Welcome to the 3ABN
Spring Camp Meeting:
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The Three Angels' Messages.
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Good morning and we
welcome you to day #2
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of our Spring Camp Meeting 2018.
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We are so glad
that you are here.
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The Holy Spirit is here.
His presence is being felt
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already and we expect
and are looking forward to
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a grand and glorious session
with the Lord this morning.
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God is so very
very good, is He not?
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And we are in the house of
the Lord among our brothers
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and sisters in Christ.
What a wonderful place to be.
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What better place could
we be than in this place
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at this time. So we
welcome our in-house family
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and welcome to those of you
who are watching and listening
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from around the world. You
are part of our extended family
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and we are so glad
that you are with us.
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We have been dealing with
and will continue to deal with
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the three angels' messages
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or you can say the
three angel's message
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because they are one message
divided into many segments.
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But today our speaker
is Pastor Wesley Peppers.
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He comes from the
Michigan Conference.
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He is the Associate
Ministerial Director
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and Evangelism
Coordinator for the Conference.
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He's been here before.
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We first
recognized him and met him
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as a GYC speaker. He
still considers himself
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a young person, and
I must yield to that
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since I am
somewhat older than he.
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But by the grace of God he
will give us a wonderful word
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this morning as he talks about
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evangelization
in these last days.
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Wes is the husband
of one wife: Miriam.
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Marian, rather, and
she is a wonderful singer.
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He has two children: one
of each, a boy and a girl.
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Levi and Leanna.
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Levi is 6; Leanna is 3.
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So he's got a matched set,
and we praise the Lord for that.
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And we look forward to
his ministry this morning.
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I'm going to ask you now
to bow your heads with me
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as we ask and
invite and recognize
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God's presence in
this place. Father God,
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how we praise You and thank you
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for the Word which
is a lamp unto our feet
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and a light on
the pathway before us.
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We thank you for the preached
word and the word sung in music.
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We thank you for
the power of the Word.
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We thank you that You inhabit
the praises of Your people.
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We thank you that You've allowed
us to wake up to see the beauty
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of a new day which
brings us, dear Lord,
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one day closer to the
coming of our Lord and Savior
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Jesus Christ. May we
make ample preparation
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on this day for that
day which is soon to come.
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May You find us ready and
working and waiting for you.
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Bless now the speaker.
Bless those of us who hear.
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May Christ be glorified.
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And we thank you, dear
Father, in Jesus' name,
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Amen.
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Was thinking of
and looking for a song
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that would match the
message concerning evangelism.
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And it occurred to me
that we could do no better
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than singing the
song I'll Tell The World
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That I'm A Christian.
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I'll tell the world
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that I'm a Christian.
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I'm not ashamed
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His name to bear.
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I'll tell the world
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that I'm a Christian;
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I'll take Him with me
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everywhere.
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I'll tell the world
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how Jesus saved me
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and how He gave me
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a life brand new.
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And I know
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that if you trust Him
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that all He gave me
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He'll give to you.
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I'll tell the world
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that He's my Savior.
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No other one
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could love me so.
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My life, my all
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is His forever
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and where He leads me
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I will go.
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I'll tell the world
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Jesus is coming.
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And it may be near
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or far far away.
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But we've got to live
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as if that coming
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could be tomorrow
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or today.
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For when He comes
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and life is over
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for those who love Him
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there's more to be.
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Eyes have never seen
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the wonders
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that He's preparing
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for you and me.
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Go tell the world
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that you're a Christian.
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Don't be ashamed
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His name to bear.
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Just tell the world
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that you are a Christian
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and take Him with you
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everywhere.
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I'll tell the world
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how Jesus saved me
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and how He gave me
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a life brand new.
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And I know
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that if you trust Him
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that all He gave to me
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He'll give to you.
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I'll tell the world
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that I'm a Christian.
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And I'm not ashamed
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His name to bear.
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I'll tell the world
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that I'm a Christian.
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I'll take Him with me
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anywhere...
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I'll take Him with me
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anywhere.
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Amen!
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Thank you so much Elder Murray.
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Good morning
saints. Good morning!
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How are you
today? Doing excellent?
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Are you ready for an
exciting 3ABN Camp Meeting?
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Yes! I'm so glad that I
got you on the very first
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full day in the morning.
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So I get you... I saw the
schedule for the Camp Meeting.
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Sermons almost
every hour of the day,
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so I'm glad to get
you at the beginning
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before you get worn out. Right?
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And it's good to be
with you here today.
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I hope my children are watching.
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They said they were
going to be watching
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and they probably were thrilled
to hear their names mentioned
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here. But Levi and
Leanna... Levi just turned six
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last month and
Leanna just turned three
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last week. Actually
today is her birthday.
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I said last week, but
we celebrated last week
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but today is her birthday
so Happy Birthday to my dear
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daughter at home.
Well, we are talking about
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at the Camp Meeting
the three angels' messages.
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And you know, I
travel around a lot of places
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and I hear a lot of
people say: "You know,
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we don't hear messages on
the three angels' messages
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any more. " And how many
of you would agree with that?
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It's very rare. And
friends, we do not want to
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lose the
importance of this message
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because it is our
identity as an Adventist people.
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What do you say?
Amen! As a SDA church
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we are prophetic movement, amen?
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We're not just
another denomination.
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We're not just
another church on the corner
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but we are a prophetic movement
that has been revealed to us
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through prophecy -
through the book of Revelation.
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If you haven't ever
read Revelation chapter 10
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it describes the beautiful
rising of the Advent movement.
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And we can be sure that
we're in the right place, amen?
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We can be sure that we
have the right message.
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We can be sure that
we're in the right movement
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because this
movement is Biblical.
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Yes? And its
message is Biblical.
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It is Christ
centered; it is Christ focused;
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and it is Christ filled.
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How many of you are thankful
today to be a SDA Christian?
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Friends, if you're not
a SDA Christian today -
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and we're not trying to
attack the other churches here -
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but we want a Bible-
based Christianity, amen?
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We want the full
gospel... the whole gospel.
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And we're going to talk a
little bit this morning about
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that gospel, but more important-
ly we're going to talk about
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proclaiming that gospel and
what it means to share our faith
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with others, yes? And so
we're going to dive in here.
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We're going to go to the
book of Revelation chapter 14.
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If you have your Bibles,
please open them to Revelation
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chapter 14. And we're just
going to have a word of prayer
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as we begin and then
we're going to dive right to it.
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Let's bow our heads
for a word of prayer.
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Father in heaven,
we thank you so much
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for the great privilege we have
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to be in Your
house this morning;
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to be in Your presence; to
be assured by Your promises,
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by Your truth. And we
pray today that the Holy Spirit
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will be poured out upon us.
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That He would not
just simply be in the room
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but that He
would be in our hearts.
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And we read in the book of Acts
that when the Holy Spirit was
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poured out it shook the
very building that they were in.
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And Lord, I pray that it
would shake our very souls
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to the depths of our core
that we might be fully committed
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to Your call. That our
hearts will be turned to You
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completely and totally
today... this is our prayer.
00:12:16.67\00:12:20.10
We ask that You
would comfort us;
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we ask that You would convict us
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and empower us,
Lord, this morning.
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We ask it in Jesus' name
- let everyone say - Amen.
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In Revelation chapter 14
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you find three themes
that John experiences.
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In the first five verses
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you find a description
of the 144,000... correct?
00:12:41.72\00:12:44.89
In the second group of
verses, verse 6 through 13,
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you find the three
angels' messages, correct?
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Then in the third
theme John sees he describes
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the second coming of Jesus.
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How many of you are
with me so far? Right?
00:12:58.81\00:13:00.64
Amen. Now I want you to notice
something very interesting
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that we find. Look in
Revelation 14 verse 1.
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John says... The first three
words of that verse says what?
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"Then I looked... "
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Now the word then is always des-
cribbing something that happened
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before that, right?
So John in chapter 13
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is talking about the mark
of the beast and those things.
00:13:20.56\00:13:22.80
So now he's describing
the beast and its power
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and then in chapter 14 he's
describing the people of God
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standing in His power.
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So he's contrasting
the two. Are you with me?
00:13:32.47\00:13:34.84
Then he gives that description
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down through there
for the first five verses.
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We're not going
to read all of that.
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You can go back and read that.
00:13:40.42\00:13:41.75
But then notice
in verse 6 he says:
00:13:41.78\00:13:44.95
"Then I... " What? "saw... "
00:13:45.15\00:13:47.62
So John says
first: "Then I looked"
00:13:47.82\00:13:50.23
then he says "Then I saw. "
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And then he sees a
description of the message
00:13:52.96\00:13:55.83
that God has called His people
to proclaim in the last days.
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Correct? Then in the
last passage - verse 14-
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he says again in
the first three letters
00:14:02.60\00:14:05.41
"Then I... " What?
Looked! "Then I looked... "
00:14:05.61\00:14:07.71
So three themes John is seeing.
00:14:07.91\00:14:09.94
He says: "Then I looked;
then I saw; then I looked. "
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So he's seeing three
different pictures here
00:14:13.95\00:14:16.55
all connected
and close together.
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So in the first picture
he sees the people of Christ.
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In the second group he
sees the message of Christ.
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And in the third picture
he sees the coming of Christ.
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Amen? Now I would propose to you
00:14:30.37\00:14:32.97
this morning that all
three of these visions
00:14:33.17\00:14:37.01
or experiences or
themes that John sees
00:14:37.21\00:14:39.51
are connected by
one common theme.
00:14:39.71\00:14:43.41
One common theme... and
that is Revelation 14 verse 12.
00:14:43.81\00:14:47.32
It says: "Here is the
patience of the saints.
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Here are those who
keep the commandments of God
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and the... " What?
"and the faith of Jesus. "
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And that faith of Jesus is
the core of the entire message
00:14:56.96\00:15:01.53
because it focuses on
the righteousness of Christ
00:15:01.93\00:15:05.13
that God wants to place in each
one of our hearts today. Amen?
00:15:05.33\00:15:09.34
The righteousness
that Christ possesses
00:15:09.74\00:15:11.87
can be ours as well when
we believe in Him by faith.
00:15:12.07\00:15:15.84
And by faith when we
put our faith IN Jesus
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it can continue to grow
until it actually becomes
00:15:19.88\00:15:22.95
the faith OF Jesus.
00:15:23.15\00:15:24.65
How many can say
"Amen" this morning? Amen!
00:15:24.85\00:15:26.69
And so in this picture
00:15:26.89\00:15:28.42
the people of God in verses 1-5
00:15:28.62\00:15:31.29
are possessing the
righteousness of Christ.
00:15:31.49\00:15:34.20
They're what? They're possessing
the righteousness of Christ.
00:15:34.40\00:15:37.60
In verses 6 through 13
then they are proclaiming
00:15:37.90\00:15:41.87
the righteousness of Christ.
00:15:42.07\00:15:43.61
They're doing what
in the second scene?
00:15:44.01\00:15:45.81
They're proclaiming.
And then in the third scene
00:15:46.01\00:15:48.54
they see the power of
Christ's righteousness
00:15:48.74\00:15:51.85
when He returns in
the clouds of heaven.
00:15:52.05\00:15:54.22
Now friends, let
me tell you something:
00:15:54.42\00:15:56.69
we have a lot of dissention
sometimes in the church
00:15:56.89\00:16:01.22
about the
righteousness of Christ.
00:16:01.42\00:16:03.49
But let me tell you what:
the righteousness of Christ
00:16:03.69\00:16:06.59
which is the perfection
of the life of Jesus Christ
00:16:06.80\00:16:09.76
He wants to give to us
as a free gift by faith
00:16:09.96\00:16:14.30
and He wants to
replicate it in our lives.
00:16:14.50\00:16:17.24
Not just in our hearts
but in the external actions
00:16:17.44\00:16:21.51
of our lives. How many of you
can say "Amen" to that today?
00:16:21.71\00:16:24.05
Amen! And it is the
revealing of that power,
00:16:24.25\00:16:27.62
the revealing of
that righteousness,
00:16:27.82\00:16:30.05
not anything
that we do on our own
00:16:30.25\00:16:32.35
but everything that He is
doing in us and through us.
00:16:32.55\00:16:35.19
It is that power, that reveal-
ing of the character of God,
00:16:35.39\00:16:39.56
that is the drawing power
of this message that goes out
00:16:39.76\00:16:43.60
into the world. Are you
with me this morning? Yes or no?
00:16:43.80\00:16:46.07
Yes. Without that
character of Christ
00:16:46.27\00:16:49.20
the message cannot be
proclaimed in the power
00:16:49.40\00:16:52.47
that it was
designed to be proclaimed in.
00:16:52.67\00:16:54.68
Do you follow that today?
00:16:55.08\00:16:56.54
And Jesus wants to
do that in His people.
00:16:57.05\00:17:00.42
He WILL do it in His people...
00:17:00.62\00:17:02.52
the question
will be: which people?
00:17:02.72\00:17:05.32
Because there's a
lot of people in the past
00:17:06.32\00:17:09.09
that He's wanted to do it
through but they would not
00:17:09.29\00:17:12.29
soften their hearts.
They hardened their hearts
00:17:12.49\00:17:14.43
and they resisted His attempt
to do that thing in them.
00:17:14.63\00:17:18.87
The pioneers through
the 1888 message resisted.
00:17:20.04\00:17:23.71
Not all of them... but
some of them... resisted that.
00:17:23.91\00:17:26.98
And today we're still
many times resisting it.
00:17:27.18\00:17:30.21
And so if we do not
accept this message,
00:17:30.41\00:17:33.65
if we do not accept
the righteousness of Christ
00:17:33.85\00:17:36.42
fully and completely,
if our hearts and our lives
00:17:36.62\00:17:39.82
are not surrendered to every
purpose in the plan and the will
00:17:40.02\00:17:44.06
of God for our lives, then we
also will die in the wilderness
00:17:44.26\00:17:48.10
just like all the
generations before us.
00:17:48.30\00:17:50.77
So God is making an
invitation to us today
00:17:50.97\00:17:54.14
to full receive...
Not just to believe
00:17:54.34\00:17:57.51
in thought and
in just philosophy
00:17:57.71\00:18:02.81
but to actually allow
the righteousness of Christ
00:18:03.21\00:18:06.72
to transform the
core of our hearts
00:18:06.92\00:18:09.68
and the external
actions of the person.
00:18:09.88\00:18:12.92
Yes or no this morning? Amen.
00:18:13.12\00:18:14.82
That is what God
desires for each of us today.
00:18:15.02\00:18:17.29
Now friends, what that does
not mean is that we all need to
00:18:17.49\00:18:20.73
tighten up our belts
and become better vegans.
00:18:20.93\00:18:24.63
No, there's nothing wrong with
being vegan. I love being vegan.
00:18:24.83\00:18:27.24
Amen? I love the health message.
00:18:27.44\00:18:30.11
But sometimes the health
message becomes a plague to us
00:18:30.51\00:18:33.98
because the health message
becomes focused on ourselves.
00:18:34.18\00:18:37.58
It becomes focused on us.
00:18:38.41\00:18:40.08
Now that's not its full
intention. Its intention is
00:18:40.48\00:18:43.89
that we can have the
healthiest minds and bodies
00:18:44.09\00:18:47.19
for what purpose?
Just so that we can be
00:18:47.39\00:18:49.22
healthier people
on this earth? No!
00:18:49.42\00:18:51.29
So that we can fully
reveal the character of Christ
00:18:51.49\00:18:54.63
and proclaim His message. Amen?
00:18:54.83\00:18:56.80
Amen! And so anything
that becomes self-focused
00:18:57.00\00:18:59.47
becomes a curse to us.
00:18:59.67\00:19:01.00
And I fear that many
times just like ancient Israel
00:19:01.04\00:19:03.91
we are having
the same experience
00:19:04.11\00:19:06.51
where in the message of
God even we are becoming
00:19:06.71\00:19:10.25
so self-focused
and so self-centered
00:19:10.45\00:19:13.18
that God is not able
to reach others through us
00:19:13.38\00:19:16.52
but we actually become a
stumbling block to those people.
00:19:16.72\00:19:19.79
And dear friends,
today God is calling us
00:19:21.69\00:19:24.53
to a life of surrender. Amen?
00:19:24.73\00:19:28.83
God's purpose
will be accomplished.
00:19:29.60\00:19:33.07
How many can say
"Amen" today? Amen!
00:19:33.27\00:19:35.10
His people are to become
like Him and deliver a message.
00:19:35.30\00:19:38.77
And the plan is that
all the people on the earth
00:19:38.97\00:19:41.64
would hear and accept,
and the product is that
00:19:41.84\00:19:44.81
just more than the
church would hear and accept
00:19:45.01\00:19:49.18
and embrace that message.
00:19:49.38\00:19:50.99
How many can say
"Amen" this morning?
00:19:51.19\00:19:52.69
But before they can be a
public witness of the message
00:19:53.09\00:19:56.06
there must be a
personal fitness by the message.
00:19:56.26\00:19:59.89
Amen? Amen.
00:20:00.53\00:20:02.16
Without a fitness there is
no witness. What do you say?
00:20:02.56\00:20:05.47
Amen! Turn with me if you
would to the book of Acts.
00:20:05.67\00:20:08.27
We're going to take a
look at the people that started
00:20:08.47\00:20:11.47
the movement and the people
that ended the movement...
00:20:11.67\00:20:14.14
which by the grace of God
we hope to be us, don't we?
00:20:14.34\00:20:16.68
In Acts chapter 1...
Acts chapter 1 you find
00:20:17.55\00:20:21.75
that Jesus had raised from
the dead. Isn't that the core
00:20:22.62\00:20:25.79
of our hope today? That
the resurrection of Christ...
00:20:25.99\00:20:28.72
If Christ was not resurrected
from the dead and we are still
00:20:28.92\00:20:32.06
in our sins and without hope.
00:20:32.26\00:20:33.83
But Christ did raise.
00:20:34.23\00:20:35.63
Christ raised from the
dead and here He's meeting
00:20:36.03\00:20:37.93
with His disciples
before He ascends into heaven
00:20:38.13\00:20:41.70
and He's giving them their
final and Great Commission.
00:20:41.90\00:20:45.47
If you look in verse 7
00:20:45.67\00:20:49.24
the Bible says in some of His
parting words to His disciples:
00:20:49.44\00:20:52.68
"And He said to them:
'It is not for you to know
00:20:52.88\00:20:56.12
times or seasons
which the Father has put
00:20:56.32\00:20:58.82
in His own authority
but you shall receive power
00:20:59.02\00:21:02.02
when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you
00:21:02.42\00:21:04.56
and you shall be witnesses to Me
00:21:04.76\00:21:06.80
in Jerusalem and to all Judea
00:21:07.20\00:21:11.07
and Samaria and to
the ends of the earth. ' "
00:21:11.27\00:21:14.17
And so listen, friends:
00:21:14.57\00:21:16.34
before Jesus told the disciples
to go out and preach the gospel
00:21:16.54\00:21:20.98
what did He tell them to do?
00:21:21.18\00:21:22.74
Go where? To the
upper room for how long?
00:21:23.14\00:21:26.55
For ten days.
00:21:27.12\00:21:28.58
And so before they could
be a witness to the world
00:21:28.78\00:21:31.79
they had to be fitted
for that work. Yes or no?
00:21:31.99\00:21:34.69
And in those 10 days they
had a powerful rich experience.
00:21:34.89\00:21:38.89
A beautiful experience.
00:21:39.29\00:21:41.16
And I'm going to read to
you a couple of quotes here that
00:21:41.36\00:21:43.83
kind of describe a little bit
that experience that they had.
00:21:44.03\00:21:47.30
Notice this. This comes from
the book Acts of the Apostles
00:21:47.50\00:21:50.34
page 37. Says: "As
the disciples waited for
00:21:50.54\00:21:53.78
the fulfillment of the promise
they humbled their hearts
00:21:53.98\00:21:56.91
in true repentance and
confessed their unbelief.
00:21:57.11\00:22:00.62
They reproached themselves
for their misapprehension
00:22:01.02\00:22:03.75
of the Savior and like a
procession scene after scene
00:22:03.95\00:22:07.16
of His wonderful
life passed before them.
00:22:07.36\00:22:09.29
As they meditated
upon His pure holy life
00:22:09.49\00:22:12.19
they felt that no
toil would be too hard,
00:22:12.39\00:22:15.20
no sacrifice too great,
00:22:15.60\00:22:17.67
if only they could
bear witness in their lives
00:22:17.87\00:22:20.70
to the loveliness
of Jesus' character. "
00:22:20.90\00:22:23.97
Now friends, that is the fitness
00:22:24.37\00:22:26.54
that must take
place in our hearts today
00:22:26.74\00:22:28.54
before we can proclaim
a message like they did.
00:22:28.74\00:22:31.41
What was it? It was
repentance; it was confession;
00:22:31.81\00:22:35.88
it was reproach; it was search-
ing their own hearts to see
00:22:36.08\00:22:39.35
what is in my heart
that doesn't look like Jesus?
00:22:39.55\00:22:42.92
That's all it is.
00:22:43.12\00:22:44.46
And friends, when we
see... when God reveals those...
00:22:44.59\00:22:47.36
it's not when we see it
because we can't even see it
00:22:47.56\00:22:50.03
until God
reveals it to us, can we?
00:22:50.23\00:22:51.97
But when God reveals it to us
00:22:52.17\00:22:54.37
He calls us to
surrender that thing to Him.
00:22:54.57\00:22:57.91
And in surrendering it to
Him we become more like Christ.
00:22:58.31\00:23:02.08
We become more like Christ than
we were when we were holding on
00:23:02.44\00:23:04.88
to that thing. And as they
thought more and more about
00:23:05.08\00:23:08.75
Jesus they began to remember
00:23:08.95\00:23:10.69
the wonderful
life that He lived.
00:23:10.89\00:23:13.15
And they said: "Lord, we
want that life to be duplicated
00:23:13.36\00:23:16.96
and replicated
in our own life. "
00:23:17.16\00:23:19.26
And they said:
"Anything at all in our lives
00:23:19.66\00:23:22.90
that we're hanging on
to Lord let us let it go
00:23:23.10\00:23:26.13
so that we can become
more like Christ. " Amen!
00:23:26.94\00:23:29.20
And as they did they realized
the life that Jesus lived
00:23:29.50\00:23:33.81
was not easy. They realized
that He had a hard life of...
00:23:34.01\00:23:38.98
of laboring, of self-sacrifice
00:23:39.18\00:23:42.08
that led Him all
the way to the cross.
00:23:42.28\00:23:45.12
And they said: "Lord, if
we can just but be like Jesus
00:23:45.32\00:23:50.26
there will be nothing
too hard for us - Amen -
00:23:50.46\00:23:52.89
because we'll have His presence
and His power within us. "
00:23:53.09\00:23:55.83
And they said... It wasn't just,
friends, so that they could...
00:23:56.77\00:24:00.24
that they could have the charac-
ter of Christ for themselves.
00:24:00.44\00:24:03.57
But it was so they
could allow it to be a witness
00:24:05.71\00:24:09.51
to others. Amen! "The disciples
prayed with intense earnestness
00:24:09.71\00:24:13.95
for a fitness to meet men
and in their daily intercourse
00:24:14.15\00:24:18.49
to speak words that
would lead sinners to Christ. "
00:24:18.69\00:24:22.19
You see, friends, as a church
we often talk about and focus on
00:24:22.62\00:24:26.36
the desire to be
more like Christ. Yes?
00:24:26.56\00:24:30.37
But the reason for
that is often self-serving.
00:24:30.77\00:24:34.97
We want to be like Christ
because we want to be saved.
00:24:35.17\00:24:37.97
And rightly so. You should
desire the righteousness of
00:24:38.37\00:24:41.64
Christ... Amen? But
the ultimate purpose
00:24:41.84\00:24:45.01
of possessing the
righteousness of Christ
00:24:45.21\00:24:47.08
is not just to
possess it for ourselves.
00:24:47.28\00:24:49.82
It is to possess it so it
is a drawing power for others
00:24:50.22\00:24:54.49
to the Savior. Amen?
00:24:54.69\00:24:56.76
As people are drawn to us
we point them to the Savior.
00:24:56.96\00:25:00.56
Amen! Aren't you
thankful for that today?
00:25:00.76\00:25:02.80
Amen! Notice this:
00:25:03.00\00:25:06.13
let me just point
out... let me jump ahead here.
00:25:06.80\00:25:10.87
It says: "No longer were they a
collection of independent units
00:25:11.07\00:25:14.04
or of discordant and
conflicting elements.
00:25:14.44\00:25:16.75
No longer were their
hopes set on worldly greatness.
00:25:16.95\00:25:20.38
They were of one accord,
of one mind and one soul.
00:25:20.78\00:25:24.99
The advancement of
His kingdom was their aim.
00:25:25.69\00:25:27.86
In mind and character they
had become like their Master
00:25:28.06\00:25:31.39
and men took knowledge of them
that they had been with Jesus.
00:25:31.59\00:25:35.06
The only
ambition of the believers
00:25:35.46\00:25:37.73
was to reveal the
likeness of Christ's character
00:25:37.93\00:25:41.37
and to labor for the
enlargement of His kingdom. "
00:25:41.57\00:25:44.91
I want you to think about
that for just a minute, friends.
00:25:45.11\00:25:47.08
That was their one ambition.
00:25:47.28\00:25:49.31
These people were
people of professions.
00:25:50.35\00:25:52.45
They were fishermen; they
were farmers. They had jobs
00:25:52.65\00:25:55.15
just like you. You
notice it doesn't say
00:25:55.35\00:25:57.95
that the only goal of
the pastors was to become
00:25:58.15\00:26:00.96
like Christ. The
only goal of the apostles.
00:26:01.12\00:26:04.13
But it says...
there's a key word there...
00:26:04.33\00:26:05.73
"The only goal of the
believers. " Who is that?
00:26:05.93\00:26:08.70
That's everybody!
00:26:09.10\00:26:10.50
So whatever your profession
is... whether you're a physician
00:26:11.10\00:26:14.14
whether you're a
lawyer, whether you're a janitor
00:26:14.34\00:26:17.54
or a
schoolteacher or whatever it is
00:26:17.74\00:26:20.08
God has called you.
Your life's ambition
00:26:20.28\00:26:23.61
is to not just possess
the character of Christ
00:26:23.81\00:26:26.92
but to proclaim it.
00:26:27.12\00:26:28.65
Not to just hold it to yourself
00:26:29.05\00:26:30.92
but to reveal the
character of God to the world.
00:26:31.12\00:26:33.76
To
intentionally witness for Him.
00:26:34.16\00:26:37.56
Not just by a life of silence.
00:26:37.76\00:26:39.63
You know, we've gotten
into this terrible habit
00:26:39.83\00:26:41.70
of... we've been so
afraid of the bonsai evangelist
00:26:41.90\00:26:46.97
where people go out and they
pass out all these extreme books
00:26:47.17\00:26:50.77
and knock on doors. And
we say: "Oh, we don't need
00:26:50.97\00:26:53.04
to do that any more. I
just need to live my life
00:26:53.24\00:26:55.54
and people will notice. "
00:26:55.74\00:26:58.38
"And so I have a neighbor
that I've been neighbors with
00:26:58.58\00:27:00.75
for 30 years and I've
talked with him every day
00:27:00.95\00:27:04.59
but I've never spoken to
him about spiritual things.
00:27:04.79\00:27:07.56
And I've gone over
and I've helped him...
00:27:08.56\00:27:10.56
and we've had meals together
00:27:10.76\00:27:12.99
but I've never
talked to him about Christ.
00:27:13.19\00:27:14.86
But I don't need
to. You know why?
00:27:15.06\00:27:17.37
Because every
Sabbath at 9 o'clock
00:27:17.73\00:27:20.37
my neighbor sees me
leaving my house in a suit... "
00:27:20.57\00:27:23.77
or a dress or dress
pants, whatever you want to do.
00:27:23.97\00:27:27.28
I'm not getting
into all of that.
00:27:27.48\00:27:29.54
"And when I leave my
house in my hand, tucked neatly,
00:27:33.58\00:27:38.89
is my Bible. And
right on top of my Bible
00:27:39.29\00:27:42.62
is my Sabbath School quarterly.
00:27:42.82\00:27:44.89
And I angle my
Sabbath School quarterly
00:27:45.29\00:27:47.90
just so that he can
see the SDA church logo
00:27:48.10\00:27:51.63
as he looks out
the window to see me.
00:27:51.83\00:27:54.27
And every Sabbath
for the last thirty years
00:27:54.47\00:27:56.84
he's seen me leave
at 9 o'clock on the dot.
00:27:57.04\00:27:59.71
He knows where I'm
going every Sabbath.
00:28:00.11\00:28:02.64
He knows why I
don't work on the Sabbath.
00:28:02.84\00:28:05.15
He knows that I don't
mow my grass or any of that.
00:28:05.35\00:28:07.75
And if he wants
to know anything more
00:28:07.95\00:28:10.35
he'll... " What? "he'll ask. "
00:28:10.55\00:28:12.42
You see, friends, we
used to be in the pit of
00:28:13.25\00:28:16.46
of the bonsai evangelist where
we would think we should tell
00:28:16.66\00:28:19.29
the whole three angels' message
to a person in 5 minutes.
00:28:19.49\00:28:22.06
Now we're on the other
end where we don't say a word
00:28:22.66\00:28:24.77
to our neighbor in 30 years.
00:28:24.97\00:28:26.43
And dear friends, that is
not revealing the righteousness
00:28:27.27\00:28:30.61
of Christ.
Because the Bible says
00:28:30.81\00:28:33.54
that we are not just to
possess the character of Christ
00:28:33.74\00:28:36.58
but we are also
to what? Proclaim it.
00:28:36.78\00:28:39.68
The Bible says in verse 6
00:28:40.15\00:28:41.92
"I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven
00:28:42.12\00:28:44.49
having the everlasting
gospel... " To do what?
00:28:44.69\00:28:47.66
"to preach! " And that
preaching is not done by just
00:28:48.19\00:28:53.13
the pastors or the preachers.
00:28:53.33\00:28:55.53
In the book of Acts it
was done by the deacons.
00:28:55.93\00:28:59.50
It was done by the lay people.
00:28:59.90\00:29:01.70
It was done by every
believer. They were preaching.
00:29:01.90\00:29:04.47
They were sharing.
They were revealing Christ
00:29:04.67\00:29:07.31
and telling
others about His truth.
00:29:07.51\00:29:09.44
And somehow today in this
world of specialization...
00:29:09.84\00:29:13.38
You know, we have
doctors that are specializing
00:29:13.58\00:29:16.48
in everything... in
specific things, rather.
00:29:16.69\00:29:19.62
You have heart doctors and kid-
ney doctors and liver doctors.
00:29:19.92\00:29:22.96
And if you ask a doctor
- nothing against doctors -
00:29:23.16\00:29:26.76
but if you ask many doctors
something outside their field
00:29:26.96\00:29:29.43
they couldn't tell you
anything more than a bus driver.
00:29:29.63\00:29:33.47
And somehow we
thought that inside the church
00:29:34.74\00:29:38.17
it's that way also.
That it's the pastor's job
00:29:38.37\00:29:41.68
to do the work. It's the
conference's job to do the work.
00:29:41.88\00:29:45.11
It's 3ABN's job to do the work.
00:29:45.61\00:29:47.85
Well let me tell you what,
friends: 3ABN does a wonderful
00:29:48.42\00:29:51.05
work, amen? Amen! Amen?
00:29:51.25\00:29:53.32
But let me tell you: the
gospel work will not be finished
00:29:53.72\00:29:59.29
by preachers
coming to 3ABN to preach.
00:29:59.49\00:30:03.63
It will be done by that in part
00:30:04.03\00:30:07.87
but it will be
primarily done by the lay people
00:30:08.07\00:30:10.84
being filled
with the Spirit of God
00:30:11.04\00:30:13.81
and going out to preach
and to proclaim the gospel
00:30:14.21\00:30:17.41
and to share their
faith with their neighbors.
00:30:17.81\00:30:20.08
Yes or no, friends? Yes!
00:30:20.28\00:30:22.35
Now listen... I
want you to see this.
00:30:22.78\00:30:26.02
This was... so there was a
fitness by the disciples, yes?
00:30:26.22\00:30:29.82
And then there was a
witness. Now listen to this.
00:30:30.23\00:30:32.36
This comes from the book
Christ Object Lessons page 120.
00:30:32.76\00:30:35.66
It says: "With great power
00:30:36.06\00:30:37.77
gave the apostles witness of the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus
00:30:37.97\00:30:41.34
and great grace
was upon them all. "
00:30:41.64\00:30:43.10
Again, from Education page 95.
00:30:43.30\00:30:45.11
It says: "Then there was
such a revelation of the glory
00:30:45.51\00:30:48.51
of Christ as had never before
been witnessed by mortal man. "
00:30:48.71\00:30:52.65
And so that was
the level of power
00:30:53.31\00:30:55.88
that was taking place through
the preaching of the gospel
00:30:56.08\00:30:59.05
by the early church.
Not just the apostles
00:30:59.25\00:31:01.56
but all the what?
All the believers, yes?
00:31:01.76\00:31:04.33
All the believers.
00:31:04.53\00:31:05.86
Now I want you to
see this, dear friends.
00:31:06.09\00:31:07.96
From Christ
Object Lessons page 21
00:31:09.43\00:31:11.53
notice this powerful statement.
00:31:11.73\00:31:13.37
Talking about the
scenes of the early church
00:31:14.04\00:31:16.97
this is what it says:
00:31:17.17\00:31:18.51
"These scenes
are to be repeated. "
00:31:18.77\00:31:21.91
They're to be
what? Repeated. Repeated!
00:31:22.71\00:31:24.68
"And with... " It doesn't
even say as much power, but it
00:31:26.08\00:31:28.95
says: "with greater power.
" With what kind of power?
00:31:29.15\00:31:31.59
Greater. Greater power!
00:31:31.79\00:31:33.15
So the great manifestation
of power that took place
00:31:33.89\00:31:37.36
in the early church
is to be repeated again
00:31:37.56\00:31:40.53
with even greater power.
00:31:41.36\00:31:43.03
When and where do you suppose
that that's going to take place?
00:31:43.87\00:31:47.40
In the fulfillment of
Revelation chapter 14.
00:31:47.60\00:31:52.21
It says: "The outpouring
of the Holy Spirit on the Day
00:31:54.11\00:31:56.68
of Pentecost was the former rain
00:31:56.88\00:31:58.51
but the latter rain
will be more abundant.
00:31:58.71\00:32:00.98
The Spirit awaits
our demand and reception.
00:32:01.38\00:32:04.72
Christ is again to be
revealed in His fullness
00:32:04.92\00:32:08.66
by the Holy Spirit's power. "
00:32:08.86\00:32:10.53
So friend, this is something
that God wants repeated again
00:32:11.83\00:32:16.20
but with greater power in
your life and in my life today.
00:32:16.40\00:32:20.34
He wants our
churches to come alive. Amen!
00:32:20.74\00:32:23.91
He wants our churches
to be living lights in the
00:32:24.11\00:32:26.44
communities. He
wants His people to be
00:32:26.64\00:32:29.11
little candles of light wherever
they go, pointing people to the
00:32:29.31\00:32:33.42
greatest light of Jesus. Amen!
00:32:33.62\00:32:36.15
Friend, today we are
sitting in our churches
00:32:36.35\00:32:39.25
looking and waiting for
the pastor do to the work
00:32:39.45\00:32:42.26
that God has
called you and I to do.
00:32:42.46\00:32:44.66
We're sitting around
waiting for someone else
00:32:45.19\00:32:47.70
to do the work. We sit
in churches of 40, 50 people
00:32:47.90\00:32:51.93
or sometimes
700 or 800 people...
00:32:52.13\00:32:55.04
the church I just pastored.
00:32:55.24\00:32:56.57
And people will sit and
look around and they'll think:
00:32:56.64\00:32:59.37
"Man, I see this
big sea of people here.
00:32:59.57\00:33:02.18
Surely SOMEBODY
will do the work. "
00:33:02.38\00:33:04.98
"Surely somebody's going
to be at that outreach. "
00:33:06.55\00:33:09.22
You just look at 800
people in a congregation
00:33:09.62\00:33:12.29
and just by statistics
they ought to have enough people
00:33:12.49\00:33:15.36
"they don't need me. "
Listen friends: God needs you.
00:33:15.56\00:33:19.26
God wants you... He wants
to fill you with His power.
00:33:20.23\00:33:23.26
You don't have to have a church
office. to do the work of God.
00:33:23.47\00:33:26.67
You don't have to
be a deacon or an elder
00:33:26.87\00:33:29.77
to do the work of God.
They have specific work,
00:33:29.97\00:33:32.31
but we are... It's insane
what we're doing in our churches
00:33:32.51\00:33:36.85
is that we are...
The elders are doing...
00:33:37.05\00:33:41.32
I'm sorry... the elders are
doing the work of the deacons
00:33:41.82\00:33:46.86
and the deacons are
doing the work of the members.
00:33:47.06\00:33:49.46
And the pastor is
doing the work of the elders.
00:33:49.66\00:33:52.66
And then we hire a Bible worker
to do the work of the pastor.
00:33:52.86\00:33:56.36
If everybody was doing
what they should be doing,
00:33:56.77\00:33:59.17
you wouldn't need Bible workers
00:33:59.37\00:34:00.84
and you wouldn't
even need pastors. Amen!
00:34:01.04\00:34:03.74
Are you with me? Amen!
00:34:04.61\00:34:06.57
Because God's people are
called... deacons are called
00:34:07.41\00:34:10.61
to do more than just open
doors and take up offerings.
00:34:10.81\00:34:15.15
Elders are called to do
more than read the scripture
00:34:15.35\00:34:18.99
and call for the offering.
00:34:19.19\00:34:21.02
They are called to preach.
00:34:21.42\00:34:23.16
Deacons are called to preach.
00:34:23.56\00:34:25.09
We're called to do the work
of personal laboring ministry.
00:34:25.29\00:34:29.20
And we have sat on
our "cans" long enough
00:34:29.60\00:34:32.77
looking and waiting
for the pastor to do it.
00:34:32.97\00:34:35.17
Let me tell you
something, friends: I was in
00:34:35.57\00:34:37.91
a few years ago at a
NAD Pastor's Convention.
00:34:38.11\00:34:41.34
There were 5,000
pastors at that convention.
00:34:41.54\00:34:45.31
And I thought about that. I
said: "You know, what is the
00:34:46.15\00:34:48.55
population of Houston where the
convention was taking place? "
00:34:48.75\00:34:51.42
It was about 7 million.
00:34:51.62\00:34:53.36
And I said: "With all
the pastors of North America
00:34:54.02\00:34:57.53
and many from around the
world here at this convention -
00:34:57.73\00:35:00.26
5,000- it would
still mean that each person
00:35:00.46\00:35:03.90
would have to reach
about 1,500 people. "
00:35:04.10\00:35:06.67
Just in one city.
00:35:06.87\00:35:09.14
Now friends, do you think
the pastors are going to finish
00:35:09.34\00:35:11.44
that work? No! No, they're
not going to finish that work.
00:35:11.64\00:35:13.91
It's up to you.
There must be a fitness,
00:35:14.11\00:35:16.04
and the fitness comes
when we're on our knees
00:35:16.24\00:35:18.95
pleading with God to do
something great in our lives.
00:35:19.15\00:35:21.92
When we're on our knees
pleasing with God to transform
00:35:22.32\00:35:24.42
our churches, to change our
lives, to change our churches,
00:35:24.62\00:35:28.32
to change our pastors, to
change our elders and deacons.
00:35:28.52\00:35:31.76
But it starts with ourselves!
00:35:31.96\00:35:34.00
It starts with getting up
every morning and going to that
00:35:34.20\00:35:36.40
closet with God. It starts with
gathering our families around
00:35:36.60\00:35:40.67
and having family
worship together...
00:35:40.87\00:35:42.70
teaching and training our
children. People say: "Well,
00:35:42.90\00:35:45.21
we can't go out and
do this work because
00:35:45.41\00:35:48.64
we've gotta have family time. "
00:35:48.84\00:35:50.45
How about if you spent family
time baking some bread together
00:35:51.85\00:35:55.68
to take to your neighbors? Amen!
00:35:55.88\00:35:57.22
How about spending
family time as a family
00:35:57.52\00:36:00.36
inviting another family
over to have a Bible study
00:36:00.56\00:36:03.19
on a Tuesday night?
00:36:03.39\00:36:04.73
How about spending family
time in the mission work of God
00:36:04.99\00:36:08.26
so that we can train our
children to be missionaries
00:36:08.46\00:36:12.17
rather than worldlings?
00:36:13.57\00:36:16.44
So God calls His
people: Revelation 14:12.
00:36:18.01\00:36:21.31
"Here is the patience of the
saints; here are those that keep
00:36:22.24\00:36:24.25
the commandments of God
and have the faith of Jesus. "
00:36:24.45\00:36:26.55
God calls His people
to the same experience
00:36:26.85\00:36:30.32
that the early disciples had.
00:36:30.52\00:36:32.55
And there must be a
fitness for this proclamation
00:36:32.75\00:36:36.26
before there can be a
witness of it... yes or no?
00:36:36.46\00:36:39.09
And we need to be
on our knees, friends,
00:36:39.29\00:36:41.26
searching our hearts.
Saying: "Lord, prepare me.
00:36:41.46\00:36:43.90
Here I am... send me. "
00:36:44.10\00:36:46.03
Some people say: "Well
it may take me 20 years
00:36:46.23\00:36:48.44
to be ready. " No...
it takes you 20 seconds
00:36:48.64\00:36:50.31
when you're on your
knees asking the Lord Jesus
00:36:50.51\00:36:52.97
to do something in your life.
00:36:53.17\00:36:54.58
Amen! You can go home today
00:36:54.78\00:36:56.64
and begin doing
something for the Savior.
00:36:56.85\00:36:59.28
The faith of Jesus is
what we need, friends. Amen!
00:36:59.48\00:37:03.05
There were three
things, quickly, that made up
00:37:03.55\00:37:06.02
the faith of Jesus.
Number 1: Jesus was in God.
00:37:06.22\00:37:11.66
He was what? He was in God.
00:37:11.86\00:37:13.86
What does that mean? It
means that Jesus had total
00:37:14.06\00:37:16.77
dependence upon His Father.
00:37:16.97\00:37:19.23
Even though He was
divinity veiled in humanity
00:37:20.04\00:37:23.47
it was also true
that He was humanity
00:37:23.67\00:37:26.47
enshrined in divinity.
00:37:26.68\00:37:28.64
And all that He
needed in humanity
00:37:29.04\00:37:31.58
the Father would dwell in
Him because He emptied Himself
00:37:31.78\00:37:35.38
and He would work
it out through Him.
00:37:35.58\00:37:37.59
Are you with me today? Yes!
00:37:37.75\00:37:39.09
And listen, friends,
the reason I tell you this
00:37:39.12\00:37:41.09
is because that is
the same experience
00:37:41.29\00:37:44.03
that God wants
to give you today.
00:37:44.23\00:37:46.19
Everything that Jesus
experienced on the earth
00:37:46.76\00:37:50.47
all the elements of
faith... of God written in Him
00:37:50.77\00:37:55.27
we're told that God will
do the same thing for us.
00:37:55.47\00:37:58.71
And I've seen it!
I've seen stories of people
00:37:58.91\00:38:02.18
in all kinds of places
in all kinds of ministries
00:38:02.38\00:38:05.25
where God worked
absolutely impossible miracles
00:38:05.45\00:38:09.35
for them and He'll
do it for us today!
00:38:09.55\00:38:12.15
Amen!
00:38:12.35\00:38:13.69
The second thing is that
Christ's life was with God.
00:38:13.96\00:38:18.53
It was what? With God.
00:38:18.73\00:38:20.06
He was in God because
He was totally dependent
00:38:20.23\00:38:23.23
upon the Father. If we're
totally dependent upon God,
00:38:23.43\00:38:26.97
do you suppose that God
would do something great for us?
00:38:27.17\00:38:29.17
What do you think?
00:38:29.37\00:38:30.71
Do you suppose that He'll
just leave us hanging today?
00:38:30.74\00:38:32.71
The problem is we're not
totally dependent upon Him...
00:38:33.11\00:38:35.64
we're mostly
dependent upon ourselves.
00:38:35.84\00:38:37.61
That's our problem today.
00:38:37.81\00:38:39.18
That's the whole
problem of Laodicea: we're rich
00:38:39.38\00:38:41.88
and increased with
goods... we don't need anything!
00:38:42.08\00:38:45.09
Not even the Holy Spirit.
00:38:45.29\00:38:46.92
Christ's life was with
God because He had a special
00:38:48.42\00:38:52.69
communion and
fellowship with Him.
00:38:52.89\00:38:55.76
He received from God
what He gave to the world
00:38:56.16\00:38:59.43
and He was totally
empty and dependent upon Him.
00:38:59.63\00:39:02.07
And then lastly:
Christ's life was for God.
00:39:02.47\00:39:05.61
First He was in God because
He was totally dependent.
00:39:05.81\00:39:08.84
Secondly He was with God
because He communed with Him
00:39:09.24\00:39:11.98
and received the power which
He needed to share with others.
00:39:12.18\00:39:15.48
And then thirdly:
His life was FOR God.
00:39:15.88\00:39:18.42
Christ spent His whole
life in service to His Father.
00:39:18.82\00:39:23.09
His whole life.
00:39:23.49\00:39:24.83
All the strength... Day
by day He walked up and down
00:39:25.13\00:39:28.06
the streets
ministering to the people,
00:39:28.26\00:39:30.63
pouring Himself out to them.
00:39:30.83\00:39:33.23
And then He poured
Himself out completely
00:39:33.90\00:39:36.20
upon the cross. All the strength
He received from the Father
00:39:36.40\00:39:40.98
in hours of
prayer went to ministry.
00:39:41.14\00:39:43.28
He kept nothing back
for His own benefit, OK?
00:39:43.48\00:39:45.95
How many can say "Amen" to that?
00:39:46.15\00:39:47.72
How many of you are
thankful today that we have such
00:39:47.92\00:39:49.92
an example as Jesus?
00:39:50.12\00:39:51.72
We have such a Savior
who would hold nothing back
00:39:52.02\00:39:54.72
to save you and save me.
00:39:54.92\00:39:56.32
Amen! But He doesn't
just want to save you and me
00:39:56.52\00:39:58.99
even though He would
if we were the only ones.
00:39:59.39\00:40:01.46
But He wants to save many
others - countless others -
00:40:01.66\00:40:04.00
who are your
neighbors and your friends.
00:40:04.20\00:40:06.17
And so this was the
faith of Jesus that we find in
00:40:06.57\00:40:10.21
Revelation 14:12.
00:40:10.41\00:40:12.07
That in His total
dependence upon God
00:40:12.27\00:40:15.01
He had a life in God.
00:40:15.31\00:40:17.21
And now having a life
in God He maintained it
00:40:17.41\00:40:20.48
by fellowship with God
00:40:20.68\00:40:22.48
and the power He gained
was spent in a life for God.
00:40:22.68\00:40:26.59
How many of you can
say "Amen" today? Amen!
00:40:26.79\00:40:28.99
Aren't you thankful for that?
00:40:29.39\00:40:30.73
Now a question for you: is
the message of the 3 angels
00:40:31.13\00:40:35.26
intended to be received
by all who haven't heard it?
00:40:35.46\00:40:38.27
Yes or no? I mean
it's a simple answer.
00:40:38.47\00:40:40.94
Yes! Then wouldn't it be
given by all who have heard it?
00:40:41.14\00:40:46.68
Who's that? Us. Not
just us, but I want you
00:40:48.51\00:40:53.42
to say it singularly. Me...ME.
00:40:53.62\00:40:56.08
And Isaiah said... Because
when we say us we tend to think
00:40:56.58\00:40:59.85
"Yeah us... but that
means that person over there. "
00:41:00.06\00:41:02.72
"Not even way over there
but just the person next to me,
00:41:03.39\00:41:06.29
Lord... send them! "
00:41:06.49\00:41:08.13
No, no, no... God
says... Isaiah says: "Here I am
00:41:08.33\00:41:11.70
send... " Who? "send me. "
00:41:11.90\00:41:13.94
Send you specifically
00:41:14.24\00:41:16.10
to do a
personal work for someone
00:41:16.30\00:41:19.31
that no one else can do.
00:41:19.51\00:41:21.54
Is this a message to be
given just by the pastors?
00:41:21.74\00:41:24.38
What do you think? No. No!
00:41:24.58\00:41:26.21
We've heard so many
messages that we are in overload
00:41:26.61\00:41:30.39
of information. We
don't need more information;
00:41:30.59\00:41:33.82
we need transformation
that leads to proclamation.
00:41:34.02\00:41:36.83
What do you think? Amen!
00:41:37.03\00:41:38.89
Revelation 14:6 says preaching
will continue to be the method
00:41:40.23\00:41:44.43
that God uses
until the end of time.
00:41:44.63\00:41:46.43
Aren't you
thankful for that? Yes!
00:41:46.63\00:41:48.47
We need not just a proclamation
but a demonstration. Amen!
00:41:48.67\00:41:52.77
And that only
comes by God's people
00:41:52.97\00:41:55.54
being totally and completely
surrendered to His cause
00:41:55.74\00:41:59.25
and His
purposes. Listen friends;
00:41:59.45\00:42:01.42
if we could give
as many Bible studies
00:42:01.62\00:42:05.82
as the number of sermons
we have heard in our life
00:42:06.02\00:42:09.22
I think we'd have been
in heaven a long time ago.
00:42:11.46\00:42:13.60
Amen! You might have
been in heaven before 1980
00:42:13.80\00:42:17.10
when I was born. I'm
thankful to be born, amen?
00:42:17.30\00:42:21.24
In some ways selfishly I'm
thankful the work is delayed
00:42:21.44\00:42:24.61
so I could be born, right?
00:42:24.81\00:42:27.04
But we want the
work to end. Amen?
00:42:27.24\00:42:29.04
And I'm praying
and I'm counting on you
00:42:29.24\00:42:31.71
that the Lord will come
before my children get too old
00:42:31.91\00:42:34.15
to experience the
foolishness of this world. Amen?
00:42:34.45\00:42:37.42
That's what I'm praying for.
00:42:37.62\00:42:39.02
Well listen: God is not
looking for just mundane members
00:42:39.22\00:42:42.62
but devoted disciples and
mighty missionaries today.
00:42:42.82\00:42:47.43
Do we think that God's
purpose for us is just simply
00:42:48.23\00:42:51.43
fill the pews each week?
00:42:51.63\00:42:54.07
Is that what we bring
people into the church for?
00:42:55.24\00:42:57.67
Just to have more members
because we don't want those
00:42:57.87\00:43:00.41
seats to be empty? No friends.
00:43:00.61\00:43:03.38
It is active personal
labor that increases our faith
00:43:03.58\00:43:08.15
day by day so
that our faith in Jesus
00:43:08.35\00:43:11.75
becomes the faith of Jesus
00:43:11.95\00:43:14.36
so that we will have
a life that is in God...
00:43:14.56\00:43:17.56
totally dependent upon Him.
00:43:17.76\00:43:19.09
That we will have a
life that is with God
00:43:19.13\00:43:21.46
and beautiful communion
and fellowship with Him.
00:43:21.66\00:43:24.80
And it is the faith of
Jesus that will allow our lives
00:43:25.30\00:43:28.57
to be lived completely
and totally for God's purpose.
00:43:28.77\00:43:31.94
And listen friends... what
I'm telling you today is this:
00:43:32.14\00:43:34.94
that service that I'm talking
about is not writing bigger
00:43:35.91\00:43:39.85
checks to the church. All right!
00:43:40.05\00:43:43.42
There ain't nothin' wrong
with doin' that by the way.
00:43:45.45\00:43:48.09
Nothing wrong with giving
that offering at 3ABN. Amen?
00:43:48.59\00:43:51.83
That's right! Because they
are doing a wonderful work.
00:43:52.03\00:43:54.30
But it is a call to active labor
to get out of our comfort zones.
00:43:55.80\00:44:01.10
Amen! To be actively engaged.
00:44:01.30\00:44:03.54
To be face to face with people
not just hiding behind checks
00:44:03.74\00:44:07.51
and hiding behind support.
All those things are good.
00:44:08.14\00:44:10.85
Don't stop those things!
00:44:11.05\00:44:12.85
But to actually be a
part of the work - Amen -
00:44:14.08\00:44:17.29
that God has called us to.
00:44:17.49\00:44:19.32
If you go with me
to Luke chapter 12
00:44:19.52\00:44:22.49
I want to tell a
real quick story.
00:44:22.69\00:44:24.69
and then I'm going
to tell one more story
00:44:24.89\00:44:26.86
and then we're going to
be done. Luke chapter 12.
00:44:27.06\00:44:28.90
The cure for spiritual apathy
is soul-winning activity, amen?
00:44:32.27\00:44:38.07
Amen. Luke chapter 12
00:44:39.01\00:44:42.81
verse 16: "Then He spoke
a parable to them saying:
00:44:44.11\00:44:48.12
'The ground of a certain
rich man yielded plentifully
00:44:48.32\00:44:50.69
and he thought within
himself saying: what shall I do
00:44:50.89\00:44:53.82
since I have no
room to store my crops?
00:44:54.02\00:44:55.86
So he said "I will do this:
00:44:56.26\00:44:58.36
I will pull down my
barns and build greater
00:44:58.56\00:45:00.83
and there I will store
all my crops and my goods. "
00:45:01.03\00:45:03.57
And I will say to my
soul: "Soul, you have many goods
00:45:03.77\00:45:06.90
laid up for many
years. Take your ease...
00:45:07.10\00:45:09.80
eat, drink, and be merry. " ' "
00:45:10.01\00:45:11.34
Friends, I honestly believe
that this parable is speaking
00:45:12.27\00:45:15.91
about our
generation today. Amen!
00:45:16.11\00:45:18.21
It's speaking about
the Laodicean church
00:45:18.81\00:45:21.38
that God wants to wake up.
00:45:21.68\00:45:23.85
Because when He says: "The
ground of a certain rich man
00:45:24.05\00:45:28.26
yielded plentifully...
" This man was a farmer.
00:45:28.46\00:45:32.09
He was called to sow the seed.
00:45:32.49\00:45:34.70
We are called to sow the seed.
00:45:34.90\00:45:36.53
God gave him an
abundant harvest.
00:45:36.73\00:45:39.00
God has richly blessed
the SDA church, yes or no?
00:45:39.20\00:45:42.97
Yes. He has given us a
wealth of spiritual truth.
00:45:43.17\00:45:46.64
He has blessed us
spiritually as a people;
00:45:46.84\00:45:49.41
He has blessed us
physically as a people.
00:45:49.61\00:45:51.75
We have many people that
are very successful in the world
00:45:51.95\00:45:55.32
through the medical
work and through business
00:45:55.52\00:45:57.39
and through other things.
He's blessed us in every way.
00:45:57.59\00:46:00.16
He's given a plentiful harvest
00:46:00.36\00:46:02.69
to his people just like
He blessed ancient Israel.
00:46:02.89\00:46:05.63
Yes? We're
spiritual Israel today.
00:46:05.83\00:46:07.66
He's blessed us. Amen!
00:46:07.86\00:46:10.27
And this man was
called to do something special
00:46:10.67\00:46:15.10
with that
blessing. You know, sometimes
00:46:15.30\00:46:17.71
we think about God tempting us.
Not tempting us but trying us.
00:46:17.91\00:46:23.08
When we think of trials we think
of... Well, let me just say:
00:46:23.28\00:46:28.38
we think that God is testing
us we think of trials, right?
00:46:28.58\00:46:31.15
But sometimes God
gives us blessings
00:46:31.95\00:46:34.66
to see what we're
going to do with it.
00:46:35.06\00:46:36.93
Because He wants faithful people
who will be not just a blessing
00:46:37.13\00:46:41.56
to themselves but a
blessing to others. Yes?
00:46:41.76\00:46:43.77
So this man is here and
he has all this produce.
00:46:44.27\00:46:48.04
He says: "What
am I going to do? "
00:46:48.24\00:46:50.17
So notice what it says:
00:46:50.37\00:46:52.07
It says, verse 17: "And he
thought within himself... "
00:46:53.07\00:46:56.78
Who did this man counsel with?
00:46:56.98\00:46:58.81
He counseled with himself;
he didn't' counsel with God.
00:46:59.01\00:47:01.88
He didn't counsel
with a godly person.
00:47:02.08\00:47:04.62
He counseled with himself.
00:47:04.82\00:47:06.15
And the worst thing that
you can do when it comes to the
00:47:06.29\00:47:09.32
work of God is
counsel with yourself
00:47:09.52\00:47:12.09
because yourself will tell
you every time to be selfish.
00:47:12.29\00:47:15.60
Yourself will say: "Oh, you
know, what if somebody slams
00:47:16.50\00:47:19.77
the door in your face? "
00:47:19.97\00:47:21.50
"What if
instead of that blessing
00:47:21.70\00:47:23.67
financially you
could leave to the church
00:47:23.87\00:47:25.24
you could buy this new boat
or this new piece of property? "
00:47:25.44\00:47:27.91
Yourself will always
teach you to be selfish.
00:47:28.11\00:47:31.45
Don't consult yourself. Consult
the Lord of the work. Amen?
00:47:31.65\00:47:35.25
And He'll tell you what to do
with your money, with your time,
00:47:35.45\00:47:38.39
with your talents,
and with your resources.
00:47:38.59\00:47:40.72
The man decides to
tear down his barns.
00:47:42.26\00:47:45.86
Now listen to this: is a barn
worth a lot of money? Yes or no?
00:47:46.06\00:47:49.10
I have a barn at my
house. It's a little pole barn
00:47:49.50\00:47:52.47
and it's about the most
basic barn you could have.
00:47:52.67\00:47:56.20
It has posts, it has trusses,
00:47:56.60\00:47:59.97
it has tin all around
it, and it has a mud floor.
00:48:00.18\00:48:03.48
That's it. I
moved into the house
00:48:03.68\00:48:05.95
I put electricity into it. None-
theless, the insurance company
00:48:06.15\00:48:09.35
said: "If something
comes and destroys that barn,
00:48:09.55\00:48:12.65
they will write me a
check for $30,000 to replace it.
00:48:12.85\00:48:16.46
So are barns cheap. Yes or no?
00:48:17.13\00:48:19.16
No they're not cheap.
Anybody that's built a barn
00:48:19.36\00:48:21.06
knows. Even if you build it
yourself it costs you some money
00:48:21.26\00:48:23.57
right? And so
this man built his barn
00:48:23.77\00:48:28.54
and he's actually going to tear
it down to build a bigger one
00:48:28.74\00:48:32.57
just to minister
to his own comfort.
00:48:32.77\00:48:35.64
The man had to actually
spend money just to be selfish!
00:48:37.55\00:48:42.25
Think about that.
00:48:42.45\00:48:44.02
Now friends, reflect
on your own lives today
00:48:45.05\00:48:48.09
and ask yourself the question:
00:48:48.29\00:48:49.69
"Have I ever
done the same thing? "
00:48:50.46\00:48:52.46
Now I'm not just
talking about money.
00:48:53.50\00:48:55.80
I'm talking about time.
00:48:56.20\00:48:58.03
Some of you ain't got a
dime to you name but you've got
00:48:58.23\00:48:59.93
a lot of time. Some
of you ain't got any time
00:49:00.14\00:49:03.20
but you've got a lot of money.
00:49:03.41\00:49:04.74
Some of you have
got a lot of talents;
00:49:04.87\00:49:06.51
some of you have
got a few talents.
00:49:06.71\00:49:08.28
It doesn't matter...
Jesus covers them all.
00:49:08.48\00:49:10.35
He covers the one with 1 talent,
5 talents, and 10 talents!
00:49:10.55\00:49:13.45
Amen! He covers it all.
00:49:14.18\00:49:16.32
And He says:
"Whatever I've given to you
00:49:16.52\00:49:18.55
I'm calling you to use
it faithfully for My work. "
00:49:18.75\00:49:21.42
Amen. Amen?
00:49:21.62\00:49:22.96
So this man... In the
book Christ Object Lessons
00:49:23.22\00:49:26.23
it describes him. It
says: "He did not think of God
00:49:26.43\00:49:29.96
from whom all
his mercies had come.
00:49:30.17\00:49:32.67
He did not realize that God had
made him a steward of His goods
00:49:32.87\00:49:35.60
that he might help the needy. "
00:49:35.80\00:49:37.14
So this man you could say
was like an Adventist atheist.
00:49:37.24\00:49:41.18
He was a Jew so
he proclaimed God
00:49:41.58\00:49:43.91
but his life said
something different.
00:49:44.11\00:49:46.58
This man lived as
if there was no God.
00:49:46.98\00:49:49.85
And today, dear friends,
I fear that there are a lot
00:49:50.05\00:49:52.45
of Adventist atheists among us.
00:49:52.65\00:49:54.56
That we proclaim one
thing that we are not living.
00:49:55.36\00:49:57.99
We proclaim a message
that we do not carry to others.
00:49:58.19\00:50:00.96
We proclaim a message
that we keep to ourselves
00:50:01.16\00:50:03.80
and we're not telling others
of the beautiful richness.
00:50:04.60\00:50:07.44
Now listen to this, friends:
"The situation of the poor,
00:50:07.64\00:50:10.27
the orphan, the widow,
the suffering, the afflicted
00:50:10.47\00:50:12.97
was brought to the
rich man's attention.
00:50:13.17\00:50:15.28
There were many places in
which to bestow his goods. "
00:50:15.48\00:50:18.01
So he knew that there
were people in his community
00:50:18.21\00:50:20.88
that had a need. He knew
that there were people in his
00:50:21.08\00:50:23.82
community that needed
to know and be comforted
00:50:24.02\00:50:27.96
and to be strengthened
and to be encouraged.
00:50:28.16\00:50:30.46
But this man decided to
close his heart to those things.
00:50:30.86\00:50:34.56
Listen to this: "The
Lord had heard the prayers
00:50:35.13\00:50:38.83
of the needy. " So
these people had been praying:
00:50:39.03\00:50:41.34
"Lord, please
provide for our needs. "
00:50:41.54\00:50:44.31
"My children are hungry, Lord.
My children have no clothing. "
00:50:44.47\00:50:47.38
"My children have
needs that I cannot supply. "
00:50:47.58\00:50:50.11
"Lord please, hear my prayer
and do something about it! "
00:50:50.31\00:50:52.88
The man had known
this. God heard those prayers
00:50:53.08\00:50:58.09
and He actually blessed that man
00:50:58.29\00:51:01.02
so that he would be
able to share with others.
00:51:01.22\00:51:04.23
Right now today there
are people in your community
00:51:04.63\00:51:06.96
praying that God
would show them the truth.
00:51:07.16\00:51:09.63
There are people in your
community praying that God
00:51:09.83\00:51:13.23
would help meet their needs.
00:51:13.44\00:51:14.77
There are people today praying
in the community: "God, is there
00:51:14.94\00:51:17.74
anyone in the world that
has a care for my life? "
00:51:17.94\00:51:20.71
"God, do You have
a purpose for me? "
00:51:21.01\00:51:22.81
There are people... might
even be your next-door neighbor.
00:51:23.01\00:51:24.91
Might be the co-worker you've
worked beside for 20 years.
00:51:25.11\00:51:27.45
They're praying:
"God... where are You? "
00:51:27.65\00:51:31.12
And God says: "I'm
going to show myself to you
00:51:31.52\00:51:36.22
through them. " Through you!
00:51:36.42\00:51:38.09
This man had that opportunity
but notice what happens.
00:51:38.76\00:51:41.76
"Abundant provision was made
by the rich man but he closed
00:51:42.16\00:51:45.63
his heart and he decided
'I will pull down my barns
00:51:45.83\00:51:48.77
and build greater. ' "
So when the man decided
00:51:48.97\00:51:51.17
to indulge himself
rather than use that blessing
00:51:51.37\00:51:55.04
to meet the needs of others
00:51:55.24\00:51:57.38
the prayers of those
people seemed to go what?
00:51:57.58\00:52:02.58
Unanswered. And in their hearts
00:52:02.78\00:52:06.19
their faith waned because
they said: "I prayed this prayer
00:52:06.39\00:52:11.06
to God and He
did not answer me. "
00:52:11.26\00:52:15.40
And let me tell you
friends of the SDA movement
00:52:16.26\00:52:19.40
there are people praying to
know the message that we know!
00:52:19.70\00:52:24.71
And if we do not
sacrifice all we have
00:52:25.11\00:52:28.21
and all that we are as Jesus did
00:52:28.61\00:52:32.18
for that message
- for those people -
00:52:32.38\00:52:34.12
their prayers will
appear to have gone unanswered.
00:52:34.52\00:52:37.92
And those prayers
we will be faced with
00:52:38.12\00:52:40.69
in the judgment of God.
00:52:40.89\00:52:42.92
Dear friends, I
don't say that to scare you
00:52:43.83\00:52:47.06
or to overwhelm you.
00:52:47.26\00:52:48.86
But it is the reality
that we are called to live
00:52:49.06\00:52:52.63
as Jesus lived. We are called
to live the faith of Jesus.
00:52:52.83\00:52:56.40
Yes or no today? Amen!
00:52:56.60\00:52:58.14
I'm going to tell
you a closing story.
00:52:58.97\00:53:00.74
I was in South
Africa just a few months ago
00:53:01.84\00:53:04.31
preaching a series
on a public university.
00:53:04.51\00:53:07.05
26,000 students: the most
secular place I've ever been to.
00:53:07.25\00:53:11.22
And there were actually posters
where they would have meetings
00:53:11.65\00:53:14.76
that were
specifically anti-Christian.
00:53:14.96\00:53:17.66
That was the
purpose of the meeting.
00:53:18.06\00:53:19.56
So I preached the
meetings and on the way home
00:53:19.96\00:53:22.26
I was on the flight
to come back to Atlanta
00:53:22.46\00:53:25.53
and the flight was cancelled
because of engine failure.
00:53:25.73\00:53:28.47
And I would like to
tell you more of the details
00:53:28.67\00:53:30.91
but I'll just cut to the point.
00:53:31.07\00:53:32.67
And so they were going
to put us up in a hotel.
00:53:33.07\00:53:35.24
And I had to
actually stay two nights
00:53:35.64\00:53:38.61
because the night they wanted
us to fly was on a Friday night
00:53:38.81\00:53:41.05
and I said: "I'm not
going to fly on the Sabbath
00:53:41.25\00:53:42.58
because I'm not going
to spend my time on a plane
00:53:42.95\00:53:46.25
when I need to be
in church. " Amen?
00:53:46.45\00:53:48.12
That's where I wanted to be.
00:53:48.42\00:53:49.76
So there was a man that
I met in line. I noticed
00:53:50.33\00:53:52.56
that all the workers
were hovering over this man.
00:53:52.76\00:53:55.43
And they were meeting
him and attending to him.
00:53:55.73\00:54:00.84
And finally we
ended up in line together
00:54:01.04\00:54:02.90
and we began to
talk. And he asked me about
00:54:03.10\00:54:04.74
my son, my 5-year-old -
he was five at that time -
00:54:04.94\00:54:07.54
was with me and
he was getting tired.
00:54:07.74\00:54:09.74
And he said: "You know, I have
the greatest concern for your
00:54:09.94\00:54:12.21
son. " This very
humble man, very kind.
00:54:12.41\00:54:15.72
So when we get to the
hotel I'm in line with him again
00:54:15.92\00:54:19.05
and I'm talking with him again.
00:54:19.45\00:54:20.92
The next morning
I go to breakfast.
00:54:21.12\00:54:23.93
This was Friday morning, and
I'm on the phone with my wife
00:54:24.13\00:54:28.56
so I'm in and out of the line.
00:54:28.76\00:54:30.53
Finally I get back in the line
00:54:31.13\00:54:33.94
and guess who I'm behind.
00:54:34.14\00:54:35.50
I'm behind this man, right?
00:54:35.70\00:54:37.24
So we start talking
again and the waiter says:
00:54:37.64\00:54:40.28
"Would you guys like to sit
together and have breakfast? "
00:54:40.48\00:54:42.34
And we said: "Sure. "
So we went and got our food
00:54:42.54\00:54:44.95
and we came back and sat down.
00:54:45.15\00:54:46.51
And here's the bottom line:
00:54:46.82\00:54:48.45
I was sitting with a man who was
a king in the country of Ghana
00:54:48.65\00:54:54.12
in Africa. Wow! This
man was also a Christian.
00:54:54.32\00:54:57.79
He has three Ph.D.'s. He's the
chancellor of two universities.
00:54:57.99\00:55:02.00
He knows Ben Carson. He knows
many Adventist public figures.
00:55:02.20\00:55:07.27
And he had received some
awards from the president.
00:55:07.47\00:55:11.71
He actually lives in N. Carolina
and flies back and forth
00:55:11.91\00:55:15.04
to do his kingly duties.
He was showing me pictures
00:55:15.24\00:55:18.38
of him on his throne.
Pictures of military welcomes
00:55:18.58\00:55:22.25
from various countries and
all these different things.
00:55:22.45\00:55:24.95
And I was just
blown away. I said: "Lord,
00:55:25.15\00:55:26.72
I'm in the presence of
the king... of a king! "
00:55:26.92\00:55:28.99
Not THE king... well, the
king but the king of Ghana
00:55:29.19\00:55:32.16
but not the King of Kings. Amen?
00:55:32.36\00:55:34.06
We're always in
His presence, yes?
00:55:34.26\00:55:35.73
And so as he was talking
to me I was just blown away.
00:55:35.93\00:55:40.04
This man is not just a
king but he's also a pastor.
00:55:40.24\00:55:42.64
He said: "I have pastored a net-
work of about 2,000 churches
00:55:43.04\00:55:46.14
all across the world. "
00:55:46.34\00:55:47.91
He says: "But I gave it all
up and now I'm just the pastor
00:55:48.11\00:55:50.38
of one church of
about 800 members. "
00:55:50.58\00:55:52.68
And he says: "Now, I want
you to tell me about you. "
00:55:53.08\00:55:55.75
I said: "Well...
" I just perked up
00:55:56.15\00:56:00.76
and I said: "Well, sir, I'm a
Seventh-day Adventist pastor. "
00:56:00.96\00:56:04.33
And I just smiled because
I love to say that to people.
00:56:04.53\00:56:07.03
And he says: "Really? " He says:
00:56:07.43\00:56:09.20
"You're a SDA
pastor? " I said: "Yes! "
00:56:09.40\00:56:11.53
He says: "Listen... " He
says: "I used to think that
00:56:11.73\00:56:14.60
you people were a cult! "
00:56:14.80\00:56:16.40
He says: "But I began
to study your message"
00:56:17.24\00:56:20.21
and he says: "I
believe what you believe. "
00:56:20.41\00:56:22.44
He says: "I
believe in the Sabbath. "
00:56:22.74\00:56:24.38
"I believe in the health
message; I don't eat any unclean
00:56:24.58\00:56:26.92
foods. " "I believe in all
these things that you believe. "
00:56:27.12\00:56:29.92
He says: "In fact,
many times when I travel
00:56:30.32\00:56:34.02
I go to an Adventist church
if I can't go to another church
00:56:34.22\00:56:37.99
if my travel is interrupted. "
00:56:38.19\00:56:39.76
He says "I love
Adventist people;
00:56:39.96\00:56:41.30
they're wonderful people...
00:56:41.46\00:56:42.80
some of the best people
I've met on the earth. "
00:56:42.83\00:56:45.23
And I said: "Well you know...
" Being the pastor I said:
00:56:45.43\00:56:47.70
"Well, why don't you
become an Adventist? "
00:56:47.90\00:56:49.94
And he says; "Well, I've
actually thought about it. "
00:56:50.14\00:56:53.58
And he said: "I'm actually in
the process of considering it. "
00:56:53.98\00:56:58.35
And he says: "If I
become an Adventist,
00:56:58.55\00:57:00.38
all the people that
follow me, my churches,
00:57:00.58\00:57:04.35
they'll probably come too. "
00:57:04.55\00:57:06.22
He says: "But I have one
problem with your church. "
00:57:06.42\00:57:09.52
I said: "Oh, no, here it comes.
What is it? What could it be? "
00:57:09.82\00:57:12.43
And this is what he said:
"I have one problem with your
00:57:12.63\00:57:14.13
church: that you
are not LOUD enough. "
00:57:14.33\00:57:17.63
He said: "You people
have the message of truth
00:57:19.23\00:57:21.67
and you're too quiet! "
00:57:21.87\00:57:23.51
He said: "You don't
proclaim this message. "
00:57:23.91\00:57:25.84
He says: "Nobody
knows who an Adventist is. "
00:57:26.04\00:57:28.78
He says: "Who are you people? "
00:57:28.98\00:57:30.55
He says: "With the message
that you have you ought to be
00:57:30.75\00:57:33.25
proclaiming it
into all the world! "
00:57:33.45\00:57:35.35
He says...
Friends, I'm telling today
00:57:36.08\00:57:39.69
I'm appealing to you:
preach the message of Christ.
00:57:39.89\00:57:44.56
Jesus has promised us
00:57:44.96\00:57:47.60
His power. He's
promised us His presence
00:57:47.80\00:57:51.97
and He's given us a
book full of promises.
00:57:52.37\00:57:56.07