¤¤
00:00:01.93\00:00:03.87
>> Good morning
and happy Sabbath.
00:00:15.21\00:00:19.01
Spring sprung
this week, didn't it?
00:00:19.01\00:00:21.65
Oh, man, it is
beautiful. And sometimes, change
00:00:21.65\00:00:25.15
is beautiful. And
sometimes, it's not.
00:00:25.15\00:00:33.33
It's going to be
rough losing Dwight.
00:00:33.33\00:00:35.66
There's no question about
it. But part of saying goodbye
00:00:35.66\00:00:41.27
is a long goodbye,
and we're going to start
00:00:41.27\00:00:43.81
that long goodbye next weekend.
00:00:43.81\00:00:46.54
There are three events I would
like to invite you to as part of
this goodbye process.
00:00:46.74\00:00:51.71
We're going to have Proximity
Vespers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday
00:00:51.71\00:00:56.85
night, both worship services --
9:00 and 11:00 -- and a tribute
00:00:56.85\00:01:01.59
service at 4:00 p.m. Sabbath
afternoon. It's okay to mourn.
00:01:01.59\00:01:11.93
It's okay. There's some loss.
This is 40 years. For some of
00:01:11.93\00:01:17.61
us, that's almost our whole
life. [ Laughter ] So it's okay.
00:01:17.61\00:01:23.85
But, on that note, no better
time than for us to seek God's
00:01:27.18\00:01:34.06
presence here. So I invite you
to join with me as we together
read the call to worship.
00:01:34.06\00:01:40.63
Let's stand as we pray together.
00:02:07.92\00:02:11.23
Creator of all things, thank
you, God, for being God who
loves and wants each
00:02:15.16\00:02:23.47
and every one of us. And, God,
thank you for being God who is
also Emmanuel, "God
00:02:23.47\00:02:31.45
with us." We thank you for being
in this place this morning.
00:02:31.45\00:02:37.99
But, God, we ask not only that
you are in this place, but you
00:02:37.99\00:02:43.26
are in us. Abide in us and help
us to abide in you. This is our
00:02:43.26\00:02:50.07
prayer. Because although changes
happen all around us -- seasons
come, seasons go, leaders come,
00:02:50.07\00:02:57.44
leaders go -- you are the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
00:02:57.44\00:03:02.91
And it is that in which we place
our faith. In your name, Amen.
00:03:02.91\00:03:09.18
¤¤
00:03:09.38\00:03:11.25
Praise the Lord. Praise the
Lord. Let the Earth hear His
00:06:22.21\00:06:29.82
voice. We don't always have
weeks that leave us praising the
00:06:30.02\00:06:37.39
Lord. I don't know what
your week has been like,
00:06:37.39\00:06:39.79
but the state of this Earth.
00:06:39.79\00:06:43.87
We have trials, we have
tribulations, and often at the
00:06:44.07\00:06:48.80
end of the week, it's not praise
on our lips, is it? But the
beautiful thing is,
00:06:48.80\00:06:53.54
is not once did anyone ever
approach Jesus. and He wasn't
00:06:53.54\00:07:00.08
able to fix the problem. And so
when we give our burdens to Him,
00:07:00.08\00:07:08.19
that's what gives us the ability
to give Him the glory. Great
things He hath done.
00:07:08.19\00:07:14.13
So I invite you now, come
forward as we pray together.
00:07:14.13\00:07:19.93
Kevin Galiano, one of our
seminary students who was with
00:07:19.93\00:07:23.44
us in Cuba, is going to be
offering the prayer. And let us
lay our burdens down
00:07:23.44\00:07:27.54
at the cross so that we, too,
can say, "Great things He hath
00:07:27.54\00:07:31.95
done." ¤¤
00:07:32.15\00:07:35.02
>> Church family, I invite
you to kneel with me if you are
00:08:25.97\00:08:29.84
able. ¤¤
00:08:29.84\00:08:31.71
Father God, our good Father,
we want to thank you so much for
00:08:40.12\00:08:47.22
today. We thank you, God, for
bringing us into this place. And
00:08:47.22\00:08:52.73
we thank you, God, for the peace
that you offer to us in this
moment. We want to invite your
00:08:52.73\00:08:59.43
presence into our hearts first
and foremost, Lord. We ask, God,
00:08:59.43\00:09:04.71
that if we are carrying burdens,
Lord, may we leave them at your
feet today. May we cast our
00:09:04.71\00:09:10.48
burdens on to you, Lord, so that
we can accept the peace that you
00:09:10.48\00:09:16.72
offer to us today. God, we thank
you so much because we know that
spring has sprung, and to be
00:09:16.72\00:09:22.46
able to see the change, to see
the beauty in the nature around
00:09:22.46\00:09:27.13
us, Lord, may it be a sign and a
reminder, God, of how you come
to us. And as we experience the
00:09:27.13\00:09:34.54
warmth, the rays of the sun
shining on our face, may it feel
the way You give us
00:09:34.54\00:09:40.11
that warm embrace. God,
many of us come here burdened.
00:09:40.11\00:09:46.48
Many of us come here with many
different issues, God. We come
00:09:46.48\00:09:51.69
from different walks of life
with different stories, Lord.
00:09:51.69\00:09:57.09
But, God, we know You by a
thousand different names, and
You deserve every single one of
00:09:57.09\00:10:02.23
them. You are our faithful
father. You are a healer. And
00:10:02.23\00:10:07.97
you are many, many other names,
God. And so I just ask, Lord, if
there is someone out here
00:10:07.97\00:10:13.21
that needs healing, may You be
the healer. If there is someone
00:10:13.21\00:10:17.65
here who needs saving, may You
be the savior. God, if there's
00:10:17.65\00:10:26.65
someone here that is going
through a difficult time, Lord,
may you be the one,
00:10:26.65\00:10:31.69
the comforter. God, we ask that
You manifest Yourself in the way
00:10:31.69\00:10:37.60
that we need to experience You
today. And so today, God, as we
rejoice on this Sabbath day,
00:10:37.60\00:10:43.97
may the Sabbath be the reminder
and the signal of how faithful
00:10:43.97\00:10:48.91
You have been in the past, how
faithful You will be in the
present, which will remind us
00:10:48.91\00:10:53.48
in the future that You will
continue to be faithful still.
God, we ask You today
00:10:53.48\00:11:00.62
that You transform us, God.
We ask you, God, that You may
00:11:00.62\00:11:05.69
redeem us, Lord. May You give us
this hope. And may we be
reminded just how good of a God
00:11:05.69\00:11:12.70
You are. So, Lord, we thank You
so much for this time. We thank
00:11:12.70\00:11:16.10
You so much for being present.
And, once again, Lord, we invite
You into our hearts
00:11:16.10\00:11:20.04
and we invite You into
this place. May we experience
00:11:20.04\00:11:23.45
Your love today. It is my
pleasure to pray these things in
00:11:23.45\00:11:28.92
the mighty name of my
best friend, Jesus. Amen.
00:11:28.92\00:11:32.45
¤¤
00:11:32.65\00:11:34.52
>> Our Scripture reading
today is found in Micah 7:18-19.
00:15:00.56\00:15:07.14
"Who is a God like You,
who pardons sin and forgives
00:15:07.14\00:15:10.84
the transgressions of the
remnant of his inheritance?
00:15:10.84\00:15:14.51
You do not stay angry forever,
but delight to show mercy.
00:15:14.51\00:15:19.15
You will again
have compassion on us.
00:15:19.15\00:15:21.72
You will tread our
sins underfoot and hurl
00:15:21.72\00:15:25.45
all our iniquities
into the depths of the sea."
00:15:25.45\00:15:28.76
>> Good morning, Church.
And good morning, Pastor Dwight.
00:15:33.09\00:15:37.47
The Sanctuary Choir
for Pioneer Memorial Church
00:15:37.47\00:15:40.57
has prepared a very special
gift to give to our pastor,
00:15:40.57\00:15:44.01
our dear pastor. And if
you would mind coming up
00:15:44.01\00:15:46.98
and receiving it.
00:15:46.98\00:15:49.84
And we all know that the
pastoral team is, like, crucial.
00:15:50.05\00:15:54.32
Like, who would make his
breakfast and the like? So I've
00:15:54.32\00:15:59.19
invited Karen to help me feel
grounded. [ Laughs ] The
Sanctuary Choir have a very
00:15:59.19\00:16:04.06
special gift for you. You
have been such a champion and
00:16:04.06\00:16:09.43
supporter of our church choir in
the last number of years, and we
are so grateful to you.
00:16:09.43\00:16:15.00
And the choir gathered their
funds and created a commission
00:16:15.00\00:16:19.34
for a very special composition
in honor of this very special
00:16:19.34\00:16:24.75
day. Now, our commission, we
were pleased to offer it to our
00:16:24.75\00:16:28.18
own resident composer and
conductor, Brenton Offenback.
And as he was preparing
00:16:28.18\00:16:33.19
his remarks to turn into music,
he zeroed in, of course, on the
00:16:33.19\00:16:39.69
number 40. And that makes a lot
of sense. The 40 is in the Bible
in a lot of places.
00:16:39.69\00:16:43.50
It commemorates your 40 years.
Noah, Moses, Jesus -- Moses
00:16:43.50\00:16:48.87
twice. And the number 40 is what
Brenton chose to emphasize in
00:16:48.87\00:16:53.81
this. "40 days and 40 nights. 40
years of his delight." And so we
00:16:53.81\00:17:01.22
are so pleased to offer this to
you today. And I wanted to
mention one thing that Brenton
00:17:01.22\00:17:05.95
keeps saying in the composition
that you can listen for. "Oh,
00:17:05.95\00:17:10.26
yes, my God, He can do it again.
It wasn't just then, it wasn't
00:17:10.26\00:17:14.96
just recently. It is
now." And so to honor you and in
00:17:14.96\00:17:18.73
appreciation for your preparing
us for the next -- our hearts,
our minds, our souls for
00:17:18.73\00:17:24.14
the new season that is to come,
Brenton Offenback would like to
present you with this
00:17:24.14\00:17:29.68
very special
dedication. [ Applause ]
00:17:29.68\00:17:35.42
There's going to be a lot of
hugging and tears in the years
00:17:49.20\00:17:52.23
to come. [ Laughter ] >> Anybody
else I can hug while I'm --
00:17:52.23\00:17:55.74
[ Laughter ] >> And, so, we
are so pleased to present this
00:17:55.74\00:18:01.88
premiere of "40 Days and 40
Nights," dedicated to Pastor
00:18:01.88\00:18:05.78
Dwight Nelson,
composed by Brenton Offenback.
00:18:05.78\00:18:08.45
¤¤ >> ¤ 40 years are coming,
00:18:14.26\00:18:25.27
and the 40 years are
gone ¤ ¤ 40 years are closer
00:18:25.27\00:18:34.38
to my God ¤
00:18:34.38\00:18:39.95
>> ¤ Oh, yes >> ¤ Oh,
40 days >> ¤ And nights
00:18:40.15\00:18:43.42
>> ¤ 40 nights >> ¤ Oh, yes
>> ¤ 40 years of his delight
00:18:43.42\00:18:49.56
¤ Jesus did come and save us
from sin ¤ ¤ Oh, yes, my God,
00:18:49.56\00:18:55.46
He can do it again ¤ ¤ God
said to Noah to get on a ship ¤
00:18:55.46\00:19:01.87
>> ¤ A ship >> ¤ He would
send him on a 40-day trip ¤
00:19:01.87\00:19:07.08
¤ After the days were fully
spent ¤ ¤ God then remembered
00:19:07.08\00:19:13.31
and delivered them ¤ >>
¤ Oh, yes >> ¤ Oh, 40 days
00:19:13.31\00:19:17.35
>> ¤ And nights >> ¤
40 nights >> ¤ Oh, yes
00:19:17.35\00:19:20.36
>> ¤ 40 years of his delight ¤
Jesus did come and save us from
00:19:20.36\00:19:28.93
sin ¤ ¤ Oh, yes, my God, He
can do it again ¤ >> ¤ Oh, Moses
00:19:28.93\00:19:34.60
took his hand and fled through
the sea ¤ ¤ Off to Mount Sinai
in safety, they be ¤
00:19:34.60\00:19:41.81
¤ God sent them off to the
wilderness ¤ ¤ Where they would
00:19:41.81\00:19:48.22
wanderin? 40-year stress ¤
>> ¤ Oh, yes >> ¤ Oh, 40 days
00:19:48.22\00:19:52.29
>> ¤ And nights >> ¤
40 nights >> ¤ Oh, yes
00:19:52.29\00:19:55.29
>> ¤ 40 years of his delight ¤
Jesus did come and save us from
00:19:55.29\00:20:03.73
sin ¤ ¤ Oh, yes, my God, He can
do it again ¤ >> ¤ Do it again
00:20:03.73\00:20:07.80
>> ¤ Do it again >> ¤ Jesus came
down to wash us from our sins ¤
00:20:07.80\00:20:23.72
>> ¤ 40 days in, He did
begin >> ¤ Tempted and tried and
00:20:23.72\00:20:40.40
crucified ¤ >> ¤ Jesus loved
us and saved us alive ¤ ¤ Oh, he
00:20:40.40\00:20:51.78
said, "Some day, I'll come again
¤ ¤ Heavens will rejoice with a
00:20:51.78\00:20:57.95
loud "amen" ¤ ¤ Please don't be
led by Satan's buffet ¤ ¤ Jesus
00:20:57.95\00:21:03.59
will come and fly us a way ¤
>> ¤ Oh, yes >> ¤ Oh, 40 days
00:21:03.59\00:21:07.76
>> ¤ And nights >> ¤
40 nights >> ¤ Oh, yes
00:21:07.76\00:21:10.77
>> ¤ 40 years of his delight ¤
Jesus did come and save us from
00:21:10.77\00:21:18.67
sin ¤ ¤ Oh, yes, my God,
He can do it again ¤ ¤ Oh, yes
00:21:18.67\00:21:23.24
>> ¤ Oh, 40 days >> ¤
And nights >> ¤ 40 nights
00:21:23.24\00:21:26.68
>> ¤ Oh, yes >> ¤ 40 years of
his delight ¤ Jesus did come and
00:21:26.68\00:21:33.46
save us from sin ¤ ¤ Oh,
yes, my God >> ¤ Oh, yes, my God
00:21:33.46\00:21:39.96
>> ¤ Oh, yes, my God, He
can do it ¤ >> ¤ Oh, yes, my God
00:21:39.96\00:21:46.63
¤ The Lord, yes, my Lord
¤ My Looooord [ Applause ]
00:21:46.63\00:21:59.21
¤¤
00:22:08.62\00:22:10.49
>> Beautiful, beautiful,
beautiful. Wasn't that a great
00:22:48.13\00:22:52.07
piece? "40 Days and 40 Nights."
We've been blessed over the
00:22:52.07\00:22:56.67
years to have the Sanctuary
Choir. We've got fantastic
choirs all over this campus.
00:22:56.67\00:23:01.58
But the time came when we said,
"You know what? We can host a
00:23:01.58\00:23:05.91
choir. We can field a choir."
And Brenton Offenback was the
leader we needed to begin to
00:23:05.91\00:23:12.02
grow it and grow it and grow it.
And, so, thank you, choir. Thank
00:23:12.02\00:23:17.76
you, Pioneer. And thank you,
Jesus. Let's pray. Oh, God, 40
00:23:17.76\00:23:25.80
days, 40 nights, instantly,
we remember our Lord...Moses.
00:23:25.80\00:23:32.04
We're on a journey where we do
not know what lies ahead. All of
00:23:35.18\00:23:44.25
us. But we do know that because
of the Jesus the choir just sang
00:23:44.25\00:23:48.09
about, the best is yet to come.
So open our minds, open our
hearts as we return
00:23:48.09\00:23:52.33
to Calvary. Let it be clear.
Ooh, let this one be clear,
00:23:52.33\00:23:55.26
please, for your glory and
honor. We pray in Jesus' name.
00:23:55.26\00:23:58.57
Amen. Galatians
6:14. "May I never boast
00:23:58.57\00:24:03.47
except in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ, through which the
00:24:03.47\00:24:09.41
world has been crucified
to me, and I to the world." 1
00:24:09.41\00:24:14.68
Corinthians 2:2. "For I resolve
to know nothing while I was with
you except Jesus Christ
00:24:14.68\00:24:21.02
and Him crucified." What's up
with that? Why? Ah, because "The
00:24:21.02\00:24:26.96
maker of all things
loves and wants me."
00:24:26.96\00:24:30.53
My, oh, my, oh, my.
Some time ago, Mel Gibson,
00:24:30.73\00:24:33.97
the Australian
actor and producer --
00:24:33.97\00:24:38.34
Mel Gibson directed what ended
up taking the world by storm,
00:24:38.34\00:24:42.74
a blockbuster
movie with the title --
00:24:42.74\00:24:45.75
you might remember it --
"The Passion of the Christ."
00:24:45.75\00:24:48.88
You remember that?
"The Passion of the Christ"?
00:24:48.88\00:24:52.02
It's a feature-length treatment
of the last 24 hours of Jesus'
00:24:52.02\00:24:56.46
life. There's one graphic scene.
00:24:56.46\00:24:58.93
I want to go to
that scene right now.
00:24:58.93\00:25:00.20
We're going to read it
first, then we'll watch it.
00:25:00.20\00:25:02.60
One graphic scene
that we got to hone in
00:25:02.60\00:25:05.17
on together in
worship. So, open your Bible.
00:25:05.17\00:25:08.17
First, let's read it. Luke 23.
So, you got your Bible there.
00:25:08.37\00:25:16.81
Luke 23. And we're going to drop
down to Verse 32. So, the action
00:25:16.81\00:25:21.48
is happening now in Luke's
rendition of the Calvary story,
00:25:21.48\00:25:26.76
the Gospel story. So, this is
Luke 23:32. "Two other men, both
criminals, were also led out
00:25:26.76\00:25:37.80
with Jesus to be executed.
And when they came to the place
00:25:37.80\00:25:46.71
called the Skull, they crucified
him there, along with the
criminals -- one on his right,
00:25:46.71\00:25:50.51
the other on his left. Jesus
said, 'Father forgive them, for
00:25:50.51\00:25:58.39
they do not know what they are
doing.' And they divided up his
clothes by casting lots."
00:25:58.39\00:26:05.33
Everyone knows this dramatic
moment in the Calvary scene, but
00:26:05.33\00:26:10.07
Mel Gibson does something very
unusual. In this shot -- Kind of
picture this in your mind.
00:26:10.07\00:26:17.14
In this shot, cruel hands throw
Jesus down on that cross, and
then they yank his arms out
00:26:17.14\00:26:22.64
so that they're -- that He's
lying on the cross beam. The
camera then swiftly zooms
00:26:22.64\00:26:28.02
in on one of the hands, one of
the arms, just zooms in so you
00:26:28.02\00:26:32.59
have a close-up. You just see
Jesus' hand. You see the hands
00:26:32.59\00:26:37.06
of a Roman guard or two, who are
setting the execution up. Then
another pair of hands
00:26:37.06\00:26:42.46
reaches into the scene. You
never see the face. Reaches into
00:26:42.46\00:26:47.20
the scene. This hand has a
nail and a mallet. And this hand
00:26:47.20\00:26:52.31
knows what to do, and so here is
Jesus' tender flesh. And this
hand takes that spike
00:26:52.31\00:26:55.71
and just pushes it into that
tender flesh. And while we're
00:26:55.71\00:26:59.38
watching, the mallet goes up
and the mallet crashes down. And
00:26:59.38\00:27:04.52
when Jesus senses that
instantaneous pain, this arm
jerks, but, of course, it can't
00:27:04.52\00:27:12.89
go anywhere. Now, did I tell you
we never see the face of that
00:27:12.89\00:27:19.57
burly Roman guard? Mel Gibson
later testified -- And I
happened to be in the audience.
00:27:19.57\00:27:23.47
All senior leaders, spiritual
leaders from across Chicago.
00:27:23.47\00:27:30.65
He said, "I've never told
anybody this, but I'm going to
00:27:30.65\00:27:34.85
tell you. When we came to that
scene where Jesus' hand would be
nailed to the cross,
00:27:34.85\00:27:40.52
I'm telling you, I'm the
one. I stepped in and said, 'The
00:27:40.52\00:27:44.36
director will take this part.'
And I put my spike down and I
drove that nail through."
00:27:44.36\00:27:51.67
And the interviewer said, "Well,
what's up with that?" He said,
00:27:51.67\00:27:57.31
"I needed me to know it was Mel
Gibson's sins that took Jesus to
00:27:57.31\00:28:07.98
Calvary." Hmm. You and I --
we're not left out of the story,
are we? Our sins took him, as
00:28:07.98\00:28:15.02
well. And for our sins, 2,000
years in advance, what does
00:28:15.02\00:28:19.36
Jesus pray? "'Father forgive
them, for they do not know what
00:28:19.36\00:28:23.93
they are doing.'" Do not know
what they are doing? You've got
to be kidding me. They can see
00:28:23.93\00:28:28.57
it as plain as day. They know
exactly what they're doing. You
and I -- we know what we're
00:28:28.57\00:28:33.91
doing too, don't we? Yeah.
"Desire of Ages" quietly steps
00:28:33.91\00:28:38.35
into this sacred moment,
connects with the prayer with
00:28:38.35\00:28:43.55
these words. "That prayer of
Christ for His enemies embraced
the world. It took in every
00:28:43.55\00:28:48.36
sinner that had lived or should
live from the beginning of the
world to the end of time."
00:28:48.36\00:28:53.50
Are you seeing this?
My! "Upon --" How many?
00:28:53.50\00:28:58.63
"Upon all rests the guilt of
crucifying the Son of God. To
00:28:58.63\00:29:03.44
--" How many? "To all,
forgiveness is freely offered.
'Whosoever will'" -- The words
00:29:03.44\00:29:07.21
that end the Book of Revelation.
"'Whosoever will' may have peace
00:29:07.21\00:29:10.91
with God and inherit eternal
life." Did you catch that? This
00:29:10.91\00:29:16.62
extreme prayer, this crimson
plea took in every sinner -- we
00:29:16.62\00:29:21.32
just read it -- from the
beginning of time -- that would
be Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel
00:29:21.32\00:29:25.73
-- to the end of time. That
would be you and me and her and
him. Every sinner covered in one
00:29:25.73\00:29:31.63
prayer. Every fallen human
being. Extreme -- Oh, extreme
00:29:31.63\00:29:42.78
prayer. "'Father, forgive them,
for they do not know what they
00:29:42.78\00:29:47.42
are doing.'" Of course they
knew. Of course we know. Our
conscience is going.
00:29:47.42\00:29:52.12
"Beep, beep, beep! Stop,
stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!"
00:29:52.12\00:29:56.46
We know. Don't go. Don't
proceed. Stop now. Stop. Of
00:29:56.46\00:30:02.63
course we know. We know what
we're doing. Every sinner that
ever lived got covered by that
00:30:02.63\00:30:12.21
prayer. I find that stunning. I
mean, why would it be? Because
the maker of all things
00:30:12.21\00:30:18.01
loves and wants me and loves and
wants you. Now, something new as
00:30:18.01\00:30:24.89
I have been -- as I've returned
to Calvary in this particular
00:30:24.89\00:30:28.59
scene. I want you to notice the
sequence. There's something in
00:30:28.59\00:30:31.53
the sequence that's transpiring
atop Golgotha, Calvary, okay?
First of all, Jesus
00:30:31.53\00:30:38.33
prays the extreme prayer. We
just heard it. Secondly, almost
00:30:38.33\00:30:42.20
everybody on the summit of Mount
Calvary is, with ribald
ridicule, taunting the man
00:30:42.20\00:30:49.21
on the center cross. In fact,
let's just read it. So, right
00:30:49.21\00:30:55.58
after the prayer, here it goes
-- Verse 35. "And the people
stood watching, and the rulers
00:30:55.58\00:30:59.29
even sneered at him. They said,
'He saved others. Yo, let him
00:30:59.29\00:31:05.19
save himself if he's God's
Messiah, the Chosen One.' And
the soldiers also came up
00:31:05.19\00:31:10.23
and mocked him. They offered
him wine vinegar and said, 'Yo,
00:31:10.23\00:31:15.57
if you're the king of the Jews,
save yourself.' There was a
00:31:15.57\00:31:20.44
written notice above him, which
read, 'This is the King of the
Jews.' One of the criminals who
00:31:20.44\00:31:25.91
hung there hurled insults at
him. 'Aren't you the Messiah?
Come on, save yourself and us!'"
00:31:25.91\00:31:34.36
Three abusive assaults against
the Jesus on the center cross.
And are we surprised?
00:31:34.36\00:31:40.53
We really ought not to be,
because the Gospel of Luke opens
up with three abusive assaults
00:31:40.53\00:31:46.77
against the same Jesus after 40
days and 40 nights, speaking of
00:31:46.77\00:31:50.01
what the choir just sang.
40 days and 40 nights in the
00:31:50.01\00:31:54.81
wilderness. You didn't think
Lucifer was not going to show up
at the end of those 40 days
00:31:54.81\00:31:58.65
and 40 nights, did you? You
didn't think that Lucifer would
00:31:58.65\00:32:03.69
not be that snake, fallen-angel
rebel that he is? You didn't
think he would be -- he wouldn't
00:32:03.69\00:32:08.36
be slithering around, spitting
his poison, as he did in the
00:32:08.36\00:32:15.03
beginning? Three assaults at the
beginning, three assaults at the
end. No, we get it, we get it.
00:32:15.03\00:32:21.44
"Prove it. Save yourself." But
amidst this raucous abuse --
"Save yourself, save yourself,
00:32:21.44\00:32:30.15
save yourself --" comes one
desperate, "Save me, Save me."
00:32:30.15\00:32:40.09
Oh. "One of the
criminals who hung there hurled
00:32:40.09\00:32:48.06
insults at him. 'Aren't you the
Messiah? Save yourself and us!'
00:32:48.06\00:32:54.54
But the other criminal rebuked
him. Don't you fear God,'
00:32:54.54\00:32:58.91
he said, 'since you're under the
same sentence? We are punished
00:32:58.91\00:33:05.38
justly, for we are getting what
our deeds deserve. But this man
00:33:05.38\00:33:09.32
has done nothing wrong.' Then he
said, 'Jesus, remember me when
00:33:09.32\00:33:17.93
you come into your kingdom.'"
Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. On a
00:33:17.93\00:33:26.43
hill far away, one desperate
"save me, please." Now watch
this. Now, here it comes.
00:33:26.43\00:33:34.28
I want you to watch the sequence
carefully. So, the guilty thief
00:33:34.28\00:33:38.75
cries out, "Save me." But Jesus
does not reply, "I have forgiven
00:33:38.75\00:33:47.22
your sins." No, not a word. You
know why? Because two hours
earlier, Jesus has already
00:33:47.22\00:33:54.30
forgiven his sins. Isn't that
right? Do I have the sequence
00:33:54.30\00:33:58.67
correct? "Save me." No word
about forgiveness. No word of,
00:33:58.67\00:34:02.00
"Repent of all your sins,
please." No, no, no, no, no.
That prayer that took in
00:34:02.00\00:34:06.07
every sinner from the beginning
of time to the end of time has
already assured forgiveness
00:34:06.07\00:34:10.05
for this dying thief. He doesn't
know it, but Jesus knows it.
00:34:10.05\00:34:13.95
Not a word about,
"Tell me you're sorry." Hmm.
00:34:13.95\00:34:19.59
Just "the prayer I prayed two
hours ago in your presence."
"'Father, forgive them, for they
00:34:19.59\00:34:27.36
do not know what they are
doing.'" He's already offered --
00:34:27.36\00:34:29.86
Here's the point. He's already
offered forgiveness to the dying
00:34:29.86\00:34:33.44
thief before the thief
ever seeks forgiveness. True or
00:34:33.44\00:34:38.04
false? Absolutely. Absolutely
true. Whether it's two hours
later or two millennia later,
00:34:38.04\00:34:44.51
that prayer covers. And that's
the point. In fact, I believe
00:34:44.51\00:34:50.82
that this exchange with the
thief intentionally takes place
to validate, to verify
00:34:50.82\00:34:57.06
that this prayer is universal.
This is a universal prayer. And
it saved -- It prayed for
00:34:57.06\00:35:03.87
the forgiveness of every human
being ever to live, period. And
to prove it -- to prove it,
00:35:03.87\00:35:12.47
He said, "I hear you. I
hear you." What does He say?
00:35:12.47\00:35:18.05
Oh, you know what He says. The
prayer again. "'Jesus, please
00:35:18.05\00:35:24.82
remember me when you come
into your kingdom.'" Now here it
00:35:24.82\00:35:28.96
comes. And they're both --
They're nailed up and they're
gasping for every breath,
00:35:28.96\00:35:32.96
because crucifixion is
the asphyxiation of the human
00:35:32.96\00:35:38.10
organism. You eventually can't
breathe anymore, okay? Jesus
00:35:38.10\00:35:42.67
answers him, "Truly, I tell you
today, you will be with me in
00:35:42.67\00:35:53.11
paradise." Wow. The thief begs
to be saved, and Jesus said,
00:35:53.11\00:35:59.02
"You got it. You are forgiven.
You didn't even ask me. I
forgave you two hours ago."
00:35:59.02\00:36:07.86
Why? Because the maker of
all things loves and wants me,
00:36:07.86\00:36:15.37
that's why. And that's the
reason the Bible reads the way
it does. You go over to Romans
00:36:15.37\00:36:20.88
4. We'll just iso one
line from Verse 5. Romans 4:5.
00:36:20.88\00:36:25.08
Here's the isolated line. I'll
put it on the screen for you.
00:36:25.08\00:36:27.85
Paul is speaking about the
God who justifies the what? The
00:36:27.85\00:36:33.72
ungodly. He
doesn't justify the godly.
00:36:33.72\00:36:35.59
You don't have to become
godly, then, to get saved.
00:36:35.79\00:36:38.53
No, no, no, no. He's the God
00:36:38.53\00:36:40.53
who justifies the ungodly.
00:36:40.53\00:36:44.77
You could hardly call
that guilty thief godly.
00:36:47.24\00:36:52.37
In fact, Matthew --
Luke doesn't want to sully up
00:36:52.37\00:36:55.54
the picture here too much,
but Matthew says, "Let me tell
00:36:55.54\00:36:57.65
you about those boys
on either side of Jesus."
00:36:57.65\00:36:59.78
And in Matthew's
account of the crucifixion,
00:36:59.78\00:37:01.85
"In the same way
the rebels --" plural,
00:37:01.85\00:37:04.59
the rebels, not just one,
both rebels in the same way.
00:37:04.59\00:37:08.29
"The rebels who were crucified
with him also heaped insults
00:37:08.29\00:37:12.06
on him."
00:37:12.06\00:37:13.86
It's not a great track record,
even atop Calvary, now. But
something's going on
00:37:14.03\00:37:21.47
in that mind. and in His
soul. And by the way, He knows
00:37:21.47\00:37:27.01
what He's doing now. "Jesus,
you got to save me, please."
00:37:27.01\00:37:36.92
Wow. When Jesus prays that
extreme prayer, both of the
00:37:36.92\00:37:43.39
thieves pile on the abuse.
Neither asked for forgiveness at
00:37:43.39\00:37:53.20
the time. Neither did I at the
time. Neither did you at the
time. But hallelujah.
00:37:53.20\00:37:59.81
The evidence atop Golgotha --
and here's the point -- is clear
00:37:59.81\00:38:04.21
that that prayer has universal
coverage for all human time. All
humanity, all human time.
00:38:04.21\00:38:11.79
"Desire of Ages," yeah, one more
time. I need to read this with
00:38:11.79\00:38:15.72
you. "That prayer of Christ for
his enemies embraced the world.
It took in every sinner
00:38:15.72\00:38:19.93
that had lived or should live
from the beginning of the world
to the end of time.
00:38:19.93\00:38:23.70
Upon all rests the guilt of
crucifying the Son of God. To
00:38:23.70\00:38:27.44
all, forgiveness is freely
offered." How many in human
00:38:27.44\00:38:30.47
history get it? All. Offered
freely. "'Whosoever will'
00:38:30.47\00:38:36.78
may have peace with God and
inherit eternal life." Why?
Because He's the God
00:38:36.78\00:38:41.15
who justifies the ungodly. You
know what it means when God
justifies the ungodly?
00:38:41.15\00:38:45.65
He acquits them. He
pardons them. He forgives them.
00:38:45.65\00:38:48.99
He says, "I'm throwing the
book out. Your record is gone.
00:38:48.99\00:38:54.83
You don't have to clean
your life up first, get your act
00:38:54.83\00:38:57.77
together, then come to me. No,
you come as you are with your
00:38:57.77\00:39:03.37
last breath. Beg me.
You got it. You got it."
00:39:03.37\00:39:10.51
He's the God who justifies the
ungodly from the center cross,
00:39:10.51\00:39:15.92
no less. Wow. Tender is the
scene "Desire of Ages" --
captures on the IMAX screen the
00:39:15.92\00:39:20.16
"Desire of Ages." Oh, I wish I
-- This is where I wish I had a
00:39:20.16\00:39:25.99
YouTube clip. "In Jesus --" Look
at this. "In Jesus, bruised,
mocked, and hanging upon the
00:39:25.99\00:39:32.57
cross, the thief sees the Lamb
of God." His mind is just going
00:39:32.57\00:39:38.71
like this. He's hanging, but his
mind is going like this. "He
sees the Lamb of God
00:39:38.71\00:39:43.18
that taketh away the sin of
the world." He's putting two
00:39:43.18\00:39:46.01
and two together. "Hope is
mingled with anguish in his
voice as the helpless --"
00:39:46.01\00:39:51.09
Oh, I love this -- "As the
helpless, dying soul casts
himself upon a dying savior."
00:39:51.09\00:39:57.79
They're dying together. But
before he goes, "Jesus, save
00:39:57.79\00:40:07.90
me." "'Lord, remember me, he
cries, 'when thou comest into
00:40:07.90\00:40:12.11
Thy kingdom.'" And what is
Calvary's wide-open-embrace
response from Jesus?
00:40:12.11\00:40:16.21
It's this. "I'm telling you
today. Right now, I'm telling
00:40:16.21\00:40:22.25
you. You will be with me in
paradise. I'm promising you."
00:40:22.25\00:40:28.56
No, no, no, no. Jesus and the
thief were not in heaven Friday
00:40:28.56\00:40:33.13
night having supper together.
No, they both slept the sleep of
00:40:33.13\00:40:39.70
death over the Sabbath, both of
them. You say, "Ah, you can't
prove that, Dwight."
00:40:39.70\00:40:46.34
I sure can. I was hoping
you'd ask me. Because if you go
00:40:46.34\00:40:50.78
to the resurrection scene, it's
a beautiful scene in John 20,
00:40:50.78\00:40:55.02
and Mary Magdalene is sobbing
her eyes out. They've taken
Christ's body. And it's early in
00:40:55.02\00:40:59.65
the morning, and she's weeping
when the gardener stands behind
her and says, "Yo, woman,
00:40:59.65\00:41:03.29
what are you crying about?"
And she says, "You got my Lord's
00:41:03.29\00:41:09.46
body." And he says, "Mary..."
And she recognizes the voice and
00:41:09.46\00:41:15.74
she whirls around and she grabs
him at his ankles and she says,
"Rabboni, my teacher."
00:41:15.74\00:41:22.38
And you know what Jesus says to
her? "Hey, Mary, let go, let go.
00:41:22.38\00:41:26.82
Don't hang on to me. I haven't
even been to the Father yet.
00:41:26.82\00:41:30.35
I was hanging around
till you came. Now I'm going.
00:41:30.35\00:41:34.52
Tell my brothers." Hey, if
he hadn't been to the Father yet
00:41:34.52\00:41:39.86
Sunday morning, there's no way
he went to the Father Friday
afternoon. [ Laughter ]
00:41:39.86\00:41:44.57
That's the point. That's
the point. Sometimes, the Bible
00:41:44.57\00:41:49.37
truth is so
clear, you don't see it.
00:41:49.37\00:41:51.11
Yeah. Oh, by the way, there will
be a glorious meeting of the
00:41:54.34\00:41:59.21
thief with Jesus one day. And if
you weren't in this church late
00:41:59.21\00:42:04.25
Sabbath afternoon and you
weren't watching on live stream
-- We had 4,000 to 6,000 people
00:42:04.25\00:42:09.06
watching it live. This place
was packed. I'm going to give a
00:42:09.06\00:42:13.43
shout-out to my young friend
Marian Gonzalez and her team of
writers and cast of actors
00:42:13.43\00:42:18.73
and band of
composers. I mean, wow! And when
00:42:18.73\00:42:22.60
the last scene is in heaven,
when the thief and Jesus meet
for the first time again
00:42:22.60\00:42:27.38
after Golgotha, and when he
falls at Jesus' feet sobbing,
00:42:27.38\00:42:32.75
there wasn't a dry eye in this
building. Oh, it will be
emotional. Fulfilled with the
00:42:32.75\00:42:38.89
name of that beautiful Easter
musical and so powerfully
rendered by our own students
00:42:38.89\00:42:43.99
here. My friends, here's
the deal. Jesus is not looking
00:42:43.99\00:42:48.00
for an excuse to lose you. He's
looking for an excuse to save
00:42:48.00\00:42:54.07
you. "Well, what can I find?
Give me one more reason. Come
on. Give me another."
00:42:54.07\00:42:57.21
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
The maker of all things loves
00:42:57.21\00:43:02.01
and wants me. Extreme
prayer. "'Father, forgive them,
00:43:02.01\00:43:09.65
for they do not know what they
are doing.'" Now, before I sit
00:43:09.65\00:43:16.19
down, I got to ask a question.
Could it be -- Help me out here,
00:43:16.19\00:43:20.76
now. Could it be Jesus expects
you and me to pray the same
prayer of forgiveness?
00:43:20.76\00:43:31.67
Hmm. Now the place is quiet.
Yeah. How about in your story?
Huh? So, somebody that you're
00:43:31.67\00:43:41.32
withholding forgiveness -- the
hurt, the pain is too raw.
There's no way, Jose,
00:43:41.32\00:43:46.59
I'm going to forgive him for
what he did to me. I'm going to
00:43:46.59\00:43:49.39
forgive her -- I'm going to
forgive them for what they did
to me. Oh, Jesus, Father,
00:43:49.39\00:43:54.76
forgive them. You got -- You
can't be asking me to do that.
00:43:54.76\00:43:57.07
I mean, they knew what they
were doing. Of course they knew.
00:43:57.07\00:43:59.53
And they did it anyway. Wow.
The most painful experience in
00:43:59.53\00:44:06.14
my life, professionally,
took place while pastoring this
00:44:06.14\00:44:12.45
wonderful congregation on this
campus. After that time of pain
had passed -- I don't know, a
00:44:12.45\00:44:22.09
year, two, three -- I don't know
what the number was, but a group
00:44:22.09\00:44:25.43
of seminarians came over to have
a visit with me. Obviously, a
00:44:25.43\00:44:29.46
class assignment where, "We've
been asked to interview you."
"Okay." So they sat down
00:44:29.46\00:44:32.23
in my office right there and
they plunged into the interview.
00:44:32.23\00:44:37.14
And somewhere along the way,
they asked me about suffering as
00:44:37.14\00:44:41.14
a pastor. You know, "Do you face
adversity as a pastor? Have you
00:44:41.14\00:44:44.51
ever had something just really
raw?" And, "Well, I'll tell
them. Without disclosing
00:44:44.51\00:44:50.49
a single detail, not a word. You
couldn't guess it. I'll just
tell them about that."
00:44:50.49\00:44:57.63
And as I started to tell them,
I started crying. I didn't know
00:44:57.63\00:45:04.40
what was going on. And I said to
them, "Man, the pain is really
00:45:04.40\00:45:12.84
close to the surface still."
00:45:12.84\00:45:14.74
Forgive. I have.
Doesn't take the pain away.
00:45:19.35\00:45:27.26
Somewhere, Jesus said, "Freely,
you have received -- Finish the
00:45:27.26\00:45:32.16
sentence for me. "Freely,
you have received. Freely give."
00:45:32.16\00:45:37.90
"Come on, boy. I'm talking to
you, Dwight. How many times have
00:45:37.90\00:45:43.04
I forgiven you? For what have I
forgiven you? You have received
very freely from me.
00:45:43.04\00:45:50.98
Now give for me." "Father,
forgive them. They didn't know
00:45:50.98\00:45:58.05
what they were doing." Oh, I
have a feeling that prayer is a
00:45:58.05\00:46:04.66
prayer we pray, as well. Lewis
Smedes, the ethicist, in his
00:46:04.66\00:46:09.20
marvelous book "The Art of
Forgiving," puts it so well.
Just a little sentence here.
00:46:09.20\00:46:13.13
"God invented forgiving as a
remedy for a past that not even
00:46:13.13\00:46:20.48
he could change and not even he
could forget." I find a small
measure of comfort in that,
00:46:20.48\00:46:27.55
because God can't change the
story behind Him. He cannot,
even if you're God.
00:46:27.55\00:46:34.26
And He can't forget the story
behind Him. Oh, but it says, I
00:46:34.26\00:46:40.06
will remember your sins no
more." Mm-hmm. You go through
00:46:40.06\00:46:46.23
hurt and then you tell me how
you forgot it. You never forgot
00:46:46.23\00:46:52.34
it. You can't. God can't. Why
would He ask of you what He
Himself doesn't do?
00:46:52.34\00:46:56.58
"I remember." Calvary
will remind us for eternity.
00:46:56.58\00:47:01.48
That purple scar
we'll never forget. Wow.
00:47:01.48\00:47:09.66
So, my only recourse -- I can't
change the past. I can't forget
00:47:09.66\00:47:17.20
it. My only recourse
is to forgive. Let it go.
00:47:17.20\00:47:21.07
Forgive. Easier said
than done, I understand.
00:47:21.07\00:47:26.74
And so I have, though I suppose
the pain will remain for a
00:47:26.74\00:47:33.15
longer while. "Father, forgive
them, for they don't know what
00:47:33.15\00:47:37.29
they are doing." Hmm. Smedes one
last time. "God is the original
00:47:37.29\00:47:42.52
master forgiver. Each time we
grope our reluctant way through
the minor miracle of forgiving,
00:47:42.52\00:47:49.23
we are imitating his style. I am
not at all sure that any of us
00:47:49.23\00:47:53.57
would have had imagination
enough to see the possibilities
in this way to heal the wrongs
00:47:53.57\00:47:58.77
of this life had he not done it
first." "Father, forgive them.
00:47:58.77\00:48:08.18
They don't know what they're
doing." Because you know why?
00:48:08.18\00:48:13.92
There really is no
other way but forgiveness.
00:48:14.12\00:48:23.67
You're waiting for
another way to open up,
00:48:23.67\00:48:25.30
it will never open up.
Forgive her. Forgive him.
00:48:25.30\00:48:30.91
I'm not saying that you
endorse what happened to you.
00:48:30.91\00:48:34.01
Forgive her. Forgive
him. Forgive them for what --
00:48:34.01\00:48:41.28
You just forgive.
00:48:41.28\00:48:42.92
And you will make it, and
so will I, because the maker
00:48:47.76\00:48:51.69
of all things really
does -- He really does love
00:48:51.69\00:48:55.00
and want you and me.
00:48:55.00\00:48:57.77
Let's pray. Oh, God -- phew! --
such an extreme prayer with such
00:48:57.97\00:49:05.44
radical forgiveness, because
there really is no other way.
It's just logically clear.
00:49:05.44\00:49:12.81
No other way is there. So, two
prayers, Father. First, let us
00:49:12.81\00:49:17.49
embrace the forgiveness of Jesus
for us. Some of us are hanging
on to the pain of what
00:49:17.49\00:49:22.62
we did to you long ago.
Let us let go. Let us receive
00:49:22.62\00:49:27.66
that forgiveness. We were
already forgiven before. And
then the other prayer,
00:49:27.66\00:49:34.24
Father. Let us live out
the forgiveness of Jesus
00:49:34.24\00:49:37.51
for them, whoever the "them"
turns out to be. Maker of all
00:49:37.51\00:49:42.94
things, who loves and wants
us, please. And thank you, thank
00:49:42.94\00:49:51.95
you, thank you. Amen. Before we
sing, I want to go to the
Connect Card with you.
00:49:51.95\00:50:01.50
You know the drill.
269-281-2345. There are some
00:50:01.50\00:50:07.04
next steps you and I can take.
We need to take. We've got to.
00:50:07.04\00:50:10.54
Just text "CALVARY3."
Just one word -- "CALVARY3."
00:50:10.54\00:50:13.68
And, immediately, you'll have
what I have here on the screen.
00:50:13.88\00:50:15.94
"My next step today
is" -- and box number 1 --
00:50:15.94\00:50:17.95
"I accept Jesus' prayer on
the cross for my forgiveness
00:50:17.95\00:50:21.02
and surrender my life to Him."
Yeah, me too. I will join you.
00:50:21.02\00:50:24.52
Put a check mark right there.
Box number 2 -- "I have freely
00:50:24.72\00:50:28.99
received Jesus' forgiveness over
and over again. Now I want to
00:50:28.99\00:50:33.50
pray. Help me, Jesus, to forgive
others as you have forgiven me,
00:50:33.50\00:50:40.47
please." And, finally, box
number 3. "I want to be
baptized. I want to follow
00:50:40.47\00:50:43.94
Jesus, my Savior." Yeah, you
haven't been baptized, school
00:50:43.94\00:50:47.94
year's running out of time, but
there's no reason why you
couldn't be baptized.
00:50:47.94\00:50:52.01
Nobody's going to set a date
for you. But if you haven't been
00:50:52.01\00:50:54.45
baptized, put a check mark
there, and I'll be in touch with
you electronically.
00:50:54.45\00:50:58.12
There's a way. Timetable
is yours, but the need is also
00:50:58.12\00:51:03.66
yours. Don't wait. Don't put off
following Jesus through baptism.
00:51:03.66\00:51:07.23
It's the greatest step you will
ever take in this life. He's
already forgiven you.
00:51:07.23\00:51:13.47
Why wouldn't you love on Him?
There's a great song. We're
going to sing it to
00:51:13.47\00:51:17.91
the "Amazing Grace" tune. But
read the words of this beautiful
00:51:17.91\00:51:22.68
prayer about
forgiveness on the screen.
00:51:22.68\00:51:24.71
¤¤
00:51:24.91\00:51:26.78
>> Thank you again
for worshiping with us.
00:54:10.25\00:54:12.68
And remember,
as you are leaving,
00:54:12.68\00:54:14.35
there are places where you can
leave your tithes and offerings.
00:54:14.35\00:54:18.45
Let us pray.
Father, forgive us, for
00:54:18.45\00:54:24.76
we don't know what we're doing.
00:54:24.76\00:54:27.00
Forgive our sins as we have
forgiven those who have sinned
00:54:27.20\00:54:32.30
against us, for we are confident
in this -- that the one who
began a good work among us
00:54:32.30\00:54:37.21
will bring it to completion by
the day of Jesus Christ, for you
are the same yesterday,
00:54:37.21\00:54:42.78
today, and forever. And the one
who testifies of these things
00:54:42.78\00:54:46.88
says, "Surely, I
am coming soon." Amen.
00:54:46.88\00:54:53.59
¤¤
00:54:53.79\00:54:55.66
>> Think of the
last time someone said,
00:57:08.02\00:57:10.99
"I'm praying for you."
Didn't it give you a sense of
00:57:10.99\00:57:13.33
peace and reassurance
that somebody cares for me?
00:57:13.33\00:57:16.20
I know how I feel
when I get an e-mail
00:57:16.20\00:57:18.03
from one of our viewers saying,
"Yo, Dwight, I've been praying
00:57:18.03\00:57:20.40
for you lately."
There's nothing like knowing
00:57:20.40\00:57:22.50
someone is praying for
you. So I want to offer you
00:57:22.50\00:57:24.51
an opportunity to partner
-- Let me, let us partner
00:57:24.51\00:57:27.81
with you in prayer. If you have
00:57:27.81\00:57:29.34
a special prayer request
or a praise of thanksgiving
00:57:29.34\00:57:31.75
you'd like to share with
us, I'm inviting you to contact
00:57:31.75\00:57:34.35
one of our friendly
chaplains. It's simple to do.
00:57:34.35\00:57:36.69
You can call our toll-free
number, 877-- The two words
00:57:36.69\00:57:39.89
HIS-WILL. 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:39.89\00:57:43.19
That friendly voice
that answers, you tell him,
00:57:43.19\00:57:45.53
you tell her what
your prayer need is.
00:57:45.53\00:57:47.56
We'll join with
you in that petition.
00:57:47.56\00:57:50.77
May the God who
answers prayer journey with you
00:57:50.77\00:57:52.47
these next few days
until we're right back here
00:57:52.47\00:57:54.67
together again next time.
00:57:54.67\00:57:56.71
¤¤
00:58:00.34\00:58:03.21