¤¤
00:00:01.23\00:00:09.94
[ "Rejoice, Ye
Pure in Heart" begins ]
00:00:12.87\00:00:17.38
[ "The Lord Is
My Light" begins ]
00:01:49.17\00:01:53.14
¤¤
00:03:33.91\00:03:41.72
>> This year we are especially
grateful for health of us and
00:03:41.75\00:03:45.49
our families. >> And
we are thankful that we
00:03:45.49\00:03:48.56
could spend far more time
together, unexpectedly, and also
00:03:48.56\00:03:52.49
that we have a our
little daughter in our life.
00:03:52.49\00:03:55.76
>> I am thankful for my family.
In a time like this, when your
00:03:55.76\00:03:59.77
family members are the only
people that you can really be
00:03:59.77\00:04:02.84
close to, you definitely can
get on each others' very last
00:04:02.84\00:04:05.87
nerves, but I am grateful that
they are there to keep me sane
00:04:05.87\00:04:09.04
and to keep me going. >>
I am thankful for being able
00:04:09.04\00:04:12.05
to feel God's love and see
His mercy even through the tiny
00:04:12.05\00:04:15.42
little things, despite
everything that's been going on.
00:04:15.42\00:04:18.65
>> I am thankful for time
spent in the presence of God.
00:04:18.65\00:04:22.79
I think it's just incredible
that, as Christians, we can
00:04:22.79\00:04:26.16
abide and just find strength no
matter what the year looks like.
00:04:26.16\00:04:29.90
So I'm thankful
for God's presence.
00:04:29.90\00:04:32.37
>> I'm thankful for my friends
because I get to hang out with
00:04:32.37\00:04:34.90
them, and it's really fun.
>> I'm thankful for school.
00:04:34.90\00:04:37.67
>> I'm thankful for my family.
>> I'm thankful for a place to
00:04:37.67\00:04:41.88
go where I can study theology
and learn to become a pastor.
00:04:41.88\00:04:46.08
A place where I can grow
in Christ in a place -- in a
00:04:46.08\00:04:48.72
community where people accept me
and value the same things that I
00:04:48.72\00:04:51.89
do. I'm thankful for the church,
00:04:51.89\00:04:54.26
PMC, that allows me to attend
the service and grow in Christ.
00:04:54.26\00:04:58.59
>> I am thankful for my friends,
my family, and my -- yeah.
00:04:58.59\00:05:02.10
[ Laughs ] Everything.
I'm thankful for everything.
00:05:02.10\00:05:04.57
>> I'm thankful for life because
not everyone gets to be alive,
00:05:04.57\00:05:08.34
and not everyone has the
opportunity to live today.
00:05:08.34\00:05:11.47
>> I'm very thankful for
the many good things that have
00:05:11.47\00:05:15.18
happened in my life. >>
We've been married 66 years.
00:05:15.18\00:05:19.38
We hope to the right kind
of example for those who are
00:05:19.38\00:05:22.22
watching us day by day so that
they could realize that love can
00:05:22.22\00:05:25.45
be wonderful and great, and
we hope it lasts until the Lord
00:05:25.45\00:05:28.52
comes. >> I'm thankful for my
00:05:28.52\00:05:30.26
Andrews Academy friends. >>
I am for grateful for growth.
00:05:30.26\00:05:33.90
This year has tested my faith,
but it has also renewed it, and
00:05:33.90\00:05:38.33
it has made me see how much more
I desperately need my Savior,
00:05:38.33\00:05:42.84
Jesus Christ. >>
I'm thankful for God, my
00:05:42.84\00:05:45.44
heavenly Father, and
for my Savior, Jesus Christ.
00:05:45.44\00:05:48.11
>> I'm thankful for my religion.
>> I'm thankful for H2O.
00:05:48.11\00:05:52.18
>> I am thankful for Jesus
Christ, who came into our world
00:05:52.18\00:05:56.28
to save us from our
sins. I am also thankful for my
00:05:56.28\00:06:00.32
family, who cares and loves me.
>> I am thankful for God being
00:06:00.32\00:06:06.06
in my life. He
gives me joy, peace.
00:06:06.06\00:06:10.77
He forgives me, and he gives
me a roommate as my spiritual
00:06:10.77\00:06:15.44
companion. God is good.
00:06:15.44\00:06:17.91
>> Thankful for my car
and thankful for my racetrack.
00:06:17.91\00:06:21.58
Thankful for my sisters.
Thankful for my mommy and daddy.
00:06:21.58\00:06:27.75
I'm thankful for my bed.
>> I'm thankful for my family
00:06:27.75\00:06:33.72
and my friends and for
my school and the church.
00:06:33.72\00:06:36.96
I'm thankful for God and
for Him protecting us from this
00:06:36.96\00:06:41.73
pandemic. ¤¤
00:06:41.73\00:06:47.47
[ "For the Beauty
of the Earth" begins ]
00:06:52.01\00:06:56.61
[ "'Tis So Sweet to
Trust in Jesus" begins ]
00:08:21.46\00:08:25.50
[ "To God Be the Glory" begins ]
00:10:20.48\00:10:22.92
>> Before we plunge into this
Thanksgiving -- the Sabbath
before -- homily, I want to pray
00:12:30.91\00:12:37.62
with you. Father,
now thank we all our God.
00:12:37.62\00:12:40.69
What shall we say except thank
you? We're alive, we're here.
00:12:40.69\00:12:43.83
We've got our masks on, we're
physically distanced. That's
00:12:43.83\00:12:47.36
okay. You're in this space, and
we're here because we want to
00:12:47.36\00:12:52.17
connect with You. We have been
all morning long, and now these
last few moments in the Word of
00:12:52.17\00:12:56.67
God. Don't let that connection
miss us, we pray, in Jesus'
00:12:56.67\00:13:03.35
name. Amen. Somewhere in the
Bible, there is a line that goes
00:13:03.38\00:13:08.08
something like this -- "He"
-- speaking of God -- "He has
00:13:08.08\00:13:12.42
placed eternity in our
hearts." In every human heart.
00:13:12.42\00:13:16.26
I don't care how you were born.
I don't care who you are now.
00:13:16.26\00:13:19.86
You may say, "Listen,
I'm really and atheist.
00:13:19.86\00:13:21.73
I'm just here because
I'm with some friends."
00:13:21.73\00:13:23.67
Okay. Glad you're here.
You say, "No, I'm really an
00:13:23.67\00:13:26.20
agnostic. I'm not an atheist.
00:13:26.20\00:13:27.40
I'm just not sure."
Okay. Still glad you're here.
00:13:27.40\00:13:30.07
Say, "No, I'm a believer." Glad
you're here as well. I don't
care how you have come
00:13:30.11\00:13:34.71
to this moment in life, the
truth of the matter is embedded
in our psyches is this eternity
00:13:34.71\00:13:41.58
thing. What is this
eternity thing? I found a book.
00:13:41.58\00:13:46.69
Oh, man, I'm glad for a friend
of mine who gave me this book.
This is a dynamite book.
00:13:46.69\00:13:51.63
It's written by John Eldredge.
Title of the book, "The Journey
of Desire: Searching for the
00:13:51.63\00:13:56.56
Life We've Only Dreamed Of."
Something he writes in a
paragraph just unlocks it for
00:13:56.56\00:14:01.54
me, and I have to share it with
you. The big debate I had was,
00:14:01.54\00:14:05.61
okay, do I -- come on. Shall we
put it on the screen, okay, so
00:14:05.61\00:14:09.74
that we have the quotation right
here? But the more I wrestled
with this, I said, "No, no, no.
00:14:09.74\00:14:13.85
If it goes into your eyes, it
won't get to your heart." We got
to do it so that it'll go
00:14:13.85\00:14:18.59
through your ears, and then your
heart will hear what your ears
00:14:18.59\00:14:23.29
are picking up. So I'm gonna
read it. It's just a short
paragraph. I'm not gonna put it
00:14:23.29\00:14:26.63
on the screen. This is John
Eldredge. He begins with the --
00:14:26.63\00:14:30.30
well, you know him well -- the
French mathematician and
philosopher, Blaise Pascal.
00:14:30.30\00:14:35.67
You've heard of Blaise Pascal,
haven't you? This famous line of
00:14:35.67\00:14:39.74
his, he actually opens this
paragraph up with Pascal's line,
"The heart has its reasons,
00:14:39.74\00:14:45.25
which reason knows not." So the
heart knows what can't be known
00:14:45.25\00:14:49.02
up here. "The heart has its
reasons, what reason knows not."
He's put eternity in our hearts.
00:14:49.02\00:14:56.52
Could that be it? Now, Eldredge
goes on. "Something in us longs,
00:14:56.52\00:15:02.60
hopes, maybe even at times
believes that this is not the
way things were supposed to be."
00:15:02.60\00:15:08.64
This pandemic world that we're
surviving in. "Our desire fights
00:15:08.64\00:15:13.34
the assault of death upon life."
And so he gives these three
00:15:13.34\00:15:17.78
illustrations. "People with
terminal illnesses get married."
00:15:17.78\00:15:22.78
Why get married? You're not
gonna live that long. There's
something in us. "Prisoners in a
00:15:22.78\00:15:29.76
concentration camp plant
flowers." Why are you planting
00:15:29.76\00:15:33.09
those flowers? You'll never see
them in your life. And here's
00:15:33.09\00:15:37.70
another one. "Lovers long
divorced still reach out in the
night to embrace one who is no
00:15:37.70\00:15:44.04
longer there." He says, "It's
like the phantom pain
experienced by those who
00:15:44.04\00:15:49.68
have lost a limb." You've heard
about phantom pain? "Feelings
00:15:49.68\00:15:55.08
still emanate from that region
where once was a crucial part of
them, and they will sometimes
00:15:55.08\00:16:00.19
find themselves being careful
not to bang the corner of a
table or slam the car door on a
00:16:00.19\00:16:05.03
leg or an arm long since
removed. Our hearts know a
00:16:05.03\00:16:12.13
similar reality. At some deep
level" -- this is good -- "at
some deep level we refuse to
00:16:12.13\00:16:17.81
accept the fact that this is the
way things are, or must be, or
always will be." He has placed
00:16:17.81\00:16:24.85
eternity in our hearts. There is
this subliminal sense that there
00:16:24.85\00:16:35.42
is something more. And I'm not
there yet. I really was blessed
by reading G.K. Chesterton, one
00:16:35.42\00:16:42.06
of the bright and witty writers,
English writers, of the 20th
00:16:42.06\00:16:46.20
century. His book "Orthodoxy."
So I read the book through, and
then I came across a line that
00:16:46.20\00:16:50.44
just -- whoa! This is G.K.
Chesterton. He was an agnostic.
00:16:50.44\00:16:54.58
And then he discovered that
Jesus Christ is a real being and
personal Savior, and he became a
00:16:54.58\00:17:01.35
believer in Christ. And then he
wrote, later, after becoming a
00:17:01.35\00:17:08.62
Christian, "Now I could
understand why I could feel
homesick at home." Homesick at
00:17:08.62\00:17:20.60
home. Do you ever feel homesick
at home? I mean, why am I
00:17:20.60\00:17:25.27
feeling homesick? This is where
I live. Something deep inside of
00:17:25.27\00:17:29.54
you is longing for a place you
are not there yet. I'm feeling
00:17:29.54\00:17:39.19
homesick at home. Oh, I got to
put this line on the screen. I
want to tell you something.
00:17:39.19\00:17:42.86
This is the first time I've ever
done this. Do you know that the
00:17:42.86\00:17:48.23
physics major that put this
PowerPoint program together that
you're about to see, got tested
00:17:48.23\00:17:54.27
the other day -- he's positive.
He can't leave campus. Some of
you are leaving in a few
00:17:54.27\00:18:00.48
hours. He has to stay
in that prayer apartment.
00:18:00.48\00:18:03.88
You know that place. So he's
watching right now. So he's not
up there switching.
00:18:03.88\00:18:11.69
I'm gonna do it right here.
Please pray for me. If nothing
happens here, we'll
00:18:11.69\00:18:18.29
just have benediction.
We'll go. I mean, that's it.
00:18:18.29\00:18:21.76
Alright, here's that line.
"He has placed eternity in our
00:18:21.76\00:18:27.27
hearts." I'm homesick at home.
Something is in here that has
been embedded in me.
00:18:27.27\00:18:31.11
I don't care what you believe
or don't believe. "He has placed
00:18:31.11\00:18:37.18
eternity in our hearts." Could
it be that we have been made to
live somewhere else?
00:18:37.18\00:18:42.12
Somewhere that is COVID-19-free?
Somewhere that is racially
00:18:42.12\00:18:47.49
fractured-free? Somewhere that
is politics-free and pain-free
and perplexity-free?
00:18:47.49\00:18:52.26
Could it be we're not where
we're supposed to be? "He has
placed eternity in our
00:18:52.26\00:19:01.47
hearts." Turns out it's been
that way from the very beginning
00:19:01.47\00:19:10.75
in this "pandemic of sin"
planet. For a moment I want to
go with you to the ancients.
00:19:10.75\00:19:16.22
Take your Bible out. They
are like we are. Watch this.
00:19:16.22\00:19:19.69
Go to the Bible's Hall of Fame,
Hall of Faith chapter, Hebrews
00:19:19.69\00:19:24.16
chapter 11. Come on. This
is dynamite. Look at these
00:19:24.16\00:19:27.56
ancients. Hebrews chapter 11.
That's the New Testament, near
the end of the New Testament.
00:19:27.56\00:19:31.63
Hebrews chapter 11. And let's
drop down -- let's drop down to
00:19:31.63\00:19:38.51
verse 13. Hebrews chapter 11.
I'll be in the New International
00:19:38.51\00:19:43.58
Version. Come on, how did they
live back then? You'll see it.
00:19:43.58\00:19:46.61
You'll immediately
recognize this. Verse 13.
00:19:46.61\00:19:49.28
"All these people --" these
ancients -- "were still living
by faith when they died.
00:19:49.28\00:19:53.79
They did not receive the
things promised." Unh-unh.
00:19:53.79\00:19:56.79
"They only saw them and welcomed
them from a distance, admitting
that they were foreigners..."
00:19:56.79\00:20:01.76
if you have the New King James
Version, it reads "pilgrims."
00:20:01.76\00:20:05.23
There's a word for Thanksgiving.
"...admitting that they were
pilgrims, they were foreigners
00:20:05.23\00:20:10.17
and strangers on earth. People
who say such things show they
are looking for a country
00:20:10.17\00:20:14.94
of their own. If they had been
thinking of the country they had
00:20:14.94\00:20:19.21
left, they would have had
opportunity to return." Nah-unh.
00:20:19.21\00:20:22.15
"Instead, they are longing for
a better country -- a heavenly
00:20:22.15\00:20:26.62
one. Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God,
for He has prepared a city for
00:20:26.62\00:20:33.63
them." He has imbedded eternity
in their hearts. The ancients
00:20:33.63\00:20:38.23
knew it. "I'm homesick, and I'm
home. What's wrong with me?" Ah!
00:20:38.23\00:20:44.61
Something deep within your
psyche tells you you're not home
00:20:44.61\00:20:50.41
yet. What is up with this? Ted
Dekker, in his whimsical book,
00:20:50.41\00:20:55.98
"The Slumber of Christianity:
Awakening a Passion for Heaven
on Earth," captures the grip of
00:20:55.98\00:21:01.29
hope and hopelessness we all in
this COVID-19 moment are
experiencing together -- hope
00:21:01.29\00:21:06.29
and hopelessness.
Let's go to Dekker...
00:21:06.29\00:21:08.80
When I talk about this pandemic
world, this crisis that doesn't
seem to want to let go of us,
00:21:25.11\00:21:32.52
there's not a soul here right
now, watching online right n-- I
don't care where you live on the
00:21:32.52\00:21:37.86
planet right now, there's not
a soul wresting between hope and
00:21:37.86\00:21:42.23
hopelessness. Dekker goes on...
00:21:42.23\00:21:43.93
That's talking about Loma Linda
or Worthington Foods. That's
what they're talking
00:21:55.28\00:21:58.15
about, I'm telling you. That's
what he means. He didn't know
00:21:58.15\00:22:00.98
how to say it, so he put it that
way. [ Chuckles ] Here --
Speaking of desire, "A new red
00:22:00.98\00:22:06.69
Corvette." You know what? Hit
the pause button right there.
00:22:06.69\00:22:09.56
This last week, about four or
five days ago -- remember when
it was still warm around here?
00:22:09.56\00:22:14.46
I saw a guy, I'm telling you the
truth. I don't know -- I think
00:22:14.46\00:22:18.47
it might have been a yellow
'Vette, a yellow Corvette,
T-top, the top is off, and this
00:22:18.47\00:22:23.47
guy is just showing off, driving
around with his blond hair
blowing in the wind, and I say
00:22:23.47\00:22:28.84
"Show-off." [ Laughter ]
"Have you see Toyota Camry?" [
00:22:28.84\00:22:35.68
Laughter ] Aw, man. You could
dream. It's okay to dream. This
desire you have, this hope.
00:22:35.68\00:22:40.32
"A new red Corvette,
a beautiful home." Mm!
00:22:40.32\00:22:43.16
"A long vacation in Europe.
The renewed health of an ill
00:22:43.16\00:22:47.20
child..." There's not a parent
here that's experienced that
that doesn't know the meaning of
00:22:47.20\00:22:52.53
that hope. "...or the renewed
health of an aging mother." I've
00:22:52.53\00:22:56.77
been through that. "These are
among the many hopes that
motivate our daily lives.
00:22:56.77\00:23:02.14
Everything we do is driven by
hope or hopelessness in one form
or another." Now, get this last
00:23:02.14\00:23:06.48
line... So, listen, we're
talking about Generation Z on
this campus right now, the most
00:23:14.06\00:23:18.13
self-identified "I have mental
health issues" generation in the
history of American education.
00:23:18.13\00:23:23.97
And most of them will identify,
"I have depression." I'm not
challenging that for one
00:23:23.97\00:23:29.84
second. What's depression
about? It's about sadness.
00:23:29.84\00:23:33.78
What's sadness about? It's about
hopelessness. "I've lost hope.
00:23:33.78\00:23:38.15
I've lost hope." Some of
you know exactly what that feels
00:23:38.15\00:23:41.92
like. Your roommate has lost
hope. You're still going strong.
Your roommate has lost hope,
00:23:41.92\00:23:46.69
that kid across the hall, that
kid across the classroom. You
know what she's going
00:23:46.69\00:23:51.39
through. Hopelessness. We live
with it. This battle between
00:23:51.39\00:23:58.13
hope and hopelessness. Welcome
to our world. Man, no more
00:23:58.13\00:24:02.77
face-to-face teaching. No, we're
all going remote. Yep. We got a
two-month vacation,
00:24:02.77\00:24:07.14
then you got to come back again.
Maybe it'll be remote then, too.
00:24:07.14\00:24:11.81
Don't know. Who knows?
Hopelessness. Mortuaries running
out of space. [ Clicks tongue ]
00:24:11.81\00:24:23.09
Yeah. What's that's line? What
is that line? "He has placed
00:24:23.09\00:24:30.00
eternity in our hearts."
Something inside of us knows, I
am homesick, and I'm home!
00:24:30.00\00:24:34.30
Why am I homesick at home?"
There's something been imbedded
00:24:34.30\00:24:38.57
in you. That's why. You were
made to live somewhere else.
00:24:38.57\00:24:42.61
It's amazing that, when God
liberates that horde of slaves
from Egypt, sets them free in
00:24:42.61\00:24:49.18
the mighty Exodus, do you know
that what God immediately starts
doing is tapping into this
00:24:49.18\00:24:55.89
eternity imbedded in even a
slave's heart? I'll show you how
00:24:55.89\00:25:00.76
God did it. Do you remember that
roaring green bush that didn't
burn? It stayed green.
00:25:00.76\00:25:04.60
Do you remember that? The bush
stayed green. Moses is standing
00:25:04.60\00:25:08.44
in front of it, and the voice
says, "On your knees in front of
me. You're on holy ground now."
00:25:08.44\00:25:12.64
And God booms from that bush. I
want you to notice what he says.
00:25:12.64\00:25:16.04
Look at this. This is Exodus
3:17. "And I have promised to
00:25:16.04\00:25:20.25
bring you and the children of
Israel up out of your misery in
Egypt --" isn't that good?
00:25:20.25\00:25:24.79
This life of misery is not
destined to last forever and
00:25:24.79\00:25:28.29
ever. It will not last forever
and ever. God is going to pull
00:25:28.29\00:25:32.36
us out of this land of misery
one day. "I have promised to do
00:25:32.36\00:25:36.77
that for you. And I'm going to
take you into a land flowing
with --" what? Come on, milk and
00:25:36.77\00:25:42.44
honey?! Do you know that, for 40
long, dusty, wilderness years,
it's that thought of milk and
00:25:42.44\00:25:46.98
honey that just kept Israel
going. I'm telling you what, if
I'd had have to live those 40
00:25:46.98\00:25:51.58
years, I don't think milk and
honey would've done it. I mean,
would you be real jazzed
00:25:51.58\00:25:55.52
about milk and honey? What
are you talking about, graham
00:25:55.52\00:25:58.99
crackers? [ Laughter ] Milk
and honey. 20 times in the Old
00:25:58.99\00:26:03.93
Testament, God is keeps talking
about, "Milk and honey, milk and
honey. Oh, you can hardly wait.
00:26:03.93\00:26:07.93
Milk and honey, milk and honey."
What's milk and honey about? I
found one commentator who
00:26:07.93\00:26:12.07
said, "Well, what it's really
about is that milk and honey
were the simplest and choicest
00:26:12.07\00:26:16.24
productions of a land abounding
in grass and flowers --" which
the land of Canaan was -- "and
00:26:16.24\00:26:20.58
were found in Palestine in great
abundance." That's the big deal.
00:26:20.58\00:26:24.01
It's going to be a land just
flowing with milk and honey. In
fact, 1,000 years after the
00:26:24.01\00:26:29.18
Exodus, 1,000 years later, God
is still dangling that "milk and
00:26:29.18\00:26:33.89
honey" promise. He does it to
the young prophet Ezekiel. Watch
00:26:33.89\00:26:37.19
this. They're all in Babylon.
They're in exile. This is
Ezekiel chapter -- Oh, I
00:26:37.19\00:26:41.60
guess I changed it. This is
Ezekiel 20:6. God says, "And on
00:26:41.60\00:26:47.20
that day I swore to the children
of Israel that I would bring
them out of Egypt into a land I
00:26:47.20\00:26:52.67
had searched out for them."
There's a land that God has
picked out for you and me, too,
00:26:52.67\00:26:57.08
by the way. He has searched it
out. "A land flowing with milk
00:26:57.08\00:27:02.98
and honey." And now I want you
to notice -- only Ezekiel will
00:27:02.98\00:27:07.49
you read this line. "The
most beautiful of all lands."
00:27:07.49\00:27:10.33
I'm looking behind your masks,
and I'm realizing we have people
00:27:10.33\00:27:14.93
from Brazil. We got people of
course from the USA. We've got
people from Africa.
00:27:14.93\00:27:19.03
We've got people from Asia right
now. When God calls Israel the
00:27:19.03\00:27:23.71
most beautiful of all lands,
that was true for a Jew. That's
00:27:23.71\00:27:29.24
not true for me. ¤ America,
America ¤ God shed his grace on
thee ¤ And crown thy good with
00:27:29.24\00:27:35.32
brotherhood ¤ ¤ From sea to
shining sea For me, the most
00:27:35.32\00:27:39.52
beautiful of all lands is my
homeland. But it's your
homeland, too. But the fact of
00:27:39.52\00:27:44.39
the matter is, whether it's your
homeland or mine, we can be
sitting in the middle of our
00:27:44.39\00:27:49.46
homeland and be homesick for
somewhere else. "I have planted
eternity in your hearts."
00:27:49.46\00:27:56.10
Wow. He's placed
eternity down deep, right now.
00:27:56.10\00:28:06.08
I got to read that again. Come
on. Hebrew 11. The ancients.
00:28:06.08\00:28:10.62
This is the deal behind this
passage here. "All these people
00:28:10.62\00:28:14.02
were still living by faith when
they died." They were homesick,
and they were at home, but they
00:28:14.02\00:28:18.16
were homesick for somewhere
else. "They did not receive the
00:28:18.16\00:28:21.56
things promised." No, they
didn't. "They only saw them and
welcomed them from a distance,
00:28:21.56\00:28:25.40
admitting that they were
foreigners, pilgrims, strangers
on earth. People who say such
00:28:25.40\00:28:29.60
things show that they are
looking for a country of their
own." That's what they're
00:28:29.60\00:28:33.41
saying. "If they had been
thinking of the country they had
left," they would have gone
00:28:33.41\00:28:37.48
back. But they didn't go back.
Why? "They were looking for a
better country -- a heavenly
00:28:37.48\00:28:43.69
one. Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God,
for He has prepared --" that's
00:28:43.69\00:28:50.39
the key word right there. "He
has prepared a city for them."
00:28:50.39\00:28:54.03
Less than 24 hours from now, He
will be dead and buried, but
before He dies, He speaks words
00:28:54.03\00:29:02.24
that'll become the favorite
words of Christians throughout
the generations of two millennia
00:29:02.24\00:29:10.31
who have returned to these words
again and again, and I want to
return to them with you right
00:29:10.31\00:29:15.28
now. John chapter 14.
Let's read it out loud together.
00:29:15.28\00:29:18.05
"Let not your heart be
troubled..." Come on, keep
00:29:18.72\00:29:22.26
reading. "In My Father's house
are many mansions. If it were
not so, I would have
00:29:22.26\00:29:26.90
told you. I go to prepare a
place for you. And if I go and
00:29:26.90\00:29:31.40
prepare --" There's that word,
"Prepare, prepare, prepare." And
if I go and prepare a place
00:29:31.40\00:29:36.44
for you, I will come again and
receive you unto Myself --" come
on, out loud -- "that where I
00:29:36.44\00:29:42.58
am, there you may be also." He
has placed eternity in our
hearts, embedded in our psyches
00:29:42.58\00:29:50.62
even if we never have heard
of John 14:1-3 for one second of
00:29:50.62\00:29:57.53
our lives. Something subliminal
like phantom pain, a phantom
hope that longs for what's not
00:29:57.53\00:30:07.57
there to be there. Wow.
There was that old gospel
00:30:07.57\00:30:13.11
song -- Did you ever hear that
gospel song, by the way? ¤ I'm
homesick for heaven
00:30:13.11\00:30:17.28
Am I the only guy that's heard
that? Have you ever heard that?
00:30:17.28\00:30:20.98
¤ I'm homesick for heaven ¤
Seems I cannot wait ¤ Yearning
00:30:20.98\00:30:27.29
to enter Zion's pearly gate ¤ ¤
There never a heartache, never a
00:30:27.29\00:30:32.03
care ¤ ¤ I long for my
home over... there. Homesick.
00:30:32.03\00:30:39.50
Jesus' promise is as good today
as the night He made it before
00:30:39.53\00:30:43.61
He died. I guess
the question that begs
00:30:43.61\00:30:46.41
to be asked is, listen, if we've
got this eternity, this longing
00:30:46.41\00:30:50.65
for another home, subconscious
and subliminal, what in the
00:30:50.65\00:30:54.52
world is that home to be?
Ohh, I got to share this with
00:30:54.52\00:30:59.69
you. Years ago, I
came across this in
00:30:59.69\00:31:01.96
Christianity Today magazine,
a piece by Harry Blamires.
00:31:01.96\00:31:06.09
He makes a point I had never
seen before, and it just clicked
00:31:06.09\00:31:09.66
with me then, and I
got to share it with you.
00:31:09.66\00:31:12.63
I dug it up. Harry Blamires
on the screen. "If only we could
00:31:12.67\00:31:17.87
have the positives of earthly
life without the negatives." Oh,
00:31:17.87\00:31:23.21
that's a thought. "But that is
precisely what heaven has to
offer -- the removal of the
00:31:23.21\00:31:29.35
negatives..." Now, watch this...
00:31:29.35\00:31:31.25
"Within the universe ruled by
time, the happiest marriage ends
00:31:44.73\00:31:51.24
in death." Bad news.
"The loveliest woman becomes a
00:31:51.24\00:31:56.08
skeleton." Bad news. "Fading and
aging, losing and failing, being
00:31:56.08\00:32:02.72
deprived and being frustrated
-- these are negative aspects of
00:32:02.72\00:32:07.62
life in time." Life in eternity
will liberate us from all loss,
from all deprivation."
00:32:07.62\00:32:14.93
Man, that clicked with me. The
only way that I can picture
heaven --" Think about this.
00:32:14.93\00:32:20.40
The only way that I can picture
heaven is if I think of the
00:32:20.40\00:32:26.07
negatives. What's not there?
What's not there? Eliminate all
00:32:26.07\00:32:34.62
those negatives, I have heaven
on earth. My. It's no wonder
00:32:34.62\00:32:42.89
these words are often read at a
funeral.] Come on, one last time
00:32:42.89\00:32:47.76
to the Apocalypse. Revelation
chapter 20. This is a bonus part
to the 10-part series we've
00:32:47.76\00:32:54.20
already finished. Chapter
21, excuse me. Chapter 21.
00:32:54.20\00:32:57.61
This is a bonus part, so now
there are 11 parts to it, but we
00:32:57.61\00:33:02.91
needed this. Revelation 21:1.
Let's just read this together. I
want you to count the
00:33:02.91\00:33:10.32
negatives. I'm gonna
tell you that there's seven.
00:33:10.32\00:33:13.69
See if this number bears
up, corroborates with your own
00:33:13.69\00:33:18.29
counting here. "Then I saw 'a
new heaven and a new earth --'"
quotation marks. This is
00:33:18.29\00:33:22.96
straight from Isaiah 65. This
has been a promise from the
beginning, the Old Testament
00:33:22.96\00:33:27.04
promise. "Then I saw 'a new
heaven and a new earth --'" This
00:33:27.04\00:33:30.97
is John. This is John boy now,
the elderly John. He's
incarcerated on this penal
00:33:30.97\00:33:35.01
outcropping in the middle of the
azure waters of the Aegean Sea.
There's water, water, water
00:33:35.01\00:33:40.05
everywhere. He's writing now.
He says, "And then I was shown.
00:33:40.05\00:33:43.69
Then I saw 'a new heaven and a
new earth,' for the first heaven
and the first earth had passed
00:33:43.69\00:33:49.02
away, and there was no
longer any --" what? Isn't that
00:33:49.02\00:33:54.36
amazing. Negative number one.
Write it down in your mind.
There's that first negative.
00:33:54.36\00:33:57.93
There is no longer any sea,
because water stands between
John and those he loves.
00:33:57.93\00:34:01.70
The closest people on earth to
him are beyond the horizon,
water as far as you can see.
00:34:01.70\00:34:08.41
No more separation in heaven. No
more anything coming between you
00:34:08.41\00:34:13.68
and me. There will be no more.
There's negative number one.
There will be no longer any sea.
00:34:13.68\00:34:17.49
Keep reading. "And I saw the
Holy City --" Remember Hebrews
00:34:17.49\00:34:20.96
11 said they're looking for
a city? Here it is. "I saw the
00:34:20.96\00:34:24.19
Holy City, the new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from
God, prepared as a bride
00:34:24.19\00:34:29.16
beautifully dressed for
her husband." Aw, that's just a
00:34:29.16\00:34:32.20
beautiful picture. Wow. "And I
heard a megale phone -- I heard
a megaphone loud voice
00:34:32.20\00:34:36.10
from the throne saying, "Look!
God's dwelling place is now
among the people, and He will
00:34:36.10\00:34:41.31
dwell with them. They will be
his people, and God Himself will
be with them and be
00:34:41.31\00:34:46.38
their God." How would you
like to wake up one morning and
00:34:46.38\00:34:50.95
realize God is living next door?
I mean, would that be something
00:34:50.95\00:34:54.86
or what? Living next door to the
Almighty. That's what it's gonna
00:34:54.86\00:34:59.76
be. Keep reading. Now here they
come. Okay, how many negatives
00:34:59.76\00:35:03.87
do we have so far? We got one,
okay. "He will wipe every tear
00:35:03.87\00:35:07.80
from their eyes." Pause button.
There's negative number two.
00:35:07.80\00:35:11.34
"No more tears." Okay, we
got two now. "He will wipe away
00:35:11.34\00:35:14.54
every tear --" hallelujah --
"from our eyes. There will be no
00:35:14.54\00:35:17.98
more death." That's number
three. "There will be no more
00:35:17.98\00:35:20.82
mourning." That's number four.
"There will be no more crying."
That's number five.
00:35:20.82\00:35:24.39
"There will be no more pain."
That's number six. "For the old
order of things has
00:35:24.39\00:35:28.36
passed away." The old
order, number seven, is gone.
00:35:28.36\00:35:32.46
Seven negatives! "He who was
seated on the throne said, 'I am
00:35:32.46\00:35:37.33
making everything new.'"
"I've got good news for you
00:35:37.33\00:35:40.47
earthlings. Everything's gonna
be new." "And then he said,
'Write this down, for these
00:35:40.47\00:35:45.64
words are trustworthy and
true.'" Can I get an amen to
that? These words are
00:35:45.64\00:35:51.81
trustworthy and true. This
COVID-19 hell that some of us
are moving through right now
00:35:51.81\00:35:57.22
will come to an end. You can
count on it. "Take this to the
00:35:57.22\00:36:02.76
bank in my name," God says. Wow.
He had to do it by negatives.
00:36:02.76\00:36:10.00
Isn't that amazing? Hey, I
want you to see if I missed any
00:36:10.00\00:36:13.60
negatives, okay? So I put a
little list together. That okay?
I'm gonna read my list to you,
00:36:13.60\00:36:17.14
the "no, no, no, no more of
this, no more of that." Here's
00:36:17.14\00:36:22.11
my list. There'll be no more
hospitals in heaven -- true or
00:36:22.11\00:36:25.81
false? Come on. In between
services, I got a text from a
friend of mine saying, "Dwight,
00:36:25.81\00:36:29.52
I'm in excruciating pain.
They're gonna have to go in.
I've got crushed disks."
00:36:29.52\00:36:37.59
No more hospitals. No more
divorce courts. No more prisons,
00:36:37.59\00:36:45.80
jails, penitentiaries. No more
food stamps. No more sleeping
00:36:45.80\00:36:51.64
bags or garbage bags for the
homeless. No more homeless, no
00:36:51.64\00:36:56.85
more friendless. No more chemo,
no more COVID. No more abuse. No
00:36:56.85\00:37:02.45
more bankruptcies. No more
anger, no more arguments, no
more fighting, no more killing,
00:37:02.45\00:37:06.79
no more robbing, no more crime,
no more hatred, lying, cheating,
losing, and sinning.
00:37:06.79\00:37:10.39
No more. None of that will be
in heaven. Did I leave anything
00:37:10.39\00:37:16.33
out? There'll be none of it,
whatever you think of. There'll
be none of that either.
00:37:16.33\00:37:19.90
It won't be there. How did
Blamires put it? Let me look
00:37:19.90\00:37:24.87
back here. How did he describe
it? He said it's the removal of
00:37:24.87\00:37:28.34
the negatives. That's what
heaven will be, the removal of
the negatives. Aw, but come on,
00:37:28.34\00:37:34.72
let's not end with the
negatives, what will not be
there. I say let's end -- Before
00:37:34.72\00:37:38.85
I sit down, let's end with the
positives, alright? We'll end
with the positives.
00:37:38.85\00:37:42.89
What will be in heaven? And
let's go to our friend Ellen
00:37:42.89\00:37:47.03
White. Hey, Ellen, would you
mind helping us out please? We
want to know what are the
00:37:47.03\00:37:50.40
positives, okay? So I got these
from her. Here are seven of
00:37:50.40\00:37:53.30
them. I'll run them by you.
Those of you that are list
takers, you Pinterest people, if
00:37:53.30\00:37:58.44
you want lists, here's a list
now -- seven positives. We know
what the seven negatives
00:37:58.44\00:38:02.28
are. Let's do the
positives. Let's go. Alright.
00:38:02.28\00:38:05.68
Positive number one. Jesus
Himself will be in heaven. Can I
get an amen to that?
00:38:05.68\00:38:10.95
I mean, come on,
folks. Here she's writing...
00:38:10.95\00:38:14.16
If Jesus is not gonna be in
heaven, do I want to go? No, I
00:38:18.93\00:38:23.20
don't want to go. Jesus bought
me. He bought my life by dying
00:38:23.20\00:38:29.80
for me forever. He thought He
was dying forever. "My God, My
God, why have you forsaken me?"
00:38:29.80\00:38:36.71
If Jesus isn't there, I'm not
going. But of course He's there.
00:38:36.71\00:38:44.72
Wow. In fact, you know what?
Speaking of negatives, the only
00:38:44.72\00:38:48.19
negatives that will never be
banished from the universe --
watch this -- the only negatives
00:38:48.19\00:38:53.13
will be when you take Jesus'
hand and right here you will see
an ugly purple scar, and you'll
00:38:53.13\00:38:58.17
see another one that matches it
here, and right here, you will
see a large scar where a Roman
00:38:58.17\00:39:04.91
lance went through. And right
here, you'll see little tiny
00:39:04.91\00:39:10.45
scars all over his forehead, and
you ought to see his back, and
you ought to see his ankles.
00:39:10.45\00:39:14.45
Those will be the only evidence
of the negatives left in the
universe, and one day, you and I
00:39:14.45\00:39:19.65
are gonna sit beside Jesus.
We'll take turns, and we'll draw
00:39:19.65\00:39:22.86
numbers. And we're gonna have
that moment, and we're gonna
hold His hand, and you know what
00:39:22.86\00:39:26.39
you're gonna do? You're gonna
burst into tears. You'll start
00:39:26.39\00:39:30.67
crying. You say, "I'm a tough
man. I don't cry." Oh, yes, you
00:39:30.67\00:39:34.37
will. When you hold the hand of
your Savior, when you hold the
hand of Jesus, you don't think
00:39:34.37\00:39:39.84
you're gonna be crying? You'll
be crying. And I'll be there,
00:39:39.84\00:39:43.95
saying, "See, I told you." [
Laughter ] Nah, Jesus will be
00:39:43.95\00:39:50.32
there, folks. Of course.
Positive number one, Jesus
Himself will be there, but watch
00:39:50.32\00:39:54.86
this -- positive number two. The
Father Himself will be there.
00:39:54.86\00:39:58.43
Ohh, same teenage girl who
grew up to write, as she did...
00:39:58.43\00:40:04.50
There are some of you here,
listen to me, who have never
deeply loved by a father in your
00:40:19.25\00:40:24.72
life, and you know it, and God
knows it, and nobody else does.
You have never been deeply loved
00:40:24.72\00:40:30.56
by a father in your life. I have
some very good news for you.
00:40:30.56\00:40:34.50
One day, you're gonna be in the
presence of your Father who has
always been your Father, whose
00:40:34.50\00:40:40.47
love is so strong it will nearly
suffocate you as He reaches out
to embrace you and you know at
00:40:40.47\00:40:46.51
last the meaning of a
father's love. I promise you.
00:40:46.51\00:40:54.35
Positive. Positive
number one, Jesus is there.
00:40:54.35\00:40:59.19
Positive number two, the Father
is there. And, oh, I love this
00:40:59.19\00:41:03.02
one. Positive number three, our
guardian angel. This place is
00:41:03.02\00:41:08.76
filled with angels right now.
They're kind of smiling. They're
enjoying this moment
00:41:08.76\00:41:12.40
with you. Your
guardian angel will be there.
00:41:12.40\00:41:15.07
Listen to this, same little
teenager growing up to become
the most published American
00:41:15.07\00:41:19.67
female author in the history
of America. Here are her words.
00:41:19.67\00:41:23.28
"Every redeemed one will
understand the ministry of
angels in --" I'm just gonna
00:41:23.28\00:41:29.68
turn these all to "you." "Every
redeemed one will understand the
00:41:29.68\00:41:33.89
ministry of angels in your own
life, the angel who was your
guardian from your earliest
00:41:33.89\00:41:39.26
moment, the angel who watched
your steps, who covered your
head in the day of peril; the
00:41:39.26\00:41:44.93
angel who was with you in the
valley of the shadow of death,
who marked your resting place,
00:41:44.93\00:41:50.54
who was the first to greet you
in the resurrection morning --"
that angel -- "what will it be
00:41:50.54\00:41:56.48
to hold conversation with that
angel and to learn the history
of divine interposition in the
00:41:56.48\00:42:02.22
individual life, of heavenly
cooperation in every work for
humanity." That angel is gonna
00:42:02.22\00:42:06.45
say, "Hey, girl, do you remember
that day, there was -- something
just went [Exhales sharply] and
00:42:06.45\00:42:15.23
you said, 'What was that?' You
remember that day? I was there.
00:42:15.23\00:42:20.80
That was a cement truck one
split second off, and you'd have
died a lot younger than you did.
00:42:20.80\00:42:31.05
That was me." "Are
you serious?" Yeah.
00:42:31.05\00:42:37.22
Can you imagine having a
conversation with your angel?
"You remember that day, girl,
00:42:37.22\00:42:43.12
boy, when you were crying your
eyes out? You didn't want any
00:42:43.12\00:42:47.03
boy to see you crying, but you
were crying your eyes out. You
were trying to connect with
00:42:47.03\00:42:51.30
the Father in heaven that you
simply could not connect with.
You were crying so hard, I was
00:42:51.30\00:42:56.17
crying with you, and I kept you
from hurting yourself. That was
00:42:56.17\00:43:04.95
me." When we hear the story
through another set of eyes and
ears and a friend, oh, man.
00:43:04.95\00:43:13.96
Positive -- What is this,
positive number three? Come on,
is there another one?
00:43:13.96\00:43:18.93
Yep, positive number four. God's
friends through all history are
00:43:18.93\00:43:23.90
gonna be there. Oh, this is
good. This is the same writer...
00:43:23.90\00:43:28.40
"...the harmonious social life
in heaven with the blessed
angels and --" now, keep
00:43:33.94\00:43:38.61
reading -- "and with the
faithful ones of all ages who
have washed their robes and made
00:43:38.61\00:43:43.72
them white in the blood of the
Lamb, the sacred ties that bind
together the whole family in
00:43:43.72\00:43:49.12
heaven and earth." What will it
be? These help to constitute the
00:43:49.12\00:43:53.93
happiness --" We're not gonna be
in heaven all alone. We're gonna
00:43:53.93\00:43:59.00
be together. And with every
friend God has ever had in the
history of the human race, we're
00:43:59.00\00:44:02.90
gonna be together. So, who do
you want to talk to when you get
00:44:02.90\00:44:05.87
to heaven? Come on, tell me. Who
do you want to talk to when you
00:44:05.87\00:44:09.01
get to heaven? Ah, you want to
see your mother because you
didn't get a chance to say
00:44:09.01\00:44:13.15
goodbye to your mother. Of
course, of course. Who else?
Outside of your immediate
00:44:13.15\00:44:19.89
family, who else? Some of you
had to write a term paper on the
Book of Romans for that religion
00:44:19.89\00:44:25.19
class you had to take. You have
a big question for Paul -- "Why
00:44:25.19\00:44:28.76
were you so confused when
you wrote the book?" Please be
00:44:28.76\00:44:32.40
polite to him. He is the author,
and he'll explain it. Can you
imagine sitting down
00:44:32.40\00:44:36.50
with Paul? Maybe it's Moses.
You were always fascinated with
00:44:36.50\00:44:40.21
law, and so you wanted to sit
down with a real lawgiver and
find out how that mind, that
00:44:40.21\00:44:45.31
brilliant mind worked. Maybe
you want to sit down with Martin
00:44:45.31\00:44:48.48
Luther? What's wrong with
sitting down with Martin Luther?
Will Martin Luther be in heaven?
00:44:48.48\00:44:51.65
Are you kidding? How about
William Miller? "Hey, William,
00:44:51.65\00:44:55.19
what was it like preaching the
end of the world, 'Jesus is
coming soon,' and then have the
00:44:55.19\00:45:00.90
whole community laugh you to
shame? What do that feel like?
00:45:00.90\00:45:05.83
Tell me a story. We had to go
through something down here
after you that I'll tell you
00:45:05.83\00:45:10.47
about after you're through
telling me." You'll sit down and
talk with somebody.
00:45:10.47\00:45:16.58
Can you imagine? Is that a
positive? Are you k-- Of course
00:45:16.58\00:45:20.15
it is. What is this? Number
five. Positive number five.
Heaven will be there.
00:45:20.15\00:45:23.92
"Come on, Dwight. You're playing
games now." No, no, seriously.
00:45:23.92\00:45:27.36
Have you thought about
what heaven is? Read this...
00:45:27.36\00:45:31.36
She writes...
00:45:38.77\00:45:40.20
Now, this gets even better.
Watch this. One more line.
00:45:55.15\00:45:59.95
"If we could have but one view
of the celestial city --" So
let's say that I said, "Hey,
00:45:59.95\00:46:03.96
listen. I'm gonna give
you five minutes in heaven.
00:46:03.96\00:46:06.43
Five minutes. Just look at
everything you can, and then you
00:46:06.43\00:46:09.83
have to leave." Listen, "If we
could have but one view of the
celestial city, we would never
00:46:09.83\00:46:15.37
wish to dwell on earth again." I
might as well tell you that the
author of those words, on
00:46:15.37\00:46:23.11
occasion, would say, "I don't
want to go back. Let me stay.
00:46:23.11\00:46:28.88
Please, just let me stay." To
us, this is a glorious Sabbath.
00:46:28.88\00:46:34.96
The stained glass windows are
bright with the light of heaven.
Do you know how dim this is in
00:46:34.96\00:46:42.93
the real place? Wow. [
Chuckles ] Positive number
00:46:42.93\00:46:47.00
six. Advanced learning -- Oh,
you didn't think a university
00:46:47.00\00:46:50.61
community could get by without
this one? Positive number six,
00:46:50.61\00:46:54.71
advanced learning will be in
heaven. Is that good news or
what? 'Course it is.
00:46:54.71\00:46:58.78
Don't shake your head.
It's good news. [ Laughter ]
00:46:58.78\00:47:02.28
"There --" Hey, this is
really cool. This is cool.
00:47:02.28\00:47:05.85
"There --" speaking of heaven --
"when the veil that darkens our
vision shall be removed, and our
00:47:05.85\00:47:12.13
eyes shall behold the world of
beauty of which we now catch
glimpses through the
00:47:12.13\00:47:16.83
microscope." Do you know
what's gonna happen in heaven?
00:47:16.83\00:47:18.97
You're gonna pick a flower, and
you're gonna go like this. [
Exhaling sharply, hissing ]
00:47:18.97\00:47:25.54
You go straight into the heart
of that flower. What took a
00:47:25.54\00:47:30.28
microscope before, you'll do it
with your own eyes. Do you
understand what heaven's gonna
00:47:30.28\00:47:35.12
be like? And let's flip it
around, because she does. Here's
00:47:35.12\00:47:38.72
the next line. "When we look on
the glories of the heavens --" I
went out walking early yesterday
00:47:38.72\00:47:43.53
morning. I mean, Orion, the
whole heavens were just ablaze
with glory. When we look on the
00:47:43.53\00:47:50.30
glories of the heavens, the
stars, now scanned afar through
00:47:50.30\00:47:54.77
a telescope..." Can you imagine
that? [ Exhaling sharply,
hissing ] I mean, they do it on
00:47:54.77\00:48:00.94
sci-fi. Can't God do it?
Probably doesn't have the sound
00:48:00.94\00:48:04.48
effects. [ Laughter ] You
say, "I want to see Pleiades."
00:48:04.48\00:48:07.75
[ Exhaling sharply ] "Wow. The
Seven Sisters. Come on, guys.
00:48:07.75\00:48:15.36
You know what we've been
thinking about heaven? "I'm
sitting on this little
00:48:15.36\00:48:19.33
cloud and playing a 10-string
harp. I'm so sick and tired of
00:48:19.33\00:48:22.93
sitting on that cloud,
playing that harp. I'm ready for
00:48:22.93\00:48:26.17
anything." Heaven is not that.
Heaven is a real place. God has
imbedded a longing for
00:48:26.17\00:48:30.91
heaven in your heart so that,
one day, you're gonna walk
through that door and say, "This
00:48:30.91\00:48:36.88
was the home. This was
the home I was looking for."
00:48:36.88\00:48:41.88
Oh, my. But there's one more.
There were seven negatives.
Here's the seventh positive.
00:48:41.88\00:48:48.96
Positive number seven -- Ooh,
there's more on six. "When the
00:48:48.96\00:48:54.00
blight of sin is removed, the
whole earth shall appear in the
beauty of the Lord our God.
00:48:54.00\00:48:57.80
What a field will be open to our
study!" Do you understand that,
00:48:57.80\00:49:02.07
when the effects of sin are
erased from the biology lab, you
have even more wonder?
00:49:02.07\00:49:07.91
Sin has done a number
on all of us. One more.
00:49:07.91\00:49:14.12
All the treasures of the
universe will be open to the
study of God's redeemed."
00:49:14.12\00:49:18.42
This is this advanced learning
business. "Unfettered by
00:49:18.42\00:49:22.26
mortality --" listen, we can
live forever -- we will wing our
tireless flights to worlds
00:49:22.26\00:49:28.80
afar." You're gonna explore the
whole universe! Don't you tell
00:49:28.80\00:49:34.04
me, "Oh, what a drag. I got
to go to heaven now." Never.
00:49:34.04\00:49:37.37
Alright, positive number seven.
The people we witness to will be
00:49:37.37\00:49:43.78
there, as well. The way you've
been living across the hall from
that kid, he's been watching you
00:49:43.78\00:49:49.22
like a hawk. He's picking up a
lot about Jesus just by watching
00:49:49.22\00:49:53.25
you. The way you've been working
with that girl at the reception
desk every time you come into
00:49:53.25\00:49:59.09
your office.
00:49:59.09\00:50:00.66
You're there, you drop a
little word of grace into her
00:50:00.70\00:50:06.27
consciousness. One
day, God is gonna reap what
00:50:06.27\00:50:11.21
you sowed. Can you
imagine what heaven's
00:50:11.21\00:50:14.61
going to be like when you
begin to meet these people?
00:50:14.61\00:50:18.35
Watch this, "Great Controversy,"
the last quote from the
00:50:18.35\00:50:21.55
apocalyptic classic. "The
redeemed will be sharers in
00:50:21.55\00:50:24.59
His joy --" Jesus' joy -- "as
they behold, among the blessed,
00:50:24.59\00:50:28.02
those who had been won to Christ
through their prayers, through
00:50:28.02\00:50:31.13
their labors, and
their loving sacrifice..."
00:50:31.13\00:50:33.40
Are you praying for
some lost person today?
00:50:33.40\00:50:35.60
Good for you. Don't stop.
00:50:35.60\00:50:38.27
One day, when that lost person
says, "Hey, my guardian angel
tells me you're the one that you
00:50:38.30\00:50:43.64
prayed me into this place -- I
want to tell you how thankful I
am that you didn't quit," do
00:50:43.64\00:50:49.54
you know what kind of payoff
that will be? You can't buy it.
00:50:49.54\00:50:56.85
Wow. "Gladness unspeakable will
fill your heart when you behold
00:50:56.85\00:51:03.96
those whom you have won for
Christ and you see that that one
has gained others and these
00:51:03.96\00:51:10.57
still others, all brought into
the haven of rest, there to lay
their crowns at Jesus' feet and
00:51:10.57\00:51:17.11
to praise Him through the
endless cycles of eternity." One
became two became four.
00:51:17.11\00:51:21.71
You didn't know this. You just
did that one. That's all God
00:51:21.71\00:51:26.21
asked of you, but He knew
[Exhales deeply] all of them
will be there because of you.
00:51:26.21\00:51:32.39
Don't quit praying. Don't
quit living out Jesus' love.
00:51:32.39\00:51:36.56
You're getting on a plane to go
home? Live it to the people on
00:51:36.56\00:51:41.50
that plane. Don't take for
granted that everybody in that
00:51:41.50\00:51:45.80
dormitory is destined for
heaven. You keep living Jesus to
the neighbors you have.
00:51:45.80\00:51:52.47
Wow. "He has placed
eternity in our hearts."
00:51:52.47\00:51:56.24
That's it, ladies and gentlemen.
And on the eve of another
Thanksgiving, this one darkened
00:51:56.24\00:52:05.55
and gloomier than the
Thanksgivings past, we need to
still live with hope, hope that
00:52:05.55\00:52:13.43
this, too, shall pass, hope that
Christ shall come soon, hope
that our destiny and our
00:52:13.43\00:52:19.73
destination one day soon will
be heaven. Hope, hope, hope.
00:52:19.73\00:52:24.97
And then the homecoming? Oh, my.
Oh, my. I want to end with this.
00:52:24.97\00:52:32.85
Henry Gariepy in his book, "100
Portraits of Christ," tells
about Theodore Roosevelt.
00:52:32.85\00:52:38.35
You remember Theodore Roosevelt
the former president? He was a
00:52:38.35\00:52:43.22
big hunter. He goes on a safari
to the continent of Africa --
big hunting safari.
00:52:43.22\00:52:47.83
It's a great success. When he
comes back to his ship, mission
00:52:47.83\00:52:53.87
accomplished. The crowds are
there in that African port to
cheer him on as he ascends the
00:52:53.87\00:52:59.07
gangplank, cheering on the
former president of the United
States of America. He steps onto
00:52:59.07\00:53:04.55
that boat. Every preparation has
been made for him. There is a
00:53:04.55\00:53:08.78
suite above all suites that he
will occupy. He has stewards
serving him hand and foot, night
00:53:08.78\00:53:15.69
and day. He is the center of
life on that transoceanic
voyage. Also boarding that ship
00:53:15.69\00:53:23.77
much later was another
passenger. He is an old
missionary going home from
00:53:23.77\00:53:35.68
Africa. His wife is dead. His
children are gone. There's
nobody to welcome him on
00:53:35.68\00:53:44.09
board. He makes that voyage all
alone until that sailing vessel
00:53:44.09\00:53:49.99
lands in San Francisco, where
the story is repeated again
because the former president
00:53:49.99\00:53:56.97
will now descend the gangplank,
basking glory as the bells ring
and the whistles sound and the
00:53:56.97\00:54:04.74
crowds gather to cheer the
former president who has
returned. And when all the
00:54:04.74\00:54:12.95
commotion is over, there's a
little old man with a duffel bag
that descends the now-empty
00:54:12.95\00:54:21.42
gangplank. He finds a hotel in
that city, and in that little
room that night, he kneels down
00:54:21.42\00:54:29.40
beside his bed, and he prays.
"Lord, I'm not complaining. I'm
not complaining, but I
00:54:29.40\00:54:40.14
just -- I just don't understand
it at all. I gave my life for
00:54:40.14\00:54:48.28
You in Africa. And I just
-- I don't understand it."
00:54:48.28\00:54:54.76
And then in the darkness, it was
as if God reached down from
heaven with His warm hand upon
00:54:54.76\00:55:03.33
the wrinkled shoulder of that
missionary, and God whispered,
"Missionary, you're not home
00:55:03.33\00:55:12.07
yet. You're not home
yet." When you gather with your
00:55:12.07\00:55:20.25
whomever -- maybe it's just you
at a little table this
Thanksgiving or you will be with
00:55:20.25\00:55:27.69
a few others. Would you remind
them for us we are not home yet?
00:55:27.69\00:55:37.17
And, oh, my, there is a
homecoming being planned -- I
tell you what, there ain't ever
00:55:37.17\00:55:42.94
gonna be a welcome-home party
like the one they're gonna throw
when you walk through that gate.
00:55:42.94\00:55:50.08
We are not home yet! Pass the
word, and pray the prayer, even
00:55:50.08\00:56:01.82
so, "Come, Lord
Jesus. Amen." Let's pray.
00:56:01.82\00:56:06.93
Oh, God, You have placed
eternity in our hearts, but
we're not home yet.
00:56:06.93\00:56:14.14
We get it. So, please,
don't let hope be snuffed out.
00:56:14.14\00:56:19.74
Keep eternity flickering
brightly in our hearts. And may
Jesus, who promised to
00:56:19.74\00:56:28.08
return, come soon, so that where
He is, we may be also -- all of
us, all of us right here right
00:56:28.08\00:56:38.83
now, all of us going home
together with Jesus. Amen.
00:56:38.83\00:56:50.04
>> Thank you for taking the time
to join us in worship today,
00:56:52.91\00:56:56.01
I'd like to spend
another moment with you here
00:56:56.01\00:56:57.68
at the end of our
program to share a word of hope.
00:56:57.68\00:56:59.78
In fact, that's what
this little book is all about.
00:56:59.78\00:57:02.02
In these uncertain times -- and
let's face it, they're uncertain
00:57:02.02\00:57:04.82
all over this planet -- this
book entitled "The Great Hope"
00:57:04.82\00:57:08.22
will help you understand
not just what God has planned
00:57:08.22\00:57:10.36
for your future but for
the future of the entire
00:57:10.36\00:57:12.76
human race. Light keeps shining
00:57:12.76\00:57:15.06
on this dark old world,
and new truths long forgotten
00:57:15.06\00:57:17.93
are being
constantly rediscovered.
00:57:17.93\00:57:20.17
If you need a fresh dose of
hope for your life these days
00:57:20.17\00:57:22.77
or you know somebody
else who could sure use
00:57:22.77\00:57:25.11
that gift of hope,
then I'd like to invite you
00:57:25.11\00:57:27.04
to grab your phone.
Dial our toll-free number,
00:57:27.04\00:57:29.08
877, the two words "His
will" -- 877-HIS-WILL --
00:57:29.08\00:57:33.85
And at no charge to you,
We'll get a copy in the mail
00:57:33.85\00:57:36.58
to you right away.
Till the next time we meet,
00:57:36.58\00:57:39.59
may the peace and
hope of the Lord Jesus
00:57:39.59\00:57:42.42
be with you 24/7.
00:57:42.42\00:57:44.43
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:47.96\00:58:06.25
¤¤
00:58:06.25\00:58:13.99