¤¤
00:00:00.60\00:00:08.10
>> Let's bow our heads and pray.
Dear Heavenly Father, we just
want to thank you for this
00:00:09.94\00:00:14.91
blessed day. Thank you that of
the Sabbath, and that you have
00:00:14.91\00:00:18.68
brought us here today. And we
just ask that you be with us
during this time as we learn
00:00:18.68\00:00:22.75
more about you and worship
together. In Jesus' name, amen.
00:00:22.75\00:00:27.82
So, this morning, I
just have a question for you.
00:00:27.86\00:00:32.39
Are you glad that
it is Sabbath? >> Yes.
00:00:32.39\00:00:35.40
>> Are you glad
that it is Sabbath?
00:00:35.40\00:00:37.53
>> Yes. >> Amen.
So, I'm gonna try
00:00:37.53\00:00:39.63
something real quick. It's
a song that we all probably
00:00:39.63\00:00:42.60
know. Song goes...
00:00:42.60\00:00:44.84
¤ Hallelu, hallelu,
hallelu, hallelujah ¤
00:00:44.84\00:00:48.58
>> ¤ Praise ye the Lord
00:00:48.58\00:00:51.51
>> ¤ Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu,
hallelujah ¤ >> ¤ Praise ye the
00:00:51.55\00:00:58.72
Lord >> ¤ Praise ye ¤ Hallelujah
>> ¤ Praise ye the Lord
00:00:58.72\00:01:04.33
>> ¤ Hallelujah >> ¤ Praise
ye the Lord >> ¤ Hallelujah
00:01:04.33\00:01:09.06
¤ Praise ye the Lord Amen, and
that is what we're here to do,
to praise the Lord.
00:01:09.06\00:01:16.20
So, as we start to sing this
opening song as a prayer that
says, "God, come live in me,
00:01:16.20\00:01:22.11
take over all that is going on
in my life," we just want to say
thank you, Lord, and praise Him.
00:01:22.11\00:01:27.98
So please stand with us as we
sing. [ "Eagle's Wings" begins ]
00:01:27.98\00:01:34.69
You may be seated. [
"Before the Throne of God
00:04:40.31\00:04:45.85
Above" begins ]
00:04:45.85\00:04:47.78
Amen.
00:08:55.93\00:08:58.13
I just want you to think of a
verse, of a promise, your
favorite one that you see in the
00:08:58.17\00:09:04.64
Bible, or one that you have
memorized, one that you hold
onto in times of trouble or when
00:09:04.64\00:09:12.01
you need comfort or when you
just want to say, "Thank you,
00:09:12.01\00:09:15.58
Lord." Though they may be
ancient words, they still apply
to us today because they are
00:09:15.58\00:09:20.06
God's words, and they are His
promises for today, for you and
for me. So as we sing this song,
00:09:20.06\00:09:27.46
just think of that promise that
he has for you, and I just
invite you to stand as we sing.
00:09:27.46\00:09:34.34
[ "Ancient Words" begins ]
00:09:34.37\00:09:37.27
>> Well, good morning,
boys and girls. Nice to see you.
00:12:56.91\00:12:59.57
Is this really the
first Sabbath of summer? Whoa!
00:12:59.57\00:13:04.51
What a beautiful day Jesus
has given us. Thank you, Pastor
00:13:04.51\00:13:09.12
José, and welcome, children.
Nice to see you. You're looking
00:13:09.12\00:13:13.02
pretty refreshed. Anybody miss
school yet? [ Laughter ] Good.
00:13:13.02\00:13:16.59
Well, your teachers
are watching. That's good.
00:13:16.59\00:13:18.89
They're very happy that you miss
school. Nice to see all of you.
00:13:18.89\00:13:23.30
So, I got a story that happened
just yesterday. I heard it on
00:13:23.30\00:13:26.84
the radio. I said, "Ooh, I got
to see if that really happened.
It did, so I'm gonna tell it to
00:13:26.84\00:13:31.21
you. Come on up, kids.
00:13:31.21\00:13:33.41
Okay, so this happened over
in Boston just a few days ago --
00:13:33.44\00:13:36.68
Boston. Anybody
know where Boston is?
00:13:36.68\00:13:38.85
Yep, where is it? >>
It's in Massachusetts.
00:13:38.85\00:13:40.52
>> Massachusetts to
the head of the class.
00:13:40.52\00:13:42.58
It happened in Boston.
A little family named the
00:13:42.58\00:13:44.75
Shanahan family. Now,
there's a good Irish name
00:13:44.75\00:13:46.86
for you. They're
living outside Boston.
00:13:46.86\00:13:48.86
They have a pet bulldog.
00:13:48.86\00:13:52.89
You ever seen a bulldog?
Has the big cheeks. [ Warbling ]
00:13:52.93\00:13:56.33
That's that bulldog,
just slobbering everywhere. [
00:13:56.33\00:14:00.40
Warbling ] They have a pet
bulldog named Mortimer. Hmm.
00:14:00.40\00:14:05.07
Mortimer, Mortimer. And they
have two little kids. So, the
little kids -- Here,
00:14:05.07\00:14:12.11
I'll take that for you. Bless
your heart, thank you. They have
00:14:12.11\00:14:17.25
two little kids. [ Laughter ]
Two little kids and the bulldog,
and all the children just love
00:14:17.25\00:14:22.46
that 'cause they're just little
kids, like you. Oh, they just
00:14:22.46\00:14:26.33
love their bulldog, but back in
April, something happened.
Bulldog Mortimer, [warbles] he
00:14:26.33\00:14:32.30
was acting like he was sick.
What's up with that? I mean,
something's bothering
00:14:32.30\00:14:37.54
him, so they take him to a
veterinarian -- Angell Animal
00:14:37.54\00:14:43.04
Medical Center. Oh, I like that
name. The Angell Animal Medical
00:14:43.04\00:14:46.05
Center. They take the -- "This
is our dog, Mortimer. Can you
00:14:46.05\00:14:49.15
check him out? He's not feeling
well at all, we can just tell.
00:14:49.15\00:14:51.59
Look at his eyes. Oh, he looks
sick." So, the veterinarian, the
doctor for animals, looked at
00:14:51.59\00:14:56.96
little Mortimer. He said,
"Mortimer, mm-hmm. Oh, I know
00:14:56.96\00:15:00.63
what you need." He went and got
a little pad, he wrote this
down, he said, "Here's some
00:15:00.63\00:15:03.83
pills. If you need more, call
me. These pills will make him
00:15:03.83\00:15:06.53
better." That was back in April.
He didn't get better. He didn't
00:15:06.53\00:15:10.31
get better at all. He got worse.
Just last week, they finally
said, "Look, he's refusing to
00:15:10.31\00:15:14.68
eat now. He won't eat a
bite of food. [ Scoffs ]
00:15:14.68\00:15:20.48
Okay, back to the hospital we
go." So, Emily, the mother, she
00:15:20.48\00:15:24.09
takes little Mortimer. [ Warbles
] She takes him back to the
00:15:24.09\00:15:27.29
veterinarian. He said, "Ah,
you're back again. Didn't work,
00:15:27.29\00:15:30.46
huh? [ Inhales sharply ]
Oh, that's too bad. Let's see.
00:15:30.46\00:15:33.86
Well, you know what, we're gonna
have to look in his stomach,
mm-hmm," because that's what
00:15:33.86\00:15:37.50
they do if you're sick to your
stomach and they don't know what
00:15:37.50\00:15:40.24
to do. So they put Mortimer
to sleep. So, get this. They put
00:15:40.24\00:15:45.31
Mortimer to sleep. Shh. [
Whispering ] They put Mortimer
00:15:45.31\00:15:47.44
to sleep. Don't wake him up.
They put him to sleep. [ Normal
voice ] Then they put a
00:15:47.44\00:15:51.31
tube down his throat, and
the veterinarian said, "Okay,
00:15:51.31\00:15:55.02
mm-hmm. What?! [ Chuckles ] No!"
00:15:55.02\00:16:00.32
Said, "Hey, nurse. Come on over
here. No! Take a look at this.
00:16:00.32\00:16:07.60
What do you see?" She gets
up there, she looks in. "No!
00:16:07.60\00:16:14.00
It can't be. Yo, hey, come over
here. Look inside of Mortimer."
00:16:14.00\00:16:19.84
"No! Well, there's
only one solution to this.
00:16:19.84\00:16:26.15
Here we go. Roll up
your sleeves. We go.
00:16:26.15\00:16:30.65
And...got it. Get --
You got it now? Good, okay.
00:16:30.65\00:16:35.52
Here's the next one. Got it!
Pull it, pull it, pull it, pull
00:16:35.52\00:16:39.09
it. You got it?" By the
time they were through, I
00:16:39.09\00:16:43.33
got a real picture of Mortimer
the bulldog outside of Boston,
Massachusetts, still asleep with
00:16:43.33\00:16:49.84
the tube down his throat. You
see that tube down his throat?
00:16:49.84\00:16:56.41
That's how they got that little
scope in there, mm-hmm. Do you
see what's in front of
00:16:56.41\00:17:00.48
him? What's that in front of
Mortimer, those green things?
00:17:00.48\00:17:06.35
Yeah, those are binkies.
Those are pacifiers. You got it.
00:17:06.35\00:17:11.49
We called them pacies
in our house. Look at that.
00:17:11.49\00:17:16.30
Do you know how many are there?
19. 19 paci-- Look at him.
00:17:16.30\00:17:22.07
No wonder he's sound asleep. 19
pacifiers. They figured out that
00:17:22.07\00:17:26.64
he went around with these little
children and when he saw a
pacifier, he said, "I'll have
00:17:26.64\00:17:30.88
that. [
Chomping, swallows ] Ahh!"
00:17:30.88\00:17:33.01
And he swallowed 19 of them, and
the family said, "Honey, where's
00:17:33.01\00:17:37.35
that pacifier? He just had it
an..." And they keep buying the
00:17:37.35\00:17:40.66
same kind. Notice they stick to
one brand. [ Laughs ] Isn't that
00:17:40.66\00:17:46.53
something? Mortimer the bulldog,
[warbles] he's filled with
pacifiers. But listen, kids.
00:17:46.53\00:17:52.30
It's not what goes into your
stomach that counts. It's what
comes out of you that
00:17:52.30\00:17:56.87
counts. Hey, do you
go to Sabbath school?
00:17:56.87\00:17:59.11
>> Yes. >> Oh, we got a long
walk that we have to make to get
00:17:59.11\00:18:01.94
to Sabbath school now, don't we?
To get to church, yep. But
you're so good and we got
00:18:01.94\00:18:05.38
wonderful teachers. They're
teaching you over there. So, do
you go to Sabbath school?
00:18:05.38\00:18:08.82
Yep. Do they tell you
about Jesus? Yep. Do you come to
00:18:08.82\00:18:11.82
church? Yes, you do. I see you.
Do you have family worship? Oh,
00:18:11.82\00:18:15.96
good. Do you have stories of
Jesus? Yep. Hey, kids, shh, shh,
00:18:15.96\00:18:20.06
shh, shh. Hey, kids, we got all
the stories of Jesus inside of
us, but we never take them out.
00:18:20.06\00:18:23.67
Jesus says, "If I put them in
there, you got to take them out.
You don't leave them in.
00:18:23.67\00:18:27.64
You'll get sick if you leave
them in. You got to let them
00:18:27.64\00:18:30.71
come out through your mouth by
telling others about me." Tell
Jesus' stories to your
00:18:30.71\00:18:34.54
friends. Tell your friends, "I
just love Jesus, and I wish you
00:18:34.54\00:18:38.78
would love him, too." In
fact, in a few weeks, bring your
00:18:38.78\00:18:42.38
friend to church. Bring a Friend
to Church Day, August 31. You're
gonna bring a friend.
00:18:42.38\00:18:46.59
"Just come. I want you to meet
Jesus." You can't keep it inside
00:18:46.59\00:18:51.73
of you. You got to let it out.
That's the lesson of Mortimer
the bulldog from Boston.
00:18:51.73\00:18:57.43
Who would like to thank Jesus
for not only putting good things
inside of us, but asking that
00:18:57.43\00:19:02.07
those good things
come out from us? My man.
00:19:02.07\00:19:08.38
Come on up. What's
your first name? What?
00:19:08.38\00:19:11.38
>> Ian. >> Ian? All
right. Come on, Deacon Dan.
00:19:11.38\00:19:15.18
No, it's Uncle Dan. This is
Uncle Dan. Thank you very much.
00:19:15.18\00:19:19.75
Boys and girls, we're gonna bow
together. Shh. We're gonna pray.
00:19:19.75\00:19:23.83
Close your eyes as Ian thanks
Jesus for giving us good things
00:19:23.83\00:19:29.23
to share. >> Let's pray. Our
Father in heaven, thank you.
Please bless us as we learn
00:19:29.23\00:19:33.20
about your word and be in touch
with Jesus, amen. >> Amen, Ian.
00:19:33.20\00:19:37.87
Thank you. And amen to you, boys
and girls, as you go back to
your seats to Mommy, to Daddy.
00:19:37.87\00:19:42.98
May you have a blessed first
Sabbath of summer day. Amen.
00:19:42.98\00:19:48.65
>> I'd like to share with you
some words to go along with the
music that I'm about to play for
00:19:51.22\00:19:54.89
you. "I'm just a
poor wayfaring stranger.
00:19:54.89\00:19:58.33
I'm traveling through this world
below. There is no sickness,
00:19:58.33\00:20:03.40
toil, nor danger in that bright
world to which I go. I'm going
00:20:03.40\00:20:08.10
there to see my savior, who shed
for me his precious blood. I'm
just a-going over Jordan.
00:20:08.10\00:20:13.81
I'm just a-going over home."
00:20:13.81\00:20:17.45
[ "Wayfaring Stranger" begins ]
00:20:29.76\00:20:32.83
¤¤ ¤¤
00:20:32.86\00:20:52.41
¤¤ ¤¤
00:20:52.41\00:21:12.07
¤¤ ¤¤
00:21:12.07\00:21:31.69
¤¤ ¤¤
00:21:31.69\00:21:51.24
¤¤ ¤¤
00:21:51.24\00:22:10.93
¤¤ ¤¤
00:22:10.93\00:22:30.51
¤¤ ¤¤
00:22:30.51\00:22:50.10
¤¤
00:22:50.10\00:22:59.81
>> I want to do one little
pastoral matter before we plunge
00:23:03.04\00:23:07.42
into our teaching today.
00:23:07.42\00:23:11.92
A young freshman came to us and
said, "Hey, I want to help out
with this PowerPoint business."
00:23:11.95\00:23:20.20
"What's your major?"
"Engineering." "Good."
00:23:20.20\00:23:23.77
Signed him up.
00:23:23.77\00:23:25.13
He did it all
through his freshman year.
00:23:25.17\00:23:28.04
Came back after the summer,
said, "I want to do it again."
00:23:28.04\00:23:30.87
All right. All
through his sophomore year,
00:23:30.87\00:23:32.81
came back after the summer,
said, "I want to do it again."
00:23:32.81\00:23:35.88
Did it all through his junior
year. Came back after his summer
00:23:35.91\00:23:39.01
and said, "I want to do it
again." And he did it all
through his senior year.
00:23:39.01\00:23:42.15
He just graduated like a month
ago. And today is his last time,
00:23:42.15\00:23:49.66
because the engineer's moving to
the Pacific Northwest where he's
gonna be an engineer for God.
00:23:49.66\00:23:56.63
So proud of him. His name is
Michael Bryson. You never see
00:23:56.63\00:24:00.60
him. He sits behind that glass,
Pioneer, here, wherever. But
he's been counting, and as
00:24:00.60\00:24:07.04
it turns out, today is his
50th time partnering with the
00:24:07.04\00:24:12.85
preacher. I want you to put your
hands together for this man
who's leaving us next week.
00:24:12.85\00:24:16.28
He's leaving. He's
leaving. Thank you, Michael.
00:24:16.28\00:24:19.55
Right behind the
glass. [ Applause ] Wow.
00:24:19.55\00:24:26.19
I tell you what, college
students are amazing. You can't
00:24:26.19\00:24:29.13
believe them. They got every
reason in the book not to be
involved, but they ask to be
00:24:29.13\00:24:33.94
involved. All the operators
here. They're all college
students. Sabbath school's
00:24:33.94\00:24:39.81
college students. We're proud
of them, so thank you, Michael.
00:24:39.81\00:24:43.21
Let's pray. God, we're
all wayfaring strangers.
00:24:43.21\00:24:46.38
Yes, we are. That's what an
exile is. Oh, what does that
00:24:46.38\00:24:53.59
mean for us in the third
millennium, third millennial
exiles that we are? Speak to us,
00:24:53.59\00:25:00.56
teach us. We pray
in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:25:00.56\00:25:03.47
So, I pulled my wallet out just
now, and inside my wallet, I
00:25:03.50\00:25:09.07
have something very precious.
It does not belong to me.
00:25:09.07\00:25:12.37
I was told, "Listen, you do not
do anything with that except get
00:25:12.37\00:25:15.81
it back to me, or else," and I
didn't want to ask what the "or
00:25:15.81\00:25:19.18
else" means, but I have
it right here in my hand.
00:25:19.18\00:25:21.72
It's in a
special protective cover.
00:25:21.72\00:25:24.52
Can you see it up
there? Mm-hmm. [ Whooshing ]
00:25:24.55\00:25:30.06
I'm not supposed to let you know
who it belongs to, see? You know
00:25:30.06\00:25:35.96
what this is? This is a green
card. You ever seen a green
card? It's not green.
00:25:35.96\00:25:43.04
[ Laughter ] First time -- it's
a clue to me. I always thought
00:25:43.04\00:25:46.54
they were green cards. Do you
know what this card says? This
card has all the authority
00:25:46.54\00:25:52.08
of the United States government
behind it, and the government
says to the bearer of this card
00:25:52.08\00:25:56.38
if the facsimile on the front is
fairly similar to you and the
name matches, this card allows
00:25:56.38\00:26:01.89
you permanent residence in the
United States of America until
00:26:01.89\00:26:08.16
you die. Welcome home. Sort of.
Because you can't have a green
00:26:08.16\00:26:13.77
card if you're a citizen. So,
you're not a citizen. But it's a
00:26:13.77\00:26:21.74
very big deal. Right after
church, we have campus security
that will transfer the card back
00:26:21.74\00:26:24.78
to the owner. Just
kidding. [ Laughter ]
00:26:24.78\00:26:29.88
Yo, question, question. Did --
Got to make sure, 'cause this is
a protective that says,
00:26:29.88\00:26:37.86
"This will protect your card
electronically from anybody
trying to zip material out of
00:26:37.86\00:26:42.10
it." Question -- did
Jesus have a green card?
00:26:42.10\00:26:49.07
Did Jesus have a green card?
Answer -- no. He did not apply
00:26:49.07\00:26:53.58
for permanent residency in the
United States of America. Yeah,
but question number two.
00:26:53.58\00:26:58.51
Did he have a green card
from Palestine? Answer -- nope.
00:26:58.51\00:27:02.22
Because when he was born, he was
born a citizen of the land.
However, if the people had known
00:27:02.22\00:27:11.46
he was from another kingdom,
which, of course, he was, he'd
have been in huge trouble,
00:27:11.46\00:27:16.93
which, of course, he is. Right
now in John chapter 18. Open
your Bible to the book of
00:27:16.93\00:27:21.34
John chapter 18. Oh, this is an
awful, awful, awful way to begin
00:27:21.34\00:27:28.34
the morning. The Roman
procurator is ticked to high
heavens, his peaceful slumber
00:27:28.34\00:27:36.28
rudely interrupted by a
clamoring crowd of prelates and
priests who are gathered at the
00:27:36.28\00:27:42.89
governor's mansion's front door.
They won't touch this filthy
pagan's ground. They're angry.
00:27:42.89\00:27:49.43
He can hear them from here, the
bedroom, and they're demanding
that the governor, right now,
00:27:49.43\00:27:55.70
take this prisoner who's
claiming to be king of the Jews.
"We want him executed
00:27:55.70\00:27:59.54
[snaps fingers] now,
immediately." Pilate's angry, as
00:27:59.54\00:28:07.78
you would be. He looks at the
gagged and bound prisoner,
[snaps fingers] and just motions
00:28:07.78\00:28:11.69
him. "Follow me. Get away from
these guys." He's ungagged now,
00:28:11.69\00:28:17.83
and that's where the story picks
up. You already have your Bible
00:28:17.83\00:28:20.83
open to John 18.
I'll be in the NIV today.
00:28:20.83\00:28:23.13
Verse 33 -- "Pilate went back
inside then," inside the palace,
00:28:23.16\00:28:28.47
"and he summoned Jesus and he
asked him, 'Are you the king of
00:28:28.47\00:28:33.68
the Jews?' 'Is that
your own idea,' Jesus
00:28:33.68\00:28:37.81
said, 'or did
others tell you about me?'"
00:28:37.81\00:28:41.12
[ Laughs ] "'Am I a Jew?
00:28:41.12\00:28:44.12
Your people, your leaders
have delivered you to me.
00:28:44.12\00:28:46.76
What is it you
have done to them?
00:28:46.76\00:28:49.32
My kingdom is not of this world.
If it were, my disciples would
00:28:49.32\00:28:54.30
fight for me. No, my
kingdom -- my kingdom is
00:28:54.30\00:29:00.17
from another place.'"
There it is, the second-clearest
00:29:00.17\00:29:05.24
self-revelation, self-expression
of Jesus, declaring himself to
00:29:05.24\00:29:13.95
be an exile from far, far away.
00:29:13.95\00:29:23.32
Episode today, the title -- "A
Very Long Ways from Home." Hmm.
00:29:23.36\00:29:31.50
Wrap it all up next week.
"Cadences of Home: In Exile." In
the Gospels, this red-letter
00:29:31.50\00:29:42.48
line is the second-clearest
expression of who he really is.
Lee Beach in his book.
00:29:42.48\00:29:49.85
Put the words on
the screen for you.
00:29:49.88\00:29:52.02
His book, "The Church in
Exile: Living in Hope After
00:29:52.02\00:29:54.09
Christendom."
Lee Beach writing...
00:29:54.09\00:29:56.86
But his startling words to the
Pagan governor are not simply an
admission of his Jewishness.
00:30:16.04\00:30:23.99
They are a declaration. The
governor cannot comprehend it,
that he is of another
00:30:23.99\00:30:30.73
kingdom, an eternal kingdom. So,
let's run through them. There
are only four of these.
00:30:30.73\00:30:37.37
The four clearest that
ever came from Jesus' lips --
00:30:37.37\00:30:41.40
self-expressions,
self-revelations that, in fact,
"I have a pre-existence, and I
00:30:41.40\00:30:46.57
am an exile here. This is not my
home." Four of them. And as it
turns out, all four of
00:30:46.57\00:30:51.41
them are in the fourth Gospel.
You won't find any clearer than
these four, and they're all in
00:30:51.41\00:30:55.48
the fourth Gospel, so let's
go with clue number one. Clue
00:30:55.48\00:30:59.79
number one. He's just forgiven a
woman caught in the very act of
adultery with a man not her
00:30:59.79\00:31:05.69
husband. The hierarchy has been
working for months to somehow
00:31:05.69\00:31:11.00
trap and shut up this young
teacher/healer. They think they
00:31:11.00\00:31:17.54
have him today. "Moses' Law," as
they throw the girl at his feet.
"Moses' Law says stone them.
00:31:17.54\00:31:23.35
What say you?" Oh, it's one of
those if he says stone her, they
00:31:23.35\00:31:28.32
got them. They win. If he says,
"Don't stone her, let her go,"
00:31:28.32\00:31:31.92
they win. One of those, "Heads,
I win, tails, you lose"
propositions. Without answering
00:31:31.92\00:31:39.49
them at all, Jesus stoops over
and begins to write in the dust
of the temple floor.
00:31:39.49\00:31:44.43
Curious, the hierarchy gather
around him, like, "What's the
00:31:44.43\00:31:47.37
boy writing? What's he writing?"
And they're watching, and
suddenly, their faces go ashen.
00:31:47.37\00:31:51.21
The sacred sins of their private
lives are carved into the
[blows] soon to be erased dust
00:31:51.21\00:31:58.75
of the temple marble. And one
ancient witness declares that
beginning with the eldest
00:31:58.75\00:32:05.22
to the youngest, tails tucked
between their legs, they walk
away until it's only Jesus and
00:32:05.22\00:32:12.56
the woman and the crowd that
has not breathed yet. "What's he
00:32:12.56\00:32:19.77
gonna say to her?" We got to
find out. We were in John 18.
Let's go back to John 8.
00:32:19.77\00:32:24.11
Just go back to John 8. 10 pages
back. Drop down to verse 10.
00:32:24.11\00:32:31.38
John 8:10.
00:32:31.41\00:32:33.45
Hit the pause button right
there, because what you are
about to hear -- you need to
00:32:42.86\00:32:47.36
know this. What you are about to
hear is the actual gospel of our
00:32:47.36\00:32:53.30
Lord Jesus Christ. This will not
be the gospel of Peter, it will
00:32:53.30\00:32:55.94
not be the gospel of Paul, it
will not be the gospel of John
or of David in the Psalms or of
00:32:55.94\00:33:01.01
Isaiah. This is the gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ, the one
that the Samaritans proclaimed
00:33:01.01\00:33:06.15
to be the savior of the world.
This is his gospel, so what
you're about to read is his
00:33:06.15\00:33:11.39
gospel, right?
00:33:11.39\00:33:13.92
Verse 11 again. "'No
one, sir, has condemned
00:33:13.96\00:33:17.26
me,' she said.
'Then neither do I condemn
00:33:17.26\00:33:18.86
you,' Jesus declared.
00:33:18.86\00:33:21.93
'Go now and leave
your life of sin.'"
00:33:21.93\00:33:27.74
There are some of you at this
very moment who are struggling
with a throttling, choking sense
00:33:27.77\00:33:38.18
of guilt. It hangs to you.
It hangs on you like a ball and
00:33:38.18\00:33:46.96
a chain. You drag it everywhere.
They say there's no softer
00:33:46.96\00:33:52.29
pillow than a clean conscience.
And you haven't known that
00:33:52.29\00:34:02.40
pillow in a while. I need you,
because I need to hear the words
of the gospel of the Lord Jesus
00:34:02.40\00:34:08.64
Christ. This is his gospel from
his lips. "Neither do I condemn
00:34:08.64\00:34:15.95
you. Neither do I condemn you."
Let's put that on the screen.
"Neither do I condemn you -- now
00:34:15.95\00:34:22.16
go and leave your life of sin."
No condemnation. "No, you got to
00:34:22.16\00:34:28.10
leave it behind. Come on. You're
not gonna keep dragging that
ball and chain with you,
00:34:28.10\00:34:31.10
are you? Let it go.
I've unleashed, I've unloosed
00:34:31.10\00:34:34.94
it, that chain and that
ball. Go. I don't condemn you."
00:34:34.94\00:34:41.24
Wow. It's the gospel.
You say, "Dwight, there's a
00:34:41.24\00:34:46.28
little catch there." There's no
catch. There's no catch in it at
00:34:46.28\00:34:50.25
all. You come to Jesus. That's
the way he treats you. "I don't
00:34:50.25\00:34:56.02
condemn you. Come on, let's go.
We got a life to live, you and
00:34:56.02\00:35:00.10
me together, boy. Let's go.
Leave that behind you." And you
do, and you sleep like a
00:35:00.10\00:35:05.20
baby. Good for you.
Jesus has it for you.
00:35:05.20\00:35:08.94
All right, but anyway, this just
makes the hierarchy furious, and
there is an explosive debate
00:35:08.94\00:35:15.94
that immediately -- as soon as
he speaks those words,
immediately breaks out.
00:35:15.94\00:35:19.18
And in the clamor, they're
trying to shout Jesus down, and
in the midst of the shouting,
00:35:19.18\00:35:22.78
Jesus says, "Whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa! You will know the truth!
00:35:22.78\00:35:25.49
You will know the truth and the
truth will set you free," and
they shout him down some more.
00:35:25.49\00:35:28.96
Jesus said, "Listen, if the
son sets you free, you be free,
00:35:28.96\00:35:31.93
indeed. I'm telling you, that
ball and chain will not be with
you." They shout him down again,
00:35:31.93\00:35:37.10
and then Jesus -- Oh, boy. [
Inhales sharply ] Did you have
00:35:37.10\00:35:40.67
to? Jesus mentions Abraham, and
now he's in trouble. Go to the
00:35:40.67\00:35:47.14
end of chapter 8. Go to the
end of chapter 8. Verse 56. Red
00:35:47.14\00:35:53.55
letters again. "'Your father
Abraham rejoiced at the thought
00:35:53.58\00:35:59.05
of seeing my day; he saw it
and was glad.'" Ha! "'You're not
00:35:59.05\00:36:02.26
even 50 years old,' they
said to him, 'and you have seen
00:36:02.26\00:36:05.33
Abraham!'" Here it comes, verse
58. "'Very truly I tell you.'"
00:36:05.33\00:36:08.33
In the Greek it reads, "Amín,
amín" -- literary device that
00:36:08.33\00:36:11.60
John uses and only John.
When the two "amíns" appear,
00:36:11.60\00:36:14.64
sit up, because something
huge is about to be said.
00:36:14.64\00:36:17.51
"'Amín, amín,' I say to you,"
Jesus says, "'before Abraham was
00:36:17.51\00:36:21.91
born, I am!' At
this, they picked up stones
00:36:21.91\00:36:25.81
to stone him, but Jesus hid
himself, slipping away from the
00:36:25.81\00:36:29.12
temple grounds." There it is.
00:36:29.12\00:36:30.92
Stunning clue number one to
Jesus' pre-existence and his
00:36:30.92\00:36:34.29
exile status, now as a being
from outside this world, from
00:36:34.29\00:36:37.76
his own lips.
00:36:37.76\00:36:39.46
"I am who I am."
They got it. "Kill him."
00:36:39.49\00:36:48.60
Clue number one. Here comes clue
number two. In the very next
00:36:48.60\00:36:53.58
chapter, Jesus heals a man born
blind. Now, it's one thing to
heal a man who's, you know,
00:36:53.58\00:36:58.55
blindness came over him as a
child or as a teen, but he's got
a man whose optic nerve has
00:36:58.55\00:37:04.22
never worked in history. [ Snaps
fingers ] And the man now sees.
00:37:04.22\00:37:07.16
And the man's neighborhood goes
bonkers with joy, and the
hierarchy, they are spitting
00:37:07.16\00:37:12.26
nails. They are so ticked.
They haul him in, the now-seeing
00:37:12.26\00:37:18.87
blind man. It's a
nearly farcical kangaroo court.
00:37:18.87\00:37:22.24
Cross examination, as you well
remember, of this now-seeing,
20/20 vision former blind man,
00:37:22.24\00:37:28.38
and a row erupts again. Jesus
dramatically shifts metaphors
from being the light
00:37:28.38\00:37:34.88
of the world to, "I'm the good
shepherd." He's driving with
00:37:34.88\00:37:39.95
everything he has. There
are only days left for him.
00:37:39.95\00:37:43.16
Go to the -- chapters 10 and 9
just flow together, so go to
chapter 10, and drop down in
00:37:43.16\00:37:48.80
chapter 10 to verse 27.
Red-letter words again. "'My
sheep listen to my voice;
00:37:48.80\00:37:53.87
and I know them, and they follow
me. I give them eternal life,
00:37:53.87\00:37:57.44
and they shall never" -- double
negative in the Greek -- "they
shall no, not ever perish,
00:37:57.44\00:38:01.61
never; no one will snatch
them out of my hand." You choose
00:38:01.61\00:38:07.38
Jesus today, my friend, whoever
you are. You want that ball and
00:38:07.38\00:38:10.29
chain gone. When you choose
Jesus, nobody, not the devil
himself can snatch you out of
00:38:10.29\00:38:15.56
that nail-scarred hand. "Nobody
can snatch him out of my hand."
00:38:15.56\00:38:20.00
"Oh, by the way," Jesus goes on,
"My father, who has given them
to me, is greater than all; and
00:38:20.00\00:38:24.87
no one can snatch them out of
my Father's hand." Guess what.
00:38:24.87\00:38:28.84
"I and the Father [snaps
fingers] are one." Here we go
00:38:28.84\00:38:33.11
again. "Again his Jewish
opponents picked up stones to
stone him, but Jesus said to
00:38:33.11\00:38:37.15
them, 'Look, I have shown you
many good works from the Father.
For which of these do you stone
00:38:37.15\00:38:40.78
me?'" They reply, "'We are not
stoning you for any good work,
00:38:40.78\00:38:44.39
but for blasphemy, because you,
a mere man, claim to be God.'"
There it is, clue number two.
00:38:44.39\00:38:50.13
Clue number two. "The Father
and I are one." Clue to Jesus'
00:38:50.13\00:38:58.63
pre-existence and his exile
status. Now is a being from
00:38:58.63\00:39:01.77
outside the world. From his own
lips, all right? There are only
four of these. We saw the fourth
00:39:01.77\00:39:05.64
to begin with, so now there's
number three, and number three,
hands down, is the clearest
00:39:05.64\00:39:10.95
expression from the lips of our
Christ, Jesus, to his exile and
pre-existence status.
00:39:10.95\00:39:20.09
You say, "Dwight, come on.
Time-out, time-out. Listen, I
appreciate all these
00:39:20.09\00:39:24.39
little clues. You have forgotten
-- You forgot the fourth gospel
00:39:24.39\00:39:29.46
begins with a mighty, majestic
prologue. It starts with the
words, 'In the beginning was the
00:39:29.46\00:39:34.70
Word, and the Word' -- you
remember those words? And the
Word was with God.'"
00:39:34.70\00:39:38.84
Okay, let's put
them on the screen.
00:39:38.87\00:39:40.11
Oh, by the way, let's read these
out loud together, come on.
00:39:40.11\00:39:42.11
I'll listen for you.
00:39:42.11\00:39:44.05
And who is this
Word? Keep reading.
00:40:00.76\00:40:04.77
No, nobody's forgotten the
majestic prologue to the fourth
00:40:18.85\00:40:22.72
Gospel, but remember, we're
limiting ourselves, not to the
00:40:22.72\00:40:26.89
prologue, but to
actually spoken by his own lips
00:40:26.89\00:40:30.73
self-expressions.
There are four of them that
00:40:30.73\00:40:33.80
shine above every other gospel.
Four of them all here in the
00:40:33.80\00:40:38.43
fourth Gospel. And
now you've come to the
00:40:38.43\00:40:42.17
clearest, hands
down. Hands down.
00:40:42.17\00:40:45.37
Come on, just turn a few
pages over to chapter 17.
00:40:45.37\00:40:48.41
It's late, late,
late Thursday night.
00:40:48.41\00:40:51.48
They're not in
the upper room now.
00:40:51.48\00:40:52.81
They've already
walked by the vineyard.
00:40:52.81\00:40:54.28
"I'm the vine,
you're the branches.
00:40:54.28\00:40:55.92
Just stay
connected with me, boys.
00:40:55.92\00:40:57.55
Girls, stay connected with
me. You'll bear much fruit."
00:40:57.55\00:40:59.82
They've already been through all
that, and now Jesus has a prayer
00:40:59.82\00:41:03.63
to pray, and only John,
boy, records this prayer.
00:41:03.63\00:41:07.13
Only John. So, this
is chapter 17, verse 1,
00:41:07.13\00:41:09.63
and "After Jesus said this,"
about the vine and all, "he
00:41:09.63\00:41:12.83
looked toward heaven and prayed:
'Father, the hour has come.
00:41:12.83\00:41:17.47
Glorify your Son, that
your Son may glorify you.
00:41:17.47\00:41:20.28
For you granted him authority
over all people that he might
00:41:20.28\00:41:23.14
give eternal life to all
those you have given him.
00:41:23.14\00:41:25.65
Now,'" here comes that verse
we love, "'Now this is eternal
00:41:25.65\00:41:29.05
life: that they know you, the
only true God, and Jesus Christ,
00:41:29.05\00:41:32.59
whom you have sent,'" but
that's not it, keep reading.
00:41:32.59\00:41:35.39
"'I have brought you glory on
earth by finishing the work you
00:41:35.39\00:41:38.59
gave me to do.'" Now
here it comes, the clearest
00:41:38.59\00:41:41.20
self-expression of his
pre-existence and exilic status
00:41:41.20\00:41:46.03
on this planet.
Here comes verse 5.
00:41:46.03\00:41:48.14
"'And now, Father, glorify me in
your presence with the glory I
00:41:48.14\00:41:55.84
had with you
before the world began.'"
00:41:55.84\00:42:02.12
You can't get any
clearer than that. That's it.
00:42:02.15\00:42:04.62
"Father, glorify me in your
presence with the glory I had
with you before the world
00:42:04.62\00:42:12.56
began, when it was just you and
me, Father, before we even
created the universe together,
00:42:12.56\00:42:16.77
when it was just you and me.
That glory, I want you to
surround me now with that glory.
00:42:16.77\00:42:21.17
I left that glory to come here.
I'm coming back. Surround me
with the glory that
00:42:21.17\00:42:25.51
you have." Whoa. That's it.
00:42:25.51\00:42:32.11
What are we supposed to say?
Pre-existed? Are you kidding?
Eternally pre-existed.
00:42:32.11\00:42:39.29
That's the truth of our Lord
Jesus Christ. That once upon a
00:42:39.29\00:42:45.63
time, the throne that he
occupied, one day, he's gone.
00:42:45.63\00:42:50.03
"Where did he go?" "I don't
know." Simultaneously, in the
womb of a little teenage girl, a
00:42:50.03\00:42:57.51
Jewish girl, he appears,
unwatched and observed by the
universe, but counting down the
00:42:57.51\00:43:06.25
nine months till that baby's
born. It's like Paul, this
ancient hymn that Paul records
00:43:06.25\00:43:10.65
in 1 Timothy 3:16. Oh, you
remember these words? "He
appeared in the flesh, was
00:43:10.65\00:43:15.46
vindicated by the Spirit, was
seen by angels, was preached
among the nations, was believed
00:43:15.46\00:43:20.90
on the world, was taken up in
glory." The great divine human
00:43:20.90\00:43:26.00
capital "E" Exile. We
just met him. There he is.
00:43:26.00\00:43:32.24
Clue four. Clue
four. [ Chuckles ]
00:43:32.24\00:43:39.81
"So tell me. Are you the king
of the Jews?" "You asking that
00:43:39.81\00:43:46.92
because you're curious, or
somebody said something about me
to you?" [ Chuckles ]
00:43:46.92\00:43:52.76
"You think I'm a Jew? Your own
people, your own leaders brought
00:43:52.76\00:43:57.17
you in to me. What did you do to
them?" "Ah, my kingdom is not of
00:43:57.17\00:44:04.47
this world. If my kingdom were
of this world, my followers
would fight for me.
00:44:04.47\00:44:09.14
No, my kingdom is from another
place." And then notice what he
00:44:09.14\00:44:16.58
says. We got to go back
to 18, so that's one page.
00:44:16.62\00:44:18.75
Just to 18 again.
We'll pick it up in verse 36.
00:44:18.75\00:44:21.09
John 18:36, Jesus says to
Pilate, "'My kingdom is not of
00:44:21.09\00:44:24.03
this world. If it
were, my servants would
00:44:24.03\00:44:26.29
fight to prevent my
arrest by the Jewish leaders.
00:44:26.29\00:44:28.93
But now my kingdom
is from another place.'
00:44:28.93\00:44:31.47
[ Laughs ] 'You are
a king, then, aren't
00:44:31.47\00:44:34.00
you?' Jesus
replies, 'You say that I
00:44:34.00\00:44:37.41
am a king. In fact,
the reason I was born,
00:44:37.41\00:44:40.74
the reason I came into the world
is to testify to the truth.
00:44:40.74\00:44:44.01
Everyone on the side
of truth listens to me.'
00:44:44.01\00:44:47.08
'Yeah, what is truth?'"
00:44:47.08\00:44:50.65
You know what's so amazing to
me? I never saw this till this
00:44:50.69\00:44:54.82
week. What we just witnessed,
this exchange between Jesus and
Pilate, is one of the profound
00:44:54.82\00:45:00.13
acts of an exile. All through
this little mini series, we have
00:45:00.13\00:45:06.97
watched as God has taken the
exiles that He's driven to
Babylon and Persia and Assyria
00:45:06.97\00:45:14.28
and Syria. We've watched Him
take those exiles, and through
the supernatural control of
00:45:14.28\00:45:20.52
circumstances, stand that exile
before a personage of great
power and position, be it a
00:45:20.52\00:45:28.49
king, be it a general. We have
watched God's strategic move
00:45:28.49\00:45:40.97
with exiles. Turns out nothing's
changed. Jesus himself, the
pre-incarnate Christ, positioned
00:45:40.97\00:45:47.38
them. Why? [ Scoffs ]
Ask the exile Daniel with
00:45:47.38\00:45:50.48
Nebuchadnezzar, because
Nebuchadnezzar gets saved. Ask
Shadrach, Meshach, and
00:45:50.48\00:45:54.38
Abednego, the exiles. Ask them.
Nebuchadnezzar gets saved again.
00:45:54.38\00:45:58.02
Ask Daniel -- same Daniel, still
an exile with the King Darius.
00:45:58.02\00:46:03.32
Boom! Darius gets saved. Ask
little exile Jonah about the
King of Nineveh, who himself
00:46:03.32\00:46:08.73
gets saved. Ask that little
Jewish maiden girl, an exile who
00:46:08.73\00:46:16.71
will tell you that her mighty
Syrian Pagan general master also
got saved. It is God's strategic
00:46:16.71\00:46:27.38
plan to move exiles through this
life to places where they are
destined to do something for
00:46:27.38\00:46:35.96
Him. [ Chuckles ] Wow.
Because exiles have always been
00:46:35.96\00:46:41.13
God's primary missionaries
to people of power. Joseph with
00:46:41.13\00:46:48.87
Pharaoh. Moses with Pharaoh.
Paul with Felix, Paul with
Festus, Paul with Agrippa, and
00:46:48.87\00:46:56.31
finally Paul with the mighty
Nero himself, the most Pagan,
the most Godless of all.
00:46:56.31\00:47:03.22
God takes his little exile like
a chessboard and moves that
exile till he's right next to
00:47:03.22\00:47:10.93
the king. Isn't that amazing?
That's what God is doing with
00:47:10.93\00:47:15.40
Jesus and Pilate. Nobody's
in the room. Alone together.
00:47:15.40\00:47:19.77
"My, I was born to tell the
truth." This is your moment,
00:47:19.77\00:47:26.01
Pilate. This is your moment.
Don't just ask what is truth.
00:47:26.01\00:47:30.28
Stay. "What is
truth?" [ Snaps fingers ] Pah!
00:47:30.28\00:47:32.61
And he's gone. That was
it. That was his one moment.
00:47:32.61\00:47:36.42
There have been a thousand
before that, but that was his
00:47:36.42\00:47:40.56
last one. The truth was standing
in front of him. Exiles, mercy.
00:47:40.56\00:47:44.93
Makes me wonder. I don't
mind telling you this. Makes me
00:47:44.93\00:47:48.13
wonder whom God is hoping to
send you to. I mean, I'm looking
at some fine exile faces right
00:47:48.13\00:47:52.13
here. Who's God gonna send you
to? Perhaps it will be something
00:47:52.13\00:47:57.21
you say. Given this particular
audience, perhaps it will be
something you write that gets
00:47:57.21\00:48:03.28
somewhere you never knew.
Perhaps it'll be something you
00:48:03.28\00:48:09.95
film. Perhaps it'll be something
you sing. Perhaps it will be
00:48:09.95\00:48:13.36
something you build or repair,
but the word is out. Perhaps
it'll be something you
00:48:13.36\00:48:18.76
play, whether it is a sport or
an instrument. The point is it
00:48:18.76\00:48:24.37
doesn't matter what you do. It
only matters that you do. You
got to do something.
00:48:24.37\00:48:31.21
Don't just sit there in that
space God has placed you as an
00:48:31.21\00:48:36.11
exile. Do something, pray
something, say something. Do
something, por favor.
00:48:36.11\00:48:45.42
"That's why I put you there." Do
something for the God who placed
you as His exile in the
00:48:45.42\00:48:53.36
space you now occupy, and
there's no other exile in that
00:48:53.36\00:48:59.23
space right now. It's just you.
"Do something for me, girl. Do
something for me, boy,
00:48:59.23\00:49:07.08
please. I got you there for
a reason." Just like Jesus, who
00:49:07.08\00:49:14.68
died in exile -- four exiles who
died for the very people you are
spending your life with in your
00:49:14.68\00:49:20.06
neighborhood right now. He's
died for all of them. And that's
00:49:20.06\00:49:24.46
why you're in your neighborhood,
and that's why you live next
door. Nothing has happened by
00:49:24.46\00:49:30.40
chance. God has dreamed of this
moment, and there you are. So,
what did it mean for Jesus
00:49:30.40\00:49:36.17
to come to this earth as the
capital "E" Exile of all exiles
00:49:36.17\00:49:40.71
once upon a time? I want to end
with this. A century ago, these
words were written that describe
00:49:40.71\00:49:44.68
the descent that Jesus
made to become an exile. This is
00:49:44.68\00:49:49.18
dynamite. I wish I could
hand this out to you. We have no
00:49:49.18\00:49:52.29
study guide today. I'm gonna put
it on the screen. There will be
a reference at the top.
00:49:52.29\00:49:55.12
Every slide that I read from
this quotation, there will be a
reference at the top.
00:49:55.12\00:49:58.29
If you want the quote, and some
of you will, just scribble it
00:49:58.29\00:50:01.70
down. I carried it with
me in all my Bibles. It's in.
00:50:01.70\00:50:04.57
And I've had to wrestle
with this myself. Okay, here it
00:50:04.57\00:50:08.00
comes. "He," speaking of Christ,
and I put the little numbers in,
so don't worry about it, because
00:50:08.00\00:50:11.97
there are three lefts here.
She's gonna talk about this
descent -- boom, boom, boom.
00:50:11.97\00:50:15.34
Three -- Three lefts. "He,
Christ, left his home of
security and peace."
00:50:15.34\00:50:20.58
If we were writing it today, we
would say, "He left his comfort
00:50:20.58\00:50:24.22
zone." Yep, he left his comfort
zone. Do you have a comfort
zone? Of course you do, that's
00:50:24.22\00:50:27.82
why we can't get you out of it.
That's where you're safe. Isn't
00:50:27.82\00:50:31.66
that right? That's where you're
safe. That's where you're loved.
That's where you belong.
00:50:31.66\00:50:36.67
He left his comfort zone. Do you
know how hard it is to leave a
00:50:36.67\00:50:40.17
comfort zone? Of course you do,
that's why we don't leave it. We
00:50:40.17\00:50:44.17
like it. Number one, "He left
his home of security and peace."
Number two, he left the glory he
00:50:44.17\00:50:49.81
had with the Father, in whose
presence, we've already been
reminded by Jesus, he was loved,
00:50:49.81\00:50:53.82
respected, and cared for for an
eternity, and eternity passed.
They've been like this.
00:50:53.82\00:51:03.12
Forever and ever, he left it.
And by the way, he left at the
cost of great risk, eternal
00:51:03.12\00:51:11.57
risk, we are told. It could've
imploded. He took the risk.
00:51:11.57\00:51:20.51
He's an exile. He left, number
one, his home. He left, number
00:51:20.51\00:51:24.31
two, the glory he had with the
Father. Number three, he left
his possession on the throne of
00:51:24.31\00:51:27.78
the universe, and that's
the toughest one, especially for
00:51:27.78\00:51:30.39
men. Men are pretty much tied
to their positions. Well, women
00:51:30.39\00:51:35.56
are, too. But I'm talking in
your relationship. If I asked my
00:51:35.56\00:51:42.13
mother what matters to her,
it's the children. If I ask the
00:51:42.13\00:51:45.33
father, "Come on, tell me, what
matters to you," it's, "Hey,
come on, it's where I'm going."
00:51:45.33\00:51:48.60
He left the position. By the
way, this was not any position.
00:51:48.60\00:51:51.67
It's the highest position in the
universe. It's the numero uno
00:51:51.67\00:51:55.68
position, and he left it to come
to this planet. Easy to get tied
00:51:55.68\00:52:01.82
to a position,
isn't it? Hey. He left it.
00:52:01.82\00:52:06.25
Keep going, keep
going, keep going.
00:52:06.29\00:52:08.16
"He went forth" --
these are the other two.
00:52:08.16\00:52:10.09
"He went forth. "He
went forth, a suffering,
00:52:10.09\00:52:12.03
tempted man. He went
forth in solitude, to
00:52:12.03\00:52:13.93
sow in tears, to water with his
blood, the seed of life for a
00:52:13.93\00:52:16.46
lost world." He
should've ended it right
00:52:16.46\00:52:18.07
there, lady. Why
didn't you end it right
00:52:18.07\00:52:19.53
there, but she goes ahead
and throws in one more sentence.
00:52:19.53\00:52:22.57
"In like manner his exiles,
or servants, are to go forth to
00:52:22.57\00:52:27.28
sow." In like manner.
00:52:27.28\00:52:29.68
And by the way, servants doesn't
mean you're some kind of
professional paid class.
00:52:29.71\00:52:33.52
[ Chuckling ] No. If you're a
servant of the most high God,
you are a follower of
00:52:33.52\00:52:37.62
Jesus, and if you're a follower
of Jesus, you are a servant of
00:52:37.62\00:52:40.46
the most high God. That's just
how it works. You're a servant.
We all our servants.
00:52:40.46\00:52:43.59
Now, how would you like to get
a help-wanted ad like this? It's
00:52:43.59\00:52:47.96
posted over on the Apple Valley
little cork bulletin board.
00:52:47.96\00:52:51.17
"Help wanted." There's only
three lines in this help-wanted
ad. Line number one -- "Wanted,
00:52:51.17\00:52:55.70
exiles. Must be willing to give
up home, glory, position for new
00:52:55.70\00:52:59.44
mission." [ Scoffs ]
Let me see what line two is.
00:52:59.44\00:53:06.58
Line two -- "Must be willing to
embrace a life of suffering,
temptation, loneliness,
00:53:06.58\00:53:10.22
solitude, sowing your tears, and
maybe your blood if need be for
sake of new mission."
00:53:10.22\00:53:13.96
[ Scoffs ] Let me see what
line three is. Line three -- "If
00:53:13.96\00:53:17.73
interested, text to this number,
'Here am I, send me.'" That's
00:53:17.73\00:53:24.07
it. I'm not making this stuff
up. Same quotation. Now, watch
this, keep reading.
00:53:24.07\00:53:29.27
"The Lord calls upon those who
believe in him." Do you believe
00:53:29.27\00:53:32.54
in Je-- Everybody here, I'm
assuming, believes in Jesus.
00:53:32.54\00:53:35.88
Almost everybody. "The Lord
calls those who believe in him
to be workers" -- we're all
00:53:35.88\00:53:39.78
called to be workers --
"together with him. While their
life shall last." "Well, how
00:53:39.78\00:53:43.62
long is that, Dwight?" Well,
I'll tell you. If you're not
00:53:43.62\00:53:46.32
sure, just pull out your
cellphone like this, okay? So,
take your cellphone out, and
00:53:46.32\00:53:50.76
you take the shiny surface, put
it beneath your nose, and then
blow out through your nose.
00:53:50.76\00:53:56.90
[ Exhales ] If it gets
foggy there, you're alive.
00:53:56.90\00:54:00.80
[ Laughter ] You're alive.
So, as long as you can [exhales]
00:54:00.80\00:54:05.17
do this, you're still under that
commission as an exile, right?
"While their life shall last,
00:54:05.17\00:54:14.65
they are not to feel that
their work is done." By the way,
00:54:14.65\00:54:17.89
there's no graduation out of
it. There's no retirement. Any
00:54:17.89\00:54:20.92
retirees here? There is no
retirement out of this. You're
still under this, buddy,
00:54:20.92\00:54:24.93
until [exhales] they don't get
any more steam on your phone.
Then they'll know, "This is it."
00:54:24.93\00:54:32.00
"Until the time that Christ
shall come, when Christ shall
00:54:32.03\00:54:34.77
say, 'It is finished,' the
exile's work for the saving of
00:54:34.77\00:54:37.54
souls will not decrease,
but will grow in importance."
00:54:37.54\00:54:40.18
This is unbelievable. "A
thousand times more work for
00:54:40.18\00:54:42.81
God might be accomplished if
all his children, exiles, would
00:54:42.81\00:54:45.75
fully consecrate
themselves to him.
00:54:45.75\00:54:47.62
If they would improve every
opportunity for doing good,
00:54:47.62\00:54:49.98
doors of service would open
before them and they would be
00:54:49.98\00:54:52.42
called to bear" -- hold on.
"They would be called to bear
00:54:52.42\00:54:55.06
greater responsibilities."
00:54:55.06\00:54:58.19
Nobody here's looking for a
position. I understand that.
00:54:58.23\00:55:00.96
We're not looking to be
the greatest in the Kingdom of
00:55:00.96\00:55:04.40
Heaven. But apparently, God
watches you and me. "Hey, he did
00:55:04.40\00:55:09.50
all right. I'm gonna give him
another one. I'm gonna give her
another opportunity.
00:55:09.50\00:55:13.11
She's doing pretty good
on these." That's what it is.
00:55:13.11\00:55:16.95
And he keeps raising the bar
until one day, you're standing
00:55:16.95\00:55:21.15
-- Can you believe this? You're
standing in front of the
President of the United States.
00:55:21.15\00:55:24.25
How did this happen? "There's
some mistake here." No, there's
00:55:24.25\00:55:27.59
no mistake. You are in front of
the President right now because
somebody needed you to be there,
00:55:27.59\00:55:31.93
somebody who's been watching you
as an exile, somebody who knows
this is how you behave to those
00:55:31.93\00:55:37.67
who don't know me, who keeps
moving you till one day, just
like Daniel, you're in front of
00:55:37.67\00:55:42.27
the king. You're in
front of the President.
00:55:42.27\00:55:46.88
Too far fetched? Every exile
story in the Old Testament.
00:55:46.88\00:55:51.35
This is the one that really
blows. You're not gonna win them
00:55:51.35\00:55:56.25
all. Jesus didn't win Pilate.
Committed suicide. History's
00:55:56.25\00:56:04.16
clear. Some of you right here,
if you'll say yes to God, you'll
00:56:04.19\00:56:07.40
partner with Him in seeking for
lost people to win to Jesus, to
00:56:07.40\00:56:12.00
lead to Jesus. The
bar for you will keep
00:56:12.00\00:56:14.60
getting raised higher and higher
and higher and higher, and then
00:56:14.60\00:56:20.84
shall the end come, as it did
for Jesus when he died, as it
00:56:20.84\00:56:26.31
will for you and
me when He comes.
00:56:26.31\00:56:30.75
But until then, we have the life
mission -- guess what. We have
the life mission of an
00:56:30.79\00:56:38.93
exile. You'll be an exile till
He comes, which leads me to say,
00:56:38.93\00:56:46.13
it makes me wonder -- I hate to
ask out loud. I wonder out loud,
00:56:46.13\00:56:49.97
but it makes me wonder who
God is preparing you for. I just
00:56:49.97\00:57:01.92
wonder. I don't
know. I don't know.
00:57:01.92\00:57:05.82
>> Think of the last time
someone said, "I'm praying for
00:57:09.09\00:57:12.19
you." Didn't it
give you a sense of
00:57:12.19\00:57:14.00
peace and reassurance
that somebody cares for me?
00:57:14.00\00:57:16.67
I know how I feel when I get an
e-mail from one of our viewers
00:57:16.67\00:57:19.37
saying, "Yo, Dwight.
I've been praying for you
00:57:19.37\00:57:21.47
lately." There's
nothing like knowing
00:57:21.47\00:57:23.10
someone is praying for
you. So I want to offer you an
00:57:23.10\00:57:25.21
opportunity to partner -- let
me, let us partner with you in
00:57:25.21\00:57:28.81
prayer. If you
have a special prayer
00:57:28.81\00:57:30.78
request or a praise of
thanksgiving you'd like to share
00:57:30.78\00:57:33.28
with us, I'm inviting you
to contact one of our friendly
00:57:33.28\00:57:35.75
chaplains. It's simple to do.
00:57:35.75\00:57:37.55
You can call our toll-free
number -- 877 -- the two words,
00:57:37.55\00:57:40.56
HIS WILL. 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:40.56\00:57:43.79
That friendly voice that
answers, you tell him, you tell
00:57:43.79\00:57:46.76
her what your prayer need
is, we'll join with you in that
00:57:46.76\00:57:49.76
petition. May the
God who answers prayer
00:57:49.76\00:57:52.43
journey with you these next few
days until we're right back here
00:57:52.43\00:57:55.30
together again next time.
00:57:55.30\00:57:57.47
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:00.88\00:58:19.09
¤¤
00:58:19.09\00:58:28.47