Well, Happy Sabbath, and welcome
00:01:01.86\00:01:04.06
to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:01:04.09\00:01:06.80
here in Thompsonville.
00:01:06.83\00:01:08.56
We want to
welcome each and every one
00:01:08.60\00:01:10.23
of our members
00:01:10.27\00:01:11.60
and all of those who
are visiting with us today.
00:01:11.63\00:01:13.90
And we also want to welcome
00:01:13.94\00:01:15.47
all of you who are
watching from around the world,
00:01:15.50\00:01:18.27
maybe by
television, or internet,
00:01:18.31\00:01:20.91
or maybe listening on the radio.
00:01:20.94\00:01:23.21
We're coming to you today live
00:01:23.24\00:01:25.25
from the 3ABN Worship
Center here on our campus.
00:01:25.28\00:01:28.62
And you know, we've
had a wonderful week
00:01:28.65\00:01:30.55
here this week, haven't we?
00:01:30.59\00:01:32.45
We've had a Focus on Revival.
00:01:32.49\00:01:35.42
And today, we're going to do
00:01:35.46\00:01:37.09
a second part in
a three part series.
00:01:37.13\00:01:40.43
Our speaker today will
be Pastor John Lomacang,
00:01:40.46\00:01:44.03
and he is our senior
pastor here at Thompsonville
00:01:44.07\00:01:46.90
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:01:46.94\00:01:48.74
And you know, John has an
extremely impressive resume,
00:01:48.77\00:01:52.51
but I'm not
going to go through it
00:01:52.54\00:01:54.08
because we're not here
today to lift up a man,
00:01:54.11\00:01:56.48
but rather to lift
up Jesus Christ that
00:01:56.51\00:01:59.65
He may draw all men to Himself.
00:01:59.68\00:02:01.85
Say amen.
00:02:01.88\00:02:03.35
You know, I was
thinking how interesting it is
00:02:03.39\00:02:06.52
when we have a week of revival.
00:02:06.55\00:02:09.16
In this congregation,
00:02:09.19\00:02:10.79
probably 90% of the people
work in ministry full-time.
00:02:10.83\00:02:14.96
And you know there
are people out there
00:02:15.00\00:02:17.00
who might look at us and think,
00:02:17.03\00:02:18.80
why do they need revival
when they're in ministry.
00:02:18.83\00:02:21.94
Galatians 6:9 says,
00:02:21.97\00:02:24.24
"Do not grow
weary in doing well,
00:02:24.27\00:02:27.14
for you will reap a harvest
00:02:27.18\00:02:29.18
in due season if
you do not faint."
00:02:29.21\00:02:31.85
But you know something,
00:02:31.88\00:02:33.21
we're just like
everybody else, aren't we?
00:02:33.25\00:02:35.32
It doesn't matter that
00:02:35.35\00:02:36.69
you're working
full-time for the Lord.
00:02:36.72\00:02:38.55
We can grow weary in doing well.
00:02:38.59\00:02:41.46
And if you want to put
00:02:41.49\00:02:43.19
a finger on
your spiritual pulse,
00:02:43.22\00:02:46.26
then here's the secret.
00:02:46.29\00:02:47.73
Check the devotional time.
What is your prayer life like?
00:02:47.76\00:02:51.83
What is your time of
spending in the Word?
00:02:51.87\00:02:57.67
And how much are
you seeking day by day
00:02:57.71\00:02:59.97
to be filled
with the Holy Spirit
00:03:00.01\00:03:02.04
and with God's love?
00:03:02.08\00:03:03.81
Let's go to the Lord in prayer.
00:03:03.85\00:03:06.51
Heavenly Father,
we come this morning
00:03:06.55\00:03:09.35
to worship and to honor You.
00:03:09.38\00:03:12.45
We come, Father God, to
surrender ourselves to You.
00:03:12.49\00:03:16.12
I ask in the
name of Jesus, Father,
00:03:16.16\00:03:19.13
that You will be
with this service
00:03:19.16\00:03:21.36
in a special way today.
00:03:21.40\00:03:23.23
I pray for John
that You will help him
00:03:23.26\00:03:25.23
to be emptied of self
and to be filled with You.
00:03:25.27\00:03:28.77
I pray, Father, that
You will give him words
00:03:28.80\00:03:31.27
straight from Your
throne of grace, Lord.
00:03:31.31\00:03:34.21
Words, Father, that
have transforming power.
00:03:34.24\00:03:37.55
I pray, Father God,
00:03:37.58\00:03:39.21
that You will
help each one of us
00:03:39.25\00:03:41.88
to plow up any hardened area
in our hearts and to seek You,
00:03:41.92\00:03:46.42
Father, until you
rain righteousness on us.
00:03:46.45\00:03:49.39
Revive us, O Lord, is our cry.
00:03:49.42\00:03:52.13
And we ask these things
for the glory of Your name
00:03:52.16\00:03:55.23
and in the name of
your Son, Jesus Christ.
00:03:55.26\00:03:57.77
Amen.
00:03:57.80\00:03:59.47
Well, now it's my pleasure
to introduce Angela Lomacang,
00:03:59.50\00:04:02.77
wife of our senior pastor,
00:04:02.80\00:04:04.87
and she's going to be
doing our scripture reading.
00:04:04.91\00:04:07.08
Angela. Thank you, Shelley.
00:04:07.11\00:04:12.38
She's so wonderful, well spoken.
00:04:12.41\00:04:16.08
Right now we're going
to be reading something
00:04:16.12\00:04:18.95
from the Scripture and whenever
00:04:18.99\00:04:20.32
we open the Word of God,
00:04:20.36\00:04:22.32
we know that we
receive food for eternal life.
00:04:22.36\00:04:25.39
So right now I'd
like you to turn to
00:04:25.43\00:04:27.43
Luke 24:30-32.
00:04:27.46\00:04:34.24
That's Luke 24:30-32.
00:04:34.27\00:04:41.81
If you're there, say amen. Amen.
00:04:41.84\00:04:44.45
And those of you at
home, you could do the same.
00:04:44.48\00:04:48.05
Okay.
00:04:48.08\00:04:49.42
"Now it came to pass,
00:04:49.45\00:04:50.82
as He sat at
the table with them,
00:04:50.85\00:04:53.69
that He took bread,
blessed and broke it,
00:04:53.72\00:04:56.96
and gave it to them.
00:04:56.99\00:04:58.96
Then their eyes were
opened and they knew Him,
00:04:58.99\00:05:03.97
and He vanished
from their sight.
00:05:04.00\00:05:07.50
And they said to one another,
00:05:07.54\00:05:09.70
'Did not our
hearts burn within us
00:05:09.74\00:05:12.97
while He talked
with us on the road,
00:05:13.01\00:05:16.78
and while He opened
the Scriptures to us?'"
00:05:16.81\00:05:20.02
May the Lord add a
blessing to the reading
00:05:20.05\00:05:22.22
here in an application
of His most holy word.
00:05:22.25\00:05:26.35
Amen.
00:05:26.39\00:05:28.52
Thank you, Angela.
00:05:28.56\00:05:30.89
You know, God wants us
00:05:30.93\00:05:32.69
to quit being
seekers of His hand.
00:05:32.73\00:05:36.73
Do you know what I'm saying?
00:05:36.77\00:05:38.13
When we just go
before the Lord and say,
00:05:38.17\00:05:40.07
"Lord, this is what I
need, that's what I need.
00:05:40.10\00:05:43.51
What God wants His
people to do is to wake up
00:05:43.54\00:05:47.98
and become seekers of His
face, seekers of His heart.
00:05:48.01\00:05:53.52
And now it's my pleasure
to introduce Denise Barclay,
00:05:53.55\00:05:57.12
who is going to be
singing a very anointed song,
00:05:57.15\00:06:00.02
"Seekers of your Heart."
00:06:00.06\00:06:01.46
Before we give You first place
00:06:12.73\00:06:19.94
Before we let You begin
00:06:19.97\00:06:23.85
To fill us with Your spirit
00:06:26.85\00:06:33.99
Renew us from within
00:06:34.02\00:06:37.43
Nothing matters
00:06:42.33\00:06:49.07
Nothing's gained
00:06:49.10\00:06:54.51
Without Your Holy presence
00:06:54.54\00:07:01.88
Our lives are lived in vain
00:07:01.92\00:07:06.52
Lord, we want to know You
00:07:10.93\00:07:17.73
Live our lives to show You
00:07:17.77\00:07:24.54
All the love we owe You
00:07:24.57\00:07:31.35
We're seekers of your heart
00:07:31.38\00:07:36.28
Because your heart was broken
00:07:48.16\00:07:54.30
Because You saw the need
00:07:54.34\00:08:00.68
Because You gave so freely
00:08:00.71\00:08:07.02
Because of Calvary
00:08:07.05\00:08:11.09
We can now be
00:08:15.29\00:08:21.66
Called Your own
00:08:21.70\00:08:26.13
Completed creations
00:08:26.17\00:08:33.27
Filled with You alone
00:08:33.31\00:08:37.58
Lord, we want to know You
00:08:41.78\00:08:49.02
Live our lives to show You
00:08:49.06\00:08:55.56
All the love we owe You
00:08:55.60\00:09:02.00
We're seekers of your heart
00:09:02.04\00:09:08.18
Lord, we want to know You
00:09:12.51\00:09:19.22
Live our lives to show You
00:09:19.25\00:09:26.93
All the love we owe You
00:09:26.96\00:09:33.67
We're seekers of Seekers of
00:09:33.70\00:09:41.58
We're seekers of Your heart
00:09:41.61\00:09:47.52
Amen.
00:09:58.13\00:09:59.46
Let us pray.
00:10:05.77\00:10:09.34
Gracious Father,
this morning we come
00:10:09.37\00:10:12.81
to open our
hearts and not our hands.
00:10:12.84\00:10:18.05
And, Father, we
invite You in to come now
00:10:18.08\00:10:19.98
and to remove, as
it may be the obstacles
00:10:20.02\00:10:25.32
that are erected to
prevent the Spirit of God
00:10:25.35\00:10:28.79
from
communicating to us this morning
00:10:28.82\00:10:30.83
the wonderful words of life.
00:10:30.86\00:10:34.63
Lord, we open our hands that
00:10:34.66\00:10:36.20
You may lead us and give
us strength in our voice,
00:10:36.23\00:10:40.84
that Your words of eternal
life may be heard this day,
00:10:40.87\00:10:45.07
that someone listening
may find hope, and strength,
00:10:45.11\00:10:48.94
and courage, and
salvation in none other
00:10:48.98\00:10:52.91
than the person of Jesus Christ.
00:10:52.95\00:10:55.25
And we pray this
in His holy name.
00:10:55.28\00:10:58.32
Amen.
00:10:58.35\00:11:01.12
The message this
morning is entitled "Hot Water."
00:11:01.16\00:11:03.66
Say that with me. What is it?
00:11:03.69\00:11:05.23
Hot Water.
00:11:05.26\00:11:07.80
The difference between
00:11:07.83\00:11:10.17
hot water and comfortable water
00:11:10.20\00:11:14.90
could be something as
simple as the direction
00:11:14.94\00:11:17.24
Your life is taking.
00:11:17.27\00:11:19.34
Today we're going to go to
the Book of Luke Chapter 24
00:11:19.37\00:11:21.44
and see in the lives of two
00:11:21.48\00:11:23.65
of the many
disciples of Jesus Christ.
00:11:23.68\00:11:28.78
They knew Christ.
00:11:28.82\00:11:30.69
They were His followers,
00:11:30.72\00:11:33.42
but the direction of their lives
00:11:33.46\00:11:35.02
made all the
difference between finding peace
00:11:35.06\00:11:40.00
and going in the
direction of hot water.
00:11:40.03\00:11:43.43
It was a very interesting story
00:11:43.47\00:11:44.83
in the
scriptures that opens to us,
00:11:44.87\00:11:47.20
that sometimes we
could be so absorbed
00:11:47.24\00:11:49.50
in our discouragement that
00:11:49.54\00:11:51.17
we could miss Jesus
Christ who is right by us.
00:11:51.21\00:11:54.98
Sometimes we could be
00:11:55.01\00:11:56.48
so absorbed in
our disappointment
00:11:56.51\00:11:59.45
that we miss the
greater appointment that
00:11:59.48\00:12:01.88
Jesus has made with us.
00:12:01.92\00:12:04.09
Sometimes we can be
00:12:04.12\00:12:05.45
so let down in
our spiritual journey,
00:12:05.49\00:12:08.32
that we fail to realize that
00:12:08.36\00:12:09.89
Jesus is walking with
us in that very journey.
00:12:09.92\00:12:14.23
The Bible says in Luke 24:13,
00:12:14.26\00:12:17.47
"Now behold, two
of them were traveling
00:12:17.50\00:12:20.74
that same day to a
village called Emmaus,
00:12:20.77\00:12:26.31
which was seven
miles from Jerusalem.
00:12:26.34\00:12:29.84
And they talked together
00:12:29.88\00:12:31.21
of all these things
which had happened."
00:12:31.25\00:12:34.12
When the Bible
says that same day,
00:12:34.15\00:12:36.45
the Bible means the
day of the resurrection.
00:12:36.48\00:12:39.62
These two disciples were
returning from Jerusalem.
00:12:39.65\00:12:42.22
They had heard about
00:12:42.26\00:12:44.16
the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
00:12:44.19\00:12:45.56
They had heard about
00:12:45.59\00:12:47.06
the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
00:12:47.10\00:12:48.43
They had heard about
the disappointing news
00:12:48.46\00:12:51.00
that the disciples
hiding for fear of the Jews
00:12:51.03\00:12:55.27
had all been crushed by the idea
00:12:55.30\00:12:58.04
that Jesus had died.
00:12:58.07\00:13:00.44
But they also heard
the news that Jesus rose.
00:13:00.48\00:13:02.84
They heard that
00:13:02.88\00:13:04.21
when the women went to the tomb,
00:13:04.25\00:13:05.58
they did not find
the body of Jesus.
00:13:05.61\00:13:07.32
They also heard
that these women said
00:13:07.35\00:13:10.25
that they had a
divine encounter.
00:13:10.29\00:13:11.85
They had seen
two angels that said,
00:13:11.89\00:13:14.22
"He is not here,
but He is risen."
00:13:14.26\00:13:15.99
They had heard the good
news but still, they had missed.
00:13:16.02\00:13:20.53
And they went out on
their way back to Emmaus.
00:13:20.56\00:13:23.47
Emmaus by the
way means hot water.
00:13:23.50\00:13:27.07
They were on
their way to hot water
00:13:27.10\00:13:28.77
with all the good
news in their hearts,
00:13:28.80\00:13:30.74
they were still going
with the wrong attitude
00:13:30.77\00:13:33.21
in the wrong direction.
00:13:33.24\00:13:35.61
And every step they took
made this seven mile journey
00:13:35.64\00:13:40.62
that much more difficult,
00:13:40.65\00:13:42.72
because they
focused more on the bad news
00:13:42.75\00:13:45.92
than the good news
that Jesus had rose.
00:13:45.95\00:13:48.72
Now, Brethren, I want
to say at the beginning,
00:13:48.76\00:13:50.39
there are many disciples
of Christ that are here.
00:13:50.43\00:13:53.36
There are many
disciples of Christ joining us
00:13:53.40\00:13:55.40
via satellite
listening on the radio,
00:13:55.43\00:13:58.20
but unless we
focus on the good news,
00:13:58.23\00:14:01.60
our journey is going
to be a difficult journey
00:14:01.64\00:14:03.97
even though Jesus
is walking with us.
00:14:04.01\00:14:05.64
Can you say amen?
00:14:05.67\00:14:07.14
There's good news today.
00:14:07.18\00:14:08.51
The good news is that
Jesus is alive forevermore.
00:14:08.54\00:14:11.58
The good news is that
Jesus is coming again.
00:14:11.61\00:14:14.25
These were disciples
of Christ and, Brother,
00:14:14.28\00:14:17.15
there are times that no
matter how good the news is,
00:14:17.19\00:14:22.09
disappointing
news sometimes seems to
00:14:22.12\00:14:24.53
manufacture its own clouds.
00:14:24.56\00:14:27.66
I mean, there are
days when you get news,
00:14:27.70\00:14:29.20
it seems as though
you are the only person
00:14:29.23\00:14:31.70
walking around with a rain cloud
00:14:31.73\00:14:33.57
above your head.
00:14:33.60\00:14:34.94
Anybody know what
I'm talking about?
00:14:34.97\00:14:36.81
I mean, you get news that
00:14:36.84\00:14:38.17
the doctor's report
is the negative one,
00:14:38.21\00:14:40.68
or somebody in your
family is about to pass away,
00:14:40.71\00:14:44.01
or the check is not going
to show up when you need it.
00:14:44.05\00:14:47.85
And instead of
focusing on the fact that
00:14:47.88\00:14:49.52
Jesus can answer our
prayers, at the last second,
00:14:49.55\00:14:52.52
we walk around, and
we manufacture our clouds
00:14:52.55\00:14:56.12
of disappointment.
00:14:56.16\00:14:57.53
And although there's
joy and glee all around us,
00:14:57.56\00:15:01.66
because we fail to see Jesus.
00:15:01.70\00:15:04.13
We are walking on
the road to Emmaus.
00:15:04.17\00:15:06.80
Now, Ellen White
says in Desire of Ages
00:15:06.84\00:15:08.90
that these two disciples,
00:15:08.94\00:15:10.34
not one of the
12, but one of the 70.
00:15:10.37\00:15:13.84
They were not close to
Jesus, but they had seen Jesus.
00:15:13.88\00:15:17.38
They had been
converted by the words of Jesus.
00:15:17.41\00:15:20.75
They knew Him as their Savior
00:15:20.78\00:15:22.38
and their Lord and their Master.
00:15:22.42\00:15:24.85
They heard the
news that He had arose,
00:15:24.89\00:15:27.16
but they were going
home to get absorbed
00:15:27.19\00:15:29.49
in their disappointment.
00:15:29.52\00:15:30.86
And she says, on page
795, they were now returning
00:15:30.89\00:15:35.00
to their homes to
meditate and pray.
00:15:35.03\00:15:37.83
And never before
00:15:37.87\00:15:39.33
had they been so
utterly disheartened,
00:15:39.37\00:15:42.14
hopeless and faithless.
00:15:42.17\00:15:44.51
They were walking in the shadow,
00:15:44.54\00:15:46.64
not the light of the cross.
00:15:46.68\00:15:49.04
But I want to say this.
00:15:49.08\00:15:50.88
Just when you think
that there is no place that
00:15:50.91\00:15:53.15
Jesus can be found,
Brother, the good news is,
00:15:53.18\00:15:56.32
there is no place
that Jesus cannot be found.
00:15:56.35\00:15:58.89
What do you say?
00:15:58.92\00:16:00.26
Just when it looks
like Jesus has disappeared,
00:16:00.29\00:16:03.09
Jesus is always present.
00:16:03.12\00:16:06.66
They were on their
road, but Jesus was with them.
00:16:06.70\00:16:09.76
David the Psalmist
says in Psalms 34:18,
00:16:09.80\00:16:12.73
"The Lord is near
to the broken heart
00:16:12.77\00:16:15.47
and saves those who
are crushed in spirit."
00:16:15.50\00:16:18.37
And I want to say
this, when God is near,
00:16:18.41\00:16:21.04
and we realize that
everything else seems small
00:16:21.08\00:16:24.75
in comparison to God.
00:16:24.78\00:16:26.11
What do you say?
00:16:26.15\00:16:27.48
I mean, what's big
in comparison to God?
00:16:27.52\00:16:29.38
Think about it.
00:16:29.42\00:16:31.52
We are a dust
on a speck of dust,
00:16:31.55\00:16:34.99
in a speck of dust
called the universe,
00:16:35.02\00:16:37.46
but God the Bible says
He spake and it was done.
00:16:37.49\00:16:41.06
He commanded and it stood fast.
00:16:41.10\00:16:44.13
Whenever my wife and I
are flying in an airplane,
00:16:44.17\00:16:46.74
I'm always amazed
because I look out the window
00:16:46.77\00:16:48.57
and I never see people.
00:16:48.60\00:16:51.11
And I'm only 35,000
feet maybe looking down.
00:16:51.14\00:16:53.94
But what amazes
me so much is that
00:16:53.98\00:16:55.68
God no matter how
many people are alive,
00:16:55.71\00:16:59.25
no matter how many
worlds God has to monitor,
00:16:59.28\00:17:02.22
He's large enough to
keep that all together
00:17:02.25\00:17:04.62
but small enough to
abide in our hearts.
00:17:04.65\00:17:06.62
What do you say?
00:17:06.65\00:17:07.99
So we don't have
a God that's absent.
00:17:08.02\00:17:10.56
But there are
times when God is near
00:17:10.59\00:17:14.10
and we don't even know it.
00:17:14.13\00:17:17.17
There are times when
God is right with us,
00:17:17.20\00:17:20.50
and we cannot
perceive His presence.
00:17:20.54\00:17:22.10
The Bible says in Luke
24, look with me to verse 15.
00:17:22.14\00:17:27.51
"So it was, while they
conversed and reasoned,
00:17:27.54\00:17:32.18
that Jesus Himself drew
near and went with them.
00:17:32.21\00:17:36.62
But their eyes were restrained,
so they did not know Him.
00:17:36.65\00:17:42.26
And He said to them,
00:17:42.29\00:17:43.89
'What kind of conversation
is this that you have
00:17:43.93\00:17:47.00
with one another as
you walk and are sad?'"
00:17:47.03\00:17:50.27
I'm gonna say
today, one of the reasons
00:17:50.30\00:17:51.93
why we have the
kind of conversations
00:17:51.97\00:17:53.57
that we do is because
we fail to realize that
00:17:53.60\00:17:56.57
Jesus is always near.
00:17:56.60\00:17:59.47
Let me say that
again, you didn't hear that.
00:17:59.51\00:18:02.98
There would have
been a hearty amen
00:18:03.01\00:18:04.35
if you really heard that.
00:18:04.38\00:18:05.71
One of the reasons why
we talk the way we do is
00:18:05.75\00:18:07.28
we fail to realize
that Jesus is always near.
00:18:07.32\00:18:09.72
What do you say?
00:18:09.75\00:18:11.09
Let me break that down.
00:18:11.12\00:18:12.75
If we knew that Jesus
00:18:12.79\00:18:14.12
was listening in
on our conversation,
00:18:14.16\00:18:16.22
what would we say differently
about the person we don't like?
00:18:16.26\00:18:21.46
If we knew that Jesus
was always listening in,
00:18:21.50\00:18:26.50
what would we
say differently about
00:18:26.53\00:18:28.30
our pastoral staff?
00:18:28.34\00:18:32.91
If we knew that Jesus
was always listening in,
00:18:32.94\00:18:36.38
what would we say about
that brother or that sister
00:18:36.41\00:18:39.38
that knows when
they're walking towards us
00:18:39.41\00:18:42.62
that every nerve
ending it's at its own end?
00:18:42.65\00:18:47.22
And we turn them on and we
say, "Oh, Lord, here they come."
00:18:47.26\00:18:49.69
What would we say
differently if we knew that
00:18:49.72\00:18:52.16
Jesus was standing right by us?
00:18:52.19\00:18:53.60
What do we say?
00:18:53.63\00:18:54.96
Oh, Lord, here they
come or rather than oh, Lord,
00:18:55.00\00:18:58.13
here they come.
00:18:58.17\00:18:59.93
Brethren, Jesus
is always present
00:18:59.97\00:19:02.77
in our
conversation, in our activity,
00:19:02.80\00:19:06.04
in our
interaction with each other.
00:19:06.07\00:19:07.54
And so as the people of God
realizing we are His followers,
00:19:07.58\00:19:11.21
we should always speak
and have words that say,
00:19:11.25\00:19:15.08
we know that Jesus is there.
00:19:15.12\00:19:18.45
There are two people that
I always suggest you avoid.
00:19:18.49\00:19:21.72
And you may not
have met these people,
00:19:21.76\00:19:24.23
but the people that you should
never invite to your house
00:19:24.26\00:19:27.60
are Brother
Gloom and Sister Doom.
00:19:27.63\00:19:31.37
You know why?
00:19:31.40\00:19:32.73
I think that these two disciples
00:19:32.77\00:19:34.70
were caught off guard.
00:19:34.74\00:19:36.27
And although Jesus
was walking with them,
00:19:36.30\00:19:38.47
all they saw was
Brother Gloom and Sister Doom.
00:19:38.51\00:19:42.34
I mean, think about it,
some of the conversations
00:19:42.38\00:19:44.05
we have on the telephone.
00:19:44.08\00:19:45.41
And by the way, if you look at
00:19:45.45\00:19:46.78
some of your phone
bills, it's a crime.
00:19:46.82\00:19:48.75
But wouldn't it be nice
if our phone bills were high
00:19:48.78\00:19:51.35
because we're
spending time calling somebody,
00:19:51.39\00:19:54.19
telling them about
the goodness of God?
00:19:54.22\00:19:56.49
What do you say?
00:19:56.52\00:19:57.89
I mean, wouldn't it be
nice if our phone bills are high
00:19:57.93\00:20:00.40
because we're busy
calling people saying,
00:20:00.43\00:20:02.60
you need to come
to church for Sabbath,
00:20:02.63\00:20:04.80
you need to come to the
house of God, you need prayer.
00:20:04.83\00:20:07.90
Wouldn't it be nice
00:20:07.94\00:20:09.77
if our phone bills are expensive
00:20:09.80\00:20:12.27
because we're
spending money to find out
00:20:12.31\00:20:14.91
how to get somebody
into the kingdom of God?
00:20:14.94\00:20:17.55
Wouldn't it be nice,
00:20:17.58\00:20:21.72
if we have to sign a
contract with Verizon
00:20:21.75\00:20:25.92
because all we do on the phone
is call people and tell them
00:20:25.95\00:20:29.46
how wonderful it is to
have pastors like Pastor John
00:20:29.49\00:20:33.50
and Pastor John who
are doing their best.
00:20:33.53\00:20:35.36
Come on and say
amen. Wouldn't it be nice?
00:20:35.40\00:20:39.70
It would be nice,
Brethren, but I want to say,
00:20:39.73\00:20:43.57
as the people of God,
00:20:43.61\00:20:45.51
how can we use our energies
any differently than we are?
00:20:45.54\00:20:49.84
These two
disciples, to my amazement,
00:20:49.88\00:20:54.98
they spoke as
though Jesus was not there.
00:20:55.02\00:20:58.85
And how could
they be discouraged
00:20:58.89\00:21:00.92
in the presence of Jesus.
00:21:00.96\00:21:02.32
It is very easy.
00:21:02.36\00:21:03.83
There's some of us that are
discouraged in God's presence.
00:21:03.86\00:21:05.76
You know why?
00:21:05.79\00:21:07.13
Because we focus
more on our trial
00:21:07.16\00:21:09.10
than the one who is
walking with us in our trials.
00:21:09.13\00:21:12.27
We focus more on
our disappointment
00:21:12.30\00:21:14.44
than the one who is
there to carry our burdens.
00:21:14.47\00:21:17.24
We focus more on the hard things
00:21:17.27\00:21:19.14
that are
happening, rather than the one
00:21:19.17\00:21:21.21
who knows no defeat.
00:21:21.24\00:21:22.84
How could a disciple
of Christ be discouraged
00:21:22.88\00:21:25.48
in His presence?
00:21:25.51\00:21:26.85
Easy, by looking at the problem
rather than the problem solver.
00:21:26.88\00:21:30.99
Now, there are those of you
00:21:31.02\00:21:32.35
who are sitting
here this morning,
00:21:32.39\00:21:33.72
but your mind is somewhere else.
00:21:33.76\00:21:35.09
You're thinking about
how that bill is going to
00:21:35.12\00:21:36.46
get paid this week.
00:21:36.49\00:21:37.83
You're thinking about the
move that you have to make.
00:21:37.86\00:21:39.19
You're thinking about
00:21:39.23\00:21:40.56
your child that
has not yet given
00:21:40.60\00:21:41.93
his or her life back to Christ.
00:21:41.96\00:21:43.30
You're thinking about
your wife or your husband
00:21:43.33\00:21:45.00
that does not know
what it means to have
00:21:45.03\00:21:46.74
a personal walk with God.
00:21:46.77\00:21:48.27
And as a disciple of
Christ, you're discouraged
00:21:48.30\00:21:50.11
because you're
focusing more on the human side
00:21:50.14\00:21:53.07
than the divine side.
00:21:53.11\00:21:54.54
But, Brethren,
here's the good news.
00:21:54.58\00:21:56.11
Jesus is not just going to give
your family up to the devil.
00:21:56.14\00:21:59.41
What do you say?
00:21:59.45\00:22:00.78
Because He has
died to win the battle,
00:22:00.82\00:22:03.99
not to lose the
battle, and Jesus said,
00:22:04.02\00:22:06.42
"He's not willing that
any of us should perish."
00:22:06.45\00:22:10.23
So the devil may look
like he's big and bad,
00:22:10.26\00:22:13.13
but God always
has the final word,
00:22:13.16\00:22:15.33
and God's people said what?
00:22:15.36\00:22:16.97
Amen! God
always is a step ahead.
00:22:17.00\00:22:18.90
That's why Oswald
Chambers says this,
00:22:18.93\00:22:21.40
"Discouragement always comes
00:22:21.44\00:22:23.71
when we insist on
having our own way."
00:22:23.74\00:22:27.71
You know, sometimes
God allows our problems
00:22:27.74\00:22:30.11
to linger longer
than they need to.
00:22:30.15\00:22:32.78
Sometimes God allows
us to go through trials
00:22:32.81\00:22:35.98
longer than we need to.
00:22:36.02\00:22:37.35
And I believe I
found out the reason why.
00:22:37.39\00:22:40.66
You know what, I've
learned more about God
00:22:40.69\00:22:42.26
in long trials than
I did in short trials.
00:22:42.29\00:22:46.73
You missed that?
00:22:46.76\00:22:48.46
Brother Matt, excuse me.
00:22:48.50\00:22:50.83
I've learned more about God
00:22:50.87\00:22:52.47
in long periods of difficulty
00:22:52.50\00:22:55.27
than I do in momentary
glimpses of difficulty.
00:22:55.30\00:22:58.91
I've learned more about God
00:22:58.94\00:23:00.28
when my life is
really on the line
00:23:00.31\00:23:02.64
than I do when, oh,
that was a close call.
00:23:02.68\00:23:05.55
The reason why the
Lord does not always
00:23:05.58\00:23:07.35
remove our trials
instantly is because sometimes
00:23:07.38\00:23:11.09
we won't learn the
lesson that we need to learn.
00:23:11.12\00:23:13.49
And that trial will
come back all too soon.
00:23:13.52\00:23:18.26
That's why the
disciples had to walk with Jesus
00:23:18.29\00:23:20.76
in their trials.
00:23:20.80\00:23:22.13
Jesus didn't just say,
"Hey, Cleophas, how you doing?
00:23:22.16\00:23:24.53
My name is Jesus."
00:23:24.57\00:23:25.90
Jesus came into
the conversation,
00:23:25.93\00:23:27.54
walk with them,
00:23:27.57\00:23:28.90
listen to their
discouraging conversation,
00:23:28.94\00:23:31.87
and did not
reveal Himself by saying,
00:23:31.91\00:23:35.04
I am the Christ.
00:23:35.08\00:23:38.11
He had a lesson
for these two disciples
00:23:38.15\00:23:42.08
to learn that they
would not have learned
00:23:42.12\00:23:45.15
if Jesus had told them
at the very outset that
00:23:45.19\00:23:47.36
He was there.
00:23:47.39\00:23:48.72
And sometimes, Brethren,
00:23:48.76\00:23:50.09
that's why the Lord
doesn't call you and say,
00:23:50.13\00:23:51.46
you know what?
00:23:51.49\00:23:52.83
I know that you have a
bill due on Friday morning
00:23:52.86\00:23:54.56
at 7 o'clock.
00:23:54.60\00:23:55.96
I'm telling you on
Monday, I got it taken care of.
00:23:56.00\00:23:59.23
Wouldn't you like if the Lord
did that every now and then?
00:23:59.27\00:24:04.07
If every now and
then the Lord says,
00:24:04.11\00:24:05.44
"I know that
you're going to the doctor
00:24:05.47\00:24:06.81
to get a checkup.
00:24:06.84\00:24:08.38
And I know you
felt a lump this week,
00:24:08.41\00:24:09.94
but I want to let you
know that in about four months,
00:24:09.98\00:24:12.38
that lump will just be a memory.
00:24:12.41\00:24:14.45
Don't worry about it."
00:24:14.48\00:24:17.05
Wouldn't it be nice if
the Lord sent us a letter
00:24:17.09\00:24:18.79
every now and then that says,
00:24:18.82\00:24:20.16
"At the end of the year,
00:24:20.19\00:24:21.52
you're not going
to owe any taxes?"
00:24:21.56\00:24:25.26
Wouldn't it be nice
if the Lord said to us,
00:24:25.29\00:24:27.90
"I know you got a long journey,
00:24:27.93\00:24:31.27
but your car is not going
to break down in the desert.
00:24:31.30\00:24:35.20
Don't worry about
that tire that looks bald.
00:24:35.24\00:24:37.54
I'm going to carry you through.
00:24:37.57\00:24:38.97
If I can take Moses
through the wilderness
00:24:39.01\00:24:41.18
with one slipper,
00:24:41.21\00:24:42.54
I can take you anywhere
you need to go on a bald tire.
00:24:42.58\00:24:45.11
Can you say amen?
00:24:45.15\00:24:46.82
But the Lord does not do that,
00:24:46.85\00:24:49.55
because we walk by
faith and not by sight.
00:24:49.58\00:24:52.32
We walk by trusting
God, not by God giving us
00:24:52.35\00:24:55.89
all the details
of His divine agenda.
00:24:55.92\00:24:59.73
These disciples needed to get
00:24:59.76\00:25:02.20
some lessons learned before
00:25:02.23\00:25:04.63
Jesus revealed Himself to them.
00:25:04.67\00:25:06.50
And the very next text is
striking to me, Luke 24:18.
00:25:06.53\00:25:09.87
They had what I call
00:25:09.90\00:25:11.24
a blind conversation with Jesus,
00:25:11.27\00:25:13.58
and I want to say
something for a moment.
00:25:13.61\00:25:15.51
Some of us have blind
conversations with Jesus,
00:25:15.54\00:25:18.78
or you don't know what I mean.
00:25:18.81\00:25:20.68
Some of you kneel down and pray.
00:25:20.72\00:25:25.42
And you get up off your
knees after your prayer.
00:25:25.45\00:25:28.52
And after you said,
"Lord, take my burden from me."
00:25:28.56\00:25:31.96
You get up off your knees
and you walk away like that
00:25:31.99\00:25:34.13
burden is still on your back.
00:25:34.16\00:25:37.10
I call that a blind
conversation with God.
00:25:37.13\00:25:41.00
I call that blind prayers.
00:25:41.04\00:25:43.91
How can you kneel
00:25:43.94\00:25:45.27
before the richest
person ever to exist
00:25:45.31\00:25:49.11
and will never cease to exist
00:25:49.14\00:25:51.31
and pray about a $25 phone bill?
00:25:51.35\00:25:55.48
How can you look at God
00:25:55.52\00:25:56.85
who can create anything
and fail to realize that
00:25:56.89\00:26:00.82
God can recreate in
you His divine image?
00:26:00.86\00:26:05.59
Blind
conversations, praying to God,
00:26:05.63\00:26:08.33
looking at Him,
calling on His name,
00:26:08.36\00:26:10.87
and failing to
realize He's right before us.
00:26:10.90\00:26:13.17
They had a blind
conversation with God.
00:26:13.20\00:26:15.70
Look at this
very ridiculous text.
00:26:15.74\00:26:18.54
And I say it's ridiculous
because these are disciples
00:26:18.57\00:26:21.01
saying this to their master.
00:26:21.04\00:26:22.84
Notice Luke
24:18, the Bible says,
00:26:22.88\00:26:26.85
"Then the one
whose name was Cleopas
00:26:26.88\00:26:28.82
answered and said to
Him," talking to Jesus,
00:26:28.85\00:26:32.62
now this is an amazing thing,
00:26:32.65\00:26:34.42
"'Are You the only
stranger in Jerusalem,
00:26:34.46\00:26:36.86
and have You
not known the things
00:26:36.89\00:26:38.69
which happened
there these days?'"
00:26:38.73\00:26:41.40
Brethren, I am so glad to say
00:26:41.43\00:26:43.50
that in the
midst of our dilemma,
00:26:43.53\00:26:46.13
the Lord always
knows about our problems,
00:26:46.17\00:26:49.10
more than we know
about our problems.
00:26:49.14\00:26:50.91
What do you say? Now
get this, you missed that.
00:26:50.94\00:26:53.78
They said to Jesus,
"Are you the only stranger."
00:26:53.81\00:26:58.11
Can you
imagine? Can you imagine?
00:26:58.15\00:27:00.48
Now, we're not talking about
thinking that Jesus is there,
00:27:00.52\00:27:03.39
Jesus is there.
00:27:03.42\00:27:05.82
He's walking with them.
00:27:05.85\00:27:07.66
They turn around and
look Him square in the face.
00:27:07.69\00:27:11.16
And they say to the one
who just defeated death,
00:27:11.19\00:27:15.33
the one who just
whipped the cross,
00:27:15.36\00:27:18.30
the one who just
said to the devil,
00:27:18.33\00:27:20.10
"You got a short
time, make it a good one."
00:27:20.14\00:27:23.20
They say to the one
that just told a stone,
00:27:23.24\00:27:25.84
"It's time to
move out of the way."
00:27:25.87\00:27:28.24
They just said
to the 100 soldiers,
00:27:28.28\00:27:30.65
Jesus said to the 100
soldiers, "Time to go to sleep.
00:27:30.68\00:27:33.65
My father is calling Me."
00:27:33.68\00:27:36.08
And He's walking
right by their side,
00:27:36.12\00:27:37.92
and they're saying
to Him as His disciples,
00:27:37.95\00:27:40.39
"Are You the only stranger that
00:27:40.42\00:27:42.89
don't know what
happened here today?"
00:27:42.92\00:27:46.56
Don't know what happened?
00:27:46.59\00:27:48.93
And Jesus bore with them.
00:27:48.96\00:27:51.17
He didn't say, not only
did I not know what happened.
00:27:51.20\00:27:53.80
I was in the midst of the fray.
00:27:53.84\00:27:55.84
He didn't say that.
00:27:55.87\00:27:58.31
That's why sometimes
you pray and you say,
00:27:58.34\00:28:00.01
"When is God going
to answer my prayer?"
00:28:00.04\00:28:02.08
Sometimes He let that
prayer linger long enough.
00:28:02.11\00:28:04.61
So you can realize, Brethren,
00:28:04.65\00:28:05.98
you don't need to get an answer.
00:28:06.01\00:28:07.42
All you need to
know is that I am.
00:28:07.45\00:28:09.25
That's why I say God's
promises are like stars.
00:28:12.59\00:28:15.16
The darker the night, Brother,
00:28:15.19\00:28:17.16
the brighter those stars
are going to shine, amen?
00:28:17.19\00:28:19.76
So when it seems dark,
the stars are still there.
00:28:19.79\00:28:22.96
When it seems like
you can't see Jesus,
00:28:23.00\00:28:25.53
He is right there.
00:28:25.57\00:28:27.77
Well, the story continues.
00:28:27.80\00:28:29.44
Because what amazes me
00:28:29.47\00:28:30.81
is when the Lord
asks us questions,
00:28:30.84\00:28:32.47
He does not asks us
questions for information.
00:28:32.51\00:28:34.68
He asks us
questions for testimony.
00:28:34.71\00:28:36.75
Look now to Luke 24:19,
00:28:36.78\00:28:39.48
because Jesus had to break
00:28:39.51\00:28:41.12
past this funky conversation
00:28:41.15\00:28:43.95
and find a way to get to
the minds of His disciples.
00:28:43.99\00:28:47.22
He said to them in
verse 19, "What things..."
00:28:47.26\00:28:51.33
Now let me ask you a question.
00:28:51.36\00:28:52.83
He said, "What
things did Jesus know
00:28:52.86\00:28:55.56
what things
happened in Jerusalem?"
00:28:55.60\00:28:58.13
He knew exactly what happened.
00:28:58.17\00:28:59.50
But, Brethren,
00:28:59.53\00:29:00.87
He was not
asking for information.
00:29:00.90\00:29:02.24
He was asking for
personal testimony.
00:29:02.27\00:29:04.47
He was not saying,
"Tell me about the cross."
00:29:04.51\00:29:07.38
He was not saying,
"What events in Jerusalem."
00:29:07.41\00:29:09.91
He wanted them to say,
00:29:09.94\00:29:11.28
"Did you witness any change
in the events of Jerusalem."
00:29:11.31\00:29:14.88
What things and
then he goes on to say,
00:29:14.92\00:29:17.59
and then they said to him,
00:29:17.62\00:29:18.95
the things
concerning Jesus of Nazareth.
00:29:18.99\00:29:21.99
Now, this blew me
away. This blew me away.
00:29:22.02\00:29:24.79
I'm not going to read the rest
of the verse, you read that.
00:29:24.83\00:29:27.20
This blew me away
because they began to inform
00:29:27.23\00:29:29.73
Jesus about Jesus.
00:29:29.76\00:29:31.93
Brethren, they began
to tell Jesus about Jesus.
00:29:31.97\00:29:36.94
Come on and say amen.
00:29:36.97\00:29:38.77
They began to
tell Jesus about Jesus.
00:29:38.81\00:29:42.54
What could you
tell Jesus about Himself
00:29:42.58\00:29:45.51
that He does not know.
00:29:45.55\00:29:47.15
Matter of fact, I
would haste to say that
00:29:47.18\00:29:48.58
while they're
telling Jesus about Jesus,
00:29:48.62\00:29:50.32
they were leaving
out all the details that
00:29:50.35\00:29:52.39
Jesus had already
known, and He entertained them.
00:29:52.42\00:29:54.42
Let me say it, I
could imagine, if I was God,
00:29:54.46\00:29:56.12
I would have said, tell me more.
00:29:56.16\00:29:57.49
Tell me more. I missed that.
00:29:57.53\00:29:58.86
Tell me more.
00:29:58.89\00:30:00.23
The Lord heard them
telling Him about Himself.
00:30:00.26\00:30:02.83
And He allowed them, but
I like the way He broke in,
00:30:02.86\00:30:05.17
because the Lord
sometimes allows us to go far.
00:30:05.20\00:30:08.47
But I praise God that
the Lord does not allow us
00:30:08.50\00:30:11.91
to make an
absolute fool of ourselves.
00:30:11.94\00:30:14.88
Verse 21, they
said, "We were hoping.
00:30:21.32\00:30:24.45
We were hoping."
00:30:24.49\00:30:26.12
And after they got
through all the texts,
00:30:26.15\00:30:27.86
the next three verses
Cleopas was telling Jesus
00:30:27.89\00:30:31.49
about the resurrection.
00:30:31.53\00:30:32.86
But if you look at
the end of verse 24,
00:30:32.89\00:30:34.56
look there with me,
the end of verse 24.
00:30:34.60\00:30:36.56
The Bible reveals at
the end of the account
00:30:36.60\00:30:39.40
of what Cleopas said,
the Bible reveals exactly
00:30:39.43\00:30:43.07
what the problem was.
00:30:43.10\00:30:45.21
And it says these six
words, "But him they,"
00:30:45.24\00:30:50.58
come on say it
with me, "did not see."
00:30:50.61\00:30:54.28
Cleopas went through
00:30:54.32\00:30:55.65
all the scriptural details about
00:30:55.68\00:30:57.92
what happened in Jerusalem,
but I wanna say this today,
00:30:57.95\00:31:00.39
Brethren, if you are
a follower of Christ,
00:31:00.42\00:31:02.16
you'll realize that
sometimes scriptural detail
00:31:02.19\00:31:05.09
is not enough.
00:31:05.13\00:31:07.83
Are you there this morning?
00:31:07.86\00:31:10.23
Sometimes scriptural
detail is not enough.
00:31:10.27\00:31:13.70
You can read your Bible.
00:31:13.74\00:31:15.07
But if you fail to realize
that it's not just the Word,
00:31:15.10\00:31:17.77
but the living Word,
00:31:17.81\00:31:19.14
the scriptural
detail cannot get you
00:31:19.17\00:31:21.41
out of your dilemma
00:31:21.44\00:31:22.78
if you fail to
realize Jesus is with you.
00:31:22.81\00:31:25.05
Sometimes it's got to
be more than theology.
00:31:25.08\00:31:27.48
They will write about
the theology of the cross.
00:31:27.52\00:31:29.68
But Jesus was there
00:31:29.72\00:31:31.05
and they were still discouraged.
00:31:31.09\00:31:32.42
They were telling
Jesus about Jesus.
00:31:32.45\00:31:34.26
Sometimes having it
all together is not enough.
00:31:34.29\00:31:37.76
Let me make that even clear up.
00:31:37.79\00:31:40.50
Knowing the 2300
days is a good thing.
00:31:40.53\00:31:43.57
But knowing the
Christ of the 2300 days
00:31:46.40\00:31:49.87
is a whole lot better.
00:31:49.90\00:31:52.21
There're some
folk that have been
00:31:52.24\00:31:53.58
Adventist all their lives,
00:31:53.61\00:31:55.88
and they still don't
know what they believe.
00:31:55.91\00:31:59.51
Now, I wanna say
this, that's not all right.
00:31:59.55\00:32:02.48
Because Paul the Apostle
00:32:02.52\00:32:03.85
or whoever wrote the
Book of Hebrews said,
00:32:03.89\00:32:06.55
that by the time that
00:32:06.59\00:32:07.92
we should be
handling the meat of the Word,
00:32:07.96\00:32:10.19
we need to be
taught all over again
00:32:10.23\00:32:12.69
the very oracles of God.
00:32:12.73\00:32:16.03
God does not want
grown up children.
00:32:16.06\00:32:21.27
The Lord wants us to mature
in the knowledge of His Word,
00:32:21.30\00:32:25.37
so that we can go out and
become effective disciples
00:32:25.41\00:32:28.41
for the winning of
souls to the kingdom of God.
00:32:28.44\00:32:30.81
Can you say amen?
00:32:30.85\00:32:32.31
And so these disciples that had
00:32:32.35\00:32:33.78
all the
theological details together,
00:32:33.82\00:32:36.18
how it happen sometimes
is not nearly important
00:32:36.22\00:32:40.56
as it did happen.
00:32:40.59\00:32:42.49
How it happened is not always
as important as it did happen.
00:32:42.52\00:32:47.36
They're saying to
Jesus, you know what happened
00:32:47.40\00:32:49.03
and they're telling
Him how it happened.
00:32:49.06\00:32:50.70
He's saying, "Brethren,
you're caught off guard.
00:32:50.73\00:32:52.60
Let me just tell
you that it did happen."
00:32:52.63\00:32:54.00
And that's good
enough sometimes for us
00:32:54.04\00:32:56.14
that Jesus rose
again is good enough.
00:32:56.17\00:32:59.01
Here's what I want to
make the illustration.
00:32:59.04\00:33:00.61
Some people are
fighting as to whether or not
00:33:00.64\00:33:02.71
He rose on Sunday, on Monday,
00:33:02.74\00:33:04.98
whether or not He
went in the tomb on
00:33:05.01\00:33:06.35
Thursday, on Wednesday.
00:33:06.38\00:33:07.72
I don't care when He went in.
00:33:07.75\00:33:09.38
I don't care when He got out.
00:33:09.42\00:33:10.75
I'm glad that He got
out. What do you say?
00:33:10.79\00:33:13.32
So you go ahead and
fight with that theology
00:33:13.36\00:33:14.96
and pit yourself
against each other.
00:33:14.99\00:33:16.59
It was 72 hours some say,
some say it was more than 72.
00:33:16.62\00:33:19.73
Brethren, I don't care
how long He was in there,
00:33:19.76\00:33:21.63
as long as He's
not in there anymore.
00:33:21.66\00:33:23.23
That's the good news for me.
00:33:23.26\00:33:27.10
Some people say,
Sunday is the best day.
00:33:27.14\00:33:28.50
Some people say,
Sabbath is the best day.
00:33:28.54\00:33:29.97
That's vitally
important, Brother.
00:33:30.01\00:33:34.68
So don't throw
that one into the pile
00:33:34.71\00:33:36.61
of it does not matter.
00:33:36.64\00:33:38.11
It does matter.
00:33:38.15\00:33:40.62
But don't forget this point.
00:33:40.65\00:33:42.58
You may go on Sunday,
or you may go on Sabbath.
00:33:42.62\00:33:46.12
If you don't know Christ,
00:33:46.15\00:33:47.49
it does not
matter what day you go.
00:33:47.52\00:33:52.03
Some folk go every
Sabbath, don't know Jesus.
00:33:52.06\00:33:54.76
Some folk go every Sunday,
00:33:54.80\00:33:56.13
and they know as
much as they can,
00:33:56.16\00:33:57.80
until the Lord reveals more.
00:33:57.83\00:33:59.43
Don't get caught
up in the idea that
00:33:59.47\00:34:00.87
you're Seventh-day Adventist
00:34:00.90\00:34:02.24
or Seventh-day Adventist
without Jesus is dangerous.
00:34:02.27\00:34:06.24
A vegetarian
without Jesus is dangerous
00:34:06.27\00:34:08.44
because they tell me that
00:34:08.48\00:34:09.84
vegetables catch
on fire real fast
00:34:09.88\00:34:12.35
when they're dry.
00:34:12.38\00:34:14.28
So, Brethren,
it's not your diet,
00:34:14.32\00:34:16.18
not your external dress,
00:34:16.22\00:34:18.45
not your theological
debates that you can win.
00:34:18.49\00:34:21.16
But it's first and
foremost, Jesus, as Paul says,
00:34:21.19\00:34:24.03
I desire to know nothing
but Him crucified and risen.
00:34:24.06\00:34:28.03
And I add coming again.
00:34:28.06\00:34:31.27
Telling Jesus about
Jesus is a ridiculous thing,
00:34:31.30\00:34:33.47
but Jesus decided to
break it in verse 24.
00:34:33.50\00:34:36.67
You know what?
What gets me is this.
00:34:36.71\00:34:39.14
They thought
they knew something,
00:34:39.17\00:34:40.51
Pastor Murray, but
the all knowing one
00:34:40.54\00:34:43.51
was about to tell them
what they did not know.
00:34:43.55\00:34:46.31
Luke 24:25,
00:34:46.35\00:34:50.49
"And then He said to
them, 'O foolish ones,
00:34:50.52\00:34:53.96
and slow of a heart
to believe in all that
00:34:53.99\00:34:58.23
the prophet have spoken."
00:34:58.26\00:34:59.86
And then verse 27 says,
00:34:59.89\00:35:01.73
"He expounded to
them in all the scriptures
00:35:01.76\00:35:05.37
the things concerning Himself."
00:35:05.40\00:35:08.00
How much Bible did Jesus use?
00:35:08.04\00:35:10.17
Say it with me, all.
00:35:10.21\00:35:11.64
Now, Brethren, I've
given Bible studies before.
00:35:11.67\00:35:14.64
But can you imagine getting
a Bible study from Jesus?
00:35:14.68\00:35:18.45
What verse is that?
00:35:18.48\00:35:19.81
Oh, He'll tell you
exactly where it is.
00:35:19.85\00:35:21.85
What chapter is that?
00:35:21.88\00:35:23.22
Oh, they put in there,
what they need you to know.
00:35:23.25\00:35:25.75
But let me tell you
what's more behind that
00:35:25.79\00:35:27.32
because Luke the doctor said,
00:35:27.36\00:35:29.16
"If they wrote everything
there is to write about Jesus,
00:35:29.19\00:35:33.66
not even the earth itself
could contain all the books."
00:35:33.70\00:35:39.53
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:35:39.57\00:35:42.24
Thank you for that, my brother.
00:35:42.27\00:35:44.17
If the Bible wrote everything
00:35:44.21\00:35:47.91
that needs to be
contained about Jesus,
00:35:47.94\00:35:51.31
the world itself
could not contain
00:35:51.35\00:35:52.68
the books that are written.
00:35:52.71\00:35:54.05
What do you say?
00:35:54.08\00:35:56.62
But they're about
to tell the great I am
00:35:56.65\00:35:59.29
about the great I am.
00:35:59.32\00:36:00.66
And then Jesus
began to take them
00:36:00.69\00:36:02.42
from Genesis to Malachi.
00:36:02.46\00:36:04.13
The Alpha and the
Omega was going to take them
00:36:04.16\00:36:07.10
from the beginning to the end.
00:36:07.13\00:36:08.53
And so Jesus
began to remind them
00:36:08.56\00:36:10.37
as He's walking with them,
00:36:10.40\00:36:11.90
He takes them to
Genesis, and He says,
00:36:11.93\00:36:14.14
"I am the seed that
will destroy Satan."
00:36:14.17\00:36:17.61
Then he says in Exodus,
"I am the lamb without spot
00:36:17.64\00:36:21.14
and without blemish."
00:36:21.18\00:36:22.51
He takes them to
Numbers and says,
00:36:22.54\00:36:23.95
"I am the bronze serpent,
00:36:23.98\00:36:25.65
that if you look at
him in the wilderness,
00:36:25.68\00:36:27.98
you shall live."
00:36:28.02\00:36:29.52
He takes them next
to Numbers and says,
00:36:29.55\00:36:32.22
"I'm the star from Jacob.
00:36:32.25\00:36:34.32
I'm the scepter from Israel."
00:36:34.36\00:36:36.22
But, brethren, when
He got to Isaiah 53,
00:36:36.26\00:36:38.56
He spent some time there.
00:36:38.59\00:36:39.93
What do you say?
00:36:39.96\00:36:41.30
Jesus said to them,
"You're talking about grief.
00:36:41.33\00:36:43.40
You're talking about
being despised and rejected."
00:36:43.43\00:36:45.37
Jesus says, "I was
despised and rejected of men.
00:36:45.40\00:36:49.44
I am the man of sorrow.
00:36:49.47\00:36:51.71
I'm the one
acquainted with grief."
00:36:51.74\00:36:53.91
What do you say now?
00:36:53.94\00:36:55.51
They thought they had grief,
but Jesus says, "I am the one.
00:36:55.54\00:36:58.95
I'm the man of sorrow.
00:36:58.98\00:37:00.32
I'm the one
acquainted with grief.
00:37:00.35\00:37:01.98
I was the one
oppressed and afflicted not you.
00:37:02.02\00:37:04.65
I was the one lead as a
lamb to the slaughter, not you.
00:37:04.69\00:37:09.62
And I did not even
complain about it.?
00:37:09.66\00:37:13.23
Can you say amen?
00:37:13.26\00:37:14.66
Now, I want to say
something about that.
00:37:14.70\00:37:16.03
A lot of us complain about
everything that comes our way.
00:37:16.06\00:37:18.17
Jesus was led as a
lamb to the slaughter.
00:37:18.20\00:37:21.17
And the Bible says,
00:37:21.20\00:37:22.54
"He didn't even open His mouth."
00:37:22.57\00:37:25.51
Now, that's what I
call silent witness.
00:37:25.54\00:37:28.11
In the midst of difficulty,
00:37:28.14\00:37:29.68
the Lord sometimes wants us
00:37:29.71\00:37:31.18
to be a silent
witness for His glory.
00:37:31.21\00:37:33.52
Instead of saying,
"Oh, the devil did," say,
00:37:33.55\00:37:36.65
"In spite of what
the devil tried to do,
00:37:36.69\00:37:39.32
Jesus prevailed nonetheless."
00:37:39.35\00:37:42.79
They thought
they had difficulty.
00:37:42.82\00:37:44.26
Jesus said, "I
am the one wounded
00:37:44.29\00:37:47.70
for your transgression.
00:37:47.73\00:37:49.40
I was the one
bruised for your iniquity,
00:37:49.43\00:37:53.20
and by my
stripes, you are healed."
00:37:53.23\00:37:56.24
Now that may have
flown over your head
00:37:56.27\00:37:57.77
because you've heard
that 1000 times before.
00:37:57.81\00:37:59.87
But, Brethren,
just imagine Jesus
00:37:59.91\00:38:01.84
walking by your
side saying to you,
00:38:01.88\00:38:03.91
"It's not about you,
Brethren, it's about Me."
00:38:03.95\00:38:10.05
It's not about what
you've been through.
00:38:10.09\00:38:11.92
It's about what I
have been through.
00:38:11.95\00:38:13.49
It's not about whether or
not you can save your family.
00:38:13.52\00:38:15.92
It's about the fact
that I can save anybody
00:38:15.96\00:38:18.69
that come unto Me.
00:38:18.73\00:38:22.03
And there they
are in their sorrow
00:38:22.06\00:38:24.30
and He's the man of sorrow.
00:38:24.33\00:38:26.13
You must have missed that.
00:38:26.17\00:38:27.74
There they are in
their grief and He says,
00:38:27.77\00:38:30.14
"I am the one
acquainted with real grief."
00:38:30.17\00:38:34.54
There they are
thinking they had a tough day
00:38:34.58\00:38:36.75
and Jesus just got crucified.
00:38:36.78\00:38:40.82
There they are complaining
about how bad life is.
00:38:40.85\00:38:43.95
And they never got their nails,
their hands nailed to a cross.
00:38:43.99\00:38:48.46
There we are complaining
of how tough life is.
00:38:48.49\00:38:51.03
And nobody ever stripped
us of our clothing and beat us
00:38:51.06\00:38:54.40
to where we almost died.
00:38:54.43\00:38:57.50
There we are complaining about
00:38:57.53\00:38:58.87
what's going to happen tomorrow.
00:38:58.90\00:39:00.64
And Jesus is saying tomorrow
00:39:00.67\00:39:03.24
I'm going to
rise from the grave.
00:39:03.27\00:39:07.64
So, Brethren, don't get caught
in all the details of life
00:39:07.68\00:39:09.51
that sometimes tend to put
00:39:09.54\00:39:10.88
a wet blanket on
what's happening,
00:39:10.91\00:39:12.25
because Jesus ever lives
00:39:12.28\00:39:13.85
to make
intercession for all of us.
00:39:13.88\00:39:15.22
What do you say?
00:39:15.25\00:39:19.05
I would have loved
to have been there.
00:39:19.09\00:39:20.42
You know why?
00:39:20.46\00:39:21.79
Because Jesus preached a sermon,
00:39:21.82\00:39:23.16
and He preached the
best sermon about Jesus
00:39:23.19\00:39:25.29
because Jesus preached it.
00:39:25.33\00:39:26.66
Jesus preached the best sermon
00:39:29.83\00:39:33.47
ever heard about
Jesus was preached by Jesus.
00:39:33.50\00:39:35.84
What do you say?
00:39:35.87\00:39:37.21
I mean, I would
love to have been there
00:39:37.24\00:39:39.14
to hear Jesus preach.
00:39:39.17\00:39:40.51
He wouldn't have been nodding,
00:39:40.54\00:39:41.88
they wouldn't
have been nodding like
00:39:41.91\00:39:43.24
some of you are nodding.
00:39:43.28\00:39:44.61
Unless you have sleep apnea,
00:39:49.78\00:39:56.32
you need to pray
for divine intervention
00:39:56.36\00:39:59.66
because Satan
does whatever he can
00:39:59.69\00:40:02.50
to cause the people of God
00:40:02.53\00:40:03.87
to miss the very
thing they need to hear
00:40:03.90\00:40:06.27
when the Lord is speaking.
00:40:06.30\00:40:08.90
The battle of these
last days is not a battle
00:40:08.94\00:40:11.41
fought with flesh and blood.
00:40:11.44\00:40:12.91
It is a spiritual battle.
00:40:12.94\00:40:14.38
It is a battle
that is for the lives,
00:40:14.41\00:40:16.68
for the
salvation of every person
00:40:16.71\00:40:18.31
walking this planet.
00:40:18.35\00:40:19.68
We come to church, and
as soon as church is over,
00:40:19.71\00:40:21.65
we get back to life.
00:40:21.68\00:40:23.02
But when we're in church,
and we sit down on those seats,
00:40:23.05\00:40:24.85
all of a sudden we feel like
00:40:24.89\00:40:26.22
we're on some
posturepedic comfort mattress.
00:40:26.25\00:40:28.12
This is about salvation.
00:40:28.16\00:40:29.59
Don't let the
devil woo you to sleep.
00:40:29.62\00:40:31.13
What do you say?
00:40:31.16\00:40:32.99
Fight that.
00:40:33.03\00:40:34.43
All of a sudden hard
seats can become comfortable
00:40:34.46\00:40:36.83
because we fail to
realize, this is a battle
00:40:36.87\00:40:39.80
not against flesh and blood.
00:40:39.83\00:40:41.17
If our eyes
could be peeled back,
00:40:41.20\00:40:44.64
we'll see right
in our very midst,
00:40:44.67\00:40:46.64
the battle
between good and evil.
00:40:46.68\00:40:49.78
There's some here that
are not converted this morning
00:40:49.81\00:40:51.88
and they have allowed
evil influences to come in.
00:40:51.91\00:40:54.32
There's some here that
are converted and praise God,
00:40:54.35\00:40:56.69
through them good
influences have come in,
00:40:56.72\00:40:58.72
but there is a great
controversy going on here
00:40:58.75\00:41:01.46
right now today.
00:41:01.49\00:41:04.29
We wrestle not
against flesh and blood.
00:41:04.33\00:41:06.46
You know what I
like about this sermon,
00:41:06.49\00:41:07.96
it began to say,
00:41:08.00\00:41:09.33
there's something
about Jesus Christ that
00:41:09.36\00:41:10.70
some of us have forgotten.
00:41:10.73\00:41:12.67
And the Bible brings it
back to our understanding
00:41:12.70\00:41:15.57
in Luke 24:28.
00:41:15.60\00:41:17.21
When they finally
made their way to Emmaus,
00:41:17.24\00:41:20.58
when they finally
made their way to Emmaus,
00:41:20.61\00:41:24.08
the Bible says,
00:41:24.11\00:41:25.45
"Then they drew
near to the village
00:41:25.48\00:41:27.72
where they were
going, and He indicated
00:41:27.75\00:41:30.62
that He would
have gone farther."
00:41:30.65\00:41:32.65
He indicated that He
would have gone farther.
00:41:32.69\00:41:34.76
In other words,
let me illustrate this.
00:41:34.79\00:41:36.19
Jesus, when they got to Emmaus
00:41:36.22\00:41:38.06
and they were on their
way to maybe Cleophas' house,
00:41:38.09\00:41:40.60
the Bible doesn't say
whose house they went to.
00:41:40.63\00:41:42.46
But when they were on
their way to the house
00:41:42.50\00:41:44.03
to retire for the
night, it was already dark.
00:41:44.07\00:41:46.40
They had walked on a
very treacherous path
00:41:46.43\00:41:48.57
with Jesus.
00:41:48.60\00:41:49.94
They avoided all the stones.
Jesus kept them from falling.
00:41:49.97\00:41:53.14
Can you say amen?
00:41:53.17\00:41:55.34
Nobody was hurt in the journey,
00:41:55.38\00:41:57.38
because they were
walking with Jesus.
00:41:57.41\00:41:58.75
You cannot be hurt if
you're walking with Jesus.
00:41:58.78\00:42:00.75
They finally made it
00:42:00.78\00:42:02.12
to the Cleophas' house in Emmaus
00:42:02.15\00:42:04.35
if that's where they went,
00:42:04.39\00:42:05.72
but they were in
the city of hot water.
00:42:05.75\00:42:07.42
And Jesus was on His way
about His Father's business.
00:42:07.46\00:42:10.89
And the Bible said
that He indicated that
00:42:10.93\00:42:13.90
He would have gone
farther, but Brethren,
00:42:13.93\00:42:16.56
here's the point
of that scripture.
00:42:16.60\00:42:18.30
Jesus never forces Himself to be
00:42:18.33\00:42:22.37
where He is not invited.
00:42:22.40\00:42:25.61
Jesus never forces Himself to be
00:42:25.64\00:42:30.81
where He is not invited.
00:42:30.85\00:42:32.75
He desired their fellowship,
00:42:32.78\00:42:34.68
but Jesus will
fellowship with us
00:42:34.72\00:42:36.89
only when we invite
Him into our fellowship.
00:42:36.92\00:42:42.02
And I praise the Lord,
that they invited him in
00:42:42.06\00:42:45.46
because this is where the
story took its turn in verse 29,
00:42:45.49\00:42:49.66
the Bible says,
"But they constrained him
00:42:49.70\00:42:52.00
and they said to
him, 'Abide with us,
00:42:52.03\00:42:54.80
for it is toward evening,
and the day is far spent.'
00:42:54.84\00:42:58.27
And he went in
to stay with them.'"
00:42:58.31\00:43:02.34
Now notice this, he
went in to stay with them.
00:43:02.38\00:43:05.48
I want you to not
miss the application here.
00:43:05.51\00:43:08.08
When they were
walking with Jesus,
00:43:08.12\00:43:10.09
they didn't see Him.
00:43:10.12\00:43:13.05
When Jesus was
talking with them,
00:43:13.09\00:43:15.16
they didn't see Him.
00:43:15.19\00:43:17.33
They didn't know Him.
00:43:17.36\00:43:19.66
When He broke down the
Bible from Genesis to Malachi,
00:43:19.69\00:43:23.77
they still did
not know who He was.
00:43:23.80\00:43:29.04
And in my mind,
I'm thinking to myself,
00:43:29.07\00:43:31.44
have they run into leaders
before that can break down
00:43:31.47\00:43:34.04
the Bible like Jesus?
00:43:34.08\00:43:35.41
I mean, just
the divine unfolding
00:43:35.44\00:43:37.48
of Scripture
would have said to me
00:43:37.51\00:43:38.85
that this cannot be
an ordinary prophet.
00:43:38.88\00:43:40.55
What do you say?
00:43:40.58\00:43:41.92
I mean, this just
could not be an ordinary man.
00:43:41.95\00:43:44.05
Not only did
Jesus quoted exactly
00:43:44.09\00:43:45.95
the way it's
written in the Hebrew,
00:43:45.99\00:43:47.32
and Greek, and Aramaic.
00:43:47.36\00:43:50.46
But He filled in details
that they had not heard before,
00:43:50.49\00:43:53.19
and He expounded on to
them all the things in Scripture
00:43:53.23\00:43:57.60
concerning Himself.
00:43:57.63\00:43:59.03
He didn't leave out any detail.
00:43:59.07\00:44:00.70
As a matter of fact, I
had to leave out some detail
00:44:00.74\00:44:03.20
because if I
didn't leave detail out,
00:44:03.24\00:44:05.27
we will be here
till tomorrow night
00:44:05.31\00:44:06.68
just talking about
all that Jesus said.
00:44:06.71\00:44:08.34
What do you say?
00:44:08.38\00:44:11.58
But still, as they
arrived at his home,
00:44:11.61\00:44:16.35
they invited Jesus to
come and the Bible says,
00:44:16.38\00:44:18.75
but they constrained Him.
00:44:18.79\00:44:21.06
Notice that in verse 29,
"But they constrained Him,
00:44:21.09\00:44:24.69
saying, 'Abide with us,
for it is toward evening,
00:44:24.73\00:44:28.86
and the day is far spent.'
00:44:28.90\00:44:30.57
And He went in," and He went in
00:44:30.60\00:44:34.47
to do what,
Brethren, "to stay with."
00:44:34.50\00:44:36.71
To do what,
Brethren? To do what?
00:44:36.74\00:44:39.87
Stay. He didn't
come in to visit.
00:44:39.91\00:44:43.24
Now I want you to not miss this.
00:44:43.28\00:44:46.11
You're gonna read
further and you're gonna try
00:44:46.15\00:44:47.58
to figure this out in your mind,
00:44:47.62\00:44:48.95
you're gonna say,
but didn't He vanish?
00:44:48.98\00:44:50.55
The Bible says,
"He went in to stay."
00:44:50.59\00:44:54.59
Some people think that
because we can't see Jesus,
00:44:54.62\00:44:57.46
He's not there.
00:44:57.49\00:44:59.06
Brethren, Jesus
is staying with us
00:44:59.09\00:45:01.13
whether we could see Him or not.
00:45:01.16\00:45:02.50
Am I right?
00:45:02.53\00:45:03.87
Didn't He say,
00:45:03.90\00:45:05.23
"I will never
leave you nor" what?
00:45:05.27\00:45:07.34
"Forsake you." He
came into that house.
00:45:07.37\00:45:09.94
And I like this part.
00:45:09.97\00:45:11.31
I praise God for
the Spirit of Prophecy
00:45:11.34\00:45:12.91
because before
they saw His fellowship,
00:45:12.94\00:45:15.84
Jesus saw their fellowship,
before they constrained Him,
00:45:15.88\00:45:20.45
He constrained them.
00:45:20.48\00:45:23.55
The Bible says, "The love
of Christ constraineth us."
00:45:23.59\00:45:27.96
Before they even
knew that it was Christ,
00:45:27.99\00:45:32.09
He had gotten a
hold of their heart,
00:45:32.13\00:45:34.03
and because of the
inroads He made in their lives,
00:45:34.06\00:45:36.90
they could not let Him go
any farther without coming in
00:45:36.93\00:45:40.24
and sitting down and
having supper with them.
00:45:40.27\00:45:42.87
He said...
00:45:42.90\00:45:45.84
They said, "Come
in and abide with us."
00:45:45.87\00:45:49.84
And when they invited
Jesus in their greatest joy,
00:45:49.88\00:45:54.88
the greatest joy that mortal man
00:45:54.92\00:45:57.02
can ever experience is
having Jesus at your house,
00:45:57.05\00:46:01.56
sitting at your table
having dinner with Jesus.
00:46:01.59\00:46:05.96
That should have been
an amen to raise the roof.
00:46:05.99\00:46:09.53
Now, Brethren, how many times
00:46:09.56\00:46:10.90
have you invited somebody
to your house for lunch?
00:46:10.93\00:46:14.94
Aren't you excited about that?
00:46:14.97\00:46:16.91
Can you imagine having
Jesus come to your house?
00:46:16.94\00:46:19.51
What would you
cook if Jesus came by?
00:46:19.54\00:46:22.08
You would call on the best cooks
00:46:26.51\00:46:29.12
to prepare a meal for Jesus.
00:46:29.15\00:46:30.85
But like the woman at the well,
00:46:30.89\00:46:33.69
you will come to
realize it is not the meal
00:46:33.72\00:46:36.06
that you prepared for Jesus,
00:46:36.09\00:46:37.93
but the meal that
Jesus prepared for you
00:46:37.96\00:46:40.40
that's going to
make the difference.
00:46:40.43\00:46:43.16
Ellen White says
that when Jesus came in,
00:46:43.20\00:46:46.13
when Jesus came into that house.
00:46:46.17\00:46:48.84
Brethren, they
didn't have halogen lights,
00:46:48.87\00:46:50.94
they didn't have
switches on the wall.
00:46:50.97\00:46:52.47
I surmise in my mind,
they may have had candlelight
00:46:52.51\00:46:56.08
or may have lit a
torch on the wall somewhere.
00:46:56.11\00:46:58.81
There was some kind of ambient
yellow light in the room.
00:46:58.85\00:47:01.38
There was no white,
over flooding light.
00:47:01.42\00:47:04.05
But there was
enough light in the room
00:47:04.09\00:47:05.62
to light the entire world
00:47:05.65\00:47:07.29
because the light of
the world was in that house.
00:47:07.32\00:47:11.89
It's not the visible
light that makes the difference.
00:47:11.93\00:47:14.40
It's the spiritual life
that makes the difference.
00:47:14.43\00:47:16.90
The light of the world
was in a dimly lit room.
00:47:16.93\00:47:19.50
If that's not ironic, what is?
00:47:19.53\00:47:22.70
And then Ellen White says that
00:47:22.74\00:47:24.31
Jesus didn't go and sit
down on the side of the table.
00:47:24.34\00:47:27.31
Jesus went right to
the head of the table.
00:47:27.34\00:47:29.24
You know why, Brethren?
00:47:29.28\00:47:30.61
Because Christ is
the head of the church.
00:47:30.65\00:47:31.98
What do you say today?
00:47:32.01\00:47:33.42
The body is what
fails the church,
00:47:33.45\00:47:35.42
not the head.
00:47:35.45\00:47:37.92
But I'm today not
concerned about the body
00:47:37.95\00:47:40.19
because the head
is still in charge.
00:47:40.22\00:47:41.59
Can you say amen?
00:47:41.62\00:47:43.32
I'm not concerned
about what happens at the GC,
00:47:43.36\00:47:45.29
although we pray about it.
00:47:45.33\00:47:46.93
I'm not worried about
00:47:46.96\00:47:48.30
what happens at the union level,
00:47:48.33\00:47:49.66
although we pray about it.
00:47:49.70\00:47:51.03
I'm not worried about
00:47:51.07\00:47:52.40
what happens in
the conference office,
00:47:52.43\00:47:53.77
although we pray about it.
00:47:53.80\00:47:55.14
I'm not worried
about the local church,
00:47:55.17\00:47:56.50
although we pray
about it and work with it.
00:47:56.54\00:47:58.77
Brethren, if there's
no problem at the head,
00:47:58.81\00:48:00.88
everybody can still be saved.
00:48:00.91\00:48:02.64
What do you say?
00:48:02.68\00:48:04.01
So don't talk about
what the GC is doing,
00:48:04.05\00:48:05.81
and what the
conference is doing,
00:48:05.85\00:48:07.18
and what the union is doing.
00:48:07.22\00:48:08.55
And the rules are passed
that allows wedding bands
00:48:08.58\00:48:10.52
to be wore now.
00:48:10.55\00:48:11.89
You can fight
over that all you want.
00:48:11.92\00:48:13.32
There's no problem at the head.
00:48:13.36\00:48:14.92
Jesus Christ is still
the head of the church.
00:48:14.96\00:48:19.83
Well, Jesus came in.
00:48:19.86\00:48:22.00
And this part of the story
when I first shared this sermon
00:48:22.03\00:48:24.83
a few weeks ago.
00:48:24.87\00:48:28.37
Pastor Murray was at the house
and my wife was sitting there
00:48:28.40\00:48:30.41
reading Desire of Ages
and we all went to the sermon,
00:48:30.44\00:48:32.77
praise the Lord together.
00:48:32.81\00:48:34.54
Even after they left,
even after Pastor Murray left,
00:48:34.58\00:48:36.98
my wife didn't leave.
00:48:37.01\00:48:38.35
Make that very clear.
00:48:38.38\00:48:39.71
That wouldn't sound
like even after they left,
00:48:43.18\00:48:46.25
clean that up.
00:48:46.29\00:48:48.26
After he left, I
still got into it with Jesus
00:48:48.29\00:48:51.66
because Ellen White says that
00:48:51.69\00:48:53.29
in the darkness of that
room, when Jesus reached down
00:48:53.33\00:48:57.70
and picked up the
bread, He extended His hands.
00:48:57.73\00:49:01.67
And in the dimly
lit light of the room,
00:49:01.70\00:49:05.14
they saw the nail
prints in His hands.
00:49:05.17\00:49:08.04
And they finally realize
that the one walking with them
00:49:08.08\00:49:11.58
all that time was in
fact, the Great I Am.
00:49:11.61\00:49:14.48
What do you say?
00:49:14.52\00:49:15.98
They realized,
they said, "He is here."
00:49:16.02\00:49:18.52
And the Bible says,
"Then their eyes were opened,
00:49:18.55\00:49:22.96
and they knew Him
00:49:22.99\00:49:24.33
and He vanished
from their site."
00:49:24.36\00:49:26.83
And they said to one another,
00:49:26.86\00:49:29.03
did not our
hearts burn within us,
00:49:29.06\00:49:31.23
as He talked
with us on the road,
00:49:31.27\00:49:33.10
and while He opened
the scriptures to us.
00:49:33.13\00:49:35.30
And, Brethren, from that moment,
00:49:35.34\00:49:36.67
the only appetite they
had was not for physical food,
00:49:36.71\00:49:39.94
like some of you are
thinking about right now.
00:49:39.97\00:49:42.11
But their appetite
was the bread of life,
00:49:42.14\00:49:44.81
the Word of God
00:49:44.85\00:49:46.18
and they got up from that table.
00:49:46.21\00:49:47.55
Now I'm gonna
say this, Brethren,
00:49:47.58\00:49:48.92
it was nighttime in Jerusalem.
00:49:48.95\00:49:50.29
They didn't go
outside and get in their SUV
00:49:50.32\00:49:51.95
to go back to
Jerusalem, Brother.
00:49:51.99\00:49:53.99
They didn't go
outside and get in a car
00:49:54.02\00:49:55.36
to go back to Jerusalem.
00:49:55.39\00:49:56.73
They got out there in
the dark night running
00:49:56.76\00:49:58.53
with all the energy they had,
00:49:58.56\00:50:00.13
and they were finally
going in the right direction.
00:50:00.16\00:50:02.96
Now catch this. Catch this.
00:50:03.00\00:50:07.34
The Bible said,
"Jesus vanished."
00:50:07.37\00:50:09.24
Didn't it say that? Amen.
00:50:09.27\00:50:11.44
Brethren, they
may not have seen Him.
00:50:11.47\00:50:14.04
But when they were on
their way back to Jerusalem,
00:50:14.08\00:50:16.11
Ellen White says that
on their way from Emmaus,
00:50:16.14\00:50:19.48
hot water, back to
Jerusalem, the city of peace,
00:50:19.51\00:50:23.08
Jesus was guiding their steps
through the rugged rocky roads
00:50:23.12\00:50:27.29
on the road back to Jerusalem.
00:50:27.32\00:50:30.06
And they did not
fall, they did not slip.
00:50:30.09\00:50:31.86
You know why?
00:50:31.89\00:50:33.23
Because the light of the world,
00:50:33.26\00:50:34.76
the one who can keep us
00:50:34.80\00:50:36.13
from stumbling
was walking with them.
00:50:36.16\00:50:38.17
What do you say?
00:50:38.20\00:50:39.83
All the way
back, the only appetite
00:50:39.87\00:50:41.80
they had was to share
what Jesus had done for them.
00:50:41.84\00:50:47.78
When they got to Jerusalem...
00:50:47.81\00:50:49.48
You got to read that
story in Desire of Ages.
00:50:49.51\00:50:51.25
When they got to Jerusalem,
and they opened the door
00:50:51.28\00:50:54.35
and saw the
disciples, Ellen White says that
00:50:54.38\00:50:56.35
when they opened the
door to find the disciples,
00:50:56.38\00:50:59.45
Jesus was in the
room with the disciples,
00:50:59.49\00:51:02.96
and they did not even
know that He was there.
00:51:02.99\00:51:06.36
Brethren, he is never absent.
00:51:06.39\00:51:08.06
What do you say?
Now, I wanna say this.
00:51:08.10\00:51:11.73
They were on
their way to hot water.
00:51:11.77\00:51:13.64
And they didn't see Jesus.
00:51:16.67\00:51:18.77
But the moment they
caught a glimpse of Jesus,
00:51:18.81\00:51:21.48
they were on
their way to Jerusalem,
00:51:21.51\00:51:24.05
the city of peace.
00:51:24.08\00:51:26.18
Why is my sermon
entitled Hot Water?
00:51:26.21\00:51:28.15
Somebody this morning
is on the road to Emmaus.
00:51:28.18\00:51:32.09
And I want you to
get this, Brethren,
00:51:32.12\00:51:33.76
the road to
Emmaus is the same road
00:51:33.79\00:51:36.36
that went to Jerusalem.
00:51:36.39\00:51:37.96
What made the difference?
00:51:37.99\00:51:39.59
They were going in
the wrong direction.
00:51:39.63\00:51:42.70
It's not enough to be a
disciple of Christ today.
00:51:42.73\00:51:45.63
It's not enough to
say, we're on the same road.
00:51:45.67\00:51:48.30
It's not enough to just
listen to the words of Christ.
00:51:48.34\00:51:51.84
It's not enough to be
00:51:51.87\00:51:53.21
theologically
correct on everything.
00:51:53.24\00:51:54.78
You've got to be going
in the right direction,
00:51:54.81\00:51:57.05
letting the light of the
world guide you back to a place
00:51:57.08\00:52:00.05
where you can find peace.
00:52:00.08\00:52:01.42
What do you say?
00:52:01.45\00:52:02.78
And the Savior
was waiting for them
00:52:02.82\00:52:04.32
to give them that opportunity.
00:52:04.35\00:52:05.99
He was waiting
all along the road
00:52:06.02\00:52:07.59
to have them to come
and show themselves to Him.
00:52:07.62\00:52:10.43
Brethren, today as
Denise sings this song,
00:52:10.46\00:52:12.76
there's somebody
watching here today
00:52:12.79\00:52:14.56
that may say, "Brother,
00:52:14.60\00:52:15.93
I can't be lost,
I'm on the same road."
00:52:15.96\00:52:18.13
But I may say to you today,
you may be on the same road,
00:52:18.17\00:52:20.94
but you may be on the
road going to hot water,
00:52:20.97\00:52:23.41
rather than on your
road, going to the place
00:52:23.44\00:52:25.97
where you can find peace.
00:52:26.01\00:52:27.34
In the Bible,
it's the same road.
00:52:27.38\00:52:30.21
Today, as Denise sings this song
00:52:30.25\00:52:32.45
"The Savior is Waiting."
00:52:32.48\00:52:34.15
The Savior is waiting
to change your direction
00:52:34.18\00:52:37.09
and take you
from hot water trials
00:52:37.12\00:52:39.05
and tribulations to a
place that you can find peace.
00:52:39.09\00:52:42.66
The Savior is waiting
00:52:53.94\00:52:58.44
To enter your heart
00:52:58.47\00:53:03.24
Why don't you let Him come in?
00:53:03.28\00:53:08.48
There's nothing in this world
00:53:11.99\00:53:16.83
To keep you apart
00:53:16.86\00:53:21.86
What is your answer to Him?
00:53:21.90\00:53:26.90
Time after time
00:53:30.87\00:53:34.94
He has waited before
00:53:34.98\00:53:39.98
And now He is waiting again
00:53:40.02\00:53:44.49
To see if you're willing
00:53:47.89\00:53:53.13
To open the door
00:53:53.16\00:53:58.63
Oh, how He wants to come in
00:53:58.67\00:54:03.51
If you take one step toward
00:54:06.54\00:54:11.65
The Savior, my friend
00:54:11.68\00:54:16.25
You'll find His arms open wide
00:54:16.28\00:54:21.32
Receive Him,
00:54:24.36\00:54:27.06
And all of your
darkness Will end
00:54:27.10\00:54:34.57
Within your heart He'll abide
00:54:34.60\00:54:39.94
Time after time
00:54:43.75\00:54:48.22
He has waited before
00:54:48.25\00:54:53.09
And now He is waiting again
00:54:53.12\00:55:01.06
To see if you're willing
00:55:01.10\00:55:06.63
To open the door
00:55:06.67\00:55:12.31
Oh, how He wants to
00:55:12.34\00:55:16.91
Oh, how He wants to
00:55:16.95\00:55:22.05
Oh, how He wants to come in
00:55:22.08\00:55:28.26
Friends, this
morning is not enough
00:55:33.73\00:55:35.06
to just want to walk with Jesus.
00:55:35.10\00:55:38.37
It's not enough
just to be satisfied
00:55:38.40\00:55:41.80
by the reading of His Word.
00:55:41.84\00:55:44.27
This morning,
friends, the Lord is calling us
00:55:44.31\00:55:46.68
for a change in our direction,
00:55:46.71\00:55:49.94
a change in the
direction of our lives
00:55:49.98\00:55:53.01
with all the
knowledge the disciples had,
00:55:53.05\00:55:55.85
they were still going
in the wrong direction.
00:55:55.88\00:55:58.42
This morning somebody's life
00:55:58.45\00:56:00.32
is about to take a turn
to go in the right direction.
00:56:00.36\00:56:03.76
This morning
somebody's going to respond
00:56:03.79\00:56:06.36
to the voice of the Savior,
00:56:06.39\00:56:08.60
and have an
encounter with Jesus,
00:56:08.63\00:56:11.03
and turn around to go
in the right direction.
00:56:11.07\00:56:12.70
Brothers and
sisters, if you want to be
00:56:12.73\00:56:14.50
that one this
morning that want to have
00:56:14.54\00:56:15.87
that encounter with Christ,
00:56:15.90\00:56:17.51
and go in a new
direction all together,
00:56:17.54\00:56:19.01
why don't you stand
with me this morning,
00:56:19.04\00:56:20.84
and those joining us
via satellite by television,
00:56:20.88\00:56:22.88
friends, as we
pray this morning,
00:56:22.91\00:56:24.61
we're gonna ask the
Lord to encourage you
00:56:24.65\00:56:26.88
to trust Him
with all your heart,
00:56:26.92\00:56:28.98
that you can follow Him
all the way back to the place
00:56:29.02\00:56:32.05
where we find peace.
00:56:32.09\00:56:33.42
Father, God in heaven,
we pray that Lord today,
00:56:33.46\00:56:36.99
You'll come in and talk to us.
00:56:37.03\00:56:39.39
You'll come in and
break bread with us
00:56:39.43\00:56:41.10
and in our dimly lit moment
of gloom and solitude and doom,
00:56:41.13\00:56:46.33
You remind us that the
Prince of Peace is there.
00:56:46.37\00:56:49.20
The light of the world is there.
00:56:49.24\00:56:51.01
The hope of salvation is there.
00:56:51.04\00:56:53.34
Today, Father, turn
that young man around,
00:56:53.38\00:56:55.74
that young woman
around and may they find hope,
00:56:55.78\00:56:57.71
and
encouragement, and salvation.
00:56:57.75\00:56:59.55
Maybe we all look to
Jesus and finally realize that
00:56:59.58\00:57:03.39
the reason why we make
it to the New Jerusalem
00:57:03.42\00:57:06.72
is because the Savior
lights our path all the way.
00:57:06.76\00:57:10.06
May that be our experience
00:57:10.09\00:57:11.73
and we pray this in Jesus' name.
00:57:11.76\00:57:14.56
Amen.
00:57:14.60\00:57:15.93
God bless you. See
you this afternoon.
00:57:15.96\00:57:17.97