The hour is urgent, as darkness
is dispelled by the light of
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God's Word, a new day begins.
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Jesus, the light of
the world is shining.
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Prepare your hearts to
proclaim the final cry.
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This is 3ABN
Summer Camp Meeting.
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Good evening and welcome
to 3ABN Summer Camp Meeting.
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Happy Sabbath!
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What a privilege to be
worshipping together as
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brothers and sisters here on
Sabbath, our theme, preparing
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to proclaim the final cry.
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It is my great privilege and
honor to introduce the speaker
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of the hour,
Pastor Ryan Johnson.
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We've worked with him here
at 3ABN and our Dare to Dream
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Network for
probably over a decade.
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He's an ordained minister of
the gospel, serving as a pastor
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for over a decade as well,
but recently he joined the 3ABN
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team.
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manager of our 3ABN Dare
to Dream Network, and his
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beautiful wife, Anissa,
ministers with him as well in
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our Dare to Dream Network.
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They have two
children, Jalen and Carson.
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What I like most about Pastor
Ryan, he is a heart for God.
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He loves the Word of God,
and he loves sharing that with
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people.
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He has a pastor's heart,
and you will be blessed this
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evening as he
shares, people need the Lord.
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The harvest is ripe.
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Before he shares, we're
going to have music from Melody
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Firestone and Tim
Parton, People Need the Lord.
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After they minister, the next
voice you will hear is that of
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our pastor and
friend, Ryan Johnson.
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In their eyes, empty people
filled with care, headed who
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knows where.
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On they go through private
pain, living fear to fear.
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Laughter hides
their silent cries.
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Only Jesus hears.
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People need the Lord.
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People need the Lord.
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At the end of broken
dreams, He's the open door.
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People need the Lord.
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Until
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we realize,
people need the Lord.
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We are called to take His light
to a world where wrong seems
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right.
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What could be too great a cost
for sharing life with one who's
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lost?
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Through His love, our hearts
can feel all the grief they
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bear.
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They must hear the words
of life only we can share.
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People need the Lord.
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People need the Lord.
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At the end of broken
dreams, He's the open door.
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People need the
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Lord.
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We realize that we must
give our lives for people need
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people.
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We had two medical
emergencies here all today.
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You know, I was backstage
for the first medical emergency
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that we had, sitting there
talking to the sister when the
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emergency hit.
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And all of 3ABN came together.
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There's a whole crew of people
that you don't see all of.
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They're wearing black shirts.
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There's one right there.
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You'll see them.
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These guys are hard
working and they're in the back.
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And when the emergency
hit, they all came together and
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people were bringing whatever
medical expertise they had.
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And Sister Jill called 911
and it was all the hubbub that's
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around an emergency.
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And then there was a lull.
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I was sitting there.
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And I heard it.
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I heard it.
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The whisper of people praying.
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When you stepped into the hall,
there were people in the hall
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with their hands up praying.
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And I thought to myself, praise
the Lord that this is a church
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that knows how to pray.
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Thank you, Jesus, that this
is a church who knows where the
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help comes from.
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Aren't you ready
to go home with Jesus?
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Aren't you tired of this world?
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Can't you just hear the
trumpet as the song says?
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Can't you just see your
reflection as you walk clinkety
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clink in your brand new heaven
shoes on the sea of glass?
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Can you not wait until you can
think about all the things the
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Lord has brought you over?
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All the things the Lord
has brought you through?
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And you can say, freedom,
freedom, victory in Jesus, my
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Savior forever.
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The sun is down, isn't it?
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And the hours of another
Sabbath have come upon us.
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This wonderful precious time
that we get to spend with our
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Creator.
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Can you imagine the
first Sabbath from space?
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The arc of the newly made
world and that halo that the sun
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makes when it goes down over
the horizon to the other side.
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And somewhere in the
garden, the brand new couple are
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getting to know each other
and the birds are roosting.
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And the animals are
nesting for the first time.
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And God looked at everything
that He had made and He said,
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that's good.
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And rested on the seventh day,
wherefore the Lord blessed the
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Sabbath day and holiday.
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You know what?
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Let's go there.
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Let's go to Genesis chapter 1.
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I'm going to begin in verse 1.
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In the beginning, God created
the heaven and the earth.
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Amen.
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And the earth was
without form and void.
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That word form in
the Hebrew is tohu.
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It means that it was shapeless.
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It was ugly.
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It was in an unfavorable
geometric configuration.
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It was out of shape.
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You remember COVID?
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You remember COVID.
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We were stuck at home during
COVID and I was sitting there
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trying to
minister over the phone.
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And I gained an
affinity for Cheez-its.
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I'll fight you
for some Cheez -its.
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Man, you get a box.
00:10:06.27\00:10:07.20
I don't even
pour them in my lap.
00:10:07.20\00:10:07.24
Just eat them out the
box like that right there.
00:10:08.40\00:10:10.61
Trying my best to stay in shape.
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But I tell you, when the
band was lifted and we went
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squinting into the sunlight,
all those Cheez-its had me
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without form.
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I was in an
unfavorable configuration.
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Had some work to do on myself.
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Come on church.
00:10:33.86\00:10:34.56
But the Bible says the earth
was without form tohu and it
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was void.
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And that word is wabohu.
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Tohu wabohu.
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You know what?
00:10:44.41\00:10:45.34
That's not the only place
that this description of the pre
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-creation earth is given.
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Tohu wabohu.
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Just keep your finger
there in Genesis chapter 1.
00:10:51.91\00:10:54.55
And I'm going to go over to the
book of Jeremiah and listen to
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what it says in
Jeremiah chapter 4.
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Believe that is.
00:11:01.69\00:11:02.32
I'm going to start
reading in verse 23.
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Jeremiah is talking.
00:11:04.36\00:11:05.19
It was dark.
00:11:16.34\00:11:18.01
Hmm.
00:11:18.17\00:11:18.44
The birds of the
heaven were fled.
00:11:27.18\00:11:29.08
What in the world is
Jeremiah talking about?
00:11:29.18\00:11:31.69
If you read it, Jeremiah is
speaking prophetically about
00:11:32.19\00:11:36.56
what the earth would look like
after the second coming when
00:11:36.56\00:11:41.36
Christ has come and gone.
00:11:41.36\00:11:43.16
The world is returned to a
state very similar to what we
00:11:43.57\00:11:47.74
see in the very beginning.
00:11:47.74\00:11:49.37
Tohu wabohu
without form and void.
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It becomes clear that something
a little bit more is being
00:11:52.67\00:11:56.18
described here.
00:11:56.18\00:11:57.25
Not just the geometric
configuration of the earth.
00:11:57.25\00:12:01.12
Let's go on back
to Genesis chapter 1.
00:12:01.32\00:12:03.35
In the beginning, God created
the heaven and the earth.
00:12:03.62\00:12:05.52
And the earth was without form.
00:12:05.65\00:12:07.06
Tohu and void wabohu.
00:12:07.32\00:12:08.92
And then it says darkness
was upon the face of the deep.
00:12:09.06\00:12:14.20
This is what it looks like
when Christ is not active in a
00:12:15.10\00:12:22.60
situation.
00:12:22.60\00:12:23.14
Your life can be without form.
00:12:24.54\00:12:26.31
And void.
00:12:27.08\00:12:27.84
And dark.
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Are you with me?
00:12:29.84\00:12:30.75
Your marriage
can be without form.
00:12:31.88\00:12:33.68
Oh, help me, Holy Ghost.
00:12:33.78\00:12:34.98
And void.
00:12:35.98\00:12:36.69
And I hate to say it,
there's some dark marriages.
00:12:37.55\00:12:39.92
Your spiritual relationship
can be out of shape.
00:12:40.56\00:12:44.06
The world is serving as a
metaphor for what it looks like
00:12:44.23\00:12:48.50
before the Lord gets busy.
00:12:48.50\00:12:50.43
Help us, Lord.
00:12:50.70\00:12:51.67
Don't leave us
in the dark, Lord.
00:12:51.83\00:12:53.77
Don't leave us shapeless, Lord.
00:12:53.90\00:12:55.64
Don't leave us empty, Lord.
00:12:55.64\00:12:57.51
And so I praise the name of
the Lord that it goes on to say,
00:12:57.71\00:13:01.21
and the Spirit of God.
00:13:01.74\00:13:04.18
The Spirit moved upon
the face of the waters.
00:13:09.55\00:13:14.76
That's what it says in my Bible.
00:13:14.76\00:13:14.79
Now in your Bible, it may say
the Spirit of God hovered above
00:13:17.26\00:13:21.86
the face.
00:13:21.86\00:13:23.47
Now the original word there
in the Hebrew is Marakhafeth.
00:13:24.63\00:13:27.80
This movement of the Spirit.
00:13:28.80\00:13:30.91
I love how Sister Jill
was talking about the Spirit
00:13:31.04\00:13:33.21
earlier.
00:13:33.21\00:13:33.74
That word Marakhafeth, we
don't have time to go there.
00:13:34.31\00:13:36.75
It shows up also in Scripture.
00:13:36.78\00:13:38.31
You can find it in Deuteronomy.
00:13:38.55\00:13:40.62
As God is described as an
eagle, come on church, with the
00:13:41.92\00:13:47.32
wings stretched out, protecting
God's people, brooding as we
00:13:47.32\00:13:52.26
are told.
00:13:52.26\00:13:52.66
Marakhafeth hovering.
00:13:53.93\00:13:54.93
Can you see the Spirit moving
over the waters in the pre
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-creation earth?
00:13:59.37\00:14:00.20
Can you see?
00:14:00.54\00:14:02.34
Have mercy.
00:14:03.30\00:14:04.27
Because you know we are living
in an age where the Holy Spirit
00:14:05.11\00:14:08.98
is under assault.
00:14:08.98\00:14:09.71
Anybody ever notice that?
00:14:09.88\00:14:10.65
Jesus said he would send the
comforter, sent the comforter,
00:14:11.85\00:14:14.38
and we have the nerve to
say there is no comforter.
00:14:14.58\00:14:17.12
Preacher, get up and say
I can see the Spirit moving.
00:14:18.55\00:14:20.99
I can see the Spirit working.
00:14:20.99\00:14:22.82
And somebody said there is
no Spirit, so there is no work.
00:14:23.02\00:14:25.99
But I find that the Spirit
defines himself right here in
00:14:26.96\00:14:30.43
these verses.
00:14:30.43\00:14:30.97
Let's look at it.
00:14:31.07\00:14:37.57
waters, hovered over
the face of the waters.
00:14:37.57\00:14:40.78
Now the Spirit is a person,
is not a force, but you can tell
00:14:40.94\00:14:45.81
the Spirit is
applying a force to the water.
00:14:45.81\00:14:49.52
Is doing something to the earth.
00:14:49.52\00:14:53.12
So we have the force here and
then it says moved upon and in
00:14:53.52\00:14:57.36
some translations it
says moved across the waters.
00:14:57.36\00:15:00.86
And that denotes distance.
00:15:00.86\00:15:02.66
The Spirit was here
and then the Spirit moved.
00:15:02.90\00:15:05.70
Now the Spirit is over here.
00:15:05.80\00:15:07.80
The Spirit is applying
a force across a distance.
00:15:08.37\00:15:11.54
Now I wonder how many nerds we
have out here because something
00:15:11.67\00:15:15.38
has been defined.
00:15:15.38\00:15:16.54
What do we call it in physics
when you have force times
00:15:16.54\00:15:21.15
distance?
00:15:21.15\00:15:21.78
Anybody know?
00:15:21.82\00:15:22.78
Put that on the screen
I pray so that we can see.
00:15:23.75\00:15:26.32
Force times distance is work.
00:15:26.32\00:15:29.19
Are you with me?
00:15:33.36\00:15:34.56
The Holy Spirit is at work
right here in the beginning.
00:15:35.36\00:15:39.37
Well what kind of
work is he doing, preacher?
00:15:39.63\00:15:41.17
That's a great question.
00:15:41.54\00:15:42.44
So I have a
little illustration here.
00:15:42.77\00:15:45.01
This is Plato.
00:15:45.94\00:15:46.84
Man when I was a
kid I would eat this up.
00:15:46.84\00:15:49.91
Even now I smell it
and memories come back.
00:15:51.41\00:15:54.15
This is our earth.
00:15:55.95\00:15:57.02
Shapeless and formless.
00:15:58.55\00:15:59.69
Look now and then the Spirit
of God is moving on the surface.
00:15:59.79\00:16:07.13
You know this isn't
going, we need a Bible text.
00:16:07.36\00:16:09.96
Let me just put this down.
00:16:10.43\00:16:11.60
Turn with me to Psalms 139.
00:16:11.80\00:16:14.67
Now let's just see what
the Bible says in Psalms 139.
00:16:14.67\00:16:18.71
If I can find it here.
00:16:19.11\00:16:20.44
The Bible says in
Psalms 139 verse 7,
00:16:22.48\00:16:25.08
So we can tell from this
scripture that the Holy Ghost
00:16:46.27\00:16:50.04
isn't just in one place.
00:16:50.04\00:16:51.27
The Holy Ghost
is in every place.
00:16:51.51\00:16:53.58
Which means when the Holy Ghost
is moving across the surface of
00:16:53.78\00:16:57.25
the water, he's moving across
the whole surface at the same
00:16:57.25\00:17:01.92
time.
00:17:01.92\00:17:02.38
Look at this now.
00:17:02.42\00:17:03.32
The Holy Ghost is
working and moving on the earth.
00:17:03.52\00:17:06.65
And when the Holy Ghost moves
and works, look what you get.
00:17:06.82\00:17:11.09
Got a planet here.
00:17:13.19\00:17:15.23
Some shape is beginning to come
into existence because the Holy
00:17:17.27\00:17:21.77
Ghost is moving.
00:17:21.77\00:17:22.77
Oh, I don't really have time,
but I got to preach this sermon
00:17:23.00\00:17:25.01
right quick.
00:17:25.01\00:17:25.47
Is your life out of shape?
00:17:25.81\00:17:28.04
Go ahead and let
the Holy Ghost move.
00:17:28.41\00:17:31.01
Is your marriage out of shape?
00:17:31.38\00:17:33.08
Let the Holy Ghost move and
see what God can make of your
00:17:33.35\00:17:38.52
messed up situation.
00:17:38.52\00:17:39.75
I like the fact that the Holy
Ghost didn't show up and look
00:17:39.75\00:17:43.59
at the messed up world and say,
I can't do nothing with that.
00:17:43.59\00:17:46.56
But our God doesn't just see
what is, but he sees what can
00:17:46.76\00:17:50.43
be by his grace.
00:17:50.43\00:17:52.63
And so the Holy Ghost is
moving and he's moving and he is
00:17:57.14\00:18:01.38
shaping and he is forming.
00:18:01.38\00:18:02.84
And you begin to see the
beauty of the earth coming out.
00:18:02.94\00:18:05.71
You see the beauty
of a life coming out.
00:18:05.81\00:18:07.92
He's hovering over the water
and the water is moving with
00:18:07.98\00:18:11.75
the Spirit.
00:18:11.75\00:18:12.39
The planet is
moving with the Spirit.
00:18:12.65\00:18:14.89
And when everything is
moving with the Spirit, when
00:18:15.12\00:18:17.99
everything is under the
influence of the Holy Ghost,
00:18:17.99\00:18:20.90
then God said,
let there be light.
00:18:21.13\00:18:25.30
And there was light,
00:18:31.14\00:18:32.87
but there was
preparation before illumination.
00:18:37.61\00:18:43.75
See, we as people who tend
to walk by sight don't really
00:18:45.92\00:18:50.29
appreciate things
till the light come on.
00:18:50.29\00:18:52.53
When it gets pretty, when
all of the waterfalls and the
00:18:53.36\00:18:58.27
diamonds are on the
surface, then we appreciate it.
00:18:58.27\00:19:01.04
We don't appreciate it until
the couple comes in church hand
00:19:01.14\00:19:04.27
in hand, until that sick person
gets out of the hospital, until
00:19:04.27\00:19:09.64
that kid we've been praying
for comes home off the street.
00:19:09.64\00:19:12.48
We don't appreciate it until
our bank accounts are full and
00:19:13.05\00:19:16.35
there is bread on the table,
but we don't realize that back
00:19:16.35\00:19:19.35
when we were flat broke and
didn't know where the bread was
00:19:19.35\00:19:22.29
going to come from, back when
mama was praying for that child
00:19:22.29\00:19:25.53
out there in the street, back
when you were in the hospital
00:19:25.53\00:19:29.03
and the doctors were shaking
their head in defeat, back when
00:19:29.03\00:19:32.23
the couple was at home fighting
like cats and dogs, the Spirit
00:19:32.23\00:19:36.54
was moving.
00:19:36.54\00:19:37.87
Even when we couldn't
see it, God was at work.
00:19:38.21\00:19:42.34
There's preparation
before illumination, the Spirit.
00:19:44.08\00:19:50.22
And we're going to look at it.
00:19:51.32\00:19:52.62
Pray with me, Father in heaven,
Lord, I ask that you hire Ryan,
00:19:53.72\00:19:57.19
and I ask that you would be
with us as we examine how the
00:19:59.19\00:20:03.80
harvest is ready.
00:20:03.80\00:20:04.90
People need the Lord, and we
tie it with the moving of your
00:20:06.03\00:20:10.34
Spirit.
00:20:10.34\00:20:10.67
Thank you, Lord.
00:20:11.74\00:20:12.51
In thy name we
pray, let the church say.
00:20:13.14\00:20:14.78
Well, we're going to leave
Genesis, and now we're going
00:20:15.51\00:20:17.75
over to the book of Jonah.
00:20:17.75\00:20:18.95
You know, we call Jonah a
minor prophet, but that's just
00:20:20.25\00:20:23.55
because of the amount
of works that we have here.
00:20:23.55\00:20:25.59
Jonah was all right.
00:20:26.45\00:20:27.46
Jesus talks about
Jonah, doesn't he?
00:20:28.59\00:20:30.73
Did you know that Jonah
is called one of the greatest
00:20:31.36\00:20:34.13
prophets there
ever were in the Koran?
00:20:34.13\00:20:37.23
Yeah, there's brothers
showing up in other religions.
00:20:38.33\00:20:40.87
Jonah shows up in 2 Kings
as having been the prophet that
00:20:42.34\00:20:45.94
God sent to go and tell the
king that God's providence was
00:20:45.94\00:20:50.48
with them if they would go
and take over the land that
00:20:50.48\00:20:53.62
belonged to Israel.
00:20:53.62\00:20:54.42
Jonah did some work.
00:20:54.78\00:20:55.95
Jonah had a reputation, and
I'm wondering if we can identify
00:20:56.08\00:20:59.49
with Jonah.
00:20:59.49\00:21:00.09
Let's get right into it.
00:21:00.12\00:21:01.59
Jonah, verse 1, Now the word
of the Lord came unto Jonah, the
00:21:01.59\00:21:05.13
son of Amittai, saying, Arise,
and go to Nineveh, that great
00:21:05.13\00:21:11.80
city.
00:21:11.80\00:21:13.37
Nineveh, that great city,
and cry against it, for their
00:21:13.67\00:21:16.60
wickedness is come up before me.
00:21:16.60\00:21:19.01
Jonah is sent to Nineveh
with a warning, that great city.
00:21:19.21\00:21:23.78
Now, we know the story of Jonah.
00:21:23.85\00:21:25.25
Many of us do.
00:21:25.75\00:21:26.55
We're going to
go through it a bit.
00:21:26.58\00:21:27.68
Jonah did not
want to go to Nineveh.
00:21:28.05\00:21:29.68
Why?
00:21:29.68\00:21:30.59
Well, some say because
Nineveh was so wicked and he was
00:21:30.99\00:21:33.99
scared.
00:21:33.99\00:21:34.56
But if you read further down
in Jonah, when the storm hits,
00:21:35.19\00:21:38.36
Jonah is not afraid to die.
00:21:39.46\00:21:41.63
If you go on to the end of
Jonah, right, when he's angry,
00:21:42.53\00:21:45.83
Jonah says, just let me what?
00:21:45.87\00:21:47.50
Let me die.
00:21:48.20\00:21:48.90
Maybe not just
that, he's chicken.
00:21:49.04\00:21:50.57
Jonah is a Jew.
00:21:51.47\00:21:52.37
The Jews have a bit of a
reputation for not mingling
00:21:53.34\00:21:55.81
with others.
00:21:55.81\00:21:56.38
A sectarian group.
00:21:56.38\00:21:58.58
Maybe Jonah did not want to
sully himself by hanging out
00:21:59.45\00:22:03.75
and eating potluck and
eating veggie burger with those
00:22:03.75\00:22:06.35
Ninevites.
00:22:06.35\00:22:06.86
Come on somebody.
00:22:08.69\00:22:09.82
Did you know that Nineveh
is the capital of Assyria?
00:22:11.36\00:22:13.60
Did you also know that it had
been prophesied by Isaiah, kind
00:22:14.76\00:22:18.17
of did it, Hosea, Amos, that
Assyria would be the tool the
00:22:18.17\00:22:22.07
Lord would use to bring Israel
down because of their idolatry,
00:22:22.07\00:22:25.64
familiar with that?
00:22:25.64\00:22:26.51
Was Jonah a contemporary
of Isaiah, Amos, and Hosea?
00:22:27.21\00:22:30.35
Did Jonah know that the
Assyrians might be the ones
00:22:32.75\00:22:37.12
whom God would
use to humble Israel?
00:22:37.12\00:22:40.09
Possibly.
00:22:40.92\00:22:41.56
Which means that when God
told Jonah to go to Nineveh, the
00:22:42.46\00:22:45.86
capital of Assyria, God
was sending Jonah to people who
00:22:45.86\00:22:50.10
were the enemy.
00:22:50.10\00:22:51.03
The Lord ever send you to
minister to somebody who hurt
00:22:52.00\00:22:54.80
you?
00:22:54.80\00:22:55.30
The Lord ever send you to
minister to somebody who hurt
00:22:56.17\00:22:59.37
you?
00:22:59.37\00:23:00.08
Mercy.
00:23:02.21\00:23:02.71
Whatever the reason is, this
is what it says here in Jonah.
00:23:03.88\00:23:06.48
Verse 3, the Lord sent him, it
says, but Jonah rose up to flee
00:23:06.82\00:23:11.09
unto Tarshish from
the presence of the Lord.
00:23:11.09\00:23:13.69
We just read in Psalms how
effective it is trying to flee
00:23:13.69\00:23:13.72
from the presence of the Lord.
00:23:16.79\00:23:17.99
Verse 4, but the Lord sent out
a great wind into the sea, and
00:23:18.56\00:23:23.30
there was a mighty tempest
in the sea, so that the ship was
00:23:23.30\00:23:26.20
like to be broken.
00:23:26.20\00:23:27.07
Going to verse 8, and then they
said to him, just jumping down
00:23:28.04\00:23:31.44
because the ship is there
and being tossed and there's a
00:23:31.44\00:23:33.74
storm, they said to him,
Tell us, we pray thee, for whose
00:23:33.74\00:23:37.05
cause this evil is upon us.
00:23:37.05\00:23:38.95
Because you know, when things
are going down and the signs
00:23:39.11\00:23:41.75
are evident, don't you know
the world will come and ask for
00:23:41.75\00:23:44.55
answers?
00:23:44.55\00:23:45.02
It will.
00:23:46.05\00:23:46.42
You guys are Bible reading folk!
00:23:46.86\00:23:48.79
What does this mean?
00:23:49.56\00:23:51.16
And so they say to him, all
of these things, what's your
00:23:51.79\00:23:54.13
occupation?
00:23:54.13\00:23:54.73
From whence cometh thou?
00:23:55.13\00:23:55.90
What is thy country?
00:23:55.96\00:23:56.97
And of what people art thou?
00:23:57.13\00:23:58.97
And Jonah said unto them,
look at this, I am a Hebrew.
00:23:59.00\00:24:02.84
I'm a Seventh-day
Adventist, come on now.
00:24:05.07\00:24:07.28
And I fear the Lord, the God of
heaven, which hath made the sea
00:24:08.64\00:24:15.52
and the dry land.
00:24:15.52\00:24:16.89
Okay?
00:24:16.89\00:24:17.25
We have enough evidence here.
00:24:18.09\00:24:19.22
Remember, what did they call,
what did God call Nineveh, that
00:24:19.89\00:24:23.02
great city?
00:24:23.02\00:24:23.79
And look at the phrasing here,
I fear the Lord, the God of
00:24:24.39\00:24:28.63
heaven, which made
the sea and the dry land.
00:24:28.63\00:24:31.77
And also, Jonah is being sent
to Nineveh to preach a sermon
00:24:31.90\00:24:36.10
of judgment!
00:24:36.10\00:24:36.94
Is this sounding familiar?
00:24:37.54\00:24:39.04
Tell you what,
let's have a look.
00:24:39.84\00:24:41.04
Keep your finger in Jonah, and
I'm going to Revelation chapter
00:24:41.04\00:24:43.65
14.
00:24:43.65\00:24:44.25
Is it alright if I do that?
00:24:44.31\00:24:45.21
I'm going to start in verse
6, the beginning of what we call
00:24:45.58\00:24:48.28
the three angels message.
00:24:48.28\00:24:49.38
Listen now, and I saw another
angel, this is John talking,
00:24:49.72\00:24:53.02
fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel
00:24:53.39\00:24:56.49
to preach unto them that
dwell on the earth, and to every
00:24:56.49\00:25:00.43
nation, even the Ninevites, and
kindred and tongue and people,
00:25:00.43\00:25:03.93
look at this, saying
with a loud voice, what?
00:25:04.00\00:25:07.10
Who's with me?
00:25:07.14\00:25:07.97
Fear God!
00:25:08.74\00:25:09.77
Same thing Jonah
said, interesting.
00:25:11.57\00:25:13.24
Give glory to him for
the hour of his judgment!
00:25:13.84\00:25:16.68
Here it is, it's come.
00:25:17.11\00:25:18.05
Worship him that made heaven
and earth and the sea and the
00:25:18.35\00:25:23.15
fountains of waters, verse
8, and there followed another
00:25:23.15\00:25:26.42
angel saying Babylon is
fallen, is fallen, that what?
00:25:26.42\00:25:31.69
Great city!
00:25:32.36\00:25:33.40
Do you see the
same word showing up?
00:25:33.66\00:25:36.00
Go back to the book of Jonah.
00:25:36.20\00:25:37.90
This means that God sent
Jonah out into the world with a
00:25:38.20\00:25:43.20
version of the three angels
message because they needed to
00:25:43.20\00:25:47.14
hear about the
judgment, and Jonah said no.
00:25:47.14\00:25:51.05
Verse 12, and he said unto
them, take me up and cast me
00:25:56.35\00:26:02.82
forth into the sea.
00:26:02.82\00:26:04.23
Rather die than live for Jesus.
00:26:06.43\00:26:08.40
So shall the sea be calm
unto you, for I know that for my
00:26:10.37\00:26:15.40
sake this great
tempest is upon you.
00:26:15.40\00:26:18.31
Verse 17, now the Lord
had prepared a great fish to
00:26:18.31\00:26:22.98
swallow up Jonah and Jonah was
in the belly of the fish three
00:26:22.98\00:26:28.08
days and three nights.
00:26:28.08\00:26:30.02
The fish was more
obedient than the preacher.
00:26:30.69\00:26:32.82
Alright, so Jonah is here going
through his own little time of
00:26:35.92\00:26:38.53
trouble.
00:26:38.53\00:26:43.37
excuse me, at the end of
chapter 2 it says, the Lord
00:26:43.37\00:26:45.83
spoke to the fish, it
vomited out Jonah upon dry land.
00:26:45.83\00:26:48.97
Now chapter 3 begins, and
the word of the Lord came unto
00:26:49.17\00:26:53.04
Jonah the second time.
00:26:53.04\00:26:54.58
Praise the Lord
for second chances.
00:26:54.88\00:26:57.41
The word of the Lord came to
Jonah the second time saying,
00:26:58.15\00:27:00.68
arise, go to Nineveh, that
great city, and preach unto it
00:27:01.12\00:27:06.49
the preaching that I bid thee.
00:27:06.49\00:27:08.26
Verse 3, so Jonah arose
and went to Nineveh, praise the
00:27:08.26\00:27:12.03
Lord Jonah, according
to the word of the Lord.
00:27:12.03\00:27:15.00
Now Nineveh was an exceeding
great city of three days
00:27:15.70\00:27:20.40
journey.
00:27:20.40\00:27:20.94
Now when I first read this I
thought that meant that Nineveh
00:27:21.60\00:27:24.47
was three days away.
00:27:24.47\00:27:25.64
But actually what they mean
is Nineveh was so big, it took
00:27:26.37\00:27:30.05
three days to go
all the way across it.
00:27:30.05\00:27:32.18
Look at this, and Jonah, verse
4, began to enter into the city
00:27:33.52\00:27:38.62
a day's journey.
00:27:38.62\00:27:40.59
And he cried and said, yet
forty days and Nineveh shall be
00:27:40.82\00:27:47.30
overthrown.
00:27:47.30\00:27:48.13
Now look at this, the preacher
was doing what the Lord said
00:27:48.80\00:27:51.93
do.
00:27:51.93\00:27:52.30
He is preaching that version of
the three angels message to the
00:27:53.20\00:27:55.84
world.
00:27:55.84\00:27:56.44
He begins after having been one
day into a three day's journey.
00:27:58.81\00:28:03.38
Now watch this, verse 5, so the
people of Nineveh believed God
00:28:03.38\00:28:10.09
and proclaimed a fast and put
on sackcloth from the greatest
00:28:10.09\00:28:16.83
of them even to
the least of them.
00:28:16.83\00:28:19.49
And I used to
think, praise the Lord.
00:28:20.30\00:28:22.26
The preacher went and
preached the word and the people
00:28:23.30\00:28:26.27
believed.
00:28:26.27\00:28:26.70
That's kind of true but
that's not the whole story.
00:28:27.77\00:28:29.54
Look what it goes on to say.
00:28:29.80\00:28:31.57
It says in verse 6, for word
came unto the king of Nineveh.
00:28:31.57\00:28:41.42
And he arose from his throne
and he laid his robe from him
00:28:41.65\00:28:46.89
and covered him with
sackcloth and sat in ashes.
00:28:46.89\00:28:51.43
The king repented.
00:28:51.73\00:28:53.60
Did it say that Jonah
was standing in the king's
00:28:53.66\00:28:56.56
presence?
00:28:56.56\00:28:56.73
It said, word came to the king.
00:28:57.70\00:29:02.30
Word came to the king before
the preacher got to the king.
00:29:03.74\00:29:08.28
Do you know what this means?
00:29:08.58\00:29:10.01
It means
preparation before illumination.
00:29:10.28\00:29:14.32
God's spirit was working
with the people of Nineveh even
00:29:15.02\00:29:18.55
before the preacher got there.
00:29:18.55\00:29:20.22
Let me make it plainer.
00:29:20.26\00:29:21.52
All of you all that are in
community service, don't you
00:29:21.52\00:29:24.46
know that the Lord's
been working with those people
00:29:24.46\00:29:26.83
before they show
up at the church?
00:29:26.83\00:29:28.30
Every teacher that's in here,
don't you know the Holy Ghost's
00:29:28.43\00:29:31.87
been working with those hard
headed kids before they show up
00:29:31.87\00:29:34.80
in your classroom?
00:29:34.80\00:29:35.70
For the doctors in
here, don't you know?
00:29:35.97\00:29:39.31
Now the title of this
sermon is People Need the Lord.
00:29:41.74\00:29:46.18
The harvest is ready.
00:29:47.15\00:29:48.45
And people need the Lord.
00:29:49.05\00:29:50.32
We need to preach.
00:29:50.62\00:29:51.49
We need to do
what the Lord said do.
00:29:51.72\00:29:53.72
We need to teach.
00:29:53.89\00:29:54.82
We need to minister.
00:29:55.02\00:29:56.02
We need to spread
the health message.
00:29:56.02\00:29:58.19
But I just
wanted to take a second.
00:29:58.39\00:30:02.03
Lest we thought it was us.
00:30:03.93\00:30:06.23
It's the Holy
Ghost doing the work.
00:30:08.94\00:30:12.34
Also, go with
confidence, friends.
00:30:15.74\00:30:18.95
Walk on out there
and preach the word.
00:30:19.98\00:30:21.85
You know why?
00:30:22.12\00:30:22.88
Cause the Holy
Ghost's been there first.
00:30:23.05\00:30:25.39
Go on and knock on
some doors, call porters.
00:30:27.42\00:30:30.33
Holy Ghost already inside.
00:30:30.56\00:30:32.66
But I'd like to show you
a quote from Christ Object
00:30:37.73\00:30:43.87
Lessons.
00:30:43.87\00:30:44.24
Can we get that?
00:30:44.31\00:30:45.17
This is a quote
my dad showed me.
00:30:46.37\00:30:48.38
It says, when the fruit
is brought forth immediately.
00:30:49.44\00:30:54.48
When?
00:30:55.25\00:30:55.75
Immediately he putteth in the
sickle because the harvest is
00:30:56.99\00:31:03.46
come.
00:31:03.46\00:31:03.86
When the fruit is brought
immediately he puts in the
00:31:06.09\00:31:11.27
sickle because
the harvest is come.
00:31:11.27\00:31:13.90
Aren't you ready
to go home with Jesus?
00:31:14.10\00:31:15.90
Aren't you tired of this world?
00:31:17.04\00:31:18.61
Aren't you ready to stand on
the sea of glass in your brand
00:31:19.34\00:31:22.14
new heavenly shoes, see a
reflection, shout Hosanna in
00:31:22.14\00:31:26.28
the name of the Lord and
say freedom, victory in Jesus?
00:31:26.28\00:31:32.02
Well, the harvest is ready.
00:31:35.02\00:31:38.03
People need the Lord.
00:31:38.26\00:31:39.23
What's the holdup?
00:31:39.89\00:31:41.23
Well, there is a holdup.
00:31:43.63\00:31:47.27
We do need to
preach and we should.
00:31:48.37\00:31:50.37
But there's something else.
00:31:51.17\00:31:52.84
Turn with me to
the Gospel of Luke.
00:31:54.68\00:31:57.31
We're going to Luke chapter 5.
00:31:58.15\00:32:00.25
I'm going to start
reading in verse 3.
00:32:04.45\00:32:06.76
It says it's
talking about Jesus now.
00:32:08.59\00:32:11.69
Jesus is here at this
early phase of his ministry.
00:32:12.36\00:32:15.16
I love the accounts of
this and the desire of ages.
00:32:17.07\00:32:19.70
It says he entered into one of
the ships which was Simon's and
00:32:21.40\00:32:28.41
prayed him that he would thrust
out a little from the land.
00:32:28.41\00:32:31.78
And he sat down and talked
the people out of the ship.
00:32:33.45\00:32:36.58
I wondered when I read this,
did that mean that the ship was
00:32:38.49\00:32:42.22
completely buoyant on the water
or did they bring the ship in
00:32:42.22\00:32:47.03
close enough to the land so
that, you know, it kind of had
00:32:47.03\00:32:50.23
a firm bottom.
00:32:50.23\00:32:51.03
When I read about it in
the desire of ages, Ellen White
00:32:51.97\00:32:56.20
describes the swaying of the
ship in the water as Christ was
00:32:57.91\00:33:05.38
teaching from the boat.
00:33:05.38\00:33:06.38
Can you see that?
00:33:07.68\00:33:08.72
How wonderful it is to sit
with our Savior and the boat is
00:33:09.85\00:33:14.69
gently rocking.
00:33:14.69\00:33:15.46
You know what I think about?
00:33:17.79\00:33:19.39
The Pharisees sitting there
on the land had this extremely
00:33:20.16\00:33:27.10
righteousness by works
mentality and nobody wanted to
00:33:27.67\00:33:33.31
rock a boat.
00:33:33.31\00:33:34.14
Jesus preaching truth to power
from a gently rocking ship.
00:33:37.98\00:33:45.15
Come on somebody.
00:33:45.22\00:33:46.52
And then what happens?
00:33:48.59\00:33:49.69
It says verse 5, and Simon, now
let's go to verse 4, now when
00:33:51.09\00:33:56.06
he had left speaking he said
unto Simon, launch out into the
00:33:56.06\00:34:00.84
deep.
00:34:00.84\00:34:01.34
Question, where are the fish?
00:34:02.54\00:34:05.14
In the deep.
00:34:05.87\00:34:06.84
It's okay to minister close
to home where we're comfortable.
00:34:08.08\00:34:10.98
But the Lord calls us
to launch into the deep.
00:34:12.81\00:34:15.95
The deep.
00:34:17.49\00:34:19.15
Into the places, the corners,
the shadows where people need
00:34:20.36\00:34:27.86
to be shown the
love of Jesus Christ.
00:34:27.86\00:34:30.97
Launch into the deep and let
down your nets for a drought.
00:34:31.50\00:34:37.21
Verse 5, and Simon answered and
said unto him, Master, we have
00:34:38.34\00:34:44.58
toiled all night.
00:34:44.58\00:34:46.35
Who toiled?
00:34:46.65\00:34:47.75
We toiled.
00:34:48.92\00:34:50.09
Whose work?
00:34:50.69\00:34:51.82
Their work.
00:34:53.12\00:34:54.09
Our work.
00:34:54.42\00:34:55.46
Come on now.
00:34:55.82\00:34:56.73
We have toiled all the
night and have taken nothing.
00:34:57.13\00:35:01.80
This evangelistic crusade that
we had was not as effective as
00:35:02.80\00:35:08.30
we thought it would be.
00:35:08.30\00:35:09.44
I remembered when I was a
very young man there was an
00:35:10.64\00:35:15.14
evangelistic crusade they were
having in South Carolina and I
00:35:15.14\00:35:18.51
was there helping.
00:35:18.51\00:35:19.28
And it was rough.
00:35:19.98\00:35:20.82
Not a lot of people came out.
00:35:21.48\00:35:22.65
I remember one night we took
up offering and afterwards the
00:35:22.65\00:35:27.96
deacons are in the back and
they're looking at what they
00:35:27.96\00:35:29.99
brought in.
00:35:29.99\00:35:30.49
And you think I'm kidding?
00:35:30.76\00:35:31.79
There was a dollar and
fifty cents in the plate.
00:35:32.13\00:35:34.40
It's discouraging.
00:35:38.97\00:35:40.27
We've been toiling all night,
Lord, and Jesus said go into
00:35:41.07\00:35:44.87
the deep.
00:35:44.87\00:35:45.34
Go at my command.
00:35:45.57\00:35:47.14
Go with the Holy Ghost.
00:35:47.41\00:35:49.04
And look what it says.
00:35:50.15\00:35:51.25
Simon Peter says nevertheless
at thy word, see the
00:35:51.98\00:35:55.35
difference, at thy word
I will let down the net.
00:35:55.35\00:35:59.85
And look what
it says in verse 6.
00:36:00.29\00:36:02.22
It says when they had this done
they enclosed a great multitude
00:36:02.52\00:36:09.96
of fishes.
00:36:09.96\00:36:11.33
Fishes of all kinds.
00:36:12.67\00:36:14.24
There was big fish, little
fish, shiny fish, dull fish,
00:36:14.84\00:36:19.74
blue fish, red
fish, all in the net.
00:36:20.18\00:36:23.88
Nobody said we don't want
this kind of fish right here.
00:36:24.35\00:36:27.48
Jesus didn't say to
make that distinction.
00:36:27.72\00:36:29.62
He said go into the deep,
put down the net, and don't you
00:36:29.92\00:36:33.66
know that just as Jesus
promises, he says if I be
00:36:33.66\00:36:37.36
lifted up from the
earth I will draw all unto me.
00:36:37.36\00:36:40.16
See the metaphor.
00:36:40.26\00:36:41.16
See the metaphor.
00:36:41.36\00:36:42.23
The fish came into the net.
00:36:42.46\00:36:44.00
It filled the net.
00:36:44.17\00:36:45.27
It completely blew the
expectations of the church
00:36:45.47\00:36:48.34
board.
00:36:48.34\00:36:51.31
And they were struggling.
00:36:51.31\00:36:52.44
But I want you to
see what happened.
00:36:52.64\00:36:54.61
The Holy Ghost did
what the Holy Ghost does.
00:36:54.81\00:36:57.85
Jesus did what Jesus does.
00:36:58.15\00:37:00.18
But it says in
verse 6, their net broke.
00:37:00.42\00:37:05.19
Goes on.
00:37:08.36\00:37:09.29
And they beckoned unto
their partners, which are in the
00:37:10.79\00:37:13.36
other ship, that they
should come and help them.
00:37:13.36\00:37:15.83
And they came and filled
both ships so that they began to
00:37:15.83\00:37:21.70
sink.
00:37:21.70\00:37:22.00
Yeah, the harvest is ripe.
00:37:24.71\00:37:26.34
But the church wasn't ready.
00:37:27.88\00:37:29.41
Have you ever considered
that when we are experiencing
00:37:31.71\00:37:37.49
frustrating things,
it's not them, it's us.
00:37:37.49\00:37:41.72
I don't know if you knew
this or not, but fishermen in
00:37:44.16\00:37:47.10
ancient times spent most of
their day repairing the nets,
00:37:47.10\00:37:50.67
getting the net
ready to go out and fish.
00:37:51.10\00:37:53.70
They thought they were ready.
00:37:53.87\00:37:55.00
They had toiled.
00:37:55.14\00:37:55.90
They had experience.
00:37:56.07\00:37:56.87
And when the county
came in, the nets broke.
00:37:57.07\00:38:01.38
And the ship began to sink.
00:38:01.91\00:38:04.81
Now, I would like you
to compare that with a very
00:38:05.05\00:38:11.55
similar story.
00:38:11.55\00:38:12.45
Turn with me to
the Gospel of John.
00:38:13.19\00:38:15.06
We're going to John chapter 21.
00:38:16.42\00:38:18.43
This right here is a joyous
time after what had been a very
00:38:20.33\00:38:25.57
harrowing time.
00:38:25.57\00:38:26.40
Christ had been crucified.
00:38:28.20\00:38:30.01
The disciples had been, for the
most part, holed up in a room
00:38:31.61\00:38:34.31
terrified.
00:38:34.31\00:38:35.18
And the Jesus on whom all their
hopes had been built had been
00:38:36.38\00:38:39.91
killed.
00:38:39.91\00:38:41.98
Then the women in the garden
came back, giving the word He
00:38:45.22\00:38:48.02
is risen!
00:38:48.02\00:38:48.99
He is risen!
00:38:49.29\00:38:50.59
And their hopes
are beginning to build.
00:38:50.69\00:38:52.59
Oh, mercy!
00:38:52.86\00:38:53.73
The Lord is
putting together a church.
00:38:53.73\00:38:55.26
There's a Gospel that
needs to go into the world.
00:38:55.50\00:38:57.90
And we're here in
the 21st chapter of John.
00:38:57.90\00:39:02.17
And the disciples are in a boat.
00:39:03.91\00:39:05.71
Look what it says in verse 5.
00:39:07.51\00:39:09.71
Then Jesus saith unto them,
Children, have ye any meat?
00:39:10.05\00:39:15.22
Got any food?
00:39:16.48\00:39:17.42
And they said to him, No.
00:39:18.22\00:39:20.09
Verse 6.
00:39:20.62\00:39:21.56
And he said unto them, Cast
the net on the right side of the
00:39:21.96\00:39:28.10
ship, and ye shall find.
00:39:28.10\00:39:30.90
There is no argument here.
00:39:32.83\00:39:35.54
Nobody says here, but Lord,
we've been out here all night.
00:39:37.14\00:39:40.18
It says they cast therefore,
and now they were not able to
00:39:41.38\00:39:47.58
draw it for the
multitude of fishes.
00:39:47.58\00:39:50.52
And look what it
says in verse 10.
00:39:52.05\00:39:56.09
Jesus said unto them, Bring the
fish which you have now caught.
00:39:56.69\00:40:01.06
And Simon Peter went up and
drew the net to land full of
00:40:01.93\00:40:07.17
great fishes and
a hundred and fifty.
00:40:07.17\00:40:09.87
That is a lot for a little boat.
00:40:09.97\00:40:11.44
And three, and for all there
were so many, yet was not the
00:40:11.51\00:40:19.25
net broken.
00:40:19.25\00:40:20.95
What was the difference?
00:40:21.68\00:40:23.32
The difference was they had
been through the experience of
00:40:24.62\00:40:28.06
the cross.
00:40:28.06\00:40:28.72
The difference was they
had been through ministry with
00:40:30.39\00:40:33.43
Jesus.
00:40:33.43\00:40:34.10
The difference was on this side
of Calvary, they were ready.
00:40:35.16\00:40:39.97
They had their
hearts in the right place.
00:40:40.34\00:40:42.40
They had their
minds in the right place.
00:40:42.54\00:40:44.47
When Jesus gave a command, they
just did what Jesus said do.
00:40:44.57\00:40:48.58
And they were
prepared for the fruit.
00:40:48.58\00:40:51.65
The fish came in, the boat
didn't sink, and the net didn't
00:40:51.85\00:40:55.82
break.
00:40:55.82\00:40:56.69
Yes sir?
00:40:58.35\00:40:59.62
Net didn't break.
00:41:04.53\00:41:05.46
They were ready.
00:41:06.33\00:41:07.10
Have you ever considered that
before we go out to preach the
00:41:07.76\00:41:11.97
gospel, we need to make sure
that we have ourselves right
00:41:11.97\00:41:16.00
with Christ and that the work
we have to do here begins right
00:41:16.00\00:41:20.88
here with the relationship
we have between us and Jesus
00:41:20.88\00:41:25.01
Christ.
00:41:25.01\00:41:25.85
In fact, in fact, I'd like
to put that quote back on the
00:41:26.21\00:41:30.65
screen from
Christ Objects Lessons.
00:41:30.65\00:41:32.72
You'll notice I did
not read the entire thing.
00:41:32.89\00:41:35.59
Let's go all the way through it.
00:41:36.62\00:41:37.83
May I have that quote?
00:41:37.83\00:41:38.86
When the fruit is brought
forth, immediately he put it in
00:41:40.43\00:41:44.77
the cycle because
the harvest has come.
00:41:44.77\00:41:48.24
And then it says, Christ is
waiting with longing desire for
00:41:50.17\00:41:57.31
the manifestation of
himself in his church.
00:41:57.31\00:42:04.69
When the character of Christ
shall be perfectly reproduced
00:42:06.12\00:42:12.06
in his people, then he will
come to claim them as his own.
00:42:12.06\00:42:19.33
We ask the
question, what's the holdup?
00:42:20.17\00:42:22.40
It might be us.
00:42:23.27\00:42:25.11
And Christ is working with us
just as he's working with them.
00:42:26.61\00:42:32.65
The same spirit that is
striving with people in the
00:42:32.98\00:42:36.45
community is striving with
us and we need to be changed.
00:42:36.45\00:42:41.46
And it says that Christ
is waiting to see his own
00:42:41.46\00:42:46.66
character in us.
00:42:46.66\00:42:48.50
And when he does,
then he will come.
00:42:48.73\00:42:53.34
Oh, mercy.
00:42:54.57\00:42:55.37
Aren't you ready
for Jesus to come?
00:42:55.57\00:42:57.47
Aren't you tired of this world?
00:42:58.14\00:43:00.18
Can you not wait to walk in
your brand new heavenly shoes
00:43:00.68\00:43:04.18
clinkity clink
on the sea of glass?
00:43:04.18\00:43:06.28
Can you not wait to put on
your crown and then take it off
00:43:06.55\00:43:09.92
again and just throw
it at the feet of Jesus?
00:43:09.92\00:43:12.52
Won't it be wonderful to think
back on all that Christ has
00:43:12.75\00:43:16.89
brought us through and all that
Christ has brought us over and
00:43:16.89\00:43:20.50
cry freedom!
00:43:20.50\00:43:21.63
Freedom!
00:43:23.67\00:43:24.27
Victory in Jesus Christ!
00:43:25.27\00:43:27.90
But it begins right here.
00:43:34.91\00:43:36.88
Let us not go here before we
let the Holy Ghost deal with us
00:43:38.58\00:43:43.85
here.
00:43:43.85\00:43:44.35
And the Lord is just waiting to
see his character reflected in
00:43:47.49\00:43:57.13
us.
00:43:57.13\00:43:57.77
Even as we go out and tell
the world about his perfect
00:43:58.53\00:44:05.17
character.
00:44:05.17\00:44:05.81
How do we do that?
00:44:07.08\00:44:08.24
Well, you can
preach like John Loma King.
00:44:08.98\00:44:10.98
Wish I could.
00:44:12.08\00:44:12.91
That brother got out there
today with no preparation at
00:44:13.45\00:44:16.95
all.
00:44:16.95\00:44:18.85
Everybody is not
called to do that, you know.
00:44:20.49\00:44:22.99
If you can't,
do not be dismayed.
00:44:23.49\00:44:25.93
There's a sermon that
you're preaching every day.
00:44:25.93\00:44:28.30
It's the way you live.
00:44:28.43\00:44:29.66
Go ahead and preach the truth
to somebody by living the life
00:44:29.86\00:44:33.84
that Christ would have you live.
00:44:33.84\00:44:35.74
And when Christ sees himself
reflected in us, he's just
00:44:38.41\00:44:43.48
sitting there waiting.
00:44:43.48\00:44:44.41
Just waiting.
00:44:45.61\00:44:46.28
I talked about my dad earlier.
00:44:47.95\00:44:49.18
I was talking to
him about this message.
00:44:49.18\00:44:50.69
And we thought about
this example right here.
00:44:53.59\00:44:55.86
There was a lady in our church.
00:44:57.46\00:44:58.79
Her name was Sister T.
00:44:58.79\00:44:58.83
Full name was Sister Faye
Thompson but we called her
00:45:01.40\00:45:04.50
Sister T.
00:45:04.50\00:45:05.10
Can you tell I
grew up in the South?
00:45:05.93\00:45:07.34
Man, Sister T had a
ministry of cooking.
00:45:09.20\00:45:12.34
That lady could cook.
00:45:13.38\00:45:14.68
And I used to
really like her cornbread.
00:45:16.61\00:45:18.81
She didn't always make it.
00:45:21.78\00:45:23.28
Somebody said, praise him.
00:45:23.28\00:45:23.32
Somebody knows.
00:45:24.35\00:45:25.19
But when she made it,
there was great anticipation.
00:45:26.55\00:45:28.72
Cornbread is coming.
00:45:28.86\00:45:29.89
And Sister T would go and
get the ingredients for the
00:45:31.69\00:45:35.73
cornbread.
00:45:35.73\00:45:36.53
Sister T is the master cook.
00:45:37.67\00:45:39.10
You can take those same
ingredients and you can't make
00:45:40.24\00:45:42.74
cornbread like Sister T could.
00:45:42.74\00:45:44.21
Couldn't understand.
00:45:45.31\00:45:46.07
Do you know you can
taste love in the bread?
00:45:46.31\00:45:48.91
How does that even work?
00:45:50.78\00:45:51.95
You can taste the love and care.
00:45:51.95\00:45:53.62
She'd put it in there.
00:45:53.88\00:45:54.88
So Sister T is going
to make some cornbread.
00:45:55.05\00:45:56.65
What do you put
in the cornbread?
00:45:56.99\00:45:58.45
Well, talk to me.
00:45:58.55\00:45:59.45
What do we have?
00:45:59.52\00:46:00.42
Cornmeal.
00:46:01.66\00:46:02.02
I hear that.
00:46:02.02\00:46:02.92
I hear flour.
00:46:02.92\00:46:04.56
Might get you an egg.
00:46:05.19\00:46:06.33
And you need some milk.
00:46:06.73\00:46:07.76
What kind of milk?
00:46:07.83\00:46:08.56
Okay, I heard
somebody say almond milk.
00:46:09.70\00:46:11.77
Look, we in the
south, all right?
00:46:11.83\00:46:13.34
Look, it is better for you.
00:46:18.27\00:46:20.14
I love almond milk.
00:46:20.31\00:46:21.58
It keeps me going.
00:46:21.74\00:46:22.58
It keeps me and my
arthritis from acting up.
00:46:22.88\00:46:25.18
But I just got
to tell the truth.
00:46:25.28\00:46:26.61
Sister T would
get some buttermilk.
00:46:26.78\00:46:29.25
Young folks don't
even know what that is.
00:46:30.49\00:46:32.09
There's milk and
there's buttermilk.
00:46:32.15\00:46:33.89
What's the difference?
00:46:34.06\00:46:34.66
I don't know.
00:46:34.72\00:46:35.19
One's got butter.
00:46:35.22\00:46:35.89
I don't know.
00:46:36.06\00:46:37.09
Take them ingredients and put
them out there on the cabinet
00:46:39.09\00:46:41.93
and just sit there and
look at them for a while.
00:46:41.93\00:46:44.37
And then when the time was
right, she would go and get a
00:46:45.07\00:46:47.90
pan.
00:46:47.90\00:46:48.24
Pan stayed down here.
00:46:48.47\00:46:49.54
Roll it out.
00:46:49.70\00:46:53.14
She would put everything out.
00:46:53.21\00:46:54.94
Meanwhile, the oven
would be preheating.
00:46:56.88\00:47:00.22
You understand what I'm saying?
00:47:01.35\00:47:02.35
It would start
getting warm in the kitchen.
00:47:03.08\00:47:06.42
And while it's getting warm,
she's putting those ingredients
00:47:07.79\00:47:10.79
together.
00:47:10.79\00:47:11.39
Then she's
putting the love in it.
00:47:11.63\00:47:12.96
You understand what I'm saying?
00:47:12.96\00:47:16.67
knuckles, just working it,
putting it together like this,
00:47:16.67\00:47:20.10
mixing it up?
00:47:20.20\00:47:20.94
Because, you know,
cornbread doesn't require dough.
00:47:21.30\00:47:23.07
That's just how I'm seeing it.
00:47:23.57\00:47:24.81
And she took it and she would
pour that thing in the pan and
00:47:24.81\00:47:27.78
she would smooth it out.
00:47:27.78\00:47:29.68
Got to take it to the edges.
00:47:30.05\00:47:31.31
Because the
edges is the good part.
00:47:32.01\00:47:33.72
Some folk just want
to dip in the middle.
00:47:34.65\00:47:36.52
What's wrong with you?
00:47:36.55\00:47:37.62
Let it go to the edges.
00:47:41.96\00:47:43.32
Let it get to
the right thickness.
00:47:43.43\00:47:45.16
Got to have the right depth so
that the heat can do the heat's
00:47:45.23\00:47:48.43
job.
00:47:48.43\00:47:51.57
to the preheated oven and open
it up and put the cornbread in
00:47:51.57\00:47:56.07
the oven.
00:47:56.07\00:47:56.50
Praise his name.
00:47:56.67\00:47:57.64
Shut that oven up.
00:47:58.81\00:48:00.14
And then we wait.
00:48:00.61\00:48:01.88
Now while we're waiting
several things would take place.
00:48:03.95\00:48:06.28
Somebody making the table up.
00:48:06.95\00:48:08.62
That's what we call it.
00:48:09.98\00:48:11.09
Make the table.
00:48:11.09\00:48:11.75
You're setting the table.
00:48:12.25\00:48:13.15
You're putting the forks out.
00:48:13.25\00:48:14.32
If you were to come into the
house and see the placings you
00:48:14.49\00:48:18.09
would know
somebody's getting ready to eat.
00:48:18.09\00:48:20.80
But the bread wasn't done yet.
00:48:21.76\00:48:24.33
Sister T did not depend on
how pretty the table was to
00:48:24.80\00:48:29.30
determine when to
take out the bread.
00:48:29.30\00:48:31.07
Some other things were going on.
00:48:32.64\00:48:33.91
It was getting
warm in the kitchen.
00:48:33.91\00:48:35.11
And when you walked in
you could feel the heat.
00:48:36.24\00:48:38.21
You could begin to sweat
and sometimes even in the winter
00:48:39.25\00:48:42.42
time.
00:48:42.42\00:48:42.95
It was a small kitchen.
00:48:42.98\00:48:43.49
You have to open up the window.
00:48:43.69\00:48:45.19
Let the cool air in.
00:48:45.25\00:48:46.45
If you were to go into that
house you would feel the heat.
00:48:46.59\00:48:49.62
But Sister T did not use the
ambient temperature as a metric
00:48:50.03\00:48:55.73
to decide when to take
the bread out the oven.
00:48:55.73\00:48:58.00
You could smell
the bread cooking.
00:49:00.24\00:49:02.30
If you were to walk into
the house you'd say, I can smell
00:49:03.30\00:49:06.88
cornbread.
00:49:06.88\00:49:07.51
Somebody about
to eat up in here.
00:49:07.88\00:49:09.58
But Sister T did not use the
aroma of the bread as a metric
00:49:09.74\00:49:13.45
to determine when to take
the bread out of the oven.
00:49:13.45\00:49:15.72
This is what she would do.
00:49:15.92\00:49:17.12
She would stand
in front of the oven.
00:49:17.12\00:49:18.95
Come on somebody.
00:49:19.15\00:49:19.82
And she would take
a look at the bread.
00:49:20.19\00:49:22.39
And she would watch that
bread browning up really good.
00:49:23.49\00:49:27.13
And she would watch that
bread rising up really good.
00:49:27.30\00:49:30.73
And every now and then she
would crack the oven open and
00:49:31.10\00:49:34.14
get a good look with
her own naked eyeballs.
00:49:34.14\00:49:37.57
Just looking at the bread.
00:49:37.71\00:49:39.37
And it wasn't until
the bread was ready.
00:49:40.04\00:49:44.28
When she saw the character
of the master cook reflected in
00:49:45.11\00:49:53.59
the properties of the bread.
00:49:53.59\00:49:56.26
Then she took it out.
00:49:56.52\00:49:58.56
And it was time to eat.
00:49:58.96\00:50:00.26
Come on somebody.
00:50:00.30\00:50:01.10
Don't you know that we
have signs of the times.
00:50:01.83\00:50:04.47
And it's getting
warm in the kitchen.
00:50:04.60\00:50:06.17
It is indicative but
it is not diagnostic.
00:50:06.47\00:50:09.34
Yes, I can read the paper for
those of us who still do that.
00:50:09.67\00:50:12.61
And I can see that things
are happening and going down.
00:50:12.61\00:50:15.38
It indicates that
the Lord is coming.
00:50:15.64\00:50:18.31
It is not diagnostic.
00:50:18.55\00:50:20.45
I can smell it.
00:50:20.85\00:50:22.42
Have mercy.
00:50:22.42\00:50:22.45
Just walking down the street.
00:50:23.49\00:50:25.12
The weather is not the
way that it used to be.
00:50:25.39\00:50:27.69
Signs of the times
are happening everywhere.
00:50:27.82\00:50:30.16
But don't you know that it's
not until the master cook sees
00:50:30.39\00:50:35.76
that his bread is ready.
00:50:35.76\00:50:38.03
Amen.
00:50:38.03\00:50:38.83
When he sees us reflected
the character then it's time to
00:50:40.04\00:50:46.68
come and take us home.
00:50:46.68\00:50:47.98
That Christ is watching us
waiting on us to reflect his
00:50:49.21\00:50:57.05
character.
00:50:57.05\00:50:57.65
So yes the harvest is
ripe and people need the Lord.
00:50:59.45\00:51:06.93
Let's go preach.
00:51:06.93\00:51:08.66
Shall we preach?
00:51:09.70\00:51:10.60
Amen.
00:51:11.47\00:51:11.87
Let's go teach.
00:51:12.97\00:51:13.77
Shall we do that?
00:51:14.40\00:51:15.47
Amen.
00:51:16.30\00:51:16.81
But what's the holdup?
00:51:18.11\00:51:19.34
Let us be a church that by
his grace, by his grace exhibits
00:51:21.98\00:51:29.65
the character of Christ.
00:51:29.65\00:51:32.69
He's waiting on us.
00:51:33.82\00:51:37.86
Doug Batchelor was finishing up
a crusade in Las Vegas, Nevada.
00:51:41.76\00:51:46.80
Whole lot of people that
come in to see the preacher.
00:51:50.51\00:51:52.47
I was one of
the helping pastors.
00:51:54.58\00:51:56.38
And he had given
the baptism a call.
00:51:58.95\00:52:01.02
And there were
people that came down.
00:52:03.39\00:52:05.32
There's one young lady.
00:52:06.86\00:52:07.66
I'm going to call her name.
00:52:07.72\00:52:08.56
Her name is Emily.
00:52:08.66\00:52:09.26
I hope Emily is watching.
00:52:09.69\00:52:10.69
After the service the pastors
would go out and we would sit
00:52:12.66\00:52:15.26
down and we would
counsel with the people.
00:52:15.26\00:52:18.53
Sat down with Emily
and counseled with her.
00:52:19.33\00:52:21.54
She said pastor I
want to be baptized.
00:52:22.80\00:52:24.54
She said pastor I'm
ready to make the step.
00:52:26.94\00:52:29.31
I want to follow
Jesus all the way.
00:52:31.35\00:52:33.55
Amen.
00:52:33.55\00:52:34.32
Emily didn't
look like church folk.
00:52:36.22\00:52:37.82
Emily is a child of God.
00:52:42.56\00:52:44.09
And as we sat there going
through the fundamentals and
00:52:46.19\00:52:51.83
preparing for that wonderful
Sabbath when we would have a
00:52:51.83\00:52:54.90
baptism.
00:52:54.90\00:52:55.30
She said to me you
didn't know it pastor.
00:52:56.37\00:53:00.48
But many years ago you were
doing a baptism in this very
00:53:01.64\00:53:07.75
church.
00:53:07.75\00:53:08.42
And I was sitting in
the back of the church.
00:53:09.48\00:53:13.25
I, pastor Ryan
Johnson have this tradition.
00:53:15.42\00:53:20.46
At the end of every baptism I
will look at the people and say
00:53:21.43\00:53:26.94
every single baptism is a
testimony of what the Lord can
00:53:26.94\00:53:32.37
do in your life.
00:53:32.37\00:53:33.71
You see what has happened.
00:53:35.91\00:53:37.05
Maybe you want some of this.
00:53:37.38\00:53:39.61
And I had given that appeal.
00:53:41.02\00:53:42.55
And years ago Emily heard that
as she went home and the Holy
00:53:44.35\00:53:51.73
Ghost began to work.
00:53:51.73\00:53:53.16
I didn't even know who she was.
00:53:54.76\00:53:56.53
She began to change.
00:53:59.77\00:54:01.54
It wasn't my job to change.
00:54:02.74\00:54:04.17
That's the work
of the Holy Ghost.
00:54:05.17\00:54:06.68
Years later Doug Batchelor
came in preaching the Gospel.
00:54:08.78\00:54:13.42
And there had been
preparation before illumination.
00:54:14.92\00:54:19.52
And then she said
the most profound thing.
00:54:20.86\00:54:23.53
You want to know what it was?
00:54:23.89\00:54:31.93
experienced the love of Jesus
from all of the church members
00:54:31.93\00:54:38.04
here.
00:54:38.04\00:54:39.07
Preparation before illumination.
00:54:41.84\00:54:44.58
Holy Ghost doing his
work, shaping and forming.
00:54:46.25\00:54:48.88
Pastor Batchelor coming
in preaching the Gospel.
00:54:50.92\00:54:53.49
Emily going down in the water.
00:54:56.12\00:54:57.93
It was a great day.
00:54:59.89\00:55:01.16
My wife is here.
00:55:02.13\00:55:02.70
You remember that, Nissa?
00:55:02.76\00:55:03.43
She was shy and she didn't want
to be baptized with everybody
00:55:05.30\00:55:09.30
else.
00:55:09.30\00:55:09.74
So we secured the
church on a Sunday afternoon.
00:55:11.34\00:55:14.38
Just ten church folks standing
around and a preacher and a
00:55:15.68\00:55:20.58
pastor standing in the water.
00:55:20.58\00:55:21.88
My privilege is said to her to
baptize you now in the name of
00:55:23.75\00:55:26.72
the Father.
00:55:26.72\00:55:27.39
In the name of the Son.
00:55:29.02\00:55:30.16
In the name of the Holy Ghost.
00:55:31.63\00:55:33.60
And Emily went
down in the water.
00:55:35.43\00:55:37.30
And brand new Emily came out.
00:55:39.33\00:55:41.20
But it was the love of
Jesus Christ that she saw in the
00:55:45.04\00:55:51.28
church that made the difference.
00:55:51.28\00:55:53.95
Imagine if Pastor Batchelor had
been preaching and we were just
00:55:54.72\00:55:57.69
mean.
00:55:57.69\00:55:58.35
She don't look like us.
00:56:00.89\00:56:02.26
This seat right here is
preserved for people who look
00:56:03.96\00:56:07.30
Adventist.
00:56:07.30\00:56:07.86
Oh help me Lord.
00:56:07.86\00:56:08.86
But that was not the case.
00:56:10.53\00:56:12.30
And she went into the water.
00:56:14.34\00:56:16.07
And she came out a
brand new preacher.
00:56:16.77\00:56:18.67
The Lord wants to use us.
00:56:19.21\00:56:22.34
And the Lord needs to change us.
00:56:22.74\00:56:25.75
So that we all together
may stand on Heaven's shores.
00:56:25.98\00:56:32.82
Singing free at last.
00:56:34.02\00:56:35.62
Free at last.
00:56:35.76\00:56:36.76
Thank God Almighty!
00:56:37.86\00:56:39.69
We are free!
00:56:40.26\00:56:41.83
Father in Heaven
empower us to go into the world.
00:56:44.93\00:56:50.54
And then use your power Lord.
00:56:52.14\00:56:54.18
Entering into us.
00:56:54.64\00:56:56.28
That we may be used by you.
00:56:57.88\00:57:00.52
Just as we are
being saved by you.
00:57:01.32\00:57:04.09
In thy name we pray.
00:57:05.35\00:57:06.59
Amen.
00:57:07.56\00:57:08.12
You know God has plans for you.
00:57:08.26\00:57:09.86
You just walk with
your hand in his hand.
00:57:10.73\00:57:13.06
And he will lead
you to his destination.
00:57:13.60\00:57:15.46
He will.
00:57:16.56\00:57:17.07
And he has a destination.
00:57:17.57\00:57:18.87
May he bless you.
00:57:19.87\00:57:20.90
And as always my
friends be encouraged.
00:57:21.60\00:57:24.67
God be with you.
00:57:25.81\00:57:26.61