¤ ¤
00:00:02.33\00:01:00.69
Hello and welcome once again
to spring camp meeting 2008 from
00:01:00.76\00:01:05.19
the beautiful worship center
here on the 3ABN campus in
00:01:05.23\00:01:08.70
beautiful downtown Thompsonville
Illinois. It is the afternoon
00:01:08.73\00:01:13.20
and we've all come back from
lunch. We've dined sufficiently
00:01:13.23\00:01:17.67
and we pray that no one
is sleepy because we have a
00:01:17.71\00:01:20.84
power packed message this
afternoon from a power packed
00:01:20.88\00:01:22.91
preacher and we need you to
be awake and alert and ready to
00:01:22.94\00:01:26.58
receive the word of God because
the word will be brought to us
00:01:26.61\00:01:30.22
with power. Now can you not say
that we've had a good time thus
00:01:30.29\00:01:33.92
far into our camp meeting.
I believe we have. And when we
00:01:33.96\00:01:39.49
were sitting down to put this
together speakers make their
00:01:39.53\00:01:43.93
appointments and arrangements
sometimes years in advance. And
00:01:43.97\00:01:47.40
we selected a number of people
that we wanted to come and bring
00:01:47.44\00:01:50.87
the message of truth to
God's people here in the local
00:01:50.91\00:01:54.14
audience and worldwide and God
blessed because everybody that
00:01:54.18\00:01:58.51
we sort of pegged as wanting to
come was available and willing
00:01:58.55\00:02:02.58
to come. We know that they have
schedules and they have things
00:02:02.62\00:02:05.35
to do, but they were willing to
come and spend the time with us
00:02:05.39\00:02:07.22
not only through camp meeting
but as you know 10 commandments
00:02:07.26\00:02:11.09
weekend is going to
follow so we'll hear them again.
00:02:11.13\00:02:14.26
The seminars thus far have been
really, really good. They've
00:02:14.30\00:02:18.87
been anointed, they've been
God blessed, the information has
00:02:18.90\00:02:21.04
been good. We've invited men and
women who are students of the
00:02:21.07\00:02:25.54
word and they've brought to us
from the word of God. Of course,
00:02:25.57\00:02:28.38
this afternoon is no exception
to that. So we want to get
00:02:28.41\00:02:32.71
started. We want to start with
prayer. I'm going to ask you to
00:02:32.75\00:02:34.68
bow your heads with me as
we look to the Lord in prayer.
00:02:34.72\00:02:37.59
Heavenly Father: We praise and
thank you for a wonderful day
00:02:37.62\00:02:41.36
thus far and we are truly
thankful Lord for the power of
00:02:41.39\00:02:45.03
your word, for what it does to
energize us, to quicken us, to
00:02:45.06\00:02:49.16
lift us up into heavenly places
and give us strength to meet the
00:02:49.20\00:02:57.31
trials that we face every day.
We know that Jesus is coming
00:02:57.34\00:03:02.34
soon and more than anything we
want to be ready for the coming
00:03:02.38\00:03:06.65
of the Lord. So we ask Lord that
again you would be an honored
00:03:06.72\00:03:10.52
guest in this meeting. Accept
our worship, our prayer and our
00:03:10.55\00:03:14.26
praise and in exchange for these
give us your power and your
00:03:14.29\00:03:19.23
blessing and we thank you,
in Jesus' name, Amen. Again if
00:03:19.26\00:03:22.73
you've looked at your program
you know that Shelley Quinn is
00:03:22.76\00:03:25.00
supposed to be standing here.
But Shelley is a little under
00:03:25.03\00:03:29.44
the weather. Do keep her in your
prayers because we want Shelley
00:03:29.47\00:03:32.44
to recover very, very quickly
and we miss her so very much.
00:03:32.47\00:03:36.34
We're going to call now on
Melody Firestone to come and
00:03:36.38\00:03:40.18
bring us music. Beautiful young
lady, beautiful spirit, with a
00:03:40.22\00:03:43.05
beautiful song - Give Them Up.
00:03:43.08\00:03:45.82
¤ ¤ Give Them Up ¤ ¤
00:03:45.85\00:04:02.17
¤We go through the motions
for trading someone else's¤
00:04:02.20\00:04:09.91
¤notions of what you'd like
to be. It seems there's no way¤
00:04:09.94\00:04:17.59
¤you can make it, and you think
you just can't take it. The¤
00:04:17.62\00:04:27.03
¤answer is such a mystery. Well
you can hand it over to Him. ¤
00:04:27.06\00:04:36.47
¤and start all over
again. Give up all your worries¤
00:04:36.50\00:04:47.48
¤Give up all the pain, give up
all the guilt and the shame. ¤
00:04:47.52\00:04:56.19
¤to the one who gave His life,
with love He made the sacrifice¤
00:04:56.22\00:05:08.74
¤Give them all in Jesus' name.
There are just no words to¤
00:05:08.77\00:05:18.61
¤say how I feel¤
00:05:18.65\00:05:19.98
¤and wishful thinking just won't
heal this hurt inside of me¤
00:05:20.02\00:05:28.46
¤Only He knows what I'm all
about, all my fears and all my¤
00:05:28.49\00:05:38.03
¤and all my doubts. I haven't
been all that I could be¤
00:05:38.07\00:05:46.61
¤and I don't want to wait
another day. I know in my heart¤
00:05:46.64\00:05:56.05
¤He is the way. I'll give up
all my worries, give up all the¤
00:05:56.08\00:06:05.99
¤pain, give up all the guilt and
the shame. To the one who gave¤
00:06:06.03\00:06:14.97
¤His life. With love He made the
sacrifice. I'll give them up in¤
00:06:15.00\00:06:23.95
¤Jesus' name. Jesus died to
set us free. It's up to us to¤
00:06:23.98\00:06:36.89
¤believe and give up all the
worries, give up all the pain,¤
00:06:36.93\00:06:48.30
¤give up all the guilt and the
shame to the one who gave his¤
00:06:48.34\00:06:59.68
¤life, with love He made
the sacrifice. Give them up in¤
00:06:59.71\00:07:11.83
¤Jesus' name¤ ¤
00:07:11.86\00:07:32.18
Well done The Lord has given her
quite a gift that she uses to
00:07:32.21\00:07:37.59
His glory. Several years ago
I was invited to speak at the
00:07:37.65\00:07:42.92
Arlington Seventh-day Adventist
church. A friend of mine who was
00:07:42.99\00:07:47.30
a member of my Ephesus Church
in New York City had moved to
00:07:47.33\00:07:50.83
Texas and they were having an
international day and they asked
00:07:50.87\00:07:55.07
me to come and speak. And I met
there for the first time Pastor
00:07:55.10\00:07:59.31
Mike Tucker. The church had
about 1500 or 1600 members at
00:07:59.34\00:08:02.98
that time and has now grown, I
am told, to 1900 members. I know
00:08:03.01\00:08:08.48
the kind of work it takes
to pastor a church of that size
00:08:08.52\00:08:11.19
because my church was a
little over 2000 when I left the
00:08:11.22\00:08:13.69
Ephesus church. It takes
a special kind of tact and a
00:08:13.72\00:08:18.69
special kind of love for Christ
to pastor these large churches.
00:08:18.73\00:08:22.30
And I would say to you now as
we come down to the end of time
00:08:22.33\00:08:25.70
it's getting harder to get
large groups of people to work
00:08:25.73\00:08:29.04
together. It's getting a little
tougher. It takes a special kind
00:08:29.07\00:08:33.11
tact, a special kind of love for
Christ to get large groups of
00:08:33.14\00:08:37.05
people to function as one and
to function under the banner of
00:08:37.08\00:08:42.05
Prince Emmanuel. So Mike
and Gayle Tucker, his wife, both
00:08:42.08\00:08:46.99
work for the Lord in pastoring
that large church in Arlington,
00:08:47.02\00:08:51.53
Texas. God has blessed their
ministry. We also know him as
00:08:51.56\00:08:55.73
the speaker/director for Faith
for Today. Now when we think of
00:08:55.76\00:08:59.87
Faith for Today we think
of one of the longest running
00:08:59.90\00:09:02.07
ministries, television
ministries, in the church.
00:09:02.10\00:09:05.74
Faith for Today goes back
to New York City to the days of
00:09:05.77\00:09:08.94
William Fagal, you might
remember that name from over 60
00:09:08.98\00:09:12.05
years ago. I've got a copy of
one of their original Christmas
00:09:12.11\00:09:17.29
shows. I think it aired in 1951
or 1953 on ABC back in New York
00:09:17.32\00:09:22.22
City years and years ago. So
Pastor Mike as speaker/director
00:09:22.26\00:09:25.79
for Faith for Today serves in
that long line of distinguished
00:09:25.83\00:09:29.06
gentleman who have headed up
that ministry, Faith for Today.
00:09:29.10\00:09:33.34
And it is still a powerful
tool in the hands of God for the
00:09:33.37\00:09:36.37
salvation of the souls of men.
We are so honored and blessed
00:09:36.40\00:09:40.34
and pleased that he consented
to come and speak with us. He's
00:09:40.38\00:09:44.01
a man with a sense of humor
and think he actually balled his
00:09:44.05\00:09:47.65
fist up at me back stage
a moment ago, but someone
00:09:47.68\00:09:50.99
that we love and respect. Last
October you may recall that he
00:09:51.05\00:09:56.36
and Gayle ran a very beautiful
television meeting called Heart
00:09:56.39\00:10:00.00
Quest that
00:10:00.03\00:10:01.36
was very well done and brought
many souls to the kingdom of God
00:10:01.40\00:10:04.77
So this is someone who is used
of the Lord, who God has blessed
00:10:04.80\00:10:10.54
and is blessing today. So we
are very, very pleased that he
00:10:10.57\00:10:12.37
chose to come and spend this
time with us this afternoon.
00:10:12.41\00:10:16.11
So without
00:10:16.14\00:10:17.48
further ado I present to you
the speaker/director for Faith
00:10:17.51\00:10:20.42
for Today and the pastor of the
Arlington Church, Pastor Mike
00:10:20.48\00:10:22.85
Tucker.
00:10:22.88\00:10:24.22
He mentioned Faith for Today
being one of the longest running
00:10:24.25\00:10:31.26
religious broad casts. Actually
it is the oldest religious
00:10:31.29\00:10:35.16
broadcast in the world.
This month we are celebrating 58
00:10:35.20\00:10:38.63
years. Something started
by William and Virginia Fagal.
00:10:38.70\00:10:42.10
William, of course, is gone now
but Virginia is alive and well.
00:10:42.14\00:10:45.77
She has had some health issues
lately but she is doing much,
00:10:45.81\00:10:48.11
much better. She is a sweetheart
I tell she is such a jewel. She
00:10:48.14\00:10:53.95
drives her car through L.A.
traffic still. That frightens me
00:10:53.98\00:10:59.75
much less, but I'm impressed
with her and she is doing much
00:10:59.79\00:11:03.39
better I am told. It's been
awhile since I've been able to
00:11:03.43\00:11:06.49
chat with her. She is doing
better. We praise God for the
00:11:06.53\00:11:09.56
ministry of Faith for Today. I
stand on the shoulders of giants
00:11:09.60\00:11:13.47
for that ministry and so that
is a joy to be a part of it.
00:11:13.50\00:11:16.81
I bring you greetings not just
from Faith for Today but also
00:11:16.84\00:11:20.11
from the church that he
mentioned, the Arlington
00:11:20.14\00:11:22.84
Seventh-day Adventist church
in Arlington, Texas. They talk
00:11:22.88\00:11:26.55
about beautiful downtown
Thompson ville. Is there a stop
00:11:26.58\00:11:30.19
light in the city. I haven't
seen it. I hear there are 600
00:11:30.22\00:11:33.15
residents of the city. I have
1900 members in my church. So
00:11:33.19\00:11:39.73
it's a little different scale
there. I'm sure it's a lovely
00:11:39.76\00:11:45.37
community. City, I don't know,
but it's great to be here. What
00:11:45.40\00:11:49.04
a joy to be a part of 3ABN
campmeeting and to visit with
you folks. I've been able
00:11:49.07\00:11:53.24
to sit and talk to some of you,
eat lunch with some of you. God
00:11:53.27\00:11:57.38
has been so good. So tell
me what is the essence of the
00:11:57.41\00:12:02.68
Christian life? And how is
it that we know we're growing in
00:12:02.72\00:12:07.29
Jesus Christ? How do we know
that we're growing in Him? How
00:12:07.32\00:12:11.59
do we know what it means to
become a fully devoted follower
00:12:11.63\00:12:16.67
of Jesus Christ, a disciple of
Jesus? What does it mean to grow
00:12:16.73\00:12:21.27
in Jesus Christ? What is that
all about? A lot of people have
00:12:21.30\00:12:25.77
wondered about this particular
question and they applied a lot
00:12:25.81\00:12:30.25
of different methods to
understanding it. But let me
00:12:30.28\00:12:33.11
tell you the story of a couple
who I think understand this,
00:12:33.15\00:12:36.45
a couple who I think get
this. They are Kirsten and Lee
00:12:36.48\00:12:41.12
Hilderbrant. Now in 1996, I
think it was, Kirsten and Lee
00:12:41.19\00:12:45.79
Hilderbrant moved to Milwaukee
because Kirsten had just
00:12:45.83\00:12:50.37
finished her degree in law and
so she started a practice there
00:12:50.40\00:12:54.94
with an established firm,
while Lee continued his graduate
00:12:54.97\00:12:59.47
studies. He was getting
a doctorate in counseling
00:12:59.51\00:13:02.21
psychology. They moved
into a nice little suburban
00:13:02.24\00:13:04.85
neighborhood but they decided
instead of attending a church
00:13:04.88\00:13:07.58
that was nearby they
would attend a church that was
00:13:07.62\00:13:10.99
downtown, actually in the inner
city, which was close to where
00:13:11.02\00:13:13.86
Lee was attending graduate
school. Now this couple,
00:13:13.89\00:13:19.56
Hilderbrant, they're white,
middle class and as a lot of
00:13:19.59\00:13:24.17
white middle class people would
be their experience, they had
00:13:24.20\00:13:28.10
very little experience outside
their own culture. So attending
00:13:28.14\00:13:32.21
an inner city church was quite
a culture shock for them. But
00:13:32.24\00:13:36.24
they enjoyed it, they began
to just fall in love with the
00:13:36.28\00:13:39.18
church and the people there.
In fact, they also came to the
00:13:39.21\00:13:42.38
point where they felt that it
was possible that they had moved
00:13:42.45\00:13:45.92
into the wrong neighborhood.
They felt that God was calling
00:13:45.95\00:13:49.46
them to move into the inner
city They didn't know why. But
00:13:49.49\00:13:52.93
eventually they started looking
around. They found a house that
00:13:52.96\00:13:56.53
had been abandoned there, that
was vacant and they sold their
00:13:56.56\00:14:00.10
house in that suburban
neighborhood and much to the
00:14:00.14\00:14:03.17
protest of their family and
friends they bought this house
00:14:03.20\00:14:07.94
in the inner city and moved in.
They did a lot of remodeling on
00:14:07.98\00:14:12.11
it. They had to do a lot of
work on it in order to make it
00:14:12.15\00:14:15.75
something that was usable for
them, but they really enjoyed
00:14:15.78\00:14:18.05
living there. They noticed
before long that there was a
00:14:18.09\00:14:22.69
foreclosure sign on a house in
their neighborhood. So they went
00:14:22.72\00:14:27.43
to inspect it, to look at
it, thinking well maybe we ought
00:14:27.46\00:14:31.03
to buy it and as they looked
around they saw the thing was in
00:14:31.07\00:14:35.34
terrible, terrible repair.
They thought how is that someone
00:14:35.37\00:14:39.17
could live in a place like
this? And as they inquired they
00:14:39.21\00:14:42.88
realized that the landlord was
an absentee landlord, did not
00:14:42.91\00:14:46.35
even live in the state, lived
someplace else and allowed the
00:14:46.38\00:14:50.45
facility to fall into terrible
disrepair. As Kirsten started
00:14:50.49\00:14:54.42
looking at that she said you
know everyone deserves a nice
00:14:54.46\00:14:58.33
place to live. So they started
looking around the community and
00:14:58.39\00:15:02.20
they realized that a lot of the
houses were owned by absentee
00:15:02.23\00:15:05.97
landlords there in the inner
city and they were in terrible
00:15:06.00\00:15:09.67
shape. So they tried to buy this
house but their bid fell through
00:15:09.70\00:15:13.64
and they didn't bid enough.
But then they felt committed to
00:15:13.68\00:15:17.15
doing something about this
community. So they convinced two
00:15:17.18\00:15:20.52
other couples, friends of theirs
to go into business with them.
00:15:20.55\00:15:24.72
The three couples together put a
bid on another house that was in
00:15:24.75\00:15:28.99
just as bad repair and their bid
won and they bought the place.
00:15:29.02\00:15:33.50
They bought the house. Then they
decided it was time to remodel
00:15:33.53\00:15:37.23
it because it was in terrible
shape. They did most of the work
00:15:37.27\00:15:40.90
themselves. They became
accustomed to doing things like
00:15:40.94\00:15:44.64
drywall work and plumbing and
things that they had never done
00:15:44.67\00:15:48.21
before but they learned rather
quickly. They worked very hard
00:15:48.24\00:15:51.71
in order to keep the cost down
and when they had completed the
00:15:51.75\00:15:55.45
remodeling they rented it out
as cheaply as they could because
00:15:55.48\00:15:58.75
they wanted someone from the
inner city to have a nice place
00:15:58.79\00:16:03.09
to live. And it went well.
So they did that thing again and
00:16:03.12\00:16:07.10
again and again and again
and after seven years they had
00:16:07.16\00:16:11.43
purchased and remodeled 70
buildings in that community.
00:16:11.47\00:16:15.70
Seventy buildings, some of them
multifamily dwellings, others of
00:16:15.74\00:16:19.34
them single family dwellings but
they worked very hard. Now they
00:16:19.37\00:16:22.98
had some interesting
experiences because they would
00:16:23.01\00:16:25.41
work very hard putting together
a remodeling job and they'd come
00:16:25.48\00:16:28.45
back the next day to find
someone had painted graffiti all
00:16:28.48\00:16:31.25
over. So they would have to redo
things. Lee in particular once
00:16:31.29\00:16:37.89
was meeting with a very
dissatisfied tenant who held a
00:16:37.93\00:16:41.10
gun on him and he had to use
all of his counseling skills in
00:16:41.16\00:16:44.20
order to gently be able to back
out of the room, you know, and
00:16:44.27\00:16:47.10
to leave. But you know that they
said that they felt like it was
00:16:47.14\00:16:49.97
the right thing to do. As
they looked around that entire
00:16:50.01\00:16:53.81
community began to change
because other people realized
00:16:53.84\00:16:57.05
what they were doing in their
community and they started to
00:16:57.08\00:17:00.45
fix their places up. Grass
started getting mowed more often
00:17:00.48\00:17:03.49
and people started planting
flowers and putting new shutters
00:17:03.52\00:17:06.92
on the windows and painting
their places and all sorts of
00:17:06.96\00:17:10.29
things changed in that community
because of Kirsten and Lee who
00:17:10.33\00:17:15.53
decided they needed to make a
difference in the community. You
00:17:15.56\00:17:18.63
see I think that this couple
gets Christianity. I think that
00:17:18.67\00:17:25.41
they understand the basic
premise here, what it means to
00:17:25.44\00:17:29.38
live and to grow as a disciple
of Jesus Christ. Now Jesus was
00:17:29.41\00:17:33.88
asking questions about this once
and we find this question in
00:17:33.92\00:17:38.32
Matthew chapter 22. You
see a lot of the Pharisees and
00:17:38.35\00:17:41.56
Sadducees were out to get Jesus.
They wanted to embarrass Him.
00:17:41.59\00:17:44.26
They wanted to trip Him up one
way or another and so they would
00:17:44.29\00:17:48.40
ask Him these rather tough
questions and they had just
00:17:48.43\00:17:50.33
finished asking Him a question
about divorce and remarriage and
00:17:50.37\00:17:53.94
Jesus was able to navigate those
waters rather successfully.
00:17:53.97\00:17:58.14
So we find here in Matthew 22
starting with verse 34. It says
00:17:58.17\00:18:02.34
this:...
00:18:02.38\00:18:10.69
Teacher which is the greatest
commandment of the law. Jesus
00:18:10.72\00:18:15.46
replied, Love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all
00:18:15.49\00:18:19.89
your soul and with all your mind
This is the first and greatest
00:18:19.93\00:18:24.27
commandment...
00:18:24.30\00:18:25.63
So he asked what is the greatest
commandment. You understand that
00:18:34.71\00:18:39.91
in that day for an expert of the
law to ask that question he was
00:18:39.95\00:18:43.02
asking this: What does it take
to grow spiritually? What is the
00:18:43.08\00:18:49.26
essence of spiritual growth?
How do I know when I'm growing
00:18:49.29\00:18:54.23
spiritually? He of course
believed that that was all
00:18:54.26\00:18:57.83
wrapped up with the law;
not just the 10 commandment law
00:18:57.90\00:19:01.37
although that was the basis
of it, but then it went on out
00:19:01.40\00:19:05.17
beyond that. Because if indeed
the law was God's last word on
00:19:05.21\00:19:08.94
everything and if indeed
spiritual growth could be
00:19:08.98\00:19:11.01
measured by one's ability to
keep the commandments then they
00:19:11.05\00:19:13.85
had to understand the basis
of the commandments. So they
00:19:13.88\00:19:16.58
they studied the law. He was
an expert in the law. He studied
00:19:16.65\00:19:19.45
the law. He understood the
broader applications of the law.
00:19:19.49\00:19:22.26
But then once you understand the
broader applications, you had to
00:19:22.29\00:19:26.06
understand the details of how
does that apply today. So they
00:19:26.09\00:19:30.17
would make a list of things
the forbade and they had 100s of
00:19:30.20\00:19:33.60
lists. In facts, there are 1000s
of pages that have been written
00:19:33.64\00:19:37.01
with this particular study
in mind and for them keeping the
00:19:37.04\00:19:43.04
law, as much as anything
else, meant avoiding certain
00:19:43.08\00:19:46.48
activities under certain
circumstances. The Sabbath laws
00:19:46.51\00:19:50.29
were an example of this. There
were 100s even 1000s of laws
00:19:50.32\00:19:54.19
regarding the Sabbath, what one
could and one could not do on
00:19:54.22\00:19:57.83
the Sabbath and spiritual growth
meant understanding what those
00:19:57.86\00:20:02.13
restrictions were and avoiding
the negative. I had to avoid
00:20:02.16\00:20:06.33
doing certain things on that day
and if I could avoid doing those
00:20:06.37\00:20:10.44
things then that meant that
I was growing spiritually. That
00:20:10.47\00:20:16.08
was their idea of spiritual
growth; what does the law
00:20:16.11\00:20:20.08
prohibit, can I avoid those
things which the law prohibits.
00:20:20.12\00:20:25.29
So Jesus answered him in a way
that may have shocked him just a
00:20:25.32\00:20:29.09
little bit, because He said,
as we read there, Love the Lord
00:20:29.12\00:20:32.06
your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all
00:20:32.09\00:20:34.96
your mind. This is the first and
greatest commandment. The second
00:20:35.03\00:20:37.80
is like it, love your neighbor
as yourself. Now those two ideas
00:20:37.83\00:20:41.14
were a little bit, they were
familiar concepts to him but he
00:20:41.17\00:20:44.64
hadn't probably heard it in
quite that context. Now let me
00:20:44.67\00:20:48.28
share with you what the Jewish
prayer was. This is the first
00:20:48.34\00:20:50.61
prayer that was taught every Jew
as a child. It was the prayer
00:20:50.65\00:20:57.12
said every morning and the
prayer they said every evening
00:20:57.15\00:21:00.02
and this expressed for them the
essence of general spirituality.
00:21:00.06\00:21:06.06
This is what it means to grow
spiritually. We find this in
00:21:06.09\00:21:11.30
Deuteronomy chapter 6, starting
with verse 4. This is called the
00:21:11.33\00:21:14.00
Shamah. It is the prayer, the
Jewish prayer that every Jewish
00:21:14.04\00:21:17.54
child learned and every Jew
repeats every morning and every
00:21:17.61\00:21:22.54
evening. This is kind of
like the motto or the mantra of
00:21:22.58\00:21:25.55
Judaism. This is what it means
to grow spiritually as a Jew.
00:21:25.61\00:21:30.35
And again, Deuteronomy chapter 6
starting with verse 4; it says:
00:21:30.39\00:21:35.66
Hear O Israel, the Lord our God
the Lord is one. Love the Lord
00:21:35.69\00:21:39.16
your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all
00:21:39.19\00:21:42.60
your strength.
These commandments that I
00:21:42.63\00:21:45.17
give you today are to be upon
your hearts, impress them on
00:21:45.20\00:21:49.20
your children, talk about them
when you sit at home, when you
00:21:49.24\00:21:52.71
walk along the road, when you
lie down and when you get up.
00:21:52.74\00:21:56.95
Tie them as symbols on
your hand and bind them on their
00:21:56.98\00:22:00.68
foreheads, write them on the
door frames of your houses and
00:22:00.72\00:22:04.59
on your gates. That was their
morning prayer, their evening
00:22:04.62\00:22:08.89
prayer. This was the essence
of Judaism. Judaism, you see,
00:22:08.92\00:22:13.26
spiritual growth for a Jew was
this: Love God by following God
00:22:13.29\00:22:18.03
and keeping the commandments.
That's what it meant to grow
00:22:18.07\00:22:21.70
spiritually. But to love God
and I'm going to follow God by
00:22:21.77\00:22:25.94
keeping the commandments.
Spiritual growth. And so this
00:22:25.97\00:22:30.55
expert of the law asked
Jesus what is the essence of
00:22:30.58\00:22:35.08
spirituality? What does it mean
to grow spiritually? How do I
00:22:35.12\00:22:39.45
find spiritual formation? How do
I know when I am growing? Jesus
00:22:39.49\00:22:43.93
borrowed from the Shamah. Here
he is not putting this prayer
00:22:43.96\00:22:47.80
down, he's not disagreeing with
it in any way. He's expanding
00:22:47.83\00:22:51.40
upon it. Does He here do away
with the law of God in Jesus's
00:22:51.43\00:22:54.97
answer in Matthew 22. He doesn't
do away with the law of God, but
00:22:55.00\00:22:58.91
He puts it in a different
perspective. He cast it in a
00:22:58.94\00:23:02.74
little different light. The
law of God is still valid but
00:23:02.78\00:23:07.02
Jesus's answer was very
different than that which the
00:23:07.05\00:23:11.25
Jew thought was spiritual growth
Spiritual growth was to them
00:23:11.29\00:23:15.32
was we're going to love God
and we're going to do that by
00:23:15.36\00:23:19.33
following Him and by keeping the
commandments of God. But Jesus's
00:23:19.39\00:23:23.47
answer was something different.
We'll call this the Jesus Creed,
00:23:23.50\00:23:29.77
His creed for life and His creed
is this: Love God by following
00:23:29.80\00:23:37.61
Jesus and loving people. That's
the Jesus Creed. Love God by
00:23:37.65\00:23:44.62
following Jesus and loving
people. It doesn't do away with
00:23:44.65\00:23:49.96
the 10 commandments, it
finds them in a different light
00:23:49.99\00:23:55.23
because as you well know the 10
commandments have two sections.
00:23:55.26\00:23:59.67
The first four have to do with
our love for God. The last six
00:23:59.70\00:24:05.61
have to do with our love for
mankind. Love God by following
00:24:05.64\00:24:12.55
Jesus and loving others. That
is the Jesus Creed. You see in
00:24:12.58\00:24:17.29
doing this Jesus also borrowed
from a passage in Leviticus,
00:24:17.32\00:24:23.16
Leviticus chapter 19 verse 18.
So this is not news to this man,
00:24:23.22\00:24:30.83
he should have been aware of it.
Leviticus 19:18. Have I got that
00:24:30.87\00:24:38.47
right?. Do not seek revenge
or bear a grudge but love your
00:24:38.51\00:24:43.18
neighbor as yourself. I am
the Lord. So this idea of loving
00:24:43.21\00:24:46.92
your neighbor as yourself was
not unique to Jesus. This had
00:24:46.95\00:24:50.25
had been around for centuries.
Jesus borrowed that from
00:24:50.29\00:24:53.49
Leviticus 19:18, put it together
with the Shamah in Deuteronomy
00:24:53.56\00:24:58.63
and He said this is the test
of discipleship. This is how you
00:24:58.66\00:25:03.10
will know that you are a fully
devoted follower of Jesus Christ
00:25:03.13\00:25:07.17
growing in me every day. This is
how you will know that you are
00:25:07.20\00:25:11.24
becoming more and more of a
spiritual person. Love God and
00:25:11.27\00:25:17.31
follow Jesus by loving others.
That's it. That is the essence
00:25:17.35\00:25:24.09
of Christianity, it is the
essence of spirituality. I grew
00:25:24.12\00:25:29.69
up in the church that viewed
truth as a concept, a group of
00:25:29.72\00:25:34.63
teachings a concept and I
was very good at all the proof
00:25:34.66\00:25:39.83
texts. I still can do that. I
can prove truth because I viewed
00:25:39.87\00:25:48.24
truth as a himself said I am the
truth, the life the way and here
00:25:48.31\00:25:56.65
He's talking in relationship
terms with the Jesus Creed and
00:25:56.69\00:26:01.72
He saying that if you
want to know truth, truth is a
00:26:01.76\00:26:05.56
relationship, it is a
relationship with Jesus Christ,
the Creator God of the
00:26:05.59\00:26:09.00
universe, the one who spoke the
worlds into existence. It is a
00:26:09.03\00:26:13.54
love relationship with Him.
You want to now truth, you know
00:26:13.60\00:26:18.07
Jesus. You want to grow as
a disciple of Jesus Christ?
00:26:18.11\00:26:22.18
I believe there are only
two measurements, two true
00:26:22.21\00:26:26.21
measurements of your daily
spiritual growth. If you want to
00:26:26.28\00:26:30.32
know if you're growing
spiritually, you simply ask
00:26:30.35\00:26:33.12
yourself the two questions
that Jesus referred to in this
00:26:33.15\00:26:35.96
passage here in Matthew 22.
Question number one: Do I love
00:26:35.99\00:26:42.13
God more today than I did
yesterday? Question number two:
00:26:42.16\00:26:47.04
Do I love others more today than
I did yesterday. If the answer
00:26:47.07\00:26:53.78
is yes, you are growing as a
fully devoted follower of Jesus
00:26:53.81\00:26:59.11
Christ. That's what it means to
become a mature Christian. Jesus
00:26:59.15\00:27:03.52
could have said a lot of things
about what it means to grow in
00:27:03.55\00:27:07.16
Christ. He could have said a
lot of things about spiritual
00:27:07.19\00:27:11.33
formation or what it means
to grow as a person who is a
00:27:11.36\00:27:15.46
spiritual person and some of the
things that He could have said
00:27:15.50\00:27:18.53
may be good things but they're
not the real measure of our
00:27:18.57\00:27:22.07
growth. They may be tools to
grow, they may be tools to grow
00:27:22.10\00:27:25.27
but they're not the measurement
of your growth. He could have
00:27:25.31\00:27:28.71
said you'll know you're a real
Christian and you're growing in
00:27:28.74\00:27:31.78
Christ if you will spend
a thoughtful hour each day
00:27:31.81\00:27:34.52
contemplating my life. He could
have said that, but he didn't
00:27:34.55\00:27:38.99
because that's not the
measurement of spirituality.
00:27:39.02\00:27:41.49
It is tool toward spirituality
but the measurement is this:
00:27:41.52\00:27:45.89
Do I love God more today than I
did yesterday? Do I love people
00:27:45.93\00:27:50.87
more today than I did yesterday?
That's the measurement. Jesus
00:27:50.90\00:27:55.80
points us at every stage
and every place we see to
00:27:55.84\00:27:59.04
relationship. Relationship is
the essence. Why did God create
00:27:59.07\00:28:04.21
the world? Because His loving
heart demanded someone else to
00:28:04.25\00:28:08.65
love. So He is a creating
God. He wanted to find intimacy
00:28:08.68\00:28:12.39
and relationship with His
creations and so He created us
00:28:12.42\00:28:15.79
and when Adam and Eve sinned
why didn't He just discard them
00:28:15.82\00:28:19.73
and start again and say well
that was a bad batch. I'll try
00:28:19.76\00:28:23.06
again and maybe I can find a
better batch this time. He could
00:28:23.10\00:28:25.93
have done it and no one could
have blamed Him. These were the
00:28:25.97\00:28:28.90
works of His hand, He could have
done that. But He did not do it.
00:28:28.97\00:28:33.24
Why? Because this is a God of
relationship this is God of love
00:28:33.27\00:28:38.01
and this God of relationship
asks two things of you: Love me
00:28:38.05\00:28:43.12
love each other. And by the way
when we see each other we're not
00:28:43.15\00:28:48.16
just talking about the nice
people that are sitting next to
00:28:48.19\00:28:51.46
you here, and He's not just
talking about those of you who
00:28:51.49\00:28:54.56
are at home watching this on
television, the people you know
00:28:54.60\00:28:57.83
and you love and the people you
worship with, the people in your
00:28:57.87\00:29:00.74
family who you care deeply for.
He's not just talking about them
00:29:00.77\00:29:03.57
He's talking about the most
difficult people on the planet
00:29:03.61\00:29:07.51
to get along with. He's talking
about the bums on skid row, He's
00:29:07.58\00:29:11.71
talking about the prostitutes
and the drug dealers. He's
00:29:11.75\00:29:14.35
talking about the people
you see in the newspaper who are
00:29:14.38\00:29:18.95
murderers. He says love
these people. Love these people.
00:29:18.99\00:29:24.76
Care for them. View them the
same way I view them. You know
00:29:24.79\00:29:30.03
if you really do that it changes
everything. It changes how you
00:29:30.07\00:29:36.04
see people. Gentlemen you see
that cute little thing walk by
00:29:36.07\00:29:41.74
in that skirt that she must have
outgrown years ago. If you're
00:29:41.78\00:29:46.55
going to follow the Jesus Creed,
you will see her with the same
00:29:46.58\00:29:51.35
eyes that Jesus say Mary,
the prostitute. You will see her
00:29:51.39\00:29:56.86
with those eyes which will
be a different expression, a
00:29:56.89\00:30:02.30
different experience because to
grow in Christ, to love God, to
00:30:02.36\00:30:10.57
follow Jesus by loving others.
It will change your life. You've
00:30:10.61\00:30:18.81
seen people who've gone to
church for a very long time who
00:30:18.85\00:30:24.25
have all the proof texts
memorized and who may have a
00:30:24.29\00:30:29.59
good diet, you know, they don't
eat cheese, they stay away from
00:30:29.62\00:30:32.93
caffeine, they wouldn't touch
caffeine with a 10-foot pole,
00:30:32.96\00:30:36.46
and they're at church every time
the doors open and yet some of
00:30:36.53\00:30:40.04
these people are the meanest
people on the planet. You've
00:30:40.07\00:30:43.54
seen them. You would think going
to church that long would change
00:30:43.61\00:30:46.54
them. I'm telling you that
according to Jesus these may be
00:30:46.57\00:30:52.68
what Mark Twain referred to as
a good man in the worst sense of
00:30:52.71\00:30:56.82
the word. You understand that
don't you; a good man in the
00:30:56.85\00:31:00.42
worst sense of the word. A lot
of good people I don't want to
00:31:00.46\00:31:04.13
hang out with, I don't want to
spend time with. But when you're
00:31:04.16\00:31:08.40
a good person in the way Jesus
identified by living the Jesus
00:31:08.46\00:31:13.64
Creed and that's a person you
want to hang out with. That's a
00:31:13.67\00:31:18.54
person you want to be with.
Jesus was of such a personality
00:31:18.57\00:31:23.41
that children were drawn to Him.
I've never seen children go to
00:31:23.45\00:31:28.22
a grouch, but boy they were
drawn to Jesus weren't they?
00:31:28.25\00:31:33.46
So much so that the disciples
said get these kids out of here.
00:31:33.49\00:31:36.96
And Jesus said, you leave them
alone. This is the kingdom of
00:31:36.99\00:31:40.56
kingdom of heaven right here.
You bring them back to me and
00:31:40.60\00:31:44.10
He put His hands on the children
He gathered them in His arms and
00:31:44.13\00:31:47.54
He blessed them. Because when
you live according to the Jesus
00:31:47.57\00:31:52.77
Creed it changes you and it
changes the people around you.
00:31:52.81\00:31:57.55
No one's going to notice
it quicker than children. I've
00:31:57.58\00:32:02.28
learned to trust the children's
instincts, I've learned to trust
00:32:02.32\00:32:05.99
their instincts. I remember
once we had a person who wanted
00:32:06.02\00:32:09.52
to work with children in the
church but the kids didn't like
00:32:09.56\00:32:14.03
him. We'll find something else
for him to do. And then I saw
00:32:14.10\00:32:17.90
his interactions with his own
children and I understood why
00:32:17.93\00:32:22.00
the children did not like
this man. He was not a likeable
00:32:22.04\00:32:27.21
person, he was mean, he was
angry. And the children sensed
00:32:27.24\00:32:30.91
that and they
00:32:30.95\00:32:32.51
stayed away from him. No one
felt that way about Jesus. They
00:32:32.55\00:32:38.49
saw the Son of God and they were
drawn to Him. They saw Jesus and
00:32:38.55\00:32:42.49
they wanted to spend time with
Him. They saw Jesus and they
00:32:42.52\00:32:45.89
listened to Him preach and when
He left they said please don't
00:32:45.93\00:32:50.57
leave, we want to hear more.
He got in a boat and they got in
00:32:50.63\00:32:56.10
boats and followed Him. They
wanted to be with Jesus. Living
00:32:56.17\00:33:01.64
the Jesus Creed changes
everything. It changes how you
00:33:01.68\00:33:05.98
interact with your family. That
is the first place the Jesus
00:33:06.01\00:33:09.98
Creed should be seen is in your
home. It should be seen in your
00:33:10.02\00:33:14.16
home. In my church, we have a
children's story and I always go
00:33:14.19\00:33:18.29
up and I sit with the
children on the floor during the
00:33:18.33\00:33:20.53
children's story and I listen
to the story, whoever's telling
00:33:20.56\00:33:24.37
the story. I visit all their
Sabbath School classes every
00:33:24.43\00:33:28.17
week when I'm in town and I'm at
my church during that time I go
00:33:28.20\00:33:32.27
to each of the children's
divisions and I visit with each
00:33:32.31\00:33:35.84
of the children there every week
so they know their senior pastor
00:33:35.88\00:33:39.11
I want them to know me and to
feel comfortable with me and to
00:33:39.15\00:33:42.48
now that I'm their pastor too
not just moms' and dads'. So I
00:33:42.52\00:33:45.75
I will sit on the floor with the
kids during children's story and
00:33:45.79\00:33:51.26
you would be amazed at what the
kids tell me. One child sat down
00:33:51.29\00:33:56.73
with me and said mommy and
daddy were yelling on the way to
00:33:56.77\00:34:00.24
church. I said, it's all right.
Mommy's and daddies do that
00:34:00.27\00:34:05.97
sometime but they'll be okay.
I hope so. Children know what's
00:34:06.01\00:34:11.65
going on. They're a judge
of character. They have this
00:34:11.68\00:34:15.25
innate sense of whether or not
Jesus Christ has touched your
00:34:15.28\00:34:19.92
life, whether or not He's
changed you. Folks there is no
00:34:19.95\00:34:24.49
such thing as a good church
fight. The Jesus Creed won't
00:34:24.53\00:34:29.00
permit it will it? You can't do
that and call yourself a fully
00:34:29.03\00:34:33.07
devoted follower of Jesus Christ
I've seen churches split over
00:34:33.10\00:34:37.11
the color of carpet. Lord
forgive us. What are we doing?
00:34:37.14\00:34:43.51
What are we thinking? How
does this represent the body of
00:34:43.55\00:34:48.75
Christ. How does this represent
God himself. We're going to
00:34:48.78\00:34:54.56
split over the order of service,
over the music, over the color
00:34:54.59\00:34:59.89
of carpet. God forgive us. It's
no wonder some churches never
00:34:59.93\00:35:04.20
grow. You wouldn't want to
be there either if you were an
00:35:04.23\00:35:08.44
outsider. You know, you want to
fight you can go anyplace and do
00:35:08.47\00:35:13.21
that, you don't have to go to
church. Church ought to make you
00:35:13.27\00:35:19.38
a nicer person and church ought
to be a place of joy, a refuge,
00:35:19.41\00:35:24.09
a place where you know you
are safe. Here's the way to tell
00:35:24.15\00:35:28.79
whether or not you're the church
If your pastor cannot stand in
00:35:28.82\00:35:33.46
pulpit of your church and
confess to his congregation what
00:35:33.50\00:35:38.13
he's struggling with temptation
wise that week and know
00:35:38.20\00:35:40.90
that number one
00:35:40.94\00:35:44.17
no one outside that church
will ever hear of it because you
00:35:44.21\00:35:46.54
won't carry the tale out and
number two you won't ask for him
00:35:46.57\00:35:52.95
to be removed, but
you'll support his tenure there.
00:35:52.98\00:35:57.45
Until your pastor can do that
you are not the church. Until he
00:35:57.49\00:36:04.59
can feel safe doing that you
are not the church, because Paul
00:36:04.63\00:36:10.87
described the church as a place
where we share our burdens and
00:36:10.93\00:36:16.00
and where we bear our burdens,
where we care for one another
00:36:16.04\00:36:19.84
But you know what there's
not going to be any sharing or
00:36:19.87\00:36:24.18
caring or bearing if I'm not
safe in that place to tell you
00:36:24.21\00:36:28.82
what's going on in my life. If
I'm not safe I'm going to know
00:36:28.85\00:36:32.29
that and I'm not going to share
anything with you, and therefore
00:36:32.32\00:36:35.56
you will not be able to care and
you will not be able to help me
00:36:35.59\00:36:38.83
bear because we're not the
church. We're not the church.
00:36:38.86\00:36:43.70
I grew up going to
00:36:43.73\00:36:47.27
evangelists crusades and some
of these guys were so good at
00:36:47.30\00:36:52.07
painting a picture of the end of
time that it scared me to death.
00:36:52.11\00:36:57.18
And driving home I'd be watching
the sky for the cloud, sure it
00:36:57.21\00:37:02.02
going to happen then and it
scared me to death. And they
00:37:02.05\00:37:05.85
would always tell me so get
ready, so get ready. And I never
00:37:05.89\00:37:08.72
knew exactly what that meant.
All right I'm going to get ready
00:37:08.76\00:37:12.53
but I'm not going to pack a bag.
What does that mean? Get ready.
00:37:12.56\00:37:16.23
Because they never really told
me what it meant to get ready
00:37:16.26\00:37:20.50
for the coming of Jesus.
Now they seemed to imply that it
00:37:20.54\00:37:23.61
might have something to do with
Sabbath keeping and that's a
00:37:23.64\00:37:26.64
good thing. And it might
have something to do with the 10
00:37:26.68\00:37:30.28
commandments or my diet or
something of that nature. But I
00:37:30.31\00:37:34.55
always wondered what on earth
it meant to get ready. And then
00:37:34.58\00:37:38.79
I found the Jesus Creed and
I realized as I studied this
00:37:38.82\00:37:43.53
passage and I studied other
passages by Jesus, I studied the
00:37:43.56\00:37:47.13
writings of Paul and I'd even
go to that wonderful book of
00:37:47.16\00:37:50.73
Revelation and I'd see
the beautiful picture of the
00:37:50.77\00:37:53.07
relationship of God's people to
each other and to their Lord, I
00:37:53.10\00:37:57.91
realized that the way to truly
get ready for the coming of
00:37:57.94\00:38:03.65
Christ is to follow the Jesus
Creed. Because God's not coming
00:38:03.68\00:38:12.52
to get decaffeinated vegetarians
He's not, He's really not. Now
00:38:12.55\00:38:18.56
hopefully we'll be decaffeinated
vegetarians then, that's good.
00:38:18.59\00:38:24.10
That's not who He's coming
to get. He's coming to get those
00:38:24.13\00:38:28.97
who reflect the character of
His Son Jesus Christ; that's who
00:38:29.00\00:38:33.48
He's coming to get. And you want
to know what that person looks
00:38:33.51\00:38:37.61
like you examine the Jesus Creed
Read it again with me would you?
00:38:37.65\00:38:41.75
You want to get ready for
the coming of Jesus. You want to
00:39:04.67\00:39:09.91
prepare a world for His coming.
This is where it starts. This is
00:39:09.94\00:39:14.32
where it begins because the
world is not interested in how
00:39:14.35\00:39:19.12
much you know. They are
interested in how much you care.
00:39:19.15\00:39:24.99
You don't care unless you're
living this. People tell me I
00:39:25.03\00:39:30.77
don't know how to love God. You
know, my picture of Him maybe is
00:39:30.80\00:39:34.70
inaccurate but I don't know how
to do that. Well here's a clue
00:39:34.74\00:39:39.91
for you. You find people who
need help and you learn to view
00:39:39.94\00:39:44.55
them as Jesus views them and
you help them and you will find
00:39:44.58\00:39:49.08
yourself falling helplessly in
love with Jesus Christ as your
00:39:49.15\00:39:53.82
Lord and Savior. You will love
God by loving others. That's how
00:39:53.86\00:40:00.46
you learn to love Jesus. I used
to teach at a boarding school
00:40:00.50\00:40:06.27
We had a young man there who was
very shy. He was a young man who
00:40:06.30\00:40:11.24
would scarcely speak two words.
In fact, he was only with us one
00:40:11.27\00:40:16.08
semester and I can only remember
about six words that this kid
00:40:16.11\00:40:19.91
ever spoke. I would try to talk
to him and he would answer in
00:40:19.95\00:40:23.69
one syllable words and
that's about it. He was so shy,
00:40:23.72\00:40:26.99
painfully shy, that he would not
hardly talk to anyone. In fact,
00:40:27.02\00:40:30.23
the second semester he didn't
come back to school and it was
00:40:30.26\00:40:33.63
two weeks before I knew he was
gone is how quiet this kid had
00:40:33.70\00:40:37.60
been. So we checked around and
found out he just decided not to
00:40:37.63\00:40:41.80
come back, he'd gone some place
else so we went on with school.
00:40:41.84\00:40:45.97
Years later, I'd left that
school, I'm pastoring now in a
00:40:46.01\00:40:49.64
church that is 500 miles away
from the school when I get a
00:40:49.68\00:40:53.38
phone call from a woman who
identified herself as Billy's
00:40:53.42\00:40:57.05
mom. Well I'm thinking who on
earth is Billy? And she said you
00:40:57.09\00:41:01.12
know Billy was there at school
when you were a teacher. And I'm
00:41:01.16\00:41:04.36
going through my memory banks
just trying to think of Billy
00:41:04.39\00:41:07.53
and I finally from something she
said it clicks, I know who Billy
00:41:07.60\00:41:10.67
is he's the shy kid who never
said anything. She said Pastor
00:41:10.70\00:41:15.60
Tucker you were his best friend
when he was at school. Six words
00:41:15.67\00:41:20.54
I'm his best friend. She
said Billy's got trouble.
00:41:20.58\00:41:25.05
He's married, he's got two
daughters. His youngest daughter
00:41:25.11\00:41:27.82
is in the hospital, she's dying.
Doctors don't think she's going
00:41:27.85\00:41:32.12
live. Billy's left the church.
He's out of work and he's in
00:41:32.15\00:41:35.89
trouble. Would you go visit him?
Sure I will. First I pulled out
00:41:35.92\00:41:40.03
the annual to see if I could
figure out what the kid looked
00:41:40.06\00:41:42.70
like. I hoped he hadn't changed
that much through the years.
00:41:42.73\00:41:47.04
Got to the hospital and found
someone who kind of looked like
00:41:47.07\00:41:51.87
Billy in the waiting room for
the ICU room where his daughter
00:41:51.91\00:41:56.88
was. His hands were covering his
face. At times he would kind of
00:41:56.91\00:42:01.58
look up and then cry again.
So I went down and I said Billy.
00:42:01.62\00:42:05.49
He looked up and he just nodded
and I sat down next to him.
00:42:05.55\00:42:09.92
And I asked him how things were
going on and he would just kind
00:42:09.96\00:42:14.60
of grunt. I'd ask him a question
I'd get a single syllable word.
00:42:14.66\00:42:19.27
Some things had never changed
you know. Billy still didn't
00:42:19.30\00:42:22.44
talk. I tried to get information
from him but it was painful, it
00:42:22.47\00:42:25.44
was almost impossible. I didn't
have any more information at
00:42:25.47\00:42:28.38
that point than I had when
I came into the room. His wife
00:42:28.41\00:42:31.41
joined us then and she talked.
Praised the Lord she talked.
00:42:31.45\00:42:35.78
She told me about how they met.
How Billy ever found the nerve
00:42:35.82\00:42:39.22
to ask anyone to marry him I'll
never know. That's a story I
00:42:39.25\00:42:43.39
didn't get a chance to hear. But
they had these two kids and she
00:42:43.43\00:42:47.30
told me about Billy, how he'd
lost his job and she told me how
00:42:47.33\00:42:50.87
the daughter was. So I went in
and I prayed for the child and
00:42:50.90\00:42:55.60
we anointed her. Then I went
back with Billy and Billy was
00:42:55.67\00:43:00.34
just a lost soul. I saw the eyes
Billy's eyes. There was a look
00:43:00.38\00:43:06.88
of panic and fear in his eyes.
So I put my arm around Billy.
00:43:06.92\00:43:12.15
I wanted to hold him close so he
would know I was there. I told
00:43:12.19\00:43:16.86
Billy the story of the prodigal
son. About how the son was with
00:43:16.89\00:43:20.76
the father and as long as he was
with the father the father gave
00:43:20.80\00:43:24.70
him gifts. The gifts kept coming
kept coming. But when he left
00:43:24.73\00:43:28.14
the father was when the gifts
ran out because you only get
00:43:28.17\00:43:31.31
the gifts if you're with
the father. When you leave the
00:43:31.34\00:43:34.41
father eventually the gifts run
out. The prodigal son had left
00:43:34.44\00:43:39.21
the father and he realized
he needed the gifts but he had
00:43:39.25\00:43:41.95
treated the father so poorly
he didn't know if the father
00:43:41.98\00:43:44.59
would take him back. But he came
back to the father. The father
00:43:44.65\00:43:47.69
received him with open arms and
he ran to him and he embraced
00:43:47.72\00:43:51.59
him and the gifts came again. I
told Billy that story because he
00:43:51.63\00:43:56.03
needed to know how the father
loved him. No matter what would
00:43:56.06\00:44:01.07
happen he needed to know
the Father loved him. Miracle of
00:44:01.10\00:44:06.31
miracles, Billy's daughter
improved and she was able to
00:44:06.34\00:44:12.48
leave the hospital. And then
I lost track of Billy. A few
00:44:12.51\00:44:18.59
months later I get a phone call.
It was Billy's wife. She said
00:44:18.65\00:44:21.86
our daughter's doing great.
Billy got a job in another city
00:44:21.89\00:44:25.09
and that's why you haven't seen
us, we moved. And he's working.
00:44:25.13\00:44:28.46
In fact, we're back in church
now. We're going to church. We
00:44:28.53\00:44:32.37
just wanted you to know that
and Billy, he's really enjoying
00:44:32.40\00:44:36.04
church. And I'm leading out in
the children's division and I'm
00:44:36.07\00:44:39.37
going all sorts of things. She's
telling me the story, she's
00:44:39.41\00:44:42.54
thanking me for my visit, and
she said oh by the say, Billy's
00:44:42.58\00:44:48.75
here. He wants to talk to you.
This I got to hear. Put him on
00:44:48.78\00:44:54.39
now. Then I hear breathing
on the phone. Billy, hey is that
00:44:54.42\00:44:58.59
you man. Come on buddy, talk
to me, you can do it. I know you
00:44:58.63\00:45:02.73
can Billy, say something.
Breathing more and more. He's
00:45:02.76\00:45:07.27
breathing's getting heavier.
Come on Billy, I hear it coming.
00:45:07.30\00:45:09.90
Come on buddy, talk to me now.
Finally Billy said well thanks,
00:45:09.94\00:45:24.32
click. But Billy has come home.
And it wasn't that anyone did
00:45:24.35\00:45:32.39
anything spectacular other than
visit him and love him and tell
00:45:32.43\00:45:39.67
him about the Father. That's it.
That's all I did. I just visited
00:45:39.70\00:45:47.38
him and I loved him and I prayed
with him and I told him about
00:45:47.41\00:45:52.81
the Father and how the Father
loved Billy. It's a small way to
00:45:52.85\00:45:57.62
practice the Jesus Creed. To
love God so much that you choose
00:45:57.65\00:46:02.86
to love the people he loves and
you demonstrate it by the way
00:46:02.89\00:46:08.10
you treat them, by the way
you're with them every day.
00:46:08.13\00:46:12.17
By your watch care of them.
That's the Jesus Creed. That's
00:46:12.20\00:46:17.67
the essence of the commandments
to love God by following Jesus
00:46:17.71\00:46:23.75
and by loving others. Would you
pray with me? Father, today we
00:46:23.78\00:46:28.78
ask that you would give us the
ability to live the Jesus Creed,
00:46:28.82\00:46:33.32
to see your law in this light,
Lord, to understand its true
00:46:33.36\00:46:37.43
value for our lives Lord and
for the world around us. Oh Lord
00:46:37.46\00:46:41.80
let us never be so selfish as to
think that we can hold this to
00:46:41.83\00:46:46.00
ourselves or that we can hang
on to this and not let anyone
00:46:46.03\00:46:49.87
else have it. Let us never be
so foolish to think that we can
00:46:49.90\00:46:53.88
please you in any way other
than following Jesus and loving
00:46:53.94\00:46:59.25
others. Father, grant us the
love of Jesus and draw us closer
00:46:59.28\00:47:03.79
to yourself every day, for
we pray in the name of Jesus our
00:47:03.82\00:47:09.02
Savior Amen. Remember this:
The Jesus Creed - Love God by
00:47:09.09\00:47:14.26
following Jesus
and by loving others.
00:47:14.30\00:47:18.07
¤ ¤ Melody Firestone
I've Just Been with Jesus¤ ¤
00:47:18.10\00:47:35.58
¤I've just been with Jesus,
Oh I've just seen His glory¤
00:47:35.62\00:47:44.86
¤I've just felt His
presence. as I feel it now. ¤
00:47:44.89\00:47:56.81
¤He is all I long for.
There's no one I desire more. ¤
00:47:56.84\00:48:08.25
¤For I've just been with
Jesus and I am with Him now. ¤
00:48:08.28\00:48:19.69
¤Here in this place
my soul is satisfied. ¤
00:48:19.73\00:48:28.47
¤You have erased the roles
I've tried so hard to hide¤
00:48:28.50\00:48:39.28
¤I'm learning how to
abandon all my fears.¤
00:48:39.31\00:48:49.49
¤Each time I meet you here. ¤
00:48:49.52\00:48:54.03
¤I've just been with Jesus.
Oh I've just seen His glory. ¤
00:48:54.06\00:49:03.97
¤I've just felt His
presence As I feel it now. ¤
00:49:04.01\00:49:14.92
¤He is all I long for, Oh
There's no one I desire more. ¤
00:49:14.95\00:49:29.53
¤For I've just been with
Jesus and I am with Him now. ¤
00:49:29.56\00:49:44.11
¤Nothing but you,
that's all my eyes can see. ¤
00:49:44.15\00:49:52.99
¤Finally I've found the place
my heart has longed to be. ¤
00:49:53.02\00:50:03.06
¤My own desires, they
don't matter anymore.¤
00:50:03.10\00:50:14.64
¤My will, my life is yours. ¤
00:50:14.68\00:50:17.85
¤I've just been with Jesus.
I've just seen His glory. ¤
00:50:17.88\00:50:28.89
¤I've just felt His
presence as I feel it now. ¤
00:50:28.92\00:50:39.20
¤He is all I long for, Oh
There's no one I desire more. ¤
00:50:39.23\00:50:51.75
¤For I've just been with
Jesus and I am with Him now. ¤
00:50:53.21\00:51:03.12
¤Ooo, I've just been with
Jesus and I am with Him now. ¤ ¤
00:51:07.26\00:51:24.65
Thank you very, very much
Melody. We want to thank Pastor
00:51:38.39\00:51:42.00
Tucker for those powerful
and timely words. You know each
00:51:42.03\00:51:45.47
Tuesday here at 3ABN we
have joint worship where all
00:51:45.50\00:51:47.64
the departments come together
in studio B and someone is
00:51:47.67\00:51:53.27
assigned to give the worship
talk and then we give our praise
00:51:53.31\00:51:56.98
reports and prayer requests.
This past Tuesday they asked me
00:51:57.01\00:52:00.95
to do it and I talked to
them about a phone call that I
00:52:00.98\00:52:04.89
received, a particular one. And
the fellow on the other end of
00:52:04.92\00:52:09.76
was quite irate because he said
that we... he said I don't like
00:52:09.79\00:52:14.33
you Adventists because you're
bigots, he said you're bigots.
00:52:14.36\00:52:21.34
He said you guys think, that's
the term he used, you're the
00:52:21.37\00:52:26.11
ones, you're the only
00:52:26.14\00:52:29.01
ones and I don't believe that.
I think heaven will be open to
00:52:29.04\00:52:31.18
everybody. And I said, well I
agree, I agree that heaven will
00:52:31.21\00:52:37.62
be open to everyone, but Jesus
said I am the way. Did he? He
00:52:37.65\00:52:43.06
said I am the way, the truth and
the life. No one comes to the
00:52:43.09\00:52:48.46
father but by me. Now
that, ladies and gentlemen, is a
00:52:48.50\00:52:54.37
bigoted statement. It is.
If Jesus is the way, that means
00:52:54.40\00:53:00.44
there is now other way. Amen?
If there was another way then
00:53:00.48\00:53:05.78
Jesus would not had to have
died. So when Jesus says I am
00:53:05.81\00:53:11.05
the way that means He is the way
So I said to him there simply
00:53:11.09\00:53:18.36
is no other way. Now what we
try to do is live out and follow
00:53:18.39\00:53:24.60
the dictates of Jesus. If you
want to get to heaven, you got
00:53:24.63\00:53:30.14
to go through Jesus. And
that's all we're trying to do.
00:53:30.17\00:53:34.34
But Christ is broad enough
and loves the world enough that
00:53:34.38\00:53:38.38
anybody that comes to Him He
will accept. I said, does that
00:53:38.41\00:53:43.69
sound good to you? He said
Uh yeah. I said try it. I said
00:53:43.72\00:53:48.89
if you can find another way call
me, we'll discuss it. The phone
00:53:48.92\00:53:55.76
went silent. Hello. If you can
find another way, if you find
00:53:55.80\00:54:01.37
another way to get to glory, if
you can find another way to get
00:54:01.40\00:54:06.47
to heaven, if you can find
another way to please God, let
00:54:06.54\00:54:09.71
me know, because I'm banking my
life on Jesus. And if you've got
00:54:09.74\00:54:14.82
something better let me know.
Maybe I'll go with what you got.
00:54:14.85\00:54:19.65
But until you give me something
better, I got to stick with
00:54:19.69\00:54:23.89
Jesus. Amen? I read something
the other morning. I didn't
00:54:23.93\00:54:27.23
bring it with me because I
didn't know I was going to have
00:54:27.26\00:54:30.43
to use it. But Ellen White
in Volume 9 of the Testimonies
00:54:30.47\00:54:34.27
makes a number of statements
and she concludes with this.
00:54:34.30\00:54:39.71
She says the most solemn
warnings ever entrusted by God
00:54:39.74\00:54:46.11
to men have been given to
us. The most solemn and fearful
00:54:46.18\00:54:52.49
warnings, she says, ever given
to man to give to the world have
00:54:52.52\00:54:57.19
been given by God to us. That's
very sobering that God has
00:54:57.23\00:55:04.80
called us to be laborers
together with Him in these last
00:55:04.83\00:55:11.67
days. I'm a person who likes fun
and Danny always says you know
00:55:11.71\00:55:16.04
Christians ought to be the
happiest people in the world.
00:55:16.08\00:55:18.68
I believe that is true, I
believe that is true and that's
00:55:18.71\00:55:21.25
why I liked joking with Pastor
Mike just a little bit ago, but
00:55:21.28\00:55:25.65
fun aside there's a time to get
real, real serious and when your
00:55:25.69\00:55:30.26
eternity is on the line that's
time to get serious. These are
00:55:30.29\00:55:34.83
serious times and we have a
warning message to give that
00:55:34.86\00:55:38.23
nobody else can give, that no
one else can give. No one can do
00:55:38.27\00:55:42.60
what you can do. No one can say
what you can say, no one can go
00:55:42.64\00:55:46.91
where you can go, no one
can live the life that God has
00:55:46.94\00:55:50.95
called you to live and God
will call each of us for an
00:55:50.98\00:55:54.95
accountability as far as out
time, our talent, our treasure
00:55:54.98\00:56:00.36
is concerned. The calls for
sacrifice will not get any less
00:56:00.39\00:56:04.96
as we come to the close of
earth's history. They're going
00:56:04.99\00:56:07.76
to increase. I've got a whole
50-minute sermon on Elisha.
00:56:07.80\00:56:12.00
I wish I could preach it right
now, but what it basically says
00:56:12.03\00:56:17.61
is that we are called to give
all we have to Jesus, to lay it
00:56:17.64\00:56:22.88
all on the line for Him,
come what may. Jesus says, you
00:56:22.91\00:56:27.02
stand up for me I will stand up
for you before my Father which
00:56:27.05\00:56:32.95
is in heaven. I don't have
a favorite anything. I have no
00:56:32.99\00:56:37.09
favorite text. I have no
favorite foods, I have no
00:56:37.13\00:56:38.96
favorite colors, I have no
favorite ties, no favorite suits
00:56:38.99\00:56:42.13
no favorite shoes. I just don't
have favorite things. What I
00:56:42.16\00:56:46.90
have is hot things that are
current. So my hot text right
00:56:46.94\00:56:51.94
now that is current is Hebrews
chapter 13 verses 5 and 6. And
00:56:51.97\00:56:56.61
basically it says that God will
never leave us nor forsake us,
00:56:56.64\00:57:02.65
so we can boldly say God is
our helper. Whatever you have,
00:57:02.68\00:57:08.62
whatever you lack, whatever you
need, God is our helper. He will
00:57:08.66\00:57:13.40
never leave us, He will never
forsake us. That promise is as
00:57:13.43\00:57:18.10
sure as the God who gave it.
00:57:18.13\00:57:20.64