Participants: Pr. Jëan Ross
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021448
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:34 >>HELLO, FRIENDS, WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO SABBATH 00:36 SCHOOL STUDY HOUR. MY NAME IS JEAN ROSS, I'M ONE OF 00:39 THE PASTORS AT GRANITE BAY CHURCH. 00:40 AND IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING OUR PROGRAM OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, 00:43 YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THINGS LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT TODAY. 00:46 THE REASON FOR THAT IS PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR AND MYSELF ARE 00:49 HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO AND WE'RE FILMING THE LANDMARKS 00:52 OF PROPHECY BIBLE SERIES. AND SO, FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, 00:57 WE'RE GOING TO BE TAPING OUR SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR RIGHT 00:59 HERE, ON LOCATION, IN ALBUQUERQUE. 01:02 I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME OUR AUDIENCE HERE, THIS IS ACTUALLY 01:05 OUR AFCOE STUDENTS THAT ARE FILLING UP THE CHAIRS HERE 01:08 FOR OUR SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR. 01:10 AFCOE IS THE AMAZING FACTS CENTER OF EVANGELISM AND WE HAVE 01:14 28 STUDENTS WHO HAVE COME FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE, NOT ONLY IN 01:17 NORTH AMERICA BUT EVEN OVERSEAS, TO BE PART OF THE TRAINING 01:20 PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE. 01:23 AND THEY'VE BEEN HELPING WITH THE EVANGELISTIC SERIES AND THE 01:27 OUTREACH AND SO ON, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. 01:28 I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO STUDYING GOD'S WORD TOGETHER. 01:31 NOW, WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT TODAY IS FROM OUR 01:34 LESSON QUARTERLY ON THE BOOK OF JAMES. 01:36 SO IF YOU HAVE YOUR LESSON QUARTERLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT 01:38 LESSON #9, FOR THOSE OF YOU JOINING US. 01:42 IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LESSON STUDY - OR A LESSON QUARTERLY - YOU 01:45 CAN GO TO THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD 01:47 TODAY'S LESSON OR YOU CAN VISIT THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH WEBSITE. 01:52 WE'RE ON LESSON #9 AND THE TITLE FOR THE LESSON IS 01:54 'THE LAWGIVER AND THE JUDGE.' SO YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG WITH US 01:58 BY DOWNLOADING THAT LESSON. 02:01 WE ALSO HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT WE'D LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT. 02:03 IT IS A BOOK, WRITTEN BY JOE CREWS, ENTITLED, 'THE SURRENDER 02:07 OF SELF.' AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE THIS FREE OFFER, JUST 02:10 CALL OUR RESOURCE LINE. THE NUMBER IS 866-788-3966 AND 02:16 YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #153. THE BOOK IS CALLED, AGAIN, 'THE 02:21 SURRENDER OF SELF.' THAT NUMBER ONE MORE TIME IS 866-788-3966. 02:29 NOW AS WE MENTIONED JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO, OUR LESSON TODAY IS 02:34 'THE LAWGIVER AND THE JUDGE.' THE PRINCIPLE PASSAGE THAT WE'LL 02:37 BE STUDYING TOGETHER IS JAMES CHAPTER 4 AND WE'LL BE LOOKING 02:41 FROM VERSE 11 ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO VERSE 17. 02:44 WE DO HAVE A MEMORY VERSE FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY AND THAT'S 02:47 JAMES CHAPTER 4, VERSE 12 AND THIS IS WHAT IT SAYS, "THERE IS 02:52 ONE LAWGIVER WHO IS ABLE TO SAVE AND TO DESTROY. 02:55 WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE ANOTHER?" NOW, IN THIS WEEK'S LESSON, 03:00 THERE ARE FOUR MAIN THEMES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED. 03:03 THE FIRST THEME IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JUDGMENT AND 03:07 DISCERNMENT. THE BIBLE TELLS US NOT TO JUDGE, 03:10 BUT WHAT ABOUT DETERMINING RIGHT FROM WRONG? 03:14 SO WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A FEW MOMENTS TALKING ABOUT THAT. 03:16 THE SECOND THEME THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN OUR STUDY THIS 03:18 WEEK - THE ROLE OF JESUS AS BOTH THE LAWGIVER AS WELL AS THE 03:23 JUDGE. THE THIRD THEME THAT WE'LL BE 03:26 LOOKING AT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRESUMPTUOUS PLANNING 03:30 FOR THE FUTURE AND WISE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE. 03:33 JAMES HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT. 03:35 AND THEN, FOURTHLY, NOT ONLY AVOIDING DOING THAT WHICH IS 03:38 EVIL, BUT PURPOSELY DOING THAT WHICH IS GOOD. 03:43 SO THESE ARE THE FOUR MAIN THEMES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN 03:46 OUR STUDY TODAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN BY 03:49 READING JAMES CHAPTER 4, AND WE'LL START IN VERSE 11. 03:52 AND WE HAVE DAVID THAT'LL BE READING THAT VERSE FOR US TODAY. 03:57 >>"DO NOT SPEAK EVIL OF ONE ANOTHER, BRETHREN. 03:59 HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF HIS BROTHER AND JUDGES HIS BROTHER, 04:03 SPEAKS EVIL OF THE LAW AND JUDGES THE LAW. 04:06 BUT IF YOU JUDGE THE LAW, YOU ARE NOT A DOER OF THE LAW BUT A 04:10 JUDGE OF THE LAW." >>HERE WE FIND JAMES TELLING THE 04:14 MEMBERS, 'DON'T GOSSIP. DON'T BACKBITE. 04:18 DON'T JUDGE ONE ANOTHER.' NOW JESUS PREDICTED THAT THIS 04:22 PROBLEM OF GOSSIP WILL EXIST IN THE CHURCH RIGHT UP TILL 04:25 THE VERY END OF TIME. 04:27 IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 24 WE HAVE CHRIST'S SPECIAL SIGNS 04:31 ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. 04:33 IT'S A SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR THOSE LIVING AT THE END OF TIME AND 04:36 JESUS HAS A PARABLE THAT ILLUSTRATES AN IMPORTANT POINT 04:40 THAT I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY TODAY. 04:43 SO TURN IN YOUR BIBLES TO MATTHEW CHAPTER 24 AND WE'RE 04:47 GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THIS PARABLE THAT JESUS TOLD, 04:49 BEGINNING IN VERSE 45. SO WE'RE IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 24, 04:54 AND THIS IS WHAT JESUS HAD TO SAY IN VERSE 45. 04:58 REMEMBER MATTHEW 24, IT'S SIGNS OF THE SECOND COMING. 05:00 IT'S A MESSAGE, IN PARTICULAR, FOR US TODAY. 05:04 JESUS SAID, "WHO THEN IS A FAITHFUL AND WISE SERVANT, WHOM 05:08 HIS MASTER MADE RULER OVER HIS HOUSEHOLD, TO GIVE THEM FOOD IN 05:13 DUE SEASON?" SO A COUPLE OF THINGS TO NOTE: #1 YOU HAVE 05:16 A MASTER. WHO DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT MASTER IS? 05:20 THAT WOULD BE JESUS. AND HE HAS A HOUSEHOLD. 05:23 THE HOUSEHOLD WOULD REPRESENT THE CHURCH. 05:26 AND THERE ARE SERVANTS WHO ARE TO GIVE FOOD IN DUE SEASON. 05:31 SO THE SERVANTS IN THIS PARABLE WOULD REPRESENT THE LEADERS IN 05:34 THE CHURCH - THE ELDERS, THE PREACHERS, THE TEACHERS - AND 05:37 IT'S THEIR JOB TO GIVE MEAT IN DUE SEASON. 05:40 THERE IS A PRESENT TRUTH MESSAGE THAT NEEDS TO GO TO THE WORLD 05:43 FOR THIS TIME. SO JESUS TALKS ABOUT THESE SERVANTS. 05:47 LET'S LOOK AT VERSE 46, "BLESSED IS THAT SERVANT WHOM HIS MASTER, 05:51 WHEN HE COMES, WILL FIND SO DOING." VERSE 47, "ASSUREDLY, I 05:56 SAY TO YOU THAT HE WILL MAKE HIM RULER OVER ALL HIS GOODS. 05:59 BUT IF THAT EVIL SERVANT SAYS IN HIS HEART, 'MY MASTER IS 06:05 DELAYING HIS COMING,'" - NOW IS THIS MAN PREACHING THIS FROM THE 06:09 PULPIT THAT JESUS ISN'T COMING AS SOON AS HE SAID HE WOULD 06:12 COME? NO, NOTICE IT SAYS 'IN HIS HEART.' SO HERE IS A PERSON WHO 06:17 CLAIMS TO BE A BELIEVER IN THE COMING OF JESUS - HE'S AN 06:22 ADVENTIST - BUT HE THINKS TO HIMSELF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE JESUS 06:25 ISN'T COMING AS SOON AS I ONCE THOUGHT.' AND HE SAYS IN HIS 06:30 HEART, 'MY LORD DELAYS HIS COMING.' WELL, WHAT'S THE RESULT 06:33 OF SOMEBODY SAYING THAT TO THEMSELVES? 06:35 VERSE 49, IT SAYS, "AND BEGINS TO BEAT HIS FELLOW SERVANTS," - 06:40 THAT IS GOSSIP AND BACKBITING - AND TO EAT AND DRINK WITH THE 06:44 DRUNKARDS," - IN REVELATION CHAPTER 17 THERE IS A 06:47 DESCRIPTION OF A WOMAN, HER NAME IS BABYLON, AND SHE HAS A CUP 06:50 FILLED WITH INTOXICATING DRINK AND ALL THE NATIONS ARE MADE 06:53 DRUNK WITH HER FALSE DOCTRINE OR FALSE TEACHING. 06:58 SO HERE IS SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, 'YOU KNOW WHAT? MAYBE JESUS 07:00 ISN'T COMING AS SOON AS WE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO COME.' 07:03 HE BEGINS TO BACKBITE AND GOSSIP IN THE CHURCH AND HE BEGINS TO 07:07 RECEIVE THOSE FALSE TEACHINGS OR FALSE DOCTRINES OF BABYLON. 07:12 JESUS GOES ON, IN VERSE 50, "THE MASTER OF THAT SERVANT WILL COME 07:16 A DAY WHEN HE IS NOT LOOKING FOR HIM AND AT AN HOUR THAT HE IS 07:21 NOT AWARE OF, AND WILL CUT HIM IN TWO AND APPOINT HIM HIS 07:24 PORTION WITH THE HYPOCRITES. 07:26 THERE SHALL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH." 07:28 SO JESUS HAS A SPECIAL WARNING FOR US IN THE LAST DAYS. 07:32 HE SAYS, #1 - DON'T ALLOW THAT FERVENCY - THAT BELIEF - THAT 07:36 FAITH IN THE SOON-COMING OF JESUS TO WANE IN YOUR HEARTS. 07:39 #2 - BE CAREFUL. DON'T ALLOW YOURSELF TO FALL 07:43 INTO THE TRAP OF GOSSIP AND BACKBITING. AND THEN BE FAITHFUL 07:47 TO THE TRUTHS OF GOD'S WORD. BE TRUE TO DOCTRINAL PURITY. 07:52 DON'T DRINK IN THIS FALSE TEACHING FROM BABYLON. 07:56 SO WHAT JAMES HAS TO SAY IN JAMES CHAPTER 4 IS PERTINENT 08:00 INFORMATION FOR THE TIME IN WHICH WE ARE LIVING TODAY. 08:04 THE NEXT PART OF THE VERSE, "HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF A BROTHER AND 08:07 JUDGES HIS BROTHER, SPEAKS EVIL OF THE LAW AND JUDGES THE LAW." 08:12 NOW, TO JUDGE OR TO SPEAK EVIL OF A BROTHER, IS MANIFESTING THE 08:17 OPPOSITE OF THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW. 08:20 WHAT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW? THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW IS LOVE. 08:24 YOU REMEMBER THE STORY - ONE DAY SOMEBODY CAME TO JESUS AND SAID, 08:27 'WHAT IS THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW?' 08:29 DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? AND WHAT DID JESUS SAY? 08:32 HE SAID, 'ACTUALLY, THERE ARE TWO. 08:33 THE FIRST IS TO LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, 08:36 WITH ALL OF YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL OF YOUR MIND, AND THE SECOND IS 08:39 LIKE UNTO IT, YOU ARE TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOU LOVE 08:41 YOURSELF. 'UPON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS,' 08:44 JESUS SAID, 'HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.' SO THE TEN 08:48 COMMANDMENTS IS BUILT UPON THE PRINCIPLE OF LOVE. 08:52 THE FIRST FOUR COMMANDMENTS DEFINE FOR US OUR RELATIONSHIP 08:55 WITH GOD. IT REVEALS TO US WHAT IT IS TO LOVE GOD. 08:59 IF WE LOVE GOD WE WON'T HAVE ANY OTHER GODS BEFORE HIM AND WE 09:03 WON'T WORSHIP IDOLS AND WE WON'T TAKE HIS NAME IN VAIN AND WE'LL 09:06 REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY TO KEEP IT HOLY. 09:08 IF WE LOVE OUR FELLOW MAN AS WE LOVE OURSELF, WE WILL HONOR OUR 09:12 PARENTS, WE WON'T KILL, WE WON'T COMMIT ADULTERY, WE WON'T STEAL, 09:15 WE WON'T BEAR FALSE WITNESS AND WE WON'T COVET. 09:19 SO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS REVEAL TO US WHAT LOVE IS. 09:23 IT DEFINES THE KIND OF RELATIONSHIP GOD WANTS US TO 09:26 HAVE WITH HIM AND THE KIND OF RELATIONSHIP HE WANTS US TO HAVE 09:29 WITH OUR FELLOW MAN. THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID THE TWO 09:32 GREATEST COMMANDMENTS IS SUMMED UP IN 'LOVE GOD AND LOVE YOUR 09:35 FELLOW MAN.' SO WHEN SOMEONE IS INVOLVED IN GOSSIP AND 09:39 BACKBITING, THEY'RE CONTRARY TO THE PRINCIPLE THAT LIES AT THE 09:44 FOUNDATION OF GOD'S LAW - THAT OF LOVE. 09:46 THE BIBLE SAYS 'LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS.' IF SOMEBODY 09:49 GENUINELY CARES FOR A FELLOW BROTHER OR SISTER IN THE CHURCH, 09:53 THEY'LL BE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO ENCOURAGE THAT PERSON IN 09:57 THEIR CHRISTIAN WALK. THEY WON'T TRY TO PULL THEM DOWN 10:00 OR CREATE STORIES ABOUT THAT PERSON, YOU UNDERSTAND? 10:04 THAT'S WHY JAMES SAYS IF YOU'RE INVOLVED IN THIS JUDGING OR THIS 10:07 GOSSIP, YOU'RE NOT KEEPING THE LAW BECAUSE YOU'RE UNDERMINING 10:10 THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S EMPHASIZING. 10:13 NOW WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, WRITTEN BY GOD'S 10:16 FINGER ON TWO TABLES OF STONE - NOTICE, TWO TABLES OF STONE - 10:22 ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE NUMBER 2 IN THE BIBLE? 10:27 YES, THE NUMBER 2 REPRESENTS THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS. 10:31 IT REPRESENTS A SOLID OR TRUSTWORTHY TESTIMONY. 10:35 THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, IN THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES, 10:38 EVERYTHING SHALL BE ESTABLISHED.' SO GOD'S LAW HAS 10:41 TWO WITNESSES - TWO TABLES OF STONE. 10:44 THE FIRST FOUR COMMANDMENTS HAVE TO DO WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH 10:46 GOD. THE LAST SIX HAS TO DO WITH OUR 10:48 RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FELLOW MAN. 10:51 SOMETHING ELSE INTERESTING: THE FIRST FOUR COMMANDMENTS - YOU 10:54 HAVE THE NUMBER 4 - IN BIBLE SYMBOLS, THE NUMBER 4 REPRESENTS 10:58 THE WHOLE EARTH. YOU'VE GOT THE FOUR POINTS OF 11:00 THE COMPASS - NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST. 11:03 GOD IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS AND HE'S WORTHY OF WORSHIP FROM 11:07 ALL OF HIS CREATION - FROM ALL MANKIND. 11:11 WE OWE GOD OUR WORSHIP. THE LAST SIX OF THE COMMANDMENTS 11:14 HAVE TO DO WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FELLOW MAN. 11:17 IT'S INTERESTING, THE NUMBER 6 - IN THE BIBLE THE NUMBER 6 IS 11:20 MAN'S NUMBER. MAN WAS CREATED ON THE SIXTH DAY 11:23 OF THE WEEK. THE MARK OF THE BEAST IS 6-6-6. 11:27 YOU'VE GOT THE NUMBER 3, WHICH IS THE GODHEAD. THE MARK OF THE 11:30 BEAST, 6-6-6, IS MAN'S ATTEMPT TO USURP GOD'S POSITION. 11:35 SO THE LAST SIX OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS HAVE TO DO WITH OUR 11:37 RELATIONSHIP TO OUR FELLOW MAN, THE PRINCIPLES OF WHICH ARE 11:41 BASED UPON LOVE - LOVE FOR GOD, LOVE FOR OUR FELLOW MAN. 11:46 NOW THE LAST PART OF VERSE 11 SAYS, "BUT IF YOU JUDGE THE LAW, 11:50 YOU ARE NOT A DOER OF THE LAW BUT A JUDGE." 11:55 IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW, 11:58 YOU'RE NOT REALLY KEEPING THE LAW. 12:02 IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON TO KEEP THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND 12:06 NOT THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW? IS IT POSSIBLE TO KEEP THE 12:10 LETTER OF THE LAW AND NOT THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW? 12:13 YES, MAYBE, IT DEPENDS ON THE COMMANDMENT. 12:17 FOR EXAMPLE, THE COMMANDMENT 'THOU SHALT NOT KILL.' IS IT 12:20 POSSIBLE FOR SOMEBODY TO MAKE SURE THAT HE OR SHE DOESN'T 12:23 MURDER ANYONE ELSE? YES, BUT JESUS SAYS IF YOU ARE 12:28 ANGRY WITH YOUR BROTHER WITHOUT A CAUSE YOU ARE GUILTY OF WHAT? 12:32 COMMITTING MURDER IN YOUR HEART. 12:34 SO IT IS POSSIBLE, IN SOME CASES, TO KEEP THE LETTER OF THE 12:36 LAW AND, YET, FAIL IN KEEPING THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW. 12:40 NOW THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE FOR THE COMMANDMENT 'THOU SHALT NOT 12:42 KILL,' 'THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,' 'THOU SHALT NOT 12:44 STEAL,' BUT THERE ARE SOME COMMANDMENTS THAT IT'S 12:47 IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THE LETTER OF THE COMMANDMENT WITHOUT ALSO 12:50 KEEPING THE SPIRIT OF THE COMMANDMENT. 12:51 AND THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT IN MY MIND IS, OF COURSE, THE TENTH 12:54 COMMANDMENT. WHAT IS THE TENTH COMMANDMENT? 12:56 'THOU SHALT NOT COVET.' WELL, HOW DO YOU KEEP THE LETTER OF 13:00 THE LAW 'THOU SHALT NOT COVET' WITHOUT KEEPING THE SPIRIT OF 13:03 THE LAW 'THOU SHALT NOT COVET?' YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE SPIRIT OF 13:06 THE LAW IN ORDER TO KEEP THE TENTH COMMANDMENT. 13:08 MATTER OF FACT, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN BREAK ANY OF THE OTHER 13:11 COMMANDMENTS WITHOUT FIRST BREAKING THE TENTH COMMANDMENT, 13:14 RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE 13:16 SOMETHING FROM SOMEBODY ELSE UNLESS YOU FIRST COVET IT. 13:19 AND SO THAT TENTH COMMANDMENT HAS TO DO WITH THE HEART. 13:22 IT HAS TO DO WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW - THAT SPIRIT OF LOVE 13:25 FOR OUR FELLOW MAN. NOW, OF COURSE, BACK IN THE TIME 13:28 OF JESUS, THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP, THEY WERE VERY ZEALOUS FOR THE 13:32 LETTER OF THE LAW, BUT THEY NEGLECTED THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW. 13:36 A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AS TO HOW THIS CAME ABOUT, 13:39 ESPECIALLY AT THE TIME OF CHRIST. 13:41 IF YOU GO BACK AND THINK ABOUT YOUR HISTORY OF ISRAEL, AFTER 13:44 SOLOMON DIED, REHOBOAM BECAME THE KING IN ISRAEL. 13:48 AND THE PEOPLE CAME TO MAKE REHOBOAM KING AND THEY SAID TO 13:50 HIM, 'YOU KNOW, YOUR FATHER WAS A HARD KING IN SOME WAYS. 13:54 HE LAID A HEAVY TAX BURDEN ON US. 13:56 WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO LIGHTEN OUR LOAD?' 13:58 AND REHOBOAM SAID, 'WELL, COME BACK IN A FEW DAYS AND I'LL GIVE 14:01 YOU MY ANSWER.' HE SPOKE TO THE COUNSELORS, THE OLDER MEN, THAT 14:06 STOOD BEFORE HIS FATHER AND HE SAID, 'WHAT DO YOU THINK I 14:08 SHOULD TELL THE PEOPLE?' AND THESE OLDER, WISER 14:11 COUNSELORS SAID, 'WELL, BE GOOD TO THE PEOPLE AND THEY WILL 14:14 SERVE YOU.' BUT THEN HE SPOKE TO THE YOUNGER MEN THAT HAD GROWN 14:18 UP WITH HIM AND HE SAID, 'WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK I SHOULD SAY?' 14:20 AND THEY SAID, 'YOU NEED TO SHOW THE PEOPLE WHO'S BOSS.' SO WHEN 14:23 THE PEOPLE CAME BACK, REHOBOAM SAID TO THE PEOPLE, 'MY FATHER'S 14:27 THIGH IS GOING TO BE LIKE MY LITTLE FINGER. 14:30 HE BEAT YOU WITH WHIPS, I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU WITH THE TAILS 14:33 OF SCORPIONS.' WELL, AS A RESULT OF THAT, 14:35 THE KINGDOM REBELLED AGAINST REHOBOAM. 14:38 THE TEN TRIBES OF THE NORTH SAID, 'WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO 14:40 DO WITH THE HOUSE OF DAVID ANY LONGER.' AND SO YOU HAVE THE TEN 14:44 TRIBES BREAKING AWAY AND YOU HAVE THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF 14:47 ISRAEL, WHERE SAMARIA BECAME THE CAPITAL. 14:49 YOU HAVE THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM, WHERE JERUSALEM IS THE CAPITAL. 14:52 YOU HAVE REHOBOAM IS THE KING IN THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM AND YOU 14:55 HAVE JEROBOAM, WHO IS THE KING IN THE NORTHERN KINGDOM. 14:58 NOW JEROBOAM WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THOSE IN THE NORTHERN 15:01 KINGDOM WERE JOURNEYING DOWN TO JERUSALEM TO OFFER SACRIFICES, 15:04 AND SO HE BUILT TWO GOLDEN CALVES AND HE SET THEM UP IN TWO 15:08 CITIES IN THE NORTHERN KINGDOM AND HE TOLD THE PEOPLE TO COME 15:11 AND WORSHIP AT THESE GOLDEN CALVES. 15:13 AND HE LED THE NORTHERN KINGDOM INTO APOSTASY - INTO IDOLATRY - 15:18 INTO WORSHIPING THESE VARIOUS DEITIES SURROUNDING THE NATION. 15:22 AND BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE SINS - BECAUSE OF THE VIOLATIONS OF THE 15:25 PEOPLE BREAKING GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, DIFFERENT 15:28 JUDGMENTS CAME UPON THE NATION UNTIL FINALLY THE ASSYRIANS CAME 15:31 AND CONQUERED THE NORTHERN KINGDOM AND THE JEWS WERE TAKEN 15:35 OFF INTO CAPTIVITY. 15:36 NOW THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM, WHICH FOLLOWED IN MANY OF THE SINS OF 15:40 THE NORTHERN KINGDOM, THEY REMAINED A LITTLE MORE FAITHFUL 15:44 TO GOD AND, YET, THEY STILL ALSO APOSTATIZED. 15:47 SO FINALLY THE BABYLONIANS CAME ABOUT SIX HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE 15:50 CHRIST, CONQUERED JERUSALEM AND TOOK MANY OF THE JEWS CAPTIVE. 15:54 AFTER THE SEVENTY YEARS OF BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY, THE JEWS 15:58 CAME BACK AND THEY REBUILT THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. 16:00 THEY REALIZED THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF ALL OF THEIR SINS AND 16:03 THE TRANSGRESSION OF GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, THAT ALL OF THESE 16:06 BAD THINGS WERE HAPPENING TO THEM. 16:08 SO THEY SAID, 'WE NEED TO KEEP GOD'S COMMANDMENTS.' SO IN ORDER 16:11 TO TRY AND SAFEGUARD THE PRINCIPLES OF THE LAW, THEY 16:14 BEGAN TO ADD ALL KINDS OF MAN-MADE TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS. 16:20 AND, AS TIME WENT ON, THEIR TRADITIONS BECAME MORE IMPORTANT 16:24 THAN THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THOSE TRADITIONS WERE ORIGINALLY 16:28 ESTABLISHED. SO MUCH SO, THAT ONE DAY, JESUS 16:31 AND HIS DISCIPLES WERE WALKING IN THE FIELD ON THE SABBATH AND 16:35 THE DISCIPLES WERE HUNGRY. THEY PICKED SOME OF THE GRAIN 16:38 AND THEY RUBBED IT IN THEIR HANDS AND THEY ATE IT. 16:40 THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP ACCUSED JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES OF 16:43 BREAKING THE SABBATH. NOW, THEY DIDN'T BREAK THE 16:45 SABBATH, THEY WERE FAITHFUL TO THE PRINCIPLE OF THE SABBATH, 16:48 BUT THEY HAD SET ASIDE SOME OF THE JEWISH TRADITIONS. 16:52 BUT THE LEADERSHIP HAD ELEVATED THEIR TRADITION 16:54 ABOVE THE COMMANDMENT. 16:55 NOW WHAT'S SO STRANGE ABOUT THIS, IN THEIR ZEAL TO TRY AND 17:00 MAINTAIN AN OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF OBEDIENCE, THEY TRAMPLED, 17:04 COMPLETELY, UPON THE SPIRIT OF OBEDIENCE. 17:07 ON THE VERY SABBATH AFTER ACCUSING JESUS OF BREAKING THE 17:10 SABBATH, THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP GOT TOGETHER TO PLOT HIS DEATH. 17:14 YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY SET ASIDE THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW IN ORDER 17:17 TO TRY AND MAINTAIN THEIR TRADITION. 17:19 AND JESUS, SPEAKING OF THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP, HE SAID, 'YOU 17:22 HAVE MADE THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD OF NONE EFFECT BY YOUR 17:25 TRADITIONS.' YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE CAN FALL INTO THAT SAME TRAP 17:29 OF SETTING ASIDE THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW IN ORDER TO HAVE AN 17:33 OUTWARD RESEMBLANCE OF OBEDIENCE - TO TRY AND KEEP THE LETTER OF 17:36 THE LAW WITHOUT KEEPING THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW. 17:39 I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN. 17:42 A PASTOR, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WAS ON HIS WAY TO CHURCH ON A 17:44 SABBATH MORNING. HE WAS RUNNING LATE - HE NEEDED 17:47 TO GET TO CHURCH BECAUSE HE HAD TO PREACH AND TEACH. 17:49 AND AS HE'S ON HIS WAY, HE LOOKS OVER AND THERE'S A MAN STANDING 17:52 ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HIS CAR HAD BROKEN DOWN AND SO 17:56 THE HOOD OF THE CAR WAS OPEN AND THE MAN WAS STANDING THERE 17:58 TRYING TO WAVE PEOPLE DOWN TO HELP HIM. 18:00 THIS WAS, OF COURSE, BEFORE THE TIME OF CELL PHONES AND IT 18:02 LOOKED THIS MAN NEEDED SOME HELP. 18:04 SO THE PASTOR WAS DRIVING ALONG AND HE NOTICED THAT THE MAN WAS 18:06 DRESSED IN SOME TYPICAL MUSLIM DRESS AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF 18:11 MUSLIMS IN THE COUNTRY. AND SO THE PASTOR THOUGHT TO 18:14 HIMSELF, 'YOU KNOW WHAT? I SHOULD PROBABLY STOP AND HELP 18:16 HIM, BUT IT'S THE SABBATH AND I'M RUNNING LATE FOR CHURCH. 18:19 SURELY SOMEBODY ELSE COULD TAKE CARE OF THE MAN. AFTER ALL, 18:22 I HAVE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO.' AND SO HE KEPT DRIVING. 18:25 BUT HIS CONSCIENCE WAS BOTHERED BY THIS. THE HOLY SPIRIT KEPT 18:29 CONVICTING HIM, 'YOU NEED TO STOP AND TURN AROUND. 18:31 'OKAY.' FINALLY HE GAVE IN AND HE STOPPED, HE TURNED HIS CAR 18:34 AROUND, HE DROVE BACK AND TURNED AROUND AGAIN AND BEGAN TO MAKE 18:38 HIS WAY AND, SURE ENOUGH, THE MAN WAS STILL STANDING THERE 18:40 WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO STOP AND HELP. 18:42 AND SO THE PASTOR PULLED IN BEHIND THE MAN AND GOT OUT OF 18:45 THE CAR AND SAID, 'IT LOOKS LIKE YOU NEED SOME HELP.' WELL THE 18:48 FIRST THING THAT CAME OUT OF THIS MAN'S MOUTH - THIS MUSLIM 18:51 MAN - HE SAID, 'ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?' 18:54 WELL THAT SURPRISED THE PASTOR AND THE PASTOR SAID, 'WELL, YES, 18:57 I AM A CHRISTIAN.' AND THE MAN RESPONDED AND HE SAID - HE 19:00 LOOKED UP TO HEAVEN AND HE SAID, 'WELL, PRAISE THE LORD.' AND THE 19:03 PASTOR SAID, 'WELL, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?' 19:04 HE SAID, 'JUST THIS PAST WEEK I'VE BEEN READING IN THE BIBLE 19:07 AND I'VE BEEN CONVICTED ABOUT JESUS AND MY CAR BROKE DOWN THIS 19:11 MORNING AND SO I PRAYED AND I SAID, 'JESUS, IF YOU REALLY ARE 19:15 THE SON OF GOD AND YOU CAN HEAR MY PRAYER, PLEASE SEND SOMEBODY 19:18 TO HELP ME AND LET HIM BE A CHRISTIAN.' WELL, THE BLOOD 19:22 BEGAN TO DRAIN FROM THE PASTOR'S FACE AS HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, 19:26 'OH, I ALMOST DROVE RIGHT BY. 19:28 I ALLOWED MY RELIGION TO GET IN THE WAY OF ME REALLY MANIFESTING 19:33 A SPIRIT OF LOVE AND CONCERN FOR OTHERS.' SO, IN OUR INTERACTION 19:38 WITH PEOPLE WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF MANIFESTING 19:43 THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW - THAT LOVE. 19:45 NOW IF WE'RE MANIFESTING THE RIGHT SPIRIT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO 19:49 HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE LETTER OF THE LAW. 19:51 YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE THE RIGHT SPIRIT AND THEN 19:54 TRAMPLE UPON THE LETTER. IT JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. 19:56 YOU CAN'T LOVE SOMEONE AND STEAL SOMETHING THAT'S THEIRS. 19:59 IT JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. 20:00 SO IF WE HAVE THE RIGHT SPIRIT, WE WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, 20:03 'WELL, DID I KEEP THE LETTER OF THE LAW?' 20:05 YOU WILL KEEP THE LETTER OF THE LAW. 20:07 BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS WORKING UPON OUR 20:09 HEARTS, MANIFESTING THE LOVE OF JESUS. 20:13 WELL, I THINK WE'RE READY FOR OUR NEXT VERSE, JAMES CHAPTER 4 20:16 AND VERSE 12. JAMES CHAPTER 4, VERSE 12. 20:21 >>"THERE IS ONE LAWGIVER WHO IS ABLE TO SAVE AND TO DESTROY. 20:25 WHO ART THOU THAT JUDGEST ANOTHER?" 20:28 >>ALRIGHT, HERE THE BIBLE TELLS US, WHEN IT COMES TO SPIRITUAL 20:31 MATTERS, THERE IS ONE JUDGE AND THAT JUDGE IS THE LAWGIVER. 20:37 GOD ALONE CAN JUDGE THE MOTIVES OF THE HEART. 20:40 WE CAN LOOK AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE. 20:43 WE CAN LOOK AT THE ACTIONS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THE MOTIVATION 20:45 BEHIND THE ACTION. ONLY GOD KNOWS THE HEART. 20:49 THAT'S WHY HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN JUDGE. 20:51 NOW, IN THE SCRIPTURES, HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE A RECORD OF GOD 20:55 WRITING WITH HIS OWN HAND? LET'S THINK ABOUT IT. 21:00 STARTING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, WHAT IS THE MOST WELL KNOWN 21:02 PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE WHERE GOD WRITES SOMETHING. 21:05 YOU FIND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TEN 21:07 COMMANDMENTS. YOU'LL FIND THAT IN EXODUS CHAPTER 20. 21:09 SO YOU HAVE GOD WRITING HIS LAW. WHERE DID GOD WRITE THE LAW? 21:13 ON TWO TABLES OF STONE, BUT THAT TOOK PLACE WHERE? 21:16 ON THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN. IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING, IN THE 21:19 BIBLE, MOUNTAINS ARE A SYMBOL OF A KINGDOM. 21:21 THE FOUNDATION OF GOD'S KINGDOM IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS HIS LAW 21:25 AND THE FOUNDATION OF THE LAW IS THE PRINCIPLE OF LOVE. SO YOU 21:30 FIND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - GOD WRITING THEM WITH HIS OWN HAND. 21:33 WHEN DO YOU HAVE A - WHEN'S THE NEXT TIME IN SCRIPTURE THAT WE 21:37 HAVE GOD WRITING WITH HIS OWN HAND? THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S IN THE 21:41 STORY OF BABYLON. YOU CAN READ ABOUT THAT IN 21:43 DANIEL CHAPTER 5, WHEN BALSHAZZAR HAS THIS GREAT BIG 21:46 FEAST AND THEN HE BRINGS IN THE GOLDEN VESSELS THAT HAVE BEEN 21:49 CONSECRATED TO THE WORSHIP OF GOD FROM JERUSALEM THAT HAD BEEN 21:52 TAKEN IN THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY AND HE BEGAN TO DRINK 21:55 WINE FROM THESE GOLDEN VESSELS AND HE BEGAN TO WORSHIP THE 21:59 VARIOUS PAGAN DEITIES THERE IN BABYLON. 22:01 AND SUDDENLY, A HAND APPEARED AND BEGAN TO WRITE ON THE WALL, 22:05 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN' - 'YOU'VE BEEN WEIGHED IN THE 22:07 BALANCES AND YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND WANTING.' SO THE FIRST TIME WE 22:12 SEE GOD WRITING, IT'S THE LAW. THE SECOND TIME WE SEE GOD 22:15 WRITING, IT IS JUDGMENT FOR THE VIOLATING OF THE LAW. 22:20 THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH AND SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE 22:24 LAW. SO WE SEE THE LAW. IF WE BREAK THE LAW, WE'RE UNDER 22:28 JUDGMENT, AS DEMONSTRATED THERE IN THE EXPERIENCE OF BABYLON. 22:31 OKAY, WHEN IS THE THIRD TIME THAT WE SEE GOD WRITING? 22:35 THIS IS JUST SO BEAUTIFUL. IT'S JESUS. 22:38 SO THE NEXT TIME GOD WRITES IS IN THE PERSON OF JESUS. 22:41 AND WHERE DOES JESUS WRITE? REMEMBER THE STORY? 22:45 HE WRITES ON THE GROUND, BUT WHERE WAS JESUS WHEN HE WROTE ON 22:48 THE GROUND? HE WAS IN THE MIDST OF THOSE WHO 22:52 WERE ACCUSING THE WOMAN THAT HAD BEEN CAUGHT COMMITTING ADULTERY 22:56 AND THEY HAD DRAGGED HER TO JESUS. REMEMBER THAT? 22:58 AND THEY DROPPED HER AT THE FEET OF JESUS. 22:59 BUT WHERE WAS JESUS AT THE TIME? THEY WERE IN THE TEMPLE. 23:03 IT'S VERY INTERESTING THAT CHRIST WRITES ON THE GROUND IN 23:07 THE TEMPLE. WE'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A MINUTE. 23:10 AND SO, HERE THEY BRING THIS WOMAN AND THEY ACCUSE HER OF 23:12 BREAKING THE LAW AND THEY DROP HER AT THE FEET OF JESUS. 23:15 JESUS DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY RESPOND, BUT HE BEGINS TO WRITE 23:17 SOMETHING DOWN ON THE GROUND. AND AS THOSE JEWISH LEADERS LOOK 23:21 OVER AND THEY BEGIN TO SEE WHAT CHRIST IS WRITING, THEY BEGIN TO 23:24 LEAVE ONE BY ONE. JESUS WAS PROBABLY WRITING DOWN 23:26 ALL OF THE SINS THAT THEY'RE GUILTY OF. 23:28 AND, FINALLY, AFTER ALL OF HER ACCUSERS LEAVE, JESUS SAYS, 23:32 'WHERE ARE THOSE WHO ACCUSE YOU?' 23:33 AND SHE SAYS, 'THERE ARE NONE, LORD.' JESUS SAID, 'NEITHER DO I 23:36 CONDEMN YOU. GO AND SIN NO MORE.' SO THE 23:38 FIRST TIME WE SEE GOD WRITING IT'S ON THE MOUNTAIN. 23:41 IT'S THE LAW - THE FOUNDATION OF HIS GOVERNMENT. 23:43 THE NEXT TIME WE SEE GOD WRITING IT IS JUDGMENT FOR BREAKING HIS 23:47 LAW. BUT THE THIRD TIME WE SEE GOD 23:49 WRITING IT'S IN THE PERSON OF JESUS AND IT'S IN THE SANCTUARY. 23:53 THE LAMB WAS SACRIFICED IN THE SANCTUARY - IN THE COURTYARD OF 23:57 THE SANCTUARY. AND THAT'S PROBABLY MOST LIKELY 23:59 WHERE JESUS WAS WHEN HE WROTE THESE THINGS. 24:02 JESUS CAME TO PROVIDE A WAY OF ESCAPE. 24:05 WE'RE ALL GUILTY OF BREAKING GOD'S LAW. 24:08 WE'RE ALL STANDING IN JUDGMENT, BUT BECAUSE OF GOD'S GRACE - 24:12 BECAUSE OF GOD'S MERCY - JESUS CAME TO BE THE LAMB OF GOD THAT 24:15 TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD. 24:17 AND HE GIVES US MERCY. HE GIVES US GRACE. 24:20 NOW WE HAVE ONE MORE TIME MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE WHERE GOD 24:23 WRITES. WHERE'S THE LAST ONE? WE'VE BEEN STUDYING THROUGH THE 24:26 BOOK OF REVELATION. I'LL GIVE YOU A CLUE. 24:28 OUR AFCOE CLASS HAS BEEN STUDYING REVELATION. 24:30 IT IS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION AND YOU FIND IT IN 24:32 REVELATION CHAPTER 3. 24:34 THIS IS GOD WRITING AND HE'S WRITING UPON THE REDEEMED. 24:38 GOD WRITES HIS NAME UPON THE FOREHEAD OF THE REDEEMED. 24:42 HE WRITES THE NAME OF THE NEW JERUSALEM UPON THE REDEEMED. 24:45 THAT SYMBOLIZES EVERLASTING LIFE. 24:48 SO THE FOUR TIMES GOD WRITES IN SCRIPTURE, WE SEE THE LAW, WE 24:51 SEE THE LAW BEING BROKEN, WE SEE JUDGMENT, BUT THEN WE SEE MERCY 24:55 THROUGH THE WORK OF JESUS - HIS SACRIFICE - AND THEN WE SEE THE 24:59 PROMISE OF EVERLASTING LIFE WHERE GOD WRITES HIS NAME UPON 25:03 THE REDEEMED - THOSE WHO ARE TO BE SAVED. 25:07 SO LEAVE JUDGING TO GOD BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THE HEART. 25:12 ONLY SOMEBODY WHO CAN READ THE HEART CAN DETERMINE THE MOTIVES. 25:18 THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP HAD A HARD TIME WITH THIS AND, YOU KNOW, AS 25:20 CHRISTIANS, WE TOO OFTEN ARE QUICK TO JUDGE THE MOTIVES OF 25:24 OTHERS. IT'S NATURAL FOR US TO TRY AND 25:27 COMPARE OURSELVES AMONGST OURSELVES. 25:29 WE KNOW WE HAVE SHORTCOMINGS AND SINS AND FAULTS, BUT IF WE FIND 25:33 SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE CHURCH THAT SEEMS TO BE DOING WORSE THAN WE 25:36 ARE, IT KIND OF MAKES US FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER. 25:38 AND THEN, SOMETIMES WE ARE TEMPTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE FAULTS 25:41 OF THE OTHER PERSON. JAMES SAYS DON'T DO THAT DON'T 25:45 JUDGE. YOU DON'T KNOW THE HEART. 25:46 ON ANOTHER OCCASION, JESUS WAS IN THE TOWN OF CAPERNAUM AND HE 25:51 HAD JUST STARTED HIS GALILEAN TOUR. 25:53 HE CAME BACK AND HE WAS IN PETER'S HOUSE AND HE WAS 25:56 PREACHING AND TEACHING TO THE PEOPLE AND THERE WAS A MAN WHO 25:58 WAS PARALYZED WHO WAS BROUGHT BY HIS FOUR FRIENDS TO JESUS. 26:02 DO YOU REMEMBER THAT STORY? 26:03 AND THEY COULDN'T GET TO JESUS BECAUSE THE CROWD WAS STANDING 26:06 AROUND THE HOUSE AND THE HOUSE WAS FILLED WITH PEOPLE AND SO 26:09 THEY WENT UP ONTO THE ROOF AND, WHILE JESUS WAS TEACHING AND 26:12 PREACHING THERE, SUDDENLY THE ROOF TILES BEGAN TO MOVE AND 26:16 JESUS STOPPED PREACHING AND THE PEOPLE SITTING CLOSE TO JESUS 26:19 KIND OF SCOOTED BACK A LITTLE WAYS AND EVERYBODY LOOKED UP AND 26:21 SUDDENLY THE MAN WAS LOWERED DOWN ON HIS MAT, ALL THE WAY 26:25 DOWN TO WHERE JESUS WAS. AND NOW EVERYBODY'S LOOKING TO 26:28 SEE WHAT JESUS WAS TO DO. THE PARALYZED MAN'S JUST LOOKING 26:32 UP AT JESUS. JESUS READ THE MAN'S HEART. 26:36 YES, THE MAN WANTED PHYSICAL HEALING, BUT EVEN MORE 26:38 IMPORTANTLY HE WANTED SPIRITUAL HEALING. 26:40 HE RECOGNIZED THAT HIS CONDITION, TO A LARGE DEGREE, 26:43 WAS BECAUSE OF HIS OWN LIFESTYLE, THE THINGS THAT HE 26:46 HAD BEEN DOING AND HE LONGED TO BE FORGIVEN. 26:49 AND THERE WERE SOME OF THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP THAT WERE 26:51 THERE - SOME OF THE SPIES - AND THEY WERE WATCHING EVERYTHING 26:53 THAT JESUS WAS ABOUT TO DO. AND JESUS, WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE 26:55 MAN AND HE SAID, 'SON, BE OF GOOD CHEER. 26:57 YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN YOU.' SO JESUS LOOKED AT THE HEART. 27:01 JESUS KNEW WHAT HE REALLY NEEDED AND SAID, 'YOUR SINS ARE 27:04 FORGIVEN YOU.' NOW, OF COURSE, THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES 27:07 WHO WERE SITTING THERE, THEY SAID ONE TO ANOTHER, 27:11 'THIS MAN BLASPHEMES!' - SPEAKING OF JESUS - 'FOR WHO 27:13 CAN FORGIVE SINS BUT GOD?' NOW, OF COURSE, JESUS COULD 27:17 FORGIVE SINS BECAUSE HE IS GOD. HE IS THE SON OF GOD. 27:20 BUT THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WITH REFERENCE TO CHRIST. 27:23 JESUS, KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THEIR MINDS, SAID TO THEM, 27:28 'WHAT IS EASIER TO SAY, 'YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN YOU' OR TO 27:33 SAY, 'RISE, TAKE UP YOUR BED, AND WALK?' 27:37 NOW THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION. 27:39 FROM A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE, WHEN IT COMES TO PERFORMING A 27:43 MIRACLE, WE SAY, 'OH, WE CAN'T DO THAT. 27:46 I MEAN, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR US. WE CAN'T HEAL SOMEBODY 27:49 WHO IS SICK. YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T CALM A STORM 27:52 THE WAY JESUS CALMED THE STORM ON THE SEA OF GALILEE. 27:55 WE CAN'T FEED 5,000 PEOPLE WITH JUST A LITTLE BOY'S LUNCH. 28:00 THAT'S ONLY SOMETHING GOD CAN DO.' BUT WHEN IT COMES TO 28:03 FORGIVING SOMEONE, FOR THE MOST PART, DEPENDING UPON WHAT IT IS 28:07 THAT THEY'VE DONE TO US, FOR THE MOST PART WE CAN FORGIVE. 28:10 SOMETIMES IT'S A LOT HARDER TO FORGIVE, DEPENDING UPON THE 28:12 SITUATION, BUT FROM A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE WE'D PROBABLY SAY, 28:16 'WELL, IT'S EASIER TO FORGIVE THAN, OBVIOUSLY, TO PERFORM A 28:19 MIRACLE.' BUT WHAT ABOUT FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE? 28:22 HOW HARD IS IT FOR GOD TO PERFORM A MIRACLE? 28:26 IS IT DIFFICULT FOR HIM? HOW DID GOD CREATE THE EARTH IN 28:29 THE BEGINNING? HE JUST SIMPLY SAID - SPOKE - 28:34 AND IT WAS. SO FOR GOD, PERFORMING MIRACLES 28:37 - NO BIG DEAL. HOW HARD WAS IT, HOWEVER, FOR 28:42 JESUS TO SAY TO THAT MAN, 'YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN YOU.' 28:46 COULD JESUS JUST SAY, 'OH, THAT'S ALRIGHT. YOU SINNED. 28:49 NO PROBLEM, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. YOU BROKE GOD'S LAW? 28:52 THAT'S OKAY, JUST TRY A LITTLE HARDER NEXT TIME.' 28:55 COULD JESUS DO THAT? NO, FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. 28:59 THE ONLY WAY JESUS COULD EXTEND FORGIVENESS TO THAT MAN WAS BY 29:03 JESUS TAKING THAT MAN'S PLACE, BEARING HIS SINS, AND DYING IN 29:08 HIS PLACE ON THE CROSS. SO WHEN JESUS SAID, 'WHAT IS 29:11 EASIER TO SAY, 'YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN YOU' OR TO SAY 'RISE, 29:14 TAKE UP YOUR BED, AND WALK?' IN ESSENCE, JESUS WAS SAYING, 29:17 'DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR FORGIVENESS IS COSTING GOD? 29:21 DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS FORGIVENESS IS GOING TO COST 29:23 ME?' IT'S NOT AN EASY THING JUST TO 29:26 PROVIDE THAT KIND OF FORGIVENESS, IT COST THE LIFE OF 29:29 THE SON OF GOD. AND FRIENDS, WHEN WE REALIZE 29:31 THAT, WHEN WE REALIZE WHAT SIN DID TO JESUS AND HOW OUR SINS 29:36 BREAK THE HEART OF GOD, HOPEFULLY IT WILL STOP US IN OUR 29:40 TRACKS AND GET US TO THINK TWICE. 29:43 WE SHOULDN'T TREAT SIN AS CARELESSLY AS WE DO. 29:46 'OH, GOD'LL FORGIVE ME. NOT A BIG DEAL.' NO, IT IS A BIG 29:48 DEAL BECAUSE IT COST THE VERY LIFE OF CHRIST. 29:52 THAT'S WHY JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN JUDGE, BECAUSE JESUS IS 29:56 THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS. 30:00 HE'S THE ONE THAT IS QUALIFIED TO KNOW THE HEART AND TO MAKE 30:04 THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS. THE NEXT PART OF THE VERSE, 30:07 STILL LOOKING AT VERSE 12, "WHO IS ABLE TO SAVE AND DESTROY." 30:10 WHEN IT COMES TO SPIRITUAL MATTERS, 30:13 GOD IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEART. 30:15 YOU HAVE THE STORY, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, OF GOD SAYING TO 30:19 SAMUEL THE PROPHET, 'IT'S TIME TO ANOINT A NEW KING IN ISRAEL.' 30:23 SAUL HAD HARDENED HIS HEART AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SO 30:25 GOD SAID, 'SAMUEL, TAKE THE ANOINTING OIL AND GO DOWN TO 30:28 BETHLEHEM. GO TO A MAN BY THE NAME OF JESSE. 30:31 THE NEW KING IS GOING TO BE ONE OF HIS SONS. 30:34 AND SO SAMUEL ARRIVED AT THE HOME OF JESSE AND JESSE BROUGHT 30:37 OUT HIS SONS - SEVEN OF THEM - THEY CAME AND STOOD BEFORE 30:39 SAMUEL AND GOD SAYS, 'NOT THIS ONE, NOT THIS ONE, NOT THIS' - 30:42 WENT THROUGH ALL SEVEN OF THEM AND EVERYONE THOUGHT SURELY ONE 30:46 OF THESE YOUNG MEN WOULD BE THE FUTURE KING OF ISRAEL. 30:49 BUT NO, NONE OF THEM WERE PICKED. 30:51 AND FINALLY SAMUEL SAID, 'DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SONS?' 30:53 AND JESSE SAID, 'WELL, YEAH, THERE'S #8, BUT HE'S OVER THERE 30:57 TAKING CARE OF THE SHEEP. 30:59 WE DIDN'T EVEN THINK TO CALL HIM.' SAMUEL SAID, 'WE'RE NOT 31:02 EVEN GOING TO SIT DOWN UNTIL WE GET THAT YOUNG MAN HERE.' SO 31:05 QUICKLY THEY SENT A MESSAGE TO DAVID AND THEY SAID, 'COME, 31:07 COME.' AND DAVID CAME AND WHEN SAMUEL SAW DAVID THE LORD SAID, 31:10 'THIS IS THE ONE.' AND THEN GOD TAUGHT AN IMPORTANT LESSON. 31:14 GOD SAID TO SAMUEL - AND HE SAYS TO US - HE SAYS, 'MAN LOOKS AT 31:18 THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART.' 31:22 THEREFORE, WE CANNOT JUDGE BECAUSE ONLY GOD KNOWS THE 31:25 MOTIVE. GOD KNOWS THE HEART. 31:27 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 4, VERSE 5, "THEREFORE, JUDGE NOTHING 31:31 BEFORE THE TIME UNTIL THE LORD COMES, WHO WILL BOTH BRING TO 31:35 LIGHT THE HIDDEN THINGS OF DARKNESS AND REVEAL THE COUNSELS 31:38 OF THE HEART." JESUS SAID IT'S OUT OF THE 31:42 ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART THAT THE MOUTH SPEAKS. 31:45 THAT WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO GOD IS THE HEART. 31:47 WHAT'S THE MOTIVE BEHIND THE ACTION? 31:50 YOU KNOW, JUDAS LOOKED JUST LIKE ONE OF THE OTHER DISCIPLES. 31:53 THE OTHER DISCIPLES THOUGHT, 'YOU KNOW, HERE'S A TRUE 31:57 FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.' BUT NOBODY REALLY KNEW HIS HEART. 32:01 I DON'T EVEN THINK JUDAS REALLY UNDERSTOOD HIS HEART. 32:04 JESUS KNEW HIS HEART. 32:07 THE TIME WILL COME, ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, WHEN THE HIDDEN 32:11 SECRETS OF THE HEART WILL BE MADE MANIFEST. 32:14 THAT'S WHY GOD HAS ALLOWED SIN TO CONTINUE AS LONG AS HE HAS, 32:18 ALLOWING SIN TO REVEAL ITSELF, TO SHOW ALL THE UNIVERSE WHAT 32:22 ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF SETTING ASIDE GOD'S COMMANDMENTS. 32:26 ALRIGHT, WELL LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR NEXT VERSE, VERSE 13 - 32:30 JAMES CHAPTER 4, VERSE 13. 32:32 >>"GO TO NOW, YE THAT SAY, 'TODAY OR TOMORROW WE WILL GO 32:37 INTO SUCH A CITY, AND CONTINUE THERE A YEAR, AND BUY AND SELL, 32:42 AND GET GAIN'" >>ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 32:45 IN THIS VERSE WE SEE JAMES CHANGING GEARS. 32:47 HE'S TALKED ABOUT JUDGING AND BEING CAREFUL WHEN IT COMES TO 32:50 JUDGING THE MOTIVES OF OTHERS BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO THAT, 32:53 ONLY GOT KNOWS THE HEART. 32:54 BUT NOW HE'S TALKING ABOUT PLANNING IN THE FUTURE AND WE'LL 32:57 SEE A COUPLE OF THINGS HE BRINGS TO LIGHT HERE. 32:59 IN THIS VERSE, JAMES IS TALKING ABOUT CHRISTIANS WHO NEGLECT GOD 33:03 IN THEIR FUTURE PLANNING OR IN THEIR LIVES. 33:06 THEY'RE TRYING TO SERVE BOTH THE WORLD AND TRYING TO SERVE GOD AT 33:11 THE SAME TIME. JESUS SAID, IN MATTHEW 33:13 CHAPTER 6, VERSE 24, "NO ONE CAN SERVE" - HOW MANY MASTERS? 33:18 - "TWO MASTERS; FOR EITHER HE WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE 33:21 OTHER, OR ELSE HE WILL BE LOYAL TO THE ONE AND HE WILL DESPISE 33:24 THE OTHER. YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON." 33:27 SO JAMES IS REMINDING US THAT WE NEED TO MAKE A FULL AND COMPLETE 33:30 DECISION TO SERVE JESUS AND MAKE HIM FIRST AND FOREMOST IN ALL OF 33:34 OUR DEALINGS - EVEN IN OUR BUSINESS DEALINGS - MAKE GOD 33:38 FIRST. THE KEY TO LIVING A VICTORIOUS 33:41 CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE SURRENDER OF SELF. 33:44 EVERYTHING DEPENDS UPON US SURRENDERING OUR HEARTS AND OUR 33:48 LIVES TO JESUS. IN THE BOOK 'STEPS TO CHRIST,' 33:51 WE HAVE THIS STATEMENT ON PAGE 43: "THE WARFARE AGAINST SELF IS 33:55 THE GREATEST BATTLE THAT IS EVER TO BE FOUGHT. 33:59 THE HEALING OF SELF, SURRENDERING ALL TO THE WILL OF 34:02 GOD, REQUIRES A STRUGGLE, BUT THE SOUL MUST SUBMIT TO GOD 34:06 BEFORE IT CAN BE RENEWED IN HOLINESS. 34:10 SO THE GREATEST WORK THAT WE, AS CHRISTIANS, NEED TO DO EVERY DAY 34:13 IS SURRENDER OURSELVES TO JESUS. THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS, 34:16 'I DIE DAILY.' IT'S A DAY BY DAY KIND 34:19 OF EXPERIENCE. YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING, 'WELL 34:21 SURRENDERING OURSELVES TO GOD. HOW EXACTLY DOES THAT WORK? 34:24 AGAIN, IN THE BOOK 'STEPS TO CHRIST' WE HAVE THIS STATEMENT: 34:27 "EVERYTHING DEPENDS UPON THE RIGHT ACTION OF THE WILL." 34:31 OF COURSE THE WILL, THAT'S THE POWER OF CHOICE. 34:33 GOD HAS GIVEN US ALL FREE WILL SO WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO 34:36 CHOOSE. IT THEN GOES ON IN THE BOOK - 34:38 'STEPS TO CHRIST' - AND SAYS, 'YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR HEART. 34:41 YOU CANNOT OF YOURSELF GIVE TO GOD ITS AFFECTIONS, BUT YOU CAN 34:45 CHOOSE TO SERVE HIM. HE WILL THEN WORK IN YOU BOTH TO 34:49 WILL AND TO DO ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PLEASURE." 34:52 SO EVERY DAY WE CAN GIVE OURSELVES TO JESUS. 34:55 WE CAN CHOOSE TO BE HIS. WE CAN SAY, 'LORD, I'M YOURS. 34:57 PLEASE PUT YOUR SPIRIT WITHIN ME. 35:00 WORK WITHIN ME. CHANGE MY HEART. 35:02 BRING ME IN HARMONY WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF YOUR LAW - LOVE FOR 35:06 GOD, LOVE FOR OUR FELLOW MAN - AND AS WE, DAY BY DAY, SURRENDER 35:10 OURSELVES TO JESUS, JESUS WILL DO A WORK WITHIN US TO TRANSFORM 35:15 US AND MAKE US INTO THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT HE WANTS US TO BE. 35:20 SO IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO - IN OUR BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS, 35:23 WORKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE, WE WANT TO ALWAYS BE HUMBLY SEEKING 35:26 GOD'S LEADING IN OUR LIVES, SEEKING TO HAVE THE RIGHT 35:30 SPIRIT, BEING LIKE JESUS IN ALL OF OUR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS. 35:35 LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT PART OF THAT VERSE - STILL IN 35:37 VERSE 13 - IT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A YEAR HERE AND WE'RE 35:40 GOING TO BUY AND WE'RE GOING TO SELL AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A 35:42 PROFIT. HERE IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE 35:43 CLAIMING TO BE CHRISTIANS BUT THEY ARE RELYING UPON THEIR OWN 35:46 STRENGTH TO MAKE WEALTH. THEY'RE NOT PUTTING GOD IN THEIR 35:50 CALCULATIONS. THEY'RE NOT TRUSTING IN HIM. 35:52 IN PROVERBS CHAPTER 27, VERSE 1, WE READ, "DO NOT BOAST ABOUT 35:57 TOMORROW, FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT A DAY MAY BRING FORTH." 36:02 NOW JAMES, HERE DOES NOT CONDEMN WISE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE. 36:07 MATTER OF FACT, TO BE A GOOD CHRISTIAN, YOU WANT TO PLAN 36:09 WISELY. GOD HAS GIVEN US RESOURCES, 36:11 LET'S USE THEM WISELY FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF HIS KINGDOM. 36:15 BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLANNING WITH THE GOAL 36:18 OF DOING GOD'S WILL, VERSUS PLANNING WITH THE GOAL OF DOING 36:24 SIMPLY WHAT I WANT TO DO. AND THAT'S WHAT JAMES IS TALKING 36:27 ABOUT. HERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PLANNING THEIR FUTURE - 36:29 IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT GOD'S PLAN MIGHT BE FOR THEM, THEY'RE 36:32 BUILDING THEIR OWN PLANS. JAMES SAYS 'YOU CAN'T DO THIS. 36:35 YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TOMORROW IS GOING TO BRING.' IN MATTHEW 36:39 CHAPTER 6, VERSE 33, JESUS SAID, "BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE" - WHAT? 36:43 - "THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE 36:47 THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU." NOW WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO 36:51 SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD? WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD? 36:55 WELL, THERE'S DIFFERENT PARTS TO GOD'S KINGDOM. 36:58 WE THINK OF THE KINGDOM OF GLORY. 36:59 WHEN WE THINK OF THE KINGDOM OF GLORY WE THINK OF JESUS COMING 37:01 IN THE CLOUDS OF GLORY WITH ALL OF THE ANGELS. 37:04 WE THINK ABOUT HEAVEN. WE THINK ABOUT THE MANSIONS THAT 37:07 JESUS IS PREPARING FOR THOSE THAT LOVE HIM. 37:08 BUT THERE IS A SECOND ASPECT TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 37:11 WE CALL THAT THE KINGDOM OF GRACE. AND THAT IS THE SPIRIT OF 37:15 GOD WORKING IN OUR HEARTS AND LIVES EVEN NOW. 37:18 YOU SEE, ANYONE WHO HAS JESUS SEATED ON THE THRONE OF THEIR 37:22 HEART AND MIND, IS A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM OF GRACE. 37:27 JESUS SAID, 'SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD.' IN OTHER WORDS, 37:31 MAKE IT YOUR NUMBER ONE TASK - YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY EVERY 37:35 DAY TO SEEK TO PUT JESUS ON THE THRONE OF YOUR HEART. 37:40 IN OTHER WORDS, SURRENDER YOURSELF TO CHRIST. 37:42 THAT'S NUMBER ONE. SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM. 37:45 SEEK HIS WILL FOR YOUR LIFE AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, 37:48 JESUS SAID, WILL BE ADDED ON. 37:51 BUT MAKE JESUS NUMBER ONE. SEEK HIM FIRST. 37:53 NOW WE SEE THIS PRINCIPLE ILLUSTRATED IN A VERY POWERFUL 37:56 WAY BY TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS. 38:00 ONE DAY, A RICH YOUNG RULER CAME TO JESUS AND SAID, 'WHAT MUST I 38:04 DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?' SO HERE IS A MAN WHO IS FEELING 38:08 CONVICTED THAT HE'S NOT RIGHT WITH GOD. HE WANTS HOPE. 38:13 HE WANTS TO KNOW THAT HE HAS EVERLASTING LIFE. 38:17 HE'S LOOKING FOR ASSURANCE. HE'S LOOKING FOR PEACE. 38:19 SO HE COMES TO JESUS AND HE SAYS, 'WHAT MUST I DO TO BE 38:22 SAVED?' AND JESUS SAYS, 'WELL, WHAT IS 38:25 WRITTEN IN THE LAW?' AND JESUS QUOTES PART OF THE TEN 38:28 COMMANDMENTS. THE YOUNG MAN SAYS BACK TO 38:30 JESUS, 'ALL OF THESE THINGS I HAVE DONE FROM MY YOUTH YET 38:34 THERE IS STILL SOMETHING LACKING. 38:36 SO HERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS VERY ZEALOUS IN MAINTAINING THE 38:40 LETTER OF THE LAW AND YET HE FELT THERE WAS STILL SOMETHING 38:43 LACKING IN HIS LIFE. YOU SEE, A SIMPLE EXTERNAL KIND 38:47 OF CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE DOESN'T SATISFY THE HEART. 38:50 IF ANYTHING, THAT LEADS TO FRUSTRATION. 38:52 IF OUR GOAL IS SIMPLY TO JUST KEEP THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND 38:55 WE'RE NEGLECTING THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW, WE END UP BEING 38:58 MISERABLE CHRISTIANS AND CHRISTIANITY JUST 39:01 BECOMES A LIST OF DOS AND DON'TS. 39:03 AND SO THIS MAN FELT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING MISSING IN HIS 39:06 LIFE AND HE SAID, 'WHAT IS IT THAT I STILL LACK? 39:08 JESUS THEN, ADDRESSES THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW AND HE SAYS, 'IF YOU 39:11 WANT TO BE PERFECT, GO AND SELL ALL THAT YOU HAVE. 39:15 COME AND FOLLOW ME AND YOU WILL HAVE TREASURES IN HEAVEN. 39:18 NOW, OF COURSE, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE OFFER 39:21 THAT JESUS IS GIVING TO THIS MAN. 39:22 HE'S ASKING HIM TO COME AND BE ONE OF CHRIST'S DISCIPLES - TO 39:26 SPEND TIME WITH JESUS EVERY DAY - TO LISTEN TO JESUS TEACH - TO 39:32 WATCH JESUS HEAL - TO SHARE IN THE MINISTRY OF JESUS IN 39:35 PREACHING THE GOSPEL. WHAT A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. 39:39 BUT THE BIBLE RECORD TELLS US THAT THE MAN TURNED AND LEFT 39:42 SORROWFUL FOR HE HAD GREAT POSSESSIONS. 39:47 IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR HIM TO SURRENDER HIS WEALTH IN ORDER TO 39:51 HAVE THE SPIRIT OF LOVE WITHIN HIS HEART. THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER 39:56 WEALTHY INDIVIDUAL THAT HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS, ZACCHEUS. 40:00 ZACCHEUS WAS A TAX COLLECTOR AND HE HEARD THAT JESUS WAS COMING 40:03 TO HIS TOWN - TO JERICHO. AND SO HE WANTED TO SEE JESUS. 40:08 HE HAD HEARD THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST. 40:10 HE HAD PROBABLY HEARD THE TEACHINGS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST 40:12 AND HAD BEEN CONVICTED, BECAUSE JERICHO'S NOT TOO FAR 40:15 AWAY FROM WHERE JOHN HAD BEEN PREACHING AND BAPTIZING. 40:19 AND SO NOW HE HEARS JESUS IS COMING TO TOWN, SO HE WANTS TO 40:21 GO SEE JESUS. OF COURSE, THERE'S A BIG CROWD 40:23 OF PEOPLE COMING ALONG WITH JESUS. ZACCHEUS, BEING A SHORT 40:26 MAN, CAN'T SEE JESUS SO HE DECIDES TO CLIMB UP A TREE. 40:29 AND HE'S SITTING UP IN THE TREE DRESSED IN HIS FINE ROBE AND 40:33 JESUS COMES WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND SUDDENLY JESUS STOPS 40:36 AND LOOKS UP AND SAYS, 'ZACCHEUS, COME DOWN OUT OF THE 40:39 TREE. TODAY I'M COMING TO YOUR HOUSE TO EAT WITH YOU.' AND 40:42 IMMEDIATELY ZACCHEUS JUST SORT OF JUMPS DOWN OUT OF THAT TREE. 40:45 HE'S SO EXCITED. JESUS IS COMING TO HIS HOUSE. 40:48 BUT AS HE GETS DOWN FROM THE TREE AND HE'S STARTING TO LEAD 40:51 JESUS TO HIS HOUSE, HE PROBABLY HEARS THE CROWD MURMURING 40:56 SAYING, 'BOY, HE'S A TAX COLLECTOR. 40:59 JESUS IS GOING TO GO EAT AT ZACCHEUS' HOUSE? 41:01 WHY WOULD JESUS WANT TO GO TO HIS HOUSE?' 41:04 AND ZACCHEUS, PERHAPS THINKING, 'OH, JESUS MIGHT CHANGE HIS 41:07 MIND.' HE QUICKLY SAYS, 'LORD, HALF OF WHAT I HAVE I'LL GIVE TO 41:11 THE POOR. AND IF I'VE TAKEN ANYTHING FALSELY, I'LL RESTORE 41:15 IT FOUR-FOLD.' NOW, DOUBTLESS, ZACCHEUS HAD TAKEN THINGS 41:18 FALSELY. HE WAS A TAX COLLECTOR AND THEY 41:20 WERE WELL KNOWN FOR STEALING FROM THE PEOPLE. 41:23 SO IF ZACCHEUS GAVE HALF OF EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD AND THEN 41:27 HE RESTORED FOUR-FOLD THAT WHICH HE HAD TAKEN FALSELY, ZACCHEUS 41:32 WOULD BECOME A VERY POOR MAN. BUT HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT HIS 41:35 EARTHLY POSSESSIONS. HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE 41:39 JESUS COME TO HIS HOUSE AND THAT MEANT EVERYTHING TO HIM. 41:44 AND JESUS SAID TO ZACCHEUS, 'TODAY SALVATION HAS COME TO 41:47 YOUR HOME.' ZACCHEUS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE SPIRIT OF LOVE IS WORTH 41:52 MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. SO TWO EXAMPLES IN SCRIPTURE: 41:56 THE ONE WILLING TO SACRIFICE EVERYTHING FOR JESUS; THE OTHER 42:00 CHOOSING TO HOLD ONTO EARTHLY POSSESSIONS. 42:02 THAT'S THE POINT THAT JAMES IS EMPHASIZING IN THIS VERSE. 42:06 AS CHRISTIANS, DON'T ALLOW ANYTHING ELSE TO COME IN FRONT 42:09 OF JESUS. JESUS MUST BE NUMBER ONE IN OUR LIVES. 42:13 OKAY, I THINK WE'RE READY TO READ VERSE 14 - JAMES CHAPTER 4, 42:16 VERSE 14. >>"WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT WHAT 42:20 SHALL BE ON THE MORROW. FOR WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? 42:23 IT IS EVEN A VAPOR, THAT APPEARETH FOR A LITTLE TIME, AND 42:27 THEN VANISHETH AWAY." >>THANK YOU. 42:30 JAMES CONTINUES TO ILLUSTRATE THIS POINT OF PLANNING FOR 42:33 EARTHLY GAIN WITHOUT CONSIDERING GOD'S PURPOSE AND PLAN FOR OUR 42:38 LIVES. JESUS HAD QUITE A BIT TO SAY ABOUT THIS. HE TOLD A 42:41 PARABLE ABOUT A CERTAIN MAN WHO HAD A BUMPER CROP ONE YEAR AND 42:45 HE HAD SO MUCH GRAIN, HE DIDN'T KNOW QUITE WHAT TO DO WITH IT. 42:48 AND SO HE SAID, 'I'M GOING TO TEAR DOWN MY BARNS AND I'M GOING 42:51 TO BUILD BIGGER BARNS AND I'M GOING TO FILL ALL OF THIS GRAIN, 42:53 AND I HAVE ENOUGH GRAIN TO LAST ME FOR SEVERAL YEARS, SO I'M 42:56 GOING TO SIT BACK, RELAX, AND TAKE IT EASY. 43:00 AND IN THE PARABLE, JESUS SAYS GOD SPOKE TO HIM AND SAID, 43:03 'YOU FOOL, THIS NIGHT YOUR SOUL IS REQUIRED OF YOU 43:07 AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR RICHES? 43:11 JAMES IS EMPHASIZING THAT IF GOD IS NOT NUMBER ONE IN OUR LIVES, 43:14 EVERYTHING THAT WE GAIN REALLY MEANS NOTHING. 43:18 AND IF YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT, OUR LIFE, EVEN IF WE GAIN 43:21 THE WHOLE WORLD, JESUS SAYS, 'WHAT WILL IT PROFIT A MAN 43:23 THOUGH HE GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?' 43:26 WHAT GOOD IS THAT? THINK OF ETERNITY IN 43:29 RELATIONSHIP TO OUR LIFE HERE ON THIS EARTH. 43:31 IF WE THINK OF OUR LIFE AS JUST, SORT OF, A DOT ON A LINE - OUR 43:36 70, 80, 90 YEARS - WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE - ON A DOT OF TIME, ON 43:40 A LINE OF TIME. HOW LONG IS ETERNITY? 43:44 SO LET'S SAY WE TAKE A LINE AND WE DRAW IT FROM HERE AND WE GO 43:46 UP TO THE CEILING. OUR EARTHLY LIFE IS JUST A 43:48 LITTLE SPECK ON THAT LINE. THAT LINE REPRESENTS ETERNITY. 43:52 BUT THEN WHERE DOES THAT LINE END? 43:54 IT DOESN'T END AT THE ROOF OR THE CEILING, IT JUST KEEPS 43:56 GOING, RIGHT? BECAUSE ETERNITY HAS NO END. 43:58 SO IT KEEPS GOING PAST THE CLOUDS. 44:00 OUR LIFE IS A DOT ON THE LINE. IT KEEPS GOING PAST THE CLOUDS. 44:03 OF COURSE, IT DOESN'T END AT THE CLOUDS BECAUSE ETERNITY HAS NO 44:06 END SO IT GOES PAST THE MOON. AND THEN IT JUST KEEPS GOING 44:09 PAST, I DON'T KNOW, THE UNIVERSE. 44:12 AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE UNIVERSE - 44:14 MORE SPACE - IT JUST KEEPS GOING. IT HAS NO END. 44:18 SO COMPARE OUR LIVES HERE ON THIS EARTH. 44:21 EVEN IF WE LIVE 500 YEARS OR, LIKE THOSE LIVING BEFORE THE 44:26 FLOOD, 900 YEARS, LIKE METHUSELAH, 969 YEARS, WHAT IS 44:31 THAT IN COMPARISON TO ETERNITY? EVEN IF WE HAVE NOTHING ON THIS 44:36 EARTH, IF WE HAVE JESUS, WE HAVE EVERYTHING, AMEN? 44:41 THE DEVIL SOMETIMES WILL BLIND US WITH EARTHLY TREASURE AND 44:44 THESE SELFISH THOUGHTS THAT, 'YOU KNOW WHAT? 44:46 IF I COULD JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE I'LL BE HAPPY.' BUT 44:47 WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THINGS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ETERNITY. 44:51 LOOK AT THINGS FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE. 44:53 YES, GOD IS CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS NOW, BUT OH, GOD 44:57 IS SO MUCH MORE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ETERNAL NEED. 45:01 OBVIOUSLY GOD WANTS US TO BE WITH HIM FOREVER. 45:03 SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE. 45:05 OUR LIFE HERE ON THIS EARTH IS JUST VERY SHORT. 45:07 JAMES SAYS IT'S LIKE A VAPOR OR A MIST OR A BREATH. 45:10 JOB CHAPTER 8, VERSE 9, "FOR WE WERE BORN YESTERDAY, AND KNOW 45:14 NOTHING, BECAUSE OUR DAYS ON EARTH ARE A SHADOW.' HE SAYS. 45:18 ECCLESIASTES, CHAPTER 12, VERSE 13, THE WISE MAN SAYS, "LET US 45:22 HEAR THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER. 45:24 FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, 45:27 FOR THIS IS MAN'S ALL." AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE MOST 45:30 IMPORTANT THING IS KNOWING GOD. IT IS HAVING THE LOVE OF JESUS 45:34 IN OUR HEARTS. IT IS KEEPING GOD'S 45:36 COMMANDMENTS. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. 45:40 LET'S NOT TRADE JUST SOME EARTHLY TREASURE FOR ETERNAL 45:43 TREASURE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT GOD REALLY WANTS TO GIVE US. 45:47 LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR NEXT VERSE, JAMES CHAPTER 4, 45:49 VERSE 15 - JAMES 4, VERSE 15. 45:54 >>"INSTEAD, YOU OUGHT TO SAY, 'IF THE LORD WILLS, WE SHALL 45:56 LIVE AND DO THIS OR THAT.'" >>THANK YOU. 45:59 HERE JAMES EMPHASIZES HAVING A SPIRIT OF SUBMISSION TO GOD'S 46:04 WILL, NOT PLANNING OUR LIVES SIMPLY AROUND THOSE THINGS THAT 46:07 WE WANT TO DO. AND, QUITE OFTEN, GOD'S WILL IS 46:10 DIFFERENT FROM OUR WILL. WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT. 46:13 ISAIAH CHAPTER 55, VERSES 8 AND 9, GOD SAYS, "FOR MY THOUGHTS 46:17 ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NOR ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS,' 46:20 SAYS THE LORD. 'FOR AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGHER 46:22 THAN THE EARTH, SO ARE MY WAYS HIGHER THAN YOUR WAYS, AND MY 46:26 THOUGHTS THAN YOUR THOUGHTS.'" SOMETIMES, AS CHRISTIANS, WE 46:31 DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY GOD ALLOWS CERTAIN THINGS TO HAPPEN TO US. 46:35 AND SO WHEN WE GO THROUGH THOSE TRYING EXPERIENCES - WHEN WE 46:38 PRAY AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH GOD DOESN'T ANSWER OUR PRAYER - THAT 46:42 THE DEVIL COMES WITH THOSE SEEDS OF DOUBT TO PLANT IN OUR MIND - 46:45 'MAYBE GOD DOESN'T REALLY LOVE YOU' OR 'MAYBE YOU'RE NOT GOOD 46:47 ENOUGH. GOD'S NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO 46:49 YOU.' WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE HEED TO SATAN'S TEMPTATIONS AND 46:52 SATAN'S DOUBTS. KEEP TRUSTING IN JESUS EVEN IF 46:56 YOU CAN'T SEE EXACTLY WHY THINGS ARE HAPPENING THE WAY THEY ARE. 47:01 GOD IS LOOKING AT US WITH THIS ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE. 47:05 COULD YOU IMAGINE THE QUESTIONS THAT JOSEPH HAD WHEN HE STOOD UP 47:09 FOR WHAT WAS RIGHT IN POTIPHAR'S HOUSE AND ENDED UP BEING THROWN 47:11 INTO PRISON. DON'T YOU THINK HE SPENT SOME NIGHTS IN PRAYER 47:14 SAYING, 'LORD, WHY DID YOU ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME? 47:18 HERE I STOOD UP FOR THE RIGHT AND NOW I'M IN PRISON.' AND, BY 47:21 THE WAY, JOSEPH'S TIME IN PRISON WASN'T JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS. 47:24 AND YOU CAN ALSO READ IN THE PSALMS THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE THE 47:27 DELUXE SUITE IN PRISON. BUT IT SPEAKS ABOUT HIS FEET 47:31 BEING IN THE STOCKS AND BEING BEATEN. 47:33 SO IT WASN'T EASY ON JOSEPH AND YET HIS FAITH ENDURED. 47:37 LITTLE COULD HE HAVE IMAGINED WHAT GOD REALLY WAS PREPARING 47:40 JOSEPH FOR AND THE GREAT WORK THAT GOD HAD IN STORE FOR HIM. 47:44 THINK OF DANIEL AND HIS THREE FRIENDS TAKEN FROM THEIR HOME IN 47:47 JERUSALEM. THEY ALSO WONDERED, 'LORD, WHY 47:49 DID YOU ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN? THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO US.' 47:53 BUT THEY KEPT TRUSTING IN GOD AND LOOK AT THE MIGHTY THINGS 47:56 GOD WAS ABLE TO DO WITH THEM. SO IT IS WITH US. 47:58 IF YOU DON'T SEE GOD'S HAND LEADING IN YOUR LIFE, KEEP 48:03 TRUSTING IN HIS HEART OF LOVE, AMEN? 48:05 GOD IS CONCERNED ABOUT US AND HE WANTS TO SAVE US. 48:08 I REMEMBER HEARING A STORY ABOUT A FATHER AND SON DURING THE 48:11 SECOND WORLD WAR. THEY WERE IN LONDON AND IT WAS 48:14 AT NIGHT AND THE BOMBS WERE FALLING UPON THE CITY AND THE 48:18 BUILDING WHERE THEY WERE TAKING SHELTER SUFFERED A HIT FROM ONE 48:22 OF THESE BOMBS AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. 48:23 AND SO THE FATHER GRABBED HIS LITTLE BOY AND THEY RAN OUT OF 48:26 THE BURNING BUILDING AND THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A PLACE OF 48:28 SAFETY AND CLOSE BY THERE WAS A BLOWN-OUT BUILDING - JUST THE 48:31 BASEMENT WAS LEFT. THE FATHER SAID 'THIS IS BETTER 48:34 THAN NOTHING.' SO HE RAN OVER TO WHERE THE BUILDING WAS AND HE 48:38 JUMPED DOWN AND THEN HE TURNED BACK AND HIS SON WAS STANDING ON 48:43 THE SIDE AND HE LOOKED UP AND HE SAID, 'SON, JUMP. 48:46 I'LL CATCH YOU.' BUT THE LITTLE BOY, WITH THE NOISE AND THE 48:50 SMOKE AND THE FIRE - THE LITTLE BOY WAS AFRAID. 48:55 AND HE LOOKED DOWN INTO THE DARKNESS BUT HE COULDN'T SEE HIS 48:57 FATHER DOWN THERE. AND SO, WITH FEAR, HE CRIED OUT 49:00 AND SAID, 'BUT DADDY, I CAN'T SEE YOU. HOW CAN I JUMP? 49:03 I CAN'T SEE YOU.' BUT AS HIS FATHER LOOKED UP, HE COULD SEE 49:06 HIS SON STANDING WITH THE SILHOUETTE BECAUSE OF THE FIRE - 49:09 THE BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND - AND HIS FATHER SAID, 'SON, IT 49:11 DOESN'T MATTER THAT YOU CAN'T SEE ME. I CAN SEE YOU. JUMP. 49:16 I CAN SEE YOU.' FRIENDS, SO OFTEN IN OUR LIVES GOD SAYS TO 49:19 US, 'YOU JUST TRUST ME. YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO SEE ME, 49:23 BUT I CAN SEE YOU.' I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. 49:27 I'VE GOT A PLAN. KEEP TRUSTING IN ME.' 49:30 AND THAT'S THE POINT JAMES IS TRYING TO EMPHASIZE HERE. 49:32 AS CHRISTIANS, LET'S TRUST IN JESUS. 49:35 LET'S NOT TRUST OURSELVES TO OUR OWN WISDOM, BUT PLACE EVERYTHING 49:39 BEFORE GOD. WE HAVE ANOTHER VERSE WE WANT TO 49:41 READ, JAMES CHAPTER 4 AND VERSE 16. 49:44 >>"BUT NOW YE REJOICE IN YOUR BOASTINGS: ALL SUCH REJOICING IS 49:49 EVIL." >>HERE JAMES SAYS FOSTERING A 49:52 SPIRIT OF PRIDE OR BOASTFULNESS IS REALLY THE ROOT OF ALL SIN. 49:57 IN ISAIAH CHAPTER 14, VERSE 13, SPEAKING OF THE FALL OF LUCIFER, 50:01 "FOR YOU HAVE SAID IN YOUR HEART: 'I WILL ASCEND INTO 50:03 HEAVEN, I WILL EXALT MY THRONE ABOVE THE STARS OF GOD;'" - BY 50:06 THE WAY, THE STARS THERE REPRESENT THE ANGELS - "'I WILL 50:09 ALSO SIT ON THE MOUNT OF THE CONGREGATION ON THE FARTHEST 50:11 SIDES OF THE NORTH; I WILL ASCEND ABOVE THE HEIGHTS OF THE 50:14 CLOUDS, I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH.'" THAT SPIRIT OF 50:18 BOASTFULNESS IS REALLY THE ROOT OF ALL SIN. 50:22 AND JAMES RECOGNIZED THAT THAT SPIRIT OF SELFISHNESS WAS 50:25 PRESENT IN THE CHURCH EVEN IN HIS DAY AND THAT SPIRIT OF 50:29 SELFISHNESS CAN BE FOUND IN THE CHURCH TODAY. 50:33 WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT IN OUR OWN LIVES - THAT SPIRIT OF 50:36 SELFISHNESS KEEPS COMING UP AND WE'VE GOT TO KEEP SURRENDERING 50:38 OURSELVES TO JESUS. AS PAUL SAYS, I DIE DAILY. 50:42 WE HAVE TO CRUCIFY THAT SELFISH SPIRIT EVERY DAY. 50:45 AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, TO THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA, JESUS SAYS - 50:48 TO THE CHURCH OF TODAY, 'YOU THINK YOU'RE RICH, INCREASED OF 50:51 GOODS, AND THAT YOU HAVE NEED OF NOTHING, BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW 50:55 THAT YOU'RE WRETCHED, MISERABLE, POOR, BLIND, AND NAKED." 50:58 SO THE CHURCH, LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE, LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. 51:02 SHE'S INCREASED WITH GOODS. 51:04 SHE FEELS AS THOUGH SHE DOESN'T NEED ANYTHING. 51:07 JESUS SAYS, 'WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR HEART YOU'RE MISERABLE, POOR, 51:10 BLIND, NAKED.' JESUS SAYS, 'I COUNSEL OF YOU, BUY OF ME GOLD, 51:15 REFINED IN THE FIRE.' WHAT IS THE MOST PRECIOUS THING THAT A 51:19 CHRISTIAN CAN HAVE? WHAT DOES THAT GOLD REPRESENT? 51:22 WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED? I'LL GIVE YOU A CLUE. 51:25 WHAT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW, WHAT'S THE FOUNDATION OF THE 51:28 LAW? IT IS LOVE. GOLD REFINED IN THE FIRE IS 51:32 FAITH AND LOVE. THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS, "AND NOW ABIDEST 51:36 FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE, BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.' THE 51:41 LOVE OF JESUS IN OUR HEARTS. JESUS SAYS YOU THINK YOU'RE 51:44 DOING GOOD BUT YOU'RE LACKING MY LOVE IN YOUR HEART. 51:48 'I COUNSEL OF YOU, BUY OF ME GOLD REFINED IN THE FIRE, THAT 51:51 YOU MIGHT BE RICH.' - SPIRITUALLY RICH. 51:53 AND WHITE RAIMENT - WHAT DOES THE WHITE RAIMENT REPRESENT THAT 51:56 JESUS WANTS TO GIVE TO THE CHURCH? 51:58 IT'S THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. 51:59 NOW CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS ISN'T JUST A CLOAK TO COVER OUR SINS, 52:03 BUT THINK OF IT AS A CURE TO CLEANSE US FROM SIN. 52:07 BECAUSE WHEN WE RECEIVE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS, WE HAVE 52:10 THE SPIRIT OF GOD WORKING IN US TO TRANSFORM US INTO THE KIND 52:14 OF PEOPLE THAT GOD WANTS US TO BE. SO JESUS SAYS, 'LET ME 52:17 GIVE YOU LOVE. LET ME PUT MY LOVE IN YOUR HEART. 52:19 LET ME GIVE YOU MY RIGHTEOUSNESS' - THAT'S THAT 52:23 ROBE. AND THEN THIRDLY JESUS SAYS, 52:25 'AND ANOINT YOUR EYES WITH EYE SALVE.' WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT 52:28 OINTMENT FOR THE EYE IS? SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT OR THE 52:33 HOLY SPIRIT. SO, TODAY, AS INDIVIDUALS, WE 52:37 NEED MORE OF THE LOVE OF JESUS IN OUR HEARTS. 52:40 WE NEED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS IN OUR LIVES AND WE NEED 52:43 THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GIVE US SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT. 52:46 NOW THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE HAVE THAT FAITH AND LOVE? 52:50 HOW DO WE GET THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS? 52:51 HOW DO WE GET SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT? 52:53 JESUS ANSWERS THAT QUESTION IN REVELATION CHAPTER 3 WHEN HE 52:56 SAYS, 'BEHOLD I STAND AT THE DOOR AND' - WHAT? 'KNOCK. 53:01 WHOEVER HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR' - JESUS SAYS - 'I WILL 53:04 COME INTO HIM AND I WILL' - DO WHAT? 53:07 WHAT DOES JESUS WANT TO DO WITH US? 53:09 - 'I WANT TO DINE WITH YOU - I WANT TO EAT WITH YOU.' NOW, WHEN 53:13 YOU GET INVITED TO SOMEBODY'S HOME, ESPECIALLY BACK IN BIBLE 53:15 TIMES, ONE OF THE ARTICLES OF FOOD THAT YOU COULD BE ALMOST 53:19 GUARANTEED TO EAT FOR DINNER WOULD BE WHAT? 53:22 BREAD. BREAD WAS SORT OF THE STAPLE. 53:24 AND IN THE BIBLE, WHAT DOES BREAD OFTEN REPRESENT? 53:27 IT REPRESENTS THE WORD OF GOD. JESUS SAYS, 'I WANT TO COME IN 53:30 AND I WANT TO OPEN UP MY WORD.' IF WE WANT TO HAVE THE LOVE 53:34 OF JESUS IN OUR HEARTS, IT COMES BY SPENDING TIME WITH JESUS IN 53:38 HIS WORD. THERE IS POWER IN THE WORD. 53:41 IF WE WANT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IN OUR HEARTS AND IN OUR 53:44 LIVES, IT COMES BY SPENDING TIME IN THE WORD OF JESUS. 53:49 IF WE WANT SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT, IT COMES BY 53:51 SPENDING TIME WITH JESUS - EATING THE LIVING BREAD. 53:55 THAT'S WHAT CHRIST IS OFFERING TO US AS INDIVIDUALS. 53:58 THAT'S WHAT WE NEED AS A CHURCH - MORE OF THE LOVE OF JESUS IN 54:01 OUR HEARTS AND IN OUR LIVES. WELL, LET'S LOOK AT OUR FINAL 54:05 VERSE, VERSE 17 - JAMES CHAPTER 4, VERSE 17. 54:09 >>"THEREFORE, TO HIM THAT KNOWETH TO DO GOOD AND 54:12 DOETH IT NOT, TO HIM IT IS SIN." 54:15 >>HERE JAMES REMINDS US THAT TO SIMPLY BE A HEARER OF THE WORD 54:19 AND NOT A DOER OF THE WORD IS NOT GOING TO HELP. 54:22 HE GOES ON TO TELL US THAT EVEN THE DEVILS BELIEVE AND TREMBLE 54:24 BUT THAT DOESN'T HELP THEM. SO WE NEED TO BE MORE THAN JUST 54:27 HEARERS OF THE WORD, WE NEED TO BE DOERS OF THE WORD. 54:29 JESUS SAID, EVERYONE WHO HEARS THESE SAYINGS OF MINE AND DOES 54:32 THEM, I WILL LIKEN HIM TO A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE UPON THE 54:35 ROCK. AND WHEN THE WINDS CAME AND THE 54:38 RAINS AND THE STORM, THE HOUSE STOOD FIRM FOR IT WAS FOUNDED 54:41 UPON THE ROCK.' ALL OF US ARE BUILDING. 54:44 WHETHER WE RECOGNIZE IT OR NOT, WE'RE ALL BUILDING SOMETHING. 54:47 WHAT ARE WE BUILDING? WE'RE BUILDING CHARACTER. 54:49 AND OUR CHARACTERS ARE GOING TO BE TESTED WITH TRIALS AND 54:52 DIFFICULTIES. 54:54 IF WE'RE BUILDING CHARACTER UPON THE ROCK JESUS CHRIST, THROUGH 54:58 FEASTING UPON THE LIVING BREAD, WHEN THOSE TRIALS AND 55:01 DISAPPOINTMENTS COME OUR WAY, WHEN OUR FAITH IS TESTED, WE 55:05 WILL ENDURE BECAUSE WE ARE FOUNDED UPON JESUS. 55:08 BUT IF WE'RE SIMPLY BUILDING OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE ON THE 55:12 SHIFTING SANDS OF OUR FEELINGS, WHEN TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES 55:16 COME OUR WAY, WE'RE GOING TO COLLAPSE AND GREAT WILL BE THE 55:20 FALL OF IT. WE WANT TO BE FOUNDED UPON THE 55:23 ROCK - FOUNDED UPON JESUS. AND THEN, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS 55:25 IN LIFE, IF WE ARE FOUNDED UPON JESUS, OUR FAITH WILL ENDURE. 55:30 YOU KNOW, IN REVELATION CHAPTER 14, VERSE 12, WE HAVE A 55:35 CHARACTERISTIC OF GOD'S PEOPLE AT THE END OF TIME. 55:38 REVELATION 14:12 SAYS, "HERE IS THE PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS" - 55:42 THE WORD THERE 'PATIENCE' CAN ALSO BE TRANSLATED AS 55:44 'ENDURANCE.' "HERE IS THE PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS. 55:46 HERE ARE THOSE WHO" - DO WHAT? 55:48 - "KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD" - MEANING THEY KEEP THE LAW AND 55:51 THE SPIRIT - "THEY KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND" - WHAT 55:54 ELSE DO THEY HAVE? - "THE FAITH OF JESUS." 55:57 WHAT IS THE FAITH OF JESUS? THE FAITH OF JESUS IS FULL 56:01 SURRENDER OR FULL SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD. 56:04 IT'S WHAT JESUS PRAYED IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE: 'FATHER, 56:08 NOT MY WILL BE DONE, BUT THY WILL BE DONE.' GOD'S PEOPLE NEED 56:11 TO HAVE THAT FULL SURRENDER TO CHRIST, TRUSTING IN HIM 56:15 COMPLETELY, ALLOWING HIM TO DO THE WORK WITHIN OUR HEARTS AND 56:19 LIVES THAT ONLY HE CAN DO. SO THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIANITY 56:23 IS SURRENDERING SELF - SURRENDERING ALL TO JESUS. 56:29 YOU KNOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN EVERY SINGLE ONE 56:33 OF US THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE TO SURRENDER OURSELVES TO HIM. 56:38 SOMETIMES WE MAKE IT ALL COMPLICATED. 56:40 IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED. WE CAN CHOOSE HIM, TODAY, TO BE 56:44 FAITHFUL. WE CAN CHOOSE TO TRUST IN HIM 56:46 TODAY AND THAT'S WHERE IT BEGINS. 56:49 WELL, FRIENDS, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE OUT OF TIME. 56:51 I WANT TO THANK OUR AFCOE STUDENTS FOR BEING OUR AUDIENCE 56:54 AND ALSO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US FOR OUR SABBATH 56:56 SCHOOL STUDY HOUR, THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR STUDY. 56:59 JUST A REMINDER, WE DO HAVE A FREE OFFER. 57:01 IT GOES ALONG WITH THE LESSON, IT'S CALLED 'THE SURRENDER OF 57:03 SELF.' WE'D BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO YOU, ALL YOU'LL NEED TO 57:07 DO IS JUST CALL OUR RESOURCE LINE. 57:09 THE NUMBER THERE IS 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #153, 57:17 A LITTLE BOOK CALLED 'THE SURRENDER OF SELF' AND WE'LL BE 57:19 HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO YOU. WELL, FRIENDS, LET'S CLOSE WITH 57:22 A WORD OF PRAYER. DEAR FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR 57:24 THE SCRIPTURES. WE THANK YOU FOR A SAVIOR WHO 57:26 CAN SAVE TO THE UTTERMOST THOSE WHO COME TO GOD THROUGH HIM. 57:31 AND FATHER, WE DON'T WANT TO ALLOW OUR LIVES TO BECOME SO 57:35 ENRAPT WITH THE THING OF THIS EARTH THAT WE LOSE THAT ETERNAL 57:39 PERSPECTIVE. TEACH US TO TRUST IN YOU. 57:42 TEACH US TO SURRENDER OURSELVES TO YOU NOT JUST ONCE A DAY, 57:45 BUT EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY. 57:47 AND GIVE US OF THAT LOVE - THAT GOLD REFINED IN THE FIRE - AND 57:51 THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST AND THAT EYE SALVE - THAT SPIRITUAL 57:54 DISCERNMENT - SO THAT WE CAN BE THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT 57:57 US TO BE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY TOGETHER. 58:01 BLESS THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING. 58:02 AND WE ASK THIS ALL IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 58:06 UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, GOD BLESS. (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17