Participants:
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021738A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:35 >>GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS, WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO 00:37 SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR, COMING TO YOU HERE FROM THE 00:39 GRANITE BAY SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH NEAR 00:41 SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. A VERY WARM WELCOME TO OUR 00:45 ONLINE MEMBERS AND ALSO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING ON THE 00:47 VARIOUS TELEVISION NETWORKS AND ON FACEBOOK - A VERY WARM 00:51 WELCOME TO YOU AS WELL. I'D LIKE TO ALSO GREET OUR 00:54 REGULAR MEMBERS AND VISITORS RIGHT HERE AT THE CHURCH. 00:57 DELIGHTED TO SEE YOU. I KNOW WE HAVE SOME AFCOE 00:59 STUDENTS WHO ARE JOINING US FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND I'D 01:02 LIKE TO WELCOME YOU AS WELL. WE'VE BEEN STUDYING THROUGH OUR 01:04 LESSON QUARTERLY ON THE BOOK OF GALATIANS. 01:07 TODAY WE FIND OURSELVES ON LESSON #13 THAT'S ENTITLED THE 01:11 GOSPEL AND THE CHURCH. NOW, TYPICALLY, YOU HAVE THIRTEEN 01:15 WEEKS IN A QUARTER, BUT THIS QUARTER THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL 01:18 WEEK. SO THIS IS NOT OUR LAST LESSON, 01:21 IT'S THE SECOND-LAST LESSON, LESSON #13 - 01:23 THE GOSPEL AND THE CHURCH . FOR OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE JOINING 01:26 US, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF TODAY'S LESSON, YOU CAN 01:29 DOWNLOAD IT AT THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE - JUST AMAZINGFACTS.ORG 01:34 - DOWNLOAD LESSON #13 AND YOU CAN STUDY ALONG WITH US. 01:38 WE DO HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH OUR STUDY TODAY 01:41 - IT'S A BOOK WRITTEN BY DENNIS PRIEBE ENTITLED 01:43 THE FINAL VERDICT . AND THIS IS OUR FREE OFFER FOR 01:46 ANYONE WHO'S WATCHING IN NORTH AMERICA. 01:49 THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR 01:53 OFFER #162 - THAT NUMBER, AGAIN, IS 866-788-3966 - OFFER #162. 02:03 WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO ANYBODY HERE IN NORTH AMERICA. 02:06 IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE OF NORTH AMERICA, JUST GO TO THE AMAZING 02:09 FACTS WEBSITE AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO READ OUR FREE OFFER THERE AS 02:13 WELL. WELL, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR 02:15 STUDY, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO BEGIN BY LIFTING OUR VOICES IN SONG. 02:18 I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR SONG LEADERS TO COME AND JOIN ME ON 02:20 STAGE AND THEY'LL LEAD US IN OUR MUSIC TODAY. 02:27 >>GOOD MORNING AND WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN OUR WORSHIP SINGING 02:30 THIS MORNING WITH #602 - O BROTHER BE FAITHFUL - THIS IS AN 02:35 ADVENTIST HYMN BY URIAH SMITH, ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF THE 02:38 ADVENTIST CHURCH. AND THE WORDS - 'O BROTHER BE FAITHFUL, SOON 02:43 JESUS WILL COME' - AND THAT IS OUR BLESSED HOPE, ISN'T IT. 02:46 LET'S ALL SING TOGETHER #602. (PIANO MUSIC) 05:20 >>AND FOR OUR NEXT SONG, JUST ONE PAGE OVER, #604 - 05:24 WE KNOW NOT THE HOUR - ANOTHER EARLY ADVENT HYMN BY FRANK 05:29 WELDON, WHO WAS A NEPHEW OF ELLEN WHITE. WE'LL SING ALL 05:33 THREE VERSES OF #604 - WE KNOW NOT THE HOUR . (PIANO MUSIC) 08:29 >>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SINGING WITH US. 08:30 >>AMEN. >>AT THIS TIME WE'LL BOW OUR 08:40 HEADS FOR A WORD OF PRAYER. DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, THANK YOU 08:44 ONCE AGAIN TO BE ABLE TO GATHER TOGETHER IN YOUR HOUSE ON THIS 08:46 BEAUTIFUL SABBATH TO OPEN UP YOUR WORD AND STUDY TOGETHER. 08:50 IT'S AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT - WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GOSPEL 08:52 AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE LIVES OF EACH BELIEVER IN THE CHURCH AND 08:56 SO WE JUST ASK, IN A SPECIAL WAY, THAT YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WOULD 08:59 COME AND GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS AND JUST LEAD US, 09:01 LORD, INTO A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR GREAT LOVE 09:04 AND THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION THAT YOU HAVE ORGANIZED AND PREPARED 09:08 FOR US. THANK YOU, LORD, FOR 09:10 HEARING OUR PRAYER. IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. 09:14 >>AMEN. >>OUR LESSON THIS MORNING IS 09:15 GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR DOUG. 09:24 >>YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING FUN HERE AT GRANITE BAY. 09:26 WE HAVE A NEW ASSOCIATE PASTOR, PASTOR SHAWN AND THEN, OF 09:31 COURSE, WE HAVE PASTOR JOHN QUEDZUWEIT, AND THEN WE HAVE 09:34 PASTOR JËAN ROSS, SO WE'VE GOT SHAWN, JOHN, JËAN, AND DOUG. 09:42 (LAUGHTER) SO NO ONE GETS ME MIXED UP WITH ANYBODY, DO THEY? 09:50 WELCOME, FRIENDS, WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE JOINING US HERE AT 09:53 GRANITE BAY. I KNOW THAT HERE IN THE PEWS WE 09:56 HAVE JOINING US, NOW, SOME OF OUR NEW CROP OF AFCOE STUDENTS 10:00 AND WE'RE ALWAYS GLAD THAT THEY COME HELP US FILL THE PEWS. 10:03 AND I WANT TO WELCOME THOSE WHO ARE STUDYING WITH US, AND WE 10:07 HAVE AN EXTENDED CLASS - SOME OF YOU ARE MEMBERS OF THE GRANITE 10:10 BAY CHURCH ONLINE AND WE KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE SCATTERED AROUND 10:13 THE GLOBE THAT HAVE NO LOCAL ADVENTIST CHURCH THAT THEY CAN 10:17 BE A MEMBER OF. THEY BELIEVE THE TEACHINGS 10:21 OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST MOVEMENT AND WE PROVIDE A WAY 10:25 WHERE YOU CAN BE AN ONLINE MEMBER. 10:27 IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT, THEN YOU CAN JUST GO TO 10:29 GRANITEBAYSDA AT OUR WEBSITE THERE AND INQUIRE. 10:33 ACTUALLY, IT'S MRS. BATCHELOR WHO WORKS WITH THE PASTORS TO 10:37 STAY IN TOUCH WITH SOME OF OUR ONLINE MEMBERS. 10:40 WE TRY TO PROVIDE EVERYTHING WE CAN PROVIDE WITH PRAYER MEETING 10:43 AND DIGITAL INFORMATION AND THINGS TO READ - VIDEOS TO WATCH 10:48 - WE JUST CAN'T FIGURE OUT, YET, HOW TO DOWNLOAD A POTLUCK AND A 10:51 HUG. BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO WORK ON THAT. 10:54 WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR THIRTEENTH LESSON IN GALATIANS. 10:58 YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR QUARTERS WE HAVE THIRTEEN LESSONS; THIS 11:00 ONE WE HAVE FOURTEEN, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE 11:03 PREVIEW - OUR NEXT QUARTER, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, WE'RE 11:06 GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THE BOOK OF ROMANS. 11:08 AND SO, WE'VE GOT TWO MORE CLASSES AND THEN WE'RE IN THE 11:11 BOOK OF ROMANS AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 11:14 NOW, BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR STUDY TODAY THAT'S DEALING WITH 11:17 THE GOSPEL AND THE CHURCH, I'VE GOT ONE VERY IMPORTANT 11:21 ANNOUNCEMENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE, AND THAT IS WE WOULD LIKE TO 11:24 ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM THAT'S 11:29 GOING TO BE BROADCAST FROM THE GENERAL CONFERENCE HEADQUARTERS 11:32 - IT WILL BE ON HOPE CHANNEL, 3ABN IS GOING TO BE CARRYING IT, 11:37 AMAZING FACTS TV - IT'S A SPECIAL SERIES THAT I AND 11:41 AMAZING FACTS WILL BE BRINGING, CALLED FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH . 11:45 NOW WHO KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING OCTOBER 31 THIS YEAR? 11:49 >>500TH ANNIVERSARY. >>500TH ANNIVERSARY - NOT MY 11:53 500TH ANNIVERSARY, IT'S THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE - 11:57 THEY MARKED THE BIRTH OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION WHEN 12:01 LUTHER NAILED HIS 95 THESES ON THE DOORS OF THE WITTENBERG 12:05 CHURCH AND HE CHOSE, WHAT THEY CALL, ALL SAINTS DAY TO DO THAT. 12:12 IT'S BETTER KNOWN AS HALLOWEEN IN OUR CULTURE, BUT IT'S THE 12:15 31ST. AND WE'RE ALL VERY THANKFUL FOR 12:19 THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION, IT BROUGHT THE CHURCH LIGHT YEARS 12:22 BACK TO THE BIBLE FROM WHERE IT WAS DURING THE DARK AGES. 12:27 BUT DID THEY GO ALL THE WAY BACK? 12:29 IS THERE STILL PART OF THE REFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO 12:32 HAPPEN? WERE THERE SOME TRUTHS THAT 12:35 WERE NEGLECTED OR FORGOTTEN? TRUTHS ABOUT BAPTISM 12:40 BY IMMERSION? ABOUT THE STATE OF THE DEAD? 12:44 THE NATURE OF HELL? THE LAW OF GOD? THE SABBATH? 12:49 AND YOUR BODY BEING THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? 12:52 A LOT OF THINGS THAT STILL - MANY PROTESTANTS - GOOD 12:55 CHRISTIANS - STILL HAVE NOT CAPTURED THE THREE ANGELS' 12:58 MESSAGE, RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING 13:00 ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS. AND SO, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL 13:03 PLAN, NOW, TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR VARIOUS CHURCHES. 13:06 MARK ON YOUR CALENDAR FROM NOVEMBER 3 TO 11, WE'LL BE 13:11 BROADCASTING TO ANY CHURCH - YOU CAN GET IT THROUGH THE INTERNET, 13:15 YOU CAN GET IT THROUGH SATELLITE. 13:17 WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO PARTICIPATE AND PLAN ON INVITING YOUR 13:20 FRIENDS FROM OTHER FAITHS TO JOIN FOR THIS REVIVAL SERIES 13:25 CALLED FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH . AND SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO GET 13:28 THAT ON YOUR RADAR RIGHT NOW. WE'LL BE SAYING MORE AS 13:31 THAT TIME APPROACHES. OKAY, LONG INTRODUCTION. 13:34 NOW WE'RE GETTING TO GALATIANS. OUR ASSIGNMENT FOR TODAY - THE 13:38 PORTION OF GALATIANS WE'RE GOING TO STUDY TODAY IS GALATIANS 13:41 CHAPTER 6, IF YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLES - CHAPTER 6 OF 13:44 GALATIANS, VERSES 1 THROUGH 10. AND SO, AS I'VE BEEN DOING, I 13:49 LIKE TO AT LEAST READ THROUGH OUR ASSIGNMENT AND THEN WE'RE 13:52 GOING TO BACK UP AND BREAK IT DOWN AS WELL AS WE CAN. 13:55 GALATIANS 6, VERSE 1, "BRETHREN, IF A MAN IS OVERTAKEN IN ANY 14:03 TRESPASS, YOU WHO ARE SPIRITUAL RESTORE SUCH A ONE IN A SPIRIT 14:08 OF GENTLENESS, CONSIDERING YOURSELF LEST YOU ALSO BE 14:12 TEMPTED. BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS, AND 14:16 SO FULFILL THE LAW OF CHRIST. FOR IF ANYONE THINKS HIMSELF 14:20 TO BE SOMETHING, WHEN HE IS NOTHING, HE DECEIVES HIMSELF. 14:23 BUT LET EACH ONE EXAMINE HIS OWN WORK, AND THEN HE WILL HAVE 14:27 REJOICING IN HIMSELF ALONE, AND NOT IN ANOTHER. 14:31 FOR EACH ONE SHALL BEAR HIS OWN LOAD. 14:34 LET HIM WHO IS TAUGHT THE WORD SHARE IN ALL GOOD THINGS WITH 14:37 HIM WHO TEACHES. DO NOT BE DECEIVED, GOD IS NOT 14:41 MOCKED; FOR WHATEVER A MAN SOWS, THAT HE WILL ALSO REAP. 14:44 FOR HE WHO SOWS TO HIS FLESH WILL OF THE FLESH REAP 14:47 CORRUPTION, BUT HE WHO SOWS TO THE SPIRIT WILL OF THE SPIRIT 14:50 REAP EVERLASTING LIFE. AND LET US NOT GROW WEARY WHILE 14:54 DOING GOOD, FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP IF WE DO NOT LOSE 14:59 HEART. THEREFORE, AS WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD TO 15:05 ALL, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH." 15:10 ALRIGHT, AND SO THAT'S OUR MISSION RIGHT NOW. 15:12 WE'RE GOING TO BACK UP AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING THESE 15:14 DIFFERENT VERSES PART BY PART - BREAKING IT DOWN. 15:17 I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT WHAT THE LESSON DOES, HERE, IT 15:20 IS BREAKS IT UP IN, REALLY, FIVE SECTIONS. FIRST ONE IS RESTORING 15:24 THE FALLEN - GENESIS - I'M SORRY, GALATIANS 6:1, "BRETHREN, 15:30 IF A MAN IS OVERTAKEN IN ANY TRESPASS, YOU WHO ARE SPIRITUAL 15:34 RESTORE SUCH A ONE IN A SPIRIT OF GENTLENESS, CONSIDERING 15:39 YOURSELF LEST YOU ALSO BE TEMPTED." 15:41 FIRST THING I NEED TO ADDRESS BEFORE I DIVE INTO THIS: IS IT 15:44 APPROPRIATE, IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, AND YOU SEE A BROTHER 15:47 OR SISTER AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE WANDERING IN THEIR FAITH OR 15:52 THEY ARE STRUGGLING, IF YOU GO AND YOU CONFRONT THEM AND YOU 15:55 SAY, 'BROTHER,' OR 'SISTER, YOU KNOW, I RECOGNIZE YOU'RE HAVING 15:58 A PROBLEM.' IS THAT APPROPRIATE OR IS THAT JUDGING THEM? 16:03 WHAT DID GOD SAY TO CAIN? 'WHERE IS YOUR BROTHER?' 16:08 AND WHAT DID CAIN SAY? 'AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER? 16:11 THAT'S HIS PROBLEM. WHO AM I TO JUDGE?' 16:14 YOU EVER HEARD SOMEONE SAY, 'IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO TALK TO 16:16 SOMEONE IN THE CHURCH THAT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE MAYBE HAVING 16:19 PROBLEMS - MAYBE THEIR MARRIAGE IS FALLING APART AND THEY NEED A 16:21 LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT OR MAYBE THERE'S SOME SIN IN THEIR LIFE 16:24 AND YOU GO TALK TO THEM AND SAY, 'IS IT TRUE THAT YOU'RE HAVING A 16:29 PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL? MAYBE WE COULD...' - 'OH, DON'T JUDGE ME! 16:33 WHO ARE YOU TO - YOU'VE GOT YOUR PROBLEMS, I'VE GOT MINE.' 16:35 YOU EVER HEARD THAT BEFORE? >>YES. 16:38 >>IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR A CHRISTIAN TO TALK TO SOMEBODY 16:42 WHO IS STRUGGLING IN THEIR FAITH? IF A MAN IS OVERTAKEN IN 16:44 ANY TRESPASS, YOU WHO ARE SPIRITUAL - NOW WHO WOULD SAY, 16:49 'I'M SPIRITUAL ENOUGH'? BUT, OBVIOUSLY, PAUL THINKS SOME 16:54 OF US OUGHT TO THINK THAT WE ARE CONNECTED WITH THE SPIRIT. 16:57 YOU OUGHT TO GO TO THAT PERSON AND WORK TO RESTORE THEM. 17:01 THIS IS A TEACHING YOU JUST DON'T HEAR MUCH OF IN THE CHURCH 17:03 TODAY, BUT IT IS A BIBLICAL TEACHING THAT, IF YOU'RE WALKING 17:06 WITH THE LORD, PART OF THAT MEANS THAT WE BEAR EACH OTHER'S 17:09 BURDENS AND YOU CARE ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING. 17:12 AND IF YOU SEE A BROTHER OR SISTER AND THEY'RE WEAK IN THEIR 17:15 FAITH AND THEY'RE BATTLING TO WALK WITH THE LORD, DON'T 17:18 PUBLICLY EMBARRASS THEM, BUT MAKE IT A POINT TO TALK TO THEM 17:21 AND SAY, 'HEY, CAN WE TALK ALONE?' 17:23 AND SAY, 'HEY, YOU KNOW, HOW'S IT GOING?' 17:26 AND THEN TALK TO THEM - GENTLY, YOU KNOW, DON'T JUDGE THEM, 17:30 DON'T CONDEMN THEM, BUT TRY AND BRING THEM AROUND. 17:33 AND DO IT HOW? DO IT IN A SPIRIT OF GENTLENESS, 17:39 CONSIDERING YOURSELF, LEST YOU ALSO BE TEMPTED. 17:43 IF YOU DO IT WITH AN ARROGANCE LIKE 'I'M HOLIER THAN THOU', 17:46 YOU'RE SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE AND TEMPTATION, BECAUSE 17:49 THAT'S PRIDE. AND SO, IT OUGHT TO BE DONE IN 17:51 A SPIRIT OF MEEKNESS, BUT WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER. 17:55 I THINK A LOT OF CHURCHES WOULD BE MUCH STRONGER IF THE MEMBERS 17:59 WATCHED OUT FOR EACH OTHER. AMEN? 18:02 >>AMEN. >>IT'S LIKE WE SAY, 18:04 'OH, IT'S THEIR PROBLEM. I'M NOT GOING TO JUDGE THEM.' 18:05 THAT'S KIND OF THE ATTITUDE TODAY. 18:08 BUT WE OUGHT TO - AND WE OUGHT TO MAKE EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE. 18:11 SOMEONE, IN A MINUTE'S, GOING TO READ MATTHEW 18:15 - AND YOU'LL 18:16 HAVE THAT? OKAY. 18:17 I'M GOING TO READ A COUPLE OTHER VERSES. 18:18 HERE'S ONE FROM JOB - SAME PRINCIPLE - JOB 4, VERSE 3 AND 18:22 4, "SURELY YOU HAVE INSTRUCTED MANY, AND YOU HAVE STRENGTHENED 18:27 WEAK HANDS. YOUR WORDS HAVE UPHELD HIM WHO 18:30 WAS STUMBLING," - WAY BACK IN JOB - THIS GOES WAY BACK BEFORE 18:34 THE TIME OF MOSES, IT WAS A PRINCIPLE - IF YOU SEE SOMEONE 18:37 IS STUMBLING - IF THEY'RE WEAK - YOU ENCOURAGE THEM - 18:40 YOU STRENGTHEN THEM. AMEN? - "AND YOU HAVE STRENGTHENED 18:43 THE FEEBLE KNEES;" HEBREWS ALSO TALKS ABOUT THOSE KNEES THAT 18:47 ARE FEEBLE - THAT THEY MIGHT BE STRAIGHT." 18:50 JAMES 5:19 AND 20, "BRETHREN," - AND THIS IS THE VERY END OF THE 18:55 BOOK OF JAMES - "BRETHREN, IF ANYONE AMONG YOU WANDERS FROM 18:58 THE TRUTH, AND SOMEONE TURNS HIM BACK, LET HIM KNOW THAT HE WHO 19:03 TURNS A SINNER FROM THE ERROR OF HIS WAY WILL SAVE A SOUL FROM 19:08 DEATH AND COVER A MULTITUDE OF SINS." 19:11 CAN YOU SAY 'AMEN'? >>AMEN. 19:13 >>BOY, IF YOU CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER INCENTIVE, JAMES IS 19:16 TALKING TO THE CHURCH. HE SAID, 'SOME OF YOU HAVE FALLEN; THOSE 19:21 OF YOU WHO GO TO THE ONE WHO HAS FALLEN AND YOU TURN THEM BACK, 19:26 YOU ARE SAVING A SOUL FROM DEATH.' SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT 19:29 EACH OTHER'S SOULS? AND COVERING A MULTITUDE OF SINS. 19:34 AND, IN REACHING OUT FOR THOSE THAT ARE WEAK AMONG US, THAT ARE 19:37 STRUGGLING AND ENCOURAGING THEM IN THE WAY, YOU WILL ENCOURAGE 19:41 YOURSELF IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE WITH CHRISTIANITY IT'S LIKE A 19:45 MUSCLE, IF YOU DON'T USE IT, YOU LOSE IT. 19:48 AS YOU GIVE IT AWAY, YOU WILL BECOME STRONGER. 19:51 AS YOU SHARE YOUR FAITH WITH OTHERS, YOUR FAITH WILL BE 19:54 STRENGTHENED. ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, READ FOR 19:56 US, PLEASE MATTHEW 18:15. >>"MOREOVER IF YOUR BROTHER SINS 20:00 AGAINST YOU, GO AND TELL HIM HIS FAULT BETWEEN YOU AND HIM ALONE. 20:05 IF HE HEARS YOU, YOU HAVE GAINED YOUR BROTHER." 20:08 >>NOW, IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF PROBLEM BETWEEN BRETHREN, YOU 20:11 SHOULD GO TO THEM HOW? GO TO THEM ALONE. DON'T EMBARRASS 20:15 THEM. DON'T MAKE A SPECTACLE OF IT, BUT WE SHOULD APPEAL TO EACH 20:19 OTHER. MATTHEW 18 HAS A LOT TO SAY, ACTUALLY, ABOUT HOW WE 20:24 RESOLVE SOME OF THESE DIFFERENCES. 20:27 YOU'VE GOT A BROTHER IN THE CHURCH AND THEY BORROW YOUR LAWN 20:32 MOWER AND THEY DON'T GIVE IT BACK, THEN IT BREAKS AND THEY 20:34 DON'T PAY FOR IT AND, BEFORE YOU GO AND YOU BRING IT UP IN A 20:39 CHURCH BUSINESS MEETING, YOU OUGHT TO GO KNOCK ON THE DOOR 20:43 AND SAY, 'HEY, CAN WE TALK? YOU KNOW THAT LAWN MOWER? 20:47 DON'T YOU THINK YOU OUGHT TO BUY ME ANOTHER LAWN MOWER? 20:49 EVEN IF IT'S A USED ONE, I MEAN' - AND APPEAL TO THEM, YOU KNOW? 20:53 WE OUGHT TO RECONCILE OUR DIFFERENCES. 20:55 AND DON'T GOSSIP ABOUT THEM, RIGHT? 'YOU KNOW WHAT THAT 20:58 BROTHER DID?' AND YOU RUIN THEIR NAME - THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO DO 21:02 IT. ALRIGHT, 1 CORINTHIANS 5, VERSE 1 - NOW THERE - 21:09 THERE'S A TIME WHEN CHURCHES - NOT JUST INDIVIDUALS - CHURCHES 21:13 COLLECTIVELY NEED TO MAKE THE MEMBERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE 21:17 PURPOSE OF BEING REDEMPTIVE, NOT JUST FOR EXECUTING WRATH. 21:23 1 CORINTHIANS 5:1 AND 2 - PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT A REALLY 21:26 SERIOUS PROBLEM THEY HAD IN THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH AND NOBODY WAS 21:28 DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY SAID, 'WE DON'T WANT TO JUDGE'. 21:31 PAUL SAID, "IT IS ACTUALLY REPORTED THAT THERE IS SEXUAL 21:34 IMMORALITY AMONG YOU, AND SUCH SEXUAL IMMORALITY AS IS NOT EVEN 21:38 NAMED AMONG THE GENTILES - THAT A MAN HAS HIS FATHER'S WIFE!" 21:42 - WE HOPE IT WAS HIS STEP-MOTHER - "AND YOU ARE PUFFED UP, AND 21:46 HAVE NOT RATHER MOURNED, THAT HE WHO HAS DONE THIS DEED MIGHT BE 21:50 TAKEN AWAY FROM AMONG YOU." WHAT IS PAUL TALKING ABOUT? 21:54 THE CHURCH KIND OF HAD A BLASÉ ATTITUDE ABOUT SIN IN THE CAMP 21:59 AND THE GENTILES WERE LOOKING IN ON THE INSIDE. 22:03 WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE WITNESS OF THE CHURCH? 22:06 IF SOMEONE TAKES THE NAME OF CHRIST - IF SOMEONE SAYS THEY 22:10 ARE A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN AND WE'RE NOT LIVING 22:14 THE LIFE, THEN WE OUGHT TO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER, FIRST OF 22:19 ALL, TO LIVE THE LIFE AND, IF SOMEONE IS LIVING IN OPEN 22:22 HIGH-HANDED IMMORALITY AND THEY'RE NOT REPENTING AND THEY 22:28 DON'T CHANGE, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? 22:30 THEY NEED TO BE PUT OUT OF THE CHURCH. WHY? 22:36 FOR ONE THING, SO THEY'LL KNOW THEY'RE IN A LOST CONDITION AND 22:40 THEY'LL REPENT AND COME BACK. SO IT'S REDEMPTIVE. 22:44 I REMEMBER, ONCE - CHURCH - I WILL NOT NAME WHAT CHURCH IT WAS 22:48 - IT WASN'T THIS CHURCH - HAD A DEACON. FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS 22:55 FRATERNIZING WITH ANOTHER MAN'S WIFE AND WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT 23:00 IT, HAD A VERY BRIEF VISIT WITH HIM. 23:05 I SAID, 'BROTHER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING YOUR NAME UP' - 23:09 I FOUND OUT IT WAS TRUE - AND HE HAD ALL THESE INTERESTING 23:11 EXCUSES - HE SAID, 'OH, WELL THAT GUY DOESN'T TREAT HIS WIFE 23:13 NICE AND SHE NEEDS SOMEONE BETTER THAN THAT. 23:15 I'M BEING REALLY GOOD TO HER.' I SAID, 'LOOK, SHE'S MARRIED TO 23:17 ANOTHER MAN. THIS IS CUT AND DRY.' AND I 23:21 WAS VERY SORRY WE HAD MADE HIM DEACON, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH. 23:25 AND I SAID, 'LOOK, WE CAN GO TO THE BUSINESS MEETING AND WE CAN 23:30 TALK ABOUT THIS, OR YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THIS AS UNBIBLICAL AND 23:33 YOU CAN ASK TO HAVE YOUR NAME DROPPED AND WE'LL WORK WITH YOU. 23:37 AND HE WAS REALLY UPSET THAT I WOULD - HE FINALLY DECIDED TO DO 23:42 THAT, BUT HE WAS REALLY UPSET THAT I WOULD APPROACH IT THAT 23:44 WAY. HE SAID, 'I LOVE THE LORD. 23:45 I'M A CHRISTIAN.' AND, AT ONE POINT, SOMEONE KNOCKED ON THE 23:51 CHURCH OFFICE AND CAME IN AND IT WAS THE HUSBAND OF THE LADY THAT 23:58 OUR DEACON WAS RUNNING AROUND WITH. 24:03 NOW HOW DO YOU THINK THAT MADE ME FEEL, AS A PASTOR, ABOUT THE 24:07 WITNESS THAT WAS GOING OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITY? 24:12 I DON'T EVER WANT TO DEAL WITH THAT AGAIN. 24:14 AND THIS MAN WAS A CHRISTIAN OF ANOTHER CHURCH. 24:15 HE SAID, 'IS THAT WHAT YOUR CHURCH TEACHES?' 24:19 SO, CAN YOU SEE WHY WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT? 24:22 AND THEN WHEN WE DID DEAL WITH THAT BROTHER'S NAME, SOME OTHER 24:25 MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH SAID, 'THAT WAS AN UNLOVING THING TO 24:28 DO.' AND THEY READ ME THE RIOT ACT. 24:32 'YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PATIENT. 24:34 EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES. WHO ARE WE TO CAST 24:36 THE FIRST STONE?' YOU EVER HEARD THOSE ARGUMENTS BEFORE? 24:40 >>YES. >>I SAID, 'LOOK, WE'VE GOT THE 24:42 HUSBAND MARCHING IN MY OFFICE SAYING IT. 24:46 THE DEACON'S ADMITTING IT.' SAID, 'WE'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH 24:48 THIS.' BUT THESE DAYS, FRIENDS, YOU CAN HARDLY DO ANYTHING TO 24:53 GET KICKED OUT OF THE CHURCH BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO 24:57 DEAL WITH SIN. YOU'RE NOT HELPING THAT PERSON. 25:01 YOU'RE NOT HELPING THE WITNESS OF CHRIST. 25:03 AND WHAT HAPPENED TO - WHAT HAPPENED TO ISRAEL WHEN THEY 25:07 REFUSED TO DEAL WITH ACHAN? YOU KNOW THE STORY OF ACHAN IN 25:11 THE OLD TESTAMENT, WHO HAD BEEN STEALING AGAINST THE COMMAND 25:16 OF GOD AND THEY WERE LOSING BATTLES? SO - AND, YOU KNOW, YOU 25:22 HAVE TO RECOGNIZE, NOBODY IN THE CHURCH FEELS LIKE WE'RE PERFECT. 25:25 NOBODY FEELS LIKE WE'RE WORTHY - AMEN? 25:27 BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A STANDARD OF GODLINESS, THAT IF A PERSON 25:31 IS LIVING IN OPEN HIGH-HANDED SIN, IT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH. 25:35 FIRST YOU WANT TO BE REDEMPTIVE, ESPECIALLY IF IT HASN'T GONE 25:37 PUBLIC, AND TRY TO RESTORE THEM. AND FIRST YOU GO ONE ON ONE. 25:43 IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, JESUS SAID TAKE SOMEONE WITH YOU. 25:46 IF THEY STILL WON'T LISTEN, BRING IT TO THE CHURCH. 25:49 ISN'T THAT WHAT THE RIGHT PROCESS IS? 25:51 A LOT OF CHURCHES, LET'S FACE IT, THEY'VE GOT PEOPLE ON THEIR 25:54 CHURCH BOOKS THAT LEFT THE CHURCH YEARS AGO, THAT ARE 25:57 TOTALLY OUT IN THE WORLD, AND NOBODY DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT. 26:02 AND THERE'S A LOT OF CHURCHES I GO TO, WHERE, ON SABBATH MORNING 26:06 YOU'LL SEE FIFTY PEOPLE THERE AND I'LL ASK THE PASTOR, 26:09 'HOW MANY ON THE BOOKS?' 'THREE HUNDRED.' THAT'S A LITTLE 26:13 EXAGGERATION, BUT NOT THAT FAR. WHY IS THAT? 26:19 BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS NOT DEALING WITH THESE THINGS. 26:21 IT SHOULD START ONE ON ONE. IF WE WOULD BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S 26:23 BURDENS - AS SOON AS WE SEE A PERSON STARTING TO SLIP AND GO 26:27 AND APPEAL TO THEM AND WORK WITH THEM AND TRY AND REDEEM THEM. 26:30 I DON'T THINK WE'D SEE THAT GREAT DEFICIT THAT WE SEE NOW. 26:35 SOMEONE SAY, 'AMEN' - I JUST TOLD THE TRUTH, I KNOW I DID. 26:38 ALRIGHT, NOW, IS THERE A POINT WHEN YOU FINALLY HAVE TO SAY, 26:45 'LOOK, I'VE LABORED WITH THEM BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING ANYWHERE? 26:49 THIS IS ANOTHER VERSE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO READ, BUT - 26:52 HEBREWS - ALSO WRITTEN BY PAUL, WE BELIEVE - HEBREWS 6, VERSE 4, 26:58 "FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED, AND 27:01 HAVE TASTED THE HEAVENLY GIFT, AND HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS OF THE 27:04 HOLY SPIRIT, AND HAVE TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD AND THE 27:07 POWERS OF THE AGE TO COME, IF THEY FALL AWAY, TO RENEW THEM 27:11 AGAIN TO REPENTANCE, SINCE THEY CRUCIFY AGAIN FOR THEMSELVES THE 27:15 SON OF GOD, AND PUT HIM TO AN OPEN SHAME." 27:17 IS THIS SAYING THAT A PERSON, IF THEY BACKSLIDE, CANNOT BE 27:20 RESTORED? NO, IT'S TALKING ABOUT A PERSON 27:22 WHO KNOWS ALL THE GOOD THINGS OF GOD AND, IN THE FACE OF THAT, 27:26 THEY CONTINUE TO LIVE A LIFE OF SIN. 27:29 HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW DO YOU APPLY THE VERSE WHERE JESUS 27:32 SAYS, IN MATTHEW 7, 'DO NOT GIVE THAT WHICH IS HOLY TO THE DOGS 27:36 OR CAST YOUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, LEST THEY TRAMPLE THEM 27:39 UNDER FEET AND TURN AND TEAR YOU IN PIECES'? SOMETIMES - YOU KNOW 27:44 WHAT PAUL SAYS? SPEAKING ABOUT THIS SAME 27:46 INDIVIDUAL IN 1 CORINTHIANS 7 - IN 1 CORINTHIANS - 'YOU MIGHT 27:52 NEED TO DELIVER SUCH A ONE TO SATAN FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF 27:57 THE FLESH THAT, ULTIMATELY, HIS SPIRIT MIGHT BE SAVED.' MEANING 28:01 THAT, OSTENSIBLY, HE MIGHT REPENT AND COME TO HIS 28:03 SENSES AND BE RESTORED. BUT WHO WOULD EVER WANT TO SAY, IN A 28:07 CHURCH SETTING, THAT YOU'RE DELIVERING SOMEONE TO SATAN? 28:12 DOESN'T JOHN SAY THERE COMES A POINT WITH SOME PEOPLE - JOHN 28:15 SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE OUGHT TO PRAY FOR PEOPLE, BUT HE SAYS THERE IS 28:17 A SIN I DON'T EVEN ASK THAT YOU PRAY FOR IT.' SOMETIMES A PERSON 28:22 GETS INTO SUCH A STATE OF OPEN REBELLION THAT YOU NEED TO SAY, 28:27 'ALRIGHT, LORD, WE'RE GOING TO LET THIS PERSON GO. 28:30 WE'LL PRAY THAT YOU DEAL WITH THEM AND GET THEIR 28:34 ATTENTION AND BRING THEM BACK.' I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE WOULD 28:38 EVER SAY THAT YOU GET TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU STOP PRAYING FOR 28:40 SOMEBODY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS 'WHERE THERE'S LIFE 28:43 THERE'S HOPE.' BUT IS THERE AN UNPARDONABLE SIN? 28:47 I THINK THAT'S WHAT JOHN WAS TALKING ABOUT. 28:49 ALRIGHT, WHAT ABOUT GALATIANS 6:1 - THE PART THAT SAYS, 28:53 "...CONSIDERING YOURSELF LEST YOU ALSO BE TEMPTED. 28:56 THIS IS UNDER THE SECTION BEWARE OF TEMPTATION . 29:01 HOW MANY REMEMBER WHERE MATTHEW CHAPTER 26, VERSE 31, "THEN 29:10 JESUS SAID TO THEM, 'ALL OF YOU WILL BE MADE TO STUMBLE BECAUSE 29:14 OF ME THIS NIGHT, FOR IT IS WRITTEN: 'I WILL STRIKE THE 29:16 SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK WILL BE SCATTERED. 29:19 BUT AFTER I HAVE BEEN RAISED, I WILL GO BEFORE YOU TO GALILEE.' 29:22 PETER ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, 'EVEN IF ALL ARE MADE TO STUMBLE 29:27 BECAUSE OF YOU,'" - AND HE LOOKS AROUND AT THE OTHER ELEVEN - 29:29 'EVEN IF ALL THESE STUMBLE' - "I WILL NEVER BE MADE TO STUMBLE." 29:33 AND SO JESUS SAYS, 'CONSIDERING YOURSELF' - IN OTHER WORDS, BE 29:39 HUMBLE, BECAUSE HERE PETER THOUGHT, 'THOUGH ALL MEN FORSAKE 29:41 THEE, I'LL NOT FORSAKE THEE.' AND GUESS WHAT? DID PETER KNOW 29:45 HIS OWN HEART? >>NO. 29:47 >>DID PETER THINK THAT WAS A POSSIBILITY? 29:50 >>NO. >>'I'D NEVER DO THAT.' 29:52 DO WE KNOW OUR OWN HEARTS? 29:54 THE HUMAN HEART IS DESPERATELY WICKED; WHO CAN KNOW IT? 29:58 AND SO, WE MUST, IN HUMILITY, COMMIT OUR HEARTS TO GOD OR 30:03 WE'RE CAPABLE OF ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU'D NEVER BELIEVE. 30:08 ESTHER CHAPTER 7 - DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN - THIS IS ONE OF 30:13 THOSE 'THOU ART THE MAN' EXPERIENCES - KING AHASUERUS 30:16 SAID TO QUEEN ESTHER, 'WHO IS HE AND WHERE IS HE WHO WOULD DARE 30:20 TO PRESUME TO ANNIHILATE YOUR PEOPLE?' 30:24 AND ESTHER SAID - BASICALLY, SHE SAID, 'KING, IT'S YOU.' SHE 30:28 SAID, 'IT'S THE WICKED HAMAN.' BUT HAMAN HAD THE KING SIGN THE 30:31 LAW. THE KING IS THE ONE WHO DID IT. 30:34 SO HAMAN WAS TERRIFIED BEFORE THE KING. 30:36 BOTH HAMAN AND THE KING WERE SAYING, 'YEAH, WHO WOULD DO 30:38 THAT?' THEY DIDN'T REALIZE THAT ESTHER 30:40 WAS JEWISH, AND HERE THEY HAD JUST WORKED TOGETHER TO MAKE 30:43 A LAW TO KILL ALL THE JEWS. LIKE THE VIDEO OF THAT IN HEAVEN 30:47 - HAMAN'S FACE WHEN ESTHER SAYS, 'IT'S HAMAN.' HERE HE JUST 30:52 THOUGHT HE WAS INVITED TO THE FEAST BECAUSE ESTHER LIKED HIM. 30:58 JUDGE NOT - VERSE 7 OF - RATHER MATTHEW 7, VERSES 1 AND 2, 31:03 "JUDGE NOT, THAT YOU BE NOT JUDGED. 31:04 FOR WITH WHAT JUDGMENT YOU JUDGE, YOU WILL BE JUDGED; AND 31:08 WITH THE MEASURE YOU USE, IT WILL BE MEASURED BACK TO YOU." 31:10 SO WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL. NOW SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ, FOR 31:13 ME, MATTHEW CHAPTER 26, VERSE 25 - YOU'LL HAVE THAT? 31:18 JUST HOLD ONE SECOND, KEITH, AND WE'LL GET TO THAT. 31:20 I'M GOING TO READ A COUPLE MORE VERSES. 31:22 HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER WHEN DANIEL INTERPRETS THE DREAM, FOR 31:27 THE KING, OF THE GREAT TREE THAT GETS CUT DOWN AND THE KING SAYS, 31:30 'WHAT IS THE TREE? WHAT IS THE TREE THAT GETS CUT DOWN?' 31:33 DANIEL SAID, 'YOU'RE THE TREE THAT GETS CUT DOWN.' IT WAS 31:37 BECAUSE OF HIS PRIDE. EARLIER DANIEL SAID, 'YOU'RE THE 31:41 HEAD OF GOLD' - HE LIKED THAT INTERPRETATION. 31:43 NOW HE SAYS, 'YOU'RE THE TREE THAT'S GETTING CUT DOWN.' 31:46 THAT WAS PROBABLY A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE. 31:48 GO AHEAD, PLEASE READ FOR US, MATTHEW 26:25 31:52 >>"THEN JUDAS SAID, WHICH BETRAYED HIM, ANSWERED AND SAID, 31:57 'MASTER, IS IT I?' HE SAID UNTO HIM, 'THOU HADST SAID.'" 32:03 >>YEAH, WHEN - LATER AT THE DINNER JESUS SAID, 'THIS 32:07 NIGHT, YOU'RE ALL GOING TO BETRAY ME. YOU'RE ALL GOING TO 32:09 FORSAKE ME.' AND THEY WENT AROUND THE TABLE ONE BY ONE - 32:12 YOU REMEMBER HOW THEY WERE SITTING AROUND THE TABLE? 32:14 WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT ORDER - WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT JESUS 32:17 AND YOU'VE GOT JOHN, THEN YOU'VE GOT PETER, THEN THE OTHER 32:20 APOSTLES AND THEN, JUST BEFORE YOU GET BACK TO JESUS, YOU'VE 32:23 GOT JUDAS. IT DOES DESCRIBE - AT LEAST 32:25 THOSE THREE - WHERE THEY WERE SITTING. 32:27 AND, AS THEY GO AROUND THE TABLE, JOHN SAYS, 'LORD, IS IT 32:29 I?' 'NO.' - PETER, 'IS IT I?' 'IS IT I?' 'IS IT I?' 32:35 FINALLY, JUDAS SAYS - YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S LOOKING AT HIM 32:37 BECAUSE HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO HASN'T SAID, 'IS IT I?' 32:40 JUDAS KNEW IT WAS HE AND HE FINALLY SAID, 'LORD, IS IT I?' 32:45 AND JESUS SAID, 'YOU SAID IT.' AND YOU WONDER WHY THEY STILL 32:49 DIDN'T CATCH ON ABOUT JUDAS. IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW CLUELESS 32:52 THEY WERE ABOUT THIS HYPOCRITE IN THEIR MIDST. 32:58 1 CORINTHIANS 10:12, "THEREFORE LET HIM WHO THINKS HE STANDS 33:03 TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL." NOW, YOU REALIZE, WHEN YOU READ 33:06 IN 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 10, HE SAID THAT WE'RE TEMPTED IN MANY 33:12 WAYS, BUT GOD HAS PROMISED THAT HE WILL NOT ALLOW US TO BE 33:16 TEMPTED ABOVE WHAT WE ARE ABLE BUT WILL, WITH EVERY TEMPTATION, 33:20 PROVIDE A WAY OF ESCAPE. AND SO, THAT'S A 33:23 WONDERFUL PROMISE. BUT WHEN YOU GO INTO THAT VERSE, 33:26 DON'T FORGET THAT YOU MUST HAVE A HUMBLE ATTITUDE OF NOT - 33:32 NOT BEING OVER-CONFIDENT AND, ESPECIALLY, IF YOU'RE GOING 33:36 TO GO LABOR WITH A BROTHER OR SISTER, TO DO IT HUMBLY. 33:42 YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER - I STRUGGLED WITH SMOKING FOR YEARS 33:46 - AND THERE WAS A MEMBER OF THE COVELO CHURCH WHERE I WAS 33:52 BAPTIZED, ULTIMATELY. THEY SAID, 'DOUG, CAN YOU STOP 33:57 BY, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU.' AND HE WANTED TO TALK TO ME - HE 34:00 KNEW I WAS STRUGGLING WITH THIS TEMPTATION. 34:03 AND SO, WHEN HE LABORED WITH ME, INSTEAD OF CONDEMNING ME AND 34:08 SAYING, 'YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST ADDICTED TO CIGARETTES. 34:10 IT'S A FILTHY HABIT. YOU'VE JUST GOT TO QUIT.' WHAT 34:13 HE DID WAS, HE SHARED A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ABOUT HOW HE 34:16 STRUGGLED WITH TEMPTATION AND HOW GOD GAVE HIM THE VICTORY. 34:19 AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH HIS MEEKNESS AND HUMILITY - INSTEAD 34:23 OF CONDEMNING ME, HE RELATED TO ME AND SAID, 'YOU KNOW, I KNOW 34:27 WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH. I REALLY STRUGGLED WITH THIS' - 34:30 AND HE ITEMIZED WHAT THE ISSUE WAS - AND IT WAS A 34:33 BATTLE FOR YEARS. AND I STILL, TO THIS DAY, 34:34 REMEMBER THE STORY HE TOLD ME ABOUT HOW HE STRUGGLED. 34:38 AND HE SAID, 'BUT, YOU KNOW, I PRAYED AND I PRAYED' - AND IT 34:40 TOOK A LONG TIME OF PRAYING - 'AND FINALLY GOD GAVE ME THE 34:42 VICTORY AND, PRAISE THE LORD, THE TEMPTATION WAS GONE. 34:45 AND IT FELT SO GOOD TO BE FREE. AND HE WANTS YOU TO BE FREE.' 34:48 AND HE PRAYED WITH ME THEN, THAT DAY. 34:50 WELL, I DIDN'T QUIT RIGHT AWAY, BUT I DID LATER AND I NEVER 34:52 FORGOT THAT HE DIDN'T CONDEMN ME - THAT WHEN HE CONFRONTED ME, 34:58 HE DID IT IN LOVE AND HE RELATED TO ME. 35:02 YOU KNOW, THE ONE REASON THAT JESUS IS A GREAT SAVIOR IS HE 35:05 BECAME A HUMAN AND HE WAS TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS AS WE ARE 35:09 TEMPTED, RIGHT? SO HE RELATES TO US, AND THAT'S 35:13 WHAT PAUL MEANS WHEN HE SAYS, 'CONSIDERING YOURSELF, LEST 35:16 YOU ALSO BE TEMPTED.' DO IT IN GENTLENESS. 35:20 AND, IF YOU DON'T, PAUL SAYS YOU'RE A HYPOCRITE. 35:22 LOOK IN ROMANS, FOR INSTANCE. ROMANS CHAPTER 2, VERSE 21, 35:27 "YOU, THEREFORE, WHO TEACH ANOTHER, DO YOU 35:30 NOT TEACH YOURSELF? YOU WHO PREACH THAT A MAN 35:33 SHOULD NOT STEAL, DO YOU STEAL? YOU WHO SAY, 'DO NOT COMMIT 35:36 ADULTERY,' DO YOU COMMIT ADULTERY? YOU WHO ABHOR IDOLS, 35:41 DO YOU ROB TEMPLES? YOU WHO MAKE YOUR BOAST IN THE 35:44 LAW, DO YOU DISHONOR GOD THROUGH BREAKING THE LAW? 35:47 FOR 'THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES 35:51 BECAUSE OF YOU,' AS IT IS WRITTEN." IT'S LIKE I WAS 35:55 SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHO IS - WHO IS THE BIGGEST ENEMY IN THE 36:00 WORLD OF CHRISTIANITY? >>CHRISTIANS. 36:04 >>PEOPLE WHO TAKE THE NAME OF CHRISTIANS. AND PAUL SAID, TO 36:09 HIS JEWISH READERS - HE WRITES THE ROMANS, HE SAYS, 'LOOK, THEY 36:14 MAKE FUN OF US IN ROME BECAUSE, HERE, WE PREACH ONE THING THEN 36:19 WE DO ANOTHER. AND SO, ONE REASON FOR US TO 36:22 LABOR WITH EACH OTHER IS SO THAT WE BRING UP THE STANDARD 36:25 OF 'WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN? AND WE LIVE THE LIFE. 36:29 SO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE ABOUT BEING 36:33 RESTORED - SOMEONE WHO IS WANDERING FROM THE FAITH, MAKE 36:37 SURE THAT YOU'RE BEING CONSISTENT WITH THAT. 36:39 JESUS TALKS ABOUT THIS A LITTLE LATER, WHEN HE SAYS, 'WHY DO YOU 36:45 LOOK AT THE SPECK THAT'S IN YOUR BROTHER'S EYE BUT YOU DON'T 36:48 CONSIDER THE TWO BY FOUR THAT'S IN YOUR OWN EYE?' 36:51 - HE SAYS 'PLANK' - 'OR HOW CAN YOU SAY TO YOUR BROTHER, 'LET ME 36:55 REMOVE THE SPECK FROM YOUR EYE' AND LOOK, YOU'VE GOT A PLANK IN 36:59 YOUR OWN EYE? HYPOCRITE.' NOW DOES JESUS SAY, 37:03 'DON'T BE LOOKING FOR THE SPECK IN ANYONE'S EYE? 37:05 DON'T HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR IF HE'S GOT A PIECE OF SAWDUST IN HIS 37:08 EYE.' IS THAT WHAT JESUS SAID? 37:09 OR DOES JESUS SAY, 'WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING IN THEIR EYE AT THE 37:13 PIECE OF SAWDUST, NOTICE THE REFLECTION OF YOUR OWN EYE. 37:16 DO YOU HAVE A TWO BY FOUR IN YOUR EYE?' 37:20 I HAD TO GRAB A LITTLE PIECE OF TWO BY FOUR TO DO A JOB 37:22 YESTERDAY, AND I'D HATE TO HAVE THAT IN MY EYE. 37:26 BUT CHRIST, HERE, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE HUMOR OF JESUS - 37:30 OR THE IRONY, ANYWAY, BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S AN ILLUSTRATION 37:34 THAT, IF WE'RE GOING TO HELP - BUT DOES JESUS SAY, 'DON'T EVER 37:36 HELP ANYBODY WHO SAYS SOMETHING IS IN THEIR EYE?' 37:39 NO, HE SAYS, 'FIRST REMOVE THE SPECK FROM YOUR OWN EYE, THEN 37:44 YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR WITH WHAT'S IN THEIR 37:47 EYE.' AMEN? SO, ALRIGHT, LET ME JUST 37:51 MAKE THIS PRACTICAL. DO YOU KNOW SOMEBODY - BROTHER, 37:53 SISTER, SOMEBODY IN THE CHURCH - AND THEY'RE JUST REALLY 37:55 STRUGGLING IN SOME AREA YOU'RE AWARE OF? 37:57 OR MAYBE THEY'RE MISSING EVERY THIRD - EVERY OTHER WEEK BECAUSE 38:02 THEIR COMMITMENT IS WEAK AND YOU THINK THEY MIGHT JUST NEED SOME 38:04 SPIRITUAL ENCOURAGEMENT? BEFORE YOU GO SEE THEM, 38:09 WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? >>PRAY. 38:11 >>PRAY AND SAY, 'LORD, IS MY OWN HEART RIGHT?' 38:14 OR YOU'RE AN ELDER AND YOU'RE GOING TO PRAY AND HAVE AN 38:17 ANOINTING SERVICE FOR SOMEONE TO BE HEALED. 38:21 BEFORE YOU TALK TO THEM AND YOU PRAY FOR THEM, YOU OUGHT TO PRAY 38:25 FOR YOURSELF AND SAY, 'LORD, IS MY SPIRIT RIGHT SO THAT I CAN 38:28 PRAY? IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN MY 38:29 LIFE, LORD, FORGIVE ME. HELP ME SET THAT STRAIGHT.' IT'S 38:32 REALLY GOOD FOR CHRISTIANS TO TAKE A REGULAR INVENTORY OF OUR 38:35 OWN LIVES AS WE PRAY AND AS WE WORK WITH OTHERS, AMEN? 38:41 NOW, AND THIS IS BIBLICAL, 1 CORINTHIANS 11:31, "FOR IF WE 38:48 WOULD JUDGE OURSELVES, WE WOULD NOT BE JUDGED." 38:51 NOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE JUDGED. 38:53 WHAT DOES PAUL SAY WE NEED TO DO IF WE DON'T WANT TO BE JUDGED? 38:56 JUDGE YOURSELF. DID I READ THAT RIGHT? 39:00 LET ME READ IT AGAIN. 1 CORINTHIANS 11:31, "FOR IF WE 39:05 WOULD JUDGE OURSELVES, WE WOULD NOT BE JUDGED." 39:08 I HEAR SOME PASTORS OUT THERE SAYING, 'DON'T TAKE YOURSELF TOO 39:11 SERIOUSLY, JUST - JUST, YOU KNOW, LIVE IN FAITH. 39:15 JUST LIVE IN GRACE AND...' - MY BIBLE SAYS THAT EVERY NOW AND 39:18 THEN YOU OUGHT TO TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR LIFE. 39:21 EXAMINE YOUR HEART - MATTER OF FACT, HERE'S THE VERSE - 2 39:24 CORINTHIANS 13:5, "EXAMINE YOURSELVES AS TO WHETHER YOU ARE 39:28 IN THE FAITH." - ISN'T THAT CLEAR? - "TEST YOURSELVES. 39:32 DO YOU NOT KNOW YOURSELVES, THAT JESUS CHRIST IS IN YOU? 39:35 - UNLESS INDEED YOU ARE" - REPROBATE - OR "DISQUALIFIED." 39:38 AS SOME VERSIONS PUT IT. SO THERE IS A TIME FOR CHRISTIANS. 39:41 DOESN'T DAVID SAY, 'SEARCH ME, LORD, TRY ME. 39:46 SEE IF THERE BE ANY WICKED WAY IN ME. 39:47 LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING.' I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR 39:51 CHRISTIANS TO, EVERY NOW AND THEN, DO A LITTLE ACCOUNTING - 39:54 AN INVENTORY OF YOUR OWN LIVES - AND, ESPECIALLY, BEFORE YOU'RE 39:57 GOING TO GO AND LABOR WITH AND TRY TO ENCOURAGE A BROTHER OR 40:01 SISTER. AMEN? 40:04 AND THEN 2 PETER 3:17, "YOU THEREFORE, BELOVED, SINCE YOU 40:08 KNOW THIS BEFOREHAND, BEWARE LEST YOU ALSO FALL FROM YOUR OWN 40:12 STEADFASTNESS, BEING LED AWAY WITH THE ERROR OF THE WICKED;" - 40:17 AND SO, WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL TO EXAMINE OUR OWN HEARTS AND GUARD 40:20 OUR OWN WAY, WATCH OUR OWN FEET - THE BIBLE'S CLEAR. 40:23 BURDEN BEARING - NOW WE'RE IN GALATIANS 6:2 THROUGH 5 - AND 40:29 THIS IS REALLY JUST - WE'RE SUMMARIZING THE WORK OF THE 40:33 GOSPEL IN THE CHURCH, "BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS, AND SO 40:38 FULFILL THE LAW OF CHRIST. FOR IF ANYONE THINKS HIMSELF 40:42 TO BE SOMETHING, WHEN HE IS NOTHING, HE DECEIVES HIMSELF. 40:45 BUT LET EACH ONE EXAMINE HIS OWN WORK," - THIS IS WHAT WE WERE 40:48 JUST TALKING ABOUT - "LET EACH ONE EXAMINE HIS OWN WORK, AND HE 40:51 WILL HAVE REJOICING IN HIMSELF ALONE, AND NOT IN ANOTHER. 40:55 FOR EACH ONE SHALL BEAR HIS OWN LOAD." 40:58 - WE WILL ALL GO INTO THE JUDGMENT WITH OUR OWN RECORD, 41:00 AND SO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE LORD TAKING 41:05 AWAY OUR BURDENS AND WE EXAMINE OURSELVES. 41:08 PART OF CHRISTIANITY IS BEARING ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS. 41:12 NOW SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ, FOR ME, MATTHEW 27:32 IN JUST A 41:15 MOMENT - YOU'LL HAVE THAT? 41:17 I THINK A FEW MONTHS AGO I SHARED WITH YOU AN ILLUSTRATION. 41:20 I WAS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA A FEW YEARS AGO. 41:23 THEY'VE GOT A STATUE OF SOMEONE THERE THEY CALL 'RUSSIAN JACK' - 41:27 ANY OF YOU EVER HEARD OF THAT BEFORE? 41:29 RUSSIAN JACK - THERE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA THEY HAD SOME MINES IN 41:32 THE 1880S AND THESE TWO GUYS - RUSSIAN JACK'S REAL NAME WAS 41:37 IVAN FREDERICKS AND I GUESS HE HAD SOME RUSSIAN BACKGROUND - 41:42 AND THEY WERE PROSPECTING, OUT LOOKING FOR GOLD, AND HIS 41:45 PARTNER BROKE A LEG AND THEN GOT SICK AND THE NEAREST MEDICAL 41:51 CLINIC WAS 150 MILES AWAY - NO ROADS. 41:56 SO IVAN LOADED HIS FRIEND IN A WHEELBARROW AND PUSHED HIM 150 42:02 MILES - AND THIS IS OVER ROUGH TERRAIN - AND WHEN THEY FINALLY 42:08 ENTERED THE TOWN THERE IN WYNDHAM - HE TOOK HIM ACROSS THE 42:12 GREAT SANDY DESERT TO THE NEAREST MEDICAL CENTER - WHEN HE 42:17 ENTERED THE TOWN AND THEY CAME AND GOT HIS FRIEND OUT THEY 42:22 SAID, 'DID YOU REALLY PUSH HIM ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE SANDY 42:24 DESERT?' HE SAID, 'YES, I DID.' AND HIS 42:26 FRIEND SAID, 'AND HE DIDN'T MISS A SINGLE ROCK ALONG THE WAY.' 42:30 (LAUGHTER) CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? NO SHOCK ABSORBERS IN A 42:33 WHEELBARROW WITH A BROKEN LEG. THAT MUST HAVE 42:36 BEEN A ROUGH RIDE. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A GOOD 42:38 FRIEND WHO'S GOING TO PUSH YOU THAT FAR. 42:42 THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS, "BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS, AND SO 42:46 FULFILL THE LAW OF CHRIST." GO AHEAD, READ, FOR US, 42:47 PLEASE, MATTHEW 27:32. >>"NOW AS THEY CAME OUT, THEY 42:52 FOUND A MAN OF CYRENE, SIMON BY NAME. 42:55 HIM THEY COMPELLED TO BEAR HIS CROSS." 42:58 >>WHAT A WONDERFUL MAN SIMON MUST HAVE BEEN, THAT HE BORE THE 43:02 CROSS OF JESUS. YOU EVER THOUGHT HOW GREAT IT 43:05 WOULD BE IF YOU COULD SAY, 'I HELPED JESUS CARRY HIS CROSS.' 43:09 BUT DOES IT SAY THAT SIMON VOLUNTEERED OR 43:12 THEY COMPELLED HIM? >>COMPELLED HIM. 43:14 >>SO IS THAT THE SAME THING? >>BETTER THAN NOTHING. 43:18 >>ARE THERE SOME WHO - BETTER THAN NOTHING - YEAH, AT THE END 43:22 OF A SPEAR. YEAH, IT IS GOOD. 43:27 ARE THERE SOME PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH THAT ARE HELPING BEAR 43:30 BURDENS BUT THEY'RE NOT DOING IT WILLINGLY, THEY'RE DOING IT AT 43:32 THE POINT OF A ROMAN SPEAR? DOING IT BY COMPULSION? 43:38 YOU KNOW, I THINK SIMON, LATER, WHEN HE FOUND OUT WHO JESUS WAS, 43:40 THERE IS SOMEONE IN THE CHURCH WHO WAS CALLED SIMON NIGER AND 43:43 LEGEND HAS IT HE WAS THE ONE WHO CARRIED CHRIST'S CROSS. 43:47 MATTER OF FACT, I THINK A VERSE SAYS IT. 43:49 AND THAT, YOU KNOW, HE WAS LATER CONVERTED AND WHAT A PRIVILEGE 43:54 TO SAY, 'YES, I'M THE ONE.' BUT HOW MUCH BETTER TO SAY WE 43:59 WILLINGLY ARE WANTING TO BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS. 44:03 THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN. 44:06 MATTER OF FACT, JESUS SAYS, IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 5:41, 'IF 44:09 SOMEONE COMPELS YOU TO GO ONE MILE, GO WITH HIM TWO.' HOW MANY 44:12 TIMES HAVE YOU USED THE EXPRESSION 'GOING THE SECOND 44:14 MILE'? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? 44:19 IT WAS VERY COMMON, IN BIBLE TIMES, THAT THE ROMANS - 44:23 REMEMBER, THEY WERE OCCUPIED BY THE ROMANS - AS THEY TRAVELED 44:25 ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ANY ROMAN CENTURION COULD COME UP AND SAY 44:29 TO SOME FARMER OUT IN HIS FIELD, 'LOOK, DROP WHAT YOU'RE DOING. 44:33 I WANT YOU TO HELP OUR SOLDIERS CARRY THE GEAR FOR ONE 44:35 KILOMETER.' AND, ACCORDING TO ROMAN LAW, THEY COULDN'T REQUIRE 44:38 YOU TO CARRY IT FOR MORE THAN A MILE. 44:40 AND THEN THEY'D FIND SOMEONE ELSE AND THEY'D CARRY IT FOR A 44:42 MILE. BUT JESUS WAS SAYING, 'LOOK, 44:45 IF YOU WANT TO BE MY FOLLOWER, AFTER THEY COMPEL YOU TO CARRY 44:48 IT FOR ONE MILE, YOU TELL THEM, 'I WILL CARRY IT FOR FREE FOR 44:54 ANOTHER MILE.' NOW THAT'S SORT OF OUTRAGEOUS, ISN'T IT? 44:57 I MEAN, THIS IS YOUR ENEMY AND HE'S TELLING YOU YOU'VE GOT TO 45:00 CARRY HIS ARMOR OR HIS CANNON - I GUESS THEY DIDN'T HAVE CANNONS 45:03 - WHATEVER IT WAS YOU CARRIED OR THE ROMANS - YOU HAD TO CARRY IT 45:06 FOR A MILE AND THEY'D SAY, 'ALRIGHT, YOU'RE FREE NOW.' 45:10 YOU'D SAY, 'I JUST LIKE YOU. I WANT TO CARRY IT ANOTHER 45:12 MILE.' 'WHAT IN THE WORLD MAKES YOU DO THAT?' 'JESUS, MY LORD. 45:18 HE TOLD ME TO LOVE EVEN MY ENEMIES. 45:20 LET ME CARRY IT FOR YOU EVEN ANOTHER MILE.' AND IF ALL OF THE 45:23 JEWS HAD DONE THAT AFTER CHRIST TAUGHT IT, THERE NEVER WOULD 45:27 HAVE BEEN A SECOND WAR WITH THE ROMANS, WHERE THE TEMPLE WAS 45:30 DESTROYED. BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS. 45:34 CERTAINLY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT FOR YOUR ENEMY, WOULD WE DO 45:37 IT IN THE CHURCH? AMEN? JAMES 2:14 THROUGH 16, "WHAT 45:43 DOES IT PROFIT, MY BRETHREN, IF SOMEONE SAY HE HAS FAITH 45:46 BUT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS? CAN FAITH SAVE HIM? 45:50 IF A BROTHER OR SISTER IS NAKED AND DESTITUTE OF DAILY FOOD, AND 45:55 ONE OF YOU SAYS TO THEM, 'DEPART IN PEACE, BE WARMED AND FILLED,' 45:59 BUT YOU DO NOT GIVE THEM THE THINGS WHICH ARE NEEDED FOR THE 46:01 BODY, WHAT DOES IT PROFIT?" 46:05 I THINK I'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE THAT WHEN I FIRST BECAME A 46:08 CHRISTIAN, I'D SPENT SO MUCH TIME HITCHHIKING AND PRAYING FOR 46:13 A RIDE - SOMETIMES I SPENT HOURS OUT THERE IN THE SUN, THIRSTY, 46:18 WHATEVER, JUST STANDING THERE BEGGING FOR A RIDE. 46:21 BUT I REMEMBER, IN DESPERATION, ONCE OR TWICE, I MADE THESE 46:24 RECKLESS PROMISES AND I HOPE THE LORD DOESN'T HOLD ME TO IT. 46:28 AND I SAID, 'LORD, IF YOU JUST GIVE ME A RIDE, I PROMISE, IF I 46:31 EVER GET A CAR, I WILL PICK UP EVERY HITCHHIKER I SEE.' WELL, I 46:37 WASN'T - YOU KNOW, I WAS SINCERE WHEN I SAID IT, BUT I FINALLY 46:40 DID GET A CAR AND I PICKED UP A LOT OF HITCHHIKERS. 46:44 IT GOT TO THE PLACE WHERE I THOUGHT, 'YOU KNOW, I'M HAVING A 46:47 HARD TIME LIVING UP TO THIS VOW.' AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES 46:51 I'D SEE SIX HITCHHIKERS STANDING ON THE ON RAMP AND I'D SAY, 46:55 'LORD, I CAN'T DO THIS.' THEN I SAID, 'WELL, I CAN'T PICK THEM 46:58 ALL UP, BUT I'LL PRAY FOR THEM.' AND I STARTED THINKING OF THAT 47:02 VERSE AND I'D GO BY HITCHHIKERS AND I'D SAY, 'LORD, HELP THEM 47:04 GET A RIDE.' BUT I DIDN'T GIVE THEM A RIDE. 47:07 SO I'M IN A HURRY AND THEY LOOK LIKE THEY SMELL AND THIS IS A 47:10 NEW CAR, BUT 'GIVE THEM A RIDE - HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE GIVE THEM A 47:14 RIDE, LORD.' NOW IT'S OKAY TO PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE HAVING 47:18 CALAMITY. I THINK ALL OF YOU HAVE HEARD, 47:22 AT THIS POINT, THAT YESTERDAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUED A 47:26 DECLARATION THAT SUNDAY - TOMORROW - IS A NATIONAL DAY OF 47:31 PRAYER FOR THE HURRICANE VICTIMS. NOW THAT'S GOOD THAT WE 47:39 ARE TAKING TIME TO PRAY, AND IT'S BIBLICAL. 47:47 I MEAN, I CAN THINK OF A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE BIBLE WHEN KINGS 47:50 AND RULERS PROCLAIMED DAYS OF PRAYER. 47:53 EVEN ESTHER ASKED ALL THE PEOPLE TO PRAY ON A - FOR THREE DAYS - 47:57 BECAUSE THEY WERE FACING ANNIHILATION. 48:04 I HAVE TO JUST TELL YOU, I PUT IT ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE - I DON'T 48:07 KNOW IF ANYONE SAW IT - THAT IT DID GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF 48:12 PORTENTOUS CREEP - CREEPY FEELING - TO SEE THE PRESIDENT 48:16 SIGNING A SUNDAY LAW, SURROUNDED BY RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND 48:20 POLITICAL LEADERS, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S REALLY NOTHING WRONG 48:25 WITH HAVING A DAY OF PRAYER. BUT JUST - IT KIND OF WAS 48:29 PORTENTOUS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? 48:30 IT'S KIND OF A HARBINGER OF WHAT MAY COME SOME DAY. 48:33 AND - BUT IT'S GOOD TO PRAY AND IT'S GREAT FOR THE NATION TO 48:37 PRAY. THAT'S - YOU KNOW, THANKSGIVING 48:38 CAME AS A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER. 48:40 THAT'S HOW THANKSGIVING DEVELOPED - BECAUSE OF THE CIVIL 48:41 WAR. IT'S GOOD. I REMEMBER - THE FIRST 48:46 THANKSGIVING WITH THE PILGRIMS, THAT DIDN'T BECOME A NATIONAL 48:48 DAY UNTIL LINCOLN, DURING THE CIVIL WAR. BUT TO JUST SAY 48:54 'WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER' IS ONE THING. 48:56 TO SAY 'WE'RE GOING TO SEND MONEY' - DO YOU KNOW, ON 48:59 SEPTEMBER 9, OUR CHURCH IS HAVING A SPECIAL OFFERING FOR 49:02 THE VICTIMS OF - YOU KNOW, IF ANYONE OUT THERE IS NAMED 49:06 HARVEY, I FEEL REALLY BAD FOR THEM RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE 49:09 ALL TALKING ABOUT VICTIMS OF HARVEY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE 49:13 PRAYING FOR AND MAKING DONATIONS TO - NOW ISN'T THAT BETTER? 49:16 IT'S ONE THING TO SAY 'WE'RE GOING TO PRAY', IT'S ANOTHER 49:18 THING TO REACH IN YOUR WALLET AND SAY, 'WE'RE GOING TO GIVE 49:20 SOMETHING TO HELP WITH THE VICTIMS. 49:23 I NOTICED, WHEN I CHECKED OUT AT WALMART YESTERDAY, THAT THEY 49:26 GAVE AN OPTION ON THE SCREEN TO DONATE TO RED CROSS FOR, 49:30 OSTENSIBLY, THE HURRICANE VICTIMS. 49:34 AND SO, HERE HE'S SAYING 'BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS, NOT JUST 49:36 WITH YOUR PRAYERS, BUT IN TANGIBLE, REAL WAYS. 49:40 OTHERWISE, WHAT DOES IT PROFIT?' 49:42 PART OF BEARING THE BURDENS, IT'S JUST GIVING THEM TIME. 49:46 I LOVE WHAT PAUL SAYS IN ROMANS 12:15, "REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO 49:49 REJOICE, AND WEEP WITH THOSE WHO WEEP." 49:53 WHEN YOU WEEP WITH THOSE WHO WEEP, YOU DIVIDE THEIR SORROWS. 49:56 YOU'RE HELPING THEM BEAR THEIR BURDENS. 49:58 ARE THERE BURDENS IN LIFE? >>YES. 50:02 >>WHEN YOU BECOME A CHRISTIAN AND YOU YOKE UP WITH JESUS, HE 50:04 SAID, 'MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.' HE HELPS BEAR THE BURDEN. 50:07 SOMEONE SAID THAT - YOU EVER HELP A PERSON CARRY A LOAD BY 50:13 TAKING A STICK AND YOU PUT IT THROUGH THE HANDLE OF A VERY 50:15 HEAVY CEMENT BUCKET? THEY'VE GOT ONE END OF THE STICK 50:18 AND YOU'VE GOT ONE END OF THE STICK? 50:20 RIGHT? YOU EVER DO THAT BEFORE? AND YOU PICK UP THE 50:22 BUCKET TOGETHER. DO YOU REALIZE THAT IF YOU PUT 50:26 THE BUCKET CLOSER TO THEIR END AND YOU'VE GOT THE LONG END 50:30 OF THE STICK, YOU HAVE MORE LEVERAGE AND YOUR 50:31 END IS MUCH LIGHTER. THEY END UP WITH THE SHORT 50:34 END OF THE STICK - IT'S MUCH HEAVIER. 50:36 IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU'RE CARRYING A COUCH UPSTAIRS, YOU WANT TO BE 50:38 AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, RIGHT? 50:41 YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THE GUY PUSHING THE COUCH UP THE STAIRS. 50:45 WELL, JESUS IS THE ONE AT THE BOTTOM. 50:47 HE HAS THE SHORT END OF THE STICK. 50:49 HE SAYS IF WE YOKE UP WITH HIM, HE WILL TAKE THE BURDEN. 50:53 SO, AS CHRISTIANS, WE OUGHT TO MODEL THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS, 50:56 AMEN? "WE THEN WHO ARE STRONG" - ROMANS 15:1 - "WE THEN WHO ARE 51:01 STRONG" - MEANING IN THE FAITH - "OUGHT TO BEAR WITH THE SCRUPLES 51:04 OF THE WEAK, AND NOT TO PLEASE OURSELVES." WE OUGHT TO BE 51:07 ACCOMMODATING OTHER WHOSE FAITH MIGHT BE A LITTLE WEAKER. 51:10 THEN WE TALK ABOUT THE LAW OF CHRIST - MATTHEW 22, VERSE 34 - 51:15 "BUT WHEN THE PHARISEES HEARD THAT HE HAD SILENCED THE 51:19 SADDUCEES, THEY GATHERED TOGETHER. 51:22 THEN ONE OF THEM, A LAWYER, ASKED HIM A QUESTION, TESTING 51:24 HIM, AND SAYING, 'TEACHER, WHICH IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENT IN THE 51:26 LAW?' JESUS SAID TO HIM, ''YOU SHALL 51:29 LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, 51:33 AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREAT COMMANDMENT. 51:36 AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS 51:40 YOURSELF.' THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS REPLACE THE TEN.'" 51:45 IS THAT WHAT HE SAID? >>NO. 51:47 >>NO. SOME PEOPLE READ IT THAT WAY. JESUS ACTUALLY SAID, 'ON 51:50 THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.' 51:54 IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S A SUMMARY OF THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS. 51:58 IN GALATIANS CHAPTER 5 - THIS IS WHAT HE SAYS - VERSE 14, "FOR 52:03 ALL OF THE LAW IS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD," - MEANING ONE SAYING 52:07 - "EVEN IN THIS: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' BUT 52:10 IF YOU BITE AND DEVOUR ONE ANOTHER, BEWARE LEST YOU BE 52:13 CONSUMED BY ONE ANOTHER!'" THIS IS HOW WE SHOW WE ARE 52:15 CHRISTIANS, BY BEARING EACH OTHER'S BURDENS - BY LOVING ONE 52:18 ANOTHER. ALRIGHT, SOWING AND REAPING - LAST SECTION. 52:22 SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ JOB 4:8 - I'M GUESSING THAT'S YOU, 52:25 MANJEET. >>YES. 52:26 >>HERE'S THE LAST SECTION - GALATIANS 6:7 AND 8, "DO NOT BE 52:30 DECEIVED, GOD IS NOT MOCKED; FOR WHATEVER A MAN SOWS, THAT HE 52:33 WILL ALSO REAP. FOR HE WHO SOWS TO HIS FLESH 52:35 WILL OF THE FLESH REAP CORRUPTION, BUT HE WHO SOWS TO 52:39 THE SPIRIT WILL OF THE SPIRIT REAP EVERLASTING LIFE." 52:42 THERE IS A SOWING/REAPING PRINCIPLE IN LIFE YOU CANNOT 52:45 ESCAPE. PLEASE READ FOR US, JOB 4:8. 52:49 >>JOB 4:8, "EVEN AS I HAVE SEEN, THOSE WHO PLOW INIQUITY AND SOW 52:56 TROUBLE REAP THE SAME." >>YOU'RE GOING TO HARVEST WHAT 53:00 YOU PLANT, AND PAUL IS TELLING THE GALATIAN BELIEVERS, 'YOU 53:04 WILL REAP WHAT YOU SOW.' AND PROVERBS 6:27, "CAN A MAN TAKE 53:10 FIRE TO HIS BOSOM, AND HIS CLOTHING NOT BE BURNED? 53:13 CAN ONE WALK ON HOT COALS AND HIS FEET NOT BE SEARED?" 53:16 - THERE'S A FEW FIJIANS WHO CAN DO IT - "SO IS HE WHO GOES IN TO 53:19 HIS NEIGHBOR'S WIFE; WHOEVER TOUCHES HER SHALL NOT BE 53:22 INNOCENT." IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS A 53:24 LAW IN LIFE THAT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUR ACTIONS. 53:31 YOU CAN READ, FOR INSTANCE, ROMANS 8:5 - AND HE'S TALKING 53:34 ABOUT IF YOU SOW TO THE FLESH, YOU'RE GOING TO REAP FROM THE 53:36 FLESH CORRUPTION. ROMANS 8:5, "FOR THOSE WHO LIVE 53:39 ACCORDING TO THE FLESH SET THEIR MINDS ON THE THINGS OF THE 53:42 FLESH, BUT THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT, 53:44 THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT. FOR TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS 53:47 DEATH, BUT TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE AND PEACE." 53:53 AND GOD WANTS US TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED, AMEN? 53:57 WE'LL REAP - IF WE SOW TO THE SPIRIT, WE'LL REAP OF THE SPIRIT 54:00 LIFE. THAT'S GOOD NEWS. 54:01 I WANT TO REMIND OUR FRIENDS, IN CLOSING, ABOUT THE FREE OFFER 54:04 THAT WE'D LIKE TO MAKE AVAILABLE CALLED THE FINAL VERDICT AND YOU 54:08 SIMPLY ASK FOR #162 WHEN YOU CALL THIS NUMBER. 54:11 THE NUMBER IS 866-788-3966 - THAT'S 866-STUDY-MORE - WE'LL BE 54:18 HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO YOU. GOD BLESS YOU. 54:20 WE LOOK FORWARD TO STUDYING HIS WORD TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT WEEK. 54:25 >>FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, GOD USED MARTIN LUTHER TO INSPIRE A 54:29 GREAT REFORMATION, CALLING PEOPLE BACK TO THE FOUNDATIONAL 54:33 TEACHINGS OF SCRIPTURE; HOWEVER, IN THE CENTURIES THAT FOLLOWED, 54:37 THE CHURCH HAS SLIPPED OFF THE BEDROCK OF TRUTH INTO THE VALLEY 54:40 OF LUKEWARM WORLDLINESS. THAT'S WHY, THIS FALL, I'LL BE 54:44 PRESENTING A BRAND-NEW NINE-PART SERIES CALLED FOUNDATIONS OF 54:48 FAITH - A PERFECT SERIES FOR ANYONE SEEKING A PERSONAL 54:52 REVIVAL AND RENEWAL IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. 54:55 PLEASE PLAN, NOW, TO JOIN ME IN PERSON, ONLINE, OR ON TELEVISION 54:59 AND BE SURE TO INVITE OTHERS TO JOIN YOU AS WELL. 55:02 THE REFORMATION CONTINUES. (MUSIC) 55:17 >>EVERY NOW AND THEN, IN THE PANORAMA OF HISTORY, WE HEAR 55:20 ABOUT INDIVIDUALS THAT GO FROM THE LOWEST DEPTHS TO THE HIGHEST 55:24 PINNACLES. THEY EMERGE FROM THE SHACKLES 55:26 OF PRISON TO LEAD AND INSPIRE A NATION. 55:29 TAKE JOSEPH, FOR INSTANCE: HE'S SOLD BY HIS BROTHERS AS A SLAVE, 55:34 THEN FALSELY ACCUSED AND THRUST INTO PRISON. 55:37 YET, THROUGH A SERIES OF DIVINE CIRCUMSTANCES, HE MIRACULOUSLY 55:40 GOES FROM THE PRISON TO THE PALACE, RULING THE ONES WHO ONCE 55:43 IMPRISONED HIM. SOUND FAR-FETCHED? 55:46 IT'S HAPPENED IN HISTORY MORE THAN YOU THINK. 55:49 SOUTH AFRICA IS THE HOME OF JUST SUCH A LEADER. 55:52 NELSON MANDELA WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ESTABLISH PEACE AND FREEDOM 55:56 IN HIS COUNTRY AND HIS INFLUENCE WAS FELT AROUND THE WORLD. 56:00 BEFORE FREEDOM, THERE MUST BE FORGIVENESS. 56:03 LIKE JOSEPH, WHO WAS UNJUSTLY ACCUSED OF A CRIME HE DID NOT 56:06 COMMIT, NELSON MANDELA WAS ACCUSED OF TERRORISM AND 56:09 SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON ON ROBIN ISLAND. 56:12 HE WAS OFTEN EXPOSED TO CRUEL PUNISHMENT AND ABUSE. 56:15 BUT EVEN IN THE MIDST OF APPARENT FAILURE AND 56:17 DISCOURAGEMENT, HE NEVER LOST HEART AND HE NEVER GAVE UP. 56:21 AFTER YEARS IN PRISON, A GROWING NUMBER OF SUPPORTERS RALLIED FOR 56:24 HIS RELEASE AND EVENTUALLY IT TOOK PLACE. 56:27 AND GOD USED HIM SO THAT HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING TO 56:30 ABOLISH RACIAL SEGREGATION IN THE COUNTRY OF SOUTH AFRICA. 56:34 INCREDIBLY, HE NOW WAS, VIRTUALLY, THE ABSOLUTE LEADER 56:37 IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAD IMPRISONED HIM. 56:39 HE HAD ALL THE TOOLS AND THE POWER AT HIS DISPOSAL TO GET 56:42 EVEN WITH THE PRISON GUARDS AND OTHERS THAT HAD MISTREATED HIM. 56:45 INSTEAD, MANDELA CHOSE FORGIVENESS. 56:48 IT REMINDS ME OF THAT VERSE IN THE BIBLE IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 56:51 4, VERSE 32, "LET ALL BITTERNESS, WRATH, ANGER, 56:55 CLAMOR, AND EVIL SPEAKING BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU, WITH ALL MALICE. 56:59 AND BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE 57:03 ANOTHER, EVEN AS GOD IN CHRIST FORGAVE YOU." 57:08 I'M SO THANKFUL THAT NELSON MANDELA, LIKE JOSEPH, CHOSE TO 57:11 FORGIVE THOSE WHO WERE ONCE HIS ENEMIES, AND TO SERVE HIS NATION 57:14 WITH LOVE AND COURAGE. YOU CAN FIND A NUMBER OF 57:17 EXAMPLES OF THIS HAPPENING IN THE BIBLE. 57:19 YOU HAVE DANIEL, WHO WAS A CAPTIVE FROM THE LAND OF JUDAH, 57:22 AND YET GOD ARRANGED THINGS WHERE HE BECOMES THE PRIME 57:24 MINISTER IN THE KINGDOM OF BABYLON. 57:26 YOU HAVE ESTHER, WHO WAS A POOR ORPHAN GIRL IN PERSIA, AND YET 57:30 GOD WORKED THINGS OUT WHERE SHE BECOMES THE QUEEN OF THAT 57:32 COUNTRY. THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH ENDS WITH 57:35 AN INCREDIBLE STORY OF A YOUNG KING NAMED JEHOIACHIN, WHO WAS 57:39 IN A BABYLONIAN DUNGEON FOR 37 YEARS AND THEN KING 57:42 EVIL-MEREDOCH HAS MERCY ON HIM AND HE HAD A NEW STATUS, GOING 57:46 FROM THE PRISON TO THE PALACE. THIS IS WHAT THE LORD WANTS TO 57:49 DO WITH YOU AND ME, FRIENDS. HE GIVES YOU THE BREAD OF LIFE. 57:51 HE GIVES YOU THE ROBE OF JESUS' RIGHTEOUSNESS. 57:53 HE GIVES YOU A SEAT AT HIS TABLE. 57:55 IF YOU ACCEPT HIS FORGIVENESS AND YOU'RE WILLING TO PASS IT 57:58 ON, YOU AND I CAN LIVE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST. 58:01 WOULDN'T YOU LIKE THAT EXPERIENCE? 58:03 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2017-09-15