In 1998 we had
the privilege to do
00:00:18.14\00:00:21.87
a Revelation
Now meeting in Cuba,
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in the little church
in Santiago de Las Vegas
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on the outskirts of the
Havana near the airport.
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And they were 180 people packed
in to this tiny little church
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wanting to hear the word of God,
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some for the very
first time in their life.
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A week earlier, Pope
John Paul II held a mass
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in the Revolution
Plaza downtown Havana,
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over one million
people packed into the plaza.
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Now that raises a question
in the minds of lots of people.
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One million people
packed into the plaza in a 180
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in this little tiny church
on the outskirts of the city.
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Hearing something entirely
different from the masses
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and what they were hearing
in the plaza from the Pope.
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So the question is,
who was hearing the truth?
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The tiny little church
or the massive gathering
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in the massive
plaza of the Revolution
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with the single most recognized
religious leader in the world.
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Who was hearing the truth?
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I think if there's one
question that burns its way
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into our consciousness that
question is what is the truth?
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We want to be
sure that the bridge
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which claims to
take us into eternity
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is gonna get us there, amen.
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We want to know the truth.
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Well, God has provided a means
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for safeguarding
the truth in the world
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and that means for
safeguarding the truth
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is the church of Jesus Christ.
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The problem is
there are lot of churches
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and they all
claim to have the truth
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even though they are all
teaching something different
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and
contradictory from the others
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or they would have no
reason to exist separately.
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They cannot all be
teaching the truth,
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they cannot all have the truth
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but they all
claim to have the truth,
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at least I have never seen a
church post a sign out front,
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that says, we don't
have the truth here,
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so which one has the truth?
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How can we know? How
can we find the truth?
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Maybe we ought to start
even more basically than that
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and question we
ought to start with is
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what is the truth
or what is the church?
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Why they are so
many different churches?
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What is the church?
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Paul tells us in his
letter in 1 Colossians1:18.
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He tells us and He that's Jesus,
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He is the head of the
body, which is the church.
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So the church is
the body of Christ
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and it's not found in
any one single location,
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it's not found in any
one particular denomination.
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Christ is the head,
His body is the church,
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the moment someone accepts
Jesus Christ as their savior
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at that moment they are a
part of the body of Christ,
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they are a part of His church.
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It's not located
in any one place,
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its' located at every place,
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where there's someone
who believes in Jesus Christ.
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Luther called this
the invisible church,
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the invisible body of Christ,
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because it's not confined
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to a particular
location or organization.
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But the
question for us today is.
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Does the
invisible body of Christ
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ever become a
visible organization
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or denomination
even in the world?
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What does the Bible
have to say about it?
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In the Book of Acts, if you
look there with me in Acts 13.
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Luke mentions in verse
1. In the church at Antioch.
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So now he is writing
about a particular church,
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a local congregation in a city
called Antioch and there verse 2
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"While they were fasting and
praying, the Holy Spirit said,
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"Set apart for
Me Barnabas and Saul
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for the work to
which I call them to do."
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So they had fasted, they prayed,
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placed their hands on
them and sent them off.
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So here we see
the church at Antioch
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has a local congregation,
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a local group of
people that met together
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and the Bible says
they were the church.
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Furthermore the Holy
Spirit chose to use the church
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to send off the
Apostle Paul and Barnabas
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to go out and preach the gospel.
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The spirit could
have set them aside
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on his own and saying Paul go,
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but no the Holy Spirit chose
to work through the church.
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The church is God's
idea, not man's idea,
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it's God's idea.
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Then in the Acts 9, in
Acts 9 we discover, verse 31.
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"Then that church throughout
Judea, Galilee, Samaria
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enjoyed a time of
peace and it was strengthened
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and encourage by the Holy
Spirit and it grew in numbers."
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So somebody was there
counting numbers of the church
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as far back as the Bible time.
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The church was becoming
more and more organized.
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The invisible body of Christ is
becoming a visible organization,
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a structure in the world
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and they were even counting
the members of the church.
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And it began to grow
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but there was
trouble in the camp.
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Acts 6, the Greek widows,
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that's the Gentile widows
were being discriminated against
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because the Jewish widows
were being favored in the church
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this brought a
dispute in the church.
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Racial discrimination
already in the church
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during the time of the
apostles, so the church met
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and they appointed
seven men to serve as deacons
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to be administrative
leaders of the church
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setting the pastors free
to be able to preach the word,
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while the deacons took over
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the administrative
chores of the church
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putting out the fires and
the debates that kept coming up.
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But as they appointed leaders
and organizing the church,
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it becomes more and more
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a visible
organization in the world.
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Then more trouble
in the camp, Acts 15.
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Now it's really getting bad,
not just racial discrimination
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but in Chapter 15:1.
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"So men came down
from Judea to Antioch
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and they were
teaching the brothers
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"Unless you are circumcised,
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according to the custom taught
by Moses, you can't be saved."
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They got Paul's back
up. And Paul said, no way.
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This brought such a
dispute that Paul and Barnabas
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entered into a debate with them.
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So Paul and
Barnabas were appointed
00:09:01.72\00:09:03.59
along with some other
believers to go up to Jerusalem
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and see the apostle and
the elders about this question.
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So they brought in
representatives of the church
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from all around the area
to have a council meeting
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or a conference to
decide what we're gonna do?
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We have people saying
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you have to be circumcised
in order to be saved.
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Paul saying no that's upfront to
the very gospel of Jesus Christ
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so there is a political
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theological
debate in the church.
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They are arguing over doctrines,
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they come together to
try to resolve the issue.
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Peter gave his testimony
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of how Gods poured His
Spirit out on Cornelius.
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We've already
learned that, the Gentile.
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And then there was
Paul giving his testimony
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on how God has been blessing
the Gentiles in his ministry.
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So James got up
and made a speech
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referring to how the
Holy Spirit had been working
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in the ministry of Paul
and Peter with the Gentiles.
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But then he said in verse 15
00:10:04.45\00:10:07.57
the words of the prophets
are in agreement with this
00:10:07.60\00:10:13.35
and he quoted an Old
Testament prophet Amus.
00:10:13.38\00:10:18.11
So James using the
evidence of the Holy Spirit
00:10:18.14\00:10:23.49
along with the word
of God said, verse 19,
00:10:23.52\00:10:29.91
"It is my judgment then that
we should not make it difficult
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for the Gentiles
who were turning to God
00:10:35.55\00:10:37.95
and they would
not be circumcised."
00:10:37.98\00:10:41.07
So notice what's happening here?
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God could have sent
a prophet with a vision
00:10:43.80\00:10:47.73
saying I do not want you
to circumcise the Gentiles,
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but he didn't choose to do that.
00:10:52.94\00:10:56.12
God chose to use His church
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and the church met with
the tools of the Holy Spirit
00:11:01.49\00:11:05.60
and the word of God
and came to the conclusion
00:11:05.63\00:11:10.64
as to what should be
taught in the church,
00:11:10.67\00:11:15.21
that's a lesson for us today.
00:11:15.24\00:11:18.34
God chose to use the church
as the safeguard for the truth.
00:11:18.37\00:11:23.13
Now of course the
Bible contains the truth.
00:11:23.16\00:11:26.47
But even already we see
"two versions of the truth".
00:11:26.50\00:11:32.41
Those claiming you
have to be circumcised
00:11:32.44\00:11:34.96
thought they were
teaching the truth.
00:11:34.99\00:11:36.72
Those saying
no, no circumcision.
00:11:36.75\00:11:39.24
Circumcision is by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ.
00:11:39.27\00:11:42.69
They believed they had the truth
00:11:42.72\00:11:44.57
and so it was resolved by
debate concerning the scripture
00:11:44.60\00:11:50.30
and the demonstration
of the power of the spirit.
00:11:50.33\00:11:55.39
Now watch what happens.
00:11:55.42\00:11:57.87
Verse 22, Then the
apostles and the elders
00:11:57.90\00:12:01.84
with the whole church decided,
00:12:01.87\00:12:05.31
so the church decided what to do
00:12:05.34\00:12:08.25
and they chose some of their own
men and send them to Antioch.
00:12:08.28\00:12:13.00
In verse 24, this is
the letter they sent.
00:12:13.03\00:12:15.88
We heard that
some went out from us
00:12:15.91\00:12:18.61
without our
authorization and disturbed you.
00:12:18.64\00:12:23.42
So the leaders of
the church in Jerusalem
00:12:23.45\00:12:26.93
considered themselves
as authorized to commission
00:12:26.96\00:12:32.20
and send out gospel
ministers and preachers
00:12:32.23\00:12:36.11
and decide what was and what was
not to be taught in the church.
00:12:36.14\00:12:42.11
So God is using the
church as a safeguard
00:12:42.14\00:12:46.25
for understanding the Bible.
00:12:46.28\00:12:50.81
Again, a lesson for us today.
00:12:50.84\00:12:55.29
They went out
without our authorization.
00:12:55.32\00:12:59.81
Chapter 16:4, as they
traveled from town to town,
00:12:59.84\00:13:04.15
they delivered the decisions
00:13:04.18\00:13:05.87
reached by the
apostles and the elders.
00:13:05.90\00:13:08.53
The leaders of the
church at Jerusalem
00:13:08.56\00:13:10.58
for the people to obey."
00:13:10.61\00:13:13.31
They expected the people
to conform to the decisions
00:13:13.34\00:13:17.14
that the leaders
of the church made
00:13:17.17\00:13:19.25
in conjunction
with the word of God
00:13:19.28\00:13:21.39
and the leading
of the Holy Spirit.
00:13:21.42\00:13:24.47
Well, what if
people didn't want to obey?
00:13:24.50\00:13:27.39
I'm sure there
was some who didn't.
00:13:27.42\00:13:31.59
But they couldn't be
a part of that church
00:13:31.62\00:13:34.93
that God was
developing and grooming
00:13:34.96\00:13:37.57
to be His kingdom on earth.
00:13:37.60\00:13:42.54
What was the result?
00:13:42.57\00:13:43.60
Verse 5, "So the churches
were strengthened in their faith
00:13:43.63\00:13:46.34
and they grew daily in numbers."
00:13:46.37\00:13:49.64
Again somebody was there
counting members of the church.
00:13:49.67\00:13:54.28
And it becomes more
and more of an organization
00:13:54.31\00:13:57.09
or dare I say
even a denomination
00:13:57.12\00:14:02.16
with leadership in
Jerusalem guiding the teachings
00:14:02.19\00:14:07.18
and the work of the
church of Jesus Christ on earth.
00:14:07.21\00:14:12.99
The church is becoming more
and more visible and organized.
00:14:13.02\00:14:17.85
Now Jesus knew that there
would be problems in the church
00:14:17.88\00:14:21.26
when He first set
it up, Mathew 18:15.
00:14:21.29\00:14:24.69
"If your brother
sins against you,
00:14:24.72\00:14:26.59
go and show him his fault,
just between the two of you.
00:14:26.62\00:14:30.62
If he listens you
have won him over."
00:14:30.65\00:14:32.90
Notice he says go to
him and show him his fault.
00:14:32.93\00:14:36.99
He didn't say
go to the telephone
00:14:37.02\00:14:39.51
and tell the whole
church, that's easy to do,
00:14:39.54\00:14:44.83
go to him and
show him his fault,
00:14:44.86\00:14:47.33
that's not so easy to do.
00:14:47.36\00:14:50.48
I wonder how much better
off we would be as a church
00:14:50.51\00:14:52.75
if we follow that
rule that Jesus gave.
00:14:52.78\00:14:55.88
Go to him, if he
listens you won him over,
00:14:55.91\00:14:58.69
if he won't listen
then what do you do?
00:14:58.72\00:15:00.35
Well, take one
or two others along,
00:15:00.38\00:15:02.25
so that every matter is
established by the testimony
00:15:02.28\00:15:04.59
of two or three witnesses.
00:15:04.62\00:15:06.40
What if he doesn't
listen to them? Watch this.
00:15:06.43\00:15:08.34
If he refuses to listen to
them then tell it to the church.
00:15:08.37\00:15:13.31
How do you do that?
00:15:13.34\00:15:14.62
I don't know how to do that
00:15:14.65\00:15:15.68
except to have some
kind of a church meeting
00:15:15.71\00:15:18.93
where the members
are all gathered together
00:15:18.96\00:15:20.97
deciding what to
do about this brother
00:15:21.00\00:15:23.46
who is bringing disrepute
on the name of the church.
00:15:23.49\00:15:28.09
Folks, this isn't me, this
isn't a denomination speaking,
00:15:28.12\00:15:31.79
this is Jesus
speaking to His leaders,
00:15:31.82\00:15:34.28
His disciples, His church.
00:15:34.31\00:15:38.01
Tell it to the church--
00:15:38.04\00:15:39.10
what if he doesn't
listen to the church?
00:15:39.13\00:15:40.36
Treat him as you were to a
pagan or the tax collector.
00:15:40.39\00:15:42.78
Uh? What does that mean?
00:15:42.81\00:15:46.90
Number one,
pagans and tax collectors
00:15:46.93\00:15:49.15
were not a part of the church.
00:15:49.18\00:15:52.22
And so Jesus is
saying, if they don't want
00:15:52.25\00:15:55.29
to uphold the teachings
that I have given to the church
00:15:55.32\00:15:58.60
then they're gonna have to
be separated from the church.
00:15:58.63\00:16:02.96
That's not a very
pleasant thing to think about,
00:16:02.99\00:16:06.17
but you see the
church is not a club.
00:16:06.20\00:16:09.91
It's the
kingdom of God on earth.
00:16:09.94\00:16:13.48
The church represents God.
00:16:13.51\00:16:15.11
And if someone
insists on taking positions
00:16:15.14\00:16:18.37
that defame and
go against the church
00:16:18.40\00:16:20.77
and go against the name of God,
00:16:20.80\00:16:22.72
then the time come
when the church has to say,
00:16:22.75\00:16:25.24
look, we love you, we're sorry
00:16:25.27\00:16:27.33
but if you want to
persist in this kind of thing,
00:16:27.36\00:16:29.97
we--you can't be a part of us,
00:16:30.00\00:16:33.30
because you no longer
represent what we are.
00:16:33.33\00:16:36.33
That's not me saying that,
00:16:36.36\00:16:38.00
that's not the
denomination saying that,
00:16:38.03\00:16:40.23
that's Jesus Christ
Himself saying that.
00:16:40.26\00:16:43.83
Watch this, it gets even better.
00:16:43.86\00:16:47.03
I tell you whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven,
00:16:47.06\00:16:50.63
whatever you loose on
earth will be loosed in heaven.
00:16:50.66\00:16:53.63
So Jesus is saying
we will listen to you
00:16:53.66\00:16:56.73
and respect your decisions.
00:16:56.76\00:16:59.09
He's giving the church
the authority to decide
00:16:59.12\00:17:01.60
who is and who is not to be in
fellowship in their congregation
00:17:01.63\00:17:07.15
and He says we'll honor that.
00:17:07.18\00:17:09.27
Now you can't take
this as far as some churches
00:17:09.30\00:17:12.62
who say that if you're not a
member of our church you're lost
00:17:12.65\00:17:16.05
and if you're disfellowship
from our church you're doomed
00:17:16.08\00:17:18.71
and condemned forever,
that's not what Jesus is saying.
00:17:18.74\00:17:22.11
He's simply saying the
church has the authority
00:17:22.14\00:17:24.89
to decide who is to
be a part of that church,
00:17:24.92\00:17:27.14
so that congregation and
heaven will recognize that.
00:17:27.17\00:17:30.36
The church has no voice in
who is saved and who is lost,
00:17:30.39\00:17:34.00
that's between Jesus
Christ and the individual.
00:17:34.03\00:17:38.60
But it shows you how important
00:17:38.63\00:17:40.89
the integrity of the
church is to Jesus Christ.
00:17:40.92\00:17:45.50
Now why does He say treat him
like a pagan or a tax collector
00:17:45.53\00:17:50.27
or they're not a
part of the church?
00:17:50.30\00:17:52.79
How do we treat people that
are not a part of the church?
00:17:52.82\00:17:55.56
Are we rude to
them, are we mean to them,
00:17:55.59\00:17:58.25
or we say, get away
from us you unclean thing
00:17:58.28\00:18:00.73
or do we reach out with
out stretched arms embrace him
00:18:00.76\00:18:03.83
and say, we want you to be
00:18:03.86\00:18:04.94
a part of our family
and try to win them back.
00:18:04.97\00:18:07.88
You see when a
person insist on activity
00:18:07.91\00:18:11.16
that defiles the name of the God
00:18:11.19\00:18:13.13
and blackens the name of
the church and the community,
00:18:13.16\00:18:16.35
it destroys the
witness of the church.
00:18:16.38\00:18:18.77
The church has to separate
themselves from that person.
00:18:18.80\00:18:21.66
If they don't then
when that person comes in,
00:18:21.69\00:18:24.52
nobody knows what to do.
00:18:24.55\00:18:26.32
If you hug them and
say we're glad you're here
00:18:26.35\00:18:28.88
then they will
interpret that to me
00:18:28.91\00:18:30.58
you're approving
of their behavior.
00:18:30.61\00:18:33.70
And so nobody knows what to
do and they ignore the people
00:18:33.73\00:18:37.06
and don't say anything,
but if we take a stance,
00:18:37.09\00:18:39.58
and say, hey, we love you,
00:18:39.61\00:18:40.64
we want you to be
part of our fellowship
00:18:40.67\00:18:42.43
but looks like you're
choosing to do something else.
00:18:42.46\00:18:44.77
Now we are free to love them
00:18:44.80\00:18:47.06
and move them
and bring them back
00:18:47.09\00:18:49.05
without them thinking that we're
approving of their behavior.
00:18:49.08\00:18:53.54
Jesus' way makes
sense, doesn't it?
00:18:53.57\00:18:55.73
It's not easy,
but it makes sense.
00:18:55.76\00:19:01.09
The church is God's
idea, it's Jesus' idea.
00:19:01.12\00:19:05.33
It's not a social club,
it's the kingdom of God.
00:19:05.36\00:19:08.38
And if it comes
through a bunch of people
00:19:08.41\00:19:10.45
all with
different conflicting ideas
00:19:10.48\00:19:12.98
that are different
from the scripture,
00:19:13.01\00:19:14.51
then the church is meaningless
00:19:14.54\00:19:16.69
and has lost its
mission in the world.
00:19:16.72\00:19:22.14
The invisible church is
becoming more and more visible
00:19:22.17\00:19:25.06
organized and
structured in the world
00:19:25.09\00:19:29.50
until the final
revelation of the church.
00:19:29.53\00:19:33.99
I don't know if you ever thought
about it this way before.
00:19:34.02\00:19:37.12
The Book of
Revelation begins with the words
00:19:37.15\00:19:39.91
the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:19:39.94\00:19:45.34
Christ is the head of
his body which is the church.
00:19:45.37\00:19:52.26
And the more
you know about Jesus
00:19:52.29\00:19:54.41
and the more you see Jesus
00:19:54.44\00:19:56.32
the more you're
gonna see His church.
00:19:56.35\00:20:01.14
The Book of Revelation is
the final Revelation of Jesus
00:20:01.17\00:20:06.85
and those who
choose to follow the Lamb.
00:20:06.88\00:20:11.55
Wow, what a thought.
00:20:11.58\00:20:15.86
The church is the
safeguard for the truth.
00:20:15.89\00:20:20.89
Why are there so many
different churches today?
00:20:20.92\00:20:25.85
Well, we can see the
answer to that question
00:20:25.88\00:20:28.17
in the Book of Revelation.
00:20:28.20\00:20:31.05
When Jesus was here
there was just one church,
00:20:31.08\00:20:34.39
that was Jesus and His disciples
those who followed Him.
00:20:34.42\00:20:39.63
But after He died we
discovered the church split.
00:20:39.66\00:20:44.29
There were two groups.
00:20:44.32\00:20:45.37
Those who said have to
be circumcised to be saved
00:20:45.40\00:20:48.09
and those who said, no, we're
saved by grace through faith.
00:20:48.12\00:20:51.12
Church split quickly, almost
immediately after Jesus died.
00:20:51.15\00:20:59.12
The history of the church is
found in the Revelation 2 and 3.
00:20:59.15\00:21:04.15
The first church is Ephesus
00:21:04.18\00:21:06.30
revealing what the church
was like at the very beginning.
00:21:06.33\00:21:09.40
Jesus says to His church,
I know, in Revelation 2:2,
00:21:09.43\00:21:13.96
"I know that you
cannot tolerate wicked men,
00:21:13.99\00:21:16.51
and you have tested
those who claim to be apostles
00:21:16.54\00:21:18.59
but are not, and
have found them false."
00:21:18.62\00:21:21.03
Jesus--get this,
Jesus' commends the church
00:21:21.06\00:21:25.25
for being
intolerant of false teachers.
00:21:25.28\00:21:33.25
When I see a lot
of churches today
00:21:33.28\00:21:35.31
boasting about being tolerant.
00:21:35.34\00:21:37.81
It doesn't
matter what you believe,
00:21:37.84\00:21:38.90
come here, we love every body.
00:21:38.93\00:21:40.87
Well, that's good love everybody
but you can't believe everything
00:21:40.90\00:21:46.44
I just read an article somebody
gave me a couple of days ago
00:21:46.47\00:21:49.30
about the church right here in
Portland, Oregon or in this area
00:21:49.33\00:21:53.73
boasting that we are the most
unchurch and unchristian area
00:21:53.76\00:21:57.29
in practically, the
whole United States.
00:21:57.32\00:22:00.74
And there was
one particular church
00:22:00.77\00:22:02.41
where the pastor was saying
00:22:02.44\00:22:03.49
well, I don't
believe in the resurrection,
00:22:03.52\00:22:05.04
I don't believe in the sacrifice
00:22:05.07\00:22:06.54
of Jesus on the
cross, but I'm Christian.
00:22:06.57\00:22:10.15
Doesn't matter what you believe,
00:22:10.18\00:22:12.52
but is that the church?
00:22:12.55\00:22:16.79
The church is
intolerant of false doctrine.
00:22:16.82\00:22:22.04
Jesus commends
the church for that
00:22:22.07\00:22:24.47
and then we
discover the second church
00:22:24.50\00:22:26.27
in Smyrna suffering persecution,
00:22:26.30\00:22:28.87
the devil is trying
to squelch out the church
00:22:28.90\00:22:31.15
because it is protecting
and safeguarding the truth,
00:22:31.18\00:22:34.61
intolerant of error
00:22:34.64\00:22:36.23
trying to squelch the
church and squash it out.
00:22:36.26\00:22:40.29
But when persecution didn't
work he tried something else.
00:22:40.32\00:22:44.87
He goes to the church
in Pergamum and he says,
00:22:44.90\00:22:47.06
"You have people there who hold
on to the teaching of Balaam.
00:22:47.09\00:22:50.53
Verse 15,
"Likewise you have those
00:22:50.56\00:22:52.74
who hold to the
teaching of the Nicolaitans.
00:22:52.77\00:22:56.45
Repent or I will
come fight against you
00:22:56.48\00:22:58.73
with the sword
coming out of my mouth.
00:22:58.76\00:23:01.58
Repent he said or I am gonna
come and fight against you."
00:23:01.61\00:23:05.74
So now we discover that
Jesus commends one church
00:23:05.77\00:23:09.47
for being intolerant of false
doctrines and condemns other
00:23:09.50\00:23:13.28
for tolerating false
doctrine in the church.
00:23:13.31\00:23:17.24
Because the church is
supposed to safeguard the truth.
00:23:17.27\00:23:20.50
And then it gets even
worse the church in Pergamum
00:23:20.53\00:23:22.80
in Chapter 2:20,
the church in Thyatira.
00:23:22.83\00:23:27.64
Verse 20, "I
have this against you:
00:23:27.67\00:23:29.33
You tolerate that woman Jezebel,
who calls herself a prophetess.
00:23:29.36\00:23:32.95
By teaching she
misleads my servants
00:23:32.98\00:23:36.06
into immorality
and other things."
00:23:36.09\00:23:38.34
So now they not only tolerate
00:23:38.37\00:23:40.64
people
believing different things
00:23:40.67\00:23:42.24
but they tolerate
false teachers in the church
00:23:42.27\00:23:45.00
teaching false doctrine
and leading God's people astray
00:23:45.03\00:23:48.39
and He condemns
the church for that.
00:23:48.42\00:23:50.54
We have just seen a
short history of the church
00:23:50.57\00:23:53.04
being plunged into the
depths of the Dark Ages
00:23:53.07\00:23:56.44
that we saw from 538 until 1798.
00:23:56.47\00:24:00.83
The darkness, the tradition,
00:24:00.86\00:24:02.56
the false doctrines
coming into the church.
00:24:02.59\00:24:05.40
Is there any
hope for God's church,
00:24:05.43\00:24:07.31
her light is
beginning to flicker.
00:24:07.34\00:24:09.23
It looks like
it's about to go out,
00:24:09.26\00:24:11.07
it looks like there is
no witness in the world.
00:24:11.10\00:24:13.23
But God has
always had true believers
00:24:13.26\00:24:16.04
even when that light look
like it was about to flicker,
00:24:16.07\00:24:18.47
there were always
those who truly followed God
00:24:18.50\00:24:21.32
in the scripture and His word.
00:24:21.35\00:24:23.49
And then we see one
of them in Chapter 3:4.
00:24:23.52\00:24:27.36
"You have a few people in Sardis
00:24:27.39\00:24:29.42
who have not
soiled their clothes.
00:24:29.45\00:24:30.91
They walk with
me, dressed in white."
00:24:30.94\00:24:32.85
The first doctrine
to go in the church
00:24:32.88\00:24:36.11
was the
doctrine of righteousness
00:24:36.14\00:24:37.99
by faith in Jesus Christ alone,
00:24:38.02\00:24:40.71
that's the white robe
of Christ righteousness.
00:24:40.74\00:24:43.56
It got soiled, it got dark.
00:24:43.59\00:24:46.10
The church
plunged into darkness.
00:24:46.13\00:24:48.05
But now the first
doctrine to be restored
00:24:48.08\00:24:51.07
is the white robe of
Christ righteousness,
00:24:51.10\00:24:53.37
the gospel of
Jesus Christ lead by men
00:24:53.40\00:24:56.24
like John Huss
and Martin Luther.
00:24:56.27\00:24:58.80
Luther of course starting off
the great Protestant reformation
00:24:58.83\00:25:02.98
and as Luther began to
gain a foothold in the church,
00:25:03.01\00:25:08.54
thousands of people were
embracing two main points,
00:25:08.57\00:25:12.40
the scripture and
the scripture alone
00:25:12.43\00:25:15.05
plus righteousness by
faith in Jesus Christ.
00:25:15.08\00:25:22.18
Luther died and
the church was afraid
00:25:22.21\00:25:26.34
that the false
doctrines would come back,
00:25:26.37\00:25:29.56
so they met and they
decided to establish a creed.
00:25:29.59\00:25:34.86
The creed was a list of
the things they believed
00:25:34.89\00:25:39.18
and the intent was to be a fence
00:25:39.21\00:25:41.78
to keep false doctrine out.
00:25:41.81\00:25:44.44
The problem was that Luther
had not seen all of the light.
00:25:44.47\00:25:49.66
He was doing good
just to see the gospel
00:25:49.69\00:25:53.00
and the fact that were--
00:25:53.03\00:25:55.18
to stand on the scripture
and the scripture alone.
00:25:55.21\00:25:58.52
So they locked
themselves in with their creed.
00:25:58.55\00:26:03.25
Other scholars like
John Calvin recognized
00:26:03.28\00:26:06.28
that Luther was right about
the gospel and the scripture
00:26:06.31\00:26:09.15
but he wasn't right about
the real presence in the mass
00:26:09.18\00:26:13.97
and so the
reformed churches started
00:26:14.00\00:26:16.87
and they wrote their creeds.
00:26:16.90\00:26:20.33
And then the Wesley's came along
00:26:20.36\00:26:22.10
and they said,
yeah, Calvin was right,
00:26:22.13\00:26:23.96
Luther was right but they
didn't emphasize holy living.
00:26:23.99\00:26:27.67
They just emphasize the gospel
00:26:27.70\00:26:29.55
without the emphases on
what happens after the gospel,
00:26:29.58\00:26:32.66
we need to live
holy Christian life.
00:26:32.69\00:26:34.69
And so the Wesley brothers
started a Methodist church
00:26:34.72\00:26:38.85
and they had their creed
and then the Baptist saying,
00:26:38.88\00:26:42.45
well they got it right but
they're not baptizing right,
00:26:42.48\00:26:45.82
and so the
Baptist started baptizing
00:26:45.85\00:26:48.06
the Bible way by immersion
00:26:48.09\00:26:49.76
and each one was
contributing one by one
00:26:49.79\00:26:53.14
to the pieces that had
been lost in the Dark Ages.
00:26:53.17\00:26:57.36
Pentecostal has come alone
00:26:57.39\00:26:58.62
and say, well, you're not doing
enough with the Holy Spirit
00:26:58.65\00:27:01.21
and so they start
emphasizing the Holy Spirit.
00:27:01.24\00:27:04.19
Until finally we come
down to the last church,
00:27:04.22\00:27:08.77
the church of Laodicea.
00:27:08.80\00:27:11.09
I know your deeds, Chapter 3:14,
00:27:11.12\00:27:14.35
"You're neither cold nor hot.
00:27:14.38\00:27:15.71
I wish you were
either one or the other.
00:27:15.74\00:27:17.32
So, because you are
lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
00:27:17.35\00:27:20.01
I am about to spit
you out of my mouth."
00:27:20.04\00:27:24.05
And here we see
three groups of people.
00:27:24.08\00:27:26.58
Those who are cold, they
are not a part of the church,
00:27:26.61\00:27:28.69
those who are hot,
they are in the church
00:27:28.72\00:27:30.97
and then there are
those who are lukewarm,
00:27:31.00\00:27:32.27
they are in the church
00:27:32.30\00:27:33.39
because their picture
is being in Jesus' mouth.
00:27:33.42\00:27:35.74
But He is about to
spew them out of His mouth
00:27:35.77\00:27:37.94
because they're not hot,
they're not on fire for God,
00:27:37.97\00:27:40.65
that's what we
call the judgment.
00:27:40.68\00:27:42.33
So the seventh church Laodicea
is the church of the judgment
00:27:42.36\00:27:46.07
that will restore
the judgment message.
00:27:46.10\00:27:48.18
If there's a judgment,
the standard of the judgment
00:27:48.21\00:27:50.91
according to
Bible is the Law of God
00:27:50.94\00:27:53.09
and the Sabbath was
brought back into the picture.
00:27:53.12\00:27:55.70
So the seventh church
represented by Laodicea
00:27:55.73\00:27:59.02
restores the
judgment and the Sabbath
00:27:59.05\00:28:01.32
and now the picture
is full and complete
00:28:01.35\00:28:04.53
just like the
teachings of the church
00:28:04.56\00:28:07.18
during the time of Christ.
00:28:07.21\00:28:09.76
Now if you happen to
be a part of the church
00:28:09.79\00:28:12.66
that proclaims the judgment hour
00:28:12.69\00:28:15.28
and lifts up the Sabbath
in honor of the Creator God.
00:28:15.31\00:28:19.39
There's no room
to get puffed up,
00:28:19.42\00:28:21.18
stick with chest
out and get proud
00:28:21.21\00:28:23.38
because you are the last church.
00:28:23.41\00:28:25.65
And the last church is lukewarm
00:28:25.68\00:28:27.64
and there are lot of
people in your church
00:28:27.67\00:28:29.79
that are gonna be spewed out
of the mouth of Jesus Christ.
00:28:29.82\00:28:34.07
So there's no
room for pride here.
00:28:34.10\00:28:36.47
There's no room for saying,
we're better than other churches
00:28:36.50\00:28:39.40
No, we're not any
better than other churches.
00:28:39.43\00:28:42.22
We've simply embraced the
message that God has created
00:28:42.25\00:28:45.72
for the last days
that no one else picked up.
00:28:45.75\00:28:48.28
Jesus said, finally,
hey, we're in the last days,
00:28:48.31\00:28:51.37
it's the judgment hour.
00:28:51.40\00:28:52.68
I've got the
message for the world.
00:28:52.71\00:28:54.58
It's called the
Three Angels' Messages,
00:28:54.61\00:28:56.62
the everlasting
gospel calling the world
00:28:56.65\00:28:59.29
to worship the Creator
of the heavens and the earth
00:28:59.32\00:29:02.39
and the Sabbath is the sign
00:29:02.42\00:29:04.22
restoring the sign of
God's authority as the Creator.
00:29:04.25\00:29:07.50
Here it is, it's the
hour of God's judgment,
00:29:07.53\00:29:10.17
it has begun, the hour has come.
00:29:10.20\00:29:12.49
Here are the
Three Angels' Messages,
00:29:12.52\00:29:14.12
who wants to preach it?
00:29:14.15\00:29:15.53
No one would touch it,
00:29:15.56\00:29:17.36
except by the
little group of Adventist
00:29:17.39\00:29:20.03
that became
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:29:20.06\00:29:23.17
You would think that would be
the purist church of them all,
00:29:23.20\00:29:26.59
but the Bible says that
many of them are lukewarm
00:29:26.62\00:29:29.56
and will be spewed
out of the mouth of Jesus.
00:29:29.59\00:29:32.58
But what about all the others.
00:29:36.20\00:29:37.64
How can we
recognize God's church
00:29:37.67\00:29:40.98
that is safeguarding the truth?
00:29:41.01\00:29:43.07
Well, there are
number of ways to do it.
00:29:43.10\00:29:44.89
One church says the true church
of God can trace its roots
00:29:44.92\00:29:49.66
all the way back to the
original disciples in Jesus.
00:29:49.69\00:29:54.66
Well that doesn't help
because very church can do that.
00:29:54.69\00:30:00.14
When Jesus was here
there was only one church.
00:30:00.17\00:30:02.57
We've already seen shortly after
He died there were two groups,
00:30:02.60\00:30:05.35
one teaching you're
saved by work, circumcision
00:30:05.38\00:30:07.57
and the other
saying, no, by faith.
00:30:07.60\00:30:09.18
Now we have two churches,
00:30:09.21\00:30:10.45
both of them can trace
their origins back to Jesus.
00:30:10.48\00:30:13.94
That doesn't help.
00:30:15.84\00:30:17.14
Every leaf on a tree can
go back to the same trunk.
00:30:17.17\00:30:21.77
Then there are those who say,
00:30:21.80\00:30:22.88
well, the true church
has to be biggest church
00:30:22.91\00:30:24.85
but Jesus said, broad is the
way that leads to destruction.
00:30:24.88\00:30:27.97
Many are gonna go there,
00:30:28.00\00:30:29.18
straight and narrow
the way that leads to life
00:30:29.21\00:30:31.15
and only a few
are gonna find it,
00:30:31.18\00:30:33.10
so that's not gonna help.
00:30:33.13\00:30:34.73
Some say, well, the true church
has to have a certain name,
00:30:34.76\00:30:37.50
church of God, church of Christ,
00:30:37.53\00:30:39.11
church of the first born,
church of this or church of that
00:30:39.14\00:30:41.95
but if that was the case
00:30:41.98\00:30:43.06
every church would have
that name on their door.
00:30:43.09\00:30:47.44
The Bible doesn't say the
true church has that name.
00:30:47.47\00:30:50.09
The Bible says God's
church is gonna teach the truth,
00:30:50.12\00:30:54.70
it's gonna be a
safeguard for the truth
00:30:54.73\00:30:56.24
and God gave us
two identify marks.
00:30:56.27\00:30:59.41
I want you to watch this,
00:30:59.44\00:31:00.47
this is an exciting
prophecy in Revelation 12,
00:31:00.50\00:31:05.30
in Revelation 12:7,
"There was war in heaven.
00:31:05.33\00:31:07.74
Michael and his angels
fought against the dragon,
00:31:07.77\00:31:09.66
the dragon and his
angels fought back.
00:31:09.69\00:31:11.24
But he was not strong
enough, praise the Lord,
00:31:11.27\00:31:13.12
they lost their place in heaven.
00:31:13.15\00:31:14.63
The great
dragon was hurled down,
00:31:14.66\00:31:16.23
that ancient serpent
called the devil, or Satan,
00:31:16.26\00:31:18.13
who leads the
whole world astray.
00:31:18.16\00:31:19.55
He was hurled to the
earth, and his angels with him."
00:31:19.58\00:31:21.72
Oh, oh, bad news
for planet earth.
00:31:21.75\00:31:24.65
Verse 13, "When the dragon saw
00:31:24.68\00:31:26.17
that he had been
hurled to the earth,
00:31:26.20\00:31:27.23
he pursued the woman who had
given birth to the male child.
00:31:27.26\00:31:30.58
Who is the woman?
00:31:30.61\00:31:31.66
We have already learned
that in the fourth lesson.
00:31:31.69\00:31:33.91
Remember Israel in prophecy,
the woman symbolize God's people
00:31:33.94\00:31:38.37
the pure woman in
the Old Testament,
00:31:38.40\00:31:41.02
the nation of Israel
was the people of God
00:31:41.05\00:31:44.92
symbolized by the woman.
00:31:44.95\00:31:46.57
But in the New
Testament the true people of God
00:31:46.60\00:31:49.67
are the church of Jesus Christ.
00:31:49.70\00:31:52.14
So now we see the devil
pursuing after the woman,
00:31:52.17\00:31:57.29
so is this Israel
or is she the church?
00:31:57.32\00:32:02.63
We have to look.
00:32:02.66\00:32:04.08
Let the Bible decide for
us, apply our principles.
00:32:04.11\00:32:07.39
"When the dragon saw that he
had been hurled to the earth,
00:32:07.42\00:32:09.03
he pursued the woman who had
given birth to the male child."
00:32:09.06\00:32:12.75
Is that before
or after Jesus came?
00:32:12.78\00:32:15.00
She had already given
birth to the male child.
00:32:17.51\00:32:20.42
So it must be after Jesus came
00:32:20.45\00:32:22.60
and so it must be the
church of Jesus Christ.
00:32:22.63\00:32:24.78
There is the church
00:32:24.81\00:32:25.88
right in the middle
of the tribulation time
00:32:25.91\00:32:28.41
where the dragon
pursuing the remnant,
00:32:28.44\00:32:30.48
the last of God's
people on this earth.
00:32:30.51\00:32:34.32
Verse 15, "Then from
his mouth the serpent
00:32:34.35\00:32:37.45
spewed water like a
river, to overtake the woman."
00:32:37.48\00:32:40.42
And we learned
about that over in Europe,
00:32:40.45\00:32:42.48
the massive
attempt by the church
00:32:42.51\00:32:44.77
to put to death and
destroy the people of God,
00:32:44.80\00:32:48.64
those who have true
faith in Jesus Christ alone.
00:32:48.67\00:32:51.93
Verse 16, "But the earth helped
the woman by opening its mouth,
00:32:51.96\00:32:55.34
swallowing the
river, the earth."
00:32:55.37\00:32:57.71
Remember the two horn
beast that look like a lamb
00:32:57.74\00:33:01.18
that came up out of the earth,
00:33:01.21\00:33:03.08
a quiet not a
populated part of the world,
00:33:03.11\00:33:06.11
but relatively quite part of
the world, a Christian nation
00:33:06.14\00:33:09.60
that would be
arising in the late 1700s.
00:33:09.63\00:33:12.88
We already identified her
as the United States of America
00:33:12.91\00:33:15.94
when the pilgrims
came to this country
00:33:15.97\00:33:18.10
escaping the persecution
of the dragon, the water,
00:33:18.13\00:33:21.29
the multitudes trying
to wipe out God's church.
00:33:21.32\00:33:24.14
They came to this
country to establish a country
00:33:24.17\00:33:26.82
where they are free to
worship God as they choose,
00:33:26.85\00:33:30.67
but it wasn't long until she
began to speak like the dragon.
00:33:30.70\00:33:37.44
And then Chapter 12:17,
00:33:37.47\00:33:40.55
"The dragon was
angry at the woman
00:33:40.58\00:33:42.37
and went to make war against
the remnant of her offspring,
00:33:42.40\00:33:46.79
those who obey
God's commandments
00:33:46.82\00:33:48.33
and hold to the
testimony of Jesus."
00:33:48.36\00:33:51.10
The last of God's people
on this earth, this is it.
00:33:51.13\00:33:55.28
This is Genesis 3:15
when the seed of the woman
00:33:55.31\00:33:59.88
would receive a bite on
the heal that was the cross,
00:33:59.91\00:34:03.21
but He ascended to heaven
remember and he would comeback
00:34:03.24\00:34:06.17
and crush the
head of the serpent.
00:34:06.20\00:34:08.20
This is the final
fulfillment of that prophecy
00:34:08.23\00:34:11.65
showing us how
the seed of the woman
00:34:11.68\00:34:14.08
Jesus is gonna crush
the head of the serpent.
00:34:14.11\00:34:16.72
He's after the woman,
00:34:16.75\00:34:18.16
the last of God's
people before the end time.
00:34:18.19\00:34:21.59
He's after the woman just before
Jesus comes, who are they?
00:34:21.62\00:34:25.93
They obey the
commandments of God
00:34:25.96\00:34:27.88
and have the testimony of Jesus.
00:34:27.91\00:34:29.43
Now I am gonna
tell you something
00:34:29.46\00:34:31.14
and I'm gonna say it
as plainly as I know how,
00:34:31.17\00:34:33.89
but please don't
put words in my mouth
00:34:33.92\00:34:35.87
and don't twist and
distort what I am saying.
00:34:35.90\00:34:39.01
The Bible gives us
two identifying marks.
00:34:39.04\00:34:43.54
They obey God's commandments
and hold the testimony of Jesus.
00:34:43.57\00:34:50.63
Any church that does
not obey God's commandments
00:34:50.66\00:34:54.99
cannot be this church of
Revelation 12:17, can't be.
00:34:55.02\00:35:02.52
Is this talking about
all the God's commandments
00:35:02.55\00:35:04.57
or just nine of them.
00:35:04.60\00:35:08.13
If you break one, you're
guilty of breaking them all.
00:35:08.16\00:35:11.34
Any church that does not teach
that we should obey all ten
00:35:11.37\00:35:15.34
of the Ten Commandments
cannot be this church.
00:35:15.37\00:35:19.74
Now that narrows the
feel down pretty rapidly.
00:35:19.77\00:35:26.06
Of course, you know,
00:35:26.09\00:35:27.37
we teach we should
obey God's commandments.
00:35:27.40\00:35:30.50
We are not saved by
obeying the commandments
00:35:30.53\00:35:32.82
we're saved in order to
obey God's commandments.
00:35:32.85\00:35:40.21
But what about this
second identifying mark?
00:35:40.24\00:35:42.84
They hold to the testimony
of Jesus, what is that?
00:35:42.87\00:35:46.08
In Revelation 19 John
had just seen the vision
00:35:46.11\00:35:51.50
and afterwards he saw the
angel who gave Him the vision.
00:35:51.53\00:35:56.52
Verse 10, "John fell at
his feet to worship the Angel.
00:35:56.55\00:36:00.69
He says, "Don't do that!
00:36:00.72\00:36:02.25
I am a fellow servant
with you and with your brothers
00:36:02.28\00:36:04.16
who hold to the
testimony of Jesus."
00:36:04.19\00:36:06.62
And there it is again.
00:36:06.65\00:36:08.63
We'll fine, but what's
the testimony of Jesus?
00:36:08.66\00:36:11.79
"He said Worship God,
00:36:11.82\00:36:13.41
because the testimony of Jesus
is the Spirit of Prophecy."
00:36:13.44\00:36:18.90
So the testimony of
Jesus is Spirit of Prophecy.
00:36:18.93\00:36:21.25
The church would teach obedience
to the commandments of God
00:36:21.28\00:36:23.83
and it would have
the Spirit of Prophecy
00:36:23.86\00:36:25.50
or the gift of
prophecy manifest in the church.
00:36:25.53\00:36:29.12
The testimony of Jesus is
actually another way of saying
00:36:29.15\00:36:32.93
it would be the
self revelation of Jesus
00:36:32.96\00:36:36.41
that moved the
prophets to testify about Him.
00:36:36.44\00:36:42.53
It was the spirit that inspired
the prophets to testify of Jesus
00:36:42.56\00:36:46.87
they have such a
close connection with Jesus
00:36:46.90\00:36:49.36
that He trusted them with
a message to tell about Him.
00:36:49.39\00:36:54.50
And so we should see
the testimony of Jesus
00:36:54.53\00:36:58.58
being exhibited in God's church
00:36:58.61\00:37:01.53
as its becoming visible
again for the last time.
00:37:01.56\00:37:05.78
It had been
invisible during the Dark Ages
00:37:05.81\00:37:08.69
because the
visible church had fallen.
00:37:08.72\00:37:12.48
But now she's
becoming visible again, how?
00:37:12.51\00:37:16.97
Teaching obedience to
all of God's commandments
00:37:17.00\00:37:19.65
and it would have the gift
of prophecy manifesting it.
00:37:19.68\00:37:24.02
Someone close enough to
Jesus that he could entrust them
00:37:24.05\00:37:27.45
with special
messages revealing Himself
00:37:27.48\00:37:29.79
has a special
aid or special help
00:37:29.82\00:37:32.27
as we move into
the final conflict.
00:37:32.30\00:37:35.96
God always used
prophets to help people,
00:37:35.99\00:37:38.96
to help His church to move
it along in difficult times.
00:37:38.99\00:37:42.82
Sure we have the Bible
00:37:42.85\00:37:44.55
and the Bible is the only source
of truth for any Christian,
00:37:44.58\00:37:48.90
but God has always used prophets
00:37:48.93\00:37:51.10
that didn't write the
Bible its an extra help,
00:37:51.13\00:37:54.90
it's an extra boost
in special times of need
00:37:54.93\00:37:58.39
and the Bible
says that God would use
00:37:58.42\00:38:00.47
the Spirit of
Prophecy in the last days.
00:38:00.50\00:38:04.70
We shouldn't be surprise,
00:38:04.73\00:38:05.87
Paul said in 1
Thessalonians 5:19 and 22.
00:38:05.90\00:38:09.14
He said don't despise prophecy.
00:38:09.17\00:38:11.32
Test everything and hold fast
to the good, avoid the evil.
00:38:11.35\00:38:15.82
So don't despise prophecy
just because the Bible says
00:38:15.85\00:38:19.03
God is gonna use
the gift of prophecy,
00:38:19.06\00:38:20.86
don't turn
against it, no, test it.
00:38:20.89\00:38:23.43
See if it measures
up with the scripture.
00:38:23.46\00:38:25.65
If it does hold fast, if
it doesn't then avoid it.
00:38:25.68\00:38:28.51
In Joel 2, he
said "In the last days,
00:38:28.54\00:38:31.34
I will pour out my Spirit on all
flesh and many will prophesy."
00:38:31.37\00:38:34.74
We should be looking for an
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
00:38:34.77\00:38:37.80
and prophecy in the last days.
00:38:37.83\00:38:39.73
We should be looking for it.
00:38:39.76\00:38:41.21
Jesus said, there would be many
false prophets in the last days.
00:38:41.24\00:38:44.07
You don't have false prophets
00:38:44.10\00:38:45.51
to counterfeit
something that doesn't exist.
00:38:45.54\00:38:49.44
So there must be true ones.
00:38:49.47\00:38:52.49
In the Book of
Revelation he says,
00:38:52.52\00:38:53.66
yes, I am gonna use
the gift of prophecy
00:38:53.69\00:38:55.53
to help my little church grow,
00:38:55.56\00:38:57.41
teaching obedience
through the commandments of God
00:38:57.44\00:38:59.29
and clinging to the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
00:38:59.32\00:39:02.43
And we do
believe that God did used
00:39:02.46\00:39:06.09
in the early
history of our church
00:39:06.12\00:39:08.18
helping that little group of
disappointed Adventists to grow
00:39:08.21\00:39:12.42
and became a
major force in the world
00:39:12.45\00:39:14.57
to proclaim the
Three Angels' Messages
00:39:14.60\00:39:16.86
and He used a little
lady named Ellen G. White
00:39:16.89\00:39:22.46
which we believe had
the gift of prophecy.
00:39:22.49\00:39:26.84
Now right away, a lot of
people would jump on that
00:39:26.87\00:39:31.36
and say,
Adventists have two Bibles,
00:39:31.39\00:39:32.86
Ellen White and the
Bible, that's not true.
00:39:32.89\00:39:35.82
Nothing is
further from the truth.
00:39:35.85\00:39:38.05
We have one Bible and
that's Genesis to Revelation
00:39:38.08\00:39:41.16
the scripture and
the scripture alone.
00:39:41.19\00:39:43.36
In fact Ellen
White herself said this
00:39:43.39\00:39:46.18
and I thought it
was important enough
00:39:46.21\00:39:47.44
to write it down on
the back page of my Bible.
00:39:47.47\00:39:49.82
She said the
writings of Ellen White
00:39:49.85\00:39:52.35
should not be
carried to the front.
00:39:52.38\00:39:55.54
God's word is the
unerring standard.
00:39:55.57\00:39:59.05
Ellen White is not to
take a place of the word.
00:39:59.08\00:40:01.94
Let everyone prove
their point from scripture,
00:40:01.97\00:40:04.40
never do we want anyone to put
Ellen White ahead of the Bible.
00:40:04.43\00:40:09.27
And that's the way I believe
it's supposed to be used.
00:40:09.30\00:40:12.42
Now you may find some
Adventists here and there
00:40:12.45\00:40:16.19
that disregard what she says
00:40:16.22\00:40:18.39
and list Ellen
White above the Bible,
00:40:18.42\00:40:20.37
when they do they're going
against everything she said.
00:40:20.40\00:40:23.88
You know the devil knows
00:40:23.91\00:40:24.94
the best way to undo a
good thing is to overdo it.
00:40:24.97\00:40:28.96
He doesn't care if you overdo it
or under do it just don't do it.
00:40:28.99\00:40:33.35
I would expect a
prophet to say things like that.
00:40:35.51\00:40:38.81
Test me with the
scripture and I will do that.
00:40:38.84\00:40:42.65
At one time I was at
home minding my own business
00:40:42.68\00:40:45.90
and two young men
came knocking on my door
00:40:45.93\00:40:48.77
and they were dressed in
black pants, white shirt,
00:40:48.80\00:40:50.87
a black tie and
they had a name tag,
00:40:50.90\00:40:52.65
and they're riding bicycles.
00:40:52.68\00:40:56.74
They knocked on my door, I
went to the door and they said
00:40:56.77\00:40:59.00
"Hi there, we have good
news for you, can we come in?"
00:40:59.03\00:41:04.03
I said, "Well,
you come right in,
00:41:04.06\00:41:05.99
I have good news for you too."
00:41:06.02\00:41:12.46
Well, they came in
and we started talking.
00:41:12.49\00:41:14.75
I said, "I want
to ask you something
00:41:14.78\00:41:16.11
before you start talking.
00:41:16.14\00:41:18.18
Do you believe in
the gift of prophecy?
00:41:18.21\00:41:20.43
And that God has
prophets in the last days?"
00:41:20.46\00:41:22.91
Their eyes got
big and they said,
00:41:22.94\00:41:25.22
"Oh, yeah, we
believe in prophecy."
00:41:25.25\00:41:28.38
I said, "Good, I do too."
00:41:28.41\00:41:30.43
"You do?" "Yes.
00:41:30.46\00:41:32.17
But I want to ask
you something else.
00:41:32.20\00:41:34.12
If your prophet
ever wrote anything
00:41:34.15\00:41:35.73
that contradicted the scripture,
00:41:35.76\00:41:36.96
which one would you believe,
your prophet or the scripture?"
00:41:36.99\00:41:40.36
"Oh, well, we would
believe the prophet."
00:41:40.39\00:41:43.11
I said, "But why?"
00:41:43.14\00:41:44.61
"Because the scripture says
00:41:44.64\00:41:45.76
that there will be a
prophet in the last days."
00:41:45.79\00:41:48.30
I said, "But I know
that, I believe that.
00:41:48.33\00:41:51.40
But if your
prophet says something
00:41:51.43\00:41:52.89
that contradicts the scripture,
how you know he's a prophet?"
00:41:52.92\00:41:56.25
"Because he's a prophet."
"Well, how you know that?"
00:41:56.28\00:41:58.97
"Because the scripture says
00:41:59.00\00:42:00.14
there will be a
prophet in the last days."
00:42:00.17\00:42:03.84
There was no way
to prove anything.
00:42:03.87\00:42:06.68
The Bible says, "To the
law and to the testimony,
00:42:06.71\00:42:09.13
if they speak not
according to this,
00:42:09.16\00:42:10.40
there is no light in them."
00:42:10.43\00:42:12.60
We should not be afraid
to put the gift of prophecy
00:42:12.63\00:42:14.80
to the acid test
to the word of God.
00:42:14.83\00:42:17.94
In fact you
should be afraid not to.
00:42:17.97\00:42:21.83
Ellen White can stand on her own
00:42:21.86\00:42:23.92
if God used her with
the gift of prophecy,
00:42:23.95\00:42:26.11
then she should measure
up to the test, test it.
00:42:26.14\00:42:29.43
We don't require
that everybody testify,
00:42:29.46\00:42:32.45
"I believe that
Ellen White was a prophet."
00:42:32.48\00:42:34.07
We don't require that.
00:42:34.10\00:42:35.56
But we ask that you're open
to all the gifts of the spirit
00:42:35.59\00:42:38.50
and you test it
with the scripture,
00:42:38.53\00:42:40.41
if it measures up to
the test, then hang onto it.
00:42:40.44\00:42:43.27
If God's trying
to tell me something
00:42:43.30\00:42:45.24
to help me understand the word,
00:42:45.27\00:42:46.94
to help me understand my mission
in the world through a prophet,
00:42:46.97\00:42:50.09
then I want to know what it is.
00:42:50.12\00:42:51.66
But if it's not God speaking,
00:42:51.69\00:42:52.93
I don't want
anything to do with it.
00:42:52.96\00:42:54.14
The only way you're gonna know
00:42:54.17\00:42:55.20
is to test it with
the scripture, test it.
00:42:55.23\00:42:57.79
I can say for myself, it's been
an incredible blessing for me.
00:42:57.82\00:43:02.46
It's been a tremendous
blessing in my ministry.
00:43:02.49\00:43:04.64
And I just got an e-mail
00:43:04.67\00:43:06.41
that someone sent me
a couple of days ago.
00:43:06.44\00:43:08.96
I've never seen before.
00:43:08.99\00:43:10.48
There's a freelance writer,
his name is Christopher Nigh,
00:43:10.51\00:43:13.08
who went to visit the seventh--
00:43:13.11\00:43:14.52
he goes and visit different
places and writes about them.
00:43:14.55\00:43:17.45
He visited a
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:43:17.48\00:43:20.07
And one of the things
he came away with was this,
00:43:20.10\00:43:22.86
He said, "Seventh-day
Adventist hold in high regard,
00:43:22.89\00:43:25.13
Ellen White, a Christian writer
00:43:25.16\00:43:26.50
of the 19th
century and early 1900s.
00:43:26.53\00:43:28.99
Describe by Randall Balmer
as one of the most important,
00:43:29.02\00:43:31.87
one of the more
important and colorful figures
00:43:31.90\00:43:33.80
in the history of
American religion."
00:43:33.83\00:43:36.14
He said, "I feel obliged
to address something here,
00:43:36.17\00:43:39.86
and this is
coming strictly from one
00:43:39.89\00:43:41.95
who is not a
Seventh-day Adventist."
00:43:41.98\00:43:44.77
And he's trying to be as
objective as I possibly can be.
00:43:44.80\00:43:48.70
Adventist do not
worship Ellen White.
00:43:48.73\00:43:52.15
That's interesting, huh?
00:43:52.18\00:43:53.97
I could have told him that.
00:43:54.00\00:43:57.34
He said, "I
found a lot of material
00:43:57.37\00:43:59.20
floating around
on the inter tubes,
00:43:59.23\00:44:01.57
that was kind of interesting,
00:44:01.60\00:44:03.07
all kind of tubes out
there on the internet.
00:44:03.10\00:44:05.79
"A lot of material floating
around on the inter tubes
00:44:05.82\00:44:08.33
insisting that
Adventists hold Ellen White
00:44:08.36\00:44:10.65
on the par with Jesus himself.
00:44:10.68\00:44:13.06
And that Adventists are
baptized into Ellen White."
00:44:13.09\00:44:16.74
He said,
"During one of my visits
00:44:16.77\00:44:18.41
in one particular
Adventist church congregation
00:44:18.44\00:44:20.90
included a lot of times
studying Adventist writings
00:44:20.93\00:44:23.72
and the
doctrines in their library.
00:44:23.75\00:44:25.69
And I couldn't find anything
00:44:25.72\00:44:27.69
remotely
suggesting such a notion."
00:44:27.72\00:44:31.19
He said, "I did however studied
00:44:31.22\00:44:32.66
much of Ellen
White's own writings
00:44:32.69\00:44:34.22
than maybe I'm missing something
00:44:34.25\00:44:36.43
but from what I've seen she
was a remarkably humble woman
00:44:36.46\00:44:39.68
who did nothing
to exalt herself.
00:44:39.71\00:44:42.17
I was looking for such
a thing, trust me, I was.
00:44:42.20\00:44:45.58
And instead I did everything--
00:44:45.61\00:44:47.50
and instead did
everything to ponder--
00:44:47.53\00:44:50.10
Instead she did
everything to ponder
00:44:50.13\00:44:52.39
and meditate
upon the glory of God.
00:44:52.42\00:44:55.09
According to Adventist history
00:44:55.12\00:44:56.43
she only had a
third grade education,
00:44:56.46\00:44:57.98
yet I found her
articulation to be on a par
00:44:58.01\00:45:00.50
with that of Martin
Luther and John Wesley."
00:45:00.53\00:45:03.52
Interesting, isn't it?
00:45:03.55\00:45:05.90
Well, a lot of
people out there think
00:45:05.93\00:45:07.45
if they can just prove
that one thing she said is wrong
00:45:07.48\00:45:10.96
then all of the stuff that
we've been studying will topple.
00:45:10.99\00:45:14.32
But all of the stuff
that we've been studying
00:45:14.35\00:45:16.92
is straight from the
scripture alone. Amen.
00:45:16.95\00:45:19.89
She had a third grade education,
00:45:23.60\00:45:25.80
yet wrote more
pages and manuscript
00:45:25.83\00:45:27.95
than any other
woman who ever lived.
00:45:27.98\00:45:30.72
In fact, one
book that she wrote,
00:45:30.75\00:45:32.52
Education was used
as a textbook for a time
00:45:32.55\00:45:35.29
at the University
of Southern California.
00:45:35.32\00:45:38.81
Maybe we should listen
more to what she had to say.
00:45:38.84\00:45:41.89
But let me just
share with you a little bit
00:45:41.92\00:45:43.38
about how God used the gift
of prophecy in the early church.
00:45:43.41\00:45:47.18
The church as I mentioned
was very small, disappointed.
00:45:47.21\00:45:50.67
They had first come
out of the experience
00:45:50.70\00:45:52.67
of thinking Jesus was coming
00:45:52.70\00:45:54.41
and then went
back into the scripture
00:45:54.44\00:45:55.76
and discovered the
truth about the judgment.
00:45:55.79\00:45:57.61
Now they needed
to tell the world
00:45:57.64\00:45:59.34
but they were not
very many of them,
00:45:59.37\00:46:01.26
they believed they need to
proclaim the gospel to the world
00:46:01.29\00:46:04.36
and so God showed
Ellen White in vision
00:46:04.39\00:46:08.38
a printing press with
lights coming out from it
00:46:08.41\00:46:12.80
that went around the globe.
00:46:12.83\00:46:15.46
And she understood
that mean, we need to press,
00:46:15.49\00:46:18.18
we need to publish
the Three Angels' Messages
00:46:18.21\00:46:22.29
and send it out
around the world.
00:46:22.32\00:46:24.56
They didn't have any money,
they saved everything they could
00:46:24.59\00:46:27.26
and they bought a
little printing press
00:46:27.29\00:46:28.84
and today Review and
Herald publishing company
00:46:28.87\00:46:31.92
is one of the largest Protestant
publishing houses in the world,
00:46:31.95\00:46:35.26
publishing those
messages of the three angels
00:46:35.29\00:46:37.38
and sending it around the globe.
00:46:37.41\00:46:39.67
That's an example of how
God used the gift of prophecy
00:46:39.70\00:46:42.86
to help build up the church.
00:46:42.89\00:46:45.63
Another example was that
God had shown Ellen White
00:46:45.66\00:46:52.09
that it was time to
use the medical work,
00:46:52.12\00:46:55.95
because doctors and
nurses have access to people
00:46:55.98\00:46:59.76
that are in a
crisis in their lives
00:46:59.79\00:47:01.86
when they're most susceptible
00:47:01.89\00:47:03.47
to listening about
God and Jesus Christ.
00:47:03.50\00:47:06.51
And she envisioned the
team of medical missionaries
00:47:06.54\00:47:09.46
going out around the
world helping people.
00:47:09.49\00:47:13.03
So the church said, yeah,
that sounds like a good idea.
00:47:13.06\00:47:15.95
They were looking at land
00:47:15.98\00:47:17.81
and they called Ellen White
one day from California and said
00:47:17.84\00:47:21.76
"You need to come and
take a look at some property."
00:47:21.79\00:47:25.47
We think this is
where we should build
00:47:25.50\00:47:26.95
our medical training college?
00:47:26.98\00:47:30.08
God had already shown her a
piece of property in vision.
00:47:30.11\00:47:34.12
She went down to California
looked at the property
00:47:34.15\00:47:37.67
and it was exactly what God had
shown her earlier in the vision.
00:47:37.70\00:47:43.34
The place, Loma
Linda, California,
00:47:43.37\00:47:47.84
the school, Loma
Linda University,
00:47:47.87\00:47:50.91
one of the top rated medical
schools in the world today.
00:47:50.94\00:47:56.74
God used that to train doctors
to be able to go and minister
00:47:56.77\00:48:00.87
not only to the body
00:48:00.90\00:48:02.18
but to the hearts and
souls of their patients.
00:48:02.21\00:48:05.89
And then the third way that
God used the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:48:05.92\00:48:08.64
during that great disappointment
Ellen White was caught up in it.
00:48:08.67\00:48:12.38
But don't believe
what you see out there
00:48:12.41\00:48:14.20
that God showed her in vision
00:48:14.23\00:48:16.02
that He was
coming in 1844, nonsense.
00:48:16.05\00:48:19.34
She was just a
little girl, went to church
00:48:19.37\00:48:21.72
with her mother and her parents
just like other children,
00:48:21.75\00:48:24.69
got caught up in
the Miller movement
00:48:24.72\00:48:27.09
believing Jesus was coming,
00:48:27.12\00:48:28.80
not because of the gift,
she had not had a vision.
00:48:28.83\00:48:32.41
It wasn't until
after the disappointment
00:48:32.44\00:48:35.08
that God gave
her, her first vision
00:48:35.11\00:48:37.94
after they had
studied from the Bible
00:48:37.97\00:48:40.18
and came to the conclusion
that the judgment began in 1844.
00:48:40.21\00:48:44.67
After all of that
came from scripture.
00:48:44.70\00:48:47.29
After they discovered
the standard of the judgment
00:48:47.32\00:48:49.76
versus Sabbath, then
God gave her a vision.
00:48:49.79\00:48:54.22
She saw Jesus standing
00:48:54.25\00:48:55.35
in the most holy place
of the sanctuary in heaven.
00:48:55.38\00:48:57.73
She saw the Ark of the Covenant,
00:48:57.76\00:48:59.09
the Ten Commandments
with the ring of light
00:48:59.12\00:49:01.14
around the fourth commandment.
00:49:01.17\00:49:03.10
They had already
gotten it from the scripture,
00:49:03.13\00:49:05.47
they didn't get
it from the vision.
00:49:05.50\00:49:07.59
God used the vision to encourage
00:49:07.62\00:49:09.80
and confirm what they had
learned from the scripture.
00:49:09.83\00:49:13.11
After all, they
had just been ridicule
00:49:13.14\00:49:15.44
and made fun of a
teaching that Jesus was coming.
00:49:15.47\00:49:18.29
And now they had to teach
that Saturday is the Sabbath day
00:49:18.32\00:49:21.79
and they were
intimidated by the task
00:49:21.82\00:49:24.09
but encouraged by
the gift of prophecy
00:49:24.12\00:49:26.98
urging them and
spurring them on.
00:49:27.01\00:49:29.72
Until today the
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:49:29.75\00:49:31.95
has become one of
the fastest growing
00:49:31.98\00:49:33.59
Protestant
churches around the globe.
00:49:33.62\00:49:38.25
I believe largely
due to the influence
00:49:38.28\00:49:41.40
that God gave to this church
00:49:41.43\00:49:43.11
through using
the gift of prophecy.
00:49:43.14\00:49:45.05
Well, then the
next question comes up.
00:49:45.08\00:49:46.88
Do I have to join the church?
00:49:46.91\00:49:49.62
Do I have to join
any church to be saved?
00:49:49.65\00:49:54.93
You do have to join
the church to be saved,
00:49:54.96\00:49:57.87
but the church you need to join
is the invisible body of Christ.
00:49:57.90\00:50:03.35
Salvation comes by grace
through faith in Christ alone.
00:50:03.38\00:50:07.95
You are not saved by joining
a visible organized church
00:50:07.98\00:50:12.86
that's I want to make clear.
00:50:12.89\00:50:16.71
But God and Jesus established
the church for a purpose.
00:50:16.74\00:50:23.98
Why wouldn't we want to
be a part of God's church?
00:50:24.01\00:50:28.95
Why wouldn't we want to join?
00:50:28.98\00:50:31.02
Well, people give
me a lot of reasons
00:50:31.05\00:50:33.28
why they
shouldn't join a church.
00:50:33.31\00:50:36.53
One of them is because
they are not good enough.
00:50:36.56\00:50:39.84
They say, well, I'm
not joining the church,
00:50:39.87\00:50:41.03
I'm just not good
enough to join the church.
00:50:41.06\00:50:43.06
In Luke 5:31, "Jesus said,
00:50:43.09\00:50:45.51
its not the healthy who
need a doctor but the sick.
00:50:45.54\00:50:48.03
I haven't come to
call the righteous,
00:50:48.06\00:50:49.63
but sinners to repentance."
00:50:49.66\00:50:52.71
Did you know that the church
00:50:52.74\00:50:54.20
is the only
organization on this planet
00:50:54.23\00:50:57.93
with a
requirement for you to join
00:50:57.96\00:51:00.12
is that you not be
good enough, that's right.
00:51:00.15\00:51:06.18
If you're good
enough to join the church
00:51:06.21\00:51:07.71
you wouldn't need the church.
00:51:07.74\00:51:09.84
I haven't come
to call the healthy
00:51:09.87\00:51:11.30
but the sick, Jesus said.
00:51:11.33\00:51:14.12
And so that's not
a good enough excuse.
00:51:14.15\00:51:17.68
Then there are those who
take the opposite excuse.
00:51:17.71\00:51:20.28
They say, I'm not
joining the church,
00:51:20.31\00:51:21.71
I am too good to join.
00:51:21.74\00:51:23.82
You know, I never heard
anybody say that, you have.
00:51:23.85\00:51:27.56
I promise you, you have.
00:51:27.59\00:51:29.33
Maybe not those word but it
usually comes out like this,
00:51:29.36\00:51:34.47
I would join the church
00:51:34.50\00:51:36.28
but there are
hypocrites in the church.
00:51:36.31\00:51:38.96
Did you ever heard
that? Sure you have.
00:51:38.99\00:51:42.38
There are hypocrites in
the church, I'm not joining.
00:51:42.41\00:51:44.25
What's a hypocrite?
00:51:44.28\00:51:45.82
A hypocrite is
somebody who knows
00:51:45.85\00:51:47.30
what they ought to
do but they don't do it.
00:51:47.33\00:51:50.16
So the person who know that
they ought to join the church
00:51:50.19\00:51:52.47
but don't join it
is a bigger hypocrite
00:51:52.50\00:51:54.00
than the
hypocrites in the church.
00:51:54.03\00:51:58.36
Furthermore
Jesus knew and told us
00:51:58.39\00:52:02.23
that there would be
hypocrites in the church
00:52:02.26\00:52:04.38
all the way
through until the end.
00:52:04.41\00:52:06.97
That's a fact, Matthew
13:24, "Jesus told a parable:
00:52:07.00\00:52:10.66
He said 'The kingdom
of heaven is like a man
00:52:10.69\00:52:12.80
who sowed good
seed in his field.
00:52:12.83\00:52:14.43
But while
everybody was at asleep,
00:52:14.46\00:52:15.93
the enemy came and sowed
00:52:15.96\00:52:17.16
weeds among the
wheat, and went away.
00:52:17.19\00:52:21.07
And then when the wheat
sprouted and formed heads,
00:52:21.10\00:52:23.72
the weeds appeared also."
00:52:23.75\00:52:26.21
So the servant said, hey,
where did the weeds come from?
00:52:26.24\00:52:28.99
An enemy must have done this.
00:52:29.02\00:52:30.35
You want us to go
and root them out,
00:52:30.38\00:52:31.75
isn't that like a church,
00:52:31.78\00:52:32.82
always want to weed it
out to make it perfect.
00:52:32.85\00:52:35.71
"And Jesus said,
no, don't do that
00:52:35.74\00:52:37.63
because if you
pull out the weeds
00:52:37.66\00:52:38.92
you might get some
of the wheat with them.
00:52:38.95\00:52:42.29
"Let them grow
together until the harvest,
00:52:42.32\00:52:45.51
At that time I will
tell the harvesters,
00:52:45.54\00:52:47.43
First collect the weeds,
tie them in bundles to be burned
00:52:47.46\00:52:50.14
and then gather the
wheat to bring it into my barn.
00:52:50.17\00:52:52.44
Let me do the deciding not you,
00:52:52.47\00:52:54.07
you make mistakes, I don't.
00:52:54.10\00:52:57.39
But can you see what it means?
00:52:57.42\00:52:59.82
It means that there are gonna
be hypocrites in the church
00:52:59.85\00:53:02.20
all the way
through until the very end.
00:53:02.23\00:53:05.94
The church is not
perfect, it never was.
00:53:05.97\00:53:12.69
The moment Jesus
got His first disciple
00:53:12.72\00:53:14.72
then the church
wasn't perfect anymore.
00:53:14.75\00:53:18.56
People think if I would have
been there in the time of Christ
00:53:18.59\00:53:21.28
then the church
would have been perfect
00:53:21.31\00:53:22.75
at the time of the
apostles, no, it wouldn't have.
00:53:22.78\00:53:26.59
Judas was one of the original
12 and Jesus picked him Himself
00:53:26.62\00:53:32.43
so we shouldn't be
surprised if we pick some
00:53:32.46\00:53:35.69
that he tears and weed,
the weeds instead of wheat.
00:53:35.72\00:53:40.19
But Jesus said let them
grow together until the harvest.
00:53:40.22\00:53:44.00
In the early church
we saw where there was
00:53:44.03\00:53:45.88
racial discrimination
against the Gentile widows.
00:53:45.91\00:53:49.80
It wasn't perfect.
00:53:49.83\00:53:51.33
Ananias and
Sapphira withheld money
00:53:51.36\00:53:53.57
that they had
pledge to the church
00:53:53.60\00:53:54.91
and the Holy
Sprit struck them dead.
00:53:54.94\00:53:58.94
Church wasn't perfect, there was
financial scandal in the church,
00:53:58.97\00:54:02.15
there was racial
discrimination in the church
00:54:02.18\00:54:05.91
and then speaking of
racial discrimination
00:54:05.94\00:54:08.72
Peter went to Galatia
and he was so intimated
00:54:08.75\00:54:14.00
by the group they
came down from Jerusalem
00:54:14.03\00:54:16.09
that he refused to sit
down and eat with the Gentiles.
00:54:16.12\00:54:20.44
Peter, wouldn't
eat with Gentiles.
00:54:20.47\00:54:23.19
Paul came along at the same time
00:54:23.22\00:54:26.02
and saw Peter there
wouldn't eat with the Gentiles.
00:54:26.05\00:54:29.30
And Paul called
Peter down to his face
00:54:29.33\00:54:32.09
right in front
of the congregation.
00:54:32.12\00:54:33.54
Imagine two
pastors going out like that
00:54:33.57\00:54:35.40
in front of their
church. What would you do?
00:54:35.43\00:54:40.96
Church wasn't perfect
back then, it isn't perfect now
00:54:40.99\00:54:46.03
and it's not going to be
perfect until Jesus comes.
00:54:46.06\00:54:49.30
The message is
perfect, the people are not
00:54:49.33\00:54:54.23
as along as the
church consists of people
00:54:54.26\00:54:56.29
who are growing in
the grace of Jesus Christ,
00:54:56.32\00:54:59.05
then it's gonna be
consisting of people
00:54:59.08\00:55:01.32
who were still making mistakes
because they still have growing
00:55:01.35\00:55:04.44
and they will even be hypocrites
00:55:04.47\00:55:05.89
in the church
all the way through.
00:55:05.92\00:55:07.04
So that's not a
very good answer.
00:55:07.07\00:55:10.02
Jesus knew that, He knew
00:55:10.05\00:55:12.21
there would be
hypocrites in the church
00:55:12.24\00:55:13.72
all the way through to the end.
00:55:13.75\00:55:14.80
Yet, in spite of that
He said in Ephesians 5:25,
00:55:14.83\00:55:17.64
"Husbands, love your wives,
00:55:17.67\00:55:18.97
just as Christ loved the church
and gave Himself up for her."
00:55:19.00\00:55:23.25
Jesus was willing
to die for the church
00:55:23.28\00:55:25.44
so the fact there are
hypocrites in the church
00:55:25.47\00:55:27.33
that doesn't mean that we
shouldn't be a part of it,
00:55:27.36\00:55:30.35
there'll be
hypocrites all the way.
00:55:30.38\00:55:31.58
Don't let a
hypocrite or any person
00:55:31.61\00:55:36.65
keep you from where
God wants you to be.
00:55:36.68\00:55:40.41
Be bigger than that. Amen.
00:55:40.44\00:55:43.59
The church needs you
and you need the church.
00:55:43.62\00:55:51.09
One time there was a poor
man, didn't have much at all
00:55:52.09\00:55:58.22
but he wanted some
thing far better for his son.
00:55:58.25\00:56:02.08
And ever since his
boy was born he said,
00:56:02.11\00:56:05.33
I'm gonna save everything I can,
00:56:05.36\00:56:07.69
so I can send my
son to medical school
00:56:07.72\00:56:10.22
and he can be a
doctor and he did.
00:56:10.25\00:56:13.11
He saved every
penny, put it all away
00:56:13.14\00:56:17.88
finally his son
went to medical school.
00:56:17.91\00:56:20.83
And time came
for him to graduate
00:56:20.86\00:56:23.48
the poor old man
didn't even have enough
00:56:23.51\00:56:25.21
to go buy a ticket to
watch his son graduate
00:56:25.24\00:56:27.88
but he didn't care,
his boy was a doctor now.
00:56:27.91\00:56:32.62
Son came home
from medical school
00:56:32.65\00:56:36.42
and after a few days he said,
00:56:36.45\00:56:39.68
dad, I need to
tell you something.
00:56:39.71\00:56:45.56
What is it, son?
00:56:45.59\00:56:47.23
I'm not going to be going
to church with you anymore.
00:56:54.23\00:57:00.38
The old man's heart was broken
00:57:00.41\00:57:05.31
but he knew he couldn't argue
with his son, he was no match.
00:57:05.34\00:57:10.45
He just put his arm
around him gave him a hug
00:57:10.48\00:57:13.53
and walked him
over towards the fire.
00:57:13.56\00:57:18.86
There's a hot fire going.
00:57:18.89\00:57:22.02
And he picked up
the little shovel
00:57:22.05\00:57:24.60
and scooped out
hot glowing coal,
00:57:24.63\00:57:28.58
it's beautiful, bright red, warm
00:57:28.61\00:57:33.27
and then he set it
down on the brick hearth.
00:57:33.30\00:57:36.37
Wasn't long until that
beautiful white hot glowing coal
00:57:36.40\00:57:42.56
was cold and grey and ugly.
00:57:42.59\00:57:47.69
Then he picked it
back up with the shovel
00:57:47.72\00:57:50.16
and he put it in the fire again
00:57:50.19\00:57:54.23
it wasn't long
until it was white hot,
00:57:54.26\00:57:57.61
beautiful and glowing.
00:57:57.64\00:58:01.08