For God is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
00:01:01.47\00:01:06.29
forever. We look forward
to that day, don't we, Amen,
00:01:06.86\00:01:10.20
when seeing the
suffering and sickness are over,
00:01:10.23\00:01:12.68
when war and worry
and want are no more,
00:01:13.24\00:01:16.43
when disease and
disaster and death
00:01:16.83\00:01:19.35
are a thing of the past.
We look forward to that day
00:01:19.91\00:01:22.55
when Jesus will come
again. My wife and I are
00:01:22.58\00:01:26.49
delighted to be back in Chicago.
00:01:26.52\00:01:29.07
We lived here from
1979 to 1985. At that time,
00:01:29.50\00:01:35.53
your conference
president was one of my students
00:01:35.71\00:01:38.38
when I was teaching
for Andrews University;
00:01:38.41\00:01:40.25
it shows you how
old he is getting.
00:01:40.28\00:01:42.55
When I came in the
door today, you know,
00:01:45.29\00:01:46.73
it's really wonderful
to be around for a while.
00:01:46.76\00:01:50.02
I love having that in
ministry for 40 years,
00:01:50.35\00:01:53.68
you know, love it, I
walked in the door today
00:01:53.71\00:01:57.15
and I saw couple of
gentlemen from Pakistan
00:01:57.60\00:02:00.95
that attendant my
meetings in Karachi, Pakistan
00:02:00.98\00:02:05.02
that there you are,
they attended in Karachi
00:02:05.49\00:02:08.60
and were with us at the
great Baptism we had there
00:02:08.63\00:02:11.08
in Karachi, Pakistan
back in the late 80's.
00:02:11.11\00:02:15.54
Then I walked a little
further and I saw some folks
00:02:15.57\00:02:18.25
that were with me in
my meetings in the former
00:02:18.28\00:02:20.81
Soviet Union and then
I walked a little further
00:02:20.84\00:02:24.02
and I saw some folks
that were with us in our
00:02:24.05\00:02:26.93
meetings in Poland, in
Gdansk, and I spoke to them,
00:02:26.96\00:02:30.49
the little polish I
know Jendouba and you know
00:02:30.52\00:02:34.12
I had a wonderful time.
I am speaking people from
00:02:34.15\00:02:36.19
all over the world
that attended our meetings
00:02:36.22\00:02:38.65
in the last 40
years in different places
00:02:38.68\00:02:41.49
in the world. I even met a
few people from Chicago here.
00:02:41.52\00:02:44.88
How many of you
attended our meetings
00:02:45.62\00:02:47.87
either from 1979 to
1985, you attended personally,
00:02:47.90\00:02:53.53
your father attended
your mother attended,
00:02:53.75\00:02:55.91
your sister attended
your brother attended,
00:02:55.94\00:02:57.93
your uncle
attended, your aunt attended,
00:02:58.17\00:02:59.72
somebody you know attended
our meetings from 1979 to
00:02:59.93\00:03:03.78
1985 where here, can you
see your hands? Wonderful.
00:03:03.81\00:03:07.37
How many of you
attended one of our net events?
00:03:07.40\00:03:10.38
Net 95, Net 96, our
recent meetings in Orlando,
00:03:10.41\00:03:15.05
well I'm among friends today.
00:03:15.29\00:03:17.26
Thank you, so much
for participating and
00:03:18.25\00:03:21.96
sharing in our experience today.
00:03:21.99\00:03:25.01
This morning I have changed
my topic and I was going to
00:03:25.60\00:03:27.86
speak about
Empowered by the Spirit
00:03:27.89\00:03:29.25
as I have been
thinking and praying.
00:03:29.28\00:03:32.06
I am going to speak
this morning about coming
00:03:32.09\00:03:34.38
to Jesus and this
afternoon going for Jesus.
00:03:34.41\00:03:38.15
My topic this morning;
why the Doomsday Prophets
00:03:38.63\00:03:43.12
are wrong? Why
the Doomsday Prophets
00:03:43.15\00:03:46.83
are wrong? Let's pray.
00:03:47.26\00:03:48.65
Father in Heaven, we
thank you we can come on this
00:03:48.68\00:03:51.98
Sabbath hour at Wheaton College.
00:03:52.01\00:03:55.44
We sense that this
is no ordinary meeting.
00:03:56.22\00:03:59.36
But, this is a
moment of destiny and Lord
00:03:59.91\00:04:03.11
I pray as the word of
God is preached as Jesus has
00:04:03.14\00:04:05.95
uplifted that your
Spirit would be here,
00:04:05.98\00:04:08.89
ever weaving our hearts,
ever convicting our minds,
00:04:09.59\00:04:14.08
ever drawing closure to
you in Christ name Amen. Amen.
00:04:14.11\00:04:19.51
Have you ever
personally experienced
00:04:19.54\00:04:22.53
a very severe
earthquake? My wife and I,
00:04:23.22\00:04:28.22
were sleeping in
our Thousand Oaks,
00:04:29.07\00:04:31.21
California home, January
17, 1994 and the entire house
00:04:31.24\00:04:38.92
began to shake. I had
read about this California
00:04:39.23\00:04:44.02
earthquakes, but
coming from the East Coast
00:04:44.05\00:04:47.22
I had never experience
what, and as the house was
00:04:47.25\00:04:51.40
shaking as things were
tumbling off the addresses,
00:04:51.43\00:04:55.46
as we leaped out of bed
and quickly got on of few
00:04:55.49\00:05:00.05
clothes and headed out to
the street and got our son
00:05:00.08\00:05:03.60
who was with us
at home at that time
00:05:03.74\00:05:05.04
and other girls at the school,
00:05:05.07\00:05:06.59
as we raised out into
the street we experienced our
00:05:06.62\00:05:10.88
first
earthquake, the very famous
00:05:10.91\00:05:13.83
Los Angeles
Northridge earthquake.
00:05:13.86\00:05:16.67
Reading about
that earthquake later,
00:05:17.24\00:05:19.39
I read a report by a
cardiologist by the name
00:05:19.97\00:05:23.57
of Dr. Robert Kloner
and Dr. Kloner described
00:05:23.60\00:05:27.90
that one hundred
peopled died of heart attacks
00:05:28.27\00:05:32.72
during the
earthquake. He researched
00:05:33.01\00:05:35.77
why they might have
died of heart attacks
00:05:36.18\00:05:39.36
and what
stimulated that heart attack
00:05:39.39\00:05:42.47
and he said
this, 'fear can cause
00:05:43.31\00:05:46.06
a sudden cardiac arrest'
00:05:46.09\00:05:48.42
In many cases, the
terrorized brain triggers
00:05:48.45\00:05:52.75
the release of the
mix of potent chemicals
00:05:52.78\00:05:55.42
that causes the heart
to contact so fiercely
00:05:55.45\00:05:58.65
it never relaxes
again. Fear is a deadly word
00:05:58.68\00:06:05.20
and there is a lot
of fear around today.
00:06:05.23\00:06:08.65
If you look at the
future, it can be scary.
00:06:09.21\00:06:12.37
America is in the
midst of an economic crunch.
00:06:12.40\00:06:16.10
We have experienced
stock market melt down.
00:06:16.52\00:06:19.70
We experienced
our housing collapse.
00:06:19.96\00:06:22.16
We have experienced a
vicious credit crisis.
00:06:22.19\00:06:25.89
CNN Corporation,
talking about the Doomsday
00:06:26.54\00:06:30.95
that we were facing
economically said this,
00:06:30.98\00:06:33.75
it said it's
been a jaw-dropping,
00:06:34.09\00:06:36.24
stomach turning ride.
Home prices on the average
00:06:36.74\00:06:40.88
have fallen 20
percent since 19, since 2006.
00:06:41.22\00:06:46.96
Unemployment is arising;
it's at a whooping 7 percent.
00:06:47.39\00:06:52.86
The national debt is at
10.5 trillion in rising.
00:06:52.89\00:06:59.39
In fact, our debt increases at
00:06:59.83\00:07:02.57
3.3 billion every single day.
00:07:02.60\00:07:06.88
We are facing
very traumatic times.
00:07:07.61\00:07:12.21
Six out of ten Americans
believe that were headed
00:07:12.24\00:07:16.42
in spite of all the
economic stimulus packages.
00:07:16.45\00:07:20.58
They believe were headed
into some very difficult,
00:07:20.61\00:07:24.11
in fact they would use
the word, we are headed into
00:07:24.72\00:07:27.35
an Economic Depression.
More houses are on the
00:07:27.38\00:07:30.85
market than ever before,
more houses being foreclosed
00:07:30.88\00:07:34.74
upon, and the Governments
owns 58,000 houses in sales,
00:07:34.77\00:07:38.85
can't sale them and
doesn't know what to do them.
00:07:38.88\00:07:41.24
The economic predictions of the
00:07:42.72\00:07:45.50
Doomsday Prophets are bad news.
00:07:45.53\00:07:49.52
Every time you read
the paper more layoffs,
00:07:50.16\00:07:53.28
more housing for closures,
more companies going into
00:07:53.86\00:07:58.19
bankruptcy, you look at
the great carmakers in our
00:07:58.22\00:08:01.70
world GM, Chrysler
serious economic problems.
00:08:01.73\00:08:06.57
So, you look all around
you today and it is bad news,
00:08:06.84\00:08:10.05
bad news, bad
news, and more bad news.
00:08:10.08\00:08:13.27
But the Bible is
not a book of bad news,
00:08:13.54\00:08:16.31
it's a book of good
news, Amen, and I would like to
00:08:16.34\00:08:19.29
suggest you this morning
that the Doomsday Prophets
00:08:19.32\00:08:23.26
are wrong. That the
greatest days are not behind us
00:08:23.29\00:08:29.15
but they are ahead.
Amen. Seventh-day Adventist
00:08:29.59\00:08:33.02
are not Doomsdayers, we
are people of good news.
00:08:33.05\00:08:36.85
We believe in the
good news of Jesus.
00:08:37.36\00:08:39.83
The good news of the
Gospel, the Christ died for us,
00:08:40.27\00:08:43.06
the good news of
Jesus I praise the ministry
00:08:43.45\00:08:45.71
that he is living for us
and he can change our lives.
00:08:45.74\00:08:48.93
We believe in the good news,
00:08:48.96\00:08:50.81
the hope of the
coming of our Lord.
00:08:50.84\00:08:53.24
We are people not a bad news,
00:08:53.27\00:08:56.42
but we are people of good news.
00:08:56.45\00:08:59.06
And the reason that
doomsday Prophets are wrong is
00:08:59.09\00:09:01.98
because they are
looking in the wrong place.
00:09:02.01\00:09:04.00
They are looking a lay offs.
00:09:04.32\00:09:05.57
They are looking at a
stock market that's shaky.
00:09:05.60\00:09:08.01
They are looking
at a housing crunch.
00:09:08.04\00:09:10.34
They are looking at
a crisis credit crunch.
00:09:10.37\00:09:12.56
They are looking at
what is going on around us,
00:09:12.59\00:09:15.27
rather than focusing
their eyes upon what's going on
00:09:15.30\00:09:18.09
above us. Amen. I
invite you take your Bibles
00:09:18.12\00:09:20.34
and turn to
Hebrews the 12th Chapter.
00:09:20.37\00:09:24.15
Hebrews chapter 12, we
are looking at Hebrews 12
00:09:24.94\00:09:29.32
verse 2, Hebrews 12 and verse 2.
00:09:29.35\00:09:33.18
The Bible says looking on
to Jesus. Looking on to whom?
00:09:34.75\00:09:40.24
Looking on to whom?
Jesus. If you look around you,
00:09:40.58\00:09:45.29
if you look where they
are looking you will be
00:09:45.32\00:09:48.49
terrorized with fear and
the Bible says Luke 21:26
00:09:48.52\00:09:53.30
men's heart's failing for
what, fear, at looking upon
00:09:53.33\00:09:57.53
those things that are
coming upon the earth.
00:09:57.56\00:10:00.00
That is literally
true. People's hearts
00:10:00.24\00:10:02.75
are failing with fear.
They are seized with fear.
00:10:02.78\00:10:06.88
They can't make their
house payments seized with fear,
00:10:06.91\00:10:09.82
they have lost their
job seized with fear.
00:10:09.85\00:10:12.86
But we are not
looking around us,
00:10:12.89\00:10:15.08
we are looking above
us. We are look, what look,
00:10:15.11\00:10:18.15
we are not looking
its what's happening
00:10:18.18\00:10:20.46
to the world the Bible
says Hebrews 12, verse 2
00:10:20.49\00:10:24.40
looking under who,
looking on to Jesus.
00:10:24.43\00:10:28.43
The author and
finisher of our faith,
00:10:28.46\00:10:31.21
who for the joy that
was set before him endured
00:10:31.61\00:10:34.20
the cross, despising the shame,
00:10:34.23\00:10:37.04
and set down at the
right hand of the God.
00:10:37.07\00:10:39.57
Looking unto Jesus,
Weymouth's translation
00:10:39.60\00:10:43.40
puts it this way.
Looking unto Jesus,
00:10:43.43\00:10:46.19
the author and finisher
of our faith, who for the joy
00:10:46.22\00:10:49.57
that was set before him;
at King James Version Weymouth
00:10:49.82\00:10:53.36
says simply fixing
our gaze upon Jesus,
00:10:53.39\00:10:58.53
simply fixing
our gaze upon Jesus.
00:10:58.56\00:11:02.07
Eugene Peterson
message Bible says,
00:11:02.10\00:11:04.54
keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
00:11:04.94\00:11:07.77
The Amplified Bible says
looking all away from all
00:11:08.57\00:11:12.56
that would
distract you from Jesus.
00:11:12.59\00:11:14.67
Now, The Amplified Bible
really catches the meaning
00:11:15.63\00:11:18.46
of this word,
'Looking'. The word 'Looking',
00:11:18.49\00:11:21.46
in the original
language is only used here in
00:11:21.81\00:11:24.31
Hebrews 12:2 in one of the
place in the New Testament.
00:11:24.34\00:11:29.17
The word is AforwnteV,
and that Greek word AforwnteV,
00:11:29.59\00:11:34.04
is a fascinating word.
It means looking away from
00:11:34.07\00:11:37.95
to something else. It's not
only the idea of looking to,
00:11:38.49\00:11:42.19
but it's the idea
of looking away from.
00:11:42.30\00:11:44.59
It's the idea of
looking away from everything
00:11:44.62\00:11:46.97
that distracts you. It's
the idea of looking away from
00:11:47.00\00:11:49.90
the things that are
happening around you.
00:11:49.93\00:11:52.16
It's the idea to
literally it means this.
00:11:52.41\00:11:54.80
This phrase looking to
Jesus means to look away from
00:11:55.20\00:11:58.80
other objects to
one, only one and look at
00:11:58.83\00:12:02.46
that one with a
strong or intend gates.
00:12:02.49\00:12:05.47
What does it
mean to look to Jesus?
00:12:06.14\00:12:10.47
It is the backward
look, the upward look,
00:12:11.62\00:12:14.76
and the forward look. I
want to spend sometime with you,
00:12:15.25\00:12:18.93
meditating on, looking
to Jesus, looking to Jesus,
00:12:20.39\00:12:25.17
the backward
look, the upward look,
00:12:25.61\00:12:28.36
and the forward
look. Looking backward
00:12:28.86\00:12:31.78
to the lamb that
dies, looking upwards
00:12:31.81\00:12:36.06
to the Christ that
lives, looking forward to
00:12:36.09\00:12:40.44
the King that
comes, looking on to Jesus.
00:12:40.47\00:12:43.76
The backward
look, the upward look,
00:12:45.10\00:12:47.31
the forward look
transforms your life.
00:12:47.34\00:12:51.12
The backward
look, the upward look,
00:12:51.82\00:12:53.50
the forward
look, gives you peace
00:12:53.53\00:12:57.09
and hope and courage.
First the backward look,
00:12:57.12\00:13:01.31
take your Bible please and turn,
00:13:01.34\00:13:03.18
the Hebrews the
second chapter the 9th verse,
00:13:03.77\00:13:06.43
we look backward,
backward to the Christ,
00:13:07.30\00:13:10.89
who hangs upon the
cross, backward to the nails
00:13:10.92\00:13:15.33
that are driven
through his hands,
00:13:15.36\00:13:17.37
backward to the kind of thrones
00:13:18.26\00:13:19.70
that placed upon his head.
00:13:19.73\00:13:21.75
Christianity always
begins with the backward look.
00:13:22.47\00:13:25.88
You will never
understand the upward look
00:13:26.23\00:13:28.68
or the forward look
unless you understand
00:13:28.71\00:13:31.03
the backward
look. What do we see
00:13:31.06\00:13:33.82
when we look
backward to the cross?
00:13:33.85\00:13:35.90
What difference does
the cross make to Chicago
00:13:36.39\00:13:39.36
in 2009? How can, what
Christ did 2000 years ago?
00:13:39.79\00:13:46.96
So, far from here in a
place called Jerusalem on a hill
00:13:48.49\00:13:53.86
called Calvary, on a
mountain called Golgotha,
00:13:53.89\00:13:57.49
why does that make a
lick of difference to you
00:13:57.52\00:14:01.71
and to me today and it
does the backward look?
00:14:01.74\00:14:06.06
Hebrews Chapter 2,
verse 9, but we see,
00:14:06.51\00:14:11.12
who do we see Jesus, we
see Jesus who is made a little
00:14:11.69\00:14:16.08
lower than the angels for
the suffering death crowned
00:14:16.11\00:14:19.75
with glory and honor
that by the grace of God might
00:14:19.78\00:14:23.72
taste death for
everyone. We look backward,
00:14:23.75\00:14:27.61
backward to the cross of Christ
00:14:28.20\00:14:30.84
and what do we see
there, we see the eternal God,
00:14:31.10\00:14:34.67
the son of God
suffering, agonizing, and dying,
00:14:35.43\00:14:38.47
what do we see there?
We see Jesus redeeming us
00:14:38.50\00:14:41.69
from the guilt and shame
of sin. What do we see there
00:14:41.72\00:14:44.55
when we see the son of
God hanging on the cross?
00:14:44.58\00:14:46.93
We see the divine
substitute dying in our behalf.
00:14:46.96\00:14:50.05
We see the just
dying for the unjust.
00:14:50.26\00:14:52.51
We see the righteous one
dying for unrighteous ones.
00:14:52.54\00:14:56.06
We see the pure one
dying for the impure ones.
00:14:56.09\00:14:59.09
We see the innocent one
dying for the guilty ones.
00:14:59.12\00:15:02.27
We see that he was
reckoned with our curse
00:15:02.57\00:15:06.84
so that we can be
granted eternal life.
00:15:07.31\00:15:09.52
We see Jesus
setting us free from guilt,
00:15:09.55\00:15:12.32
so we can be counted innocent
and righteous before God.
00:15:12.35\00:15:15.40
What do we see when we
see the kind of thrones upon
00:15:15.43\00:15:18.20
his head and the
blood running down his face?
00:15:18.23\00:15:20.70
What do you hear
when we hear Jesus say,
00:15:20.73\00:15:23.15
My God, My God, why
hast Thou forsaken me?
00:15:23.18\00:15:25.66
What do we experience
when we come to the cross
00:15:26.02\00:15:29.02
we have a clear view
of how much he loves us.
00:15:29.05\00:15:31.95
There is nothing like
this in any other religion
00:15:31.98\00:15:34.69
in the world,
nothing like this in Islam,
00:15:34.72\00:15:37.47
nothing like this in Hinduism,
00:15:37.50\00:15:39.29
nothing like
this in Confucianism.
00:15:39.32\00:15:41.38
Here is God
tabernacling in human flash,
00:15:41.41\00:15:44.75
here is god
living a righteous life,
00:15:44.78\00:15:48.03
an innocent life, a
pure life, here is God,
00:15:48.06\00:15:50.99
it is son dying on a
cross called Calvary.
00:15:51.02\00:15:54.27
So, we can go free,
so our guilt can be gone,
00:15:54.30\00:15:57.90
so our shame can be
gone. We have a clear view of
00:15:57.93\00:16:01.17
how much he loves us.
Amen. God loves you so much
00:16:01.20\00:16:04.79
that Christ would
rather go into the grave
00:16:06.33\00:16:09.39
and experience the condemnation
00:16:09.42\00:16:11.54
and guilt of the second
death and never come out
00:16:11.57\00:16:15.45
if necessary, so that
you could be in glory. Amen.
00:16:15.48\00:16:19.25
There is nothing
like this in any religious
00:16:19.28\00:16:21.79
literature of the
world. Somebody said it's too
00:16:21.82\00:16:25.24
good to be true. It's
too good not to be true.
00:16:25.27\00:16:28.39
Are you experiencing today
00:16:30.16\00:16:32.12
the shame and
guilt of a sinful past?
00:16:33.40\00:16:37.23
Do you look back over this
week and see where you have
00:16:38.24\00:16:41.03
failed and do you say
God, I have come to the
00:16:41.06\00:16:46.23
convocation in
Chicago, but I really don't feel
00:16:46.26\00:16:51.38
very worthy and
if you really ask me,
00:16:51.41\00:16:55.87
do you believe
that you will be saved
00:16:55.90\00:17:00.37
I would have to say no.
Because the guilt and shame
00:17:00.40\00:17:04.70
of my past failures and I
see myself even today in all
00:17:04.73\00:17:09.57
my weakness and my shame
and I see myself at times
00:17:09.60\00:17:13.64
as a dick an elder, a dick
as the Sabbath school teacher
00:17:13.67\00:17:16.98
and I see myself
pretending to be a Christian,
00:17:17.25\00:17:19.88
but when I go home
and I yell at the kids
00:17:20.27\00:17:22.67
I feel so unclean. When I
go home and sit before some
00:17:22.70\00:17:26.57
of those TV
programs I feel so guilty.
00:17:26.60\00:17:29.05
There is a fountain
filled with blood, drawn from a
00:17:30.29\00:17:34.89
Emmanuel's veins, and
sinners plunge we need
00:17:34.92\00:17:38.70
that flood loose
all their guilty stains,
00:17:38.73\00:17:41.82
looking on to Jesus.
We look back to the cross
00:17:43.27\00:17:47.60
and we looked at his
wounded hands and we look at his
00:17:49.34\00:17:52.88
thorn pierced brow and
we hear Jesus saying to us,
00:17:52.91\00:17:57.06
my child forgiveness
flows from the cross. Amen.
00:17:57.09\00:18:01.27
My child grace
flows from the cross.
00:18:01.75\00:18:04.18
My child mercy
flows from the cross.
00:18:04.75\00:18:07.76
My child whatever you
have done, whatever guilt
00:18:08.37\00:18:12.70
and shame you have experienced,
00:18:12.73\00:18:14.88
however weak you
feel, you can know
00:18:15.74\00:18:20.14
that my
forgiveness is yours today.
00:18:20.90\00:18:24.99
Looking to Jesus
we will once condemn
00:18:25.54\00:18:29.92
but now we are pardoned.
Looking to Jesus we sense
00:18:30.82\00:18:35.69
the words of the
old hymn are true.
00:18:35.72\00:18:38.69
He giveth more
grace, I love that him.
00:18:38.72\00:18:41.54
He giveth more grace as
the burdens grow greater.
00:18:41.57\00:18:44.83
He sendeth more
strength as the labors increase.
00:18:45.14\00:18:48.45
To added
afflictions He addeth His mercy.
00:18:48.79\00:18:51.39
To multiplied trials
He multiplies His grace.
00:18:51.42\00:18:54.86
His love has no limit.
His grace has no measure.
00:18:55.28\00:18:59.69
His power has no
boundary known on to man.
00:18:59.72\00:19:03.22
For out of the
infinite riches in Jesus,
00:19:03.25\00:19:06.36
he giveth, and giveth,
and giveth again. Amen.
00:19:06.39\00:19:10.81
When we have exhausted
the store of our endurance.
00:19:11.63\00:19:15.16
When our strength has
failed or the day is half done,
00:19:15.56\00:19:20.57
when we reach the end
of our hoarded resources,
00:19:21.06\00:19:24.30
our father's
forgiving has only began,
00:19:24.33\00:19:28.90
He giveth, and
giveth, and giveth again.
00:19:29.32\00:19:31.89
Lilly and her husband
were missionaries in India
00:19:31.92\00:19:33.91
in the 1940's. We
just came from India.
00:19:33.94\00:19:36.17
Last Sabbath, I was
preaching in Chennai.
00:19:36.20\00:19:39.77
It was over for 100 degrees,
the humidity in the 90's,
00:19:40.49\00:19:44.15
you didn't have to preach
in that outdoor Amphitheatre
00:19:44.18\00:19:48.55
or Auditorium at a
school yard to sweat,
00:19:48.58\00:19:50.78
you just get out of the
van and you began to sweat.
00:19:50.81\00:19:53.29
It was hot, hotter than
hot, it was steamy. In 1940's,
00:19:54.96\00:20:02.60
Lilly and her husband
were missionaries to India.
00:20:02.63\00:20:04.94
Lilly had come from America,
00:20:06.22\00:20:07.46
this is her first
experience in the mission field
00:20:07.49\00:20:09.62
and it seemed for
the first six months
00:20:10.37\00:20:11.91
all she had was dysentery.
The spicy hot Indian food
00:20:11.94\00:20:15.76
could did not settled
well under her stomach
00:20:15.79\00:20:18.16
and it felt her stomach
was rolling like a waves of the
00:20:19.10\00:20:21.93
sea all the time. She was,
didn't adapt to the culture.
00:20:21.96\00:20:28.16
The orneriest were oppressive.
00:20:28.79\00:20:31.09
The heat was
stifling. The food was spicy.
00:20:31.12\00:20:34.13
She was far away from
home. She had no friends
00:20:34.16\00:20:37.28
and she was
physically, mentally,
00:20:38.20\00:20:40.61
emotionally
exhausted. Have you ever come
00:20:40.64\00:20:44.40
to a place in your life,
no, where you are physically,
00:20:44.43\00:20:47.82
mentally, emotionally exhaust?
00:20:48.54\00:20:51.60
She didn't even want
to get out of the bed.
00:20:52.45\00:20:54.54
She was so depressed. One day,
00:20:54.57\00:20:57.09
a friend in America not knowing
00:20:57.88\00:21:01.39
what Lillian was going
through listened in the
00:21:01.42\00:21:05.78
1940's the first time to a
song that had just came out.
00:21:05.81\00:21:11.70
He giveth and giveth
and giveth again, amen,
00:21:12.20\00:21:15.69
and Lillian's friend in
America was particularly
00:21:15.95\00:21:19.52
impressed with this verse.
He giveth more grace as the
00:21:19.55\00:21:23.40
burden scroll greater.
He sendeth more strength
00:21:23.43\00:21:26.32
as the labors
increase. To added affliction
00:21:26.35\00:21:29.21
he adds his
mercy. To multiply trails
00:21:29.24\00:21:31.55
he multiples peace.
Not knowing what Lillian,
00:21:31.58\00:21:35.15
was going through in
India, her friend brought a copy
00:21:35.18\00:21:39.23
of the old 45 RPM record.
Do you remember those 45 RPMs?
00:21:39.26\00:21:44.81
Yes. Anybody remember them here?
00:21:44.84\00:21:47.13
Yes. Yes, you
people with gray hair
00:21:47.16\00:21:48.58
and no hair raise their hand.
00:21:48.61\00:21:49.99
And so, you know
that we had the needle
00:21:52.11\00:21:55.36
and you put it
on the old 45 RPM.
00:21:55.39\00:21:57.61
I know those of you with
your Ipods will have to ask
00:21:58.42\00:22:02.48
your parents what that
old 45 with flat platter that
00:22:02.51\00:22:07.14
I am talking about
means, your parents will explain
00:22:07.17\00:22:09.15
to it. It's an old
man's illustration.
00:22:09.18\00:22:11.00
So, the friend of the
Lillian's sends the RPM
00:22:12.68\00:22:15.58
record to Lillian. He
giveth more grace than
00:22:15.61\00:22:20.06
burdens grow
greater. Giveth more grace
00:22:20.09\00:22:23.45
when a trails added afflictions.
00:22:23.84\00:22:27.08
Lillian took the record
out and you know remember
00:22:27.55\00:22:31.34
sometime when those
old records were scratched,
00:22:31.37\00:22:34.16
yes, they have said
the same phrase over
00:22:34.19\00:22:36.87
and over and over and
over again. Lillian puts the
00:22:36.90\00:22:43.90
record on. She is so
depressed and it scratched
00:22:43.93\00:22:48.72
and the phrase that
keeps coming back is he giveth,
00:22:50.80\00:22:53.91
and giveth, and
giveth, and giveth, and giveth,
00:22:54.40\00:22:58.00
and giveth, and
giveth, and giveth, and giveth,
00:22:58.03\00:23:01.21
and Lillian throws up
her hands and said okay God
00:23:02.27\00:23:04.03
I give up. I give up
God. You giveth more grace
00:23:04.06\00:23:10.35
when the burdens are greater.
00:23:10.92\00:23:12.72
You giveth more grace
when the trails are large.
00:23:14.01\00:23:18.79
God and the grace that
flows from Calvary cross,
00:23:19.67\00:23:23.16
may I find pardon, may I
find release and the grace
00:23:24.08\00:23:28.90
that flows from Calvary's
cross and the God that gives
00:23:28.93\00:23:33.57
but never holds His
grace back lift the burden
00:23:33.60\00:23:36.87
off my shoulder. Is
there somebody here today,
00:23:36.90\00:23:40.94
your finances had gone sour?
00:23:41.47\00:23:43.78
Is there somebody here
today, you are out of work
00:23:44.22\00:23:46.53
and you do not know how to make,
00:23:47.08\00:23:48.05
you gonna make that car payment
00:23:48.06\00:23:49.03
or that house payment?
You have got a house to sell
00:23:49.04\00:23:52.20
and it doesn't look good?
Is there somebody here today,
00:23:52.88\00:23:56.59
maybe you are feeling condemned?
00:23:57.02\00:23:59.21
Maybe your life
is filled with guilt?
00:23:59.65\00:24:01.62
Is there somebody here today,
00:24:02.11\00:24:03.35
you just wandered
up, wandered into this
00:24:03.38\00:24:06.49
auditorium, you are
sitting way up in the balcony,
00:24:06.52\00:24:08.75
you are sitting in backyard,
don't even want to come
00:24:08.78\00:24:10.73
because you felt unworthy
when you heard the voice of
00:24:11.40\00:24:14.28
Jesus speaking to
you, he giveth, giveth,
00:24:14.31\00:24:16.73
and giveth, and giveth again.
00:24:16.76\00:24:17.78
And you look backward to
that cross and grace flows
00:24:18.59\00:24:20.87
from that cross and
there is forgiveness
00:24:20.90\00:24:23.43
that yours today and
there is mercy that yours today.
00:24:23.46\00:24:25.98
And there is new
power that yours today.
00:24:26.41\00:24:28.17
The backward look leads us
to a Christ who died on the
00:24:28.80\00:24:34.32
cross and if the
father give the Jesus.
00:24:34.35\00:24:38.24
With Jesus he freely
gives us, Romans 8:32,
00:24:38.27\00:24:42.15
he freely gives us all
things looking to the cross,
00:24:42.72\00:24:46.91
we find grace and
mercy and pardon. But we
00:24:48.04\00:24:51.95
look from the backward
look to the upward look
00:24:51.98\00:24:56.01
if you have your
Bible please take it and
00:24:56.87\00:24:59.52
turn to Hebrews 12, verse 2.
00:24:59.55\00:25:01.58
The Christ who died on
Calvary's cross is no longer
00:25:03.04\00:25:09.12
in his grace we
look not only backward
00:25:09.15\00:25:13.65
to the cross to
find pardon and peace
00:25:13.68\00:25:16.54
and a God that gives
liberally but we look upward.
00:25:16.57\00:25:22.25
I have stood in the
lines in Red Square.
00:25:22.28\00:25:26.10
And I have stood gazing
at the tomb of the founder
00:25:28.73\00:25:34.32
of the communism
Lenin who is embalmed
00:25:34.35\00:25:37.71
in a glass coffin in Red Square.
00:25:37.74\00:25:40.33
I have stood in
Tiananmen Square in China
00:25:41.48\00:25:45.69
and notice the
Muslim of Chairman Mao.
00:25:45.72\00:25:49.58
I have visit the
dome with a rock where
00:25:49.61\00:25:54.64
Mohammad supposedly
spent his last movements
00:25:54.67\00:25:58.19
but the tomb of
Jesus Christ is empty.
00:25:58.22\00:26:02.42
Jesus is alive and
the upward look leads me
00:26:03.38\00:26:08.35
not simply to an
example of a righteous virtuous
00:26:08.38\00:26:12.53
life but the upward
look leads me to experience
00:26:12.56\00:26:17.80
the living Christ who
is trans, who is first born
00:26:17.83\00:26:22.77
at the tomb
alive. Hebrew chapter 12
00:26:22.80\00:26:25.68
verse 2, looking on to
Jesus the author and finisher
00:26:25.71\00:26:30.40
of our faith who for
the joy that was set before
00:26:30.43\00:26:33.54
him endured the
cross despising the same
00:26:33.57\00:26:39.32
and he has sat
down at the right hand
00:26:39.35\00:26:43.07
of the throne of God.
Looking to Jesus we see him
00:26:43.10\00:26:49.40
sitting up on the
throne he is the living lord
00:26:49.43\00:26:53.85
who still in
control of the universe.
00:26:53.88\00:26:57.19
Our lives may be out of
control but he is in control,
00:26:57.22\00:27:01.72
over families may be out of
control but he is in control.
00:27:01.75\00:27:05.65
Amen. Our church
may be out of control
00:27:05.68\00:27:07.78
but he is in control.
Society may be out of control,
00:27:07.81\00:27:11.17
the world may be out of
control but Jesus Christ
00:27:11.20\00:27:14.73
still sits on the throne.
He is still sovereign God
00:27:14.76\00:27:18.42
he is still in
control of the universe.
00:27:18.45\00:27:21.11
He is the one who
makes intersection for us
00:27:21.14\00:27:24.02
he presents his
righteousness at our behalf.
00:27:24.05\00:27:27.01
He watches over us with
an eye that never sleeps.
00:27:27.04\00:27:30.05
He is ready to hear
our confession grant us
00:27:30.08\00:27:32.77
pardon strengthen us
for duty comfort us trail,
00:27:32.80\00:27:35.76
guide us in perplexity
hold us up in temptation
00:27:35.79\00:27:39.37
and he is willing to
persuade our lives safely
00:27:39.40\00:27:42.97
until we return home
because he is the author
00:27:43.00\00:27:45.88
and finisher of our faith
and he has not forgotten us.
00:27:45.91\00:27:48.31
Amen. Being confidence
Philippians 1:6 of this very
00:27:48.34\00:27:52.00
thing that he that has
began a what? Good work
00:27:52.03\00:27:56.18
in you will do what?
Finish it until the day
00:27:56.21\00:27:58.80
of the Jesus Christ.
How many of you know today
00:27:58.83\00:28:01.05
that Jesus has at
least begun something in you,
00:28:01.08\00:28:03.86
as he began
something in you. Amen.
00:28:03.89\00:28:06.70
If you know that
Christ is still in your heart
00:28:06.73\00:28:09.21
with his holly Spirit.
if you know that he is began
00:28:09.24\00:28:11.79
something in you. You
can have absolute confidence
00:28:11.82\00:28:15.34
that he will never
let you go and the Christ
00:28:15.37\00:28:18.21
that began something
in you will finish it
00:28:18.24\00:28:21.47
to his glory. We
would never alone,
00:28:21.50\00:28:23.41
we would never forgotten,
we never without friend.
00:28:23.44\00:28:25.25
Would you, going
through your darkest movements
00:28:26.35\00:28:27.66
when up seems
down and down seems up
00:28:29.59\00:28:31.09
when those financial
crisis is out crushing out
00:28:32.54\00:28:34.74
of your life when then are
problems with your children
00:28:34.77\00:28:37.50
that you cannot
understand or explain.
00:28:37.53\00:28:39.32
When that tumor
breast has metastasized
00:28:39.35\00:28:43.90
and spread to lungs spread
to back and the oncologist
00:28:43.93\00:28:47.95
says there is no
hope. Jesus is still upon
00:28:47.98\00:28:54.40
the throne. Jesus
still cares for you;
00:28:54.43\00:28:57.75
the upward look
lures us to see Jesus,
00:28:57.78\00:29:01.72
the Christ that dies
still lives. Most, most of you
00:29:03.12\00:29:06.71
are aware that for
years I spend time traveling
00:29:06.74\00:29:11.35
to Eastern Europe
those years in hungry Poland,
00:29:11.38\00:29:17.18
Yugoslavia.
Those years in Romania,
00:29:17.21\00:29:23.09
those years in Russia
traveling into the dark Russian
00:29:23.83\00:29:28.40
nights those
years change my life.
00:29:28.43\00:29:31.15
I met with Adventist
Christians that went through
00:29:31.18\00:29:36.41
incredible trails in
their life. People that forged,
00:29:36.44\00:29:41.66
whose faith was forged
in the crucible of trail,
00:29:41.69\00:29:44.59
when I first met many
of this Adventist leaders
00:29:44.62\00:29:48.21
we had no relationship.
They knew me as just
00:29:48.24\00:29:52.62
coming to the country and
so they were very guarded.
00:29:52.65\00:29:56.72
But, you know, I've
been going to the former
00:29:56.75\00:29:58.93
Soviet Union now
since, about 83, 25 years. So,
00:29:58.96\00:30:04.23
we have
developed a bond of trust.
00:30:04.26\00:30:06.18
I have traveled extensively
through out of the former
00:30:06.21\00:30:12.46
Soviet Union through out
all of this Eastern Europe
00:30:12.49\00:30:14.94
and developed
relationships with man and women
00:30:14.97\00:30:19.51
who have then
imprisoned for their faith.
00:30:19.54\00:30:23.34
And I remember interviewing
Elder Mikhail Kulakov,
00:30:23.37\00:30:30.40
who has become such
a dear and close friend
00:30:31.75\00:30:35.33
in confidant. At one
time, Elder Kulakov was 21,
00:30:35.36\00:30:43.31
his brother 23, his
father was an Adventist pastor.
00:30:43.34\00:30:49.65
Elder Kulakov was the head
of the Seventh-day Adventist
00:30:49.68\00:30:52.77
who worked in Soviet Union.
00:30:52.80\00:30:54.20
His father was
an Adventist pastor.
00:30:55.28\00:30:57.45
Kulakov was a pastor and
his brother was a pastor.
00:30:57.48\00:30:59.59
At one time, elder
Kulakov was arrested
00:31:00.14\00:31:04.15
and sentenced to prison
for five years for giving
00:31:04.18\00:31:07.54
a Bible study. His
brother was sentenced to prison
00:31:07.57\00:31:13.19
and his father was in prison.
00:31:13.22\00:31:14.51
So, his mother was
alone at home with her husband
00:31:15.39\00:31:18.68
in one prison and both of
her sons in another prison
00:31:18.71\00:31:22.68
for many years. We were
very cautious in telling
00:31:22.71\00:31:28.51
this particular story
but we have return it now
00:31:28.54\00:31:31.96
in a book on elder Kulakov's
live so I feel much more
00:31:31.99\00:31:34.87
comfortable because
its public knowledge.
00:31:34.90\00:31:36.49
When elder Kulakov was
in prison he was in a dark
00:31:38.67\00:31:43.40
damp cell, and I said
to him tell me the feeling
00:31:43.43\00:31:47.11
I want to experience
your feelings in that cell.
00:31:47.14\00:31:49.47
And he said I was always
hungry. One thing I remember
00:31:49.50\00:31:52.65
is he is being hungry
all the time I never get
00:31:52.68\00:31:54.65
over the hunger. The
second thing I remember
00:31:54.68\00:31:57.46
it that was cold. Have
you ever being cold and hungry
00:31:57.49\00:32:01.42
and you can't get
over being hungry and cold,
00:32:02.82\00:32:05.16
and he said Mark I
was always cold and always
00:32:05.19\00:32:07.37
hungry in those days
we used code language.
00:32:07.40\00:32:12.10
Now the soviet
Government the communist
00:32:13.67\00:32:18.01
Government allowed
relatives of the prisoners
00:32:18.04\00:32:24.24
to send in small
parcels of food, you might get
00:32:24.27\00:32:29.21
a tooth brush, you
might get a tooth paste
00:32:29.24\00:32:31.82
you might get a few
eggs and elder Kulakov wrote
00:32:31.85\00:32:36.82
to his mother and
she said, he said mother
00:32:36.85\00:32:39.92
the next time you send in
food for me next time you do.
00:32:39.95\00:32:45.31
Would you please send a
lighters its so cold here.
00:32:45.34\00:32:48.87
The word lighter
comes from Psalm 119 verse
00:32:50.22\00:32:53.07
105 the word is a Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet,
00:32:53.10\00:32:57.62
and it what? a light
unto my path. The word lighter
00:32:57.65\00:33:00.64
was a cold word for
Bible and every one of our
00:33:00.67\00:33:03.89
Adventist Christians
knew that. When his mother
00:33:03.92\00:33:06.64
got the letter that
for the next food parcel
00:33:06.67\00:33:09.84
she would send him a
lighter. She knew that
00:33:09.87\00:33:12.18
he wanted her to
hide a small New Testament
00:33:12.21\00:33:16.71
in the flour because
they also sent in flour
00:33:16.74\00:33:20.29
they had the ability
to cook a few things.
00:33:20.32\00:33:24.47
On little fire outside
they would make and so she
00:33:24.50\00:33:29.17
wrapped a small Russian
New Testament in a plastic bag
00:33:29.20\00:33:36.18
and covered with
flower when the package came
00:33:36.21\00:33:40.58
sometimes the
sensors would be careless
00:33:40.61\00:33:43.56
and just look at the
first four, five inches in large
00:33:43.59\00:33:47.03
sack and let the rest can throw.
00:33:47.06\00:33:48.81
On this occasion
the sensor took the bag
00:33:49.61\00:33:52.79
and turned it up side
down just to be cruel.
00:33:52.82\00:33:55.33
We can imagine what
happens with flower that's
00:33:55.36\00:33:57.27
all with that place and
the food is there on the table
00:33:57.30\00:34:01.11
and the Bible came
out, and the sensor saw it.
00:34:01.14\00:34:04.43
He opened the
plastic bag took the Bible
00:34:05.33\00:34:07.53
and throw it down when
he throw it down it hit
00:34:07.56\00:34:10.45
its on spine and it
was windy day outside
00:34:10.48\00:34:13.47
and he hit it on a, on a
cement curve and hit the spine
00:34:13.50\00:34:17.32
he had broke the Bible it
was an older Bible and the
00:34:17.35\00:34:19.86
pages went everywhere.
The sensor was so angry
00:34:19.89\00:34:23.90
that he began running
around like a front seat man
00:34:23.93\00:34:26.78
to pick up the pages.
When he did Elder Kulakov
00:34:26.81\00:34:31.60
quietly picked up one
page and put in his pocket
00:34:31.63\00:34:34.82
and he said to me
mark. I read that page over
00:34:35.89\00:34:39.24
and over and over and
over again for the years
00:34:39.27\00:34:44.29
and it encouraged
my heart, I said elder
00:34:45.37\00:34:47.45
you got to tell me
what page did you get?
00:34:47.48\00:34:50.48
He said take your Bible
and turn to Romans Chapter 8,
00:34:50.51\00:34:52.88
Romans chapter 8,
verse 31 and onwards,
00:34:54.10\00:34:57.36
what then shall we
say to this things if God
00:34:58.67\00:35:02.77
is for us who can
be against us. Amen.
00:35:02.80\00:35:06.19
And he said in that
Russian prison I kept saying
00:35:06.22\00:35:09.03
if God is for me
who can be against me.
00:35:09.06\00:35:11.92
God sits on his throne
Jesus intercedes for me,
00:35:11.95\00:35:16.94
verse 32. He who
didn't spare his own son
00:35:16.97\00:35:19.86
but delivered him up for a soul,
00:35:19.89\00:35:21.37
how shall he not with
him. Freely give us all things,
00:35:21.40\00:35:25.87
verse 35 who shall separate
us from the love of Christ?
00:35:28.29\00:35:31.93
Shall tribulation or distress
or persecution or famine
00:35:31.96\00:35:35.91
or nakedness or
parallel or the sword?
00:35:35.94\00:35:38.14
Verse 37, yet, it all
these things we are more than
00:35:39.66\00:35:43.00
conquerors
through him that loved us.
00:35:43.03\00:35:44.85
Jesus Christ is alive
and pastor Mikhail Kulakov,
00:35:45.53\00:35:49.79
looked beyond the
dingy dark damp prison cell.
00:35:49.82\00:35:52.87
He looked beyond the
problems of his life,
00:35:53.61\00:35:55.46
he looked beyond the
burdens of this life,
00:35:55.49\00:35:57.47
he looked beyond
that which was around him.
00:35:57.50\00:35:59.82
He looked beyond the loneliness,
00:35:59.85\00:36:01.79
he looked beyond the hunger.
00:36:01.82\00:36:02.97
He looked beyond the
cold; he saw Jesus sitting
00:36:03.00\00:36:06.39
on his throne there
was new hope in his heart,
00:36:06.42\00:36:09.08
new encouragement in his mind.
00:36:09.11\00:36:11.42
There was a new
smile on his face because
00:36:11.45\00:36:14.24
in spite what
happened around him Jesus was
00:36:14.27\00:36:18.44
on his throne.
What you going through
00:36:18.47\00:36:20.62
Jesus is still on the
throne. What you going through?
00:36:21.96\00:36:24.99
Look back to the cross
pardon and peace are yours.
00:36:26.31\00:36:30.21
What you going through
look out Jesus Christ is alive.
00:36:30.96\00:36:35.51
He ministers at the
throne of God, he knows you
00:36:37.59\00:36:40.68
every need, he
knows your hard aches,
00:36:40.71\00:36:43.48
he knows your disappointments
grace is on the way,
00:36:43.51\00:36:47.51
power is on the way;
strength is on the way.
00:36:47.54\00:36:52.15
In the backward look
I look to the dying lamb
00:36:53.16\00:36:55.21
and the upward look I
look to the living priest.
00:36:56.02\00:36:58.27
In the forward look I
look to the coming king
00:36:58.30\00:37:01.47
Titus Chapter 2.
Titus the second chapter,
00:37:01.50\00:37:05.00
Oh, the Bible comes
that one grand and glorious
00:37:08.39\00:37:10.44
climax Jesus Christ is
coming again. Seventh-day
00:37:10.47\00:37:13.38
Adventist is the most
hopeful people in the world
00:37:13.41\00:37:15.19
because we believe they
were on the verge of eternity.
00:37:15.22\00:37:18.16
We believe that the
Christ had left will come.
00:37:18.19\00:37:21.75
In Titus Chapter 2, and we
look there Titus Chapter 2,
00:37:23.38\00:37:26.83
looking forward Titus
second chapter verse 13,
00:37:29.08\00:37:36.36
Titus chapter 2 verse 13
the second coming of Christ
00:37:37.44\00:37:41.27
is the greatest
hope of all the ages.
00:37:41.30\00:37:45.12
We look there in
Titus 2, verse 13 looking
00:37:47.67\00:37:52.36
for the blessed hope
and the glorious appearing
00:37:52.39\00:37:56.83
of our great God and
save your Jesus Christ.
00:37:56.86\00:37:59.76
We are looking
for the blessed hope
00:37:59.79\00:38:03.03
we are not like the
preferable ostrich that stick
00:38:03.95\00:38:07.35
our head in the
sand. We see the sorrow the
00:38:07.38\00:38:11.14
sickness of the world but
we believe Jesus is coming
00:38:11.17\00:38:14.43
and its going to be defeated.
We are not like ostriches
00:38:14.46\00:38:17.17
Jesus stick their head in
the sand. We see the disease
00:38:17.20\00:38:19.45
disaster in dead but
we believe Jesus is going
00:38:19.48\00:38:22.45
to come and its
going to be defeated
00:38:22.48\00:38:23.67
we are not like
ostriches that stick our head
00:38:23.70\00:38:26.28
in the sand. We see
that the property that barrow
00:38:26.31\00:38:28.93
the pollution but we
believe there is an ultimate
00:38:28.96\00:38:31.40
solution Jesus is
going to come we see Jesus.
00:38:31.43\00:38:35.35
Preparing to stream
down the top of the sky
00:38:36.86\00:38:39.37
in our minds that we
see the glorious hope
00:38:39.40\00:38:43.02
of the coming of
Christ that lifts our Spirit
00:38:43.05\00:38:46.12
that encourages our
hearts that transforms
00:38:46.15\00:38:49.50
our lives because we
believe that also our wife
00:38:49.53\00:38:53.46
may die with
cancer though our husband
00:38:53.49\00:38:56.52
may die with
heart attack. We believe
00:38:56.55\00:38:58.60
that we have not
said goodbye for the
00:38:58.63\00:39:00.85
last time Jesus is coming.
We believe that all those
00:39:00.88\00:39:04.62
things on earth look
paralyse in traumatic.
00:39:04.65\00:39:08.16
Jesus is coming
again, our hearts beat
00:39:08.19\00:39:11.92
with the urgency Christ
is coming again in the most
00:39:11.95\00:39:15.28
traumatic times it's the
most difficult times the most
00:39:15.31\00:39:18.55
oppressive times. Our
eyes are not fixed on some
00:39:18.58\00:39:23.12
one word
Government is coming you know
00:39:23.15\00:39:25.29
seventh-day
Adventist have their eyes fixed
00:39:25.32\00:39:27.57
on time charts to try
to get a little figured out
00:39:27.60\00:39:30.04
they have all
figured out in their head.
00:39:30.07\00:39:32.29
I am not looking just
sometimes short I am looking
00:39:33.25\00:39:35.39
to a Heaven where
Jesus is going to come.
00:39:35.42\00:39:37.01
The coming of
Christ we don't really know
00:39:38.80\00:39:41.68
how every single thing
is going to work out in an
00:39:41.71\00:39:45.13
events their maybe
something that surprise us.
00:39:45.16\00:39:49.22
I am more interested in
my heart being ready for the
00:39:50.18\00:39:53.58
coming of Jesus than
I am figuring out every
00:39:53.61\00:39:56.60
I am more interested
in getting Chicago ready
00:39:59.03\00:40:02.32
for the coming of
Jesus, amen, that I am,
00:40:02.35\00:40:04.98
that I am of the every
event. Some Adventist churches
00:40:05.01\00:40:10.91
are debating over here
splitting events than you
00:40:10.94\00:40:15.53
can't tell anyway.
And they argue back and
00:40:15.56\00:40:21.53
forth about them, amen,
thinking that the arguments
00:40:21.56\00:40:25.05
are sanctified
arguments. I pray to God that
00:40:25.08\00:40:30.45
churches in Chicago be on
their knees seeking for the
00:40:30.48\00:40:33.10
inns feeling at a Holy
Spirit to reach Chicago
00:40:33.13\00:40:34.25
for Jesus Christ, amen,
rather than hear splinting
00:40:34.28\00:40:38.19
theological events and
arguing among ourselves
00:40:38.22\00:40:40.91
there is work that God
wants to do in our hearts.
00:40:40.94\00:40:44.91
Amen. Before he can
do something with us to
00:40:44.94\00:40:47.94
the community, the
problem is not God's decided to
00:40:47.97\00:40:52.76
reach Chicago the problem
rest often inner our hearts.
00:40:52.79\00:40:59.01
Where there is bitterness
00:41:00.81\00:41:02.77
where there is
lack of forgiveness.
00:41:02.80\00:41:05.66
Amen. Where the church
board becomes more of a
00:41:05.69\00:41:10.68
battle field than a
mission driven passionate body
00:41:10.71\00:41:18.55
of believers to
reach a city for Christ.
00:41:18.58\00:41:21.12
And God pour out his
Holy Spirit in abundant ways
00:41:23.48\00:41:29.49
through us unless he
does something to us.
00:41:31.92\00:41:38.69
And they be the mission
field that needs to be reach
00:41:39.78\00:41:43.03
to my heart. And may be
mission field that needs to be
00:41:43.06\00:41:46.78
reaches your heart. Maybe
God is calling us to deeper
00:41:46.81\00:41:52.04
experience with him. Amen.
May be their attitudes inside,
00:41:52.07\00:41:57.92
may be there are habits inside.
00:41:57.95\00:42:01.94
In the early 1990's one
of the most horrible events
00:42:04.30\00:42:12.16
in the history of
world occured the genocide
00:42:12.19\00:42:15.30
in Rwanda, in that genocide
00:42:15.33\00:42:21.20
Hutus battling against
Tutsi a million people were
00:42:21.23\00:42:25.45
killed in less then nine
months. When the Genocide
00:42:25.48\00:42:29.82
began there were three hundred
eighty thousand Adventists,
00:42:29.85\00:42:33.46
Seventh-day Adventist in Rwanda.
00:42:33.49\00:42:35.11
When it ended 100
thousand were died
00:42:35.14\00:42:37.61
in six months a
hundred Adventist were slain
00:42:37.64\00:42:41.16
not because there are
Adventist but there were
00:42:41.19\00:42:43.60
part of the minority
tribe. After in recent years
00:42:43.63\00:42:48.01
I have traveled to
Rwanda on number of occasions
00:42:48.04\00:42:50.59
speaking in large
stadiums there are trails
00:42:50.62\00:42:54.91
going on right now in
Rwanda, trying to killers.
00:42:54.94\00:42:57.33
As we traveled there
I talked to my host the
00:42:57.36\00:43:04.94
union president
Amon Rugerinyange. I said
00:43:04.97\00:43:07.06
pastor Rugerinyange did anybody
00:43:07.09\00:43:09.36
of that you know
die in the Genocide.
00:43:09.39\00:43:12.79
He said Pastor Mark I
was out preaching the day
00:43:12.82\00:43:15.45
that the radio announcement
came cut down the tall trees.
00:43:15.48\00:43:18.59
And when the
radio announcement came,
00:43:18.62\00:43:20.61
cut dow the tall trees
tens of thousands of militias,
00:43:20.64\00:43:23.03
largely young people
machetes runs on the streets
00:43:23.06\00:43:25.27
killing every
Tutsi they could see.
00:43:25.30\00:43:26.71
The killing was so great
that the bodies staged up
00:43:26.74\00:43:29.00
in streets and
dogs came and ate them
00:43:29.03\00:43:30.61
the killing was so great
that they throw thousands of
00:43:30.64\00:43:33.31
bodies into river and
the river was covered with
00:43:33.34\00:43:35.26
bodies. Pastor
Rugerinyange was out preaching
00:43:35.29\00:43:37.57
as union president
then Militia came into the
00:43:37.60\00:43:40.02
church flood out his
wife, his three children
00:43:40.05\00:43:42.78
grand children and kill them
outside the church that day.
00:43:42.81\00:43:45.04
I talked to the union
that the conference president,
00:43:45.07\00:43:47.82
that; do you lose
anybody? He said yes I did.
00:43:47.85\00:43:49.68
I said whom did you
loose? He said I lost my wife
00:43:49.71\00:43:51.56
and my seven children. I
talked to my driver; did you
00:43:51.59\00:43:54.42
lose anybody? I lost 47
members in the family
00:43:54.45\00:43:57.14
and I am the only one that
survived. As I talked to them,
00:43:57.17\00:44:01.17
pastor Amon Rugerinyange
said to me, he said, Mark
00:44:01.20\00:44:04.37
I want you to meet a
woman. And when you meet her,
00:44:04.40\00:44:07.91
your life will
be changed forever.
00:44:07.94\00:44:09.50
Her name is Adel Salfo.
And so we got in the truck
00:44:09.53\00:44:14.18
we went on this rough road
in the back country outside
00:44:14.21\00:44:19.53
of Kigali, in
Rwanda. And pastor
00:44:19.56\00:44:22.80
Rugerinyange told
me the story as we went.
00:44:22.83\00:44:24.79
This woman had
been with her husband
00:44:24.82\00:44:27.81
when the killers
came and she held his hand
00:44:27.84\00:44:31.65
as they put a machete
and split his head open
00:44:31.68\00:44:34.24
and they hit him in the
neck and they murdered him.
00:44:34.27\00:44:37.45
She was there. And pastor
00:44:37.48\00:44:40.53
Amon Rugerinyange
said, Mark I believe she
00:44:40.56\00:44:42.88
will tell you the
story. As I walked into her
00:44:42.91\00:44:46.36
house I saw a
picture of her Pastor
00:44:46.39\00:44:49.67
Seventh-Day Adventist
pastor husband on the wall
00:44:49.70\00:44:52.16
and in respect I simply
walked over and stood and
00:44:52.19\00:44:56.76
looked at the
picture and I thought about
00:44:56.79\00:45:00.75
what it would like if I
am holding my wife's hand.
00:45:00.78\00:45:02.95
And somebody ran to
me in the horror that
00:45:04.61\00:45:07.07
she would go through
as they split my head open
00:45:07.10\00:45:08.87
with machete. As
we sat down, we made
00:45:08.90\00:45:11.95
small talk for a while and
Mrs. Salfo came in the room
00:45:11.98\00:45:15.13
and I broached the
subject very carefully.
00:45:15.16\00:45:16.13
I said Sister Salfo; I
understand you were with your
00:45:16.14\00:45:23.68
husband when the
militia hacked him to death
00:45:23.71\00:45:26.23
it may be very
difficult to talk about it.
00:45:26.26\00:45:29.43
But would you like
to share it with me.
00:45:29.46\00:45:31.83
She has began to cry and
she said Pastor I will share it.
00:45:31.86\00:45:34.42
She said we got word
that militia was coming
00:45:34.45\00:45:37.40
closure and closure to our
village we fled with 45 others
00:45:37.43\00:45:42.50
to catholic church in the
basement we thought it will be
00:45:42.53\00:45:45.21
hiding place and
they may go by the church.
00:45:45.24\00:45:46.95
As we were in the
basement the militia came in
00:45:46.98\00:45:51.32
with machetes they
began to hack and hack and
00:45:51.35\00:45:55.07
hack actually there
were 60 people in the room
00:45:55.10\00:45:57.45
45 were killed
immediately. She said I held
00:45:57.48\00:46:02.18
my husband's hand and
somebody came and just
00:46:02.21\00:46:04.19
hit with the machete
and I in he blood from his
00:46:04.22\00:46:06.69
heads scrapple
over me. She said it was
00:46:06.72\00:46:09.49
horrible pastor and then
the person took the machete
00:46:09.52\00:46:13.75
and hit me on the
head she pulled back
00:46:13.78\00:46:15.88
her beautiful black
hair and I was so stunted
00:46:15.91\00:46:18.35
that they began here
and went down over ahead.
00:46:18.38\00:46:20.25
She said pastor they
then hit me in my wrist trying
00:46:20.28\00:46:24.39
to chop out my
wrist. She held up wrist,
00:46:24.42\00:46:26.70
it was just flapping
around. She said pastor then
00:46:26.73\00:46:29.30
they hit me on the shoulder
and she pulled down her dress
00:46:29.33\00:46:31.81
a little bit to show
her scar on the shoulder.
00:46:31.84\00:46:33.67
She said they left me
for dead and my body lay
00:46:33.70\00:46:39.18
among the dead
bodies for three days.
00:46:39.21\00:46:41.76
At the end of three
days, the militia had moved on.
00:46:41.79\00:46:47.25
So, she said
villagers came to bury the dead.
00:46:48.18\00:46:53.38
Somebody before they
buried me felt my pulse
00:46:53.41\00:46:57.99
and I still had a
pulse. So, they took me.
00:46:58.02\00:47:01.50
I was unconscious.
They began to nurse me back,
00:47:01.53\00:47:04.61
Pastor I was in and out
of hospitals for three years.
00:47:04.64\00:47:09.12
By this time, the
forces from outside of Rwanda
00:47:09.15\00:47:16.07
that were in the
Congo fought their way back,
00:47:16.10\00:47:18.72
liberated the country,
and they built 18 prisoners
00:47:18.75\00:47:22.60
for the murderers and
they put 180,000 people
00:47:22.63\00:47:25.38
in prison. Ms.
Salfo took three years
00:47:25.41\00:47:28.92
to get back to
health, but by now there was
00:47:28.95\00:47:31.03
stability in the country
and she said to me Pastor Mark,
00:47:31.06\00:47:33.71
I have to make a decision
whether I am going bitter
00:47:33.74\00:47:37.69
angry old woman or
not. And she said I made
00:47:37.72\00:47:41.73
a decision that my husband's
death would not be in vain.
00:47:41.76\00:47:46.98
I had the
assurance beating in my heart
00:47:47.01\00:47:50.21
that Jesus
Christ was coming again
00:47:50.24\00:47:52.93
and that the thing
that my husband would want
00:47:52.96\00:47:55.95
would me to go the
minister to the killers.
00:47:55.98\00:47:58.94
So, pastor there is a
prison not far from this village
00:48:00.02\00:48:03.19
and I became the
mother of that prison;
00:48:03.22\00:48:05.49
I would go in and bring
blankets into the prison
00:48:05.52\00:48:08.10
because of the cold
nights. I would go in and
00:48:08.13\00:48:11.33
bring food to the
prison. I began studying the
00:48:11.36\00:48:13.63
Bible with the
prisoners, these were killers.
00:48:13.66\00:48:15.69
One day pastor I
was in the prison, a
00:48:15.72\00:48:17.92
young man fell at
my feet and he began to
00:48:17.95\00:48:20.02
kiss my feet and
I looked at his face
00:48:20.05\00:48:21.99
and he said do you
remember me and she said
00:48:22.02\00:48:24.37
I wish I could get that
face out of my head, mind.
00:48:24.40\00:48:26.57
It was the young man
in his early 20s that
00:48:26.60\00:48:28.41
took the machete and
chopped my husband's head
00:48:28.44\00:48:30.14
in the half. He was
the young man I never
00:48:30.17\00:48:32.12
knew he was in
that prison. I never
00:48:32.15\00:48:34.00
thought that I
would see him again.
00:48:34.03\00:48:35.38
He was the young man
that took the machete and
00:48:35.41\00:48:37.03
put the scar on my
head and gave me such pain
00:48:37.06\00:48:39.61
and he said
would you forgive me.
00:48:39.64\00:48:41.70
And she said I picked
him up and I hugged him.
00:48:41.73\00:48:44.47
And I said I will
forgive you pastor I studied
00:48:44.50\00:48:47.87
the Bible with
in for six months.
00:48:47.90\00:48:49.40
Pastor he stood up
before the whole prison
00:48:49.43\00:48:51.85
and we assembled all the
prisoners in the prison yard
00:48:51.88\00:48:54.32
the day of his baptism
and he confessed his sin.
00:48:54.35\00:48:56.42
Pastor we baptized him,
now pastor he got amnesty,
00:48:56.45\00:49:03.14
after few years and
was let out of the prison.
00:49:03.17\00:49:05.27
But here is the problem
his father and mother were
00:49:05.30\00:49:07.48
killed genocide, he
had no place to live.
00:49:07.51\00:49:09.92
Pastor I adopted him
as my son, would you like
00:49:09.95\00:49:16.29
to meet my heart was
beating full deeps of
00:49:16.32\00:49:21.62
perspiration stood on my
head I looked at the pastor's
00:49:21.65\00:49:23.43
picture who this man has killed.
00:49:23.46\00:49:25.00
I thought a killer was
gonna walk through the door
00:49:25.03\00:49:28.42
and who was
walked through the door.
00:49:28.45\00:49:30.68
A gentle smile on his
face a sparkle on his eyes
00:49:30.71\00:49:35.65
Amon Rugerinyange's
rather Ms. Salfo walked over
00:49:35.68\00:49:41.70
and put her arms
around him and she said let
00:49:41.73\00:49:45.35
me introduce to my adopted
son. She said one day when
00:49:45.38\00:49:49.81
Jesus comes, one day
comes all the suffering
00:49:49.84\00:49:53.25
will be worth at all.
One day the Jesus comes
00:49:53.38\00:49:55.75
all the hard ache
will be worth it all.
00:49:55.78\00:49:57.40
One day the Jesus
comes all the burdens will be
00:49:57.43\00:50:00.02
worth it all. One
day when Jesus comes
00:50:00.05\00:50:02.70
the past will be gone.
She said what inspires me
00:50:02.73\00:50:07.82
is the forward look.
Jesus is coming again,
00:50:07.85\00:50:12.21
Amen. Is there
something in your heart right
00:50:13.84\00:50:16.02
now that needs to be dealt with
00:50:16.05\00:50:18.15
have you
harboring some bitterness.
00:50:18.18\00:50:19.97
Is there some sins
secretly in your life?
00:50:21.18\00:50:24.13
If God can
transform Adel Salfo, if
00:50:24.16\00:50:27.96
God can take that
woman and take any bitterness
00:50:27.99\00:50:30.50
any anger out of
heart, God can do miracles
00:50:30.53\00:50:33.72
in your life. The
backward look leads
00:50:33.75\00:50:37.63
to the cross and
forgiveness. The upward look
00:50:37.66\00:50:40.28
leads you to
receive the power the living
00:50:40.31\00:50:42.25
Christ that is here. The
forward look leads you to
00:50:42.28\00:50:45.21
put a aside anything
that people being ready
00:50:45.24\00:50:47.14
for the coming of
Jesus. There is nothing
00:50:47.17\00:50:49.59
we were clinging to
as we bow head to pray.
00:50:49.62\00:50:54.43
Is there somebody here
today that you just want
00:50:57.45\00:51:00.44
to left your head and say
Lord I need the forgiveness.
00:51:00.47\00:51:02.76
I need the forgiveness
that you only can give.
00:51:02.79\00:51:06.07
Lord I need that forgiveness;
I need that freedom from
00:51:06.10\00:51:10.71
guilt. Lord I have
kind to let my religious
00:51:10.74\00:51:14.55
experience slit. God I
have been careless with
00:51:14.58\00:51:21.34
my experience but
there is grace that flows
00:51:21.37\00:51:25.26
from the cross, there
is mercy and forgiveness
00:51:25.29\00:51:28.35
that flows from the cross.
Lord I lift my hand just now,
00:51:28.38\00:51:30.94
and I say Lord grant me
your forgiveness and mercy
00:51:30.97\00:51:34.22
and I want this day to be
a day of new beginnings for
00:51:34.25\00:51:36.83
me would you
just raise your hand.
00:51:36.86\00:51:38.20
Will you make it plain
and specific this first appeal
00:51:38.23\00:51:41.70
somebody that drifted away.
00:51:41.73\00:51:42.97
Somebody have some
guilt in their life,
00:51:43.38\00:51:45.10
somebody that needs
God's forgiveness and grace
00:51:45.44\00:51:48.05
and your saying I
can't live this auditorium
00:51:48.08\00:51:50.35
without lifting my
hand and saying God grant
00:51:50.38\00:51:52.85
me your grace
just lift your hand.
00:51:52.88\00:51:54.21
You may put your
hand out is there somebody
00:51:57.57\00:51:59.33
going through some
burden some struggle
00:51:59.36\00:52:03.25
financial burden,
burden with your children,
00:52:03.28\00:52:06.33
burden in your health
and you sense the Christ is
00:52:06.36\00:52:10.73
a living Christ and you
need that upward look today
00:52:10.76\00:52:13.38
and you want to say
Jesus I lay my burden at
00:52:13.41\00:52:16.66
your feet but I
believe by faith today
00:52:16.69\00:52:20.23
at this movement that
your giving the comfort and
00:52:20.26\00:52:23.93
strength and I am laying
that burden down for Jesus
00:52:23.96\00:52:26.67
would you just lift your
hand. Some burden you need
00:52:26.70\00:52:29.30
to lift down. Now, you
are not lifting your hand and
00:52:29.33\00:52:32.62
saying well I hope
Jesus may sometime in
00:52:32.65\00:52:35.58
future to live
me from the burden.
00:52:35.61\00:52:37.82
Now, your saying I
believe right now Christ is
00:52:37.85\00:52:40.13
giving peace I
believe right now Christ
00:52:40.16\00:52:42.78
is lifting that
burden. I believe right now
00:52:42.81\00:52:45.42
Christ is giving me new courage.
00:52:45.45\00:52:47.02
Jesus sees your
hand he knows your heart
00:52:49.19\00:52:50.94
and you put your hand
down. If there is somebody
00:52:50.97\00:52:54.18
here that Jesus sends
there is a work to be done
00:52:54.21\00:52:57.74
in you yet. There are
still things you claim
00:52:57.77\00:53:01.34
to attitudes, there are
still adverts that claim to
00:53:01.37\00:53:04.89
and you say God I want to
be part of an army of workers
00:53:04.92\00:53:11.03
that comes out into Chicago,
out into greater Chicago
00:53:11.06\00:53:14.38
land to witness
for you but God I know
00:53:14.41\00:53:18.25
that I need some
cleansing with in and I want to
00:53:18.28\00:53:22.00
cry out with
David, create with in me a
00:53:22.03\00:53:25.71
clean heart oh! God.
00:53:25.74\00:53:26.71
We knew with in
the right Spirit.
00:53:26.84\00:53:29.44
I want to say with
David, Lord whatever you
00:53:29.47\00:53:32.74
need to do in me do
it. If you want to say
00:53:32.77\00:53:37.07
Jesus, whatever work
that needs to be done in
00:53:37.10\00:53:39.81
need I want to do it.
Would you just life your hands.
00:53:39.84\00:53:42.26
Jesus thank you for
the cross, thank you
00:53:42.29\00:53:48.28
that in Jesus our guilt has gone
00:53:48.31\00:53:55.25
that in Christ
there is no condemnation.
00:53:55.28\00:53:58.13
That he gives us, and giveth,
and giveth, and giveth again.
00:53:58.16\00:54:02.86
Thank you that the
backward look leads us to
00:54:02.89\00:54:07.53
peace thank you that
the upward look reminds us
00:54:07.56\00:54:12.46
that you still alive.
You still sit on your throne
00:54:12.49\00:54:15.62
you still there
for us in the up's
00:54:15.65\00:54:19.60
and downs of life,
we look upward away from
00:54:19.63\00:54:23.28
all that around us to
the Christ that has not yet
00:54:23.31\00:54:27.21
left his throne and
Father when the journey is long
00:54:27.24\00:54:31.89
the roads rough help
us look to the future
00:54:31.92\00:54:35.75
grant to us sense that the
blessed hope is just around
00:54:35.78\00:54:40.11
the corner that Jesus is
coming, and coming again.
00:54:40.14\00:54:43.98
We praise you for that
do you work of cleansing
00:54:44.01\00:54:48.05
inwards we pray
in Christ name. Amen.
00:54:48.08\00:54:52.53