Would you stand with me
and sing a children's song
00:00:13.81\00:00:17.35
about the river of life
that can flow through us?
00:00:17.38\00:00:21.08
Please stand up.
00:00:21.12\00:00:23.49
We'll start slow
as the children do
00:00:23.52\00:00:25.35
and then we'll go a
little faster, okay?
00:00:25.39\00:00:27.46
I've got a river of
life flowing out of me
00:00:34.30\00:00:39.63
Makes the lame to
walk and the blind to see
00:00:39.67\00:00:44.91
Opens prison doors,
sets the captives free
00:00:44.94\00:00:50.18
I've got a river of
life flowing out of me
00:00:50.21\00:00:54.45
Spring up, O
well, within my soul
00:00:54.48\00:00:59.92
Spring up, O
well, and make me whole
00:00:59.95\00:01:05.23
Spring up, O
well, and give to me
00:01:05.26\00:01:10.97
That life abundantly
00:01:11.00\00:01:14.57
Let's speed it up a little bit.
00:01:14.60\00:01:16.91
I've got a river of
life flowing out of me
00:01:16.94\00:01:21.38
Makes the lame to
walk and the blind to see
00:01:21.41\00:01:25.81
Opens prison doors,
sets the captives free
00:01:25.85\00:01:30.49
I've got a river of
life flowing out of me
00:01:30.52\00:01:33.99
Spring up, O
well, within my soul
00:01:34.02\00:01:38.79
Spring up, O
well, and make me whole
00:01:38.83\00:01:43.50
Spring up, O
well, and give to me
00:01:43.53\00:01:48.54
That life abundantly
00:01:48.57\00:01:52.51
And now, we're
going to slow it down
00:01:56.54\00:01:57.98
and we're going to talk about
00:01:58.01\00:01:59.35
how we come to
God in His worship.
00:01:59.38\00:02:02.48
You can come to
Him in humble spirit,
00:02:02.52\00:02:05.49
in prayer, and in singing.
00:02:05.52\00:02:07.69
And remember that our
God is an awesome God,
00:02:07.72\00:02:10.63
so join us as we sing the songs.
00:02:10.66\00:02:14.96
Humble thyself in
the sight of the Lord
00:02:15.00\00:02:18.13
Humble thyself in
the sight of the Lord
00:02:18.17\00:02:20.67
Humble thyself in
the sight of the Lord
00:02:20.70\00:02:23.44
Humble thyself in
the sight of the Lord
00:02:23.47\00:02:26.47
And He shall lift you up
00:02:26.51\00:02:32.25
Higher and higher
00:02:32.28\00:02:33.82
And He shall lift you up
00:02:33.85\00:02:37.82
Our God is an awesome God
00:02:41.02\00:02:44.89
He reigns from heaven above
00:02:44.93\00:02:48.30
With wisdom, power and love
00:02:48.33\00:02:52.20
Our God is an awesome God
00:02:52.23\00:02:55.84
Kneel and pray...
00:02:55.87\00:02:57.87
Kneel and pray in
the sight of the Lord
00:02:57.91\00:03:00.68
Kneel and pray in
the sight of the Lord
00:03:00.71\00:03:03.38
Kneel and pray in
the sight of the Lord
00:03:03.41\00:03:06.11
Kneel and pray in
the sight of the Lord
00:03:06.15\00:03:09.35
And He shall lift you up
00:03:09.38\00:03:15.02
Higher and higher
00:03:15.06\00:03:16.66
And He shall lift you up
00:03:16.69\00:03:23.67
Our God is an awesome God
00:03:23.70\00:03:27.37
He reigns from heaven above
00:03:27.40\00:03:30.97
With wisdom, power and love
00:03:31.01\00:03:34.78
Our God is an awesome God
00:03:34.81\00:03:38.55
Sing a new song...
00:03:38.58\00:03:40.32
Sing a new song in
the sight of the Lord
00:03:40.35\00:03:43.18
Sing a new song in
the sight of the Lord
00:03:43.22\00:03:45.79
Sing a new song in
the sight of the Lord
00:03:45.82\00:03:48.66
Sing a new song in
the sight of the Lord
00:03:48.69\00:03:51.96
And He shall lift you up
00:03:51.99\00:03:57.63
Higher and higher
00:03:57.67\00:03:59.10
And He shall lift you up
00:03:59.13\00:04:03.10
Our God is an awesome God
00:04:06.21\00:04:10.08
He reigns from heaven above
00:04:10.11\00:04:13.65
With wisdom, power and love
00:04:13.68\00:04:17.12
Our God is an awesome God
00:04:17.15\00:04:20.66
Our God is an awesome God
00:04:20.69\00:04:24.59
He reigns from heaven above
00:04:24.63\00:04:28.46
With wisdom, power and love
00:04:28.50\00:04:32.53
Our God is an awesome God
00:04:32.57\00:04:37.41
Our Scripture today
00:04:44.18\00:04:46.72
is Colossians 1:15-17.
00:04:46.75\00:04:52.62
"The Son is the
image of the invisible God,
00:04:52.65\00:04:55.62
the firstborn over all creation.
00:04:55.66\00:04:58.93
For in Him all
things were created,
00:04:58.96\00:05:01.36
things in heaven and on earth,
00:05:01.40\00:05:04.60
visible and invisible,
00:05:04.63\00:05:08.07
whether thrones or
powers or rulers or authorities,
00:05:08.10\00:05:11.91
all things have
been created through Him
00:05:11.94\00:05:14.61
and for Him.
00:05:14.64\00:05:16.51
He's before all things
00:05:16.54\00:05:18.65
and in Him all
things hold together."
00:05:18.68\00:05:22.32
Redeemed how I
love to proclaim it
00:05:31.19\00:05:36.06
Redeemed by the
blood of the Lamb
00:05:36.10\00:05:40.64
Redeemed through
His infinite mercy
00:05:40.67\00:05:45.14
His child and forever I am
00:05:45.17\00:05:49.61
Redeemed, redeemed
00:05:49.64\00:05:54.22
Redeemed by the
blood of the Lamb
00:05:54.25\00:05:58.82
Redeemed how I
love to proclaim it
00:05:58.85\00:06:03.32
His child, and forever, I am
00:06:03.36\00:06:08.20
Redeemed and so happy in Jesus
00:06:08.23\00:06:13.07
No language my rapture can tell
00:06:13.10\00:06:17.61
I know that the
light of His presence
00:06:17.64\00:06:22.21
With me doth continually dwell
00:06:22.24\00:06:26.75
Redeemed, redeemed
00:06:26.78\00:06:31.25
Redeemed by the
blood of the Lamb
00:06:31.29\00:06:35.86
Redeemed how I
love to proclaim it
00:06:35.89\00:06:40.70
His child, and forever, I am
00:06:40.73\00:06:44.67
You may be seated.
00:06:48.24\00:06:49.57
Let's pray.
00:15:07.00\00:15:08.34
Oh God, just watching
life transpire like that
00:15:11.11\00:15:13.84
on the screen,
00:15:13.88\00:15:15.21
leaves us out of breath.
00:15:15.24\00:15:18.91
It's the lives we are
living in the fast lane
00:15:18.95\00:15:23.28
of this culture as a nation,
00:15:23.32\00:15:25.55
this planet.
00:15:25.59\00:15:29.29
Any way you can help us,
00:15:29.32\00:15:32.79
speak to us
through ancient scripture.
00:15:32.83\00:15:36.50
Engage our minds,
address our lives,
00:15:36.53\00:15:41.04
we humbly pray in Jesus' name.
00:15:41.07\00:15:44.11
Amen.
00:15:44.14\00:15:46.57
I want you to
listen to a quieting poem
00:15:46.61\00:15:50.35
written by the
American poet, Wendell Berry.
00:15:50.38\00:15:54.22
The title, The
Peace of Wild Things.
00:15:54.25\00:15:59.29
Let me put it on the
screen because poems,
00:15:59.32\00:16:01.59
if you can see it
while you're listening,
00:16:01.62\00:16:03.59
it sure helps.
00:16:03.63\00:16:04.96
So here's Wendell Berry,
00:16:04.99\00:16:07.13
The Peace of Wild Things.
00:16:07.16\00:16:11.70
"When despair for
the world grows in me
00:16:11.73\00:16:14.00
and I wake in the night
00:16:14.04\00:16:15.37
at the least sound in fear
00:16:15.40\00:16:17.54
of what my life and my
children's lives may be.
00:16:17.57\00:16:22.34
I go and lie down
where the wood drake
00:16:22.38\00:16:26.95
rests in his
beauty on the water,
00:16:26.98\00:16:30.09
and the great heron feeds.
00:16:30.12\00:16:34.12
I come into the
peace of wild things,
00:16:34.16\00:16:37.29
who do not tax their
lives with forethought of grief.
00:16:37.33\00:16:42.06
I come into the
presence of still water.
00:16:42.10\00:16:46.13
And I feel above
me the day-blind stars
00:16:46.17\00:16:49.90
waiting with their light.
00:16:49.94\00:16:52.11
For a time,
00:16:52.14\00:16:54.28
I rest in the
grace of the world,
00:16:54.31\00:16:59.01
and am free."
00:16:59.05\00:17:01.48
Isn't that beautiful?
00:17:01.52\00:17:04.12
He gets that last
line, "For a time,
00:17:04.15\00:17:08.79
I rest in the
grace of the world,
00:17:08.82\00:17:12.76
and am free."
00:17:12.79\00:17:15.76
I wish that were
true about us Americans,
00:17:15.80\00:17:18.10
don't you?
00:17:18.13\00:17:20.90
Let me run the numbers by you.
00:17:20.94\00:17:23.64
It loaded this, "70%
of American adults report
00:17:23.67\00:17:27.71
they obtained insufficient sleep
00:17:27.74\00:17:30.08
at least one night a month."
00:17:30.11\00:17:33.25
Only one night?
00:17:33.28\00:17:36.25
Here's another one, "11% report
00:17:36.28\00:17:38.85
insufficient sleep every night."
00:17:38.89\00:17:41.86
Now we're all there together.
00:17:41.89\00:17:45.09
"The National
Institutes of Health predicts
00:17:45.13\00:17:47.23
that America's
sleep debt is on the rise,
00:17:47.26\00:17:51.00
and that by the
middle of the 21st century,
00:17:51.03\00:17:53.07
more than 100 million Americans
00:17:53.10\00:17:56.47
will have
difficulty falling asleep."
00:17:56.50\00:18:00.54
Oh boy.
00:18:00.58\00:18:03.28
"Presently the cost
to industry and medicine
00:18:03.31\00:18:05.38
for sleep deprived Americans
00:18:05.41\00:18:06.88
stands at $63.2 billion per year
00:18:06.92\00:18:11.52
of lost productivity."
00:18:11.55\00:18:14.66
And I know what you're
thinking up in the balcony
00:18:14.69\00:18:18.33
that's just about you,
00:18:18.36\00:18:20.03
poor adults in America.
00:18:20.06\00:18:22.96
And since you brought it
up and you're in the balcony,
00:18:23.00\00:18:25.73
let's talk about teens, okay?
00:18:25.77\00:18:27.77
Here we go.
00:18:27.80\00:18:29.14
"73% of teens are getting
less than the recommended
00:18:29.17\00:18:33.01
8-10 hours of sleep per night."
00:18:33.04\00:18:36.68
You say, "8-10 hours of sleep,
00:18:36.71\00:18:38.45
but I don't have to get
8-10 hours of sleep anymore.
00:18:38.48\00:18:40.68
I'm a teen now."
00:18:40.72\00:18:42.05
That's what you
get when you're a kid.
00:18:42.08\00:18:43.42
Oh yeah, watch this.
00:18:43.45\00:18:44.85
"Teens need more sleep
than they did as children
00:18:44.89\00:18:47.96
because of their
development spurt
00:18:47.99\00:18:49.66
their bodies and
minds are experiencing."
00:18:49.69\00:18:53.23
Hey, keep watching, teens.
00:18:53.26\00:18:55.33
Teens with short sleep...
00:18:55.36\00:18:56.83
Okay, so that's
a technical term.
00:18:56.87\00:18:58.27
What's short sleep?
00:18:58.30\00:18:59.63
6.5 hours or
less in bed a night.
00:18:59.67\00:19:03.71
That's not lying on the
floor with your ear pods.
00:19:03.74\00:19:06.24
No, it's in bed, 6.5
hours or less a night.
00:19:06.27\00:19:10.78
"Teens with short
sleep consumed 12 extra grams
00:19:10.81\00:19:14.98
of sugar each day."
00:19:15.02\00:19:17.39
Now, why would they do that?
00:19:17.42\00:19:19.49
Because when
you're sleep deprived,
00:19:19.52\00:19:20.96
your blood sugar's
down and your body knows,
00:19:20.99\00:19:23.56
"Get some sugar in me."
00:19:23.59\00:19:25.33
And so where do teens turn?
00:19:25.36\00:19:28.00
They turn to junk food, drinks,
whatever to wake themselves up.
00:19:28.03\00:19:32.73
And watch,
00:19:32.77\00:19:34.10
when you calculate
it over a year, hold on,
00:19:34.14\00:19:36.47
that's an extra 4.5
pounds of sugar every year
00:19:36.50\00:19:39.61
for sleep deprived teens,
00:19:39.64\00:19:41.28
confirming the
pediatric obesity crisis
00:19:41.31\00:19:44.38
in America.
00:19:44.41\00:19:46.48
I guess, we're
all sleep deprived.
00:19:46.51\00:19:48.28
Poor America, my, oh my massive,
00:19:51.42\00:19:55.52
sleep deprivation.
00:19:55.56\00:19:56.89
What's that line
from Wendell Berry's poem?
00:19:56.93\00:19:59.49
"I rest in the
grace of the world,
00:19:59.53\00:20:03.40
and am free."
00:20:03.43\00:20:05.60
I'm thinking
that's the perfect line
00:20:05.63\00:20:08.14
for God's antidote to
America's sleeplessness.
00:20:08.17\00:20:13.04
Let's check it out. Come on.
00:20:13.07\00:20:14.41
Let's go.
00:20:14.44\00:20:15.78
Grab your Bible,
Genesis Chapter 1.
00:20:15.81\00:20:17.15
Let's go back to the
creation story again.
00:20:17.18\00:20:19.21
You got a Bible there.
00:20:19.25\00:20:20.58
If you got it on
your device, that's fine.
00:20:20.62\00:20:22.98
Genesis Chapter
1 in the beginning,
00:20:23.02\00:20:26.32
"So six days of creation
have now been completed."
00:20:26.35\00:20:29.12
Yeah, we know the story.
00:20:29.16\00:20:30.49
Genesis Chapter 1 and
we drop all the way down
00:20:30.53\00:20:32.76
to the very end of Chapter 1
00:20:32.79\00:20:34.50
in this book of beginnings,
00:20:34.53\00:20:35.86
and here it is, verse 6.
00:20:35.90\00:20:38.70
"And God saw
all that He had made
00:20:38.73\00:20:43.00
and it was very good.
00:20:43.04\00:20:45.21
And there was evening
and there was morning,
00:20:45.24\00:20:47.21
the sixth day.
00:20:47.24\00:20:50.01
Thus the heavens and
the earth were completed
00:20:50.05\00:20:52.61
in all their vast array."
00:20:52.65\00:20:54.65
Now, I want you to watch
first something happened in.
00:20:54.68\00:20:56.85
Moses who wrote this,
00:20:56.89\00:20:59.62
he's going to use the
two-word phrase seventh day,
00:20:59.65\00:21:04.33
he's going to
use it three times.
00:21:04.36\00:21:06.63
You count and
we're going to read it
00:21:06.66\00:21:08.33
on the screen together.
00:21:08.36\00:21:09.70
And every time that
word seventh day appears,
00:21:09.73\00:21:12.43
it appears in a
sentence seven words
00:21:12.47\00:21:15.30
in the Hebrew long,
00:21:15.34\00:21:17.11
seven words long, seventh day.
00:21:17.14\00:21:20.14
This isn't just
some little fly by night.
00:21:20.18\00:21:22.28
Oh, by the way,
there's a seventh day.
00:21:22.31\00:21:24.25
This is calculated
to show the character
00:21:24.28\00:21:29.98
of the seventh day.
00:21:30.02\00:21:31.35
"So thus the heavens
and the earth were completed
00:21:31.39\00:21:32.92
in all their vast array..."
00:21:32.95\00:21:34.92
Now you can count them.
00:21:34.96\00:21:36.29
By the seventh day
God had finished the work
00:21:36.32\00:21:39.03
He had been doing.
00:21:39.06\00:21:40.40
"So on the seventh day
He rested from all His work.
00:21:40.43\00:21:44.90
Then God blessed the seventh day
00:21:44.93\00:21:47.70
and made it holy
00:21:47.74\00:21:49.07
because on it He rested
from all the work of creating
00:21:49.10\00:21:51.94
that He had done."
00:21:51.97\00:21:53.31
What's going on here?
00:21:53.34\00:21:55.31
Something
intentional has taken place.
00:21:55.34\00:21:59.55
God will eventually call it
00:21:59.58\00:22:01.78
to borrow the Hebrew
word for rest Shabbat.
00:22:01.82\00:22:05.49
It is the divine
creation of Shabbat.
00:22:05.52\00:22:11.13
What's up with Shabbat?
00:22:11.16\00:22:12.63
I'll show you
what's up with Shabbat.
00:22:12.66\00:22:14.50
I rest in the grace of
the world, and am free.
00:22:14.53\00:22:19.73
When you think about Shabbat,
00:22:19.77\00:22:23.10
I want to tell you
in the heart of it,
00:22:23.14\00:22:25.47
is not just rest, rest,
sleep deprived as we are.
00:22:25.51\00:22:30.41
It's about the rest
of our relationship.
00:22:30.45\00:22:33.65
Watch this.
00:22:33.68\00:22:35.02
If our Creator wanted
to simply create a day
00:22:37.92\00:22:41.56
at the end of every week
00:22:41.59\00:22:42.92
so that you can
catch up on all the sleep
00:22:42.96\00:22:44.36
you missed in
the previous six days
00:22:44.39\00:22:45.73
that would have been one thing.
00:22:45.76\00:22:47.10
That's the way we
celebrate Shabbat by the way.
00:22:47.13\00:22:48.70
It's the day to catch up.
00:22:48.73\00:22:50.17
But no, no, no, He
has something in mind.
00:22:50.20\00:22:52.60
I'm going to run
three lines by you.
00:22:56.60\00:22:58.64
First line, I learned
from a friend of mine,
00:22:58.67\00:23:02.11
a very bright physicist.
00:23:02.14\00:23:03.48
He died just last year.
00:23:03.51\00:23:04.85
His name is Clark Rowland.
00:23:04.88\00:23:07.12
He taught me this years ago,
00:23:07.15\00:23:08.75
and I've never
forgotten the line.
00:23:08.78\00:23:11.42
I'll put it on
the screen for you
00:23:11.45\00:23:12.79
and you'll see why I
haven't forgotten it.
00:23:12.82\00:23:15.19
"God is a Being
questing for friends."
00:23:15.22\00:23:18.86
Do you want to know the
truth about the Creator?
00:23:18.89\00:23:21.23
He's a Being
questing for friends.
00:23:21.26\00:23:24.70
He lives for that.
00:23:24.73\00:23:26.10
He is that.
00:23:26.13\00:23:27.97
This is the
quintessence of who He is,
00:23:28.00\00:23:31.47
I'm a Being
questing for friends.
00:23:31.51\00:23:33.21
Now, along comes
the American novelist,
00:23:33.24\00:23:35.48
Reynolds Price.
00:23:35.51\00:23:36.88
And he says, "I'll
put it this way for you."
00:23:36.91\00:23:39.81
He's probably right.
00:23:39.85\00:23:41.18
"The Maker of all
things loves and wants me."
00:23:41.22\00:23:44.45
That's the line
we've run by a few times,
00:23:44.49\00:23:46.22
you and me.
00:23:46.25\00:23:47.59
Both lines are
teaching an eternal truth.
00:23:47.62\00:23:50.53
Never forget this
because this is the core.
00:23:50.56\00:23:53.09
This is the hard core,
00:23:53.13\00:23:54.46
the soft core
of the seventh day.
00:23:54.50\00:23:57.40
Here's the truth,
00:23:57.43\00:23:58.77
relationship is
what matters most to God.
00:23:58.80\00:24:03.71
That's the deal.
00:24:03.74\00:24:05.44
You want to know
what matters most to God?
00:24:05.47\00:24:07.84
It's relationship.
00:24:07.88\00:24:10.85
So when He creates
the planet in six days,
00:24:10.88\00:24:12.91
and He says, "You know what?
00:24:12.95\00:24:14.28
We need one more day."
00:24:14.32\00:24:15.65
What do you suppose that
one more day would be for?
00:24:15.68\00:24:18.02
You guessed it,
for relationship.
00:24:18.05\00:24:20.06
God is a Being
questing for friends.
00:24:20.09\00:24:21.69
I want to have a day,
just the same length 24 hours.
00:24:21.72\00:24:25.29
It's not going to come at
the beginning of the week.
00:24:25.33\00:24:26.93
It's not going to come
in the middle of the week.
00:24:26.96\00:24:28.46
It's not going to come on
the fifth day of the week.
00:24:28.50\00:24:30.13
It's going to come on
the seventh day of the week.
00:24:30.17\00:24:33.13
I will have a day
00:24:33.17\00:24:35.44
where they will
learn the truth of Me.
00:24:35.47\00:24:38.17
I am a Being
questing for friends.
00:24:38.21\00:24:42.81
The Maker of all things
loves and wants me, why?
00:24:42.84\00:24:46.05
Because
relationship is a huge deal
00:24:46.08\00:24:50.59
to the Being who created you
00:24:50.62\00:24:52.52
and the Being who
created me, that's why.
00:24:52.55\00:24:57.93
Norman Gulley, a
friend of mine, he...
00:24:57.96\00:25:00.23
Actually, I was a
kid growing up in Japan.
00:25:00.26\00:25:02.23
He was teaching at
the college in Japan.
00:25:02.26\00:25:03.87
He's written this
systematic theology,
00:25:03.90\00:25:05.43
three volumes so far.
00:25:05.47\00:25:06.97
And this is volume
number two and it's titled,
00:25:07.00\00:25:09.94
Creation Christ and Salvation.
00:25:09.97\00:25:11.54
So my friend Norman Gulley,
00:25:11.57\00:25:13.04
picking up on this relational
reality of the Sabbath,
00:25:13.07\00:25:15.98
his words now on the screen,
00:25:16.01\00:25:17.41
"God created humans to enjoy
a reciprocal love relationship
00:25:17.45\00:25:21.72
with the Trinity as
experienced in the inner history
00:25:21.75\00:25:25.45
or communion among the
persons of the Trinity."
00:25:25.49\00:25:29.12
Oh, I like that. Keep reading.
00:25:29.16\00:25:30.69
"What an awesome
privilege," Norman writes.
00:25:30.73\00:25:33.46
"Their first
full day of life..."
00:25:33.50\00:25:36.63
Think about it.
00:25:36.67\00:25:38.10
Their first full 24-hour period
00:25:38.13\00:25:40.07
they ever had on this
planet home of theirs.
00:25:40.10\00:25:42.90
Their first full day of life
00:25:42.94\00:25:44.77
was lived in sacred
communion with their Creator,
00:25:44.81\00:25:47.74
the pre-incarnate Christ.
00:25:47.78\00:25:50.01
If the Sabbath was
necessary before the fall,
00:25:50.05\00:25:53.62
how much more it is needed
00:25:53.65\00:25:56.15
throughout human
history after the fall?
00:25:56.18\00:25:58.99
Come on.
00:25:59.02\00:26:00.89
That's little throwaway.
00:26:00.92\00:26:03.26
We don't need it anymore.
00:26:03.29\00:26:05.49
Rubbish.
00:26:05.53\00:26:08.60
God is a Being
questing for friends.
00:26:08.63\00:26:10.23
Why would He
ever get rid of a day
00:26:10.27\00:26:12.67
in which He can go
00:26:12.70\00:26:14.04
deep, deep, deep, deeper, deep?
00:26:14.07\00:26:16.14
Come on, girl, come here.
00:26:16.17\00:26:17.51
Come on, boy, come here.
00:26:17.54\00:26:18.87
We're going deeper
today, deeper, deeper.
00:26:18.91\00:26:20.88
Why would He get rid of
the day for the human race
00:26:20.91\00:26:25.65
when this day shows us
that the Maker of all things
00:26:25.68\00:26:27.88
loves and wants me?
00:26:27.92\00:26:30.65
Oh my, my, my.
00:26:30.69\00:26:32.42
And here's why this
point is such a big deal
00:26:32.45\00:26:35.59
and why I'm
standing up here today.
00:26:35.62\00:26:38.16
I believe that if
you and I can grasp this,
00:26:38.19\00:26:40.80
I mean, if we really get it...
00:26:40.83\00:26:42.16
Not just, "Okay. Okay.
00:26:42.20\00:26:43.70
Yeah, I got that. Next."
00:26:43.73\00:26:45.10
No, if we go deep
with this thought,
00:26:45.13\00:26:47.47
if we grasp this,
00:26:47.50\00:26:48.90
I believe that the experiential
00:26:48.94\00:26:52.64
significance of the Sabbath,
00:26:52.67\00:26:54.38
the existential
significance of the Sabbath,
00:26:54.41\00:26:57.25
which is relationship is
what matters most to God.
00:26:57.28\00:27:00.65
I believe that truth,
00:27:00.68\00:27:02.42
that significance
00:27:02.45\00:27:04.72
suddenly makes simple
00:27:04.75\00:27:09.72
this idea of you and me
00:27:09.76\00:27:12.79
on the seventh day of every week
00:27:12.83\00:27:15.33
of our life forever.
00:27:15.36\00:27:18.80
It makes all the sense
in the world for you and me
00:27:18.83\00:27:22.44
to discover how on
this day to go deeper.
00:27:22.47\00:27:25.61
And by the way, what
is obviously saying to us
00:27:25.64\00:27:28.04
is that this is not
going to be trouble.
00:27:28.08\00:27:29.81
This is not
going to be a burden.
00:27:29.84\00:27:31.68
Are you kidding?
00:27:31.71\00:27:33.05
This is a gift.
00:27:33.08\00:27:34.42
Oh, come on.
00:27:34.45\00:27:35.78
I know the Ten
Commandments like you do.
00:27:35.82\00:27:37.15
Sure I do.
00:27:37.19\00:27:38.52
I know how the
Fourth Commandment
00:27:38.55\00:27:39.89
begins.
00:27:39.92\00:27:41.26
Everybody knows how
the Fourth Commandment
00:27:41.29\00:27:42.62
begins.
00:27:42.66\00:27:43.99
Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:27:44.03\00:27:45.36
Yeah, I know that.
00:27:45.39\00:27:46.73
And I know I
have a lot of friends
00:27:46.76\00:27:48.10
in the evangelical
community that say,
00:27:48.13\00:27:49.46
"You know what?
00:27:49.50\00:27:50.83
This idea of the
seventh day Sabbath
00:27:50.87\00:27:54.34
that's a vestige
of ancient legalism
00:27:54.37\00:27:57.24
and we don't do it anymore."
00:27:57.27\00:27:59.51
Oh, really?
00:27:59.54\00:28:00.88
Yeah, you know,
vestige no longer necessary.
00:28:00.91\00:28:04.78
I didn't know that.
00:28:04.81\00:28:07.12
"I suppose you shall not kill
00:28:07.15\00:28:08.75
is also a vestige
of ancient legalism
00:28:08.78\00:28:10.79
and we don't do it anymore.
00:28:10.82\00:28:12.22
No, we don't kill."
00:28:12.25\00:28:14.49
"Well, how about steal?"
"No, no, no, we don't steal."
00:28:14.52\00:28:16.76
"Well, how about
bearing false witness?"
00:28:16.79\00:28:18.13
"No, we don't
bear false witness."
00:28:18.16\00:28:19.53
"How about dishonoring
my mommy and my daddy?"
00:28:19.56\00:28:21.50
"No, you can't do that.
00:28:21.53\00:28:23.37
It's against the
Ten Commandments."
00:28:23.40\00:28:24.97
Well listen, my friend,
00:28:25.00\00:28:26.33
you're telling me that
nine out of the Ten Commandments
00:28:26.37\00:28:27.87
are not
legalistic if you do them
00:28:27.90\00:28:29.50
but if you do one of
them, it's legalistic?
00:28:29.54\00:28:31.37
Give me a break.
00:28:31.41\00:28:32.81
What kind of silly game is this?
00:28:32.84\00:28:34.91
Who came up with it?
00:28:34.94\00:28:36.28
Are you making the rules,
00:28:36.31\00:28:38.28
or is this book
making the rules?
00:28:38.31\00:28:40.82
Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:28:40.85\00:28:43.85
Especially when I
remember that the finger
00:28:43.89\00:28:46.19
of the being who
brought me into existence
00:28:46.22\00:28:49.62
once upon a long ago time
00:28:49.66\00:28:51.53
that finger reached
out of a fiery light.
00:28:51.56\00:28:54.73
And that finger began to
carve on tablets of granite,
00:28:54.76\00:28:59.07
the Decalogue and
He carved the words,
00:28:59.10\00:29:02.50
"Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy."
00:29:02.54\00:29:08.04
That's not legalism at all.
00:29:08.08\00:29:10.68
It's coming to know this Being
00:29:10.71\00:29:13.78
who is questing for friends.
00:29:13.82\00:29:17.32
The Maker of all
things who loves and wants me.
00:29:17.35\00:29:20.22
All 10 are gift
because He loves and wants me,
00:29:20.26\00:29:23.59
the fourth one included.
00:29:23.63\00:29:26.09
That's not rocket science.
00:29:26.13\00:29:27.93
That's Holy Scripture.
00:29:27.96\00:29:30.93
What's the big deal?
00:29:30.97\00:29:32.47
The big deal is relationship
is what matters most to God.
00:29:32.50\00:29:35.44
That's the core.
00:29:35.47\00:29:36.81
That's the
quintessence of God's character,
00:29:36.84\00:29:39.87
which is why He made a day
00:29:39.91\00:29:41.54
accentuating our
relationship with our Creator
00:29:41.58\00:29:43.78
and He made sure would come
00:29:43.81\00:29:45.15
at the end of every single week,
00:29:45.18\00:29:46.51
perpetually,
for the rest of time
00:29:46.55\00:29:47.92
from the beginning of
time to the end of time.
00:29:47.95\00:29:49.68
Has time ended yet? No.
00:29:49.72\00:29:51.05
So then it's still in force.
00:29:51.09\00:29:54.49
It never ends.
00:29:54.52\00:29:56.16
As long as
there's a seven day week,
00:29:56.19\00:29:57.83
it will end with Shabbat.
00:29:57.86\00:30:00.36
And that's the greatest command,
00:30:00.40\00:30:01.96
you and me,
we'll go deeper today.
00:30:02.00\00:30:03.83
You and me, just you and me.
00:30:03.87\00:30:06.60
Whoa.
00:30:06.63\00:30:08.20
And as if to prove it.
00:30:08.24\00:30:10.14
You get out the
old King James Version,
00:30:10.17\00:30:11.77
and you read the apocalypse,
the Bible's last book.
00:30:11.81\00:30:14.18
This line is in Revelation,
00:30:14.21\00:30:16.41
and I love it in
the old King James.
00:30:16.44\00:30:18.15
So here it is.
00:30:18.18\00:30:19.51
Without apology,
we're going to read
00:30:19.55\00:30:20.88
some old Shakespearean English.
00:30:20.92\00:30:22.25
Here we go.
00:30:22.28\00:30:23.62
"Thou art worthy, O Lord..."
00:30:23.65\00:30:24.99
By the way, God is sitting
on a throne at this moment.
00:30:25.02\00:30:27.12
He's surrounded by
these living creatures
00:30:27.16\00:30:29.92
and 24 elders.
00:30:29.96\00:30:31.29
I mean, and the
whole, all of heaven.
00:30:31.33\00:30:33.23
"Thou art worthy, O Lord,
00:30:33.26\00:30:35.23
to receive glory
and honor and power:
00:30:35.26\00:30:37.40
for thou hast
created all things."
00:30:37.43\00:30:39.73
So they're singing now.
00:30:39.77\00:30:41.10
They're singing to the Creator.
00:30:41.14\00:30:42.47
"Thou hast created
all things and for thy"
00:30:42.50\00:30:44.64
and I put the line there,
00:30:44.67\00:30:46.01
"for thy pleasure
00:30:46.04\00:30:48.48
they are and were created."
00:30:48.51\00:30:53.38
For your pleasure,
can you believe it?
00:30:53.42\00:30:57.25
Did it ever occur to
you that God enjoys you
00:30:57.29\00:31:00.89
for the sheer
pleasure of knowing you?
00:31:00.92\00:31:06.53
You see, we've all thought
it's the other way around.
00:31:06.56\00:31:08.46
No, I'm
created, you were created
00:31:08.50\00:31:10.80
so that we can
have the sheer pleasure
00:31:10.83\00:31:12.87
of knowing Him.
00:31:12.90\00:31:14.50
God says, "No, it's
the other way around.
00:31:14.54\00:31:17.41
For My pleasure, I wanted you.
00:31:17.44\00:31:21.61
You got born
because I chose you.
00:31:21.64\00:31:23.81
You got born into this
life because I call for you.
00:31:23.85\00:31:28.28
It's My pleasure to have you."
00:31:28.32\00:31:30.65
Listen, this day is created
for God to connect with us
00:31:30.69\00:31:33.32
so that His
pleasure might be realized
00:31:33.36\00:31:36.02
and our pleasure
might be fulfilled.
00:31:36.06\00:31:37.96
What's wrong with that?
00:31:37.99\00:31:39.69
You got a problem with that?
00:31:39.73\00:31:41.80
No.
00:31:41.83\00:31:43.16
Oh God, You are worthy
00:31:43.20\00:31:44.53
to receive glory
and honor and power,
00:31:44.57\00:31:45.97
for you have created all
things and for Your pleasure
00:31:46.00\00:31:48.57
they are and were created.
00:31:48.60\00:31:50.81
My, my.
00:31:50.84\00:31:52.21
A.W Tozer who
wrote that 70 years ago,
00:31:52.24\00:31:55.08
runaway bestseller
for evangelical America,
00:31:55.11\00:31:59.05
The pursuit of God.
00:31:59.08\00:32:00.42
You come to house of
prayer on Wednesday nights.
00:32:00.45\00:32:02.25
We just started a
journey through it.
00:32:02.28\00:32:04.09
You can only come through zoom.
00:32:04.12\00:32:05.82
But if you're
serious about coming,
00:32:05.85\00:32:07.26
you just call us
00:32:07.29\00:32:08.62
and you give us an
email address and your name,
00:32:08.66\00:32:10.96
and we'll send you the link.
00:32:10.99\00:32:13.19
I'm going through
the book right now.
00:32:13.23\00:32:14.86
This is dynamite. Look at this.
00:32:14.90\00:32:16.30
A.W Tozer, "God
formed us for His pleasure
00:32:16.33\00:32:20.00
and so formed us
that we as well as He
00:32:20.04\00:32:23.74
can in divine communion,"
00:32:23.77\00:32:25.24
oh, I live
this, "enjoy the sweet
00:32:25.27\00:32:27.51
and mysterious mingling
of kindred personalities."
00:32:27.54\00:32:31.88
Isn't that good?
00:32:31.91\00:32:33.25
Keep reading.
00:32:33.28\00:32:34.62
"He meant us to see
Him and live with Him
00:32:34.65\00:32:37.69
and draw our
life from His smile."
00:32:37.72\00:32:42.26
Beautiful!
00:32:42.29\00:32:44.13
To me, this is the
heart of the "raison d'etre"
00:32:44.16\00:32:47.93
for this seventh day Sabbath.
00:32:47.96\00:32:50.27
"He means us to see
Him and to live with Him
00:32:50.30\00:32:53.80
and to draw our
life from His smile."
00:32:53.84\00:32:58.97
We aren't talking
about bad news here, folks.
00:32:59.01\00:33:00.81
We're talking about
the best news a human race
00:33:00.84\00:33:02.54
can possibly have
00:33:02.58\00:33:03.91
and that is God wanted you,
00:33:03.95\00:33:05.28
and that's why
you're alive right now.
00:33:05.31\00:33:06.78
And He has a way to
meet you perpetually,
00:33:06.82\00:33:08.75
the seventh day of every
week for the rest of your life.
00:33:08.78\00:33:12.59
What's bad news about that?
00:33:12.62\00:33:15.89
Not a thing.
00:33:15.92\00:33:18.79
In fact, I want you to
hear God say this to you.
00:33:18.83\00:33:21.80
I never knew
this till this week.
00:33:21.83\00:33:23.47
This is something else.
00:33:23.50\00:33:25.67
The Christ, the
pre-incarnate Christ,
00:33:25.70\00:33:30.04
who is the Creator,
00:33:30.07\00:33:31.61
is talking to one
of His closest friends
00:33:31.64\00:33:35.11
He's ever had.
00:33:35.14\00:33:36.64
The man named Moses.
00:33:36.68\00:33:38.25
They're in deep conversation
and Christ says to Him.
00:33:38.28\00:33:42.82
I want to remind
you about creation.
00:33:42.85\00:33:45.49
So this is not Genesis now.
00:33:45.52\00:33:46.86
There's a whole another picture.
00:33:46.89\00:33:48.22
Watch this.
00:33:48.26\00:33:49.59
He says, "Moses,
I want to remind you
00:33:49.62\00:33:50.96
about creation,
how it affected Me."
00:33:50.99\00:33:52.66
Okay, let's take a look.
00:33:52.69\00:33:54.20
Exodus 31:17,
He's speaking to Moses,
00:33:54.23\00:33:57.07
"The Sabbath will be a sign.
00:33:57.10\00:34:01.07
Every perpetual seventh day,
00:34:01.10\00:34:03.44
the Sabbath will be a sign
00:34:03.47\00:34:05.07
between me and the
Israelites forever."
00:34:05.11\00:34:08.54
"See, I've told you
Sabbath is made for the Jews."
00:34:08.58\00:34:11.01
Well, you're
contradicting the Lord Himself.
00:34:11.05\00:34:13.15
He said the
Sabbath was made for man.
00:34:13.18\00:34:16.52
If that means the
Sabbath was made for the Jews,
00:34:16.55\00:34:19.59
then when He says,
"The woman is made for man,"
00:34:19.62\00:34:21.99
she was made only for Jews
and nobody here believes that.
00:34:22.02\00:34:26.59
I don't think, right?
00:34:26.63\00:34:29.96
But that's how we can be.
00:34:30.00\00:34:31.70
Israelites, do you
have a problem with that?
00:34:31.73\00:34:33.23
Paul comes along
in Galatians Chapter 6
00:34:33.27\00:34:35.10
and he calls every
Christian an Israelite.
00:34:35.14\00:34:37.14
This is the children of His...
00:34:37.17\00:34:38.51
We are the children of Israel.
00:34:38.54\00:34:40.08
Well, who are you
talking about, Paul?
00:34:40.11\00:34:41.44
I'm talking about
the Christian Church.
00:34:41.48\00:34:42.81
That's who I'm talking about.
00:34:42.84\00:34:44.18
There's no question
in the New Testament
00:34:44.21\00:34:45.55
is real now,
00:34:45.58\00:34:46.92
it's through the church
instead of literal Israel,
00:34:46.95\00:34:51.05
real life Jews.
00:34:51.09\00:34:53.36
But the church is to
be the Israelites of God.
00:34:53.39\00:34:57.26
I don't have a
problem with Him saying,
00:34:57.29\00:34:58.76
"I made this for everybody."
00:34:58.79\00:35:01.56
That's what He's
saying, for everybody.
00:35:01.60\00:35:03.40
"The Sabbath will be a sign
00:35:03.43\00:35:04.77
between Me and the
Israelites forever.
00:35:04.80\00:35:06.17
For in six days, the Lord
made the heavens in the earth,
00:35:06.20\00:35:09.27
and on the
seventh day He rested."
00:35:09.30\00:35:11.27
And now, he's adding something
00:35:11.31\00:35:12.64
that's not in
the creation story.
00:35:12.67\00:35:14.01
"And on the seventh day
He rested and was refreshed."
00:35:14.04\00:35:18.45
I got to tell you
about that word refreshed.
00:35:18.48\00:35:22.58
We cannot conclude.
00:35:22.62\00:35:23.95
That's somehow it was so taxing
00:35:23.99\00:35:26.25
for the Creator
to do six days...
00:35:26.29\00:35:28.76
I can't...
00:35:28.79\00:35:30.13
Six days I made at this.
00:35:30.16\00:35:31.89
I am worn.
00:35:31.93\00:35:34.50
I never thought making
humans would be so tiring.
00:35:34.53\00:35:36.87
That can't be it.
00:35:36.90\00:35:39.80
He's rested and refreshed.
00:35:39.83\00:35:42.97
Robert Alter, I
looked at him last week.
00:35:43.00\00:35:46.11
This one man
interpreter of the Hebrew Bible.
00:35:46.14\00:35:50.31
Robert Alter calls this word
a flagrant anthropomorphism.
00:35:50.35\00:35:54.12
In other words, he says
00:35:54.15\00:35:55.55
this is unusual to
use this word on God
00:35:55.58\00:35:57.62
because this is a very
humanesque kind of word.
00:35:57.65\00:36:00.09
And Alter renders it,
God caught his breath.
00:36:00.12\00:36:04.39
And Alter says, "The
reason I'm doing that here
00:36:04.43\00:36:06.39
is because in Chapter 23,
00:36:06.43\00:36:08.00
when the Israelites
came to the Sabbath,
00:36:08.03\00:36:09.70
it says they
caught their breath,
00:36:09.73\00:36:11.80
and it's the same word there.
00:36:11.83\00:36:13.47
So I want it to be
the same word here,
00:36:13.50\00:36:15.64
and God caught his breath."
00:36:15.67\00:36:17.87
It's almost like God...
00:36:17.91\00:36:19.24
when it comes to
the Sabbath, God says,
00:36:19.27\00:36:20.61
"Hey guys, let's
catch our breath together."
00:36:20.64\00:36:23.24
But it cannot be
that God's worn out.
00:36:23.28\00:36:25.78
It cannot be God said,
"I need some rest, please.
00:36:25.81\00:36:27.58
How about you?"
00:36:27.62\00:36:28.95
No, something
else was going on here.
00:36:28.98\00:36:32.52
And by the way,
00:36:32.55\00:36:33.89
also it cannot be
that God is so proud
00:36:33.92\00:36:38.09
of what He's done
in creating the world
00:36:38.13\00:36:40.03
that He just
wants to glow over it
00:36:40.06\00:36:43.60
because He's already
done that in the sixth day.
00:36:43.63\00:36:45.53
And by the way,
00:36:45.57\00:36:46.90
don't be hard
on God you do that.
00:36:46.94\00:36:48.44
You make a little something
that you watched on YouTube
00:36:48.47\00:36:51.27
and you saw the little
pattern and you saw it.
00:36:51.31\00:36:52.94
You are so proud,
you're showing everybody.
00:36:52.97\00:36:55.24
A little recipe that you
got in some Internet site,
00:36:55.28\00:36:58.28
you make you hand
it out to everybody,
00:36:58.31\00:36:59.91
"Hey, I made this."
00:36:59.95\00:37:01.98
When you make something,
you're naturally proud.
00:37:02.02\00:37:05.09
That's not an evil pride.
00:37:05.12\00:37:06.52
God was proud.
00:37:06.55\00:37:07.89
He says, "This is really good.
00:37:07.92\00:37:10.76
Did I do it?" "Yeah, You did."
00:37:10.79\00:37:13.76
So it can't be that
that's what it means
00:37:13.80\00:37:16.56
when He's refreshing Himself.
00:37:16.60\00:37:20.54
By the way, Karen
and I over the holiday,
00:37:20.57\00:37:24.74
we have a week of a
little holiday break.
00:37:24.77\00:37:27.28
And so my Christmas gift
from Karen was a backup camera
00:37:27.31\00:37:31.38
for my old Camry.
00:37:31.41\00:37:32.75
I've just been
wishing and wishing.
00:37:32.78\00:37:35.18
Why didn't the
car come with one?
00:37:35.22\00:37:37.55
So she bought it for me.
00:37:37.59\00:37:39.09
The problem is
we had to install it
00:37:39.12\00:37:41.89
so we took seven hours.
00:37:41.92\00:37:43.99
She's sitting on the
front row, I cannot lie.
00:37:44.03\00:37:47.13
We took seven
hours over two days.
00:37:47.16\00:37:49.96
And she's Miss DIY.
She's the teen in our family.
00:37:50.00\00:37:53.07
So now she's, "Dwight, Dwight,
look at the screen drive.
00:37:53.10\00:37:55.54
No, you don't know.
00:37:55.57\00:37:57.17
Do this."
00:37:57.21\00:37:58.81
Seven hours to put it in.
00:37:58.84\00:38:01.54
And by the way,
we're still married.
00:38:01.58\00:38:03.04
Yeah, thank you.
00:38:07.28\00:38:08.75
You thought
that was a big treat.
00:38:08.78\00:38:12.59
We had fun doing it.
00:38:12.62\00:38:13.96
I'm telling you
the truth. We have fun.
00:38:13.99\00:38:15.32
It was something we
had just uniquely us
00:38:15.36\00:38:17.63
and we're both brainless
00:38:17.66\00:38:18.99
when it comes to technology
00:38:19.03\00:38:20.76
so that's why it was so fun.
00:38:20.80\00:38:22.50
So it's okay for God to say,
"Hey, yo, this is really good."
00:38:22.53\00:38:27.37
Nothing is wrong with that.
00:38:27.40\00:38:28.74
But it can't be that,
00:38:28.77\00:38:30.11
He already did
that on the sixth day.
00:38:30.14\00:38:31.47
So what's going on here?
00:38:31.51\00:38:32.84
I'll tell you what's going on.
00:38:32.87\00:38:34.54
Why is He being refreshed?
00:38:34.58\00:38:35.94
He's being refreshed
because on the seventh day,
00:38:35.98\00:38:39.48
this brand new human race
00:38:39.51\00:38:41.85
He becomes one-to-one
with them in a relationship
00:38:41.88\00:38:46.42
He's never had before with them.
00:38:46.45\00:38:48.56
Remember we just found
out from Norman Gulley,
00:38:48.59\00:38:51.59
their first 24-hour,
00:38:51.63\00:38:52.96
full 24-hour day
was with the Creator.
00:38:52.99\00:38:56.77
It's because of a relationship.
00:38:56.80\00:38:59.30
So this is what
they were made for.
00:38:59.33\00:39:03.51
This is what I am
and now we're together.
00:39:03.54\00:39:07.78
Oh no, God was
refreshed. You know why?
00:39:07.81\00:39:10.88
Because the Maker of all
things loves and wants me.
00:39:10.91\00:39:13.35
You know why?
00:39:13.38\00:39:14.72
Because God is a
Being questing for friends.
00:39:14.75\00:39:16.95
Do you know why?
00:39:16.99\00:39:18.32
Because relationship
00:39:18.35\00:39:19.69
was what matters
most to our Creator.
00:39:19.72\00:39:21.66
The Shabbat is to celebrate,
00:39:21.69\00:39:25.36
perpetually, forever,
00:39:25.39\00:39:28.36
the day the Creator and us
00:39:28.40\00:39:31.17
became one human race with God.
00:39:31.20\00:39:35.50
That's a big deal.
00:39:35.54\00:39:37.41
It's a big deal. Amen and amen.
00:39:37.44\00:39:39.37
Oh, wow.
00:39:39.41\00:39:40.74
Yeah, amen indeed.
00:39:40.78\00:39:42.11
These aging words from creation
do remind us of Augustine
00:39:42.14\00:39:45.35
and everybody gets excited about
00:39:45.38\00:39:46.72
the last half of Augustine's...
00:39:46.75\00:39:48.22
Augustine is we
should say, sentence.
00:39:48.25\00:39:51.29
But you know that you've
read these words many times,
00:39:51.32\00:39:53.59
"Thou has formed us for Thyself
00:39:53.62\00:39:56.49
and our hearts are restless
till they find rest in Thee."
00:39:56.52\00:40:00.76
Now for a sleep deprived,
00:40:00.80\00:40:02.13
restless America, this is great
00:40:02.16\00:40:03.87
because this
says our restlessness
00:40:03.90\00:40:05.73
can be met by a
fresh rest in God.
00:40:05.77\00:40:09.84
But we forget that
00:40:09.87\00:40:11.21
there's the first
part of the sentence,
00:40:11.24\00:40:12.71
"You have
formed us for yourself,
00:40:12.74\00:40:15.81
by the way for your
pleasure you have formed us."
00:40:15.84\00:40:20.75
We were made for the
pleasure of Almighty God.
00:40:20.78\00:40:26.72
And that's why
your heart skips a beat
00:40:26.76\00:40:28.76
when you realize Jesus
is in the room with you.
00:40:28.79\00:40:31.49
The Holy Spirit does a
little something to you,
00:40:31.53\00:40:33.70
and you're not the same.
00:40:33.73\00:40:35.06
And you realize,
"Whoa, what's happening here?"
00:40:35.10\00:40:37.27
Because you were made for that.
00:40:37.30\00:40:39.23
You were made to connect
00:40:39.27\00:40:40.87
with your Creator every
seventh day, perpetually,
00:40:40.90\00:40:44.97
forever and
ever into the future.
00:40:45.01\00:40:48.04
That will be you
in the Creator's day.
00:40:48.08\00:40:52.35
Why would anybody say,
"Oh, we don't like it"?
00:40:52.38\00:40:55.95
And by the way, you say, "Oh no,
00:40:55.98\00:40:57.55
there's something
about it being changed."
00:40:57.59\00:41:00.26
The Creator, when He was here,
00:41:00.29\00:41:01.62
never breathed the word.
00:41:01.66\00:41:02.99
It's amazing to me
that if He was going to undo
00:41:03.02\00:41:05.06
everything He had
done in finger, in granite,
00:41:05.09\00:41:08.53
over and over and over again
00:41:08.56\00:41:11.77
He would at least set
something while He was here.
00:41:11.80\00:41:14.07
"Oops, I forgot.
00:41:14.10\00:41:15.90
I was supposed to tell them.
00:41:15.94\00:41:17.57
There's nothing there."
00:41:17.61\00:41:19.11
It takes three texts
and work them and work them
00:41:19.14\00:41:21.01
and work them and work them
00:41:21.04\00:41:22.38
until they fit what you want.
00:41:22.41\00:41:25.15
He can't do it.
00:41:25.18\00:41:26.61
He cannot do it, not America,
not evangelicals in America.
00:41:26.65\00:41:31.69
Nobody can do it.
00:41:31.72\00:41:33.62
It's His finger.
00:41:33.66\00:41:37.49
Maybe this ancient
decreed is correct.
00:41:37.53\00:41:41.30
This is the shorter
Catechism of the Westminster,
00:41:41.33\00:41:44.77
creed question.
00:41:44.80\00:41:46.13
"What is the chief
end or goal of man?"
00:41:46.17\00:41:49.54
Answer, "Man's chief
end is to glorify God
00:41:49.57\00:41:53.54
and enjoy Him forever."
00:41:53.58\00:41:54.91
I love that.
00:41:54.94\00:41:56.28
Glorify God and
enjoy Him forever
00:41:56.31\00:41:57.81
that's why you were made.
00:41:57.85\00:41:59.51
That's why I was made,
00:41:59.55\00:42:03.22
enjoy Him forever.
00:42:03.25\00:42:05.99
What a God?
00:42:06.02\00:42:07.79
And we thought
this was bad news.
00:42:07.82\00:42:09.69
This is not bad news.
00:42:09.72\00:42:11.06
This is the greatest
news you've ever heard.
00:42:11.09\00:42:14.06
We'll always have
a day together, boy.
00:42:14.10\00:42:16.23
Girl, we'll always
have a day together.
00:42:16.26\00:42:19.37
Yeah.
00:42:19.40\00:42:20.74
No wonder the Psalmists,
00:42:20.77\00:42:22.20
when they want to
express their adoration of God,
00:42:22.24\00:42:25.51
they have...
00:42:25.54\00:42:26.88
When they want to glorify God,
look how the Psalmists do it.
00:42:26.91\00:42:29.21
Psalm 73, oh boy,
take a look at this.
00:42:29.24\00:42:32.98
Asaph is the
Psalmist in this text.
00:42:33.01\00:42:37.32
Psalm 73, and I want
you to get these verses
00:42:37.35\00:42:39.49
because you're
going to look this up,
00:42:39.52\00:42:41.06
verses 25 and 26.
00:42:41.09\00:42:43.26
This is beautiful.
00:42:43.29\00:42:44.63
"Whom have I in heaven but You?
00:42:44.66\00:42:49.20
And earth has
nothing I desire besides you.
00:42:49.23\00:42:54.74
My flesh and my heart may fail,
00:42:54.77\00:42:58.51
but God is the
strength of my heart
00:42:58.54\00:43:00.51
and my portion forever."
00:43:00.54\00:43:02.38
God, I'm talking to You.
00:43:02.41\00:43:03.91
I'm talking about You.
00:43:03.95\00:43:05.28
This is the way people live.
00:43:09.32\00:43:12.39
It's okay to be excited
about a passion for God.
00:43:12.42\00:43:18.33
You were made for this.
00:43:18.36\00:43:19.96
I'm going to tell you a story.
00:43:23.47\00:43:24.80
When our little daughter...
00:43:27.74\00:43:29.34
little, I
always call her little.
00:43:29.37\00:43:31.71
When our daughter
Christine got married
00:43:31.74\00:43:33.27
to the young man
she fell in love with,
00:43:33.31\00:43:35.34
they were way too young.
00:43:35.38\00:43:37.61
She was 18 and he was 19...
00:43:37.65\00:43:39.11
But they were intent.
00:43:43.15\00:43:44.55
They were just very intent.
00:43:44.59\00:43:46.55
We're getting married.
00:43:46.59\00:43:49.12
They didn't have to get married,
00:43:49.16\00:43:50.49
by the way.
00:43:50.53\00:43:51.96
And by the other way,
00:43:51.99\00:43:53.70
they've been happily
married for 17 years now.
00:43:53.73\00:43:57.93
But when it came time...
00:43:57.97\00:43:59.30
Yeah, I had a hard time with it.
00:43:59.33\00:44:00.80
I'll just be honest with
you. It was a hard time for me.
00:44:00.84\00:44:03.41
I said, "Man, I'm
losing my little girl
00:44:03.44\00:44:04.91
but not at 18 is
too young to lose her.
00:44:04.94\00:44:07.28
I can lose her at 25 or what..."
00:44:07.31\00:44:11.51
It was a beautiful
wedding. I stood right here.
00:44:11.55\00:44:13.08
Karen stood beside me.
00:44:13.11\00:44:14.45
I preached the homily
to my daughter and her
00:44:14.48\00:44:16.48
new husband to be.
00:44:16.52\00:44:19.99
And it was a long day.
00:44:20.02\00:44:21.36
I mean, we had the
reception over Chanshung
00:44:21.39\00:44:22.96
and family out
of town had to come
00:44:22.99\00:44:25.13
so we had it late into the night
00:44:25.16\00:44:26.49
early Monday morning.
00:44:26.53\00:44:27.86
Okay, so it was a
Sunday, early Monday morning.
00:44:27.90\00:44:31.50
My heart is
churning inside of me.
00:44:31.53\00:44:35.40
I was just
trying to come to grips
00:44:35.44\00:44:38.41
with what has happened.
00:44:38.44\00:44:41.78
And I made my way down
00:44:41.81\00:44:43.14
to where I have
worship every morning
00:44:43.18\00:44:47.55
and held my Bible up
00:44:47.58\00:44:48.92
because I read a Psalm a
day like I have told you.
00:44:48.95\00:44:52.39
And wouldn't you know it,
00:44:52.42\00:44:54.82
Psalm 73 is the
reading for the day after
00:44:54.86\00:45:00.56
my little girl's
marriage, wedding.
00:45:00.60\00:45:02.76
And I started
reading those words
00:45:06.94\00:45:08.37
that are on the screen.
00:45:08.40\00:45:12.14
It's like an epiphany.
00:45:12.17\00:45:14.31
It was like God
00:45:14.34\00:45:16.41
showed up in that little space.
00:45:16.44\00:45:20.65
And He said to me,
00:45:20.68\00:45:22.98
"Hey, I know how you're feeling.
00:45:23.02\00:45:28.29
I've been there and done that.
00:45:28.32\00:45:30.33
Come on, Dad.
00:45:30.36\00:45:31.69
You knew she was
going to leave some time
00:45:31.73\00:45:35.30
but it hurts.
00:45:35.33\00:45:37.33
But I want to
tell you something boy,
00:45:37.37\00:45:38.70
listen to me carefully.
00:45:38.73\00:45:40.70
I will never
00:45:40.74\00:45:43.47
ever leave you.
00:45:43.51\00:45:47.34
I am with you forever."
00:45:47.38\00:45:51.65
Just reading those two lines
00:45:51.68\00:45:55.42
and it was as if the
Creator Himself said,
00:45:55.45\00:45:57.25
"Hey, you'll make it.
00:45:57.29\00:46:01.92
I'm with you."
00:46:01.96\00:46:03.89
Oh whom have I
in heaven but You?
00:46:03.93\00:46:06.23
And the earth
there's nothing I desire
00:46:06.26\00:46:08.03
besides You.
00:46:08.06\00:46:09.73
My flesh and my heart may fail
00:46:09.76\00:46:12.60
but God is a
strength of my heart
00:46:12.63\00:46:14.67
and my portion forever.
00:46:14.70\00:46:16.91
Yeah, I believe
00:46:16.94\00:46:21.18
the timeless
message of our Creator,
00:46:21.21\00:46:23.14
when we come to
every seventh day,
00:46:23.18\00:46:25.48
is that message.
00:46:25.51\00:46:27.02
When you went to
the Sabbath hours,
00:46:27.05\00:46:28.88
He may say to you, "Girl, boy,
00:46:28.92\00:46:31.89
you may have lost
everything you loved this week.
00:46:31.92\00:46:35.06
You may have lost
what you wanted this week.
00:46:35.09\00:46:38.56
You may have lost the
dearest person on earth
00:46:38.59\00:46:40.73
to you this week."
00:46:40.76\00:46:42.10
And several of
you in this parish
00:46:42.13\00:46:43.80
have heard Him say
that on this Sabbath
00:46:43.83\00:46:47.37
because you lost your life.
00:46:47.40\00:46:50.97
But then He says to you,
"But I'm here to tell you,
00:46:54.04\00:46:59.65
you have me
00:46:59.68\00:47:01.48
and I will never
leave you, never.
00:47:01.52\00:47:07.19
We were made for each other.
00:47:07.22\00:47:08.56
Do you understand that?"
00:47:08.59\00:47:09.92
You see, the deal is,
00:47:14.06\00:47:17.83
I'm convinced
00:47:17.87\00:47:19.73
that if you and I will
grasp the rich significance
00:47:19.77\00:47:22.60
of the seventh day Sabbath
00:47:22.64\00:47:24.64
and see His
passionate relational heart,
00:47:24.67\00:47:28.44
which is a heart
cry of the Creator,
00:47:28.48\00:47:32.01
I have to have
time with you now.
00:47:32.05\00:47:34.92
If we will grasp that
00:47:34.95\00:47:37.22
it'd be a joy to find fresh ways
00:47:37.25\00:47:40.26
that we can spend
these 24 hours together.
00:47:40.29\00:47:42.69
It's not like,
"I got to do this."
00:47:42.72\00:47:44.93
No. I'm with you.
00:47:44.96\00:47:47.36
If we will shift the paradigm,
00:47:47.40\00:47:51.70
the Sabbath takes
on a whole new meaning.
00:47:51.73\00:47:54.90
And that's what I want for you,
00:47:54.94\00:47:57.27
and that's what I want
for me and for this campus.
00:47:57.31\00:48:01.78
That's what we
need, a paradigm shift.
00:48:01.81\00:48:05.05
You know why?
00:48:05.08\00:48:06.41
Because the Sabbath is
all about Jesus, that's why.
00:48:06.45\00:48:10.42
Listen to me now,
00:48:10.45\00:48:11.79
I want to tell you
something about Jesus.
00:48:11.82\00:48:13.15
John 1, Colossians 1, Hebrews 1,
00:48:13.19\00:48:18.03
those three great first chapters
00:48:18.06\00:48:19.96
of these three giant
books of the New Testament
00:48:20.00\00:48:23.87
declare that the
Jesus of Nazareth
00:48:23.90\00:48:26.70
that the gospels
kept telling stories,
00:48:26.74\00:48:28.60
have kept telling stories about
00:48:28.64\00:48:30.54
is none other than
the Almighty Creator,
00:48:30.57\00:48:33.17
God of this universe,
00:48:33.21\00:48:34.54
who came down and became flesh,
00:48:34.58\00:48:36.34
five fingers on each hand,
00:48:36.38\00:48:39.61
five toes on each foot
00:48:39.65\00:48:43.95
and He came down here.
00:48:43.99\00:48:46.32
And on Good
Friday, which by the way,
00:48:46.35\00:48:48.86
was an awful
Friday 2000 years ago,
00:48:48.89\00:48:53.29
the Creator of the human race
00:48:53.33\00:48:57.93
watched as the creatures
00:48:57.97\00:49:00.90
He created killed Him.
00:49:00.94\00:49:04.04
I want to tell you something.
00:49:10.38\00:49:13.31
There are three
startling parallels
00:49:13.35\00:49:17.12
and I hope you
never forget these.
00:49:17.15\00:49:19.15
We end right here.
00:49:19.19\00:49:20.76
Three starling parallels
between creation and Calvary.
00:49:20.79\00:49:26.06
Watch this, same
being, watch this, all right.
00:49:26.09\00:49:31.50
Write this down in
your heart and never forget.
00:49:31.53\00:49:35.24
Startling parallel number one
between creation and Calvary,
00:49:35.27\00:49:39.01
the same Being in both
makes the same declaration
00:49:39.04\00:49:44.58
on the same day,
00:49:44.61\00:49:46.35
the sixth day at
creation, He cried out,
00:49:46.38\00:49:50.59
"This is very good."
00:49:50.62\00:49:52.89
And on Calvary His
cry was, "It is finished,"
00:49:52.92\00:49:56.99
for His work was done in
both creation and Calvary
00:49:57.03\00:50:02.06
on the sixth day, finished.
00:50:02.10\00:50:06.90
Startling parallel number two,
00:50:06.94\00:50:09.87
the same being in
creation and Calvary
00:50:09.90\00:50:14.08
rested on the same
seventh day Sabbath.
00:50:14.11\00:50:17.78
In the Garden of Eden,
00:50:17.81\00:50:19.21
Christ was the
Lord of the Sabbath.
00:50:19.25\00:50:21.72
And in the Garden Tomb Christ
was the Lord of Salvation.
00:50:21.75\00:50:25.99
He is one and the same.
00:50:26.02\00:50:29.79
And startling
parallel number three,
00:50:29.82\00:50:32.69
the same Being did it
all for the same reason
00:50:32.73\00:50:36.83
because He loves
you and wants you
00:50:36.87\00:50:42.14
and that's the gospel truth.
00:50:42.17\00:50:44.94
My God whom have
I in heaven but You?
00:50:44.97\00:50:48.94
And earth has
nothing I desire besides you.
00:50:48.98\00:50:52.11
My flesh and my heart may fail
00:50:52.15\00:50:53.88
but God is the
strength of my heart
00:50:53.92\00:50:56.25
and my portion forever.
00:50:56.28\00:50:58.45
To which every Sabbath,
00:50:58.49\00:51:00.16
let us all say,
00:51:00.19\00:51:01.79
amen and amen.
00:51:01.82\00:51:04.13
Amen.
00:51:04.16\00:51:05.49
Oh God, what can we say?
00:51:21.28\00:51:22.61
Did You really
love us that much...
00:51:25.91\00:51:27.98
To create us
00:51:31.89\00:51:35.46
and then to
recreate us at Calvary?
00:51:35.49\00:51:37.66
This is Your pleasure.
00:51:40.70\00:51:44.30
This is why You exist.
00:51:44.33\00:51:46.00
This is what You live for.
00:51:46.03\00:51:48.87
My God forgive us
00:51:48.90\00:51:53.74
for what we've thought
00:51:53.78\00:51:57.45
about Your seventh day Shabbat
00:51:57.48\00:52:01.38
and know our hearts
please, know our hearts.
00:52:01.42\00:52:04.25
We want to meet You
00:52:08.46\00:52:10.99
and go deeper with You
00:52:11.03\00:52:12.46
every seventh day perpetually
00:52:12.49\00:52:15.80
to the end of time.
00:52:15.83\00:52:18.57
That's what we want
because that's what You want.
00:52:18.60\00:52:23.97
In the name of our
Creator who made us
00:52:24.01\00:52:27.28
and gave up His life
for us and rose for us,
00:52:27.31\00:52:31.58
in the name of
our Creator, amen.
00:52:31.61\00:52:34.68
We're going to sing
a beautiful hymn now.
00:52:38.35\00:52:41.76
It's a beautiful hymn,
00:52:41.79\00:52:43.12
Come Thou Fount
of every Blessing.
00:52:43.16\00:52:45.83
I will tell you
that if you go to our...
00:52:45.86\00:52:48.83
If you want to get our
electronic connect card
00:52:48.86\00:52:50.70
because it's
always available to you
00:52:50.73\00:52:52.07
whether I talk
about it up front or not.
00:52:52.10\00:52:54.57
You just dial Banner 2
because it'll fit today,
00:52:54.60\00:52:57.84
269-281-2345.
00:52:57.87\00:53:00.34
And when you get there,
00:53:00.38\00:53:01.71
you will see
there are three steps.
00:53:01.74\00:53:03.78
I want to find the
rest of relationship
00:53:03.81\00:53:06.15
in Jesus on His
seventh day Sabbath.
00:53:06.18\00:53:08.42
Yes, me too.
00:53:08.45\00:53:09.78
Number two, I
would like some specifics
00:53:09.82\00:53:11.32
on how to most
effectively celebrate
00:53:11.35\00:53:13.82
the Sabbath with Jesus.
00:53:13.86\00:53:15.19
Me too.
00:53:15.22\00:53:16.56
You got to put
your email address
00:53:16.59\00:53:17.93
if you want those.
00:53:17.96\00:53:19.29
And number three, I
would like to follow the Lord
00:53:19.33\00:53:20.66
of the Sabbath and be baptized.
00:53:20.70\00:53:22.03
You've never been baptized?
00:53:22.06\00:53:23.40
You've been waiting?
Perfect, let's do it.
00:53:23.43\00:53:25.30
We have a
beautiful service right here.
00:53:25.33\00:53:27.20
Come on.
00:53:27.24\00:53:28.57
Not tomorrow, not next
week but when you're ready,
00:53:28.60\00:53:31.94
just put a
checkmark in that third box
00:53:31.97\00:53:34.34
and leave me an email address.
00:53:34.38\00:53:36.54
I'll be back in touch with you
00:53:36.58\00:53:38.85
because if the
Creator loves us this much,
00:53:38.88\00:53:41.52
it makes all the
sense in the world to me
00:53:41.55\00:53:44.79
to spend the rest
of my life with Him.
00:53:44.82\00:53:47.96
Please stand as we sing.
00:53:52.73\00:53:54.60
Come Thou fount
of every blessing
00:53:58.63\00:54:03.74
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
00:54:03.77\00:54:08.44
Streams of mercy never ceasing
00:54:08.48\00:54:13.15
Call for songs of loudest praise
00:54:13.18\00:54:17.92
Teach me ever to adore Thee
00:54:17.95\00:54:22.66
May I still Thy goodness prove
00:54:22.69\00:54:27.60
While the hope of endless glory
00:54:27.63\00:54:32.50
Fills my heart with joy and love
00:54:32.53\00:54:38.31
Here I raise my Ebenezer
00:54:38.34\00:54:43.38
Hither by Thy help I've come
00:54:43.41\00:54:48.18
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
00:54:48.22\00:54:53.12
Safely to arrive at home
00:54:53.15\00:54:58.16
Jesus sought me when a stranger
00:54:58.19\00:55:03.20
Wandering from the fold of God
00:55:03.23\00:55:08.30
He to rescue me from danger
00:55:08.34\00:55:13.31
Interposed His precious blood
00:55:13.34\00:55:19.78
O, to grace how great a debtor
00:55:19.81\00:55:24.95
Daily I'm constrained to be
00:55:24.99\00:55:29.96
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
00:55:29.99\00:55:34.96
Bind me closer still to Thee
00:55:35.00\00:55:39.93
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
00:55:39.97\00:55:45.01
Prone to leave the God I love
00:55:45.04\00:55:50.18
Here's my heart,
O, take and seal it
00:55:50.21\00:55:55.38
Seal it for Thy courts above
00:55:55.42\00:56:01.39
Shabbat is just like Shekinah.
00:56:07.50\00:56:12.00
That word means God is in it.
00:56:12.03\00:56:16.44
Today, this Sabbath God is in it
00:56:16.47\00:56:21.58
and it is His date with us.
00:56:21.61\00:56:26.88
Shall we make it
our date with Him?
00:56:26.92\00:56:32.32
Amen.
00:56:32.35\00:56:33.69
The Lord bless you and keep you.
00:56:36.66\00:56:42.63
The Lord make His face
00:56:42.66\00:56:44.50
shine upon you
00:56:44.53\00:56:46.20
and be gracious to you.
00:56:46.23\00:56:49.24
The Lord turn
His face toward you
00:56:49.27\00:56:53.27
and give you peace.
00:56:53.31\00:56:55.21
One of the hot
debates on this planet today
00:56:59.55\00:57:01.68
is this collective conversation
00:57:01.72\00:57:03.62
about Creation versus Evolution.
00:57:03.65\00:57:06.15
Are there 1000 voices
offering their perspectives?
00:57:06.19\00:57:08.69
The truth is that in God's Word
00:57:08.72\00:57:10.79
there are some
pretty definitive statements
00:57:10.83\00:57:13.66
that I examined those statements
00:57:13.70\00:57:15.10
and the evidence for creation.
00:57:15.13\00:57:16.93
In a little book I wrote,
00:57:16.97\00:57:18.30
Creation and Evolution subtitle.
00:57:18.33\00:57:19.93
I thought we'll look at
the evidence that our master,
00:57:19.97\00:57:21.70
designer created our planet.
00:57:21.74\00:57:24.27
I'd love for you to
join the conversation
00:57:24.31\00:57:25.87
and check out the
evidence for yourself.
00:57:25.91\00:57:27.98
In fact, if you call
00:57:28.01\00:57:29.68
our toll free
number 877-HIS-WILL,
00:57:29.71\00:57:31.71
the two words HIS-WILL,
00:57:31.75\00:57:33.45
I'll make sure
one of these books,
00:57:33.48\00:57:34.85
at no charge to
you is in the mail.
00:57:34.88\00:57:36.85
The number again, 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:36.89\00:57:39.75
Let the operator know
00:57:39.79\00:57:41.12
you want the book
Creation and Evolution,
00:57:41.16\00:57:43.86
and we'll get it in the
mail to you as soon as possible.
00:57:43.89\00:57:47.16
Until we're
together again right here
00:57:47.20\00:57:48.86
on New Perceptions next week,
00:57:48.90\00:57:51.23
may the grace and peace
00:57:51.27\00:57:53.84
and the hope of the
Creator abide with you.
00:57:53.87\00:57:56.77