Lily of the Valley, let
Your sweet aroma fill my life.
00:01:14.89\00:01:27.14
Rose of Sharon, show me how to
00:01:29.30\00:01:33.87
grow in beauty in God's sight.
00:01:33.90\00:01:41.68
And Fairest of Ten Thousand,
00:01:44.41\00:01:47.87
make me a
reflection of Your light.
00:01:48.46\00:01:57.74
Daystar shine down on me,
00:01:59.00\00:02:02.22
let Your love shine
thru me in the night.
00:02:02.79\00:02:11.13
Lead me Lord, I'll follow.
00:02:13.72\00:02:17.48
Anywhere you open up the door
00:02:17.51\00:02:27.40
Let your word speak to me,
00:02:28.52\00:02:31.81
show me what
I've never seen before
00:02:31.84\00:02:41.35
Lord I want to be your witness,
00:02:42.34\00:02:46.69
you can take what's
wrong and make it right
00:02:47.25\00:02:54.27
Daystar shine down on me,
00:02:57.77\00:03:01.00
let your love shine
through me in the night.
00:03:01.54\00:03:10.34
Lord I see a world that's dying,
00:03:11.96\00:03:16.33
wounded by the Master of Deceit.
00:03:16.36\00:03:25.21
And it's
Groping in the darkness,
00:03:25.68\00:03:31.17
haunted by the
years of past defeat.
00:03:31.20\00:03:39.54
Then I see you
standing near me Lord,
00:03:40.69\00:03:45.29
shining with
compassion in Your eyes.
00:03:45.32\00:03:54.88
Daystar shine down on me,
00:03:55.84\00:03:59.21
let Your love shine
through me in the night.
00:03:59.24\00:04:07.77
Lead me Lord, I'll follow.
00:04:10.75\00:04:14.12
Anywhere you open up the door
00:04:14.15\00:04:23.95
Let your word speak to me,
00:04:25.46\00:04:28.56
show me what
I've never seen before
00:04:28.59\00:04:38.06
Oh Lord I want
to be your witness;
00:04:38.09\00:04:43.14
you can take what's
wrong and make it right
00:04:43.78\00:04:51.09
Daystar shine down on me,
00:04:54.22\00:04:57.43
let your love shine
through me in the night.
00:04:57.95\00:05:07.32
Daystar shine down on me,
00:05:09.03\00:05:12.74
let your love shine
through me in the night.
00:05:12.77\00:05:25.27
Jesus, shine down on me,
00:05:25.98\00:05:29.74
let Your love shine
through me in the night.
00:05:30.64\00:05:51.55
Good evening. You
know I am so blessed
00:06:01.92\00:06:05.96
by young people, and
it's such a privilege
00:06:06.80\00:06:09.93
to have them in our church,
00:06:09.96\00:06:14.11
they're our
future aren't they? Yes.
00:06:14.14\00:06:17.20
So let's make sure
that we give them every
00:06:17.23\00:06:19.23
opportunity in our
home churches to work.
00:06:19.26\00:06:22.06
Tonight, I have the
very special privilege
00:06:23.59\00:06:27.30
of introducing our
speaker, and he is a young man
00:06:27.33\00:06:31.43
and at the young of 17
he decided that he loved
00:06:32.96\00:06:37.59
Jesus more than
world and that's rare isn't
00:06:37.62\00:06:43.40
it in this world.
Jeffrey Rosario had an encounter
00:06:44.19\00:06:50.26
with the Bible when he
was 17. It was really an
00:06:50.29\00:06:54.73
argument he needed to
solve. He needed to win
00:06:54.76\00:06:58.36
an argument and its
amazing how God uses
00:06:58.39\00:07:02.21
arguments even
to bring us to him.
00:07:02.24\00:07:05.04
Well, his
grandmother was a Sabbath-keeper
00:07:06.10\00:07:09.78
and he had to prove that
she was right and through
00:07:09.81\00:07:12.41
that argument it
brought him to the Lord.
00:07:12.44\00:07:15.20
He works today
with Arise Ministries in
00:07:15.41\00:07:19.85
San Francisco Bay
area, and he's reaching out
00:07:19.88\00:07:25.49
to more young people,
and I know you're gonna
00:07:25.52\00:07:27.90
be blessed this evening
listening to his message.
00:07:27.93\00:07:31.97
He's full of energy.
He is excited to share
00:07:32.94\00:07:36.23
what's on his
heart, and I just pray that
00:07:36.26\00:07:39.78
you'll be blessed, thank you.
00:07:39.81\00:07:41.71
Happy Sabbath. Happy Sabbath.
00:11:48.75\00:11:50.81
One of the things
that is difficult about ASI
00:11:52.12\00:11:54.77
is you sit back there
you look at the screen and
00:11:55.69\00:11:57.41
you see all these young
people and they're pumped
00:11:57.44\00:11:58.97
up and they're
excited about the Lord
00:11:59.00\00:12:00.65
and the one thing I
hate about ASI is that when
00:12:01.70\00:12:03.76
you leave you know
what I'm saying you go back
00:12:03.79\00:12:07.72
to the world, to the
real world and you wish
00:12:08.50\00:12:10.83
that what you saw on
stage here was represented
00:12:10.86\00:12:14.00
everywhere in
the worldwide Church.
00:12:14.03\00:12:16.76
Can you say amen to that? Amen.
00:12:16.79\00:12:18.50
So I am sitting back,
I'm listening to these
00:12:18.53\00:12:20.02
testimonies, and I am thinking
00:12:20.05\00:12:21.10
wow praise the Lord.
But if only we can see
00:12:22.12\00:12:25.32
this stuff at a
grand scale everywhere,
00:12:25.35\00:12:29.26
in every country, in
every major city in this world
00:12:29.89\00:12:33.74
we wouldn't be here, amen. Amen.
00:12:34.94\00:12:36.71
We would be playing
our harps in heaven.
00:12:36.74\00:12:39.39
We would be done,
this thing would be over.
00:12:39.42\00:12:40.98
We would never have
to come to another ASI
00:12:41.01\00:12:42.83
Convention again, amen. Amen.
00:12:42.86\00:12:45.01
Its kind of a weird amen right,
00:12:45.04\00:12:46.67
I would like to have
a prayer with you before
00:12:50.68\00:12:51.75
we start and got some
stuff boiling in my heart
00:12:51.78\00:12:55.82
and I wanna ask the
Holy Spirit to make our time
00:12:55.85\00:12:57.60
together
meaningful. I am gonna kneel;
00:12:57.63\00:12:59.83
I would like you folks
to remain seated and just
00:13:00.31\00:13:01.92
bow your heads with
me. Father in heaven,
00:13:01.95\00:13:05.79
thank you for this
amazing privilege to witness
00:13:05.82\00:13:10.15
everything we
witness here tonight. Father,
00:13:10.18\00:13:13.68
I just pray that
some how some way through
00:13:13.71\00:13:17.46
the foolishness of
preaching that you would
00:13:17.49\00:13:19.09
say something tonight
that would open our eyes,
00:13:19.12\00:13:22.83
that would help us to
see what you're seeing,
00:13:22.86\00:13:25.92
when you look down.
Lord help us to see the
00:13:25.95\00:13:29.17
potential that you
see in your church.
00:13:29.20\00:13:32.16
Help us to see the urgency,
00:13:33.03\00:13:34.44
the possibilities
that you see with an entire
00:13:35.71\00:13:39.13
generation of young
Seventh Day Adventists.
00:13:39.16\00:13:42.29
I pray for the
Spirit to be with us here,
00:13:43.26\00:13:45.89
to interpret these
words and we would all be
00:13:46.87\00:13:49.30
students and that you
would be really the one who
00:13:50.09\00:13:53.25
is teaching us. We
pray that you would lift
00:13:53.28\00:13:55.98
the curtain and give
us a glimpse of our Lord.
00:13:56.01\00:13:59.36
In Jesus we thank
you and we pray amen.
00:13:59.39\00:14:02.24
So our theme is
inspired to finish strong and
00:14:03.41\00:14:07.40
as I was
thinking about the theme,
00:14:07.43\00:14:08.71
I was looking at
the picture, how many
00:14:09.38\00:14:10.97
of you seen the picture
in that little brochure,
00:14:11.00\00:14:12.67
and it has a picture
of a runner right running
00:14:12.70\00:14:15.93
a race and I was
thinking of, oh thanks.
00:14:15.96\00:14:18.39
I was thinking in a
sense the way that you finish
00:14:19.58\00:14:25.12
a race has a lot to
do with the way that you,
00:14:25.15\00:14:27.21
what everybody start the race.
00:14:27.24\00:14:29.82
Recently I listened
to my wife and I agreed
00:14:29.85\00:14:32.69
to run a 10 kilometer
race and I noticed that
00:14:32.72\00:14:38.35
my attitude walking
in to this race had a lot
00:14:38.38\00:14:42.05
to do with, with
what happened after
00:14:42.08\00:14:44.14
the finish line,
amen. So the way you finish
00:14:44.17\00:14:46.48
a race has a lot to
do with the way that you
00:14:46.51\00:14:48.90
start a race and so as
I was thinking about the
00:14:48.93\00:14:51.74
theme I was thinking
well how can we be inspired
00:14:51.77\00:14:55.07
to finish strong. I
mean you know what a raw,
00:14:55.10\00:14:58.47
raw sermon to
pump everyone up and to
00:14:58.50\00:15:01.28
emotionally excite
us is that gonna do it,
00:15:01.92\00:15:04.41
what is going to
inspire an entire generation
00:15:04.44\00:15:07.74
of Adventists to finish strong,
00:15:07.77\00:15:09.75
and I thought to myself
well what if that theory
00:15:10.54\00:15:14.66
were true then
perhaps as we're thinking
00:15:14.69\00:15:17.29
of how this movement
is going to finish strong
00:15:17.32\00:15:19.74
may be it might be
helpful to think about how
00:15:19.77\00:15:22.80
this movement began
the race in order to
00:15:22.83\00:15:26.10
illustrate and to
demonstrate to us how
00:15:26.13\00:15:28.99
we should finish the
race, does that make sense
00:15:29.02\00:15:30.93
amen. And so as I
was thinking of that
00:15:30.96\00:15:33.26
I immediate thought of
something very familiar
00:15:33.29\00:15:35.97
to everyone here.
This movement began
00:15:36.00\00:15:38.17
with a certain
caliber of young Adventists.
00:15:38.20\00:15:42.45
I was a lot more excited
about that then you were.
00:15:45.37\00:15:47.16
When we read into
the history books,
00:15:49.02\00:15:50.71
I'm kind of a new
Adventist you guys are
00:15:51.53\00:15:53.03
older Adventists, so your
excitement over this concept
00:15:53.06\00:15:56.53
should be greater
than mine. When you look
00:15:56.56\00:15:58.59
at the books the
way the movement began
00:15:58.62\00:16:01.33
was through a certain
character of young people,
00:16:01.36\00:16:05.53
amen. That's how it
began, it began strong,
00:16:05.56\00:16:09.35
we don't have time
to get into all that
00:16:09.96\00:16:11.00
and many of you are
more familiar with that
00:16:11.03\00:16:12.94
than I am, but it began strong.
00:16:12.97\00:16:14.93
It began with a certain
caliber of young people.
00:16:14.96\00:16:18.71
And so if we're
gonna finish strong.
00:16:18.74\00:16:20.35
You catch what I'm
throwing. We should revisit,
00:16:23.17\00:16:25.40
we should remind
ourselves of the attitude,
00:16:25.43\00:16:27.70
the mindset, the
culture within the church
00:16:27.73\00:16:32.36
that was there
when we began this race,
00:16:33.65\00:16:35.73
and I immediately
thought of an amazing
00:16:35.76\00:16:37.45
generation of young
people, and I'm sure it was a
00:16:37.48\00:16:40.75
lot smaller, it
sort of a microcosm,
00:16:40.78\00:16:43.90
it was like the
worldwide church in embryo
00:16:43.93\00:16:45.84
back in the early
days. But what you saw there
00:16:45.87\00:16:48.37
has a powerful
challenge for my generation
00:16:48.40\00:16:51.25
of young Adventists.
So I am gonna be a party
00:16:51.28\00:16:53.35
pooper tonight and I'm
gonna let you folks know
00:16:53.38\00:16:56.48
that we are living in
a crises and you already
00:16:57.18\00:16:59.65
knew that can you
say amen to that. Amen.
00:16:59.68\00:17:01.41
My generation of
Adventists are living
00:17:01.44\00:17:05.46
in a very weird time in history.
00:17:05.49\00:17:08.25
For example there
are some statistics that
00:17:09.72\00:17:12.42
I've being reading,
and I wanna share them
00:17:12.45\00:17:14.64
with you in one book
why our teenagers leave
00:17:14.67\00:17:17.38
the Church. Here's
what I found, there is
00:17:17.41\00:17:20.47
50 percent chance
that a teenager who gets
00:17:20.50\00:17:23.57
baptized in his or her
mid teens will leave the
00:17:23.60\00:17:26.05
Adventist Church
completely by the time
00:17:26.08\00:17:28.51
he or she is 25 years
old. 50 percent chance,
00:17:28.54\00:17:34.08
here's another one from
the Ministry International
00:17:35.23\00:17:37.78
Journal for Pastors.
One in every five Adventist
00:17:37.81\00:17:40.39
Churches in North
America doesn't have
00:17:40.42\00:17:43.06
a single child
teenager or young adult.
00:17:43.09\00:17:45.46
In fact, the median
age in these churches
00:17:47.26\00:17:49.67
is about 60 years
old. Now that's 20 years
00:17:49.70\00:17:54.17
older than the average American.
00:17:54.20\00:17:56.72
Here's the last one
because what we're seeing
00:17:59.00\00:18:01.13
in Adventism is
reflected in what we're seeing
00:18:01.16\00:18:02.95
in broader sense
evangelical Christianity
00:18:02.98\00:18:05.36
and this is an
interesting survey.
00:18:05.39\00:18:08.42
It says according to
the survey 7 in 10 young
00:18:08.45\00:18:10.91
people who attended
the church regularly
00:18:10.94\00:18:13.10
in high school that's
like what we saw up here
00:18:13.13\00:18:16.62
some of this young
people. They stop attending by
00:18:16.65\00:18:19.72
age 23, 7 in 10 that
is. Of that group 34 percent
00:18:19.75\00:18:27.73
said that they never
returned to church even
00:18:27.76\00:18:30.16
occasionally by the
age of 30. and now here's
00:18:30.19\00:18:32.65
a translation in
English one in every four
00:18:32.68\00:18:35.13
Christian young
person has left the church
00:18:35.16\00:18:37.18
for good, that's like
1, 2, 3 gone, 1, 2, 3 gone,
00:18:37.21\00:18:44.18
you with me. The
Barna Research Group
00:18:44.21\00:18:48.62
has pumped out so
many studies that basically
00:18:50.11\00:18:52.17
communicate this for
the sake of time that
00:18:52.20\00:18:54.05
our generation of
Christians and it applies
00:18:54.08\00:18:56.59
to our generation of
Adventists read the Bible
00:18:56.62\00:18:59.37
less than any
generation previous to us.
00:18:59.40\00:19:01.61
My generation of
Adventists are less church
00:19:03.40\00:19:06.09
attenders than the
previous generations before me.
00:19:06.12\00:19:08.66
My generation of
Adventists spent time in prayer
00:19:09.38\00:19:13.48
less than the
generations before me.
00:19:13.51\00:19:15.87
My generation of
Adventists are less involved,
00:19:15.90\00:19:18.13
or my generation of
Christians at large are less
00:19:18.16\00:19:21.24
involved in the Gospel
missions to the generation
00:19:21.27\00:19:23.15
before me. We're
living in a crises right now.
00:19:23.18\00:19:26.03
My generation of
Adventists are basically
00:19:26.06\00:19:28.52
an endangered
species and it's the true
00:19:28.55\00:19:33.31
is the same truth
in the broader sense of
00:19:33.97\00:19:36.07
Christianity. And so
there is something going
00:19:36.10\00:19:38.98
on that the norm in
the church has changed
00:19:39.01\00:19:41.89
from what it used to
be when we began the race.
00:19:41.92\00:19:44.35
For example here's a
bit of a diagnoses from
00:19:44.38\00:19:47.60
my perspective and I
think you would agree.
00:19:47.63\00:19:49.27
We are in an identity
crises it's part of the problem,
00:19:49.92\00:19:52.31
that my generation of
young people have lost
00:19:52.34\00:19:54.40
their sense of
their identity and you see
00:19:54.43\00:19:57.10
the symptoms of
that. And the pastor was
00:19:57.13\00:19:58.77
easier to make
a distinction now,
00:19:58.80\00:20:00.46
my generation
more or less blends in,
00:20:01.11\00:20:03.39
there's a less
of the distinction,
00:20:03.42\00:20:05.15
it's harder to
tell the difference.
00:20:05.18\00:20:08.08
My generation has
settled for low expectations
00:20:08.11\00:20:10.45
in our personal and
public life for Christ.
00:20:10.48\00:20:13.80
My generations of
Christians are experiencing
00:20:13.83\00:20:17.29
a lack of a sense of
our personal calling.
00:20:17.32\00:20:20.07
We see it less as
something that involves us
00:20:21.51\00:20:25.34
this whole thing with
the Gospel and the norm
00:20:25.37\00:20:29.48
has changed. What was
norm today is different
00:20:29.51\00:20:32.42
when I pick up my book
and I read the book of Acts.
00:20:32.45\00:20:35.65
When I read in the book
of Acts is very different
00:20:36.45\00:20:38.03
than what I see. How
many of you would agree
00:20:38.06\00:20:39.60
with that. What was norm back in
00:20:39.63\00:20:41.59
early Christianity
is weird today amen.
00:20:41.62\00:20:45.75
Amen. Well, I don't
know what city you're from,
00:20:45.78\00:20:50.60
but I am over there
in San Francisco San Jose
00:20:50.63\00:20:53.68
Bay area and let
me say that again what
00:20:53.71\00:20:56.22
I read in the
book of Acts is very
00:20:56.25\00:20:58.02
different then
what I see, amen. Amen.
00:20:58.05\00:21:01.70
Something has
changed, the norm has changed.
00:21:01.73\00:21:03.69
In my generation it
is perfectly normal,
00:21:03.72\00:21:06.50
in my culture it's
perfectly normal for a young
00:21:07.43\00:21:09.99
Adventist to have a
weak knowledge of the Bible,
00:21:10.02\00:21:11.88
perfectly normal for a
young Adventist to not be
00:21:11.91\00:21:14.20
able to defend their
faith from scripture.
00:21:14.23\00:21:16.67
It's perfectly normal
today for a young person
00:21:16.70\00:21:19.18
not to have prayer
life, it's perfectly normal
00:21:19.21\00:21:20.96
for a young person
today not to be involved
00:21:21.57\00:21:23.22
in missions, not to be
evangelistically minded,
00:21:23.25\00:21:25.38
it's perfectly normal.
So, if we were to rewind
00:21:25.41\00:21:28.70
time and go back to
first century Christianity
00:21:28.73\00:21:31.05
and if you were to
pull out a Christian from
00:21:31.08\00:21:33.30
the first century and
fast forward and drop them
00:21:33.33\00:21:35.94
into our
generation what would happen.
00:21:35.97\00:21:38.19
The person would
freak out, amen. Amen.
00:21:39.89\00:21:42.87
They would think
they're in another planet
00:21:42.90\00:21:44.49
and conversely if we
were to take one of us
00:21:45.91\00:21:47.84
and rewind the
time and drop us into
00:21:47.87\00:21:49.54
first century
Christianity, what would happen?
00:21:49.57\00:21:51.22
We would freak out
right, because we would
00:21:52.27\00:21:54.96
think we're in
another planet why?
00:21:54.99\00:21:56.46
Because what was normal
back, is not normal today.
00:21:56.49\00:21:58.56
What was normal
back then, read the
00:21:58.59\00:21:59.56
book of Acts. It was
normal for a Christian
00:21:59.57\00:22:01.65
to be walking down the
side way and his shadow
00:22:01.68\00:22:04.14
touches someone and
it heals them. Amen.
00:22:04.17\00:22:08.93
See you're not excited
because this is not normal
00:22:12.39\00:22:13.59
to you, shame on
you, it was normal back
00:22:13.62\00:22:18.64
then for Paul in
Acts chapter 19 to go up
00:22:18.67\00:22:20.73
to a group of Christians
and he essentially say
00:22:20.76\00:22:23.04
have you have been
filled with the Holy Ghost,
00:22:23.07\00:22:25.18
and they're like
what? And Paul is like huh,
00:22:25.21\00:22:29.48
in another words he's
like what you mean by huh,
00:22:30.50\00:22:32.80
you haven't been
filled with the Spirit.
00:22:32.83\00:22:34.12
In another words it
reveals that to Paul to run
00:22:35.19\00:22:37.88
into an Adventist who
has not been filled with the
00:22:37.91\00:22:40.01
Holy Spirit is weird
thing. Are you following what
00:22:40.04\00:22:43.46
I'm saying? Yes. If I
walked up to you after
00:22:43.49\00:22:45.61
this seminar
said brother, sister,
00:22:45.64\00:22:46.90
have you been
filled with the Holy Ghost.
00:22:46.93\00:22:48.87
What would you say?
You would look at me
00:22:49.73\00:22:51.38
like I'm a nut,
wouldn't you? Because they don't
00:22:51.41\00:22:53.56
normally ask you that
type of stuff in church right,
00:22:53.59\00:22:56.38
it's weird, are you
with me yes or no. Yes.
00:22:56.41\00:22:58.85
We are in a situation
where the culture not only
00:23:00.95\00:23:05.30
in society but within
the church is something
00:23:05.33\00:23:08.11
drastically
different than what we see in
00:23:08.14\00:23:10.14
scripture okay. And this
occasions a radical call,
00:23:10.17\00:23:15.27
a radical call to our
generation and that call
00:23:16.82\00:23:21.43
is pretty simple. The
Bible is calling us to be
00:23:21.46\00:23:25.44
rebellious and some of
you parents are freaking out
00:23:25.47\00:23:30.04
right now because
your kids are in here.
00:23:30.07\00:23:31.42
But listen to what I am saying.
00:23:32.00\00:23:32.97
The Bible is calling our
generation to be rebellious,
00:23:33.51\00:23:37.32
okay. Open your Bible
quickly to Romans chapter 12
00:23:38.47\00:23:40.95
because the clock is
ticking really quick here.
00:23:40.98\00:23:42.85
Romans chapter 12
and when you get there
00:23:42.88\00:23:44.86
can you say
Hallelujah for me. Hallelujah.
00:23:44.89\00:23:47.50
Or maybe you didn't
bring your Bible because
00:23:51.38\00:23:52.45
you figured this was
a youth night and maybe
00:23:52.48\00:23:54.53
we're not gonna need our Bibles.
00:23:54.56\00:23:56.04
Which means that
to you it's not normal
00:23:57.80\00:23:58.90
for young people to use
the Bible, shame on you,
00:23:58.93\00:24:00.95
I'm just kidding.
Say Amen when you get
00:24:02.78\00:24:04.41
to Romans chapter 12. Amen.
00:24:04.44\00:24:06.00
Here I am, here I am verse 2.
00:24:06.68\00:24:08.30
And do not be what
does your Bible say?
00:24:10.95\00:24:12.74
Conformed, okay. Don't
be conformed to this what?
00:24:13.69\00:24:17.23
To this world. To
this world, but what?
00:24:17.84\00:24:19.59
Be transformed by
the renewing of your
00:24:20.53\00:24:22.55
mind that you may
prove what is a good,
00:24:22.58\00:24:24.08
and acceptable, and
perfect will of God, right.
00:24:24.11\00:24:26.09
So, here's the
question the Bible there Paul
00:24:26.12\00:24:28.44
is writing to a group of
Christian that lived where?
00:24:28.47\00:24:30.49
They live in Rome
yeah and he's telling them
00:24:33.68\00:24:36.27
do not conform
to this world. Now,
00:24:36.30\00:24:38.81
what does he mean by this world?
00:24:38.84\00:24:40.89
He's obviously not talking
about the physical sphere
00:24:42.25\00:24:44.63
of the planet, right,
don't be conformed to the.
00:24:44.66\00:24:46.62
No, he's talking
about something else right.
00:24:47.21\00:24:48.97
Don't be
conformed to this world,
00:24:49.71\00:24:51.59
what is he talking
about? Don't be conformed with,
00:24:51.62\00:24:55.54
with, with, with the
culture of your generation,
00:24:55.57\00:24:58.79
am I allowed to say
that, don't be conformed with
00:24:58.82\00:25:00.68
mindset right of the
world in which you live.
00:25:00.71\00:25:04.46
Don't be conformed
with the standards,
00:25:04.49\00:25:06.68
with the philosophies,
with the perspective of
00:25:06.71\00:25:10.87
the generation in
which you live right.
00:25:10.90\00:25:13.69
Do not be
conformed, in another words he
00:25:13.72\00:25:16.29
is calling for nonconformists.
00:25:16.32\00:25:18.67
Now what's another
word for a nonconformist,
00:25:18.70\00:25:21.07
a rebel, amen. Amen.
It's not illegal to say
00:25:22.57\00:25:26.83
rebel in church is it?
The Bible is calling for
00:25:26.86\00:25:29.92
a revolution right.
He's calling for a generation
00:25:29.95\00:25:32.96
of people to rebel,
right. And so I wanna say,
00:25:32.99\00:25:35.76
I wanna suggest the
message we should be
00:25:36.78\00:25:39.24
communicating to our
young people is a message
00:25:39.27\00:25:41.44
that says rebel, right.
But obviously we're not asking
00:25:41.47\00:25:45.43
them to rebel. The Bible
is not asking us to rebel
00:25:45.46\00:25:47.47
against authority,
against institution per say,
00:25:47.50\00:25:50.05
it's asking us to rebel
against a certain mindset
00:25:50.08\00:25:53.23
in our generation, are
you with me yes or no. Yes.
00:25:53.26\00:25:56.14
And here's what the
Phillips translation says:
00:25:56.57\00:25:57.85
Don't let the world
around you squeeze you
00:25:57.88\00:25:59.63
into its mold, but let
God mold your minds from
00:25:59.66\00:26:04.20
within, so that you
may prove and practice the
00:26:04.23\00:26:06.35
plan of God for you
that is good. That it meets
00:26:06.38\00:26:10.60
all his demands and
it moves towards the goal
00:26:10.63\00:26:13.06
of true maturity. So
here we have a concept
00:26:13.09\00:26:17.78
in scripture where
early Christians were expected
00:26:17.81\00:26:22.01
to be rebellious
against the certain culture
00:26:22.04\00:26:25.37
in their generation,
are you with me yes or no?
00:26:25.40\00:26:28.16
Matter of fact if you
are not convinced yet when
00:26:28.68\00:26:32.53
you look at the
sermon into the Pentecost
00:26:32.56\00:26:35.45
when Peter is
preaching. After he preaches his
00:26:35.48\00:26:38.72
fiery sermon and he
gets to the end of his
00:26:38.75\00:26:40.72
sermon and remember
he makes that amazing
00:26:40.75\00:26:42.95
appeal and before
these people jump into the
00:26:42.98\00:26:44.94
baptismal tank.
Peter says one last think
00:26:44.97\00:26:47.82
I don't know if you
remember what he said
00:26:47.85\00:26:49.22
I just gonna quote here
very quickly for the sake
00:26:49.25\00:26:51.67
of time but he says
this in verse 40 chapter
00:26:51.70\00:26:53.88
2 of Acts. He says
and with many other words
00:26:53.91\00:26:56.06
Peter testified and
exhorted them saying save
00:26:56.70\00:26:59.85
yourselves from
this perverse generation.
00:26:59.88\00:27:02.65
There was a week in
standing between the
00:27:04.59\00:27:06.20
Baptismal candidate or
the Baptismal tank and before
00:27:06.23\00:27:09.14
that guy jumped in,
in early Christianity
00:27:09.17\00:27:11.26
he understood one
thing when you get in there
00:27:11.29\00:27:13.22
you're making a
statement that your life
00:27:13.25\00:27:15.23
will go counterculture,
you with me. Yes.
00:27:15.26\00:27:18.45
Your life is going to
have to go against the current
00:27:19.14\00:27:22.94
of your generation, so
the current of our generation,
00:27:22.97\00:27:25.85
the flavor of Christianity
in the modern world is
00:27:26.66\00:27:30.65
reflecting these
statistics that we read.
00:27:30.68\00:27:33.53
The culture today
expects very little from young
00:27:34.13\00:27:37.76
people, amen. The
culture today stupefies young
00:27:37.79\00:27:42.48
people's progress
to the maturity, okay.
00:27:42.51\00:27:46.30
I'm gonna sort of attempt
to illustrate this here a
00:27:46.33\00:27:48.53
little more. Our
generation has been identified
00:27:48.56\00:27:54.13
as a unique generation
because we're the first
00:27:54.16\00:27:56.38
people ever in history to
identify the group of people
00:27:56.41\00:28:01.05
from age about 12
to about 20 something
00:28:01.08\00:28:04.60
as adolescence, as
teenagers. We're unique,
00:28:04.63\00:28:12.00
this is something new.
When you look at history
00:28:13.84\00:28:16.62
there was no such
thing. There's this segment
00:28:16.65\00:28:19.41
in society today that
consists of these people
00:28:19.44\00:28:23.42
called adolescents,
what is that? This is a new
00:28:23.45\00:28:29.41
modern concept. It is 20th
century western inventions,
00:28:29.44\00:28:35.17
are you aware of
that. And this myth that has
00:28:35.20\00:28:40.17
been introduced
into our modern society
00:28:40.20\00:28:42.71
has directly effected
the progress of Christianity
00:28:42.74\00:28:47.88
and specifically for tonight
the progress of Adventism.
00:28:47.91\00:28:51.09
I believe this
with all of my heart.
00:28:52.21\00:28:53.57
This segment of
adolescence basically says that
00:28:54.17\00:28:56.46
an individual is not a
child but that individual is not
00:28:56.49\00:29:00.54
an adult
either, are you with me.
00:29:00.57\00:29:03.18
But in previous generations
and in other cultures
00:29:04.00\00:29:07.34
there was always
two, two periods into
00:29:07.37\00:29:10.34
development in a persons
life. There was childhood,
00:29:10.37\00:29:12.98
and then there was adulthood.
00:29:13.84\00:29:15.23
But we have inserted
an extra segment within
00:29:15.96\00:29:19.94
society and we
called that adolescence.
00:29:19.97\00:29:23.40
Now two historians
wrote this book called America
00:29:23.43\00:29:26.43
in so many words. I
want you to listen with me
00:29:27.12\00:29:29.05
carefully, this sort of
summary of what happened
00:29:29.08\00:29:32.91
"In the first part of
the twentieth century,
00:29:34.47\00:29:37.79
we made a startling discovery.
00:29:38.49\00:29:40.45
There were teenagers
among us! Until then,
00:29:42.12\00:29:45.91
we had thought of
people in just two stages,
00:29:47.75\00:29:50.29
children and adults.
And while childhood might
00:29:50.32\00:29:54.95
have its tender
moments, the goal of the child
00:29:54.98\00:29:58.14
was to grow up as
promptly as possible in order
00:29:58.17\00:30:00.46
to enjoy the
opportunities and shoulder the
00:30:00.49\00:30:02.64
responsibilities of an
adult. The girl became the
00:30:02.67\00:30:06.56
woman, the boy became the man.
00:30:06.59\00:30:08.92
It was as simple
and significant as that.
00:30:08.95\00:30:10.63
But the reforms of the
early twentieth century
00:30:11.49\00:30:13.92
with labor and
mandating education through high
00:30:13.95\00:30:16.78
school, it
lengthened the pre-adult years.
00:30:16.81\00:30:20.24
In earlier times, a person
reaching adult size at age
00:30:21.84\00:30:24.71
thirteen or fourteen
was ready to do adult work.
00:30:24.74\00:30:28.11
Now adult size was
achieved as soon as ever,
00:30:29.70\00:30:32.68
but preparation for adult
responsibilities was delayed.
00:30:32.71\00:30:36.80
Thus the years ending
in teens became something
00:30:37.46\00:30:40.59
new and distinctive. The
teenager remade our world.
00:30:40.62\00:30:45.59
The concept is subversive:
why should any teenager
00:30:46.42\00:30:48.89
enjoying freedom submit
to the authority of adults?
00:30:48.92\00:30:51.36
With the
discovery of this new age,
00:30:52.26\00:30:53.65
ours has been the century
of the teenager ever since.
00:30:54.38\00:30:57.31
You guys can look this
up for yourself but many
00:30:57.96\00:31:00.21
authors are now discovering
this, they are commenting
00:31:00.24\00:31:03.18
on what has happened in society.
00:31:03.21\00:31:05.79
This is a new invention
and it has directly affected
00:31:06.44\00:31:10.33
the caliber of young people
that exist in our generation.
00:31:10.36\00:31:13.68
They have been delayed
in their progress and their
00:31:14.62\00:31:17.02
development because
of certain assumptions
00:31:17.05\00:31:20.57
that have been placed upon them,
00:31:20.60\00:31:22.01
certain expectations
that they are surrounded
00:31:22.70\00:31:24.68
with and these are the low
expectations of the culture
00:31:24.71\00:31:27.98
in which we live, and
though it didn't start
00:31:28.01\00:31:30.03
in the Church,
these assumptions,
00:31:30.06\00:31:32.46
these convention
that exist have penetrated
00:31:32.49\00:31:35.42
into the mindset in the
church and we see it now
00:31:35.45\00:31:38.32
reflected among our
young Adventist people.
00:31:38.35\00:31:41.34
German historian
Friedrich Heer says this.
00:31:44.42\00:31:46.80
Around the year 1800 he
is about to give the picture
00:31:47.58\00:31:49.70
of what was life like
around 1800 for a young person.
00:31:49.73\00:31:53.53
Young people of both
sexes could reckon on being
00:31:54.58\00:31:56.73
considered adults as
soon as the outward signs
00:31:56.76\00:31:58.95
of puberty made
their appearance.
00:31:58.98\00:32:00.71
Girls attained
marriageable age around in their
00:32:01.75\00:32:03.88
teens 15, 16, boys
could join the Prussian army
00:32:03.91\00:32:07.19
as officer cadets
at the age of fifteen.
00:32:07.22\00:32:09.94
Among the upper
classes entry to university or
00:32:10.25\00:32:12.77
to profession was
possible at the age of fifteen
00:32:12.80\00:32:16.76
or sixteen. Now some of
you must be freaking out.
00:32:16.79\00:32:20.60
How many you can
imagine your 15 year old ready
00:32:21.30\00:32:23.58
for marriage. There's a
radical father in the back
00:32:23.61\00:32:30.75
somewhere. How many of
you can imagine your child
00:32:30.78\00:32:35.61
of 16 years old ready for
university level schooling,
00:32:35.64\00:32:38.96
anybody. If you press
rewind just little bit that
00:32:38.99\00:32:44.25
would have been,
what's the word folks normal.
00:32:44.28\00:32:47.73
What has happened,
something's happened
00:32:49.13\00:32:52.79
it's change radically
the caliber of young people
00:32:53.75\00:32:56.46
in our world. You
might say well our teenagers
00:32:57.21\00:32:59.81
are way too immature
to marry and so forth,
00:32:59.84\00:33:01.75
you're crazy? Yeah,
yeah it is crazy, it's nuts,
00:33:01.78\00:33:07.28
it's insane. But
that's what, that's what,
00:33:08.00\00:33:11.63
that's what it is,
that's what the book say.
00:33:11.66\00:33:15.12
And this
concept is not biblical,
00:33:16.45\00:33:18.47
because when we look
at scripture we see that
00:33:19.28\00:33:22.88
the perspective of
scripture on the life of a young
00:33:22.91\00:33:25.29
person is different
than our perspective, okay.
00:33:25.32\00:33:28.28
I'm gonna suggest to
you that when you look at
00:33:28.31\00:33:30.73
the scripture you don't find
this concept of adolescence.
00:33:30.76\00:33:34.91
You don't find
this concept there.
00:33:35.70\00:33:37.00
You don't find the
progress through life as a child
00:33:37.03\00:33:42.77
then there's like a
period of like a decade when
00:33:42.80\00:33:46.24
they're not in childhood
and they're not in adult
00:33:46.27\00:33:47.41
and they jumped into
adulthood. I don't find that
00:33:47.44\00:33:50.45
there, I'm very interested
if anybody out there does.
00:33:50.48\00:33:52.50
Someone has noted
that there's really three
00:33:53.76\00:33:55.52
main sections. There's
two really childhood and
00:33:55.55\00:33:58.04
adulthood, but you
can break that down into
00:33:58.07\00:33:59.65
three steps. The three
steps look like basically
00:33:59.68\00:34:02.35
childhood, young adulthood
and then senior adulthood
00:34:02.38\00:34:06.51
and somebody pointed
out that from infancy
00:34:06.54\00:34:09.22
to about age 12 is what
biblically speaking we would
00:34:09.25\00:34:12.99
call a child. From about
age 12, 13 to about age 30
00:34:13.02\00:34:18.99
we would call a young adult,
00:34:19.02\00:34:21.79
and from about age 30
onward we would call them
00:34:21.82\00:34:25.09
a senior adult, not
in the senior sense that
00:34:26.39\00:34:29.21
we think today.
But listen to this,
00:34:29.24\00:34:31.43
I don't know if someone
here is already thinking
00:34:32.32\00:34:34.07
but does that sound
familiar anyway to you,
00:34:34.10\00:34:37.04
because when you
look at the book of Luke
00:34:38.24\00:34:39.58
that's exactly what
you see and if Jesus isn't
00:34:39.61\00:34:42.03
anyway the example
of what it's means to be
00:34:42.06\00:34:44.16
a complete human,
does that principle applied
00:34:44.19\00:34:47.51
to in the development
of a person from childhood
00:34:47.54\00:34:49.71
to adulthood, no. When
I read the book of Luke
00:34:49.74\00:34:55.50
I see something
interesting there is a 1, 2,
00:34:55.53\00:34:57.41
3 step yeah. In the
book of Luke Jesus pops
00:34:57.44\00:35:01.48
his head in right, in
chapter 2 he's born okay
00:35:01.51\00:35:05.82
he is in the
stage of infancy there,
00:35:07.15\00:35:09.08
and then he pops back
out, you don't hear from him.
00:35:09.11\00:35:11.39
Then he pops back
in and how old is he
00:35:12.23\00:35:13.91
Bible students,
he's 12 years old,
00:35:13.94\00:35:16.18
and then he pops back
out, he disappears and then
00:35:19.39\00:35:23.21
pops back in Luke chapter
3 is it, how old he is now?
00:35:23.24\00:35:26.98
He's 30 now here's
the interesting thing when
00:35:27.84\00:35:30.51
he pops in at age 12
he pops in for a specific
00:35:30.54\00:35:35.00
reason because the
Bible seems to suggest to us
00:35:35.03\00:35:37.87
that when Jesus pops
in at age 12 he's coming
00:35:37.90\00:35:40.92
to terms with some
serious stuff in his life, amen.
00:35:40.95\00:35:44.01
He's realizing wait a
second I get the impression
00:35:44.74\00:35:49.20
that I'm like the
son of God remember that.
00:35:49.23\00:35:51.29
And we find him
at 12 years old what
00:35:52.78\00:35:54.67
is he a crazy
rebellious anti-authority,
00:35:54.70\00:35:59.29
anti-parents, young
person of course not you see
00:35:59.32\00:36:02.05
him in the
temple, what is he doing?
00:36:02.08\00:36:03.49
He's debating with the
theologians and Ellen White
00:36:03.52\00:36:06.07
says that his
questions are deeper than the
00:36:06.10\00:36:09.93
answers that they're giving him.
00:36:09.96\00:36:10.93
You find the caliber
there, right and then he
00:36:12.24\00:36:13.88
pops back out he goes back home.
00:36:13.91\00:36:15.11
But he goes back
home please not as an
00:36:16.43\00:36:19.03
adolescent immature
little kid. He goes back home
00:36:19.06\00:36:21.14
as a young adult.
Then when you pops back
00:36:21.17\00:36:23.92
in he launches into
his senior adulthood,
00:36:23.95\00:36:27.09
into his ministry, you
follow what I'm saying.
00:36:27.12\00:36:29.07
I see that in scripture
and I wonder why is it that
00:36:30.20\00:36:34.73
the Bible didn't
insert there another thing
00:36:34.76\00:36:36.66
another glimpse of
Jesus in his teen years.
00:36:37.83\00:36:40.32
I am not a Prophet I
can't tell you but I wonder
00:36:40.35\00:36:43.32
if it's probably
trying to communicate
00:36:43.35\00:36:46.12
something there. Now
you remember that text
00:36:46.15\00:36:47.48
in 1st Corinthians
chapter 13 I need to move here.
00:36:47.51\00:36:50.01
In 1st Corinthians
chapter 13 I won't you take you
00:36:50.81\00:36:52.88
there but you
remember when Paul says this
00:36:52.91\00:36:54.29
thing in verse 11 he
says, help me quote it,
00:36:54.32\00:36:56.95
when I was a child
I spoke as a child,
00:36:56.98\00:37:00.53
I thought as a child,
then I understood as a child.
00:37:00.56\00:37:04.50
But when I became a teenager,
00:37:04.53\00:37:05.98
when I become an
adolescent what did he say?
00:37:08.88\00:37:11.80
When I became what? A
man, I wish Paul was here
00:37:13.34\00:37:18.71
and I wish someone
would walk him and say,
00:37:19.95\00:37:21.72
Paul, beautiful
verse, beautiful poetic
00:37:21.75\00:37:23.56
and everything but what
was it like when you were
00:37:23.59\00:37:26.28
an adolescent and
Paul would be like huh!
00:37:26.31\00:37:29.93
You know like an adolescent,
00:37:31.72\00:37:32.69
like a teenager,
an adolescent and
00:37:32.71\00:37:33.68
he'd be like what's
that, he would look at
00:37:33.69\00:37:38.51
you like you're
crazy. Are you guys,
00:37:38.54\00:37:40.43
are you guys picking
up what I'm laying down.
00:37:40.46\00:37:42.19
He would look at you
like you're crazy because
00:37:43.01\00:37:44.54
you are crazy, right.
It's something is wrong with
00:37:44.57\00:37:49.79
what's going on
in my generation,
00:37:49.82\00:37:51.13
something is wrong,
right. Your child you become
00:37:52.22\00:37:57.01
a man, you become a
woman and when someone
00:37:57.04\00:38:01.29
is told that, they
began to scratch their head
00:38:01.32\00:38:04.91
and they think well
maybe I should probably live
00:38:04.94\00:38:06.75
like a man or like a
woman and not like a child,
00:38:06.78\00:38:11.57
are you with me. I
just spend so much time
00:38:11.60\00:38:13.74
in this but I'm
kind passionate about
00:38:13.77\00:38:15.36
this new
discovery. If you go to booth,
00:38:15.39\00:38:17.46
go to booth 505, you
talk to that pastor from
00:38:17.49\00:38:20.49
Jerusalem, and he'll
tell you that to this day
00:38:20.52\00:38:22.99
the Jews in Jerusalem
in the Adventist Church,
00:38:23.02\00:38:25.41
when a young man turns
12 they do the ceremony
00:38:25.44\00:38:29.37
what's this thing
called, can someone tell me,
00:38:29.40\00:38:30.88
Bar Mitzvah or
something like that.
00:38:30.91\00:38:33.61
Forgive me brother
if I slaughtered that,
00:38:34.60\00:38:36.06
and he basically says
that's the time in life when
00:38:36.85\00:38:39.00
this young man goes to
the ceremony and it's a sort
00:38:39.03\00:38:41.94
of a like a
subliminal message welcome to
00:38:41.97\00:38:44.78
manhood brother,
welcome to manhood, amen, amen.
00:38:44.81\00:38:49.15
And you see it taking
place in Jesus there's another
00:38:49.18\00:38:50.98
crazy verse in the
Lamentations chapter
00:38:51.01\00:38:52.87
3 verse 27. It says
something like this,
00:38:52.90\00:38:54.56
he says Jeremiah he
says it is good for a man
00:38:54.59\00:38:59.60
that he bear the yoke,
can anybody finish that
00:39:00.25\00:39:03.67
in his youth. Read it
for yourself, Lamentations
00:39:04.72\00:39:07.21
3:27 it is good for
a man to bear the yoke
00:39:07.24\00:39:10.43
in his youth and I read
that early and I scratch
00:39:10.46\00:39:12.69
my head. Jeremiah,
beautiful verse but make
00:39:12.72\00:39:16.19
up your mind, are you
talking about manhood or
00:39:16.22\00:39:18.36
are you talking
about youth, which one?
00:39:18.39\00:39:19.94
Jeremiah says
I've made up my mind,
00:39:19.97\00:39:22.81
I'm talking about both
because biblically speaking
00:39:23.63\00:39:26.48
when you look at a
youth you're looking at what?
00:39:26.51\00:39:29.03
Looking at manhood,
amen, but you're looking
00:39:30.13\00:39:32.85
at an young adult, a
young man and that has
00:39:32.88\00:39:36.76
certain implications
in it, that's packed,
00:39:36.79\00:39:40.05
it's pregnant with
ingredients that when
00:39:40.77\00:39:42.33
someone of a young
age receives that and
00:39:42.36\00:39:45.56
believes that, it
will impact the way that
00:39:45.59\00:39:47.25
individual lives their
life. And in turn it would
00:39:47.28\00:39:50.40
impact the caliber, the
culture that we see in our
00:39:50.43\00:39:53.24
Church, okay. I need to
close with this passage.
00:39:53.27\00:39:55.11
The Holy Spirit
managed to slip into the
00:39:56.49\00:40:00.03
New Testament two
documents that were
00:40:00.06\00:40:01.90
specifically
addressed to a young man,
00:40:01.93\00:40:05.22
we have the
letters to Timothy right.
00:40:05.25\00:40:07.78
Now here's what I,
here's why I think those
00:40:08.63\00:40:10.39
letters are significant
because the letters to
00:40:10.42\00:40:12.71
Timothy being
addressed to a young man
00:40:12.74\00:40:14.54
contain information
that is representative of how
00:40:15.41\00:40:19.26
God feels about
young people, you with me.
00:40:19.29\00:40:21.75
So, what God tells
through the Holy Spirit
00:40:23.12\00:40:24.69
via Paul to Timothy is
representative of what God
00:40:24.72\00:40:28.08
would tell young
people of my generation.
00:40:28.11\00:40:30.38
Can you give me
that much yes or no.
00:40:30.41\00:40:32.09
Okay so First
Timothy chapter 4 and you're
00:40:32.12\00:40:35.40
familiar with this
passage but listen to what
00:40:35.43\00:40:36.70
it says. Verse 12 it
says: Let no one despise
00:40:36.73\00:40:40.99
your youth. Don't
let anybody underestimate
00:40:41.02\00:40:48.56
you because you're a
young man or a young woman,
00:40:48.59\00:40:50.77
that's the translation for you.
00:40:50.80\00:40:52.68
Now here's the weird
thing, before the sermon
00:40:53.34\00:40:56.17
I read through the
two letters of Timothy
00:40:56.20\00:40:57.65
carefully and you
know what I discovered
00:40:57.68\00:40:59.20
that Paul left
something out in those letters.
00:41:00.26\00:41:01.91
You wanna know what he left out?
00:41:03.25\00:41:04.22
He left out
excessive flattery for Timothy,
00:41:05.64\00:41:08.97
he forget to
tell Timothy, Timothy,
00:41:10.00\00:41:11.58
this is amazing
you're so young and you're so
00:41:12.74\00:41:15.47
devoted to
Jesus this is amazing,
00:41:15.50\00:41:17.39
I'm so thankful for
you. I'm like Paul you
00:41:17.42\00:41:21.28
left out kissing
up to Timothy because
00:41:21.31\00:41:23.95
he's so young
and yet so spiritual.
00:41:23.98\00:41:25.26
And I wonder if
Timothy would say you know
00:41:29.70\00:41:30.73
Jeffery you're crazy
because Timothy being
00:41:30.76\00:41:34.62
a young man is
expected to be a great
00:41:34.65\00:41:37.44
young Christian.
Amen. There is nothing
00:41:37.47\00:41:40.30
abnormal about that,
that should be what's
00:41:40.33\00:41:44.14
my word everyone? Normal, amen.
00:41:44.17\00:41:46.69
Okay so anyways. So
he says here Timothy,
00:41:47.73\00:41:52.13
don't let anyone
despise your youth.
00:41:52.16\00:41:54.10
In another words, don't
let anyone underestimate
00:41:54.13\00:41:55.81
you because of
your age, don't buy in
00:41:55.84\00:41:59.08
to the culture around
you that has low expectations
00:42:00.29\00:42:03.68
about what you're capable of.
00:42:03.71\00:42:05.44
I don't know that,
that's what I see and then
00:42:07.54\00:42:09.48
he adds another thing
to it. He has another edge
00:42:09.51\00:42:11.32
another blade to it,
he says but be an example,
00:42:11.35\00:42:14.51
so here's the thing
with that. In order to be an
00:42:15.50\00:42:18.01
example towards other
people, the implication
00:42:18.04\00:42:22.66
there is that I have to be
at a higher level than who?
00:42:22.69\00:42:26.04
The other people if
someone's gonna look up
00:42:26.89\00:42:28.74
to me I kind of have
to be up there right.
00:42:29.28\00:42:33.24
To be look up to, you
follow what I'm saying,
00:42:34.05\00:42:36.42
so there's assumptions
here in Paul's letter
00:42:36.45\00:42:40.23
to Timothy that
are representative and
00:42:40.26\00:42:41.83
that to me communicate
to my generation wow.
00:42:41.86\00:42:44.62
God expects
greatness from our young people
00:42:45.79\00:42:49.76
and God's message to
us is if you wanna finish
00:42:51.63\00:42:54.82
these things strong,
then you better rewind
00:42:54.85\00:42:57.45
the tape and figure
out how this whole thing
00:42:57.48\00:42:59.34
started and the way
that it started was a stuff
00:42:59.37\00:43:02.34
we saw here
tonight being normal, amen.
00:43:02.37\00:43:07.18
There's these two lovely
ladies here from Portugal.
00:43:07.96\00:43:10.73
These two ladies from Portugal
00:43:12.55\00:43:13.93
I don't know where they are,
00:43:13.96\00:43:14.93
and they are
probably tuning radio now.
00:43:14.94\00:43:15.91
But I met them in
Spain and I talked to them
00:43:15.92\00:43:18.22
the other day up in
the room and I said what do
00:43:18.25\00:43:20.14
you think and they said
it yeah it's very different
00:43:20.17\00:43:23.57
and said what do you mean.
00:43:23.60\00:43:25.18
All these young people
excited about the Bible,
00:43:26.06\00:43:27.71
and in my heart I
thought oh man I'm gonna have
00:43:29.02\00:43:30.71
to break the news to
her. I am gonna have to
00:43:30.74\00:43:33.01
tell you look
this is not normal.
00:43:33.04\00:43:36.02
Welcome to America
and I'm flattered but this
00:43:38.20\00:43:41.04
is not normal, you are with me.
00:43:41.07\00:43:43.18
Yes, yes, but it
should be normal, amen,
00:43:43.21\00:43:46.71
it should be absolutely normal.
00:43:46.74\00:43:49.35
Brothers and
sisters, my burden tonight
00:43:49.38\00:43:51.64
is Jesus will not
come back unless we expect
00:43:51.67\00:43:56.42
greatness from our
young people because of
00:43:56.45\00:43:57.95
that if that quote
means anything to you at all,
00:43:57.98\00:44:00.11
remember that
when an such an army
00:44:00.14\00:44:03.14
of how soon the and
Jesus will come back,
00:44:03.17\00:44:12.14
if that stuff
means anything at all.
00:44:13.06\00:44:15.20
Then I reckon that
something radical has to
00:44:17.25\00:44:20.61
change and I am
basically submitting to you
00:44:20.64\00:44:23.40
that God is calling for a
radical culture revolution
00:44:23.43\00:44:27.11
within Adventism
today, and that has a lot to
00:44:27.14\00:44:30.57
do with expectations
that we have for them.
00:44:30.60\00:44:34.49
I'm reading this book,
I have a few minutes left
00:44:34.52\00:44:37.38
I'm reading this book
call The Dumbest Generation.
00:44:37.41\00:44:39.58
I am flattering you want
to know what the subtitle
00:44:42.47\00:44:44.17
is or don't trust anyone
under 30, that's a subtitle.
00:44:44.20\00:44:49.47
Blew me away, you
know what the thesis is,
00:44:50.93\00:44:54.13
very flattering
thesis. My generation is the
00:44:55.39\00:44:59.83
dumbest generation
ever, since the days of like
00:44:59.86\00:45:05.00
you know
Augustus and those guys.
00:45:05.03\00:45:07.45
Even the secular
folks are like something's
00:45:10.51\00:45:15.43
not right here, it's a
piece of the puzzle missing
00:45:15.46\00:45:19.57
here there's an
ingredient, the secular people
00:45:20.60\00:45:22.61
are like what is going
on and in that book there's
00:45:22.64\00:45:27.34
this pretty
interesting statement I like
00:45:27.37\00:45:28.67
to read to you,
and he says in page 186
00:45:28.70\00:45:30.50
of the book The
Dumbest Generation he says,
00:45:30.53\00:45:32.79
"Freedom is never
more than one generation
00:45:33.95\00:45:38.46
away from extinction."
Ronald Reagan and then
00:45:38.49\00:45:42.83
he says, he adds to
that, "a more elemental
00:45:42.86\00:45:46.06
rule maybe
knowledge is never more than
00:45:46.09\00:45:48.48
one generation
away from oblivion."
00:45:48.51\00:45:51.35
And we're gonna take
one extra step tonight
00:45:52.70\00:45:54.02
and say Adventism
is never more than one
00:45:54.05\00:45:58.35
generation away
from extinction, amen.
00:45:58.38\00:46:02.08
Have you thought about
that if that generation
00:46:03.03\00:46:05.81
right here if that
generation is in crises
00:46:05.84\00:46:08.67
then it's kind a like a
dominate there's nothing,
00:46:08.70\00:46:11.10
nothing will come
after it, never is, is, is,
00:46:11.13\00:46:14.88
is Adventism more
than one generation away
00:46:14.91\00:46:17.39
from extinction.
Listen to these words from pen
00:46:17.42\00:46:20.77
of Ellen White. I'm
gonna share two statements
00:46:20.80\00:46:23.35
with you and then
we're gonna close this thing.
00:46:23.38\00:46:24.75
This first
statement to me is amazing.
00:46:24.78\00:46:30.07
Here's what she says in
fundamentals of Christian
00:46:31.49\00:46:33.10
education 281 I would
write that down FE281 listen
00:46:33.13\00:46:36.69
to what she says. If we
wish to do good to souls,
00:46:36.72\00:46:43.16
how many of you
wish to do good to souls.
00:46:44.48\00:46:45.94
Okay you're with me
then, our success with
00:46:46.84\00:46:50.57
these souls, how
many you're wish to be
00:46:50.60\00:46:52.09
successful reaching
souls? Okay, you're with me.
00:46:52.12\00:46:54.90
Our success with these
souls will be in proportion
00:46:55.60\00:46:59.55
to their belief in
our belief in them.
00:46:59.58\00:47:05.00
Let me do that one more time,
00:47:09.79\00:47:10.76
if we wish to do
good to souls our success
00:47:12.72\00:47:15.48
with these souls, i.e.,
tonight our young people
00:47:15.51\00:47:18.09
will be in proportion to
their belief in our belief
00:47:18.12\00:47:23.70
in them. Notice what she
didn't say our proportion
00:47:23.73\00:47:28.14
that our success will
be in proportion to how
00:47:28.17\00:47:30.45
much we believe
in our young people.
00:47:30.48\00:47:31.83
Now why didn't she say
that because that's was
00:47:32.99\00:47:34.75
nowhere near as
good as what she did say,
00:47:34.78\00:47:36.56
she said our success in
inspiring and motivating
00:47:37.60\00:47:41.81
and educating and
leading and directing and
00:47:41.84\00:47:43.92
disciplining and everything
else to our young people
00:47:43.95\00:47:45.75
will be in
proportion to their belief in
00:47:45.78\00:47:50.40
our belief in them.
Translation, here it is:
00:47:50.43\00:47:54.21
Are they picking up
on the impression that
00:47:55.62\00:48:00.41
it's a something
like wait a second,
00:48:00.44\00:48:01.87
I think my mom expects me
to be an amazing Christian.
00:48:04.17\00:48:07.10
I think my dad expect me
to change the world for Jesus.
00:48:08.59\00:48:13.66
I'm getting the
impression Sabbath by Sabbath
00:48:15.52\00:48:17.37
that my Pastor
actually thinks that I could be
00:48:17.40\00:48:20.62
instrumental in
ministry. I'm getting a subtle
00:48:20.65\00:48:24.63
hint that my elders
think that I have what
00:48:24.66\00:48:28.10
it takes to be
in the church board.
00:48:28.13\00:48:30.07
You follow what I'm
saying, our proportion,
00:48:31.94\00:48:33.52
our success will be in
proportion to their belief
00:48:35.07\00:48:37.03
and our belief in
them. In another words are we
00:48:37.06\00:48:39.02
convincing our generation
of Adventist that they
00:48:39.05\00:48:42.34
could literally, literally
usher in the second coming
00:48:42.37\00:48:45.32
of Jesus. So, I'm just,
it's a simple suggestion,
00:48:45.35\00:48:48.51
let's begin to
expect greatness from our
00:48:49.33\00:48:52.08
young people. I told you
had two quotes for you right,
00:48:52.11\00:49:01.42
I had two quotes that was one,
00:49:01.45\00:49:02.46
here's the last one.
Messages to young people
00:49:02.49\00:49:08.32
page 192,
lengthier, so listen closely
00:49:09.37\00:49:14.37
"God desires us to make
use of every opportunity
00:49:15.72\00:49:20.58
for securing a
preparation for His work."
00:49:20.61\00:49:23.28
Now this is addressed
to young people, okay.
00:49:23.31\00:49:25.84
God expects, God
what everybody? Expects.
00:49:26.87\00:49:30.36
God expects us,
us me my generation,
00:49:30.39\00:49:33.59
God expects us to put
all our energies into its
00:49:33.62\00:49:37.63
performance and to
keep our hearts alive to its
00:49:37.66\00:49:41.70
sacredness and its
fearful responsibilities.
00:49:41.73\00:49:45.33
Many who are
qualified to do excellent work,
00:49:46.68\00:49:48.92
accomplish little
because they attempt little.
00:49:48.95\00:49:51.78
Thousands pass
through life as if they had no
00:49:53.10\00:49:55.50
great object for which
to live, no high standard
00:49:55.53\00:49:59.05
to reach, that sounds
exactly like San Francisco,
00:49:59.08\00:50:02.10
California. One reason
of this is the low estimate,
00:50:02.13\00:50:07.65
the low whatever everyone,
00:50:07.68\00:50:08.65
the low
expectations you can say which
00:50:08.66\00:50:12.28
they place upon themselves.
00:50:12.31\00:50:13.90
Christ paid an
infinite price for us.
00:50:16.17\00:50:19.18
And according to the
price paid He desires us
00:50:20.17\00:50:22.92
to value ourselves.
Our young people are worth
00:50:22.95\00:50:28.44
eternity, yes, sky is
the limit and she continues
00:50:28.47\00:50:32.75
be not satisfied with
reaching a low standard,
00:50:33.16\00:50:36.73
I mean this is
drill over and over here.
00:50:36.76\00:50:38.65
We are not what we
might be, or what it is God's
00:50:39.47\00:50:42.03
words that we should be or not.
00:50:42.06\00:50:44.19
God has given us
reasoning powers,
00:50:45.12\00:50:46.78
not to remain inactive,
or to be perverted to earthly
00:50:46.81\00:50:50.12
inserted persuades,
but that they maybe develop
00:50:50.15\00:50:52.75
to the outmost,
refined, sanctified, ennobled,
00:50:52.78\00:50:56.09
and used in advancing
the interest of His kingdom.
00:50:56.12\00:50:59.62
Last line, expect what
everyone expect that the
00:51:00.16\00:51:05.49
Lord will work in
and by and through you.
00:51:05.52\00:51:09.25
What a message to
young people, amen.
00:51:11.42\00:51:12.94
Here's a two fold expect
that God expects the world
00:51:14.31\00:51:17.69
from you, or believe
that God expects the world
00:51:17.72\00:51:20.09
from you and expect
the world of yourself.
00:51:20.12\00:51:23.84
Now someone might be
thinking wait a second
00:51:25.07\00:51:26.05
Jeffrey this
doesn't not make any sense,
00:51:26.08\00:51:27.72
you got the sequence
wrong, how can we expect
00:51:27.75\00:51:29.48
greatness from our
young people when our young
00:51:29.51\00:51:31.48
are unconverted, and
I'm with you on that.
00:51:31.51\00:51:34.23
But I wonder in many
cases if they had concept
00:51:34.26\00:51:39.80
that wait a second,
this is the potential
00:51:39.83\00:51:42.24
I wonder if that
huge picture of God's view
00:51:42.27\00:51:48.88
of their potential
would send them to their knees
00:51:48.91\00:51:51.02
and say there is no
way I can pull this off.
00:51:51.05\00:51:52.94
Why are they bored,
because when the expectation
00:51:53.43\00:51:56.60
is down here hey you
can pull that up with your
00:51:56.63\00:51:58.24
own guts you don't
need Jesus for that,
00:51:58.27\00:51:59.84
are you with me. But
when you let them know
00:51:59.87\00:52:01.96
what God's thinks of
them I wonder if that
00:52:01.99\00:52:04.49
won't send them to
their knees and say Lord,
00:52:04.52\00:52:06.58
I need help. Brothers
and sisters, my time is up,
00:52:06.61\00:52:10.18
here's the simple message.
00:52:10.21\00:52:11.39
The principle is the
same with our relationship
00:52:12.89\00:52:14.84
with God. My success as
a Christian in my personal
00:52:14.87\00:52:17.60
life will be in
proportion to how much I believe
00:52:17.63\00:52:20.53
that God believes in
me. All God is asking
00:52:20.56\00:52:23.24
for is for us to treat
others as he is treating us.
00:52:23.27\00:52:26.03
So, my message is
simple as I appeal to you folks
00:52:26.92\00:52:28.83
who are leaders
in your churches,
00:52:28.86\00:52:31.13
you're members of
the board and some
00:52:31.16\00:52:32.77
pastors here, there are
people here in business,
00:52:32.80\00:52:35.65
my message is simple
join me to rebel against
00:52:37.08\00:52:39.95
the low expectations
that our culture has
00:52:39.98\00:52:42.41
towards our young
people. Join me in this culture
00:52:42.44\00:52:45.51
revolution where we
refuse to expect this notions
00:52:45.54\00:52:49.74
and we return to the
biblical pattern and when
00:52:49.77\00:52:52.67
we look at our young
people they get the hint,
00:52:52.70\00:52:55.01
they're expected to be
great and when that takes
00:52:56.13\00:52:58.63
place I think Jesus will come,
00:52:58.66\00:53:00.08
here's a simple
formula. Expect greatness
00:53:00.11\00:53:03.16
from our young people,
00:53:03.19\00:53:04.16
I'll see you in
heaven, amen. Amen.
00:53:05.10\00:53:07.42
The blood of men
and nations is upon us,
00:53:22.65\00:53:27.68
As the church remains
distracted from the call.
00:53:28.17\00:53:33.87
The Savior's great
commission still unheeded,
00:53:34.28\00:53:38.77
To take His Word of
redemption unto all.
00:53:38.80\00:53:49.90
To every creature
I'll preach the gospel,
00:53:49.93\00:53:55.78
In season out of
season I would faithful be
00:53:55.81\00:54:01.28
This was our
Savior's consuming passion
00:54:01.31\00:54:07.14
In every hour,
it's still God's power,
00:54:07.17\00:54:13.87
Unto salvation for the world,
00:54:13.90\00:54:18.11
Unto all who will believe.
00:54:18.14\00:54:24.82
Oh, how then shall they
hear without a preacher,
00:54:29.59\00:54:34.55
That our gracious
Lord is ready to forgive?
00:54:35.19\00:54:40.86
To us it's been
committed as His stewards,
00:54:40.89\00:54:45.93
That light to shine
every moment that we live!
00:54:45.96\00:54:57.02
To every creature
I'll preach the gospel,
00:54:57.05\00:55:02.76
In season out of
season I would faithful be
00:55:02.79\00:55:08.40
This was our
Savior's consuming passion
00:55:08.43\00:55:14.25
In every hour,
it's still God's power,
00:55:14.28\00:55:21.10
Unto salvation for the world.
00:55:21.13\00:55:25.55
to forgive?
00:55:25.58\00:55:26.55
To us it's been
committed as His stewards,
00:55:26.56\00:55:27.53
That light to shine
every moment that we live!
00:55:27.54\00:55:28.51
To every creature
I'll preach the gospel,
00:55:28.52\00:55:29.49