surrounds you -- when you
00:43:57.57\00:44:03.34
go under the water, you come up
clean. "Though your sins are as
scarlet, they'll be as white as
00:44:03.34\00:44:06.37
snow. Though they're red like
crimson, they'll be as wool."
00:44:06.37\00:44:08.91
You come up clean! Reminds me
of an old English folk song that
00:44:08.91\00:44:15.35
goes like this. ¤ There is a
fountain filled with blood ¤ >>
Together: ¤ Drawn from
00:44:15.35\00:44:23.69
Emmanuel's veins ¤ ¤ And sinners
plunge beneath that flood ¤
00:44:23.69\00:44:34.04
¤ Lose all their guilty stains
>> Sing the Gospel now! >>
Together: ¤ Lose all their
00:44:34.04\00:44:42.68
guilty sta-a-ins ¤ ¤ Lose all
their guilty stains ¤ And
sinners plunged beneath
00:44:42.68\00:44:58.76
that flood ¤ ¤ Lose
all their guilty stains ¤¤
00:44:58.76\00:45:08.00
>> One...small...testimony. And
a mighty miracle in response.
00:45:08.00\00:45:18.88
Wow. [ Sighs ] Oh,
Naaman has to go back to the
00:45:18.88\00:45:22.82
prophet, and so he does.
00:45:22.82\00:45:24.55
Where is this? Verse 15.
00:45:24.59\00:45:26.55
"Then Naaman and all his
attendants went back to the man
00:45:26.55\00:45:29.72
of God. And he
stood before Elisha, and
00:45:29.72\00:45:32.09
he said, 'Now I know that
there is no God in all the world
00:45:32.09\00:45:35.50
except in Israel. So
please accept a gift from
00:45:35.50\00:45:38.33
your servant.'" Elisha
says, "Nothing for me."
00:45:38.33\00:45:41.37
But I want you to catch those
words -- "Now I know that there
is no God in all the world
00:45:41.40\00:45:46.68
except in Israel." We
have heard these words before.
00:45:46.68\00:45:50.11
They are the words of a pagan
king named Nebuchadnezzar. They
are the very words of a
00:45:50.11\00:45:55.25
pagan king named Darius. They
are the very words of a pagan
00:45:55.25\00:46:01.32
king of Nineveh. The same words
spoken by the pagan general --
yes, sir -- Naaman.
00:46:01.32\00:46:07.03
Now I know there is no God in
all the world except in Israel."
What a hundred evangelistic
00:46:07.03\00:46:18.91
campaigns could not achieve,
a little girl's testimony
00:46:18.91\00:46:25.88
accomplishes. Man! An exile.
Don't underestimate the power of
00:46:25.88\00:46:32.52
your exilehood. You are an exile
on purpose because God invented
00:46:32.52\00:46:37.53
you an exile. He needs exiles.
Some of them are the only ones
that can get to a king, but it
00:46:37.53\00:46:43.50
starts in the home with a tiny
little testimony that just keeps
00:46:43.50\00:46:50.67
getting passed. Wow. Salvation
of pagan public enemy number
00:46:50.67\00:46:57.61
one. And it's right here in this
fascinating, fascinating story
where Naaman gets saved that we
00:46:57.61\00:47:02.22
see a side of God that we have
not seen before, I predict -- a
00:47:02.22\00:47:06.09
side of God. And I want you to
catch this before we leave,
because Naaman makes a very
00:47:06.09\00:47:10.63
unusual request.
Okay, so watch this.
00:47:10.63\00:47:12.19
This is verse 17.
Now, Naaman says, "Okay, if
00:47:12.23\00:47:15.40
you're not gonna accept my gift,
please let me, your servant, be
00:47:15.40\00:47:19.77
given as much earth --" now,
that's dirt as in dirt -- "let
00:47:19.77\00:47:23.87
me be given as much dirt as
a pair of mules can carry, for
00:47:23.87\00:47:27.88
your servant will never
again make burnt offerings and
00:47:27.88\00:47:31.65
sacrifices to any
other god but the Lord."
00:47:31.65\00:47:35.28
"What I need --" Because Naaman
believes in regional gods, and
he believes God, Yahweh, is the
00:47:35.32\00:47:41.22
regional God of Israel. "What I
need, sir, is that I need dirt
from right here, and
00:47:41.22\00:47:47.03
I'm taking it to my backyard,
and I'm gonna spread this dirt
on my backyard, and I'm gonna
00:47:47.03\00:47:51.17
stand on that dirt, and when I'm
standing on the dirt of Israel,
I'm gonna call on the God of
00:47:51.17\00:47:55.60
Israel and worship him. That's
what I need. Can I have some
00:47:55.60\00:48:00.18
dirt?" And Elisha says, "Yeah.
Go ahead." It's unbelievable.
00:48:00.18\00:48:06.31
Now, question -- is God a
localized, regionalized God?
Nope, never has been, never will
00:48:06.31\00:48:13.72
be. Did God require this
of Naaman? Nope. Never has and
00:48:13.72\00:48:18.19
never will. Then why did the
prophet Elisha not correct
Naaman and say, "Stop, stop, let
00:48:18.19\00:48:23.87
me tell you something"? Because
God -- Listen, listen, listen.
00:48:23.87\00:48:26.80
God takes your friends, God
takes your neighbors... He takes
your classmates, He
00:48:26.80\00:48:34.04
takes your associates -- He
takes them where they are and
00:48:34.04\00:48:39.05
not where you are. >> Amen. >>
Where they are, that's what He's
00:48:39.05\00:48:42.78
caring about. He don't care
where you are. "I'll take them
where they are." My, my,
00:48:42.78\00:48:48.89
[Chuckles] my, my, my. And it
gets even more stunning...
which, by the way, means that
00:48:48.89\00:48:54.56
what's vital for you may not
be important for them. Mm-hmm.
00:48:54.56\00:48:58.33
What you think is so almighty
essential may not be for them.
You have a problem with that?
00:48:58.33\00:49:06.11
You know what Elisha says? You
know what Elisha says? Verse 19.
00:49:06.11\00:49:09.61
You know what Elisha says?
He says, "Go in peace." "Go in
00:49:09.61\00:49:15.82
peace." What's up with that? Oh!
You haven't heard what Naaman
00:49:15.82\00:49:18.22
just proposed to him. Oh,
this one is something else.
00:49:18.22\00:49:21.22
Look at verse
18. Look at verse 18.
00:49:21.26\00:49:23.06
"But," Naaman goes on...
00:49:23.06\00:49:24.76
"...when I bow down in the
temple of Rimmon, may the Lord
00:49:35.27\00:49:38.37
God forgive your
servant for doing this."
00:49:38.37\00:49:40.98
"I don't believe it for a
moment! I don't believe this is
00:49:41.01\00:49:44.01
a god. I don't even believe in
that god anymore. I believe in
00:49:44.01\00:49:47.38
the God of Israel, but, listen,
I have to do this. It's my job!
I have to do this."
00:49:47.38\00:49:50.42
What does the prophet say? "Go
in peace." "Yeah, go ahead, go
00:49:50.42\00:49:54.99
ahead, go ahead." No
correction. No catechization.
00:49:54.99\00:49:59.46
Nothing. "Go
ahead. Go in peace." Wow.
00:49:59.46\00:50:05.90
Do you know what, folks? Some of
us get ourselves in trouble by
00:50:05.90\00:50:12.31
insisting that our children or
our colleagues or our neighbors
or our friends live up to the
00:50:12.31\00:50:19.38
light we have. "You live up to
my light." You know why we do
that? Because misery loves
00:50:19.38\00:50:24.39
company. [ Laughter
] That's exactly why.
00:50:24.39\00:50:27.26
Not so with God. Not so with
the man or the woman of God.
00:50:30.93\00:50:33.80
Lookit, if the exiles Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego had done
the same thing, just bowed down,
00:50:33.80\00:50:38.23
said -- [ Stammering ]
"In my heart, I'm fine.
00:50:38.23\00:50:40.64
I got to do this to stay alive."
Wrong! They already know you are
00:50:40.64\00:50:45.24
the servant of the Most High
God. You can't do that. They
00:50:45.24\00:50:48.98
couldn't. But when a brand-new
believer, brand-new baby
believer says, "I got to do
00:50:48.98\00:50:54.18
this," God says, "Go in peace.
Go on." Isn't that something?
00:50:54.18\00:50:59.19
What we work so hard to require
everybody else to decide on --
"Because I had to do it, you
00:50:59.19\00:51:05.09
have to do it, too."
What we work so hard on...
00:51:05.09\00:51:08.60
You know why? Because God
is a God of wise exceptions.
00:51:12.70\00:51:18.44
Mm-hmm. God is a God
of gradual maturation.
00:51:18.44\00:51:22.21
"Let it grow, let it grow." God
is a God of gracious tolerance.
00:51:22.21\00:51:27.38
God is a God of understanding
the circumstances. And in God's
00:51:27.38\00:51:33.76
economy, one size
does...not...fit...all. >> Yes.
00:51:33.76\00:51:38.99
>> Mm-hmm. >> We get in trouble
when we insist that it does.
00:51:38.99\00:51:44.07
Hmm. "Go in peace." To demand
of pagans what it has taken you
00:51:44.07\00:51:49.64
years to come to understand --
and you still don't understand
it -- but to demand it of them,
00:51:49.64\00:51:54.74
[Chuckling] where's the logic in
that? [ Sighs ] The God who
makes compassionate
00:51:54.74\00:52:03.02
allowance for what the Germans
call our Sitz im Leben, our
particular unique situation, my
00:52:03.02\00:52:09.42
spirituality. God makes full
allowance for that -- or the
00:52:09.42\00:52:12.93
lack of it. God makes full
allowance for that. He adjusts
00:52:12.93\00:52:16.06
His expectations accordingly.
And listen. Listen to this. If
God treats us that way, why
00:52:16.06\00:52:19.67
don't we treat each other
the same way? Why don't we treat
00:52:19.67\00:52:22.97
each other the same way? Cut
them some slack. Why does
everybody have to do it
00:52:22.97\00:52:25.91
your way? Elisha
says, "Go in peace. Shalom.
00:52:25.91\00:52:33.82
Bye." [ Laughter ] That was it.
00:52:33.82\00:52:39.49
My. Judge not that you be not
judged, because nobody knows a
00:52:39.49\00:52:45.29
life story like God does. You
don't, and neither do I. This
00:52:45.29\00:52:52.37
much is clear. What you had that
is so special is your personal
testimony, and it is so unique,
00:52:52.37\00:53:00.58
the way you give it with that
smile on your face. [ Exhales
00:53:00.58\00:53:03.85
deeply ] That is worth
everything to the kingdom of
heaven. You just use the lips,
00:53:03.85\00:53:08.28
and you say something... about
what Jesus means to you. You
might not think of anything
00:53:08.28\00:53:13.62
to say because, "Dwight, lookit,
I don't know the verses. What if
they ask me a question?
00:53:13.62\00:53:17.43
I don't know all the teachings,
even! How am I supposed to be
00:53:17.43\00:53:20.50
able to witness when I can't
know this?" Forget it. We have
become paralyzed by our
00:53:20.50\00:53:24.87
misconceptions of witnessing
to the place -- We are dumb,
00:53:24.87\00:53:31.54
meaning mum. Right? We don't
talk. "I'll just live and let
live." "Good night, Dwight!
00:53:31.54\00:53:40.05
I put you right there for this
moment, and you're mum." "What
00:53:40.05\00:53:49.66
can I tell them? What can I tell
them?" "Oh, how, I love Jesus."
"Well, yeah, but they're gonna
00:53:49.66\00:53:53.66
ask me why." Well, because
He first loves me. That's it.
00:53:53.66\00:53:56.70
You just tell them you love
Jesus. "Why do you love Jesus?"
00:53:56.70\00:53:59.87
"Because He loves me." Do you
know how many people go to bed
at night not loved,
00:53:59.87\00:54:04.04
guilt-ridden, ball and chain
around their ankles? They go to
00:54:04.04\00:54:09.21
bed every night feeling they are
unloved by the forces of the
universe, and you go to bed
00:54:09.21\00:54:14.25
every night knowing you're
loved, and your guilt is gone
because you dismiss it to the
00:54:14.25\00:54:19.32
care of the Lord Jesus, and you
come up out of that water
cleansed. Every single day, you
00:54:19.32\00:54:23.19
come up cleansed. And they
would die to have what you have.
00:54:23.19\00:54:26.46
You just have to tell them what
you have, or they won't ask for
00:54:26.46\00:54:30.63
it. If you don't tell
them, they won't ask. [ Scoffs ]
00:54:30.63\00:54:34.50
Oh, how I love Jesus. "Yeah, but
why?" Because He first loved me.
00:54:34.50\00:54:37.91
I'm a loved guy. Look at
me. I'm such a weirdo, but I'm a
00:54:37.91\00:54:40.94
loved guy. "Well, if God could
love a weirdo like you, He could
00:54:40.94\00:54:44.25
probably love me."
That's the point! Hmm.
00:54:44.25\00:54:50.75
So, here's the take-home line.
Then I'll sit down. Here's the
00:54:50.75\00:54:56.46
take-home line. Tell them who
you know, and He will tell them
00:54:56.46\00:55:01.60
what to know. Put
that on the screen, please.
00:55:01.63\00:55:03.57
Get it off of your plate.
You're not responsible for
00:55:09.07\00:55:12.01
informing the whole world
of every belief system in the
00:55:12.01\00:55:15.11
Scriptures. Forget it.
00:55:15.11\00:55:16.58
You just tell them who you know,
and He will tell them what to
00:55:16.58\00:55:20.02
know. Elisha does
not correct Naaman.
00:55:20.02\00:55:22.22
He doesn't tell him
a thing. "Go in peace.
00:55:22.22\00:55:24.95
God will take care
of you. God knows you.
00:55:24.95\00:55:28.09
He'll take care of you."
Tell them who you know, and He
00:55:28.09\00:55:32.13
will tell them what to know.
00:55:32.13\00:55:34.50
That's what it means. It's
that simple. It's no wonder the
00:55:34.56\00:55:37.77
mighty Apocalypse ends with this
line -- oho -- describing the
last generation of Jesus'
00:55:37.77\00:55:41.34
friends on Earth.
00:55:41.34\00:55:42.90
I love this -- Revelation 12:11.
00:55:42.94\00:55:45.04
Let's read it out loud together.
"They triumphed over the
00:55:45.04\00:55:48.41
dragon --" oh,
time-out, time-out.
00:55:48.41\00:55:50.51
Who's the
dragon? Who's the dragon?
00:55:50.51\00:55:52.68
Who's the dragon?
That's Satan. That's the devil.
00:55:52.68\00:55:55.25
That's the apocalyptic
symbol of Satan, alright?
00:55:55.25\00:55:57.55
So the followers of Jesus
-- We'll read it again now.
00:55:57.55\00:56:00.46
"They triumphed over the dragon
by the blood of the Lamb --"
00:56:00.46\00:56:05.99
"There is a fountain filled
with blood drawn from Emmanuel's
00:56:05.99\00:56:08.76
veins." So that's
the Gospel, alright?
00:56:08.76\00:56:10.63
Let's do it one more time.
"They triumphed over the dragon
00:56:10.63\00:56:13.67
by the blood of the Lamb and
by the word of their testimony."
00:56:15.10\00:56:21.84
That's how you win. You're
not only blessing somebody else,
00:56:21.88\00:56:27.25
you're getting blessed as a
protection. You're getting
blessed into guardianship.
00:56:27.25\00:56:31.42
You're blessed. Yeah, that's
it, folks. I wish it were more
00:56:31.42\00:56:34.86
complicated because then you'd
really say, "Oh, I got to get
this." [ Laughter ]
00:56:34.86\00:56:39.36
It's not. It's simple
so you can start doing it.
00:56:39.36\00:56:46.57
It's time for the exiles to rise
up one last time across this
00:56:46.57\00:56:53.24
planet. And I say let's start
in Berrien Springs, what do you
00:56:53.24\00:56:56.98
say? >> Before you go, let
me take an extra moment to share
00:56:59.58\00:57:01.72
with you an opportunity to
get into the Bible in a fresh,
00:57:01.72\00:57:03.92
new way. All
across the world, more and
00:57:03.92\00:57:06.45
more people are hearing
the call to examine Scriptures
00:57:06.45\00:57:09.16
for themselves. If you
felt drawn to learn more
00:57:09.16\00:57:11.43
about God's Word, but you don't
know where to start or you're
00:57:11.43\00:57:14.20
just looking for a more in-depth
examination of Bible truths,
00:57:14.20\00:57:17.53
then I have something right here
that I believe you're going to
00:57:17.53\00:57:20.07
enjoy. I want
to send a series of
00:57:20.07\00:57:22.07
guides to get you
started. This one's entitled,
00:57:22.07\00:57:24.51
"Why Does God Allow Suffering?"
Each guide begins with a story,
00:57:24.51\00:57:27.64
an introduction of the
subject. Then through a series
00:57:27.64\00:57:30.21
of focus questions,
you'll be learning portions
00:57:30.21\00:57:32.21
of the Bible you may never
have known before, and when
00:57:32.21\00:57:34.32
you're through, you'll be able
to share with others some of
00:57:34.32\00:57:36.92
these inspiring Bible truths.
So just call our toll-free
00:57:36.92\00:57:39.75
number. It's on the screen --
00:57:39.75\00:57:40.96
877 -- the two
words -- HIS-WILL.
00:57:40.96\00:57:44.06
Our friendly operators
are standing by to send these
00:57:44.06\00:57:46.09
study guides to you. Once again,
00:57:46.09\00:57:47.60
that's 877-HIS-WILL.
Call that number, and then,
00:57:47.60\00:57:52.07
again, join me next week
right here at the same time.
00:57:52.07\00:57:56.40
"New Perceptions."
00:57:56.40\00:57:57.81
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:01.21\00:58:18.23
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:18.23\00:58:28.30