What does the future hold?
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70
Where can we find certainty
in a world of uncertainty?
00:00:02.73\00:00:05.77
The book of Revelation provides
helpful answers for today,
00:00:05.80\00:00:09.37
tomorrow, and forever.
00:00:09.40\00:00:11.27
Join Mark Finley, author
and world renowned speaker,
00:00:11.31\00:00:14.91
on a journey
into the future with
00:00:14.94\00:00:17.15
The book of Revelation not only
shares God's insight regarding
00:00:22.68\00:00:27.66
the future, but it reveals
God's plan for your life today.
00:00:27.69\00:00:32.89
It not only reveals the
description of prophetic beasts,
00:00:32.93\00:00:37.13
and symbols, and helps us to
understand where this world is
00:00:37.17\00:00:40.17
going, but it speaks to our
hearts, leading us to deeper
00:00:40.20\00:00:44.67
commitment, faith, and
closer to Christ today.
00:00:44.71\00:00:48.51
In this presentation we're
going to focus on how this book
00:00:48.54\00:00:54.02
can change your life.
00:00:54.05\00:00:55.42
Let's pray. Father in Heaven,
thank You so much for the
00:00:55.45\00:00:59.55
book of Revelation.
00:00:59.62\00:01:00.96
Thank You that it
is a book that speaks
00:01:00.99\00:01:02.92
to our present needs.
00:01:02.96\00:01:04.66
It's a book that
is life changing.
00:01:04.69\00:01:07.46
It's a book that reveals Your
plan, not only for tomorrow,
00:01:07.50\00:01:10.73
but Your plan for today.
00:01:10.77\00:01:12.97
As we journey through its
pages in this presentation,
00:01:13.00\00:01:17.14
help us to sense
Your life changing power.
00:01:17.21\00:01:20.88
In Christ's
name, Amen. My topic is
00:01:20.91\00:01:26.01
Have you noticed that there
are dramatic changes taking
00:01:31.35\00:01:34.86
place in our society?
00:01:34.89\00:01:36.99
Earth shaking
changes are occurring.
00:01:37.03\00:01:41.13
The home today is under assault.
00:01:41.16\00:01:44.93
The family is under attack.
00:01:44.97\00:01:47.40
I remember when I was a boy
growing up, more years ago than
00:01:47.44\00:01:52.54
I would like to
remember, I remember the refuge
00:01:52.57\00:01:55.78
and security in my own
home, in my own family.
00:01:55.81\00:01:59.08
Can you think back to
your first day of school?
00:01:59.11\00:02:02.28
For me that was well, more
than about sixty-five years ago,
00:02:02.32\00:02:07.72
my first day of school.
00:02:07.76\00:02:09.09
And I remember going to school.
00:02:09.12\00:02:10.76
I mean I was nervous!
00:02:10.79\00:02:12.13
I didn't want to be away
from my father, my mother.
00:02:12.16\00:02:14.13
My dad worked
nights, so he'd sleep in the
00:02:14.16\00:02:16.23
morning when he came home.
00:02:16.26\00:02:17.60
And we just had
a very close home.
00:02:17.63\00:02:19.73
My mother and father walked
me to school that first day.
00:02:19.77\00:02:23.71
I get in school, and about
two hours in, I mean I wasn't
00:02:23.74\00:02:27.48
going to stay there.
00:02:27.51\00:02:28.84
And I raised my hand
and said, Teacher. Yes.
00:02:28.88\00:02:30.28
Can I go to the bathroom?
00:02:30.31\00:02:31.65
She let me go to the bathroom.
00:02:31.68\00:02:33.31
Walked to the bathroom,
looked around, ran home.
00:02:33.35\00:02:36.62
Came through that
door, and my father woke up.
00:02:36.65\00:02:40.66
He said, Son, you
know, what's going on here?
00:02:40.69\00:02:42.76
I thought you were in school.
00:02:42.82\00:02:44.16
My mother said, What, what?
00:02:44.19\00:02:45.53
I said, I can't
go to school, Mom.
00:02:45.56\00:02:46.90
I can't go to school.
00:02:46.93\00:02:48.26
And, you know, I remember
it like it was yesterday.
00:02:48.30\00:02:49.73
My mother just threw her
arms around me and said, Son,
00:02:49.76\00:02:52.47
it will be okay.
You stay home today,
00:02:52.50\00:02:54.34
and we'll get you back tomorrow.
00:02:54.40\00:02:56.14
My father said, Let's do
something together today.
00:02:56.17\00:02:59.34
You know, I had a home
that was a place of refuge,
00:02:59.37\00:03:02.54
a home that was security.
00:03:02.58\00:03:04.95
And that's what
home is all about.
00:03:04.98\00:03:07.35
It's a place where children
can be hugged by their parents.
00:03:07.38\00:03:12.32
It's a place of
laughter and joy.
00:03:12.35\00:03:15.72
But too many homes
are no longer that place
00:03:15.76\00:03:19.39
of laughter and joy.
00:03:19.43\00:03:21.23
Too many homes have gone
through very dramatic changes.
00:03:21.26\00:03:26.10
They've not become the
secure places that Heaven
00:03:26.13\00:03:29.04
intends them to be.
00:03:29.07\00:03:30.61
They've become
places of conflict.
00:03:30.64\00:03:33.07
They've become places of strife.
00:03:33.11\00:03:35.48
And today homes are no
longer places of refuge.
00:03:35.54\00:03:39.78
They are places that have
been invaded by the enemy,
00:03:39.81\00:03:43.05
places that have been
attacked by the attacker.
00:03:43.08\00:03:45.72
When you look at homes today,
often children are left to get
00:03:45.75\00:03:50.19
something quick,
some hurried meal.
00:03:50.23\00:03:53.19
And home has just become a
dropping off place where people
00:03:53.23\00:03:56.80
eat quickly before the
next event, or they sleep.
00:03:56.83\00:04:00.54
They're more like
hotels than genuine homes.
00:04:00.57\00:04:03.71
Many a mom, and many a dad
are involved in multitasking,
00:04:03.74\00:04:09.31
trying to do two or
three things at once.
00:04:09.34\00:04:12.48
And at times in this hectic,
rushed society, children,
00:04:12.51\00:04:18.39
family values
evaporate, divorce is rampant,
00:04:18.42\00:04:23.39
kids often left on their own
with eyes glued to their iPads.
00:04:23.43\00:04:28.70
Do you know that the average
teenager today sends over 3,000
00:04:28.73\00:04:36.64
texts every single month?
00:04:36.67\00:04:39.31
It is quite astonishing.
00:04:39.34\00:04:41.88
That average is
about 100 texts a day.
00:04:41.91\00:04:44.18
I don't know how it can be
possible, but that's what the
00:04:44.25\00:04:45.88
statisticians tell us.
00:04:45.91\00:04:47.35
When you look out at what's
taking place in the world today,
00:04:47.38\00:04:50.69
Our homes are being invaded.
00:04:59.06\00:05:00.66
Our homes are being attacked.
00:05:00.70\00:05:02.26
Divorce commonplace,
violence, murder, immorality,
00:05:02.30\00:05:07.84
through the internet, and
through television, iPads,
00:05:07.87\00:05:12.47
invading our homes.
00:05:12.51\00:05:14.61
Many a kid is glued to the
TV screen, while their parents
00:05:14.64\00:05:19.31
are out and away from the home.
00:05:19.35\00:05:22.08
Today the question
becomes, how can you be moral
00:05:22.12\00:05:26.19
in an immoral world?
00:05:26.22\00:05:27.59
How can you preserve decency?
00:05:27.62\00:05:30.13
How can you have honesty,
and integrity, and ethics?
00:05:30.16\00:05:33.50
How can you have purity?
00:05:33.53\00:05:36.03
How can you have kindness,
and love in a very violet world?
00:05:36.06\00:05:40.67
In a world of competing values,
how can you protect your home,
00:05:40.74\00:05:45.31
your family, and your
own life, and your own mind?
00:05:45.34\00:05:48.81
And it is really striking when
you see the impact of mass media
00:05:57.82\00:06:03.06
in blunting our finer
sensibilities, in hardening our
00:06:03.09\00:06:08.33
hearts toward violence,
in making us think that
00:06:08.36\00:06:11.57
immorality, and sexual
immorality in particular,
00:06:11.60\00:06:14.77
is of no consequence at all.
00:06:14.80\00:06:17.74
What is it that's
going on in our society?
00:06:17.77\00:06:21.88
Too often people
have this idea that there
00:06:26.61\00:06:30.22
really is no morality.
00:06:30.25\00:06:31.72
You have your
right, I have my right.
00:06:31.75\00:06:33.96
You have your
truth, I have my truth.
00:06:33.99\00:06:36.12
You have your so called morals,
I have my so called morals.
00:06:36.16\00:06:40.36
There is the idea that
there is no moral compass,
00:06:40.40\00:06:43.70
no specific direction in life.
00:06:43.77\00:06:47.10
The Bible makes
it plain though in
00:06:47.14\00:06:48.87
Here is precisely the
problem with our society.
00:06:55.74\00:06:59.41
Men and women have thrown
out the moral compass that
00:06:59.45\00:07:03.49
God has given them.
00:07:03.52\00:07:04.89
They've thrown out God's law.
00:07:04.92\00:07:06.99
There's no standard
higher than their own mind
00:07:07.02\00:07:10.99
to govern their actions.
00:07:11.06\00:07:13.29
There's nothing more than their
own heart to give them a sense
00:07:13.33\00:07:18.33
of what's right and wrong.
00:07:18.37\00:07:19.70
But the Bible says, Jeremiah
17:9, The heart is deceitful
00:07:19.73\00:07:23.67
above all things,
and desperately wicked.
00:07:23.71\00:07:25.64
So one cannot trust a fallen
nature to lead that individual
00:07:25.67\00:07:32.31
into paths of
righteousness or morality.
00:07:32.35\00:07:36.02
The Scripture goes on to say in
00:07:36.05\00:07:38.32
We've sown the wind of
violence on television,
00:07:44.66\00:07:48.66
and we are reaping the whirlwind
of violence in our society.
00:07:48.70\00:07:54.40
We've sown the wind of
immorality, and sexual adultery,
00:07:54.47\00:08:00.14
and impurity on television, and
we are reaping that whirlwind
00:08:00.18\00:08:04.75
of gonorrhea, and syphilis,
and sexually transmitted
00:08:04.78\00:08:09.28
diseases, and broken
homes in our society.
00:08:09.32\00:08:12.85
As Scripture says, He that
trusts his own heart is a fool.
00:08:12.89\00:08:16.32
As Scripture says,
We've sown the wind,
00:08:16.36\00:08:19.66
and we're reaping the whirlwind.
00:08:19.69\00:08:22.13
We've sown the wind, and
what's happening in our society?
00:08:22.16\00:08:25.67
Crime becomes commonplace.
00:08:25.73\00:08:27.77
When a child looks at television
and sees 200,000 violent acts,
00:08:27.80\00:08:34.48
it's easy for them to become
desensitized toward violence,
00:08:34.51\00:08:39.05
and simply go out
and commit those heinous,
00:08:39.08\00:08:42.68
violent acts themselves.
00:08:42.75\00:08:44.55
Is there a moral
compass to guide us by?
00:08:48.42\00:08:51.96
Is there some North
Star to guide us by?
00:08:51.99\00:08:55.46
Ships lost at sea at
night are guided often by
00:08:55.50\00:09:00.57
a star; the North Star.
00:09:00.60\00:09:02.94
Where is that North
Star to guide us today?
00:09:02.97\00:09:07.48
Let's go back to the
book of Revelation. It's
00:09:07.51\00:09:10.01
and Jesus has a
moral compass for us.
00:09:11.85\00:09:16.25
Jesus has a North
Star to guide us by.
00:09:16.28\00:09:20.66
Revelation 14:6, we're studying
this message in the heart
00:09:20.69\00:09:25.03
of the book of Revelation.
00:09:25.06\00:09:26.63
This gospel is to go to
00:09:34.47\00:09:35.80
Now notice it says, the
hour of God's judgment has come.
00:09:52.15\00:09:56.09
Judgment implies
moral responsibility.
00:09:56.12\00:10:00.93
Judgment says
you're responsible.
00:10:00.96\00:10:03.43
Fear God. That's obey
God, the Scripture says;
00:10:03.47\00:10:06.60
give Him glory.
Why? Why do we obey God?
00:10:06.63\00:10:09.50
Because we are morally
responsible for the actions
00:10:09.54\00:10:12.77
that we have in the
light of the judgment.
00:10:12.81\00:10:15.54
We don't act the way we do
merely because of our genetics.
00:10:18.65\00:10:22.82
We don't act the
way we do merely because
00:10:22.85\00:10:25.12
of our environment.
00:10:25.15\00:10:26.49
We don't act the way we
do merely because we've been
00:10:26.52\00:10:29.16
shaped that way by our parents.
00:10:29.22\00:10:31.13
We act the way we do
because of our choices.
00:10:31.16\00:10:33.83
You know, too many
people try to make many excuses.
00:10:33.86\00:10:36.33
You know, I know I
have a problem with alcohol,
00:10:36.36\00:10:39.37
but my father had a problem with
alcohol, my grandfather had a
00:10:39.40\00:10:42.14
problem with alcohol.
00:10:42.17\00:10:43.51
Certainly genetics and
environment plays a part in the
00:10:43.54\00:10:48.41
way we act, but we can choose.
00:10:48.44\00:10:52.51
We can choose to reach out
to Christ, and through His power
00:10:52.55\00:10:57.02
make a difference in our lives.
00:10:57.09\00:10:58.85
We are the
arbiters of our own destiny.
00:10:58.89\00:11:01.82
Somebody says, I'm involved
in drugs, but you should see my
00:11:01.86\00:11:04.29
neighborhood, it's
so poverty stricken,
00:11:04.33\00:11:06.03
and I've been influenced.
00:11:06.06\00:11:08.66
You can be influenced by
the power of Jesus Christ.
00:11:08.70\00:11:11.13
See, that's what
judgment is all about.
00:11:11.17\00:11:13.84
Judgment says you can choose.
00:11:13.87\00:11:15.70
Judgment says you're
responsible for your actions.
00:11:15.77\00:11:18.74
Judgment says you are
the arbiter of your destiny.
00:11:18.77\00:11:23.85
Somebody says, Well, sure,
I've been in and out of prison,
00:11:23.88\00:11:26.95
but my
environment, my neighborhood...
00:11:26.98\00:11:29.82
There's something beyond your
neighborhood; it is your choice.
00:11:29.85\00:11:33.79
Nobody is responsible for
what they do, according to the
00:11:42.63\00:11:48.44
popular mores of society.
00:11:48.50\00:11:50.47
In fact, that's part of
the evolutionary hypothesis.
00:11:50.51\00:11:53.51
The evolutionary hypothesis says
we are simply in large protein
00:11:53.54\00:11:58.71
molecules; we're advanced
animals, and we've been shaped
00:11:58.75\00:12:02.08
by our environment
to behave the way we do.
00:12:02.12\00:12:04.75
It's called behaviorism
in psychological thought.
00:12:04.79\00:12:08.69
But the good news is
that God has given us
00:12:08.72\00:12:11.69
the capacity to choose.
00:12:11.73\00:12:13.06
The good news is that God has
given us the freedom of choice.
00:12:13.09\00:12:17.37
The good news is that we are
not like little leaves blowing
00:12:17.40\00:12:21.70
in the autumn breeze, with
every wind of societal trends.
00:12:21.74\00:12:26.01
Is there some moral compass
to guide our lives by? There is.
00:12:39.09\00:12:42.92
Is there some ethical standard
to direct our lives? There is.
00:12:42.96\00:12:48.20
It is God's law. God's
law wasn't simply written
00:12:48.23\00:12:51.90
for a bygone generation.
00:12:51.93\00:12:54.34
It wasn't written for a
group of what some people called
00:12:54.37\00:12:57.21
nomad Jewish tribes.
00:12:57.24\00:12:59.67
God's law is the very
foundation of God's character,
00:12:59.71\00:13:03.61
and God's law is the very
basis of all ethical morality.
00:13:03.65\00:13:08.62
Now notice two things
that are quite fascinating.
00:13:19.29\00:13:21.50
First we're judged by the law.
00:13:21.53\00:13:23.20
Somebody says, I thought we
were saved by grace. We are.
00:13:23.23\00:13:25.53
We are saved by
the grace of God.
00:13:25.60\00:13:27.97
But there must be
some basis of judgment.
00:13:28.00\00:13:30.64
And if you're not going to judge
people based on their works,
00:13:30.71\00:13:33.84
in harmony with the law,
what are you going to judge by?
00:13:33.88\00:13:37.48
So grace is so
good that it works.
00:13:37.55\00:13:41.95
Grace always leads to obedience;
never leads to disobedience.
00:13:41.98\00:13:47.82
But the phrase that
I'm interested in here
00:13:47.86\00:13:49.52
is the law of liberty.
00:13:49.56\00:13:50.89
So God's law is
freeing. For example, in
00:13:50.93\00:13:54.60
You can look at that
as negative, but in a real
00:13:58.60\00:14:02.20
sense it's positive.
00:14:02.24\00:14:03.84
In other words, the law
that says, Thou shalt not kill,
00:14:03.87\00:14:07.11
protects human life.
00:14:07.14\00:14:09.58
It regards the
sanctity of human life.
00:14:09.61\00:14:13.18
It protects each of us,
young and old, from violence.
00:14:13.21\00:14:17.32
It protects us from abuse.
00:14:17.35\00:14:19.79
Take the law, for
example, that says,
00:14:19.82\00:14:21.66
That law is not to
restrict our freedom,
00:14:23.32\00:14:27.06
but it's to enhance our freedom.
00:14:27.10\00:14:29.30
It protects the family.
00:14:29.33\00:14:30.67
It protects husband
and wife relationships.
00:14:30.70\00:14:33.57
It protects moral purity.
00:14:33.60\00:14:36.47
It inspires happiness and joy.
00:14:36.50\00:14:39.47
It encourages family values.
00:14:39.51\00:14:42.41
What about the commandment
that says, Thou shalt not steal?
00:14:42.44\00:14:45.98
What if there were no
commandment that says,
00:14:46.01\00:14:48.08
Thou shalt not steal?
00:14:48.12\00:14:49.45
That would mean that
anything you had in society,
00:14:49.48\00:14:52.95
somebody else could take.
00:14:52.99\00:14:55.52
Society would be in chaos
if you just didn't have these
00:14:55.56\00:14:59.33
three of the ten commandments:
00:14:59.36\00:15:00.70
thou shalt not kill, thou
shalt not commit adultery,
00:15:00.73\00:15:03.87
thou shalt not steal.
00:15:03.90\00:15:05.23
You see, human laws are often
based on the Divine law of God.
00:15:05.27\00:15:11.44
And the very
foundation of God's government,
00:15:11.47\00:15:14.28
and the very foundation of all
moral society, is based on the
00:15:14.31\00:15:17.91
principles of
the ten commandments.
00:15:17.98\00:15:20.32
Without the ten commandments
there would be absolutely chaos
00:15:20.35\00:15:23.59
in society: robbery, and
immorality, and stealing,
00:15:23.62\00:15:27.56
and murder would be much
more common than they are today.
00:15:27.59\00:15:32.36
The book of Revelation points
us to the very throne of God.
00:15:32.39\00:15:37.13
And it says, Revelation 11:19,
00:15:37.17\00:15:39.90
So John says, I looked up
into heaven, and there in heaven
00:15:46.27\00:15:50.55
I saw the ark of the covenant.
00:15:50.61\00:15:52.51
And what was in
that ark of the covenant
00:15:52.55\00:15:55.92
in the earthly sanctuary?
00:15:55.95\00:15:57.79
Remember the
sanctuary had three parts.
00:15:57.82\00:16:00.59
There was the court,
where sacrifices were offered,
00:16:00.62\00:16:03.53
there was the holy place, where
the priest brought the blood
00:16:03.56\00:16:06.49
after the sacrifice was offered,
sprinkled it before the veil.
00:16:06.53\00:16:09.46
In that holy place
was the altar of incense.
00:16:09.50\00:16:13.10
There was, in
that first apartment,
00:16:13.13\00:16:15.44
the table of showbread.
00:16:15.50\00:16:17.37
In that first apartment
of the sanctuary there was
00:16:17.41\00:16:19.61
the golden candlestick.
00:16:19.64\00:16:20.98
But beyond that veil
in the most holy place,
00:16:21.01\00:16:22.74
was the ark of the covenant.
00:16:22.81\00:16:24.28
And in that ark of the covenant
was the very law of God.
00:16:24.31\00:16:27.92
So the Bible says, I saw heaven
opened, and I saw this ark
00:16:27.95\00:16:31.52
of the covenant, and I
saw the ten commandment law
00:16:31.55\00:16:34.36
written with the finger of God.
00:16:34.39\00:16:36.16
You see, that ark of the
covenant, with the two angels,
00:16:36.19\00:16:39.93
golden angels overlooking it,
with the law of God inside it,
00:16:39.96\00:16:45.60
that ark of the covenant
between the angels was the
00:16:45.63\00:16:49.00
Shekinah glory of God.
00:16:49.04\00:16:50.37
That represents
the very throne of God.
00:16:50.41\00:16:52.57
And there at
God's throne we have,
00:16:52.64\00:16:55.08
as the basis of
His throne, His law.
00:16:55.11\00:16:57.48
So His law certainly
has not been done away with,
00:16:57.51\00:17:01.02
because it's a
transcript of His character.
00:17:01.05\00:17:03.39
It tells us about our
loving God and what He's like.
00:17:03.42\00:17:06.12
And it also is the
foundation of His throne.
00:17:06.15\00:17:09.82
It's the foundation of
His government throughout the
00:17:09.86\00:17:12.93
entire universe, and it's
the foundation of all moral law.
00:17:12.96\00:17:16.93
God's unchangeable,
God's eternal, God's law.
00:17:19.87\00:17:25.51
If you do away with the law
of God, you then say there is no
00:17:36.85\00:17:42.92
moral responsibility,
so there is no judgment.
00:17:42.96\00:17:46.09
So law and judgment are really
part of the gospel, because if
00:17:46.13\00:17:50.90
there is no law, then
there can't be any sin,
00:17:50.93\00:17:53.57
and if there's no sin
there's no accountability.
00:17:53.60\00:17:56.20
And if there's no
judgment and no law,
00:17:56.24\00:17:58.71
then why would
you need a Savior?
00:17:58.74\00:18:00.21
Why would you need the gospel?
00:18:00.24\00:18:01.61
Here in 1 John 3:4,
the Bible puts it this way:
00:18:01.64\00:18:05.28
Now sin is not what
you and I think it is.
00:18:12.72\00:18:16.16
I mean, in other words, sin
is not something that we define,
00:18:16.19\00:18:18.83
it's something that God defines.
00:18:18.89\00:18:20.56
A person says, Well, you
know, I don't have a good
00:18:20.60\00:18:23.40
marriage relationship, so
I'm kind of running around with
00:18:23.43\00:18:25.90
somebody else, my
secretary, a working associate,
00:18:25.93\00:18:29.44
somebody I met at a
party, but God understands.
00:18:29.47\00:18:32.84
I don't have a good marriage
relationship, but that's okay,
00:18:32.87\00:18:34.88
and I don't think it's sin.
00:18:34.91\00:18:36.24
Look my friend, whether you
think it's sin or not doesn't
00:18:36.28\00:18:38.25
make any difference.
00:18:38.28\00:18:39.61
Sin is breaking God's law.
00:18:39.65\00:18:41.42
And one of God's laws says,
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
00:18:41.45\00:18:43.55
I've had young people that have
wondered, Well, can I have a
00:18:43.59\00:18:46.09
a relationship
with my girlfriend?
00:18:46.12\00:18:47.46
We're going to get
married someday, and I can have
00:18:47.49\00:18:49.92
relations outside of marriage.
00:18:49.96\00:18:51.29
But I don't think
that's wrong, is it, Pastor?
00:18:51.33\00:18:52.86
It is! Sin is not how you define
it, sin is God defines it.
00:18:52.89\00:18:58.07
Somebody said,
Well, you know what?
00:18:58.10\00:18:59.43
I'm, I just occasionally
maybe cheat on my Income taxes,
00:18:59.47\00:19:04.31
and, you know,
occasionally I may take
00:19:04.34\00:19:06.81
something out of a store.
00:19:06.84\00:19:08.18
You know, I bought three
sweaters, but I slipped another
00:19:08.21\00:19:09.68
jumper, another
sweater in there.
00:19:09.74\00:19:11.61
Is that sin?
Because think of how much
00:19:11.68\00:19:14.12
those store owners make.
00:19:14.15\00:19:16.69
You don't define sin, God does.
00:19:16.75\00:19:19.15
If you steal, that's sin.
00:19:19.19\00:19:20.56
Dishonoring your
parents, that's sin.
00:19:20.59\00:19:22.56
Sin is defined, not by
human beings, not by our mind,
00:19:22.59\00:19:26.19
but by God Himself.
00:19:26.23\00:19:27.96
Sin, according to the
Bible, is breaking God's law.
00:19:28.00\00:19:31.83
Sin is turning
our backs on the moral
00:19:31.87\00:19:34.00
principles of the universe.
00:19:34.04\00:19:35.87
So the law of God is not
some legalistic requirement
00:19:45.31\00:19:49.32
to restrict our freedom.
00:19:49.35\00:19:50.69
It is, rather,
given by a loving God.
00:19:50.72\00:19:53.42
The book of Revelation opens
its pages and shares with us
00:19:53.46\00:20:00.30
that God still has a standard.
00:20:00.33\00:20:03.40
And wise parents direct their
children to the living Word of
00:20:03.43\00:20:10.24
God, to the law of
God, as the code of conduct.
00:20:10.27\00:20:15.08
Grace always enables us
to keep, and obey God's law.
00:20:15.11\00:20:20.52
Openingly, knowingly, violating
God's law is the pathway to
00:20:27.49\00:20:33.13
disaster, not the
pathway to happiness.
00:20:33.16\00:20:36.77
Now love always
leads to obedience.
00:20:36.80\00:20:40.50
Love never
leads to disobedience.
00:20:40.54\00:20:42.84
I've had people say, Well,
all you have to do is love.
00:20:42.87\00:20:45.14
And if you just love
God, He requires nothing else.
00:20:45.17\00:20:49.48
Does that imply
that you love Him,
00:20:49.51\00:20:51.81
and you don't have to obey Him?
00:20:51.85\00:20:54.05
What if a little child
said, Oh Mommy, I love you!
00:20:54.08\00:20:57.02
Mommy, I love
you! Daddy, I love you!
00:20:57.05\00:20:58.72
Would you take
out the trash son?
00:20:58.75\00:21:00.59
Would you pick up your room son?
00:21:00.66\00:21:02.72
Oh, mommy, or daddy, I
love ya, but I don't think
00:21:02.76\00:21:05.39
I love you that much!
00:21:05.43\00:21:06.76
You see, love always
is manifest in action.
00:21:06.80\00:21:11.13
Love is never some
silly sentimental thing
00:21:11.17\00:21:14.47
that we can't define.
00:21:14.50\00:21:15.84
Love always reveals
itself in the way we act.
00:21:15.87\00:21:18.97
That's why Jesus said,
00:21:19.01\00:21:20.34
Do what? Do what?
Keep My commandments.
00:21:23.85\00:21:27.65
Jesus did not say, If you
love Me, you don't have to
00:21:27.68\00:21:31.15
keep My commandments.
00:21:31.19\00:21:32.52
Jesus didn't say, If
you love Me, don't worry
00:21:32.55\00:21:34.86
about my commandments.
00:21:34.89\00:21:36.22
Jesus said, If you love
Me, do what? Do what everybody?
00:21:36.26\00:21:38.86
Love naturally
leads to obedience.
00:21:40.56\00:21:44.03
You know, I obey God,
not in order to be saved,
00:21:44.07\00:21:47.74
not in order to earn His love,
but I obey God because I am
00:21:47.77\00:21:52.61
saved, and
because I have been loved.
00:21:52.64\00:21:55.58
So when I'm saved by
Christ, that leads me
00:21:55.64\00:22:00.35
naturally to obey Christ.
00:22:00.38\00:22:02.28
When I'm loved by Christ,
that naturally leads me to
00:22:02.32\00:22:06.35
respond to Christ in love.
00:22:06.42\00:22:09.09
Now what's the
evidence that we know Christ?
00:22:15.66\00:22:18.33
What's the evidence that
He's living in our heart?
00:22:18.37\00:22:21.00
If we keep His commandments.
00:22:21.04\00:22:23.77
So the keeping of
the commandments of God
00:22:23.81\00:22:27.01
is evidence, par excellence,
that we have committed our lives
00:22:27.04\00:22:33.15
to Christ, and we
genuinely love Him.
00:22:33.21\00:22:35.42
Now notice what the Bible says.
00:22:35.48\00:22:36.82
Now notice, I didn't say this.
00:22:36.85\00:22:38.19
These are not my words.
00:22:38.22\00:22:39.55
These are the Bible's words.
00:22:39.59\00:22:41.09
So this person says, Oh, I
know Christ. I love Christ.
00:22:42.49\00:22:46.26
Is a what? What does it say?
00:22:49.73\00:22:51.40
Is a what? Is a liar, and the
truth is where? is it in Him?
00:22:51.43\00:22:56.24
...and the truth is not in him.
00:22:56.27\00:22:57.67
In other words, if I say I love
Christ, and all I want to do is
00:22:57.71\00:23:02.21
follow Christ, but yet I don't
live an obedient, Godly life,
00:23:02.24\00:23:06.68
if my life does not
reflect my love, then that love
00:23:06.72\00:23:11.89
is not genuine at all.
00:23:11.92\00:23:14.19
There are some people that
have the idea that law is an
00:23:19.03\00:23:22.93
Old Testament idea, and
grace is a New Testament idea.
00:23:22.96\00:23:26.77
They have the mistaken idea that
people in the Old Testament are
00:23:26.80\00:23:29.80
saved by law, and
people in the New Testament
00:23:29.84\00:23:31.57
are saved by grace.
00:23:31.61\00:23:32.94
Someday when we get up to
Heaven, am I going to see Moses
00:23:32.97\00:23:35.81
up there, and Daniel up
there, and Jeremiah and Isaiah
00:23:35.84\00:23:39.15
from the Old
Testament and say, Hey guys!
00:23:39.18\00:23:41.05
How were you guys saved?
00:23:41.08\00:23:42.45
Moses says, I
was saved by the law.
00:23:42.48\00:23:45.05
Daniel says, I
was saved by the law.
00:23:45.09\00:23:47.66
And I see Paul
and James and John.
00:23:47.72\00:23:50.26
How were you saved? by grace.
00:23:50.29\00:23:51.63
Are we going to have two
methods of salvation in Heaven?
00:23:51.66\00:23:55.10
Not at all! Moses
was saved by grace.
00:23:55.13\00:24:00.14
The Bible says, Titus 2:12,
14, The grace of God that brings
00:24:00.17\00:24:06.51
salvation appears to all men.
00:24:06.54\00:24:09.54
So Moses was saved by grace.
00:24:09.58\00:24:12.71
Jeremiah was saved by grace.
00:24:12.75\00:24:15.78
And Paul, and James, and
John were saved by grace.
00:24:15.82\00:24:18.52
So you say, How
could the Old Testament
00:24:18.55\00:24:19.89
people be saved by grace?
00:24:19.92\00:24:21.26
Christ hadn't come.
00:24:21.29\00:24:22.62
Every sacrifice they offered
looked forward in anticipation
00:24:22.66\00:24:26.90
to the Christ that was to come.
00:24:26.96\00:24:29.76
So their faith
reached forward to the cross.
00:24:29.80\00:24:33.03
Our faith reaches
backward to the cross.
00:24:33.10\00:24:36.30
But it's the same
faith that we exercise,
00:24:36.34\00:24:39.77
that Abraham exercised.
00:24:39.81\00:24:41.14
The Bible says
Abraham was saved by faith.
00:24:41.18\00:24:43.01
So they exercised
faith to receive grace.
00:24:43.04\00:24:46.82
We exercise
faith to receive grace.
00:24:46.85\00:24:49.98
Now what's the
role of God's law,
00:24:53.02\00:24:55.02
and what's the role of grace?
00:24:55.06\00:24:57.79
Let's notice. They
have different roles.
00:24:57.83\00:25:00.66
They are not contradictory,
they're complimentary.
00:25:00.70\00:25:03.57
So the law reveals what sin is.
00:25:11.87\00:25:15.51
If I did not have the law,
I would not know what sin is.
00:25:15.54\00:25:21.75
Now if you do away with the law,
but the Bible says, By the law
00:25:21.78\00:25:24.99
is the knowledge of what? sin.
00:25:25.02\00:25:27.29
For example, if I'm traveling
down the highway, and on this
00:25:30.36\00:25:36.16
interstate, and I'm
going 100 miles an hour,
00:25:36.20\00:25:40.30
and a police stops me.
00:25:40.34\00:25:41.80
Now don't worry. This
preacher's not going to
00:25:41.84\00:25:43.51
travel 100 miles an hour.
00:25:43.54\00:25:44.87
But I'm driving down
and the police stops me.
00:25:44.91\00:25:47.14
He says, What are you doing?
00:25:47.18\00:25:48.68
You're speeding. You're,
you're... The speed limit is 70.
00:25:48.74\00:25:51.75
You're 30 miles an hour over.
00:25:51.78\00:25:53.21
So if there's a law,
I'm accountable to judgment
00:25:53.25\00:25:56.95
for breaking that law.
00:25:56.99\00:25:58.32
But what if there is no law?
00:25:58.35\00:26:00.49
What if I'm on the
Autobahn in Germany,
00:26:00.52\00:26:03.09
where there are no speed
limits, and I'm going 100?
00:26:03.12\00:26:06.26
What's going to happen?
00:26:06.29\00:26:07.63
Well, if I don't get into a
wreck, because I'm driving so
00:26:07.66\00:26:11.13
fast, I'm not going to
be picked up by the police.
00:26:11.17\00:26:14.07
Why not? There is no law.
00:26:14.10\00:26:15.64
So if you do away with
the law, you do away with sin.
00:26:15.70\00:26:19.27
Now let's take
that a step further.
00:26:19.31\00:26:20.64
The Bible says in
00:26:20.68\00:26:22.54
So just like Paul says in
Romans 3:20, By the law there is
00:26:28.32\00:26:32.95
a knowledge of sin.
00:26:32.99\00:26:34.99
We can't know sin
except by the law.
00:26:35.02\00:26:38.59
So the law reveals what sin is.
00:26:38.63\00:26:41.60
So you cannot know what sin is
unless it is defined by the law.
00:26:46.97\00:26:53.27
If you do away with the
law, you do away with sin.
00:26:53.34\00:26:58.11
The role of grace is to save us.
00:27:00.08\00:27:05.25
So we are not saved by the law.
00:27:18.93\00:27:22.17
The law reveals
to us what sin is.
00:27:22.20\00:27:25.44
Grace is God's mercy.
00:27:25.47\00:27:28.48
Grace is God's pardon.
00:27:28.51\00:27:31.45
Grace is God's forgiveness.
00:27:31.48\00:27:34.25
Grace has to do
with God's power.
00:27:34.28\00:27:37.55
Grace has to do with God's love.
00:27:37.59\00:27:40.76
Maybe this
illustration will help us.
00:27:40.79\00:27:43.43
Let's suppose that
I'm out working on my car.
00:27:43.46\00:27:49.66
And as I'm working on my
car, some grease spatters up,
00:27:49.70\00:27:53.77
and it hits me in the
nose, it Hits me on the cheek,
00:27:53.80\00:27:56.47
and I've got this
grease all over me.
00:27:56.50\00:27:59.17
And I don't realize it so much.
00:27:59.21\00:28:02.61
And my wife calls me, Mark,
Mark, it's time for supper.
00:28:02.64\00:28:06.38
I come in the house
and I've got this grease.
00:28:06.41\00:28:08.88
She looks at me and
she says, You've got grease
00:28:08.92\00:28:10.25
all over your face.
00:28:10.29\00:28:11.62
I say, Darling, I
don't have grease on my face.
00:28:11.65\00:28:12.99
She... You'd better
go look in the mirror.
00:28:13.02\00:28:14.39
I go look in the mirror.
00:28:14.42\00:28:15.76
Wait a minute,
my wife's right on!
00:28:15.79\00:28:17.79
She's right!
I've got this grease!
00:28:17.83\00:28:20.03
But I don't like that mirror.
00:28:20.06\00:28:21.66
I'm going to do away with it.
00:28:21.70\00:28:23.26
I'm going to smash it.
00:28:23.30\00:28:24.63
Does smashing the mirror
take the oil off my face?
00:28:24.67\00:28:32.31
No, you say. That's craziness!
00:28:32.34\00:28:33.91
It just reveals
what's there all the time.
00:28:33.94\00:28:36.41
That's the function of the law.
00:28:36.44\00:28:37.78
It reveals what's
there all the time.
00:28:37.81\00:28:39.15
But what do I need?
00:28:39.18\00:28:40.52
I need soap. I need soap to
cleanse this dirty face of mine.
00:28:40.55\00:28:45.22
What is the role of grace?
00:28:45.25\00:28:48.46
Grace is God's mercy and
pardon that washes me clean,
00:28:48.49\00:28:53.96
and empowers me
to live a new life.
00:28:54.00\00:28:57.37
What does Paul say?
00:29:07.38\00:29:08.71
Anybody that says faith or grace
does away with the law of God
00:29:12.41\00:29:18.85
disagrees with the Apostle Paul.
00:29:18.89\00:29:21.46
Because what does Paul say?
00:29:21.49\00:29:23.09
That is do we do away
with the law through faith?
00:29:24.96\00:29:27.60
What does he say? Certainly not!
00:29:27.63\00:29:30.73
Does that seem
tenuous? Not at all.
00:29:30.77\00:29:33.84
Paul is very clear.
00:29:33.90\00:29:35.24
He says, We establish the law.
00:29:35.27\00:29:37.27
In other words, my faith leads
me to accept God's grace that
00:29:37.31\00:29:41.98
cleanses my heart, and
that leads me to obey God's law.
00:29:42.01\00:29:46.68
Jesus put it as plainly as
He can put it when He said,
00:29:46.72\00:29:49.65
I have come not to destroy,
but to do what? fulfill.
00:29:57.63\00:30:01.26
Did Jesus come to do
away with the law that said,
00:30:01.30\00:30:04.93
Thou shalt not commit adultery?
00:30:04.97\00:30:06.30
Did He? He came to
fulfill it, or broaden
00:30:06.33\00:30:09.77
the claims of the law.
00:30:09.80\00:30:11.14
And Jesus didn't
do away with the law.
00:30:11.17\00:30:12.94
He said anybody that looks at
a woman, and gazes, lingering,
00:30:12.97\00:30:16.24
with lust in his heart
has broken that commandment.
00:30:16.28\00:30:19.31
That isn't to say that
the lustful look is works
00:30:19.35\00:30:22.35
as the lustful act.
00:30:22.38\00:30:23.72
It's not to say that at
all, because the lustful act has
00:30:23.75\00:30:26.65
social consequences, breaks
up them, but it is to say it's
00:30:26.69\00:30:30.33
breaking that commandment.
00:30:30.39\00:30:31.73
Did Jesus say that...
00:30:31.76\00:30:33.70
Did Jesus come to do away
with the commandment that says,
00:30:33.73\00:30:36.60
Thou shalt not kill?
00:30:36.63\00:30:37.97
So that now you can go
out and kill? Not at all!
00:30:38.00\00:30:39.70
What did He say? He broadened
that commandment, and He said
00:30:39.73\00:30:43.20
if you have anger in your heart
you've broken the commandment.
00:30:43.24\00:30:46.74
Does that mean anger is as
bad as killing, so you might as
00:30:46.78\00:30:48.91
well go out and kill somebody?
00:30:48.94\00:30:50.28
Not at all! That's a
misinterpretation totally.
00:30:50.31\00:30:53.38
But what it does mean
is that the angry thought
00:30:53.42\00:30:56.25
leads to the angry act; that
you can break the commandment
00:30:56.28\00:30:59.29
not only by the physical
act, but you can break the
00:30:59.35\00:31:02.59
commandment as well by the
thought in the mind of anger.
00:31:02.62\00:31:09.96
Jesus says, I didn't
come to destroy the law,
00:31:10.00\00:31:12.93
but I came to do
what? fulfill it.
00:31:12.97\00:31:14.90
Jesus is saying, I
have come to fulfill
00:31:14.94\00:31:17.17
the law, full of meaning.
00:31:17.21\00:31:18.74
I have come to
fulfill it full of purpose.
00:31:18.77\00:31:21.04
He fills it full of purpose
by giving us a pure mind,
00:31:21.08\00:31:24.05
and then taking
away adulterous thoughts.
00:31:24.08\00:31:25.58
He fills it full of purpose by
taking anger out of our heart,
00:31:25.61\00:31:29.22
and helping us have lives
of gentleness and kindness.
00:31:29.28\00:31:32.05
Jesus puts it very
plain when He says in
00:31:32.09\00:31:34.86
Somebody says,
that's it right there.
00:31:42.56\00:31:44.50
We're not under the law,
Pastor Mark, we're under grace.
00:31:44.53\00:31:47.74
That means we don't
have to keep the law.
00:31:47.80\00:31:49.14
Is that what the text says?
00:31:49.17\00:31:50.51
No, the text doesn't say that.
00:31:50.54\00:31:51.87
Let's look at
the text carefully.
00:31:51.91\00:31:53.24
When does sin
have dominion over you?
00:31:54.91\00:31:57.58
What is sin? It's lawlessness.
00:31:57.61\00:31:59.91
So sin has dominion
over you when you are
00:31:59.98\00:32:02.25
breaking God's law.
00:32:02.28\00:32:03.69
Notice it says, you are
not under law but under grace.
00:32:03.72\00:32:07.29
Now just look at the text.
00:32:07.32\00:32:08.66
Does the text say
we're not under the law?
00:32:08.69\00:32:10.76
You know I have
many audiences that say,
00:32:10.79\00:32:14.50
Oh yeah, it says
that we are under the law.
00:32:14.53\00:32:18.60
But what does it say?
00:32:18.63\00:32:19.97
You're not under the
law, you're under grace.
00:32:20.00\00:32:22.47
It doesn't say you're under the
law, it says you're not under
00:32:22.50\00:32:25.91
the law, you're under grace.
00:32:25.94\00:32:27.78
What does it mean to
be not under the law?
00:32:27.81\00:32:30.58
What does that mean?
00:32:30.61\00:32:32.01
Does it mean you're not under
the jurisdiction of the law,
00:32:32.05\00:32:36.95
therefore you can break the
law, or does it mean you're not
00:32:36.99\00:32:40.99
under the law, as a
method of salvation?
00:32:41.02\00:32:44.89
See, if you take the text
and context, sin shall not
00:32:44.93\00:32:49.43
have dominium over you.
00:32:49.46\00:32:50.80
In other words you're not going
to be out there breaking God's
00:32:50.83\00:32:52.77
law recklessly. For
you're not under the law.
00:32:52.80\00:32:55.97
You're not under law
as a method of salvation.
00:32:56.00\00:32:59.51
You're under the
grace method of salvation.
00:32:59.54\00:33:02.98
And when you're under the grace
method of salvation, you are
00:33:03.04\00:33:07.32
cleansed and pardoned by that
grace; that dynamic grace enters
00:33:07.35\00:33:11.59
into your life and leads
you to a life of obedience.
00:33:11.65\00:33:14.49
So the law is not
my method of salvation,
00:33:27.34\00:33:30.31
grace is my method of salvation.
00:33:30.34\00:33:32.47
But the grace that pardons me
is the grace that transforms me.
00:33:32.54\00:33:37.41
The grace that frees
me from the guilt of sin,
00:33:37.45\00:33:41.05
is the grace that frees
me from the shackles of sin.
00:33:41.08\00:33:44.82
When I come to Jesus,
we come just as we are,
00:33:44.85\00:33:49.62
with all of our sin,
with all of our guilt,
00:33:49.66\00:33:52.19
with all of our shame,
with all of our condemnation,
00:33:52.23\00:33:54.53
but we do not stay as we are.
00:33:54.56\00:33:57.63
He changes us. He
makes us over again.
00:33:57.67\00:34:01.40
He leads us to be
obedient to His law.
00:34:01.47\00:34:05.14
The law, like the
mirror, reveals our need.
00:34:05.17\00:34:08.01
But Christ cleanses us
from the sin of our life.
00:34:08.04\00:34:14.22
The law is a perfect
transcript of God's character.
00:34:20.49\00:34:23.73
How does it convert my soul?
00:34:23.76\00:34:25.16
It drives me to Jesus,
just like looking in the mirror.
00:34:25.19\00:34:29.20
It drives me to get some
soap, because I see I'm dirty.
00:34:29.23\00:34:32.27
So the law converts my soul
in the sense, not that it has
00:34:32.30\00:34:36.67
power, but in the sense
it shows me my lack of power.
00:34:36.71\00:34:40.34
It shows me my sin, and
it drives me to Jesus Christ.
00:34:40.38\00:34:43.98
It drives me to
the cross of Calvary.
00:34:44.01\00:34:46.41
It drives me to kneel there and
say, Jesus, let Your blood drops
00:34:46.48\00:34:50.79
fall on me and cleanse me.
00:34:50.82\00:34:52.69
On the cross I see His love.
00:34:52.72\00:34:54.46
On the cross I see His grace.
00:34:54.49\00:34:56.19
On the cross I see His pardon.
00:34:56.22\00:34:57.89
On the cross I see His mercy.
00:34:57.93\00:34:59.56
On the cross I see freedom from
the condemnation of the law.
00:34:59.59\00:35:03.16
At the cross I say, Jesus,
if you've done this much for me,
00:35:03.23\00:35:06.77
all I want to do is kneel
before Your cross and obey
00:35:06.80\00:35:10.77
You now and forever.
00:35:10.81\00:35:13.01
Somebody says, but
Pastor Mark, I have a question.
00:35:13.04\00:35:16.81
I love questions.
What's your question?
00:35:16.85\00:35:18.78
Didn't a rich young ruler
came to Jesus and say to Him,
00:35:18.81\00:35:23.28
What are the great
commandments in the law?
00:35:23.32\00:35:25.69
And didn't Jesus say love?
00:35:25.72\00:35:28.22
Let's go back and look at that.
00:35:28.26\00:35:29.96
The Scribe came to Jesus.
00:35:30.03\00:35:33.63
This teacher of
the law came to Jesus,
00:35:33.66\00:35:36.16
and in Matthew
22:36-40, and he says to Jesus,
00:35:36.20\00:35:40.70
Now why do you
think he asked Jesus that?
00:35:43.51\00:35:45.11
He did to test Him.
00:35:45.17\00:35:46.88
He wanted to see if he could
back Jesus into the corner.
00:35:46.91\00:35:50.78
And what does Jesus say?
00:35:50.81\00:35:52.15
And then Jesus goes on to say,
00:35:58.42\00:36:00.19
The Pharisee said, the
Scribe said, the lawyer said,
00:36:06.49\00:36:12.53
That's it! It's love!
00:36:12.57\00:36:15.17
He understood
what Jesus was doing.
00:36:15.87\00:36:18.67
Jesus was taking
the ten commandment law
00:36:18.71\00:36:21.64
and summarizing them.
00:36:21.68\00:36:23.11
Some people say that Jesus was
introducing a new commandment
00:36:23.14\00:36:27.58
here, but look what
He says. Next verse.
00:36:27.62\00:36:30.29
That's loving God,
loving your fellow man.
00:36:32.25\00:36:34.82
In other words the entire
ten commandment law can be
00:36:37.59\00:36:41.86
summarized in these two phrases.
00:36:41.90\00:36:43.83
The first four commandments
can be summarized in loving God,
00:36:43.87\00:36:47.27
the last six commandments
can be summarized in
00:36:47.30\00:36:50.37
loving your fellow man.
00:36:50.41\00:36:52.27
In fact, Jesus was
quoting from the Old Testament.
00:36:55.74\00:36:58.95
Deuteronomy 6:5 says,
Love God with all your
00:36:58.98\00:37:02.18
heart, soul and mind.
00:37:02.22\00:37:03.55
It's a summary of
the ten commandments.
00:37:03.59\00:37:04.92
Leviticus 19:18 says love
your neighbor as yourself.
00:37:04.95\00:37:08.32
So when Jesus
summarized the whole law,
00:37:08.36\00:37:11.26
it's in one word, love.
00:37:11.29\00:37:12.63
When He breaks down
the two tables of the law,
00:37:12.66\00:37:15.96
it's love to God, the
first four commandments,
00:37:16.00\00:37:18.03
love to your
fellow man the next six.
00:37:18.07\00:37:19.53
So the
commandments are codified love.
00:37:19.57\00:37:22.90
The commandments
reveal what loving people do.
00:37:22.94\00:37:26.21
They love God and
they love their fellow man.
00:37:26.24\00:37:29.41
Loving people don't
in any way want to steal
00:37:29.44\00:37:34.82
from their neighbors.
00:37:34.85\00:37:36.18
Loving people don't want in any
way to break the marriage tie
00:37:36.22\00:37:38.62
and commit adultery.
00:37:38.65\00:37:39.99
Loving children want
to honor their parents.
00:37:40.02\00:37:42.12
Loving people, who love
God, don't want to have any
00:37:42.16\00:37:45.69
other god's before them.
00:37:45.73\00:37:47.06
Loving people don't want
to take His name in vain.
00:37:47.10\00:37:49.46
So the ten commandments
reveal how loving people respond
00:37:49.50\00:37:54.64
in given situations.
00:37:54.67\00:37:56.00
The grace of Christ does
not change the ten commandment
00:37:56.04\00:38:02.28
law written by God's own
finger on tables of stone.
00:38:02.31\00:38:06.05
God did not write His law
on parchment to be consumed.
00:38:06.08\00:38:10.75
He didn't write it on
sand to be washed away.
00:38:10.79\00:38:13.92
He wrote it with His own
finger on tables of stone.
00:38:13.96\00:38:17.36
And if God wrote with His
finger on tables of stone,
00:38:17.39\00:38:20.73
He wrote it permanently, to
last not only for a few years,
00:38:20.76\00:38:24.87
or a few generations,
but to last forever.
00:38:24.90\00:38:27.44
And God's ten commandment
law is for people in every race,
00:38:27.47\00:38:32.71
culture, creed and background.
00:38:32.74\00:38:35.14
God's ten commandment
law is the moral code of
00:38:35.18\00:38:39.01
conduct for every society.
00:38:39.05\00:38:40.85
God's ten commandment law
reveals how people saved by
00:38:40.88\00:38:44.99
grace respond to
Him in loving obedience.
00:38:45.02\00:38:48.66
You know, when you look at
the ten commandment law itself,
00:38:48.69\00:38:52.06
and you see its introduction,
you see that the ten commandment
00:38:52.09\00:38:55.40
law really was
to give us freedom,
00:38:55.43\00:38:57.87
and not to keep us in bondage.
00:38:57.90\00:39:00.24
Look what it says in
00:39:00.27\00:39:01.60
So they were coming out
of bondage, and God gave them
00:39:08.74\00:39:12.45
the law as an
illustration of their freedom.
00:39:12.48\00:39:15.58
But somebody says,
Are the ten commandments
00:39:15.62\00:39:18.65
relevant for us today?
00:39:18.69\00:39:20.16
The ten commandments
speak with relevance
00:39:20.19\00:39:23.09
to your life and mine.
00:39:23.12\00:39:24.46
They speak with
purpose to your life and mine.
00:39:24.49\00:39:27.46
The first commandment says,
00:39:27.50\00:39:28.93
In an age of false gods, in
an age when sports stars become
00:39:32.10\00:39:38.74
ours gods, and singers become
our gods, and entertainers
00:39:38.77\00:39:43.11
become our gods, and the
Hollywood icons become our gods,
00:39:43.14\00:39:47.48
God says, You shall
have no other gods before Me.
00:39:47.52\00:39:51.25
This commandment speaks with
relevance in our generation,
00:39:51.29\00:39:55.69
at a time when men and women
make graven images out of their
00:39:55.72\00:40:00.10
material possessions, God says,
00:40:00.13\00:40:03.00
In other words,
worship Me directly.
00:40:06.60\00:40:09.34
The first commandment
says worship Me exclusively.
00:40:09.37\00:40:12.51
There's nobody like our God.
00:40:12.54\00:40:14.71
Our God is an awesome God.
00:40:14.74\00:40:16.88
The first commandment says,
Have no other gods before Me.
00:40:16.91\00:40:19.98
Worship Him
directly, exclusively.
00:40:20.02\00:40:22.78
The second commandment says,
00:40:22.82\00:40:27.02
Worship Him directly.
00:40:27.06\00:40:28.86
Come directly to God.
00:40:28.89\00:40:30.63
The third commandment says,
00:40:30.66\00:40:32.36
At a time when
the name of Jesus.
00:40:35.73\00:40:37.80
That lovely name, that
magnificent name that's been
00:40:37.83\00:40:41.40
dragged through the dust in vile
epitaphs, and in curse words.
00:40:41.47\00:40:46.44
The Bible says,
00:40:46.47\00:40:47.81
In other words, also another way
to break that commandment is to
00:40:50.15\00:40:53.65
pretend you're a
Christian and really not be one.
00:40:53.72\00:40:55.95
In other words, don't
live a hypocritical life.
00:40:55.98\00:40:58.19
Live in harmony
with Christ and His will,
00:40:58.25\00:41:02.42
and His commandments.
00:41:02.46\00:41:03.79
The fourth commandment,
00:41:03.83\00:41:05.16
God says, Remember.
00:41:05.86\00:41:07.20
Most of the world has forgotten.
00:41:07.23\00:41:08.56
At a time when people are
racing on; filled with stress,
00:41:14.54\00:41:18.04
and anxiety, and
worry, tension leading
00:41:18.07\00:41:21.58
to coronary disease,
God says, Come, come.
00:41:21.61\00:41:24.95
The commandments are relevant,
the Sabbath is relevant.
00:41:25.05\00:41:27.62
God says, Come, come and
find rest and security in
00:41:27.68\00:41:31.79
your Creator each Sabbath.
00:41:31.85\00:41:33.89
At a time when children are
defying the commands of their
00:41:33.96\00:41:39.39
parents, at a time when children
often turn their backs in
00:41:39.43\00:41:45.90
rebellion, and what
their parents say means little,
00:41:45.93\00:41:48.67
God says,
00:41:48.70\00:41:50.04
At a time of beating, and
killing, and bombs dropping,
00:41:50.81\00:41:56.04
in a time of taking the
life of the young unborn
00:41:56.08\00:41:59.78
so indiscriminately, God says,
00:41:59.81\00:42:02.98
The commandment
speaks with relevance.
00:42:05.92\00:42:08.72
Murder on television, violence
in our society, terrorism,
00:42:08.76\00:42:14.30
free abortions taking place
indiscriminately, and God says
00:42:14.33\00:42:19.83
human life is sacred.
00:42:19.87\00:42:22.67
And at a time of
blatant, wanton sexual adultery,
00:42:22.70\00:42:27.01
God calls us to purity.
00:42:27.04\00:42:29.41
The commandments speak with
relevance to this generation.
00:42:29.44\00:42:34.32
At a time when people
think very little of stealing,
00:42:34.35\00:42:39.49
very little of taking
things from others that don't
00:42:39.52\00:42:42.79
belong to them,
God's word still speaks,
00:42:42.82\00:42:45.89
In a time of criticism and
gossip, and lying about other
00:42:48.30\00:42:52.63
people, and destroying
their reputations; the tabloid
00:42:52.67\00:42:56.37
newspapers are full of it.
00:42:56.40\00:42:58.07
What does it say
in the Scripture?
00:42:58.11\00:43:00.18
To destroy your neighbors
reputation is a serious
00:43:05.01\00:43:09.28
offense against God.
00:43:09.32\00:43:10.65
These commandments are relevant.
00:43:10.69\00:43:12.12
Think if we only
spoke good of others.
00:43:12.15\00:43:14.42
Think if we never, never
spoke critical words or lied,
00:43:14.49\00:43:19.46
told half truths about others.
00:43:19.49\00:43:21.06
Think of the
positive human relationships
00:43:21.10\00:43:23.90
that would take place.
00:43:23.97\00:43:25.30
Think of the positive human
relationships if we're filled
00:43:25.33\00:43:27.74
with purity, filled with
kindness, filled with love.
00:43:27.77\00:43:31.01
You see, the ten commandment
law leads us not to be selfish,
00:43:31.04\00:43:36.85
or jealous of what others have.
00:43:36.88\00:43:38.68
The tenth commandment
00:43:38.71\00:43:40.05
What a society we would have
if we worshipped God directly,
00:43:40.52\00:43:47.02
if we worshipped God
exclusively, if His name were
00:43:47.06\00:43:50.76
honored, if the Sabbath
were kept, and people felt
00:43:50.79\00:43:54.43
restful and peaceful.
00:43:54.46\00:43:56.36
What a society we would be in if
children honored their parents,
00:43:56.40\00:44:00.10
and there was a
strong family unit.
00:44:00.14\00:44:01.90
What a society we would have
if we respected the goods of
00:44:01.94\00:44:04.97
others, and we
respected the lives of others,
00:44:05.01\00:44:08.24
and we protected
the lives of others.
00:44:08.28\00:44:10.65
What a society we
would have if we, if we
00:44:10.68\00:44:14.18
maintained moral
purity: no divorce,
00:44:14.22\00:44:18.59
kindness and love
reigns, and we're not coveting.
00:44:18.62\00:44:22.12
God is calling us back,
back to the keeping of His law.
00:44:22.19\00:44:26.36
He's calling us from the
majority, calling us from the
00:44:26.39\00:44:30.50
crowd, calling us by His grace,
and through His power to live
00:44:30.53\00:44:34.30
godly, obedient
lives. The Bible says in
00:44:34.34\00:44:38.24
Speaking of His commandments,
00:44:47.38\00:44:49.12
Down through the centuries God's
ten commandment law speaks with
00:44:54.16\00:44:59.13
relevance to
bring joy and happiness,
00:44:59.16\00:45:01.53
and meaning and
purpose to His people.
00:45:01.56\00:45:03.87
He disobeyed
God and lost Heaven.
00:45:07.67\00:45:10.11
And many a man, many a
woman will lose Heaven again.
00:45:14.28\00:45:18.21
They'll lose the joy of
that Edenic home in the future
00:45:18.25\00:45:22.12
because of disobedience.
00:45:22.15\00:45:23.49
God says, here's
God's desire for your heart.
00:45:23.52\00:45:26.55
Here's God's
desire for your life.
00:45:26.62\00:45:28.86
What is the covenant?
00:45:36.20\00:45:37.53
What is this new covenant?
00:45:37.57\00:45:38.90
Is it to do away with
God's law? Not at all.
00:45:38.93\00:45:41.50
What is the new
covenant promise?
00:45:51.31\00:45:53.92
The new covenant promise is
God's law in our minds so we
00:45:53.95\00:45:58.39
know it; God's law in
our heart so that we love it.
00:45:58.42\00:46:02.02
We love God's
law. Saved by grace!
00:46:02.06\00:46:04.76
All we want to do
is obey God's law.
00:46:04.79\00:46:07.46
Where are God's last
day people today, you say?
00:46:14.57\00:46:17.81
How can I find God's
last day people today?
00:46:17.84\00:46:21.04
Jesus has an end time.
00:46:33.32\00:46:35.82
Jesus has a last day people,
and He says, Here they are!
00:46:35.86\00:46:40.96
They are saved by faith.
00:46:41.00\00:46:42.60
The faith of Jesus
lives in their heart.
00:46:42.66\00:46:45.27
The faith of Jesus is a dynamic
principle that changes their
00:46:45.30\00:46:48.27
life, and they are led
to lead obedient lives.
00:46:48.30\00:46:50.91
If you want to find
God's end time people,
00:46:50.94\00:46:52.57
find a people saved by grace,
find a people that are living
00:46:52.61\00:46:55.91
by the faith of Jesus Christ
in their hearts as the dynamic
00:46:55.94\00:46:59.45
principle that leads them to
keep God's law, that leads them
00:46:59.48\00:47:02.95
to be obedient to
God's commandments.
00:47:02.98\00:47:05.35
puts it this way, Blessed...
I want to be blessed, don't you?
00:47:07.76\00:47:11.49
How many want to be blessed?
00:47:11.53\00:47:12.86
Clothed with His righteousness,
and robed with His glory,
00:47:21.50\00:47:26.11
immersed in His grace,
they do His commandments,
00:47:26.17\00:47:30.45
according to the
book of Revelation.
00:47:30.48\00:47:33.82
Jesus reaches out to you,
and Jesus says to you my friend,
00:47:33.85\00:47:38.15
Come! Kneel before Me, confess
anything not in harmony with
00:47:38.19\00:47:43.56
My will, commit deeply in
your heart that you desire
00:47:43.63\00:47:48.56
to keep My commandments.
00:47:48.63\00:47:50.37
I'll give you that strength.
00:47:50.40\00:47:52.07
I'll give you that courage.
00:47:52.10\00:47:53.74
Many years ago Dwight L.
Moody was a great preacher.
00:47:53.77\00:48:00.28
He preached all across
America, preached in England.
00:48:00.31\00:48:03.35
Thousands and thousands
came to hear Moody preach.
00:48:03.41\00:48:07.35
Moody had quite a reputation,
and very often people pointed
00:48:07.38\00:48:13.79
forward to Moody's
life, pointed out Moody's life
00:48:13.86\00:48:18.53
to their children as an example.
00:48:18.56\00:48:21.26
The story is told of a
mother who brought her young son
00:48:21.30\00:48:26.53
to meet Dwight Moody.
00:48:26.57\00:48:29.17
And as the boy came up
the mother smiled and said to
00:48:29.20\00:48:32.91
Mr. Moody, Mr.
Moody, this is my boy.
00:48:32.94\00:48:35.34
I'll call him John.
00:48:35.41\00:48:36.75
This is my boy, John.
00:48:36.78\00:48:38.11
Mr. Moody, I'd
love you to meet him.
00:48:38.15\00:48:39.48
John, shake Mr. Moody's hand.
00:48:39.51\00:48:41.28
And the boy clenched
his fist, and he put his
00:48:41.32\00:48:42.95
hands behind his back.
00:48:42.98\00:48:44.32
The mother was
quite embarrassed.
00:48:44.35\00:48:45.89
Meeting a famous man like that,
meeting a renowned man like
00:48:45.92\00:48:49.52
that, meeting a man that had
shaken two continents for God,
00:48:49.56\00:48:53.13
and her son has his
hands behind his back?
00:48:53.16\00:48:55.80
Son, shake Moody's hand!
00:48:57.33\00:49:01.14
And the boy took his hand
out with a fist like this.
00:49:01.17\00:49:05.44
Son, open your hand.
00:49:05.47\00:49:07.34
Son, why are you
being so defiant?
00:49:07.38\00:49:09.84
Son, shake the
great preacher's hand!
00:49:09.88\00:49:12.28
The boy had his hand in a fist.
00:49:12.31\00:49:14.32
He made a fist out of his hand.
00:49:14.35\00:49:16.28
The woman took his fingers
and began to peel them back
00:49:16.35\00:49:20.86
and open them up, and the boy
had a few marbles in his hand.
00:49:20.89\00:49:23.36
The boy thought that
Dwight Moody was going
00:49:23.39\00:49:26.76
to take his marbles.
00:49:26.80\00:49:28.13
He didn't want to
give up his marbles.
00:49:29.36\00:49:32.17
What marbles are
you holding onto?
00:49:32.20\00:49:34.94
What are you
clinging to in your hand?
00:49:35.90\00:49:37.91
When you look at God's law,
have you been living in harmony
00:49:37.94\00:49:42.94
with its principles?
00:49:42.98\00:49:44.31
Have you been knowingly,
willingly breaking God's law?
00:49:44.35\00:49:47.92
Jesus says, Open your hand.
00:49:47.98\00:49:50.09
I want to embrace you.
00:49:50.12\00:49:52.79
I want to take you by the hand.
00:49:52.82\00:49:54.82
I want to lead you
from here to eternity.
00:49:54.86\00:49:57.56
Open up your hand.
00:49:57.59\00:49:59.19
Don't hold on to those
cheap, tawdry marbles anymore.
00:49:59.23\00:50:04.73
I've got so much more for you.
00:50:04.77\00:50:07.20
Jesus reaches out to you
right now, and will you say,
00:50:07.24\00:50:11.77
All to Jesus, I surrender.
00:50:11.81\00:50:14.34
I surrender all, Jesus.
00:50:14.38\00:50:16.88
Listen as Celestine sings, and
open your heart to this Christ.
00:50:16.91\00:50:23.62
All to Jesus I surrender,
all to Him I freely give.
00:50:33.23\00:50:48.31
I will ever love and trust
Him, in His presence daily live.
00:50:48.34\00:51:03.53
I surrender
all. I surrender all.
00:51:04.49\00:51:19.41
All to Thee, my blessed
Savior, I surrender all.
00:51:19.44\00:51:33.79
All to Jesus I surrender.
00:51:39.39\00:51:46.77
Humbly at His feet I bow.
00:51:46.80\00:51:54.11
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
take me Jesus, take me now.
00:51:54.14\00:52:08.76
I surrender
all! I surrender all!
00:52:08.79\00:52:22.97
All to Thee, my blessed
Savior, I surrender all.
00:52:23.00\00:52:37.72
I surrender
all! I surrender all!
00:52:37.75\00:52:50.90
All to Thee, my blessed
Savior, I surrender all.
00:52:50.93\00:53:12.52
I want to be very practical.
00:53:14.69\00:53:16.46
How do you surrender all?
00:53:16.49\00:53:20.40
What does it
mean to surrender all?
00:53:20.43\00:53:24.17
For somebody, these
next few moments are
00:53:24.20\00:53:30.04
going to change your life.
00:53:30.07\00:53:31.41
For somebody, these
next few moments are going to
00:53:31.44\00:53:37.18
transform your life.
00:53:37.21\00:53:39.18
You say, But, you know,
I have this relationship.
00:53:39.21\00:53:44.42
I could never surrender it.
00:53:44.45\00:53:46.02
I have this habit. I
could never surrender it.
00:53:46.05\00:53:49.62
This habit has chained me.
00:53:49.66\00:53:52.39
This habit has shacked me.
00:53:52.43\00:53:55.10
I've tried to give it
up before and I can't.
00:53:55.16\00:53:58.17
I'm in this relationship,
and I can't get out.
00:53:58.23\00:54:01.17
I seem bound. I'm not
sure that I want to give up
00:54:01.20\00:54:05.91
the things that I'm
doing, because at times they are
00:54:05.94\00:54:09.64
so attractive to me.
00:54:09.68\00:54:11.71
Listen to me friend, first don't
worry about giving up things.
00:54:11.75\00:54:18.19
Give yourself to Jesus.
00:54:18.22\00:54:22.32
He will take care of the things.
00:54:22.36\00:54:25.99
What do you receive when
you give yourself to Jesus?
00:54:26.06\00:54:30.80
You receive peace. Your
heart is flooded with His peace.
00:54:30.83\00:54:35.84
You receive a sense of
the forgiveness of your sins.
00:54:35.87\00:54:40.84
The guilt is gone. You receive
a new power into your life
00:54:41.51\00:54:47.78
that is life
changing, and it's radical,
00:54:47.82\00:54:51.25
and it's life transformational.
00:54:51.29\00:54:53.76
You receive the new joy that
there is purpose for your life,
00:54:53.79\00:54:59.43
there's a plan for your
life, and Christ has your
00:54:59.46\00:55:03.03
best interest in view.
00:55:03.06\00:55:04.43
You receive the hope of Heaven,
and the glory that you can live
00:55:04.47\00:55:11.91
with Christ forever, and
ever, and ever, and ever.
00:55:11.97\00:55:16.41
What do I give up? I
give up a sin polluted heart.
00:55:16.44\00:55:20.85
I give up a confused life.
00:55:20.92\00:55:23.55
I give up, when I
surrender myself to Christ,
00:55:23.59\00:55:27.39
I give up my own ways.
00:55:27.42\00:55:29.72
I come to Jesus, and what
I receive is so much greater!
00:55:29.76\00:55:36.50
Right now would you like
to bow your head with me?
00:55:37.50\00:55:41.10
Right now would you like
to say, Jesus, I'm giving
00:55:41.14\00:55:47.74
my whole self to You?
00:55:47.78\00:55:50.21
All to Jesus, I surrender.
00:55:50.25\00:55:53.82
Let's pray. Father in Heaven,
we know that coming to Christ
00:55:53.85\00:55:58.25
isn't giving up
things, it's giving up ourself.
00:55:58.29\00:56:02.72
It's giving to
You our very life.
00:56:02.76\00:56:05.29
And when we do that, in exchange
for a sin polluted heart
00:56:05.33\00:56:10.20
we receive the grace
and strength, and pardon,
00:56:10.23\00:56:14.27
and forgiveness of Christ.
00:56:14.30\00:56:15.64
In exchange for purposelessness,
and meaninglessness in life,
00:56:15.67\00:56:20.24
we receive
direction in our life.
00:56:20.28\00:56:22.84
In exchange for not having
much assurance for the future,
00:56:22.88\00:56:27.68
we receive the joy,
and the hope of eternity.
00:56:27.75\00:56:31.02
We thank You so much
for everything You give us.
00:56:31.05\00:56:34.29
We come to You, and we give
You our lives this very moment,
00:56:34.32\00:56:38.93
knowing that You've
said, Him that cometh to Me,
00:56:38.96\00:56:42.53
I'll in nowise cast out.
00:56:42.56\00:56:44.70
In Christ's name, Amen.
00:56:44.73\00:56:46.80
Have the assurance, my dear
friend, that if you have made
00:56:46.84\00:56:51.51
that decision in your home,
if you have made that decision
00:56:51.54\00:56:55.61
in your hotel room, to
come to Christ right now,
00:56:55.64\00:56:58.78
that your hand is
in the hand of Christ.
00:56:58.81\00:57:02.55
He will never,
ever, ever let you go.
00:57:02.58\00:57:06.19
He'll never
turn His back on you.
00:57:06.22\00:57:08.66
Have the joy of His peace.
00:57:08.69\00:57:10.76
Stay with us as we journey
through the book of Revelation
00:57:10.79\00:57:15.36
together, and understand
more deeply its prophecies.
00:57:15.40\00:57:19.67
Join us for our next telecast on
00:57:19.70\00:57:24.74
Revelation's
Ancient Discoveries.
00:57:24.77\00:57:27.84