Good morning, everybody.
00:01:00.79\00:01:01.92
It's so good to see you
all of you here this morning.
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We're gonna start out
with "Morning has broken."
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Morning has broken
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Like the first morning.
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Blackbird has spoken
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Like the first bird.
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Praise for the singing
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Praise for the morning
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Praise for the springing
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Fresh from the word
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Sweet the rain's new fall
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Sunlight from heaven
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Like the first dewfall
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On the first grass
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Praise for the sweetness
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Of the wet garden
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Sprung in completeness
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Where his feet pass
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Mine is the sunlight
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Mine is the morning
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Born of the one light
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Eden saw play
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Praise with elation
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Praise every morning
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God's recreation
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Of the new day
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I just love the
words in this song.
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Let's open this morning
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with our theme song
"Power in the Blood."
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And if I get everybody stand
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and we could wakeup a
little bit, some exercise.
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Would you be free
from the burden of sin?
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There's pow'r in the
blood, pow'r in the blood
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Would you o'er
evil a victory win?
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There's wonderful
pow'r in the blood
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There is pow'r,
pow'r, wonder working pow'r
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In the blood of the Lamb
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There is pow'r,
pow'r, wonder working pow'r
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In the precious
blood of the Lamb.
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Would you be free from
your passion and pride?
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There's pow'r in the
blood, pow'r in the blood
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Come for a
cleansing to Calvary's tide?
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There's wonderful
pow'r in the blood.
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There is pow'r,
pow'r, wonder working pow'r
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In the blood of the Lamb
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There is pow'r,
pow'r, wonder working pow'r
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In the precious
blood of the Lamb.
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Would you do
service for Jesus your King?
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There's pow'r in the
blood, pow'r in the blood
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Would you live
daily His praises to sing?
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There's wonderful
pow'r in the blood
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There is pow'r,
pow'r, wonder working pow'r
00:05:09.94\00:05:14.74
In the blood of the Lamb
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There is pow'r,
pow'r, wonder working pow'r
00:05:19.38\00:05:24.22
In the precious
blood of the Lamb
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Amen.
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Good morning and
happy Sabbath everybody.
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Good morning.
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I am here to welcome you
to a beautiful, beautiful day
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and to this wonderful program.
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Our speaker is Scott Moore
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and he is the
outreach coordinator for ARISE.
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He is a humble Christian
and the servant of the Lord God.
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And he is a sanguine, so
listen to him with an open mind.
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Happy Sabbath. Happy Sabbath.
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I am gonna preach to
the choir this morning
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because only the
choir gets up this early
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on Sabbath morning to be here.
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So it's good to
see you all here.
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It's a privilege
for us to be here.
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And I think this
is the first time
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that my father has ever seen me
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speak outside
of his home church.
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No, there is one
other time, wasn't it?
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This is my dad right down here.
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Mathew was tortured
in a city in Ethiopia.
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John was tied and thrown in
a pot of boiling oil in Rome.
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But survived and allegedly
died a natural death in Asia.
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Peter was crucified
upside down in Rome,
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for he saw himself unworthy
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of being
crucified like his Lord.
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James, the superior was
decapitated in Jerusalem.
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James, the less was
beaten with a mallet
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until he died in Jerusalem.
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Thomas was hacked to
death with a lance in India.
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Philip was hanged from a pillar
in Perugia, in Asia Minor.
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Bartholomew was cut apart
while alive in Armenia or India,
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the traditions differ on that.
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Simon the Zealot
was crucified in Persia.
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According to tradition
Andrew was crucified in Achaea,
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a very grim picture
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of the disciples of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Willing to give their
life for the gospel of Jesus.
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Barnabas stoned to
death by the Jews in Salamis,
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on the island of Cyprus.
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Paul
decapitated by Nero in Rome.
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Mark was drawn
through the streets
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of Alexandria in
Egypt until he died.
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Luke was hanged from
an Olive tree in Greece.
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And yet sometimes we
can't even get the courage
00:08:06.55\00:08:09.88
to tell our
neighbor about Jesus.
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What was it that made
the ministry of the disciples
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and the early church
such a powerful ministry?
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What was it that made the
ministry of the early church
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and the disciples
such a powerful ministry?
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That's what we will
study this morning. Let's pray.
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Gracious Father in heaven,
we are here on the Sabbath day.
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You have already
blessed this day,
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so we know that
You will bless us
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even more now that we study
Yours truly,word on this day.
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Lord, we invite
Your Spirit to be here
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not because we
have the power to do so
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but because you have promised
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that where two or more gathered
Your Spirit will be there.
00:09:00.70\00:09:04.97
We thank you for this.
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In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:09:08.08\00:09:12.65
Those of you that are
taking notes this morning
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are going to write
down five different points.
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Point number one.
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The disciple's
ministry was effective
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because that ministry
was more important to them
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than their very own lives.
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The disciple's ministry
was an effective ministry
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because their ministry
was more important to them
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than their very own lives.
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Let's turn in our
Bibles to the Book of Acts.
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Mathew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts,
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the fifth book in
the New Testament.
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We are going to
the 20th Chapter.
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Acts 20, we will
begin reading in verse 24.
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Acts 20:24,
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Paul is going to
be speaking to us here
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Acts 20:24 and Paul says,
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"But none of
these things move me,
00:10:02.46\00:10:05.80
neither count I my
life dear unto myself,
00:10:05.83\00:10:10.11
so that I might
finish my course with joy,
00:10:10.14\00:10:13.78
and the ministry, which I
have received of the Lord Jesus,
00:10:13.81\00:10:16.48
to testify the
gospel of the grace of God."
00:10:16.51\00:10:20.42
Acts 20:24.
00:10:20.45\00:10:22.45
Paul is telling us
that his life is secondary
00:10:22.48\00:10:26.79
to taking the gospel
of Jesus to the world.
00:10:26.82\00:10:31.76
Where does the
gospel fit into your life?
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When you are at Starbucks
getting that soy milk steamer.
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Do you share Jesus with
a person that asked you,
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Soy milk steamer? What's that?
00:10:47.58\00:10:52.48
There is your opportunity.
00:10:52.51\00:10:55.45
When you are
standing at the gas pump
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and you are pumping your gas,
00:10:57.42\00:10:58.82
do you hide and
cover behind the pump
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so that you don't even
have to look at the person
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on the other side?
00:11:03.79\00:11:06.80
What do you say, hey,
00:11:06.83\00:11:08.06
freezing cold day
out here, isn't it?
00:11:08.10\00:11:10.13
You mind if I huddle
on this side of the pump
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where use to the
wind doesn't hit me.
00:11:11.83\00:11:15.07
Perfect opportunity to
share Jesus with somebody.
00:11:15.10\00:11:20.28
The early church was persecuted
00:11:20.31\00:11:22.08
and they didn't change their
mind during that persecution.
00:11:22.11\00:11:25.28
They didn't change
their stance on the gospel
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and the importance
that it took in their lives.
00:11:27.75\00:11:30.59
There were two men in
the New Testament Church
00:11:30.62\00:11:33.56
that were known for being men
00:11:33.59\00:11:35.79
that would give
their life for Jesus.
00:11:35.82\00:11:38.43
Let's turn now to
Acts the 15th Chapter,
00:11:38.46\00:11:41.70
just turn to the
left a little bit
00:11:41.73\00:11:43.57
from where you are
in the Book of Acts.
00:11:43.60\00:11:44.97
And we are going
to look at Acts 15:22.
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Acts 15:22.
00:11:50.71\00:11:54.08
The Bible says, in Acts 15:22,
00:11:54.11\00:11:57.08
"Then pleased it
the apostles and elders
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with the whole
church, to send chosen men
00:12:00.82\00:12:04.42
of their own company to
Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
00:12:04.45\00:12:08.79
Namely, Judas
surnamed Barsabas and Silas,
00:12:08.82\00:12:12.46
chief men among the brethren."
00:12:12.49\00:12:14.63
The Bible says that
it pleased the apostles
00:12:14.66\00:12:17.40
and the brethren to
choose these two men
00:12:17.43\00:12:20.27
so that they could
send them as missionaries.
00:12:20.30\00:12:22.87
Why did they
choose these two men?
00:12:22.90\00:12:25.94
Let's jump down now to verse 25.
00:12:25.97\00:12:28.74
"It seemed good
unto us" Acts 15:25,
00:12:28.78\00:12:32.71
"being
assembled with one accord,
00:12:32.75\00:12:34.28
to send chosen men unto you
00:12:34.32\00:12:38.35
with our beloved
Barnabas and Paul."
00:12:38.39\00:12:40.62
Men, that have what?
00:12:40.66\00:12:42.69
Hazarded their
lives for the name
00:12:42.72\00:12:45.69
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:12:45.73\00:12:49.13
These two men were chosen
00:12:49.16\00:12:52.20
because they had
hazarded their lives
00:12:52.23\00:12:55.07
for the gospel of Jesus.
00:12:55.10\00:12:56.37
In the mindset of
the church leaders,
00:12:56.40\00:12:59.41
they knew that they
could send these two men.
00:12:59.44\00:13:03.95
And be very confident
that they won't go into cover
00:13:03.98\00:13:07.68
under the scrutiny
00:13:07.72\00:13:08.85
of the persecution
of the early church.
00:13:08.88\00:13:13.02
This is the first reason
00:13:13.05\00:13:15.16
that the ministry
of the early church
00:13:15.19\00:13:17.39
in the apostles was magnificent
00:13:17.43\00:13:21.36
because they did
not value their lives
00:13:21.40\00:13:23.90
above sharing the
gospel with other people.
00:13:23.93\00:13:31.07
How often do we
go to a restaurant?
00:13:31.11\00:13:35.88
And we pray with our eyes open,
00:13:35.91\00:13:39.08
in our mind 'cause
surely the Lord Jesus hears us.
00:13:39.11\00:13:43.52
Rather than being the
witness that we need to be.
00:13:43.55\00:13:49.29
"When a crucified man is
behind a crucified message,
00:13:49.32\00:13:55.83
there are always fresh
victories for the crucified,
00:13:55.86\00:14:00.10
risen and glorified Lord."
00:14:00.14\00:14:03.27
Let me read that again.
00:14:03.30\00:14:04.91
That deserved at
least one, amen. Amen.
00:14:04.94\00:14:08.81
Well, let me read it.
00:14:08.84\00:14:10.85
"When a crucified man is
behind a crucified message,
00:14:10.88\00:14:15.28
there are always fresh
victories for the crucified,
00:14:15.32\00:14:19.09
risen and glorified Lord." Amen.
00:14:19.12\00:14:24.86
The Bible says
in Galatians 2:20,
00:14:24.89\00:14:27.13
"I have been
crucified with Christ:
00:14:27.20\00:14:30.27
nevertheless I live."
00:14:30.30\00:14:33.47
Have you been
crucified with Christ?
00:14:33.50\00:14:38.71
Point number one.
00:14:38.74\00:14:39.77
The disciples were effective
00:14:39.81\00:14:40.84
because their ministry
was more important to them
00:14:40.88\00:14:43.68
than their physical wellbeing.
00:14:43.71\00:14:45.81
Point number two, for those
of you who are taking notes.
00:14:45.85\00:14:47.65
The disciples were effective
00:14:47.68\00:14:49.22
because their ministry
was based on divine good news.
00:14:49.25\00:14:53.25
What was their
ministry based on?
00:14:53.29\00:14:54.96
Divine good
news. Divine good news.
00:14:54.99\00:14:56.59
Let's turn in
our Bibles to the--
00:14:56.62\00:14:58.26
you're in Acts turn to the left
again we're going to Acts 3.
00:14:58.29\00:15:02.06
Acts 3, we will
begin reading in verse 15.
00:15:02.10\00:15:07.37
Let's begin in verse 12.
00:15:12.04\00:15:13.58
Acts 3:12, the Bible says
00:15:13.61\00:15:15.84
"And when Peter saw it,
he answered unto the people,
00:15:15.88\00:15:19.05
Ye men of Israel,
why marvel ye at this?
00:15:19.08\00:15:22.72
Or why look ye
so earnestly on us,
00:15:22.75\00:15:25.52
as though by our
own power or holiness
00:15:25.55\00:15:29.09
we had made this man walk?
00:15:29.12\00:15:31.69
The God of
Abraham, and of Isaac,
00:15:31.73\00:15:33.53
and of Jacob, the
God of our fathers,
00:15:33.56\00:15:35.50
hath glorified his Son
Jesus, whom you delivered up,
00:15:35.53\00:15:40.54
and denied him in
the presence of Pilate,
00:15:40.57\00:15:43.17
while he was
determined to let him go."
00:15:43.20\00:15:45.07
Verse 14, "But you
denied the Holy One
00:15:45.11\00:15:47.54
and the Just, and desired
00:15:47.58\00:15:48.74
a murderer to be
granted unto you"
00:15:48.78\00:15:51.01
and verse 15, "And
killed the Prince of life,
00:15:51.05\00:15:53.65
whom God hath
raised from the dead;
00:15:53.68\00:15:55.62
whereof we are--"
what? "We are witnesses."
00:15:55.65\00:16:02.29
When he is
speaking here, he says look,
00:16:02.32\00:16:04.33
we know exactly
what you did to Jesus
00:16:04.36\00:16:06.96
because we, what?
00:16:07.00\00:16:08.66
We saw it, we didn't
just hear about it, we saw it.
00:16:08.70\00:16:11.73
We were witnesses
that you crucified Jesus
00:16:11.77\00:16:14.67
but what were
they also witnesses of?
00:16:14.70\00:16:18.24
The resurrection.
00:16:18.27\00:16:20.41
The apostle's
ministry was magnificent
00:16:20.44\00:16:22.38
because it was
based on divine good news.
00:16:22.41\00:16:24.75
They had
experienced walking with Jesus,
00:16:24.78\00:16:27.72
they had
experienced talking with Jesus,
00:16:27.75\00:16:30.49
they had experienced Jesus.
00:16:30.52\00:16:34.66
They had seen Him die.
00:16:34.69\00:16:37.79
They had seen
Him lying in a tomb
00:16:37.83\00:16:40.20
and then they
had run to the tomb
00:16:40.23\00:16:43.13
early on Sunday morning.
00:16:43.16\00:16:45.73
And Jesus was gone.
00:16:45.77\00:16:48.40
Praise God, Jesus
was not in the tomb.
00:16:48.44\00:16:52.54
The leading
truths that the apostles
00:16:57.21\00:16:59.75
preached with
the life, with death
00:16:59.78\00:17:02.15
and the resurrection of Jesus.
00:17:02.18\00:17:04.79
You remember on
the day of Pentecost,
00:17:04.82\00:17:06.49
Peter is preaching in Acts 2.
00:17:06.52\00:17:09.36
And while Peter is preaching,
00:17:09.39\00:17:10.99
if you ever look through that
sermon that he is preaching,
00:17:11.03\00:17:13.46
he is quoting Old Testament
reference after Old Testament
00:17:13.50\00:17:16.26
reference after
Old Testament reference
00:17:16.30\00:17:18.57
and the Spirit of
God is poured out.
00:17:18.60\00:17:21.70
Now listen to this.
00:17:21.74\00:17:22.97
The Spirit's power
is never manifested.
00:17:23.00\00:17:26.74
The Spirit's power is what?
00:17:26.78\00:17:28.71
Never
manifested, unless the word
00:17:28.74\00:17:31.51
he inspired is preached.
00:17:31.55\00:17:36.79
The power of the Holy
Spirit is never manifested
00:17:36.82\00:17:40.16
unless the word the
he inspired is preached.
00:17:40.19\00:17:44.59
If you and I think
that we can get up front
00:17:44.63\00:17:46.76
and just do grins and giggle
thing to get people's attention
00:17:46.80\00:17:50.23
so that they will
understand the gospel message,
00:17:50.27\00:17:52.33
we've got it wrong.
00:17:52.37\00:17:56.00
If we want to
see people converted
00:17:56.04\00:17:57.71
and we want to see
people give their life to Jesus,
00:17:57.74\00:17:59.74
it must be based on
the divine good news
00:17:59.77\00:18:02.94
that we find in the Bible.
00:18:02.98\00:18:05.58
What you win someone with,
is what you win someone to.
00:18:05.61\00:18:11.39
Take note of that.
00:18:11.42\00:18:12.85
What you win someone with
is what you win someone to.
00:18:12.89\00:18:15.89
You win someone
with a clown ministry,
00:18:15.92\00:18:18.33
where are they gonna go
when that ministry is gone?
00:18:18.36\00:18:23.90
You win someone
with a rock concert
00:18:23.93\00:18:26.07
with Christian in front of it,
00:18:26.10\00:18:28.90
where they are gonna
go when the music is gone?
00:18:28.94\00:18:32.47
We are working with a young
man up in Michigan right now.
00:18:32.51\00:18:34.84
We just held the series
of evangelistic meetings.
00:18:34.88\00:18:37.48
He was an associate pastor,
00:18:37.51\00:18:39.18
a youth pastor at an
Assemblies of God Church.
00:18:39.21\00:18:42.68
He is fine giving
up his gift of tongues
00:18:42.72\00:18:45.59
because he sees
it's not biblical.
00:18:45.62\00:18:47.32
He's fine giving up
worshipping on Sunday
00:18:47.36\00:18:49.76
because he sees
that it's not biblical.
00:18:49.79\00:18:52.36
And he even sees
from the scripture
00:18:52.39\00:18:54.66
that Christian
rock is not biblical.
00:18:54.73\00:18:59.57
But he is struggling with it.
00:18:59.60\00:19:04.84
We may have to struggle inside
with some of these issues.
00:19:04.87\00:19:09.48
But the ministry of the apostles
was magnificent and incredible
00:19:09.51\00:19:14.05
because they based it
on the living Word of God.
00:19:14.08\00:19:19.02
You know, I used to think that,
00:19:22.96\00:19:24.36
that I had to preach out
of the Old King James Version
00:19:24.39\00:19:28.36
because I don't think
I had enough material to,
00:19:28.40\00:19:31.83
you know, fill out all the time
00:19:31.87\00:19:33.37
that they give you
when you have a sermon.
00:19:33.40\00:19:34.84
And I thought if I
use the Old King James,
00:19:34.87\00:19:36.97
then I'll have to
explain the it's and the with's
00:19:37.01\00:19:39.11
and the
thereof's and all of that.
00:19:39.14\00:19:41.28
And it would take up
more time but let me tell you.
00:19:41.31\00:19:43.38
Now I don't take
even time to explain that
00:19:43.41\00:19:48.02
because I don't have time,
00:19:48.05\00:19:49.12
I want you to understand Jesus.
00:19:49.15\00:19:54.32
Two points so far.
What was point number one?
00:19:54.36\00:19:57.13
This is your quiz. That's right.
00:19:57.16\00:20:03.47
The ministry of the
disciples was effective
00:20:03.50\00:20:05.60
because it was more important
to them than their own lives.
00:20:05.63\00:20:08.04
What was the second one?
00:20:08.07\00:20:09.17
Because their ministry
was based on divine good news
00:20:13.91\00:20:16.08
and then we read where the--
00:20:16.11\00:20:17.95
the author there
in Acts says that--
00:20:17.98\00:20:21.58
they actually witnessed
what happened to Jesus.
00:20:21.62\00:20:25.55
But what about those of
us that didn't witnessed it?
00:20:25.59\00:20:29.22
Where does our
hope come in? Amen.
00:20:29.26\00:20:36.60
Let's go to the New
Testament book of 2 Peter.
00:20:36.63\00:20:39.17
Now you guys are mumbling out
there when you are answering me
00:20:39.20\00:20:41.10
but even though
it's been videotaped,
00:20:41.14\00:20:42.50
you don't have to mumble,
you can just yell it out.
00:20:42.54\00:20:44.74
2 Peter 1:16.
00:20:44.77\00:20:50.15
2 Peter 1:16.
00:20:50.18\00:20:56.02
Peter is writing here in 2
Peter 1 beginning in verse 16
00:20:56.05\00:21:00.66
and he says this.
00:21:00.69\00:21:02.79
2 Peter 1:16, he says
00:21:02.82\00:21:05.13
"For we have not followed
cunningly devised fables,
00:21:05.16\00:21:10.57
when we made
known unto you the power
00:21:10.60\00:21:12.70
and coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ,
00:21:12.73\00:21:15.17
but were" what?
"Eyewitnesses of his majesty."
00:21:15.20\00:21:19.01
Peter says to us,
listen, you can believe me
00:21:19.04\00:21:23.18
because I saw it
with my very own eyes
00:21:23.21\00:21:26.35
but he continues on.
00:21:26.38\00:21:27.85
"For he received from God
the Father honor and glory,
00:21:27.88\00:21:32.09
when there came such a voice
to him from the excellent glory,
00:21:32.12\00:21:35.36
This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased.
00:21:35.39\00:21:38.76
And the voice
which came from heaven
00:21:38.79\00:21:40.66
which we heard when we were
with him in the holy mount."
00:21:40.70\00:21:43.67
He's talking about the
mount of transfiguration.
00:21:43.70\00:21:45.93
He saw Jesus
transformed into His glory.
00:21:45.97\00:21:50.87
He hears God the Father say,
00:21:50.91\00:21:52.81
this is my beloved Son
in whom I am well pleased.
00:21:52.84\00:21:56.18
How many of you were there?
00:21:56.21\00:21:59.68
So how is it in that
our ministry can become
00:21:59.71\00:22:01.65
just as powerful
as their ministry?
00:22:01.68\00:22:04.35
Let's continue reading.
00:22:04.39\00:22:05.79
Verse 19 says "We
have also a," what?
00:22:05.82\00:22:10.13
"More sure word of
prophecy. More sure than what?
00:22:10.16\00:22:16.83
Than an eye witness,
that's absolutely right.
00:22:16.87\00:22:18.67
Right back up there in verse 16.
00:22:18.70\00:22:20.64
But we were eye
witnesses of His majesty.
00:22:20.67\00:22:23.17
Don't glory too much brother.
The Lord will humble you.
00:22:23.20\00:22:26.04
Verse 19 says "We have also
a more sure word of prophecy,"
00:22:26.07\00:22:31.51
more sure than an eye witness.
00:22:31.55\00:22:33.62
How is it that your ministry
and my ministry is as powerful
00:22:33.65\00:22:37.69
and as effective as
the apostle's ministry?
00:22:37.72\00:22:42.19
It's because of prophecy.
00:22:42.22\00:22:45.06
Because we can experience
00:22:45.09\00:22:46.93
the very same things
that they experienced.
00:22:46.96\00:22:52.40
We can experience a daily
walk with Jesus Christ. Why?
00:22:52.43\00:22:56.67
Because prophecy tells
us that God's word is true.
00:22:56.71\00:22:59.57
Prophecy tells us where we are
00:22:59.61\00:23:01.08
in the timeline
of earth's history.
00:23:01.11\00:23:03.68
And my friends, if we were
studying Daniel 2 right now,
00:23:03.71\00:23:06.21
I would tell you that we
are in the toe jam of the image.
00:23:06.25\00:23:09.92
Jesus is coming soon. Amen.
00:23:09.95\00:23:13.42
And sometimes we
get so wrapped up
00:23:13.46\00:23:15.36
in the trivial
things of this world like,
00:23:15.39\00:23:17.56
"oh, should I listen to this
00:23:17.59\00:23:18.93
or oh, shouldn't
I listen to that.
00:23:18.96\00:23:20.30
Or oh, should I
go out to eat today
00:23:20.33\00:23:21.93
or oh, should I not
go out to eat today,
00:23:21.96\00:23:23.53
or oh, should I
where this shirt,
00:23:23.57\00:23:25.47
is this skirt too
small, is this shirt,
00:23:25.50\00:23:27.60
does this show off
my muscles enough,"
00:23:27.64\00:23:29.24
we got to get pass all of
that stuff and find Jesus. Amen.
00:23:29.27\00:23:33.68
A lot of people tell me that
there are things in the Bible
00:23:33.71\00:23:35.81
that are gray, I
don't believe it. It's gray.
00:23:35.84\00:23:41.08
People say things
in the Bible are gray.
00:23:41.12\00:23:42.82
You know, it's neither black,
it's neither white, it's gray.
00:23:42.85\00:23:44.99
It's a hazy topic in the Bible.
00:23:45.02\00:23:47.79
You know what that means?
00:23:47.82\00:23:49.52
That people aren't
studying the Bible.
00:23:49.56\00:23:51.69
That's what that means.
00:23:51.73\00:23:52.76
They are not spending
time with the word of God.
00:23:52.79\00:23:58.13
Who was the word
of God made flesh?
00:23:58.17\00:24:00.77
Jesus. They are not
spending time with Jesus.
00:24:00.80\00:24:04.37
Number three,
point number three.
00:24:04.41\00:24:06.01
The disciples were effective
because they were men of prayer.
00:24:06.04\00:24:10.55
They were effective
because they were what?
00:24:10.58\00:24:12.18
Men of prayer. Men of prayer.
00:24:12.21\00:24:13.95
It was in January of this year
00:24:13.98\00:24:16.52
that all the pastors
in the Michigan Conference
00:24:16.55\00:24:18.49
went to Camp Fasola, that's
the big youth camp up there.
00:24:18.52\00:24:21.59
And we had a man
named Eldoret Sara,
00:24:21.62\00:24:23.96
he's from South Africa.
00:24:23.99\00:24:25.06
He came over and
he began to tell us
00:24:25.09\00:24:27.23
about the ministry of a
young pastor in his division.
00:24:27.30\00:24:31.80
He said that they
took this young pastor
00:24:31.83\00:24:34.30
who was known to
be a man of prayer.
00:24:34.34\00:24:36.84
And they put him in the
worst district that they have.
00:24:36.87\00:24:41.51
This district has over a
hundred thousand people in it.
00:24:41.54\00:24:47.38
And there were 273
Adventist members, 273.
00:24:47.42\00:24:53.69
And this man began to pray.
00:24:53.72\00:24:55.76
Now mind you this man worked
00:24:55.79\00:24:57.69
to try to
answer his own prayers.
00:24:57.73\00:24:59.79
Which is what we
have to do as well.
00:24:59.83\00:25:01.70
If we want God to
answer we work until it's--
00:25:01.73\00:25:05.03
till we can't do it
anymore and then God takes over.
00:25:05.07\00:25:07.84
Don't expect God to
answer your prayer if you pray,
00:25:07.87\00:25:10.34
Lord, please get
me off this couch
00:25:10.37\00:25:11.47
and get me a job and you
just sit on the couch all day.
00:25:11.51\00:25:14.38
It's never gonna happen.
00:25:14.41\00:25:16.31
But this young
pastor begins to pray.
00:25:16.34\00:25:18.71
He begins to
pray in his ministry
00:25:18.75\00:25:20.72
that he will get
half of the population
00:25:20.75\00:25:24.62
in his district in four years.
00:25:24.65\00:25:27.79
He wants 50,000
people in four years
00:25:27.82\00:25:30.59
by year number three.
00:25:30.63\00:25:34.20
He had 21,000
members in his district.
00:25:34.23\00:25:40.57
After this I was
inspired to pray.
00:25:40.60\00:25:44.47
I called up an
elder of a church,
00:25:44.51\00:25:45.94
we have lots of churches
there in the Detroit metro area.
00:25:45.97\00:25:49.41
And I called up an
elder of another church,
00:25:49.44\00:25:51.48
I said elder, I
need you to pray with me
00:25:51.51\00:25:53.58
because I want my ministry
00:25:53.62\00:25:55.18
to just be what
the Lord wanted to be.
00:25:55.22\00:25:57.39
So every morning at 7'0
clock we pray, every morning.
00:25:57.42\00:26:00.99
He calls me.
00:26:01.02\00:26:02.06
I call him every
morning at 7'o clock,
00:26:02.09\00:26:04.33
unless I am on a
trip and then he knows it
00:26:04.36\00:26:06.33
I am up too late and sleep
too late to call at that time,
00:26:06.36\00:26:09.20
but when I am at home.
00:26:09.23\00:26:11.97
We began to pray
that the Lord would help
00:26:12.00\00:26:14.47
the finances of arise.
00:26:14.50\00:26:18.74
And a man
donated $42,000 to arise.
00:26:18.77\00:26:23.88
We began to pray that
a lady named Antoinette
00:26:23.91\00:26:26.68
would give her heart to Jesus
00:26:26.72\00:26:28.28
so much so that she would become
00:26:28.32\00:26:29.58
a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian.
00:26:29.62\00:26:31.62
Two weeks ago she signed
the chartered member paper
00:26:31.65\00:26:34.76
as a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian.
00:26:34.79\00:26:37.13
We begin to pray
that a lady named Anne
00:26:37.16\00:26:40.03
would come to church and
bring her children to church
00:26:40.06\00:26:43.13
and actually
commit her life to Jesus
00:26:43.16\00:26:45.33
and Anne is coming to church.
00:26:45.37\00:26:47.80
We began to pray
that another man named--
00:26:47.84\00:26:50.87
Oh, come on, Lord,
don't let me forgot his name.
00:26:50.91\00:26:53.58
His name is Gene.
00:26:53.61\00:26:55.74
That Gene would give his heart
00:26:55.78\00:26:57.05
and his life to Jesus.
00:26:57.08\00:26:58.18
Gene was an associate
pastor of an apostolic church.
00:26:58.21\00:27:02.08
He was in the shower one morning
00:27:02.12\00:27:03.35
and he was washing his hair
00:27:03.39\00:27:04.82
and he said that he prayed Lord,
00:27:04.85\00:27:06.59
you've got to show me the truth.
00:27:06.62\00:27:10.33
You've got to show me the truth.
00:27:10.36\00:27:12.29
That day a flier
arrived in his mail
00:27:12.33\00:27:14.76
to come to an
evangelistic meeting.
00:27:14.83\00:27:17.37
Two weeks ago,
Gene signed his name
00:27:17.40\00:27:19.47
to be part of the
charter membership
00:27:19.50\00:27:22.04
of the newest church
in the state of Michigan.
00:27:22.07\00:27:27.38
The apostle's
ministry was effective
00:27:27.41\00:27:29.41
because they
were people of prayer.
00:27:29.44\00:27:32.51
Turn in your
Bibles to Luke 24:53.
00:27:32.55\00:27:36.95
Luke 24:53,
00:27:36.99\00:27:38.85
that's to the left
from where we were.
00:27:38.89\00:27:42.79
Mathew, Mark,
Luke, the last chapter
00:27:42.82\00:27:46.63
and the very last verse.
00:27:46.66\00:27:51.93
The very last
thing that Luke says
00:27:51.97\00:27:54.47
when he is
writing to Theophilus.
00:27:54.50\00:27:58.01
Luke 24:53,
when he is describing
00:27:58.04\00:28:01.34
the ministry of the disciples
after Jesus has ascended up,
00:28:01.38\00:28:06.25
He says about them
they were continually
00:28:06.28\00:28:09.18
in the temple praising
and blessing God, amen.
00:28:09.22\00:28:13.96
What were they
doing? Praising God.
00:28:13.99\00:28:16.89
They were praising
God. They were praying.
00:28:16.93\00:28:21.23
They were
petitioning the God of heaven.
00:28:21.26\00:28:25.97
If we studied it out,
we would see that they were
00:28:26.00\00:28:27.77
petitioning the God of
heaven for the outpouring
00:28:27.80\00:28:30.31
of the promise
of the Holy Spirit.
00:28:30.34\00:28:33.58
Ten days after
Jesus ascends to heaven,
00:28:33.61\00:28:40.15
the spirit of God has poured
out on the day of Pentecost.
00:28:40.18\00:28:44.19
Turn with me to Acts chapter 1,
00:28:44.22\00:28:46.15
that's two books to the right
from where we are Acts 1:14.
00:28:46.19\00:28:51.43
Acts 1:14.
00:28:51.46\00:28:55.66
Acts 1:14, the disciples
are up there in this upper room,
00:29:00.70\00:29:05.37
Acts 1:14 says
00:29:05.41\00:29:07.18
"These all
continued with one accord
00:29:07.21\00:29:10.01
in prayer and supplication,
00:29:10.05\00:29:12.05
with the women, and
Mary the mother of Jesus,
00:29:12.08\00:29:14.78
and with his brethren."
00:29:14.82\00:29:15.95
What did the disciples do
after Jesus went back to heaven?
00:29:15.98\00:29:20.32
They prayed. They prayed.
00:29:20.36\00:29:22.96
If we want our
ministry to be as powerful
00:29:22.99\00:29:25.36
and as effective as
their ministry what will we do?
00:29:25.39\00:29:28.06
Pray. Pray.
00:29:28.10\00:29:31.97
That--Bible
tells us in Acts 6:3-4,
00:29:32.00\00:29:34.80
we don't have time to read it.
00:29:34.84\00:29:36.64
That they were--
they had to choose deacons
00:29:36.67\00:29:39.17
to take care of the church
00:29:39.21\00:29:40.64
so that the disciples
could spend their time
00:29:40.68\00:29:43.01
studying the word
of God and praying.
00:29:43.04\00:29:48.45
How many of you would
like to hold your breathe?
00:29:48.48\00:29:50.59
You like to hold your breathe?
00:29:50.62\00:29:52.25
I bet you could
hold your breathe
00:29:52.29\00:29:53.29
longer than
anyone in here, can you?
00:29:53.32\00:29:55.26
You know, I don't
care how much time we have,
00:29:55.29\00:29:56.39
what I am gonna do is I
am gonna time in. All right.
00:29:56.42\00:29:58.93
So those of you at
home that are watching this,
00:29:58.96\00:30:00.83
you just hold your breath too.
00:30:00.86\00:30:03.16
Is everybody on the same
page, we're gonna do what?
00:30:03.20\00:30:05.23
Hold our
breathe. Hold our breathe.
00:30:05.27\00:30:07.07
Okay, I'm gonna count to three,
00:30:07.10\00:30:08.14
if you want a
hyperventilate whatever.
00:30:08.17\00:30:10.51
One, two, three.
00:30:10.54\00:30:13.94
You have 15 seconds.
00:30:29.52\00:30:31.09
30 seconds.
00:30:44.61\00:30:48.28
You still hold your
breath, hold your hand up
00:30:48.31\00:30:49.51
who are holding the
breath. Praise the Lord.
00:30:49.54\00:30:52.21
50 seconds.
00:31:04.63\00:31:05.76
Any chance people
holding their breath?
00:31:17.81\00:31:20.98
Fewer, but still a few.
00:31:21.01\00:31:25.31
A minute and 10 seconds.
00:31:25.35\00:31:26.88
It's always
neat when you do this
00:31:35.39\00:31:36.59
and see some people turn blue.
00:31:36.62\00:31:38.06
Minute and 34 seconds.
00:31:49.24\00:31:51.67
How many do we have now?
00:31:51.71\00:31:56.91
One.
00:31:56.95\00:31:58.05
Everybody wants
to know who it is?
00:32:04.82\00:32:06.49
And he said he
is a trumpet player.
00:32:12.96\00:32:15.16
Two minutes.
00:32:15.20\00:32:18.30
Two minutes, anybody else
still holding your breathe.
00:32:18.33\00:32:20.24
I want you to listen to this.
00:32:23.51\00:32:26.98
The longest anyone in this room
00:32:27.01\00:32:28.64
could hold their
breathe was, how long?
00:32:28.68\00:32:30.05
Two minutes. Two minutes.
00:32:30.08\00:32:33.18
This come from
gospel workers page 254.
00:32:33.21\00:32:36.72
"Prayer is the
breath of the soul."
00:32:36.75\00:32:40.52
"Prayer is the
breath of the soul."
00:32:44.23\00:32:49.33
It is the secret
of spiritual power.
00:32:49.36\00:32:54.64
Neglect the exercise of prayer
00:32:54.67\00:32:56.60
or engage in
prayer spasmodically
00:32:56.64\00:32:58.81
now and then as
seems convenient,
00:32:58.84\00:33:02.31
and you lose your hold on God.
00:33:02.34\00:33:09.08
Two minutes and we
had to take a breath.
00:33:09.12\00:33:13.29
Yet prayer is the
breath of the soul.
00:33:13.32\00:33:17.69
That doesn't mean
that he can go longer
00:33:17.73\00:33:19.26
than the rest of us
without praying. Amen.
00:33:19.29\00:33:24.60
The apostle's ministry
was magnificent and incredible
00:33:24.63\00:33:27.17
because they were men of prayer.
00:33:27.20\00:33:30.64
Point number four.
00:33:30.67\00:33:33.01
The disciple's
ministry was magnificent
00:33:33.04\00:33:35.54
because they expected Jesus
00:33:35.58\00:33:38.08
to fulfill His
promise to return.
00:33:38.11\00:33:41.15
They expected Jesus to
fulfill His promise to return.
00:33:41.18\00:33:49.06
Turn with me to John chapter 14,
00:33:49.09\00:33:51.86
one book to the
left, John chapter 14.
00:33:51.89\00:33:57.80
You've probably
learned this in Sabbath school.
00:33:57.83\00:34:01.17
John 14:1-2-3.
00:34:01.20\00:34:04.17
Jesus says, the
words are in red,
00:34:04.21\00:34:06.24
"Let not your heart
be," what? "Troubled.
00:34:06.27\00:34:09.38
Ye believe in God,
believe also in me.
00:34:09.41\00:34:13.08
In my Father's
house are many mansions.
00:34:13.11\00:34:16.32
If it were not so, I
would have told you."
00:34:16.35\00:34:19.22
And then Jesus says
00:34:19.25\00:34:20.16
"I go to prepare a
place for," who? You.
00:34:20.19\00:34:23.59
Oh, somebody say
me. Let's do that again.
00:34:23.63\00:34:27.03
I go to prepare a place for--
00:34:27.10\00:34:28.60
Me. Me.
00:34:28.63\00:34:29.70
Jesus is
preparing a place for you.
00:34:29.73\00:34:31.33
The disciples believed it.
00:34:31.37\00:34:35.00
They actually believed it.
00:34:35.04\00:34:40.11
Verse 3, "And if I go
and prepare a place for you,
00:34:40.14\00:34:43.14
I will come again, and
receive you unto myself
00:34:43.18\00:34:46.38
that where I am,
there you may be also."
00:34:46.41\00:34:50.19
The disciple's
ministry was magnificent
00:34:50.22\00:34:52.69
because they actually
believed Jesus was coming back.
00:34:52.72\00:34:58.36
Can you believe that? Yeah.
00:34:58.39\00:35:03.40
I think if we
actually believed it,
00:35:03.43\00:35:07.24
our lives will
look a lot different
00:35:07.27\00:35:09.67
than they look right now.
00:35:09.70\00:35:14.84
You know, there is that,
that country music singer
00:35:14.88\00:35:17.61
Tim McGraw
singing that song about--
00:35:17.65\00:35:22.65
about his life,
his friend's life
00:35:22.68\00:35:24.62
and his
experience with skydiving,
00:35:24.65\00:35:27.39
deep sea, something and
rode a bull named Fu Manchu.
00:35:27.42\00:35:35.03
But then he
said, because he knew
00:35:35.06\00:35:36.60
that he was
dying he loved deeper.
00:35:36.63\00:35:40.00
He spoke sweeter and he
spent time in the good book.
00:35:40.04\00:35:44.17
If we actually
believe Jesus was coming soon,
00:35:48.88\00:35:52.51
our lives will look
completely different
00:35:52.55\00:35:55.18
from what they look right now.
00:35:55.22\00:35:57.19
Regardless of how
holy we think we are,
00:35:57.22\00:35:59.95
our lives would be
completely different.
00:36:00.06\00:36:05.86
Turn with me to the New
Testament Book of First John.
00:36:05.89\00:36:10.13
First John chapter 3.
00:36:10.17\00:36:13.54
First John, if
you get to revelation,
00:36:13.57\00:36:15.27
you've obviously
gone just ahead too far,
00:36:15.30\00:36:18.11
backup two books.
00:36:18.14\00:36:21.18
First John 3:1-2-3.
00:36:21.21\00:36:27.18
And the good
book reads like this.
00:36:27.22\00:36:30.72
"Behold what manner of love
the Father hath bestowed upon us
00:36:30.75\00:36:35.42
that we should be
called the," what?
00:36:35.46\00:36:37.89
"The sons of God.
00:36:37.93\00:36:39.36
The world knoweth us
not, because it knew Him not.
00:36:39.39\00:36:41.73
Beloved, now are
we the sons of God,
00:36:41.76\00:36:44.73
and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be.
00:36:44.77\00:36:47.30
But we know that,
when He shall appear,
00:36:47.34\00:36:51.07
we shall be like Him. For
we shall see Him as He is."
00:36:51.11\00:36:56.61
Verse 3, "And every man
that hath this hope in him
00:36:56.64\00:37:01.15
purifieth himself,
even as He is pure."
00:37:01.18\00:37:06.09
The disciples took Jesus
words to the very extreme way
00:37:06.12\00:37:10.69
that they could ever be taken
00:37:10.73\00:37:12.33
and they said
Jesus is coming back.
00:37:12.36\00:37:15.53
They didn't scoff
at it. They lived it.
00:37:15.56\00:37:18.23
They didn't pretend that
it was way in the future,
00:37:18.27\00:37:20.90
they believed it.
00:37:20.94\00:37:23.51
The Bible says that at the
end of time scoffers will come.
00:37:23.54\00:37:26.61
We are in the end of time.
00:37:30.78\00:37:34.98
Are you a scoffer?
00:37:35.02\00:37:37.89
The Bible says that the apostles
lives will purified by the hope
00:37:41.39\00:37:45.56
that Jesus was going to return.
00:37:45.59\00:37:49.10
I believe it's
in Titus chapter 2
00:37:49.13\00:37:50.67
where it talks
about the blessed hope
00:37:50.70\00:37:53.03
of our Lord Jesus
Christ and His return.
00:37:53.07\00:37:57.47
Just like the
faithful martyrs of old,
00:37:57.51\00:38:00.34
your name can be forever
written in the heavenly kingdom.
00:38:03.55\00:38:08.98
Your ministry on this
earth can be effective
00:38:09.02\00:38:11.99
because number one,
what was our first point?
00:38:12.02\00:38:14.42
That your life is secondary
to the sharing of the Gospel,
00:38:18.76\00:38:23.77
become a fool for Jesus.
00:38:23.80\00:38:26.97
Step outside of your
comfort zone for Jesus.
00:38:27.00\00:38:29.60
My understanding is
tomorrow what time is it--
00:38:29.64\00:38:31.77
what time is that gonna happen,
00:38:31.81\00:38:33.24
brother, the outreach tomorrow.
00:38:33.27\00:38:35.74
11'0 clock. 11'0 clock.
00:38:35.78\00:38:37.65
Where are they
meeting? We don't know.
00:38:37.68\00:38:40.12
Collegedale-- Collegedale,
00:38:40.15\00:38:44.79
they're gonna make that
announcement, aren't they?
00:38:44.82\00:38:46.29
Yes. Okay.
00:38:46.32\00:38:48.46
Get out of your comfort zone.
00:38:48.49\00:38:52.03
The disciple's
ministry was effective
00:38:52.06\00:38:54.13
because their ministry
was more important to them
00:38:54.20\00:38:56.53
than their physical life.
00:38:56.56\00:38:58.37
Their ministry was effective
00:38:58.40\00:38:59.87
because they
were on their knees.
00:38:59.90\00:39:03.14
Their ministry was effective
00:39:03.17\00:39:04.51
because they believed that
Jesus Christ was coming back.
00:39:04.54\00:39:09.21
And their ministry was effective
00:39:09.24\00:39:10.55
because it was
based on divine good news.
00:39:10.58\00:39:14.98
What is your ministry based on?
00:39:15.02\00:39:16.58
The Bible says that
the name of the apostles
00:39:20.12\00:39:22.56
in Revelation 21:14, that
their names will be written
00:39:22.59\00:39:26.73
in the
foundation of New Jerusalem.
00:39:26.76\00:39:28.70
Will your name be written
00:39:31.77\00:39:35.07
in the lamb's book of life?
00:39:35.10\00:39:40.61
When the devil sees you
walking down the street,
00:39:40.64\00:39:43.21
does he tremble because he knows
00:39:43.24\00:39:44.91
that you are about to
share Jesus with someone else?
00:39:44.95\00:39:51.12
Or does he put
his arm around you
00:39:51.15\00:39:54.16
and walk down
the street with you?
00:39:54.19\00:39:56.83