¤¤
00:00:02.00\00:00:08.04
>> Good morning, happy Sabbath.
We're so happy that you're here
00:00:12.54\00:00:15.34
with us this week. As we
sing a couple of songs, we
00:00:15.34\00:00:17.68
just encourage you to sing with
us and praise the God that we
00:00:17.68\00:00:20.42
get to serve. ¤¤
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Please stand. [
"Lead Me to the Cross"
00:00:28.26\00:00:32.76
begins ] ¤¤
00:00:32.76\00:00:38.67
You may be seated. [
"Touch the Sky" begins ]
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¤¤
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>> Amen. >> Amen.
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¤¤
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>> Morning. The
Scripture reading this
00:07:48.50\00:07:51.37
morning is found in
Matthew 28:5-7, and it says,
00:07:51.37\00:07:54.40
"The angel said to the women,
'Do not be afraid, for I know
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that you are looking for
Jesus, who was crucified.
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He is not here; he has
risen, just as he said.
00:08:00.34\00:08:03.31
Come and see the place where
he lay. Then go quickly and tell
00:08:03.35\00:08:06.85
his disciples, "He has risen
from the dead and is going ahead
of you into Galilee.
00:08:06.85\00:08:10.99
There you will see him."
Now I have told you.'" ¤¤
00:08:10.99\00:08:19.93
>> As we sing this next song
on Easter Sabbath, I invite you
00:08:19.93\00:08:23.40
to assume the posture of
prayer as we sing our next song.
00:08:23.43\00:08:27.70
[ "I Hear the
Savior Say" begins ]
00:08:27.70\00:08:33.44
>> Please come
forward as we sing.
00:09:30.03\00:09:33.37
>> Aren't you glad that Jesus...
00:12:41.99\00:12:43.56
>> Well, good morning and happy
Easter Sabbath to all of you
00:12:46.19\00:12:50.93
boys and girls. What a treat to
see you, and look at what you
did. Bless you for all those
00:12:50.93\00:12:55.90
offerings that you've put in
there. Good to see all of you.
00:12:55.90\00:13:00.41
Do you feel as
happy as you look?
00:13:00.41\00:13:03.38
I can tell you
do. And you're right.
00:13:03.41\00:13:06.68
Papa's very happy that
he's got his three favorite
00:13:06.68\00:13:09.68
granddaughters right here.
00:13:09.68\00:13:11.35
Ella and Izzy. And where's Lily?
Oh, she's in mother's arms.
00:13:11.39\00:13:16.39
Right beside daddy. Hey,
good to have all of you guys.
00:13:16.39\00:13:20.00
Do you know what this is? What
do I have in my hand? This is a
00:13:20.00\00:13:26.03
water bottle. Yep. You ever
drink from these? Oh, everybody
00:13:26.03\00:13:30.14
loves water. What? You looking
for somebody? >> I'm right here.
00:13:30.14\00:13:33.31
>> Oh, there you are. Hey, dad.
You have drunk from these water
00:13:33.31\00:13:39.15
bottles, I know you have. 'Cause
it's -- Do you love the taste of
00:13:39.15\00:13:43.75
water? Yeah, isn't it great? Oh,
it's just a wonderful taste,
especially when you're thirsty.
00:13:43.75\00:13:48.69
And in New Camden, New Jersey,
just this last week, in school,
00:13:48.69\00:13:54.66
I'm talking about Bobby
Stonaker. Bobby was in school.
00:13:54.66\00:13:59.77
Nine years old. Anybody here
nine years old? Nine years old,
just your age. Give me a
00:13:59.77\00:14:04.04
high-five. He was nine years
old, third grade. You get into
00:14:04.04\00:14:07.34
third grade? Oh, man, he's just
like you. Bobby is in school
last Wednesday, and he says,
00:14:07.34\00:14:12.65
"Man, I'm getting thirsty right
now. Right now, I need some
water." Well, mother put a
00:14:12.65\00:14:18.25
little water bottle. She did,
she put it in his little lunch.
00:14:18.25\00:14:21.29
So he reached down to his little
lunch and brought out a little
water bottle, and he said,
00:14:21.29\00:14:25.59
"Okay, I'm gonna have a
drink right now. Teacher doesn't
00:14:25.59\00:14:28.73
mind." And he can't get the lid
off. Have you ever had it where
it's just so tight you can't get
00:14:28.73\00:14:32.77
the lid off? He can't get
the lid off. Well, this is just
00:14:32.77\00:14:37.01
crazy. Well, I know how I'd get
it off. He said, "I'll just put"
-- Don't you ever do this.
00:14:37.01\00:14:41.81
He said, "I'll just put this in
my mouth like this, and I'm
gonna just turn it and turn."
00:14:41.81\00:14:46.85
You know, if you really bite
down hard on it, theoretically,
it would break loose.
00:14:46.85\00:14:52.15
So he went... [Grunting] And
all of a sudden, it broke loose!
00:14:52.15\00:14:57.59
But the problem was he was
holding the jar so tight that,
when the top came off, the water
00:14:57.59\00:15:04.20
behind it just went -- pssh --
into his mouth and... [ Gasps ]
00:15:04.20\00:15:09.50
[ Gulping ] And I watched
the security camera video, and
00:15:09.50\00:15:18.15
first, he gets out, he goes
back to the sink in the back. [
00:15:18.15\00:15:22.62
Gulping ] Nothing's coming out.
And then, he walks all the way
to the front of class and his
00:15:22.62\00:15:27.66
teacher's Mrs. Jenkins, Janiece
Jenkins. She's right there, and
00:15:27.66\00:15:31.53
he comes up to her, and he looks
up at her, he goes... [Gulping]
And she looked down, and she
00:15:31.53\00:15:38.03
made one correct -- as only
teachers can make -- decision
00:15:38.03\00:15:44.54
just like that. He is choking on
something. She has no idea what
it is. She whirls him around.
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She takes her big teacher arms,
and she puts her arms around his
front, his chest, and she put
00:15:49.74\00:15:55.85
her fist. You know, you do
it like this. You just put your
00:15:55.85\00:15:58.82
hand over your fist and you go
right under here if somebody's
choking. And what is it called?
00:15:58.82\00:16:01.62
You know what it's called? >>
CPR. >> CPR? Well, that's close.
00:16:01.62\00:16:05.46
[ Laughter ] Very
close. It's also called
00:16:05.46\00:16:09.80
the Heimlich maneuver. I
didn't expect you to know that.
00:16:09.80\00:16:13.40
But she went around and she
grabbed and she goes, "Ugh!" And
I'm watching on this video.
00:16:13.40\00:16:19.51
She went, "Ugh!" He goes,
"Uhh." She says, "Do it again.
00:16:19.51\00:16:23.11
Number two. Ugh!"
[ Groans ] Nothing.
00:16:23.11\00:16:26.58
She does it the third
time. I counted them. "Ugh!"
00:16:26.58\00:16:30.85
Pop! [ Laughter ] The
water -- The cap fell on the
00:16:30.85\00:16:36.19
floor, and he looked up with
this look of, "Ahh!" It happened
00:16:36.19\00:16:44.00
so fast. She did have CPR
training. She knew what to do.
But she said later, she said,
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"I just grabbed him and began
to do what I should do." And now
00:16:48.37\00:16:52.67
he's crying. And the teacher's
starting to feel like crying,
too. And she goes over to her
00:16:52.67\00:16:57.45
desk as he grabs a little bit of
Kleenex, and she pulls it out,
and she rubs her little third
00:16:57.45\00:17:02.28
grader's cheeks. She said,
"You're gonna be all right,
00:17:02.28\00:17:05.65
Bobby." And, oh, my. You have
your daddy or mommy, this
afternoon, show you that
00:17:05.65\00:17:09.86
little video. Oh,
my. You know what?
00:17:09.86\00:17:12.29
When I saw that teacher do that,
you know who I thought about? I
thought about Jesus.
00:17:12.29\00:17:16.93
I thought about Jesus way up
there in Heaven, and he's
looking down, and Jesus says,
00:17:16.93\00:17:20.97
"Wait a minute, angels, hold
it, hold it. They're choking.
00:17:20.97\00:17:24.67
The mommies and daddies are
choking. The little boys and the
00:17:24.67\00:17:27.81
little girls are choking.
They're not choking on water
00:17:27.81\00:17:30.65
bottle caps. They're choking on
sin and they need help. They're
gonna die if I can't
00:17:30.65\00:17:35.55
get that out." And, so, Jesus
came down, and they put Him on a
00:17:35.55\00:17:39.85
cross just like that. You see
that cross? And they made sure
00:17:39.85\00:17:43.36
his arms were wide open so that
he could do a global, universal
Heimlich maneuver and reach
00:17:43.36\00:17:50.03
around the whole human race, and
on their behalf, He went, "Ugh!"
And... [Popping lips]
00:17:50.03\00:17:57.81
Those sins start coming out when
people find out there's a Savior
who could take care of me.
00:17:57.81\00:18:02.68
[ Popping lips ] Yeah, and I
tell you one other thing, and I
00:18:02.68\00:18:08.42
love this part. You know what He
did? They put Him in a grave.
That's why we're here today.
00:18:08.42\00:18:12.25
They put Him in a grave, but
they couldn't keep Him, they
couldn't keep Him locked in.
00:18:12.25\00:18:16.16
And Sunday morning, when He
raised Himself back up, Sunday
morning, He said, "Okay, I got
00:18:16.16\00:18:20.16
one more Heimlich maneuver. I'm
gonna take the door of this
grave and I'm gonna squeeze
00:18:20.16\00:18:26.63
the door of every grave on this
Earth until -- pow! -- the grave
is no longer a one-way trip.
00:18:26.63\00:18:35.01
I'm gonna open the
door to Heaven." Oh, my.
00:18:35.01\00:18:40.22
Don't you just love Jesus? They
asked little Bobby afterwards --
00:18:40.22\00:18:44.29
or reported it -- "What do you
want to say to your teacher?"
And he looked up at her 'cause
00:18:44.29\00:18:47.36
she was there, too. He looked
up at her and he said, "I love
00:18:47.36\00:18:51.66
you." Oh. For God so loved the
world that He gave His only son.
00:18:51.66\00:18:56.26
That's why we're here today. And
we can say, "I love you." How
many want to say, "I love
00:18:56.26\00:19:01.10
you," back to Jesus? You want
to just put a hand up and say,
00:19:01.10\00:19:05.44
"Jesus, I love you so much."
Yeah, we do. Who would like to
00:19:05.44\00:19:10.28
thank Jesus? Who would like to
be the volunteer prayer today
who would like to thank Jesus.
00:19:10.28\00:19:15.62
Young lady, I see your hand up.
You come on over here. And let's
00:19:15.62\00:19:20.66
get a microphone. Here, we got
one. Thank you, Carl. And I know
00:19:20.66\00:19:24.79
who your grandparents are.
What's your first name? >> Uh, I
00:19:24.79\00:19:29.50
forgot. >> Judith. >> Judith!
>> Well, it's a good thing your
00:19:29.50\00:19:32.63
grandpa hangs around you. >>
Yeah. >> Hey, Judith, would you
00:19:32.63\00:19:36.34
mind thanking Jesus for us for
being such a wonderful Savior?
00:19:36.34\00:19:40.68
>> Yeah. >> Let's close our eyes
and fold our hands. >> Jesus,
00:19:40.68\00:19:47.58
thank you for this life and
thank you for... [ Laughs ] I
00:19:47.58\00:19:52.79
don't -- >> That's
good. >> Thank you for... ev--
00:19:52.79\00:19:58.33
Thank you for loving us. >>
Mm-hmm. >> And thank you for
00:19:58.33\00:20:05.17
coming to Heaven. And
thank you for life. >> Yes.
00:20:05.17\00:20:14.18
>> And thank you for a
people who loves you. >> Mm-hmm.
00:20:14.18\00:20:22.58
And -- And... And thank
you for... And thank you for...
00:20:22.58\00:20:34.00
And... >> Amen. >> Amen.
00:20:34.00\00:20:36.93
>> Amen. Hey, hey. Hey, Judith,
you come here. Let me give you a
00:20:36.93\00:20:40.24
hug. Because your grandpa's a
preacher, and I can tell it's
rubbing off on you.
00:20:40.24\00:20:43.74
You're gonna be a
great preacher. All right?
00:20:43.74\00:20:46.14
God bless you, Judith. God bless
you, boys and girls, as you go
quietly and reverently
00:20:46.14\00:20:50.55
back to your seats. Thank
you, Jesus, for loving on us.
00:20:50.55\00:20:54.65
Amen.
00:20:54.65\00:20:56.05
¤¤
00:21:00.12\00:23:53.63
[ Applause ]
00:23:53.66\00:24:01.87
¤¤
00:24:05.64\00:24:08.58
>> Let's pray. Oh,
God, we just sang it to you.
00:25:05.43\00:25:10.67
Our confession of hope
and faith, made like Him.
00:25:10.67\00:25:14.18
Like Him, we rise, alleluia.
Ours the cross, the grave,
00:25:14.18\00:25:18.81
the skies,
alleluia. Lock that hope.
00:25:18.81\00:25:23.12
Lock that faith deep in our
hearts as you speak to us now
00:25:23.12\00:25:26.89
through your word,
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:25:26.89\00:25:30.79
>> Amen. >> The
message that echoes from
00:25:30.79\00:25:34.73
the empty sepulcher
today catches us by surprise.
00:25:34.73\00:25:41.00
Ain't no grave...
gonna hold my body down.
00:25:41.00\00:25:46.91
Hmm.
00:25:46.91\00:25:48.88
Johnny Cash, the great American
country singer who -- by the
way, and you didn't know this --
00:25:48.91\00:25:53.48
who got delivered from his
deadly addiction to cigarette
smoking by attending one of the
00:25:53.48\00:25:57.89
Seventh-day Adventist Church's
stop smoking clinics. They used
to call it a five-day
00:25:57.89\00:26:02.49
plan to stop smoking. You might
remember that. And then it
became BreatheFree.
00:26:02.49\00:26:07.20
And for the rest of his life, he
carried in his heart a soft spot
00:26:07.20\00:26:12.40
for Adventists. Johnny Cash,
just days before he died,
collaborated with a producer
00:26:12.40\00:26:18.61
friend of his named Rick Rubin,
and they recorded the title song
on the album that was released
00:26:18.61\00:26:25.01
posthumously, "Ain't No Grave
Gonna Hold My Body Down." One
reviewer wrote wrote it
00:26:25.01\00:26:30.15
this way. "When the recording
was released on the posthumous
00:26:30.15\00:26:34.89
album 'America VI: Ain't No
Grave'" -- came out in 2010 --
"listeners encountered a
00:26:34.89\00:26:41.30
fragility in his legendary voice
that made the performance porous
00:26:41.30\00:26:46.00
and transcendent. 'The
Washington Post's' critic, Bill
Friskics-Warren, wrote about it
00:26:46.00\00:26:52.07
with these words -- 'spiritual,
even biblical quality of the
music.'" End quote.
00:26:52.07\00:26:57.58
The roots of this song are tied
back to Negro spirituals in the
00:26:57.58\00:27:03.32
late 1800s. Ain't no grave gonna
hold my body down. Ain't no
grave gonna hold my
00:27:03.32\00:27:08.52
body down. When I hear the
trumpets sound, I'm gonna get up
00:27:08.52\00:27:13.86
out of the ground 'cause ain't
no grave gonna hold my body
down. The Easter story.
00:27:13.86\00:27:21.37
Let me remind you. "Once upon a
time, after the Sabbath, at dawn
00:27:21.37\00:27:26.61
on the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary went to look at the tomb.
00:27:26.61\00:27:31.25
There was a violent earthquake,
for an angel of the Lord came
down from Heaven, and going to
00:27:31.25\00:27:36.69
the tomb, rolled back that stone
and sat on it. His clothes were
00:27:36.69\00:27:41.36
white as snow. The guards were
so afraid of Him that they shook
and became like dead men."
00:27:41.36\00:27:46.66
Oh, I like the the graphic way
"Desire of Ages" renders this.
00:27:46.66\00:27:50.80
Ain't no grave gonna hold my
body down. Ain't no grave gonna
00:28:05.38\00:28:11.15
hold my body down. When I hear
the trumpets sound, I'm gonna
00:28:11.15\00:28:16.36
get up out of the ground 'cause
ain't no grave gonna hold my
body down. I'm so excited about
00:28:16.36\00:28:22.73
this song, I want to start
singing it. Can I get an amen to
that song, by the way?
00:28:22.73\00:28:27.80
Come on. "Ain't No
Grave." "Ain't No Grave."
00:28:27.80\00:28:31.71
That was the shout, by the way,
that ignited the Book of Acts.
00:28:31.71\00:28:35.68
Mm-hmm. When the truth
penetrated society there was a
risen Savior, that was the
00:28:35.68\00:28:42.18
shout. But what's so amazing to
me -- and I just saw this week
and I got to share it with you
00:28:42.18\00:28:46.82
-- is the profound cause and
effect that the message of the
risen Savior produced in the
00:28:46.82\00:28:51.39
lives of those who believed in
the beginning. Story number one.
00:28:51.39\00:28:54.56
Peter is preaching his heart
out. It's the day of Pentecost.
00:28:54.56\00:28:58.43
50 days after Jesus rises from
the tomb, he's preaching away.
Let's interrupt him in a sermon.
00:28:58.43\00:29:04.84
Here we go. Acts
2:32. Peter's preaching...
00:29:04.84\00:29:09.24
Yes, sir.
00:29:13.08\00:29:14.68
3,000 people come forward in
that altar call and are baptized
that day, and look what happens
00:29:23.02\00:29:29.30
to that fledgling movement
just birthed. Here we go.
00:29:29.30\00:29:34.04
Now, you don't see it yet, but
it's there. Just enough evidence
00:29:52.72\00:29:57.79
to hint at the conclusion. But
because you're not convinced,
00:29:57.79\00:30:01.26
let's go to the second story.
Story number two. Peter and John
00:30:01.26\00:30:04.63
have spent the night in jail.
How come? Because they healed a
00:30:04.63\00:30:07.74
lame man. Born lame, by the way.
Healed him in the name of Jesus
of Nazareth, who was alive
00:30:07.74\00:30:13.27
and well. Yeah, they've been
arrested. They're in front of
00:30:13.27\00:30:18.61
the authorities. We're now
in Acts 4:10, and Peter -- we
00:30:18.61\00:30:21.92
interrupt Peter again. Here
he goes. "Then know this, you
00:30:21.92\00:30:25.42
clergy"... That room full of
clergy is stumped. They've got
to just debate next
00:30:37.97\00:30:42.50
steps. They dismiss
Peter and John. Verse 18.
00:30:42.50\00:30:47.18
"And then, they called them
in, Peter and John, again"...
00:30:47.18\00:30:50.91
Peter and John go back to the
fledgling movement. They now
bring the healed lame
00:31:16.44\00:31:20.98
man with them, a new member.
They have a mighty prayer
session, and at the end of the
00:31:20.98\00:31:25.75
prayer session -- true story
-- the Holy Spirit is poured out
00:31:25.75\00:31:30.92
all over again. Let's
pick it up. Notice the effect.
00:31:30.92\00:31:34.46
Keep reading.
00:31:40.50\00:31:42.06
Whoa!
00:31:51.54\00:31:53.14
End quote. This is a second time
now we've observed this pattern.
00:32:06.55\00:32:11.69
You say, "What pattern, Dwight?"
Well, see if you see it.
Whenever the message of a risen
00:32:11.69\00:32:17.17
Savior is proclaimed, there is a
reciprocal response among those
00:32:17.17\00:32:23.00
who believe. Story number one.
They embrace the message of the
risen Savior and they
00:32:23.00\00:32:26.31
immediately begin to serve one
another, especially the needy
00:32:26.31\00:32:29.91
among them. Story number two.
They embrace the message of the
risen Savior and they
00:32:29.91\00:32:33.55
immediately begin to serve one
another to the place there is
not one needy person in the
00:32:33.55\00:32:37.92
whole movement. Leading us to
tentatively -- okay, I'm willing
00:32:37.92\00:32:42.99
to put the word in --
tentatively conclude...
00:32:42.99\00:32:46.83
Hmm. They believe in the risen
Christ and they demonstrate that
00:32:56.37\00:33:02.28
belief by radical service or
radical serving one to another.
So radical, in fact, that some
00:33:02.28\00:33:09.15
are willing to liquidate
their assets for the sake of the
00:33:09.15\00:33:13.76
needy. Have mercy. Why?
Well, I'm gonna add a word here.
00:33:13.76\00:33:18.36
"Because the message of a risen
Savior always"... Now, this is
00:33:18.36\00:33:25.30
dependent on the
premise here -- belief.
00:33:25.30\00:33:27.24
Story number three. You say,
"Well, Dwight, I'm not sure.
00:33:35.01\00:33:38.28
Give me one more." Okay, story
number three, just a few pages
00:33:38.28\00:33:42.05
later. Let's go to Acts 9.
"In Joppa, There was a disciple
00:33:42.05\00:33:47.32
named Tabitha." That's Aramaic.
"In Greek, her name is Dorcas."
And both the Greek and the
00:33:47.32\00:33:52.46
Aramaic mean "gazelle." "She was
always doing good and helping
00:33:52.46\00:33:57.37
the poor." Now, there must have
been something about this little
baby girl that's born that leads
00:33:57.37\00:34:01.74
this mother to conclude that,
"You know what? We got a spry
00:34:01.74\00:34:05.24
little dancer on our hands here,
and we're going to name her
'Gazelle.'" Well, I got three
00:34:05.24\00:34:09.51
granddaughters that you just
met, and they are spry all over
the place. They're like gazelles
00:34:09.51\00:34:13.58
themselves. So Dorcas, Tabitha,
whichever name you wish, when
00:34:13.58\00:34:21.86
she embraces the teaching, the
announcement of a risen Savior,
out of devotion to Him, she
00:34:21.86\00:34:30.40
immediately devotes her life
to radical service. Immediately.
00:34:30.40\00:34:38.84
And then tragedy strikes... and
she does die very unexpectedly.
00:34:38.84\00:34:45.58
But I want you to keep reading.
"About that time, she became
sick and died, and her body was
00:34:45.58\00:34:50.95
washed" -- the Jewish custom --
"her body was washed and placed
in an upstairs room."
00:34:50.95\00:34:55.96
Keep reading.
00:34:55.96\00:34:57.66
You got to do something.
00:35:05.00\00:35:06.77
And what sight greets his eyes?
00:35:12.07\00:35:14.51
She's made a mark on that little
community. "Peter sent them all
00:35:23.95\00:35:28.12
out of the room; then he got
down on his knees" -- Oh, I wish
00:35:28.12\00:35:31.56
I had a YouTube of this. "He got
down on his knees and he prayed,
and turning toward the
00:35:31.56\00:35:36.30
dead woman" -- the corpse -- "he
said, 'Tabitha, get up.' She
opened her eyes, and seeing
00:35:36.30\00:35:44.84
Peter, she sat up." Now, I
learned from my friend, F.F.
00:35:44.84\00:35:49.81
Bruce, the great New Testament
commentator, something I never
seen before, and I want to pass
00:35:49.81\00:35:57.45
it on to you. What is happening
here -- And you'll get it
immediately. What is happening
00:35:57.45\00:36:03.16
here is that Peter is repeating
what he saw done when Jesus
raised Jairus -- Remember the
00:36:03.16\00:36:11.97
ruler of the synagogue, Jairus,
and little 12-year-old daughter,
she died, and Jesus raised the
00:36:11.97\00:36:18.07
daughter. Peter is step by step.
Watch this. First of all, he
00:36:18.07\00:36:21.84
watched Jesus do this.
Only Peter, James, and John were
00:36:21.84\00:36:25.05
there. He watched Jesus
say, "Everybody out of the room.
00:36:25.08\00:36:27.28
Just everybody
out." What does Peter do?
00:36:27.28\00:36:29.15
"Everybody out of the room."
Then he hears Jesus, in Aramaic,
00:36:29.15\00:36:32.15
'cause that's what
Jesus spoke. And by the way,
00:36:32.15\00:36:34.79
the Gospel of Mark is the
only place that gives us Jesus'
00:36:34.79\00:36:37.89
Aramaic words in that
room with the dead body of
00:36:37.89\00:36:40.56
the 12-year-old. The
Aramaic is talitha cumi.
00:36:40.56\00:36:45.87
He hears Jesus
say, "Talitha cumi."
00:36:45.87\00:36:48.70
And what Peter does is repeat
those identical two words,
00:36:48.70\00:36:52.34
except he changes one letter.
Instead of saying talitha cumi,
00:36:52.34\00:36:56.24
he says, "Tabitha cumi."
00:36:56.24\00:36:59.91
He's following Jesus right down
the line. And what happens next?
00:36:59.95\00:37:05.65
Oh, let's go back and set it up.
00:37:05.65\00:37:07.62
Keep reading. "Turning
toward the dead woman, he said,
00:37:11.09\00:37:15.93
'Tabitha cumi. Get up, Gazelle.'
She opened her eyes, and seeing
00:37:15.93\00:37:21.44
Peter, she sat up. And he took
her by the hand." Guess what
Peter saw Jesus do with the
00:37:21.44\00:37:25.87
daughter of Jairus. What did he
do? Jesus took that little girl
00:37:25.87\00:37:28.48
by the hand. And Peter says, "I
guess that that's what we do
next, step three," and he takes
00:37:28.48\00:37:32.28
the hand and he brings her right
up. "He took her by the hand and
he helped her to her feet.
00:37:32.28\00:37:36.62
And then he called for the
believers" -- come on in, take a
00:37:36.62\00:37:40.12
look at this -- "especially the
widows, and presented her to
them alive. And this became
00:37:40.12\00:37:44.53
known all over Joppa, and many
people believed in the Lord."
Can you imagine that headline?
00:37:44.53\00:37:49.90
Wow. Wow, the power of a risen
Savior flows back into that dead
00:37:49.90\00:37:57.67
body, and beautiful Dorcas or
Tabitha, she wakes up. And what
she was doing when she
00:37:57.67\00:38:02.81
was cut down, she immediately
resumes when she's raised back
00:38:02.81\00:38:07.08
up. She starts serving the
needy. I'm telling you. I'm not
00:38:07.08\00:38:11.89
making this up. Three stories in
a row. Story number one, story
number two, story number three,
00:38:11.89\00:38:16.59
all with the same truth.
00:38:16.59\00:38:18.96
That's the key. You
got to believe. Of course.
00:38:26.17\00:38:29.00
In other words, if you today --
I'm talking to you right now --
if you today believe He's alive,
00:38:29.00\00:38:35.28
and most of you here do, ipso
facto -- that's two little words
-- on the basis of that
00:38:35.28\00:38:41.52
fact, if you believe he's
alive, you serve. That's it.
00:38:41.52\00:38:46.89
If you believe Jesus lives
right now, you serve. You serve.
00:38:46.89\00:38:52.59
¤ I serve a risen Savior ¤
He's in the world today Stop.
00:38:52.59\00:39:02.44
I like that -- I like
the way that begins. I serve.
00:39:02.44\00:39:06.71
I serve. If you
believe he's alive, you serve.
00:39:06.71\00:39:11.31
Wow. But what I've been brooding
over this week is, how does this
00:39:11.31\00:39:15.88
work in real time? How does
this work in real life? Come on.
00:39:15.88\00:39:20.39
Here's the conclusion I've come
to. Now, you're gonna have to
00:39:20.39\00:39:24.03
check this out because I have no
way to do but listen to what you
00:39:24.03\00:39:27.96
say. I'm gonna give you three
givens. Okay, three givens.
Let's see if they help us.
00:39:27.96\00:39:31.80
Given number one, put
it on the screen for you.
00:39:31.80\00:39:34.77
Hands down, hands down our
greatest enemy, right? That's
00:39:37.74\00:39:42.44
just a given. I mean, come on,
please. I traverse up and down
the halls of hospitals in this
00:39:42.44\00:39:47.65
county. I traverse up and down
the roads of this county. I sit
beside those at the edge
00:39:47.65\00:39:52.32
of life, on the verge of death,
and you got to trust me -- there
is nobody that considers death
00:39:52.32\00:39:57.83
good news. Oh, yes, the little
caveat that you want insert
00:39:57.83\00:40:02.23
here. That's true. For some,
death does come as a sweet
release from the grueling
00:40:02.23\00:40:06.80
battle to live, but otherwise,
death is our mortal foe. Never
make peace with death.
00:40:06.80\00:40:15.44
Was that Dylan Thomas? Rage,
rage into the night. Don't go
00:40:15.44\00:40:21.22
softly. Fight it. Death is
an enemy. But thank God for
00:40:21.22\00:40:25.09
the New Testament. 1 Corinthians
15. "But thanks be to God, who
00:40:25.09\00:40:28.49
giveth us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ." Oh,
death, where is your sting?
00:40:28.49\00:40:34.20
Oh, grave, where is your
victory? Ain't no body...
00:40:34.20\00:40:43.61
that you have, ain't no body
that I have can be pinned down
00:40:43.61\00:40:50.91
in that grave. Unh-unh, unh-unh.
Wow. Given number one. Come on,
let's just admit it.
00:40:50.91\00:40:57.05
Jesus conquered death. Amen.
Let's go to given number two.
00:40:57.05\00:41:01.29
Given number two. "There is
therefore" -- So following this
little syllogism perhaps.
00:41:01.29\00:41:05.13
Now, this is really important.
Because it's not just death
00:41:08.86\00:41:13.00
that's our enemy. And if Jesus
licked death, as He did with His
own mighty death and
00:41:13.00\00:41:17.71
resurrection, there's nothing --
now, here's the point -- there
is nothing, there is no one else
00:41:17.71\00:41:22.51
that we need to fear. Do you
understand that? In Romans 8,
00:41:22.51\00:41:26.38
what's that great line? If
God is for us, who can be what?
00:41:26.38\00:41:30.32
Who can be against us? Nobody.
It's a rhetorical question.
00:41:30.32\00:41:34.06
Nobody's against us. Not
the enemy of fear. Mnh-mnh.
00:41:34.06\00:41:40.86
Nor the enemy of despair. Not
the enemy of hopelessness, nor
the enemy of helplessness.
00:41:40.86\00:41:47.64
Whatever paralyzes you in the
darkest of nights, whatever
immobilizes you in the brightest
00:41:47.64\00:41:54.41
of days, I don't care what it
is, it cannot overcome you. It
00:41:54.41\00:42:03.65
can't. If you're in Him...
you got it. No matter what.
00:42:03.65\00:42:11.53
Three givens, and then I'll sit
down. Okay, here comes number
00:42:11.53\00:42:14.93
three. Given number three.
Based on given one, given two.
00:42:14.93\00:42:19.27
Oh, I love that line. "I can
do all things through Christ who
00:42:25.01\00:42:29.08
strengthens me." There it is.
The can-do spirit of the risen
Christ that permeated,
00:42:29.08\00:42:33.72
infiltrated the early Christian
church and turned them into
can-do heroes for the king.
00:42:33.72\00:42:42.49
Can do. I can do all
things through Christ.
00:42:42.49\00:42:45.26
They believed they could do it
with him and through him. They
saw the world as their
00:42:45.26\00:42:50.43
parish. They saw their assets
as their gifts and the needs all
00:42:50.43\00:42:54.27
around them their glorious
opportunities. "Man, this is
00:42:54.27\00:42:57.87
perfect. Let's go to work." Sign
me up. Robert Schuller, in his
00:42:57.87\00:43:03.08
wonderful little book,
"Move Ahead with Possibility
00:43:03.08\00:43:06.58
Thinking." I believe he's right.
I'll put Schuller on the screen
00:43:06.58\00:43:11.19
here. "You can talk yourself
into almost any attitude." That
is one of the great
00:43:11.19\00:43:14.86
psychological truths of the
human race. We had psychologists
00:43:14.86\00:43:18.33
in first service. We've got
psychologists sitting here, and
00:43:18.33\00:43:21.70
they'll tell you,
this is absolutely true.
00:43:21.70\00:43:23.63
Man, I got a young friend that
calls me every now and then. He
said, "Oh, brother, you're
00:43:33.91\00:43:38.41
not gonna believe this.
This is just -- You got to --
00:43:38.41\00:43:41.35
You should be working
where I'm working." "Oh, yeah?"
00:43:41.35\00:43:44.25
"Yeah, I'm worn out. Not
getting anywhere. Dead end."
00:43:44.25\00:43:51.03
No, no, no. Don't talk
yourself into almost anything.
00:43:51.03\00:43:56.00
No, no, no. Not that. Schuller
goes on. "Repeat out loud, 'I'm
00:43:56.00\00:44:01.94
tired.' Repeat out loud, 'I'm
finished. I'm through,'" and
guess what? "You will soon
00:44:01.94\00:44:07.18
believe it." Your mind will
believe what your lips say. Be
careful what your lips speak
00:44:07.18\00:44:11.21
to your mind. Be very careful.
"The positive application" --
00:44:11.21\00:44:16.05
I like this. So, this is
the flip side. It not only works
00:44:16.05\00:44:19.09
negatively, it works beautifully
positively. "The positive
application is equally powerful.
00:44:19.09\00:44:23.39
'I'm going to be happy today.'"
I'm gonna be courageous today.
I'm gonna be confident today.
00:44:23.39\00:44:28.83
I'm gonna be energetic today.
I'm gonna be kind today. I'm
gonna be loving today.
00:44:28.83\00:44:33.40
And you say it. I'm gonna be
loving all the way through that
00:44:33.40\00:44:36.44
day, and you know what? You will
be loving. Through the power of
00:44:36.44\00:44:40.31
the risen Christ, you will
be. Yes, you will. "The positive
00:44:40.31\00:44:45.15
application is equally powerful.
'I'm going to be happy today,
though the skies are cloudy and
00:44:45.15\00:44:49.98
gray, no matter what comes my
way, I'm gonna be happy today.'
As the French author Colette
00:44:49.98\00:44:55.16
viewed her life on the screen,"
Schuller writing, "someone said
to her, 'Yo, girl, it looked
00:44:55.16\00:44:59.96
like you were a very happy
child,' and she answered, 'Yes,
it's too bad I didn't realize it
00:44:59.96\00:45:07.84
at the time.'" Most of us have
no idea that what we're going
00:45:07.84\00:45:13.54
through right now is actually
good news. We're so convinced
that it's bad news, it's just
00:45:13.54\00:45:17.85
ruining my life. We have no idea
that God says, "Come on, girl,
00:45:17.85\00:45:23.72
boy, hold off. You can't see
what I see." Wow. So what's that
00:45:23.72\00:45:33.03
mean? You know, as Schuller put
it, you can you you can talk
yourself into almost any
00:45:33.03\00:45:37.53
attitude you want to. But I
love the attitude -- I love the
00:45:37.53\00:45:41.67
attitude of the Bible. "I can
do all things through Christ who
00:45:41.67\00:45:46.57
strengthens me." It's that
can-do spirit that has led men,
women, and children through the
00:45:46.57\00:45:51.28
ages into radical service to
their risen Savior. It's that
can-do spirit. In the name of
00:45:51.28\00:45:56.48
Christ, my risen Lord, that last
Sunday over a hundred people --
you saw it on the big screen --
00:45:56.48\00:46:01.16
over a hundred people. It was
fatiguing, you bet. Four hours
00:46:01.16\00:46:04.96
standing the whole blooming
time. But when Sunday was over,
these over a hundred went home
00:46:04.96\00:46:13.37
with a sense of gratitude, a
sense of being energized because
41 little children that were
00:46:13.37\00:46:19.34
sleeping on the floor in this
county now are sleeping on
beautiful beds with pillows
00:46:19.34\00:46:23.78
and quilts and mattresses.
What's wrong with that? All
because they volunteered.
00:46:23.78\00:46:33.05
They said, "Yeah, I can help.
Sign me up. I'll do it. I'll do
00:46:33.05\00:46:37.26
that." Wow. He said, "Dwight,
listen, I just haven't been able
00:46:37.26\00:46:44.77
to find a real need." Oh, I'm
glad you brought that up because
I want to remind you
00:46:44.77\00:46:48.14
that we have a volunteer
engagement committee right now
that is working, and they're
00:46:48.14\00:46:52.21
gonna be working till July 1.
And they have to fill -- get
this -- 600 positions of men,
00:46:52.21\00:46:56.85
women, teenagers, young adults,
college students, non-college
students, 600 volunteer
00:46:56.85\00:47:02.95
positions by July 1. And I need
you to know there are a handful
00:47:02.95\00:47:10.53
of volunteer opportunities --
don't tell anybody -- that have
your name written all over them.
00:47:10.53\00:47:16.93
No, I'm serious. Don't tell 'em
I said that. They're ready to
00:47:16.93\00:47:22.07
go. "No, no, I can't. I'm not
gifted." Oh, boy, there we go
00:47:22.07\00:47:25.07
again. "I'm not gifted." You
keep saying, "I'm not gifted,"
all day long, and guess
00:47:25.07\00:47:28.61
what? You're not
gifted. "I'm not smart."
00:47:28.61\00:47:31.21
Oh, boy, that is the
biggest lie in the world.
00:47:31.21\00:47:35.02
You're bright. Can do.
00:47:35.05\00:47:38.49
"I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me."
00:47:38.49\00:47:42.39
"Yeah, but I can't get
up in front and preach.
00:47:42.39\00:47:44.63
I don't want anything that
has me getting up front and
00:47:44.63\00:47:47.13
talking."
America's number one fear is
00:47:47.13\00:47:49.06
public speaking.
"I'm not going to do it.
00:47:49.06\00:47:51.07
No, if that involves
that, you just count me out."
00:47:51.07\00:47:54.00
I want to tell you
something. You can do it.
00:47:54.00\00:47:56.30
I'm gonna pick on my son sitting
in the front row right now.
00:47:56.30\00:47:59.27
When he was in
college here. Glenn Russell.
00:47:59.27\00:48:01.61
Everybody knows and
loves Pastor Glenn Russell.
00:48:01.61\00:48:04.08
Dr. Glenn Russell. He
took a bunch of academy --
00:48:04.08\00:48:06.61
college kids over to Zimbabwe.
00:48:06.61\00:48:08.68
I think that's what it
was. Yeah. And Kirk was going to
00:48:08.72\00:48:11.92
preach for the first time in his
life. I was not in town. I was
at a camp meeting when he
00:48:11.92\00:48:19.26
called and talked to Karen. His
first words were -- Karen says,
"Hey, how'd it go?"
00:48:19.26\00:48:24.03
He said, "Boy, it went, but
it wasn't pretty." [ Laughter ]
00:48:24.03\00:48:30.17
You know what? This boy can get
up in front of anybody today,
00:48:30.17\00:48:35.21
talk to anybody he wants to.
Why? Because he did it anyway.
00:48:35.21\00:48:39.11
If you let your fears proscribe
you, they stop you. You can't
live by your fears.
00:48:39.11\00:48:45.32
You have to live by faith. "I
can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me."
00:48:45.32\00:48:49.86
You can get up. That job may
say, "Hey, girl, you're gonna
stand in front of a
00:48:49.86\00:48:53.16
group of kids." That's okay.
I'll stand in front of them.
00:48:53.16\00:48:55.96
You'll eventually stand in front
of a group of adults and you'll
00:48:55.96\00:49:00.10
be fine. No, no. You get the
point. No, "I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens
00:49:00.10\00:49:06.17
me." Hmm. So, don't you
think the risen Christ has the
00:49:06.17\00:49:10.38
authority to give you the
ability to say the very "yes"
that the church is needing from
00:49:10.38\00:49:14.98
you? Just say, "Yes, sign me
up." Of course he has it. For
you to be the very servant
00:49:14.98\00:49:21.59
of Jesus the church needs like
Dorcas and Peter and John and
the healed lame man, of course.
00:49:21.59\00:49:28.36
¤ Oh, I serve a risen Savior But
I love the way it begins with
00:49:28.36\00:49:35.70
"serve." I serve. ¤ I serve a
risen Savior ¤ He's in the world
00:49:35.70\00:49:44.61
today ¤ I know that he is living
¤ Whatever man may say Now,
listen, listen, listen.
00:49:44.61\00:49:53.12
I see his hand of mercy. You see
that? I see his hand of mercy?
00:49:53.12\00:49:56.73
Jesus hand will never show up.
You're the hand. It's your hand
00:49:56.73\00:50:02.23
of mercy that Jesus uses. ¤ I
see his hand of mercy I hear his
00:50:02.23\00:50:06.07
what? Voice of cheer. Jesus
isn't gonna be speaking into the
job that you take on.
00:50:06.07\00:50:10.84
You'll be speaking. He's using
your voice. ¤ And just the time
00:50:10.84\00:50:16.54
I need Him He's always what?
What's the word? He's always
00:50:16.54\00:50:20.22
near. Sing it with
me. ¤ He lives ¤ He lives
00:50:20.22\00:50:24.85
¤ Christ Jesus lives today ¤ He
walks with me ¤ And talks with
00:50:24.85\00:50:31.89
me ¤ Along life's narrow way [
Congregation joins ] ¤ He lives,
00:50:31.89\00:50:39.33
He lives ¤ Salvation to impart ¤
You ask me how I know He lives ¤
00:50:39.33\00:50:49.68
¤ He lives within my heart Oh,
hallelujah. Put it on the screen
00:50:49.68\00:50:59.89
one more time.
00:50:59.89\00:51:01.69
Sign me up, Jesus. Let me find
a need and I'll fill it for You,
00:51:06.86\00:51:10.77
Jesus. I don't care when You
need me. I don't care where You
need me. I don't care what You
00:51:10.77\00:51:15.60
need from me. I can do all
things through You. Sign me up.
00:51:15.60\00:51:21.08
And if you're willing to sign
up, I need you to contact me
00:51:21.08\00:51:24.08
right now. I'm gonna put a
number on the screen. I wish you
would text one word
00:51:24.08\00:51:28.08
to this number, and I'll write a
letter for you. Let's put it on
00:51:28.08\00:51:34.02
the screen. If you'll go to
-- If you'll just type up in the
00:51:34.06\00:51:38.16
number space 269-281-2345.
This is our standard number
00:51:38.16\00:51:41.90
here. Everybody
in Pioneer knows it.
00:51:41.90\00:51:43.57
But you don't have to
be from Pioneer to do this.
00:51:43.57\00:51:45.70
And then, text the
word. That's all you do.
00:51:45.70\00:51:47.94
Just "Signup4." Two
more parts and it'd be
00:51:47.94\00:51:51.84
"Signup6," and the
series is over in two Sabbaths.
00:51:51.84\00:51:54.41
Just text in the word "Signup4,"
and there will be a little
00:51:54.41\00:51:57.68
letter, and I need you to send
this letter to the volunteer
00:51:57.68\00:52:00.98
engagement committee. Ah,
it's not that complicated.
00:52:00.98\00:52:05.32
Here we go.
00:52:05.32\00:52:06.76
If you'll just hit send on
that, we got the rest of the
00:52:13.03\00:52:17.43
information we need.
We'll be back in touch with you.
00:52:17.43\00:52:20.50
There will be a volunteer
opportunity with your name
written all over, and I have no
00:52:20.54\00:52:24.91
idea what's going to be,
but you're gonna love it. Why?
00:52:24.91\00:52:28.11
Because in the power of
the risen Savior, I can do all
00:52:28.11\00:52:33.72
things. Serve our risen Savior.
He's in the world today. Oh,
Jesus, thank you, thank you
00:52:33.72\00:52:38.79
for being alive. Thank you for
that Heimlich maneuver that took
00:52:38.79\00:52:43.22
care of sin and blew the door
off of the tomb. Ain't no grave
00:52:43.22\00:52:48.33
gonna hold my body down. And,
Dear Jesus, ain't no fear gonna
hold my body down either.
00:52:48.33\00:52:53.23
Nope. Sign me up. I
gladly serve where you
00:52:53.23\00:52:56.20
send me. Gladly. With rejoicing.
00:52:56.20\00:53:02.71
We go out into this Easter
Sabbath with the hope of our
00:53:02.71\00:53:08.85
Lord Jesus. In your name, amen.
00:53:08.85\00:53:11.25
Come on, let's sing it together.
¤ I serve a risen Savior We'll
actually do it really well
00:53:11.65\00:53:16.06
this time because we'll have an
organist doing it for us. [ "He
00:53:16.06\00:53:23.00
Lives" begins ] ¤¤
00:53:23.00\00:53:25.93
>> Before you go, let me take an
extra moment to share with you
00:57:00.05\00:57:02.12
an opportunity to get into
the Bible in a fresh, new way.
00:57:02.12\00:57:05.09
All across the world, more and
more people are hearing the call
00:57:05.09\00:57:08.09
to examine
Scriptures for themselves.
00:57:08.09\00:57:10.03
If you've felt drawn to learn
more about God's Word, but you
00:57:10.03\00:57:12.99
don't know where to start or
you're just looking for a more
00:57:12.99\00:57:15.86
in-depth examination of Bible
truths, then I have something
00:57:15.86\00:57:18.80
right here that I
believe you're gonna enjoy.
00:57:18.80\00:57:21.10
I want to send a series
of guides to get you started.
00:57:21.10\00:57:23.71
This one's entitled "Why
Does God Allow Suffering?"
00:57:23.71\00:57:26.47
Each guide begins with a story,
an introduction of the subject.
00:57:26.47\00:57:29.51
Then, through a series of focus
questions, you'll be learning
00:57:29.51\00:57:32.28
portions of the Bible you
may never have known before.
00:57:32.28\00:57:34.75
And when you're through, you'll
be able to share with others
00:57:34.75\00:57:37.45
some of these
inspiring Bible truths.
00:57:37.45\00:57:39.25
Just call our toll-free
number. It's on the screen.
00:57:39.25\00:57:41.39
877, the two words, "His will."
Friendly operators are standing
00:57:41.39\00:57:45.83
by to send these
study guides to you.
00:57:45.83\00:57:47.56
Once again, that's 877-HIS-WILL.
Call that number, and then
00:57:47.56\00:57:52.87
again join me next week
right here at this same time.
00:57:52.87\00:57:56.97
"New Perceptions."
00:57:56.97\00:57:58.04
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:00.98\00:58:20.26
¤¤
00:58:20.26\00:58:28.04