¤¤
00:00:01.46\00:00:11.17
>> Let's pray. Father,
we're honored to worship
00:00:13.78\00:00:19.01
You, to continue in worship
now. Thank you for being --
00:00:19.01\00:00:24.82
Through the songs,
through the worship,
00:00:24.82\00:00:27.79
through the
preaching of your word,
00:00:27.79\00:00:31.66
we commit this time to You.
And thank You for being with
00:00:31.66\00:00:33.43
everybody that's
watching online and all those
00:00:33.43\00:00:35.96
that are gathered here as well.
We thank you in Jesus' name.
00:00:35.96\00:00:38.67
Amen. >> Amen.
00:00:38.67\00:00:42.10
I invite the
congregation to sing with us
00:00:42.10\00:00:44.17
as we sing our opening song.
00:00:44.17\00:00:46.31
[ "Ancient of Days" begins ]
00:00:48.11\00:00:51.05
[ "We Fall Down" begins ]
00:06:01.76\00:06:04.69
>> It is now prayer time,
and I invite the congregation
00:07:03.89\00:07:06.86
to come forward if you have
anything special on your heart
00:07:06.86\00:07:09.59
that you want to tell
God. So come forward as we sing
00:07:09.59\00:07:13.33
this next verse.
00:07:13.33\00:07:14.93
>> Amen. >> Amen.
00:13:22.60\00:13:24.97
>> Once again, good morning
and happy Sabbath, Pioneer.
00:13:27.34\00:13:31.37
Today's scripture is
found in Isaiah 60-1:3.
00:13:31.37\00:13:36.78
"Arise, shine, for your light
has come, and the glory of the
00:13:36.78\00:13:42.15
Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
00:13:42.15\00:13:46.32
and thick darkness is over
the peoples, but the Lord rises
00:13:46.32\00:13:50.63
upon you and his
glory appears over you.
00:13:50.63\00:13:53.76
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of
00:13:53.76\00:13:58.73
your dawn. Please
join us in singing
00:13:58.73\00:14:01.10
"Ancient Words."
Gentlemen, please join me
00:14:01.10\00:14:03.71
in the first verse.
Ladies, please join them
00:14:03.71\00:14:06.41
in the second verse. [
"Ancient Words" begins ]
00:14:06.41\00:14:11.01
>> Ancient words. Ever true.
Changing me and changing you.
00:17:40.66\00:17:49.53
That was beautiful. I love that
song. Well, God, that really is
00:17:49.53\00:17:56.67
my prayer, all of our prayer.
Ancient words? Got that. Ever
true? We believe it.
00:17:56.67\00:18:06.45
Changing me? Please. And
changing all these youths that
00:18:06.45\00:18:15.69
are here. In the
name of Jesus. Amen.
00:18:15.69\00:18:19.63
"Mission: Impossible (Maybe)."
Where did that maybe come from?
"Born for Battle -- The Saga of
00:18:23.03\00:18:31.01
a Peace-loving People." Here's a
question. What is it that makes
00:18:31.01\00:18:38.35
this mission so
impossible? Well, let me try it.
00:18:38.35\00:18:48.82
The answer, that is.
Washington Post 10 days ago,
00:18:48.86\00:18:53.53
I read "The medevac
helicopter carrying a pilot,
00:18:53.53\00:18:57.77
the patient, two
companions, and a nurse
00:18:57.77\00:19:01.30
was flying to a hospital
in Brooke's Point in Palawan,
00:19:01.30\00:19:04.64
an island off the
coast of the Philippines,
00:19:04.64\00:19:06.57
when all contact with
the aircraft was lost."
00:19:06.57\00:19:10.65
You may have heard of
this. "Subsequent discovery of
00:19:10.65\00:19:13.72
wreckage from the helicopter
on the surface of the sea
00:19:13.72\00:19:16.92
has led authorities to
believe all five occupants
00:19:16.92\00:19:19.29
perished in the crash. The
search and recovery mission
00:19:19.29\00:19:23.22
continues."
00:19:23.22\00:19:27.23
One early morning this week,
Karen and I got a text from our
00:19:27.23\00:19:34.00
friend Ann Hamel. Ann is a
practicing psychologist who
serves the General Conference of
00:19:34.00\00:19:38.71
Seventh-day Adventists as a
counselor, as a mentor, as a
companion to Seventh-day
00:19:38.71\00:19:47.22
Adventist missionaries in every
corner of this planet. She said,
00:19:47.22\00:19:56.93
"Pray." And we have been. Aboard
that medevac chopper was a young
00:19:56.93\00:20:01.00
Seventh-day Adventist nurse who
has been serving the peoples of
00:20:01.00\00:20:08.27
her island. She's learned their
language. It's not Tagalog. It's
00:20:08.27\00:20:12.21
a unique language to those
peoples. Janelle Alder is an
Adventist Frontier Missions
00:20:12.21\00:20:22.28
missionary. The pilot,
young pilot, American as well,
00:20:22.28\00:20:30.56
from California --
Seventh-day Adventist. Missing.
00:20:30.56\00:20:37.13
So Ann flew over there. Why?
Because the missionaries there
00:20:37.13\00:20:41.50
are grieving. What's our next
step now? Somehow speak to their
-- their broken hearts.
00:20:41.50\00:20:49.78
Janelle's parents have flown
there, hoping against hope. I
want to play a video clip.
00:20:49.78\00:20:57.52
As it turns out, AFM --
Adventist Frontier Missions --
00:20:57.52\00:21:02.86
did an interview, a video
interview with Janelle on the
island. I want to play just the
00:21:02.86\00:21:08.63
first 60 seconds of the
interview. You can go to the AFM
website and you can watch it
00:21:08.63\00:21:14.44
in its entirety.
Let's roll this piece.
00:21:14.44\00:21:18.24
>> Here at the clinic, we
see a lot of different health
00:21:25.65\00:21:29.98
disorders or health needs.
00:21:29.98\00:21:31.12
Because it's a tropical
environment, we see a lot of
00:21:31.15\00:21:34.46
fungal infections. Of
course, we see a lot of
00:21:34.46\00:21:36.79
respiratory
infections, urine infections,
00:21:36.79\00:21:41.30
cuts and wounds.
00:21:41.30\00:21:43.43
Really, we see almost
everything. There are a lot of
00:21:43.47\00:21:50.14
more far-out villages that a
lot of times, parents will bring
00:21:50.14\00:21:54.58
their kids like three, four
hours away sometimes to receive
help. And when they have a fever
00:21:54.58\00:21:59.55
in the middle of the night, it's
not very easy to send them out
00:21:59.55\00:22:03.82
to the hospital, which is
another two-hour hike. So it's
helpful that we can be a center
00:22:03.82\00:22:10.16
here for Mantalingajan but also
for all of the other villages
that are more far out. They can
00:22:10.16\00:22:14.56
come to us for help, and then we
have an opportunity to share the
00:22:14.56\00:22:18.90
gospel with them. >> God bless
that young nurse and young pilot
00:22:23.37\00:22:29.61
who were faithful to death.
Faithful unto death. I repeat --
00:22:29.61\00:22:37.85
Do you know what the impossible
means when we say impossible
mission? "Mission: Impossible."
00:22:37.85\00:22:47.83
As Janelle Alder's tragic death
reminds us, ours is a mission to
00:22:47.83\00:22:53.57
all the world. Doesn't matter
how difficult the terrain,
doesn't matter how -- how
00:22:53.57\00:23:00.78
dangerous the topography. How
difficult mastering the language
might be. When Jesus said,
00:23:00.78\00:23:06.35
"Go into all the world," that
was not an option. You already
00:23:06.35\00:23:11.25
know that. If Jesus is your Lord
and Savior, and He is, or you
00:23:11.25\00:23:15.52
wouldn't be here, it's the
command you and I live with day
and night. "Into all the world.
00:23:15.52\00:23:21.80
Whatever the cost.
Go for me." And she did.
00:23:21.80\00:23:28.77
So here we are in this
congregation on the campus of a
university in this piece
00:23:28.77\00:23:34.44
of terra firma, a university
raised up once upon a time with
00:23:34.44\00:23:41.98
the name Emmanuel Missionary
College. Missionary. It's always
00:23:41.98\00:23:48.66
been our mission. And guess
what? Nothing's changed. And
that's what's so impossible
00:23:48.66\00:23:54.86
about this mission that
you and I have inherited. But
00:23:54.86\00:24:00.10
hallelujah. I got some great
news for you. I'm going to give
you a sneak preview.
00:24:00.10\00:24:05.01
I want you to take a peek at
how this story ends. And it is
00:24:05.01\00:24:11.78
absolutely spectacular. Open
your Bible, please, to the last
00:24:11.78\00:24:16.08
book in the Bible, Revelation
18, the last book of the Bible,
chapter 18 of Revelation.
00:24:16.08\00:24:21.52
I'm in the New International
Version. You got your Bible.
00:24:21.52\00:24:25.26
Let's use it. Revelation
18. Only one line that we'll be
00:24:25.26\00:24:28.80
brooding on together today.
Revelation 18:1. Here it goes.
"After this I saw another
00:24:28.80\00:24:35.04
angel --" There are three angels
that I know fairly well in this
00:24:35.04\00:24:38.74
book. I think of this as the
fourth angel. "After this I saw
00:24:38.74\00:24:43.28
another angel coming down from
heaven. He had great authority,
and the earth was illuminated by
00:24:43.28\00:24:48.88
his splendor." My, oh, my, oh,
my. Do you understand the story
00:24:48.88\00:24:53.59
that is embedded in that single
line? Let me run it by you one
00:24:53.59\00:24:58.19
more time. "After this, I saw
another angel coming down from
heaven. He had great authority,
00:24:58.19\00:25:03.30
and the earth was illuminated
by his splendor." Now, the Greek
00:25:03.30\00:25:08.60
word for splendor is glory. It
means glory. It's the first half
00:25:08.60\00:25:14.44
of "doxology," doxa. That's
the word. What's doxology?
00:25:14.44\00:25:18.11
A word of glory to God. So here
comes this angel descending from
00:25:18.11\00:25:26.72
heaven. Whatever he's up to upon
his arrival, what we know is the
00:25:26.72\00:25:32.59
moment he arrives it's just this
-- pshew! -- just this nuclear
white. You remember those black
00:25:32.59\00:25:36.97
-- Come on. You've seen them.
The black-and-white newsreel
clips out of Los Alamos,
00:25:36.97\00:25:40.67
New Mexico, where they were
experimenting with the atomic
bomb and it just went white, you
00:25:40.67\00:25:45.47
remember, and then went black?
That's what happens. This
angel's descending.
00:25:45.47\00:25:50.31
Well, we can understand the
light part. Obviously he's come
00:25:50.31\00:25:54.52
from the kingdom of light, from
the very throne room -- shew!
00:25:54.52\00:25:59.19
Pssh! And the whole planet
bathed in light. I've got to
00:25:59.19\00:26:05.73
tell you, there's no light in
the angel. The angel has no
light. Because the angel's like
00:26:05.73\00:26:12.17
you. The angel's like me. Any
light we get is reflected. And
I'm also going to tell you,
00:26:12.17\00:26:18.91
this has been one wonderful week
to be running early in the
morning because the moon has
00:26:18.91\00:26:23.35
been full. There's a special
name for the march full moon.
00:26:23.35\00:26:25.71
I don't remember what it was,
but I'm telling you, it was
absolutely spectacular.
00:26:25.71\00:26:30.12
That white orb just smiling
down in the dark. You know what?
00:26:30.12\00:26:37.43
You can go to the moon, look
inside, there's not a drop --
There's not a ray of light.
00:26:37.43\00:26:40.60
There's nothing inside of it.
It's just a piece of rock. Why
00:26:40.60\00:26:44.70
is it so white and beautiful?
Because the sun shines on it.
This angel comes down.
00:26:44.70\00:26:53.04
Why is all that light? Because
the Son -- S-O-N -- shines on
00:26:53.04\00:26:59.58
the angel. My, oh, my. Well, we
shouldn't be surprised that the
author of Revelation
00:26:59.58\00:27:06.42
also wrote the fourth gospel,
and he opens the gospel this
00:27:06.42\00:27:09.79
way. Everybody knows these
words. Come on. "In the
beginning was the Word,
00:27:09.79\00:27:12.89
and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God." Keep reading.
00:27:12.89\00:27:16.00
"He existed in the beginning
with God. God created everything
00:27:16.00\00:27:20.10
through him, and nothing was
created except through him. The
00:27:20.10\00:27:24.71
Word gave life to everything
that was created, and his life
brought --" What? "Brought light
00:27:24.71\00:27:29.54
to everyone." Keep reading. "And
the light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness has
00:27:29.54\00:27:34.58
not --" Hallelujah. It has
not overcome it. An angel will
00:27:34.58\00:27:40.56
descend to this planet one day,
sooner than we think, and when
00:27:40.56\00:27:44.56
he enters our atmosphere
-- pssh -- white light. Wow.
00:27:44.56\00:27:52.17
My, I told you this thing ends
with spectacular glory. Whew.
00:27:52.17\00:27:59.84
All of which, of course, is the
point we're making. Revelation
00:27:59.84\00:28:06.82
18:1 is none other than that
explosion of glory just before
Jesus returns. And even if it's
00:28:06.82\00:28:15.19
only for a singular moment, I
get it. Not everybody's going to
embrace that light and receive
00:28:15.19\00:28:21.56
the healing that it offers. No,
I understand that. But in the
00:28:21.56\00:28:25.80
words of Camelot, for one brief
shining moment, the light will
pierce the darkness and the
00:28:25.80\00:28:32.74
earth -- the entire earth will
be illuminated with His glory.
00:28:32.74\00:28:40.05
Mmm. But you think about it.
I mean, come on. Why are we so
00:28:40.05\00:28:45.55
surprised? Can you imagine Jesus
issuing the command as he has to
you and me "Go into all the
00:28:45.55\00:28:50.09
world and make disciples of
all nations" -- Why in the world
00:28:50.09\00:28:54.93
would he issue the command if,
in fact, that command could not
be completely fulfilled?
00:28:54.93\00:29:00.37
Come on. The whole world. And by
the way, it's not like God
hasn't been sending us hints
00:29:00.37\00:29:07.98
from the very fall of the human
race. Take the first missionary,
00:29:07.98\00:29:11.71
since we're talking about
missionaries, take the first
00:29:11.71\00:29:13.72
missionary, Abraham. Great
children's story, Tiago. Well
00:29:13.72\00:29:17.75
done. Let's talk about Abraham.
What does God say to the first
00:29:17.75\00:29:21.26
missionary? "I will make you,"
Abraham, "into a great nation,
and I will bless you; and
00:29:21.26\00:29:24.33
I will make your name great, and
you will be a blessing... and
all peoples on earth --"
00:29:24.33\00:29:28.66
How many peoples on earth? All
peoples, Palawan included. "All
00:29:28.66\00:29:33.60
peoples on earth will be blessed
through you." Global domination.
00:29:33.60\00:29:42.81
In the end. Our scripture
reading, we just read it a
moment ago. Isaiah 60.
00:29:42.81\00:29:45.75
"Arise and shine, for your light
has come, and the glory of the
Lord rises upon you.
00:29:45.75\00:29:50.25
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the
00:29:50.25\00:29:53.96
peoples, but the Lord rises upon
you and his glory appears over
you. Nations will come to your
00:29:53.96\00:29:59.49
light, and kings to the
brightness of your dawn." Mercy.
00:29:59.49\00:30:04.93
How pervasive is this? Ooh, the
minor prophet Habakkuk doesn't
00:30:04.93\00:30:10.04
leave us guessing. Come on.
Habakkuk 2:14. "For the earth
will be filled with the
00:30:10.04\00:30:14.61
knowledge of the glory of
the Lord as the waters cover the
00:30:14.61\00:30:19.51
sea." Come on. Old Testament is
not going to end with one more
reminder. There will be
00:30:19.51\00:30:23.49
a spectacular finale. Janelle
Alder did not die in vain.
00:30:23.49\00:30:29.59
Last line in the Old Testament.
Malachi 1:11. "My name will be
00:30:29.59\00:30:34.93
great among the nations, from
where the sun rises to where it
00:30:34.93\00:30:40.67
sets." Those are my two
homelands. It rises every day in
Japan and sets every day in
00:30:40.67\00:30:45.14
America. Look at that. And every
nation in between. God
continues, "In every place
00:30:45.14\00:30:50.15
incense and pure offerings will
be brought to Me, because My
00:30:50.15\00:30:54.05
name will be great among the
nations,'" says the Lord of
Hosts, the Lord Almighty.
00:30:54.05\00:30:57.85
And look how Jesus, when the
Lord of Hosts becomes flesh,
look how Jesus concurs
00:30:57.85\00:31:03.96
with the Old Testament witness.
He has standing in front of him
00:31:03.96\00:31:08.13
right now a pagan Roman warrior.
And the centurion says to him,
"I understand authority.
00:31:08.13\00:31:17.34
I'm a man under authority. I
say to one servant, and he goes,
00:31:17.34\00:31:21.98
another, come. So I'm asking
you, just speak the word. My
servant is dying at home.
00:31:21.98\00:31:27.05
Speak the Word and my servant
will be healed." Jesus, his eyes
00:31:27.05\00:31:31.89
widen and he turns to all the
Jews standing around him. And he
00:31:31.89\00:31:37.26
says to them, "I have never in
Israel seen such faith as this
00:31:37.26\00:31:44.27
pagan warrior." And then he
speaks these words,
acknowledging what he's been
00:31:44.27\00:31:48.54
saying all through the Old
Testament. "I say to you that
many will come from the sunrise
00:31:48.54\00:31:53.21
from the east and the west and
the sunset, and they will take
their places at the feast with
00:31:53.21\00:31:58.71
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
in the kingdom of Heaven."
00:31:58.71\00:32:02.62
Man, oh, man. You know
00:32:02.65\00:32:05.39
how expansive this
mission is? Look at Paul,
00:32:05.39\00:32:08.26
a follower with the
sunlight that blinded him.
00:32:08.26\00:32:11.86
Paul, a follower of the Lord
Jesus. Notice how Paul describes
00:32:11.89\00:32:15.96
the extent of his mission.
Colossians 1:23. "This is the
00:32:15.96\00:32:20.54
gospel that you heard and that
has been proclaimed to every
creature under heaven --"
00:32:20.54\00:32:24.81
Are you serious, Paul? Yep.
"Every creature under heaven."
Now, look, there's probably
00:32:24.81\00:32:29.41
a little bit of hyperbole here.
But Paul is looking into the
future and he's prophesying,
00:32:29.41\00:32:36.72
predicting that one day every
creature under heaven will hear
that gospel "of which
00:32:36.72\00:32:41.72
I, Paul, have become a servant."
And when that day comes and King
00:32:41.72\00:32:48.93
Jesus is crowned before the
universe, what will happen then?
Paul says, in Philippians 2,
00:32:48.93\00:32:53.00
Paul says don't ever forget
that, "At the name of Jesus,
every knee should bow, in heaven
00:32:53.00\00:32:59.31
and on earth and under the
earth, and every tongue
acknowledge that Jesus Christ is
00:32:59.31\00:33:06.08
Lord, to the glory of God,
the Father." My, oh, my, oh, my.
00:33:06.08\00:33:11.15
Hallelujah is right.
00:33:11.15\00:33:13.32
What did we just read?
"After this, I saw another angel
00:33:13.36\00:33:17.56
coming down from heaven.
And he had great authority,
00:33:17.56\00:33:21.06
and the earth was
illuminated by his splendor."
00:33:21.06\00:33:28.40
Janelle Alder gave her
life to fulfill Jesus's mission
00:33:28.40\00:33:32.37
and hasten his coming.
00:33:32.37\00:33:33.64
"Mission: Impossible"?
Never. Never. I love this line
00:33:33.68\00:33:39.28
from Hudson Taylor, that
intrepid missionary to China a
century and a half ago.
00:33:39.28\00:33:44.22
Oh, this line is a keeper. I'll
leave it up so you can get it.
00:33:44.22\00:33:47.42
"There are three stages of
every work of God. First, it's
00:33:47.42\00:33:53.86
impossible, then it's difficult,
then it's done." Isn't that
00:33:53.86\00:33:58.87
good? Come on. "First, it's
impossible, then it's difficult,
00:33:58.87\00:34:03.34
then it's done." Of course it's
impossible. What did you think
00:34:03.34\00:34:07.48
it was going to be, namby pamby?
When God writes the last chapter
of his story on this planet?
00:34:07.48\00:34:16.58
That's why what I'm about to
share with you is such a moving
00:34:16.58\00:34:21.12
line for me, and I've memorized
it. "Servants of God, with their
faces lighted up and shining
00:34:21.12\00:34:27.93
with holy consecration,
will hasten from place to place,
00:34:27.93\00:34:33.20
proclaiming the message from
heaven." Oh, I love that. Hasn't
00:34:33.20\00:34:37.94
happened yet. It's going to
happen. I'll put that on the
00:34:37.94\00:34:40.58
screen for you. Come on. This is
"Great Controversy," page 612.
00:34:40.58\00:34:43.21
"Servants of God --" By the way,
notice it does not read "clergy
00:34:43.21\00:34:46.85
of God." I have a clergy friend
who's visiting here from another
00:34:46.85\00:34:50.32
denomination. We've been friends
for 10 years. He said, "Dwight,
00:34:50.32\00:34:53.09
I've got to get there before you
leave." And he's here today.
You're sitting by him.
00:34:53.09\00:34:56.96
All right, "Servants of God."
It doesn't say "clergy of God."
00:34:56.96\00:35:01.00
"Servants of God," that's you
and me. If Jesus is our master,
we are his servants.
00:35:01.00\00:35:05.00
"Servants of God, with their
faces lighted up and shining
with holy consecration,
00:35:05.00\00:35:09.00
will hasten from place to place
to proclaim the message from
00:35:09.00\00:35:13.61
heaven." I want to be one of
those servants, don't you? Oh, I
00:35:13.61\00:35:16.68
do. I want to be one of
those servants. Come on.
00:35:16.68\00:35:20.28
You know what's going on here?
I'll tell you what's going on.
What this is about.
00:35:20.28\00:35:23.69
This is the final revival and
reformation that will sweep
through the Church and push the
00:35:23.69\00:35:29.42
Church into the world one last
time. That's what's going on
00:35:29.42\00:35:32.93
here. How do you know that,
Dwight? Because of the
powerhouse sentence that
00:35:32.93\00:35:36.40
precedes this. Let me share it
with you. "The angel who unites
in the proclamation
00:35:36.40\00:35:39.67
of the third angel's message --"
That would be Revelation 18:1.
We've just read it.
00:35:39.67\00:35:43.54
This angel "is to lighten the
whole earth with his glory." We
00:35:43.54\00:35:47.61
got it. We've read that twice
now. "A work of world-wide
extent and unwonted --" That
00:35:47.61\00:35:55.75
word, I had to look it up
myself. Unwonted means unusual,
00:35:55.75\00:35:59.62
uncommon. "A work of world-wide
extent and unusual, uncommon
power is here foretold."
00:35:59.62\00:36:07.20
My, oh, my, oh, my. Something's
coming down this pike.
00:36:07.20\00:36:14.54
And there will be an explosion
of glory on this planet one day.
00:36:14.54\00:36:19.81
Whew. Talking about global
domination for Christ. Keep
00:36:19.81\00:36:22.54
reading. "The great work of the
gospel is not to close with less
manifestation of the power
00:36:22.54\00:36:27.02
of God than marked its opening."
That would be talking about
Pentecost, the story of Acts.
00:36:27.02\00:36:31.55
Man, that's pretty powerful, in
my humble opinion. It won't be
00:36:31.55\00:36:35.46
any less powerful at the
end. That's in the beginning of
00:36:35.46\00:36:37.79
Christianity. This will be at
the end. Nope. Keep reading.
"The prophecies which were
00:36:37.79\00:36:42.46
fulfilled in the outpouring of
the former rain at the opening
of the Gospel --" Pentecost.
00:36:42.46\00:36:49.10
I got to tell you, the writers
of the New Testament and Old
00:36:49.10\00:36:54.31
Testament live in a basically
agrarian society. Farming,
farming, farming. And every
00:36:54.31\00:37:00.25
farmer in Palestine and every
reader in Palestine knows that
as soon as you plant the seed,
00:37:00.25\00:37:03.92
you're going to need some
rain. It's called the the autumn
00:37:03.92\00:37:07.42
rains. They refer to them as
the early rains. The rain has to
00:37:07.42\00:37:10.76
help the seed germinate and
sprout up and grow and green,
green, green. Then at the end,
00:37:10.76\00:37:15.06
just before the harvest, there
is a second rainfall. This is
00:37:15.06\00:37:18.90
the early rain at the planting
of the seed. The second rainfall
00:37:18.90\00:37:23.30
is the later rain, or we call it
the latter rain, the Bible does,
and there's a final burst of
00:37:23.30\00:37:28.51
growth in that grain until the
end. It's harvested. They need
that last rainfall.
00:37:28.51\00:37:35.72
So the Bible has embraced that
metaphor. "The prophecies which
00:37:35.72\00:37:40.19
were fulfilled in the outpouring
of the former rain at the
opening of the Gospel,"
00:37:40.19\00:37:43.36
the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit at Pentecost, "are again
00:37:43.36\00:37:47.03
to be fulfilled in the latter
rain at its close [before Jesus'
return]." For several Sabbaths
00:37:47.03\00:37:54.24
now -- Come on. You know you
and I have been talking about
00:37:54.24\00:37:57.34
revival and reformation.
Yes, we have. We've been talking
00:37:57.34\00:37:59.87
very carefully one to another.
And we have agreed -- I know we
have -- that revival in
00:37:59.87\00:38:04.71
and of itself is insufficient.
We have noted that the whole
divine purpose of a revival
00:38:04.71\00:38:12.89
is to always push us toward
reformation. What's reformation?
00:38:12.89\00:38:16.29
It's the reforming and the
changing and the growing of my
00:38:16.29\00:38:20.33
heart and my life. There needs
to be a reformation. It's for
the growing and reforming
00:38:20.33\00:38:27.44
of our collective heart. And
whenever that revival falls upon
00:38:27.44\00:38:38.15
a faith community, the Holy
Spirit immediately is pushing
the church. "Come on, get out,
00:38:38.15\00:38:40.82
get out, get out, get out!" This
is not about sitting in a
circle, humming Kumbaya
00:38:40.82\00:38:45.59
and holding hands. No. Out.
The whole purpose is to push us
00:38:45.59\00:38:52.29
out. In fact, there's a
prayer that I like to pray.
00:38:52.29\00:38:57.33
And I'll share it with you here.
It's no spectacular prayer. But
00:38:57.33\00:39:04.07
it goes like this. "O God --"
help me, "Help us help you save
the world for Christ."
00:39:04.07\00:39:12.28
That's it. It's very
simple prayer. "Help us help you
00:39:12.28\00:39:18.69
save the world for Christ." We
can't save a single human being.
00:39:18.69\00:39:24.59
So help us help you save the
world. That's what Janelle Alder
00:39:24.59\00:39:28.90
was doing. "Help me help
you save Palawan for Christ."
00:39:28.90\00:39:36.81
Wow. It's the very prayer the
disciples were praying in the
00:39:36.81\00:39:40.31
upper room. We started this
whole winter series together
00:39:40.31\00:39:43.95
in that upper room in Acts 4.
I want to go back to that prayer
00:39:43.95\00:39:46.45
because it's such a powerful
prayer. Here it is. Acts
00:39:46.45\00:39:49.95
4:29-30. "'Now, Lord, consider
their threats and enable your
00:39:49.95\00:39:54.72
servants to speak your word with
great boldness.'" "We're going
to kill you, Peter and John.
00:39:54.72\00:39:57.73
If you ever say another word in
this man's name, we're going to
00:39:57.73\00:40:00.53
kill you. You understand that?
Read our lips." "'Now, Lord,
00:40:00.53\00:40:03.80
consider their threats and
enable us to speak your word
with great boldness. Stretch out
00:40:03.80\00:40:08.54
your hand --" not our hand.
"Stretch out your hand to heal
00:40:08.54\00:40:12.17
and perform signs and wonders
through the name of your holy
00:40:12.17\00:40:16.24
servant Jesus.'" In fact, just
read. Just read the next line
past "Servants of God, with
00:40:18.58\00:40:25.39
their faces lighted up." We'll
read it again. "Servants of God,
00:40:25.39\00:40:27.82
with their faces lighted up and
shining with holy consecration,
will hasten from place
00:40:27.82\00:40:31.76
to place to proclaim the message
from heaven." Now, hold on,
00:40:31.76\00:40:35.06
because here it comes. "By
thousands of voices --" This is
00:40:35.06\00:40:39.00
not thousands of clergy voices.
This is thousands of disciples
of Christ's voices.
00:40:39.00\00:40:44.51
"By thousands of voices, all
over the earth, the warning will
00:40:44.51\00:40:50.21
be given." Now, notice what
happens. "Miracles will be
wrought." As it happened here,
00:40:50.21\00:40:55.28
it will happen here just before
Jesus returns. "Miracles will be
00:40:55.28\00:40:59.82
wrought," number one. Two, "The
sick will be healed," and three,
00:40:59.82\00:41:06.33
"Signs and wonders will follow
the believers." It is absolutely
appropriate for you and me to
00:41:06.33\00:41:12.10
ask God to stretch forth His
hand to heal for His glory.
Never for my glory.
00:41:12.10\00:41:18.24
Never because this will draw
attention to me. No, no, no, no.
00:41:18.24\00:41:22.31
For you, God. Heal. Stretch
forth your hand. It's going to
00:41:22.31\00:41:27.55
happen. "Signs and wonders will
follow." Will follow the
believers. Oh, and there'll be
00:41:27.55\00:41:34.96
somebody there. Just you
-- you can be sure of this.
00:41:34.96\00:41:38.13
Whenever God does something big,
copycat demon king Satan himself
tries to counterfeit it.
00:41:38.13\00:41:49.07
He'll imitate it. He'll fake it.
So I'm not surprised with this
00:41:49.07\00:41:55.71
last sentence. "Satan
also works with lying wonders,
00:41:55.71\00:42:00.38
even bringing down fire from
heaven in the sight of men" and
00:42:00.38\00:42:05.49
women, faking like he's Elijah.
That's a quote from Revelation
00:42:05.49\00:42:09.52
13:13. "Thus," final sentence,
"the inhabitants of the earth
will be brought to take
00:42:09.52\00:42:14.60
their stand." Pssh!
Glory to the whole planet.
00:42:14.60\00:42:22.67
And every man, woman, and
child makes a decision now. Now.
00:42:22.67\00:42:27.21
This is the only one you've got.
It's now. The entire human race.
00:42:27.21\00:42:32.75
Well, I believe that in the
great Revelation 18:1 revival
and reformation to come
00:42:36.15\00:42:42.42
that will sweep this planet,
I believe, number one, that the
00:42:42.42\00:42:47.86
same boldness of those disciples
long ago that empowered their
witness for Christ will be
00:42:47.86\00:42:52.33
granted to all who pray that
same prayer. "Grant your
servants boldness."
00:42:52.33\00:42:57.14
Number one, I believe that.
Number two, I believe that the
same signs and wonders that
00:42:57.14\00:43:01.48
those first disciples prayed for
will be repeated one day. The
same signs and wonders,
00:43:01.48\00:43:06.31
not the signs and wonders of
any disciple. It's the signs and
00:43:06.31\00:43:09.45
wonders that the God of the
universe who shows up to affirm
and confirm "What she says is
00:43:09.45\00:43:18.76
truth." This can't be
done. It can't be imitated.
00:43:18.76\00:43:25.53
Oh. I believe, number
three, that the same motivation
00:43:25.53\00:43:29.77
of the first disciples to seek
the outpouring of heaven for the
00:43:29.77\00:43:35.14
sake of seeking and saving the
lost. And by the way, that's
what drove our Lord Jesus
00:43:35.14\00:43:38.45
all the way through his life.
"The Son of Man came to seek and
save the lost," Luke 19:10.
00:43:38.45\00:43:42.18
That which drove him will drive
the servants, the friends, the
disciples, you and me
00:43:42.18\00:43:49.06
down here. Down here at
the end. But I'm going to add
00:43:49.06\00:43:53.83
a fourth one. And I
really believe this one too.
00:43:53.83\00:43:57.83
I believe that as it was in the
beginning, when heaven's shock
00:43:57.83\00:44:01.97
troops -- you know what shock
troops are? It's a military
term. It's the soldiers
00:44:01.97\00:44:06.61
they put in the very front.
They're the advance guard The
rest of the army is
00:44:06.61\00:44:11.35
following behind the shock
troops. I believe that even as
00:44:11.35\00:44:14.65
heaven chose for its shock
troops in the book of Acts a
band dominantly comprised
00:44:14.65\00:44:21.72
of the young -- John boy, young
Steven, young Saul, the young
00:44:21.72\00:44:30.37
apostles. I believe even so, at
the end. Oh, by the way, even as
it was in this movement
00:44:30.37\00:44:36.04
for whom this church is called
Pioneer Memorial Church, they
were dominantly young,
00:44:36.04\00:44:42.51
all of them. I believe even
in the end for the shock troops'
00:44:42.51\00:44:49.42
final spiritual assault on this
planet, they'll be the young
00:44:49.42\00:44:56.66
again. They will be the young
again. Did you notice how old
00:44:56.66\00:45:03.50
Janelle was? The helicopter
pilot? You didn't see him. Not
00:45:03.50\00:45:08.54
much older. I believe that these
young warriors God is raising
00:45:08.54\00:45:15.91
up. you who are young and are
willing to be a warrior for him,
you are the shock troops.
00:45:15.91\00:45:24.19
I've stayed here all
these years. You know why?
00:45:24.19\00:45:27.59
Because I believe what I just
said. If I did not believe what
00:45:27.59\00:45:31.73
I just said, I would not have
stayed this long. Been plenty of
00:45:31.73\00:45:34.83
chances to work somewhere else.
But I've stayed on this campus
and in this congregation
00:45:34.83\00:45:41.20
because I'm putting everything
in this generation, the young
00:45:41.20\00:45:48.98
poised for God's strategic
endgame. I believe with all my
heart. [ Applause ]
00:45:48.98\00:45:55.45
Yeah. And I
receive your amen that
00:46:01.32\00:46:06.09
you share that same conviction.
You may have heard these words
00:46:06.09\00:46:10.00
before -- "Your mission,
should you choose to accept it,
00:46:10.00\00:46:14.24
is the mission of this
congregation right here."
00:46:14.24\00:46:16.81
It's the mission of
this university right here.
00:46:16.81\00:46:20.94
Oh, my. You're
about to have a new
00:46:20.94\00:46:24.15
beginning when your new pastor
arrives, and they're getting
00:46:24.15\00:46:27.28
close.
00:46:27.28\00:46:29.48
You're about to have a new
beginning when your new
president drives up.
00:46:29.52\00:46:36.99
And I hope you give to
these two new leaders all your
00:46:36.99\00:46:44.03
cooperation, your support, your
prayers, your volunteering. "Can
00:46:44.03\00:46:49.27
I do anything? What can I do
to help? What can I do to help
00:46:49.27\00:46:54.81
around here?" And that
leader will rise up and call you
00:46:54.81\00:46:57.48
blessed. One thing is sure.
Unless this congregation...
00:47:00.88\00:47:06.52
...continues to embrace, and
even in a more fervent and
passionate way, its mission
00:47:09.66\00:47:16.10
to train and mobilize the young
at Ruth Murdoch, at Andrews
00:47:16.10\00:47:22.57
Academy, at Andrews University,
this, Revelation 18:1...
00:47:22.57\00:47:28.64
...will not just happen. It will
take the mobilization of this
00:47:32.85\00:47:40.02
generation. There isn't a heart
here that doesn't want Jesus to
00:47:46.83\00:47:51.07
come soon. If I said, "Put your
hands up if you want Jesus to
come soon," every hand will go
00:47:51.07\00:47:53.47
up. Come on. I know. This is
an Adventist congregation, after
00:47:53.47\00:47:58.21
all. I'm just saying. Don't you
ever let this church veer from
00:47:58.21\00:48:05.88
its mission to train young
warriors to seek and save the
lost for Christ. Whatever the
00:48:05.88\00:48:13.79
future brings, don't swerve,
don't veer from that mission for
the university and for the
00:48:13.79\00:48:23.16
congregation. And I really
believe Revelation 18:1 declares
the best is yet to come.
00:48:23.16\00:48:27.84
I believe that with all my
heart, the best is yet to come.
00:48:27.84\00:48:32.97
Come on. Hudson Taylor. What
did he say about impossible?
00:48:32.97\00:48:39.61
I'm going to put Taylor on. But
first I want to put these words
00:48:39.61\00:48:44.25
somewhere in a book called
"Education," which I guess
applies to us. "With such an
00:48:44.25\00:48:50.29
army of workers as our youth,
rightly trained, might furnish,
how soon the message of a
00:48:50.29\00:48:55.43
crucified, risen, and
soon-coming Saviour might be
carried to the whole world!
00:48:55.43\00:48:59.83
How soon might the end come --
the end of suffering and sorrow
00:48:59.83\00:49:07.44
and sin!" It'll happen. I
promise you. It will happen.
00:49:07.44\00:49:12.55
Now, Taylor, tell us one more
time. "There are three stages
00:49:12.55\00:49:16.65
of every work of God. First,
it's impossible, then it's
00:49:16.65\00:49:22.62
difficult, and then,"
hallelujah, "it's done." You
never quit. Never give up.
00:49:22.62\00:49:30.13
Because then it's done. O, God,
I thank you for this people.
00:49:30.13\00:49:37.24
It's been a long winter. And
some of us are heading out the
door in a few hours to a
00:49:37.24\00:49:45.25
place called Cuba. What was that
prayer? "Help us help you save
00:49:45.25\00:49:55.16
the world for Christ." Father,
bless these 20, 30 seminarians
00:49:55.16\00:50:03.23
and the pastors who are going
from Pioneer. And may we come
00:50:03.23\00:50:12.11
back rejoicing of the testimony
of your goodness and your grace.
May Cuba never be the same.
00:50:12.11\00:50:19.15
We humbly pray. And, O, God
bless this congregation and this
00:50:19.15\00:50:25.52
campus awaiting new leaders
to come. Anoint those leaders.
00:50:25.52\00:50:33.33
Prepare them. May we be a people
that will surround them and
offer them all that we can give
00:50:33.33\00:50:43.14
for this shared mission that
we embrace. And Janelle Alder,
00:50:43.14\00:50:52.21
we entrust her to you. Daniel
Lui, the chopper pilot, we
entrust him to you.
00:50:52.21\00:51:04.76
But one day, they will see that
their lives were never in vain.
00:51:04.76\00:51:12.33
The best has come last. And keep
all of us on that trajectory
00:51:12.33\00:51:21.08
until Jesus comes. We
pray in His name. Amen.
00:51:21.08\00:51:26.28
I want you to pull the hymnal
out in front of you. I got a
00:51:26.28\00:51:30.29
photocopy of it right here.
There's a beautiful prayer.
We're going to sing it
00:51:30.29\00:51:32.95
right now. Come
on. Don't jump up. 609.
00:51:32.95\00:51:36.02
Pull out the hymnal
in front of you. 609.
00:51:36.02\00:51:40.86
I don't think you and I -- I
don't recall you and me ever
singing these words together.
00:51:40.86\00:51:45.23
But perhaps we have. But I
want you to notice this prayer.
00:51:45.23\00:51:50.64
And while you're finding your
hymnal, I want to go to the
Connect Card here real quick
00:51:50.64\00:51:54.74
because there's a box number
two that I want you to give
00:51:54.74\00:51:58.78
attention to. Text "mission7" to
our familiar number,
269-281-2345. You're online or
00:51:58.78\00:52:04.69
you're watching on
TV or you're here now.
00:52:04.69\00:52:07.02
"Mission7." My next
step today is "I want
00:52:07.06\00:52:09.76
the Revelation 18:1
angel to set my own heart
00:52:09.76\00:52:12.63
ablaze with the prayer:
'Jesus -- please help me help
00:52:12.63\00:52:15.83
You reach my
little world for You.'"
00:52:15.83\00:52:18.63
I want to pray that prayer every
day. And I invite you to join me
00:52:18.67\00:52:21.80
in praying that prayer. Now,
here's the one that I need some
00:52:21.80\00:52:25.27
of you to give careful attention
to. "I am interested in becoming
00:52:25.27\00:52:30.48
a missionary -- please pass my
name on to Advanced Frontier
Missions and the Center for
00:52:30.48\00:52:35.52
Faith Engagement" here on the
campus of Andrews University.
00:52:35.52\00:52:38.25
Why? Because I would be willing
to consider taking a year out,
00:52:38.25\00:52:44.96
as Janelle did. Taking a year
out and serving my king
somewhere on this planet.
00:52:44.96\00:52:51.80
"Send my name," because we'll
have the electronic information
that will reach you.
00:52:51.80\00:52:56.97
"Send my name to either AFM,
Adventist Frontier Missions, or
the Center for Faith
00:52:56.97\00:53:02.68
Engagement." They'll take it
from there. You're not signing
00:53:02.68\00:53:05.85
up for anything, but they'll
describe to you the options
00:53:05.85\00:53:09.85
that are available for you if
you're young and if you're not
00:53:09.85\00:53:13.29
so young. They take both.
The Holy Spirit may be saying in
00:53:13.29\00:53:17.53
your heart, "Come on, girl. Give
me a gap year. Come on, boy.
00:53:17.53\00:53:20.86
Give me a gap year. I want that
year." You'll come back changed.
00:53:20.86\00:53:24.63
"Give me that year." Just put
a check mark there. We'll be in
00:53:24.63\00:53:29.44
touch. They'll be
in touch with you.
00:53:29.44\00:53:30.77
Final box -- "I
want to follow Jesus
00:53:30.81\00:53:32.64
and be baptized and help
Him reach the world now."
00:53:32.64\00:53:35.24
Amen. If you
haven't been baptized,
00:53:35.24\00:53:36.91
put a check mark
there electronically.
00:53:36.91\00:53:38.35
We'll be back in
touch with you for sure.
00:53:38.35\00:53:41.98
Now I want to sing this. You got
to look at them -- So they may
00:53:42.02\00:53:46.15
be on the screen, but I want you
to look at the words in your
hymnal. I'm not going to read
00:53:46.15\00:53:49.96
them to you. They're so
profound. You just read them.
00:53:49.96\00:53:52.66
The tune will be so familiar,
you'll be able to just
concentrate on the words.
00:53:52.66\00:53:57.03
Let's do it. Let's stand
together, everybody. It's a very
00:53:57.03\00:53:59.50
short hymn. So let's stand
together and just pray these
00:53:59.50\00:54:05.27
words to our Lord. [ :Am I a
Soldier of the Cross?" begins ]
00:54:05.31\00:54:09.48
>> Amen. Let's bow our heads
00:56:26.65\00:56:27.88
as we pray for the benediction.
Now may the Lord bless you
00:56:27.88\00:56:32.29
and keep you. The
Lord make his face shine
00:56:32.29\00:56:35.22
upon you and be
gracious unto you.
00:56:35.22\00:56:37.69
The Lord lift up his countenance
upon you and give you peace
00:56:37.69\00:56:41.46
now and forevermore.
00:56:41.46\00:56:42.83
Let all the church say. Amen.
You may be seated. Well, thank
00:56:42.86\00:56:48.40
you once again for worshiping
with us here at Pioneer Memorial
Church. It's been an honor to
00:56:48.40\00:56:52.41
worship with you. Just a
reminder, as you make your way
00:56:52.41\00:56:55.24
out, there's giving baskets
where you can drop in your
tithes and offerings.
00:56:55.24\00:56:58.61
There's also resources you can
grab that will bless you. Till
next time, God bless you,
00:56:58.61\00:57:03.79
and we will see you soon.
00:57:03.79\00:57:05.39
>> Think of the
last time someone said,
00:57:07.99\00:57:10.93
"I'm praying for you." Did
it give you a sense of peace
00:57:10.93\00:57:14.23
and reassurance that
somebody cares for me?
00:57:14.23\00:57:16.13
I know how I feel
when I get an e-mail
00:57:16.13\00:57:17.97
from one of our viewers saying,
"Yo, Dwight, I've been praying
00:57:17.97\00:57:20.14
for you lately."
00:57:20.14\00:57:21.34
There's nothing like knowing
someone is praying for you. So I
00:57:21.37\00:57:24.44
want to offer you an opportunity
to partner. Let me, let us
partner with you in prayer.
00:57:24.44\00:57:28.88
If you have a special
prayer request or a praise of
00:57:28.88\00:57:31.68
thanksgiving you'd like to share
with us, I'm inviting you to
contact one of our friendly
00:57:31.68\00:57:36.12
chaplains. It's simple to
do. You can call our toll-free
00:57:36.15\00:57:38.59
number, 877-- The
two words HIS-WILL.
00:57:38.59\00:57:40.69
877-HIS-WILL.
That friendly voice
00:57:40.69\00:57:43.86
that answers, you tell him,
you tell her what your prayer
00:57:43.86\00:57:46.80
need is. We'll
join with you in that
00:57:46.80\00:57:49.70
petition. May
the God who answers
00:57:49.70\00:57:51.57
prayer journey with
you these next few days
00:57:51.57\00:57:53.67
until we're right back
here together again next time.
00:57:53.67\00:57:57.04
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:59.27\00:58:18.33
¤¤
00:58:18.33\00:58:27.70