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>> Speaking of Palau, thank you
for whoever it was that ordered
the snow so that we'd have a
00:05:49.38\00:05:53.88
little reminder that, while we
were in all that sunshine,
Michigan was still Michigan.
00:05:53.88\00:05:58.35
Just a beautiful morning to
awaken to. I got nine pictures,
00:05:58.35\00:06:02.39
alright? I wish I had 90. Oh, I
got more than 90, but I'm gonna
show you 9, and the 9 help
00:06:02.39\00:06:07.00
kind of encapsulate what we were
doing, and I'm gonna just tell
you before I show one picture,
00:06:07.00\00:06:13.03
it's because of your praying
that we can give this report.
It's a beautiful report.
00:06:13.03\00:06:16.94
You're gonna see God's
fingerprints all over it, but
you were praying, God bless you.
00:06:16.94\00:06:21.51
Thank you for that. Beautiful,
iconic Palau. This isn't a
00:06:21.51\00:06:28.28
postcard. Richard Parke, who is
part of our team, our media
director, he went with us.
00:06:28.28\00:06:32.12
I'll talk about him in a minute.
He took this. These are the
00:06:32.12\00:06:37.09
iconic Rock Islands, 70 of them
kind of in a circle, and these
are 3 of them right there.
00:06:37.09\00:06:43.00
It's just beautiful. All over
the world, people go to Palau.
00:06:43.00\00:06:45.93
You know why? Because it's
glorious diving -- some of our
00:06:45.93\00:06:49.20
group were skindivers. So we had
to have five days of quarantine.
00:06:49.20\00:06:52.44
When we went, the government
says, "Not a COVID germ will
come off of that plane until
00:06:52.44\00:06:57.45
we've checked you out after the
five days. So don't hang around
00:06:57.45\00:07:01.48
a lot of people. You can hang
around each other," and we were
00:07:01.48\00:07:04.75
at the hotel, you know, and
that, "but just stay low." In
fact, one of our guys, at the
00:07:04.75\00:07:09.32
airport, you get a green wrist
tag, plastic. "Don't take this
00:07:09.32\00:07:14.56
off." Penalty -- huge penalty
with the government. You have to
00:07:14.56\00:07:18.43
keep this on. It means you're
not through quarantine yet. One
of our guys said, "I'm just
00:07:18.43\00:07:22.10
gonna go out and buy a little
something at a store." The clerk
saw it immediately.
00:07:22.10\00:07:25.31
She said, "You can't buy
a thing here. Now leave."
00:07:25.31\00:07:27.44
[ Chuckling ] And so he had to
go home. So much for the green
00:07:27.44\00:07:30.15
-- we called them the mark of
the beast to have to wear these
00:07:30.15\00:07:36.05
things on Palau. So we had these
five days where we couldn't do
anything. We got to the
00:07:36.05\00:07:40.06
convention center -- I'm gonna
show you that -- to do some
work, work, work, work to get it
00:07:40.06\00:07:44.43
ready for the big premiere,
world premiere of "Return to
Palau" -- dramatic documentary.
00:07:44.43\00:07:48.26
Don't let me forget to tell you
when we're gonna be showing it
00:07:48.26\00:07:51.43
-- in three weeks. Don't let me
forget it. If I don't tell you,
then just say, "Hey, Dwight,"
00:07:51.43\00:07:56.71
let me know. So we had time to
go beautiful snorkeling. We had
00:07:56.71\00:08:00.34
to. Had to take advantage of the
sunshine, and it was beautiful.
Here's picture number two, and
00:08:00.34\00:08:05.81
this is -- by the way, I'm gonna
show you the background first --
Palau National Gymnasium.
00:08:05.81\00:08:10.79
You'll see inside of it in
the next slide. That's the big
00:08:10.79\00:08:14.56
convention center, where we had
the world premiere. And these
00:08:14.56\00:08:18.39
are five wonderful people. I'll
start from the right and move to
00:08:18.39\00:08:21.53
the left. You've got Loren and
Ann Hamel. Ann is a
psychologist, alright? They're
00:08:21.53\00:08:28.77
both members. They were here in
first service. But Ann is a
psychologist, and when Melissa,
00:08:28.77\00:08:35.14
at the age of 10, lost her
mother, father, and older
brother -- they were murdered
00:08:35.14\00:08:39.88
while Melissa's in the house,
and she was somehow spared.
Melissa, at the age of 10 -- the
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greatest trauma you could ever
experience in your life. The
General Conference got
00:08:46.15\00:08:50.06
immediately ahold of
psychologist Ann Hamel and said,
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"Get on a plane. Get over to
this little girl, and just be
there for her. Get her through
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the first stages." Trauma isn't
something you get over, not
00:08:57.37\00:09:02.14
right away. So, anyway, she was
-- Ann was the leader of this.
It was her idea to put a
00:09:02.14\00:09:06.31
documentary together, and this
is her daughter-in-law. This is
Michelle Hamel, and
00:09:06.31\00:09:10.81
Michelle took three years to
produce this documentary. It is
00:09:10.81\00:09:14.75
powerful. It's already won
awards. It's going through the
film festivals now, and I'm
00:09:14.75\00:09:19.15
certain it'll win more awards.
Been nominated already. So
"Return to Palau," and this
00:09:19.15\00:09:24.89
is, of course, Melissa
DePaiva Gibson. They're both at
00:09:24.89\00:09:28.80
Southwestern University. He's a
pastor on the university church
team, and she teaches
00:09:28.80\00:09:34.44
nursing. She's like 28 years
old, and she teaches nursing at
00:09:34.44\00:09:38.81
the university. So a wonderful
team, and these are just kind of
00:09:38.81\00:09:42.88
the ones standing in front of
the sign when we took the
picture, but they're great
00:09:42.88\00:09:47.48
people. Okay, so here's inside
the building. Do you know what
00:09:47.48\00:09:51.09
S.R.O. stands for?
S.R.O. >> "Standing room only."
00:09:51.09\00:09:53.29
>> Devin, you got it. Both
services -- I think you're the
only one who has it, too.
00:09:53.29\00:09:57.76
You let me know. >>
S.R.O. -- "standing room only."
00:09:57.76\00:10:00.76
And that's what it was. You're
looking at it. The president of
00:10:00.76\00:10:05.23
Palau, whom I'll introduce in a
moment -- the president of Palau
said this is the largest
00:10:05.23\00:10:10.81
gathering under a roof in the
history of Palau -- 1,500-plus
people. Now, this is before the
00:10:10.81\00:10:16.48
documentary's gonna be shown.
You see me sitting right nearby
this palm tree, whatever it is.
00:10:16.48\00:10:23.12
So, after the lights come back
on, and I'm to go up and say a
few words 'cause that's what
00:10:23.12\00:10:27.69
they wanted me to do, when the
lights came back on, there were
people sitting all over here.
00:10:27.69\00:10:32.36
They just kept letting them
in all the way through. This was
00:10:32.36\00:10:35.53
known all over the island. Palau
is an archipelago of islands,
over 500 islands, but
00:10:35.53\00:10:38.93
Koror is on the -- not the
biggest island, but it's the
dominant island in terms of
00:10:38.93\00:10:44.74
populace. Everybody had
heard about "Return to Palau."
00:10:44.74\00:10:48.51
Palau owned this story. For
their culture, it was a story of
00:10:48.51\00:10:52.71
shame. "How could this ever have
happened in our paradise?"
They've lived with that for
00:10:52.71\00:10:57.85
20 years, but God showed them
the rest of the story, and it
was a glorious story.
00:10:57.85\00:11:03.93
By the way, it ended up on
the newspaper, cover of the
00:11:03.93\00:11:06.59
newspaper. The president gave
a press conference. He said,
00:11:06.59\00:11:09.20
"Dwight, have a scripture and a
prayer at the press conference."
00:11:09.20\00:11:13.20
I said, "Man." I said to him at
the press conference, "I wish
every world leader would have
00:11:13.20\00:11:17.41
scripture and prayer before a
press conference." Our press
conferences would be a
00:11:17.41\00:11:20.78
lot more civil in America, I
have a feeling. Anyway, so here
00:11:20.78\00:11:27.35
we are. Success at every
standard you use to measure it
because you were praying.
00:11:27.35\00:11:31.75
Praise God. Here's back behind
the big black curtain up front.
00:11:31.75\00:11:35.62
This was our friend,
Richard Parke, media director at
00:11:35.62\00:11:39.23
Pioneer. He's up in the control
room right now. I am so grateful
00:11:39.23\00:11:44.07
that we had the prescience to
invite Richard along. We thought
00:11:44.07\00:11:47.57
somebody from the G.C. was
coming. I'm so glad it ended up
00:11:47.57\00:11:50.67
being Richard. We would not have
had the premiere we had. He's
running everything.
00:11:50.67\00:11:54.31
I mean, they had little, you
know, a little local church P.A.
00:11:54.31\00:11:58.11
booth. That was it. Had we
not brought this equipment and
00:11:58.11\00:12:01.95
Richard been the professional
that was helping run the
livestream -- some of you
00:12:01.95\00:12:06.05
watched the livestream. I know
it 'cause you've told me -- we
couldn't have done it.
00:12:06.05\00:12:10.39
And by the way, Richard left
Gaddiel here. We were gonna take
00:12:10.39\00:12:14.30
Gaddiel, who' also on our media
team, but because of his visa,
he's really getting close to
00:12:14.30\00:12:18.23
what you want when you have a
visa to come to the U.S., we
said, "No, he can't risk it.
00:12:18.23\00:12:21.57
If he leaves the country,
there's a chance he wouldn't get
00:12:21.57\00:12:24.67
back in. And so, Gaddiel, you
stay here," and he did a great
two Sabbaths with Pastor Rodlie
00:12:24.67\00:12:31.41
preaching. So the fun part for
me -- my assignment was, after
the world premiere, take the
00:12:31.41\00:12:38.99
four next sessions, three in the
evening and one on the Sabbath
morning, and deal with
00:12:38.99\00:12:46.33
forgiveness. But my fun part was
-- besides the teaching
forgiveness, was to do
00:12:46.33\00:12:51.57
interviews with people who were
boots on the ground when this
tragedy happened. Here are two
00:12:51.57\00:12:56.54
presidents of the nation. You
have the former president. I
called him President Tommy.
00:12:56.54\00:13:01.14
I do best with just first names.
President Tommy. And this is the
00:13:01.14\00:13:05.91
present president right here,
and I got to interview them the
first night of the ongoing
00:13:05.91\00:13:14.86
series, and his heart was broken
when the tragedy happened. He
knew little 10-year-old
00:13:14.86\00:13:18.36
Melissa. Now he meets
her as this grown woman.
00:13:18.36\00:13:21.90
His heart was broken. He was
running the construction company
from whence came the
00:13:21.90\00:13:25.70
murderer. Oh, you're
gonna have to hear that story.
00:13:25.70\00:13:28.67
Don't miss -- have I given you
yet when the documentary's gonna
00:13:28.67\00:13:32.77
be seen? Remind me not to quit
without giving you that,
alright? So, first night, I got
00:13:32.77\00:13:37.45
to interview the two presidents.
Second night, I got to interview
00:13:37.45\00:13:42.45
the queen, Bilung. It means
"queen." Bilung Gloria Salii.
She was a dignified queen.
00:13:42.45\00:13:48.29
I'm gonna show you a picture
right after this. Dignified.
00:13:48.29\00:13:52.13
She just had a regal bearing.
Because they have a culture that
00:13:52.13\00:13:58.57
is matrilineal. That means
through the woman the royal line
is drawn. So men are great, but
00:13:58.57\00:14:06.41
it's through the women that the
lineage is established. And so
she was very dear friends
00:14:06.41\00:14:13.18
with the DePaiva family, came
to love them, and then they're
00:14:13.18\00:14:17.35
murdered. Just the whole island
was just devastated. Here we are
00:14:17.35\00:14:23.02
in her house, and she's so
regal. Look at her. And here are
00:14:23.02\00:14:26.86
a few of the team. You recognize
some faces here. But with the
queen. It's like a museum.
00:14:26.86\00:14:31.17
She had pictures up and shells
and collections from the deep
00:14:31.17\00:14:35.27
sea. My, oh, my. God bless her.
So every night subsequent to the
00:14:35.27\00:14:39.04
documentary, what's our
theme? Forgiveness. Forgiveness,
00:14:39.04\00:14:43.38
forgiveness, forgiveness. 87% of
Palau's Christian, so it really
was the perfect place to
00:14:43.38\00:14:48.05
do this, because they're very
open to considering the
spiritual undergirding for
00:14:48.05\00:14:54.26
forgiveness. This is my last
slide, and here's the president,
00:14:54.26\00:14:58.36
President Surangel "Phipps" Jr.,
and there's Melissa. There is
00:14:58.36\00:15:07.27
Michael. I just want to say a
word about President Phipps.
Whipps, I should say.
00:15:07.27\00:15:13.58
He's the president. He flew over
to Guam to welcome us and to
00:15:13.58\00:15:17.78
take us back on United. And as
we're going on, somebody said,
"Hey, see those two guys?
00:15:17.78\00:15:21.72
They're secret service."
Whenever he steps onto American
territory as a head of state,
00:15:21.72\00:15:26.35
and he's the head of a state --
he's a nation leader --
government of the United States
00:15:26.35\00:15:31.06
says, "We'll provide a
secret-service cover for you, if
00:15:31.06\00:15:34.86
you want it." He can turn it
down, and he does oftentimes. So
when he took us out during
00:15:34.86\00:15:44.01
that quarantine time, couple
security are with him in the
boat going to the Rock Islands.
00:15:44.01\00:15:49.28
He's a member of the local
Seventh-Day Adventist Church in
00:15:49.28\00:15:53.28
Koror. Volunteer. Volunteer
in the church. We're into our
00:15:53.28\00:15:56.92
volunteer engagement committee
time where we'll be making phone
calls to you, and you're gonna
00:15:56.92\00:16:02.39
find a way to say yes. I know
you will. I just want you to
00:16:02.39\00:16:04.99
remember that, when you get that
invitation, the president of a
nation also says yes and says,
00:16:04.99\00:16:10.83
"I have the time. I can serve my
church." Yeah, it's beautiful.
00:16:10.83\00:16:15.20
Anyway, what happened at the
very end was he presented to
Melissa this plaque declaring
00:16:15.20\00:16:21.44
her the possessor of an honorary
citizenship in the Republic of
00:16:21.44\00:16:27.85
Palau, and that place just went
to a standing ovation. She's
00:16:27.85\00:16:31.85
their girl. The high chief got
up, and he said, "Listen,
Melissa, you can go back to your
00:16:31.85\00:16:35.39
other country, but don't forget,
you're really from Palau." Yeah,
it's just a beautiful
00:16:35.39\00:16:40.70
story. You'll see how broken the
story was to become beautiful.
00:16:40.70\00:16:46.13
And thank you for reminding me
about when -- to say when it's
00:16:46.13\00:16:50.44
gonna be shown. Easter Sabbath.
April 16. Easter Sabbath. Just
mark it down up here.
00:16:50.44\00:16:54.31
Easter Sabbath. HPAC --
Howard Performing Arts Center.
00:16:54.31\00:16:57.51
3:00 in the afternoon.
And Melissa will be there and
00:16:57.51\00:17:02.85
Michael. And we'll have a chance
to chat with them after the
documentary. So don't miss it.
00:17:02.85\00:17:06.86
Bring your friends. I'm telling
you, we're gonna run out of
space, so you're gonna
00:17:06.86\00:17:12.13
have to get there early.
It's the premiere. It's being
00:17:12.13\00:17:15.96
premiered in Keene before they
come here. So God is good, and
00:17:15.96\00:17:20.40
we praise Him. But you were
praying. That's the deal. You
were praying, and I thank
00:17:20.40\00:17:24.51
you. On behalf of the
whole team, thank you.
00:17:24.51\00:17:27.38
You say, "Dwight, did you take
any calls for decisions during
00:17:27.38\00:17:31.95
your lectures?" I sure did.
Ended every lecture with an
invitation card, went down the
00:17:31.95\00:17:37.05
rows, down the rows. I just
texted on WhatsApp the pastor
there yesterday evening.
00:17:37.05\00:17:43.29
I said, "Yo, Danny." Pastor
Danny. Danny Velez. His cousin
was in First Church,
00:17:43.29\00:17:47.66
I find out. I said, "What were
the numbers?" He shot me a text
00:17:47.66\00:17:51.33
back. He just looked at it
before our first service. Praise
God, 40 decisions for
00:17:51.33\00:17:56.07
baptism and 60 decisions to
study the bible. Yeah, Danny
00:17:56.07\00:18:03.35
wrote a series of four studies
just on the theme forgiveness,
and he's been handing those out,
00:18:03.35\00:18:08.65
and 60 people will be studying
with him. And, by the way, this
was open to all churches.
00:18:08.65\00:18:12.65
All pastors were there. We had
choir. Catholic church sang at
00:18:12.65\00:18:16.19
the last Saturday-night meeting,
provided the music. It was a
beautiful experience.
00:18:16.19\00:18:19.86
It was island-wide and it needed
to be that way and God blessed,
00:18:19.86\00:18:25.40
so thank you. I got something
else I want to share with you,
though. I'm hoping you'll get
00:18:25.40\00:18:32.91
this, but I want to pray before
we get into it, so let's pray
00:18:32.91\00:18:35.48
right now. Father, thank You for
what You did in Palau. We praise
00:18:35.48\00:18:40.05
You for it. It's Your story,
and what You begin, You finish.
00:18:40.05\00:18:44.59
Philippians 1:6. So we're asking
You to finish what You've
started, those seeds that were
00:18:44.59\00:18:48.76
planted. You just stay on that
island, as You have a way of
doing, and here we are, back in
00:18:48.76\00:18:53.23
snowy Michigan. We're glad to be
alive. Your wheel goes on here,
00:18:53.23\00:18:57.57
as well, so take these moments.
Speak to our minds and our
00:18:57.57\00:19:01.50
hearts. At the foot of the
cross, we pray in Jesus' name.
00:19:01.50\00:19:08.04
Amen. What I want you to do
right now is I want you to
overhear an embarrassing
00:19:08.04\00:19:12.55
conversation. This is gonna be
embarrassing. It's like when
you're in a group and having
00:19:12.55\00:19:16.28
this big discussion and, you
know, everybody's piping up,
"Hey, hey, I got something to
00:19:16.28\00:19:19.75
say." You know how you
are. You want to finally say
00:19:19.79\00:19:22.16
something, and you're so
concentrating on what you're
00:19:22.16\00:19:24.73
about to say that you miss what
just happened before you, and
00:19:24.73\00:19:27.60
it's just, like,
total disconnect.
00:19:27.60\00:19:29.36
This is embarrassing.
They were not listening.
00:19:29.36\00:19:33.44
They are so eager to tell what
they've got to tell, you see,
00:19:33.44\00:19:37.64
the contribution to
the group discussion.
00:19:37.64\00:19:40.68
But out of that embarrassment,
something very significant for
00:19:40.68\00:19:44.78
you and me.
00:19:44.78\00:19:46.21
So let's go. Let's go to
the Gospel of Mark. Mark 10.
00:19:46.25\00:19:50.59
"They were on their way up
to Jerusalem." Who's "they"?
00:19:50.59\00:19:53.72
It'd be Jesus and the Twelve and
a crowd that always followed
wherever Jesus went.
00:19:53.72\00:19:58.69
So you have Jesus, then
the disciples, and then the
00:20:04.87\00:20:08.37
followers. They're coming up
from behind, and they are
astonished. They are afraid.
00:20:08.37\00:20:14.31
You know, there's -- sometimes,
when you see a friend of yours,
somebody you know and love, and
00:20:14.31\00:20:19.68
their face has changed, it could
be the pallor of the face, the
00:20:19.68\00:20:24.12
countenance. It could be a gray
color. I've seen this. The face
has actually changed.
00:20:24.12\00:20:28.89
Something's going on in the head
of Jesus. They have no idea what
00:20:28.89\00:20:33.80
it is, but His face has changed.
Some of them are afraid, like,
"This is kind of -- this is
00:20:33.80\00:20:39.07
spooky." Finally, Jesus stops,
realizes what's going on in the
00:20:39.07\00:20:43.97
circle. So He takes the Twelve
aside. He said, "Hey, fellas,
00:20:43.97\00:20:48.58
come here." This is just the
Twelve now, and He tells them
what was gonna happen to Him.
00:20:48.58\00:20:52.88
He knows why He's going to
Jerusalem. This is the third
00:20:52.88\00:20:56.75
time He has told them in the
Gospels. This time, He will use
a word He never has used before,
00:20:56.75\00:21:03.19
and the word is "crucify." He's
never disclosed the manner of
His impending death.
00:21:03.19\00:21:09.16
So He gets them aside, and here
He goes. "'We are going up to
00:21:09.16\00:21:13.00
Jerusalem,' Jesus says, 'and the
Son of Man will be delivered
over to the chief priests and
00:21:13.00\00:21:17.67
the teachers of the law.'" We're
talking about the hierarchy.
00:21:17.67\00:21:20.34
The religious hierarchy are
gonna do this. Keep reading.
00:21:20.34\00:21:23.35
"'They will condemn Him to
death,'" the Son of Man, "'and
will hand Him over to the
00:21:23.35\00:21:29.58
Gentiles,'" the pagans, "'who
will mock Him and spit on Him
and flog Him and kill Him.
00:21:29.58\00:21:35.12
Three days later he will rise.'"
And Matthew's version -- almost
identical except the word "kill"
00:21:35.12\00:21:40.70
is "crucify." Matthew was
in that circle. Mark wasn't.
00:21:40.70\00:21:46.53
First time Jesus discloses, and
here is what is so stunning, the
temerity, the temerity of what
00:21:46.53\00:21:56.11
happens next, because, I'll tell
you, for all Twelve, it just
goes, whew, whew, in one ear and
00:21:56.11\00:22:00.12
out the other. Nothing about
the crucifixion do they hear.
00:22:00.12\00:22:02.72
Nothing about the resurrection
do they hear. It's just gone.
00:22:02.72\00:22:05.35
And for two of them, this is the
embarrassing moment. They had
been working so hard on
00:22:05.35\00:22:10.49
the speech that they're gonna
give to the Master. They've been
00:22:10.49\00:22:12.86
waiting. "Is this our time? This
is our time?" Jesus says, "I
00:22:12.86\00:22:15.03
have a little announcement to
make." They listen to the
announcement and do not hear a
00:22:15.03\00:22:19.57
word. He's just talked about His
public execution. They want to
00:22:19.57\00:22:24.81
talk about their private and
personal elevation. They want to
talk elevation. He's thinking
00:22:24.81\00:22:30.75
execution. Something is a huge
disconnect here. We do the same.
00:22:30.75\00:22:35.58
We do the same to God.
Disconnect. We never got a
00:22:35.58\00:22:43.73
thing. So they come up to Jesus.
"Then James and John," God bless
00:22:43.73\00:22:47.96
them. Everybody knows the sons
of the thunder. These are the
00:22:47.96\00:22:51.47
fisher boys. "James and John,
the sons of Zebedee, they came
to Jesus." And, by the way, in
00:22:51.47\00:22:57.14
Matthew and Mark, the word is
"then." It's put up right next
to Jesus' disclosure of this
00:22:57.14\00:23:04.31
barbaric ending to His life.
"Oh, I'll rise again." Right
00:23:04.31\00:23:09.02
then. Like little kids with
their parent. "Hey, will You do
00:23:14.59\00:23:17.79
anything, Daddy, that I ask? We
want You to." Not a word about
00:23:17.79\00:23:20.73
what. "We just want You to
do whatever we ask." Jesus says,
00:23:20.73\00:23:24.23
"Well, what do you want me to do
for you? Tell me." They said,
"Alright, let one of
00:23:24.23\00:23:27.97
us sit on your right and
the other at Your left in Your
00:23:27.97\00:23:31.64
glory. That's what we want." [
Chuckles ] You got to be kidding
00:23:31.64\00:23:37.58
me. Nope. The chutzpah.
Now, Matthew says, "Mama."
00:23:37.58\00:23:43.82
Mama's with the boys, so they're
hiding behind Mama's skirts,
00:23:43.82\00:23:47.66
see? They're using Mother as a
front, but it's the boys pulling
the whole thing off.
00:23:47.66\00:23:52.09
"We want the top-two positions."
The temerity. The chutzpah. How
could you possibly speak
00:23:52.09\00:24:00.70
about elevation, exaltation at
this moment? You know, we don't
00:24:00.70\00:24:08.58
feel it. We don't feel this kind
of a "fingernails on a
blackboard" moment to us, number
00:24:08.58\00:24:14.05
one, because most of us don't
know what a blackboard is, and
number two, because we are
00:24:14.05\00:24:21.69
steeped in the very same culture
that James and John have come
from. We are tone-deaf by a
00:24:21.69\00:24:27.96
culture that considers
self-promoting normal.
"America's Got Talent" -- who
00:24:27.96\00:24:32.40
are the people that go on? "Hey,
I got something for ya, America.
00:24:32.40\00:24:35.97
Take a look at me." We got these
reality shows coming out our
00:24:35.97\00:24:42.04
ears. That's what we do.
It's what politics is all about,
00:24:42.04\00:24:45.81
self-promotion. It's what sports
is all about. It's what
entertainment is all about.
00:24:45.81\00:24:49.48
Jesus said, "I can't believe
it." We live in the same culture
00:24:49.48\00:24:54.56
of self-promotion which is the
norm today. "You got a problem
00:24:54.56\00:24:59.53
with that, Dwight? I mean,
come on. This is what we do.
00:24:59.53\00:25:01.30
We do it in the church, we do it
outside of the church." No, I
don't have a problem.
00:25:01.30\00:25:04.70
Jesus has a huge problem
with it. Now, notice how Jesus
00:25:04.70\00:25:10.07
responds. I'll read it again.
"Then James and John, the sons
of Zebedee, came to Jesus.
00:25:10.07\00:25:13.64
'Teacher,' they said, 'we want
You to do for us whatever we
00:25:13.64\00:25:16.75
ask.' 'Well, what do you want me
to for you?' Jesus asked. They
reply, 'Let one of us sit
00:25:16.75\00:25:20.58
on your right and the other at
Your left in Your glory.' 'You
don't know what you're
00:25:20.58\00:25:26.25
asking,' Jesus says. 'Can you
drink the cup I drink and be
baptized with the baptism
00:25:26.25\00:25:31.39
I am baptized with?' 'Yep, we
can,' they answered." And guess
00:25:31.39\00:25:35.46
what. They will. The first
martyr of the Twelve is James
00:25:35.46\00:25:38.97
boy. The last of the Mohicans
to survive is John boy. He'll be
00:25:38.97\00:25:43.41
the last to die. Yeah, we -- we
-- we -- you... "Jesus said,
'Guess what. Yep, you will drink
00:25:43.41\00:25:48.34
the cup I drink, and you will be
baptized with the baptism I am
baptized with, but to sit at my
00:25:48.34\00:25:53.62
right or left is not for me to
grant. These places belong to
those for whom they have been
00:25:53.62\00:25:59.39
prepared.' When then ten heard
about this, they became
indignant." Shooting nails,
00:25:59.39\00:26:04.66
they're so sputtering mad.
They're ticked off with James
00:26:04.66\00:26:07.93
and John. And Jesus says, "This
is teaching-moment time. Guys,
come on, come on. Stop."
00:26:07.93\00:26:12.23
"And He calls them together and
He says, 'You know that those
who are regarded as rulers of
00:26:12.23\00:26:16.60
the Gentiles --'" He might as
well have said "pagans" because
that's what Gentile means,
00:26:16.60\00:26:20.88
pagans. "'Those who are rulers
of the pagans lord it over them,
00:26:20.88\00:26:24.95
and their high officials
exercise authority over them.'"
Jesus says, "Don't you know the
00:26:24.95\00:26:30.05
culture you live in? Don't you
know the media's obsession in
00:26:30.05\00:26:33.92
your culture with the moneyed
and the popular and the famous
and the rich and the powerful?
00:26:33.92\00:26:37.29
I'm talking about the
Bill Gateses," Jesus said, "I'm
00:26:37.29\00:26:40.20
talking about the Mark
Zuckerbergs, the Jeff Bezoses,
the Steve Jobses, the Elon
00:26:40.20\00:26:44.83
Musks, the Warren Buffetts, the
LeBron Jameses, and, God bless
her, the Kim Kardashians.
00:26:44.83\00:26:52.47
Don't you know that you're in a
-- that these titans of the
industry, these titans of
00:26:52.47\00:26:57.18
commerce, these titans of
entertainment and sports, don't
you know they rule over us?
00:26:57.18\00:27:01.98
They look down on us. Don't you
know that about your culture?
00:27:01.98\00:27:08.96
But it's not to be that way
for you. That's my point, boys.
00:27:08.96\00:27:13.46
You getting that? We don't
live that way." He goes on.
00:27:13.46\00:27:16.36
"'Not so with you,'" verse 43.
"Instead, whoever wants to
become great among you must be
00:27:16.36\00:27:21.27
your servant, and whoever wants
to be first must be slave of
00:27:21.27\00:27:25.04
all. For even the Son of Man did
not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give His life as a
00:27:25.04\00:27:32.11
ransom for many.'"
Wow. What is up with that?
00:27:32.11\00:27:38.59
I like the way Frederick Dale
Bruner renders these words with
00:27:38.59\00:27:43.12
his own translation of the
Greek. This is for Matthew, but
the words are almost identical.
00:27:43.12\00:27:47.86
So this is how he puts it. Jesus
speaking here. "'Whoever in your
00:27:47.86\00:27:52.67
group wants to be great must
become the table waiter.'" By
the way, the word there is
00:27:52.67\00:27:56.91
"deaconess," means "must become
a deacon." "You want to be
00:27:56.91\00:28:00.24
great? You become a deacon. You
serve." "'Whoever in your group
00:28:00.24\00:28:04.38
wants to be great must become
the table waiter for all the
rest of you, and whoever in your
00:28:04.38\00:28:08.78
group wants to be first must
become the slave." That's the
00:28:08.78\00:28:11.79
actual Greek word. It's a slave,
you know, with chains? You
00:28:11.79\00:28:14.42
become a slave. "You want to be
great? You become a slave. You
want to be cool and at the
00:28:14.42\00:28:17.73
top of the pack? You go
to the bottom of the pack.
00:28:17.73\00:28:20.13
You become the servant."
You can't miss it. Unmistakable.
00:28:20.13\00:28:27.17
We get it. "'Just like
the Son of Man,'" Jesus says.
00:28:27.17\00:28:31.37
"Be like me." "'He did not come
to be waited on but to wait on
00:28:31.37\00:28:35.64
and to give up His life as a
Ransom for all the rest.'" That
word, "Ransom," ooh, that's
00:28:35.64\00:28:39.75
a heavy word. I like the
way Frederick Dale Bruner
00:28:39.75\00:28:43.45
capitalizes it. The Son of Man
becomes a Ransom. Substitution.
00:28:43.45\00:28:50.09
"Somebody's taking my place.
Somebody's paying my penalty.
Somebody's purchasing my
00:28:50.09\00:28:55.86
freedom." I love the
way A.A. Bonar renders this.
00:28:55.86\00:28:59.63
This is a keepable line.
00:28:59.63\00:29:01.80
Isn't that good? Boy, that's
a collectible right there.
00:29:14.08\00:29:18.22
I'll leave it on
the screen for you.
00:29:18.22\00:29:20.69
Ransom. Substitution. "Taking
my place." Do you know what?
00:29:28.40\00:29:34.70
Mark 10:45 is the clearest self
expression Jesus ever renders
about what His sacrifice is all
00:29:34.70\00:29:42.98
about. And He uses the word
"ransom." Doesn't explain it.
00:29:42.98\00:29:49.15
Just "ransom." "I'm
gonna trade places with you.
00:29:49.15\00:29:53.32
I will die so that you live. I
will die forever so that you
might live forever.
00:29:53.32\00:29:57.43
I will exchange places." Nowhere
has it said who gets the ransom,
who is the ransom paid
00:29:57.43\00:30:03.03
to. Paul will use it in
Timothy, but nobody explains it.
00:30:03.03\00:30:06.94
It just says it's a ransom. Is
it a ransom payment to God? That
doesn't make sense.
00:30:06.94\00:30:11.31
Is it a ransom payment to
the devil? Deliver us all.
00:30:11.31\00:30:14.24
So then to whom is the ransom
offered? The Bible never says.
00:30:14.24\00:30:19.05
"He dies a ransom," Jesus says.
"That's me." In fact, this is
00:30:19.05\00:30:24.79
not a strange word. The Greek
words are actually found here in
00:30:24.79\00:30:27.62
Psalm 47. Look at this. This
is something. "No one can redeem
00:30:27.62\00:30:31.69
the life of another or give to
God a ransom for them." I can't
be a ransom for you.
00:30:31.69\00:30:36.73
I can't be a ransom for you. How
could I? Somebody will, but not
00:30:36.73\00:30:42.70
us. Keep reading. "The
ransom for a life is costly.
00:30:42.70\00:30:45.71
No payment is ever enough." How
could you pay a ransom for the
00:30:45.71\00:30:51.41
human race? "So that they should
live on forever and not see
decay." Only one being in the
00:30:51.41\00:30:57.32
universe could make that
payment. And that's our Lord
Jesus. Come to the foot of the
00:30:57.32\00:31:03.96
cross right now, where He makes
that ransom, but I don't want to
get to that ransom without
00:31:03.96\00:31:09.56
considering one more notion,
a little nuance here, and I hope
00:31:09.56\00:31:14.14
you see it. This will need your
thinking, now. Your mind can't
00:31:14.14\00:31:17.67
be wandering now. You're gonna
have to zero in on this now.
00:31:17.67\00:31:20.11
Whether you're in the balcony or
in the front row here, you need
00:31:20.11\00:31:23.81
to get this. Listen to this.
What is so provocative is that
Jesus uses His death --
00:31:23.81\00:31:30.52
"I'm gonna give my life as a
ransom for you, I'll be
crucified" -- Jesus uses His
00:31:30.52\00:31:35.56
death as the basis for His
appeal to you and me to embrace
the life of serving.
00:31:35.56\00:31:43.00
He will use His death
as that basis. Watch this.
00:31:43.00\00:31:47.50
Frederick Dale Bruner again on
the screen. "So seriously does
00:31:47.50\00:31:52.57
Jesus take the way we work"...
What do you do for a living? A
lot of you have a job.
00:31:52.57\00:31:57.11
What do you do for your living?
Whatever it is, "So seriously
does Jesus take the way we work
00:31:57.11\00:32:04.12
that He uses His death to
motivate it." Keep reading.
00:32:04.12\00:32:08.49
"Jesus' doctrine of vocation"...
Let me just tell you what this
00:32:08.49\00:32:12.33
word means. It means your
calling, okay? So I'm looking
00:32:12.33\00:32:15.16
into the audience. Oh, you have
a calling as a nurse. That's
good. I like nurses.
00:32:15.16\00:32:18.10
Married to one. Oh, you
got a -- You're an accountant.
00:32:18.10\00:32:22.84
I see that. Retired accountant.
Another accountant right there.
00:32:22.84\00:32:26.98
Ooh, professor, professor.
That's your vocation. It's what
00:32:26.98\00:32:31.65
you do. It's your calling. It's
not your job. Vocation's not
00:32:31.65\00:32:35.38
job. Vocation is your calling.
My calling is I only know how to
00:32:35.38\00:32:39.19
do one thing. It's to pastor, to
preach. That's it. It doesn't
matter where you go,
00:32:39.19\00:32:42.76
that's still your calling. Your
calling is not this today and
something else tomorrow.
00:32:42.76\00:32:47.03
You have one calling. It's what
you're doing. Right now, your
00:32:47.03\00:32:50.60
calling is to be a mother.
That's a wonderful vocation, by
00:32:50.60\00:32:53.17
the way. Don't ever apologize
for that. It's one of the
greatest vocations on Earth.
00:32:53.17\00:32:56.81
"Jesus' doctrine of calling is
built on no less a foundation
that Jesus' atonement itself."
00:32:56.81\00:33:05.31
It's based upon His death and
the manner of His death. Now
keep reading. One more line.
00:33:05.31\00:33:10.12
"This is the supreme service
Jesus did for the universe, and
on the foundation of this, Jesus
00:33:10.12\00:33:16.32
calls disciples to turn their
work from careerism to service."
Now, I'm gonna tell you, when I
00:33:16.32\00:33:24.80
read this last week, I came
across that word "careerism."
And I said, "My, my, my, my, my,
00:33:24.80\00:33:29.70
my, I've never heard that word
before in my life." Have you
00:33:29.70\00:33:33.98
ever heard of careerism? No,
you haven't, either. Admit it.
00:33:33.98\00:33:36.81
But it's all over the Internet.
So I go on the Internet, and
00:33:36.81\00:33:40.18
sure enough... Let's get a
definition. Merriam-Webster on
the Internet. "Careerism is the
00:33:40.18\00:33:45.15
policy or practice of advancing
one's career often at the cost
of one's integrity."
00:33:45.15\00:33:51.59
Ooh, that's not something
you want. That's negative.
00:33:51.59\00:33:55.53
It's not a good thing,
apparently, careerism. In other
words -- What do I have
00:33:55.53\00:34:01.94
scribbled down here? In other
words, using your career to
00:34:01.94\00:34:06.74
advance your ambitions. "Yeah,
this is my career right now
'cause this gets me up the
00:34:06.74\00:34:11.71
ladder. I got to keep
moving up the ladder."
00:34:11.71\00:34:14.45
Some of you are still chasing
that dream. I know you are.
00:34:14.45\00:34:19.29
That's careerism. "I don't care
what it takes, I'm going up the
00:34:19.29\00:34:25.16
ladder." Oof. Wikipedia nuances
it just a little differently.
00:34:25.16\00:34:29.96
"Careerism is the propensity to
advancement, power, and prestige
outside of work performance."
00:34:29.96\00:34:37.04
So it has nothing to do with
your work performance. And, by
the way, let's not make
00:34:37.04\00:34:40.84
a mistake here, a wrong
conclusion. Is it okay to keep
00:34:40.84\00:34:44.35
growing and becoming better and
better at what I do, what you
do? Of course it's okay.
00:34:44.35\00:34:48.72
We want to grow. We want to
mature. We want to get better
00:34:48.72\00:34:52.15
and better and better. But this
problem is, "I want to get
better so that I get higher.
00:34:52.15\00:34:58.79
I want to get better so that
I get wealthier. I want to get
00:34:58.79\00:35:04.07
better so that I get smarter
than all the others. I want to
get better so that I'm up here."
00:35:04.07\00:35:09.70
That's careerism. You're using
-- some of you are even using
00:35:09.70\00:35:16.48
your calling to advance. You're
Peter, you're James and John.
00:35:16.48\00:35:23.02
Ambition to be
numero uno at last. Oh, wow.
00:35:23.02\00:35:31.83
There's nothing wrong with
growing, but if our growing --
if our growing is driven by our
00:35:31.83\00:35:36.50
longing to climb higher than
the rest, then it's wrong. It's
00:35:36.50\00:35:40.77
careerism. "Teacher, the two of
us have a request -- can he and
I be on either side of you at
00:35:40.77\00:35:47.44
the top? Please?" It's
wrong. That's careerism.
00:35:47.44\00:35:53.08
It's nothing more than that. I
scribbled down -- I woke up
early this morning, thanks to
00:35:53.08\00:35:59.52
the time zones, and I scribbled
down something. I need to share
00:35:59.52\00:36:05.13
this with you. "Careerism is
hanging on to position to
validate my calling."
00:36:05.13\00:36:13.54
Everybody has a calling here,
but some of you are hanging on
to the position you're in right
00:36:13.54\00:36:17.64
now to validate your calling.
"Everybody will know this is my
calling if I keep this position.
00:36:17.64\00:36:22.28
If I lose this position, I'd
lose my sense of calling."
That's wrong, that's not true.
00:36:22.28\00:36:27.08
That's what careerism does. But
vocation is the calling by which
I serve humanity in my
00:36:27.08\00:36:33.66
God-designated way. "I pursue my
calling in order to activate my
00:36:33.66\00:36:41.93
serving." Let me give you one
more. Careerism is positional.
"I seek position to discover or
00:36:41.93\00:36:50.27
affirm my calling." No, my
friend, if you've got the
calling, it doesn't matter where
00:36:50.27\00:36:56.21
you serve on this planet.
The calling is still yours. You
00:36:56.21\00:37:00.75
haven't lost it. You don't have
to change jobs just to advance
the recognition of your calling.
00:37:00.75\00:37:05.19
You already got it. Hang on
to it. Careerism will drive you
00:37:05.19\00:37:09.82
crazy because you never make
it. You never actually make it.
00:37:09.82\00:37:15.10
Calling -- If careerism is
positional, calling is personal.
00:37:20.10\00:37:26.88
Yeah. "I will
pursue my divine calling
00:37:26.88\00:37:29.48
wherever God puts me,
irrespective of my position."
00:37:29.48\00:37:34.12
I'm gonna just use
myself as an example.
00:37:34.12\00:37:36.85
I don't talk about myself
much, as you already know.
00:37:36.85\00:37:39.42
But lookit, I mentioned a moment
ago, I only know how to do one
00:37:39.42\00:37:43.43
thing -- preach
and pastor. That's it.
00:37:43.43\00:37:45.93
I mean, it's all the same gift.
That's all I know how to do.
00:37:45.93\00:37:50.17
And I report to the Michigan
conference, and if tomorrow the
Michigan conference says,
00:37:52.77\00:37:56.54
"You know, Dwight, thank you.
Been great. We're moving you,"
entirely up to them.
00:37:56.54\00:38:02.41
"We're gonna move you to a
church about 50 miles down the
road, 30 members"...
00:38:02.41\00:38:06.78
I'll move. Why? Because I
have a calling. My calling's not
00:38:06.78\00:38:13.69
dependent on where it's
exercised. It's just dependent
on me being faithful to my
00:38:13.69\00:38:20.33
calling and serve. And if
it's 30 people, 30 people.
00:38:20.33\00:38:23.63
Who cares? Do you see the
difference? James and John said,
00:38:23.63\00:38:29.84
"No, no, no, no, we got to be
here -- numero uno, numero dos,"
or whatever -- however you say
00:38:29.84\00:38:34.44
"second." "No," Jesus said,
"you don't have to be there.
00:38:34.44\00:38:38.55
No, no, no, boys. You don't
have to. You want to be like me.
00:38:38.55\00:38:42.45
You serve. I'm gonna ask you
to lay down your life for me.
00:38:42.45\00:38:47.49
That's what you do. You're
an accountant, you're a plumber,
00:38:47.49\00:38:55.03
you're a builder, good for you.
That's my calling for you. I've
always wanted you to do
00:38:55.03\00:39:00.77
that. Just serve me." Use
where you're at now to open
00:39:00.77\00:39:06.71
the door to serve humanity.
That's it. It's not about
00:39:06.71\00:39:11.48
position. We live in a
university where position means
a lot. There's tenured
00:39:11.48\00:39:15.58
positions, there are un-tenured
positions. Everybody's
sensitive, you know? "Where are
00:39:15.58\00:39:20.19
you in this little moving up the
ladder?" "No," Jesus says, "I
don't do it that way.
00:39:20.19\00:39:23.49
I'm not complaining, but," He
says, "I don't work that way."
Now, you're a doctor in a
00:39:23.49\00:39:29.16
hospital. There has to be
somebody that's ultimately
responsible for the
00:39:29.16\00:39:33.34
hospital, right, and somebody
among the neurologists, and
there's a little pecking order
00:39:33.34\00:39:39.14
there, right? Yeah. That's okay.
You're not doing what you do
00:39:39.14\00:39:46.38
to affirm yourself or to
get recognized. No, that's
00:39:46.38\00:39:50.35
careerism. Jesus says just
lay your life down, that's it.
00:39:50.35\00:39:54.82
That's it. How did Jesus put it?
"The son of man did not come to
be served but to serve and to
00:39:54.82\00:40:02.73
give His life a ransom for
many." As far as I know, that
00:40:02.73\00:40:08.70
call to service -- and, by the
way, that's the bull's-eye for
this little Springtime series we
00:40:08.70\00:40:13.21
begin right now -- that's
the bull's-eye for the next few
00:40:13.21\00:40:18.98
Sabbaths. We'll go to that
bull's-eye of service. We've
been pinned down by this
00:40:18.98\00:40:23.59
crazy pandemic. Some of
us have been pinned down.
00:40:23.59\00:40:26.35
I met people today in the first
service, this is the first time
they'd been in church in two
00:40:26.35\00:40:30.89
years. They're not
elderly people, either.
00:40:30.89\00:40:34.20
We've been pinned down. We've
been locked down. It's time we
00:40:34.20\00:40:42.50
break the shackles and step out
into service again. We need you.
This church needs you.
00:40:42.50\00:40:49.21
God needs you. And in following
Jesus, you will find your
deepest satisfaction
00:40:49.21\00:40:57.35
and your truest fulfillment.
Because you already have the
00:40:57.35\00:41:02.89
calling. Just live with your
calling. You'll live so much
freer not worrying about
00:41:02.89\00:41:08.73
position. Oh, we even sing that
little song. Come on, sing it
00:41:08.73\00:41:11.77
with me. How's it go?
[ Congregation sings ] い
00:41:11.77\00:41:20.78
い い い
00:41:20.78\00:41:36.79
い い い
00:41:36.79\00:41:52.77
い Oh, God, that's our prayer.
Jesus said, "You want what life
00:41:52.77\00:41:59.81
has to offer, then follow me.
Lay down your life for me in
service to humanity."
00:41:59.81\00:42:08.39
Here's a room full of servants
right now. They're already
00:42:08.39\00:42:15.90
assigned a place on this campus,
in this community, in this
culture. But they're assigned as
00:42:15.90\00:42:22.74
servants of the most high God.
And so, we humbly -- we sing and
we pray, "Make us servants.
00:42:22.74\00:42:28.21
Make me a servant." The calling
is sure we don't need the
00:42:28.21\00:42:35.55
affirmation of a career. We just
want the faithfulness of our
00:42:35.55\00:42:41.42
savior. And now, as we take the
emblems of calvary, oh, if
there's a heart that needs
00:42:41.42\00:42:47.03
healing from careerism, the
disease of careerism right now,
let these two emblems be your
00:42:47.03\00:42:53.50
agency for cleansing and for
equipping for the brand-new
chapter ahead. In your mighty
00:42:53.50\00:43:01.88
name, Lord Jesus, we pray
together. Amen. So we're gonna
00:43:01.88\00:43:07.85
go right now to our Lord's
Supper. Don't even move. Take
two seconds to do this.
00:43:07.85\00:43:11.35
If you didn't get the little
Communion kit -- see, they're
coming your way -- if you didn't
00:43:11.35\00:43:15.86
get the Communion kit when you
walked in, just somehow got by,
hold your hand up right now, and
00:43:15.86\00:43:20.13
we'll put one in your hands.
All the way in the balcony, you
00:43:20.13\00:43:23.16
didn't get one? In the back of
the church. All right. The
deacons have done a good job
00:43:23.16\00:43:26.70
of making sure everyone entering
this space has it, but if I'm
somehow not seeing your hand...
00:43:26.70\00:43:32.24
But I didn't see a single hand
go up, so thank you, deacons.
00:43:32.24\00:43:36.28
You did well. But put your hand
up. They'll come by one more
time. Okay, and while they're
00:43:36.28\00:43:40.88
doing that, I'm gonna ask the
other deacons to move the
pulpit, bring the table forward.
00:43:40.88\00:43:45.22
We're ready to go. The organ
will play three or four measures
00:43:45.22\00:43:48.79
of something beautiful. You'll
hear it. And then Pastor Rodlie
00:43:48.79\00:43:52.56
and our elders will lead us in
our beautiful Lord's Supper.
This is for careerism.
00:43:52.56\00:43:57.47
This is to set us free from
having to clamber up a ladder.
This is to bring peace -- the
00:43:57.47\00:44:04.37
peace of Christ -- that passes
all understanding to our hearts.
00:44:04.37\00:44:10.31
God bless you.
[ Organ plays ] い
00:44:10.35\00:44:22.59
い い
00:44:22.59\00:44:42.58
い い
00:44:42.58\00:45:02.63
い
00:45:02.63\00:45:08.77
>> Amen to that.
00:45:13.17\00:45:16.91
So I confess to you that I'm a
believer in holy moments. I
believe when the church
00:45:16.95\00:45:25.29
gathers together, that's a
holy moment. I believe when we
00:45:25.29\00:45:32.73
witness a baptism, we've
witnessed a holy moment. And
equally, like today, right
00:45:32.73\00:45:42.10
now, I believe when we gather
for the Lord's Supper, for
Communion, and we take the bread
00:45:42.10\00:45:52.81
that represents the body that
was broken for us and we take
the grape juice that represents
00:45:52.81\00:45:58.39
the blood that was spilt for us,
I believe we're partaking in a
00:45:58.39\00:46:06.66
holy moment. I mean, really,
that's what the words of Jesus
and Mark 10:45 are all about,
00:46:06.66\00:46:14.27
right? "I did not come to be
served but, instead, to serve
and to give my life as a ransom
00:46:14.27\00:46:22.14
for many." That's why I'm
excited that we could
participate in this
00:46:22.14\00:46:26.98
together. To my right is
one of our Pioneer elders Ildiko
00:46:26.98\00:46:35.52
Gyeresi. And she's gonna take us
back to 1 Corinthians chapter 11
so we can hear that story right
00:46:35.52\00:46:42.23
now. >> I will be reading from
the new international version
00:46:42.26\00:46:46.74
1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
00:46:46.74\00:46:53.04
"For I receive from the Lord
what I also passed on to you.
The Lord Jesus, on the night He
00:46:53.07\00:47:01.75
was betrayed, took bread, and
when He had given thanks, He
broke it and said, 'This is my
00:47:01.75\00:47:11.19
body, which is for you. Do this
in remembrance of me.' In the
same way, after supper,
00:47:11.19\00:47:21.37
he took the cup, saying, "This
cup is the new covenant in my
00:47:21.37\00:47:28.78
blood. Do this whenever you
drink it in remembrance of me.
For whenever you eat this bread
00:47:28.78\00:47:37.52
and drink this cup, you proclaim
the Lord's death until He
00:47:37.52\00:47:44.69
comes." >> Amen. And to my left
is Anthony Yeboah, also one of
00:47:44.69\00:47:49.93
our Pioneer elders. Just gonna
pray to ask God's blessing for
00:47:49.93\00:47:55.14
the emblems
we're about to receive.
00:47:55.14\00:47:57.31
>> Oh, gracious, loving, and
merciful Father, we stand before
00:47:57.34\00:48:05.45
you at this time.
00:48:05.45\00:48:07.82
We've gathered here to partake
of these emblems that represent
the broken body of Christ and
00:48:07.85\00:48:17.56
the blood that is spilled for
the forgiveness of our sins. And
so, Jesus Christ blessed
00:48:17.56\00:48:27.20
the bread and the wine in the
upper room, we are asking that
00:48:27.20\00:48:35.41
these emblems would also be
blessed so that, as we partake
of them, we would, as Apostle
00:48:35.41\00:48:44.79
Paul says, continue to proclaim
the death of our Lord till He
comes back. Thank you for
00:48:44.79\00:48:53.19
hearing us. Amen. >> Amen. Amen.
00:48:53.19\00:48:56.90
[ Organ plays ] い い
00:49:09.31\00:49:29.13
I hear the peeling taking place
already. If you haven't already
00:49:29.13\00:49:35.74
started, I want to invited you
to do so, just the top layer.
And you're gonna do it as
00:49:35.74\00:49:39.61
carefully as possible. We have
a little bit of experience with
00:49:39.61\00:49:43.61
this now. We've had a few cycles
of those. We want to just take
out just a little bread portion.
00:49:43.61\00:49:49.92
Let me see if I can do it
on mine. Okay, got it here.
00:49:49.92\00:49:55.79
I've got it in my hand.
Hopefully you have it in yours.
And, again, the words of Jesus.
00:50:00.13\00:50:07.50
"And as they were eating, Jesus
took bread, blessed and broke
it, and gave it to the disciples
00:50:07.50\00:50:16.38
and said, 'Take,
eat. This is my body.'"
00:50:16.38\00:50:21.28
[ Organ plays ] い
00:50:28.49\00:50:40.77
Amen. I want to invite you to
peel back -- very carefully with
00:50:42.07\00:50:48.44
this one -- the second layer
now. And I always do like to
turn it just a little bit away
00:50:48.44\00:50:56.08
from me 'cause it's -- I
don't want to create a mess.
00:50:56.08\00:51:02.19
Are you doing okay on yours?
Kind of struggling with mine a
00:51:12.50\00:51:17.67
little bit here. Okay. I've got
it there. Again, the words of
00:51:17.67\00:51:26.55
Jesus from Matthew 26, "And it
took the cup and gave thanks and
gave it to them saying, 'Drink
00:51:26.55\00:51:36.06
from it, all of you, for this is
my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for many for the
00:51:36.06\00:51:44.53
remission of sins. But I say
to you I will not drink of this
00:51:44.53\00:51:50.64
fruit of the vine from now on,
until that day, when I drink it
new with you in my father's
00:51:50.64\00:51:58.38
kingdom.'" Let's take.
00:51:58.38\00:52:00.68
[ Organ plays ] い い
00:52:04.19\00:52:20.87
Amen. Friends, I've got
some incredible news for you.
00:52:22.74\00:52:27.38
I don't know if you've heard it
before. Based on the authority
00:52:27.38\00:52:34.32
of the word of God, Jesus said
in His own words, "This is done
for the remission of sins."
00:52:34.32\00:52:40.56
If you've partaken of that just
now in faith, you are completely
forgiven of your sins.
00:52:40.56\00:52:48.23
I want you to receive
those words. You are completely
00:52:48.23\00:52:54.67
forgiven of your sins. That's
some good news. What do you say,
00:52:54.67\00:52:58.17
Church? >> Amen.
>> Yeah, me too. Amen.
00:52:58.17\00:53:00.91
It's kind of like a re-baptism
whenever we partake in
00:53:00.91\00:53:05.21
Communion. That's why I'm always
very happy when I have the
opportunity, the privilege to
00:53:05.21\00:53:10.69
partake in the Communion
service. So, friends, I do want
to invite you to hold on to your
00:53:10.69\00:53:16.12
cup. And as you make your way
out, please throw it out on the
00:53:16.12\00:53:21.00
trash can. So, just hold on to
that. Also, let me just read
verse 30 for you from the same
00:53:21.00\00:53:31.21
chapter. It says, "And when they
had sung a hymn, they went out
to the mount of olives."
00:53:31.21\00:53:37.11
So what do you say? Should we
do that, as well? We're gonna do
00:53:37.11\00:53:41.45
that, Church. We're gonna sing a
hymn together, but before we do,
just want to remind you that
00:53:41.45\00:53:45.79
after the hymn, on your way out
-- this is a tradition in our
00:53:45.79\00:53:50.16
church and so many churches --
we receive a special offering
that goes towards emergency
00:53:50.16\00:53:55.83
assistance. And every single
year, because of your
generosity, we have the
00:53:55.83\00:54:02.67
opportunity to help dozens and
dozens and dozens of families
when they are in a financial
00:54:02.67\00:54:07.11
time of need. So thank you so
much for being generous. On your
way out, you'll see the
00:54:07.11\00:54:11.65
plates where you can put in an
offering for that. Friends, I
want to invite you to
00:54:11.65\00:54:16.52
stand. And we're gonna
sing together hymn 407,
00:54:16.52\00:54:20.62
"Sent Forth by God's Blessing."
[ "Sent Forth by God's Blessing"
00:54:20.62\00:54:28.53
begins ] い い い
00:54:28.53\00:54:49.55
い い い
00:54:49.55\00:55:10.61
い い い
00:55:10.61\00:55:31.63
い い い
00:55:31.63\00:55:52.61
い い い
00:55:52.61\00:56:13.67
い い い
00:56:13.67\00:56:30.19
Amen. Let's bow our
heads for the benediction.
00:56:30.19\00:56:34.89
And now may the Lord bless you
and keep you, the Lord make His
face shine upon you and be
00:56:34.89\00:56:40.96
gracious unto you, the Lord lift
up His countenance upon you and
give you peace now and
00:56:40.96\00:56:47.67
forever more. Let all
the church say... >> Amen.
00:56:47.67\00:56:51.41
>> Amen. [ Organ plays ] い
00:56:51.41\00:57:05.25
>> We've been really blessed by
the financial support that comes
00:57:07.66\00:57:09.66
from our viewers, and we've
made a conscious decision not to
00:57:09.66\00:57:12.99
continually appeal
to you for that support.
00:57:12.99\00:57:16.03
The fact is, as everyone in the
industry will tell you, we're
00:57:16.03\00:57:19.20
needing to make constant
upgrades to our technology.
00:57:19.20\00:57:21.94
So if God has blessed you and
you'd like to further the work
00:57:21.94\00:57:24.64
of this ministry, we
invite you to partner with us.
00:57:24.64\00:57:26.98
Not a single penny of
your donation will go to me.
00:57:26.98\00:57:29.98
Every bit of your gift goes
to the mission of blessing your
00:57:29.98\00:57:33.45
community and our world.
You can donate on our website,
00:57:33.45\00:57:36.48
newperceptions.tv.
Or call the number.
00:57:36.48\00:57:39.59
You know the
number -- 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:39.59\00:57:42.02
Again, that number is 877
-- the two words "HIS-WILL."
00:57:42.02\00:57:46.36
And may the God who has blessed
you continue to pour into your
00:57:46.36\00:57:48.93
life the gifts of
His joy and His hope.
00:57:48.93\00:57:52.00
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:52.00\00:57:54.54
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:54.54\00:57:57.71
い い
00:58:01.01\00:58:21.00
い
00:58:21.00\00:58:27.70