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>> Happy Sabbath,
church. Happy Sabbath.
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I hope you're having
a great morning today.
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I'm gonna invite you to stand
with us as we praise God today.
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¤¤ >> Amen!
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[ Cheers and applause ]
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[ Piano plays ] ¤¤
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>> ¤ Take my life, Lord,
send me ¤ ¤ Let me do Your will
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¤ Give me strength and sight
and skill ¤ ¤ Your purpose to
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fulfill ¤ Take my life, Lord,
send me ¤ Use me for Your good ¤
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Re-create my heart ¤ Turn aside
my doubt ¤ And send me ¤ Send
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me, O Lord ¤¤ ¤¤ ¤
Some will seek after riches
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¤ Some require fame ¤ Some
refuse to live their lives in
praise of Jesus' name ¤
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¤ Gold is not forever ¤ Fame
soon ebbs away ¤ So for me, I
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choose to serve and love the
Lord ¤ ¤ And His commands obey ¤
Take my life, Lord, send me
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¤ Let me do Your will ¤ Give me
strength and sight and skill ¤
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¤ Your purpose to fulfill ¤ Take
my life, Lord, send me ¤ Use me
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for Your good ¤ Re-create my
heart ¤ Turn aside my doubt ¤
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And send me ¤ Send me ¤
Send me ¤ Send me, O Lord
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>> Amen.
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>> For I resolved to know
nothing while I was with you
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except Jesus
Christ and Him crucified.
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¤¤
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>> "For Christ did not send
me to baptize, but to preach the
00:19:29.20\00:19:33.37
gospel -- not with wisdom
and eloquence, lest the cross of
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Christ be emptied of its power.
For the message of the cross is
00:19:38.14\00:19:43.68
foolishness to those who
are perishing, but to us who are
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being saved it is
the power of God."
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O God. Unleash the power of our
Lord Jesus Christ at the cross,
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today, right now,
please. We humbly pray. Amen.
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I heard someone make a point
once, and I've never been able
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to forget it. And I'm hoping
that you won't be, either,
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because I believe the point is
right. The late John R.W. Stott
once observed this prescient
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piece of advice. Never forget
the other person's conscience is
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on your side. When you're
wanting to share Jesus with
somebody, never forget.
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Let me put that on the screen
because I need you to just brood
over this for a moment or two.
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Never forget the other person's
conscience is already on your
00:20:53.31\00:21:00.79
side. What's he talking about?
He's saying, when you're wanting
to share Jesus with somebody --
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could be a buddy of yours, a
colleague at work, a neighbor,
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doesn't matter. Somebody who
doesn't believe in God. "Ohh, no
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God. There is no Christ. There
is no fate. There's nothing
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metaphysical at all." When
you're dealing with somebody
00:21:19.11\00:21:23.78
like that, always remember that
person has a conscience that is
already tilted to God.
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You say, "Can you prove it?"
I can. Garden of Eden -- God's
00:21:32.62\00:21:37.96
standing there with Lucifer, the
serpent. By the way, that was a
creepy children's story.
00:21:37.96\00:21:43.10
I mean... [ Laughter ] I
saw it first service and I
00:21:43.10\00:21:46.90
leaned over to Pastor Lindsey
and I said, "The snake is gonna
crawl out of that bag,
00:21:46.90\00:21:50.41
you watch!" It's a powerful
story. Thank you, Phil and Ms.
00:21:50.41\00:21:56.91
Newkirk. So, God's standing in
the Garden of Eden and he has
Lucifer the fallen rebel; he has
00:21:56.91\00:22:01.55
the two fallen now, Adam and
Eve, parents of the human race.
And he speaks words you have
00:22:01.55\00:22:06.12
heard before. The words go like
this. "I am gonna place enmity
00:22:06.12\00:22:13.29
between you, snake -- between
you and the offspring, the
children of this woman.
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In other words, they may be --
they will be born with an
internal tilt towards Me,
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because if they aren't, you'll
kill them all. I know you.
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In that conscience, I will embed
within their minds, I'm gonna
shine my light upon it.
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They don't have to accept it.
They will know it, though. And
if they follow that light,
00:22:44.63\00:22:50.60
it will lead them to Me." Never
forget the other man's
conscience, the other woman's
00:22:50.60\00:22:57.21
conscience is always on your
side. So, here I would agree
00:22:57.21\00:23:03.45
with Gregory Boyd. Thought
he makes a great point here.
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"Our insatiable hunger for a
depth of Life" -- and by the
way, this is capital-L "Life."
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This is life at its max. This is
Maslow's top of the pyramid of
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human needs, self-actualization.
When I become -- This is my
dream, to become everything I've
00:23:21.26\00:23:25.13
been destined to become. You
have it, I have it. "Our
insatiable hunger for a
00:23:25.13\00:23:30.54
depth of Life that only God can
give is a sort of built-in
'homing device' intended to lead
00:23:30.54\00:23:38.78
us to Him." Have you
ever heard of homing pigeons?
00:23:38.78\00:23:42.78
Of course you have. Amazing
creatures. Do you know that they
00:23:42.78\00:23:48.12
can take a homing pigeon -- get
this -- 1,100 miles away from
its roost, they'll throw it in
00:23:48.12\00:23:56.30
the air, flap flap flap flap
flap, 60 miles an hour, it will
return to its roost.
00:23:56.30\00:24:02.20
Scientists are calling it the
magnetoreception. Inside, they
00:24:02.20\00:24:08.38
can sense a magnetic field.
That's what Boyd's talking
00:24:08.38\00:24:13.68
about. "Our insatiable hunger
for a depth of Life that only
God can give is a sort of
00:24:13.68\00:24:18.95
built-in 'homing device'
intended to lead us to Him. The
Trinity is our home" --
00:24:18.95\00:24:23.76
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit --
"And we are never fully
satisfied or at peace until we
00:24:23.76\00:24:30.30
rest in Him." Wow!
Every human being comes into
00:24:30.30\00:24:36.77
this life hankering, hungering
for the capital-L Life. It's
been embedded in us.
00:24:36.77\00:24:44.45
Somebody once said that we are
all born with a God-shaped
vacuum in our hearts.
00:24:44.45\00:24:51.22
My little granddaughter -- I
haven't talked about her in a
00:24:51.22\00:24:53.62
while. My little granddaughter
was born 2 1/2 weeks ago. She's
00:24:53.62\00:24:56.46
doing fine. Thanks for asking.
Do you know that when little
Lily Elizabeth was born, she was
00:24:56.46\00:25:01.60
born with a God-shaped vacuum
inside her heart. We all are.
00:25:01.60\00:25:06.94
In fact, the ancient church
father Augustine, or Augustin as
some are saying now -- these are
00:25:06.94\00:25:11.94
his words. "Our hearts are
restless 'til they find rest in
00:25:11.94\00:25:18.61
You," O God. We are born with
that homing device. We have this
00:25:18.61\00:25:26.92
insatiable hunger and thirst for
what only God can give. "I'll
put enmity between you and
00:25:26.92\00:25:34.56
her kids." Never forget
the other woman's conscience is
00:25:34.56\00:25:43.07
always already on your side. And
that is precisely what the
brilliant, young, intellectual
00:25:43.07\00:25:51.75
rabbi, Jew, named Saul
discovered. This young hater of
00:25:51.75\00:26:00.49
Jesus of Nazareth who has vowed
to crush, kill it, strangle it
in the cradle, this infant
00:26:00.49\00:26:08.13
movement following this Jesus
of Nazareth. This young rabbi
00:26:08.13\00:26:15.74
personally ordering the
execution of men, women, and
children to stamp out
00:26:15.74\00:26:22.81
Christianity. Until that fateful
day on the Damascus road, and
we've already lived that moment,
00:26:22.81\00:26:27.62
haven't we? When in an explosion
of blinding light, the risen
living Christ appears to him --
00:26:27.62\00:26:33.86
and Paul in one of his
testimonies, twice he tells this
story. Once it's told
00:26:33.86\00:26:37.86
historically. In one of those
tellings, he said, "I cried out,
"What do you want, Lord?'"
00:26:37.86\00:26:48.94
You know, I have a feeling that
that awful -- I'm talking about
the awful moment when Paul stood
00:26:48.94\00:26:54.28
there -- Saul, the young
Saul. He had orchestrated this
00:26:54.28\00:26:58.55
execution. As he stands there
watching, also a young,
intellectual, brilliant mind who
00:26:58.55\00:27:04.59
believes Jesus of Nazareth is
the Messiah, a guy named Stephen
-- as he watches Stephen expire
00:27:04.59\00:27:10.23
in front of his eyes. That awful
moment -- I predict, because of
the inner tilt toward
00:27:10.23\00:27:15.53
Jesus Christ, that awful moment
never left him. It haunted him.
00:27:15.53\00:27:21.94
And the more zeal he exercises
to stamp this movement out, the
stronger grows the gnawing
00:27:21.94\00:27:27.81
suspicion -- "Maybe Stephen was
right and I killed an innocent
man, and people are dead."
00:27:27.81\00:27:41.32
Such is the nature of this
homing device conscience that is
divinely tilted toward the truth
00:27:41.32\00:27:47.66
as it is in Jesus Christ. What
is the truth as it is in Jesus
00:27:47.66\00:27:51.53
Christ? Open your Bible with me
now to where I read just a
moment ago, 1 Corinthians.
00:27:51.53\00:27:55.60
Find 1 Corinthians in your
Bible. You've got your Bible
00:27:55.60\00:27:58.77
with you, and I'm glad you
do. You have a device that has 1
00:27:58.77\00:28:03.04
Corinthians on it, and I'm glad
you do. 1 Corinthians chapter 1.
I'm gonna begin in verse 17.
00:28:03.04\00:28:09.05
I'm in the New International
Version, alright? Paul is
writing here to that
00:28:09.05\00:28:14.22
church planted by this intrepid
warrior in this pagan citadel
00:28:14.22\00:28:20.73
called Corinth. He's writing
to the believers there. Alright,
00:28:20.73\00:28:23.70
verse 17. "For Christ did not
send me to baptize, but to
preach the gospel -- not with
00:28:23.70\00:28:30.97
wisdom and eloquence, lest the
cross of Christ be emptied of
its power. For the message of
00:28:30.97\00:28:35.64
the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing, but to
us who are being saved it is the
00:28:35.64\00:28:41.48
power of God." Drop down now to
verse 22. "Jews demand signs and
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Greeks look for wisdom, but we
preach Christ crucified: a
stumbling block to Jews and
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foolishness to Gentiles, but to
those whom God has called, both
Jews and Greeks, Christ the
00:28:55.40\00:29:01.04
power of God and the wisdom of
God." How bizarre, how
scandalous was this message of a
00:29:01.04\00:29:10.11
crucified Messiah King. N.T.
Wright himself, a very bright
00:29:10.11\00:29:18.69
mind, in his book "Paul: A
Biography," these are his words.
He says, "Let's talk about the
00:29:18.69\00:29:23.02
Jews first."
00:29:23.02\00:29:24.29
Our hoped-for King and Messiah
ends up on a Roman cross? You
are out of your mind, sir!
00:29:49.68\00:29:59.13
It isn't much better in the
Evangelical world in America
00:29:59.13\00:30:04.23
today. At least here in America.
So confused have Evangelicals
become in having to choose
00:30:04.23\00:30:09.34
between Caesar and Christ, that
the Faustian bargain to have the
best of politics and
00:30:09.34\00:30:15.41
the best of religion has ended
up with some kind of gross
hybrid of theology and ethics.
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Do you know what Paul
discovered? Listen carefully,
00:30:21.88\00:30:26.45
because it will become true
again here. Paul discovered that
the most vociferous and
00:30:26.45\00:30:33.46
dangerous opposition that came
to him were from the people of
00:30:33.46\00:30:39.60
his own faith. Want you to
remember that. The people of
your own faith can end up being
00:30:39.60\00:30:50.11
your most violent opposition.
Ohh. So, that's how it is with
00:30:50.11\00:30:55.78
the Jews with this message.
I wonder how it is with the
00:30:55.78\00:30:58.59
non-Jews. "As for the non-Jewish
world -- well, the suggestion
that a Jew might be the new
00:30:58.59\00:31:04.83
'Lord' over all other Lords was
bad enough, but a crucified
man?" You gotta be kidding me!
00:31:04.83\00:31:09.76
"Everybody knew that was the
most shameful and horrible death
00:31:09.76\00:31:13.27
imaginable. How could such a
person be hailed as Kyrios?"
That's the Greek title for Lord.
00:31:13.27\00:31:18.27
"And if the answer was (as it
would be for Paul) that God had
raised this man from the dead,
00:31:18.27\00:31:23.75
that would merely convince his
hearers that he was indeed out
00:31:23.75\00:31:28.32
of his mind. (A Roman governor
would accuse him of that later
on, but Paul must have been
00:31:28.32\00:31:32.52
quite used to people saying
it)." End quote. How did Paul
put it here in this
00:31:32.52\00:31:41.30
letter to the infant church
in Corinth? Our message of the
00:31:41.30\00:31:46.03
cross? Ah, it's "a stumbling
block to Jews and it's
foolishness to Gentiles."
00:31:46.03\00:31:51.67
So, what kept Paul going?
00:31:51.67\00:31:53.58
Here's what kept
him going. Listen.
00:31:53.61\00:31:56.21
His belief that the conscience
of the other man was on his
00:31:56.21\00:32:01.72
side. That's what fueled him --
00:32:01.72\00:32:05.72
his belief that deep within the
human heart, there was a longing
00:32:05.72\00:32:08.72
for something, for someone to
make sense out of this world of
00:32:08.72\00:32:11.63
lunacy, someone or something to
deliver us from the dark, bleak
00:32:11.63\00:32:16.40
future of
annihilation or nonexistence.
00:32:16.40\00:32:19.43
There is something in
the human breast that refuses
00:32:19.43\00:32:27.44
to reject the notion.
00:32:27.44\00:32:30.45
And that's why Paul kept playing
to this homing device, the other
person's conscience that was on
00:32:30.48\00:32:35.75
his side, deep in the heart
of the listener. Whether, by the
00:32:35.75\00:32:41.09
way, he's addressing a crowd --
oh, he'll do it in a crowd. I
want you to watch this.
00:32:41.09\00:32:45.93
He's in Athens, the citadel of
the intelligentsia of the Roman
00:32:45.93\00:32:50.43
Empire. And they heard him and
they say, "Yo, yo, you,
stranger, you stand up here in
00:32:50.43\00:32:54.77
front of us -- we're gonna check
you out." And so Paul -- watch
this. This is Acts 17:23.
00:32:54.77\00:33:01.18
He's talking now to this
highfalutin group. "For as I
walked around [your
00:33:01.18\00:33:07.68
city] and I looked carefully at
your objects of worship -- I
even found an altar with this
00:33:07.68\00:33:14.52
inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD."
Bingo! There is something deep
00:33:14.52\00:33:23.00
inside these intellectuals that
Paul immediately harnesses. Aha!
00:33:23.00\00:33:26.87
You're not quite sure, are you,
what to believe, hoping against
hope that you might satisfy your
00:33:26.87\00:33:33.51
deepest longing that heretofore
has remained unfulfilled, and so
you have an unknown God.
00:33:33.51\00:33:39.61
Well, I am here to tell you who
that God is. He's playing to the
00:33:39.61\00:33:44.62
homing device in the most
brilliant minds in the Roman
00:33:44.62\00:33:51.63
Empire. Beautiful. Smart. Yeah.
The other man's conscience,
00:33:51.63\00:33:59.10
Paul knew, was on his side.
And by the way, it can be even a
00:33:59.10\00:34:04.01
one-on-one. Watch what he does
in his defense before King
Agrippa -- half Jew King
00:34:04.01\00:34:08.58
Agrippa. First he tells his
testimony. And by the way, when
you're wanting to share Jesus
00:34:08.58\00:34:12.11
with people, start with your
testimony. People love a story.
00:34:12.11\00:34:14.95
Tell them what's happened to you
and the difference it makes in
00:34:14.95\00:34:19.95
your life. Paul has told the
story, and now here in Acts 26,
he's talking to the King.
00:34:19.95\00:34:25.26
"But God has helped me to this
very day; so I stand here and
testify to small and great
00:34:25.26\00:34:30.10
alike. I am saying nothing
beyond what the prophets and
00:34:30.10\00:34:34.14
Moses said would happen -- that
the Messiah would suffer and, as
the first to rise from the dead,
00:34:34.14\00:34:40.14
would bring the message of light
to his own people and to the
00:34:40.14\00:34:44.41
Gentiles. At this point" -- the
Roman governor -- "Festus
interrupted Paul's defense.
00:34:44.41\00:34:48.32
'You are out of your mind,
Paul!' he shouted. 'Your great
learning is driving
00:34:48.32\00:34:53.49
you insane.'" I love
this exchange. Excuse me!
00:34:53.49\00:35:00.06
"'I am not insane, most
excellent Festus,' Paul replied.
'What I am saying is true and
00:35:00.06\00:35:05.70
reasonable. The king is familiar
with these things'" -- we're
00:35:05.70\00:35:10.07
going for the homing device now.
"'The king is familiar with
these things, and I can speak
00:35:10.07\00:35:15.98
freely to him. I'm convinced
that none of this has escaped
his notice, because
00:35:15.98\00:35:20.42
it was not done in a corner.
King Agrippa, do you believe the
00:35:20.42\00:35:24.45
prophets?'" Don't wait for an
answer. "'I know you do.' The
Agrippa said to Paul, 'Do
00:35:24.45\00:35:31.83
you think that in such a short
time you can persuade me to be a
00:35:31.83\00:35:38.40
Christian?'" Ding! He's hit
the homing device. It's working.
00:35:38.40\00:35:45.74
"Paul replied, 'Short time or
long -- I pray to God that not
only you but all who are
00:35:45.74\00:35:52.45
listening to me today may become
what I am, except for these
00:35:52.45\00:35:59.12
chains.'" My! Paul knows
the other man's conscience is
00:35:59.12\00:36:05.96
already on his side. And Paul
also knows the great truth of
Oswald Chambers' single
00:36:05.96\00:36:13.84
line --
00:36:13.84\00:36:15.57
There is only one being in the
universe who can satisfy the
aching in the abyss of your mind
00:36:27.52\00:36:34.92
and your heart and your spirit.
And that is the Lord Jesus
00:36:34.92\00:36:44.73
Christ. For that reason, when
Paul came trudging into Corinth
for the first time, his strategy
00:36:44.73\00:36:51.87
to reach that pagan bastion of
immorality was very clear. It
had worked with the Athenian
00:36:51.87\00:37:02.28
intellectuals. It had taken hold
in Corinth. And Paul determines,
00:37:02.28\00:37:09.12
"From henceforth, this will be
my strategy." Want you to drop
00:37:09.12\00:37:16.10
down to chapter 2 here. So,
we're in chapter 1. You got to
00:37:16.10\00:37:19.13
see this. This is powerful. 1
Corinthians 2:1. "And so it was
00:37:19.13\00:37:23.64
with me, brothers and sisters.
When I came to you, I did not
come with eloquence or human
00:37:23.64\00:37:28.18
wisdom as I proclaimed to you
the testimony about God." No,
00:37:28.18\00:37:33.18
no, no. "For I resolved to know
nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ and Him
00:37:33.18\00:37:44.19
crucified." I knew the homing
device was in every man, women,
and child that I would address,
00:37:44.19\00:37:49.20
and I would go to that homing
device, the last aching abyss in
that heart, and tell the truth
00:37:49.20\00:37:57.54
about Jesus. I'm determined to
know nothing except Jesus Christ
00:37:57.54\00:38:03.65
and Him crucified. Why?
Because there's only one being
00:38:03.65\00:38:07.05
in the universe that can satisfy
the last aching abyss in the
human heart, and that is the
00:38:07.05\00:38:12.79
Lord Jesus Christ. Deep within
the secular heart of our pagan
00:38:12.79\00:38:20.56
culture right now, today, that
is still the gospel truth. In
fact, I want to read
00:38:20.56\00:38:25.13
something to you. My producer
today for PowerPoint is a young
00:38:25.13\00:38:29.94
student here at Andrews
University. He's a physics
major. His name is Alex Navarro.
00:38:29.94\00:38:34.01
So, Alex after we went through
this material yesterday, said,
"Hey, I got to tell you
00:38:34.01\00:38:37.11
about a song. It's written by
a guy that, he's a Christian, he
00:38:37.11\00:38:42.05
writes music for non-Christians.
The song is called 'Stupid
00:38:42.05\00:38:47.46
Deep.'" The name of the guy is
Jon Bellion. So we found it on
00:38:47.46\00:38:53.13
YouTube. Don't look it up now.
The acoustical version, by the
00:38:53.13\00:38:57.97
way. I don't know what the other
one is, but this one will take
your soul into flight.
00:38:57.97\00:39:03.17
I'm gonna read the words to you.
Here they are. "What if who I
00:39:03.17\00:39:08.81
hoped to be was always me? And
the love I fought to feel was
00:39:08.81\00:39:16.99
always free? What if all the
things I've done were just
attempts at earning love?
00:39:16.99\00:39:21.99
'Cause the hole inside my heart
is stupid deep. It's stupid
00:39:21.99\00:39:30.30
deep. What if where I've tried
to go was always here? And the
path I tried to cut
00:39:30.30\00:39:35.47
was always clear? Why has life
become a plan to put some money
00:39:35.47\00:39:40.74
in my hand, when the love I
really need is stupid cheap?
00:39:40.74\00:39:48.22
Stupid cheap." A young man
in America, crying out. Why am I
00:39:48.22\00:39:53.66
trying to fill the emptiness in
my heart when there is someone
else offering to fill it free?
00:39:53.66\00:39:58.46
Stupid cheap. Stupid deep.
Jesus is still our only hope.
00:39:58.46\00:40:11.11
Only Jesus Christ and Him
crucified can satisfy the last
aching abyss in our hearts.
00:40:11.11\00:40:18.35
For I have determined to know
nothing among you except Jesus
Christ and Him crucified.
00:40:18.35\00:40:24.02
And taps into that power that's
in calvary and in the soul of
00:40:24.02\00:40:30.19
Paul. From "Sketches From the
Life of Paul," these words --
"[Paul' clung to the cross of
00:40:30.19\00:40:34.66
Christ as the only guarantee of
success. The love of Christ was
00:40:34.66\00:40:42.00
like the omnipotent, undying
motive which upheld him in his
conflicts with self."
00:40:42.00\00:40:46.31
Do you have conflicts with self?
Are you kidding? You can't be --
00:40:46.31\00:40:51.31
You can't be -- You trying to
fool me? Every day, all day
long. All day long.
00:40:51.31\00:40:59.15
"The love of Christ was the
omnipotent, undying motive which
upheld him in his conflicts with
00:40:59.15\00:41:04.03
self and the power of Satan, in
his struggles with spiritual
wickedness in high places,
00:41:04.03\00:41:08.90
in his life-long labors, as Paul
pressed forward against the
unfriendliness of the world and
00:41:08.90\00:41:13.94
the burden of his
own infirmities." Wow.
00:41:13.94\00:41:20.84
For I've determined to know
nothing among you except Jesus
Christ and Him crucified,
00:41:20.84\00:41:27.78
because only Jesus Christ and
Him crucified can possibly
satisfy the last aching abyss
00:41:27.78\00:41:34.96
in humanity's heart today, in
America, across the sea,
anywhere on this planet.
00:41:34.96\00:41:41.16
Only one being can touch and
heal that aching abyss. Social
media bingeing cannot
00:41:41.16\00:41:51.67
satiate that longing. Not all
the friends, not all the
followers in the world can
00:41:51.67\00:41:56.68
fulfill your thirsting for love,
for attention, for compassion,
00:41:56.68\00:42:01.55
for companionship. But Jesus
Christ and Him crucified can do
that. He can do that, I promise
00:42:01.55\00:42:08.06
you. And you don't have to be
lonely any longer.
Self-medication through alcohol
00:42:08.06\00:42:15.30
or prescription medications
cannot satisfy the deep inner
longing for healing, for help,
00:42:15.30\00:42:20.64
for a hand that will reach out
to guide you through the
darkness you're going through
00:42:20.64\00:42:24.41
right now. But Jesus Christ
and Him crucified, He can do it.
00:42:24.41\00:42:29.71
He can be what your heart is
longing for. Unbridled sex with
00:42:29.71\00:42:37.12
all its hypnotic addictions and
its self-deceiving pledges
cannot quench the last ache in
00:42:37.12\00:42:48.30
the abyss of your soul. It
can't. You'll always come up
00:42:48.30\00:42:55.97
wanting for more. But Jesus
Christ and Him crucified, He can
00:42:55.97\00:43:02.04
do it. Hey, you don't have to be
addicted any longer. Oh, I'll
tell you what, I am --
00:43:02.04\00:43:07.38
I am so grateful. And I hope
we'll fill this sanctuary for
00:43:07.38\00:43:12.72
"The Darkness Will Not
Overcome." We'll fill this
sanctuary. Two weeks from last
00:43:12.72\00:43:18.39
night, we'll fill it right here.
Why? Because everything that the
00:43:18.39\00:43:23.03
human heart is longing for,
every thirst, every hunger is
gonna be addressed by a young
00:43:23.03\00:43:30.04
preacher named Richie Halversen.
And I'm so excited that he's
00:43:30.04\00:43:35.54
coming. He's gonna engage us
where we need the engagement the
most. This campus needs "The
00:43:35.54\00:43:42.72
Darkness Will Not Overcome."
This state needs "The Darkness
Will Not Overcome."
00:43:42.72\00:43:47.39
This nation needs "The Darkness
Will Not Overcome." But you
00:43:47.39\00:43:51.23
won't get it on livestream. We
will not livestream this. Nope!
00:43:51.23\00:43:55.03
You will be here if you
want it. That's it. There is no
00:43:55.03\00:44:01.77
livestream. I hope we fill this
sanctuary with the truth about
this Jesus who is the only one
00:44:01.77\00:44:10.78
that can heal and satisfy this
aching abyss deep within me.
Whatever it is, my friend, that
00:44:10.78\00:44:19.62
you are turning to for relief,
if it's not Jesus, you haven't
00:44:19.62\00:44:26.29
found it yet. Climbing the
corporate ladder, are you? Trust
me, when you get to the
00:44:26.29\00:44:29.76
top, it'll be just as empty
as it is down here. You haven't
00:44:29.76\00:44:34.64
found it yet. Want to be a hero
jock on the court, on the
football field? Trust me, when
00:44:34.64\00:44:39.81
you become that hero -- and I
hope you do -- you'll still be
as empty as you are today.
00:44:39.81\00:44:45.08
You cannot fill that aching
abyss in your heart, but Jesus
Christ and Him crucified
00:44:45.08\00:44:51.75
can fill it. And if you give
your life to Jesus, if you will
00:44:51.75\00:44:56.09
come to the Savior, you will
never be the same again. You got
00:44:56.09\00:45:03.80
to be here. "The Darkness Will
Not Overcome." You need to start
00:45:03.80\00:45:07.47
praying, by the way. Start
praying that God will do an
unusual work in our midst
00:45:07.47\00:45:13.64
and this will become a healing
place for all who enter, night
00:45:13.64\00:45:21.42
after night. Only Jesus.
Only Jesus -- Jesus who hung on
00:45:28.16\00:45:32.79
the cross for you and me,
bled to death on the cross
00:45:32.79\00:45:37.27
for you and me. Our
sins crush his life out.
00:45:37.27\00:45:44.77
Only Jesus. Paul
would never be the same
00:45:44.77\00:45:49.28
when he discovered
that Jesus is no fable.
00:45:49.28\00:45:52.11
It's no fairy tale.
Jesus is the real deal.
00:45:52.11\00:45:56.62
And he can save you like he
saved me. The Jesus who appears
00:45:56.65\00:46:04.53
at this supper table right now,
in two moments... The Jesus who
00:46:04.53\00:46:10.17
appears at this supper table
right now is the Jesus through
the bread and the cup that
00:46:10.17\00:46:18.01
symbolizes his blood, is the
Jesus who will activate those
symbols, and inside of us, they
00:46:18.01\00:46:24.68
become divine power unleashed.
We're already tilting toward
00:46:24.68\00:46:28.45
Him. Stay and let him take you.
Let him have you. Only Jesus and
00:46:28.45\00:46:39.63
Him crucified. Only Jesus can
fill the last aching abyss in my
heart and in your heart, and
00:46:39.63\00:46:47.10
He's gonna do it right now. So,
we're gonna move the furniture
00:46:47.10\00:46:54.44
right now. Don't move. If you
happened to get by your entryway
and didn't realize that
00:46:54.44\00:46:59.45
little communion kit is for you,
just raise your hand right now.
Our friends the ushers are
00:46:59.45\00:47:06.09
coming your way. Up in the
balcony, you didn't get it up
00:47:06.09\00:47:08.82
there? Raise your hand. You're
in the front of the church and
didn't get it, just
00:47:08.82\00:47:11.23
raise your hand. We're gonna
move furniture now, but we want
00:47:11.23\00:47:17.70
to get this to you to make this
an unforgettable moment -- you
and Jesus and us together.
00:47:17.70\00:47:22.20
And while they're doing that,
ushers, come on up. Let's get
that table, the Lord's
00:47:22.20\00:47:27.04
table, where it needs to be
right now so that our hearts can
gather with Jesus, who will heal
00:47:27.04\00:47:35.05
the last aching
abyss in our hearts.
00:47:35.05\00:47:39.65
¤¤ ¤¤
00:47:39.69\00:47:58.91
¤¤ ¤¤
00:47:58.91\00:48:18.26
¤¤ For I have determined to know
00:48:18.26\00:48:33.04
nothing among you except
Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
00:48:33.04\00:48:39.71
For there is only one Being
who can satisfy the last aching
00:48:39.71\00:48:44.25
abyss of the human heart, and
that is our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:48:44.25\00:48:49.99
who stands here
now through His spirit,
00:48:49.99\00:48:54.30
beside you and me. And
we will take these kits
00:48:54.30\00:49:02.54
and He will perform the miracle.
To set us up, Flavio Prestes.
00:49:02.54\00:49:06.54
Flavio, read the sacred account
of that -- when the last supper
00:49:06.54\00:49:10.25
became the Lord's supper.
Read that so we can just imagine
00:49:10.25\00:49:13.18
this moment, please. >>
I'm reading from the ESV.
00:49:13.18\00:49:19.12
"Now as they were eating,
Jesus took bread, and after
00:49:19.12\00:49:23.53
blessing it broke it and gave
it to the disciples, and said,
00:49:23.53\00:49:28.66
'Take, eat; this is my body.'
And he took a cup, and when he
00:49:28.66\00:49:37.01
had given thanks he gave it to
them, saying, 'Drink of it, all
00:49:37.01\00:49:42.91
of you, for this is my blood
of the covenant, which is poured
00:49:42.91\00:49:48.25
out for many for
the forgiveness of sins.
00:49:48.25\00:49:52.75
I tell you I will not drink
again of this fruit of the vine
00:49:52.75\00:49:57.43
until that day when I drink
it new with you in my Father's
00:49:57.43\00:50:02.50
kingdom.'" >>
Flavio's wife, Carina.
00:50:02.50\00:50:09.34
Carina, lead us in a prayer
asking God to bless what we are
00:50:09.34\00:50:12.94
about to consume.
>> Let's pray together.
00:50:12.94\00:50:17.71
Dear Heavenly Father,
thank You for Your sacrifice.
00:50:17.71\00:50:21.22
Lord, we long for Your coming.
00:50:21.22\00:50:24.22
Why You don't come, Lord?
We will take part on Your table
00:50:24.25\00:50:29.72
here. Please bless these emblems
that they be meaningful and
life-changing for us and that we
00:50:29.72\00:50:35.53
can spread that all over
around us. In Jesus' name, amen.
00:50:35.53\00:50:40.97
>> Amen.
Alright. [ Organ plays ]
00:50:40.97\00:50:47.64
¤¤
00:50:47.64\00:51:29.65
>> Here they are, the two
symbols that Jesus gave us so
that we would never forget
00:51:31.29\00:51:39.23
what He did for us and what He's
going to do for us. There are
00:51:39.23\00:51:44.50
two little lips -- If this is
your first time encountering
this marvelous pandemic
00:51:44.50\00:51:49.34
invention... [ Chuckles ] One of
these days, we'll have the real
00:51:49.34\00:51:54.84
deal here, but... This has all
been sealed, so you don't have
to worry about anything -- and
00:51:54.84\00:51:58.68
by the way, these wafers are now
all gluten-free, so if that was
a worry of yours, that's gone.
00:51:58.68\00:52:03.42
Alright, so there's a little --
there's a little tongue or lip.
The first one is plastic, and
00:52:03.42\00:52:08.42
then it exposes that little tiny
piece of bread. Alright. You can
00:52:08.42\00:52:18.83
get it off. Now, you just hold
this in your hand. Don't put it
00:52:18.83\00:52:24.44
on your mouth yet. Just hold it
in your hand. Because let's
imagine that Jesus is here and
00:52:24.44\00:52:30.78
He breaks the bread and then His
hands, not yet nail-scarred,
reach to us and He says,
00:52:30.78\00:52:35.85
"Listen, listen. I want you to
eat this bread. This is my body,
which was broken for you.
00:52:35.85\00:52:40.86
Do this in remembrance of me."
Let's do it in remembrance of
00:52:40.86\00:52:47.03
His broken body. Then, a little
later, in the same supper, He
took the cup. And we have the
00:53:06.11\00:53:12.69
cup right here in our hands. And
this one's a little trickier.
00:53:12.69\00:53:18.03
Don't give up. Just keep
picking at it. [ Laughter ]
00:53:27.24\00:53:31.24
It'll come. I keep
telling myself. Alright.
00:53:31.24\00:53:36.41
And just about halfway back,
that's all you need it back,
just to be able to get that
00:53:36.41\00:53:40.75
fruit of the vine into your
system. And when we ingest the
00:53:40.75\00:53:44.82
bread and when we ingest the
grape juice, Jesus says, "I am
in you, and you are in me, and
00:53:44.82\00:53:55.46
whatever lies ahead, we do
together. We go together." And
so, as He did that night,
00:53:55.46\00:54:00.54
He turns to the closest people
on Earth to Him, and you are
close to Him today, and He says,
00:54:00.54\00:54:05.67
"Listen, you do the same. Drink
this in remembrance of me in
00:54:05.67\00:54:13.11
Calvary. [ Piano plays ]
>> ¤ Face to face with Christ,
00:54:18.49\00:54:26.63
my Savior ¤ ¤ Face to face --
00:54:26.63\00:54:33.10
what will it be ¤
00:54:33.10\00:54:37.94
¤ When with rapture I behold Him
¤ ¤ Jesus Christ who died for me
00:54:37.97\00:54:53.46
¤ Face to face shall I behold
Him ¤ ¤ Far beyond the starry
00:54:53.46\00:55:08.00
sky ¤ Face to face in all His
glory ¤ ¤ I shall see Him by and
00:55:08.00\00:55:26.35
by ¤ What rejoicing in His
presence ¤ ¤ When are banished
00:55:26.35\00:55:37.00
grief and pain ¤ ¤ When the
crooked ways are straightened ¤
00:55:37.00\00:55:47.51
¤ And the dark things
shall be plain ¤ ¤ Face to face
00:55:47.51\00:55:56.18
shall I behold Him ¤ ¤ Far
beyond the starry sky ¤ Face to
00:55:56.18\00:56:11.40
face in all His glory ¤ ¤
I shall see Him by and by ¤
00:56:11.40\00:56:29.68
>> Let's bow our heads.
The God of peace who brought up
00:56:30.99\00:56:37.13
from the dead the great Shepherd
of the sheep through the blood
00:56:37.13\00:56:40.46
of the eternal covenant, even
Jesus our Lord, may equip you in
00:56:40.46\00:56:44.93
every good thing to do His will,
working in us that which is
00:56:44.93\00:56:49.27
pleasing in His sight through
Jesus Christ, to whom be the
00:56:49.27\00:56:52.61
glory forever and ever. Amen.
00:56:52.61\00:56:55.74
>> Amen. [ Organ plays ]
00:56:55.74\00:56:59.08
¤¤
00:56:59.08\00:57:04.15
>> We've been really blessed by
the financial support that comes
00:57:07.22\00:57:09.26
from our viewers, and we've
made a conscious decision not to
00:57:09.26\00:57:12.59
continually appeal
to you for that support.
00:57:12.59\00:57:15.63
The fact is, as everyone in the
industry will tell you, we're
00:57:15.63\00:57:18.80
needing to make constant
upgrades to our technology.
00:57:18.80\00:57:21.54
So if God has blessed you and
you'd like to further the work
00:57:21.54\00:57:24.24
of this ministry, we
invite you to partner with us.
00:57:24.24\00:57:26.57
Not a single penny of
your donation will go to me.
00:57:26.57\00:57:29.58
Every bit of your gift goes
to the mission of blessing your
00:57:29.58\00:57:33.05
community and our world.
You can donate on our website,
00:57:33.05\00:57:36.08
newperceptions.tv.
Or call the number.
00:57:36.08\00:57:39.19
You know the
number -- 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:39.19\00:57:41.62
Again, that number is 877
-- the two words "HIS-WILL."
00:57:41.62\00:57:45.96
And may the God who has blessed
you continue to pour into your
00:57:45.96\00:57:48.53
life the gifts of
His joy and His hope.
00:57:48.53\00:57:51.60
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:51.60\00:57:53.77
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:53.77\00:57:56.81
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:00.38\00:58:19.06
¤¤
00:58:19.06\00:58:26.97