¤¤
00:00:01.80\00:00:10.17
[ "Who You Say I Am" begins ] ¤¤
00:00:14.58\00:00:24.62
¤¤
00:00:24.62\00:00:31.29
>> Bow your heads.
God, we want to thank you
00:03:16.29\00:03:19.49
for allowing us to be in a place
where we can worship you freely.
00:03:19.49\00:03:23.06
We want to thank you
that you have chosen us
00:03:23.06\00:03:25.17
to be your child and that
you continue to walk with us
00:03:25.17\00:03:28.24
and continue to talk with us.
00:03:28.24\00:03:29.97
We just want to ask that you
continue to be in this place. We
know that you are wherever
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we are, and where two or three
are gathered, you will be there.
We just want to ask that
00:03:33.81\00:03:37.88
you continue to be over us and
you continue to watch over us.
In your name, we pray.
00:03:37.88\00:03:43.52
Amen. [ "Holy
Forever" begins ] ¤¤
00:03:43.52\00:03:51.19
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:03:51.19\00:04:08.91
¤¤
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>> Has this congregation got
a future or what? [ Chuckles ]
00:07:31.21\00:07:35.82
Oh, boys and girls, good to see
you today. Have you ever been so
00:07:35.82\00:07:40.22
hungry your tummy growled
and you could hear it? >> Yeah.
00:07:40.22\00:07:43.66
>> Yeah. What do you do
when you get hungry like that?
00:07:43.66\00:07:46.96
Well, you go eat.
Well, one summer, one of my
00:07:47.00\00:07:53.47
roommates here in school,
and I decided we're going to be
00:07:53.47\00:07:56.67
colporters. Do you
know what colporters do?
00:07:56.67\00:07:59.47
They go up and down streets
knocking on doors and sell
people religious books.
00:07:59.51\00:08:05.31
We were staying in Manistee,
Michigan, in the balcony of the
00:08:05.31\00:08:11.15
church, and the church members
said, "We'll fix you supper
every day, but you got to get
00:08:11.15\00:08:16.93
your own breakfast." Oh, one
morning, we woke up. There was
00:08:16.93\00:08:25.60
nothing to eat. It was all gone.
We ate it up the night before.
And the problem was, boys and
00:08:25.60\00:08:29.84
girls, we didn't have any money
to go buy something with. So Ron
looked at me, he said,
00:08:29.84\00:08:34.84
"Tell you what, we better pray."
So we got on our knees, said,
"Dear Jesus, we're so hungry.
00:08:34.84\00:08:40.25
Can you get us something to
eat?" And the door of the church
00:08:40.25\00:08:43.85
banged open. And in came our
field assistant. He was the one
00:08:43.85\00:08:50.56
teaching us how to sell. "Hi,
fellas. What's for breakfast?"
00:08:50.56\00:08:57.00
We looked at each other. We
wish, you know -- "Don't you
00:08:57.00\00:09:02.14
have anything to eat?"
"Unh-unh." And he said to Ron,
00:09:02.14\00:09:06.21
"Get in the car. Take me to the
store." And when he came back,
00:09:06.21\00:09:10.35
he had a big bag of groceries,
including a nice-sized jar of
00:09:10.35\00:09:15.62
peanut butter. And we got
breakfast. Oh, it felt so good
in you. Two weeks later,
00:09:15.62\00:09:20.22
you know what else happened?
The same thing! Got up in the
00:09:20.22\00:09:25.16
morning. Nothing to eat and no
money. Ron looked at me, he
said, "I think we better pray."
00:09:25.16\00:09:30.13
I said, "Ron, Dave's off in
Keweenaw." "We're gonna pray."
00:09:30.13\00:09:34.00
So we got on our knees, and
we prayed. "Dear Jesus, we're
00:09:34.00\00:09:38.31
hungry. Can you get us something
to eat?" You could hear your
00:09:38.31\00:09:41.38
stomach growl, growl, growl.
It's going to be a long time
00:09:41.38\00:09:46.68
till supper. Nobody banged on
the door. Nobody came in. We sat
on the edges of our bunks
00:09:46.68\00:09:52.75
and looked at each other. And
you know what happened next? Ron
00:09:52.75\00:09:56.96
got up. I said, "Where are you
going?" He said, "I'm going to
00:09:56.96\00:10:00.53
the post office." I said, "Ron,
the mail doesn't come out till
2:00 this afternoon."
00:10:00.53\00:10:03.83
>> Hi. >> Hi, sweetheart.
And he said, "I'm going
00:10:03.83\00:10:07.67
to go find something. If we got
something in the mail, maybe."
00:10:07.67\00:10:11.91
He came back waving an envelope.
And we looked at it, and
00:10:11.91\00:10:22.68
inside... What do you think? >>
Money. >> Money! You're right.
00:10:22.68\00:10:26.72
A $20 bill. Wow. Now,
that's not a lot of money today.
00:10:26.72\00:10:33.56
But back then, boy, that was
a lot of money, particularly for
00:10:33.56\00:10:37.03
two boys with hungry tummies. So
what we noticed was, on the base
00:10:37.03\00:10:45.47
of the envelope, was the date.
You know when that lady -- it
was a lady in the church --
00:10:45.47\00:10:50.25
you know when she mailed it?
Five days earlier, and she said,
"Boys, I feel impressed
00:10:50.25\00:10:59.19
you need this money." Now, five
days earlier, did we know we
were going to be hungry?
00:10:59.19\00:11:07.76
Ah, who did? God did.
Now, did he send aid to help us
00:11:07.76\00:11:14.80
get something to eat? Oh, yes.
Did he impress that lady five
00:11:14.80\00:11:20.54
days earlier to send us
the money? Yes. Well, after the
00:11:20.54\00:11:26.98
summer, I came back to school
and Ron came back to school. And
00:11:26.98\00:11:32.25
I sat there and I discovered,
[gasps] "I'm $300 short!" Now,
00:11:32.25\00:11:39.43
boys and girls, do you ever hear
your parents worrying about
having enough money?
00:11:39.43\00:11:44.30
Do you ever hear? Yeah.
Sometimes parents can do that.
00:11:44.30\00:11:50.71
Well, I -- I got on my knees, I
said, "Look, I need $300 for
school." I didn't know
00:11:50.71\00:11:55.51
what was going to happen. Well,
I got my statement from the
00:11:55.51\00:12:01.68
business office, and on it said
$100 cash credit. And I said,
"Oh, they made a mistake.
00:12:01.68\00:12:09.06
That's not for me." So I went
over and talked to Mrs. Myers.
00:12:09.06\00:12:13.29
I says, "Mrs. Myers, you made
a mistake." She said, "John,
00:12:13.29\00:12:17.90
we don't make mistakes here. Let
me see that." And she looked at
00:12:17.90\00:12:22.74
it and scratched her head and
said, "Oh, we got a check for
you. I'll get it. We still got
00:12:22.74\00:12:29.94
it." She went in the other room,
came back waving this check. Not
a $20 bill, but a check.
00:12:29.94\00:12:36.45
And she handed it to me
and said, "Do you recognize the
00:12:36.45\00:12:41.02
names on the check?" I looked at
it. Dr. and Mrs. Michael Weaver
00:12:41.02\00:12:48.73
in Brunswick, Maine. [
Gasps ] I said, "Mrs. Myers,
00:12:48.73\00:12:53.94
she's my first cousin." And
she said, "Then it is for you."
00:12:53.94\00:12:59.44
I said, "Yes." Wow. You know
how much money they sent me that
00:12:59.44\00:13:06.05
year? Now, how much money did I
say a minute ago that I was
short? $300, right?
00:13:06.05\00:13:11.79
You know how much money
they sent that year? $300.
00:13:11.79\00:13:16.39
Moms, dads, this is for you.
More than them. [ Chuckling ]
00:13:16.39\00:13:21.10
Okay? Oh. Now, that
summer, you know what Peg --
00:13:21.10\00:13:25.03
Mr. Weaver -- told my mother?
"Helen, we have been helping
00:13:25.03\00:13:31.81
your son, John, because we felt
impressed he needed the money."
Now, who told them?
00:13:31.81\00:13:40.45
God did. Now, the next time
-- Here's the solution for you.
00:13:40.45\00:13:45.92
The next time you hear mom and
dad worrying about money, here's
something I want you
00:13:45.92\00:13:51.19
to remember. Can you do it?
Philippians 4:19. Can you say
00:13:51.19\00:13:57.77
with me? Philippians 4:19.
Again. Philippians 4:19.
Everybody. Philippians 4:19.
00:13:57.77\00:14:09.11
You know why it's important to
remember that? It says, "My God
00:14:09.11\00:14:13.95
will supply all your needs
according to His riches in
Christ Jesus." So next time you
00:14:13.95\00:14:20.82
hear mom and dad worry, tell
'em, "Read" -- what? --
"Philippians 4:19."
00:14:20.82\00:14:27.96
Once more. Philippians 4:19.
And, boys and girls, you may go
00:14:27.96\00:14:32.90
back to your seats. And
remember, what's the text?
00:14:32.90\00:14:40.61
Philippians 4:19. ¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:14:40.68\00:15:07.84
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:15:07.84\00:15:34.76
¤¤ ¤¤
00:15:38.57\00:15:53.25
¤¤ >> ¤ Come unto
Christ ¤ Ye penitent and meek
00:15:53.28\00:16:09.90
¤ Seek this Jesus of whom
the prophets speak ¤ ¤ Seek this
00:16:09.90\00:16:19.61
Jesus whose mercies never cease
¤ ¤ Come unto Christ ¤ And find
00:16:19.61\00:16:29.15
in Him eternal peace
¤ ¤¤ ¤ Come unto Christ
00:16:29.15\00:16:41.23
¤ Who bore our griefs alone
¤ Who will carry our burdens as
00:16:41.23\00:16:53.84
His own ¤ ¤ Seek this Jesus, and
by His love be blessed ¤ ¤ Come
00:16:53.84\00:17:04.39
unto Christ ¤ And find in him
eternal rest ¤ Come unto Christ
¤ Ye sorrowful and frail
00:17:04.39\00:17:19.83
¤ Seek this Jesus, whose comfort
cannot fail ¤ ¤ Seek this Jesus
00:17:19.83\00:17:30.38
¤ And triumph in his might
¤ Come unto Christ ¤ Come unto
00:17:30.38\00:17:43.39
Christ! ¤ Come unto Christ ¤
Abide in Him and live ¤ He will
bless you with every
00:17:43.39\00:17:56.50
perfect gift ¤ ¤ Seek this
Jesus amid a world of strife ¤
00:17:56.50\00:18:10.12
¤ Come unto Christ ¤
And find in Him eternal life
00:18:10.12\00:18:25.00
¤¤
00:18:25.07\00:18:32.41
>> We needed that. We did.
Oh, God, we sang it, we mean it.
00:18:38.78\00:18:47.06
King of Kings, Holy One. Lord of
Lords, Holy One, Eternal Father,
00:18:47.09\00:18:56.93
Holy One. Spirit of God, Holy
One. Manifest yourself right now
in the moments we have left.
00:18:56.93\00:19:06.21
When your Holy Scriptures are
opened, speak to us in Jesus'
00:19:06.21\00:19:12.68
name. Amen.
00:19:12.68\00:19:14.28
"Mission: Impossible (Maybe).
Today we are a missionary band.
00:19:17.62\00:19:31.80
Come on, admit it. Did you sing
that song when you were a kid in
00:19:31.80\00:19:35.07
Sabbath school? In Croatian and
Serbian? ¤ We are a missionary
00:19:35.10\00:19:44.45
band ¤ A missionary
band ¤ A missionary band
00:19:44.45\00:19:49.32
¤ We are a missionary band
¤ Doing all we can I told the
00:19:49.35\00:19:59.59
boomers in first service who
sang it with great vigor, "I'm
not going to get much of
00:19:59.59\00:20:06.10
a response in second." I guess
they don't sing it in Sabbath
00:20:06.10\00:20:10.41
school anymore. You remember
that, that opening line? "We are
but a band of children.
00:20:10.41\00:20:14.58
We are weak and we are small,
but we want to work for Jesus.
And there's work enough for all.
00:20:14.58\00:20:20.02
Of course, we always thought
that when we sang about being a
00:20:20.02\00:20:23.59
missionary band that meant
overseas. And of course, it
obviously does include overseas.
00:20:23.59\00:20:28.96
But the truth of the matter is,
to be a missionary is to be a
00:20:28.96\00:20:33.63
person on mission. And if you're
on mission -- and I hope you are
-- then you are a missionary.
00:20:33.63\00:20:39.93
And if there are enough of us
to go around, we are a band. A
00:20:39.93\00:20:45.54
missionary band. What kind of
mission you talking about,
Dwight? Well, let me show you.
00:20:45.54\00:20:49.41
I'm going to leave one line with
you today. You take this line
00:20:49.41\00:20:53.31
home, you brood over it as I
have. See if it doesn't change
00:20:53.31\00:21:00.46
your life. I'd like to submit to
you, before you even see the
line, that this line
00:21:00.46\00:21:06.36
comprises your personal mission
in this life. Now, I happen to
00:21:06.36\00:21:14.20
have this line taped to the wall
in front of me where I have
worship in my little bethel
00:21:14.20\00:21:17.44
every morning of the week. To
remind me. I submit to you it's
00:21:17.44\00:21:25.08
your mission, too. I want to
take you to a passage you've
probably been to before,
00:21:25.08\00:21:30.55
the Gospel of Luke. If you'll
open your Bible to Luke, it's
00:21:30.55\00:21:33.79
not going to be on the screen. I
have a few more months left, you
00:21:33.79\00:21:39.03
and me together. And we're going
to do more reading in the Word
and less on the screen.
00:21:39.03\00:21:42.56
All right? So, the readings
we do today will be in your lap.
00:21:42.56\00:21:50.07
Some of you have gotten a little
bit lazy and your Bible doesn't
come with you to church anymore.
00:21:50.07\00:21:56.41
It needs to come back. I need
you to see it in the book that's
with you all week long.
00:21:56.41\00:22:00.82
Open the book, please, the Holy
Scriptures, to Luke chapter 1.
00:22:00.82\00:22:05.55
Come on, we've been in the
Advent season, we've been in
Luke again and again and again.
00:22:05.55\00:22:09.96
It's a wonderful book, but
it opens up with a story. And I
00:22:09.96\00:22:15.13
want to see if you can find your
one-line mission statement. See
if it jumps out at you
00:22:15.13\00:22:19.80
as it does at me. So
this is Luke 1. I'm in the New
00:22:19.80\00:22:23.17
international Version, drop down
to verse 13. "But the angel" --
We know the angel is Gabriel
00:22:23.17\00:22:29.64
because he introduces himself.
"But the angel said to him" --
It's an old elderly priest
00:22:29.64\00:22:34.68
named Zechariah. "Do not be
afraid, Zechariah, your prayer
00:22:34.68\00:22:41.52
has been heard. Your wife,
Elizabeth, will bear you a son,
and you are to call him John."
00:22:41.52\00:22:44.79
Most people, when they get up
front and talk about this verse,
00:22:44.79\00:22:47.40
they say, "Well, you know what
it is? They were praying for a
child." Are you kidding?
00:22:47.40\00:22:50.97
They have quit praying for a
child for decades now. That's
00:22:50.97\00:22:55.50
not their prayer. You know when
it's up. You don't pray that
00:22:55.50\00:23:00.21
prayer anymore. They're praying
for the Messiah to come again.
Again as the prophets again
00:23:00.21\00:23:06.82
and again kept saying He would.
"Your prayer's been answered.
Your wife's going to have a boy
00:23:06.82\00:23:12.42
and you're going to
call him John." Verse 14.
00:23:12.42\00:23:15.12
"He will be a joy and delight
to you, and many will rejoice
00:23:15.12\00:23:18.69
because of his birth. For he
will be great in the sight of
00:23:18.69\00:23:22.43
the Lord. He is never to take
wine or other fermented drink,
and he will be filled
00:23:22.43\00:23:28.47
with the Holy Spirit even before
he is born." "Desire of Ages"
00:23:28.47\00:23:32.14
says every child born can be
filled with the Holy Spirit from
birth. In verse 16, "He will
00:23:32.14\00:23:39.41
bring back many of the people of
Israel to the Lord, their God,
and he will go on before
00:23:39.41\00:23:44.12
the Lord in the Spirit and power
of Elijah to turn the hearts
00:23:44.12\00:23:48.02
of the parents to their children
and the disobedient to the
wisdom of the righteous,
00:23:48.02\00:23:52.19
to make ready a people prepared
for the Lord." Do you see your
00:23:52.19\00:23:57.80
one line personal mission
statement in that passage we
just read? Do you see it? What
00:23:57.80\00:24:05.21
is it? Come on, call it out
to me. What is it? What is it?
00:24:05.21\00:24:11.11
What's in verse 17? [
Woman speaking indistinctly ]
00:24:11.11\00:24:16.18
Mm-hmm. [ Woman
continues ] All right, Joanne,
00:24:20.59\00:24:26.06
what's the next line?
Read it for us. >> [ Reading
00:24:26.06\00:24:32.13
indistinctly ] >> Mm-hmm. Let's
put it on the screen. Thank you
00:24:32.13\00:24:35.77
for that reading. "To make ready
a people prepared for the Lord."
I'm telling you, the reason
00:24:35.77\00:24:41.58
I can be so unequivocal about
this being your mission at this
critical time in history
00:24:41.58\00:24:46.15
is because of two clues that are
embedded in this single line in
00:24:46.15\00:24:50.32
the Greek. And I'll show those
clues to you right now. This is
00:24:50.32\00:24:53.92
not some dangling participle
hanging off in the middle of
nowhere in Greekdom. This is a
00:24:53.92\00:24:58.46
line for you and me at this
time. Watch this -- "to make
ready." Let's talk about this
00:24:58.46\00:25:02.96
word "ready." Clue
number one -- "to make ready."
00:25:02.96\00:25:08.04
The Greek word there is the same
Greek word in John 14:2,3. Those
are red letter words
00:25:08.04\00:25:14.94
spoken by Jesus just before his
crucifixion the next morning.
00:25:14.94\00:25:19.38
All right, Thursday night.
And what did Jesus say? "I go to
00:25:19.38\00:25:23.39
make ready a place for you. And
if I go and make ready a place
for you, I will" -- what?
00:25:23.39\00:25:28.42
"I will come again." This
one-line mission statement has
the second coming written
00:25:28.42\00:25:34.46
all over it. There are two
clues. I'll give you another
00:25:34.46\00:25:39.43
one. Clue number two -- "to make
ready a people prepared." Let's
take that participle,
00:25:39.43\00:25:44.57
that adjectival participle. "To
make ready a people prepared,"
the same Greek word,
00:25:44.57\00:25:50.28
by the way, in Hebrews 11:7,
where it reads, "By faith, Noah
built (or prepared)" --
00:25:50.28\00:25:56.48
it's the identical word --
"built an ark for the Lord."
00:25:56.48\00:26:02.19
Those two clues are a signal to
you and me that this mission is
especially applicable to those
00:26:02.19\00:26:09.40
living at the end of human
history. Let me put Hebrews --
Bible Hall of Fame, Hall of
00:26:09.40\00:26:15.04
Faith chapter -- verse 7 on the
screen for you. "By faith, Noah,
00:26:15.04\00:26:19.61
when warned about things not yet
seen, in holy fear" -- I love
00:26:19.61\00:26:23.78
that song, "You Alone Are Holy,"
that we just sang -- "in holy
fear, built" -- there's that
00:26:23.78\00:26:29.42
word -- "(prepared) an ark to
save his family. By his faith,
00:26:29.42\00:26:34.02
he condemned the world and
became heir of the righteousness
that is in keeping with faith."
00:26:34.02\00:26:39.93
On the eve of destruction, Noah
prepares an ark for the saving
00:26:39.93\00:26:46.37
of the doomed. Even so, on this
planet's second destruction, on
00:26:46.37\00:26:51.31
the eve of it, God has a
missionary band preparing a
people for the return of the
00:26:51.31\00:26:57.38
Lord. It's the identical mission
that Noah had, that John the
Baptist had, only John the
00:26:57.38\00:27:02.55
Baptist's mission was to prepare
a people before the Messiah's
00:27:02.55\00:27:06.96
first coming. Your mission and
mine is "to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord"
00:27:06.96\00:27:10.79
before his second coming. The
same Messiah coming back to the
00:27:10.79\00:27:15.90
same planet in desperate need.
00:27:15.90\00:27:18.10
That's not that
complicated, I hope. To you.
00:27:22.87\00:27:26.68
You got a bright mind. You see
it immediately. But to grasp the
00:27:26.68\00:27:33.55
gravity and significance of this
one-line mission statement, we
need to brood over the drama
00:27:33.55\00:27:38.49
of Noah for a moment. I'm gonna
go to the Genesis chapter 6,
00:27:38.49\00:27:44.69
but I'm going to put the words
on the screen for this reason.
I'm going to use the
00:27:44.69\00:27:48.03
translation, one-man translation
of the Old Testament by a
brilliant mind named
00:27:48.03\00:27:52.27
Robert Alter. Okay, so
we're going to go to Genesis 6.
00:27:52.27\00:27:55.74
Here's what I want -- I need
you to notice, please. Note the
00:27:55.74\00:28:01.44
heightening, the crescendoing
moral collapse in the culture
and society of that antediluvian
00:28:01.44\00:28:07.72
-- and that's just a technical
word that means "before the
flood" culture and generation.
00:28:07.72\00:28:12.49
And I want you to, as you note
that, I want you to ask yourself
00:28:12.49\00:28:16.26
this question. Could it be that
this is happening to my planet,
my culture at this time as well?
00:28:16.26\00:28:23.50
You just ask that question.
We'll go to Alter now, on the
00:28:23.50\00:28:27.94
screen. I've underlined the
words that highlight
crescendoing. Okay? Here we go.
00:28:27.94\00:28:32.94
Robert Alter's rendition,
Genesis 6:5. "And the Lord saw
00:28:32.94\00:28:38.05
that the evil" -- Oh, we
get that. Evil is a word whose
00:28:38.05\00:28:44.69
source you just add a D to and
you know who it's talking about,
okay? "And the Lord saw that the
00:28:44.69\00:28:51.13
evil of the human creature
was great." We're talking about
00:28:51.13\00:28:56.56
great. Magnitude. "And the Lord
saw that the evil of the human
00:28:56.56\00:29:01.24
creature was great on the Earth
and that every" -- Hey, wait a
minute. Hold it, hold it.
00:29:01.24\00:29:04.34
How much of every is every? Huh?
How much of all is all? It's
00:29:04.34\00:29:14.02
everything. "Every scheme of his
heart's devising was only" --
00:29:14.02\00:29:19.19
what's only mean? -- "(without
exception) perpetually" --
what's perpetually mean? --
00:29:19.19\00:29:23.86
"(constantly) evil."
24/7. That was Noah's day.
00:29:23.86\00:29:30.50
Welcome to America today. 2023.
00:29:30.50\00:29:35.14
We had Gary Kaiser, a well-known
contractor in this community,
00:29:38.87\00:29:45.48
come by our house this fall to
do some excavating work on our
septic system last fall.
00:29:45.48\00:29:50.85
So let's say I'm standing out
there when their going down to
00:29:50.85\00:29:53.82
this hole. I'm not going to tell
you what's in the hole -- you
already know. So they're going
00:29:53.82\00:29:57.49
down to this hole, and I'm
watching them. And I'm so
fascinated by this. I take out
00:29:57.49\00:30:03.67
my very white handkerchief, and
I'm looking at it. I drop the
00:30:03.67\00:30:09.10
handkerchief down into that
guck. All right? Oh, no. And
00:30:09.10\00:30:14.08
it's just like it's been sucked
down. It's going down further
00:30:14.08\00:30:17.45
and further. And I say, "Wait
a minute. Stop, guys. I need to
00:30:17.45\00:30:20.32
get it back. I got to have it,
that's my favorite
handkerchief." So I reach down
00:30:20.32\00:30:24.35
and I finally pull it up, and
it's just dripping. So what do I
00:30:24.35\00:30:29.66
do with this handkerchief now?
Well, you know what you do. You
00:30:29.66\00:30:33.90
just get it out. Put it back in,
right? No, you don't do that.
You take it to your wife
00:30:33.90\00:30:38.07
and say, "Use extra bleach on
this, please." Do you do that?
00:30:38.07\00:30:43.24
No. It is saturated. When it's
saturated with sewage, there's
00:30:43.24\00:30:48.14
only one treatment it deserves
-- destruction. You get it?
00:30:48.14\00:30:55.85
Saturated. Saturated. Synonyms
of saturated. Saturated.
00:30:55.85\00:31:03.32
Read it again.
00:31:07.96\00:31:10.00
Now verse 6.
00:31:19.47\00:31:21.18
You have no idea that pain.
"What have we done?" He asks
00:31:27.02\00:31:33.76
himself. I listen to WBBM news
radio out of Chicago every
morning of my life except
00:31:37.76\00:31:43.97
Sabbath. And I'm going to tell
you something. I am stunned.
00:31:43.97\00:31:48.67
Comes out of Chicago. I am
stunned. And by the way, I need
00:31:48.67\00:31:53.58
to say this quickly -- I'm not
dissin' Chicago. Because it will
00:31:53.58\00:31:57.38
be the same were I listening to
any other news radio station in
America. And every city I go to,
00:31:57.38\00:32:02.35
I find that news radio station.
When I'm in LA, it's KNX. When
00:32:02.35\00:32:06.45
I'm in Washington, it's WTOP.
When I am in New York City, it's
00:32:06.45\00:32:11.03
WCBS. It's not just Chicago. I
am stunned how, over the last
few months and even
00:32:11.03\00:32:18.57
this last year here in America,
there has been a profound rise
in acts of debased immorality
00:32:18.57\00:32:25.81
and crimes of violence. The
whole world right now is gawking
over our collective
00:32:25.81\00:32:31.45
American shoulders at this
brutal and tragic slashing
murders of four young
00:32:31.45\00:32:36.15
Idaho University students while
they're asleep. They got him.
00:32:36.15\00:32:41.39
The end. It will not be the
end. It'll never be the end.
00:32:41.39\00:32:49.20
Were we to sit here, in the
few moments you and I have, and
00:32:49.20\00:32:53.37
review evil's gross saturation,
saturation in America today,
saturation of the human mind,
00:32:53.37\00:32:59.11
saturation of the human culture,
saturation of the human society
right now, if we did that,
00:32:59.11\00:33:04.71
we would only glorify
the satanic source of our
00:33:04.71\00:33:09.62
destruction. There's no point in
glorifying him at all. He will
pay for this one day.
00:33:09.62\00:33:15.16
Take my word for
it. He will pay one day.
00:33:15.19\00:33:19.16
Verse 7. "But Noah" --
"But Noah found favor" --
00:33:23.60\00:33:44.05
the old King James, you
remember, found grace -- "in the
00:33:44.05\00:33:48.86
eyes of the Lord, and Noah was a
righteous man, he was blameless
in his time." Was he perfect?
00:33:48.86\00:33:55.43
Are you kidding? We all know the
story that happens after the
flood. "Noah was a righteous
00:33:55.43\00:33:59.93
man, e was blameless in his
time. And Noah walked with God."
00:33:59.93\00:34:05.81
I mean, what
else can you and I do?
00:34:11.08\00:34:14.05
When your mission is
to make ready a people
00:34:14.05\00:34:16.48
prepared for the Lord. I mean,
00:34:16.48\00:34:18.35
what else are we supposed
to do? You walk with God
00:34:18.35\00:34:20.52
to the best of your ability.
Nobody's a superhero in that.
00:34:20.52\00:34:23.29
You just walk with
God. You just stay at it.
00:34:23.29\00:34:26.46
You obey God to the best of your
ability. By faith, as we read,
00:34:26.49\00:34:31.50
you trusted Him to help you do
what you can to make ready a
people prepared for the Lord.
00:34:31.50\00:34:37.97
To help others prepare for the
end of all things. What else can
00:34:37.97\00:34:43.45
you do? "Patriarchs and
Prophets" offers this character
sketch of Noah. Boy, I love
00:34:43.45\00:34:49.92
this. Hit the pause button
right there. Did you catch that?
00:34:59.26\00:35:04.17
What are those two words?
Popular contempt and ridicule.
"Hey, wait a minute, boy.
00:35:04.17\00:35:09.07
Did you think that you were
going to get applauded and an
ovation for pointing out
00:35:09.07\00:35:14.28
that something ain't right the
way we're doing it around here?
You think everybody's going to
00:35:14.28\00:35:17.81
rise up and call you blessed?
It's just the exact opposite."
The modus operandi of the enemy
00:35:17.81\00:35:23.89
of enemies is to use popular
contempt and ridicule to shout
00:35:23.89\00:35:31.23
you down, to shut you up. So you
won't say another word and
disturb our comfy status quo
00:35:31.23\00:35:40.14
in this place. "But Noah Stood
like a rock amid the tempest"...
00:35:40.14\00:35:49.68
Did Noah have any strength?
Answer -- no, he had no
00:36:07.66\00:36:11.20
strength. Where did his strength
come from? From the Almighty.
From the Infinite One.
00:36:11.20\00:36:15.67
"Connection with God made him
strong in the strength of
infinite power, while,
00:36:15.67\00:36:19.61
for 120 years" -- as Genesis 6
carefully details -- "his solemn
00:36:19.61\00:36:26.85
voice fell upon the ears of that
generation in regard to events,
which, so far as human wisdom
00:36:26.85\00:36:32.59
could judge, were impossible."
Let's go back to reading our
00:36:32.59\00:36:40.06
Bible. 2 Peter. That's in
the New Testament. Near the end.
00:36:40.06\00:36:45.37
If you get to Hebrews, just keep
going, then you run into James,
and then you got first
00:36:45.37\00:36:49.67
and second Peter. 2 Peter.
I'm listening for the pages to
00:36:49.67\00:36:53.98
turn, and when you're done
turning, I'll read. All right, 2
00:36:53.98\00:36:59.38
Peter chapter 3. We begin in
verse 3. I want you to read
this. I want you to listen
00:36:59.38\00:37:04.55
to what you're reading. Think
what you're hearing. 2 Peter
00:37:04.55\00:37:10.19
3:3. "Above all, you must
understand that, in the last
days" -- ooh, that must be now
00:37:10.19\00:37:15.60
-- "in the last day, scoffers
will come, scoffing and
following their own evil
00:37:15.60\00:37:21.30
desires. They will say, 'Where
is this coming he promised?
00:37:21.30\00:37:24.71
Ever since our ancestors died,
everything goes on as it has
since the beginning of
00:37:24.71\00:37:30.61
creation.'" "This talk about the
soon coming of Jesus, I'm sick
00:37:30.61\00:37:33.85
and tired of hearing about it."
You Adventists just give it up.
Don't you know you're wrong?
00:37:33.85\00:37:38.09
He's not coming.
Not soon. Not now.
00:37:38.09\00:37:43.56
Not for me."
00:37:43.56\00:37:45.73
"But the scoffers" -- verse 5 --
"deliberately forget" -- They do
00:37:48.00\00:37:52.43
it on purpose. They have a
conscience, and the conscience
is always right. Whenever you're
00:37:52.43\00:37:58.04
arguing with somebody, never
forget the other man's
conscience is always on your
00:37:58.04\00:38:02.24
side. Always. Just remember that
line. "But they deliberately
00:38:02.24\00:38:08.88
forget that, long ago, by God's
word, the heavens came into
being and the Earth was formed
00:38:08.88\00:38:13.02
out of water and by water."
Verse 6. "By these waters, also,
00:38:13.02\00:38:18.09
the world of that time was
deluged and destroyed" -- verse
7 -- "by the same word of
00:38:18.09\00:38:23.23
Almighty God, the present
heavens and Earth are being
reserved for fire, being kept
00:38:23.23\00:38:29.34
for the day of judgment and
destruction of the ungodly," my
00:38:29.34\00:38:38.11
Bible reads. "Patriarchs and
Prophets" records a
heartbreaking depiction of the
00:38:38.11\00:38:43.72
collapse of the social and moral
order of the human race just
before the flood and ends
00:38:43.72\00:38:47.89
that depiction with these
words. I want you to see this.
00:38:47.89\00:38:51.03
End quote. People who
suggest -- Listen. Listen.
00:39:02.70\00:39:07.64
People who suggest that
the love of God somehow negates
00:39:07.64\00:39:14.92
any accountability with sin in
their midst or in the world are
00:39:14.92\00:39:21.69
whistling past the graveyard.
Oh, no. The day of judgment is
00:39:21.69\00:39:29.43
coming. Ready or not. Oh,
it's not true. God is love.
00:39:29.43\00:39:34.27
He doesn't do stuff like this.
Oh, really? It is a love of God,
00:39:34.27\00:39:40.84
no less than his justice, that
allows us to experience loss,
00:39:40.84\00:39:47.85
experience inability to save
ourselves from a hemorrhaging we
00:39:47.85\00:39:53.59
cannot stanch. You just think
about that. We've tried every
trick in the book and it's
00:39:53.59\00:39:59.69
getting worse. Think about that.
00:39:59.69\00:40:01.26
Somebody is trying to get our
attention before it is too late.
00:40:06.50\00:40:11.51
Not to punish us. Come on, get
off of that jag. Not to punish
00:40:11.51\00:40:16.31
us, but rather, out of love, to
desperately awaken us so that we
might change course.
00:40:16.31\00:40:21.38
Change course. Change course.
Change course. You're going the
00:40:21.38\00:40:27.92
wrong way. So that we might,
like Noah, collectively choose
to walk with God blamelessly by
00:40:33.56\00:40:38.83
His Grace, in our obedience, by
His Grace. I get it. It's all by
00:40:38.83\00:40:44.14
grace. Obedient to his
commandments. "Patriarchs and
00:40:44.14\00:40:51.01
Prophets" goes on. Whoa.
Well, let's -- Seems to me, that
00:41:24.05\00:41:31.15
sounds exactly like something
Jesus said. Check us out,
Matthew 24. Come on, your
00:41:31.15\00:41:36.76
Bible's still open. It's not
going on the screen. Matthew 24.
00:41:36.76\00:41:41.73
You've got a device with you.
Matthew 24. You'll get there
00:41:41.73\00:41:46.40
faster than me. Matthew 24.
Let's drop down to verse 38,
just two verses here,
00:41:46.40\00:41:53.48
red letters. This is Tuesday.
Jesus will be dead by Friday.
00:41:53.48\00:41:58.85
Matthew 24:38. "For in the days
before the flood, people were
00:41:58.85\00:42:04.19
eating and drinking." Hey, hey,
hey. Is that a sin? Is it a sin
00:42:04.19\00:42:10.19
to eat and drink? I did this
morning. Can't be a sin. "People
00:42:10.19\00:42:15.80
were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in
marriage." Hey, whoa, whoa,
00:42:15.80\00:42:19.43
whoa, whoa. Is that a sin to get
married? I've been sinning for
coming on 49 years.
00:42:19.43\00:42:25.04
The same girl. Of course it's
not a sin. What Jesus means is
00:42:25.04\00:42:32.35
life's just going on. Nothing
big is going to happen. We're
00:42:32.35\00:42:38.29
safe and sound. Life goes on.
Hmm. "They're eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in
00:42:38.29\00:42:41.76
marriage up to the day Noah
entered the ark." Now here comes
00:42:41.76\00:42:44.69
verse 39. "And they knew nothing
about what would happen until
the flood" -- boom --
00:42:44.69\00:42:49.06
"came and took them all away.
That is how it will be at the
coming of the Son of Man."
00:42:49.06\00:42:56.17
"Patriarchs and Prophets"
didn't invent that. Jesus did.
00:42:56.17\00:43:01.74
"To make ready a people
prepared for the Lord." Read it.
00:43:01.74\00:43:09.58
Come on.
00:43:30.24\00:43:32.14
Wow. I feel like
reading that again.
00:44:00.50\00:44:05.64
Surely that means to stand
unflinching for the sanctity of
00:44:33.97\00:44:39.17
marriage between a man and a
woman. In a culture and society
that has debased marriage
00:44:39.17\00:44:46.75
by discarding the Creator's
protective walls, by tearing
down the principles
00:44:46.75\00:44:51.69
of purity and decreeing
that sexual promiscuity is the
00:44:51.69\00:44:55.92
legislated right of the entire
human race, is it any wonder
that, in sowing the wind, we are
00:44:55.92\00:45:04.70
now reaping -- how's it go?
-- we are reaping the whirlwind.
00:45:04.70\00:45:08.37
Of utter collapse of
sexual morality today.
00:45:10.81\00:45:14.81
This culture has produced
the Kardashians, who, with
00:45:14.81\00:45:18.98
brazen, brazen disregard
manifest their sickness to
00:45:18.98\00:45:27.02
the entire social media world.
This culture produced them.
00:45:27.02\00:45:35.66
Is it any wonder? No.
00:45:35.66\00:45:38.57
But what is a wonder...
00:45:38.57\00:45:42.24
is that we whose end-time
mission "to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord,"
00:45:42.27\00:45:50.85
that we ourselves would become
confused over sexual morality
00:45:50.85\00:45:56.45
and immorality and end up
approving the very antediluvian
anti-marriage practices
00:45:56.45\00:46:01.46
that eventually destroyed
ancient culture and society. We
00:46:01.46\00:46:08.56
approve. Really? Really?
Since the end of this past
00:46:08.56\00:46:15.90
summer, our pastoral staff has
been reading out loud together
the book of Romans for our staff
00:46:15.90\00:46:21.14
worships. We're at Romans
5 now. But when we came to
00:46:21.14\00:46:27.02
Romans chapter 1, Paul, you
know, who you remember, who
launches this grand theme
00:46:27.02\00:46:31.39
of the Gospel. "I am not ashamed
of the Gospel, for it is the
00:46:31.39\00:46:36.22
power of God" unto what? What's
the word? "Unto salvation."
00:46:36.22\00:46:39.09
This magisterial opening to
Romans chapter 1, when,
suddenly, Paul pivots
00:46:39.09\00:46:45.47
on his heel and he engages
in a postmortem of the secular
00:46:45.47\00:46:54.41
society of his day.
00:46:54.41\00:46:56.28
As we read his listing of the
sexual aberrations that society
00:47:00.38\00:47:05.25
had declared -- as in the days
of Noah, as in the days of Paul
-- society had declared
00:47:05.25\00:47:09.76
to be acceptable behavior. And
by the way, I debated, shall we
00:47:09.76\00:47:14.30
read it? No, it's too graphic to
even read in public. We came to
00:47:14.30\00:47:21.84
Paul's summation at the end of
his list. It's verse 32, and I
will put that on the screen for
00:47:21.84\00:47:28.91
you. Romans 1:32. "Although they
know God's righteous decree,
00:47:28.91\00:47:35.52
that those who do such things"
-- in that litany that's just
00:47:35.52\00:47:39.62
preceded this -- "those who do
such things deserve death, they
00:47:39.62\00:47:44.59
not only continue to do these
very things, but also approve
of" -- the New Revised Standard
00:47:44.59\00:47:48.63
renders that -- "but also
applaud those who practice
00:47:48.63\00:47:53.74
them." Applause, please. I
fear for Christian universities.
00:47:53.74\00:48:02.04
I fear for Adventist
universities. Where the social
00:48:02.04\00:48:08.42
pressure to conform to the
surrounding culture is so strong
00:48:08.42\00:48:13.49
that some faculty and students
alike end up applauding and
publicly defending the behavior
00:48:13.49\00:48:19.19
Heaven warns is sin,
Heaven warns is death.
00:48:19.19\00:48:23.60
Who then can be saved? Who can
be saved? We cry out the words
00:48:31.01\00:48:35.44
of the disciples. Jesus is quick
with an answer. "With man, it's
00:48:35.44\00:48:40.18
impossible. But with
God, all things are possible."
00:48:40.18\00:48:44.29
If only we will turn to
Him while there is time.
00:48:48.29\00:48:54.60
I'm going to end with a prayer
recorded in Scripture. You're
going to read it, too.
00:48:57.63\00:49:02.60
And when that prayer's through,
we're going to kneel and pray.
Let's read Daniel's prayer,
00:49:02.60\00:49:08.28
one of the great prayers of Holy
Scripture. Daniel chapter 9.
00:49:08.28\00:49:14.12
Daniel chapter 9. Read
that prayer in your own heart.
00:49:14.12\00:49:22.09
Make it your own prayer in
your own soul. Daniel chapter 9,
00:49:22.09\00:49:28.33
begins in verse 4. "I prayed to
the Lord my God and confessed."
00:49:28.33\00:49:33.97
Here goes the prayer. "O
Lord, the great and awesome God,
00:49:33.97\00:49:39.91
who keeps his covenant of love
with those who love him and keep
00:49:39.91\00:49:45.48
his commandments, we have
sinned. We have done wrong. We
00:49:45.48\00:49:49.62
have been wicked. We have
rebelled. We have turned away
from your commandments and laws.
00:49:49.62\00:49:54.12
We have not listened to
your servants, the prophets, who
00:49:54.12\00:49:57.69
spoke in your name to our kings,
to our princes, to our
ancestors, and to all the people
00:49:57.69\00:50:01.83
of the land. O Lord, you are
righteous. But this day we are
covered with shame.
00:50:01.83\00:50:09.80
The people of Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem and all
00:50:09.80\00:50:13.81
Israel, both near and far, and
all the countries where you have
scattered us because of
00:50:13.81\00:50:17.65
our unfaithfulness to you.
We and our kings and our princes
00:50:17.65\00:50:23.59
and our ancestors are covered
with shame, O Lord, because we
have sinned against you.
00:50:23.59\00:50:30.23
The Lord our God is merciful and
forgiving even though we have
00:50:30.23\00:50:36.33
rebelled against Him. We have
not obey the Lord our God or
00:50:36.33\00:50:41.40
kept the laws He gave us through
His servants, the prophets. All
Israel has transgressed
00:50:41.40\00:50:45.81
your law and turned away,
refusing to obey you. Therefore,
00:50:45.81\00:50:51.38
the curses and sworn judgments
written in the Law of Moses, the
00:50:51.38\00:50:56.48
servant of God, have been poured
out on us because we have sinned
00:50:56.48\00:51:01.49
against you. You have fulfilled
the words spoken against us and
against our rulers by
00:51:01.49\00:51:05.49
bringing on us great disaster.
Under the whole heaven, nothing
has ever been done like
00:51:05.49\00:51:10.47
that has been done to Jerusalem.
Just as it is written in the Law
00:51:10.47\00:51:16.67
of Moses, all this disaster has
come on us, yet we have not
sought the favor of the Lord our
00:51:16.67\00:51:22.51
God by turning from our sins and
giving attention to your truth.
The Lord did not hesitate
00:51:22.51\00:51:28.92
to bring the disaster on us, for
the Lord our God is righteous in
everything He does,
00:51:28.92\00:51:34.56
yet we have not obeyed Him. Now,
Lord God, who brought Your
people out of Egypt
00:51:34.56\00:51:40.60
with a mighty hand and who made
for yourself a name that endures
00:51:40.60\00:51:45.33
to this day, we have sinned,
we have done wrong. Lord, in
00:51:45.33\00:51:49.24
keeping with all Your righteous
acts, turn away Your anger and
Your wrath from Jerusalem,
00:51:49.24\00:51:54.91
Your city, Your holy hill. Our
sins and the iniquities of our
00:51:54.91\00:51:59.95
ancestors have made Jerusalem
and Your people an object of
scorn to all those around us.
00:51:59.95\00:52:07.82
Now, our God hear the prayers
and petitions of Your servant.
For your sake, Lord,
00:52:07.82\00:52:17.27
look with favor on Your desolate
sanctuary. Give ear, our God,
00:52:17.27\00:52:24.34
and hear. Open our eyes and see
the desolation of the city that
00:52:24.34\00:52:31.05
bears Your name. We do not make
requests of You because we are
righteous, but because of your
00:52:31.05\00:52:36.28
great mercy." Verse 19.
"Lord, listen. Lord, forgive.
00:52:36.28\00:52:43.22
Lord, hear and act. For
Your sake, my God, do not delay
00:52:43.22\00:52:50.43
because Your city and Your
people bear Your name." Amen. >>
00:52:50.43\00:52:59.47
Amen. >> Let's kneel together.
Because if it is our mission to
make ready a people
00:53:03.85\00:53:10.35
prepared for the Lord, then
we better start with ourselves
00:53:10.35\00:53:18.49
right now. I invite
you to kneel, please.
00:53:18.49\00:53:20.80
¤¤ ¤¤
00:53:20.86\00:53:38.61
Oh, God... have mercy
on us. We have sinned.
00:53:42.08\00:53:51.36
We have tried so hard to be
accepted by the world, to be
00:53:51.36\00:53:59.10
like all the rest, that we have
sinned against you by calling
sin right and calling right
00:53:59.10\00:54:08.24
wrong. As you did with Jerusalem
of old, have you done to us?
Have you withdrawn your hand
00:54:08.24\00:54:15.98
of blessing so that today we
languish instead of flourish? We
00:54:15.98\00:54:22.76
are diminished rather than
growing? Forgive us, Holy God,
for we have sinned against you.
00:54:22.76\00:54:31.60
We have not obeyed your word,
nor heeded your prophets. We
thought we were giving
00:54:31.60\00:54:36.44
comfort to the disenfranchised
when we have ended up giving
license to rebellion
00:54:36.44\00:54:43.68
against Your holy law and Your
righteous kingdom. We have aided
00:54:43.68\00:54:49.72
and abetted sinners when what
they needed was moral
accountability delivered
00:54:49.72\00:54:55.12
by compassionate mentors and
caregivers who will lead them to
00:54:55.12\00:54:59.46
Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world. Why
would we seek to condone
00:54:59.46\00:55:06.43
or excuse the very sin Jesus
died to take away? "Woman, where
00:55:06.43\00:55:16.68
are your accusers? Has no one
condemned you?" "No one, my
Lord." "Then neither do I
00:55:16.68\00:55:24.29
condemn you. Now go and leave
your sin behind. For I am the
00:55:24.29\00:55:31.83
Lamb of God, who takes away your
sin." Oh, God, have mercy on us,
00:55:31.83\00:55:44.21
please. And may the light from
Heaven's throne room shine on
00:55:44.21\00:55:51.45
minds and hearts in this space
right now to lead us to Heaven's
next steps, whatever you would
00:55:51.45\00:56:00.86
have them to be. In the words of
Daniel's prayer, "Lord, listen.
00:56:00.86\00:56:10.33
Lord, forgive. Lord, hear
and act. For your sake, my God,
00:56:10.33\00:56:18.81
do not delay because Your church
and Your school and Your people
00:56:18.81\00:56:30.25
bear Your name." That
name that is above every name.
00:56:30.25\00:56:33.56
The name of our beloved Redeemer
and Savior, whose grace is
00:56:37.09\00:56:46.03
sufficient for us. Whose
recreation brings the healing we
seek. In the name of Jesus,
00:56:46.03\00:56:57.48
let all the friends of
Jesus say amen. And amen.
00:56:57.48\00:57:04.12
>> Think of the last time
someone said, "I'm praying
00:57:07.09\00:57:10.23
for you." Didn't
it give you a sense of
00:57:10.23\00:57:12.16
peace and reassurance
that somebody cares for me?
00:57:12.16\00:57:14.83
I know how I feel when I get an
e-mail from one of our viewers
saying, "Yo, Dwight.
00:57:14.83\00:57:18.47
I've been praying for you
lately." There's nothing like
00:57:18.47\00:57:21.20
knowing someone is praying for
you. So I want to offer you an
opportunity to partner -- let
00:57:21.20\00:57:25.01
me, let us partner
with you in prayer.
00:57:25.01\00:57:27.68
If you have a special
prayer request or a praise of
00:57:27.71\00:57:29.58
thanksgiving you'd like to
share with us, I'm inviting you
00:57:29.58\00:57:32.51
to contact one of
our friendly chaplains.
00:57:32.51\00:57:34.42
It's simple to do.
You can call our toll-free
00:57:34.42\00:57:36.38
number -- 877 -- the two
words "HIS WILL," 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:36.38\00:57:41.52
That friendly voice that
answers, you tell him, you tell
00:57:41.52\00:57:44.66
her what your prayer need
is, we'll join with you in that
00:57:44.66\00:57:47.73
petition.
00:57:47.73\00:57:49.40
May the God who answers prayer
journey with you these next few
days until we're right back
00:57:49.43\00:57:53.30
here together again next time.
00:57:53.30\00:57:55.60
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:58.67\00:58:17.29
¤¤
00:58:17.29\00:58:26.43