Brothers and
sisters, friends and family,
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colleagues and viewers around
the world, the Bible says,
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"For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son,
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"that whosoever
should believe in Him,
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should not perish but
have everlasting life."
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This verse gives us
comfort and hope in a world
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that is corrupt and chaotic.
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And it is
because of this promise
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that we can have peace, we
can have joy in this world,
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we can have assurance
that the day is coming soon
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when there will be no more pain,
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no more troubles and trials,
no more tears, no more parting,
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and no more death.
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This is the
blessed hope that we have.
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The blessed hope of
life eternal with Jesus,
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our Friend, our
Lord, and our Savior.
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The title of today's message is
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"Salvation,
Suicide and Service."
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Please bow your
heads with me as we pray.
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Dear Heavenly Father,
we come before You today
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asking for an
outpouring of Your Holy Spirit.
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We believe that
You will come again
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and that You'll
take us home with You,
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so that we can
be with You forever,
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and we pray that as we
study today as we look through
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the Bible and see what
You would share with us,
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please speak to us, please
pour out Your spirit upon us,
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anoint our minds, give
us understanding, Father.
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Convict our hearts, so that
we may leave this place changed,
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in Your holy and
precious name we pray, amen.
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Turn with me in
your Bibles to Acts.
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The book of Acts is the
fifth book of the New Testament,
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Matthew, Mark,
Luke, John, and Acts.
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And we're gonna be
looking at Acts Chapter 4.
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And to just set a
little bit of context,
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we're gonna see this morning
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that the Bible talks
about a group of men.
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Men and women who are
so surrendered to the Lord
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that they're filled
with the Holy Spirit 100%.
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And it is against this
context that Chapter 4 happens,
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Pentecost had
transpired, they had been filled
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with the Holy Spirit,
Jesus had already ascended
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and it was against
this context that the verses
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we're gonna
look at this morning.
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Acts Chapter 4 verse
12, and let's read together.
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Acts Chapter 4 and verse 12.
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"And there is
salvation in no one else,
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"for there is no other name
under heaven given among men,
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whereby we must be saved."
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As I already mentioned,
Pentecost had happened,
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they were filled
with the Holy Spirit,
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thousands were
now following Jesus,
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they were added to the church
and the apostles are doing
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the very work,
they're witnessing the way
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Jesus had
called them to witness.
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And in this verse specifically,
we know that by this point
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almost 5,000 followers
had been added to the church
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and they had just
finished healing a man.
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The Holy Spirit was in them
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and was doing great
things through them.
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You know, they
didn't have silver
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and they didn't have gold,
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but what they did
have was the Holy Spirit.
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And then we read this
text in Acts Chapter 4,
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they were giving an answer
in response to the questions
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that they were being asked,
they had finished healing a man,
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and because
they healed that man,
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the religious
establishment of the day
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was angry and frustrated
because they claimed to be,
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to be healing this
man in the name of Jesus.
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And they didn't like that
because they had killed Jesus.
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And so they asked
the question in verse 7.
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"In whose name and whose
power, do you do these things?"
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And Peter answers,
in the name of Jesus,
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and he goes on to say,
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and I want to
read the verse again.
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"There is
salvation and no one else
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"for there is no other name
under heaven given among men,
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whereby we must be saved."
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And so we began to see the theme
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for this morning's
talk, and that is salvation
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only comes
through the name of Jesus.
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And to really emphasize that
the way the text emphasizes it,
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I must bring out the
word must, salvation must come
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through no one
else other than Jesus.
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It is imperative that we realize
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that there is
not another person,
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another entity in the
world that can give salvation.
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That's why Jesus
says in the Book of John,
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"I am the way, the truth,
and the life, no one comes
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to the Father
accept through Me."
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Salvation can only come through
Jesus and this verse says,
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"We must be saved
by the name of Jesus."
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We're gonna look at "Salvation,
Suicide, and Service" today
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and the first task
which is Salvation.
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We have already
seen that salvation
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is only received through Jesus.
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We're gonna look at
three examples of this,
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so let's turn in our Bibles now.
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Let's turn in our
Bibles to Numbers Chapter 21.
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In Numbers Chapter
21, we're going to see
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a very interesting verse,
verse 8 of Numbers Chapter 21.
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The Bible says, "And
the Lord said to Moses,
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"make a fiery
serpent and set it on a pole,
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and everyone who is bitten,
when he sees it, shall live."
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The context really
quickly of this verse
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is that the children of
Israel had been punished
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for complaining and the
way that they're being punished
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was snakes came into the camp
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and were biting
and killing them,
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and Moses is
commanded to put upa pole
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with a fiery
serpent on it, and if people
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would look at that pole, look
at that serpent on the pole,
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they would be
saved, they would be saved.
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And so this begins to
develop a theme that tells us
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where you look will determine
whether you are saved or lost.
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Let me repeat that again.
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Where you look will determine
whether you are saved or lost.
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Let's look at example number 2.
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Example number 2, I'll recount
the story to really quickly.
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Peter and the
disciples are in a boat
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and they're in
the middle of Galilee,
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and it's a very stormy
night and as they're there
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in that boat and they feel
that their life is in peril.
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They see someone
come walking on the water
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and Peter asks the question.
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Jesus, is it You, if it's You,
let me walk and come to You.
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And so Jesus is looking, He
is seeing Jesus and he begins
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to walk because Jesus
says, "Yes, come, walk."
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And He begins to walk.
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And as he walks the Bible says,
"As He is walking on the water."
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He begins to see the
waves and the storm around him,
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you see he had
shifted his focus,
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he had shifted his
focus from Jesus to the waves,
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to the troubles, and
the trials all around him.
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And so we once again see
the importance of looking
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and keeping our eyes on Jesus.
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Example number 3, we're
gonna find the example number 3
00:11:09.82\00:11:13.32
in Hebrews Chapter 12.
00:11:13.33\00:11:18.55
In Hebrews Chapter 12,
and this Chapter follows
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the great hall of faith Chapter,
if you will in Chapter 11.
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And so Hebrews Chapter
12, it's one of those books
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that you think should
be in the Old Testament,
00:11:33.27\00:11:35.53
but we find it in the New
Testament towards the end.
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And so let's turn
to Hebrews Chapter 12,
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and we're gonna look
at verse 12, at verse 2.
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Hebrews Chapter 12 and verse 2,
"Looking to Jesus, the founder,
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"some version say the
author, the author and finisher
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"of our faith, who
for the joy that was set
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"before him endured the
cross, despising the shame,
00:12:01.11\00:12:03.70
and is seated at the right
hand of the throne of God."
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Brothers and sisters,
this verse clearly shows
00:12:08.76\00:12:11.80
that we must look on Jesus.
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Jesus is our example, our model,
and as we stay focused on Him,
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keeping your
eyes fixed on Jesus.
00:12:19.47\00:12:23.14
He will be the author and
the finisher of our faith.
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And so we've
seen three examples.
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Example number one,
00:12:31.32\00:12:32.50
with the children of
Israel in the wilderness.
00:12:32.51\00:12:35.15
They had to look onto
this fiery serpent on the pole,
00:12:35.16\00:12:40.69
and Peter had to look
onto Jesus to be saved,
00:12:40.70\00:12:46.62
and we have to keep
our eyes fixed on Jesus,
00:12:46.63\00:12:52.46
looking on Jesus
who will the perfector,
00:12:52.47\00:12:55.33
the finisher of our
faith and we will be saved,
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and we will remain saved.
00:12:59.93\00:13:05.07
And so we've seen, you
must look, you must look,
00:13:05.08\00:13:07.43
three examples,
you must look on Jesus.
00:13:07.44\00:13:10.68
And so once again, the
first "S" for this morning
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is salvation can only be
received by looking on Jesus,
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salvation can only be
received by looking on Jesus.
00:13:21.24\00:13:29.59
And that's why, that's
why there can be no other name
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under heaven, given among
men, whereby we must be saved.
00:13:33.70\00:13:37.58
Salvation can
only come through Jesus
00:13:37.59\00:13:39.63
because it is only
by looking on Jesus,
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keeping your eyes fixed on
Jesus that we can be saved.
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But as we're going to
quickly see this morning,
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we have a
problem, and that problem
00:13:55.26\00:13:58.49
is found in Second Corinthians.
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Second Corinthians Chapter 4,
and we're gonna look at verse 3,
00:14:02.46\00:14:09.70
3 and the first part of 4.
00:14:09.71\00:14:11.64
So First Corinthians
Chapter 4 or Second Corinthians,
00:14:11.65\00:14:16.98
I repeat Chapter 4
and verses 3 and 4.
00:14:16.99\00:14:24.33
The Bible says,
"If our gospel is hid,
00:14:24.34\00:14:28.60
"it is hid to
those who are perishing,
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"whose minds the God
of this world has blinded
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those who do not believe."
00:14:39.47\00:14:44.97
The Bible says, that those
who are perishing in this world,
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it is those people whose
eyes, whose minds have been hid,
00:14:54.27\00:15:01.14
they cannot see and their minds,
their eyes have been blinded.
00:15:01.15\00:15:04.82
It says, "By the
God of this world."
00:15:04.83\00:15:06.69
And the God of this
world is none other than Satan.
00:15:06.70\00:15:09.65
Satan is blinding the eyes,
00:15:09.66\00:15:12.13
the minds of men and
women in the world today.
00:15:12.14\00:15:15.88
He is hiding them, he is
blinding them from the gospel.
00:15:15.89\00:15:19.67
And we know that is only
00:15:24.90\00:15:28.93
by looking on Jesus
that we can be saved.
00:15:28.94\00:15:35.44
So this presents a real problem,
a real predicament because
00:15:35.45\00:15:41.50
these people who
are about to be lost,
00:15:41.51\00:15:45.31
if the only way for
them to be saved is to be
00:15:45.32\00:15:47.64
looking on Jesus, but they're,
00:15:47.65\00:15:49.31
they're hid,
they cannot see Jesus.
00:15:49.32\00:15:54.51
We have a major problem.
00:15:54.52\00:15:59.19
The Bible says in
Matthew Chapter 15 in verse 14,
00:15:59.20\00:16:02.93
"If the blind lead the blind,
00:16:02.94\00:16:04.36
they will both
fall into the ditch.
00:16:04.37\00:16:12.01
If the blind lead the blind,
00:16:12.02\00:16:13.64
they will both
fall into the ditch."
00:16:13.65\00:16:15.80
And so now you've got a picture
of blind people who have fall
00:16:15.81\00:16:20.02
into the ditch of destruction
and all you have is blind
00:16:20.03\00:16:23.53
leading blind instead of
people who can actually see
00:16:23.54\00:16:26.93
leading those who cannot see.
00:16:26.94\00:16:32.39
And so the problem
intensifies because
00:16:32.40\00:16:35.33
for those who cannot
see, they will be destroyed,
00:16:35.34\00:16:41.09
they will fall into
the ditch of destruction.
00:16:41.10\00:16:47.25
Now let's pause a moment
and think about that verse
00:16:47.26\00:16:49.69
that Jesus says in verse, in
Luke Chapter 10 and verse 20.
00:16:49.70\00:16:56.69
And in this verse,
we're not gonna look it up,
00:16:56.70\00:17:00.03
but in this verse in
Luke Chapter 10 and verse 20,
00:17:00.04\00:17:03.34
Jesus tells the disciples,
00:17:03.35\00:17:05.62
"Rejoice that your
names are written in heaven."
00:17:05.63\00:17:12.74
Brothers and sisters, today
we can rejoice, we can be happy,
00:17:12.75\00:17:18.09
we can glory in the fact that
our names are written in heaven.
00:17:18.10\00:17:27.47
We can be thankful
for the realization
00:17:27.48\00:17:31.55
and the reality that,
that by looking on Jesus,
00:17:31.56\00:17:37.29
we can be saved
and we are being saved,
00:17:37.30\00:17:39.76
and we can rejoice in that.
00:17:39.77\00:17:48.40
But what about the blind, lost,
perishing people of this world
00:17:48.41\00:17:57.76
who are about to be
miserably destroyed?
00:17:57.77\00:18:02.13
These people who cannot look
onto Jesus, what about them?
00:18:02.14\00:18:07.06
Listen carefully as I read
this most disturbing quotation."
00:18:13.51\00:18:19.97
The world, who act as
though there were no God,
00:18:19.98\00:18:27.27
absorbed in selfish
pursuits will soon experience
00:18:27.28\00:18:30.92
sudden destruction,
and shall not escape."
00:18:30.93\00:18:36.01
This sounds exactly what
the Bible talked about already.
00:18:36.02\00:18:42.00
Those who are blind,
those who are living their life,
00:18:42.01\00:18:45.65
who are going to fall
into the ditch of destruction.
00:18:45.66\00:18:49.66
I continue the quotation,
"Many continue in the careless
00:18:49.67\00:18:52.60
gratification of
self until they become
00:18:52.61\00:18:55.69
so disgusted with life
that they kill themselves."
00:18:55.70\00:19:05.95
Let me repeat that again.
00:19:05.96\00:19:06.93
"They become so disgusted with
life that they kill themselves."
00:19:06.94\00:19:13.79
Continuing the quotation,
"Dancing and carousing,
00:19:13.80\00:19:16.13
drinking and smoking, and
indulging their animal passions,
00:19:16.14\00:19:20.45
they go as an ox
to the slaughter.
00:19:20.46\00:19:24.20
Satan is working with
all his art and enchantments
00:19:24.21\00:19:27.44
to keep men
marching blindly onward.
00:19:27.45\00:19:32.31
The whole world appears
to be in the march to death."
00:19:32.32\00:19:42.86
Wow, the whole world appears
to be in the march to death?
00:19:42.87\00:19:55.38
Do you get the picture?
00:19:55.39\00:19:59.98
This most disturbing
quotation dramatically depicts
00:19:59.99\00:20:03.89
exactly what we've seen in
the word of God this morning.
00:20:03.90\00:20:11.54
And that is chiefly that
Satan is blinding the eyes
00:20:11.55\00:20:15.35
and the minds of men and women
00:20:15.36\00:20:17.17
as he marches
them to destruction.
00:20:17.18\00:20:24.51
The path is leading to
destruction and that is the work
00:20:24.52\00:20:29.10
of Satan to keep the eyes
and the minds of men blinded.
00:20:29.11\00:20:37.93
And that brings us to the
second S, which is suicide.
00:20:37.94\00:20:44.64
We need to, we need to latch on
00:20:44.65\00:20:46.76
and figure out
exactly what's going on.
00:20:46.77\00:20:48.94
We've seen that
salvation can only be received
00:20:48.95\00:20:52.02
by looking on
Jesus, and we've seen that,
00:20:52.03\00:20:55.17
that a large
portion of this world,
00:20:55.18\00:20:58.89
in fact, it appears
that the whole world
00:20:58.90\00:21:01.18
is on the march to the death.
00:21:01.19\00:21:03.59
Which means that the
minds of eye and the eyes of,
00:21:03.60\00:21:07.17
of most of this
world are blinded,
00:21:07.18\00:21:09.90
so they cannot see the gospel,
00:21:09.91\00:21:11.70
they cannot see
the Love of Jesus,
00:21:11.71\00:21:17.98
and they cannot look
on Jesus to be saved.
00:21:17.99\00:21:22.80
And so the second "S" is suicide
00:21:22.81\00:21:28.16
because those without
Jesus will commit suicide.
00:21:28.17\00:21:34.84
This is not a joke. Let me
explain exactly what I mean.
00:21:34.85\00:21:37.50
The Bible teaches that salvation
can only be received by
00:21:37.51\00:21:39.71
looking on Jesus, I
can't repeat that enough.
00:21:39.72\00:21:44.20
And those and the lost people of
this world are blindly taught,
00:21:44.21\00:21:50.21
are blindly taught to believe
00:21:50.22\00:21:52.10
that the things of
this world can save them.
00:21:52.11\00:21:54.87
They believe that they can
be saved by money, success,
00:21:54.88\00:21:58.61
popularity, TV, music,
computers, movies, games, cars,
00:21:58.62\00:22:04.19
sports, houses, hobbies, cruise,
schools, friends, vacations,
00:22:04.20\00:22:07.35
they think that
the people they know,
00:22:07.36\00:22:08.77
the connections that they have,
the sex, the drugs, the alcohol,
00:22:08.78\00:22:11.92
the parties,
and the list goes on
00:22:11.93\00:22:16.76
of the things that
they think will save them.
00:22:16.77\00:22:21.71
They believe that these things
will save them from loneliness,
00:22:21.72\00:22:24.97
lack of fulfillment,
lack of success, depression,
00:22:24.98\00:22:27.67
but they are blinded
because they do not realize
00:22:27.68\00:22:33.15
that the only person
that can save them is Jesus.
00:22:33.16\00:22:39.41
Because the Bible says,
"There is no other name,
00:22:39.42\00:22:42.42
given among men,
whereby we must be saved.
00:22:42.43\00:22:48.48
The only name under heaven
given to us, given to men,
00:22:48.49\00:22:54.36
in order to be saved
is the name of Jesus.
00:22:54.37\00:22:59.93
I want to read that
quotation one more time
00:22:59.94\00:23:01.91
and I want it to sink
into our minds very clearly.
00:23:01.92\00:23:05.91
"The world, who act as
though there were no God,
00:23:05.92\00:23:10.63
absorbed in selfish
pursuits, will soon experience
00:23:10.64\00:23:14.85
sudden destruction,
and shall not escape.
00:23:14.86\00:23:19.15
Many continue in the
careless gratification of self
00:23:19.16\00:23:22.16
until they become so disgusted
00:23:22.17\00:23:24.15
with life that
they kill themselves.
00:23:24.16\00:23:26.88
Dancing and
carousing, drinking and smoking,
00:23:26.89\00:23:29.12
indulging their animal passions,
00:23:29.13\00:23:31.12
they go as an ox
to the slaughter.
00:23:31.13\00:23:35.02
Satan is working with
all his art and enchantments
00:23:35.03\00:23:39.32
to keep men
marching blindly onward.
00:23:39.33\00:23:44.65
The whole world appears
to be in the march to death."
00:23:44.66\00:23:53.54
I wanted to read that again
because I don't want to leave
00:23:53.55\00:23:56.08
the second "S" which
is suicide until it's,
00:23:56.09\00:23:58.95
it's fixed clearly in our minds.
00:23:58.96\00:24:02.88
And let me hastened to
add that this sermon is
00:24:02.89\00:24:05.79
not specifically
about suicide because,
00:24:05.80\00:24:09.65
really the type of
suicide I'm talking about
00:24:09.66\00:24:11.95
is more of a spiritual
suicide than a physical suicide.
00:24:11.96\00:24:16.82
But for the point and
the purpose of illustration,
00:24:16.83\00:24:23.26
I want to mention
three things about suicide.
00:24:23.27\00:24:26.98
One, suicide is very
prevalent in our world today,
00:24:26.99\00:24:33.19
actual physical suicide is very
prevalent in our world today.
00:24:33.20\00:24:38.16
The second thing
I want to point out
00:24:38.17\00:24:39.64
is that people struggle with
suicidal thoughts all the time.
00:24:39.65\00:24:47.60
No doubt each person here
today and many of the people
00:24:47.61\00:24:52.57
watching this on television
00:24:52.58\00:24:55.11
have had those
thoughts of suicide.
00:24:55.12\00:25:00.26
I admit I have
had those thoughts.
00:25:00.27\00:25:04.48
I would go onto say that it's
likely that most people have had
00:25:04.49\00:25:08.27
those thoughts of
suicide because when life looks
00:25:08.28\00:25:12.04
hopeless, why do
you want to live on?
00:25:12.05\00:25:18.73
And so if, if we
as Christian people,
00:25:18.74\00:25:22.14
if me as a Christian person,
if we have thought of suicide
00:25:22.15\00:25:29.33
as Christians, if
this has tempted us,
00:25:29.34\00:25:36.64
what about those
who don't have Jesus?
00:25:36.65\00:25:42.38
When I get discouraged,
I have hope in Jesus,
00:25:42.39\00:25:45.64
but what about those who don't?
00:25:45.65\00:25:48.74
And you see for those
who don't sin exercises
00:25:48.75\00:25:53.06
his art and his enchantments
to keep these people
00:25:53.07\00:25:55.92
discouraged and down,
realizing that there is no hope
00:25:55.93\00:25:59.80
and he just marches them
closer and closer to the point
00:25:59.81\00:26:04.80
where he hopes they
will kill themselves.
00:26:04.81\00:26:11.85
And the third
thing I want to point out
00:26:11.86\00:26:13.64
and this will be
shocking, it was shocking to me,
00:26:13.65\00:26:16.62
it was shocking when I found
the statistic on the Internet
00:26:16.63\00:26:19.57
that said that it
is not the teenagers
00:26:19.58\00:26:23.39
that are at highest
risk of suicide rather it is
00:26:23.40\00:26:26.93
the senior citizens that
have a higher risk of suicide.
00:26:26.94\00:26:33.22
Why is that? Why
would the, the older people
00:26:33.23\00:26:37.68
have a higher risk of suicide,
00:26:37.69\00:26:41.15
and the statistics in the
article continue to go onto say
00:26:41.16\00:26:43.49
that, you've lived your life.
00:26:43.50\00:26:49.24
And you have nothing
and life is discouraging.
00:26:49.25\00:26:54.92
And so what
other option is there?
00:26:54.93\00:26:57.91
And it makes sense.
00:26:57.92\00:26:59.81
For people, who live this
life going after the things
00:26:59.82\00:27:02.92
pursuing the lust of this
world, the lust of the flesh,
00:27:02.93\00:27:10.67
and they realize that
these things don't fulfill them.
00:27:10.68\00:27:13.77
These things
don't provide for them,
00:27:13.78\00:27:16.13
these things don't give them
peace, in fact, they're anxious,
00:27:16.14\00:27:18.93
they're anxious
people, they're nervous people,
00:27:18.94\00:27:24.05
and when they
can't pay those bills
00:27:24.06\00:27:27.24
and when they can't take
care of their family the way
00:27:27.25\00:27:30.37
they think they
should or, or could.
00:27:30.38\00:27:33.02
Life becomes so overwhelming
00:27:33.03\00:27:36.10
that they in fact literally
and physically kill themselves.
00:27:36.11\00:27:41.15
And so the three things I
wanted to point out this morning
00:27:41.16\00:27:43.33
very simply about
actual suicide is that
00:27:43.34\00:27:47.88
it's prevalent, number one.
00:27:47.89\00:27:50.20
Number two, everyone
struggles with those thoughts
00:27:50.21\00:27:53.57
and if we as Christian
people struggle with those,
00:27:53.58\00:27:56.56
what about those
who don't have hope?
00:27:56.57\00:27:58.74
Who can't find
encouragement in Jesus?
00:27:58.75\00:28:01.74
And thirdly, those at greatest
risk are the senior citizens.
00:28:01.75\00:28:09.94
And I want to pause for a moment
and just say to anybody today,
00:28:09.95\00:28:14.60
to anybody in our
audience, anyone watching on TV,
00:28:14.61\00:28:23.13
if you have struggled
with thoughts of suicide,
00:28:23.14\00:28:25.93
if you feel is, if
they are no friends,
00:28:25.94\00:28:28.63
there is nobody
who cares about you,
00:28:28.64\00:28:30.72
there is nobody who loves
you and is willing to help you.
00:28:30.73\00:28:35.92
Remember, and look up
and memorize that verse
00:28:35.93\00:28:39.54
in Proverbs Chapter
18:24, where the Bible says,
00:28:39.55\00:28:46.30
"There is a friend that
sticks closer than a brother."
00:28:46.31\00:28:54.54
That friend is Jesus.
00:28:54.55\00:28:57.85
Jesus is our friend,
who will stick close to us
00:28:57.86\00:29:01.52
and He will
help us do all things
00:29:01.53\00:29:03.80
that's what the Bible says,
00:29:03.81\00:29:05.30
"We can do all things through
Christ which strengthens us."
00:29:05.31\00:29:09.94
Philippians 4:13, so
remember that you have a friend,
00:29:09.95\00:29:14.52
you have a helper in this world.
00:29:14.53\00:29:16.82
Don't give up. It may not
be easy, but hang in there.
00:29:16.83\00:29:23.21
So we've looked at two
"S's" so far this morning.
00:29:26.82\00:29:29.83
The first "S" is "Salvation."
00:29:29.84\00:29:32.53
Salvation can only be
received by looking on Jesus.
00:29:32.54\00:29:38.20
Suicide, those without
Jesus will commit suicide,
00:29:38.21\00:29:43.28
and our final "S," our
third "S" for today is Service.
00:29:43.29\00:29:50.07
Turn with me in your
Bibles to Luke. Luke Chapter 4.
00:29:50.08\00:29:57.74
The Bible says
in Luke Chapter 4.
00:29:57.75\00:30:03.85
Luke is third book
of the New Testimony,
00:30:03.86\00:30:06.39
Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and we'll begin
00:30:06.40\00:30:09.71
reading in Luke
Chapter 4 in verse 18.
00:30:09.72\00:30:12.23
The Bible says,
"The Spirit of the Lord
00:30:14.16\00:30:16.09
is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me,
00:30:16.10\00:30:19.24
To proclaim good news
to the poor, He has set,
00:30:19.25\00:30:22.82
He has sent Me to proclaim
liberty to the captives,
00:30:22.83\00:30:26.16
and recovery of
sight to the blind.
00:30:26.17\00:30:29.68
To set at liberty
those who are oppressed,
00:30:32.20\00:30:34.11
to proclaim the year
of the Lord's favor."
00:30:34.12\00:30:36.74
That's powerful, we're
gonna come back to that verse.
00:30:38.33\00:30:40.34
Let's turn in our
Bibles to John Chapter 20.
00:30:41.59\00:30:47.53
John Chapter 20 in verse 21.
00:30:52.67\00:31:00.33
"Jesus said to them
again, peace with you."
00:31:01.78\00:31:04.89
You see, if we have Jesus,
friends, we can have peace.
00:31:04.90\00:31:08.29
And so He said,
"Peace be with you
00:31:08.30\00:31:09.88
as the Father has send me."
00:31:09.89\00:31:12.25
Well, what was Jesus sent to do?
00:31:12.26\00:31:14.02
Jesus was sent to
recover the sight to the blind.
00:31:14.03\00:31:17.11
And the Bible says,
"As the Father has sent Me,
00:31:19.16\00:31:22.95
so send I, you, and you and me.
00:31:24.78\00:31:30.93
We brother and
sisters, have been commissioned
00:31:30.94\00:31:35.00
to do the work that
Jesus was send to do.
00:31:35.01\00:31:39.04
Jesus was sent to
recover sight to the blind.
00:31:41.08\00:31:44.77
So that those who, who
have been hid from the gospel
00:31:47.44\00:31:51.01
might be able to see the gospel.
00:31:51.02\00:31:53.04
This is encouraging,
this is awesome to see
00:31:56.43\00:32:00.49
that the Bible has provided
us the solution for the problem.
00:32:00.50\00:32:07.56
Now we've seen
this morning, which is,
00:32:07.57\00:32:11.20
salvation comes by
only looking on Jesus
00:32:11.21\00:32:13.75
and those who
cannot look on Jesus
00:32:13.76\00:32:15.82
will commit suicide and it
is those who are to perish,
00:32:15.83\00:32:19.70
who cannot see who are
blinded and the Bible tells us.
00:32:19.71\00:32:23.89
The Bible tells us this
morning that it's our job
00:32:26.34\00:32:29.71
to recover sight to the blind.
00:32:31.24\00:32:33.80
I want to go and
look at one of our
00:32:37.71\00:32:39.47
previous text, this is powerful.
00:32:39.48\00:32:42.21
Let's go back to
Second Corinthians.
00:32:42.22\00:32:44.95
Second Corinthians Chapter 4,
00:32:46.67\00:32:49.05
and we're gonna
read all of verse 4 now.
00:32:49.06\00:32:51.40
If fact, I'll just go
back up to verse 3 for review
00:32:51.41\00:32:54.47
and then we'll
read all of verse 4.
00:32:54.48\00:32:56.68
The Bible says in
Second Corinthians Chapter 4
00:32:56.69\00:33:01.49
verses 3 and 4,
"If our gospel is hid,
00:33:01.50\00:33:04.68
it is hid to
those who are perishing.
00:33:04.69\00:33:07.85
Whose minds the God
of this world is blinded,
00:33:07.86\00:33:10.09
those who do not believe,
lest because this is powerful,
00:33:11.31\00:33:17.43
lest the light of
the gospel of the glory
00:33:17.44\00:33:21.97
of Christ who is in the image
of God should shine on them?"
00:33:21.98\00:33:29.27
This Bible, this verse in
the Bible seems to suggest
00:33:29.28\00:33:33.06
that it's possible
that the light of the glory,
00:33:33.07\00:33:38.52
of the gospel
will shine upon those
00:33:38.53\00:33:41.73
who cannot see it,
who cannot see Jesus.
00:33:41.74\00:33:46.20
And we've
already seen that the way
00:33:48.83\00:33:52.82
that it's
possible for the blind,
00:33:52.83\00:33:55.32
lost, perishing
people of this world
00:33:55.33\00:33:57.63
who are on the
path to destruction.
00:33:57.64\00:33:59.51
It is possible for them to see
00:33:59.52\00:34:01.42
when we take up the service.
00:34:03.27\00:34:05.74
The ministry and
the work of Jesus Christ
00:34:05.75\00:34:08.93
which was to recover
the sight to the blind.
00:34:08.94\00:34:14.02
This is powerful.
00:34:16.53\00:34:17.81
I want to look
at one more verse.
00:34:20.64\00:34:21.95
We've been there
in the same Chapter,
00:34:21.96\00:34:24.79
that's Acts, Acts Chapter 4.
00:34:24.80\00:34:26.97
Acts Chapter 4 verse 12 said,
00:34:28.30\00:34:31.80
"There is
salvation and no one else
00:34:31.81\00:34:34.47
for there is no
other name under heaven
00:34:34.48\00:34:36.29
given among men,
whereby we must be saved."
00:34:36.30\00:34:40.11
And then the next verse is
very interesting, verse 13.
00:34:40.12\00:34:44.49
Acts Chapter 4 and verse 13,
00:34:44.50\00:34:46.86
"Now when they saw the
boldness of Peter and John,
00:34:46.87\00:34:50.34
and perceived that
they were uneducated,
00:34:50.35\00:34:53.54
common men,
they were astonished.
00:34:53.55\00:34:55.89
And they
recognized, they recognized
00:34:55.90\00:34:59.66
that they had been with Jesus."
00:34:59.67\00:35:03.53
Brothers and sisters,
00:35:04.89\00:35:06.47
friends, if we are going
to take on the work of Jesus,
00:35:09.08\00:35:14.25
fulfilling His
ministry, fulfilling what,
00:35:15.49\00:35:17.94
He has been sent to do.
00:35:17.95\00:35:20.05
We have to spend
time with the Jesus.
00:35:22.26\00:35:26.18
And in spending time with Jesus
00:35:27.31\00:35:30.74
people around us
will know, they will see
00:35:30.75\00:35:35.97
that we have been with Jesus
00:35:35.98\00:35:39.71
and the glory of God
that shines through us
00:35:42.22\00:35:45.13
will help us to
recover sight to the blind.
00:35:45.14\00:35:50.06
Brothers and
sisters, we have been called
00:35:56.59\00:36:02.13
to serve in the mission
and ministry of Jesus Christ
00:36:02.14\00:36:09.69
and that means,
recovering sight to the blind.
00:36:11.43\00:36:16.73
Today, we've
looked at three "S's."
00:36:18.77\00:36:21.04
We've looked at "Salvation."
00:36:23.33\00:36:25.58
Salvation can only be
received by looking on Jesus.
00:36:27.57\00:36:31.33
Then we looked at suicide.
00:36:33.04\00:36:34.44
Those without Jesus
will commit suicide.
00:36:34.45\00:36:38.13
And thirdly "Service."
00:36:41.91\00:36:43.41
Service is the only
way to show them Jesus.
00:36:44.52\00:36:49.68
Brothers and sisters,
00:36:51.26\00:36:52.23
if we do not take up the
work of Jesus and serve people,
00:36:52.24\00:36:57.22
there will no way to
help these people in peril.
00:36:57.23\00:37:03.32
There is a way for
us to help the people,
00:37:07.89\00:37:12.71
to help the
world which it appears
00:37:12.72\00:37:16.21
that the whole world
is on that march to death.
00:37:16.22\00:37:18.69
There is a way for us
to help them to pluck them
00:37:18.70\00:37:22.48
as brands from the fire,
from that road to destruction,
00:37:22.49\00:37:26.94
there is a way for us to do that
00:37:26.95\00:37:28.81
and that is through
the ministry of Jesus.
00:37:29.96\00:37:33.67
I want to take us back
for a moment just to emphasize
00:37:37.59\00:37:40.53
the importance this morning
00:37:40.54\00:37:43.21
of taking up the
ministry of Jesus.
00:37:44.69\00:37:46.57
I want to take us back in time.
00:37:46.58\00:37:48.73
It shouldn't be that
hard for us to remember
00:37:48.74\00:37:51.28
back two years to 2004.
00:37:51.29\00:37:57.03
In December 2004, during
the Christmas holiday season,
00:37:57.04\00:38:01.51
some of us will remember that
one of the greatest calamities,
00:38:03.29\00:38:06.77
in fact the greatest
calamity in modern time
00:38:07.91\00:38:10.71
happened in Southeast Asia.
00:38:10.72\00:38:13.13
And that calamity was
none other than the Tsunami,
00:38:14.31\00:38:17.64
which hit Southeast Asia killing
00:38:18.65\00:38:21.63
over two
hundred thousand people.
00:38:21.64\00:38:26.19
Some statistics have even said,
00:38:26.20\00:38:27.84
up to the six
hundred thousands regardless
00:38:27.85\00:38:31.02
when you've got multiplied
hundreds of thousands,
00:38:31.03\00:38:33.54
that's a lot of people to die.
00:38:33.55\00:38:37.48
And the day after
that great catastrophe,
00:38:37.49\00:38:43.09
which was
Saturday December 25, 2004,
00:38:45.82\00:38:49.96
there was a press conference,
00:38:49.97\00:38:51.41
a news conference,
and I quote these words.
00:38:51.42\00:38:55.33
"The UN's emergency relief
coordinator Yan England said,
00:38:56.59\00:39:02.73
'There is a race
against the clock.
00:39:03.85\00:39:06.30
A race against the clock
to help five million people
00:39:09.27\00:39:14.64
at severe risk of
dying of hunger and disease.'
00:39:14.65\00:39:20.91
" You see, they were in
a race against the clock
00:39:23.49\00:39:26.80
to help some five
million people who were at risk
00:39:26.81\00:39:31.12
of dying from hunger and
disease and check out this
00:39:31.13\00:39:34.03
next quotation, this next
part of the press conference.
00:39:34.04\00:39:39.20
This is gonna blow you away.
00:39:39.21\00:39:40.66
Japan, it says,
increased its pledge
00:39:43.36\00:39:48.53
of aid from 30
million to 500 million.
00:39:48.54\00:39:56.03
The single largest
donation from a single country.
00:39:57.54\00:40:01.19
Brothers and sisters, that
catastrophe was out of control.
00:40:02.42\00:40:06.36
The statistics
in reference to that
00:40:06.37\00:40:10.18
catastrophe or even
hard to imagine but,
00:40:10.19\00:40:12.89
but these numbers of
five million people at risk,
00:40:12.90\00:40:16.60
what was such a
compelling factor to Japan
00:40:16.61\00:40:22.01
that they increased their aid
from 30 million to 500 million.
00:40:22.02\00:40:31.22
You see the
attitude that they had
00:40:33.73\00:40:36.05
was an attitude of urgency.
00:40:37.12\00:40:39.76
They realized that the
time required great action.
00:40:39.77\00:40:44.47
They realize that
that drastic situations
00:40:46.80\00:40:51.67
called for drastic measures,
00:40:51.68\00:40:53.80
and so they intensified
their ability to help.
00:40:55.96\00:41:04.21
And brothers and
sisters, if we believe as fellow
00:41:05.59\00:41:10.33
believers and followers
in the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:41:10.34\00:41:12.82
if we truly believe
that Jesus is coming soon
00:41:12.83\00:41:16.36
and that the world is about
to be thrown into destruction.
00:41:16.37\00:41:21.77
If we believe that with
our heart we should have
00:41:23.30\00:41:26.30
an urgency about
us, that sets us on fire
00:41:26.31\00:41:31.32
to intensify our
actions as never before.
00:41:31.33\00:41:35.66
Serious times call
for serious measures
00:41:40.57\00:41:44.10
and I believe that we are living
00:41:44.11\00:41:47.15
in the last days
before Jesus is coming.
00:41:47.16\00:41:50.12
And so we must intensify,
intensify, intensify, intensify.
00:41:51.36\00:42:00.99
And that might mean
that we have to intensify
00:42:02.39\00:42:04.80
everything from the time
that we get up in the morning
00:42:04.81\00:42:08.41
till the time that we
go to bed in the evening.
00:42:10.53\00:42:16.13
In the morning, if intensity
00:42:18.66\00:42:21.20
and becoming more intense,
00:42:21.21\00:42:23.47
requires spending
more time in the Bible
00:42:26.49\00:42:28.60
and prayer and on
our knees with Jesus
00:42:28.61\00:42:30.79
in the morning, we
need to spend more time.
00:42:30.80\00:42:32.77
If it means
spending more time in service
00:42:33.80\00:42:36.83
to our friends, our neighbors,
00:42:38.55\00:42:41.32
who do not have the gospel.
00:42:41.33\00:42:43.68
If it means,
cutting back from our
00:42:43.69\00:42:47.61
busy hectic work
schedule in order to serve more.
00:42:47.62\00:42:51.03
We have to do it.
00:42:51.04\00:42:52.66
It is our
obligation, if we call ourselves
00:42:52.67\00:42:56.34
disciples of
Jesus, followers of Jesus,
00:42:56.35\00:43:00.52
and His ministry was the
ministry to receive sight
00:43:00.53\00:43:04.05
and to give back
sight to the blind,
00:43:04.06\00:43:05.77
then we've got to
do that faithfully
00:43:07.14\00:43:11.34
and we have to intensify.
00:43:11.35\00:43:14.40
I want to read for us today
00:43:17.13\00:43:20.13
a quotation or more
accurately put, a song.
00:43:22.88\00:43:28.40
It was written by Ray Boltz.
00:43:28.41\00:43:31.08
And Ray Boltz says in his song,
00:43:32.31\00:43:34.49
titled "What If I Give All."
00:43:36.92\00:43:39.26
He talks about the importance
00:43:40.42\00:43:42.65
of giving a little
bit, if that's all we have
00:43:44.05\00:43:49.41
because a little
bit is everything
00:43:49.42\00:43:51.12
and it can become more.
00:43:51.13\00:43:52.15
Let me read these
words to you, it's powerful.
00:43:52.16\00:43:54.17
"What if I give all he
heard the preacher say.
00:43:57.39\00:44:00.84
A single dime can
feed a hungry boy or girl
00:44:03.56\00:44:07.23
with nothing to eat,
so he pulled out a dollar
00:44:07.24\00:44:11.71
from the pocket of his
jeans and he asked his momma,
00:44:11.72\00:44:16.84
how many will this feed?
00:44:16.85\00:44:18.52
She just smiled and
when she told him ten.
00:44:20.28\00:44:25.24
He reached back again
and said, what if I give all.
00:44:25.25\00:44:31.35
What if I give all,
what will that gift do?
00:44:33.18\00:44:36.76
My child a gift like
that could change the world.
00:44:36.77\00:44:42.20
It could feed a multitude.
00:44:44.75\00:44:47.55
He didn't close
his eyes or turn away.
00:44:47.56\00:44:50.44
I can see him standing tall.
00:44:51.71\00:44:54.03
He saw the need and I can hear
him saying, what if I give all?
00:44:55.57\00:45:04.11
Three birthday dollars
could have bought a special toy.
00:45:04.12\00:45:08.83
But he reminds me
of another little boy
00:45:08.84\00:45:12.85
who gave to Jesus a
gift of fish and of bread,
00:45:12.86\00:45:19.56
and I wonder if he
said, what if I give all?
00:45:19.57\00:45:25.95
What will that gift do?
00:45:25.96\00:45:28.84
My child, a gift like
that could change the world,
00:45:28.85\00:45:31.53
it could feed a multitude.
00:45:31.54\00:45:33.60
He didn't close
his eyes or turn away
00:45:33.61\00:45:36.24
I can see him standing tall.
00:45:36.25\00:45:38.15
He saw the need
and I can hear him say,
00:45:38.16\00:45:43.89
"What if I give all?"
00:45:43.90\00:45:47.51
And long ago, a
Father and a Son saw
00:45:47.52\00:45:52.88
the children lost in sin.
00:45:52.89\00:45:57.35
Can you see the
tears in the Father's eyes
00:45:57.36\00:46:02.55
as Jesus says to him,
what if I give all I have,
00:46:02.56\00:46:09.66
what will that gift do?
00:46:09.67\00:46:12.12
My Son, a gift like
that will change the world,
00:46:12.13\00:46:20.09
it will free the multitudes.
00:46:20.10\00:46:23.36
What if I give all that I have,
00:46:27.25\00:46:28.80
what will that gift do?
00:46:28.81\00:46:30.65
My child a gift like
that could change the world.
00:46:30.66\00:46:34.81
It could feed a multitude.
00:46:36.67\00:46:38.24
And listen to
these last closing lines.
00:46:38.25\00:46:41.95
"We cannot close
our eyes or turn away.
00:46:41.96\00:46:48.80
When we hear the Spirit call,
00:46:48.81\00:46:52.80
We see the need,
now let Him hear us say,
00:46:52.81\00:46:57.98
what if I give all?"
00:46:57.99\00:47:02.02
Brothers and sisters,
00:47:02.03\00:47:03.07
there are some
amazing lines in this song.
00:47:03.08\00:47:06.54
And these lines
clearly portray to us
00:47:12.80\00:47:17.56
the importance
of seeing the need
00:47:17.57\00:47:21.73
and the urgency all around us.
00:47:21.74\00:47:26.73
And when we see this need,
00:47:26.74\00:47:28.20
when we see this urgency,
Jesus needs to hear us say,
00:47:28.21\00:47:34.37
"What if I give all,
what will that gift do?"
00:47:36.01\00:47:41.77
You see, Jesus was willing
to lay it all down in line
00:47:41.78\00:47:44.42
and he turned to His
Father, He saw the world in sin,
00:47:44.43\00:47:47.43
and He said,
"Father, the world is sin,
00:47:47.44\00:47:50.44
they're in sin, they're lost,
00:47:50.45\00:47:53.69
they're dying,
they're perishing.
00:47:53.70\00:47:56.99
Jesus saw the need and he said,
00:47:57.00\00:47:59.18
'What if I give all,
what if I sacrifice My life,
00:47:59.19\00:48:01.98
what if I give it all?
What will that gift do?'"
00:48:01.99\00:48:07.22
The song goes on to say,
00:48:07.23\00:48:09.66
"And it would
feed the multitude."
00:48:09.67\00:48:11.79
Brothers and
sisters, we here today
00:48:11.80\00:48:16.02
can have assurance we can glory
00:48:16.03\00:48:17.89
and in fact that we are saved,
00:48:17.90\00:48:21.20
but what about
those who are lost,
00:48:21.21\00:48:23.12
what about those who
the gospel is hid to them?
00:48:23.13\00:48:26.76
We need to see the need
00:48:30.73\00:48:33.59
and we need to
ask the same question,
00:48:33.60\00:48:36.88
what if I give all?
00:48:36.89\00:48:40.40
And the answer this
morning is if we give all,
00:48:40.41\00:48:47.29
we will recover the site to
a multitude of blind people,
00:48:47.30\00:48:55.22
because that was
the ministry of Jesus.
00:48:55.23\00:49:03.41
I want to go back
00:49:03.42\00:49:04.39
and just read that
quotation one more time.
00:49:04.40\00:49:09.50
And then I want to
close by pointing out
00:49:09.51\00:49:14.00
some very important
things for us to think about.
00:49:14.01\00:49:18.73
That most disturbing quotation
00:49:18.74\00:49:20.55
that we read earlier says,
00:49:20.56\00:49:24.09
"The world, who act as
though there were no God,
00:49:24.10\00:49:29.91
absorbed in selfish pursuits,
00:49:29.92\00:49:33.82
will soon
experience sudden destruction,
00:49:33.83\00:49:37.07
and shall not escape.
00:49:37.08\00:49:41.03
Many continue in the
careless gratification of self
00:49:41.04\00:49:47.13
until they become
so disgusted with life
00:49:47.14\00:49:52.50
that they kill themselves.
00:49:52.51\00:49:54.88
Dancing and
carousing, drinking and smoking,
00:49:54.89\00:49:59.29
indulging their animal passions,
00:49:59.30\00:50:02.54
they go as ox to the slaughter.
00:50:02.55\00:50:05.02
Satan is working with all
his art and enchantments."
00:50:07.84\00:50:15.23
And that's why I
wanted to read it again.
00:50:15.24\00:50:17.41
"Satan is working
with all, it says,
00:50:17.42\00:50:21.16
all of his art and enchantments
00:50:21.17\00:50:23.61
to keep men
marching blindly onward.
00:50:23.62\00:50:26.44
The whole world appears
to be in the march to death."
00:50:26.45\00:50:33.09
Brother and sisters, I
just ask two questions.
00:50:33.10\00:50:40.32
If Satan is working
with all that he has,
00:50:43.78\00:50:48.30
how much should we work with?
00:50:48.31\00:50:51.71
And question number two.
00:50:51.72\00:50:53.30
If Jesus gave all,
00:50:53.31\00:50:58.63
how much should we give?
00:50:58.64\00:51:01.15
The answer should-- The
answer should be simple.
00:51:04.71\00:51:07.09
If Satan is
working with all that has
00:51:11.37\00:51:14.85
and Jesus gave that he
had in order to redeem us,
00:51:14.86\00:51:20.63
then it would be
ridiculous for us to think
00:51:20.64\00:51:25.83
that we can sit back
00:51:25.84\00:51:27.81
and contribute a
paltry hundred dollar bill
00:51:30.99\00:51:37.81
in the offering
plate every week in church.
00:51:37.82\00:51:41.63
What's a hundred
dollars gonna do?
00:51:41.64\00:51:43.62
What's a
thousand dollars gonna do?
00:51:43.63\00:51:47.04
What's any amount of
money, what's any amount of,
00:51:47.05\00:51:53.44
of assistance going to do
00:51:53.45\00:51:55.05
if we're not personally involved
00:51:55.06\00:51:57.32
in giving
everything that we have?
00:51:57.33\00:51:59.62
That means our time,
our talents, our treasures.
00:51:59.63\00:52:04.93
When Satan is
working with all that he had
00:52:04.94\00:52:07.14
and Jesus gave all that he had,
00:52:07.15\00:52:09.10
brothers and
sisters, all means all,
00:52:09.11\00:52:12.18
we have to give all our time,
00:52:12.19\00:52:14.38
all our talents,
all our treasures.
00:52:14.39\00:52:18.53
You see the
reason that the woman
00:52:18.54\00:52:22.44
who gave the mite was commended,
00:52:22.45\00:52:26.55
was used as an example to us,
00:52:26.56\00:52:30.53
is because she gave
all of that she had,
00:52:30.54\00:52:34.94
she held nothing
back, she gave it all.
00:52:34.95\00:52:39.77
We have to give everything.
00:52:46.16\00:52:50.58
Not most, but everything.
00:52:50.59\00:52:55.32
Brothers and
sisters, this morning we have
00:52:58.62\00:53:00.69
looked at three "S's."
00:53:00.70\00:53:04.69
We have looked at salvation.
00:53:09.03\00:53:12.58
Salvation can only be
received by looking on Jesus.
00:53:12.59\00:53:16.65
We have looked at suicide.
00:53:16.66\00:53:18.62
Suicide, those without
Jesus will commit suicide.
00:53:18.63\00:53:23.34
And we have looked at service.
00:53:23.35\00:53:25.56
Service is the only
way to show them Jesus.
00:53:25.57\00:53:28.65
And if we don't give everything
00:53:30.86\00:53:32.21
that we have in service,
00:53:32.22\00:53:34.99
many people in
this world will be lost.
00:53:35.00\00:53:40.17
And so before we
close with prayer,
00:53:40.18\00:53:44.16
there are two groups of people
00:53:44.17\00:53:46.43
listening to this
message to this morning,
00:53:46.44\00:53:49.18
you maybe
sitting in this audience
00:53:49.19\00:53:51.15
or you maybe
scattered around the world,
00:53:51.16\00:53:53.84
and those two groups of people
00:53:56.87\00:53:58.22
are either those who are lost.
00:53:58.23\00:54:00.27
Those who have
not accepted Jesus
00:54:00.28\00:54:03.71
or those who have,
there is only two groups.
00:54:03.72\00:54:06.51
And I want to speak to those
00:54:09.42\00:54:11.03
who have not accepted Jesus.
00:54:11.04\00:54:12.61
I don't want to say,
today make a commitment,
00:54:12.62\00:54:18.44
we're gonna kneel at
the end of this service
00:54:18.45\00:54:22.04
and if you who
are watching on TV
00:54:22.05\00:54:25.33
or in your homes,
just kneel down with us
00:54:25.34\00:54:27.54
when we do that.
00:54:27.55\00:54:30.06
Kneel down, admit
that you need Jesus that
00:54:30.07\00:54:33.70
that there is no
hope without a Savior,
00:54:33.71\00:54:36.93
confess your sins, realize that
00:54:36.94\00:54:42.62
that you can't cope in
this world without Jesus,
00:54:42.63\00:54:46.68
confess your sins and
accept Him into your life,
00:54:46.69\00:54:49.60
and trust in Him.
00:54:49.61\00:54:53.99
And to those who
have accepted Jesus,
00:54:54.00\00:54:59.64
those who are looking on Jesus,
00:54:59.65\00:55:02.76
I want to say to
you, give everything,
00:55:02.77\00:55:06.53
give all that you
have, and I'd encourage you
00:55:06.54\00:55:11.98
to take a pen and paper,
00:55:11.99\00:55:15.96
as soon the next chance you get
00:55:15.97\00:55:18.89
and write down the
priorities in your life.
00:55:18.90\00:55:22.08
Write them down
and look at them.
00:55:22.09\00:55:24.28
And I've done this,
and I've thought to myself,
00:55:24.29\00:55:26.26
sometimes I'll be going
through the day thinking,
00:55:26.27\00:55:29.13
"Man, I've got to get this done,
00:55:29.14\00:55:30.13
I've got to get this done
00:55:30.14\00:55:31.13
I've got to do all these things,
00:55:31.14\00:55:32.47
and at the end of the
week if I don't have this done,
00:55:32.48\00:55:35.36
my life is mess."
00:55:35.37\00:55:37.42
Write all those
things down that you think
00:55:37.43\00:55:39.01
you need to get done and
think to yourself for a minute.
00:55:39.02\00:55:43.48
Will I die without
accomplishing those things
00:55:43.49\00:55:46.51
and I've found,
the answer is no.
00:55:46.52\00:55:50.35
And instead of
focusing on those things
00:55:50.36\00:55:53.23
that don't matter,
focus on the things that do,
00:55:53.24\00:55:58.96
and those things
are serving Jesus.
00:55:58.97\00:56:01.49
Spending time in
Bible study and prayer,
00:56:01.50\00:56:04.49
so that you can be with Jesus
00:56:04.50\00:56:06.05
and those around you will see
00:56:06.06\00:56:09.97
that you have been with Jesus.
00:56:09.98\00:56:11.83
Let us kneel together
as we close in prayer.
00:56:14.43\00:56:17.52
Brothers and sisters,
00:56:21.70\00:56:26.92
around the world as we
spend this time on our knees,
00:56:26.93\00:56:30.16
I want you to think to yourself
00:56:30.17\00:56:34.14
and think of Jesus, think of
all that He did on the cross,
00:56:34.15\00:56:38.21
and realize that we are
out of time in this world.
00:56:40.76\00:56:45.09
Jesus is about to come.
00:56:45.10\00:56:48.11
And so Father, we pray that
00:56:48.12\00:56:49.54
because You are about to come,
00:56:49.55\00:56:52.29
please, please save us.
00:56:52.30\00:56:57.49
We confess our sins, we
recognize that we are lost,
00:56:57.50\00:57:00.38
struggling, dying
people in this world,
00:57:00.39\00:57:02.79
forgive us of our sins.
00:57:02.80\00:57:05.80
And, Jesus, for those of
us who have accepted you,
00:57:09.47\00:57:13.02
put us into the service,
use us for all that we are.
00:57:13.03\00:57:18.18
In Your name we pray, amen.
00:57:18.19\00:57:21.14