い
00:00:01.63\00:00:03.53
い
00:00:11.74\00:00:13.68
い
00:04:11.31\00:04:13.25
い
00:06:33.39\00:06:35.32
>> And amen, and thank
you, Andrews University Symphony
00:09:45.41\00:09:48.75
Orchestra. Boys and
girls, when you grow
00:09:48.75\00:09:51.12
up, you can be in
that orchestra someday.
00:09:51.12\00:09:53.49
That is just beautiful music,
and we have much more coming.
00:09:53.49\00:09:57.13
So, good to have all
of you kids here, as well.
00:09:57.13\00:10:01.40
Yeah, you can have a
seat here. Nice to see you.
00:10:01.40\00:10:04.03
I want to tell you about --
since it's baseball season --
00:10:04.03\00:10:07.04
about Oakland Athletics.
Anybody -- Do you have baseball
00:10:07.04\00:10:09.84
teams? Yeah, you
know about baseball
00:10:09.84\00:10:11.77
teams.
00:10:11.77\00:10:12.94
Maybe not. Probably not. In
fact, I'm sure not, just looking
00:10:12.97\00:10:17.05
at your faces. But out in
Oakland, California, the
RingCentral Coliseum -- that's
00:10:17.05\00:10:24.99
where the big Oakland A's, the
Athletics play. And they get out
there and they just have a
00:10:24.99\00:10:30.33
wonderful time. And once it's
spring, of course, baseball
comes, and we're all so happy.
00:10:30.33\00:10:33.96
But there's a problem. Do you
know that when you go to a
baseball game, you have to buy
00:10:33.96\00:10:37.77
a ticket? Do you know that?
Yeah, that's the problem today.
00:10:37.77\00:10:41.10
You got to buy a ticket. You
can't get in without a ticket.
00:10:41.10\00:10:43.77
But you know what they
discovered out there? They found
out that between 30
00:10:43.77\00:10:47.71
to 40, maybe 100 visitors
are getting into the RingCentral
00:10:47.71\00:10:53.15
Coliseum without buying a
ticket. Now, how do you like
that? Whoa! That's not good.
00:10:53.15\00:10:58.05
No! They're saying,
"What are we gonna do?"
00:10:58.05\00:11:00.59
30 to 40, maybe 100 not buying
tickets? Finally, they got a
00:11:00.59\00:11:07.13
picture of them. I'm gonna
put it on the screen right now.
00:11:07.13\00:11:09.46
A picture of the people
getting in. Well, is it people?
00:11:09.46\00:11:12.10
Let me see here. Where's the --
Let's put it on the front
screen, guys, on the
00:11:12.10\00:11:15.67
monitors. There you
go. Oh, there it is.
00:11:15.67\00:11:18.37
There is -- Well, what is that?
>> A cat. >> That is a cat.
00:11:18.37\00:11:22.58
And he's hiding out in left
field, right in front of the
00:11:22.58\00:11:27.85
barrier. And do you know what?
That's not any old cat. That's a
00:11:27.85\00:11:31.65
special cat. They're called
feral cats. Do you know what
00:11:31.65\00:11:36.66
"feral cat" means? That means a
wild cat. That's a kitty that's
run away from home and made
00:11:36.66\00:11:41.56
friends with other kitties who
have run away from home, and
they've all kind of grown up
00:11:41.56\00:11:46.20
together and they're hanging
together and they're wandering
around the city. And because of
00:11:46.20\00:11:50.97
the pandemic, the stadium was
empty for a while, and those
little cats got in. They sneaked
00:11:50.97\00:11:55.58
in. And now they have up to 100
feral cats, who are not paying
to watch a ballgame.
00:11:55.58\00:12:01.42
Look at 'em. Freebies. And now
they had a big meeting of the
00:12:01.42\00:12:07.26
city board. Yes, the city board,
the Coliseum board said, "What
are we gonna do with these?
00:12:07.26\00:12:11.16
We've got the --" If they hurt
one of those, the whole nation
would rise up and be furious, so
00:12:11.16\00:12:16.60
they can't hurt any of them that
way, but they said, "You know
what we're gonna do?
00:12:16.60\00:12:21.84
We're gonna fix these cats."
Mm-hmm. They're gonna fix the
00:12:21.84\00:12:25.01
cats. You talk to your mom
and dad about what that means. [
00:12:25.01\00:12:28.18
Laughter ] "We're gonna fix
these cats so that they can't
have any more babies."
00:12:28.18\00:12:33.08
We'll let them stay, because you
know one good thing about having
feral cats in a baseball --
00:12:33.08\00:12:37.89
Major League Baseball stadium?
>> I know what -- >> What is it?
00:12:37.89\00:12:41.12
What's the good thing about
having them? It's -- What's
00:12:41.12\00:12:46.06
happening -- What's gonna be
good about it is what they're
already doing. They're eating
00:12:46.06\00:12:50.93
the rats. Those cats are keeping
the rats out of the stadium, and
so the board said, "Let's not
00:12:50.93\00:12:54.97
get rid of the cats. Let's just
make sure they can't make more
00:12:54.97\00:12:58.41
kitties." And so that little
feral cat gets to go free to
00:12:58.41\00:13:03.45
every ballgame. Hey, does Jesus
love feral cats? >> Yeah. >>
00:13:03.45\00:13:06.61
Yep. Does Jesus love feral boys
and feral girls? Who are feral
00:13:06.61\00:13:12.95
boys and feral girls? They're
the ones that don't fit in.
00:13:12.95\00:13:15.19
They're the ones that get picked
on by bullies at school. Yeah,
they're just picked on.
00:13:15.19\00:13:19.33
They sit alone in the cafeteria
when they eat. Nobody sits with
00:13:19.33\00:13:22.70
them. They're the ferals. And
they feel like nobody cares.
Does Jesus love feral boys and
00:13:22.70\00:13:29.67
girls? Oh, boy, does He.
And do you know how Jesus loves
00:13:29.67\00:13:32.77
them? He loves them through you,
by the friendly face you have
00:13:32.77\00:13:37.68
and the loving ways and your
coming and sitting by them.
Nobody sits by them in the
00:13:37.68\00:13:41.52
classroom. You sit right
-- Recess time, you sit right
00:13:41.52\00:13:45.49
beside them. You stand right
beside them. Jesus loves feral
people. And He loves them
00:13:45.49\00:13:52.93
through you and me. How many
want to be a friend to Jesus?
00:13:52.93\00:13:55.46
Number one, you want to be
a friend to Jesus. Oh, I think
00:13:55.46\00:13:59.20
that's probably every hand. Now,
with the other hand, how many
want to say, "Jesus, help
00:13:59.20\00:14:03.57
me to be a friend to feral boys
and girls that others aren't
00:14:03.57\00:14:08.74
friends with. I'll be their
friend for you." Amen and amen.
Who would like to pray today and
00:14:08.74\00:14:15.75
thank Jesus for being our savior
and loving us so that we can
00:14:15.75\00:14:23.26
love others? Come on up.
What's your name? >> Luke.
00:14:23.26\00:14:25.26
>> Luke? Oh, I love that name,
Luke. Where's that microphone
00:14:25.26\00:14:28.30
for Luke? It's coming
on this side this time.
00:14:28.30\00:14:30.43
Okay, Luke, let's thank Jesus
for being our savior and to help
us love like He does, alright?
00:14:30.43\00:14:36.44
Let's close our eyes and fold
our hands with Luke, shall we?
>> Dear Jesus, thank you for
00:14:36.44\00:14:42.01
this day. Thank you so all of us
are here today at church so we
00:14:42.01\00:14:50.19
can praise our loving Lord.
Amen. >> Amen. Thank you, Luke,
00:14:50.19\00:14:53.09
for that beautiful prayer. God
bless you. And God bless you,
00:14:53.09\00:14:56.56
boys and girls, as you go
quietly and reverently back to
your seats and listen to some
00:14:56.56\00:15:01.00
glorious music
that's coming very soon.
00:15:01.00\00:15:04.40
い >> Amen!
00:15:07.77\00:20:15.08
>> We play now the musical
composition titled "Trial and
00:20:19.01\00:20:22.92
Triumph of Faith for
Orchestra and Organ."
00:20:22.92\00:20:25.95
The music is based on words from
the Biblical book 1 Peter 1 --
00:20:25.95\00:20:31.09
"The trial of your faith, though
it be tried with fire, be found
00:20:31.09\00:20:36.70
unto praise and honor
and glory at the appearing of
00:20:36.70\00:20:41.54
Jesus Christ."
00:20:41.54\00:20:43.67
The music explores, in the
Christian's life, fiery trials
00:20:43.71\00:20:49.01
and assured faith. In the music,
sometimes fiery trials seem to
be alone, with no faith near.
00:20:49.01\00:20:54.75
Sparks fly. Sometimes peaceful,
assured faith seems to fill the
00:20:54.75\00:21:01.86
music. Peace reigns. Often,
however, trial and faith are in
00:21:01.86\00:21:07.60
direct musical opposition, the
organ struggling against other
instruments with their melodies
00:21:07.60\00:21:13.23
of upward-looking faith. There
is much turmoil in this
struggle, but faith overcomes,
00:21:13.23\00:21:17.97
asserting triumph now and
ultimately triumph at the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ.
00:21:17.97\00:21:24.51
We play now "Trial
and Triumph of Faith."
00:21:24.51\00:21:28.78
い >> Amen!
00:21:40.40\00:29:11.28
い
00:29:13.15\00:29:15.08
>> Let's pray together. Father,
our hearts are full. With
majestic music, we've been
00:30:14.14\00:30:22.68
swept heavenward. The thought of
moving out on behalf of our Lord
00:30:22.68\00:30:30.53
Jesus, we've been reminded of
our mission on Earth. And now we
00:30:30.53\00:30:35.46
hear from Jesus Himself, in His
word. Let the word be clear. We
humbly pray in Jesus' name.
00:30:35.46\00:30:41.57
Amen. >> Amen. >>
Everybody remembers the
00:30:41.57\00:30:45.24
Zacchaeus story. "Zacchaeus was
a wee, little man, a wee, little
00:30:45.24\00:30:50.21
man was he." But the problem is,
we have totally forgotten the
00:30:50.25\00:30:57.45
story that follows immediately
on the heels of the Zacchaeus
00:30:57.45\00:31:01.96
story. Do you know what the
story is? No, you do not. Can't
00:31:01.96\00:31:07.66
look. It may be we have
forgotten because of its rather
00:31:07.66\00:31:11.27
uncomfortable punch line
that we're confronted with.
00:31:11.27\00:31:15.10
But it's time we face the music,
and so without further ado, open
00:31:15.10\00:31:18.41
your Bible to Luke 19.
Right after the Zacchaeus story,
00:31:18.41\00:31:22.81
which ends in Verse 10,
and we'll begin in Verse 11,
00:31:22.81\00:31:25.81
alright? Luke 19.
00:31:25.81\00:31:27.18
I'm in the New
International today.
00:31:27.18\00:31:30.45
Luke 19. Jesus has
just announced to the
00:31:30.45\00:31:36.56
house this conniving cheat
of a tax collector, this social
00:31:36.56\00:31:42.96
pariah has just gotten saved.
00:31:42.96\00:31:45.73
He's been forgiven. Salvation
has come to this household, the
00:31:45.77\00:31:50.61
Savior declares. And then -- He
doesn't move, except into a
story, and we're going to that
00:31:50.61\00:31:56.18
story right now. So, Luke 19.
Drop down to Verse 11, please.
And while they were listening to
00:31:56.18\00:32:02.55
Jesus, Jesus went on to tell
them a parable, because He was
near Jerusalem, and the people
00:32:02.55\00:32:08.76
thought that the kingdom of God
was going to appear at once. So
Jesus needs to correct some
00:32:08.76\00:32:14.93
faulty eschatology, some faulty
end-game thinking, which He
probably has to do today, as
00:32:14.93\00:32:20.77
well. He says --
Now, here comes the story.
00:32:20.77\00:32:24.14
He says to the listeners -- and
Zacchaeus included -- "A man of
noble birth went to a distant
00:32:24.14\00:32:30.61
country to have himself
appointed king and then to
00:32:30.61\00:32:34.48
return." "The only king I'm
gonna be is with a crown of
thorns, but I'll go to a far
00:32:34.48\00:32:39.82
country and then I'll come
back." That's what he's hinting
00:32:39.82\00:32:43.16
at here. "So he called 10 of his
servants and he gave them 10
minas. 'Put this money to work,'
00:32:43.16\00:32:50.17
he said, 'until I come back.'"
Now, the reason we forget this
story is because of the more
00:32:50.17\00:32:57.01
popular story, "The Parable
of the Talents." Everybody knows
00:32:57.01\00:33:01.41
that one, right? So, kind of a
similar scenario, but he has
only three servants, and he
00:33:01.41\00:33:06.95
says, "Yo, guys, come on in. I
want to give you --" Let's say
I'm gonna give you five bags of
00:33:06.95\00:33:10.32
gold. They're talents, but
we can't calculate the worth.
00:33:10.32\00:33:13.22
Five bags of gold to you, two
bags of gold to you, one bag of
00:33:13.22\00:33:17.26
gold to you. I'll be back.
Adios. Okay? We know that. But
not this story, which has
00:33:17.26\00:33:26.17
10 servants, not three. 10
servants summoned, and instead
of five bags, two bags,
00:33:26.17\00:33:33.21
and one bag, in this parable,
all 10 servants get an equal
00:33:33.21\00:33:39.91
amount -- 1 mina. What's a mina?
It's the wages of a common
laborer for about three months.
00:33:39.91\00:33:44.99
So, just say $10 an hour, 40
hours a week. What would that
00:33:44.99\00:33:48.66
be? That would be $400. And then
it's 12 weeks to three months,
00:33:48.66\00:33:52.73
so 12 times $400. $4,800.
Listen, if you came to me and
said, "Dwight, I'm gonna give
00:33:52.73\00:33:55.56
you $4,800," I would not
walk away from that. Would you?
00:33:55.56\00:33:59.13
>> No. >> Of course not.
So we're not talking about
00:33:59.13\00:34:02.30
piddly change here. All 10 get
$4,800, one mina each, with this
00:34:02.30\00:34:09.24
simple instruction -- "'Put this
money to work," he said, "until
00:34:09.24\00:34:14.65
I come back.'" The King James
renders that, "Occupy till I
come." The New American Standard
00:34:14.65\00:34:18.69
version says, "Do business with
this money until I come back."
The DKN version says, "Make this
00:34:18.69\00:34:24.13
money grow." So, those
are the simple instructions.
00:34:24.13\00:34:29.16
And, boom, that's what happens.
"Oh, by the way," Jesus says, "I
need to tell you about this
00:34:29.16\00:34:35.27
king. His subjects hated him and
sent a delegation after him to
00:34:35.27\00:34:38.34
say, 'We don't want this man to
be our king.'" He's just
painting all over the
00:34:38.34\00:34:41.84
story -- "This is really about
me." But we don't comment there.
00:34:41.84\00:34:45.18
He keeps going. So, this
nobleman was made a king
somewhere far away.
00:34:45.18\00:34:48.95
And, finally -- We're not told
how long. He finally returns.
00:34:48.95\00:34:52.35
Then he sent for the servants,
all 10 of them, to whom he had
given the money in order to find
00:34:52.35\00:34:56.76
out what they had gained with
it. Oh, now the plot thickens.
00:34:56.76\00:34:59.79
Let's find out what happens.
"The first one came and said,
'Sir, your mina has earned
00:34:59.79\00:35:06.13
10 more.'" Whew! "'Well
done, my good servant!',
00:35:06.13\00:35:12.04
his master replied. 'Because you
have been trustworthy in a very
00:35:12.04\00:35:16.08
small matter, take
charge of 10 cities.'" Wow!
00:35:16.08\00:35:19.75
1,000% profit. Did you get that?
1,000%. But did you notice the
00:35:19.75\00:35:25.39
servant recognizes to whom the
mina belongs? "It's your mina,
00:35:25.39\00:35:29.16
sir, and all the profit is
yours, as well." The nobleman
smiles. "Well, then, my good
00:35:29.16\00:35:33.29
friend, you have passed my test.
I'm entrusting to you 10 cities.
You're gonna administer those
00:35:33.29\00:35:37.37
cities for me. You
go." "Thank you, My Lord."
00:35:37.37\00:35:39.93
Now the story just keeps going.
There are 10. Jesus won't go
00:35:39.93\00:35:43.51
through 10, but here comes
number two. And the second
servant came forward and said,
00:35:43.51\00:35:47.61
"Sir, your mina has earned five
more." Whew! Keep reading. "His
master answered, 'You,
00:35:47.61\00:35:57.35
my friend, you take charge
of five cities.'" Now, it's
00:35:57.35\00:36:02.86
possible that all 10 servants
are witnessing it, and so the
master doesn't have to keep
00:36:02.86\00:36:07.96
repeating the adulation and
congratulation. But what is
immediately clearly confirmed is
00:36:07.96\00:36:13.67
that this 1-mina entrustment not
only has been equally
distributed to all, but it is
00:36:13.67\00:36:20.81
now clear that not all had
either the same outcome or
reward, whereas the first
00:36:20.81\00:36:27.65
servant, with his 10 minas -- he
gets 1,000% and he comes up with
$48,000. Well done.
00:36:27.65\00:36:34.32
The second servant
hasn't enjoyed the same kind of
00:36:34.32\00:36:37.13
returns. However, with the
method that he chose to invest,
nevertheless, he enjoyed a 500%
00:36:37.13\00:36:44.07
profit -- $24,000. That's not
bad, my man. And the nobleman
00:36:44.07\00:36:47.90
smiles. "You're under five
cities for me." Now, get this.
00:36:47.90\00:36:51.44
Though all had been entrusted
the same amount, not all have
enjoyed the same success, and,
00:36:51.44\00:36:57.61
consequently, not all received
the same reward. It clearly has
00:36:57.61\00:37:03.35
been a test of ability rewarded
by productivity. "How did you do
00:37:03.35\00:37:08.22
with what I gave you?" Each
promotion is proportional to the
ability demonstrated.
00:37:08.22\00:37:12.86
Ha! And that's really hard for
our egalitarian -- And you know
what egalitarian means.
00:37:12.86\00:37:17.47
It means you got to have
the same rights, the same
00:37:17.47\00:37:20.50
opportunities. Everybody's equal
-- egalitarian. That's how we
00:37:20.50\00:37:23.14
think as Third Millennials. That
really feels -- There's
something wrong with this.
00:37:23.14\00:37:28.21
That's because of our culture.
Well, this story is very clear
that one of the equal rights and
00:37:28.21\00:37:34.62
equal opportunities is given to
not just one, but all 10. But,
clearly, again, I repeat,
00:37:34.62\00:37:40.22
not equal results and not equal
rewards. Do you have a problem
00:37:40.22\00:37:44.89
with that? Well, think about a
businessman. If you are a
businessman or a businesswoman,
00:37:44.89\00:37:49.56
everybody knows anybody worth
their salt is gonna invest their
money where it is increasing.
00:37:49.56\00:37:53.77
True or false? >> True.
>> Oh, you're not gonna keep
00:37:53.77\00:37:56.50
your money on a losing Wall
Street investment. You pull your
00:37:56.50\00:38:01.38
money out, finally. "This is
enough. I'm not gonna just keep
00:38:01.38\00:38:05.05
losing." No bright person would
want to lose. A bright
businessman is saying,
00:38:05.05\00:38:09.52
"I'm putting my money with
the best returns." God is no
00:38:09.52\00:38:14.26
different. He looks at his
children. They've all been given
the same. Some are doing really
00:38:14.26\00:38:19.49
well. He said, "I'll put my
money there. I'll put my money
00:38:19.49\00:38:24.10
there." Do you have a problem
with that? No. He's a
businessman. Everybody gets the
00:38:24.10\00:38:29.04
same opportunity, the same mina.
But he says, "I'll go where the
returns are the strongest."
00:38:29.04\00:38:36.88
Does he ignore the rest? Of
course not. Why would God keep
00:38:36.88\00:38:41.62
investing in somebody who's
doing nothing? Let's keep
reading. "Then another servant
00:38:41.62\00:38:46.92
came." We're not gonna go
through the other seven. Jesus
said, "Let me just tell
00:38:46.92\00:38:50.03
you about three of them." "Then
another servant came and said,
'Sir, here is your mina.'"
00:38:50.03\00:38:55.36
All three got it -- "Your mina."
"I have kept it laid away in a
00:38:55.36\00:38:59.33
piece of cloth." Now, I need
to tell you about that piece of
00:38:59.33\00:39:02.50
cloth. The Greek word is
"sudarium," from the root word
00:39:02.54\00:39:05.87
"sudor," which means
"sweat." It was a sweat rag.
00:39:05.87\00:39:07.94
You can wear it
around your forehead.
00:39:07.94\00:39:09.48
You can wear it
around your neck.
00:39:09.48\00:39:10.85
Wipe the sweat off.
It's a handkerchief.
00:39:10.85\00:39:12.48
[ Blows nose ] ...into it.
00:39:12.48\00:39:13.92
Or it can be a
facecloth for a corpse.
00:39:13.92\00:39:18.42
Any way you cut it, it's
not a very classy thing to say.
00:39:18.42\00:39:23.59
This guy has a
problem. He has an attitude.
00:39:23.59\00:39:26.09
He's got an attitude.
"I've kept your little -- this
00:39:26.09\00:39:29.70
little mina of
yours in my handkerchief."
00:39:29.70\00:39:33.64
Keep reading. Oh, but the
attitude really becomes clear.
00:39:33.67\00:39:36.34
"'I was afraid of you, because
you are a hard man. You take out
what you do not put
00:39:36.34\00:39:41.31
in and you reap what you did
not sow.'" That's -- Not only is
00:39:41.31\00:39:45.68
this servant impolite and
classless, he's downright rude.
He has it in for the employer,
00:39:45.68\00:39:50.49
and it's clear with this sass
talk. Here's how John Beukema
00:39:50.49\00:39:55.76
describes the attitude. "The
servant had simply held on to
00:39:55.76\00:40:00.56
the coin. He also referred to
the money as 'your mina,' but
there was no hint of humility in
00:40:00.56\00:40:05.50
this. It was an accusation. In
effect, the servant said,
'Lookit, I squirreled it away so
00:40:05.50\00:40:09.64
you could have your precious
coin back. You should be
00:40:09.64\00:40:13.41
thankful I was so cautious.'"
Oh, please. And does the master
00:40:13.41\00:40:17.78
react? Oh, boy. Hold on to your
pew. But before we notice his
reaction, may I remind you what
00:40:17.78\00:40:22.55
the master has just seen? One
servant walked in and returned
his mina with 1,000%
00:40:22.55\00:40:27.26
profit. The second servant walks
in and returns the master's mina
00:40:27.26\00:40:31.56
with a 500% profit. The third
servant walks in and returns the
00:40:31.56\00:40:35.50
master's mina with 0% profit. I
mean, you think about it. The
problem with the third
00:40:35.50\00:40:41.04
servant is, he's lazy or selfish
or both. He could have a half of
00:40:41.04\00:40:44.77
a percent -- Or what are they
giving in the trade -- in the
credit unions these days?
00:40:44.77\00:40:49.01
What are they giving? Oh, maybe
3 -- He could have had 3.5%.
00:40:49.01\00:40:53.62
He's too lazy to cross the
street to Honor Credit Union
00:40:53.62\00:40:59.29
here. He just keeps it. Pbht!
As John Beukema puts it, "This
00:40:59.29\00:41:06.39
servant attempted nothing,
risked nothing, and gained
nothing," because that -- You
00:41:06.39\00:41:13.17
get out of life what you put
into it. And if you put nothing
00:41:13.17\00:41:16.37
into it, guess what you get out
of it. Zero, nada, nothing. Ooh,
00:41:16.37\00:41:23.08
yeah! It's a little bit -- makes
us squirm a little in our pew.
00:41:23.08\00:41:28.48
Hmm. Keep reading. The master
does react. "His master replied,
'I will judge you, sir, by your
00:41:28.48\00:41:35.22
own words, you wicked servant.
You knew, did you, that I am a
hard man, taking out what I
00:41:35.22\00:41:40.90
didn't and reaping what I did
not sow? Then why didn't you put
00:41:40.90\00:41:44.57
my money on deposit so that when
I came back, I could have
collected it with interest?'
00:41:44.57\00:41:48.57
Then he said to those standing
by, 'Take his mina away from him
and give it to the one who has
00:41:48.57\00:41:53.48
10 minas.' And those
standing by said, 'Whoa!
00:41:53.48\00:41:56.41
Sir, stop! He already has 10.'"
And the master replies -- don't
ever forget these words -- "'I
00:41:56.41\00:42:02.68
tell you that everyone who has,
more will be given, but as for
the one who has nothing, even
00:42:02.68\00:42:07.12
what they have will be taken
away.'" And if you have nothing,
00:42:07.12\00:42:10.56
how can they take anything away
when it's still nothing? Clever
00:42:10.56\00:42:15.50
line, master. Clever line. Wow.
I love the way Eugene Peterson
00:42:15.50\00:42:20.87
renders this last verse. In
fact, I've had these words taped
on my wall where I have
00:42:20.87\00:42:25.44
worshipped since NET '98, from
"The Message." And here are the
00:42:25.44\00:42:30.65
words I look at every morning.
"Jesus said, 'Risk your life and
get more than you ever dreamed
00:42:30.65\00:42:37.35
of. But play it safe and
end up holding the bag.'"
00:42:37.35\00:42:44.79
Isn't that good? Hmm. "Risk your
life and get more than you ever
00:42:44.79\00:42:51.97
dreamed of. Play it safe and end
up holding the bag." So, what
does it mean -- Here's
00:42:51.97\00:42:57.57
the question. What does it
mean to risk your life for the
00:42:57.57\00:43:01.71
kingdom? Hmm? What's it mean?
Well, we know what it doesn't
00:43:01.71\00:43:04.15
mean. It does not mean do
nothing, right? The servants and
00:43:04.15\00:43:08.82
the noblemen are entrusted the
same amount. So, guess what. The
mina cannot symbolize talent
00:43:08.82\00:43:13.79
or giftedness, as "The Parable
of the Talents" illustrates. In
"The Parable of the Talents,"
00:43:13.79\00:43:18.86
as it is with life, we are not
all entrusted with the same
gifts or abilities.
00:43:18.86\00:43:22.90
You -- Come on, admit it. You
and I know people who are way
more talented and gifted
00:43:22.90\00:43:28.57
than you and I. Kind of makes us
mad, but it's the fact, right?
00:43:28.57\00:43:33.91
Mm, naw. The baby born on the
backside of a jungle mountain or
00:43:33.91\00:43:38.68
in the dusty tent of a refugee
camp will not be born with the
same advantages you were born
00:43:38.68\00:43:43.42
with. So now we turn the tables.
You're the one with the
advantage, if you live in the
00:43:43.42\00:43:47.86
West. Hmm. No, the Bible is
clear. "To whom much is given
00:43:47.86\00:43:53.50
--" How's it go? Luke
12:38. "To whom much is given...
00:43:53.50\00:43:56.53
much is required." But in this
parable, all are given the same
00:43:56.53\00:44:01.70
entrustment. Whatever the mina
represents, it is clear it
symbolizes opportunity that is
00:44:01.70\00:44:08.81
available to all, which means we
are not only -- we not only all
receive opportunity, we are all
00:44:08.81\00:44:15.32
commanded to multiply
opportunity and we all will be
judged by the results of what we
00:44:15.32\00:44:21.36
did with our opportunities.
Do you have a problem with that?
00:44:21.36\00:44:27.66
You should. Helmut Thielicke,
the great German preacher and
theologian, in his book in my
00:44:27.66\00:44:33.50
library "The Waiting Father:
Sermons on the Parables of Jesus
--" Here's Helmut Thielicke.
00:44:33.50\00:44:38.37
"There are really only two ways
to take a thing --" Anything in
life, to take it seriously.
00:44:38.37\00:44:44.05
"Either you renounce it
--" bah, humbug -- "or you risk
00:44:44.05\00:44:52.19
everything for it. Either you
fling away the (mina) or you use
it to trade with it. There is no
00:44:52.19\00:44:59.59
third choice. Throw your
Christianity on the trash heap
if you want or else let God be
00:44:59.59\00:45:05.37
the Lord of your life, but don't
wrap Him up in your
handkerchief." >> Amen.
00:45:05.37\00:45:09.77
>> Is He the Lord of your life?
Prove it. Prove it by the way
00:45:09.77\00:45:16.38
you live, servant of God.
Prove it. You have two choices.
00:45:16.38\00:45:27.12
Take a risk or do
nothing. It's up to you. Hmm.
00:45:27.12\00:45:36.00
What's that line again? "Jesus
said, 'Risk your life and get
more than you ever dreamed
00:45:36.00\00:45:40.57
of, but play it safe, and you'll
end up holding the bag.'" Which
leads me to ask -- Come
00:45:40.57\00:45:48.21
on, think with me for a moment
now. What if this mina were
00:45:48.21\00:45:51.65
simply the opportunities Jesus
gives us to unselfishly love
people on His behalf?
00:45:51.65\00:45:59.22
Hmm! The truth is, Jesus never
defines what this mina is. Not a
00:45:59.22\00:46:04.99
word, not a word. It could be,
however, it's what He has just
done in the house of Zacchaeus.
00:46:04.99\00:46:08.86
And what has He done in the
house of Zacchaeus? He looked on
this social pariah,
00:46:08.86\00:46:12.70
this feral human being, and
He says, "Salvation has come to
00:46:12.70\00:46:20.11
this home. You go, Zach." And
his whole household is saved.
00:46:20.11\00:46:25.68
That's what He's just done -- in
front of everybody. You have a
00:46:25.68\00:46:33.15
problem with that? The Pharisees
did. Yeah. But who cares about
them? What if this mina we've
00:46:33.15\00:46:40.06
all been equally given were
simply the opportunity to simply
love the people Jesus simply
00:46:40.06\00:46:45.17
puts in our pathways, people
that are different than you?
They may be straight people who
00:46:45.17\00:46:50.57
are different than you. They may
be LGBTQ+ people who are
different than you.
00:46:50.57\00:47:00.95
People Jesus puts smack-dab
in our pathway. We can look the
00:47:03.89\00:47:07.76
other way, pretend like we
didn't see them. We can act like
they don't exist, but are they
00:47:07.76\00:47:12.39
not people we are given the mina
of opportunity to love on behalf
00:47:12.39\00:47:21.87
of Christ? What about
Whites? What about Blacks?
00:47:21.87\00:47:27.24
What about drug
addicts? What about alcoholics?
00:47:30.98\00:47:37.62
What about illegal
aliens, "wetbacks"?
00:47:40.09\00:47:44.29
What about social misfits?
People that sit in the cafeteria
all by themselves 'cause nobody
00:47:48.23\00:47:56.84
wants to be a friend with her
or with him. Hmm. What if loving
00:47:56.84\00:48:05.65
others were the mina God has
given to all of us, this
God-given chance to break out of
00:48:05.65\00:48:11.75
my selfish self-centeredness and
do something unnoticed and
unrecognized, to love somebody
00:48:11.75\00:48:17.19
else for Christ?
00:48:17.19\00:48:19.16
What would happen if I invested
that opportunity and acted?
00:48:19.19\00:48:27.90
And, listen, you
don't have to be a hugger.
00:48:27.90\00:48:33.44
To love the unlovable,
you don't have to be a hugger.
00:48:33.44\00:48:35.94
You don't have to
be sappy about it.
00:48:35.94\00:48:37.95
You can just show up and help
and, by that helping, love just
00:48:37.95\00:48:42.65
like Jesus. I know
a guy who goes around
00:48:42.65\00:48:45.02
this community and shows up,
drops in on elderly people who
00:48:45.02\00:48:48.52
are homebound and just loves on
them, without getting, as I say,
00:48:48.52\00:48:52.29
sappy and drippy.
00:48:52.29\00:48:54.00
He just visits them. Doesn't
tell them he loves them, but
they can tell he does.
00:48:54.00\00:49:00.04
As Woody Allen once said, "90%
of life is just showing up."
100% of loving is just being
00:49:00.04\00:49:07.34
there. Of course it's risky.
What would people think if you
00:49:07.34\00:49:11.81
showed love and compassion to a
person like that? Love is always
00:49:11.81\00:49:19.92
a risk. When you love those
others have rejected and have
gone on record rejecting -- when
00:49:19.92\00:49:26.56
you love people like that, yeah,
it's a risk. They may talk about
00:49:26.56\00:49:32.03
you. Maybe you have a problem.
00:49:32.03\00:49:34.50
You may be misunderstood.
Misused? Yeah, probably. Just
00:49:38.41\00:49:45.58
like Jesus. How did Jesus put
it? "Risk your life and get more
than you ever dreamed of.
00:49:45.58\00:49:55.39
Play it safe and end up holding
the bag." Because that's the way
00:49:55.39\00:50:00.96
love works. As Thielicke said,
"Either you renounce loving this
00:50:00.96\00:50:08.64
way or you risk everything to
love this way. Play it safe and
00:50:08.64\00:50:12.64
love nobody, and you will have
nobody to share the love
wherewith you have been loved."
00:50:12.64\00:50:17.58
What a lonely life you live when
you do not love. "Oh, I love all
00:50:17.58\00:50:24.59
my friends." That's the problem.
Those are the only people we
hang with, our friends, our own
00:50:24.59\00:50:29.86
type. You're not gaining a penny
of profit for the master with
00:50:29.86\00:50:35.50
that. Anybody can love their
friends. Even atheists can love
00:50:35.50\00:50:38.97
their friends. But you have to
be a follower of Christ to love
the unlovable. And that's the
00:50:38.97\00:50:45.71
only way you'll get a return on
your loving. You want to love
safe? Doesn't count.
00:50:45.71\00:50:49.08
Just go ahead and do it 'cause
you'll feel better. Can't think
of anybody to love?
00:50:49.08\00:50:53.08
Is that the problem? Well, here
are two actions you can take
00:50:53.08\00:50:56.99
right now. Action number one --
You want to be love on the move?
Number one -- pray for people
00:50:56.99\00:51:02.22
you can love for Jesus. That's
not hard. Pray for people you
00:51:02.22\00:51:08.60
can love for Jesus. I love the
way Bruce Wilkinson puts it in
00:51:08.60\00:51:12.30
that classic best seller of his,
"The Prayer of Jabez." I think
00:51:12.30\00:51:17.47
Wilkinson's right. "Our God
specializes in working through
normal people --" that would be
00:51:17.47\00:51:22.08
you and me -- "who believe in a
supernormal God who will do His
work through them. What God is
00:51:22.08\00:51:29.78
waiting for is the invitation.
(Ask Him and) God will bring
opportunities and people into
00:51:29.78\00:51:35.19
your path. You'll nearly always
feel fear when you begin to take
00:51:35.19\00:51:40.60
new territory on for Him." Sure,
you will. When you start loving
00:51:40.60\00:51:43.23
the unlovable, you're gonna be a
little bit afraid. You're gonna
00:51:43.23\00:51:46.40
say, "But what's gonna happen to
me? Maybe they'll take advantage
of me, and maybe I'll be used by
00:51:46.40\00:51:51.17
somebody." You'll be afraid.
"When you take on new territory,
00:51:51.17\00:51:56.24
you'll always feel fear, but --"
keep reading -- "you'll also
experience the tremendous thrill
00:51:56.24\00:52:02.15
of God carrying you along as
you're doing it." Doing what?
00:52:02.15\00:52:09.22
Loving on people. Two action
steps. Number one -- pray for
people you can love for Jesus.
00:52:09.22\00:52:13.43
Number two -- volunteer for
people you can love for Jesus.
Sign up as a volunteer to love
00:52:13.43\00:52:19.97
and serve others. Be a
volunteer. Sign up and show up.
00:52:19.97\00:52:25.61
Grab a broom or a shovel or a
bedpan and quietly love the
people you have volunteered to
00:52:25.61\00:52:33.01
serve. I mean, if -- please --
we only love our friends, we are
00:52:33.01\00:52:39.92
leaving Jesus' mina uninvested.
Got an e-mail from a faculty
leader on this campus -- kind of
00:52:39.92\00:52:48.23
glad to get it -- who said, "You
know, this series has made me
00:52:48.23\00:52:52.33
think." That's good. "I've
realized I need to volunteer.
00:52:52.33\00:52:57.97
So I clicked that little, you
know, sending the code word to
269-281-2345, and I got a reply.
00:52:57.97\00:53:07.25
And, sure enough, you know, the
reply came within a day or two,
and they're saying, 'Hey, would
00:53:07.25\00:53:11.75
you be willing to do this?' And
I said, 'Now, I'm gonna think
00:53:11.75\00:53:16.76
about that.' And then I heard
you last Sabbath, on Easter
Sabbath, pray that belief in the
00:53:16.76\00:53:24.70
risen Savior always results in
service for the risen Savior."
Not sometimes, always, if you
00:53:24.70\00:53:31.51
really believe. "And when I
heard that, I said -- I wrote
00:53:31.51\00:53:37.11
the person that wrote me and
said, 'Sign me up.'" That's the
00:53:37.11\00:53:40.92
way it works. Sign up as a
volunteer, and you'll have more
people to love than you have
00:53:40.92\00:53:47.02
ever had before, I promise you.
Get out of your little cocoon.
Break out of that shell.
00:53:47.02\00:53:57.57
Move among people as Jesus does.
You want to keep your mask on?
Keep it on, but still move among
00:53:57.57\00:54:02.90
people. Don't use your fear for
your own health as an excuse for
00:54:02.90\00:54:07.81
not interacting and loving
others. That's a crutch now.
It's no longer saving your life.
00:54:07.81\00:54:13.98
It's actually hurting your life.
You can't use it as a crutch.
00:54:13.98\00:54:23.12
How does it work? Well, you can
text, today, "Signup5" to the
00:54:23.16\00:54:27.60
number 269-281-2345. And
if you do, you'll get this
00:54:27.60\00:54:32.07
little letter that you can
send. "Dear Volunteer Engagement
00:54:32.07\00:54:34.94
Committee: Here's my name --
sign me up! -- I want to love
00:54:34.94\00:54:37.81
and serve people for Jesus."
I mean, it's that simple.
00:54:37.81\00:54:40.84
You just heard a well-known
faculty leader on this campus do
00:54:40.84\00:54:43.78
it, and it
works, so now you know.
00:54:43.78\00:54:48.45
How's it work? Jesus
says -- What did Jesus say?
00:54:48.48\00:54:50.79
I love this. Jesus says,
"Listen, freely, you have
received, freely give."
00:54:50.79\00:54:54.42
Where did we freely receive
Jesus' love? Tell me where it
00:54:54.42\00:54:58.29
was that we freely received
Jesus' love poured out for us?
Where was that place?
00:54:58.29\00:55:02.00
Give me the name of that
place. >> Calvary. >> Calvary.
00:55:02.00\00:55:05.47
At the cross, He opens up His
heart that bleeds His love for
the lost human race.
00:55:05.47\00:55:12.24
We have been loved freely
by the God and creator of this
00:55:12.24\00:55:18.25
universe. "Freely, you have
received." Jesus says, "Now you
go out and freely love."
00:55:18.25\00:55:23.15
Well, we can put it that way,
can't we? "Freely you have been
00:55:23.15\00:55:26.76
loved, freely love." Why?
Because, as we heard in our
Scripture a moment ago with
00:55:26.76\00:55:30.43
Jessica, "Love one another...as
I have loved you." Just love.
00:55:30.43\00:55:37.23
"I gave you a mina, the
opportunity to love others for
00:55:37.23\00:55:41.94
me. Just love, please."
00:55:41.94\00:55:45.81
I hope you do. I hope you do
sign up. There's a place with
00:55:47.94\00:55:53.98
your name written all over it.
God's already picked it out for
00:55:53.98\00:55:56.48
you. You watch. You'll
get the one God chose for you.
00:55:56.48\00:55:58.65
You will. And if you get three
of them -- "Dwight, now which
00:55:58.65\00:56:01.82
one did God choose?" Well, if
you get more than one, then God
says, "You have to help
00:56:01.82\00:56:04.96
me choose." You'll do
it. The right choice, I mean.
00:56:04.96\00:56:10.37
Just sign up. God needs
you. And so do we. Let's pray.
00:56:10.37\00:56:17.87
O God, wow, so simple. Everybody
has the same? Same mina?
00:56:17.87\00:56:24.78
Same opportunity to love? Well,
how shall we invest this
opportunity to love?
00:56:24.78\00:56:31.42
Feral human beings? Yeah. People
in need? Yes. People that need
00:56:31.42\00:56:40.23
desperately to be loved
with compassion? Yep. O God, you
00:56:40.23\00:56:46.77
won't find them sitting at home.
If we can get out, Father, show
00:56:46.77\00:56:54.78
us how and where. Sign us up,
please. Sign us up. We pray in
00:56:54.78\00:57:02.58
Jesus' name. Amen. We've been
really blessed by the financial
00:57:06.99\00:57:09.86
support that comes from our
viewers, and we've made a
conscious decision not to
00:57:09.86\00:57:12.73
continually appeal
to you for that support.
00:57:12.73\00:57:14.86
The fact is, as everyone in the
industry will tell you, we're
00:57:14.86\00:57:17.80
needing to make constant
upgrades to our technology.
00:57:17.80\00:57:20.47
So if God has blessed you and
you'd like to further the work
00:57:20.47\00:57:23.67
of this ministry, we
invite you to partner with us.
00:57:23.67\00:57:26.44
Not a single penny of
your donation will go to me.
00:57:26.44\00:57:29.24
Every bit of your gift goes
to the mission of blessing your
00:57:29.24\00:57:32.45
community and our world.
You can donate on our website,
00:57:32.45\00:57:35.35
newperceptions.tv.
Or call the number.
00:57:35.35\00:57:38.79
You know the
number -- 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:38.79\00:57:41.42
Again, that number is 877
-- the two words "HIS-WILL."
00:57:41.42\00:57:45.09
And may the God who has blessed
you continue to pour into your
00:57:45.09\00:57:48.26
life the gifts of
His joy and His hope.
00:57:48.26\00:57:51.00
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:51.00\00:57:53.64
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:53.64\00:57:56.71
い
00:57:59.94\00:58:01.94