Take off your shoes,
the voice of God told Moses
00:01:01.00\00:01:04.15
they were in the Midian desert
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as he approached
the burning bush.
00:01:05.52\00:01:08.08
Take off your shoes, God said,
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for the ground on
which you stand is holy.
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It wasn't holy because
Moses was there that's for sure,
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it was holy
because God was there.
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And so this morning when
we came into this building
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we stepped on to holy ground.
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Not because we
organized a youth conference,
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not because we are
here, but because God himself
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the creator of the
universe, He is here.
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When God appeared
to Moses and he said
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take off your
shoes for the ground
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on which you stand is holy,
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He told them the
reason why I've come
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and appeared to you
is because I've heard
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the cry of my people.
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For they're afflicted
and they desire deliverance.
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He says, I've come
because I'm going to take them
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out of bondage and
I'm going to take them
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to a promised
land, and that is exactly
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the same reason why God
is here with us this morning.
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Because He too has
heard our cry for we long
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for deliverance, we
long for a better land.
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And so this morning
we stand on holy ground
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because God is here,
because He has heard our cry,
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that we long for a better
land, we long for deliverance.
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Welcome to holy ground
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and may the
Spirit of God fill you
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and move you this morning.
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Let's rise as we
sing our opening hymn,
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We Have This Hope.
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We have this hope that
burns within our hearts,
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Hope in the coming of the Lord.
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We have this faith
that Christ alone imparts,
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Faith in the
promise of His Word.
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We believe the time is here,
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When the nations far and near
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Shall awake, and shout and sing
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Hallelujah! Christ is King!
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We have this hope that
burns within our hearts,
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Hope in the coming of the Lord.
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We are united in
Jesus Christ our Lord.
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We are united in His love.
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Love for the
waiting people of the world,
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People who need
our Savior's love.
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Soon the heavens will open wide,
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Christ will come
to claim His bride,
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All the universe will sing
Hallelujah! Christ is King!
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We have this hope, this
faith, and God's great love,
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We are united in Christ.
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As we're seated,
meditating on God's word
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would you quietly bow
your heads as we pray.
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Father in
heaven, we've sung a song
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called "we have this hope."
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And we pray that
the hope of Jesus return
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would inspire our
hearts and lift our vision.
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May it lead us to
live the quality lives here
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on this earth today.
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Teach us to be gentle,
loving, Christians reflecting
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Jesus to the people
that live around us.
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Father, today as we
come to this service,
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may we look into
the face of Christ.
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May we see His love
and be charmed by it,
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may we see His
goodness and be won by it,
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may we see His grace
and be filled with it.
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Father, as we
come to Jesus today,
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help us to have a
glimpse of His face
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and seeing His face may
we never be the same again.
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We pray it in
Christ's name, amen.
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Everyday they pass me by,
I can see it in their eyes.
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Empty people filled with care,
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Headed who knows where?
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On they go through private pain,
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Living fear to fear.
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Laughter hides
their silent cries,
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Only Jesus hears.
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People need the
Lord, people need the Lord.
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At the end of broken
dreams, He's the open door.
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People need the
Lord, people need the Lord.
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When will we realize
that people need the Lord?
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We are called to take His light
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To a world where
wrong seems right.
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What would be too great a cost
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To save us all that's lost
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Through His love
our hearts can feel
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All the grief they bear.
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They must hear the Words of Life
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Only we can share.
00:09:34.39\00:09:39.93
People need the
Lord, people need the Lord
00:09:39.94\00:09:50.66
At the end of broken
dreams, He's the open door.
00:09:50.67\00:10:01.17
People need the
Lord, people need the Lord.
00:10:01.18\00:10:11.74
When will we realize
that we must give our lives,
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For people need the Lord.
00:10:21.40\00:10:34.96
People need the Lord.
00:10:34.97\00:10:51.55
For the last 25 years my
wife and I've been traveling
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the world
sharing Jesus in some of
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the great cities of our world.
00:11:06.72\00:11:09.91
Now international
travel may seem glamorous
00:11:09.92\00:11:12.58
unless you do it.
00:11:12.59\00:11:14.37
It does have its
unique challenges.
00:11:14.38\00:11:16.46
One of the challenges that I
have found in travel is this,
00:11:16.47\00:11:19.50
I meet thousands and thousands
and thousands of people.
00:11:19.51\00:11:24.14
How do you
remember all those names?
00:11:24.15\00:11:27.13
They know you but
you may not know them.
00:11:27.14\00:11:31.18
And so very
regularly at meetings,
00:11:31.19\00:11:33.05
people will come
up to me and say,
00:11:33.06\00:11:34.85
do you remember me,
I met you 20 years ago
00:11:34.86\00:11:38.70
when I was 10 years old.
00:11:38.71\00:11:41.88
Now the guy is a 100
pounds heavier and balding
00:11:41.89\00:11:45.80
and my mind is doing
mental gymnastics saying,
00:11:45.81\00:11:49.94
I think I know this
fellow but who is he.
00:11:49.95\00:11:53.78
When I first joined It Is
Written television in 1991,
00:11:53.79\00:11:57.57
I asked Pastor
Vandeman about this problem.
00:11:57.58\00:12:00.46
When you have so many
people coming up to you saying,
00:12:00.47\00:12:03.94
do you remember
me, how do you respond?
00:12:03.95\00:12:06.04
Now you have to
know Pastor Vandeman
00:12:06.05\00:12:07.79
to appreciate this.
00:12:07.80\00:12:09.45
His wife Nellie remembered about
00:12:09.46\00:12:12.13
every name and every face.
00:12:12.14\00:12:14.85
So they had a little
game, and Pastor Vandeman said,
00:12:14.86\00:12:18.02
this is the way we do it.
00:12:18.03\00:12:19.70
As people are walking
up to us Nellie will say,
00:12:19.71\00:12:22.90
oh George, here
comes Harry and Hilda.
00:12:22.91\00:12:27.35
Well that was the clue, he
knew it was Harry and Hilda.
00:12:27.36\00:12:30.06
He had no idea who it
was and he would reach out
00:12:30.07\00:12:32.64
and say oh, Harry and
Hilda so good to see you.
00:12:32.65\00:12:35.82
Now, my wife and I do
it a little differently.
00:12:35.83\00:12:38.92
She has pretty good
tendency to remember
00:12:38.93\00:12:40.78
names and faces so
when I see them coming,
00:12:40.79\00:12:43.02
I'll say who's that, and
she will whisper it in my ear
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and we're pretty good.
00:12:46.18\00:12:48.50
Now but my classic
though is when I'm not
00:12:48.51\00:12:51.31
with my wife somebody says,
00:12:51.32\00:12:52.69
do you remember me and
I say something like this,
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how could I ever
forget that face.
00:12:55.53\00:13:00.62
You and I may see one another
00:13:00.63\00:13:03.15
and we may forget
one another's faces,
00:13:03.16\00:13:06.56
but once you look into
the face of Jesus Christ
00:13:06.57\00:13:10.27
you never forget His face.
00:13:10.28\00:13:12.58
Once you stare
into the face of Jesus
00:13:12.59\00:13:15.67
it has an imprint
on your life forever.
00:13:15.68\00:13:19.80
My topic this morning
is the "Face of Christ."
00:13:19.81\00:13:22.20
Now we've no digital
pictures that will tell us
00:13:22.21\00:13:24.98
what Christ face
really looked like.
00:13:24.99\00:13:27.03
We've no instant Polaroid
camera prints of Jesus face.
00:13:27.04\00:13:32.69
We don't have many
drawings of Jesus face
00:13:33.30\00:13:36.43
that date back
past the second century,
00:13:36.44\00:13:39.01
a few tomb
drawings on the Catacombs
00:13:39.02\00:13:41.44
that may go back
early second century,
00:13:41.45\00:13:44.35
but we've very
little that would tell us
00:13:44.36\00:13:46.58
what Christ face looked like.
00:13:46.59\00:13:48.58
I want to study
with you this morning
00:13:48.59\00:13:50.33
what Jesus Himself
says about His face
00:13:50.34\00:13:53.72
and what the Bible writers
say about the face of Christ.
00:13:53.73\00:13:56.31
We take a glimpse
that five snapshot pictures
00:13:56.32\00:14:00.70
of the face of Christ.
00:14:00.71\00:14:02.59
The shining face,
the steadfast face,
00:14:02.60\00:14:06.24
the soiled face, the
smitten face, the smiling face.
00:14:06.25\00:14:10.16
I invite you to take your Bibles
00:14:10.17\00:14:11.39
and turn to
Matthew the 17 Chapter.
00:14:11.40\00:14:15.11
Five snapshots of
the face of Christ,
00:14:15.12\00:14:17.74
when we look into
the face of Christ,
00:14:17.75\00:14:20.28
when we pause long enough to
gaze into the face of Christ,
00:14:20.29\00:14:23.57
we're never the same again.
00:14:23.58\00:14:26.69
Looking into the face of
Christ we're transformed,
00:14:26.70\00:14:29.15
looking into the face
of Christ we're changed,
00:14:29.16\00:14:32.02
looking into the face
of Christ, we are renewed.
00:14:32.03\00:14:34.71
The first passage
that we look at is Matthew
00:14:34.72\00:14:36.94
the 17th Chapter
and we find it there in
00:14:36.95\00:14:39.75
Matthew Chapter
17 verse 1 and 2.
00:14:39.76\00:14:42.85
The shining face,
Matthew 17, verse 1 and 2.
00:14:42.86\00:14:47.61
"Now after six days
Jesus took Peter, James,
00:14:47.62\00:14:50.65
and John his brother,
00:14:50.66\00:14:51.99
and brought them up on a
high mountain by themselves,
00:14:52.00\00:14:54.95
and was
transfigured before them.
00:14:54.96\00:14:57.44
His face shone as the
sun, and His clothes became
00:14:57.45\00:15:02.33
as white as the light.
00:15:02.34\00:15:03.60
And behold, Moses and
Elijah appeared to Him,
00:15:03.61\00:15:06.23
talking with Him."
00:15:06.24\00:15:07.92
Notice what the Bible says,
00:15:07.93\00:15:09.53
that Jesus face
shined or shone as the sun.
00:15:09.54\00:15:13.57
Before Jesus was the cross,
00:15:13.58\00:15:15.86
before Him lay
Calvary's mountain,
00:15:15.87\00:15:18.45
the crown of thorns,
the agony of Golgotha.
00:15:18.46\00:15:21.43
Before Him lay the
nails, before Him lay rejection
00:15:21.44\00:15:25.69
by Peter and denial by Judas,
00:15:25.70\00:15:29.37
before Him lay the crying of
00:15:29.38\00:15:33.12
the crowd and
the rubble rousers.
00:15:33.13\00:15:36.04
All before
Jesus lay that trauma,
00:15:36.05\00:15:41.02
the agony of crucifixion.
00:15:41.03\00:15:43.41
And the Bible says
that before all of that,
00:15:43.42\00:15:47.31
before the betrayal
and ridicule and mockery
00:15:47.32\00:15:50.43
that Jesus spent time
alone with the Father,
00:15:50.44\00:15:54.47
there in prayer His
face shone as the sun.
00:15:54.48\00:15:59.65
Christ found
strength for the journey,
00:15:59.66\00:16:03.01
Christ found strength for
what He was going to go through,
00:16:03.02\00:16:06.99
because He spent
quite time in prayer
00:16:07.00\00:16:11.03
and as He did two
people appeared to Him.
00:16:11.04\00:16:14.21
Who were they?
00:16:14.22\00:16:15.29
The Bible says in
verse 3, and Moses and Elijah
00:16:15.30\00:16:19.53
appeared to Him,
talking with Him.
00:16:19.54\00:16:22.52
I wonder why Moses, why Elijah.
00:16:22.53\00:16:26.62
What did Moses and Elijah say?
00:16:26.63\00:16:30.00
Now you recall that
Moses died and was resurrected
00:16:30.01\00:16:33.33
from the dead, the Bible
talks about Jesus battling
00:16:33.34\00:16:38.74
with Satan over
the body of Moses.
00:16:38.75\00:16:41.10
Deuteronomy says
that the Israelites looked
00:16:41.11\00:16:43.34
for the body of
Moses and didn't find it.
00:16:43.35\00:16:45.20
So this is no
disembodied spirit.
00:16:45.21\00:16:48.12
Moses died, was resurrected,
00:16:48.13\00:16:50.74
and came to give
Christ encouragement
00:16:50.75\00:16:53.97
before Christ's death.
00:16:53.98\00:16:56.05
Elijah was
translated without seeing death.
00:16:56.06\00:16:59.96
I wonder what they
said, do you have any idea
00:16:59.97\00:17:03.15
what Moses and Elijah
whispered into Jesus ear.
00:17:03.16\00:17:08.10
We do, take you Bible
and turn to the Book of Luke.
00:17:08.11\00:17:11.22
What was the discussion like,
what did they say to Christ,
00:17:11.23\00:17:16.33
what did the Father
tell Moses and Elijah to say
00:17:16.34\00:17:21.17
to Jesus just
before Jesus crucifixion,
00:17:21.18\00:17:25.25
that would give encouragement
to the Savior's heart.
00:17:25.26\00:17:28.54
What did they say to Him
that would lift His spirits
00:17:28.55\00:17:32.11
in the most
traumatic moment of His life.
00:17:32.12\00:17:35.39
What did they whispered in
His ear that would give Him
00:17:35.40\00:17:40.19
the steadfast
courage to face the nails
00:17:40.20\00:17:43.71
and the lash of the
whip and the crown of thorns.
00:17:43.72\00:17:47.03
Luke the 9th Chapter
verse 29 and 30 and 31.
00:17:47.04\00:17:52.14
Luke 9 Verse 29, 30, and 31.
00:17:52.15\00:17:56.54
"And as they
prayed the appearance of
00:17:56.55\00:17:58.81
His face was altered, His robe
became white and glistening."
00:17:58.82\00:18:03.19
Jesus entered into
that moment of prayer
00:18:03.20\00:18:06.07
with the trauma
of the future hanging
00:18:06.08\00:18:08.90
over His head like a dark cloud.
00:18:08.91\00:18:11.41
Jesus entered into
that moment of prayer
00:18:11.42\00:18:14.23
looking to the
future and sensing the agony
00:18:14.24\00:18:17.75
and the pain and
the suffering of it all.
00:18:17.76\00:18:20.44
He sensed that
He would soon bear
00:18:20.45\00:18:22.33
the condemnation of
the sins of the world
00:18:22.34\00:18:24.88
and it would be the sins of
the world that would crush out
00:18:24.89\00:18:27.75
His life not the crown of thorns
00:18:27.76\00:18:30.17
or the nails in His hands.
00:18:30.18\00:18:32.04
But the Bible says
as He entered into that
00:18:32.05\00:18:34.29
moment of prayer
His very physical
00:18:34.30\00:18:37.34
essence was transformed.
00:18:37.35\00:18:40.40
Verse 30, "Then behold,
two men talked with Him,
00:18:40.41\00:18:44.42
who were Moses and Elijah."
00:18:44.43\00:18:45.95
Now what did they say
"Who appeared in glory
00:18:45.96\00:18:49.36
and spoke of His
decease which He was about
00:18:49.37\00:18:52.23
to accomplish at Jerusalem."
00:18:52.24\00:18:53.62
What did they speak about,
00:18:53.63\00:18:54.79
what did Moses and
Elijah speak about.
00:18:54.80\00:18:56.43
What was it His what,
His what? His decease.
00:18:56.44\00:19:00.27
What's that His decease,
what's that talking about?
00:19:00.28\00:19:02.99
His death. They
talked about His death.
00:19:03.00\00:19:06.47
Moses who had
gone into the grave
00:19:06.48\00:19:08.79
and came out I suppose
said something like this,
00:19:08.80\00:19:11.19
Lord, You're gonna die,
00:19:11.20\00:19:13.33
but because You die and
You are resurrected thousands,
00:19:13.34\00:19:18.92
tens of thousands and millions
00:19:18.93\00:19:20.91
who die down the ages
past until you come again
00:19:20.92\00:19:23.74
will be resurrected.
00:19:23.75\00:19:24.89
When You're
hanging on the cross,
00:19:24.90\00:19:26.50
when the sins of humanity
are crushing out Your life,
00:19:26.51\00:19:29.64
when You feel the condemnation,
00:19:29.65\00:19:31.20
the shame, the guilt of it all,
00:19:31.21\00:19:33.20
when in every nerve
and tissue of Your body,
00:19:33.21\00:19:35.46
You're in physical
pain and mental pain
00:19:35.47\00:19:37.58
and psychological
pain Lord, remember this
00:19:37.59\00:19:40.88
that Your death
will accomplish something
00:19:40.89\00:19:42.95
and millions will be resurrected
00:19:42.96\00:19:45.15
and live with You
in heaven forever.
00:19:45.16\00:19:47.38
And Elijah comes
down he says, Lord,
00:19:47.39\00:19:49.58
remember when the
cloud of sin in shame
00:19:49.59\00:19:53.16
and condemnation
shuts out the Father's face,
00:19:53.17\00:19:56.14
remember, by faith
look through that all,
00:19:56.15\00:19:59.20
all of it because
there will be thousands
00:19:59.21\00:20:01.79
that will be translated
without seeing death like
00:20:01.80\00:20:05.56
I was translated
because of Your death.
00:20:05.57\00:20:07.73
Now there is
something very interesting here,
00:20:07.74\00:20:09.66
if you look at verse 31 it says,
00:20:09.67\00:20:12.11
"Who appeared in
glory," that's Moses and Elijah
00:20:12.12\00:20:14.96
"And spoke of His decease."
00:20:14.97\00:20:17.74
Now the root word
for decease or death
00:20:17.75\00:20:21.83
in the original Greek
language of the New Testament
00:20:21.84\00:20:24.08
is the same root word from the
Hebrew called Exodus, Exodus.
00:20:24.09\00:20:29.17
Moses who went on
an Exodus a journey
00:20:29.18\00:20:32.89
into the unknown knew
that Jesus was going to
00:20:32.90\00:20:36.03
go on to His Exodus, His
journey into the unknown.
00:20:36.04\00:20:39.00
So before Jesus went into
His journey of the unknown,
00:20:39.01\00:20:42.34
before He delved
into the domain of death,
00:20:42.35\00:20:45.78
the domain of darkness
with the condemnation of sin.
00:20:45.79\00:20:49.66
A domain that He had
never entered into before,
00:20:49.67\00:20:52.24
the creator of all the universe,
00:20:52.25\00:20:54.46
the one that spoke and
worlds came into existence
00:20:54.47\00:20:57.55
was going to go into an area,
00:20:57.56\00:20:59.19
a domain of
darkness, a domain of death
00:20:59.20\00:21:01.91
that He had never
experienced as God before.
00:21:01.92\00:21:05.10
He would bear
the condemnation of
00:21:05.11\00:21:06.62
the sins of the world,
00:21:06.63\00:21:07.80
He would be cursed as a sinner
00:21:07.81\00:21:09.68
and take that
curse upon himself.
00:21:09.69\00:21:11.80
He was going to
go into an Exodus,
00:21:11.81\00:21:13.26
a journey into the unknown.
00:21:13.27\00:21:15.24
And there on the
Mount of Transfiguration,
00:21:15.25\00:21:17.62
He received
strength for His journey,
00:21:17.63\00:21:19.86
away from the
hustle of the crowd,
00:21:19.87\00:21:22.14
away from the
pressure of the crowd,
00:21:22.15\00:21:24.83
His face shone as the sun.
00:21:24.84\00:21:28.27
This week you
will go on your Exodus.
00:21:28.28\00:21:33.02
This week you will go on
your journey into the unknown.
00:21:33.03\00:21:38.40
Sitting here today
not one of us knows
00:21:38.41\00:21:43.75
what this week will bring.
00:21:43.76\00:21:46.14
Not one of us
knows what it'll bring.
00:21:46.15\00:21:49.01
A relationship that we've
cherished for years breaks up.
00:21:49.02\00:21:53.65
One phone call from
home, dads out of work,
00:21:53.66\00:21:57.77
can't afford to help you
with your tuition anymore.
00:21:57.78\00:22:01.19
One car ride,
missing a stop sign
00:22:01.20\00:22:04.80
because you're tired
coming home from work
00:22:04.81\00:22:06.78
and the screeching wheels
of the other car hit your car
00:22:06.79\00:22:09.93
and you're paraplegic
for the rest of your life.
00:22:09.94\00:22:12.94
You see we
journey into the unknown
00:22:12.95\00:22:15.70
every single week of our lives,
00:22:15.71\00:22:18.98
but before Jesus
journeyed into the unknown.
00:22:18.99\00:22:22.90
Before He delved
into the rejection
00:22:22.91\00:22:25.59
and ridicule and the
mockery and crown of thorns
00:22:25.60\00:22:28.45
and the nails
and the condemnation
00:22:28.46\00:22:30.64
and shame of sin,
before all of that
00:22:30.65\00:22:34.03
He heard the
call, the quietness.
00:22:34.04\00:22:38.93
He heard the call to meditation,
00:22:38.94\00:22:41.67
He heard the call to prayer.
00:22:41.68\00:22:44.48
And away from the
hustle and bustle of the crowd.
00:22:44.49\00:22:48.92
Jesus came and found strength.
00:22:48.93\00:22:52.99
When my journey is long
00:22:53.00\00:22:57.10
and when work
piles up on my desk
00:22:57.79\00:22:59.99
at the General
Conference or is it had done,
00:23:00.00\00:23:02.26
that is written and there
just seems to be too much work
00:23:02.27\00:23:07.35
and too little time.
00:23:07.36\00:23:09.30
My head is
spinning trying to get
00:23:09.31\00:23:11.28
the next thing accomplished,
make the next appointment,
00:23:11.29\00:23:14.94
write the next article,
prepare for the next sermon,
00:23:14.95\00:23:19.22
prepare the next TV script,
00:23:19.23\00:23:21.99
raise a little more money for
this project or that project.
00:23:22.00\00:23:26.12
I hear the gentle voice
of the spirit calling me
00:23:26.13\00:23:31.86
to look into the
shining face of Christ.
00:23:31.87\00:23:36.37
Calling me to rest in His love,
00:23:36.38\00:23:39.77
calling me to rest in His care,
00:23:39.78\00:23:42.62
calling me to receive
strength for my journey
00:23:42.63\00:23:46.15
into the unknown
as we kneel before Him
00:23:46.16\00:23:50.63
and look into the shining face,
00:23:50.64\00:23:52.21
our face shines as the sun.
00:23:52.22\00:23:54.85
As our prayers ascend to
the very throne room of God,
00:23:54.86\00:23:58.38
He dispatches
angels to our side.
00:23:58.39\00:24:01.98
John Bunyan once said,
00:24:01.99\00:24:04.88
"you can do a lot
after you pray but,
00:24:04.89\00:24:08.15
nothing until you pray."
00:24:08.16\00:24:11.57
I like the way
Ellen White puts it,
00:24:11.58\00:24:13.69
second Selected
Messages, page 377.
00:24:13.70\00:24:17.19
She's talking about
prayer and its efficacy,
00:24:17.20\00:24:20.24
she's talking about
prayer and its power,
00:24:20.25\00:24:22.79
and she's talking
about what happens
00:24:22.80\00:24:24.41
when we kneel in our
dormitory rooms in pray.
00:24:24.42\00:24:27.71
When we kneel at our
homes and pray and she says,
00:24:27.72\00:24:31.16
"Ministering angels are
waiting about the throne
00:24:31.17\00:24:34.93
to instantly obey the
mandate of Jesus Christ
00:24:34.94\00:24:38.86
to answer every prayer
offered in living faith."
00:24:38.87\00:24:42.21
I love that reference.
00:24:42.22\00:24:43.73
Angels are waiting
about the throne of God.
00:24:43.74\00:24:47.22
So you're on your knees praying
about a situation at home
00:24:47.23\00:24:50.87
you're on your knees praying
about a brother or a sister.
00:24:50.88\00:24:53.57
You're on your knees
praying about a relationship.
00:24:53.58\00:24:56.11
And as you pray,
your prayers ascend
00:24:56.12\00:24:59.31
to the very throne of God.
00:24:59.32\00:25:01.60
And Jesus looks over
at some angel and He says,
00:25:01.61\00:25:05.40
go, go and the angel descends
00:25:05.41\00:25:08.79
from heaven to bring
light and encouragement
00:25:08.80\00:25:12.17
and hope to that
one you're praying for
00:25:12.18\00:25:14.58
or turn your own
soul when you pray.
00:25:14.59\00:25:17.63
That angel descends and
works on the heart of that
00:25:17.64\00:25:20.40
secular person in
ways that we can't imagine.
00:25:20.41\00:25:24.89
Looking into the face of Christ,
00:25:24.90\00:25:27.97
in the busyness of my life.
00:25:27.98\00:25:30.29
Looking into the face of Christ
00:25:30.30\00:25:32.38
in the hectic
activities of my life.
00:25:32.39\00:25:35.30
Looking into the face of Christ,
00:25:35.31\00:25:37.85
my face too shines
00:25:37.86\00:25:39.90
as the Sun and I receive
new strength for the journey.
00:25:39.91\00:25:43.66
I may forget your
face, you may forget my face
00:25:43.67\00:25:47.19
but looking into the face
of Christ we can never forget
00:25:47.20\00:25:50.72
the strength that He
imparts as we look into His face
00:25:50.73\00:25:54.81
in the busyness of our Life.
00:25:54.82\00:25:56.18
Five glimpses
the face of Christ.
00:25:56.19\00:25:57.89
First, the shining face,
secondly, the steadfast face.
00:25:57.90\00:26:01.29
Take your Bible please and turn
00:26:01.30\00:26:03.02
to Luke Chapter 9 verse 51,
00:26:03.03\00:26:05.71
Jesus left the mountain that day
00:26:05.72\00:26:07.84
and he set His
face towards Jerusalem.
00:26:07.85\00:26:10.20
He was a man on a mission,
a mission of redemption,
00:26:10.21\00:26:12.68
a mission of salvation, a
mission of reconciliation,
00:26:12.69\00:26:16.88
a mission of eternal life.
00:26:16.89\00:26:18.61
Jesus left the mountain that day
00:26:18.62\00:26:20.09
and He was on
His way to Jerusalem
00:26:20.10\00:26:21.53
and the Bible says,
Luke Chapter 9 verse 51.
00:26:21.54\00:26:25.75
In the busyness of my
life I look at the shining face
00:26:25.76\00:26:28.95
and receive strength
and courage for the Exodus,
00:26:28.96\00:26:31.39
the journey into the unknown.
00:26:31.40\00:26:33.52
When I'm weak, when I'm frail,
00:26:33.53\00:26:36.12
when I'm about ready to give up,
00:26:36.13\00:26:37.73
when I'm about ready
to thrown in the towel.
00:26:37.74\00:26:39.88
When the journey seems
long and the mountain seems high
00:26:39.89\00:26:42.33
and the days
seem rough I look into
00:26:42.34\00:26:46.07
the steadfast face
of Christ and hold fast.
00:26:46.08\00:26:50.01
Luke the 9th
Chapter the 51 verse,
00:26:50.02\00:26:52.37
"Now it came to pass,
when the time had come for Him
00:26:52.38\00:26:55.30
to be received up,
that He steadfastly
00:26:55.31\00:26:58.13
set His face to
go to Jerusalem."
00:26:58.14\00:26:59.81
I love the word
steadfast, you know,
00:26:59.82\00:27:01.69
there is nothing
wimpy about that.
00:27:01.70\00:27:04.32
No spineless jellyfish here,
00:27:04.33\00:27:07.73
no one who is like a leaf blown
00:27:07.74\00:27:10.64
with the social winds
this way and that way here.
00:27:10.65\00:27:14.03
The scripture says that
He steadfastly set His face
00:27:14.04\00:27:19.34
to go to Jerusalem,
knowing that He'd be rejected,
00:27:20.62\00:27:25.06
knowing that He'd be ridicule,
knowing that He'd be mocked,
00:27:25.07\00:27:28.75
knowing that nails will
be driven through His hands
00:27:28.76\00:27:31.21
and a crown of
thorns jammed upon His face,
00:27:31.22\00:27:33.08
and His back lashed.
00:27:33.09\00:27:35.00
Knowing that He
would hang on the cross
00:27:35.01\00:27:37.81
for the sins of
humanity and experience
00:27:37.82\00:27:39.88
the hiding of the Father's face.
00:27:39.89\00:27:41.41
Steadfastly, He did not give up.
00:27:41.42\00:27:46.20
You know, one of the
things to me that I observed
00:27:46.21\00:27:50.10
in current Christianity
in North America is this,
00:27:50.11\00:27:53.60
it's pretty easy going.
00:27:53.61\00:27:55.77
Oh, do you know
what she said about me,
00:27:55.78\00:27:58.74
if she has said that I'm
never going back to church.
00:27:58.75\00:28:03.90
Do you know what
that Elder did to me,
00:28:03.91\00:28:06.01
if he did that I'm
never going back to church.
00:28:06.02\00:28:08.61
I mean what kind
of soft Christianity
00:28:08.62\00:28:11.39
is that kind of business.
00:28:11.40\00:28:14.42
Because somebody said
something that somebody said
00:28:14.43\00:28:17.47
they thought they heard
somebody said about you,
00:28:17.48\00:28:22.34
and you get so offended you're
not gonna go back to church.
00:28:22.35\00:28:27.43
I mean is that
Christianity or is that a pansy.
00:28:27.44\00:28:30.88
That's some kind
of wimpy pansy to me.
00:28:30.89\00:28:34.09
Jesus was steadfast.
00:28:34.10\00:28:37.16
You know all of us
have people in our lives
00:28:37.17\00:28:38.71
who greatly influence
us and since 1983 that I,
00:28:38.72\00:28:41.38
when I made my first
trip to Eastern Europe
00:28:41.39\00:28:43.12
I had been greatly influenced
00:28:43.13\00:28:44.36
by those who have
gone through the suffering
00:28:44.37\00:28:47.84
and oppression of
the communist lifestyle,
00:28:47.85\00:28:50.97
under the social
conditions of communism.
00:28:50.98\00:28:53.88
And there have been
many people that have greatly
00:28:53.89\00:28:55.23
influenced my life,
great strong Christians.
00:28:55.24\00:28:57.64
Remember when I first
met Elder Mikhail Kulakov.
00:28:57.65\00:29:00.45
Elder Kulakov and I have
became very close friends.
00:29:00.46\00:29:03.03
We've just collaborate
on a biography on his life
00:29:03.04\00:29:05.64
and we've spent hours
and hours and hours talking
00:29:05.65\00:29:08.34
about his life and what
that was like under communism.
00:29:08.35\00:29:11.31
He was the President of the work
00:29:11.32\00:29:13.86
at the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:29:13.87\00:29:15.19
for many, many years in
the former Soviet Union.
00:29:15.20\00:29:18.68
At one time his father
was in prison for his faith,
00:29:18.69\00:29:21.95
his brother was in
prison and he was in prison,
00:29:21.96\00:29:25.28
at one time all three of them
00:29:25.29\00:29:26.45
he and his
father and his brother.
00:29:26.46\00:29:28.20
Well all
imprisoned at the same time.
00:29:28.21\00:29:30.39
His mother, in those years,
00:29:30.40\00:29:32.16
the communist didn't feed
them well in prison at all.
00:29:32.17\00:29:35.43
And his mother would prepare
food and send food baskets
00:29:35.44\00:29:37.94
to three different prisons
for her husband and two sons.
00:29:37.95\00:29:40.92
Pastor Kulakov told me the
story of his father's trial.
00:29:40.93\00:29:43.99
And the trial went on
for two or three weeks
00:29:44.00\00:29:46.75
and he was a young man
at the time, late teens.
00:29:46.76\00:29:50.28
And he and his mother
went to the court room
00:29:50.29\00:29:53.51
where his father
was being was tried,
00:29:53.52\00:29:55.37
and they were not allowed in,
00:29:55.38\00:29:56.70
the family was not allowed
00:29:56.71\00:29:57.68
into the court room at the time.
00:29:57.69\00:29:59.29
And so his mother and
he often would look through
00:29:59.30\00:30:03.33
the door and they
would just look through
00:30:03.34\00:30:05.36
the crack in the door
see father being tried.
00:30:05.37\00:30:07.39
In those days the Soviet
government tried religious
00:30:07.40\00:30:12.09
dissidence as anti Soviet,
00:30:12.10\00:30:16.51
as anti of the Soviet state.
00:30:16.52\00:30:18.53
And so he listened to
the trial and he heard
00:30:18.54\00:30:22.11
that his father was going
to be sentenced to Siberia,
00:30:22.12\00:30:24.93
and he wondered if he
would ever see his father again
00:30:24.94\00:30:27.28
as he was exiled to Siberia.
00:30:27.29\00:30:30.00
And so he said to me, Mark,
00:30:30.01\00:30:30.98
I knew that I had just a moment,
00:30:30.99\00:30:32.91
and as my father was
taken out of the courtroom
00:30:32.92\00:30:36.04
he was taken to a
cell beneath the courtroom
00:30:36.05\00:30:40.14
before he was
transferred to the city jail.
00:30:40.15\00:30:43.90
And Pastor Kulakov
said, I looked up and down
00:30:43.91\00:30:45.98
the hall and I saw
that there was a young man
00:30:45.99\00:30:49.74
in his 20s
guarding my father's cell
00:30:49.75\00:30:51.93
and nobody else was there.
00:30:51.94\00:30:53.24
So I went down
to him and I said,
00:30:53.25\00:30:54.49
please can I spend
five minutes with my father.
00:30:54.50\00:30:57.24
Just five
minutes, he said, Mark,
00:30:57.25\00:30:58.71
I never knew if I would
ever see him again in my life.
00:30:58.72\00:31:01.75
And so I said, can I
just have five minutes.
00:31:01.76\00:31:04.73
And the guard said okay
I'll give you five minutes.
00:31:04.74\00:31:06.77
And I said to
him, Pastor Kulakov,
00:31:06.78\00:31:09.88
in that moment I want to
know in those five minutes
00:31:09.89\00:31:14.71
what you said to your father.
00:31:14.72\00:31:18.75
If I knew that I had
five minutes with my father
00:31:18.76\00:31:23.57
and I would never see him
again, what would I tell him.
00:31:23.58\00:31:27.63
He said, Mark, I
put my arms around him
00:31:27.64\00:31:29.44
and I cried on is shoulder
and I said, father, father,
00:31:29.45\00:31:33.14
thank you for bringing
me up in a Christian home,
00:31:33.15\00:31:36.02
thank you for bringing
me up in a Christian home,
00:31:36.03\00:31:38.53
thank you that I know Jesus.
00:31:38.54\00:31:41.47
Father, I know I'm
gonna be praying for you.
00:31:41.48\00:31:44.39
And he said my father
looked in my eyes and he said,
00:31:44.40\00:31:46.47
Mikhail, stand fast, hold fast.
00:31:46.48\00:31:50.42
Mikhail, don't give up
your faith and he said,
00:31:50.43\00:31:52.55
then he ran his fingers
through my hair and he said,
00:31:52.56\00:31:56.20
Mikhail, one of
our number is a Judas.
00:31:56.21\00:32:00.31
When I baptized
you Mikhail at night
00:32:00.32\00:32:02.43
with five or six others there
was a communist infiltrator
00:32:02.44\00:32:05.91
that was baptized.
00:32:05.92\00:32:07.56
He has been the one
who betrayed me but,
00:32:07.57\00:32:11.09
Mikhail, he
also has betrayed you
00:32:11.10\00:32:14.29
and you will be tried next.
00:32:14.30\00:32:17.46
And he said, he
ran his fingers through
00:32:17.47\00:32:19.11
my jet black hair and
said they gonna cut off
00:32:19.12\00:32:21.18
all your hair
when you go to prison
00:32:21.19\00:32:23.55
but don't worry about
it, son, it will grow back.
00:32:23.56\00:32:27.08
Be faithful to God.
00:32:27.09\00:32:29.63
Mikhail Kulakov was arrested,
00:32:29.64\00:32:32.98
he was sentenced to life exile
00:32:32.99\00:32:37.42
and God worked
miracles in his exile.
00:32:37.43\00:32:40.76
Like Jesus, he held
fast because he looked
00:32:40.77\00:32:44.53
into the
steadfast face of Christ.
00:32:44.54\00:32:48.36
Echoing down the
centuries are the lives of those
00:32:48.37\00:32:52.45
that would not give up.
00:32:52.46\00:32:54.58
Those that held
fast, those that sickness
00:32:54.59\00:32:58.15
and suffering
and death and trial
00:32:58.16\00:33:01.10
and temptation could not
break their hold upon Christ.
00:33:01.11\00:33:06.54
They looked into
the face of Christ
00:33:06.55\00:33:09.02
and from Jesus received
steadfastness to hold fast.
00:33:09.03\00:33:14.10
I remember the first
time I met Robert Wong.
00:33:14.11\00:33:16.63
Robert Wong was a
young man in his 20s.
00:33:16.64\00:33:19.37
He was sentenced to 15
years in prison for preaching
00:33:19.38\00:33:22.91
the gospel many years
ago in the country of China.
00:33:22.92\00:33:25.88
The first five years Robert Wong
00:33:25.89\00:33:28.44
was in solitary confinement.
00:33:28.45\00:33:31.38
He had no contact
with the outside world,
00:33:31.39\00:33:33.54
he was in a cell for five years.
00:33:33.55\00:33:35.49
He was allowed later
once a month to read,
00:33:35.50\00:33:38.21
write 100 Chinese characters.
00:33:38.22\00:33:40.82
100 Chinese characters a month,
00:33:40.83\00:33:42.53
that's all he could write.
00:33:42.54\00:33:44.25
After five years he was allowed
00:33:44.26\00:33:45.98
once a month to see his family.
00:33:45.99\00:33:49.14
As he began to see his family
00:33:49.15\00:33:51.22
and as he began
to write to them,
00:33:51.23\00:33:52.96
he thought only if I
had a Bible and one day
00:33:52.97\00:33:56.26
he was in the
prison yard and he said,
00:33:56.27\00:33:57.74
Pastor Mark, I was in
the prison yard that day
00:33:57.75\00:34:00.01
I heard somebody call
out, prisoner number 115,
00:34:00.02\00:34:03.82
because every
prisoner had a number.
00:34:03.83\00:34:06.71
Prisoner 115, and
the prisoner said, yes,
00:34:06.72\00:34:10.90
he responded and all of
00:34:10.91\00:34:12.07
a sudden it hit him
in the mind he said,
00:34:12.08\00:34:14.34
Robert Wong said
to me, Pastor Mark.
00:34:14.35\00:34:16.25
He said, 115 that was the hymn
00:34:16.26\00:34:19.25
in the Chinese
hymnal, give me the Bible.
00:34:19.26\00:34:23.36
He said by this time I
was writing once a month
00:34:23.37\00:34:27.11
So I just wrote
I just remember 115
00:34:27.12\00:34:30.29
and his mother read 115,
what's he is trying to say,
00:34:30.30\00:34:34.26
trying to give us a message.
00:34:34.27\00:34:35.61
Give me the Bible.
00:34:35.62\00:34:37.27
Oh, I know what I'll do.
00:34:37.28\00:34:39.83
The families
would often bring soap,
00:34:39.84\00:34:43.04
large bars of soap
because they didn't
00:34:43.05\00:34:44.77
give them out in the prison.
00:34:44.78\00:34:46.01
So she made a large
bar of soap haggled out
00:34:46.02\00:34:47.73
the center, put a little
New Testament in it wrapped it
00:34:47.74\00:34:50.08
in a plastic bag
brought him the Bible.
00:34:50.09\00:34:52.94
He had that Bible
and it sustained him
00:34:52.95\00:34:54.86
through all of his prison time.
00:34:54.87\00:34:57.19
When I see the
story of Mikhail Kulakov,
00:34:57.20\00:34:58.56
when I heard the
story of Robert Wong,
00:34:58.57\00:35:00.22
when I hear the story of
men and women down through
00:35:00.23\00:35:02.53
the ages that
have stood steadfast
00:35:02.54\00:35:04.30
for their faith in spite
of what they've gone through.
00:35:04.31\00:35:07.10
Some of you sitting
here today are gonna through
00:35:07.11\00:35:09.93
incredible trials in your life.
00:35:09.94\00:35:11.57
They'll be
trials in your family,
00:35:11.58\00:35:12.67
there will be
difficulties in your health.
00:35:12.68\00:35:14.44
I'm not a naysayer,
I'm not a doomsday prophet
00:35:14.45\00:35:17.04
but I recognize that
in a group of this large
00:35:17.05\00:35:19.34
in this coming year somebody
00:35:19.35\00:35:21.30
here is gonna
go through a trial.
00:35:21.31\00:35:22.92
And I say to you, look
into the face of Christ
00:35:22.93\00:35:27.86
and His
steadfastness will become yours.
00:35:27.87\00:35:31.24
Look into the face of Christ
00:35:31.25\00:35:33.43
and your weakness
will become strength.
00:35:33.44\00:35:35.49
Look into the face of Christ
and your frailty will become
00:35:35.50\00:35:39.35
enduring might,
looking into the shining face,
00:35:39.36\00:35:44.16
in my busy life
I'm called to prayer,
00:35:44.17\00:35:46.95
looking into the steadfast face,
00:35:46.96\00:35:49.90
in my weakness
I'm called to courage.
00:35:49.91\00:35:52.47
I'm called not to give up,
00:35:52.48\00:35:53.98
I'm called to
hang on until He comes.
00:35:53.99\00:35:56.90
The shining face,
the steadfast face.
00:35:56.91\00:35:59.84
Matthew Chapter 26
verse 39, the soiled face.
00:35:59.85\00:36:03.45
The shining face,
the steadfast face,
00:36:03.46\00:36:07.76
and the soiled face.
00:36:07.77\00:36:10.13
He's in Jerusalem now and
He faces Golgotha's mountain.
00:36:10.14\00:36:14.90
He's in Jerusalem now
and He faces Calvary's Hill.
00:36:14.91\00:36:17.93
He's in Jerusalem now
and He faces the ridicule
00:36:17.94\00:36:21.25
and the mockery and
the shouting of the crowd.
00:36:21.26\00:36:24.36
He's in Jerusalem now
00:36:24.37\00:36:26.73
and He faces the
greatest agony of His life
00:36:26.74\00:36:31.13
as He hangs upon a cross.
00:36:31.14\00:36:33.07
But before all of that,
again He comes to the Father.
00:36:33.08\00:36:37.71
Matthew Chapter 26
verse 39, Matthew 26 verse 39,
00:36:37.72\00:36:43.45
"He went a little farther,
00:36:43.46\00:36:45.72
and fell on his
face and prayed, saying,"
00:36:45.73\00:36:49.77
that's interesting, isn't it?
00:36:49.78\00:36:51.47
Since He went a little
farther and fell on his face
00:36:51.48\00:36:53.26
and prayed saying.
00:36:53.27\00:36:54.32
Doesn't say He fell on
His face and prayed thinking.
00:36:54.33\00:36:57.07
There are times to
think your prayers,
00:36:57.08\00:37:00.53
there are times to
dart a prayer up to God.
00:37:00.54\00:37:03.51
You're driving the
car before it test,
00:37:03.52\00:37:05.40
but there are also times
on your knees to pray aloud.
00:37:05.41\00:37:08.77
You know, Ellen White
makes an interesting statement
00:37:08.78\00:37:10.21
Our High Calling
page 130 she says
00:37:10.22\00:37:11.82
"Learn to pray aloud
where only God can hear you."
00:37:11.83\00:37:14.26
Jesus prayers
often were out loud.
00:37:14.27\00:37:16.75
Have you ever been
praying and your mind
00:37:16.76\00:37:19.53
and you've been
thinking your prayer
00:37:19.54\00:37:20.94
and your mind has
wandered during prayer.
00:37:20.95\00:37:23.29
Has that ever happened to you?
00:37:23.30\00:37:25.71
All the dishonest
people keep your hands down.
00:37:25.72\00:37:28.15
You know, I mean, who
has that not happened to.
00:37:28.16\00:37:30.38
Hasn't it happened to all of us?
00:37:30.39\00:37:31.99
We're praying and
occasionally our mind wanders
00:37:32.00\00:37:34.66
and then two
minutes down the road
00:37:34.67\00:37:35.95
we recognize our
mind is wandering,
00:37:35.96\00:37:37.53
we didn't know it was wandering
00:37:37.54\00:37:38.60
for the first
two or three minutes.
00:37:38.61\00:37:39.58
We say, hey wait a
minute, my mind is wandering.
00:37:39.59\00:37:41.25
I got to bring it back, right.
00:37:41.26\00:37:42.81
Does that ever happen
to you or am I only one
00:37:42.82\00:37:44.37
that ever happens to.
00:37:44.38\00:37:47.18
When you pray aloud
00:37:47.19\00:37:49.41
the mouth engages the brain
00:37:51.36\00:37:53.96
and when you stop
praying aloud you know
00:37:53.97\00:37:56.53
your mind is wandering,
it's easy to bring it back.
00:37:56.54\00:37:59.42
Jesus very often
found quite places
00:37:59.43\00:38:03.33
and He poured His
soul out to God alone.
00:38:03.34\00:38:06.01
And the
scripture says in verse 39,
00:38:06.02\00:38:08.08
he went a little
further, and fell on his what?
00:38:08.09\00:38:10.58
Face, and prayed,
saying, the soiled face.
00:38:10.59\00:38:14.97
He fell on His face in the dirt,
00:38:14.98\00:38:17.63
the earth stained
face "O my Father,
00:38:17.64\00:38:22.24
if it is possible,
let this cup pass from me,
00:38:22.25\00:38:25.25
nevertheless, not as I
will, but as you will."
00:38:25.26\00:38:28.49
Three times he fell on His face,
00:38:28.50\00:38:31.41
the earth stained
face, the soiled face,
00:38:31.42\00:38:35.80
calls me from my
will to do His will.
00:38:35.81\00:38:39.79
It calls me from what
I want to what He wants.
00:38:39.80\00:38:43.09
Christianity is not viewing
00:38:43.10\00:38:46.98
God as a cosmic Santa Claus
00:38:46.99\00:38:50.24
that will give
me whatever I want.
00:38:50.25\00:38:53.05
There is an
American view of the gospel
00:38:53.06\00:38:55.93
that is not biblical.
00:38:55.94\00:38:58.52
It is the prosperity,
riches, and health gospel,
00:38:58.53\00:39:01.99
and that kind of gospel
says something like this,
00:39:02.00\00:39:04.89
and it accommodates an easy
going Crossless Christianity.
00:39:04.90\00:39:08.91
A Christianity that
doesn't ask you for commitment,
00:39:08.92\00:39:12.02
a Christianity that
doesn't ask you for surrender,
00:39:12.03\00:39:14.81
and it is a
counterfeit, sugar coated,
00:39:14.82\00:39:17.36
candy cotton gospel.
00:39:17.37\00:39:20.97
I was going to use some
others but I thought better not,
00:39:20.98\00:39:23.22
better stop, maybe
step on somebody's toes.
00:39:23.23\00:39:25.59
It's a candy cotton gospel,
it's a superficial gospel,
00:39:25.60\00:39:29.59
maybe I ought to step
on a few people's toes.
00:39:29.60\00:39:32.63
This gospel says, all
you need to do is pray
00:39:32.64\00:39:36.38
and money is gonna
rain out of heaven,
00:39:36.39\00:39:38.53
you'll be rich, you'll be wise,
00:39:38.54\00:39:40.99
you'll be healthy,
you'll never get sick,
00:39:41.00\00:39:43.23
you'll never have any
problems in your life,
00:39:43.24\00:39:45.42
and that it
becomes an egocentric
00:39:45.43\00:39:49.00
consumer based gospel.
00:39:49.01\00:39:52.37
The New Testament gospel
is a gospel in Gethsemane
00:39:52.38\00:39:56.42
where Jesus Christ is
on His knees and He says,
00:39:56.43\00:39:58.71
Father, not my
will but your will.
00:39:58.72\00:40:01.25
It is no picnic
going to the cross.
00:40:01.26\00:40:03.38
Do you think
Jesus looked forward
00:40:03.39\00:40:04.81
to the crown of thorns,
00:40:04.82\00:40:05.87
do you think Jesus
looked forward to the nails
00:40:05.88\00:40:07.59
through His hands, do you
think Jesus looked forward
00:40:07.60\00:40:09.72
to rejection and
denial and mockery
00:40:09.73\00:40:12.52
and cursing and swearing?
00:40:12.53\00:40:14.20
Absolutely not.
00:40:14.21\00:40:16.19
Jesus didn't march to the cross
00:40:16.20\00:40:18.27
singing about the joys of life.
00:40:18.28\00:40:23.59
This was a trial,
this was difficulty,
00:40:23.60\00:40:27.01
but Jesus on His
knees said, Father,
00:40:27.02\00:40:30.57
I want to know your
will and if my suffering,
00:40:30.58\00:40:34.42
if my heartache, if abandon me,
00:40:34.43\00:40:37.30
rejection is part of a
divine plan to save humanity,
00:40:37.31\00:40:41.17
Lord, in my life that
what I want to know is not
00:40:41.18\00:40:44.39
what makes me happy
but what makes you happy.
00:40:44.40\00:40:46.81
Because in the long run
if I surrender my will to Him
00:40:46.82\00:40:49.90
and put my life in His hands
00:40:49.91\00:40:51.51
He will take
care of my happiness,
00:40:51.52\00:40:53.63
He will take care of my joy.
00:40:53.64\00:40:55.40
But if I run off
trying to make myself happy,
00:40:55.41\00:40:59.21
I end up with a devastated life.
00:40:59.22\00:41:02.02
Lord, what's your will?
00:41:02.03\00:41:03.42
The fundamental Christian,
00:41:03.43\00:41:05.43
question in
Christianity is this,
00:41:05.44\00:41:08.00
I look into the soiled
earth stained face of Christ.
00:41:08.01\00:41:13.58
And I say, Lord,
what's your will?
00:41:13.59\00:41:15.85
Whatever pleases
you, I want to do it.
00:41:15.86\00:41:20.77
Tom and Carol
began to study about
00:41:20.78\00:41:23.71
the deeper Christian
life, they began to study
00:41:23.72\00:41:27.08
about the earth
stained face of Christ.
00:41:27.09\00:41:31.77
They began to study
about the essence Christianity
00:41:31.78\00:41:35.63
is seeking God's
will and not my own.
00:41:35.64\00:41:38.89
I can safely trust
Him to put my life in His.
00:41:38.90\00:41:44.10
And as they studied about that,
00:41:44.11\00:41:46.03
they had about 12 to
$15,000 credit card debt.
00:41:46.04\00:41:49.62
They were newly married
and these weren't school bills
00:41:49.63\00:41:52.58
these were pleasure bills.
00:41:52.59\00:41:55.46
And as they studied
about the deeper Christian life
00:41:55.47\00:41:57.43
they said, look,
let's make this practical,
00:41:57.44\00:41:59.92
let's make it practical.
00:41:59.93\00:42:01.93
Tom and Carol one day in
their worship together said,
00:42:01.94\00:42:04.49
look, we're getting in
conflict in our marriage
00:42:04.50\00:42:07.00
because of our
high consumer debt.
00:42:07.01\00:42:10.57
Why don't we do
this, why don't we destroy
00:42:10.58\00:42:11.89
all credit cards
except one and commit
00:42:11.90\00:42:14.56
that we will never
use that credit card
00:42:14.57\00:42:16.80
unless we ask
the question, Jesus,
00:42:16.81\00:42:19.87
is this your will for
us to purchase this thing.
00:42:19.88\00:42:24.16
Why don't we make a
decision in our lives
00:42:24.17\00:42:26.36
that we're gonna
pray about every purchase
00:42:26.37\00:42:28.16
we make in the light of
the fact towards such debt.
00:42:28.17\00:42:30.30
So they did and their consumer
debt began to come down.
00:42:30.31\00:42:34.33
Down from 12, 13, 14,000
00:42:34.34\00:42:37.01
where it was, down to 11, 10.
00:42:37.02\00:42:39.50
They loved skiing,
Tom and Carol were just
00:42:40.51\00:42:43.05
ski buffs and they
really, really loved it.
00:42:43.06\00:42:46.64
So they decided that
they'd at least go look
00:42:46.65\00:42:49.50
at skis because
it was off season
00:42:49.51\00:42:51.29
and that's when you
get them at lower price.
00:42:51.30\00:42:53.91
So they went to one of
their favorite ski shops
00:42:53.92\00:42:57.18
and as they were going
by, wouldn't you believe it,
00:42:57.19\00:42:59.43
skis were now in the
off season at 50% off
00:42:59.44\00:43:04.37
and ski boots 50% off
and jackets 60, 70% off,
00:43:04.38\00:43:09.13
they were amazed.
00:43:09.14\00:43:10.56
They went into
the shop they said,
00:43:10.57\00:43:11.71
we'll just look and they
looked and they got outfitted
00:43:11.72\00:43:17.44
for a jacket and boots
and skis and they'r gonna
00:43:17.45\00:43:21.63
put the bindings on
and they were checking out
00:43:21.64\00:43:23.71
there with their
jackets and boots.
00:43:23.72\00:43:25.39
And Tom brought
out his credit card
00:43:25.40\00:43:28.65
gave it to the clerk
and Carol looked at him
00:43:28.66\00:43:30.68
and they were smiling,
then all of a sudden it hit Tom,
00:43:30.69\00:43:35.08
we made a decision
and our decision was
00:43:35.09\00:43:38.75
we would not go into
any more consumer debt
00:43:38.76\00:43:40.81
before unless we
asked if this is God's will.
00:43:40.82\00:43:43.09
We didn't pray, we didn't
ask if this is God's will.
00:43:43.10\00:43:45.37
So he said to the clerk,
I'm sorry but I can't give
00:43:45.38\00:43:47.67
you my credit card right now,
00:43:47.68\00:43:48.69
and Carol looked
at him and she winked
00:43:48.70\00:43:50.62
because she knew exactly what
was going through Tom's mind.
00:43:50.63\00:43:54.94
And she said, yeah,
we've got to consult
00:43:54.95\00:43:57.55
with somebody first.
00:43:57.56\00:43:59.51
And so they
walked out into the mall
00:43:59.52\00:44:01.47
and held hands and went
and sat on a little bench,
00:44:01.48\00:44:04.28
and Tom said you remember
that commitment we made, Carol.
00:44:04.29\00:44:06.56
Yeah, I remember it.
00:44:06.57\00:44:09.09
We made a commitment
that we would not going to
00:44:09.10\00:44:10.78
any more consumer
debt unless we ask Jesus
00:44:10.79\00:44:16.01
if it was His will.
00:44:16.02\00:44:17.91
And so they're in the
mall with the stuff lying back
00:44:17.92\00:44:23.03
at the counter in the shop.
00:44:23.04\00:44:25.30
They prayed, Lord, all we
want to know is Your will.
00:44:25.31\00:44:28.62
If it is Your will we're gonna
go ahead with this purchase.
00:44:28.63\00:44:32.51
Lord, give us some
kind of indication,
00:44:32.52\00:44:35.28
give us some kind of
moving of your spirit.
00:44:35.29\00:44:38.60
After they prayed, both of them
00:44:38.61\00:44:40.01
looked at one another said,
00:44:40.02\00:44:40.99
we feel
uncomfortable at this purchase.
00:44:41.00\00:44:42.50
We just feel uncomfortable.
00:44:42.51\00:44:43.48
They went back into the
store they said, you know what?
00:44:43.49\00:44:47.28
We're not gonna go
ahead with this purchase.
00:44:47.29\00:44:48.97
They walked out and Tom said,
00:44:48.98\00:44:50.29
it was like a big
burden rolled off me.
00:44:50.30\00:44:52.11
It was like I was light,
00:44:52.12\00:44:53.29
it was like I made a
decision not what I wanted,
00:44:53.30\00:44:55.73
I made a
decision not in my will,
00:44:55.74\00:44:58.05
I made a decision
not to satisfy my ego.
00:44:58.06\00:45:00.78
I made a decision for God.
00:45:00.79\00:45:03.08
And they said later,
Carol said, you know what,
00:45:03.09\00:45:06.12
we had the best
ski season of our life.
00:45:06.13\00:45:08.47
We used our old
skis, we were economical
00:45:08.48\00:45:11.22
in our choices of
where we went skiing
00:45:11.23\00:45:13.08
and we had the
greatest ski season of our life.
00:45:13.09\00:45:18.58
Looking into the
shining face of Jesus,
00:45:18.59\00:45:22.63
from the busyness of my
life I'm called to prayer.
00:45:22.64\00:45:25.53
Looking into the
steadfast face of Jesus
00:45:25.54\00:45:27.70
when I'm about ready to
give up and I'm too weak,
00:45:27.71\00:45:31.13
he places strength in my heart,
00:45:31.14\00:45:33.83
and with courage I
face the Christian journey.
00:45:33.84\00:45:36.82
Looking into the
soiled face of Jesus,
00:45:36.83\00:45:41.39
on my knees I say, Lord,
00:45:41.40\00:45:43.82
teach me what
Christianity is all about.
00:45:43.83\00:45:46.72
Lord, if what I
want in this relationship
00:45:46.73\00:45:50.27
as a your person at
Southern is not what you want
00:45:50.28\00:45:54.49
in this relationship,
00:45:54.50\00:45:56.27
I surrender the
relationship with you.
00:45:56.28\00:45:59.74
How do you know if you're
willing to follow God's will?
00:45:59.75\00:46:04.82
You know if you're
willing to follow God's will,
00:46:04.83\00:46:08.27
if you're willing
to give up the thing
00:46:08.28\00:46:11.12
that you want more
than anything else.
00:46:11.13\00:46:13.60
If you're willing to
trust God with that thing,
00:46:13.61\00:46:17.40
you can be confident that you
are willing to do God's will.
00:46:17.41\00:46:21.96
I look into the soiled
face of Christ and I say,
00:46:21.97\00:46:25.60
Lord, whatever
pleases you I want to do it.
00:46:25.61\00:46:27.73
The shining face,
the steadfast face,
00:46:27.74\00:46:30.10
the soiled face,
the smitten face.
00:46:30.11\00:46:33.58
Take your Bible
please and turn to Matthew,
00:46:33.59\00:46:36.32
turn to the Gospel of Luke.
00:46:36.33\00:46:38.37
The smitten face. Luke
Chapter 22 verse 63 and 64.
00:46:38.38\00:46:44.27
He is the son of
God, Luke Chapter 22,
00:46:44.28\00:46:47.36
He is the one
worshiped by the very angels.
00:46:47.37\00:46:50.47
He is the one at
whose very name angel sang
00:46:50.48\00:46:52.77
holy, holy, holy.
00:46:52.78\00:46:54.34
He is the one that cherubim
and seraphim sang Hallelujah,
00:46:54.35\00:46:57.76
He is the one that all
the universe worshiped,
00:46:57.77\00:47:01.94
the smitten face.
00:47:01.95\00:47:03.61
But we see Him now
beaten and bruised,
00:47:03.62\00:47:06.21
we see cruel men
spitting in His face,
00:47:06.22\00:47:08.99
we see them taking a fist
and hitting him in the face.
00:47:09.00\00:47:12.39
Luke Chapter 22 verse 63
and 64, the smitten face.
00:47:12.40\00:47:17.42
"Now the men who held
Jesus, mocked him and beat Him
00:47:17.43\00:47:21.52
and having blindfolded Him
they stuck Him on the face."
00:47:21.53\00:47:26.50
Can you imagine, puny
men, can you imagine it,
00:47:26.51\00:47:30.47
weak men, can you imagine it,
00:47:30.48\00:47:32.85
men created by
the creator approach
00:47:32.86\00:47:35.98
the creator as creatures
and hit Him in the face,
00:47:35.99\00:47:39.92
they striked Him in the
face, they bloody His nose,
00:47:39.93\00:47:42.89
they bloody His lips,
they blacken His eyes,
00:47:42.90\00:47:46.01
they hit Him in the face.
00:47:46.02\00:47:47.79
Who is this? Whom
they hit is Jesus.
00:47:47.80\00:47:52.64
The divine Son of God,
the one that has existed
00:47:52.65\00:47:56.71
for millenniums and millions
of years and trillions of years,
00:47:56.72\00:48:00.61
the one who
never had a beginning
00:48:00.62\00:48:02.05
and will never have an ending.
00:48:02.06\00:48:03.77
The alpha and the
omega, the first and the last.
00:48:03.78\00:48:07.85
Who is this, whom
they hit in the face,
00:48:07.86\00:48:10.45
these puny man,
these created men,
00:48:10.46\00:48:13.07
who are infinite, who
approach, who are finite,
00:48:13.08\00:48:16.32
who approach the infinite
who are they and who is this.
00:48:16.33\00:48:21.00
They are sinful humanity
and they hit him in the face.
00:48:21.01\00:48:22.89
They strike him in the face.
00:48:22.90\00:48:25.09
Have you ever
hit Him in the face?
00:48:25.10\00:48:29.00
Have you ever
slapped Him across the face?
00:48:29.01\00:48:34.95
Education page 263,
00:48:34.96\00:48:37.70
"The cross is a
revelation to our dull senses,
00:48:37.71\00:48:40.95
of the pain that sin from
its very inception has brought
00:48:40.96\00:48:43.93
to the heart of God."
00:48:43.94\00:48:45.72
Every deed of
cruelty, every departure
00:48:45.73\00:48:48.98
from right brings grief to Him.
00:48:48.99\00:48:52.52
Zechariah Chapter 12 says,
00:48:52.53\00:48:53.99
"They shall look upon
me whom they have pierced
00:48:54.00\00:48:59.01
and they shall mourn for him."
00:48:59.02\00:49:01.57
The truth for the matter
is that I was there that night
00:49:01.58\00:49:06.39
and you were there that night.
00:49:06.40\00:49:08.76
We were in the shadows then,
00:49:08.77\00:49:10.70
we too hit Him in the face,
00:49:10.71\00:49:12.77
we too slapped Him in the face.
00:49:12.78\00:49:15.31
You see every
time I lose my temper,
00:49:15.32\00:49:18.40
every time I
think lustful thoughts,
00:49:18.41\00:49:21.22
every time I'm dishonest,
every time that I'm selfish
00:49:21.23\00:49:26.62
and greedy and
lustful, it brings pain to Him.
00:49:26.63\00:49:31.91
And the sins of this
world still bring pain,
00:49:31.92\00:49:35.46
they still bring sorrow to Him.
00:49:35.47\00:49:37.60
And the greatest
motivation to be done
00:49:37.61\00:49:40.40
with sin is not the fear of hell
00:49:40.41\00:49:44.25
and not the joy of heaven,
00:49:44.26\00:49:47.52
although both of those are real.
00:49:47.53\00:49:50.10
The greatest
motivation to be done
00:49:50.11\00:49:52.69
with sin is that I'm hurting,
bringing pain to somebody
00:49:52.70\00:49:56.87
who loves me with
an incredible love.
00:49:56.88\00:49:59.33
Somebody who
loves me so much that
00:49:59.34\00:50:01.06
you'll do anything for
to be in heaven with me.
00:50:01.07\00:50:03.98
I don't want to
bring pain to Him,
00:50:03.99\00:50:06.15
I don't want to hurt Him.
00:50:06.16\00:50:08.14
Anything in my life
that's not in harmony
00:50:08.15\00:50:10.19
with His will I
want to turn lose with,
00:50:10.20\00:50:12.48
I cannot bring pain.
00:50:12.49\00:50:14.52
In the Vietnam
war, a young lieutenant
00:50:14.53\00:50:18.92
had five young
men that he had been
00:50:18.93\00:50:20.82
with for four or
five years in the war.
00:50:20.83\00:50:24.93
And he said to them, my top
priority is to get you home,
00:50:24.94\00:50:27.98
that's my priority.
00:50:27.99\00:50:29.55
More than anything
else I want to get you home.
00:50:29.56\00:50:35.04
One day there was a
firefight, North Vietnam,
00:50:35.05\00:50:39.55
Vietcong
surrounded his little unit.
00:50:39.56\00:50:42.66
One of his men
were out in the field,
00:50:42.67\00:50:44.08
was out in the field and shot
in the legs couldn't get back.
00:50:44.09\00:50:47.48
Vietcong were
approaching closer and closer
00:50:47.49\00:50:49.60
and he knew that they
would gut this fellow.
00:50:49.61\00:50:52.09
Slit his throat, gut
him, hang him from a tree.
00:50:52.10\00:50:55.81
He knew the
brutality and the torture
00:50:55.82\00:50:57.76
that this young
marine would go through
00:50:57.77\00:51:00.39
and so at the risk of
his own life he crawled out,
00:51:00.40\00:51:03.43
fire coming over his head,
00:51:03.44\00:51:05.73
put his arms
around this young marine,
00:51:05.74\00:51:07.93
bleeding profusely brought
him back to the fox hole.
00:51:07.94\00:51:11.08
Rolled in him and as
he did the Lieutenant was
00:51:11.09\00:51:13.50
shot in the back of the head,
00:51:13.51\00:51:14.58
shot in the neck and
was instantly killed.
00:51:14.59\00:51:17.62
When the Vietnam war was over,
00:51:17.63\00:51:19.36
the parents of this
young lieutenant that died
00:51:19.37\00:51:23.10
to save this guy,
invited the fellow that
00:51:23.11\00:51:25.97
was saved to their home.
00:51:25.98\00:51:28.34
They wanted to talk to him about
00:51:28.35\00:51:30.51
the last moments of their
son's life and his heroic act.
00:51:30.52\00:51:34.99
They wanted him to
recount that for them
00:51:35.00\00:51:37.52
for some healing.
00:51:37.53\00:51:40.25
As they, and they
lived out in Seattle.
00:51:40.26\00:51:42.89
The young marine who was
saved lived on the east coast,
00:51:42.90\00:51:45.22
he flew out to Seattle,
00:51:45.23\00:51:46.20
the parents paid
for his plane ticket.
00:51:46.21\00:51:48.84
And as he came
out, came into the home
00:51:48.85\00:51:51.28
he had been
drinking much of the day.
00:51:51.29\00:51:53.80
I don't know whether the
pain of the war had affected him
00:51:53.81\00:51:57.15
greatly or what the
reason was but he was drinking
00:51:57.16\00:51:59.60
most of the day and
then he came into the home
00:51:59.61\00:52:01.73
and it was a
horrible experience.
00:52:01.74\00:52:04.17
The husband and wife
whose son had died had prepared
00:52:04.18\00:52:07.02
a beautiful meal this
guy burped beer halfway
00:52:07.03\00:52:09.54
through the meal,
made very few comments
00:52:09.55\00:52:12.59
about the food or about the son,
00:52:12.60\00:52:14.65
made a few off color jokes.
00:52:14.66\00:52:16.52
After the meal they
try to sit around and talk
00:52:16.53\00:52:18.45
but it just
wasn't going anywhere and
00:52:18.46\00:52:21.37
the young marine said,
I've got to leave and he left.
00:52:22.42\00:52:26.38
The father
walked him to the car,
00:52:26.41\00:52:28.50
tires spinning peeling off
and the young marines took off.
00:52:28.51\00:52:32.52
Father walked
back into the house,
00:52:32.53\00:52:34.66
mother was sitting
on the couch crying
00:52:34.67\00:52:36.55
and she was just
balling her eyes out.
00:52:36.56\00:52:38.77
She looked up at her
husband and she said,
00:52:38.78\00:52:42.12
John, our son,
00:52:42.13\00:52:46.77
our precious son
died for that thing.
00:52:46.78\00:52:51.89
It was the height of
ingratitude to give so little
00:52:53.99\00:52:58.84
for one who gave so much.
00:53:00.10\00:53:02.42
Height of ingratitude.
00:53:02.43\00:53:04.06
When I look into
the face of Christ
00:53:04.07\00:53:08.81
dying for me on
the Calvary's cross,
00:53:08.82\00:53:11.83
bearing the sins of humanity,
00:53:11.84\00:53:15.02
is the height of
ingratitude to yarn and say
00:53:15.03\00:53:20.16
what difference does
it make and walk away.
00:53:20.17\00:53:23.12
His love breaks my heart,
his love transforms my life,
00:53:23.13\00:53:28.30
I cannot slap him in the face.
00:53:28.31\00:53:30.73
All I can do is kneel at
the foot of the cross and say,
00:53:30.74\00:53:34.53
Lord, my heart,
my life is Yours.
00:53:34.54\00:53:38.16
The shining face
calls me to prayer,
00:53:38.17\00:53:40.15
the steadfast face
calls me to courage,
00:53:40.16\00:53:42.51
the soiled face calls
me to surrender my will.
00:53:42.52\00:53:48.10
The smitten face calls me to
turn from the cherished idols
00:53:48.11\00:53:52.70
in my heart and cast them
down at the foot of the cross,
00:53:52.71\00:53:58.32
because I don't want to bring
pain to His heart any longer.
00:53:58.33\00:54:01.13
The Book of Revelation gives us
00:54:01.14\00:54:02.33
one more glimpse of his face.
00:54:02.34\00:54:04.09
One more glimps of his face.
00:54:04.10\00:54:06.73
Revelation and
we find it there in
00:54:06.74\00:54:09.82
Revelation the 22nd Chapter,
00:54:09.83\00:54:12.81
Revelation Chapter 22,
one more glimpse of His face.
00:54:14.31\00:54:19.08
Revelation 22 verse 4,
"They shall see his face,
00:54:19.09\00:54:24.68
and his name shall
be on their foreheads."
00:54:24.69\00:54:26.52
They shall see his
face, the smiling face,
00:54:26.53\00:54:29.98
one day He will come again.
00:54:29.99\00:54:32.04
One day the earth will shake,
one day the grace will open,
00:54:32.05\00:54:36.07
one day the sky
will be illuminated
00:54:36.08\00:54:37.77
with the glory of God,
00:54:37.78\00:54:39.04
one day we will look on His face
00:54:39.05\00:54:40.79
and we'll say,
it's worth it all.
00:54:40.80\00:54:42.41
The smiling face, we
will feel His warm and brace,
00:54:42.42\00:54:45.64
we will hear the
words, well done good
00:54:45.65\00:54:48.01
and faithful servant.
00:54:48.02\00:54:49.41
We will see our
friend and we will live
00:54:49.42\00:54:52.29
and we will
live with Him forever
00:54:52.30\00:54:53.55
and ever and ever
and ever and ever.
00:54:53.56\00:54:55.63
I look forward to
that day, don't you?
00:54:55.64\00:54:57.78
To see my friend,
to meet my friend.
00:54:57.79\00:54:59.80
I love that song, what a friend
00:54:59.81\00:55:01.92
we have in who, in who?
00:55:01.93\00:55:03.98
Jesus, oh, my sins
and griefs to bear,
00:55:03.99\00:55:07.23
what a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer.
00:55:07.24\00:55:10.80
Have you trails and temptations,
00:55:10.81\00:55:13.14
is there trouble in anywhere.
00:55:13.15\00:55:14.84
What a friend we have in Jesus.
00:55:14.85\00:55:16.37
Would you like to
stand and sing that song,
00:55:16.38\00:55:18.31
what a friend we have in Jesus.
00:55:18.32\00:55:19.67
Let me tell you about song.
00:55:19.68\00:55:21.56
The song was written,
the words by Joseph Scriven.
00:55:21.57\00:55:27.26
Joseph Scriven,
was an Englishman
00:55:27.27\00:55:30.22
brought up in London.
00:55:30.23\00:55:32.62
Christian young man,
dating a find Christian girl,
00:55:32.63\00:55:37.73
two weeks before
their marriage she drowned,
00:55:37.74\00:55:41.27
she drowned two
weeks before the marriage.
00:55:41.28\00:55:45.31
He left England came to Canada,
00:55:45.32\00:55:47.31
began working in the woods.
00:55:47.32\00:55:49.62
First said, I'll
never get married again,
00:55:49.63\00:55:51.23
ten years later he met a
marvelous, marvelous woman.
00:55:51.24\00:55:55.17
They were engaged, three
months before the marriage
00:55:55.18\00:55:58.58
she got pneumonia and died.
00:55:58.59\00:56:01.38
He gave his life
rather than becoming bitter
00:56:01.39\00:56:04.57
to chopping
trees, preparing lumber.
00:56:04.58\00:56:07.96
Helping people built
houses that were poor
00:56:07.97\00:56:10.30
and couldn't afford it.
00:56:10.31\00:56:11.95
He got word that his
mother was dying in London,
00:56:11.96\00:56:16.65
couldn't go to the
funeral, had no money.
00:56:16.66\00:56:19.37
So he said, mom,
I'll write you a poem,
00:56:19.38\00:56:21.62
and this was the poem he wrote.
00:56:21.63\00:56:22.84
Momma, momma, through
all my trails what a friend
00:56:22.85\00:56:26.89
we have in Jesus, all
our sins and griefs to bear.
00:56:26.90\00:56:31.24
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer.
00:56:31.25\00:56:34.51
Have we trails and temptations,
00:56:34.52\00:56:37.14
is there trouble anywhere.
00:56:37.15\00:56:41.24
What a friend we have in Jesus,
00:56:41.25\00:56:43.33
look into the face of
Jesus today and find him
00:56:43.34\00:56:48.44
the best friend that
anybody could ever have.
00:56:48.45\00:56:51.69
Let's sing together.
00:56:51.70\00:56:53.68
What a friend we have in Jesus,
00:57:07.50\00:57:14.26
All our sins and griefs to bear!
00:57:14.27\00:57:20.48
What a privilege to carry
00:57:20.49\00:57:27.22
Everything to God in prayer!
00:57:27.23\00:57:33.50
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
00:57:33.51\00:57:40.08
Oh, what needless pain we bear.
00:57:40.09\00:57:45.95