Good morning.
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Are you happy to
be here this morning?
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Isn't it a good Sabbath?
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I'm so glad to be
here with you this morning.
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Now I want to tell you
a story, a mission story
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from the island
of Papua New Guinea.
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How many of you have ever
heard of Papua New Guinea?
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Now that's an island
down in the South Pacific.
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And for eight years, my family
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and I lived among a
primitive tribal group
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that lived deep in the
jungles of that country.
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I want to tell you
this morning about a girl,
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she was probably
about eight years old.
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How many people,
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kids are eight
years old this morning?
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She was about your age
if you're around eight.
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And I'm gonna
call her name Jenny.
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Jenny lived with
her mommy and her daddy
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along the May River,
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and Jenny was
from the Iwan tribe.
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The Iwan people are people that
they have a few of the things
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that you have here.
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They live in the
jungle in bush houses
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and they don't
have many clothes.
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And she and her family
lived there along the river
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in the village of mommy.
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They needed to go plant a garden
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and planting a
garden in New Guinea
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is a very hard task
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because the Iwan
people get in their canoe
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and they paddle up or
down the river to the place
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where their garden
spot is going to be
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and then they cut down big trees
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and they fall over
and then they let them dry
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and then they burn it
all up and clean it up.
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And so one day,
Jenny and her mommy
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and her daddy and her friends
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and uncles and
brothers and sisters,
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they went up to
their garden spot.
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And they were working very
hard with their bush knives,
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cleaning and burning.
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They worked all morning
and it was getting later
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and later into the
afternoon and finally,
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Jenny's mommy said to her,
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"Why don't you and
your friends get together,
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build a fire and cook
our sweet potatoes for us?"
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And so that's
just what they did.
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Here in the United States,
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we usually don't
let children play
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with fire very much, do we?
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And there's a
good reason for that.
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But in New Guinea,
children are often,
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they're responsible
for building the fires
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and cooking the food often.
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So Jenny and her friends,
they gathered up some sticks
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and they built a nice
big fire there in the jungle.
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And they got it going,
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and they were
beginning to cook their food
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when somebody said this.
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They said,
"Hey, why don't we see
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if we can jump over the fire?"
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And they said, "Oh, yeah,
that would be a good idea.
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Let's see if we can do that."
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And so, somebody
got back and they,
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they ran and they
jumped over the fire
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and then somebody else ran
and they jumped over the fire.
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And then Jenny got
ready to jump over the fire.
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But you know
what the problem was?
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All Jenny had for
clothes was a grass skirt.
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And Jenny, she came
running up and she jumped
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and she went
right over the fire.
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And then she got
to the other side
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and they all stopped
and they turned around
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and they said,
"Oh that was such fun.
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Let's do it again."
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And so that's
just what they did.
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One person ran and they jumped.
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The next little
boy ran and he jumped.
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And then Jenny got ready
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and she came
running up to the fire.
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And just as she got
there, Jenny tripped
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and fell right into the fire.
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And do you know, that
instantly her grass skirt
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just caught fire
and she was enveloped
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in fright flames and
she fell out of the fire
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was rolling on the ground,
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and they were trying
to get the flames out
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and she was crying and screaming
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and Jenny was
burned very, very badly.
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It was terrible.
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Well, her mommy and
daddy, they didn't know Jesus.
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Nobody on the
May River knew Jesus
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when we move there.
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But her mommy and
daddy looked at Jenny
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and they knew she
was burned so badly.
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They didn't know what to do.
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And they said, "You know,
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we've heard
there's a missionary,
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somebody that lives
many hours down river.
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Why don't we take
Jenny to see that family?"
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And so Jenny and
her mommy and daddy
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put Jenny into a log canoe,
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and they paddled
for about six hours.
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They paddled and
paddled and paddled
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until they got
to the little place
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where we lived
along the May River.
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And when they carried Jenny
up the hill, I was just so sad.
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I can tell you, it was terrible,
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because the fire
had just burned her skin
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just so terribly,
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and by the time
they got her to us,
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her skin was just
falling off of her body,
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from the middle of her
back all the way to her ankles.
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And I looked at Jenny
and I said this to myself,
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I said, "There's just no
way Jenny is ever going to live
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because we were not a hospital."
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And I'm not a doctor.
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And we just
didn't know what to do
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but we just took Jenny in
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and we began to
try and treat her.
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We had a little clinic
there where we did our best
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to help people.
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And so, every day we got
Jenny, we tried to bathe her,
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and we put bandages on her
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and we got some medicine
to try and help her skin
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but in New Guinea, you see,
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it's so hot and
it's so humid that
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sometimes even a little tiny cut
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will become a
big tropical ulcer.
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And here Jenny
was without any skin
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all the way from the middle
of her back to her ankles.
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And I knew that the only
way Jenny would ever live
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would be if Jesus helped her.
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And so every day as we
would gather around her
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and we would give her treatments
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and take off her bandages,
and it would hurt her so bad.
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And we would kneel
beside Jenny with her family
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and we would
pray and we would pray
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and we would pray.
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And even we would
ask Jesus, "Please Jesus.
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Won't you help Jenny?"
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And do you know what happened?
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Jenny was healed.
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Jesus saved her
life. It was amazing.
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Today, Jenny's still
alive and she has a crooked leg,
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her leg never was able
to straighten back out,
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but the most
amazing thing was this,
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was that every day
as we prayed by Jenny,
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her mommy and her
daddy were watching us.
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And they knew that their spirits
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just could have never helped
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someone injured
as badly as Jenny.
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And so after two
months of our praying
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and in treating
and working with Jenny,
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as we were getting
ready to send her home,
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her mommy and
her daddy came to me,
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and this is what they said.
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They said, "John,
your God is very powerful.
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Your God has
saved our Jenny's life.
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Please won't you
come to our village
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and teach us about Jesus too?"
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And so that's just what we did.
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And today, if you
go to Papua New Guinea,
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and you go up the Sepik River,
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and then you go
up the May River,
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all the way up
deep into the jungle
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to the little village of Mami.
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You'll find right there
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in that little
village that Jenny,
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and her mommy and
daddy, and brothers and uncles,
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and many of her friends
worship Jesus every Sabbath,
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just like we do.
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You can go back to your seats.
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As everyone finds
their seats and sits down,
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I want to ask a very,
very serious question.
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It's not a trick question.
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I'm not trying
to play any games.
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It's an honest,
serious question that
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I want to ask if
it's a serious subject.
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And if you think
that you can point me
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in the right
direction, or you can point me
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to the right person and
point me to the right place
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where I can get the
answer to this question,
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I just want you
to raise your hand
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if you think you can
help me out in any way.
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And that question
is this. Who is Jesus?
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I'll be honest,
the first hand that
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I saw raised was a
little girl in the middle.
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It was a first hand that I saw.
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Can anybody
tell me who Jesus is?
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I'm seeing more hands.
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Can anybody point me
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in the right
direction, at least?
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I'm seeing more hands.
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I represent the world.
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I represent people of
all different nationalities,
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all different languages.
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I represent people of
all different cultures,
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of all different beliefs
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and all different walks of life.
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People who have
gone through much,
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people who have
gone through very little.
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You represent God's Church.
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You represent His people,
you represent His servants,
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His reapers.
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I am the fruit.
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And if anybody
asks you, who is Jesus?
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You should have
an answer for them.
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And it should be a clear answer.
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It's something I've thought
about because for a long time,
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I didn't have an answer ready.
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And by the grace of God I do now
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and not everybody's
going to come up to you
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and ask you who is Jesus?
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Some people are
too embarrassed to ask,
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some people think they
know, but they're wrong.
00:10:00.13\00:10:04.00
Because they have this
very, very mean spirited idea
00:10:04.03\00:10:06.20
of who God is.
00:10:06.23\00:10:08.50
So when somebody
asks you who is Jesus?
00:10:08.54\00:10:10.81
As you listen to the
song, please think about
00:10:10.84\00:10:12.71
what your
answer will be to them.
00:10:12.74\00:10:14.41
It's the name
00:10:25.69\00:10:27.96
Above all names
00:10:27.99\00:10:32.79
And who will declare it
00:10:32.83\00:10:36.56
Who will declare it
00:10:36.60\00:10:39.43
It's the name
00:10:39.47\00:10:41.24
Above all names
00:10:41.27\00:10:46.27
And who will shout it
00:10:46.31\00:10:49.44
To a dying world
00:10:49.48\00:10:51.98
Who will declare My name?
00:10:58.85\00:11:01.89
And who will shout My name
00:11:04.89\00:11:07.86
In the midst of the nations
00:11:07.90\00:11:11.60
And who will take
The shield of faith
00:11:11.63\00:11:14.80
and the sword of My word
00:11:14.84\00:11:18.14
And declare My name
00:11:18.17\00:11:20.64
To a dying world?
00:11:20.68\00:11:25.21
He who has declared me
00:11:25.25\00:11:28.18
Thus far
00:11:28.22\00:11:31.45
Will walk in even greater power
00:11:31.49\00:11:38.03
Though the sands of
time Are running out
00:11:38.06\00:11:44.50
But my name will be declared
00:11:44.53\00:11:47.90
In this final hour
00:11:47.94\00:11:52.57
I am Jehovah!
00:11:52.61\00:11:54.91
I Am that I Am!
00:11:54.94\00:11:57.98
And my trumpet
Shall soon call out
00:11:58.01\00:12:02.55
I formed the
worlds With a whisper
00:12:06.05\00:12:12.03
But I'm getting ready
00:12:12.06\00:12:15.53
I'm getting
ready I'm getting ready
00:12:15.56\00:12:21.87
To shout!
00:12:21.90\00:12:23.97
It's the name
00:12:28.24\00:12:30.35
Above all names
00:12:30.38\00:12:35.35
And we will declare it
00:12:35.38\00:12:39.05
We will declare it
00:12:39.09\00:12:41.69
It's the name
00:12:41.72\00:12:43.73
Above all names
00:12:43.76\00:12:48.76
And we will shout it
00:12:48.80\00:12:52.13
To a dying world
00:12:52.17\00:12:54.44
It's my will to possess
00:13:01.08\00:13:03.75
All of your life
00:13:03.78\00:13:08.15
I'll take it all
00:13:08.18\00:13:10.42
so surrender to Me
00:13:10.45\00:13:13.96
For I'm building an army
00:13:13.99\00:13:17.16
To go in My Name
00:13:17.19\00:13:20.56
And My words in your mouth
00:13:20.60\00:13:23.57
Shall set the captives free
00:13:23.60\00:13:28.27
I am Jehovah!
00:13:28.30\00:13:30.67
I Am that I Am!
00:13:30.71\00:13:33.64
And My trumpets
00:13:33.68\00:13:35.68
Shall soon call out
00:13:35.71\00:13:41.68
I formed the worlds
00:13:41.72\00:13:44.15
With a whisper
00:13:44.19\00:13:47.72
But I'm getting ready
00:13:47.76\00:13:51.26
I'm getting
ready I'm getting ready
00:13:51.29\00:13:57.60
To shout!
00:13:57.63\00:13:59.43
It's the name
00:14:03.97\00:14:06.04
Above all names
00:14:06.07\00:14:11.15
And we must shout it
00:14:11.18\00:14:14.15
To a dying world
00:14:14.18\00:14:16.79
It's the name above all names
00:14:29.36\00:14:36.24
And we must declare it
00:14:36.27\00:14:40.11
We must declare it
00:14:40.14\00:14:42.61
It's the name
00:14:42.64\00:14:44.65
Above all names
00:14:44.68\00:14:49.75
And we must shout it
00:14:49.78\00:14:52.62
To a dying world
00:14:52.65\00:14:55.82
Well, I must say,
the Lord has blessed
00:15:10.67\00:15:14.48
Brother Bennett
with a beautiful voice.
00:15:14.51\00:15:17.38
And it's good to see that
00:15:17.41\00:15:18.75
he's praising the
Lord with that ability.
00:15:18.78\00:15:22.05
I invite you to
open up your Bibles
00:15:22.08\00:15:24.42
and read along with me,
00:15:24.45\00:15:27.16
Matthew 10:37-39.
00:15:27.19\00:15:33.53
I'll be reading out
of the New King James.
00:15:33.56\00:15:35.13
"He who loves father
or mother more than Me,
00:15:43.94\00:15:47.74
is not worthy of Me.
00:15:47.78\00:15:49.44
And he who loves son
or daughter more than Me,
00:15:49.48\00:15:52.28
is not worthy of Me.
00:15:52.31\00:15:53.95
And he who does
not take his cross
00:15:53.98\00:15:56.75
and follow after Me
is not worthy of Me.
00:15:56.79\00:16:00.16
He who finds his
life will lose it.
00:16:00.19\00:16:03.02
And he, who loses his life
for My sake, will find it."
00:16:03.06\00:16:06.46
Morning church. Morning.
00:16:26.88\00:16:31.25
It's a privilege to have
a few moments to talk about
00:16:31.29\00:16:35.26
one of my favorite subjects,
00:16:35.29\00:16:37.83
subject of a mission.
00:16:37.86\00:16:41.63
I'm also delighted to
be here with my family.
00:16:41.66\00:16:45.33
You know, the
longer that I live,
00:16:45.37\00:16:46.90
the more that I realized
how important our families are.
00:16:46.94\00:16:51.71
That when all is said and done,
00:16:51.74\00:16:55.11
the greatest treasure
that we will take with us
00:16:55.14\00:16:58.38
is the legacy
that we've left behind
00:16:58.41\00:17:00.85
in the lives of our family.
00:17:00.88\00:17:03.12
And I just had the
privilege of spending two days
00:17:03.15\00:17:05.82
with my children in Chicago,
00:17:05.85\00:17:07.99
my wife had to
go to a conference.
00:17:08.02\00:17:09.36
And so, we spent two days
00:17:09.39\00:17:11.89
just playing
father children together.
00:17:11.93\00:17:13.93
And I want to tell you,
00:17:13.96\00:17:15.50
that's some of
the richest moments,
00:17:15.53\00:17:17.13
isn't it?
00:17:17.17\00:17:18.50
To be able to be a
dad with your children,
00:17:18.53\00:17:21.17
and to delight in
them and to enjoy them
00:17:21.20\00:17:23.10
and to know that,
00:17:23.14\00:17:24.47
that God created us for this,
00:17:24.51\00:17:27.08
to be one, to be
a family together.
00:17:27.11\00:17:30.35
But as I think
about that picture,
00:17:30.38\00:17:31.71
I want to remind
each of you today that
00:17:31.75\00:17:33.65
that you have a heavenly Father,
00:17:33.68\00:17:36.48
who delights in you,
00:17:36.52\00:17:38.62
who wants to journey
life together with you.
00:17:38.65\00:17:42.76
And I want to ask you to
just take a moment with me
00:17:42.79\00:17:46.86
as we begin our journey
in this 11 o'clock hour,
00:17:46.90\00:17:51.47
to ask that God,
00:17:51.50\00:17:53.10
our Father, to reveal
Himself to us through His Word.
00:17:53.13\00:17:57.14
That's my prayer. Let's pray.
00:17:57.17\00:17:59.87
Dear Heavenly
Father, I know that,
00:17:59.91\00:18:01.74
that my father heart
is just a shadow of yours.
00:18:01.78\00:18:06.31
That my desire to
be with my children
00:18:06.35\00:18:08.58
and to love them
and to know them.
00:18:08.62\00:18:11.52
And for them to know me
00:18:11.55\00:18:13.86
is but a faint
reflection of Your desire
00:18:13.89\00:18:17.73
that we know You and love you
00:18:17.76\00:18:21.80
and that You love us.
00:18:21.83\00:18:23.50
Father, I ask that
You would draw back
00:18:23.53\00:18:24.87
the curtain
through my feeble lips,
00:18:24.90\00:18:27.40
that You would open our hearts
00:18:27.44\00:18:28.80
and shine the light of
Your truth into us that
00:18:28.84\00:18:31.57
as we worship together,
we would discover your face
00:18:31.61\00:18:35.48
and know that we
have indeed a Father,
00:18:35.51\00:18:38.11
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:18:38.15\00:18:41.95
It is one thing to
talk about missions.
00:18:41.98\00:18:44.09
It's easy
actually, actually it's easy
00:18:44.12\00:18:46.12
to talk about
missions, isn't it?
00:18:46.15\00:18:48.79
It's fun to hear mission stories
00:18:48.82\00:18:51.56
and to watch mission movies.
00:18:51.59\00:18:55.40
But to actually
live a life of mission
00:18:55.43\00:18:57.17
is a little more challenging.
00:18:57.20\00:19:00.44
Adventist Frontier
Missions, as you may know
00:19:00.47\00:19:02.04
has a almost a
preposterous mission.
00:19:02.07\00:19:06.01
The reason that
Adventist Frontier Missions
00:19:06.04\00:19:08.84
exist is to reach the unreached.
00:19:08.88\00:19:13.05
And we add this
little caveat that
00:19:13.08\00:19:14.78
it comes out of the book
Education from the chapter,
00:19:14.82\00:19:16.95
The Life Work,
not only to just reach
00:19:16.99\00:19:18.99
the unreached in the world,
00:19:19.02\00:19:20.42
but to reach them
in this generation.
00:19:20.46\00:19:24.06
And I grew up with
that picture in mind,
00:19:24.09\00:19:28.10
I grew up thinking
how important it is for us
00:19:28.13\00:19:31.33
to take the
gospel to the whole world
00:19:31.37\00:19:33.23
and our generation
because I wanted to see Jesus
00:19:33.27\00:19:35.94
to come in my time.
00:19:35.97\00:19:38.47
And I still do, don't you?
00:19:38.51\00:19:41.14
I want to be
alive when Jesus comes.
00:19:41.18\00:19:45.71
Well, one day I was
listening to John Kent,
00:19:45.75\00:19:48.68
and he helped me
00:19:48.72\00:19:50.09
to see another dimension to that
00:19:50.12\00:19:51.65
and that's this
simple statement,
00:19:51.69\00:19:53.52
"The reason that
00:19:53.56\00:19:54.89
we have to reach this generation
00:19:54.92\00:19:56.26
in this generation is
because this generation
00:19:56.29\00:19:57.73
is the only generation
00:19:57.76\00:19:59.09
that can reach this generation."
00:19:59.13\00:20:02.83
Let me run that by you again.
00:20:02.86\00:20:04.20
"The reason that we've
got to reach this generation
00:20:04.23\00:20:06.17
in this generation
00:20:06.20\00:20:07.87
is because this generation
is the only generation
00:20:07.90\00:20:10.44
that can reach this generation."
00:20:10.47\00:20:13.68
The serious
implications of that, friends,
00:20:13.71\00:20:15.34
is that if we don't do it,
00:20:15.38\00:20:18.05
those who die in this generation
00:20:18.08\00:20:19.98
have lost their chance.
00:20:20.02\00:20:22.65
And they depend
wholly on the mercy of God,
00:20:22.68\00:20:25.49
and the life that
they've lived that they have.
00:20:25.52\00:20:28.79
And so the mission
challenge to take the gospel
00:20:28.82\00:20:32.13
to the whole world
and in our generation
00:20:32.16\00:20:34.43
is definitely a
compelling mission
00:20:34.46\00:20:37.33
and a mission worth living for.
00:20:37.37\00:20:39.30
I enjoy my work at
Adventist Frontier Missions.
00:20:39.33\00:20:42.47
There's no two
days that are alike.
00:20:42.50\00:20:46.37
But behind all the challenges
and all the wonderful problems
00:20:46.41\00:20:49.31
that we work through
00:20:49.34\00:20:50.68
when you work in an organization
00:20:50.71\00:20:52.05
is the compelling
call to take the gospel
00:20:52.08\00:20:55.98
to the world in this generation.
00:20:56.02\00:20:58.09
Now we work with a church,
00:20:58.12\00:20:59.95
the Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:20:59.99\00:21:01.62
and we're fiercely
loyal to cooperating
00:21:01.66\00:21:05.46
and partnering with the mission
00:21:05.49\00:21:06.83
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:21:06.86\00:21:08.20
And you know, the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:21:08.23\00:21:10.20
was established on
the premise of mission.
00:21:10.23\00:21:13.34
We're just
listening to the lives...
00:21:13.37\00:21:15.50
There's a set of CDs that
00:21:15.54\00:21:17.41
the Ellen White
Estate has put out,
00:21:17.44\00:21:19.01
or the church had put out
00:21:19.04\00:21:20.38
that described the
lives of our founders.
00:21:20.41\00:21:22.78
And I want to tell
you, these people lived
00:21:22.81\00:21:24.48
with a passion for mission.
00:21:24.51\00:21:26.72
Our organizational
denomination was born
00:21:26.75\00:21:29.12
out of this passion for mission.
00:21:29.15\00:21:30.52
And if I had to ask you
today, do we value missions?
00:21:34.72\00:21:37.63
You would raise your hands.
Anyone here not value missions?
00:21:37.66\00:21:40.56
Let me put it that way.
00:21:40.60\00:21:41.93
Because it's kind of like
00:21:41.96\00:21:43.30
motherhood and apple pie, right?
00:21:43.33\00:21:44.83
We believe in missions.
00:21:44.87\00:21:46.94
Here's a question
that I have for you.
00:21:46.97\00:21:48.30
If there's so much
passion and support for missions
00:21:48.34\00:21:50.81
within the church, I'd
like to ask you a question.
00:21:50.84\00:21:53.48
Why is it that
Adventist Frontier Mission
00:21:53.51\00:21:55.98
is only sending
about five missionaries
00:21:56.01\00:21:59.21
to reach on people,
00:21:59.25\00:22:00.58
unreached people
groups every year.
00:22:00.62\00:22:02.18
Only five.
00:22:02.22\00:22:03.85
That's about how
many we've been doing.
00:22:03.89\00:22:06.42
And we spend hours recruiting,
00:22:06.45\00:22:07.92
we go to places,
invite people we go to...
00:22:07.96\00:22:09.96
There's this great need
00:22:09.99\00:22:11.69
and we talk about that
almost 6,000 unreached language
00:22:11.73\00:22:15.13
groups that we have yet
to be penetrated, 6,000.
00:22:15.16\00:22:18.00
Do you realize that if
Adventist Frontier Mission
00:22:18.03\00:22:20.40
sends five
missionaries every year,
00:22:20.44\00:22:22.60
it's gonna take
us 1,500 years to get
00:22:22.64\00:22:25.21
6,000 unreached language groups.
00:22:25.24\00:22:28.01
We're not going to do
it in this generation.
00:22:28.04\00:22:29.74
So something's got to change.
00:22:29.78\00:22:33.52
Something's got to change.
00:22:33.55\00:22:37.55
And as I've tried to
wrestle with this phenomenon,
00:22:37.59\00:22:40.06
and I'm looking, not
pointing the finger at you,
00:22:40.09\00:22:42.42
the church because we
are the church, right?
00:22:42.46\00:22:44.39
I am a member of this body
that's called to this mission
00:22:44.43\00:22:47.93
as I've tried to
wrestle with the question why,
00:22:47.96\00:22:50.17
why is it so difficult?
00:22:50.20\00:22:51.53
Why does it take so long
for people to make a decision?
00:22:51.57\00:22:54.74
My heart and mind is
gravitated back to this text
00:22:54.77\00:22:57.51
that we read for our
scripture reading time
00:22:57.54\00:22:59.74
and time again.
00:22:59.77\00:23:02.48
I'd like to invite
you to look at it with me
00:23:02.51\00:23:03.95
one more time.
00:23:03.98\00:23:05.31
Matthew Chapter 10.
00:23:05.35\00:23:07.58
It just so happens that
this passage that we read,
00:23:07.62\00:23:12.12
comes from a missions rally
that Jesus Himself is holding.
00:23:12.15\00:23:17.59
He's just called His disciples
00:23:17.63\00:23:19.33
and He's sending them out
on their first mission trip.
00:23:19.36\00:23:21.83
And these are His instructions.
00:23:21.86\00:23:23.20
And He ends with this
very difficult passage.
00:23:23.23\00:23:28.60
Matthew 10:37,
00:23:28.64\00:23:29.97
"Anyone who loves his
father or mother more than Me
00:23:30.01\00:23:31.67
is not worthy of Me.
00:23:31.71\00:23:33.24
Anyone who loves his
son or daughter more than Me
00:23:33.27\00:23:35.38
is not worthy of Me.
00:23:35.41\00:23:36.75
And anyone who does
not take up his cross,
00:23:36.78\00:23:39.65
and follow Me is
not worthy of Me."
00:23:39.68\00:23:41.55
And then that final verse,
00:23:41.58\00:23:42.95
"Whoever finds
his life will lose it.
00:23:42.98\00:23:46.05
But whoever loses his life
00:23:46.09\00:23:49.06
for My sake, will find it."
00:23:49.09\00:23:53.19
Now, I don't know about you,
00:23:53.23\00:23:54.56
but when I first
came across this passage,
00:23:54.60\00:23:58.53
I felt like
there was an intensity
00:23:58.57\00:24:00.90
here that may be inappropriate.
00:24:00.94\00:24:03.37
I mean, here Jesus is
asking us to love our parents
00:24:03.41\00:24:05.74
and our children less than Him.
00:24:05.77\00:24:07.14
And I don't know, and
this may be an illustration
00:24:07.18\00:24:10.61
that some might
appreciate, some may not.
00:24:10.65\00:24:12.71
But it almost
felt like, I don't know
00:24:12.75\00:24:14.22
if you've ever
sat next to somebody
00:24:14.25\00:24:15.58
who just consumed a
whole clove of garlic.
00:24:15.62\00:24:18.25
You know, you eat
and you sit next to them
00:24:18.29\00:24:19.62
and they talk to
you and it's like,
00:24:19.65\00:24:20.99
it's just overpowering,
00:24:21.02\00:24:22.36
you know, unless
you've done the same.
00:24:22.39\00:24:23.73
And I remember reading
00:24:23.76\00:24:25.09
this passage and saying, "Jesus,
00:24:25.13\00:24:26.46
it's just a little too pungent.
00:24:26.49\00:24:28.90
What are you saying to me?
00:24:28.93\00:24:30.50
How can I
understand this passage?
00:24:30.53\00:24:33.44
Could it be that
you just need a backhoe
00:24:33.47\00:24:35.04
from the garlic a
little bit, you know,
00:24:35.07\00:24:36.47
step, step back, Jesus."
00:24:36.50\00:24:40.21
But you see, Jesus
says this without apology.
00:24:40.24\00:24:42.14
"Anyone who loves
his father more than Me
00:24:42.18\00:24:44.15
is not worthy of Me.
00:24:44.18\00:24:46.31
And anyone who loves his
son or daughter more than Me
00:24:46.35\00:24:48.18
is not worthy of Me."
00:24:48.22\00:24:50.45
Jesus, what is it that
00:24:50.49\00:24:51.82
You are saying
and then, and then,
00:24:51.85\00:24:53.49
as I was
reflecting on this one day,
00:24:53.52\00:24:54.89
the Holy Spirit led my mind
to contemplate what it means,
00:24:54.92\00:25:01.43
what this commitment means,
00:25:01.46\00:25:02.80
what Jesus calling
us to our commitment,
00:25:02.83\00:25:04.83
He's calling us to make
00:25:04.87\00:25:06.20
what it means in
the context of marriage.
00:25:06.23\00:25:10.91
In other words,
how many of you would
00:25:10.94\00:25:12.27
like to be married to somebody
00:25:12.31\00:25:13.64
who loves their mother
or father more than you?
00:25:13.68\00:25:18.21
Wouldn't that be
amazing experience?
00:25:18.25\00:25:19.71
You come back
from the honeymoon.
00:25:19.75\00:25:22.02
And your spouse says, you know,
00:25:22.05\00:25:23.39
"I've really
enjoyed our time together,
00:25:23.42\00:25:24.75
but I'm gonna go spend
00:25:24.79\00:25:26.12
the next week with Mom and Dad,
00:25:26.15\00:25:27.49
I'm just missing
them a little bit."
00:25:27.52\00:25:29.19
There's something wrong
with that picture, right?
00:25:29.22\00:25:30.89
Because when you get married,
you cut the apron strings
00:25:30.93\00:25:33.83
and you let your
parents become a separate entity
00:25:33.86\00:25:37.90
and you are now
ushered into a new reality.
00:25:37.93\00:25:41.77
Husband and wife
becoming one flesh.
00:25:41.80\00:25:44.81
How many of you
would like to be married to
00:25:44.84\00:25:48.74
someone who loves your
children more than you?
00:25:48.78\00:25:52.88
"Honey, if you want to
come home, that's fine.
00:25:52.91\00:25:55.18
Food's in the refrigerator.
00:25:55.22\00:25:56.55
But I just love the kids
and we're fulfilled right here,
00:25:56.58\00:26:00.06
just the four of us or
the three of us together,
00:26:00.09\00:26:03.02
and you know, when
you come, that's fine.
00:26:03.06\00:26:05.46
If not, we were happy.
00:26:05.49\00:26:07.73
Month and years, you just come
00:26:07.76\00:26:09.60
when you feel like it,
you can sleep in the attic."
00:26:09.63\00:26:15.00
Something wrong
with that picture, right?
00:26:15.04\00:26:17.11
That's not marriage.
00:26:17.14\00:26:18.47
Marriage is where
the primary relationship
00:26:18.51\00:26:20.68
is husband and wife, right?
00:26:20.71\00:26:24.91
So my question is,
could it be that Jesus
00:26:24.95\00:26:27.42
is looking for a
marriage relationship
00:26:27.45\00:26:29.65
with us?
00:26:29.68\00:26:31.79
Is that what He's looking for?
00:26:31.82\00:26:33.25
Anyone who loves his
son or daughter more,
00:26:33.29\00:26:35.46
anyone who loves
his father or mother
00:26:35.49\00:26:36.99
more is not worthy of Me.
00:26:37.03\00:26:40.50
I remember reflecting on this.
00:26:40.53\00:26:42.33
My wife and I did
our premarital counseling
00:26:42.36\00:26:44.40
with Nancy Van Pelt,
00:26:44.43\00:26:47.24
who is a marriage
and family counselor.
00:26:47.27\00:26:50.01
We wanted the best.
00:26:50.04\00:26:51.51
We wanted to have
the best preparation
00:26:51.54\00:26:53.27
and so we spent
a weekend with her
00:26:53.31\00:26:55.01
and I remember
in one of her books,
00:26:55.04\00:26:57.35
she talked about seven
stages that you go through
00:26:57.38\00:26:59.81
when you're going
through the dating phases.
00:26:59.85\00:27:02.12
First phase, she says is
called the "Friendship Stage,"
00:27:02.15\00:27:05.45
and when you
start the college years,
00:27:05.49\00:27:07.66
as I worked as
a college chaplain
00:27:07.69\00:27:09.12
you'd see this happening
is where groups of people
00:27:09.16\00:27:12.06
would kind of gather
together around interests.
00:27:12.09\00:27:13.86
You know, the pre med students
00:27:13.90\00:27:15.26
would sit on this
side of the cafeteria.
00:27:15.30\00:27:17.07
And the kids who
like outdoor activities
00:27:17.10\00:27:19.43
would arrange Sabbath
00:27:19.47\00:27:20.87
and Sunday
afternoons to the beach,
00:27:20.90\00:27:23.30
kind of gather
around in affinity groups.
00:27:23.34\00:27:25.41
That's the
friendship stage in dating.
00:27:25.44\00:27:28.68
Get together because
you're like one another.
00:27:28.71\00:27:31.08
Well, after you spend
time mingling with each other
00:27:31.11\00:27:33.82
and these affinity groups
for a while, something happens.
00:27:33.85\00:27:36.38
And we move to the next step,
00:27:36.42\00:27:39.02
which is just
called "Casual Dating."
00:27:39.05\00:27:42.19
So we go from friendship
stage to casual dating,
00:27:42.22\00:27:44.66
and this is where it becomes
a little more intentional.
00:27:44.69\00:27:46.49
It's not just a free flow,
00:27:46.53\00:27:47.86
it's would you
like to join this group
00:27:47.90\00:27:50.20
to go in this event and
do this activity together?
00:27:50.23\00:27:53.03
So you can see that so
from just being friends,
00:27:53.07\00:27:56.27
to moving to intentionally
doing things together, okay.
00:27:56.30\00:28:00.18
Then the next
stage, stage number three
00:28:00.21\00:28:01.88
in the process of
moving towards marriage,
00:28:01.91\00:28:07.42
as Nancy Van Pelt suggested,
00:28:07.45\00:28:09.18
is she calls "Special Dating."
00:28:09.22\00:28:13.99
And when you're in
a college environment
00:28:14.02\00:28:15.42
and you're working with singles,
00:28:15.46\00:28:16.79
what often happens is,
that there's these events
00:28:16.83\00:28:19.26
that this student
association prepares and they,
00:28:19.29\00:28:21.86
you know, maybe
the spring banquet
00:28:21.90\00:28:23.60
or the Valentine's banquet,
00:28:23.63\00:28:24.97
and what will
happen is one person
00:28:25.00\00:28:26.43
or the other
will invite the other
00:28:26.47\00:28:28.70
to the banquet to come
to a special event together.
00:28:28.74\00:28:33.04
And you understand that,
that there's a higher level
00:28:33.07\00:28:35.14
of commitment to
the relationship.
00:28:35.18\00:28:36.64
And this couple is
looking at each other
00:28:36.68\00:28:39.35
and considering whether
there's a possibility here,
00:28:39.38\00:28:41.68
whether or not this relationship
00:28:41.72\00:28:43.15
could be terminal,
00:28:43.18\00:28:44.52
whether it's the
final relationship,
00:28:44.55\00:28:45.89
you know what I'm saying?
00:28:45.92\00:28:47.26
And so they're
checking each other out,
00:28:47.29\00:28:48.69
and they go to the
banquet, but we understand that
00:28:48.72\00:28:51.36
when you take somebody
to a banquet, if that's,
00:28:51.39\00:28:53.33
if you're at this stage
at the special dating stage,
00:28:53.36\00:28:56.33
when you take
somebody to a banquet,
00:28:56.36\00:28:57.70
you understand that you can go
00:28:57.73\00:28:59.97
with somebody else
to a banquet next week.
00:29:00.00\00:29:03.47
Now the person that you took
00:29:03.51\00:29:04.84
maybe just a little
bit bent out of shape,
00:29:04.87\00:29:06.84
they may have had
hopes that that this would be
00:29:06.88\00:29:09.44
more than just that event.
00:29:09.48\00:29:10.81
But what we understand
that it's still appropriate
00:29:10.85\00:29:12.71
to be dating around,
to have other friends
00:29:12.75\00:29:16.52
when you have
the special dating.
00:29:16.55\00:29:18.99
Well, there's the next step
when it becomes inappropriate.
00:29:19.02\00:29:20.96
That's what we
call "Steady Dating."
00:29:20.99\00:29:26.73
This is where you
say to the other person,
00:29:26.76\00:29:30.60
"Could we do this exclusively?"
00:29:30.63\00:29:32.13
And there's all kinds
of ways to do it, you know,
00:29:32.17\00:29:34.44
little hints, notes, whatever.
00:29:34.47\00:29:36.30
But the understanding
in the relationship is that
00:29:36.34\00:29:38.64
we have now
passed from doing this
00:29:38.67\00:29:41.14
kind of on a temporary basis
00:29:41.18\00:29:42.74
or basis of going
to different events,
00:29:42.78\00:29:44.58
to actually we like each
other enough to think about
00:29:44.61\00:29:47.25
doing this for
the rest of our lives.
00:29:47.28\00:29:49.22
And let's try that on for size.
00:29:49.25\00:29:51.29
And so we've come exclusive,
00:29:51.32\00:29:52.89
and you understand
that there's no engagement,
00:29:52.92\00:29:54.96
there's no talk of marriage yet.
00:29:54.99\00:29:56.66
But the understanding is that
00:29:56.69\00:29:58.03
they are moving
in that direction
00:29:58.06\00:29:59.39
and often in American culture,
00:29:59.43\00:30:01.16
couples will start
walking hand in hand in public.
00:30:01.20\00:30:03.67
And the reason for that
00:30:03.70\00:30:05.10
is that when we walk
hand in hand in public,
00:30:05.13\00:30:06.87
we're sending a public
message, "We're connected look,
00:30:06.90\00:30:10.01
don't touch the other person.
00:30:10.04\00:30:11.37
They belong to me.
I'm holding their hand."
00:30:11.41\00:30:16.24
By the way, that's why
I hold my son's hands too
00:30:16.28\00:30:18.61
because I want no one to,
he's mine, don't take him.
00:30:18.65\00:30:22.92
Well, you walk this
journey for a little while
00:30:22.95\00:30:26.49
and something happens.
00:30:26.52\00:30:28.39
We move to the next
phase, which is the fifth phase.
00:30:28.42\00:30:31.53
And what Nancy calls
this phase is the "Engaged"
00:30:31.56\00:30:34.36
to be engaged phase.
00:30:34.40\00:30:37.57
And this is where you ask
the big questions, you know,
00:30:37.60\00:30:39.70
the important
questions, you take her to meet.
00:30:39.73\00:30:43.34
He takes her to meet his family,
00:30:43.37\00:30:45.17
just to make
sure that the family
00:30:45.21\00:30:46.54
because you
understand when you get married,
00:30:46.57\00:30:47.91
you marry the
entire family, right?
00:30:47.94\00:30:49.81
You're not just
marrying a person,
00:30:49.84\00:30:51.18
you marry the whole history
and all the family dynamics
00:30:51.21\00:30:53.45
they will become yours.
00:30:53.48\00:30:54.82
So you want to check it out.
00:30:54.85\00:30:56.18
Make sure that you
fit in and she fits in
00:30:56.22\00:30:57.55
and the family likes it.
00:30:57.59\00:30:58.92
And then she does the same
00:30:58.95\00:31:00.29
and you have this
backward and forth,
00:31:00.32\00:31:01.66
and you ask the
questions like, you know,
00:31:01.69\00:31:03.02
you're having a
casual conversation of,
00:31:03.06\00:31:05.43
you know, a quick lunch
00:31:05.46\00:31:07.06
and the thoughts
been on your mind,
00:31:07.10\00:31:08.63
you know if you ever
had children, you know,
00:31:08.66\00:31:12.53
I was just wondering
00:31:12.57\00:31:14.14
how many children
you'd have, you know,
00:31:14.17\00:31:15.80
that's one of
the questions, right?
00:31:15.84\00:31:17.94
Got to make sure that
you're not a five child person
00:31:17.97\00:31:20.41
marrying a one
child person you know,
00:31:20.44\00:31:21.88
that would be a bit of
a family problem there.
00:31:21.91\00:31:24.35
Or a no child person
marrying a 15 child person
00:31:24.38\00:31:26.82
and just keep going
until the Lord stops, you know,
00:31:26.85\00:31:29.38
that's just,
you got to make sure
00:31:29.42\00:31:30.75
you're compatible.
00:31:30.79\00:31:32.99
The next important decision,
00:31:33.02\00:31:35.02
one of the
elements that I love is
00:31:35.06\00:31:36.99
which way you hang the
toilet paper, you know?
00:31:37.03\00:31:40.70
And you can save
yourself a lot of trouble
00:31:40.73\00:31:42.83
if you make sure you ask
these important questions
00:31:42.86\00:31:44.53
because the only
right way is out, right?
00:31:44.57\00:31:48.20
Half the
congregation shaking their head
00:31:48.24\00:31:49.94
because they like
you to run down the wall
00:31:49.97\00:31:51.51
and when you, you know,
you just can't find them.
00:31:51.54\00:31:53.11
Got to ask the
important questions.
00:31:57.11\00:31:58.45
Well, after you settle
00:31:58.48\00:31:59.81
the important
questions in your mind,
00:31:59.85\00:32:01.18
you move to the next stage.
00:32:01.22\00:32:02.55
And at this stage
we call "Engagement."
00:32:02.58\00:32:06.22
And generally in
American culture,
00:32:06.25\00:32:10.23
there has to be three things
00:32:10.26\00:32:11.59
in order for
engagement to be official.
00:32:11.63\00:32:12.96
Number one, first step
in the engagement process
00:32:12.99\00:32:15.70
is going to make
00:32:15.73\00:32:20.04
a public announcement.
00:32:20.07\00:32:22.84
There's no such
a thing, friends,
00:32:22.87\00:32:25.37
as a secret engagement.
00:32:25.41\00:32:28.21
By the way, young ladies,
if a man comes to you and says,
00:32:28.24\00:32:31.11
if you're single, and he says,
00:32:31.15\00:32:32.65
"Can we be engaged,
but let's not tell anybody,
00:32:32.68\00:32:34.68
you go tell him to get
psychological counseling
00:32:34.72\00:32:36.79
and to come back to
you when he's ready."
00:32:36.82\00:32:39.59
Because he's just
messing with your mind.
00:32:39.62\00:32:40.96
He's not ready to
make the commitment.
00:32:40.99\00:32:42.32
He just doesn't
want anybody else
00:32:42.36\00:32:43.69
to have your commitment.
00:32:43.73\00:32:45.59
The next step,
after public announcement
00:32:45.63\00:32:47.86
everybody we're getting married
00:32:47.90\00:32:49.70
after you've asked the question,
00:32:49.73\00:32:51.07
the next thing is
a significant gift.
00:32:51.10\00:32:54.07
And what is the gift about?
00:32:54.10\00:32:55.80
In some circles,
it's a diamond ring
00:32:55.84\00:32:57.44
and other
circles my brother in law
00:32:57.47\00:32:59.84
gave his girlfriend,
00:32:59.87\00:33:02.54
soon to become fiance
at that time, a piano.
00:33:02.58\00:33:05.21
What does it simply say?
00:33:05.25\00:33:06.58
It's simply saying,
I am committed to you.
00:33:06.61\00:33:08.62
I'm moving in, I'm
making an investment in you.
00:33:08.65\00:33:11.82
I was a little tickled.
00:33:11.85\00:33:13.19
The other day, I was flying back
00:33:13.22\00:33:14.69
from speaking engagement.
00:33:14.72\00:33:16.36
And I sat across from a
Norwegian lady airhostess,
00:33:16.39\00:33:21.96
just a precious
encounter that God gave us.
00:33:22.00\00:33:27.14
And we were busy talking,
00:33:27.17\00:33:28.50
just had a
wonderful conversation.
00:33:28.54\00:33:30.41
She said, you know, in Norway,
00:33:30.44\00:33:31.81
people don't
get married anymore.
00:33:31.84\00:33:36.44
And the reason is that,
00:33:36.48\00:33:37.81
that so many people
are getting divorced,
00:33:37.85\00:33:39.48
that they just live together.
00:33:39.51\00:33:41.72
And I suspect that you know,
00:33:41.75\00:33:43.15
they actually have a
special name for this.
00:33:43.18\00:33:44.95
And as I was reflecting on it,
00:33:44.99\00:33:46.59
I was thinking how ironic it
is because she was saying that
00:33:46.62\00:33:49.42
when you don't have
the marriage commitment,
00:33:49.46\00:33:51.46
your relationship lasts longer.
00:33:51.49\00:33:53.46
So when you're not committed,
you're more committed.
00:33:53.50\00:33:55.00
I was wrestling with that.
00:33:55.03\00:33:56.93
But she said this
and this just shows
00:33:56.97\00:33:59.27
the
misunderstanding within culture,
00:33:59.30\00:34:00.67
she says, "I really don't like
the whole engagement process.
00:34:00.70\00:34:03.10
It's kind of like a
guy buys a girl a ring,
00:34:03.14\00:34:04.71
puts it on a
finger and puts on layaway
00:34:04.74\00:34:06.27
until they get married."
00:34:06.31\00:34:09.18
Isn't that interesting?
Different way of looking at it.
00:34:09.21\00:34:12.51
So we're not putting
the other person on layaway,
00:34:12.55\00:34:14.35
we're actually expressing
00:34:14.38\00:34:15.72
the magnitude of our
commitment on the person.
00:34:15.75\00:34:18.82
I mean, that's
what a Judeo-Christian
00:34:18.85\00:34:20.32
from a
Judeo-Christian perspective,
00:34:20.36\00:34:21.79
that's what we're doing.
00:34:21.82\00:34:25.76
Well, of course, the next phase
00:34:25.79\00:34:28.13
is where you get married, right?
00:34:28.16\00:34:29.60
So you're engaged
now and you get married.
00:34:29.63\00:34:31.80
And here's the deal.
00:34:31.83\00:34:33.17
You have two people
00:34:33.20\00:34:34.54
who are two
separate individuals,
00:34:34.57\00:34:35.90
and we
understand they're separate
00:34:35.94\00:34:37.27
until you reach a certain point,
00:34:37.31\00:34:39.21
and then we consider them one.
00:34:39.24\00:34:40.64
And I want to ask you
today, what is that point?
00:34:40.68\00:34:43.88
You've been to many
weddings, you've seen people
00:34:43.91\00:34:46.25
join their lives
together in marriage.
00:34:46.28\00:34:49.82
And I want to
ask you the question,
00:34:49.85\00:34:51.19
as a pastor I've done this.
00:34:51.22\00:34:52.55
You have a wedding ceremony.
00:34:52.59\00:34:53.92
Everyone's
seated in the audience.
00:34:53.96\00:34:55.42
Dressed up nicely,
bride and groom come down
00:34:55.46\00:34:57.83
and there's a ceremony
00:34:57.86\00:34:59.19
and then there's a certain point
00:34:59.23\00:35:00.56
in the wedding when
we make the transition
00:35:00.60\00:35:02.00
from being
engaged to be married,
00:35:02.03\00:35:04.07
what is that point?
00:35:04.10\00:35:06.53
Anybody like to help me out?
00:35:06.57\00:35:10.71
When you make, when
you say the vows, right?
00:35:10.74\00:35:12.67
You say the vows,
you're making a pledge
00:35:12.71\00:35:15.34
to one another
before these witnesses
00:35:15.38\00:35:17.35
and before God,
00:35:17.38\00:35:18.71
and we understand
that that is the transition
00:35:18.75\00:35:20.72
from being a
couple to being a unit,
00:35:20.75\00:35:24.05
to being one.
00:35:24.09\00:35:25.92
And if I was
conducting a wedding,
00:35:25.95\00:35:28.06
and we got to the point
00:35:28.09\00:35:30.33
just before the vows were
said, and the groom said to me,
00:35:30.36\00:35:34.60
"Pastor, I'm not ready."
00:35:34.63\00:35:36.36
I would say to
him, "Are you sure?"
00:35:39.53\00:35:43.07
And if he said
to me, "I'm sure."
00:35:43.10\00:35:44.81
Then I would say,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:35:44.84\00:35:48.01
one of the two has just
told me that they're not ready.
00:35:48.04\00:35:51.25
I'm sorry.
00:35:51.28\00:35:52.85
We're going to
postpone the wedding
00:35:52.88\00:35:54.22
until we've sorted
out what's going on here.
00:35:54.25\00:35:56.58
I want to thank
you for coming today.
00:35:56.62\00:35:58.45
What do you want
to do with the cake?
00:35:58.49\00:36:00.62
We're going to
go and eat the cake
00:36:00.66\00:36:01.99
just to celebrate being together
00:36:02.02\00:36:03.76
but we understand, friends,
00:36:03.79\00:36:05.33
you know, eat
the reception dinner
00:36:05.36\00:36:07.06
or whatever, we
understand that it's okay
00:36:07.10\00:36:09.90
until the moment, right?
00:36:09.93\00:36:11.43
And everyone
goes wow what a waste,
00:36:11.47\00:36:12.87
but then we
shake our heads and say
00:36:12.90\00:36:14.24
rather before than after, right?
00:36:14.27\00:36:16.10
We understand and we
have that understanding
00:36:16.14\00:36:17.74
but what's the after?
00:36:17.77\00:36:19.11
Well, the after is
that you say your vows,
00:36:19.14\00:36:21.21
you say something like
this, "I, Laurence George Burn,
00:36:21.24\00:36:24.81
take you Lowes Greta Lolo
00:36:24.85\00:36:27.05
to be my wife, for
better or for worse,
00:36:27.08\00:36:29.92
for richer or for poorer,
for fatter or for thinner,
00:36:29.95\00:36:33.29
in sickness and
in health until when?
00:36:33.32\00:36:36.52
Until when?
Until death do us part.
00:36:36.56\00:36:40.03
Friends, do you understand
that when you get married,
00:36:40.06\00:36:42.16
you make a death
commitment to the other person.
00:36:42.20\00:36:45.40
Have you ever
thought of it like that?
00:36:45.43\00:36:48.04
That is the death
covenant. You're saying?
00:36:48.07\00:36:50.07
You're saying, "Honey,
00:36:50.11\00:36:51.44
I love you more
than life itself.
00:36:51.47\00:36:53.41
As a matter of fact,
00:36:53.44\00:36:54.78
I can't think of myself
apart from you, even death.
00:36:54.81\00:36:57.98
The only thing
that could separate me
00:36:58.01\00:37:00.35
from you would be death."
00:37:00.38\00:37:03.45
Now as I was
thinking about this one time,
00:37:03.49\00:37:05.25
I was doing a week of prayer,
00:37:05.29\00:37:06.62
and I was talking
about how Jesus calls us
00:37:06.65\00:37:08.89
to make this commitment.
00:37:08.92\00:37:10.26
I was reminded of
the Old Testament,
00:37:10.29\00:37:12.96
what was the
consequence for adultery?
00:37:12.99\00:37:16.13
Death, and I was
thinking, oh, that's incredible.
00:37:16.16\00:37:18.20
When I commit adultery,
00:37:18.23\00:37:19.93
I'm basically
saying bring it on.
00:37:19.97\00:37:22.57
I made this death
commitment to you.
00:37:22.60\00:37:26.11
The only other
commitment that I've made
00:37:26.14\00:37:27.81
that's larger is buying a house.
00:37:27.84\00:37:29.91
You know, we have this huge debt
00:37:29.94\00:37:31.28
to some bank that owns a house
00:37:31.31\00:37:33.38
and we're paying
them every month.
00:37:33.42\00:37:34.75
But you know,
the wonderful thing
00:37:34.78\00:37:36.12
about a house even though
it's such a large commitment
00:37:36.15\00:37:37.82
is that you can
sell the house, right?
00:37:37.85\00:37:40.49
With marriage, it's
final. There's no selling.
00:37:40.52\00:37:42.49
It's just it, that's it,
00:37:42.52\00:37:43.86
there is it,
that's done, marriage.
00:37:43.89\00:37:46.39
It's a death commitment.
00:37:46.43\00:37:47.76
One of the
questions that I have wrestled
00:37:53.54\00:37:55.14
with as I've thought
about this is could it be
00:37:55.17\00:37:56.91
that part of the
reason that there's so
00:37:56.94\00:38:00.74
little power in the church?
00:38:00.78\00:38:03.41
Could one of the reasons be that
00:38:03.45\00:38:05.11
that we're still
dating around with God.
00:38:05.15\00:38:08.18
You know, some of us
want to come on the weekends
00:38:08.22\00:38:09.95
and see Him
00:38:09.98\00:38:11.32
and dress up
nicely to be with Him
00:38:11.35\00:38:12.69
and then we want other
friends through the week.
00:38:12.72\00:38:16.02
That's called the
dating stage, right?
00:38:16.06\00:38:18.06
Or the friendship stage
or the casual dating stage
00:38:18.09\00:38:20.33
or maybe some of us
have said, you know,
00:38:20.36\00:38:21.80
it's about time I get
my life in line with Jesus.
00:38:21.83\00:38:23.93
And you start making
00:38:23.97\00:38:25.30
those little steps
and you start saying,
00:38:25.33\00:38:26.67
you know, could we
hold hands in public
00:38:26.70\00:38:28.04
and you come out and you say,
00:38:28.07\00:38:29.40
but you haven't
stepped across the line.
00:38:29.44\00:38:30.81
And here's the thing, God
is too much of a gentleman
00:38:30.84\00:38:36.24
to have children with
people out of wedlock.
00:38:36.28\00:38:40.45
And could that be the reason
00:38:40.48\00:38:41.82
why there's so
few spiritual children
00:38:41.85\00:38:43.85
in our churches?
00:38:43.89\00:38:46.15
Do you understand?
00:38:46.19\00:38:47.52
And this
confronts me every time.
00:38:47.56\00:38:49.39
We have a group of
missionaries coming through.
00:38:49.42\00:38:50.76
We just sent three
student missionaries
00:38:50.79\00:38:53.43
over to Africa.
00:38:53.46\00:38:54.80
Do you understand
that becoming a missionary
00:38:54.83\00:38:56.43
is a dangerous thing?
00:38:56.46\00:38:59.30
I'm thinking, we're kneeling,
Adventist Frontier Mission,
00:38:59.33\00:39:02.34
here's this young
girl Nicole Van Allen,
00:39:02.37\00:39:04.77
parents are kneeling
around and we're kneeling
00:39:04.81\00:39:06.71
and I'm thinking one
day I may have to do this.
00:39:06.74\00:39:08.81
I may have to send my daughter
00:39:08.84\00:39:10.18
to another country
and entrust her to God.
00:39:10.21\00:39:13.28
You know, and it's,
you feel vulnerable,
00:39:13.31\00:39:15.85
I was feeling vulnerable
for the parents, I was saying,
00:39:15.88\00:39:17.42
"Why do we do this,
this is a dangerous thing.
00:39:17.45\00:39:19.32
Why do we put people's
lives at stake like this?"
00:39:19.35\00:39:21.62
We're in the business
00:39:21.66\00:39:22.99
of putting
people's lives at stake?
00:39:23.02\00:39:24.73
And I was
reminded of this passage
00:39:24.76\00:39:26.66
that comes from the book,
00:39:26.70\00:39:29.26
The Lion, the
Witch and the Wardrobe,
00:39:29.30\00:39:30.63
I don't know if some
of you may not appreciate
00:39:30.67\00:39:32.43
C.S. Lewis's Narnia series,
00:39:32.47\00:39:37.54
but there's one
passage in there that
00:39:37.57\00:39:39.47
that just resonates with me.
00:39:39.51\00:39:41.54
And here's the story.
00:39:41.58\00:39:42.91
There's a group of children
00:39:42.94\00:39:44.28
who go through a
cupboard into another country,
00:39:44.31\00:39:46.38
and there's talking
animals in this country
00:39:46.41\00:39:48.22
and it's a long
story but very simple
00:39:48.25\00:39:50.45
to come down to the
point where I want to quote
00:39:50.49\00:39:54.06
C.S. Lewis,
there's a group of children
00:39:54.09\00:39:56.19
and they've met
a talking beaver.
00:39:56.22\00:39:58.49
Okay, and they're
living in this country
00:39:58.53\00:40:00.10
where it's always
winter and never Christmas,
00:40:00.13\00:40:03.90
because there's a spell
that's been cast over the land.
00:40:03.93\00:40:07.77
And the beavers tell
the children that Aslan,
00:40:07.80\00:40:10.77
who represents
Christ is on the move,
00:40:10.81\00:40:12.51
that he's coming
to restore things,
00:40:12.54\00:40:13.88
that he's coming back.
00:40:13.91\00:40:15.24
He's gonna set things right.
00:40:15.28\00:40:17.95
And the fact is, that prophecy
is being fulfilled in the myth
00:40:17.98\00:40:20.62
that there's four children,
00:40:20.65\00:40:21.98
and there's an ancient prophecy.
00:40:22.02\00:40:23.35
And the children start
talking about this Aslan,
00:40:23.39\00:40:24.89
who is he, what does he do?
00:40:24.92\00:40:26.45
And they
discover that he's a lion.
00:40:26.49\00:40:29.62
And the children
say, "He's a lion.
00:40:29.66\00:40:32.93
Is he safe?"
00:40:32.96\00:40:34.83
And the beaver
wrinkles up his nose
00:40:34.86\00:40:36.23
and he says, "Safe?
00:40:36.26\00:40:38.30
Friend, he's a lion.
Of course, he's not safe."
00:40:38.33\00:40:42.77
And then he smiles and says,
00:40:42.80\00:40:45.37
"He's not safe, but he's good."
00:40:45.41\00:40:49.31
And I want to
suggest to you friends today
00:40:49.34\00:40:50.68
that as we look into
the face of Jesus Christ,
00:40:50.71\00:40:53.28
as we look into the
face of a heavenly Father,
00:40:53.31\00:40:55.12
we see a wildness there
that sometimes terrifies us.
00:40:55.15\00:40:58.52
You see, our God
is not a safe God,
00:40:58.55\00:41:00.66
but a good God.
00:41:00.69\00:41:03.16
If that was not true,
then He would have chosen
00:41:03.19\00:41:07.30
another way to
save us, wouldn't He?
00:41:07.33\00:41:09.80
But you understand that
00:41:09.83\00:41:11.17
when Jesus went
through Gethsemane,
00:41:11.20\00:41:12.53
He wasn't doing the safe thing,
00:41:12.57\00:41:13.90
he was doing the
good thing for us.
00:41:13.94\00:41:16.74
Friends, I want
to suggest to you
00:41:16.77\00:41:18.11
that there's so
little power in the church
00:41:18.14\00:41:19.87
because we haven't come
to the point of loving more
00:41:19.91\00:41:21.91
than life itself.
00:41:21.94\00:41:24.28
As a matter of fact,
00:41:24.31\00:41:25.65
within our
culture, within our society,
00:41:25.68\00:41:27.15
the desire to live,
the desire to survive
00:41:27.18\00:41:30.62
is something that
has held as a core value.
00:41:30.65\00:41:32.62
And I would like to suggest,
00:41:32.65\00:41:34.12
if we haven't
thought about this carefully,
00:41:34.16\00:41:35.52
I want to suggest that
the core value to survive
00:41:35.56\00:41:38.69
supersedes our value of mission.
00:41:38.73\00:41:41.06
We'll spend hours
watching movies on people
00:41:44.77\00:41:48.00
who are in dangerous places
and watch how they make it
00:41:48.04\00:41:50.71
because we want to know
00:41:50.74\00:41:52.07
how we can make
it in everyday life.
00:41:52.11\00:41:54.21
That's what
television is all about, right?
00:41:54.24\00:41:55.58
Teaching people to survive.
00:41:55.61\00:41:58.01
If you'll just take this
Advil, you will survive the day.
00:41:58.05\00:42:02.68
You just drink this cup
up, you just eat our product
00:42:02.72\00:42:05.15
and you'll be able to survive,
00:42:05.19\00:42:06.52
you'll be able to
make it another day.
00:42:06.55\00:42:08.76
You buy this car and you'll be
00:42:08.79\00:42:10.99
pushed to the head
of the survival pack.
00:42:11.03\00:42:13.90
Survivor.
00:42:13.93\00:42:15.76
We take our student missionaries
00:42:15.80\00:42:17.13
on a weekend retreat.
00:42:17.17\00:42:19.13
And we wanna simulate
what it's going to be like
00:42:19.17\00:42:21.50
out in the mission field
00:42:21.54\00:42:22.87
and it's basically
a survival weekend.
00:42:22.90\00:42:24.31
Can they make it? Can
they make it together?
00:42:24.34\00:42:26.64
Can they make it
without cracking,
00:42:26.68\00:42:28.54
without getting
angry or without losing it?
00:42:28.58\00:42:31.61
And so we put them
through a number of very,
00:42:31.65\00:42:33.15
very difficult situations.
00:42:33.18\00:42:35.35
And one of the
young ladies said,
00:42:35.38\00:42:36.95
it's all about threes.
00:42:36.99\00:42:39.75
If you've got
three seconds to live,
00:42:39.79\00:42:41.72
then what you got to think about
00:42:41.76\00:42:43.19
is all you need
is a will to live.
00:42:43.22\00:42:45.96
If you've got, if
you've got three minutes
00:42:45.99\00:42:48.16
the most the
top priority is air.
00:42:48.20\00:42:50.03
If you've got three hours
00:42:50.07\00:42:51.67
and she goes on three days
that the top priority is water,
00:42:51.70\00:42:55.07
three weeks, the
top priority is food.
00:42:55.10\00:42:56.57
And three months, if
you can make it three months
00:42:56.60\00:42:58.24
you can probably survive.
00:42:58.27\00:43:00.64
But there's a profound
paradox in Scripture, friends,
00:43:00.68\00:43:02.94
and that is that the
people who fully embrace
00:43:02.98\00:43:07.05
the kingdom of
God are non survivors,
00:43:07.08\00:43:11.62
people who give up
the right to survive.
00:43:11.65\00:43:14.62
And here's the paradox, friends.
00:43:14.66\00:43:16.19
And that is that anyone in
Scripture if you studied up,
00:43:16.22\00:43:19.66
those who hold
on to their lives,
00:43:19.69\00:43:22.66
end up losing everything,
and those who release it
00:43:22.70\00:43:25.80
and give it up change the world.
00:43:25.83\00:43:29.74
Let me give you a few examples.
00:43:29.77\00:43:31.11
Shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego, right?
00:43:31.14\00:43:33.24
Oh, King Nebuchadnezzar,
00:43:33.27\00:43:35.71
our God is able to save
us but what do they say?
00:43:35.74\00:43:38.61
If he doesn't?
00:43:38.65\00:43:40.45
We will not bow down to
your image nor worship him.
00:43:40.48\00:43:45.29
What happened as a
result of those non survivors,
00:43:45.32\00:43:47.36
those people who love
God more than life itself
00:43:47.39\00:43:50.16
what happened as a result?
00:43:50.19\00:43:51.79
They were thrown
into the fire, friends.
00:43:51.83\00:43:55.96
They went right into the fire.
00:43:56.00\00:43:59.10
Could they have
died in the fire?
00:43:59.13\00:44:01.34
Absolutely yes.
00:44:01.37\00:44:02.90
As a matter of fact,
00:44:02.94\00:44:04.27
that was the
purpose of the fire,
00:44:04.31\00:44:05.64
to kill them.
00:44:05.67\00:44:08.08
Why could they go
into the fire, why?
00:44:08.11\00:44:10.01
But I'm going to
suggest to you that Shadrach,
00:44:10.05\00:44:11.48
Meshach and
Abednego had found a love
00:44:11.51\00:44:15.35
that was better
than life itself.
00:44:15.38\00:44:16.72
Another example.
00:44:20.42\00:44:23.19
What about Stephen?
00:44:23.22\00:44:25.79
What happens to Stephen?
00:44:25.83\00:44:27.20
Steven goes
before the Sanhedrin.
00:44:27.23\00:44:28.56
And he says some very
foolish things, you know,
00:44:28.60\00:44:30.50
these are people
who could kill him.
00:44:30.53\00:44:32.03
But he witnesses and
he testifies, and he says,
00:44:32.07\00:44:34.24
"You, you need to repent
because Jesus has come to...
00:44:34.27\00:44:38.57
Jesus came to save
you and you crucified Him,
00:44:38.61\00:44:40.81
and they end up killing Stephen.
00:44:40.84\00:44:42.18
And what does he do?
00:44:42.21\00:44:43.55
He looks up and there's
this glow around his face.
00:44:43.58\00:44:45.21
And Stephen, the first
martyr becomes a world changer.
00:44:45.25\00:44:49.05
The other side of the story,
00:44:49.08\00:44:50.42
what about Ananias and Sapphira?
00:44:50.45\00:44:52.29
They try to hold on to
a little bit of their life
00:44:52.32\00:44:53.79
and they end up
losing everything.
00:44:53.82\00:44:55.16
What about King Saul
00:44:55.19\00:44:56.52
who try to hold
on to his kingdom
00:44:56.56\00:44:57.89
and end up losing
his whole kingdom?
00:44:57.93\00:44:59.26
Friends, I want to
present to you a choice,
00:44:59.29\00:45:01.90
I don't think
it's more important
00:45:01.93\00:45:03.26
to be a foreign missionary,
00:45:03.30\00:45:04.63
or a stay at home mission, okay?
00:45:04.67\00:45:06.00
Because if you,
you're one of two things,
00:45:06.03\00:45:07.80
you're either a
missionary or a mission field.
00:45:07.84\00:45:09.27
That's pretty common
language in missions.
00:45:09.30\00:45:12.11
They either are
missionary or mission field.
00:45:12.14\00:45:15.34
So I'm not saying that
going over is some greatest,
00:45:15.38\00:45:18.88
greater challenge
than staying here.
00:45:18.91\00:45:20.68
But I want to tell you
this, if you decide to go over,
00:45:20.72\00:45:23.05
you're going to have to confront
00:45:23.08\00:45:24.42
the reality of dying,
00:45:24.45\00:45:26.39
that you're going
to have to confront
00:45:26.42\00:45:27.76
if you're going to be
effective missionaries here.
00:45:27.79\00:45:29.86
The benefit of
going to another country
00:45:29.89\00:45:31.29
is that you've got
to say, am I this crazy
00:45:31.33\00:45:33.19
to go to another place
and to live on another land
00:45:33.23\00:45:35.03
and sell everything and
go learn another language
00:45:35.06\00:45:37.00
and try and reach, reach
this unreached people group
00:45:37.03\00:45:40.34
because they may not like
me, they may be hostile to me.
00:45:40.37\00:45:42.57
You know, the
benefit that we have
00:45:42.60\00:45:44.07
when we stay here is that
00:45:44.11\00:45:45.44
we can bury ourselves
under a facade of missions
00:45:45.47\00:45:48.01
and think we're doing it.
00:45:48.04\00:45:50.75
We can be survivors better
here than when we go overseas.
00:45:50.78\00:45:55.18
You know, if you go
overseas, you might get malaria
00:45:55.22\00:45:59.15
or you might be
killed with the gunshots
00:45:59.19\00:46:02.46
or there might be
unrest in the country.
00:46:02.49\00:46:05.19
You understand what I'm
saying. You might lose a child.
00:46:05.23\00:46:07.30
Dangerous things
could happen to you
00:46:07.33\00:46:08.66
if you go overseas.
00:46:08.70\00:46:10.03
Don't go as a missionary,
just stay right here.
00:46:10.07\00:46:11.87
Well guess what?
00:46:11.90\00:46:13.23
The advantages you
can stay right here
00:46:13.27\00:46:14.60
and you can
build your picket fence
00:46:14.64\00:46:16.40
and you can blare for
retirement and you can,
00:46:16.44\00:46:18.84
you can have your
three and a half children
00:46:18.87\00:46:20.78
and have a wonderful
life and no ruffles and no...
00:46:20.81\00:46:23.95
You understand what I'm saying?
00:46:23.98\00:46:25.58
Could it be that
Jesus is calling us today
00:46:25.61\00:46:29.22
just like He did
the first disciples
00:46:29.25\00:46:31.39
in Matthew 4:18-20.
00:46:31.42\00:46:34.46
When he says, "Come follow Me
00:46:34.49\00:46:36.06
and I will make
you fishers of men."
00:46:36.09\00:46:38.19
And you realize
that out of those four
00:46:38.23\00:46:39.56
only one of them
died a natural death
00:46:39.59\00:46:41.36
and that was after being thrown
into a pot of boiling water.
00:46:41.40\00:46:45.33
Oil. Oil, thank you.
00:46:45.37\00:46:49.70
So when Jesus
calls us when he bids us,
00:46:49.74\00:46:51.74
come follow and he
says, "Come follow Me."
00:46:51.77\00:46:55.38
When He calls disciples,
He says, "Come and die."
00:46:55.41\00:47:01.12
Now how do we do this?
00:47:01.15\00:47:02.48
How do we make this
transition from being people
00:47:02.52\00:47:04.42
who are holding on to life?
00:47:04.45\00:47:05.79
Who are survivors,
00:47:05.82\00:47:07.16
who are saying how
can I make it the next day
00:47:07.19\00:47:08.66
to living with abandon?
00:47:08.69\00:47:11.03
I think I found this
love that is better than life.
00:47:11.06\00:47:15.23
Here's the key, friends.
00:47:15.26\00:47:16.83
Jesus never asks
us to do anything that
00:47:16.87\00:47:19.23
He does not first offer to us.
00:47:19.27\00:47:23.51
Do you understand
that Jesus today loves you
00:47:23.54\00:47:25.37
more than life itself?
00:47:25.41\00:47:27.34
Do you understand that
00:47:27.38\00:47:28.71
when Jesus was in
the Garden of Gethsemane,
00:47:28.74\00:47:30.08
it was a choice
between His Father and you,
00:47:30.11\00:47:31.91
and He chose you.
00:47:31.95\00:47:33.28
He says, Father's any
other way that we can do this
00:47:33.31\00:47:34.98
so that I don't I'm
gonna be separated from you.
00:47:35.02\00:47:36.62
Is there any other way,
can you take this cup from me?
00:47:36.65\00:47:39.22
What was that cup?
It was you, it was me.
00:47:39.25\00:47:43.09
So the marriage license,
00:47:43.12\00:47:44.46
friends is already
signed half in blood.
00:47:44.49\00:47:47.70
I love you more
than life itself.
00:47:47.73\00:47:50.07
When you read eschatology,
you come back to this line
00:47:50.10\00:47:52.50
over and over again when
God looks forward to the day
00:47:52.53\00:47:54.77
and He longs and
yearns for the day,
00:47:54.80\00:47:56.30
when He can say,"
00:47:56.34\00:47:57.67
I am their God and
they are My people."
00:47:57.71\00:48:02.11
That's marriage language.
00:48:02.14\00:48:03.58
God wants to have
00:48:03.61\00:48:04.95
a marriage
relationship with us, friends.
00:48:04.98\00:48:09.08
Do you realize
that the final fear that
00:48:09.12\00:48:11.12
we all have to face
is the fear of ourselves?
00:48:11.15\00:48:14.76
Why? Why are we afraid?
00:48:14.79\00:48:16.19
When you think
about going door to door,
00:48:16.22\00:48:17.56
we get this little
nervous feeling like,
00:48:17.59\00:48:20.06
why are we afraid?
00:48:20.10\00:48:21.43
I'll tell you why?
We're afraid of ourselves.
00:48:21.46\00:48:24.43
I just learned this recently.
I think it's fascinating.
00:48:24.47\00:48:26.53
You see there's
certain this times
00:48:26.57\00:48:28.30
when we feel an emotion of fear.
00:48:28.34\00:48:32.11
And when we feel that,
00:48:32.14\00:48:33.48
we feel this
certain emotion of fear,
00:48:33.51\00:48:35.64
we are afraid that
00:48:35.68\00:48:37.01
we will stop
acting like ourselves.
00:48:37.05\00:48:38.88
We'll freak out,
our voice will squeak,
00:48:38.91\00:48:41.28
we'll do something stupid.
00:48:41.32\00:48:42.75
And so we avoid that place.
Whatever that place is for us.
00:48:42.78\00:48:47.16
How do you overcome
that fear? Very simple.
00:48:47.19\00:48:51.26
And it's very difficult.
00:48:51.29\00:48:55.46
We overcome that kind of
a fear when we realize that
00:48:55.50\00:48:57.53
there's somebody
who wants to be with us,
00:48:57.57\00:48:59.27
no matter what.
00:48:59.30\00:49:01.30
Somebody who loves us
more than life itself,
00:49:01.34\00:49:03.24
somebody who cherishes us
00:49:03.27\00:49:04.81
whether our
voice squeaks or not?
00:49:04.84\00:49:08.34
Just this past week,
00:49:08.38\00:49:09.71
I was invited to go
door to door in Wenatchee.
00:49:09.74\00:49:13.82
And I've always
been afraid of going out
00:49:13.85\00:49:15.42
and finding strangers.
00:49:15.45\00:49:16.79
And the Holy
Spirit just washed over me
00:49:16.82\00:49:18.15
and I was going in
as I've been flying in,
00:49:18.19\00:49:20.72
I've been looking at cities,
00:49:20.76\00:49:22.09
and I'm saying
there's the farmlands,
00:49:22.12\00:49:23.46
and there's the people,
and they're supporting them.
00:49:23.49\00:49:25.39
And there's the city
00:49:25.43\00:49:26.76
where everyone
tells everyone what to do.
00:49:26.80\00:49:28.13
You know, they
sit in the offices,
00:49:28.16\00:49:29.50
sending emails, you do this
and send that cone over there
00:49:29.53\00:49:31.00
and grind it over there.
00:49:31.03\00:49:32.37
And so that's how a city works.
00:49:32.40\00:49:33.74
And then I was thinking,
00:49:33.77\00:49:35.10
what's this gonna
look like when Jesus comes?
00:49:35.14\00:49:37.11
And I said, you know,
it's gonna be incredible
00:49:37.14\00:49:38.47
when Jesus comes,
00:49:38.51\00:49:39.84
I'm going to be
looking back on my day
00:49:39.87\00:49:41.21
in Wenatchee knocking on doors,
00:49:41.24\00:49:42.64
and I'm going to think
about it differently, aren't I?
00:49:42.68\00:49:45.41
Because you see, once
we're looking back on it,
00:49:45.45\00:49:47.45
it's not going
to be, am I afraid?
00:49:47.48\00:49:49.08
Could I die?
Could I lose something?
00:49:49.12\00:49:50.62
Could somebody
think I'm an idiot?
00:49:50.65\00:49:51.99
No, that's not the question.
00:49:52.02\00:49:53.36
The question is, did
I knock on enough doors?
00:49:53.39\00:49:56.69
Because then, by then
the chances are passed.
00:49:56.73\00:50:00.73
So I want to invite you
today to be become missionaries,
00:50:00.76\00:50:03.77
to hear the invitation of
Jesus Christ who loves you,
00:50:03.80\00:50:06.13
by the way more
than life itself.
00:50:06.17\00:50:08.80
And as a church,
00:50:08.84\00:50:10.17
as a people to
rise up and to say,
00:50:10.21\00:50:13.44
"I'm done with
living as a survivor.
00:50:13.48\00:50:16.34
I want to embrace the God
00:50:16.38\00:50:18.25
who loves me
more than life itself.
00:50:18.28\00:50:21.22
I want to rise up
and be a missionary,
00:50:21.25\00:50:23.12
whether it's here or overseas.
00:50:23.15\00:50:26.62
I want to face the fears that
I have before the living God.
00:50:26.65\00:50:30.43
I'm gonna let Him teach me
about His loving compassion
00:50:30.46\00:50:33.33
and kindness to me.
00:50:33.36\00:50:35.36
And you see,
friends, by when that happens,
00:50:35.40\00:50:37.70
when we begin to love
more than life itself,
00:50:37.73\00:50:41.60
we will become
world changers. Why?
00:50:41.64\00:50:42.97
Because you see
00:50:43.00\00:50:44.34
the most powerful
people in the world
00:50:44.37\00:50:45.71
are those who are
not afraid to die.
00:50:45.74\00:50:49.11
You disagree with me, okay.
00:50:49.14\00:50:51.45
Terrorists, what do
you do to a terrorist?
00:50:51.48\00:50:54.42
Listen, friend,
00:50:54.45\00:50:55.78
if you don't stop this nonsense,
00:50:55.82\00:50:57.52
we're going to
put you in prison,
00:50:57.55\00:50:58.89
you may be there
for the rest of life
00:50:58.92\00:51:00.26
and we also have this
thing called capital punishment.
00:51:00.29\00:51:01.92
You could be killed.
00:51:01.96\00:51:03.29
You know what
the terrorist says,
00:51:03.32\00:51:04.66
"Thank you.
00:51:04.69\00:51:06.03
I was planning
to do that myself."
00:51:06.06\00:51:08.66
Why have
terrorists changed the world
00:51:08.70\00:51:11.13
because terrorists
are not afraid to die.
00:51:11.17\00:51:14.34
There was someone in the
Old, in the New Testament
00:51:14.37\00:51:16.64
that had the
spirit of a terrorist,
00:51:16.67\00:51:19.21
but it become that for Christ.
00:51:19.24\00:51:20.94
Turn with me to
Acts, Acts Chapter 20.
00:51:20.98\00:51:23.71
Acts Chapter 20.
00:51:30.65\00:51:32.39
And I'd like to invite
you to begin reading verse 19.
00:51:32.42\00:51:36.83
This is in the context of Paul,
00:51:36.86\00:51:38.23
the Holy Spirit's been
calling him to go to Jerusalem,
00:51:38.26\00:51:40.26
people have been
warning him don't go,
00:51:40.30\00:51:41.80
you're going to
get into trouble,
00:51:41.83\00:51:43.16
you may even lose
your life is what it says.
00:51:43.20\00:51:45.07
So then Acts
Chapter 20 would help
00:51:45.10\00:51:49.47
if I was in the right
place, it was 22, sorry.
00:51:49.50\00:51:52.34
20:22, "And now
compel by the Spirit,
00:51:52.37\00:51:54.94
I am going to
Jerusalem not knowing
00:51:54.98\00:51:56.64
what will happen to me there."
00:51:56.68\00:51:58.35
So the Holy
Spirit is telling Paul
00:51:58.38\00:51:59.71
to go to Jerusalem
00:51:59.75\00:52:01.08
and he has no idea
what's going to happen.
00:52:01.12\00:52:03.45
"I only know that in every city,
00:52:03.49\00:52:06.99
the Holy Spirit
warns me that prison
00:52:07.02\00:52:08.92
and hardships are facing me."
00:52:08.96\00:52:10.89
Now, if you heard
a voice telling you
00:52:10.93\00:52:12.73
to go to Baghdad,
and this voice told you,
00:52:12.76\00:52:16.23
I don't know
how the voice worked
00:52:16.26\00:52:17.60
or how the Holy Spirit work.
00:52:17.63\00:52:19.27
But if you had, if
you had that experience,
00:52:19.30\00:52:21.40
wouldn't you question it?
00:52:21.44\00:52:22.77
Wouldn't you say, "Wait
a minute, this is insane.
00:52:22.80\00:52:25.27
You know, I haven't got my life
insurance plan in place yet."
00:52:25.31\00:52:27.74
But listen to Paul.
00:52:27.78\00:52:29.64
And of course,
you understand Paul
00:52:29.68\00:52:31.01
has a relationship with
Jesus, so that he knows I mean,
00:52:31.05\00:52:33.25
he's heard the voice
of Jesus in everyday life.
00:52:33.28\00:52:36.48
Okay, verse 23,
00:52:36.52\00:52:37.85
"I only know that in every city,
00:52:37.89\00:52:39.75
the Holy Spirit warns me that
00:52:39.79\00:52:41.12
prison and
hardships are facing me.
00:52:41.16\00:52:42.82
And then he has this verse
00:52:42.86\00:52:44.19
where Paul demonstrates
that he's come to this place.
00:52:44.23\00:52:46.76
Verse 24.
00:52:46.80\00:52:48.13
"However, I consider my
life worth nothing to me.
00:52:48.16\00:52:53.60
If only I may finish the
race and complete the task
00:52:53.64\00:52:56.77
that Lord Jesus has given me,
00:52:56.81\00:52:58.64
that the task of testifying
00:52:58.67\00:53:01.11
to the gospel of God's grace."
00:53:01.14\00:53:04.81
Friends, it's time as a church
00:53:04.85\00:53:06.85
and we come to the place
that Brother Paul led us to.
00:53:06.88\00:53:10.72
It's time that we come to
the place that Paul led us to
00:53:10.75\00:53:12.55
because he had seen
that place in Jesus Christ.
00:53:12.59\00:53:15.99
Are we at a place
where we can say honestly
00:53:16.02\00:53:17.46
before God, that we,
00:53:17.49\00:53:19.29
my life counts nothing in
the light of the privilege
00:53:19.33\00:53:23.16
of being called to share
the good news of the gospel?
00:53:23.20\00:53:27.14
And so today, I
present a challenge to you
00:53:27.17\00:53:28.94
the call, invitation.
00:53:28.97\00:53:31.17
Will you be a
survivor or a non survivor?
00:53:31.21\00:53:35.44
Will you fit
into the category of
00:53:35.48\00:53:36.88
or the camp of the Shadrachs,
00:53:36.91\00:53:38.25
Meshachs and
Abednegos of history
00:53:38.28\00:53:40.88
or the Ananias and Sapphiras,
we can just give this much.
00:53:40.92\00:53:44.25
Can only afford that much
because we got to hold on.
00:53:44.29\00:53:49.16
It's time,
friends, the hour has come
00:53:49.19\00:53:51.36
for the people of
God to begin living with
00:53:51.39\00:53:53.23
reckless abandon
for the cause of God.
00:53:53.26\00:53:56.33
Because one day everything
else is not going to count.
00:53:56.36\00:53:59.40
Everything else is
not going to count.
00:53:59.43\00:54:02.54
What does Jesus say anyone
who loves his father or mother
00:54:02.57\00:54:04.74
more than Me is
not worthy of Me.
00:54:04.77\00:54:06.88
What does He mean?
Worthy of His love for us!
00:54:06.91\00:54:11.88
That He has loved that way.
00:54:11.91\00:54:13.92
So friends, the
opposite is true.
00:54:13.95\00:54:16.72
If you love Him more
than your mother and father,
00:54:16.75\00:54:19.29
if you want to love
Jesus more than your children,
00:54:19.32\00:54:21.19
if you want to love
Him more than your fear
00:54:21.22\00:54:23.02
of carrying the cross,
00:54:23.06\00:54:24.39
if you want to love
Him more than life itself,
00:54:24.43\00:54:27.50
His invitation
today is come on in.
00:54:27.53\00:54:30.17
Come and experience life
that is so good that death,
00:54:30.20\00:54:34.50
even death can't take it away.
00:54:34.54\00:54:37.97
That's my prayer
for you. Let's pray.
00:54:38.01\00:54:39.34
Dear Heavenly Father,
I want to thank you today
00:54:39.37\00:54:42.04
and that in Jesus name,
00:54:42.08\00:54:43.41
You are calling us
to discover something
00:54:47.08\00:54:52.19
that is so foreign to
the ordinary capitalists
00:54:52.22\00:54:56.73
living in North America.
00:54:56.76\00:55:00.16
And as people we want
to confess to You that
00:55:00.20\00:55:01.80
we've been holding on,
we've been trying to survive.
00:55:01.83\00:55:06.03
Today, we want to love
You more than life itself.
00:55:06.07\00:55:11.04
And we thank You
that we can do that
00:55:11.07\00:55:12.41
because You have
first loved us that way.
00:55:12.44\00:55:15.58
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:55:15.61\00:55:18.35