Who was Jesus?
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He had compassion for
the weak and the hurting.
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He loved every person He
met and taught them how to love,
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His great heart helped
all those who came near Him.
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But most of
all, He was a friend.
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That was who He was.
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Now find out who He is.
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Hello, friends, and welcome
and Happy Sabbath to you.
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If you've been
following camp meeting,
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you know it's been
a tremendous blessing.
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And we thank you for
taking the time to tune in,
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watch or listen.
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And our theme has
continued to be who is Jesus?
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This Sabbath afternoon
Pastor Kameron DeVasher.
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Pastor Kameron DeVasher
is going to be presenting
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a message
entitled our High Priest.
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The question is,
what is Jesus doing now
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as we are getting
ready for His soon return?
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What kind of ministry is Jesus
involved in to get the world
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ready and His children
ready for His soon return?
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Those questions will
be answered in the sermon.
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Pastor DeVasher is the
director of Sabbath School
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and Personal Ministries
for the Michigan Conference.
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He's also a pastor,
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but more than that
he's a man of the Word.
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Stay tuned for a life
transforming look at another
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aspect of Christ
and His ministry.
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But before he comes,
Tim Parton is going to play
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and I'm going to
sing a song entitled
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Who Am I answering the question
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what did Jesus see in us
that He was willing to give us
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life for us to save us.
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When I think of how He came
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So far from glory
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He came
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And dwelt among the lowly
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Such as I
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To suffer shame
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And such disgrace
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On Mount Calvary take
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My place
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When I ask myself
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The question Who am I?
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Who am I
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That a King
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Would bleed
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And die for
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Who am I
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That He would pray
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Not my will, Thine Lord
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The answers I may
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Never know
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Why He ever loved me so
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That to an old rugged cross
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He'd go For who am I?
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When I'm reminded
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Of those words
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I'll leave you never
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If you'll be true
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I'll give to you life
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Forever
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I wonder
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What I could have done
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To deserve God's only Son
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To fight my battles until
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They're won For who am I?
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Who am I
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That a King Would bleed
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And die for
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Who am I
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That He would say
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Not my will, Thine Lord
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I know the answers
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I may never know
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Why He ever loved
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Me so That to
an old rugged cross
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He'd go For
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Who am I?
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Yes, who am I
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That a king Would bleed
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And die for
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Who am I
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That He would pray
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Not my will Thine Lord
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The answers I may
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Never know
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Why He ever loved
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Me so
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That to an old rugged cross
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He would go
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Yes, to an old rugged cross
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He did go
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Yes, to an old rugged cross
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He did go
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For who am I?
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And all God's people said, amen.
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I don't know if
you can understand that
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that was just performed live.
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That was live
singing, live piano playing
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and it was a blessing to my soul
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and I trust it was a
blessing to yours as well.
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Thank you, Pastor
Lomacang, for that introduction
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and for that wonderful
piece of music that got
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our spirits lifted.
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As we want to be thinking about
Jesus and I love this theme,
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who is Jesus?
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A lot of people are
asking that question.
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And often times the
answers are very generic,
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very kind of cookie cutter bland
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and don't go particularly deep.
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Well, in this message, today,
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we're going to be looking
not at just Jesus in a nebulous,
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etherial, theoretical sense,
but we're going to be looking
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at Jesus in a very specific way,
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as Christ our High Priest.
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And we're going to understand
from Scripture what that means.
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And I'd like to begin
with a rhetorical question,
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it's kind of going
to build the foundation
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of where we go today.
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If you've ever heard me present,
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I like to preach
in a logical flow.
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I like things, I
like A plus B to equal C.
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And I like things to
make sense in my mind.
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And I trust that if it makes
sense to me from God's Word,
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it'll make sense to you too.
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So I want to open
with a rhetorical question
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even before we have a
word of prayer to kind of set
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the stage for
where we're going today.
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It's a very simple
question and it's this,
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if someone were to
come up and ask you,
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what is the purpose
of the Christian Church?
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Why does the
Christian Church exist at all?
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What would you answer?
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Now I believe in a lot
of people would answer,
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and also believe correctly,
so the answer would be,
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well, the Christian
Church was established.
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Its mission is to carry
the gospel to the world.
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In that opening line
of the great book Acts
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of the Apostles,
Ellen White states,
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unequivocally in
fact, that quote,
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"The church is God's appointed
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agency for the salvation of men.
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It was organized for service
and its mission is to carry
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the gospel to the world."
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Now, in our message today,
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I want to explore
what that gospel message
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actually
involves and specifically
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where Christ current
work, as High Priest,
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fits into our understanding
of that gospel message.
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So that's the burden
of our message today.
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Understand the gospel
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and Christ as our
High Priest in it.
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But before we do
any study of God's Word,
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we must, of course,
begin with a word of prayer.
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Please bow your heads with me.
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Heavenly Father, I thank
You so much for another day
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of life at all,
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but particularly for
the Sabbath day, Lord,
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where we can come
apart and we can rest
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and we can
worship, we can fellowship
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and we can serve You not
in our work but in Yours.
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And, Lord, as we study more
intently, more specifically,
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the very work that
Christ is doing right now,
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help us to be illumined
not by our own opinions
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or the expectations or answers
we might have heard elsewhere.
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But, Lord, help us to
see from the Holy Spirit's
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inspired Word of God,
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exactly who Jesus
is and what He's doing,
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even now, for we
pray it in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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So again, what is
the gospel message
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that we're supposed to
be giving to the world?
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Seems like a pretty simple
question, what is the gospel?
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And I think a lot of
the people would answer
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and I believe so
again, that the gospel
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is the good news about Jesus.
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Fair enough.
Good news about Jesus.
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But let's dig a little deeper.
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But what about
Jesus is that good news?
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For instance, is the gospel
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the truth of the incarnation,
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that God sent His Son
into this world to take
00:11:03.29\00:11:06.80
life upon Himself,
humanity upon Himself
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and live like one of us.
00:11:09.63\00:11:12.10
Galatians 4:4 says very clearly,
00:11:12.13\00:11:14.40
"But when the
fullness of the time had come,
00:11:14.44\00:11:16.40
God sent forth his
Son born of a woman,
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born under the law."
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So there you have it.
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The message of
the good news of Jesus
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is the incarnation that
God became man who was born
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of a woman and dwelt among us.
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So is that the gospel?
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Could we just hold a
whole lot of Christmas pageants,
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you know, call it a day?
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I'm guessing people say, well,
I mean just being born, I mean,
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of course, but there's
more to the story of Jesus,
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the good news than
merely the incarnation.
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We think of the fact that after
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He was born that the Bible
says that He grew in wisdom
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and in stature and in
favor with God and man
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and He lived a sinless life
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and exemplary life that we can
look to as our perfect pattern.
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And in so doing, He
revealed to this world
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and to the on looking universe,
the marvelous character of God.
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Think of 1 Peter 2:21-22
00:12:12.63\00:12:15.46
where the Apostle Peter
speaks of Christ, quote,
00:12:15.50\00:12:17.90
"Leaving us an
example that we should
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follow in His
steps, who committed no sin
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nor was deceit
found in his mouth."
00:12:23.81\00:12:27.21
The Apostle Paul likewise
picks up that same understanding
00:12:27.24\00:12:30.58
of the revelatory
exemplary perfect life
00:12:30.61\00:12:33.25
of Christ that is
seen in the gospel.
00:12:33.28\00:12:35.88
In Romans 1:16-17, He says,
00:12:35.92\00:12:38.35
"For I am not
ashamed of the gospel,
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for it is the power of
God unto the salvation,"
00:12:40.36\00:12:44.03
and he adds for
in it, in the gospel,
00:12:44.06\00:12:46.93
the good news of Jesus,
00:12:46.96\00:12:48.30
"for in it the righteousness
of God is revealed."
00:12:48.33\00:12:52.97
So Christ came,
lived a perfect life,
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set an example for every
one of us and before this world
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and all the on looking
universe revealed the glory
00:12:59.01\00:13:01.68
of God in the person of Jesus.
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So is the perfect
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and exemplary life
of Christ the gospel?
00:13:08.48\00:13:14.42
Well, yes, you might be
saying, but there's surely
00:13:14.46\00:13:18.13
more than Him being born
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and living a perfect
life that makes the good news,
00:13:20.26\00:13:23.73
the good news that we
need to share with the world.
00:13:23.77\00:13:27.80
Many of you might be thinking,
okay, Jesus coming to the earth
00:13:27.84\00:13:31.17
as God incarnate and even
growing up into an exemplary
00:13:31.21\00:13:35.01
perfect man, all that is good,
but it's still not the gospel
00:13:35.04\00:13:40.75
unless you deal with
humanity's sin problem.
00:13:40.78\00:13:44.89
He has to be our sin
bearer not just a perfect man
00:13:44.92\00:13:49.92
who came here.
00:13:49.96\00:13:51.93
And that's it.
00:13:51.96\00:13:53.96
We think of passages
like 2 Corinthians 5:21,
00:13:54.00\00:13:57.37
where the Apostle Paul
says, "For He made Him,
00:13:57.40\00:14:00.80
that is Jesus, who knew
no sin, to be sin for us,
00:14:00.84\00:14:06.68
that we might
become the righteousness
00:14:06.71\00:14:08.88
of God in Him."
00:14:08.91\00:14:10.78
So more than just coming
here and more than just being
00:14:10.81\00:14:13.58
perfect that perfection
needs to stand in our place.
00:14:13.62\00:14:17.45
He needs to bear our guilt,
00:14:17.49\00:14:19.69
so that we can
have His righteousness.
00:14:19.72\00:14:23.06
Isaiah 53 in the Old Testament
look forward to this aspect
00:14:23.09\00:14:26.09
of Jesus' life and ministry.
00:14:26.13\00:14:28.70
Prophesying all we
like sheep have gone astray.
00:14:28.73\00:14:33.00
We have turned
everyone to his own way
00:14:33.03\00:14:34.84
and the Lord has laid on
Him the iniquity of us all.
00:14:34.87\00:14:40.34
Now that, friends, is good news.
00:14:40.38\00:14:43.55
So the story of Jesus
00:14:43.58\00:14:45.45
we could trace it from
His birth to His growing up
00:14:45.48\00:14:48.02
years to His perfect
public ministry and life
00:14:48.05\00:14:50.82
of sinlessness even all the
way to the Garden of Gethsemane
00:14:50.85\00:14:54.92
where that
mysterious gloom came over Jesus
00:14:54.96\00:14:58.09
and He said, "My soul is
sorrowful even unto death.
00:14:58.13\00:15:02.10
He even began to
bleed great drops of blood.
00:15:02.13\00:15:04.33
Sweat drops of blood
right there in the garden,
00:15:04.37\00:15:06.40
not one
physical hand put on Him.
00:15:06.43\00:15:08.24
The weight of sin
crushing out His life.
00:15:08.27\00:15:10.81
And if we told the story of
Jesus right up to Gethsemane,
00:15:10.84\00:15:15.04
would we have
preached the gospel?
00:15:15.08\00:15:18.61
Well, it's a good
start, you might be saying,
00:15:18.65\00:15:23.15
but there's surely still more.
00:15:23.18\00:15:25.72
I enjoy this logical
like thinking, by the way.
00:15:25.75\00:15:30.26
Do you ever have...
00:15:30.29\00:15:31.63
You ever play with
your kids a little bit
00:15:31.66\00:15:33.19
and have some treasure
that you've hidden from them?
00:15:33.23\00:15:36.13
And then you've got to tell them
00:15:36.16\00:15:37.60
where it is by giving
them hints like warmer, warmer,
00:15:37.63\00:15:41.07
colder, colder, warmer,
hot, hot, hot burning up, right?
00:15:41.10\00:15:44.44
This is kind of like
that where we're seeing Jesus,
00:15:44.47\00:15:46.84
we're getting closer and
closer and closer and every step
00:15:46.88\00:15:49.31
of the way we're
seeing more and more clearly.
00:15:49.34\00:15:51.98
But even if we walk with
Jesus all the way to Gethsemane
00:15:52.01\00:15:54.65
and He is our sin
bearer and He's...
00:15:54.68\00:15:58.02
But if that's all we had,
00:15:58.05\00:16:00.02
would it truly be the gospel?
00:16:00.06\00:16:02.42
Surely when we get
to Christ's next step,
00:16:05.63\00:16:09.50
His death on the cross,
00:16:09.53\00:16:12.17
we finally reach the culmination
00:16:12.20\00:16:14.50
of the gospel message.
00:16:14.54\00:16:17.21
And no doubt the death of
Jesus on the cross of Calvary
00:16:17.24\00:16:20.21
is the great centerpiece
around which all other aspects
00:16:20.24\00:16:23.88
of His ministry revolve.
00:16:23.91\00:16:25.95
Everything leading up
to it was prelude to this.
00:16:25.98\00:16:29.32
And everything afterward is
contingent upon its success.
00:16:29.35\00:16:32.25
The gospel message
centers on Christ and the cross,
00:16:32.29\00:16:38.03
Christ's sacrificial death,
His precious spilled blood
00:16:38.06\00:16:41.76
is the active
agent of our salvation.
00:16:41.80\00:16:46.03
It is the fuel that makes
the engine of redemption run,
00:16:46.07\00:16:49.84
nothing would work without it.
00:16:49.87\00:16:53.07
You see this in Leviticus 17:11,
00:16:53.11\00:16:56.61
with Lord outlined
this significant saying,
00:16:56.64\00:16:59.71
the life of the
flesh is in the blood
00:16:59.75\00:17:02.82
and I have given it to you
to make upon the altar to make
00:17:02.85\00:17:06.82
atonement for your souls,
for it is the blood that makes
00:17:06.86\00:17:10.99
atonement for the soul.
00:17:11.03\00:17:13.50
So again, Christ could have
been born, He could have lived,
00:17:13.53\00:17:16.30
He could have never sinned,
He could even felt the weight
00:17:16.33\00:17:18.83
of our sins, but unless He shed
that precious spilled blood,
00:17:18.87\00:17:23.44
died the death that we deserve,
00:17:23.47\00:17:25.64
it would not be the gospel.
00:17:25.67\00:17:30.18
This is why the Apostle
Paul in his presentation
00:17:30.21\00:17:32.61
of the ministry of Jesus would
00:17:32.65\00:17:33.98
declare in 1
Corinthians 2:1-2, quote,
00:17:34.02\00:17:37.85
"Brother when I came to you,
I did not come with excellence
00:17:37.89\00:17:40.52
of speech or of wisdom,
00:17:40.56\00:17:42.72
declaring to you
the testimony of God,
00:17:42.76\00:17:45.23
for I determined not to
know anything among you,
00:17:45.26\00:17:48.16
except Jesus
Christ and Him," what?
00:17:48.20\00:17:53.10
"Crucified."
00:17:53.13\00:17:54.70
He didn't just say
Jesus Christ and Him born,
00:17:54.74\00:17:56.91
Jesus Christ and
His sinless life,
00:17:56.94\00:17:59.21
Jesus Christ and
His substitutionary.
00:17:59.24\00:18:01.31
No, he says Him at the cross
is the burden of my message.
00:18:01.34\00:18:05.78
And listen to this,
from the pen of inspiration
00:18:05.81\00:18:08.98
written in 1898,
this is Manuscript 49,
00:18:09.02\00:18:13.15
simple sentence
but it's beautiful.
00:18:13.19\00:18:16.06
Hanging upon the cross,
00:18:16.09\00:18:18.99
Christ was the gospel.
00:18:19.03\00:18:23.06
Hanging upon the cross,
00:18:23.10\00:18:24.43
Christ was the gospel.
00:18:24.47\00:18:28.40
So it almost seems unnecessary,
00:18:28.44\00:18:33.61
redundant or even offensive
to ask the question now.
00:18:33.64\00:18:38.95
Is the death of Christ
on the cross the gospel?
00:18:38.98\00:18:43.85
To even hint at
anything other than a yes
00:18:48.42\00:18:50.89
seems almost heretical,
00:18:50.93\00:18:53.90
nearly blasphemous.
00:18:53.93\00:18:58.03
But I would urge you to turn
to 1 Corinthians Chapter 15.
00:18:58.07\00:19:02.00
To keep me out of trouble.
00:19:05.91\00:19:09.18
And to answer this
question definitively,
00:19:09.21\00:19:11.88
is the death of
Christ on the cross,
00:19:11.91\00:19:14.28
is that the gospel?
00:19:14.32\00:19:16.28
Let's consult the Apostle Paul.
00:19:16.32\00:19:19.85
1 Corinthians Chapter
15 starting with verse 13.
00:19:19.89\00:19:22.82
Now, a little
context for this passage.
00:19:22.86\00:19:25.69
The Apostle Paul here
is dealing with a group
00:19:25.73\00:19:27.60
of people who did not
believe that the resurrection
00:19:27.63\00:19:30.47
for anyone was possible.
00:19:30.50\00:19:34.30
They said it is a
physical impossibility,
00:19:34.34\00:19:36.30
it is a spiritual, a fairy tale.
00:19:36.34\00:19:38.47
It's not a real thing.
00:19:38.51\00:19:40.54
So there might have
been a real Jesus born,
00:19:40.58\00:19:42.38
lived and even died,
00:19:42.41\00:19:43.98
but nobody ever
comes to life again.
00:19:44.01\00:19:48.75
They were denying the
possibility or the reality
00:19:48.78\00:19:53.19
of a resurrection.
00:19:53.22\00:19:55.32
Now to this audience,
00:19:55.36\00:19:58.09
with this mindset the
Apostle Paul writes, quote,
00:19:58.13\00:20:01.70
"But if there is no
resurrection of the dead,
00:20:01.73\00:20:05.77
then Christ is not risen."
00:20:05.80\00:20:07.77
That's only logical, if
no one rises from the dead
00:20:07.80\00:20:10.91
and Christ was someone who died,
00:20:10.94\00:20:13.48
then He wouldn't have
raised from the dead either.
00:20:13.51\00:20:15.31
Okay?
00:20:15.34\00:20:16.68
If there is no
resurrection of the dead,
00:20:16.71\00:20:18.05
then Christ is not risen.
00:20:18.08\00:20:19.41
And then he adds, and
if Christ is not risen,
00:20:19.45\00:20:23.22
then our preaching is empty
00:20:23.25\00:20:25.62
and your faith is also empty.
00:20:25.65\00:20:30.36
He goes on to say again,
for if the dead do not rise,
00:20:30.39\00:20:34.16
then Christ is not risen.
00:20:34.20\00:20:36.77
And if Christ is not
risen, your faith is futile,
00:20:36.80\00:20:42.07
you are still in your sins.
00:20:42.10\00:20:44.27
You got to step back and
marinate in that for a minute.
00:20:48.21\00:20:50.85
Try to wrap your minds around
00:20:50.88\00:20:52.35
the conclusion
he's just come to.
00:20:52.38\00:20:55.12
The Bible here in 1
Corinthians Chapter 15,
00:20:55.15\00:20:57.69
explicitly states that Jesus
00:20:57.72\00:21:02.39
could have been God incarnate,
00:21:02.42\00:21:04.96
He could have
lived a sinless life,
00:21:04.99\00:21:07.40
He could have taken the
guilt of all of our sins upon
00:21:07.43\00:21:09.93
His innocent shoulders and
paid the penalty of the death
00:21:09.96\00:21:14.20
we deserve on Calvary.
00:21:14.24\00:21:16.91
And still after all of that,
00:21:16.94\00:21:19.71
if He hadn't moved
on to the next step
00:21:19.74\00:21:21.88
of the redemption process,
00:21:21.91\00:21:23.85
namely being
resurrected from the dead,
00:21:23.88\00:21:27.15
we would still be lost.
00:21:27.18\00:21:29.32
So counterintuitive
as it may seem and feel,
00:21:32.32\00:21:36.46
it is nonetheless true
then to state that Christ's
00:21:36.49\00:21:40.56
life and sacrificial death
00:21:40.60\00:21:43.37
is not all that is
necessary for our salvation.
00:21:43.40\00:21:48.57
There is even
00:21:48.60\00:21:49.94
more to the gospel.
00:21:49.97\00:21:54.68
Now, this is a kind
of a staggering thought.
00:21:54.71\00:21:56.98
And I'm guessing you
are with me up to the birth
00:21:57.01\00:21:58.95
or He's got to live,
then He's got a substitute
00:21:58.98\00:22:01.02
and then He's got to die.
00:22:01.05\00:22:02.38
But once He's done, but
you telling me Apostle Paul,
00:22:02.42\00:22:07.36
that even if Christ
did all of that and died,
00:22:07.39\00:22:09.96
if He hadn't
risen from the dead,
00:22:09.99\00:22:11.96
hasn't
resurrected from the grave
00:22:11.99\00:22:13.63
and continued His life
and moved on in His work,
00:22:13.66\00:22:18.43
then according to
him our faith is futile.
00:22:18.47\00:22:20.04
We are still in our sins.
00:22:20.07\00:22:23.64
Now to help us see
the incredible breadth
00:22:23.67\00:22:26.84
of this gospel
plan, the Lord outlined
00:22:26.88\00:22:28.84
the entire
redemption process in miniature
00:22:28.88\00:22:33.31
starting in the Old Testament.
00:22:33.35\00:22:35.85
Through the sequential
steps of the Old Testament
00:22:35.88\00:22:37.92
sanctuary services, God
carefully traced each distinct
00:22:37.95\00:22:43.02
and equally essential stage
00:22:43.06\00:22:46.39
of Christ's
ministry for our redemption.
00:22:46.43\00:22:50.47
And you recall this,
students of the Word,
00:22:50.50\00:22:53.13
you would go back and you
look at the types and symbols
00:22:53.17\00:22:55.34
and ceremonies of the
Old Testament sanctuary.
00:22:55.37\00:22:58.41
How the sacrificial lamb,
00:22:58.44\00:23:00.88
though growing up being
born in and growing up around
00:23:00.91\00:23:04.11
a camp full of sinners
had Himself to be without
00:23:04.15\00:23:07.22
spot or blemish, a
symbol of that sinless life
00:23:07.25\00:23:11.85
of Jesus that
reflected the holiness of God.
00:23:11.89\00:23:16.42
Then the laying on
of hands by the penitent
00:23:16.46\00:23:19.36
sinner out in the courtyard
just prior to the Lamb's death,
00:23:19.39\00:23:23.67
symbolized the transference
of guilt from the penitent
00:23:23.70\00:23:26.40
sinner to our sinless Savior.
00:23:26.43\00:23:28.40
So the Lamb is born in the camp,
00:23:28.44\00:23:30.07
raised in the camp
without spot or blemish
00:23:30.11\00:23:32.17
comes into the
courtyard, has the sins
00:23:32.21\00:23:35.18
of the sinner placed
on it by transference,
00:23:35.21\00:23:39.11
by laying on of hands.
00:23:39.15\00:23:43.05
And then the
sacrifice itself on the altar,
00:23:43.08\00:23:48.32
which required
not merely the death
00:23:48.36\00:23:49.72
of the Lamb in any old fashion,
00:23:49.76\00:23:52.39
but death by the shedding
of its blood foreshadowed
00:23:52.43\00:23:56.73
the literal
shedding of Christ's blood
00:23:56.77\00:23:58.93
with which He would
make atonement for our souls,
00:23:58.97\00:24:02.40
because as Leviticus 17
says, it is the blood that makes
00:24:02.44\00:24:05.71
atonement for the soul.
00:24:05.74\00:24:09.81
But now keep in
mind, in the Old Testament
00:24:09.84\00:24:13.58
types you had the Lamb
that took on the sin that died
00:24:13.62\00:24:18.65
as our substitute,
a sacrificial death.
00:24:18.69\00:24:23.02
But you realize that there was
more to the sanctuary than just
00:24:23.06\00:24:26.23
the camp and the courtyard,
there was also the Holy Place
00:24:26.26\00:24:31.30
and the Most Holy Place.
00:24:31.33\00:24:33.90
You see the camp in
the courtyard represent
00:24:33.94\00:24:36.67
the work of
Christ here on the earth,
00:24:36.71\00:24:39.57
where the Holy Place
and the Most Holy Place
00:24:39.61\00:24:42.08
represent His work
continued in heaven.
00:24:42.11\00:24:47.52
So again, as Paul
said in 1 Corinthians 15,
00:24:47.55\00:24:49.45
if all we had
was Christ's death,
00:24:49.48\00:24:50.82
we would still be in
our sins, that the sacrifice
00:24:50.85\00:24:52.62
stopped at the
altar and the blood
00:24:52.65\00:24:53.99
was spilled on the ground.
00:24:54.02\00:24:57.43
We would be lost, my friends.
00:24:57.46\00:25:00.43
It is here that we
begin to understand
00:25:00.46\00:25:02.76
the need for yet another
step in the redemption process,
00:25:02.80\00:25:06.27
the need for a mediating priest.
00:25:06.30\00:25:09.24
What would happen with
that blood is the priest
00:25:09.27\00:25:12.87
would catch the blood
00:25:12.91\00:25:15.74
and he would take a
sample of that blood
00:25:15.78\00:25:18.15
through the veil
where the sinner cannot go.
00:25:18.18\00:25:22.78
By the way, the
sinner would come in guilty,
00:25:22.82\00:25:25.42
transfer the sins
onto the sacrifice
00:25:25.45\00:25:27.96
and he would leave forgiven.
00:25:27.99\00:25:30.89
But we all understand
that the life is in the blood
00:25:30.93\00:25:35.63
and the guilt now
that was on the sinner
00:25:35.66\00:25:37.97
is found symbolized
in the blood of the Lamb.
00:25:38.00\00:25:42.30
So he takes that blood
00:25:42.34\00:25:44.24
and while the
sinner leaves forgiven,
00:25:44.27\00:25:47.28
the work for his
redemption continues.
00:25:47.31\00:25:51.21
The priest would
take that blood through
00:25:51.25\00:25:53.92
the veil into the Holy Place
00:25:53.95\00:25:56.92
and sprinkle it
before the altar of incense,
00:25:56.95\00:26:01.12
so it could be appearing before
00:26:01.16\00:26:02.82
the throne of God
in the sinner's behalf.
00:26:02.86\00:26:05.99
The priest could go
where the sinner could not
00:26:06.03\00:26:09.66
and only
through the intercession
00:26:09.70\00:26:12.33
and the mediation of a priest,
00:26:12.37\00:26:14.90
would the salvation
process for that poor
00:26:14.94\00:26:17.21
sinner be complete.
00:26:17.24\00:26:20.68
Now, I want to throw out another
00:26:20.71\00:26:22.41
idea that might be a
new thought for some of you.
00:26:22.44\00:26:27.88
But the central
message of the early church
00:26:27.92\00:26:31.42
was not just
that Jesus had come,
00:26:31.45\00:26:34.46
that Jesus had lived
and that Jesus had died.
00:26:34.49\00:26:38.89
The central focus of the
early church presentation
00:26:38.93\00:26:43.23
of the gospel was what,
at that time was the present
00:26:43.26\00:26:46.53
truth of Jesus at the
right hand of God in heaven.
00:26:46.57\00:26:50.51
Let me demonstrate
to this, this to you.
00:26:50.54\00:26:52.84
Go to Acts Chapter 2.
00:26:52.87\00:26:55.48
The quintessential
early church passage,
00:26:55.51\00:26:58.15
the day of
Pentecost where 3,000 souls
00:26:58.18\00:27:01.35
were baptized and you got
to keep in mind this is only
00:27:01.38\00:27:03.72
50 days after the
events of the Passover weekend
00:27:03.75\00:27:07.26
where Jesus became that literal
lamb slain for the salvation
00:27:07.29\00:27:10.76
of the world.
00:27:10.79\00:27:12.76
And here in Acts Chapter
2, the same Peter that earlier
00:27:12.79\00:27:15.50
got be cowering by the
fire and denying his Lord
00:27:15.53\00:27:17.77
is now imbued by the
Holy Spirit's outpouring
00:27:17.80\00:27:20.07
and power and he
preaches a sermon.
00:27:20.10\00:27:22.87
It's 26 verses long,
00:27:22.90\00:27:24.27
13 of which are just
quotes from the Old Testament
00:27:24.31\00:27:26.61
prophecies about Jesus.
00:27:26.64\00:27:28.24
But notice what he
comes to the conclusion of.
00:27:28.28\00:27:31.15
It's here in Acts Chapter 2,
we'll start here in verse 32.
00:27:31.18\00:27:36.42
He says, "This
Jesus God has raised up
00:27:36.45\00:27:41.29
of which we are all witnesses."
00:27:41.32\00:27:44.53
Now turn up for just a second.
00:27:44.56\00:27:46.29
Clearly, he was preaching
about the life of Jesus,
00:27:46.33\00:27:49.03
which culminated
in the death of Jesus,
00:27:49.06\00:27:51.57
but he's not just
preaching the death of Jesus,
00:27:51.60\00:27:53.30
he's preaching the
resurrection of Jesus.
00:27:53.34\00:27:56.07
And what does he say
about the resurrection?
00:27:56.10\00:27:57.71
Look at it again, verse 32.
00:27:57.74\00:27:59.41
This Jesus God has raised up
of which we are all witnesses.
00:27:59.44\00:28:04.45
He's saying look, that is,
00:28:04.48\00:28:07.05
it's relatively old
news but it's something
00:28:07.08\00:28:09.25
we already know,
we've already seen it.
00:28:09.28\00:28:11.12
It's known around these
parts, that Jesus not only died,
00:28:11.15\00:28:16.52
but He rose again.
00:28:16.56\00:28:18.16
Praise the Lord.
00:28:18.19\00:28:20.30
Then he adds verse 33,
00:28:20.33\00:28:22.03
"Therefore being
exalted to the right hand of God
00:28:22.06\00:28:27.64
and having received
from the Father the promise
00:28:27.67\00:28:30.01
of the Holy Spirit, He
poured out this which you
00:28:30.04\00:28:33.44
now see and hear."
00:28:33.48\00:28:36.11
So notice, he wasn't just
preaching what Christ did,
00:28:36.14\00:28:38.55
he preached what
Christ is now doing.
00:28:38.58\00:28:40.88
Friends, we call
that present truth.
00:28:40.92\00:28:44.42
The early church was
based on Bible prophecy
00:28:44.45\00:28:47.26
pointing clearly to present
truth and it had a convicting,
00:28:47.29\00:28:51.13
converting
influence on the soul.
00:28:51.16\00:28:54.76
Thus in verse 36, he
would skip down there and say,
00:28:54.80\00:28:57.20
"Therefore, let
all the house of Israel
00:28:57.23\00:29:00.00
know assuredly that
God has made this Jesus
00:29:00.04\00:29:04.01
whom you crucified," past tense,
00:29:04.04\00:29:09.11
both Lord and
Christ, present tense.
00:29:09.14\00:29:13.98
He didn't just preach
about the death of Jesus
00:29:14.02\00:29:16.22
which by the way,
everyone there at that crowd
00:29:16.25\00:29:19.19
not only heard
about, they participated in.
00:29:19.22\00:29:22.56
It was the last
feast of the Jews
00:29:22.59\00:29:24.23
where they had come
together the Passover and said,
00:29:24.26\00:29:25.93
"Let His blood be on
us and on our children."
00:29:25.96\00:29:29.06
And yet now that same
Jesus who they had killed just
00:29:29.10\00:29:32.30
50 days earlier,
is now at that moment,
00:29:32.33\00:29:36.00
sitting at the right hand of God
00:29:36.04\00:29:37.94
with their destiny in His hand.
00:29:37.97\00:29:41.84
You can see the conviction
came home, said verse 37,
00:29:41.88\00:29:44.38
"When they heard this,
they saw cut to the heart
00:29:44.41\00:29:46.98
and said to Peter and
the rest of the apostles,
00:29:47.02\00:29:48.82
men and brethren,
'What shall we do?'"
00:29:48.85\00:29:52.35
And praise the
Lord, he didn't say,
00:29:52.39\00:29:53.72
"Oh, there's nothing you can do.
00:29:53.76\00:29:55.09
I just wanted to
inform you that you're lost."
00:29:55.12\00:29:57.23
Of course not.
00:29:57.26\00:29:58.89
Peter said what John
the Baptist would have said.
00:29:58.93\00:30:01.30
Peter said what
Jesus would have said.
00:30:01.33\00:30:03.67
Peter said to them,
00:30:03.70\00:30:05.03
"Repent and let every one
of you be baptized in the name
00:30:05.07\00:30:08.34
of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins
00:30:08.37\00:30:10.77
and you shall receive
the promise of the Holy,
00:30:10.81\00:30:12.97
the gift of the Holy Spirit."
00:30:13.01\00:30:14.38
And then he adds,
"For the promise is to you
00:30:14.41\00:30:16.44
and to your children.
00:30:16.48\00:30:18.58
So I know what
you said 50 days ago,
00:30:18.61\00:30:21.08
you were under
the spell of Satan.
00:30:21.12\00:30:22.55
And now with clear mind in this,
00:30:22.58\00:30:24.02
you see Jesus at the right
hand of God and let me tell you,
00:30:24.05\00:30:26.55
there is salvation available
for you and your kids today."
00:30:26.59\00:30:31.06
Uh! Powerful,
powerful preaching.
00:30:31.09\00:30:34.23
Go five chapters to the right.
00:30:34.26\00:30:35.60
Acts Chapter 7,
you see the apostles,
00:30:35.63\00:30:37.50
I'm sorry, the Deacon Stephen,
00:30:37.53\00:30:39.30
I almost called
him the Apostle Steven.
00:30:39.33\00:30:40.74
But the reality is Stephen
was a lay member of the church
00:30:40.77\00:30:44.34
and he was one of the first
deacons in the early church
00:30:44.37\00:30:47.01
and, friends,
let me tell you this,
00:30:47.04\00:30:48.38
this is not the
sermon at time and place.
00:30:48.41\00:30:49.74
But deacons and local
church leaders are not
00:30:49.78\00:30:52.65
there just to unlock
doors and set up chairs,
00:30:52.68\00:30:55.52
they are to preach
the gospel as well.
00:30:55.55\00:30:57.92
And Stephen is dragged before
00:30:57.95\00:31:01.12
the Sanhedrin to
answer for his faith
00:31:01.16\00:31:03.19
and what was the
burden of his message.
00:31:03.22\00:31:05.19
Look at Acts 7:44.
00:31:05.23\00:31:07.86
He talks about the
sanctuary starting on earth,
00:31:07.90\00:31:10.07
but then he
transitions to heaven.
00:31:10.10\00:31:11.43
Watch this, says.
00:31:11.47\00:31:12.93
"Our fathers had the tabernacle
of witness in the wilderness
00:31:12.97\00:31:16.10
as he appointed
instructing Moses to make it
00:31:16.14\00:31:18.37
according to the
pattern that he had seen,
00:31:18.41\00:31:20.11
which our fathers having
received and in turn also
00:31:20.14\00:31:22.14
brought with
Joshua into the land
00:31:22.18\00:31:23.65
possessed by the Gentiles,
whom God drove out before
00:31:23.68\00:31:26.15
the face of our fathers
until the days of David,
00:31:26.18\00:31:28.48
who found favor
before God and asked to find
00:31:28.52\00:31:30.79
a dwelling place
for the God of Jacob,
00:31:30.82\00:31:32.75
but Solomon built him a house."
00:31:32.79\00:31:34.99
So he's transitioning
from Moses building
00:31:35.02\00:31:37.03
the temporary tabernacle
in the wilderness to Solomon
00:31:37.06\00:31:40.13
finally building the
great temple that they adored
00:31:40.16\00:31:42.16
and loved and
revered so greatly.
00:31:42.20\00:31:44.43
Then he said in
verse 48, "However," comma,
00:31:44.47\00:31:48.40
"the Most High does not
dwell in temples made with hands
00:31:48.44\00:31:53.91
as the prophet
says, 'Heaven is my throne
00:31:53.94\00:31:57.41
and earth is my footstool.'"
00:31:57.45\00:31:59.05
What house will you
build for me says the Lord?
00:31:59.08\00:32:01.12
What is the place of My rest?
00:32:01.15\00:32:02.85
Has My hand not
made all these things?
00:32:02.88\00:32:07.12
He was trying to transition
their thinking from the types
00:32:07.16\00:32:09.92
and services of the
earthly sanctuary to the reality
00:32:09.96\00:32:13.56
of Christ in the
heavenly sanctuary.
00:32:13.60\00:32:16.13
And it was right then
that he lost His audience,
00:32:16.16\00:32:21.64
because look at
the very next verse.
00:32:21.67\00:32:23.04
I don't know if he was
looking at their body language
00:32:23.07\00:32:24.84
or their facial aspect
or heard their murmurings
00:32:24.87\00:32:26.88
and grumblings, but
it says in verse 51,
00:32:26.91\00:32:28.71
that he cut
straight to the appeal.
00:32:28.74\00:32:30.55
Quote, "You stiff necked
and uncircumcised in heart
00:32:30.58\00:32:33.62
and ears, you always
resist the Holy Spirit
00:32:33.65\00:32:35.85
as your fathers did so do you."
00:32:35.88\00:32:37.82
Verse 54, "When
they heard these things,
00:32:41.32\00:32:42.96
they were cut to the hearts."
00:32:42.99\00:32:45.73
By the way, friends,
clearly they understood
00:32:45.76\00:32:47.90
that what he
was saying was true.
00:32:47.93\00:32:49.26
They were just as convicted
00:32:49.30\00:32:50.80
as the people on the
day of Pentecost were.
00:32:50.83\00:32:52.60
They were both
cut to the hearts.
00:32:52.63\00:32:56.00
The differences on
the day of Pentecost,
00:32:56.04\00:32:57.81
they yielded to the
influence of the Holy Spirit,
00:32:57.84\00:33:00.04
looked into heaven
and saw Jesus by faith.
00:33:00.08\00:33:04.31
But here in Acts Chapter
7, they were cut to the heart.
00:33:04.35\00:33:07.62
And it says they gnashed at Him
00:33:07.65\00:33:09.28
with their teeth, ah.
00:33:09.32\00:33:14.02
But he being full
of the Holy Spirit
00:33:14.06\00:33:16.62
gazed into heaven
and saw the glory of God
00:33:16.66\00:33:22.30
and Jesus standing at
the right hand of God.
00:33:22.33\00:33:26.77
He wasn't just saying,
00:33:26.80\00:33:28.14
"Think about what
Jesus used to do."
00:33:28.17\00:33:29.57
No, he's saying, "Look at
what Jesus is doing right now."
00:33:29.60\00:33:33.38
And he said, "Look, I
see the heavens opened
00:33:33.41\00:33:36.85
and the Son of Man standing
at the right hand of God."
00:33:36.88\00:33:40.92
Friends, the burden of
the early church was not
00:33:40.95\00:33:43.15
merely what Jesus
had done, but what Jesus
00:33:43.18\00:33:45.09
was doing at that
time, present truth.
00:33:45.12\00:33:48.39
Thus, we'll read in Hebrews
00:33:48.42\00:33:50.06
1:1-2.
00:33:50.09\00:33:55.36
The Apostle Paul, the same
Apostle Paul mind you who said,
00:33:55.40\00:33:58.60
"I determined
not to know anything
00:33:58.63\00:34:00.00
except for Christ
and Him crucified."
00:34:00.04\00:34:01.60
Now says, 8:1-2. Now,
this is the main point
00:34:01.64\00:34:06.74
of the things we are
saying, we have present tense,
00:34:06.78\00:34:10.48
such a high priest who
is present tense seated,
00:34:10.51\00:34:14.52
present tense at the
right hand of the throne
00:34:14.55\00:34:16.89
of the Majesty in the heaven,
00:34:16.92\00:34:19.05
a minister of the true
sanctuary and of the true
00:34:19.09\00:34:21.96
tabernacle which the
Lord erected and not man.
00:34:21.99\00:34:26.36
From Peter to Stephen to Paul,
the theme of their message over
00:34:26.39\00:34:29.93
and over was not
just generic Jesus,
00:34:29.96\00:34:32.30
but it was present truth Jesus,
00:34:32.33\00:34:33.87
where is He and what
is He doing right now?
00:34:33.90\00:34:37.64
Thus, we read comments
like this in Great Controversy,
00:34:37.67\00:34:39.97
488 and 489.
00:34:40.01\00:34:42.28
The intercession
of Christ in man's
00:34:42.31\00:34:44.65
behalf in the sanctuary above
00:34:44.68\00:34:47.12
is as essential to
the plan of salvation,
00:34:47.15\00:34:50.09
as was His death upon the cross.
00:34:50.12\00:34:54.22
By the death, by His
death He began that work
00:34:54.26\00:34:58.73
which after His resurrection,
00:34:58.76\00:35:00.50
He ascended to
complete in heaven.
00:35:00.53\00:35:04.43
There the light from the
cross of Calvary is reflected.
00:35:04.47\00:35:07.50
There we may gain a clear
00:35:07.54\00:35:09.14
insight into the
mysteries of redemption.
00:35:09.17\00:35:12.24
Friends, when Jesus
ascended into heaven,
00:35:12.27\00:35:14.64
He didn't retire.
00:35:14.68\00:35:17.41
He simply relocated
His place of business.
00:35:17.45\00:35:21.12
He continues to
work for our salvation
00:35:21.15\00:35:24.19
even now.
00:35:24.22\00:35:27.42
But let's continue.
00:35:27.46\00:35:29.92
When Christians, many
Seventh-day Adventist included
00:35:29.96\00:35:32.53
talk about
Christ's work in heaven,
00:35:32.56\00:35:35.43
they focus almost
exclusively on His role
00:35:35.46\00:35:38.03
as interceding priest.
00:35:38.07\00:35:40.77
And there's
certainly good reason to do so.
00:35:40.80\00:35:42.74
Listen to these
powerful promises.
00:35:42.77\00:35:44.84
Hebrews 7:24-25 says,
00:35:44.87\00:35:47.91
He, speaking of
Jesus, because He continues
00:35:47.94\00:35:51.01
forever has an
unchangeable priesthood.
00:35:51.05\00:35:54.02
Amen.
00:35:54.05\00:35:55.38
Therefore, He is able
to save to the uttermost
00:35:55.42\00:35:58.85
those who come
to God through Him,
00:35:58.89\00:36:00.86
since He always lives to
make intercession for them.
00:36:00.89\00:36:05.69
What do you say, friends, amen?
00:36:05.73\00:36:08.03
How about this
one from 1 John 2:1,
00:36:08.06\00:36:11.03
"My little
children, these things
00:36:11.07\00:36:13.00
I write to you so
that you may not sin.
00:36:13.03\00:36:15.44
And if anyone sins,
00:36:15.47\00:36:18.07
we have," present tense,
00:36:18.11\00:36:20.98
"an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ, the righteous."
00:36:21.01\00:36:25.95
Praise the Lord.
00:36:25.98\00:36:27.32
We have an interceding
advocate in Jesus Christ,
00:36:27.35\00:36:32.09
our Heavenly Priest.
00:36:32.12\00:36:34.76
Now, having said all of that,
00:36:34.79\00:36:38.43
clearly we've moved
from Christ's earthly work
00:36:38.46\00:36:40.50
which included
His birth and His life
00:36:40.53\00:36:42.50
and His sin bearing and His
sacrificial death on Calvary,
00:36:42.53\00:36:47.27
and His resurrection
00:36:47.30\00:36:48.70
and then His ascension
into heaven after His death
00:36:48.74\00:36:51.24
on the cross and His right
hand ministry in the Holy Place,
00:36:51.27\00:36:55.41
interceding as
our advocate even now.
00:36:55.44\00:37:00.22
That all parallels
the work of the camp,
00:37:00.25\00:37:03.72
the courtyard
and the Holy Place.
00:37:03.75\00:37:06.55
But there's still one more room,
00:37:06.59\00:37:09.22
there's the Most Holy Place.
00:37:09.26\00:37:13.09
Again, we know from the
ceremonies of the earthly
00:37:13.13\00:37:15.86
sanctuary that the redemption
process is not complete
00:37:15.90\00:37:19.17
with that daily or
ongoing work of the priest
00:37:19.20\00:37:22.90
as an intercessor for
the forgiveness of sins.
00:37:22.94\00:37:26.21
But it also entails a
yearly or at an appointed time
00:37:26.24\00:37:30.55
prophetically work of
a high priestly judge.
00:37:30.58\00:37:35.38
Turn in your Bibles with
me to Leviticus Chapter 16.
00:37:35.42\00:37:39.25
As we look at the
miniature to help us understand
00:37:39.29\00:37:44.13
the original, as we
look at the shadow or copy
00:37:44.16\00:37:47.63
of what is in heaven.
00:37:47.66\00:37:49.43
Leviticus Chapter 16 talks
about the Day of Atonement,
00:37:49.46\00:37:52.37
that one day a year
when after all those sins
00:37:52.40\00:37:55.00
had been accumulated
by the daily intercession
00:37:55.04\00:37:57.51
of the priest and the
sacrifices of the lambs
00:37:57.54\00:38:00.11
would be collected
in the sanctuary itself.
00:38:00.14\00:38:03.41
For we understand the sanctuary
acts as a filter for sin.
00:38:03.45\00:38:07.42
It takes the sin off the sinner,
00:38:07.45\00:38:09.45
but it places it
on to the sacrifice
00:38:09.48\00:38:12.32
and the sanctuary itself.
00:38:12.35\00:38:14.92
So while sinners get
clean, the sanctuary gets dirty.
00:38:14.96\00:38:20.10
Thus the need for a day
to cleanse the sanctuary.
00:38:20.13\00:38:25.60
Leviticus
Chapter 16 outlines this.
00:38:25.63\00:38:28.04
Now importantly,
there was still a daily
00:38:28.07\00:38:30.41
sacrifice available
on the Day of Atonement.
00:38:30.44\00:38:33.38
So the daily
literally means that every day
00:38:33.41\00:38:36.21
including that day, there was
a sacrifice for the forgiveness
00:38:36.24\00:38:39.61
of sins, for the
remission and guilt.
00:38:39.65\00:38:41.65
And anyone who
had the conscience
00:38:41.68\00:38:44.09
prick that wanted to lay
their sins before the Lord
00:38:44.12\00:38:46.25
could do so even on that day.
00:38:46.29\00:38:48.92
I praise the Lord that though
the Christ is in the Most Holy
00:38:48.96\00:38:51.16
Place now, there's still
pardon available for us today.
00:38:51.19\00:38:56.60
But there was something special
that happened on that day.
00:38:56.63\00:38:59.60
It says here, Leviticus
Chapter 16, says in verse 7,
00:38:59.63\00:39:04.21
"He shall take the two
goats and present them before
00:39:04.24\00:39:08.18
the Lord at the door
of the tabernacle meeting.
00:39:08.21\00:39:10.45
Then Aaron shall cast
lots for the two goats,
00:39:10.48\00:39:12.68
one lot for the Lord
00:39:12.71\00:39:14.05
and the other lot
for the scapegoat."
00:39:14.08\00:39:16.45
And then it goes on to outline
how and I won't have to take
00:39:16.48\00:39:18.85
the time to read this, but
you can read it for yourself
00:39:18.89\00:39:20.69
from Leviticus 16.
00:39:20.72\00:39:22.06
Essentially, after
the daily ceremony,
00:39:22.09\00:39:23.86
he would take these two
otherwise identical goats
00:39:23.89\00:39:27.43
and cast lot.
00:39:27.46\00:39:28.80
One would be
assigned to be the Lord's goat
00:39:28.83\00:39:30.50
and the other would
be called the scapegoat.
00:39:30.53\00:39:35.60
Now, after the
daily service was done,
00:39:35.64\00:39:38.07
he would come and
take the Lord's goat
00:39:38.11\00:39:40.34
and sacrifice it.
00:39:40.38\00:39:41.88
This time not for the
cleansing of just that day sin,
00:39:41.91\00:39:44.91
but all the sins that had
accumulated in the sanctuary
00:39:44.95\00:39:48.35
for the whole year.
00:39:48.38\00:39:51.22
So notice what it says
here, we go down to verse 15.
00:39:51.25\00:39:53.69
"Then he shall kill the
goat of the sin offering
00:39:53.72\00:39:55.52
which is for the people.
00:39:55.56\00:39:56.89
Bring its blood inside the veil,
00:39:56.93\00:39:58.46
do with the blood as
he did with the blood
00:39:58.49\00:39:59.83
of the bull and
sprinkle it on the mercy seat
00:39:59.86\00:40:02.03
and before the mercy seat."
00:40:02.06\00:40:03.40
Verse 16,
00:40:03.43\00:40:04.77
"So he shall make
atonement for the Holy Place."
00:40:04.80\00:40:09.80
Now why would the
Holy Place need atonement
00:40:09.84\00:40:11.41
if it had never sinned?
00:40:11.44\00:40:13.14
Because it had
been the repository
00:40:13.17\00:40:15.88
of all those sins that had
been confessed by those putting
00:40:15.91\00:40:19.51
faith in the Lamb
and its sacrifice.
00:40:19.55\00:40:22.68
So he shall make atonement
for the Holy Place because
00:40:22.72\00:40:25.15
of the uncleanliness
of the children of Israel
00:40:25.19\00:40:27.29
and because of
their transgressions
00:40:27.32\00:40:29.32
for all their sins.
00:40:29.36\00:40:30.99
And so, he shall do
for the tabernacle meeting
00:40:31.03\00:40:33.13
which remains
among them in the midst
00:40:33.16\00:40:35.26
of their uncleanness.
00:40:35.30\00:40:38.13
So, fascinatingly enough,
00:40:38.17\00:40:39.80
the sanctuary
itself would need it,
00:40:39.83\00:40:41.37
would need cleansing and
this sinless goat this once
00:40:41.40\00:40:45.07
a year sacrifice
would be collected
00:40:45.11\00:40:47.01
all the way to
the accumulated sins
00:40:47.04\00:40:49.24
and that would be
sacrificed to make atonement.
00:40:49.28\00:40:52.41
And then it says in verse
20, "And when he has made an end
00:40:52.45\00:40:55.08
of atoning for the Holy
Place, the tabernacle meeting
00:40:55.12\00:40:57.69
and the altar, he
shall bring the live goat."
00:40:57.72\00:41:01.06
Now, please,
friends, understand this,
00:41:01.09\00:41:02.76
that live goat, that
scapegoat represents not Christ,
00:41:02.79\00:41:06.33
but Satan.
00:41:06.36\00:41:09.56
Satan is the great
originator of evil.
00:41:09.60\00:41:12.47
He's the great tempter.
00:41:12.50\00:41:13.84
He's the one
who leads the world.
00:41:13.87\00:41:15.57
The Bible says he
deceives the whole world.
00:41:15.60\00:41:18.37
So every sin finds its root
00:41:18.41\00:41:21.44
and headwaters in him.
00:41:21.48\00:41:24.35
He bears culpability
for the sins he has led
00:41:24.38\00:41:27.62
the universe to commit.
00:41:27.65\00:41:30.22
At least our
portion of the universe,
00:41:30.25\00:41:31.59
the only part that has fallen.
00:41:31.62\00:41:34.52
So here we have
00:41:34.56\00:41:38.36
the great day of
reckoning if you will.
00:41:38.39\00:41:42.43
And he was supposed to take all
of those sins that had already
00:41:42.46\00:41:44.90
been paid for by the slain goat.
00:41:44.93\00:41:47.57
And now place
them on the live goat,
00:41:47.60\00:41:50.37
transferred that guilt but
this time there's no shedding
00:41:50.41\00:41:53.41
of blood.
00:41:53.44\00:41:54.91
There's no
death in the courtyard
00:41:54.94\00:41:56.85
or anywhere else
in the sanctuary area.
00:41:56.88\00:42:00.45
But he was taken by
the hand of a pseudo man
00:42:00.48\00:42:02.12
out to the
wilderness to die under
00:42:02.15\00:42:03.92
the weight of their own sins.
00:42:03.95\00:42:08.32
This prefigures
00:42:08.36\00:42:11.09
the great concluding
work of the great controversy,
00:42:11.13\00:42:14.23
when Christ will
take all those who have
00:42:14.26\00:42:16.06
put their faith in Him
and if their faith is true
00:42:16.10\00:42:19.33
and if their
repentance is genuine,
00:42:19.37\00:42:21.47
if their lives reflect
00:42:21.50\00:42:22.97
the pardon
they've been blessed with,
00:42:23.00\00:42:24.84
He will place those
sins on that scapegoat
00:42:24.87\00:42:29.18
and say, "They
have been paid for."
00:42:29.21\00:42:33.42
Now you die under
00:42:33.45\00:42:34.85
the weight because
you're the great instigator.
00:42:34.88\00:42:36.79
This is a work of judgment that
was shown the Prophet Daniel.
00:42:41.82\00:42:45.26
In Daniel 7:9-10, when it says,
00:42:45.29\00:42:47.90
"I watched till
thrones were put in place,
00:42:47.93\00:42:49.76
and the Ancient
of Days was seated,
00:42:49.80\00:42:51.37
His garment was white as snow,
00:42:51.40\00:42:52.73
and the hair of His
head was like pure wool.
00:42:52.77\00:42:54.67
His throne was a fiery flame,
its wheels a burning fire,
00:42:54.70\00:42:57.84
a fiery stream issued and
came forth from before Him.
00:42:57.87\00:43:00.41
A thousand
thousands ministered to Him,
00:43:00.44\00:43:02.14
ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before Him.
00:43:02.18\00:43:04.71
The court was seated,
and the books were opened."
00:43:04.75\00:43:08.52
And then watch as Christ
comes from the Holy Place
00:43:08.55\00:43:10.72
into that judgment
room in verses 13 and 14.
00:43:10.75\00:43:13.89
"I was watching in the
night visions, and behold,
00:43:13.92\00:43:16.09
one like the Son of man coming
with the clouds of heaven.
00:43:16.12\00:43:19.19
He came," now
notice, not to the earth,
00:43:19.23\00:43:22.03
"He came to the Ancient of Days,
00:43:22.06\00:43:26.27
and they brought
Him near before Him."
00:43:26.30\00:43:29.00
So there's God the Father,
God, the Son Jesus Christ,
00:43:29.04\00:43:32.11
there's all the on
looking universe arraigned
00:43:32.14\00:43:34.74
before this heavenly tribunal.
00:43:34.78\00:43:36.64
"Then to Him was given dominion
00:43:36.68\00:43:38.91
and glory and a
kingdom that all peoples,
00:43:38.95\00:43:41.25
nations and
languages shall serve Him.
00:43:41.28\00:43:43.35
His dominion is an
everlasting dominion
00:43:43.39\00:43:45.15
which shall not pass
away and His kingdom one
00:43:45.19\00:43:47.66
which shall not be destroyed."
00:43:47.69\00:43:51.66
At this point, I would urge you,
00:43:51.69\00:43:53.36
you want some good Sabbath
afternoon reading to read
00:43:53.40\00:43:55.43
Chapters 23, 24 and
28 from that classic,
00:43:55.46\00:44:00.27
The Great Controversy.
00:44:00.30\00:44:03.00
Ellen White,
from the inspired pen,
00:44:03.04\00:44:07.28
speaks about the
details of this work of judgment
00:44:07.31\00:44:11.31
as Christ our High
Priest goes into the Most Holy
00:44:11.35\00:44:14.12
Place for the final
work before He returns.
00:44:14.15\00:44:18.75
He is evaluating each one
claiming to be a son of God,
00:44:18.79\00:44:22.99
each one claiming to
have faith in Christ to see
00:44:23.02\00:44:25.36
if that faith is real.
00:44:25.39\00:44:28.66
She writes, in the typical
service that is the earthly
00:44:28.70\00:44:32.77
or the miniature,
only those who would come
00:44:32.80\00:44:35.84
before God with
confession and repentance
00:44:35.87\00:44:37.77
and who sins through the
blood of the sin offering
00:44:37.81\00:44:39.71
were
transferred to the sanctuary
00:44:39.74\00:44:41.34
had a part in the
service of the Day of Atonement.
00:44:41.38\00:44:44.71
So in the great
day of final atonement
00:44:44.75\00:44:47.52
and investigative
judgment, the only case
00:44:47.55\00:44:50.29
is considered are
those of the professed
00:44:50.32\00:44:53.09
people of God.
00:44:53.12\00:44:54.46
Now, that only makes sense.
00:44:54.49\00:44:55.82
If no one had availed themselves
00:44:55.86\00:44:57.19
with the lamb in the
court and the intercession
00:44:57.23\00:44:59.19
of the priest in the...
00:44:59.23\00:45:00.56
I mean in the Holy
Place, then they would have
00:45:00.60\00:45:02.83
no nothing to do with
the Most Holy Place at all.
00:45:02.86\00:45:05.80
They would be out in
the camp with their sins
00:45:05.83\00:45:07.67
and never even
confessed Christ never repented,
00:45:07.70\00:45:09.74
they never even
started down the road.
00:45:09.77\00:45:12.54
But for the people of
God who've made a profession
00:45:12.57\00:45:14.58
of faith,
there's a final analysis.
00:45:14.61\00:45:18.28
She continues, by the
way, all of these statements
00:45:18.31\00:45:20.02
are from 480 to 484
in The Great Controversy.
00:45:20.05\00:45:23.32
She continues,
00:45:23.35\00:45:24.69
as the books of record
are opened in the judgment,
00:45:24.72\00:45:27.49
the lives of all who
had believed on Jesus,
00:45:27.52\00:45:30.99
come and review before God.
00:45:31.03\00:45:33.56
Beginning with those who
first lived upon the earth,
00:45:33.60\00:45:35.90
our advocate presents the cases
of each successive generation
00:45:35.93\00:45:40.40
and closes with the living.
00:45:40.44\00:45:43.00
Every name is mentioned,
00:45:43.04\00:45:44.77
every case closely investigated.
00:45:44.81\00:45:48.01
Now this makes us
a little bit uneasy.
00:45:48.04\00:45:50.85
When we talk about the gospel,
00:45:50.88\00:45:52.21
we don't often talk
about judgment and inquiry
00:45:52.25\00:45:55.18
and scrutiny and
investigation but here it is.
00:45:55.22\00:45:58.95
She further
explains, every man's work
00:45:58.99\00:46:00.86
passes in review
before God and is registered
00:46:00.89\00:46:03.02
for faithfulness
or unfaithfulness.
00:46:03.06\00:46:05.93
Opposite each name
in the books of heaven
00:46:05.96\00:46:07.50
is entered with terrible
exactness, every wrong word,
00:46:07.53\00:46:10.50
every selfish act,
every unfulfilled duty
00:46:10.53\00:46:13.77
and every secret sin
with every artful dissembling.
00:46:13.80\00:46:17.97
Heaven sent warnings
of reproofs neglected,
00:46:18.01\00:46:20.61
wasted moments,
unimproved opportunities,
00:46:20.64\00:46:23.21
the influence
exerted for good or for evil,
00:46:23.24\00:46:25.98
with its far reaching results.
00:46:26.01\00:46:28.12
All are chronicled
by the recording angel.
00:46:28.15\00:46:32.35
Friends, the Lord is keeping
up with what we're doing through
00:46:32.39\00:46:35.22
His ministering angels.
00:46:35.26\00:46:37.53
It's not some blurry, hazy,
spotty thing here and there.
00:46:37.56\00:46:41.53
There is an exact
record according to inspiration
00:46:41.56\00:46:44.00
of our lives.
00:46:44.03\00:46:45.37
Now, sometimes
that makes us nervous.
00:46:45.40\00:46:46.74
Yes, it should.
00:46:46.77\00:46:50.14
Because, friends, God
doesn't want to just call us
00:46:50.17\00:46:52.34
good and us keep on living.
00:46:52.37\00:46:53.71
He says, no, I'm not
only offering your pardon,
00:46:53.74\00:46:55.44
I want to offer you power.
00:46:55.48\00:46:56.81
But I love this line,
00:46:59.75\00:47:01.15
Jesus will appear
as their advocate,
00:47:01.18\00:47:05.09
not as their accuser.
00:47:05.12\00:47:06.45
There's one who's the
accuser of the brother
00:47:06.49\00:47:07.82
and that's Satan.
00:47:07.86\00:47:09.19
So you get the idea.
00:47:09.22\00:47:10.56
Christ is there in the
ultimate overseer role.
00:47:10.59\00:47:12.99
Jesus is there as the advocate
00:47:13.03\00:47:14.80
and Satan is
there as the accuser.
00:47:14.83\00:47:19.87
Jesus, it says will appear
00:47:19.90\00:47:21.30
as their advocate to plead
in their behalf before God.
00:47:21.34\00:47:25.54
Good news number
one is that God takes
00:47:25.57\00:47:27.38
His time to get things
right and good thing number two,
00:47:27.41\00:47:29.98
is He doesn't just
look at the record cold.
00:47:30.01\00:47:32.25
He says, "Wait a minute,
let's bend it towards Jesus."
00:47:32.28\00:47:35.72
Let's give them the best shot,
let's give them an advocate."
00:47:35.75\00:47:40.29
She then writes all who
have truly repented of sin
00:47:40.32\00:47:42.96
and by faith claim
the blood of Christ
00:47:42.99\00:47:44.96
as their atoning sacrifice
have had pardon entered
00:47:44.99\00:47:48.03
against their names
in the book of heaven,
00:47:48.06\00:47:50.17
as they have become
partakers of the righteousness
00:47:50.20\00:47:52.33
of Christ and their characters
are found to be in harmony
00:47:52.37\00:47:56.10
with the law of God,
their sins will be blotted out
00:47:56.14\00:47:59.51
and they themselves
will be counted worthy
00:47:59.54\00:48:02.01
of eternal life.
00:48:02.04\00:48:03.38
Now timeout, are they worthy
because they never sinned?
00:48:03.41\00:48:06.31
Absolutely not.
00:48:06.35\00:48:07.68
They wouldn't even
be in consideration
00:48:07.72\00:48:09.05
if they hadn't sinned,
they had to have a pardoning
00:48:09.08\00:48:11.25
sacrifice in
order to even be there.
00:48:11.29\00:48:14.39
But now more than just
claiming the name of Jesus
00:48:14.42\00:48:16.96
and hoping to get
a ticket to get in,
00:48:16.99\00:48:18.79
they want the power of Christ
in their lives to transform
00:48:18.83\00:48:21.80
them into
citizens of His kingdom.
00:48:21.83\00:48:23.97
While Jesus, it goes on to
say is pleading for the subjects
00:48:27.64\00:48:29.94
of His grace, Satan
accuses them before God
00:48:29.97\00:48:32.04
as transgressors.
00:48:32.07\00:48:33.41
And by the way, he's
right. We are transgressors.
00:48:33.44\00:48:36.88
The Bible says, "All
have sinned and come short
00:48:36.91\00:48:38.91
of the glory of God."
00:48:38.95\00:48:41.88
The great deceiver has sought
to lead them into skepticism
00:48:41.92\00:48:45.25
to cause them to
lose confidence in God,
00:48:45.29\00:48:47.42
to separate themselves from
His love and to break His law.
00:48:47.46\00:48:50.49
Now he points to the
record of their lives,
00:48:50.53\00:48:53.06
to the defects of character,
the unlikeness to Christ
00:48:53.09\00:48:55.80
which has
dishonored their Redeemer,
00:48:55.83\00:48:57.60
to all the sins that he
has tempted them to commit
00:48:57.63\00:49:00.27
and because of these, he
claims them as his subjects.
00:49:00.30\00:49:03.84
Now notice this Christ, Jesus
does not excuse their sins.
00:49:03.87\00:49:09.58
He's not playing
like I don't see it.
00:49:09.61\00:49:10.95
I don't think it,
I don't believe it.
00:49:10.98\00:49:12.31
Christ knows your
sin too, the jig is up.
00:49:12.35\00:49:15.62
All the universe is a witness.
00:49:15.65\00:49:17.39
Jesus does not
excuse their sins,
00:49:17.42\00:49:19.59
but shows their
penitence and faith
00:49:19.62\00:49:23.02
and claiming for
them forgiveness,
00:49:23.06\00:49:24.69
He lifts His wounded
hands before the Father
00:49:24.73\00:49:27.00
and the holy angel
saying, "I know them by name.
00:49:27.03\00:49:30.87
I have graven them on
the palms of My hands."
00:49:30.90\00:49:35.47
Friends, the investigative
judgment is not legalism.
00:49:35.50\00:49:40.34
It is loyalty born of love.
00:49:40.38\00:49:43.95
In our security in the
judgment is found in an abiding
00:49:43.98\00:49:47.25
faith in Christ and in
His righteousness alone.
00:49:47.28\00:49:51.29
This is why the
Apostle John could appeal
00:49:51.32\00:49:53.39
so earnestly in 1 John 2:28.
00:49:53.42\00:49:56.29
"And now little
children abide in Him."
00:49:56.32\00:49:59.93
That means present tense, abide,
00:49:59.96\00:50:02.46
while He is
present tense, interceding,
00:50:02.50\00:50:04.63
you are present
tense, abiding, living,
00:50:04.67\00:50:07.27
dwelling in Him,
that when He appears,
00:50:07.30\00:50:12.17
we may have
confidence and not be ashamed
00:50:12.21\00:50:15.94
before Him at His coming.
00:50:15.98\00:50:20.08
What a powerful
thought, friends.
00:50:20.12\00:50:23.05
But it does bring
people's question to mind.
00:50:23.08\00:50:24.92
Wait a minute, am I saved
by faith or judged by works?
00:50:24.95\00:50:30.39
And the answer is, yes.
00:50:30.43\00:50:34.06
We are both saved by faith
00:50:34.10\00:50:35.83
and at the same
time judged by works.
00:50:35.86\00:50:38.30
Let me give you an example
of this in Genesis Chapter 15,
00:50:38.33\00:50:42.34
to Abraham the Lord had called.
00:50:42.37\00:50:45.71
In Genesis
Chapter 12, He called him
00:50:45.74\00:50:47.58
and told him He is going
to make him a great nation.
00:50:47.61\00:50:49.68
Yet year after year went
by and there were no children
00:50:49.71\00:50:51.98
coming from and he
was getting frustrated,
00:50:52.01\00:50:53.62
he was getting confused.
00:50:53.65\00:50:55.35
And the Lord in
Genesis Chapter 15,
00:50:55.38\00:50:57.12
came to him in verse
2 after Abraham said,
00:50:57.15\00:50:59.82
Lord God, "What will you give me
00:50:59.85\00:51:01.26
seeing I go childless
and the heir of my house
00:51:01.29\00:51:03.46
is Eliezer of Damascus.
00:51:03.49\00:51:05.76
Then Abraham said, 'Look,
you have given me no offspring.
00:51:05.79\00:51:09.46
Indeed, one born in
my house is my heir.'
00:51:09.50\00:51:13.77
And behold it says, 'The word
of the Lord came to him saying,
00:51:13.80\00:51:17.51
this one shall not be your heir,
00:51:17.54\00:51:19.71
but one who will
come from your own body
00:51:19.74\00:51:21.58
shall be your heir.'
00:51:21.61\00:51:22.94
Then he brought him
outside and said, 'Now,
00:51:22.98\00:51:24.31
look toward
heaven, and count the stars
00:51:24.35\00:51:25.68
if you're able to number them.'
00:51:25.71\00:51:27.05
And he said to him, 'So
shall your descendants be.'"
00:51:27.08\00:51:28.42
In verse 6.
00:51:28.45\00:51:29.78
"And he believed in the Lord
00:51:29.82\00:51:31.15
and he accounted it to
Him for righteousness."
00:51:31.19\00:51:34.36
Now that belief in
the Lord and accounting
00:51:34.39\00:51:35.82
for righteousness
in Genesis Chapter 15.
00:51:35.86\00:51:37.43
But Isaac doesn't
come along the child
00:51:37.46\00:51:39.76
of promised to him years later.
00:51:39.79\00:51:43.23
And when Isaac finally arrives,
00:51:43.26\00:51:45.30
God tests his faith
to see if it's genuine
00:51:45.33\00:51:47.97
and he asked him to
sacrifice him on the mountain.
00:51:48.00\00:51:51.37
And this time, instead
of looking for an Eliezer
00:51:51.41\00:51:53.44
loophole or the Hagar issue,
as was brought up by Sarah,
00:51:53.48\00:51:56.61
his wife and all that
mess he just obeyed the Lord,
00:51:56.64\00:51:59.91
took Isaac and
bound him on the altar
00:51:59.95\00:52:02.08
and raised the
knife to slay him.
00:52:02.12\00:52:04.19
And then it records, verse 12.
00:52:04.22\00:52:07.29
And he said, the Lord
00:52:07.32\00:52:08.76
says, "Do not lay your hand
on the lad, do anything to him.
00:52:08.79\00:52:11.39
For now, I know
that you fear God,
00:52:11.43\00:52:15.80
since you have
not withheld your son,
00:52:15.83\00:52:17.40
your only son from me.
00:52:17.43\00:52:20.10
Now I know."
00:52:20.14\00:52:21.47
And, of course, the
Lord had provided a lamb.
00:52:21.50\00:52:26.27
Now, why is that so
important to our topic
00:52:26.31\00:52:28.71
today of the
investigative judgment because
00:52:28.74\00:52:31.21
the profession of
faith, the declaration
00:52:31.25\00:52:34.75
of faith that was
made in Genesis 15
00:52:34.78\00:52:37.39
wasn't
demonstrated until Genesis 22.
00:52:37.42\00:52:41.92
And the Apostle James picks
up on this nuance of the story
00:52:41.96\00:52:45.79
and applies it to a
life of genuine faith.
00:52:45.83\00:52:49.10
Listen to just James
2, starting with verse 20,
00:52:49.13\00:52:54.20
starting with verse 14.
00:52:54.24\00:52:55.57
He says, "What does
it profit, my brethren,
00:52:55.60\00:52:57.17
if someone says he has
faith but not have works?
00:52:57.21\00:52:59.67
Can faith save him?
00:52:59.71\00:53:01.64
If a brother or sister is naked
and destitute of daily food,
00:53:01.68\00:53:03.78
and one of you says to them,
00:53:03.81\00:53:05.15
'Depart in peace,
be warmed and filled,'
00:53:05.18\00:53:06.51
but you do not
give them the things
00:53:06.55\00:53:07.88
which are needed for the
body, what does it profit?
00:53:07.92\00:53:09.78
Thus also faith by itself,
if it does not have works,
00:53:09.82\00:53:12.62
is dead."
00:53:12.65\00:53:14.32
"But someone
will say," verse 18,
00:53:14.36\00:53:16.26
"You have faith,
and I have works.
00:53:16.29\00:53:18.46
Show me your faith
without your works,
00:53:18.49\00:53:20.13
and I will show you
my faith by my works."
00:53:20.16\00:53:22.96
He goes on to say, verse
20, "But do you want to know,
00:53:23.00\00:53:25.97
O foolish man, that
faith without works is dead."
00:53:26.00\00:53:29.14
And then he recalls
the story of Abraham,
00:53:29.17\00:53:31.71
"Was not Abraham, our
father justified by works
00:53:31.74\00:53:34.64
when he offered Isaac
his own son on the altar?
00:53:34.68\00:53:38.01
Do you see the
faith was working together
00:53:38.05\00:53:40.02
with his work and by
works, faith was made perfect."
00:53:40.05\00:53:43.45
Now notice verse 23,
00:53:43.49\00:53:45.12
"And the
Scripture was fulfilled."
00:53:45.15\00:53:47.82
Now he's talking about
offering up Isaac in Genesis 22.
00:53:47.86\00:53:51.56
Now notice what he says next,
00:53:51.59\00:53:53.06
"And the Scripture
was fulfilled which said,
00:53:53.09\00:53:55.96
Abraham believed God
00:53:56.00\00:53:57.63
and it was accounted
to him for righteousness."
00:53:57.67\00:54:02.07
The Declaration of
Genesis Chapter 15 was
00:54:02.10\00:54:04.81
manifested in the
demonstration in Genesis 22.
00:54:04.84\00:54:09.58
When it went from
merely a profession,
00:54:09.61\00:54:11.68
to a practical
application and God could say,
00:54:11.71\00:54:14.42
"Now I know that you fear God."
00:54:14.45\00:54:18.25
And James sums it up saying,
00:54:18.29\00:54:19.62
you see them that a
man is justified by works
00:54:19.65\00:54:22.19
and not by faith only.
00:54:22.22\00:54:25.39
What a powerful thought.
00:54:25.43\00:54:26.76
Yes, we are saved by faith,
00:54:26.80\00:54:28.40
but we're judged by our works
because works are the evidence
00:54:28.43\00:54:32.67
of genuine faith.
00:54:32.70\00:54:35.44
Let me state this in no
uncertain terms in our final
00:54:35.47\00:54:37.64
minutes here.
00:54:37.67\00:54:39.01
Christ's high priestly
work of judgment in the Most
00:54:39.04\00:54:41.31
Holy Place of the heavenly
sanctuary is an essential
00:54:41.34\00:54:43.68
aspect of the gospel message
00:54:43.71\00:54:45.05
we are to give to the world.
00:54:45.08\00:54:47.98
Friends,
according to Bible prophecy,
00:54:48.02\00:54:49.85
we are currently living at
that time in earth's history
00:54:49.88\00:54:53.42
when the hour of
His judgment has come.
00:54:53.46\00:54:55.62
By the way, look at
Romans Chapter 2 at some point
00:54:55.66\00:54:57.66
when the Apostle
Paul talked about the day
00:54:57.69\00:55:00.16
when God will judge the secrets
of men by Jesus Christ, comma,
00:55:00.20\00:55:04.37
according to My gospel.
00:55:04.40\00:55:07.17
Jesus talked about
you'll be justified by your
00:55:07.20\00:55:09.04
work in the Day of Judgment.
00:55:09.07\00:55:11.27
The Apostle Paul also
talked about righteousness,
00:55:11.31\00:55:13.54
self-control and
the judgment to come
00:55:13.58\00:55:15.24
when he preached the gospel,
00:55:15.28\00:55:16.61
he was preaching
the whole gospel,
00:55:16.64\00:55:18.18
including
Christ's work as judge.
00:55:18.21\00:55:21.78
And again, Revelation 14:6-7,
that first angel's message
00:55:21.82\00:55:25.89
reveals that we are
living in the judgment hour.
00:55:25.92\00:55:30.43
Yet far too often
the very church God
00:55:30.46\00:55:32.26
is raised up to
give this gospel message
00:55:32.29\00:55:34.36
of Christ pre-advent judgment.
00:55:34.40\00:55:36.16
Those commissioned to
sound the alarm and warn
00:55:36.20\00:55:38.23
the world say
almost nothing about it.
00:55:38.27\00:55:41.34
Seventh-day Adventists
00:55:41.37\00:55:42.70
who don't share this
message are like Noah
00:55:42.74\00:55:44.44
failing to mention the
boat or John the Baptist
00:55:44.47\00:55:46.51
not pointing to
Jesus in the crowd.
00:55:46.54\00:55:49.54
And just as Nicodemus
wasn't really confused about
00:55:49.58\00:55:52.28
the logistics of
being born again,
00:55:52.31\00:55:54.35
but merely feigned
confusion in order to avoid
00:55:54.38\00:55:56.99
a clear but uncomfortable truth.
00:55:57.02\00:55:59.02
The reason we don't
focus on the present truth
00:55:59.05\00:56:01.49
of Christ's Most Holy Place
ministry isn't because we don't
00:56:01.52\00:56:04.89
understand it.
00:56:04.93\00:56:06.73
The difficulty many
have with the doctrine
00:56:06.76\00:56:08.83
of the investigative judgment
isn't a lack of clarity about
00:56:08.86\00:56:11.53
the sanctuary
structure or even disagreement
00:56:11.57\00:56:14.10
about the date 1844.
00:56:14.14\00:56:16.71
The real issue is that
Christians, including I believe
00:56:16.74\00:56:19.27
a great many Seventh-day
Adventists have come to regard
00:56:19.31\00:56:22.48
judgment itself as
separate from or even
00:56:22.51\00:56:25.48
antithetical to the gospel.
00:56:25.51\00:56:28.25
Thus, we imagine investigative
judgment that involves
00:56:28.28\00:56:31.15
no
investigating and no judgment.
00:56:31.19\00:56:34.82
We seem to believe
that there's this gospel
00:56:34.86\00:56:36.96
over here by
which people are saved.
00:56:36.99\00:56:38.99
And then in addition,
there is this special judgment
00:56:39.03\00:56:41.73
message unique
to the Seventh-day
00:56:41.76\00:56:43.37
Adventist Church, which
most of us don't understand
00:56:43.40\00:56:45.80
and nobody else
really needs to hear.
00:56:45.83\00:56:49.40
Friends, I believe
that is a grave error.
00:56:49.44\00:56:52.14
I believe that Satan
is inventing a number
00:56:52.17\00:56:54.58
of ways to occupy our
minds from the very message
00:56:54.61\00:56:56.51
we're supposed to give.
00:56:56.54\00:56:58.51
And what's incredible,
friends, this is exactly
00:56:58.55\00:57:00.38
how Satan wants it.
00:57:00.42\00:57:01.75
Listen to this passage,
Satan invents unnumbered
00:57:01.78\00:57:04.82
schemes to occupy our
minds that they may not dwell
00:57:04.85\00:57:07.76
upon the very work
which we ought to be best
00:57:07.79\00:57:10.89
acquainted with.
00:57:10.93\00:57:12.26
The arch deceiver
hates the great truths
00:57:12.29\00:57:13.76
that bring to view an
atoning sacrifice in an all
00:57:13.80\00:57:16.06
powerful mediator.
00:57:16.10\00:57:17.53
He knows that with him,
everything depends on diverting
00:57:17.57\00:57:20.30
minds from Jesus and His truth.
00:57:20.34\00:57:23.30
She goes on to say, all
need a knowledge for themselves
00:57:23.34\00:57:26.14
of the position and work
of their great high priest,
00:57:26.17\00:57:28.88
otherwise it will be impossible
for them to exercise the faith
00:57:28.91\00:57:32.21
which is essential at this
time or to occupy the position
00:57:32.25\00:57:35.25
which God designs them to fill.
00:57:35.28\00:57:37.49
My friends, let me ask
you today, how many of you,
00:57:37.52\00:57:39.49
like me want to be
filling the position
00:57:39.52\00:57:42.29
God wants us to fill and have
the faith He wants us to have?
00:57:42.32\00:57:44.99
Let's look to Jesus,
present Jesus High Priest Jesus
00:57:45.03\00:57:49.53
as He soon to return.
00:57:49.56\00:57:50.90
His body was broken,
00:57:53.97\00:57:57.24
so that we could live, giving
us the gift of eternal life.
00:57:57.27\00:58:02.98
He pursues us relentlessly
with an everlasting love
00:58:03.01\00:58:08.22
regardless of our
failures and mistakes,
00:58:08.25\00:58:12.12
the One who
loves us like no other.
00:58:12.15\00:58:16.19
This is who Jesus is.
00:58:16.22\00:58:18.83