¤¤
00:00:01.80\00:00:08.04
>> Let's pray together.
We have come into your house,
00:00:11.64\00:00:15.74
God, gathered in
your name to worship you.
00:00:15.74\00:00:22.12
We would bless you today, God.
We would bless you with hearts
00:00:22.12\00:00:28.79
filled with Thanksgiving
and mouths filled with praise.
00:00:28.79\00:00:32.79
We would bless you. So we
ask you to help us to arrest our
00:00:32.83\00:00:40.47
thoughts, imprison our minds,
and, Holy Spirit, please be free
00:00:40.47\00:00:45.44
to fill us and transform us and
teach us how to worship you in
spirit and in truth.
00:00:45.44\00:00:51.88
We pray in the name of
Jesus. Amen. Please be seated.
00:00:51.88\00:00:57.59
>> Good morning, everyone. Happy
Sabbath. We invite you to sing
00:01:02.42\00:01:06.59
and worship with us today as
we sing "Friend of God." I mean,
00:01:06.59\00:01:10.80
sorry -- stand. >> At this time,
we'd just like to invite anybody
00:07:50.17\00:07:52.43
who has a thanksgiving
prayer or a petition
00:07:52.43\00:07:55.40
they'd like to make
to God, this is your time
00:07:55.40\00:07:57.54
to come up front as
we sing this next verse.
00:07:57.54\00:08:01.11
¤¤ ¤¤
00:09:22.29\00:09:34.84
>> ¤ Open my
eyes ¤ That I may see
00:09:34.84\00:09:41.51
¤ Glimpses of
truth ¤ You have for me
00:09:41.51\00:09:47.92
¤ Place in my
hands ¤ A wonderful key
00:09:47.92\00:09:54.72
¤ That shall
unclasp and set me free ¤
00:09:54.72\00:10:03.77
¤ Silently now I wait
for you ¤ ¤ Ready, my God,
00:10:03.80\00:10:12.74
your will to see ¤ ¤
Open my eyes ¤ Illumine me
00:10:12.74\00:10:23.28
¤ Spirit divine ¤¤ ¤¤
00:10:23.28\00:10:47.74
¤ Open my ears, that I
may hear ¤ ¤ Voices of truth
00:10:47.74\00:10:57.42
you send me clear ¤ ¤ And while
the wavenotes fall on my ear ¤
00:10:57.42\00:11:08.33
¤ Everything false
will disappear ¤ ¤¤
00:11:08.33\00:11:23.41
¤ Silently now I wait
for you ¤¤ ¤ Ready, my God
00:11:23.41\00:11:36.46
your will to see
¤ ¤ Open my ears ¤¤
00:11:36.46\00:11:47.07
¤ Illumine me ¤¤ ¤ Spirit divine
00:11:47.07\00:12:02.25
¤¤ ¤ Open my ears ¤¤
00:12:02.25\00:12:18.00
¤ Open my eyes ¤¤
00:12:18.00\00:12:31.71
>> We're gonna stand up again,
and we're gonna sing "He Lives."
Something that's just a reminder
00:12:34.62\00:12:38.39
that Christ lives in us, Christ
lives in you. And as we sing
00:12:38.39\00:12:42.52
this song, just think about all
the blessings that he's done for
you in the past month,
00:12:42.52\00:12:46.13
in the past year, as we
sing together. Let's all rise.
00:12:46.13\00:12:50.30
>> The scripture reading
will be taken from Psalms 42,
00:17:06.62\00:17:09.76
verses 1, 2, and
5. "As the deer pants
00:17:09.76\00:17:14.83
from streams of water,
so my soul pants for you,
00:17:14.83\00:17:17.43
my God.
00:17:17.43\00:17:19.00
My soul thirsts for God, for the
living God. When can I go and
00:17:19.03\00:17:24.77
meet with God? Why, my soul, are
you downcast? Why so disturbed
within me? Put your hope in God,
00:17:24.77\00:17:30.91
and I will yet praise
Him, my Savior and my God." ¤¤
00:17:30.91\00:17:42.89
>> You may be seated. ¤¤
00:22:31.91\00:22:42.99
>> I think I've sung that one
before. But those words, boy,
00:22:43.02\00:22:47.83
they bring tears to your eyes,
don't they? 'Cause you're -- how
00:22:47.83\00:22:52.53
did that go? Your mercy and your
grace, 'cause they go on
forever. All glory to your name.
00:22:52.53\00:22:57.87
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
They're sufficient for today.
00:22:57.87\00:23:04.45
Hallelujah. Oh, is God
good or what? Amen. Thank you.
00:23:04.45\00:23:08.85
Elsie. Elsie and, singing
with her, Sarah and Vicky
00:23:08.85\00:23:14.29
and the musicians. Wow. We
needed that -- that new song.
00:23:14.29\00:23:19.09
At least, new for me.
Beautiful. They go on forever.
00:23:19.09\00:23:24.27
They'll never run out.
Never. His mercy and his grace.
00:23:24.27\00:23:29.14
In the field of economics,
there's something called
00:23:30.51\00:23:33.88
Stein's Law, named
after the famous economist
00:23:33.88\00:23:37.81
Herbert Stein in the
1970s, and it goes like this --
00:23:37.81\00:23:42.35
"If something cannot go
on forever, it will stop."
00:23:42.35\00:23:47.16
[ Laughter ] Well,
that's a pretty profound
00:23:47.16\00:23:49.62
thought. "If
something will not go
00:23:49.62\00:23:53.96
on forever, it will
stop." Well, it's finally dawned
00:23:53.96\00:23:59.87
on Karen and me that
the privilege and joy
00:23:59.87\00:24:03.84
of pastoring this
parish cannot go on forever.
00:24:03.84\00:24:10.31
And so today, we
announce that it will soon stop.
00:24:10.31\00:24:17.65
We praise God every day we
wake up. Not just for waking up,
00:24:17.69\00:24:23.16
by the way. I'm happy
every day I wake up, aren't you?
00:24:23.16\00:24:25.93
There's nothing wrong with that.
But we praise God for the
privilege it has been
00:24:25.93\00:24:33.47
to pastor this congregation we
have come to love so deeply. And
I'm talking about you.
00:24:33.47\00:24:38.51
I want to tell you that this has
not been a job for me. This is
00:24:38.51\00:24:43.21
not work for me. This has been
a joy -- for the both of us, for
00:24:43.21\00:24:47.68
Karen and me. You're people that
have -- have been so patient
with us. You have been so -- so
00:24:47.68\00:24:54.42
loving. You had a vision. You'd
been driven by this commitment
00:24:54.42\00:24:57.66
to serve God all over this
planet. And, oh, I just can't
00:24:57.66\00:25:03.26
believe that... Well, there's no
campus congregation like this
anywhere on the planet,
00:25:03.26\00:25:06.20
and I've been to a bunch of
them. Which is why we've been
00:25:06.20\00:25:10.81
so privileged and humbled
to serve here. What's hard to
00:25:10.81\00:25:14.88
believe is that 39 years have
flown by. [ Chuckles ] Man, oh,
00:25:14.88\00:25:20.42
man. 39 years from -- from when
we were this... [ Laughter,
congregants "Aww" ]
00:25:20.42\00:25:27.56
39 years from when we were this
to this right here. Don't look
00:25:27.56\00:25:35.86
at the screen. To
this. [ Laughter ] Oh, boy.
00:25:35.86\00:25:41.80
And in a few days -- hard to
believe -- but our 40th school
00:25:41.80\00:25:45.11
year will begin, in this pulpit
and on this campus. And what a
00:25:45.11\00:25:50.88
ride, what a journey it has
been. But the time has come for
making the carefully laid plans
00:25:50.88\00:25:57.39
that are necessary to turn
this congregation over to a new
00:25:57.39\00:26:01.72
leader, a younger leader. Back
in May, I had the joy of sitting
00:26:01.72\00:26:06.36
down with my conference
president. His name is Jim
Micheff. He's a wonderful
00:26:06.36\00:26:09.63
leader. Just love the man. And I
share shared with him what I'm
sharing with you now,
00:26:09.63\00:26:13.34
our decision and explore with
him what the next steps need to
00:26:13.34\00:26:17.21
be. And Jim reminded me of
something you already know, and
00:26:17.21\00:26:22.48
that is Pioneer is an unusual
congregation, not only serving
this local community, not only
00:26:22.48\00:26:28.12
serving this local state, not
only serving this local country.
00:26:28.12\00:26:32.92
This is a congregation that has
been raised up by God to serve
our world community
00:26:32.92\00:26:37.76
of faith, which means that
the search process to find a new
00:26:37.76\00:26:44.03
spiritual leader will not only
obviously be prayerful but must
00:26:44.03\00:26:48.20
be methodical and comprehensive,
as well. Some of you are going
to sit on that search committee.
00:26:48.20\00:26:51.97
And by the way, let me just say
it right here -- I am going to
00:26:51.97\00:26:55.81
have zero to do with the search
process, trust me. But they're
00:26:55.81\00:27:00.75
going to need some time to
conduct a thorough search for
the next pastor of this
00:27:00.75\00:27:06.55
congregation. And so Karen and I
are actually really grateful for
the nine months that we get
00:27:06.55\00:27:09.42
now, this school year that
begins September 1. There'll be
00:27:09.42\00:27:14.93
nine months. That we get these
nine months just to live life
with you, to love on you a
00:27:14.93\00:27:22.80
little more, to go deeper with
God a little more, to wonder
what God's will is for our lives
00:27:22.80\00:27:30.38
beyond this moment, all of us.
"Where Do We Go From Here?" is
00:27:30.38\00:27:35.15
the title of this little homily
today. Where do we go from here?
We told our pastoral staff --
00:27:35.15\00:27:42.36
I shared with our pastoral staff
this decision. By the way, the
00:27:42.36\00:27:47.13
best pastoral staff on this
planet, bar none. You're lucky
to have them. I shared this
00:27:47.13\00:27:52.57
decision with Andrea Luxton,
who's -- with whom it's been,
for me, it's been a joy to serve
00:27:52.57\00:27:57.47
these years. Shared this
decision with our office team,
00:27:57.47\00:28:03.04
as well. And I want you to
know, everybody is committed to
00:28:03.04\00:28:06.75
working together so that we
might, together, all of us,
finish strong. And as it turns
00:28:06.75\00:28:14.09
out -- I didn't know this till I
was crunching the numbers after
00:28:14.09\00:28:18.06
talking with Jim Micheff, my
president. I began my ministry
-- As a single night,
00:28:18.06\00:28:23.80
got married to Karen, wet behind
the ears, 21-year-old intern,
00:28:23.80\00:28:27.70
pastoral intern. I began
my ministry on June 1, 1973.
00:28:27.70\00:28:31.61
Most of you were not
even born then. 1973, June 1.
00:28:31.61\00:28:36.95
And as it would turn out, we
began our ministry at Pioneer.
00:28:36.95\00:28:39.61
Had no idea this was happening,
but we began our ministry at
Pioneer on June 1 --
00:28:39.61\00:28:43.49
I went on the payroll. June 1,
1983 -- 10 years go by, then we
00:28:43.49\00:28:49.86
come here. And so if you do the
arithmetic, if we can just last
00:28:49.86\00:28:57.97
till June 1, 2023, it'll be 40
years here and 50 years in
ministry, and that seems like a
00:28:57.97\00:29:01.14
good place to just say, "Some
things can't go on forever," but
praise God for the gift
00:29:01.14\00:29:05.81
He gave us in you. So the
song we sing around our house is
00:29:05.81\00:29:10.41
"Praise God, From Whom All
Blessings Flow." So this is not
a goodbye, folks. Come on. We
00:29:10.41\00:29:17.59
got work to do. We got projects
to finish, and we've got deeper
to go with God. We got to just
00:29:17.59\00:29:23.66
keep going deeper with God. And
so there will be time over these
00:29:23.66\00:29:29.26
few months to love on each
other, stories to tell and all
of that. But speaking of which,
00:29:29.26\00:29:34.47
there's -- speaking of work to
do, I need to get a homily
preached right now.
00:29:34.47\00:29:39.87
And with that, if it's alright
with you, I'd like to pray and
00:29:39.87\00:29:43.98
plunge into the Bible together.
Oh, God. Wow. What can you say?
00:29:43.98\00:29:49.45
You have been so good to us.
Your grace, your mercy have been
sufficient from the get-go.
00:29:49.45\00:29:55.62
And it will be that way forever.
And the truth is, God, we've
really grown up together,
00:29:55.62\00:30:00.36
this congregation and this
pastoral couple. And you've been
00:30:00.36\00:30:06.33
more -- you've been more than
gracious, and you have more
growing up to do in Christ.
00:30:06.33\00:30:09.90
So -- So please make these final
months and these moments right
00:30:09.90\00:30:13.61
now a part of that growing up so
that we grow up in Jesus, our
Redeemer, our Savior,
00:30:13.61\00:30:18.45
our forever friend in
whose name we pray. Amen.
00:30:18.45\00:30:25.29
There's a beautiful narrative
about Jesus that I got to share
00:30:25.29\00:30:29.42
with you. It's very rare. It
only appears in one gospel. But
I'm -- I've been convicted
00:30:29.42\00:30:36.13
over the summer. We need to
spend the time that we have left
00:30:36.13\00:30:39.13
together with a laser-like focus
on Jesus. There are four lines
that I've memorized that I don't
00:30:39.13\00:30:46.68
know to whom to give the credit,
but these four lines are sort of
the desire of my heart.
00:30:46.68\00:30:51.85
"Since my eyes have looked
on Jesus, I've lost sight of all
00:30:51.85\00:30:59.09
beside. So enchained my spirit's
vision, gazing on the
crucified." That's what I want
00:30:59.09\00:31:07.46
for the last months together.
We'll start out with three
Sabbaths on brooding with Jesus,
00:31:07.46\00:31:11.93
and then -- really excited about
this when the new year begins --
00:31:11.93\00:31:15.34
chasing Jesus. Three Sabbaths.
And then we'll have pleading
00:31:15.34\00:31:18.07
with Jesus and triumphing
through Jesus and -- and
worshiping Jesus. So it'll be
00:31:18.07\00:31:22.81
Jesus, front and center. But
for this one, as I say, only one
00:31:22.81\00:31:30.02
little gospel, and that's the
gospel of Mark. So open to Mark
8. Only one gospel records this.
00:31:30.02\00:31:35.16
I can -- You might wonder, "Why
in the world would such an
unusual narrative be recorded?"
00:31:35.16\00:31:40.76
We got to find out, you and me.
So come on, let's go. Mark 8.
00:31:40.76\00:31:43.97
We got work to do. Mark 8, drop
down to verse 22. I'm in the New
00:31:43.97\00:31:48.00
International Version. And it
reads in the NIV, "And they came
00:31:48.00\00:31:53.54
to Bethsaida --" that's Jesus
and his disciples. "They came to
Bethsaida, and some people
00:31:53.54\00:31:58.75
brought a blind man and begged
Jesus to touch him." You know
what I'd like to suggest?
00:31:58.75\00:32:02.48
I say that let's -- let's tear
a page out of those anonymous
00:32:02.48\00:32:08.29
friends' playbook. Do you know
somebody who's blind? I'm not
talking about physically
00:32:08.29\00:32:10.33
blind. Do you know somebody
who's spiritually blind?
00:32:10.33\00:32:12.59
You have a child, you got a
roommate, you got a neighbor,
you got a colleague on the job,
00:32:12.59\00:32:18.00
you got somebody across the
street? Do you have a friend
00:32:18.00\00:32:20.84
who's blind? 'Course
you do. Of course I do.
00:32:20.84\00:32:26.17
Why don't we just do like they
did? Let's take that friend to
00:32:26.17\00:32:31.15
Jesus. Let me tell you
something. If there's anything
00:32:31.15\00:32:38.72
our friends need, it's the Lord
Jesus. And if there's anything
Pioneer needs to be in the
00:32:38.72\00:32:43.26
journey that's left for with us
is this -- this needs to be
mother sh-- the mother ship for
00:32:43.26\00:32:48.83
salvation on the campus of
Andrews University. Of course,
00:32:48.83\00:32:52.70
people are thinking about saving
-- saving lives in the dormitory
worships and in the chapels
00:32:52.70\00:32:57.34
and in the vespers and -- and
in the classrooms, particularly.
00:32:57.34\00:33:02.94
But this church has to be front
and center for that. Boy, I wish
you'd had been here
00:33:02.94\00:33:08.35
last week, first service.
Beautiful young woman. She was
00:33:08.35\00:33:12.92
baptized. Her name is Sarah
Arica. And I'm learning, as
she's giving her testimony
00:33:12.92\00:33:17.19
on the big screen, that that
girl sat in this audience, this
congregation one day,
00:33:17.19\00:33:23.16
and when that number came on the
screen, text -- text to this
number, she texted.
00:33:23.16\00:33:26.74
And do you know what she
put in that text? "I want to be
00:33:26.74\00:33:31.27
baptized." When you come to
those moments at the end, you
say, "Well, I'm not gonna do
00:33:31.27\00:33:34.11
anything." There are people all
around you for whom the spirit
is saying, "Yo, boy, girl,
00:33:34.11\00:33:38.31
isn't this the time?" Preacher
may say not a word about
baptism, but the spirit
00:33:38.31\00:33:42.98
says, "Let's go." This mother
ship needs to be all about
00:33:42.98\00:33:49.19
salvation. And the friends of
this anonymous blind man, their
00:33:49.19\00:33:52.59
prayer is simple. "Please touch
this friend of ours." Okay, read
00:33:52.59\00:33:55.56
it again. "They came to
Bethsaida, and some people
brought a blind man and begged
00:33:55.56\00:34:00.30
Jesus to touch him. And He took
the blind man by the hand, and
he led him outside the village."
00:34:00.30\00:34:05.51
Isn't that something? Wow.
Touch number one -- he took
00:34:05.51\00:34:09.04
the blind man by the hand, and
he led him outside the village.
00:34:09.04\00:34:14.08
I love that. That is such
a tender picture of Jesus.
00:34:14.08\00:34:16.82
You know, he could've come
behind the blind man and said,
"Listen, man, I've got you
00:34:16.82\00:34:19.92
by the shoulders here. I'm just
gonna be pushing you. Just keep
00:34:19.92\00:34:22.59
one step in front of the other.
I'll keep you from falling." He
could have done that.
00:34:22.59\00:34:26.13
He could've moved on down there.
"Yo! Just follow my voice! You
-- You know where I'm going.
00:34:26.13\00:34:29.76
Just stay right behind
me." Mnh-mnh. What does he do?
00:34:29.76\00:34:33.00
He reaches out that warm hand of
Jesus and takes your warm hand,
00:34:33.00\00:34:38.07
and he says, "Listen, let's go
together." Man, I'd love to know
what they were talking about in
00:34:38.07\00:34:44.78
that walk. Somewhere along the
way, there was a hymn written.
00:34:44.78\00:34:48.95
You remember this? ¤ He leadeth
me ¤ O blessed thought ¤ O words
with heavenly comfort
00:34:48.95\00:34:55.89
fraught ¤ ¤ Whate'er I do,
where'er I be ¤ Still 'tis God's
00:34:55.89\00:35:04.60
hand that leadeth me ¤ Do you
know that one? Come on. How's
00:35:04.60\00:35:08.34
the chorus go? ¤ He leadeth me ¤
He leadeth me ¤ By His own hand,
00:35:08.34\00:35:14.84
He leadeth me ¤ ¤ His
faithful follower I would be ¤
00:35:14.84\00:35:22.25
¤ For by His hand, He leadeth me
¤ I mean, who wouldn't you want
00:35:22.25\00:35:30.03
to follow if his warm hand took
yours and said, "Just stay with
00:35:30.03\00:35:34.86
me, boy. Just stay with me,
girl. I know where we're going.
00:35:34.86\00:35:39.73
Go with me." And did you notice
where Jesus led the blind man?
What's it read here?
00:35:39.73\00:35:43.07
"He led him outside the
village." Have you noticed
00:35:43.07\00:35:47.48
somethi-- something? Sometimes
Jesus seems to work best in our
00:35:47.48\00:35:50.28
lives when he can get us outside
the village and away from the
crowd. Too much noise,
00:35:50.28\00:35:55.08
too much distraction. Now, I
happened to be in church during
00:35:55.08\00:35:58.62
my summer break. A study break.
I happened to be in church, and
it had to -- it had to have
00:35:58.62\00:36:01.69
been in the second service when
a young woman sitting right over
00:36:01.69\00:36:05.86
there stood up, and she turned
around to where noise was coming
from, and she spoke these words
00:36:05.86\00:36:10.27
-- "I can't hear, and I'm trying
to concentrate on the preacher's
00:36:10.27\00:36:14.34
message." It was another
preacher up front. "So would you
00:36:14.34\00:36:17.47
please be quiet so I can hear?"
And I want to have you trust me,
you could have heard a pin drop.
00:36:17.47\00:36:24.05
And by the way, let's be clear.
Just because crowds get noisy,
00:36:27.38\00:36:31.05
that isn't because
they're bad people,
00:36:31.05\00:36:32.52
but in their exuberance
of being with each other,
00:36:32.52\00:36:35.12
the noise level goes
up, and Jesus knows that.
00:36:35.12\00:36:38.16
So he says, "I need to take you
away from the crowds. I need to
00:36:38.19\00:36:41.76
get you out of the
village, just you and me."
00:36:41.76\00:36:45.33
Guess what. When
you and I wake up in the
00:36:45.37\00:36:48.44
morning, he has
the same longing.
00:36:48.44\00:36:52.54
"Hey, come on. You
don't -- No, no, no.
00:36:52.54\00:36:54.74
Don't look at that newsfeed.
You don't have to check
00:36:54.74\00:36:57.15
your social-media posts.
Come on, leave that radio off.
00:36:57.15\00:36:59.65
You got a clock radio? Leave
it off. You don't need to catch
00:36:59.68\00:37:02.72
anything right now." How
about no crowd? Just you and me.
00:37:02.72\00:37:08.99
Every morning. Our problem
is the crowd is always with us.
00:37:08.99\00:37:14.66
Electronic devices, the noisy
social-media friends. Excuse me,
00:37:14.66\00:37:20.10
devices. You got to be as
courageous as this young woman
was -- I was proud of her.
00:37:20.10\00:37:23.07
You just had to -- You
just have to announce, "Hush."
00:37:23.07\00:37:28.34
Nobody. "This is me
and Jesus' time." Hmm.
00:37:28.34\00:37:34.32
Be brave, give the speech,
and never regret it. Let's keep
00:37:34.32\00:37:37.92
reading. So, "He took the blind
man by the hand, and he led him
outside the village.
00:37:37.92\00:37:41.19
And when he had spit on the
man's eyes and put his hands on
00:37:41.19\00:37:44.66
him, Jesus asked him, 'Do you
see anything?'" Now this is the
00:37:44.66\00:37:48.73
yuck factor that gets introduced
into this miracle. You can't
00:37:48.73\00:37:52.13
believe it. [ Clears throat ]
On the man's eyes, and then he
00:37:52.13\00:37:57.94
touches them. Imagine my
surprise to learn this from The
Boston Globe. This is something
00:37:57.94\00:38:01.48
else. "You may think of saliva
simply as lubrication for your
tongue or a good adhesive
00:38:01.48\00:38:05.65
for spitballs. But it's a
surprisingly active substance
00:38:05.65\00:38:08.95
with immune properties. It
contains immune cells,
anti-microbial and antifungal
00:38:08.95\00:38:14.76
proteins and growth factors that
promote wound healing. Quoting
someone, "'There's a
00:38:14.76\00:38:20.46
a medicinal value in saliva
that's not appreciated,'
explains David Wong,
00:38:20.46\00:38:24.80
a saliva expert and director of
the Dental Research Institute at
the UCLA, University
00:38:24.80\00:38:30.51
of California, Los Angeles. That
helps explain why a burn or cut
00:38:30.51\00:38:35.21
in your mouth will heal five
times faster than a similar
wound on your skin,
00:38:35.21\00:38:39.91
and it won't leave a scar."
You've noticed that. Now, Jesus
is playing along to
00:38:39.91\00:38:44.72
the to the cultural folklore,
medicinal belief, and that is,
00:38:44.72\00:38:51.46
"There's something healing in
this spit." And so He says,
"Okay, we'll do spit then."
00:38:51.46\00:38:55.96
The miracle was not the spit.
It was in that touch. And then
00:38:55.96\00:39:05.11
Jesus asked, "Yo, you see
anything?" This is where the
story turns fascinating.
00:39:05.11\00:39:09.08
Unbelievable. And he
looked up, the blind man did,
00:39:09.08\00:39:12.08
and he said, "Yeah, yes, I do. I
see people, and they look like
trees walking around."
00:39:12.08\00:39:18.92
Now, if you're the
ophthalmologist, is your work
00:39:18.92\00:39:23.29
over yet? Clearly not. Keep
reading. And so once more, Jesus
put His hands on the man's eyes.
00:39:23.29\00:39:28.63
Then his eyes were opened. his
sight was restored, and he saw
everything clearly.
00:39:28.63\00:39:36.24
My, oh, my, oh, my. That great
gospel hymn writer. How did he
00:39:36.24\00:39:43.41
put it in that classic, "Amazing
grace, how sweet the sound." He
made sure John Newton
00:39:43.41\00:39:47.18
did -- that before the first
stanza is over, we're going to
00:39:47.18\00:39:51.29
sing the words, "I once was
lost." How's it go? "But now I'm
00:39:51.29\00:39:55.32
found. Was blind, but now I
see." "Do you see anything now?"
"I can see clearly now.
00:39:55.32\00:40:07.24
I can see clearly now." Wow.
What's going on here? This is
00:40:07.24\00:40:14.78
the only two-stage miracle Jesus
ever performed in the Bible. Two
00:40:14.78\00:40:20.18
stages. Touch one, He takes him
by the hand. Touch two, He spits
00:40:20.18\00:40:23.62
in his eyes and touches him. But
touch three, Jesus retouches the
partially blind man's eyes,
00:40:23.62\00:40:28.32
and then he declares, "I can see
clearly now." There has to be a
00:40:28.32\00:40:32.33
reason for this rare two-stage
miracle. Maybe if we sat around
long enough, you and I, we'd
00:40:32.33\00:40:37.00
come up with three or four or
five. Let me just share two with
00:40:37.00\00:40:40.30
you. Alright? Reason number one,
could it be? "Yet the reason the
00:40:40.30\00:40:46.61
miracle is recorded is that you
and I tend to be stage-one blind
00:40:46.61\00:40:52.38
people." But that doesn't mean
we hurry into Jesus' presence
each day. We know where the
00:40:52.38\00:40:56.12
power comes from. We come
begging Jesus to grant us this
healing touch in our
00:40:56.12\00:40:59.42
minds, our lives, our hearts,
and God Bless the Savior, He
00:40:59.42\00:41:03.12
does that. He touches us, and
we sense something in our souls.
00:41:03.12\00:41:07.13
And the moment we feel that
touch, we are off our knees.
"Turn the crowd back on.
00:41:07.13\00:41:10.97
Let me hear that music. Come
on, let's go. I got touched."
00:41:10.97\00:41:15.97
No, you have half a miracle.
Which is why you are half blind
00:41:15.97\00:41:23.95
most of the time. What are we
blind to? We're blind to how we
misjudge people's motives.
00:41:23.95\00:41:30.02
We misunderstand them. "Well,
she meant this." "Well, he meant
00:41:30.02\00:41:35.52
that." Hmm. We mess up many
a relationship -- in the home,
00:41:35.52\00:41:38.66
on the job -- because we don't
have time to brood very long in
00:41:38.66\00:41:41.60
Jesus' presence each morning.
How sad. Doesn't Jesus --
00:41:41.60\00:41:47.00
Doesn't He use the word "abide
in me"? The NIV translates it,
00:41:47.00\00:41:53.64
"Remain in me." In others,
"Linger in me." "Come on. Stay,
stay, stay." Do you know that
00:41:53.64\00:41:58.91
some food is only good when it
is slow cooked? Isn't that true?
00:41:58.91\00:42:04.75
Yep, some stews, some broth,
some pot roast is not good
00:42:04.75\00:42:12.99
unless it's slow cooked. Guess
that's true about Jesus, too.
00:42:12.99\00:42:20.44
Okay, I'm going to suggest
there's two reasons, so here's
00:42:20.44\00:42:24.64
reason number two. Could it be
this two-stage miracle is
intended to be a reminder that
00:42:24.64\00:42:29.61
not all God's doings, His
intervenings are finger-snapping
quick? "Yo, got it."
00:42:29.61\00:42:36.52
No. Could it be that
sometimes God draws out
00:42:36.52\00:42:41.42
His response to our prayers? God
draws out His response to our
00:42:41.42\00:42:45.59
pleadings in order to test our
faith, in order to toughen our
00:42:45.59\00:42:49.63
trust? Draw it out. Don't give
them yet. Don't give it to them
00:42:49.63\00:42:54.34
yet, no. I mean, why else did
it -- hey, listen, Come on, you
00:42:54.34\00:42:56.87
tell me. Why else did Elisha to
tell that pagan Syrian general
00:42:56.87\00:43:03.45
named Naaman, "Go down to that
dirty Jordan, and I want you to
dip," how many times?
00:43:03.45\00:43:07.18
Seven. Why didn't he just
say, "Go down and dip once.
00:43:07.18\00:43:10.45
It's Israel's water." No. Why
does he say seven? Would two not
00:43:10.45\00:43:16.09
have been enough? Would three
not have been enough? He
remembered the name
00:43:16.09\00:43:19.39
and went grumbling. He went
grumbling and his servant said,
00:43:19.39\00:43:21.56
"Yo, master, please. If he had
told you to do something like
00:43:21.56\00:43:25.43
climb Mount Everest, you'd have
done it, so this is simple. Why
00:43:25.43\00:43:29.37
can't you do it?" So Naaman goes
down once. The leprosy's still
on him. Twice, three, four,
00:43:29.37\00:43:34.21
five, six times. "[ Sighs ] No,
it's still here." What's going
00:43:34.21\00:43:40.75
on? The mighty God of the
universe has taken that pagan
heart, and He said, "Come on,
00:43:40.75\00:43:44.62
boy, you got to trust me.
Come on. Let's grow this thing.
00:43:44.62\00:43:48.29
Now. Seven." Pssht! Pah!
00:43:48.29\00:43:53.09
Healed. Maybe that's why God
doesn't give us quickly what we
00:43:53.09\00:43:59.43
want, even in prayer. I
mean, take Elisha's predecessor.
00:43:59.43\00:44:03.20
So who is Elisha's
predecessor? What's his name?
00:44:03.20\00:44:06.31
Elijah, right? I mean,
Elijah. You remember Elijah
00:44:06.31\00:44:10.18
on the summit of Mount Carmel?
God, in answer to one very
short, simple prayer,
00:44:10.18\00:44:15.88
God nukes that summit.
Boom. The evening sacrifice is
00:44:15.88\00:44:21.32
obliterated. One hour later,
same prophet, same prayer,
00:44:21.32\00:44:27.83
kneels down on the summit of
Mount Carmel and says, "God,
it's good to have the fire,
00:44:27.83\00:44:33.74
but this land needs healing. We
desperately need water. You
promised me there'd be
00:44:33.74\00:44:37.94
water. The famine,
the drought, stop it.
00:44:37.94\00:44:41.88
Send rain. Isn't it
amazing? Elijah -- the great
00:44:41.88\00:44:47.48
Elijah kneels down, and in one
prayer that God brought fire,
guess how much rain it brought?
00:44:47.48\00:44:52.82
Zero. Nada. Nothing. He says,
"Servant, go back." Guess how
00:44:52.82\00:44:58.53
much rain comes with two
prayers. Nothing. You know that
00:44:58.53\00:45:01.33
it goes all the way through six.
And after six times, He says,
"Go look one more time,"
00:45:01.33\00:45:05.23
and down he goes to pray
the seventh prayer. And what
00:45:05.23\00:45:08.54
happens? Ellen White draws the
veil aside about the dramatic
00:45:08.54\00:45:13.24
battle going on in Elijah's mind
while he's praying seven times.
00:45:13.24\00:45:18.18
Watch this. "The servant watched
while Elijah prayed six times.
That servant returned
00:45:18.18\00:45:22.28
from the watch, saying, 'Yo,
master, there is nothing, no
cloud, no sign of rain.
00:45:22.28\00:45:26.86
But the prophet did not give
up in discouragement. He kept
00:45:26.86\00:45:30.86
reviewing his life to see where
he had failed to honor God. He
00:45:30.86\00:45:34.86
confessed his sins and thus
continued to inflict his soul
before God, while watching for a
00:45:34.86\00:45:39.70
token that his prayer was
answered, and as he searched his
heart, Elijah seemed to be less
00:45:39.70\00:45:44.77
and less, both in his own
estimation and in the sight of
00:45:44.77\00:45:49.68
God until it seemed to him --"
This is where God is always
going in your life.
00:45:49.68\00:45:53.18
This is where He's always going
in my life. "Until it seemed to
00:45:53.18\00:45:57.42
him that he, Elijah, was nothing
and that God was everything.
Then when he reached the point
00:45:57.42\00:46:03.96
of renouncing self while he
clung to the Saviour as his only
00:46:03.96\00:46:08.56
strength and righteousness, then
the answer came." Some of you
00:46:08.56\00:46:14.77
have been praying for something,
and only you know what that
something is, you and God.
00:46:14.77\00:46:18.71
You have been praying for
something for years. Don't quit
00:46:18.71\00:46:26.85
praying. Don't quit praying. Two
stages are going on here. God is
drawing you closer.
00:46:26.85\00:46:34.02
He's driving you in, saying,
"Hey, sir, don't give up on that
00:46:34.02\00:46:38.16
prayer. Madam, why are you
stopping now? Keep searching
your heart. Keep renouncing
00:46:38.16\00:46:43.37
any selfish motive in me. Oh,
God, help me to keep renouncing
00:46:43.37\00:46:46.84
anything that's obstructing Your
ability to answer my prayer."
00:46:46.84\00:46:51.21
Never give up. If it's a
two-stage prayer or a
seven-stage prayer or a 10-stage
00:46:51.21\00:46:55.21
prayer, you never give up.
You know why? Because every
00:46:55.21\00:47:00.18
unanswered prayer is God's
opportunity to grow your faith
in Him. That's why.
00:47:00.18\00:47:05.22
He's growing you. He's growing
me. "No, don't give that to her.
00:47:05.22\00:47:10.06
Don't you give that to her yet.
No, no, no, no, no. But you keep
00:47:10.06\00:47:17.40
praying. You keep praying." So
where do we go from here? The
few months that you and I
00:47:17.40\00:47:22.44
have together. Shall we not
seize this divine opportunity
00:47:22.44\00:47:28.44
together to go deeper with
Jesus? Hmm? I'm going to be
00:47:28.44\00:47:33.78
candid with you right now.
There's one prayer I'm not sure
has been answered yet.
00:47:33.78\00:47:39.82
For 39 years, I have prayed this
prayer. Off and on, I'm sure,
00:47:39.82\00:47:47.23
perhaps even more off than on.
But I have prayed for God. To
send a mighty spiritual
00:47:47.23\00:47:56.14
revival to Andrews University
and Andrews Academy and to Ruth
Murdoch Elementary School
00:47:56.14\00:48:04.28
and to the Pioneer Memorial
Church. I have prayed and
00:48:04.28\00:48:09.95
prayed. And I must
confess, I have wondered,
00:48:09.98\00:48:15.19
"Am I not praying enough?"
00:48:15.19\00:48:19.39
I have wondered, "Are there not
enough of us praying? Is there
00:48:19.43\00:48:28.00
sin in my life? Too much self?
Too much ego?" "Man, if we gave
00:48:28.00\00:48:32.77
Dwight this, He'd
say, 'See what I did?'"
00:48:32.77\00:48:35.61
Ah. "Am I not
trusting Jesus enough?"
00:48:36.24\00:48:44.55
I'm not asking you to answer my
own personal questions, but I'm
telling you, I, too,
00:48:44.55\00:48:49.39
need this two-stage miracle
from the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:48:49.39\00:48:53.96
I need a miracle to
draw me deeper, closer,
00:48:54.00\00:49:04.11
stronger,
please. "Come on, Dwight.
00:49:04.11\00:49:09.11
What's your hurry?" "Peter,
could you not have watched with
00:49:09.14\00:49:15.28
me for one little hour?
Stay with me. Stay with me,
00:49:15.28\00:49:26.56
and I will be the God of
promises kept. if you'll stay
00:49:26.56\00:49:34.14
with me." "I am the Vine and you
are the branches. If you abide
00:49:34.14\00:49:39.64
in Me," Jesus says, "and I in
you, you will bear much fruit.
for, apart from me, Dwight,
00:49:39.64\00:49:46.58
apart from me, Pioneer. apart
from me, Andrews, you can do
00:49:46.58\00:49:53.52
nothing." Zero, nada. Nothing.
At CFE? Nothing. "Nothing apart
00:49:53.52\00:50:02.56
from me. So make your great
plans, and chart out your
objectives for the year.
00:50:02.56\00:50:10.27
But if I'm not in
it, nothing. Nothing."
00:50:10.27\00:50:15.58
"Once more, Jesus put His hands
on the man's eyes, and then his
00:50:19.55\00:50:24.39
eyes were opened and his sight
was restored, and he saw
everything clearly." That's my
00:50:24.39\00:50:34.10
prayer for you. That's my prayer
for me today. Amen. >> Amen.
00:50:34.10\00:50:41.67
>> Amen. I would like to know
if you'd be willing to commit
00:50:41.67\00:50:48.04
to me to pray the prayer that I
just told you about for 39 years
00:50:48.04\00:50:51.11
that I've prayed. Would
you be willing to commit to it?
00:50:51.11\00:50:54.65
I'm going to put a number on the
screen. Just text "Brooding1"
00:50:54.65\00:50:59.52
to that number.
00:50:59.52\00:51:01.49
269-281-2345. And
click the first box 'cause
00:51:01.52\00:51:06.19
there are only two boxes,
but just click the first one,
00:51:06.19\00:51:10.13
and by that I will know
I got some prayer partners
00:51:10.13\00:51:15.40
in this. We're
going to stick around
00:51:15.40\00:51:18.24
for the second
touch or the third touch
00:51:18.24\00:51:21.88
or the fourth
touch. It doesn't matter.
00:51:21.88\00:51:24.05
But we're going to stick
around. Would you do that?
00:51:24.05\00:51:27.92
If you text that -- you're
watching on livestream right
00:51:27.92\00:51:30.72
now, just text the word
"Brooding1" to 269-281-2345, and
00:51:30.72\00:51:35.79
it'll say, "My next step today
is..." and here's the first box.
00:51:35.79\00:51:38.89
"I'll join you,
Dwight, in praying for a Jesus
00:51:38.89\00:51:41.73
revival on this campus
and in this congregation."
00:51:41.73\00:51:45.07
Some of you are far away,
and maybe you need to be praying
00:51:45.07\00:51:48.20
for the revival of your
own church or your own campus,
00:51:48.20\00:51:50.97
but if you want to
include us, we'd be honored.
00:51:50.97\00:51:54.08
"I'll join you in praying for
a Jesus revival on this campus
00:51:54.08\00:51:57.01
and in this congregation."
And then the other box
00:51:57.01\00:51:59.95
is simple. "I want
Jesus to touch my heart
00:51:59.95\00:52:04.12
so that I see what He
sees and love whom He loves
00:52:04.12\00:52:07.56
and trust as He trusted."
Just put a checkmark to
00:52:07.56\00:52:15.50
let me know that
you're praying. Hit send.
00:52:15.50\00:52:18.97
And God himself will
register our willingness
00:52:22.10\00:52:26.11
to stay with Him
for the long haul,
00:52:26.11\00:52:30.45
whatever it shall be.
00:52:30.45\00:52:33.35
I want to pray with you right
now and then to sing a
beautiful, little hymn.
00:52:33.38\00:52:36.38
Oh, God, please. This is about
Jesus. And He chose to do this
00:52:36.38\00:52:43.39
two-step miracle to teach us
something, and we get it. It's
not rocket science.
00:52:43.39\00:52:47.60
We get it. And I pray that You
will draw our hearts away from
00:52:47.60\00:52:53.17
the crowd, away from the noise
and the hurry. Every morning,
00:52:53.17\00:52:56.87
the first voice we hear, the
first face we imagine we see is
00:52:56.87\00:53:05.25
our Savior. And then, oh, God,
don't let us stop praying. Keep
us coming back with
00:53:05.25\00:53:10.89
the same prayer again and
again until one day You open the
00:53:10.89\00:53:16.76
windows of heaven. And there
will come such an outpouring
that there will not be room
00:53:16.76\00:53:21.76
enough to receive it. Oh, God,
keep us faithful whether we're
together or not. Keep us
00:53:21.76\00:53:28.10
faithful till the last prayer is
prayed and answered. In the name
of our beloved Lord Jesus, we
00:53:28.10\00:53:36.54
pray. Amen. I got to sing
this with you. It's one of my
00:53:36.54\00:53:40.98
favorite hymns, and I love the
chorus. Open your hymnal to hymn
00:53:40.98\00:53:46.89
number 492, "Teach me, father,
what to say. Teach me, father,
how to pray." Aw, this is so
00:53:46.89\00:53:51.16
good. It's the chorus. We'll
sing the chorus several times,
00:53:51.16\00:53:54.20
but will you find it? I'mma stay
right here, and I'm gonna invite
00:53:54.20\00:53:58.53
you to stand. There's no
preparation here. We just need a
chord, and we'll start singing
00:53:58.53\00:54:02.17
together right now. Let's stand
together, would you, please?
00:54:02.17\00:54:06.01
Okay, need the
words on the screen.
00:54:10.25\00:54:11.61
There we go.
00:54:11.61\00:54:13.05
And now let's
sing that last stanza.
00:56:02.56\00:56:04.03
We'll sing it a cappella,
and we'll sing it as our prayer,
00:56:04.03\00:56:07.10
alright?
00:56:07.10\00:56:08.80
>> Amen.
00:56:41.06\00:56:42.70
>> And now for the
benediction. To Him
00:56:42.76\00:56:48.37
whose power working in us
can do infinitely more than
00:56:48.37\00:56:55.08
we can ask or imagine.
00:56:55.08\00:56:59.08
To God, from generation to
generation in the church and in
00:56:59.11\00:57:07.09
Christ Jesus. Forever
and ever. Amen. >> Amen.
00:57:07.09\00:57:10.33
>> Please be seated.
00:57:10.33\00:57:12.06
>> I want to take an extra
moment to thank you for joining
00:57:15.80\00:57:17.57
us in worship today.
It's by the continued support
00:57:17.57\00:57:19.93
from viewers like you that we're
able to bring you this program.
00:57:19.93\00:57:22.90
Today, I want to invite you,
though, to share with us how
00:57:22.90\00:57:25.27
this ministry has blessed
you. I get inspiring notes,
00:57:25.27\00:57:28.58
e-mails from viewers
literally all over the world
00:57:28.58\00:57:30.68
telling me, "Look, Dwight, God
has been blessing me this way.
00:57:30.68\00:57:33.38
He's been doing this. I
would love to hear from you,
00:57:33.38\00:57:35.22
as well. Just
visit our website --
00:57:35.22\00:57:37.39
you know it --
newperceptions.tv,
00:57:37.39\00:57:40.26
and click on the contact
link at the top of the page.
00:57:40.26\00:57:42.82
Send me a note. Let
me know what God has been
00:57:42.82\00:57:44.73
doing right now in your life.
Once again, thank you for being
00:57:44.73\00:57:48.80
with us today. I hope
you'll join us right here
00:57:48.80\00:57:51.07
next time, and
until then, may the God
00:57:51.07\00:57:53.77
of grace journey with
you every step of the way.
00:57:53.77\00:57:57.07
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:58.81\00:58:17.63
¤¤
00:58:17.63\00:58:26.87