¤¤
00:00:00.60\00:00:08.00
>> ¤ I've found a
friend ¤ Oh, such a friend
00:00:12.37\00:00:16.11
¤ He loved me ¤ Ere I knew Him
00:00:16.11\00:00:20.02
¤ He drew me with
¤ The cords of love
00:00:20.02\00:00:23.85
¤ And thus He bound me to Him
00:00:23.85\00:00:29.42
¤ And round my heart ¤ Still
closely twined ¤ Those ties
00:00:29.46\00:00:34.66
¤ Which naught can sever ¤
For I am His ¤ And He is mine
00:00:34.66\00:00:41.27
¤ Forever and forever ¤
I've found a friend ¤ Oh, such a
00:00:41.27\00:00:51.61
friend ¤ So kind and true and
tender ¤ So wise a counselor ¤
00:00:51.61\00:00:59.35
And guide ¤ So mighty a defender
¤ From Him who loveth ¤ Me so
00:00:59.35\00:01:08.96
well ¤ What power my soul can
sever? ¤ No life or death ¤ Or
00:01:08.96\00:01:19.41
Earth or Hell ¤
No, I am His forever
00:01:19.41\00:01:28.52
>> Thank you so much to the
choir for that beautiful song.
00:01:38.19\00:01:41.53
Happy Sabbath,
everybody. >> Happy Sabbath.
00:01:41.56\00:01:44.33
>> I'm glad to be here with you.
I was wondering how many people
00:01:44.33\00:01:47.80
would be here today
because of the snow,
00:01:47.80\00:01:50.27
so you guys are brave.
00:01:50.27\00:01:52.14
And all of those joining us
online, we got snow, so glad you
00:01:52.17\00:01:56.24
can join us, as well. Today,
I was looking at the bulletin
00:01:56.24\00:02:00.68
thinking about this Sabbath
before it happened on this topic
of Love on the Move.
00:02:00.68\00:02:09.06
And as you know from your
bulletin, today our topic is,
"You don't have to be
00:02:09.06\00:02:13.90
a superhero to win." Did I
get it? And I love to read.
00:02:13.90\00:02:20.37
I love to listen to audiobooks,
and I always listen to stories
of my heroes, people like
00:02:20.37\00:02:26.51
Hudson Taylor and George Muller,
Amy Carmichael. I could listen
00:02:26.51\00:02:31.88
to these stories over and over.
And when I listen to them or
read them, I think,
00:02:31.88\00:02:37.72
"Wow, they must have just been
born with some extra level of
courage or boldness
00:02:37.72\00:02:42.86
or better discipline than me,"
and I wonder if I can follow God
the way that they do
00:02:42.86\00:02:51.00
or see God's power in my life
the way that they did. The first
00:02:51.00\00:02:55.74
time that I read 1 Corinthians
1:23, I felt like I could also
be a hero like them.
00:02:55.74\00:03:00.98
It says, "Remember how you were
when God called you. Not many
00:03:00.98\00:03:06.21
were wise. Not many were mighty.
Not many were noble, but God
uses the weak things of
00:03:06.21\00:03:11.82
this world to shame the mighty,"
and I thought that's kind of
00:03:11.82\00:03:17.06
like the loophole in the
document that lets me squeeze in
and have a piece of God's power
00:03:17.06\00:03:20.83
in my life, as well. The Bible
even tells us that we can do
00:03:20.83\00:03:26.87
greater things than what Jesus
did, that the power that was
available to Him and to the
00:03:26.87\00:03:29.74
disciples is also available to
us, so praise the Lord for that.
And I'm grateful for this series
00:03:29.74\00:03:35.11
about love on the move, learning
how we can put God's love into
00:03:35.11\00:03:39.75
action. Bow your heads with me.
Heavenly Father, we thank you so
00:03:39.75\00:03:43.85
much for another beautiful
Sabbath. We thank you for the
chance to just reflect on you
00:03:43.85\00:03:49.72
and what you've been doing in
our lives, and we give you the
00:03:49.72\00:03:53.06
praise for that. Lord, we thank
you so much that you can use
people who are not mighty or
00:03:53.06\00:03:57.90
wise or noble, people like us,
God. We have all kinds of
problems that we bring before
00:03:57.90\00:04:03.20
you, things that may be
obstacles to our ministry or to
serving in your Kingdom,
00:04:03.20\00:04:08.18
but, God, we know that when we
bring them to you, you take them
00:04:08.18\00:04:11.28
away, and you give us the power
to overcome. We thank you, God,
and we claim this in your name.
00:04:11.28\00:04:15.48
Amen.
00:04:15.48\00:04:17.02
Sing this with me.
For our final song,
00:04:33.90\00:12:58.41
I want to ask
you all to stand up.
00:12:58.41\00:13:01.24
We're going to be
singing, "Just As I Am," a hymn
00:13:01.24\00:13:03.65
that's probably
familiar to you but has a bit
00:13:03.65\00:13:06.61
of a new twist on it,
so I want to teach you
00:13:06.61\00:13:10.02
how that chorus goes so
that you can join in on it.
00:13:10.02\00:13:13.66
¤¤ It goes like this.
00:13:13.66\00:13:17.96
Right now, I want to invite
you to come forward for prayer
00:16:29.15\00:16:32.39
just as you are.
You can come broken,
00:16:32.39\00:16:35.09
wounded, empty.
Come forward for prayer.
00:16:35.09\00:16:38.29
God will fill you up.
He will heal your wounds.
00:16:38.29\00:16:42.03
[ Music ends ]
00:18:28.87\00:18:30.64
>> Hello, good morning, boys and
girls. Good to see you on this
00:18:37.38\00:18:41.05
Sabbath where the weather is
just yucky. I mean, can you
believe this? I thought last
00:18:41.05\00:18:45.62
night going to the hospital
where it was like a blizzard,
"Oh, we're gonna have snow
00:18:45.62\00:18:49.22
at last," and then look. It's
raining today. But I'm glad you
00:18:49.22\00:18:54.00
made it through all of that
slush. Nice to see you. I want
to tell you a story about
00:18:54.00\00:18:57.47
Junior because
Daddy said, "Yo, Junior.
00:18:57.47\00:19:00.54
It's time for us to go to
town. You want to go with me?"
00:19:00.57\00:19:03.44
"Uh..." "Junior,
we got to get some new
00:19:03.44\00:19:06.07
shoes for you. Do you
want to go with me now?"
00:19:06.07\00:19:08.64
"Dad, I'll be there," and
boom. They're in the car, father
00:19:08.64\00:19:11.65
and Junior going into town.
Do you like to shop for shoes?
00:19:11.65\00:19:15.28
>> No. Yeah, no, no, no.
Okay, but Junior was excited
00:19:15.32\00:19:20.62
because he needed some new
church-going shoes. His daddy
00:19:20.62\00:19:25.33
was a preacher, so he needed
some nice church-going shoes, so
they parked in front
00:19:25.33\00:19:27.86
of the shoe store with a big
glass window. And Junior walked
00:19:27.86\00:19:32.63
up and said, "Oh, Daddy, Daddy,
Daddy, Daddy. Look at that right
00:19:32.63\00:19:36.27
there. I see it. Those are the
shoes I want!" They were black.
00:19:36.27\00:19:40.51
They were brown. Oh, handsome
shoes. "Can we get those, Daddy?
Can we? Can we? Can we?"
00:19:40.51\00:19:46.08
"Junior, let's go find out."
So Daddy and Junior come walking
00:19:46.08\00:19:49.75
into the store. They sit down in
that chair waiting for the clerk
to come, and the clerk comes.
00:19:49.75\00:19:56.32
They say, "We're here." Daddy
said, "We're here to buy some
00:19:56.32\00:20:01.23
shoes." And he said, "Ah, good.
Well, you need to go to the
chairs in the back of the store
00:20:01.23\00:20:08.40
because that's where colored
people go for shoes." Father
looked up at the clerk.
00:20:08.40\00:20:14.21
"Excuse me? I like these chairs
right here. We're gonna stay
00:20:14.21\00:20:20.18
right here." And the clerk
looked down at him. "Well then,
00:20:20.18\00:20:22.52
sir, you're not gonna get any
shoes." He looked back up, Daddy
did. He says, "Alright.
00:20:22.52\00:20:29.12
If we have to go to the back of
the store to get the shoes, we
won't get our shoes here
00:20:29.12\00:20:33.66
at all." And he grabbed Junior's
hand, and they go walking out,
00:20:33.66\00:20:37.77
and Junior, "Daddy, what are
you doing? Those were the shoes
00:20:37.77\00:20:41.64
I wanted! Please!" "Junior,
I'm sick and tired of people
00:20:41.64\00:20:48.04
treating this way. It's
humiliating, and we will not buy
00:20:48.04\00:20:52.81
the shoes here." Now, that
little Junior grew up to be a
preacher just like his daddy,
00:20:52.81\00:20:56.45
and that's why they called him
Junior -- Martin Luther King Jr.
00:20:56.45\00:21:01.96
He grew up to be just like his
daddy, and you know what he
decided? "I'm not gonna let a
00:21:01.96\00:21:05.36
black girl, not gonna let a
black boy ever get humiliated
like I was as a boy,
00:21:05.36\00:21:09.56
and I'm gonna help the white
boys, and I'm gonna help the
00:21:09.56\00:21:12.97
white girls so that they
can play in unity and grow up
00:21:12.97\00:21:17.71
together. And you know what? He
did so well that they gave him a
00:21:19.74\00:21:23.55
huge prize. It's called The
Nobel Peace Prize. He did so
00:21:23.55\00:21:28.38
well that somebody who was mad
and said, "We're not gonna have
the whites and the blacks
00:21:28.38\00:21:32.79
together," somebody took him out
just because he stood up for all
the boys and girls.
00:21:32.79\00:21:39.83
I want to see a picture of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. There he
00:21:39.83\00:21:44.87
is. This is the weekend
that honors him. You know what?
00:21:44.87\00:21:48.30
Jesus wishes there were more
boys and girls just like Dr.
King who have courage.
00:21:48.30\00:21:53.04
'Cause sometimes at school,
sometimes, they make fun of a
00:21:53.04\00:21:55.74
girl because of the dress she
has on. Sometimes at school,
they make fun of a boy
00:21:55.74\00:21:59.11
because of the way he talks.
Sometimes at school, they just
00:21:59.11\00:22:03.22
make fun of kids, and the kids
get left out. Jesus says, "I
need a boy, I need a girl like
00:22:03.22\00:22:08.12
Dr. King who can stand up with
courage. Doesn't matter what the
00:22:08.12\00:22:12.19
rest say." Oh, I'm thinking
Jesus needs you where you are to
be that friend, that love on the
00:22:12.19\00:22:22.14
move that Jesus needs in
your school. Oh, aren't you glad
00:22:22.14\00:22:27.04
Jesus moved us? He said, "No
more of this keeping them apart.
No, I want all my boys and girls
00:22:27.04\00:22:32.08
and all the daddies and mommies
to be together. That's why I
00:22:32.08\00:22:37.49
died." And he says, "With my
help, you can still do it. Yes,
00:22:37.49\00:22:42.32
you can." So who would like to
thank Jesus for coming down
here, who also gave his life?
00:22:42.32\00:22:46.90
Yes, he did. He gave his life
to bring all the boys and girls
00:22:46.90\00:22:53.00
together. Now, I need a boy. I
need a boy this time. Oh, man,
there's so many boys
00:22:53.00\00:23:00.68
up. Okay. Let's go,
and you two boys come.
00:23:00.68\00:23:06.68
Can you come? We'll have two.
Come on. We'll have two because
00:23:06.68\00:23:08.85
it's Martin Luther King Jr.
weekend. We can have two instead
of one. Alright, come on down.
00:23:08.85\00:23:13.59
Now, we got a microphone here.
Alright, the rest of you, I'm
asking you, please,
00:23:13.59\00:23:16.69
to close your eyes and fold your
hands with -- What's your first
00:23:16.69\00:23:22.63
name? >> Ian. >>
Ian and... >> Aaron.
00:23:22.63\00:23:25.27
>> ...Aaron. Ian and
Aaron. Oh, that's a nice match.
00:23:25.27\00:23:28.00
We're gonna pray with Ian and
Aaron right now. Aaron, we'll
00:23:28.00\00:23:32.44
start with the youngest. >>
Thank you, Our Father. We love
00:23:32.44\00:23:37.28
you. Amen. >> Amen. And,
Ian, please. >> Dear Father in
00:23:37.28\00:23:41.28
Heaven, we thank you that you
help Martin Luther King Jr. to
00:23:41.28\00:23:47.26
stand up for the boys and girls.
That way, they will not be
00:23:47.26\00:23:50.73
separated. Amen. >> Amen.
Thank you, boys, and thank you,
00:23:50.73\00:23:55.06
boys and girls, for your praying
as you go back to your seat.
00:23:55.06\00:24:00.17
Jesus, thank you. As Ian and
Aaron just prayed, thank you,
Jesus, for being our Savior
00:24:00.17\00:24:03.94
and bringing us together.
00:24:03.94\00:24:05.64
>> Let's pray. Oh, God, what
a beautiful rendition of the
00:24:10.31\00:24:15.22
Beatitudes. And it ends with,
"They shall see God." There's
00:24:17.55\00:24:22.62
not a heart here that doesn't...
long for that experience. Love
00:24:22.62\00:24:29.53
on the move -- That's what those
Beatitudes are all about. Make
00:24:29.53\00:24:33.97
it clear. These few minutes we
have left as we engage with you,
make it clear, please.
00:24:33.97\00:24:40.24
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
The title of our homily today,
00:24:40.24\00:24:47.18
put it on the screen for you,
"Love on the Move: You Don't
Have to Be a Superhero to Win,"
00:24:47.18\00:24:52.55
Although every kid
wants to be a superhero.
00:24:55.12\00:24:57.16
You wanted to be
one, and so did I.
00:24:57.16\00:24:58.89
We went to my mom. We
said, "Listen, can we have
00:24:58.89\00:25:00.86
those beach towels?" So
we took the beach towels,
00:25:00.86\00:25:02.56
my brother Greg and I,
and we tied them around our
00:25:02.56\00:25:05.07
necks, so we had this pretend
cape, and we were just flying
00:25:05.07\00:25:07.97
all over the house, all over the
yard, kind of a cross between
00:25:07.97\00:25:10.87
Superman and Zorro.
00:25:10.87\00:25:12.51
Everybody wants to be a
hero. CNN knows that, and that's
00:25:14.14\00:25:17.31
why they send their camera
all over the world to find --
00:25:17.31\00:25:19.95
What do they call it?
The Hero of the Year Award.
00:25:19.95\00:25:24.89
Love on the move is all
about heroes. You know why?
00:25:24.92\00:25:30.43
Because the whole world hungers
for love. We were made for it.
00:25:30.43\00:25:35.86
Leo Buscaglia used to be the
Associate Professor of Education
00:25:35.86\00:25:41.27
at USC, the University of
Southern California. And his
00:25:41.27\00:25:45.61
book, "Love," describes how this
experiment became a classic in
00:25:45.61\00:25:50.85
literature dealing with
psychology and education,
alright. So you may have heard
00:25:50.85\00:25:54.62
about this. It was a long-term
study on orphaned children,
00:25:54.62\00:25:58.62
and I'm quoting now, "where the
only variable was human love and
00:25:58.62\00:26:03.63
nurture." So they're gonna have
two groups, alright. Group
number one -- the orphans.
00:26:03.63\00:26:08.10
Group number one, they stay
in the orphanage. They just stay
00:26:08.10\00:26:11.13
in the institution. And then
they're gonna have a second
group also composed
00:26:11.13\00:26:16.00
of 12 -- 12 that stay, 12 that
go -- only this second group
00:26:16.00\00:26:19.67
was taken to an adolescent girl
mentally retarded in a nearby
00:26:19.67\00:26:27.85
institution, and she just loved
on those kids. That's all she
00:26:27.85\00:26:33.52
did. 20 years later, Dr. Spears,
the lead psychologist for this,
found that those in group one --
00:26:33.52\00:26:40.20
Okay, you remember they're the
ones that remained in the
institution without
00:26:40.20\00:26:42.70
personal love. At the end of
the study, all were either dead
00:26:42.70\00:26:46.97
or in institutions for the
mentally retarded or for the
00:26:46.97\00:26:50.74
mentally ill. So that's group
number one. And group number
two, the orphans in that group
00:26:50.74\00:26:55.11
who received love and attention
were all self-supporting with
00:26:55.11\00:26:59.75
most of them graduated from high
school and all happily married
except for one divorce.
00:26:59.75\00:27:05.55
I'm telling you, we were
made for love, and the world is
00:27:05.55\00:27:10.79
hungry for it. Love on the move.
Leo Buscaglia, he writes -- Put
00:27:10.79\00:27:16.20
it on the screen. "We
need others." Oh, we know.
00:27:16.20\00:27:20.24
"We need others to
love. We need to to be loved
00:27:20.27\00:27:22.47
by them. There is
no doubt that without
00:27:22.47\00:27:24.87
love, we too, like the infant
left alone, would cease to grow,
00:27:24.87\00:27:28.98
cease to develop,
choose madness and even death."
00:27:28.98\00:27:34.08
That's why love on the move is
absolutely essential to the way
we live around here
00:27:34.12\00:27:38.35
at Pioneer and Andrews
University. It just has to be,
00:27:38.35\00:27:42.16
even when you don't feel like
loving that person that needs to
00:27:42.16\00:27:47.40
be loved, or maybe we ought to
say, "especially when you don't
feel like loving that person
00:27:47.40\00:27:51.73
that needs to be loved."
You say, "Who you talking about,
00:27:51.73\00:27:55.07
Dwight?" Let's talk about the
exact opposite of you, okay? So
let's run these by.
00:27:55.07\00:27:59.51
Someone who is exactly opposite
from you. By that, opposite
00:27:59.51\00:28:04.61
gender. By that, opposite sexual
orientation. By that, opposite
00:28:04.61\00:28:09.92
skin color, opposite religion or
no religion at all, opposite
world view, opposite
00:28:09.92\00:28:14.72
personality, opposite looks,
opposite social awkwardness,
opposite weirdness, opposite
00:28:14.72\00:28:20.63
everything. That's who we're
talking about. [ Hisses teeth ]
And that's the way she was
00:28:20.63\00:28:27.70
to that circle of men.
Ah. They had absolutely zero,
00:28:27.70\00:28:33.17
nada, no time for her. Psht.
Love on the move, are you crazy?
00:28:33.17\00:28:39.45
She's the one on the move toward
us, and she's crying. She is
00:28:39.45\00:28:44.22
sobbing in a very loud voice --
talking about embarrassing to
everybody else who's watching
00:28:44.22\00:28:47.99
this thing. You know what? I
wish somebody would shut that
00:28:47.99\00:28:50.79
girl's mouth. In fact, you know
what? I think I'll do it. Ooh,
00:28:50.79\00:28:54.40
too late. She already got to
Jesus. You got to take a look at
00:28:54.40\00:28:58.87
this. Come on. Matthew chapter
15, love on the move again, and
this is Jesus. Oh, you got to
00:28:58.87\00:29:03.71
look somewhere for an example.
Matthew chapter 15. You're
00:29:03.71\00:29:09.64
finding it. I'm in the New
International Version. Let's go.
00:29:09.64\00:29:12.45
Matthew chapter 15. Drop down to
verse 21. Love on the move, wow.
00:29:12.45\00:29:17.72
21...
00:29:17.72\00:29:18.12
Can you believe it? Jesus
has just left the comfortable
00:29:24.09\00:29:31.80
confines of hanging around
the chosen people. I mean, what
00:29:31.80\00:29:35.17
could be better? And now, he's
with Jezebel. We're talking
about the wicked Queen Jezebel's
00:29:35.17\00:29:42.64
hometown. That's where he is.
You want to talk about rank,
dark Paganism, he has found it.
00:29:42.64\00:29:48.78
[ Exhales sharply ] And for
that reason, and I know the guys
00:29:48.78\00:29:53.89
aren't very happy with this, but
they are surrounded by heathen.
00:29:53.89\00:29:56.66
Everywhere they turn, they
are surrounded by heathen. Ugh.
00:29:56.66\00:29:59.73
Talking about
trouble, here she comes.
00:30:02.03\00:30:04.17
Okay. Are you ready for this?
00:30:04.17\00:30:05.53
Here she is, verse 22.
"And a Canaanite woman from that
00:30:05.53\00:30:10.34
vicinity came to Jesus,
crying out, 'Lord, Son of David,
00:30:10.34\00:30:14.04
have mercy on me! My
daughter is demon-possessed
00:30:14.04\00:30:17.31
and suffering terribly."
00:30:17.31\00:30:19.91
Have you ever seen a person
demon-possessed and suffering
00:30:19.95\00:30:25.65
terribly? My friend Conrad Vine,
who is the director of Adventist
00:30:25.65\00:30:28.92
Frontier Missions here in town,
he stopped by the office a week
00:30:28.92\00:30:31.29
and a half ago. He said,
"Dwight, I got a video I got to
show you." So he shows me this
00:30:31.29\00:30:35.76
video. Oh, it is not pretty. I'm
telling you, it's a good thing
00:30:35.76\00:30:39.80
they have the warning at the
beginning, "Viewer discretion.
00:30:39.80\00:30:42.20
Viewer discretion." I want to
say in your presence that when
00:30:44.24\00:30:52.58
the devil takes over a body, it
is not a very pretty picture at
00:30:52.58\00:31:00.22
all. Now, the good news is,
she got saved by Jesus. She got
00:31:00.22\00:31:04.79
saved by Jesus, and this dark,
pagan, desperate mother is
convinced that this Son of
00:31:04.79\00:31:15.07
David... who they say can expel
demons is her only hope for her
baby. Now, look at that.
00:31:15.07\00:31:21.61
Verse 22 again...
00:31:21.61\00:31:22.21
Isn't that something?
"Lord." So she recognizes she's
00:31:33.25\00:31:35.96
in the presence of a spiritually
superior being. "Lord, Son of
00:31:35.96\00:31:40.40
David." Now, look it. She is no
Jew at all, but she's heard the
00:31:40.40\00:31:43.93
Jews living in the vicinity talk
about the possibility that this
promised messiah is present,
00:31:43.93\00:31:49.87
and she's heard Jesus' name
linked to that. "Lord, Son of
00:31:49.87\00:31:54.18
David, have mercy on me." She is
so desperate. Her daughter is so
00:31:54.18\00:31:59.31
tormented. This mother is way,
way outside her comfort zone,
00:31:59.31\00:32:05.39
but who cares? "I've got to find
help." Man, talking about love
00:32:05.39\00:32:10.73
on the move. Wow. We sure
wouldn't guess it at first.
00:32:10.73\00:32:13.86
I mean, look how Jesus responds.
00:32:13.86\00:32:15.66
Look at this.
This is unbelievable.
00:32:15.70\00:32:17.23
This is verse 23.
"Jesus did not answer a word."
00:32:17.23\00:32:21.80
Not a word.
What's going on here?
00:32:21.80\00:32:23.94
"Jesus did not answer a word.
So his disciples came to him"
00:32:23.94\00:32:27.31
because he's keeping
silent. She's going blah, blah.
00:32:27.31\00:32:29.81
She's yelling, yelling,
sobbing, sobbing, and he's...
00:32:29.81\00:32:33.52
So his
disciples say, "Obviously,
00:32:33.52\00:32:35.05
he shares our heart and mind."
They said, "Lord, you got to do
00:32:35.05\00:32:36.82
something. Get
this girl out of here.
00:32:36.82\00:32:38.19
She's driving us all crazy, and
it's an embarrassment to you."
00:32:38.19\00:32:41.46
Wow. Jesus answered her not a
word. You ever feel as if your
00:32:43.89\00:32:48.76
prayers are connected with
absolutely nobody? You ever feel
00:32:48.76\00:32:52.97
that, too? Like, who's listening
to me right now? Martin Luther,
00:32:52.97\00:32:57.74
the great reformer, when he used
to describe this
noncommunicative God,
00:32:57.74\00:33:01.94
he came up with this little
phrase -- deus absconditus,
00:33:01.94\00:33:05.15
the hidden God. Jesus
knows all about the hidden God
00:33:05.15\00:33:08.75
because when He's on the cross,
into the funeral darkness, he is
00:33:08.75\00:33:13.59
screaming, "My God! My God! Why
have you forsaken me?" So if
you've ever felt that way,
00:33:13.59\00:33:20.60
I got good news for you. You are
not alone. And by that, I mean
00:33:20.60\00:33:25.60
you are really not alone because
He is there in that darkness.
00:33:25.60\00:33:30.81
"My Lord! Can't
you say something?"
00:33:33.61\00:33:36.85
Jesus finally speaks. Now, you
need to get this. He does not
speak to the woman.
00:33:38.98\00:33:43.99
Mnh-mnh. He's talking
to the boys around him.
00:33:43.99\00:33:46.76
He speaks to his disciples.
Watch this. What's this verse?
00:33:46.76\00:33:52.23
Verse 24. So Jesus
answered. We often think
00:33:52.23\00:33:55.10
he answered the woman. No,
no, no. He answered his boys.
00:33:55.10\00:33:58.57
He answered the disciples, and
he said, "I was sent only to the
lost sheep of Israel."
00:33:58.57\00:34:07.34
Now, I got to tell you
something. Over the years, I've
00:34:07.34\00:34:09.98
had this back and forth
relationship to this one line. I
mean, sometimes I'm thinking
00:34:09.98\00:34:13.21
it's saying this, and other
times, I'm thinking it's saying
00:34:13.21\00:34:15.98
that, and I'm saying, "This was
really a confusing thing for you
to have said because
00:34:15.98\00:34:19.75
we can't quite figure it out."
You think about it. Does it
00:34:19.75\00:34:24.29
sound like Jesus saying -- I
mean, it can feel this way,
"Hey, hey, you know what, guys?
00:34:24.29\00:34:27.03
You're right. You are absolutely
right. Send the woman away.
00:34:27.03\00:34:29.96
I came only to work with Jews.
Huh? I came only to work with
your types and my types."
00:34:29.96\00:34:36.64
Doesn't it feel like that? Yeah,
it does. But you got to think of
00:34:36.64\00:34:41.48
it. In a sense, it's true.
If Jesus had set up his kingdom,
00:34:41.48\00:34:46.35
headquarters, in the dark heart
of paganism, he'd had lost all
credibility with both the Jewish
00:34:46.35\00:34:51.55
leadership and the Jewish
populous. He cannot do that. No,
00:34:51.55\00:34:54.99
he really did come for Israel.
He's a son of David and a son if
00:34:54.99\00:34:58.33
Abraham. Matthew is just clear
on that in his first chapter. He
00:34:58.33\00:35:02.30
came for Israel. Not for Israel
exclusively, but he has to start
with somebody. He's gonna start
00:35:02.30\00:35:06.80
with these boys around him and
the rest of those who listen to
00:35:06.80\00:35:10.47
him. But neither -- So he can't
risk his ministry to be there,
00:35:12.97\00:35:16.38
but neither can he risk his
disciples missing the point that
00:35:16.38\00:35:19.88
he was making with a Samaritan
woman at that well and the point
he is making with this pagan --
00:35:19.88\00:35:24.95
desperately sobbing woman --
right now. They're not gonna get
it now. They're not gonna get it
00:35:24.95\00:35:32.56
now, but years after he ascends
to Heaven, one day, it's going
00:35:32.56\00:35:35.86
to say, "Oh, man, guys.
That's what he was doing!" What?
00:35:35.86\00:35:40.00
Love on the move means savior
of the world, and savior of the
00:35:40.00\00:35:44.84
world means every human being on
the planet. He's all our savior.
Some of you sitting here right
00:35:44.84\00:35:54.35
now are in need of a savior. I
don't know who you are. You know
00:35:54.35\00:35:59.92
who you are. Jesus knows who you
are. You just happened to turn
on the television right now,
00:35:59.92\00:36:03.09
and here you are listening
to this. You are in need of a
00:36:03.09\00:36:07.50
savior. You don't have a friend,
a forever friend. I'm telling
00:36:07.50\00:36:11.27
you what. Right now, whatever
the circumstances, he's your
00:36:11.27\00:36:16.24
savior, too. He's quietly
whispering. Love on the move
00:36:16.24\00:36:23.21
leaves nobody out. Wow. So, on
the one hand, it can sound like
00:36:23.21\00:36:26.08
that, but it can also sound
like this. Listen. "Okay, guys,
00:36:26.08\00:36:28.92
listen. Listen to me carefully,
now. I was sent only to the lost
00:36:28.92\00:36:32.85
sheep of Israel, and I'm telling
you, boys, your pagan neighbors
are your lost sheep.
00:36:32.85\00:36:38.56
This woman is your lost sheep."
Israel exists for the world, not
00:36:38.56\00:36:45.93
for itself. This little faith
community that you and I belong
to exists for the world, not for
00:36:45.93\00:36:50.44
itself. This little university
that you and I are a part of
exists for the world,
00:36:50.44\00:36:53.64
not itself. You exist for
me. They're your lost sheep.
00:36:53.64\00:36:58.41
What are you gonna do
about it? Ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo.
00:36:58.41\00:37:01.82
"In fact, boys, watch me now.
I'm gonna prove something to
00:37:05.15\00:37:08.79
you. All eyes. I'm
love on the move." Let's go.
00:37:08.79\00:37:11.93
What's the next
verse? Verse 25. Okay.
00:37:11.93\00:37:14.23
So he answers the disciples, and
then in verse 25, oh, the woman,
00:37:14.23\00:37:17.93
she can't take it anymore. She
came, and she knelt before him.
00:37:17.93\00:37:20.24
Now, in the Greek, it's
prostrate. She is down on her
00:37:20.24\00:37:25.27
face. She is sobbing at Jesus'
feet, and she has one word to
pray. Do you see her one-word
00:37:25.27\00:37:35.32
prayer? What does she say? Put
it on the screen for us. Is it
00:37:35.32\00:37:38.59
on the screen now? "The woman
came and knelt before him," and
what did she say? "Lord," what?
00:37:38.59\00:37:44.49
Help! "Help me." Anne Lamott,
00:37:44.49\00:37:49.66
she's quite a writer. She lives
over in San Francisco. Anne
Lamott, in her book,
00:37:49.66\00:37:53.64
"The Three Essential Prayers:
Help, Thanks, Wow," those are
00:37:53.64\00:37:59.01
her three prayers. I think it's
pretty good. She talks about the
00:37:59.01\00:38:03.61
help prayer. She'll say
this is the greatest prayer.
00:38:03.65\00:38:05.48
I'll put her words
on the screen for you.
00:38:05.48\00:38:06.85
Alright? There
it is on the screen.
00:38:06.85\00:38:08.38
Anne Lamott, "There's
freedom in hitting bottom,
00:38:08.38\00:38:10.99
in seeing that you won't
be able to save or rescue
00:38:10.99\00:38:13.66
your daughter or her spouse
or his parents or your career
00:38:13.66\00:38:18.46
or relief in admitting
that you have reached the place
00:38:18.46\00:38:20.63
of great
unknowing... Please," you pray,
00:38:20.63\00:38:24.23
"help this friend of
mine live," or maybe you pray,
00:38:24.23\00:38:27.24
"Please help that
friend of mine die gracefully",
00:38:27.24\00:38:30.57
or maybe you pray,
"Please help Joe survive
00:38:30.57\00:38:33.84
Evelyn's dementia. Help.
00:38:33.84\00:38:37.61
Help us walk through
this. Help us come through.
00:38:37.61\00:38:40.52
It is," Lamott writes,
"the first great prayer,"
00:38:40.52\00:38:45.42
and it's
one-word long. Heeeeeeelp!
00:38:45.42\00:38:51.29
That's it. One word.
That's all the woman prayed.
00:38:51.33\00:38:55.86
She's sobbing at his
feet. One word. You know what?
00:38:55.86\00:38:59.07
You could do a lot worse than
that one word. So the next time
00:38:59.07\00:39:03.20
you are stuck and you do not
know what to pray to God, pray
that one word, "Help meee!"
00:39:03.20\00:39:10.21
and see what it'll do. I
mean, he's love on the move.
00:39:10.21\00:39:13.92
He's showing us right
now. You pray that prayer.
00:39:13.95\00:39:16.05
He's about to show us what he
does in answer to that prayer.
00:39:16.05\00:39:18.49
He's gonna show us right
now. You pray to me, "Help."
00:39:18.49\00:39:20.96
I'm gonna show
you what I do, girl.
00:39:20.96\00:39:22.79
You pray to me, "Help."
I'm gonna show you, boy,
00:39:22.79\00:39:24.39
what I do. "Watch me."
00:39:24.39\00:39:26.53
That's what he's
telling the disciples.
00:39:26.53\00:39:27.66
"Watch me." Love is on the move.
00:39:27.66\00:39:31.10
He's moving
into her pagan space.
00:39:31.10\00:39:34.30
He's moving for her pagan heart.
He's gonna save her before
00:39:34.30\00:39:38.31
this thing is
through. You watch him.
00:39:38.31\00:39:41.61
Verse, what, 26? Now, he's
talking to the woman, okay?
00:39:45.58\00:39:50.85
"Okay. You got my attention,
girl. You got my attention.
00:39:50.85\00:39:53.92
Now, listen to me." Now, can you
believe this? Can you believe he
00:39:53.92\00:39:57.13
says this? He replies to her. So
she's at his feet sobbing, and
00:39:57.13\00:40:02.73
he replies to her. He says, "It
is not right to take the
children's bread and toss it to
00:40:02.73\00:40:09.74
the dogs," and it feels like
he's calling her a dog. He's
00:40:09.74\00:40:13.27
not. It feels like he's calling
her a dog, but he's making a
00:40:13.27\00:40:19.41
much bigger point. And notice
her. Just like that, she shoots
00:40:19.41\00:40:24.02
back. I love this. She shoots
back. "Yes, it is!" It's okay to
00:40:24.02\00:40:29.26
argue with God, ladies and
gentlemen, brother and sisters.
It's okay to argue with God.
00:40:29.26\00:40:32.33
You don't have to have this
little plight thing that you put
on with this mask and,
00:40:32.33\00:40:35.20
"Oh, okay. Oh, okay." You can
argue with him. Read the Psalms.
00:40:35.20\00:40:38.67
David is arguing until
he's blue in the face. "I don't
00:40:38.67\00:40:42.30
understand. What are you doing?
Have you gone to sleep? I need
00:40:42.30\00:40:50.38
H-E-L-P." >> Help. >> You
got it. That's it right there.
00:40:50.38\00:40:55.65
"I need help." Now, Jesus says,
"Pft. It's not right to take the
00:40:55.65\00:41:02.29
children's bread and toss it to
the dogs." "Yes, it is, Lord."
00:41:02.29\00:41:04.49
Now, notice how she replies --
and in the Greek, it reads like
00:41:04.49\00:41:07.86
this. "Even the little dogs eat
the little crumbs that fall from
their master's table."
00:41:07.86\00:41:16.20
And Jesus is here, and she's
sobbing, and he's smiling. He
said, "Girl, I never seen
00:41:16.20\00:41:20.61
anybody like you. You are
something else. Most women of
00:41:20.61\00:41:27.35
your caliber would've walked
away, maybe spit at me and then
00:41:27.35\00:41:30.85
walked away, but you wouldn't
let me go. I am so proud of you.
I never was gonna ignore you."
00:41:30.85\00:41:38.96
In fact, [indistinct] tells us,
he actually intentionally set
00:41:38.96\00:41:43.26
himself up so that this woman
would cross his path at this
moment. He's known about her,
00:41:43.26\00:41:48.10
and he's moving. Love is on the
move. He's moving to save her.
00:41:48.10\00:41:51.91
"[ Exhaling sharply ] My... I'm
so proud of you. I want to tell
00:41:54.08\00:42:00.48
you something. You dry -- Come
here, come here. You dry these
tears. Come here. You dry your
00:42:00.48\00:42:04.95
tears." And what
does he say to her next?
00:42:04.99\00:42:05.95
Put it on the screen for us
'cause I'm way far away from my
00:42:05.95\00:42:07.82
Bible right now. Put
it on the screen for us.
00:42:07.82\00:42:09.99
"Then Jesus said to
her, 'Woman, you have
00:42:09.99\00:42:13.06
great faith, girl!
You are something else.
00:42:13.06\00:42:16.70
Your request is
granted.'" "You got it.
00:42:16.70\00:42:19.73
I'm on your side,
and I will always be
00:42:19.73\00:42:22.10
for the rest of your life.
00:42:22.10\00:42:24.94
I'm not only saving your
daughter. I'm saving you.
00:42:24.97\00:42:28.04
You're my girl in the hometown
of Jezebel. I got a girl there
00:42:28.04\00:42:35.08
now. She's one of my warriors."
Isn't that something about love
00:42:35.08\00:42:38.72
on the move. Doesn't matter
who. Doesn't matter where. Total
00:42:38.72\00:42:41.49
opposites. You got people out
there that are totally opposite
from you, and I mean totally
00:42:41.49\00:42:45.33
opposite from you. Love on the
move moves to people like that.
00:42:45.33\00:42:49.00
Jesus moves to people like that.
Wow. Oh, and then Jesus said to
00:42:49.00\00:42:53.84
her, "Woman, you have great
faith, and your request is
granted," and her daughter
00:42:53.84\00:42:57.91
was... At that moment, she's
healed, before she even gets
00:42:57.91\00:43:03.11
home. The end. That's it. Wow.
You know why I love this story?
00:43:03.11\00:43:07.48
I'll tell you why. I love this
story because embedded in it is
00:43:07.48\00:43:12.65
an expose of our most
uncomfortable comfort zones that
all of us live with these days.
00:43:12.65\00:43:18.13
"Yeah, Dwight. What kind
of uncomfortable comfort zones
00:43:18.13\00:43:21.16
are you talking about?" Well,
I'll tell you about a few.
There's the racial uncomfortable
00:43:21.16\00:43:25.10
comfort zone. You know that
one, don't you? Sure you do.
00:43:25.10\00:43:29.40
There is the religion
uncomfortable comfort zone. You
00:43:29.40\00:43:36.44
know that one. There is the
political uncomfortable
comfortable zone. We all know
00:43:36.44\00:43:43.92
that one. There is the social
uncomfortable comfort zone. And,
by the way, the only way
00:43:43.92\00:43:50.56
that Jesus' disciples are gonna
figure this baby out and know
that the need of this woman
00:43:50.56\00:43:56.20
is for compassion and love
-- The only way love could be on
00:43:56.20\00:44:00.10
the move would be if they
followed Jesus outside of their
own uncomfortable comfort zone.
00:44:00.10\00:44:05.27
They are hugely uncomfortable
right now. They'll get it
00:44:05.27\00:44:10.01
eventually. They'll get it
eventually. My, oh, my, oh, my.
00:44:10.01\00:44:16.38
Love on the move. That's Jesus
for you. Can it happen today?
00:44:19.55\00:44:24.33
Absolutely. Now, I'm gonna do
this. I'm gonna put a website on
the screen for you,
00:44:24.33\00:44:27.10
and then I'm gonna tell you
what's been happening because
when we put this website
00:44:27.10\00:44:29.43
up for the very first time last
week, you have been responding,
00:44:29.43\00:44:32.20
and I'm gonna show you by
reading two stories to you right
00:44:32.20\00:44:34.27
now, but let's put it on
the screen. Because if you go to
00:44:34.27\00:44:36.81
this screen --
pmchurch.org/loveonthemove --
You go to that page, scroll
00:44:36.81\00:44:42.71
down, it'll say, "Share
your story." We already have 15
00:44:42.71\00:44:47.38
stories. 15. I'm gonna share two
of them with you right now. 15
00:44:47.38\00:44:50.29
stories. "Yeah, but, Dwight, you
know what? That's the problem
00:44:50.29\00:44:52.15
with sharing stories. It feels
like you're bragging." You're
00:44:52.15\00:44:55.49
crazy. That's the devil talking
to you there. You think Jesus
00:44:55.49\00:44:59.26
was bragging when he allows the
gospels to be all about him? No,
00:44:59.26\00:45:03.20
he's not bragging. Do you think
the Book of Acts is all about
bragging because the apostles
00:45:03.20\00:45:06.84
make sure all these great
stories are told? No. Why?
Because they want you to know,
00:45:06.84\00:45:10.34
in case you'd live where stories
like this do not happen, that
they can start happening
00:45:10.34\00:45:13.88
through you. That's the point.
It can start happening to you
00:45:13.88\00:45:19.15
if you will be love
on the move for Jesus.
00:45:19.15\00:45:21.52
Two stories. Story number
one. Okay, so I printed these
00:45:23.42\00:45:26.39
right off the
website. Story number one.
00:45:26.39\00:45:29.12
And, by the way, there's gonna
be a beautiful baptism next
Sabbath, a rebaptism,
00:45:31.23\00:45:34.60
so don't miss it next Sabbath.
And by the way, it's gonna be
AUSA Unity Sabbath,
00:45:34.60\00:45:38.90
so this place will be packed
because those churches are
00:45:38.90\00:45:41.57
coming in here for a second
service, so be sure and be here.
But you're gonna see
00:45:41.57\00:45:45.44
a beautiful baptism. Here is the
backstory to what you're gonna
00:45:45.44\00:45:49.51
see next week. Okay? This
is written by Roger Edington.
00:45:49.51\00:45:52.11
Okay? Permission to
share the story? Yes! Okay.
00:45:52.11\00:45:55.28
If you put no on the story you
share, we won't share it. Okay,
so we got permission.
00:45:55.28\00:46:01.56
"This is the story
of a lovely lady." Ooh.
00:46:01.56\00:46:04.59
"No, not the one you may
think of when you hear those few
00:46:04.59\00:46:07.60
words. This is the story of
a friendship that began over 20
00:46:07.60\00:46:10.67
years ago and is still going
strong. You see, Sandra Peņa, as
she was known back then,
00:46:10.67\00:46:14.80
she and I met by accident.
It was a Sabbath, January
00:46:14.80\00:46:18.07
afternoon." Okay, do the
arithmetic. 1992, so this is
Sabbath in January, okay.
00:46:18.07\00:46:24.58
"When her part of the story
began, she was driving on I-94
getting off at exit 28."
00:46:24.58\00:46:28.72
We all know exit 28 going
to Benton Harbor. "She was
00:46:28.72\00:46:33.46
traveling too fast when she hit
some black ice. The next thing
she knows, she's sitting in a
00:46:33.46\00:46:36.83
hospital bed 11 days later."
She wakes up. She's in a coma.
00:46:36.83\00:46:41.63
"She suffered traumatic brain
injury among other things from
00:46:44.23\00:46:47.17
the accident. Now, almost 5 1/2
years later, my part of the
story began. My youngest son
00:46:47.17\00:46:51.44
from my first marriage was
involved in a traffic accident."
You can see where this is going,
00:46:51.44\00:46:55.38
can't you? "He, too, suffered
a traumatic brain injury.
00:46:55.38\00:46:58.85
I started attending a
brain-injury support group in
00:46:58.85\00:47:02.25
South Bend." Now, there is a
comfort zone you've just stepped
out of because you're not
00:47:02.25\00:47:05.89
comfortable sitting around other
people that have the same
problem that you have.
00:47:05.89\00:47:08.89
Nobody's comfortable with that.
We'd rather just suffer alone
when you should be suffering
00:47:08.89\00:47:12.56
with somebody around you. So you
have to step outside of your
uncomfortable comfort zone.
00:47:12.56\00:47:18.63
"And that evening, guess
who shows up? You guessed it.
00:47:18.63\00:47:20.94
Sandra shows up." Boy, she's
way outside her comfort zone now
00:47:20.94\00:47:25.51
because Roger's already been
meeting with this group.
Sandra's there as a newbie.
00:47:25.51\00:47:29.94
Everybody introduces themselves
to Sandra. When the evening's
00:47:29.94\00:47:33.72
over, she remembers everybody's
first name and says goodbye to
00:47:33.72\00:47:36.45
all of them. And Roger is
watching all this and saying,
"Whoa, this girl is outgoing."
00:47:36.45\00:47:39.99
She memorized his name. [
Chuckles ] "She started coming
00:47:39.99\00:47:45.09
to the meetings, and we became
friends. Back in those days, we
00:47:45.09\00:47:49.06
only had e-mail, no such thing
as texting or Facebook, so we
began corresponding through
00:47:49.06\00:47:52.17
e-mail. A few months later, she
invited me to her church. It was
the largest church I've
00:47:52.17\00:47:55.57
ever been to in my entire life.
We never did meet that day at
Pioneer Memorial Church
00:47:55.57\00:47:59.44
because of the crowd." He shows
up. He says, "Where is this
00:47:59.44\00:48:02.78
girl?" He can't find her. She's
here, but, you know, we didn't
have big screens back
00:48:02.78\00:48:06.45
then, and so he didn't know.
00:48:06.45\00:48:08.08
"A little later, she invited me
to Net '99..." That's my friend
00:48:11.12\00:48:14.69
Doug Batchelor, alright? So we
did Net '98 here, so this is the
00:48:14.69\00:48:17.59
next year. "...at the Village
Church. I traveled each night
from South Bend to hear
00:48:17.59\00:48:20.40
the strange teachings that I had
never heard before. Previously,
00:48:20.40\00:48:24.87
I was seeking a church that I
felt comfortable with and had
visited maybe a dozen different
00:48:24.87\00:48:28.30
denominations, so God was
working on me." Here comes
comfort zone, uncomfortable
00:48:28.30\00:48:32.31
comfort zone maybe number three
by now. Maybe it's number four.
00:48:32.31\00:48:34.71
What is it? It's religion. He's
stepping outside of his comfort
zone because she said,
00:48:34.71\00:48:38.11
"Why don't you come." "After
attending most of the Doug
Batchelor meetings,
00:48:38.11\00:48:43.12
I started attending church at
the Village Church on Saturday
and attending my church
00:48:43.12\00:48:46.35
on Sunday. I still wasn't fully
convinced on the right day of
00:48:46.35\00:48:50.49
worship for a few weeks, and
after a while, I came around and
decided to attend church
00:48:50.49\00:48:54.23
on the Sabbath instead of on
Saturday and Sunday both, and a
little while later,
00:48:54.23\00:48:58.40
I wanted to be baptized, so on
Sabbath January 1, 2000," yep,
00:48:58.40\00:49:03.94
"I went through the waters of
baptism. After that, Sandra and
I began courting, not dating.
00:49:03.94\00:49:07.91
Courtship is the means by with a
couple see if they are
compatible for marriage,
00:49:07.91\00:49:11.75
so marriage was the aim." At
times, you can be right up front
00:49:11.75\00:49:16.95
about it. "I thought there were
too many hurdles to jump through
in trying to become
00:49:16.95\00:49:19.32
a married couple. Number one --
huge age difference between us."
00:49:19.32\00:49:22.89
Oop. [ Hisses teeth ]
Uncomfortable comfort zone --
00:49:22.89\00:49:26.59
age. "Number two --
She's from Peru, South America.
00:49:26.59\00:49:30.20
[ Hisses teeth ] I'm a white
boy from South Bend, Indiana."
00:49:30.20\00:49:33.74
Ooh, ethnic, uncomfortable
comfort zone. [ Hisses teeth ]
00:49:33.74\00:49:38.84
"Number three -- She grew up in
an Adventist family while I was
00:49:38.84\00:49:42.11
the only one in my family who
ever went to church. Number four
-- I was previously married with
00:49:42.11\00:49:46.61
three sons while she's never
even been married." Ooh,
uncomfortable comfort zone --
00:49:46.61\00:49:51.19
marriage. Ooh. Wow.
This story's full of them.
00:49:51.19\00:49:54.29
"She was an extrovert while I'm
an introvert." Ooh, personality.
00:49:56.93\00:50:00.03
"There were a lot of
differences, but because we were
00:50:00.03\00:50:02.40
both wanting a friendship, we
saw past them." Now, listen up
as he wraps this up.
00:50:02.40\00:50:05.43
"I left out many details because
I don't want to bore you with it
00:50:05.43\00:50:08.27
all, but it's been 18 years
now since we were married."
00:50:08.27\00:50:12.34
Hallelujah. "We have been
through a lot of struggles
together, but the one thing that
00:50:12.34\00:50:15.51
has held us together is that we
are and forever will be, first
00:50:15.51\00:50:20.48
of all, friends." Ooh, I like
that. "And now you know why we
say we met by accident."
00:50:20.48\00:50:25.15
[ Laughter ] Pretty
clever, Roger, pretty clever.
00:50:25.15\00:50:29.92
"But in reality, God brought us
together by that friendship that
00:50:29.92\00:50:34.63
was struck up way back in 1998."
That's what you call love on the
00:50:34.63\00:50:39.97
move. You step out of your
uncomfortable comfort zones into
even worse uncomfortable
00:50:39.97\00:50:48.61
zones for the sake of Jesus.
Now, I'm gonna throw in a little
00:50:48.61\00:50:54.18
caveat here. These love on the
move stories are not to all end
in getting married, so don't
00:50:54.18\00:50:57.99
think that that's kind of like
-- That's where Dwight's going.
He just wants everybody getting
00:50:57.99\00:51:01.56
married that's not married.
That's very rare that that
happens, but it happened,
00:51:01.56\00:51:06.43
so hang around here. Love
is beyond the move around here.
00:51:06.43\00:51:10.17
Now, come on. I'm telling
you. Can you put that website
00:51:10.17\00:51:14.34
up again please? Yeah, there it
is on the screen.
pmchurch.org/loveonthemove.
00:51:14.34\00:51:18.74
Stuff has happened to
you. You're a student in this
00:51:18.74\00:51:21.21
university. Somebody did love
on the move to you. Tell us the
00:51:21.21\00:51:23.88
story about somebody doing it
to you. You don't have to be the
00:51:23.88\00:51:26.45
hero of the story. If you want
to be the hero of the story,
we're happy to have you the
00:51:26.45\00:51:29.85
hero. But love is on the move,
folks. It's why Pioneer exists.
It's why Andrews exists --
00:51:29.85\00:51:34.99
to incarnate the love...
00:51:34.99\00:51:36.79
...of the great God of this
universe. Just live it out --
00:51:39.49\00:51:43.30
love on the move. Oh, wow.
00:51:43.30\00:51:45.73
Okay. So don't miss
next Sabbath. You'll know the
00:51:48.00\00:51:52.41
backstory now. There'll be a
little video, as well. Love on
00:51:52.41\00:51:54.58
the move story number two.
I promised you two. This one's
00:51:54.58\00:51:56.68
short. This is -- This is --
This is a young mother that
loves hanging around with young
00:51:56.68\00:52:01.05
mothers, okay? So, it's okay to
be that. This is Brianna Martin.
Well, I know Brianna.
00:52:01.05\00:52:06.45
So do you. But she
writes -- It's a short one --
00:52:06.45\00:52:08.96
"It's not just my story, but the
one way that I'm trying to
reflect a life of love
00:52:08.96\00:52:13.26
towards others is through a new
ministry called," at least for
00:52:13.26\00:52:17.33
now, "Meals for Moms. Last
semester, I led a girl group,
00:52:17.33\00:52:22.70
and one of our members gave
birth, so we decided to get some
meals together for her and her
00:52:22.70\00:52:25.64
family because we know how hard
it is to cook and take care of a
00:52:25.64\00:52:28.91
newborn along with the other
responsibilities parents have.
So I asked Adrian Green,
00:52:28.91\00:52:33.05
leader of Pioneer's Mommy and Me
group, if I could ask her group
00:52:33.05\00:52:37.79
to participate, too, and she and
I decided that we should bring
00:52:37.79\00:52:41.46
meals to all of the Mommy and Me
members whenever they have new
babies. Now, that was the end
00:52:41.46\00:52:45.89
of November. So far,
we've run five meal trains..."
00:52:45.89\00:52:48.86
I like that. "...two of which
are still in progress as I'm
00:52:48.86\00:52:51.70
writing, and I'm praying to be
able to expand this ministry to
involve more than just
00:52:51.70\00:52:55.04
the members of Mommy and Me. We
have so many expecting mothers
00:52:55.04\00:52:59.07
at Pioneer and in Berrien
Springs, and I'm dreaming and
planning out ways to reach the
00:52:59.07\00:53:03.35
members of our entire community
for Christ through bringing
mothers their first meals when
00:53:03.35\00:53:07.12
they come back from the
hospital." Knock, knock. "Who
00:53:07.12\00:53:09.65
are you?" "We're Mommy and Me
from the Pioneer Church. We're
00:53:09.65\00:53:13.99
love on the move." You won't
say, "We're love on the move,"
of course. [ Laughter ]
00:53:13.99\00:53:19.49
But you got the point. I share
this story with you because you
may not be a mommy,
00:53:19.49\00:53:24.30
but that's okay. Here's a little
mommy and a few other mommies
00:53:24.30\00:53:27.60
that got a bright idea, and they
did something about it. A lot of
people get good ideas,
00:53:27.60\00:53:31.44
and then it just sits on a shelf
for the rest of their lives. You
00:53:31.44\00:53:35.08
have a good idea. There's some
ministry in your mind that
you're thinking of right now
00:53:35.08\00:53:37.55
because the Spirit's saying,
"What about that one? You've
00:53:37.55\00:53:39.75
been talking about doing that.
Why don't you do that?" You're a
00:53:39.75\00:53:41.62
student in the university. You
can do it. You're a teenager.
00:53:41.62\00:53:45.92
You can do it. Love on
the move, that's the deal.
00:53:45.92\00:53:49.66
Wow. Listen -- By the
way, she's wanting help.
00:53:49.66\00:53:55.30
Did I leave that out? I sure
did. "If anyone is interested in
00:53:55.30\00:53:57.40
showing love on the move through
providing meals to new moms or
even just by helping me
00:53:57.40\00:54:01.00
identify moms here in Pioneer or
in Berrien Springs who would
like to receive meals
00:54:01.00\00:54:05.07
once their babies are born, I'd
love to hear from you." Okay, so
I'm putting another
00:54:05.07\00:54:08.08
website up. Here's how
you get a hold of Brianna.
00:54:08.08\00:54:09.88
You let her know, "I'm
interested in this ministry."
pmchurch.org/volunteer.
00:54:09.88\00:54:15.48
Boom, it'll take you to a list
of ministries, and Mommy and Me
00:54:15.48\00:54:18.72
and the Funeral Dinner Ministry
we just heard about a moment
00:54:18.72\00:54:21.86
about ago, they're the top two,
so you can respond just like
that. "Yeah, I want to bring a
00:54:21.86\00:54:25.79
meal. I want to bring food for
mommies and food for people who
00:54:25.79\00:54:29.83
are grieving." You can do
that. Wow. Love on the move.
00:54:29.83\00:54:34.24
Love...on...the...move.
00:54:34.24\00:54:37.11
It's what we do.
It's why we exist --
00:54:37.14\00:54:38.64
to be like Jesus. Last
week, we were with Jesus
00:54:38.64\00:54:41.78
and Zacchaeus, this
corrupt sinner-turned-saved man.
00:54:41.78\00:54:47.78
This week, we're with Jesus
and this pagan mother desperate,
00:54:47.78\00:54:52.99
now saved.
00:54:52.99\00:54:54.46
Love on the
move, just like Jesus.
00:54:56.19\00:54:58.83
You want to be a
superhero? Come on.
00:54:58.83\00:55:00.80
You want to be a superhero?
Then become love on the move
00:55:00.80\00:55:03.13
with Jesus. You
become one of the great
00:55:03.13\00:55:04.83
superheroes on
this planet today.
00:55:04.83\00:55:07.37
You can be a superhero.
You don't even a cape.
00:55:07.37\00:55:11.04
Just be love on the move. So I
get a text from a friend of mine
00:55:11.07\00:55:15.01
for New Years Day. Okay, so it's
New Years Day. He obviously has
lots of friends because he's
00:55:15.01\00:55:19.01
individually sending all these
texts. So the text I get -- I'll
tell you the truth.
00:55:19.01\00:55:22.15
I have it right here. The text I
get wishing me happy New Year,
it reads like this.
00:55:22.15\00:55:26.12
"Happy New Near."
00:55:26.12\00:55:27.29
"Near." You missed the "Y,"
buddy. You put an "N" in there.
00:55:29.12\00:55:34.63
"Happy New Near." Well,
it's a terrible mistake to make.
00:55:34.63\00:55:39.40
[ Chuckles ] But I got to
brooding over it. I said, "You
00:55:39.40\00:55:42.64
know what? That guy's right."
What a wonderful greeting to
send in the new year.
00:55:42.64\00:55:47.78
Send the greeting, "Hey, happy
new near for you." Near what?
00:55:47.78\00:55:51.95
Near Jesus, of course. You want
to be love on the move? Happy
00:55:51.95\00:55:57.49
new near to you. Just get close
to Jesus. That's why we're
reading the little book "Steps
00:55:57.49\00:56:02.26
to Christ" -- through all of
us. Chapter a week. In 13 weeks,
00:56:02.26\00:56:07.10
we're done. End of March, it's
over, but every day, we're going
to Jesus and looking at
00:56:07.10\00:56:10.23
a little line from his life
because there's just a few
paragraphs in each chapter.
00:56:10.23\00:56:14.54
We're not talking, like, books.
Put the -- This is from "Steps
00:56:14.54\00:56:20.91
to Christ." So just a few days
ago, I read these words. This is
00:56:20.91\00:56:23.58
"Steps to Christ." Oh,
speaking of love on the move...
00:56:23.58\00:56:24.91
Love on the move -- getting near
to Jesus. I can't think of a
00:56:41.36\00:56:45.93
more perfectly effective way to
be love on the move each new day
00:56:45.93\00:56:50.01
than to begin the day near
to Jesus. So I say to all of us,
00:56:50.01\00:56:55.01
happy new near. What do
you say? >> Amen. >> Come on.
00:56:55.01\00:56:57.28
We can do it. We
can do it together.
00:56:57.28\00:56:59.65
>> We've been really blessed by
the financial support that comes
00:57:03.92\00:57:05.92
from our viewers, and we've
made a conscious decision not to
00:57:05.92\00:57:09.26
continually appeal
to you for that support.
00:57:09.26\00:57:12.33
The fact is, as everyone in the
industry will tell you, we're
00:57:12.33\00:57:15.46
needing to make constant
upgrades to our technology.
00:57:15.46\00:57:18.47
So if God has blessed you and
you'd like to further the work
00:57:18.47\00:57:21.17
of this ministry, we
invite you to partner with us.
00:57:21.17\00:57:23.51
Not a single penny of
your donation will go to me.
00:57:23.51\00:57:26.51
Every bit of your gift goes
to the mission of blessing your
00:57:26.51\00:57:29.98
community and our world.
You can donate on our website,
00:57:29.98\00:57:33.01
newperceptions.tv.
Or call the number.
00:57:33.01\00:57:36.12
You know the
number -- 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:36.12\00:57:38.55
Again, that number is 877
-- the two words "HIS-WILL."
00:57:38.55\00:57:42.89
And may the God who has blessed
you continue to pour into your
00:57:42.89\00:57:45.49
life the gifts of
His joy and His hope.
00:57:45.49\00:57:48.80
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:48.80\00:57:50.70
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:50.70\00:57:53.97
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:58.21\00:58:18.26
¤¤
00:58:18.26\00:58:28.14