¤¤
00:00:00.43\00:00:02.30
¤¤
00:00:12.94\00:00:14.88
>> ¤ Blessed are
the pure in heart ¤
00:00:20.48\00:00:33.56
¤ For they shall
see God ¤ Blessed are
00:00:33.56\00:00:48.18
the pure in heart
¤ ¤ The pure in heart
00:00:48.18\00:01:05.03
¤ For they shall see God
00:01:05.03\00:01:17.04
¤ Blessed are
the pure in heart ¤
00:01:20.24\00:01:34.39
¤ For they shall see God
00:01:34.39\00:01:46.37
¤ Blessed are the
pure, the pure in heart ¤
00:01:47.90\00:02:04.72
¤ For they shall ¤ See God
00:02:12.13\00:02:36.22
¤ See God ¤
00:02:39.72\00:02:56.60
>> Good morning. Happy
Sabbath. Welcome to church.
00:02:59.94\00:03:04.75
This is a special
weekend. It's Alumni Weekend.
00:03:04.75\00:03:08.45
Welcome home, alumni.
We're so glad you're here.
00:03:08.45\00:03:11.22
We hope you're having just a
full weekend of reminiscing and
00:03:11.22\00:03:15.82
reconnecting and celebrating a
wonderful life and the memories
00:03:15.82\00:03:21.60
of the past. There's
a verse that I want to
00:03:21.60\00:03:24.57
share with you from Psalm 121,
which says, "I rejoiced when I
00:03:24.57\00:03:27.70
heard them say, 'Let us go
to the house of the Lord.'"
00:03:27.70\00:03:31.54
Is there rejoicing
in your heart today?
00:03:31.54\00:03:33.88
I'm so glad we're here
to sing praises together.
00:03:33.88\00:03:36.98
Join us in singing
some favorite hymns.
00:03:36.98\00:03:40.42
¤¤
00:03:40.42\00:03:42.35
Stand with me as we
sing this next hymn together.
00:08:47.59\00:08:51.73
The blood will
never lose its power.
00:10:59.42\00:11:01.79
Amen? Sing this with us.
00:11:01.79\00:11:05.16
¤¤
00:17:23.71\00:17:25.64
>> Good morning, boys and girls.
Oh, it's so nice to see you on
this last Sabbath of September.
00:17:50.70\00:17:59.87
You're looking good. Hey, did it
rain at your house last night?
00:17:59.87\00:18:04.28
How about a little thunder
and lightning? Oh! Was that
00:18:04.28\00:18:09.85
something? Our power was still
off when I left this morning.
You look like you had
00:18:09.85\00:18:13.12
a lot of power in your house.
00:18:13.12\00:18:14.99
Good for you.
Say, listen, oh, man,
00:18:15.02\00:18:17.76
come all the way over here,
and I got show-and-tell today.
00:18:17.76\00:18:20.73
Come on. Come on. Come on.
00:18:20.73\00:18:23.43
You have never seen one of
these in your life. Oh! Oh!
00:18:23.47\00:18:30.94
This is the world's
largest pumpkin. Yeah, it is.
00:18:30.94\00:18:37.15
Come on, guys. Come on.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
00:18:37.15\00:18:41.85
Isn't that beautiful? Oh, look
at that pumpkin. Oh! I wish I
00:18:41.85\00:18:49.59
had this growing in mine,
because this has got to be a
record maker right here. But my
00:18:49.59\00:18:55.30
friend, Sharon Nugent, who's
manager of the WAUS radio
station -- she sent me this
00:18:55.30\00:18:59.87
story. It's about a gentleman, a
commercial airplane pilot. He is
00:18:59.87\00:19:06.51
living in Oregon. And on April,
he reached into his pocket and
he pulled out eight pumpkin
00:19:06.51\00:19:10.91
seeds and he said, "Okay, we're
going to plant these pumpkin
00:19:10.91\00:19:13.82
seeds right here. One, two,
three, four, five, six, seven,
eight." He said, "All right,
00:19:13.82\00:19:17.99
cover up the dirt. Cover, cover,
cover. Put a little fertilizer.
00:19:17.99\00:19:20.22
Okay. Okay. Okay. Now,
God, will you please send rain?"
00:19:20.22\00:19:22.46
And some rain came and some
sunshine. He said later that it
00:19:22.46\00:19:28.96
was sunny in Oregon like it
usually never is right, from
April all through the summer.
00:19:28.96\00:19:34.00
And he said, "Oh, I can see the
pumpkin plant is growing." And
00:19:34.00\00:19:39.27
then there's a little blossom,
and there came a little pumpkin.
00:19:39.27\00:19:43.85
He said, "I'll bet you if I
leave it" -- Don't pull it out
now. "If I leave it in, it's
00:19:43.85\00:19:47.82
going to get bigger and bigger."
Probably won't get as big as
00:19:47.82\00:19:51.29
mine, but it's going to get
bigger and bigger. And he waited
00:19:51.29\00:19:54.99
all summer, and Jesus put water
on it and Jesus put sunshine.
And that pumpkin got bigger and
00:19:54.99\00:20:00.30
bigger, and you know what? He
said, "Well, I don't know." He
heard about something down
00:20:00.30\00:20:05.83
in Half Moon Bay, south of
San Francisco. They're having a
00:20:05.83\00:20:08.70
little pumpkin meet. People
are bringing their pumpkins.
00:20:08.70\00:20:12.77
So he took his pumpkin, put it
in the back of his pickup. He
said, "I'm going all the way
00:20:12.77\00:20:16.41
down to Half Moon Bay. I'm going
to see how my pumpkin does.
00:20:16.41\00:20:19.65
Yes, I am." He drove down
there, and they said, "Hmm.
00:20:19.65\00:20:22.58
That's your pumpkin?"
"Yeah." "Well, we have to wait,
00:20:22.58\00:20:25.75
you know." "That's
okay with me. Go ahead."
00:20:25.75\00:20:28.46
So they waited. "How'd I do?
How did I do?" "Well --" Well,
00:20:28.46\00:20:34.20
let's put a picture.
00:20:34.20\00:20:35.56
Commercial jet pilot Steve...
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh,
00:20:35.60\00:20:40.54
ahh! What?!
00:20:40.54\00:20:44.41
2,170 pounds. Oh-ho-ho!
00:20:44.41\00:20:49.84
And he got $7 a pound -- $15,000
-- for bringing that big winner.
00:20:49.88\00:20:56.35
Is that bigger than this one?
Let me put it over there. No, it
isn't bigger than that.
00:20:56.35\00:20:59.62
Look. It isn't bigger than that.
Oh, took some seeds, and look
00:20:59.62\00:21:08.13
what God got. You know what? I'm
looking at you and I realize,
00:21:08.13\00:21:10.50
"Wait a minute. It took two
seeds for you." Yep. God had to
00:21:10.50\00:21:13.47
put two of those seeds together,
and He said, "I'm going to watch
these grow." And they grew,
00:21:13.47\00:21:16.81
and you are what God grew. He
didn't get a pumpkin when He got
00:21:16.81\00:21:22.24
you. Your mother calls you
pumpkin, but He has a little
girl, He has a little boy
00:21:22.24\00:21:29.12
just like Himself, in His image.
Oh, can you believe that? Are
you worth more than
00:21:29.12\00:21:37.09
a prize pumpkin? Oh, Jesus
gave His life for you. Are you
00:21:37.09\00:21:42.03
kidding? You're worth a whole
universe to Him. Oh, my gosh.
00:21:42.03\00:21:46.07
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, yo, guys, I
need you to have strong bodies.
00:21:46.07\00:21:49.57
Yep. I need you to have strong
minds. Yep. I need you to have
00:21:49.57\00:21:53.04
strong hearts because I want you
to reflect my image. I want you
00:21:53.04\00:21:58.45
to be well. Around here, they're
calling it wellness. I want you
00:21:58.45\00:22:03.02
to be well." And I'm looking at
you and I'm thinking, "You are
00:22:03.02\00:22:07.49
well on the way to that
well-being." Oh, Jesus, thank
you so much. Who would like to
00:22:07.49\00:22:12.29
thank Jesus, just thank Him?
He didn't grow pumpkins out of
00:22:12.29\00:22:16.50
those two seeds. He grew you and
me. Who wants to thank Jesus?
00:22:16.50\00:22:21.40
Sissy? Come on. Come on
down. All right. Where's my
00:22:21.40\00:22:23.84
microphone? Here we go. All
right. Sissy, what's your name?
00:22:23.84\00:22:28.98
>> Jeremy. >> Jeremy. Jeremy,
you come right here. We're going
00:22:28.98\00:22:33.21
to close our eyes with Jeremy.
We're going to fold our hands,
00:22:33.21\00:22:37.22
and let's pray. Let's thank
Jesus for making us. >> Dear
Jesus, thank you for this day.
00:22:37.22\00:22:43.39
Thank you that we got
to be here. >> Mm-hmm.
00:22:43.39\00:22:46.73
>> Thank you that you made us in
your own special image. Please
00:22:46.73\00:22:51.47
bless us. Amen. >> Amen.
Thank you, Jeremy. That was a
00:22:51.47\00:22:55.00
beautiful prayer. Thank you,
boys and girls, as you go back
quietly and reverently -- shh!
00:22:55.00\00:22:58.71
-- to your seats. You thank
Jesus for the special creation
00:22:58.71\00:23:05.11
you are. ¤¤
00:23:10.52\00:23:23.90
>> ¤ O be joyful in the Lord
¤ All ye lands ¤ Serve the lord
00:23:23.93\00:23:35.04
with gladness ¤ And come before
His presence with a song ¤ ¤ Be
ye sure that the Lord
00:23:35.04\00:23:46.12
¤ He is God ¤ It is He that hath
made us ¤ And not we ourselves
00:23:46.12\00:24:03.47
>> ¤ We are His people ¤ And the
sheep of his pasture >> ¤ We are
00:24:03.47\00:24:13.92
his people ¤ And the sheep of
his pasture >> ¤ O go your way
00:24:13.92\00:24:31.87
into His gates ¤ ¤ His gates
with thanksgiving ¤ And into his
courts with praise ¤
00:24:31.87\00:24:45.41
¤ Be thankful unto Him ¤ And
speak good of His name ¤ For the
00:24:45.41\00:25:00.30
Lord is gracious ¤ His mercy is
everlasting ¤ And His truth
endureth ¤ From generation to
00:25:00.30\00:25:22.38
generation ¤ ¤ Glory be to
the Father ¤ And to the Son
00:25:22.38\00:25:38.17
¤ And to the Holy Ghost ¤ As it
was in the beginning ¤ It is now
00:25:38.17\00:25:51.88
and ever shall be ¤ World
without end ¤ Amen, amen ¤ Amen,
00:25:51.88\00:26:03.56
amen >> Father, we're thinking
wellness. We're thinking
00:26:08.20\00:26:14.14
well-being. So, what does that
mean? We have this crown jewel
00:26:14.14\00:26:21.18
across the road, but what does
it mean? Open our minds these
few moments we have.
00:26:21.18\00:26:28.02
Engage, engage our thinking,
draw our hearts. We pray in
00:26:28.02\00:26:35.52
Jesus' name. Amen.
00:26:35.52\00:26:36.73
Forbes magazine ran
a piece the other day.
00:26:36.89\00:26:40.13
Title caught my eye.
"What would you pay for
00:26:40.13\00:26:43.73
extra years of perfect health?"
It reported on a study by USB.
00:26:43.73\00:26:49.47
That's the Union
Bank of Switzerland,
00:26:49.47\00:26:51.41
one of the most well-heeled
financial institutions on Earth.
00:26:51.41\00:26:55.98
And it was a
survey for the wealthy.
00:26:55.98\00:26:59.75
It had two questions.
00:26:59.75\00:27:01.88
"How long do you expect to
live?" All right. Fair enough.
00:27:01.92\00:27:05.62
Question number two -- "What
would you be willing to pay for
00:27:05.62\00:27:09.86
10 extra years of perfect
health?" I never got the survey.
00:27:09.86\00:27:14.46
I was waiting. It didn't come.
So let me just ask you. How long
do you plan to live?
00:27:14.46\00:27:18.77
The moment you heard that
question, you wrote a number in
00:27:18.77\00:27:23.37
your mind. And how much would
you be willing to pay for 10
years of perfect health?
00:27:23.37\00:27:28.78
Well, the surveys went out, and
the wealthy responded. You know
how they responded?
00:27:28.78\00:27:37.15
According to the survey,
a whopping 53% of wealthy
00:27:37.15\00:27:42.36
investors expected to live
to 100. Ain't that something?
00:27:42.36\00:27:49.56
Actually, though, the
expectation is totally out of
sync for the actual numbers of
00:27:49.56\00:27:54.00
the country or the region where
they live. 53% to live to 100.
Although, I'll tell you what --
00:27:54.00\00:28:01.34
if you live in Berrien Springs,
Michigan, it can happen to you
00:28:01.34\00:28:07.05
again and again. I took a
picture about 4 weeks ago. I'll
put it on the screen for
00:28:07.05\00:28:09.48
you. Humble little
snapshot. You see the man
00:28:09.48\00:28:12.52
in the center of that picture?
Yep. Some of you were his
00:28:12.52\00:28:15.26
students. That's Paul Hamel, of
course. You recognize the
chairman of the music
00:28:15.26\00:28:19.36
department. We were there for
his 100th birthday bash about 4
00:28:19.36\00:28:24.67
or 5 weeks ago. The little lady
standing in front of him also a
member of the Pioneer Memorial
00:28:24.67\00:28:29.14
Church. That's Ann Bauer. Three
weeks ago, she turned 105 years
00:28:29.14\00:28:36.48
of age. Hold that picture up
there. I want the alumni to see
that. I'm telling you what,
00:28:36.48\00:28:39.85
folks, if you want to live
to 100, move back. Come on.
00:28:39.85\00:28:42.08
Move back to this community.
We got housing. We have houses
00:28:42.08\00:28:46.69
here. You can move back.
You can move in. So, they asked
00:28:46.69\00:28:50.53
the wealthy, "Okay, you want
to live to be 100, huh? Okay."
00:28:50.53\00:28:54.36
They said, "How much would you
be willing to pay?" That's the
00:28:54.36\00:28:57.47
second question on the survey.
"How much would you be willing
00:28:57.47\00:29:00.20
to pay for 10 perfect years of
health?" UBS discovered, perhaps
00:29:00.20\00:29:04.14
not so surprising, that the
wealthier you are, the greater
the percentage of your wealth
00:29:04.14\00:29:08.08
you're willing to give up for
those 10 extra years. I won't
00:29:08.08\00:29:15.12
tell you how much. I have a
feeling all of us, if we were
offered that proposition, we'd
00:29:15.12\00:29:19.02
be willing to sacrifice a
little, just a little. Although,
like the song says...
00:29:19.02\00:29:26.70
¤ Can't buy me love ¤ Money
can't buy me love, no" And
money, we know, cannot buy
00:29:26.70\00:29:33.70
longevity, cannot buy health.
If it could, Steve Jobs of the
00:29:33.70\00:29:40.88
Apple fame and fortune would
be alive today, right? So, let's
00:29:40.88\00:29:46.21
talk about love. Let's talk
about longevity. Let's talk
about life. They're calling it
00:29:46.21\00:29:51.99
well-being around here. And
Dominique Gummelt -- I'll tell
00:29:51.99\00:29:55.46
you what -- she is one -- She
was the right choice for the
university to put in
00:29:55.46\00:29:59.89
charge of university wellness.
Dominique has us doing all kinds
00:29:59.89\00:30:04.40
of stuff. In fact, alums, if you
go to andrews.edu/wellness, you
00:30:04.40\00:30:11.51
get all the same mail-outs that
we get. You can track this and
00:30:11.51\00:30:15.64
do it at home. So, I understand
there are certain vital
practices that we have to
00:30:15.64\00:30:22.78
embrace if we want to deepen our
lives, if we want to enrich our
00:30:22.78\00:30:30.63
well-being. But what's
fascinating is -- longevity,
wellness, and life -- the one
00:30:30.63\00:30:38.57
differential -- the one
differential that makes the
difference is something called
00:30:38.57\00:30:44.77
love. L-O-V-E. Harvard
University has run one of the
00:30:44.77\00:30:50.58
longest longitudinal studies
ever. They were tracking two
groups. 75 years -- For 75
00:30:50.58\00:30:59.85
years, two groups. The study
is called the Grant and Glueck
00:30:59.85\00:31:04.29
Study. One study tracked 456
poor men growing up in Boston. I
heard you talk about Boston
00:31:04.29\00:31:11.07
a moment ago. Growing up in
Boston between 1939 and 2014.
00:31:11.07\00:31:16.30
The other study -- 268
male graduates from Harvard's
00:31:16.30\00:31:20.91
business classes of 1939 to
1944. Due to the length of this
study, 75 years, you can
00:31:20.91\00:31:26.92
understand they kept going
through research teams and new
heads. I mean, they just...
00:31:26.92\00:31:32.22
They took blood samples
and analyzed them. Once bone
00:31:32.22\00:31:35.26
scanning could be done, they did
that. They did self-surveys.
They had actual personal
00:31:35.26\00:31:39.43
interviews. And you
know what they found out?
00:31:39.43\00:31:41.20
Come on. Let's go.
00:31:41.20\00:31:42.80
The 75-year longitudinal
study on the screen.
00:31:42.83\00:31:45.43
"The
conclusion?" Cut to the chase.
00:31:45.43\00:31:48.34
"According to Robert Waldinger,
director of the Harvard Study
00:31:48.34\00:31:51.14
of Adult Development, one
thing surpasses all the rest
00:31:51.14\00:31:55.48
in terms of
importance." Quoting him now.
00:31:55.48\00:31:57.61
"The clearest
message that we get from this
00:31:57.61\00:31:59.75
75-year study is this --
Good relationships keep us
00:31:59.75\00:32:03.59
happier and
healthier, period," end quote.
00:32:03.59\00:32:08.62
In other words, what
money can't buy, love can --
00:32:08.62\00:32:13.76
life, longevity,
wellness. What's that line?
00:32:13.76\00:32:18.67
"Good relationships keep us
happier and healthier, period."
00:32:18.67\00:32:21.60
Now, Waldinger goes on
-- on the screen for you.
00:32:21.60\00:32:24.04
"It's not just the
number of friends you have
00:32:24.04\00:32:27.01
and it's not whether or
not you're in a committed
00:32:27.01\00:32:29.54
relationship. It's
the quality of your close
00:32:29.54\00:32:32.78
relationships that matters."
Do you have close friends?
00:32:32.78\00:32:38.02
You don't have to have a lot
of them. Do you have someone?
00:32:38.05\00:32:43.19
Hmm. According to George
Vaillant -- He's the Harvard
00:32:43.19\00:32:48.20
psychiatrist who, from '72 to
2004 -- that's 32 years -- he
actually managed this study.
00:32:48.20\00:32:52.90
Here is the psychiatrist on
the screen. He says, "What are
00:32:52.90\00:32:55.37
the essential elements?" He
identified two of them. "One is
00:32:55.37\00:33:00.48
love. The other is finding a way
of coping with life that does
not push love away."
00:33:00.48\00:33:06.38
Wow. ¤ Money can't buy me love,
no But look what love can do.
00:33:06.38\00:33:13.12
Maybe it's all a gift. Consider
the words of the "Last of the
00:33:13.12\00:33:19.83
Mohicans." He's the last
surviving Disciple. We call him,
00:33:19.83\00:33:23.60
around here, John Boy, but when
he gets old, he self-designates
00:33:23.60\00:33:30.54
as the elder John. Open your
Bible to the little, tiny
epistle of 3 John. You got
00:33:30.54\00:33:36.48
Revelation, you go back, you got
Jude, and then you're in 3 John.
It's only half a page
00:33:36.48\00:33:39.21
in my Bible. But I want you to
catch this. This is beautiful.
00:33:39.21\00:33:42.78
This is 3 John. So, there are
no chapters. It's just verses.
00:33:42.78\00:33:45.29
We'll read the first verse
and then the second verse. All
00:33:45.29\00:33:48.99
right? 3 John, beginning in
Verse 1. "To my dear friend
Gaius, whom I love in the truth,
00:33:48.99\00:33:58.53
dear friend, I pray that
you may enjoy good health
00:33:58.53\00:34:03.71
and that all may go well with
you, even as your soul is
getting along well."
00:34:03.71\00:34:10.35
"My dear friend Gaius, I feel
like such a kindred spirit with
00:34:10.35\00:34:16.99
you. I have three prayers for
you. I want you to get this.
Number one, I pray that
00:34:16.99\00:34:21.59
you may enjoy good health. I'm
talking about your body, boy.
00:34:21.59\00:34:25.99
I'm talking about corpus. That's
how we say it in Latin. I'm
talking about corpus.
00:34:25.99\00:34:30.33
I pray that you will have
physical well-being that's so
00:34:30.33\00:34:35.77
stunning that everybody around
you notices. I got three prayers
for you. Prayer number two --
00:34:35.77\00:34:40.91
Gaius, I also pray that all
may go well with you." Now, I'm
00:34:40.91\00:34:45.71
talking about your mind. We call
it 'mens' in Latin. Your
ambitions, your plans,
00:34:45.71\00:34:50.35
your dreams, I want
you to demonstrate a mental
00:34:50.35\00:34:54.92
and intellectual well-being that
is second to none. That's what
I'm praying for you.
00:34:54.92\00:35:00.10
I have three prayers for you.
Here is prayer number three --
That your soul may be
00:35:00.10\00:35:04.20
getting along well. Now I'm
talking about your 'spiritus,'
00:35:04.20\00:35:09.50
that soul inside of you that you
are. I'm praying that the
well-being will so permeate your
00:35:09.50\00:35:18.11
very soul that everyone will
know your connection to Jesus."
Isn't that amazing?
00:35:18.11\00:35:23.65
One three-line prayer, the
beginning of a tiny, little
00:35:23.65\00:35:27.86
epistle, and look what we end up
with. Put it on the screen,
please. We end up with Andrews
00:35:27.86\00:35:31.03
University's Latin motto --
"Mens, corpus, spiritus." We
sing it in the song
00:35:31.03\00:35:36.10
every convocation. It's the only
time of year we ever sing that
00:35:36.10\00:35:40.14
song. And probably for a reason.
But the words that we sing --
"Mens, corpus, spiritus" --
00:35:40.14\00:35:48.01
John wraps those three words
together and he says, "Oh, my
00:35:48.01\00:35:53.72
dear friend Gaius, I am praying.
I am praying for your soul." I
00:35:53.72\00:35:58.59
want to take that spiritus line,
speaking of soul. They did this
00:35:58.59\00:36:02.49
study over in England of 233
residents in retirement housing.
Now, some of our alumni
00:36:02.49\00:36:09.73
are retired by the time they
come back to this place. But
this study of retirees --
00:36:09.73\00:36:14.04
you'd be interested in this. Let
me put it on the screen for you.
00:36:14.04\00:36:16.57
Fascinating. "Spirituality and
religion appear to bring, one,
00:36:16.57\00:36:20.91
a sense of personal meaning,
two, control beyond one's own
00:36:20.91\00:36:26.85
resources, three, comfort, and,
four, intimacy with a higher
power. And these four are
00:36:26.85\00:36:33.39
life-transforming leading people
to replace old values with new.
00:36:33.39\00:36:38.49
The findings suggest that
older adults who derive a sense
00:36:38.53\00:36:42.00
of meaning in life from religion
tend to have higher levels
00:36:42.00\00:36:44.80
of life satisfaction,
self-esteem, and optimism."
00:36:44.80\00:36:48.90
If you're into spirituality and
religion, guess what -- that's
00:36:48.94\00:36:52.07
you. You reap those four
categories. And John the Elder
said, "Hey, I'm at the end of my
00:36:52.07\00:37:01.45
life, but you know what? That's
when I'm praying for you. I'm
praying that your corpus
00:37:01.45\00:37:06.86
will experience well-being.
I'm praying that your mens will
00:37:06.86\00:37:10.03
experience well-being. I'm
praying that your spiritus will
experience wellness,
00:37:10.03\00:37:16.13
that you'll flourish,
that you'll thrive in your
00:37:16.13\00:37:20.44
well-being." By the way, college
students are not to be left out.
In Canada, they did a study
00:37:20.44\00:37:24.04
of Canadian college students.
Put that on the screen for you.
This is just as interesting.
00:37:24.04\00:37:27.68
"Canadian college students who
are involved in campus
ministries" -- And you say,
00:37:27.68\00:37:32.11
"Oh, that must be little Bible
colleges in Canada." No, no,
00:37:32.11\00:37:35.85
nope. Come on, secular
universities. Christians are
everywhere, so even secular
00:37:35.85\00:37:39.99
universities obviously have
a campus ministries department.
00:37:39.99\00:37:43.09
You have to. You got a lot of
Christians there. Kids who go to
00:37:43.09\00:37:46.76
the campus ministries and say,
"Yo, can I be involved? Help me
00:37:46.76\00:37:51.00
-- Integrate me into the life of
this campus or the city around
us." Here is what they found
00:37:51.00\00:37:54.57
in Canada. "Canadian college
students who are involved in
00:37:54.57\00:37:57.54
campus ministries," number one,
"Visited the doctor less." All
00:37:57.54\00:38:02.34
right. Number two, "They also
scored higher on tests of
psychological well-being,"
00:38:02.34\00:38:06.55
what the psychologists call PWB.
And number three, "They coped
00:38:06.55\00:38:11.85
with stress more effectively."
00:38:11.85\00:38:13.92
You know, I pray --
John the Elder writes to us,
00:38:13.96\00:38:18.26
"Dear friends, I
pray that your soul
00:38:18.26\00:38:22.70
is getting along well." In fact,
00:38:22.70\00:38:25.03
I want to share with you
-- I went to the website of
00:38:25.03\00:38:26.57
the University of Northern Iowa.
Not a Christian school at all,
00:38:26.57\00:38:30.01
but on their website,
they're very big on well-being,
00:38:30.01\00:38:32.21
too, just like we are.
They included this little D.I.Y.
00:38:32.21\00:38:38.55
Gen-Zers, who are the
customers right now at
00:38:38.55\00:38:40.72
Andrews University --
Gen-Zers -- they're the ones
00:38:40.72\00:38:43.69
born between 1995 and 2006.
00:38:43.69\00:38:46.96
That means they are between
13 and 24 years of age. These
00:38:46.99\00:38:52.83
Gen-Zers are big on these
D.I.Y.s. Do you know what it
stands for, D.I.Y.?
00:38:52.83\00:38:56.06
Do it yourself. So, here is
a D.I.Y. guide for spiritual
00:38:56.06\00:39:01.60
well-being and health. All
right? Jot these down. Oh, by
the way, you have to pull
00:39:01.60\00:39:04.81
out your study guide. This is
the only time you're going to
need the study guide.
00:39:04.81\00:39:07.91
All the quotations we've looked
at you'll have, but pull out
00:39:07.91\00:39:10.71
your study guide from your
worship bulletin and drop down
to that D.I.Y. guide.
00:39:10.71\00:39:16.52
Starting a new little
series focusing on some of these
00:39:16.55\00:39:19.89
D.I.Y.s. Drop down
at the bottom there.
00:39:19.89\00:39:22.72
Those of you that are watching
right now on a screen somewhere,
00:39:22.72\00:39:26.86
you see there, at the bottom
of the picture on your screen
00:39:26.86\00:39:30.03
right now,
www.newperceptions.tv.
00:39:30.03\00:39:33.17
You go there, you'll have
this. You're looking for this --
00:39:33.17\00:39:36.44
"A DIY Guide to Becoming
the Healthiest University
00:39:36.44\00:39:39.11
in the World (When Well-Being
Means More Than Being Well)."
00:39:39.11\00:39:42.28
Okay. We got
that. Now, let's go.
00:39:42.28\00:39:44.65
Jot it down -- just
these five. Five strategies
00:39:44.65\00:39:48.32
to grow spiritually.
Number one, "Be quiet."
00:39:48.32\00:39:51.19
Oh, I like that.
"One -- be quiet.
00:39:51.19\00:39:54.59
Spiritual truths often come in
the form of a still, small voice
00:39:54.59\00:39:58.86
that is difficult to hear
above the chaos and confusion
00:39:58.86\00:40:02.36
of a frantic lifestyle.
Set aside time for solitude
00:40:02.36\00:40:06.37
and meditation."
00:40:06.37\00:40:08.04
Just some quiet. You give
the earbuds a rest, but in that
00:40:08.07\00:40:14.08
silence, what do you hear?
Number two -- "Be open to the
00:40:14.08\00:40:17.95
spiritual." Oh, I like that.
"Spiritual experiences often
come in unexpected forms
00:40:17.95\00:40:21.38
and packages." You never
know what's waiting around the
00:40:21.38\00:40:23.95
corner, but be open to it. Maybe
that will be God's way of
engaging your mind,
00:40:23.95\00:40:30.19
your spiritus. Number three
-- "Be inquisitive and curious.
00:40:30.19\00:40:34.93
An attitude of active searching
increases your options and your
00:40:34.93\00:40:38.20
potential for spiritual
centering. Meditation may very
well allow you to experience
00:40:38.20\00:40:42.57
tranquility and peace."
Be inquisitive. Check it out.
00:40:42.57\00:40:46.17
Follow those questions. Number
four -- only five of these --
00:40:46.17\00:40:50.15
"Be receptive to pain and
grief." Now, this is a surprise.
"Be receptive to pain and grief.
00:40:50.15\00:40:56.55
Pain helps us focus on the
widest questions of our being.
00:40:56.55\00:41:00.69
It's a deepener. A life without
pain leads to a sparse, shallow
00:41:00.69\00:41:08.63
existence. Allow yourself to
feel your pain fully, then ask,
00:41:08.63\00:41:13.20
'What is my pain trying to teach
me now?'" I tell you one thing
that's clear -- God isn't
00:41:13.20\00:41:16.94
the one who causes pain. Jesus
said, in Matthew 13, "An enemy
00:41:16.94\00:41:20.04
has done this," so we know where
it comes from. We know where
tragedy and crises -- where they
00:41:20.04\00:41:25.75
come from. But, somehow, in
the midst of that, what is pain
00:41:25.75\00:41:32.49
trying to tell me? It's a simple
little D.I.Y. Why? Because, as
it turns out, for the young and
00:41:32.49\00:41:36.76
aged, it's the spiritus that
actually is the critical
determinant in physical
00:41:36.76\00:41:45.63
and mental well-being. We need,
first of all, that spiritual
00:41:45.63\00:41:50.21
well-being. Now, I don't know if
you caught this at the heart of
this prayer, that John prays.
00:41:54.11\00:41:57.75
There's a word that appears
three times. Do you see it?
00:41:57.75\00:42:01.02
It jumps out more if you --
Well, we'll read it again, but
in the Greek, let me read
00:42:01.02\00:42:05.92
it as literally reads. "To my
dear friend, to my loved friend
Gaius, whom I love" --
00:42:05.92\00:42:12.76
there it is twice now -- "Whom
I love in the truth, dear loved
00:42:12.76\00:42:17.53
friend, I pray that you may
enjoy good health," and on and
on. Three times, the word "love"
00:42:17.53\00:42:22.37
tucked away into those opening
two lines, and of course, John
is the apostle of love.
00:42:22.37\00:42:27.81
And if you just turn a page back
to 1 John 4, we know why. Look
00:42:27.81\00:42:36.58
at 1 John 4:19. "We love because
He first loved us." I mean, you
00:42:36.58\00:42:44.46
can be an atheist, but if you
love someone with a
self-sacrificing manner, you are
00:42:44.46\00:42:53.70
the conduit for a love that
comes from the single source in
the universe. It is a
00:42:53.70\00:42:57.94
self-sacrificing God. "We love
because He first loved us." You
can consider yourself
00:42:57.94\00:43:01.04
an agnostic. You can
call yourself a believer.
00:43:01.04\00:43:03.21
But if you love somebody in a
self-sacrificing manner, that
holy fire is ignited
00:43:03.21\00:43:11.49
from one flaming source. John
says, "Hey, it's not we love him
00:43:11.49\00:43:15.76
or her. It's just we love,
period, because He first loved
us." How did He first love us?
00:43:15.76\00:43:20.50
Drop backwards in the chapter to
verse 10, and, "This is love --
not that we loved God,
00:43:20.50\00:43:27.50
but that He loved us and sent
His son as an atoning sacrifice
00:43:27.50\00:43:36.21
for our sins." We had David
Asscherick with us this last
week, an incredible experience
00:43:36.21\00:43:40.92
on this campus. If you go on
the website -- I think it'd be
00:43:40.92\00:43:43.79
the Andrews website --
you'll get all 10 or 11 of his
00:43:43.79\00:43:49.66
teachings. But we went again and
again to the pinnacle, to the
00:43:49.66\00:43:54.73
summit of self-sacrificing love,
to the summit of the cross, to
00:43:54.73\00:44:01.04
Calvary. It's the only place.
If you have an inkling to love
00:44:01.04\00:44:09.61
someone in that self-sacrificing
manner, there's only one source.
Chemicals can't do it.
00:44:09.61\00:44:15.48
Ideologies cannot create it.
There's only one source, and it
is the almighty God,
00:44:15.48\00:44:21.22
who gave up His life on Calvary.
"Steps to Christ" -- that little
00:44:21.22\00:44:24.93
classic. Oh, these profound
words. "Such love is without
00:44:24.93\00:44:29.90
parallel. The matchless love
of God for a world that did not
00:44:29.93\00:44:34.44
love him! The more we
study the divine character
00:44:34.44\00:44:36.30
in the light of the cross,
the more we see tenderness.
00:44:36.30\00:44:40.34
We see mercy,
tenderness, and forgiveness
00:44:40.34\00:44:43.78
blended with equity and justice,
and the more clearly we discern
00:44:43.78\00:44:47.35
innumerable evidences
of a love that is infinite
00:44:47.35\00:44:50.29
and a tender pity surpassing
a mother's yearning sympathy
00:44:50.29\00:44:54.29
for a wayward child."
Maybe we could read that.
00:44:54.29\00:44:57.13
"A tender pity surpassing
a husband's undying love
00:44:57.13\00:45:01.03
for his wife with Alzheimer's."
00:45:01.03\00:45:04.57
Because the fact of the matter
is -- it's really hard for you
00:45:04.60\00:45:07.47
and me to grasp this
self-sacrificing business. It
just doesn't -- You know, I get
00:45:07.47\00:45:12.34
it. We go to the cross, but
sometimes an earthy story -- we
hear in it the faint echoes
00:45:12.34\00:45:23.18
that help us to discern "What
is this self-sacrificing love
00:45:23.18\00:45:26.65
about?" I want to read that
story to you in closing. It's a
love story of Robertson
00:45:26.65\00:45:31.96
and Muriel McQuilkin. Karen and
I have just finished reading a
00:45:31.96\00:45:38.53
book on marriage written by Gary
Thomas. The title of the book,
00:45:38.53\00:45:42.97
"A Lifelong Love: What If
Marriage Is About More Than Just
Staying Together?" So, we just
00:45:42.97\00:45:46.44
finished it a few Sundays. We
just read on Sundays. And this
00:45:46.44\00:45:52.91
story... And it speaks for
itself. Let me read it to you.
So, Thomas is writing first.
00:45:52.91\00:45:56.92
"I've looked" -- And he's a
counselor. "I've looked into the
00:45:56.92\00:46:00.09
faces of more women than I can
bear as they told me of how they
00:46:00.09\00:46:04.33
were diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis or cancer or
Parkinson's, and the husband
00:46:04.33\00:46:09.93
decided to take the medical
diagnosis as an escape clause to
find a women who wasn't broken.
00:46:09.93\00:46:15.54
One medical doctor said that the
number is actually around 70%,
that 7 out of 10 men, upon
00:46:15.54\00:46:22.98
hearing of a wife's cataclysmic
medical diagnosis, leave the
00:46:22.98\00:46:28.95
marriage." Whew! Yeah. "One man
who challenges me to this day
00:46:28.95\00:46:35.59
with his entirely different
response is Dr. Robertson
McQuilkin, past president of
00:46:35.59\00:46:40.83
Columbia International
University from 1968 to 1990.
00:46:40.83\00:46:47.20
There was a time when Dr.
McQuilkin and his wife, Muriel,
were a power couple in Christian
00:46:47.20\00:46:51.34
circles, often headlining
conferences. That all changed
when a doctor at Duke confirmed
00:46:51.34\00:46:57.15
that Muriel had Alzheimer's.
Because the McQuilkins were a
00:46:57.15\00:47:02.95
popular couple, Robertson
received every kind of
legitimate and illegitimate
00:47:02.95\00:47:07.09
advice you can imagine as to
what would cure his wife, so he
finally told everyone to please
00:47:07.09\00:47:11.06
just stop with the suggestions.
In his words, 'We would trust
00:47:11.06\00:47:17.53
the Lord to work a miracle in
Muriel if He so desired or work
a miracle in me if He didn't.'"
00:47:17.53\00:47:25.34
Now, Gary Thomas responds, "This
is such a stellar statement from
00:47:25.34\00:47:29.31
a husband. I mean, Lord, I pray
that you would do a physical
miracle to my wife,
00:47:29.31\00:47:31.98
but if you choose not to, then
work a spiritual miracle in me
00:47:31.98\00:47:35.92
so that I can love her well
until the end." Wow again. And
that's what he did.
00:47:35.92\00:47:44.83
"Muriel loved art, so Robertson
took her to the Tate galleries
00:47:44.83\00:47:49.76
in London" -- you've been there,
perhaps -- "where some of
Muriel's favorite works were
00:47:49.76\00:47:54.60
kept. Unfortunately, the disease
had advanced to such a state
that Muriel already had
00:47:54.60\00:47:58.57
good days and bad days, and this
was not a good day. Robertson
00:47:58.57\00:48:03.08
recounted, 'A great sadness
swept over me as I watched her
rush through the gallery with
00:48:03.08\00:48:07.45
never a glance at the
masterworks she had loved so
long.' Robertson grieved that,
00:48:07.45\00:48:14.39
in one sense, part of his wife
was already gone. At the airport
00:48:14.39\00:48:20.46
on their way home while waiting
for their flight to leave,
Muriel got restless. Robertson
00:48:20.46\00:48:24.43
had learned that in such
circumstances, it was best to
just let her roam, so he would
00:48:24.43\00:48:27.94
trail behind her, carrying their
bags, and sat when Muriel wanted
to sit and then got up and
00:48:27.94\00:48:31.67
followed her again when she
wanted to walk. Sometimes, he
practically had to jog, still
00:48:31.67\00:48:34.98
toting those bags, trying to
keep up. Muriel eventually sat
down across from a businesswoman
00:48:34.98\00:48:41.08
whose dress and demeanor
screamed power, influence, and
00:48:41.08\00:48:47.02
success, a woman working
diligently at her laptop. Muriel
00:48:47.02\00:48:52.59
kept up with her A.D.D.-like
fidgeting, but she always
returned to this same seat
00:48:52.59\00:48:55.90
across from the businesswoman.
Every time, Robertson followed
00:48:55.90\00:48:59.47
Muriel to make sure she was
okay. Before long, they had
returned from yet another short
00:48:59.47\00:49:05.51
jaunt to that same seat, and one
time when they returned, the
businesswoman quietly spoke.
00:49:05.51\00:49:13.55
Now, nobody else was around,
so Robertson assumed she was
00:49:13.55\00:49:17.45
talking to him. 'Pardon?' 'Oh,'
she said, slightly embarrassed.
00:49:17.45\00:49:22.76
'I was just asking myself, will
I ever find a man to love me
00:49:22.76\00:49:30.90
like that?'" Yeah. There's our
third wow. "For her part, Muriel
kept on loving Robertson
00:49:30.90\00:49:36.77
as well as best she
could. That's what led to his
00:49:36.77\00:49:40.48
resignation. During the latter
days of Robertson's college
presidency, Muriel would chase
00:49:40.48\00:49:45.85
after him, sometimes as many as
10 times a day, speed-walking on
her way to his office.
00:49:45.85\00:49:50.62
Sometimes she lost her way, but
she just kept walking anyway,
desperate to find the one person
00:49:50.62\00:49:55.56
with whom she felt at home. One
night as Robertson helped Muriel
00:49:55.56\00:50:02.46
undress, he recoiled at the
sight of her bloody feet.
Earlier in the day,
00:50:02.46\00:50:08.04
she had so panicked to get out
of the house to find him that
00:50:08.04\00:50:10.54
she had neglected to put on her
shoes and had ripped much of the
skin off the bottom of her feet.
00:50:10.54\00:50:18.08
That was it for Robertson. He
decided to lay aside the power
00:50:18.08\00:50:22.85
of his position, the prestige of
his employment, the intellectual
stimulation of the college
00:50:22.85\00:50:26.99
environment to which he had
dedicated his life to stay at
home with his wife.
00:50:26.99\00:50:32.19
In a farewell address, he
explained that it wasn't, in the
end, all that hard."
00:50:32.19\00:50:37.03
I quote now, "The decision to
come to Columbia was the most
difficult I have had to make.
00:50:37.03\00:50:42.17
The decision to leave 22 years
later, though painful, was one
00:50:42.17\00:50:47.71
of the easiest. The decision was
made, in a way, 42 years ago,
when I promised to care for
00:50:47.71\00:50:52.78
Muriel in sickness and in health
till death do us part." Wow.
00:50:52.78\00:51:00.79
Oh, love that will not let me
go. Sometimes, in another story,
00:51:00.79\00:51:12.63
we see it more clearly. It's the
love of God for you. It's the
love of God for me.
00:51:12.63\00:51:21.18
It may be that when you
graduated from this place, you
rather unintentionally,
00:51:21.18\00:51:28.78
perhaps, graduated from God. You
got out into the busy world that
was beckoning you, and,
00:51:28.78\00:51:37.76
of course, first, it was the
demands of your career, and then
it was the growing family
00:51:37.76\00:51:44.63
and, of course, throwing in
the long stress, hours of simply
00:51:44.63\00:51:52.37
surviving. And then you woke
up one day empty. No well-being
00:51:52.37\00:52:02.52
here. And you thought to
yourself, "If only it were
simple for me to go back."
00:52:06.69\00:52:15.80
I got some great news for you.
00:52:15.80\00:52:18.03
It is simple for you
to come back to Jesus.
00:52:18.07\00:52:27.18
All you have to do is say
something to Him in your mind
00:52:27.18\00:52:29.88
that goes something
like this. "Christ Jesus,
00:52:29.88\00:52:37.12
I need to come home.
I don't want to go back
00:52:37.12\00:52:41.89
to where I came from.
00:52:41.89\00:52:46.76
I need you to heal me. I
need you to heal me physically.
00:52:46.80\00:52:50.07
I need you to heal me
mentally. I need you to heal me
00:52:50.07\00:52:53.77
spiritually. I come back just as
I am. I can't change myself, but
00:52:53.77\00:53:03.18
you can change me, and if you're
willing to take me back, I'm
00:53:03.18\00:53:09.98
back." That's all you have to
say. And do you know what? The
God who has loved you
00:53:12.79\00:53:18.43
forever and has dogged you every
step of the way is standing
00:53:18.43\00:53:25.60
right there. And with your
intellectual ascent..."I'll take
00:53:25.60\00:53:34.81
you. I've been counting the
days." My friend, you're not
00:53:34.81\00:53:41.48
here by accident. You're not
here just to say hi to a few
people you've missed seeing.
00:53:41.48\00:53:47.16
Somebody has been gunning for
you, and right now, you're where
00:53:47.16\00:53:55.23
He can have you. You just have
to say to Him, "Is this
homecoming weekend? Dear Christ,
00:53:55.23\00:54:05.57
by your grace, through your
love, I'm coming home." That's
00:54:05.57\00:54:13.05
it. ¤¤
00:54:13.05\00:54:14.98
>> Oh, love, we are talking
to you. That was a prayer.
00:55:20.42\00:55:24.45
And we're humbly asking that,
out of your expansive embrace
and your flowing heart,
00:55:28.09\00:55:40.14
you might heal us. Heal us to
the core physically, mentally,
00:55:40.14\00:55:48.28
intellectually, and spiritually.
Some of us have been away for a
00:55:48.28\00:55:58.49
while, but you've been speaking
while we've been singing, and we
00:55:58.49\00:56:04.73
hear you calling. Grant every
man and woman and young adult
here, teenager, the quiet
00:56:04.73\00:56:18.11
strength to say, "Yes, I'm
coming home, Jesus. I'm coming
home." And now may the grace
00:56:18.11\00:56:28.82
of the Lord Jesus Christ and the
love of God and the fellowship
00:56:28.82\00:56:34.99
of the Holy Spirit be
with you all. Amen. ¤¤
00:56:34.99\00:56:41.23
Before you go, let
me take an extra moment
00:56:56.68\00:56:58.18
to share with you an opportunity
to get into the Bible
00:56:58.18\00:57:00.42
in a fresh, new way.
All across the world,
00:57:00.42\00:57:03.32
more and more people are hearing
the call to examine scriptures
00:57:03.32\00:57:05.65
for themselves. If
you've felt drawn to learn
00:57:05.65\00:57:08.52
more about God's Word,
but you don't know where
00:57:08.52\00:57:10.49
to start or you're just looking
for a more in-depth examination
00:57:10.49\00:57:13.50
of Bible truths, then I
have something right here
00:57:13.50\00:57:16.00
that I believe
you're going to enjoy.
00:57:16.00\00:57:18.00
I want to send a series
of guides to get you started.
00:57:18.00\00:57:20.50
This one is entitled "Why
Does God Allow Suffering?"
00:57:20.50\00:57:23.41
Each guide begins with a story,
an introduction of the subject.
00:57:23.41\00:57:26.41
Then, through a series of
focus questions, you'll be
00:57:26.41\00:57:28.91
learning portions of the Bible
you may never have known before,
00:57:28.91\00:57:31.55
and when you're through,
you'll be able to share with
00:57:31.55\00:57:33.11
others some of these
inspiring Bible truths.
00:57:33.11\00:57:35.72
So, just call
our toll-free number.
00:57:35.72\00:57:37.32
It's on the screen,
877-the two words "HIS WILL."
00:57:37.32\00:57:41.26
Our friendly operators
are standing by to send
00:57:41.26\00:57:43.06
these study guides to you.
Once again, that's 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:43.06\00:57:47.66
Call that number and,
then again, join me next week
00:57:47.66\00:57:51.97
right here at the same
time, "New Perceptions."
00:57:51.97\00:57:55.37
¤¤
00:57:57.84\00:57:59.77