い
00:00:01.76\00:00:03.70
>> It's a joy to be returning
here to Andrews University.
00:00:14.01\00:00:17.71
So many faculty and families
are coming back after being away
00:00:17.71\00:00:23.99
perhaps for the summer.
00:00:23.99\00:00:25.32
And as we are turning our
attention, our hearts, our
minds, our syllabi to the
00:00:25.52\00:00:35.20
future semester that's coming, I
just thought it would be a great
00:00:35.20\00:00:40.00
idea if we sing together songs
that affirm the way that Jesus
leads in our lives.
00:00:40.00\00:00:46.41
I just ask that each of us
would make it our own personal
00:00:46.41\00:00:50.68
statement of testimony this
morning that not only does Jesus
lead, but that we will follow.
00:00:50.68\00:00:58.55
Let's sing together.
00:00:58.55\00:01:00.29
Let's sing it again.
00:04:05.97\00:04:07.41
Let's stand together for this.
00:05:02.23\00:05:04.33
Sing that again.
00:06:08.50\00:06:10.03
We'll stay standing for
the reading of God's Word.
00:06:43.90\00:06:46.60
>> Our Scripture reading
today is found in Psalms 98:1-3.
00:06:50.04\00:06:55.24
"Sing to the Lord a new
song, for He has done marvelous
00:06:55.24\00:06:59.35
things. His right
hand and His holy arm
00:06:59.35\00:07:03.08
have worked salvation for him.
00:07:03.08\00:07:05.75
The Lord has made His salvation
known and revealed His
righteousness to the nations.
00:07:05.95\00:07:12.33
He has remembered His love and
His faithfulness to Israel. All
the ends of the Earth have
00:07:12.33\00:07:18.03
seen the salvation
of our God." >> Amen.
00:07:18.03\00:07:21.54
い
00:07:24.41\00:07:26.27
>> Take my life and let it
be consecrated, Lord, to thee.
00:09:16.69\00:09:23.63
And speaking of,
I'd like to invite
00:09:23.63\00:09:26.80
all of our Pioneer elders
that are currently serving
00:09:26.80\00:09:29.53
to come and join me here
in a semicircle behind me.
00:09:29.53\00:09:33.30
Pastoral staff, those that are
here, if you would come and do
00:09:33.50\00:09:36.40
the same. Go ahead and come and
join me right now at this time.
I'd also like to invite a
00:09:36.40\00:09:43.11
very important group of people.
If you are a teacher at Andrews
00:09:43.11\00:09:50.22
University, would you please
come and join me behind the
stage? And there's going to be a
00:09:50.22\00:09:53.92
few more of us here at second
service than at first. Would you
00:09:53.92\00:09:56.52
please move to the middle?
We can go ahead and do several
00:09:56.52\00:09:59.06
layers deep. If you are an
educator, if you are part of the
staff, the support staff
00:09:59.06\00:10:04.57
at Andrews University, would
you, too, please come and join
00:10:04.57\00:10:09.64
us here? If you are faculty or
staff at Ruth Murdoch or Andrews
Academy, would you also please
00:10:09.64\00:10:16.14
come and join us here on the
stage? And if you are a teacher
00:10:16.14\00:10:25.22
or support staff at a public
high school or a public
institution not affiliated with
00:10:25.22\00:10:30.29
our church, please come and join
us. If you are a homeschool
teacher, if you are teaching
00:10:30.29\00:10:37.27
your children at home, would
you, too, please come and join
00:10:37.27\00:10:41.90
us? We are going to test the
structural limits of this
platform this morning.
00:10:45.34\00:10:51.25
Amen. Amen. Yes. And if you
were on the balcony, we'll wait.
00:10:51.25\00:10:57.35
Come on down.
00:10:57.35\00:10:58.82
Gather into the middle. If we
need to spill out down the steps
00:11:07.96\00:11:11.77
here, that's fine. Plenty of
room. Plenty of room. Move
towards the middle.
00:11:25.38\00:11:28.88
Feel free to move on up. い
00:11:46.74\00:11:51.14
And all God's people said... >>
Amen! >> This is quite a group,
00:12:07.49\00:12:11.26
isn't it? Teachers, staff,
administrators, those of you
that are engaged in
00:12:11.26\00:12:18.43
the education of young people, I
want to say two things to you
this morning before I offer
00:12:18.43\00:12:24.24
a prayer of dedication. Number
one, I want you to know how much
00:12:24.24\00:12:29.18
I admire what it is that
you do. I am not a professional
00:12:29.18\00:12:35.22
educator. I have taught a class
or two over the years. I once
00:12:35.22\00:12:39.22
substituted for a few weeks at
Andrews Academy, even, back in
the day. And it was experiences
00:12:39.22\00:12:44.26
like that that assured me I
was in the right profession. [
00:12:44.26\00:12:49.43
Laughter ] I have deep
appreciation for what you as
educators and support staff do.
00:12:49.43\00:12:54.64
You have my undying sympathy
at times, because I know,
00:12:54.64\00:12:58.97
too, some of the students that
are in your classes. I rejoice
with you when you meet
00:12:58.97\00:13:04.05
great success in helping
students attain their goals. And
at the end of a school year,
00:13:04.05\00:13:09.45
I breathe a sigh of relief with
you, as well, as another good
deed has been done over
00:13:09.45\00:13:16.06
the previous academic calendar.
Thank you for your ministry and
00:13:16.06\00:13:21.76
your dedication to helping our
children become all that they
can be. And, secondly, while it
00:13:21.76\00:13:27.97
is true that I am going to pray
in just a moment here, I want
00:13:27.97\00:13:31.24
you to be assured that this is
not the only time you will be
prayed for. We understand
00:13:31.24\00:13:35.94
clearly what the stakes are in
what you do. And so I think I
can safely say, on behalf of the
00:13:35.94\00:13:42.42
entire Pioneer family and those
that are watching us online,
will we be praying for these
00:13:42.42\00:13:47.56
people? Amen and amen. Amen,
amen. You will need all the help
that heaven can offer,
00:13:47.56\00:13:53.66
and we want to begin
today. Would you bow your heads,
00:13:53.66\00:13:56.43
please, with me? Elders, if
you'd find a shoulder. Pastors,
00:13:56.43\00:13:58.93
find a shoulder, place a hand.
And, congregation, please bow
00:13:58.93\00:14:02.80
your heads as we offer
a prayer of dedication.
00:14:02.80\00:14:04.74
Father in heaven, this group of
people -- what an august group.
00:14:09.04\00:14:14.62
These are the ones that have
said they will dedicate
themselves to your service,
00:14:14.62\00:14:18.59
that they will get up each
morning, that they will rejoice
or mourn, regardless,
00:14:18.59\00:14:23.56
Lord, they will serve you at
the end of each day that your
00:14:23.56\00:14:27.66
children might be closer to You,
that they might become better
people, Lord, fitted for this
00:14:27.66\00:14:32.90
world, yes, and even more
importantly, Lord, for service
in your world to come.
00:14:32.90\00:14:38.57
Lord, I want to ask for several
things for this group. First,
Lord, I ask for safety.
00:14:38.57\00:14:43.81
I pray that this would be a
physically safe year. We learned
all too well, Lord,
00:14:43.81\00:14:47.95
in 2020 and following that,
sometimes, physical health has
an immense difference
00:14:47.95\00:14:52.39
in how we are able to perform
our duties. Please, Lord, may
00:14:52.39\00:14:56.12
this be a healthy and a safe
year for each person, Lord, here
gathered on this stage.
00:14:56.12\00:15:02.16
But I also want to ask for a
blessing, Lord, on their homes.
00:15:02.16\00:15:07.80
Lord, what happens in the
classroom obviously is of great
importance. But every person up
00:15:07.80\00:15:11.87
here, every staff member, every
teacher can honestly say if
things are not well at home,
00:15:11.87\00:15:16.21
it will be reflected in what
happens in the classroom. So,
00:15:16.21\00:15:20.78
Lord, I pray. I pray for your
deep and abiding blessing on
each marriage that is
00:15:20.78\00:15:26.02
represented here. I pray that
you would bless their children,
bless them as parents, Lord.
00:15:26.02\00:15:29.42
If they are grandparents, bless
them, Lord, and their family
00:15:29.42\00:15:32.56
relationships. I pray that each
home represented here would,
indeed, be strong in You.
00:15:32.56\00:15:39.90
And Lord, lastly and most
importantly, I pray, Lord, for
00:15:39.90\00:15:44.17
the filling of Your Holy Spirit
for each person that is here.
Please, Lord, send the former
00:15:44.17\00:15:48.78
and the latter rains of
your Holy Spirit to fill them to
00:15:48.78\00:15:53.68
overflowing. Lord, this is a job
that cannot be done on our own.
00:15:53.68\00:15:57.42
This is not a human-strength
equation. This is one where,
yes, we are willing, but You are
00:15:57.42\00:16:02.52
the power. You are the strength.
You are the passion that can
00:16:02.52\00:16:05.86
burn inside of us, that must
burn inside of us, if we are to
succeed for you. So please pour
00:16:05.86\00:16:11.40
out Your spirit, Lord,
generously, in great abundance.
00:16:11.40\00:16:14.50
Fill each person, Lord, that is
here, and may their ministry for
You be one that truly makes
00:16:14.50\00:16:20.48
heaven a bigger and a better
place. We thank You for this and
we dedicate them to You
00:16:20.48\00:16:25.41
and to Your service. And all
God's people said... >> Amen.
00:16:25.41\00:16:31.99
>> Thank you,
educators and staff. い
00:16:31.99\00:16:36.46
>> For most of his working
life, my father was a university
00:17:01.18\00:17:07.06
professor specializing
in curriculum development
00:17:07.06\00:17:10.56
for vocational
programs. He worked
00:17:10.56\00:17:13.23
at various universities,
public universities,
00:17:13.23\00:17:15.53
across the country.
But earlier in his life,
00:17:15.53\00:17:19.47
he had some interesting jobs.
Not that being a university
00:17:19.47\00:17:22.94
professor isn't interesting,
but you'll see what I'm meaning
00:17:22.94\00:17:25.51
here in just a moment. One
day, he was -- While working
00:17:25.51\00:17:29.04
as a parts manager
at a Ferrari dealership
00:17:29.04\00:17:31.68
on the West Coast, his
boss came to him and said,
00:17:31.68\00:17:35.65
Hey, would you
like to buy a car?"
00:17:35.65\00:17:39.09
Now, you may rightly ask, "What
car was it?" Let me just put an
00:17:39.29\00:17:43.02
example here up on the screen.
There we go. Yes. Now, for those
00:17:43.02\00:17:49.10
of you that don't know, this is
an Aston Martin DBR1. And back
00:17:49.10\00:17:54.44
in the day, in the 1950s, from
1956 to 1959, these were made by
Aston Martin. There was not
00:17:54.44\00:18:00.84
very many of them made. They
were purely for sports racing
00:18:00.84\00:18:04.38
and they were fairly successful.
One of them, in 1959, actually
won the 24 hours of Le Mans,
00:18:04.38\00:18:10.72
which even today -- It's a race
in France. It's considered to be
00:18:10.72\00:18:13.49
one of the most arduous and
prestigious races to win. Now,
they were not offering
00:18:13.49\00:18:18.39
my father the Le Mans winner,
but it was one of the line, the
00:18:18.39\00:18:24.17
few of the DBR1s. And my dad,
being into racing himself, said,
"Well, how much do you want?"
00:18:24.17\00:18:30.67
His boss said, "$5,000."
Now, $5,000 today will get you a
00:18:30.67\00:18:38.91
broken tricycle with no front
wheel, okay? But in those days,
if you account for inflation,
00:18:38.91\00:18:45.32
I believe it works out to about
$36,000 in today's money, okay?
So, you know, not chump change,
00:18:45.32\00:18:52.36
but not stratospheric either. In
fact, last year, at the end of
00:18:52.36\00:18:56.40
last year, 2022, the average
selling price of the
mainstream-market car, so not
00:18:56.40\00:19:01.84
luxury cars, but in the United
States, the average price of a
new car paid was $48,000.
00:19:01.84\00:19:08.51
I know. Crazy, isn't it? Yeah.
But what that means is, is that,
basically, his boss
00:19:08.51\00:19:13.48
was offering him a relatively
storied racecar for used-car
00:19:13.48\00:19:21.96
money -- $5,000. This is in the
early '70s. And my dad thought
about it, thought, "Okay,
00:19:21.96\00:19:26.19
how could I make that
work? Maybe, you know, I call a
00:19:26.19\00:19:28.70
friend. I could sell this. I
could do this. You know, second
00:19:28.70\00:19:31.57
mortgage on the house, something
like this." And, finally, he
decided not to buy the car,
00:19:31.57\00:19:39.14
because, as he told me many
years later, it was just an old
00:19:39.14\00:19:45.25
racecar. Some of you know what
I'm going to say next, don't
00:19:50.35\00:19:54.12
you? [ Laughter ] Yeah, yeah.
So, indeed, years later at
auction -- in fact, not too long
00:19:54.12\00:19:59.29
ago. It was August of
2017. One of these DBR1s sold at
00:19:59.29\00:20:06.00
auction not for 1 million, not
for 2 million, not for 5, not
for 10, not for $20 million.
00:20:06.00\00:20:21.42
It set a record, actually, for a
British-made car. $22.5 million,
00:20:21.42\00:20:29.46
meaning that my dad's initial
investment of $5,000 would have
been multiplied 625 times.
00:20:29.46\00:20:38.20
I mean, my college would
have been paid for if my dad had
00:20:38.20\00:20:42.94
bought that car. I mean, we
would have -- We all would have
had great houses. I mean, life
00:20:42.94\00:20:46.88
would have been very, very
different if my dad had just
spent used-car money on that
00:20:46.88\00:20:55.15
Aston Martin. Isn't it
remarkable how even moderate
investments now can sometimes
00:20:55.15\00:21:06.16
yield huge returns later? And,
as it turns out, what's true in
the automotive world is
00:21:06.16\00:21:14.77
even more true in the spiritual.
Turn your Bibles, please, to
00:21:14.77\00:21:23.48
Luke chapter 24. Luke 24:13.
While you're turning there to
Luke 24:13, let me remind you
00:21:23.48\00:21:30.22
of where we have been. This
is Part 2 of a very short series
00:21:30.22\00:21:33.79
entitled "Great Teachers." And
in Part 1, we were reminded by
00:21:33.79\00:21:38.56
the story of the calling of
Levi/Matthew that our mission is
the same as Christ.
00:21:38.56\00:21:43.03
Christ called Levi/Matthew to
follow him. Jesus invites us to
00:21:43.03\00:21:47.27
follow Him and, in turn, that
we would invite others to follow
00:21:47.27\00:21:51.44
Christ, as well. "May the chain
be unbroken," Jesus is saying.
00:21:51.44\00:21:54.18
"Keep inviting people to follow
me." We also did this thought
00:21:54.18\00:21:58.05
experiment. In the spirit of
reaching others for Jesus, we
said, "What if 500 guests
00:21:58.05\00:22:04.25
were here the first Sabbath
of January 2024, guests that did
00:22:04.25\00:22:08.59
not know Jesus, they were
not yet ready for Jesus to come,
00:22:08.59\00:22:12.83
what would we do?" And then, of
course, we discovered that it
wasn't so much a thought
00:22:12.83\00:22:15.90
experiment as it is reality. We
do, indeed, have hundreds of
students that are about
00:22:15.90\00:22:20.64
to descend on our campus, many
of which are not yet ready for
00:22:20.64\00:22:25.44
Jesus to come. Maybe they made a
decision for Him and they've
fallen away. Maybe they've
00:22:25.44\00:22:27.91
never made a decision for Him.
And they are going to be here on
our campus, in our sanctuary.
00:22:27.91\00:22:32.85
What a privilege we have. And so
we said, "Well, what do we need
00:22:32.85\00:22:36.58
to do to prepare for that?" We
talked about Madam Hawk. We
don't we don't want
00:22:36.58\00:22:40.26
Madame Hawk in our lobbies. We
talked about 1 Corinthians 13.
00:22:40.26\00:22:43.29
We need to have the love of
Jesus for our students. And then
I very cruelly left you
00:22:43.29\00:22:48.36
on a cliff hanging and said,
"What is it that we need to do
to reach our students?
00:22:48.36\00:22:52.83
I'll give you some
practical things. Then I said,
00:22:52.83\00:22:54.40
"We'll talk about it in Part 2."
Well, true to my word, we are
going to do that this morning.
00:22:54.40\00:22:59.51
With Christ's love firmly in our
hearts, what specific things can
00:22:59.51\00:23:05.41
we do to help our students
to know Christ as their personal
00:23:05.41\00:23:12.29
friend and savior? To get at
that, Luke Chapter 24, begin
with Verse 13. This is one of my
00:23:12.29\00:23:17.56
-- You're going to hear this
many a time -- favorite stories
00:23:17.56\00:23:21.63
in the Bible. How do you -- I
mean, if somebody asked you,
"Which one of your kids do you
00:23:21.63\00:23:24.77
love the most?" -- I mean, this
is -- You can't -- There's just
so many good stories here.
00:23:24.77\00:23:28.30
This is a very rare
story, in that it happens
00:23:28.30\00:23:34.31
post-Resurrection and Jesus is
in it. There's very few stories
like that in the Gospels.
00:23:34.31\00:23:38.25
You know, John has Jesus at
the Sea of Galilee, a second
00:23:38.25\00:23:41.18
miraculous catch of fish, et
cetera. This is Jesus. It's
actually the same day
00:23:41.18\00:23:45.39
as the Resurrection. This
is Sunday. And He meets some
00:23:45.39\00:23:50.76
people. Let's see what happens.
Verse 13, Luke 24. "Now, that
same day, two of them
00:23:50.76\00:23:55.33
were going to a village called
Emmaus, about 7 miles from
00:23:55.33\00:24:00.27
Jerusalem. They were talking
with each other about everything
00:24:00.27\00:24:03.87
that had happened. As they
talked and discussed these
things with each other, Jesus
00:24:03.87\00:24:08.91
Himself came up and walked along
with them. But they were kept
from recognizing Him."
00:24:08.91\00:24:13.85
Hmm. "He asked them, 'What
are you discussing together
00:24:13.85\00:24:18.09
as you walk along?' They stood
still, their faces downcast.
00:24:18.09\00:24:22.89
One of them, named Cleopas,
asked Him, 'Are you only a
00:24:22.89\00:24:25.86
visitor to Jerusalem and do not
know the things that have
happened there in these days?'
00:24:25.86\00:24:30.23
'What things?', He asked.
'About Jesus of Nazareth,' they
00:24:30.23\00:24:35.04
replied. 'He was a prophet,
powerful in word and deed before
God and all the people.
00:24:35.04\00:24:39.34
The chief priests and our rulers
handed Him over to be sentenced
00:24:39.34\00:24:42.74
to death and they crucified Him.
But we had hoped that He was the
00:24:42.74\00:24:47.85
one who was going to redeem
Israel. And what is more, it is
00:24:47.85\00:24:52.12
the third day since all this
took place. In addition, some of
our women amazed us.
00:24:52.12\00:24:55.26
They went to the tomb early this
morning, but didn't find His
00:24:55.26\00:24:58.53
body. They came and told us that
they had seen a vision of
angels, who said He was alive.
00:24:58.53\00:25:02.56
Then some of our companions went
to the tomb and found it just as
the women had said,
00:25:02.56\00:25:06.37
but Him they did not see.'"
Pause for just a moment. If all
you read are the words
00:25:06.37\00:25:15.11
on paper of what comes next, it
can sound a little cruel, okay?
I just want to remind you
00:25:15.11\00:25:22.88
that the cross is now in the
rear-view mirror. Jesus is not
00:25:22.88\00:25:27.56
looking to make someone's day
worse. This is the joyful risen
00:25:27.56\00:25:31.29
savior now, and He is with two
disciples that He knows their
hearts. He knows their
00:25:31.29\00:25:35.43
sincerity. He knows they're
looking for good things. He's
00:25:35.43\00:25:37.73
not going to disappoint them.
This is not a cruel rebuke that
00:25:37.73\00:25:40.80
is coming. This is an
invitation. Here's what He says.
Verse 25. "He said to them, 'How
00:25:40.80\00:25:45.37
foolish you are and how slow of
heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken.
00:25:45.37\00:25:49.88
Did not the Christ have to
suffer these things and then
00:25:49.88\00:25:56.75
enter His glory?'" Pause again,
please, because we need to note
something very important.
00:25:56.75\00:26:01.66
I'm gonna put it on
the screen here for you.
00:26:01.66\00:26:04.59
Let that sink in.
00:26:13.60\00:26:15.44
Now, to be fair to the story,
earlier, we just read -- it says
that they were kept
00:26:21.34\00:26:26.28
from recognizing Him, right?
So there is a divine element to
00:26:26.28\00:26:30.22
this lack of apprehension on
their part. So we're not going
to completely blame Cleopas
00:26:30.22\00:26:34.76
and his companion there. But, by
the same token, we must
immediately confess
00:26:34.76\00:26:42.23
that there are many other
reasons besides divine blinders
that keep us from recognizing
00:26:42.23\00:26:48.24
the presence of God, even when
He is right there. You know, I
00:26:48.24\00:26:55.78
think we could safely say -- I
mean, I don't have a poll that
tells me this for sure,
00:26:55.78\00:26:59.45
but I'm fairly certain that the
majority of the world is in this
00:26:59.45\00:27:04.49
camp. And I know for certain
that high-handed sinners would
00:27:04.49\00:27:08.49
be in this camp. You know what I
mean. People who know what is
wrong and they rejoice in it.
00:27:08.49\00:27:11.69
They're going to keep on
doing their thing. Yes, if Jesus
00:27:11.69\00:27:14.93
walked through their living
room, they probably would not
understand that this was God
00:27:14.93\00:27:20.84
himself, okay? But let's just --
Let's bring it right down here.
Right here on this campus.
00:27:20.84\00:27:29.68
There's a lot of pastors and
teachers on this campus. We are
00:27:29.68\00:27:36.22
blessed. And we must readily
admit, if we are honest, that
sometimes, we can become
00:27:36.22\00:27:41.39
so used to dealing with that
which is holy that it becomes
00:27:41.39\00:27:48.00
commonplace to us. You know, one
of the great blessings, as I
mentioned with our Faculty
00:27:48.00\00:27:52.40
Institute earlier this week, one
of the great blessings of
working for the Lord
00:27:52.40\00:27:55.67
is that you get to deal with the
things of the Lord all the time.
One of the greatest risks
00:27:55.67\00:27:59.54
of working for the Lord is that
you deal with things of the Lord
00:27:59.54\00:28:03.04
all the time, and that which is
holy can become mundane. It is
00:28:03.04\00:28:08.02
possible to be in the presence
of God and not even know it.
Many of our students that are
00:28:08.02\00:28:18.06
about to arrive on our campus
will be in this category. You
00:28:18.06\00:28:24.13
know, a tiny minority of them
will be high-handed sinners. You
know, they're doing
00:28:24.13\00:28:27.07
what's wrong, and they like it
and they know it, so they're not
00:28:27.07\00:28:30.01
going to see it. But perhaps
there will be many, many, many
more others that, for whatever
00:28:30.01\00:28:34.34
reason, because they're
distracted, maybe the world has
made inroads into their life,
00:28:34.34\00:28:37.68
for whatever reason, when they
come onto this campus in, we
00:28:37.68\00:28:42.85
pray, the presence of the Lord,
it is possible that they will
not recognize it right away,
00:28:42.85\00:28:50.29
which leads me to ask what
I think is a very important
00:28:50.29\00:28:54.93
question. How can we fix
that? How can we help whatever
00:28:54.93\00:28:59.70
blinders are on their eyes to
come off that they may see
Jesus? We want them to know
00:28:59.70\00:29:04.41
Jesus. Amen? And you cannot know
Jesus unless you somehow see
00:29:04.41\00:29:08.41
Him. You must apprehend Him and
His presence, His work. So how
00:29:08.41\00:29:12.55
do we fix that? How do we help
them to see the Jesus that is
here? Well, blessedly,
00:29:12.55\00:29:20.62
we can look at what Jesus did.
What did Jesus do to help take
the blinders off of Cleopas
00:29:20.62\00:29:29.13
and his companion's spiritual
eyes? Hmm. Let's check it out.
00:29:29.13\00:29:35.84
Verse 27, it says, "And
beginning with Moses and all the
00:29:35.84\00:29:43.14
prophets, He explained to them
what was said in all the --"
What's the next word there?
00:29:43.14\00:29:47.75
Scriptures. "All the
scriptures concerning Himself.
00:29:47.75\00:29:50.79
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm. Let's keep
going here. "As they approached
00:29:50.79\00:29:54.02
the village to which they were
going, Jesus acted as if He were
00:29:54.02\00:29:57.49
going further. But they urged
Him strongly, 'Stay with us, for
it is nearly evening.
00:29:57.49\00:30:01.00
The day is almost over.' So He
went in to stay with them. When
He was at the table
00:30:01.00\00:30:06.00
with them, He took bread, gave
thanks, broke it, and began to
00:30:06.00\00:30:11.37
give it to them. Then their eyes
were opened and they recognized
Him, and He disappeared from
00:30:11.37\00:30:17.88
their sight." Just like that,
vanished. "They asked each
other, 'Were not our hearts
00:30:17.88\00:30:23.42
burning within us while He
talked with us on the road and
opened the Scriptures to us?'"
00:30:23.42\00:30:28.96
How is it that Jesus wakes up
these two spiritual seekers to
the reality of His presence?
00:30:32.73\00:30:39.63
Clearly, the first answer is
through the word. It was through
00:30:39.63\00:30:44.97
the Scriptures. That is what
Jesus used to bring Cleopas and
his friend to their senses.
00:30:44.97\00:30:49.08
Obviously, the Scriptures played
heavily in that, and the same is
00:30:49.08\00:30:53.92
to be true for us. If we are to
successfully help our students
to see Jesus, we must be people
00:30:53.92\00:31:00.92
of the word. We must be people
of this book. We must know it.
00:31:00.92\00:31:03.99
We must live it. We must study
it each day. We must incorporate
it into our lives that we can
00:31:03.99\00:31:07.96
honestly say, "We know Jesus.
Come and follow us as we follow
00:31:07.96\00:31:13.27
him." This word is crucial to
the revival that we are looking
00:31:13.27\00:31:17.74
for. And...and... did you notice
what this gift of the word
00:31:24.21\00:31:35.49
was wrapped up in? Did you see
the circumstances under which
Jesus used the word
00:31:35.49\00:31:44.63
to help them recognize Him?
00:31:44.63\00:31:46.40
This is really important. Please
listen carefully. The gift that
00:31:51.01\00:31:57.25
this revelation of Jesus Christ
to Cleopas, his companion, and
to us and to our students,
00:31:57.25\00:32:03.42
the gift that this is wrapped
up in is the gift of time.
00:32:03.42\00:32:09.72
Time. Time. The
gift that Jesus gave us
00:32:14.03\00:32:24.47
was first and foremost His life
on the cross. That story is most
00:32:24.47\00:32:30.35
securely found in His word, this
book, the Bible. No question
00:32:30.35\00:32:35.55
about that. But part and parcel
of that gift is the profound
gift of time. Follow me closely
00:32:35.55\00:32:41.56
here. In the Garden of Eden,
what did God do in the cool of
00:32:41.56\00:32:48.70
the evening? He came and walked
with Adam and Eve, didn't he? He
came -- Now, think about
00:32:48.70\00:32:52.73
that. God, who knows everything,
who knew Adam and Eve's thoughts
00:32:52.73\00:32:56.04
could have just, you know,
communicated and, "I hear you. I
hear you through my brain."
00:32:56.04\00:33:00.18
God instead said, "I need to be
with you. I need to spend time
00:33:00.18\00:33:05.31
with you." And so he walks with
them in the cool of the evening.
00:33:05.31\00:33:08.28
Now, God walked and talked with
Enoch. He spent time with him.
We know how that story ended,
00:33:08.28\00:33:12.92
don't we? Enoch went to heaven.
God spent time with Abraham,
00:33:12.92\00:33:17.39
with the Jews as a nation in
general, with Daniel, with
Isaiah, with the other prophets.
00:33:17.39\00:33:21.76
When Jesus comes, when the
Messiah comes, they call Him,
00:33:21.76\00:33:26.10
among other names, Emmanuel,
which means..."God with us, God
spending time with us."
00:33:26.10\00:33:34.18
And Jesus spent time -- Oh,
did he spend time with his 12
00:33:34.18\00:33:38.75
Disciples. You know, the stories
that we have written in the
Gospels are obviously very good
00:33:38.75\00:33:44.59
stories, but it doesn't cover
all that Jesus did. In fact,
John even confesses
00:33:44.59\00:33:48.22
this, doesn't he? Towards the
end of his Gospel. If all the
00:33:48.22\00:33:50.73
stories were written down about
Jesus, the whole world would not
have room enough to hold them
00:33:50.73\00:33:54.63
because Jesus spent so much
time with people. He spent time
00:33:54.63\00:33:59.40
with his disciples. They
went to synagogue. He spent time
00:33:59.40\00:34:01.74
walking back from synagogue.
He spent time in debate with the
00:34:01.74\00:34:04.67
Pharisees and the scribes in the
presence. He spent time with the
disciples almost -- all across
00:34:04.67\00:34:12.11
Judea. And, yes, on the road to
Emmaus, Jesus spent significant
time with Cleopas and his
00:34:12.11\00:34:19.29
companion. How long does it take
you to walk 7 miles? You know,
00:34:19.29\00:34:23.19
I've been to that part of the
world. It's not exactly all
paved and straight, okay?
00:34:23.19\00:34:26.49
There's not rest areas you can
pull off, like, on the turnpike
00:34:26.49\00:34:29.36
or something. It's rough
territory. So, figure about two
hours, if they're walking.
00:34:29.36\00:34:33.00
For two hours,
Jesus opens their eyes
00:34:33.20\00:34:37.04
through the Scripture.
He spent time with them
00:34:37.04\00:34:38.74
going over hill, over dale,
starting with -- you know, it
00:34:38.74\00:34:41.28
says -- It goes with
Moses, so the first five books
00:34:41.28\00:34:43.04
of the Bible.
Then He goes through
00:34:43.04\00:34:44.18
the prophets, and that
covers most of the rest of it.
00:34:44.18\00:34:46.01
And He shares
all of these things
00:34:46.01\00:34:47.85
in the space of two
hours. He invested serious
00:34:47.85\00:34:50.39
time with them.
And even when Jesus
00:34:50.39\00:34:52.79
left this Earth, He
soon sent his Holy Spirit
00:34:52.79\00:34:55.79
so that we could quite literally
spend all time with Him.
00:34:55.79\00:35:01.96
And someday soon, Jesus is
going to return to this Earth
00:35:01.96\00:35:06.07
so that we can spend
time with Him for eternity.
00:35:06.07\00:35:11.07
In fact, the very concept
of atonement -- you know,
00:35:11.07\00:35:14.18
it's not strictly correct,
but if you break the word down
00:35:14.18\00:35:16.34
into three parts --
"at-one-ment" -- God with us.
00:35:16.34\00:35:19.81
The very notion of atonement
shouts at the top of its lungs
that God longs to be with us,
00:35:20.02\00:35:26.05
to spend time with us. So, until
Jesus comes back, God knows
00:35:26.05\00:35:37.57
something. He knows that to save
us, He must spend time with us.
And, thus, it should come
00:35:37.57\00:35:42.90
as no surprise that the same is
true for those of us who would
00:35:42.90\00:35:46.17
sign up to help God in this
great work of helping our
students to be ready for heaven,
00:35:46.17\00:35:50.91
as well. Many of them will not
come to know Jesus as we do
unless we give them our...time.
00:35:50.91\00:36:01.42
You want to know how to reach
our students for Christ? You
00:36:01.42\00:36:05.03
want to be a great teacher for
them, one who shows them clearly
00:36:05.03\00:36:08.73
the love of Jesus? Then give
them the gift of your time, and
let me now show you some very
00:36:08.73\00:36:14.34
specific and practical ways to
do that. If you have your
bulletin, take a look there at
00:36:14.34\00:36:20.74
the insert. There's a Connect
Card that's in there. If you
have your smartphone,
00:36:20.74\00:36:23.45
go ahead and scan the QR code
that is in the bulletin there.
00:36:23.45\00:36:29.25
If you are online and watching
us, we're going to put up a
number on the screen that you
00:36:29.25\00:36:33.96
can text a single word
to. Text the word "engage" --
00:36:33.96\00:36:38.26
E-N-G-A-G-E. "Engage." Text that
word, and you will be sent a
link to what it is that we're
00:36:38.26\00:36:42.53
going to be looking at. I want
to share with you a number of
00:36:42.53\00:36:45.43
ways that we can engage with our
university students. Now, very
00:36:45.43\00:36:49.54
quickly, some of you have asked,
"Can we do something similar to
what you're suggesting
00:36:49.54\00:36:53.81
for our elementary-school and
our high-school students?" And
00:36:53.81\00:36:56.21
the answer is a resounding yes.
Yes, yes, yes. There are some
00:36:56.21\00:37:00.72
legalities involved for
minors. And so I do not sit here
00:37:00.72\00:37:05.25
prepared today to give you what
we're planning for our younger
students at Ruth Murdoch and
00:37:05.25\00:37:11.39
public high schools and Andrews
Academy. That is in the works.
We're coming to that.
00:37:11.39\00:37:15.20
We'll share it with you at
a later date. For today, let's
00:37:15.20\00:37:19.37
take a peek at some things that
we can do to spend important
time with our university
00:37:19.37\00:37:23.74
students. There's three levels
of engagement, investment that
I'm asking that you would make.
00:37:23.74\00:37:28.81
The first one -- hardly any
time at all. The second one -- a
00:37:28.81\00:37:31.65
little bit more time. The
third one -- yes, even more time
00:37:31.65\00:37:34.38
still. But great return over
time on investment. Let's take a
00:37:34.38\00:37:38.79
look at this. If you're looking
at this Connect Card here, at
00:37:38.79\00:37:41.79
the very top, there's a place
for your name and your contact
information. Please don't forget
00:37:41.79\00:37:44.66
that. We really do want to get
that information from you. In
the first category,
00:37:44.66\00:37:48.80
it says, "Great teachers for
great students, ways to engage
00:37:48.80\00:37:52.13
our students for Christ." Level
1 -- simple and powerful. First
thing there -- pray daily
00:37:52.13\00:37:56.87
for our students. There's
a reason this is number one.
00:37:56.87\00:38:02.38
Would you like to see revival
in the worldwide Seventh Day
00:38:02.38\00:38:07.92
Adventist Church? Alright, the
tepidness of that response
proves why exactly we need
00:38:07.92\00:38:11.69
revival in the Seventh Day
Adventist Church. I'm going to
give you one more chance.
00:38:11.69\00:38:14.46
Would you like to see revival
in the worldwide Seventh Day
00:38:14.46\00:38:17.79
Adventist Church? >> Yes! >>
Yeah, amen, amen. Let it begin
00:38:17.79\00:38:21.00
here. Praise the Lord. And
we are told very clearly that a
00:38:21.00\00:38:25.20
revival need only be expected in
answer to prayer. So this is
serious business, and it's the
00:38:25.20\00:38:31.47
lowest-hanging fruit for any of
us. You don't have to go
anywhere. You don't have to be
00:38:31.47\00:38:34.31
any special place. Anywhere
you are, you can pray for our
00:38:34.31\00:38:36.81
student body, pray for our new
students that are coming, pray
for our students that are
00:38:36.81\00:38:40.08
returning, pray for our faculty
and for our staff, pray for me,
pray for our pastoral staff
00:38:40.08\00:38:43.45
here at Pioneer, pray for all
of us that there will be God's
00:38:43.45\00:38:47.09
will done on this campus.
Secondly, greet them warmly.
Greet students warmly at church
00:38:47.09\00:38:53.26
on Sabbath. This is
a huge thing. When you
00:38:53.26\00:38:55.23
see somebody who even remotely
looks like they're a student --
Check for bags under their eyes,
00:38:55.23\00:38:59.23
okay? This will
help you to see, alright?
00:38:59.23\00:39:01.34
And they look -- Just welcome
them. "Hi, there. I'm so-and-so.
00:39:01.34\00:39:03.97
I'm a member here at Pioneer.
I'm so glad that you're here
00:39:03.97\00:39:06.71
this morning. Thank you for
coming." Just do it. Everyone
00:39:06.71\00:39:09.71
that looks like a student,
invite them. Welcome them here.
That'd be excellent.
00:39:09.71\00:39:12.81
Learn their names, number three,
and use them when you see them.
Now, some of you have been
00:39:12.81\00:39:17.85
amazed when I have remembered
your name. And many of you have
00:39:17.85\00:39:24.53
been gracious when I did not.
Thank you. That's kind of you. I
understand that not everybody
00:39:24.53\00:39:29.06
can memorize 2,000 names, but
you can remember five. You can
00:39:29.06\00:39:34.60
learn five over the course of a
year. My baseline challenge to
you, if you check this box --
00:39:34.60\00:39:38.07
and I hope you do -- learn at
least five names, and when you
00:39:38.07\00:39:40.81
see them on a Sabbath morning,
greet them by their name and
tell them that you're glad
00:39:40.81\00:39:44.11
that they're here. Few -- You
know, our names are important,
00:39:44.11\00:39:46.92
right? Our names are important.
When you call somebody by name,
it means that you remember
00:39:46.92\00:39:50.25
that they're important, and
if they're important to you as a
00:39:50.25\00:39:53.12
member of Pioneer, they're also
important to... Exactly. To God,
as well. Be that reflection.
00:39:53.12\00:39:57.39
Simple thing. And, lastly, love
them. Do what Jesus would do
00:39:57.39\00:40:00.36
if He were in your shoes,
whatever situation you're in
with a university student.
00:40:00.36\00:40:03.63
That's the first level. Level
number two -- a little more time
00:40:03.63\00:40:06.84
required -- invite students home
for Sabbath lunch. But you say
00:40:06.84\00:40:09.57
Pastor Shane, "I can't cook." Do
you have a Costco membership? [
00:40:09.57\00:40:16.18
Laughter ] Okay, if you're an
Adventist, you know, you get
your baptismal certificate and a
00:40:16.18\00:40:20.55
Costco card. They go right
together, okay? Right? Because
we're cheap and we like a good
00:40:20.55\00:40:25.05
deal and we know where to find
those, and that's at Costco,
okay? So if you've got your
00:40:25.05\00:40:28.52
Costco card, buy lasagna, right?
Just get a tray of lasagna. You
can buy everything prefab.
00:40:28.52\00:40:33.60
The students will know that it's
Costco because their parents do
00:40:33.60\00:40:36.63
the same thing back home,
alright? But it's good food, and
they'll be there for lunch,
00:40:36.63\00:40:40.87
and you can get to know people,
but it gives you the time that
you can invest in them.
00:40:40.87\00:40:44.14
Now, secondly, make extra food
and invite students to potluck
00:40:44.14\00:40:49.61
with you. Now, if there are any
university students here, let me
just tell you a little secret.
00:40:49.61\00:40:53.52
Some adults are scared of you.
They don't know what to say,
00:40:53.52\00:40:59.55
right? It's been a long time
since they were cool, and they
00:40:59.55\00:41:04.46
know it, okay? So, back to the
adults now. If you go to
potluck, there's other people to
00:41:04.46\00:41:08.46
carry the conversation, right?
Okay, so, you make extra food.
We don't want to take the food
00:41:08.46\00:41:13.37
from other people, so make
extra food, invite students to
00:41:13.37\00:41:15.97
potluck. There will be lots of
people. You can have good
conversations together.
00:41:15.97\00:41:18.64
Next there -- attend student
events, concerts, games, club
00:41:18.64\00:41:22.01
events where appropriate, et
cetera. You know, doing this
type of thing is a great thing
00:41:22.01\00:41:26.41
to do. If you start to go, for
instance, to the Howard or to
other places where there
00:41:26.41\00:41:30.42
are students that are performing
and you learn names, it's
actually easy to do
00:41:30.42\00:41:33.49
because you can look at the
printed program. You kind of
00:41:33.49\00:41:36.26
cheat, right? You learn the name
there. And then, afterwards, you
go up and say, "Hi, you're
00:41:36.26\00:41:39.56
so-and-so, aren't you?
I'm so-and-so. I'm a member at
00:41:39.56\00:41:41.73
Pioneer. I just want to say I
really appreciated the music
that you just shared with us."
00:41:41.73\00:41:45.90
They will remember. [ Laughs
] They will remember that.
00:41:45.90\00:41:49.74
I'm going to tell you a secret
now. University students, just
00:41:49.74\00:41:52.81
kind of close your ears here.
University students do miss
00:41:52.81\00:41:57.65
home. Almost all of them do miss
home. Their parents aren't here
to come to their concerts or to
00:41:57.65\00:42:01.68
their games most of the time.
You can be their spiritual
parents in the absence
00:42:01.68\00:42:05.65
of their biological parents.
Next one there -- help students
00:42:05.65\00:42:10.49
unload belongings into the
dormitory and/or bring them
food. This starts tomorrow.
00:42:10.49\00:42:15.00
As Pastor Prescott said in the
Pioneer Post, tomorrow morning
is when our freshmen are
00:42:15.00\00:42:19.17
arriving. Many of them
are already here, but tomorrow
00:42:19.17\00:42:21.87
morning, they're going to be
moving into the dormitory. I
think 8:30 is their first stop
00:42:21.87\00:42:24.57
at Howard, and then, after that,
they're going to be moving into
00:42:24.57\00:42:27.78
the dorm. If you've got a strong
back, you can go over there to
the dorm parking lots
00:42:27.78\00:42:32.68
and you can help people move in.
Just look for people that are
00:42:32.68\00:42:37.12
sweating, okay? And you can help
carry 150 pounds of bottled
water up to the top
00:42:37.12\00:42:40.69
floor into the dormitory, right?
Students, we do sell bottled
water in this area.
00:42:40.69\00:42:45.99
You don't have to bring
it from home. It's okay.
00:42:45.99\00:42:48.50
We'll supply you here. And
if you don't have a strong back,
00:42:48.50\00:42:52.57
but you've got a good menu, bake
some cookies and bring it to the
00:42:52.57\00:42:56.91
families moving into the dorm.
You know, they will not turn you
00:42:56.91\00:42:59.91
away. I guarantee you. If you
say, "Hi, there, I'm so-and-so,
00:42:59.91\00:43:02.64
and I'm a Pioneer Memorial
Church member and I have cookies
for you," they will welcome you
00:43:02.64\00:43:06.92
in. You will be an instant
friend, just like that, okay?
And while you do that, I would
00:43:06.92\00:43:10.72
like you to do something. We
have here this year's bookmark.
00:43:10.72\00:43:15.79
This is PMC's, Pioneer's,
bookmark. On the back of it,
00:43:15.79\00:43:19.19
it has contact information for
the church. There's going to be
00:43:19.19\00:43:22.46
a stack of these on the front
pews. There's going to be stacks
00:43:22.46\00:43:24.47
of them next to the offering
baskets at the doors when you go
out. If you don't see them
00:43:24.47\00:43:28.54
there, check another location,
because we would like to have
each freshman and their families
00:43:28.54\00:43:31.97
be able to have one of these
bookmarks. You go and you say,
00:43:31.97\00:43:34.78
"Hi, I'm so-and-so. I'm
from Pioneer Memorial Church.
00:43:34.78\00:43:37.95
I'm so glad that you're here.
Can we help you move in? Would
00:43:37.95\00:43:41.52
you like a cookie? Please, take
this bookmark. This will let you
know how to get in touch with
00:43:41.52\00:43:45.55
us. Come and join us for worship
next Sabbath. You can sit with
00:43:45.55\00:43:50.09
me." Okay? Use this card. We
want to pass these all out.
We're going to make more.
00:43:50.09\00:43:53.19
There's going to be more for
next weekend, as well, because
one week from tomorrow,
00:43:53.19\00:43:55.90
all returning students are
coming back. You can go over
00:43:55.90\00:43:58.47
to the dormitories and help them
move in. Now, Jim would want me
00:43:58.47\00:44:02.60
to mention this. Tomorrow also
happens to be our church Work
00:44:02.60\00:44:07.34
Bee. You know, I'm going to go
out on a limb and say that there
00:44:07.34\00:44:11.38
are enough people in this church
that we can do two things at
once, okay? So, those of you
00:44:11.38\00:44:16.48
that you know God has called
you to pull weeds, we need you
00:44:16.48\00:44:18.95
tomorrow morning right here,
8:30 to 12:30, okay? Those of
you that God is pushing towards
00:44:18.95\00:44:22.82
the dormitories and there,
please be there. We can do both
of these things at once.
00:44:22.82\00:44:25.29
Let's let our students know that
they are welcome here. Third
level -- a little more
00:44:25.29\00:44:29.30
time, major rewards. First one
there -- Friday or Saturday,
vespers at your house.
00:44:29.30\00:44:33.84
This is great if you can do it.
You know, we have good vespers
office here on campus.
00:44:33.84\00:44:38.84
If you can have a group of
students that begin to form at
your house there, wonderful,
00:44:38.84\00:44:42.21
wonderful. Wouldn't it be
great if your home became a
00:44:42.21\00:44:45.21
discipleship center for
students on this campus? I think
00:44:45.21\00:44:47.85
that would be a great thing.
Next one there, Sabbath lunch,
00:44:47.85\00:44:51.65
followed by a hike or some other
activity. So not just food, but
you're going to make
00:44:51.65\00:44:54.36
an afternoon of it. You
can go out to the beach here.
00:44:54.36\00:44:56.36
You can go to the lake. You can
go to other places, as weather
00:44:56.36\00:44:59.96
provides. Next one there -- a
Sunday outing that you sponsor.
You know, the weather here
00:44:59.96\00:45:04.77
is warm almost all year long...
[ Laughter ] ...if you're a
00:45:04.77\00:45:13.94
polar bear, okay? So I realize
you may have to adjust the
activities, but if you can do
00:45:13.94\00:45:17.78
something on a Sunday -- I
realize, you know, students are
very busy. They're studying
00:45:17.78\00:45:20.52
hard, all of this, but if there
is a space, they'll go for it,
especially if you're buying,
00:45:20.52\00:45:23.99
okay? And if you can
provide these opportunities
00:45:23.99\00:45:26.19
to do things off campus,
you know, special events in the
00:45:26.19\00:45:28.82
community -- There's lots of
cultural events that happen
within half an hour or 45
00:45:28.82\00:45:32.89
minutes of here, lots of
students with varied taste. You
can make a trip of it on a
00:45:32.89\00:45:35.86
Sunday. Now, shut-in visitation.
I've seen this do really, really
00:45:35.86\00:45:39.47
good things as far as bonding
members and students together.
You and a student can go
00:45:39.47\00:45:42.64
together to visit people at a
hospital or a care facility or
00:45:42.64\00:45:45.67
something. They'll be tickled
pink to see you, and you will
00:45:45.67\00:45:48.78
help to disciple a student in
the process. Adopt a student.
This one goes all year.
00:45:48.78\00:45:53.58
This is pray for and supply a
student with gifts from home for
00:45:53.58\00:45:57.52
a school year. Now, "gifts from
home." What does that mean? You
00:45:57.52\00:46:00.26
know, when you're away from
home, there's few things as good
as chocolate, as fresh bread.
00:46:00.26\00:46:04.03
You know, if you bring a fresh
loaf of bread and you give it to
a dorm student -- You know,
00:46:04.03\00:46:08.16
if you go to the guys' dorm,
they won't have any utensils or
00:46:08.16\00:46:10.80
anything, but they'll just tear
off hunks and start eating it,
alright? Because it tastes like
00:46:10.80\00:46:14.54
home. It smells like home. Do
this for an entire year. Send
them notes on occasion.
00:46:14.54\00:46:18.71
Send them an e-mail. Say, "Hey,
just praying for you. You know,
finals are coming up.
00:46:18.71\00:46:21.08
I want you to know that we're
praying for you." What a great
00:46:21.08\00:46:24.38
way to make a friend and to love
people as Jesus loves them.
Volunteer to help sponsor
00:46:24.38\00:46:28.82
or put on school events. There's
all kinds of things that are
00:46:28.82\00:46:31.39
already happening on Andrews'
campus. We're going to make ways
for you to get involved with the
00:46:31.39\00:46:34.89
chaplain's office, student life,
et cetera, that, if you wish to,
you can become part of the crew
00:46:34.89\00:46:38.86
that put those events on. Adopt
a school. This is cool. Adopt a
00:46:38.86\00:46:43.90
school. I don't mean the entire
university. I do mean something
00:46:43.90\00:46:48.30
like this. What if you and
perhaps some other families
decided you were going to adopt,
00:46:48.30\00:46:52.81
say, the School of Architecture,
and we would arrange for a
meeting with you and the
00:46:52.81\00:46:57.55
department head. And you would
arrange to do certain things
00:46:57.55\00:47:00.42
throughout the school year.
Those families would come. You
provide refreshments
00:47:00.42\00:47:02.88
at testing time. You come
and pray with students. You'd be
00:47:02.88\00:47:07.22
able to maybe hold a year-end
picnic or something just outside
the front of their building.
00:47:07.22\00:47:10.19
Maybe they have a special chapel
for their department, and you
could help be a part of that
00:47:10.19\00:47:14.13
as a member of the Pioneer
Memorial Church. I think this
00:47:14.13\00:47:17.10
would be a great thing if every
department on campus had
somebody that was adopting them,
00:47:17.10\00:47:20.70
praying for them, and seeking to
serve them as Jesus would. We
have a slot here for other.
00:47:20.70\00:47:25.51
There's things I'm sure that we
haven't thought about, but that
00:47:25.51\00:47:27.64
you have. Please don't hesitate
to write that idea down. And the
00:47:27.64\00:47:31.71
last one here, at least on your
printed copy -- There's actually
one last after the last.
00:47:31.71\00:47:34.98
I'll tell you that in just a
moment. But on the printed copy
00:47:34.98\00:47:37.09
here, "Assist with any of the
above." You're not open to
leading the above activities,
00:47:37.09\00:47:40.59
but would be open to helping
others carry them out. Maybe
your home isn't going
00:47:40.59\00:47:44.33
to be the home for Friday night
vespers, but you would like to
help somebody to do that
00:47:44.33\00:47:48.50
in their home. Put
that down. We will make sure
00:47:48.50\00:47:50.57
that you get connected. And
there is one last thing. Those
of you that are looking at
00:47:50.57\00:47:56.54
the online version, you
already see it. Those of you
00:47:56.54\00:47:58.41
that have the printed copy, let
me tell you what's missing. We
are essentially starting
00:47:58.41\00:48:04.45
a new ministry right now during
this sermon. Portions of this
00:48:04.45\00:48:09.72
have been done in the past and
been done very well. COVID came.
00:48:09.72\00:48:12.09
It knocked the wind
out of our sails. It's time
00:48:12.09\00:48:14.79
to start blowing again. We want
to get this -- We don't want
this just to be a 2023,
00:48:14.79\00:48:19.76
2024 burst of energy. We want
to see this continue until Jesus
00:48:19.76\00:48:25.23
comes back. And, so, to make
that happen, I am announcing the
beginning of a brand-new
00:48:25.23\00:48:29.70
ministry right now. You've just
heard what we're doing at the
outset. It doesn't have a
00:48:29.70\00:48:33.01
leader, it doesn't have a name,
and it doesn't have a support
team. Someone say "amen."
00:48:33.01\00:48:36.41
>> Amen! >> And now we're
going to see if we can fix that.
00:48:36.41\00:48:39.28
The last box -- those of you
online, you already see it.
There's a space there
00:48:39.28\00:48:44.45
at the bottom of your card
if you have the printed copy. If
00:48:44.45\00:48:48.52
you would like to be considered
to be part of the leadership
team -- Probably going to have
00:48:48.52\00:48:54.56
one or more pastors that are
assigned to help give some
guidance and supervision,
00:48:54.56\00:48:57.50
but we do need a leadership team
that will oversee the outreach
to our university students.
00:48:57.50\00:49:04.14
If you are gifted in that way
and you would like to be a part
of that ministry team,
00:49:04.14\00:49:09.04
would you just check that box,
if you're online. If you're here
00:49:09.04\00:49:12.31
in person and you're writing on
the card, just put "leadership
team." Write that in the blank
00:49:12.31\00:49:16.05
towards the bottom there,
"leadership team," those two
00:49:16.05\00:49:19.02
words. And even if you're not an
up-front person, even if you're
00:49:19.02\00:49:22.42
not someone that -- maybe you're
not the, you know, major leader
with the big vision or whatnot,
00:49:22.42\00:49:27.56
but you know how to make a
vision happen. You are good
00:49:27.56\00:49:30.77
with infrastructure. You can set
places up. You know how to call
00:49:30.77\00:49:33.64
people and gather people
together to put events on. If
you're that kind of person,
00:49:33.64\00:49:36.91
please also check that box or
write "leadership team" in that
00:49:36.91\00:49:41.41
blank. We're building the plane
while we're flying it. I just
00:49:41.41\00:49:45.38
got here. Cut me a little slack.
We're going to put this thing
00:49:45.38\00:49:47.88
together. I think we stand on
the cusp of great things between
Pioneer and our university
00:49:47.88\00:49:55.92
students. How do you turn the
cards in? Electronically,
obviously, you just hit
00:49:55.92\00:49:59.66
"submit," and we'll take care of
it. For those of you that have
00:49:59.66\00:50:02.00
the cards, if you can put them
in the offering baskets as you
exit, just make sure
00:50:02.00\00:50:04.90
they get in the offering basket.
The deacons will collect them,
and they will make their way to
00:50:04.90\00:50:08.70
me and we will get started. Now,
I leave you with this. Having
00:50:08.70\00:50:22.48
lived a life of adventure, many
of the stories from my life have
00:50:22.48\00:50:27.06
broken bones, car chases, and
blood. But the best stories of
my life are the stories of when
00:50:27.06\00:50:39.07
other people invested time in
me. You know, I think of Bert
Kurtz, my fifth- and sixth-grade
00:50:39.07\00:50:46.51
teacher at Valley View Adventist
Academy in Arroyo Grande,
00:50:46.51\00:50:51.05
California. He was a World War
II veteran. He told all kinds of
stories, great stories.
00:50:51.05\00:50:54.55
We learned all kinds of things,
not just about history, but
00:50:54.55\00:50:57.15
about life. I mean, talk about a
life lesson, World War II. I
mean, there were all kinds
00:50:57.15\00:51:00.16
of things that happened. He
would tell us these stories. He
took us to outdoor school.
00:51:00.16\00:51:04.43
We'd go up in the mountains
there in Central California, and
he taught the guys, you
00:51:04.43\00:51:08.20
know, how to whittle a stick,
okay? And he taught us how to
00:51:08.20\00:51:12.23
identify things like poison oak
before you step in it, that kind
00:51:12.23\00:51:16.37
of stuff. I think of Mark
Lovejoy. He was my seventh- and
00:51:16.37\00:51:18.71
eighth-grade teacher in the same
school. And he not only spent
time with us in the classroom,
00:51:18.71\00:51:23.11
but he also took us on a whole
bunch of trips. We'd go on class
00:51:23.11\00:51:25.88
trip and other -- you know,
these enrichment trips that he
00:51:25.88\00:51:29.12
would take us on. He would
always tell us -- He had this
famous phrase. Anybody that ever
00:51:29.12\00:51:31.95
had Mark Lovejoy as a teacher,
you know this phrase. "Go for
00:51:31.95\00:51:35.62
the gold." He would say, "Go for
the gold." Don't settle for
second place. Don't be mediocre.
00:51:35.62\00:51:40.10
Be all that God has called
you to be. Go for the gold.
00:51:40.10\00:51:42.60
He invested serious time in
me. I think of Bob and Glenda
00:51:42.60\00:51:47.44
Marshall. You know, technically,
they were my parents' friends.
You know what I mean by that.
00:51:47.44\00:51:51.64
They were my parents' friends.
But we would go out on Sabbath
afternoons to beautiful places
00:51:51.64\00:51:56.21
on the Central California coast,
and when they weren't taking
care of their kids,
00:51:56.21\00:52:00.22
they would turn to me and my
sister and they would teach us
00:52:00.22\00:52:03.22
about, "Okay, this is what's in
this tidal pool here," or "These
00:52:03.22\00:52:06.25
are the birds, and this is about
the ocean." They would teach us
things. They invested time in
00:52:06.25\00:52:11.06
me. I think of Steve Fuller. He
was the friend of my friend --
He was the father of
00:52:11.06\00:52:15.13
my friend Brian. And he would
come on Sundays and play
basketball with us.
00:52:15.13\00:52:19.70
Now, Steve Fuller was
absolutely ancient. I mean,
00:52:19.70\00:52:25.14
I think he was 45
years old. [ Laughter ]
00:52:25.14\00:52:28.14
I was astonished that
anybody his age could still move
00:52:28.34\00:52:31.68
on a basketball court,
right? Okay? But he was using
00:52:31.68\00:52:34.85
whatever few breaths he
had left to play basketball
00:52:34.85\00:52:38.15
with us on the court.
I mean, it's astonishing.
00:52:38.15\00:52:40.82
I'll never forget it.
And there was Pastor Ferguson
00:52:40.82\00:52:43.93
in Oklahoma. You
know, this was when I was
00:52:43.93\00:52:46.46
just starting out in college.
I initially thought he was
00:52:46.46\00:52:48.80
a nice guy, but somewhat
stodgy and unapproachable.
00:52:48.80\00:52:51.83
And then he came to camp
meeting and he played softball
00:52:51.83\00:52:54.24
with the young adults that
were playing softball there.
00:52:54.24\00:52:57.37
I can still see him. He
was always well-dressed.
00:52:57.37\00:52:59.44
He was out there playing
shortstop -- dress shoes,
00:52:59.44\00:53:02.74
dress slacks, a very nice
dress shirt, tie had been taken
00:53:02.74\00:53:05.98
off, top button unbuttoned,
with a glove on his hand.
00:53:05.98\00:53:09.02
He was awesome
on a softball field.
00:53:09.02\00:53:12.35
I mean, I thought Superman
had stepped into a phone booth
00:53:12.35\00:53:14.56
and come out and
played on our team.
00:53:14.56\00:53:15.89
It was amazing!
00:53:15.89\00:53:17.26
I listened to everything Pastor
Ferguson said after that.
Because he invested time in me.
00:53:17.46\00:53:30.94
You know, the list could go on
and on of people that did that.
They invested time in me,
00:53:30.94\00:53:37.38
and to me, they became some
of the greatest teachers that I
00:53:37.38\00:53:44.12
have ever known. Ladies and
gentlemen, that can be you. You
can be a great teacher
00:53:44.12\00:53:51.73
who loves our students and
teaches them about the Savior.
You can be a teacher
00:53:51.73\00:53:55.86
who doesn't only talk about God
and His love, but, rather, one
00:53:55.86\00:53:58.67
that also shows it, that lives
it out. And the time -- the time
00:53:58.67\00:54:02.87
that you invest in our students
will not be like some exotic
sports car that merely returns
00:54:02.87\00:54:06.98
a financial reward. It can
instead result in something far
00:54:06.98\00:54:11.31
more valuable -- eternity.
Eternity spent with Christ and
00:54:11.31\00:54:16.55
each other. You see, as it turns
out, love really is a matter of
time. And those that we are
00:54:16.55\00:54:25.69
pledged to love, our students,
they will be here starting
tomorrow, and in earnest,
00:54:25.69\00:54:29.53
two Sabbaths from now, may every
one of us think prayerfully
00:54:29.53\00:54:34.37
how we can take the time to
truly be a great teacher for our
00:54:34.37\00:54:42.18
students. >> Amen! [ Applause ]
00:54:42.18\00:54:45.08
い
00:54:54.99\00:54:56.86
Jesus, we long for the light
of Your love to shine clearly
00:56:17.94\00:56:21.01
from Pioneer and, Lord,
particularly to our returning
00:56:21.01\00:56:24.11
students. Bless us,
00:56:24.11\00:56:26.11
fill us with your love,
fill us with your spirit,
00:56:26.11\00:56:28.78
and may we truly become people
that spend eternal time, Lord,
00:56:28.78\00:56:33.76
eternal kind of
time with our students.
00:56:33.76\00:56:37.06
Bless us in this way,
for we ask it in Your name.
00:56:37.06\00:56:40.00
Amen. い
00:56:40.00\00:56:44.33
>> Hi, I'm Shane
Anderson, lead pastor at
00:56:53.17\00:56:55.58
Pioneer Memorial Church.
It's no news flash to say
00:56:55.58\00:56:59.05
that social media has
become an integral part
00:56:59.05\00:57:01.38
of our daily lives. And
here at Pioneer, we want
00:57:01.38\00:57:04.65
to use it to enrich our lives.
I invite you to connect with us
00:57:04.65\00:57:08.69
online by visiting the links
that are shown on the screen.
00:57:08.69\00:57:12.16
We are constantly
sharing inspiring content
00:57:12.16\00:57:15.33
that we believe can make a
real and positive difference
00:57:15.33\00:57:18.33
in your life. So if
you haven't already,
00:57:18.33\00:57:21.30
I encourage you to
follow and subscribe
00:57:21.30\00:57:23.17
to our social-media platforms.
Not only will you stay up
00:57:23.17\00:57:26.41
to date with our
latest news and events,
00:57:26.41\00:57:28.41
but you will also be able to
engage with an online community
00:57:28.41\00:57:31.51
that shares a
common belief, experience,
00:57:31.51\00:57:34.28
and care for your well-being.
And by sharing our content,
00:57:34.28\00:57:38.95
you can help us reach even more
people with our message of hope
00:57:38.95\00:57:42.16
and love in Jesus. Join
us by creating a positive
00:57:42.16\00:57:45.39
impact online and making
a difference in the world.
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Thank you, and we look forward
to connecting with you online.
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い
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